The Wolf Queen - Part 2 - (Aemond Targaryen)

Chapter 34

Vermax flies low over the land, but also high enough not to be easily spotted in the night sky. Far off in the distance the horizon glows red from the fires of the war.

Just looking at the bloody colour makes her anxious to get there. She can feel the energy inside her start crackling like lightning will emit from her skin. How many of her men have died so far? How many families have been destroyed because of the greediness of Rynaera? They could have done this differently and could have discussed her desire for the North face-to-face, but instead, she went and took a page from her husband's book. The destruction and damage that her and Daemon's actions have caused, runs so deep, that Lyanna is not willing to be forgiving after the war is done. This time their actions will have repercussions. 

Is Aemond still okay? Does he know that she has been found, rescued from a monster who tried to kill their children? Has anyone sent word to him of what happened? She knows he will be leading the fighting, either on Vhagar's back or on the ground with the men. Hopefully, he will ensure that Cregan doesn't get killed.

"I have a feeling your mother won't be happy to hear that you are siding with me," Lyanna say loudly over her shoulder, holding on tightly to the saddle as Jace descends from the sky. Her eyes turn wide as she sees the carnage and destruction coming closer.

All around men are swinging their swords, piercing through armour, ripping out guts as blood ooze from open wounds. The water around Moat Cailin is running red from all the blood, bodies pilling up by the minute. 

She heard from Aegon that things are not going well, but she did not suspect this. Her men are being slaughtered by an army much bigger than her own. Where did they get all the soldiers from?

A clicking sound followed by a roar fills their ears and both look to their right to see the serpent-like dragon of Daemon coming straight towards them.

"Hold on!" Jace yells as he orders Vermax to fly out of the way. The heat from Caraxes's fire can be felt as it barely misses them. Lyanna's heart is beating quickly in her chest from the sudden assault from the sky. 

"You need to get me down there!" she yells at Jace as he tries to shake Daemon from behind him.

"One second, Lyanna," he groans as he pulls to the left, flying very low over the heads of the soldiers. 

Lyanna huffs, "Fucking, Daemon!"

She was just about to grab hold of Caraxes's mind when a louder and much more intense roar can be heard from behind them. Lyanna already knows that roar to be that of Vhagar's. She didn't even need to look behind her to know he is on Caraxes's tail.

"Thank you, Aemond," Jace says and laughs, turning his dragon to land on an open piece of land that has not yet been overrun with blood and bodies. Lyanna makes quick work to get off Vermax.

She turns to Jace to thank him and sees him staring off into the distance. She follows his gaze, seeing the shape of another dragon on the horizon.

"You don't have to do this, Jace," she says and grabs his hand.

He shakes his head, "I have to. My mother is the reason all of this happened. I need to stop her."

Jace lets go of her hand and flies off towards where Rhynaera and her dragon are busy burning her men. She watch as his dragon fly straight into hers, almost knocking her from her saddle. To her left, she can see Daemon and Aemond, their dragons clawing at each's throats. 

Around her, the men are yelling, both in anger and in pain. She watches as one of her own men, a Stark soldier, gets butchered by a soldier from the Iron Islands. 

A wave of anger she has never felt before is awakened by the sight. 

Focus your anger, Lyanna.

She takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly, feeling how shaky it is coming out. She will only be able to do this if she is focused, she can't lose control of her anger, not now.

Then she sees Cregan.

He is surrounded by Lannister men, everyone ready to take his head. Her uncle and his men are fighting alongside him, trying to protect the young wolf, but they are vastly outnumbered.

"Cregan!" Lyanna yells when she sees the sword coming straight for him, but she catches his attention too late as the sharp edge of the enemy's sword pierces into his armour.

She pulls her sword out, running towards the small group of Northern men. She starts slicing away at the men she encounters, striking them down where they stand. A few heads get decapitated in the process as she fights her way towards her men, their eyes already on her as she clears the path between her and them. Her uncle shouts a few commands at his men and they immediately surround the wounded Cregan.

The Lannister soldiers try their best to fight her off, but they are not quick enough for the skilled Lyanna Stark, anger driving her to fight like she used to. 

She feels a familiar presence close to her and spins around to meet the eyes of her wolf. 

Shadow darts in her direction, ripping soldiers apart, the rest of the pack following him. 

Lyanna touches Shadow's face, "Like old times, Shadow," 

He nudges her, turning to the rest of the wolves. Shadow throws his head back, giving the loudest howl he has ever given. The other wolves follow suit. Lyanna places her sword back in its sheath, closing her eyes as she gathers her strength, focusing on the howl of her wolves. 

Focus on a central point, then reach out.

She finds a mind she has had the pleasure of entering before, taking hold of it as he sits smugly on his dragon. She can feel him writhe in pain and she pushes deeper, she needs to grab his whole mind.

The roar of his dragon causes her to open her eyes, just as they roll back into her head. Her grasp on Daemon explodes like a wildfire bomb, its flames enveloping everyone around it as she grabs their minds one by one. Her wolves howl louder the more minds she grabs hold of, feeling her own energy sapping away. 

Just a few more, she reminds herself as she reaches for the last few minds. 

It sounds like an arrow reaching its target the moment she got control over each mind here at Moat Cailin, including that of Aemond and the rest of her men.

The fighting around her has ceased and the sound of people dying is quiet for the time being. 

Everyone has a choice, she sends the message to every mind, groaning as she feels how draining it is to do so.

Lay down your weapons now, return to your homes, or die by my hands. Turn your back on the heretic who made you bend the knee to her, to fight in this war for her own egoistic gains. 

She can feel how some are cowering in fear, not sure of what is happening. 

Lyanna slowly let go of everyone's minds at the same time the wolves stop howling.

The men all look at each other, confused and uncertain of what to do. Lyanna scans the faces seeing some putting their swords away, not ready to fight any further. 

"Kill the witch!" she hears from the sky as Daemon comes swooping over her, "Kill her or you will all watch me burn your families alive!"

Most of the soldiers around her turn to her, their eyes full of fear, but the fire of the war is still burning inside them. They raise their weapons, yelling out before running towards her.

She pulls out her sword, grabbing hold of their minds once more.

You have been warned.

The wolves take their position in next to her, waiting for the wave of soldiers to reach them.