Lady Stark's Request

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The Greyjoys counted the remaining ships in the Gondor fleet. There were only nine ships left, including the one that they were on.

"How many ships did you have before you attacked our uncle's fleet?" Theon asked Legolas.

"Twenty ships," the elf said.

"But the whole of the Greyjoy Fleet has sunk," Gimli said. "That means we're luckier than your uncle and Queen Cersei are."

"So why are you here in Westeros?" Yara asked.

"Our friend will tell you," Legolas said.

The Greyjoys turned around to see Gandalf the White and King Aragorn approaching them.

"Theon Greyjoy, Yara Greyjoy," the wizard said.

"Gandalf," Theon said. "King Aragorn."

"Welcome aboard," Aragorn greeted.

"We are here in Westeros at the request of Lady Sansa Stark of Winterfell," Gandalf said.

"Is this about this White Walker threat?" Theon asked.

"Yes. Lady Stark sent me a raven all the way to Middle-Earth. She has explained that she and Jon Snow have recaptured Winterfell in the Stark name after my hobbit friend Peregrin Took and I save them the last time we were here in Westeros. She explained that her brother has been named King in the North and that he has allied with Queen Daenerys Targaryen, who had agreed to help with the White Walkers. Even though she had her dragons and her two armies the Unsullied and the Dothraki, Lady Stark doesn't trust this new ally and she had asked me if I can be of any assistance, while you and many others were trying to negotiate with Queen Cersei.

"So I gather all I could. King Aragorn and his Gondor Army. King Eomer and his Rohan Army. And our elf and dwarf friends, Legolas and Gimli."

"We are all grateful that you have come to help us with the White Walkers," Yara said, "even if Lady Stark didn't request you. But was there something else that made you want to gather your friends to come and help us? Do you have White Walkers in Middle-Earth?"

"No," Gandalf replied. "We are doing this because –"

Then there was a rattle coming from a trunk. Aragorn went with Faramir and his wife Eowyn to investigate it. It was a big rattle and it was loud enough to sound like one of Sauron's orcs was in it.

"Ready yourselves," Aragorn said to Faramir and Eowyn, as he readied his sword.

Faramir and Eowyn readied their swords as Aragorn kicked the truck over. The lid opened and everyone got ready for whatever it was to roll out. They were relieved it wasn't an orc. It wasn't one creature, but four creatures. They were four hobbits.

One of them groaned as he woke up. "Where are we?"

"You're in Westeros, Master Peregrin," Faramir said.

The hobbit named Peregrin Took or his better-known nickname Pippin looked up and his face beamed up. "Faramir?"

His cousin Meriadoc Brandybuck or Merry woke up and saw Faramir and another face he recognised. "Lady Eowyn?"

Eowyn smiled. "Good to see you again, Merry."

Then the hobbits saw their wizard friend passing through Faramir and Eowyn. He gave them an angry look. "Meridadoc Brandybuck! Peregrin Took!" he yelled. "What are you hobbits doing here?"

That angry yell woke up two more hobbits. They were Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee.

"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee!" Gandalf yelled. "What are you doing here?" Then he turned to the last hobbit. "Frodo Baggins," he said gently, but just as firm as he was with the other hobbits. "What are you doing here? With that wound the Night King gave you, you should be more careful."

"Sorry, Gandalf," Frodo said. "We didn't come here on purpose. I don't even know how we got here."

"Well, start with the last thing you remember before waking up," Gandalf said.

"We were celebrating Sam's daughter Elanor's second birthday," Frodo said. "The whole Shire was celebrating it. Sam, Merry, Pippin and I drank too much ale. We drank so much that we started to walk and laugh, but not how long or how loud. I don't remember when we fell asleep or how we got into this trunk. I'm sorry if we caused any trouble, Gandalf."

"Well, the only trouble is that we are on a mission and we cannot turn back to Middle-Earth," the wizard said. "We might never even return."

"Is this like our quest to destroy Sauron's Ring two years ago, Mr. Gandalf?" Sam asked.

"Well, this quest is more complicated, Samwise. It's not just fighting an army of monsters, it's about getting the remaining houses to unite. Whether you like it or not, you four are now part of this new mission to save Westeros. But remember this. If any of you die, I will not be responsible for your faiths. You all came at your own accord."

"So what is this mission in Westeros?" Pippin asked.

Gandalf explained to them what he told the Greyjoy siblings about arriving at Sansa Stark's request to defeat the White Walkers.

"So where's the Rohan fleet?" Merry asked.

"They are heading for the Wall," Gandalf said. "To make sure the Watch can hold the White Walkers off."

"So where are we going to now?" Pippin asked.

"King's Landing."

"King's Landing?" Yara asked. "After destroying our uncle's fleet?"

"We have to evacuate the people, in case the Wall crumbles and the White Walkers march through," Gandalf said.

"What about Queen Cersei and our uncle?" Theon Greyjoy asked. "Jon Snow and Daenerys tried to negotiate with them, but they wouldn't listen."

"If our kings and queens from Westeros couldn't get to them," Yara said, "why do you think they'll listen to a king and a wizard from Middle-Earth?"

"I do not know," Gandalf said. "But for the sake of both Middle-Earth and Westeros, we will have to defeat the White Walkers and protect many people from them as we can."

"How will it affect us, Gandalf?" Pippin asked. "We don't get White Walkers in Middle-Earth."

"No, not yet."

"Not yet?"

"That's right. You heard me correctly, Peregrin Took. The White Walkers never stop. If they take over Westeros, Essos and Sothoryos, they will come straight for Middle-Earth. That will mean no more Shire, no more ale, no more bread and cheese and no more pipe-weed. Understand now?"

"So where do start?"

Gandalf took that as the fool of a took was starting to understand.

"We are here in King's Landing," Aragorn told everyone. He turned to Gandalf. "Are we sticking to the plan? No changes yet?"

"Not that I can think off," Gandalf said. "But be ready for anything."

Then Aragorn went to get his friends and soldiers ready as the Gondor fleet sailed towards King's Landing.


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