Stannis had created their opening.

Viserys and Daenerys came running to find her when they heard the house filled with noise, Valkyries rushing around finally moving their provisions onto their ships and stocking it with the weapons they'd been preparing.

"What's happening?" asked Daenerys, finding Brynhildr giving orders at the main entrance.

"One of Varys's birds came to tell us some incredible news," said Brynhildr, having them walk with her to their armory. "Renly and Stannis met, they tried to push each other to supporting the other, and it seems Renly was killed without a formal battle. Some are blaming Lady Catelyn, some are blaming Brienne of Tarth, who was on Renly's Kingsguard. Others think Stannis himself killed him using that Red Priestess's magic."

"Oh!" Daenerys put her hands on her cheeks. "Oh, it has to be that one. Last night, I dreamt of a dark figure of shadows that bore no face."

"I believe that, too," said Brynhildr. "At any rate, the Reachmen have abandoned Renly and most of the Stormlanders have joined Stannis. We've already sent envoys as fast as possible asking for a marriage pact– either you and Ser Loras or Viserys and Margaery. We hope we can get to them before the Lannisters do, surely they have their own plans for pacts."

"Wait, wait," said Viserys. "But– what are we going to do, exactly? If the men of the Stormlands have joined Stannis–"

"Many of them will die," said Brynhildr. "He's taken control of the Baratheon fleet and acquired an alliance with a pirate from Lys that is meant to guard Dragonstone while Stannis launches an attack on Blackwater Bay. This is the moment we've been waiting for."

"Are we going to attack while he's in Blackwater Bay?" asked Daenerys.

"Yes. We'll leave from Braavos as soon as we estimate he's left Dragonstone. Let him attack King's Landing– we're predicting that Tywin Lannister will abandon his battle with Robb to preserve his family in the capital. Stannis's men will die, his ships will be sunk. Varys has learned that wildfire may be used against him. He and his men will burn. Not only will they manage to cripple some of the Lannsiter army, they'll cripple their own."

The children kept following excitedly, Brynhildr coming to a halt in front of the armory. "Now, the lesson to be learned is one of two sides," she told them, motioning with her hands for the Valkyries to keep moving things out to the ships. "Stannis is both brilliant for this plan and stupid for it. Can you tell me why?"

They both started to think. "Clever because he knows how undefended the capital is at this moment," offered Daenerys. "Lord Tywin is far, and in the end, whoever sits the Iron Throne is the King. He doesn't need to win any battles, if he can simply get in there and murder the false Baratheons, he could plant himself on the throne then withstand a siege– he's done it on Storm's End, why not in King's Landing? Taking the capital didn't necessarily require a proper siege camp, which means he can move faster than expected. That way, he didn't need to worry about a blockade to starve them out as the men of Wessex tried to do to you in York, Mother."

"Yet stupid," offered Viserys, "because he could have done this without Renly's army to force Tywin into a war at two fronts. He also could have made an alliance with Robb to make sure Robb keeps Tywin too occupied to come and rescue Cersei and Joffrey. Stannis probably also didn't scout ahead well enough. He likely has an unfortified base at Storm's End and his blockade would be relatively small in Blackwater Bay anyway. His naval force isn't the best. Which is where our opening is. If he takes the capital, we deal with that, but we'll have taken Dragonstone and, presumably, can take the Stormlands afterwards."

Brynhildr's lips curled into a proud smile. "Yes. We are going to take Dragonstone while the Baratheons are being slaughtered and we are going to kill Stannis. His wife and daughter will be the hostages we use to take Storm's End and show our strength to the Storm Lords... whoever is left after wildfire is launched at them."

"Are we going to use the dragons?" asked Daenerys.

"No. We have a plan to destroy the pirate's blockade without need for them. We've also already sent out envoys to Robb Stark to ask for an alliance– Roose Bolton is one of his closest advisors and he'll remember my name. Varys said the Ironborn have taken Winterfell. Since Robb managed no alliance with the Baratheons, we've advised that he keep Tywin occupied until Tywin makes his choice. If he leaves for the capital, Robb must retreat to the North immediately, wipe out the Ironborn, and hold the North against any southern incursions. We were also told that Catelyn Stark might have let the Kingslayer go, which does not bode well for them in continued warfare. They need to locate him, and if not, retreat before Jaime rejoins his father's command."

Viserys pursed his lips. "The Lannisters handle the Baratheons, the Starks and Tullys handle the Greyjoys. The Arryns have not joined the war and the Tyrells could prove allies to us. The Martells and the Targaryens." He began to smirk. "I like it."

She had them relay the information to Connington and Aegon while she handled the rest of the packing. Ser Willem Darry was doing his best to help with the preparations, but had already planned that he would stay behind in the Keep with the Valkyries that'd be running the forges and the shipyard. He knew he was too old for battle, and the rest of them knew that once they left, they would probably never see him again.

Along with their preparations of ships, weapons, provisions, and armor, Brynhildr made plans for a grand ritual that would include all those from the Valkyries, the Stormcrows, and the Golden Company who were going to fight for them. She intended to bless each one of them with blood (if they chose it) and invoke their gods for safe passage.

Their pyre was much larger this time, but only one Valkyrie had offered their life. Mallador, an Einherjar who joined when the Wolf Pack was absorbed by the Valkyries, had asked that he be the sacrifice, to bring good fortune in the Northern alliance and bless the men that would be fighting with them, so they might be receptive to Brynhildr's command.

They feasted together first, to begin their Blót sacrifice. They prayed and toasted to all their gods– Old, New, Valyrian, Viking, otherwise. They shared meads and ales, wines and rum. Brynhildr guided Daenerys in blessing their food, and together asked for Odin and Thor to ensure victory, for Njord and Frej to give them good weather and bring them a fruitful future.

After their meal, the sacrifices began. Connington and Aegon both stood beside Oberyn, Daario, and Harry Strickland– who looked fairly intimidated but too fascinated to look away. With their wood, they'd made Norse and Valyrian runes on the ground representing good weather, a favorable outcome in battle, cleverness and foresight. On large planks they'd carved the symbol of the Aegishjalmur, an emblem for protection worn like Mjollnir. It would serve as their shield and helm, give them strength in battle, and Vegvisir, the compass of guidance and protection to help them reach Dragonstone and the Stormlands even in rough weather.

"Óðinn!" called Brynhildr, shouting right to the dark sky overhead. "Vitur og voldugur stjórnandi Ásgarðs, guð meðal guðanna! Gefðu að við megum vera varin frá ógæfu og dauða. Við skorum á þig hér að fara gegn óvinum okkar. Við skorum á þig hingað til að berjast með okkur. Verndaðu okkur svo að við getum sigrað í þessari baráttu og áunnið okkur hylli guðanna. Og ættum við að deyja, opnaðu hurðir þínar og láttu okkur flæða inn í Valhöll, borin af Valkyrjunum!" (T: Odin! Wise and powerful ruler of Asgard, god among the gods! Grant that we may be shielded from misfortune and death. We call on you here to go against our enemies. We call on you here to fight with us. Protect us so that we may be victorious in this battle and earn the favor of the gods. And should we die, open wide your doors and let us flood into Valhalla, carried by the Valkyries!)

The Valkyries shouted upwards in agreement. Their most devoted stepped into the circle, backs cloaked with wolf skins, bear skins, even some stag skins to symbolize the fall of the Baratheons. Mallador wore a rare lion pelt that Brynhildr had been gifted for a job long ago, and he came to stop in front of her.

He started the ritual of the Berserkers, leaning down to howl then beginning to guide the others in dance. If the Golden Company hadn't been uncomfortable before, they certainly were uncomfortable as the chosen Berserkers began to dance and howl, shouting out and accepting from the hands of the other Valkyries a drink made of mushrooms that brought forth hallucinations. They brought forth their own hysteria, calling forth an animalistic strength and blind rage that would possess them in the heat of battle.

As the Berserkers cleared the pyre, Mallador went to stand in the center of the pyre. The Valkyries brought twelve goats, to represent the twelve-thousand who would be going to Dragonstone. Brynhildr guided Daenerys in slitting the throats of all the goats, the last sacrifice Mallador, who praised Odin and the Old Gods as he died, saying he would watch their victory from Valhalla.

In twelve large bowls, they gathered the blood. Oberyn blessed the fifteen-hundred Valkyries, Daario the five-hundred Stormcrows. Together, Brynhildr, Daenerys, and Viserys blessed those among the ten-thousand men of the Golden Company who wished to participate in the ritual. A surprising amount of them were willing.

At the very end, with runes of protection written on their foreheads in blood, Daenerys guided the dragons in lighting the pyre, the three chirping overhead and bathing in flame every bit of wood surrounding Mallador and the dead goats. Fafnir, Rhaegal, and Viserion landed behind Daenerys, who called out to all, "We do this for our gods, for our ancestors, we take back what is ours and meet our end only in battle. We ask Odin, Thor, Freyja, Aegarax, Balerion, Tyraxes, Vermax, and Vhagar to protect us in battle. With Fire and Blood, we return to our homeland!"

"Fire and Blood!" shouted the Valkyries.

As the pyre continued to burn, Brynhildr stepped forward, beckoning Aegon to join Viserys and Daenerys. "I've had something made for the three of you," she said. From her pocket she withdrew three gold-and-silver arm rings, the open ends forming the heads of dragons. "The last day I saw my father, he told me and my brother, Ivar, that everyone would always underestimate us. I tell you the same thing now, and I quote to you his advice for this..." She slid the arm rings onto them and put her hands on the shoulders of Viserys and Aegon, but looked most directly at Daenerys. "You must make them pay for it."

"Mother," said Daenerys softly, looking down at the arm ring. She knew Brynhildr had never received one in Norway. "Thank you."

"This is a new beginning for all of us," said Brynhildr with a smile. "You will make your parents proud."

_

They set out with only one-hundred-fifty ships, fifty remaining in reserve to be sold or otherwise replace the ones they might lose in battle. Each ship had Valkyries to sail it, with mixtures of men from the Golden Company and the Stormcrows. Their main group sailed together with Captain-General Strickland, who was very obviously outnumbered there; in a sense, they held him hostage to ensure the Golden Company wouldn't try to double cross them.

Daario thought the ritual had gone well, and believed Connington was slowly becoming a fan of Brynhildr. It was contrary to what she might have expected; most would not have reacted well to that ritual. Still, she maintained positive knowing the gods had given their blessing. At any rate, the true test of admiration was yet to come– Connington had to listen to her while they were in battle, otherwise, this wouldn't work.

As they began to near Dragonstone, tight enough to Essos that they were probably not spotted from Witch Isle or Claw Isle, they tucked tight towards Dragonstone, knowing the pirate Salladhor Saan's ships would be spread across the opening of Blackwater Bay. According to sources in Lys, Salladhor had only thirty ships to begin with. He was severely outnumbered already.

"It is a proud day when a mother brings her children to their first battle," said Brynhildr, adjusting the helms on Viserys and Daenerys. "Remember– 'We fight. That is how we win, that is how we die.' Valhalla awaits us if we fail. But, I know we won't."

The two of them nodded, holding up their shields. Brynhildr had had them all paint their faces black and red like Valkyries, enough so to conceal their identities. With inspiration from Aegon, she'd had Viserys and Daenerys dye their hair black, to keep them from being spotted. The dragons were in a small cage on deck, not allowed to fly until the sky was clear of arrows.

As Salladhor's ships came into view, Brynhildr shouted her command, "Skjöldu!" The Valkyries on each ship repeated the command, guided the others in forming a shield wall, the archers poking arrows out from between the shields and those with the poisoned darts barely sticking their heads above. "Sporðdreki– sjósetja!" (T: Shields! Scorpion– launch!)

Those holding their shields dove out of the way to let the scorpions launch massive steel bolts that flew right into the hulls of Salladhor's ships, ripping them open and beginning to let water in. Brynhildr shouted once more, "Skjöldu! Bogmenn og Sámi!" (T: Shields! Archers and Sámi!)

The first volleys were sent, poisoned arrows and darts shot at the archers on the opposite side who tried to fire at them first. Many began to fall into the sea, others still frantically trying to keep their ships afloat. At last, Brynhildr called, "ELDUR!" (T: FIRE!)

Flaming arrows rained onto the thirty pirate ships, their fight to live lost. Brynhildr called the order for them to start surrounding Dragonstone; they'd kill any of the survivors in ships bearing Stannis's banners, and would be prepared to try and infiltrate Dragonstone. They anchored their ships close enough to Dragonstone that they could block any large ship that tried to get past them, but far enough away that arrows wouldn't reach them from the mainland.

They stood in wait there, cutting off supply into Dragonstone. As Stannis's survivors began making their way back– clearly the battle hadn't gone well– Brynhildr ordered more scorpion bolts into their hulls and more flaming arrows to burn Stannis's banners against the mast. A few of the survivors of the wreckage were picked out of the water, including a man named Ser Davos. Oberyn recognized him as someone called The Onion Knight, who'd smuggled food into Storm's End during its siege. Stannis had given him lands but had also cut off some of his fingers for having been a smuggler.

"Your King's reign ends here," said Oberyn as Valkyries tended to Ser Davos's burns. "We are going to attack Dragonstone, and he can either submit, or die."

Ser Davos stared up, lips trembling. Daenerys stepped towards him, kneeling at his side. "Are you alright?" she asked kindly. "Well– I cannot expect you to be alright, not when we are holding you hostage. But you seem... more shaken than that. A man like you would not be so nervous here. You'd be negotiating."

"My son died in Blackwater Bay," admitted Ser Davos quietly. "Burned by wildfire. I told Stannis not to bring his Red Priestess to this fight– I don't trust her. But my son... my son believed in her firmly. He believed in the Lord of Light."

Daenerys placed a sympathetic hand over his shoulder. "I am very sorry about your son. We believe this Red Priestess is misinterpreting the prophecy. Many under Stannis's banner have been led to believe something that isn't true. He is not the Prince Who Was Promised."

Ser Davos furrowed his brows. Daenerys said only, "No one else should die because the Red Priestess is giving a man as cold as Stannis the belief he is chosen for a greater purpose. I understand your loyalty to him, but he is not the man meant to be our king."

"Don't hurt the Princess," he pleaded. "She's only a little girl. She should not suffer for her father's choices."

"She won't, I promise you this. We want to make her Lady of Storm's End when I take my throne. But we need your help for that."

Ser Davos drew several deep breaths. "That Red Priestess cannot be trusted. You must kill her."

"We are going to," said Brynhildr from behind Daenerys, glaring down at Ser Davos, who gulped and preferred to keep his eyes fixed on the friendlier girl in front of him.

"How many men are left inside Dragonstone?" asked Daenerys. "Tell us, so we may be ready."

"Three-thousand," said Ser Davos quietly.

They made their plan then. Four-thousand of them– a mixture of Stormcrows and Golden Company soldiers led by Captain-General Strickland, Oberyn, Daario, and Viserys– would take the tender boats to the beach landing of Dragonstone. Only one of their ships would move close enough for them to bring a thick tree trunk they'd use in case they needed to bash down any doors.

Brynhildr, on the other hand, was leading a force of a thousand Valkyries towards the edge of the castle, close enough to reach from the water. With their shields on their backs and weapons on their hips, they had picks and ropes to scale the side of the castle and enter the lowest watchtower. While everyone else was distracted with the attack at the front and the survivors continued being blocked by their seven-thousand remaining men led by Connington, Aegon, and Daenerys, they'd infiltrate the castle and divide up Stannis's forces.

Within a matter of hours, Dragonstone fell. Brynhildr's Valkyries swept in calling for death, cutting through Stannis's resistance and sweeping through the castle while the others forced open the doors to Dragonstone, the Golden Company men ramming at them with the tree trunk and Daario leading his Stormcrows in leaping over the low walls to help clear the men on the other side.

They summoned Daenerys, Connington, Aegon, Davos, and the dragons once they had Stannis, Selyse Florent, young Shireen, and the Red Priestess Melisandre in the throne room, held hostage. Stannis's surviving men– about five hundred of them– had bent the knee and thrown down their swords, begging for an end to the slaughter.

Brynhildr marched her daughter up to the throne. "This is the true Azor Ahai," said Brynhildr, glaring at Melisandre as she placed her own hands on Daenerys's shoulders, the dragons chirping at her feet and sneering as Stannis turned their way. "The Mother of Dragons, The Unburnt. Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. What do your flames tell you?"

Melisandre looked around nervously, not a single torch lit in the room. She drew a deep breath, and suddenly, the torches were on fire. The Valkyries let out a shout, all aiming their weapons at her. But Melisandre did not turn the fire on them. She looked down at the dragons, who had begun purring at the sight of the flames, and said, "Yes." She stared at her feet. "Yes, it is true. I saw a vision of a great battle in the snow, Stannis standing with a sword, Lightbringer. Yet now I see a battle with flames overhead. A woman in armor."

Stannis's jaw tightened, appearing betrayed. He turned up to Brynhildr, "I would not have thought you someone to support the usurping Targaryens, Commander Lothbrok. You told me the story of how you avenged your mother for being murdered by Lagertha."

"Lagertha killed her in cold blood," said Brynhildr. "The same was done to Elia and her children. You supported your brother in hunting mine down and I will not forgive you for it. Bend the knee and pledge your survivors to Queen Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, born in these walls and reborn through fire to bring forth dragons amidst salt and smoke, beneath a bleeding sun. If you believe in R'hllor, you will know she is the one Who Was Promised."

With a sneer, he spit at Daenerys's feet. Brynhildr delivered a hard kick to his face, ripping him up by the throat. "You spit at my daughter," snarled Brynhildr, "then you lose your teeth before you lose your head."

"Wait." Daenerys placed a hand on her mother's shoulder, beckoning down to Shireen, who'd begun to sob. Daenerys knelt beside her. "You are Princess Shireen, yes?"

The girl nodded fearfully. Daenerys carefully extended her hand out to hold her cheek, where greyscale had almost turned her into a stone man as a babe. "You know, my mother had a brother whose legs were so deformed, he could not walk on his own. Before she left, there came a girl who told him that such things meant the favor of the gods. I learned a long time ago about how you were miraculously healed. I think this is because you were meant for great things."

She took Shireen's hand, having her stand. "I name you, Shireen Baratheon, Lady of Storm's End. And for your sake, we will show mercy. Your mother will not be harmed."

"But my father," whispered Shireen. "What of him?"

Daenerys turned to Stannis. "You have been accused of using black magic to kill your brother, Renly. How do you plead?"

Stannis did not reply. "Ser Davos," said Daenerys. "Melisandre. Surely one of you knows."

Ser Davos hesitated. "I saw it myself, Your Grace. From Melisandre was born a dark shadow that went to slay Renly in the Stormlands. Stannis took part in its creation."

"Then you are a Kinslayer," said Daenerys. "And for this crime, the punishment is death. Stannis Baratheon, you will be held our prisoner until we are ready to enact this punishment. Submit to us, and we may revisit your case. Refuse... and I will feed you to my dragons." She nodded to Brynhildr. "Have him placed in the dungeons, our most trusted guards keeping watch. Should any attempt be made to free him... we will react with force."

They did as told. Brynhildr was pleased that Daenerys had stepped up to show this kindness in Shireen's face, to demonstrate that she was not to be toyed with, yet would still be merciful. "My Queen," said Oberyn, coming to his niece. "What do you wish for us to do now?"

Daenerys took a moment to think. "Send letters to all the Storm Lords at their keeps. Tell them what we have done and tell them we expect them to bend the knee. We will move our garrison to Storm's End as soon as we can, for Dragonstone does not give us much space; most of our men will need to continue sleeping on our ships. Tell our allies at Dorne that the Dornish Fleet should be prepared in case we've need of them. We must also find out what exactly occurred at King's Landing. Some of the other prisoners on the ships were saying something about Tyrell banners... I fear the Reachmen have joined with Lord Tywin."

"As you wish, Your Grace," said Oberyn with a proud smile.