A/N: To avoid excessive angst and to wrap up this story since it has dragged on for awhile, this will be the last chapter. I had a wicked little idea for how to continue if it goes into full detail with the wars and it would be too good to pass up otherwise, so I'd rather not give myself that room to torture these characters any further.

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Their missions were successful.

The fruit of this victory tasted sweeter than usual. Before they'd moved out, they learned that Cersei had taken it upon herself to blow the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire to avoid her trial. In doing so, she'd killed many innocents, the Faith Militant under the High Sparrow, all the Tyrell family save for Lady Olenna, and had caused her son King Tommen to throw himself out of one of the windows in Maegor's Holdfast. She now sat the Iron Throne.

It was too good to be true. Oberyn had immediately arranged an escort to bring Lady Olenna to Storm's End and discuss terms of her revenge while Brynhildr organized a force under Connington to move into the Riverlands. Edmure Tully had been given as a prisoner to the Lannisters shortly before the mysterious Frey demise, and with the extra men joining Brynden 'The Blackfish,' they'd succeeded in raiding the camp and taking Edmure back to Riverrun unharmed. They were glad to find his pregnant wife Roslin and her Frey sisters safe and evacuated from the Twins.

The assault on the Lannister army had been planned to perfection using the landscape around them. Some parties were sent through the rivers with hollow sticks to breathe out of, swimming and avoiding scouts. Others were camouflaged with mud and leaves, sneaking through the marsh. A few were put in trees, painted green and perched with bows. In the morning mist, they'd used the curve of each hill to launch flaming balls of straw, leaves, and pitch into the camp before most of the men had awoken, incinerating the tents and forcing them out unaware. The survivors had been taken as prisoners to Riverrun, questioned now for further insight that might help them take Casterly Rock.

Daenerys and her party arrived just before Lady Olenna. She reported the Vale had bent the knee. She, Viserys, and Aegon had arrived on dragonback, landing on the roofs of a courtyard with no proper view from any tower window, preventing them from being shot by an arrow come from the rear. The boy lord Robin had been fascinated with the dragons, and had been taken for a flight around the Eyrie with Viserys and Viserion while Daenerys and Aegon– who announced himself as Aegon, son of Rhaegar and Elia– had treated with the Lady Lysa.

As far as Lysa knew, they had Petyr Baelish prisoner and would hold him gently until he could have a trial once Daenerys took her throne. The only crime they divulged was Varys's admittance of Littlefinger betraying Ned Stark and leading to his arrest and later execution. They knew more would come out during the trial, and expected Littlefinger to be executed... though Lysa didn't need to know that. Daenerys had the sense that Lysa knew of more crimes, and that the woman appeared convinced her betrothed would get off easily.

Upon Lady Olenna's arrival, the castle opened its gates wide, receiving her, the Tyrell guards, and welcoming home those that Oberyn had sent out to see her there safely. Dressed in all black, the Queen of Thorns was sat comfortably across from Daenerys at a large table, accompanied by Oberyn, Daario, Captain-General Strickland, Viserys, Aegon, and Brynhildr. Lord Varys and Tyrion were kept out of the meeting, if only to not rub Olenna's pain in her face with reminders of spiders and lions.

"Welcome to Storm's End, Lady Olenna," said Daenerys calmly. "I wish it were under better circumstances. I am profoundly sorry for the loss you've experienced."

Olenna eyed her carefully, as if doubting her words. "Kind words, the sort expected from a girl like you. But I came here at your invitation to speak to a Queen."

"I am a Queen," said Daenerys. "One capable of offering you my sympathies and observing the proper formality to initiate such a meeting. As a Targaryen Queen, I proceed from this to tell you that I can offer you revenge. I am no stranger to loss myself– nor is anyone at this table– and we have all hunger for revenge."

"So I've heard," said Olenna. She turned to Prince Oberyn. "You're in this out of a desire to avenge your sister, raped and murdered by the Mountain along with her two small children."

"One," said Aegon carefully. Olenna raised a brow at him, "And who do you presume to be, boy?"

"Prince Aegon Targaryen," he replied. "Son of Rhaegar and Elia, brother to Rhaenys."

Daenerys smiled, "My betrothed. The future King Consort of Westeros. He, too, is here to avenge his mother and sister. My choice example, however, is the mother who raised me. Commander Brynhildr Lothbrok avenged the killing of her own parents by murdering Kings and Queens in her homeland, using her bare hands. It is from her I've learned to take seriously a promise of fire and blood. It is what I offer you now. You've been robbed of everything you built, and with me, I will give you Cersei's head."

Olenna finally seemed intrigued. "That, you are right about. Cersei stole my future from me. Killed my son, my grandson, my granddaughter. Yes... that is what I want. Revenge. Fire and blood. Only, you've yet to use these dragons in battle. How can I be sure you will give me what I desire?"

"Watch and see," said Daenerys. "We are mobilizing to take Casterly Rock. Ensure we are allowed to pass between Oldtown and the Arbor, and I will show you how I make the Lannisters bleed. We've a way to break into the Rock and we intend to seize Lannisport while this is being done. Their docks and their ships will burn, and any who do not bend the knee will be food for my children. We've learned Cersei is placing scorpion bolts on the battlements of King's Landing, and we're prepared to blow each tower and the men manning the bolts with dragonfire when we take the capital. We don't need your men to take the Rock, but we will need them to seize King's Landing. You decide what side you wish to be on, Lady Olenna."

The old woman raised her eyebrows, as if wondering whether this was a threat. Daenerys leaned back in her chair, watching carefully. It was surely clear that if Olenna didn't come to an agreement with them, the dragons would turn their fire on Highgarden. The Reach would be taken by force before they seized the Westerlands. Fire and blood could go with her desires, or it could go against them.

When it was settled, they began sending their men out, joined by the Redwyne Fleet in the unexpected event that the Iron Fleet chose to attack from the rear. Daenerys and Fafnir would stay with Oberyn and a Dornish force to guard the Stormlands while the rest of them joined the fleet on a path between the Stepstones, around Dorne, and through the Redwyne Straits making for Casterly Rock.

Tyrion had mapped out the sewer entrance for them, which Brynhildr would use to thread in a force of Valkyries as she had on Dragonstone, breaking through the castle to open the gates for their men, led by Connington, Daario, and Captain-General Strickland, to march up the hill. Aegon and Viserys, with Rhaegal and Viserion, would be responsible for seizing Lannisport then coming to join them at Casterly Rock.

"You are smiling," said Ynmilla as she and a fraction of the Valkyries snuck beneath the Rock on little boats, carefully bobbing into the sewer entrance through the cliff. Ynmilla kept looking up at the sky, as if worried because she couldn't see Aegon; she'd become quite protective of him.

"Yes," said Brynhildr, heaving a sigh and keeping her grin. "Today is a good day."

"We've yet to seize this Rock, Commander."

"But we will seize it. I have every bit of faith we will." She couldn't help but say, "You remember the story I told you, about the Sewers of York?"

Ynmilla nodded. "You and your brothers, hiding in the sewers to lure the Wessex-men in. Coming out of the sewers and attacking them."

"I almost killed King Aethelwulf and Prince Aethelred that day," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "What a nice tally that would have been to my list." She remembered Hvitserk's excitement, Ivar's pride. That day had been a wonderful one, and this day would be much like it."

Her hopes and dreams came true, delivered by her children. As the burning of Lannisport began, so, too, did the siege of Casterly Rock. Their men were divided, and those in the Rock believed that as archers alone, they could keep fending off the men massing at the gate to keep them out of their stronghold. It might've worked, without their secret passageway.

Brynhildr and the Valkyries burst into the towers, cutting away at the archers and sending a group down to force open the gates, flooding the Rock with men and women hell-bent on killing every last person who bore the Lannister crimson. Only the women would be allowed to live, and most likely any Lannister ladies would be married to those of the Golden Company who stood to receive lands for their service to House Targaryen. Brynhildr wondered if they'd write a song about the death of all the Lannisters, too.

In a matter of hours, the dragons were circling overhead, landing only when Brynhildr waved the Valkyrie banner up as a signal that it was safe to dismount. Daenerys came to personally accept the surrender of the surviving Lannister girls, then gave commands to have their men split up between the Rock and Lannisport. In their group, they met to write letters to their allies and to the vassals of House Lannister.

With the Rock fallen, there was no longer a need to mass the greatest bulk of their army at the front gates of King's Landing. An invitation was extended for any and all interested to march into the city to witness Daenerys bringing Cersei to her knees and taking from her the crown that she thought made her Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The Valkyries and Stormcrows moved at once with a good amount of the Golden Company, the rest remaining behind to hold the Westerlands.

On their march through the Reach, they were joined by Lord Randyll Tarly's command over the Reachmen, Lady Olenna traveling a bit behind to ensure her safety– she still had every intention of being present when Daenerys presumably fed Cersei to Fafnir. Sansa had written before their departure to say that her uncle, The Blackfish, would be attending on her, Jon, Rickon, and Arya's– she said that it was Arya who had killed the Freys, and had recently made herself known after learning to become a Faceless Man in Braavos– behalf.

Oberyn left Storm's End to be held by his nephew, Quentyn Martell, who'd been sent up by Prince Doran to ensure that Oberyn could lead Stormlands and Dornish men alike to march on the capital. With him would be traveling Princess Arianne, who would once again be Viserys's betrothed. If he was nervous about meeting her, he certainly didn't show it. Brynhildr assumed he would take kindly to the warm Dornish climate, and Viserion would be happy with the sea so close.

"Do not forget your stations," said Daenerys firmly to each commander on the morrow of their attack. "The armies stay at their posts until Viserys, Aegon, and I have destroyed all the scorpion bolts and blown the gates. You will flood the city and as you go, we will yell for them to ring the bells to signal surrender– I say this, for I am not sure the envoy we sent yestereve made it through to all the people and especially not Cersei, who is holed up in the Red Keep with smallfolk massed in the yard. As soon as the bells ring, our weapons drop and we take prisoners. We shall harm no man once he chooses to give up the fight. No woman or child will be hurt if unarmed."

"Yes, Your Grace," they chanted. As Daenerys nodded to signal that they could disperse and move to their stations, she turned eagerly to Brynhildr, smiling bright as ever, "By day's end, it will all be real, Mother."

"It already is real, my sweet girl," said Brynhildr, tucking her hand under her chin. "Little seiðkonur, you surely saw bits and pieces of this day all your life and you simply didn't know it was you who would be wearing the crown. I am so proud of you."

"You will have such a story to tell my grandfather when you see him again in Valhalla," said Daenerys. "You will tell Ragnar, Ivar, Bjorn, Sigurd, and the others of all you accomplished in Essos, you will tell him what me and Viserys will be like before we join you all there. The Valkyries we lost before this day will rejoice hearing it from you. I am eager for the wars to end here, and hope to one day in the future fight again, rejuvenated and ready to face Ragnarok when it comes."

Brynhildr's eyes welled up with tears, drawing her into a hug. "I thank the gods every day for making me your mother. Whatever happened in my past, none of it amounts to the happiness I felt from the day Oberyn brought you and Viserys to me. I didn't know it then, but you two would be the greatest gifts I could ever receive."

From behind her, Daario said, "I take personal offense, as the first gift you received in these lands."

Daenerys giggled, smothered in the center as Daario wrapped his arms around the both of them. "And yet I was the one who freed her from the pit," said Oberyn indignantly. "And brought her the gifts."

"I was one of the gifts," added Viserys. They piled onto Daenerys until she was squealing in delight and wishing to be let free. For a moment, she was a little girl again, and Brynhildr saw her face filled with hope and wonder. Then, as the craze passed, she became once more a Queen, serious and smiling properly. Without their blood in her veins, she reminded Brynhildr of Aslaug.

The children took flight within the hour, the Lannister men no match even with all the watchtowers filled with scorpion bolts. Brynhildr, Oberyn, Daario, and Connington stood in a line at the main gate, watching the dragons descend over and over, fire bursting over the towers and throwing men to a fiery death. The scorpion bolts themselves helped to rip open the towers, until they were all crumbling, gates forced open and making room for them to invade the city.

As soon as the bells rang overhead– soon into the attack, for no one wanted to be burned alive– Brynhildr and her company rushed for the Red Keep, where Viserys, Daenerys, and Aegon had already dismounted to force open the gates and let the people back to their homes. Viserys shouted on Daenerys's behalf for Cersei to make herself known, for all innocents in the castle to leave now, for it would be swept if Cersei tried to hide, and any who tried to shield her would die.

There was a commotion in the halls as Brynhildr marched in. The servants themselves were trying to force Cersei to give herself up, and many were being slaughtered by the monstrous man they called 'The Mountain.' Oberyn and Daario rushed to subdue him as Brynhildr sent her Valkyries to a woman with chopped golden hair, dress crimson and a silver crown on her head. Cersei was dragged on her knees to the yard, her faithful Maester Qyburn killed when he tried to defend her. When the Mountain's head had been severed from his body, the Red Viper tossed it at Cersei's feet.

Only when Lady Olenna had arrived did Daenerys dismount from Fafnir. Brynhildr strode to Cersei, ripping the silver crown off her head. Daenerys stared down at Cersei, and wordlessly nodded to those holding her to release her.

"Fire and blood was promised," said Daenerys. "And by right of conquest, I do this day do as most in these lands will me to do... as my mother taught me. Dracarys."

Cersei stared up defiantly even as Fafnir leaned over Daenerys, one blow of hot flame washing over her as she screamed. Daenerys flicked a knife through the flames, silencing her once the screams were no longer to her liking.

A cheer rose. Daenerys, flanked by Aegon and Viserys, began her walk into the throne room, followed closely by those who'd come to see her take her throne. She stopped at the foot of it, turning to face Brynhildr, who stood alone in the center, the crowd parted and clearing the view to the yard, where Cersei's charred body lay. Staring at it, Daenerys knelt before her mother, who lowered the crown onto her head.

"Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen," shouted Brynhildr. "First of Her Name. The Unburnt. The Mother of Dragons. Lion Killer. Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm."

"All hail, Queen Daenerys!" shouted Viserys as Daenerys accepted her mother's hand, and let Brynhildr lead her up the steps of the Iron Throne. "All hail the Queen!"

"All hail the Queen!" repeated Aegon, encouraging the crowd to shout.

Brynhildr turned to Oberyn, who brought forth a small sack with another crown, not silver and elaborate like the one Cersei had chosen, but lined with stones as a simple band that went over the forehead. Viserys's eyes welled up with tears. He glanced up at Daenerys, who smiled knowingly, then whispered, "You kept it, all this time?"

"Of course we did," said Oberyn, passing the crown to Viserys. As he knelt, Brynhildr proclaimed, "The crown of Queen Rhaella, for her son, Viserys the Red of House Targaryen, The Dragon Prince, The Viking Dragon, Heir to the Iron Throne, and Prince of Dragonstone. Rise, my fierce boy."

He stood and brought her into a bone-crushing hug. "For Aegon–?"

"I have it," said Connington, revealing Oberyn had already handed him the one for his own boy. Aegon was surprised to see it, another simple golden band with etchings of a sun. "The crown of Princess Elia Martell, for her son, Aegon Ironside of House Targaryen, The Dornish Dragon."

"Future King Consort of the Seven Kingdoms," added Daenerys. As Aegon began to cry, hugging Connington before he even placed the crown on his head, she extended her hands. As the boys composed themselves, they climbed the steps of the throne and stood beside her.

Brynhildr felt her own hands filled, Oberyn and Daario squeezing her palms as tears fell from her own eyes. "What of our last gift to them?" she whispered, voice breaking.

"The other dragon eggs?" said Daario slyly. "Varys thinks the rumor is true. We hope to have them before Dany's wedding, but surely by the time she births a son... I've already heard her say she will name him Aedyn, a combination of her name, Aegon's, and a tribute to Odin."

"In the end, I never did leave Kattegat," whispered Brynhildr. "This was my home all along."

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A/N: Keep reading for the Final Author's Note!