Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/4056496.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Rape/Non-Con,
      Underage
  Category:
      F/M, M/M
  Fandom:
      Shingeki_no_Kyojin_|_Attack_on_Titan, Game_of_Thrones_(TV), Anastasia_
      (1997), The_Hobbit_-_J._R._R._Tolkien, The_Lord_of_the_Rings_-_J._R._R.
      Tolkien, A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire_-_George_R._R._Martin
  Character:
      Original_Characters, Tywin_Lannister, Tyrion_Lannister, Jaime_Lannister,
      Cersei_Lannister, Viserys_III_Targaryen, Daenerys_Targaryen, Bilbo
      Baggins, Frodo_Baggins, Thorin_Oakenshield, Sam_Gamgee, Merry_Brandybuck,
      Pippin_Took
  Additional Tags:
      Other_Additional_Tags_to_Be_Added, alternate_universe_-_Attack_on_Titan,
      Alternate_Universe_-_World_War_I, Titans, Implied_Mpreg, Bearers,
      Alternate_History, Romanov_family
  Series:
      Part 6 of Fanfiction_in_a_Year,_Volume_1
  Stats:
      Published: 2015-06-01 Updated: 2015-06-07 Chapters: 7/30 Words: 11667
****** Attack on Fandom (Tales for June) ******
by ClaireVioletThorpe
Summary
     At the end of World War 1, many people from the magical land of
     Estilva were tired of watching humanity making a mess of things. To
     punish them, a group of sorcerers created the Titans and set them
     loose upon the human world. As millions of people fell dead in these
     attacks and countries were decimated beyond recovery, a sorcerer and
     his human allies led the final stand, which brought an end to the
     attacks.
     With the destruction of planet Earth, the remaining humans were
     forced to live in towns built behind huge walls. Threats of Titan
     attacks slowed down the planet's recovery. In the year 2118, the city
     of Nefaria is facing a terrible crisis. Poverty is running rampant as
     scores of people live in the streets. The nobilty continues to grow
     extravagant and uncaring about the people's needs. A young man must
     face his destiny to end the Titan menace while an exiled royal family
     plots to take back its throne from the families that stole it from
     them.
***** After the war *****
Chapter Summary
     I'm setting up the story, which takes place in an alternative world
     where World War 1 ended in 1916 instead of 1918. Imperial Russia is
     experiencing another threat, not just from the revolutionaries, but
     from the Titans.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
In 1916, World War 1 was coming to an end. That happened because several
sorcerers from the mystical land of Estilva had swept throughout most of the
world. They killed many soldiers on both sides of the conflict. They also
infected civilians with diseases that killed most of them. The few survivors of
these attacks were forced to abandon their homes.
Czar Nicholas II of Russia became worried when his cousin King George VI of
Great Britain told him about the plagues that killed his soldiers and destroyed
his people. George advised him to get rid of Grigori Rasputin (a vile and
dissolute man rumored to be controlling Russia behind Nicholas's back) or else
his country would suffer a similar fate.
Nicholas was confused, but he knew his cousin was right about Rasputin. He
would have to banish the man from the palace. Yet, his wife, Alexandra,
wouldn't approve of this plan. She blamed herself for giving their only son,
Alexis, the dreaded blood disease hemophilia (in which blood is unable to clot
after a cut). In her quest to save the heir of Russia, she turned to a man
named Grigori Rasputin.
Rasputin (a peasant) already had a reputation of sleeping with many high-born
women; he wormed his way into the royal family with false promises to heal the
sick Czarevitch. The man charmed several people who lived and worked in the
palace along with Alexandra, but many more people saw through his lies.
Nicholas would have to see those lies for himself whether he liked it or not.
With that, Nicholas retired to the royal chambers where his wife, Alexandra,
and their children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei were. Alexandra
sat on a huge sofa knitting as the children laid on the floor playing with
their dolls. Nicholas frowned, knowing that his family would have to face
certain danger despite the pains it took to keep them safe. There was nothing
else for it.
He said to them, "It seems that we are in trouble."
"What??" a collective shout sounded across the room. The children dropped their
dolls and stared at him.
"What are you talking about?" Alexandra cried out as she set aside her
knitting.
"Cousin George has warned us that Titans are attacking Europe," said Nicholas.
"They're going to be here within a matter of weeks unless we do something about
it now."
"What can we do about it?" said Leo Trichenberg as he walked into the room. He
was a sorcerer who served the royal family. He was the same age as Nicholas's
mother, the Dowager Empress Marie, yet he was notorious for fathering eight
bastard children with five different women. The royal family raised his
youngest bastard, Hadassah. "I've heard that these Titans are powerful,
indestructible, and they can tear a man apart and devour him in less than a
minute. What can we do to stop them?"
"Something that she won't want to hear," said Nicholas.
"Such as," Leo began to say.
"We must get rid of Rasputin," said Nicholas. "He must leave Russian and never
return."
Everyone was shocked upon hearing Nicholas's latest request. Even Leo frowned
as he heard Nicholas' words regarding the Mad Monk. He never liked Rasputin and
Rasputin hated him. Rasputin hated Leo because he believed that Leo was
manipulating the czar into reforming the country. He also called him out for
fathering his children Emaria, Radmila, Varvara, Milorad, Evgenia, Demian,
Branislav, and Hadassah out of wedlock. (They were known as the "Infamous
Eight"; each of them charmed their way into becoming high-ranking members of
the Russian Imperial court.) But Leo wisely held his tongue, as he knew that
whenever Nicholas made a decision, it was not to be questioned.
Alexandra (as predicted) wasn't having any of it. She said to him, "No, you
won't get rid of him! Rasputin is a loyal servant to our family! You need him.
Your heir needs him..."
"Alexis needs medicine, not the false words of quacks!" Leo yelled. "On top of
that, I must remind you that Olga is almost 14 years old; it's not safe to have
that man around with a young girl who's beginning to grow up!"
“In the same way, what of your own daughter, Hadassah?" Alexandra shot back.
"What if she needs him? It's a miracle she's been alive for almost 15 years!"
"If that's true, why does she tell me that Rasputin is harassing her, trying to
force her to become his lover, which is something she won't do," said Leo.
"Hadassah tells me that she doesn't feel safe here with that man around. The
sooner we get rid of him, the better she will be."
"And I suppose you can do a better job with Alexei?" Alexandra snarled.
"I'm giving you an option," said Leo. "Either I go, or he goes. Of course, if I
leave, I'm taking Hadassah with me."
"You can't leave!" said Nicholas as the girls gasped in horror at the thought
of Hadassah leaving the palace. "I can't let you leave the palace, not for all
the good in the world! Who will help me when my other advisers are trying to
force their own agendas on me?"
"Indeed," said Leo as Hadassah came into the room. The sickly girl wore a pink
nightgown and her almost-white hair was a mess. She said, "Vati, Father Grigori
was in my room again. I caught him messing with Annika. She tried to fight him
off, but it was no use. She told me to run and find you."
"Indeed," said Leo as anger filled him. No one messed with any of his children
or their maids and lived. "He's going to pay for this." He drew out his sword
and went to the door as Anastasia said, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to cut the head off that snake," said Leo.
"Now, Leo, let's not get too hasty," said Alexandra. "You and I both know how
he is..."
Leo turned around and slapped her so hard that she staggered and fell to the
floor. The Royal family stared at him in horror; they had no idea that he could
physically react in that way. Even Hadassah stared at her father in shock, as
he never slapped anyone in anger. "You have no right, no right to be his wife,"
he snarled.
"And why not?" said Alexandra. "What makes you think that I should not be
Nicholas's wife, let alone the empress of all Russia?"
"You're greedy, selfish, and you care nothing about the feelings of others,
especially if one of those people happens to be my daughter, who you
practically stole from me," said Leo. "I haven't forgotten about how you
tricked the people into thinking that Hadassah would be better off living with
you and Nicholas instead of living with her father, who should have raised her
after her mother's death."
Nicholas was about to respond when a servant burst into the room. "Your Grace!"
yelled the servant. "We have a problem!"
"What?" said Nicholas.
"Titans have been spotted at the borders of Poland," said the servant. "The
leaders there have fled, and many people have been killed. They're coming for
you!"
"Shit!" Leo snarled as he drew his daughter to his side. "We have to confront
them now!"
"Wait," said another man as he rushed into the room. "We'll need to have a plan
of attack first!"
"No time," said the servant. "They're coming!"
"Leo, I want you to guard my family with your life," Nicholas said as he
grabbed his coat. "If I don't make it back, Alexei is in charge." He rushed out
the door after the two men as the girls cried for their father. Alexis didn't
cry, but he looked at his mother with tears in his eyes. Alexandra shook her
head, knowing that whatever her husband was planning could possibly mean the
end of the royal family and Russia.
She said to Leo, "What do we do now?"
"I suggest we go to my apartment and barricade the door," said Leo. "I won't
have any Titans attacking this family, not as long as I still live."
"And what about Hadassah?" said Anastasia. "Where is she going to go?"
"I'll keep her with me," said Leo. Upon noticing the family's looks of disgust,
he continued, "I know what you're all going to say, but know this: Hadassah is
my daughter. I created her and watched as she grew inside her mother's body. I
saw her the minute she came into this world. None of you have any claim over
her. Now, if you don't mind, let us go into the guest room and lock the door.
As I've said before, no Titan is coming here, not on my watch." No one
protested as they went to Leo's rooms and locked the doors. For once, their
lives were at stake.
"I don't like this, Vati," Hadassah cried out as she curled up on the sofa in
his bedroom. They were sitting quietly, guarding the Romanovs as they slept,
waiting for any sign that a Titan attack was coming. So far, there was silence.
"What if the Titans come and devour us all?"
"They won't, not as long as I have my powers and my ability to wield a sword,"
said Leo. "The Romanov family will not fall, not while I'm still alive."
At that, a tall, dark man entered the room with a smirk on his face. Hadassah
saw him and screamed. She ran to her father's side as Leo drew out his sword
and pushed her behind his back. "You must think you're clever to attack her
bedmaid," Leo growled as he stared at the man. "I know who you are and I know
what you want. You will never have it."
Grigori Rasputin laughed, "That girl of yours will be my lover whether you like
it or not. You can't stop me, sorcerer!"
"Try me," said Leo. "I will kill you now and beg my Empress's forgiveness
later."
"You cannot defeat me, not as long as I have my magical knife," said Rasputin
as he brandished a small jewel-encrusted knife and waved it at the
Trichenbergs. "If you even try to stop me, you and your bastards, including the
little snitch hiding in the shadows, will pay for it with your lives!"
As he said that, the walls outside the Alexander Palace began to shake. The
Titans had invaded Russia's borders, killing people and destroying buildings.
The Titans were coming.
"Your Grace, this is a bad idea," said Constantine as he stared out the window
of the Czar's office. Nicholas and his advisors had been debating whether or
not to confront the Titans for several hours. "They are coming quickly and they
seek your head."
"Let them come," said Nicholas. "I have no fear of these Titans or their
masters."
“Yet Leo is one of them," said Marcus. "His father's family hails from
Atlantis."
"Yet, his mother was a human, along with the mothers of all his children," said
Nicholas. "He wouldn't allow his fellow sorcerers to destroy humans."
"Indeed," said Constantine. "But we must have a plan of attack. How do we stop
them?"
"I fear that that plan is already being put into action," said Nicholas as the
sounds of glass breaking and screams came from Leo's room. Something strange
was going on in Leo's room, and by the looks of it, it wasn't good...
Chapter End Notes
     Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I need something to keep you on the
     edge of your seat while I'm writing the second chapter of the story.
***** The Attack! *****
Chapter Summary
     In which Titans come and attack St Petersburg on the night of a very
     important celebration.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Within a few minutes, Nicholas had left the meeting and kicked down the door to
Leo's bedroom, only to see the body of Rasputin lying on the floor with a knife
embedded deep inside his chest. The monk also had many cuts and bruises, which
came from a fight that occurred between him and the Trichenbergs a few minutes
before Nicholas showed up. Nicholas stared at Leo for a second before they both
stared at a figure standing over what remained of Gregory Rasputin.
Hadassah had a vicious look in her eyes and shock on her face. Her nightgown
was stained with blood. She stepped on the knife and pushed it so deep into the
evil monk's chest that there was no way he could have possibly survived her
attack. Nicholas wondered how a sickly 14-year-old girl could have overpowered
a huge man like Rasputin, let alone kill him. The fact that it happened seemed
to defy all logic.
"What have you done, my child?" Nicholas cried out in horror as he stared at
Hadassah. She did not look at him or respond.
"She killed him," said Leo as he cleaned his bloody sword and sheathed it. "She
killed him when he threatened to kill the entire royal family."
"I see," said Nicholas. "Why did she do it?"
"I had no choice but to do it," said Hadassah as she stared at the Czar. "It
was either him or me, and there's no way on God's green earth that I'm ever
going to hand myself over to that monster. He needed to die."
"She killed him?" said a servant as she came into the room and stared at the
gruesome scene. "But how? She is weak and sickly."
"Yet, even the weakest spellcaster can destroy the strongest human," said Leo
as he stared at the woman. "My daughter is no exception to that rule. The Czar
and the Empress may have taken her away from me, but they could not take my
bloodline out of her. She's a Trichenberg."
"Still, she killed Rasputin, the man who worked for you and your family!"
yelled the servant. "What are you going to do about that?"
"Thank her," said the Czar. "She did the one thing her father or I couldn't
do."
"But what about the Empress," said Marcus. "What we are going to do with her?"
"I'm sure that no matter what we do with her, she will understand and accept
his inevitable fate," said Leo. "There's nothing else for it. Besides, do you
seriously think my daughter would stand aside and allow this monster to corrupt
our royal family?"
"She would not dare," said Nicholas, "not as long as she needs us. As I recall,
we're the only family she has. There are no others."
"Not unless that other is a philandering man named Leo Trichtenberg who creates
bastard children out of wedlock," said Marcus. "I know he's responsible for
creating the Infamous Eight..."
Leo grabbed Marcus by his throat and shoved him against the wall. "I would
advise you to watch what you are saying and whom you speak of," he snarled at
the other man as everyone in the room watched in horror. "My daughter slew that
mad monk; she will not hesitate to get rid of you as well, if it were at my
whim."
"I am certain he will remember that," said Nicholas as he sent Marcus away.
"Now, as we were..."
===============================================================================
As for Alexandra, she was not happy when she learned that Hadassah had killed
Rasputin. She swore to get her revenge on the Trichenberg family. "That Leo
Trichenberg has insulted me for last time!" she snarled when her husband told
her what happened as they prepared for bed. "Now he's corrupting his own
daughter and having her become a carbon copy of himself! They need to be
stopped!"
"It's not going to happen, my dear," said Nicholas in a firm voice. "Do you not
know who they are? They are Spellcasters and they don't like to be trifled
with. What you are suggesting is treason..."
"I would rather die than allow that man and his daughter to control us," said
Alexandra. "Now Hadassah, I can forgive simply because she's a little girl who
still needs me, but it's that father of hers who's a bigger threat. How do I
know that he won't have her become like him?"
"We don't know when she's going to be like," said Nicholas. "After all, she
will be 15 years old in five weeks. She is beginning to grow up, and much too
quick for us to understand."
"What if she never marries and chooses to have bastard children like her sister
Emaria? What if she strives to be like her father before her and his father
before him?" said Alexandra. "We need to get them in line. We need to get the
entire Trichenberg family in line. They will not destroy the system!"
She stormed out of their bedroom before Nicholas could get another word in.
===============================================================================
Three weeks after the death of Rasputin
All of Russia turned out for the grandest celebration in its history since the
end of World War 1 was announced. It had been 300 years since the Romanov
family first took control of Russia, and the people (while poor and frightened
of the impending Titan attacks) all came to the Alexander Palace to watch as
the royal family stand before them.
"My people," said Nicholas, "I'm here to tell you that yes the Great War is
over..."
At that, the audience cheered; they had been at war for nearly two years. That
war cost the lives of many men and caused unnecessary hardships that angered
the people. "Yet, we are facing another impending attack from creatures known
as Titans," Nicholas continued. "So far, many countries around the world have
been completely decimated because of those Titans, but we are still here. We
are strong."
As Nicholas made his speech, Alexandra stood next to him with a scowl on her
face. She still had not forgiven Leo for Rasputin's death, and she believed
that he was to blame because she refused to believe the rumors that Hadassah
had been the one to actually kill the evil monk herself. She vowed to confront
the Spellcaster later.
After the announcement, a royal ball commemorating the Romanov rule was held in
the ballroom. As the people danced, a servant chanced to notice a Titan walking
towards the palace. Earlier, a large group of Titans had swarmed into Russia,
tearing down buildings and devouring both communists and citizens alike. Those
that survived made their way towards St. Petersburg, one of the safest cities
in Russia.
"This is most certainly not good," said Nicholas upon hearing that the Titans
had attacked Russia. "This is not good at all. We must fight back at once."
"But what about the people?" said Alexandra as she stared at the guests, who
were oblivious to the danger they were about to be in. "The people who still
live under your rule? What are we to do with them?"
"There's only one thing we can do," said Leo as he approached the imperial
couple. "We must leave Russia."
"And abandon our country to its horrible fate?" said Nicholas. "Why should we?"
"We have no choice," said Leo. "It's over, Nicholas. Russia has fallen. We must
leave now while we still have a chance."
"We cannot leave!" Alexandra. "Russia still needs us! What will history say
about us? We'll be seen as the cowards who abandoned their country when it
needed them!"
"Unless you want to be eaten like the rest of the leaders of Russia, you will
do as I say without question," said Leo. "There's nothing else for it. Your
survival, as well as the survival of your family and your subjects, depends on
you doing what I say without argument. Now let's go!"
Just then, a terrible sound was heard; the Titans had reached St. Petersburg.
As they tore down buildings and ate anyone who was unfortunate to be on the
streets, an alarm went off. The city of St. Petersburg wasn't caught unaware,
as many people who heard the alarm fled from the city, carrying whatever they
had in their possession. There was not a moment to lose.
Upon hearing the alarm, the royal family, their servants, and many other guests
fled from the palace and into the woods, where several more groups of survivors
led by Leo's other children awaited them. Rory, his oldest son, saw him and
said, "This is all we could gather at such a short notice. The Titans swept in
so quickly, we almost didn't get a chance to sound the alarm."
"What are we going to do now, Vati?" Varya said as she clung to her youngest
child, Yulian. "We lost our homes and our possessions. There's no food or
water, and if we don't do something soon, everyone will starve."
"We must go to Nefaria," said Leo. His children and the people stared at him.
"There's nothing for it. Russia is lost, and we must leave now while we still
can."
"Does this mean we won't be going back home?" said Hadassah.
"No, my child," said Leo. "Our home is gone. We must find a new home to live
in."
Marie, Nicholas's mother, said, "Surely you don't mean..."
"I shall take them with me," said Leo. "They will go with me to Nefaria. I will
also inform the world that Nicholas and his family are dead."
===============================================================================
The rest, they say, was history.
After the fall of the Russian Empire, most of the Asian countries quickly fell
as the sorcerers of Estilva completed the takeover of the world. Luckily, the
United States of America managed to hold out until the year 1920, when a
terrible plague wiped out 3/4 of the country's population and hastened an end
to the United States.
Thus, with the end of the United States, the world came to an end. It wasn't
because of the apocalypse; it was because a group of greedy sorcerers wanted to
take over the world. Yet, there would be a day when those evil men would pay
for that unholy takeover with their lives...
Chapter End Notes
     Historical nitpicking: Nicholas and his family were killed by the
     communists in 1918 in the city of Ekaterinberg.
     Anyway, the Titans attacked Russia, killing scores of people and
     basically destroying the whole country. Yet Leo and his family save
     the Romanovs and a handful of other survivors and they are now
     heading to Nefaria, where the rest of this story takes place.
     Next up: Two centuries pass....
***** Many Years Later *****
Chapter Summary
     Time passes quickly as the Trichenbergs and Romanovs take charge of
     their new situation. They must deal with new enemies and allies as
     the Titans continue to attack human settlements in Atlantis.
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
Many years passed since the Titans attacked and destroyed Russia. The royal
family was believed to have been killed during the attacks (even though the
communists claimed responsibility for the killings); but since their bodies
were never found, (nor was there any evidence suggesting that the murders had
taken place at the partially destroyed Alexander Palace, where said murder was
rumored to have taken place) nothing could be proven.
Leo Trichenberg and his family settled in Daunica Village, a few miles from the
city of Nefaria. They and their descendants vowed to help take back the human
world from the sorcerers who had stolen it, no matter what the cost would be.
Leo's daughter, Hadassah (who grew up with the Romanovs), married Willem
Pennington, a man Alexandra despised. She had the man poisoned a few months
after the wedding, when Hadassah became pregnant. Hadassah later gave birth to
a son named Nichollo, who would be her only child.
As for the former Russian royal family, they lived in a grand house near the
edge of the Diamond Highlands and spent what years left that were allotted to
them. They all died of old age. Their children and grandchildren plotted to
take back the throne the communists stole from them. Calling themselves the
Hilidoms, the former Romanov family schemed to find and destroy those who
betrayed them.
Leo's children and grandchildren continued to move across the political
landscape, befriending kings and village lords while attempting to seal their
place in the new world. Those who won the favor of the Trichenberg family grew
successful while those who despised them suffered.
There was also the problem of the Titans showing up and attacking random
villages, as the crisis didn't die down after the fall of Earth. It seemed that
not a single day went by without news of a village being attacked by a Titan.
The sorcerers of Estilva were still bent on taking over the world; they had
resorted to using dark magic to achieve their ultimate goal.
===============================================================================
Anyway, here's how the story goes:
Several kingdoms in Estilva (which was on the planet of Atlantis) once lived in
harmony. That was, until a group known as the Order of Gray decided to attack
the human world. Seven powerful magical families attempted to stop them, but
the Titans broke through their defenses and completely decimated the Earth.
Only a handful of surviving humans banded together and fled from their homes,
flocking to Estilva in search of a new life. They lived in cities and villages
surrounded by tall thick walls that kept the Titans in check and fought against
any Titan that dared to attack their villages.
The Trichenberg and Hilidom families began the difficult job of securing the
Hilidoms' right to exist as well as worming their way into the royal families
and nobility using any means necessary. At the same time, Nicholas and
Alexandra welcomed four more children named George, Adrian, Eduard, and
Victoria. (Their older children Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei
began building their own families with Hadassah's help.) They, along with so
many other babies born after the fall of Earth, became a new generation of
Earth-born Atlanteans. They were able to live longer than their parents and
older siblings, who often died early due to them not being used to Atlantis'
harsh environment.
We'll get to that later.
Anyway, since many people in Estilva believed that the Romanovs were dead, they
dared not question their leaders' advisers. Also, the Trichenberg family was
already the third most powerful family in Atlantis, so no one denied what
claims they had with the former Russian Imperial Family.
Yet, some people in Estilva didn't like the Trichenbergs at all.
Tywin Lannister (a lord from the Westerlands) hated Leo Trichenberg since Leo's
ninth grandson, Mikayel Vierrez, refused to marry Tywin's daughter, Cersei.
Mikayel instead chose to marry Carissa Reyne. Tywin was angrier when the
widowed Hadassah Trichenberg Pennington turned down his offer to marry his
third son, Tyrion, and married Aerion Targaryen, the bastard son of Aerys
Targaryen. After that humiliation, Tywin sought to bring about the downfall of
the Trichenberg family; no one turned down a Lannister and lived!
===============================================================================
During the years following the resettlement of the Russian royal family and
refugees in Daunica Village, Leo had fathered a ninth bastard, a daughter named
Isabella Pomona Braumlein. She married a man named John Crenshaw, but Alexandra
Romanov Hilidom (who was by then an old woman and widowed after Nicholas'
death) mistrusted that man (for John was a descendant of one of the servants
who helped Hadassah kill Rasputin and disposed of his body) and made sure the
couple didn't have any children. After John's death (via poisoning), Isabella
married a man named Alexander Kapustin; they had a daughter named Irina. Irina
grew up with her many cousins Shannon, Sean, Johnny, Joanna, Arianna,
Cassandra, Jennifer, Susannah, Hannah, and Serina in the family's mansion. Leo
knew Irina was destined for great things and told the girl that because of her
miraculous birth, she would give birth to a son who would end the Titan menace.
(And we must never forget that part of the story!)
Leo's youngest grandson, Seamus Rowes (and Seamus’ only begotten son Sean) was
cursed to become bearers of children when a witch hired by Tywin cast a spell
on the baby. Leo slew the witch and cursed Tywin's wife, Joanna, with death
giving birth to a son that would never belong to Tywin. (That son ended up
being Tyrion.) Leo raised Seamus and kept him away from his brothers and
sisters, who would doubtless mistreat him due to his status as a bearer. Seamus
will be featured in this story often (as will Sean) and Sean will play a
controversial role in bringing down the Lannister family.
Speaking of the rest of the family, Hadassah (who was unhappy with her
childless second marriage to Aerion, who was rumored to be gay) spent most of
her time working with the dwarves who lived in the mountains of Drimoino
Village. She even captured a mighty dragon known as Smaug the Golden and
scolded the dwarf king Thror of Erebor for hoarding gold and causing his people
to suffer for his misdeeds. Thror's son, Thrain, succeeded him as king and
successfully reconquered the dwarves' former kingdoms of Moria and Gundabad
when Hadassah destroyed the orcs living there. She was instrumental in securing
an alliance between the dwarves and King Magnyr Steinhelm of Wolferram.
Yet, the Titans attempted to attack the reclaimed dwarf kingdoms, but were
repelled by Hadassah's son Nichollo and Nichollo's daughters Jennifer,
Susannah, Hannah, and Serina on a number of occasions. Even then, the Order of
Gray tried to stop the Trichenbergs by means of dark spells, poisons, and
assassins. (Many of those attacks were stopped in time or claimed different
people. But that's for a different story.)
Yet in the year 2093, a baby was born. That baby would be destined to end the
Titans and destroy the Order of Grey for good...
Chapter End Notes
     Next chapter, a promised hero arrives
***** The Arrival of Sam *****
Chapter Summary
     In which a hero is born, but with semi-humble beginnings.
Chapter Notes
     This story takes place in the year 2093, about 177 years after the
     Titans attacked Russia. The year is technically 172, as the new era
     began in 1921 (a year after Earth was destroyed for good).
See the end of the chapter for more notes
"This is not a good idea, Rina," said a young man. "What if someone sees us?"
"The only thing we have to worry about is if HE finds us," said a young woman.
"Remember, the only problems we have while traveling is being attacked by
Titans. I'm not afraid of Gelvert Snidelmann, and he's a lying cheating
bastard."
Irina Kapustin and Hanler Dervington had recently eloped after leaving Irina's
hometown of Stellinger Village. Irina had ended her engagement to Gelvert upon
her miscarriage and rumors of him cheating on her with a boy. They slipped away
with a traveling caravan heading towards Moria. The caravan had been on the
road for several months.
Of course, Gelvert was angry when he discovered that Irina had broken up with
him, miscarried their baby, and ran off with the lowliest man in the village.
He swore to make the spellcaster pay for making those terrible mistakes.
Hanler said, "Are you sure you want to have our baby in Moria? It's nothing but
a series of caves and tunnels."
"My aunt Hadassah lives there, as do two of her granddaughters," said Irina.
"Plus, she's friends with Lord Balin, so she's bound to invite us to come stay
with her."
"And your grandfather has been harping about our baby being some sort of hero,"
said Hanler as the caravan stopped to rest for the night. "Why?"
"He knows that the baby will be a boy," said Irina. "And with that
knowledge..."
Just then, a terrible scream was heard. A man had been spotted near the
campsite and had taken one of the travelers hostage. "You two go hide with the
women and children!" The leader of the caravan hissed to them as the group of
men came into view.
Wasting no chances, Irina and Hanler rushed to the circle of wagons, where the
children sat within the circle and the women surrounded the circle. The women
were armed with weapons.
"This is unheard of," Irina cried out. "A Trichenberg runs and hides from
danger? I'll never hear the end of this!"
She took out her bow and arrows, preparing to shoot and kill the hostage-taker.
But then she saw Gelvert coming into the clearing and hesitated, knowing that
if she revealed herself, Hanler would be killed and she would be kidnapped. The
child she carried would be aborted. Irina wasn't going to take any chances.
Luckily, there was another distraction, which came in the form of three Titans
coming towards the caravan. Faster than you can say, "We're under attack," the
Titans swept upon the group and began devouring people left and right.
"Shit!" Hanler swore as he saw a Titan leering at the children. "He's going to
eat the children!"
"Not today!" Irina shouted as she released the arrow that was meant for the
hostage-taker straight into the eye of the Titan. The Titan roared with anger
as it fell to the ground, dead. (Irina always kept her arrows filled with
poison.) The other two Titans, hearing the death cry of their comrade, came
towards the wagon circle. Irina shot the second Titan and the arrow scratched
its cheek, but it would be dead within a few hours.
That same Titan stomped his foot and the circle collapsed, injuring the few
adults who remained behind to protect the children. The children screamed and
cried in fear. Hanler cried out in horror; he was trapped underneath several
destroyed wagons with almost no chance to escape.
"Run, Rina, run! Save yourself!" he yelled out.
"Not without you!" she cried. "Never without you!"
"Let's go, princess," said one of the men as he reached for Irina. "We cannot
linger."
"What about Hanler," Irina began, but the man said, "Forget him, girl; he's
lost! The important thing is that you don't get lost yourself!"
He dragged Irina away from the wagons as the injured Titan snatched Hanler and
devoured him. Irina screamed in horror as she watched Hanler being eaten; this
was NOT the way the story was supposed to go! Hanler wasn't supposed to be
eaten, and certainly not by a Titan either.
Something needed to give.
Before she could do anything, the man threw her over his shoulder and shouted
for the remaining adults to get the children to safety as the Titans destroyed
the rest of the campsite. Irina watched in tears as the site got smaller and
smaller, until her vision grew dark and she knew no more...
===============================================================================
"Wake up, cousin."
The voice of Hannah Pennington brought Irina back to life. Irina looked around
her; the room she was in was light and airy, as if she was in Heaven instead of
Atlantis. But where was she?
"You're in Wolfestein, cousin," said Serina. "And lucky to be alive, if what
they say is true."
"What?" Irina cried out.
"You've been asleep for more than three weeks," said Hannah. "Our men found you
escaping from a Titan attack."
"What attack?" said Irina.
"The men found two dead Titans at the site where the attack happened," said
Serina. "I knew that you killed them, as they wouldn't have died from the
guns."
"Poisoned arrows are fatal to anyone, and that includes Titans," said Hannah.
"You out of all people show know that, dear sister."
Serina laughed, but tears came to Irina's eyes. She was now a widow and barely
18 years old. How was she going to survive being widowed and pregnant?
As if God himself was listening to her prayers, Hadassah came into the room.
She said, "I too found myself in the same predicament you're in right now. My
first husband died without ever meeting his son."
"At least grandfather wasn't eaten by a Titan," said Serina.
"Be sensitive, sister," said Hannah as she glared at her sister. "Irina has
lost the love of her life."
"He's not coming back," said Irina. "What am I to do? Everyone back home
expected me to marry Gelvert; they would be beyond furious if they found out
that I ran off with Hanler instead."
"I'm going to deal with my sister," said Hadassah, "and scold your father for
even making that ridiculous proposal of marriage between you and that terrible
man in the first place. Trichenbergs do not marry those who are stuck up and
full of themselves. The family of Sergei Smirnov and his father-in-law learned
that lesson when they were executed for their sins against the Trichenberg
family; we will teach that Tywin Lannister the same lesson when the time
comes."
Irina sighed, knowing that push was coming to shove. She had unknowingly
reignited a feud between the Lannisters and the Trichenbergs. She couldn't
afford to mess up now.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her side; she had forgotten she was pregnant
during her escape from the Titans and falling into a three-week coma. The baby
inside her was starting to make its way out...
===============================================================================
"Push, my lady, push," a dwarven midwife said as Irina found herself sitting on
the birthing stool, straining to bring her firstborn child into the world. It
had been three days since she woke up from her coma and went into labor. So
far, there was no action in terms of the birth. "Push him out, make him come."
"I...I can't," she cried out in pain. "It's too much!"
"But you must," said Hadassah. "Let it be born."
Irina screamed as loud as she could; as she did, a loud cry sounded throughout
the palace. The baby had finally been born. "It is a boy," said the midwife.
"You have a son."
Irina found herself staring at the tiny boy that came into the world; he didn't
have any of his father's features, such as the brown hair and brown eyes. In
fact, he had apparently inherited every one of his traits from the Trichenberg/
Kapustin family, from his grandmother's blue eyes, his grandfather's pale skin,
and his mother's dark hair.
"It's like God Himself has claimed that his father doesn't exist," said Serina
as she stared at the baby.
"Yeah, like he was some sort of..." Hannah began until her grandmother saw her
and raised an eyebrow. No matter what the situation, Hadassah wouldn't allow
her granddaughters to badmouth a man, especially a man they had never met. "You
girls both know it isn't nice to speak ill of men," Hadassah said to them.
"But grandmother," said Serina, "how do we know he didn't marry Irina just for
our family name?"
"Tywin Lannister seems to think that," said Hannah. "If he gets wind about
Irina, he'll try to marry her off to his son Jaime."
"That's not going to happen," said Serina. "In fact, Irina would rather die
than marry a Lannister. They need to learn that they're not great and the world
doesn't owe them anything."
"He's going to learn that lesson in time," said Hadassah, "just as we taught
the Smirnov family and Rasputin that it's not a good idea to mess with our
family."
She said to Irina, "Do you intend to name the baby after his father?"
"I won't," said Irina, "for in my village, it's considered bad luck to name a
child after someone who has died. I wouldn't dare risk the wrath of God by
giving him his father's name."
"Then what will be his name?" said Serina.
"His name shall be...Sameth," said Irina. "He will be the hero that grandfather
spoke of, the hero who will save the world."
The baby, who had no idea of the path he was to walk on, slept in his mother's
arms. Yet, his birth was not announced to the world, for Hadassah had deemed it
to be poor taste to speak of Sameth as if he was already a hero. The boy needed
to grow up first.
===============================================================================
As the King's Army plowed through the land, a soldier chanced to notice the
remains of a campsite, along with the corpses of two Titans and many people.
The campsite was the same place Irina Kapustin and Hanler Dervington were when
the Titans attacked. That attack occurred when Irina's former fiance and his
men captured several people while looking for Irina and Hanler.
Or as it happened:
"What's going on here?" a soldier snapped as she glared at the group of men
sitting around the campsite.
"I don't know," said one of the men. "Some people were attacked here last
month. Many of them were killed."
"I see," said the soldier. "But this doesn't explain why you are in this area.
You're not bandits, are you?"
Just then, a loud cry rang out. A cloak had been found; it was a deep blue
color with silver trim. There was only one person who wore a blue cape with
silver trim.
Irina Kapustin.
"You all have five seconds to explain what's going on here or I'll have you all
arrested," the soldier snapped. The men tensed, knowing that the minute any of
them lied, they would lose their heads...
===============================================================================
As news about the attack on the gypsy caravan spread throughout the
countryside, a blue cape with silver trim made its way back to Stellinger
Village. There, the people wept upon hearing about the death of Hanler
Dervington and the disappearance of Irina Kapustin. Irina's parents, Alexander
and Isabella, refused to believe that their only daughter was dead, even if the
blue cape was the only evidence of her death. They vowed to find her and bring
her home, no matter what the cost was.
Yet Gelvert was angry when he learned about Irina's possible death. He had
hoped to marry Irina and join the Trichenberg/Kapustin family, as they were
very wealthy.
"I have never been more insulted!" he yelled as he sat in his booth at the Tail
End Saloon with his friend, Parsnip Lindsey. "How could she do this to me?
First, she rejects me, then she runs off with that pathetic worm Hanler
Dervington, and now she gets eaten by one of those Titans! How dare she leave
me and dies, ignoring the fact that she belongs to me!"
"Well, it's not like she doesn't have her own issues, with being the only child
of a rich couple with connections to the Trichenberg family, " said Parsnip.
"Maybe she does," said Hilsa Nebrerrie. "We should know who her grandfather is.
He won't take too kindly to the news about his granddaughter's death. He might
blame you for everything."
Gelvert frowned as he heard Hilsa's speech, but he knew she was right. Leo
Trichenberg would not be too happy if he discovered what had happened to his
youngest granddaughter...
Chapter End Notes
     And with that, little Sameth Talsworth has been born. But for various
     reasons, Irina doesn't announce her son's birth. This could have some
     repercussions down the line.
     More will come...
***** The Secret Pact *****
Chapter Summary
     In which Irina and several cousins plot to take down the Lannisters
     after hearing several ridiculous rumors about Tywin.
Chapter Notes
     Well, all I can say is that Tywin is nothing more than Joffrey as an
     adult. He just hides his evilness better.
Two years passed since Sam Tolsworth was born; his mother Irina raised him
alone. (She also refused numerous offers of marriage from both dwarves and men,
as she was still distraught from witnessing Hanler's death from a Titan
attack.) Her cousins and aunt also helped raised him and they all lived in
Moria.
Unfortunately, no one in Stellinger Village knew where she went after her
disappearance, nor did they know about baby Sam. They also didn't know that
Irina eloped with Hanler after learning that Gelvert had gotten another woman
pregnant, but that was a given. (Most of them knew that Irina didn't want to
marry Gelvert anyway.)
Yet Irina's cousin Sean Michael Rowes (son of Seamus and grandson of Hadassah's
brother Milorad) did hear rumors about Titans eating a traveling caravan; he
set out to find out if Irina had been with the caravan and if she was still
alive. (Many people assumed she was eaten by a Titan or captured by bandits
roaming the country; most of them preferred that Irina be captured by bandits
than eaten by a Titan, if anything.)
As the caravan Sean traveled with reached the gates of Moria, Hannah and Serina
Pennington captured him (as they were guarding the gates for that week). They
clearly weren't happy to see him, not when he left the family manor after
refusing to marry Leonna Wellston seven years ago.
"I'd like to know where you got the notion to go chasing after Irina," Hadassah
said with a stern look on her face. Sean stared at his great-aunt with a
strange look on his face. He didn't expect to be caught, especially by Hadassah
Trichenberg Pennington. But Hadassah wasn't a forgiving person, as evidenced by
her early years of living with the Romanov family and being a member of the
Russian Imperial Court. "Why are you here?"
"Her mother was worried about her after hearing the rumors about the Titans
attacking the caravan that she was traveling with, so she sent me out to find
her," Sean said. "I didn't know Irina was pregnant."
"Irina told us to keep that part of her story hidden," said Hadassah. "No one
was to know of her pregnancy. You, for some reason, managed to break ranks and
try to look for something that shouldn't be found."
"Yeah," said Serina. "What are you doing here?"
"Everyone in the village thinks Irina is dead," said Sean. "In fact, no one
knows where she went. Not until I heard rumors that she gave birth to a son
while I was traveling to Winterfell, that is."
"I see," said Hadassah as she glared at her nephew. "Why are you really here?"
"I've been widowed," said Sean. "The people of Lindsey's village burned her at
the stake when it was proven that she killed her first family. Her son Conner
is the only one left, and he's been fostered out to Lord Raimer of Gundabad."
"At least you and Lindsey never had any children," said Hannah.
"Be sensitive, Hannah," said Hadassah. To Sean, she said, "Any news from
Nefaria?"
"Yes," said Sean. "It appears that Lord Renly Baratheon has spread a rather
vicious rumor about Cersei Lannister and her twin Jaime."
"Renly is a lying son of a pig," said Serina. "I refuse to believe anything he
has to say."
"Who cares about what that gay pansy has to say?" Hannah cut in. "He's spread
another rumor about his brother Robert's bastard children, a rumor that turned
out to be a lie. Robert and Cersei have five children, and I've had the
displeasure of meeting them at a royal ball two years ago."
"Why do you ask about Nefaria?" said Irina.
"Because Cousin Michael has read the portents and he says that it's time," said
Hadassah.
"Time for what?" said the girls.
"For many years, we have sat there and did nothing while the Lannister family
made trouble in this fair land," said Hadassah. "Tywin's lapdogs murdered Elia
Martell and two of her maids, while Tywin himself personally slew Rhaegar
Targaryen. While there is no word about the fates or whereabouts of Rhaenys,
Aegon, and Visenya Targaryen, I can safely inform you all that Viserys and
Danaerys Targaryen have been found. They are currently staying with Cousin
Emaria in the city of Laketown. Viserys claims to have lived in Laketown for
most of his entire life, and I cannot dispute that claim. He is a hardened
young man, with a younger sister to look after and sporadic visits from his
cousins whenever they're not at each other's throats. Stannis Baratheon has
paid for their upbringing, and he has informed me of Viserys' desire to return
to Dragonmount and reclaim his family home."
"What does this have to do with us?" said Irina.
"Everything," said Hadassah. "Cousin Michael tells us that the time of the
Golden Lion is coming to an end, and it is time for the Tiger to take over. The
Dragon is waking, and he seeks the Bear and the Viper, the Direwolf and the
Blackfish, the Red Lion and the Falcon. Woe to the Stag and the Rose, they who
sided with the Golden Lion and shared in his cruelty. They forced a man to
steal an innocent baby from her crib and make her become something she is not.
But they will pay their dues to our family soon."
"So, what's the big plan?" said Sean.
"Our plan is three-fold," said Hadassah. "Irina will marry into the Steinhelm
family and expand our influence there, Hannah will join the King's Council,
Serina will serve at the temple, and as for you, Sean, since you were bold to
sneak into the mountain, I have a special task for you…"
===============================================================================
When Sameth was three years old, he, his mother, and cousins left Moria (after
Hadassah commissioned another cousin to take her place) and made their way to
Nefaria. They also traveled in secrecy, for none of them wanted to draw any
attention to themselves or little Sam. (After all, Irina didn't want anyone to
know that Sam was the future hero.)
At the same time, Titan attacks had increased drastically, as if they somehow
gotten the knowledge that the hero who would end them was alive. The Order of
Grey was also concerned, knowing that the Trichenberg family was onto them and
they would do whatever it took to destroy their rivals, even without using
magic.
There was also the assassination of President Carlo Sohanne of Farrington
Village; he had suggested that the Titans were made from the remains of the
dead humans from Earth. For that, Renly Baratheon was blamed for the killing,
but no one could catch him and take him to jail (as he was supported by the
wealthy Tyrell family). That would spell trouble down the road.
All the same, little Sam had no idea of what his destiny was…
***** More Titan Attacks *****
Chapter Summary
     In which most of the population of Lannisport falls victim to a Titan
     attack.
Chapter Notes
     This portion of the story has some graphic violence in it along with
     some character deaths. You've been warned.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Tywin Lannister found himself staring at the cliffs behind Casterly Rock. The
place was filled with gold, yet Tywin felt unfulfilled. Sure, he had rebuilt
his family's wealth and taken care of several members of the Reyne and Tarbeck
families for an imagined slight, but the families' surviving members were angry
with him and wanted him gone.
His third son, a dwarf named Tyrone, said to him, "I hear Lord Renly Baratheon
is looking to cause trouble for us once again. He already accused Gendry of
being Robert's bastard son last year, but now he's taken it a step further by
claiming that Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are not the children of Robert and
Cersei, but they are the children of Jaime and Cersei."
"That is a lie!" Tywin snarled in anger. "He has no right, no right to insult
my children like that! I have already done so much to keep those two apart,
from sending Jaime to work for Dain Ironfoot in the Iron Hills and making sure
that they don't interact with each other without us or Tyrion present. I also
forced Cersei to keep to her husband and not to stray and made sure that Robert
was not allowed within 20 feet of another woman's presence."
"So, that sword swallower thought he could destroy our family with that lie?"
said Tyrone.
"I'm not allowing these lies to go unpunished," Tywin snarled. "When word of
this reaches the king, I'm sure he will have more than just words for that
pretty little liar…"
Just then, a boy ran towards them, saying, "My lord, begging your pardon, but
we have a problem…"
===============================================================================
Earlier that day, a group of Titans was spotted lurking near the walls of
Lannisport; the guard immediately sounded the alarm. (That way, no one in town
was caught off-guard.)
As many people fled from their homes and headed for the shelters, the walls
surrounding the city were torn down, leaving the city open to an attack. "Stand
your ground," Tywin yelled to the men stationed in the city. "Do not give into
fear. These Titans will learn the meaning of the Lion's strength! Now attack!"
Within a few minutes, however, chaos reigned throughout the city.
Jaime snatched his nephews and niece and shoved them and Cersei into a hidden
room while he rushed out to fight. He looked around him and nearly had a heart
attack; scores of men everywhere were snatched from their spots and torn to
pieces by the Titans. Jaime swooned as his cousins Lancel and Tyrek rushed
towards him and dragged him to safety as various body parts and blood fell to
the ground around them. Lancel said, "Come cousin, this place is not safe! We
must find Cersei and the children and get them to safety!"
A scream was heard; several Titans had found the secret hiding places and began
eating scores of people who couldn't escape in time. Children were seen crying
in the streets as they watched their parents being devoured by the monsters.
Jaime found himself falling to the ground and throwing up as he watched Ser
Amory Lorch and Ser Gregor Clegane being torn apart by a Titan. There was
nothing for him to do except to run.
"The city has been breached!" yelled Tywin. "Fall back to the second level!"
As soldiers and civilians fled (with some being devoured by the advancing
Titans), Jaime chanced to see Renly and Loras dragging Cersei, Joffrey, Tommen,
and Myrcella away from Gendry and Edric. The two madmen were going to murder
them. "What the hell, Renly!" Lancel cried out when he, Jaime, and Tyrek went
to intercept the group. "What's going on here?"
"We're just going to get rid of these abominations and the whore who brought
them into the world," said Renly with a wicked gleam in his eye.
Jaime rolled his eyes; he always knew Renly never liked him, nor did he like
the fact that Robert was forced to marry Cersei after his epic breakup with
Lyanna Stark. Before his untimely death in a hunting accident, Robert and Renly
had a terrible fight. That fight began when Robert called Renly out on his
homosexual relationship with Loras Tyrell and demanded that Renly marry Lollys
Stokeworth. Renly called Robert a fool and a liar, as well as an adulterer,
insisting that Cersei cheated on him with Jaime (which is not true in this
story).
"Help, Jaime, help me," Cersei cried out as the children clung to each other in
horror.
"Oh he'll help you all right," Renly sneered as he snatched Jaime (and knocking
Lancel and Tyrek out in the process) and pushed the frightened family towards
the Titans. But Jaime wasn't about to go down without a fight. He threw himself
at Renly and they tumbled in the streets, each of them trying to one-up the
other. Loras, Cersei, and the children watched as the fight progressed, even as
the Titans were eating people.
At the same time the fighting between Jaime and Renly happened, Tyrion
Lannister was forced to take his family and flee after Titans broke into his
apartment and killed his wife, Tysha. He and his children barely made it to
Casterly Rock before a Titan destroyed the gates leading to the castle,
trapping everyone inside.
Jaime said, "You're going to regret everything you said about me, Pansy!"
"Only if you own up to the fact that you fathered three of your sister's
children," said Renly.
"I cannot live a lie!" said Jaime. "You're just angry because you're gay and
the king banned gay marriage. You're a man with no clout!"
"And you are a shameless bastard," Renly began, but a Titan had spotted them
and swept Jaime up as Cersei screamed in horror. Jaime stared at the Titan; the
last thing he heard was Tywin's scream...
===============================================================================
Tyrion frowned as he surveyed the damage to Lannisport; nearly 16,844 people
were killed and many buildings were either damaged or destroyed. Tyrion's
family had not been spared, as he discovered that a Titan had killed and eaten
Jaime. Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell killed Cersei and her children. Tywin,
Tyrone, Gendry, and Edric were nowhere to be found. Lannisport had fallen.
Tyrion frowned as he stared at his children Lanna, Taylor, and Penny; the
children had watched as their mother was taken from them and killed by a Titan.
His father and brother were missing and Casterly Rock was destroyed. There was
nothing left for him there. "We might as well leave this place," said Tyrion to
his children.
"We're not going home?" Penny cried out.
"No," said Tyrion. "There's no home for us to go back to."
He and the children slowly left the ruined manor and the city, joining a group
of survivors who had lost everything. Tyrion was sure he was the last living
member of the Lannister family, as he believed his father and siblings were
dead.
===============================================================================
Unbeknownst to him, Lancel and Tyrek had survived the destruction of Lannisport
(yet their fathers Kevan and Tygett died) and joined the group of refugees
leaving the city. They wept, knowing that they had failed to save Cersei and
the children from Renly.
Tywin and Tyrone had also survived the attacks; they watched as a Titan killed
and ate Jaime and Renly and Loras killed Cersei and her children. Gendry and
Edric were found wandering around the ruined city, crying for their mother.
They were the last of the Baratheon family, as Robert had died a few weeks
before the attacks and Stannis had all but disowned the Baratheon name.
"So what do we do with them?" said Tyrone as they gathered the small boys and
hid in a building ruined in the attack. "Should we send them to Stannis?"
"Over my dead body," Tywin snapped in anger. He would rather die than allow his
remaining grandchildren to live with a man who turned his back in the true
religion and placed his trust in a woman who worshiped the Red God and a wife
who couldn't give birth to a healthy child. (Stannis and Selyse had three
children named Stavron, Patrek, and Shireen, all whom were sickly or deformed.
Robert and Renly treated Stannis as if he was nothing more than a bad joke.) "I
will never let that Red Witch near my grandsons!"
"If not, then why not send them to your cousins in the North?" Tyrone said.
"I'm not sure if they're willing to take the boys," said Tywin. "My sister
Genna isn't too fond of the name Baratheon, so she's not going to help. Plus, I
can't stand that whiny idiotic Eammon Frey. I haven't heard anything from Kevan
though his wife and younger children are with her father and Tygett is with
Kevan. Only the gods know where Gerion is. Also, sending them to Ned Stark is
out of the question, as I hate Ned's wife."
He stood in what remained of Casterly Rock; he needed to bury Cersei and the
children and set up a memorial to Jaime. He also needed to rebuild the city of
Lannisport, as most of the population had either died or fled following the
Titans attack. However, there was only one way that it could be done.
Being one of the wealthiest families in Estilva, he had a plan to make sure
that everyone in Estilva paid for allowing the city of Lannisport to fall and
the Titans to kill half his family...
===============================================================================
"I can't say that he got what he deserved, but he got what he deserved,"
Hadassah said upon receiving the news of the destruction of Lannisport. She,
Hannah, Serina, Irina, Sam, and Sean were traveling from Moria to Nefaria. "I
was sincerely hoping to go there this year."
"But don't you hate Tywin Lannister?" said Hannah.
"I do. But that doesn't mean I can't have a civil meeting with him once in a
while," said Hadassah. "We may be the most powerful family in Atlantis, but
we're not free to be cruel to other people, even if we think they deserve it."
"As well, there might not be a Lannister marriage," said Serina. "Ser Jaime's
dead. He was killed by a Titan."
"I see," said Irina, who was more than relieved that she wouldn't have to marry
Jaime after all. "But why would you want to treat with Tywin?"
"After all, I know he's probably still angry with Bibi for refusing to marry
Tyrion," said Hannah. "Speaking of which, why did she not want to marry
Tyrion?"
"Because Tytos Lannister attempted to make me his mistress many years ago,"
said Hadassah. "He thought his family was the greatest in all of Estilva and
all of Atlantis should bow down to him. I wasn't fooled by his act, not when
the Trichenberg family is more powerful than the Lannisters."
"Indeed," said Sean as the caravan moved past the road leading to Lannisport.
Even though it would be sensible for the Trichenbergs to go there and assist
the people recovering from the Titan attack, would do them no good with little
Sam around. Irina frowned, knowing that it wasn't Sam's time to be a hero.
Not yet.
Chapter End Notes
     So, Hadassah had some history with the Lannisters, one which wasn't
     good. This could spell trouble for Tywin down the road...
***** The Game is Set *****
Chapter Summary
     In which Hadassah plots to marry Irina off to a prince and secure
     Sam's future.
When Sam was four years old, Hadassah brought the news that King Magnyr
Steinhelm of Nefaria had a grandson who needed to get married.
The Trichenberg cousins had been staying in the wealthier part of Nefaria, near
the Waelmore Stronghold. Few people knew who they were and fewer people knew
that Sameth Tolsworth existed. Irina and Hadassah made sure that no one knew
who he was by claiming him as an orphan whose parents were killed in a Titan
attack on their village. (To keep with that lie, Irina passed herself off as a
peasant named Sadie Rose and worked in the castle as a maid.)
"So, who is this prince exactly?" said Sean.
"His name is Arexus Ritterwolff," said Hadassah. "By the looks of it, he is the
king's only grandson. The king himself has no sons and all his daughters are
dead."
"So what does this have to do with us?" said Serina.
"Arexus wishes to marry Lady Alesia Whitmour," said Hadassah, "but his
grandfather does not approve of the union."
"I wonder why," said Hannah.
"It isn't for me to say, but I believe that Alesia's father, Lord Rauffe
Whitmour, is attempting to bite off more than he's allowed to chew, as my
grandfather would so eloquently put it," said Hadassah, "which is why I want
Irina to marry Arexus."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Sean hissed as the girls gasped. "Irina has
disguised herself as a maid, not a princess. There's no way she's marrying some
pompous stuck-up prince."
"Not unless she plays hard-to-get," said Serina. "And you know how she is about
marriage..."
"Irina Kapustin will never marry, as Irina is officially dead," said Hadassah,
"but Sadie Rose will marry Arexus Ritterwolff. Yesterday, King Magnyr asked me
about any young women I knew and I reluctantly suggested Irina. He demands that
Arexus marry a servant girl, so we will do whatever it takes to make sure Irina
is chosen to marry the boy."
"Indeed," said Sean. "And what about Sam?"
They all turned to stare at the boy; he was sitting in a corner of the room,
drawing pictures of a hero killing a Titan. He stared at them, and it was
undeniable what his destiny was. His destiny was to slay Titans and save what
was left of humanity from extinction.
"Give me that!" Irina snapped as she snatched the paper from her son and tore
it into pieces. Sam stared at her for a few seconds before he burst into tears.
"Irina, did you really have to do that?" Sean said as the little boy continued
crying. "You knew he was going to figure this out sooner or later. So why stop
him?"
"Because I won't let my son grow up thinking he's part of some big prophecy,"
Irina hissed at him. "He's a little boy, not a hero. I won't let him get any
delusions of grandeur like cousin Gilebin."
"But it's his destiny," said Hadassah. You said so yourself..."
"That was before I knew what it was going to do to him," said Irina. "We need
to keep him away from any weapons and warriors and their stories about fighting
Titans. My son will live a peaceful life, not one based on heroics."
"So, you'll dress him up as a little girl and make him learn sewing, dancing,
and other useless "womanly" crafts?" said Serina.
"Well," Irina began to say.
"That's the dumbest thing you've ever suggested," said Hannah. "Our little guy
will NOT be learning no useless "womanly" crafts! He's going to learn how to be
a mighty hero, that's what he's going to do!"
"Well, it's not like we can't send him to foster with King Thrain in Erebor,"
said Sean.
"Or we can," said Hadassah. "We can send him to serve Prince Thorin. He's
getting married, believe it or not, to a Hobbit, out of all people."
Hannah said, "I didn't think that was possible," as Serina snorted with
laughter. Irina glared at them and wondered not for the last time why she
decided to get herself caught up in their messes.
"Indeed," said Serina. "Word on the street is that the Hobbit in question has
the ability to bear children. This is rather unusual..."
"That's because the only bearers we know are Seamus and Sean," said Hannah.
"There have been very few bearers due to the resurgence of homosexuality in
recent years; many of those bearers were seduced by these despicable men and
died under such unmentionable circumstances. But the fact that there are three
bearers still living in the world serves to encourage humanity and give hope to
the world."
"Well," said Irina, "I just hope that poor little Hobbit bearer doesn't suffer
any unfortunate circumstances as all the other unlucky bearers before him. He's
going to need someone like little Sam in that mountain."
"Mama?" Sam stared at Irina. She shook her head, knowing that she would have to
do a very hard thing. To save her son from his inevitable destiny, she would
have to send him away.
I don't like doing this, Irina thought to herself.I don't want to marry Arexus
or send Sam away. But I must do these things if I want to keep our family in
the game. There's nothing else for it.
Hadassah then said, "So, Irina, do you agree to this deal?"
Irina sighed as she stared at her aunt and cousins. She often asked herself why
she chose to hide from the world instead of returning to her village, but she
knew the consequences of not doing what was expected of her. According to
village tradition, to refuse to marry the mate chosen for you was an act of
dishonor; and Irina had certainly dishonored herself when she refused to marry
Gelvert Snidelmann and eloped with Hanler Dervington.
Now Hanler was dead because of her foolish decision; he never got to meet their
son. What would you have done, my love, Irina thought to herself as she
pondered the decision before her. Would you have wanted me to marry another
prince, or would you steal me in the dark of the night, as you once did?
But what would his answer be? Hanler was dead and Irina was trapped in a world
that wanted to tear her apart for her refusal to marry and to take her son away
from her and make him into a hero. And it was all due to her own choices.
But she couldn't refuse this offer, not where it counted. "Yes," she said at
last. "Yes, I'll marry him."
"Good," said Hadassah. "Now that we've sorted out that business, let's tell the
king of your decision..."
===============================================================================
Yet for their scheming, it seemed that the Crown Prince found out about the
plot to separate him and Alesia; the couple had a priest marry them so they
couldn't be separated. Eight people witnessed the ceremony; a marriage in
Nefaria required at least five witnesses for it to be valid.
At this, the king was furious. He did not give the relationship between Arexus
and Alesia his blessing, nor did he give them permission to marry. He fumed
about that disobedient act during a meeting in the throne room the next day.
"I have never been more insulted," said the king as he paced around the room.
The other members of the court wisely held their tongues; even Hadassah kept
silent. No one wanted to speak, as if their words would anger the king. "Has
that boy forgotten that I am his king? I've practically raised him..."
"You'd think he would be more grateful," said Tywin.
"As you say, Lord Lannister," said Lord Whitmour as he glared at the other man
with hate. "I haven't forgotten about your plot to marry Cersei to our prince
ten years ago."
"Indeed," said Tywin. "You told me that Cersei was more suited to be wedded to
a pig farmer and spend the rest of her life in the muck."
"And you insulted my wife for being the daughter of Deavon Reyne," Whitmour
snarled at him. "I haven't forgotten about that!"
"Now, Whitmour, let's leave that story in the past and focus on the task at
hand," said Hadassah.
"And what about you," said Whitmour. "You have been married twice, but you only
had one child. What gives you the right to speak?"
"Yes," said Tywin. "Who are you to speak to us in that manner?"
"I am Hadassah Trichenberg Pennington Targaryen, daughter of Leopold
Trichenberg of Germany and Jessica Shalit Smirnov of Russia," said Hadassah
without missing a beat. "I have served the last czar of Imperial Russia as well
as the lords of Gundabad, Moria, and Erebor. Now I serve your Wolf King.
Knowing that, this gives me the right to speak to you in any way I wish."
The other lords and ladies who watched the confrontation between Hadassah,
Whitmour, and Tywin were stunned into silence; never had they heard Hadassah
speak to anyone so harshly. Then again, most of them had forgotten who she was
and what family she came from. The Trichenberg family was not someone you'd
want to mess with, not if you valued your life.
"Very well," said the king. "The marriage between my grandson and Lady Whitmour
can wait. We have to deal with the increasing Titan attacks and what to do
about those..."
Hadassah gave a small smile of victory; she had outwitted Lord Whitmour and
Tywin Lannister. They thought they could insult me, but I am a Trichenberg and
I'm not to be trifled with, she thought to herself. No one messes with the
Trichenberg family, and Tywin Lannister and Rauffe Whitmour will be hearing the
Song of the Tiger's Wrath when the time comes.
Hadassah remembered the night when another man heard the Song of the Tiger's
Wrath. Grigori Rasputin had dared to mess with her, but Hadassah killed him
when he threatened to kill the Romanov family. He was difficult to kill, but
when he went down, Hadassah made sure that he didn't get back up.
Lannister and Whitmour think they're above the laws of nature, but they don't
know I can put them in their place, Hadassah mused as she went to tell Irina
about the unexpected setback in their plans. They would have to devise another
way to put Irina in Arexus' bed and get Alesia out of the picture. No one
ignored a Trichenberg and lived!
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