For Want of an Onion, by thepkrmgc

Davos delivers a different cargo, and the game changes.

It doesn't matter why the onions aren't delivered. Perhaps Davos's ship is seen, perhaps he took a fever in his youth and died. Perhaps he simply found that he could profit more from different kinds of cargo on a different route, either way the canon path is set awry.

And Storm's End falls not to assault but hunger, for while Stannis may be willing to die for duty the troops that he commands don't think the same. Never the most popular of men he takes a tragic fall from the battlements and his shattered body isn't even cold when his killers open up the fortress gates.

Without a fortress at their back the Tyrells march to meet their prince upon the trident. Renly, now his brother's heir, gets sent to Aerys hands, and burns.

The weight of numbers turns the tide of battle in the dragon's favor. Robert never meets his rival on the trident, dying at the hands of Randyll Tarly or catching a humble arrow through the eye. And perhaps his northern brother dies beside him or else he gets away, his tale has scope beyond this one regardless.

And off from there a million branching paths await, though how their taken none can tell. Perhaps Lyanna gets the care she needs to live, or else she dies in birthing bed the same. Does Aerys try to burn kings landing, or is he removed discreetly by his son. Is Rhaegar mad or just a dreamer? What happens to the princess born of storms?

The resulting tale exceeds my telling, and yet song of ice and fire takes a different tune. The game of thrones plays on, but everything changes. Because a simple man made a simple choice, and the absence of a ship of onions.

For want of an onion the siege is lost.

For want of a siege the battle is lost.

For want of a battle the war is lost

For want of a war the kingdom is lost.

And all for want of onion knight.

A/N

We never do learn why davos decided to smuggle in those onions, but it's hard to overstate the impact. I won't be writing out a full fic based on any of these what ifs, but hopefully you find their potential as interesting as I do.

Omake

Or perhaps this story has another verse

If history went upon a different course

There are other keeps within the stormlands

The Tyrells might have preferred to siege than storm them.

Or Rhaegar could have fallen on the Trident despite their aid.

On Dragonstone they might have found it best to separate the royal children

Or Viseries could have proved his father's son at younger age and gotten left behind

Ser Darry could have found a man of worth to take his dying queen away

And a smuggler could have found himself entrusted with the care of royal blood.

Davos never was the sort of man who'd let a child die.

Dany could've been raised as if she were smuggler's bastard,

Brought across the sea by a man who always was uncommon kind.

She could have been raised with love if not with luxury amid his other sons

The stormborn could have spent her life amid the slums and on the seas.

Until she stumbled on a remnant power wielded once in ancient times.

And perhaps she wields it wisely

Or else she tosses it away, it's power best unused.

Either way no cities burn for legacy and pride

And happiness is found in stable homes and quiet lives.

A/N 2

Just another little idea I thought up, a Dany as raised by Davos could be interesting indeed, though once again I won't be exploring that potential in full. It would be easy to turn this into a Dany/Gendry ship