Prologue

The Watcher

Every day, the atani adhered to his daily routine. It was a solitary one, but kind and gentle in its simplicity.

He woke up and stood watch from his modest tower, looking over the border between his home and the rest of the continent. A buffer between his lord's home, and the kingdoms of man that lay to the south.

He had awoken today, not expecting anything of note to be seen or occur.

He then looked over the battlements and stroked his beard in wonder at the sight that was slowly amassing before him.

Hm.

It would seem that perhaps Eru had seen fit to disabuse him of his previous notion of a mundane morning on this fine Friday.

It was a large procession, full of soldiers and wagons and horses and things. Even from here, he could feel their intent, full of purpose, and a hint of battle-born bloodlust. They were carrying many banners, the greatest of which seemed to be a red, three-headed dragon on a field of black, all the while breathing fire.

With a raised brow, he took up his notched stave, descended from his tower, and strode out of the front door towards the front of this host, undeterred by the shouts of alarm from the host's soldiers, and the amount of steel that was bristling his way.

That seemed a bit rude, as he was only clad in boiled-and-studded leather, a surcoat, strong boots, gloves, and a cloak to keep out the morning chill.

"Good Morning," he called out in the tongue of man towards the leader, since he doubted that there were any among them that could speak the tongue of his home.

He made sure that the look upon his face was serene and amiable. "May I ask what has brought you to these borders this fine day, men of the south?"

The leader, a powerfully built man adorned in black armor, and with a crown of steel and ruby, looked down upon the simple atani with curious disdain. "Who are you, man?" he said, in a tone that seemed to demand respect. "What is your purpose in approaching us so brazenly?"

Seeking to be humble, the atani gave him a bow. "My name is Brandon, son of Theon. I am the humble Steward of this border and the humble keeper of the tower of Duin Tir. My only purpose at the moment is to ascertain as to what it is that you want by approaching this border"

"You watch over the entire border?" the woman on the left of the host's leader, a lithe figure whose silver hair was bound in a simple braid at the front, asked him as she looked over the mist-enshrouded lands about them.

Brandon nodded. "Indeed, my lady. It is a sacred and cherished duty that has been passed down through my family since the Arrival, surviving even the battle of Ice and Fire itself, over twelve thousand years ago."

A man with red hair then strode up to the mounted leader, before any more could be said. "Be wary, my king. The men of this fell country are not like us. Their eldritch masters keep them all bewitched and enraptured with strange enchantments."

Brandon quirked an eye at the man, a river lander, by his looks. "There is little need to be so rude, man of the Riverlands. I am not bewitched by anything. I am but a humble Steward and atani." He then fixed his eyes back upon the leader of the host. "Now, as to my earlier question, my lord… Why have you come to these borders with such a mighty host at your heels?"

The leader looked down upon Brandon with a strange intensity in his purple eyes. "I wish for you to tell your masters that I, Aegon Targaryen, King of Westeros, wish to speak with the lords of these lands."

"May I ask as to why?"

"To discuss terms."

"Terms of what, if I may inquire?"

The woman on the man's right, a voluptuous figure who kept her hair in an intricate braid, suddenly spoke up. "What is the point of these inane questions? Are you some sort of halfwit? Tell your lords that their rightful and future king has arrived and wishes to speak with them!"

Brandon remained non-plussed in the wake of the woman's proclamation. The man at the front briefly looked at her with annoyance, and then turned back towards Brandon. "My sister, though rash in her outburst, does speak truthfully. I wish to make terms with your leaders about the future of this land."

Brandon looked upon the man, his armor, the large sword strapped at his side, and the host at the man's back.

He then nodded. "I understand. Please wait here. I shall inform the High King as to your arrival, Aegon Targaryen."

The Conqueror

Aegon watched as the strange man strode back into the tower, a strange, squat thing of oddly symmetrical gray stone.

He then turned to Edmyn Tully. "He seemed unafraid by our arrival. Why?"

The Riverlord shrugged, unease on his face. "I cannot say, my king. The men of these lands have always been strange. They don't hold to the seven or the Old gods. There has always been a feeling of fey about them, to say nothing of their unseen masters and kings."

Rhaenys turned to him with a questioning brow. "You have never seen them, these masters of theirs?"

Edmyn shook his head. "No, your Grace. None in these lands have. Though, at times, odd and sorrowful melodies and lights can be seen and heard through the mists in the night. All that is known is that the Andal invasion never even penetrated the borders of this kingdom. Even Harren, in all his madness, never sent any ships past the Neck, or any raiding parties past this border. When the atani venture from these lands, they are always left well alone."

Aegon stroked his chin as he peered at the mists. Interesting.

A moment later, the strange man descended from his squat tower and strode back towards Aegon and his sisters with an amiable look upon his face. "I have sent words to my lords, and received a message that I had not foreseen."

His gaze was clear as he looked upon Aegon. "It would seem that you were expected, Lord Aegon. High King Fingolfin has been traveling towards Duin Tir for the past few days and is currently departing from the region of Avernien. Rest assured, he and the royal procession should be arriving here in a few hours. He is very interested in meeting you. Until then, he respectfully bids you to make yourself comfortable as you wait. If you like, I humbly offer you refreshments from my own stores."

He then gave a strange and kindly smile. "As luck would have it, I have just been brewing a fresh pot of tea, and a fresh loaf of lemon cake. Would you, your fine sisters, or your rude riverman be interested in a cup and a slice? I do regret that I have not enough for your entire and mighty host."

Aegon looked upon the man. Was there truly something the matter with him? He was actually offering them tea and cake? It was simply bizarre.

Nevertheless, he decided to entertain the man. "Very well. That would be sufficient, Brandon."

The man bowed, and happy smile on his face. "Most excellent. I shall gather the refreshments and a table."

Next to him, Visenya scoffed. "Brother, we should not be wasting our time here. Tea and cakes? This all smacks of sorcery. I think we should take our dragons and burn this strange land to ash, and then pillage the remains. For that matter, how are we to believe that he actually talked with his lords? He was only gone for less than an hour. More to the point, how would they already be expecting us?"

Rhaenys shrugged. "No need to be so rash, Visenya. There should be little harm in at least resting here for a few hours, and he seemed remarkably clear for a supposed madman. Besides, it is not unlikely that word and tales of our conquest has already spread. Perhaps they simply wish to avert a needless war, and have to come to negotiate?"

The hours passed by, and Brandon proved himself to be an excellent host with an excellent repast, despite Aegon and Visenya's reservations, though Rhaenys wasted no time in seemingly charming him, which she was excellent at doing, and the air was filled with amiable conversation. He talked amiably and often, almost as if he could not get enough. It made Aegon wonder just how long the man had been living in his strange and squat tower by himself since he seemed to be the only one here.

As the sun began to slowly sink through the mists, a loud and clear clarion horn suddenly sounded.

At that, Brandon suddenly stood and began to gather up the food from the small table and chairs he had brought out. "It would seem that the High King has nearly arrived. Please, allow me to make the introductions. Wait here but a moment longer, Lords and Ladies."

After depositing the food back into his tower, he vanished into the mists, while Aegon, his sisters, and his army made ready to meet the lords of this strange land.

A minute passed by.

Five minutes.

Ten.

At about thirty minutes, when Visenya began to irritably drum her fingers against Dark Sister's hilt, the sound of hoofbeats and countless footsteps echoed out.

Then, Brandon emerged through the mists. "The High King has arrived."

The mist then began to lessen, and from it stepped a large procession of soldiers, and their armor was shining and immaculate with colors of silver, gold, white and even woodland greens and browns, though their surcoats and cloaks were of many colors. They all seemed to march in almost impossible unison. Many banners were fluttering, and bore many symbols; A silver harp on black, a hammer and anvil on red, a white tower on purple, a sun on gold, and many more. The most prominent was held at the front, and it bore the symbol of a strange, multicolored sun comprised of gold, red, purple, blue, white, and silver stars.

The soldiers seemed to stretch on into the mists.

This mighty force, it marched forward until they were about six feet from Aegon and his now alert army and sisters.

The sunlight glistened off the soldier's weapons and arms. Each was girt in a full helm with a metal crest, plate and scales and leathers, and curved sword, while they carried either a spear and shield or bow and arrows.

For a long moment, no one dared to move.

Then, as one, the ranks parted to let through a small procession of riders, but it was the figure at the front that Aegon, and indeed, the rest of his host, felt drawn towards.

The figure was mounted upon a stallion whiter than snow, caparisoned in shining armor. Its rider was equally armored.

Before he walked Brandon.

As the horsemen halted, Brandon then called out. "I present to you Fingolfin, Son of Finwë and Indis; Lord of the Gray Fleet, High King of the Noldor, Sindar, Nandor, Laiquendi, Silvan, and Atani, and King and Sovereign Of all of Beleriand, stretching all from the snows of North to the mists of South, and bearer of the royal swords, Ringil and Magol!"

The head rider looked upon Aegon during the entire proclamation, whilst Aegon did his best to stare back up at him unflinchingly.

Then, the figure dismounted and started to approach.

Beside him, Aegon heard Rhaenys and Visenya let loose small gasps.

Even on foot, this figure was taller than Aegon, and lithe with muscle. But, when he walked, it was with a decidedly inhuman grace. His armor was so perfect that it decidedly put Aegon's own raiment to shame.

He wore no helmet, and his hair was black and straight. To Aegon's slight shock, he noted that the figure's ears were pointed. Upon the figure's brow was a circlet of filigree, inset with a gem that seemed to glow with an almost divine radiance. At first, it seemed simpler than Aegon's own crown of black steel and rubies, but yet, it also seemed grander. The gem especially, Aegon had to exert a conscious effort to wrest his gaze away from it.

The figure's eyes, set into a pale and inhumanely symmetrical face, were clear and grey, and held within them a strange and ancient mein, as he stopped a mere two feet from Aegon's face.

Despite himself, Aegon felt a bit small. Here was truly a figure that could be called king, one meant to rule over all others.

But Aegon would not be cowed, for he was still the blood of the Dragon.

The inhuman king looked upon Aegon and his sisters for a long moment, and then he spoke, in a clear and powerful voice that seemed to carry for leagues, though he was not shouting.

"I bid you greetings to my lands, Aegon Targaryen. I am told that you wish to speak with me."

This story will be a triple crossover with elements from The Silmarillion, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and a Song of Ice and Fire.

I will do my best.

Read, review, and Enjoy!