He stood before a great fire, a fire that burned with almost otherworldly power and intensity. So great was the heat emanating from the blaze that he could barely look at it but through squinted eyes, he watched as a figure emerged from the flames. As Torrhen allowed his eyes to focus, he saw that it was a woman with silver hair. The flames seemed to only wash over her naked body and she made no cries of pain. It was like the fire wasn't even there for her as she walked towards him while he remained frozen in place, terrified and captivated. Suddenly, she stopped and raised her hands up towards the sky. Then, suddenly, a great roar erupted from the fire and a giant three-headed dragon rose up. Each of the heads was of a different color, the right was green and bronze, the left white and gold, and the middle was black and red. All three let our piercing roars that could freeze the hearts of any man, Torrhen's included as he watched them. Then, lowering his head, he found himself staring into eyes of the deepest purple that held him in place, powerless to do otherwise. Then from her lips came a voice both soft and powerful, as if she did not need to shout to command attention. The voice said only one word.

"Torrhen."

Jostled awake, Torrhen quickly scanned the room for danger. Finding none, he slowly allowed himself to relax and settle back down in bed. After a moment for some quiet breaths, he turned and watched Dacey sleep in the light of the slowly dying fire, his eyes tracking the rise and fall of her body as she breathed. He noticed that she also gently snored, which was something he found adorable. Of course, she would most likely swear on pain of death that she didn't since snoring wouldn't be considered ladylike behavior. Of course, that wasn't the only thing he loved about her. He loved her muscles and how they tensed and twisted in the throes of passion, he loved her ticklish spots and how musical her laughter was when he found them all, he loved her fingers and toes and how they curled when he kissed and nibbled on each and every one. He loved her smell, the feel of her hair, the sparkle in her eyes. Books could be written about such beauty, but he knew they would fall short of the real thing. Leaning in, he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and traced her jaw before turning over and rising. Fetching his pants and a loose shirt, he dressed and placed a few more pieces of wood on the fire, which soon blossomed into a warm glow. At that moment, Rhaegar chose to wake up but Torrhen quickly halted him with a raised hand before pointing at Dacey. The message was clear: Watch Dacey while I'm gone and don't wake her up. After scratching his ears, he made his way to the door and opened it slowly. With a final look at Dacey, he closed the door behind him and made his way to the godswood. Quietly making his way through the halls, he soon emerged into the garden. Taking a deep breath and wiggling his toes in the soil, he strode towards the heart of the wood with its weirwood tree. He was surprised, however, to see Renly sitting at its base and sharpening his sword with a whetstone. He looked as if he was totally engrossed in his work, completely oblivious to anything else.

"Well, this is a surprise." This caused Renly to snap out of his work and turn towards Torrhen before rising to give a bow.

"My lord, I wasn't expecting you here."

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise, and you don't have to call me 'My Lord' and bow when we're alone. I don't need a certain amount of formality to get through the day."

"Of course, my…Torrhen. It'll take some getting used to."

"What will?"

"Addressing a prince. I've never been close enough to one to learn all the formalities."

"Oh, right. I am a prince and, if you want to get more specific, heir to the throne. At least until Robb marries Walder Frey's daughter and has a son with her," he mused as he ran his hands through his hair as if trying to comb all the wild thoughts into line. "But, as I said before, formality can be relaxed while we're in private."

"Of course, Torrhen. Are you having trouble sleeping as well?" He returned to his sitting position with Torrhen beside him.

"Yes, it's hard to relax with everything going on. It's been quite a journey here."

"Indeed. When I left home, I never imagined that I would be swept up in such a grand adventure." At this, Torrhen couldn't help but let escape a little snort of laughter.

"I'd hardly call this an adventure. We're at war, thousands are dead, the Riverlands are on fire, and your home is in the Crownlands. If you stay with us, your family could be declared traitors and House Darkwood might lose everything they have if Joffrey has his way."

"Not to worry. I've written to my cousin with instructions to stay out of the fighting until I tell him otherwise. Domeric will hold the keep for our family if anything happens to me."

"You trust him to do that?"

"I would trust Domeric with my life. He's the closest thing to a brother I have, like Jon Snow is for you."

"Tell me about him."

"He's a good man. He doesn't speak much, but you do listen when he does. He loves singing, archery, and riding. He's meticulous and tidy and has very simple tastes in fashion. He doesn't eat rich food and rarely drinks to excess, but he loves parties at the same time. Opportunities to sing and show off to the ladies, I suppose."

"What about his parents?"

"Well, my uncle was a rogue and a ladies man who left a trail of broken hearts and enraged husbands and fathers. His mother was the youngest daughter of Lord Kyle Staunton, a simple girl of eighteen years who died giving birth to him after my uncle seduced, bedded, and later abandoned her. Of course, my uncle never acknowledged him, and it was only when Lord Kyle brought him to my father that we even knew he existed. He said that if he ever saw my uncle again, he would kill him and any man who defended him. Six months later, he caught him in a liaison with a farmer's wife and chased him all the way to the tip of Crackclaw Point during a rather fierce storm. But he didn't get the chance to kill him, on account of my uncle's horse being spooked by lightning and throwing him from the saddle. When Lord Kyle found him after the storm passed, he was lying in the mud with his head bent at a rather uncomfortable angle. Since then, my father raised Domeric as if he was his own son. I think he planned to ask Prince Rhaegar to have him legitimized after putting down the Rebellion but, well, we know how that went." His eyes were downcast as he said that, with Torrhen only imagining how it could have felt for him seeing his father's body being brought home on the back of a cart.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I have my memories of him and I have Domeric. We helped each other deal with his death and who knows? Depending on how this war goes, he might get to be a Darkwood after all."

"I certainly hope it does not come to that."

"So do I, to be honest." With that, the two men sat in silence and listened to the sounds of nature as they contemplated all that had come before and all that was yet to come. Then, as if by some unspoken agreement, the two men decided that sleep was possible now. As they stood Renly's eyes turned skyward, and his mouth opened in surprise.

"Torrhen, look!" As this, Torrhen looked up and was surprised to see a comet sailing across the sky with a long red tail. "I've never seen a comet as bright as that, and the tail! It's as red as…"

"Blood. Seems rather appropriate, considering the circumstances." Torrhen remembered from his lessons how perception can change what something represents, and a sign like that will always have different meanings to different people: A call to action, a herald of doom, or even a sign of the changing moods of the gods. But that could not distract him from the chill running down his spine at the sight. This was no accident, this fiery object streaking across a country about to tear itself apart by rebellion and war.

"It's got to be an omen of some kind. But an omen of what?"

"We'll find out soon enough, my friend." As they walked into the castle, Torrhen looked at the comet one last time and the one word that came to mind at the sight rose like a cooked piece of meat rising to the top of a stew.

Dragons.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Well, we've done it. Part 1 is officially complete for this incredible tale. To all those who have been reading, thank you for your support and your love. I wouldn't have gotten here if it wasn't for you. I'll be taking a brief hiatus before Part 2 starts, during which time I will work on other projects.

Once again, thank you.

Stay safe and healthy, and as always, read, review and enjoy!