It is not over yet, Godric thought to himself as the shackles bit painfully into his wrists. He could hardly move his hands for the heavy chains and restraints, an inconvenience when it came to attempting to relieve the unrelenting itch on his scalp where his hair had been.
The Lord of the Shields had slept aboard The Stranger's Grasp every night since arriving in Oldtown. He had thought it a neat idea up until the very moment that the sky had begun raining dragon fire. From then onwards, Godric regretted his decision.
The hunchback lord had, by the grace of the gods, not been seriously harmed, but his hair had burnt to a crisp and his scalp was scathed with red itching burns. The harm to the Shield Island fleet had been far greater, however. Close to every ship docked in Oldtown was now no more than sunken timber and burned wood, and over a hundred men had burned to death in the violent flames that had engulfed them so.
Yet Godric was alive, and as were his cousins Victor and Ser Leo, as well as all those left on the Shield Islands. Not all was lost yet, and Godric had a way of escaping the wrath of the dragon and the lion.
They shall not hear me beg, he thought, and not for a moment did his conviction falter.
They guards came for him shortly to drag him from his cell into the courtyard where King Damon and Queen Danae awaited his presence.
I shall tell them I was on their side the whole time, Godric thought, going over his plan in his head. I shall make it clear that I only joined Gylen out of fear of the madman. As far as Damon and his Dragon Queen will know, I was working in their favour. Leaving the Shields unprotected was my plan to advance the progress of the ironborn, and I shall lie that I urged Gylen out of many a battle in order to give Damon the advantage. They shall...
In a cascade of shadow and an almighty whoosh, the great dragon of Danae Targaryen circled over Godric's head and landed on the steps beside the Queen. Seeing the beast close-up made Godric feel truly faint. All the plans and plots went from his head, and suddenly he felt as weak as the cripple he was.
The guardsmen threw Lord Godric Grimm down at the feet of Damon Lannister and Danae Targaryen, but Godric could not take his eyes off the great winged monster curled up beside the queen.
I cannot lie, he realised with a jolt. One sniff of treachery and I shall be burnt alive, and I believe I have had enough of a taste of dragon fire for this lifetime.
And so Godric Grimm knelt before the king and queen of Westeros.