Actions

Work Header

Aegon the Destroyer

Summary:

From the day of his birth, Lord Eddard Stark’s greatest fear has been what might happen if Lyanna’s son ever learned the truth about his heritage.

And he was right to be afraid.

Notes:

I hated how one of my favorite shows got so ruined in the last season that I wrote this as a response. But I will enjoy the criticism all the same. I do not own any rights or works to Game of Thrones or Asoiaf at all.

Chapter 1: The Promise

Chapter Text

He knew it was a risk to be here, it was too dangerous, but he couldn’t help it. The pain of how the love of his life was taken from him and the one who killed her was so close. Jon Snow they called him, and in his former life he felt that name belonged to him, but after everything he went through, he knows now that’s not who he truly is. He could hear his great uncles’ words echoing in his head now more than ever, ‘kill the boy and let the man be born’ over and over again. Those words held such meaning for him in so many ways now. He had been back in Winterfell now for days and each one was more unbearable than the last.

****Flashback****

He remembered journeying further north with the free folk to be sure beyond any doubt that the white walkers were gone for good. Along his journey he found the last member of the children of the forest. Or rather it found him. It said it had been watching him for a while now and said it would take them to the place the Night King slept waiting for the return of the Long Night. It promised to show only him, so he left the others behind as they made their journey to an ominous castle of all ice with the Northern lights playing above. It would have been beautiful if it hadn’t felt so terrifying. There the last of the Children showed the last of the dragons another hidden truth in the life of lies that was Jon Snow.

The child brought him to an altar of ice and placed his finger on Jon’s brow. He saw through the eyes of someone upon a dragon flying in the sky. He saw Kingslanding, the frightened people and he felt the rider’s agony and anger when their gaze fell upon the Red Keep. He knew then he was seeing through the eyes of Daenerys. He then saw her last moments in the throne room of the burned city. He saw himself and he knew what would come next and it was too much, so he tried to block it out.

“STOP IT! Don’t make me see this!”

The child pressed forward with the vision as he heard its voice, “you must see what she saw to know the truth.” He kept trying not to see it as he saw the blade in her chess and as she looked up to the eyes of her killer, he was suddenly shocked into silence.
“See the truth through your loves’ eyes.”

He looked through Daenerys’ eyes at himself and he saw his own eyes, but they weren’t dark grey, they were pure white. It was only for a moment, but it was there. He realized that when he stabbed her, he had been warged by another. For all the days since then he has relived that day and it never felt right to him. Despite all that happened killing her didn’t feel right to him. “How?”, he asked as the vision faded to being back with the child.

“You know how, you know everything. You have just chosen not to see. Now you must.” He knew what the child meant; he knew the truth of who warged him. For once Ygritte’s words were wrong, ‘you know nothing Jon Snow’, this time he knew everything, and he couldn’t stop screaming in anger as tears of agony fell from him because of it. His Dany, they used him to kill her, to destroy her, and they made him believe all their lies that it was all his choice. He wanted to die in that moment holding some hope that he might join her as he grabbed for his dagger intent to end himself.

But the child stopped him, ‘Briggle’ it said his name was, and he offered him another way. “What was can be no more. What we want to be can be evermore. Your enemy betray us both he did. Promise to protect my tribe but left us to death. Briggle’s people choose wrong friend among thee. Now the we, is only me, so I shall choose new friend to change what was.”

The creature spoke almost in riddles, but he thought he understood so he pressed. “How? How can you bring her back?”

The child twisted his smile and shook its head. “Not her we shall bring back but us, back to before all walked down the path of doom. Led by the betrayers of we.”

He had come back from death once before and he had to believe he could bring back Dany. So, the bargain was struck between the last of the children and the last of the dragons.

The dark and bloody ritual was performed and as he closed his eyes, he suddenly woke up in his bed in his old room back at Winterfell. When he stood, he discovered he was not a man but a boy again. He had none of his scars and he felt as if he must have been dreaming. He had seen all the other Starks, his cousins who he once considered siblings and his uncle he once saw as father, but he knew the truth of what they were and what he was.

Being around them felt so difficult to keep up the facade he had fallen into to protect himself. He went to the Gods wood everyday attempting to call for Briggle through the power of the Weirwood but found only silence. He didn’t know if this new chance at life was real until he realized when he had been sent back to. The day he had come back on was the same day another Stark was born. The same Stark who he once called brother and played with and loved. The Stark that manipulated him and used him like a pawn to drive his beloved Daenerys mad and then used his power to warg him when he was confused and vulnerable in order to kill her. The enemy he was here for, Brandon Stark.

****End of Flashback****

That night he found himself standing in his newborn baby cousin’s room after he climbed in through the window. He had a small knife he stole from the kitchens in his hand as he stood over Bran who was sleeping soundly. He’d been watching him all day from a distance just waiting for this chance.

Suddenly as he moved forward, “in time I see I be” Briggle whispered from the window as he entered. “Heard you I did as only I can. Old raven not see or hear us now, only we, for the bond made still holds me to thee.”
He wondered if Briggle had come back with him and he was glad the creature was there so he wouldn’t be alone. “Still speaking in riddles, but it’s good to know the other raven can’t watch us as he could in our old lifetime.”

The child smiled and looked at Bran sleeping in his crib. “Come to kill little raven, have you?” He looked at the sleeping babe and thought of so many things that happened to him and the rest of his family.

“He looks so little”, as he pointed the blade to Bran’s slowly rising chest. “And I could kill him, right now, so easily.” He squeezed the handle of the blade so tight his knuckles were white, and he wanted so much to end him now. But he pulled the blade away instead.

Briggle looked confused, “Not kill him? Betray your kind he did just as old raven betray mine.” He’d been thinking about killing Bran ever since he got here but there was a reason he held back.

“The three eyed raven is the world’s memory isn’t it?” Briggle frowned but nodded. “So, if I kill him then will that memory die with him or stay with the old raven.”

Briggle only frowned more looking away. “Fade it will. Greenseer they be. The children help preserve old til new fully gains memory. Old then passes and new takes place, change began the day when young raven came to be.”

Jon realized Bran’s power had been coming to him since he was born. He knew Briggle wanted to kill him because without Bran the old raven up north would just die too. But when he dies the power they held would fade as well. That was enough reason to hold Briggle back, but Jon wasn’t like him. He saw the value of protecting the power that holds the worlds memory of everything, but his reason for holding back from plunging that blade into Bran’s heart was more human.

“It’s not enough. Killing Bran would solve so much but that’s not what they did to us, to her.” Briggle said nothing but looked at him curiously. “The three eyed raven, the so-called great houses of the realm, even the Night King. They didn’t just use and betray us. They killed all that we loved, all that we are. They destroyed us down to the bone taking everything until the only thing left for us was suffering.

Death for us would be a release from what they did to us, so in return, we will not simply kill them, we shall ruin them as they ruined us.” Briggle’s sharp teeth showed as he wickedly smiled while Jon turned to Bran, “and to be clear, you may live for now, but nothing is forgiven. There will be a reckoning for all of you. The Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons, Tullys, Arryns will all suffer as we suffered. All of Westeros that spurred Daenerys even after she saved all their worthless lives will know my wrath, and then, I promise you Brandon Stark, that you will die.”

Chapter 2: The Ghost of Winterfell

Summary:

Jon is not exactly keeping a low profile after his return to Winterfell.

Notes:

I want to thank everyone who sent me kudos and comments because they were just amazing. I honestly wasn't expecting the reactions I got so again Thank you.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Eddard

 

He felt like such a mess, filled with worry and uncertainty. He had always feared for Jon’s safety but so long as no one knew the truth of his parentage he was safe, they all were. Jon has been more withdrawn lately and looked at everyone with an expression Ned couldn’t explain. The past three years had filled him with such worry that instead of fearing the truth of Jon’s parentage, he now feared for the state of the boy’s mind.

What could have possibly brought this behavior on?

Ned had never had any reason to fear the Targaryen madness would appear within Jon, but now he wasn’t sure. Especially since Jon was only a child and he had always been so calm, quiet, and he had whole heartedly believed Jon was happy. But these past years Jon had practically cut everyone out of his life and taken drastic steps to push absolutely everyone away.

When he first started disappearing for hours to even days on end, he remembered sending out men to search for him only for Jon to reappear somewhere within the castle. However, no matter what he demanded or threatened Jon just refused to give any explanation as to where he had been. Jon just stayed silent with such a cold expression that confused and enraged him at the same time. He was concerned further when he was informed by Robb that Jon had stopped attending meals, his lessons with Maester Luwin, and Sir Rodrik later reported he had even quit going to sword practice which, he knew Jon loved.

He remembered how he tried having guards watch him or even having Jon locked in his room until he either explained his behavior or stopped doing it. Yet all was in vain because somehow the boy would escape every time and he couldn’t explain as to how, and then he’d disappear again. Then one day he found Jon’s room wasn’t just vacant but completely empty. The guards had been checking places Jon might be and reported that all his things had somehow disappeared overnight.

 That day he feared that Jon had truly run away for good until later that week Jon was spotted still inside the castle, but he was seen through the window inside of the old Winterfell tower. They came to realize that Jon had somehow moved himself and all his possessions into the tower when they found the door to be barred and sealed from the inside.

That had been very concerning because the tower was old, broken in several places, much colder than anywhere else in the castle, and unfit for anyone to live in, let alone a child. But again, no one had seen him, not moving his things, no one reported to have helped him. It was almost like magic, and some of the servants even whispered things like sorcery. But he put all those rumors to rest quickly, Jon was just a boy, but he still had no explanation for his actions. Jon had even withdrawn himself away from Robb who had been just as worried as Lord Stark was.

His wife did not seem to care at first, thinking that the boy had either just run away or that he was simply seeking out attention, but that was ridiculous because Jon was usually found later to be still inside the castle, as if he had never left. If anything, Jon seemed like he wanted no one’s attention at all, not even his siblings or his Lord father’s.

Jon wouldn’t say more than a few words to anyone despite Lord Stark's attempts, and for months, this forced Lord Stark to have everyone on alert to keep an eye on him and report where he was. Ned hated having to have guards drag Jon to his lessons and practices once they found him. That is if he didn’t manage to slip away from them again, but Catelyn felt the boy was showing disrespect to his lord and needed to be reminded of his place. So, for the first-time regarding Jon, she wasn’t entirely wrong. But that all came to an end after the incident in the training yard.

That was one moment he could never forget, because it was the first time where instead of being afraid for Jon, Lord Stark had truly felt afraid of him. 

 

*********Flashback**********

 

Jon had disappeared again but fortunately they found him after only a few hours rather than a few days like the last time. This all started happening right after Bran was born but he couldn’t imagine why that would have anything to do with this recent behavior since Jon had been just as happy when Arya had been born the previous year. Even little Sansa had wondered why Jon hadn’t been around much. His wife seemed to prefer that Jon wasn’t around and she probably hoped he’d stay gone, but Ned certainly did not.  

Yet again the guards had to drag Jon to his solar for another explanation that was met with only a cold stare and silence. It was already past time for his sword practice to begin and so Ned decided that he would follow along this time to observe him and the rest of the boys. This was the first time since Jon started running off that he was able to spare time from his duties to watch his son and nephew practice.

Robb was showing improvements with his technique and he was getting stronger every day. It seemed having his son spar against Theon who was a little bigger than Robb had helped in that regard. The two seemed to be getting closer and he was glad for that. But he could tell Robb clearly missed Jon who was acting as if he wanted to be anywhere else. When Ned saw the two of them together it was like looking at himself and his own brother Brandon when they were younger. Now the boys were almost like strangers.

Jon’s movements were slow, sluggish, and his every match was a loss. He could tell the reason was that he was not even trying, so instead of just letting him go this time, Ned decided to have Sir Rodrik push him harder. He had Jon matched with Theon who kept not only beating him but each time he taunted Jon for each loss, but every time Rodrik just made the boys go again. With every round Theon got more frustrated with Jon despite the fact he was winning.

“Well I have to say I was expecting more from you bastard, or do you prefer ghost now?” Theon continued as he struck Jon in the leg with his wooden sword. “Well that’s what they call you now, ‘Ghost of Winterfell’, but all I see is a weak little bastard.” Theon struck at Jon again and he barely raised his own sword to block and so Theon got him right in the side and Jon dropped to a knee. The whole thing was difficult for Ned to watch but it had been months now and nothing was working. He had to try something, anything that might get through to him.

Jon was still down on his knee when Theon walked away from him, sighing at Sir Rodrik and asking to be given someone else to spar with, but Rodrik refused and kept them together. 

“You know, some people here actually think you’ve got some kind of special power that allows you to keep escaping and moving about the castle without anyone seeing you bastard.” Theon scuffed at his own comments as he continued while Jon just stayed silent. “Well I don’t buy that at all. But I think I know the truth about where it is you go when you pull your little vanishing acts.” Jon raised his head, looking at Theon but still said nothing.

Theon’s taunts continued. “That’s right, it wasn’t too hard to figure out. You found your whore mother out in Wintertown’s brothel didn’t you, and this whole time you’ve just been sneaking off to go to visit her haven’t ya?” Jon’s expression was different now and as Lord Stark looked at him, he could describe Jon’s expression in only one word, murderous. He decided that enough was enough and he started moving down from the balcony toward the yard to put an end to this folly. But as he did, he noticed Jon was moving toward Theon as well.

Jon moved quickly and attacked Theon raising his blade over his head and bringing it down on Theon, but while still smirking at Jon, Theon brought his own sword up to block. But then as Jon’s blade came down, he swiftly shifted his strike from Theon’s blade to Theon’s sword hand. It struck Theon right in his knuckles and Eddard heard a slight crunch as the wooden blade made contact. Theon yelled in pain as his own sword fell right out of his hand and after stumbling back a few steps he struck back at Jon with his other hand balled into a fist.

“You damned Bastard!” Theon yelled as he swung but he hit nothing but air. Jon sidestepped just out of range but stayed close enough to counter Theon again, this time with a swing right to his stomach. Theon gasped for air as Jon knocked the wind right out of him. Jon spun around hitting him from behind which made Theon arch his back. Spinning again Jon got Theon in the side of his knee, and Theon started to collapse. But before Theon even touched the dirt Jon struck again, a hard blow right across Theon’s face. Ned saw blood spew from the boy’s mouth as his head twisted away from the force of the blow. He also heard an unmistakably loud snap which he was certain came from Theon’s now broken jaw.

Ned quickened his pace as Jon continued his assault, each hit was strong and precise and yet Jon kept moving faster and faster as Theon rolled on the ground just trying to cradle himself into a ball. Theon was trying to protect himself as best as he could with his arms. But every time Theon moved to shield one part of himself Jon standing over him quickly shifted to strike another exposed area.

Sir Rodrik was yelling at Jon, “Jon stop!”

“That’s enough!” “Stop!” Rodrik continued as he moved forward to stop Jon.

But Jon just kept hitting Theon without mercy. Ned was running to the yard as fast as he could, and he saw others trying to intervene as well. First, was Robb who attempted to grab Jon by the shoulder, but Jon snapped his sword at Robb’s wrist and with a strong kick knocked Robb down a good three feet away on his back. The next to jump in was Jory who drew his own steel broadsword and yelled at Jon,

“Sir Rodrik said that’s enough Snow, now drop it!” But Jon didn’t listen to Jory’s warning at all, he just came at him. Jory was on the defensive as Jon struck at him forcing him back. If Jory managed to block a strike from Jon, he was hit by a kick to the knee or an elbow under the jaw. Each hit enraged Jory so that when he went on the offensive he was swinging wildly at Jon, which if connected could have killed him.  

Jory lunged at Jon but at the last second Jon parried, and then brought his left arm under the blade and grabbed Jory’s sword guard wrenching the weapon right out of Jory’s hand in one fluid motion. Jon’s wooden sword quickly connected with Jory’s exposed neck and the lad fell to his knees grabbing his neck coughing violently.

The other guards had seen enough and all of them moved in as Jon discarded his practice sword and brought Jory’s blade up taking a defensive stance as if he was about to fight the lot of ‘em with live steel.

“Stand down!” Ned shouted as he entered the yard. “All of you stand down! They’ll be no live steel used here!”

“But my lord, the bastard’s gone mad.” One of his guards stated.

No’, he thought, ‘Jon is not going mad.’ Ned wouldn’t allow Jon to become anything like Aerys. He promised Lyanna to protect her son and he would.

“I said, stand down, now.” Ned said, firmly as he glared at his men. He then turned to Jon who was still standing with his blade pointed at the guards. “Jon, drop the sword son.” He said, calmly hoping Jon wouldn’t try anything stupid like fighting a handful of armed guards more than twice his size, until he saw Jon point the blade right at him. The guards raised their own weapons to protect their lord in response, but Lord Stark just raised his hand to halt them.

  “Jon, please, put down the sword.” He pleaded, but Jon’s eyes were fixed on him and he could see the boy wasn’t confused or frightened, he still had that same murderous look on his face. Lord Stark felt frozen in shock wondering how this could have gotten this far with the boy he’d raised as a son for these past years, now pointing a sword right at him. He saw Jon slowly turning the blade in his hands, aligning its edge with his cold dark eyes, like Jon was aiming the blade to strike Ned right in the heart.

Everyone was silent and still as they watched if Jon was really going to attack. The boy’s eyes were fierce and narrow and his brow and jaw both tense with his sword grip held firm. His knees bent and his feet were slightly grinding into the dirt. Jon looked like a predator staring down his prey and with every small movement he looked like he was about to strike at any moment.

Then suddenly Robb came running up to his father’s side. He had tried to wave him off, but his son was almost as determined as Jon seemed right now.

“Stop it right now Jon.” Robb said as he came next to his father with his practice sword in hand prepared to fight his brother, despite Jon holding live steel, but Robb wasn’t going to let Jon fight their father.

For the first time since this whole disaster started Jon seemed to relax if only a little and he slowly started to lower his blade.

“Stay away from me.” Jon almost whispered.

“Stop sending your dogs after me.”

“Stop having your servants spy on me.”

“All of you.”

“LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE !!” Jon yelled at them all as he threw the sword to the ground before his feet.

The most words Jon had spoken to anyone in the past months and they were filled with such anger and rage that it made even Robert’s own fury back during the rebellion pale by comparison.

Lord Stark was filled yet again with shock, wondering where this was all coming from. ‘What had happened to bring such a change in him?’ he wondered. He wanted to understand why Jon was being this way. But the more he’d pushed the worse it got, until now here they were, with Jon surrounded by his own household guard with all their weapons drawn.

He realized now that he had been treating Jon like a prisoner more so than even Theon who was an actual hostage of war. This had to end now, or it might only get worse.

“You have my leave to go Jon.” Eddard said suddenly. “Everyone put away your blades. This is over.” Everyone was surprised at Lord Stark’s words. If it were anyone else who had just done what Jon did, they would be in the dungeon by now. But Jon just walked away toward the Godswood with everyone watching him as he left.

“My Lord,” Sir Rodrik began, “I know he’s your son, but something must be done about him. Someone could have been seriously injured or worse.”

“I know Sir. But this was my doing and therefore all fault lies with me. I pushed him and this is what happened.” Lord Stark spoke as he waved his hand around the yard. Theon was bloody, groaning on the ground while Luwin was attending him and Jory was standing now, but still rubbing his neck.

“From now on everyone is to keep their distance from Jon.” Lord Stark stated. Sir Rodrik was about to protest but Eddard raised his hand to silence him. “That is my command Sir. Perhaps if we give the lad some time, he might come out of this state he is in now.”

He later was in his solar with his wife who had returned from tending to Arya and Bran, after hearing about the incident, and they were accompanied by both Sir Rodrik and Maester Luwin. His wife was furious while the others seemed more concerned.

“Absolutely unforgivable Ned! He should be chained up in the dungeon like the wild beast that he is. What if he attacks one of the other children Ned? I can’t believe you just let him walk away. I always knew this would happen and now that bastard has shown his true colors.” Catelyn shouted, barely letting anyone else get a word in.

 Lord Stark knew Jon’s actions were wrong and shocking, to say the least but he couldn’t help feeling they were also provoked. Theon’s insult about Jon’s mother was the last straw for him and Ned understood that. Theon didn’t know what he was talking about but still Ned couldn’t stand the remark any more than Jon could.

After Catelyn started to calm, he started, “I understand what happen Cat, and that’s why we are here but first, Luwin, how are the other boys?”

“Robb is just fine.” Luwin began. “He was just knocked down. Jory has a nasty bruise on his neck, but he’ll be fine. Theon is the worst, two broken fingers, broken jaw, a couple of cracked ribs I believe, and more than a few bruises of his own, but he will recover.”

“Thank you Luwin. Rodrik what do you have to say?” Sir Rodrik seemed deep in thought before he spoke.

“My Lord, I agree with the lady that Snow should be punished firmly for his actions but, what’s most concerning to me isn’t why he did what he did, but how.” That made Ned curious.

“Go on.” Ned replied.

Rodrik sighed, “To be frank my Lord, Jon should not have been able to do what he did today…”

“Of course, he shouldn’t have! We should have dealt with him long before today!” Catelyn interrupted.

“That isn’t what I meant my Lady.” Rodrik quickly responded. “Jon is just a boy and I have only trained him in basic forms so far. Yet from the moment Jon first attacked Theon out there, he displayed a level of skill I have never seen in him. The way he moved, his speed, how he anticipated Theon and Robb, or the way he disarmed Jory. What I just saw was nothing like the boy I know. He was like a completely different kind of fighter out there. He was stronger, faster, and fiercer than I have ever seen him before.”  

That gave Ned pause. He had been so consumed with the reason behind Jon’s actions he hadn’t considered the actions themselves. But now that he thought about it, it did seem quite impossible considering Robb, Theon, and Jory were all older and especially Jory were much bigger than Jon was, yet none of them seemed to be able to stop him. Jory was practically a man grown, and had even drawn a real sword on him, yet Jon just took it out of his hands like it was nothing.

Then he realized something else when he thought of the standoff between Jon and himself.

“He wasn’t even winded.” Ned said suddenly. Everyone turned to him as he spoke. “Afterwards, when he came to a halt, I hadn’t noticed before, but his breathing was completely steady, and I didn’t see a drop of sweat on him. It was like he wasn’t the least bit fatigued after beating three older boys, even though he hasn’t done any real training in the yard for these past few months. How is that possible?”

“Ned”, Catelyn said, “You’ve heard the rumors about the boy. Disturbing to say the least, how he comes and goes throughout the castle like a ghost despite no one seeing him and staying up in that broken tower in the cold. Who knows what vile things the boy has been getting into?”

Lord Stark turned away at that, refusing to believe any of the ridiculous rumors about Jon. Ned responded. “Jon is not dabbling in any kind of magic or sorcery, he is not possessed or mad, and I will not hear of anyone else speaking otherwise. Is that understood?” They all nodded in understanding, but he could tell from the way they looked, some of them either believed these rumors, or they were starting to. Luckily Maester Luwin chose to be the voice of reason and voiced his own advice.

“My Lord, I agree with you that these rumors are not to be believed. It is likely that the answer to everything may be simpler than we think. Someone within the castle must be assisting the boy, although I can’t imagine whom or to what purpose. But the way the boy comes and goes so easily, his indifference towards, well everyone it appears, even his sudden increase in skill. Perhaps someone has taken Jon under their wing, like a friend, or a mentor perhaps.”

“You believe someone within my own household is teaching Jon to be this way?” asked Lord Stark.

The Maester simply shrugged as if he could not think of any way to respond.

“It would explain of few things my Lord.” Rodrik said. “Jon couldn’t have kept escaping from his chambers if someone wasn’t helping him, as well as relocating his belongings to the tower, they might be bringing him food, so he doesn’t have to attend meals, and it definitely explains his new found ability. Skills like that could only have been taught, not self-learned. It also explains where he’s been going when he disappears. It must be to meet with this person, friend, whoever they are.”

            Cat had such a horrified look on her face as she spoke. “Someone is training him to under mind you Ned. Some enemy or traitor. They must be trying to use him to get to you or maybe even Robb.”

            “We don’t know anything for sure Cat.” Ned reassured her. “But still we have been watching Jon for months with no answers. Just so long as he is alive and well, inform everyone to stay away from him and give him space. If someone is training him or influencing him in any way, then I want them found.”

“I WANT THEM FOUND NOW!” Ned shouted.

Lord Stark hardly ever raised his voice, but he was furious now. 

Ned made his orders clear. “I want to begin accounting for everyone inside or even around Winterfell. The guards, the servants, travelers, the people living in Wintertown, everyone! If someone has any access to this castle or my children, I want to know who they are, where they’re from, what they are doing here, everything. Go now.”

Lord Stark looked out the window at the view of his castle and thought about the idea that someone could be here causing this strange behavior from Jon to occur. If that were true, all that needed to be done was to find whoever they were to make it stop. What he feared more was that Jon’s own blood was influencing him to act this way. If that were the case, then he had no idea what could be done to help Jon. But no matter which he kept hearing Lyanna’s words in his head.

Promise me Ned. Promise me.

 

*********End of Flashback***********

 

That day had never been far from his mind when he thought of Jon these past couple of years. They had strengthened security and accounted for everyone within Winterfell as well as Wintertown but in over two years they never found anyone that appeared suspicious. They certainly never found someone that might be meeting with Jon in secret. That only made the rumors about Jon grow further despite Ned’s own attempts to stamp them out. Although he had to admit even though he still didn’t believe them, he was starting to wonder.

In these past years things with Jon had not improved since that terrible day. Jon certainly had earned the moniker the people of Winterfell had bestowed upon him. He still disappeared without any trace for several days at a time to where and with whom even the Lord Stark himself did not know. It had happened so often that everyone simply ignored it now. But he had to admit there were many nights he stayed up wondering if Jon would return.

 The only way they knew he was inside the castle anymore was when they saw light coming from the tower that Jon now resided in. Each night before he went to sleep, Ned made it a habit to go check if there was light coming from the tower to know Jon was there. The only way they had of knowing if Jon had truly left the castle was if one of the horses was missing. Which apparently Jon used to go hunting on his own, which Ned had to admit, impressed him as a father but also worried him knowing Jon was out there in the Wolfswood all alone.

A few times when a horse went missing Jon had been spotted returning with a deer, a bunch of rabbits, or whatever game he managed to catch. Ned had to admit Jon was proving to be an excellent hunter, and whenever he was spotted people gave him a wide berth, but he hadn’t caused any trouble with anyone since. He always worried for Jon and had tried countless times to talk to him, but he never got many words out of Jon nor did Robb. Everyone else like Theon, just avoided him like he was some uninvited guest. Ned wished he could do something to change things, but Jon simply was unapproachable.

The whole situation made him feel like a failure as a father to Jon and as a brother to Lyanna.

“Ned”, Cat brought him out of his thoughts, “supper is ready, and the children are waiting.” He nodded and as they made their way toward the main hall together, he thought, not all the children.

He saw at the main table their children patiently waiting for their parents. Robb was seated to his right while Sansa was seated to the left of their mother. Arya and Bran were both seated on their mother side with their nurse. He felt bless to see them all healthy and happy, yet he also felt cursed to know that the one child in this whole castle he’d made a sacred vow to, he seemed to be failing. But at least the boy was still alive which is more than he could say for Jon’s true siblings. Poor Rhaenys and Aegon, butchered in such a way had been beyond wrong, yet he had been helpless to stop it. Just as he now felt helpless now. But Ned hoped he could at least spare Jon such a fate, if the Gods will spare him his grandfathers’ fate.

His thoughts were broken as one of his guards burst into the hall running up to him as he heard the bells being sounded. The alarm had been raised.

“Fire!” The guard bellowed. “The sept is burning my Lord.”

“Men, outside with me.” Lord Stark commanded. “Everyone else stay here.”

They made their way outside into the courtyard and he saw a few men running with buckets. The sept was completely engulfed in flames. How did the fire get so big this fast? Lord Stark thought. Unless this wasn’t an accident.

“Quickly men, get more buckets and water but make sure to keep the flames from spreading.” Lord Stark said. Then he saw one of the guards off to the side holding Jon by the arm. He found it strange because everyone usually stayed away from Jon, but the boy wasn’t resisting the guard like he usually would, he was just standing there. When the guard noticed him, he brought Jon over to him.

“My Lord.” The guard began. “This is the one who started the fire.”

He looked at Jon, not wanting to believe it.

“Is that true Jon?” he asked.

Jon just looked up at him smiling. “It’s time, Lord Stark.”

 

 

Notes:

As much as I would love to go fully into the time that Jon is preparing for his revenge I want to leave some of it as a surprise. So there are going to be some time skips as we go along but as you've seen I like using Flashbacks to relate how the past influences the present so they will help fill in the blanks. But they won't be in every chapter.

Chapter 3: Lies and Accusations

Summary:

Well after much delay I'm back and hopefully my next update will be sooner than this one.

Chapter Text

Jon

 

 

He felt the two swords in his hands moving with such ease that they almost felt like part of his arms. The sun was hot and the air was dry but he had blocked out all sensations except the presence of the northerners with their swords drawn. He was outnumbered four to one, but he felt no fear, only a bit angry that his friend lay dead on the ground. But he was determined to avenge him as much as he was to survive.

 

Now it begins. He thought to himself.

 

He began to move blocking each of their blades, constantly moving to keep them from getting even one inch on him. He managed to maneuver himself to keep them close to him so they were all almost bumping into each other.

 

I’m faster than them. Keep them off balance. Keep moving!

 

He blocked, deflected, and evaded each sword swing until finally he saw an opening and he immediately moved in for the kill catching one of the Northerners right in the neck.

 

One down.    

 

He didn’t slow his assault for a moment so before one enemy hit the ground, he put pressure on the remaining three. They were beginning to realize that he was not the one on the defensive here. They were. So, once he pushed one man back by catching his sword in a block of his two crossed swords, he seized the advantage by pushing his blade back until his own swords were close enough to his neck, and then, he was finished. He pulled the two crossed swords back slicing his opponent’s neck on both sides killing him.

 

Two down.

 

While one of his two remaining opponents chose to take a moment before attacking the other let his anger get the best of him and attacked wildly. The fool left himself completely exposed. One of his own blades blocked and he was able to bring the other up killing the fool with one clean thrust right through the heart.

 

One little wolf left.

 

He took position to attack but he could tell from the look in his last opponent’s eyes that this man knows this won’t be a fight he can win. But the man won’t back down like he should, just what he’d have expected from a stubborn headed Stark. This Stark in particular was a man he wanted to kill for the offense he had given to his house. Stark wanted a fight and now he is going to get it.

 

Their blades clashed and while he could tell Stark was better with a sword than his dead comrades, he knew himself to be better. They fought until Stark began to fall back as if he could sense his own impending defeat. Stark used a desperate thrust and he just used his two swords to catch the blade and with one swift twist the northern lord’s weapon went flying to the ground.

 

Now it ends Stark.

 

He raised his family’s sword to finish off Lord Stark and suddenly he sensed someone behind him but too late before a blade split through his neck. He dropped his swords, collapsing on the ground as he was choking on his own blood unable to get a single breath. He felt his strength and life draining from him as he looked up at Stark holding his own sword.

 

I’m sorry sister. Forgive me Rhaegar. I failed.

 

Stark brought the sword down on him and he barely even felt the impact of the blade or the ground as he slammed into the dirt. He just felt the cold, dark void consume him as everything else just faded into nothing.

 

He awoke gasping for breath covered in sweat as he came out of the vision. He whipped his head around trying to realize where he was until he saw that it wasn’t day but night and he wasn’t in a desert but the woods surrounded by trees. Realization came to him as he remembered he’s in the Wolfswood.

 

“Still little dragon, still your will.” Briggle whispered.

 

He turned to see the child of the forest standing near the fire looking at him with an expression he often had whenever they went into the woods to train. Always the creature was studying and evaluating him and most of the time the creature looked puzzled like there was something about him it just couldn’t figure out.

 

“The vision feels real no matter how many times I live through it.” Jon said as he tried to steady his breathing. Vision training had been the most amazing and most difficult of the many things that he had experienced during his training with Briggle. Just as the creature had shown him Dany’s last moments in his past life, he learned that the creature could do the same for other people too.

 

It explained that to show him a vision of someone’s memories was difficult and dangerous. A Three-Eyed Raven could see all things of the past, present, and even possible futures, through their own powerful green sight. But to actually experience the memories of someone who was already dead was a forbidden practice that the Children of the Forrest no longer allowed among their own kind.

 

But when all but Briggle himself became extinct the poor creature did away with any restraints and began dabbling in old powers for anything it could find to undo what had happened to its kind.

 

“Little dragon still loses himself.” Briggle spoke as if disappointed or irritated with him. He couldn’t tell which. But he suspected it was probably both.

 

“I can’t help it.” He began, through gritted teeth. “Each time I relive Sir Arthur’s death it’s always the same but I’m still not sure why.”

 

Briggle frowned at him but said nothing.

 

The creature had explained how experiencing these visions of others is dangerous because it could cause him to loose himself if he didn’t manage to remain focused on who he is. The visions allowed him to experience someone else’s memories, but not just want they had seen or heard but everything they experienced. He felt everything they felt in the moment both physically and emotionally. But such things could cause confusion with his own thoughts and emotions which could make him loose grasp of himself.

 

If such a thing happened his very mind could shatter completely if pushed too far. But the danger was not all on him because there was danger for Briggle too, since they were connected and Briggle had to be the medium for him. The process was tricky because the people whose memories he experienced had to be someone for whom he had a connection to. The stronger the connection they shared to him the easier for Briggle to bridge him with their memories.

 

But if he lost it then Briggle would be affected to and not in a good way. Plus connecting him to the memories of another taxed the creature’s strength as much as it did his own. Only by keeping his focus could he maintain his own strength of mind, but also allow Briggle to push farther in their training. This particular vision of Sir Arthur Dayne’s death was among the most difficult. Each time he melded too much into the vision and lost focus of the fact that the memories are not his own, but he had yet to understand why.

 

Briggle kept looking at him with its frowned expression, as if it knew why this vision was so difficult but it still said nothing. It had explained that because Sir Arthur was there at his birth and died protecting him that the connection was strong enough for him to experience his memories. But they were unable to see any of the knight’s memories other than those of the day he died.

 

Experiencing such a fight through Sir Arthur Dayne’s memory had yielded amazing results. After he had gone through the vision once they practiced fighting with wooden swords with Briggle for practice and Jon found that he was able to do things with a blade he had never done before. He got faster, his moment’s smoother, and more natural. He even was able to wield a blade in both hands which he had never been good at in his previous life.

 

Briggle explained that from experiencing these visions he could gain this from them. Not only the knowledge of the past but skills and talents that those they warged could be gained at least in part to Jon. That was why having a connection to Sir Arthur Dayne was so important because he was the greatest swordsman of his time. If Jon could warg through the knight’s memories far enough he could gain more skill with wielding a sword than any man of this time. Such a gift would be of great benefit to him in the wars to come if he could be as great a swordsman as the famed Sword of the Morning. But being unable to get past the scene of Sir Arthur’s death was keeping him from going further in his training.

 

Thankfully the creature hadn’t been able to show him the vision of Dany’s death considering that she was still alive in this time and therefore not among the dead for them to warg. Briggle claimed that even though he had never met them, any one of his blood could be warged as long as he had the force of will to maintain the vision to see. That meant he could even connect to long dead ancestors of either Stark or Targaryen bloodlines. But Briggle had refused to show him any visions of his ancestors or his parents until after he could master not losing himself while within them.

 

“Bright star knight and little dark dragon both have same weakness.” Briggle said as it approached him. It pointed it sharp finger at his chest as it spoke but never averting its gaze from his.

 

“Look inside and see through him. See through his failing and ye shall not following in failure.” Briggle scolded him like a disappointed parent. “Answer in front of eyes. Must look to see.”

 

“If you know the answer, then why don’t you just tell me?” Jon responded.

 

Shaking it’s headed, “No tell, cannot tell. Must look to see. Once you see, you shall be free.” Briggle said with a slight grin.

 

As usual this creature’s speech was difficult to understand since it always seem to speak in riddles but it simply said that that was its way. He still thought of Briggle as an ‘it’ because he still wasn’t sure if he could call Briggle a male of female considering from its appearance Briggle had no defining features to be considered either but also had some small characteristics of both genders. Everything about the creature made little sense but it was invaluable to him at the same time.

 

“Enough for today.” Briggle snapped at him. “Back to your castle we go away.”

 

Jon sighed at that because he hated every time they returned to Winterfell and Briggle was currently grinning at him because it knew that. Everything was a game to the creature which only fit into why people called them the Children.

 

The past three years had been quite a challenge since he was barely able to last the first few days before he started avoiding everyone in Winterfell. He was living with the same people he now hated most, but they were completely oblivious of how much he wanted to burn the castle to the ground with them in it. Briggle had been a huge help with getting him in and out of the castle where they would either train or hunt but sometimes with Briggle the two were often the same. He had only scratched the surface of what the power of warging could be used to accomplish, but each day they spent in the Wolfswood was a new lesson into his own power. Yet every time they left the castle all he wanted to do was just keep going to anywhere but Winterfell. He didn’t want to go back, and each time, the journey only made him angrier, but having control of his emotions was also a part of his training considering how strong his anger had become.

 

Jon knew he needed time to grow since he was still physically a boy, but most of all he needed time to prepare. He had been using this time to plan out his strategies with his only ally, Briggle. But having a child of the forest was quite an ally to have since Briggle could do many things he could not. The creature loved to remind him how despite looking like a child Briggle was far older than any man.

 

Briggle’s kind had spent thousands of years perfecting the art of avoiding people. A skill he learned with such determination that now he knew how to get in and out of the castle by himself, with little help required. His skills in stealth and moving quietly from place to place around the castle had even earned him a much different moniker than the Bastard of Winterfell. Now in this time he was known as the Ghost of Winterfell. The name was amusing to him, but most of the credit was due to Briggle’s efforts and training.

 

They often met in the Godswood hiding among the trees where no one could observe them. He knew to accomplish their goals he would need many things, allies, soldiers, weapons, supplies, bases of operation and more. He had spent many months of time in the library reading books and studying maps to find what he needed. But someone would always find a way to interrupt him while he was busy doing something important. His uncle just kept having people follow and watch him because he stopped going to stupid lessons and pointless sword practice.

 

He didn’t want to waste any time because the sooner he could start making his first moves the sooner he could leave Winterfell and the insufferable Starks. Rickon hadn’t even been born yet so no problem there. Bran and Arya were still babes, so he hardly saw them which was good for Bran considering he still wondered if letting him live was the best decision.

 

But he kept telling himself that so long as Bran is here, he can always get him later if he ever changes his mind. Despite not seeing Bran much he still knew exactly where he was at all times. He knew where he slept, when he was fed, the guards that were on duty near the nursery. It made him feel more at ease here, knowing that he could still finish what he started if he ever felt the need to. But for now, he had more important issues to deal with.

 

The Lady ‘Bitch Fish’ Stark was actually the easiest to deal with in this time, now that he knew the truth about himself and she still didn’t. In his past life he had hated the way she looked down on him, always making him feel like he was lower than dirt and in no way like he was welcome here no matter what Lord Stark said. But now he actually found it amusing when she looked at him as if he did not belong here. In truth, he actually agreed with her that he did not belong here, at least not anymore.

 

Sometimes it almost made him want to laugh in her face. He was half Targaryen, half Stark, and he was also the trueborn heir to the Iron Throne. If only she knew, he would love to see her bending the knee after learning the truth, but sadly he had bigger fish to fry. He knew he would deal with her in due time. Still it was a very satisfying thought to imagine all the different ways she’d react when she finally learns the truth about him.

 

The people of Winterfell were easy to deal with despite how annoying they were constantly watching him. Even though he had to admit it was good to see many of them alive he didn’t fool himself to thinking he could ever trust any of them. They were Stark people and he knew that their loyalties would mean one day he would stand as an enemy to everyone here. Although that wasn’t hard to deal with since most of these very people had also treated him rather poorly in his past life like Lady Stark had. That made it easier to deal with sharing this castle with them for the time being. The hardest part of all of this was the one person here he still loved.

 

Robb.

 

In his other time, he would have gladly given his life just to see Robb’s face again and now in such a cruel way, he had gotten his wish. His brother, the only one here he still considered his brother was alive just like he remembered him when they were young. When he first saw Robb, he wanted nothing more than to just hug him. He hadn’t felt that happy since back when Dany was still alive. The thing Jon cherished above all things was his family. In his past life he felt like that was the only thing that was truly his, despite how much some people liked to remind him otherwise. He wanted and tried to hate Robb back then, but he never could. The thought that he still loved Robb and that one day the two of them would be enemies, made him cry tears of sorrow knowing that when his war truly begins, he and Robb won’t be on the same side.

 

At first, he had wanted to spend his time with Robb and make their time together count but Briggle had helped him realize that would only end badly. He still recalled the words Briggle spoke to him about Robb which sealed his decision on the matter.

 

Brother to you he might be. But also brother to the enemy of we.

 

He knew Robb, and Jon knew that he would fight for his family and the Starks stood among his enemies even if they didn’t know it yet. Knowing that brought him great pains whenever he saw his brother’s smiling face. Robb had been the main reason he moved himself into the old tower. From there he was able to watch as if he was among the people of Winterfell while still remaining apart from them.

 

The best he could do was stay away from Robb, even though there had been times when he found himself just watching his brother from the broken tower while he played or practiced. Part of him wanted to be down there with him but he knew that doing so might only serve to weaken his own resolve.

 

He stayed focused on his training and strategizing for, The Great Game, as Tyrion liked to call it. He also thought a lot about Dany, wondering where was she right now? How long would he have to wait before he was ready to see her again? He recalled the tales Dany had told him of places she had been, things she had seen, and he knew that rescuing her as soon as possible was what he wanted most.

 

When he first arrived here the first thing he wanted to do after he had decided against killing Bran was to run away and flee to Essos so he could find her. But he wasn’t certain where she was right now. It was unlikely he would be able to find her or keep her safe even if he did. So, he decided a big part of his plans would be just making sure that no matter where she is right now, she wouldn’t end up where she is headed.

 

He remembered her telling him of her being sold by her brother Viserys to Khal Drogo for a Dothraki horde to help invade Westeros. Fool! The Dothraki may be very capable warriors but it took someone truly exceptional like ‘The Mother of Dragons’, to lead them across the Narrow Sea. Then again actually having a few dragons didn’t hurt either. Jon knew that he would have to deal with Viserys too at some point, but he wasn’t certain on how yet. The one thing he was certain of was that he was not going to let Daenerys end up in that marriage to the Khal. Not this time.

 

It didn’t take him long to find a place to help him start his war and it was a place he seemed bound to never escape whether in this life or the last, much like Winterfell right now.

 

The Wall.

 

The Wall had always been a strange place for him. It had been a home for him once. It was also one more prison his uncle arranged for him as well. That was how the Starks got to him. By building him a prison that he didn’t want to leave until it was too late for him to realize the truth. Lord Stark and everyone else knew what the Wall was, but no one before Tyrion Lannister, of all people, told him. That was the way Lord Stark preferred to deceive people, by telling people half-truths and letting them believe what they wanted without ever clarifying the whole truth.

 

But not this time. He remembered how his uncle always kept him at Winterfell, but he knew now it was not out of love as he thought then, but to keep him locked up in a gilded cage rather than have him legitimized, or fostered to another house, or even sent away from the north all together.

 

Any of them might have offered him a better future and a chance at freedom, perhaps enough to learn the truth of his birth, or even find Dany. As unlikely as those possibilities were, the fact that he and Dany came together at all the way they did, made him often think perhaps Sir Davos’ words were right. That perhaps destiny had somehow brought them together.

 

Regardless, Lord Stark couldn’t allow that to happen, so he imprisoned him in Winterfell making him think it was out of love but in truth he was as much a hostage here as Theon Greyjoy had been. Both of them were the heirs to their houses kept under the watchful eye of the Lord Stark to make sure we wouldn’t interfere in the Usurper’s foolish rule.

 

He wasn’t sure if it was ironic or tragic how he and Theon had so much in common at Winterfell and yet they were the furthest from ever being friends. Another product of Stark lies. The Ironborn could prove a useful ally in time but Theon was still a bit of an idiot and that remark Theon made about his mother had brought his blood to boil over. He had been putting up with living with the Starks and holding back any aggression towards them, but leave it to Theon to find the weak spot that made him snap.

 

What did Dany say her brother Visery’s called his fits of anger?

 

Oh yes, Waking the Dragon.

 

Although he felt glad that the whole incident in the yard where he nearly beat Theon to death had resulted in everyone giving him the space that he needed to breathe easier. They were all scared of him and just like Dany told him, Aegon the Conqueror got a long way on fear.

 

But he had been thinking hard about where he would make his first move against his enemies and he realized it would all begin at the Wall, but in a much different way. He just needed to get there soon, however asking wouldn’t be enough since he was still physically a boy. His other uncle had fortunately come for a visit but Benjen would be leaving soon and he needed to go with him for his true works to begin.

 

He was in the Godswood secretly chatting with Briggle. The last child had been good at hiding there since he could change his shape to appear as a part of the trees he hid in, which he was doing right now while they chatted. He had never heard any stories of the children being able to do such things but Briggle simply said there is much about the children men never knew.

 

They met and talked in the Godswood often and he was up in the branches of the Weirwood where no one would notice him if they came along. Briggle was suggesting they simply sneak out and follow Benjen to the wall which he knew wouldn’t work. Lord Stark would just bring him back or Benjen would send him back.

 

A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing

 

His great uncle Aemon’s words rang true as ever and that was also another reason to go back to the Wall. His family was waiting for him there and the dragons were meant to be together. Uncle Aemon would not be left to die alone at the Wall. He was going to make sure his great uncle died a happy man if he had his way.

 

Damned Lord Stark!

 

If he had only told me when I first left, I would have been able to tell Aemon that he wasn’t alone in the world. That he still had family and he had been right next to me but thanks to Lord Stark I never got the chance.

 

Just then he spotted over the walls of the godswood, the red hair of lady Catelyn going into the sept with her septa and little Sansa. His anger at Lord Stark suddenly made him imagine how Lord Stark would feel if he heard them screaming while that sept burned down on top of them. He had to look away to calm himself, but he often had such thoughts whenever any of the Starks were near, except for Robb or Uncle Benjen. Those two just made him feel sad because he knew the path he was going down would eventually make them all his enemies.

 

He knew he could not let his despair hinder him and hold him back from acting nor could he allow his anger to control him and make him strike before the time was right.

 

Let your despair remind you why you are here. Keep your anger burning inside, so that you will not wavier when the time comes to act. Use it all to push yourself, even if that means in the end being consumed by your own darkness.

 

But he was glad that tonight he was going to make his first move against the Starks. They were giving Benjen a little feast before he left to return to the Wall and he was going to use that to his advantage. He had already done his surveillance of the guards and he knew where they were located along with their patrols and post. He was ready to begin, he thought to himself as he watched Lady Stark, the septa, and Sansa leave the sept. He smiled knowing he was going to enjoy what came next.

 

Lord Stark had the sept built for his wife and most of it was made from wood so after donning what he considered his stealth closes he snuck down into the cellars while most were distracted at the main hall. Briggle had to help distract a few people nearby which gave him a window to roll of barrel of ale out and right into the sept. Once inside he started splashing the ale on the statues of the seven and all around the structure, then he poured a trail out the front door and into the courtyard. He waited for the next patrol to arrive and then ran in full view of the guards walking by, so he would be sure to get their attention. One even asked what he was doing, when he grabbed a torch off the wall and dropped it on the trail of ale which lit the whole sept on fire in a matter of seconds.

 

The look on the guards’ faces were priceless as one ran off to get help and the other started screaming for aid as he took hold of Jon’s arm to keep him from escaping. He smiled at the whole situation. As if he had any intention of escaping this. He looked at the fire consuming the sept and he felt a bit of pride and an unmistakable surge of excitement.

 

Just as it begins with fire, it shall end with fire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eddard

 

 

Thankfully, no one had been hurt, but the fire caused the sept to collapse before they could put out the flames. Although that was far from the worst of it. Jon had been the one to start the fire and he had been left with no choice but to have him locked in the dungeons. He was walking to the cells now to speak with him in hopes of some explanation but with the guards in the courtyard all confirming that Jon was the one behind the fire he had no idea what he was going to do to resolve this mess.

 

His wife of course was so furious that after hearing Jon was in the dungeon she felt they should throw away the key and leave him there to rot. The septa was not pleased either and was calling Jon some kind of monster, and even Sansa was still crying over the sept being burnt rather than her brother being imprisoned but she was still just a child. He hoped that he would not have to banish his nephew from Winterfell because for such a crime, that was likely the best outcome short of Jon being whipped which he knew he couldn’t stand to witness.

 

He may be the Warden of the North but that meant he had to uphold the Kings Law, especially among his own household. Ned knew something needed to be done but he had sent everyone away to let him think. He had been pacing for over an hour when a knock came to his door. The voice outside was his brother Benjen, so he let him in, in hopes he might have some advice, which he desperately needed.

 

“Ned, how are you doing with all this?” Benjen asked as he entered the room.

 

Ned ran his hand through his hair frustrated. “Well a boy I’ve raised as my son just burned down a part of my own castle and I’m trying to think of anything that will prevent me from having to have him whipped or banished.”

 

Benjen went to pour them some ale. “So not so good then? I knew things with Jon had been strange, but I had no idea they were this bad.”

 

Ned sighed as he took the glass from his brother almost gulping the whole thing which helped to settle his nerves a bit.

 

“What am I going to do with him now Ben?” he asked.

 

“Let me take him Ned.” Benjen responded.

 

Staring at his brother, he stated. “The Wall is no place for a boy Ben, not of his age. If he were older, I would consider it but now…”

 

“I don’t see what choice you have Ned considering what he did.” Benjen cut him off. “I don’t believe Jon should join the Watch, but right now he can’t stay here. There is no one else who will take him in, even if you ordered them to, not after this. But maybe at the Wall I can help get him past whatever he is going through. Whatever is wrong with him is clearly only getting worse. After there has been some time for things to settle down around here, he might be able to return.”

 

His brother made a compelling argument and he had limited options, but he still did not like it.

 

“I will consider it Benjen. But first I want to hear what he has to say first and this time he will explain himself before he leaves that cell.” Ned stated.

 

“Ned, isn’t that a bit…?” Benjen tried to protest. But he was having none of it. Not now.

 

“I have had enough of his silences Ben!” Lord Stark said, raising his voice.

 

Lord Stark began to walk toward the door. “Jon will answer for what he has done one way or another.”

 

Jon was too young to go to the Wall, but he knew he had to do something. He left his solar and went to the cell Jon was being kept in. As he walked over to see him dismissing the guard so they could be alone. Jon did not seem afraid about being punished, or in any way regretful for setting that fire.

 

Instead he was quietly sitting with his back up against the wall just staring at him. It was dark but he made out a slight grin on Jon’s face and Ned could have sworn that Jon looked pleased with himself.

 

“Jon”, he began trying to remain calm despite how angry he was right now, “you know what you did was wrong and as Lord I cannot allow such a crime to go without punishment.”

 

Jon interrupted him but was still smirking at him, “Are you planning to kill me Lord Stark?” he asked.

 

Ned was immediately taken aback by those words. The very idea was ridiculous, as if he could ever do such a thing.

 

“Of course not, you’re my son.” Ned almost wanted to shout at him.

 

Jon stopped grinning at him, and his expression turned more serious. He felt at least the boy wasn’t taking this like it was in any way a joke now.

 

“I certainly don’t want to have you locked up in here. But you set that fire Jon, and someone could have been hurt or killed. I want an explanation and this time you will answer me, or you will stay here until you do.” Ned stated firmly.

 

Jon didn’t even flinch at that. This was not the son he had raised. The boy he knew would never do such a thing, let alone act proud of it.

 

“Very well Lord Stark. I will explain why I set that fire and I will offer my apologies, but I will not do that here in this cell. I will do so in the main hall in front of everyone so they may all hear me speak. Give me that and I will give you what you ask.” Jon responded calmly.

 

The request surprised Ned since Jon has always been so quiet and reserved, especially these past years, he has barely said a few words, or shown his face around anyone. Now he wanted to explain publicly, but perhaps it will be for the best, if the people hear it from him directly.

 

“Alright Jon, at mid-day tomorrow you will have your chance to speak and afterwards, depending on what you have to say, I will decide an adequate punishment.” Ned replied.

 

Jon just nodded to him as Lord Stark made his way to the doors. Truthfully, he worried about allowing this to happen, but he also knew that if Jon speaks well and apologizes in earnest then perhaps the boy’s punishment may not have to be so severe. Of course, if the worst were to happen then he may have no choice in the matter. He knew he wouldn’t sleep soundly tonight so he went to the Godswood to pray.

 

 

 

 

 

Jon

 

 

So far things were going quite well, all things considered. Burning the sept was exactly what he needed and Briggle had been staying close by Lord Stark after the fact. The creature listened in on his two uncles’ discussion and later told him in his cell only moments before Lord Stark had arrived. Briggle had crawled along the ceiling and hung hidden there as he spoke with Lord Stark. Now that he is going to be given the chance to speak in front of everyone, he was going to make it a moment the whole of the North will not soon forget.

 

The next morning, he heard the guards approaching and he noticed the smiles on their faces as they unlocked the cell. He realized neither one of them was afraid of him, which he found to be odd. He remembered only a few weeks ago sneaking past these very same guards while they were patrolling near the glass garden. He had overheard them talking about him like he was a foul spirit lurking around the castle that could be behind any shadow or kill someone in their own bed. He found that amusing as he listened since that was almost exactly what he had done the first night he got here. Now these very same guards didn’t look worried by him at all.

 

“Come along bastard, it’s time for your little trial.” One of the guards said smiling. Jon didn’t say anything or move, just tilted his head to the side as he eyed the guards with curiosity.

 

They aren’t scared of me anymore.

 

“Well move it along now, everyone is eager to see the little ‘Ghost of Winterfell’ finally get his due.” The other guard spoke. Jon watched as he spoke to his companion.

 

“Lord Stark should’ve just thrown him in here a long time ago. After all he certainly didn’t manage to find his way out of iron bars.” The guards’ smiles widened at that remark.

 

So that’s it. They aren’t afraid of me because they see me as weak.

 

He wondered who they will all see as weak by the end of this day, as he got up to be escorted into the main hall. As he arrived, he saw most of the castle was in attendance and he also noticed quite a few smug faces like the guards who brought him. Half the people in the room had Lady Stark’s hateful and disapproving expression, but he was well used to that now. He approached the high table where his Uncle sat with his usual cold demeanor.

 

Lord Stark stood as he began to speak. “We’re all here today, in regards to the burning of the sept last night. The one responsible, my son Jon, wishes to offer words of apology for his actions. Afterwards I will pass my judgement based upon both his actions then and his words now.” Lord Stark gestured for Jon to begin as he took his seat.

 

Jon stood there in silence as he looked around the hall with all those eyes on him and he felt a since of nostalgia coming over him. He remembered being in this very hall the day Lyanna Mormont declared him King in the North and all the other Lords followed her lead. He had been shocked beyond belief. That was the proudest moment of his life, having all the leaders of the North chanting their praise for him. That was the moment he truly felt like he had achieved his dream of being accepted as more than just Ned Starks bastard.

 

Now just like little Lyanna, he was about to speak in this hall with all eyes upon him. Only this time it was filled with those who now despised him even more than they had in his previous life.

 

Hope my words are as good as Lyanna’s were. Because if I’m right I’ll be the only one leaving this hall with any since of pride.

 

Jon spoke loudly so all could hear him, yet his eyes kept coming back to Lord Stark. “You want to know why I burned down the sept? The answer is quite simple. I burned it down because no one else here would.”

 

That statement got everyone’s attention as a wave of murmurs went through the hall. Lady Stark looked red with anger and the septa gasped in shock. Lord Stark’s brow narrowed in confusion as he raised his hand to quiet them all.

 

“Silence everyone.” Lord Stark declared. “Jon what is the meaning of this?!”

 

“It is as I have said Lord Stark. I did it because no one here would do it themselves. As you say, ‘the one who passes the sentence should swing the sword’, so I passed the sentence, and then I lit the torch.” Jon stated confidently. He could tell Lord Stark was about to interrupt him so he continued before he could.

 

“In truth that sept should never have been built in the first place. For here in the North, our way is the old way, just as you taught us Lord Stark, which is why here we keep to the Old Gods. Yet for a Stark, a Lord of Winterfell no less, to build a sept for worshiping the Seven of the South is nothing short of a disgrace.” He saw shock and anger on everyone’s faces, but the only ones looking at him with pure hate in their eyes were sitting at the head table next to one very distraught looking Lord.

 

“How dare you, you insolent bastard!” Lady Stark shouted. “Guards take him back to the dungeon this instant!”

 

Lord Starks face was rested in his hand in defeat. Jon knew Stark expected him to bend, in order to appease Lady Stark. They all expected him to beg for mercy but he wasn’t about to beg for anything, he wasn’t done just yet.

 

“Just like in Dorne, eh Lord Stark?” Jon quickly shouted before the guards could pull him away.

 

“Wait!” Lord Stark said as he quickly stood up. “What did you say?” Ned asked. The Lord Stark’s eyes were intently focused on Jon.

 

I knew that would strike a nerve.

 

Jon stood silent for a second as Lord Stark waved off the guards. Lord Stark’s eyes hadn’t left him, and he could tell what was behind those eyes.

 

Fear.

 

He had been worried Stark might try to have him taken away to discuss things privately, but he knew Lord Starks fear was clouding his judgement right now. He has forgotten about all the others in the room and now his only focus is on whether or not I know his secrets.

 

“Well it’s not like building that sept was the first disgraceful thing you did as a Lord, considering your actions in Dorne during the Rebellion.” Jon said.

 

“That is enough!” Lady Stark interrupted him. “I will tolerate no more of your vile words and lies!”

 

“Aye!” Sir Rodrik decided to voice his opinion. “The Lady has the right of it my Lord.”

 

Maester Luwin was quietly whispering to end this display now while Rodrik was motioning the guards to remove Jon from the room. Now he would strike them all where he knew it will hurt the most, their pride.

 

“Have the Northerners become so weak that we are afraid of mere words now?!” Jon raised his voice and turned around looking at everyone in the hall. Everyone had their eyes on him, but they were all frozen where they were. Even the guards were looking between him and Lord Stark, uncertain of what actions they should take. They were all wary of offending their Lord, but he could tell they were curious now about what he had to say.

 

Northerners are stubborn and proud people not much different from the Free Folk. One of the biggest differences between the Northerners living south of the Wall and those living beyond it was the ones on this side had southern influences to deal with. While, not including the threat of the White Walkers, the free folk only really had themselves. All he had to do was tug on that thread.

 

“If any of my words are false then let Lord Stark refute them.” Jon challenged him.

 

All eyes were now on Lord Stark and Jon could see the wheels turning in his uncle’s mind.

 

“We are here to discuss your actions Jon, not my own.” Ned responded.

 

Nice move Lord Stark. You always avoid the path you don’t want to take without letting yourself be seen as a coward for why you don’t want to take it.

 

“The Lord of Winterfell does not answer to anyone here. Least of all to you.” Lady Stark hissed.

 

For the first time in this life or the last he almost wanted to kiss the Lady Stark. He could tell by the way Lord Stark was harshly looking at his wife, he knew she just made a mistake. She just let her anger get the better of her by putting the topic back on Lord Stark.

 

“The Lord of Winterfell answers to all Northerners.” Jon began. “Not that I would expect a southerner to understand, but in the North the Starks answer to all in their realm, even the lowliest bastard. Isn’t that right Lord Stark?”

 

Catelynn was about to continue until Ned silenced her with a cold look that held only one meaning, silence. As Jon observed this exchange, he realized one strength he could not fault his uncle for, his commanding presence. One that did not require words for him to command. Of course, what else would one expect from a man known as the Quiet Wolf?

 

“That’s correct.” Lord Stark said. “As Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, all here are mine to protect, and as such, I answer to you all. But tell me son, what wrong have I done besides building a sept for my wife?”

 

Plenty Lord Stark. But we will get to the rest in time. Jon thought to himself.

 

“In building a sept to appease your wife you insulted every Northerner walking this realm and all those buried beneath these very grounds.” Jon stated firmly. “You have spoken to me about honesty and honor my entire life while at the same time lying to me and everyone else around you. Shall I tell them all the truth that you will not Lord Stark?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eddard

 

 

Lord Stark could hear his own heart racing in his chest as Jon continued to speak with such spite towards him. When this day started, he wasn’t expecting things to go this way at all. He was so hopeful that if Jon apologized and showed some remorse that he could at least show him some leniency but after his disrespectful response he was certain that sending him away with Benjen was his only option now. He couldn’t even look at him as they were about to take him away until he heard Jon mention Dorne. The moment he heard that his heart skipped a beat and he could feel himself sweating, which in the North was rare even during summer.

 

Now he found himself staring down his nephew as Jon tip toed around his own remarks and openly challenged him to call Jon a liar which he knew he wasn’t. As Lord he could easily put an end to this, but he knew to do so publicly would be a mistake regardless of the fact he was being accused by a boy for being a dishonorable Lord. The reason he hadn’t just ended this was because Jon was talking now more than he had in the past few years and he had to know if Jon knew the truth of his mother.

 

When Ned had built the sept for his wife there were a few who voiced opinions against it, but the opposition had been so small it was hardly noticeable. But hearing it from his nephew made him wonder because even though his actions had not been intended to offend anyone, he wondered from the looks around the hall if his people saw it that way or not.

 

He couldn’t imagine how Jon could possibly know anything about Lyanna, but hearing him mentioning Dorne gave him pause. He needed to find out now than risk the chance of later. If Jon knew the truth, then that meant others could know and they could all be in real danger because he would have no idea who they were and whether or not he could contain the information before it made its way to others.

 

“We are here for the truth so let it be heard.” Ned stated. He squeezed his fist tight nervously as he hopes he was wrong, and that Jon isn’t about to say what he thinks he is.

 

“During the rebellion you travelled to Dorne to rescue your sister Lord Stark and there you faced the famed Sir Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning along with his Kingsguard brother, Sir Oswell Whent.” Jon said.

 

“Yes, yes, we all know this story Snow.” Sir Rodrik interrupted waving his hand dismissively. “Our lord fought and bested Dayne after he refused to give up Lady Lyanna, even after her captor and his mad father were both dead.” Rodrik spoke of him with such pride and many people shouted in acknowledgment and encouragement of him even while he lowered his head. He had once wanted nothing more than to face a swordsman like Sir Arthur in his youth which is why he had looked for him on the Trident, but now the deed only left a bad taste in his mouth knowing he’d killed such a man.

 

“So, then you know how the Lord Stark killed the Sword of the Morning, the best swordsman of his time, with his own great sword Dawn after Sir Arthur was down on his knees choking on his own blood.” Jon stated loud enough for everyone to hear but Jon’s eyes stayed locked on Lord Stark as he spoke. He looked around as suddenly Sir Rodrik’s narrowed his eyes in confusion and the hall went silent with many eyes now looking between himself and Jon. He himself was shocked as well for no one save Howland knew about that detail, not even the wet nurse who helped deliver Jon.

 

“I suppose you also know how the great Lord Stark was disarmed of his sword and about to be gutted by Sir Arthur before Lord Howland Reed snuck up behind Sir Arthur and stabbed him in the back.” Jon stated venomously.

 

“I have certainly heard enough of your bile.” Catelynn said as she stood up next to him and reached up to take his arm. “Tell them all the truth of this boy’s ridiculous tales and send him away already.” She said, looking at me with such assurance that Jon was telling lies.

 

“Yes, Lord Stark, tell me I’m lying.” Jon said smugly smirking at him.

 

There was a pause of silence before he spoke as if everyone was holding their breath.

 

“No, you are not lying Jon. That is exactly how Sir Arthur died I am ashamed to say.” He proclaimed for all to hear and several gasps were heard around the hall and his own wife whipped around to stare at him shocked.

 

He never imagined this day would turn out like this, because now it felt like he was the one on trial and Jon was the one here to do the accusing with all of Winterfell to bear witness …

 

Wait! Had Jon somehow planned this to happen?

 

“But that wasn’t the worst of it now, was its Lord Stark?” Jon asked as if prompting him to say what came next after that battle. But he knew he could not bring himself to say the words.

 

He was almost certain Jon knew the truth of his birth now and his breath had practically been drawn out of him with the realization. But if Jon knew there was no point in hiding it any longer, plus he needed to know who else might know so that if the secret was coming out he could perhaps contain it here in Winterfell long enough to figure out how he might deal with Robert. He couldn’t even imagine what Jon Arryn and the Lannister’s reactions might be but one thing at a time.

 

“The worst part was how you broke my mother’s heart and drove her to kill herself!” Jon shouted in anger.

 

When Ned heard those words he was once again caught off guard and confused because Lyanna had died from the birth. She didn’t kill herself. She even said how she didn’t want to die. What was Jon talking about?

 

Jon continued to speak while Ned stayed silent trying to figure out what was going on now.

 

“You met my mother and sired me upon her because she thought you loved her and that you were going to marry her. But instead you lied to her and married your brothers betrothed when the rebellion broke out. You went to Dorne to visit my mother where you lied to her yet again to find your sister because she was one of the few people who knew where Sir Arthur was guarding her. Then after dishonorably killing her brother, you returned to give her the bloody sword you used to do so.” Jon explained.

 

Suddenly it came to him and Ned quickly realized.

 

Ashara! He thinks his mother is Ashara, which means he doesn’t know the truth after all.

 

 

 

 

 

Jon

 

 

He had to admit he was tempted to reveal the truth of who he was right there in front of everyone but he knew that would only be a death sentence. Although he had to admit that seeing his uncle squirm with terror was quite satisfying, along with all the looks on everyone’s faces. They were all seeing now that the honorable Ned Stark was not such a perfect Lord many of them thought he was. Every man has flaws and if you build someone up high enough one small crack is all it takes to bring them crashing down.

 

All his time spent sneaking around the castle spying on everyone had helped him learn quite of few things like the most popular story of who Jon’s mother could be. The tragic tale of the Lady Ashara Dayne. He and Briggle had done their own investigating and they had found out about the two meeting in Harrenhal and even about Ashara’s stillborn daughter by Lord Stark. That child had actually been what gave Lord Stark the idea to name Jon as his bastard in the first place.

 

Lord Stark had used that to sculpt the lie that was Jon Snow and now Jon was going to use his own lies against him. He knew that having the people of the North see him as nothing more that some shut in bastard that lurked around the castle like some ghost was not the best reputation for him to have even though he did enjoy the fear it created. He wanted to build himself up in the minds of the northerners and tear down Lord Stark both at the same time.

 

He had learned from Lyanna Mormont that even a child’s words can move an entire court to think differently if they are the right words.

 

“So Lord Stark, am I lying that you sired a baseborn child upon the Lady Ashara Dayne of Dorne? You abandoned your vow to marry her. You used her to find your sister and killed her brother with his own sword in a dishonorable manner, and then you let everyone believe you had bested him.” He shouted for all to hear as his eyes remained on Lord Stark.

 

He knew that all his words were true. He wasn’t claiming Ashara as his mother but by referring to her child everyone here will assume he means himself including Lord Stark.

 

“Call me a liar Lord Stark!” He demanded.

 

He knew his uncle was as relieved by his words as he was shocked by them. He had seen his uncle holding his breathe the whole time until he finally realized he wasn’t talking about his real mother Lyanna. The Lady Ashara was another person his uncle destroyed by making her believe he loved her only to leave her with nothing but her own suffering. A suffering she killed herself over, but Ashara Dayne had also been best friends with Princess Elia of House Martell. Giving the Dornish a little bit of justice will help him later on.

 

Lord Stark was looking down at the table with his hands holding him up as he stood, he looked like he might fall over at any minute. His uncle looked so defeated in this moment.

 

“Ned?” Lady Stark whispered. Urging Lord Stark to raise his head.

 

“No, you are not lying. To my shame everything you have just said is true.” Ned said.

 

The shocked looks on everyone’s faces made him smile, especially the look on Lady Stark’s face.

 

“I did love the Lady Ashara Dayne once and when the Rebellion happened, I had no choice but to do my duty to the North. Unfortunately, she became one of many tragic deaths that resulted from that war.” Lord Stark explained.

 

He noticed a few sympathetic looks and he wasn’t going to let anyone speak up in Lord Stark’s defense just yet, because this was his moment to speak.

 

“Her death and that of her brother were your own doing. I found the truth and since then I could not stand to be around you or your lies anymore. Now I see you for what you are. You have always been weak bending to the will of others like the southerners and you deceive your own people to cover for your own failures. But no longer Lord Stark.” Jon spoke.

 

Before Lord Stark could respond he turned to his other uncle. “I have been invited to go with my uncle Benjen back to the Wall and I wish to accept. I will also gladly accept being banished from Winterfell for burning that disgraceful sept despite the fact the North should be thanking me. I will say my farewells to the true gods in the Godswood and then I will prepare to leave.” Jon announced to everyone and turned to leave the hall.

 

As he neared to doors the guards looked confused as to whether they should stop him or not. But Lord Stark stated for them to let him pass which brought a smile to his face. As he traversed the halls toward the Godswood to give Briggle the good news he felt such pride in his actions.

 

He just showed up the great and honorable Lord Eddard Stark in is his own castle in front of all his own people and at the end, he walked away like he was master of this castle with his head held high and his uncle looking like a whipped dog rather than the proud wolf he usually was. A tiny victory, but only the first of many. But the best part of all this was he was now free of Winterfell and the Starks.

 

He could have just let them banish him but that would have made him look weaker in the eyes of the North. Now thanks to his little deception it is Lord Stark who is weak and he appears all the stronger. They all held on to his words as he spoke and they were stunned into silence by him several times, all of which made him feel like he was King of the North all over again.

 

“Well done little dragon. Well done. But did you look? Did you see?” Briggle appeared as he entered the Godswood.

 

“See what?” He replied.

 

“Failure of bright knight, could be little dragon’s blight.” Briggle continued.

 

He remembered Briggle pestering him about the weakness it thought he and Sir Arthur shared. He had spent his time in the cell last night thinking hard about it and he believed after his little trial he now had the answer.

 

“We were both distracted by Lord Stark.” Jon spoke and Briggle quickly grinned.

 

“I could feel how Sir Arthur wanted to kill Lord Stark about as much as I do.” Jon explained as Briggle listened intently. “But he let that blind him from noticing that Lord Reed wasn’t dead. That mistake got him killed just as it could get me killed.”

 

“Back in there I wanted so much to tell everyone the truth about myself rather than the lie you and I invented because I knew how afraid he was of that truth coming to life.” Jon continued. “But even though the truth would have hurt Lord Stark it would have been my death just like it was Sir Arthur’s. For now it is better everyone live by our lies rather than we live by theirs, at least until we are ready for the truth to come out. On our terms and to our advantage.”

 

Briggle was nodding its head quickly with a big grin on his face as Jon spoke.

 

“Always focus on your true ways and none shall slip from your gaze.” Briggle practically hopped up and down with glee.

 

“I know what my priority is here and I promise you my friend that nothing will make me wavier from my path. Nor will anything draw my attention from accomplishing my goals. Lord Stark’s time will come as will they all in time.” Jon declared with determined resolve.

 

“Then little dragon may be ready to see further than before. There awaits, much much more.” Briggle spoke with a mischievous grin.

 

Jon toke that as a sign he was ready to advance in his training and finally leave this place.

 

The people here may still be afraid of him, or they may not, but now they believed they knew where his anger for Lord Stark came from and none of them could deny he was justified. While Lord Stark appeared to be nothing but deceiving and dishonorable. A man’s reputation could take a lifetime to build but only a moment to destroy. A man’s reputation was like a shadow that was cast over all who knew of him.

 

Tyrion had told him about a conversation with Varys, how power is a trick, a shadow on the wall. But even the smallest man can cast a very large shadow. He had just begun, but already his shadow is being cast over Winterfell. Soon his shadow will spread from the Wall to Dorne and beyond, until the whole of Westeros is eclipsed under him.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Aegon

Summary:

Be warned. This is the point of no return.

Notes:

Thank you all for your comments, kudos, and patience. Good news. Chapter 5 will be posted before December.

Chapter Text

Jon

 

He had to admit part of him was excited to get back to the Wall, but another part of him dreaded every step north. Jon knew what would follow his arrival at Castle Black. His task at the Wall was going to be most difficult for him to achieve despite his confidence that he could pull it off. The risk would be great but the rewards could be endless. These first moves in the game would either make or break him, which made success all the more crucial. If any unfortunate backfire occurred, Jon might have to resort to more desperate measures. Even the best plans can go horribly wrong, as he well knew, but all Jon could hope for was to keep moving forward.

Ever since leaving Winterfell, Jon did feel like he could breathe a little easier, despite the fact that Benjen was keeping such a close watch over him. But Jon expected that, so he wasn’t worried. In truth, Benjen keeping close to him was part of his plan. Jon knew his uncle wouldn’t be able to watch him the whole time once they arrived at the Wall. Benjen’s duties as First Ranger would guarantee that. But even without his duties to distract him, Benjen won’t know what to look for, until it’s too late. The whole journey, Jon had managed to keep their talks brief and vague. He was still playing up the part of an angry boy, which wasn’t hard considering it was true, just not for the reasons he’d led others to believe. Also Benjen wasn’t the uncle Jon wanted to talk to right now, so when they finally arrived at their destination Jon had gone straight for the castle library.

While Benjen went to report in with Lord Commander Mormont, Jon made his way to the oldest of Jon’s uncles living within the North. Seeing Maester Aemon again was one of the main reasons for him to come back to the Wall.

The Targaryens were meant to be together, it was in their blood. Jon thought as he approached Castle Black’s library.

After stepping into the library Jon found his great uncle filing a few books away, lightly combing his hands along the folds of the book shelves. The old man looked just how Jon remembered him, frail on the outside yet strong enough to have reached such an old age. The man was blind and yet he seemed to be able to see more than most around him and while Aemon was very old, he was still no less sharp as the day Jon first met him.

Jon approached hesitantly and he brought with him the most important possessions of his life. He held two saddle bags over his shoulder which contained his treasures. These particular items would be the keys to his next move and Jon was most thankful he’d managed to get to them earlier in this life than he had in his last.

******Flashback*******


After the battle against the Night King and his army of dead, almost all of the Winterfell crypts had been badly damaged thanks to all the occupants breaking out from the inside. Because of this, one of the first actions Queen Sansa had done was set others to restoring the crypts to better than they were before. During this process, workers discovered Lyanna’s gravesite was not damaged at all. When Sansa learned of this she had Lyanna’s tomb opened up, but they didn’t find any bones within, only a metal trunk. Jon’s mother had been burned at the tower where she died giving birth to him. Her ashes were placed in that trunk along with a few other items Lord Stark found in the tower. The new Queen Sansa didn’t know what the trunk from Lyanna’s crypt contained since it was sealed with an old lock. Sansa sent for Jon to come see it for himself, since she knew Lyanna was his real mother, but she didn’t have the trunk opened. If she had only known what was inside, she likely would have had its contents destroyed, but thankfully for Jon, Sansa had grown arrogant in her new position as Queen in the North.

Now, her greatest mistake will be her ultimate undoing. Jon smiled at the irony of how Snasa had delivered him what may be the most critical piece to his plans. What was even more ironic, was that Sansa had learned from a man like Littlefinger, to deceive and manipulate others. Yet she never considered what this simple discovery would mean for her and the rest of the Starks. Jon could have found a way to use these treasures back in his past life, but that would not have helped him save Dany.

After Jon’s arrival in this time, once he had decided not to kill Bran, just yet, Jon had discretely broken into his mother’s tomb to recover the trunk without leaving any signs of tampering. Jon had to steal some tools from the castle’s blacksmith in order to chisel his way into the back of the tomb. But from the front no one who walked through the crypts would be able to notice the hole in the back unless they were looking for it. He didn’t bother taking the trunk itself, only what was inside mattered, so Jon busted it open, removed the contents, and placed it back inside empty.

Finally, it took him a few days, but he managed to properly seal the hole. Now, no one, not Lord Stark or anyone else would know that he had ever been there. Jon had hidden the contents of his mother’s crypt within the broken tower until the day he left for the Wall. That was the main reason for relocating himself there. Distancing himself from the Starks was just a bonus. Jon was able to guard his treasures from anyone discovering them. But now the time had come to use them.

********End of Flashback********


Jon had been planning this moment for some time but confronting his great uncle seemed somehow daunting know that he knew the truth about their family. Even though it had been one more of Bran’s manipulations, since Jon wouldn’t have been able to believe anyone else besides Sam. Even the timing of that reveal, on the eve of the battle with the Night King, had also been part of Bran’s scheme to use him to further tear Dany down. Jon suddenly began to feel his anger rising and took a deep breath to steady himself. He had to focus on the task at hand and right now, he could only hope Aemon would believe him.

 “Good afternoon, Maester Aemon.” Jon greeted as he came closer.

Aemon turned to the sound of Jon’s voice.

“Good afternoon.” Aemon, replied. “Whose is that? I don’t recognize your voice.”

“I just arrived today, my name is uh… Jon Snow.” Jon replied nervously.

“Oh, so you’re the one. I heard you stirred up quite the little storm in Winterfell.” Aemon remarked. “Yes, I remember Benjen sent us word of what happened back in Winterfell. He also mentioned he would be bringing you with him. I must say I am saddened for you, considering the way you left Winterfell. It is never easy for a boy to leave his home and his family, especially on bad terms.” Aemon had a look of longing on his face when he spoke of family.

“A gilded cage, filled with liars and betrayers can hardly be considered home or family.” Jon replied.

“Oh?” Maester Aemon replied as his brows rose with curiosity.

“Strange. That sounds a lot like the home I came from. Many liars and betrayers there, but there was once family too.”  Aemon commented.    

But not anymore.

Jon knew that’s what he was thinking. Not a home anymore without the family that made it so.

“But enough about that. What can I do you for you Jon?” Aemon asked.

“Well Maester Aemon, I am here because of you. When I came to learn the truth about my parents, I also learned a secret about your family as well.”

The time had come for the remaining members of House Targaryen to come together, and this time Jon was determined to make sure that they stayed together.

 

 

Aemon

 

Aemon was curious when this boy mentioned his family, but he held his tongue and allowed Jon to continue. First Jon kindly helped him to his chair first, despite the fact Aemon knew this room along with the rest of Castle Black better than anyone else. Even as a blind man, Aemon had still been there longer than anyone else, so he needed little help to find his way anymore. But the boy seemed kind and insistent on helping, which Aemon appreciated all the same. As they took their seats he listened as something heavy was placed on the table between them. Then came a ruffling sound as Jon began placing items in front of him.

“So Jon Snow, please tell me more about this secret you learned about my family.” Aemon stated curiously.

Jon didn’t say a word as he approached, gently taking Aemon’s wrist and moving them up to some object held in front of him. Jon had guided Aemon’s own hands to what felt like a cold metal object so Aemon then begin to feel it with both his hands guiding along its smooth cold edges. It was made of metal but not rusted and thick but not too heavy. Aemon thought at first it might be the hilt or handle of a blade. So he continued to move his hands cautiously along its edges, until one hand brushed along something very small and thin. Aemon carefully examined it and determined it to be a string which made him pause in thought.

“Is this some kind of bow?” Aemon asked.

That didn’t make much sense, Aemon thought, considering this thing was made of metal rather than wood and the string was much too taunt. Far too much to be used to pull back an arrow.

Aemon could almost hear the smirk in Jon’s voice as he replied. “Keep looking Maester.”

Aemon moved his fingers further but was surprised again when he felt a second string, then another, and another, until it dawned on him what he was holding.

“This is a harp.” Aemon stated more than asked.

“It is a very special harp.” Jon Snow replied.

Aemon wasn’t sure what he meant until his fingers found something along the upper side. His hand roamed over the shape to which he first thought was a snake but quickly realized it was the head of a dragon. His hand traced the edges up to a second head, then a third head, and finally Aemon felt the gemstones where the eyes should be and imagined how this harp seemed like a large ‘D’ shaped frame with the taunt strings within. It was well made and must be quite a beauty to gaze upon. Aemon quickly sucked in breath as he realized what he was holding.

“I know of only one harp like this.” Aemon explained. “It was made especially for one person.”

“Prince Rhaegar.” Jon said, finishing Aemon’s thought for him.

 



Jon

 


All the items from the crypt were laid out along the table in front of them and Jon wished he could give Aemon his sight back to see them. The first was a leather fold filled with unrolled leathers between his parents. Letters Lyanna kept from Rhaegar, and Jon was surprised the first time he read them that some were even from Rhaegar’s first wife Elia. In his previous life these papers had been mostly degraded, but in this time, he had gotten to them much sooner, so they were better preserved along with the book that had been stored with them. That book was none other than his mother’s own diary which she had written in since she was a little girl.

But Aemon wasn’t ready for him to read from those yet. The other two items were more important at the moment. The first was his father’s silver harp, which was explained by Rhaegar in one of his letters, that it had been made just for him as a present from Queen Rhaella. Jon knew that Aemon was familiar with Rhaegar’s harp because in some of the letters between Jon’s parents his father had mentioned writing about it to his uncle on the Wall. Even though Aemon had probably never seen it, Jon had hoped his father had described the harp with enough detail.

The last was an actual dragon egg, which had been a wedding present to Lyanna from Rhaegar, since its outer shell was a deep beautiful sapphire blue. In Lyanna’s diary, she wrote that Rhaegar had gifted it to her because its color was the same as Lyanna’s favorite flower, Winter Roses. Lyanna had cherished the gift dearly but wondered why Elia had not been given one, to which Elia had replied in one of their letters that Rhaegar had gifted her a golden egg, which she in turn said should go to their daughter Rhaenys after her birth. Jon wondered where his sister’s dragon egg had gone after she was butchered, but he already had his suspicions.  

Aemon had been shocked to hear Jon’s story, even if he didn’t show it, but Aemon remained quiet and listened intently. It was when his uncle felt the dragon egg that his words were taken very seriously but after Aemon held his father’s harp up a second time, moving his fingers along the dragon heads molded into the silver, pulling the strings. Tears eventually fell from Aemon’s pale eyes as he smiled listening to the heavenly sounds. His uncle placed the harp down and reached out towards Jon, placing his hands along Jon’s face and then Aemon’s smile returned.

“My dear boy, you have some of my brother’s features. I am so glad to finally meet you.” Aemon said as he continued to slowly feel along the sides of Jon’s face.

Jon released a breath of relief he didn’t realize he was holding.

“I never imagined I would ever see another of my family again in this life, but if I died today, I could say it would be as a happy man. Jon Snow. What is your real name?”  Aemon asked.

He was happy beyond words that his uncle believed him and now neither of them would ever have to be alone anymore.

“Uncle Aemon, my name is Aegon Targaryen.”

Convincing Aemon was the initial step to returning to the Wall but Jon wasn’t the only one who had to do some convincing here. When Briggle finally returned from beyond the Wall Jon was glad to finally get their plans moving since he’d just been trying to keep his head down since they left Winterfell. Briggle had brought only a couple others of his clan but he hoped it was enough. They stood in front of him as Jon kneeled down while they each placed one of their clawed hands on either side of his head.

Jon suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head as a tidal wave of his own memories began flowing before his eyes. Faster and faster with every passing second, as if he was reliving them all over again and all at once. Then with each of those memories came the feelings of joy, excitement, pain, despair. Each one surging through him so fast Jon barely had time to register them before the feeling passed and the next one came.

The longer they held him, the more it was becoming too much for him to stand, then just as suddenly as the whole thing began, it stopped. Jon collapsed, he felt exhausted like he’d just run for miles, with sweat dripping down his face, and he was breathing heavy. When he looked up at the two Children, they both looked at him with utter shock and fear on their faces. They both quickly ran off into the shadows leaving him alone with Briggle. He worried for a moment that something had gone wrong. Briggle sensed his fear and quickly spoke.

“They do not wish to believe, which is why they needed to come. But they be brothers, so they come here to see. And now they believe.” Briggle spoke with a grin.

“Those were your brothers?” Jon asked surprised.

“Why didn’t they just do, whatever that was, to you then?” Jon asked as his breathing began to slow and he rubbed his aching temple.

Briggle smiled as if the answer was obvious.

“Thoughts of thee be simpler than those of we.” Briggle answered.  

Jon wondered what that meant, but said nothing on the matter.

“So what now? Why did they just leave like that?” Jon asked.

Briggle smiled again, “They return to deal with old raven.”

He frowned hoping that didn’t mean kill him. “How?” Jon asked.

Briggle tilted its head and cupped its hands or claws together.

“Bound he be to the tree. But his power be free. One brother go to protect me and thee. Other brother go to retrieve a need. So shall it be to bind old raven, this you shall see.” Briggle explained.

Jon liked the sound of that.

“Will he be able to use his power to hinder us?” Jon asked.

Briggle’s head shook, “Only see from the tree, once bound we be free.” Briggle answered.

Jon looked at the creature wondering how they might be dealing with the other three-eyed raven or how they hoped to bind the old raven so he couldn’t interfere with them.

“How long will we have to wait until the old raven is dealt with?” Jon asked.

Briggle smiled gleefully while jumping around like a kid with sweets. “Soon! Soon!” Briggle squealed at him as if it was celebrating. “Once brothers get weapon, you’ll see. Old and new ravens be threat no more, and then…” Briggle paused suddenly pointing at Jon with a grin as it spoke.

“Then, then…Dark Dragon shall soar.” Briggle said almost in a whisper.  

“Very well, I trust you and I’ll proceed forward with my next move. Time for a new game to begin.” Jon responded. Briggle only answered with a toothy smile.

The past few weeks that Jon had spent at the Wall had been the best he’d felt since he arrived back in this time. Serving as aid to his great uncle had given the two of them lots of time to catch up together. Time that had once been robbed from them both, but no longer. He had read Aemon his parents’ letters which brought a smile to both of their faces. Aemon told Jon much about his life in Kings Landing, before his coming to the Wall, as well as all that he remembered of their family.

Most of what Aemon had to say could not be found in any books. They discussed some about their ancestors, their fathers, even Jon’s grandfather, the Mad King. Jon came to realize from those conversations that all Targaryens have their good and bad traits. The Targaryens were a mix of saviors and monsters, rulers and tyrants, each one internally battling with themselves and the rest of the world over which path they will take.

Aemon chose long ago to be a simple savior by taking up the maester’s chain so he could be a scholar and healer. But Jon knew what his own choice would be regardless of what he once wanted, because as far as he was concerned, this world didn’t deserve a savior. That’s what Daenerys at least tried to be and then Westeros tore that chance away from her. Jon’s choice was already made. Westeros didn’t want a savior from her, so now they would get a monster from him.

Jon’s duties tending to his uncle and the library were so simple and comforting to him and it left plenty of time for him to either talk with Aemon reminiscing the past or straining over books and maps plotting their new future. Benjen had been surprised when Aemon made the request of the Lord Commander for Jon to assist him but he didn’t say anything against it.

Even though Jon already had a good plan in his mind, he knew from experience that there were always conflicts to deal with or improvements to be made. He saw Briggle less, since it had gone back further north to return to its clan. The creature was attempting to reach other Children of the Forest to show them the truth about the current three eyed raven and his future successor. Jon understood the creature was eager to reunite to its own family too.

Jon was fine with that since he’d been enjoying his leisure time. He realized that even though no one much cared for him here, he was still happier than ever before. His previous life had always had something missing. That is until he met Daenerys. He hadn’t known what it was even then but it was still there. Being with Aemon made him feel closer to her even though she was still so far from him right now.

Family was what Jon needed above all else in order to be whole. It was the same for Dany, which is why she always sought Westeros despite not fully knowing why herself, because her true home was actually Jon himself. That’s how Brandon destroyed her, by taking Jon away from her, as soon as she’d found him. Family is their true home and without that the Targaryens are all lost.

A Targaryen, alone in the world, is a terrible thing.

Reluctantly Jon admitted to himself that was the one similarity the Starks and Targaryen shared. Which is also why Bran knew how to use that against them. Jon had to hold such thoughts back because all they would do for him now would cause his rage to boil over.

She’s alive and I will see her again. Jon reminded himself.

But first he was going to build an army unlike any the world had ever seen. He hated the game of thrones but Jon understood that once you were in the game, whether you wanted to be or not, you had no choice but to play. The only way out of the game was death and the only way to survive the game was to win. When the first Aegon began his conquest, he managed to change the rules, and now, Jon will too.

 

 

Benjen

 

Benjen had been trying to figure out if his brother’s worries about Jon were true since they left Winterfell. Jon’s behavior had been so strange and completely unlike the boy he knew. Jon had always been a bit sullen but now he was totally withdrawn. Jon’s explanation of why he burned the sept was shocking to say the least. Their house had always kept to the Old Gods but none of them were fanatics. The faith of the North was old and strong but it was simple and didn’t usual require such actions. Part of him wondered if Jon had only done it to spurn Cat, which was a bit drastic in his opinion, but it would have been easier to understand. She had never liked Jon, and even though Ned assured him that she wasn’t cruel to the lad, Benjen was certain she never treated him well.

Jon’s did appear excited about being at the Wall and that alone gave him hope. He felt certain that Ned was wrong in thinking that Jon may have the Targaryen madness within him. His brother was especially demanding that Benjen find out how Jon came to know about Dorne and who might have told him. Besides himself, Ned and Howland, were the only ones alive who knew of the truth about Jon. They had all thought that Jon was better off if he didn’t know the truth for the time being. He was still a boy and none of them wanted to risk Jon’s life or another war. Ben and Ned had both had their fill of war and death. Jon brightened at the Wall and had seemed quite eager to work in the library with Maester Aemon, much to his own surprise, he thought Jon would have preferred working with Rangers.

It was amazing to see how quickly those two seem to find each other. Benjen felt it was good for Jon to be around family even if he didn’t know Aemon was related to him. Benjen was also preparing for the next ranging Thorne had requested. It was a strange request coming from Thorne of all people, to help bring some of their supplies to old man Craster. He never liked the vile old man, but he understood Craster’s use to the Watch and his Rangers.

But Thorne utterly despised Benjen and never wanted to go anywhere since he became master at arms, so this request struck him as odd. In fact several brother had volunteered to come despite some of them not being a part of the Rangers. But he figured that the more help they had the better. Jon had also asked to go along so he could see beyond the Wall. Benjen didn’t want Jon near a man like Thorne, Craster, or even some of the brothers who were coming. He reluctantly agreed as a way to see how the outing might further improve Jon’s mood.

Their journey to Craster’s had been uneventful, yet Jon didn’t seem withdrawn as they made their way north. He seemed distracted over something, but about what, Benjen couldn’t imagine. However the expression on Jon’s face was clear to see. Jon hadn’t spoken much and several of the brothers who had volunteered to come on this trip appeared distracted as well about something other than keeping watch for wildlings. Benjen could feel something was off and he wondered what might be going on but nothing out of the ordinary had happened so far.

After they arrived at Craster’s Keep everyone seemed nervous and he noticed Alliser kept glancing at Jon. Benjen wondered if the brothers were worried Jon might try something, considering they had all heard about him burning the sept back in Winterfell, before that spectacle of a trial. His thoughts were interrupted as Jon approached him.

“Can we speak Uncle?” Jon simply asked.

“Of course Jon.” Ben replied.

Jon turned to walk away towards the woods and Ben assumed he wanted to speak privately so he followed. After they had walked a good distance, Jon suddenly turned and asked,

“Were you ever going to tell me the truth about my mother, Lyanna?”

 

 

Jon

 

He looked at Benjen’s shocked face as he waited for him to respond, even though Jon was already sure of what Benjen had to say. His mother’s diary had revealed much to him, like when she was a child Benjen was essentially Lyanna’s partner in crime around Winterfell and her young confidant. Their relationship had not been that different from his own with Arya back in his previous life. That is until his little sister finally found a place among the Starks. Sansa and Bran won her over and she chose to abandon him to the Wall and never came to see him, just like the other Starks. But his attention was returned to his uncle, Jon knew from his mother’s diary, Benjen knew everything about Lyanna’s feeling for Rhaegar Targaryen and her disgust of Robert Baratheon. She even revealed to Benjen the secret behind why she truly ran off with Rhaegar, other than love.


*******Flashback*******

Jon had spent every waking hour he had reading over his parents’ letters and Lyanna’s diary. He read about how they met at Harrenhal during the tournament and the incident of the masked Knight of the Laughing Tree. Lyanna’s words, described how she donned the guise of the masked knight herself and unhorsed a group of squires for attacking a young Howland Reed. However when the king demanded she reveal herself, she refused and fled with Prince Rhaegar sent to retrieve her.

Prince Rhaegar and Sir Arthur had caught her as she attempted to hide, but they chose instead to protect her from the wrath of King Aerys. Her receiving the crown of winter roses was a result of that meeting. Lyanna wrote how she had been just as surprised as everyone was from Rhaegar’s actions. The diary went on to describe how she secretly tried to return the crown to Rhaegar but instead found herself face to face with Princess Elia. Elia forced Lyanna to stay and explain everything, which Lyanna did.

Lyanna had decided to trust the Princess with the truth since Rhaegar had helped her. Afterwards Elia asked her to stay longer and the two ended up talking for hours from one subject to the next. Princess Elia had been very impressed by Lyanna’s actions and her honesty, despite risking Aerys’ anger. Lyanna seemed to care little for her own life and her only request for Elia’s discretion was made for the sake of her family. Her actions were done out of her desire to defend Howland Reed’s honor from the squires that attacked him and out of her own pride as a northerner. As a proud Dornish woman herself, Elia admired such qualities, so she accepted Lyanna’s words and kept her secret.

Lyanna had never shown much interest for others outside her family before, but after Harrenhal, she held the Prince and Princess with the highest of respects. Much to Lyanna’s surprise, letters from both Rhaegar and Elia soon followed the tournament, and from them the love between Rhaegar and Lyanna grew along with an equally powerful friendship from Princess Elia. Lyanna trusted them both so much that she revealed a terrible secret about her family, which is what led to the sudden marriage between her and Rhaegar as well as the rebellion.

 

********End of Flashback********

His uncle was looking at him as if he’d grown second head.

 “How...? How did you...?”  Benjen stammered.

“Oh how did I know who my mother was, or that you and my other uncle lied to me my entire life?” Jon finished for him.

His uncle gulped at his words and seemed to finally find his voice.

“We were only trying to protect you. If the King, the Lannisters, anyone, knew about you, your life would be forfeit.” Benjen defended.

Jon rolled his eyes at that statement. He had heard that argument before. Once he even believed it himself, but now he knew it to be just one more, Stark lie!

“You Starks. You claim to be so honorable and true, but deep down, you are the greatest liars of them all. You tell such lies, you even believe them yourselves.” Jon said venomously at Benjen.

Benjen frowned at those words.

“That’s not a lie Jon, your mother made Ned swear on her deathbed to protect you, and he did so the best way that he could.” Benjen responded.

Jon had heard that one before to and he was done with the Starks and their hollow promises.

“No, he didn’t.” Jon said flatly.

Before Benjen could respond Jon pressed further.

“I know uncle. I know everything. I know how Rhaegar felt about my mother and why they married in secret. I know how they did it because of your father and brother’s plan to start a war against the Targaryens.” Jon revealed.

Benjen eyes widened in shock.

“I know it was so they could achieve Northern independence from the south. Your father sought allies along the northern border, like the Vale, the Riverlands, and even further south to the Stormlands in order to secure his campaign. All of it was so the Starks of Winterfell could call themselves Kings in the North again.” Jon, practically yelled at Benjen.

Benjen attempted to speak but Jon kept cutting him off as he continued.

“My mother knew because her arranged marriage to Robert Baratheon was part of that plan just like Brandon’s betrothal to the Tullys, and why Eddard was sent to foster with the Arryns. But my mother didn’t want any of it, the war that would follow, or to be tided to Robert, so she chose the side of the Targaryens instead. She admired them and she loved them. My parents loved each other and with their marriage, they sought to achieve peace before your father and brother could start their war.” Jon explained.

He watched Benjen’s face change from shock to recognition. Benjen knew what he was saying was true and he couldn’t refuse it.

“How could you know this?” Benjen asked.

Jon stepped closer as he spoke,

“Didn’t you ever wonder what became of her diary, or the letters she kept from my father and his other wife? I know she shared them with you because she wrote about it. How she told you about Elia’s plan to have her marry Rhaegar to achieve peace.

Princess Elia was no fool. She knew my parents loved each other and she was willing to step aside not just for their happiness but also to avert the Northern rebellion. She feared because of her poor health that she wouldn’t live to raise her children after my brother was born, so she made my mother promise to care for my siblings as her own, if the day came when she couldn’t.

But then you revealed this to Brandon, after she was reported missing. So in response, the Starks sought to further provoke their war by claiming that my father kidnapped and raped Lyanna.” Jon finished.

Benjen’s face fell as he looked away staring off into the night.

“She was always writing in that thing.” Benjen said softly.

“I guess Ned was right about someone telling you about Dorne. Neither of us imagined it could have been Lya herself. I never did know what Ned did with her things.” Benjen said but then looked up at Jon curiously.

“If you know the true then what was all that nonsense back in Winterfell about Ashara?” Benjen asked.

“I wanted to show everyone the kind of man Lord Eddard Stark is without having to reveal exactly who I am. Do you dare deny my words?” Jon asked

“It was Brandon’s idea to claim Rhaegar a rapist. He knew it would anger Robert due to his infatuation.” Benjen began.

Their eyes met as Benjen continued.

“Brandon was reckless though, he didn’t think the King would do what he did despite knowing he was a madman. We thought he hated his son because of Rhaegar’s popularity, just like he had been with Tywin.”

Benjen stopped to take a breath, as if saying the very words were causing him pain.

“But the Mad King killed Brandon and father both, and unknowingly gave them their war, with their own deaths to spark it. Lyanna died too and Ned didn’t care about being a king so he supported Robert. But I just couldn’t face what we did so I left to join the watch. You know the rest.” Benjen confessed.

Finally, he thought to himself.

A Stark revealing the truth. They were just as deceitful, greedy, and scheming as all the others playing the game of thrones.




Benjen

 

He had always known deep down he’d have to face the sins of his past, but he never thought it would happen so soon. Benjen felt a great shame flow over him as his nephew looked at him with his sister’s eyes as if Jon could see right through him. Another part of him felt glad that Jon knew everything. He’d always had mixed feelings about keeping him in the dark. Then he felt the fear of the uncertain future. He and Ned had both shared the fear of what would happen once Jon knew the truth.

Before Ben could say another word though, he heard another walking through the snow towards them.

It was Alliser Thorne!

He must have heard them. This was bad.

Alliser has hated him and shown no concern for Jon at all since they arrived at the Wall.

This was very bad, if Jon’s secret gets out.

“You fucking bastard!” Alliser shouted.

Benjen grasped his sword as he stepped in front of Jon.

“Alliser you stay away from him.” Benjen said.

“I was talking to you!!” Alliser snapped, staring at Benjen, the man’s face was red with anger.

“I didn’t believe it when he came to us, but it is true, all of it! You fucking traitorous Starks!!” Alliser continued to shout.

Benjen drew his sword pointing it at Alliser ready for a fight.

“Wait, what do you mean, us?” Benjen asked.

As he spoke the words, other brothers stepped out of from the trees. A couple lit torches as they approached. He knew then that they had been there the whole time, this was a setup. Just as he was about to engage them he felt a sharp pain strike his leg. He wondered how someone could have gotten that close to him. No one was near him except... Jon. He looked down at his leg but froze upon seeing his nephew holding a bloody dagger.

“Why?” Benjen asked as Jon stepped back, his face was colder than the snow at their feet. He held his gaze not flinching as he spoke.

“For the Targaryens.” Jon answered.

Then he felt another knife hit him from behind stabbing into his lower back.

“For the Targaryens.”

That time Benjen heard Alliser’s voice at his ear before the blade was pulled.

Benjen tried to swing his sword at Alliser but his arm was caught by another brother who stabbed him through his forearm as he said, “For the Targaryens.”

Benjen’s sword fell and he began to sway as he felt the blood leaving him. His injured leg made it impossible to run. He barely took a step away from his last attacker when another stabbed him in the stomach.

“For the Targaryens.”

One after the other, each saying those same words over and over, until he couldn’t stand anymore. Benjen didn’t know how many times he was wounded, but he finally fell to his hands and knees, spitting out blood as he coughed.  

The feeling of the cold was probably the only reason he hadn’t passed out from the loss of blood. His vision was blurry but he managed to see Jon approach from the group of black brothers. Jon stepped in front of him while the others stood back. Jon was still holding a bloody dagger in his hand. Once he stopped in front of Benjen, Jon closed his eyes as if he couldn’t look at him.

“Jon.” Benjen tried to say.

Jon immediately opened his eyes, glaring down at Benjen as his face suddenly shifted from cold as ice, to pure rage. His eyes looked dark as night yet they held a spark of fury within them.

 “My name is AEGON!!!” Jon yelled out as he swiftly lunged forward.

Jon drove his dagger straight into Benjen’s chest with nothing but anger in his eyes. It happened so fast Benjen barely even felt the blade as it entered his heart. All he could see were Jon’s eyes. All he felt was the cold, and as he began to fall, his last thoughts were filled dread and despair.

We failed Ned. We failed them both.

Chapter 5: Loyalty and Sacrifice

Summary:

Aegon isn't done at Craster's. He has three main task to accomplish there. The first is done and now its time for the second.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Aegon

 

While back in Winterfell preparing his strategies, he realized that many people who might have been an enemy to Jon Snow could potentially be an ally to Aegon VI Targaryen. That led him to choose one of Jon Snow’s greatest enemies at the Wall. The very man who killed Jon Snow.

Sir Alliser Thorne.

Aegon learned how Sir Alliser had been sent to the Wall because he fought for the Targaryens and remained loyal to them even in his defeat. Aegon thought that it was such a cruel irony that in his past life the man who killed the true Targaryen heir to the Iron Throne was a loyal Targaryen supporter. Just like how the Kingslayer had killed Aerys Targaryen while wearing his white cloak, Aegon himself had been slain by his own swore brothers while wearing their black cloaks.

He didn’t know whether that was some kind of strange twist of fate or perhaps just a poetic joke of the gods. Either way he felt at least glad that his killers had stabbed him in the front instead of his back. But this time he was never going to rely simply on a cloak or oath to believe where a man’s loyalties lie. After all, when you get down to it, a cloak is just a piece of cloth and an oath is just a bunch or pretty words, and words are wind.  

That’s why Aegon knew he would need help with Sir Alliser, so he had Aemon summon him to the library. Then Aemon had the stubborn sod listen while Jon spun his story of how he learned back in Winterfell about a secret Targaryen heir. Of course, Alliser said he didn’t believe them but Aegon noticed how the man didn’t attempt to leave after he initially dismissed their words either. He continued to sit still in his seat and listen. So once they had him curious Aegon revealed his father’s harp. Alliser’s eyes immediately went wide as he looked at the silver harp in disbelief.

“Where did you get that?” Alliser demanded. “I know that harp.”

“It belonged to Prince Rhaegar. Lord Stark has had it since the rebellion.” Aegon answered calmly as he placed the harp in Alliser’s hands.

“Damned Stark.” Allister growled, as he examined the harp in his hands closely.

This man is definitely not a Stark admirer. Perfect.  

Aemon spoke softly as he remarked. “That isn’t all Sir Alliser. I know you fought for my house loyally once, which is why I called you to hear this.” Aemon paused turning his head towards Aegon. “Tell him my boy.”

Aemon’s words certainly got the old knight’s attention since he was now looking at him intently.

“I always wanted to know about my mother, so when Lord Stark refused to tell me, I went looking for answers myself. But when I found the proof of my past, I also found proof of another heir to the Targaryen throne, one that the usurper doesn’t know about. As you should know Arthur Dayne was Prince Rhaegar’s best friend just as Ashara Dayne had been Princess Elia’s best friend. The Dayne’s knew many secrets about the royal family.” Aegon explained.

Alliser sat silently considering Aegon’s words as he carefully set Rhaegar’s harp on the nearby table but then he rose to his feet before turning to Aegon and Aemon.

“What does any of that matter now? Even if it’s true, I am just a sworn brother of the Nights Watch bound to the Wall. Besides why should I believe a Stark bastard whelp like you even if your half Dayne? Because, you have my prince’s harp?” Alliser asked skeptically.

Aegon could tell the man was curious, hopeful maybe, and the way Alliser referred to his father as ‘my’ prince was not lost on him. But Alliser was also defeated. He wasn’t looking for false hopes and he wasn’t about to believe Aegon, even if he told him the whole truth. Not even the items he had from his mother’s crypt would be enough to truly convince a man as stubborn as Sir Alliser. 

However, Aegon had experience telling truths no one wanted to heard or believe, just like with the white walkers. No point telling if he couldn’t show them. This time Aegon knew he needed proof and that’s what he was going to do for Thorne.

“You don’t have to believe anything I say because I am going prove it to you.” Aegon, countered Alliser who narrowed his eyes at him.

Alliser held the same disbelieving sneer on his face but he was considering Aegon’s words seriously. Aegon could tell the man wants to believe him but convincing him was still going to be a challenge.

“How’s a bastard like you gonna do that? And even if you could, why would you when your fucking father was part of the rebellion?” Alliser asked.

Aegon held his gaze as he spoke.

“Because I have no love for Lord Stark.” Aegon said flatly.

Alliser was still sneering at him, and then he waved away Aegon’s words dismissively. But walked closer and sat back down in front of Aegon and Aemon.

“Alright bastard, say you do. How you goin’ to prove any of this little fantasy?” Alliser inquired, trying to act like he wasn’t genuinely curious.

“I’m going to guide you to all the proof you need on the next ranging beyond the Wall. All you have to do is come along.” Aegon said simply. 

Alliser shook his head from confusion. “What? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? What does a ranging have to do with…?”

Aegon cut him off. “You will only believe once you have seen it for yourself. Telling you now will accomplish nothing because you won’t believe any words I have to say. But if you want to see proof, beyond any doubt, then once the next ranging happens, stick close to me and I will show you everything.”  Aegon, said almost demanding Sir Alliser obey his command. But no matter how Alliser took his words, one message was clear. There would be no further argument on the matter.

Alliser’s jaw clinched as he rose to his feet and made to leave the library, but before he left, he turned and pointed at Aegon as he spoke. “You, had best be able to deliver on that claim bastard. Otherwise our next words will be very unpleasant for you.” 

Just before Sir Alliser left, Aegon called out to him, “Sir Alliser, be sure that you invite any other men here who you know were truly loyal to house Targaryen. They should have the chance to witness the truth too, don’t you think?”

Alliser looked back over his shoulder at Aegon for a moment, but then he left without a word.

 

 

 

Aemon

 

“Please tell me you are certain about this.” Aemon, pleaded. “I do not wish to lose more family, especially one I have only just gotten to know.”

“Worry not uncle. I have been considering for some time as to where I might be able to gain willing supporters for our house. Make no mistake that there are other places where our family may still find open arms and warm welcomes. But I assure you that those places are all either well occupied by our enemies’ forces or being watched by their spies.” Aegon explained reassuringly.

“But you are still a boy Aegon and I would not have you worry about such things.” Aemon said as he placed his hand on Aegon’s arm before continuing.

“I do want you to take back what is yours my boy, but I do not wish you to do so in haste. Patience can be invaluable in war and I know that war will be unavoidable for you. I only wish I could do more to help you.” Aemon said as he lowered his head.

Aemon felt so worried for his grandnephew. He knew that once people learned of him, the boy’s life would be in greater danger with every passing day. Once more than a few people knew of him it would not stay a secret for long and eventually everyone would know of him. Most of those people would be those who either wanted him dead or those seeking to use him for their own agendas.

Aegon patted Aemon’s hand to reassure him as he spoke.

“You already are uncle, more than you know. The Starks would send me to this Wall to die alone and forgotten. Then they would tell themselves that it was all for the best, so that they could protect me and prevent bloodshed and war.” Aegon stated.

“But you uncle, want me to live, more than you want me to take back the throne, yet you haven’t counselled me against it. Why?” Aegon asked expectedly.

Aemon didn’t think that the Lord Stark would treat his own nephew in such a way but he knew that if that was true then he would endeavor to be a better uncle than Lord Stark had been. But the answer to his grandnephew’s question was more selfish in his opinion.

“Because I have lived a long-life nephew and I have been safe here at the Wall for many years. Not once have I had to worry about assassins coming to kill me and yet if I had known what would happen to our family, I would have preferred to have taken a different path.” Aemon explained before going silent.

Aemon paused for a moment before he continued, “Do you know what I could have been had I but said the words? I could have sat the throne, which back then I said no, because I simply did not want to rule. I told myself that my brother would have been a better king than I. Yet after the ravens came from the south bringing the news of Aerys and his acts of madness, then the rebellion, the death of your father, and finally the Sack of Kings Landing. I often wonder if I had chosen differently back then, would our family have still fallen as it did, or could my own rule have changed that fate?”

Aemon was pained and angered because as pointless as it was, he still could not help but feel guilty for not accepting his birth right long ago. He knew it was the thoughts of an old man not far from his death. As he approached the inevitable end to his life, he couldn’t help but think back on pass choices and mistakes. But that was not the only reason and he knew his nephew deserved the truth above all things.

“I am an old man, and I can tell you that a life filled with regrets of one’s past is not a life worth living. I want you to not only survive Aegon, but at the end of your time, I want you to be able to look back and know how it felt to have truly been alive. I want you to live a life worth living.” Aemon explained but pause before finishing.

“Part of me wants our family to recover the throne we built and for those who wronged our family to be punished for such crimes as you do. Something I could never achieve as myself, but I could help you to achieve that. But the most selfish part of me simply doesn’t want you to end up like me.” Aemon took a deep sigh as he lowered his head.

If he still had his sight, he would have seen Aegon smiling proudly at him.

      

 

 

Aegon

 

Aegon felt like he might cry when he heard Aemon’s words. The old man had told him the whole truth from his most selfish to selfless reasons all rolled into one.

“I already am like you uncle Aemon, and I am proud of it because the truth is, I could simply continue the lie Lord Stark or myself have crafted and no one would ever bother me about the throne. I do not want the throne or to rule over any of the houses that slaughtered our house for their own greed.” Aegon replied.

“But they will never allow either Viserys or Daenerys to live just as they could not let my brother and sister live. Neither will they allow any descendants that follow us to live simply because they are Targaryens. They will never stop trying to see every member of our house dead to the last. Because of that, I intend to return the favor, until they are all too afraid to even consider harming a member of our family ever again. To me the throne is nothing but a weapon I will use to achieve that aim.” Aegon finished as Aemon listened intently and Aemon seemed to understand so he simply nodded in response.

The day of the ranging came and he knew it was going to be a difficult day from the start. It had always been a part of his plan to kill Benjen, and not just for Benjen’s betrayal of his mother but also for something far more important. However, part of him knew that he may not be able to do the deed when the time came so, Aegon had to make sure he had help from those who were once loyal to his house at the Wall. He only needed for his uncle to unwittingly convince them on his behalf.

Alliser and those he brought with him had all kept a close watch on him the whole trip. Once they arrived at Craster’s he signaled them to stay out of sight but make sure they were close enough to listen as he lured Benjen over to them and then urged him to admit the truth. He kept Benjen’s attention on him the whole time while the others just listened nearby.

When Sir Alliser stepped out in the open and then others lit torches he focused on their faces. Each of them had the look Aegon wanted to see. They were shocked but they were also furious that Benjen had known this truth about him. These men probably would have given anything to have heard these words from Benjen years ago and yet he had kept this truth from them the whole time. Keeping truths hidden was something Starks seem to excel at.

So once the time came, Aegon was the first to strike. He was still his younger self and too small to kill the first ranger of the watch alone, so he settled for wounding him so Benjen would not be able to escape. Then he just stood back to let the others deal with him. Aegon understood that once all these men stepped out from behind the trees what would happen. These men were not stepping out to chastise an oath brother for keeping secrets from them, no they only saw a traitor they wanted dead.

Once the others had officially chosen Aegon’s side by stabbing Benjen, each one repeating the same words as Sir Alliser did, it felt much like an oath swearing ceremony. By killing Benjen these men had proved where their true loyalties were, with him. A man willing to become an oath breaker out of loyalty was worth far more than a man who just kept an oath for his own personal honor. But once Benjen fell, Aegon moved in to finish him because he knew he had to prove himself worthy of such loyalty, no matter his perceived youth.

At first Aegon thought he would not be able to finish Benjen as he stood in front of his dying uncle. For a moment Aegon had to look away as he remembered what uncle Benjen once meant to him when he was just Jon Snow. For a moment he feared he might not be able to do it. Until he heard the name ‘Jon’ spoken from Benjen’s bloody lips.

Hearing that name reminded him of Benjen’s betrayal to his mother and himself. It enraged him beyond words and gave him everything he needed to strike the final blow. He felt his fury burn within him and for the first time since he came back to the past Aegon was not going to hold it back. So instead he unleashed it, and drove his dagger right through Benjen’s heart.  

Aemon’s words held new meaning for him after he saw Benjen’s eyes go empty.

‘Kill the boy and let the man be born’ Aemon once told him.

But now he interpreted those words very differently. Those words now held a new meaning.

Kill Jon Snow and let Aegon Targaryen live

Benjen had been very important to Jon Snow and it felt like with his death Aegon became more himself and less of the Stark façade that was Jon Snow. Benjen was only an enemy to Aegon Targaryen and a traitor to his mother, so he executed him as such.  

There were still a few men of the Nights Watch, who were not Targaryen loyalist, back at Craster’s, but they had all passed the point of no return. Now it was time for his men to begin their service to him.

Looking at the men around him Aegon addressed them all as they stared at him uncertain of what to do.

“Now you all know the truth of who I am, you must know why we are here. I may be only a boy but I am here for something of great importance. Which is why I came to the men who were the most loyal of House Targaryen.” Aegon noticed how they were hanging on his every word now.

 “My name is Aegon Targaryen, the sixth of my name. I did not come here by happenstance. I came here for you. Men who chose loyalty before their lives, before honor, before all things. Our enemies sent you here to the Wall, not to serve the realm, but to suffer, die, and fade from all memory, just like me.” Aegon paused looking closely upon each of their faces as he spoke.

“You all could have chosen to bend the knee to the usurper but instead you chose to take the black rather than side with those who murdered my family. I am here to free all of you from the pain your loyalty has cost you. You have not been forgotten. I now call upon you once again as my ancestors did before me. I seek to become someone worthy of your loyalty. To achieve such an end, I swear to each of you that none of you will ever be left behind to die or fade from memory so long as I live. I swear no enemy or traitor who seeks to destroy us will escape my wrath, no matter who they are, even if they are my own blood.” Aegon said as he pointed to the body of his dead uncle at his feet.

They all looked at each other but only one spoke. “You have no need to ever ask such a thing of us.” Sir Alliser stated. “Your Grace, we are men who bent the knee to the dragons and nothing will ever change that.” Alliser said with such certainty. It was strange to see such an expression on his face.

With those words every man bent the knee almost in unison. Aegon couldn’t honestly tell which of them knelt first or last.

“We are with you Your Grace.” Sir Alliser declared.

“Aye!” the others all said without any sign of hesitation.

“How many other men of the Watch are back at Craster’s Keep?” Aegon asked.

The men before him looked between each other before one of them answered.

“Only four Your Grace.” He said before glancing at Benjen’s body as he continued. “We can bury him out in the woods. No one will…”

But Aegon cut the man off before he could finish.

“They must die.” Aegon suddenly stated.

He could see that some were confused or shocked by his words. Then, another man spoke up.

“We can conceal Stark’s body without having to kill anyone, Your Grace.” The brother stated.

“That is not why they must die. Gowen isn’t it?” Aegon responded while narrowing his view toward the man.

“Yes, Your Grace.” Gowen answered

He had spoken to Alliser along the way and asked the names and backgrounds of all the men Sir Alliser had identified and brought with him as former Targaryen loyalist. In truth there were several hundred that had been sent to the Wall after the rebellion but these were men Alliser knew personally and trusted with such a secret as a hidden Targaryen heir.

When no one responded he saw that he should continue to elaborate further so they understood. He could see that these men here were loyal as none of them were trying to outright object to him but rather they were ignorant of his reasons.

“I came here for you men so that you could help me fulfill my mission to restore house Targaryen. That mission begins tonight with one essential task that must be accomplished here tonight. I cannot complete this task without your aid and killing not only my traitorous uncle here but all those other brothers who are not with us is a part of that task.” Aegon explained even though a few still seemed hesitant, they at least knew he wasn’t asking this of them out of cruelty or madness.

“Alf is back there and he has been my friend for years, Your Grace.” Gowen pleaded.

Aegon understood now why this man was hesitant. Because one of those men was his friend.

“Can Alf be trusted with my identity?” Aegon questioned, although he suspected the answer.

Gowen’s face twisted as he responded as if the very words left a sour taste in his mouth and he let out a long sigh before he replied.

“No, he has never been a man loyal to anything but himself. The man was a thief who would probably sell his own mother for a flagon of Arbor gold. I just always found the man amusing and I at least trusted him not to slit my throat in my sleep, which is more than I can say for some brother of the watch.” Gowen answered.

“Then I will not ask his death of you, for his loyalties make him no less a friend to you. But I will kill him tonight along with the other three, with my own hands if needs be. Because, their loyalties also make them all no less of a threat to me.” Aegon stated firmly.

They had to understand that hard times were ahead of all of them and with them came hard choices. The man to his credit held his gaze on Benjen’s body as he spoke again.

“No, Your Grace. I will see it done. I only ask my brothers here to leave him to me, alone.” Gowen said. They all understood the request so they all nodded in agreement.    

“Then let me explain further why I planned this moment to happen. The first was to find you all and those others sentenced to the Wall, so I could bring you the truth. I planned this moment because my traitorous uncles did their work well in hiding my existence from the world. Executing this traitor was always a part of my plan.” Aegon said as he gestured towards Benjen’s dead body again as he continued.

Aegon observed their reactions as he spoke but he saw no looks that gave him pause nor did any man seem like they would interrupt him. He still had their attention and so he had to keep it.

“My plans here tonight involved three invaluable task and now that the first has been achieved we must continue with the second if any of us are to see the son rise tomorrow. I know that I am young and this is all sudden, but I ask only that you all follow me tonight and I will prove my worth.” Aegon declared and every man showed no sign of doubt as they all nodded.  

But now was the really important moment. He had Alliser and the others bring Benjen’s body back to the Keep. As they approached the remaining men of the Nights Watch walked to meet them.

The closest one raised his arms as he ran closer to them.

“Thank you, brothers. When you said ya’ll were goin’ hunting, I didn’t actually think you would catch anything.” The brother said as he looked at the men carrying Benjen’s body covered in his own cloak.

“Did you bag a dear?” he asked.

“A wolf actually.” Aegon responded. He then turned to the others and nodded.

His men quickly pounced on the four unsuspecting brothers. The first two were killed without hardly any effort since one was to caught off guard to fight back and the other wasn’t armed. The other two managed to draw their swords but the third died quickly enough after his men simply surrounded him. Aegon kept his focus on the last which was only alive because it was Gowen’s friend Alf who Gowen was now locked in a one on one duel. The others still stood by in case Gowen lost, but then he watched the duel unfold before finally Alf was cut down by Gowen’s blade.

They then made their way to the keep where Aegon had them grab Craster and his daughters. Craster was cursing the whole time how he would kill them all as his men tied him up. Aegon’s men had Craster tied to a post in the middle of the keep while they instructed his daughters to gather everything they had because they would be leaving this place for good after tonight.

They were scared the whole time that they might be raped or killed, like the brothers of his past life had done. He even caught sight of little Gilly as they left but he didn’t say anything to her. He felt conflicted about the fact she wouldn’t get raped by her own father but she also would never give birth to her son little Sam.

One of his men did ask why they were letting the women live after killing their former brothers.

“Craster’s daughters have greater value alive than dead.” Aegon, reassured them.  

Aegon ordered them to place Benjen’s body on a table near Craster at the center of the room and bring the bodies of the other brothers inside as well. They all looked curious and confused by his actions but none of them showed any sign of defiance.

“Tonight, I will achieve something that hasn’t be accomplished since before any of us were born.” Aegon declared as he retrieved a bag from his horse.

He opened the bag revealing his mother’s blue dragon egg which he placed in Benjen’s dead hands. Sir Alliser and the others left as Aegon poured some of the ale they brought with them around Benjen’s body as well as the rest of the keep, including a very angry and thrashing Craster, leading a trail out the door where Alliser and his men gathered with Craster’s daughters still scared and huddled together. Aegon felt a little nostalgic in that moment of how he burned the sept in Winterfell. A pleasant memory which helped relax him for what he was about to do.

Aegon took a torch and lit the trail which soon began to engulf the keep. The men were almost as nervous as the women around him now. The watchers on the Wall will see the smoke and send others to see what happened soon. Plus, all of Craster’s daughters were witnesses to their crimes here but he couldn’t worry about that right now. Aegon had something far more important to worry about.

As some of the men whispered, they should leave soon, Aegon kept his focus on the keep until he finally felt it. He had discussed this moment countless times with Briggle. The Children of the Forest were very knowledgeable about magic and sacrifices considering there were stories of ancient blood sacrifices before the weirwoods going back thousands of years.

It was like a tug on his heart pulling him toward the fire and everything else around him felt slightly dull to his senses. With each step toward the keep the feeling became stronger and all else he could sense started dulling even more.

Sir Alliser noticed Aegon as he stepped forward and tried to stop him before he got to close to the burning keep. Aegon looked at him in his eyes and firming told them all.

“All of you men are to do nothing. I have put my faith in you tonight and now I ask for your faith in me now. I am going to show you all the worth of your loyalty and faith. Stand fast and hold firm.” Aegon commanded to all standing before the burning entrance of the keep.

Alliser reluctantly stepped back as Aegon entered the burning keep. The flames didn’t feel hot even as he felt his cloak and clothes catch fire. The heat should have made it difficult for his eyes to see and he should have been choking on the smoke but he wasn’t. He heard the dragon egg humming to him as he neared and there was a light, one he was surprised the others couldn’t see out the door. It was a shining deep blue light coming from the scaled surface of the egg itself. As he approached, Aegon barely noticed the flames blacking and consuming Benjen’s body over the egg’s bright light nor could he hear the still screaming Craster over the strange soothing hum of the dragon egg, which sounded more heavenly then anything he had ever heard.

All he could see, feel, and hear was the dragon egg itself. He grasped hold of it carefully as of it would shatter in his hands and then suddenly it did. The egg shattered into a glowing blue dust and a dark shape fell into his arms as he tightened his grasp on it. The small figure in his arms slowly started to move. The bright blue light had diminished with the blue dust that was once the shell of the egg.

The small creature in Aegon’s arms moved its small tail and stretched its tiny wings which looked white with milky skin along the flaps illuminated by the glow of the fire all around them. The scales which he felt as they touched his hands and wrist were identical to the former deep sapphire of its former shell. Then as it lifted its small head, he saw in the dark of its form, two bright slitted silver eyes open for the first time.

 

 

 

Alliser

Alliser never considered himself much of a believer, so leaps of faith were beyond him. But Alliser had believed in the Targaryens once. As a boy he grew up on the tales and songs of their ancestors along with the great and terrible deeds they accomplished over the years they reigned, which as a boy, always left him in awe. As a man he had dedicated his life to serving them, even with all the terrible things the Mad King had done, he knew Prince Rhaegar would have been a better king than his father was. The way he saw it, the madness of the Targaryens was the cost of the greatness that followed them. Everything in life came with a price and he always figured that the Mad King was the price Westeros had to pay for a greater king like Rhaegar would have been.

Then the usurper and his dogs came and butchered them all. He hated them for killing Rhaegar, his wife, and even the little children. He remembered how Stark called it a crime. But when the time came to prove his worth, the man proved himself worthless. Stark just turned his head and left without any action taken against the usurper, who spat on Rhaegar’s murdered children and called them dragonspawn. The Lannisters had Alliser sent up here to the Wall to rot like all the others who believed in the dragons and refused to bend the knee to traitors and usurpers. Alliser never believed in what they said about Rhaegar raping Lyanna Stark and now his faith in the Targaryens had been rewarded by the arrival of Rhaegar’s son who had come to the Wall hidden in the guise of Lord Stark’s bastard of all things.

The thought now brought a smile to his face, something he had not done in a long time. Alliser naturally didn’t believe the boy at first. But he could never forget the prince’s silver harp. It was one of a kind, a gift from Queen Rhaella. Alliser still remained skeptical even after Snow claimed he could prove it all to him, until they came to Craster’s. He couldn’t stand the old daughter fucking bastard, but once Alliser had heard the truth from Benjen Stark’s own mouth, he felt glad he had taken this one leap of faith.

Alliser witnessed Aegon stab his own uncle Benjen, not like a timid weak boy, but as a man capable of anything. Despite his age the boy showed himself to be intelligent enough to discover the truth Lord Stark hid from him and cunning enough to trick Benjen into confessing it. Aegon also held an aura about him that made him seem wise beyond his years, whilst his character seemed completely unafraid of anything. He hadn’t feared burning that sept in Winterfell, insulting Lord Stark to his face, or even becoming a kinslayer.

All the men Alliser had gathered were former supporters of the Targaryens, all sent like himself, to the Wall to die. Together they all killed that traitorous Stark but let the prince, no the king, strike the final blow. Aegon was the rightful king and one his instincts told him was deserving of loyalty.

Alliser had been filled with fear when the young king burned down the keep with his uncle’s body inside and then proceeded to enter the place with the fire still blazing. He feared the boy might be as mad as Aerys, but they all stayed there watching as the fire continued to burn until they finally saw a figure inside begin to approach the front entrance.

Just as the roof started to collapse, Aegon emerged from the burning keep alive and as far as he could tell, he was amazingly unharmed. He walked out of the flames covered in soot with what was left of his clothes, some of which was still burning on his body. Alliser could see that not a mark or singe was on his skin. Then Alliser saw a living miracle cradled in the boy’s arms as he approached to give Aegon his own cloak.

A dragon.

An actual, living, breathing dragon with dark blue scales, greyish white wings shining from the light of the flames nearby, and glowing silver eyes that gazed up at him. Aegon moved in front of everyone showing them all this living marvel.

Aegon raised the dragon up for all to see. “The dragons live again! What we have done today will never be forgotten and if you follow me, the dragons shall never again fade from this world!” Aegon proudly declared.

Alliser was stunned into silence. Just like a true Targaryen, to leave him in awe.

Craster’s daughters began chanting almost in unison.

“Gift of the gods. Gift of the gods. Gift of the gods.” Louder and louder their voices grew as they all stared at Aegon and his newborn dragon.

All began to drop to their knees to kneel before the first living dragon in over a hundred years. In that moment Alliser felt just like he had when he was a boy, reading tales of the great dragon lords. Now as a man he was living in the middle of a new tale. For the first time in over a decade Sir Alliser Thorne felt himself cry tears of joy, as he smiled proudly before his new lord, his prince, his king.

Notes:

The only spoiler I will give for the next chapter is that it will include a more in depth explanation of why Aegon was able to survive the flames as well as hatch the egg. It just didn't feel right including it at this point.

Chapter 6: The Message

Summary:

Well I am glad to be back at it so lets just get to it.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Aegon

He had to admit that part of him had been worried that the whole thing might have not gone well. Briggle seemed adamant that it all would, and Aegon had to remind himself that the creature may look like a child, but it was certainly far older than him. Briggle never told Aegon its exact age but it always gave him the impression that it could be anywhere centuries to even thousands of years old. He remembered the stories and tales of ancient blood sacrifices to the Old Gods, but Briggle always spoke of them like it either witnessed them personally or perhaps made some of its own.

He remembered when he told Briggle the story about how Dany hatched her own dragons and Briggle had listened intently, although from time to time it would snicker at one point or another, although it never elaborated on what it found amusing. They had planned to hatch the dragon egg his father had gifted his mother from the beginning, before they ever left Winterfell. Hatching the egg and bringing the dragons back into the world was what he and Briggle decided must be the first goal to achieve. All the steps they had made up until this point were all apart of bringing that goal to fruition.

However, the deed wasn’t done yet for there were still many tasks left to be accomplished to ensuring once the dragons were returned to the world that they never left again. But for the time being they had to concern themselves with the one currently cradled in his arms.  Aegon understood it would be a process but with one would soon come others and then one day their numbers would be countless. His ancestors had made many mistakes with their own dragons in the past, and he was dedicated to reshaping the future in the hopes that those same mistakes wouldn’t be repeated. However, one thing people often do is disappoint, so he had to be prepared for the possibility that if someone might repeat the mistakes of the past, he would hopefully be able to establish the necessary safeguards to keep the dragons from ever getting as close to extinction as they are now. But in the meantime, he just had to wait while the next phase of his plan began to unfold on its own.

They had still been camped near Castor’s and the sun was starting to come up and he could feel what little warmth it offered as he sat out in a clearing among the snows and trees. His dragon was nuzzled in his arms and from what he could tell it was sleeping soundly. He had to admit that the little creature was truly a beautiful sight, more so in the light of day than it was to look at illuminated by the flames of the fire. He still couldn’t explain the light he saw coming from the egg or why none of the others among his company could not see it themselves. It had been so bright it outshined all the flames burning throughout the keep. He was glad to be away from Crastor’s daughters since they hadn’t stopped staring at him and his dragon this whole time. Then he heard the ruffling in the bushes and watched another creature step into the light.

“Done, done the deed be done.” Briggle stated joyously.

Then it hopped up to where Aegon sat and looked down at the little sleeping dragon. There were times when the creature had no sense of personal boundaries and now was one of those times. Briggle and Aegon were inches from each other while Briggle tilted its head observing the dragon snooze all the while smiling its own toothy smile. It looked so pleased, as if it had been the one to walked through fire.

“It actually worked, although I have to admit I had doubts, up until I felt . . .. whatever it was that drew me in.” Aegon said.

“T’was she that you felt. So, thee came to her call as she sang her song.” Briggle answered as it turned it’s gaze on Aegon. But Aegon kept his focus on the dragon he held as he replied.

“She? I thought dragons were supposed to be neutral to genders. At least that’s what some of the books said with them either having no set gender or being a combination of both.” Aegon inquired as he turned to Briggle before continuing. “I always thought they were like your race in that way, since I have never been certain if you were male, female, or neither.” Aegon finished explaining.

He was always curious to know more about the Children of the Forest but Briggle always avoided the subject by calling his questions a distraction from their objectives. So Aegon had come to learn they only way to get information out of Briggle about its own kind was if it had to do with their own mission or if he could somehow trick the creature to giving up bits here and there.

Briggle betrayed no emotion as it stared into Aegon’s eyes. Then suddenly it raised its hands covering its mouth and closed its eyes. Briggle started giggling like a girl until finally it burst into full laughter while pointing its clawed finger right at Aegon’s face.

“Silly, silly Dragon! Among the we, Briggle be a he, whilst little one in silly Dragon’s arms be a she. See?” Briggle grinningly spoke to Aegon as if it was the most obvious thing. “And she be a pretty little one, that she be.”   

Aegon could not but agree but he had learned over the past few years that Briggle despite his kind looking like children were far older and wiser than any human. But that was a big help considering it was Briggle who helped him decipher how Dany hatched her own dragons. Briggle had seemed confident the whole time after Aegon had told him the story that they would be able to hatch the egg that Rhaegar gifted Lyanna. 

Briggle quickly looked away to the woods and even his dragon perked her head up too which made him curious.

“What is it?” Aegon asked. Briggle turned back to him while raising his finger to his lips and whispered.

“Shhhh . . . one of the new flock coming now. Old flock comes soon.” Briggle quickly moved away to hide himself among the trees.

“Don’t go far. The time has come.” Aegon stated. Briggle made his way up a tree but he looked annoyed by Aegon’s words even though they had already spoken about what was coming next.

He didn’t have to wait long before he heard the footsteps in the snow of the man approaching and he was pretty certain he knew who it was.

 

 

 

 

Alliser

 

He saw his young king walk away while the rest of the lads had stayed back at the camp, they had set up near Craster’s burning cinder of a keep. He knew the boy was strong for his age, but he wasn’t willing to take chances on losing him after they had just found him. His grace had told them to set up a knew camp that was in a clearing where they could see anyone coming from any direction. Some of the others were nervous as to what we were all going to do next or how we were going to explain what happened. Some had already decided that they should just lay the blame on some wildings who raided Craster and killed Benjen along with the others.

Their concerns had been further increased since they had been followed by Craster’s daughters, and one of them was close to birthing another inbred welp. The whole thing made him want to just send them on their way, but his grace had them make a place for them in the camp. He was thankful the men with him weren’t the kind to take liberties with women but that still didn’t mean they wouldn’t be a problem. But right now, his main concern was protecting Aegon, so the damned wildlings and the Nights Watch could sort themselves out. He made his way to the king and he knew he would have his dragon with him since he hadn’t let it out of his sight since it hatched.

He spotted Aegon sitting on a rock holding his dragon in the sun while he approached, but he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of anyone that might be nearby.

“Your Grace! You should not be out here on your own. There are a number of dangers in this forest.” Alliser said loudly as he walked up next to Aegon.

I don’t want to sound like I’m scolding him, since no matter the boy’s age he is still a king. However, I can’t have the king’s safety left to chance.  

Aegon didn’t even glance his way, but just kept gently petting the dragon which seemed quite content, at least as long as no one came to close to the king. The dragon was like a cat, happily purring while Aegon held it, but as soon as anyone came anywhere near him the thing hissed with anger, baring its’ fangs while its spines stuck straight up. Those eyes looked like a pair of shining stars when it gazed up at Aegon, but they blazed like flames made of pure silver at all others. The thing was clearly protective which Alliser was most glad for, but a new baby dragon was still not enough protection for his liking.

Aegon seem to ignore Alliser’s last statement as he looked up at him to speak. “How is everyone faring back at camp Sir? Any problems?”

“No problems yet, but some of the lads are wondering why we haven’t moved on yet considering the Watch will be sending someone soon to look for us. If they didn’t see the fire, they will certainly have spotted the smoke by now.” Alliser explained even though Aegon remained calm and unfazed.

“Good. We are going to need them for what comes next Sir. The Lord Commander and some more brothers will soon be here.” Aegon simply stated.

He quickly turned away from their surroundings and gave his full attention to Aegon. “What makes you say that? Why would the Lord Commander be with them, and how could you know that Your Grace?” Alliser inquired nervously.

“Because before we left Benjen spoke with the Lord Commander about this ranging. The short version is that Commander Mormont promised my uncle that if he received word of anything out of the ordinary happening, then he would personally lead a support force.” Aegon explained.

Alliser looked at Aegon with a confused expression so he continued on further.

“Benjen felt like something was off before we left, so Mormont got some reinforcements ready just in case he was right, and I had an ally sitting in on the meeting.” Aegon finished.

Recognition dawned on him, at those words. “Maester Aemon helped arrange this?” Alliser stated more than asked. His grace just nodded in response.

“Yes, and my other ally who is out here with us just confirmed it. They should be here sometime today. By the way, how are Craster’s daughters.” Aegon asked.

He didn’t even want to think about the bunch of wildling bitches, but he was concerned when his grace said he had another ally out here that Sir Alliser was unaware of.

“The lot of them keep pestering us for this or that, since one of them is about to give birth soon but otherwise they are making do by themselves. I think we should send them on their way as soon as possible Your Grace.” Alliser advised, but since Aegon only grinned but didn’t speak Alliser continued.

“When Commander Mormont and the others get here, it will be best if we have a set story about what happened at Craster’s. The men have suggested a wildling attack and this ally you spoke of might need to be brought in before they arrive to be safe.” Alliser finished speaking.

To Alliser, Aegon always remained so calm and collected without anything seeming to faze him. He had never seen such internal strength and resolve in some full-grown men, let alone in a young boy with the weight of being a king on the run from a usurper.

“You can come on out Briggle.” Aegon spoke with a raised voice.

Alliser looked in the same direction as Aegon and was shocked to see, not a person but some kind of monster drop down from the trees. He immediately drew his sword as he jumped in front of his king, he was a breath away from cutting it in two when he was stopped.

“Don’t bother Sir.” Aegon stated. “Briggle is much faster than he looks and I’d rather neither of my allies kill each other since I will be needing you both for the foreseeable future.”

It looked small like a kid, but it had skin that was hard and grey with hair that looked more like it was made of tree roots and moss. It had hands and feet that looked more like claws and it had the most eerie smile filled with sharp little teeth. At first glance he was certain this thing had to be some type of demon from one of the seven hells, so he kept his sword pointed straight at it to be sure it kept its distance.

“Among the new flock, this one be the most nervous in the lot.” Briggle spoke as he calmly approached.

The fact that this thing could speak was a great shock to him since, he still had not come to terms with the fact that it was even standing in front of him. He felt frozen with his sword still raised, uncertain as to whether or not he should kill it where it stood, but he held his ground while keeping his vigilance.

“I know it may be difficult to accept but Briggle here is none other than one of the Children of the Forrest. I have known him for the past few years, and he has been a big help to getting me here.” Aegon spoke getting Alliser’s attention. “It was him who helped me hatch this dragon here and without him both me and her may die soon.”

Alliser whipped his head in Aegon’s direction with a concerned look covering his face.

“This dragon here is descended from the same dragons that hailed from Old Valyria. Amazing and strong beasts, but they are naturally accustomed to such environments like volcanic and warm lands. But the lands here in the North with its summer snows and especially the lands beyond the wall are not lands that any dragon would survive for any long periods, particularly a newborn.” Aegon elaborated.

He lowered his sword as his concerns about the Child of the Forrest in front of him all but disappeared as they were now overshadowed that the living miracle that he had witnessed coming into the world might die.

“Dragons are fire made flesh, but they are not accustomed to the cold and so places like this where winter is at its strongest are a danger to them. A full-grown dragon would be strong enough to survive but they would still never be as strong here as they could be in lands that are more forgiving.” Aegon said as he looked down to his dragon.

“Then we must leave the North immediately Your Grace. We could head straight to East Watch and use one of the ships to get us south. The last anyone heard of your remaining family was that they were in hiding somewhere in Essos.” Alliser offered.

Then, the thing Aegon called ‘Briggle’ suddenly swung in front of his face somehow hanging upside down and looking right in his eyes.

“AAHHHHH!” Alliser shouted as he fell back landing on his ass in the cold snow.

Grinning and giggling the thing was hanging at the end of a branch by its feet. He didn’t even notice when it moved out of the snow and up the tree, nor did he know how it was hanging there without the small branch snapping.

“HA! Very nervous crow, see?” Briggle said as it turned its head towards Aegon who only seemed amused by his antics.

It turned back to him and continued. “Pretty she’s flames not enough. Briggle here to fix.”

Briggle then lowered its hand down to Aegon and handed him something, although from Alliser’s view he couldn’t make out what it was. It then lowered down and patted the dragon on its head and much to his surprise, the dragon didn’t so much as twitch at Briggle’s touch. In that moment he was suddenly struck at the scene before him.

The only Targaryen born of house Stark’s bloodline, with the first dragon seen in over a century in his arms, and a Child of the Forrest no less, which most didn’t believe in anymore. All three were beings that most thought were dead or had never existed, and yet here they all were right in front of him. He wondered how this moment could be possible.

“Steady your nerves Sir. I am going to explain what we have to do to protect her.” Aegon gestured to his dragon as he spoke. “Tonight, we are going to steal something very dangerous and very powerful. But once we have it, she will be able to survive here.”

 

 

 

Jeor

 

He had to admit he didn’t want Benjen to have been right about his suspicions. Benjen had always been a dedicated brother and he was one of the few men he knew he could count on here on the Wall. He had a bad feeling ever since Benjen and the others had left. Sir Alliser had always been a real miserable bastard ever since he met him, but he could not doubt the man’s skill which was in short supply within the Nights Watch. But Benjen said that he suspected the man was up to something even though he had no thoughts on what it could be, but Jeor knew he could trust Benjen’s instincts.

Once word from on top the Wall came that they saw a fire and a big one too just north of the Wall, Jeor immediately went topside to check and his stomached turned once he realized it was in the same area where Craster’s Keep was located. It wasn’t just some campfire either and that was a problem, so he gave the word to get his brothers ready to move out at first light. He just hoped that whatever happened, they wouldn’t be too late.

The march was relatively easy and there had been no signs of ambush or attacks anywhere they looked. The scouts he sent out finally caught sight of Crastor’s Keep and to his dismay the place had been burnt to the ground, but they also spotted a camp with their fellow brothers nearby, so they made their way. He just hoped Benjen was well enough to give him some answers about what happened.

As they approached the camp, they noticed that the brothers there seemed more on edge as they got closer. He had expected them to be more relieved now that they had arrived, but their unease made him worried. He scanned the area of the camp, but he couldn’t see Benjen anywhere and then he spotted Sir Alliser approaching him.

“Alliser! We came as soon as we could after we saw the smoke from Crastor’s. What happened? Where is Benjen?” Jeor said, loudly for everyone to hear.

“Lord Commander. Stark is not here.” Alliser said without any emotion on his face.

That was not welcome news. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

“What happened Alliser?!” yelled Jeor.

Alliser didn’t respond at all but just turned to look behind him. Out from the tent walked Benjen’s bastard nephew along with two brothers on either side of him. The way they moved appeared like they were the boy’s personal bodyguards which seemed confusing to him.

“My uncle is gone Lord Commander. You see, something came out of the woods and killed Craster. My uncle saw it, but he said he couldn’t tell what it was. He and a few other brothers left to chase after it and he told us to stay here until they returned. He said they should all be back soon.” The boy explained.

He was glad Benjen would be returning soon but he still didn’t find the news about Craster welcoming. That old man had been the kind of man that gave bastards a bad name, yet he had been an asset to the rangers for some time.

He turned back to the brothers that had made the journey from Castle Black. “Well lads that’s us here for the night. Fall out and set up camp and get me some scouts ready to walk a perimeter immediately.” Jeor commanded.

“Where did the fire come from? Our watchers on top the Wall saw smoke coming from this area.” Jeor asked as he turned his attention back to Sir Alliser.

“Craster’s um . . . daughters chose to burn it with his body inside after they gathered their own belongings Lord Commander.” Sir Alliser responded.

Jeor narrowed his eyes at Sir Alliser as he considered his words.

“They just burned down their own home? Then what? They just walked off into the forest?” Jeor questioned.

Alliser shook his head and sighed. “I wish Lord Commander, but they are over there.” Alliser pointed over to a group of tents within the camp. “Apparently one of them is close to birthing so they won’t be going anywhere until afterwards. We were commanded to allow them to stay here with us for the time being.” Alliser elaborated.

Jeor nodded. “Very well then, they can stay if that’s what Benjen said. We’ll decide about them after Benjen, and the others return but I want you to personally make sure our brothers act appropriately with them around. Too many of the men here were former rapist and we don’t need distraction and problems to arise, understand Sir.” Jeor stated as Alliser only nodded in return.

He walked past Alliser and toward the bastard boy who he knew as Benjen’s nephew.

“I am sorry we haven’t had a chance to meet before now. Your Lord Stark’s son. Its Jon Snow isn’t it?” Jeor asked.  He noticed that even though the boy didn’t move or give away anything on his face other than a slight tense in the boy’s jaw Jeor could since the boy probably had reserves about being a bastard which he could understand.

“You can call me that Lord Commander.” The boy stated simply.

For some reason Jeor felt very unsettled in front of this boy although he couldn’t tell why. He had heard about the boy’s actions back at Winterfell and in truth he had been more shocked by Ned’s actions than those of his nephew. House Mormont has always been proud to count itself among one of House Stark’s most loyal bannermen. The fact that Ned could have done what this boy had accused him of, and in such a public manner, had been a big surprise to many.

Until now he didn’t think the boy would cause any kind of problems since Benjen had given his personal assurances. But now he couldn’t help shaking this feeling that this boy had something to do with what had happened. He burned down the sept at Winterfell then he goes on his first ranging from the Wall even though he hasn’t sworn his vows and now Craster is dead, and his keep has been burned down.

Another thing that Jeor found discomforting was that he realized that while Jon Snow seemed as cool as the snow beneath their feet, the men who were standing around him all seemed unusually tense. He had even noticed Alliser was still standing right behind him and for some reason these men all had a hand resting over their weapons like they were expecting an attack.

“Was there something else Alliser?” Jeor asked as he looked over his shoulder.

“No Lord Commander. I . . . uh I’ll go assist out brothers in settling in.” Alliser almost stuttered in response. Jeor noticed the man seemed nervous about something.

He noticed how Alliser looked to Snow, and the boy nodded to which Sir Alliser then turned to leave. It almost looked like he was given permission to go. 

What was that about?  

Jeor then turned his full attention back to Snow.

“Well, did your uncle happen to mention anything of note before he left? Like when he might return for instance?” Jeor questioned.

Snow tilted his head as he responded. “We should see something of note tonight Lord Commander.”

He nodded at the boy and turned to make sure they were prepared by sundown. As he walked away, he turned back to Snow who was entering his own tent but the two men who stood behind him open the flap for him and then both took up positions outside like a pair of sentries. He wondered why they would be guarding him like that but then he looked around and while the men he brought with him seemed normal as they began setting things up, the men who had already been here appeared different. He felt like they had all been observing him while he was talking with Snow, but they were clearly trying to hide it.

What had that boy done to garner such attentions? These men were all acting completely different from when they first left on this ranging. He silently hoped that Benjen could provide some insight once he returned.

 

 

Alliser

 

For one of the few times since he took the black, he was actually feeling grateful for the cold. If he was wearing white in a warmer climate anyone would have seen him sweating through his clothes. He knew that his grace was safe with their men guarding him, but he couldn’t help feeling uneasy about playing this game with the Lord Commander. Jeor never struck him as the smartest man but Alliser knew he wasn’t a fool. It would be only a matter of time before he realized something was wrong, but his grace had said that they only needed to keep up this charade until morning.

His Grace hadn’t said what was going to happen after night fall, but he did mention something about the wilding girl who was giving birth would be crucial, which struck him as odd. The boy seemed to know things that were simply beyond anyone to know. But then again, Aegon had somehow found and apparently befriended a Child of the Forrest, however the hell that happened. The boy had literally walked through fire and hatched a dragon egg, the first in over a century. So Alliser felt obliged to continue to give the boy his faith, and hope that perhaps he knew what he was doing.

Aegon looked nothing like a traditional Targaryen but the way the boy acted reminded him of the stories he read about King Daeron I, The Young Dragon. Daeron was the youngest king ever to take the thrown and he led the successful conquest of Dorne without the aid of dragons. The boy had been considered a prodigy and Alliser was beginning to think perhaps Aegon might be one too. He felt determined to make sure that Daeron’s fate wouldn’t be Aegon’s. Besides unlike The Young Dragon, Aegon has a real dragon to aide his conquest of not just one kingdom, but all of them.

The night air filled his lungs as he made his way toward the tent which held the wildling women, they brought from Craster’s, although in his opinion they should have just left the wildlings behind. He figured that Aegon had a soft spot for helping the poor women, but he was more worried about keeping their secret from the rest of the brothers of the Watch. He had been considering how they would keep the king safe once his dragon started to grow or once the others realized Benjen and the others weren’t coming back.

Alliser understood that secrecy was paramount and so he had been considering on whether they should attempt a secret desertion from the Night’s Watch. He and his men could get themselves to East watch by the Sea easily and he knew the perfect captain of one of the Watch’s ships to get them out of the North. Once out of Westeros they would have to figure out where to go from there, but he felt confident they could protect the boy until he was old enough to make his bid for the throne. He suddenly stopped and felt a sharp and chilling wind break him from his thoughts.

He suddenly realized that the ideas of killing men he called brothers of the Watch and now the thoughts of becoming an oath breaker didn’t seem to bother him as much as he thought they would. Before he always thought himself a true knight that would stick to his word. But in truth the appearance of the king showed him that he was still a true knight keeping his oaths and honor by doing anything to protect his king. He felt like a better man who would now have the chance to be apart of a more worthy cause and he felt indebted to Aegon for coming here when he could have gone anywhere else for aide.

He had to hand it to his king for his choice considering there were at least a couple hundred men who were sent to the watch after the fall of the Targaryens. He didn’t know many of those men, but he did know that most if not all of them would give anything to take up the cause of the dragon banner again. The best part is they wouldn’t have to feel less honorable for doing so considering like him, they had all taken oaths to house Targaryen long before being forced to swear themselves to the Wall. He suddenly felt the same chilling wind hit him again and this time it was even colder, so he pulled his cloak closer as he got to the women’s tent guarded by a couple of men the Lord Commander had placed around them to keep any of the rapers among them from getting any ideas.

He could tell from the quiet, that the woman had finally finished giving birth and stopped making such a ruckus. He made his way in, but the women all had different expressions from scared to sad and a couple including the new mother among them had tears in their eyes. He thought perhaps the babe might have been lost in the birth until he heard it whimpering in the arms of its mother who was weeping as she held it. He didn’t care much about any wildlings, but he had to admit the whole lot of them were being strange.

“I was sent to check on you lot.” Alliser announced.

They all barely even acknowledged he was there. Then the girl holding the babe suddenly lifted her head looking at him. Her face was covered in tears and she looked at him in a way he didn’t understand.

“Lord Crow? Please, can he really save him? The gods sent him, didn’t they?” The girl was almost pleading at him.

He frowned as he looked at her in confusion since he had no idea what she was talking about. So, he decided to move on quickly.

“I don’t know what you mean. I’m only here because the boy asked me to check in on you all and he wanted me to tell you all to stay inside this tent tonight, no matter what. Considering the things some of those men outside have done to women in the past, I’d listen to him.” Alliser relayed his king’s message, even though his concern wasn’t for the women’s safety but rather for his king if any of these women spoke about what happened at Craster’s.

“But he promised that I would have a son. He said that you all would make sure I got to keep him. He said the gods sent him to save my boy. That we wouldn’t have to lose any more of our boys. Its’ true isn’t it?” The woman spoke, to loudly for his comfort.

“Listen here girl, I don’t know what you are on about. All I can promise you is that if any of you lot endanger that boy out there,” He spoke quietly as he pointed back to Aegon’s tent. “I will make sure you all will have wished we had left you to burn in the keep with your damned father. Understand?”

They all looked scared of him but none of them spoke, they all just nodded silently which was just fine by him. He turned to leave but as soon as he stepped outside the tent, he was struck again by the wind which only seemed to be getting colder and blowing stronger by the minute. Alliser wondered if a storm might be approaching as he walked over to Aegon’s tent and one of their men approached him.

“Alliser, Lord Snow asked me to give this to you once you got back.” The guard stated as he held out a note to him.

He wondered why Aegon was sending him a message when Alliser was standing right in front of Aegon’s tent. He read the note and was immediately shocked.

No! He wouldn’t be so foolish.

He rushed past the guard and inside the tent to find exactly what the note had said was true. The tent was empty and Aegon along with his dragon were both gone.

Dammit!

 

 

Aegon

 

He was watching from his perch in a tree that overlooked their camp, and he was sure Alliser would be pissed after he read that note he left. He slipped away after he ordered Alliser to check on Craster’s daughters. The men were already showing themselves to be overprotective of him, although considering that after finding out that he existed, they watched him literally walk-through fire might have been a factor. Still there were going to be many situations where he was going to be in danger and as much as he appreciated their loyalty he was not going to be coddled. They were going to have to learn to trust him to fight his own battles.

“Cold and quiet, they come.” Briggle whispered from a branch near him.

He knew his men were confused about keeping the women with them since we knew Lord Commander Mormont and the others would show up. Especially since anyone of those women could out them for killing Benjen and hatching his dragon. He knew it was a big risk, but he was confident that they wouldn’t since he spoke with them while they had waited for Mormont to arrive. He claimed to them that he had been sent by the gods to save their sister’s soon to be born son and ensure that if the women had anymore sons in the future, they would not be sacrificed to the White Walkers.

The women seemed almost certain of his words after witnessing him burn their father and emerge from the flames with a newborn dragon. From the moment he and Briggle had arrived at the wall, Briggle went North several times to watch Craster and he informed him the moment one of the daughters was about to give birth to a son. He had no idea how Briggle could tell the girl was having a son, but he trusted the creature enough to take the chance. As much as he felt bad for doing it, the newborn babe was the perfect bait for his next target.

He watched Sir Alliser read his instructions and despite the look on his face the man followed them and threw his note into the nearest fire just as he had written. Watching as Alliser gathered up his loyal men and moved to surround the tent holding the women brought a smile to his face. Everything was going as he planned, and he closed his eyes to feel the freezing cold wind blowing through the trees. For the past few moments, it had been getting colder since the sun went down and the wind had been picking up from the direction of the North.

He could tell that his prey was close, even without Briggle’s warnings. He waited patiently as he watched his men stand guard surrounding the women’s tent and the rest of Commander Mormont’s men on watch were trying to gather more wood to feed their fires while the ones not on post were concealing themselves in their own tents from the cold. He stood vigilant with his weapon at the ready waiting for what he knew was approaching, until finally there was a scream from the forest. 

Aegon turned toward the sound of what he was sure had been one of the sentries posted nearby. Now that his prey was this close, he needed to get ready, so he gently took his dragon cradled in his arms and began to move her since he was going to need his hands free. She screeched at Briggle as he began to hand her over, but he made sure to sooth her enough to except being held by someone else without being too loud. He certainly felt worried about having her here but there was little else he could do.

Commander Mormont came running with others moving towards the sound of the scream. He could see him calling the men over to him to investigate. Aegon picked his weapon up and waited until the time would be right while he observed the scene below him. He glanced over to the tent where Craster’s daughters were and he was glad to see all his men surrounded the tent, because as long as they stayed there, they would be safe. The wind was really blowing hard now, and he felt the cold biting at the exposed skin on his face.

Then he saw it approaching from the woods and he wasn’t the only one. The brothers with Mormont were gathered near the perimeter of their camp and they were all staring at the same thing Aegon was.

“Who goes there?” Mormont shouted at the lone figure walking toward them.

The only sounds heard in return were the cold winds whistling through the trees as it continued to advance slowly.

“Men of the Watch, draw your weapons.” Mormont firmly commanded as the figure walked close enough to be seen in the light of their fires.

It looked like a man, but its hair was bone white and its skin was as white as the snow around it with the coldest pale blue eyes that glowed brighter than the flames illuminating its form.

Finally. The White Walker has come, and the trap is set. Just a little closer and he’s mine. Aegon thought as he watched the Walker continue towards them.

Mormont and the others were standing their ground with their swords drawn but he could see they were scared. If Mormont had Longclaw with him, he might have been worried, but Aegon had learned from Uncle Aemon how the man hadn’t used it once since his son fled Westeros. Aemon said it brought up too many bad memories for Jeor which is probably why the man had been so willing to give it up in their past. But that mistake was going to work to Aegon’s benefit now.

Mormont charged straight at the Walker as his men flanked him, raising his great sword high above his head and brought it down right on top of the Walker. But then the walker raised its pale hand catching the blade in its grip and despite how strong the old bear was Aegon knew that the Walkers were stronger than men. Within seconds the blade froze, cracked and shattered into a dozen pieces freezing everyone right in their tracks.

Then with one swing the walker hit Mormont with such force that he flew off his feet and was knocked away like he was nothing but a fly being swatted. Despite the initial shock the others sprang into action attacking the walker from all sides, the first man struck it from behind at it’s lower back with his sword, but it did no good. Before his sword could shatter the walker spun backhanding the man across his face and Aegon watched some of the man’s teeth and blood fly from his mouth as he hit the ground.

The two that followed weren’t as lucky as they attempted to attack together but the walker just reached out and snatched both men by the neck lifting them off the ground. They both kept slashing and stabbing at it with their swords the whole time, but they might as well have been striking a giant iceberg. Their weapons were no use against that thing, and it knew it too, which is why it just kept walking slowly forward while still carrying the two men kicking and stabbing by their necks.

Finally, Aegon heard the unmistakable snap of both men’s necks as the walker quickly tightened its fist crushing both men’s throats along with the bones within. After it dropped the lifeless bodies, he saw their faces both partially frozen with white frost. Aegon guessed that the damned thing was probably done toying with them all after it grabbed one of its would-be attackers by his sword arm and then placed its other hand over the man’s chest. Aegon heard the man gasp his last breath as the walker turned him into a solid frozen statue.

The walker swung the man frozen to death around like a whip and then threw him straight at the others. Unfortunately, they were to clumped together so when the frozen body hit them, they all toppled over as the frozen man’s cloak along with one of his arms shattered from the impact. There were still a few other brothers close by but after what they had just seen they were keeping their distance, just to afraid to attack. Two of them at the back had already run off probably taking their chances to get back to the Wall, while the walker made its way toward its target. The only thing between it and its prize was Aegon’s own men and a bunch of frightened women.

However, once the others stopped attacking, they gave Aegon the space he needed to make his move. The walker was now only about ten feet from his men who were still bravely holding their ground. He tightened his grip on his bow and lifted it up as he drew back the arrow he had locked. Aegon calmly took aim as he breathed in drawing the bowstring back. Then he slowly let out his breath a second before he let the arrow fly.

 

 

Alliser

 

Every time he thinks he’s seen enough to know what world he’s living in he gets a view of something else that makes him question everything. First his king came out of hiding to reveal himself to them, next that same boy walks through fire to hatch a newborn dragon, and if that wasn’t enough in the span of one day, he had met a Child of the Forrest and was now looking at none other than a fuckin’ White Walker.

If I manage to keep my sanity after today’s events it will be a fucking miracle.

The thing walked slowly like a man, but he could tell the second he saw it that it wasn’t human. Its white skin looked as if the thing was carved out of ice itself, like a piece of the wall itself just decided to go for a walk in the woods. Aegon said something was coming and if he told him Alliser wouldn’t have believed him, and the boy was dead right about that. He still could barely believe it now and he was watching it walk right at them.

When Commander Mormont was knocked aside like he was nothing, Alliser knew if Aegon’s plan didn’t work they were all fucked. The closer to them it got the more brutal the fight became as each of the men who came to fight it were being thrown around like a bunch of cats pawing at a bear. Aegon’s instructions had told them to gather around and guard the wilding women but make no moves to attack. He had to tell several of their little band to stay put while the other brothers who followed Mormont into the fray were either beaten down, frozen to death, or frozen by their own fear.

Given what he had witnessed he couldn’t blame the men who fled or were currently hiding, especially considering he was a breath away from ordering his men to do the same. It was clear they could not hope to defeat this thing so a retreat would be the best option. His Grace had not elaborated on what his thing wanted from the wildlings but at this point Alliser was far from caring. The only reason he was still standing a dozen or so paces from this monster was the faith he had found in his new king.

He could tell the others around him were the same, since they met Aegon they had witnessed miracles only talked about in songs and stories. Alliser figured if the wonders from those stories were real then that meant the monsters had to be real as well since he was looking one right in its demonic blue eyes. The frozen face and cold eyes looked like death itself had decided to pay a visit and there was no escaping it. Alliser was gripping his sword tight and preparing to defend himself however he could with every step the monster made but he didn’t know what chance they stood.

Suddenly Alliser saw something small fly right out of the darkness from behind the creature approaching them and it made contact right at the thing’s left leg. Something thin and black somehow pierced right through its left knee and Alliser observed how not only did it stop right in it’s tracks but for the first time since it walked out of the woods, he saw its face take on an actual expression of shock. It looked down at what Alliser could tell now was an arrow with an ordinary wooden shaft but what was odd was the arrowhead didn’t look castle forged or even made of metal. The thing looked more like some kind of black stone carved into a point and unless his eyes were playing tricks on him the arrowhead also appeared to be slightly glowing.  

Alliser covered his ears as the walker in front of them made the most horrifying scream he had ever heard. Its leg started to change almost like it was going from a thick ice to a thin glass which only seem to make the creature shriek in pain from what he could tell. Then Alliser witnessed a form in the darkness drop down from a tree behind the creature and started to approach them. He could tell immediately it was Aegon holding a bow in his hand and an arrow in the other which the boy quickly locked and drew back.

When Aegon loosed his second arrow it struck the Walker in its right shoulder piercing straight through to its chest. The area where the second arrow was now lodged began to change just the same as it’s leg which was now completely glassed over. The Walker seemed now unable to move the parts of its body that were changing yet it’s screams only worsened. But Alliser could tell they weren’t just screams of pain anymore but of anger as it twisted its waste to look back at its attacker.

It appeared like it was more roaring at Aegon now rather than screaming from his arrows. Aegon held his hand up for them to remain where they were as he walked around and stood not two feet in front of the walker. The boy had no fear or hesitation while everyone else around him including himself was petrified.

“I don’t have much time, so I’ll keep this quick. I know you can see me through this creature of yours.” Aegon spoke to the slowly changing monster in front of them as it’s body now was not just changing but starting to crack like it was moments from falling apart.

“I know it has been a long time since you’ve looked at a face of the living and bothered to remember since it’s usual your face, that is a herald of death for the living.” Aegon continued to speak while the creature’s screams went silent, and its eyes fixated on the boy in front of it.

“Now I want you to remember this face from the living” Aegon said pointing to himself. “For every time you see it, it will be a harbinger for your destruction.” 

The sudden silence was replaced with a final shriek as the thing tried to lunge its body forward at Aegon. That moment he and his men all charged forward it hopes to protect the king. But as soon as they had taken their first steps Aegon quickly drew back a third arrow and planted it right through the creature’s mouth and out the back of its head. It then turned into a statue of ice for a moment and then shattered into nothing but a pile of snow covering three arrows.

Aegon kneeled down to quickly collect his arrows and returned them to the quiver beneath his cloak, while Alliser and the others stepped forward to check to see he was not harmed.

Damned boy is definitely mad, or fearless, or hells maybe he’s both! Then again, at this point he should count himself as mad at this point.

“Snow!” Commander Mormont bellowed nearby. The man was using another man’s sword to help himself stand while he just stared at Aegon.

Mormont limped closer to them, but he seemed unsure of what to say which Alliser could certainly understand.

“How?... How did you?” Mormont asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

Aegon looked at the Commander with such a confused expression on his face as if he didn’t understand the question.

“How what Commander? I was just making use of my dragon glass Commander.” Aegon stated.

Even Alliser was confused at this point. He didn’t know what game the boy was playing.

“Dragon glass? Snow what are you…?” Mormont began to ask.

“Sir Alliser sent me to go take up a position to help guard the camp if anything should attack like a grumpkin, snark, or any White Walkers after I showed him my dragon glass weapons.” Aegon said as he gave a pointed look to Alliser that made it clear, Aegon wanted him to play along.

“I honestly never dreamed I’d get to kill a White Walker myself on my first ranging. After all Sir Alliser said that the brothers of the watch usually don’t get to kill such creatures until after at least three rangings.” Aegon stopped and turned to him pulling something from his belt. “I forgot, you said you lost your own weapon Sir on the way here, so you can borrow mine.”

Aegon spoke with such earnest on his young face like lies were second nature to him, but Alliser soon understood where this was going now, so he started playing his part. Aegon then handed him what he could see now was a dagger carved from what looked like a black stone with a dark mirror shine.

“Yes Snow, thankyou now you should go check on the women and tell them how you heroically saved them by slaying that monster.” Alliser said.

He caught sight of Aegon smirking as he walked away towards the wildling girls’ tent. When he turned back to the Lord Commander, he could tell why the boy had been grinning. The looks on all the other men’s’ faces were priceless.

“Alliser what in the hell was that about?” Mormont demanded.

“Lord Commander the boy has been going on about stories he was told back at Winterfell since we left the Wall, also how he hoped that he could slay the monsters that live North of the Wall like the rest of us men of the Nights Watch.” Alliser began. “Apparently all the tales and songs they tell up here in the North for children, Snow actually believes they were true. So, me and a few of the lads here started to get a good laugh out of humoring him when he asked us about how to kill grumpkins and when snarks come out to eat.”

The Lord Commander and all the others were looking at him with complete astonishment but since no one spoke he decided he needed to continue on until he was sure they believed the shit he was shoveling for them. But he was saved when one of his men spoke up.

“Lord Commander we were just having a go with the boy, when he showed us the weapons and acted like he was prepared to kill monsters, we used it to keep him busy and to have a good laugh at his expense. We never actually thought that any of those tales were true.” The man stated.

“Are you all fuckin’ having a go at me now?!” Jeor yelled at them, but they stayed silent. “So, you lot are telling me that the reason we are all still alive right now is because that boy believed all the stories his wet nurse told him growing up?”

They all just stood there in awkward silence for a few moments while Mormont looked around for someone to dispute him, but no one did.

Jeor sighed heavily shaking his head before he spoke. “You do know that if the boy does swear his vows to become a brother of the watch, he’ll never let us forget this. He’s going to be laughing at our expense for the rest of our lives either way now.”

Alliser released a breath he had been holding and relaxed his shoulders. He had to admit he couldn’t believe that actually worked.

“Well, I do believe I need to have a word with Snow about all of this. The rest of you see to the wounded as well as the dead and be prepared to move out at first light.” Jeor exclaimed to everyone listening.

“I’ll talk with Snow Commander. I do believe myself and the lads here owe the boy an apology as well.” Alliser responded.

Jeor nodded as his words. “Very well. Find out all you can. I guess there will be time to talk with him myself after we get back to Castle Black.”

With that the Commander turned to assist the others while he and his men went to speak with their king.

 

 

Aegon

 

He returned to his tent after speaking with Craster’s daughters about how they were safe, and he killed the walker that was coming for Craster’s only living newborn son. Needless to say, the women were all tears of joy when he left them, and he was certain he wouldn’t have to worry about any of them giving away any of his secrets anytime soon. The walk back to his own tent made him want to laugh at how all the brothers were looking at him as he walked with the most innocent smile on his face that he could muster.

Aegon had barely set his bow down before Alliser and the others of his men followed behind him and he just waited for them to begin. None of them were sure of what to say and they were all looking between himself and Alliser, which he took as a good sign that they were deferring to them.

“Your Grace”, Alliser began in a low voice even though he knew from their number gathered inside two must be guarding outside as usual.

“I’m not sure where to even start.” Alliser said but it was clear they were all a bit overwhelmed by the recent events.

“I just destroyed a White Walker. Perhaps we should begin there.” Aegon stated.

“Yes, but how did you kill it? We all saw it ripped its way through the Lord Commander and the others like they were nothing.” Alliser inquired while he noticed they others all listening intently.

“Hand me back the dagger I gave you.” Aegon said, reaching out to Alliser.

Alliser handed the weapon to Aegon and he presented it to all the others to see clearly.

“This dagger as well as the arrows I used out there are made from Dragon glass which can be used to destroy Walkers like the one you just saw. Now I have an ally from beyond the wall that provided me with these weapons.” Aegon elaborated.

“An ally Your Grace, among the wildlings you mean?” a man he remembered was named Dack asked.

“You could say that. Sir Alliser has met them and for the time being, he is the only one who will meet them. Though my reasons for secrecy were not because I do not trust any of you men here. They were kept because in order for our alliance to continue I must honor their trust in me which demands a since of anonymity.” Aegon elaborated.

A couple of his men did show concern, but they were all nodding in understanding.

“It’s true. I have met the one his grace speaks of and believe me when I say that part of me wishes his grace was still keeping me in the dark about them.” Sir Alliser reassured them.

They looked confused by that statement, so he decided now was the time for them to know a bit more.

“The one I speak of helped me find my way here by revealing to me the truth of my past. They did so in order to strike a bargain with me, one where if they helped restore me to the Iron Throne that I would help protect their people from the threat you all just witnessed.” Aegon explained.   

“What kind of ally from north of the Wall could’ve possibly known about your identity Your Grace? They are all just savages out here.” Another man stated.

“The kind that warned me about the walker that was coming and knew this would kill it.” Aegon replied holding up the dragon glass dagger.

That made them all silent considering none of them could deny what they all just saw. Its hard to deny what your own eyes have seen, a fact he learned from trying to tell people the truth about the threat they all faced once before. These men and the ones outside needed to see the threat with their own eyes before they would even consider doing anything to face it.

“Your Grace, if this person, wildling or whoever they are knows how to destroy these things then why do they need your help?” Sir Alliser asked.

That got everyone’s attention and he was so glad Alliser picked up on it.

“They do know how to destroy them, but they are outnumbered, heavily.” Aegon answered. “You see Craster made a pact with those fuckers for his own protection, which involved him giving those things his sons in exchange for the walkers not bothering him or his daughters in his own little paradise out here. But the problem is that Craster isn’t the only wildling who is involved in such a pact.”

“Fucking savages! Only wildlings could do something so barbaric.” One of them said. The others nodded in agreement.

Aegon could tell they weren’t quite ready to hear of his plans for the Free Folk yet, but he had plenty of time to get to those. Right now, his priority wasn’t the Free Folk, it was the Night’s Watch.

“The wildlings are a concern for another day. Right now, our concern isn’t that but using this threat to our own advantage.” Aegon announced.

“You see my ally believes there may be many more creatures beyond the Wall, like the one we saw tonight. If we play our cards right, we could use that powerful truth to affect some crucial changes to Westeros. Changes that could be easily manipulated to weaken the Usurper in the South and even strengthen our own hand.” Aegon explained further.

The men were intrigued now, and he could already see some on them smiling by that statement.

“What say you to that men?” Aegon asked.

They were all looking between each other silently wondering which would go first.

“If only one of those things tore through us like that, then if there were more of them, it would take an army to stop them.” One of them said first. Then another spoke up.

“True, and if that army belonged to Robert Baratheon it would likely incur heavy losses.”

“Not only that lads. But if Robert Baratheon came here to the Wall to lead the fight against these things, how much easier would it be for our king to eliminate him. Whether by those things out there or even us in here.” Alliser stated with a grin on his face.

“Exactly Sir, we could build up our own forces while using those loyal to the Usurper to fight those things and weaken themselves in the process. Then once the time is right, we can strike and destroy both sides.” Aegon finished.

All of them were nodding in agreement and approval now including Alliser.

After his discussion with his men, he asked for Alliser to accompany him to the woods quietly avoiding Mormont’s men. Although since they were busy attending to the wounded and dead it wasn’t difficult.

“I have to say I am very impressed Your Grace.” Alliser said as they walked.

Aegon just glanced at him and smiled but said nothing in response.

“Even I was shaking to my bones after seeing that thing but now that I see how they may be of benefit to our cause I strangely feel somewhat relieved that all those ridiculous stories are actually true.” Alliser continued.

“Stories only a child would believe eh, Sir?” Aegon teased.

“Yes yes, I will admit I felt like a right dumb shit after you put on your innocent child act.  Honestly, I don’t know how you do it. You’re spinning more tales than a theatre troop.” Alliser remarked.

Aegon stopped walking and handed his torch to Alliser.

“I wasn’t just playing the innocent child but also the naïve one too. You see I know that I am more intelligent than an average child, but I still look like a child, so I should use that to my advantage.”

Alliser nodded as he rested on a tree stump.

“Briggle and I intend to bring the truth of the Walkers to light, but on our terms where not only will people have to believe it, but so they won’t look at our actions to closely.” Aegon finished.

“That’s why it had to be you who killed the thing.” Alliser answered. “How else to better explain how you suddenly knew how to kill a thing that hasn’t been seen in thousands of years than to make Mormont and the others think your just a naïve kid who believed all those monster stories grown men don’t believe anymore.”   

“Yes, but I also wanted to keep you and our men safe which is why I had you all guard the women. I knew the Walker was coming for the child and that is why I asked for the women’s tent placed right in front of a tree that gave me the best perch to shoot from.” Aegon explained and Alliser’s mouth opened in realization.

“It was all a planned trap just like with Benjen wasn’t it?” Alliser asked but he was sure it was meant as a statement so Aegon just smiled in response.

“But what about the dragon Your Grace? And walking through those flames?” Alliser asked.

I knew that one was coming.

Aegon took a breath before explaining.

“Even I wasn’t completely certain that part would go as planned until it did Sir.” Aegon began “You see Briggle is the one who helped me figure out how to hatch the egg and while he was certain of the outcome, I wasn’t at first.”

“How could a Child of the Forrest know anything about dragons Your Grace?” Alliser asked curiously.

“He didn’t know much more than us to be honest, but he knows much about old rituals, sacrifices, and curses than you and I could hope to Sir.” Aegon answered.

“All the we know more than thee, you see.” A voice suddenly called out from right next to where Alliser was sitting.

Aegon had sensed Briggle was nearby which is why he stopped walking but even he wasn’t quite sure where until he popped out of the trees and without a sound landed right next to Alliser. His kind didn’t just look like children. Briggle acted like a child too most of the time.

Once he heard Briggle speak Alliser fell back off the stump he was leaning on and half withdrew his sword from its sheath in the process.

“That thing has got to stop doing that!” Alliser spat angered.

Briggle closed his eyes giggling at Alliser but Aegon’s focus was on his dragon held safely in Briggle’s claws. He carefully handed over the little dragon to him and petted her head as she joyfully jumped into his arms and nuzzled against him.

“Tale of thee, illuminated by we, allowed the bringing of little she.” Briggle said smiling and petting the little dragon’s head.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Alliser asked while sheathing his blade but looking no less mad.

Aegon sighed be fore answering. “There once was a girl in Essos born of the dragon lords but sold by her brother to a warlord for a marriage to benefit him rather than his sister. Part of her wedding gifts were a collection of dragon eggs, but these eggs were only considered to be nothing more than beautiful stones than actual eggs, at least to everyone else other than the girl. She secretly wished to hatch one in hopes that she could use it to fly away from her fate.”

Aegon looked up at Alliser before continuing. “She eventually got pregnant with her new husband’s child and managed to win the love of both him and his people, much to her brother’s dismay. In a foolish act the brother angered her husband so badly, he killed him in front of his sister who didn’t shed a single tear for his death. But even though the girl found love from her husband and future child, she still had difficulties with his actions as a warlord.

The girl saved a few women from being raped by her husband’s men. She unintentionally caused a dispute between him and his men which ended in a fight where her husband killed one of his men but only took a small cut. The girl asked one of the women she saved who claimed to be a healer to help her husband to which the woman agreed. But the wound festered, and the girl’s husband took ill, to which the girl came to this woman again begging her for some way to save him. The woman claimed to know a spell that could save his life in exchange for another life.

They brought her husbands horse in and the woman slit its throat spattering blood all over them both. The woman did her spell, but the girl felt her unborn child beginning to come and fell unconscious during the birth. When she awoke, she found the result of her actions, her child had been born monstrously deformed and died soon after while her husband was alive, but he could not move, speak, or do anything. The husband was alive, and his wound had been healed, however it seemed his mind or perhaps his soul was gone from him.”

Alliser was listening intently as Aegon paused to shift where he sat down before continuing.

“You see the woman was a witch who poisoned the warlord’s wound in revenge for the destruction of her village and then followed to kill his unborn child as well so he wouldn’t grow up to be like his father. The girl realizing her betrayal and crippled by her loss resolved to kill her husband by smothering him in his bed rather than leave him in his current state. She placed him on a pyre with her dragon eggs and tied the witch to the pyre as punishment.

After setting the pyre a light she walked into the flames and climbed on top the pyre to burn with her husband, her eggs, and the screaming witch who murdered him. That’s what her followers thought anyway, until the morning revealed her sitting alive and unharmed where the fire had once burned with three new baby dragons in her arms.” Aegon concluded his tale.

Alliser looked amazed and confused by the end of the tale.

“Some of that sounds quite familiar to what happened at Craster’s. I have never heard of such a tale Your Grace. Was this during the time of Old Valyria?” Alliser asked.

“It was a tale from a lifetime ago Sir. But what do you think allowed me to hatch this dragon like the girl from my tale was able to hatch her own?” Aegon inquired.

Alliser sat in thought for a moment looking at the ground and then turned back to meet Aegon’s gaze.

“Was it the witch, the way she was burned on the pyre with the eggs was just like how you had us burn Craster?” Alliser replied unsure.

Aegon thought it not a bad guess, considering when he and Briggle discussed this topic years ago that had been one of his own conclusions.

“No Sir it wasn’t the witch’s death that allowed her to walk through the flames or the dragons to hatch. It was the death of her husband.” Aegon answered.

Alliser had the same look on his face when Aegon learned that knowledge.

“Was there something special about her husband Your Grace?” Alliser asked curious.

Aegon shook his head. “The sacrifice that turned the eggs from stone and allowed them to hatch was because the death of the husband was at the hands of his wife.”

Alliser looked confused as expected so Aegon elaborated further.

“The girl killed the man she had come to love, then she burned the body of her love with the eggs. You see the reason no dragons have hatched since the Dance of Dragons is because they have all been cursed to stay as stone. But the girl had unwittingly broken a similar curse when she sacrificed her husband by killing him with her own hands.” Aegon explained.

Alliser was still processing what he said but he could tell the man had questions.

“But she didn’t mean to sacrifice him, she didn’t know what she was doing would hatch the dragons. Also how do you know they were cursed?” Alliser asked.

“After I told this tale to Briggle we searched for how to hatch this one in my arms and it took us months before we discovered the curse as well as how the girl unknowingly broke it.” Aegon answered.

“Curses fowl practices they be. Even when they be broken, loss be your token.” Briggle said.

“In order for the curse to be broken on the dragon eggs, a price had to be paid and the price for breaking a curse is almost always the same. You have to sacrifice something you love. Which is why such spells and practices in magic are considered curses, because they leave losses whether they are being cast or broken. Either way damages are suffered.” Aegon explained.

“Do you know how or why such a curse was cast? Or by whom? Also, that doesn’t explain how you were able to walk through flames.” Alliser asked concerned.

Aegon smiled at the remark. He lifted his torch from where he had stuck it in the snow after removing one of his gloves. While Alliser watched, Aegon placed his exposed hand on the torch, he could feel the warmth of the fire but that is all he felt. He felt not one ounce of pain and when he pulled it away from the flames, he didn’t have a mark on him. Alliser sat up for a moment to stop him but steadied himself to watch silently.

“What makes curses so attractive for magic practitioners is that they do have great powers and benefits to be gained as long as one is willing to suffer the price that comes with them. This is the benefit I have gained from breaking the curse, but even Briggle and I are not sure if all dragon eggs can hatch on their own now or if I am needed to hatch them myself.” Aegon answered.

Aegon thought how if only Dany had known what he knows now, she might have been able to hatch other dragon eggs if she had found any. Though part of him hoped perhaps that all the dragon eggs started hatching across the world free of this curse, he could only imagine how the Starks would have liked that.

“As for the ones who cast the curse. We managed to discover who they are since one of my ancestors helped them, and we will deal with them Sir, but one enemy at a time.” Aegon stated to which Alliser nodded in response.  

“I almost forgot, you mentioned that we were going to steal something to help your dragon?” Alliser asked to which Aegon grinned smugly.

“We already did Sir.” Aegon stated as he reached for his arrows and withdrew one of them which he could clearly see a strange glow coming from within the black arrowhead.

“Yes yes, steal from walker we did then to now help little she we will. Nervous crow will see.” Briggle stated smiling at Alliser.

“Well, I suppose we should be getting back Your Grace. Be sure to keep her covered when we return though.” Alliser advised. They started to walk back to the camp while Briggle disappeared into the trees.

“What ever happen to the girl in the tale Your Grace.” Alliser asked as they walked.

The question gave Aegon paused but after taking a few steps he answered.

“She was killed at the hand of one she loved most.” Aegon replied still remembering that day in the throne room.  

“Your Grace, are you alright?” Alliser asked, waking him from his thoughts.

Aegon was surprised by the question. “What do you mean Sir?” Aegon responded.

“Your, crying Your Grace.” Alliser said pointing to his face.

Aegon reached up to his eyes just as the first tears rolled down his face. He hadn’t even felt them forming in his eyes.

“It’s a sad tale Sir, that is all, but thankfully that was only the start of the tale.” Aegon responded trying to focus on anything else. He could tell Alliser didn’t understand his remark, but the man knew when to stay silent.

It won’t be much longer Dany.

 

 

 

 

The Messenger

 

He knew that today was going to be an interesting day, but when one lives the kind of life that he has, one learns the only way to survive in this world is to adapt or die. He had been watching his target for a few days now so he could get a good sense of the occupants that live there, along with their routines. Just from a glance he had several ideas about how to approach them, but he knew that no matter how he did it there was no way they were going to believe his words alone, so he had to show them.

He found it eerie how his client had told him all these things before he even left, but then again after their first meeting he found everything about his client more unsettling than he’d ever admit to anyone. But this job could possibly be the kind that gets him everything he could ever want, at least that is what he hoped.

He walked up to the house when he was sure everyone inside would be around the main dining room having supper. He approached quietly in the dark so as to not be noticed and came to the tree next to the house. The tree offered him some cover as he began his climb into the window after lifting the latch with his knife and slipping inside. Before closing the window back up he reached into the branches and plucked a fresh lemon from among the branches.

After closing the window, he sat down on a chair in the corner of the room just next to the door that way if anyone came in, he’d be positioned to their backs. He bit into the lemon slowly sucking on the sour but sweet fruit as he waited. Before long he heard little footsteps down the hallway, and he leaned forward in his chair ready to move. Then the door flew open, and he gently caught it and carefully closed it right behind his target.

She walked in without even realizing he was behind her until the door came to be shut and he quickly rushed forward to grab her by the mouth and pulled her close before she could slip away. She started to try to scream into his gloved hand and she was trying to kick and punch at him, but he held her firm.

“Calm down now little lass. I’m not going to hurt you.” He whispered into her ear to try to reassure her.

She settled down after that, whether from his words or because she realized she couldn’t fight him.

“Now, I’m going to take my hand away from your mouth and let you go, okay. But you have to promise not to scream when I do. Okay?” He spoke quietly as he watched for her response.

He could tell she was scared, and she almost looked like she might cry. But she quickly nodded her head.

She probably thinks I’m here to kill her.

He slowly loosened his grip on her, and she immediately ran to her bed.

“Please don’t hurt me. My brother and our knight are just downstairs, and they won’t like it if you hurt me.” She quickly said to him. She seemed so timid and scared.  

“It’s okay little lady. I’m here with good news. Now by chance do you know someone named Aegon?” He asked her while putting on the friendliest smile a cutthroat like him could muster.

She was fidgeting the whole time since he let her go.

Nothing but a pile of nerves, this one.   

“The Conqueror?” she answered but didn’t look him in the eye.

“Yea, I forgot there have been a few haven’t there. Okay let me rephrase the question. Which one is your closest relation little lady?” he asked again.

“My brother said we had a nephew named Aegon.” she answered, and at least this time she looked up at him.

“That’s the one. He sent me to deliver this to you.” He said as he pulled a few letters from his pocket. “You read Valyrian, yea?” he asked as he held the letter up for her to see, and she only nodded in response.

“Well good because I sure as fuck don’t so you can be sure I didn’t read these. Now this one is for you I believe.” He explained as he took one of the letters with the name ‘Dany’ written on the front and handed it to her.

She slowly reached out to take it, but she didn’t open it, she just stood there looking between him and the letter confused as to what she should do.

“Only my brother calls be Dany, and he said that our nephew died a long time ago.” she stated with obvious confusion.

He smiled at that comment as he could hardly believe it himself when he got this job, and the thought still made him chuckle.

“Well like I said, I got good news for you.” He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice to a whisper. “He’s alive.”

She still didn’t look like she believed him, but he could hardly blame her for that.

“Now I best not doddle because I have to be going but here give this one to your brother and this one is for your knight, eh, Sir what’s his name.” He remarked as he handed her the other two letters.

He then made for the window to slip out the way he came before anyone else in the house noticed his presence. But as he was just about to jump out the window, he heard a small voice behind him.

“Ah, who? . . .Who are you Sir?” the girl asked looking at him while clutching the letters he’d given her to her chest.

“Oh, I am no Sir, that is for certain. I’m just a messenger, but you little lady can call be Bronn.” He replied before slipping out. Then he grabbed a couple of lemons from the tree and tossed one to the little princess which finally made her smile for once. With that he slipped away into the shadows.

 

Notes:

I was going through some stuff but thankfully I was able to get back to this story because it is not over.

First It is a little long because I figured you all deserved something extra this chapter.

Second I know that timewise Dany's guardian knight was probably dead at this point and her and Viserys were on their own but not in this story.

Chapter 7: Letters

Notes:

Update: Done some restructuring on this story and working on some other projects.
Forecast: Look for updates 2 weeks to 1 month apart
More to follow. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter Text

Aegon the Destroyer – Ch. 7 Letters

 

 

 

Jeor

 

He had lived his whole life in the North and he liked it there, despite any hardships it held and no matter how cold it got the North always felt like home. He never liked having to leave it. But he had to admit that getting away from the North right now felt like a good thing to do after all he had seen recently. Like every other Northerner he had grown up on stories of the long night, the armies of the dead, and the terrible White Walkers. But most people grow up to realize those things were all just stories that were either invented to scare children or that such things died out long ago, to never be seen again.

Only now he had seen with his own eyes that those things were very real, and what has keep him from sleeping a single night soundly was the same question over and over in his head.

How many more were out there, hidden in the vast cold lands beyond the wall?

Seeing a white walker kill his men had been bad enough but, then days later after they brought those very same dead back to Castle Black for burial two of them stood up. They had thought they might somehow be alive but those thoughts were quickly dashed after witnessing the state of them.

They both looked every bit as dead as when they arrived at the wall, only now they both had blue eyes that looked just the same as the Walker that killed them. He had wondered why it was only these two and none of the other bodies that had risen. But he mainly just counted themselves fortunate that Maester Aemon had insisted on studying them before having them burned. After giving his approval, Aemon had the bodies quickly moved and stored in the ice cells because he said it would preserve the bodies better as well as having them under lock and key so no curious brothers would disrupt his studies.

That proved most fortunate indeed, because when the two former brothers stood up later that night, they were conveniently locked up and unable to cause any harm. The only damage was some slightly bent bars on the cell and some very terrified guards, but otherwise no harm done.  The thought alone still gave Jeor pause about the damage those things could have done if set loose inside the castle.

It took some work but after two days of attempts the brothers finally managed to get enough bindings around the two walking dead men to have them moved. They nearly killed a couple carless brothers but the brothers managed to place them in cages and move them to Eastwatch. The winds have been with them since they set off on their journey but even though he felt a little better about being away from the Wall, they were traveling with actual monsters in the hold of the ship.

Jeor checked on them himself every night just to make sure they were caged and secure otherwise he would not be able to sleep at all. Also he still had to look at them just to remind himself that they were real and not the just stories his parents told him when he was a boy, the same stories he had once told his own son.

I wonder where Jorah is right now. I wonder if he is even still alive.     

The Lord Commander turned his thoughts away from his son and focused on the task at hand. The capture of the two dead men was a stroke of luck considering they are actual proof of what lies beyond the Wall. Even though he felt his time better served at the Wall, Aemon had convinced him that he should be the one to plead their case before the king himself. He could only imagine how much the royal court in the south will take to the news, but if they have proof to show them like a couple of walking dead men then how could they deny them. Originally, he had wanted to summon Lord Stark to Castle Black or take the dead wights to Winterfell, but Lord Stark’s own bastard son had convinced him otherwise considering they had found nothing regarding the fate of Benjen nor any sign of the other men who accompanied him.

He was already considering the likelihood that Benjen was dead along with the rest of the brothers that went with him. They probably didn’t find them because those same men are wights now, like the two below decks. Snow had said that until they could give Lord Stark something useful about Benjen they would probably have better luck with King. The boy probably just didn’t want to see his father after the way he left his home which Jeor couldn’t blame him for. But the lad did give a valid point that having the King of the Seven Kingdoms support was far more valuable than just the Warden of the North. They didn’t know how long these creatures they had would last. They might be wights forever or they may wither away to dust before their ship even makes it to Kingslanding. Such thoughts constantly worried him throughout their journey.

It was a risk but one he felt worth taking, as such he brought along several men who were witnesses of the White walker attack including some of Thorne’s men who were with him and even Stark’s son. He wondered how the royal court was going to respond when he told them that the first White walker seen in centuries was actually killed by a boy only ten name days old. He honestly couldn’t believe it himself and he saw it happen, but then again, this seemed to be the time of unbelievable things lately. Jeor also still wondered about the strange behavior from his brothers that seem to circle around Jon Snow.

The men all hovered around Snow but he could never fully understand why. He thought it might be because the boy killed the Walker which himself and Aemon had questioned the boy about but he revealed little that hadn’t been in stories of times long past. The only real interesting piece of information the boy provided was the little tidbit about Dragonglass. Aemon said the maesters referred to the substance as obsidian and it was basically just common volcanic rock that held no worth outside jewelers and decorations. He himself remembered tales of the Children of the Forest who hunted with weapons made of Dragonglass.

Jeor wondered now if perhaps the reason was because they were hunting White Walkers with the stuff, and he also wondered if perhaps all the creatures he remembered from stories were real now. He could feel that pain in his temples returning to him as he thought about it. Thinking about these things just proved to give him an awful headache.

Jeor took another drink of ale as he ate his evening meal and went over reports he had brought with him from his office.  The winds may have been with them, but the waves were certainly not, considering several brothers aboard had fallen ill to sea sickness and until they got on land again, they showed no sign of recovering.

Jeor felt fortunate enough to not be among the sick but he still felt slightly ill at the prospect of explaining everything to those in the south. He could only hope they would be open minded.

A sudden knock at his door torn him from his thoughts.

“Enter.” He exclaimed to whoever was outside.

The door opened slowly revealing it to be Jon Snow. “Good evening Lord Commander. I was sent to inform you of another man has fallen to the sea sickness going around.”

“Ugh! Go to the Captain and get a report of our progress. At this rate, my men will all be useless by the time we even get to Braavos.” Jeor practically shouted in frustration.

“Yes Lord Commander. But before I go, I came here to give you this.” Snow said as he lifted the cup he’d been holding.

His brows rose in surprise as took the cup, “What is it?”

“Something Maester Aemon taught me might help to avoid getting sick at sea.” The boy replied. “I would give it to everyone but I only brought enough for myself and since I don’t appear to be getting sick I figured it would be best for our Lord Commander to keep his health.” Jon explained.

Jeor nodded at the boy’s remarks and downed the cup in one gulp. He was quite surprised that despite being hot it held a sweeter flavor than other medicines he had in the past but anything Aemon suggested was worth considering.

“Thank you Snow, I appreciate the concern.” Jeor said, returning the cup. But as the boy turned to leave there was still a question nagging at him.

“Snow.” he called out. Jon turned to look at him from in front of his door.

“What else happened out there in the forest?” he asked. The boy’s face gave nothing away.

“A lot of things happened Lord Commander. To what are you referring?” Jon responded.

“I know my men Snow. I’ve served with some of them long enough to know that something is different about them and it seems somehow to relate to you. I can see it when they are around you, they are different than the men I’ve known.” Jeor elaborated. 

Jon lowered his gaze to the floor in thought before looking at him.

“I revealed to them something about my birth Lord Commander.” Jon answered.

That caught him off guard considering they had all heard tell of what happened in Winterfell from Benjen when he arrived. But he had not asked the boy himself so now he was curious.

“Would you tell me then?” Jeor asked.

Jon smiled slightly at him before answering. “I will Lord Commander, but not tonight. I will go speak to the captain about how long before we reach shore.” Jon stated. Without another word the boy turned to left closing the door behind him.

He wondered if there was something more to the story about the boy’s poor mother, but such thoughts left his concerns as he suddenly felt quite tired. Jeor decided he’d turn in for the night, silently hoping tonight might be the night he would get to sleep soundly for once.

 

 

 

 

 

Aegon

 

The night winds were blowing hard tonight as he leaned over the railing of the ship, rocking to the waves. The moon was completely full and beautiful, glowing brightly in the dark sky with hardly a cloud to block its view. It was nights like this he thought of Dany the most. No matter where he was whenever he looked up at the shining moon it reminded him of how Dany shined just as bright with her silver hair and beautiful smile, so bright it looked just like her crown had been kissed by the light of the moon itself.

Aegon remembered back when he first arrived in this time, on one of the times he spent away from Winterfell out in the lands of the North training or travelling with Briggle how he looked up at the moon and thought about just taking his chances at finding Dany then. He remembered how one night he argued with Briggle about just riding south to White Harbor and getting on any ship for Essos. Now he felt relieved that he hadn’t fully gone through with it, knowing now exactly where she was and that every second that passed, he was getting closer to her.

But it almost felt like fate when he ran into Bronn as a result of his actions. He had actually made it down to White Harbor and while searching for passage on a ship he found Tyrion’s sellsword friend in a tavern drinking with a bunch of unscrupulous characters. He had witnessed a Northern fool start a fight which ended with Bronn pulling a rather odd-shaped dagger from his back and placing it the man’s throat before he could even finish drawing his sword.

The man definitely made an impression and Aegon could certainly see why Tyrion liked the man. When Aegon approached the man with a job offer which naturally Bronn and his companions laughed at. It did take some effort on his part to win him over but Aegon knew that once he did, the man could be an invaluable asset. All he had to do was make sure that Bronn always saw Aegon as the side he wanted to be on.

His thoughts were suddenly drawn back to the present as he heard footsteps approaching him. He turned to see one of his men stop just to his right.

“We are ready now Your Grace. Everything went smoother than we thought, although he is most displeased right now.” the brother said, with a grin on his face.

 The comment made Aegon smile thinking about what comes next. “Good” Aegon responded. “His displeasure is going be of great use to me.”

Aegon took one last look up at the moon and turned to walk back toward the aft of the ship. As he crossed the deck every man up there bowed slightly to him as he made his way down to the brig. There was no denying the pleasure he gained from seeing the loyalty of these men even though he has never been one for such things. Reveling in success could be dangerous if one did too much, but he couldn’t help enjoying it a little considering how much he had achieved already.

He was technically older but physically he was in the body of a ten year and he had achieved more than most men have in their entire lives. By the time he was back to being physically an adult again he will be more than prepared to topple over all the seven kingdoms like dominos. When he arrived at the brig he could over hear shouting and as well as the metallic sound of chains rattling. The guards opened the door for him to enter with a very angry Jeor Mormont chained to the back of a cell.

Just looking at the man he felt that the symbol of the bear represented House Mormont very accurately in this case. The man looked like he might actually break those chains he was wearing at any moment and then proceed to rip the barred door off its hinges. Aegon could see the anger all over Jeor’s reddened face and the man looked furious.

The man is more perfect for his role than I originally thought, all I need to do is convince him.

"I'll have all your heads for this!" Jeor yelled at them as Aegon entered. "I’ve never been one for cruelty but I will relish everything I am going do to you lot once I am out of here." Jeor spat.

Aegon just smirked.

"Lord Commander, I must apologize to you for these precautions we had to take, but I assure you they were necessary to protect the lives of everyone onboard." Aegon addressed Jeor.

Jeor looked at him with narrowed brows and slightly confused why Aegon was the one speaking at all. He didn't respond at first and just kept looking around the room.

"Oh Lord Jeor, none of them had you put here." Aegon stated. "This..." Aegon continued with a raised hand gesturing around the room, "was all my design."

"You?!" Jeor shouted, then looking around the room at the others present watching their former Lord Commander. "So you men are following the commands of a bastard boy now? Oath breakers and deserters will all hang no matter if you kill me or not. But mark my words I plan to take a few of you with me before I go." Jeor bellowed at them all.

"You will find no traitors on this ship Lord Jeor, nor do I plan on killing you at all. Well, not unless you break your oath to me, then I'm afraid your life will be forfeit." Aegon elaborated.

Jeor still looked confused but he was starting to realize who was in charge now. "To you?” Jeor questioned. "I hold no oath to you bastard nor will your father be able to help you out of this like he did back in Winterfell."

"Lord Stark is of no concern to me right now and you will swear to me whether you realize it or not." Aegon responded while holding Jeor's gaze.

"Why would I ever do such a thing like that?" Jeor asked.

"Because if you don't others will suffer the consequences of your actions. Now I know that a man like you would not mind sacrificing your own life to preserve your precious honor but how about the lives of others?" Aegon questioned.

Jeor kept his eyes focused on him as he considered the words carefully. Aegon could see the man was trying to figure out the meaning before responding.

"You think you will be able to get away with this?" Jeor asked "This ship is filled with many loyal brothers of the Nights Watch and it is only a matter of time before they notice me missing."

Aegon smiled as he looked around at the faces of his men. They all had the same confident smiles now. Without speaking he nodded to one of the guards who knew that was his que to go. After the man left the brig they all just silently waited while Lord Jeor looked even more confused by their silent smiles.

After waiting a few awkward moments the guard who left returned with another man accompanying him.

"Captain." Aegon addressed. "How is the state of our ship, crew, and the prisoners?

"Your grace. The ship is in good order, the winds are well, and we are on course to arrive at our destination soon. The men are in good spirits now that we no longer have to keep up with the pretenses and the prisoners are all still in the infirmary. The medicine they have been taking for their ills has kept them from causing a fuss." the captain explained.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Jeor yelled interrupting. 

"Except for you my Lord, the rest of the so called ‘loyal’ brothers you were referring to are still unaware they are now our prisoners, but most of them seem content since they are getting out of doing any ship's duties." Aegon replied.

"Thank you Captain, you can go." Aegon said while holding his gaze at Jeor’s shocked face, as the captain left the brig. "You see Lord Jeor, this ship is filled with my men, all loyal to me, and those that are not we have been isolating from the rest of the crew since we left Eastwatch."

Jeor looked dumbfounded as he said. "How? Why?"

"The strange see sickness that has been spreading among the crew wasn't actual see sickness. It was caused by a fungus that grows in the Wolfswood, I brought it with me when I left Winterfell among a few other things. An old friend told me how if ingested it will cause symptoms quite similar to sea sickness." Aegon explained.

Aegon rose from his seat and walked closer as he continued. "However it was Aemon who provided that tea of his which he uses to mask the taste of medicines he gives to members of the Watch. I simply used it to mask the taste of the fungus I slipped to those men as well as the sleeping aide I slipped you earlier tonight which is why you were easily placed here without incident."

Jeor looked at him like a snarling beast as he lunged forward rattling his chains again. The man was clearly enraged.

"You see your imprisoned here in the brig while those men loyal to you, which are fewer in number than my own men, are unknowingly being held prisoners in the infirmary without knowing their situation." Aegon calmly said.

Aegon had left out the part about how Alliser had gone ahead to East Watch before their party left Castle Black to prepare their ship while they carefully moved their undead cargo. What Alliser also did was reach out to the only captain of one of the few ships the Nights Watch possessed who was a former captain in the royal Targaryen fleet. The man and his own crew had been captured after their ship was destroyed in the storm of Dany's birth.

Many members of the Targaryen fleet had been sent to Eastwatch after the fall of House Targaryen and because of their loyalties they were not very welcome among the Nights Watch. But luckily for him the distain they were treated with made them all the more eager to join him when Alliser brought word of his existence, plus Alliser knew the captain well enough to know they could trust him.

They had also kept together for the time they had been at the Wall so the majority of them were on this very ship while the rest were back at Eastwatch fulfilling other task he had left for them when they departed. Aegon was starting to pace now but held Jeor's gaze as he continued.

"That would be the how of your situation. The why is because I require your service to me, but as for the rest of your men aboard, I don't require them for anything." Aegon stated with a cold look but the underlining threat seemed clear to Jeor.

"So if I don't do whatever it is that you want you'll kill them?" Jeor surmised, but his face hardened with resolve.

"Many of those men are just former criminals who I do not hold in high regard. I am not about to give up my honor and sell out the Nights Watch for their lives or my own." Jeor stated coldly.

"I am glad to hear that Lord Jeor. It will make your first act under my service easier but it was not their lives that will suffer for you disobedience, it is the lives of your own family." Aegon replied.

"What do you mean?" Jeor asked trying to hide his concern.

"Well you see the men on this ship are not the only ones loyal to me among the watch, there are many others and several of them are currently making their way to Bear Island to visit your family on the pretense of requesting recruits or supplies, whatever will get them past the front gate really. They have orders that should you do anything to disrupt my plans they will slaughter every last member of your house and burn your former home to ground for good measure." Aegon finished and despite the man's attempts to hide it he noticed the looks of both horror and anger on Jeor's face.

 Jeor looked at the ground and Aegon could tell the man was more afraid than angry, as he sighed heavily and looked back at him.

“House Mormont is strong and my sister is no fool. Anyone you send will fail and be killed.” Jeor calmly stated.

“Perhaps. But are you willing to take the chance that they might only manage to kill your sister, or one of your nieces, or maybe just your son?” Aegon asked.

“My son?” Jeor asked surprised.

“Oh yes, I am well aware of your son and he has none of the protection the rest of your house possesses. He may be a capable warrior but still a knife in the dark is all it will take.” Aegon elaborated. 

Jeor paused to consider his words for a moment.

"What do you want from me?" Jeor demanded.

Got him, but now the real trick will be keeping him.

"We will be arriving soon Your Grace." one of his men announced from outside the door.

He turned his gaze back to Jeor.

The man’s eyes flicked back and forth between himself and the door. "Wait. Why did he just say, 'Your Grace'?" Jeor asked.

"You know me as Jon Snow, because that was the name my uncle gave me. However my mother gave me my true name. So allow me to reintroduce myself Lord Mormont." Aegon stated while giving a courtly bow. "I am Aegon Targaryen, the sixth of my name, son of Prince Rhaegar of house Targaryen and Princess Lyanna of house Stark." he announced in his most formal manner.

Jeor's shock was quickly replaced with bolstering laugher echoing through the space of the brig, which only caused Aegon to smile and roll his eyes thinking to himself that he should have expected as much.

"First I hear tell you’re some Dayne bastard and now you are supposed to be some Targaryen prince?" Jeor mocked but no one else laughed.

"He is no prince! He is the king, and the only rightful heir to the Iron Throne." One of the guards exclaimed.

"Really? Why would you fools believe such a tale as that?" Jeor asked while still smiling.

"Because I confronted my uncle Benjen beyond the Wall and tricked him into confessing the truth to me while these loyal men quietly listened in. Then after he confessed his treason, I carried out his execution myself." Aegon firmly stated.

Jeor's shock returned as his jaw dropped, but was quickly replaced with anger. "You killed Benjen?! Your own uncle?" Jeor roared at him.

Aegon simply approached calmly revealing a set of keys in his hands. He opened the cell while his men looked skittish, but he showed not an ounce of fear as he stepped in to the cell with the fuming old bear. Aegon took Jeor’s hands and unshackled them, the action itself reminded him of when he did the same for Tormund. Jeor looked at him before rising to his feet, which compared to Aegon's currently physical form the man was practically a giant. Aegon observed his face the whole time and everything said the man wanted to crush his skull with his bare hands which he was sure he could accomplish.

"My uncles both betrayed me and my mother, so I put a knife in Benjen's heart for his betrayal. But that was a mercy compared to what is going to happen to my uncle Eddard." Aegon said ominously while standing in front of the large Mormont whose fist clenched at his sides.

"I should kill you." Jeor said while still looking down at Aegon as he heard some of his men behind him preparing to draw their weapons.

"These men are not here to protect me from you. I care nothing for a Kingsguard, considering it was a Kingsguard who killed my grandfather." Aegon began calmly raising his hand to ward off his men while keeping his eyes on Jeor.

"No, these men are here to help me avenge my house from betrayers and usurpers. So tell me Lord Mormont, do you wish that list to include the Mormonts?" Aegon challenged.

At those words Jeor didn't answer but the man relaxed a little and made no move against him. He could tell the man wanted to do him harm but he wasn't about to risk his family. Arya and Sansa both told him the tale of their father's execution and how the honorable Ned Stark lied through his teeth disgracing himself to save Sansa. Jeor Mormont was now caught in the same trap as Lord Stark once was.

Tyrion would be proud if he could see me now, using a Lannister trick against a Northern Lord.

 "With me Lord Jeor." Aegon commanded and suddenly turning to leave the cell but he stopped to wait at the door until he heard the man’s footsteps following behind him.

 

 

 

 

Daenerys

 

She was excited to say the least, the last few days, more had been happening around them since Bronn left her with the letters from her nephew, or so they claimed. Sir Willem and Viserys had both been certain that whoever sent that man could not be trusted and that her nephew was without any doubt long dead.

Their first reactions were that they had to leave immediately before assassins from the usurper showed or someone else who might want them dead. But what they read in the letters had stopped them from leaving Braavos.

 

'To Sir Willem of House Darry,

                You have protected my aunt and uncle these past years from the usurper and his lions, for which I will forever be in your debt. I know I can never pay back such a debt, but I intend to try by first assuring you that I am indeed a Targaryen, and the born son of Prince Rhaeger. House Targaryen has many enemies but we also have several allies besides yourself.

                By the time you receive these letters my envoy will already be headed to Braavos to meet with you all. With the help of our allies I have made arrangements to eliminate the bounties upon my aunt and uncle's heads and place them where not only will they be safe from the Usurper and his lions. But they will also be better prepared when the time comes for House Targaryen to return to Westeros.

                 House Darry has always been loyal supporters to my family. Neither you, nor they will go unacknowledged or unrewarded for such efforts, both past and present. All I ask of you Sir is to stay in Braavos until the arrival on my envoy and keep my aunt and uncle safe above all else.

                                                                                                                                Signed Aegon the Sixth                                                                                                                                                                                                of House Targaryen’  

 

Sir Willem thought it had to be some trick, but if the Usurper had found them then why bother with these letters at all when he could have just had some assassin kill them? Assuming that man Bronn was one he could have just killed her and then come after the rest of them. Viserys yelled that it was a lie and that someone must be pretending to be their dead nephew to steal his throne. She had never seen her brother so angry before, and he refused to read his own letter so Sir Willem read it for him.

 

'To my Uncle Viserys,

                I know you will not believe this letter and I know no words could convince you of my sincerity in who I am as well as my intentions for our house. So instead of trying to convince you with words I will do so with deeds. My only words to you for now are that when we meet, I will not ask for your support in regard to claiming the Iron Throne.

                I know that when your brother Rhaegar was killed, King Aerys II named you as his official heir and I will not deny you that. I come to grant aid that will keep our house safe and help return us to Westeros. I will give this aid regardless of any acceptance. But when we meet I intend to ask you and your sister one question about the Iron Throne and if you can answer that question to my satisfaction.

I will happily renounce any claim I have in support of your own.

 

                                                                                                                                    Signed Aegon the Sixth                                                                                                                                                                                                of House Targaryen'

 

That confused them all because they had fully expected this pretender to ask for their support, not offer them his. Despite Viserys' shock and confused looks he still insisted it had to be a trick, although none of them could think of why.  Her own letter was the most strange because despite never meeting her nephew his letter sounded like he actually knew her.

 

'Dear Dany,

                I have written this letter so many times and yet still I cannot seem to find the right words for you, so I hope that these will suffice. I believe that you do not wish to take part in this war for the Iron Throne just yet. I think you just wish to be a part of this family, even though there is so little of our family left in the world. I know you believe that you and your brother are the only Targaryens left in the world.

                I will be happy to prove you wrong in that regard, for there are actually four living Targaryens left in this world. Besides myself you also have a great uncle who is currently serving as Maester of Castle Black on the Wall. I would have sent you letters from him as well but, he too has found himself at a loss for words. I first offered to have his letters brought to you yet he asks for you to write to him anything that you wish to say or ask and he will be overjoyed to answer.

                I guess he feels by the time one of your letters reach him he will have found the right words for you and your brother. He is an old man but he eagerly awaits to hear from you. You see Dany, our great uncle Aemon once told me that, a Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing. But I will tell you now that such a thing will never happen to you, for you will always have your family, and thus you will never be alone in this world or the next.

                I look forward to the day we meet at last and I would make one request of you in the meanwhile. Help your poor nephew and brother avoid waking the dragon when we meet, for such things will only do our family good if it is our enemies bearing the dragons wroth, not each other.

 

                                                                                                                                     Signed Aegon the Sixth                                                                                                                                                                                                 of House Targaryen'

 

Daenerys had kept her letter and refused to give it up even though she had read it many times. The words within it filled her with such hope and joy of the possibility that there were indeed other members of their family out there. She had already written three letters to her uncle Aemon which mostly consisted of questions she had about him after Sir Willem had confirmed that he at least was quite real and likely a very old man most didn't know was still alive.

She wanted to know them and meet with them because already part of her hoped that perhaps her brother might be wrong and that her nephew Aegon wasn’t dead, because it would mean more family for them. Daenerys had so many questions but all she had of Aegon was his letter which now she could recite by heart.

"So what if we have some decrepit uncle at the Wall. He can offer us nothing and he will likely be dead soon enough anyway." Viserys spat drawing her thoughts back to him.

"I hope not. I want to meet with him. He might know many stories of our family to tell us about brother." Daenerys replied.

"I know all I need to know Dany, and besides the senile old fool has probably been duped by this pretender which is why he mentioned him in your letter rather than mine. Because your just a girl looking for pretty stories. Kings have more important things to deal with." Viserys said glaring at her.

"What if our nephew supports your claim to the Iron Throne brother? Wouldn't that be good?" She questioned hoping that if their nephew was real, he and her brother wouldn't come to fight each other.

She wanted Aegon to be real regardless of the complications his presence meant for the succession of the Throne.

"I don't need his support and my claim is the only claim, for I am the king. You'll see Dany. I'm going to reclaim our family's legacy and one day when I am king you will be there to see it since you will be my queen, just like mother and father wanted." Viserys stated with certainty.

"Of course, no matter who this Aegon is, he will not take me away from you brother. I promise I will be a good queen like mother was, just for you." She reassured her brother which brought a small smile to his face.

She considered that a great victory considering how frustrated Viserys has been lately.

"I will go tell Sir WIllem that I will meet with this faker. Once we know what kind of scheme he's concocting Sir Willem will hopefully just dispatch him for us." Viserys said as he left her room.

She hoped such a thing did not happen, but turned her mind away from such thoughts and looked back at her letter again.

Daenerys found herself picturing a handsome boy her age with silver hair and eyes just like her and Viserys have. She knew one thing for certain, if Aegon was real then she had to find a way to keep her brother and nephew from coming to blows.

How did he know so much about us? Only Viserys has ever called me Dany. Aegon Targaryen. I wonder what he will be like.

 

 

 

Chapter 8: Leaving Braavos

Summary:

Well this may not be the reunion many of you were hoping for but here it is the first part.
The rest will follow over the next few chapters.

Chapter Text

Bronn

 

Well, some jobs were certainly more interesting than others, and this one is proving to be among them.

Bronn had been keeping watch over the hidden Targaryens for over a fortnight now and he was starting to feel impatient. Bronn could still remember when one of Varys' little birds found him at the ale house back in White Harbor, and to this day, he still wondered why the Spider chose him of all people for this job.

As a sellsword my kind are not uncommon, and I have never been stupid enough to develop a reputation like other dumb cunts who want all the people singing their praises. Damned fools the lot of 'em.

To a man like Bronn having a big reputation always seemed like you might as well paint a target on your own forehead. In his opinion, all other sellswords were fools for striving for reputation since, all someone has to do to get a bit of reputation of their own, is kill the man who already has it.

Bronn had always preferred to have a good fight along with a good fuck and a large size sack of gold to go with it, and that’s all he ever needed. Sometimes not all fights were good, but as long as the gold followed, he could handle anything, even if the job was one he didn't like.

The job up in the North had been one of his least favorites, but he couldn’t bring himself to past on the amount of gold they paid. Slavers. A bunch of men from Tyrosh had come looking for men to help them gather slaves to sell to the fighting pits from one of the most inhospitable places ever, beyond the Wall. Wildlings were considered to be something exotic to the peoples in Essos, so he signed on for helping keep their men alive while they trapped wildlings.

Every so often he had to give a good beating, or even put down the ones too dangerous to let themselves be taken alive. The work wasn’t easy and the environment was colder than anything he had ever known in his life, but the gold made it worth the effort, until the day that boy came along.

Bronn had instinctively known the moment he met the lad, he felt something was off about him.  The boy had come to deliver a message from Lord Varys, the King's own Master of Whispers. Bronn had always had good instincts, the fact that he was still alive was because he knew to trust them.

The second the strange boy came to him, Bronn instincts were practically screaming in his head. The kid was dangerous, not troublesome like most children but if he hadn't looked so young Bronn would have thought the kid was deadly. The Spider had picked Bronn personally to perform a job that involved the last of the Targaryens, but the job surprisingly wasn't to kill them. Even though he had seen the prices on those two silver blonde heads of theirs with his own eyes.

It seemed from the little bird’s message that the Spider and the King didn't really care about killing the last two Targaryen children as much as people thought they did. In fact, the job had specifically forbid any harm to the Targaryen children, even going as far as to threaten a painful death to the one responsible. Again, Bronn’s instincts found that very strange, but apparently, they were more interested in Targaryen supporters back in Westeros rather than the actual Targaryens themselves. So the job was to play a little scheme and keep them alive long enough for things to play out the way the Spider wanted to. The whole thing wasn’t exactly Bronn’s style but the price they were offering was even more absurd than the price to kill them. Bronn ultimately accepted the job even though it entailed things like patience, deception, and manipulation.

There must be something in the damned air at Kings Landing other than the shit smell, because it seems like those people can't help pulling some kind of scheme or plot to get something. The simple thing would be to just kill the kids like they had done during the Rebellion.

Bronn didn’t particularly care for the job but for the price they promised not to mention a personal invite from Lord Varys, he had to admit his curiosity was piqued. He started by just arriving in Braavos to find them which didn't take as long as he thought with the limited information he had been given. The bits about the lemon tree and the red door did it, since there weren't many of those in Braavos. After locating them, he watched the house and got to know his targets.

Once word reached him of delivering those letters to the Targaryen kids, he felt curious enough to try to read them but decided otherwise and just stuck to the job. His instructions said they might try to leave so he had to keep a close eye if they did. Thankfully they didn't go anywhere so once their guardian chose for them to stay that was his signal to make the next move. He had managed to get to the servants that lived in the house and cared for the children as he was instructed prior to delivering the letters.

It was almost like the Spider knew that those servants would betray them, but when you might face the wrath of the king, that wasn't hard to accept. Once the servants were onboard the rest was easy. Bronn instructed the cook to slip a strong sleeping draught into the food of the knight protecting them. Once the old knight was no longer conscious the trusted servants could just calmly and kindly walk the children out the front door and take them to their final destination without a fuss.

Bronn had been waiting near the docks where the boat met them with his contact aboard, which to his surprise turned out to be that same boy that gave him the job. The boy was in a small boat with two more men all in black and they all kept their faces wrapped up in what looked like a mask of some kind but he could tell that it was the same boy from his height and those dark eyes of his. 

Once the Targaryen kids with their servants arrived to meet with him, he greeted them happily.

"Good evening to you all. If you will please, everyone onboard." he said to their group while gesturing to the boat with the men in black.

The servants looked nervous as did the Targaryen kids once they noticed the men in the boat and they all kept looking around like they weren't sure what to do.

The cook stepped forward and spoke his concerns.

"You said if we delivered the children quietly, you would pay us our weight in gold and pardon us of any involvement with them. What is this?" the cook whispered as he nodded to the boat.

Bronn put on his best smile as he replied. "Have no worries friend. You don't think these men walk around with that kind of coin do you? Your rewards are on their vessel, but we have to go there to get it, that is all." Bronn reassured him.

Why couldn’t these fuckers show up not looking like bloody executioners?

"Where is our nephew? You said we were going to meet with him. Why isn't Ser Willem here with us? He wanted to meet him too." Daenerys asked her maid.

"Oh, enough pestering Dany." Viserys said at her. "Ser Willem will be along shortly I am sure. Just keep holding my hand and everything will be just fine."

Bronn almost wanted to laugh at the comment. The little idiot had no idea he was walking to his own death, well maybe just imprisonment. At least the girl seemed to have some since that something might be wrong. He had no idea what the nephew comment was about, but it was curious.

"Your right." said a voice from behind them. Bronn turned to see that dark eyed boy was standing right next to him, which almost made him draw is dagger. He hadn't even heard him getting out of the boat, let alone approaching them.

"You will soon be meeting your nephew and Ser Willem will be here shortly. Please." the boy implored motioning his hand toward the boat.

He’s dressed like a damned shadow with a pair of eyes to match his attire, talks politely as some fancy lord, and he moves more quietly than a ghost. Yeah, it’s definitely the same boy alright. The Spider sure knows how to pick his little birds.

The servants looked uneasy but they managed to guide the kids into the boat and they all started moving to a ship anchored out on the water. Bronn made a point to keep his eyes trained on the boy even though they drifted back to the other two men rowing the boat. Yet his focus just kept coming back to the strange boy.

He still didn't know what unnerved him so much about the kid other than those dark eyes, his cold demeanor, or how he moves to damned quietly.  But he had seen all that before back in White Harbor, yet something else was still there even though he just couldn’t see. After they arrived at their destination, they all began boarding the ship and as always Bronn kept his hands close to his blades and his eyes sharp.

Once onboard he was surprised to see more men clad all in black waiting on the deck, all with weapons at the ready and none of them speaking a word. Then Bronn’s eyes caught sight of none other than the children’s knight on his knees with his arms behind his back. The man barely looked conscious, but he was probably still feeling the effects of what they had given him.

"Ser Willem!" Shouted Daenerys as she tried to approach the knight. She was held back by her brother.

“Dany don’t.” Viserys warned, as he pulled his sister into his arms and firmly held her close.

The boy suddenly realized something was wrong but much too late.

"What is the meaning of this?!” Viserys shouted to no one in particular. 

The squire and cook suddenly sprang on the children after nodding to each other pulling the two children apart. They held both of them firmly keeping them from moving.

“Let me go! Brother!” Daenerys cried out looking to Viserys for help.

“Unhand us this instant!" Viserys yelled at his former servants as they pulled his own arms behind his back mirroring their guardian knight.

Then, out of that commotion came a voice that silenced all the others with three simple words.

"They betrayed you." the dark-haired boy suddenly announced to all.

Bronn never liked these kinds of jobs, especially when they involved kids. But he knew if he wasn't the one doing this, someone else would so he kept his mouth shut. To make matters worse the little Targaryen prince and princess both went pale with fear. They both started looking around and when they didn't see anyone who looked to help them, they both started to break down in their own way.

The boy’s face went red and he turned into a little wildling yelling curses and thrashing at those holding him down both mostly, he called them all traitors. Bronn found the whole thing quite annoying. It’s like the little idiot still didn't fully grasp his situation. While the girl at least seem to understand somewhat better considering she just broke down into tears and didn't try to fight back at all. She probably knew deep down they were both already dead.

 

 

 

 

Daenerys

 

Daenerys had never felt more afraid than she felt that day. Viserys and Ser Willem had always told her stories about the bad people like the Usurper who killed their brother Rhaegar, or the Kingslayer who murdered their father, and all the other traitors that were out there in the world hunting for them. She had always feared going out too much, because one of them might suddenly appear out of nowhere and try to kill her.

The one thing that always reassured her that the monsters would never get her was the people who she lived with. She had their brave knight Ser Willem who always assured them he would protect them both from anything. Then there was her big brother Viserys who told her the good stories of their family, their home across the sea, and how one day he would take them both home where they wouldn’t have to be scared anymore.

Daenerys had always felt like where they lived now had been their home since it was all she had ever known. But Viserys always reminded her that one day when they were bigger, they would marry like their parents and return to their true home to claim all seven of the kingdoms that were rightfully theirs. Viserys was always so sure that they would succeed one day since he said the people know what kind of vile villain the Usurper and his dogs were. The people secretly toast to their safety and pray for the day that they will return to put the seven kingdoms to rights.

Daenerys always hoped to see such a day come true, but now she was certain that that day would never come now. The people she had lived with, who cared for her and her brother had brought them to their enemy. These people must be what her brother always called the Usurper's dogs, and they had them all now. She wanted to try to be strong, to do something to escape this nightmare, but she couldn't do anything but cry tears that felt like they would never stop.

Everywhere she looked Daenerys only saw more reasons for her tears. They were all trapped on a ship that would probably take them to the Usurper himself so he could kill them just like he did their brother. Their brave knight was on his knees and for the first time in her life Ser Willem looked truly helpless. Her brother was so angry, but she thought he was much braver than her since he at least isn't crying, and he was still trying to fight.

She turned to their betrayers who she still couldn't believe had given them over to their enemies. The three just stood to the side as the dark men took hold of them both. She didn't know the squire who helped take care of Ser Willem's horse and armor very well but he always seemed nice to her. Standing next to him was the cook who used to sneak her sweets from time to time because he said that those desserts would never be as sweet as she was. He always made her smile when he said that, but her favorite was her maid who always brushed her hair, helped her dress, and sometimes sang to her. Now they were all just standing there while these horrible people held them all prisoner.

She wasn't even sure the men around them were men at all, because they all looked more like demons. They were all dressed in black, some in hoods or cloaks, and they all had on mask that covered all of their face except their eyes. But even there she saw no sign of emotion from any of them except the man who had delivered the letters from her nephew, the one who called himself Bronn. He wasn't smiling but he certainly didn't seem like he would help them either. The only other one who spoke a word looked like he had to be a boy. Although he was not much taller than her, he also had dark eyes showing through his mask. Those eyes hadn't left her since he spoke the words that now felt like a sword through her heart.

They betrayed you.

How could they?

Suddenly a jolt shot through her as a terrible thought occurred to her.

"Where is our nephew? What have you done to him?!" she shouted while looking around at everyone.

Everyone looked at her, but they all remained silent which worried her all the more. If the man Bronn was here she worried that might mean they had caught Aegon too, she even wondered about their great uncle Aemon now.

"Why would you say that?" asked a voice near her. She looked around to see it came from the boy who was still looking at her.

Everyone else was silent and the ones whose faces she could see all looked just as confused by her question.

"He delivered the letters to us from our nephew and if he is with you then, does that mean you have our nephew too? What about our uncle?" Daenerys elaborated as she looked at Bronn.

"I was only told to deliver those letters. As to what was in them." replied Bronn while shrugging his shoulders at her.

That confused her more since she was certain they had to have known about Aegon somehow. Or maybe they didn't know, maybe they just stole the letters intended for them.

"Your nephew was responsible for all of this." announced the boy as he raised his arms up gesturing to the scene around them.

"What!? Why would he?" she asked shocked by the reply.

"I knew it!" Viserys suddenly shouted out. "The pretender is trying to get rid us so he can steal our throne."

Aegon betrayed us too? Or was he not even their nephew at all? He really was a pretender?       

Ever since reading that letter, she hoped that he was real, but now she worried her brother had been right all along and she started to feel her tears begin to flow again.

"Enough of this!" the cook said. "I don't care what she is on about or what scheme you all are runnin' here but all we want is our pardons and our payments." he said to Bronn while gesturing to the other servants who both just nodded in agreement.

"You misunderstand." the boy replied, as he walked toward her. He was looking right at her without acknowledging anyone else around him, then he turned slightly to look at Viserys. He just seemed so cold and his dark eyes looked like they could see into their very souls.

"Your nephew arranged all that has happened here tonight, to show you something important. He was testing the people who were charged with your protection and care. Needless to say, they have all failed miserably." the boy explained then he turned back to her and slowly reached up to the man that had been holding her still. She felt the man's grip relax and slowly let her go.

As much as she felt like she should run Daenerys stayed where she was. The boy reached up toward her but she just froze in place feeling like she was trapped with his gaze on her. His hand gently touched her face as his thumb slowly wiped away the tears from her cheek. The small touch was gentle and surprised her but she still felt afraid.

"Oh, fuck me." she suddenly heard Bronn blurt out.

The boy turned from her and looked over to the others while the men behind her began to nudge her towards Viserys which she was all too happy to oblige. The men who had held her brother down also slowly let him get up as she was brought over to him and she latched right on to his arm tightly. Viserys returned the embrace and held on to her tight.

"Bronn, I'm sure you've realized that I am not the little bird I pretended to be, but your test was not one of loyalty. We knew your loyalties before we met. Your test was one of your abilities which you did not fail to impress. We truly didn't think you would be able to turn all of them as easily as you did. But now that they have failed their test it is time for your next task." The boy elaborated now holding Bronn's gaze who looked quite nervous.

The boy slowly walked closer and pointed to their former caretakers.

"Kill them." he said calmly as all three of those he pointed to instantly went pale or looked around confused and scared. Bronn had seemed tense a second ago, but now he had somewhat relaxed.

Bronn looked at their betrayers and he just shrugged before one of his arms whipped forward so fast she barely saw the metal gleam from the knife he threw. The blade was now sticking out of the chest of her former maid and she started to gasp as blood came out of her mouth. Daenerys quickly closed her eyes and clutched tighter onto her brother as she looked away. She only heard a few more sounds of something metal, followed by a gurgling sound and then a loud bang on the floor before she forced herself to open her eyes at the bloody scene.

She watched Bronn put his sword through the back of the cook who was now lying on his belly on the deck. The others were down too with blood coming from their mouths and their eyes looked empty. As Daenerys looked up to see the boy pull his hood and mask off, as he walked past the now dead bodies stopping in front of Bronn.

"Well done." he said looking up to the man who had just killed all three of their former servants in just a few seconds. She looked up to see even Viserys was nervous now at what he had just witnessed, but the boy with dark hair was still calm and relaxed, as if these deaths had meant nothing to him.

"Now I think it is time I explain a few things." the boy said looking at her and her brother.

"W-Who are you?" Viserys asked, frightened.

"For the time being. You can call me Jon Snow." he answered.

“Snow? That’s a bastard name.” Viserys stated. “You’re just a child.”

That made this Jon Snow chuckle at before he replied.

“I could not be further from a child.” Snow said as he walked over to one of the other men who placed a large box down in front of him.

Snow opened the box and pulled out an object which she quickly realized was her mother’s crown. The box she recognized now was where Ser Willem kept their valuables which mostly included some gold from Dragonstone along with, their mother’s jewelry, and the crown Snow was now holding.

“Give that back! That belonged to our mother and it was her prized possession.” Viserys spat.

Jon Snow arched a brow as he looked at her brother.

“I regret not knowing Queen Rhaella, but I can assure you that this trinket was not her prized possession.” Jon Snow responded.

“Of course, it was. That was her crown, the symbol of her status as Queen. She was my mother and I knew her better than you, bastard.” Viserys stated before turning to look around. “Why am I even speaking to some bastard child? Who is in charge here?! I demand to speak to your commander!” Viserys began to shout at everyone.

“I am the only one who will speak with you. The rest here have been instructed not to in order to prevent you from identifying any of them, which is also the reason their faces are covered.” Snow explained to them.

“Why? Instructed by whom?” Viserys asked, getting more frustrated.

“Your nephew’s orders.” Jon Snow answered.

“Where is he? Is he here?” she asked as Viserys looked down at her. But he didn’t seem mad by her interruption.

“Yes, where is this so called nephew of ours?” Viserys added.

“He will make himself known to you in time. But as to your earlier remark, you were right that you knew Queen Rhaella better than me but not better than your brother knew her. Rhaegar knew Rhaella greatest treasure was her children.” Jon snow stated as he gestured to both of them.

“This crown was nothing to her when compared to you two, but I understand how important it is to you because it reminds you of her. Which is why we made sure to have it brought here with you. These men will show you to your rooms along with Ser Willem. The rest of your belongings will be arriving soon, our men entered your house after you left and began gathering your belongings.” Jon Snow finished as he returned their mothers crown to the lock box and walked over to Ser Willem who was still being held on his knees.

“Your efforts to protect House Targaryen have been admirable Ser, but also quite foolish. You kept such valuables in a simple lock box with the key around your neck while taking residence in a city with a famous bank that could have better protected them. If those servants, you hired had been a little more clever they could have easily fed you a deadly poison and stolen all you had while throwing your prince and princess out into the streets.” Snow, chastised Ser Willem which she didn’t like, even if his words were true.

Jon Snow nodded and the others started moving them toward Ser Willem but her brother was having none of it.

“No, I am not going anywhere until I speak with your commander. I am the true king of the Seven Kingdoms and unless you all are traitors like the Usurper then your loyalty should be to me.” Viserys exclaimed to everyone around him. But no one acknowledged his words.

“It will take much more than your claim to the throne to command the men of the Legion. Unlike some men who held their honor or personal gains above any loyalty to their liege, those before you are above reproach.” Snow said as he walked closer to Viserys.

“We here were all thrown away until those who stole all from House Targaryen hoped we would simply fade from memory. But we did not and all other like us are slowly rising to the call your nephew has sent out. While their loyalty is to House Targaryen, there is only one master of the Legion, only one commander, and that is not you Viserys.” Jon Snow stated.

“Ha, even if this Aegon is not some pretender, he would be a child no older than you are bastard. What has he accomplished to warrant anyone’s loyalty?” Viserys challenged.

“Your nephew exposed the lies your enemies have been telling about Prince Rhaegar, killed a traitor who helped ruin your brother’s plan to make peace before the rebellion could occur, and he recovered some of House Targaryen’s most loyal men to form the Legion.”  Snow answered, much to both her and her brother’s surprise.

Viserys looked positively stunned by those words, although she was too.

“Legion?” Viserys muttered. “You said that before, what is that?”

“The Legion of the Dark. Aegon’s elite. After all it was the dark that the dragons were cast down into to die. So from the dark, the dragons shall rise again to burn all who thought them gone from this world.”  Jon Snow stated proudly.

Jon Snow then turned from her brother to walk away and the men around them began moving them to go below deck, only this time Viserys didn’t refuse. She saw men scrambling to open the sails and raise the anchor. She grabbed her brother’s hand again as they walked. Daenerys definitely wasn’t sure about Aegon’s intentions, after he sent to their home a lying murderer like the man Bronn and the cold blooded monster that was Jon Snow.

Daenerys just hoped when they arrived to wherever Aegon was, things would get better. The night had been quite horrible but at least herself, Ser Willem, and Viserys were okay and not in the hand of their enemies. At least she hoped not.

 

 

 

 

Aegon     

 

Aegon stood out on the railing of the ship as they sailed through the calm sea, the feel of the wind and the crashing sounds of waves against the hull of their ship calming his thoughts. He thought killing Benjen had been hard enough, but this part of the plan felt even worse. Dany looked absolutely terrified, and he could tell that no small part of that horror he saw in her eyes was because of him. Aegon hated having to scare her so. However, this was all important for them both, and they needed to learn these lessons now, rather than later when the damage from such lessons could mean their deaths. He only hoped Dany might forgive him one day, but now was not the time for forgiveness.

After Bronn dispatched their former servants in front of them both his aunt and uncle were so scared, they both said nothing as he explained that they were not in the hands of the Baratheons or Lannisters. They both barely spoke a few words after he had them shown to their cabins to rest along with Ser Willem. Bronn told him what he had the cook had given the knight should have been enough to knock out a man half his age.

His uncle, which he had never gotten the chance to meet in his former life was much like what Dany had described. But Aegon was glad to see that from the way he held on to his sister that the brother who took care of her was not gone completely, at least not yet. Of the many gifts he planned to give her, he hoped a life with a brother who cared for her rather than one who would sell her for his own ends, was among the top of the list. When Viserys had been told they were Targaryen loyalist he was angry enough to chastise us all with threats of punishments from him being that he thought he was the king.

Only after his uncle learned that the men aboard this ship serve his nephew and not him did he notice that fear from earlier begin to return. Dany on the other hand didn't speak a word and instead she just clung to her brother's arm. The strong and amazing woman he had known was not this small, frightened girl he saw now. Aegon didn’t think she would be so different in this time from the Dany he knew, and worse was the thought that the Daenerys Stormborn he’d known and loved may never come to be.

Would such a thing be so terrible? She might never have to suffer so much as to break down and finally fall into madness and despair.  

Aegon quickly tore his thoughts away from such things and focused on the present. Viserys and Daenerys are still children now and it is the perfect time to begin preparing them for what was to come. He knew this world will have little mercy for any of them and they needed to begin learning that fact.

"So, what are you going to do now that you have them?" asked a voice he knew all too well breaking him from his thoughts. He turned around to face the former Lord Commander of the Watch. The man looked like he might be considering throwing Aegon overboard which amused him. The man had been allowed out of the brig after they explained his situation but he was probably just biding time to get the upper hand.

"They are not your concern." Aegon replied. "Right now, your main concern is our training." Aegon stated as one of the others brought them their wooden practice swords.

Jeor took up his position in the center of the deck. They had been using it to train here since the man was let out of the brig. He took his practice sword and squared off with the old bear. Jeor attacked with a high guard and struck down on top of Aegon, but he was quicker so he parried to strike easily.

"But now that they are here, I felt it was time for you to understand your role in all this Lord Jeor." Aegon began as he quickly moved to strike at Jeor's side.

Jeor blocked and turned repositioning himself. For such a big man he was surprisingly fast.

"I know well enough, I'm your prisoner or else you'll have my family killed." Jeor replied.  "Although I can't imagine why since, you and your band of deserters here are all free to flee wherever you wish." Jeor finished.

"I'm telling you why you’re here because you need to know, and by the way none of these men are deserters." Aegon began. "You see Lord Jeor, your role in all of this is to serve as my shadow. You will stay at my side and protect me from all harm with your life, for should anything happen to me your house will suffer my loss."

Jeor narrowed his eyes at Aegon. "So, I am nothing more than a bodyguard for you. Why? Anyone of these other turncoats here could suffice."

"Oh yes, they could, but they have other purposes far more important to fulfill and you are perfect for the role of my shadow because in doing so you will help me achieve three of my goals simultaneously." Aegon explained while Jeor listened intently.

"First, you will help me integrate myself into several important affairs of the realm. My cover is now to serve as your steward and as people will see you as the Lord Commander of the Nights Watch, no one will question me sitting in on your meetings, answering your letters, or any such things. I will know everything and be a part of everything but the rest of the world will only see me as some servant or scribe, which will allow me to hide right in plain sight.” Aegon explained.

Aegon moved to strike Jeor who blocked two more blows and angrily slashed back. Aegon managed to completely dodge that and he could tell the man didn’t like what he was hearing.

“The second, will be what we are doing now, because I require someone like you to train with me. I know that you would happily cave my skull in with your bare hands if you thought you could get away with it. Your anger will serve me well in my own training, for the battles to come will not be easy ones.” Aegon paused before continuing.

“Finally, you will allow me to dismantle the Nights Watch from within and from the foundations of its ruin, I will build a new force dedicated to destroying my enemies." Aegon finished with a smile and Jeor growled through gritted teeth and lodged at him. 

The old bear was fast, and he had no small amount of skill with a blade. Jeor might have been leading with his anger but the man was truly a frightening sight to behold. Jeor came at Aegon with full force with his blunt practice sword above him like a club, bringing it down with all his strength. Aegon wasn't stupid enough to try and block right now so he simply stuck to evading the man's blows one after the other.

The strength of Jeor's strikes was so great that every time he missed Aegon and hit the wooden deck Aegon was sure he heard the deck planks splintering. But he couldn't afford to check with a raging bear coming at him so he kept his focus where it needed to be. Jeor hit the deck again and then started swinging his sword wide at Aegon’s side which he dodged by leaning back just enough to drop backwards onto his upper back. Jeor saw his moment and didn't hesitate to swing a lower swing again that would have broken Aegon's leg had it connected.

Aegon lifted both legs avoiding Jeor’s latest strike and used the momentum to kick himself back up landing both feet on the deck following through with the motion to land a blow right on top of Jeor skull, which proved to be a mistake. Aegon thought he caught Jeor with the blow but he realized too late that Jeor literally head butted his practice sword away and followed with a strike that knocked the wind right out of him.

Aegon barely managed to lift his own sword up to block but the effort proved useless against Jeor's strength barreling into him. Jeor hit Aegon as hard as he could and the boy's sword arm buckled under the pressure and the hit sent him off his feet and sliding across the deck.

Aegon took a second to catch his breath and look at Jeor who stopped a few steps from him, and then he noticed why. Two of his own men who had been observing the match jumped in with their weapons drawn, and from the look of things Jeor was a second from his own death.

"Stop!" Aegon yelled, as both of his rescuers froze.

 

 

 

Jeor

 

At every turn this boy continued to confuse and infuriate him to no end. With himself going back and forth between the two, which was probably the only reason he hadn't snapped sooner. But when the incessant little bastard basically said he was going to use him a nothing more than a puppet to destroy the Night's Watch, all his anger boiled over. For a few moments he completely forgot about the two sentries nearby or the other forty traitors aboard who would cut him down if he killed their so-called king.

When Jeor struck Aegon across the torso and he watched him fly right across the deck Jeor had every intent on killing him right then and there. When the two guards approached he felt he could beat both of them, even with his blunted blade. Then suddenly Snow yelled out halting them.

"Stop!" he heard Snow bellow at them.

"Your Grace are you ...?" one of them began to ask, but they were quickly cut off.

"I said stop!” Aegon shouted, looking angrier than he was. "None of you were ordered to observe me while I train, so what were you two doing up here?"

"Your Grace, Ser Alliser told us not to let you out of our sight. We are here to keep you safe." the man replied but kept his gaze firmly fixed on Jeor.

"Lord Jeor is providing me all the protection I require.” Aegon chastised his own men as he rose up using his practice sword like a cane.

"I do not doubt any of you, and Thorne's heart is in the right place, but your heads are all in the wrong. I don't need any of you to be my Kingsguard, because your purpose is to avenge house Targaryen, which, includes myself." Aegon's tone softened as he explained.

"Jeor Mormont is currently giving me the protection I truly need by beating my every weakness and mistake out of me. In the wars to come I will have to fight in many battles and I will have to lead others where the most danger lies. I will not order one person to go into battle or take a single life I am unwilling to do so myself.” Aegon finished.

Snow paused to gage their reactions which he had to admit that the boy’s attitude was not only a noble one but also a northern sentiment.

The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.

“The Kingsguard didn't save either of my parents and they certainly didn’t do my grandfather any good, so all of you stop trying to be my bodyguards and be where I truly need you." Aegon commanded glaring at both.

Both men looked back at each other with doubt all over their faces. He could tell they didn't want to leave this boy alone with him but he could also tell their loyalty compelled them to obey. As they left one of them whispered how they'd gut Jeor if anything happened to their king. 

"That was foolish considering if I wanted, there is nothing to stop me from killing you right now." Jeor said, turning back to the boy.

Snow didn't seem phased by his words at all. He appeared more bothered by his own men defending him than being attacked.

"My father died fighting a man in battle that was his better. A man bigger, stronger, who loved fighting much more than my father did. My mother died birthing me and the great Kingsguard did them no good. Had he but left a decent maester with my mother, she might be alive now and had he taken a few archers to fight Robert rather than his own sword, he might have at least survived the battle of the Trident." Aegon stated but he was looking off as if he was talking to someone else.

Then Aegon turned to look at Jeor with his eyes narrowed. "Ser Alliser did not come because he is setting my plans into motion back at the Wall, including making arrangements for your house should any misfortune befall me. I know that no matter how much you may hate me, you care for them more, but I will remind you as many times as is needed. If you do any permanent damage to me, my followers will do worse to your family. Remember well Lord Jeor, I live they live, I die they die." Aegon, threatened.

Jeor took a breath to calm himself knowing if he had gone too far his family would be finished. Of all the doubts he had about this boy, the threat to his house was not among them. If Jeor hurt this boy or even if someone else did, House Mormont will pay for it. He had to be more careful not to let his anger get the best of him again unless he stupidly put his sister and her daughters all in an early grave. Jeor wasn’t sure if they knew where his son was but he didn’t want to push his luck.

"So..." Jeor relaxing and steadying himself. "If you truly intend me to train and protect you, then I would ask you not to vex me anymore than you already do.” Jeor asked. Snow smiled at that.

"I am afraid that would make you less of a challenge. Which would be counterproductive to me. Besides you will need some way to deal with your anger over my actions, both current and future." Aegon replied raising his sword as he slowly began to circle him.

"You may have me and my house by the throat, but you’re dreaming if you think I will be a part of any actions against the Nights Watch. The watch has stood for thousands of years and I will gladly die before I allow it to fall to some bastard boy who thinks himself the Conqueror come again." Jeor practically growled at Aegon.

Aegon smirked at him as he continued to circle like a wolf stalking its prey. Jeor didn't care what anyone said, the idea of this boy being a hidden Targaryen was ludicrous. He moved in to strike which was followed by a block and with a few placed strikes of his own. He wasn't going full strength anymore but if this foolish boy was willing to take a beating from him then he had no intention to pass it up.

"You will serve me as my shadow Lord Jeor." Aegon commanded. "You will continue to train with me and you will also help me throw what is left of the rotten corpse of the Nights Watch on to the pyre where it belongs."

"If the Nights Watch were to fall the whole realm would be placed in greater danger than they already are. Why would I help you do that?" Jeor countered.

"The biggest reason why is below our feet. I will destroy all the wights north of the Wall and their masters along with them. I will remove the free folk as a threat to your house and if things go the way I intend, the Mormonts will stand among the most prosperous in the realm." Aegon responded with a slight smile.

Jeor huffed slowly shaking his head.

This boy is too full of himself if he thinks I'll believe any of that. But he does sound confident.  

"So how do you plan to do all that?" Jeor asked, while raising to strike from his high guard.

"As I said, Ser Alliser is already seeing to some of my efforts at the Wall. The rest I intend to gain from the Usurper in the south." Aegon replied.

"You think the king is going to help you?" Jeor chuckled.

"He will when I show him the wight on this ship. His entire council will give me anything I wish if it means never having to see one of these things up close. They will help me build up my resources, a network of influence, and even an army that I will use to destroy them. And they will think everything we do is to combat the monsters beyond the wall so they won't have to." Aegon explained smugly.

What disturbed him most was that the boy's words rang true. If they managed to convince the king that the White Walkers have returned to the world then they might be convinced to give them anything necessary to combat that threat. But the more Jeor thought about it, the more he realized there were some parts that still didn't make since.

"If you were planning to use the White Walkers to manipulate the king, then why make this move against me now? I was planning to get aide from the south anyway to combat the threat beyond the Wall. You could have just waited and pulled strings from the shadows without revealing yourself."  Jeor questioned.

That made Snow smile bigger like this whole conversation was a big amusement to him. Like he just knew everything before Jeor could even ask.

"Because Lord Jeor, you were planning to ask for help from the usurper and his council in a very different way than I intend to. Plus, as I said, part of your role is to help me dismantle the Nights Watch so that a better force will rise in their place." Aegon answered. 

Jeor swung his sword again and Aegon connected. The boy was nowhere near his strength but at least he was fast, otherwise he would stand no chance.

“I told you that’s not gonna happen no matter what you threaten.” Jeor declared.

“We shall see Lord Jeor. We shall see.” Snow calmly replied as he thrust his sword at Jeor who returned with his own strike with his anger fueling his every move. They exchanged no more words that day and he held himself back plenty to keep himself from battering the boy to death. Jeor knew the so-called little king would have a nice collection of bruises come the morning.

The lad held his own better than he would admit for one so young. What bothered him most was the damned brat never screamed out, whined, or complained no matter how many hits he took.

By the end of the sparring match, Snow limped away, but he did so with his pride showing and he still held that same infuriating smile. It was like the boy knew something he didn’t, and it irritated him greatly. Jeor understood that for the time being he had to hold his ground and play it smart. Whatever Jon Snow and his band were planning, Jeor figured he just had to settle in and bide his time waiting for the right moment to strike.

The bear goes into hibernation every winter but when the time comes it will always awaken with a roar.

 

 

Chapter 9: Face to Face

Summary:

Well I am back.
First my apologies for taking this long to get back here.
The past year and half have been pretty big considering I have had to change homes twice for work.
I was in school but my focus paid off since I graduated honor roll which was unexpected.
The worst factor that impacted my writing was I had to help take care of a family member whose now suffering from dementia.
I will leave it at that before this gets to depressing.
I'm back now and I hope to continue on to the end.

Chapter Text

Daenerys

 

For the longest time she felt like they were sailing to their own executions, despite how kindly the men onboard treated them. Their room wasn’t very big, but it was better than most and she was sharing with only Viserys, which she was glad for. Later she met a couple of women onboard, who told her they were there just to take care of her. They spoke quite crudely and bluntly even though they were exceedingly kind to her. However, after having witnessed what happened to their previous servants, she didn’t think anyone aboard could truly be trusted. Dany felt certain the only person she could trust right now was Viserys alone.

Her brother had not liked the voyage at all, since the rocking of the ship kept making him sick. After what felt like forever, their ship was approaching land, but she didn't know where yet. The women who had cared for her had mentioned they would be arriving soon, but they couldn't say where because neither of them had ever been this far south. When she arrived to check on Viserys, he was dressed and ready to go, though she could tell he was as nervous as she was. Her big brother took her hand as they made their way toward the upper deck. They hadn't been denied moving around on the ship all that much, except for a few places the men dressed in black said were off limits.

Viserys whispered to her as they walked. "Just keep holding on to me no matter what. And be ready to run if I say so. Got it?" She nodded in response gripping her brother's hand tightly.

When they got up on the top deck, she could see they were now anchored out in the water and when she looked at the land, Daenerys saw the biggest and most beautiful castle she had ever seen. The great castle sat on top of a hill along the coast and in the morning light the towers were all red which reminded her of the door to their house back in Braavos. She couldn't stop staring at it, until her brother's voice broke her from her thoughts. 

"I knew it!" Viserys shouted towards the others on the deck. "You’re delivering us to the Usurper!"

"What you mean brother?" Daenerys asked, instantly frightened by his response.

Viserys looked at her with both fear and anger before pointing to the castle she had been staring at. "That’s the Red Keep, Dany! That is where our father ruled before the Usurper killed him and took it from us."

The Red Keep?! Of course, how could she not have realized it?

She clutched at Viserys’ arm tighter, afraid now, that they really were being delivered to the Usurper after all.

"Have no fear Viserys. You both are safe, and you will remain safe so long as you are with us." she heard a familiar voice say from behind them.

She looked around to see Jon Snow walking up to them with a bucket in his arms and her personal caretakers behind him. Jon Snow was the only one on board around their age and he was the one person she felt the most nervous about. He had told them that their nephew felt they might be more comfortable talking with someone close to their age rather than the other men he had sent to rescue them. She surmised that Jon Snow must be closer to her own age than he was to Viserys, but his presence had had the opposite effect Aegon intended. Daenerys felt the least comfortable around him out of everyone and she was sure Viserys felt the same. Jon Snow was simply frightening.

Daenerys was disappointed about not knowing when she might get to meet their nephew and frustrated that everyone else onboard refused to tell them anything about Aegon other than to ask Jon Snow. She had hoped that their nephew would be waiting for them at their destination but now she was frightened that may not be the case. More and more, she felt like she just wanted to go back home to their old house and her lemon tree.

"We are headed into the city on important business and you both are coming with us so you can bear witness. After all, what we are here for concerns you both too. But, for your own safety, neither of you are to speak to anyone and you will stay with Pella, Marill, and your guards while we are here." Snow instructed them while gesturing to her two caretakers. She suddenly realized she had been so distracted by her own fears that she never even asked the women’s names.

"If anyone speaks to you, just go along with whatever Pella and Marill say. They have been briefed and will help guide you both. Understood?" She didn't understand fully, but she nodded in response all the same while her brother still stared in confusion.

“First, they are going to dye your hair, so the color doesn’t arouse anyone’s suspicions. Once that is done, we will head into the city." Snow explained while the women filled the two buckets with water and began mixing something that looked like black ink.

"Wait, what? What are you talking about? Viserys asked abruptly.

Snow smiled softly as he answered. "We must disguise you both while you are here so no one will be able to recognize you. Don't worry. The dye will fade away within a couple of days and by that time we will all be back aboard and off to your new home. However, that will also be temporary until you are both ready to return to your true home." Snow explained while gesturing this time at the Red Keep.

She followed his gaze along with her brother. They were both as surprised as they were unsure of how to respond.

"So, you are not giving us to the Usurper?" Viserys asked slowly.

Jon Snow simply shook his head smirking. But the look in his eyes felt reassuring this time rather than his usual cold stare.

Daenerys didn't like their disguises at all, since they also had to change clothes which were old, dirty, and itched in some places. It felt calming to have their hair dyed black, but she didn't like the look of herself in a mirror and she missed her silver hair immediately. Viserys was even less pleased than her and he didn’t hold his tongue about it either.

"We look like retched peasants! I am a king, and this is unacceptable!" Viserys unable to whole back his reservations.

"That is the point." Jon Snow stated bluntly. "No one will even look twice at either of you looking the way you do now. But if you stroll into those walls with your nice clothes and silver locks, every gold cloak, Lannister guard, and Baratheon soldier will lop off your heads in a heartbeat."

Viserys was about to refuse but he quickly closed his mouth and gulped nervously. "Well, very well. But I still don't understand what we are doing here."

Jon Snow's face quickly turned serious, and he walked up to Viserys until they were inches from each other. She stepped further behind her brother as Snow approached them. Daenerys watched as Jon Snow gave Viserys the same look she'd seen in Braavos. That cold stare he held when he ordered the death of their former servants.

"You are here to look your enemies in the eye." Jon stated sternly, to which her brother just tried to hold his gaze before nervously turning away. Jon Snow was intimidating even to those older and bigger than himself. She saw it with the sellsword Bronn who delivered them here and now again with Viserys.

How could a boy as old as me be more frightening than even the men surrounding them?

“Wait, What about Ser Willem? Won’t he be joining us?” Viserys asked. To which Jon Snow explained that he would follow them a little later. It sounded vague but he wouldn’t say anymore.  

They were brought into the city by boat which Jon helped to row, and he even had her brother take the row next to him while she sat with Pella and Marill in the back of the boat. There were a few men in all black she had seen on the ship, but they were now joined by another man she had only seen once along their journey training with Jon Snow before she and Viserys had been ushered away.  

Daenerys could tell this man in particular, was probably the oldest, and he was certainly the biggest man she had ever seen. The big man kept glancing at Jon Snow with an angry stare on his face which she found strange, since all the other men in black were the opposite. They all seemed very respectful and protective of him.

Maybe Jon Snow is someone important to her nephew. Like a close friend maybe.  

She'd have to remember to try to ask Pella or Marill more about him later. Before now she had never been interested in being anywhere near the frightening boy and his cold dark eyes. Daenerys just couldn’t stop thinking about the slaughter of their servants and the way he walked over their bodies like they were nothing.

No! Those people weren’t their servants! They betrayed them. Jon Snow wasn’t wrong about that.

Daenerys knew that his actions might have been what was supposed to happen to traitors. Still, it was hard to accept after how nice they had all been to them for so long. Her thoughts were torn away by one of the other boats that came to the dock separate from them carrying a large box of some kind. She couldn't see what was in it since it was covered. All she knew was that some kind of animal had been growling within and she had to admit it sounded really angry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Aegon

 

 

His entire body ached from his training with Jeor, but he managed to block out the pain by focusing on the next task which was crucial for keeping Dany and Viserys safe. Aegon had mixed feelings about his uncle Viserys. Dany had told him very little but what she did say was how cruel he was to her. However, she had briefly mentioned when they were younger, her brother took care of her, fed her when they were starving, and told her stories of their family. Aegon was starting to see what Dany meant when he observed Viserys because he could tell the way he held Dany close that he was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing.

At this point in time Viserys still sees Dany as his sister and not just something he could use to get himself a crown. Aegon hoped for his sake that Viserys could keep that view. Aegon didn't look forward to what might follow if Viserys turned out exactly like he was in their previous lives. His uncle was still spoiled and seemed to genuinely believe the seven kingdoms would just bend the knee to him without any resistance. Aegon understood that he himself was taking several big risks with not only his own life being in the capital, but with all their lives.

His plans were placing all of them in danger by coming to the city filled with their worst enemies with two wights onboard their own ship. But great risk could yield great rewards and Aegon was aiming high in both categories. They made their way to the dock and into the city with little trouble since having the Lord Commander of the Nights Watch at his side made it so no one gave the rest of them a second glance. He could tell the Lord Commander was itching to expose them, but Aegon had made things clear about Jeor’s position should he do anything to jeopardize their purpose. But as an added measure he asked his men who would be willing to volunteer to kill the Lord Commander should he so much as breathe one syllable out of turn.

Much to Aegon’s pride and the Lord Commander's disdain, all the members of the party going ashore volunteered without hesitation. Aegon commanded them all to keep a close watch on Jeor and kill him at any sign of treachery. They all knew that doing so might mean their own deaths, especially if they were in a public setting. Regardless, they all reassured Aegon that they would not only kill Jeor to protect him, his aunt, and uncle from discovery. Some stated that if they were captured, they would cut out their own tongues before breathing a word against House Targaryen. The men's loyalty towards him was beginning to border on the fanatical, and yet he still felt elevated by their presence.

They had sent a raven ahead of them from Castle Black to announce their arrival as well as the seriousness of their need to address the king and council. Robert was a man who hardly held court or attended meetings, leaving it to his Lord Hand Jon Arryn to deal with the affairs of the realm. A messenger from the palace had been waiting to receive their party at the docks with assurances from the Lord Hand himself that Robert would be in court to greet them. Aegon certainly hoped the Usurper was there, but either way it was going to be quite an interesting day in Kings Landing.

After arriving in the city Aegon noticed the place still smelled the same stinking stench it had when he first came there. The city was quite revolting to him despite the magnificence of his ancestors’ castle.

Well, I think my first change to this city will be that damned smell!

Aegon glanced back at his aunt and uncle as they stayed close to Pella and Marril. Clearly neither of them appreciated the smell of the city any more than he did since they were both still covering their noses as they walked. Pella and Marril were two of Craster's daughters, who agreed to come with them not only to help attend to his young aunt on their voyage but also help protect Dany and Viserys so they could see what was about to happen.

After they entered the palace, members of the gold cloaks brought their party to wait in the throne room to be presented to the king. Aegon could barely contain his smile at the audience before them since not only was Robert there, looking as fat as ever, but several Kingsguard, and all the council members were present as well. Most of the court looked to be locals who probably lived close to the capital, but he didn't spot any of the greater houses present so the nobility were most likely lesser lords of the Crownlands.

When looking at Robert, he still felt bitter that his father was killed by the same fat fool in front of him. Aegon wondered how Robert had ever managed to be the man people once called the 'Demon of the Trident'. Jaime Lannister stood nearby whispering something to his sister who sat at Roberts left while Jon Arryn sat to Robert's right.

Jaime Lannister was younger now than when he first saw him and yet the man still looked the part of what Aegon believed a king should look like, if nothing else. Suddenly he found himself wondering where Tyrion might be, but when he didn't spot him anywhere, he figured the little dwarf was probably at a tavern or a brothel right now.

Such thoughts brought a smile to his face, but they were quickly displaced as a guard came up to usher their group to approach the throne. He nodded for Jeor to go forth and present them which the angry Old Bear begrudgingly did with two of Aegon's men flanking him. This was the moment he worried Jeor might try something foolish and he truly hoped the men behind him with their hidden daggers wouldn’t have to drive them into the former Commander’s back. Aegon didn’t want it to come to that at all, but he was prepared nonetheless, so he turned his attention to Dany and Viserys.

"Alright, remember no words from either of you or we could all be killed, is that understood? Also try to keep your heads down just in case anyone looks too closely at those eyes of yours." Aegon whispered to Daenerys and Viserys who both just silently nodded.

Marril and Pella held them both like they were truly their own children and brought them forward with their party. Viserys had a problem with vocalizing his every displeasure but even he understood the severity of the danger they were all in right now, so he held his tongue.

"Presenting Lord Jeor of House Mormont, Lord Commander of the Nights Watch!" a herald announced them to everyone. Most did not seem all that interested to be honest, but then again to these people in the south the Nights Watch was just a place to throw their unwanted criminals away. Jeor approached taking a knee before addressing the court.

"Your Grace, members of the council, and all my lords and ladies here in attendance. I thank you for being here and allowing me to address the court today for I can assure you the matter is grave." Jeor greeted.

"Well I have to say it isn't every day that the Lord Commander of the Nights Watch comes to visit the capitol and I don't even hear a peep from my Warden of the North. I found that quite curious, by the way how is my old friend Ned doing? I've barely heard a word from him since we crushed those Ironborn fuckers." Robert bellowed loudly, which was quickly followed by some laughter from the court attendants.

 "Last I heard Your Grace the Lord Stark, and his family were well." Jeor answered.

"Really?" Cersei interrupted, "I heard his own bastard made a complete and utter fool of him after the man put the boy on trial for setting fire to his own castle."

The crowd erupted with more whispers but no laughter. Aegon heard the high septon quietly remark 'disgraceful' while Ser Jaime tried holding back a laugh but to his credit Ser Barristan remained stoic as ever. Robert ended the crowd’s murmuring by raising his hand in silence, before turning to Cersei.

"Hold your tongue until told otherwise." Robert commanded. Aegon could tell from Cersei's expression that she was not happy at all by those words.

The whole thing was starting to make him smile inward, but he allowed Jeor to handle things for the time being since they had already gone over what they needed to say.

"Forgive me, Your Grace but I was not at the bastard's trial and any words I could offer would only be rumor." Jeor recovered smiling politely.

Aegon realized Jeor was unsure if he should mention Aegon was present. But something inside Aegon could not resist what he did next.

"I was there!" Aegon suddenly called out over the hall, earning him a grim look from Jeor and a startled one from the rest of his party. All eyes in the hall fell upon him as he approached the side of the Lord Commander.

"And who do we have here?" Robert asked as he leaned forward to get a better look at Aegon.

"They call me the ‘Bastard of Winterfell’ but if you like, you can call me Jon Snow." Aegon answered but he didn't include 'Your Grace' or bend the knee.

Robert's eyebrows rose in surprise as he leaned back on the throne. "So, you’re the one I have heard about causing my old friend so much grief lately eh? Well go on then bastard, is it true that you managed to make a fool of my old friend Ned after setting fire to his castle up at Winterfell?" Robert inquired but Aegon could tell there was a veiled threat behind his words.

It was as if Robert were silently daring Aegon to speak out against his old friend, which Jon Snow would never have done. But he was not Jon Snow anymore, he was Aegon Targaryen now.

Aegon knew that this was not part of his plans, but now that he thought about where he was, he felt a new resolve to show the south who he was, just as he had done in the North.

"No, I didn't make a fool of Lord Stark at all. He did that all by himself." Aegon responded. There were a few gasps from the crowd, but the rest were silently awaiting the king’s response.

"How is that?" Robert asked calmly, as his fists clinched, and his face reddened.

"Lord Stark didn't do the deed with his own hands, but he was one of the main causes for my mother's death. He lied to me my whole life and thought he could sell that same lie to the rest of the North. But he wasn’t the lord we thought he was then, and he still isn’t now. Some already knew this, but I was just the first to speak the truth about him aloud.” Aegon finished.

The king didn’t seem to like his words, but he hadn’t responded yet. He did see smiles on the faces of both the Lannister twins and Lord Baelish as well.

“Oh, and to clarify, I did not set fire to Winterfell itself. I burned down the sept Lord Stark had built for his bitch of a wife, who made my life miserable every chance she got because I look more Stark than her own children." Aegon exclaimed without a hint of remorse causing several gasps this time but the whole hall again fell silent as all eyes turned to the king.

A few septons and septas that were in attendance looked outraged, but Robert’s gaze was focused on Aegon with narrow calculating eyes, but as the man stood up from the throne he suddenly started laughing. Softly at first then finally ending with hearty laughter echoing throughout the room.

"Ah Ha hah ha! Well, I will say this much, you've got some balls on you lad! I'll give you that! Are you certain you aren't Brandon's bastard? He was the only man I knew foolhardy enough to talk like that to a king." Robert replied. But after his laughter quieted, he continued.

"Still, I can’t blame you for feeling the way you do about your mother, knowing what Varys informed me about her. But regardless, Ned is my Warden of the North, as well as my brother in all but name and blood. And despite whatever Cat may have done she is a woman of noble birth. So, I hope you enjoyed those words boy, because if I ever hear them again from anyone, I'll have their tongue. Am I clear?" Robert stated with cold finality.

Aegon wasn't afraid at all, but he knew when he was pushing his luck, so he didn't reply. He simply smiled and politely nodded his head in response. After acknowledging him, Robert retook his seat on the Iron Throne. Aegon turned back to see Dany and Viserys were as shocked by his words as everyone else in the hall.

“Well, Lord Commander, now that we have that out of the way, what is this grave matter you needed to see me about? My Hand read the message your Maester sent, which stated that this matter was of such importance that my council and I needed to be present, so come out with it then. What’s so important?” Robert asked.

“Yes, Your Grace, there is no easy way to put this so I will just say it. The White Walkers have returned.” Jeor announced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viserys

 

 

Ever since they left the ship Viserys had been expecting some kind of betrayal, no matter what the strangers around him claimed, he didn’t believe they served his family. Viserys couldn’t believe whoever this ‘Aegon’ they claimed to serve was his nephew. Everyone knew his brother’s children were killed along with Rhaegar’s wife during the Sack of Kings Landing. Of all the people Viserys had met, the one he didn’t trust the most was undoubtingly the bastard boy Jon Snow.

From the moment he encountered these strangers he was now travelling with, Viserys had been completely confused as to why all the men clothed in black garb were just letting a child no older than Dany order them around. Jon Snow was nothing but some northern bastard who shouldn’t be in any position of power over so much as an ant, but here he was ordering grown men around without issue. He had to admit that when Jon Snow spoke of Aegon’s accomplishments, he felt a bit of jealousy boiling inside him.

If his nephew had been alive, he would be younger than himself and yet if he had actually achieved even half of what his pet bastard claimed, then Aegon would be way ahead of Viserys in his attempts to claim the throne. They had yet to even meet with their so-called nephew and yet he could not deny that this Aegon, whoever he was, had complete power over their lives right now. Their house back in Braavos was gone, their servants had betrayed them, and they were now headed to places unknown with strangers they couldn’t trust.

Viserys kept thinking that he should just take whatever belongings he could carry, grab his sister, and run the first chance they got. Despite all his mistrust of these people he still was curious about whether it was truly possible for his nephew to be alive. The more he thought about it though, the less he wanted to believe it because this Aegon would make a claim to the throne that was rightfully his. Viserys knew one thing for certain and that is he would never support anyone trying to steal his crown.

When they arrived at port, and he first saw his father’s house he was certain they were being sold to the Usurper and everything up until that point had been just an elaborate ruse to trick them. Yet Jon Snow confused him further by stating that they were going on some important business that he wanted them to see. The whole thing made absolutely no sense.

Why would the bastard and his men go through all this trouble of tricking them to enter the palace willing if they could have easily used force? It was all just so unnecessary if all they were doing was handing them over to be killed.

He went along with the most uncomfortable disguise he had to wear and let the women who looked almost as ugly as the men in black lead them through the streets of his city. Over a dozen times he thought about making a break for it. Yet every time Viserys had thought to try and run, one of the black guards would get closer to him or one of the women would hold his sister tighter, as if sensing their thoughts.

Viserys knew the moment he made his first move one of their escorts would grab him before he could take two steps. Not to mention he would never make it without losing Dany along the way. Even if he could be quick enough to get away, someone would likely get to Dany, and he couldn’t leave her behind. His mother’s last words to him were to look after his baby sister. Dany was just a little girl who he was sure had no idea the danger they were in, but she was still his sister, and he wasn’t going to let her be taken so he had to go along for the time being.

What Viserys found most shocking upon entering the throne room was that nothing was like he remembered it. The place looked vastly different than what he could recall as a boy, especially since all the dragon skulls were gone. The only thing he recognized was the Iron Throne, which was unmistakable, but the man who sat upon it wasn’t what he expected at all. He was nearly as big as the old man who walked next to Snow, but he didn’t look strong, just fat and his face held a very disinterested expression upon it. The man was black bearded and blue eyed with a golden crown on his head, so he had to be none other than the Usurper, Robert Baratheon himself.

Could this really be the Demon of the Trident? How could Rhaegar have been bested by this?

When Viserys looked forward to see Jon Snow glancing back at them, he wondered if this is what the bastard meant by looking their enemies in the eye. There was little he could do so he just held Dany’s hand tightly and watched while the big man in front of them was announced as Jeor Mormont. But then the herald continued to declare that he was also the current Lord Commander of the Nights Watch which Viserys remembered from his lessons. Yet again Viserys found himself confused.

That certainly explains the men in black. But if they are members of the Nights Watch then why were they helping the Targaryens?

Commander Jeor spoke about the matter that demanded the King and council’s full attention but then Jon Snow stepped forward. The bastard revealed himself to be not just any northern bastard, but the son of the usurper’s dog himself, Lord Stark. Snow then went on to claim how he had burnt a sept in Winterfell and then he insulted Lord and Lady Stark right in front of the king who claimed the man as a brother. Viserys was sure such insolence would have cost the bastard either his tongue or his head, but it didn’t.

He wasn’t sure if the bastard was a fool or a madman because it seemed he wasn’t afraid at all of offending the Usurper right in the middle of his own court. But Viserys found it interesting to learn that the boy blamed his father for the death of his mother. Snow’s mother was probably just some whore Lord Stark bedded and discarded. But the words from Commander Mormont were even more ridiculous than the tale Jon Snow told them of their nephew still being alive.

The White walkers have returned? Was this man insane or just stupid to speak such nonsense?

The Usurper didn’t respond. He just narrowed his eyes at Commander Mormont waiting. It was his Hand and Queen who spoke first.

“You dare call for the attention of your King, only to speak about children’s stories. What else do you have to tell us? That grumpkins and snarks are invading the realm?” the Queen said in an amused tone, but her face held only irritation.

Then an elderly man stepped forward, who must have been Lord Arryn, since Viserys could see he was wearing the pin belonging to the Kings Hand.

“Commander Mormont, you had better explain that statement.” Lord Arryn demanded.

“Of course, my Lord. I speak of no children’s stories my Queen, nor do I find this any easier to believe than you do.” Jeor steadied himself before continuing.

“A group of our Rangers went missing not long ago. So, I led a group of reinforcements beyond the Wall to find them myself, but what we found instead was no children’s tale. We were attacked by a creature that looked as if it were born of cold and death itself.” Jeor explained. No one looked convinced by his words.

Then Jon Snow tugged at his arm and whispered something Viserys couldn’t hear before retreating behind them just outside the room. Snow nodded reassuringly as he passed them. Then Viserys attention was returned to Mormont as he continued his rant.

“Your Grace, I did not come here with only my words as proof of this tale.” Jeor said indicating at the rest of their party. “Every one of my men here present saw this with their own eyes. We even brought a pair of wilding sisters and their children whom we managed to rescue from the attack. They are all witnesses to what I speak of.”

Jeor paused for a moment to look back as the doors to the throne room opened again.  

“Forgive me Your Grace. I will not waste time with words when we can just show you what we found beyond the Wall.” Lord Jeor finished.

Snow came through guiding a few other men in black who pulled a wooden cart with what looked like a tall box of some kind attached to the cart with chains on all four sides and a ship’s sail covered over it. Viserys remembered seeing the same box in another boat next to them that followed them off their ship and Dany said something about hearing an animal inside. However he hadn’t noticed since his attention had been on looking for an opportunity to escape but now he was curious.

The cart was brought to a halt in the middle of the hall next to Jeor and everything went silent as all eyes focused on what lay in front of them. The men approached hesitantly and quickly grabbed the sail sheet pulling in over the top revealing not a box but a steel cage. Viserys barely had time to react to the dark form crouched down inside before it quickly slammed itself against the steel bars.

The chains rattled and the wood of the cart that held it creaked as the creature continued to smash its body into the sides of the cage. It hit the bars so hard Viserys was sure he heard bones cracking, although he was surprised, he could hear anything over the high-pitched shrieking the monstruous creature was making. Dany had quickly jumped into his side, and he instinctively clutched on to her as he stepped back until he felt the arms of the two women bring them to a halt.

Dany trembled in her brother’s arms and Viserys himself couldn’t deny that what he saw was truly horrifying. It looked like a man at first but the more he looked the more Viserys saw how inhuman it was. It had clothes of the same black style as Nights Watchmen that were torn up and upon seeing its face, he noticed its skin was like a marbled coloring from pale white to grey and brown. Its whole head was in a state of decay but what sent the real chill down his spine was the blue glowing eyes.

Commander Jeor was completely right when he said it looked like the thing was indeed born of cold and death itself. As Viserys regained his composure he listened intently to the reactions from the rest of the court. Everyone was in a state of shock and horror, several screamed whenever the creature banged into the cage and it looked like every man with a blade had unsheathed their steel, but none dared take a step closer.

“Seven Hells Mormont! What is this thing?!” Robert bellowed out as he stood from the throne.

The queen had a hand on the Kingslayer’s shoulder as he took his place in front of her and the council members had all risen from their seats, but if it were to get a better look or because they were preparing to run, Viserys couldn’t tell.

“This is a wight Your Grace.” Jeor answered before turning to nod at his men.

The two who had uncovered the cage moved closer while holding spears. Both drove their spear tips straight through the dead screaming wight and slammed it into the bars pinning it to the side of the cage. As Mormont approached the cage it shoved one of its dead arms through the bars reaching out trying to grab at the Commander. The bars were strong and close together and he could see that the creature broke at least two of its fingers and peeled some of its dead flesh off the bone.

Mormont to his credit quickly grabbed the dead man’s arm and drew his sword upward severing the arm off completely, yet no blood spilled onto the floor. Afterwards, Jeor stepped away to present the severed limb which was still moving and the creature in the cage was still thrashing even impaled by two spears through its chest.

“This man was one of our Rangers, I watched the Walker which attacked us kill him with my own eyes. We brought his body back with us to Castle Black for burial. But before we could burn him, he stood up on his own with decayed flesh and the same blue eyes as the White Walker that killed him.” Mormont explained.

“The… This can’t poss... possibly be true. Such things do not exist!” the Grand Maester babbled and shouted in fear.

“I agree Your Grace. How can we be certain this is not some kind of trick?” asked a lord standing among the king’s council with a pin that resembled a hummingbird attached to his collar, while looking nervously toward the King, who still stood frozen in shock.

“Yes, it must be a farce. There is no such thing as White Walkers. These men are all deceivers!” One of the gold cloaks stated pointing at them.

Jon Snow grabbed the severed arm by its forearm from Commander Mormont like he was delivering a letter and brought it over to the gold cloak who had just spoken out against them. As the bastard approached, the gold cloak raised his sword up.

“What is your name?” Snow asked as he approached.

“You are addressing the Lord Commander of the City Watch, Ser Janos Slynt, bastard!” the man announced like they should already know who he is.

Jon Snow turned back at them and Viserys noticed him smile before returning to Slynt.

“Lord Commander Slynt, if you wish to name us deceivers. Then I offer you this chance to prove it.” Jon said as he lifted the still moving hand on the severed limb toward the Lord Commander. “Take this and show everyone that it is fake. Unless you’re a coward.”

“A coward?! I’ll not have my honor questioned by the likes of a bloody bastard!” Janos shouted, at the same time reaching for the dead man’s hand.

Trick or not. I wouldn’t touch that thing with a ten-foot pole.

Viserys observed as the fool named Slynt grabbed the limb by the still moving hand only to have the hand grip onto him. Slynt’s angered face quickly changed to surprise and anguish as he watched the detached limb’s grip grow tighter and tighter until Viserys could hear the unmistakable sound of bones breaking yet again. Only this time the wight wasn’t breaking its own bones. It was crushing the foolish gold cloak’s hand.

“Ugh! Get it off! It’s crushing my… AHHHHH!” Janos screamed as he tried to pull his slowly broken hand free.

His pleas were quickly followed by two fellow watchmen who used a dagger to cut and pry the limb away from their Commander. When they finished they stepped away from the thing while Jon Snow, who had just been watching calmly approached. The bastard carefully picked up the limb again as if he knew that it could have grabbed hold of him. Then calmly tossed it back into the cage with the wight.

“Get him to a healer and take those cursed things out into the courtyard immediately. Keep them under guard, and no one else is to go near them by order of the king!” Robert shouted before turning toward the Commander.

“Mormont with me!”

Chapter 10: Plans and Pieces

Summary:

This chapter isn't as exciting as some of the previous ones.
But things are changing, and the board is shifting.
Next one is also going to be posted sooner than this one was.

Spoiler, a child of the forest and a certain dragon will be in the next chapter.

Chapter Text

Aegon

 

 

The spectacle in the throne room had done the trick. Everyone present within the royal court had been completely terrified, especially after Janos Slynt decided to shake hands with a wight. The fool had no idea the severed limb could break every bone in his hand regardless of whether it was still attached to a body. The whole scene filled Aegon with more satisfaction than the memory of taking Slynt’s head in his previous life.  

Aegon could still remember the feelings he struggled with back then when he only thought of himself as Lord Eddard Stark’s bastard son. Getting to kill the one who had taken part in the betrayal of the man he once considered father had been most satisfying. Yet he could also remember Lord Stark’s voice internally chastising his decision, how it should only have been for honorable reasons. Back when he was Jon Snow, he had reasoned that giving the man a chance to command a newly restored castle on the Wall was the proper thing to do as the new Lord Commander.  

The truth was that he was glad for an excuse to kill that weasel of a man. Aegon had ordered Slynt to go to Greyguard in order to separate him from other dangerous brothers like Alliser. But deep down he was hoping Slynt might be stupid enough to give him the chance to execute him. Now in Aegon’s new life he didn’t care for Lord Stark’s ways anymore. As Aegon he sought only to be true to himself. Seeing Slynt get his hand crushed due to his own foolishness was simply priceless because Aegon saw Slynt for what he was. A pathetic, weak coward, who didn’t even deserve a place among the gold cloaks. Like so many that served the Lannisters, Slynt was only interested in licking their boots like a dog, in the hope that some of the gold they shit might fall on to him.

The Lannisters truly had a way of corrupting and disgracing everything Aegon’s ancestors had made. The gold cloaks, the Kingsguard, the small counsel. They had filled them all with thugs and cowards just like Slynt. The men who served house Lannister were not truly loyal, just greedy. 

Tywin seemed good at inspiring greed because when everyone thinks you have mountains of gold, why bother fostering true loyalty?    

After the display in the throne room, Robert demanded an immediate council meeting. Everyone in the room was on edge, to say the least. Mormont had helped get Aegon admitted on the pretext of being the Lord Commander’s scribe and aide, even though Cersei didn’t want to admit a ‘child’ into such important matters. Robert waved her off and allowed it, where Mormont and Aegon met with both the king and queen, as well as the small counsel.

“Now Mormont, explain it all. Keep it as plain and clear as you can.” Robert commanded, after downing a full glass of wine.

Jeor glanced at Aegon before he began the tale. Aegon had already gone over everything that Jeor was going to say, so at this point all Aegon had to do was sit and observe how Robert and the others would respond. Once Jeor finished their story, the room was filled with only silent, confused faces from everyone.  

“Seven fucking hells!” Robert shouted, breaking the silence before emptying his current glass of wine and reaching to refill it.

“White. Fucking. Walkers. This is utter madness.” Cersei frustratingly stated, while shaking her head, apparently still processing all she had just heard, and she wasn’t the only one.

“I… I still can’t believe this. There mu… must be some explanation to all of this. I am sure if those creatures were properly examined…” Grand Maester Pycelle stammered, but Mormont quickly cut him off.

“Yes, Grand Maester, that is why after we have concluded our business here, we will be taking those two wights to Oldtown where the maesters at the Citadel can do just that.” Jeor answered.

“But I am the Grand Maester. The… There is none better than myself to …” Pycelle added.

“Again, Grand Maester, we will be taking them to Oldtown to be examined because if we have it done here, there is no telling what might happen as we just witnessed. That cage they are in now is secure but what if one of them got loose in the capital, or worse within the Red Keep itself?” Mormont explained, which got everyone’s attention.

“I will not have those things back inside these walls ever again!” Cersei snapped and Pycelle just nodded looking down like a child.

“I wholeheartedly agree with Your Grace. Commander Mormont has the right of it.” Lord Baelish quickly followed up. “Such procedures would be too dangerous to perform here within the capital. However, the Citadel has more than enough maesters and proper facilities to handle such things safely.”

Baelish was just the same as ever. Aegon never liked the man before and nothing had changed in that regard. What Littlefinger was really referring to was how they just didn’t want to have a wight in their midst even if it was locked in a steel cage. Aegon at least understood that much considering no one really slept well on the voyage with a couple of wights onboard. But as he’d learned from his previous life people in power can’t be seen expressing their true feelings even when they are mutually shared. 

“I don’t know if taking them to the Citadel is best. In fact, just bringing them here into the middle of the Royal court was going too far.” Lord Renly began before turning to question Mormont. “Did you not think we should have been warned before your arrival so as to not create panic within our streets?” 

Aegon thought Renly’s question was the most valid one yet, but unlike his previous life, Aegon wanted to make sure that this time, everyone throughout the realm knew about the threat beyond the Wall. This time everyone from the smallest common people to those among the great houses would know. Mass fear and panic were going to be inevitable now, unless those in power began acting like real leaders. The idea alone made Aegon smile internally because everyone in the room with him were shit leaders. The more trying the times, the more evident that fact would become for the realm to see. Aegon also knew when people are afraid, and their rulers are seen as incompetent, the people will start looking for other options.

Renly’s concerns were still based on his own fears, but the man was at least considering the common people in his thoughts, whereas with most of the others, the common people had never entered their minds. Robert was beginning to growl and curse in between gulps of wine and the man was already on his third glass since they entered the room. Varys stayed silent but looked very serious given the man’s expression. Cersei only appeared concerned about getting the wights out of the city as soon as possible while Stannis and Renly whispered among themselves.

Despite how he felt about Baelish, Aegon knew Littlefinger was very smart when it came to manipulating other people, but things like magic and monsters were out of his area of expertise so he was just agreeing with anything Cersei said. Aegon had never met Pycelle until now but what he had seen of the man made it clear that he was also following along with Cersei too. Aegon knew he had them right where he wanted them now. When confronted with a truly terrifying threat, a scared person will predictably just latch on to anything that might make such problems go away. Aegon then gave Jeor the nod to present their solution.

 

 

 

 

 

Jeor

 

 

The Lord Commander had been itching to scream at anyone about his situation and have all those traitors imprisoned along with their little pretender of a king. But as much as he wanted to, Jeor could not deny that doing so would have made things worse for the Night’s Watch and for the realm as well, now that the White Walkers had returned. Snow had mentioned on the boat that the best reason for him to go along with them wasn’t because of the threat to House Mormont but the threat to the realm which the bastard claimed to have a solution to. 

The boy reinforced that claim by stating that if he and his group of turncoats were discovered, the Night’s Watch would appear compromised to the point that the threat beyond the Wall might become disregarded altogether. 

Fuck, that accursed brat! 

Those were the words that finally sunk Jeor into compliance with the bastard’s little ruse. If people felt the Night’s Watch could not be trusted, then how could they be relied upon to defend the realm. Even with the proof they brought along, no one is going to want to accept the threat they all now faced because the threat itself is so terrifying. So, if nothing else, Jeor felt his duty as Lord Commander compelled him to play along. 

Jeor watched the reactions from the king, queen, and the members of the small council. Just as he had feared, none of them looked promising so when Snow gestured for him to present the boy’s solution, he grabbed all their attention.

“Your Grace, we at the Night’s Watch have been thinking long and hard about this threat we now face. Sadly, I must admit we are not prepared. The state of the Watch alone is a huge problem for the defense of the realm when considering the existence of White Walkers.” Jeor paused to gauge the room before continuing.

“There was a time when the Night’s Watch had manned 19 fully stocked castles with a force of 10,000 strong. And there were also several additional defenses built along the top of the Wall, but now.” Jeor let those last two words hang in silence for a moment.

“Well, perhaps a new Lord Commander is needed if you can’t fulfill your duty.” Cersei spat at the old bear. 

Jeor had to admit the remark stung somewhat considering his efforts in constantly requesting support from the South ever since he was elected to became Lord Commander. The Northern houses were the only ones giving any real support whilst the rest of the south offered mostly scraps if anything at all. But the remark was expected, since Snow had warned him beforehand during one of their sparring sessions someone might blame him. Again, Jeor was confronted with the fact that the boy was far too smart for his age, but that was a concern for another time.

“What is needed is a new kind of Night’s Watch, Your Grace. I’ve come here today, not to frighten anyone but to offer hope to all the realm. After all I do bring some good news to report.” Jeor stated, getting a couple sighs of relief from the chamber.

“What might that be Lord Commander?” Varys speaking up for the first time since they began. Though the rest all looked just as curious.

“Well, we only saw one actual White Walker beyond the Wall and the wights that we have are the only ones we’ve found so far. Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t more out there but currently the two you just witnessed are the only wights we know of. At this time there could be anywhere from a few dozen to a few thousand, but any numbers I could give at this point would be conjecture. All that we have seen of those things and the creature that created them leads us to believe they are definitely wights, and wights are only told about in the histories of the Long Night and the White Walkers.” Jeor explained. 

Everyone looked to be considering his words more carefully now and less angry or panicked, then Lord Renly spoke up.

“So basically, Lord Commander, what I have gathered here is, those monsters represent a very real reason for concern, but as of now they may be the only ones out there?” Lord Renly questioned. 

Jeor found that response ridiculous considering the situation. However, he remembered where he was and tried to be more tactful with his words.

“There are plenty of reasons to be concerned, my Lord, because this situation is very serious and potentially more dangerous than any we have ever known. This encounter could be the beginning of the next Long Night. Then again, it is possible that these creatures are nothing more than remnants of a darker time long since passed. The most troubling concern of all is the fact that we don’t know which.” Jeor elaborated.

The Old Bear turned his gaze going over everyone in the room and from what he could see everyone seemed genuinely worried, but they were all deep in thought about his words. The only one who wasn’t was Jon Snow. When Jeor looked at him, the boy was going over the room observing everyone still writing some notes on his parchment, about what Jeor didn’t know. However, Snow didn't look worried considering he was probably the most at risk in the room, being the so-called true heir to the Iron Throne. But Jeor recognized that now was not the time for dealing with the bastard.

“Your Grace, if I may present to you our plan to deal with this?” Jeor stated as he grabbed a roll of scrolls from Snow and handed them to Lord Arryn. The king just waved them away when his Hand attempted to show them to him.

“Oh, just out with it already Mormont. Jon and the others can go over your scribblings later, just tell me what this problem is gonna take?” Robert grumbled. 

The king seemed to be taking the situation seriously, but Robert also looked annoyed by the whole thing as well. Jeor felt that the king should be more engaged than indifferent under such circumstances.

“In those scrolls you will find the details for our plans going forward but the important parts are as follows. Firstly, what we require most of all right now is information. The White Walkers haven’t been seen in over a thousand years, and while every Northerner has heard stories from that time, what we need right now are facts, records, first-hand accounts if possible.” Jeor explained. 

“The Citadel. That’s where you're headed next, isn’t it Commander? You are delivering those things to be examined by the maesters, but you also believe they might have the information you are seeking in their great library.” Varys realized. 

“Yes, Lord Varys, after we leave here, we will be departing for the Citadel, not only for their assistance with the wights, but also for any records that may be able to give us insight about them.” Jeor responded. 

“Strange that in search of tales about ancient magical creatures from the North you should seek them in the south. Wouldn’t the houses of the North be better suited for finding such answers?” Lord Baelish asked in a mocking tone.

“That would be true my lord if what we were seeking were “tales”. But what we seek are truths, which will be difficult enough to find as it is.” Jeor replied. “I have already tasked my brothers at the Wall to seek any information the Watch has. However, tales and songs of the Long Night are told throughout the North with each one being the same and different from one house to another. Books and records on this subject will be rare, but they will be more reliable than tales that can change with every new telling. The history of this nature will make it hard to discover what is fact and what is embellishment. However, if we can gather and examine accounts from both the North and South, along with when they were made, and from what sources, we may be able to learn how best to fight them.”

“Well, the Grand Maester will be able to inform the Citadel of your plans and I’m sure the Conclave will be able to assist in any way you require.” Lord Arryn offered.

“Forgive me, my Lord Hand, but I would request that you not do that. You see there are some parts of the Library of the Citadel that are restricted to those who are not part of the Conclave, therefore forbidden to access.” Jeor countered.

“Well, of course, there are several rare, ancient, and sensitive volumes within the library and part of the duties of the Conclave is to ensure they are properly preserved and protected.” Pycelle interjected.

“And our duty is to guard the realm!” Jeor, exclaimed.

Why is this so difficult for them to understand? 

“Ho…How dare y-you…?” Pycelle complained before the king quickly silenced him. 

“Oh, for fuck sakes! Pycelle, shut it already. I just had a walking dead man in my hall and if there is anymore of the damned things beyond the Wall then I want them all killed, where they won’t come back!” Robert shouted, before giving the rest of the counsel harsh looks as he turned to Jeor. “Mormont I will hear the rest. The rest of you keep quiet until he finishes.”

Glancing back to Snow he noticed the bastard smirking. As much as Jeor hated being on the brat’s leash, he had to admit that his plan could benefit the Watch. 

“With regard to the Citadel, the basis of our request is to form a royal inquiry, made up of both brothers of the Night’s Watch, as well as maesters from the Citadel to comb through any records about the Long Night and the White Walkers. I will let you and your counsel review our request outlined in the scrolls we gave the Lord Hand, before any final decisions need be made Your Grace.” Jeor offered to which Robert simply nodded.

“What do you hope to find, Lord Commander?” Lord Stannis asked. The man had been the most quiet of everyone. 

“Well right now we don’t even know how to kill those dead men outside, at least not so they stay dead. If this inquiry could give us that alone I would consider it well worth it.” Jeor responded as Lord Stannis only nodded in understanding. 

“As Master of Whispers, I know full well the value of information, Lord Commander. However, I believe that the ArchMaesters may hinder your efforts. They are men who do not like to let their secrets go easily regardless of the severity of this request.” Varys said softly. 

“It is th…the duty of Conclave to…” Pycelle began, but he was silenced again. 

“Pycelle, if I have to tell you to shut it again, you will be outside this chamber for the rest of the meeting.” Robert threatened.

“For… Forgive me Your Grace.” Pycelle stuttered and bowed his head. 

“On that note I would advise his Grace to include a royal edict, signed by not only yourself my king but also the benefactors of the Citadel. House Hightower and perhaps House Tyrell should also be included as signatories to show that the brothers of the Watch have our full support and should be granted every courtesy in their endeavors.” Varys advised.

Pycelle looked like he was about to interrupt again but he stopped himself. This time it was the queen giving the Grand Maester a harsh stare. That detail had not been discussed between him and Snow previously but when he looked at him the boy had an approving look, so Jeor took that as a good sign. Plus, he thought it was a genuinely good idea, because such an edict would grant them full access without issue. 

Maester Aemon had noted many times how difficult the Conclave could be with granting anyone access to certain sections of their library outside of the ArchMaesters themselves. Even though the Citadel might like to claim the crown has no hold over them, Jeor understood that without the support from the seven kingdoms, their order would not exist. A royal decree held weight over the great houses who supported such orders. 

“I appreciate your counsel, Lord Varys. We had not thought to make such a request, but having such a decree would make things much easier.” Jeor thanked Varys who smiled proudly. 

The king and queen did not seem interested, while both the king’s brothers nodded their approval, Littlefinger only sat stroking his beard, and Pycelle quietly grumbled in his chair. Jon Arryn made a note in one of the scrolls and gestured for him to continue.

“The other parts of our proposal are regarding both funds and men. The Watch barely has enough resources to keep what men we have now clothed and fed, and our numbers are just over a thousand. Plus, those numbers grow fewer every year now. Should the worst happen, the forces we have may not be enough to hold the Wall.” Jeor explained. 

He knew the Watch had been making this argument for centuries now and yet the number of brothers has only gotten smaller and less worthy. Snow’s plan for funds was simple but bold, but Jeor did feel the situation more than warranted such actions. Now they would find out if the King’s counsel felt the same.

“Now this is a song as old as the Wall itself. Because for as long as I've been Master of Coin, the brothers of the Night’s Watch have been like beggars at our gates. And from what I’ve read it wasn’t much different for my predecessors. Perhaps if the black brothers had made proper use of what they were given, the Wall might be in better shape.” Lord Baelish remarked. 

This arrogant little southern cunt has the gall to say the Watch is to blame for this!?

Jeor felt his fist tighten as he tried to keep his emotions in check, despite how much Jeor wanted to crush Baelish’s smirking skull in his bare hands. The Commander took a deep breath to calm himself before responding. 

“My Lord.” Jeor began before he suddenly heard another voice interrupt him. 

“What truly amazes me is that none of your predecessors ever took the hint.” Everyone turned their attention to Jon Snow. Jeor froze, uncertain of what to say next. “The song is not as old as the Wall though Lord Baelish. Considering it was the Targaryens who truly caused the decline of the Night’s Watch, which started only three hundred years ago, and the Wall has stood for over eight thousand.”

“Oh really?” Baelish asked mockingly. “And what would a Stark bastard child know of such matters?” 

Jeor may be the one stuck in Jon Snow’s clutches, but he still didn’t want to show it in front of the King. He figured he better interject before the boy goes too far.

“Snow, that's enough. Remember you are here as a scribe and nothing more.” Jeor reminded him, hoping he would take his meaning.

“Forgive me Lord Commander, I was only seeking to correct the Master of Coin so he would not embarrass himself by repeating such falsities in public again.” Jon responded respectfully, yet his words practically made Lord Baelish out to be a fool. 

“Ha!” bellowed Robert slapping his hand on the table. “I swear you must be Brandon’s. If not, you certainly got that sharp tongue from him. Ned would never be able to speak in such a manner. Well, at least not to this sorry lot.” Robert shouted in amusement while the queen whispered for the boy to be removed but the king ignored her. “Actually, I want to hear more about what you said earlier, about the Targaryens.”

Littlefinger's face was red with anger, but he didn’t respond after the king spoke. Jon Snow then looked at Jeor as if asking for permission to speak. Jeor almost felt like the boy was mocking him, but he figured Snow was probably just keeping up appearances, so he nodded to him in acknowledgment.      

“Well, Your Grace, all northerners know that the Night’s Watch has seen its greatest decline in terms of men and strength while under the rule of the Targaryens. Before the Conquest, the Watch manned all nineteen castles with numbers in the thousands. Whereas now we only have the numbers to hold three.” Jon Snow stated. 

Jeor found the comment strange considering Snow claimed to be a Targaryen and yet he was putting them in such a negative way. But the more Jeor thought about it the more he realized he wasn’t wrong. The past three centuries had been when the Watch began to degrade so heavily. He couldn’t remember another period when their order had been weaker. The king was smiling though which seemed a good sign for them.

“So, you’re saying those damned dragon spawns are to blame for this mess we are in now, eh?” Robert asked. Jon Snow tilted his head in thought before answering. 

“Not entirely. In truth we are all to blame for the state the Wall is in now. The brothers of the watch, the northerners, the southern kingdoms, even yourself and this counsel bear some of the blame. But in terms of the Targaryens, I would say they are most to blame considering these problems have been happening for the past three centuries and they did little if anything to solve them.” Jon responded. 

“Well, you may have been a little hellraiser for your father, but I have to say I’m starting to like you lad.” Robert remarked. 

“Thank you. Your praise means more to me than you know. But I am sure in time you will see me as a hellraiser for yourself as well. But I will restrain myself for now.” Jon replied.

Robert burst into laughter again while Snow only smiled broadly at Jeor. Taking that as his cue the Commander continued with the proposal. 

“Forgive me Your Grace but we do not intend to bankrupt the treasury. All taxes are paid in the defense of the realm after all, so we are hoping that a portion of the taxes collected from the whole of the realm could be transferred to the Wall so we might be able to see it properly stocked with weapons and supplies should an army of wights come knocking.” Jeor said, although he could tell most of the counsel were not pleased by the suggestion. 

Convincing a southerner to part with their coin is like trying to amputate a limb. It may be done to save a life, but all the person will do is scream and cry. 

“Alright, alright Mormont. I get it. The situation is bad enough that the Watch needs more support now than it has ever had before, and it needs it from all the seven kingdoms. Am I correct?” Robert asked. The man was clearly still somewhat irritated. The only time the king smiled or stopped drinking was strangely for Jon Snow’s rude antics.

“You are quite correct, Your Grace.” Jeor answered. Robert stood up sighing.

“Very well. Jon go over these scrolls and finalize the details. Draw up whatever royal decrees and anything else that the Lord Commander requires. If he is satisfied, then we will move forward. As for the rest, there will be no problems from you lot here.” The king stated, while pointing toward his counselors. 

“Pycelle you will make sure the Citadel gives the brothers whatever they need. And if those old fossils want to cause problems remind them I will have’em strung up by their own chains if needs be. Baelish you have never had problems finding coin for me before, so find some now for the Wall or I’ll find someone else who can. Varys be sure your little birds keep an eye on things. 

If I hear one whisper of anyone causing issues for the Watch, I promise there’ll be problems in the capital. Stannis, you helped me win against the Greyjoys so why don’t you make yourself useful and do the same for Mormont. Jon, I'll leave the rest to you. Renly, prepare a party for a hunt will’ya, and have us ready to depart for the Kingswood once we are finished with all this. I suddenly feel the need to kill something.” Robert commanded as he began walking away from the meeting without dismissing anyone. Everyone except for the queen stood as the king left. As Jeor focused on the kings retreating form, he watched the king shout ‘fucking white walkers!’ as he left the chamber. 

The rest of the small council dispersed after the king’s departure. The queen made another comment about how she wanted the wights removed from the city immediately and the Red Keep’s guard doubled until then. Littlefinger only glared at Jon Snow as he left the room, while Varys gave Mormont his reassurances of the council’s support. The whole thing reminded him of how complicated the south was compared to the North. Jeor would have preferred to just have a meeting with Lord Stark and let him deal with the Royals if need be.

After everyone had left, Jeor looked back at Snow who was still sitting and writing notes. “Well, did you get what you hoped out of that meeting?” Jon Snow just wrote something on a fresh page and turned the parchment towards Jeor. The note read, ‘Not here!’ The boy then placed his finger over his mouth as if someone might be listening to them at that moment. The boy was an enigma to Jeor in so many ways. He showed signs of being cautious and reckless in equal portions, but his face was almost always unreadable. When he could read his expressions, Jeor only saw confidence and determination, as if Snow had no doubts or fear. The most confusing, and sometimes frightening thing about him is when he spoke it was with an intelligence far beyond his age. Jon Snow knew things that he definitely should not know for a child. 

As they departed, they were informed their party would be given quarters in the city, but Snow had made it clear they would remain on the ship while anchored in the bay. By the time they made their way to the docks there was already a detachment of gold cloaks waiting to lock down that part of the docks since a crowd had started to form. They had placed the cage containing the wights outside the walls at the end of one of the docks that was now restricted by the City Watchmen. Jeor witnessed Snow chat quietly with the Targaryen children for a moment before they made their way back to the ship. Once they were back aboard, Snow pulled Jeor aside to speak privately. 

“Well, Lord Jeor, firstly you handled yourself exceedingly well. Our proposal has been approved and even though it will likely take years, the Wall will be properly manned, supplied, and ready by the time winter comes.” Jon Snow stated while looking over his notes from the meeting.   

Jeor had heard about what happened to Rhaegar’s children when the Sack occurred, and he feared exposing Snow would mean a death sentence for Rhaegar’s siblings as well. Something Jeor definitely didn’t want on his conscience. The boy Viserys seemed as irritated by his situation as Jeor was, but the girl just looked shy and scared, which was understandable. If anyone loyal to the King knew they were here, the city would erupt like the fourteen flames. But Jeor couldn’t deny that the last place anyone would suspect the Targaryens of trying to hide in would be Kings Landing. Jeor only hoped they didn’t all lose their heads for this.

 

 

 

 

 

Barristan

 

 

Night had fallen over Kings Landing after a most memorable day. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard was standing watch outside the king’s chambers thinking about all he had witnessed. He had heard stories of White Walkers like everyone. But he had never believed the tales any more than the stories about grumpkins and snarks north of the Wall. Even the tales told by sailors about krakens and sea dragons were just nonsense to an old knight like him. 

But after what Barristan had witnessed in the throne room, he had been wondering the whole day if all the tales might actually be true. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by sounds coming from within the King's chambers. Barristan moved to listen up against the door as he called out to the king. He knew the king had no visitors this evening unlike most days when the King’s chambers would be filled with multiple whores, courtesy of Littlefinger. 

Rhaegar would never have done such things.

“Barristan! Get in here!” Robert yelled, sounding alright but stressed. Barristan thought the king likely drank too much again. He took the chance to open the door and saw Robert alive but, on the floor, next to a spilled wine glass. 

“Do you require assistance, Your Grace?” Barristan asked. Robert just laughed while turning his head back and forth. 

“No assistance needed. But I wouldn’t say no to your company Ser. Come on in. You can guard me just as easily in here as out there.” Robert answered. Barristan couldn’t argue but he was practically rolling his eyes at the king as he entered the room. To his eyes Robert was not a terrible man but he was a terrible king. Yet the old knight was now sworn to protect him until the end of his days. An honor Barristan truly wished he’d gotten to uphold for Rhaegar rather than the man who killed his former prince.

At least my prince had the honor of dying in battle and being burned in the tradition of his house. 

Although he guessed that was more to do with Robert listening to Ned Stark. But at least Robert wasn’t a monster like Aerys turned into. Barristan still remembered how his most glorious triumph was single handedly rescuing Aerys from his captivity at Duskendale. Only to later find out that the man he’d saved that day wasn’t the same man who was captured. 

Robert had just clumsily gotten up. Barristan thought the man might fall over again. “Well, tell me Ser, what did you think of today?” asked Robert.

Barristan thought for a moment before replying. “I am still coming to grips with it myself to be honest.” 

Robert paused in place, looking out the window for a moment. “Yea, I know what you mean. Shit there was a time I would have been giddy as a girl to hear that news. I would have grabbed my hammer, told Ned to get his sword and we would have been off to hunt actual monsters beyond the Wall like the heroes of old.” Robert exclaimed with a red face smile that slowly fell as he turned his gaze to Barristan. The Lord Commander remained silent believing the king didn’t need to hear his words right now.         

“Now, when I saw those things today all I felt was …” Robert stopped to pick up his glass from the floor.

“Fear, Your Grace?” Barristan asked, finishing Robert's sentence. 

Robert just leaned up looking at him with a defeated expression as he nodded his head. “Been a long time since I felt like that. Like a green boy at his first battle ready to shit myself and run for the hills.”

Robert refilled his wine and sat back down at his desk. He looked tired to Barristan, but he figured the king had far too much on his mind to find sleep tonight no matter how tired he might be. 

“Hah! One thing still gets me though. Could you believe the balls on that brat, out there today?” Robert asked, laughing. Barristan needed no explanation as to whom the king was referring to. Varys had told them about the trouble that Jon Snow had caused in Winterfell long before the raven from Mormont arrived. Robert had laughed back then too.  

“I must say no one else has ever been so bold or so foolish to speak in such a manner.” Barristan remarked.

“Of all that I saw today, the one that got to me the most was a bastard boy who was too bold, for even Barristan the Bold himself, eh!” Robert commented which made both men smile until a knock at the chamber door caught both of their attention.

“Oh, what now?” Robert grumbled as Barristan moved closer to check who was outside. After hearing the voice of Lord Arryn, Robert waved to let him in.

“Well, what do you have for me Jon? I assume this is about the Watch?” Robert asked, setting down his wine glass and turning to the scrolls Lord Arryn was unrolling on the king’s desk. 

“After going over everything I find it to be quite impressive to say the least. Some of these measures will require the authority of the crown to be successful, which is probably why they came straight here. Some will also stretch the oaths of the Night’s Watch enough that people will protest them a bit.” Jon Arryn began to explain even though Barristan observed that Robert wanted Arryn to move along rather than explain each detail, but the king was allowing his hand to do so anyway. Barristan figured Robert must be attempting to take the matter seriously which boded well for the Wall. 

“I have drawn up a decree regarding the treasury where one fifth of all taxes will be transferred to the Watch on a regular basis for the time being. Baelish didn’t seem pleased, but he heard you in council and he’s sent word to his collectors and counters. I will personally oversee them to make sure the proper amounts of coin make it to the Wall. As for the Citadel I already sent ravens to both the Conclave addressing the situation, as well as the Tyrells and Hightowers as Varys suggested. They should be well prepared for the wights arrival.” 

The Hand proceeded to pull out a few pieces of filled out parchment. “These only require your signature and seal, Your Grace.” The king signed and placed his seal upon each. 

After placing the signed documents aside, Lord Arryn turned to Robert with a couple more scrolls. 

“Now these are about the portions we have yet to finalize. So, in preparation for further negotiations with Commander Mormont, Stannis took the liberty of arranging a ship to transport the wights under the protection of our own men along with some of the brothers from the watch, should we require their assistance. I have also arranged riders to set out at first light for Highgarden with a copy of your decree in tow and then on to Oldtown.” Jon Arryn explained.

The King seemed like he’d rather be anywhere else than dealing with matters of the realm. But that was often the man’s state of mind when it came to ruling the kingdoms. Robert almost always preferred to leave the dealings of the realm to others. Most of the work was done by his hand Lord Arryn or the small council which always gave Barristan mixed feelings towards the king. 

“Well, what does Mormont have in mind for replenishing their ranks? Does he plan to just use the realms gold to buy sellswords?” Robert asked the Hand.  

Barristan was curious about that as well. Jon Arryn looked concerned, but Barristan couldn’t decide whether it was still from the revelation that the White walkers are real or if it was what they were going to do about them now. Neither would have been a surprise.

“The Commander had several potential methods that we discussed, but the main one was to create a new order within the Night’s Watch. Or rather, to add an additional sect of men who are sworn to the watch but not sworn brothers.” Jon Arryn replied, but the statement did sound concerning.

Robert nodded for his Hand to continue. “The basic idea is to create a separate group, or rather two groups that serve under the Night’s Watch. The Lord Commander has even thought of names for both as well. The Night’s Auxiliary and Inquiry.”

“Well, this should be good.” Robert grunted. “Well go on then, let's have it.” Robert waved at Lord Arryn to continue as he sat back down at his desk. But again, Barristan witnessed the kings showing more indifference to the situation. What was being discussed could be one of the most important conversations of Robert Baratheon’s reign. Yet Barristan witnessed that the longer the meeting went on the further disinterested the king seemed to become.     

At this point Lord Arryn wasn’t even bothering with the scrolls that Lord Commander Mormont had gifted them, which Barristan could see that they outlined the structure and duties of these new orders that were being added to the Night’s Watch. Barristan knew it wasn’t his place to pry too deeply into the king’s business despite his own curiosity. Yet from what he was able to gleam from the scrolls before him, he found them to be detailed and impressively well thought out given how quickly Mormont brought the situation to their attention.

Barristan did not know Jeor Mormont personally but what he observed of the man filled him with confidence that someone like him would be leading the charge in this war. He believed that war was the only outcome to the threat of the White Walkers returning, but Barristan wasn’t sure when the war would take place. He knew that he may not even be alive when the war started. Perhaps he might only live long enough to die in it. Barristan pushed such thoughts away and returned his attention to the king and hand’s discussion.   

“Well, the Auxiliary will serve in the same capacity as the brothers of the watch but the main difference between the two will be their privileges and time in service to the realm. Whereas the vows of the Night’s Watch are for life, the members of the Auxiliary will take temporary vows for a specified number of years.” Lord Arryn explained. The idea was intriguing but also disturbing to him as a knight.

“Forgive me Your Grace, but vows are taken for life for a reason. If these Auxiliary members are to have limited positions, then shouldn't they come with contracts of employment rather than vows of honor?” Barristan inquired. The king looked to be considering his words before Lord Arryn spoke up. 

“They did mention their reasoning for that Ser. An oath is far more binding than a simple contract with more severe punishments should they be broken. The Watch reasoned that the easiest means of gaining men would be conscripting them from the kingdoms’ bannermen. But we both believe that would be under the worst conditions, like a report of a horde of wights marching on the Wall. However currently only one White Walker has been sighted.” the Hand replied. 

“Yea, no lord wants to give up any of his bannerman, even if some of those kingdoms have enough to man the Wall five times over.” Robert added.

Lord Arryn nodded in agreement with the king. “Also, the brothers wish to strengthen the Wall and their order more gradually. Which if done right, I agree that it will have better results going forward.”

“I understand my Lord. Please forgive the interruption.” Barristan conceded and Lord Arryn nodded in respect before continuing. “One of the main reasons that the Watch’s numbers have lessened so much is because vows of the brother are harsh and the life on the Wall is even harsher. The very criminals we send to the Wall are clear proof. Rapists, for example, are given the choice of either castration or the Wall, and most actually choose the knife. That says a lot, that a man would rather live without his cock than be a part of the Night’s Watch.” 

The king chuckled, commenting. “Well, I suppose they don’t have much use for them either way.” 

Lord Arryn didn’t look amused. “They proposed that there would be different amounts of time depending on the circumstance of the individuals. For those who volunteer for the Auxiliary willingly, they would have to stand watch for a minimum of three years, and then they would be free to leave or stay longer if they so wished. However, for those condemned to serve, they will be required to remain longer based upon what crimes they committed rather than for life. A thief for instance, will serve less than a pirate, but those guilty of murder or treason will have no place in the Auxiliary. Their vows will still be for life, or they will be sentenced to lose their heads.” 

“The whole thing sounds like a headache. But does this mean no more heads on spikes or maiming to punish criminals? Just send them all to the Wall then?” Robert asked. 

“No, we won’t be sending everyone regardless of the crime, this measure will just increase the Watch’s numbers. Like a squire who serves a knight the member of the Auxiliary will be bound to serve the Night’s Watch but not swear their vows. Taking away the choice to join altogether could lead to an endless streak of deserters the North would be ill prepared to handle. I wouldn’t want to do that to Ned. But to accomplish this plan, we will have to formalize a system to determine how long of a duration in the Auxiliary will be equivalent to the crime committed. However, the  ...” Lord Arryn was cut off.

“I understand Jon, hells for all I care you really could just send them all to the Watch for life. Less for us to worry about, and it might keep Ned on his toes. Put Renly to work dealing with the criminals bit. After all, he is supposed to be my Master of Laws.” Robert laughed as he emptied his next cup gulping deep. “He’s done fuck all with his title so far, but maybe this he can handle.”

Barristan thought the king's remark of his brother was not quite deserved. It's true Renly hadn’t done much with his title considering he had made no new changes to the laws of the realm, nor did he take any actions regarding the gold cloaks. But Renly had shown himself at least to be popular among the court, respectful to visiting nobles, and the man’s opinions in the small council were always fair. Barristan felt confident that the man would be up for the task. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard felt proud to see the king taking a firmer role to better the kingdoms. That is until the man decided to speak again.

“This whole thing should keep my council so busy they can all shut up and keep out of my sight for a good long while. All their bowing and smiling gets so old. It was fun to see the look on Baelish and Pycelle’s faces though. And to think, I’m now cleaning up another Targaryen mess those silver haired sister fuckers left ten years after I crushed their damned reign!” Robert ended in a shout as Barristan heard his voice echo through the chamber so loud servants probably heard him down the hall.   

The old knight suddenly felt his disappointment of Robert returning as swiftly as he started feeling a small sense of pride for the king. Robert certainly wasn’t as cruel as Aerys had become toward the end of his reign, but the man was little more than a child in a man’s body. Barristan believed most days that Robert only took the throne because the Targaryen’s took his lady love Lyanna, which Barristan still knew in his bones to be false. But with Prince Rhaegar dead, the old knight didn’t see how it mattered now. 

Yet having had the throne for ten years now and successfully put down the Greyjoy rebellion, here Robert was actively doing his duty to help the realm for childish reasons again. Barristan felt that King Robert probably only wanted to take part in this project not to defend the realm but because he viewed it as another way to get back at the Targaryens. It seems all anyone needs to say to convince Robert of anything is to speak ill of House Targaryen. 

Commander Barristan suddenly thought back to the Council meeting when Jon Snow mentioned how the Nights Watch’s decline had been the fault of the Tararyens. He'd noticed how during the meeting, the king seemed only interested in the tale of the wights but not so much on Commander Mormont's plans to deal with them. That is until Jon Snow made his comment to Lord Baelish, which got the king’s full attention. Robert probably agreed to go along with Lord Mormont’s proposal, simply because of what that boy said. 

Barristan then started to wonder if Jon Snow said that remark on purpose to influence the king's decision. But Snow was only a child and too young to think such things. Barristan thought he’d just been privy to the schemes of the capital for so long he was now suspicious of everyone. The knight turned his attention from such thoughts, and back to the king. Robert was signing the last of the scrolls before applying his seal.

If only Rhaegar had won the Trident, how different things would be. Thinking about Rhaegar strangely turned Barristan’s mind towards another boy he’d noticed in the throne room. 

“So, some gold from the treasury for materials and supplies, this auxiliary for getting their numbers back up, and the inquiry will be basically a bunch of maesters in black trying to figure out how to fight magical monsters.” Robert stated. “Think this will work Jon?”

Lord Arryn looked over the last of the scrolls sighing. “It’s a start Robert, but I believe we should have one of the wights stay here in the capitol.”

Robert looked ready to refute before Jon spoke again. “Lord Jeor is going in the right direction, but we need to make our own preparation besides manning up the Wall. I believe we should start with the people’s awareness. No letter is going to accomplish what we experienced today. Seeing is believing Your Grace. So as your hand I advise sending ravens to all the Lords Paramount to not only inform them of these things but command them to come here to see it with their own eyes.”

Robert was rubbing his head as he seemed to consider Jon Arryn’s counsel. Barristan wanted to get the creatures out of the city as much as the king did, but the Lord Hand was not wrong.

“Cersei is never going to stop giving me grief for this.” Robert voiced his thoughts aloud. “How are we going to keep it contained?” Robert asked Jon.

“The Dragon Pit. Its large and empty but it can be easily fortified. We will have the wight bound with every chain in the city if that’s what it takes but it will not get loose. I swear to you that if it does, I will lay down my position as your hand Your Grace.” Jon answered.

“Very well Jon. See to it.” Robert agreed.

Barristan had been paid less attention as his thoughts were drawn back to the throne room and his expression caught the Lord Hand’s attention.

“Are you well Lord Commander? You look out of sorts somehow.” Lord Arryn questioned as he observed Barristan. 

“Forgive me Lord Hand, I was just thinking about a boy from earlier today in the throne room.” the Lord Commander answered. 

“What? You mean Snow?” The king interjected. 

“No, Your Grace. It was the other boy with his party. I couldn’t help feeling like I had seen him somewhere before today.” Barristan explained.

“Those children along with their mothers were just Wildlings from beyond the Wall. More witnesses the black brothers managed to rescue. I doubt they have ever been south of the Wall before now, Ser.” Jon Arryn added.

“Yes, yes of course.” Barristan responded. Yet the old knight’s mind couldn’t shake the thought.

The way that wildling boy looked at me. It was like he knew me.