The Dawn of the Wolf Dragon

Summary: My take on the events of Season 8, some things may seem a little AU.

Part1: The dragon beneath the snow

Arya

Sleet fell heavy and wet upon their leathers as she swung her tourney sword again and again at little Lyanna Mormont, who despite her size fought with strength and speed. Every blow Arya swung was met with the wooden shield and occasionally Arya would receive a sharp jab to the ribs.

"Good" She shouted over the hubbub of noise in Winterfell's courtyard. "But your footwork is too obvious, switch it up, don't forget to pivot." The little bear faltered for a second and Arya had her on her back.

"You're getting better" Arya said smiling helping the lady up. "I heard stories of your mother, the fearsome bear."

Lyanna smiled "Yes even my father feared her, she fought bravely, she died in battle how she would have wanted"

"When we have dealt with the dead we shall march south and avenge her" Arya said, "I promise"

Lyanna nodded her eyes cold, the sweat on her face freezing, her dark hair soaking wet. "I'll have their heads on spikes". The two girls laughed loudly, since Arya had arrived at Winterfell she had been tasked with training the bear cub for battle along with some of the other young girls of the north. Lyanna Mormont was by far the bravest, even at age ten she was a fearsome leader and silenced most of the northern lords with her speeches and cutting words. Sansa had told her how she had reduced their brother to tremors when he asked for her men. She was a loyal girl and reminded Arya of her younger self when she took to the road all those years ago.

"Lady Stark" She heard the name being called and cringed, she hated it but she had no other title and so Lady Stark had been her fate. Lord Glover strode across the yard and bowed to them both. "Your Lady Sister would like a word"

Arya nodded "Thank you, tell her I will be there shortly I must change out of my wet clothes."

"As you wish Lady Stark" He bowed again and then turned to Lyanna "Lady Mormont"

Twenty minutes later Arya entered her sister's solar. It was a shock to the temperature compared to the iron cold of the courtyard. Her sister sat at the wooden desk papers spread out in front of her.

"How was training?" She asked not looking up.

"Good, productive, Lyanna Mormont is ferocious, she will lead her men well.". Arya took the seat opposite her. The two remaining Stark sister's polar opposites but Stark's all the same. "What do you need?"

Sansa finally looked up "Jon, I mean the King, arrived in White harbour in two days, Daenarys Targaryens armies are already there with Brienne. I need you to meet them and escort the King and the Queen to Winterfell, Jon wants to send a message across the north of strong allegiance, and house Stark must protect them as the Dragon queen has many enemies."
Arya mulled this over "This is a job for the Lord commander of the household guard" She said.

Sansa smiled "Well we don't have one of those and Jon and I both think that it is high time we fill the position." She stood and drew a badge from her pocket, one Arya had seen on Jorrey once. A dire wolf with a sword and a spear through it. "Arya of house Stark, I name you Lady Commander of the household guard."

Arya grinned pride swelling her and then she remembered her duty. She stood unsheathed needle and knelt. "I Arya of house Stark do swear to defend the King of the North and the Lady of Winterfell from harm, to guard their secrets, to offer counsel and silence from this day until my last day. I swear this by the old gods and the new"

Sansa smiled at her sister. "So, choose 10 men, or women and ride south to White Harbour, meet the contingents from the dragon queen's armies and meet our brother of his damned boat. Hopefully the south hasn't clouded his senses too much."

"I don't the south has anything to do with it" Arya said sheathing needle. "They say she's a great beauty, and well, we know what men do when they are in love"

"You think he loves her? Little finger though he wanted to marry her. I must say it would make a good alliance"

Arya laughed "Jon? Marry? In love? I can't imagine it really, he's too consumed with the army of the dead, but I will let you know when I see them for myself. I for one am looking forward to meeting the dragons."

It was true never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would ever see a dragon and now three flew to Winterfell. Dothraki screamers rode towards Winterfell and the unsullied. Despite the northern concern over the imminent arrival of the Targaryen queen, she trusted Jon and if he trusted this queen then she would too.

"I would ride as soon as possible. Lord Manderley will meet you there"

"Of course, I will gather some companions."

She turned to leave but her sister called out to her "Arya, please be safe"

She gave a mock bow "Of course sister" and left the room.

She found him in the armoury, hammering away at dragon glass weapons for it had been sent a week previously. When Arya entered Gendry stopped hammering and turned to her. "Nice badge" He noted pointing to it pinned proudly to her chest.

"I am Lady commander of the household guard now" She said smirking.

"That sounds fancy, well done you deserve it."

"Come on were going on a trip" She said throwing a saddle at him.

"But we just got here, where are we going?"
"White harbour to pick up my brother, the Queen needs protecting on the King's road. So, I was entrusted to lead the expedition, and you shall be my right hand man Gendry Waters, plus we have catching up to do"

He smiled kindly "Of course My Lady, who else is coming.?"
"Tommen, Warwick, Jerrys, Tormund Giants bane, Ed the lord commander of the nights watch and some of his crows, should be fun! We leave in 10 minutes saddle up" She strode quickly out of the small room and crossed to where the 10 men stood.

"What I want to know" Tormund said looking down at Arya. "Is how the fuck did someone so small end up the commander of the bloody household guard. I reckon I could break you in half with one hand"

"Careful Giantsbane" Gendry said walking up behind her "This one killed off a whole house for murdering her brother and mother. She has a very particular set of skills" He winked at her as she climbed on her horse, covering her leather breaches which had knives strapped down the sides with her fur cloak.

"And she beat Brienne of Tarth in training" Warwick said. "You should have seen it"
Tormund turned to Arya his face in disbelief. "You beat that golden-haired beauty?"

Arya shrugged "It's not all about brute strength, now come on it's a two-day ride and its getting dark"

She kicked her horse and galloped off, sleet and ice spraying the men behind her.

They rode through the night for the snow had stopped and then when daylight broke Arya stopped in a wooded clearing where they made a small fire and cooked off some venison sausages.

"SO" Arya said her mouth full of food "Tormund and Gendry you have met the Targaryen queen, what is she like can we trust her?"

They both looked at each other and nodded. "I would never not trust her after what happened beyond the wall, we owe her our lives, we owe Jon our lives. We were surrounded by 100,000 of them" Tormund began. "I looked at your brother and we both knew that at that moment we would surely die and then suddenly out of nowhere fucking flames as tall as trees came down from the heavens and there she was the smallest woman I had ever seen, smaller than you, riding on the back of this beast. She had saved us all, she refused to leave, it was only until Jon got dragged underwater that we shouted for her to go. But like the undead god he is he came back. She had already told her armies to prepare for the war against the dead and she sat. I've never seen anyone with that much vigil. She sat by Jon's side as he lay there frozen, she did not eat or drink, she just sat waiting for him to come back. She has command over two dragons, she has command over 50 thousand men and yet she is not cruel or bitter, she has a good heart and your brother is besotted with her, I don't blame him, not my type but have you ever seen hair so silver, or eyes so violet?"

"I agree with Tormund" Ed said, "I've never met her, but if Jon trusts her then I do to, if he says she's the queen we follow then that is that, I don't care what her father did, she is a woman who has achieved the impossible and if Jon who has defied the very nature we live in trusts her I do to"

Arya looked to Gendry and he nodded in agreement "We sent that raven expecting her not to come not to risk it, but she came and she brought them back, she saves people from monsters just like Jon. If they are the leaders to lead us into the long night then I am okay with that."

Arya nodded and chewed her food some more. "My sister believes that Jon wants to marry her."
Ed shrugged "He can do what he likes, it would make sense I guess, but Jon isn't the marrying type, he's been in love before"

Arya choked on her food "What? I thought you couldn't take a wife in the nights watch"

"I didn't say he married a woman I said he loved a woman. A wildling"

Tormund nodded sadly "Aye, she was part of my clan, but in the free folk's eyes they were married. We have no ceremony you see unlike you southern fuckers; the rule is that if a man steals a woman from her clan and beds her and lives then they are man and wife and that is what Jon did. He stole Ygritte he lay with her on many occasion and he lived. He loved her and she loved him"
Arya stared "What happened to her, what was she like"

"She was a fierce warrior, a brilliant archer, hair as red as fire she was a good woman, she plunged 4 arrows into Jon when he went back to the nights watch and then the little crow plunged an arrow through her."

Ed looked confused "The little crow?"

Tormund nodded "You know, the boy who betrayed Jon"

Ed's face went dark. "Olly, little fucker"

"I saw it happen, I saw Jon grab her and cradle her until she died in his arms and then that little fucker who killed my best fighter plunged a dagger through his lord commanders heart. What a bad idea"

Arya had been told the story. Jon had died. He had been dead for a day until a red woman brought him back.

"What happened to the betrayers?" Arya asked.

"Jon hung em" Ed said. "He hung em and gave the cloak to me, he couldn't stay there any longer, to be killed like that by your own men, the looks on their faces when he was resurrected, they shat themselves. We all knew not to cross Jon. He's a patient man your brother but if he has reason to lose his temper he does. And woe betide the men who get in his way. I remember Lord Janos"

Arya frowned "Janos, of the King's guard?"
"Aye he was sent to take the black bald-headed cunt. It was Jon's third day as Lord Commander, and he told Janos he was going to the shadow tower to man it. Janos didn't like that told Jon he could stick his command up his arse."

Arya raised her eyebrows letting out a laugh.

"Jon gave him a chance, told him are you refusing an order from your lord commander? Janos stuck to his guns, so Jon dragged him to the block. Janos pleaded and pleaded the fucker but his head came off in once clean sweep, all of us knew not to cross Jon after that, all of us bar the cunts who drive daggers in his heart. But they are dead now. He will still be the best Lord Commander I have ever served, best fucking swordsman in the whole of Westeros I reckon. He's seen and dealt with a lot of shit your brother and I respect him for that. When we were told he was King in the North, I knew that was his destiny, he should rule and lead, he was wasted at the wall. When was the last time you saw him?"

Arya smiled fondly at the memory. "When he gave me my sword right before he left for the wall." She tapped needle by her side. "He gave it to me and told me to stick em with the pointy end"

Their laughter ricocheted off the small clearing into the lightening winter day.

White harbour was alive with people when they arrived, fisherman bringing in the morning's catch, market men breaking ice and clearing the heavy snow. Children wrapped in woollen blankets ran across the salty snow and horns sounded for the arrival of ships. Brienne of Tarth was waiting for them at the mer-fountain, her squire and Lord Manderley at her side, his white hair matching the colour of the snow.

Arya dismounted as Brienne greeted her with a bow "Lady Commander, I trust your journey was pleasant."
"We rode hard Lady Brienne we made good time."
"Lady Stark" Lord Manderley bowed.

"That is my Sister Lord Manderley, I am Lady Commander of the household guard. I have come with bannermen and allies to escort The King and the Queen back to Winterfell, I trust the Targaryen's Armies have arrived safely?"

"Aye Lady Commander, they are being housed in my great hall while they replenish, they shall meet us at the docks, when the King returns."

"Good and any word of the Lannister army?" She asked.

The old man shrugged "No, and the Targaryen army did not meet them on the King's road., we have heard nothing, a raven has been sent to Jamie Lannister questioning their obvious absence re affirming that if this truce is broken, then we shall destroy the Lannister's very quickly."
"Good, I would like to meet with the head of the Dothraki army and the head of the unsullied also to discuss the Queen's transportation, I know my brother is keen to have them ride together, the King's road is perilous and I am sure that she would stand out among us northerners."

"Aye, let us go to the castle, you can replenish and discuss this."

The walls of new castle were tinged green and smelt of salt and fish. The great hall was 5 times the size of the one at Winterfell and tables and benches had been set up. Arya had been told that only the generals of the army were eating in the hall while the soldiers replenished horses and armour. Arya had never met two people more different.

"This is Moro, chief blood rider to the Khalasar and the Dothraki advisor to the Queen and this is Grey worm general of the unsullied, if I understand correctly his wife is the queen's translator and closest advisor. He led the attack on Casterly Rock and Moro led the attack on the thorn road. This is Lady Commander Arya Stark" Manderley said slowly to them "Sister to the king of the north Jon Snow, she commands the Stark armies and their bannermen"

The man named Grey worm nodded fiercely. "Missandei, my wife, tells me King Snow is great warrior, and fearsome leader, if you are of his blood then must be great warrior also, you have the respect of the unsullied."

Arya grinned she liked this man despite his broken common tongue. "I have heard many stories of the fearless unsullied, on behalf of house stark we thank you, we are proud to fight a side such a great army."
"You are as small as the Khaleesi" Moro grunted. "Khaleesi is great warrior, she is the unburnt. If King Snow has made you his general then the Dothraki see you as the Khaleesi of the north." He bent his knee and laid his curved blade on his knee.

"Thankyou" Arya said, "But I am no Khaleesi, just a warrior"

"My mistake" Moro said.

"The ship arrives imminently. We must discuss the Queen's movements. The road we will travel is dangerous, we must make sure she is protected."

"She can ride Drogo" Grey worm said.

Arya frowned "What is Drogo?" She thought of the wheel house she had once ridden.

"Drogo is chief dragon" Grey worm said "He is the fiercest. We call him Dark Shadow"

"The King has insisted she ride aside him on horseback, to show allegiance" Arya pursued. "We are in the North, it is a hard place."

Moro nodded "We shall ride first under the dragons. We shall scout, any enemy we will cut down like trees. We shall need one of your men to show us the way."

"I will send you with Ed, he is the Lord Commander of the night's watch."

Moro looked apprehensive. "Is he good rider?"
"He is the fastest in the North."

Moro nodded and looked to Grey worm.

"The unsullied shall march behind, we shall defend the back from any enemies of the south."

"It is settled then" Arya said. "Will the dragons fly with us?"

The men nodded "They will scout the skies; the Queen has trained them to only attack upon her command."

"Who rides as part of the Targaryen household?" Arya asked.

"The queens hand Tyrion Lannister the small man" Moro grunted "Missandei the wife of Grey worm, Jorah the knight, Lord Varys, her spy. That is all"

"Thank you, I must change now, convey our plans to your men, the queen arrives in 30 minutes."
They both bowed and departed.

"Weird fuckers aren't they" Manderley said in awe.

"I respect them they respect Jon as a King we must do the same with their Queen. It would be poor form if we forgot our manners. Will your people hold any threat to us riding through?"
Manderley shook his head "No, and if they do I'm sure your entourage will get to them before I do."

"Aye any man or woman or child who tries and attacks the king or queen shall have their throat cut, is that plain?"
"Very plain my lady"

Arya smiled her best smile and returned to her men.