Winter's Dragon
An AU in which Daenerys does not escape from Dragonstone with her brother and is raised at Winterfell.
Notes: Obviously this is wildly AU but I couldn't get it out of my brain. I wondered how the story would change if Dany was raised at Winterfell and I started plotting out everything that would change from there. I started with Catelyn's chapter after they find the direwolves as everything prior to that would be the same. It looks very similar to the original right now but that will change as more is effected.
Also, I don't own ASOIAF, George RR Martin does and I know he hates fanfiction but I have to do something until Winds of Winter comes out.
Catelyn
As Catelyn Stark walked through the godswoods to her husband she felt as much like an intruder as she always had in her years at Winterfell. Though she had been married to Lord Eddard Stark for over fifteen years and had born him five children, she still felt like a Southron lady when she walked amongst these woods. The Old Gods of the North were not like the Seven that she had been raised to worship. However, she had troubling news to share with Ned and she knew he would be here after the morning's execution.
She found him cleaning his sword Ice under the huge old weirwood with the carved face that seemed to watch her mournfully as she approached. "Ned," she called out softly.
"Catelyn," he said looking up. "Where are the children?" he asked formally as he always had even after so many years of marriage.
"In the kitchen with the pups arguing over names and playing with the pups. The girls are both enchanted with theirs, though Rickon seems a bit hesitant. Daenerys is helping him to feed his pup," she said smiling, thinking of the girl she had raised that would one day be her good daughter.
Ned smiled as well, then seemed to notice the letter in her hand. "What is it my lady? I know how little you like this place. Is there news?"
Catelyn hated to hurt him, but she had no choice as she divulged the information from King's Landing in the letter, that his foster father, Jon Arryn, had died recently. It hurt her heart to watch her husband's face fall. She knew how much Ned had loved and admired Jon, the man who had raised him, and later protected him from the Mad King, and had continued to be a source of admiration as he ruled as the Hand of the King for Ned's foster brother, King Robert Baratheon.
And yet, even though he was hurting, he still thought of her, inquiring after her sister Lysa, who was now a widow with Jon's death. He was kind enough to offer to let Lysa and her young son come to Winterfell or to let her bring the children to the Eyrie.
"You are kind, my love, but there is more to the letter. The King has also written that he plans to ride for Winterfell to seek you out," Catelyn said. She was rewarded with a small smile as Ned was cheered by the prospect of seeing his oldest friend.
"Robert coming to Winterfell?" Ned asked, the grief slowly leaving his eyes. Catelyn wished she could share the enthusiasm, but the royal letter also brought with it a royal command that Catelyn was not well pleased about and she was unsure as to how Ned would take it.
"He has also asked that we have Daenerys and Robb's wedding while he's here. He is bringing much of his court and he says that it is time as she is a maiden flowered now," she added rather hesitantly.
She saw Ned pause and his eyes clouded over once more. "Aye," he said, "I suppose it is time, that was part of our arrangement when I took Daenerys as ward. They are no longer children, and winter is coming."
The ominous words of House Stark gave Catelyn a chill as they always did. She had been born a Tully of Riverrun and their words were "Family, Duty, Honor," and it was family she thought of know at the prospect of her eldest son being married.
Robb had been betrothed to Daenerys Targaryen from the moment Ned had agreed to take Daenerys on as a ward. Dany had only been weeks old at the time, having been caught at the ancestral seat Dragonstone while the few family's loyal retainers remaining had fled with her elder brother Viserys, now proclaimed a king by the last of the Targaryen loyalists. Ser Willem Darry had tried to take Daenerys and her wet nurse across the Narrow Sea as well but the infant was caught and returned to the new king's court. King Robert Baratheon had wanted the baby murdered, as the other Targaryen infants, though that had been murdered at the hand of Tywin Lannister. However, Jon Arryn had prevailed, reminding him that the peace of Westeros was yet fragile and some reluctant lords would rise up against him if their new king were seen to be a murder like the last king. And so a compromise of sorts had been reached. It was agreed the King Robert's oldest and most loyal friend raise the baby and marry her to his heir to prevent any other houses from claiming the Iron Throne through Daenerys.
Catelyn and Ned had been married only a year at the time, and most of that time had been spent apart because of the war. The two had essentially still been strangers with a new child between them in Robb. Catelyn had been promised to Ned's elder brother, Brandon, until Brandon's death at the hand's of Daenerys's father, the old king, Aerys Targaryen, the mad king. She had not been pleased to discover that she would have to raise a Targaryen in her household and marry that child to her son. Especially since she had already found upon her arrival in Winterfell that her husband had installed his own bastard son in the nursery. However, when she saw Daenerys and thought of her own child being in danger, she understood Ned's compassion in taking the infant into their household. It had actually helped to bridge the distance between the two for Catelyn felt for the first time she saw her new husband as someone beyond the steely Northern Lord of Winterfell.
Daenerys herself had made things easier as well. The little girl grew up into a sweet and pretty child, eager to learn and displaying none of her father's madness. Catelyn had grown to love the girl who would soon wed her son. And she knew Robb was not displeased with the match as the two of them had been caught kissing in the godswoods twice in the past month.
However, Catelyn was not looking forward to the royal visit. There would be much preparation to be made to prepare for a royal visit and the wedding of the future Lord Stark. She also knew Daenerys would be frightened of Robert seeing as he was the one who took her family off the throne and had wanted her death. And Robert himself had never truly forgiven Daenery's family for the events leading up to the rebellion. Catelyn herself was frightened because of the omen she had heard about that morning in the woods. A direwolf killed by a stag. She knew Ned would dismiss it as superstitious nonsense. However it gave her chills even now.
Her husband broke out of his melancholy suddenly, "I suppose we have much planning to do, my lady. Did Robert say when he would arrive? We have to inivite much of the North to this wedding I suppose. We should send a raven to Benjen, he'll want to be here. And perhaps Maester Aemon will want to attend for the sake of Daenerys, if Robert can stomach the presence of two Targaryens beneath our roof."
"I should imagine we have time, my love," she replied. "The royal children will be coming as well, they will not make quick time with them in the party. I imagine that the Queen's brothers will be attending as well. I'm sure Benjen will have time to get here, though I doubt Aemon will be hearty enough to travel. "
Ned's expression soured at the thought of the Queen's brothers, as Catelyn knew it would. "Oh well," Ned replied, "if I have to put up with the Lannisters to see Robert, so be it."
Catelyn hoped Ned would manage to be pleasant to Lannisters and the Queen. There was bad blood between the two families as the Lannisters had come late to Robert's cause. And there was the murder of Rhaegar's young children done on Tywin Lannister's orders. Ned had never forgiven them for that bit of butchery and she knew he was reminded of it when he saw Daenerys.
"Well, we have much to plan," Ned said, practical as always. "A welcoming feast and a wedding for the heir of Winterfell. I shall have Maester Luwin start sending out the ravens. Jory shall have to meet the royal party coming North on the Kingsroad. Gods! How will we feed them all?"
"I imagine we shall manage," Catelyn replied with a warm smile. "However, I think we should inform Daenerys and Robb of their upcoming wedding first."