Alright time for the next chapter. Hope everyone enjoys and a few people suggested that I add Arya to make it Jon/Sansa/Arya/Daenerys so I decided, what the hell. Jon's gonna one up his ancestor anyway. Three powerful women as wives. Also just as a note, these events take place before the events of Shadow of Mordor. As we've seen in those games, Gollum is already without the ring so it has to take place after Hobbit.

Right now we are in a time just before Shadow of Mordor would begin. Yes you can expect Jon to run into Talion and Celebrimbor in later chapters.

Also someone asked why two of the Nazgul were female. In shadow of war, it's revealed that a Nazgul can be killed, and it's ring passes on to the one who slayed it. In the story two of the nazgul were killed by two powerful woman from a far off kingdom. Both women were sisters and they took their rings and were eventually corrupted like all the rest. I like the idea of the rings passing to stronger and stronger warriors, corrupting greater individuals as time goes on, I also like that the Witch King is the one who was never beaten, or at least never killed. It really separates out the fear factor with how differently people view the nazgul. A regular one is just terrifying, but the Witch King is like an entirely different breed of horrifying.

Rise of the Dark Lord

Chapter 3: Cold Winds

-Time Skip- Fifteen Months Later-

Daenerys Targaryen sat staring out over the great carved map of Westeros that had been carved into a table in Dragonstone. Beside her, her small council admired her with quiet calculating gazes. By her side, Tyrion Lannister stood present. The dwarf was uncharacteristically sober, but that was to be expected. Over a year now, Daenerys had been in Westeros and they were still at war.

The war to retake her throne had been long and brutal. Initially facing setbacks, Dany set things back on course when she unleashed the Dothraki and Drogon upon the Lannister army. That's when things became long and drawn out. Small skirmishes broke out all across the south, but major battles were kept to a minimum. No army was willing to gather in large numbers when faced with a massive horde of Dothraki, or one of three dragons.

Still though, Cercei Lannister refused to relent and she did not surrender.

A few months after the war began, the Golden Company appeared in Westeros. This pulled Dany's advance to a halt. She received many warnings from her advisers and even her close friend, Ser Jorah Mormont, that the Golden Company was not to be trifled with. If there was any army in the world that may pose a threat to her dragons, it would be them.

There was also rumor brought to her attention by Varys that Cercei had rebuilt her cache of Wildfire and could use it to destroy King's Landing if they tried to invade. On top of that she had probably already peppered the capital with those siege engines that had been used to bring Drogon down from the sky.

Luckily Dany adhered to the advice of her fellows, as a short while later it was learned that the Golden Company had brought with them their own powerful siege equipment. Similar in nature to the weapons deployed by the Lannisters to spear her dragons out of the sky.

Days turned to months, months to a year, and even now the fight for the Iron Throne still raged.

Cercei and the Lannister's held strong, but there had been recent events that had shaken up the Capital.

Rumor had it, according to Varys that some months prior, Jaime Lannister had disappeared from the capital along with about a thousand Lannister men. No one knew where he had gone, but it was assumed by many that he had left in a jealous rage after Cercei brought Euron Greyjoy into her personal council. She had even promised to marry the Ironborn leader when the war was over.

No one knew if this was true or not, but it was the only explanation for Jaime's sudden disappearance.

With Jaime gone, leadership of the Lannister army fell to either Euron or the Golden Company. Either choice spoke of the condition of Cercei's army. If it wasn't for the Golden Company's reputation and the threat of wildfire, Dany would have marched on the capital long ago.

During her time in Westeros, Daenerys had become accustomed to setbacks in her ambitions. The destruction of the Rebel Greyjoy fleet by Euron, and the death of the Sand Snakes was one major setback. So was the kidnapping of Yara Greyjoy. As luck would have it, Theon Greyjoy, managed to somehow regrow his manhood and launch a rescue operation, infiltrating the Iron Islands while Euron was in the Capital. Yara was rescued and returned to Dany's side, more pissed off now then she had been before.

The loss of the Tyrells was also a major setback, One of Jaime's major victories at the start of the war. Though Daenerys repaid him by unleashing the Dothraki and setting his army on fire, capturing or killing a massive swath of Lannister forces and evening out the odds once again.

Since then, it had been one skirmish after another with Daenerys spending most of her time convincing this Lord or that to bend the knee and support her cause. Many joined her, especially as time went on and Cercei's grip on power became more loose.

With luck, Daenerys was able to reclaim the support of Dorne now that the Sand Snakes were gone, though she still had to hear about it from the various lords of Dorne, and as of right now, there was no one in the far south, running things. Dorne had officially been split into a collective of provinces, under the command of various lords. That meant that while there was a general consensus to support Dany, most of them were also vying for her favor in seizing Dorne for their own.

Now she sat with her Small Council, preparing her next move.

Her Small council consisted of several individuals that had aided her in getting to where she was now. There was Tyrion, her hand. There was Grey Worm, the leader of the Unsullied. Missandei, Daenerys' personal handmaiden and close friend. As well as Varys, the Spider. Theon Greyjoy, and Yara Greyjoy. And the leader of Daenerys Queensguard, Ser Jorah Mormont, now cured of Greyscale.

"We've had lords and ladies from all over the various kingdoms show up to deliver their oaths of service. Many more sent letters offering their support and promising to arrive when the weather permits. All in all, I would say we're making progress." Tyrion stated as he gazed out over the map.

"Progress? We've been sitting here glaring across the way at the blonde bitch sitting on the throne, while we sit here on Dragonstone. It's been a year now and we're still here." Yara countered, earning a look from Daenerys that was directed at her hand. She was very much in agreement with that statement.

"Over half of the lords and ladies of Westeros have already sworn their allegiance to you. Thousands have gathered in preparation for the day our queen takes the throne. What we need right now is something to tip the balance in our favor. Something to reignite the fire and force Cercei off of the throne." Tyrion stated.

"We need more men." Ser Jorah noted.

"There are no more men. Every lord that is willing to join me, has. The others will need to be won over with victory. My initial victory over the Lannisters won many allies to our cause, but that was over a year ago now. We need another victory. We need something. Something to convince those that are still on the fence that we can win this war, and take the throne. Cercei's armies wont march out of their cities to meet us, and I wont start burning down cities or having my Dothraki pillage the lands. We need something more." Daenerys stated, her voice carrying a weariness to it, that spoke of many sleepless nights, plotting and planning.

"We need more men. There are only two places left to exploit here in Westeros. One is the Vale of Arryn, and the other is the North." Varys informed them all.

"Littlefinger controls the Eyrie. He has Robin Arryn wrapped up in his control. He may help us, but only if he sees gain in it for himself, and he may just sell us out to Cercei if her offer is better." Tyrion noted.

Daenerys let out a small sigh at that. She had heard more then enough about Peter Baelish from Tyrion. She knew that man was a viper. One that was never to be trusted, for any reason.

"As for the North, well as far as I know, the North is still held by the Boltons, and they aren't exactly an ally worth having." Tyrion continued, but Varys was quick to interrupt.

"Actually my lord, I've heard some interesting rumors coming out of the North. They say that the Boltons were all put to the Sword over a year ago, and that the Starks have reclaimed Winterfell." Varys informed them all, earning a surprised look from Tyrion.

"How long have you known this?" Tyrion asked.

"Only a short while I'm afraid. News from the North is few and far between, and my little birds are busy gathering information on the enemy we're currently at war with. The North has also experienced a very radical change in doctrine, in this past year. To my knowledge, no one from the south may travel north. Not by sea, not by land. The Starks have sealed it off." Varys responded earning curious looks from all those around him.

"Seems the Starks are looking to bury their heads in the snow. Who is in charge of the North now? From my knowledge, the only Starks left alive would be Sansa, Bran, and Rickon. And the latter two are iffy at best." Tyrion noted while sending a glance at Theon who was also staring at Varys. There was a bit of hope in his eyes, hope that he would hear that the two boys had survived and were back home.

"I'm uncertain, but I doubt it is Sansa Stark. The stories I've heard claim that the North has a new King." Varys responded earning a thoughtful look from Tyrion and a focused look from Dany.

"How long have you known about this Northern 'King', Lord Varys?" Daenerys asked, her eyes boring into him.

"Apologies, your grace. As I said, I am still rebuilding my spy network, and any resources I had prior were focused on the Lannisters and aiding you in taking the throne. Besides that, if the North is sealed then travel there would be difficult. I'm not surprised I haven't heard much from my little birds. And I didn't want to come to you with rumors and speculation during all the chaos without something that was verifiable." Varys explained earning a slow nod from Dany.

"If the North is as sealed as you claim, then how did you hear this?" Missandei inquired.

"Merchants from Essos. The North has cut off contact with the south, but they are trading with the Essosi and that means interaction. Interaction means rumors, and rumors spread quite quickly. Even across the Narrow Sea." Varys informed them.

"We need to get into contact with Winterfell. The northerners have never cared much about the south and unfortunately, they have little love for your family, your grace. Or mine. Chances are these rumors are little more then that. Rumors. But… on the off chance that they're true, we may be able to convince them to aide us." Tyrion rationalized, knowing that it was best to assuage Daenerys' ambitions before she decided to take action.

"Very well then. Send a raven to Winterfell. Inform the new lord of Winterfell that his queen demands that he ride south and bend the knee. Be sure to add that I acknowledge the severity of the weather, and thus ask that an immediate reply be give by raven, and that the new Lord Stark make the trip as soon as weather permits." Daenerys commanded, earning a nod from Tyrion.

"Well… now we play the waiting game." Tyrion noted.

"Again." Yara stated with a huff. Her feelings being mirrored in many of the others, sat at the table.

-Three days later, beyond the wall-

Edd let out a curse as he stumbled back from the flailing form of an enraged Wight. The creature was hissing and growling, stalking towards him.

Before it could close the distance, a towering Uruk shot past him driving a war hammer into the wight's chest, splitting it in half and sending a shower of bones, flying through the air.

"Keep on your feet pink skin. Don't wanna die in the snow do ya?" The Uruk laughed at Edd, as he recovered from the blow that had nearly sent him to the ground.

"Fuck off." Edd bit out, earning another laugh from the Uruk as he charged into the fray.

Edd took a moment to get his bearings and glance around the battlefield. Around a hundred wights had been discovered patrolling near the wall, so Edd and a company of about two hundred moved to engage them.

It had been over a year and a half since the Massacre at Hardhome, and much to Edd's chagrin, the White Walkers still hadn't launched their major attack. Seems that they were fully aware of the massive garrison that now manned the wall, and were unwilling to risk failure by throwing themselves against it. This meant that the Wights now spent their days probing for weaknesses in their defenses which meant skirmishes like this were common.

Edd didn't know what the White Walkers were waiting for, but the idea of them searching for a way to circumvent the wall, terrified him.

What had started as Ten thousand orcs on the wall was now closer to fifteen thousand. True to his word Jon continued to send troops up to the wall and on occasion would even journey up to it to participate in some of the skirmishes. It was very good for morale to have the King in the North show up to fight alongside the brothers of the Night's Watch and his own forces.

Where once, the men of the Night's Watch would jeer at him and call him a traitor, now they had given him a new title. The King on the Wall. As soon as that happened, Edd took the opportunity to send a raven to Jon and inform him that as of that moment he was the King of the Wall and still Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. This in turn warranted a trip to the wall for Jon, where he had to hear it directly from Edd who explained that the rangers on the wall decided that a good way to make it so that no one could really call Jon a traitor was to make him King on the Wall, and have him still be Lord-Commander. It was his army that guarded the wall so it's not like much would change. Plus it allowed Edd to get out of doing it. That lasted for about ten seconds until Jon named Edd his right hand man and gave him command on the wall whenever Jon wasn't there or one of the Nazgul wasn't present.

That led to a playful bout of name calling between the two, but it all worked itself out in the end. Jon kept an eye on the wall and the Night's Watch, aiding them and ensuring that they continued to operate smoothly, and whenever a fight broke out, Jon would try to make it there to join the raiding party in wiping out the patrolling Wights.

This was one of those battles. In the distance, Edd could just make out the form of Jon, cutting through a cluster of Wights and pushing towards their leader, a single White Walker.

Longclaw sung as Jon cut down another Wight, each one fell with a pained hiss.

Jon's eyes were alight with flame as he pushed towards the waiting form of a White Walker. It seemed to be studying him, watching him with it's cold, icy blue eyes.

With a powerful swing of his sword, Jon cut down the last wight in his way and advanced on the White Walker. The fiend raised an icy sword and met Jon in a clash of blades.

The two traded blows for several seconds, Jon easily matching the White Walkers speed and strength. Finally the two locked blades and Jon took the opportunity to slam his fist into the side of the White Walkers face, sending it stumbling back with a look of shock. It quickly turned to Jon, then to the hand that had struck it. A hand that should have been frozen, having come into contact with a White Walker's flesh. Instead, it was greeted to the unnatural glow of the One Ring, on Jon's fingers.

The White Walker pulled itself together, letting out an icy hiss as it did.

It quickly shot forward, intending to spear Jon through the chest.

With unnatural speed, Jon spun to the side of the strike, avoiding it and giving himself an opening, which he immediately exploited. His sword was flashing through the air within a moment, and Longclaw cut right through the Walker's icy flesh, shattering it like glass.

As the White Walker crumbled, a scream of pain seemed to echoed out of nowhere as all of the nearby wights collapsed. Unable to stay animated now that the one responsible for raising them was dead.

Jon glanced around the field, looking for any other active Wights. Finding none, he lowered his sword.

"Gather the bodies and burn them. Then we'll head back to the wall." Jon called out earning a collection of various noises from orcs, wildlings, northmen, and men of the Night's Watch.

Jon quickly made his way over to the Edd who was nursing a large bruise on his shoulder.

"Are you going to live?" Jon inquired.

"Maybe. Cold's already numbed the pain and I don't think it's broken." Edd replied, earning a nod from Jon.

"This is the second patrol in a fortnight, and the largest yet. Somethings going on. They're on the move." Edd noted.

"I'll speak with Bran when I get back. See if there's any changes to their movements. Let's deal with these bodies and get out of here." Jon commanded earning a nod from Edd.

Within an hour, the troop was back at the wall. In the year and a half since Jon had brought the Orc army into the north, the wall had been transformed into a fortress. Fifteen thousand now manned it, most of them orcs, but some included northmen volunteers, Night's Watch members, and Wildlings. Each castle had been manned and was brought back up to it's former glory. Many had even been expanded to fit the massive troop that now lived there. Patrols across the wall were a daily occurrence now with a single Wraith working along side Edd to keep the White Walkers out.

The wall itself now sported multiple wooden structures, ranging from towers to additional lifts to various other buildings now built into the ice. The smaller orcs made excellent builders and were fantastic climbers. With their help, and the guidance of skilled architects, the wall looked ready for war.

Once back behind the wall, Jon summoned his dragon.

About a week after learning of his true parentage Jon was convinced by Annatar to hatch the egg. What Jon didn't know was that during that time the Witch King had been secretly performing rituals on the egg, guided by Annatar's will.

These rituals changed the beast within, morphing it, granting it more power and dominating it's will. Tying it to Jon forever more.

What was to be born from the egg would not be a Valyrian dragon, but a true beast of Morgoth. This time though, it would be forged by Annatar's delicate hand.

By the time he was finished, only one thing was needed. A short ritual to hatch the egg. Everything was set up so that when Jon performed the ritual it would tie everything together and unleash a powerful dark creature that would serve him faithfully for the rest of time.

On the appointed night, Jon traveled out of Winterfell, being careful to avoid too much attention. No one save the Nazgul and Melisandre knew what he was up to. The Witch King and Melisandre met him in a clearing in the forest where a ritual circle had already been carved into the ground. All Jon had to do was cut his hand, place blood on the egg, and then cradle it in his arms while the flames were ignited. The flames would wrap around him and the egg and the act would form a bond between Jon and the Dragon. The Ring would protect Jon from the flames, which was something Jon tested before hand just to make sure.

Once there he went through the motions. He cut his hand, placed his blood on the egg, stripped naked and sat in the center of the circle. Two rings of flame were then ignited one by Melisandre and one by the Witch King. One ring of fire was normal while the one ignited by the Witch King was a sickly greenish blue. Close to Wildfire but not exactly.

The two rings of fire eventually grew so large that Jon disappeared within them. Three hours later and the fire died down. Jon was left without so much as a single burn, covered in soot, and cradling a baby dragon in his arms.

The creature was unlike any dragon ever seen in Westeros. It was dark gray with black scales. Close to it's body where the scales protruded it sported a reddish glow. It's eyes could barely be seen. They glowed a powerful red that almost made their appearance vanish behind the glow. Within the tiny creature's mouth was a red glow that matched it's eyes and even carried out through it's nostrils.

Despite being a baby, nothing about the creature was cute. It was monstrous and powerful, even as an infant. It was about the size of a house cat, with six limbs not including it's tail. It had two large wings, two digitigrade hind legs and human-like front arms that ended in human-like hands with three fingers and a thumb on each hand.

Jon was surprised by how terrifying the creature was, and over the next few days he kept a close eye on it. The small dragon was very aggressive and nipped at anyone who got close but it seemed to be greatly affected by Jon's temperament. When Jon first showed it to Sansa and Rickon the little creature growled and snapped at them, but a look from Jon caused it to stop, and ever since then it was fine with their presence. While Jon marveled at the creature's intelligence, Annatar was positively giddy at the prospect of his creation given life.

This newborn dragon was not only smart enough to know it was being scolded, but it was actually in tune with Jon's emotions. It could feel when he was angry and as the days went by, it became apparent that their connection was growing. Within a few weeks, the baby dragon knew who to treat as friend and who to treat with aggression. It knew all of this, based off of Jon's feelings. If Jon liked the person, then the dragon would. If he didn't trust the person, then the dragon wouldn't either. If he hated the person, then the dragon might just try to kill that person.

Only a handful of people in the castle knew about the baby dragon, and Jon made sure that Melisandre kept her mouth shut about how he had hatched it. He knew if Sansa or Rickon knew that he willingly sat in a fire they would probably throw a fit.

Still though, with a dragon now in his possession, he wasn't able to keep the secret of his true parentage for much longer after that.

That had been nearly a year and a half ago. Now Jon watched as a creature the size of two whole wagons fell out of the clouds and landed with a loud thump.

Annatar's creation grew much faster then normal. It was nearly twice the size it should have been but Jon didn't know that. The dragon was big enough to ride now, though it was closer to a full grown drake then an actual dragon in size at this point.

Darkwind. Jon had named him. After Robb's direwolf. Greywind. The dragon was growing larger with each passing day. Red glowing patches were appearing on large plates that grew on the dragon's chest and along the spines that grew from it's neck, arms and legs. Some of these plates looked almost like red crystal, while others looked like stone that started out a bright red and then faded into blackness. (Red Lyrium Dragon from Heroes of Dragon Age)

"Hey there boy. Ready to go home?" Jon greeted the dragon earning a bellowing growl. A smirk touched at Jon's lips as he placed a hand on the dragon's head, patting the darkened horns that were rapidly growing from it's skull.

Within moments, Jon was airborne, headed back to Winterfell. On the back of Darkwind he could make the journey from the wall to Winterfell in about eight hours. The sun was just starting to set, which meant Jon would arrive home sometime in the night.

That suited him just fine. It meant there might be a chance he could avoid the firestorm waiting for him back at Winterfell. Jon scowled as he heard Annatar snicker in his mind. His ancient companion found it amusing that Jon was so terrified of his wives.

In the year and a half since becoming King in the North, Jon had taken two wives. The first had been planned. Not wanting to have a bastard, and being in love, Jon had asked her to marry him. The second was more… unconventional. Given the circumstances.

His first wife, Sansa Stark. A small smile touched at his lips as he recalled the awkward weeks that followed his appointment as King in the North. The two spent a lot of time together in those early weeks. Sansa was acting as Lady of Winterfell and Jon was king. A lot needed to be done. The occasional brush or accidental touch would cause both to blush. This continued on for several weeks until Arya finally made an appearance. Showing up one day with her old Direwolf, Nymeria by her side.

The Stark children held a tearful reunion, especially Jon and Arya, the former of who, thought the latter was dead.

A few days later and Bran arrived in Winterfell, escorted there from the wall. It brought great comfort to all of them to be with each other again despite how each of them had changed.

Jon and Sansa continued to work together after Bran informed them that he would not be taking his position as Lord of Winterfell, and that it could go to any of them. Something incredible had occurred to him during his time away, and it had granted him great power, but also left him a bit out of it. Almost in a dream-like state. Still though, he had made his choice, so Sansa was still the Lady of Winterfell.

It was about three days after Bran had returned home that Sansa walked into Jon's room one night. She had said something along the lines of the gods having answered most of her prayers these last few weeks, and that she hoped they'd answer at least one more.

-Flashback-

Jon stared at Sansa with a confused look. She stared back for several moments, before crossing the distance and pulling Jon into a searingly passionate kiss.

Shock was Jon's first reaction. That Sansa was actually kissing him, had been furthest from his mind, in terms of possibilities, that when it happened he could only stand there dumbly, feeling the softness of her lips against his.

After several seconds she pulled away, her eyes falling to the ground. She didn't say anything, instead she began to play with her hands and bite at her lips.

It took nearly a full thirty seconds before she was able to pull her eyes off the ground and raise them to meet Jon's stunned gaze.

More silence extended between the two before finally, Jon reacted.

"Sansa..." He muttered, still in shock as his brain finally pulled the pieces of his psyche back together and he began functioning again.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have done that. I…" Sansa started to say, only to be cut off when Jon crossed the distance and pulled her into another kiss. This time the two actually shared in one as Sansa almost immediately began to return the kiss.

Jon felt Sansa's hands slide up to caress his face, while his own hands found a resting spot on her hips.

The two remained kissing for nearly a full minute before separating. When they did the two locked eyes and just stared at each other for several long moments. Finally Jon ended up smiling and resting his forehead to Sansa's, earning a smile from her as well.

Neither knew at that moment where they were going, but come hell or high water, the two had decided to walk that path together.

-End Flashback-

The following days were filled with the two slowly building up their relationship in secret. Most people were completely unaware, though a few took notice, like Bran, Rickon, and Arya.

Bran didn't seem to really care, and was generally just being his weird self. He would offer the occasional offhanded comment, but rarely addressed their relationship in any manner that insinuated that he felt one way or the other about it. When asked what he truly thought, his reply was that the two would do well together, and so long as they had each other, they would do great things. What he meant by that, wasn't actually elaborated on, but it did leave Sansa and Jon with a few thoughtful discussions in an attempt to interpret his meaning.

Rickon was supportive, saying that they were all family and so long as they stuck together, no one could beat them.

Arya though… well unbeknownst to Jon, Arya had actually had a crush on Jon when she was younger, and as a result of seeing Sansa and Jon together, began to develop a bit of a jealous streak. She began to intentionally butt heads with Sansa as the two progressed through their relationship.

It started with little things, like the occasional underhanded comments that Jon usually either overlooked or simply didn't hear, but Sansa usually did. But eventually it elevated to full blown arguments between the two.

Within a month of starting their relationship, Sansa found her way into Jon's bed. A month afterwards and Jon asked her to marry him.

The two ended up having a quiet ceremony in the Godswood, out of sight and out of mind of the rest of the north. Very few people had a problem with their union. Even Jon's advisers like Ser Davos offered their support. Normally they would have advised caution since a marriage was a powerful political tool, but considering the size of Jon's army, he really didn't need to marry some daughter of a lord to gain the favor needed to field a larger army.

Besides that, a marriage between Jon and Sansa would secure the North as any dissenters who may have had second thoughts about making Jon the King or Sansa ruling Winterfell until Rickon came of age, would be quieted down now that pure Stark Blood was tied to the Kingship and the man who had actually killed Ramsay Bolton was now technically the Lord of Winterfell, even though Jon still left it's running in Sansa's capable hands.

To many, their marriage was viewed as Jon's attempt to fully secure control of the North, ensuring Stark reign, and security, despite that being around the time, that people began to suspect his Targaryen lineage due to the Dragon that was seen following him about from time to time.

The only person that wasn't happy about their marriage was Arya, which led Jon to think about his second wife. Following their union, Sansa moved into Jon's room, neither bothering to hide their relationship, and Sansa being named his queen.

That's when the fights intensified between Sansa and Arya. Jon was in the dark about this early on as the two often sniped one another with underhanded comments whenever Jon wasn't around. The source of their arguments was almost always centered around Jon, with Arya thinking Sansa was just using him so that she could be a queen, and Sansa thinking Arya was just being a jealous, paranoid little girl.

This formed a rivalry between the two that lasted for a few months until finally Jon walked in on the two having a yelling match. Deciding he'd had enough of this he demanded to know what the two were fighting about. A lot of things were said or shouted as both tried to explain that the other was a terrible person. Jon spent most of the fight just looking between the two, unable to figure out the root of their problem until Arya just flat out said, she didn't think Sansa was good enough for Jon.

This led to the two sisters glaring at one another, until Sansa just smirked and walked right up to Jon and kissed him hard on the lips. She then threw a superior smirk at Arya, who's glare deepened. It was then Arya's turn to walk right up to Jon, and kiss him just as hard as Sansa had.

Jon was naturally gobsmacked by this sudden occurrence. It was right about now that he realized why Arya was in such a bad mood these last few months. After the two separated, Arya looked embarrassed, as if she hadn't actually intended to do that, and her body just reacted.

While Jon stood there staring dumbly at Arya, Arya shuffled back and forth with a bit of embarrassment while wearing a small smile, and Sansa glowered at the two, her arms folded across her chest.

Sansa's reaction was the most confusing for Jon. She didn't seem mad, more so she seemed like she had just been issued a challenge. The way she narrowed her eyes at Arya, was like her way of acknowledging the challenge.

After a few moments, Sansa turned to Jon, and asked him how they compared.

The devilish smirk that appeared on his wife's face, keyed him in that he should be very careful with how he answered.

Now both of them were staring at him. Jon's eyes darted between the two, and after a moment, he decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and loudly called for a guard.

A few moments later a guard walked in, asking if everything was alright.

Jon then looked at Sansa and said that he was needed elsewhere and then left with the confused guard. Leaving the two sisters alone to fight over this most recent development.

A chaotic week followed with Jon spending his time avoiding the two, though when he did spend time with them, both were trying to gain his attention. Both sisters were much more touchy then they were before. During private meetings when Jon and Sansa would discuss plans for the future she was more flirtatious, while during training with Arya, Jon found that she was much more physical. Touching him, running her hands across his chest, or occasionally getting into positions that allowed her to press her body to his.

This time was maddening for Jon because he truly did love Arya. She had always treated him kindly and he cared for her since they were children, but Jon was a loyal man. He desperately wanted Sansa to demand him to put a stop to it. If she only said the words, Jon would have done just that. He didn't want to hurt Arya, but he would, to honor his vows to Sansa. If only she said something. But no. Sansa actually seemed to take it as a challenge whenever Arya would try to flirt with Jon.

What Jon didn't know until much later, was the two already had reached an agreement that they would share him. Their rivalry and antics were just how they were, how they had always been. The reason why Sansa never asked Jon to put a stop to it was because she didn't want him too.

A few nights later and Jon finally decided to have a talk with Sansa to find out what he should be doing because he was currently in way over his head and unfortunately, this was one of the few occasions where Annatar was of no help. Only laughing at him whenever he tried to ask for advice.

After staring at him for several long minutes, Sansa came to the realization that Jon would probably never make the choice she wanted him to make so she just decided to put an end to the game and she just explained to him that they had planned on sharing him. They had both decided that Jon was the only one good enough for either of them. They wanted him, but they weren't going to let him be the thing that tore the sisters apart again, so they had just decided to share him. The last few weeks had just been them teasing him.

To prove her point, she went and retrieved Arya, and that night, they shared their bed with her. This continued for about three weeks when Jon decided he wasn't going to father a bastard, and if Arya was going to be a part of his life, fully and completely, then she was going to be a part of it. Fully and completely. He wouldn't have her as a mistress or a secret lover. If she was going to join them, then it would be as an equal, and he asked her to marry him.

If it was possible, their marriage was even quieter then Jon's and Sansa's. From that day forward, Jon shared his life and his bed, with his two wives. Two sisters that constantly butted heads, and challenged one another, and who had differing views on almost everything, but loved each other enough to never let their fighting tear the two apart.

With both women by his side, Jon gained a much wider view of the world. Sansa had learned much during her time in the South and in the company of Littlefinger. She knew how to play the game of politics and thus served as a useful adviser when it came to dealing with the Lords and Ladies of the North. Arya was much more militant then her sister, having spent time on the road with the Hound, and in the company of the Faceless Men of Bravos. She was a killer, through and through. She was cunning, and wise, knowing how to deal with threats before those threats even realized what kind of trouble they were in. Jon already knew how effective Arya could be in that regard, as she had regaled him of tales of what she had done to the Freys before arriving at Winterfell.

It only took a week after her marriage to Jon that Arya fully embraced the historical repeat and became like Visenya Targaryen. She named herself the commander of his Kingsguard, and instead of sitting by his side, like Sansa would, she stood opposite of Brienne as his guard. Brienne stood for Sansa, and Arya for Jon. It was quite amusing for Jon seeing his short, almost non-threatening wife standing opposite the tall, broad, heavily armored Brienne of Tarth, but it was definitely something Arya took pride in. Arya's stature did make her seem less threatening, but one look in her eyes, told you all that you needed to know. It didn't hurt that she was usually flanked by Nymeria, who was often traveling with Ghost.

Despite enjoying the married life, it still, even to this day, annoyed Arya when people called her 'your grace', or even 'my Queen'. That had been part of the reason she had chosen to stand as his guardian during meetings rather then sitting as his queen, like Sansa did. She hated people addressing her like that, and preferred to stay out of the spotlight.

Jon knew his wives would be waiting for him when he returned, and he knew they would be angry. Two days prior he had received a letter from Edd, detailing how a band of Wights had been seen near the wall, and he had left on Darkwind almost immediately to assist the Night's Watch.

This hadn't been the first time, and it was a major source of argument for the Starks to deal with. He knew Sansa and Arya were going to chew him out for leaving so suddenly. Especially Arya, who was less angry that he had left, and more angry that he had done so without her.

These thoughts occupied Jon's mind as he made his way home. Only when Winterfell was closing in did he turn his thoughts to other matters like the events of his reign as king and the changes he'd been making to the north.

Bran's arrival was one of the first major turning points. Bran now called himself the Three-Eyed Raven. He could Warg into various beasts and even see into the past and possibly even the future. Annatar called him a Far-Seer. One with the gift of foresight.

That made Bran one of the most valuable advisers in all the world. He was a man, with greater sight then even the elves that Annatar spoke of with a minor degree of respect. Bran was a gift, one that had proven, and would continue to prove a valuable aid to Jon and the North for many years to come.

The second major change to occur was Jon fully establishing his own personal council. He named Ser Davos Seaworth as his Hand. He had experience from his time with Stannis, and he was loyal. Jon found him to be an excellent adviser. One who kept Jon level headed, and worked well with Sansa to keep Jon and Arya from embracing their inner wolves and commencing a brutal campaign of outright slaughter against their enemies. Jon knew he had to be smart. He had the element of surprise with his new found army, he could do wondrous things with it, so long as he planned accordingly and used every advantage he could.

On Jon's Council was Sansa, Arya, Rickon, Bran, Ser Davos, Tormund, Melisandre, Samwell Tarly, Annatar, and Ser Jaime Lannister. Those last three had interesting stories to them.

Samwell Tarly returned from Old town with Gilly and little Sam a short time after Bran arrived back in Winterfell. Sam brought back with him information on where they could find dragonglass as well as information pertaining to Jon's parentage, including the name of the septom that had wed the two, as well as the fact that Rhaegar had annulled his marriage to Elia Martell.

Jon was happy to have Sam back as the man was wise and knowledgeable and despite his cowardice and lack of martial skill, Sam was a good man who had always come through for Jon in the past. Sam had even returned with his family's ancestral Valyrian steel sword Heartsbane which he presented to Jon asking him to find someone to wield it. Their joyful reunion though was cut short when Bran brought news of Daenerys Targaryen's assault on the Lannister and Tarly forces, that ended in Dickon and Randall Tarly being burned alive.

Sam was naturally devastated. It broke Jon's heart to see him like that. He knew Sam cared little for his father, but he dearly loved his little brother. Jon vowed to his friend that when the time came he would repay his aunt for that, in whatever form that repayment came in.

Of course Sam tried to talk him out of it, but Jon was adamant that burning prisoners alive was unjust, and his aunt had crossed a line in doing such. Even Jon had spared the lives of the captured Bolton men, going so far as to place them in his own army, each one being forced to serve his force for a duration of ten years, in exchange for their freedom. He also sent all of them to the wall, so that they could be the first to face the White Walkers in battle, and if they died, then little would be lost. They were basically prisoners, but they were granted some freedoms. Though at the end of the day, they were kept under strict watch and if they were caught attempting anything nefarious or even trying to leave, they were hung and then had their bodies burned and their ashes used to fill in the latrine pits.

After a few months of working alongside his newly formed council Jon decided to reveal to them the truth of his newfound strength and skills, as well as his personal adviser. Annatar was able to manifest before people so long as he was in proximity to Jon. People had seen him before when Jon was fighting, but otherwise, no one knew what he was or where he had come from.

After revealing himself to Jon's council and having Jon explain to them Annatar's reason to help, they slowly began to see the ethereal being as a fellow adviser and a wise man. All of them were grateful to Annatar, and as time went on, began to see him as a cunning, yet straightforward and practical individual. One who never asked more then what was possible, and had been willing to help them in exchange for a simple promise.

It also didn't hurt their reverence that Melisandre openly believed that Annatar was the Lord of Light, R'hllor himself and that Jon was Azor Ahai. His champion and Vessel.

Since then, Annatar would manifest any time a meeting was taking place with Jon's personal council. He would advise them, using his many years of experience to offer them greater insight into issues or various problems they may have been facing. He also aided the North into getting into contact with the Tribes of Harad, the kingdoms of Rhun, and through them, Annatar's own Kingdom, Mordor. All of which lay across the Shivering Sea, North of Essos.

Annatar's presence became a common thing, and though he was often cordial with most of Jon's advisers, he held a specific relationship with Bran. Jon didn't quite understand it but somehow, Bran could speak with Annatar no matter where he was. Occasionally Jon would hear Annatar begin to whisper, and he knew in those moments he was speaking with Bran.

When asked what the two were speaking of, the answer was always a bit more vague then Jon would have liked. The two often spoke of destiny and the future. More specifically, Jon's destiny, and the fate of the Seven Kingdoms.

The two of them knew something, something they were either unable or unwilling to share with Jon. If Jon had to guess, it probably had to do with Jon's destiny. All Jon could do was hope that whatever his destiny was, it involved stopping the Night King and saving Westeros. Beyond that, Jon really didn't care much.

A few months after Bran had shown up, Ser Jaime Lannister rode up to Winterfell with a thousand men at his back. He had come at Bran's summons. This surprised all of the Starks save for Bran himself.

When Jaime and his captains were brought before Jon, they didn't sneer or mutter dark curses under their breath. Instead all of them dropped to a knee and offered him their swords. The lord of Casterly Rock was even willing to offer his formal oath of service, signifying that the Lannisters would serve the King in the North as their King, instead of Cercei.

This was naturally met with great skepticism. Bran had offered his assurances that Ser Jaime was needed in the war for the Dawn. He was meant to join them, and so to ensure that time was not wasted, Bran had sent a raven to Ser Jaime, explaining a few things to him. What information was contained on the letter, Jon didn't fully know. What he did know was that Bran had hinted to Jaime Lannister about Jon's true parentage. Which was met with uneasiness from most of the rest of the Starks.

That information still hadn't been officially released, even though many began to suspect as by that time Darkwind had grown large enough for people to start noticing him.

Jon remembered that day quite vividly.

-Flashback-

"You fought my brother Robb during the War of the Five Kings." Jon noted as he stood over the kneeling Lannister troop.

"I did, your grace." Jaime replied, his face stoic and formal. A soldier's hardiness, through and through.

"You fought my father at King's Landing." Jon continued. His eyes were boring into Jaime Lannister, and he could feel Sansa's, Arya's and Rickon's doing much the same.

"His wife had just kidnapped my baby brother, but yes, I did fight him." Jaime offered as an explanation but he kept his head low.

"Your father orchestrated the murder of many of my Northern brothers. Catelyn Stark and Robb Stark died at the Red Wedding." Jon stated, his voice growing colder with each word.

"He's dead now, and from what I've seen of the twins, Walder Frey met his own end at the hands of wolves. If it's any consolation, all of the stories of my father's noble assassination are a fabrication. Tyrion murdered him while he was on the privy." Jaime again offered. This earned him a snort of amusement from Arya who had been responsible for the Frey's massacre and for suggesting Jon send troops to take the castle for the North.

"Lady Brienne has informed me that you dispatched her from King's Landing in search of Arya and Sansa." Jon stated.

Jaime offered a nod at that, his eyes slowly drifting over to where Brienne stood, standing stoically by Sansa's side. She made no movement but offered him the slightest of nods which he returned in thanks.

"Why?" Jon asked.

"Catelyn Stark. When she released me from Robb Stark's camp it was with the promise that I would try my hardest to secure her daughter's freedom. I swore an oath. Despite what you may think of me, I do have my honor." Jaime replied. His words earned dark mutterings from the crowd of Northern Lords that had been present when he arrived. Many wanted to have him executed and be done with it.

"I should hate you, for what your family has done to mine. I should have you and your men put to the sword. But I wont. Killing you all would be a waste of time. Despite my feelings, I have to look past that. Bran says you're needed. I don't know why, and I don't like it, but he hasn't led me astray yet, and I don't think he'll start any time soon. You and your men will be watched. But you've sworn oaths. I am your king now. If I get so much as a single inkling of possible betrayal, I'll have you and every one of your men hung as traitors." Jon commanded earning a nod from Jaime and many of his captains.

-End Flashback-

After that meeting Jon and his family had their own meeting where they questioned Bran about why he had summoned Ser Jaime to Winterfell.

His answer was vague, but he offered a few insights into how he managed to convince the King Slayer to betray his own sister.

Apparently, things were not all sunshine and rainbows in King's Landing. Cercei Lannister had blown up the Sept of Bailor using Wildfire. She had killed hundreds in that attack. And it had resulted in the death of Queen Margeary and the subsequent suicide of Cercei's Child Tommen. Which Bran reaffirmed was also Jaime's child.

Bran assured them that Jaime was needed and that he could be trusted. The thousand men at his back weren't run of the mill infantrymen. Many of them were knights, sworn to house Lannister. Most of the soldiers at his back were highly trained. Veteran soldiers. The kind of thing the North needed more of.

Within a week, Jon had decided what he would do with Ser Jaime. He placed the man, and his one thousand, in charge of training Jon's army. Teaching them combat tactics as well as formations. Jon also spent time learning from Jaime himself on battle tactics Jaime had developed or learned during the recent wars, as well as learning information on Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons.

Things were tense at first with Jaime Lannister. The man was aloof at times, while at other times he was quite snarky, willing to offer up a witty comment at meetings, much to Jon's chagrin.

Still though, Jaime wasn't blind, and much like everyone else, he picked up on the dragon Jon had in his possession. He never asked, though the look on his face when he once caught Jon in the Godswood, learning to play Rhaegar's harp, showed that he was quickly starting to believe what Bran had hinted at.

It was a month or two later when Jaime finally brought it up in conversation. He was walking by while Jon was busy training in the yards and he commented that while he may sing like his father, he was more like Ser Arthur Dayne when it came to his skill with a blade.

Jon had only been mildly surprised when he heard that, but it didn't take him long at all to put two and two together. Jaime had been a Kingsguard. He knew Rhaegar personally.

It was a short while after that, that Jon brought Jaime into his council, officially making him a general in his army. Through hard work and determination, Jaime and his men had helped to turn the orcs and the northmen into a much more refined fighting force. While the orcs themselves were difficult, they did learn, and the Uruk-hai absorbed the knowledge with incredible hunger. Within six months, Jon's army went from simply a massive force, to a massive force with the fighting prowess of the army Tywin Lannister helped to create.

Discipline found its way into the orc ranks. Structure as well. The Lannister men were cold and ruthless and the orcs respected them for it. Even the Northmen came to respect their old foe and learned all there was to know of how the south did battle.

It was when Jon offered Jaime a position on his council, that Jaime, in an act of gratitude, presented the Stark's with Widow's Wail. He informed them that it was the other half to Oathkeeper, the sword Brienne carried, both remnants of the Stark ancestral sword Ice.

Jon and his family were grateful to have it back, and Jon himself decided to rename the blade to Winter's Bane.

It was kept at Winterfell now, waiting for the day someone with the skill and drive could wield it. Oathkeeper was to remain in Brienne's possession so long as she served house Stark, they only asked that she have it returned to them after her passing, whenever that was. Winter's Bane would also find it's way into the hands of a Stark champion, whenever Jon found someone worthy of it.

He had considered Arya for it, but she said the blade wouldn't suit her Water Dancing, so unless they wanted to melt it down and reforge it again, it was best to keep it for another.

While cautious at first, the members of Jon's council came to respect Jaime and he became an equal member, aiding them in their fight against the Night King. Over the many months he had been there, Jaime made several trips to the wall to see the Wights for himself and work with Edd to formulate battle strategies to use against them.

These thoughts occupied Jon's mind as he slowly descended to just outside of Winterfell.

The castle itself had been expanded over the year and a half since Jon had reclaimed it. It had also been fully repaired. A large city was slowly building up around, Winter Town was growing and would soon surround all of Winterfell. A wooden wall had been built around the perimeter of the newly established town, providing Winterfell with even more defenses. The wall itself was ten feet wide, and twenty feet tall, built by Trolls and giants in a matter of weeks.

Stone was quickly finding it's way to the newly built wall. Within several months the wooden wall would be replaced with stone, turning it into a true battlement that would keep out invaders.

Jon landed just outside the gates, which were closed. Outside of the gates, two orcs stood watch with many others patrolling the walls. Jon approached the gate, which opened for him without so much as a word. Darkwind let out some dark growls before taking flight and heading off to the forest to hunt something. Jon was just about to pass through the gate when a wolf's howl caught his ear.

He turned and stared off into the forest nearby. He knew who it was howling. Ghost, welcoming him back.

Jon allowed a smile to touch at his lips as he passed through the gates, earning a bow from the orcs as he passed. He marched through Winter Town, the streets were devoid of humans, but there were plenty of Orcs, Uruks, and Olegs moving about, either on patrol, or busy working.

Jon quickly made his way to the castle. He moved through it with complete silence, trying his best to avoid causing a ruckus so early in the morning.

He arrived at his room which was flanked on either side by two loyal bannermen. Both offered him bows as he took pause at the door. Jon knew it didn't exactly look the best when the King himself was hesitant to enter his own room, but he also knew that he could take people snickering at him, much better then he could take the hellstorm of his two wives chewing him out for running off to fight the White Walkers.

So with a deep sigh he pushed the door open and marched inside. Much to his surprise, he found a fire lit, and both sisters awake, waiting for him. Sansa sat in a chair by the fire, while Arya sat on the bed. Both looked like they had known he was coming.

"Bran." Jon thought to himself as he shut the door behind him. He knew that his wives had probably pestered Bran relentlessly while he was gone for information on how Jon was doing and when he would return.

The two women were silent as Jon entered the room and made his way over to a table where he removed Longclaw and placed it on it's surface. He then unfastened his cloak that Sansa had made for him, and placed it there as well.

Once that was done. He walked over to the bed, feeling their eyes on his with every step he took. He sat on one side of the bed and went through the motions of removing his shoes, and most of his clothes until he was left only in his breeches.

He then let out a loud sign and laid down on the bed. Several long moments of silence went by, as he waited for one of the two to begin speaking. He knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time until one of them spoke up to voice their displeasure.

"So… another successful battle?" Sansa inquired.

"Another White Walker to the grave. Along with a hundred Wights." Jon responded, his eyes locked on the ceiling.

"A hundred? That's the largest group yet." Sansa replied, sharing a glance with Arya.

"I know. I'll speak with Bran in the morning. See if there's anything new he can tell me." Jon informed them.

"You left without saying anything." Arya finally breached the issue, that they all knew was hanging over them.

"I was in a hurry. It's just like Sansa said, this was the largest group yet, and the second time in a month. I can't shake the feeling that there's something that they know that we don't." Jon responded, knowing full well that neither would simply accept that answer.

"You still should have told us." Sansa stated as she rose from her chair and approached the bed.

"I let Ser Davos know I was leaving. I didn't have time to go looking for the two of you, just so we could have this argument before I left." Jon stated as he felt Sansa sit on the opposite side of the bed.

"Jon..." Sansa began, but Jon merely let out a loud sigh and rubbed at his face.

"I know what you're going to say Sansa. Believe me, if there were any other way, I would gladly remove the White Walkers from my mind, but there isn't. They are the greatest threat that we face. I have to treat every incident like it could be the prelude to their invasion. Anything less will invite disaster. All it'll take is one lapse in judgment and they could be south of the Wall. I wont let that happen. I simply will not." Jon stated fervently, turning his head to look at his wife, who was staring down at him with equal parts anger, sadness, uncertainty, and concern.

"Why does it have to be you though?" Sansa asked, earning another sigh from Jon as he pulled himself up so that he was sitting.

"You know why." Jon responded as he held up his hand, showing off the ring that adorned his fingers. The room almost seemed to grow impossibly quiet for a single moment, as if nature itself was allowing for a second of reverence to come and pass before continuing.

"I know you have powers, but so do the wraiths. So do some of the war-chiefs, why does it always have to be you?" Sansa pressed, while Arya kept her eyes locked firmly on Jon, watching him intently.

"The power of the Dark Lord's army is so great that even the dead are weary of it. The Night King knows that this army can defeat his. He knows that the Wraiths can fight his Walkers, and he knows that I can fight him. I hold the power of darkness and flame in my hand, and he knows to be weary of it. That's what's stopping him from attacking. It's the Ring, and the being attached to it. The Night King is weary of Annatar, and Annatar is bound to me so long as I carry the Ring. He cannot be at the wall if I am not there as well. Every time I go up to the wall I remind the White Walkers that the thing they fear is standing before them, and that gives them pause. The moment I stop going there, and reminding them of that, the moment I get complacent, is the moment everything falls apart. I know you don't like it. I know neither of you wants me to go up there, and believe me, if I had the choice I would stay here, with both of you. But I don't. So long as the Night King exists, I have to be there to meet him. Any day, he could launch an attack. His army is only about fifty miles from the wall and he's ever so slowly closing that gap." Jon responded, with a great deal of passion, resolve, and weariness.

Both sisters shared a look, knowing that Jon was right about that. It didn't make either feel any better, but both of them knew that the Ring was their bulwark against an invasion of the undead. They needed it's presence on the Wall, when the White Walkers came snooping about.

Sansa let out a sigh and turned her gaze off to something else in the room. Meanwhile Arya kept her focus on Jon and crawled over to him, until the two were face to face.

Despite knowing that she was probably mad, Jon had to try very hard to avoid smiling. Since returning to Winterfell, it was obvious that Arya had grown into a ruthless killer. What she had done to the Frey's and what she was willing to do to others, it was often times, shocking when she would offer a bloodthirsty suggestion to deal with various problems. At times it was hard to decide who was more ruthless, Arya, or the Orcs. Jon was the only one who could never seem to be unnerved when she got like that. Perhaps it was because he had always seen her for who she truly was, and knew that she had always been this way, at least in part. Or perhaps he just couldn't see her as anything other then the little girl she used to be. Regardless of the answer, Jon never felt intimidated by her glare. Where even Brienne would be unnerved, Jon was forced to fight off a smile, which usually served to just piss Arya off more.

"You left me here." Arya stated, her voice cold, and her eye filled with fury.

Jon knew it have been coming. He knew that's what Arya was really pissed about. Her threat was just a bit undermined though do to her using his legs to prop herself up just a bit taller so that the two were eye to eye.

"I did." Jon replied after a moment.

"Jon..." Arya began but Jon cut her off by placing a hand on the back of her head and holding her in place as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I didn't leave you hear because I think you're weak. And it's not because you're a lady. You know why I left you here. I need you to protect Bran, and Rickon, and Sansa. You're the only one I trust to watch out for them while I'm away." Jon replied in his best soothing tone. He knew when Arya got like this, she was a likely to explode at the drop of a hat. He had to be very careful with his wording and to not sound like he was talking down to her, or else she would pick up on it, call him out, and then demand that he meet her down in the yards, where he'd have to endure an ass kicking in front of everyone.

"There are hundreds of people in this castle who would give their lives to protect our family." Arya began, but Jon was quick to reply.

"And none of them are you." Jon responded, his eyes locked with her. Silence filled the room as the two remained locked in a battle of wills. They had, had this argument so many times by now that it was almost routine. Jon knew what they would both say, and they knew what his response would be. Both sides would be frustrated at the other, and then in the morning they'd spend the day sniping at one another before moving past it by mid to late afternoon.

Arya's glare held for several moments before she leaned back, shut her eyes, and took in what seemed to be a calming breath.

Jon had to fight not to physically cringe at her reaction. He knew what that would mean for the morning. The two of them, in the training yards, and he'd walk away with a few more cuts thanks to needle.

Finally she moved off of him and settled into bed next to him. Jon took the opportunity to lay back and shut his eyes, as his wives settled in.

Sleep came quickly and in the morning, just as Jon had predicted, he found himself out in the training yard with Arya. The two of them did their dance, Arya moving swiftly around him, and Jon keeping light on his feet to avoid getting nicked by Needle.

It took about an hour, but Arya was eventually satisfied with the mornings training, and let him leave. From there, Jon found his way to the main hall, where he and Sansa proceeded to carry out their courtly duties.

Much had changed in the year and a half since Jon had taken over. Where once, this lord or that, would come to him with complaints about the minor things, or about the Orcs in their lands, now only important issues were brought up and dealt with.

Jon made several things very clear to the various lords and ladies in the North. The only peasants that should be coming to Winterfell with complaints are those who lived near Winterfell. Everyone else had a lord or lady ruling over their respective homes that they were meant to meet with if they had a problem. If peasants were coming to Jon with problems, then it was obvious that their lords weren't doing their jobs, and if that were the case, Jon would find someone to replace them.

As for the complaints about infringes on their lands, or whatever rights they believed they had, Jon, Sansa, and Arya made sure to remind them that the Starks took back Winterfell with their own army. Only a handful of houses had actually helped them, and those houses were now treated as friends and allies. Everyone else had to earn any sort of friendship they had once had. Jon's army was set to work fortifying the North. They built forts and castles all around the North in preperation for future wars and possible uprisings.

Many Northern lords weren't too happy about hearing the bastard king talk down to them, but they were soon quieted when Jon would have an Oleg or two take up position next to the person complaining. A simple and stern reminder that the Starks now ruled with a tight grip on the North. The ere of relying on others had come and passed. The Starks were independent now, and anyone who served them, served them completely. No more pleasantries or niceties, especially with those that refused the call or outright threatened to have Jon killed and Sansa sold back to the Boltons.

So now a days, only important issues came to Jon and his queens.

Late into the proceedings Maester Wolkin stepped in and motioned for Ser Davos to step over to speak with him. The two then stepped out for several minutes, only for Ser Davos to return and whisper into Jon's ear that a letter had arrived from Dragonstone, bearing the sigil of House Targaryen.

Jon quickly called the proceedings to a halt and ordered his council to gather. Once the room was clear and his councilors had gathered in the room, Jon was given the message. He broke the seal and read it's contents.

"To the Lord of Winterfell.

I Tyrion Lannister, Hand of Queen Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, and acting in accordance with her will, send you this message demanding that the lords of the North bend the knee and swear fealty to the rightful Queen of Westeros. Cercei Lannister is no friend of North, and would see it turned to ash and left in ruin. Queen Daenerys offers her aide to the North and swears that should the Northern Lords bend the knee, that the Starks will hold a position of prominence in court as well as a seat on her Small Council. Her Grace acknowledges the state of the weather and asks that a reply be given by raven, and that the Lords of Winterfell ride south at their earliest convenience to swear fealty in person. Join with us, and we will see Cercei punished for her crimes against the peoples of Westeros. Join with Daenerys Targaryen and your enemies will become her enemies. All enemies of the Targaryens will meet the same fate. One doused in Fire and Blood.

We expect your raven within the fortnight.

Signed; Tyrion Lannister. Hand of the Queen."

Jon made a face as he passed the letter to Sansa who reread it's contents.

"So your dearest aunt has finally turned her attention to the North." Annatar noted as he manifested by Jon's side.

"I would see so." Jon replied with a sigh, as the letter made the rounds, passing from Sansa to Arya, then to Ser Jaime who made a face and shook his head before passing it on to Sam.

"Well then… it looks like the south will be needing my attention sooner then I had hoped." Jon muttered as he turned his head to share a look with Sansa and Arya, both of whom stared back at him, knowing that he had a plan in store for dealing with his fire happy aunt.

"Shall we give her what she wants?" Annatar inquired.

"Yes. Fire and Blood." Jon responded as he rose to his feet and turned to march out of the room, leaving his council behind, deep in thought. Jon needed to speak with the Wraiths. More specifically the Witch King. He knew one day he'd have to deal with the South so preparations had been made for that eventuality. He had simply hoped that the Night King could have been dealt with first. No matter. They were ready for this, he simply needed to set everything in motion.

Daenerys Targaryen… Aunt or not, would not have the North. The North was his kingdom, and if she intended to try and make a claim for it, then he would meet her claim with one of his own. Fire and Blood would meet Fire and Blood.

-To be continued-

Alright there you go. Hope everyone enjoyed. I know it seems like I'm going a bit fast but I didn't want to just follow all of the shows elements. Now that we're far past them, I can make this story my own. :)