Chapter 4: The Blood of the Dragon
A/N: I apologize for the formatting of this chapter. For some reason my laptop has created large spaces in between lines. It's driving me crazy and I'll hopefully have the issue sorted out of for the next chapter.
Arya
Robb had been insufferable for the past week. He had texted her immediately after the abysmal board meeting, furiously.
"Why did I just get news that you caused a scene in that meeting? Did you really have the audacity to scream at Jon in front of his entire board?"
Arya had instantly replied. "What did Jon already snitch to you? Guess it didn't take him that long."
"No, Varys was the one to tell me; which makes it worse. Jon has too much respect for you to tell me about your disrespect, god knows why."
"Jon is helping our family, whether you can see that past your petty vendetta against him. How dare you challenge his authority in front of his damn board?! How dare you challenge my authority! I gave Jon the right to do however, he damn well would want to please with those Arryn shares."
"Is this just some sort of a game to you? I wanted to give you the chance to make something of yourself and not screw this up, like you had in Braavos."
"When in seven hells are you going to grow up, Arya? You're starting to make me regret thinking that you had were ready for this job. I was going to name you the company's vice president, but I'm naming Bran instead."
"I swear to the old gods and the new, if I get one more complaint from anyone else about your attitude. I will go down there myself, bring you back to Winterfell, and marry you off to a Martell or Tyrell, the first chance I get."
"Get your shit together, or else you won't be representing my company."
Arya had ignored his messages. She knew better than to message Robb back when he was seething. Robb's temper was notorious.
Any reply that she would have sent back, could have triggered Robb taking her back to Winterfell.
Still, it hurt that Robb only saw her as the troublesome, wild, sister who had wreaked havoc in Braavos all those years back. His obvious favoritism towards Sansa and Bran stung. Sometimes it felt as if she only had Rickon.
Rickon never judged her for anything she had done in the past. He never cared about how much blood she had gotten on her hands once, and how much more she still craved for.
Rickon understood her thirst for revenge and matched her with his own. He wanted to kill everyone who had dared to take away the mother and father he had barely known.
Rickon knew what it meant to be a wild wolf. He knew what it meant to be done with wooden teeth.
At least someone loved her for herself, and not out of familial obligation.
Sansa had already ordered them two peach iced teas and two sandwiches by the time Arya met her during her lunch break.
Arya took a sip of her tea and instantly made a face of displeasure. "Oh god, couldn't you have gotten the mango flavored tea?" she complained.
Sansa shrugged. "They only had peach and raspberry tea, and we all know how you feel about raspberry tea," she said as she opened two sugar packets and stirred them into her tea. "How's your day going?" she asked, sipping through her straw.
Arya leaned back into her chair. "Robb's been driving me insane. He won't stop blowing up my phone about this stupid Jon and the House Arryn situation. He's getting mad regardless of whether or not I respond to his messages. It's just so annoying because I feel like he thinks that this is turning into another Braavos situation, and it's like he still doesn't trust me for something I did seven years ago," she said with exasperation.
Sansa looked with her with an expression of pity, which made Arya want to scowl.
Arya sighed. "What? I can tell that you're holding your tongue back. Just say whatever you want to say." She bit into her sandwich disgruntledly.
"I mean I won't say that you're wrong. I know Robb does have trust issues with you, but he's also giving you a huge responsibility here. He could have sent Bran in your place, but he chose you. He clearly doesn't only see you as the messed-up wild child in Braavos," reasoned Sansa.
Arya frowned at her sister. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she scoffed, drinking some more tea.
"I'm just saying that maybe you should try to see things from Robb's perspective. He's under a tremendous amount of stress, now more than ever. He can't afford to lose any more battles, now more than ever. He's signed our company over to someone he doesn't trust-"
"You think Robb doesn't trust Jon?" Arya asked incredulously, cutting Sansa off.
"How could he possibly trust Jon, after everything our family has been through with the Targaryens," Sansa said sourly, not even attempting to hide her displeasure.
"I don't know. Out of all of us, Robb is the only one who maintained his closeness with Jon. I think what you mean to say is that you don't trust, Jon," Arya pointed out.
"With good reason, Arya. Jon is the blood of the Dragon, the blood of Aegon the conqueror runs through his veins. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. He probably signed over the contracts, just so that he can make his stake for Winterfell soon," Sansa said bitterly, putting Arya at unease.
Arya put her sandwich down, having lost her appetite.
"You sound a lot like mother, right about now. Soon you'll be talking about how Jon was born a bastard, a product of lust and sin."
Sansa's piercing blue eyes flashed icily; her resemblance to their lady mother was uncanny at that moment. "It wouldn't be incorrect. Rhaegar Targaryen raped our aunt and look at how well that turned out for everyone. Jon left us the second he had a chance to, and look at how quickly he claimed his Targaryen roots."
Arya couldn't help but wonder about her aunt Lyanna. Father had never talked about her if he could have helped it. All Arya had ever known about her aunt from father, was that Arya bore a resemblance to her and loved the same things as her.
"You have a wildness in you, child. The wolf blood, my father used to call it. Lyanna had a touch of it," her lord father had once told her.
Had Lyanna run away or had Rhaegar Targaryen carried off on his shoulder forcefully and headed South? Arya had always thought to herself.
It always bothered her, all those years growing up in Winterfell, to watch anyone torment Jon for his birth status. Jon had always silently taken the taunts thrown at him but it had always bothered Arya to her core. How could anyone have blamed Jon, an innocent babe, for his conception?
The whispers hadn't changed when Jon had finally managed to make a name for himself, instead of being the bastard of Winterfell. People no longer dared to disrespect him. No, they only feared him now.
Some now whispered "the white wolf" at him; Others "the black dragon." Some took it a step farther than Sansa had, calling him "Aegon reborn."
Arya prayed that Jon had some of the Stark blood, the blood of the First Men, left in him.
If he truly was all Targaryen, then all the Starks certainly had something to fear.
If Jon was all Targaryen, then it would only be a matter of time before he decided to take Winterfell like Aegon would have.
With fire and blood.
Arya waited patiently in Jon's office. Ollie had texted her saying that Jon had requested a meeting with her for when she would return from lunch.
He was already five minutes late. Arya made herself comfortable in the leather couch chair that faced Jon's office desk.
She couldn't help herself from skimming some of the photos behind his desk's mantle.
There was a picture of him and Sam together on their college graduation day. Jon's youth was visible in the photo, although his usual melancholy was as well.
There was another picture of Jon with his mentor, Jorah Mormont, the previous police commissioner of the city. Jon had served at the force for a couple of years after graduating from university.
Arya smiled sadly as her eyes came across a photo of Jon and Robb together. Somehow, their friendship had managed to survive through everything horrible that had happened over the years. She could only hope that Jon wouldn't betray Rob's trust now.
The office door came swinging open. Arya turned to the side, startled at the sudden intrusion. Jon strolled into the office, his mouth full, a small portion of a bagel remaining in his hands.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be late. There was a hold up in the meeting with the Arryns," he apologized.
Arya nodded. "It's only been six minutes. I'll live," she said understandingly.
Jon smiled at her.
"So you called this meeting," she said dryly.
"Aye, I wanted to ask about how the proceedings with the Greyjoys were going."
"Balon Greyjoy is refusing to open Pyke for our exports."
Jon's smile quickly disappeared. His face hardened at the news of the Iron tycoon's defiance.
"What reason did he give," asked Jon, grimly.
"He said that House Stark is weak and doesn't have anything to offer him. He's not interested in opening his gates and get nothing in return," Arya said angrily.
"That bloody pillaging son-of-a-bitc-"
Jon's office phone line began ringing cutting off his furious rant.
He hit the speaker button and put his hands on his chair, standing up.
"Jon, I have Robb Stark on the line for you. He says it's a matter of the utmost importance."
Arya's attention had now peaked. She wondered what was so important had happened to Robb where he hadn't contacted her about it first.
"Put him through, Ollie," Jon commanded. "Robb," he greeted her brother when the line connected.
"Jon, I've got urgent news from the Riverlands. My uncle Edmure tells me that the Lannisters have cornered Riverrun with their forces, and are trying to hold the castle under siege," said Robb breathlessly.
Arya jumped out of her chair. Jon's eyes had widened in shock and locked with her's.
"How long have the Lannisters been there for? What are their terms? What's Edmure's plan?" he asked, tightening his grip on the chair.
"Edmure said it started about an hour ago. Jaime Lannister arrived with about 10,000 men and started demanding that my uncle Bryden let down the bridge. He claimed that the castle belonged to Walder Frey's, and his for taking," spat Robb angrily.
Arya's blood boiled. How dare the Freys send the Lannisters to carry out their siege of Rivverrun. Riverrun was Uncle Brynden's and Uncle Edmure's. It had been the ancestral seat of House Tully for hundreds of years.
"Robb, I know what you're thinking, but you can't. You can't afford to send 10,000 northerners down to fight for the Tully's," Jon argued somberly.
"You would have me sit here and watch the Lannisters root my family out of their home? My mother's home?!" Robb shouted.
"Don't you see that this is exactly what Tywin Lannister wants? He means for you to leave Winterfell and use your absence to his advantage," argued Jon.
"I don't care. I'm not going to sit back and ignore my mother's house's words! Family comes first, before duty or honor," retorted Robb.
Jon sighed. "I'm not telling you to sit back," he reasoned. "I'll make the call and have Sam send 20,000 men down from Dragonstone to Riverrun. I'm not going to watch you lose the North to Tywin Lannister's manipulation."
Arya couldn't believe her ears. Jon had absolutely no obligation to send his men to Riverrun to House Tully, especially when the Tully's had always treated him so despicably. She couldn't believe that Jon was willing to do so much for Robb.
"I've got news from the Stormlands as well. Stannis Baratheon has left with his fleet and reports say that he's heading for Dragonstone," Robb said carefully.
Jon looked puzzled. "Do you know why Stannis would possibly want to meet with me?" he asked Robb.
"Look Jon, is Arya nearby? I would rather she not hear about this." Robb said warily.
"You're on speaker," Jon replied.
"Whatever you say to Jon, you can say to me. Especially if it concerns the Baratheons," Arya demanded. Jon looked confused at her pointed mention of the Baratheons.
Robb paused on the phone for a brief couple of seconds before he carefully said, "If my reports are correct, then Gendry Baratheon is accompanying Stannis to Dragonstone."
With just those words, Arya's heart jumped to her throat.
"I don't understand, Robb. Why does it matter if Stannis brings his nephew with him?" Jon's perplexity was unwavering.
"Because Arya hasn't seen Gendry Baratheon ever since he ended their engagement two years ago," Robb's reply came in.
Jon's facial expression changed from perplexity to rage. His knuckles were now white and clenching his chair.
"Robb, I'm going to have to call you back. I want to have a talk with Arya and why she was planning on marrying the son of the man, who murdered my father," he said definitely, reaching over and ending the call. The expression on Jon's face was murderous.
If looks could kill, Arya was now a dead woman.
new chapter, new chapter!
Some quick notes:
I started struggling with the geography of the great houses and how they would fit into the map. Since this is a modern au, I'm having the continent of Westeros be all of North America.
The Starks will rule the North (Alaska, Minnesota, and all of Canada). The Greyjoys will rule all of the New England states due to their maritime expertise. The Arryns will rule all of the Midwestern states. The Lannisters will rule all of the Western states (California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon). The Tullys will rule the Mid Atlantic states. The Baratheons will rule the Southern states. The Martells will rule (New Mexico, Arizona, and all of Mexico).The Targaryen(s) will rule Dragonstone (New York City), as their ancestral seat. King's Landing is currently in D.C. The Red Keep is the White House.
Politically, there is a monarchy, not a democracy, in the story. The Starks have broken the North away from the crown. Joffrey Baratheon is the current king.
If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask.
Thank you all for your lovely reviews in the last chapter!
Please comment/ review :)