A/N: This is my first Game of Thrones story, so here goes nothing! I hope that you enjoy it! And huge thanks to Maddie Rose for being an amazing beta!
A/N2: I don't own anything...
Chapter Six
Walking down the stone staircase, Daena had been careful to make sure none of the Starks followed her down to the crypts. It wouldn't have bothered her if Lord or Lady Stark had come looking for her, but she wanted to be alone for the time being. It was only two days ago that Lord Stark had followed her back down into the crypts. Darkness was not what she preferred, not in this way, not when it was met with those who were no longer around. Being shown what was hidden near his sister's statue, Lord Stark had placed a large dragon egg in her hands. It was not that heavy, but it was so big she had to hold it with both her hands to keep from dropping it.
"You took this the night my father fled with me?" Daena asked as she sat in the dirt of the crypt with the egg next to her as she ran her hand over it. "Or was it before everything that happened with the Mad King?"
"My sister, Lyanna," Lord Stark said looking at the statue that was made of her likeness. "She died in my arms. I know King Robert wished her to be buried in King's Landing where he could visit her more often, but I promised to bring her home."
"You fulfilled your promise to her." Daena stated, not being able to take her eyes off the egg in front of her.
"I wish that things had not come to what they did," he told her. "I believe neither did she."
"How old was she?"
"She was young. Too young to understand certain things," Lord Stark admitted. "You could call her a free spirit. Much like Arya and like you. You try not to show it, but I had years of watching my sister fight what was to be in her life."
"And what is it that I'm fighting Lord Stark?" Daena asked as she lifted her eyes from the egg to look at him.
"You fight your blood, but it will always be there. It is in your house words."
"Fire and Blood." Daena said softly. Looking towards the older man she asked what was on her mind. "How did the other Targaryen's get their dragons to hatch?"
"No one truly knows," Lord Stark admitted. "Many things were destroyed during King Robert's rebellion."
"Including your family?" Daena asked.
"My family?"
"Your wife," Daena said as she turned her eyes to look at her dragon egg. "She loves the children you have given her, but she detests Jon Snow. He might be a bastard, but that was no fault of his own. I suppose she believes having him here is a reminder of what you did during the rebellion."
"Everyone has a story," Lord Stark told her as he picked up the egg and placed it back to where he had been hiding it for years. "What we should ask is how the dangerous the journey may be."
"I'm not afraid," Daena said as she looked at him. "I have been sheltered my whole life. The time has come to spread my wings and fly."
"And what wings will those be? Raven wings or perhaps dragon wings?"
Daena gave Lord Stark a small smile. "I am a Targaryen."
"Only in blood."
The days came and went since Daena had been shown the dragon egg by Lord Stark and she felt as if she was no closer to figuring out how to hatch the dragon that slept inside. Arya seemed to check on her at least once a day, but Robb never said a word to her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that since she knew what she had done had not only saved his siblings lives, but her own as well. There would be no apology coming from her for her actions that day.
"Robb? Robb?" Jon Snow called to his half-brother. "Are you alright?"
Nodding his head, Robb looked away from where Arya was shooting arrows with Daena. Both wearing riding dresses as if they intended to take a ride or had already taken a ride. When Jon looked to where his brother's gaze was, he nodded with an understanding.
"Have you spoken to her?" Jon asked.
"To who?" Robb asked.
"To Daena," Jon said. "If I remember correctly the last thing you said to her was uncalled for. Arya's words, not mine. But she is right."
"She put herself in danger." Robb reminded him.
"To protect Arya and Rickon from the wildlings in the forest. One of us should have gone with them, but it is in the past now."
"I should have been there and protected them," Robb said as he shook his head before looking back to where the girls were practicing. "That was why I was there."
"And what of Bran and myself?" Jon asked. "Do you blame us?"
"Bran is just a boy. He listened to what he was told."
"And me?"
Sighing, Robb turned and looked at his brother. "You were at my side as you usually are. Fighting with me when I need help."
"We were outnumbered," Jon reminded him. "Do not place the blame on Daena because she protected our family at the cost of her own life. She is still here and you have a chance to tell her."
Robb snapped his neck as he looked at Jon in confusion. "A chance to tell her what?"
"You, my brother like Daena."
"Of course I like her," Robb with a half hearted laugh. "I do like you at times too."
"Not what I meant and you know it," Jon said throwing his brother an unamused glance before looking as Arya hit the target dead center before dropping the bow and jumping into Daena's arms. They were too far away to hear what words were being exchanged, but Arya laughed and got ready to fire another arrow. "I can see why you would like her. She's very special."
"What would you know of anything special, Snow?"
Rolling his eyes, Jon didn't say anything as Theon joined them as they continuted to watch the archery range. "Looks like your sister has improved."
"She has." Robb said before turning and leaving his brother and his friend in his wake, but before Robb could get too far he heard Jon speak up.
"She won't be in Winterfell forever," he called to Robb. "Forgive her and forgive yourself so that you may move forward."
"Tomorrow," Robb called back. "On my honor, I will seek her out tomorrow and speak to her."
And with that said, Robb headed towards where he believed Bran and Rickon were having their lessons with Maester Luwin. He wished to speak to the Maester privately about Daena's injuries before speaking to her. He just hoped that she would not be too busy for him, after all it had been awhile since he had spoken to her and he was the only one to blame for that because Daena had tried to speak with him on more than one occasion.
Waking up that night Daena took a few deep breaths to calm herself. It was a dream and she was still safe inside Winterfell. Her dream had felt so real as if it were telling her something. The only thing she could remember was the blood and the fire. Fire and Blood. Those were her house words, but something was telling her that they were more than just words. Fire and Blood. Running her hands through her hair, Daena tossed the furs off her bed. The candles in her room were dim at best now. It had to be in the middle of the night, but it had just occurred to her that she had the answer for the mystery of her dragon egg. Dressing warmly, Daena made sure she had her daggers hidden on her before grabbing her cloak and leaving her chambers.
Her first stop was down to the crypts. The crypts seemed a bit scarier then they had been when she and Lord Stark had been here. It didn't help that she was alone and it was in the dead of the night. Taking a calming breath, she slowly made her way towards where the egg was hidden by Lyanna Stark. Picking up the egg, she held it close to her as she looked upon that stone statue of Lord Stark's sister. When Lord Stark had spoken of his sister, Daena could tell that he loved his sister and not even death could take that love away. Thinking about that made her wonder if anyone would love her the way Lord Stark loved his sister and his wife. With a sigh, she turned and headed out of the crypts with the egg secure in her arms.
As she was heading towards the stables, Daena heard someone walking behind her. Without making it too obvious, she hurried her steps so that she could leave and attempt to get the egg hatched.
"Daena."
Closing her eyes for a second, before turning and looking into the eyes of Lord Stark.
"I didn't think anyone was up, Lord Stark," Daena said as she relaxed when she saw that he was indeed alone. "I was trying to be as quiet as possible."
"One of the guards came to me when you left your chambers in what seemed like a hurry," Lord Stark said. "You went to the crypts first?"
"I did," Daena said. "I believe that I know how to do it now."
"And how is that?" he asked.
"The house words," Daena said picking her words carefully, unsure who could be listening to their late night conversation. "It was in the house words and I was thinking of it before I went to sleep and I dreamt of it. I am sure that this will work. I believe it will take time, but it shall work."
"Where do you plan to do this?" Lord Stark asked.
"I was going to take a horse into the forest and stay there until it worked," Daena said. "I do not know how long it will take."
"I shall go with you," Lord Stark stated before they both started walking towards the stables. "I will not allow anything to happen to you while we wait."
"Lord Stark," Daena said as she stopped walking for a moment. "You do not have to protect me. If you wish to go back to bed, I would understand."
"No Daena," Lord Stark told her. "I wish to do this."
Nodding her head in understanding, Daena with the company of Lord Stark headed for the stables where they would saddle a pair of horses so that they could leave Winterfell with the egg in hopes that the dragon would hatch that night.
Lord Stark saddled both horses; hers was a grey horse that was fast and a gift from Lord and Lady Stark after her own horse had fallen after encountering the wildlings. Securing her bow and arrows under the blanket, Daena carefully got onto the horse and waited for Lord Stark to mount his brown horse. For the first time that night, she noticed the sword at his side.
"Do you believe we shall find trouble?" Daena asked, her eyes still on his sword.
"It will not hurt us to be prepared," Lord Stark stated. "Are you ready?"
"I'll follow you." Daena said softly.
Nodding his head, Lord Stark steered his horse out of the stables and into the forest with Daena following close behind him. It was cold out in the night, so Daena was thankful that she had dressed appropriately. She did not want to hatch a dragon only to freeze to death soon after. They rode away from Winterfell and she didn't know exactly where Lord Stark wanted to go, but she figured he wanted to be far enough from his home that no one would just stumble upon them and what they were doing. After he was sure this is where he wanted to stop, Lord Stark slowed his horse down before stopping him completely and Daena followed his example.
After getting off his horse, Lord Stark walked over to Daena to help her as well, but instead she handed him the egg while she slipped down from the saddle.
"Where do we go from here?" Daena asked as she led her horse in the same direction as Lord Stark.
"This is far enough from Winterfell that no one will find us here," he told her as he faced her. "What needs to be done?"
"Will someone come looking for us?"
"If they do," Lord Stark said as he handed her the egg back. "They will not find us for awhile."
Feeling calmer and a little glad that she wasn't about to be left alone to do this, Daena nodded her head. "We need to start a fire. The egg will have to be placed inside it the fire once it is hot enough. But the fire must be large enough to swallow the egg."
Lord Stark understood and went about to create the fire and Daena sat down with the egg and took out one of her daggers.
Fire and Blood.
Fire and Blood.
Fire and Blood.
Chanting the Targaryen house words, her house words, it was becoming clearer and clearer what she had to do. It was her blood that would awake the dragon. Her dragon.
It didn't take Lord Stark very long to get the fire going. Rising to her feet, she made her way over to where he stood by the fire. "This should be big enough."
"It is," Daena agreed nodding her head in agreement even though Lord was staring into the blaze. Turning and looking at him, she gave him a small smile. "Hold this please."
Handing him the egg once again, she crouched down and took the dagger from her boot. She knew Lord Stark was now watching her every movement. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but he was merely curious as to what would happen.
"Fire and Blood."
Closing her hand over the blade, she swiped the blade down her hand and towards her wrist. Holding back the hiss of pain, Daena released her grip on the blade before dropping the dagger to the ground as she took the egg from Lord Stark. Cradling the egg between her arm and body, she placed her hand that was bleeding on the egg. Withdrawing her hand, she squeezed it allowing for more blood to flow out of her hand. Placing her bleeding hand back onto the egg, she walked over to the fire. Kneeling next to the blaze, she took a deep breath before carefully placing the egg into the fire.
Stepping away, she turned and looked at Lord Stark as he took her cut hand into his own and wrapped it in a cloth to stop the bleeding.
"The blood of a Targaryen and fire."
"I believe that is how it is to be done."
"And now we wait," Lord Stark said. "For however long it shall take."
For the first few hours Daena watched the fire, never looking away. She didn't wish to miss it if her dragon or rather when. The hours seemed to go on and on before they heard anything, but when she heard the sounds, Daena knew it had worked. Leaping to her feet, she made her way to where the fire was still going. Then she heard it again, her dragon.
Just as she was about to put her hand forth, Daena felt Lord Stark grab her hand stopping her. Looking up at him in confusion he just looked at her and then the fire. "Trust me."
Nodding his head, he released her arm. Pulling her sleeve up so it wouldn't catch fire, she placed her hand into the flame. Leaving it in there for a few moments, then she smiled and brought it out of the fire.
Lord Eddard Stark was in complete awe.
When he found that dragon egg with his sister's body, never did he think he would see it hatch. Looking at the creature in the hand of Daena, he understood why he and Ser Ian Thorne had spared this child's life. It wasn't just because she was a babe, it was because she was meant to be saved. Daena of House Targaryen, daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. In his heart, he knew that she would do good and it was why she was spared a death like her family.
"He will be a large one," Daena said, her eyes dancing with delight as she watched the dragon walk up her arm to rest upon her shoulder. "I can tell."
"Have you thought of a name?"
Looking into the eyes of Lord Stark she smiled and nodded her head. "North. For he was born in the North."
"You honor us," Lord Stark told her. "I hope that this will not be the end of our friendship."
"Winterfell was cold when I arrived," Daena told him. "I was scared, but now I think I shall miss it greatly. Along with the people inside."
"You understand why we must part ways here," Lord Stark said. "I wish it could be another way."
"It would be hard to hide a baby dragon inside Winterfell. No one must know about it. Tell your family that I wish them well."
"And we wish it for you as well," Lord Stark told her. "Lady Daena Targaryen."
A/N: So there is chapter six! Let me know what you think! I will do my best to get some extra writing in before I leave on my five month trip.