Davos
Davos was awoken by a sharp wrapping on the door. He groaned and pulled himself out of the furs and onto the icy stone floor. Wrenching the wooden door open he was faced with an exhausted looking Jon in nothing but breeches and a fur cloak. Subconsciously Davos noticed faint love bites on his shoulder and neck, he wondered whether he had visited Daenarys. He had. There was no other way he would receive such marks.
"Morning" Jon grumbled "Can you gather the lords and ladies in the great hall, I have an announcement."
Davos stomach clenched, he hoped that this decision would not destroy everything they had been trying to build over the past few months. He did feel for the boy though, to have every ideal that he had held dear to just be ripped out from under him, it must have broken something in the young wolf. Looking upon his pale drawn face Davos knew that the revelation hadn't just broken him, it had crushed him. "You have reached a decision about what you're going to do".
Jon nodded stiffly, his dark eyes growing darker, determination shining through the fear and horror which was so evident upon his battle- scarred face.
"And Daenarys does she know?"
Jon nodded again, the corners of his mouth turning up at the sound of her name. "I've told her"
"And?" Davos asked impatiently, he had no time for cryptic words but he knew Jon would not tell him now for fear of being overheard.
"She agrees it is the best way forward"
Davos nodded relief flooding through him, if the Queen had agreed then the result of this scandal couldn't be as catastrophic as he and Tyrion had predicted. "Very well then I shall gather the lords and ladies."
Jon smiled "Thankyou" He turned away.
"Jon" He called. He wanted to assure the boy, he wanted him to know he was not alone. "No matter your decision I will stand by it."
Jon turned and grinned "I know, you're one of the few people I trust"
Davos laughed, he was once again a man close to a ruler, it was a dangerous and powerful position. "Then, as someone you can trust, I suggest you put some more clothes on"
He heard a ghost of a chuckle as the young man strode back down the hallway.
Davos stood to the right of the empty seat at the high table. The Hall was packed with grumbling men and women. He noticed Lyanna Mormont sat between Alys Carstark and Ned Umber all of them looking tired but excited. Despite their youth they were the three most loyal supporters of their King, would they still follow him when he told him that he wasn't fully northern? The doors opened and silence fell but it was not Jon, it was Daenarys followed by Tyrion and Missandei. Some Lords scowled at her, some bobbed their head respectively. She did not join Davos, Sansa, Arya and Bran at the head table she stood below the Deus to the side. That was the first sign. She must be relinquishing her title Davos thought, she would give up everything for a man, it was a heroic act, she would play the martyr in this. Was she doing it for love? Or duty? Both, definitely both, given the grave look on Tyrion's face. The silence reinstated as Jon strode down the hall, his fists clenched, his face set, longclaw at his side, the hulking firs making his seem larger and taller. IN that moment Davos thought he did not look like the broken boy who had everything taken from him in a second. He looked like a hardened man, he looked like a king.
He noticed the small glance between Daenarys and Jon as he passed and took his place between Davos and Sansa.
"Sit please" He commanded and everyone but him sat. Davos saw Jon look at every face in the hall. He was deciding how to start.
"Thank you for coming "He began. "Three days ago, I was given some very important information from my brother Brandon and my closest friend Samwell Tarley"
He gestured to both men, Bran at his side, as serene as ever Samwell next to Tormund in the back of the hall his face sweaty with nerves.
"It concerned my parentage" He said and mutters erupted around the hall. Davos saw Lord Glover sit up straight his eyes suddenly focused. This was a secret that every north man wanted to know, they all wanted to know to whom Eddard Stark had put aside his loyalty and duty.
"For I am not, despite everyone's including my own belief, the son of Eddard Stark."
The mutters did not return, only silence and shock, many raised eyebrows in disbelief, but no one spoke.
Jon took in a shaky breath and Davos noticed despite his hands being clenched into fists, they still shook."I am the son of Lyanna Stark. I was born in Dorne, just as Robert's rebellion came to an end. She gave me to Eddard Stark at the tower of joy and made him promise to protect me, to never reveal my true identity to anyone. My father- I mean Lord Eddard Stark to this secret to the grave."
Many faces looked confused. Lord Manderley stood. "Forgive me your grace but if your mother was Lyanna Stark, who was your father. Was it Robert?"
A ghost of a smirk flashed across the boy's face as he looked up. "Wouldn't that make everything simpler" Jon said. "No, my father was not Robert Baratheon." He took a big shaky breath and Davos braced himself once again. "My father was Rhaegar Targaryen, crowned prince of the seven kingdoms"
The eruption of noise of protests were loud and rowdy. Horror struck many faces, for they had been told the lie again and again, Rhaegar's unspeakable acts of rape towards the northern Lady, it was something that the north remembered, it was something that the north would never forgive.
Lord Glover stood, walking to the centre of the hall "Your grace" He shouted a grave look upon his face, "House glover pass their apologies that you were conceived under such horrifying circumstances, the north will never forget the treachery of House Targaryen, we respected your mother, she was a true northern wolf"
Davos noticed out of the corner of his eye Daenarys. Her eyes were filled with tears, they were slandering her own brother after all. They were slandering him for crimes he never committed.
"Thankyou" Jon shouted above the noise and the hall hushed "For your concern Lord Glover, but they are not necessary, because everything the North has been told has been a lie. Everything I have been told as a boy have been lies. For Lyanna Stark was not kidnapped, nor was she raped. Brandon informs me that he has seen it. Lyanna loved Rhaegar well before the rebellion, his public declaration for her at Harrenhal was meant to be a sign to a close number of Lords that he had annulled his marriage to Elia Martell and planned to overthrow the mad king, and have my mother beside him as queen."
The lords looked appalled "But how can this be?" Lord Manderley said.
Samwell Tarley stepped forward holding a scroll which he passed to Glover. He seized it and unfurled it.
"This is a copy from High Septon's personal diary he recorded everything in this diary, from the amount of shits he took to how many steps there were at the citadel. In this is proof of the annulment of marriage to Elia Martell and also the Marriage between Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark which took place in Dorne."
He looked up at Jon and Davos knew Jon was letting the Lords reach the same conclusion, he would not press it on them.
"What the King says is true" Lord Glover said handing the scroll back. "We all know what this means, Robert's rebellion was a lie, we fought for a liar, we turned against House Targaryen for lies. Eddard Stark took this secret to the grave, for as we all knew when we heard of the bastard of Winterfell nothing quite made sense, Ned Stark was too much of honourable man it was only fitting that he would raise his sister's son as his own. Lord Eddard Stark protected the identity of his nephew for safety, after the horror that was set upon the other Targaryen children, I can understand that he would not want any harm done to that of his own blood" He drew his sword and pointed it at Jon. "Our King of the north is the rightful King of the Seven Kingdom and House Glover will once again bow to the Dragon." He dropped to his knees along with the glover contingency.
"But that leaves a problem Lord Glover" Lord Manderley shouted rising from a bench at the back of the hall. "For our king has kneeled before Daenarys Targaryen." The man turned to Daenarys his cocked to one side "What is your place in all of this. For the north does not want to shed blood but if you were to get in the way of the rightful King." He smiled and drew a dagger "Yours would be the first to spatter across the snow"
"Lord Manderley" Jon barked "Put the dagger away, no blood shall be shed. I cannot ignore the fact that Daenarys has been preparing her whole life to be Queen, she has eloquent diplomacy skills and a vast knowledge of the world, I value her opinion and experience greatly and as we all know the strongest alliances are forged with marriage. I promised to fight these wars with Daenarys, that we would do it together, I intend to rule together." He gave the silver woman a small smile and she stepped forwards. Jon rounded the table and watched her as she sunk to both knees. She lifted her head to look into the eyes of her betrothes, the eyes of her king.
"I Daenarys Stormborne of House Targaryen, Queen of Mereen, Khaleesi of the great grass sea, breaker of chains, the unburnt, mother of dragons do hereby relinquish my claim upon the iron throne, upon the seven kingdoms and Westeros. I accept your offer of marriage. I pledge my swords, my spears, my armies and my dragons upon you your grace." She reached for his hand and kissed it gently. Jon pulled her to her feet.
"Thankyou" He whispered and she stepped aside. Lord Manderley smiled at Daenarys and sheathed his dagger, this declaration had settled many of the lords whom banged their fists on the table for approval.
"What is your name then" Lady Alys Carstark asked "All Targaryen's have Valyrian names, what is yours?"
Jon looked to the young girl. "My name is Aegon" He said and Davos could tell it was something foreign on his tongue, he did not like the name.
She gave a sharp nod and then looked to Lyanna Mormont and Ned Umber. They rose as three and approached the King. The smallest among the mighty lords and ladies, but some of the fiercest.
"We chose you as King in the North because you have Stark blood in you" Lyanna Mormont said her voice ringing through the room "And I am glad, your grace, that you still do, you are the man we chose to lead us, you are the man I choose to sit atop the iron throne and rule these kingdoms." She knelt "Bear Island stands by King Aegon of House Targaryen and House Stark, sixth of his name, our weapons are yours to command, our people are yours to command, I vow this now and always." She looked up at Jon and grinned "Let's hope that when we are done with the dead that Bear Island can show that brother fucking woman upon the throne a good fight. I shall serve you until the end of my days."
Davos like many men looked taken aback by such profound language from the small girl, but it was war, Davos remembered and there was no time for manners.
"I look forward to our strong alliance Lady Mormont." Jon said and she rose.
Alys and Ned came forward like they had when they had been pardoned, heads held high. "You gave our house a second chance, you told us that you would not punish a son for his father's crimes" Ned Umber said, the small boy looking determined. "House Umber and house Carstark will not do the same to House Targaryen, we believe that you and the Queen will rebuild the great dynasty that was house Targaryen and we hope to be beside you when you do."
They knelt "We pledge our house and our lives to King Aegon of houses Targaryen and Stark, sixth of his name. Now and Always" They said in unison.
The look on Jon's face was that of relief and Davos felt for him, he was proud of the young man. No matter who had sired him, Eddard Stark shone through Jon the most. He valued loyalty and duty and nobility. He would make a good king, despite his reluctance for the role. Davos could see also the burden upon his shoulders, it weighed him down, it would be long road ahead.
Every lord stepped forward and pledged themselves, once they were done they gave a resounding "Long Live the King" And then to Davos' surprise, and to Tyrion's it seemed they turned to Daenarys. "Long live the Queen".
Davos sat and watched as the lords filed out preparing for training that morning and battle plans.
Just as the last lord left Tormund Giantsbane stepped forward.
He knelt on the floor before Jon and Jon gaped motioning forward to help the wildling up. "Tormund what the fuck are you doing." He barked.
"I wasn't going to kneel in front of those fuckers but I'll kneel before you now you tiny peckered god. Manse Rayder was too proud and thousands of free folks died, but you are not proud you are honest and I Tormund Giantsbane do pledge the free folk to you, once this shit is over we hope that we can claim some lands and live peacefully beside the southerners."
"Of course Tormund you have word" Jon muttered. "The free folk will always be welcomed in the south."
He nodded and got to his feet "Good." He looked to Daenarys mischief glinting in his eyes. "If his pecker does not satisfy you let me know I can find you a real man in my tribe "He winked and guffawed.
Daenarys raised an eyebrow but said nothing, Davos knew she was amused.
"Well" Tyrion said "That could have gone a lot worse, might I suggest that you have your wedding sooner rather than later? You have no septons here but we can do it before the old gods and when you two take King's landing then we can have a proper royal wedding."
Davos shut his eyes momentarily, he had never chosen the role of hand of the King but he knew unofficially that he was one. Maybe one day when this was all over he would return home to his wife.