Fianna
"I THOUGHT BRAN WAS DEAD," Jon muttered, seemingly to himself, as he stared at the ground in absolute shock. Robb had ripped the scroll from his hands moments before, and was now reading its contents with furrowed brows.
He angled it toward Fianna, who read alongside him, appearing equally as concerned. What a strange reality they lived in now - where once she was convinced all of the Stark children were dead, and now none were.
"I'm happy for you both," Daenerys interjected, sounding anything but. Fianna sensed that the Queen held no attachment to the Starks she had never met, and saw this revelation as a crutch that Jon could use to leave her.
Their party was silent after that, taking in the news with a heavy heart. They had been at Dragonstone mere days, and even still it felt too long to be away from their home. Especially when home needed them the most.
"I'm sure you are," Robb muttered under his breath, handing the letter back to Jon to run his hand over his face in distress.
"None of you look happy," she remarked, prompting Fianna to throw her a cautious glare.
"Bran saw the Night King marching with his army towards Eastwatch," Jon spoke up, finding his voice. "If they break through the wall-"
"The wall has kept them out for thousands of years, presumedly," Varys cut him off, a rather eerie man - there was something about him that never settled quite right within Fianna.
"And what?" She replied. "If Wildings can make it over, who's to say a horde of supernatural creatures immune to the cold won't?"
"Jon, Fianna and I are going home, we're going to defend our families and our Kingdom," Robb added, his tone firm and leaving no room for debate. Daenerys visibly tensed, not looking excited for that prospect.
"But, you said you don't have the men," she tried to reason.
"Then we'll fight with the men we have," Jon shrugged, "unless you'll join us?"
Fianna met her eye, silently pleading with her, knowing the Queen's fondness for her. But it was futile, as she merely turned her eyes away and shook her head slightly.
"And give the country to Cersei?" She asked incredulously. "As soon as I march away, she marches in."
"Neither of you will have land to fight over if we don't stop them, you do realise that?" Fianna raised an eyebrow.
"Perhaps not," Tyrion began after a moments hesitation, "Cersei thinks the army of the dead is nothing but a story. What if we prove her wrong?"
"If you're suggesting we give her to the Night King," Robb spoke in a serious tone, "I'd happily escort her."
"Cersei won't come see the dead at my invitation," Jon scoffed.
"So we bring the dead to her," he emphasised, confusing the entirety of the room.
"I thought that's what we were trying to avoid?" Daenerys enquired.
"You don't have to bring the whole army," he continued, eyes wide as he spurned his idea. "Only one soldier."
"I maintain that it would be a lot easier to just kill her," Fianna smirked sarcastically, receiving a nod of agreement from Robb. However their peers did not share their trepidations, and upon a quick glance around the room, they appeared to be even considering it.
"The first White I ever saw was brought to Castle Black from beyond the wall," Jon began, reminiscing as his fingers stroked over the wooden, mapped table.
"Bring one to King's Landing and prove it to Cersei," Tyrion suggested.
"Have you all gone completely mental?" Robb scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. "You expect to make Cersei Lannister an ally, the woman who was singlehandedly responsible for thousands of death over the years?"
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Jon explained, receiving an eye roll from Fianna.
"Then you need better friends," she commented, sitting down at the table in the chair beside her.
"This will all be pointless unless Cersei grants us a meeting and doesn't kill us all the second we step foot into the capital," Varys sounded, agreeing with the former King and Queen.
"Count us out," Robb responded after a brief glance with Fianna. "The only way we will march into Kings Landing is if it's to watch her execution."
"She'll listen to Jaime," Tyrion murmured, his eyes cast off in the distance. "And he might listen to me."
Daenerys sighed when he turned his head to look at her, leaving the decision up to the Queen in charge. Briefly, she met Fianna's eyes, and didn't fail to notice the small shake of her head.
The Targaryen was at a crossroads - she could listen to her niece and find another way of stopping this supposed army, or she could listen to Jon and her Hand. Perhaps the majority vote was a better one.
"How would you get into King's Landing?" She asked after a pause, avoiding Fianna's gaze as she knew she would meet a look of disapproval. On cue, Jon and Tyrion looked at Ser Davos.
"I can smuggle you in," he admitted. "But if the Gold Cloaks were to recognise you, I'm warning you - I'm not a fighter."
"But it'll all be for nothing if we don't have one of these dead men."
"With the Queen's permission, I'll go North and take one," Jorah announced, rather bravely. Fianna had only ever heard the man's name spoken, and never were the words kind. But whatever he did in his past, it was clear his loyalty to the North was a flicker in comparison to his fealty to Daenerys.
"The Free Folk will help us," Jon added. "They know the real North better than anyone."
"'Us'?" Fianna repeated.
"You're not leading a raid beyond the wall, Jon," Robb turned, his voice dropping with the anger building inside of him. "You're King in the North, not a member of the Night's Watch. Don't piss it all away over a foolish whim."
"I'm the only one here that's fought them," he disputed his brother. "The only one here who knows them."
"Fine then," Robb nodded, his jaw clenched and nostrils flared. "If you're going, then I am too."
"You most certainly are fucking not," Fianna's voice rose, almost in a shout. Robb turned to his wife, expression softening as he looked upon her.
"I don't have a choice, I can't let my brother die."
"And we can't lose you again," she yelled, uncaring for the several pairs of eyes fixed on them. "I can't lose you again. You know this idea is stupid, you are all wasting time trying to win Cersei's alliance as if that matters. I can guarantee the second those bastards descend the wall, loyalty and fealty won't matter to any man the only thing that will matter is staying alive."
"I have to do this," he whispered, only to her, reaching out and gripping for her hands only to be immediately shoved off.
"If he dies," she backed away, talking to Jon but pointing at Robb as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I will kill every single one of you, and I don't need to be a Queen with an army to do it."
With those words, leaving a heavy tension in the room as thick as a blanket, she turned and left, tears flooding her cheeks the second she shut the door.
The sobs had quietened some time ago, the tears drying on her cheeks to leave reddened skin in their wake.
Fianna Stark was sitting on the same rock she had sat on with Robb earlier that day, gazing off into the distance. Nobody had approached her yet, something she was thankful for. The anger that blazed inside her was something she hadn't felt in quite a while, and any words shared now would be surely hateful.
Fianna had spent years without the man she loved, and now that she had finally gotten him back, he was preparing to go on, what she deemed, a suicide mission. She could probably have guessed why Robb wanted to go, out of fierce protectiveness of his brother and to gain the glory of being active again after spending so long away.
But the rest of the men going weren't Robb, they didn't have children waiting for them back at home, nor did they have a wife to come back to. Their deaths would have a minuscule impact in comparison to Robb's.
It was times like this she wished she had never abdicated. Such a decision would never be allowed under her rule, and she cursed her good-brother and her aunt for allowing such a course to take action.
"We're leaving in a few hours," a voice called behind her, immediately recognisable.
"Fianna," Robb grumbled when she didn't respond, rounding the rock to stand in front of her. "You're acting like a child."
"And you're acting like a fool, so I guess we're rather even."
"Nothing's going to happen to me," he dropped to his knees in front of her, pleading for her to look him in the eye.
"No it won't," she vowed, "because I'm going too."
"No, you're not," he spoke firmly, leaving almost no room for argument.
"So it's alright for you to die, but not for me to join you?"
"I'm not going to die," he repeated, "but if something should happen, the twins need at least one parent. Your mother died in childbirth, imagine how it would have felt to grow up not having had your father there too."
"And you lost your father," she argued, "would you put that pain on two three year olds?"
He didn't respond immediately, instead choosing to cup one cheek with his palm and rub at the skin covering her cheekbone with his thumb.
"Stubborn as always," he chuckled, shuffling to move and sit next to her on the rock.
"You know it's a bad idea," her voice broke, threatening an incoming wave of tears again.
"I know."
"So why go?"
"Because they're helpless," Robb chuckled jokingly. "They're idiotic enough to make such a plan, imagine if they were sent North of the wall. They'd be like headless chickens in an hour. Jon is my brother, and my King. I can't let anything happen to him."
Giving into the feeling of his body next to hers, she leaned into his side, immediately feeling his arm wind around her.
"But I just got you back..."
"It will take a week to travel by boat, you could see me within a month, my love."
"A month without you?" She sniffed back tears, feeling as helpless and as clingy as a child. "That's another month we're away from the children, Robb."
"I know," he sighed sadly, resting his chin on the top of her head. "What's more, Jon wants you to stay here and keep an eye on Daenerys."
"Why?"
"The King in the North leaving the North while a dragon-riding Targaryen sits in the country? He's not the tallest of fools."
Fianna didn't respond, only clutching him tighter. He took her silence as a form of acceptance, and slowly let go of her to stand up, gesturing for her to follow.
"Come on," he murmured, taking her hands and starting to tug her gently back towards the castle. "I've got two days left, let me love my wife as a husband should."
Robb
Fianna and Robb walked hand in hand down the winding staircase of Dragonstone, slowly, for they knew what their end destination would be.
It was time for him to depart the island and travel North, and no matter how much she pleaded or begged, the stubborn Northerner wouldn't give in. Fighting him was useless, so the woman settled for cherishing their last few hours together.
"Robb?" A tentative voice called out from the open doorway, which he recognised as the throne room where they had first met Daenerys.
Theon Greyjoy stood a few feet away, eyes flickering around as he was too nervous to meet Robb's gaze for too long. The former King hesitated, before giving his wife a reassuring squeeze on her hand and walking inside.
Fianna crossed her arms worriedly, eyeing the Greyjoy boy carefully. She was ready to go inside and give him a peace of her mind, for abandoning them, for allowing his sister to raid her home - but she decided to let Robb handle it. He was originally loyal to Robb, after all, not her.
"I heard you're going North of the Wall," Theon continued when Robb didn't speak, awkwardly curling his hands in. It still shook Robb to his core to see the difference in the boy he knew and the man before him now, and as much as he tried, he couldn't muster up the same anger for him that he used to have. "You're risking everything for Jon."
"I gave him the throne for a reason, I have to trust his judgement even if I disagree with it," Robb admitted, speaking through gritted teeth. His entire body was tense as he faced down his former best friend.
"You've always known what was right. Even when we were all young and stupid, you were the bravest of us all."
"I was too stubborn to listen to others judgements. Perhaps if I had, I would never have let you go back to the Iron Islands. Or never have gone to that wedding." Theon appeared surprised at his admission, expecting Robb to ignore his compliment or simply explode in a fit of anger at him. "I've done plenty of things I regret-"
"Not compared to me, you haven't," Theon cut him off, his expression twisting with guilt.
"No," Robb's voice hardened. "Not compared to you."
Theon dared to take a step closer, his shoulders heavy with the burdens he carried as he dared to finally lift his gaze and meet Robb's eyes.
"I always wanted to do the right thing. Be the right kind of person. It always seems like there was an impossible choice I had to make... Stark or Greyjoy."
His words stirred a reaction in Robb, who stepped closer to him quickly with his upper lip curled in anger.
"My father was more of a father to you than yours ever was. And you betrayed him. We had known each other since we were boys, Theon. And you betrayed me!" His voice carried off into a shout.
"I did," he whispered.
"You were a brother to me. I trusted you, even though I knew you were a fool. You swore fealty to me that night at Riverrun, and you pissed it away the first chance you got."
"I know..."
Robb hesitated before continuing, his anger dissipating the longer he looked at the broken man in front of him, who looked as if he would never recover from his trauma.
"But you were still my brother."
Theon inhaled sharply, eyes widened in surprise at the man's words.
"But... the things I've done-"
"The things that I forgive you for." The words broke something within the Greyjoy boy, and it wasn't long before tears began to build in his eyes. Automatically, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Robb in a tight hug.
It took him a second to respond, but when he did, he wrapped his arms around him in return, accepting it.
"You never had to choose," Robb pointed out. "You were born a Greyjoy, but you were raised a Stark. You're both."
When Theon finally pulled away, he looked visibly less tense than previously, his cheeks reddened with unshed tears. His eyes were fixed on the Stark heir as he turned and left the hall, preparing to leave for the Wall.
It was at that moment that Theon found himself praying, for the first time in a long time, that Robb would make it home.
Fianna
The Northern girl kissed his lips over and over, holding the back of his head so tight he was unable to escape from her grasp. The scene had elicited laughter from the group waiting in the boat, but a swift glare from The Young Wolf stopped them in their tracks.
"Fianna," he chuckled breathlessly, "I have to go."
"Please," she begged silently, pressing her forehead against his and closing her eyes, revelling in their last few moments. "Come back to me, please."
"I will," he promised, pressing one final kiss to her forehead before backing away and climbing inside of the small boat that would take them to a much bigger one offshore. There, they could travel to Eastwatch.
"Fianna," Jon nodded his head toward her as he walked past, but that wasn't enough for her - as she gripped his arm and hauled him into a hug as well, which he awkwardly accepted.
"You know," a deep voice sounded behind her as she let go of Jon, "I'm leaving too."
"Gendry?" She whispered in shock, taking in the boy's cropped hair. He had certainly matured in the years since they last saw each other, more of a man now than a boy. But there was no denying it was him.
"Alright, my lady?" He greeted, eagerly accepting the embrace she offered to him as well.
"My god, it's been so long. I can't wait to tell Arya about this," she gushed, smacking her hands playfully against the sides of his head.
"Arry?" He tilted his head, eyes widened in surprise. "She's still alive?"
"Did you really think Arya Stark wouldn't still be alive?" Fianna raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I swear, she has the strength of a middle-aged knight rolled into the body of a girl."
"Is she here?" He looked around excitedly, the light in his eyes something she didn't fail to pick up on.
"No," Fianna told him sadly, "but she is in Winterfell. If you wanted to.. you know, drop by."
It felt like time was moving too fast until the boat was ready to depart, and every second Robb spent inside of it her resolve weakened. She could pray every waking minute of the day for his safe return, but the only one in charge of his fate - was Robb himself.
"He'll be fine, Fianna," Jon reassured in a shout as the boat began to drift off.
Even after everyone else had left, she still stood at the beach, staring off and trying to focus her vision to make out the boat in the distance.
"I can't imagine how difficult it must get for you, to send a lover away," Tyrion voiced beside her. She hadn't even been aware he was still there.
"Coming from the man who sent him away in the first place," she bit back.
Tyrion hummed, a small smirk on his lips. Fianna refused to look at him, her arms stubbornly crossed over her chest.
"You don't like me very much, do you?"
"Nothing personal, it's a Lannister thing," she shrugged, a smile of her own forming.
"Always is," he chuckled. "I have it on good authority that you're part Targaryen yourself, a rather scandalous family as well if I do say so myself."
"And you and Daenerys are keen on not letting me forget it," her lips lifted into a genuine smile, finally casting a glance down to the dwarf. "I met your father."
"I know. Couldn't have been pleasant, I imagine. If it's any consolation, his rant about you and your grand escape was almost an hour long, his longest in quite some time."
"Good," she laughed bitterly. "Heard you were the one who killed him."
"Would you hate me a little less if I said yes?"
"Yes."
"Then yes I did, whilst taking a shit, no less."
"Perfect," she beamed brightly, not at all affected by the details of his death. Because of him, she had lost over half of her men, and nearly her own life. "Tell me, is the Mountain still alive?"
"Oh yes, he's rather hard to kill, I've heard," Tyrion revealed.
"I'll have to see that firsthand," she raised an eyebrow, already imagining their next encounter, whenever that would be. Gregor Clegane had tackled her when she was a child, forced her to watch as her bannermen died for her, brutally. She had not forgotten, nor would she ever.
"Daenerys was rather excited about meeting you, especially when she heard you were Queen for a while, even after your husband supposedly died."
"Why?" Fianna pushed, she would never understand Daenerys' fascination with her, especially giving her prickly nature towards her aunt.
"She's rather distrustful, our Dragon Queen," he went on to explain. "Past experiences and that. But the one thing she never truly had was a family. When she heard that you were still alive, and somehow came to the conclusion you may be related, she rushed me to send a raven."
Fianna accepted his words silently, nodding her head and lowering her gaze to the ground. Perhaps it was time to change her resolve, and the Gods seemed to coincide with that as the next thing that caught her eye was a flap of vast wings resting on the cliff above.
Daenerys didn't speak when she saw Fianna in the distance, walking towards her. She assumed that the woman was coming to argue with her, if her attitude in the counsel room was anything to go by.
She ignored her presence entirely, stroking her hand against Drogon's face gently. The dragon was truly like a pet to her, just like ChroĆ had to been to her, or Grey Wind is to Robb.
"Does it sleep at the bottom of your bed as well?" She joked, trying to break the tension.
"Funny," Daenerys responded drily. Fianna dared to get closer, hoping Drogon wouldn't set her alight because of it. She immediately stopped in her tracks when the winged beast turned and began to growl.
"Did you mean what you said?" The queen asked, ignoring the obvious stand off between her niece and her dragon.
"What did I say?" She questioned, staring in fear at the large teeth that were currently being bared at her.
"How you would kill us all if something happened to Robb?"
"Seven Hells, Daenerys can you call that dragon off, please?" She called out as Drogon inched closer to her.
With a sigh she waved her hand, prompting the dragon to back down and take off the edge of the cliff, soaring through the air.
"I don't know, okay?" She admitted now that she was safe, "when Robb was gone before... I was so angry, all the fucking time. I didn't feel anything when I killed people, or when I destroyed someone's home. I was so driven by revenge and hatred, I think I lost my mind a little. When Robb's around... he calms me. And if he were gone for good, even though I tried to prevent it, I don't know what I'd do."
"I don't think I've ever loved anyone enough to feel that way," Daenerys revealed, a sad smile on her lips.
"Really? So that settles my mind on what's developing between you and Jon, then," she teased.
"There's nothing between me and Jon," the blonde scoffed, a red tint to her snowy cheeks.
"Well if it's any consolation," Fianna smirked in amusement, "Robb was betrothed to a Frey girl and we spent months staying away from each other because of it, not realising that it was actually us that was betrothed. But then because Robb didn't know and betrothed himself to the Frey girl already, her father killed our whole army and almost us."
"Well," Daenerys' eyes were widened. "I was sold to a Dothraki Khal who didn't speak a lick of Westerosi."
"Fair enough," Fianna broke into giggles along with Daenerys.
For the first time since arriving, they had bridged a gap between them, and Fianna found herself wondering if one day they'd be able to develop the relationship that Daenerys so longed for.
Robb
Upon arriving at Eastwatch, Robb wondered how Jon had survived living at the wall for so long. The winds and winter were something he had never experienced, a bitter cold that settled in your chest so no matter what you did, you couldn't warm up.
Tormund was leading them towards the prison cells, where apparently there were others who wanted to travel north as well. It came as quite a shock to Robb to see a familiar looking topknot and eyepatch, upon rounding the corner.
"Thoros?" Robb asked, prompting the older man to lean out of the shadows in the corner with narrowed eyes, trying to make out the man behind the bars.
"I'll be damned if that isn't the Young Wolf," he chuckled, stumbling off of his bench to get a closer look. "You look healthier, now that you're not inches from death."
"You know them?" Jon questioned him, full of suspicion. The Brotherhood without Banners were known outlaws in the Seven Kingdoms.
"They saved my life after the Dreadfort, helped remind me who I was," he explained, before turning back around to them. "What are you doing here?"
"We need to go North of the Wall," Beric answered for them both. "Our Lord told us to."
"Don't trust them," Gendry interrupted, leaning against the bars as he spoke his next words. "The last thing their Lord told him to do was sell me to a red witch to be murdered."
"But did you die?" Robb interjected in frustration.
"They haven't been giving us anything to drink, Stark," Thoros sounded out. "I haven't been feeling like myself."
"Here we all are," Beric announced, "heading in the same direction for the same reason. It doesn't matter what our reasons are, because there's a greater purpose at work. We serve it together, whether we know it or not-"
"For fuck sakes will ye' shut your hole?" The hound finally spoke, looking somehow more terrifying than ever since the last time Robb and Jon saw him in Winterfell. "Are we coming with you or not?"
The sight that befell the group as the gates rose up was breathtaking. Completely void of life, all that could be seen was a flurry of snow and the whistle of wind. It was the harshest winter conditions most of them would have ever seen, and a rather surreal experience to those who hadn't seen it before. They had spent their life trying to keep the Land Beyond the Wall out, and now they were heading straight into it.
Robb brought his furs up to cover his mouth before the air could hit his throat, the seemingly never ending chill in his bones something he was slowly becoming accustomed to. The reality of the situation hit him, and he reminded himself what he was doing this for. To protect his brother and King, and hoping it would eventually lead to the protection of his wife and kids.
Jon turned to the side to share a look with him before they fully departed, their gaze speaking the words they didn't feel the need to share. Although he wouldn't admit it, Jon was glad his half brother was there. Despite being only a few months his senior, Robb was always a big brother figure and best friend to him growing up. He needed his guidance now more than ever.
So with a deep breath, they set off, their feet sinking into the inches of snow beneath them.
Fianna
She was dreaming, that much she could tell. A dead giveaway was her location, which happened to be her own home - Baelfort. Although there was a distinct difference in the decor, which seemed to be far more dated.
"Aifric, please reconsider," Tiernan gripped her arm and begged, his eyes watering and voice desperate. It was an appearance she had never seen on her cousin, but somehow she knew this wasn't Tiernan at all, but a brother with an entirely different name.
"I'll never back down, Peader," she refuted, pulling him in for a quick embrace. He gripped her in return tightly, probably knowing this was the last time they would see each other.
The name was a giveaway, but the interaction was only confirmation to her. In the dream, she was herself - but she wasn't. Instead of Fianna Bua, she was now Aifric Bua - the famed ancestor who's legend and name would stay alive for generations, a silent martyr for the North.
She could feel the tears slipping down her cheeks as she embraced her brother, but her resolve was only strengthened by the looks of admiration she received from all those around her.
It was the screech of a dragon that prompted her to stand outside, willing to submit herself so he wouldn't attack Baelfort itself. Aifric knew her brother would bend the knee, but her father had left the stronghold to her, and she wasn't going to give it up while it was under her rule.
The truly gigantic creature was perched on the high walls of Baelfort, almost knocking over nearby towers and the roof with its wings. Atop the dragon, seated as if it were a horse, was Aegon. Or was supposedly Aegon, she guessed, as Daenerys was the face of the dragon rider.
"Have you reconsidered my offer?" 'Aegon' called to her when she came into view, lifting the dress she got married in as she walked along to keep it off the ground.
"You killed my husband," she shouted in return. "Burn me if you must, you're no King of mine."
"As you wish."
Daenerys/Aegon narrowed their eyes at the stubborn Northerner, hoping that her actions wouldn't ignite an uprising. Thankfully, Torrhen had already bent the knee, so the North didn't have a leader to get behind.
The Bua girl took a deep breath, opening her arms wide and welcoming the flames that would eventually meet her skin. She kept her heart eyes on the Targaryen and spoke the words that they hesitated to.
"Dracarys."
The last thing Fianna saw before she woke up was an influx of flames soaring through the air, just seconds from meeting her skin.
Holy Christ I've been writing this chapter so long my eyes are burning. It's about five and a half thousand words, which I can imagine the next few chapters will be too. Only two left before hiatus!
As you can see, Fianna's still a little hotheaded.
As a side note, I started this book a year ago around this week. And I'm quite emotional about how far it's come, I truly didn't expect anyone to read it, or to even write as much as I have. Thanks to everyone who reads the book, for what reason, I'm not sure of! I look back at earlier chapters and CRINGE from how bad they are. This is my first book, and I've developed my skills so much in a year. I can't wait honestly to get onto hiatus so I can go back and EDIT EDIT EDIT.
thanks as always!
Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 - Thanks so much! I am indeed following the storyline, so technically Jon and Fianna are related as well they just don't know it yet. ;) thank you so much for your support! I hope you have a great day! x
Guest - Shit is definitely about to go down! I don't think there'll be any filler chapters for the rest of the book to be honest, so they're all going to be hella long so I can keep up with character development as well as the action, season 8 better be something I can work with ahah
ggghhhaaarrr67 - all I'm saying is... it definitely won't be the same in this book as it is in the show ;)
florabest - Thank you! It's really surreal writing their interactions because they haven't actually interacted in the show since the very first episode. Things will be different from the main storyline that's all I'll say, muahaha. Oh my gosh really? That's such a compliment! And I definitely will! I don't think I'll post the chapters during hiatus on here though, I have another book where I post one shots for this book so I think I'll post a lot on there to keep the Robb/Fianna vibes going until april!
starevolution1273 - Thank you so much as always! Never feel pressured to read quickly or even review at all! You've supported me so much you can be as late as you like ahah 3 I hope you have an amazing day x
