She was gone; the love of his life was gone. He sat there in the cold emptiness of the Lord Commander's quarters, holding the lifeless body of his wife. Jon blinked the tears from his eyes as he cradled Careen in his lap, sitting upon the table with her.
"I'll lay you in the tomb next to my mother, I think you would have liked that." he whispered with his lips next to her ear.
The door slowly creaked open and Killian walked in, his tears flowing from his blue eyes. Jon couldn't look at him, couldn't look into the eyes that reminded him of his sweet winter rose.
"Jon... we need to get back to Winterfell," Killian said as he stroked Careen's long hair.
Jon nodded, but he wasn't ready to let go just yet. Killian squatted down before him, the back of his hand resting on Careen's cold cheek. He watched as Jon kissed her from her forehead to her cool, blue lips.
"What do I tell my sons? Their mother is gone... and I took her away from them," Jon sobbed into the crook of Careen's neck as he held tighter to her.
Killian moved his hand from his little flame, up to Jon's chest. "You didn't take their mother from them... the Night King did. We both knew that she was linked to the dragon. When the Night King wounded Wynter, he wounded Careen. It was better she die in the service of the North than become one of those dead things. She wanted you too, Jon. She needed you to."
They sat there for a few more moments before Tormund and Lady Brienne came in. Tormund slowly walked to Jon, seeing the grief on the young King's face.
"The men are burning the rest of the dead... we can leave when you're ready," Tormund stood by the door when Lady Brienne gave Jon one more bit of news that darkened his world again.
"I'm sorry, your grace, but your Uncle Benjen didn't make it. Some said he was already dead, revived by the Three Eyed Raven. When Careen fell, he fell. What are your orders?" she stood by Tormund, her eyes glanced his way briefly as she waited for her King's orders.
"We'll leave for Last Heart at first light. Send the Red Priest to me, I need to speak to him alone," Jon climbed from the table, placing Careen back down as he walked to the window.
Killian gave his little sister one last kiss, as he and the others left Jon alone with his thoughts. As soon as the room was empty, Jon took the letter Samwell had given him from Careen from inside his leathers. He unfolded it and pulled a candle closer to read the parchment.
My dearest love
The time will come when you must decide between your duty and your heart. I've come to know the Jon Snow that is duty bond with a heart so full of love. I know you'll make the right choice, my love.
When I am gone and all you have are memories, do remember me fondly. Remember our long talks, our heated nights and the love we shared that made the two sons I love so.
The North will need you most after the Long Night has ended; your family will need you most. You may have been born a Targaryen, but the love of the man you called father, made you a Stark. Never forget that; never stop believing you are where you belong.
Place me in the tomb so my sons can visit me, but do not linger in my death. The time will come when the emptiness you feel will lift and the sun will warm your handsome face again. I do not wish to become a ghost in your heart. Let me go, Jon.
Do this one thing for me, my love. Love again.
My heart and soul are forever and eternally yours.
Your Winter Rose
"Damn you Careen and damn you Sam... you knew she was going to die. You both knew and you did nothing to stop it," he slammed his fist on the desk as his tears clouded his vision. This is why Samwell told him to wait to read the letter and part of him hated his friend for it.
"Your grace," Thoros said from the door and Jon quickly wiped away his tears.
"Thoros... can you do for my Careen what Melisandre did for me?" Jon held a spark of hope that he could.
"I've tried, your grace. I prayed over her like I have when Ser Beric falls. The Lord of Light has not answered my prayers. I'm sorry," Thoros began to back up towards the door when Jon rose and charged at him.
With a fist full of Thoros's shirt, Jon pushed him against the wall and shouted at him to bring her back.
Killian and Tormund rushed into the room, pulling Jon from Thoros and out into the snow as it floated down. "Jon... stop this. She's gone my brother and unlike you, there is no bringing her back. The Old Ones had a purpose for Careen and her journey is over. Let her go."
Jon shrugged their hands off him, storming down the steps and over to the lift. He needed a moment alone with his thoughts and he'd find that atop the Wall.
Tormund stopped Killian from going after him, telling him they needed to make ready for the journey home.
Ser Beric took the opportunity to sneak back into the room and kneel beside Careen's body. He whispered to the Lord of Light to take his life and give it to the Queen in the North. With those words, he placed a firm kiss on Careen's lips and left her there.
Everyone went about their duties, cleaning up, patching up and packing up. Dany and Jorah had a long talk in the Great Hall about the South and how he could unite the North to their cause. Dany wasn't so sure after the talk she'd had with Jon Snow. He was her kin, her nephew and she needed to make sure he would lay no claim to the Iron Throne. She did want him by her side, perhaps even as her King, but for now she needed to bring the North under her command.
Jorah promised once they made it back to Winterfell, he'd talk with Jon and all the Lords of the North. She wanted to head South immediately and once she had Tyrion, Lord Varys and Missandi, that's what she'd do. Viserion was wounded and would need time to heal and Rhaegal seemed to be easily persuaded by Jon. She needed her dragons under her control and only her control, before she marched into King's Landing.
"Let Lord Snow grieve and when the time is right, I'm sure I can make him see reason. You'll allow him to keep the North and rule it as Warden, but the Seven Kingdoms will bow to you. Theon Greyjoy will lead the Iron Islands and Lord Varys can be your Lord Regent for Dorne. Tyrion will guide you through all matters of rule with grace and dignity, he is skilled when it comes to his words. Highgarden holds no love for Cersei and will welcome your rule. Let me do this for you, Daenerys," Jorah looked upon his Queen's face and saw the tenderness and love he so longed to see there.
"I will take the Unsullied and leave this place. You stay behind and bring the Northern army to me. I must speak to Jon Snow before I leave," Dany reached out, touching Jorah's face. Together they walked out of the Great Hall and she ordered Greyworm to ready his men. She asked to speak to Jon and Killian told her he was up on the Wall.
Dany wasted no time boarding the lift and making her way up to the King in the North. He turned when he saw her walking towards him, his heart still bleeding out in his chest.
"What do you want?" he asked as his brown eyes turned cold to her.
"Cersei Lannister must be stopped. She will see you and all those you love dead before she allows you to keep the North. I, on the other hand, will allow you to rule over the North and Warden it as the Starks have done for generations. I know you are grieving, your pain is still fresh. You are my kin, my only relative and I wish to know you, Jon Snow. I'm sure there is some part of Rhaegar in you, I think I saw it on the battlefield. I must know now, before I go South... do you wish to sit upon the Iron Throne?" Dany asked him as she searched his eyes for any glimpse of the brother she never knew.
"No," Jon answered her back coldly, his lips pursed shut hard.
"Very well then, perhaps one day you would consider ruling the Seven Kingdoms with me. Targaryen's must unite, become a strong family once again. We could do this... we could..." Dany stopped short when Jon turned on her, his nose only inches from her face.
"I will never be with you. Never. Careen asked me to love again, but I can't... she takes my heart to the grave with her. I will consider your offer to keep the North, but that is all. I will talk to the Lords and my family and if we decide to go back South, then we will do so," Jon glowered at her until he turned from her and walked back to the lift.
"Jon... come have a drink with me. At least let me tell you what I know of your father. You may never kneel before me as your Queen, but I can still be your Aunt," Dany offered her hand to him and he stared at it, unsure if her words were sincere.
He walked into the lift and waited for her inside. They rode down in silence, neither of them looking at the other. When they got to the bottom, work had begun on repairing the castle. Tormund and Brienne were locked in what looked like a very interesting conversation and Killian was talking to Ser Beric and Thoros.
Jon walked over to Killian, wrapping his arms around him tight. They hugged each other as every eye fell upon them. Edd asked Jon if he wanted someone to prepare Careen's body for the trip back to Winterfell.
He placed his hand on Edd's shoulder, wishing he didn't have tell him yes. "I need to say a proper goodbye to her, then you can."
Ser Beric stopped Jon, handing him Dawn back. "You left this in the snow..."
The man's eye glazed over, his face froze in mid-sentence. Thoros rushed to him, clasping a hand on his shoulder. Ser Beric fell to the ground dead, his body as rigid as the cold ground beneath him.
Thoros began to pray over him, resting his forehead against his. Jon stood confused, wondering if Beric had been injured in the battle. He watched as Thoros tried to revive the man as he'd done so many times before.
Suddenly, Jon could feel warmth in his heart. A spark ignited in his soul that send chills down his spine. Dawn fell from his hand, back down to the snow as his heart pounded beneath his chest. He pushed people aside as he rushed up the stairs and slung opened the door to Eddison's room. There, sitting up on the table, her blood soaked gown clinging to her chest, was his bride... alive and breathing.
He rushed to her, pulling his cloak from his shoulders and wrapping it around her. She looked at him, confused and daze.
"How..." she murmured out and Jon smiled back at her through his tears.
"It doesn't matter how. I have you back, my love... I have you back," he slowly fell to the floor with Careen in his arms as he sat there holding her, listening to the sound of her breathing.
~.~
"Hey you, come here," Arya spoke to the guard on duty through the porthole in the door.
The guard had been ignoring her, but the way she was smiling at him got his attention. He could have a quick fuck then lock her back up, so he thought.
He turned to face her, her smile the sweetest thing he'd seen in quite a while. "Listen, pretty girl I don't have a lot of time."
"From the looks of you, it won't take long. I'm sure I'll be dead before sunrise, so... you can give a girl a go," she said coyly back at him, her smile still beaming.
The guard unlocked her door and was instantly greeted with a bladed dart under his chin. Arya dragged his dead body to the corner of the cell and closed the door behind her as she left.
She could hear footsteps coming her way, too close for her liking. Arya darted back towards her cell and into the alcove on the other side of the wall. The two guards walked by her, not noticing she was hiding close by. Hiding had become second nature to her and she was good at not being seen.
From the alcove, she could see a set of steps that descended towards a small corridor. Her feet moved briskly as she barely touched each step. She found herself in room full of old books and stacks of papers. Picking up a rolled scroll, she found out she was in the records room of the great castle.
There had to be a way out of this room that didn't lead back up to the cells. With the sound of footsteps approach, Arya looked the room over. She felt along the walls, along the floor until she found a small opening just behind one of the bookshelves.
The alarm sounded that she had escaped as she pulled the shelf out and squeezed inside. It was musky and damp and smell of stagnant water. She pulled the shelf back and tried to find a torch on the wall. Being blind for a time gave her the skill to find her way around in the dark. Arya crept along the wet, stone wall until she saw a shaft of light just ahead of her. She took off her disguise, tossing the blonde hair on the floor.
As she peeked around the corner, she saw another set of steps that led up towards a woodened door. She followed it, pushing the ramshackle door open. When she emerged from the darkness, she found herself in a garden. There were stories of the garden where the Heart Tree of King's Landing grew, but the tree was now gone and the flowers were starting to wither away.
On the wall closest to her grew beautiful winter roses. They were in full bloom as they vine crept and crawled up the wall and over the top. The smell took her back to Winterfell, the blue flowers a favorite of her mother. She smiled when she saw them, remembering Jon calling Careen that. Her heart beat a little harder as her thoughts turn to Gendry.
"You look too young to be so lost in thought," an elderly lady said to her as she sat on the marble bench by the fountain. A crown of winter roses lay in her lap as she patted the spot beside her.
Arya walked over to her, noticing her braided hair was starting to turn a pale white with age. Her face had distinguished lines in it and her eyes were as strange shade of violet. She sat beside the lady as she fed the birds at her feet.
"I'm sorry, my lady... I didn't mean to disturb you," Arya said, finding the older lady somewhat mesmerizing.
"You can call me Elaena, child and you are?" Elaena handed some of the bread crumbs in her hand to Arya and gave her a soothing smile.
"Ary... Lanna, my lady," she blushed when she noticed the lady giving her an incredulous look.
"I've been in King's Landing all my life. I've seen people come and go and Kings and Queens come and go... but I don't think King's Landing as ever seen the likes of you," Elaena said as she rose, waving for Arya to follow her. She placed the crown of winter roses on the young woman's head, giving her a wink.
"No, I don't believe so, my lady," Arya answered her back as she followed her out of the garden and into the cobblestone streets. They walk until they come to a house just outside the gates of the Red Keep. Arya followed her in, listening to her sing as she sits by the window. The crown of roses sparked a memory, a story her father had told her of her aunt Lyanna. She took them off, setting them on the chair beside her.
Elaena asked a young girl not much older than Arya to bring her a book from her room. The girl did as her lady asked and returned shortly with the book. Elaena placed the book in Arya's lap, smiling at her.
"A wise old woman told me once that I would live out my days under the keep of my lineage, but I would never grace its hallowed halls. She was right about that and she was right about this," Elaena turned the pages of the book until she came the line of the Targaryen's. She stopped and placed her finger under Aerys II, the Mad King.
"What does the Mad King have to do with me?" Arya asked and Elaena pointed to the page again.
There on the page was written all the children born to Aerys II. Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys, but just below those names was scribbled another name and was signed by the Grand Maester of the Citadel. Elaena Waters, bastard child of King Aerys II and Lady Illa of House Tarly.
"She told me a bastard born of noble blood would sit upon the Iron Throne. I always thought she meant me, but seeing you here now, I know to whom she spoke of. You are Arya Stark of Winterfell, I'd know that face anywhere. I saw you several times in the city when you were here with your father. I wanted to speak with Lord Eddard, to confirm what my mother had written in this book. Your half-brother, Jon Snow is no Snow, my child," Elaena turned the page again and there written in the Grand Maester's hand was the proof she spoke of.
Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen were wed in the Dragon's Garden before he left King's Landing with her. Lyanna had become friends with Elaena's mother, Illa and she helped the Lady of Winterfell escape with her one true love.
The story of Lyanna and Rhaegar's love affair was scrawled out on the pages, details that only Lyanna would have known. When Arya saw that Lyanna sent a letter back to Illa, telling her she was with child and was in hiding in Dorne, she knew the child was Jon.
"I know this is the truth, Elaena. My brother Bran saw it in a vision. Do you think the prophecy you were told was about, Jon?" Arya asked and Elaena nodded her head.
"You are here in the city for a reason. You must stay with me until the Dragon Queen comes to claim the throne. I will keep you safe, you can trust me," Elaene patted the top of Arya's hand, but the young Stark wasn't so easy to trust.
Later that night after everyone in the house had gone to bed, Arya snuck out. She did her best to keep herself covered and not draw too much attention. The guards were out looking for a blonde girl after all and she had dark hair.
She wandered the streets until she heard whispers about Sandor Clegane coming from two men that passed by. Sandor was still in the city and she had to find him.
Arya rushed back to Elaene's home to find the lady of the house awake in her parlor. "Did you enjoy your late night stroll?"
"I did and I can't stay here with you. My friend is still here in the city and I have to find him," Arya nodded to Elaena to thank her, but the great lady stood in front of the door.
"Your friend... the Hound is to be executed tomorrow. The Queen sent out the decree this afternoon after Sandor attacked her Royal Guard, Ser Gregor," Elaene watched as Arya's face went from surprised to pure fury.
"I'm going to get him back and I'm going to kill anyone that gets in my way," Arya said as she smirked, tucking her bladed darts in the waist of her skirt.
Elaena moved from the doorway, grinning at her as she watched the bold young woman make her way up the street, towards the Red Keep.
A/N: I am so thankful for your continued support of this story. I hope you continue to read and enjoy. Some major twists are coming, some I think you can figure out from this chapter.
