Chapter 41: Two weddings and a honeymoon
Summary:
A chapter full of fluff but I didn't know how else to write this. We resume where the previous 'main' chapter ended.
To make up for it, the interlude this time gives us a first glimpse of Euron Greyjoy's thoughts and ambitions. That part is not for the faint-hearted. Be warned.
Notes:
A big thank you to everyone who is still reading, certainly to those that have favoured my story. I would especially like to thank my readers that have left a kind review. I appreciate it very much.
It took me a bit of time to get this chapter out but the good news is that I have made progress on future chapters and the next one will be posted this weekend.
Chapter text:
Uncle Benjen had escorted her to her room where Irri and Lady Ashara were waiting to drape her in her maiden cloak and make some minor adjustments to her hair. Irri replaced the modest tiara she had been wearing with a fresh crown of purple flowers.
"Ready?" Lady Ashara smiled encouragingly when she stopped fiddling with the clasp of the heavy cloak?
Dany caught sight of herself in the floor length mirror. Two wide purple eyes looked at her with barely constraint excitement. She did not take the time to study the rest of her reflection. After a quick glance at the flowers in her hair she nodded her response to Lady Ashara who opened the door to reveal her two loyal Dragonguards. Ser Barristan and Ser Jorah stood there waiting patiently to guide her to the Godswood. She had talked to both of them beforehand and Ser Barristan had conceded the honour to Ser Jorah to say the necessary words. Both men however would escort her to her groom.
Dany was the last one to arrive in the Godswood. Bright candles lit the path that led her towards the heart tree. Aegon stood between the white oak and the newly planted sapling. Tonight the young tree was not protected by a fence. A cloth lay between both trees and Dany knew that that was where they would be kneeling soon. Eddard Stark stood slightly apart. His uncle Benjen had taken up position closest to Jon. Davos Seaworth was quietly talking to him. Jon however only had eyes for her. She looked at him and noticed that he was still dressed in the same outfit he had worn to the feast tonight. He looked more majestic though with the addition of his royal cloak with the ermine collar and the modest crown.
Seeing him standing there so tall and handsome totally focused on her and knowing that his only purpose for being there was to wed her, her eyes filled with tears and her sight blurred for a moment. She almost missed the small gesture he gave her, moving his head a fraction to his left. She blinked a few times and followed his direction. She understood when she detected a short man standing next to a young boy with thick auburn hair. 'Lord Reed had made it in time after all.' When she scanned the rest of the small crowd present, she noticed others that she didn't recognize and guessed that those were members of Lord Reed's family. She was happy for Aegon that they had arrived in time. Even Prince Oberyn was present although Aegon had told her that chances were he would still be dealing with an urgent errand. She considered all this a good omen for their wedding.
The moment she stopped her advance still at a respectable distance of her groom, the simple ceremony started.
"Who comes before the Gods tonight?" Prince Eddard Stark did the honours. Uncle Benjen had told Dany that while she had still been dancing, Ned Stark had used the opportunity to clear the air between him and his nephew and that the young King had been all too willing to restore their bond. Dany totally approved that her betrothed had sealed the renewed understanding with his uncle by allowing him to officiate their wedding before the Old Gods.
Dany smiled and nodded at Prince Stark, hoping to convey with this gesture how happy she was that both men had reconciled.
It was Ser Jorah's turn to speak up. "Princess Daenerys of House Targaryen, a woman grown and flowered comes seeking the favour of the Gods."
"Who has come to claim her?" Eddard Stark's voice rang loud and clear.
"I, King Aegon of House Targaryen, the Sixth of my name, I claim her." Aegon had stepped forward and held his hand out to Dany. Dany's eyes were glassed over with unshed tears but she could still discern the warm grey eyes of her betrothed staring into hers with love and passion. She swallowed in an attempt to hold her tears in.
"Princess Daenerys, do you take this man?" Eddard Stark smiled at her when she grabbed Aegon's hand enthusiastically even before she had spoken the words.
"I take this man." Her soft voice pronounced the words eagerly. If anyone had still entertained the slightest sliver of doubt that these two were here of their own volition, then that doubt had been put to rest.
Aegon unclasped the cloak with the three headed dragon and handed it to Ser Jorah. He accepted an almost identical one from Benjen Stark and cloaked her with it. She gave him a watery smile when he caressed her throat gently the moment he had finish securing her new cloak. Ghost chose this moment to step up beside Dany. Aegon smiled and she felt his hand softly brushing over the white direwolf's head that had been sowed on her new cloak below the three headed dragon. Then he stepped back next to her and together they kneeled on the cloth in the direction of the weirwood sapling. They simultaneously bowed their heads and Dany prayed to the Old Gods to bless their marriage revelling in the knowledge that Aegon was doing the exact same thing. This was a solemn moment and only the leaves of the trees surrounding them could be heard rustling in the wind. All the while their small audience waited patiently for the couple to finish. Finally Aegon made the first move and Dany quickly rose beside him. He gave her a chaste kiss on her cheek.
Dany turned her face slightly and amended his gesture by kissing him on the lips for a brief moment. Clapping, laughing and even a little hoot from Prince Oberyn started the congratulations. After their nearest relations had all hugged and congratulated them, Aegon was quick to introduce his wife to his little cousin and Lord Reed. Dany was amazed at how serious and grown up Bran Stark acted as he answered her questions demurely. Ghost on the other hand was quick to break the young boy's composure by almost making Bran tumble over.
"Ghost, go find Summer." Brandon Stark ordered while he attempted to push the direwolf off him.
Ghost turned his head and looked at Aegon. "Go." Her new husband mouthed and the large animal almost toppled Lord Varys in his haste to join his sibling in the woods.
"Princess, or should I say Queen Daenerys, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Lord Reed bowed to her. When he straightened himself up again, he stood at the same height as her.
"Likewise, Lord Reed. We are overjoyed that you got here in time for the ceremony." She turned to Jojen and Meera who now flanked their father. Meera although not as tall as her sire, looked like a woman grown and flowered. Aegon had informed her that she was about to celebrate her fifteenth nameday. Jojen, even though he was shorter than Bran had already celebrated his twelfth nameday and therefore was a year older than the young Stark. Meera made a perfect curtsy and Jojen bowed.
"Nice to meet you all. I hope you will enjoy your stay in the Red Keep." Dany smiled and looked at Aegon to receive a clue as to what came next.
"Let us all return to the champion's ball for now. I want you all to celebrate a while longer. Do not mind us. My wife and I," Aegon put his arm around her shoulder and drew her nearer to him. "My wife and I will retire early. We have two more ceremonies to suffer through tomorrow and need to look our best."
Dany looked up at Aegon and smiled to let him know that she was totally on board with his plans. She would soon find out that Aegon had not lied. The both of them stayed just long enough at the high table to hold a toast and swiftly disappeared from the room with Ser Jorah and Ser Oswell in tow.
Jon murmured a few words to his guards before he entered their bedroom. He looked at Dany and hesitated. He had not moved away from the door.
"Won't you join me on the bed? If you want to retire early, we won't have much time and there are still a few questions I would like to ask you about the crowning ceremony tomorrow." She innocently tapped the space next to her where she sat fully clothed. She had only shed the new cloak he had put around her shoulders and the crown of flowers which lay on the small table next to her brush and other personal items. When he still hesitated, she studied him more carefully.
"Aegon, is something the matter?"
He slowly approached her side of the bed and took her hand. "There might be if our wishes for tonight do not align. I originally did not intend to but you see, I changed my mind and I hope that you uh that is uh I was planning on joining you here and uh staying for the rest of the night. That is unless you ..."
Dany took advantage of the fact that she held his hand and pulled on it so he lost his footing and tumbled sideways on the bed next to her.
"I guess that is a yes." He smiled now, visibly relieved.
"That is a yes, pretty please." She answered and giggled when he pulled at her legs so instead of sitting up she now lay flat on the bed.
"And here I thought I married a civilised, noble King tonight. Instead I find myself about to be bedded by a wild dragonwolf." She barely got the teasing words out as he pinned her under him.
"Quiet woman, I have come to claim you." He played along at first but then proceeded to give her such a gentle, loving kiss that she sighed and pulled him even closer to her.
After he had thoroughly conquered her mouth and was now starting to colonise her left ear and throat, she ventured. "Aegon, are we doing this right? I know I am a maiden but I had this picture in my mind of a handsome husband in my bed on my wedding night with a bit less cl … oh Aegon, that tickles." She couldn't help but kick him off her when he started tickling both her sides at the same time.
"Am I not handsome enough, wife?" He towered over her now.
"Can we make a bargain?" She offered. "For each piece of clothing you shed, I will shed something too."
"Now wife, who was the one that got on this bed fully clothed in the first place? I will ask a favour for each and every item I discard from my perfect kingly body. Are you willing to pay up?"
"Try me, my Lord Husband." She didn't blink but used her most endearing puppy eyed expression when she called his bluff. Then she added in a mock-pleading tone. "But be gently with me, my King and Master. I am after all but an innocent, ignorant maiden."
"Let me sleep, wife." Jon grumbled when Dany opened the drapes to let the morning light enter her chambers.
"You didn't let me sleep during the night at two separate occasions, if I recall correctly. I need some time to repair all the damage and make myself presentable to appear all innocent and maidenly before the High Septon and his holy Seven."
Jon made an effort to open his eyes and turned around so he could watch her carefully. She had draped her wedding cloak around her shoulders but wore nothing beneath it. He felt that traitorous part of his body stiffen without his consent. "Any regrets?" He asked softly.
"That would make me a hypocrite." She sat down on the bed beside him. "It was the most amazing experience of my life, Aegon. And I am glad you did uh other things when we felt the need again. I am a bit sore between my legs but I am grateful you left no visible signs where it matters.
His hand caressed a bite mark on her thigh. "Do you mind this one?" He asked hiding the relief he felt that now in the daylight, she didn't seem to mind how he had laid claim to her body twice more during the night. Consummating their marriage for the first time had only heightened his desire for her apparently. Even if he had been taught how to please a woman's body, he had not been prepared for the reactions of his own body to her sighs of pleasure. He had loved how his member, when it had been buried deep inside of her, had experienced every tremor of her body and he had come totally undone when Dany's orgasm had made her narrow passageway contract for a time and had milked every last drop of seed out of him. Her soft voice broke through his musings.
"No, that one I will cherish. If you had not noticed, you have a similar one at exactly the same spot."
Jon lifted the covers and made a great show of checking the mark on his own thigh. "Hmm, I think mine is bigger. I do not understand. You have such a small mouth." Jon's fingers followed the contours of her mouth.
She kissed the fingers that were still stroking her lips. "I thought you were rather satisfied with my mouth last night, husband. Correct me if I am wrong."
Jon's hand moved to the back of her neck and pulled her down so their mouths almost touched.. "I will need more evidence before I make such an important announcement. Come here wife and kiss your Lord Husband some more."
"Just one kiss, Aegon. Then I really must ring for a bath. Should you be here when the servants enter?"
"They probably already know, but for appearance's sake, I will disappear. In case you hadn't discovered it already, there is a side panel that opens and leads to another chamber. That will be my official bed chamber as of later today after the Seven have blessed our union."
"And will you sleep there, my husband?" She still resisted his pull and kept her mouth inches away from him.
"I thought those negotiations were behind us, the royal decree all signed and filed away safely." He replied but had trouble staying serious. "I can summon the small council and ask their opinion on the matter if that is your wish."
She pretended to try and smother him with some bed furs, but allowed him to grab her and offered no further resistance when he kissed her senseless.
"That is better, wife." He grumbled when he finally released her mouth and studies her swollen lips, red cheeks and her eyes that opened slowly to look at him rather dazed.
Somehow she was able to rise from the bed shortly after he had released her. "Aegon, where is Ghost?"
"I ordered him to go hunt with Summer last night. I wanted to have no rival vying for your affections." His face turned more serious when he added. "I hope you do not mind that he will be sleeping in the same chamber and on occasion be present when we, well uh when we couple. I will ask him to stay in the next room but I can't guarantee that he will oblige us."
"At least he won't tell others our more intimate secrets." She gave him a hesitant smile. "I'm sure I'll get used to it, Aegon, even if I am a bit shy still."
"Did you like it? Truly?" He asked, his dark grey eyes scanning her face for any signs of reluctance.
She blushed. "I liked everything we did, Aegon."
"Some things more than others surely?" He relented when he saw her hesitate. "Don't worry, my love. I'll give you more evidence to study over the next few nights so you can draft me a detailed report in a few days." A timid smile accompanied his teasing words.
"Then I'll expect the same from you." She was quick to reply and blew him a kiss. "Now will you please make yourself scarce, Aegon?"
"Anything for you." He jumped out of bed not minding that she saw his erect manhood wobble while he crossed the room to pick up his smallclothes and the rest of his clothing that were scattered about the room. In their haste to undress last night, they hadn't paid attention where they had dropped these items. He made quick work of putting on the bare minimum so he was at least decent, he approached the hidden entrance to his new chambers carrying the rest of his clothes.
Dany stood there waiting for him. "I probably won't see you again before the ceremony. Can I get one last token of love from a Princess? I will never be able to have that pleasure again. I will have to content myself with Queens in the future."
"Only if you promise to keep it short and leave." She stepped closer to him.
"They warned me that once married hmph."
He was smiling from ear to ear when she pushed him out of her room. 'Finishing sentences was vastly overrated.'
When he was fully dressed he left his stately room and greeted his escort. He had been relieved that it was Ser Arthur and Ser Oswell who had stood guard in the hallway of the royal bedrooms. Their reaction to his appearance didn't make Jon uncomfortable. Instead he returned their warm smile and they escorted him silently downstairs to this modest temporary room. He was still sporting a big grin when he was being helped into his most formal outfit. This morning his 'boy-servant' was assisted by Uncle Benjen. In his function as father of the groom, it was his uncle's responsibility to get Jon to the Sept on time. The presence of young Cyrus however prevented them from talking about the reason for Jon's exultant mood. His saw his uncle bite his lip a few times to prevent himself from broaching the subject. The most they could do was exchange looks and a few small gestures.
Jon received a cordial slap on his shoulder and a proud smile from his uncle when he was ready to step out of this modest room for the last time. They were immediately joined by his three loyal Kingsguards that all looked at him like a proud father would look at their son. Those warm looks more than made up for the stiff formal behaviour they exhibitedwhile they guided him along the long corridors toward the exit where the horses awaited.
Standing in the middle of the Grand Sept of Baelor, Jon estimated that almost a thousand pairs of eyes were directed at him. He stole a glimpse at Dany who was stowed away on a small balcony high up from where she could follow the proceedings unnoticed. First they would crown him with the elaborate crown that four Targaryen Kings before him had worn. It was a heavy object made of red gold, with three points in the form of a dragonhead, each one adorned with a red gemstone. If he would have been given a choice, he would have opted for a simpler crown. Perhaps a slender band set with big square rubies. Aegon the Conqueror had worn one like that made of Valyrian Steel.
He and Dany had discussed this and they had agreed that he should accept to wear the more pompous crown for now. However, as soon as they had successfully forged their own Valyrian Steel, they would ask Gendry to create two crowns similar to the one of Aegon the Conqueror. Jon and Dany would wear these when they held court or during banquets. Only on very formal occasions or for religious ceremonies would they once more make use of the more ostentatious ones they would be crowned with today. Fortunately for Dany, her mother's crown that would be blessed and put on her head today to proclaim her a Queen was much lighter. Jon was glad for her. He was sure that he would have a headache by the time the ceremonies ended.
He bowed his head and let the High Septon put the heavy ornament on his head. He waited patiently until the man finished his septuple prayer and then gave all the answers that were expected from him. Finally that part was finished. He turned in the seven directions and gave all the nobles the chance to admire their officially crowned King. He released a deep breath when the music started that announced the next ceremony. It was time for the bride to join them.
The doors of the Sept opened and all heads turned as one to watch the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms enter the aisle that led to where the newly crowned King was waiting for his bride. He saw Dany raise her head high and he smiled encouragingly when their eyes met. His bride gave him a nervous smile in response and kept her eyes trained on him in an effort to avoid being distracted by the loud murmurs of the crowd. Once more, Dany was led to him flanked on both sides by respectively Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan.
Seven rays of morning sunlight entered the Sept through the high windows and found his bride. Illuminated like this, he could admire her much better than yesterday in the candle lit Godswood. This morning, her silver hair had only partially been braided. The rest of it hung in soft waves down her back. Her eyes shone and a lovely smile graced her features. She was clad in a dress of white silk adorned with fine silver coloured embroidery. The wide skirt was covered with a layer of white lace with a flowery pattern and brushed the ground when she strode toward him. A white maiden cloak completed the enchanting vision. The sigil of her house was present in the form of a silver broach of the three headed dragon that was pinned on the well fitted bust of her dress. To Jon, she had never looked lovelier. Nobody that watched her now would suspect that she had already been bedded the night before. She was the picture of a young innocent maiden, a gorgeous Princess out of a fairy tale that was radiant that her wedding day had finally arrived and she could marry the man of her choice and live happily ever after.
She halted before him as protocol dictated. They stood stiffly facing each other a few feet apart and waited for the High Septon to step forward with the length of a cloth to wrap around their joined hands. Jon steeled himself for the long boring ceremony of seven vows, seven blessings, seven songs and seven promises. Somehow they got through them without mixing them up. Next the Septon started a long prayer lighting a candle beside each statue of the Seven during his long monologue. He knew that to Dany these words felt as foreign as they were to him. He was relieved when they finally got to the part where the words and deeds started to have more meaning. He met Dany's eyes with a suppressed smile when the Septon prayed for them to have seven children. When the man finally stopped his longwinded monologue, Jon took off her maiden cloak for the second time and placed the one with his personal sigil about her shoulders. "With this kiss I pledge my love." He gave her a soft peck on her lips and together they recited "One flesh, one heat, one soul, now and forever."
Where normally this meant the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the festivities, it was Dany's time to kneel before the High Septon and let herself be crowned Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Jon stood by her side and waited patiently until once more seven prayers and seven blessings were uttered.
"We need to do this only once," Dany had whispered in his ear yesterday evening when they lay tucked in each other's arms after they had consummated their marriage for the first time and had discussed the long winded ceremony that was still to come. He had nodded and kissed her hair. She had fallen asleep shortly after. By letting his thoughts wander to those divine moments, he almost missed the High Septon's final blessing and was glad he recognised the sentence from his own crowning ceremony so he was timely with his next gesture. He held out his arm to his Queen and together they presented themselves to the seven sides of their audience.
The elaborate royal carriage waited for them at the bottom of the stairs. A small pathway was cleared by a mixture of apprentices of the Royal Guard, Golden Cloaks of the City Watch and the Stark houseguards. The crowd cheered loudly when they exited the Sept. Ser Gerold, Jon's two other Kingsguards as well as Dany's two Dragonguards flanked them and stayed very alert. Jon didn't notice anything untoward but would hear afterwards that two separate assassination attempts had been prevented. He only remembered how painstakingly slow their carriage had made progress through the streets of King's Landing and how difficult it had been to keep smiling and waving the entire time. Both of them were exhausted when the crowd finally disappeared from view and the loud cheers were muffled by the large wooden gates of the Red Keep that had fallen shut behind them.
"Now we only need to make an appearance on the balcony and then we can eat something. I am starving." Dany whispered in his ear.
"If only my mouth can still chew the food. My cheeks are stiff from all that smiling." Jon answered discreetly while they made their way up the stairs to the high balcony.
"Poor King and Queen." Dany repeated the familiar tease. She accepted his arm when he offered to support her when her legs tired.
"You will need to step up your training." He teased her when they arrived at their destination and she was somewhat out of breath.
"You should not have disturbed my sleep last night." She bantered back. "If I am tired, it is all your doing."
"Wave to the nice people down there. I doubt they can perceive whether we quarrel or not." His eyes danced with mirth.
Dany didn't reply. By now she had noticed the large crowd and was clearly overwhelmed. She finally realised how many people had gathered in every courtyard and also on the hill outside the Red Keep that offered a clear view of the balcony.
"Perhaps they can still distinguish that you kiss me. Now that we are wed, a chaste kiss on the lips in public must be permitted?" She looked at him a bit hesitant.
"Only on our wedding day." He mimicked Ser Gerold's tone but the happy expression on his face betrayed his intent. So she did not startle and played along when he made a show of embracing her and touched her lips while angling them carefully so most of the crowd could witness this gesture.
The cheers picked up in volume. They stayed up there for a few moments longer waving at the cheering crowd and then descended the long winding stairs. Halfway down, Jon took of his crown and massaged his forehead. "How long must I keep wearing this wretched thing?"
"At least till the first course of the banquet has been served and all the speeches have been delivered."
"How many speeches?"
"Seven." Dany and Ser Barristan answered simultaneously and their small group burst out laughing.
"If only the banquet had been limited to seven courses." Jon muttered when they had finally calmed down enough for him to speak.
"Be glad that it will not be seven times seven courses." Dany teased him. "That was the cook's first proposition. I took me two days to talk him down to two times seven courses."
"Seven for the King and seven for the Queen." Jon looked at her.
"Exactly," she said. "You are still sharp, my King. You only needed to take two steps on this retched staircase to understand how I got him to relent."
He took her hand and they put on the required smile when they entered the large hall.
"Two persons broke their legs when they fell down the stairs while being uh intimate. At least a dozen were found unconscious in the corridors and the servants will have to clean up a mess in the corner where a food fight broke out long after their Graces left. The leftover food that escaped the riot, was distributed early this morning amongst the small folk that celebrated in the vicinity of the Red Keep the entire night along with some ale and drinking water." Ser Gerold made his report to Lord Seaworth who had asked to know the state of affairs inside the Keep. The damage that the public festivities had caused throughout the city would become clear over the next few days.
"Nobody tried to sneak into the castle? No irregularities to report?" Davos looked at Varys when he phrased his last question.
"None that I know of yet. I still have to debrief more than half of my little birds. Is there a reason you asked us here before noon? A royal wedding happens only rarely and it is bad manners to retire early. At least the royal couple stayed until after midnight this time."
"Does that mean that I won the bet?" Oberyn's eyes twinkled.
Varys nodded even though he knew the Prince had already learned that the day before. It was not surprising that Oberyn relished the opportunity to rub it into Davos' face that he had overestimated the restraint of the King he served and had underestimated the importance the young man attached to the ceremony in the Godswood.
"Leave them be." Davos warned them. "I will shortly brief his Grace before they leave on their honeymoon. "I want you both to stay out of sight until they have boarded the ship."
"I don't understand that boy." Oberyn shook his head. "Well except for the bedding thing of course. That part he did get right. But if I had an enticing young bride and two full-grown dragons, heck one suffices, I would fly away with her instead of being held hostage on a ship."
"They will only need to spend one night on board." Davos protested. "What is so wrong with travelling by ship anyway? Besides, they will be allowed all the privacy they want."
Oberyn smirked. It was so easy today to get under Davos' skin. "How long will they be gone for again?" Against all odds, he had returned in time for both weddings. He hadn't needed to travel far. A messenger had found him and given him the much wished for tidings. Unbeknownst to Davos, he had slipped a message in Aegon's pocket shortly after the ceremony in the Godswood had been concluded. Aegon had responded by arranging a private talk during the longwinded banquet yesterday evening. He had left the room feigning a need to heed the call of nature and Oberyn had known where to find the young King and his guards shortly after. Oberyn had been able to make sure that Aegon was informed of the latest developments and he had received the young King's consent to make big strides towards putting a larger scheme in motion.
and Jon tried to enjoy their honeymoon to the fullest. Each day they ventured outside at least once and visited the inhabitants on Dragonstone. These were mostly informal meetings. Most of the noble houses had already pledged their fealty before the Court in King's Landing and the few exceptions would be travelling with them back to the mainland. They had made one exception and had held an informal session in the throne room when it became clear that the smallfolk living on the islands, including the twenty reintegrated prisoners really wanted to pledge fealty to their newly crowned King and Queen in person. But other than that, Dany and Jon had kept mostly to themselves. When the weather permitted it, they strolled around on a private beach until dusk fell and then ate supper outside warmed by a bonfire.
At one point during their stay on Dragonstone, while strolling around the throne room and admiring the ornaments, they had reminisced about all the plans they had made and how reality was forcing them to compromise at every turn. Seated on the Targaryen throne with Dany in his lap, Jon remembered his dream of ruling from Dragonstone instead of from that ugly Iron Throne.
"Do you remember how I told you about the feeling of belonging, of homecoming I felt when I sat on this throne for the first time?" He had his arms around her and watched the light from the window behind him reflect in her eyes.
"I remember. I told you that perhaps in a few years, we might change our seat to here but…"
"We have to rule from the Red Keep. Dragonstone is too isolated. I know." Jon sighed. "I like it here though. Certainly now that the court is still at the Red Keep and my Kingsguards are giving us all the privacy they can without compromising our safety."
"And they are less informal. I think I never heard Ser Arthur tell a joke before. He has a wicked sense of humour."
"Not only that. If he was not so keen on keeping his position in the Kingsguard, he would be a loyal friend and great adviser. For now, he won't budge. No matter what compromise I have come up with. For the sole reason of being able to talk to him more freely, I'd arrange for us to stay on Dragonstone more often."
"We'll work something out. After the threat beyond the Wall is dealt with and we are blessed with children, we'll take our sons and daughters here on a regular basis, say a few sennights once or twice every twelve moons."
He pulled her closer and gave her a long kiss. "About those children, want to try once more to get the first one started?" His finger tipped her nose playfully to make sure she understood this was only a suggestion.
"I feel you growing stiff beneath my buttocks, my poor King. You seem to be suffering of that affliction a lot lately. As a dutiful wife I will escort you to our chambers and use my skills to cure you once more."
The second half of their honeymoon they spent at the Driftmark. His foster-grandmother had been happy to see them even though the entire visit took place at her bedside since her health had deteriorated significantly over the last few sennights. Even if that had put a bit of a damper on his mood, Dany had soon been able to divert him and they had continued to enjoy this rare sennight of privacy.
All alone in the small kitchen of the cottage where they were staying for the last three days of their honeymoon, Jon couldn't recall a time he had been happier. Only Ser Arthur and Ser Oswell had followed them to this location and both knights allowed them all the privacy they required. The only part of his daily routine that Jon had not been willing to forego, were his daily trainings sessions. He had merely changed the timing of these sessions to fit into the more relaxed schedule they kept during their honeymoon. Every day his leg regained strength. The sessions grew more intense and here on the island, Ser Oswell and Ser Arthur treated him much less formal. Jon made a mental note to schedule regular visits to Dragonstone and the Driftmark in the coming years.
All in all he was extremely satisfied with how things between him and Dany had evolved. All those late night talks during their courtship had made them very much at ease with each other. He had heard several stories of brides that had only been allowed to lay eyes on the man they were obliged to wed on the day of the ceremony itself. Now that he knew from experience how intimate the act of coupling could be, he could not imagine doing such things to a stranger he had only met hours before he needed to make them 'one flesh'. He understood by the nature of their roles in the bedding that the act was even more invasive for a female. Not to mention how an innocent maiden would feel if the stranger she had been forced to wed was inconsiderate or unskilled.
He forced himself to stop that train of thought and shook his head slightly. He conjured up the images of his own wedding night. Their coupling had been a natural progression of their growing relationship. The act itself had been tender and loving combined with laughter and banter. He had never imagined it this way but they had found a balance between earnestly loving each other and lightening things up with playful teasing. If he counted his blessings, there were many more than seven. By the Old Gods and perhaps the new, fate had been very kind to him up until now. Even the looming war with the Stormlands didn't seem so terrifying at the moment.
He chastised himself. He had promised Dany. No mulling over politics or warfare until they set foot in King's Landing again. He eyed the tray that he had been preparing in the small kitchen of the cottage that they had been allowed to use at the Driftmark. It was his turn to bring his Queen breakfast in bed. He added the flower that he had picked earlier when he had stepped outside shortly to check the weather. Two more days and then they would once more find themselves emerged in messages, audiences and meetings. As of yet, no ravens with an urgent summons to return to the Red Keep had arrived. Balancing the tray, he limited himself to only take one step at the time while mounting the narrow staircase. If his luck held, Dany would still be sleeping and he could wake her in what had quickly become their favourite manner.
Once they made it back to the capital, a large number of messages lay sorted out on his desk, courtesy of Sam and Davos. They tackled the bundle labelled 'from family and other congratulations' first. There were also a rather impressive number of messages on the tray where Davos had put the ones that contained political requests or issues. The third tray contained a few documents drafted by Sam and Davos, summarizing the topics the small council had discussed during his absence and the updated list of Lords that had arrived to swear allegiance, the expected arrivals dates of the ones who had announced their intent to do so by letter and the very short list of houses that had not sent any word as of yet.
Jon selected the thick scroll written by Robb first. Dany sat on his lap as they read it together. Halfway through, Dany protested, saying it was too personal and Jon better read it himself first. He prevented her from leaving his lap but Dany kept firm stating that she would be glad to hear a summary of the situation from Aegon since the letter was way too personal. She would feel embarrassed if someone she hadn't met before read such a letter without her knowledge. Jon didn't protest any further. Giving in was all the more easy since Dany had not opted to install herself elsewhere. She had stayed put and had taken a scroll from the third tray. Jon smiled when he noticed that it was the inventory he had asked Sam to put together of all the maidens and bachelors of the noble families grouped by region.
He focused his attention back on the scroll from his cousin. Robb had started off by congratulating them both in words that left no doubt of his sincerity and Jon's heart had lifted. Then Robb had relayed the wishes and greetings from his siblings and his Lady Mother. After giving him a small summary of the main matters in the North the tone of the letter had changed and had indeed become more personal. At first it was all good news. Robb wrote how Gendry's visit had worked wonders since it came at the exact moment that he was ready to take the next steps in his healing process. He gave a few examples of things he had struggled with and how the new Lord of House Baratheon had helped him overcome them. Jon was also glad to learn that because of Gendry's positive influence on Robb, Aunt Catelyn had warmed up to the legalised former bastard faster than expected.
But then he came to the point where Dany had probably been too embarrassed to read on. Robb had started to humble himself and had uttered self-incriminations for things that Jon had long since forgiven his cousin. Jon swallowed though when he got to the part where Robb described his version of the altercation with their uncle Benjen. Only now did he fully grasp how much self-restraint his uncle must have exercised. However, the way Robb repented touched Jon's heart and he could do nothing else but immediately forgive his cousin. He did so before arriving at the paragraph where Robb actually begged for his forgiveness. Jon was relieved to read that Robb ended the topic by informing him that a likewise letter to his uncle had left the rookery the exact same moment as this one. Jon put the letter down and hugged Dany.
"All is well?" She had not continued reading the list she had selected but had studied his countenance unobtrusively from the first moment his hand that held the missive had started shaking a little.
"Yeah," he gave her a quick peck on her cheek. "All will be well. If the letter Robb told me he wrote to uncle Benjen is as sincere and repentant as this one, they will surely reconcile. And with Uncle Ned guiding Robb more actively from afar, the North will be well taken care of. You must not hold anything against your eldest good-cousin when you meet him, Dany. I told you, lesser men would not be alive or sane after all he has been put through. Robb is a good, kind, honourable man and the very best friend one could have."
"Then I will look forward to meeting him." She said and handed him the next scroll.
Arya had sent a raven to announce their departure from White Harbour. He always enjoyed her short, straightforward but lively messages. Her former one had done much to put his mind at ease. His young cousin had written: 'Gendry made Robb laugh so hard he needed to hold his belly. And on the first day of his visit too!'
The next message was from Lady Brienne. It contained mostly the same news about their sea voyage that Arya had mentioned but in a more formal manner. She announced that they were well on their way. Her scroll had been sent from the Fingers where they had stopped shortly to provision.
He startled when he calculated the days since his reign. They had spent eight days on the islands and that was not including both days needed to travel to and from there. Lord Tyrion of House Lannister with his family and Lord Willas of House Tyrell would arrive any day now or might already be in King's Landing. These were two men he wanted to grant an audience as quickly as possible.
"Aegon, what is the matter?" Dany still seated on his lap had long finished reading the missive her husband held but he made no move to grab another.
"Just wrapping my head around everything. It is a big adjustment for a man, just come from the happiest days of his life to tend to the tedious business of reading these scrolls."
"Then let's get them over with so we have a little time left before our first court session. Perhaps you can concentrate better if I sat next to you instead." Jon helped Dany put a second chair behind his desk and as soon as she was seated, she handed him the next scroll. They made quick progress from then onwards.
Jon quickly scanned most of the messages but took his time reading the one written by Jaime Lannister. The first part of the message contained his sincerely expressed gratitude for the legitimization of his 'niece' and 'nephew' and the formal recognition of Tommen Lannister as heir to Casterly Rock. Jaime Lannister also mentioned the uncharacteristic delight with which Myrcella had announced her 'forced' betrothal to him. Lannister went as far as to state that even though a man of the Night's Watch was under no obligation to heed a King's words, Jaime would carry out without question any order King Aegon might think to send him for as long as he drew breath.
Jon was glad to see that at least an equally large part of the missive was dedicated to the state of affairs at Castle Black, the ongoing negotiations with the Free Folk and the date that a council of Lords of the North would meet the representatives of the clans of the Free Folk. The meeting would be hosted at Castle Black. Cotter Pyke had promised Lannister he would be allowed to be present. That way he could report the details to King Aegon. Jaime wrote that the Lord Commander allowed and justified these actions by stating that they owed the dragonrider a debt for saving so many lives of both the Free Folk and the men of the Night's Watch. The Lord Commander considered it a mere coincidence that their young saviour happened to be a King. As a show of gratitude but most of all because it was the wise thing to do, the Night's Watch would keep the dragonrider informed of the situation beyond the Wall. The last paragraph mentioned that the Citadel had announced the imminent arrival of a new Maester for the Watch. The letter closed with with a detailed description of his ideas for increasing the Wall's defenses and a promise to write again before the next moon had ended.
Jon sighed when he put the scroll down. "I will leave the rest for tomorrow. Davos promised me that the more urgent ones were at the top of the heap and we read those. Let us just cast an eye on the list of names of newly arrived nobles. That way we will know who to expect when we hold Court later today.
When he entered his room, his two new squires were arranging his freshly washed clothed in the large wooden chest. By a stroke of good luck, Lord Velaryon of the Driftmark had solved his squire problem in one instant. His third great-grandson, Monteric Velaryon had just celebrated his eleventh nameday and they had been looking for the right person to take him on as a squire. At the moment, he had a ward staying at the castle of almost the same age. Renfric Rykker was a year younger than Monteric and the two were very close. After meeting both boys who went by Renny and Monty, Jon and Dany had needed no further persuasion. The boys had travelled to King's Landing on the same ship that brought the royal couple back from their honeymoon.
Jon smiled when he saw them struggle to fold his tunics without wrinkling them. Even though he had suggested alternating the times they were on duty, the boys opted to do everything together. Only when Jon stayed out rather late, it sometimes happened that only one of them attended him.
"Your Grace," two young voices chimed simultaneously as the boys performed a perfect bow. Ghost trotted over to them and let them pet him. The direwolf had taken a liking to the new squires at once which had gone a long way to reassure Jon that he could let his guard down in their company.
"Monty, I will need my other boots. Renny, will you fetch the warmer coat. I wondered if you two are willing to come along to the beach when the Queen and I visit the dragons? If so, then gather your cloaks as well."
Since it was the first Court session with the King and Queen present after their wedding, a long row of newly arrived nobles lined up to pledge their allegiance to King Aegon, the Sixth of his name and to pay their respects to the newly crowned Queen Daenerys.
Willas Tyrell was present and had greeted the King and Queen from afar. Since he was bound by the pledge of his father, he was not on the list and had no opportunity to approach the King. Jon had made sure that a written invitation for a private audience on the morrow would be handed to him by Davos Seaworth before the heir to the Reach left the Great Hall.
Lord Tyrion of House Lannister as the most prominent figure to swear his allegiance that day had agreed to be the last one to be led before the King. Davos declared the session of the Court closed as soon as the little man had made his public pledge of fealty to House Targaryen. Five of Ser Gerold's apprentice Royal Guards made quick work of emptying the throne room with the exception of Lord Lannister and his newly legalised niece and nephew.
Jon descended the stairs of the throne and stood beside Davos when he greeted Lord Tyrion in a more personal manner. "I am really pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Lord Lannister. My uncle, Prince Eddard Stark recommended you to me."
"The pleasure is mutual, I assure you, your Grace. And I will thank Prince Stark and consider myself even deeper in his debt." The dwarf inclined his head and signalled his niece and nephew to approach.
Myrcella curtsied deeper than protocol dictated before the Targaryen King. As soon as he had given her the sign to rise she spoke shyly. "Your Grace, you have my undying gratitude for the kindness you bestowed on me and my brother. From this day forward you may consider me your most loyal subject." She curtsied once more and again didn't rise until Jon gave her the signal.
Jon smiled while he studied the graceful beauty before him. The girl was slender, a bit delicate perhaps. She had golden curls and kind emerald eyes. He was glad that they had found the perfect solution for her. "Then I will count you as such and expect to receive an invitation to your imminent wedding, Lady Myrcella of House Lannister."
Jon turned to Tommen Lannister. Where it was convenient to have Lady Myrcella's favour, it was more important that the young Lord understood his change in status and accepted that he was no longer recognised as a Prince and had no claim to the Iron Throne whatever happened.
Tommen Lannister did not hesitate and showed his respect by bowing deeply. "You have my fealty as well, your Grace. I am happy to be recognised as heir to Casterly Rock and thank you for your benevolence towards my family. We are greatly in your debt."
The formal wording clearly betrayed that the boy had been coached by his uncle. Nevertheless Jon had no doubt that the Tommen Lannister was sincere. It must have been a trying time for both siblings until Lord Willas of House Tyrell had showed up at Casterly Rock with the legitimisation papers.
Davos coughed and spoke up. "Lord Tyrion of House Lannister, will you oblige his Grace and accept his invitation to attend a private audience tomorrow afternoon?"
Tyrion bowed again and murmured his acceptance. At that moment Dany, who had been conferring with Ser Barristan approached. Jon took her hand and drew her next to him.
"My Lady, my Lords, may I introduce Queen Daenerys, my beloved wife to your acquaintance?"
After the bows and curtsies were dispelled with, Dany's soft voice addressed Myrcella. "Lady Myrcella, would you be so kind as to join me for a stroll in the gardens tomorrow morning? The weather forecast looks promising."
"It would be my honour, your Grace." Myrcella Lannister curtsied and soon afterwards the royal couple left the throne room through the side door.
"That was nice of you." Jon offered when Dany kept silent as they walked to their quarters.
"She looks like a nice girl and I'd like to get to know her better. Lady Ashara mentioned that she might be a good candidate for the position of Lady-in-Waiting."
"That would kill two birds with one stone." Jon quickly voiced his approval. "It would grant us an innocent excuse to invite Lord Willas to reside in the Red Keep after their wedding. You can't separate newlyweds. Seeing no one but his Kingsguard in the hallway, he gave her a soft kiss on her cheek."
Together they entered the sitting room that gave way to her bedchamber. Dany turned to him as soon as they were behind closed doors. "I do not know when I will ever have enough time to spend with a group of Ladies-in-Waiting, what with all the meetings, sessions of the Court and private audiences, not to mention the official banquets that go on till deep into the night."
While she spoke, Jon had installed himself on a soft sofa that had room to seat at least three persons. Dany joined him when he petted the space next to him. He gave her a quick kiss before he replied to her last statement. "Well for starters, we will reduce the number of small council meetings and court sessions. Also many nobles have left the capital while we were on our honeymoon so the banquets can be reduced to once or twice a week until eventually we can just hold them only for festivities, namedays or when important visitors show up. Soon you will be bored stiff and be glad for any distraction these ladies can offer you. They can also assist you with your other duties. Let them see to tedious household matters and such."
"Do you approve of me choosing Lady Myrcella, should she please me, Aegon?" She nestled herself against his side and Jon put his arm around her shoulder.
"You do not need my approval, my love. But if you value my opinion, then I can truthfully say that she looks like a sweet girl and might be an excellent companion for you. More so because soon she will be a newlywed as well and you will have more in common than just your youth and gender."
"You don't mind that she was a bastard that only regained her status because of a royal decree?"
"Of course not. I thought you shared my vision on the matter of children born on the other side of the sheets."
"That's a nice way of phrasing it."
"I hate the use of the word bastard when referring to the innocent children when it were actually their parents that sinned against the rules of society. So if you take a shine to Lady Myrcella, by all means, appoint her as one of your Ladies. You will only need to make sure that any additionally appointed Ladies do not mistreat her. I will not tolerate it and will immediately order the dismissal of the Lady in question, no matter which noble house the offender may hail from. Politics be damned."
"I will keep that in mind, Aegon. Would you be willing to tolerate lady Margaery should I choose to appoint her?"
This time Jon took more time to formulate a response. He tightened the arm around her shoulders and drew her closer. "I want you to be safe, Dany. Before I would allow her so close to you, I would need reassurances from her. I do not think that just some fancy words uttered by her would be enough to dispel my fears. And not only that, I would want to put a distance between her and her grandmother first. What exactly did you have in mind?"
"I was planning on getting to know her better first. Ask her to join me a few times for tea, for a stroll. In the beginning I will always see to it that other Ladies are present. When those encounters go well and I believe her to be sincere, I will find a way to speak with her more privately when she least expects it. Don't worry, I will always see that one of my Dragonguard is nearby and that the food and drink I consume when in her presence is served by others."
"So am I to understand that you believe her to be an innocent victim in her grandmother's schemes?"
"I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for now. Please trust me in this, Aegon."
"I do trust you, my love. It is just a matter of how much I will worry. Just promise me that you will take the necessary precautions."
Danny nodded. "May we discuss a few more candidates?"
Jon turned her towards him and kissed her deeply. "If we must."
She gently pushed him away even though her eyes shone with passion and she was slightly out of breath. "I think these two will not need much debate. How about Lady Shireen of House Baratheon and your cousin, Princess Sansa of House Stark? Lady Ashara also mentioned the possibility of Lady Roslin of House Frey and she is still looking for a suitable candidate from the Vale. That way I'll have a candidate from each Kingdom."
"If they agree, I don't see why not. I did dance with a Lady from House Ruthermont of the Vale at the champion's ball. Lisa or Ilsa perhaps? I don't recall her name for sure. I only had eyes for you at the time. He gave her a kiss on her nose. "The only question this raises is the average age of your companions. The way I see it, you will need to guide them more than they will guide you."
"That's easily remedied, Jon. Lady Ashara will be our mother hen. She already acts as my Lady-in-Waiting without the official appointment. And I like how she has been going about it with the utmost discretion and delicacy. She never assumes too much but is always there when I ask her assistance."
"Then I consider this discussion officially closed." Jon immediately encircled her waist and reclined the both of them on the sofa. "Now how much time do we have left before we need to leave these rooms? I find myself in dire need of some warmth all of a sudden, with a preference for it to be body warmth hailing from a soft, female, unclad specimen."
"Any other terms or special requirements?" Dany played along while her hands started to roam over his buttocks.
"Well, this King has been known to have a preference for purple eyed, silver haired beauties. As for the rest, he is not that demanding. He is even willing to assist the person offering her services in any way he can." His fingers had found the laces of her dress on her back and swiftly untied them.
"Did you give the sign to your Kingsguard?" Dany murmured. Her pupils had grown larger and Jon knew by the way that her breath came in short puffs that she was as aroused as he was.
"I did. Nobody will enter. Does that mean I have successfully seduced you, wife?"
"Your first steps look promising. I will withhold my final findings till you are a bit further along with proceedings."
"Then I will up the stakes." He released her and stood up only to lift her in his arms and carry her to their large bed in the next room where an evening dress lay ready for her at the edge of the bed. "That dress will have to wait a bit, but at the very least I can help you out of the one you are wearing." Her laces already undone, he slowly peeled the dress she wore off of her body, kissing every inch of skin that he exposed. Then he eyed her white satin small clothes as if they were the enemy. "These obstacles need to go as well." He grumbled against her belly as he took a piece of satin between his teeth."
"The Queen has a problem with that, your Grace." Dany played along.
Jon looked into her twinkling eyes that revealed just how much she enjoyed his attentions. "And for what reason might that be, your esteemed royal Highness?"
"Her Grace will be cold that way and in dire need of body warmth, preferably provided by a strong, dark haired, grey eyed, noble King. Perhaps you can help the Queen and procure her such a body warmer?"
"I live to serve." Jon grinned when he pulled his doublet over his head and then his tunic immediately after.
Nobody made a remark that the young couple entered the private dining room slightly late. Jon figured they were probably glad that the King and Queen made an appearance at all seeing it was their first day back from their honeymoon.
Everyone present seemed happy and relaxed to be together again. Wine and food were consumed and lively conversation kept everyone entertained. Jon was happy to notice that for once Lady Ashara and his uncles got along pleasantly enough. The strange tension between those three had started to irritate him, all the more because nobody seemed willing to explain to him what had caused it. But tonight all seemed well and by the time they left the table, everyone was more or less inebriated by all the well wishes they had toasted to time and again. Walking back with Dany to their quarters he felt lightheaded and ready to conquer any problem starting tomorrow. Tonight he would attempt to stay awake long enough to pleasure his wife. That would demand all the energy he still had left.
Interlude 41: Dragonbinder
Euron regretted his decision to accept the invitation to dine with 'King' Stannis the First of his Name. The fool considered himself a King because a Red Priestess had whispered some deluded prophesy in his ears. As if a man became a King by simply by proclaiming himself to be one. A man could only become King if he grabbed the power with his own bare hands and all his subjects cowered before him. Euron would be King one day. And it would be by his own doing. Only, he needed to bide his time and not make the mistake to show his cards too soon as that fool of a Stannis Baratheon had done. Proclaiming yourself King with barely any support except for the bannermen of his own miserable Kingdom, that was utter madness. And even Baratheon's own liege Lords needed to be threatened with the wellbeing of their family or they would have long turned their cloak and fled to the capital.
It was no wonder that the man had begged for his assistance. Normally no Greenlander would want to ally himself willingly with the Ironborn. But 'King' Stannis had dug himself a hole and was desperate for any help that he could find. Euron had faked reluctance and was still putting on the mummery of negotiating even though he had immediately seen the potential of a temporary alliance with the Stormlands. He needed a way to get close to the dragons without raising suspicion and Stannis would be the one to challenge to new King to come to them and that green boy King would surely bring his two dragons along.
So for now he listened to the boring conversations and second rate entertainment and already looked forward to return to his ship and fuck himself senseless using his latest hostages. At least the previous time that he had been here the the Red Woman had been present during Baratheon's boring monologues and he had been able to flirt with her. He was glad when the ugly crone who called herself Queen Selyse finally shut up and Stannis Baratheon gave her the signal to retire. A few moments later it was just the two of them seated at the large table. Finally negotiations could begin in earnest.
Baratheon was eager to get started. "I got word from Lord Tarly. He is willing to consider coming over to our side if we can prove to him that we have a chance at succeeding. I might have mentioned before that he is a capable military commander from the Reach and has a large force of disciplined soldiers under his command. Prince Doran, the ruler of Dorne is also waiting to see how much strength we can gather and hinted at joining our cause if he believed that we had a fair chance at succeeding. Furthermore, the Golden Company is considering our offer but are still under contract. If if we reach an agreement on their remuneration, they will only be able to send men in four moons time if their previous commitments go as smoothly as expected."
"So you have made some progress." Euron conceded. "What about those allies in the Riverlands and that northern house Norton or something?"
"House Frey of the Riverlands and House Bolton of the North have stopped answering my ravens. So negotiations with them are stuck for the moment. I have sent messengers but it will take time before I will receive news. With your help, chances are that we won't need them." Stannis had the nerve to cast him an intimidating look.
Euron kept his tone nonchalant when he responded. "Have you come to a decision regarding my terms?"
"I was hoping we could still negotiate. I am willing to grant you the North on top of the Iron Islands but not the Riverlands. These must remain a part of the Seven Kingdoms."
"Which you might need to rename." Euron liked pulling the man down a notch. This Greenlander was plain ridiculous: claiming to be King of Seven Kingdoms if you barely could hold the liege lords of one Kingdom in check. "What do you offer me in exchange for the Riverlands? How about granting me dominion over all the islands on the west coast from Bear Island going as far south as the Arbor?"
"I would need to consult the map. But can already state that I will only consider including the Arbor if we sign a trading agreement first to safeguard us the delivery of all the wine, food and materials the Seven Kingdoms now receive from this island at the same fair price. And I would need to check first what we import from the other islands as well."
"Then do your homework and I will return in a moon's time. It seems we have time on our hands in any case. I will fetch the warlock from Asshai that I have stowed away on a small island and bring him here."
"And this man will help you bring the dragons over to our side?"
That powerless self-proclaimed King had the nerve to question Euron Greyjoy's word. With great effort he pushed back the snort and kept a calm front. "Yes. That part of the negotiations is finalised. I agreed to your clause that you will only sign away the North to me after I delivered one dragon to you. We will be equals. Two Kings with a dragon each to defend our dominion."
Baratheon nodded with a satisfied expression on his face. "Do you know of anyone that will grant me a loan, extensive enough to cover the hiring of another sellsword company for a few moons? As soon as I take Casterly Rock, I will be able to repay them with interest."
"And you will yield thirty pro cents of the proceeds of the mines to me starting the day you ascend the Iron Throne." Euron repeated for good measure although it was all a smoke curtain to make sure the man believed that they would truly rule as equals afterwards.
"That part of the negotiations is not final yet. For now I can't go higher than twenty five per cent. We can renegotiate as soon as the mines have been examined and we can make a reliable assessment of the riches still there."
"Twenty eight per cent." Euron fixed Stannis with an unrelenting stare.
"Twenty six and a half per cent and that is my final offer."
"Twenty seven and I will sign it here and now." Euron kept up the show.
Stannis nodded. "Twenty seven it is. We made progress here today, my Lord. The days of the false King are numbered."
"Did your Lord of Light tell you that? My Drowned God doesn't interfere in the affairs of mortals. He just empowers his worshippers so we have the strength to forge our own path."
"The Lord of Light has chosen me, Euron Greyjoy. That is why I do not feel threatened by your ambitions. I am the rightful King and I will be the one to sit on the Iron Throne."
"And I will build myself my own throne." Euron concluded and rose from his chair. "If his Grace doesn't mind, I will retire to my ship. I sleep better when my berth rocks me to sleep."
He almost sneered when he heard Stannis Baratheon give him leave to retire. Those Greenlanders and their presumptuousness. Nobody gave him leave to do anything. He did what he pleased and went where he chose to go. By the Drowned God, there wasn't a man on the entire continent of Westeros that had been where he had travelled to.
Those Greenlanders did not know that Essos was at least thrice as large as Westeros. After he had travelled to the poisoned coasts of Old Valyria and was the first man to live to tell the tale - well he and the handful of survivors that remained of the fully manned vessel that had docked there - he had re-joined the rest of his fleet that had waited for them in the Gulf of Grief. From there he had navigated the Summer Sea, passed through the Cinnamon Straits into the Jade Sea to reach the Shadow Lands where he had been told that he would find several warlocks with great powers. He and his men had faced great peril but somehow he had prevailed and escaped with most of his ships and one captured warlock.
Not a single one of these high Lords and certainly not that deluded Baratheon fuck knew what it meant to pursue your goal and take risks. Nobody before him had dared to do what he had accomplished. No man was ruthless enough to do what was necessary. He had made sure that everyone had heard the tale of how he was the only one that had been to Old Valyria and survived. It had made the Ironborn flock to him even though they suspected that he was a kinslayer, which of course he was. But he had told them a heroic story of his exploits on Old Valyria. He had showed them the black armour of Valyrian Steel and the large horn as proof of his own invented tales. The five men that had survived because he had finally given up on sending men inland after everyone he had sent into the smoky mist had disappeared without a trace, were no longer capable of affirming or denying his tale. Not that they would have dared. He had threatened to take more than their tongues if they made just a single gesture to undermine his stories and reveal that Euron Greyjoy had not once left his ship while anchored before the shores of Old Valyria.
The truth of the matter that he would not tell a living soul was that he had found the black armour in an obscure shop on the Isle of Cedars and had stolen it the next night. Coming into the possession of the horn had been another stroke of good luck. One of the enemies he had made in Qarth had offered him the horn in exchange for his life. The blue lipped warlock had wanted to trick him into blowing on the damned thing promising him unlimited power over the people of his homeland. The man had underestimated Euron's shrewd and cunning nature. Euron had made a show of accepting the horn and had declared to blow on it the next day since according to his native religion, he needed to go through a cleansing ritual to honour his Drowned God and that would take all night.
Unbeknownst to the warlock, Euron had used this delay to capture one of the man's servants and had tortured the truth out of the slave. No man who blew the horn ever lived. Before the poor soul had drawn his last breath, Euron had obtained another vital piece of information. His master didn't know the true purpose of the horn but the powerful wizards that lived in Asshai could read the symbols that became visible when the horn was sounded. Moreover, if ever there was a chance to lift the curse on this dangerous magic object, these wizards would be the ones to have the knowledge and the power to do so. After the servant of the warlock on Qarth who owned the horn had perished, Euron had absconded with the precious object but not before tampering with the warlock's daily doses of shade of the evening. It was always better to leave no witnesses if you wanted to keep a secret.
The wizard that he had successfully taken hostage on Asshai and brought back to Westeros had quickly been pressed into his service. Well, the man lacked a few fingers and toes now but he had become a loyal servant. He had helped Euron to understand the properties of the horn and the side effects of using it.
The horn was a thing of beauty. Not only was it six feet long, it was supposedly made from the horn of an extremely large dragon. It had a black gleam and was banded with red gold and Valyrian steel. When you touched the horn, it felt warm and smooth. After Euron had ordered it properly cleaned, its surface shone and became reflective. The Valyrian steel bands contained strange glyphs that only became visible when the horn was sounded.
To Euron's satisfaction the wizard had confirmed that this horn was indeed an instrument that had the potential to bring its owner great power. The warlock had translated the Valyrian symbols that became visible and burned red hot whenever the horn was sounded. It had only taken five slaves to lose their lives before the translation had been completed. The wizard had been adamant. Euron Greyjoy was in the possession of a dragonbinder, an instrument that the dragonlords of Old Valyria had used to bind the dragons to their will.
When Euron had lamented that dragons were extinct the wizard had told him of the saying that the world always needed to be in balance. Light could not exist if there was no darkness. Evil could not exist if there was no goodness. The fact that the horn had resurfaced and found its way to an owner capable of using it must have a reason. Soon there would be dragons in the world again. Since the wizard was a poor sailor and had almost died of dehydration, Euron had concealed him and the horn on one of the many small uninhabited islands of the Stepstones and had seen to it that two families of Ironborn stayed with him to guard the man and keep him alive. He had left them there without any means of transportation and made sure one of his ships checked in on the location from time to time.
Euron had sailed back to Westeros and had conquered the Iron Island simply by killing his brother and spreading his fabricated stories. In hindsight it had been a tactical mistake to leave the wizard with the horn so far South. He, the owner of a dragonbinder, had suffered a great defeat at the hands of a young boy that rode a dragon and somehow controlled a second one as well. Of course he lamented the loss of part of his fleet. He had cursed and vented his anger in an exaggerated manner within his men's hearing. They would have expected no less from him. But secretly he had already been making plans. To keep his Ironborn happy and compliant, Euron had sailed south and had let his Ironborn plunder at their hearts' content to make up for the losses they had suffered at the Stony Shore.
All the while he had tried to make sense of the political situation of the Seven Kingdoms. But it had been slow going and each time they reached another port, the news had evolved. When it had finally been confirmed that his niece had stolen the Iron Islands from him with the help of the dragonrider who had afterwards successfully claimed the Seven Kingdoms without having to fight for them, he had needed to take stock and reassess his plans. His men wanted to turn back and reclaim the Iron Islands but Euron longed to do it in style. He intended to return to Pyke on the back of a dragon.
This is why he had ended up in the Stormlands and was using Baratheon's ambitions to facilitate his own plans. Soon their alliance would become a real threat to force the young King out of his cosy palace and make the mistake of flying his dragons close to a location of Euron's choosing where he would be waiting with the wizard, a dozen of doomed hornblowers and the Dragonbinder. The young King would not stand a chance.
After this parlay with Baratheon, his next step would be to collect the wizard and the horn whose whereabouts he had kept a secret from Stannis Baratheon for safety reason. Now that he had met the deluded man several times, he was certain that his wizard would be safe enough. In any case, the man would not venture far from the beach and his fleet. But it was necessary to bring him here. He needed the wizard by his side to counsel him when they used the horn on the dragons. The warlock had forewarned them that it might take several tries since the instructions on the horn were vague on how long or how often you needed to blow the horn to bind the dragon to your will. They would also need to experiment on how long the effect of the horn kept the dragon in check. It might be possible that the last band of Valyrian steel had not revealed its secrets yet. It might also contain glyphs. He suspected that these symbols would only light up when the magic of the horn connected with an actual dragon. It might be true or it might be a clever trick the wizard was using to ensure that Euron did not kill him. For now, Euron didn't mind letting the man live.
The day that Euron saw the two dragons for the first time, even if he had been dealt an enormous defeat, was the day that he had believed for the very first time that the Drowned God really existed and favoured him above all Ironborn. Before, he had always used the religion of the Iron Islands to manipulate the Ironborn in following him but now the existence of a deity that helped him had become the only believable explanation. Nobody survived what he had. He was fully aware that he had acted incredibly reckless at times, sometimes bordering on the brink of madness. And still he had always prevailed. Not only prevailed, he had always come out on top at the other end. Now he had even survived the onslaught of two large dragons. If there ever was a time to stumble across a magical instrument that tamed dragons, it was now. And Euron Greyjoy had done just that. Against all odds, he had achieved the improbable and the impossible.
And that young Greenlander who sat the Iron Throne had more weaknesses than he realised. He was betrothed and rumoured to be very much in love with his bride to be. Taking dragons away from a grief stricken young fool would be even easier. While he walked with big strides to his flag ship he smiled smugly. Soon he would rule the Seven Kingdoms, subdue his niece on Pyke and take her as a salt wife. After that, the large continent of Essos would be next. With two dragons at his command, these territories could be terrorised into submission in not much more time than it would take him to fly there with his mighty dragons. Stannis, the powerless self-proclaimed King would have been reduced to ashes long before that happened.
End notes:
Next chapter Jon tries to settle into a routine but nothing is routine in this universe.
