Hope everyone's doing well! Surprisingly more productive yesterday, so this comes a bit earlier. Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad you continue to enjoy. Cheers!


"You're grounded," Harry said, waving off the guard once they reached their corridor as he led the unrepentant princess back to her room. They had managed to keep Daenerys' escape quiet – only Harry, Viserys and the guards being alerted to her movements. "I'm not sure if that holds any meaning for you, but that means no flying, no fun magic lessons, and no—"

He broke off, staring at the little girl in exasperation. Merlin save me from dragon mad royals, he thought.

Daenerys had a pleased, cat-that-got-the-canary expression on her face, purple eyes glowing in open satisfaction.

Harry had thought the quiet child would be the least troublesome of the children, but he was learning to his dismay that Daenerys' quietness hid even greater mischief.

"Are you listening?" he asked, hiding his amusement behind the exasperation. She looked as pleased as Aegon and Rhaenys had when they had received their dragons, and Harry had only to take a glance at Viserys to know the boy was as hopeless in the face of dragons.

The dragons were more partial to Daenerys; almost – dare he say it – like children clinging to their mother, though he noticed that the red dragon was settled comfortably in Viserys' arms.

The guards, bless them, had barely faltered at the sight of two dragons clinging to a dirty princess in her nightclothes, worrying instead over how easily she slipped past them.

"Hand the dragon over. There's a bath inside your room. Get cleaned and then we'll talk in the study," Harry said, an expectant look on his face.

Daenerys frowned, staring forlornly at her dragon before she sighed, handing the creature to Harry and making her way to her room.

Harry led Viserys to the large room they had turned into a study, the dark walls lined with tapestries holding the combined Potter-Black crest and two portraits.

"I know you're not sleeping," Harry said wryly, hearing the snort as his great-grandfather opened his eyes, a roguish grin on his face. Henry Potter's portrait had been painted when he was thirty – as most Potter portraits were – and the man had the same mischievous grin as his grandson.

"Harry, my boy. I daresay we've never been so thankful to have such an interesting young man in our lives," Henry chortled, shifting to better glimpse the dragons.

They were larger than he had expected them to be, far more colourful and with two legs instead of the four Auriga and Iacomus had.

Valyrian dragons, he thought, running a finger down the ridged scales of the dragon before him. It screeched lightly, nipping at his finger in response.

Cream, with purple and blue patterned streaks; Harry could imagine that once it grew large enough to fly, the dragon would streak across the sky as a herald of a coming storm; a fitting companion for Daenerys Stormborn.

"Viserys."

"Hmm?" Viserys replied absentmindedly, enraptured with the tiny being crawling on his arm, the red scales standing out starkly against the white fabric.

"The dragons won't disappear," Harry said dryly.

Purple eyes snapped up to meet his, the excitement and glee warring with uncertainty.

"There haven't been dragons in over a hundred years," Viserys said.

"And now there are four," Harry replied, lips tugging into a frown as he considered the two before him.

Had they done this? Their obsession with restoring their dragons had led the Targaryens to near ruin, and tonight Daenerys had effortlessly hatched two eggs on an island filled with magic.

"Dragons are creatures of magic," Viserys said softly, a dark, brooding look in his eyes. It was so very different from the excitement that had permeated through him that a lance of worry shot through Harry.

"Vise—"

Daenerys entered the room, clean and dressed in fresh clothes. Harry saw the guard close the door behind her as she bounded forward, wonder in her face as she stared at the two dragons.

The sharp scratch of nails on wood pierced the air as the cream dragons moved on wobbly legs to reach Daenerys, tipping over unsteadily into her arms.

Harry sighed, straightening in his seat as he stared intently at Daenerys.

"How did you know where to find the dragons, Daenerys?" he asked her, voice firm and unyielding. Gone was the friendly lord, replaced instead with a man determined to get answers.

She glanced hesitantly at her brother. At his nod, Daenerys' eyes flashed with emotion, the youngest Targaryen steeling herself as she refused to buckle under his gaze.

"I dreamt of them," she admitted, unflinching as she waited for some condemnation from him, and Harry bit his tongue to keep the words from boiling over.

"You dreamt of them," he said, voice calmer than he felt.

A seer, he thought, worry gnawing at him.

He'd only known one seer in his lifetime. Daenerys was nothing like Sybil Trelawney, but Harry's lessons on family history had taught him enough of the dangers of seers.

An elemental seer to boot, he thought darkly. The gods must be laughing at him for daring to think he was beyond their meddling.

"What else do you dream of?"

Purple eyes blinked owlishly, darting to her brother before returning to Harry with a dumbfounded expression in them.

"You believe me?" Dany asked, voice quiet.

"Seers are not unknown to me, no," he answered, a small smile on his face directed at the clearly worried girl. "Some have more powerful dreams than others, and some give prophecies only a few times in their lives."

"Dreamers," Viserys told him. "Daenys the Dreamer dreamt of the Doom of Valyria among other things. Her book, Signs and Portents, was lost sometime after the Conquest."

Oh joy, he thought. A potential book of prophecy lost to the ether. Truly, Harry thought he had earned a well-deserved a break from all manner of prophecy, but he had the niggling suspicion that fate was not quite finished with him.

"Yes, well. Is there any other life-changing dream I should know of?" Harry asked, half-jokingly.

Any hope he had of that being the last of it was crushed as Daenerys glanced at him with badly hidden fear in her eyes, eyes darting to stare instead at her dragon.

"Daenerys," Harry said softly, brows furrowed in concern at seeing such an uncharacteristic look.

"I think it's past time you went to bed, Dany," Viserys cut in, tone brooking no argument.

There was a warning look in the younger man's lilac eyes; his walls were raised as he silently told Harry to leave well off.

"Can I take the dragon with me?" she asked, purple eyes flitting between Harry and Viserys.

"Go on," Harry said amicably, nodding to let her know she could take her new companion. The dragons were young enough to remain indoors, not yet spitting fire, and Harry would rather keep them inside the safety of the wards. "Your brother is right. We can discuss this another time."

He watched her scurry off, the cream dragon in her arms before he nodded for the guard to close the door.

Before Harry could ask Viserys what was going on, the boy spoke, voice quiet.

"Daenerys has dreamt of Bloodstone before. Years ago," he told Harry, lilac eyes apologetic. "It's why I chose the island instead of Grey Gallows when Elia mentioned the Stepstones."

"You've never seen it," Harry pointed out.

"I knew enough to know that was where we needed to be," Viserys sighed. There was an almost haunted look on his face, his mind clearly somewhere in the past. "Dany's had these dreams her entire life."

"An unchecked seer with a dragon is dangerous, Viserys," Harry said gently, leaning back in his seat. He flicked his eyes to the portrait on the wall, his great-grandfather paying rapt attention to their conversation. The other remained empty, its inhabitant no doubt keeping an eye elsewhere.

"I know. Mother says…said dragon dreams were not as much a blessing as we might have thought. Daenys was the oddity."

Harry frowned; the prince looked as if the weight of the world was on his back, shouldering his burdens as well as Daenerys'.

"How often does she dream? It might be best to keep a dream diary, one warded to open only at Daenerys' touch."

"Almost nightly since we've come to Bloodstone," Viserys admitted. "Mostly dragons, though I…I fear her other dreams might return now she's seen the dragons returned."

"What does she dream of?" Harry asked, green eyes curious.

Viserys' gaze was focused on his dragon, seemingly drawing some strength from the small thing. "Ice and fire, and a world drowned in darkness."

A shiver of magic ran down his spine at the words.


Harry ignored the eerie stillness of the air as he walked into the godswood, the crunch of leaves and his breath disturbing the quiet.

There no longer was that strong pull to the weirwood, urging him to step closer. Whatever secrets it held remained hidden from him, and Harry felt disappointed at the lack of response when his magic made contact.

"Lord Potter-Black."

Harry turned, waving the dark-haired captain of their guards over. Ser Andrey was skilled with a sword and an able commander to boot; most importantly, the dragons had not reacted negatively to the man, nor had he flinched in the face of magic. He'd gone into the keep on Harry's word and followed his instructions to the letter. Harry had felt more than comfortable with having the Dornishman at his side and as the captain of their household guard.

"Is everything well?"

"Yes, my lord," Ser Andrey answered. "The prince and princess have returned to their rooms, and my men are continuing to search for any passages that might have been used by Princess Daenerys."

"Magic," Harry said wryly. "That's how she slipped past you, though I think we'll not have to worry on that any longer."

"Of course," Ser Andrey answered easily, hazel eyes calm and unflinching. "We've not managed to find any other eggs in the ground, but my men will continue to search."

"No, I suspect you won't," Harry murmured. There was greater magic at play; something keeping them from finding whatever other secrets Daemon Targaryen and his mount might have left behind. "Get some rest, Ser, and have your men do the same."

"I'm on guard, my lord," Ser Andrey replied, tone not giving away his incredulity. "Even with magic, it's best to have men on hand."

Harry smiled in amusement, waving him off to return to his duties. Ser Andrey was a dutiful knight and unable to understand Harry's comfort with magic for their protection.

He waited until the knight had left the godswood before he moved, stepping closer until he was a foot away from the weirwood. The carved face remained solemn, blood red sap slowly dripping, as if the weirwood was crying for something unseen.

The tree had remained silent since that first day, no longer reacting to the touch of his magic though it powered the wards.

"Always a blood price," he murmured, sighing as he took his wand out and cut a shallow line on his palm. A small part of Harry rebelled at the thought of what he was about to do, but Harry James had always been too curious for his own good, especially where magic was concerned.

He gasped when his bloody palm made contact with the tree, falling to his knees as his mind was assaulted with images.

There were tiny creatures, almost elf-like in appearance, surrounded by men with bronze armour, their bloody hands clasped as they stood in the midst of a circle weirwoods; there was a dragon flying in the air, horrible screeches escaping it as it clung viciously to another, larger dragon, the two falling into the island below and taking their riders with them; he saw a young man, no older than Teddy, with a sword in hand fall to his knees as a creature with cold, unearthly features shoved a spear of ice deeper into his chest.

It shifted abruptly, the vision fading until Harry was in a godswood larger than the one in the keep.

The Isle of Faces, he guessed, seeing the circle of weirwoods.

A tiny creature came forth; its skin was taught and wan, almost like Kreacher when they had first met except that it was riddled with scars, leaf-green eyes staring directly at Harry. There was an almost angry look in them, fury aimed at something Harry did not know.

"Be gone, Wizard. When the battle is won you shall have the answers you seek."

The creature snapped its fingers, and Harry abruptly found himself on the floor of the godswood, retching as what little food he had eaten made its way back up.


Green eyes watched carefully as the spark of flame grew too large, wand moving swiftly to smother the flames.

Daenerys turned indignant eyes on him but Harry ignored her displeasure, gesturing at the ground once more.

"Again," he said. They were in the godswood, standing well away from the lone weirwood and its pond, using the small clearing that separating the weirwood from the other trees that called Bloodstone's godswood home.

"I can make the flame grow," Dany argued.

"I'm aware, princess," Harry replied, a sharp glance warning her from demonstrating her prowess. "Any fool with magic can make something like that happen. It is control which differentiates us from the rest."

Daenerys pursed her lips, scowling lightly before she nodded. "How do I do that?"

"Have you been practicing the routines I set you?"

Harry's search for information on the things he had seen in the godswood had led him to a dead end. There were no books in the keep about those cold creatures or what he assumed were the Children of the Forest. Only tall tales remained, mixed in with legends and myths that he might have dismissed had he not felt the magic forcing him to witness the memories.

Instead, Harry had nearly all of Daenerys' lessons for the past month stopped, the youngest Targaryen spending most of her time working to control the bond between dragon and rider.

They had almost lost one of them when Stormbringer – Daenerys' cream dragon – had screeched threateningly at Maia, ignoring the hissed commands from the little girl.

It had taken Auriga a moment before she was stood protectively over his daughter, Stormbringer struggling pitifully beneath her foreleg. Rhaenys and Teddy had rushed forth, attempting to pull the older dragon away from the new hatchling, but Auriga had bared her teeth threateningly at Stormbringer, and Iacomus had very nearly reacted as well.

He'd moved swiftly after that incident; Maia had been banned from going near any of the dragons, and the younger hatchlings were kept near Auriga and Iacomus, the Horntail and Ironbelly better able to curb their aggression.

Harry himself had kept Daenerys and Viserys working on their occlumency, pushing them to learn to better control their emotions and the fire that came naturally to those of their bloodline. Worse still, that Daenerys and Viserys were all Targaryen fire with nothing to calm the influence of their blood.

Unsurprisingly, Harry found Viserys had taken better to learning control, the boy more practiced at keeping a handle on his emotions.

Daenerys continued to struggle, her dreams leaving her emotions tumultuous, but seeing Stormbringer at the mercy of the furious Horntail had left its mark.

"I have," she answered, frowning at the ground. "It works at times."

He sighed, waving Daenerys over as he dropped to sit on the floor. He waited until she seated herself next to him, the princess picking at the small blades of grass.

"Are you using the dream diary?" Harry asked gently, green eyes focused on Stormbringer. The dragon had grown quicker than expected, standing with a span width of five feet, cementing Harry's belief that the magic of the island was doing something to help them grow.

Creatures of magic indeed, he thought, eyes trailing along the purple and blue veins.

"I am," Dany nodded.

Harry waited for her to continue, staring expectantly at her.

"They still come," she admitted, purple eyes troubled. "Not so frequently now that I've been meditating and I have Stormbringer, but it's always there in the background."

"Fear is a powerful motivator, Dany. Stormbringer will react to your emotions strongly as the bond between you grows, and that can only happen if you work to build it. Else we'll have a troublesome dragon on our hands."

He could see the frustration on her face, and it took a moment before Harry remembered that there was something else that might help Dany ground her emotions.

"What do you say we go for a fly?" he asked suddenly, a small grin growing on his face.

"Fly? With the dragons?" she asked, eyes wide in confused excitement.

"Merlin, no. Much as they like me, I'm not sure I'd like to risk climbing on their backs right now," Harry said. "Winky!"

"Master Harry Potter sir is needing Winky?" The elf appeared wearing a black cotton dress, large eyes watching the dragon wearily.

"Yes. I'll need my broom, please."

Winky sent him a considering look, popping away without a word.

"Come on then," Harry said, climbing to his feet to make his way to the far end of the godswood. He scooped Stormbringer into his arms, ignoring the hisses escaping the dragon. "Behave."

"I thought you said…" she trailed off, mouth clicking shut as Harry gave a low chuckle.

"You're still grounded," he told her, lips quirked in amusement at her pout. "Today's an educational lesson."

He slowly approached the lounging Auriga, depositing the smaller dragon next to her. "Don't eat her."

"I don't eat dragons, Harry," Auriga hissed, nudging the hatchling closer to Caelyx. The dragons were still wilful, but weeks with Auriga and Iacomus had curbed much of their early aggression, and Teddy was slowly attempting to teach them parsel.

Winky returned with his broom in hand once they reached the gates, and Harry thanked the elf as she popped away. He gestured for Daenerys to get on, seeing the apprehensive look on her face before she steeled herself.

He had not sat on a broom behind his children since they were not much older than Maia, the three of them taking as well to the skies as any Peverell and Potter before them.

Harry settled in place, an arm wrapped protectively around Daenerys. "Ready?"

He waited for her to nod before he kicked off, her startled laughter trailing off as they zipped up above the castle, flying high until the clouds covered them.

"Hang on," he shouted, hoping she could hear him over the sound of rushing air. The sky rumbled ominously, a storm brewing somewhere to the north, and Harry slipped the holly wand into his palm, tapping Dany on the head before repeating the process twice more.

It was only when the disillusionment took hold, the faint outline of their figure showing in the light the only clue, that Harry urged the broom to move, gaining speed as they dipped below the clouds.

"What's that?" Dany shouted, voice faint as she doubtlessly pointed to the ships in the distance. There were two of them, too far out for him to make out the colours of their sails. Harry flew them closer, darting down until he could see the sea green sails clearly, a silver seahorse stitched carefully into it.

House Velaryon, he thought, recalling their sigil.

He turned the broom around, picking up speed as he flew back to Bloodstone, touching down softly at the far gates of the keep.

Harry removed the disillusionment charm, startling the two guards into drawing their swords before they relaxed upon recognizing him.

"My lord," they murmured. "Princess."

"Ser Garin, Ser Ulrick," Harry greeted, green eyes flicking to their sandy surroundings.

"Maester Garth has only just finished. I believe he is looking for you," Ser Garin informed him. The man was an orphan of the Greenblood who had risen to knighthood and was more than comfortable with hard work.

"I should see what he wants," Harry said, a wry grin on his face as he ushered Daenerys inside.

"Those ships belonged to House Velaryon," she said as they neared the weirwood tree. "Do you think they mean to come here?"

"Hmm. I suppose it is possible," Harry said idly.

He stopped suddenly, steps away from the weirwood, forcing Daenerys to stop as well.

"Dany, how did you feel when you were in the air?"

"Free," Daenerys answered, a wistful smile on her face. "Similar to how I imagine a dragon might feel in the air, like I belonged in the sky."

"Good," Harry said, a similar smile on his face. "Use that feeling whenever you feel your emotions getting the better of you. Dragons are not only fire and passion, Dany. They are creatures of the sky. Let the memory of flying calm you when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed."

"Is that what works for you?" Dany asked curiously, turning to walk alongside him.

"It is," he told her, dismissing her to wash up.


"How goes the dragon taming?" Oberyn asked as soon as he stepping into the study.

"Slow," Harry replied, huffing in amusement as the older prince did not bother to turn from the book open before him, flipping a page as he ran a finger along the words. "Any luck?"

"Were I Garth Greenhand I could turn this island into a glorious forest but alas, I am a mere mortal," Oberyn sighed piteously.

"How unfortunate, that the world must suffer such a loss," Harry snarked, grinning at the wounded look on Oberyn's face. "I suppose I should check in with the maester."

"No need," Oberyn said, waving him closer. Harry didn't know the title of the book Oberyn was thumbing through, but the man pointed to the words scrawled beneath the image of a pile of sand. "Quartz, my dear brother."

"What of it?"

"Truly, Harry, it amazes me that you do not know what I am leading to. Glass," he told him, an almost expectant look on his face before he sighed, muttering about his sister's failure in teaching her poor husband about the economy of Essos.

"Will you get on with it?" Harry said, rolling his eyes at the melodramatic tendencies of Oberyn Martell.

"Quartz is used in the formation of glass, Harry. Myr is famed for their glassmakers. No doubt their ships were here to remove some of the quartz Bloodstone is filled with. If you're lucky, you might even find some precious gems deeper in the mountains," Oberyn told him.

"So we should expect upset Myrish nobles," Harry stated. "Fantastic."

"Only so long as they don't know about the dragons. Or the magic," Oberyn agreed. "Myr hasn't the manpower to enforce their will, and sellswords can always be persuaded by those with the most gold. Something I'm sure is no problem for you. Anyhow, Doran has sent an envoy to Myr to dissuade them from thinking to send ships to retake the island, and they do make gold from your food purchases."

"What are the odds they'll listen?" Harry asked. Gold wasn't an issue, but facing aggression at their backs while they focused on Westeros was not something he wanted to deal with.

"If they wish to start another war there's always Lys and Tyrosh. Either sister-state can be persuaded to stake a claim on the Disputed Lands. Myr would never allow that to go unanswered. Or you could trade the quartz for food."

"Quarrelsome Essosi aside, there's a ship heading our way," Harry said, pausing as the door opened abruptly.

"Oh, it's just you two," Elia said, shoulders relaxing as she closed the door behind her.

"Are you hiding?" Oberyn's face held the delighted smile of a younger sibling gleefully taunting their elders.

"A little break to allow cooler heads to prevail," Elia said smoothly, shooting a dark look at her grinning brother. She pressed a kiss to his cheek, squeezing his hand lightly before falling into the seat behind the desk, dark eyes glancing expectantly at him. "What's this about a ship?"

"Ships," Harry amended. "Two of them, both flying a silver seahorse on sea green."

Elia's brows rose in surprise. "I did not think the Velaryons would take such an open risk."

"They've no love for the Usurper," Oberyn reminded them. "Lord Lucerys died helping Rhaella escape, and Lord Monford only bent the knee out of necessity; he remains very much against the Baratheon."

"No, he was never one to forget his loyalties," Elia said softly. "When can we expect them?"

"Tomorrow," Harry said, guessing how long it would take the ships. It had taken him near an hour flying at almost full speed; if the winds were fair, the ships would reach Bloodstone sometime in the morning. "Early morning, I'd guess."

"We'll need rooms prepared for them," Elia stated, pulling a piece of parchment closer as she drew the quill from the pot. "At least four, in case Lord Velaryon comes with another Crownlord. Preferably far away from Lord Connington's rooms."

"And if Lord Velaryon should send his bastard brother?" Oberyn drawled, an impish look on his face as Elia stilled.

"Then as far away from Ser Jon while keeping him within the inner keep," Elia said, jotting down a list for the steward. "I've not seen Aurane in years, but I'm unsure if he has grown to like the man."

Harry exchanged a glance with Oberyn, wordlessly telling him to get lost. He only smiled in response, taking the list from his sister with an exaggerated bow.

"It would be my honour, sweet sister, to be your messenger for the evening," Oberyn said, winking at her before he sauntered off in search of their steward and Maester Garth.

The door had barely closed before Harry was pulling her into a kiss, feeling Elia relax against him.

"Which of them do I have to shove headlong into the sea?" he asked half-jokingly, leaning his forehead against hers.

"There's no need," she murmured. "I fear Lord Tarly is looking for any excuse to remove a few heads."

Harry huffed softly in laughter, imagining the grizzly commander swinging his Valyrian steel greatsword at whoever had displeased him. The man had taken to his role with alacrity, becoming a staunch supporter and always willing to knock loose a few heads should the Princess Regent ask.

"You're taking on too much," Harry said softly, eyeing her in concern. Lewyn's birth had been difficult enough without the added stress of her position, and Harry worried what strength she had regained might see a setback.

"Such is the life of a regent," she told him, warm lips claiming his once more. "How fares Dany?"

"Slowly getting better," Harry mumbled. "It'll take time, but I expect that she'll show some progress soon."

"And your other project?" Dark eyes watched him carefully, gazing intently at his to glean his thoughts.

"It can wait," Harry said firmly. He was not about to run off into magical conspiracies when they were in such a precarious position. "I'll deal with it after."

When the battle is won, he remembered. Whether they meant this one or something else, Harry suspected the being he had seen – the Child of the Forest – was content to wait for him to come to them.


He met them outside the first keep, green eyes watching carefully as the guards checked to ensure they wouldn't be bringing weapons inside.

The man before him took it graciously, ordering his guards to stand down. He was a tall and handsome man, with the classic pale hair of the Valyrian houses and dark blue, almost purple eye. There was another man beside him, thinner in the face but with some of the same features, grey-green eyes shining in mischief.

"Lord Velaryon and his companions, my lord," Serrick introduced.

"Lord Potter-Black, I presume," Monford said, eyes scrutinizing Harry.

The Potter-Black crests flapped in the wind, the colours matching Harry's attire for this evening. The maester had insisted on settling House words but Harry had put him off for the time being, uncertain as to his choice and knowing it was not yet necessary.

"Lord Velaryon," Harry greeted. "Welcome to Bloodstone."

"My brother, Aurane," he introduced, carefully watching as Harry greeted the younger man without hesitation.

Monford's eyes flicked over his shoulder, where Oberyn was no doubt making his way over.

"Lord Monford," Oberyn greeted, an almost careless smile on his face.

"Prince Oberyn. It seems there is some truth to the rumours of a new House on the Stepstones," the Velaryon replied.

"Rumour?" Harry asked idly, catching Ser Garin's eye. The guards fell into step as Harry led the way inside the castle.

"It's set the Seven Kingdoms alight with speculation," Lord Monford said. "Or so I'm told. It's not every man that lives to see someone claim the Stepstones for longer than a moon."

"And what does House Velaryon think?"

"Perhaps there is another Daemon come again," he said, eyes glinting in curiosity.

He didn't respond, letting Oberyn chatter to the two brothers as he led them deeper inside. Harry heard the soft gasp escape them at the sight of black stone, nodding as Serrick led them off to the side.

He made his way inside with Oberyn, walking to the front of the great hall to stand beside Elia.

"Lord Monford and his brother," Harry said at her questioning look.

"And another, though I can't tell who it is," Oberyn added, a curious look on his face.

"Time to learn who it is seeks Aegon's favour," Elia murmured, nodding at the guard.

The doors opened, Serrick announcing their guests in a strong voice.

They made quite the impression; the hall was donned with several tapestries blazoned with Harry's personal crest, silvery-grey silk shining in the candlelight. Aegon stood at the centre, Elia on one side and Lord Tarly on the other, the rest of the family arrayed around him with two Kingsguard knights stood before him.

He saw Oswell stiffen from the corner of his eyes, his gaze fixated on one of the guards that had accompanied Lord Velaryon.

"Your Grace. Princess Regent," Lord Monford said, bowing deeply as he turned smiling eyes to Elia. "House Velaryon has come to swear itself once more to the Targaryen king as it has for centuries. As does my companion."

He gestured at the guard that had caught Oswell's eye, and Harry felt Elia tense in surprise as the man moved forward, the light illuminating his face.

"Your Grace, Princess Regent," the man said. He was a tall and broad-shouldered man, with dark hair and stormy blue-grey eye that glanced warily at the two white swords. "I've come to swear the swords of House Lonmouth to your cause."


Just a heads up, I've removed the mention of Ser Richard in ch.49, his story will be a bit different then originally imagined.

To answer any questions/comments:

era-romance: Jon is probably my favourite character in canon, so I hope I do him justice. He won't make it to Bloodstone, but they'll meet in around a dozen? chapters. I can kinda sorta see why Ned thought what he did was best but it would have been kinder to let Howland foster Jon. Cheers!

osterreicher97: glad you enjoyed the family bonding. Daenerys' dreams are a bit more prominent here, and with the heavy presence of magic at Bloodstone it seems easier for her to follow the instructions. We'll see more about the maesters and how far they were involved. Cheers!

Guest: Jon's going to pop up in about a dozen chapters (give or take a few). He's one of my faves in canon so it's hard trying to strike a balance, lol. Their first meeting is semi-explosive because of how it occurs and that he's still ignorant of his parentage, but he and Harry have an unfortunate thing in common. Cheers!

Akallas von Aerak: Glad you enjoyed it. The magic is more pronounced at this point, so Dany needed less oomph to get her dragons.

jdrussom66: touche, and he wouldn't need more than a single example (mass lightning? can it even hit more than one person at a time?) before people start deserting. But then I remember that people still fought Aegon and his sisters even after Harrenhal was destroyed, and I'm not sure on whether knights would decide to bail or take their chances.

red demon161: Glad you enjoyed the family moment. I couldn't see her without it, but I can see how it might have gotten to her. Dany in canon goes from having no power or agency to being a khaleesi with three dragons and an almost worshipful following, plus the bond with the dragons that she likely didn't understand as much as she might have in another world. Like you said, here she's got a number of people willing to help her work on that and remind her of the very real dangers of letting all that power get to you.

Up next; with more allies surrounding them, Elia and co. plan the final stages of the restoration.