Kings Landing 298 AC.
Jae.
After leaving Bloodraven and the rest of the children on the Isle of Faces, after sending Syrax back to Margaery and praying that the vision he had would work out as he hoped, he had flown back to the wall. Leaf seemed far more excited this time on the flight, she seemed to enjoy it more, which he could understand given she was alone now. When they reached the wall he heard the gasps of the men as he landed the dragon closer than he'd done before.
"That's a dragon." one of the guards said loudly as he and Leaf walked to the gate.
They were soon met by a group of the black brothers and then his uncle and the Lord Commander, both of them looking at Leaf almost as much as they were the dragon. Though before they could say anything he was almost knocked over by a white blur which had Leaf even more intrigued than the dragon had his uncle.
"I missed you too Ghost." he said chuckling as his uncle began to speak.
"Is that?" Benjen asked.
"She uncle, her name is Leaf." Jae said and he caught the small smile on Leaf's face when he spoke.
"The dragon is it safe?" Jeor asked.
"Brankardix won't harm you or your men Lord Commander, uncle we need to go." he said and Benjen nodded.
"You're going too?" Jeor asked and Jae realized that Benjen hadn't told him.
"I am, I'll return Jeor, but I need to see my sister, my family."
"Aye, give my best to Ned and to Lyanna, Maege too if you see her."
It took them some time to figure out what to do with the bodies, the wights as Leaf called them, eventually using ropes and chains he impaled them on Brankardix's horns and tied them down. Then after Aemon and Benjen said their goodbyes he helped them onto the dragon.
"Uncle Aemon you'll sit in front of me, uncle Benjen you sit behind and hold on, Leaf can sit behind you with Ghost as she's more used to flying."
"As you say nephew." Aemon said.
He could feel his uncle's excitement as he helped him up onto Brankardix's back, he took his hands in his and showed him where to hold on and when he felt Benjen's arms go around him they took off. While Benjen trembled be it in worry or in fear, Aemon chuckled as if he was a young boy once again.
"I'm flying, I'm actually on a dragon. I wish I could see it, nephew, see the world beneath me, but I thank you for this." Aemon said.
"I'm happy to have you here with me uncle." he replied truthfully.
They stopped off in the Riverland's and he removed the wights from the dragon's back before tying them to a tree. Leaf once again picked up discarded branches and Jae looked around but could find nothing for Brankardix to eat. Once they had allowed the dragon to rest they were soon off again and Leaf showed him where the chains they had used to tie the wights to the dragon were beginning to melt, the ropes themselves long gone.
Thankfully the flight to King's Landing didn't take them as long as he thought it would and they soon landed in the Dragonpit. Still, he found when he removed the chains he'd used to tie the wights to Brankardix that they were now useless. Thankfully though the ones used to bind the wights themselves were still strong. His uncle and Leaf watched the wights though it was Ghost who he knew would take them down should it need to be done, and so he took the opportunity to tell Brankardix to go feed and rest.
"Thank you, my son, I am proud of you." he whispered as he lent his head again the dragon's, feeling his son's joy at making his father feel that way.
The dragon had no sooner taken off than Margaery and the Kingsguard arrived and he felt both relieved and happy to see his wife leading the way. Arthur, Gerold, and Oswell along with Loras, Brienne, and their other guards following along.
"Arthur, I need a cart for them." he said pointing to the wights while Arthur looked instead at Leaf "Arthur." he said and then the knight noticed him and began to give out orders, two riders rushing off to see it done.
"You are unharmed my love." his wife said when she reached him.
"I am, are you?" he asked and she smiled as he kissed her "I have some people I wish you to meet Margaery."
He brought her over to his uncles while around him guards looked torn between watching either Leaf or the wights, Ghost stood still with his haunches up ready to pounce at a moment's notice in case it was needed.
"Uncle Aemon, Uncle Benjen, this is Margaery, my wife." he said and tried not to smirk at the little wink his uncle Benjen gave him.
"Your grace, it's a pleasure to meet you." Benjen said far more proper than he had expected.
"Please call me Margaery, we're family." she said and Benjen smiled as she moved to Aemon.
"It is good to meet you my queen." Aemon said and both he and his uncle himself were surprised when Margaery hugged him.
"You too uncle." she said and he felt himself choke up as Aemon wiped a tear from his eye.
"We should head back your grace, before a crowd forms." Ser Gerold said.
"Those things are most important to me, Ser Gerold, they need to be kept chained, the sacks kept on their heads and I need them undamaged." he said and saw Gerold look to Oswell a slight bit of worry in his eyes "Trust me on this Ser, they are not men, but here is not the place to discuss it."
"Your grace." his Lord Commander said as he moved to secure the wights.
"Margaery, this is Leaf, she's one of the children." he said walking over to his wife who was looking at Leaf with disbelief.
"Children?"
"Children of the Forest, I'll explain more when we're back at the Red Keep."
He, Leaf, his uncles, and Margaery got into the carriage, and soon they were heading back, Margaery telling him what had happened with Glover, and he trying to keep his temper in check. He found his eyes looking over every inch of his wife, trying to see if there was even a single scratch on her, if he found one he didn't know if Glover would make it through the night.
Thankfully though he did not and after she reassured him once again and he then told his uncles they'd be meeting the rest of their family soon, he relaxed some as he felt his wife take his hand. Leaf sat smiling while looking at his wife's stomach and when he saw her reach out to touch it his hand automatically went to hers stopping her, the child looking at him in confusion.
"The babes are strong my prince." Leaf said and he heard his wife's gasp.
"What?"
"The babes are strong, a prince and a princess, you have seen them have you not?" Leaf said.
"Jae?" Margaery looked at him.
"I..it was true?"
He found himself unable to speak, unable to talk and instead he just turned to Margaery who was looking at him questioningly, he smiled before leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"We'll talk when we get back, I'll explain it all, I love you." he said and she turned and kissed his cheek.
His uncle went to question him but he just shook his head while Aemon just sat there with a grin on his face. When they arrived at the Red Keep, Dany, Tyrion, Jon, his uncle, and his mother were all waiting along with Kalors, Barristan, and Jaime. He got out of the carriage and helped Margaery and then Aemon out and heard the gasp from Dany as well as the excited breath exhaled by Benjen when he saw his mother.
"I would say we'd do this inside, uncles, but I doubt either of you can wait. Uncle Benjen, I'm sure you and my mother have much you'd like to talk about. Uncle Aemon could you come with me, there is someone I know you've been wishing to meet."
"She is here, Daenerys is here?" Aemon asked excitedly.
"She is, forgive me my love." he said to Margaery who just nodded and motioned for him to go to Dany.
He walked over to Dany holding his uncle's hand all the way and saw the tears were already falling down her face.
"Dany, this is our uncle, Aemon Targaryen." he said and she reached out and threw her arms around his uncle before saying a word.
"Uncle, uncle, I'm so happy to finally meet you." she said holding him gently given his age.
"Daenerys, or do you prefer Dany?" Aemon said his own tears falling also.
"Dany, to you I want to be Dany."
"Dany, come, my child, we have much to talk about." Aemon said and they walked towards the Red Keep.
He walked back to Margaery and taking her hand he walked with her into the castle, shaking his head when Tyrion went to speak.
"We'll speak in a while, I need to speak to my wife first." he said and Tyrion nodded before looking to Leaf who was standing looking around looking at the Red Keep in awe "Perhaps you can find a room my friend, Tyrion."
"Of course your grace."
Kings Landing 298 AC.
Margaery.
She was glad he was back and that he was safe and well, it even gave her a little flutter in her stomach when she saw how his eyes roamed her body when he had checked to see that she was truly unharmed. Meeting his uncles was something she had enjoyed and she wished to get to know them better. But the strange girl, the child, the child of the forest, surely she couldn't be real, she had to be a mummer of some sort though she knew not why Jae would go to such lengths.
The ride back in the carriage was both strange and wonderful and now as they walked back to their rooms she felt her hand going to her stomach. Could it be true? Could she really be with child? She had been feeling unwell but had put that down to missing her husband, finding her nights and mornings to be far more lonely with him not by her side.
"You're very quiet." Jae said with an annoying smirk on his face as they finally reached their room.
"I…" she said as they entered all other words silenced as he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply.
"God's I missed you." he said when he finally let her go.
"Really? I'd never have guessed." she said making him laugh.
He took her hand and walked over to their desk, but as she went to move to take her seat he pulled her to him and she was soon laughing as he lifted her up and sat down with her still in his arms.
"Jae." she said hitting him on the chest.
"What? We can talk like this." he said before he leaned in his mouth close to her ear "Don't you prefer talking like this my love." he said his voice barely a whisper and she found that yes she really did.
"The child Jae?" she asked more seriously than she had intended.
"Her name is Leaf, she's one of the children of the forest. I moved her and the others to the Isle of Faces along with the Three-Eyed Raven."
"The what?"
"Margaery, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I swear it's the truth."
"Tell me Jae." she asked determinedly.
So he told her of it all, of the dreams he had since he was a boy, of the visits in those dreams of the Three-eyed Raven, Brynden Rivers, Lord Bloodraven, and she found herself shivering slightly at that. He told her then of the things he had gone to recover and what they truly were and she found herself leaning closer to him, happy for the comfort and protection his arms offered.
"What she said Jae, about babes, do you? Could she?"
"I dreamed of a future Margaery, a wife, and two children, a boy, and a girl. I couldn't see who it was I was with but I saw some, her brown hair, her golden eyes, I can see now it was you, it was always you."
She felt her chest tighten, he had dreamed of her, of them and their future, children, they would have children, a prince and princess the child, Leaf, had said.
"I need to see a Maester Jae, I've been unwell lately, tired."
"What? For how long? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked worriedly.
"I wasn't sure, I thought it was just the changes in my life, being here with you and.." she breathed out deeply "Maybe the things we do." she said blushing.
"Has it been terrible, the sickness?" he asked brushing her hair from her eyes.
"Tolerable." she said as he kissed her forehead.
"We should ask Aemon to look at you, I don't trust anyone else."
"We should."
"Glover?"
"Locked in a cell, I wasn't sure what you wished for him."
"Did he get close to you?"
"No, Arthur was at him before he could blink, he never saw it coming. Jae, I ordered a tourney to be held." she said and looked to him wondering what he'd think of the idea.
"I had meant to have one, for our coronation, for Arthur and my mother. Perhaps now we can have one for our babes." he said and she smiled happily at the idea.
"Our babes, did you already have names picked out for them your grace." she giggled.
"I did, I mean in my dream they had names." he said softly "Rhaenys and Aegon."
"Rhaenys and Aegon." she said as she kissed his lips.
They stayed like that for quite some time, her husband holding her hand and every so often rubbing her stomach. When he began to laugh all of a sudden she looked at him confused.
"What?" she asked.
"I was just thinking, this is perhaps the longest I've ever held you while you were fully dressed."
"Jaehaerys Targaryen, how dare you I am a lady." she said her lopsided smile showing her humorous intent.
"A very beautiful lady, a very very beautiful lady, the most beautiful lady." he said kissing her each time he paused after the words.
"We do have work to do." she said breathlessly as he moved to her ear and gently bit it making her stomach do a somersault.
"Work bad, this better." Jae said and she laughed.
"You're not even trying anymore are you?"
"Too tired, we should sleep." he said, and then she felt his tongue and his lips on the back of her neck.
"It's not sleep you want." she said giggling some more.
"You're wrong my queen, it's not only sleep I want." he said.
"Then perhaps we should hurry through our work for the day and then take an early night?" she suggested.
"You're no fun." he pouted and she laughed as he kissed her once again and helped her up.
"I am so much fun." she said pretending to be put out.
"You are. Come we'll do some of that work thing then if we must, perhaps later I'll be lucky enough to see fun Margaery" he said taking her hand.
They left the room and followed Ser Oswell and Ser Gerold to where everyone was already waiting. Walking into the private sitting area they found Dany still talking excitedly to Aemon while Benjen spoke to his brother and sister. Tyrion and Jon were talking to each other when they spotted them and as they rose everyone else went to do so too, but Jae raised his hand and bid them take their seats.
"Where is Leaf?" Jae asked Tyrion.
"I gave her a room in the royal wing, for now, your grace."
"Ser Oswell can you bring her here."
"At once your grace."
"I think we need the rest of the small council and Lady Olenna too, Ser Barristan, Ser Jaime." Jae said and both knights went to do as they were bid.
They sat while the knights went to bring the rest of the people to the meeting and she found herself looking to Maester Aemon, thinking over what Jae had said. She hoped he went about this privately and was glad when he turned to whisper it in her ear "We'll speak to Aemon later." he said and she nodded.
"Your grace, those things you brought back, what are they?" Tyrion asked.
"Where did you place them?" Jae asked.
"We had them chained up in a cell your grace, they're well guarded." Jon said.
"Good, I think it's best we wait until everyone is here, there will be many questions and I'd rather face them only once today."
Her brother and grandmother were the first to arrive, with them staying in the Maidenvault it made it easier to find them, they were followed by Lord Varys and Lord Velaryon, then Lord Wyman and Ser Davos. Jae got up and whispered to Ser Arthur who then left a moment later before Ser Oswell arrived with Leaf, who now looked more like what Jae said she was.
Her grandmother looked to her in confusion and she just shook her head, forcing her to look to Willas who was staring at the girl, the woman, child, whatever it was that Leaf was. She like others was surprised when Prince Oberyn was brought in by Ser Arthur and then Jae asked for the rest of the Kingsguard to be brought in and for other guards to take the doors in their stead.
She was glad they'd decided to have it in this room, as pretty soon it was crowded and once everyone was seated or standing Jae began to speak.
"Firstly some introductions for our guests, my uncles Benjen Stark and Aemon Targaryen, both are brothers of the Night's Watch and I've asked both of them to consider accepting being released from their vows, though they've yet to answer me." Jae said his little jape at the end getting a chuckle from the Maester.
"Patience your grace." Aemon said still chuckling while Dany held his hand as if she was never going to let it go.
"Our other guest you can call Leaf though that's not her real name, Leaf would you tell them what you're called among your people."
The sound the child made then was melodic, almost a song and it was beautiful, she looked to the girl when she finished and to her grandmother and brother who were now looking on even more intrigued.
"Leaf is a child of the forest, among the last of them." Jae said and she saw his uncle Ned and his mother both stare more eagerly at the child while Oberyn looked on with the same expression as Tyrion did, inquisitiveness and doubt clear on both their faces.
"This is impossible." Ser Davos said.
"More so than dragons Ser Davos?" Jon Connington said and Ser Davos shook his head.
"When I met with the Northern Lords I told them my intention to bring the Free Folk through the wall, to settle them in The Gift, and that this was needed. Unsurprisingly this did not go down well and I was then forced to tell them the reason for it, Leaf if you would?." Jae said.
"The other's rise, their army is already too large, for everyone who falls they gain another. What stands between them and The Wall is the Free Folk, if they remain there they will fall and the Night King will have more meat for his army." Leaf said and it was Oberyn who laughed first.
"Myths, legends, and tales of children, this is what you bring us?."
"The army will come, the wall will fall and unless the prince stops him, so will man." Leaf said and though her expression never changed it was clear she was angry.
"Your grace, as convincing as Leaf may be." Ned Stark said and he didn't sound convinced in the slightest though his brother grabbed his arm "She won't convince the Lords of the North." and she saw not only Lord Wyman but Ser Davos, Monford, Tyrion and her brother all nod their agreement.
"I know uncle, Leaf is here because she knows things even I do not, she and the man who's been guiding me. The man who is now with the rest of the children will be our greatest help in dealing with what's to come, just as they have with me for all my life." Jae said smiling before taking a breath and looking at her.
"Man your grace?" her grandmother asked.
"The Three-Eyed Raven, though perhaps you'd know him better under another name, Brynden Rivers, Lord Bloodraven."
"That's impossible."
"He has to be over one hundred namedays." the voices called out though who said what she wasn't sure.
"As am I." Aemon said silencing the room "A thousand eyes and one that's what the rhymes would say when they spoke of him. How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have, a thousand eyes and one. My kinsman was born a bastard, rose to become Hand to two kings, and served for over four and twenty years before being sent to the wall.
He was Lord Commander for ten and three years before he disappeared, during that time, during all the time I knew Brynden one thing was forever clear." Aemon said.
"What uncle?" Dany asked.
"Nothing is impossible when it comes to Bloodraven, nothing."
"My uncles and Leaf were not all I brought back. I brought back the proof I promised my uncle and the Lords of the North, the proof I promised you prince Oberyn. Lord Jon, Lord Tyrion I ask you to ready the Dragonpit and to organize for the Lords and their most trusted men to be brought there.
Lord Stark, Lady Olenna I ask you to see to your own lords, when it's ready I'll show them all the proof. For those who doubt my words, I ask you to give me this time to see it done and I'll see it arranged on the morrow that you too will see the truth." Jae said and she saw nods.
"Of course your grace." her grandmother said.
"Your grace." Ned Stark said a moment later.
"Uncle Aemon can we speak to you for a moment in private."
"Of course your grace." Aemon said
"Jon, Arthur, perhaps you could wait with Prince Oberyn, the rest of the Kingsguard too, you also Tyrion." Jae said as he stood up and took her hand.
They left with Aemon and walked down back to their rooms, the old man moving surprisingly spryly for a man of over a hundred namedays.
"Still feeling well uncle?"
"I am nephew, you did well in there."
"They won't believe it until they see it for themselves uncle, all I can do is show them."
"You've learned a lot Jaehaerys, was it really my kin who taught you."
"It was, it's hard to explain too much, but perhaps when we have time, you, I, and Leaf could speak. She can tell you more about Lord Bloodraven than even I can."
"Of course nephew I think I would enjoy hearing more of my kinsman."
When they reached the room Jae called for Olyvar and her ladies and told them to wait outside. Once inside he quickly turned to her and she nodded before he then turned to Aemon.
"Uncle, we believe Margaery to be with child, could you examine her, I find myself mistrustful of anyone else."
"Of course nephew, I may need some things."
"Olyvar and Margaery's ladies in waiting will get anything you need."
"Then I shall be back in a moment." Aemon said walking to the door.
She was about to ask Jae if he could do so on his own, but the man moved as if he knew the room intimately.
"Nervous?" Jae said turning to her.
"No, I'm Excited."
Kings Landing 298AC.
Oberyn.
He wasn't sure what kind of game the king was trying to play, a child of the forest, Bloodraven, though having his grand-uncle how many times removed here was a good political move. Still, he waited and wondered what it was he wished him to see, despite everything he said seeming crazy, he found that he didn't believe the boy to be as mad as his grandfather. He just couldn't get a handle on him, on his motivations, or his endgame, other than sitting the throne that was.
After he had threatened him, a threat which he found actually scared even him, he had done as he was asked and sent the letter to Doran. He had then been reunited with Ellaria and his children, had seen his men, and apart from a bruise to Obara's ego for how she had been taken down, they were unharmed. Since then they'd been treated as guests, true they were prisoners and couldn't leave or go anywhere without an escort, but they'd been treated well.
"What is it he wishes us to see?". he asked and it was Ser Gerold who glared at him first.
"He is the king Prince Oberyn and you will refer to him as such."
"It's quite alright Ser Gerold, let Oberyn play his games." he heard the king's voice as he walked back into the room. "Good you're all here, shall we?".
They walked down to the cells, the king surrounded by his knights, he, Jon Connington, and Tyrion walking behind him. Once they reached them the king looked inside to see and then bid them stay while he walked in and made sure the room was well lit. When he was happy it was he came back out and bid them all join him inside. It was a tight squeeze and for the briefest moment he glanced at Ser Owsell's sword before he heard the king's laugh.
"You'd never make it Oberyn, if one of these fine men didn't cut you down then he would." the king said and he saw it then the white wolf sitting in the corner of the cell watching him silently.
"It was just a thought your grace." he said and the king laughed yet again.
"Well we can't take you head for thinking now can we." the king said.
Oberyn looked at him then and he hated to admit but the boy impressed him the more he spent time near him.
"I want you all to look and look carefully, this is what's coming for us all."
When the king reached out and grabbed the sack Oberyn found himself looking on with great anticipation, what was he about to show them? What was this proof? Who was coming for them?. In his lifetime Oberyn had been scared less than a handful of times, once as a small boy, once when he was surrounded by men trying to kill him in Essos, the birth of his second child with Ellaria and when the King had spoken to him. All of those times paled in comparison to the fear he now felt of the sight in front of him. Looking around he could see he was not alone and yet he took no comfort in the fear of others, instead looking to the king and being surprised that he alone looked unafraid.
The thing chained to the wall was dead, of that there was no doubt and yet it moved, it lived still. The flesh on its face was falling off and torn, and as they looked at it suddenly it began to shriek and the king covered it back up, the sack quickly put back on its head. As they walked out of the cell the white wolf followed and looking at its red eyes, for once they seemed natural compared to the bright blue ones he'd just seen.
"We should talk somewhere else." the king said and he received no questions, no second opinions or objections, Oberyn like the others just following him as they walked back to the royal apartments.
Once inside he sent for wine for those who wished it and juice and water for those who didn't. Oberyn being one of the former, while the king and the Kingsguard all went for water.
"What you all just saw is called a wight, and they make up the Night King's army." the king said.
"How many your grace?" Ser Gerold asked.
"I don't know for certain Gerold, only that I need the entirety of Westeros to beat them."
"The only war that matters." Oberyn said and the king and the others looked to him "This is the war you meant?" he asked and the king nodded.
"There is only one war that matters, the Great War, and it is coming. When it does we must be prepared for it. All of us, every kingdom, the Free Folk, my dragons, all our own men, all of us, and even then it may not be enough."
"When?" Tyrion asked shakily.
"I don't know, we have time, I just hope it's enough." the king replied.
"You wish Dorne's spears?" Oberyn asked.
"The wall will fall prince Oberyn, maybe the North too, then the south and by the time they get to Dorne they'll be unstoppable. All you know, every single person you love will fall, but that's not even the worst of it." the king said.
"What is?" he asked curiously and yet very much not wanting his question answered.
"Fighting them when they rise again." the king said.
They sat in silence for a few moments, all of them contemplating the king's words, all of them trying to come to terms with what they'd seen, what they now knew. The dead would rise and come for them that much was clear, that it would take everyone to stop them even more so, but could they actually be stopped, could it be done? On that, he wasn't sure and as he looked to the king he knew it then. If it could then he was the only one who could do so.
He got up and walked towards the king, Arthur and Gerold looking at him but relaxing when the white wolf made no move. When he reached him he looked the boy in the eye, saw the little half-smile on his face and saw it clearly then, he was his father's son, his sister's brother, he was Rhaegar, he was Rhaenys, he was Aegon.
"The pain I feel over my sister's death, over my niece and nephew's death may never go away, rightly I blame your father, wrongly I blame you. I cannot change how I feel right now, maybe in time I can look upon your face and not see him, not see them, or maybe one day I'll look upon it and see my niece and nephew and not feel the pain I feel right now."
"I don't ask you to forgive nor to forget prince Oberyn."
"No, on that I'm thankful, you do ask me to kneel though." he said as he took a knee "I prince Oberyn Nymeros Martell pledge my fealty and my spear to you. I will guard your back, my king, I will fight with you, I swear it on my sister, my niece, my nephew. I will stand with you in the war to come and should we both survive, I will stand with you in the peace that follows."
"Rise Prince Oberyn, I accept your fealty and your spear for I have need of both, I would name you my Master of Laws and ask you to take a seat on my council."
"I would do so with honor your grace." he said as he stood back up.
"See Jon all it took was for the dead to rise." the king said and he found himself laughing along with the king and others in the room, though he felt it was more a release of tension than at the king's joke.
He meant every word though and he would do his best to ensure that Doran did likewise, the war was coming, they needed to stand together for the sake of Dorne and for the sake of his family. To survive they needed to stand with Jaehaerys Targaryen.
Kings Landing 298 AC.
Jamie Lannister.
By the time he went off duty, he was hungry and was glad to be able to eat with his family, the king had sent Tyrion with him saying they would be busy enough in the days to come. So that night he ate with his brother, his son, and his daughter, though Tommen had still to be told the truth. His son was happy though, happier than he had seen him in a long time.
He and the king's cousin had become friendly, now with his other cousin here too all three of them had spent time together and Tommen had been happy to be with children, to be allowed to play and be the boy he truly was. Myrcella was a different matter, her own happiness came from what the king was allowing her to do. Given what he now knew was coming, it only made him more determined to ensure she got however much happiness she could.
As for Tyrion, his brother reveled in being Hand of the King, in being thought important and being listened to and respected. That alone may have been enough for his own happiness, but it was the woman beside him who was mainly the cause of that. For that Shae was someone Jaime liked, someone he was glad to have around, seeing his brother so free and content made his own loss that much easier to bear.
"You're very quiet uncle?" Myrcella asked, both of them agreeing to only truly speak in private.
"Am I? I hadn't noticed." he said with a small smile "How was your day Cella?"
"It was good, I wished to leave the keep but I was advised perhaps it's better if I waited. But I was allowed to have a dressmaker come to me so it all worked out."
"It's probably for the best, there are still those who hate our family Cella, it'll take time for that to change." he said.
"Will it change uncle?" she asked nervously.
"It will, your uncle is Hand of the King, a good king that the people respect. I'm one of his Kingsguard, you'll be married to a prince, soon people will think differently, but for now, it is what it is."
"When will Prince Doran be arriving?"
"Within the week, just in time for the tourney." he said and Myrcella smiled.
"Will you compete?"
"I will, besides I have a beautiful niece I wish to crown my Queen of Love and Beauty." he said and her smile this time was beaming, though she blushed a little too.
"Will it be a big tourney, uncle? "Tommen asked.
"It will, are you looking forward to it?"
"I am, Arya and Shireen said we'll see all the best knights, that Prince Oberyn and Ser Arthur Dayne will compete."
"They probably will." he said and he smiled himself at the thoughts of riding against Arthur once again.
"It's just a shame I'm too small my lady, it seems I'll need to have a garland made instead." he heard Tyrion say and saw both kisses the woman gave his brother and the smile which appeared on his face.
When dinner was over, he and Myrcella put Tommen to bed and he walked his daughter back to her room. Their arms were entwined as they walked and he felt more like a father than he had ever done before. Partly because of worry he'd be found out and partly because he wasn't sure how to actually be a father, he had always refrained from being overly affectionate with the children as they grew up.
Now though he could be, he now had no fear that his actions would lead to his or their deaths, or that they would reject his affections, something he now knew he had feared also. It felt good, it felt right, and more than that it seemed to be what Myrcella and Tommen wished for too, and he wondered had they been that starved of affection growing up, or was it just his they wanted.
"Father, can you sit with me for a while?" Myrcella asked nervously.
"Of course I'd love to Cella." he said and they entered her room, he sat down beside her on the bed when she bid him and she turned to him.
"Will you..my wedding, will you come?"
"Of course I will, you think there is anything that would make me miss it?"
"I..it's just that it'll probably be in Dorne now since Trystane's status is so much higher than my own."
"Cella, you may not wear a crown or carry the title, but you will always be my princess." he said and she smiled as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you, father."
"I..I wish mother could have seen me marry." she said sadly.
"She'll be looking down on you Cella, watching over you, she'll be there with you, here." he said pointing to his heart "You carry her here with you always." he said and she nodded as she leaned into him, his arm going around her shoulder.
She had grown so much and while she may look like a young lady she was still only a child, his child, and so he'd be there for her as often and in any way he could. He heard her yawn after a few moments and so kissed her forehead then stood up to allow her to ready herself for bed.
"I'll see you on the morrow daughter, I love you, always."
"I love you too father." she said as he left the room.
He walked back to Tyrion's room and knocked hoping his brother hadn't fallen asleep or worse he wasn't interrupting any other activity. He found he was doing neither and so asking for him to join him for a few moments, he and Tyrion taking a seat while Shae went to bed.
"Sorry." he said and Tyrion laughed.
"Well make it quick and I'll forgive you." Tyrion said and he laughed with him.
"The children Tyrion, what is to happen. I mean I know Myrcella is to be married, but Tommen, their names, what's to happen?"
"His grace has named them as Waters, or Joffrey at least, with Tommen I don't know. I think he's to be a ward of the crown, but he's not a hostage Jaime, I think his grace wishes it so he can be close to us both."
"And when he's older?"
"I don't know, a Maester perhaps?"
"You think he wishes for that?"
"I think he may, but I don't know Jaime, besides given what we saw today can we really make plans for the future?." Tyrion said worriedly.
"He'll beat them Tyrion, have faith in that, he'll beat them."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Look what he's done so far, he won a war with one battle, he didn't even have to kill many men to do so, seven hells he actually went out of his way not to. Did you speak to our men, to Stannis's?"
"No."
"They aimed to wound, the dragons contained rather than attacked the men, true some fell, some were burned." he said shuddering at the word "But most, most were saved, more people fell against Stannis, against father, than against the king and his dragons."
"Maybe he didn't have the stomach to kill them, Jaime? If so then is he really the best man to lead us through what's to come?"
"You think he doesn't have the stomach?"
"No, he does, I know he does, I just…"
"What brother?" he asked as Tyrion looked shaken.
"When Stannis was coming I knew we could die, had he won I knew that. I knew that the children, that you, father, all of us would likely lose our heads, and yet I was not afraid. Our plans were sound, we could beat him, in the end, he was just a man and we could beat him."
"And."
"These things Jaime, they're not men, how do we beat them?"
"With a dragon Tyrion, we beat them with a dragon."
Kings Landing 298 AC.
Margaery.
After the Maester had examined her and she found herself relieved the man was blind, not wishing any man other than her husband to ever see her so intimately, she found herself walking on air. The smile was almost stuck to her face as she stood in front of the looking glass, as her hand touched her stomach, a babe, she carried a babe, or if Leaf was right, two.
A little boy and girl, a prince and princess, she was so happy she could barely think straight. Aemon had told her that all was well, that she was healthy and there was nothing to worry about, and that had made her feel such relief. The idea that she was not, that the babes were in danger had plagued her mind after she and Jae had spoken, it had caused her to question the Maester on how she had been feeling.
"It's perfectly natural child, your body is adjusting to the babe, there will be changes, things you notice, things which may concern you. Ask the questions and you'll find them to be less worrisome than you taught."
"You will answer them all?"
"I will while I'm here." Aemon said.
"You're leaving?" she said aghast.
"I'm a man of the Night's Watch my place is there."
"Jae can release you from your vows, you could stay."
"They are my vows, I swore them, not he. My place is not here I am not needed here, there I am."
"You're wrong Maester, we need you here Jae does, Dany does, I do. Please think about it at least?"
"I will, for now I recommend you take some ginger with your tea, some herbs in the morning too to help with the sickness."
"Thank you Maester."
"Call me uncle, your grace."
"Only if you call me Margaery."
She hoped he would stay, at least until the children were born, she'd feel far more comfortable with him as her Maester than anyone else. She arranged a family dinner for that night, sent Jeyne to speak to her grandmother, and to have her and her parents and brothers come, she then asked Roslyn to ask Lyanna and Arthur too. Arya and Shireen were a given, both of them eating far more with them than they ever did with their own families.
By the time Jae arrived back, it had been arranged and his mood seemed to be just as joyful as her own. Seeing her standing in front of the looking glass he walked up behind her and placed his arms around her, his head resting on her shoulder as he looked at her in the glass.
"I never thought you to be vain, but then again you're so beautiful you're right to stare at yourself, or were you just trying to figure out what it is that I stare at all the time?" he said and she laughed softly.
"You think I've not seen you stare at yourself too husband, not seen you pretend to adjust your shirt or tunic? While knowing you were really just looking at yourself all the time?"
"My wife tells me I'm handsome, I find myself confused when I look in the glass trying to see this man she thinks I am." he said as he kissed her neck.
"Then why question me when I do likewise?" she said and he nodded before picking her up and moving to the bed.
"Jae." she exclaimed.
"Margaery." he said back and she gasped worriedly when he went to throw her only for him to only be pretending, though when he saw her face he looked at her worriedly before he laid her gently down on the bed "Marge?"
"I'm sorry, I worried, Jae, the babe, what Leaf said, it's true, I'm with child, children." she said and she was soon laughing uncontrollably as he kissed her repeatedly.
"Truly, I'm to be a father, you a mother, you're happy? are you happy my love?" he asked between kisses.
"I am, incredibly so." she said.
"You are well, the babes?"
"All is well my love."
He moved his head down and turned it sideways so his ear was to her stomach before he then turned to face it, she found herself looking down on him as he looked to her dress, his fingers moving softly over the material and touching her stomach underneath.
"Our babes." he said looking to her and then moving up her body to kiss her lips.
"Our babes." she said.
When she dozed off she didn't know only that he did too and she woke to find herself wrapped in his arms, his chest serving as her pillow. The dream she had brought tears to her eyes, a little girl with dark hair and purple eyes, a boy with his silver hair both running over a field while she and Jae watched. She got up quietly from the bed and looked for something to wipe her eyes with, by the time she found it and had done so Jae was awake.
"What hour is it?" he yawned.
"I do not know, but I think we should get changed for dinner."
"Can't we not just grab something quick and go back to bed." he said almost grumpily.
"I've asked both our families to come, Jae."
"Who?"
When she told him he nodded before getting up and walking to the door and sending Olyvar running from the corridor, the young man eager to serve his king.
"Jae?"
"Dany and Aemon." he said and she felt annoyed with herself for forgetting.
"I'm sorry Jae."
"What for? you invited all the others, surely I have a job to do too." he smirked and she threw her handkerchief at him giggling as it went no more than a foot or so away from her before it fell softly to the ground.
"You have a terrible aim." he said and then he moved quickly when she threw a small book at him.
"Ha, too fast." he said and she shook her head when he left the room once again, she turned back to the looking glass to find her smile still on her face.
"Don't make me throw something heavier." she said when she heard the footsteps behind her.
"Your grace?" Jeyne Poole said confusedly.
"Oh, it's nothing, his grace and I were playing a game."
"His grace said you may need me." Jeyne said.
The girl helped her dress and when Roslin arrived they helped her do her hair, nothing too elaborate just something comfortable for the dinner ahead. Jae arrived back just as she was done, he'd dressed casually wearing a shirt, leather breeches, and an open jacket. She walked nervously with him to their private dining room, though he held her arm and whispered in her ear all the way.
He bid them all keep their seats and she found herself shaking her head at the seating arrangements, her husband really wasn't one for protocol as their seats were once again together, he'd much prefer to sit beside her rather than be seated at the head of the table. Though she was finding the idea he had of a round table to be most interesting. Once she sat down she took a breath and before they had begun to eat she told them their news.
"Jae and I asked you here to tell you all something, something wonderful." she said as he took her hand and raised it to his lips kissing it softly "I am with child." she said and the smiles all around her told her exactly how they felt.
Kings Landing 298 AC.
Jae.
The dinner had gone really well, his whole family, Margaery's too had been overjoyed by the news. His mother pulling him to one side to tell him how happy she was for them both, Dany too though she had spent more time with Margaery than he. For Margaery, he could tell how much it meant to her to have her family share her joy, share her hopes and he knew too that they could also help remove her doubts and fears.
While she hadn't shared them with him his mother said they would be there and that it would be to her, to her own mother and her grandmother that she'd seek answers from, only another mother being able to assuage her fears. Arya and Shireen had been perhaps the happiest of all of them and he loved them both for that, he knew he needed to talk to them, needed to speak to them about Rhaegon, his son had shared with him what had happened while he was in the North.
But there would be time for that later and so he had just enjoyed the dinner, enjoyed being with his family. They had laughed and joked and just had fun, and he had been glad of it, welcomed it, knowing what was soon to come.
Waking the next morning he had told his other uncles, Benjen and Ned both being as happy as the rest of his family had been, he had told his cousins and then prepared for the day ahead. They had canceled the day's petitions, instead arranging for the lords to be brought to the Dragonpit, it was time for the truth of things to come to be revealed.
"You don't need to come if you don't wish." he said to Margaery but she insisted and so he prepared her for it and had Leaf join them so she could answer more questions as they rode to the Dragonpit.
She surprisingly had none, though he once again told her that what she would see would be unlike anything she'd ever seen before. When they arrived the place was laid out incredibly well, how Tyrion and Jon had managed it so quickly he didn't know. Dany's unsullied would keep people away, there was no need for the panic to happen just yet. For now, it would just be the lords and some of their ladies, the knights, captains and heirs, his men, and the leaders of the unsullied whose word would be enough for their fellow brothers.
"Leaf you sit with Margaery, you too Ghost." he said and he kissed his wife as Ser Gerold and Ser Barristan walked with them to their seats.
He wore his armor at his wife's insistence, at his Kingsgaurds, as they had objected when he told them he wouldn't use Valyrian steel. When the crate was carried up he was happy to see Tyrion had decided to do it this way, there was one man inside, one body, one wight, and he hoped it would be enough.
"My lord, my ladies, good Sers, men, and women of Westeros. I ask you to forgive me for what I'm about to show you, I wish I could spare you from it, I wish that we could enjoy the tourney first, but we need to know the truth, to know it now. Ser Kalors if you will."
"Your grace." Kalors said as he tipped over the crate and the wight ran towards him, the sack still on his head as the knight held the chain stopping the wight from reaching him. Jae heard the shuffling in the crowd as people moved back.
"My lords, there is a war coming, the only war that matters, the Great War. It's not a war fought for thrones or for lands, not a war fought for gold or revenge. It's a war with only one goal, only one objective, against an opponent who can't be negotiated with, can't be allied with, can't be reasoned with."
He looked around as his uncle Ned moved forward in his seat, as the Lords of the North looked to him and then the wight. He saw his mother squirm and Olenna look to Margaery and then the wight her face filled with concern. All around the Dragonpit people were moving uncomfortably in their seats and he knew it was time.
"The Enemy we face does not sleep, it does not tire or hunger, it feels no pain, no hurt, for a dead thing cannot feel what the living does."
He took out his sword and moved towards the wight stabbing it in the stomach, twisting the blade and receiving no pained scream or shout from the dead thing in front of him. He turned and spun taking the wight's arm, his sword cutting though the dead flesh easily. He nodded to Kalors who pulled the wight back with the chain and Jae moved and picked up the arm, hearing the fevered whispers as people saw the fingers move as he held it high in the air.
"Steel cannot kill them, Arrows will not stop them." he said and paused as he turned and looked to his left, the arrows flying quick and true and more than half a dozen hitting the wight's chest. "The only way to stop them is with fire." he said as he was handed a flaming torch and then held it to the arm burning it and stopping its movement.
He looked around again, the Greatjon walking towards the wight, Maege Mormont, and Howland Reed with him.
"Don't get too close my lords and don't remove the sack." he said to nods.
"Just fire your grace?" Howland said loud enough so it could be heard over the noise of people talking in the crowd.
"No, Dragonglass and Dragonsteel work too."
"Dragonsteel?" Maege asked.
"Valyrian Steel my lady."
"How many?" The Greatjon asked.
"Too many and while their army is ever-growing ours will fall."
He moved back to the wight and asked Jaime to ready his sword, the knight already knowing his role. Taking his own normal steel sword he moved closer and with a nod to Kalors the knight removed the sack and let the wight loose, the wight heading straight for him. He spun and swung his sword cutting straight through the wight's stomach, cutting it in two.
He saw lords and ladies move back in their seats as the two halves of the wight continued to move, the top half dragging itself one-armed towards him. Nodding to Jaime he watched as the knight stabbed down with his blade and the wight finally stopped moving.
"My lords, my ladies, good Sers, this is what we face, this is the fight that's coming. For every man that falls his army gets bigger, each of our deaths is more meat for his army, this is the fate which awaits us, this is what he brings to our lands. I came back to Westeros not to take a throne, though I needed to do so. I came back to Westeros not to avenge my family, though they needed to be avenged. I came back because had I not, then this fate is unavoidable, this army unstoppable, unbeatable."
He turned around to look once more to as many of the lords he could before he smiled.
"But fate is what we make of it, it's what we choose of it, it's what we seek of it. Do we resign ourselves to this fate?" he asked looking to the lords.
"No." he heard some shout.
"Do we accept this as the fate of ourselves, as the fate of those we love?"
"No." the shouts were a little louder.
"Do we go quietly into the Long Night beaten before it's even begun."
"No." the shouts as loud now as they could be.
"No my lords we do not, we are the masters of our own fate, we decide how we will face the darkness to come, we stand together and we beat it back, we force it back, we look into the face of night and we say no, not this day. This day is for those we love, this day is for our children and the future we wish for them.".
He looked to his wife, saw her with her hand on her stomach, and he smiled.
"The only thing that the night fears is the dawn and together we will bring the dawn, for ourselves, for our children, for their children, and for those we love. This is why we fight. This is why we'll win."
A/N: As always thanks to all who've read and especially those who've reviewed. Up Next Prince Doran arrives in Kings Landing, the tourney begins, Lyanna meets with faces from her past, and Jae speaks to Arya and Shireen.
Daryl Dixon: Thank so much, really glad you liked it.
Paulies: no worries it was some time ago.
Biohazard: Really glad you liked it.
Ghost: So happy you enjoyed it.
Qul: Damn coronavirus lol, I've fixed it thanks for pointing it out. We'll see a little more of Glover as Jae deals with him next.
Msfleur: Yep, you called it.
Vfsnake: Very much so, hope you liked the proof.
Xand007: Thanks so much my friend: Given the stakes, he has to and he has been trained by Bloodraven too, the man was Hand and absolutely ruthless so some of that has rubbed off and while Jae isn't that ruthless, he could be if he's pushed.
Dunk: He will be going back beyond the wall to meet with Mance and some of our favorite non-kneelers very soon, but the Bloodraven bit was essential, he has more time with the Free Folk, though not as much as he'd hope. We'll see some reaction about Leaf but as for the others, Jae won't tell them where they are just in case. I think they didn't Aemon went to the wall in 233 and Olenna was born in 228 so she'd have been five.
Jae learned from Bloodraven and he was feared hence the rhyme, it was sung to kids basically similar to the Boogeyman, don't do anything bad or Bloodraven will find out so Jae had learned that lesson well. You were right about Margaery, there'll be some calm before the next storm.
Zyrus: The full dragon rider part will be in the next chapter. The Sam part was I looked in canon and there was no way to stop him from going there given Jae doesn't know him so I thought I'd do an interaction between them, we'll see more of him and Edd next time Jae goes to the wall.
Princess: So glad you liked it.
Zenjack: Thank so much, I like the play on things, the little change as we've seen canon turn out terribly, so little changes allow for so much more fun.
Guest: I haven't cleared it up and Dany hasn't even really given it any thought, but now that Jae/Marge are having kids it allows for her to think of it if you get me. Given she's not taken Essos yet she wouldn't I think even think that far ahead, but now Jae is to be a father it'll clear things up in her mind, Jae will have an heir, I will need an heir kinda thing. So we will see her have those thoughts soon.
Infinity Mask: Glover was never the most rational man, in canon he launches a ridiculous attack against Duskendale because he's pissed about Deepwood Motte's fall, yep attack a city that has nothing to do with your home falling. He loses a large chunk of Robb's army, is captured, and has to be ransomed back. So I wanted to show some of the same idiocy here.
The tourney is after and never underestimate a lord's willingness to party lol.
With Shireen her and Arya have a big role but it's not that kind of relationship, on Stannis book Stannis is less of a terrible person, still an idiot in some respects and he killed his brother, but at least as of where they are in the books, not Shireen. He's best suited to be at the wall IMO.
Xan Merrick: Thanks my friend: Jeor was a little lost and Jae was a little annoyed with him too so he played it up a little. I really do think out of all of them Marge was best suited to be queen. I always thought the children should have done more, also the great story that Bran has somehow didn't include him being responsible for the wiping out of them and Bloodraven, Jojen, Summer et al. But they will play a larger role here.
We'll see Jae, Shireen and Arya, and the dragon next. On the Glover part, Jae has been taught by Bloodraven, so he knows the power of making people wonder and a little fear is a good thing.