Immortals of the East
Chapter 16: Dragon of the North
Aegon 'Jon' Targaryen II
303 AC, 7th Moon, Main Courtyard, Winterfell
"Winterfell welcomes you dear sister and Lady Daenerys" Jon's uncle Brandon Stark greeted with a warmth only reserved for his family.
'I am not even considered worthy of a cursory glance, let alone false pleasantries.' Jon thought bitterly as he witnessed the scene unfold.
His mother had always been a source of contention in the Stark household as his conniving and ruthless aunts mutually agreed that Lyanna Targaryen nee Stark was not to be trusted even if she was a true born sister of their husbands.
Jon knew this from his own mistreatment but also by judging the predatory smile his aunt Cersei was directing towards his young aunt Daenerys, the woman his father wanted him to join in holy matrimony to his utter disgust and shame.
His aunt Dany was the epitome of grace and Targaryen beauty though Jon knew better. Daenerys was Persia's pupil, the Peverell infamous for slaughtering legions with her deadly scythes and effectively controlling as well as governing the Dothraki, who in his opinion were demons in human flesh.
Daenerys must have felt his eyes on her as she deigned to notice him for the first time standing at the sidelines of the main family, ahead of the servants but not with Stark Lords.
Such blatant exclusion would have been treasonous if Targaryens were still on the Iron throne but Peverells had quashed that with unmitigated horror and brutality decades ago. Jon was startled out of his musings when his mother addressed him for the first time,
"By the Old Gods, Jon you seem to have grown taller since my last visit, though your brothers tower me like northern giants." Jon tried his best to hold back a grimace at his mother's comparison filled compliment.
His mother was more affectionate towards his Baratheon half-brothers than him, taking their side since they were children, it was a proven fact at this point. She would deny it vehemently giving him that a parent does not have favourites rubbish as Old Nan's sorrowful yet wise words prickled his mind, 'All children deserve a parent but not every parent deserves a child'.
"Mother, a pleasure as always" he answered with visible strain. His mother feigned ignorance to his weak response and patted him on the shoulder as she followed her brothers to his Uncle's Solar without even turning back once.
Daenerys was next in what he termed as a Jon viewing procession, "Nephew, so nice to see you." Daenerys had never called him nephew to his face before, this new development did not settle well with him.
"Aunt, it seems formality is also a skill taught by Dothraki, colour me surprised." He replied with a sneer.
Daenerys though was unfazed, "Nephew, you should treat me with respect, after all, I would soon outrank you in both your maternal and paternal families." The cool response was expected by Jon but what really cut deep was the ice in the lilac eyes of his childhood best friend.
'Such a contrast to iridescent violet orbs which radiated joy and happiness every time he gazed upon them.' Jon's mind whirled as Daenerys was escorted to her chamber by Robb and his cousins.
He would never admit it in public but his aunt was his first crush through years of separation and meticulous manipulation orchestrated by the Peverells had changed that completely.
Jon always felt that Peverells put a deliberate and even sometimes strenuous effort to exclude him. The superficial self-claimed God-Kings and Queens acted like petty childish bullies towards him.
As the courtyard crowd started to thin and everyone started to make their way to the Great Hall for the Honour Feast and Welcoming celebrations, While his thoughts were a thousand miles away remembering a time when he was just a child of seven name days and meeting not one but three of the twelve Great Peverells, Hadrian, Daphnia and Theodorian.
He distastefully recalled the scrutinising visages of the Bravossi King and the Archon watching from a distance as their sister Dove of Lys whispered in his tiny ears her lips in a cruel smile, "I have seen your future young one" said the malicious Daphne before reciting an agonizing verse which still haunted him in his nightmares
"I see skulls, tombs and bones
I see ashes, death and flames
I see blood, tears and pain
I see a broken boy without any joy"
Those four lines would have wreaked havoc on any child and definitely left a mental scar on Jon's very young psyche. Jon repressed a shudder at the grim memory before making his way inside.
Evening, 303 AC 7th Moon, Lord's Solar
Lyanna Targaryen II
"That was painful to watch wouldn't you say dear sister" Benjen's casual smirk irked Lyanna.
But God forbid she let it show on her face, her Empress had trained her to the point even the most vicious of insults did not affect.
Before Lyanna could counter her younger brother with an equally witty remark, Brandon her eldest brother and current Lord of Winterfell had stepped in, "Keep your thoughts about the boy and Lyanna's relationship to yourself, Benjy"
"Yes Benjy, I think Cersei might have also rubbed off her personality on you during your weekly fucking sessions," Lyanna said with a lip-curling upwards.
Benjen to her pleasure seethed with rage but managed to keep his mouth shut, Brandon gave her a warning glare but she ignored it as well.
They were seated in the solar for just a couple of minutes and Lyanna was not pleased with the turn this conversation is taking.
Then her second older brother Eddard 'Ned' Stark spoke next his expression calculating, "I am also curious sister, how long are you going to keep up this charade with the boy. It is only veering him off to a dark and dangerous path from which he might never return."
Brandon and Benjen also looked at her for answers to the question which she herself had asked countless times to her mentor, but she gathered herself before saying,
"Brothers you all know when the mighty Peverells are involved, you have more questions than answers. During my last meeting with my Empress, she said and I quote 'the time is fast approaching when the white wolf makes the perilous journey towards East'.
As you can decipher from the line, the Peverells are finally moving their pieces with regards to Jon. His father, his real father will also be playing a pivotal role now."
The room had gone cold as a deathly unbearable silence crept in, only to be broken a painful minute later by Brandon. "Is the new mad dragon going to cause a problem in our Lords and Ladies master plan?"
Lyanna held back a snort before saying, "Rhaegar still thinks he is Jon's father. As he is obsessed with the prophecy of the Song of Ice and Fire. In his arrogance, he continues to believe the chosen one will come from his bloodline.
The Peverells have continued to feed and fester this delusion in my husband's mind as well as the entire Westeros with concoctions and forbidden spells. This keeps the prying eyes and ears away from finding the truth behind Jon's parentage. Who is Jon Snow's father? Indeed." Lyanna cackled with glee as she saw the knowing smiles on her brother's faces.
Ned then spoke with a cool voice, "The Metal Lord had also hinted the same. There is still the matter of the boy's Peverell magic which I have continued to suppress over the years with our niece Sansa now taking over the duty after she came back with some intriguing rituals learnt under the expert tutelage of the Red Princess of Asshai."
Lyanna was well aware of Ned's Black goat related activities after all Qohor was home to the infamous sect, "That is the main purpose for my visit. No Ravens could carry such sensitive information. According to my Empress, Sansa needs to perform the ritual of the seven swords on Jon at midnight during the blood moon which is in four days. She can take Arya and Bran's help as they are both well versed in the mystic arts just like their cousin."
Benjen gave her a teasing grin, "And we commoners thought you are here to arrange the nuptials of your nephew and good sister."
Everyone gave a hearty laugh at the rather poor joke, with Brandon sobering up first, "So the immortals want the binds on the boy's Peverell magic unleashed finally. My daughter, niece and nephew all are capable to perform the task, though memory erasure like his childhood would be required"
"Let's just say The Red Princess would be honouring our gods wood soon. She will also be assisting with its preparation as the ritual is one of the twelve Peverell sacred arts." Lyanna answered with a serious tone.
"Cersei, Ashara and Catelyn are still unaware about the dangerous and borderline suicidal game we Stark's siblings are playing. Our wives love their own little gimmicks which they execute with finesse but our children sure have known by now that their fathers and Aunt are the real masterminds of the Ruling house of the North."
Benjen gave Ned a questioning look which in Lyanna's opinion was his way of asking whether the latter had interrogated her nieces or nephews about their recent voyages to the East.
Ned just raised an eyebrow, "All of our children have grown up to be lethal adults, even Lyanna's good sister and oafish sons. With her latest trip to Braavos, Arya, I gather has learned the secrets of the House of Black and White.
Bran my sweet summer child has gotten his innocence plucked by Qohor's harsh taskmasters. Sansa, the naïve redhead is replaced by a sorceress of immense power and cunning which can only be nurtured in Asshai.
Robb chiselled into a warrior by the strict regimen of Tyroshi legions. Not to forget your baby Myrcella, Lys transformed her completely to put it lightly.
Rickon the youngest of the current pack has such a way with animals that would make Yi Tish beast master green with envy.
I still don't know what Volantis did to Orys and Damien Baratheon or what horrors Vaes Dothrak put Daenerys through but can say this with certainty they are no less capable than our children."
Lyanna was surprised at how well-informed Ned was, the next generation was completely under the Peverell wing that was a fact no one could change even if they wanted to.
She had heard from her sources how Margery Tyrell became the youngest Slave Master and the only women to hold the rank at the infamous Slaver's Bay or how Tommen the young Lion, only son of Jamie and Elia Lannister was the star apprentice of Myr accomplishing the grand feat of efficiently learning and practising the twelve trades of Myr in record time.
"Children are malleable and The Great Twelve have taken advantage of this for centuries. Look at us we love our Immortal guardians more than our own mother and father who birthed us." Brandon sagely remarked.
Lyanna knew the words were a bitter truth, she was about to mummer her agreement when Benjen said, "Before we conclude our scheming conclave, there is one more matter I would like to discuss the Bolton inheritance."
Lyanna eyes widened ever so slightly as she did not look forward to this particular discussion. It had been years since she had heard a mention of the flayed man. The Starks had decimated their rivals by plunging Dread fort in a sea of fire when Benjen's first wife Lord Roose Bolton's sister gave birth to a son who he named Ramsay.
Lyanna then could not keep her curiosity inside and spoke out loud, "What is there to discuss, will it not go to your psychotic and deranged firstborn?"
Benjen narrowed his eyes at her but it was Brandon who answered instead, "Don't forget he is still your nephew and he governs the White Tiger Draco's personal hellish armada. Ramsay is an unsavoury sadist but we can't deny he has his use. We have denied his claim to Lands and ruins of Dread fort for a decade on the flimsy pretence he is not mentally stable but with the White Tiger backing him it will be harder."
Ned then added further, "Old Bolton's sister we buried almost in six moons after the birth of the monstrosity we call a nephew. So, he is the sole heir to the Bolton fortune. We are having this conversation only to find a way to kill the snake without breaking the bloody cane."
Lyanna then gave Benjen a questioning look as he did not even blink at the casual threat to his son's life by his brother but latter did say, "I have been trying to commit filicide from almost the time my wicked son came of age but the boy is not frail like his mother. I have no love lost for him, I hope Rickon has some sense and feeds his half-brother to one of his ferocious beasts."
Lyanna knew better than to give her input but Brandon's words concluded their meeting, "Bolton fortunes can wait for the moment, we have larger axes to grind, right now our focus should be on the nephew who thinks he is a dragon than the one who would love to wear our skins."
Beyond the Wall, Lands of Always Winter
The Night King, Frederick I
"My Sons and Daughters
Rise from your slumber the time has come
Winds of Winter finally roar
Long Night would be soon engulfing Planetos
The darkness shall blanket the fires of hope
And cloud the dawn of spring"
'That was dramatic' Fred now unchained from his Prison thought with a smile, as he witnessed his undead army of Nightwalkers march towards the lands of humanity after a millennium.
AN: This fanfiction is my most viewed one out of all the four I have written, though many readers do not like it. I have started writing it again as a guilty pleasure after a long hiatus. It is going to be also updated a bit irregularly but I have decided to finish it though. No Peverells in this one but the rest of the remaining chapters will feature them heavily.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Song of Ice and Fire