A/N: Been busy with teaching (more stuff happening), but glad my district at least is easing up the restrictions.
Mingyu was escorted through Volantis by Robb Stark, along with Grey Wind, and Arya. She always did find the direwolf a fascinating but terrifying creature, as wolves were already dangerous and the direwolf more so since their size and their ability to live in packs made them even more fear-inducing. But at the same time, she was mesmerized whenever Grey Wind and Ghost played with each other, as both were part of the same litter and it was heartwarming to see the two like this, especially after what they and their bond companions have lived through. And Ghost is just like Daeron, who everyone thought was the runt of the litter but was the most valuable of them all, she mused.
"It seems that we will not have to wait long for the final journey home," Robb was the first to speak. "I very much look forward to returning and taking my vengeance upon the ones who wronged us."
"I am sure you are, Lord Robb," Mingyu responded.
"Are you going to the North with us?" Arya asked eagerly. "You will enjoy Winterfell. The big castle of our family, the wide spaces around, the wolfswood where you could hunt to your enjoyment."
Mingyu patted Arya's head. "I am sure I will."
"I am curious as to what I have heard about you," Robb changed his tone. "Is it true that you tried to kill our uncle Benjen?"
"Robb, we moved past that," Arya tried to stop him.
"No, no. It is perfectly fine," Mingyu assured her. "Your brother has every right to ask that. And yes, Lord Robb, to answer your question. But I realized that I could not carry through the deed, and I had to stop the people who saw that I did not want to do it. Fortunately, I was able to come to some accord with those who still wanted him dead, so your uncle has nothing more to worry about."
"But what about yourself? Do you have anyone that you should be worried about?" Robb asked with concern.
"No."
"And I have another question to ask. What intentions do you have with our uncle now?"
"What do you mean by that, Lord Robb?"
"Do you intend to marry him?"
Mingyu was stumped at that question, while Arya stepped back in.
"Robb, I think that is something that both she and Uncle Benjen should consider by themselves."
"But Arya, she has been in Uncle Benjen's close company for a while now, so she will be around our family for the foreseeable future. The question is, will it be permanent?"
"Come on, Robb. She is welcome around us. And she helped us a lot while we were in the empire. She also helped save Daenerys from the Dothraki before she took control of them. Right, aunt?"
Mingyu was still not used to Arya calling her that, but as it was a sign of her affection, she accepted it. "Yes," she hugged her tightly.
Robb could see that he was not going to get the answers that he sought, so he left it at that. "So, Mingyu, do you have any concrete plans for when we return to Westeros?"
"Such as?"
"What do you intend to do there?" Robb elaborated.
Mingyu and Arya shared a glance. "Well, Arya did mention that we should have something like the Jade Order be established n Westeros. As we were both members of it along with her companions, we would have the experience we need to implement it successfully."
"While I am all for women fighting, as House Mormont showed as well as Queen Visenya," Robb smiled at Arya, as he knew that she worshipped the dragon queen of old. "You might run into some trouble from the more… rigid-minded lords in Westeros."
"That is a problem that we shall negotiate when we arrive there, but that is what I intend to my focus my mind on. After all, I cannot be idle, and neither can Arya."
"And is that what you have been doing now?"
Mingyu pitched the idea of a Jade Order-like band being developed from freed women who wanted to fight. And the last few days have been spent recruiting.
"Yes. But to find women who are willing to fight, that's another obstacle."
"I shall look forward to seeing that in practice, Mingyu. Now, Arya, let's go. We must discuss things with Prince Kaijin."
Arya hugged her once again. "We'll see you later, then."
"Of course." While she and Robb left, Mingyu found Benjen looking out into the sea from Volantis' bridge.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Mingyu asked him while they ignored the bustling activity that had returned to the bridge after the city was secured.
"Not beautiful, but it is a sight to see," Benjen answered her.
"If only we could have more peaceful moments like these," Mingyu expressed.
They spent the next few moments together, just staring at the ocean, taking in the calmness of the sea.
"What are we?" Benjen asked her.
"What do you mean?" She noticed his expression change from being relaxed to being serious. While that was normal for him since she figured out that the men from House Stark, Daeron Targaryen being one of them, were usually so serious, that tone caught her attention. It was as if he was asking about an emotionally complicated issue, which would have been a new thing for Mingyu since she did not expect men to be knowledgeable about emotions.
"What are we?" Benjen repeated her question. "I know that when we fuck, we feel things that we would not feel for anyone else. I know that when we are in each other's embrace, we feel as if the world is melting away because we can feel that no one can hurt us, and no one can. And I know that I can trust you with Arya, Robb, and Jon, all of whom I consider my children and I must be, especially since both Arya and Robb lost their father and were thrust into positions of responsibility before they were truly ready for it while Jon never grew up knowing his true parents. But what are we?"
Mingyu was struck at how Benjen was wording his feelings, which made her even more impressed. Just when I thought I peeled the layers off him, there is always one more, she thought.
"Well, it will be accurate to call us… true lovers," Mingyu was honest, something that she learned to be more of around Benjen and his family because they would only forgive her once for lying and not another time. "We both know each other's secrets, I made mistakes that I was willing to accept the consequences for, and you showed me forgiveness, something that I never deserved but you gave it anyway. If that is not love, I do not know what is."
"But is that it?" Benjen pressed. "We continue to fuck, talk, and share secrets with each other?"
"There is nothing wrong with that, Benjen," Mingyu pointed out.
"But there must be a purpose behind it. You are aware of the idea of courtly love?"
Mingyu chuckled, even more when she quickly realized why he brought it up. "Yes, I do know about that, Benjen. And I think you forget that at many times, such bonds between such people usually go unconsummated, which does not apply to us."
"Right, I should have made my intentions a little clearer," Benjen backtracked. "What about the concept of courtship?"
Mingyu felt her mind stop at that word. "Yes, I know about that."
"Could this be considered a courtship, me courting you?" Benjen asked.
"I guess, you may call it like that," Mingyu gave him that. "But why do you bring that up? It is not like that you want to marry me right this instant." She looked at him again and could see in his eyes on what was really going on. "But courtship does eventually lead to marriage, which is what you want from me?"
"Why else are we doing this?" Benjen asked her straight. "I like that we are good in the love making, and I am happy that you, Arya, Jon, and Robb are all getting along with each other. But what about us? Are we going to keep on doing that, and just that?"
"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing," Mingyu told him.
"I am not saying that there is," Benjen made clear to her. "All I am asking is what we are going to do, because there must be next steps for this. Courting each other will lead to marriage, and I know that is a big step for you considering what you did before—"
"What I did before?" Mingyu asked, deciding to challenge Benjen on his choice of words.
"I am guessing that you never had someone to really love before, as you were an assassin and I can only imagine that you never had much time to have a lover, like me."
Mingyu's mind was brought back, to a very distant memory that she had long suppressed but was brought up by Benjen's words. She remembered how the man in that distant memory was the first to show her any kindness, the first to not show anything that was tainted with calculation, and the first to show her what unconditional love looked like. But she also remembered that the man in that distant memory had his life ended in the most horrible manner, all because of her. Damn it, Benjen. Why did you make me remember that?
"By the gods, you did have one before me," Benjen noticed her distant eyes. "He must have been a good man."
Mingyu blinked while she tried to move on. "That was a long time ago, and it does not matter."
"But do you understand why I bring this up?" he kept asking.
"I do know why, Benjen. And I very much love the fact that you consider me worth marrying, because I did lie to you. But… the idea of someone wanting to marry is something that I never thought would happen."
"Because you never considered it?" Benjen picked up on.
"More or less," Mingyu was honest. "I spent all my days up to this point training to be a member of the Jade Order, training to be an assassin, doing the best that I can for both, and not focusing much on anything else. And the only time that someone mentioned marriage to me, was how I ended up in the Jade Order in the first place."
"Really?" Benjen was surprised.
"Yes. And I know that might not be the answer you want to hear from me, since most women would be happy to get married, but the thought never crossed my mind. However, the times are different now, especially since I gave up what I know to come with you and see what the North is like. So, I must ask myself, 'Why did I decide to come all this way here, with you?'"
Benjen nodded slowly. "I understand. And I too must ask myself what love is, especially since I was prepared to spend the rest of my life on the Wall."
"What?" Mingyu did not expect to hear that from him.
"The one thing that I learned about love, or what it is I am feeling now, is that it is scary. And… I never had to deal with something as fearful as love, because no one wanted to marry a third son of a major house. I am sure that you know what that means." Mingyu nodded in understanding. "And even though you did save my life and we do share something special… there is still things that I do not know about you. For example, I did not even know that you had someone you loved before, so I must know everything about you before I can truly feel at ease."
Mingyu exhaled sadly. "Is that the truth?"
"I am sorry, but you lied to me, and when it comes to trust with Starks, it is hard to gain and near impossible to get back once you broken it. However, I am going to give you a chance, at least for Arya's sake, because she thinks you as your aunt."
Mingyu could not feel more thankful, as Benjen was the only one to show at least some sign of forgiveness.
"But do not be mistaken, for I have not forgiven you yet. I need time, but time you will have."
"I understand, Benjen. Whatever you need." Mingyu had no wish to let go of Benjen and therefore was willing to give him what he needed and whatever was required to gain his trust back.
Sansa was uneasy at the meeting with Theon along the White Knife. But at this point, they had no other recourse. Both her forces and the wildlings were going nowhere, so they had to try again.
She came alone, as she realized that the only way for this to work was for others she could not trust implicitly to not know until it was already done. And given the blood spilled, no one is in their right minds now, she knew.
Well, not exactly alone, as Summer was there with her as well, with Bran warged inside. Sansa could not talk to him directly, but Summer would respond to whatever was going through his mind. I have to trust that he knows how to use body language, even a direwolf's version of it, she mused.
Also with Summer was Meera, someone whose hands Sansa could place her life in without hesitation. She was ready with her spear, in case any of the wildlings that came tried to do anything.
"It'll be all right, Meera," Sansa assured her.
"I don't know about meeting him still," Meera replied. "It was Theon's betrayal that started this whole thing, having Brandon, Rickon, and the others flee outside into danger."
"I don't like him either, but we have no other choice. We must work together and defeat Ramsay, or we will not last against the Lannisters."
Meera sighed. "I'm reminded that while I am good at weapons, I'm relieved that I don't have to deal with these sorts of things. How many times would I have to make deals with people I hate just so that we both could live?"
Sansa was struck by how simplistic her statement sounded, and how right it was, reminding her that there was more to Meera than met the eye. "You have no idea," she could say simply. "And thank you, for telling me that both Robb and Arya are alive. Bran did his tricks and found out."
"Yes. Robb and Arya are both safe in Volantis, from what Bran could see with his… abilities. And so is Grey Wind."
"I still ask myself on how that was possible, until you told me about the Three-Eyed Raven," Sansa said.
Meera shrugged. "I still don't understand the specifics myself, as Jojen is still with him and Lady Lyanna. But whenever his eyes… roll back, especially when touching a weirwood tree, he comes out with all the answers. It's like he went through a door and came out wiser and more knowledgeable."
Sansa found that description funny, from how Meera was being simplistic about it. But at the same time, she was still glad of what Brandon was capable of. I no longer have to worry anymore, that Rickon and I are the only ones left.
Sansa's feelings as to discovering that her eldest brother and only sister could not be described as simply "relieved." She cried for so long once hearing that her brother was alive and she could thus feel the burden lessen on her shoulders, for she did not have to carry the weight of House Stark on it. And she so longed to see Robb and Arya, especially her. I see her again, I will hold her and never let go. I made too many mistakes, all of which I will not repeat.
She remembered when Joffrey bragged to her when Robb was dead, and the play at the wedding between him and Margaery, in which the court mocked Robb's supposed death and his loss in the war. She could not do anything to him then, but while she was glad that he was finally dead, at the hands of his own grandfather, she wished that she was there to do the deed. If I ever saw him sleeping… I would have grabbed a rope and choked the life out of him.
For Arya, Sansa wished she could take back everything that she did to her. She wanted to please their mother more than her father, and thus wanted to be what a southern lady should be like despite being in the North. However, Arya rebelled against that, and Sansa scolded her and said things that was influenced by what her mother expected her to say. I was so cruel to her. Please, gods, please let me have another chance with her, she prayed.
From behind some boulders emerged Theon, who kept his eyepatch on, along with the red-haired woman Ygritte who was his lover and to her surprise, Jeor Mormont.
"Lord Jeor," Sansa was surprised to the see the old bear of House Mormont all the way here.
"My lady," the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch addressed her respectfully.
"What are you doing here? What about the Night's Watch?"
"The Watch will not have a purpose if the dead are coming. And they are coming, my lady."
Sansa was still skeptical about the idea of dead men coming down to kill them all, but she was not one to question the word of someone like Jeor Mormont, who sentenced himself to the Wall after his son Jorah disgraced himself.
"Sansa," Theon spoke to her. "We might hate each other, and we cannot prove that it was not us who attack your men south of Castle Cerwyn. However, what is clear that is that the both of us Free Folk and your banners are not doing much. Together, however, we can take the north and eliminate the Boltons once and for all and preparing for the long winter ahead of us."
"And I agree," Sansa concurred, causing relief from Theon and Ygritte. "But besides surviving together, we should work to be of use to the people across the Narrow Sea."
"Why?" Theon asked.
"Because we should be working towards the restoration of House Targaryen, who are led by Daenerys, Rhaenys, and Daeron Targaryen."
"Who?" Ygritte asked, while Theon kept listening.
"Daenerys is the same one who was in exile in Essos, Rhaenys survived the Sack, and Daeron was under our noses the entire time. We both knew him as Jon Snow, my father's bastard son."
Theon was shocked. "No. That's impossible. It can't be."
"She is telling the truth," Jeor stepped in. "I saw the evidence myself, from Maester Aemon, otherwise known as Aemon Targaryen, son of Maekar the First of His Name. Lady Sansa is not lying."
Theon gulped. "And I called him the runt of the litter, along with his white direwolf."
"It does not matter now, Theon. What matter is that we work not just to survive together, but to restore the dragons back to where they were, because even with Joffrey dead, the Seven Kingdoms is in tatters. And we will never survive by ourselves, for the Lannisters are sending more men."
"We will fight alongside you, but we bow to no king, even a dragon," Ygritte was adamant.
"Whether you bow or not, that's up to you. But you say we should work and fight together. Right now, it is not enough, but with the dragons… we can prevail."
Theon exhaled before he nodded. "I will inform Mance Rayder, then."
"Theon-" Ygritte protested.
"It's the only way. And if dragons are coming… we will live."
"And I shall testify to anyone who doubts you, Lady Sansa. I will be in White Harbor soon, with the entirety of the Free Folk behind me," Jeor promised.
"You do that, Lord Jeor."
"And this must be Brandon Stark?" Jeor noticed.
"Yes. He is warging now, but he's safe, with Lady Lyanna."
Jeor sighed with pride. "She always was a tough one. Next time I see her, I better think about staying for some time. I need to be with my family now."
Sansa was back at White Harbor. She entered Lord Wyman Manderly's solar, startling him as he was busy writing on several pieces of parchment. "Lady Sansa, what can I do for you?"
"I need to use your solar for a moment. I need to send a raven across the narrow sea, to Volantis."
"Volantis?" Lord Manderly was confused. "Why there?"
"I will let you know soon. But please, I need your solar. Once I am done, please assemble everyone in the Great Hall. I have something to tell them all."
"As you wish, my lady," Lord Manderly acquiesced to her wishes before he left.
But inside the solar, Sansa was able to spend the next moments alone and in thought. She had to play out the next few moons carefully, as the Valemen and the northern houses who rose for her could abandon her if they knew what was really happening. That would certainly be a guarantee if Littlefinger and Ser Harrold both knew what she had in mind. Littlefinger wants me to prop up, since he wants to enjoy as much power as he can. For Ser Harrold, he is not so bright as to adapt to a change in circumstances and he will respond badly if he knows what I have planned out.
Sansa knew that the North and the Vale would never outright support the Targaryens, since they never forgot the murder of her grandfather and her uncle Brandon at the hands of King Aerys. And they still believed of her aunt Lyanna's kidnapping and forced deflowering at the hands of Rhaegar, which her father had to maintain since Jon would not have survived if people knew about his ancestry. I must find more concrete evidence or wait for it to come once Aemon Targaryen arrives here unharmed. They might doubt my words, but they will never doubt the word of the master at Castle Black.
However, she also knew that matters might be easier to handle once Robb, Arya, and Uncle Benjen returned to the North. The northern houses would be shocked at the sight of their former King in the North returning from the dead, having escaped the Red Wedding after all along with Grey Wind, while everyone had special affection for Arya after she went missing ever since their father was falsely accused and unjustly executed. And then for their Uncle Benjen, everyone would be overjoyed to see the last of the litter of Rickard Stark, who saw and witnessed everything. Given his experiences as First Ranger of the Night's Watch, no one would doubt his word when it came to truth regarding Jon's true ancestry and the accounts that led to Robert's Rebellion.
But Sansa also had to consider the fact that some among her supporters, particularly the Vale, would have issue with Benjen being so far from the Wall. Desertion from the Night's Watch was punishable by death, no matter the circumstances, so Sansa had to trust Theon's word when he said that Jeor Mormont and Aemon Targaryen had the papers that confirmed that Benjen had been lawfully released from the Night's Watch and therefore would be protected from execution. They better have it because if they don't… I can't lose another one of my family, she thought fearfully.
Sansa went to work writing the letter that she would send to Volantis. She had to make sure that only she would send it off, because Littlefinger would find it suspicious that she would write a letter to be send all by herself and would very much pry her once he found out the destination. That was why from now on, anything that she did that was considered critical, she had to do herself.
Sansa picked up the quill and started writing.
"To Daenerys and Rhaenys Targaryen,
I address the both of you know. I never met you besides what I had heard of both of you, all of which inspire dread, sympathy, and anger. However, if what even half of the things that I heard about you so far are true, not the rumors that people have spread at your expense, then you could be the ones that will bring Westeros back to the days of sunlight and summer, which we desperately need in these dark times. And I know that with my brother Jon at your side, who you might refer to by his birth name, it will be a reality.
But I must ask for your help. The Boltons have held Winterfell and there is no way that we can dislodge them. And the Lannister banners are marching against us from the south, while we are barely able to hold them off at Moat Cailin. I might have struck an accord with the wildlings from the Lands Beyond the Wall along with their giants, but it will not be enough.
If you are about to embark for the return to Westeros, I implore you to send whatever assistance you can, in the form of troops, weapons, food, money, anything. We cannot win on our own, but you can help us. In return, the North will forever restore its bond of allegiance to House Targaryen. The word of a Stark is good, so you can trust mine.
Please. I beg you.
Sansa of House Stark."
Rolling up the message, Sansa was about to go the rookery before she decided to write another letter, this one being more personal in nature. She took a few breaths before she prepared herself and started writing on the parchment.
"To Jon,
I know that I am probably the last person that you want to hear from, considering that I did nothing to stop my mother as she abused you so. Whenever you swung your sword, whenever you helped train Bran and Rickon on the bow, when you first taught Arya on how to ride a horse, when you brought back those direwolf pups. I never learned to appreciate you when you were still here, before you went to the Wall, but I wish that I could take it all back and go back.
I heard that you are married to Daenerys Targaryen, your aunt, and that you found your sister, your real sister, Rhaenys. I can only imagine what you must have felt when you found your family and found the woman you love, even more so since I heard that Targaryens are not meant to be alone. But if you are happy, I am glad that you are. That you are being taken care of by the ones who do share your blood, by those who truly understand how you feel and what you have been through."
Sansa let out a breath while she controlled the tears of shame about to fall from her face.
"I wish I did more for you. I wish that I was strong enough to stand up to my mother and say, 'Stop.' I wish I spoke to you, and only said kind words to you, because you deserved that much at least. And you have so suffered at the hands of my mother and me, and I am to blame as well since I saw everything and did nothing, which makes me just as responsible for what you have been through. I am writing to you to tell you that today, I vow to change. And today, I pledge to fight against the impulses that negatively influence my heart, and my mind, and my soul. And I do this, Jon, for you and for the family that I have failed to love and appreciate properly. In the hopes that one day you will see me not for who I was, but for who I am now. And I know that you may hate me. And I deserve your hate. I deserve your hate because I was never a sister to you. Until now."
Sansa wiped the tears that finally fell from her eyes while she sniffed. She had not needed to explore what she was going through regarding Jon, but now that it was out in the open, she felt even more broken about it than before.
"You have every right to not forgive me, but if you do, know that from now on, I will spend my years trying to repay you for all the mistakes that I have made. And please, please say 'I love you' to Arya, Robb, and our Uncle Benjen. Please.
Sansa."
Sansa finally finished what she wanted to say and then rolled up the parchment, while she opened the door to Lord Manderly's solar and quietly moved to the rookery. Seeing no one had saw her, she found a raven, tied the messages onto the leg, and sent it off on its way once she saw that the ravens were organized as to where they would go, with this raven going to Volantis.
Please… let them receive it, Sansa prayed before she turned around and decided what she was going to do about the Valemen and the northern houses who were following, since she had to let them know of her new objectives eventually.
Summer, with Bran still inside, licked her hands, as if knowing what was going on. Sansa knelt and hugged Summer tightly. "It will be all right, Bran. I promise."
Daenerys read the letter signed by the hand of Sansa Stark. The first one she read was directly addressed to herself and Rhaenys, asking for their help in retaking Winterfell from the Boltons and defending it against the Lannisters. She was very much inclined to help her, since Winterfell was where Jon grew up in and thus, it had to be taken back since the home of House Stark could not remain in hostile hands.
She had called Prince Kaijin, Benjen, Robb, Arya, Jon, Rhaenys, Grey Worm, Mingyu, and Daario before her, and read the contents of the letter aloud to them.
"Sansa Stark has informed us that she needs help, and I should agree to it. We all should," Daenerys told them all.
"And we must," Benjen was the first to say. "We must help Sansa. Even if she's going to work with the Free Folk, it won't be enough to take back Winterfell."
"That is right, uncle," Robb affirmed. "Winterfell is not a place to be treated like another trifle. Ramsay will not give up that fortress, and he will inflict heavy casualties."
"Any suggestions?" Jon was also eager to go home.
"We give everything she wants," Arya said. "Troops, money, anything that will make retaking the North easier."
"That is easier said than done," Grey Worm told her. "We must concentrate all our forces to retaking all of Westeros south of the Neck. We cannot afford to split our forces."
"I beg to differ," Kaijin argued. "This could be in line with splitting the enemy's focus, keeping them off balance. Perhaps we can pursue a three-pronged attack, in which we land armies in three different areas, make the enemy guess where we're trying to go. The North could see the place of one of them."
"But why?" Daario asked indignantly. "The North is a frozen wasteland removed from anything, whereas the South has everything we need."
"Hey! That's our home you're talking about, you wretch!" Arya snapped.
"You talking to me, girl?" Daario spat.
"Hey! You better address my sister right," Robb pointed at him, with Grey Wind baring his teeth. That was enough to get Daario quiet.
"One of the things that we learned to do is to mislead the target," Mingyu offered. "We help the North, make the Lannisters think that we will attack there, and then go all in for the south."
"Why not just send grain to them, if we have to do anything?" Daario suggested, but his tone was more submissive than before.
"They are going to need more than just grain if they are going to fight against the Boltons," Benjen told him. "And we must give them something more than weapons as well, since they need men who can fight and can survive in that 'frozen wasteland' as you called it."
Jon rubbed his chin in thought. Behaving more like a king with every passing day, Daenerys approved.
"How about we… send some of our best troops there? Not all of them, but enough so that they will give the northerners a good chance, and thus improving our position in Westeros. They will carry cannons, rockets, and other firearms while giving them food and gold."
"That's a good first plan," Robb approved.
"I agree," Kaijin also showed his support. "As we need to preserve our fighting strength for the battles south of the Neck, how about we send Lord Benjen's brigade there? The North is his home, and his brigade had served us very well ever since the last of the tiger forces have been defeated. And his men fought with him since on the steppes, so they will trust him."
"Yes, send him," Arya was excited. "The northerners will love to see him again."
"Then, it's settled. Along with food and gold, Benjen and Minoru Lim will lead the charge to the North," Jon concluded.
"Your Grace," Benjen showed respect even though they were family.
"And Kaijin, you will help transport the food and gold there. Once there, you should persuade House Manderly of White Harbor to give you their ships. From there, sail down to the Blackwater Bay," Jon told him.
"Of course." Kaijin also knew about the Manderlys and thus saw the sense in his plan.
"But, I also have another letter, this one to Jon." She handed the second message from Sansa to him. He unrolled it quickly, but his face became sadder and squeezed his lips before he handed the message to Robb, Benjen, and Arya. They all shed a tear at the words, which Daenerys first read to see if Sansa would reveal alternate colors. But instead, she is finally acting like a sister should have. I still have more words to say on that.
Rhaenys also read the letter before Jon and hugged him. "Let's hope she stays that way. But it's good, that she finally said this."
Jon tenderly returned the hug while kissing her cheek. "Thank you, Rhae."
Rhaenys laughed. "No one has called me that in a long time. But I like it."
Daenerys looked on and rather than feeling jealous, she felt happier than ever. This is what is what it should have been like. If only the damn Rebellion had not happened.
Daenerys walked with Missandei through the halls of the palace that she was given. They were about to enter the courtyard, where Drogon was resting. He had been flying about over the sea south of the city for a few hours now, and he was resting. And during that time, Daenerys could swear that he got much bigger. If I had been born yesterday, I would have thought that Drogon was truly Balerion reborn. He's so big.
"So, any thoughts about what to do about the child that is coming, Your Grace?" Missandei asked her.
Daenerys lovingly rubbed her belly. "All I want so far is for this child is to be born healthy and that it will be only the first of many. From a practical point of view, House Targaryen is need of heirs, so the more we can make, the more secure we will be."
"And not because you want to make more of them, the result of many moments of lovemaking?" Missandei asked her.
Daenerys chuckled at her jest. "I might have experienced lovemaking before, but with Jon… it's blissful. Better than Daario, and certainly better than Drogo."
"What are we going to do about Daario? He's certainly not happy that you chose your husband over him."
Daenerys nodded in acknowledgement. Daario was not happy that she was no longer "enjoying" his presence, but he was busy with the other women in Volantis, visiting the brothels and then pursuing some of the freedwomen. However, he stayed away from the women of the Jade Order, which were Arya's companions. One of them, Renxi, pushed him away when he tried to sleep with her and then challenged him to a duel. Daario was only happy to oblige, since he expected an easy fight from a delicate-looking woman. However, he did not know that among the Jade Order companions that Arya brought with her, Renxi was best among the group when it came to knives and throwing weapons, and she was not above cheating in sparring so that she could win. While she looked kind on the outside, it was always as if something snapped inside of her whenever she was fighting, with her wide eyes and baring teeth while she would land blows with such fury. Daario was unfortunately on the receiving end of that, as she hit his cock once and then jumped him, so that her legs put his head in a lock. But even when he showed that he was giving up, she stuck a knife against his neck. It took Arya and her other companion Masaku to pull her off, while Daario could only say, "How could a woman be so violent?"
"I don't know," Renxi said to him. "How could a man not know how to control his cock? Oh, wait," she corrected herself. "I'm sorry. You don't know how to control it, which led to your ass being kicked."
"Perhaps if you allowed yourself, you would know what a real man would feel like."
Renxi chuckled at that statement. "Oh, yes. You are a real man. That's why you allowed yourself to be beat by a woman who can defend herself."
"You kicked in the cock. That is cheating," Daario tried to say.
"Oh, you are going to talk about cheating, when everything I heard about you points to you not following the rules when it most suited you?"
Daario opened his mouth, only for Wendi to join in. "I am the most knowledgeable when it comes to assassins. I have had the pleasure of meeting someone from the Faceless Men before, and I was very fortunate that they were not after the same thing I was or I would have been killed, as it was before I joined the Jade Order. And what I bring is a certain canny in detecting poisons and thinking like an assassin, as I obsess over books, and I am very good at questioning failed killers."
"What is your point?" Daario asked while annoyed.
"The point is this: you may think that Renxi cheated, but you really have no idea what you are talking about. And if I were to ask you to fight fairly, would you do it?"
"Of course I would."
"Lie," Renxi stated. "I have been trained by actual assassins, and they all told me that anyone who will fight honorably is either trying to get an advantage through deception or is very stupid. And you do not seem like a stupid man, but not a very good fighter."
From that moment on, Daenerys began to like the Jade Order companions even more. They put Daario in his place.
"I would not worry about him. He might not know self-control, but he knows better than to betray me. And it would be unwise for him to act against us now, given that he is surrounded by men with advanced weaponry, and he has been humbled already by Prince Kaijin and Mingyu."
"But still, he will not like his reduced status, in that he was close to you and now he's far away."
"Even he knows that there is more to gain from staying loyal to my house than turning against us. And we do need more who will disagree with us and stay loyal."
"What happens when he fails to stay loyal?"
Daenerys did not need to think long on that. "Then I will have to find a way to remove him, since anyone who is not with me or cannot toe the line, will be a hazard. And I cannot allow that to happen, not when I have too much at stake."
"With the child?" Missandei asked.
"It is too much to risk. As I said, House Targaryen needs heirs."
"But what about Rhaenys?"
Daenerys knew why she would ask that. "Is it because of her growing affections for Jon?"
"Are you not jealous?"
"Why would I be?" Daenerys responded. "Rhaenys deserves happiness. I have mine right now, and I want to share that. Rhaenys is the only other family that I have got left, so it's right that I share what I was able to experience."
"But won't there be a threat of a rival bloodline from Rhaenys?" Missandei asked straight. "Two rival bloodlines from the same father have caused pain and bloodshed before. We only have to look at the Blackfyres to know what that is like."
It felt just yesterday when Varys, who everyone did not know was in fact a member of House Blackfyre, was beheaded. The last hope for him and House Blackfyre was in his nephew Aegon, who he disguised as Griff and sought to impersonate as Rhaegar's son through Elia. And she felt very relieved when the threat of the Blackfyres, the black dragons, was finally extinguished.
"I know Rhaenys will never betray me, and neither will her children. But if you are worried, I hope that I have a son and that she has a daughter. They can marry each other and thus ending that threat before it can even come to fruition."
"I shall pray to all the gods, then, that it will be so, Your Grace."
"Your Graces," Grey Worm approached them. "We have someone at the palace. He wants an audience."
"Any idea on who it is?"
Grey Worm shook his head. "No idea, Your Grace. All I know is that he has an eyepatch, he has blond hair and green eyes, and looks quite dirty. I told him to turn around and go, but he insisted in seeing you."
"Why me?"
"He told me that he has something of interest to you and to House Targaryen, and that he will only show it to someone of dragonblood."
Daenerys and Missandei exchanged a look before she acquiesced. "Bring him before me, then. And get Daeron and Rhaenys here as well."
"As you wish, Your Grace." Before he left, Grey Worm and Missandei shared an affectionate look and a smile.
"Have you thought about marriage, yet? With him?"
"Only if he's ready for it," Missandei answered.
"Perhaps… you should make the first move. He's been suppressing his desires ever since he became part of the Unsullied. He's going to need you by his side."
"Don't worry. I'm not letting him go, Your Grace."
In the private chamber in the palace, Daenerys, Jon, and Rhaenys alongside Missandei waited before Grey Worm brought their mystery guest before them. He matched Grey Worm's description, as he wore an eyepatch, had blond hair and green eyes, and had filthy garments. And he carried a large bag with him, which he set down on the floor.
"Who might you be?" Jon asked. "You look like a man of Westeros."
"I am a man of Westeros… Prince Daeron," the man said, while speaking the common tongue like a southerner.
"That is King Daeron, Third of His Name," Rhaenys made clear. "You will address him again."
"My apologies, King Daeron. And I must extend my apologies to you both, Queen Daenerys and Princess Rhaenys, on behalf of my family."
"Your family?" Daenerys asked, curious.
"I am Gerion of House Lannister, fourth son of Tytos Lannister, Warden of the West."
Daenerys was stunned, as were Jon and Rhaenys. "You're supposed to be dead," Jon was the first to say.
"And you're supposed to be the bastard son of Eddard Stark, and yet here I am," Gerion cracked.
Now that Daenerys looked closely, he did have all the features of House Lannister despite his wrinkled skin and his blond hair almost turning white. "You have some nerve coming here, given that you were alive during Robert's Rebellion and after what your family has done."
"Granted," Gerion admitted. "But if you wanted to punish me and my house indiscriminately, you would not have brought my nephew into your service, and yet you did."
"Does he know that you're alive?" Jon asked.
"Not yet. I wanted to see you three first, to offer my services."
"And what could you possibly do for us?" Rhaenys was skeptical of another Lannister working for them.
"First, by returning something that rightfully belongs to you." Gerion opened his bag and pulled out a sword. He knelt on one knee and held out the sword. "It took me great pain to find this, as I had to look everywhere in the world, but I found it."
"What is it?" Daenerys asked. However, Jon was already up and he walked over to Gerion before grabbing the sword. He was obviously in awe of it.
"It can't be."
"What is it?" Daenerys asked again.
Jon turned around and in his hands was a sword in its sheath, with a red jewel on the pommel with dragon heads on the sides. He unsheathed it, and Daenerys recognized Valyrian steel.
"It is," Jon said to himself as he looked at it up and down.
"That can't be—" Rhaenys also recognized.
Now that Daenerys could see it clearly, she could also recognize the blade. "Blackfyre."
"It has finally returned to us, after all this time." Jon turned around and bid Gerion to stand. "Thank you for this gift, but I see that you have another sword with you."
"Ah, yes. I took great pains to get Blackfyre, King Daeron, but this is the one that made me go all the way from home. And I had to make some sacrifices for it." Gerion held out his left hand, which was missing two fingers, as well as pointing to his missing eye. He pulled out the sword, which was larger than Blackfyre and had a lion's head on the pommel.
"Is that—" Jon also recognized it.
"Indeed, it is. Brightroar, reappeared at last."
Daenerys could not believe it. Brighroar was the ancestral sword of House Lannister, which went missing at King Tommen Lannister went into the ruins of old Valyria to seek its riches. Tommen Lannnister never returned, and the loss of Brightroar had been an obsession for the lions of Casterly Rock, particularly Tywin Lannister, since they believed that a great house should possess a Valyrian steel sword. Not one, but two famed Valyrian steel blades returning to the world of the living. How delightful, she thought.
She also thought of the other advantages that could come, now that they had Brightroar with them. We just got leverage over House Lannister, especially with Lord Tywin's obsession with Valyrian steel. And that was when she had another idea.
"Lord Gerion, have you ever met a dragon before?" Daenerys asked him.
"I have not, Your Grace."
"Come with me, then." Daenerys led him, as well as Jon, Rhaenys, and Missandei to the courtyard where Drogon was still resting. He might have done us a favor, but I must remind him that his family is not off the hook, not by a stretch, she thought to herself, wanting to balance out Tyrion's awe of the dragons to Gerion's fear of it, if she could induce it in him.
A/N: So Mingyu and Benjen still have issues to deal with, but they are getting closer to really trusting each other again.
Sansa is now going to work with the wildlings, and has asked for forgiveness from Jon.
Dany and Missandei discuss solutions, as well as encouraging Rhaenys, while Gerion Lannister reappears. I actually didn't plan for him to show up in the beginning, but I thought, "It would add another dimension to the conflict with the Lannistsers." And yes, both Blackfyre and Brightroar have returned.