Hey everyone Shadowwolf1997 is back with a new chapter to Empire of Winter. I hope yall like the surprises I have in store for ya. I do not own a Song of Ice and Fire, that goes to George R.R. Martin

North: Old Tongue when Andals are around

North: Old Tongue most of the Time, Andal

North: Valyrian

Drums of War

Children of the Wolf and the Dragon

Within the vast halls of Winterfell, Brandon Snow groggily woke up, relaxed in his room. The young man had never once begrudged his life as the bastard son of the Queen of Winter and Iron and was quite pleased with his lot. As the young Harbinger sat up, a soft sigh coming from the other side caused him to glance at his longtime friend and now happily married wife Meera. The two had grown up together in Winterfell, he the bastard of the Queen Lyanna III and a Ice Sword, and she the daughter of a milkmaid and a member of the Wolf Fang Guard hailing from the he wasn't busy helping his brother, Crown Prince Torrhen Stark, and she herself not busy being the handmaiden of his brother's wife Visenya Targaryen, the two would often be found in each other's company.

Even now a smile came to his face as he remembered their first dance, during Torrhen and Visenya's Wedding, she had found him standing by himself in a corner grabbed his hand and said "I have been waiting all night for you to ask me to dance. I am out of patience, now come here."

With that she pulled him out onto the dance floor and the two spent the rest of the night either dancing or being right by the other's side. A few months later they were married before the Heart Tree in Winterfell. If there was one thing Brandon liked about being a bastard it was that he was free to love and marry whoever he wanted to.

Glancing at her growing belly, a sign that his own little family was about to get bigger, he smiled at the thought of being a father. His own father had died protecting his mother before he had even been a year old, and the only other man his mother had married or been with since then had been Jonnelle Bolton, who she had married for political reasons and who died not even a month into the marriage due to a sickness.

Placing his hand on Meera's belly Brandon's thoughts shifted to his brother and his wife. Almost a year and a half had passed since Visenya Targaryen had become Visenya Stark, and he had never seen his brother happier than when he was with his Valyrian wife. The two were hardly seen apart, often found either sparring with Brandon and Aegon in the courtyard, helping sort out disputes between and among the Mountain Clans and Free Folk Tribes, or together in the Godswood where Brandon had once found the two using it for… less than spiritual purposes. Brandon was convinced that was the day that the twins his good sister was now close to giving birth to were conceived, in the eyes of the gods. And when asked, neither of the parents denied it, both smiling with mischief.

He was disturbed from his thoughts as Meera groaned and opened her green eyes, glancing around with a dazed and still groggy expression before her gaze landed on him and a tired smile graced her features. "Good Morning my love, what has awoken my husband so early today." she spoke with her song like voice that he so loved.

Being the daughter of a crannogman, she was barely over five feet tall and was tiny compared to his six feet and three inches.

"Good morning to you too, and maybe I woke up early to gaze upon the great beauty who shares my bed with me every night." He said as he laid back down and pulled her towards him, smiling as she nestled into his chest and laid her head just below his neck, her reddish brown hair all over.

"Flattery will get you everywhere Harbinger Brandon Snow, especially once our child is born." A sultry tone had entered her voice and he found himself all the more eager for their child to be born, even if they may soon be followed by a second.

Just as the two were about to go back to sleep a banging at the door jolted them from the world of sleep.

"Harbinger Brandon I have news," one of the servants spoke through the door, "the Princess has gone into labor, the Queen and Lady Valaena have already been informed and the Prince has asked you to be there and the Princess had specifically asked for Meera to be present as well."

Whatever irritation the young couple had was swept away at the news and both got out of their bed as quickly as they could and dressed.

Once they were dressed Brandon and Meera quickly made their way to Torrhen and Visenya's chambers. Outside they found Aegon pacing back and forth, he looked up to see them. "Brandon, Meera you're here thank the gods." Nodding to the Dragonlord Brandon stepped aside as his wife brushed past him and into the room. The next moment a painful scream erupted from the room and caused Aegon to flinch.

Turning to his friend Brandon spoke, "Don't worry, she'll be fine Visenya is made of iron and steel, she'll make it through this and be back in the courtyard kicking your sorry ass up and down it."

Aegon smiled and finally took a seat, chairs having been set outside the room. As another scream emanated from the room Brandon once again spoke, "I don't know how long we'll be here my friend but just pray that the gods are merciful and that our nieces or nephews don't take to long to be brought into this world."

Within the chamber and on a large bed cover in sheets and furs, Visenya Stark nee Targaryen let out another scream as she pushed again, her little wolf dragon not coming into this world easily, and the room was filled with the sound of breaking bones. To his credit, Prince Torrhen Stark didn't even flinch or grit his teeth as his wife crushed his left hand, his pain was nothing compared to the agony his Visenya was enduring.

Gently holding her right hand was her mother Valaena Velaryon, who had been at Winterfell for the past two months, wanting to be present to she the birth of her grandchildren. Meera was dabbing a damp cloth on Visenya's forehead and speaking words of encouragement to her friend.

And at the base of the bed, Queen Lyanna Stark, Third of Her Name, Guardian of the Winterlands and the Isles, Protector of the Gods of the Forest, Magnara of Winterfell, and Queen of the First Men, the Giants, and the Children of the Forest, was aiding Druid Magorn in delivering the children, she too wanting to be present for the birth of her first grandchildren.

Crying out as she pushed again, Visenya looked towards her mother, "Mother is it almost over. Please just let this end already."

Cooing gently as she stroke her daughter's hair, the elder Targaryen spoke, "Soon enough my dear, just hang in there a little longer. It won't be easy, nor will it be pleasant, but your children need you to be strong if they hope to see this world. So do what I know you were made for and fight, endure and press onward. Your babes need you to endure for just a little longer sweetling."

The words of her mother giving her strength, Visenya clenched her husband's broken hand as she pushed again.

"Almost princess, one more and your firstborn will be out." Druid Magorn stated, having seen enough births to know when a baby was almost out of its mother's womb. With one final push, Visenya Stark cried out, and the sound of a baby wail echoed across the room.

Taking the babe and placing it in a gray swaddling cloth the Druid handed the crying babe to Queen Lyanna before starting, "A healthy young boy my princess, only one more child and you'll be done."

Hearing her baby's, her son's, cries gave Visenya a new surge of strength as she once again began to push. Within ten minutes of his brother, a second baby boy came into the world wailing at the top of his lungs. Handing the second babe to Meera. The druid stood up and smiled.

"Congratulations Your Highness, two healthy sons have been given to you this day."

Exhausted, sweat covering her face and wanting nothing more than to sleep, Visenya pushed herself up and spoke with a voice hoarse from screaming, "My sons, I want to see my sons." She half demanded half pleaded.

Smiling gently Queen Lyanna and Meera gave her the twins, both having settled down somewhat but still crying loudly.

The first had tufts of silver hair and Torrhen's long face, while the second had light brown hair and her heart shaped face. Their eyes were a dark cobalt, not grey or lilac but more of a blend between their parents eyes. Their eyes were slitted like a cat's, but their skin had none of the nut brown tint of the Children, too many generations had passed since the last time a Stark had married one of the Children.

Feeling her heart swell with love for these two little creatures who had only moments before caused her such pain, Visenya cried tears of joy, a rare sight for any who knew her, as she brought her sons to her face and kissed the crowns of their heads.

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and looked up into the proud eyes of her husband, the father of her children. Gently kissing her Torrhen finally spoke, "I am so proud of you my love. Look at our boys. The Gods have blessed us."

Smiling Visenya spoke, "I think I have decided on two names, how do you like Maesric for the elder and Braegon for our younger son."

Torrhen smiled at the names, combining both Valyrian names Maegor and Aegon with the Northern names Orsric and Brandon.

"I think they're perfect for our sons. The are the blood of the wolf and the dragon, it only makes sense that their names be as such."

Smiling Visenya handed her sons to her mother as she tiredly laid down a fell asleep, the birth having completely worn her out.

The next day the bells of Wintercity rung in joyous song as the city celebrated the birth of the new Stark Princes and the following weeks saw Winterfell filled with letters of Congratulation and gifts from the various Stark Bannermen as well as gifts from the Lord Aerion and his vassals on Dragonstone.

As this was going on, within Winterfell itself a feast was held to celebrate. Far from the noises of the Great Hall however, young Aegon, now seventeen smiled at his sleeping nephews as his good brother placed Braegon down in his crib alongside his brother.

As he followed Torrhen out the room, he turned to watch Forest, Torrhen's direwolf, lay herself protectively in front of the crib, daring any who was not a friend come within even a step of the twins.

As Aegon closely the door, his smile turned serious as he turned to his good brother, "Torrhen, thank you for the hospitality your family has shown me since me and my sister arrived. But now I feel I must take my leave of Winterfell and return with my mother to Dragonstone. My father's days grow shorter, and I must begin my plans for what is to come."

Nodding his head to his good-brother's words, Torrhen nodded and clasped his arm in a Northern handshake, "If you even need aid, call, and the North shall answer brother."

With that Aegon would depart Winterfell the following month, leaving with his mother to take charge of Dragonstone from his ailing father.

Five months after the births of Maesric and Braegon, Brandon and Meera's daughter Arya was born, a cute little babe with a long face and reddish brown hair and greenish gray eyes. Lyanna finally decide it was time to legitimize her beloved second son, having not done so before because he had like his life the way it was. But with the birth of her granddaughter, the Queen decided to give her second son the name Stark so his descendants wouldn't be abandoned. Knowing he wouldn't be able to change his mother's mind, and for the sake of Meera and Arya, Brandon accepted and became founder of a new house, House Snowstark, their banner a White Direwolf on a grey field and their words were, We Bite Where Others Bark, and was made Magnar of the Wolffort, an old fortress that guarded the main gate of Wintercity that had recently been restored and refurbished. Given the Title Sentinel of the Gate and Guardian of the Wolfsroad, House Snowstark's mission would be to defend to main entrance to the capital of the Winterlands and patrol the royal highway, making sure that bandits did not plague trade routes or harass the people of the Winterlands.

Times were good for the people of the Winterlands and the Isles, but time moves on, and all things end.

One Moon sets and Another Rises

Queen Lyanna was smiling as she bounced a four year old Arya on her knee, her little granddaughter laughing as the old Queen of Winter and Iron took time to play with her only granddaughter out of her four grandchildren. Arya's cousins, Maesric and Braegon were trying to get her little brother Beron to walk for longer periods of time, despite having only recently acquiring the skill. Always close by, her ever faith Ice Swords stood watch, smiling as their Queen passed the time playing with her grandchildren.

Many had started to worry about the health of the queen, she coughed often now, and began to tire easily from the simplest things. Where she had once performed executions herself as the old way dictated, her failing strength meant her sons and magnars had to start carrying out the Queen's justice in her name. Sometimes she even lacked the strength to leave bed, forcing Torrhen to rule in her stead.

Many were aware of their Queen's failing health, and none more so than Queen Lyanna herself. She knew her time was coming, sooner than she would have liked, but that it was coming nonetheless. Which is why she spent every moment she could with her dear grandchildren, their smiles and laughter probably one of the few things that gave her strength anymore.

Lyanna's attention was diverted from the laughing Arya by the sound of of the Throne room doors opening and in walked her two good daughters, Visenya and Meera. Lyanna had alway liked Meera, the young girl had worked in Winterfell all her live and had known Brandon for ages. And Visenya had quickly risen to be one of the old queen's closest friends. She could have not found better wives for her two beloved sons. Seeing their mothers, Maesric and Braegon ran over to therm, with little Beron wattling behind. Arya hopped down from Lyanna's knees and all but tackled Meera, almost knocking the small woman over as Beron latched onto her leg, giving a big smile. Visenya bent down and scooped up her twins, giving them both a big hug before turning to Lyanna.

"My Queen, ambassadors from Braavos and Volantis have arrived as well as from the King of Storms and Rivers."

Queen Lyanna playfully groaned before speaking, "Well I guess it's back to then, a Queen's work is never done. Be sure you remember this Visenya."

This got both her good-daughters laughing as they left the throne room, her grandchildren saying "Bye Grandma" as they were led away, or in little Beron's case " 'ye Gra'ma."

Smiling at her Grandchildren, the Queen of the Winterlands and the Isles turned to her Ice Swords, her face now in a frozen mask "Send them in."

Later that night, after a day of trade negotiations and listening the the Stormland ambassador complaining about how the Crannogmen still hold the twin fortresses known as the Twins in the South, but the Fangs in the North, Queen Lyanna returned to her chambers. To her surprise when she entered she found all four of her grandchildren playing in her chambers, or in Beron's case sleeping on her bed.

Unable to stop a smile from gracing her face, Lyanna bent down to be level with Maesric before speaking, "What are my little wolves doing her at such an hour."

Smiling as he spoke Maesric laughed, "We asked mama and papa if we could stay with you tonight, and Meera asked Aunty Meera and Uncle Brandon if she and Beron could be here too."

"Yeah," Braegon decided to pitch in, "we wanted to stay the night with grandma, she's always fun to play with."

Unable to control her laughter at this point, the elderly Queen gathered up all her still conscious grandchildren and told them old stories, stories from the Battle of the Dawn to the tales of their ancestors, of Bran the Builder, Bjoren the Magnificent Wolf, Theon the Hungry Wolf, Cregan the Venerable, Queen Lyanna I and her father Torrhen I, to which Maesric and Braegon laughed and say, "But papa's not your papa, he's our papa, you're his mama", of King Donnor Stark the Beast, and of King Beron III "The Andal Breaker," causing a now awake Beron to giggle, and of King Brandon "Steel Eyes" XII.

By the time she was finished, all her little pups had fallen asleep. Feeling sleep beginning to take her as well, the aging Queen slipped into bed alongside her beautiful grandchildren, little Beron nuzzling into her chest while asleep as he slightly drooled on her night gown.

With her youngest grandchild clutching her in his sleep and the others sharing the massive bed that the Queen had occupied alone since before they were born, Queen Lyanna Stark III fell asleep for the last time, a genuine happy smile upon her face as she was surrounded by her grandchildren, her last thought being how she could not imagine a better way to pass from this world. In the Year 6 BC, Queen Lyanna Stark III died in bed, surrounded by her grandchildren.

A two months later, Queen Lyanna Stark, Third of Her Name, Guardian of the Winterlands and the Isles, Protector of the Gods of the Forest, Magnara of Winterfell, and Queen of the First Men, the Giants, and The Children of the Forest was lain to rest within the crypt of Winterfell, along with the other Kings and Queens of the Stark line. And above in the Godswood of Winterfell, surrounded by the Magnars and Magnaras of the North, the Princess of Dorne, and the Targaryens and their vassals, Torrhen Stark knelt before the Heart Tree and High Greenseer Wind Eye as the Crown of Winter and Iron, its nine iron spikes adorned with runes and bronze engraved with three shards of amber, was crowned.

Standing up to his full height of 6'6 and turning to face the crowd, the High Greenseer spoke in the Old Tongue, "All hail King Torrhen Stark, Second of His Name, Guardian of the Winterlands and the Isles, Magnar of Winterfell, and King of the First Men, the Giants, and the Children of the Forest. LONG LIVE THE KING!"

"LONG LIVE THE KING," the cry being taken up the Magnars and Magnaras as the Targaryens and Dornish shouted the same in the Andal Tongue.

The She Wolf had died, and in her place rose the Stalwart Wolf.

The Conquest Begins

In the year 2 BC

In on the isle of Dragonstone, Dragon lord Aegon awoke in his large bed, on either side were his two beautiful wives. One was his sister wife Rhaenys, the other was a long time friend and another dragonrider Danea Syrean, now Targaryen. Last night had been a pleasurable night for all three of them, they had made love on the eve of the great conquest Aegon's father had envisioned and now Aegon would carry it out. With the support of the Starks and Martells, he would conquer the central portion of Westeros. House Targaryen would claim a domain to help but them on more equal standing with the eastern dragonlords.

He was brought from his toughts by Danea turning and wrapping herself around him, while Rhaenys cuddled under his arm and laid her head on his shoulder.

"It begins today my loves, before the year is out I will be King and you two the Queens of the Five Kingdoms."

Smiling as she started to kiss his cheek and neck Danea spoke, "Queen Danea and Queen Rhaenys, sounds nice doesn't it sister."

Smirking as she too began to kiss their shared husband Rhaenys decided to play along with her childhood friend who was her sister in all but blood, Rhaenys spoke, "So it does Danea, but I think you mean Queen Rhaenys and Queen Danea."

As the two shared a laugh, they both yelped as Aegon lifted them both up and pinned them under him. Smirking as he looked upon his two wives Aegon wasted no time on talk. For the rest of the early morning, no more talk was heard in the room, only sounds of pleasure.

Later in the Stone Drum in the Chamber of the Painted Table, Aegon and his wives, his half brother Orys, and the Dragonlords loyal to House Targaryen stood around the table itself.

"Here is where I suggest we land Your Grace at Duskendale." The oldest of the Dragonlords present and Aegon's main strategist spoke, Baelor Mexaryes was an old man of sixty and seven years, but was built like a bear. Around the table the other Dragonlords sworn to House Targaryen, Myr Rhaegares of House Rhaegares, Ajax Quotlos of House Quotlos, Baelon Syrean, Danea's brother, Lysera of House Lyseris the original founders of Lys, Maegar Cromex of House Cromex, Viserys and Aerys of House Velyax, Seran of House Mearax, and finally Gaemon of House Danarys .

At the head of the Painted Table, with his two wives by his side stood Aegon Targaryen surveyed the map, besides lines just south of the Fangs and North of the Dornish Marches, there were no borders, showing central Westeros as one land.

"The area around the mouth of the Blackwater Rush would be the most ideal setting for our intial invasion, after which we can slowly subjugate the surrounding lords and lands. Once we've gained our foothold, we send word to the Starks and Martells, the will keep the Durradons of Durranshall and Storm's End busy while Lord Orys assists in taking out the Storm King. Once the Riverlands and Stormlands are ours, I say we take our forces and divide them. You and your good brother King Torrhen should attack the Lannisters and I, Orys, and the Prince Nymor Martell will strike the Gardeners, and I believe your sister Queen Visenya will lead the attack on the Vale."

Listening to the plan the newly crowned King Aegon First of His Name, King of the Five Kingdoms stood up and spoke to the maester of Dragonstone, "Maester Jonos send ravens to Winterfell and Sunspear, the time has come to fill the pact of The Wolf, The Sun, and the Dragon. I know my good brother will aid us and the Princess Meria has been a good ally to us and would be more than happy to deal a blow against the Reach and Stormlands."

Turning to his Dragonlords he spoke, "Mount your Dragons our time has come at last. Dracarys!"

"Dracarys"the dragonlords shouted as one, and from the Dragonmont, the roar of the Dragons answered their riders.

House Syrean: A red dragon on a white background their words are "Long Will We Fight"

House Mexaryes: A gold dragon on a gray background Words: "Devour All"

House Rhaegares: A two headed silver dragon on bronze Words: "We Fly Onwards"

House Quotlos: A black dragon on pale orange Words: "Forged By War"

House Lyseris: A dark blue dragon on lavender Words: "Honor and Beauty"

House Cromex: A green dragon on on gray Words: "We Crush All Before Us"

House Velyax: Three pale blue dragons on scarlet Words: "We do not Yield"

House Mearax: Two Silver dragons facing opposite directions on cyan Word: "We fly above"

House Danarys: A lilac dragon on brown Words: "We Do Not Boast, We Act"

Hope you all enjoy it, next time we get to the good stuff, hope y'all can't wait because I sure can't.