The life of Daenerys Stormborn had been anything but easy. Her title comes from the fact that she was born during a storm at Dragonstone. She lost her mother to childbirth and immediately had been whisked away by Ser Willem Darry to the lands beyond the narrow seas.

Life at the start had been peaceful there. She grew under the watchful eyes of the knight who had been loyal till his dying breath. Daenerys had been five when she and her brother had been forced out of the house they had lived in. The siblings had travelled all around the free cities until any favour they had over the Magisters and Archons and Merchant Princes had been spent. They had to sell all they owned, the last of which was their mother's crown. The last one had drained any happiness her brother had in him and made him into a bitter young man. They were eventually taken in by Magister Illyrio Mopatis, who swore his allegiance to House Targaryen and promised his help in reclaiming the throne. Half a year later she was married off to Khal Drogo for his army of screamers.

Things weren't easy at first, but eventually, she had grown to like it. She had grown to love the Khal even. But eventually, that too had been taken from her. But with tragedy comes blessings. For her, it was the birth of her dragons. That made her feel special in ways she had never felt.

The Magister had called on Daenerys not long after and had informed her that she was being invited back to Westeros and that too by a supposed nephew of hers. Rhaegar, her eldest brother, had one more child. A child that would declare his claim for the throne. Daenerys did not believe it for a second, she had paid her price in believing others blindly. But she had a way home, and she was not going to turn that down.

Her Khalasar had been loyal to her through many things. But the notion of crossing the narrow seas was not favourable to them. They had become family to her, and to say goodbye to them was something she loath to do. But she understood that the sea was something they had no experience over. And the stories they grew up with did nothing but instil fear in them. So with a heavy heart, she had to bid them farewell, now accompanied only by her three children and Ser Jorah Mormont.

The journey to White Harbour was long but Daenerys enjoyed it. She always loved the fresh wind against her skin. Once upon a time, she had wished to be a sailor, but her brother had made it clear that she would become his wife to keep the line pure. Maybe this pretender wanted her for the same thing.

White Harbour welcomed her tentatively, their Lord calling her princess and blood of their King. They were feasted for the night before being taken to Winterfell in a wheelhouse gifted by Lord Wyman Manderly and a handful of his men. Daenerys was shown the hospitality of a lady of her stature, but her sworn knight was met with coldness. Daenerys did not like it but she understood why. Ser Jorah had done his fair share of mistakes that led to his banishment.

The journey to Winterfell was eventless, the men only stopping for food and sleep. The castle of Winterfell was just as grand as Ser Jorah had told her. She marvelled at the sight of it and for the first time in a long time felt nerves eat at her heart. Through the gates, they went and Daenerys was helped out of the wheelhouse by Ser Jorah. Lord Stark had come to welcome her himself, with his wife and children. But her attention was on the man that called himself Jon Targaryen.

Jon had more Stark features than Targaryen ones, seven hell he looked more Stark than most of his uncle's children. He was built lean with a long face. Dark brown hair and grey eyes so dark that they looked black. Daenerys would have never believed him to be who he claimed to be, had it not been for the creature wrapped around his shoulder. On her shoulder Rhaegal let out a soft noise and took flight, going over to Jon and greeting his dragon. Daenerys couldn't help but smile at the act. Jon too looked happy, even going as far as to scratch Rhaegal under the chin. The dragon seemed to like it as well.

"Aunt Daenerys" Jon approached her.

"Nephew" Daenerys held her hand out and Jon kissed the back of it.

"Welcome to Winterfell. I hope your journey wasn't too difficult" he asked.

"We managed" Daenerys smiled.

"Princess" Ned Stark spoke, "Winterfell is at your service" he dipped his head slightly. "I would have welcomed you myself, but my nephew insisted he does it himself."

"It's alright" Daenerys gave him a small smile. This man was instrumental in the rebellion that took everything from her family. Yet here he was supporting his nephew to restore her house to the throne. What was he playing at? Why would he betray his best friend?

"We can talk more later, please join us for supper. You too Ser Jorah" Jon looked to the knight with a kind smile. Ser Jorah seemed to be caught by surprise, stammering out a reply. Daenerys had to hide her amusement at that.

The Crypts

"This is an ominous place to hold a conversation, Jon" Daenerys spoke as she looked at the faces of the various statues of Kings, Queens, Lords and Ladies buried here. She had been fed more than she had thought she could have. Even her dragons were fed better than they had in a long time. She was finding Jon and the people of Winterfell quite charming.

"I always have important conversations with my mother present. Makes me feel like she's with me" Jon smiled and Daenerys looked to the statue before her, of Lyanna Stark.

"What changed?" the femme questioned, "Why are the Starks supporting your claim when the son of his best friend sits on the throne?"

"Joffrey is not Robert's," Jon said simply. "He's Cersei and her brother's. Bastard all of them. Lord Stark felt it his duty to restore the true King on The Throne. After all that had happened."

"And what exactly happened?" Daenerys asked.

"A story for another time" Jon smiled. "But know that your brother, my father, had married my mother. It was no kidnapping. And I was born in wedlock."

"That would make the Rebellion a lie then" Daenerys hummed. "Wasn't Robert's claim of kidnapping his bride what brought the realm to war?"

"It played its part" Jon admitted. "Aerys Targaryen was not called The Mad King for nothing. When news of my mother being 'kidnapped' was heard by my paternal grandfather and his oldest son, they marched to The Capital and demanded that she be returned. Your father and my grandfather thought that to be treason and had them killed. He put Lord Stark's father in a full set of armour and hung him over an open fire, while he tied a noose around my uncle Brandon. Lord Rickard Stark died like an animal being cooked alive, while my uncle Brandon died by strangulation, trying to get to his father. That had spurred The North into outrage and then outright fury when the head of Uncle Ned was demanded. The Realm was already against your father then, with such an uprising they added to their numbers and The Rebellion happened."

"You believe that?" Daenerys almost scoffed. "You believe that my father was mad?"

"You tell me, aunt" Jon looked at her from the corner of his eyes. "Your brother Viserys showed signs of it, there is no denying. Imagine a worse version of him with all the power you can imagine. That was your father."

A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of it. Viserys had become something else after they had to sell their mother's crown. Daenerys could only dread what a man like him on The Throne could be like.

There was a sharp screech and the four dragons flew back from the springs deep in the crypts. Drogon and Viserion came to her and wrapped themselves around her arms, while Rhaegal and Lya had wrapped themselves around Jon's arms.

"Rhaegal's taken a shine to you" Daenerys smiled.

"I think it's less me and more the one wrapped on my other arm" Jon answered with an amused smile. He was not surprised at all at how Rhaegal had behaved. In a time that could be termed fantasy, Rhaegal was his mount. Like Ghost, the dragon had bonded with him quickly.

"Will it be the same for us? You and I marrying to keep the bloodline pure" Daenerys asked. That had always been what she knew and believed in.

"I don't think there is much to keep pure here" Jon chuckled. "But I don't think it will happen between us" Jon informed her. "Depending on how the conquest goes, we might have to make alliances through marriage. So if it comes to that, we both need to be available and unwed."

"You're the one they'll have their eyes on" Daenerys mumbled, "I'm just the princess and that too the widow of a Dothraki screamer. And with what happened, I don't think I can produce any heirs for anyone."

"You might think that," Jon took her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze, "but you're young, beautiful and any man would be lucky to have you" he insisted. The two shared a moment of silence, looking into each other's eyes. The sound of Lya's screech snapped them out.

"I still can't produce an heir. Cursed by a witch" Daenerys sighed, her heart aching at the thought of that, at the thought of her dead child Rhaego.

"I might have someone that might be able to help you with that" Jon smiled. Daenerys heard the sound of footsteps and turned around to see a man that she was sure was a Targaryen with how he looked. And with him was a woman wearing a dark red lacquer wooden mask and a long hooded robe. Dany knew her, she had seen her before.

The woman took off her hood first and Daenerys noticed the silver choker around her neck, the red stone that glowed as if it was on fire. She undid her hair and let her long silver-gold hair fall free. It was the same shade as Daenerys' hair. Next came off the mask and Daenerys found herself staring into the woman's mismatched eyes, one dark blue and the other bright green.