Hi there. I hope you all have enjoyed the story so far. As said before in the last chapter, we are heading into the main timeline and so, will be having more than one point of view per chapter.

Chapter 10: The Old, The True, The Brave

Jaehaerys

The fortress of Dragonstone was like a beacon calling to Jaehaerys and Viserys as their ship docked and he called for a wagon and two horses.

Doreah was awed by it all, and a little cold so he handed her a wool cloak to put over her lysene silk one. "It's so huge, this is all yours?" Viserys barked with laughter.

Jaehaerys shook his head no, "It belongs to the Prince of Dragonstone, I am a Prince but more a Castellan till... "

"Till what?" She asked and he frowned, until my nephew is permitted to come home.

The group made it to the front gate, walking the rest of the way and Jaehaerys led them, Viserys to his right and Doreah on his left, and two guardsmen carrying the chest holding the dragon eggs, the fortress main gate opened and Dany and Rhaenys approached them with Maester Kylon and Ser Barristan trailing behind.

"You're back!" Dany said excitedly while jumping into his arms, he chuckled as they spun around. She also embraced Viserys who held her for half a minute, Jaehaerys noticed but ignored it for the moment. "We worried that you two wouldn't return." Viserys pinched his sister's cheek lightly.

Rhaenys bowed her head with a curtsy, and Jaehaerys smiled and kissed her on the forehead. His niece soon noticed Doreah and looked at him curiously as if to question who she was.

"Rhaenys, Dany, come here." He called and brought forth his mistress, "This is Doreah of Lys, she will be a companion and handmaiden for you two if you may need her,"

Jaehaerys didn't know if he could be truthful to them at this moment, for now until they are in a better place to discuss it.

"There is more, Viserys help me." He took one side, his brother taking the other, "Maester Kylon, please set Doreah in her own chambers, one closer to mine. Dany, Rhaenys, come with me and Viserys to my chambers."

Rhaenys and Daenerys were awed seeing the dragon eggs, holding something that none hadn't seen since the Tragedy of Summerhall.

"Think we can hatch them?" Dany asked and he shrugged, his answer made her frown, "There must be something in the old library or perhaps the descendants of the old Dragonkeepers?"

"We should think about searching into it, Jae. Dragons will win us back the Kingdoms faster than armies," Viserys said and Rhaenys nodded in agreement.

Scratching his head, he addressed it. "If what memory serves, eggs were kept warm almost hot." He walked over and found his nephew's egg, bringing it over to join the other three, "I will investigate further into it but for now," He closed the chest shut, "We are stuck using conventional means of getting what we want."

Viserys seemed to be dissatisfied, but reluctantly let it go, "Then swing away with that red sword of yours, brother." His brother went to leave but Rhaenys called out to him but the thirdborn son ignored her and stormed off.

"Let him go, he's no doubt tired from the journey." He said to Rhaenys who sighed, listening to him. "Dany, why don't you go and have the cooks make us a dinner, we'll sup as one." Daenerys beamed and kissed his cheek before leaving the room.

Gods, she is so innocent, far too gentle to endure the life that awaits all of them once he reveals his teeth to the Usurper and his allies.

Far more depressing is that she will be used as a pawn, gifted to a powerful enough Lord to gain them more troops and ships, and food to wage their war to restore House Targaryen to power.

"How did things go, with my family?" Rhaenys asked after they were alone, he tensed and debated saying anything. "That face doesn't look good."

"House Martell has pledged its spears and resources to us, with a few terms that we've agreed to." Jaehaerys washed his face at his water basin, running a hand through his silver hair.

Rhaenys hummed curiously, "Oh, what terms were so great?" She asked him and he wished this could wait.

Jaehaerys nodded, they were great indeed. "Oberyn will be made the Master-at-Arms of the Red Keep. Your cousin, Trystane Martell will serve as my Squire in and off of battle, Lord Anders Yronwood must be named as Aegon's Master of Laws... And, and I have sworn an oath to marry Arianne Martell upon victory against Robert."

Rhaenys wasn't happy as he had foreseen it, her lips forming into a frown, "Why must you, wouldn't Aegon be the better choice- "

"That was the first offer but I denied it." He saw her face falter and appeared hurt, "Rhaenys, your brother's hand was already promised to another, one your father wished to make... You."

Rhaenys shook her head no as if she had the authority to make it so, "I don't want to marry my brother, I want... " She stopped just short of saying his name, and Jaehaerys felt like shite then. "I have feelings for you, uncle, only you after all these years and before I realized them I would have been fine, I would have done my duty... But that's since changed."

"The Targaryens need to stand tall, Rhaenys, and to do that is to ensure the next King and Queen have the blood of the Dragon." He said and walked towards his niece and held her, placing a kiss upon her forehead, "In another world, we may have been able to follow our hearts, but that is not our reality- "

He was stopped when Rhaenys reached, took his face and kissed his lips passionately then pulled away slowly with tears running down her eyes.

She left him then, closing the door and Jaehaerys stood there for several moments then heard the door open and revealed to be Kylon. "I wish to be alone, Kylon." He said, trying to keep himself from being too emotional about what happened.

"Forgive, Prince Jaehaerys but, I have housed Lady Doreah and returned to my chambers and this just arrived... From King's Landing." Composing himself, Jaehaerys reached over and took the scroll, and unrolled it.

"The Hand of the King, Jon Arryn is dead."

The words read back and forth in his mind as he processed the news, then a smile crawled upon his lips.

A victory out of nowhere, what are the odds?

Aegon

Aegon whacked the training post, his arm moving like a fluid stream as he struck his opponent.

"Oh, you showed him, Egg." Theon taunted from the sidelines, Robb joining in the teasing.

"I'm just practicing to make short work for you two, though it is hardly a challenge." His barb struck a nerve toward Theon who snorted, Robb shook his head in shame.

No doubt, he's become quite an arrogant person when in the training yard. He and Jon often besting both Robb and Theon, and as a matter of fact, Robb is the only one that makes him give any real effort to fight and win.

Theon is more a bowman than a swordsman, anyway, and Jon is better than them all given his status making him wish to work harder to prove himself worthy to be a member of House Stark.

It's been years now, years since he's been home and so long he can barely remember the smell of the sea from Dragonstones shore or the dragon and gargoyle statues that stand vigilant over the blackened fortress.

But remembers his sister, his uncles, and his aunt but most of all, he remembers his dragon egg.

Hearing the faint howl from behind him, he turned to see Ghost, Jon's direwolf that they all discovered along the path from executing another deserter of the Night's Watch.

There were five in total, one for each of Lord Stark's children.

Ghost with its white coat and quiet demeanor belongs to Jon, then there is Shaggydog and Nymeria who are owned by little Rickon and Arya.

Grey Ghost has a very regal appearance, with smokey grey fur. Aegon believed it made sense for Robb to pick that one.

Sansa's direwolf, Lady was the smallest of the litter with lighter grey fur and warmer eyes to the others as he's noticed. The wolf is well-mannered and friendlier than the others as well.

The last of them belonged to Bran, although the lad hasn't named him yet and had gone through half a hundred names.

Aegon hoped they appreciate their wolves better than his own family appreciated their dragons, throwing them away in a senseless war for supremacy and the Iron Throne.

A throne he hoped his uncle Jaehaerys has stopped fighting for.

If he could be made King without bloodshed, then he would take it and his birthright but even he isn't foolish enough to believe.

Lives, countless would be lost in the war, from his family to the new one he's made up here with Jon, Robb, and Arya too.

"Boys!" Aegon's thoughts were broken when Rodrik Cassel walked over to them, and Lady Catelyn standing beside him. "Off to the barracks for a shave, come on!"

Oh right, Aegon forgot about the news of the Hand, Jon Arryn's death.

The young Targaryen was nervous to see the man who murdered his father, he would be a liar to say he wasn't terrified thinking that the man was coming to take his head for sick enjoyment but the most likely answer is probably to make Lord Stark the new Hand.

Reaching a hand to pull on his long hair, he grimaced, "Lady Stark, may I be excused from it? I rather like how my hair is." Lady Catelyn shook her head and he sighed, following Jon, Robb, and Theon.

Robb went first, and while getting their facial hair and actual hair cut Jon asked about the elephant in the room.

"Why is your Lady Mother dead set on getting us pretty for the King?"

Theon perversely piped in, "It's for the Queen I bet, I hear she's a sleek bit of mink. Hey, Egg, you've met the Queen, yeah? What she look like?" He scoffed at Greyjoys banter.

"That wasn't me, it was my Uncle." He corrected and Robb smirked.

"I hear the Prince is a right royal prick." He chuckled at that, mostly because it may be true.

New dynasties often start off the second generation with an unworthy heir, he knows that from Aenys I and Maegor the Usurper back almost 300 years ago now.

"Think of all the women he gets to poke with his right royal prick." Gods the sick mind of this one, Aegon smacked Theon upside the head.

"Your balls loaded with seed, Greyjoy? Haven't been to the brothel in a moon's turn, huh?" All four of them laughed and Tommy finished with Robb who cleared his throat.

"That's enough." The heir to Winterfell said and put a hand on Jon's shoulder, "Shave this one good Tommy, Jon's never really liked a girl better than his own hair." Jon grimaced and winced as Tommy went right to cutting his friend's hair.

Tommy damn near made him bald, and deep down he figured it was planned this way due to Robert's arrival with his family that he almost wondered why Lord Stark didn't send him away to Castle Cerwyn to stay or perhaps to the Neck with House Reed till the visit was over but he instead was made to remain.

Sitting down at the sept he began to pray, praying that he will live through the King's visit and perhaps since he is a man, now that he'll be allowed to return home soon.

Hearing a pair of footsteps he looked and smiled, "Hello, Sansa." The eldest daughter of House Stark beamed.

Lord and Lady Stark's daughter grew beautifully, fourteen with the reddest hair and the bluest eyes, eyes like the color of the sky. She curtsied and blushed, "Your haircut looks nice, Aegon."

Ah, he did look at himself before leaving the bath, one could depict him looking like the Aegon of old who conquered the Seven into one Kingdom.

"Thank you, my Lady. You look good as well," She always looked good, a real gem of the Realm.

It wasn't idle fancy that brought these feelings into his heart at first, he once formulated a plan to ease the strife between House Targaryen and House Stark by bring up him marrying Sansa when she came of age to Lord Stark but any time he would go to do it there was always something holding him back.

Fear maybe, or perhaps because he assumed Lord Stark would deny it and lop off his head and it is a ridiculous thing to think.

"Would you like company?" She offered and he gladly accepted and the two of them sat down next to one another and in silence. "What do you pray for, Aegon?"

He didn't know whether to answer truthfully, "... Home, my Lady." he saw her face show him sympathy, "What do you pray for, if I may ask?" She smiled and her cheeks reddened.

"I pray for my family as well as for Lady to grow big and strong, I pray to one day see the South with all of its lush fields and warm weather." He sat there listening and agreed with some of what she said.

All except going South, "My Uncle Viserys once said that the South is pretty to look at but you have to be careful of vipers in the grass." Her face dampened a bit from what he said, "But, I scarce believe it and one day I'd like to see what's beyond the Island of Dragonstone and the North."

Sansa beamed and took his hand in hers, "I hope to see it all, maybe we both will." She was so warm, Aegon felt himself lean over and kiss Sansa on the cheek which stunned her but then the gasp was heard by the entrance and both he and Sansa turned to see Septa Mordane standing there.

Daenerys

Daenerys Targaryen, daughter of King Aerys and Queen Rhaella stood at the outer gate waiting for the arrival of her brother's guests.

Standing beside her was Doreah who became somewhat of a friend over the last two weeks since Jaehaerys brought her home from Essos.

The Hand of the King died, a small but significant victory as is the news that the Usurper and his family have decided to travel North leaving King's Landing all but leaderless apart from Robert's younger brother Renly and the Small Council.

Viserys was ecstatic about it all, and said they should call their army and take the city to which Jaehaerys argued that they'd need at least 10,000 men and ships to lay siege along with siege weapons.

From her knowledge of warfare, they wouldn't hold it for long anyhow.

"Princess, someone has arrived," Doreah said and she turned her eyes to a pair of skiffs coming ashore, and on their banner bore the seahorse of House Velaryon.

The Velaryons and Targaryens shared blood at one time, the last time she recalled was Alyn the Oakenfist who married Baela Targaryen and then became a lover to Elaena Targaryen many years later, both had children, some making their own Houses and others carrying on the Velaryon line.

A few years ago, Lord Lucerys passed away, and his son Monford has been made the new Master of Driftmark and Lord of the Tides.

Lord Monford was handsome, Daenerys thought. His fair hair was long, a cloak of sea green, and a white gold horse broach on his breast.

"My Lord Velaryon, thank you for coming, my brothers appreciate it." She said in greeting Lord Monford.

"House Velaryon will always stand by side of yours, Princess. We are the blood of old Valyria, no matter how lessened our blood ties are." He said and she smiled, allowing his lordship to take her hand as they walked up the path toward the keep. "Is the King well? Our King, I mean."

"Rhaenys sends ravens and receives replies a plenty from Aegon, the last one he wrote had spoken about a longing for home." She conversed with the man, "How is your son, Monterys?"

"Broad and growing stronger every day, he'll be six in a fortnight and rows a skiff like no other his age." She was always surprised, Lord Monford is no older than twenty, possibly twenty-one with an older bastard brother. "You are young, Princess, surely you and your siblings will be wed soon enough."

It sounded like a hint and she smirked, appreciating the subtle flirtation in Monford's voice.

"Hopefully, my Lord, the right man catches my brother's eye long enough to make my match." She said as they continued up the path and entered the castle then made their way towards the room of the painted table.

Other Lords and envoys made the journey, to gather and speak about the plans ahead.

Duncan Chelstead, Head of House Chelstead. A knight, sworn and loyal to her family. Lord Ardrian Celtigar's grandson, Addam Celtigar. Lord Donnel Darklyn, alongside his twin Axel Darklyn- Another Knight who came to serve her family. Ser Justin Massey, a relative of Lord Waylon Massey of Stonedance.

Apart from Lord Monford, Lord Guncer Sunglass and his heir and brother, Arthor Sunglass are staunch supporters of theirs.

"Brother, Lord Monford of the House Velaryon and Master of Driftmark." She announced and Jaehaerys and Viserys nodded at her with thanks.

That being said, Daenerys closed the door and together with Doreah started to return to their own duties.

They got to the throne room when a pair of guards entered the hall, "Princess, there is someone at the foot of the path."

"Oh, who is it?" All of her brother's guests already arrived, and the other guardsman cleared his throat and answered. her.

"It's a woman, she claims to be from Asshai, and wishes to see your Lord Brother or one of the family."

AN: So ends the chapter, I hope you all have enjoyed it. Monford Velaryon has arrived and as for the House I was just gonna go with how HotD has them with their complexion.

SurplusHook, Here you go!

Thesumata, Thank you.

Freedmoon, I won't lie but there won't be anything on the line of another Dance, not in their lifetime anyway.

Supremus85, She shouldn't but we shall see.

246villi, As a matter of fact, no, no he will be quite fit which will make any one v ones later rather difficult. Gone will be the jolly big Robert but an aged warrior KIng paranoid of the potential enemies so close to home.

Attalus I Soter, Ooh, I am afraid I cannot. Why spoil the surprise?

Caimbeul, She won't be so treacherous but she definitely isn't a favorite of a certain member of the household.

Trado, No and I believe a lot of his impatience and temper came from running all his life, afraid of daggers in the dark. Well, it will definitely be a hard war to fight, it all comes down to picking the right moments to strike and as the Asoiaf world works, plans rarely go off without a hitch for the protagonists.

Force Smuggler, YES I was so confused as to what Doran and Varys were planning in the books with that.

Mthatha SA, I'm not a full-time writer so my writing can be choppy, and cringe at times and sometimes it is as you so eloquently put it 'Dumpster Juice'. This is only a hobby of mine, I love this world and love writing about it.