A/N: WHAT IS UP MUCKAAAA-CHUNGAAAAS!? Travez is back with a new chapter of this story, and I just finished watching Terroriser's "Among Us" Episode titled: "BigJigglyPanda is the most NOTORIOUS IMPOSTER of Old London Town!" Though I am honestly surprised how quickly this story caught on in just the first two days of posting! 20 Favorites and Follows in the first 48 hours! Most of my older stories didn't catch fire that fast! I am honestly happy and honored you guys like this story so much! Now I won't spoil anything in this episode, but to be honest, I can say that what I've developed for this story is just amazing. But anyway, I'll let you guys enjoy the episode. Please be sure to Follow, Favorite, Review, and Share this story with anyone and everyone you know who likes Game of Thrones content, along with the other stories that were used as inspiration for this story! Catch ya on the Flipside! BLOOD FROM STONE!
Chapter 1: Bound by Blood
Winterfell, 298 AC…
Catelyn watches as Jon trains with his new blade against Robb in the Courtyard before the two go about their duties. With Blood Pact having transformed into a rather small sword, Jon needs to get in closer to be able to fight Robb effectively, but since switching to that Valyrian Steel Blade a sennight ago, she smiles as her adopted son actually shows his true talents, as the smaller blade seems to allow him to unleash his talents with a blade far more easily. She sees Rob come in for a high strike over his head, but Baelon blocks the strike and redirects it so that the force of the attack goes towards the ground. Cutting the tip of his finger on the Blood Pact, the blood travels up the length of the blade, extending it with a coating of blood that solidifies into what appears to be a one handed curved sword. Robb dodges the blade deftly, taking into account the new length of the blade.
With the added length of the blade, Baelon cuts himself again to increase the length of the grip, creating a two handed sword with a curved blade the length of an Arming Sword. Catelyn then looks away as she hears something thumping on the wood, and she sees Bran being helped by Hodor, the simple giant of Winterfell. "Bran?"
"I finished my lessons early today!" Bran says as he uses his crutches to move around. Maester Luwin had said that Bran's legs would need time to get their strength back, but to see her son up and about this quickly was a testament to Baelon's Blood Magic. "I came to watch my brothers spar!" Catelyn smiles at her son, and then they turn back, to hear Robb's sword get cut in half.
"Seven Hells! Never mess with a Valyrian Steel Blade, right brother?" Robb says, taking the loss in stride, to which Jon nods and turns the blood coating into liquid again before using the blood to repair Robb's sword. "You know, brother, you seem to be getting better with Blood Magic! Terrifying and disgusting as it appears, it has it's uses!"
"Well Blood Magic, from what I've learned, is only limited to the user's imagination and the amount of blood present." Jon explains, "Give me a battlefield of corpses and could destroy a whole city, once I'm experienced enough to do so!" Robb nods, turning slightly pale. Baelon smirks and the two walk inside, in which Catelyn looks at Bran, seeing him a bit mystified.
"Do you think Jon can teach me how to use magic?"
"I am not sure, but I wouldn't want you to learn that form of Magic. Any other form I might be more comfortable with." Catelyn confesses. Though most people have an ingrained fear of Magic, Jon has proven that Magic, like a hammer and anvil, is a tool, and one only needs to fear the one who wields it incorrectly or selfishly. Since Jon told her that the First Targaryen King and Queens are personally training him, it has put her mind at ease. Add to that Jon truly loves his family, then it means he wouldn't use it against them, not without probable cause anyway. She still finds it difficult that Ned lied to her all these years, but she can understand her part in it.
At the Great Hall, Bran sits next to Jon, asking him all sorts of questions about Blood Magic, and Jon merely explains what he has learned. When the question about Jon teaching Bran comes up, Jon explains that he can't, because Bran, to Catelyn's surprise, uses a different form of Magic, two in fact. "You are a Warg and a Green Seer, Bran. You have the magic of the Children of the Forest!" Baelon explains, much to Bran's surprise. "I found out when I was fixing your severed spine because our minds were briefly connected and I found out what you were. From what I know, the Crannogmen of the Neck would be the best people to teach you!"
"You think we should Foster Bran at Greywater Watch?" Robb asks.
"It is up to you and mother, but if Bran is left to try and figure out his powers without guidance… I don't want to think about all the bad things that could happen." Jon says, "Magic is a powerful tool, but, as the Blood Pact showed me, Magic requires something to be given up in order to be used. For those who are without proper guidance, the price is often their Sanity or their Emotions. For those with guidance, the price can be lowered to something more minor, such as a permanent medical condition, such as breathing problems, or possibly even the loss of a body part, or sharing your victim's pain when you use magic on them."
"Is there a way a Crannogman can come here?" Bran asks.
"I can arrange it with Lord Howland Reed if possible!" Robb says, "If any of his men have the magic that Bran has, I'd rather keep him close, just to be safe."
"That sounds good!" Jon says,
"I agree as well… I almost lost Bran once, I'd rather not lose him to his own powers. Robb nods and soon after everyone breaks their fast, Jon goes about his tasks for the day. Thanks to Lord Eddard having Baelon learn the ins and outs of running a keep, under the excuse of planning making Jon the Lord of the Causeway, once they obtained enough gold to fully repair it, Jon helps Robb with some of his tasks with Lord, and actually has started to ask for Advice from his adopted Mother, Lady Catelyn. He smiles as he makes his way around the castle, helping to distribute Robb's orders, making sure everything is done, before he goes to a private room in the keep set up for him to study with his ancestors.
"Alright, time for today's lesson!" Visenya says, manifesting across from him at the desk. "Now let us review… Blood Magic is a powerful and versatile form of Magic, capable of almost anything you set your mind to with enough blood to fuel it!" She looks at Baelon, who opens his notebook. "There are three forms of Blood Magics that all Styles of Blood Magic reflect upon: Banes which enhance your body's physical abilities, Rites which enhance your weapons and create blood constructs, and Maledicts which grant you powerful curses, rituals, spells, and Ceremonies which require blood sacrifices to complete and empower. Once all three of these are Mastered, a Maegi's Blood Art manifests."
"If I may interrupt! The spell I performed on Bran to heal his spine, would that count as a Blood Maledict?" Baelon asks.
"Very clever! Yes it would be considered a Blood Maledict. Maledict is a word used in a negative context because either the caster, the afflicted, or both will experience pain and injury because of it, in exchange for controlling others in one way or another. You willingly injured yourself in order to heal Little Bran, and the best way to control somebody is to show them genuine kindness, generosity, and love!" Visenya praises Baelon for with a genuine smile, "That is what Rhaenys specialized in, and her Blood Art, Blood Bending, reflected it. She was a manipulative person, but always for a good cause, she could use her art to subtly manipulate the minds of those who could help her achieve her goals and remuneration them afterwards. Those who actively worked against her, she took full control of them to show them the consequences of crossing her." Baelon takes vigorous notes on that, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"And what did you or ancestor Aegon specialize in?" Baelon asks.
"Aegon specialized in Rites, allowing him to impart blood magic into his weapons, though mostly it was to set his sword on fire, though more often than not, it intimidated those who saw it before they clashed, and those foolish enough to fight my valonqar with his sword alight often found themselves either being left badly scarred or burned alive." Visenya explains, "I utilized Banes, which amplified my physical prowess to match any who challenged me, though I had to finish my fight fast or allow myself to be continuously injured because the Banes don't last long once activated."
Jon nods as he takes note of everything she says… The lessons co tinge for hours as Jon sets about his training, learning how to utilize the three basic types of Blood Magic, and learning new spells and techniques from each, this having gone on for over a sennight, and as Jon absorbed the knowledge of Blood Magic like a cloth soaks up water, she comes to the decision that it is time for Jon to learn what his Blood Art is.
"Baelon, it is nearly time for you to discover your Blood Art… However, I must warn you that the process of discovering it is rather difficult, as it is time to pay the Price for your Magic." Rhaenys says, appearing.
"You have the skill of a Warrior but the heart of a priest…" Aegon says sadly. "Our father taught us that Blood Arts require a price to be paid… And to obtain our Arts…" He hesitates but then swallows, "He gave us each pups from our kennels… and when it was time…" Baelon looks at the Man and then shakes his head as Ghost appears in his mind. "There are only two ways to obtain a Blood Art, the first is to kill that which you hold most dear… This is what our father forced on us… There is, however, a second way…"
"And what is that?" Baelon asks.
"One must drink the Blood of a Dragon…" Aegon says, "The dragon doesn't have to be killed, but a few drops of Dragonblood will do the trick."
"Then…" Jon thinks and remembers the vision he had and he realizes what it is he needs to do.
Sunset…
Thanks to asking his brother for a favor, Baelon is able to bring plenty of wood and tinder. Thanks to some of the favor, a majority of the wood is that of weirwood, mostly discarded branches and some leftover wood as well as wood shavings that the crafters do not need. Many from Winterfell have come out of curiosity, including Bran, Rickon, Robb, and Catelyn. Jon carefully piles the wood, with Ghost helping drag over bundles of sticks. "Jon what is going on?" Robb asks, tired of waiting.
"Robb, I was given a choice of how to be able to summon my signature blood magic, but one of the options I was given was something I could not do…" Jon explains, "The dagger demanded that I needed to kill somebody close to me, so that the pain and agony I felt would unlock my magic…" This elicited a gasp from many there, "I was given another option, one that wouldn't require me to kill anyone, but it means I have to hatch the Dragon Egg we found." Robb looks at his brother then begins to help, and soon the others begin to help, especially the children, all of them excited to see a Dragon being born.
Soon the bonfire pile is ready, and Baelon starts pouring oil on the wood, before finally cutting his hand and allowing his blood to fall on the egg. Once everything is ready, Baelon speaks a prayer to the Old Gods and, surprisingly, the Dragon Gods of Old Valyria: Balerion the God of Time, Vhagar the Goddess of War, Meraxes the Goddess of the Harvest, Syrax Goddess of Love, Caraxes God of Healing, Vermithor God of Justice, and Morghul the God of Death. "I thank you all for granting me the knowledge of who I am and for bestowing upon me the great burden I must bear! But now I ask you for aid, for as Single Light the Falling Sun…! What was sundered and undone, shall now be made whole…!" He cuts his hand deeply as his blood catches on fire, 'Rite of the Flame!' He swings his hand forward, sending his burning blood onto the pile of wood, Ghost rushing to the bonfire as it erupts. "THE TWO MAKE ONE!"
White fire erupts from the bonfire as the flames dance and erupting from the center is a giant flame shaped like a white direwolf with red eyes, howling as it flies to the sky, before something erupts from it as a Green Flash of light erupts across the sky… The people look around as the fire dies out as the light of the moon reveals something to the amazement of the First Men, a great shape silhouetted against the moon before it dives down, gliding to where the pit once was, having a bit of a rough landing but even said landing is, somehow, silent and once the full moon shows it, everyone gasps.
A Great White Dragon with Red Eyes, Spinal Crests, and wing membranes. The creature's anatomy appears to be almost identical to that of a Direwolf, with a few exceptions. Its two prominent, backwards facing horns have the appearance of weirwood branches with veins of red flowing through them. The scales of the Dragon have something of a bark-like texture to them, giving it the appearance of a living creature made from a weirwood tree. The eyes and mouth of the Dragon look like they are made of amber made from the Sap of the Weirwood tree, with markings flowing from the eyes that give the appearance of a Heart Tree's Tears. Finally, at the end of the Dragon's Tail appears to be a fin of some kind shaped like a giant Weirwood Leaf. When it comes to size, the Dragon is actually quite large… If one were to measure him, he'd be about the size of a mammoth, 20ft tall at the shoulder, 60 feet long from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and with a wingspan of 180ft.
Jon looks at the creature before him, and slowly approaches. "Ghost? Are you in there?" Baelon asks the Dragon who looks at Jon, as the man slowly approaches with his hand extended. It bares it's teeth but once his master touches him, he recognizes the feeling before raising it's Head and roaring, only for said roar to sound like that of a deeper, more resonating wolf's howl. Everyone is shocked but Baelon smiles as the Dragon finishes his roar, but lowers his head, gently rub ing his head against his rider's chest, whilst extending his tongue past his teeth to lick Baelon's face, the rider laughing as the rest of the family walk over, and Ghost let's them pet him.
"Amazing!" Robb says, smiling. "Though I thought he'd be smaller!"
"It was the Winterfell Heart Tree!" Baelon explains, "It allowed for Ghost's soul to be reborn into another vessel so he could find me. When I reunited the body and soul, my Blood Magic, compounded with the residual magic in the weirwood used for the pyre had actually aged Ghost's true body up by a number of years."
"Judging by his size…" Visenya says, manifesting to the shock of many of the servants of Winterfell, "I'd say Ghost has been aged by at least 5 years. As for the subspecies of Dragon he is, I'd say he is a Drake!"
"A Drake?" Baelon asks.
"That is a lesson for another time…" Visenya explains as she speaks gently to Ghost in High Valyrian and the Dragon nods before bringing his wing forward for what Baelon needs to do. Baelon nods to Ghost and gently draws some blood from his Dragon, and carefully fills a cup with it. Once done, Jon closes Ghost's wound and holds the cup in his hands. "Begun by Blood, by Blood Undone!"
Jon nods and then drinks the whole cup within one motion, the blood feeling like it is boiling hot, but it doesn't bother him, it's the taste that does. It tastes like he is drinking molten iron, but once it is down his throat, he breathes deeply to try and settle his stomach. "You only needed a few drops, I've never seen or heard of anyone who drank the whole chalice like that!" Rhaenys says from the dagger, the shock and awe profoundly in her voice.
Baelon doesn't hear her as he feels his heart pounding, the blood flowing through his veins as Baelon's eyes roll into the back of his head… Baelon finds himself standing in the darkness, before him is a great weirwood tree, bigger than any in existence, with a thousand and one faces carved into it. He looks at it, before stepping before it and kneels before it, placing his hand upon the tree. When he does so, he finds power flowing through him as his eyes roll in the back of his head… When he snaps out of it, he is back in the physical world, and finds himself standing back at the point in which he started, however, there is a change in him, and Jon can sense it. The power he feels inside him is subtle, and as he moves his hands up, he can feel the magic coursing through his veins, within every drop of blood in his body. "Jon?" Robb asks, walking to his brother. "Are you alright? You suddenly went stock still!"
"I am not sure…" Baelon says, looking at his hands.
"Of course, you aren't, you dummy!" Rhaenys says, hitting him over the head with a stick. "You drank more Dragonblood than was necessary to unlock your powers! Who knows what you could've done to yourself!"
"Well I think I unlocked my Blood Art, but I think the Old Gods also gave me something as well, though I am not sure what…!" Baelon explains.
"The Old Gods? Wait Baelon, place a drop of blood on the gem of the blade!" Rhaenys orders with Baelon following her commands and both Visenya and Aegon manifest, seeing a light flowing from it, and Visenya looks intrigued whilst Aegon is shocked.
"You didn't tell us you were a Skinchanger!" Aegon says, looking at his descendant, angry.
"I'm a what!?" Baelon asks.
"A Skinchanger, basically, you've already had your Blood Art unlocked from the beginning! Though we Valyrians had another name for it… We called those people Dragoons." Visenya explains, "Draconic Skinchangers were a rarity, but those who did were touted to be able to see through the eyes of their dragons and fly as one whilst maintaining proper control over their bodies."
"The Dragonblood you just ingested just amplified your already active Blood Art into something far more powerful than we could have anticipated." Aegon explains, "Robb Stark…?"
"Y-Yes?" Robb asks, a bit intimidated by Aegon.
"Would you allow us to use you as a test subject?" Aegon says, "On my honor as the First King of Westeros, you will not be harmed, at least intentionally!"
"If it helps my brother control his powers, then I would be obliged!"
"Robb don't!" Catelyn says, "Things have already gone so far tonight, what if you get hurt!"
"Then for every injury Robb suffers, I shall take ten lashes across the back!" Baelon says, looking at Lady Catelyn, "You have my word, mother!" Catelyn looks at Jon and breathes deeply before nodding.
"Alright then… Baelon, reaching out to Robb, but you need to use gentle movements, we don't know how strong your Dragoon abilities have been amplified, and such an amplification can cause great harm to those being affected by them with little effort…" Aegon says, guiding Baelon as he focuses his Blood Magic Internally, and feels it slowly rushing as he slowly raises his hands and reaches out with his mind to Robb, and feels a connection… However, for some reason, he can tell that Robb has left himself open of his own free will, almost as if he's welcoming Baelon and showing trust in his brother, which almost causes Baelon to shed tears of joy. Baelon then gives Robb a look, showing him he is going to begin, and to brace himself… Jon then flexes a finger slightly and, much to everyone's surprise, Robb's arm appears to be moving on his own. The shocked look on his face evident he isn't doing anything.
Taking a little more of a dare, Jon gently raises his hands higher, and Robb is lifted off the ground. With a few more slight movements of his fingers, Robb is actually performing feats of acrobatics that causes Robb to yelp out in surprise. "Like a Puppet on a Puppetmaster's strings!" Aegon says, to which Baelon gently lowers his brother to the ground and breaks the connection, to which Visenya walks over.
"I think I understand it now…" Visenya says, whilst Rhaenys looks at her descendant with excitement.
"Congratulations, Baelon!" Rhaenys says, hugging her descendant. "You're a Bloodbender!"
"Bloodbender?" Baelon asks.
"That was her Blood Art… Bloodbending, she used it to control people like puppets on strings, literally!" Visenya explains, to which Baelon feels his body go stiff as he feels himself being moved around effortlessly as Rhaenys moves her hands and fingers in more rigid motions than Jon had performed before she returns him to his standing position. "However, the difference between your variant and Visenya's is that yours are linked to your Skinchanging abilities. It seems you need to dominate the minds of your targets before you can perform any Bloodbending, though it seems those who share a bond of mutual trust will allow for such things to be done to them, within reason."
"I see… Then that means my Blood Magic has merged with my Skinchanging abilities, then it is a Blood Art that allows me to manipulate the minds of others, but to do so, I need to use my blood magic to enter it in the first place…" Baelon deduces, "That's actually rather terrifying when you think about it."
"Indeed it is, but if it allows you to lift people like you did, maybe it could be used in other ways?" Robb asks, providing some ideas, to which Jon nods.
"If you're willing to help me explore those options, I would appreciate it!" To which Robb nods, whilst Bran and Rickon are excited to see this…
Months Later…
It has been an insightful number of months, and Jon smiles as he finally feels the blood in his veins calming down, thanks to Robb, and an unwilling Theon, allowing him to use them for practice, he has gotten a handle on his Bloodbending abilities, though, if he were to be honest, he thinks Bloodbending is a name that belongs specifically to Rhaenys' variant. Since his abilities are basically Blood Magic combined with his Skinchanging abilities, he thinks a new name that represents both sounds better. Since he is able to remain conscious and walk around whilst utilizing his powers, he thinks a name like "Skinwalker" would be better. However, Jon has also discovered a lot of other things about his Skinwalking abilities than just what he had initially discovered. However, his thoughts are interrupted when he hears something from the kitchens. "Treason? Sansa wrote this?" Robb asks.
"It is your sister's hand, but the Queen's Words." Maester Luwin says, "You're summoned to King's Landing to bend the knee to the new King."
"Joffrey puts my father in chains, and now he wants his arse kissed?"
"This is a royal command, my lord…" The Maester says, "If you refuse…"
"I won't refuse… If the King Summons me to King's Landing, I'll go, but not alone…" He then looks to Jon, who walks in. "Brother?"
"Send me…" Baelon says.
"What?" Robb asks, shocked.
"I can get in and out of King's Landing Faster than anyone else here… Ghost and I can get in and out without anyone noticing…" Robb looks to his brother.
"You won't go alone…" Robb says, turning to Maester Luwin… "Call the Banners…"
"All of them my lord?" Maester Luwin asks, to which robb looks to Baelon who establishes a link with his brother.
'I'll call the banners as a distraction… No doubt Varys's Little Birds will send word of the North's forces gathering, use this as a distraction to get into King's Landing, get father and our sisters out, and get back here so we can prepare for war.' Robb thinks, Baelon widening his eyes as a response, with a slight smirk. "They've all sworn to defend my father, have they not?"
"They have…"
"Now we see what their words are worth…" Robb says, to which Jon nods and walks away. Lady Catelyn had left months ago to try and get some answers, but thanks to the bond they have come to forge, Jon can now contact her at any time with his Skinwalking Abilities, as such, he makes his way to the Godswood and sits down in meditation, reaching with his mind out to Lady Catelyn.
The Eyrie…
Things have gone from bad to worse… After having run into Tyrion Lannister at the Crossroads Inn after his trek from Winterfell, Catelyn had taken the initiative to speak with the Dwarf, and get to know him. Despite his crude sense of humor, it turns out he was a delight to talk to. Intelligent, witty, and hilarious when he wants to be, and above all, it seems he unknowingly had a hand in Bran's near crippling. However, the context given was that Tyrion had tried to convince Joffrey to at least show sympathy for Bran's injuries, and with this bit of information, she now realizes how cruel that boy king was, and how he was a vicious idiot. After Catelyn had revealed that Joffrey had tried to have Bran killed, he had apologized to her and had not foreseen how badly Joffrey would take having to act like a real prince.
She accepted his apology, and, since she felt war was probably on the horizon, invited him to the Eyrie, as she was going to visit her sister Lysa, to check on her and to convince her to side with her family should the battlelines be drawn. She made sure not to speak about Ghost, or Baelon's growing power with Blood Magic, but she did broach the subject with him a couple of times after he had accepted the invitation. It seems Tyrion is actually quite interested in magic, as well as rare and nearly mythical creatures. Unfortunately, all of her ideas of convincing her sister went out the moon door as a few moments after Lysa sees Tyrion, he is imprisoned and locked in a sky cell, and she quickly learns of what happens to Ned in King's Landing after this. She manages to convince her sister to allow for Tyrion to demand a Trial by Combat, in which, thankfully, the Sellsword Bronn, despite fighting dishonorably, manages to get Tyrion out of this with his head. As an apology, she sends some of her men to guid Tyrion back to his father.
Now that Ned is in chains, she had hoped to convince Lysa to join Robb's forces, as she knows he has to be calling the banners by now. Since there is nothing else she can do for her sister, whose madness is now clear, she decides to pack up what she has and head back to join Robb. However, as she finishes, she hears something. "Muna…" That was the High Valyrian word for "mother" and she knows who could be calling her. She sits down on her bed and opens her mind. "Mother, are you alright?"
'Yes Baelon, I'm fine…' Catelyn thinks, trying to calm her emotions. 'Your aunt Lysa has refused to join us, and now we've lost the Knights of the Veil thanks to her.'
"I'm sorry, Muna, what about Lord Tyrion?"
'The Gods were with us and saw Tyrion as innocent, thankfully. He is with an escort on his way back to his father.' Catelyn explains, 'Has Robb called the Banners?'
"He is going to in the next hour, I'm to use this as a distraction to fly to King's Landing, hopefully I'll make it in time to save Kepa, Sansa, and Arya." Baelon explains to her, to which Catelyn breathes a sigh of relief. "I just need to get some supplies, then I'll be traveling with Ghost to King's Landing."
'Thank you, Baelon. May the Gods watch over you!' Catelyn thinks, smiling, 'I'll contact you when I meet up with Robb!'
"Alright, talk to you soon, Muna!" Baelon says before the connection is cut.
Winterfell
Baelon quickly moves through Winterfell, packing everything he needs into a bag, plenty of food, supplies, some medicinal herbs for Lord Eddard, fearing he might die of disease if it is left untreated. "Your Blood Magic should suffice to cure his injury, but it is always wise to pack some extra healing herbs, just in case!" Rhaenys states from the Blood Pact.
"Ghost is large enough to carry all four of you now… So the rescue should be easy!" Aegon says, "Travel at night and land in the dragonpit, if it has indeed fallen to ruin, then nobody will be there, especially at night. The Perfect invasion point on Dragonback!" Aegon says, smiling, "Though, as always, take precautions!"
"Also, remember, your Skinwalking Powers can be used offensively as well if you apply them carefully!" Visenya reminds Baelon, who nods as he packs non-perishable foods, and those that don't have strong smells, this will help in sneaking in. Finishing his packing, Baelon walks outside as he sees Robb, Bran, Rickon, and Theon standing outside. "Brother…" Bran says, gently giving Baelon something, it appears to be a brooch of some kind, carrying a sigil upon it. A Shadowcat, by the looks of it, and Baelon's eyes widen as he smiles, missing his hair. Baelon hugs Rickon, smiling, to which he looks to Theon and Robb.
"Come back soon, brother, we'll need you alive to sit you on the Iron Throne." Robb says.
"I hoped to get one spar in before you headed out…" Theon says, smirking.
"You just might when I get back!" Baelon says, shaking hands with the Greyjoy. Over the past few months, Jon has opened up to Theon, and learned some things Theon knows about the Ironborn, and Baelon even said that the Ironborn are great warriors at sea, but on land, they are next to nothing, and even point out that the Ironborn never play to their strengths, but if they were organized into a Navy for the Crown, then, in exchange for giving up a portion of their plunder, they could keep the riches they obtain from attacking foreign powers. Once Theon was informed of Jon's status, Baelon promised to help reshape the Ironborn into something better, if he'd help him keep them in line. Thanks to this, Theon happily obliged and swore fealty to Baelon.
Baelon smiles at his family and then makes his way to the gates of Winterfell… None hear the wings as a great shape passes over Winterfell at great speed, nor do they hear it land on the ground, but they feel it, the ground quaking slightly as the dragon lands, and Jon smiles as he sees the creature. Ghost, thanks to the passing few months, has grown to the maximum size for a Drake: standing at 30ft tall at the shoulder, with a body length of 90ft long from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and a wingspan of 270ft. As Visenya had explained to him over the months, Drakes were bred to be fast and silent, with the mages breeding them to have very special wing membranes that are covered in small scales that are designed to damper the sound of their wingbeats to near silence. More than that though, the shape of the body was designed to make these dragons far more effective fighting on the ground than in the air, due to the fact they were built for direct combat, their scales being thicker and their body design allowing them to be more agile on the ground than their counterparts. This aside, Baelon pets Ghost for a moment before climbing on his dragon's back. "Sovegon…" Baelon says, in which Ghost takes to the air, spreading his wings just moments after the Ravens fly…
Let the Games Begin…