Chapter 4 The Meeting
Jon and Daenerys had changed into more formal cloths by the time everyone arrived. Jon had cleaned his armor and put it on while Daenerys had done her hair and put on some jewelry, that was common among noble man and women alike. Still everyone was in a more relaxed state, more chairs had been brought in along with more wine, ale and water for those who wanted it. Bread, cheese and some meat and fruit had also been brought in and was being snacked upon. Once the men who brought Bran in had left and the door was locked, and bard did Tyrion spoke up.
"Well we are in a situation I never thought I would ever consider?" said Tyrion repeating what was on everyone's mind.
"We are in the past that is all, we need to focus on our goals which haven't changed." counted Ser Jorah as he stood behind the seated Daenerys.
"Yes, instead of dealing with my sweet sister, we have to deal with her, my father, Joffrey, Robb Stark, Stannis and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms in the middle of the war of the five kings on top of the army of the Dead." stated Tyrion "I believe it is safe to say the situation has changed."
"That adds some complexity for sure." confirmed Varys "The political issues are puzzling; would Ser Jaime be the heir to the Rock now? He is out of the white order in our view, but it was King Tommen who did that and there is no King Tommen? Is Jaime older than Cersei now, are you older then your sister now my lord Hand? This is will mess up inheritance claims for everyone. I mean who is the oldest child now of Lord Stark's children? Would it be Sansa or Robb, even Lady Arya would be extremely close to being older than Robb? The Lordship for many of lords in the North are now in questioned because their current lords have yet to die at the Red Wedding, are they still lords? On top of that is the issue with marriages, some of the fighters have wives who they haven't married at this point in time, are they still married, we have many issues. We need a plan of what to do."
"We need to unite, that is what we need to do." stated Daenerys as she looked at Jon and smiled. "We will unite and prepare for the Night King."
"I know you two love each other, but no offense Jon you don't carry the same political weight you used to. The Lords of the North not here already will not follow a Bastard while true born sons of Eddard Stark still lives." explained Tyrion as he charged the dragon of an issue head on.
"I would have to disagree with you Lord Hand." counted Varys "I have studied some of the Northern and Vale Lords since we arrived and while they loyalties are to House Stark and Arryn, they know what Lord Snow did and they will follow him. We may no longer have the full North but most of the Vale and about half the North would still follow Jon Snow as Warden of the North and our Queen."
"Over the Young Wolf?" inquired Tyrion in amazement not fully believing the statement his friend was giving. "I saw them declare her Queen in the Godswood but that could just be them caught up in the moment."
"No, I don't believe so, seeing the undead played an important role in that change." confirmed Varys "Also Dragons, they have seen the power of the Dragons and what their Queen put on the line to save them. Also the pride of the Vale Knights play a role, they wanted in the war of the five kings but Lysa Ayrran held them back now they have a chance. On top of that they want another go with the Night King's forces to regain their honor."
"I see." Stated Tyrion still unsure of how to approach the next idea. "If we want to end the war of the Five Kings as fast as possible and we need to do so with as little lost of life possible."
"Agreed, everyone who dies is one less living to fight the real enemy." Agreed Jon
"I hate to say this my Queen but maybe you should offer your hand to Ser Loras Tyrell." advised Tyrion bracing for the storm which was about to hit him. "It would bring the Tyrell to our banners and take them out of my father's camp. With the Vale, North and Reach even my father would have to bend the knee."
"I am surprised you didn't offer up the idea of having her marry my brother Robb?" inquired Sansa
"Robb is already married and expecting his first child, if I recall and we already have half the North and hopefully his siblings and half-brother will be able to convince him to bend the knee." countered Tyrion "With the Tyrells we gain the Reach the most populous region in Westeros with the largest army on top of that we take away from my Father's power."
"Sorry, Lord Tyrion but no. I am already betrothed." answered Dany as she looked at Jon and smiled.
"I knew it." said Arya as she assumed that was the news that her brother wanted to share with her earlier in the day but pushed back. "Congratulations."
Jorah nodded his approval, even as his heart broke a little from the news. He had expected this but it wasn't a welcomed bit of news. Missandei was all smile and Sam said congratulations even as he inner voiced his concerns, Bran remained quiet.
"I am happy for you both." said Sansa with a true smile.
"I hate to be the one to drop rain on this happy moment, but once again we have the issue that Jon is a bastard and when he was King in the North it would have been more then acceptable for you two to marry the situation has changed." stated Tyrion, he had to be the realist "The Lords and Ladies of Westeros who didn't come back with us will not accept a bastard as King Consort to the first Queen to sit on the Iron Throne. We will have an issue with just getting them to accept a Queen ruling over them, throw in a Bastard King Consort and a challenge becomes an impossibility."
"That is a concern." agreed Varys "While I can see many benefits with a union of the two of you, it would also raises many issues with other lords, issues which would lead to more war and death which needs to be avoided. We all saw the horrible effects of the war of the five kings, we need to avoid that and having you two join would only raise more conflict between the Lords which cost the common folk their lives in pointless battles."
"I hate to say this Jon but I agree, the political landscape will not allow the two of you to be together without damaging our overall goals." explained Sansa as Jon and Daenerys eyed her slightly confused "If we hadn't gone back in time and this match happened post a victories battle against the undead it would be very different. Jon would be a former King, the Warden of the North and a war hero…any one of those three would be hard to stand against a match with a Queen. Now while you are still all that, you or for that matter myself don't carry the same weight we do now. For most of the North you are a bastard and a Queen doesn't marry a bastard, even if they are in love. The only way to solve this issue, you will have to tell the realm who you really are, that can't remain hidden if you and Daenerys marry."
"What?" inquired Varys as everyone looked first as Sansa and then at Jon and Daenerys.
"Lord Tarley…show them." ordered Daenerys as Sam blinked and Jon turned and nodded his head. Sam stumbled for a few moments before pulling out a book from a pack he had been carrying. He handed it to Tyrion who looked confused and read the marked page. As he read his eyes widened as he handed it to Varys who sat across the low table from him. Like him the spy master was taken aback as he handed the message to Sansa who knew what it meant but hadn't read the evidence yet.
"What?" inquired Arya as Varys read the passage.
"Well this changes a lot." confirmed Varys
"What is going on?" inquired Jorah confused about what is going on.
"There is another living Targaryen, Ser Jorah and he is sitting right next to me." answered Daenerys as she looked at Jon. "His name is Aegon of House Targaryen the true born son of Rhaegar Targaryen the Crowned Prince of the Seven Kingdoms and Lady Lyanna Stark of Winterfell."
"Jon?" inquired Arya as she looked at her brother, he didn't look like a Targaryen he had dark hair and the look of a Stark. Yes he was shorter then every Stark man and slightly thinner but not too far out of the normal. He didn't have the silver blonde hair or purple eyes of the Targaryen's.
"It's true, Father or Uncle I guess promised my mother Lyanna that he would protect me." answered Jon as he shifted a bit leaning closer to Dany as he did. "I am still getting used to that, Sam told me about a day before the battle and I told Daenery's."
"He lied to keep you safe, King Robert would have killed you." stated Tyrion as he ran his hand through his beard. "More so, because you're a symbol that his rebellion was based on a falsehood, Lyanna wasn't kidnapped she ran away from Robert and to a man like Robert, he wouldn't like that. He would be the but of every jap from the wall to the Summer Sea and across the Narrow Sea as well if that came out while he was alive. Think all the wars of the past 20 years can be put in one way or another on the fact that King Robert loved a woman who couldn't love him back."
"We may have traded one problem for another, this means Jon or Aegon is the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms." noted Varys with concern. "This is a major concern, there will be multiple lords who would want Aegon to sit on the Iron Throne, Queen Daenerys."
"We follow our Queen, not Jon Snow." stated Grey Worm as Dany and Jon eyed him. "Forgive me your grace but we Unsullied and the Dothraki follow you, we all know Jon is a great and skilled warrior and I would be proud to fight beside him but you are our Queen, he is not our King."
"You may but there are some powerful lords of the realm who would rather follow a male heir then a female heir." noted Varys "I could see many lords of the Reach wanting to sit Aegon the VI on the Throne over Daenerys the First. If the choice is between a female ruler and a male ruler even those who sided with Robert may side with Aegon over our Queen."
"I am getting tired of saying this but this changes everything again." added Tyrion as he tried to find a way to solve this issue. Marriage is a good solution on some fronts, but it still raised who would sit on the Throne, only one of them could. They had to solve that issue before announcing anything because that would only lead to political backstabbing which helped no one. Jon didn't want it but as a male he would be the favorite of many powerful houses, Daenerys wanted the Throne and had an army to back her but she was a female and the army was not from Westeros.
"And this raises an issue, in order to make Jon an acceptable King Consort to Queen Daenerys he needs to not be a bastard but to announce the truth would make him the heir to the throne over her." stated Sansa working out the same problem as Tyrion but outload. "As Aegon he would be King not Daenerys."
"Doesn't matter to me, he is my brother not this Aegon." countered Arya with force. "He is Jon not Aegon."
"I don't want to be Aegon either, but it is my name." stated Jon "I wish there was a way I could be "acceptable" to the Lords of the realm without the issues of me taking Dany's rightful spot to rule. I don't want the damn chair. I could lie and say I am lord Stark's son but I don't wish to do that either."
"That would raise issues with Robb and his claim." added Sansa "Jon may be older than Robb and with the time travel issue he is for sure older. If Jon is falsely legitimizing as Lord Eddard's son then I would be in front of Robb to inherited Winterfell and he would be Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell. Robb would never accept that, and Mother wouldn't for sure, she would bring the Riverlords to fight for her son's right and many of the Lords currently with Robb would side with him. That would lead to civil on top of the war we already have and no one wins there."
"Accept the Night King." added Bran solemnly.
"If you declare yourself a Stark you risk a war within our pack, if you are declared Targaryen would drive a wedge in our own forces the and you would have to take the throne something you don't want." Stated Sansa "We are stuck between deciding which road would be worse to travel down, a road of civil war within the North or a road of internal conflict within our own ranks?"
"If this union is to happen those do seem to be our only two options, either announce the world that you are the son of Rhaegar or the Son of Eddard?" stated Varys "One of the two, Rhaergar or Eddard."
"There is another way." announced Tyrion as he grinned as a clever idea formed in his head. "Don't be a Rhaegar's son nor a son of Eddard Stark."
For the longest time everyone looked at Tyrion as if he had just said the most idiotic thing ever.
"What are you talking about, the only way to make him acceptable pattern for a Queen to the other Lords of the realm is to legitimize him as either a Stark or a Targaryen." Countered Sansa as she looked at her ex-husband. "If we do nothing, then there is no way any Lord or Lady will accept Jon and Daenery's union and any children born could have to fight for their throne later on in a civil war. It would lead to more wars and wars are to be avoided."
"I agree wars are to avoid but you fail to see that there is a middle road." countered Tyrion as his grin grew wider.
"What?" inquired Jon growing frustrated by Tyrion's game.
"I just remembered our histories, there were many Princes of Royal blood who married the Ladies of great houses across Westeros history and in some of those cases their children kept their mothers last name and titles." countered Tyrion with a cocky grin. "Prince Daemon Targaryen when he married a daughter of house Royce had a similar deal if I recall. He never fathered any children by that marriage so a cousin got Runestone in the end but still that was the deal. We can do the same, he would be the trueborn son of Lyanna Stark not Eddard Stark. True, he would enter the line of succession for Winterfell but he would be after all of Lord Eddard's children, so that wouldn't be an issue worthy of note. It is perfect solution."
"But in each of those cases, it was a 2nd or 3rd son who married into a house with only female heirs." countered Sam as he remembered his history "We are dealing with the Crown Prince not a 2nd son?"
"I don't see why that would matter all that much if Jon doesn't want it." stated Tyrion with shrug "It would provide us just enough cover to get around the issue to those Lords who wouldn't want a female on the throne."
"So let me see if I follow you, he would be legitimizes but as a Stark not a Targaryen?" inquired Sansa
"Yes, as the Jon Stark the trueborn son of Lady Lynna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen." stated Tyrion as Varys nodded his head.
"That could work, he would be the son of a Great House yet not a threat to Robb's claim or any of Lord Eddard's trueborn Children, so the Tullys and the Riverlords will not be slighted by him going above Catelyn's son." stated Varys "He would be a great fit for a King Consort to a Queen and as a warrior he would appease some of the Lords of the South who would balk at being ruled by a woman. It could work, it will take some work to get done but harder tasks have been done in the past and it is the best solution we have."
"It will work." stated Sansa warming to the idea. "The Northern Lords will like it, Robb would be Warden of the North and house Stark and the North in general would have strong links to the Iron Throne, something we never had in almost 300 years of Targaryen rule."
"The Dornish may not like it but if you give them justice for Elia Martell and her Children they will likely go along with it." stated Varys "Add in two full grown dragons and a lot of Lords will agree to almost anything reasonable or unreasonable for that matter. I would recommend a change of the sigil to mark the difference just to be safe."
"Maybe a white Dire Wolf on a black field, ghost is white and house Targaryen has a black field." offered Arya.
"A good idea." confirmed Tyrion "That would help make sure there is a difference between Jon's branch of house Stark and the main branch of house Stark. It will help a lot."
"No offense, but to me Jon will always be my brother not my cousin." stated Arya "I will call you brother no matter what."
"Same here." confirmed Sansa as Jon smiled, it wasn't until the two of them meet up after her escape from Ramsay did she call him brother. It was always half-brother at best and Bastard-brother more often.
"We are a pack, even if I am a white wolf not a gray." Stated Jon, as noted the gray dire wolf on the banner of house Stark.
"Besides would it really matter in the end, any children Jon and Dany have together would be the next ruler, so who really cares which one of them sits the Iron Throne and which one stands beside them." offered Arya as Daenerys gave a sad look and Jon looked down as well. "What?"
"Years ago, a witch cursed me…I can't have children." answered Dany as the room went silent, that was among her most personal secrets, most of her council didn't know. Jorah knew and Jon knew because she had told him when their relationship first started to form, Tyrion as well because he is her Hand of the Queen but no one else.
"And as we have all seen, Magic is very real." added Jon as he placed his hand on top of Daenerys.
"I am sorry." said Sansa as everyone around the table nodded in agreement.
"I am sorry your grace but if that is the case, then we have a major issue." added Varys "Few high lords will follow you, if they know that there will not be another Targaryen after you of your direct blood. The last thing any lord would want would be a war over succession. The best case then is to have Jon marry someone and be your heir, then his children will follow you. Maybe marry Jon to Margaery Tyrell, it would be the same deal she has with the Lannister's currently only they would have to wait to be ruling."
"Succession will not be an issue." stated Bran as all eyes moved toward him. Slowly he turned his gaze and looked at Daenerys and Jon. "Did you not listen to what I said in the Godswood, transporting to the past heals wounds, it healed Ser Jorah's wounds like it did so many others, it also healed you Daenerys. I didn't have enough magic to heal more drastic wounds like Ser Jaimie's hand but your wound was rather simple."
"What? I wasn't wounded?" inquired Dany confused by the statement.
"Magic can be broken, only death may pay for life and your past self-died so that you could carry on in her place. The curse that Witch put on you has been broken when I healed others of their wounds when I brought you all to the past. Your past self died and payed the price but…your womb is fertile once again…you can have children." Explained Bran with what now passed for him as a smile.
"By the Gods." stated Jon as he looked toward Dany, before he could do anything, she pulled him into a deep and passionate kiss, which Jon quickly returned. When they separated, they still remained close, Dany's hand in Jon's hair and he had his hand on her back between the shoulder blades. If it wasn't for the fact that they were sitting in chairs they would have been closer.
"Jon…this is wonderful…we can have a family." said Daenerys with some tears in her eyes a family, a child, a home that was more important to her then some Iron Throne. She had given up on it ever happening and now they had been given a chance.
"Yes…it is a miracle." added Jon as he moved to kiss her again only to have Varys clear her throat breaking the moment. The two of them remembered where they were, Daenerys was all but in Jon's lap and her hand was moving toward his belt while his hands where on the small of her back and the back of her neck. Both turned bright red realizing what was happening, Arya was grinning like an idiot, while Sansa was looking away to give them some privately even as she clanked back every once in a while. The blush on both Jon's and Dany's faces whereas red as dragon fire even as others either smiled or looked the other way to give them some privacy.
"Well before you go work on an heir, we have to deal with how we are going to address Jon's parentage. It would be better if we didn't just have the word of Bran and the records of Lord Tarly as evidence." Added Tyrion as he turned to Bran. "Where there any other Lords or even small folks who were there to see Jon's birth?"
"Yes, Lord Howland Reed was there, a wet nurse, a midwife and five serving men all from Starfall all of them still live and are at Starfall in Dorne." Stated Brann "And while the current lord wasn't there, he knows as well, his late Aunt Ashara Dayne who was there with Lyanna as a Noble Lady friend informed him when they returned to Starfall."
"The Daynes were both close allies with your brother, your Grace and what is best of all is that they are among the most honorable houses in Westeros." stated Varys "And not from the North. That may be enough to prove the truth of Jon's birth."
"Isn't riding a dragon enough proof?" countered Arya
"Not for sure, during the Dance of the Dragons there was a rider named Nettles who tamed a wild dragon by feeding her it sheep until it accepted her as a rider. True she may have been a Targaryen Bastard but she didn't look it according to the records she never claimed to be of the blood of the Dragon, so we can't hold Jon's riding a dragon as solid evidence." explained Sam as he rubbed his chin. "Some Measters have even put forward that Dragons smell the blood of house Targaryen making them easier to ride for them, but no solid evidence is around."
"Well there hasn't been any dragons for what a hundred and fifty years?" inquired Arya "Now there are two…"
"Three." Corrected Varys as all eyes fell on him. "Remember your grace, Viserion hasn't been killed yet, he is in slaver bay with the rest of the Unsullied."
"And Ser Barristan, we need to send a message to him and find a way to get that army over here and my Dragon." said Daenerys
"And what of the slaves in slavers bay? The Dothraki horse lords which not united at the moment?" inquired Varys as Daenerys leaned back a bit thinking. She hated slavery, one of her crowning moments in her view was removing slavery from slaver's bay or Dragon's bay as she renamed it but it had been a long and messy process. She now had duties over on this side of the Narrow Sea and a threat who wanted to make everyone undead slaves.
"We need to focus on preparing for the army of the dead, once Westeros is united and the army of the dead defeated, then I will focus on removing slavery from the world." Said Daenerys "In the meantime we need to get those forces who are loyal already over here."
"Difficult for sure, we need to bring in Lord Manderly, he has the ships in White Harbor." offered Jon
"Not enough, but we have gold which we can use to hire transport for them over here." advised Varys
"I have some news." stated Bran as eyes turned back to him. "I have been in contact with the Three Eyed raven from this time..."
"Wait, aren't you the Raven?" inquired Arya
"Yes, we both are the Raven, he was the one before me who died." Explained Brann "There has been hundreds of Man and Women who have been the Three Eyed Raven since the pact was forged between the Children of Forest and Man. We all share the same access to the pool of magic and knowledge, but it is up to each Raven to discover what lies within that pool and to decide how best to use it. This is in fact the first time there has been two Ravens."
"So he can help us?" inquired Jon
"He is helping me search through the long history of Westeros to discover how the Night King was defeated last time." explained Bran "That knowledge has been guarded and protected by the Night King so past Ravens never attempted to find it out of fear of being discovered and hunted down. That is no longer an issue, he knows where we are and will be making his moves soon. He has to."
"Why, he is immortal right? He can't be killed so why not sit in the North a few hundred years until no one believes in him anymore and swing down on an unexpecting Westeros." Inquired Tyrion
"Three reasons, he may be a White Walker but he was once a man, a prideful man and his goal was within reach and was taken from him. He wants revenge for that, to finish his mission. Second I am not immortal, thanks to the magic of the children I will have a longer life but I will die and I can pass my gifts on to the next raven once he or she is born, that new Raven will not be marked like I am and therefore could hide from him." explained Bran "Lastly is the Dragons, if he waits the two Dragons already in Westeros will grow even larger making them more dangerous to his army and a third may join them. He may be immune to their fire, but his army is not. On top of that, if the three dragons were to breed, he may have hundreds of Dragons to deal with in time. Even he can't stand against that…he will make his move soon."
"Deanery's dragons aren't done growing?" inquired Arya as Tyrion shook his head.
"No, Aegon the Conquers dragons where almost double the size of our Queens when he took Westeros and Dragons never stop growing until they die." explained Tyrion as he remembered the skull of the Black Dread under the Red Keep.
"Any idea what his move will be?" inquired Varys
"Not fully, but I can make an educated guess if you wish." offered Bran
"Do so." ordered Daenerys
"His first move will be to kill the Three Eyed Raven closest to him, he is in a fixed location above even the marching free folk and cannot escape he will die. Then the Night King will move south in an attempt to kill the Free Folk host before they can get to the Wall, as he approach we can expect Winter to come sooner than it had in our own time, he brings it with him." explained Bran "At least that is what we guess he is going to attempt to do. Bryden is sending the remain children of the forest south with Uncle Benjen with them. They are currently behind the Free Folk host but they are smaller group, Uncle Benjen doesn't require sleep anymore and the children can move better in the forests then any human could."
"Wait…if they are heading south could you send them to the Free Folk host?" inquired Jon as everyone looked at him. "Mance Rayder doesn't know about this or the fact that dragon glass can kill them, if he knows that and knows that the Wall will be open to them, he can push his people forward faster to get out."
"Would Mance believe the children of the forest and a raised dead man?" inquired Tyrion
"Worth an attempt at least, if we can get the children the message but if they already left…wait Bryden?" inquired Tyrion
"Yes, Bryden Rivers a Targaryen bastard, former Hand to the King and later Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He is the Raven before me." explained Bran "As for getting the message to the children that will not be an issue, the stories about the Children of the Forest talking to animals was semi correct. They can talk to them but only when a warg or a greenseer is controlling the animal. That can be done with ease? Do you wish me to do so?"
"Yes, send a message to Mance Raider warning him of the Night King, their weakness to Dragon Glass and that as long as he fights alongside us against the undead and doesn't attack us he and his people will be welcomed south of the Wall." stated Daenerys as Bran nodded his head before lowering it slightly as his eyes turned white for a moment, then less than a minute later his eyes came back.
"I informed Bryden he with form the Children of this plan, but he warns they will not risk themselves too much…these is the last clan of children left in the world and there is only 36 of them." explained Bran
"Understood." Confirmed Daenerys
"Raven…" said Grey Worm as Bran looked at the Unsullied commander "If I may…you see into animals and into past correct?"
"Within reason." confirmed Bran "I don't know everything, no mind can hold all that knowledge, but I can search for it and discover it, like a Measter through a record book but I do not have the book memorized."
"What is going on with my man outside of Yunka?" inquired Grey Worm "When we disappeared not all of my soldiers appeared, those who had already fallen to the enemy didn't return. They are alive now but over in Slaver Bay."
"I am sorry." Said Bran "That is outside of my reach, my powers are limited to the just off the shores of Westeros. I can not see them or anyone in Essos, I am sorry."
"I see, thank you." said Grey Worm slightly defeated as Missandei placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We need to focus on our current threats." stated Sansa "Right now, the Free Folk are heading south and that is all we can do about that for the moment, we need to focus on uniting humanity as soon as possible so we can better deal with the Night King. Which means ending the War of the Five Kings and uniting the Lords, Ladies and common people under Queen Daenerys."
"I would also advise forming more of a ruling council beside us, our opponents in the Lannister's have more legitimize with small folk and minor lords a council with title instead of a group of advisors." advised Varys
"Agreed, we have overlooked that for too long." Confirmed Tyrion as a new debate started, they where about finished when a knock at the door caused everyone to look toward it. Arya stood and opened it to see an unsullied guard standing there.
"Excuses me your grace, my lords and ladies but the feast is about to being in the great hall." announced the guard
"Thank you, we will be down in a moment." said Daenerys as the guard nodded his head as Arya closed the door.
"Well then, the question is do we announce your grace and Lord Snow engagement tonight?" inquired Tyrion
"No…" snapped Sansa before grinning. "Announce the engagement of Queen Daenerys of house Targaryen and Lord Jon of house Stark, he is a snow no longer."
"Only a King or a Queen can legitimize him." counted Arya looking at Daenerys "but that shouldn't be a problem."
"It will not be." confirmed Daenerys
"Shall we go then, we have an announcement to feast to get to and I for one am hungry." said Tyrion
"Actually." Said Sansa as all eyes turned to her. "I need to speak with my family for a moment alone."
"Not a problem." Said Varys "I believe I know what you are going to discuss."
Slowly everyone started to leave, even Daenerys started to rise only to be stopped by Sansa.
"You are family, or will be soon enough you are welcomed to stay." explained Sansa as a smiled crossed Daenerys face as she sat back down.
"Grey Worm, will you have some man waiting outside to help Bran down once we are done." Requested Daenerys as Grey Worm nodded his head before leaving.
"Something wrong?" inquired Jon
"Nothing much, however there is something we need to discuss." said Sansa eyeing Arya, Jon followed her eyes toward Arya.
"Do I want to know what trouble she got into?" inquired Jon before looking at Arya. "Who did she kill?"
"No one." answered Arya growing slightly frustrated, this was private in her mind. It made no difference to them who she was sleeping with, who she loved. If Jon could be with his aunt then she could be with her Gendry. "If you must know, Sansa kind of walked in on me."
Jon raised an eyebrow not really understanding, however Daenerys understood and leaned back with a smile.
"So will I have a…what do you call a cousin's husband? Cousin-in-law?" inquired Daenerys as Jon began to understand.
"First, Jon is my brother I don't care if by blood he is my cousin, he is my brother." countered Arya as Daenerys took the backtalk with a smile and a grin. "So if it gets that far, you can call him brother-in-law, I plan to call you sister-in-law."
"Very well." said Daenerys in her heart she was actually enjoying Arya talking back to her as if she was a normal women not a queen and better yet like she was a sister. She may be a Dragon but she seamed to be about ready to join a wolf pack. "But who is it?"
"Gendry." answered Arya as Daenerys looked confused again, she had never heard of this man. Was he a vale knight, no it couldn't be that, a knight unless he was of an extremely low birth wouldn't be a bad match for a second daughter of a main house.
"Gendry is Robert's bastard son." explained Jon as Daenerys nodded her head in understanding.
"I was unaware that we had one of Robert's bastards children with us?" inquired Daenerys, she had heard stories about how big of a womanizer Robert had been. "Who is his mother?"
"He doesn't know, a Tavern Wench most likely." answered Arya "But that doesn't matter."
"He is a good man, skilled at the forge made a lot of the dragon glass weapons we use. He went with me beyond the wall to get a weight and ran back to East Watch by the Sea to contact you." explained Jon "From what I know of him, he is kind, gentle and humble but not afraid of a fight."
"I have no issues with the man. I wish to know more for sure before I give my full approval, but I don't think my approval is really needed." said Sansa "Arya is a woman grown and I support her making this choice for her, however what about mother and Robb in the south? They most of all mother will not take kindly to a bastard."
"No…" said Jon his voice going cold, as cold as Daenerys had ever heard it. "No…she wouldn't take kindly to that news at all, she hates bastards."
That is when Daenerys understood the coldness in Jon's voice, he was raised as a Bastard of the Lord of Winterfell, Lady Stark would have done anything to hurt Jon because in her view he was a living breathing symbol of her husband's dishonor to her.
"If Gendry Storm is willing to make an oath to me I will legitimize him as a Baratheon and name him Lord of Storms End?" offered Daenerys, that would be an easy move in her view. Lady Stark couldn't raise an objection to her youngest daughter marrying the Lord of the Stormlands. That was actually a very good match, one any lord or lady would want for their daughter.
"Thanks Daenerys, but he was born in King's Landing so he is a Waters." corrected Arya, even though he wasn't sure if Gendry would be a Waters or a Storm, in truth Gendry didn't seem to know either.
"Also, this would raise a problem with Stannis, he is Robert's brother and claims the Iron Throne." added Sansa "If name Gendry Lord of Storm's End then what can we offer Stannis to give up his claim and support our Queen. Still I am not even that would be enough for our mother, given how she treated Jon."
"I am not giving him up, I don't care if Lady Stark tries to disown me." added Arya "I don't even think of what is to our South as our mother, our mother died at the Red Wedding what is south is a ghost. Only family I have is in this room and Gendry."
"It will not come to that." said Jon as he thought about it.
"No, it shall not." confirmed Daenerys as she thought about it. "Alright, if Stannis doesn't bend the knee then I will name Gendry Lord of Storms End if not then we will deal with that when it arises. I am sure we can find some lordship position for Gendry somewhere in Westeros."
"I will need to have a talk to Gendry, man to man." stated Jon as Arya eyed him for a moment, clearly not liking the idea. "There are somethings he needs to understand and so do you."
"Like what?" inquired Arya wondering where Jon was going.
"I know what it is like to be a Bastard, if you become with child I will drag both of you before a Weirwood tree to be married." stated Jon with firmness, a firmness which caused both Stark girls to recall their father's tone of voice. "Every child needs a mother, a father and a name, so keep that in mind."
"Understood." confirmed Arya "Is that all?"
"Well don't sleep with him in the stables and keep stuff of that nature in your chambers." Added Sansa as Arya blushed a bit and bite her lip, a telltale sign of a lie to her siblings. "You already slept with him in the stables didn't you?"
"Not the stables." Admitted Arya
"Alright I don't need to know those details, just keep that activity to your chambers." Said Jon as Arya nodded.
"Good, we better head to the feast." Said Daenerys as she got to her feet.
"We will meet you there." confirmed Sansa as she stood and left. Bran with Arya's help was pushed out to be carried down by Grey Worm men.
"We have so many issues to deal with I am almost looking forward to dealing with a simple issue like Gendry." admitted Jon when his sisters and brother had left leaving him and Deanery's alone but they weren't alone for long as not a few seconds after Arya had wheeled Bran out did Tyrion request to enter the chamber. Once admitted he didn't take a seat and instead stood before the two of them.
"I wanted to say something but didn't feel that it was right to do in front of the whole council." stated Tyrion as he braced himself once again. "When this comes out, not just that Jon was born a Targaryen but that Lyanna ran away with Rhaegar and that he Robert's Rebellion was built on a lie and everything else about us coming to the past there will be a storm the like of which none of us have ever seen. People will claim we are fakes, that we are lying, you remember how hard it was convince people about the army of the dead, it will be harder to convince them that their loved ones or total strangers have come from the future. There will be many challenges before us and a lot of them will be focused on you two."
"We understand." said Daenerys
"Good, now is there anything…and I mean anything that would be able to drive a wedge between you two? Are any of you keeping secrets from each other, if so I recommend you tell each other." advised Tyrion as Jon and Dany shared a look. "There will be many people trying to turn the two of you against each other for their own gain, if we are all to succeed you two must and I mean must trust each other without question. You must give each other strength help the other when they fall and support each other. Your duties now are to each other, the realm and now all of humanity, use your love for each other like armor to protect yourselves and trust each other."
"Love is the death of duty." whispered Jon as Tyrion and Dany looked at him. "That is what Measter Aemon told me when I wanted to ride south to join Robb's war when I was in the watch."
"He isn't wrong." agreed Tyrion "However I would add that love also gives duty it's strength and purpose, Lord Eddard's love of his sister and for his nephew gave him the strength to do his duty to keep you safe, Jon. As long as you two love each other, support each other then I don't think anything will really stop you two. Just don't let anyone or anything turn the two of you against each other."
"Thank you, Lord Hand, we will see you at the feast." said Daenerys as Tyrion nodded his head and headed out the door. Once the door was closed again and the two of them where alone they looked at each other. "He isn't wrong."
"I found he is hardly ever wrong." admitted Jon before taking a deep breath. "There is one other thing I haven't told you yet?"
"And that is?" inquired Daenerys
"Since we are now in the past, my…old lover Ygritte is still alive." explained Jon as Daenerys stiffened a bit. "She died in my arms during the battle of Castle Black, which hasn't happened yet."
"I see, do you still love her?" inquired Daenerys fear building up once again.
"In the same way you will always love your Khal Drogo." answered Jon as Daenerys nodded her head in understanding. "I burned her body North of the Wall; I don't think I could look at her the same way I did before. She would be a ghost to me, a painful one. If you are concerned you don't have to worry about her being with child, she took moon tea constantly, every morning in fact a lot of free folk women do that. They don't want to bring a child into the world with the White Walkers coming for them…they don't want to put that child's life at risk, so they don't have him or her. I am not leaving you Dany, I love you more than anything."
Daenerys thought about Jon's words, it was how she believes she would feel if her Sun and Stars returned to her. He would be a painful ghost, one she wouldn't want to be with because of all the painful memories it brought up. Jon felt the same way about this Yrgitte woman, he would always have a place in his heart for her, just like he had one for her Khal but her Khal wasn't her true love, her second half, Jon was and she believed Jon felt the same about her.
"I murdered my first husband." admitted Daenerys as now it was Jon's turn to look at her. "It wasn't a Witch like I always say, I did it. He was dyeing and she promised to bring him back and she did. It cost us our son before he was even born and when he came back, he was a breathing yes, but that was it. He couldn't eat, sleep, or ride he was a shell of the man he was…so I killed him."
"You didn't kill him." said Jon as Daenerys looked at him confused.
"You showed him mercy, there is nothing wrong with that. I killed a man who was burning alive because I respected him." stated Jon "You did nothing wrong."
"I guess we still have much to learn about each other." added Daenerys
"I look forward to learning." Added Jon with a smile.
"I have to ask, are you over the whole Aunt and nephew thing?" inquired Daenerys
"In some ways." stated Jon, the way he had acted when Bran had told them at the magical curse on Daenerys was gone was proof that he had pushed that fact of their blood to the back of his mind. "I think it will help that I will always think of myself as a Stark not a Targaryen, a wolf not a dragon, Jon not this Aegon. Don't expect me to shoat fire and blood any time soon."
"Good, that is the man I fell in love with." said Daenerys as she moved toward him and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck as he placed her hands on her. "My White Wolf."
"Gods, I would take you now…" admitted Jon as he ran his hands down her side. "But the people await us at the feast."
"Well then," said Deanery's as she pulled herself closer before whispering into his ear. "Just wait until tonight, I'll really show you what a Dragon could do."
"Here is to be being alive!" yelled drunken Tormund Giantsbane as he raised a large horn full of a strong Northern Ale into the air of the great hall. The hall was packed with people sitting on simple wooden benches with rough tables. There hadn't much time to assemble much more than that but the people where more happy to alive. The food had been prepared while most people slept or got cleaned and while on the simple side it tasted great to everyone in the hall and those gathered outside.
"Here…here." Said Jon as he lifted his simple metal goblet, while most people used wooden goblets the high lords and ladies had metal ones or in the case of Daenerys hers was made of glass with three silver dragons on it. Everyone took a drink of either wine or ale. "To our Queen!"
"OUR QUEEN!" roared the crowd as the cheered for Dany again and drank again as Jon sat down beside her. Listening to their cheers a wave of happiness washed over Dany as Jon leaned toward him.
"Is something wrong?" inquired Jon slightly confused at the look of Dany's face.
"Days ago, I was seen as the outsider and now they embrace me as their Queen." explained Dany "It is slightly odd."
"Well they saw what you all put on the line to defend them." explained Jon "They know who you really are now."
"Well then." Said Daenerys as she looked at Tyrion who nodded his head before she turned back to Jon. "Time for them to learn who you are."
Jon tensed as Daenerys stood up.
"Attention." said the Dragon Queen, it took a few moments but soon every eye in the hall was upon her. "We have all seen things that no one would believe, we have seen the dead and now we are in the past and we have a chance to prevent the dead from winning. This means we will have to adapt to new situations before us. Long dead loved ones are still alive, dead enemies are as well. Still we have adapted to much, enemies can become allies look around this room. We have Free Folk dinning with Northsman, we have Unsullied feasting with Vale Knights and Lords celebrating with former slaves. We are all united against the real threat, the dead. We all know that the forces here are not enough to defeat the dead, we must bring others to our banners and to do so it will cause issues. We are in the middle of the war of the Five Kings and we must bring that to an end to prepare for the real war and we shall do so."
"And we will!" yelled Tormund "Fuck just let my people through the wall at Castle Black and you will have a massive army to fight the dead and they will not fighting for the dead."
"Correct and we shall do that." confirmed Daenerys rolling with the interruption "Tomorrow we will begin to draw up formal plans but for tonight I have some announcements. Lord Manderly, Lord Royce, Ser Seaworth, Cothollo and Grey Worm will you please come forward and stand before me."
There was a pause as Lord Manderly with his stained covered doublet with the merman of his house moved forward, Lord Royce was faster to getting to the front, Grey Worm and the Dorthraki blood rider Cothollo was faster to their spots. Ser Davos was actually the last to arrive since as a knight he had been more to the back of the hall while the high lords sat closer to the front.
"You have all done great deeds to the realm, the throne and myself I will ask you to serve again on my small council along with my Hand Lord Tyrion and my master of Whispers Varys." announced Daenerys
"Your Grace it would be an honor." confirmed Royce as Manderly nodded his head in agreement. Davos just looked somewhat confused at being up here. Grey Worm slammed his fist against his armor and bowed his head in a salute while Cothollo who only somewhat followed the common tongue raised his arakh in salute.
"Good, Lord Royce I would like you to serve as my Masters of Laws. Advising me on legal issues and helping bring justice to the land." said Daenerys as Royce smiled and got down on one knee drawing his sword and placing it before his Queen's feet.
"It will be my honor. I will serve you will all my abilities." said Royce, and it was an honor Master of Laws was arguably the third most powerful position in Westeros behind the Hand and the ruler itself. Many great and powerful man have been Master of Laws in the past.
"Lord Manderly, you managed White Harbor and from what Lord Varys has told me you increased White Harbor's exports by a third since becoming Lord. I want you as Master of Coin to manage the realm's money to help it grow." Said Daenerys, it was a good move in multiple ways. White Harbor was the 4th largest city in Westeros and it's vaults where full of silver. Added that having a Northsman on the small council would be of great help politically. Manderly was too fat to go to one knee and he didn't carry a sword but he bowed his head and said his thanks to have a chance to prove himself in the position and how great of an honor it was for his house.
"Grey Worm, you have served me since you became commander of the Unsullied." Said Daenerys "I want you to serve as my Master of War, you will command my armies in the field when needed. To aid you in this task I will ask my Blood Rider Cothollo to be my Master of Horse to advise you on mounted warfare and Ser Davos Seaworth a master sailor to be Master of Ships both of whom will report to you."
Here Daenerys was breaking with tradition, there had been a master of ships but they had always served separate to the Master of War and the Master of Horse was not a Small Council level appointment, he generally only ran the royal stables. However even Grey Worm admitted he knew little about ships and mounted and so they would serve under him to advise him so that he could better advise the Queen.
"It is an honor your grace." Stated Grey Worm as Cothollo and Ser Davos nodded their heads as they took their positions on the small council of Queen Daenerys Targaryen.
"Now, while there is no official position, I would ask Lady Sansa Stark to join my small council as an advisor and serve as Wardeness of the North until such time that her Brother Robb Stark has bent the knee." invited Daenerys as Sansa nodded her constant as she sat beside Jon. "And as we all know Bran Stark, the Three Eyed Raven has been of great help dealing with the Night King and other issues so I would request him to join the Council as well. Once the South is brought into the fold I will request that the High Septon to send a holy advisor of the faith of the Seven so that the faiths of the Old and the New Gods can be heard equally at court."
"It will be an honor your grace." confirmed Bran as he sat in his chair he was still thin looking but some color had returned to him.
"Lastly Lord Jon Snow would you please stand before me." requested Daenerys as Jon stood and moved around the table. All eyes were on the two of them as Jon stood across from her, there was a long pause as everyone waited. "Kneel and lay your sword at my feet."
Jon pulled long claw and placed the valerian steel blade before Daenerys as he knelt down before her as all eyes fell on them and the room became quiet, all eyes where on them and not a word was being spoken.
"New information has come to light, about your parentage. You are no bastard." stated Daenerys to the crowd "You were not even born a Stark or a Snow."
That caused a few people to look confused as Daenerys turned toward Sam who stood and brought up a book to Daenerys opening it as he did to the proper page. Daenerys moved to the front of the table so she was now before Jon with no table separating them.
"This is journey from the late High Septor who gave my brother Rhaegar of House Targeyen an aliment with his wife Elia of House Martell and who to marry him to Lady Lyanna Stark." Announced Daenerys as the room became deadly quiet as she handed the book to Royce who scanned it and nodded his head to the crowd before handing it to Manderly. "You were born Aegon of House Targaryen…."
There was a roar from the gasp from the crowd and people began to speak only to stop when Daenerys raised her hand to quiet them.
"You are a dragon raised by wolves and per your request you wish to keep the name you have always wanted. Therefor I Queen Daenerys Targaryen rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm legitimize you as Lord Jon Stark trueborn son of Lady Lyanna Stark and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen." announced Daenerys as she smiled as she saw tears in Jon's eyes. "More so I am proud to announce to my Lord, Ladies, people and before the eyes of both the old and the new gods that you in time will be my lord husband advising me as King Consort on matters of state, defending my honor and fathering our children who will sit on the Iron Throne and rule all of Westeros after we are gone."
She extended her hand down and he took it, she could see tears in Jon's eyes and she felt tears in her own.
"Rise, Lord Jon Stark, rise my love." said Daenerys as Jon took her hand and she raised him to his feet. The two just looked into each other eyes and they almost didn't hear Sansa.
"To Queen Daenerys Targaryen and Lord Jon Stark long may the reign!" announced Sansa as she raised her wine glass. Seconds later everyone was raising their glasses and cheering to what they had just witnessed. Jon and Daenerys didn't pay them attention instead they were looking at each other and smiled.
Well I hope you liked this long chapter and the solution I put forward for how Jon could legitimize without being a threat to Deanarys' or Robb's claim. Personally I always felt Jon wanted to be a Stark but would never put himself in front of any of the trueborn Stark Children but he wouldn't want the Iron Throne even if it is his by birth, here is the child of Lyanna but still is a Stark not a Targaryen. Now I am leaving on a long-planned vacation in about two weeks, I will try to update again before I leave but if I don't get it finished it may be until the middle of September that I update again. So while I hope to update before I leave I make no promises. Either way I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.
