Chapter 6 News Part 1
Sunrise came way too early for Jon and Daenerys as it did for many couples within Winterfell, with the eastern sky lightening every moment, the castle was alive with activity. Vale and Manderly men all of them mounted where about to head south down the Kings Road with Lord Royce and Lord Manderly leading them. A separate force of Unsullied and Northern Horse was preparing to march as well, they would not be following the King's Road but instead they would strike West to Ironraith seat of House Forester where they would use as a base to carry out the recapture of the Stony Shore from the Iron Born. With multiple house Forester men and with their current lord who was still alive lady wife as well as his heir, Rodrik and his sister it was expected that they would open the gates to the strange force. While they would be leaving a day later to take the Dreadfort the Northern foot was busy so helping everyone else get ready to leave Winterfell. While Winterfell would be a lot emptier a large defense force of Northerns, Free Folk, Unsullied, Vale Knights and Dothraki would remain to protect Winterfell from any threat and to be ready to sent out if needed. For Gendry it was a hard moment, while Arya wasn't going South or even West she was getting ready to leave. A horse was waiting for her in the yard and to even her amazement two other figures were waiting for her. One a giant of a man with a large burn on half of his face, the other a small man in a now lighter fur lined robe.
"Lady Arya." greeted Varys with a bow of his bald head, with the warmer weather since it wasn't winter he had changed into still warm but not winter clothing.
"Little Bitch." greeted the Hound, Arya smiled at the insult of the hound.
"So it is the two of us again?" inquired Arya
"One could say that." stated the Hound as he eyed Gendry before looking back at Arya. "So the little bitch found herself a boy to make a man."
"One could say that, or he found a girl to make a woman." countered Arya as she looked toward Varys "Do you have what I need?"
"Yes, I do." said Varys as he pulled off one of his many rings and handed it to Arya. "Twist the front until you hear a click then pull."
Arya did as she was told and when she attempted to twist the ring only half the ring turned it was cut down the middle and yet resealed somehow. She heard a click and pulled, the ring expended to almost double it's length to show a small container.
"Tears of Lys." Reported Varys "The deadliest poisons in the world. I find it useful as a spy master to keep a small supply close if need be."
"Second most actually." corrected Arya as she closed the ring back up and put it on her finger. "The Faceless men have something more deadly, but we don't have access to that and I don't even know how to make it or even what it is called, only the servers of the many face god at the house of black and white know how to make it. So this will have to do."
"Hopefully you will not have to use it and your original plan works." stated Varys
"So do I." confirmed Arya before turning back to Gendry, her voice softening as she spoke to him. "I'll be back in a few days, so don't worry."
"I will not." Lied Gendry to which Arya grinned before kissing him gently brushing her small hand on his cheek even as his larger hands rested on his hip and near her sword. When she pulled back she looked in right in the eyes before whispering.
"You are lying." whispered Arya gently "I'll worry about you too, Love you."
"I love you too." said Gendry as Arya kissed him again, this time just a short peck on the lips before pulling back and mounting her horse before riding out the gate and toward the Dreadfort.
"Gendry Waters correct?" inquired Varys as he suddenly appeared beside Gendry, last he had noticed the spy master was a good dozen feet away from him having stepped back to give him and Arya some space but now he was only a few feet away.
"Aye…" said Gendry
"I can see your concern and so does Lady Arya." stated Varys "Now I may not be able to know fully what concerns you but I can assume that like everyone sending a love one into harms way you are worried about their safety."
"Yes." confirmed Gendry "I don't like killing or fighting, the Lords play their games but it is the common folk who end up dying."
"Very true, but sadly the game needs to be played so that we can get the right people on the throne, the ones who care about their people." stated Varys nodding his head in agreement and giving Gendry a rare smile. "I think Daenerys and Jon are those people and what Arya is doing while distasteful in the view of many will save more lives, a whole army worth of man will not have to fight and risk the chance of death if Arya complete her task. Look at it that way, your lover is out saving lives."
"I understand but I don't have to like it." confirmed Gendry
"We all must do things we do not like, those in positions of leadership most of all and like it our not you are in a position of leadership now." said Varys as Gendry looked at him confused. "You are with the sister of the King Consort, you are now an important player in this game."
"But I am just…" started Gendry as he looked at himself. "I am just some bastard from Flea Bottom who is good at the forge."
"No, you are just the man who will likely become Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Storm's Lands if Stannis doesn't bend the knee." explained Varys as Gendry's eyes widened at the idea of being a high lord. " Even if he bends the knee and is named Lord of Storm's End fore it, you will end up a Lord of some kind to make your releationship with Lady Arya acceptable. When you do become a Lord just remember to put your people first and do what is good of all the people that their needs to be your top concern."
He wasn't the only one saying goodbye, Ser Brienne of Tarth stood on the ramparts slightly behind Lady Sansa Stark. As they watched Arya leave through the Southern gate before turning to the East toward the Dreadfort.
"I should remain here." countered Brienne "You need to be protected Lady Stark."
"I will be fine." answered Sansa to her sworn shield and her friend. "I have a whole army surrounding me and right now my brother Rickon needs you more than I do."
"You may have an army around you but how can a sworn shield protect you when she isn't there?" countered Brienne
"You are sworn to protect me because my Mother tasked you to bring me home and you did it, myself and my sister are home." countered Sansa as she looked toward where Arya was riding off. "Or she was home no matter. I know if my mother didn't think he was dead, she would have tasked you with brining Rickon home as well, you can do that now for her."
"Lady Stark may I be totally honest with you." inquired Brienne as Sansa turned and looked at her, slightly confused before nodding her consent. "I know what you say is true, that you will be well protected and that your mother would have charged me to bringing her son home but there are personal reasons why I would prefer not to go on this mission."
"And they are?" inquired Sansa as Brienne looked toward where the dragons where, Jon and Dany where tented to them, keeping them focused on them while other man strapped ropes to them. Daenerys falling off her dragon during the battle had finally convinced her that maybe a saddle was required so while Tyrion was busy designing them and Gendry and the other smiths, leather workers and craftsman of Winterfell worked on them simple ropes would have to do. Standing near Jon was Tormund Gaintsbane with a few other Wildlings. "I see…he is rather annoying and un-courteousness."
"More thick headed and will not take a hint." countered Brienne as Sansa grinned. "Maybe if I knocked out a few teeth he would get the hint."
"All true, but it could have the opposite results if you knock his teeth out he may like you more, a strong woman after all." confirmed Sansa as Brienne let out a sigh. "Still I don't think you will have to deal with him long, once you find Rickon you will escort him to the King's Road where a detachment of Vale knights and Notherns will meet you either on the road or a Castle Black. After that Tormund will be going beyond the wall while you head back south to return my brother to his home."
"Very well." said Brienne "I am concerned he may try something while we are airborne, if he does I will throw him off the dragon."
Sansa chuckled at the idea before speaking up.
"You could argue that you need to spread out the weight even on a dragon so you and he could ride separately you are heavy in full armor and he is a big man, you need to spread out the weight equally among the dragons." offered Sansa as the sound of clinking metal armor caused both of them to see the Lannister Brothers walking up a nearby staircase, Tyrion wasn't the source of the clinking armor since he wore no armor but his brother Jaime had donned armor. It lacked the gold and bright red coloring of Lannister armor or even the pure white armor of a King's guard. It was instead simple Northern armor, a dark color however it appeared to have been died red to give it a blood red color which looked black at a distance. He had found or had made for him by a local a red cloak which was the normal bright red of his house, it even had a hood which was down at the moment.
"Just came to say goodbye, I am off to the wall." explained Tyrion with a cocky grin on his face. "Hopefully they remember me from the last time I pissed off the end of the world."
"You are hard to forget my Lord." countered Sansa "When you return I expect you to have my little brother with you and yet another Targaryen with you as well?"
"I hope so, Measter Aemon is among the most wises person I ever met he would make a wonderful addition to Queen Daenerys small council." agreed Tyrion as he looked through a gap in the crenellations to see Arya disappear into a small group of trees. With that he turned back around to see Sam preparing the cart that they would ride North in. They would have taken horses, with a modified saddle even Tyrion could ride a horse but Aemon was too old to ride and so the cart. "I am just concerned that he will say no, either way she needs to meet him."
"Ser Brienne!" yelled a voice from the yard as everyone looked down to see Ser Jorah Mormont looking up at them. "They are ready to head out."
"I'll be right down." Said Brienne as she turned to head down the stairs passing behind Jaime Lannister, the man who knighted her.
"Stay safe, Ser Brienne." Whispered Jaime soft enough that he thought only Brienne could hear him.
"You as well Ser Jaime." whispered Brienne back just as softly, both of them thought only the other could hear them when in truth both Tyrion and Sansa both took note of the exchange between the two of them. They watched as Brienne gave orders to Podrick to stay extra protective of Sansa before she headed out and a lot of care she got onto the Dragon with Daenerys. Tormund who was riding with Jon seamed upset but yelled at her to hang on like she would hang on to a lover. Everyone rolled their eyes at him for that while Brienne simply ordered them to go. Daenerys accepted taking orders and with a roar both Dragons took to the air and headed north following the King's road.
"I'll go make sure everything is ready for you brother." Said Jamie as he headed down to make sure everything was in order, Tyrion would be riding with Sam since they didn't have a modified saddle for him to use to ride.
"Did you take note of that exchange Lady Sansa?" inquired Tyrion as he placed his hands behind his back and watched the two dragons disappear into the distance.
"I did." answered Sansa "I am not totally sure what to think of it."
"Neither am I." admitted Tyrion as he pondered the question "She is so unlike my sister it is hard to believe that my brother would care for her like he seems to."
"You can't help who you love." countered Sansa as Tyrion nodded in agreement. "I would add, that politically it would be a good match."
"I agree." confirmed Tyrion "Tarth is either the second or third most powerful house in the Stormlands and she is the heir to it. A marriage between the heirs to the Rock and Tarth would make great political sense but I am not about to try to force it."
"It would be a great benefit to our Queen's cause, if we gained control of Tarth and if we take Dragon Stone along with the Vale we could cut off all trade between Westeros and the Free Cities above the Broken arm of Dorne." added Sansa, she was no military mind but she could see that by just looking at a map. "But one comment a relationship doesn't make, if it happens it happens if not it doesn't."
"Agreed." stated Tyrion "You know until Jon came around; I was slightly concerned about our Queen but they balance each other well."
"Ice and fire." agreed Sansa as she put her hands behind her back. "I am still concerned; Jon doesn't know how to play the game and in the south men of my family don't end up with happy endings."
"True and sometimes Daenerys doesn't know how to play the game well either" admitted Tyrion as he folded his hand behind his back.
"It will be up to both of us to guide them." stated Sansa as Tyrion nodded his head.
"Agreed, that is the point of council members after all." laughed Tyrion before he looked up at the woman Sansa had become. "I have a feeling you may end up in Kings Landing after all this over."
He looked down to see the group of Northern and Vale forces which would be heading toward the Wall. Just then the sound of flapping wings filled the air behind them, both of them turned to see the first flight or ravens, those carrying letter to Robb, Catelyn, Stannis, Tywin and the small council at King's Landing as well as the great lords of the realm. A select few ravens where heading to other places, White Harbor, Old Town, the Wall and the Twins. Those letters where made first and where more important so they would be sent ahead first, the other ravens would take flight tomorrow once their letters where done.
"So, the word will spread now." announced Tyrion
"So, it will." confirmed Sansa as all the Ravens minus one, the one heading to the wall headed south. "How long will it take those birds to fly?"
"They don't fly as fast as Dragons, the first ones should arrive at the Wall and White Harbor by midday tomorrow, Kings Landing, the Vale and the Riverlands a day after that and Old Town a following day." Explained Tywin, it wasn't for sure some Ravens where faster than others and Hawks or Owls could take down a raven but most got through.
"So now the War of the Five Kings begin but with a Queen." Added Sansa
"So it does." confirmed Tyrion "Now until we meet again Lady Sansa, the North is in your hands."
"Safe journey Lord Tyrion." answered Sansa as she put her hands behind her back as she watched the Ravens fly. She watched them fly before turning around to see Brienne squire, Podrick Payne standing guard over her.
"Podrick, I need a favor from you." Said Sansa
"Anything my lady." said Podrick as she handed him a piece of parchment.
"Bring these people to me at once, I have a special task for them." stated Sansa, Podrick was true to his words and within half an hour all 10 people stood before her in her study. She explained what she wanted done and they complained about the time restraints, but they all agreed to do it in the time required of them.
For his part Ser Jorah Mormont chaff at being left behind but he had other jobs, he was officially a member of the Queen's guard and the only other member was on the other side of the world in slaver bays. Part of being a Queen's guard was commanding the Queen's armies in the field, he had been given the task of marching on the Dreadfort and beyond if possible. He would have Northern Foot and Dothraki horse under his command while Grey Worm took most of the Unsullied and Northern horse to go take control of the stony shore from the Ironborn. He would be facing the forces of the Boltons and the Dreadfort the 3rd largest castle in the North behind Winterfell and New Castle which was in the seat of House Manderly in White Harbor. It's walls where thick and strong, the last time the Kings of Winter placed the Dreadfort under siege it held out for three years.
"We will be heading out soon." said Lord Manderly as he snacked on a piece of bread fresh out from the oven. "We will send a raven to Winterfell once we reach White Harbor and once Moat Cailin is back in our hands."
"Good, we are to hold here for a day and then we will march on the Dreadfort, Grey Worm and the Northern horse will be leaving by midday and should be Ironraith within two days." stated Jorah
"So they should begin their assault on Deepwood Motte in four days, given a day of rest in." Stated Royce as Jorah shook his head.
"The Unsullied do not need as much rest as normal man, they will begin the assault of Deepwood within 3 days." stated Jorah
"I will trust your judgement, Ser Jorah." said Rocye "We have seen what they did on the battlefield against the undead but it still hard to believe that someone could march from here to Deep Woodmote in three days."
Bran wished he could be spending his time carrying out his research into the Night King but at the moment he had something more important to do. His eyes rolled back in his head and instantly he was in the eyes of a raven flying North. He glanced down to see Long Lake which sat about halfway between Winterfell and the Wall. He flew a few times around the Northern edge of the lake above the King's Road circling waiting. He didn't have to wait all that long, Dragons where fast creatures and he soon spotted their dark shapes on the horizon and closing fast. At the sight of the Dragons every other bird dove for the safety of the Woods to hide from the new predators but the Raven controlled by Bran flew toward the Dragons. He flew closer and closer until he saw Jon pointing at him, with that he began to lead the two Dragons and their riders North, he would be their guild.
The barren rocky hills where not the best place for hunting but for the Free Folk better known as Wilding Osha it wasn't the worse place she had ever hunted. She had caught a few rabbits and the Reed girl Mera had caught a few frogs with her frog spear. Her brother Jojen was next to useless in her view as she made her way back to their little camp, ever since Bran had disappeared in his cart Jojen seamed lost. They had no idea what had happened, the two Dire wolves Summer and Shaggydog had been on either side of the cart, Mera had been a few steps behind and Hodor had been pulling it while the youngest Stark, Rickon walked beside Jojen in front of Hodor. For her part she was in the lead with a simple wooden spear, no metal point just fire hardened and an old sword taken from Winterfell crypts. They had turned around and Bran was gone, they had heard nothing seen nothing and worse of all now none of them knew what to do. The idea was for them to split up, Osha would take Rickon and his wolf to the Umbers where he would be protected. The Umbers where long allies of House Stark after all and Bran would go North to carry out his magical destiny.
"Got dinner." announced Osha as she tossed the rabbits near the fire at Jojen's feat.
"I'll get to work at once." said Jojen softy as he went to clean the rabbit it was clear he had no idea what to do.
"We need to decide where we are going." stated Mera "Since Bran is gone."
"We need to find him, without him we…" started Jojen
"Bran is gone, we need to focus on protecting the little prince." countered Osha looking at Rickon.
"We need to find Bran, we need to find my brother." countered Rickon and he was a prince of the North but also a child of five. He didn't know much, didn't understand much and sometimes called Osha his mother because he didn't remember Lady Stark.
"We need to get you somewhere safe, then we can get more people from the Umbers to help us sear…." started Osha as suddenly Mera jumped up and scanned the hill line to their south. "What is it?"
"I heard something." stated Mera
"Hodor." stated Hodor as the giant of a man looked around confused, he didn't understand what was happening even more then Rickon. For a while nothing happened and then out of the clouds a dark raven appeared, for a moment everyone calmed down and then behind the Raven came two much larger dark shapes. They where impossibly big to be flying and worse of all they where heading right toward them.
"Get DOWN!" yelled Osha "HIDE!"
There was no hiding because the moment they broke through the clouds Jon spotted the group of five figures and two dire wolves among the rocks. They where moving too fast to land, Daenerys must have spotted them as well as both dragons turned in wide circles to come around for a landing. The ground was mostly grasslands with some rather large rocks spread out randomly across the hills. As he got closer, he saw that there where actually more rocks then he saw from above but not enough to get in the way of a dragon. With a few flaps of it's wings it slowed down and came in for a landing, only a few yards away but on the other side of the group of figures Daenerys and Drogon came in for a landing.
"We Can't hide! GET READY TO FIGHT!" yelled a female voice coming from a women in rough hide holding a wooden fire hardened spear. It would have been a laughable weapon against an armored knight but against a dragon it was less then laughable. Both dragons landed with thuds and for a moment nothing happened, the other defenders had pulled ancient iron swords taken from the crypts of Winterfell and had formed a protective ring around Rickon.
Jon just looked down at his little cousin, he looked so young, he was still a little boy not on the edge of manhood like he had seen when he died feet away from him with a Bolton arrow in the back. The two Dire Wolves formed a protective circle as well, Summer facing down Rhaegal and Shaggydog facing down Drogon. Reacting fast Jon slid off Rhaegal back and moved forward toward the group. The approaching armored figure dressed in black with a sword on his belt caused even more fear to rise up in the group.
"Stay back!" ordered Osha as she raised her sword toward Jon, the sword she had was newer likely the one made to place over Lord Eddard's tomb but still it would be no match for Valerian Steel. This woman held it more like a spear not a sword and as such if he wanted to or had to he could have killed or disarmed her within seconds, but that wouldn't do.
"You must be Osha, Bran sent us." said Jon as he looked toward the other two he didn't know. "You are Mera and Jojen of House Reed. I must thank all three of you for your service to house Stark, but your mission to bring Bran north of the Wall to meet the Three Eyed Raven is no longer needed."
"Who are you?" inquired Mera as Jon lowered his hand bending a bit and offering his hand palm out and Summer padded over and smelled his hand. Smelling a familiar scent both in him and Ghost and the pack bound they shared. Summer brushed against the hand and calmed down before rubbing against Jon's leg, Shaggydog looked confused but came over and smelling his brother Ghost calmed down as well.
"My name is Jon." answered Jon as a look of recognizition came across his cousin's face.
"Jon?" inquired Rickon
"Good to see you, Rickon." said Jon "I was worried you wouldn't recognize me. It has been a long time."
"You…you look different." admitted Rickon as Jon nodded his head.
"That is an understatement." confirmed Jon "This may be hard to believe but we aren't the people you may remember; see you did take Bran North of the Wall. You found the Three Eyed Raven and he trained Bran as best he could in the time he had. Then brought him South back to Winterfell. The Night King and the Walkers followed, the army of the dead broke through at East Watch. We fought them at Winterfell and when we where about to loss Bran used his magic to send everyone still alive within Winterfell back in time. That was five years from now, I am Jon but I am Jon five years older then what I would be now."
"Bran is back in Winterfell." added Daenerys as she got off Drogon followed by others, Rhaegal was also now devoid of riders. "We came to get you home."
"Who are you and what are those beasts?" inquired Osha
"I am Queen Daenerys Targaryen and those are two dragons." answered Daenerys "If we wanted to hurt you we could, we are here to help. You are about to take Rickon to the Umbers correct?"
"Yes, how did you know that?" inquired Mera confused, house Targaryen was gone yet one stood before her, a beautiful woman with the looks of old Valeria and she had two dragons.
"We are from the future, a future in which you do get to the Umbers and they hand Osha and Rickon to the Boltons. Rickon is murdered by Ramsay Bolton before Jon and a United Northern and Free Folk army could save him." explained Daenerys "Now will you allow us to help you?"
"We aren't getting on those things." stated Osha
"You will not have to." countered Daenerys "In truth your added weight and the fact we can't carry Dire Wolves mean you aren't getting on our dragons. Ser Brienne of Tarth, Sworn shield to Lady Sansa Stark and a vale knight and a guild from house Forester will protect you to the Kings Road and to castle black where a force of made up of Vale Knights and more Northern soldiers will get you and bring you back to Winterfell where Sansa and Bran is waiting, Arya will likely be back as well by the time to arrive."
"Do we have a choice?" inquired Osha
"Not really, but you are a spear wife you are capable of making a very bad choice." added Tormund as Osha eyed him and he eyed her. "You have the look of one of the tribes from the Skirling pass or maybe the edge of the Frozen Shore."
"You know the free folk." stated Osha
"Tormund Gaintsbane." stated Tormund proudly "We are about to go meet up with a raiding party and tell them they don't need to attack Castle Black, they will open the gates for us."
"I don't believe it, the kneelers would never…." started Osha
"You are alive, you are breathing, you are human which means you are not the real enemy. The enemy is the dead, those who blue eyes." countered Jon as Osha gulped and looked at him with fear in her eyes.
"You have seen them?" inquired Osha
"Aye, we all have, we lost to them and now we are in the past." confirmed Daenerys "We have a second chance, to make sure humanity wins and that Death doesn't."
"We don't have much of a choice." countered Mera "I say we go."
"I agree." Said Jojon
"What about you little Prince?" inquired Osha looking at Rickon.
"Shaggydog and Summer trusts them, we go with them." answered Rickon
Far from the cold windswept hills of the North, Lady Margaery Tryell walked hand in hand with her elderly grandmother Ollena Tryell through the gardens of the Red Keep. The old matriarch of house Tryell had to walk with the aid of a cane and behind her walked two of her grandsons from her second daughter who marriage to Lord Jon Fossoway. She remembered their names of course but they where so much alike being twin brothers that she just kept calling them left and right, it helped make people believe she was a weak old woman instead of what she really was.
"I must admit Grandmother I am concerned the entire castle is talking about how Sansa, Tyrion and Lord Varys all disappeared before our very eyes." stated Margaery
"It is very concerning dear." said the Queen of Thrones Ollena "However your wedding is only two months away and we need to turn our attention back to that. It is very important for our house to have you become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms."
"I just wish this whole pointless war would end." stated Margaery "I am no miltary mind, but the North and Riverlands can't stand against the Reach, Westerlands and the rest of Westeros."
"A blind man could see that dearie, all these Kings would learn a lot if they would just sit down and listen to their mothers but when was the last time a simple man or even one with a crown on his head listened to the words of wise women." countered Ollena as the sound of clinking armor filled the quiet garden, Ollena and Margery looked up to see Lord Tywin Lannister with two of his guards walking toward them. "Lets see if he will listen to me, this day."
"One can hope grandmother." Stated Margery as the Hand of the King walked up to the Queen of Thorns.
"Lord hand, I must admit I never though of you as a lover of gardens? What brings you here to Queen Alysanne's Garden?" inquired the Queen of Thorns.
"I must admit I prefer the stone gardens at the Rock but this had its own…charms as for why I am here I cam to speak to you and Lady Margaery about the Wedding." stated Lord Tywin
"Please do speak, but these old bones can't stand around all day talking let us retire to a place where we can both rest our old asses." Stated Ollena as Tywin glared at the older women for a moment, but said nothing. He knew that Ollena not her son the current lord of High Garden was the true leader of House Tryell and therefor the Reach.
"I could do with a sit myself." Confirmed Tywin as they headed toward a shaded area which overlooked black water bay. They passed by a titled mosaic of the three headed dragon of house Targaryen, Robert had wanted to rip out every sign of the Targaryens from the Red Keep when he took it but Queen Alysanne and the Old King Jaehaerys was still beloved by many lords and commoners even two hundred years after their deaths. They had been among the greatest rulers in Westeros history and no worker wanted to destroy Alysanne's garden and since Robert wasn't the type to go to the garden the three headed dragon remained here. They sat in the shade with the cool bay air blowing in on them.
"So my Lord hand what can we do for you?" inquired Ollena
"We need to make some slight changes to the seating arrangements." Stated Tywin clearly not happy to be talking about this, he knew that the placements of each of the guest at the wedding was as important as the placements of units on a battlefield but he didn't like this battlefield. "We have gotten word that the Dornish delegation is a fortnight out and that the Red Viper is among the party not his brother the Prince of Dorne."
"I see." Said Ollena clearly not happy, the Red viper Prince Oberyn Martell had injured Margeary's oldest brother Willas Tyrell in a tourney, his leg had never healed when his horse fell on him and as such the future ruler of the Reach walked with a heavy limp and a crane even at the age of 25. Her son had never forgiven the Prince for his actions even though from Ollena's eyes it appeared to have been an accident and Willas's foot had caught in the stirrup as he fell. Still it limited the movement of the future Lord of High Garden to a wheel house instead of a horse and made him seam weak to the other Lords of the Realm. "We will make the proper movement of guests to make sure everyone is kept in good standing."
"Thank you." said Tywin "Also Little Finger will be remaining in the City and as Master of Coin, since my Son's disappearance he will not be able to journey to the Vale. He has instead sent a request to Lady Lyssa to come to Kings Landing for the Wedding and to pledge her loyalty to our King and his new Queen."
"We are only two months out how many guests do you believe she will bring if she comes?" inquired Margery
"Unsure, not many I would assume not enough time to gather all the Lords, maybe the Lord Royce of Runestone and the Lord Gerold Grafton of Gulltown since if they make it to the wedding they will likely come by ship through Gulltown to avoid the Riverlands and the War." stated Tywin as he noticed a new figure approaching them. He was thin and wore some of the best robes in the whole city, a silver mockingbird pin sat on his shirt collar.
"Ah Lord Baelish, we just got word that you will be attending the wedding." greeted Margaery
"Yes, it is an honor my Lady." greeted Baelish, even though if he had wanted to he could have attended the wedding anyhow but had instead wanted to sail to the Vale of Aryan. Now Lord Tywin had changed those plans and as such he had to put up the false front of always wanting to attend the wedding. "Forgive this interruption but Lord Hand I have news which you will want to know."
"Oh…please do tell." said Ollena as Tywin was rising to leave "Is it about what happened to Lady Sansa, Lord Tyrion and Lord Varys? The whole court is worried, and I pray to the Mother above every morning and night for their safety."
Lord Tywin and Lord Baelish looked at each other before Tywin spoke up.
"If it is about that then please do share Lord Baelish if not and it is about the War or the coin of the Realm we will retire to a more private chamber." ordered Tywin as he tried to get out of the little trap the Queen of Thorns had placed him in.
"Very well…I have no news about what happened to the three who disappeared in court however my contacts in Gulltown from when I was port master have informed me by raven that multiple lords and Knights have all disappeared in a similar fashion to what happened in court." Reported Baelish "Over fifty men have all disappeared and all of them Lords, Knights, archers or man at arms. No traces where found and a lot of them disappeared in front of wittiness."
"Really so it wasn't just here?" inquired Margaery with concern in her voice.
"No, my Lady the Raven was sent only hours after the event and I am amazed it got to Kings Landing as fast as it did but Lord Grafton and his second son are both gone, Lord Royce who was in Gulltown is also gone along with most of his escort all vanished from the city." Explained Baelish "The city is in a panic and confusion, I have no word from other places within the Vale yet but I hope to know more soon and I thought the Lord Hand would want to know at once."
"Thank you, when do you think your other contacts will send word to you?" inquired Tywin
"Not sure my Lord, if it is just Gulltown none will report until my request for information arrive but if it is across the Vale it will be sooner." explained Baelish as Tywin nodded.
"Very well, we will discuss this at the small council meeting tomorrow afternoon." stated Tywin as Baelish bowed his head and left them.
Darkness had fallen over the land, as Jon Stark stood with Tormund beside a roaring fire near abounded windmill. Even in the early autumn the night was pitch black, with only a small circle of area illuminated by the roaring fire.
"Shouldn't be long now." said Tormund as he warmed his hand by the fire. For his part Jon just relaxed one hand resting on long claw pummel while he waited. "They have to have seen the fire. Seeing the fire, they would push on to see what is happening."
"I know, you know Ygritte thought this windmill was a palace." said Jon as he mentally prepared himself for what would happen sometime in the near future. His thoughts where interrupted when an animal call broke the stillness of the night air. Tormund tensed for a moment before repeating an almost matching call of his own. That is the sound of footsteps could be heard as a half dozen figures moved into view of the fire. They were still steeped in darkness, Jon's eyes scanned the raiders all of them where men and women who had died attacking Castle Black all those years ago, only Tormund had been taken alive there. There in the middle was Ygritte bow in hand, her red hair visible under her fur hood. There eyes meet and in Jon's heart he felt pain, there she was back from the grave, his first love.
"Took you bloody long enough." Said Tormund as the free folk looked at him.
"Tormund?" inquired one of the raiders
"Who else would it be?" inquired Tormund
"Jon?" said Ygritte with a weakness in her voice he wasn't used to hearing, it broke his heart.
"Yrgitte." Said Jon back.
"Haven't seen you in a while." added Tormund In the fire light it took all of them to realized that Jon and Tormund looked older. Jon was slightly taller, his beard was cut different and his hair was also different. Tormund was still as load as always but he had a few grey flecks in that mess of red which hadn't been there before.
"Where the seven hells did you two disappear to? And what is going on?" inquired a raider "And what happened."
"And why is the crow back in black!" yelled another as he pulled a dinted rusted sword, taken off some ranger long ago or taken in a raid.
"Well things have changed." said Jon without drawing his own sword as suddenly there was a flapping of Wings before a creature flew down out of the night and landed with a crash on top of the windmill tower. The sudden arrive of this creature caused all the raiders to jump back in fear, even Ygritte who normally showed no fear took a step back. The tower could hardly support its weight and the free folk jumped back as it's long neck moved forward into the light of the fire showing off rows of teeth, it's eyes locked on all of them before Jon reached out and touched it's green scales. Then it lifted its head up and with a roar sent a blast of fire into the air, stretching it's dark leathery wings before it took off and flew back to its resting place. The real camp where Deanery's, a small guard force, the other free folk and Drogon where actually resting. "A lot of things have changed, considering to us all of you died about five years ago."
As she tried to process Jon's words Ygritte's looked at her lover, he was older looking for sure, he had a look of a warrior but what took her aback was his eyes. He seemed to want to avoid her gaze and when his eyes fell on her a pained look crossed his face. That was concerning but what was worse was there wasn't the warmth in the eyes as before, there was pain not love in his eyes.
"Our attack failed, Mance failed a Southern King Stannis hit us on the side and broke our forces." stated Tormund "Later the Crow here became Lord Commander and he let us through the wall, those who were willing to take his deal to fight the real enemy…the rest well. We ending up fighting their raised dead bodies when the Night King brook through the wall, slaughtered everything north of Winterfell."
"Then we clashed again in Winterfell, the free folk, the Nights Watch, the Northern army and Vale and finally an army from across the sea lead by a Dragon Queen Deanery's of House Targaryen with two dragons. One of whom you just saw." Said Jon "We had over a one hundred thousand men and women, we had dragon glass weapons which can kill the dead upon contact and kill the White Walkers, we had the Three eyed raven the last man who knows the magic of the children of the Forests."
"They still kicked our fucking asses." stated Tormund "Only reason we have another chance is because his younger…he isn't your cousin or are you still calling him brother?"
"Either or, Cousin by blood but brother in heart." confirmed Jon which confused Ygritte, Jon had told her about how he was a bastard, a Snow, yet now he had cousins.
"Cousin, is this three eyed raven and he used his magic to transport everyone still alive in Winterfell back in time to give us a second chance." stated Tormund "That is why we disappeared two of the same people can't live in the same time. We replaced them."
"So you and the Snow…"
"Stark." corrected Tormund before grinning and slapping Jon on the back. "Turns out our little crow was not a bastard after all but in truth he is the son of the Crown Prince of that Iron chair in the South, he is actually the rightful King of all the land south of the wall."
Jon simply stood still looking slightly annoyed at Tormund but for Ygritte she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jon was a King, not a snow, she had slept with a Southern King.
"I am not King." corrected Jon
"Yes…you didn't want it so you gave it to your Queen." said Tormund with a dismissive wave of the hand, at the mention of a Queen, Ygritte's eyes narrowed and a pain/anger began to fill her heart. "Who is your Aunt which kind of freaks me out personally but you Southerns and your way. Not that she isn't a looker for sure, to thin for my taste I like larger stronger woman but not many women come with a dragon she can give you to ride. Well beside her that is."
"Tormund if you weren't my friend I would kill you now." joked Jon as Tormund shrugged. "Be more careful many rulers have ordered the death of people of insults like the one you just gave."
"I know, but what can I say I am who I am." countered Tormund
"Wait…the Crow is fucking his Aunt." Inquired a free folk raider "And he is a King?"
"Yes, she is my Aunt." admitted Jon "She is also younger than me, we didn't know that we were the same blood when we first began our relationship. The blood of Old Valyeria, the blood of the Dragon which both of us are it is common practice, I could take the name Targaryen but in my heart I am a wolf not a dragon. Her own parents, my grandparents where Brother and Sister and down the line where multiple cases of brother and sister, Uncle and Niece and so on. It is just what Targaryens do and while I have decided to keep my mother's house name, house Stark I have the blood of the dragon in me. Believe me I am still getting used to it."
"Jon?" inquired Ygritte softly as Jon turned his gaze toward her, it was a face he hadn't seen since he placed it on a funeral pile in front of a were wood tree North of the Wall. He had stood there and watched her burn, the woman kissed by fire, the first women he ever loved, he had watched her burn and now she stood before him alive and well.
"Ygritte." answered Jon his own heart breaking but also hardening in resolve.
"You would rather be with your aunt then me?" inquired Yrgitte as Jon let out a sigh.
"Yrgitte, you died in my arms, I watched the life fade from your eyes and then I burned your body North of the Wall." explained Jon his voice breaking a bit as his heart broke into many pieces, he didn't want to hurt her. He would also have a place in his heart for her, his first love but she wasn't his true love, his second half. "You lost me only a few days ago, I lost you years ago. I have seen much and done much more, I saw the Night King slaughter every Free Folk at Hardhome before raising them back up as his army. I fought in the battle of bastards and at Winterfell, I died and was brought back by a Red Priestess of the Lord of Light. I finally know some things and while you will always have a place in my heart you are no longer the person who I love with all my heart. I am sorry."
"Jon…" said Ygritte in the weakest voice he had ever heard her use.
"I am sorry Ygritte, I take some comfort that you will live, you will have a life, find someone else and they will be among the luckiest guy in the world." stated Jon as he put his hand on her shoulder only to have it slapped away. "I am sorry Ygritte."
"To be fair it took Jon four years to get over your loss." Stated Tormund as he came to Jon's defense. "And it took a Queen to do so and while she isn't my type, too thin for me she is very beautiful. Some say she is the most beautiful women in the world."
"Damn you." cursed Ygritte with tears in her eyes as Jon lowered his head a bit. "I wish now I didn't drink moon tea every fucking morning, I bet if I was with child you wouldn't be with this Dragon Whore!"
"We will never know for sure." answered Jon letting the insult against his love pass, Ygritte had just lost him and he had raged at her death all those years ago. She had a right to rage at him for leaving her. He knew the truth she wasn't with child she would have started showing by the time the raiders had attacked Castle Black and that was on top of the moon tea she drank every morning like it was a religion. She had talked about how she and a lot of other spear wives didn't want to have children until the winter was passed and the Walkers where gone. A pregnant woman was too big of a risk not only to herself but her tribe when being chased by the undead. He had to agree with her logic and had even helped her gather the herbs while on the march. "What matters now isn't our personal feelings it is getting your people South of the Wall and to a place of safety. So that they remain among the living. We know how to fight the undead but the Night King is also came back with us, his army will descend from the North sooner than it did on our time. Winter is coming and all the living must unite to fight the dead"
"They are going to open the gates at Castle Black and let us march through." Stated Tormund as the Raiders looked at him. "They will also give us the new gift as long as we agree to two things."
"We are not going to bend the knee to some southern!" yelled Ygritte "We are free folk not kneelers."
"You don't have to bend the knee, but while in our land you will have to respect our laws, you are guests within our lands and have to follow guest rights. No raiding, no attacking us and we will not attack or harm you in any way." stated Jon, guest right was one of the highest laws in the North and beyond the wall as well. "You will not have to fight in any Southern war if you don't want to, we will allow those who want to fight to fight and those who do will be welcomed to stay once the Walkers and the Dead are defeated. The only fighting you will be required to do is fighting against the army of the dead."
The raiders shared a look among each other as they thought about the offer now placed before them.
"We need to stand together, kneelers and free folk or we will all end up marching together in the undead army." Stated Jon "We have been given this second chance, we will not have a third."
The cold wind on top of the wall almost seamed strong enough to blow him over but for unknown reason even to himself he had been drawn out this morning before dawn. As he moved down the length of the wall toward the West with the help of one of the much younger steward, Maester Aemon kept moving.
"Measter Aemon, please for your health return to your chambers, it is as cold as Winter as here." Pleaded the steward as he held the torch up allowing him and the other man, one of the builders to see in the predawn darkness. They had moved past the normal picket of men and where now entering an the edge of the very long strength of unguarded wall. It wasn't fully unguard in truth, there where small outposts built on top of the wall where a half dozen men could stand watch over a section of the wall but most of the time these where unmanned. The Watch simply didn't have the men to man the wall anymore. Aemon smiled as the oldest man in Westeros had known Winters far colder then this, still in his mind he knew he shouldn't be up here he wasn't a man in his twenties anymore or even his thirties no he was past his 101st name day. He should be in his bed beside a roaring fire or resting in his chair not walking on top of an ice wall.
He stopped and with unseeing eyes looked out over the now pitch darkness of the wall which stretched out before him. He had seen this view before his vision left him and he saw it now in his minds eye. He was about to answer the steward's words when an animal cry filled the air. It was unlike anything he had ever heard in his over 100 years upon the world and it caused everyone who heard it to stop and look around the darkness.
Then he heard it, the flapping of wings, like a bat but larger…much larger, then he felt the steward's guiding hand leave and the flame which was by his face fell to the ground. He then heard the steward and the builder with him running away as the flapping of Wings grew loader and loader. Then with a crash the ground below him move so violently he almost fell, it was then that he felt a shadow fall over his body. Moments later a second crash landed behind him and he caught himself bracing on the pillar of ice to prevent himself from falling. He could feel eyes upon him but he didn't know who or what, but strangely he didn't feel like he was in danger.
"Measter Aemon." Said a voice, he didn't recognize at first, then he did.
"Jon?" inquired Aemon as he heard feet hitting the stone gravel which lined the walkway on top of the wall.
"It has been a long time Measter." said Jon as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to see you. I only wish you could see what is in front of you now."
"What is in front of me?" inquired Aemon as he felt hot breath on his face followed seconds later by inhaling of breath.
"Fire made flesh…" said Jon with a smile on his face as Rhaegal got very close to Measter Aemon, his Targaryen blood calling out to the dragon. He was close enough that at any moment, the dragon could snap his jaws and kill him, but the Dragon made no threating more to him, only sniffing the old man and studying him. "Before you is a full grown living Dragon…."
"A dragon?" inquired Aemon as he extended his hand and reached out into the void, the dragon moved his head forward touching the old man's hand with it's snout. Aemon's hand moved across the scales, brushing against a couple teeth as he did, as he did tears began to flow from the man's face.
"Egg, oh Egg if only you could see this now." said Aemon as Jon blinked and thought about it, then he remembered that Aegon the V who was Aemon's Nephew had been nicknamed the Egg who became a King or something like that. He was remembering his nephew, Dany's grandfather and Jon's great grandfather.
"Behind you is another Dragon, great uncle." stated Daenerys as she looked at this frail old man dressed all in black with a Maester chain around his neck. "This one even bigger than the one before you now."
"Who…" inquired Aemon
"Queen Daenerys Targaryen." answered Dany
"You need to leave, if they catch you they will kill the last Targaryen." warned Aemon with fear in his voice.
"There are two dragons guarding three Targaryens up here, we have nothing to worry about and there are more here beside us. Sworn men to House Stark, House Umber and Houses of the Vale." Explained Daenerys calmly. "We are safe."
"Three…three Targaryen's?" inquired Aemon confused
"Yes, it may be hard to believe but I am not the Jon you remembered, I returned from the great ranging, but few others did. Death is marching on the wall, the Night King and the Army of the Dead, the long night is upon us." stated Jon "They broke us, breached the wall at East Watch slaughtered everyone north of Winterfell and then came at us there. That will be in five years…we lost but through the Magic of the Children of the forest we were sent back in time. I am not the 18-year-old kid who left with Lord Commander Mormont, I am the 23 year old man who has learned much including who is parents where. I am not a bastard and my father is not Lord Eddard Stark, it was Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and my mother was Lyanna Stark."
"You're a Targaryen?" inquired Aemon not fully believing it. "And heir to the Throne."
"Yes, but I don't want the throne that is Daenerys right not mine, so I have been legitimized as Jon Stark the trueborn son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen." Explained Jon
"Like deals house Targaryen has had in the past but you are a deserter from the watch no?" inquired Aemon
"No, my watch ended, I died Measter Aemon and a red priested brought me back after a day. My watch ended." Explained Jon as Aemon chuckled a bit.
"If true, then yes it seamed you found a loop hole in the vows." chuckled Aemon as the calls of alarm brought man running only to stop as both dragons turned to face the on comers, both of them took up the whole wall and armed only with spears, arrows and swords they where as good as defenseless against dragon fire. Most of all since they could only attack in one direction and dragons could cover that area in fire.
"By the Gods!" yelled Sir Allister Thorn as he came running up with a sword only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw the black dragon before him and then he noticed the second.
"Hold your fire." Ordered Jon as he stepped forward "You will not hurt them, all you will do is make them angry."
"Bastard! What are you doing there?" inquired Allister
"Waiting to see what you do next." answered Jon as he crossed his arms.
"Bastard." Cursed Allister
"Don't call him a bastard again or you will have to answer to our dragons." ordered Daenerys as Allister's eyes moved to the woman in the group. "I am Queen Daenerys Targaryen and you will show respect to my betrothed Lord Jon Stark trueborn son of Lady Lyanna Stark and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen or you will have to answer to the dragons."
Allister didn't know what to say, his mouth fell open and remained there for the longest time as Jon fought back a laugh.
"Now, I will explain some things for you. We are not the same people you may know, Jon here is actually five years older than the one you knew. Magic sent us back through time to give humanity a second chance, we have an army at Winterfell and part of that army is one the way here to Castle Black for the good of the realm and by Royal decree you will follow all orders of my Hand Tywin Lannister when he arrives." started Daenerys as she showed the fire of House Targaryen, this was one of the man who had killed Jon and so she was no interest in showing mercy to him. "The White Walkers are real and they broke through the wall at East Watch in our time, we all need to prepare to fight them and the army of the dead. So you will send people to start rebuilding every castle along the wall, don't worry about manning them yet. When the Free Folk arrive under Mance Rayder you will open the gates and let them pass. They will help man the wall and defend the realms of man from the real threat."
Allister didn't respond and instead looked around confused and wondering what to say.
"If I may, your grace the Night's Watch was formed to protect the realms of man from those threats beyond the wall, isn't the free folk one of those threats their raiding has killed man." countered Maester Aemon
"You aren't mistaken but they are still among the living and the threat of the dead are worse." explained Daenerys "Also we are going to offer a deal, if they do not raid and help us fight the undead they can enter the land."
"If they don't accept that deal?" inquired Aemon
"Then we are all in trouble." added Jon "But they will accept it, they did it last time and when I was lord commander of the watch…that choice to let them in was actually the reason why you Allister and others brothers of the watch stabbed me to death."
"What?" inquired Allister as more men of the watch arrived on the scene including a few Jon knew well, those man had died either in the battle of Winterfell or before that. Grenn and Pyp where standing there looking at him in amazement.
"You killed me Allister or you did." confirmed Jon "Time travel messes everything up, I hung you for that after I was brought back to life by a Red Priestess that Stannis brought North when he broke the free folk army outside these very gates."
"More will be explained later, a convoy of men is heading here as we speak they will explain things in more detail but in the meantime you have your orders Sir Allister Thorn." stated Daenerys "We have more places to be. Maester Aemon I would like a word with you."
"Your Grace?" inquired Aemon
"I know you have sworn to the Watch but I would request that you forgo your duties here and travel to Winterfell to join my small council." Offered Daenerys "Your council would be of greater aid to the realm in the council chambers and on a personal note, it would be nice to know more about my family history."
"Aye…I will gladly tell you more about our house as for leaving the Watch…I need to think on that." Explained Aemon "It is the arch Maester's of the conclave who decide who the Grand Maester should be, a ruler doesn't decided that. However, they are unlikely to send you a Grand Maester at the moment."
"I understand." said Daenerys "I await your choice."
"Maester Aemon, I recommend you head back to the others, the wings cause a lot of air to be blown around and we don't want you thrown from the wall." Said Jon as he took the blind old man's hand and lead him past the dragons, as he passed Drogon he reached out and ran his wrinkled hand over the scales as a smile crossed his face. After a few moments Jon was face to face with Allister Thorn the man he had hung almost two years ago in the yard below. The two men locked eyes and simply looked at each other. "Ser Allister, the Nights Watch protects the realms of men and like it or not the Free Folk are men and the biggest threat isn't them, it is dead and it is either have them fight with us or have them fight against us. Remember that please."
Allister said nothing still processing the information he had just learned as Jon let go of Aemon's hand and turned and walked back toward this dragon, the protectors with them had already gotten back onto the dragons and as the sun began to rise they took flight from on top of the wall and headed down the King's road back toward Winterfell.
Well I am back from my vacation and besides family getting on my nerves after so many days together it went very well. Now we return to the story and the pieces have started to move across the board. I hope you liked the interactions in this chapter because more is coming. I know they where brief, but I felt that each was needed in their own way. Now until next time please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75.
