The Last Dragon's Daughter

by Isildur123

What if Jon Snow was born as a female like Rhaegar probably wanted? This is an alternative story about Lyanna Snow/Visenya Targaryen, who grew up in Winterfell as a wild, fierce, beautiful and clever bastard daughter of Eddard Stark. She was never told who her mother was, however a strange discovery in the crypts beneath Winterfell will change her life forever.

2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: To my beloved Sara

Ned didn't bother to call her as she left. He knew she just needed time alone, so instead headed to his solar, where someone more pleasant expected him. „Benjen, you should have let me know you are coming for a visit."

The brothers hugged each other as they usually do. "You know me Ned, I always like to surprise you." They both smiled. „I just arrived and I was told by the servants you were speaking with your oldest daughter, so I was on the way to Lyanna's room but then, well I heard her outburst so I decided to quietly disappear." He winked.

„Of course you did." Ned smirked at him. „Come, let's talk to Godswood about her. I must ease my soul."

„Lead the way, brother."

They arrived before the big weirwood heart tree in the center of Godswood of Winterfell. „We should have peace, quiet and most of all privacy here at this place."

„I see, so what's wrong brother, you don't look too happy."

„It's about Lyanna. Benjen, she is becoming very uneasy to handle."

Benjen smiled. „Yes I noticed, she is like her mother's image except those eyes that she has taken after her father. I can only imagine how our sister would laugh at you if she could see how you can't handle her daughter."

Eddard chuckled. „Oh yes, though I don't know if I could handle two Lyannas here, one wild she-wolf is enough.

Benjen shrugged. „Just like our sister she has a lot of wolf's blood, don't you remember how wild she was, only the last dragon could tame her."

Ned's face darkened. „He loved her, and she loved him, but how many people died because of their love brother?"

„The war would have happened sooner or later anyway, the realm went to shit long before Lyanna fled with Rhaegar."

„You are probably right. However, if I knew back then the truth behind our sister's disappearance I would never go to war against Rhaegar and I would certainly not let Robert kill him…" Ned clenched his fist. „Sometimes in the night I dream of our sister, her words she said to me before she died,`Promise me, Ned!'. It's almost like she is angry at me for not telling her daughter the truth about her origin and when I am looking at her daughter being so similar to her, it's like the ghost of our sister coming back to taunt me, so I can never forget the mistakes of the past.

„We cannot change what has happened Ned and you kept your promise as she is still alive and well and has a relatively good life here, though it's your lady Stark who doesn't make it any easier for her. However, I fear it's unwise to hold the secret of the birth away from her any longer."

„That is not an option, Benjen, if the secret gets out, Robert would want to kill her and our family for keeping her here. No, Benjen, if everything remains the same, I would rather not tell her ever that she is Lyanna and Rhaegar's daughter."

Benjen sighed. „Ned I don't don't think it would be wise."

„What do you mean by that?"

„Well you must take her feelings into the consideration, she believes she is your daughter, but when she finds out she is not and is in fact a Targaryen, there is a pretty big chance she will truly hate you for lying to her the entire life and the longer you wait, the bigger this chance is." Benjen laid his hand on Eddard's shoulder. „Despite your care for her, she is not your daughter.

„She is my blood, brother."

"Maybe, but she is also the blood of the dragon, although what do I know? Suit yourself Ned, I am just warning you about the consequences of your actions, don't cry on my shoulder when you tell her too late or when she will find out and be angry with you. She is not a little girl anymore and she eventually must choose her own path."

Ned gulped. He knew there was some truth in Benjen's words but… „Our sister also chose her own path and it killed her and you are talking about her daughter, who is fourteen years old."

Benjen shrugged. „That is the way of life Ned, besides according to the maesters, girls grow up faster than boys. I was closer to Lyanna than anyone and I am sure she would have wanted freedom of choice for her daughter."

„I will think about it but can't promise anything."

„You know what our father used to say" ‚Everything before the word 'but' is horse shit'

„Benjen we have done talking about this." Eddard said with the tone which allowed no room for arguments. „Now come, let's get something to eat. I am starving".

Lyanna found her way into the crypts. It was the only place in Winterfell where she could just enjoy a little bit of quiet and peace, maybe except godswood or the library. Although sometimes she brought books to read with herself even here, it wasn't as comfortable as reading in her bed or in the library. But nobody could disturbed her here.

It was strange but when she truly wanted to calm down and be alone at the same time, there was no better place than this.

She could feel thousands of years as she walked through the halls with the statues of ancient kings of the North. „Starks were kings once, then just lords, I wonder why father kept the North under the iron throne, especially after what Targaryens did, Grandfather Richard wanted independence for the North, at least that is what Lady Dustin has told me about his southron ambitions." She walked past the Statue of Torrhen Stark, ‚King, who knelt.'

From there she walked by the statues of Wardens of the North. After a few more steps she stopped. „That's far enough, now to find some tomb behind which I can hide and relax a bit while reading this fine book." She pulled out a decent sized book from her bag. On its cover was written `Conquest of Dorne'. She looked around and saw a statue of the woman. Statue was well made but it was quite old. It was one of the two women statues in the crypt, the other was the statue of her aunt Lyanna, her namesake. She made her way behind the tomb and she noticed something very strange at the base of the tombstone's back.

On the floor there was a stone block which seemed very off, plus it seemed that the steam were rising almost unnoticeably from the space next to its was also an engraved message on it. 'From Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, rider of dragon Vermax to his beloved Sara.'

Lyanna was trying to find in her memory if the names written on this stone block meant something. Then she recalled those names from the books about Targaryen Dynasty and particular about The Dance of the Dragons, Targaryen civil war which killed their dragons and many family members, „Prince Jacaerys Velaryon was a son and heir of Rhaenyra Targaryen, rumored bastard, fathered by Ser Harwin Strong instead of Rhaenyra's Husband Laenor Velaryon since he lacked any Targaryen he had a dragon so no one dared to call him a bastard, well, except other members of Targaryen family. I wish I could have a dragon, nobody would dare try to call me a bastard directly in the face, maybe they would even stop whispering behind my back or mock me when a dragon would be around."

She noticed the instability of the stone block, it was probably very long since it was put here and it seemed hot.

Lyanna drew her dagger and shoved it in the space between the floor and block and tried to loosen it from the floor. After some struggle she managed to raise the block and the steam began to rise in large amounts from the hole. „This must be one of the places where hot springs beneath Winterfell have their exit."

When she looked closer inside, she nearly stopped breathing with shock. There was a white dragon egg carefully placed and surrounded with steam and heat. „What the fuck?" Lyanna shouted out, before she placed her hands on her mouth, when she realized that she said it aloud.

She quickly recovered however. „The dragon egg, the fucking dragon egg, here? I know there were rumors about the love between Jacaerys and Sara but I never believed it, now I do, he gave her a dragon egg." She felt a strange urge to touch it and she did, a weird feeling of familiarity went through her as she touched it. „You can't stay here." She got on her legs, took the book and ran back to her room luckily no one stopped her. Only a few curious looks followed her as the evening was approaching and there weren't many people around.

When she was back in her room she grabbed her bigger bag and run back into the crypts, she couldn't explain herself why but she felt the strong urge to protect the egg and take it with her, so she put it in the bag and took it to her room, she put the egg on her bed and began to view it in astonishment. When she touched it, she realized it felt hot on the touch. „Strange, it's like it produced a heat of its own."

She was pulled from her pondering by knocking, „Lyanna, are you there"? It was Robb's voice.

She quickly tried to hide the egg and the best place that came to her mind was her bed, so she hid it under a blanket and put a bag as cover before it on the bed. „Yes, I am here, what do you want?"

Door opened and Robb walked in. „Lya, I came here to tell you…?" Then he stopped when he saw her." Are you angry at me?"

„No, why?"

„Well after this day's ride you looked very angry, plus you look very uneasy now, if I must say for myself."

Lyanna sighed. „Let's just say my day was very difficult and father said something which pissed me off, Robb."

Robb smiled sadly and came closer to her. „It's about that weird wish to leave Winterfell and go to Essos?"

„You are weird." She stood up and punched him to his shoulder.

„Hey!" Robb backed down. „You are really annoying today, do you know that?"

Lyanna pointed a finger on him. „Stop telling me things like, `Your dreams and plans are bullshit.' I do not throw dirt on yours, when you are telling me, you want to be a knight and make all the maidens blush by just the mere sight of you…." She said it with a mocking voice.

„Lya, that is hardly a truth." But she caught a slight sight of his own blushing. „I am not trying to ruin your dreams, I am just being realistic, do you really think you could work as a sellsword in Essos?"

„And why not? What future do you think I'll have here? I am a bastard, the best I can hope for is that some lord would marry me so I can serve as political barganingship, and since this marriage would be probably arranged by you dear mother….., no, thank you, I will rather risk Essos than to give her the satisfaction of ruining my life or maybe I should try Sothoryos, basilisks and the red death can't be worse than your mother."

Robb wanted to argue, but he knew about the hatred his mother harbored for his half-sister, so he just looked through the room and saw the bag on the bed. „So, you are set on that, you really want to leave."

„Look Robb, I don't know when but I am going to leave Winterfell, there is no place for me here and I must find my own place in the world, I am not saying I am leaving tomorrow so don't come to any conclusions and don't say anything to father, he is quate determined to not let me leave, unfortunately."

„Well, Lya, you may be a bastard, yet you are still his daughter and he loves you." Robb tried to put a smile on his face however Lyanna's stern expression stopped him. „Anyway, if you had a bad day you shouldn't take it out on me, I am your brother and I love you very much little sister." He winked and then smiled when he won an expression of disbelief from her.

„Who say am a little sister hmm? Maybe I am older and you are my little brother, luckily we will never know so we may continue to argue about it for the rest of our days." As soon as she finished saying that, they both bursted into laughter.

„See? There she is. My sister is back in her joyful state." That earned him another hit to his shoulder from his now more calm sister.

„So, did you come here to just interrogate me or do you have some higher purpose?" She told him with her hands on her hips.

„Well, father told me I should fetch you for a family dinner."

Lyanna frowned at Robb. „I don't attend family dinners, it was my choice which our father respected, so what is the reason behind it?"

Robb shrugged. „I don't know but you should not keep your father waiting."

„If it is about some marriage arrangements, I am leaving tonight."

Robb looked at her skeptically. „I don't think there is a need for such harsh measures, Lya."

Lyanna put her hands on Robb's shoulders. „Robb listen to me, I am going to leave, sooner or later, if your mother forces me to leave sooner, I won't hesitate."

„Please, I don't know what I will do here without you."

Lyanna smilled. „I am sure the heir of Winterfell will find something to do." And she winked. With that she put her hands off and they left for dinner.

Dinner was tense of course, mostly because Lady Stark and Lyanna sitting at one table, yet for Lyanna was the most unsettling the fact, she could see a slight hint of satisfaction in Lady Stark's face plus her Father was visibly uneasy. Lyanna began to understand what this will be about. „If you think, I will go without a fight, Lady Stark, you are very wrong." She continued to eat in silence and listened to the standard smalltalk of her siblings and their parents.

„So, Lyanna I received a curious letter from a Dread Fort." Her father slowly started to speak to her.

„Address to me? Or to you Lord Stark?" She answered with her typically mocking yet not insulting tone, though she suspected that for Lady Stark every word from her mouth was insulting.

„No, it was from Lord Bolton to me, however he expressed his gratitude and thanks for saving his son's life." This has gotten everyone's attention suddenly.

Lyanna didn't expect this at all as Domeric promised her to stay silent and the only thing she could say was „Fucking hell, when I will meet Domeric I am going to ki…nevermind", which earned a shocked face from Eddard, disgusted face from Catelin, Sansa just opened her eyes wide, Arya burst out laughing though she quickly stopped.

Robb just said. „She probably meant to kiss his father, she is fancy to him."

Lyanna looked at Robb with utter rage in her eyes, which made him flinche. „Almost certainly not."

Eddard finally gathered his wits. „There is no need to be angry about Lord Domeric Bolton, or his father, I was just interested in how and when you saved his life, Lord Bolton didn't share the details for some reason."

„Look, I like Domeric, we spend a lot of time together in Barrowtown under the hospitality of Lady Dustin as you know and I come to care about his safety, so when he shared he has a half-brother Ramsay Snow and he wanted to visit him I was rather suspicious of him."

„One bastard suspects another." Lady Stark rudely interrupted.

Lyanna was not unbalanced by this remark. „Think what you want Lady Stark I don't really care, however if I hear rumors about hunts on naked girls in the forest conducted by a certain Ramsay Snow, I get suspicious..."

Catelyn wanted to say something but Eddard interfered. „Cat, please let her speak. I want to know what happened."

„Anyway my suspicion growed when I learned that Lord Bolton said to Domerick not to meet his brother, but he was too stubborn, so I went with him just to keep an eye on him."

„And something happened?" Ned inquered.

„Ramsay seemed sly to me from the start, he offered us some wine and acted all too friendly, I stopped Domerick from drinking it maybe too drastically when I think about it."

Eddard raised an eyebrow. „Too drastically? What's that supposed to mean?"

„I had to find a way to distract Ramsay so I could switch the goblets of his wine for Domerick's so I used a simple trick. I looked suddenly to the window and imitated a shock like I was seeing something which obviously drew the attention of Ramsay. He asked me what I saw out there, I just told him something moved inside those bushes, he got curious or something, took a bow and ran outside. And I used that moment to switch the drinks. Domerick was a little flustered of course but I told him to shut up and to trust me."

Ned looked at Lyanna with a neutral expression, however his eyes told Lyanna that he doesn't approve of the way she handled the situation. „I can't say I like the way you did it, I taught you how to live with honor."

„Look, I could do it the way I did, or I could act honorably and my friend and the son of your bannermen would be dead and Ramsay would become the Lord's Bolton only son and probably heir. I am living by your teachings of honor but when my friend's life is at stake I draw the line, honor or not."

Robb smirked. „Especially when it comes to Domeric Bolton."

Lyanna sighed. „There is nothing between me and Domerick, other than friendship with Robb."

Robb smirked. Well you know it, the question is, does he know it?"

„Robb, stop interrupting, the story of what happened is not over yet, go on, Lyanna." Eddard urged her to continue.

„Well, after a few hours we departed back to Dreadfort, in the evening there came a message that Ramsay Snow was dead, something with the stomach, which was probably poison meant for Roderick, so as you can see my suspicious feelings about Ramsay turned out to be true. However, I told Domerick to keep it a secret and not to make a fuss of it but it seems he did tell his father and the news has spread and I will never hear the end of it."

Eddard in the end smiled at her. „Lyanna, I am glad you did save Domeric Bolton, it's only right your deed is known. Why would you hide it? Don't want some kind of reward?"

„I don't want any attention, beside I didn't do it for reward, I just saved my friend."

„Eddard noded, and Catelyn frowned." Anyway, I called you here also to discuss another important matter."

Lyanna looked with raised eyebrows at her father. „Another one, what is it about then?"

„Lord Bolton suggested marriage between you and Domerick."

Lyanna was expecting this. And her father told it to her in a way that it was finished and she just had to accept it. „No, I will not marry him, I told you we are just friends, nothing more."

„Impudent bastard, this is an opportunity for you to serve your father and get a good family name, that is more than you deserve, you are the bastard born of sin, you would be lucky if some hedge knight wanted to marry you." Lyanna over the years got used to Lady Stark's hatred towards her, nevertheless her poisonous words still managed to get on her nerves.

Before Lyanna could answer her father surprised everyone by shouting at Lady Stark. „Catelyn, that's enough, for the love you bear for me stop or leave!"

Catelyn looked very shocked upon realization that her husband would prefer his bastard daughter over her, his everfaithul wife. „Are you really going to defend her over me? Especially after she refused to obey your command? You can't be serious."

Eddard's face darkened. „I am deadly serious and you will leave, all of you except Lyanna out, I am going to speak with her alone, since it's impossible while your mother is here."

All of her siblings had begun leaving. However, Lady Stark wanted to argue more but Ned stopped her by raising his hand. „Go, we are done talking about this, and my orders are not up for discussion."

Once they all left, Lyanna sighed. „There was no need for all this, I would just leave the room myself, there is no point in discussing something that will not happen anyway."

„Look, I won't force you into it, although I must tell you, this is a great opportunity for you, whether you like it or not." He pointed at the letter.

„How so?" Lyanna folded her arms and intently looked at her father.

„Well you already heard some of the reasons. For one you would gain family name and position, you would be a lady Bolton, secondly you would be able to leave Winterfell and not to be in the conflict with my wife, thirdly you would gain ability to marry someone you know, believe me, not everyone has that luxury, fourth since Domerick is a good man and knows you so he will probably let you be free and do all activities you are enjoying here and fifth you would help a great deal to strengthen the ties between house Stark and Bolton.

„I am not a Stark father."

„The women of House Stark were almost always strong, fierce and brave. I named you after my sister and you are very much like her in these traits and you are the Stark, you may not have my name but you have my blood."

Lyanna looked puzzled before she said. „Is my mother alive, does she know about me, did she care?" When Ned didn't answer, Lyanna looked directly into his eyes. „Was my mother Ashara Dayne?"

Eddard looked away for a moment before she looked at her with tears forming in his eyes. „The last time I heard that name was when my wife asked me about her, then I forbade any talk about Ashara Dayne in this castle, though I suspect the servants didn't stop talking about her with connection to you. Am I correct?"

Lyanna nodded „Yes, they whispered the name behind my back several times."

„Truth I am about to tell you heard only two people. Howland Reed and your uncle Benjen and I want you to promise me you will not speak of this to anyone."

„I swear upon the old gods, I will not speak of it to anyone.„

„There was something between me and Ashara Dayne, it was long before I was wed to Catelyn Tully. She was originally betrothed to my brother Brandon and I had more or less freedom to choose what bride I wanted. As a second son I wasn't considered as a great match and my father already secured great matches for my older brother and younger sister, so I wasn't in a hurry to find a bride, you see, however at the tournament of Harrenhal I saw a very beautiful woman." Ned paused and poured himself an ale and drank it almost the whole tankard while Lyanna waited for him to continue. „It was as you can probably guess Lady Ashara Dayne, sister of Arthur Dayne and the lady in waiting to the Queen Rhaella had dark black hair and purple eyes, a trait which sometimes appears in her family, it didn't took long for me to become infatuated with her. I wanted to ask her for a dance, sadly I was too shy. Only when Brandon asked her, I gathered courage to do it. We talked and well, we shared a night of passion, after which I promised to marry her."

To say Lyanna was shocked was an understatement, her father, the most honorable man she ever met, broke his promise. „You broke it the moment you married Catelyn Tully."

Ned looked sad. „It's not something I am proud of Lyanna, I loved her, but I chose duty over love. If I knew how everything would end up, I would never have married Catelyn, you see I never knew Ashara was pregnant not until it was too late."

„What happened to her?"

„She is dead, because of me."

Lyanna felt she may be pushing too far so she decided to leave her father be. „I am sorry, if I caused you any pain, I will go now but I decline the marriage offer from house Bolton, it's not something I want or desire."

She left the room and headed directly back to her room while pondering about what she heard. „Am I daughter of Ashara or not? Most likely yes, if it was the only other woman my father slept with, she probably died giving birth to me, well I will not dig into it too much, I have never seen my father in such a miserable state before." She opened the door and saw Arya sitting on her bed and the dragon egg, she found, in her hands. „What the fuck are you doing!"

Arya almost jumped upon hearing her half-sister shouting at her. „I am sorry I wanted to speak to you and there was something in your bed so I got curious."

„Got curious? I do not go to your room searching for your things, am I?" Lyanna was angry now, but she couldn't stay long that way when it came to her half-sister Arya.

„I am sorry alright, it won't happen ever again." She made a guilty face.

„No, it won't because next time my doors will be locked and give me that." Before Arya could protest, she took the dragon egg from her hands.

„Hey, you are just rude today, what is that anyway."

„I think it's a dragon egg, I found it in the crypts behind the tomb of Sara Snow, she was the lover of Jacaerys Velaryon, rider of dragon Vermax, so I guess it was a gift for her."

„But how did you find it?"

„I saw a steam coming out of a hot spring covered by a stone block under which this egg was hidden."

„So curiosity got the better of you too, right?" Arya made a mocking face.

„Shut up Arya underfoot, that is not an excuse for you, to come into my room and search my things."

„I just wanted to ask you for something, I'm sorry alright?"

Lyanna sighed. „Fine, it's really hard to stay angry with you anyway."

Arya grinned. „It's a part of my charm Lya or do you really like me so much?"

Lyanna smilled. „I don't know, maybe both."

„What are you gonna do with that?" Arya pointed her finger at the white egg in Lyanna's arms.

„Honestly, I have no idea, I considered sending it to some Targaryens if I knew where to find them. The last Targaryen alive in Westeros would probably be Aemon Targaryen but he is a maester and I have no idea where he is right now. In the book there was only written that he gave up the throne and there were no rumors of his death, so he is still alive somewhere, but I doubt he would be interested in the egg, I mean he is really old."

„Then keep it, if you had a dragon you could fly wherever you want, and it would protect you against any enemy you might encounter."

Lyanna laughed at her little sister's naivety. „I am afraid I am not a Targaryen, or I don't have any Valyrian blood flowing through my veins, which automatically makes the option to have a dragon impossible."

„But you have the purple eyes, it has to mean something"

„Purple eyes might be a trait typical for people with Valyrian heritage, but it also can be found in those from house Dayne."

„You mean you believe the rumor about father and Ashara Dayne?"

Lyanna noded. „Now more than ever, but it's not something I want to discuss, anyway you may say no one about this egg, do you hear me? No one, I will figure out what to do with it in time."

Arya frowned. „Fine, although you have to do something for me, something I wanted from you when I came here."

Lyanna raised an eyebrow. „Oh, is that so? Are you blackmailing me?"

„Well yes, well not really, it's just I want you to sing for me before going to sleep and you don't like to sing very much anymore."

Lyanna shook her head in disbelief. „Come let's get you to bed." Lyanna put the egg back to her bed, took Arya's hand, her lute and led her now happy sister to her room.

Lyanna finished singing and luckily Arya fell asleep. Lyanna smiled. Of all her siblings, Arya was her favorite, she taught her sword fight, archery and horse riding much to the Lady Stark and her fanatical septa's displeasure. „Good night, little she-wolf."

Thinking of the devil as she quietly left the room, she encountered Lady Stark. „You are not supposed to be here, bastard." Her hateful face ruined Lyanna's good mood after singing.

„My sister asked me to sing her a song, and I obliged."

„She is not your sister."

Lyanna smirked. „It doesn't matter how many times you will say those words, it won't change the fact I am her sibling,"

„She is not your sibling, you are the bastard born of sin and mistake of my husband who is too ignorant or blind to see you for what you are!" Catelyn shouting didn't come as a surprise to Lyanna because she finally, after all the years she knew this resentful woman, came into realization.

Lyanna answered with a completely calm manner. „You know, I had always tried to understand you, to know the reason you hate me so much. In time I gave up, and started fearing you, then hating you in return and in the end despising you. But only after today I realized something that avoided me for all those years, you are pathetic, trying to clinge to every possible oportunity to add to your hatred as if it was me, who chose to be born bastard or told to Lord Eddard Stark to fuck another woman. You hate my mother for being the only other woman my father loved. However she is not around anymore, so you focus your anger and hatred on me and I did the same, well until this day at least."

Catelyn was shaking in anger. „How dare you…"

„I dare!" Catelyn shut up and for the first time she began to doubt her power over Lyanna, she began to feel fear even.

Lyanna took a deep breath and continued. „I dare to finally speak for myself to finally empty my feelings towards you. You see, for years I felt confusion, then anger and finally hatred when I looked upon you. However, do you know what I feel towards you right now? Not a one damned thing."

„I am going to see you gone from Winterfell for this."

„You have no power over me, my father is the Lord of Winterfell not you, who became Lady of Winterfell only because my father needed alliance. Nevertheless, I am going to leave Winterfell but it will be by my own terms not yours and now, if you excuse me, I wasted enough of my time and energy on you, Lady Stark." She didn't wait for the answer and moved around back to her room. She was done with her.

She arrived and locked the door. She couldn't be bothered with preparations to sleep, and after falling onto her bed, she immediately dropped off, not even noticing the egg was beginning to become warmer.