Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Ice and Fire Novels, Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon TV shows. However, I decided to have a little play around with the characters. I do not earn any money from writing these stories, it is for my entertainment and is something I like to share.

Arya IV

Arya hated lying to her sister, she rarely did it because Sansa could usually see right through her. But if a lie has some element of truth, it is easier to cover up. She was concerned about Jon and Sansa, the possibilities of dragon babes and whether Jon might turn into a mad Targaryen, but that wasn't what was truly worrying her. Her moon blood was late by a few days. Normally this wouldn't concern her as she was never particularly regular, but this time there were two things which were different. Firstly she'd had sex with Gendry, secondly she was feeling tired a lot. For a person who was usually on the go, the reading with Tyrion had almost been a blessing, although it was taking her a lot of effort not to fall asleep during their meetings. She knew Tyrion suspected something was wrong, he just hadn't said it. All Arya could do was hope she was wrong, as the idea of having a child was more terrifying than facing the Night King.

The Winterfell crypts were dark, damp and dingy, but fortunately she and Sansa knew their way around them well. They followed the long passage passing the previous Lords of Winterfell, and as they got further underground, the old kings of winter. They found Jon, Tyrion and Davos waiting for them at the entrance, not going in as Sansa was the Queen and had to give her permission for them to enter. They each took a torch and opened the door for the first time in almost two hundred years to search for the valuable contents the legends said were laying underneath the castle.

They tread carefully as it was clear the area was damp, yet warm, incredibly warm. Arya was starting to sweat within moments of entering the room, hoping this wasn't some funny pregnancy illness.

"Is it me or is it hot in here?" she asked.

"I'm sweatin' like a pig." Ser Davos replied.

"Find the torches on the walls, hopefully they'll still light. If not there's a barrel of tar just outside the door. We need as much light in here as possible." Jon told them.

They lit as many torches as they could see, eventually revealing a huge cavernous room. Large hot springs were throwing off steam in one corner and a long winding passage led away from the castle. The smell of dragon seemed to still waft in the air, turning Arya's stomach.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Sansa frowned.

Jon smiled and nodded. "It is perfect."

"Isn't it a bit...wet?" Davos asked.

"It's warm." Jon explained. "Dragons like to be warm."

"Well what happened to you?" Arya asked. "The colder you are the better."

"I'm still a wolf." Jon reassured her with a huge grin before looking around him. "This is just like the one on Dragonstone, except for the hot springs."

"I never saw a place like this on Dragonstone." Tyrion frowned.

"Drogon took me there." Jon explained. "He must've found it when he went back. He left the Queen on a dais and waited for me to give the command."

"Even after all that time?" Arya asked.

Jon nodded. "He was grieving the loss of his mother. When he was finished he found me, took me to see her and I gave the command for him to burn her body." he said coldly. "I was the only one who could give the command, it's not a word I particularly enjoy using." he added.

"So Drogon will be happy here for the time being?" Sansa asked, trying to lighten the mood. "It's better than him being stuck outside in the cold, especially if he doesn't like it."

"Aye, he'll like it alright. Now lets get looking for those eggs." Jon told them.

They hunted the massive cavern, but there weren't many hiding places to look, after an hour of searching they'd exhausted almost all of the possibilities.

"If there are eggs in here, there's only one place left for them to be." Sansa said, looking towards the springs.

Tyrion put a finger in the water and cried. "Ouch! That's too hot. Its boiling. How on earth are we going to look down there?" he asked showing everyone his finger, which was red from the heat of the water.

"I'll do it." Jon shrugged as he began to remove his doublet.

"Won't you burn?" Sansa cried.

"Aye, a little. But it doesn't hurt. I'll be a bit red for a few seconds and then it goes away." he explained.

"Daenerys was the same." Tyrion said in a low voice.

"I haven't always been like this." Jon shrugged as he removed his tunic, revealing the hideous scars which covered his body from the night the watch had killed him. "Ever since I rode Drogon."

"No offence Jon, but just because one sister doesn't mind seeing you without clothes, doesn't mean the other one likes the idea." Arya pulled a face.

"Turn around then." Sansa said.

"I'll keep my breeches on." Jon laughed.

"Interesting. Targaryen's aren't immune to fire, they burn like the rest of us, yet both of Drogon's riders have become resistant to it. He must have some strange magic which affects his rider." Tyrion mused.

Jon slid into the water and began to dive, the room fell silent as they watched, knowing if anything happened to Jon, nobody would be able to help. However he wasn't under very long when his head popped back up looking very pink.

"They're quite far down, can you pass me that rope over there." he pointed to some rope in the corner of the room, to which Ser Davos quickly brought over while Jon sat on the side of the spring, his skin dark pink from the heat of the water.

"How many?" Tyrion asked.

"I don't know. It's a big soft mound, I think they're in there. Arya, can I have the dagger?"

"Does it hurt?" Arya asked, Jon shook his head as she handed him the dagger.

"It'll go in a minute." he shrugged as Davos handed him the rope which he fastened around his waist. "You keep hold of one end, feed it to me, don't let it go completely slack. I'll yank it twice at my end so you can help pull me up." Jon instructed.

"Aye." Davos nodded.

"I'm going to have to cut into the soft mound." Jon explained.

"How do you know that's where the eggs are?" Sansa asked.

"It is where it's the hottest. Pass me the sack." he added to Arya, who noticed a brown sack next to her. "They might be too hot, even for me." he smiled as he plunged under the water once more.

The dripping water in the cave was the only sound to be heard as they watched the steaming water, waiting for Jon to reappear. They waited with bated breath to see if he managed to get to them. A few steaming bubbles rose to the surface, told Arya something was definitely happening, it was the most nail biting moment she had ever experienced. Dragon eggs under Winterfell was one of the most exciting things she had ever known as she had never seen one. Two tugs on the rope was the sign for Ser Davos and he began to pull, although not very hard, as it seemed Jon was managing quite well on his own. When he surfaced, the shock of his appearance drew breaths from all of them. His skin was blistered and burned.

"Gods Jon." Sansa screamed.

"Seven hells!" Arya cried.

Jon was too busy panting to care. He lifted the brown bag up and placed it on the side of the pool. "I'm alright. I'll heal in a few minutes. Here there's three eggs in there. I think there's more down there, but I couldn't hold my breath long enough."

Sansa helped Jon and began to fuss him, but as Jon predicted, the blisters were already disappearing from his body and it was already returning back to its normal pallor.

"Well I never, not only is he death-proof, he's fireproof as well." Ser Davos looked at Jon in shock.

"Fascinating." Tyrion frowned, as he opened the bag to look inside.

"Be careful, the eggs are hot. Only touch them if you are wearing gloves." Jon warned. "I think they might need to stay that way until they are ready to hatch."

"They're going to need a lot more than that if you want to hatch them." Tyrion told them. "But keeping them warm will be necessary, and of course, hiding them from the Maester."

Arya took one of the eggs, a grey and white one, from the bag and stared at in awe. "The colours of House Stark." she whispered, completely transfixed. "I can look after them, Maester Wolkan won't come near my chambers. I have a large brazier, I can keep them in there until we can figure out another way."

"Or we can build something here and let Drogon guard them." Sansa suggested.

"That's probably the safest idea." Jon nodded as he started to put his clothes back on.

"Not this one!" Arya snapped, suddenly feeling overly protective over the egg. "This one is going in the brazier!" she reinforced her point. They all looked at her as if she were crazy, it was Sansa who spoke first.

"I think Arya ought to look after that egg." she said. "The other two can stay down here. Jon?" she turned to her husband, who nodded.

"Arya can keep that one as long as it is kept warm and safe. Make sure the brazier is always lit and do not let Maester Wolkan see it." he told her.

"He won't be able to touch it if it is in the brazier." Arya smiled, relieved the egg was going to stay in her possession.

"Drogon is on his way back, we need to meet him at the outside entrance so that he knows exactly where to find it." Jon said.

They made their way along the huge passageway towards the dragon entrance, a walk that seemed to last for miles.

"The Unsullied don't know about this place." Ser Davos frowned. "Couldn't we use it to our advantage to get in and out? Would Drogon carry us out if need be?"

"Only if I am on his back." Jon told them. "I'm going to be in charge of the battlements, I can't do both." he shook his head.

"I'm quite good at organising that sort of thing." Tyrion suggested. "It worked well at the Blackwater."

"Too bloody well." Ser Davos grumbled.

"While we won't be using wildfire, I still think we ought to consider using Drogon if all else fails." Tyrion insisted. "On the battlefield we haven't got enough men to beat the Unsullied. Yes we have the archers, but it doesn't guarantee a victory." Tyrion said.

"I am not burning innocent people!" Jon insisted.

"I never said burn innocent people." Tyrion shrugged. "Off Greyworm a one on one fight or warn him you will burn them all."

"If Jon starts the war with the Iron Bank, we won't have money to trade." Sansa insisted.

"Do you think the method of death will make the damnedest bit of difference to the Iron Bank? You need to show strength. Save the people in the north, the Freefolk and those sailors. Get rid of the Unsullied and concentrate on using those men for any wars with the south, because you are going to need them." Tyrion said.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Jon asked. "You work for the south, why would you be wanting to protect the north?"

"Because Bran isn't Bran. If he was, he wouldn't have done this to you and he wouldn't have put you both in the position to have to marry one another. I have always had a soft spot for my ex-wife. I know that deep down she is a good person." he looked carefully at Jon. "You don't want to be King, I know that. But the people of Westeros need you to be King. Good people genuinely like you and bad ones don't. With Queen Sansa by your side, I doubt you will go mad like the rest, but you still need to be ruthless. Kill the few to save the many. Greyworm wants you dead. Offer to fight him, if he says no, then he has provoked the war. But you must burn them." Tyrion insisted. "Oh, but to answer your question, I like to be on the winning side, and I think you will be the winning side, for all of the reasons I just mentioned."

Arya didn't want to tell Jon why, but she felt the same way as Tyrion regarding burning the Unsullied. The material they had read about hatching dragons was clear, death must pay for life and it must be a fire death if those eggs were to ever hatch. She knew this was ultimately Tyrion's motive, but he wasn't going to tell Jon the truth. This was a form of blood magic, and lives needed to be sacrificed for the good of her egg. Dragons needed more than a Targaryen to hatch, they needed fire and blood.

"I don't want to be King!" Jon stated. "I'm here because it is my fault Winterfell is under attack."

"Make sure nobody even contemplates attacking it again." Arya shrugged. "If people think a dragon will kill them, then they are less likely to do it again."

"What about the rest of the north?" Sansa frowned. "I don't think they are going to be happy about the threat of a dragon."

"A dragon that would come to their aid should they also come under attack from outsiders." Tyrion offered.

"One dragon is of no use against an army armed with scorpions." Davos said. "You're putting Drogon at risk."

"Bran died in the cave, he's going to try taking back Winterfell." Arya blurted out. "He's frightened of the dagger. He wanted me to find out everything about it. It is more of a danger to him than anything else and so are you." she looked at Jon.

"But the Iron..." Sansa started.

"Fuck the Iron Bank!" Arya cried. "Bran tied the Unsullied up with them to scare you into allowing the siege instead of you fighting back. The longer you are kept busy with them, the longer he has to hatch whatever plot he is up to, which is primarily to get rid of Jon."

"Why didn't he kill him instead of exiling him?" Ser Davos frowned.

"Because there would have been too many opposed to it. He needed our support to rule the six Kingdoms, he wouldn't have gotten it if Jon were dead." Arya argued. "Jon please, at least consider the option of taking out the Unsullied."

"I'll think about it." Jon sighed as he opened the huge wooden door to the outside, the light momentarily blinding them. "Fuck me it's cold." he shivered as they all peered out from what Arya recognised to be a cave in the woods near an old watchtower. No human could climb in and out of the cave as it was halfway down the side of a small cliff which had a sheer drop and was always either covered in water, snow or ice.

"That's because your breeches are still damp." Sansa laughed, as they all heard a screeching noise from above before Drogon came into sight and landed in front of them with a seal in his mouth.

"This is your new home for now." Jon told him. "We're going to keep you safe. Follow me." he said, partially closing the door, before they started walking back down the tunnel, followed by Drogon who was still carrying the seal which reeked, turning Arya's stomach.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Arya made a face. "That thing smells fishy and of something else."

"Aye they do." Ser Davos agreed. "It's seal shit you can smell."

That was enough to finish Arya off. She ran over to the wall, put her hand up against it, retched twice and vomited all over the floor.

"Drogon, can you either burn it or eat it?" Jon asked as the dragon looked at Arya quizzically before turning around and scorching the seal, removing the smell of seal shit and fish, replacing it with the smell of cooking meat.

"Thank you." Arya nodded, standing up on her own, however she still felt a little wobbly. As she took a deep breath, she felt a nudge against her back. As she turned around, she faced the giant yellow eye of Drogon, who was sniffing her and looking at her curiously. Then she realised she had a dragon egg in her bag which she always carried. "Is this what is interesting you?" she asked the dragon.

Jon nodded. "I think he knows what it is. He is feeling protective of it and wants to look after it for you."

Despite her feeling eager to protect it herself, she realised Drogon was offering to look after it for her. "Are you wanting to look after it for me?" she asked him. To Arya's surprise, Drogon made a grunting sound. "Can he understand what we are saying?" she asked Jon.

"Some of the time." Jon nodded. "But dragons tend to understand High Valyrian better, it's why I've been learning. "Kostagon Δ€ria renigon ao?" he asked in what sounded like perfect High Valyrian, words which sounded strange coming from Jon's mouth. Drogon grunted in reply.

"What did you say?" Arya asked.

"I asked if you could touch him, he doesn't mind. Be gently, he's quite sensitive." Jon told her as she put her hand on his scaly skin, which was surprisingly nice to touch.

"You're a handsome dragon." Arya cooed. "Can you talk Jon into getting rid of the Unsullied your way?" she asked, thinking Drogon wouldn't respond. However, he looked at Jon with such a look, that it was obvious something was passing between them.

"Let's show Drogon the rest of his new home." Jon said after a few moments, the silent communication between dragon and rider now over.

They eventually returned to the large cavern where Drogon instantly seemed to settle down. He found the other eggs immediately and also appeared interested in the other hot spring which Jon didn't explore. Drogon seemed to be busy settling himself down when with some trepidation Arya approached him.

"Will you take care of this for me for today? I will want to come and see it every day, so you must look after it for me." he handed over the egg to the dragon.

"I'll bring you down tomorrow." Jon told her. "He'll guard it with his life. We'll take over the care of guarding the eggs while he's goes to feed." he turned to Drogon. "Tomorrow I need you to bring plenty of food to this place in case you end up stuck in here for a few days. I think we can fit a few whales in here." he laughed.

"As long as the castle doesn't stink." Sansa screwed her face up.

"We could always fight the Unsullied by placing dead seals around the castle. They'd be back off to Essos without a fight." Arya laughed as they left Drogon to his own devices and closed the door to the crypts.

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