The last Targaryens meet each other. Finally.
This is another one I had to rewrite. Initially, it was Jon's POV (again - I guess he's my default choice) but after I realised both he and Sansa had so many chapters already, I decided to change it.
Frankly, I think it works better this way. Tyrion is an impartial third party, so we don't get any insights into what either of them are thinking yet. That will come later.
24. Aegon - Tyrion
"Should we tell the Queen?" Varys asked him, concern etched on his face. Again, Tyrion noted. It was the same discussion they had several days ago, when the news first came from Winterfell.
Jon Snow was no longer King in the North.
By itself, that was already a problem they needed to address. However, his little birds had also included the reason for this sudden regime change. Jon Snow was a Targaryen prince, hidden away from the world by his uncle. I guess the fanatic was right all along, he mused, thinking back to his first conversation with Priestess Melisandre in Volantis.
"Do you believe it?" Tyrion answered the question with one of his own.
The eunuch sniffed indignantly, raising his chin. "My little birds haven't failed me yet." His expression softened, as he continued, "I'll admit it's difficult to believe, but the tale makes sense. And there's a witness."
"Howland Reed." Tyrion nodded. "What do you know about the Lord of Greywater Watch?" His own knowledge was rather limited.
"Not much, I'm afraid." Varys seemed almost disappointed with himself, for having been blind to something so important. "My reach in the North doesn't extend far beyond the loudest whispers. However, everyone knows how close he was to Lord Stark. And how they were the only ones to survive the encounter at the Tower of Joy."
"With the Kingsguard, yes." It's rather obvious in hindsight. There was little reason for Rhaegar to have sent two of his most trusted knights to guard some tower in the middle of nowhere. Unless he wanted to protect his heir. "Still… One witness is the same as no witness." Tyrion had more experience than most with trials.
Varys shook his head. "Deny all you want, but you know as well as I that power resides where men believe it resides. Need I remind you of that riddle?" He added, with the hint of a smile.
He raised his hands in defense. "Please don't." He frowned. "But what's your point?"
"Everyone in the North now believes that Jon Snow is Aegon, last son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark." The eunuch raised his eyebrows. "Whether or not that's the truth is irrelevant."
Tyrion scratched his beard. He was right, there was no denying this. They wouldn't be able to hide from it, even if Lord Reed were to suddenly vanish from mysterious circumstances. That's no longer an option, if it ever came to that.
"The Queen won't like this." He said, finally.
"No, she won't." Varys nodded gravely. "Our queen is so fond of reminding everyone about her birthright, that I dread what will happen to the man who disabuses her of that notion." He took a deep breath, putting his hands on the folds of his sleeves. "So I ask you again: should we tell the Queen?"
Tyrion sighed, going over the possibilities in his mind. Jon Snow is in danger, that much was certain. But would it be preferable to give her time to think about it, or to let her be surprised? He had to admit he was curious about her reaction. They had talked at length about how she couldn't bear children, and that her name would end with her. So at least some small part of her should be happy to discover another Targaryen. What does she treasure more: her family or the Iron Throne?
"No." He replied, the same answer he had given the last time he asked. "I want to see how she reacts." He turned to face the eunuch. "Even you must be a little curious, you have to admit."
"Perhaps a little." The man shrugged. "Very well, I'll leave it in your hands. Lady Greyjoy should be arriving soon, as her ships were spotted near Claw Isle."
He nodded. "Then we must ready a proper welcome."
When the former king disembarked onto the beach, Tyrion couldn't hide his smile. Jon Snow had changed much from the sullen boy he remembered. His lightly bearded face was marred by faded scars, showing hints of past battles. And his dark hair was tied up behind his head, with the sides loose, in a northern fashion. This dragon is more wolf than the real Starks, he mused.
"I could've sworn Lord Stannis left a garrison here to hold the castle." The voice of an older man broke the silence first. He had a grizzled beard and thinning hair. This must be the onion knight, Ser Davos Seaworth. The man would probably remember much about Dragonstone from his time serving Stannis Baratheon.
"We found no resistance." He said, walking forward to greet them. "It's been a long time, Jon." He shook their hands.
The young man smiled back. "Last time we saw each other, you were pissing off the edge of the Wall."
"I'm quite proud of that, actually." He scratched his beard, recalling the memory.
"You should be. It's very cold up there." Jon replied, slightly raising his eyebrows. That's putting it mildly.
He had only worked up the courage to piss off the edge of the world after many cups of ale. Some brothers of the Night's Watch had warned him against it, claiming to have witnessed terrible cases of frostbite. Tyrion had laughed them off as a jest, but after his painful experience, he was ready to believe. My cock almost froze in my hand.
"Don't remind me." He said, shaking his head. Then he motioned to the beautiful woman standing next to him. "Missandei here is one of the queen's most trusted advisors."
The woman smiled. "Our queen welcomes you to Dragonstone" She said, in a pleasant voice. "She appreciates the efforts you've made on our behalf. If you wouldn't mind handing over your weapons…" Tyrion noticed how the mood shifted. Surely he must have expected this?
"Forgive me, but I'll need to keep my weapons." Jon said, setting his jaw.
Missandei looked at him, clearly unsure of how to proceed.
"Jon, I can't let you near the queen with a weapon." Tyrion tried to reason with the man. "Her men would kill me. And you. I don't want to watch you die, especially not after they kill me." He smiled at his own wit. It was a jest, but he glanced at the tall dothraki standing guard with apprehension. This could be dangerous.
The former king was adamant. "I cannot give away Valyrian Steel, Tyrion."
Hearing this, he finally tried to examine these precious swords. Hanging from his belt were two blades, one longer with a white wolf carved on the pommel, and a smaller with several inlaid rubies. I can see why he won't part with those. They must be priceless.
"What if I carried them for you?" Tyrion offered. "I'd make sure they stay in the room we've arranged for you and they'd be safe until your audience with the queen is done." It was a good compromise. "You'll just need to trust me." He finished, in a pleading tone.
Jon nodded and gave him the sword belt. Stubborn northmen.
Missandei resumed her practised smile. "Please, this way." And they started climbing the long stairs up to the castle.
Tyrion could never ignore being a dwarf, but having to make his way up on his short legs, while carrying someone else's swords, made his condition even more evident. I have to take two steps for every one of theirs, he reflected. That had been the story of his life.
"And Lady Greyjoy?" He asked, making conversation. "Is she not joining us?"
Jon had a strange look on his face. "Yara said she was exhausted after…" Yara? That was awfully familiar. He continued, "Well, she was sleeping the last time I saw her." There was a slight shade of red on his cheeks.
Tyrion knew the lady captain had been trying to sleep with Queen Daenerys for a while now, with poor results. She managed to fuck another dragon. Apparently, Jon couldn't resist her pirate charms as effectively as his aunt.
"Where are the dragons?" Jon asked, searching the skies. He's eager to meet the family.
"Drogon and Viserion don't fly as often anymore. Their mother wants to keep them safe." Tyrion replied, sadly.
"So it's true, then? Euron Greyjoy has a dragon?"
He nodded. "Rhaegal." Tyrion remembered his time with the younger dragons in Meereen, when he released them from their chains. The Queen had been worried about the danger they posed, but dragons needed space to grow. "We're working on a plan to get him back, but so long as Euron has that hellhorn it will be difficult to face him. She doesn't want her children to fight each other."
Jon was frowning. "I've read a little about dragons. It's surprising that one would accept a rider without having formed a strong bond first. They're intelligent creatures." Tyrion had read a lot about dragons. He had always been fascinated with the creatures as a child, and he couldn't find enough knowledge to satisfy his hunger.
"True." He nodded. "But I doubt Rhaegal wants Euron as his rider. From what the queen described, when the horn sounded she lost all control and the dragons fell." He had only heard the sound from a distance, and even he would never forget that terrible sound. "My working theory is that the horn can enslave dragons. If I'm right, Rhaegal is bound to obey." A terrible fate.
Jon's eyebrows rose. "Does it work on people too?" He seemed worried.
"An intriguing question." Tyrion hadn't considered it. "I assume you mean Targaryens?" Jon nodded, so he continued, "It's hard to say for certain, especially since Queen Daenerys is the only one." He gave Jon a pointed look, and the young man avoided his eyes. "I don't think we should risk it, in any case. All the more reason we have to do something about that horn."
In the throne room of Dragonstone, Queen Daenerys was waiting for them. On the impressive seat molded out of the volcanic rock commonly found in the island, she was a vision of authority. Her silver blonde hair was braided in a slightly different way today, and she was dressed to impress. A chain with three dragon heads was draped over her right shoulder, falling to her left waist.
Missandei walked to the queen's side and listed her titles. I wonder how many titles I could claim to have? He was the Hand of the Queen. And the rightful Lord of Casterly Rock. Two. Not very impressive. Then Ser Davos Seaworth said Jon Snow was the Prince of Winterfell. Well, that makes me feel a little better.
The Queen wasn't impressed. "So you're no longer a king. Who rules the North, then?"
"Sansa Stark has replaced me as Queen. I'm here on her behalf." Jon replied.
She turned to face Varys. "Why wasn't I informed of this?" Her eyes were narrowed.
The eunuch shared a glance with Tyrion, before answering, "My queen, the information I've received from the North was too…" He shifted his eyes to Jon. "It was rather difficult to believe."
She looked slightly confused at first, then her nostrils flared. "Be that as it may, next time you will tell me everything. Allow me to decide what to believe." The man bowed low. She turned to face Jon. "So you will tell me, Prince. What happened in the North?"
The former king took a deep breath, seemingly steeling himself. Here it comes. "The northern lords wanted me gone because I'm a Targaryen."
Silence greeted his words. Everyone in the room turned to face the queen, waiting for her reaction. Tyrion held his breath in anticipation, his eyes stinging with the effort of not blinking. This is the most crucial moment of this war, he knew. Everything rests on how she'll react to this revelation. Their alliance could grow stronger or they could create a powerful enemy.
Queen Daenerys started laughing.
Well, that's a reaction, he mused, remembering to breathe and blink. Tyrion looked at Varys, who was frowning at Jon, almost weighing the possibilities in his head. Careful, dear Spider. If you get between two dragons, you're bound to get burned. Tyrion couldn't imagine ever betraying Daenerys. He liked Jon well enough, but his heart lay with his queen.
The room was still filled with the sounds of her laughter, a loud guffaw that echoed all around the large room. She needed this. The queen had been wandering the halls of Dragonstone in a dejected mood, and her gloomy disposition was starting to spread.
After a long while, her mirth faded. "Forgive me, but you don't look like any Targaryen that I've ever seen." Her eyes were still watering, and she rubbed them with the back of her hand. But her face was brightened by a genuine smile.
"I favored my mother, Lyanna Stark." Jon said, without a hint of a smile on his face. "I suppose. I've never met her, but that's what the one living person who knew her has told me." His voice betrayed his insecurity.
The queen stopped smiling.
When she didn't say anything, Tyrion jumped in, "That one person… Would that be Howland Reed, Lord of Greywater Watch?" He asked, hoping for confirmation.
Jon nodded. "Aye. He and my fath-" The young man stopped himself, clearing his throat. "Lord Reed and Lord Stark found my mother in a bed of blood, at the Tower of Joy in the Mountains of Dorne, moments after giving birth to me." His voice grew quieter. "She died shortly after that."
"Then the honorable Lord Eddard Stark claimed you as his own, raising you at Winterfell as his bastard son." Tyrion helped in the explanation. "Very clever. Nobody would ever dare to question the word of such a man."
Varys joined in, "It had always struck me as odd that the kingsguard had been sent to such a remote location." He cast his eyes upon Jon. "It would seem that Ser Arthur Dayne and Lord Commander Gerold Hightower were protecting you, then."
Tyrion immediately understood his game. He wants to make the stakes clear. Very well, I'll play along. Raising his eyebrows, he tried to look surprised. "Wait, does that mean…"
Jon took the bait. "Aye, my parents were married."
Silence reigned over the room again. It all rests on the Queen.
She slowly rose from her seat, making her way towards Jon. The young man stood his ground, though he seemed a bit unsettled. Tyrion noticed he was awfully still in anticipation, like a wolf waiting for its prey. But which one is the predator?
The Queen only stopped when she was almost touching him, less than one foot apart. They were of a similar height, his head standing a bit taller than hers, but when they were so close their eyes were almost level. Her violet were narrowed in observation, while his grey were wide open in expectation. She raised a hand, then quickly pulled it back. His head leaned forward a bit, until he also righted himself.
An odd pair. Tyrion had read once that all Targaryens were possessed of a strange charisma. The blood of the dragon held a certain draw, which allowed them to charm everyone around them. Considering how high these two rose, and the number of people following them, that theory was probably correct. I wonder who will follow whom?
After what seemed an eternity, the Queen spoke, "Rhaegar?" She whispered the name at her nephew, apparently convinced of what she saw in his face.
Jon nodded.
"What did he name you?" She asked, in a voice so quiet Tyrion almost couldn't hear her words.
"My mother named me Aegon."
Her face fell. She broke eye contact and turned away from Jon, walking towards her throne.
There it is, Tyrion thought, satisfied. He had been curious to see what she valued higher, and now he finally had an answer. She wants the Iron Throne for herself, not for her family. He would have to come up with ways to assure her claim without killing Jon, as she would never step aside for him. Does he even want to rule? He briefly wondered, before realising it didn't matter. So long as he had a claim, someone could use him against her.
Queen Daenerys composed herself midway and turned back to face Jon with a forced smile. "You must be tired from your long journey. I'll have baths drawn for you and someone to show you to your rooms. We'll continue this another time."
Jon nodded and turned away. Two tall dothraki flanked him and led him out. Tyrion heard a few whispers from Ser Davos as they walked away, but he couldn't quite make them out. He thought he heard the word dragonglass peppered in the whispered conversation, before the door closed behind them.
Alright, the big meeting is done. I liked the way it happened on the show, but I wanted to explore another dynamic. We'll get to the Night King eventually.
I borrowed a few lines, but so much has changed that there was no way it would end the same.
Next chapter we'll dive into Dany's mind. It's been a while.
The date is 06/06/2019