A/N: Deciding to try a new schedule in order to accommodate my stories. I hope this is acceptable. Please continue to be safe and find things to fight the boredom from social distancing, if you are all feeling it. Enjoy!
"Faster!" Benjen shouted in nihongo as one of his soldiers ran past him. Another soldier tripped in a hole concealed by the tall grass, but it was fortunately not so deep as to seriously injure him. Benjen walked over to the soldier and pulled him up. "Up, soldier! Get a move on!"
Benjen was running alongside the ten men he selected as part of a first stage he planned to get the soldiers back into shape after burning their supply of yapian and paying them their overdue wages. When he called muster the next morning, he found that the soldiers and their weapons were in bad conditions and they would need to undergo some form of retraining if they were to resume normal army duties.
Benjen looked through as much manuals as he could, especially those that dealt with training soldiers, and his first instinct was to use them on his brigade. However, when he outlined his plan to Lieutenant Lim, he was not impressed.
"You doubt that these methods would work, lieutenant?" Benjen asked.
"Captain, the previous commanding officer used those methods to keep the men in battle condition before he succumbed to avarice. While those manuals detail well on how soldiers should drill and what tactics should be used among other things, it also outlines what types of punishments should be meted out if the men fall out of line," Lim explained.
"Ah," Benjen nodded in understanding. "And I'm guessing he used those punishments in order to intimidate the soldiers into buying his substances."
"Exactly," Lim confirmed.
Benjen read through those punishments. The most common sort of punishment utilized was flogging with a cane, which was carried out by the senior soldier in the company, in which the punished soldier belonged to. If one soldier failed to perform a drill or not turn up to muster on time, then the whole company had to face the consequences, with the officer in charge being removed from the next promotion round before the Captain-General and the soldiers all being flogged. Desertion and insubordination were punished with death or demotion, which happened frequently in the brigade and thus explaining the lowered quality of the soliders. Dereliction of duty was dealt with through stripping the soldier of his clothes and making him stand outside until the morning muster. As for striking your superiors, you were either dishonorably discharged or executed.
Benjen caught on that his predecessor had abused the punishment system in order to coerce the soldiers into buying his substances and keep them in line. And he was not stupid enough to resort to those punitive measures, as his command would fail at that moment.
As Benjen thought more about it, the manuals listed punishments but rarely deal with rewards. He had a basic understanding of how the reward system in the empire worked, with examples being eight years of service equaling a final pay of five hundred taels and twenty years entitling the soldier to a grant of land, a final pay of a thousand taels, and a certificate that would allow them to pursue many different types of lives. However, those were rewards given to soldiers who served a certain length of time and didn't cover small actions while they served that merited some benefits. At the Wall, punishment might've been strict, but the Lord Commander never physically abused either the recruits or the sworn brothers. Moreover, the Lord Commander knew how to reward those who deserved it, as he did reward Jon with Longclaw after he saved his life from that wight. Something I might have to change.
Benjen's first priority, however, was to get the men back into prime battle condition. He looked over the list of soldiers who had served the longest, had them report to him before morning muster, and there he outlined his terms.
"All of you have served past the required eight years for those that had joined the army, meaning that you all are seeking the rewards that come after twenty years. I asked you all here because you've been in this brigade longer than most of us and therefore, you're in a good position to set a good example for the rest of the men," Benjen spoke to all ten of them. Lim stood by him as he translated, since while his hold on nihongo continued to improve, he still couldn't grasp some words and Lim helped him.
"I might not be familiar with how things are in the empire, but I know what it is to fight and kill. I've weathered through harsh conditions in winter, so I have an understanding of the hardships that you all have been through. I am required to get this brigade back into a condition where all of you can perform ably again, so I will show you some things that you need to do before we can progress towards that goal. This seems to be a promising formation of men, so don't let your potential go to waste," Benjen finished.
From how the ten men looked at him, Benjen realized that what he said was a welcome change of pace from his predecessor. But don't assume it'll be easy.
For now, Benjen had them run through the grasslands, drill them in various exercises taught by the master-at-arms at Winterfell, the one before Ser Rodrik, and had them clean up their uniforms. The whole point was to make them into soldiers again. If they start looking like soldiers, they'll start feeling like soldiers, and if the gods allow it, they'll start acting like soldiers.
Benjen made it a point that he would train with them, which Lieutenant Lim protested.
"Captain, a commander must not train with the men," Lim warned.
"Why not?" The Lord Commander was not above getting his hands dirty, so Benjen didn't have a problem joining the men.
"Captain, I understand what you're trying to do. You're trying to set an example to the troops in order to make yourself different from the previous commander, which is an honorable thing. However, you train with the soldiers, it sets a bad example for the other officers since there is supposed to be a barrier between those who enlisted and those who received their commissions," Lim pointed out.
"And what exactly is this barrier, lieutenant?" Benjen asked.
Lim took a moment to gather his thoughts, as it was clear that he had never really thought upon it. "With respect, you were never commissioned through the traditional channels. Men like me spent years studying for the examinations and we advanced through effort and ensuring that the right superior officer is pleased with our performance. That is the reality, since those with higher rank determines who gets to join them from the lower ranks."
Benjen shook his head. Not that different from the rest of Westeros, except its lords trying to please higher lords.
"You might disapprove of such ways of thinking, Captain, but as a highborn, you should understand how the world works. It's not that different no matter where you go."
"Possibly," Benjen admitted. "But I'm a Stark and previous First Ranger of the Night's Watch. We don't rely on the goodness of others to advance just because they come from a higher place. And I'll be damned before I succumb to that way of thinking."
"Then you're acting stubborn, captain," Lim responded. "You command the officers, and the officers command the men. That is the way things work in the army."
"Well, I'm not from around here and the troops need a more closer touch if I hope to make them ready for battle again," Benjen shrugged. "If you have a problem with how I do things here, take it up with General Kitara. After all, I never asked for this post and he sent me anyway."
Lim sighed but was silenced.
"As for the officers, I require their presence in my quarters after noon meals. It's time I show them who is in charge in case they have any doubts regarding my command style," Benjen told Lim.
"I would suggest you handle them with tact, captain," Lim urged. "These are proud men, some of whom have decent pedigrees in the empire, and they may not react well with your straightforwardness."
"Well, let's see if they can handle how a Stark deals with problems," Benjen left Lim with before rejoining the troops in their training.
Benjen had a bowl of rice, warm soup, and pork slices for his noon meal. One benefit of command was that he had his own private quarters and could thus enjoy his meal in silence. He didn't want to spend more time than was necessary talking to those who might protest his style in front of others, which would put him in an awkward position. This is what happens when you command men who can fight.
After a servant took away his meal, Benjen prepared his quarters for when the officers came. Sitting in the most prominent position, higher than the rest, he looked over the other officers assigned to his brigade. Besides Minoru Lim, the brigade lieutenant, there were two officers to each of the five battalions, two officers assigned to each of the battalion's three companies, and six officers comprising the brigade's administration such as quartermaster, adjutant, and commanders of the infantry and cavalry.
"Thank you all for coming," Benjen began while Lim translated. "In case you haven't noticed, all of you have failed in your duties." That caught all of their attention. Good, they should know that I don't waste time with pleasantries. "You're the officers and your responsibility is to ensure that the men are in a condition where they can fight, a responsibility that you have not properly assumed. Now, I don't care what you received in your examinations. I know that with the exception of Lieutenant Lim, all of you are merely replacements since the previous officers were involved in the yapian distribution. Now, are there considerations to be taken into account? Mayhaps, since you're all new here just like me. However, you have not fulfilled your duties and this brigade is on the verge of collapse if things do not turn around soon."
Benjen eyed each of the officers, all of whom were trying to avoid looking at him directly, either because they could not denying the truth in his words or because they didn't like what he was saying.
"This brigade will be run differently and I know certain aspects of combat that are unknown in these lands. Whether it would beneficial to the brigade is yet to be seen, but it is time for a change," Benjen continued. "From now on, all officers are to move their quarters next to the troops. No more separated areas from the enlisted men. Officers will take part in daily training and you shall be more attentive to the troops from this point on. I'll assume all of you have some understanding of strategy and tactics, but I will require all of you to attend meetings during the afternoon so that you will all be acquainted with the tactics I will show you all."
With each demand, all of the officers winced. "You can't do that, captain," one of the company commanders protested. "We're officers. We're not supposed to mingle with the troops."
"And why not? Because you think you're better than them?" Benjen spat. "A man gets only what he earns and you'll be leading these men into battle. But the way I see it, you're not acting like leaders. That's what the men view you all as and you all have set a bad example. If we were to engage the enemy right now, you would not survive."
"And how you would know about us not being prepared?" one of the battalion commanders asked.
"What's your name?"
"Saeyong Wen, battalion captain," he replied.
"How long have you served?"
"Twelve years, captain."
"You've seen battle?"
"Yes, I have."
"Where?"
"I was at the riots in Asabhad."
Benjen had heard about that disturbance. It had happened a few years ago when the empire was embroiled in its war of three emperors. By that time, one of them was dead and troops from the north were sent in to assist the Governor of the Southeastern Province in restoring order. However, it was a mess and fifty thousand civilians were killed alongside ten thousand soldiers due to mismanagement and soldiers who were too eager to kill.
"Well, Captain Wen, I'm afraid you have not seen real battle," Benjen was not going to lie to him. Captain Wen looked at him, insulted. "What happened in Asabhad was an occurrence involving unarmed people. By battle, I am referring to fighting those who could kill you as well as you can kill them. That's how I view real battle, since the enemy won't just lie down and bury their heads in the dirt at the sight of your blade."
Captain Wen was close to fuming, but he respected the command structure and thus calmed down. Might need to keep an eye on that one.
"I might not have fought against the enemies lurking in the steppes, but I have plenty of experience dealing with peoples who resisted organized forces. So I ask you all, work with me in restoring this brigade. It'll make not just my job easier, but all of ours since we wouldn't have to worry about the man next to us not performing to the best of our abilities. If you choose not to do so, write your request for another assignment and I will submit them to General Kitara. I won't force you to stay here against your will," Benjen offered.
Some of the officers looked tempted to take him up on his offer, which was exactly what Benjen expected.
"You have till the end of the week to make your decision. But think very carefully about it. You request another assignment while the brigade is still in bad shape, your superiors will think only two possibilities. The first is that I have failed in my duties and the officers who want another assignment do not want to stick by their commander. The second is that the officers are trying to save their reputations by not being associated with a brigade believed to be in decline. Both possibilities will not end well for you all, as officers are supposed to fulfill their commitments to the army as best as they can and requesting another assignment is essentially saying to your superiors that you are choosing not to. Thus, whatever reputations you think you have will be destroyed," Benjen outlined.
The officers who were tempted to request another assignment became hesitant, as Benjen's words made sense.
"Dismissed," Benjen ordered before the officers went out of the room. He turned to Lieutenant Lim and spoke in the common tongue. "If you wish another assignment, Lieutenant, I will understand. I'll speak to General Kitara and I'm sure that he'll have you transferred to another brigade."
Minoru Lim pursed his lips in thought, as if also tempted to take up Benjen's offer. "Well, Captain, I don't intend to leave anytime soon."
"Why is that?"
"Yes, this brigade is in a terrible condition and the temptation to be transferred to another brigade is quite strong. However, as you said, if I do try to do that, it will not bode well for my reputation. If you do succeed in getting this brigade back to full strength and successfully leading the troops in combat, then I wouldn't have to worry about my reputation since I'll be among the officers who helped restore the brigade," Lim stated.
Benjen had to remind himself that Lieutenant Lim might have been fair, but no matter what, a snitch always looked out for himself and Lim's words at that moment showed to him that he would only help him if it didn't cause any damage to his reputation. This is why nobody trusts those who snitched on others.
"Well, glad to hear that you're standing by," Benjen kept up appearances. "You may take your leave, lieutenant."
"Captain," Lim dipped his head before leaving Benjen's quarters.
As he sat back down and looked over the final scrolls before he would retire back to Kushiro, Benjen's thoughts turned to Westeros. Ned had taken Arya and Sansa to King's Landing, which would not have turned out well for them since Ned was dead. And the news Lord Joon said about Robb becoming King in the North, Benjen thought on how the northmen were led to such a drastic action. He understood that the northmen cared little for what happened in the south and that Ned's death might have spurred them into declaring their separation from the Iron Throne, but there was something else going on.
The Starks had ruled the North for thousands of years and any attempt from the south to subjugate the northmen ended badly, with dragons being the only thing that prompted Torrhen Stark to bend the knee to the Targaryens. The wounds inflicted by Aerys and to a lesser extent Robert Baratheon made the northmen all the more disinclined to be involved in southern affairs, but Ned being executed by Joffrey, who in Benjen's mind was an arrogant and atrocious boy, was the final straw. It was bound to happen one way or the other, but I'm not sure of their ability to succeed, even if it's my people.
Like Jon, Benjen began to think that he might be betraying his family by not going back to help. Robb was inexperienced in war and in the schemes that happened between the lords of Westeros, and a kingship would only make his position unstable than it already was. Sansa was too taken with stories of knights and princes and flowers, all of which she associated with Joffrey. By the gods, Benjen rubbed his temples. Arya was a child and was not in a position to do anything to help her family. She's like Lyanna, but our mother never tried to limit her while Catelyn did. Brandon was a cripple and Rickon was too young to do anything. In total, the situation of the Starks looked bleak, as much as it pained Benjen to accept that.
His first instinct was to return to Westeros in order to help his family, as he was the oldest living Stark after Ned and he might have things to offer Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon in regards to the important lessons of life. However, they wouldn't know of what he saw north of the Wall and they would assume that he deserted the Night's Watch. Just like with Ned, Robb might be bound by honor to put him down on a trunk and lob his head off and might think that Benjen's words regarding the threat of the Long Night were merely excuses to avoid punishment.
Benjen might have held his honor dearly just like the Starks, but even he had to admit that honor could only carry a man so far before it fails him. He didn't say it in front of Ned, but he was very concerned with his brother going to King's Landing, considering what had happened to Brandon and their father. And now that viper's nest killed Ned, and Joffrey is responsible. Robert would never harm Ned, but Joffrey was not Robert and he was much more unrestrained in his cruelty.
As for Joon Kitara, Benjen saw that he had honor, devoted to his family, and never treated anyone with cruelty, but at the same time, he was no pushover. He knew how to keep his troops in line while dealing with potentially troublesome subordinates and officials in very subtle ways. He was also capable of anger, but was very selective in how he showed it, so everything he did had a purpose. From what he had read of Cregan Stark, Benjen saw much of his famed ancestor in Lord Joon, but many times more restrained and skilled at the great "game of thrones", if such a thing applied to the empire.
As he thought more about it, Benjen attempting to return to Westeros at this point would do him and his family no good. He might have been the First Ranger of the Night's Watch, but no one would heed his advice on leadership and battle since the black brothers were not given wide regard in Westeros. He had no lands or keeps and didn't have anything to offer to his family, as he had taken an oath of celibacy and therefore had no children to take over Winterfell should the main line be wiped out. Therefore, he was practically useless to the Starks of Winterfell, just like Jon would be if he returned to Westeros.
In the empire, Benjen now commanded real soldiers and utilizing his experiences in a productive manner. Lord Joon and Lieutenant Lim both spoke the common tongue well and he could tell that he was already on the troops' good side for paying their overdue wages. However, he still had a long way to go before he could call his time in command a success and he hadn't led them in battle.
So that was when Benjen decided to accept the reality of his situation. He was useless to his family and he lacked the experiences necessary to command armies or towards other important purposes. As he believed in the way of the gods, everyone and everything had a purpose and like Jon, he was meant to be in Yi-Ti.
As he rode back to Kushiro, where Seong Kitara and his mother Myung welcomed him back, Benjen thought about Jon and Lord Joon as they were in the Mountains of the Morn. He also noticed that Lord Joon took Dark Sister and Aemon's dragon egg with him. Whatever he finds there, I hope it'll do him well. I must accept that besides being a Stark, he is a Targaryen, the blood of the dragon.
Jon walked deeper into the cave, struggling to see through the pitched blackness. Gripping Dark Sister more tightly to him and Aemon's red dragon egg in his right hand, he calmed himself through the various breathing techniques that Hoon Ti taught him in order to manage anxious circumstances.
While he couldn't see clearly, Jon felt something… pulling him further inside. Something in the cave was calling out to him and he couldn't resist whatever it was. His eyes kept staring in the darkness of the cave and he continued moving forward.
Suddenly, Jon heard something a shriek echoing in the cave. As his eyes became adjusted to the dark, he saw something move. Gulping, he put the red dragon egg into his robes while getting his hands on the pommel of Dark Sister. Him seeing the kodama put him on edge, as it showed to Jon that there were indeed other mystical beings in existence in the world. While the kodama seemed harmless, whatever was residing in the cave must've been more… sinister from how it sounded. Being in the dark certainly didn't help ease his worries.
Walking more slowly, Jon's eyes looked around the cave. Then, he heard the shriek again and he drew Dark Sister. It felt… surreal to Jon, holding the sword of Visenya Targaryen and one that continued to be used by those such as Daemon Targaryen and Bloodraven. He felt the history behind the sword and it felt… empowering to Jon. My ancestors before me have held this blade, so this must be their way of protecting me in the afterlife.
Hearing the shriek yet again, Jon got into a combat stance and readied himself for what was coming. What he did not expect was something emerging from the side of the cavern, which was glowing brightly and looked at him with a sense of curiosity as it licked its arms.
Looking closely to the creature, Jon saw that it was a cross between a dog and a monkey, had gray fur, a peach-colored belly, floppy ears, arms outstretched as though it is caught mid-shrug, and had a large grin, which made him uncomfortable given their surroundings.
"Why are you smiling, monkey?" Jon asked first in guanhua. The creature simply kept smiling before it got on all fours and moved deeper into the cave. "Where you going?" Jon sheathed Dark Sister before running after the creature, or whatever it was.
Finally, after what seemed like an endless run in the dark, Jon arrived at a larger cave opening. It was white all over with a mix of orange and various conical rock shapes covered many parts of the cave. There were boulders, open areas between the conical rock shapes, and other caverns that led to more of the mountain.
But what caught Jon's attention was the pool in the middle of the cave, as well as the opening in the cave's ceiling, in which the sun's rays blared through. Stepping closer to the pool, he took a whiff but immediately jerked back. "This isn't water," he said to himself.
Looking around, Jon saw a boulder next to the pool, which had inscriptions. Kneeling in front of the rock, he knew that it was some form of guanhua, but he didn't recognize most of the characters, as they must've belonged to an ancient tongue. The one character that he did recognize was "god." Considering what Abbot Cao had told of this mountain, this must've been a place of sacred value to the monastery.
Jon heard another shriek again, making him turn around before he saw the creature again. "Oh, it's you," he calmed down. "You might not understand me, but do you know what this place is?" The creature kept grinning. "Right, you don't know what I am talking about."
Resigned, Jon sat down on a boulder. "It doesn't make any sense," Jon thought aloud. "I feel something drawing me to this place, but I don't see anything. The abbot said that I would find answers here, but all I've found is some monkey who can't stop smiling and a rock that I cannot understand." Jon was not one for despair, but being in an unknown land and seeing new kinds of spirits made him question everything he knew. "What am I supposed to do here? Sit around and wait for something to happen? I've been doing that my entire life."
Jon pulled out the red dragon egg. "And I like Uncle Aemon's gift, but what purpose will this serve since I don't have anything to hatch this?"
Jon looked at the creature again, who looked at the pool with… nervousness. What? Then, the creature scurried off into the darkness of the cave. "Wait a moment. Come back!" he called out in vain.
"Who. Is it?" spoke something in the cave. Jon stiffened, that voice making chills run down his spine. "Who. Are you?" the voice asked again.
Keeping his hands from shaking uncontrollably, Jon stood up and readied Dark Sister while keeping his grip on the dragon egg tight. "I… am Daeron. Daeron Targaryen," Jon managed.
Without warning, the surface of the pool rippled and Jon saw movement from beneath it. Then, out came possibly the most magnificent and terrifying thing that Jon had seen. It had a long body like a snake and sharp claws like a hawk, as it emerged from the pool and clawed past him. It then climbed onto the walls of the cave and circled around Jon once, allowing him see the golden and red scales on it and the teeth it bared.
Then, it stopped circling and rested at the opposite end of the pool, with its yellow eyes staring at Jon. He struggled to control his breathing, as its eyes were easily terrifying.
"You can hear me?" it called out to him in Jon's mind.
Jon nodded nervously. "Yes."
"No man has been able to hear my voice in over fifteen thousand years." It enlarged its nostrils and sniffed the air. "I smell something from you, especially your blood."
"I am the blood of the dragon," Jon answered.
"Truly?"
"Yes. My father was Rhaegar Targaryen and my mother was Lyanna Stark. The blood of old Valyria and that of the First Men run through me," Jon kept calm.
"Hmmm, I haven't heard those names in centuries," it responded. "Why are you here?"
"I've come to seek answers regarding what I should do," Jon replied.
"You here to burden me with the trivialities of man?" it asked with a hint of impatience.
"No. I don't know what to do in regards to who I am and what I should do in order to return home with help to face a threat, one that would endanger us all."
"You're referring to the Long Night?"
That stunned Jon. "How did you know that?"
It sighed. "I've lived long before man breathed his first, and I shall be here long after the last man dies, so I know everything you already know about the Long Night, although it happened quite differently in these lands than where you come from."
"The Long Night affected Yi-Ti also?" Jon pressed.
"Yes. I was there when the Great Empire of the Dawn began, only for it to collapse when the Bloodstone Emperor married a tiger-woman and brought death, slavery, and suffering onto the people while eating human flesh and attempting to cast us down in order to worship a black stone. People call this the Blood Betrayal and the Long Night saw the Maiden-Made-of-Light and the Lion of Night showing their ruthlessness upon man. It all ended when a warrior assembled an army of the virtuous and destroyed the great evil with a sword made of fire, but the Great Empire never came back and all those who fought with this warrior went their separate ways for they feared each other. War, lust, murder, and the other sins of man endured from that," it explained.
"That's similar to how people at home know of the Long Night. But we call him the last hero," Jon said, astonished.
"People have different names for the one that ended the darkness," it answered. "The last hero, Yin Tar, Neferion, the Warrior of Light… Azor Ahai. But what he did ended the darkness all over the world, which saw many dangers emerge for several generations."
Jon remained stunned, as he was talking to something that had witnessed Azor Ahai, the supposed savior from the darkness and one who many in Essos had called "the prince who was promised." "And you were there?" Jon asked.
"Yes. After all, I came down here from the heavens to see if I could lend my assistance to this warrior, but alas, the only form that I could assume was a dragon and people merely saw me as a creature of good luck, which put my plans in jeopardy."
"You certainly don't look like a dragon," Jon thought of dragons as the ones he had seen in the books, with wings, long necks, and large horned heads breathing fire.
"The dragons you think of were merely… creatures that had evolved from wyrms. One of the gods decided to imbue her mark on those wyrms and out came the dragon as you know it. But what the god didn't expect was that her touch allowed these wyrms to develop some independent thought, which made them more than beasts who could breath fire. That is why your Valyrians were so renowned, as they came up with techniques that utilized the dragons without compromising the dragons' own thought. As for me, my form would never be understood by man, so I had to assume a form of a dragon, just not the one you think of," it clarified.
"And dragons look differently across the world?" Jon asked further.
"Well, my form is associated with a type of dragon spawned in Asshai, but it is incredibly difficult for firemages to reproduce something that only those with divinity could assume. That's why there are so few of us and we do not show ourselves to the outside world unwillingly."
Jon nodded, somehow understanding the dragon's position. But he had to come back to the reason why he was here.
"I know what you're thinking. You want my advice on how to get the help you need to take back with you when you eventually return home and fight the threat of the Long Night. Unfortunately, man will always kill each other and there's nothing we can do about it. Best let man take care of his own problems," the dragon said dismissively.
"But not all men want to kill," Jon protested. "Yes, we have to do it out of necessity but not all of us take pleasure in doing it."
"You're right," the dragon admitted. "But I've lived longer than you have, boy. Much longer. And I know that man will come up with more excuses to kill each other. People will always succumb to their baser instincts, so why should I help you save those wretches from a so-called threat that is above them in mind and energy?"
Jon scoffed, aghast at the god's callousness. "If that's what's you really think, then you can go to the seven hells."
The dragon suddenly glided over the pool and was so close that its snout almost touched Jon's face, but Jon could see the anger behind the dragon's eyes. "What did you say?"
"You heard me. While I came for answers, I didn't come here out of some selfish reasoning. I came here because I want to go back home and help my family. But I can't help them like this. I need strength, I need power, and I need more if I am to go back and save my family. Also, my aunt is somewhere in the wilderness, among those who would do her harm. I have to help her, since I've lost family already and I can't afford to lose more. So smite me or help me. Your choice," Jon was not going to beg, even if he was talking to a god.
"You dare address a god in this manner?" the dragon asked, anger lacing its voice.
"Gods should help people, not stand by while they kill each other. Maybe that's the difference between you and us, because we still try to make things right even if we fall. But from how I look at you, you gave up," Jon retorted. "If there's anyone at fault, it's you, because you're not using all of your so-called powers and just hiding here in this cave. You're wasting your abilities."
The dragon growled before looking at the egg. "I assume that's a dragon egg." Jon nodded, while the dragon calmed down and sighed. "You remind me of someone I met thousands of years ago and he had the same spirit as you did. But he knew what he was doing and was prepared to live with the consequences. The question I ask is, can you live with the consequences of your actions?"
Jon bobbed his head. "I already am. I'm ready if more come my way."
"I hope so, for your sake," the dragon arched his head backward. "The problem with gods like me is that people rely on us too much, so without us, they become crippled. One piece of advice that I will grant to you is this: find your own way in the world, as the gods help those who help themselves. That's a truth that man has not taken to heart and lead to much despair. Do you think you can help yourself, Daeron?"
Jon exhaled before nodding again. "I only had myself to rely on since I was born. I can do it."
The dragon then eyed the dragon egg. "Then… your blood should be enough to unlock what the gift I shall give you."
"What?"
Without warning, the dragon opened its mouth and breathed a fire filled with many colors to Jon. He covered himself, but as he opened his eyes, he found that he was surrounded by flames and besides his garments, his skin was untouched. And the fires around him felt… warm. It was as if new life was breathing into him.
But as Jon became used to his surroundings of fire, he saw another figure faintly in the distance. Trudging slowly, he saw that the figure had silver hair and violet eyes, crouching over three dragon eggs and a Dothraki corpse. "Daenerys?"
While still engulfed in flames, Daenerys' head moved upwards and she turned to see Jon standing there, red dragon egg in his hand while she was huddling over here three.
"It's you again," Daenerys said with surprise before she noticed his dragon egg. "That egg, it's red."
"Aye," Jon confirmed. "A gift from our relative, who very much misses us."
"I thought I was alone, but now I see," Daenerys stood up and walked closer to Jon. He was embarrassed at having to show his bareness to his aunt, but she seemed more focused on his egg and his eyes. "You are the blood of the dragon, but where are you?"
Before Jon could answer, he heard a crack in his hand. Looking down, he saw that the red dragon egg was moving and a mark formed on its shell. Daenerys also noticed this.
"This is more than a vision," Daenerys stared at the egg with wonder. "It's really happening."
Jon couldn't believe it himself. He looked to Daenerys' eggs, which were also moving and cracking. "You should look to your eggs, Daenerys."
Daenerys turned around and walked back, holding all of the eggs as gently as she could. "So my dreams were true. Dragons are coming back."
Jon smiled. "They are."
"You know my name, but I don't know yours," Daenerys kept looking at Jon while the eggs were close to hatching.
As Jon's egg was close to hatching also, he looked around and saw that the fires were dying around them, meaning that their shared vision was coming to an end. But he would not leave without answering his aunt. "I am Daeron Targaryen. And we will meet again."
Daenerys nodded. "We shall," and with that, the fires died and Jon found himself in the cave once again, but with the god-dragon gone.
Looking down, Jon saw that his robes were burnt off and his instinct was to cover his intimate parts out of shame.
However, something crawled from his back and Jon turned to his right shoulder, to see… a red dragon hatchling. It was shrieking but it soon nudged Jon's neck. He then sensed that the hatchling was a she and he moved to stroke her chin with his finger, which she eagerly accepted.
A dragon…. I have a dragon on my shoulder! Jon felt as if he was in a dream, as it had been over a century since the world saw dragons alive. From a bastard to a dragonlord, Jon thought.
At the same time, Jon saw how precious the red dragon was and she moved from one shoulder to the other, exploring her new companion.
Still in wonder, Jon pondered on what name he could give her. He knew all of the dragon names from the books, but it was still a pain to choose which fit best. Then, he remembered one dragon from the Dance, which was ridden by the Queen Who Never Was. Had circumstances been different, that dragon and her rider could have lived for a very long time. Just like with Ghost, he was going to protect this dragon until his dying breath.
"I will protect you… Meleys," Jon spoke to his dragon. She chirped, accepting the name. Preparing himself, Jon picked up Dark Sister and headed back the way he came. And we shall meet the other dragons eventually.
As Daenerys walked out of the pyre, with Jorah Mormont and what was left of those that remained with her, she felt the power coming from her dragons clinging to her body. She had taken a chance by going into the flames without knowing what would happen and her dragon blood protected her while bringing back dragons to the world. But besides that, she felt nothing but affection for the three hatchlings.
As the one she called Drogon clawed onto her shoulder, he looked eastwards and shrieked. Daenerys was puzzled until she could make out what Drogon was saying. I feel… one more there.
Daenerys knew that Drogon was talking about that red dragon egg, which must've hatched, and the handsome man who she saw in the vision of flames. She would figure out how exactly he and she were connected, but at that moment, she felt joy for the first time since Drogo and her child died. Her dragons had hatched, but there was another dragon and another of her blood further east.
Daeron Targaryen… be safe out there. We shall meet.
A/N: And there we go! Jon has his own dragon while he meets Daenerys as she's hatching hers. I thought naming her Meleys was quite fitting and I hope I dealt with it well.
The conversation with the dragon god was something I was worried about, since I had to take some inspiration from other works and films that deal with mortals talking with deities (usually, it's one-sided). I hope I created a more balanced yet insightful take on the mortal vs. deity debate.
Hope I met expectations and from here on out, Jon's life will take a turn. Stay tuned.
