The King in the North and his honor guard left her audience chamber, and she waited for them to be out of earshot and that she was certain that the Northern King could not overhear them by enhancing his sense of hearing.
She turned to her still standing advisors, "What do you know of this man truly? I do not want to cause offense, but it seems like the information and insights Lord Tyrion gave us was outdated".
Tyrion looked a bit annoyed but guilty that his personal insights into the man were not as useful as they had hoped.
Varys said, "I apologize, your grace. I had tried to avoid saying things that I could not verify. But it seems that at least some of the things they say about him are true. He is truly a gifted user of the Conqueror's Spirit. The reports claim he wields a Valyrian steel bastard sword and that he is skilled in its use and can strengthen it using his own spirit. His followers claimed he was murdered by his own men, when he was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and was raised by a Red Prietess. The one that had attached herself to Lord Stannis. They also claim he is a warg, though that is plainly true given the direwolf. They also say he has about 250 giants and about 200 of them come with mammoths''.
She took in the new information before she said, "I can see how that seems too strange to believe, but in the future please inform me of any new developments. Now let me ask you this. Is he married".
Varys said, "Yes, your grace. The reports say that he is married to a so-called Wildling Princess, the good sister of the former King Beyond the Wall,who many Westrsosi claim to be the most beautiful woman in the world".
She misliked that news. She had been proposed to by a Lord Wilas Tyrell, The Lord of Highgarden and Lord Paramount of the Mander. Though after today she had hoped to offer herself to this King in the North. A man with such a strong spirit, and she would be lying if she said she didn't find him beautiful as well with his dark brown shoulder length hair and short cropped beard, dark gray eyes, and handsome scars. Now she may have to content herself with Lord Wilas Tyrell, though was said to be crippled after a tourney accident but was by all accounts comely, kind, pious, and incredibly intelligent.
She asked, "Does he have any heirs"?
Varys answered, "His eldest sister and youngest brother are both confirmed to be alive according to the reports. The sister was being held in the Vale under Lord Baelish's power and it seems that the Vale army had originally sought to press her claim on Winterfell against the Boltons who had captured the youngest brother, but had turned up to late as King Jon had already defeated the Boltons by taking the castle and Bolton host by surprise and freed his younger brother along with several prisoners that the Boltons had taken recently. It was after the victory that the Northern lords declared him the King in the North as per his brother and predecessor's will. Apparently he had tried to reject the offer in favor of Rickon, but when presented with the will he consented and declared his heir to be Rickon until a son is born to him. Which may be soon as his grace' queen is with child".
That just made her jealous as even she could not compete with that as she could have no children other than her three dragons and they would accept no rider without Valyrian blood, or so it was known.
"Is there anything else of use that I could benefit from knowing?" she asked.
Ser Barristan said, "Yes, your grace. In addition to King Jon having the conqueror's spirit, his sister does as well. I saw her use without realizing what she was doing to save her father from execution on the steps of the Great Sept".
Varys said, "I saw that as well. It is a shame that she was not skilled in the arts of war as had reduced the Lannister men and Gold Cloaks in attendance to just Ser Mandon and the Hound. But alas none save Dorne, Bear Island, and beyond the wall teach women the arts of war".
Ser Barristan said, "It is one of great failings, I could have saved her and Lord Stark, thus swaying to your cause. I apologize for my failings, your grace".
She replied, "There is no need for apologies. I doubt it would have been feasible to deliver him to me while I had so little swords sworn to my cause".
Ser Barristan replied, "Thank you, your grace".
She sighed before asking, "All of you are skilled with the mind's eye, now tell me. Did any of you also notice the strange fluctuations with his spirit? It got stronger and it seemed liked thousands of shades of men wearing the crown he wore stood behind him, along with a woman who caressed him, and did any of you see the shape of a dragon forming in a dark shadow behind them all"?
They nodded in unison, but Tyrion was the first to speak, "I did, your grace. Perhaps it had something to do with the runes on his crown. They glowed white hot and unfortunately the runes of the First Men are unreadable by any living person. Perhaps it was part of some spell or technique the old Kings of Winter used to strengthen their hold on the North. It has been known for generations that all save the Boltons are extremely loyal to House Stark. It borders on an almost religious devotion. Though given the legends of the Long Night and the War for the Dawn, there may be a reason for that".
She said, "That is true, but that does not explain why there was a dragon forming in the shadows". She paused, "I would like to invite him to sup with me. Find a servant that is still standing and have them prepare a meal fit for a king. There is something quite intriguing about this Northman, and I would like to learn more about him".
The preparation for the supper seemed to last an eternity and go by like lighting. When the appointed time came, she met with him at the feast. She wore a fine Lyseni dress made of layers of sheer silk and her silver dragon crown. Where they dined , they dined on a salad topped with almonds, followed by a shellfish soup for the fish course, and the main course being roast pork with a cameline sauce and served with roast vegetables and raston. She had ordered the wine and ale to flow freely. The King in the North had thanked her for the meal and drink, but guarded his words carefully. Though she tried to get a smile or a laugh out of him. Touching his arm and asking for tales of the North and beyond the Wall. To which the Stark King obliged her. Occasionally she cast quick glances at his men. The men he named the Free Folk, along with his Northmen were drunk and began telling tales to any who would listen. When the food had finally been cleared away and tables pushed aside she tried to invite them to dance with the women of the castle or noblewomen who bent the knee to her if they were highborn. She asked the Northern King for a dance, to which he reluctantly agreed.
His held her firmly in his arms as they danced to "Seasons of my Love", "Two hearts that beat as one", and "The Dance of the Dragons". Despite the songs he seemed to barely smile. When it was late, she asked him to escort her to her chambers. Which he did, though her Unsullied still kept her within their sight. Outside her chambers they stopped. She looked up at his face, her head was swimming with the wine she had drunk. The scars that he told her came from a skinchanger he slew in the Frostfang Mountains in the Lands beyond the Wall, the close cropped beard and shoulder length dark brown hair. What intrigued her the most was his dark eyes, which had at first appeared black or dark gray like Valyrian steel, but in the firelight they danced between gray and a deep indigo.
Before she could say anything he said, "I know what you are trying to do, your grace".
That broke her out of the mesmerization she had felt, she asked, "What do you mean"?
He said, "I know you are trying to seduce me".
Her heart stopped, she wondered if she had been so easy to read.
He continued, "Perhaps you thought to take me into your bed and then bind me in marriage to bind our kingdoms as Daeron the Good and another Daenaerys did with Princess Myriah and Prince Maron of Dorne". He paused before speaking again, "You might not know, but I am married, and my queen has both the words I spoke before the Heart Tree of Winterfell, and my heart. She is also carrying my child and perhaps my heir. I will not dishonor her by laying with another".
She spoke, "No one has to know. I could command my Unsullied to hold their tongues".
Jon said, "The Gods would know and even if I did lay with you. There is a possibility of getting you with child and I will never father a bastard".
She said, "I do not have to name you the father, and even if it were known I would just legitimize him". She dared not tell him that she could have no children, she wanted him and if he thought her fertile then he may yet choose her over a wildling from the frozen lands beyond the Wall.
He spoke in a harsh tone, "I was born a bastard and I never knew my mother, I will not let a child of mine suffer a similar fate. Good night, your grace".
He took his leave of her with a pair of squires falling behind him. Were they always there? Had she made a fool of herself before the entire realm she meant to rule. Her Unsullied would never speak of this, but even if the Northern King did not, his squires most likely would. She asked herself, "What have I done"?