Catelynn

"Take him away, let him die," She pleaded in her sept as she prayed to the Seven. After her husband brought that boy home from the south she couldn't bare to look at him, for he was a daily reminder of Ned's betrayal.

Eight years had passed, and now her husband was off fighting another one of Robert's wars. And while she had faith he would not bring another boy home, she could not erase the bastard from her mind.

And as for the Targaryen children..."The two wards of the Targaryen house, they are a danger to our family." She did not harbor feelings for the boy, Viserys. However, Daenerys was a sweet little girl, with a kind heart. Nonetheless, Robert was looking for an excuse to have them killed, and Ned was too honorable to give them up. "Send them away, so that my family may be safe."

Sighing as she finished her prayer, Cat rose and removed herself from the small sept. No guilt came over her for the prayer she had requested, because her family was in danger as long as the Targaryens and the bastard were around.

Daenerys

"Can you tell me the story again?" she asked old Nan as she sat in the yards while her brother sparred with Ser Rodrick Cassel. As the oldest person in Winterfell, and likely the entire North, Nan had a vast knowledge of the events that transpired long before the destruction of her family.

Nodding, the old woman agreed to tell it again. "Prince Aerys, long before he was named, the Mad King, was a prince with great promise…"

Dany always liked hearing about her father and mother, about Rhaegar and Elia, and about her family when there was peace, and not war. "Aerys once believed he would become the greatest Targaryen king of them all, he had hoped to win the love of all his people, like King Jaehaerys the first born again."

She smiled, thinking of what could have been. Mayhaps had her father not become what he was, had he been what he desired, then she could have been proud of her family. Instead, maester Luwin, Lady Stark, and everyone in Winterfell knew what her father was, and had told her and Viserys the truth several times.

Her father had executed Lord Starks father and brother, her own brother Rhaegar had abducted Lyanna Stark, raping and then killing her. But her mother, Viserys was the only person she could ask to know anything about her, and it was hard for him to mention her.

"When Aerys ascended to the Iron Throne, his reign began with great promise." Nan continued. "At first it seemed he may be on the right path to achieve his goal, but once the king appointed the young Tywin Lannister his hand, all that began to change."

"They were friends in the beginning, were they not?" She had heard stories of how the two were friends, enemies, and rivals. In the end, a Lannister was her fathers undoing.

"They were indeed." Nan confirmed. "After Tywin wiped houses Reyne and Tarbeck from the world, Aerys had been so impressed that he named the lion his hand, and the two got along well." she paused, "Tywin had excelled at being hand to Aerys, and many of the people believed him to be the true ruler of the realm. This made his grace jealous, and the two friends grew apart over time."

"Daenerys," a familiar voice called from behind her. She turned to find Robb and Jon walking up to her from the courtyard. Both of her friends held a wooden sword in their hands. "Jon and I were going to spar in the godswood, did you want to watch?"

While a history lesson from Nan was always enjoyable, she did not look forward to hearing about the end of her fathers reign. And the two Stark boys were always fun to be around. "I'd be delighted to."

Standing, she looked from the boys to Nan. "Pardon me, but is it alright if I go?" the old woman gave a nod, and she walked with her only friends to the Godswood, while trying not to get Viserys attention.

Her brother never approved of her hanging out with Lord Stark's children, especially Jon. According to her brother, all bastards were evil creatures, the only view he and Lady Stark shared, though he would never admit to that.

Watching him hold his own against Cassel, before falling into the dirt, she turned to follow her friends.


"So, what do you think will happen when we get older?" Daenerys asked, trying to start a conversation as they walked through the godswood.

"I'll be one of the best fighters in the North, maybe the Seven Kingdoms." Robb said as he answered her question. "And I'll be a great lord, just like my father." She smiled, hoping he would be just as good as lord Stark. "What of you?"

Shrugging at the response, she hadn't really considered it much. "I only want to be with my family. Both of you,, lord Stark, Sansa, and my brother." Family was all that mattered to her, and they were the closest thing to one she had.

"And you, Jon?" she asked her best friend. She felt more close to him because both were treated as outcasts, for their heritage. He was a bastard, and she was the daughter of a usurped family.

Jon hesitated for a moment, and coughed. "I don't know, to be a Star I suppose."

Robb nudged him with his elbow. "Enough of that, you are a Stark, Jon."

Jon coughed, and shook his head. "I wish that were true, but I'm not a Stark." he sighed, coughing again.

Both her and Robb glanced at one another, wondering why he was coughing all of a sudden. "You're a Stark to me, brother."

They stopped walking when Jon coughed once more. "Thank you Robb, but my name is Snow." he sighed, and pulled his arm over to cough into it. "I just," he coughed. "I want to see my mother."

Coughing again, harder and more frequent, she and Robb held his hands. "Jon," Dany asked. "Are you well?"

Jon coughed, "I'll be fine." he coughed, this time he fell down to his knees, coughing more and more at a violent rate, before falling on the ground.

"Jon!" Daenerys kelt to the ground, and held his head on her lap. "Robb, get help!" she shouted, worried as Jon began to cough harder and worse.

Viserys

"The recruits are waiting at a tavern in Winter Town." he heard the Maester say to a black brother of the Night's Watch.

When Viserys walked into the Maesters chambers he saw the old man holding a letter, and the watchman left the room. He didn't bother asking what was going on, instead he pulled out a chair and sat in it across from the Maester. "Can we get these lessons over with?" he asked.

The Maester set the letter on the table, and smirked. "Tell me Viserys, why do you find these lessons boring?" he asked. "Most people would want an education."

Viserys rolled his eyes. "That may be true, but I'm not like most people." After all, he was a king, though current circumstances made it look otherwise.

Sighing, Luwin nodded and grabbed his pointer to point at houses that Viserys could care less about. "Now, where did we leave off last time, hmm?"

Trying to remember, he shrugged. "The one with the bridge...I think." In all honesty he didn't remember much of any of the houses the maester tested him on, which was probably why he was still doing these lessons at thirteen.

"Maester Luwin," a servant shouted as he rushed in through the door. He paused, trying to catch his breath. "Something is wrong with Snow."

The maester furrowed his brow. "What's happened with the boy?" he asked.

"Lady Stark and her son think he's come down with some disease or sickness."

Luwin rose instantly from his seat, and gave the man a nod. "Take me to him." he said as he turned and grabbed things to help the bastard, Viserys didn't pay attention to them as he was more concerned about that letter on the table that Luwin just put in a drawer.

"Viserys," Luwin called to him as he stood at the door. "We must cut these lessons short for today." And with that the maester left the room.

Glancing from the door to the drawer, he stood and walked over to it, opening the drawer. Inside were a few letters, all from Castle Black, as he expected. 'This can't all be for recruitment, can it?'

Ever since that day when he was saved by Lord Stark and his fathers killer, he never forgot what Lord Stark's second options for him and his sister were. 'Though, the Wall and the Silent sisters are options for both prince and princess.'

Sure, lord Stark said he wouldn't do that, because they were children. But, he would not be a boy forever, and Stark was a traitor, no matter how good a man he seemed to be.

Picking up one, he opened the seal. Instead of reading over it, he looked down at the signature where his eyes widened with disbelief. It was signed by a maester, named Aemon. Aemon was a name used only in one house, that of his own.

It felt impossible, for it was. His family was gone, he himself was the last male Targaryen. If there truly was another of his kin out there, he was going to find them, and then he would begin his plans for the restoration of his house.

But first, how would he get to Castle Black? Lord Stark wouldn't even let him step foot outside the walls with an escort, so how was he getting further North?

Thinking for a few minutes, he remembered who delivered the letter in the first place

Daenerys

After the maester came, he and a few servants brought Jon to his room, where Luwin tried to figure out what was wrong. Dany, Lady Stark and Robb were standing outside Jons doorway, waiting to hear if he would be alright.

When the maester came out of the room however, his face was made of great sadness and disappointment. "I have done all I can."

"Will he pull through maester Luwin?" Lady Stark asked, though she seemed doubtful. Dany knew Catelyn didn't care about Jon, rather she cared about Robbs feelings.

"Well...that depends." the Maester replied. "So far, all I can be certain of is that the boy has the pox." a saddened expression formed on Luwins face. Daenerys didn't know what that meant, neither did Robb, but it seemed Lady Stark knew it was bad with the saddened face she made.

"Mother," Robb asked Lady Stark. "Will Jon be alright?" he practically begged by tugging on her shirt.

"Will he?" Dany asked when the maester did not respond to Robb. Jon and Robb were her closest friends, her only friends, she couldn't imagine a world without them.

In response, Maester Luwin looked from the floorboards he had been staring at to Catelyn Stark. His face seemed to give lady Stark an answer, but it wasn't enough for Daenerys. "If he makes it through the night, the boy will live...but it will be a long night."

A small glimmer of hope formed within her, because it meant he had a chance. "Daenerys, Robb, if you could leave us for a moment?" Lady Stark asked kindly, though her voice was quiet, and filled with guilt. "I would speak with Maester Luwin alone."

A part of her couldn't believe she just said that. This woman was always rude to Jon, now she wanted to be alone with him and maester Luwin and send off his only friends? His family?

A part of her...no, she very much wanted to refuse. Someone needed to stand up to her, to tell her that she was being a bitch. But what could she do, only a girl of eight?

So instead of arguing, she nodded, and grabbed Robbs shoulder. She could see he was doing all he could to hold back tears. "Hell be fine," she whispered to him as they walked down the hall. Robb needed to believe that, she needed to believe that.

Viserys

Wearing his winter clothes he often wore on cold nights or days, and his satchel around his waist, Viserys walked through Winter Town, trying to avoid looking at any of the town or castle guards.

He looked around for where the Night's Watchman would be. The Starks never really allowed for him or his sister to leave the walls of Winterfell, and he had hardly ever been in Wintertown.

But Lord Stark kept assuring him that he would not spend the remainder of his life in Winterfell, but Viserys knew that if Stark had his way, he would never leave the North either.

"Ill fucking kill ya!" he heard a man yell from up ahead, followed by a bashing noise. Viserys ran over where he heard the noise, and found a few wagons carrying only men.

On the ground were two people, both fighting one another with nothing but their fists. "Oh for, break it up you sons of whores." he heard a man dressed in black yell as he walked over to the man on top, pulling him off a small and skinny man.

When the other guy that was on top stood to his feet, he wiped blood off his lips. "You got lucky, fucking poacher." he snorted before walking to one of the carts.

"Walk it off Tanner." The Nights Watchman said to the bigger man that had attacked the smaller recruit. Neither looked like they were from the North, which confused him because the Black Brother in the Maesters chambers had been looking for recruits.

As Viserys walked over to the Ranger, the man helped the smaller man to his feet. "Get on a different cart, Will," he advised the recruit.

Before stepping forward, he recognized the ranger and remembered he had unique valyrian features. So, thinking of how to cover it up, his eyes wandered to the muddy ground, and he groaned once he realized what he had to do.

So, kneeling in the mud, he made sure to cover his hair with it so it would look mostly filthy brown. This was the only time he ever resented having Valyrian silver hair, and it would be the last time he would cover himself in filth.

Once he was finished, Viserys cleared his throat and walked closer to the black brother. "Ranger," he called to the Watchman. "Do you have room for one more?"

The Black Brother looked at him, and then glanced over at the recruits. "You don't wanna be travelin with this lot boy, piss off." he advised

Viserys shook his head, "Please, I have nobody here for me." he somewhat lied. "Let me take the black, or i'll die here a beggars death." He didn't really have any intention of taking the black, he simply wanted his relative free from the Watch.

The black Brother studied him for a moment. "How old are you, boy?" he asked.

Hesitating, Viserys knew he couldn't tell the truth. "Almost fifteen years," he lied.

Again the recruiter studied him, looking over his height, width, muscle. "You wanna make it to the Wall, you'd best sit in that cart." he pointed to the one where that recruit that had been in a fight was sitting.

Relieved, Viserys walked over to the cart and sat next to the man he thought he remembered being named Will. Will paid him no attention, so Viserys looked down at his feet, then back to the castle when the wagons started to move.

He wished bringing Dany along was an option, but she was too young, and a girl. Only men could join the Night's Watch, so that was a complication.

It was of no consequence however, as when he had his army, Daenerys would be his queen, and they would reclaim their birthright together.

Eddard (Two weeks later)

"Out, all of you." his grace Robert Baratheon ordered every lord in the tent to leave. They had finished discussing plans for their siege on Pyke. Now that Balon's son and heir Rodrick Greyjoy was dead, and Stannis Baratheon had decimated the Iron Fleet, this war would soon come to an end.

Obeying the king's command, Tywin, Jason Mallister, ser Barristan, and himself rose from their seats and proceeded to exit the tent. But on his way out, "Not you Ned." Robert ordered.

Turning around, he looked at his friend and king confused. "Your grace?"

Robert gestured to the seat he had just been sitting in, the one on Roberts right. "Sit down, and read this." the king placed a letter on the table.

When Ned sat down, and took the letter in his hand, he noticed the seal of his house had been broken, indicating Robert had read it. Though why his grace would do that he did not know.

Ned

I have made a terrible mistake. Jon has come down with the pox, but worry not, Maester Luwin has said he will live, and make a full recovery. But this is not why I have written to you. Viserys went missing no longer than a day ago, and despite our efforts, there have been no sightings of him.

We need you back in Winterfell Ned, Robert can fight his war alone. Jon needs you, as does Viserys, and your family you have made. And as I already stated, I made a mistake, one that I must discuss with you in person.

Catelyn

He didn't know what to be more worried about. Jon was sick, and Viserys had run away. On top of the Targaryen boy running away, Robert had already read the note, so he knew what was coming. "Robert, I need to-"

"Don't even think about it." Robert interrupted him, his face stern. "Viserys Targaryen, I warned you Ned, I fucking warned you that all Targaryens needed to be wiped out."

After over eight years, his old friend still held hatred for the Targaryens. "He's just a boy Robert, what threat could a boy of thirteen pose?"

Robert grunted, "Boys grow Ned, and when the whelp starts breeding with his inbred sister, ill-"

"That will never happen Robert." he assured the king. Viserys wouldn't ever have relations with Daenerys, he would see to that. And the two were like his children, both had been with him longer than their own parents. It disgusted him to think the two would marry and breed.

The king leaned forward against the table as he rose, angered. "You can't bloody control a dragon, Ned!" he yelled at him. After a brief moment, Robert took a deep breath, calming down a little. "The boy will die, his sister can live. Will that please you?"

'Would it please me?!' how in seven hells could he be pleased with the murder of a boy he had practically raised!?

Rising from his seat, Ned stared into the eyes of the man he had once thought a brother. "Forgive me your grace, but Viserys Targaryen is my ward, and if you enter the North intent on killing him, then there will be war, you have my word on that."

The two men who had once fought side by side to overthrow the Targaryen Dynasty, now shared a long, intense stare, arguing over the fate of a Targaryen.

After what felt like an hour, Robert smashed his fist against the wooden table. "DAMN YOU NED!" he screamed loudly, face blood red. "GET OUT YOU UNGRATEFUL INGRATE, RUN BACK TO WINTERFELL! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD ON A SPIKE, I SWEAR IT!"

As Robert cursed at him, Ned walked out of the tent, just as angry as his former friend, if not more. But he knew Robert, when his grace calmed down Robert would try and salvage their friendship as he had after he took the Targaryens as his wards.

But the only reason Ned wanted them to salvage their relationship, was because it was all that kept his wards safe.

Robert was not the man he once knew, nor the friend he had drank with, fought beside, and called a brother. Now his grace was only his king, and nothing more than that.