A/N: For those who dislike such things the Margaery Pov is Lemon, if it's not your thing just skip that pov you won't miss any plot.
King's Landing 298 AC.
Benjen.
Seeing his brother and a man who he later found out to be Prince Oberyn waiting for him on the docks was a surprise, as was the red priest and priestess who were there waiting for Kinvara. He spoke to Ned as Frost and Lya rolled around on the dock and introduced Val, Kinvara, Ser Alliser, and Ser Jaremy to Ned and Oberyn. After he did they were taken to the Red Keep, though Kinvara left with the other two priests and told them she'd meet with his nephew another time.
Hearing that Jon had been in some sort of dream state for the last few weeks and had only just awakened, had him at first incredibly worried. Though he was soon relieved when but both Ned and Oberyn explained that he had recovered and just hadn't been able to come and greet them personally. Ser Alliser, Ser Jaremy, and the loyalists were brought to rooms within the Red Keep and told that Jon would see them soon while he and Val were taken to rooms closer to his family. Val walking around the Red Keep almost in a daze as she looked amazed at the sheer size of it.
"This is where the king lives?" she asked as they walked to the family wing.
"It is, we'll take you to him soon Lady Val." Ned said and Benjen saw Oberyn's smirk and Val's frown.
"There are no ladies among the Free Folk, Ned." he said seeing her nod to him.
"Forgive me, Val." Ned said a little uncomfortably.
"You're the Warden of the North, the Stark?" Val asked.
"I am."
"And you?" she asked Oberyn.
"Oberyn Martell." Oberyn said dropping the prince bit to Benjen's surprise.
When they reached what was to be Val's room, Benjen had to convince her that it was to be for her and her alone and that he'd come by to show her more of the Red Keep and King's Landing in a bit. Val looking at him with what looked to be gratitude and he felt a small stirring in his chest at the thought of doing something which made her happy. Ned asked if she needed clothing or wished to have a bath prepared, or if she was hungry and Benjen found himself sensing the clear confusion that Val certainly was going through. The culture shock for him was something hard to get used to but he at least had the experience of how Lordship worked. For Val having people do things for her would be much harder to get used to.
Once she was in her room, Oberyn looked at him and gave him a very odd smile before bidding him and Ned a farewell, and Benjen followed his brother to his own room. Just looking around it when he got to it had him feeling just as strangely as Val surely was and he began to panic just a little at the thought that this was his life from now on.
"Ben?" Ned asked seeing his worried expression.
"What? Sorry, this is hard to get used to." he said taking a seat.
"Aye, I know. You can turn it down if you wish, Ben, there is always a place for you at Winterfell and I'll be building up some new keeps, should you wish to run one?"
"I'll speak to Jon." he said softly.
"Jae or Jaehaerys." Ned said with a smirk and he looked at him while his brother explained that his nephew had fully embraced the name his mother had given him, Benjen smiling at the thoughts of how Lyanna would feel about that were she here.
"What happened to him?" he asked as Ned poured him some wine, Benjen looking at it and scrunching his nose.
"Had I known you were coming then I'd have seen there was ale. We'll have some tonight though, you'll eat with us won't you?" Ned asked.
"Aye, Jon, Ned?"
He listened as Ned told him what had happened and whether it was that his brother didn't truly know or that things were just that strange, he found that he was no clearer about the events than he had been before Ned explained.
"And he's well?" he asked
"He is, a little stiff and not able to get around easily but he's well and will recover fully."
"Thank the gods." he said as he took a swallow of the wine, the taste starting to grow on him.
"Val?" Ned asked.
"She's here representing the King Beyond the Wall. Our nephew sent Kinvara to treat with them and Val was sent by this King, this Mance Rayder to arrange a parley with Jo..Jae." he said.
"A parley?" Ned asked confused.
"Val says there is an army coming for those beyond the wall and when it's done with them it'll come for the rest of us, an Army of the Dead." he said expecting Ned to laugh only for his brother to say nothing and just look at him.
After a moment Ned got up from his seat and walked over before he patted him on the shoulder and told him how happy he was to see him.
"Elle is close and the Grandmaester says the babe will be born in the next few days. Its good to have you here for it Ben, after dinner we can speak some more, there's something I need to tell you, about Brandon."
"Brandon?" he asked confused.
"We'll talk later, I'll let you get settled." Ned said before leaving.
He was in the process of doing just that, Benjen removing his clothes or what few he had along with the even fewer possessions that he cared about and was placing them in the drawers when a knock came to the door. Stopping what he was doing he walked over to answer it and found Loras Tyrell standing there. The boy had grown a lot since he'd last seen him and was now wearing the white cloak of the Kingsguard.
"Lord Benjen, his grace requests that you join him and her grace." Loras said far more formal than he'd expected.
"Of course, Loras, lead the way." he said.
Walking with the boy the formality soon fell away and he was most relieved by it, the idea of having to speak in such a way all the time was not something that he had ever enjoyed. When they reached what he assumed was the King's Chambers, Benjen could see the two Kingsguard that stood there and he was happy to see Jae so protected. Without a word, the taller man knocked at the door and it was opened by Queen Margaery herself, Benjen finding himself standing there staring at his nephew's wife and just taking her in. She was incredibly beautiful and the smile she wore only made her seem even more so.
"Uncle Benjen." he heard Jae call out and he looked to see his nephew sitting on a couch, Margaery closing the door behind him as he walked over to join him and took a seat beside the new king.
King's Landing 298 AC.
Robb.
He, Arya, and Sansa were finally allowed to spend some time with Jae as he recovered from whatever it was that he had gone through, Robb still unsure of what that was exactly. They made their way to his chambers and he saw both Ser Arthur and Ser Loras to be on duty, Robb nodding to Loras before they were allowed into the room. Inside Jae and Margaery sat on one of the couches, Robb quickly noticing the crutch that leaned against the wall, and he saw Arya frown when she saw it too.
"Do you, do you need that? Are you not able to walk?" Arya asked worriedly and Jae shook his head bidding his sister come closer.
Robb didn't hear what his brother said to her, he just watched as Jae spoke softly to their sister. His words going unheard to any but Arya and Margaery who was sitting close by. He did see Arya nod a lot and then throw her arms around his brother. The two of them staying like that for quite some time while Jae rubbed her back and continued to speak softly to her. When Jae was done, he bid Sansa come to him and practically repeated the process, Robb happy to see there were more smiles and a little laughter when he spoke to Sansa.
He took his seat and rubbed Ghost when he came near, the wolf almost checking that he and Arya were both alright before it walked over and lay down in front of Margaery and Jae. After a few moments, Jae and Sansa broke from their hug, his sister wiping her eyes before she walked back to join him and Arya on the other couch.
"I am well, a little stiff and it'll take me some days or a week or two to be back to myself, hence the... that." Jae said nodding to the wooden crutch "Trust me it's far more welcome than needing to be held up by Ser Arthur each time I need to move." Jae said with a chuckle.
"What happened?" he asked and saw Jae look to Margaery.
"It's hard to explain, but I'll try." Jae said as he began to tell them what he'd gone through.
He listened with both Arya and Sansa looking just as lost as he was, Jae, speaking of magic and dreams and of seeing his family in Valyria. Robb wished to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it all but found he could not. His brother was speaking so seriously that he knew it was true, especially when he said that warging itself was just another kind of magic.
"Will it happen again?" Sansa asked worriedly.
"I don't know little sister, but should it then you shouldn't worry. I promise no matter what I'll always come back, always." Jae said and he saw Sansa nod.
"Why weren't we allowed to see you? Joy was but not us." Arya said her voice angered.
"That was my choice, Arya, I thought I was doing what was for the best. I didn't wish to worry you all any more than you already were and as for Joy, she snuck in, it wasn't that she was allowed and you were not." Margaery said looking at them all.
"It's not fair." Arya said and he watched as Jae stood up and reached over to take the crutch using it to walk over to them.
Arya's anger at not being allowed in to see him was soon replaced by worry when she saw how Jae moved. Sansa quickly jumping up from the couch to help him over to them and once he reached them he knelt down and took Arya's hands in his.
"Sometimes life isn't fair, little wolf. Margaery and the others thought what they were doing was for the best." Jae said and he found himself grinning when his brother moved his finger to Arya's mouth as she went to speak "Should it happen again then we'll all know better won't we."
"I'll be allowed visit? Sansa and Robb too?" Arya said and Jae leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"I'll make it a king's order shall I." Jae said grinning at her and Arya finally smiled.
They had some juice and some fruit brought in and he drank a little while ignoring the food. Sansa and Arya must have still felt a bit hungry or perhaps it was because the peaches did look quite delicious, as each of his sisters ate more than one. Jae joined them and soon the conversation began to drift to far more pleasant subjects, his upcoming wedding, Arya's training, Sansa starting to officially be a lady in waiting. Fun though it was and as much as he may have wished to keep the conversations to that, he knew that he needed to ask Jae the other thing that he came here for.
"Jae, my mother." he said seeing Sansa and Margaery both suddenly wearing the exact same frown while Arya bit her lip nervously.
"We've spoken of her, Robb, you know what is to happen." Jae said his own tone much different now too.
"I know, I'm not here to plead her case, I just, I wish to speak to her." he said.
"Me too, Jae, please." Arya added though Sansa stayed silent.
"You've not? I would have thought…" Jae turned to Margaery who seemed just as surprised as he, his brother standing up and walking to the desk and grabbing some parchment and a quill.
He wrote for some time before he looked over the words and then blew on them to dry the ink and bid him come to the table.
"This will grant you access, I assumed you'd already been Robb, forgive me for that. You can take as much time as you wish with her, just show this to the jailer or to Ser Bonifer and his men and they'll let you in."
"Thank you, Jae." he said taking the note.
Jae said goodbye to both his sisters with a hug and some whispered words before he nodded to him and then using the crutch walked back to sit down with Margaery. He bid them both his own goodbyes and then he and his sisters walked from the room. Arya looked eager to go to see their mother right away while Sansa looked anything but.
"Should we do this now?" he asked Sansa not needing to get Arya's reply but he was surprised by his older sister's.
"You both can go when you wish, I've no desire to see that woman." Sansa said.
"That woman is our mother, Sansa." Arya said before he could open his mouth.
"Yet, I can't seem to care." Sansa said walking away from them both, Robb wondering if he should speak to her or not and deciding that now was not the time.
He looked down at Arya who seemed to be on the verge of tears, Robb realizing that perhaps she thought this meant that they'd not go either.
"Do you wish to go now?" he asked and Arya nodded vigorously "Come then, let's go speak to mother." he said and took her by the hand.
The walk to find one of Ser Bonifer's men was much longer than he had anticipated. Usually, the Royal Guard was everywhere, and yet for some reason there didn't seem to be any of them around. He'd almost given up hope that he'd find any when he saw Ser Walder walking his way and so he moved to get the man's attention.
"Ser Walder."
"Lord Robb, Lady Arya, been to see his grace have you?" Walder said looking down on them both.
"Aye, we've been given permission to go and speak to my mother, Ser, but I can't seem to find one of the Royal Guard anywhere to take us." he said hoping that the man he'd known for most of his life as Hodor would offer to do just that and finding out he was to be in luck.
"Then let me take you both." Ser Walder said.
Robb soon found himself chuckling along with the large knight as Ser Walder and Arya spoke of training sessions and of Brienne being his squire, Arya most keen on the idea of a lady knight. Robb was about to tell her that ladies can't be knights when Ser Walder told them both that it was only a matter of time until Brienne was dubbed so, Robb looking at the man to see if he was japing. He found that he wasn't and Ser Walder explained what the duties of a knight and the code they lived by truly were and how Brienne was just as deserving of it as any man. Robb looked and could clearly see the wide-eyed look Arya was giving him and the excitement she was clearly feeling as she listened to his words.
"Ser Maron." Ser Walder said when they reached some stairs.
"Ser Walder." the other knight said with a nod.
"Lord Robb and Lady Arya wish to spend some time with their mother." Walder said.
"Have they permission to do so, Ser?" Maron asked and Robb handed him the note that Jae had signed the knight reading it quickly before speaking to him "Follow me, Lord Robb, Lady Arya."
They said goodbye to Ser Walder and followed the other knight down the stairs and to a room with some guards outside it. Robb waiting impatiently as the doors were opened and they were led inside. His mother sat on her bed looking down on the floor and he noticed how old and tired she looked almost immediately. Before she even had a chance to look up at them or acknowledge their presence, he was almost brushed aside as Arya ran to their mother and threw her arms around her.
"Mother, mother, I've missed you, I've missed you so much." Arya said as the guards left the room and her mother looked from his sister to him.
"Oh, thank the Seven, Robb, Arya, thank the Seven." their mother said and the door behind him closed shut.
King's Landing 298 AC.
Ashara.
She'd put it off for as long as she could, Genna, Gerion, and the others all telling her that she needed to go and speak to the woman and tell her the truth about things that Ashara had felt she deserved to know. In the end, it was Oberyn who she went to for advice. Ashara having dinner with him and Ellaria and his girls while Gerion did the same with Genna and Kevan and Cregan did with the Starks. She had to admit that sitting in a room that reflected Dornish culture was something she very much enjoyed, Ellaria had almost immediately redecorated her and Oberyn's apartments to reflect Dornish rather than Lannister or Baratheon tastes.
To eat the food from her homeland was something she enjoyed even more. The spices felt so familiar on her tongue and the Dornish sour was more welcome than the Arbor gold she'd become used to in the West. As for the company itself, Oberyn was his effusive self and while she'd barely known Ellaria from her time in Dorne, she could tell very quickly that had she then they'd have been firm friends. Oberyn's girls ranged from the studious Sarella to the warrior-like Obara and seemed to fit every single example of Dornishwoman in-between. Tyene was soft-spoken and seemed almost innocent, Nymeria was flirtatious and effervescent and the younger girls all tried to copy their older sisters as best they could. Ashara had hoped that Arianne would have joined them too but the princess was eating with what was soon to become her good family. Oberyn telling her that the dragons were having their own family dinner that night.
"You did not wish to attend?" she asked Oberyn knowing how much he thought of his adopted nephew.
"I wish for our own dinner with my nephew and niece and given my girls, it's for the best we don't share our time." Oberyn said his smile ever-present as he looked down at the two youngest who were speaking animatedly to each other.
"Jae seems to be well, recovering well that is." she said taking a sip of the wine.
"My nephew is far stronger than he looks and he also has more than one wedding that wishes his attendance." Oberyn said leaning forward to kiss Ellaria.
Ashara smiled at that, she'd heard that Oberyn was to marry his long-time paramour and it was clear to any who looked just how much he loved Ellaria. That they'd not married before now she could only put down to Doran, Elia's brother always having his own motives for each action he took or did not.
"It will be in Dorne?" she asked.
"Of course, the same week that Arianne is to marry." Ellaria said smiling.
"Then I look forward to seeing Sunspear once more." she said smiling back just as truly.
They spoke then on days long past as they ate and drank, neither she nor Oberyn willing to hit upon subjects that brought up bad memories and instead speaking on the ones that only led to good ones. Stories of their days at the Water Gardens and growing up as children, tales of Oberyn's mother and of her own. When they spoke of Elia it was of those days only, the young and carefree days when the world had not yet shown just how cruel and unforgiving it could be.
Ashara welcomed the reminiscences, the warm memories of her friend were ones that she could look back upon with joy. But soon enough they were being infringed upon by the memories that none of them wished to think about. Ellaria noticing the change of mood and using her children to make them forget and place those memories aside for now at least. Ashara was soon laughing loudly as Dorea spoke of her own days in Water Gardens and as Loreza named her sister a coward for being afraid of the water where she was not.
"Nym, Tyene, take your younger sisters to their rooms, it's time they were abed." Ellaria said when the dinner ended and Oberyn looked her way.
"Mama." Elia said pouting.
"No, little snake, you have a busy day with your father on the morrow, now go or I'll make you stay here with me, I'm sure there is some embroidery I can find for you all to do."
Ashara laughed at how quickly the girls moved after that. Oberyn telling her they were going hunting in the Kingswood on the morrow and his daughters proving themselves truly their father's children as they'd not risk that would not be the day to come. When the youngest were asleep, Sarella, Obara, Nym, and Tyene came and bid their father and Ellaria goodnight. The girls soon leaving them alone as they headed out to enjoy what King's Landing had to offer and Ashara found she envied them their youth.
"So what brings you our way, Ashara, not that I'm unhappy with your company." Oberyn said as he sat beside Ellaria on a long couch while she sat across from them and faced them both.
"Catelyn Tully." she said and saw the angered look that soon appeared on Oberyn's face.
"The trout, why care you about her?" Oberyn said as Ellaria rubbed her fingers over his arm the effect almost instantaneous as Oberyn calmed.
"I don't, I could care less about her, and was she not locked in a cell in the dungeons then I'd not give her the time of day. But she is and soon she's to face punishment for her crimes and for what she tried to do to our nephew, Oberyn. Were that enough then I'd perhaps wish to speak to her, to give her a piece of my mind, but you know why I'm thinking of her." she said and Oberyn nodded though it was Ellaria who nodded.
"You wish to speak to her about Brandon, about Cregan?" Ellaria said.
"I feel I must." she said softly.
"To explain? Why, you owe her no such explanation, Ash, he loved you and not her, any with eyes to see would know that to be true." Oberyn said.
"He was betrothed to her, no doubt she thinks me a seductress, a wanton woman who lay with her intended and as I said were she anywhere but here I'd care not. But here she is and I'd have her know the truth before she faces her punishment for what she did."
"She'll not believe it, Ash. Lord Jaime told me that Stark went to see her and she thought he was there to rescue her, that he'd come to stand up for her after all she'd done. The woman has lost what little sense she has, Ash, seeing you won't make her believe the words you speak and you may risk her own hurting you far more than yours hurt her." Oberyn said.
"I don't wish to hurt her, Oberyn, I wish her to know the truth about me and Brandon, about Cregan, for whatever good it will do. I just want her to know." she said and Oberyn shook his head while Ellaria nodded.
"Then you should go, but be wary Ashara, as Oberyn says the woman has lost her senses, you may not wish to hurt her but she very well may try to hurt you, physically or worse with words alone." Ellaria said sympathetically.
She bid them goodnight and walked back to her own rooms, checking in on Joy and Cregan once she got there. Her son asleep with his wolf at the end of the bed and Joy with Balerion on hers. Gerion was sitting up waiting for her and so she walked over and sat down on his lap, telling her husband what Oberyn and Ellaria had suggested and she listened to him as he told her that whatever she wished to do, he was with her.
They made love and he held her through the night, sleep for her was hard to find and when finally closed her eyes she was awake what felt like moments later. She rose and dressed before she broke her fast with her husband and their children. Ashara waiting until Joy went for her lessons and Cregan had set off to spar before she told Gerion that she was ready to speak to Catelyn Tully now. He walked her down to the cells and he waited for her as she was led inside. Then for the first time in seven and ten years, she was face to face with a woman she'd once pitied and who she now only scorned.
(Lemon Warning, those who don't wish to read it just skip this pov).
King's Landing 298 AC.
Margaery.
He'd been getting stronger the last couple of days and was almost moving around without the use of the crutch, only keeping it with him just in case rather than out of a pressing need. As she lay in the bath and felt the water and soap run off her skin she was sure she was being watched and when she turned around she saw him standing there. The look in her husband's eyes was one she'd longed to see since he'd awakened and one she'd very much missed while he'd been asleep. Margaery heard the almost gasp he made when she stood up and turned to face him. She then saw the way his tongue rolled over his lips as he took in the sight she offered him and she felt her own need begin to rise.
Slowly she stepped out of the bath and reached for the towel only to find it nowhere in sight and when she looked at Jae she saw he was smiling like an errant child. As much as she wished to call out when he walked from the room she found that she was enjoying the game too much to do so. So with the water still dripping from her body, she followed him into their bed chambers. Jae sat on the bed as if he was waiting for her and so she walked towards him only to move away from him just as she reached him.
"No, I don't think so." he said as he reached out quickly and grabbed her hand, Margaery laughing as he pulled her down to the bed "Now, I believe we have some time to make up for, so I hope my wife has no plans for the foreseeable future." Jae said as he rolled on top of her and was soon looking down at her.
"Well I did have…..Jae…gods." she said as she felt his lips on her neck.
Within moments was moaning loudly as her husband put his incredibly talented tongue to work. Firstly licking every single drop of moisture from her body and while in one way he was making her drier in another he was very much not. That he spent so much time not actually touching where she wished him to touch or kissing where she wished him to kiss was both incredibly frustrating and also unbelievably exciting. Margaery finding herself moving to try and get him to take her nipple in his mouth or squeezing her legs together to try and trap him when his tongue licked the inside of her thigh.
She saw his own desire was just as strong as hers when he looked deep into her eyes and leaned forward to gently bite her lip. His tongue soon fighting with her own for control as they kissed. When he whispered what he intended to do to her in her ear she felt the goosebumps rise on her skin. Even more so when he put into practice the things he'd promised he was about to do.
"Jae, yes, yes." she said when she felt his teeth gently bite her breast and she almost screamed out when he took her nipple in his mouth.
It didn't take her long to actually scream out as she felt his fingers slide down her stomach and between her legs. Their journey thankfully reaching its destination and soon enough they were making themselves very much at home. How he was able to curl them up and touch her both inside and out at the same time she couldn't tell but when she felt herself grow close and felt him touch her nub, it was the gods themselves she thanked.
When he then brought them from between her legs and place them in his mouth she felt herself ready to rise once more. Her hands almost pushing his head down as his lips began to make the same journey that his fingers had only just traveled. Feeling his lips and then his tongue her back arched of its own accord and soon her hands were pulling on his hair as she felt the waves begin to rise. She almost passed out and whether it was from the pleasure she'd just been given or the fact that it had been more than a moon since she'd felt it, Margaery couldn't tell and she found that she didn't care. Instead, she wanted more and when she felt his tongue begin to work again she knew that she'd soon be feeling it all once again.
"Jae, Jae JAEEEEE…" she cried out and pushed him away, the pleasure now too much for her to bear, Margaery feeling herself almost vibrate as she shook on the bed and held his head and his wicked tongue at bay.
As she finally began to calm she was happy to see that her husband had decided not to be idle, Jae undressing far more quickly than she would have liked and yet his hurry only fuelled her own desire. When he was standing naked in front of her she reached up and grabbed his hand pulling him down to the bed. Margaery laughing when he did before she moved up from the bed and climbed on top of him. She then pushed his arms down and held his hands to the bed when he tried to touch her.
"Now, now, my husband is not the only one who wishes to explore." she said as she leaned forward and gently bit his ear.
Soon enough her tongue was tasting his body and while he didn't have the moisture from the bath for her to lick up, she found she enjoyed the taste of him all the same. She kissed his lips, his chin, and his neck and even found herself taking one of his nipples in her mouth, wondering if this was what it felt like when he did the same to her. Feeling the way he moved beneath her as she did so, she began to think it was and so she continued to gently suck on it before she began to move further down his body. Hearing him moan when she took his manhood in her hand was a most welcome sound to her ears, Margaery happy that she could make him feel the same as he did her.
"So hard for me." she said as she softly blew on his member and the reaction she got only made her wish to do so again, Jae almost jumping up from the bed when he felt the warmth of her breath.
She leaned forward and stuck her tongue out, the tip of it barely making contact with the head of Jae's manhood. Margaery though found to her disappointment that there was no taste of him on her tongue when she brought it back into her mouth. Moving even closer she rolled her tongue against his cock and finally tasted him, her lips soon covering the head as she wished to bring him the same pleasure that he did her. An inch, two, maybe even three, she began to enjoy the taste of him and the reactions her lips and mouth provoked. When she saw the look on Jae's eyes as she looked at him she felt herself grow bolder and so she took even more of him inside her mouth.
Far too soon she felt him begin to shudder, his eyes looking down pleadingly at her and his lips pursed as he bit down on them with his teeth. Taking him from her mouth she began to move her hand up and down his shaft and she looked on as the fingers of his hands began to open and close.
"Marge, I'm…."
He didn't need to say anymore as her hands moved faster now and soon she was looking on in fascination as his shaft began to pulse and the tip seemed to expand. How many spurts erupted from the top of his manhood she couldn't tell. Her eyes were almost drawn to the sight and she watched as the white creamy fluid fell down upon her husband's stomach. Jae shuddered and then he stopped, Margaery looking up to see that his eyes were closed and before she knew what she was doing her tongue was reaching out to touch the tip once more. It was salty and she found that while she didn't quite like the taste it didn't repulse her either. Then as her tongue began to clean up the pool of it that lay on his stomach she watched as Jae's eyes never left her own.
Moving up his body when she was done, she lay on top of him. Jae's arms wrapping around her as she kissed him and felt him kiss her back. Margaery glad that he didn't seem to hate the taste of himself from her lips as she had not when she'd tasted herself on his own. They lay that way for a bit, Jae stroking her hair and kissing her softly as she snuggled against him. Feeling him begin to rise again she looked into his eyes and saw how hungrily he was looking into her own.
"I want you, I want you inside me." she said and he kissed her before he rolled on top of her Margaery looking on as he rubbed his manhood against her and she felt just how hard that he truly was.
He was gentle when he began to push inside her and she was surprised that despite how much she wanted him to do so and how ready she was for him, that it still hurt just a little. Jae noticing and taking every effort to make it hurt as little as possible. Even when he was fully inside her, he didn't move and instead just let her get used to his size once more. Margaery feeling her body relax and then nodding to him and telling him she was ready.
When he rolled over so she was on top she looked down at him sure he was making a jest but Jae just shook his head and placed his hands on her hips, Margaery feeling the pleasure as he lifted her slowly up and down. Soon she was moving forward too and then she felt something give inside of her, the movements forcing her breathing to grow shallow and a flush growing from somewhere inside her chest. Her release when it came was matched by his own and as she collapsed against him she felt herself begin to cry, Jae not understanding and thinking that he'd hurt her.
"I'm sorry, gods, Margaery I'm so sorry." he said over and over again as she shook her head and kissed him and tried to find the words to tell him how she felt.
It took some time for her to calm enough and for Jae to stop apologizing, the two of them laying on their sides and looking at each other face to face.
"You didn't hurt me, Jae, I swear it, you did anything but hurt me." she said reaching out to rub her hand through his hair.
"Then what? You were crying, Marge, I saw it, I heard it." Jae said his voice full of worry and concern.
"I think it was because a part of me feared that we'd never, that this, us, that it would…." she said struggling to get the words out as he looked at her.
"What did I tell you? It's us, Marge, you and I, always, nothing will ever come between that, not magic, not Bloodraven, nothing. You and me, together, always." he said kissing her as she kissed him back.
King's Landing 298 AC.
Ser Bonifer.
He looked in the mirror and the older man who stared back out at him was one he barely recognized. His thoughts having been confused ever since he'd looked into the Glass Candles with Daenerys. Bonifer would find himself looking at the princess and seeing not her but her mother. Knowing that it was only that Daenerys had a much different personality, that had allowed him to not think of her as simply Rhaella born again.
As he dressed and looked at himself he found himself closing his eyes, his fingers touching the place where only recently a grey beard had grown. Bonifer shaving it off after seeing how he'd once looked and now not sure if he'd been right to do so. The world he knew now and the world that had once been having almost merged into one and he'd found himself looking and seeing ghosts wherever he walked. He saw the men who stood by and had allowed her to be treated so were now wearing white cloaks once more. Even though Jaime Lannister was not, in Bonifer's mind it was hard not to see him in one as he did Arthur and Barristan. It was harder still not to feel anger when he thought of them and what they'd done and not done.
When he looked at the princess and saw her with Aurane Waters, it had been hard for him to see them both and not see Aerys and Rhaella and at times he'd almost come close to running the man through. Bonifer walked from the looking glass and sat down on the bed and before he knew what he was doing he was laying back and picturing what he'd seen. The images in the Glass Candles were not like any memory he'd ever known and instead had felt as real as if he'd been once again reliving the days.
A few weeks ago.
He and the princess walked to the King's Chambers, both of them feeling equally as nervous as the other. Bonifer nodded to Ser Walder who opened the door and when they walked inside they found the king was already waiting. Daenerys greeted her nephew warmly and he was happy to see it returned the same way, Jaehaerys bidding them both to take and seat and then picking up a chest from the ground. He looked on as he took the Glass Candles and a jar of what to Bon seemed to be blood and placed them on the table.
"You're both sure you wish to see this?" Jaehaerys asked them.
"I need to, Jae." Daenerys said as she looked to him.
"Aye, I'm sure, your grace." he said.
He watched as Jaehaerys opened the jar and began to pour it on the green one while the black one was moved in front of him and the princess. Once it was almost covered in what he now was certain was blood, Jaehaerys looked to them both and Bon watched as the king closed his eyes and the flames began to light. A moment later he almost fell to the ground when he saw the image began to appear.
"I would ask for your favor, princess." the young knight said to a giggle from the silver-haired woman in front of him.
"You are bold, Ser, to think a princess would be willing to see her favor worn so publicly." the woman said.
"Well since we already have the boldest of knights, perhaps I'm just following in Ser Barristan's footsteps, though if memory serves me he wished to ride for glory when I only wish to ride for love." the young knight said.
"Oh, Bon, the words you speak." Rhaella said smiling as she handed him the favor.
"I speak the truth, my princess, my queen of love and beauty." he said softly.
The images changed and Bonifer saw that Daenerys was looking at him as much as she was at what the candles showed. Her fingers brushing away a stray tear that had begun to fall from her eyes as she did so.
The last man fell and the crowd cheered as he rode over and picked up the garland before riding to the royal box. He could see the excitement in her eyes as he drew ever closer and then he moved the lance so that it was facing her and her alone.
"Princess Rhaella, I would name you as the Queen of Love and Beauty."
Bonifer felt Daenerys hand touch his own as the images changed once more, his eyes focussed on the Glass Candle as he wondered what it would show.
Rhaella stood in front of the looking glass, her white dress and small crown making her look like the Maiden herself. She seemed to take a deep breath and then the tears began to fall, Rhaella moving to the bed and crying loudly as her body heaved.
"It was never to be him."
"It was never to be him."
"Come for me, come for me, my knight, come and rescue me from what my life is sure to become. I need you, Bon, I need you to come and take me from this place." Rhaella said as she began to cry even louder.
She was standing in front of the High Septon and her distress and upset was clear for all to see, the man beside her paying her no mind. Rhaella was doing her duty and marrying her brother as her father had demanded of her and as the bells began to ring out a lone horseman rode through the Kingswood. The horse changing direction and heading north now rather than south it had been until the bell had rung out and made it clear he'd been too late.
He closed his eyes and didn't see the images change, only the sound of the pained gasp from the princess beside him forcing him to forego his own pain and concentrate on hers. As he looked to the king he saw the sympathy in his eyes and he welcomed the nod the man gave him before he turned to look down at the Glass Candles once more.
"I will not stay here, Aerys, I do not trust Pycelle and I will see my child born." Rhaella said.
"You dare defy your king, whore, do you forget your place." Aerys said his long hair and nails showing just how close to the end this was.
"We don't know where Rhaegar is and the rebels rise Aerys. Dragonstone is safer for me and the children than here, or do you wish to see yet another of our children not live." Rhaella said as Aerys slapped her hard across the face.
"Don't ever speak to your king in such a way, you don't wish to wake the dragon do you?"
"No, but I'd see another dragon born, my love, another dragon like you." Rhaella said her voice changing now.
The boat sailed and she stood on the aft looking as King's Landing faded from view, her belly swollen and her hands holding it tight.
"You will live, by the gods, they'll all feel my wrath should you not." Rhaella said.
The storm raged outside and the screams rang out around the keep, men and women running to and fro and a worried-looking Maester looking down at the pained woman in the bed. Her silver hair lay all across the pillow and her hands gripped the sheets as the sweat poured down her cheeks.
"I cannot be certain you will live, my queen, I can save you or the babe but not you both." the Maester said.
"My child, you save my babe, you hear me."
"My queen, think about what you're asking of us." Ser Willem Darry said.
"My child, Ser Willem, you save my babe, don't make me order it." Rhaella said.
"You heard her grace." Ser Willem said.
The sound of the babe's cries were heard over the storm, her violet eyes open and wide even as she cried out. On the bed the woman was weak and yet she reached out for the babe and the Maester handed it to her. As if all it had wanted was its mother's touch the babe suddenly stopped crying and Rhaella looked down at it. Her strength almost seeming as it had returned to her as she held the babe close
"Daenerys, my sweet sweet, Daenerys, look at you, so strong, so beautiful. I wish I could be there with you, to hold your hand, to see you grow into the proud fierce young woman you'll surely be. Were it left to my will and my will alone then nothing would stop me but we all are here by the will of the gods and the gods alone make that choice. Know this always though, it was you I choose and it was one of the only choices I got to make in this world that was mine own."
"My queen." Ser Willem said reaching out to take the babe.
"Go, take them, go Ser Willem, and know you do so with your queen's gratitude." Rhaella said as Ser Willem took the crying babe and hurried from the room.
Rhaella turned her face from the door, her tears falling from her eyes as she looked out onto the bay, her breathing growing shallow as she turned her head back.
"Look over them both, my son, my daughter, protect them and let me see those that I wish to hold once more. Shaena, Daeron, Aegon, Jaehaerys, Rhaegar, your mother is coming home." Rhaella said as she breathed her last breath.
The flames burned out and Jaehaerys moved even quicker than he, the king holding Daenerys in his arms as she sobbed against her nephew's chest. He couldn't hear the words he spoke but he did see the nod he gave him as he motioned to the door. Bonifer getting up and walking to it and sending Ser Walder inside and then he, the king, and the giant Kingsguard helped Daenerys to her room.
Now.
He moved from the bed and wiped his eyes, the tears had come to him as they had at least once a day ever since he'd seen the images the glass candles showed. It had taken Daenerys some time to come back into herself and though she had, Bon had caught her looking to him occasionally with a sad look on her face. It was one that he was sure he'd worn often too. Getting up from the bed he finished dressing and readied himself for the day ahead.
He left the room and prepared to face the ghosts and as he began to walk down the corridor and toward the princess's room he did so with only one clear thought in his head. It was the same one he'd had since he'd seen the vision in the Glass Candles. Every time he thought back on the final words she'd spoken he'd found himself more and more sure it was to him that she spoke. He'd not been able to protect her son, to look over him as she had wished but he could do so with Daenerys and he would.
"I'll protect her my love, my life for hers, and one day I'll see you again." he said softly as he saw the princess smile as she walked from her room towards him.
King's Landing 298 AC.
Cat.
For some reason the dreams had stopped, Cat not sure why that was but welcoming it all the same, and yet sleep still eluded her. At first, it had been because she feared what may come to her when she closed her eyes but then it had been because she feared what was to become of her now that she was in the dragon's lair. Each visitor only making her more and more certain that the dreams themselves would come true.
She'd been furious when the Lannister had come, how dare she judge her for things she knew not. It hadn't been her family that the bastard had intended to usurp, no, her family had benefited from having him in their home.
As he has yours.
Cat shook her head and ignored the voice, just as she had done ever since she'd started to hear it speak to her. Ever since Genna Lannister had come it had become something that had been happening more and more and when Ned came it had only gotten even worse. Cat hearing the voice each time she brought up her reasons for hating Jon Snow in her head.
"He wanted to usurp Robb"
Did he?
"He was a threat to my family."
Was he?
"He is a bastard."
Is he?
The voice not agreeing with what she would say and Cat hating hearing it as it sounded more and more like her father or her brother, her uncle or her mother, and even Brandon from time to time. She was sitting in her cell trying to get the voice to leave her alone when the door opened and Robb and Arya walked in. Cat welcoming the feel of her daughter's arms around her and looking up to see her son. Though when she looked behind him she didn't see Sansa anywhere in sight.
Arya never let go of her hand even when Cat had her sit on the bed beside her, her daughter looking up to her lovingly while Robb bore a very different expression on his face. Cat sat silently as Arya told her about her fostering and while she wished to speak out about it and how wrong it was that she was doing as she was, she felt it best she did not. Instead simply nodding and letting Arya's presence be enough for her.
"Robb is to be married soon too mother, I hope you can come." Arya said and Cat looked to Robb whose expression was telling her all she needed to know about that, her presence would not be welcome she could clearly see in that look.
"You need to admit what you did, mother, to stand up and say you're sorry for it, perhaps then…." Robb said.
"You expect me to apologize, to him, after all he's done." she said feeling Arya move from her.
"All he's done? Was it him who sent assassins after himself, mother? He who tried to have himself killed because he feared what he may do? No, that was you, all you." Robb said.
"Robb, I…I dd it for you, for Arya, for Sansa, for all of you." she said and Arya looked at her and then her brother.
"You did it for me? I never asked it of you, nor did Sansa or Arya. Do you think any of us wished our brother dead, mother." Robb said angrily.
"He would have taken Winterfell from you." she said ignoring the voice which said that he was king of Westeros and Winterfell was a very small prize compared to that.
"Gods, do you even listen to yourself, Arya, come on, there's not talking to her." Robb said.
"Robb, Arya, please don't go, I'm sorry, I…"
She looked on as Arya moved to her brother, her daughter with tears in her eyes as Robb led her from the cell, Cat not sure what she'd done or said to make them leave.
You tried to kill their brother and told them you did it for them.
"I did do it for them." she said to the voice as the cell door closed.
Did you?
Her meal came and she barely ate it, Cat instead laying down and falling asleep.
The dreams that came were far more pleasant and she found herself standing looking down as Robb sparred in Winterfell. Sansa came running up to her with Arya beside her both girls dressed in the prettiest of dresses and holding out their embroidery for her to look at.
"Show your father, girls." she said turning to the tall dark-haired man beside her, Brandon smiling as he cheered their son on and looked at what their girls had made.
"Beautiful girls, just like you both and your mother." Brandon said as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
When she woke it was to the cell door opening and she looked to see the woman standing there, Cat almost rising to her feet when she heard her speak her name.
"Catelyn."
"Ashara."
The door closed behind the woman and Cat took a good hard look at her, Ashara Dayne not looking as if she'd aged but a day from when she'd seen them all fawning over her at Harrenhal.
"What do you want?" she asked looking at the woman.
"To speak some harsh truths." Ashara said.
"Of how you seduced Brandon and bewitched him." she sneered.
"You really didn't know him at all, did you?"
"He was to be my husband." she said loudly.
"Yet he married me." Ashara said and her words took her own away but only briefly.
"You think I believe your lies." she said.
"Out of the two of us, I believe I'm the only one who speaks the truth and the only one who's never tried to kill a child." Ashara said.
"Had I known of your own bastard then it would have been him that I'd have seen dead."
The slap was hard and she went to rise to her feet only to see Ashara reach for something at her hip and she worried that the woman was carrying a knife of some sort. Instead, it was a handkerchief that was thrown to her and Cat threw it to the ground, having no intention of using anything that belonged to this woman.
"Your father knew of my marriage to Brandon, he knew but kept it from you. He demanded that Rickard Stark annul it and force Brandon to wed you against his will. Whether you believe it or not I care not but I felt you were owed the truth. It was never to slight you or even about you, we met, we fell in love, and had things not turned out how they did then who knows what the realm would be like today."
"I told you I care not for your lies." Cat said turning away from Ashara.
"You knew so little of his true nature, but you knew enough. How do you think he'd have reacted to being told what he must do, Catelyn? Do you really think there was a force in this world that could make Brandon Stark do anything but what he wished to do?"
"You wrapped your legs around him and gave him what I would not until we wed. That's all you were to him Ashara, a cheap whore that he could spend inside and father a bastard upon, me, he loved." she said and Ashara laughed.
"I was told you were deluded, so lost in your own fantasy that you'd not listen to what I had to say, it seems they were right and I was wrong, well so be it. I know the truth and perhaps one day you will too, either way, it was me he loved, me he married and me he had a child with, Catelyn. Do with that what you will."
When Ashara left she began to cry, thinking back to those days and to how while not cold, how inattentive he had been. Cat had been sure that he, like Robert was sleeping with other women but she was sure also that once they were wed it would stop and be only here and him. It had never come to be and as she sat there in the cell alone she began to think that she'd never truly known what love had been. She'd not had it with Brandon, Ned, or with Petyr, the only true love she'd ever had was with her children and she'd lost that because of how she'd felt about Jon Snow.
Had you but loved him.
The voice almost mocking her as she cried against the covers of the bed. The true depths of the situation she now found herself in finally hitting home.
King's Landing 298 AC.
Jaehaerys Targaryen.
Each day he felt stronger and so he'd begun to welcome more and more visitors, Robb, Arya, Sansa, Joy, Willem, and Martyn. Tommen who was eager to get back to his duties and Oberyn, Ellaria, and his cousins. He promised Oberyn that he'd eat with him and his family as soon as he was properly up and walking without aid. Aemon and Gormon had said that would be in the next few days and Jae found himself hoping they were right.
With others, he spoke only briefly at Margaery's behest, her own family, Genna, Gerion, and Ashara, and even his uncle Ned were only allowed brief visits. Apart from Jaime even his aunts and uncles weren't really allowed to spend much time with him, though in Shiera's case it was because Margaery still hadn't forgiven her for what had happened. Nothing he said could change her mind on it and so he'd given up trying, Margaery saying that had she not acted how she had then he'd have never fallen in the first place.
Jae though wasn't completely sure that was the case, the words in Daenys's journal becoming more and more clear to him. One line, in particular, kept playing out in his head as he read the journal over and over.
Though he thinks she does it for him, In truth, she does so for you.
It had made him think about events even more clearly. Shiera believed that Bloodraven had predicted what she would do if she saw the pin and had played her almost to do as he willed. Jae though wasn't as convinced, in fact, he was beginning to be certain that he'd instead just seen it and taken advantage of it. That he'd not actually planned it but more he'd simply known it was going to happen. He spoke to Aemon one day about it and his uncle told him something that he found most interesting.
"Marwyn always said that Prophecy will bite your prick off every time. It's a treacherous woman and like all things that are treacherous it's to be handled with care." Aemon said.
Jae though had a different take on it, or at least when it came to himself and his role in prophecy he did. There was truth and then there was what people were allowed to believe was the truth. The line between one and the other was based not on knowledge but on design he'd come to believe. Daenys's Journal had been hidden, Why? Even when he found it there was a blood lock on it, Why? As he looked at it he'd known that he wasn't to be allowed to see the truth in it, not then, Why?.
It's not for him to see.
The thought came to him and he knew it to be true, it wasn't for him to see, it was for Jae to see. It was locked because it couldn't be seen by someone who it hadn't been written for and so over time people had taken fragments from it and thought them to be what was truly said.
"The Prince that Was Promised would Bring the Dawn." he said looking at the words in the book.
'But what exactly was the Dawn?'
He looked over the words more and more as he tried to make sense of them and then it hit him and he found himself writing one phrase down over and over again on the paper.
The Lands Eternal shall be renewed and open again.
"Valyria." he said as he began to read more.
He shall conquer life, death, and then he shall bring about the rebirth.
Conquer Life, was that beating Robert and regaining his throne, if so then what did Conquer Death mean, and what exactly was the Rebirth. Death, Life, Rebirth, the Dragon had three heads, he, Rhaenys, Rhaenix, Valyria, Rebirth. It was there, he could almost reach out and touch it, and yet it began to fade away, Jae looking at the book and finding himself moving to other pages and watching as words began to appear.
The Doom comes for us all.
Wolf and Dragon.
Old and New.
One king to unite them all.
To go forward you must go back.
Love is strength.
Jae found that certain phrases popped out at him and yet the words around them almost seemed faded as if now was not the time to know their truths. Instead, he found himself at the one other page that the writing was clear and he began to read it aloud.
"Where the Dragons make their lair amongst the salt and smoke. Where the black stone fills the walls, the truth lies, and weapons are forged. Weapons of steel, of glass, weapons that can defeat death itself. The dragons know, they've always known." Jae said before he heard a cough from behind him.
"Jae?" Margaery said and he turned to see his wife standing there rubbing her eyes "Who were you speaking to?"
"No one, I was just talking aloud." he said closing over the journal and reaching for the cane.
"You let me sleep?" she said a little annoyed as he walked towards her.
"You were tired." he said as he kissed her cheek.
"I wanted to spend the day with you before the trial and before we needed to get back to being king and queen. I just wished to spend the day alone with you." she said and he nodded.
"I know, but you needed to sleep too, Marge. You can't spend all your time looking over and making sure I'm well, it takes too much out of you." he said looking into her eyes.
"I know, I…" she said and he kissed her softly, both of them growing equally annoyed when the knock came to the door.
He turned to walk to it but she brushed past him and opened it herself and he was surprised to see Jaime walk in with a worried look on his face as he did so.
"Jaime?" he asked.
"We need to talk, your grace." Jaime said.
A few moments later, he, Margaery, and Jaime were walking to the reception room a few doors away, Jae glad that Jaime had set him up in here. Ser Arthur and Ser Barristan walked behind him while Ghost was in front of him and he saw that Ser Richard Horpe and Ser Walder were on guard at the door along with almost a dozen Royal Guards. Far too many he felt for one man, even one as dangerous as Victarion Greyjoy.
Ser Richard opened the door and Jae and Margaery walked in, Ghost moving to stand between him and the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. He saw Asha sitting beside her uncle and how the man looked at the cane in his hand, the almost half grin that came to the Iron Born's face would be one he'd take pleasure in wiping off. First, though he needed to hear it from the man himself, not that he disbelieved Jaime but more so he could make it clear what he intended to do.
"Euron?" he said without taking a seat.
"Intends to sail the Iron Fleet and attack Westeros." Victarion said.
"Where?" he asked.
"I don't know, if I was to wager I'd say the Reach but I can't be certain. My brother's plans are changeable."
"And he has all the Iron Islands at his command?" he asked.
"Along with Pirates from the Stepstones, your grace." Asha said.
"Why should I believe you?" he asked Victarion.
"I came because I heard you named my niece Lady Reaper. I hold no love for my brother and with him in charge it will be worse for my people than it was with Balon running things." Victarion said.
"If I find you're lying to me, Greyjoy then I'll take pleasure in feeding you to my dragon." he said as he looked to the man "Your ships will burn, either way, some if not all of them but if I can get to Euron first then perhaps it will be fewer."
"He wants you to come, he has a horn, he says it's a Dragonbinder. He wants you to come to him so he can take your dragon, your grace." Asha said and Jae began to laugh.
"Oh I'll come but the only thing he'll be getting from me or my dragon is Fire and Blood." he said turning and walking from the room.
Thanks to all who've read and reviewed I haven't got to the reviews today by will be finally caught back up next week. Up Next Jae takes a visit to Dragonstone and makes another discovery before he looks into the Glass Candles and finds an unexpected problem. Plans are made to deal with Euron while Richard, Willas, Wyman, and their prisoner return, and a trial is held in King's Landing before Jae flies off in a direction he'd not expected.
