Beyond the Wall 299 AC.

Val.

They had sailed to Eastwatch by the Sea. Val almost laughing when Benjen told her that they would be staying in the castle and the king would come to them. To sleep amongst the crows was not something she wished to do and yet if she wanted to go back Beyond the Wall, she had no choice. So she forbore the hateful looks, ignored the lustful ones, and kept as close to Benjen Stark as she could. The latter being something that she actually found herself enjoying as the man was not what she had expected him to be.

He was no longer a crow and instead was some sort of Lord of the North, though one without a keep or holding as far as she was aware. Despite his many years of fighting against her people, he didn't hate them as the other crows did and seemed to be supportive of what his nephew wished to do. But it was how he made her feel that confused, angered and delighted her in equal measures. Benjen Stark wished to steal her, it made her smile, and yet the longer he went without doing so the more she began to think that she'd need to steal him for herself.

She had planned to do just that, only for the king to arrive and her plans to be thwarted. Benjen spending the night in the king's room instead of his own and as fierce as she may have thought herself to be, she'd actually seen both those knights the king brought with him fight. So as she slept alone that night she came up with another plan, she would steal him on the journey to meet with Mance. Those cold nights spent by a fire looking for a way to stay warm would either give Benjen the will to steal her or take the fight from him when she stole him. Unfortunately, as she was to find out there was to be no long journey to Mance to come. It was to be a far shorter one than she had even thought possible in fact.

"What do you mean we're going on dragons?" she asked the woman with the witch's eyes, Shiera she'd heard her called.

"I mean we're to fly on dragon back to this meeting with this king of yours." Shiera said.

"All of us?" she asked disbelievingly.

"All of us." Shiera said.

Despite what seemed to be some trouble with the green one, she found that she was indeed about to fly on a dragon. Val found herself to be terrified by the mere idea of it, something she was glad to see was shared by Benjen. The giant guard, the violet-eyed one, the witch eyed woman, and the king all looked eager and so she made it seem as if she was too. The very last thing she wished was for them to think her people to be fearful of anything. She looked on as the king spoke to the dragon as if it was a horse, his words unheard by her but just watching him and the dragon speak together was like nothing she'd ever imagined. To see something so big react to a boy who'd not yet reached manhood in such a way, was impressive even to her.

Not that she'd not been impressed by the king during her time in King's Landing, both he and his queen though young were not as she'd expected. She found herself almost laughing thinking about how her people would react to him and what first impression he'd make on them. Val had thought him a green and weak boy only to see him spar, to find herself on the end of his blade, and to see how he controlled a dragon and a Direwolf. Now as they took to the sky she found herself certain that he was the one to save her people from what came for them. Only the gods would allow a man to control a beast as powerful as a dragon after all.

"Does he know where he's going?" she asked Benjen who was in front of her and hoped her voice carried in the wind.

"He knows." Benjen said after a moment, Val nodding and holding onto him tightly.

She'd not looked down, not yet, instead, she'd done her utmost to hold on and to not think that she was actually in the sky. For hours she'd done this and now she had finally found her courage to speak and to look at the lands beneath her. Turning her head from the warmth of the fur of Benjen's cloak, Val looked down and began to feel dizzy. The sight of trees, what could have been animals or people, and the rivers and streams beneath her as they flew over them was one that she'd never forget. But it was the speed of them flying past them that had made her head spin. The dragon covered ground in moments that it would take them most of a day to travel by horse or foot.

She was happy when they landed, the night's chill was coming in and the king found an open space near some trees for them to rest the night in. When the dragon did a circle of the area around their landing spot she felt relieved as it showed the precautions the king was taking. After they landed, she asked Benjen to help her gather some wood for the fire while the king spoke to the dragon once again before sitting down and closing his eyes. Val didn't pay him too much mind and just assumed he was tired from controlling the dragoon and it was only when she and Benjen returned with the wood, that she realized what he was really doing.

"He's a warg?" she asked shocked.

"Very much so." the king said opening his eyes and Val heard a crash from behind her.

The deer was on the ground, an arrow from the giant guard's bow in its side and she looked from it to the king. Had he warged the deer? Brought it to them for a meal? She never heard of such a thing and as she looked to the king she found she had to know.

"The deer?" she asked.

"No, the eagle." the king said and she looked to see it soaring in the sky above them.

She smiled at that, wargs had their own rules and they cared about their familiars, and she was glad to see that this king seemed to share some aspect of her people's culture. Setting the fire they sat around and ate the meat, Val torn between looking at the king and at Benjen Stark for most of the night. It was something the king caught her doing more than once to her embarrassment.

"Will your people be there, Val?" the king asked her later after they'd eaten and they were sitting around the fire quietly.

"My people don't know how to lie, your grace."

"Jae." the king said smiling.

"I thought?" she asked confused looking to Benjen who was smirking.

"In King's Landing there are rules, Val, even I have to follow them and for people to hear you speak my name or not address me by my title, it couldn't be allowed." the king, Jae said.

"And here?" she asked curiously.

"Here I'm not king." Jae said softly.

She looked at him as he got up and walked from the fire, Jae shaking his head at the two guards and bidding them rest before he walked alone across the snow. The dragon rose it's head when he got closer and Val jumped back when she saw it. The whiteness of the snow had made it almost invisible to the eye and it was only when it moved that she realized just how close to them it truly was.

"Is he coming back?" she asked looking to the others.

"He'll sleep by Rhaenix's side tonight, we should get our own rest." the witch eyed woman said.

It was against her that she found herself snuggled up to sleep, Benjen sleeping close but not close enough to her that night and there was no way to steal him with these others around. Waking the next morning they broke their fast on the remainder of the deer meat and were soon back in the sky. Val found the second flight on a dragon to be much more enjoyable than the first and spent most of it looking at the world from up high. The lands below them almost felt insignificant and small and even when they reached Mance's camp it seemed to be lesser than what it was. On the ground, tents stretched off into the distance, too many of them to count. Here in the sky, she got the impression that if the king willed it so then he could end the Free Folk in a couple of passes of the dragon. It made her fearful and yet hopeful too, if he could end them so easily, just what exactly could he do to the others?.

Barrow Hall 299 AC.

Barbrey Dustin.

She stood at the tree, the silence around her something that she welcomed and she found she could think again, think about the past, the future, the present. On a wedding that had brought her tears, happiness and reunited her with the ghosts of her past. A wedding that had shown her what could have been while reminding her of what was at the same time. Where two boys had forced her to think about things she'd not thought of for many years. Barbrey smiled as she thought of them both, two boys from two wolves both of them different and yet the same in some ways.

Cregan then.

It had been like she was looking at a ghost, a specter from a life long ago and it had taken her some time to get her bearings and realize that Brandon Stark had not come back to life. She'd felt incredibly angry at first, almost unbearably so, and had Domeric not arrived when he had then she may have left Winterfell for good. Her nephew though had brought his own new bride here and Barbrey had wished to spend more time with the girl. This alone was enough to delay her departure for a while at least.

Myranda was in some ways exactly the wrong type of woman for her nephew she had felt initially, only to be pleasantly surprised. The flirtatious, boisterous, and yet southern ladylike aspects of her nature were outward only and the woman beneath them was someone who in time would be formidable, Barbrey had found. Even in the short time they'd spend together at the Dreadfort it had been clear there was more to her than met the eye and so despite how she'd felt about seeing Cregan Stark, Barbrey stayed.

She was glad she did, as the boy was everything she had hoped their own babe would be, strong, true, good, and fierce. Watching him walk around with his Direwolf or beat all comers in the yard, listening to him speaking to the other young men of the North. Barbrey found herself so impressed by him that she spent little time with Myranda or less than she'd wished for. At meals, her eyes would be drawn to him, to his laugh, his smile, to the way he walked into the hall. He was Brandon reborn in all but temperament and Barbrey was surprised to find that to be a good thing.

When his mother had arrived she had sized her up and found that she could see what Brandon had seen in her. Ashara was a true beauty and any man would have fallen for her and while she may at times have dreamt that Brandon Stark loved her, she was older and wiser now and she knew the truth. They were not meant to be, they never could have been, and far better to lose him to Ashara Dayne she felt than to that horrible trout. She even found she was happy that the woman had found love herself now, Lord Gerion and she were clearly newlywed and still in the first blooms of that love and she'd not begrudge the woman that. Had she not found her own love with William too? Had they not sworn to each other and had he not healed her broken heart?.

"My lady, I was wondering if we may speak?" the voice asked her Barbrey looked up to see Cregan Stark standing in front of her, the voices in the hall lost to her as he spoke.

"Here?" she asked though it was more to gather her wits about her than a true question.

"Or somewhere of your choosing, my lady." Cregan said.

"The Godswood, after we break our fast." she said softly and the boy nodded before leaving her.

She barely ate the rest of the meal and found herself eager to speak to the boy, a need in her almost to get a true measure of the man he would become. Hurrying to the Godswood she didn't notice the woman looking at her, her violet eyes staring at her, and nor did she see her follow her in through the gate. Barbrey instead moved quickly and almost smiled when she saw him standing at the tree. His silhouetted figure looking so much like his father that it almost took her breath away.

"My lady."

"You may call me Barbrey, Lord Cregan." she said and he smiled and Barbrey felt her heart still.

"Cregan, my l...Barbrey." he said when she raised her eyebrow.

"What can I do for you, young man?" she asked her voice light as she found herself almost japing with him, just as she had done with his father at this very tree so many years earlier.

"I…my fat…I don't know how to say this." he said wiping his brow with his hand.

"I find it's best to just say things, Cregan." she said softly.

"My father, Barbrey, I've asked around and I know you and he…I was wondering if you could, if you would speak of him to me?" Cregan asked.

"You wish to know what he was like?" she asked and he nodded eagerly.

"Forgive me for asking it of you, I know I may not be someone you wish to speak to but I…my father, I…"

"Wish to know all you can of him?" she asked and he nodded.

She bid him sit and they spoke together for more than two hours, the cold air in the Godswood not affecting either of them and she told him tales of Brandon that only she knew. Cregan almost eating them up like a starving babe as she fed him stories of rides through the Barrowlands, of hunts, fights, and almost at one point of the times she and Brandon lay together, so easy did the words come from her mouth.

"I thank you, Barbrey, for taking the time, you have not idea how much this means to me." Cregan said when the chill rose and she shivered.

"I'm happy to speak to you of him, he was a good man Cregan, wild and wilful to be true, but a good man." she said and saw the boy nod as he made to help her up to her feet, Barbrey shaking her head as she felt the need to stay a little longer.

"Did you…"

"I did, with all my heart." she said and he nodded before leaving her alone.

The tears came not long after he left and were it not for the sound of the twig snapping then she'd have let them flow. Instead she wiped her eyes and rose to her feet before turning around to see Ashara Dayne standing in front of her.

"My lady." she said as she moved to walk past the woman.

"Thank you." Ashara said softly as she looked at her.

"For what?" she asked curiously.

"For not holding what Brandon and I did against my son." Ashara said.

"He's a good lad and I'm glad that a piece of Brandon lives on, he has all his father's strengths Lady Ashara and none of his weaknesses, that's to your credit." Barbrey said as the woman looked at her.

"May I ask of you something?" Ashara said and Barbrey nodded "Here in the North, should he need someone, may he call on you?"

"On me?" she asked surprised.

"Castamere is so far from here and while Ned and his family have welcomed him so, I'll not be here for him as much as I would wish. Should he need someone, I'd ask him to call on you, if you'd allow it?"

She thought about it for a moment before nodding her agreement. It was not the piece of Brandon that she had wished for but he was Brandon's son, that perhaps was enough.

Jaehaerys then.

She walked into the crypts to see the king speaking to the young blond girl, Joy. Barbrey doing her best not to intrude on the private conversation they were having and yet finding that the words carried despite the softness of the voices.

"People have often told me that she was the best horsewomen in the North, that she was unmatched by any." the king said.

"Just like you, Jon." the little girl said and Barbrey could hear the hero worship in that voice.

"Just like a little girl I know." the king replied and though she couldn't see his face she swore she could picture the smile upon it.

"You're better than me." the girl said and Barbrey looked on as the king knelt down to look at the girl closer.

"Aye, I'm older and I have my tricks, Joy. But you, you're the best I've ever seen and you're unmatched in the West just as she was in the North. In time, when you are the age I am now, not even I will be able to keep up with you and Apples."

"Is that why you like me because I ride as she did?" the girl asked her voice a little shaky.

"I love you because you're my sister, Joy. I've loved you since before you could ride, from storytime to now." the king said.

"I love you too, brother." the girl said as she hugged him and Barbrey stepped back as she was sure now that she was intruding.

She waited until the girl was led past the statues and out of the crypts, Ser Arthur Dayne being the one to lead her and she tried not to glare angrily at the knight when he passed her by. It was a hard thing for her to do and were it not for the king's voice calling her out then she'd perhaps have said something. She'd forgiven the man for what he'd done but she'd not forgotten it.

"Lady Dustin." the king called and Barbrey wondered how he'd seen her in the darkness.

"Your grace." she said moving forward and noticing the white wolf for the first time, the king smiling when she looked at the Direwolf.

"I had thought I'd have been finished before you arrived my lady, forgive me." the king said apologetically.

"There's nothing to forgive, your grace."

"I'm soon to travel from here, my lady, to the Wall and beyond. I find I've much to do before then and not enough time to fit it all in."

"The curse of us all, your grace. She said to a nod.

"I thought long and hard about how and where to do this, the godswood, Barrow Hall, but here felt right for some reason, it felt more true." the king said and she looked at him confusedly.

"To do what, your grace?" she asked as he bent down and picked up a chest.

"We lost so much my lady, both of us, we lost them to the storm. Here we can see the results of some of those losses, for me a mother, grandfather, and uncle. I lost them to lies, to ambitious men, to the will of gods, and at the hands of monsters. You too lost someone who got caught in the storm, my lady. Your husband was a good man and true and deserved a far better fate than he received. I may be a king and wear a crown but there are things even beyond my power and I cannot change what happened to him." the king said.

"No you cannot, your grace." she said looking to the chest and then watching as the king bent down and took to a knee.

"I can but return him my lady and beg forgiveness that it's taken this long to do so. I have named him a knight of the realm and intend to see his name is remembered and spoken of how it should always have been my lady. As a hero who rode out honorably and who gave his life for a cause that he felt worthy. I know nothing I can say will make you feel any differently about him, about my mother, Ser Arthur, or the rebellion itself.

So I'll say but this. The world is a poorer place without Ser William Dustin in it and my life has been poorer for not knowing him. I strive each and every day to make up for the loss of his and all the lives lost because of me, I carry them with me my lady, in all I do and all I am, I carry them with me." the king said as he handed her the chest.

Barbrey now.

She hadn't been able to say anything to him, she just allowed him to rise and to leave her alone with her tears and the bones of her husband. It had taken her some time to be composed enough to leave the crypts and carry him back to her room. Later she had heard that he'd brought them all back and returned them to their families and the king himself had left before she had gathered her thoughts and went to speak to him.

Barbrey dropped to her knees in front of the Weirwood, it's scowling face looking back at her as she closed her eyes and found herself praying for two boys, one a king and the other the son that could have been her own.

King's Landing 299 AC.

Ser Richard Lonmouth.

He stood at the edge of the crowd and watched as the arguments began, the red priestess speaking her words and then being heckled by the clearly obvious Septa who was dressed as if they were one of the small folk. Her disguise was some of the worst mummeries he'd ever seen as they were far too clean, far too healthy-looking. Even despite all the king and queen had done for people they still had little, though it was getting better. Richard watched and listened as the young priestess more than held her own against the Septa.

Waiting until the crowd dispersed he moved through the streets in his own disguise. Richard looking far more true than the planted people in the crowds that came to hear Kinvara and the others preach. He made his way to the Sept of Baelor and was welcomed inside, something that was rare enough with the Fat One in charge. The man was starting to get desperate, the faithful were leaning more to the Red Priests than the Seven as of late and the collections were bringing in less and less coin.

He smiled at that as he took his seat, the people had more and the faith less, just as it was supposed to be. Looking to the front he watched as the Fat One waddled and made his way to the statue of the Father and lit a candle before turning to face the still quite large crowd inside the Sept. Opening the doors to them had been a good idea and he doubted it was the Fat One who'd come up with it.

"The heathens preach openly in the streets while our king and queen travel to heathen lands and break bread with heathen lords." the Fat One said loudly "Where are the defenders of the faith? Where are the shields of the righteous? Are we to stand by while heathens spread their lies and untruths, or are we to rise against them, them and the king and queen who give them comfort?"

"Lies, lies." a woman shouted.

"How dare you speak of their graces so?"

"Where was the faith when my husband died and my children were growing hungry? Nowhere, it was the king and queen who saw my children fed, clothed, and made sure they kept a roof over their heads, not you."

Richard watched as more than one person left the Sept, the Fat One was treading dangerous ground and wasn't even smart enough to realize it and so for now he was no true problem. He left among a group of people that were heading to the door and heard them being called back. None listened as they were told they'd be damned to the seven hells. As he made his way back to the Red Keep he reached in and took out the note from his pocket. The words that had caused him to come and see for himself just what was being said.

The fat man speaks ill words of a red god, a golden rose, and a white wolf.

The first could be forgiven, the second not so much and so when he reached the Red Keep he made his way to Lord Jaime's solar rather than his own. He was fortunate enough to arrive between meetings and was shown right in. Jaime looking tired as he sat writing even after Richard had taken his seat.

"Lord Hand." he said when it seemed as if he wasn't going to be addressed.

"Ser Richard, forgive me, I get lost in the words." Jaime said offering him a glass of wine which he took.

"Then you'll be pleased to know her grace has already set off from Winterfell." Richard said telling the Lord one of the kisses his lips had sent his way.

"How long?"

"Less than a moon." he said looking at him "His grace has headed Beyond the Wall." he added seeing Jaime nod.

"I'll be glad enough when her grace is back, even not sitting the petitions would be welcome at this point." Jaime said as he laughed before looking to him "Now why are you really here, Ser Richard?"

"The Fat One." he said seeing Jaime sigh.

"How bad?" Jaime asked.

"Treasonous." he replied.

"Even after he's been warned?" Jaime asked doubtfully.

"The Red Priests are making larger gains at the faith's expense. Not only are their priestesses far prettier than any Septa." he chuckled "But their priests also speak far more convincingly, they also help more, food, healing, they actually do the things the Faith claim to do."

"And this has led to treasonous speak?" Jaime asked.

"The Fat One isn't smart, Jaime, not at all. Were he then he'd keep his words to the Red Priests and not try and stir up trouble against a king and queen that are loved by the people of King's Landing."

"Then surely it's to our advantage that he's not that smart?" Jaime asked.

"He may not have the support of all the people, but he does have some. Some will listen, they'll accept it when he names the king and queen as heathens or when he blames them for the Red God's presence, I'd rather a clever man than a stupid one, Jaime, stupid men are the ones that cause wars." he said and saw Jaime nod.

"What do you suggest?" Jaime asked.

"A visit from a bard and a word in Lady Olenna's ear." he said before leaving Jaime to consider it.

The attack on the red priestess only failed because of his intervention, the Septons were arrested and the Fat One came to threaten the Hand, the Crown, and the King and Queen because of it. It was why he was now standing at the man's bed, looking down at him and finding he felt no wrongness about what he was about to do. There was no Father, no Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, or Crone in his room tonight. The only one of the Seven whose presence he felt was the Stranger's as he knelt down and placed his hand over the Fat One's face.

He looked at the man as he opened his eyes, the panic in them as he realized he couldn't breathe and he felt the chubby fingers try to grab his hand as he squeezed down on the nose and mouth. The kicking of the legs, the thrashing from side to side didn't bother him and as he felt the man's life begin to ebb away, Richard smiled as he looked at him.

"Jaehaerys Targaryen sends his regards." he said as the Fat One's eyes closed for the final time.

Dorne 299 AC.

Bronn.

Sleeping with a prince's daughter should be enough to end him and were it any other prince or any other daughter it probably would be. Nymeria though cared not that he was a low-born sellsword who'd risen to be the sworn shield of the Prince Consort of Dorne. She cared not that he'd lost track of the number of men he'd killed or that since he'd been in Dorne he'd assassinated more than one man on his prince's behalf. The only reason she shared his bed was that she wished to and she enjoyed it, as he had to admit so did he.

"I've got to go." he said to her as he slapped her arse, the smile on her face one that would stick with him for the rest of the day, as perhaps would his erection he thought he looked at her lying naked face down on his bed while he dressed.

"What does he have you doing today?" she asked looking over her shoulder as he put on his britches.

"We're meeting with the new lords." he said throwing on his shirt.

"So dull, so boring, I had hoped you'd be killing some of them." she said only half in jest.

"Give it time." he said to a laugh from her.

"Does he really fear them so much?" she asked rolling over to her side and Bronn found himself looking longingly at her dark nipples and at her finger as she softly brushed it against them.

"He's a man with a dragon, there's not much he fears." he said with a chuckle.

"And yet he has you also?" she asked.

"I'm for the quiet times, me he sends to make a point."

"And the dragon?" she asked curiously.

"Should anyone not take the point the means them to." he said as he leaned down and kissed her, resisting the urge to tear off his clothes and join her in bed.

He strolled through the keep and made his way to Tyrion's rooms, sighing when he saw Areo standing there. The giant Norvosi didn't like him one bit and had made that clear more than once and Bronn had taken that message to heart. Here he was tolerated by the man and that was only because he knew that he and Tyrion would be leaving the princess to do their work. Were it one of those days where Tyrion and Arianne couldn't keep their hands off each other, then he'd not be as welcome here.

"Areo." he said with a smile to no reply "They done fucking yet?" he asked which at least got him a glare from the man.

Tyrion thankfully picked that moment to walk from the room and Bronn followed him, resisting the urge to ask him himself until they were well away from the Norvosi guard.

"That man doesn't like me." he said as soon as they were well enough away.

"Why ever could that be?" Tyrion said with a chuckle.

"You know why." he said annoyedly.

"She's his princess, perhaps not asking her husband how her cunt tasted would have been a better choice." Tyrion said his own annoyance clear.

"Aye it would." he said, Tyrion had not been best pleased with him when he'd said that either and it was actually only Arianne that had gotten him to forgive him for speaking of her that way.

"Like the ripest peach, Lord Bronn." the princess had said and he still remembered how she held Tyrion's hand as she did so.

Were he not so needed by him and had he not apologized to him later, then he'd have lost not only the keep he was to receive but perhaps his head as well. Tyrion had let him know in no uncertain terms that he'd not accept his wife spoken of that way, not even by him, and Bronn had quickly sworn that he would not do so, japes to annoy Areo aside.

"Who are these Lordlings?" he asked as they walked.

"Those who've taken over House Manwoody, Vaith, Santagar, and Allyrion." Tyrion said.

"I thought they were mainly women?" he asked surprised.

"They are and my wife is dealing with them, these are the new heirs or their lealest men, or the ones who may look to one dragon and see another." Tyrion said.

"Will they need to fall?" he asked remembering the two who he'd been sent to kill already.

"We shall see." Tyrion said with a smile as he entered the room.

Inside were four men, Ser Daemon Sand who was part of Prince Oberyn's entourage and who had once been involved with Princess Arianne. He was a man that both Bronn and Tyrion respected, a man who though his father had been sent to the Wall bore no grudge against the family that did so nor the man who now slept with a woman he once loved. If anything he bore a bigger grudge against Bronn himself over Nymeria's affections, though even that was more a friendly rivalry than not.

Beside him sat Mors Manwoody the new lord of Kingsgrave and to Bronn's mind an arrogant little shit. Across from him sat Ser Andrey Dalt, someone again who had been close to Princess Arianne and was now to marry Lady Sylvia Santagar and someone that according to Nym was loyal to the Princess above all others. Finally rounding out the group was Ser Anron Gargalen who had been recently betrothed to Lady Alenis Vaith. The young knight was brash and thought little of Tyrion. Bronn had heard him say more than once that he doubted half a man was enough for a woman like the princess, but he was no true threat.

"My lord. Good Sers." Tyrion said as he entered the room.

"My prince." Ser Daemon said first before the others joined him and rose to their feet.

"Please, keep your seats, we shan't be here for too long, I hope." Tyrion said as he took his seat.

Bronn stood behind him, his hand never far from his sword as Tyrion spoke to each of them. The words he used were quickly going over his head and so instead he concentrated on the eyes of the men in the room. Nym was right, Ser Andrey was far too loyal to cause concern, and so very quickly he ignored him as he did Ser Daemon. Instead, he looked to the others more closely. Lord Mors was friendly enough but Ser Anron was treading dangerous ground and would need to be taught a lesson in manners. Something that Tyrion confirmed to him when the men had left the room.

"How harsh?" he asked after Tyrion had told him to bring the boy down a peg or two.

"I think humiliation rather than pain will suffice." Tyrion said.

"And my keep?" he asked curiously.

"Do you wish for a wife also?" Tyrion asked with a smirk.

"I'd prefer just the keep." he said to a laugh.

"Unfortunately my wife wishes you wed my friend, though I think you'll enjoy your new bride, perhaps you should ask my goodcousin about Lady Jeyne." Tyrion said and Bronn looked at him.

"Fowler?" he asked surprised.

"My goodmother is to arrive quite soon, while she's here I think she'd enjoy a wedding to make up for the one she missed. Lady Jeyne Fowler and Lord Bronn of Skyreach, has a nice ring to it does it not?" Tyrion said and Bronn found himself nodding his agreement as they walked from the door.

"I thank you, my prince." he said warmly.

"A Lannister..."

"Don't fucking say it." he said laughing as was Tyron as they strolled down the hall.

Beyond the Wall 299 AC.

Mance Rayder.

Sitting around the fire he wondered if he was being foolish in expecting this king to honor his word and parley. There were those among his group who felt this was a trap of some sort and that they would be ambushed. Some felt that they should meet in their camp where their numbers would give them and him the protection they may need. Mance though didn't want the king anywhere near their camp, it was bad enough that Kinvara knew where they were he'd not risk the king seeing it for himself also.

Which was why he was freezing his balls off camping some miles away and waiting for the king to arrive. Tormund and his son, Orell and his eagle, Ygritte, and some of his fiercest warriors were all he'd brought with him just in case it did turn out to be a trap. The Free Folk would need to be led should he fall, Styr, The Weeper, the Lord of Bones, Harma, Mother Mole, there were enough between them to do so. As he stood by the tree pissing in the cold he thought about his wife and babe. Should he fall then he hoped that Val made it back to them as they'd surely need her. He shook his member clean and put it back in his britches and headed back to the fire, Tormund had been watching him all the while and he smiled at his friend as he took his seat.

"This king's not coming, Mance." Tormund said handing him some of the meat to break his fast.

"He'll come." Mance said with less certainty than he had felt when they'd set out days earlier.

"Will he help though?" Tormund asked and Mance was about to answer when he heard the commotion behind him.

Quickly rising to his feet he unsheathed his sword and looked around to see where the attack was coming from, only to see something he'd never imagined he'd see. The white dragon was enormous, its wings alone covered them in shadow as it flew over their head. Were it not that he and the others were almost paralyzed into inaction then he'd have been worried that it came from behind them and from the direction of their camp rather than the Wall. As it was he and the others were too busy looking from it to the weapons in their hands and Mance placed his sword back in its sheath. The sword would be pointless against something that large he thought as the dragon landed a short distance in front of them.

"Put your weapons away, we're outmatched." he said and some if not all of the others did so, Ygritte kept her bowstring taut though and moved behind a tree as Mance looked to see a familiar face amongst those now walking his way.

"Is that Val?" Tormund asked hopefully.

"Aye it is." he said with a smile as he took in the others with her.

One of them looked to be a crow and there was a woman whose hair was even fairer than Val's was. As for the two men in furs, they were guards of some sort, and the largest of them looked half a giant. It was the youngest of them that he found himself looking at most intently though. The boy was not yet a man and yet he was clearly the one in charge and Mance felt some relief at the fact that the king had come after all.

"Let's go and greet a king." he said to some laughs though his people walked warily as the dragon was watching them all the way.

He looked to Val when the two groups reached each other, Mance happy to see that she was unharmed and seemed to be in good spirits. The two guards he felt were enough to see all of his group dead if they so wished. Mance recognized the sword that one of the men carried as Dawn which clearly marked him as The Sword of the Morning and left them outmatched even more. As for the crow, he had a long face and it was one Mance recognized. Benjen Stark had been one of his brothers once and as Mance looked to him, he could see that he was doing likewise. It was the king who spoke though and Mance had been right about him, the boy couldn't be more than six and ten namedays old. His dark hair was tied behind his head and looking into those dark grey eyes he felt as if he was looking into the eyes of a much older man. A man who was doing to him as he was to his group and who smiled before he nodded and spoke.

"Tell the girl to lower her bow, Rhaenix is most protective of me, and should she not then that tree she's hiding behind won't save her from the fire." the king said though there was amusement in his tone.

"Ygritte, you fucking fool." Val shouted and Mance nodded back to her as Ygritte stepped out from behind the tree and put her arrow back in its quiver.

"King Jaehaerys Targaryen." Mance said moving forward.

"Really, me too." the king said which caught him by surprise before Tormund laughed loudly at the jape and Mance felt a grin appear on his face.

"Come let's sit by the fire, have you eaten?" he asked to some shakes of the head "We've some deer and the water is fresh."

They walked over to the fire, Mance taking a moment to look over his shoulder at the dragon that was watching them all the way. Its eyes showed both an intelligence and a look of warning that he had every intention of adhering to. He was pleased to see the king take the meat and water without question, it wasn't exactly guest right but feeding a man or taking a man's food was just the same in the eyes of the gods.

"You came from my camp?" he asked seeing the worried look on Tormund's face as he did so.

"I wished to see if for myself, aye." the king said.

"And?" he asked curiously.

"It's how Lady Kinvara described to me, it'll take many ships or a long walk to move that many people through the Wall." the king said, and Tormund and he looked at each other.

"You'll move us through the Wall?" Tormund asked.

"If we can reach an agreement, aye." the king said as he swallowed down some of the water.

They didn't speak for a few moments, Mance looking to Val who nodded to him letting him know that he could at least trust the words the king had spoken so far. He could see Benjen Stark was looking to Val as much as he was to him and his group, the look on his face one he'd recognize anywhere and he wondered had he already been stolen by her. The silver-haired woman almost seemed disinterested as if there was somewhere else she'd like to be, her mismatched eyes however took everything in and were just as alert as the two guards were.

"I know what comes for us, Mance, what it is you fear and why you've brought the Free Folk together. You need to be on the other side of the Wall before they reach you." the king said and Mance stared at him looking for the lie in his words.

"We do, but we are a free people, we do not kneel, not even to a dragonking." Mance said looking at him and seeing the way he looked back at him.

"I prefer, Jae." the king said to a snort from Ygritte and a laugh from him and the silver-haired woman.

"Jae." he said to a smile from the king.

"Stannis Baratheon?" the king asked a moment later.

"Has been well treated, Jae. He's back at our camp and he'd tell you that himself." he said looking to the king and seeing a little relief on his face.

"You'll release him and let him go back to the Wall." Jae said an order, not a request but one he had no trouble following.

"Speak to him and ask him what he saw, Jae. Were it not for Tormund and Ygritte he'd be dead and so aye while he's been our prisoner, I'll release him as a show of good faith." he said to no reply.

The king sat silently for a moment, Mance not speaking either as the boy seemed to be contemplating something before he rose to his feet.

"Walk with me." the king asked and Mance looked to him and nodded "Alone." the king said and Mance looked to see the guards remain sitting.

He should have guessed it was to be in the direction of the dragon they would walk and seeing it up close made it even more impressive. It was truly huge, its head could swallow him whole and it would take him the best part of an hour to just walk completely around it. The white was broken only by the blue underneath its wings and its purple eyes seemed almost to be those of a man or woman, he thought when he looked into them. Mance stood by as Jae walked over to its head and leaned against it, his words soft and unheard through the sound the dragon made was one that he could only assume was joyful.

"You know the story of my family, Mance? Of my father, mother, my sister, brother, and of their mother?" Jae asked as he turned to look at him.

"I know it."

"It took me five and ten years to avenge them, to see those who'd almost ended my house brought low. I fought a war only to find it was to be but the first of them and that it wasn't even the war I was born to fight." Jae said with a bitter laugh and a shake of his head.

He watched as the king stroked the dragon's head again and as it made that sound once more, whatever doubt he had that it was a happy one was now gone completely.

"There is a war coming for us all Mance. Those south of the Wall and those north of it, a war that can't be avoided and against an enemy that can't be negotiated with. If your people are in his way they die and so I'll not sweeten my offer, not haggle with your over terms and I'll not lie to you. I won't beg you to accept or force you to kneel, I'll ask of you but two things." Jae said before moving to him.

"Which are?" he asked curiously.

"That any who wish to remain on my lands after the fighting is allowed to under the understanding they would have to kneel then and that while on my lands you obey my laws." Jae said.

"You'll not ask us to fight for you?" he asked surprised.

"We'll fight together Mance, when the time comes we'll have no choice."

"And should I not accept?" he asked though he was doing so purely to hear the response.

"There are only two sides in the war that comes our way, the living and the dead, if you breathe then you're my ally, if you don't then you're my enemy. Should you stay here, then be it today, tomorrow, or moons from now you and your people will all fall to the Night King and we will fight against each other then. Should you come with me then when his army comes we'll stand side by side and together we'll beat him back and I will end him. Two sides, Mance, which one are you on?" Jae asked and looked at him.

"We won't kneel, but we'll fight with you." he said holding out his hand and smiling when Jae gripped it in his own.

"Land or sea?" Jae asked and he looked at him confused for a moment before he realized what he was asking.

"Do you have the ships?" he asked.

"I have the ships." Jae said.

"By sea is for the best, it would take moons for my people to walk to the Wall, some will wish to do so anyway but by sea would be best."

"My uncle will stay with you and help you organize your people for the journey. The lands nearest the Wall, the Gift now belongs to me and I'll settle your people there." Jae said and he nodded.

"When?" he asked.

"As soon as you can be ready, where?" Jae said looking at him.

"Hardhome." he replied with a smile.

"A ship will arrive before the other ships do, carrying weapons. Dragonglass, Fire, and Valyrian Steal, that's how you beat them. We're mining Dragonglass from Dragonstone and I'll send the first shipment to your people in Hardhome."

"I thank you, for my people." he said and Jae nodded.

He watched the dragon take to the sky, Jae, his guards and the woman he had later found out was his aunt were on its back as it flew east. Once it was gone he turned to his people and they made their way back to his true camp, they'd have days to walk but it was a walk he was doing with a far lighter heart than he had set out with. Jae had offered him no platitudes, no sweet and soft words, and had spoken to him straight. It was a bargain that gave them nothing and yet everything and asked of them only that which they would be giving anyway. A bargain he could live with and he felt his people could too, Mance thought smiling at what Tormund had said when he'd told him.

"There will be those who wish us to refuse, old friend. Those who will name the kneelers as our enemies." Mance said.

"We only make peace with our enemies, that's something you told me long ago, Mance and besides if we make a man with a dragon our true enemy, then not only are we fucking stupid, but we're fucked." Tormund said slapping him back as he laughed.

Beyond the Wall 299 AC.

Walder.

The meeting with the Free Folk had gone well, at least it seemed to given Jae's smile and the fact he left his uncle and Val with them. He had expected more negotiation, more arguments, and maybe even some fool who sought to ask a question with a weapon in his hand. Instead, they'd spent no more than a few hours with the Free Folk and were now heading to a place he both needed to see and wished he never would.

He needed to know it was real even though he already did but more than that he needed to be there when the man who had trapped him for so long was dealt with once and for all. Walder felt that only then would the nightmares truly stop and he would be able to sleep a true night's sleep once more. Shiera too was feeling something about this trip, her own dealings with Bloodraven were much different than his but ones that he felt still affected her own dreams. As for Jae, he'd felt some of what Walder himself had felt, he too had known what it was liked to be trapped inside your own mind and that gave Walder comfort. There would be no parley with Bloodraven, no deal, no end other than a permanent one for the man who'd lived for far too long.

When he saw the ground that led to the glade underneath him, he stiffened. As he did when he saw the tree itself and the hill it rested on, Walder more than happy that Rhaenix decided to fly in a circle around the glade before landing near the Weirwood. It gave him time to get ready, to compose himself, and to remember that he was a Kingsguard first and foremost. When Rhaenix landed he climbed down from her back and took his ax from his back, he looked to Arthur who already had Dawn out and they stood in front and behind Jae as he walked to the opening of the cave.

"My prince, you have come." a voice said from the darkness and Walder moved even more in front of Jae only for a small child to come out into the light.

"You are Leaf?" Jae asked.

"I am, my prince." the child said and her voice to him seemed to be almost relieved.

"Bloodraven, he is here?" Jae asked and the child nodded bidding them follow her.

"I'll go first your grace, Walder to the rear." Arthur said and Walder did as he was bid.

Walking into the cave was like stepping back in time, the reality of another life was one that was ever more clear as he moved through passages that he recognized even though he'd never been there before. Seeing the Children of the Forest as they came out of passages and hidden alcoves to look at him was disconcerting and he almost wished to speak to them to see if they remembered him as he did them.

When they came to the large cavern where Bloodraven rested, Walder almost felt his legs go from under him. Images of Meera Reed, of Brandon Stark, of a crippled boy, and of the old man in the tree all raced through his brain. Looking to the tree to see that very same man was stuck amongst its branches brought a loud gasp. Though not from him as Shiera brushed past him and walked back down the passage. The sight of her former lover and what he had become was not something she truly wished to see after all.

"Long have we waited for you, my prince. At first at the raven's behest, then at the gods." Leaf said.

"You know the truth?" Jae asked the child.

"I, my brothers and sisters know the truth, my prince. Have you come to take us away?" Leaf asked hopefully.

"You are to train another to be the Three-Eyed Raven, have the gods shown you this?" Jae asked.

"The Lady of the Tower." Leaf said happily "You've met her? Is she good?"

"I believe she is." Jae said to excited noises as the other children moved forward.

He looked on as the children and Jae began to speak, Jae was not even looking to Bloodraven which he found odd. Instead, he looked to him and motioned with his head to where Shiera had gone, Walder turning and walking back down the tunnel. His eyes were drawn to a different tunnel that he knew led to the door that he had dreamed about so often. Walking out into the light he found Shiera sitting alone on a rock looking out on the open expanse in front of her, a momentary image of Meera Reed doing the same thing coming to his mind.

"I'd not expected him to be so far gone." Shiera said when he sat beside her.

"He is as I remembered him." he said.

"Was it real? Your other life, did it truly happen, or was it a trick of the mind?" she asked looking to him, it was a question he'd asked himself many times since Jae had freed him.

"It was real to me, for years it was the life I knew, trapped in my own mind and unable to break free."

"He was a good man once." Shiera said though he felt she doubted the words she was speaking.

"Whatever he was he's not that man now, princess. It's time to let go." he said standing up and reaching out to take her hand.

They walked back in to find Jae leaning up against Bloodraven, Walder looking to Arthur who said nothing and just stood watching the king. Slipping away he found himself walking down the tunnel and soon enough he was standing at the door.

"Hold the Door." he said softly as he shook his head, the tears soon falling down his cheeks as he wiped his eyes and turned to walk back to the others.

Reaching the cavern he could see that something had happened, Jae was looking angrily at Bloodraven and Leaf was trying to explain something about beneath the sea that Walder didn't understand. He moved to Arthur and asked him what was going on, shocked to hear the reply his brother gave him.

"He's not there." Arthur said looking at him.

"What do you mean he's not there?" he asked.

"His body is there but his mind is elsewhere, Jae said he warged something." Arthur said.

He looked on as Leaf spoke to some of the children and they hurried off, and as she then walked over and grabbed two bags which she held in her hands, one that was far larger than the other.

"Do you wish to say your goodbyes?" Jae asked turning to Shiera who shook her head "Walder?" he asked looking at him and Walder shook his head also.

Jae pulled out his sword and moved closer to the body that was now simply a shell of a man. Dark Sister was now closer to the man who'd wielded it than it had been in four decades. There was no emotion on Jae's face, no anger which Walder himself was feeling, no regret or sadness like Shiera was, and no sense of anticipation such as the one on Leaf's face. Jae just moved the sword and stuck it through Bloodraven's heart and though it was clear that the body was dead, he knew that wasn't the end of things.

"We fly to the Isle of Faces and then to King's Landing, I need to find him." Jae said as they moved from the cavern.

Walder took one last look at the man who'd caused him so much pain, the sense of it finally being over had been denied to him, and yet he felt something still. Leaving the cavern he arrived outside just as Rhaenix landed, Jae, Shiera, Arthur, and about a dozen Children of the Forest which was all that seemed to remain of them. He looked to Jae who bid him closer and then spoke softly into his ear.

"Remember what I showed you." Jae said and Walder nodded that he did.

It was awkward fitting all the children on Rhaenix's back and Walder was worried that they may not be as secure or safe as he, Arthur, and Shiera were, only for both Jae and Leaf to say they were ready. Once they were in the air he could see that they truly were, the children looked far more secure than he had thought as it seemed they had a sense of balance that only Jae matched. Rhaenix flew over the glade and very quickly they were behind it, the door that had haunted him now in their sight.

"Dracarys." Jae said and Rhaenix let her flames loose on the door burning it before they flew higher and Jae said the words once more.

They were heading south, back to the Wall and the lands beyond, to the Isle of Faces and King's Landing. They were going home and as Walder looked over his shoulder at the Weirwood and watched it burn, he wondered if he'd sleep a true night's sleep once he got there.

A/N: Thanks to all who've read and reviewed. Up Next Jae meets someone strange at the Isle of Faces who points him in Bloodraven's direction. Margaery arrives back in King's Landing to find the faith in turmoil. Joy missed Jae and has an encounter that leaves her in tears while Aemon struggles to make sense of what he found out and tries to see a way to stop it from happening and in Dorne a mother returns after a prolonged absence.

Chapter 151 Reviews.

Biohazard: So glad you liked it.

Tfranco: Thanks so much for saying that, it's one of my biggest peeves with stories in that for Dany it seems that if she's not to be with Jon she almost becomes this caricature of herself. Usually, they paint her negatively and not even in a good antagonistic way. I wanted to do something different with her here, to paint her in a different light, so I'm glad you've enjoyed it and her and Sandor which literally came about by accident. Early on I decided to change some of Jorah's story which left me needing someone to almost fill that role and it became Sandor. Dany/Aurane was the pairing I had in mind for her for so long, but I wanted to do something with Drogo a little too, just to see how it fit in my head but in the end, I think the other works better. I've read FFF and it's an awesome story, I think the DS thing for Dany is just a natural fit, especially because of her exile. I'm so glad you think that with the female characters, there's a tendency to think that they can only be a certain way if the male characters are a certain way and I do my best to portray them in a certain light.

Dorne was just done so badly in the show that I wanted to do something more with them here. I have to say I had never thought of it that way with Quentyn/Oberyn before but damn that makes so much sense. My biggest issue with Dorne is that while their story works from when they come into the show/books, it doesn't work if you look at it from the beginning of them. They have a deal with Dany/Viserys who disappear from Braavos in 289 and they have no idea of where they are until they get to Meereen, it just doesn't add up. Oberyn as you say would have been perfect to find them and yet he doesn't even try, it shows clearly that certain things were made up on the fly.

Jessicanightmarewolf: Zoom candles, maybe Jae will go into to invent Google lol. I'm happy to hear you say that about the plans, it's one of the things I feel we don't see in stories enough, obviously, you've got this looming threat behind the all, but they never really make a plan for what's to come after. Now maybe it's overly optimistic but I think to those around him it's comforting and for us, it lets us have a glimpse into the world-building.

VfSnake: Yes, onto Bloodraven though finding him may be an issue.

Scarila: So very glad you liked it.

Mhaleowen: Really glad you enjoyed it.

Emeraldduke: Thanks so much, it's something I think is as important as the plot itself, the characters, and their relationships/interactions with each other.

Flame: so very glad you enjoyed it.

Amarchichmind: I always wondered about it myself, I mean I get the initial bit, there were only the two of them, and bringing his sister's body would be his priority. But not going back for the others, it just doesn't ring true for Ned Stark.

Guest: So glad you liked it, I did that myself with the song, had it playing in the background so I could picture the scene properly. The returning the bodies is something I've only seen rarely and it's always something that kinda feels wrong to me that they don't. No Dany hasn't spoken to Jae yet, she will when they are all back in KL.

Jman: Glad you liked it, I've tried my damndest to get a bonus out, wanted so much to have one for the 150th only for RL to kick me in the arse and spoil my plans, I'll keep trying though.
Keb: So glad you enjoyed it.

Remi: The cost to maintain would be huge yes (though Harrenhal is a very wealthy keep if it's managed right) to build, we'll see.

KingofWarhammer: In my head, I have it around 200, we're about to see the WW's introduced and get our first glimpse at the NK himself so I think all will be done by 200. TDP will update this Monday, my schedule is I think back to normal but it will update then.

Supremus: I'm sorry but there is no way he's better than Arthur, it's widely accepted that Arthur isn't or wasn't just the best swordsman of his time but is perhaps the best that ever lived. The BF isn't on the same level as Jaime or Barristan, never mind Arthur, you're entitled to your opinion of course but I think you'd be in a very small group that thinks that. I think you can and can't be honorable with dishonorable people, Ned kinda proves that. The problem with honorable and smart is that taking the smart line against dishonorable people makes you need to act dishonorably a little. For example what smart action would Ned take against Tywin Lannister that is honorable and achieves his goals, whatever they may be?. He may win the battle against him but the war would be far from over because truly the only way to stop a man like Tywin is by putting him in the ground.

I think this is the mistake people make when they write Robb or Ned, they make them far smarter than they were in canon, give them knowledge they don't explain how they got, and somehow think them doing things first makes them smart or honorable. In some ways, they use meta-knowledge of events to allow the characters to make that leap and change their actions, but they never explain why the characters suddenly have that knowledge or they never change the character so their actions make sense. Robb stories inevitably do this more than any as they make him politically aware and have him do different than canon actions but up to the point he does so he's still the same Robb, so why does he do so?.

Anja: So very glad you liked this.

Celexys: Thanks so much, I try to give little pieces so that it feels bigger, I think the show made the world so small by the end that we missed out on the fact that all these other characters have their own stories and motivations. The returning of the bodies is something I wished to see for so long.

Hkt29: He really does and I think he and Ari would be an interesting match, certainly better for Dorne. The return will go down well yes.

Zeon07: So glad you liked it. I think the little details are in some ways so important, it may seem inconsequential but it allows you to take something from them. Be it a passage of time, a call back to a previous event/interaction, symbolism or parallel's whatever it may be, it adds to the characters which to me are just as important as the plot itself. When I started this I had a plot and an idea that the characters were what I wanted to show, to see and hear things about them which at chapter 20 may seem like filler but by chapter 50 or 100 allowed you to know that character. As you say the thing with Honor here, we've seen Honor when Jaime rode her so many chapters ago in the joust, in the North, so to now see her foal and find out she's passed, is a simple thing but an important one as it gives us some insight into Jaime. I'm so glad you liked the GC bit and the wedding, the thing is that lore wise they are able to do that, it's just as they haven't been alight for years.

Creativo: Jae es el hijo de su padre.

Bactaclan: I can honestly say when I started this I had no intent for it to be this big, the response, the feeling I had for the characters, and then wishing to show so much of their experiences made me write far more than I had intended and I'm so happy I have. The show as you say was so atrocious that it made me decided to try my hand at writing, I stumbled to find a rhythm at first, and at some point, I really need to go over the earlier chapters.

On the maturity aspect, there are a couple of things, the years as you say are different, not sure by how much but they really are longer I feel. In Jae's case specifically, there are magical aspects going on but mainly it's in some way keeping in line with the books and the show to a point. In the books, Arya is 9 at the start of things, Bran when he takes over as Lord is 8. Lyanna Mormont is 10, Jojen Reed who is called the Little Grandfather is 12. Sansa by the time she's in the Vale acting like a lady is 13. The ages are all over the place in terms of maturity (Missandei is 9/10 when Dany meets her for example) and so I wanted to hit some of those points. Lords, Ladies, future knights, depending on who they were can act like Tommen Baratheon or like Missandei, it's a strange combination. I tried to have some of the maturity be on the more education/mannerism/way of speaking side and them to be less emotionally mature.

With Joy, she's the one thing I would change going back, I had this plan for her in my head but in trying to hide the plan I hid it too well and never showed it until I did. I needed to show the other side so her little game was far more obvious but I kind of got caught up in it in my head. With LF/Cat I turned them up to 11 to quote Spinal Tap, mainly Cat's side. I dragged it out mainly because of the shadow war and then Jon needing to deal with them himself kind of thing.

This is a more typical hero's journey which was totally my intent, I wished to explore the mythos of the PTWP and what that could mean. While GRRM gives a more realistic feel I also feel he leans too much on the antagonist winning side, it's a fine line between the hero always winning and the hero never winning, and at times he gives the Lannister's, LF, Ramsay, etc far too much plot armor and has them win far too often. One thing I'll also say about my good guys winning is that I've taken great pains to put them into such a strong position compared to their real-world enemies so to speak that barring some of GRRM's plot armor and not having his antagonists face the same setbacks as his protagonists do, this is how I feel a war with these odds would go.

Dany wins when she arrives in Westeros, with 3 dragons, the Dothraki and unsullied, she wins, the show makes her suffer losses to even the odds and makes a big deal about how hard it'll be, and yet in the end she wins in minutes. Robb almost brought Tywin to his knees, had Stannis and Renly joined up then the Lannisters would have lost, so realistically taking Tywin's schemes out of the equation the enemies lose easy enough. But in a way, it's never been about the fight for the throne, but the fight that comes next.

Thanks so much for taking the time for this review, it's well thought out and much appreciated.

Lady Octarina: I'm so glad you liked the Zoom, so much better than skype lol, Westeros is so full of those parents, I won't mention Walder Frey and his Walda's and Walders, but the Lannisters had a Tywin, Tygett, Tyrion, and Tyrek. As for the Targs, Aemon, Aegon's, Rhaenys's they're full of them lol.

I had saved the Barbrey bit for later, so I hope you enjoyed it now, he is in a way yes, he's kinda been on the outskirts of things part of this I think is down to Ashara and part down to not being in Westeros for as long, I'm glad you liked him and Alys.

The gift-giving is one of those things were from early on I've tried to have it be a Jae thing, remember way back when they arrived in the North and Loras was almost bemoaning the fact that Jae bough so many presents, little things like that were to set up this. Arthur has barely slept, the man was very happy to get to WH. Malora will play a key role in things later on.

Xan Merrick: Thanks my friend, so glad you liked it.

Silverglow: I changed it up a little, just to make her stand out. So glad you liked the chapter.

Irish Hermit: he didn't no, Lady Shella is the last Whent, she outlived her children. There was a reason for the attack on Stannis and his men which we'll find out later. I have a Smalljon pov in a few chapters were his adventures at the wedding will come up, an around the world chapter I'm working on. Alys will be seeing a lot more of Cregan very soon, a betrothal may be in the offing. On the Wall/Wilding's it's going to be a little longer for a true one, Jae will be heading to Hardhome very soon though.

Xand007: Lol, thanks, my friend. Very much so, the man is sorely missed. Well as you see with BR he's not there and so we need to find him before we can hurt him. One of the things is that Jae is well aware of the threat beyond the wall and has been for a long time, so there's no need to be convinced he already was.

Chapter 152 Reviews.

Daryl Dixon: So glad you liked it.

Vfsnake: We'll see Aemon's full thoughts on what he saw next.

Biohazard: So very glad you enjoyed it.

Supremus: No it's not and Jae will not take it well.

The Sphynx: I feel good to quite James Brown, Yep, interesting we'll find out what Aemon feels about it when he's thinking more clearly next chapter.

Guest: You raise some very interesting points here, the not working the first time may be one that Jae clings to.

Fletcher Bamford: We'll see Jae's reaction to it in a chapter or two and it may be similar to your own.

Mr2letgittiquit: Jae I think would feel much the same.

Anja: Ruh Roh lol.

Hkt29: He may be able to but not for some time, I think there is magic out there that can, one of the rubies he or the others wear for example but not right now.

Xand007: Thanks my friend: would he be able to do it? I think that's the million-dollar question. Bloodraven was prepared for Jae's visit in a way and so he just wasn't there. As for the GC, Dornish, it's mainly Quentyn and his anger is directed at Jae.

Emerald Duke: I will say I have a plan and that by the end you'll be more pleased than you were with the show ending. I'm glad to hear you say that about Jae/Marge it's a little insight into their relationship that shows who they truly are to each other.

Silverglow: I'm glad to say I feel a lot better. I deliberately didn't explain the Nissa Nissa thing because we'll see it through Aemon's eyes next chapter and the whole myth of it will be laid out kinda. Glad you liked the chapter.

Anime: Perhaps though I don't think a child would fill the hole in Jae's heart should he need to do this.

Lady Ocatrina: There is always a way. I was hoping for something a bit light and the Ser Rodrik bit was almost against that so I wanted to leave it with a hopeful end with him saying what he did to Jae.

Remi: The runes are a bit like the door to Moria in LOTR they simply say the legends of those who are allowed to pass, at some point, I'll have them spoke out loud. The GC is adapting well to the Wall as are most of the Dornishmen, it's just Quentyn and a crew and they're mainly pissed at Jae. We'll see with Aemon next chapter giving a full explanation of what he saw and what it means. Rhaegal and Rhaenix are different, Rhaegal is just like Silverwing who wouldn't cross the wall for good queen Alysanne but Rhaenix has something that makes her different it goes back to something Jae did with the egg.

Jessicanightmarewolf: Well you've pretty much nailed Jae's personality down pat there, this is a man who would die to save those he loves so is that a man who will take the life of the one he loves the