The Darkness of Day

by WalkingPotterGirl14

He put a dagger in her heart. She died. End of story. Or was it? The Gods decide that there's more to tell, more to save, and more heartbreak to follow in the story of Daenerys and Jon's lives, starting with new revelations right outside their doors. (Rated T until chapter 26, Fix-it Fic, obvious spoilers for the show)

48. The Targaryens: Nesara's Chamber

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Thank you for your reviews, and a big welcome to all the new follows and favorites as well, welcome to this crazy adventure lol. This chapter ended up being a lot longer than I originally thought it would be, but hey, who's complaining? Ya'll seem to like the long chapters and as long as I can keep writing them I'll keep giving them to you. Hope you enjoy :)

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Jon

He ran as quickly as he could.

Jon had been in plenty of instances of worry in his life. After Daenerys had burned down King's Landing, he had no idea how to approach her, and it had overwhelmed him. After Dan had been stabbed, he had been consumed by it. When Daemon was stolen into the volcano, he had tried to disguise it through his anger.

But this…this felt so different. Sickness always felt different. Because at the end of the day, there was nothing he could do to somehow change the person. They had to get better themselves. And hearing that his sweet little Nesara was sick…it sent a pain of worry so deep within him that he didn't know what to do.

He told Taevar quickly to take over the meeting. Arya had been confused as to why he was leaving so quickly, as were the others, but Jon had paid it no mind. He had grabbed Kinvara, knowing that she could at least look over her, and left with his family.

He needed to get to Nesara. And he needed to be there quickly. Daenerys was at his side, following Mae as she leads them to Nesara's room.

Dan and Daemon were hurrying behind them, while Zaevar was talking fast to his sister. "What do you mean she's sick? What happened? What is going on?"

"I don't know!" she whispers, her voice filled with fear. "I went in there and she just started…seizing. And then there was blood and just…I don't know how to describe it."

"You don't need to," Jon says gently. "Just take us to her."

Mae swallows and nods, continuing down the hallways towards the chambers. It doesn't take long before they reach the outside of the room, and Jon watches as Mae slowly opens the door, peeking her head inside. "Thank the gods, you're back, did you bri-" The voice cuts off as soon as they open the door, and Eleana appears from behind the stone entrance.

Daenerys rushes in to see more, and only once the light hits does Jon see what was on Eleana's dress. It was covered in blood. From the top to the bottom. And there seemed to be traces of vomit as well.

Jon turns his head to see a still body on the bed, a small one. He rushes over, turning the body onto its side before staring into the closed eyes of Nesara. "What happened?" Daenerys asks, her voice quick and sharp, turning to Eleana. "What is going on with her?"

"It happened out of nowhere," Eleana says, sighing. "Mae and I were helping her clean up the toys that she had on the ground when her body started to shake. She began to seize and she hit the ground, and then when she opened her eyes, they were blue. They…they stared right at me. And then looked around the room. Instantly, her eyes closed, and when she opened them up again she started to…to vomit blood and everything else on the ground…she passed out the moment Mae went to retrieve you."

Jon cradles the child in his arms before turning to Kinvara. "Please, see what's wrong."

Kinvara bites her lip as she glances over at Dan, who was quiet. "This sounds…quite familiar." She kneels down to where Jon was with Nesara's body and slowly lifts up her sleeve. What Jon saw made his heart stop, and his breathing still.

There, fresh on her arm was the blue hand-mark he had seen on his daughter before.

"Is…is that…" Daenerys' voice was soft, almost shocked, trailing off into nothingness.

"It is." Kinvara stands and turns to look at Zaevar and Mae, who were still completely confused. "Has your mother and father told you about the time Dan had this same reaction?"

The two siblings look at each other before Mae glances over at Dan. "She didn't use her power for a long time because something happened to her…was it something like this?"

Dan sighs, looking over at Jon and Daenerys. They nod, both alright with her speaking what had gone on. If they wanted to know what had happened to their sister, they deserved the right to understand their past. "I used to use my power all the time to see what was in the past – I loved learning about history. But one day, when I finally figured out what had happened to mother and father, Bran or…something got into my head. They said I had that same blue mark…and while I was out cold, I saw…strange creatures. Monsters. Visions. All cold and…terrifying. And the touch was…freezing. But I was only under some sickness. I didn't vomit or throw up any blood. I woke up…is that the same thing with Nesara?"

Kinvara looks at Jon, reaching out and resting a hand against his shoulder, almost as if asking for permission to touch the still body of the girl. Jon swallows but nods, gently handing her to Kinvara. She lays the girl gently on the bed, wiping the blood and vomit from her lips. "I believe the same instance occurred – whatever did happen to you happened to her."

"Alright, then – do the same thing you did with Dan," Daenerys pleads, her voice desperate. "Make the mark go away and she'll wake up, right?"

Kinvara swallows, looking at the little girl. She brings a hand up to her forehead, watching quietly, before letting it drop to her side. "I'm afraid it's…a bit too severe for that."

"What do you mean it's too severe?" Jon asks, standing up. "There has to be a way to save her!"

"Will you quiet down and listen?" Kinvara snaps at him. "Getting angry isn't going to bring her back. Calm that bloody Targaryen side of you or else you'll have no chance of her waking."

Jon feels himself breathe out slowly, looking at the still, frail frame of Nesy. His rage turns to worry once more, and he sits in a chair, running his hands through his hair. "Alright…just speak. Tell us what is happening."

Kinvara nods, standing up this time to face them fully. "What has happened with Nesara is a rare occurrence. With Dan, the reason why she passed out was that she had been too immersed into a memory that someone was able to leave a trace on her. It caused multiple voices to speak in her mind. She wasn't able to handle it. But, because she already had this power, and had some form of control over it, she was able to survive the incident as soon as the mark was taken off of her. Nesara, however…they were able to break into her mind through something else."

She speaks low, muttering under her breath. Quietly, the mark begins to disappear from Nesara's skin, but once the blue hand-mark vanishes, Jon sees a stark, dark line, something that was cut deep into the skin. There was no blood emerging from it, but it was there, as dark as night.

"This…this is the work of blood sorcery, combined with whatever magic Bran has," Kinvara explains, holding the mark up to the light. "Bran and Dan always shared this different kind of connection because she could see into the past as same as him, but because she survived his last attempt, he didn't try with her. He tried with the most vulnerable, someone who wouldn't expect it…Nesara. But, because he didn't share that same connection, he used his own blood sorcery, cutting his own arm, muttering words so their minds would collide…this is the darkest form of blood sorcery I have seen…I don't think I've even witnessed this. Combining with a stranger…it's dangerous. It's deadly." He looks back at them, sadness clear in her gaze. "Now, since he got into her head, he possibly saw everyone in this room, including outside of Valyria…he's trying to see where the exact location is still…even though we put up a charm. But the power…it was too much. It took over her. It…"

Her words trail off as she turns to look at the little girl. Jon feels Daenerys next to him, collapse into the seat, her hand on her mouth. The children were quiet. Dan was clinging to Daemon, while Mae and Zaevar worriedly paced back and forth. Eleana instead asks the questions everyone else wanted to speak. "…is she dead, Kinvara?"

Kinvara takes a deep breath before looking at them. "No…but she will be soon if we don't figure out a way to save her."

"What do you mean 'figure out?'" Daenerys asks, her voice growing in anger. "This is your field of work and you don't know how to save her?! You've brought back both me and Jon!"

"First of all, I only brought back you. I healed Jon – but Daemon brought him back," Kinvara states, her eyes narrowing. "Secondly, this is a completely different situation than those. You were killed from wounds inflicted on you. This is something that is within her body, through sorcery that red priests barely have an idea of how to block or handle. It's not our fault if we have never encountered magic like this before."

Daenerys shakes her head in shock, letting it drop into her hands. "Then what do we do?" he finally asks, his voice quiet. "Can we do anything to…help her?"

Kinvara sighs and glances back at the body of the little girl. "Stay with her. Monitor her. She has a pulse, but it's just there. I am going to see if I can figure out a way to stop this today with the other priests…but if I can't, say your words and let her go. I'm not saying she's dead yet…but be prepared if something like that happens."

Jon could see the other children begin to cry, but he forces his pain down and nods. "Okay…we'll be waiting."

Kinvara nods and goes to leave towards the door, but before she does, she turns her gaze back to the distraught family. "I know that this seems bleak…just have some faith. We might be able to turn this around."

After that, she turns and heads out, Jon sitting down the moment she does. Mae approaches the bed, her hands resting on the edge of the covers where Nesara laid. "I…I didn't think she would die…"

Zaevar comes over to her, wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulder. Jon could see that he was struggling to hold back tears. "Daemon, can you help?" Dan asks, turning to him. "You brought back father – maybe you can do the same for Nesara!"

Daemon sighs and looks over at Nesara, biting his lip. "I'm with Kinvara on this one, honestly."

"What do you mean?!" Mae asks, her voice rising. "You're not even going to try?"

"I want to, but I can feel the energy coming from her body," Daemon explains, clearly trying to hold his own temper to a point. "I know you can't, but Nesara and I have always shared a bond because of our blood sorcery…and this type of infliction she has is unlike everything we've ever tried to heal…I wouldn't even know where to start."

Jon turns to Daenerys, seeing her head still in her hands. He walks over and gently helps her stand, but her eyes stayed downcast on the floor. "Stay with her," Jon commands, causing all of the children to turn their heads. "Your mother and I need to go talk about this."

"What, you're keeping secrets again?" Zaevar asks quietly.

"No, there are no secrets with us," Jon promises. "But we have to see who we can get to help with us on this, and what we can do…but Nesara needs her siblings near her. Stay here, and we will be back soon." He gives them a hug, all of which last longer than he expected, before turning back to his quiet wife. He gently holds her hand and guides her out of the room, feeling her cling to him as he did so.

She was in shock. So was he. But he knew that if they wanted to save their little girl, they needed to get their minds back on track.

---

He brings them their chambers, and as soon as she sits down on their bed, the door closed behind them, she breaks.

"Jon," she whispers over and over again as he wraps his arms tightly around her, trying to conceal her cries within his chest. "She…she can't…"

"I know," he murmurs to her, rubbing her back, feeling his own tears start to show. "I know."

The two of them didn't speak for a time, just silent cries from Daenerys, while Jon tried his best to hold himself together. His mind was racing through the possibilities of what had happened, between how Bran had somehow managed to find his way in Nesara's mind, to what they could possibly do now to save her.

And then he would think of what the poor little girl must have felt in her last moments, the fear that had surged through her, not knowing what was happening…he had brought this on them. Them coming here…had nearly caused Nesara to die.

He stands and runs his hands through his hair, pacing the room once Daenerys' tears began to slow. The thoughts continue to run through his mind until anger returns. Anger at himself. Anger at the world. Anger at that fucking man that was no longer his brother. Anger at the monster he was to step into the mind of a little girl and kill her, only to see where his enemies were.

He didn't even realize he had picked something up in his rage and thrown in across the room until he heard the shattering of glass, each small piece tumbling to the ground below him. He stares at the broken mirror in surprise, hearing Daenerys speak to him, but the words were mumbled. All he could hear were the echoes of his shame.

"..o...Jon!"

Jon finally turns his eyes towards his wife, who was staring at him in concern. She had wiped the tears from her face, but anyone with eyes could tell that she had been crying from the redness that surrounded her own.

"Getting angry isn't going to help her," she chastises.

"Well crying about it isn't going to help either!" he snaps.

Her eyes narrow at his words. "I have every right to cry – she's our daughter!"

"Our daughter who was nearly killed by someone who I thought was my brother – aren't you angry?!"

"Of course I'm angry but I can't let that consume me!"

"Why not? Gods know he has let his hatred for us consume him!" Jon hisses, pointing towards the outside window. "If I had my chance right now, I'd fucking rip him apart – if he's able to find us through Nesara…who's to say he won't come with whatever else he has up his sleeve?!"

Daenerys lets out a shaky breath, not moving her gaze from his. "We can't do anything to him from where we are now – all we can do is be there for her. Not get angry!"

"At least anger can get shit done – unlike fucking tears."

He sees her still at his words and he instantly regrets what he says. Jon falls to the bed, his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, trying to control what he had inside. "I just…I don't know how to feel with all of this. It's overwhelming. It's consuming…and all I can think about is how terrified Nesara must have been when all of it happened…I shouldn't have taken it out on you…I'm so sorry."

He doesn't feel any movement for a second, fully expecting Daenerys to leave him and step out into the hallway. But instead, he feels her sit down beside him on the bed, and wrap her arms around him. The one singular movement finally breaks his own resolve. The anger turns to grief, and he turns his head, crying into her neck, tears streaking down his cheeks.

Her soft hands begin to run through his curls, from the roots to the tip, trying to calm his sobs. She always knew the right movements to soothe this pain, from the moment she had started to do this to him in his darkest hours. And it was moments like this where he didn't feel that he deserved her. Deserved her kindness, her love for him.

When her hands start slow, he pulls his head back, his vision blurry from the tears, but her form was still just as clear as it would be, his light in this darkness. "This is what he wants, Jon," she whispers fiercely to him. "He wants to find ways to drag us apart. He knows that one without the other will be nothing against him, but if we're united, we can end him. We can't let this happen to us…I know we are stronger than that, than all of this that he is trying to do…we can't let anger tear us apart."

Jon swallows, nodding his head. "I know…it's just…so hard."

Her hand comes up to stroke his cheek, her smalls move starting to calm his nerves. His eyes connect with her own, beautiful orbs of soul and devotion staring right back at him. "I've had anger consume me, Jon," she whispers. "It's hard to come back from it…if we want to use our anger, our rage, to something useful…we need to use it cleverly. Not out of a pure form…and we need to use it beat them…not against each other."

Jon feels himself turn to the ground, shaking his head. "I don't deserve you, Dany."

He could see from the corner of his eyes that she frowns. "Why in the gods names do you say that?"

He couldn't force himself to look up. "Any normal woman would have walked away at my stupidness…hell, they would have left a long time ago with how often I've lost myself…but you've stayed through everything because of your love for me, and I don't-"

His words are stopped when her hands grab onto his cheeks, cupping his face and pulling him to her, before her lips land on his. It was a kiss filled with passion, warmth, adoration – all of the feelings he didn't think he deserved right now. But here she was, giving them to him, like they were his life's breath. And he loved every second of it.

When she pulls herself away from him, her eyes search his, her hands still on his cheeks. Love comes in at the eyes. "Don't you dare say that," she murmurs. "You know out of everyone you deserve my love. You deserve everything that I can give to you…and I wouldn't want some stuffy old lord anyway. I want you. I will always want you. I love you, Jon."

Her forehead rests against his, and he brings a hand up to cup her own. "I love you, too," he whispers, his mind still thinking of his daughter, slowly dying in the other room. "Gods, Nesara…" He swallows his pain and looks away, trying to think of what to do. "I…I only want what is best for her. There has to be a way to save her…what was that phrase? 'Only death pays for life?'"

Instantly, she takes a step back. "Jon, you are not going to sacrifice yourself."

"But…but what if-"

"What if nothing." Her voice was stern, a command. "I am not allowing my husband to…kill himself. There has to be another way to save her."

Jon feels himself sigh at her words. He didn't want to think about ending lives to save Nesara's…but if that's what it came down to, he would. Even so, he still favored Daenerys' words, at least for now while they still had no idea what to do. "Alright…I only hope that Kinvara can come up with…I don't know, something. It's driving me mad."

Daenerys looks to him again, before reaching over and taking his hand in hers. The couple was silent for a moment, only the sound of the dragons outside screeching into the day echoing within their walls. After a moment, she turns her gaze to him. "Jon." He looks to her. "I know that getting the North to follow us is essential…but you do know that Sansa isn't going to listen to what we have to say, right? Even if you are her brother? She's one of the four people that orchestrated the whole ordeal against us."

His expression changes, the grief leaving him before he turns his eyes down towards the floor. "No, I don't." He looks back at her, a different statement within his gaze. "The only reason I brought that up was to please Arya…she doesn't want to hurt her sister. But I'm realizing I'm going to have to let her in on what I'm really planning."

Daenerys' brow furrows. "…planning?"

He stands and looks out at the city below them before his eyes move to the dragons above. "They planned against us. Against what we thought. If they want to be schemers, then so be it." He looks back over at her. "We're going to do that as well, by buying into her fantasy, and taking her men from her."

He goes to sit next to her once more, still seeing her confused expression. "What happened to trying to convince her?"

"As I said, all to make Arya happy…but I know you're right. Sansa would never agree to fight Bran, and let the Targaryen's take her men away from her…so we're going to give in to what she wants. Arya has told me that Sansa did what she did to 'protect' me from serving life in the throne because I was too…emotional, or whatever, and to stop you from taking it. She, apparently…wanted me back in the North, but because she could never find me at the wall, she never brought me back to Winterfell."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "She wanted you back at Winterfell?"

"Apparently so."

"…do you think it was for…other reasons?"

Jon's brow furrows. "What do you mean? She still saw me as her brother – a Stark. That's why she was so against me being with you."

Daenerys bites her lip, holding in what seemed to be a chuckle. "I can think of another reason." He was confused as to what she was referring to, but she instead waves her hand, encouraging him to keep talking. "Go on, then."

"Sansa won't let us in with all our men to Winterfell. That much is known. She's at least smarter than that to let in a whole Targaryen army…so I propose it's only us, and Arya with Gendry. We walk in as innocents who just want to have a meeting. To discuss things…properly."

"Jon, she hates me. What makes you think she would allow me into Winterfell?"

"She may hate you, but she doesn't hate me. If she wants to speak to me, she has to take in my whole family. We win back her trust, say that we don't want war. If anything, if she can keep us in the North, away from Bran, we will be loyal to her and leave her people be."

"So trick her?"

"Yes. Have her think that she has the upper hand. Then, while we are there, at one of her council meetings, we reveal everything. How she orchestrated the whole mess between us, how she's been planning a war against our kingdom, and supported Bran hunting and hurting our children, how we've been sending aid there and she hasn't been doing anything…it'll turn everyone against her, and want to be loyal to us, to take on Bran. I know the Northerners treated you poorly, and I take the blame on that myself, but the one thing they do care about is family. And when they find out that Sansa was alright with killing the children, they won't stand for that. We'll take her men from the inside out. No violence necessary."

Daenerys was quiet for a moment, examining him with a quiet smile on her lips. "You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?"

"Been haunting me in my sleep, honestly. But that's the only way to beat Sansa – use her own manipulation games against her."

"And what about our armies?"

"We keep them North. The Far North."

At her furrowed brow, he waits for a moment for it to connect, before she rolls her eyes. "Oh gods…Tormund."

"And the wildlings," Jon chuckles, before holding her hands in his. "They would protect us. They've always been loyal to me and Tormund was the person who even encouraged Dan and me to leave. If we hadn't, we might not have met you. We might not have had this." His hands rest against her growing bump, and she smiles softly at his words. "We'd have to get the men properly prepared for the cold, as well as the dragons, but she would never think to look North knowing the wildlings are there. They would be safe, and we could unite them with us without having to spare any lives. As soon as we get the North, the Vale is practically ours, and the rest will follow. We'll have Bran taken down…or whatever it is he is."

Daenerys bites her lip, glancing at the ground. "What if…Bran is sort of…a second Night King? Like what Kinvara said? I mean…he's done the same thing to Dan, caused Daemon to have these nightmares, even myself as well…we can't keep avoiding the question."

Jon swallows at her words, trying to think of the right thing to say. He had never been a bleeding poet, but he wanted to at least try to ease her mind. "Then getting Sansa's armies and the North support is even more essential. Which is why this plan has to happen."

Daenerys nods, her hands moving away from his before cupping his face, stroking his cheek once more, the stubble of his beard streaking against her soft skin. "You know what you're doing, right?"

His brow furrows. "What?"

She leans in and kisses his lips softly, a kiss that was much different than the one from before, a soft and gentle one that made his hands move to her side, pulling her closer to his from. When she pulls back from him, she smiles, one that was sincere for the first time today. "You're truly embracing being a Targaryen…you're scheming against the North, against your sister, a Stark, so that we can achieve what we need…are you okay with that?"

Jon looks at his wife – truly looks at her – and holds her as close to him as he could. "There is not a single part of me that isn't okay with embracing who I am…I love my family, and I love you. I don't even need to think about going against her because all I want is for our world to be safe."

She moves so that her head is against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Jon starts to rub slow circles on her back, feeling her breath gently against him. He had been thinking of this for a while and knew the only way to get Sansa's men was to trick her. And honestly, he didn't give a shit about it. She deserved it after what she did. She deserved more after what she did. But for now, all he could do was plan.

Sooner or later, though, they would make their mark. But now, they had to focus on their daughter, and pray that she survived.

"Come," he says softly to her when she pulls back a moment later. "Let's go tell Arya and the others what is happening. They deserve to know."

Daenerys nods, and he gently helps her stand, looking towards the door. He knew the moment they left this room, everything would become real again, but it had to happen. And they would get through this, somehow.

---

The Children

"How can this happen?"

Dan sat, staring at the limp body of Nesara for she didn't know how long. Zaevar and Mae had been holding both of her hands, while Daemon had been pacing back and forth. Their parents had been gone for some time now, and silence had been what had spread through the room. Eleana had gone to tell some of the others what was going on.

Mae's voice had turned dark, desperate, trying occasionally to wake her sister to no avail. Zaevar got up, and went to the window, holding his head in his hands. "He knew exactly what he was doing," Daemon hisses, causing Dan to look up numbly from where she sat. "He went into the most vulnerable mind he could…gods when I see him…"

"Daemon." Her voice was soft, needing. It was Mae's. Dan looks to see the older girl, tears racing down her cheeks. "Please…don't get angry. Just be here with us."

Her brother stares at the girl, a mix of emotions flurrying on his face, from anger to sadness to pure confusion, until he settles on one and walks over to Mae's side, letting out a long sigh, looking at the unconscious girl. He holds out his hand and tries to feel around the wound, but as soon as he does, a pain so unbearable races through him, causing him to fly back in pain.

"Fuck!" the boy whispers fiercely, holding his arm.

"Daemon," Mae gasps at his language.

Dan rushes over to him, pulling back his sleeve to reveal bursts of blue skin, popping onto his arm like a burn, before disappearing from her eyes. "What was that?" she whispers in shock.

"He put a charm on it," Daemon mutters, pulling his arm back. "I might have been able to try and help her…but Bran was smart. This type of magic can only be cured through blood…something that is far too advanced for me now." He swallows and places his head in his hands. "Gods, I feel so useless."

"You feel useless?" Zaevar asks from where he stood. "At least you have the chance to try – we can't do shit just standing there. We're all just sitting ducks praying and hoping that Kinvara can somehow find a way around this. In all honesty, you're probably the most useful one here."

"Tell that to my hurt arm," Daemon responds, leaning against the wall before looking over at Dan. "You always have ideas – what's your idea here?"

The girl bites her lip, shaking her head. "I…I don't know." She sniffles and looks over at the still body once more. "I keep looking at Nesara and all I can think about is how she shouldn't be going through this…how there's nothing we can physically do. I mean, what idea could I have that could save her life? I truly don't know…I'm lost. We all are." Her hands run through her silver locks as she sits at the edge of the girl's bed. "I'm so sorry…to you two. To her as well."

Mae's brow furrows from where she knelt. "For what reason?"

"It's our fucking family name that's done all this," Dan responds, her voice bitter. "I've embraced who I am, but I've had no choice…but now, we've brought you into this mess, and now Nesara has suffered because of it…this never would have happened if mother and father adopted you."

Mae looks shocked at her words, but before she could speak, Zaevar does instead. "Don't apologize for something that saved our lives."

He walks over to Dan this time, taking a seat next to her. "Why shouldn't we? It's our fault. Bran is after everything we care about."

"Bran would be after anyone that you care about. He would attack an innocent civilian too if he had the chance," Zaevar states. "At least from what I've seen…but even after what's happened to Nesy, it's not going to change our minds that being taken in by Jon and Daenerys changed our lives for the better. We have never been happier."

Dan sniffles and looks at him, before looking over at Mae as well. "Truly?"

The older girl nods. "Trust me…life was horrible before we met you. Now, we know what a true family feels like…what mothers and fathers are supposed to do with their children. This is what we signed up for. It's what we were expecting…it's alright. You don't need to apologize."

Dan nods at her words, looking down to the ground below her. "I want to somehow make this better…I don't know. I always do." She lays back against the furs, groaning. "It's one of my flaws…I always want to prove I'm the best at everything so I can get treated like an adult. I had to do it when I lived North, and I felt even more inclined here because of all the fire mages that exist…and it hurts knowing that I can't do anything to make this…good again."

"How do you think I feel?" Daemon asks, moving to sit next to Mae. "I have literal healing powers and even I can't get past this stupid charm. It's horrible."

Silence echoes in the room between the siblings. Zaevar swallows from where he sat and looks to them. "Well…if we're all revealing how we feel about ourselves, I feel like a failure."

All four of the children turn to look at him, and Dan notices that tears had escaped his eyes. "Zaevar…"

"It's true." His voice was dim, struggling to hold on. "For years, I couldn't protect my old sister…I had to go along with this narrative that she was just a maid. That I was some…cold-hearted boy who only wanted to improve and grow…I couldn't keep Nesara safe, and let her get beaten…possibly even raped if Jon and Daenerys didn't come into the picture…I was so afraid of what would happen to me that I was a coward to do anything else. And now, even with the threat gone, even with a new family…I can't even call them mother and father because of how many bad memories it brings up in my head."

Dan reaches over and takes his hand in hers. "No one is forcing you to call them that, Zaevar. It's your choice."

"I know…but it still feels shitty that I can't even call them that, when they can openly call me their son, or Nesara their daughter, or Mae their daughter…I feel awful." He gets up and looks at himself in the mirror, his hand coming up to trace the scar that sat on his cheeks. "And it doesn't matter what happens…I'm always going to be reminded of them through this."

Dan stares at him in surprise, not knowing he was going through all of this. Zaevar and she trained on a daily basis regarding their fire but had never opened up this far. "Well, that shit doesn't matter."

It was Daemon's voice that spoke this time. He was looking at Zaevar with a furrowed brow, trying to see if he could find the right words.

"Scars are worthless," Daemon says, before pointing to his back. "If anyone knows about them, it's me. Or even father. Or mother, too. She's still dealing with the pain from what the leaders did to her. But all they do is tell a story of a former version of yourself…at least that's what father has told me. They don't define who you are. If anything, that scar will prove how much you grew…into a Targaryen, not a Galeron. And so what if you can't call Jon, father. It took me time to say it. Took Dan a long time to say mother, too. At least seriously. They aren't expecting fast speed. You don't have to be some magical man."

Zaevar laughs at his words, before nodding his head, wiping at the tears that threatened to spill more. "Thanks, Daemon…I think I needed that."

Daemon nods and wraps an arm around his shoulder. "We're brothers, no matter if it's not by blood. Don't doubt yourself. You're not a failure."

"At least never to us," Dan adds on, smiling softly at him. "You were my first friend here…I'm never going to forget how you nearly burned my head off, though."

Zaevar cringes as he goes to sit next to her again. "I still feel terrible about that."

"You should! I had cinders in my hair!"

The two chuckle for a moment as Daemon moves to the other side of Nesara again. They all turn their gaze to Mae, who had been holding Nesara's cold, clammy fingers in her own. "What about you, Mae?" Daemon asks, causing the girl to look up. "Have any confessions you need to get out at the witching hour?"

"Nah, I'm better than all of you," she jokes, causing the siblings to chuckle for the moment, despite the horrendous situation. Silence falls on them again as she looks back at Nesy, and then with a soft gulp, she speaks. "I feel inadequate…if that's the right word."

Dan's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"I'm surrounded by siblings with magical powers," she chuckles, looking down at the little girl. "Even Nesy had-has," she forces herself, the words sounding stuck within her throat. "More power than I ever could…it's why our old family didn't want me. Why they turned me into some…maiden and not an heir to their throne…and it's not like I really cared about that specific part but…I would have liked to have felt, I don't know…wanted. Even right now, I feel so useless. At least there's a chance you could help Nesara…I can only sit here and wait."

"You're wrong," Zaevar says from where he sat. "You're a great older sister…it was my fault for not standing up for you for all those years."

Mae lets out a quiet chuckle, glancing down at Nesara's body. "Tell that to her…"

"My gods, there was nothing you could have done to save her – it was all in her head," Daemon reassures. "And even then, even when she does survive this, you will still be just as much of a great sister to her, as you are to us."

"And blood doesn't matter," Dan says to her softly. "Or powers, or sorcery, or any of that nonsense…you're our family. And the best older sister I could ever have…we love you. I love you."

She could see tears leak from the girl's eyes before she uses a free hand to reach over and grab Dan's. "Thank you…that means a lot."

"It better," Dan says softly, before nodding at both Daemon and Zaevar to come to her side. The two boys do, resting their hands on her shoulders. "And no matter what happens to Nesara, we're still going to be here for you…and hopefully, she will, as well."

Mae lets out a deep sigh, holding her hand tightly. "I hope so."

With that, they stay united, holding hands and connected, trying to urge all the old gods and the new that somehow, someway, Nesara would make it out of this.

---

Daenerys

It had been many hours of pain and stress.

They had told everyone in their direct family what had been happening with Nesara. Arya had been first, and the look on the woman's face had been a combination of confusion and fear. "You're telling me that…Bran did that? The same thing he did to Dan?"

"Only worse," Daenerys had confided in the girl.

After that, she had gone off to tell Gendry of what had happened. Meanwhile, Jon had told Davos and Taevar, and he said that Davos was 'heartbroken' and had begun to cry. Taevar, on the other hand, had been filled with anger. He had said they should just go to King's Landing and cut of Bran's head right then, but they both knew that Bran knew better than that, and would probably have men ready.

From there, they spread the news down to everyone else slowly, to Rhaemon and his men, to the guards and the handmaidens in the castle, to the cooks down below who would make Nesara cake. And everyone's reaction had been the same – shock, and then asking what they could do to help. Except there was nothing they could do except pray that Kinvara somehow figured a way out.

Later on, however, when the sun was beginning to set, and things were starting to look dim, she decided to pay a visit to Nesara's chambers. Jon had told her he would deal with the people's needs today for her so she could still rest her back, and would see Nesara later. He would also stay there just in case Kinvara came running in with good news.

To which, she was trying to remain hopeful.

However, when she arrived outside of Nesara's chambers, she was surprised to see that all of the children were waiting outside. Her brow furrows, walking to where Dan stood. "Why are you all out here?"

"Aunt Arya said she wanted a moment alone with Nesara," Dan answers, nodding her head towards the door. "She hasn't come out in a little bit."

Daenerys sighs before squeezing her daughter's shoulder. "I'll go speak to her."

"You don't have to rush her – she's family too," Zaevar says softly. Daenerys offers a smile of thanks to the boy. She was happy that he and Mae saw her as their aunt as well. She knew how long it took for people like them to accept new members into their lives, ones they could fully trust. She was glad they did for her.

Daenerys gently opens the door, sneaking inside quietly before closing it behind her, looking to the bed. There, kneeling at the edge, was Arya, her head in her hands, her body shaking with silent sobs. She walks up to the girl, placing a soft hand on her shoulder, speaking low. "Arya."

The girl looks up, and only then does Daenerys see how much she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy, bloodshot, and tear stains were on her cheeks. She sniffles as Daenerys kneels next to her, and her eyes turn back to the body of Nesara.

"Why are you crying so much?"

"Be…because this is my family's fault," she whispers in shock, shaking her head. "I…I can't believe my…my brother would do something like this. That my sister…would support someone like this…I…" She shakes her head and stares at the ground. "This is…I am so sorry…"

Daenerys wraps her arm around the girl's side. "Arya, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for."

"No, I do," she whispers, finally leaning back on her shoes and running her fingers through her hair. "This is my brother's doing. I don't even know how to properly react to something like this…looking at Nesara…I don't even know what it means to properly be a Stark anymore…what kind of person is okay with doing this?"

Daenerys looks at Arya, seeing the pain clearly on her face. She didn't blame her. She had already mentioned this to her once and knew what it was like to live in the shadows of people around us who only wanted to paint a bad name for their family. But all she could do was somehow find a way out of it.

She squeezes the girl's shoulders, feeling her head rest against her own. "I know that this feels like there's no escaping from what he's done…but I can assure you that Nesara will not blame you for what's happened, and no one here does either…if anything, we should have taken him out ages ago."

Arya lets out a huff of air, her head dropping. "Like any of us knew what he was capable of ages ago," she mutters.

"That's true…but truly, the best we can do, is just move on from it," Daenerys says quietly, looking at the little girl's body. "And hope that somehow she does find a way…because there has to be one."

The young woman swallows next to her, before forcing herself to look up, staring at the furs in front of her. "I don't understand," she whispers, shaking her head. "I just don't get it."

"Don't get what?"

"That he…they…why is it that they want to attack when you haven't done anything to them?" Arya asks, looking over at Daenerys. "I mean, I could understand if it was from years ago. After King's Landing…no one knew what to do. If you had lived after that…it probably wouldn't have been for long. Honestly, even if what happened to you was planned, you're lucky Jon got to you first…many others would have done far worse."

"I know," Daenerys says softly, silently wondering exactly what would have happened. She could only imagine the pain she would have gone through.

"But…now? When you're on the opposite side of the world and you're only trying to help people here…it baffles me. You haven't even attacked Westeros. Why would Bran agree to help those slavers?"

Daenerys sighs. "I don't know…truly, I believe he just wants to end the Targaryen's, plain and simple. Did I tell you that after the battle, Jon and I got a glance at some of the men – they had the Stark sigil on them. Bran blatantly sent some of his army men to try and defeat us."

"He…he did? And they attacked you?"

"He's fed them so many lies at this point that I wouldn't be surprised," Daenerys says softly. "It's just what we have to live with until we can find some way to kill him. To end this without…sparing so many lives. I don't know how we will, but there's a way…there's always a way."

Arya swallows quietly. "And…what if there's not?"

The dragon queen was quiet, glancing at the dirty ground beneath her, the sound of the wind rushing out from the open window. She had tried so hard to not think about the consequences if there wasn't a solution to what Bran was doing, but Arya had a point. There could be something so powerful that she didn't even understand.

"Then…at least if we die, we know that we did everything we could," Daenerys finally says, looking over at her. "But for now, our focus is the girl in front of us…and a sign from the gods above and below that hopefully, she will survive."

Arya looks back to where Nesara laid, quietness developing between the two. After a moment, the young assassin speaks. "You know Sansa isn't going to come quietly if you have a whole army there, right? She's not that kind of person."

Daenerys feels herself smile a little. Arya did think like her brother. She knew as well.

Making sure to check the door before she spoke, she started to tell the Stark girl about everything Jon had said to her, speaking of his plan, how he wished to win over Sansa's trust before stealing everything away from her and make the North follow them instead. She told of what he had wanted to do, to expose how there was little food coming in from the North, and how they had been helping the whole time.

And when Daenerys had finished talking, Arya had raised her brow in surprise. "He really said all of that? And planned it all?" At Dany's nod, Arya shakes her head in disbelief. "I never considered Jon to be the manipulating type, but after what she did to her…I wouldn't blame him…but that doesn't really make him any better than her."

"I think it does," Daenerys answers quietly, causing the girl to look up. "Jon and I are doing something that Sansa can't do – providing. Protecting. Every single person whom you have told me about from the North has said that she hasn't been keeping them safe. We have, for lack of a better word. Although we're going to war, we have the substance to keep our country safe and going, while also helping the cities we have taken under our union as well. Sansa can barely keep the North going. If Jon has to manipulate her to somehow save the people, then I'm fully alright with that."

Arya sighs but nods her head. "Alright, fair point." She looks over at Nesara, before wiping another stray tear that left her eyes. "Gods, I hope she survives this."

Daenerys hugs the side of the girl tightly, feeling herself swallow in fear while looking at Nesara's still-limp body. "Me too."

---

Jon

It was times like this he hated being king.

Well, that was a stretch. He didn't hate being king. In fact, he was starting to grow quite fond of it. When he was King in the North, a part of him had hated ruling over the people there. Many were ungrateful and unresourceful. But in Valyria, the complaints that would come his way would be for smaller things, food, and market items.

But with everything that had been going on with Nesara, he had been finding it hard to keep a one-track mind. He had been going through people as quickly as possible to return back to his family. Usually, it would be he and Daenerys that would stand here, but he needed someone to stay with the children, so he had volunteered.

Even so, his mind was regretting that decision.

"How's everything going?" he hears from his side. Jon turns his head to see Taevar and Davos come from the entrance to the throne room. "Have you heard anything from the queen?"

Jon sighs and shakes his head. "Nothing…I'm still holding out hope, though."

Davos comes to his side and rests a hand on the king's shoulder. "I'm sorry you have to go through this, boy."

Jon gives a solid nod of thanks to the older man, while Taevar curses under his breath. "If I could get my hands on that piece of shit…I don't know who would be so willing to hurt a little girl. If that was my son..."

"There's nothing we can do right now except hope and pray she gets out of this," Jon says softly, pulling off his crown. "All I do know is that I can't take any more requests today…my mind is overpopulated with thoughts of this war and of Nesara…Bran is too powerful." He looks over at them, his gaze filled with worry. "Thinking about this…it just makes me realize how much power he truly has. We have a protective border around this land and yet he still was able to break into the mind of Nesara. Someone he hasn't even known about…there's something else going on with him."

Davos bites his lip before leaning down to kneel against the throne, looking up at Jon. "Do you think that he…could be something else? Related to the Night King?" At Jon's surprised expression, Davos continues. "The queen told me about everything when I first came here…including that."

Jon sighs once more before running his hands through his hair again. "It might be…it might not be. I truly don't know. If we're going into this, we have to go into it with the best army imaginable. I'm talking about all of our dragons, if possible. Our men, if we can travel them all over sea…maybe even pull in the armies from the Free Cities, but this isn't their war."

Taevar clears his throat with a raised eyebrow. "Um, not to state this again, but three out of the nine Free Cities declared war against you."

"I know that," Jon grunts, his hand resting against his nose, pinching the bridge. "But the other six did not. They do not deserve to be dragged into this war." He hmms and looks over at the two of them. "Nor do the innocent people of the three cities who attacked us."

Taevar's eyes widen. "You want to let those people go?!"

"Let me explain," Jon says, his voice firm. Taevar stares at him in disbelief before waving his hands, allowing him to talk. "The men from their army and their ships from the three cities that waged war agreed to kill us and to start this war, but their families were tricked, all given reasons as to why they suddenly had to move South. They had no idea this was happening. If anything, I'm sure some will agree with the way we dealt with the threat…however, that does mean we have to tighten our hold on the cities."

He stands and begins to pace, looking at the marbled ground beneath him.

"The dragonlords that the leaders killed are gone…families destroyed because of their incompetence…when we send new lords there to take over, we must send men as well to guard the city and to make sure nothing like this happens again while we are gone until we feel that it is safe to operate as its own city-state again within the realm of Valyria. As for the other cities, we're going to have to inform the dragonlords looking over the leaders that this has happened, and to tighten their forces."

"Would you want to send more dragons to the other six?" Taevar asks.

"Not until we feel it's needed," Jon answers. "We need every single dragon for what we are planning against Westeros. The only dragons we want to send off are to those three cities that need them. Other than that, we have to make sure Valyria stays as tight as possible." He looks over at them, feeling his shoulders drop. "I forgot how much war takes out of you…haven't planned for one in years."

Davos offers him a tired smile. "Wait until you're my age."

Jon smiles tiredly back as well, before taking a seat in the throne again. "I can't let this happen again…" He looks up at Davos and Taevar, biting his lip. "I keep thinking of your family, and your family…I mean, by gods, you have a pregnant wife, Taevar…and yet we're entering into this war that we don't know how to properly take on…it feels like the dead all over again. And I feel awful for dragging you into this."

"Don't feel awful," Taevar responds, coming to his side. "It's what we both signed up for as your hands – we know that the job comes with risks. But you don't have to worry about us – let us worry about our own families. You need to worry about yours."

Davos nods as well. "And as for my family, you and Daenerys have already done so much in trying to keep them safe…I have full confidence that no matter what, under your reign, they will be fine. And they will make it here safely."

Jon smiles at his words, before glancing back at the entrance to the throne room. "I hope you're both right." At that moment, both Ghost and Ari enter into the room, both slow and seemingly tired. "Gods, even the direwolves look dead inside…none of us can believe this." They come to his side, Ghost whining as he places his head on Jon's lap. "I know, boy…I wish she was here, too."

Taevar rests his hand on the king's shoulder as well, watching as the wolves settled at his feet. "It's amazing how even when you're considering the Dragon King…your direwolves still follow you."

Jon feels himself smile genuinely at this. "Ghost and I…we've been through a lot. Isn't that right, boy?" The direwolf lets out a soft growl at his scratches, but it was a sound of love. "The other one isn't even mine…it's Dan's. We found it all alone in the woods. We truly thought all the direwolves had died out, but this one was all alone."

The younger wolf plops out her tongue, almost smiling up at him. Taevar reaches out to the direwolf, to which the animal sniffs his hand before letting him pet her head. The older man chuckles.

"Must say, a lot easier to pet a direwolf than to tame a dragon."

Jon laughs. "Yes, that is true…I remember the first time I pet Drogon – nearly shat myself," he admits.

Davos chuckles. "Think Daenerys knew there was something different about you from that moment – no one else could pet that dragon alone unless you had dragon's blood."

"Yeah," Jon murmurs, looking down at Ghost, scratching him behind the ear, before glancing back at Taevar. "Dragon King? That's really what they call me?"

"Of course," Taevar chuckles. "We call Daenerys the Dragon Queen – why not call her husband the Dragon King?"

Jon's brow raises slightly, leaning back in the throne. Truly, the name had never really sat well with him before. But for the first time, he truly felt powerful with that name. "Hmm," he mutters. "Bit catchier than King in the North."

"Think it suits ya better," Davos admits.

At that moment, before he could respond, the door to the room opens. Jon sighs. "Please, no more-" His eyes connect with the man who had walked in, and he sees it as Gendry, with a piece of parchment in his hands. "Oh, Gendry. I thought you were with Arya before?"

"I was – she wanted to go visit Nesara by herself. I decided to give her some time – she was really heartbroken about it, as was everyone…I still can't believe it myself…either way, I was hoping I could have an audience with the king…alone."

His eyes look to both Taevar and Davos, a question in his gaze. Jon nods to his two hands. "Leave us – and take the wolves."

They both nod, and Davos whistles for the direwolves to follow. They do with ease, both bumping against Jon as they leave while he scratches their ears. Once they as well as the men were out of sight, Jon turns to Gendry, his brow raised.

"What is it that you wish to speak about?"

Gendry approaches with the piece of parchment in his hands, giving it to Jon. The king takes it quietly, his eyes reading the words quickly.

'To the King and Queen of Valyria,

I, Gendry of the House Baratheon, renounce my claim to Storm's End, and wish to pass it on to someone of higher stature-'

Jon raises his brow at Gendry, shock clear in his gaze. "You want to renounce your claim? For what reason?"

Gendry sighs and rubs the back of his neck. "I've always been thankful for what the queen did for me years ago…I was never lord of anything until she decided to make House Baratheon a noble name again. However, I realized that's…not really what I want. It's never truly been my responsibility to bring back that name. The former king didn't even know about me, let alone think I could bear his name."

"Gendry, you're taking a long time getting to the point," Jon mutters.

"Forgive me – I want to marry Arya."

If Jon had a drink, it would have gone flying across the room, along with the goblet. "You want to marry my sister?"

"I asked her a long time ago after the Long Night battle – I'm sure she's told you that at this point – but she said no because she didn't want to be a lady, and I understood. She wanted to travel the world and see everything. And now, I've finally gotten her back in my life…but not in Storm's End or anywhere else in the world. Here, in Valyria, of all places…and I feel that if I go back to Storm's End at some point, she is not going to want to come with me…I'll lose her all over again, and I don't want that to happen." He sighs and looks at the ground. "I mean…I just feel this connection to her. We've been through a lot and I don't think there could ever be another woman that I feel this strong of a pull towards. Have you ever just…felt like you were meant to be with someone?"

Jon feels himself smile a bit at the words, thinking of Daenerys, but keeps those thoughts to himself. "I have, yes."

"That's what it feels like with her…I was so lonely for so long and now that I'm finally here with her, I've never felt happier. More fulfilled…it's more than a castle could ever do. And I realized I don't want to be some Lord sitting somewhere waiting for my subjects to come to me. I want to be with her, to help build this world that you're making and travel around, trying to help others…I didn't know what I wanted to do for so long but…now I know."

Jon sighs and runs a hand through his hair again. This is not what he expected to be dealing with today. "Well, firstly, I don't know why you're bringing this to us when we aren't the ones in power over your name…that would be whoever is ruling over Westeros."

"He isn't my king," Gendry instantly says, causing Jon to raise his brow. "Jon, if I had a choice, I would take everything I know from Westeros and bring it here. I never supported Bran or any of the lords…I barely had a say in who was elected because no one truly trusted my claim. I've always considered you and Daenerys the true monarchs…gods know you've done a hell of a lot more than Bran has ever done."

Jon stands and walks over to the man, his brow furrowed. "You truly believe that?"

"Yes. And I know I'm not alone…we're the silent majority. I truly feel that most people aren't fond of Bran, but don't know how to take him down. He's…different. Powerful. We don't understand what it is."

The king watches him quietly, thinking of his words. If people did truly believe that they were the rightful rulers…he didn't know if that would aid them in the war or hinder them. "Either way…I don't think renouncing your name is the way to go, Gendry…believe me, I think if you did marry Arya, she'd probably want to be more of a Baratheon now."

Gendry's brow furrows. "You think so?"

"I don't think she'd turn down a name change after seeing what her family is currently doing," he admits softly, before nodding outside. "Even so, you don't need to renounce your name to not be a lord. You can still travel the world and be a Baratheon." He thinks quietly for a moment, wondering what the best way would be to approach this. "I think if you truly want that to happen, you'd a) throw that away because someone out there will find a way to use it against you and b) wait for this war to be over with…what we could do is make you an ambassador to Westeros."

His confusion seemed to enhance. "An…ambassador?"

"You'd still be known as Gendry Baratheon, a lord of Storm's End. However, we could have one of your closest advisors – most likely the one that you have watching over Storm's End right now – run the village, take care of the people, make sure that all their needs are met – but you can be the man who brings back information from across the sea, an alliance of sorts. You can be the middleman between Valyria and Storm's End – a way to further unite unions. That way, you can stay here with Arya, who doesn't want to be 'a lady,' while also not letting go of your duty as a lord…as much as you would hate to believe it, you are the heir to the House Baratheon, a house that you can't let die…you can't let go of that. But there are always ways around it."

Gendry raises his brow at his words. "You sound like you know a lot about that."

Jon walks back to the throne, leaning against it while memories take over his mind. "I once had someone tell me that 'love is the death of duty.' Another inverted it, saying 'duty is the death of love.' But I've learned you don't have to choose – if the love is truly strong, and you believe it to be real, then nothing can stop you from doing both as long as you try. Your duty doesn't have to be what stops you from accepting love into your life…I struggled with that for a long time, but Daenerys made me see differently."

The young man comes to his side. "Well, the children are lucky to have parents like you to look up to when it's their turn to find love one day."

Jon smiles a bit and nudges the boy's shoulder. "Thank you. That means a lot." His brow raises at the fighter next. "So…asking my sister to marry her?"

Gendry rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, this was…sort of my way of asking for her hand, but you gave me a different answer than I was expecting."

"You didn't have to ask me; I'm not her father."

"You aren't, but you're the closest person she has to one," Gendry admits. "She talks about you all the time, how you were the only one out of her brother's that took her seriously as a fighter when she was younger. How you two have a special connection...she truly loves you, despite not being direct blood anymore."

Jon smiles at his words. "That makes me glad to hear…and if you do want a traditional answer, yes, you have permission to marry my sister." The grin that spread across the boy's face was almost contagious. It almost made Jon forget about what was happening above them with his daughter. Almost. "Still can't believe you were her first."

The boy's face changes to horror. "She told you that?"

Jon snorts. "Not out of my own free will – she and Daenerys were discussing personal matters. Was quite shocked to learn. Don't worry – I'm not going to get angry at this." He visibly sees the boy's shoulder fall in relief. "When do you plan to ask her?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but soon," Gendry responds, glancing at the floor. "I wanted to make sure that we, uh…if there's even a chance of us dying in this war, that we end it together."

Jon feels his mouth turn downwards before he lets out a tiring sigh. "I understand…I feel the same way with my family…I only wish Daenerys would have the babe before we went to war, but with how aggressive Bran has been, we aren't going to have a choice."

Before Gendry could respond, the doors to the room slam open. The two men turn their heads to see Kinvara rushing in, breathing heavily as if she had just run a thousand miles, before panting, looking up at Jon.

"Your grace," she breathes, before a soft smile comes over her lips, wiping the sweat from her brow. "There is a way to save Nesara – and to protect your other children."

---

To say that they ran to a temple room would be an understatement.

Firstly, they had gone to the upper floors to grab Daenerys, as well as the other children, who had returned to Nesara's chambers to see her. When they explained that Kinvara had found a way, but it can only be Jon and Daenerys that follow, they had relented, moving with Kinvara to a sacred room that was filled with priceless religious artifacts, all brought together by a stone tablet in the middle.

Presumably where older instances of sorcery had taken place.

By the time they were inside, all three of the individuals were breathing heavily. Jon had commanded that Gendry and Arya stay with the children. "What is it that you have dragged us so far to do?" Daenerys asks once Kinvara closes the door.

She whispers something in Ancient Valyrian, and all of the candles lit within the room. The light illuminated their face, as she turns to look at the queen.

"Do you remember when you brought Jon back, your grace?"

Jon's brow furrows as he turns to look at her. Instantly, the color from Dany's face leaves her. "Yes…I do. One of the worst days of my life."

"And do you remember what you had to do to help him?"

Daenerys sighs. "I do…is that what we have to do now? Use my blood?"

"Well, yes and no." She walks over to a bag that she had latched across her body, before placing it on the stone tablet. "When I brought Jon back, I used your blood to combine with his because it's powerful – and that along with some magic was enough to heal him. But with your children, they need your combined blood to protect them."

The couple shares a look of confusion before turning back to her. "I'm sorry, what do you mean to say?" Jon asks.

Kinvara sighs. "Daenerys." She turns to the woman, a knowing look in her eyes. "Do you remember when you had to eat the stallion's heart when you were married to Khal Drogo?"

Daenerys' eyes widen in shock. "How do you know that?"

"Wait, you did what?" Jon asks her, staring in surprise.

The queen sighs and looks at him. "It was a pregnancy ceremony for the Dothraki. If you were able to consume the whole heart, the unborn child would be strong…even so, how in all the realms do you know about that?" she asks Kinvara.

"You've known me for how long and you're still asking me how I know such things?"

Daenerys shakes her head and nods. "Alright, fair."

"Even so, it's sort of like that, except with no animal parts this time." She removes the dagger from her bag, and Jon stares at it in shock. It was the same dagger he had used to…kill her. "Yes, Jon, before you ask, I've had this since I brought her back. She used it to drain her blood to save you – changing the meaning of his dagger. It was once used for death, and now for life. Which is why I need you two to drain both of yours."

She hands the dagger to Daenerys, looking to the goblet in the bag.

"Your blood is very powerful. If you've noticed, you two have not been affected by Bran's powers. You've had nightmares, but because of the blessing that's been bestowed on you, you have a strong enough protection that he has never been able to control you…but what I'm about to ask you two to do now might change that."

"We'll do anything," Jon says softly. "If it will bring Nesara back."

Daenerys nods, agreeing. "Please."

Kinvara continues after her words. "Alright…this is going to be a protection spell, one that will hopefully completely cure Nesara, and then give the same amount of a barrier on your minds that you have to your children. But it's going to require you to give up the complete protection that is within you…which means he might be able to get into your minds a lot easier. But, if you combine your blood…it'll be powerful enough for your children to bear."

Daenerys raises an eyebrow. "How are the children going to…take this blood?"

"Consume it."

Again, the couple now shares a shocked expression before looking back at the red priestess. "You want our children to drink our blood? Like some common wolf?"

"It's the best chance we have at protecting them from something like this again," Kinvara implores. "And since you are actively seeking a war against Westeros, against the king that caused this, you are going to want to make sure your powerful children are protected as well as they can be before he uses their powers against you. This is an ancient ritual that was used by some of the realm's greatest heroes to protect themselves…but you'll be doing it for your children. Are you prepared to do that?"

Daenerys grabs the dagger into her hands once more, looking over at her again. "I think the question is more or less if the children will drink it…but I suppose they'll have no choice. And what about Nesara?"

"You two will feed the last bit into her…and hopefully this will wake her up. It's the only shot we have." Kinvara steps away, biting her lip. "I'll leave you two to fill the goblet. When it is done, call me back in, and I will perform the incantation."

Jon nods, watching as the red priestess leaves the room. As soon as the door closes, he turns to Daenerys with a raised brow. "You ate a stallion's heart?"

"That's really what is on your mind right now?" she asks him.

"I just can't believe that – how big are those things? And you ate it cooked?"

"Raw."

"Good gods," he mutters.

"Look," she states, shaking her head. "I never said that everything the Dothraki did was good. They're excellent fighters but, uh…have some strange customs." Her eyes connect with his own, before gripping the dagger in her hands. "We have to do this…it's only a cut. That's it."

"Wait." He takes the dagger gently from her hands, looking down at the small weapon. "I haven't held this since…since that day."

He could feel his hands shake while his fingers grasped hte pommel of the blade. Instantly, he was swarmed with memories from his past, from walking in the desecrated streets of King's Landing to going into the throne room, seeing her standing there, so consumed by the madness, knowing what he was going to do…he was almost overwhelmed.

That was until her soft hands landed on his, and he looks down to see Daenerys staring up at him concerned. "Jon…don't think about it."

"It's hard not to when it's right here in front of me," he whispers.

"Yes, but who else is here?" she asks him, holding his free hand in hers. "Don't stay transfixed on our past…think of the future. Think of what we have now." She moves his hand, resting over her growing bump, and that simple movement made him smile ever so softly. He looks down at her, resting his forehead against her own, before swallowing.

"Here…let me do it. And you do mine."

At her questioning glance, he nods to the dagger, before holding her hand gently in hers, the one that had scars from their previous battles. He looks to her for consent, to which she nods, not moving her hand from his. With that, he gently starts to slice into her skin, except this time as he held the blade, it would be for life, and not for death.

He watches her face for signs, watching her bite her lower lip to stop herself from crying out, not a single flinch in sight as the blade cut deep. Her resilience was strong, but her mind even stronger.

The blood began to flow from her hand, and he gently helps her hold it over the goblet, letting the liquid ooze into it until it was about halfway full, squeezing her digits to make sure that each droplet reached the container. He held her tightly just in case she got light-headed, making sure that she was secure. Once she was done, she took a bandage from the bag and wrapped it around her hand, before turning to him.

She holds the dagger this time above his own hand, before slicing quickly. The pain was there, but it was nothing compared to some of the wounds he had experienced in the past.

"How is it that you don't flinch?" she asks him quietly. "Do you not feel pain?"

Jon shrugs. "After everything I've been through, this feels like a simple cut." Daenerys rolls her eyes at his comment but doesn't say anything. She holds his own hand above the goblet, squeezing blood into it. He looks down at her as he does so. "This is really what you did when I died? Except you filled all of it?"

Daenerys looks to him as she does so, nodding. "I wanted you back…I was desperate to do anything." She looks back at the goblet, feeling herself sigh. "I knew that there was…something happening between us. I didn't know it would ever come to this, but I didn't want to lose you…not after finding you again, and our children finally having a real family…a chance at something we both never really had when we were younger. And even then, although I was too stubborn to admit it…I loved you. And I still love you. And I would do it all over again."

The intensity of her gaze lit a fire within him. As he poured his blood into the goblet, he leaned down and kisses his wife's lips, feeling heat spread through his body. It took all his strength imaginable not to bring his bloodied hand up to her face. When he pulls back, his forehead rests against hers, the last bits of his blood dripping into the goblet.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you," he whispers.

"Easy," she answers, her bandaged hand starting to cover up his own, wrapping the clothe around his palm. "You existed, my love." The words cause him to snort, but he shakes his head, putting his now cut hand over hers, holding it close to him. He presses another soft kiss against her lips, feeling her smile, and when she pulls back, she turns to the door. "Kinvara…you may come in now."

The door opens a moment later, and Kinvara comes in with her hood on. She raises an eyebrow at their close embrace before her brow furrows. "Do not tell me that you two were intimate while pouring blood."

"No," Jon chuckles, shaking his head. "Just come and do the incantation."

"Good," Kinvara mumbles before coming to the goblet. "However, I need you two to join me. Here – give me your bandaged hands." The two of them nod, coming to her side, holding her hands as she stood over the goblet. "Now, repeat after me - Ondoso se power hen Āeksiot Ōño, transfer bisa ānogar onto se hembar, maghagon zirȳ gō zȳhon protection, se ignite iā arlie vys hen lyks."

The two of them repeat it with ease, Jon listening to the words translated in this head. 'By the power of the Lord of Light, transfer this blood onto the next, bring them under his protection, and ignite a new world of peace.' What seemed to be a simple phrase, but held so much promise. A hope for something better.

The goblet began to suddenly glow, the blood turning a dark black, and then a bright red, almost illuminating the flames within the room, before settling back on its original color. Kinvara blows a soft flicker of air on it, before letting go of their hands, and holding it in her own.

"Alright…let's go see how this works."

---

The children were…confused, to say the least.

"You want us to do what?" Dan asks, her question barely above a whisper.

"Is that even safe?" Zaevar mutters.

Daenerys sighs as she holds the goblet to the children. "I know it seems strange, but it's what we have to do to stop this from happening to all again…we don't want another case of what happened to Nesara to happen to you…especially to you, Dan." The girl looks up at her words, and Daenerys only continues to nod. "You have the highest chance out of all the children of something like this overcoming you because of the connection you have to Bran. Please…just drink this."

Dan and Daemon share a glance of concern before Dan takes the goblet into her hands. "Alright…if that's what it takes to keep us safe."

She takes the goblet into her small hands, holding it with ease, before taking one long gulp. The expression on her face almost made Jon laugh from where he stood, a mix of disgust and distaste. She lowers the goblet down from her lips after a moment, wiping the dripping blood.

"You should know this is the strangest thing I've ever done," she croaks out, before handing the goblet to Daemon.

He follows in his sister's lead, swallowing three good chunks before lowering it to the table. The boy groans and closes his eyes, before glancing at his mother and father.

"It's amazing…I have a connection to blood but never knew it tasted like that." He sticks out his tongue as he clears his throat. "Tastes like steel."

Dan raises an eyebrow. "How do you know what steel tastes like?"

Daemon's cheeks turn red. "Long story."

"Don't think I want to know that."

Jon rolls his eyes a bit before taking the goblet, walking over to where Zaevar and Mae stood. Both stared at the goblet in uncertainty before looking at him. "You two have a turn now."

Zaevar swallows and looks at the cup before back at him. "A…are you sure you want us to drink? We aren't blood."

Before Jon could answer, Daenerys walks over to the two siblings. "Yes. How many times do we have to tell you that you are our children as well? We don't want you to get hurt just as much as Dan and Daemon. If we didn't truly care, do you think we would be doing all of this for Nesy?" She comes over to the girl's side, resting a hand on her back. "Come on, then…have a drink. You'll be safer."

Mae takes the goblet into her hands, and with a nod to her brother, she takes three big gulps, grunting as she lowers it down again. "Fuck, that's gross." Her cheeks turn red as she looks to them. "Sorry…didn't mean to curse."

Jon chuckles. "Don't worry, I don't blame you." He looks to Zaevar. "That leaves you, young man."

Zaevar sighs and takes the goblet last, staring at it. "This is perfectly safe?"

"Yes, drink it," Kinvara states impatiently from the corner. "We need to be quick."

"Alright, alright," Zaevar mutters, before finally swallowing the last bit of the blood he needed. Once he was done, he hands the goblet back to Jon, shaking his head in disbelief. "Yup, I agree with Mae. That's gross."

Kinvara walks over after that, coming to the king and queen's side. "Good, now that the children have drunk, give the rest to Nesara." Jon nods, walking over to where Nesara's body laid on her bed, swallowing. Staring at her limp form, he could feel himself growing angry again. Her lips were darker now, and her skin so pale, like the air had left her.

Daenerys comes to his side and squeezes his shoulder, letting him know that she was there with him. "Together," she whispers.

Jon nods, happy that she was willing to stay by his side during this. They sit on the opposite side of her bed until they were near her head. Jon gently pries open Nesara's cold lips so that Daenerys could spill the remainder of the blood into her mouth. The last droplets start to fall into her body until there was nothing left in the goblet.

Once it was finally empty, Kinvara comes over and presses her hands against Nesara's chest, chanting something again in Ancient Valyrian. Her hands glow a dark red for a moment, the light consuming the chamber before it fades into nothing. She sighs and looks over at the children, as well as the couple.

"Now…all we can do is wait," she says softly. "I'd suggest the children go back to their rooms for the night so Nesara can rest in peace. Other than that…not much else we can do."

Dan's brow furrows. "We really have to go back? We can't stay with her?"

"It's not that you have to," Kinvara responds. "But because of the severity of what has happened to her, it's best if she has as little amount of people in here as possible for healing reasons."

Daenerys reaches out to her daughter, seeing her look of concern. "It's alright. Your father and I will stay here with her through the night. You can go and rest."

Before she could talk back, there was a soft knock at the door. Kinvara walks over and opens it, seeing Arya and Gendry standing outside with a raised brow. "Is this blood ritual madness over and done with?" Arya asks.

Daenerys chuckles softly. "Yes. If you could take the children to their chambers for the night, that would be great."

They all look at her in sadness, but Daemon was the first one to concede. "It's alright. We'll just see her tomorrow, right?" he asks.

"Yes," Daenerys answers, her voice firm. Jon could tell she was trying to remain hopeful despite what had happened so the children would not worry. He gently squeezes her hand from behind her back, letting her know that this time she was the one who was not alone.

The children all turn to each other before slowly starting to leave, one by one with Arya and Gendry, until Mae turns around last, looking at the both of them. "Thank you…for doing all of this."

"You don't need to thank us for taking care of our child," Daenerys reassures the girl softly. "Now go and rest…we'll see you tomorrow." Mae nods to her response before heading out of the room. Once it was clear that all the children were gone, Daenerys let out the longest sigh of relief that she had been holding ever in her life, before looking over at Kinvara. "Please, by all the gods above and below…please tell me that this will work."

The red priestess walks over and feels the young girl's forehead. "Well…the fever that I felt earlier seems to have gone down, and some color had returned to her cheeks…however, as I said, it's a waiting game. We will see the answer tomorrow morning." She looks at the couple, nodding to the door. "I will be staying in a spare chamber tonight in the castle. If anything alerts you two, please let me know. If not, by all means, sleep well."

Daenerys nods to them, and Jon watches as she finally leaves the two of them alone. Once the door closes, Jon turns to Nesara, letting her little hand rest in his. Daenerys bites her lip and leans against him, laying down on the bed so that the little girl was in-between their bodies, keeping her warm.

"I can sleep on the floor if you want," Jon suggests.

"No, stay up here with us," Daenerys says softly, her request keeping him still. "I want to make sure that when she does wake up – because she will – that both her parents are here. That she knows she's not alone."

Jon feels himself smile at her words. He reaches over and takes Daenerys' other hand, pulling it to his lips. "Of course, my dragon…no matter what."

With that, Daenerys snuggled deeper into Nesara's side while staying close to her love, her eyes closing within a couple of minutes. And while sleep came slowly for the king, he too kept a close eye two of the most precious things in his life. And hopefully, on the morrow, he would wake to one being healed.

---

Daenerys

Morning came quickly, but not as quick as Dany's senses when she realized Nesara was not in the bed with them.

Jon was still sleeping as if he was dead, completely passed out, soft snores escaping his mouth, but Daenerys had sprung up the moment she could feel that a certain part of their bed was missing. And, as she looked around, she could see no sign of the girl.

"Nesy?" she calls out softly. Had she imagined the whole last day? Surely not…there were still stains on the ground from where she had vomited…and the goblet sat at the end of her desk. It had to have been real.

So where was her daughter?

Daenerys quietly got up, looking over at Jon as she did so, seeing him still sleeping. She didn't really blame him, though. He had done a lot in her stead the day before so she would be able to stay with the children for a longer amount of time. She would have to find a way to thank him later.

However, as she was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard the door open behind her. Fully expecting one of the other children to be checking in on them, she stood in silence as Nesara walked into her room with what looked to be a piece of lemon cake in her hands, munching on a little between her lips.

Her small eyes connect with Dany's, and she tilts her head in confusion before saying softly with a yawn, "Good morning, mama."

"Oh, thank the gods!" Daenerys gasps, suddenly kneeling down and grabbing the girl into her arms. The cake she had in her hands goes flying to the ground and Nesara cries out in protest, but still wraps her own arms around Daenerys'. She hugs the girl so tightly that she felt she was going to lose air, but after everything that had been through the last twenty-four hours, she needed this.

When Daenerys pulls back, Nesara tilts her head at her in shock. "Why are you so upset? You have tears in your eyes, mama."

Daenerys quickly wipes the stray ones that had escaped without her knowing, before looking down at her daughter in confusion. She could still smell the scent of their blood on her breath, so it had most definitely happened, but it was strange how she didn't recall the previous day. "You…you don't remember?"

"No…I was playing with Mae and cleaning up my toys, and then I fell asleep…I woke up here next to you and papa. Did something happen to me?"

"Oh, my sweetling," she whispers, pulling Nesara into her arms once more. "Someone bad tried to hurt you…someone we're going to take care of." She presses a gentle kiss against the girl's head, savoring the feeling of her alive body. "But don't worry, no harm will come to you like that again…as long as I live."

She moves back again, and Nesara tilts her head at her words of promise. "Oh…well I'm okay now though, right? Is the bad person gone?"

"The bad person isn't gone…but you are safe. And no one is going to touch you again. Not while you are by my side."

Nesara smiles brightly, and the one gesture brings warmth to Daenerys' cold and still heart, causing her to smile as well. But then, the little girl's eyes turn to the fallen pastry on the ground, and she frowns. "Can…can I get more cake now since you knocked it over?"

Daenerys laughs at the girl's question, almost feeling herself begin to cry. She would forever cherish that question for as long as she lived. "You can have all the lemon cakes that you want now, my darling."

She hears a groan come from the bed a moment later, and both girls turn their head to see Jon looking around sleepily, before his eyes land on Nesara. They widen, and he quickly gets up, pulling the little girl into his arms, burying his head in her neck. Daenerys smiles at the scene, letting him cherish the moment.

"Papa!" Nesara exclaims from his embrace. "I can't breathe!"

Jon lets her go a little bit, letting her take in a large gasp of air, looking up at him in shock. "I'm sorry, young one…we didn't think you would be here with us today."

"Well…I'm here now. And hungry."

Jon lets out a ghost of a laugh, looking over at Daenerys. "I think she deserves a breakfast of champions," she responds to her husband as Nesara jumped down from his embrace, reaching over and taking his hand in hers. "Don't you think too?"

"Yes," Jon says softly, standing. "Let's bring you down to breakfast…show you to every single person we can that you're healthy and alive."

Nesara smiles. "And more lemon cakes?"

"Yes, a million lemon cakes."

"Yes!"

---

The breakfast was joyful. The mood was bright. A stark contrast to the day before.

All of the children were shocked to see Nesara up and standing and had instantly collected around her, hugging her and whispering how happy they were. Nesara was still just as confused as she had been when Daenerys had seen her but happily embraced her siblings back, clearly excited for all the love she was receiving.

After that, she took a seat at the head of the table with Jon, who couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he fed her a million items, all of which making her happy while her siblings would talk about everything to anything. Daenerys had stood back after a moment, needing some time to take in everything that had happened.

Her daughter was alive. Her children were safe. Somehow, someway, they had made it out of the horror that had happened. And here they stood, happy and laughing.

It was amazing, how just a day could change everything.

"Are you alright, my queen?" she hears from the hallway. Daenerys turns her gaze to see Eleana looking at her, a serving of what seemed to be pudding in her hands. "The little princess requested it."

Daenerys chuckles softly. "I'm not surprised…she's going to take advantage of the love she's receiving today." Her eyes look over at the table again, seeing Arya and Gendry arrive at that moment, both surprised to see the little girl eating normally and talking as if nothing had happened. They embraced the girl tightly, who kept eating her lemon cake. "She doesn't remember any of it."

Eleana's brow raises in surprise. "You're…you're serious? She doesn't remember what happened at all?"

Daenerys sighs. "No…apparently, she doesn't. It's like the last day didn't happen and all she did was sleep."

"Wow…hard for me to forget."

Daenerys turns to her handmaiden, concern in her eyes. "What was it like? What truly happened?"

Eleana bites her lip, looking to where Nesara was, laughing and playing with the stuffed dragon that now Taevar had brought down for her from her room, glad to see her alive and standing. The direwolves came down next with Davos, who lifted up the girl into a tight hug, practically spinning her around when he sees that she was okay. The direwolves howl in agreement, before licking her face. Everyone was elated to see the princess all standing, healthy, and happy.

"It was…bad. It was almost like a horror play, Daenerys." She looks back over at the queen, her hands shaking with the lemon cake on it. "I…I was so scared. There was blood spewing out of her from everywhere. Vomit was fanning out all around the room. She was shaking and gasping for air…I can't believe she doesn't remember that. It haunted me all last night…I'm sure it did for Mae too."

"Mae seems to be dealing well with it," Daenerys says, looking over at her eldest, who was wiping crumbs off from the girl's mouth. "Either that or she's very good at hiding it."

"Probably the latter…I've never been very good with hiding how I feel," Eleana chuckles softly.

Daenerys reaches over and squeezes the girl's shoulder – it seems she had been doing that a lot lately. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that…really through any of this." Daenerys bites her lip and looks to the ground. "When you became my handmaiden, you didn't sign up for all of this sorcery and magic…and this pain and horror that would follow. If you wanted to leave today to find a new journey…by all means, you are free to do so. I don't want you to feel trapped."

Eleana stares at her in shock, her brow furrowed. "You're being serious?" she asks the queen, to which she nods, the second time that question had risen. "Wow, well, I'm not going to leave," she admits, causing Daenerys to look at her in surprise. "Yeah, it's been difficult lately, especially since you've decided on this war with the West, but...just because life is getting tougher I'm not going to leave. You saved me from a life of certain tragedy. I swore I would never return to something like that…and besides, these children are like my family now…and so are you. I don't think I could ever turn away, no matter how frightening it may become."

Daenerys smiles at the young woman's words. "Thank you…that truly means the world to me, Eleana."

The handmaiden smiles and hugs her from the side, before hearing a small voice usher her over. "Can I have my pudding now!" Nesara calls out. "Please?!"

Eleana chuckles and pulls away. "The real queen is calling – I must go," Eleana chuckles, causing Daenerys to grin as she moved to go serve the little girl. Daenerys watches silently from where she stood, watching as Eleana sat down next to the girl, laughing while she stole the pudding right from the handmaiden's hands.

For a time, she had never thought she would come in contact with another woman who would serve her as faithfully as Missandei had for all her years. But despite everything, she had. It seemed that for a time, everything worked out. And now, all she had to do was focus on the future…and what might come after.

"I see she has awoken," she hears again from behind her, only Daenerys turns this time to see that it was Kinvara, who had her hands crossed in front of her, staring at the girl who was eating her meal. "And she is…perfectly alright."

"She doesn't remember a thing of what happened," Daenerys explains to the red priestess. "Is that normal?"

"For someone as small as her, I am not surprised," Kinvara says, looking over at the queen. "She was probably in so much shock of what was happening her body shut down and decided to forget about the whole ordeal…it's different from what had happened with you, or with Daemon or Dan…even so, she seems to be healthy and standing."

Daenerys nods her head, watching the girl quietly. "Thank you," she states to the woman after a few moments of silence between them. "I know Jon and I were quite…abrasive, yesterday. We were only worried about what could happen to her, that is all…we love her as if she was one of our own."

"You don't need to apologize for caring for your children," Kinvara chuckles, shaking her head at her apologies. "If I had a child, I would be the same way…I was nervous throughout the day if I could truly find a way to save her…I'm happy the combination of rituals worked. I'll have to remember that for future protection incantations."

"The children weren't so happy about it," Daenerys chuckles a little. "They still think it was disgusting."

"It was needed," Kinvara responds, her arms uncrossed. "And hopefully, it will help them in the long run."

"I wanted to ask you," she responds, her own arms crossed against her chest. "How long does this incantation last?"

Kinvara was quiet for a moment, her brow furrowed as she thought about how to say it properly. "If all goes well, it should be permanent. What I did is that I took the essence that was within your body, as well as Jon's, and gave it to them. Technically, the Galeron's are your blood children now because they have some of your substance in them…it's supposed to move throughout their system and spread so that they have the same amount of protection on their minds as you did…however because we took a lot of it from your own body, you might be more…susceptible to instances of violence or chaos."

The dragon queen sighs but nods. "Alright…I mean, that's perfectly fine with me…at this point in my life, I care more about the well-being of my family rather than of my own."

"That's a bad way to live," Kinvara honestly responds, causing Daenerys to turn her surprised eyes to her. "I know that you and Jon are slow to believe of what we have said regarding the Lord of Light, or the Great Other…but this battle coming up is going to need all of you there. It's going to bring much heartbreak, much bloodshed, and an even darker look at the world than we have now if you don't bring everyone together. And that is going to include you and the king."

"Can…can you see what might happen?"

Kinvara smiles gently. "My queen, I've told you so many times I can't see the future…I only speak of the visions I witness in the flames, and preach them to those who might listen. But because I have never been wrong thus far, I'm taking it seriously…as should you." She looks over at the happy family at the table, letting out a low sigh. "If you and your husband intend to travel to Westeros soon with your whole family, you are going to need as large of an army as you can."

Daenerys' brow raises. "Even more than what we have now?"

"Yes. Trust me." She looks over to Daenerys with a raised brow, perplexed in thoughts. "I would suggest traveling with the Greyjoys if you don't have enough boats…possibly even traveling down to Naath."

The mention of the island causes Daenerys to cringe slightly, thinking of her former commander. "Jon and I have spoken about the Unsullied a couple of times…but we never seriously…thought about going down there. You think we should bring them back?"

"Well, think about it. You have a large army you and Jon have created now. You also have the Dothraki on the outskirts, ready to follow you and him together. You have the Greyjoy fleet in Westeros that is dedicated to you. You are also trying to convince the North at some point to go against Bran...it makes sense that you would want to bring your old army that stood by your side for quite some time back into your ranks."

"But…Greyworm is not going to like the fact that I am not only with my murderer but married and have children. How am I going to convince him to come back?"

Kinvara shrugs. "If your soldier is truly dedicated to you for the rest of his life, he will follow. If not, he was never worth the fight." The red priestess bows her head to her. "Forgive me – I have some sorcerers I have to go train. I'll leave you and your family…remember what I have said, your grace."

With that, Kinvara leaves and heads out of the room, back down the hallway from which she had come from. Daenerys stares at her figure until she disappears, and then feels herself let out a low sigh, looking back to her husband and her family that sat not that far from her.

She had a point. If they wanted to truly be prepared for this war to come, they needed as much help as they could get. And if they weren't going to be forcing the Free Cities to send their men, they would need to look elsewhere for aid as much as possible. And maybe the Unsullied were the best option for that.

But as her husband looked up, smiling at her from where he played with Nesara, speaking low, funny voices to her, a part of her only wondered what might happen if they did come across her former army. And what they might do to him.

Even so, she returns back to the table, smiling softly as she sits down next to Nesara, her little girl who was currently stuffing her mouth with breakfast rolls while speaking about her little dreams to them.

And her worries about armies and war melted away as soon as she leans against Dany's shoulder, laughing at a phrase that Mae had said. She feels her husband reach for her hand under the table, and she turns to him with a soft smile, squeezing it.

---

Jon

"There, that's it! Just like that!"

After breakfast that morning, Jon had decided to personally take Nesara away for a little bit, a want to be near his daughter, and to make sure she was completely safe. Daenerys had agreed to take the other children out riding while Taevar, Davos, and the other men started to plan when they would leave next.

But, after some time, he and Nesara had started to train one-on-one out of her needs, and Jon had been watching her strike each of the dummies in the training area. She dodged and parried and hit like her sisters, and Jon could easily tell that she had been practicing.

"That's amazing, Nesy," he praises, coming to her side once she lowers her training sword. "You're doing great. You've been practicing a lot."

"Dan's taught me and Mae – I think I'll be even better than her one day!" Jon chuckles as she sits on one of the benches, before biting her lip, looking up at him. "Papa…why was everyone so close to me today?"

Jon's brow furrows. "Because we love you."

"No, I mean…I know you love me – who wouldn't?" Jon snorts at her cockiness. While she was like Dan in many ways she was definitely more sociable about how adorable she was. "But…everyone was really close and hugging me and feeding me a lot…mama said I was hurt, but I didn't think I was…can you tell me what happened?"

Jon bites his lip, watching the little girl look at him in confusion. "I…I can tell you, but I don't know if you're ready to hear it, little one."

"I'm a big girl…I can handle it," she reassures him, her little smile lighting up the dark training area. "Please? I want to be included too."

Jon remains still for a beat, thinking of the best way to tell her. He had never been good at sugarcoating issues that had happened in his life, especially to children, but there was no way he was going to put Nesara through the same…scenes that he had seen. "Well…you remember when we got rid of your old family?"

"My old mama and papa?" Jon confirms. "Yeah…it was really bloody."

"What happened to you…was like that," he continues. "Something got into your head and made you…I don't know the right word."

"Explode?" she mutters.

"No, nothing like that. You…lost a lot of blood," he confirms, looking at her as she moves to cuddle next to him, her head on his chest. "And you became really sick – like how mama was when she first found out she was going to have another child."

"Oh…so I threw up everywhere? With…blood?"

"For lack of a better word, yes," Jon continues, sighing. "And the bad man from across the sea…he's the one who hurt you."

Nesara's brow furrows. "The…king?"

"Yes…he got into your mind, just like he's done to Dan and Daemon and the others…but your mother and I did something that will hopefully stop that from happening ever again." He turns to the little girl, resting his hands on her small shoulders, causing her to look up from the ground. "I want you to know, my sweet one…people are going to try and hurt you and your siblings. Just to get to us…but know that no matter what happens, we are always stronger together. And we will protect you until our dying breaths…that's why I'm teaching you right now how to fight, alone. Because you deserve to be just as great as your other siblings even with swords."

Nesara smiles at his words, before gently taking his large hands in her tiny ones. "I know…I had nightmares though when I was asleep, or…hurt, if you and mama are right."

His gaze encourages her to continue. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah…there were a bunch of cold monsters, and they were blue, and had really sharp teeth…they sort of looked like the skin of like a…skeleton? I think that's what they're called, right? But like…before the bone. I don't know. It was just scary. That's all I remember though." She swallows and looks up at him. "Does that mean we might…see what you and mama saw all those years ago? The white walkers? That's what Dan called them...I think."

Jon sighs. "If I have the chance, I would never have you see those monsters ever…but if we do, then we will be by your side, and strike down all that come at us."

"…cool."

Jon held in his laugh, letting his head drop. Only Nesara would think the dead and killing them would sound cool.

The little girl wraps her arms around him as he hugs her from the side, kissing her forehead. "I love you, papa," she whispers.

He feels his heart constrict at her words. "I love you too…my little dragon."

The two embrace for a moment before a voice from above all the steps calls out to them. "Pardon my intrusion." Jon looks up to see Tyrion standing at the top, nodding towards the right side of the castle. "Princess Nesara, your siblings are requesting you for…something about a dragon ride?"

"Ooh, yeah! Zaevar said he would take me riding today!" She looks over at Jon. "Can I go and ride with him? Is that okay?"

On a normal day, Jon probably would have gone with her, making sure that the children were still riding safely, but today he would let her be and have her live because anything was better than seeing her in her bed, all alone. "Of course, go off and ride. I'll see you later."

Nesara smiles wide and hugs him before racing up the stairs at the speed of a horse, disappearing within seconds, yelling 'I'm coming!' to the empty halls, presumably to her siblings. Jon watches as Tyrion chuckles and shakes his head, looking back down at Jon. The dragon king looks back up at him, quiet as he descended down the stairs.

"Little ball of energy, isn't she?" Jon questions him after a beat of silence.

"Indeed she is," he remarks, looking back at where Nesara had run off to, before looking back at him. "I'm sure you're quite happy that she's alive."

Jon lets out a low sigh before nodding. "More than probably anything recently. Yesterday was…not enjoyable."

"Forgive me for not coming to visit the girl while she was in bed," Tyrion states. "I didn't want to intrude…I felt that it was more for the family to visit rather than ex-hands."

Jon waves his hand dismissively. "Honestly, it's better fewer people came…I think we were better able to focus that way." He looks over at Tyrion, a question lingering on his mind. "What did you do then while we were focusing on her?"

"Well…the queen sent me to Rhaemon's corners," Tyrion states. "We were talking about possible battle plans and ways to travel to Westeros without being seen by Bran. The red priests suggested placing a cloak incantation over the ships to at least lower the possibility of them being seen."

"That would probably be very much appreciated."

"We also received a letter from the capital," Tyrion continues, causing Jon's brow to furrow. "From Westeros…from Sam."

Jon's brow raises now as Tyrion descends down the last couple of steps to Jon's height, before handing it to the king. He takes the letter into his hands, reading it quietly and quickly, wondering what in the name of all seven hells below did Sam, of all people, want with them.

'To the Dragon King of New Valyria-'

"New Valyria? That's what they call us?" Jon mutters.

Tyrion shrugs. "News to me."

Jon rolls his eyes and keeps reading, the words jumping out to him like toads on a new spring morning.

'I'm sure you're surprised to be getting his letter from me. I would be as well if I were in your shoes and you in mine – though that would never happen.

I know that we are on different sides of this war that is bound to happen between the king and your union…but I don't want that to be. I know we ended on bad terms…especially with how I told you about your true parentage. But I want to make up for it.

I'm going to be traveling with Gilly and little Sam towards the North to visit the Vale for some scrolls that can be used in the castle library. I have an idea that you are going to be making landfall in Westeros to convince Sansa to bring her men North. Don't ask how I know – you've always been that way with your enemies – turn them towards you for your own good.

I want to meet up and clear the air. Whether that be with you or Daenerys, or anyone else. Please…let me know what your answer will be, and we can arrange a meeting. And you can bring as many guards or people as you want to feel safe.

I hope you take me up on this offer…I miss you, old friend.

-Maester Sam.'

"Gods," Jon mutters, lowering the letter to his side. "To meet up with Sam….something I never thought I would do again."

Tyrion bites his lip before speaking. "If I can offer some…advice. Sam is regretful of how he treated Daenerys all that time ago," he states. "He does want to apologize – especially knowing that you are alive now as is the dragon queen. But if you do do this…make sure it's in a place where you have plenty of men and guards and everything else."

"I know…I don't know if meeting up with Sam will be good, but…it's something to consider. I'm not entirely sure how good I'd feel about meeting up with someone through letter again after Qarth."

"Understandably," Tyrion responds. "The queen also wants to see you. She's left the children to practice their own dragons for the time being around the border of the castle. She wants you in your chambers."

"Thank you…I'll be sure to go to her." Jon looks at the dwarf before letting out a low sigh. "You and I both know it is going to be a long time before I can ever truly trust you again, correct?"

Tyrion nods a moment later. "I know…and I am here under different circumstances than I would have liked to admit but after seeing what Bran did to Nesara, I'm going to try and help you as best as I can. And while I know gaining my trust will probably never happen, at least Davos can stand out for me…I don't want Bran to win this war. I want you to, despite everything in the past."

Jon offers the small man a nod of thanks, before heading towards the stairs. "How about you go to the war corners and keep discussing the best routes to take to the North without being seen? Make yourself useful. I'll go to the queen."

"Yes, your grace."

---

When he walks into the chambers, he sees no one at first. The letter from Sam still hung at his hands, and he walked over to the balcony, still staring down at the piece of parchment. A part of him did want to reconnect with Sam, see what the hell happened between them after everything they had gone through at the wall.

But at the same time, he was very hesitant to connect with anyone from his past. Especially those from Westeros. He was only traveling there to somehow convince the North to follow him by tricking his former sister…he didn't expect old friends to want to see him again. But he knew that was what was bound to happen. He had left a lot behind there.

Even so, he had gained so much. A love, a family, a kingdom. He wasn't about to lose it over that fucking king.

"Oh," he hears from the bathing chambers. "You're back."

"Aye," he responds, still staring down at the lettering. "I was training with Nesara. Thought you were off with the children on dragon rides?"

"I decided they were old enough to go off on their own. Take Nesara for a little ride as well after everything she went through," she states, and he hears her move towards the bed. "I wanted to spend some time with my loving husband after the day we've had."

Jon chuckles a little at her words, still barely believing that they belonged to him, but his eyes stayed glued to the paper below him. "Indeed, it has been a day, hasn't it? Nesara told me she had nightmares of blue creatures which doesn't seem right...and now Tyrion delivers me this note from my old friend who wants to see us again – sometimes I really question the timing of-"

He turns his eyes to look at his wife finally and feels himself drop the note to the ground. There, standing as naked as her name day with only a silk throw covering her, was Daenerys, standing at the edge of the bed. His brow raises in shock as his eyes practically devour her smooth, silky body before he looks back at her in surprise.

"I…what?"

Good gods, really a poet he was.

Daenerys laughs as she approaches him, resting her hands against his arms. "You talk too much, Jon."

Her lips lean up and capture his own, instantly waking up even nerve within him. He drops the letter to the ground and holds his wife close to him, enraptured in her embrace, before he pulls back, still surprised although quite horny.

"I am so confused," he mumbles, staring at her. "Where did this come from?"

Daenerys pulls at his shirt, moving him towards their bed. "Honestly, I've been wanting to do that since this morning." His brow raises in surprise, but she only nods, confirming his thoughts. "Don't stare at me in shock – you know how much I love you."

His cheeks turn a dark red when she pulls him onto the bed, her hands resting against his chest. "I know, and I'm still thankful about it," he murmurs, shaking his head in shock. "But…after Nesara and everything that happened?"

Daenerys sighs at his words, clearly understanding where he was coming from. "I know…this looks so bad that I want you this bad after the last day."

"No," he instantly states when she starts to remove herself. "I'm not complaining, trust me – you know how much I love your body." He sees her smile softly at his words, unmoving from his form. "I'm just looking for some sort of explanation, is all."

Her own cheeks start to blush, and she brings a hand up to rub the back of her neck. "After the horrors, we saw with Nesara, and seeing you interact so easily with her this morning…if the children could relax after the day we had, why couldn't we?" Her hands come up to cup his face, gently stroking his stubbly beard. "Besides…I've wanted to fuck you since I saw you training with Nesara."

He looks at her in surprise, smirking at her words. "You saw us training?"

"I might have passed by once I let the children go off and have fun."

"What did you see?"

"You, with your arms around her, whispering soft words of encouragement. Edging her on when she did a good parry. Each time she struck a dead zone." With each word she said, she grew closer to his breeches, her fingers start to diligently undo his laces, her lips coming closer to his ear. "It made me miss the days where you would train just me."

Jon chuckles at her words. "It's hard to train you now considering we have multiple children and another one on the way."

"I still miss it," she admits softly, stopping in her movements. "I want to wake up early and train again…have our little moments of peace…and that includes these times where we have our chambers to ourselves. Kinvara said some things and I…I just want to forget and be held by the man that I love the absolute most in this world. Can that be enough?"

While his mind wanted to ask about exactly what she was referring to when she talked about Kinvara saying things, he decided to push that down and instead pull her close to him, nuzzling her nose against his. His hands gently come up to trace her back, leaving small little marks along her skin. He could feel her relax against his body.

"That's always enough," he whispers to her.

Daenerys smiles at his words while his hands made quick work of the silk throw she had on, pushing it off her shoulders and throwing to the side of the room. Her mouth found his a moment later, and he lets her take the lead, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

It doesn't take long for their kisses to grow passionate, and the slide of her tongue into his mouth tingled the same way it always did, sending off warmth to every part of his body. She moans against his lips in satisfaction when his hands start to grip at her skin, pulling her against his hardening cock through his breeches. Even with his whole entire mind occupied with the threat across the sea, he couldn't get over how stunning his wife still felt.

Her fingers move along the scruff of his beard and then ghost over his tunic, pulling at the material, wanting it off. He pulls back from her lips for a single second to pull off the garment before attaching himself back to her. Her fingers dance across his chiseled chest before her lips move away from his, traveling lower to find his neck while her hand dragged slowly towards his abdomen to find his cock, palming it through his breeches.

It was amazing, how quick she was. Her fingers untied his laces, pulled out his aching member, and began to stroke slow, agonizing movements that had him quivering within seconds. A low moan escapes his lips as she stroked him.

"Stop," he choked out, a desperate cry as he removes her hand.

Daenerys stares at him in surprise, probably thinking that he wanted to stop their intimacy, but instead, he picks her up roughly and pushes her against the edge of the bed, spreading her legs.

"I need to taste you," he growls low.

She raises an eyebrow at him. "Insatiable, you are."

"When I'm with my wife, it's impossible," he murmurs, his hands pinning her arms to the furs beneath her. And then his lips were on her neck once more, feeling her pulse begin to quicken under his tough, awakening every nerve in her body. She squirms against him, letting out soft moans with each little peck and bite he would place along her skin.

His mouth moves to her breasts, swirling his tongue around her nipples, feeling her quiver underneath him. It was astonishing how she made her feel like a simple man purely in love with his wife. There were no outside forces, no one trying to kill them – just two people completely infatuated with each other.

Her hands move up and keep his head down to hold him, trying to keep his tongue on hers for as long as she could stand it, before he pays attention to its twin, his fingers teasing the other. Her head falls back against the pillow, moaning low.

"Fuck, Jon," she whispers.

Her voice causes his eyes to look from where his lips laid, seeing her gaze stare at him with lust. "Just like that, my love?" he murmurs, his voice sending vibrations through her body.

"Kessa, ȳdra daor keligon," she groans, hands digging into his curls.

He could feel her heart begin to speed up, pounding like a hammer as he moved his lips lower and lower, leaving a trail of kisses along her abdomen, swollen with his child. Kinvara had told her that because Daenerys was smaller in size she didn't grow as much with a child as a normal woman would, but as long as the babe was healthy, he didn't care.

Jon pushes her thighs apart again, leaving her completely and utterly exposed to him. He stares down at her, basking in her glory. It was astonishing that after the day they had been through, they could still relax and let all of their nerves out just through this. It made him want her even more.

"Seven hells," he mutters as he brings his head down to where her soaking core was, taking in her scent. He blows a short breath against her cunt, feeling her shiver in his touch, a soft whimper escaping her lips before his own made contact with her folds, causing her to gasp. He teases her with chaste kisses, at the beginning, ones that had her writhing against his tough, growing impatient. Soon enough, his tongue found her core, lapping at her juice.

Her groans were echoing off of their stone walls, sending feelings of need throughout his body. His eyes connect with hers from where his mouth was buried deep between her thighs, a look that gave so much want that it sent a shiver through his body.

"You want me to give you what you want?" he asks her, his voice low and dangerous, a wolf stalking its prey.

"Kostilus, kessa," she pleads, fingers running through his hair.

Jon smirks at her request and then gave a soft, long lick from her core to her desperate nub, leaving her shuddering and aching for more. He did that twice, a third time until he could feel that she was getting close to being done with his tease. Within seconds, his tongue sways at her most sensitive, his hands keeping her pinned down to the bed as she took in every single last drop of ecstasy.

She was at his mercy, and he kept her gasping and moaning until her release overtook her, coursing through her body, shaking in delight, a broken wail of pleasure escaping her.

When she finally came to her senses, she sat up quickly and reached out to Jon from where he had laid, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him up to her. His lips greedily found hers, and he knew she could taste herself on them.

"I don't know how I went so long without kissing you," he murmurs after a moment, causing her to laugh. "Genuinely, the best feeling in the world."

Her fingers comb through his hair, swift quick movements that had him relaxed within seconds. "I want you inside of me," she whispers to him, hands reaching down to stroke his aching members. He lets out a moan at her movements, a choked groan that had him closing his eyes.

His lips move towards her neck, nibbling at the skin, his fingers tracing paths along her thighs and cheeks. His fingers reached down again, exploring further, going towards her core. But a groan from Dany stops him.

"Jon, stop with the teasing," she implores.

That causes him to laugh, before moving his hand down to lazily stroke his cock, spreading her thighs apart. "Alright," he responds, moving his hands up to pin her to the bed, while he slowly thrusts into her. Both of them moaned, happy to be fulfilled by their one and only. He keeps a slow pace, using her hips as leverage before he starts to pick up the pace. "Is this alright?" he asks through his panting of pleasure.

"Yes," she breathes. "Gods, don't stop, Jon."

Her hands found his above her as he thrusts into her, and he felt himself bring his own fingers down to stroke her clit again, impatient and waiting. One of her hands joined his, and he began rubbing slow circles against herself. She cries out, overwhelmed by the sensation that took over her body.

Her clenching cunt causes him to move quickly, his thrusts becoming more erratic, needing to find release. And then within seconds, they were both falling over the edge, collapsing in a heap of sighs and fasts breaths.

After a moment he pulls his wife into his arms, feeling her relax against his chest. "You always do know how to make a day better," he murmurs.

Daenerys chuckles. "Sex is quite the bargaining chip for staying in all day. Wouldn't you agree?"

Jon smiles at her words, kissing the top of her head. "I think you're only using me for my body now."

Daenerys snorts. "Jon, trust me, if I was using you only for your body, you would know."

"Good point," he responds, rubbing slow circles along her back. He could feel that the gashes were slowly beginning to heal and were glad to see that they didn't hurt as much as they used to. After a beat of silence, he lets out a soft sigh. "Sam Tarly messaged me today…he wants to see each other again in Westeros when we are there."

Daenerys was quiet for a second before her pretty lips opened to respond. "I think we should sail to Naath and get Greyworm and his armies," she responds, causing his brow to raise. She gives him a cheeky smile of embarrassment. "If we're just tearing the bandage off of the wounds that quickly."

Jon chuckles a bit, letting his head rest against the pillow. "Find Greyworm again…and Sam reaching out…it's almost like our pasts are coming back to either haunt us or guide us. Everything's happening so quickly."

Daenerys' hands rest against his chest, lazily tracing the pink pattern of the scar that laid right over his heart. "Well…we'll deal with it the best way we've done so far – and if anyone decides to go against that way, we'll take care of them."

"And what way would that be?" Jon asks her.

And then, with a soft smile, and a gentle kiss to his lips, Daenerys pulls back and takes his hands in hers. "Together. No matter what Greyworm or Sam might think of our relation, or of our family, we don't let them tear us apart…this is for war. For our union and our life. And we won't allow what they want to tear us apart. Never again."

Jon squeezes her hands in his before he wraps his own arms around her. "Aye. Never again." And with that, he seals that promise with one more kiss to her beautiful lips.

---

Alright, did I make up for last chapter?

I'm sorry for ending on such a negative note last chapter but I hope this one makes up for it lol I think i might write too much smut (blushes) but hey I was deprived of it in the show so fuck it lmfao next chapter is going to include a lot of information and old faces will reappear, so I hope ya'll are ready cause it's about to go down. Westeros is coming soon I promise lol

Here are some Valyrian translations too:

Kessa, ȳdra daor keligon – yes don't stop

Kostilus, kessa - please, yes.

As always, love it? Hate it? Want to send me off to exile at the Wall because it's that bad? Let me know in the reviews, as your words always encourage me to write quickly and get these chapters out for all you readers, you've been so great with your feedback so keep it coming as much as you can - you are all amazingly awesome! Don't forget to follow or favorite if you would like to join us on our adventure, and I will see you all in the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day! Wash your hands and stay healthy!