"I'm sorry Jon, for how I spoke to you." Santa says sheepishly.
"There's no need to apologize. I should apologize, I've been avoiding you over something so petty."
"Thank you." Santa smiles at her brother. "But if it were true..."
"No! Sansa enough of this talk."
Jon gets up to leave but Sansa grabs his wrist. "You will not walk away from me again. You will sit back down and listen to what I have to say."
"Fine" Jon returns to his seat, he is clearly annoyed with Sansa. "If you do love her then that would solve all of the problems we will have after the dead are defeated."
"How?"
"Marry her. The northerners will never accept her as Queen, but they would be more likely to accept her if you are beside her."
"Marry her?! I could never do that. I'm a bastard, all her advisor would tell her not to do it."
"Are you so sure about that? Tyrion is a smart man and Varys will hear what the lords think of her. Both would say that marrying you would bring peace to the seven kingdoms."
"No... They would think I'm a bastard not worthy of marrying the Queen."
"She could legitimise you. You would be Jon Stark."
"No. It could never happen." Jon gets up and leaves Sansa once more. But she feels slightly better than last time as at least he listened to her and he never said he was against the idea of marrying Daenerys. He also only said she would be advised against it, not that Daenerys would be. She smiles, perhaps Jon would see that she was right and that a marriage with Daenerys would finally bring peace to Westeros.
Kings road
The sound of the horses is deafening. Small folk rush off the Kings Road to get out of the way as ninety thousand Dothraki ride at a speed that the Westerosi did not think could be achieved. Since Jorah had arrived he had organised the Dothraki as well as he could and he ordered them to ride. Hard. They spent the majority of the last few days riding with only a few hours to eat and sleep. Both horses and men were starting to suffer. Men died from disease and starvation, the horses from exhaustion. Even the Dothraki were getting concerned at the pace Jorah was making them ride. Qhono moves up the horde. "Jorah, we need to rest." He shouts.
"No! We have to Winterfell."
"We'll be no use if we're all exhausted."
"Fine. Spread the word we'll stop and make camp for the night. Qhono bids him farewell and goes to tell the other Dothraki.
The horde has been stopped for over two hours. Finally, Jorah relaxes for the first time in days. Laying on his mattress he begins to drift off into a deep sleep.
A few hours later He is awoken by one of the few Westerosi servants they had. Jorah had to give the Dothraki harsh warnings if they mistreated the servants. The girl gave Jorah his food. It was a small bowl of stew with some chunks of mutton. It had barely any taste to it and was so small Jorah doubted it could satisfy the hunger of a child. But they did have ninety thousand men their horses and the cooks, servants and others who follow an army. He quickly finished his stew and went to check on the Dothraki. The scene outside his tent was interesting, to say the least. Tents lined the sides of the Kings Road. Dothraki gambled, drank and whored more than any other army he had ever seen. If he didn't know any better he would have described them as a mob of peasants. But there was a reason they had gained such a feared reputation. They could fight, better than most. Jorah went around their large camp. He checked on their food stores and for any sickness from the men. Fortunately only a few had contracted a sickness and it didn't seem to be spreading far, but without a maester, it was impossible to tell. Jorah heads back towards his tent. Two riders are hastily making their way north on the Kings Road. One has slicked-back dark hair the other seems somewhat familiar. His blonde hair darkened with dirt and grime. But his face is still the same as Jorah remembered from the tourney at Lannisport. Jorah turns to some of the less drunk Dothraki. "Stop those riders!" Five Dothraki rush to surround the two riders. They brandish their arakhs at the riders. Jorah rushes over to them. He hauls the blonde rider of his horse and into the dirt. "Where's your army!" He shouts.
"What army? We are just farmers"
"Do you think you could sneak past me? Lannister?"
"Who's a Lannister I am just a farmer"
"Where is your army" Jorah repeats.
"I'm just a far..."
"Oh shut the fuck up he knows who you are." The dark-haired man says.
Jorah looks up at the Dothraki. "Lock these two in chains. We ride at dawn." The Dothraki drag the two riders away.
Kings landing
Blackwater bay is abuzz with activity. Dozens of ships are landing, unloading the men, horses of the Golden Company. Cersei is watching them from the Red Keep. A cup of at our gold in her hand and smile on her face. Soon the dragon whore and Stark bastard will die she thought. Qyburn enters her room.
"Your grace, Euron Greyjoy and Captain Strickland wish to see you."
"Send them to the throne room, I'll meet them there."
"As you wish, your grace." Qyburn exits the room to complete her command. She takes a final sip of her wine. She places her cup down and goes to the throne room.
She sits upon the iron throne. Her throne. The dragon whore could claim it's her throne but the bitch would never get to sit on it. The doors to the throne room open. Euron Greyjoy walks in a blonde man in golden armour alongside him. The blonde man kneels before Cersei.
"Captain Strickland, your grace. It's a pleasure to meet you." He announces.
"Thank you, captain." Cersei replies. "Now what has my gold bought me."
Strickland rises. "Eighteen thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry, your grace."
Cersei smiles. "Very good captain. Qyburn escort Captain Strickland to his chamber, I wish to speak to Lord Greyjoy alone."
"Yes your grace." Qyburn and Captain Strickland exit the throne room.
Cersei turns to Euron. "You've done well bringing the Golden Company. Now about your reward."
Euron walks up the steps to the iron throne. "Yes... My reward. I seem to remember you saying you'd lie on your back and spread those pretty legs of yours."
"After the war." Cersei replies.
Euron places his hands on her thighs. "Why wait? We could have dead men or dragons coming soon. Besides I want to know what a queens cunt is like."
"We made a deal. I'll honour it."
"What if I want a new deal?"
"Depends on the deal." Cersei smiles. She gets up and beckons Euron to follow her towards her chamber. Gods he is easy to manipulate.
Winterfell
Night is falling, men head to their chambers or tents to sleep others head for the Wintertown brothel. The dead may be marching to kill them all but at least the whores of Wintertown would do well out of this. Jon smirks at this thought. Even with Westeros facing almost certain destruction some people are going to be making more gold than ever before. Jon begins to change, he takes off his Stark breastplate. His tunic follows, soon he is bare-chested. He unties his breeches, they fall to the ground leaving him naked. Jon goes to his wardrobe. He grabs his nightclothes and puts them on. He heads to his bed, blowing out candles on his way. He pulls his furs and sheets to make space for himself on the bed. But a soft knock at his door stops him. Jon grabs his last candle and goes to open the door. He shines the candle at the door and opens it. "Dany?" Jon says surprised.
"Jon, I... I'm sorry but I couldn't be alone... Not tonight." Dany's voice is filled with sadness.
"It's alright" Jon wraps his free arm around her. "Come in."
Dany walks into his room, Jon closes the door behind her. "Dany, I am so sorry."
"Missandei... She's a... Was a good person. She deserved better than a butchering."
"I know, I'm sorry." Jon places his candle by his bed and turns to wrap Dany in a tight hug.
"Thank you." A tear rolls down her face that Jon quickly wipes away. "Missandei, she was the closest I came to having a family for years. My brother... He was a monster. He'd hit me and touch me and I was fine with it because he was my brother. But Drogo, he was kind. He promised to bring his Khalasar to Westeros after Roberts assassins tried to poison me. But that witch... She stole him from and our child. His Khalasar abandoned me because they thought I was nothing more than a foreign whore that tempted the great Khal Drogo. In Astapor, I remember master Kraznys calling me a slut who thinks flashing my tits would get me what I wanted." Dany smirks at this memory, Jon almost laughs but he manages to suppress it. "And Missandei, she had to translate what he said. Their faces when they found out I understand Valyrian where unforgettable. From that moment she became my advisor and grew to become my friend." Tears start flooding down her face. Jon holds her tighter than before. Dany sits on the side of Jons bed with his arm wrapped tightly around her.
"Shh... It's going to be alright." Jon presses a light kiss to her forehead.
"Jon... Help me forget the pain... Please?"
"Dany... I... I don't think that's a good idea. Not now."
"Jon please." She pulls her gown down revealing more of breasts.
"Dany I..."
"I'm your queen and I command you to bed me... Please."
"Alright." He leans towards her and presses a soft kiss to her lips. Soon he completes his queen's command.
Jon awakens to see the most beautiful sight he has ever seen. The sun is shining onto the naked back of Daenerys Targaryen. Nothing can match her beauty. He lightly caresses her back, intertwining his fingers in her silver hair. This causes Dany to wake. She smiles at him. But, that smile quickly crumples and Dany rushes off to Jon's chamber pot. Jon calls after her. The sound of vomiting comes from Dany. Jon runs to her side. He kneels next to her and pulls her hair away from her face as she continues to throw up. Eventually, she stops and looks at Jon. "Are you alright?" Jon asks.
"Yes, I'm fine. It's nothing."
"Nothing? Get dressed and go see the maester."
"No maester. I'm fine."
"Your not. Your pale and vomiting. You need a maester. Besides, I don't think Tyrion would forgive me if our queen died from stubbornness." They both smile at this last comment.
"Fine, I'll see the maester."
"Good." Jon presses a light kiss to her lips.
Elsewhere in Winterfell, others are awake and walking about. Tyrion is one of them. He feels intimidated by the looks the northern soldiers and lords he encounters until he eventually finds the room he's looking for. "Aah, lady Brienne, I was wondering if I could dine with lady Stark this morning."
"One moment my lord." Brienne turns and opens the door. "Lady Sansa, Lord Tyrion wishes to dine with you." Tyrion can't quite hear Sansa's reply but quickly Brienne returns to Tyrion. "Lady Sansa will see you, my lord."
Tyrion enters the room. Sansa is sat at a table by a small fire. "Lord Tyrion." Sansa says politely.
"I don't think I'm anyone's Lord anymore." Tyrion walks towards Sansa and sits on the other chair.
"I'm sure your new queen will restore your titles." She says this coldly.
"As it happens our queen is the reason I wanted to see you." Sansa raises an eyebrow at this. Her handmaidens enter and begin to serve the pair of them breakfast. They remain in silence until the handmaidens leave. "Late last night Varys came to me saying one of his little birds overheard something very interesting."
"And that would be?"
"You proposing the idea to your brother of marrying Daenerys."
"Is that a problem?"
"No, actually I think it's a brilliant idea." Sansa looks very confused at this. Tyrion takes a mouthful of food. "No one in the north respects her. Not you and certainly not any of the other lords. If she were to marry one of them, let's say their king I imagine their opinion of her would be much better."
"Your right, I don't respect her. I only see the daughter of the Mad King. Who's only goal is to take the Iron Throne. But, Jon he's a good person, he's good at leading and ruling."
"Yes, he has the perfect qualities to rule and Daenerys, give her some credit she is good at ruling, a bit of temper. But she has good people around her to keep her temper in check."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of the daughter of the Mad King having a temper." Sansa says suspiciously.
"She'll threaten to do something, but Jorah, See Barristan and I will advise against it and she will listen. To my knowledge, she has only gone against her advisors once and for good reason."
"Why?"
"The slave masters of Yunkai nailed children to crosses. After Daenerys took the city she nailed the masters to crosses against Ser Barristan's advice."
"Why would he advise against killing slave masters."
"I don't know I wasn't there." Tyrion is clearly becoming agitated at this conversation. "The point of the story is that with the right council she will make the right decision the majority of the time. You brother could be the final piece of the puzzle that makes her one of the greatest rulers the seven kingdoms have ever seen."
"Very well Tyrion, I'll continue to advise my brother to marry her. But not because I like her or respect her but because I want peace."
"You've learnt well since we last met." Tyrion gives Sansa a knowing smile which Sansa notices.
"You were going to advise her to marry my brother regardless of what Varys heard weren't you?"
"Of course, she wants the seven kingdoms and Jon is king of one of those kingdoms it makes perfect sense politically. " Tyrion stops, debating whether or not he should continue. "Also I've heard them fuck for hours." Sansa bursts into laughter, Tyrion also giggles at this memory.
"What?"
"Yes, your brother learnt to ride a different kind of dragon before Rhagael." This causes Sansa to burst into another round of laughter." I fear I may have said too much about your brother and our queen's sexual escapades."
"You might have. But it is rather entertaining."
"I'll see you at the council meeting later, Sansa"
"Yes, just try to keep your stories to yourself." Tyrion leaves the room and hears Sansa laughing again which causes Brienne to raise an eyebrow at the dwarf.
Master Wolken has had the busiest few days since he arrived at Winterfell. The Bolton's may have been scum but at least they never worked him so hard. In a rare moment of rest, he is in his chamber reading the history of the Targeryen conquest. He's just starting to read about Torrhen Stark bending the knee to Aegon. But a soft knock interrupts him. He puts the book down and goes to answer the door. He sees the young silver-haired woman everyone's been talking about. "Your grace, to what do I owe the pleasure."
"Maester... Wolken? Is it?" Daenerys asks.
"Yes, your grace."
"I was hoping you could help me with something." She awkwardly says.
"Of course, your grace. Come in sit down." They walk into Wolken's chamber. He moves his book from the table to a shelf then joins Daenerys at the table. "So, your grace, what seems to be the problem?"
"This morning I woke and vomited shortly after."
"Have you vomited since?"
"Yes, twice."
"Have you noticed swelling of your breasts or that they are more sensitive?"
"Yes... But I don't see what that has to do with anything." Unsure of why the Maester would ask this.
"Have you been eating more than usual?" He asks, ignoring her question.
"Yes but I still don't see what this has to do with me vomiting."
"Your grace, can I place my hands on your stomach for a moment." It dawns on her. That's not possible. Daenerys thinks. She hastily nods. Wolken places his hands on her stomach. He feels around the entirety of her stomach, Daenerys is becoming increasingly anxious. After a few minutes, Wolken removes his hands and looks at Daenerys.
"Well?!"
Wolken smiles at her. "Congratulations, your grace. You are with child. In the third month, I believe."
Daenerys' heart falls. It can't be. I can't have a child. "No... This isn't possible."
"Your Grace, the child appears to be healthy."
"No! You don't understand. It's impossible for me to have a child."
"Your grace, you are pregnant, whatever you've been told in the past they were not correct."
"You don't understand... I haven't bled for years. My son and husband died because of a witch and she cursed me to remain childless."
"But you are not childless. You are carrying a babe."
"It won't live. I know it won't."
"Your Grace, I recommend you go to the babe's father and tell them this."
"No... I cant. You... Maester you can't tell anyone. Do you understand? No lord, no smallfolk, not even Sansa Stark or..." She hesitates for a moment. "Jon Snow."
"I understand, your grace."
Daenerys rushes out of the room, holding back tears so that the northerners do not see her being so weak. She stays in her chamber sobbing for hours. She refuses to eat when lunch is brought to her, too fearful of what will happen to the child inside her. Jon's child.
By mid-afternoon, a light snowstorm has set in as the lords gather for a war council meeting. Unlike the previous meeting, Tyrion and Varys were invited to join the meeting. "Any word from the south?" Jon asks.
Everyone looks at Varys expectantly. "I'm afraid so, it would appear that the Lannister armies are yet to leave the city. Furthermore, they have been reinforced with an army of sellswords, the golden company."
"That fucking whore!" Lord Cerwyn exclaims. The other northern lord's voice agreement.
Lord Glover turns to Tyrion."What about you Lannister? What did you know about your sister's intentions?"
But it is Jon who answers. "Lord Glover may I remind you that Lord Tyrion is our guest as the hand to Queen Daenerys. Furthermore, I believe Cersei has tried to kill lord Tyrion. On multiple occasions, I believe." Tyrion chuckles slightly before Jon can continue. "Now, Lord Varys, how many men have the golden company brought."
"Some eighteen thousand men another two thousand mounted and elephants."
"Elephants?" Lord Manderly questions.
"Huge beasts of war from Essos. There larger than any bear, horse or dire wolf." Varys explains.
"How do they..." Before Lady Karstark can finish a soldier runs into the great hall.
"Your graces, my lords, my lady's, forgive the intrusion but he said it's urgent." The council turns to see the soldier stand aside to allow an older man clad in armour with a bear sigil on his breastplate. Jon turns to see Daenerys face light up when she sees him.
"Jorah." Daenerys whispers with a smile.
He walks up to the great table. The northern lords and ladies look at Jorah with either distaste or indifference, knowing that Ned Stark wanted his head and here he his walking in Ned Starks home. The harshest look is from Lyanna Mormont, the shame of the former heir to Bear Island selling men into slavery is still know by its current lady. Jorah bows head. "Khaleesi, your grace, my lords and ladies. The Dothraki are setting up camp."
"Thank you for your haste in getting here, Jorah." Daenerys says.
"There's something else, Khaleesi." They all look at Jorah with confusion. "Bring them in." They look behind Jorah as four Dothraki bring in two men locked in chains. The Dothraki bring them before the council and shove them down to there knees.
Everyone falls into silence, recognising the blonde-haired man with the golden hand. Daenerys is the first to speak. "You, with the brown hair who are you?"
"Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, your grace." He replies.
"Blackwater? I didn't realise you could be a knight of a bay."
"Nor did I until the cunt king did it."
Daenerys raises an eye at this supposed knights bluntness and vulgar language. But, her attention turns to the blonde man. "And you, I know who you are. Ser Jaime Lannister."
"Yes, that's me, your grace." He says with a hint of mocking in his voice.
"Why are you here? Without your sister's army?" She says coldly.
"There is no Lannister army coming north."
The northerners give very little reaction. Jaime turns to Varys. "Your little birds I assume." Varys responds with a curt nod.
"Then why are you here?" Daenerys asks harshly.
"Because unlike Cersei I have a wish to live longer than the next six months."
"You came to the wrong place Kingslayer." Lord Glover chuckles.
Daenerys stares daggers at Glover for this before speaking. "When I was young my brother would tell me stories. Stories about the man who betrayed and murdered our father." Tyrion, Jon and Ser Barristan look at her. Almost pleading with their eyes that she does not mention the northerners deceased enemy in any remotely positive way. "Those stories would be about how we would take back the seven kingdoms from the men who stole it from us and kill the man who betrayed our father. Each night before I slept he would tell me a different way we would kill you. A simple knife to the heart, slice your throat so you choke on your own blood, cut you until you bleed to death, feed you to starving pigs while still living." Her face remains void of emotions while she says this. Jon and especially Tyrion are becoming increasingly alarmed at how their queen is speaking. "Then it's good for you I am not my brother." Everyone's eyes snap to Daenerys. "He would've had you executed the moment he set eyes on you. But Viserys was a fool. He refused to believe the stories about our father and brother. He would've been just as bad as our father. Thankfully his foolishness means he is not the one sat in this chair. I am." Daenerys rises. "I, Daenerys of house Targeryen first of my name. Do hereby pardon you, Ser Jaime of House Lannister." She pauses, contemplating whether or not she truly wants to do this. "Of the crime of king slaying."
Everyone looks at her with shock. The last child of Aerys Targeryen has just pardoned the man who stabbed him in the back. Even Tyrion looks surprised at the queen's words.
Jaime bows his head. "Thank you, your grace."
"I wasn't finished." Everyone's eyes return to Daenerys, as she stares coldly at Jaime. "You may be pardoned for King slaying. But you have committed many other crimes. For that, should you survive the long night, a trial shall be held by house Stark." Sansa gives the faintest hint of a smirk before quickly repressing it. "Now, cut their chains and get them out of my sight." She says in Dothraki. Jorah looks at her open-mouthed in surprise as the Dothraki release the chains holding Jaime and Bronn. The Dothraki pull them and start shoving the pair of them out of the room. "My lords, I believe this meeting has run its course." Daenerys starts to walk out of the hall with Ser Barristan and Jorah behind her. Jon is the first of the council to stand, he goes to follow Daenerys but a Stark soldier stops him.
"Your grace, Samwell Tarly requests you join him in his chamber."
"Thank you I'll join him later." he goes to follow Daenerys again but the soldier stops him.
"Your grace I must insist said it's urgent."
"Alright, I'll see him now."