Honestly, the support on this story is phenomenal, thank you to everyone. 200,000 words later and it is officially my most popular story with over 900 follows and over 750 favourites is incredible and really overwhelming.

It's a little bit of an exposition dump at the start so if that's not your thing bear with me! The majority of the two and a half seasons between the last chapter and the end are mainly just the realm preparing for the coming invasion, so I felt a time skip here and another in a few chapters are necessary, but I promise there are still some exciting moments.

Speech in bold italics is the language of Asshai. I own nothing that you recognise from the books or the show, they belong to GRRM or HBO respectively.

306 AC

Ten months it had been since the murder of Jaime Lannister, and yet again Durran found himself at another wedding. Myrcella had taken some time out after the tragedy but had eventually felt happy enough to consummate the marriage and move out to Dorne, much to Durran and Cersei's worry, but from her recent letters it seemed like Starfall was every bit as wonderful as she had imagined, and she had begun to establish herself as a formidable Lady, keeping the Dornish in check. Durran often wondered how she managed it.

Tommen too had moved, heading back to Casterly Rock a couple of weeks after the Ballroom Massacre as it had come to be known. Taking both Cersei and Jaime's body back with him that had also been a tough farewell for Durran's family. Cersei had since returned to King's Landing, becoming a lot quieter and drinking a lot more wine, but with a simmering anger towards everyone but her own family, and in particular all the Dornish, that Durran was a little scared of.

For Durran personally however, life was starting to look more positive again. A few weeks before their journey to Riverrun Dany had told him that she was pregnant once more, news that brought some life back to the Red Keep. Currently her belly was just starting to poke out further than her breasts, and the Maester believed there to only be a few months left.

The ever-fertile Dany was the subject of Catelyn Stark's attention as the wedding feast for Shireen Baratheon and Edmure Tully was in full swing. The Stark matriarch having only been at Winterfell for a matter of months, but enough time to see the birth of her second grandson, a boy that Robb had called Edwyle, after his Father.

"He has my eyes." Cat was saying. "But his face is all Ned."

"He sounds lovely." Dany smiled.

Cat nodded, her eyes lighting up. "He'll be a real heartbreaker when he grows up." She laughed lightly. "Brandon is quieter and thinks more. Edwyle is louder and screams the castle walls down when he wants something."

Durran grinned at that. "That sounds like Dunc, he's a noisy one too."

"Oh, isn't he just!" Dany exclaimed, as she began to rant on about a story from a few months back. Durran began to look around the room, zoning out of the conversation to see some of the faces that were attending the union. He saw Shireen and Edmure awkwardly attempting conversation and sighed amusedly. To the side of his cousin sat his Uncle Stannis and Aunt Joy, and the sight of Stannis chilled him.

The elder Baratheon had arrived back at King's Landing barely a week after the Ballroom Massacre, and his words made the event seem like a children's bed time story. Tales of White Walkers and wights and Jon Snow coming back to life by being burnt on a pyre. The tale truly scared Durran, but Catelyn assured him that Jon was perfectly healthy and safe, just sporting an extremely scarred torso. That was all she said on the matter, as all conversation about it ended abruptly and with Catelyn refusing to look both Durran and Dany in the eye.

"Durran." Dany said urgently. He snapped his attention back to his wife.

"What is it, is it the baby?" He asked panicked. Dany grinned and rolled her eyes, turning back to Catelyn.

"You see? Our King's mind is always wandering." She joked. "I said that you don't need to feel like you have to sit with me all day. My belly may be getting as big as Aelyx, but I am perfectly capable of sitting still, and Lady Stark is here if anything happens."

"I don't…" Durran began.

"Go." Dany insisted. "Mingle with your subjects, go and dance with your cousin."

Durran shook his head with a grin. "Sometimes I forget who is King." He jested.

"It was the same in Winterfell, Your Grace." Cat smiled sadly. "Ned was the Lord, but once we grew close, it sometimes seemed like I ruled him."

"You women, you don't know the power you hold over us mere men." Durran said dramatically, holding his hands over his heart. He leant in to kiss Dany. "If you need me I won't be far."

"Go." Dany laughed, and Durran obeyed his wife, beginning to move away as the girls began talking of Sansa Stark's recent pregnancy news and a small allergy that Elaenor had recently found out she had.

Shaking his head amusedly at the quick conversations about children, he made his way over to the side of the room where Stannis was now talking to Shireen as Edmure danced with Joy.

"Your Grace." Stannis said formally, Shireen turned to see him and curtseyed formally, repeating the greeting.

"Uncle, Cousin." Durran nodded his head at them both.

"Security is holding, no troubles have been reported to me." Stannis began, and Durran was relieved.

"There won't be any trouble." Shireen rolled her eyes. "The Riverlords are loyal, as are the Stormlords."

"You can never guarantee peace, Shireen." Stannis said darkly, his eyes flickering to her greyscale scars.

Shireen beamed at her Father. "We're safe in Riverrun, I promise. Since Myrcella's wedding nobody gets through the gates without Lord Edmure's say so."

Durran nodded at that. "He treats you right?"

Shireen nodded, but her smile seemed a bit forced. "He treats me well, he lets me spend as much time as I like in the library. I do still feel like he treats me as a child at times though."

"He likely still views you as one. I'm sure that will change tonight." Durran said honestly. "Marriage has that power."

"I don't want to hear this." Stannis groaned, much to Shireen's amusement.

"You may want to leave for a while then Father." She smiled sweetly, before her face was filled with nerves. "I think they'll be calling for the bedding soon." She added nervously.

Stannis shook his head quickly before kissing Shireen on her clear cheek and telling her. "Make sure he's gentle but do your duty."

"I will." She nodded, gulping.

Stannis nodded, and an awkward silence hung over them. "Your Grace… if I may…"

"Go, Uncle." Durran laughed. Stannis quickly hurried away to his chambers. "The poor man, one day the thought of you becoming a woman will kill him."

"I've always just been his little girl." Shireen shrugged. "I have to grow up sometime."

Durran looked over and saw Edmure having a laugh with some of his friends, and the red head was protesting at something weakly. "I think you may need to start growing up now, they're waiting for me to move to call for the bedding." Shireen looked slightly worried, but Durran put his hand on her shoulder. "It will be ok. It may hurt at first, but you may grow to enjoy it."

"Durran!" Shireen exclaimed quietly, scandalised. "I'm a Lady, I was always taught we can't enjoy it!"

Durran had a wide grin. "Then can someone tell the Queen that before I have four children before I'm twenty years of age."

Shireen burst into hearty laughter, before calming herself down. "It's really ok?"

Durran nodded. "I can't reassure you from experience, but you will be fine. Just be brave, and slightly brazen if you feel up to it, listen to Edmure and get him to help you, he's not the most inexperienced husband going so he knows what he's doing."

Shireen didn't look to pleased. "I should be thankful he's fucked whores?"

Durran shook his head. "No, but you should be thankful to have someone who won't just fumble at you and not know what to do. Trust me, my first time was hilariously short lived and unsatisfying for the Queen. Thankfully we got better, and so will you."

Feeling slightly at ease, Shireen let out a small smile. "Let's get it over with then, it is getting late."

Squeezing her shoulder once more, Durran waited for Shireen to sit back at the high table with Edmure and let her whisper to him what was happening before the King moved to the centre of the room. Shouting as loud as his voice could let him go, he said. "We've had the wedding! We've had the feast. Words were said and wine has been drunk, but a wedding isn't complete until the bedding!" Bawdy cheers were heard by the drunk men and women in the room. "My Lords, my Ladies, esteemed guests of the Riverlands and Stormlands. Let us bed them!"

Louder cheers went up as men and women piled up to the high table, and Durran went over to sit with Dany once more.

"Is this the first time in history that the man calling for the bedding isn't taking part?" Dany joked.

Durran laughed. "That's not for me."

"When I got married to Ned, in this very room actually." Cat reminisced. "Your Father called for our bedding." She told Durran.

"Why am I not surprised." Durran groaned, to Dany's amusement.

"Ned was the only person who could have threatened the King on that day and gotten away with it." Cat chuckled. "He told Robert 'It's my wedding night, I wouldn't ruin it by breaking your jaw my friend'."

Durran laughed as the cheers died down the further away the bride and groom got. "You must miss him terribly, My Lady."

Cat nodded. "So dearly, but I now have grandchildren to dote upon and more time to do that now Lady Roslin is in Winterfell. I will always miss Ned, but things aren't so bad."

Durran nodded, but his foreboding words sent shivers down everyone who heard them. "Not now, but they might when Winter comes for us all."

The gate of Castle Black creaked open, and the brothers of the Night's Watch weren't sure if they should be worried about the two individuals on the Northern side of the Wall. Stepping forward torches in hand, Edd spoke to them as Lord Commander.

"You Wildlings?" He asked them.

The girl stepped forwards. "I… I'm Meera Reed. Daughter of Howland Reed." She shivered. "This is Brandon Stark. Son of Ned Stark."

The surname made the men stir slightly as they thought of Jon. "How do I know that's true?" Edd asked. Gendry peered round and saw the young man on the sled.

"You're really Brandon Stark?" He asked.

Bran nodded. "I am. You are Ser Gendry Durrande. You know my sister, Arya."

Gendry nodded. "I do."

"Gendry…" Edd whispered harshly.

"The boy tells the truth." Melisandre appeared from the darkness. "He is the son of Eddard, son of Rickard. He must go to Winterfell."

"Thank you." Bran said to the Red Woman. "For saving Jon." Melisandre was surprised, and with an eyebrow raised she slowly walked forwards to the sled. Meera went to stop her, but Bran said. "Let her through, Meera."

Stepping to one side, the Reed girl could only watch on as Melisandre knelt in the snow and placed her hand upon Bran's forehead. The boy placed both of his own hands on top of hers, and for a second his eyes went white.

"What the fuck…" Grenn gawped.

"He's seeing something." Meera explained. "Past, present, future. I'm not sure what it is but it's something."

Melisandre fell backwards with a gasp, panting heavily. Bran looked as stoic as he had since the gate had opened. "You must go there." He said. "It is your destiny."

"I will." Melisandre said shakily.

"Where? Where are you going?" Edd asked. "You swore vows."

"To false Gods, in a disguise. Mellaro spoke those words, Melisandre didn't." The Red Woman explained. "Do not be alarmed, Commander Tollett, what we do in these moments will help us win the war."

With that she looked again at Bran before walking off Northwards into the distance, leaving the men of the Night's Watch stood in the gateway looking gormless, not knowing what they should do next. Gendry took the initiative and grabbed the sled.

"Come in milord, welcome to Castle Black." He said to Bran. "Milady." He also nodded to Meera. "We should get some food in you before you head back to Winterfell and you can tell us all about how a cripple survived the North."

Robb grunted as his leg was swept from underneath him and he crashed down to the floor, a sword soon pointed at his neck.

"Yield." He groaned, "I fucking yield."

Jon Snow grinned, and after sheathing his castle forged sword he held an arm out for Robb to take and help himself up. "What have you been doing all these years? I never used to beat you."

"Aye you just got lucky." Robb rolled his eyes, picking up his own sword from the floor.

"Or I've gotten better than you." Jon grinned.

Robb leant on his thighs to try and catch his breath. "Hardly." He said unconvincingly. The Stark Lord went to grab a drink of water, gulping it down. The pair then looked over to where Rickon was practicing his archery and failing at it.

"Remember when that was Bran?" Robb asked.

Jon nodded at the memory. "Back before all this went to shit." He sighed, although he smiled at the image of Ygritte giving the younger Stark pointers. Robb noticed the smile.

"Any plans to have one of your own?" He teased. Jon shook his head.

"Maybe once it's all over." He said solemnly. "Right now we don't want another defenceless baby in Winterfell to worry over. Your two are enough."

Robb nodded, his smile dropping from his face. "I keep telling Roslin to go down to the Twins with them, but she refuses."

"After what you've told me of Walder Frey I don't blame her." Jon feigned a shudder. "The Night King seems more pleasant."

Robb tried to hold in his laughter but failed, tears streaming down his eyes at the thought. "You're not wrong." He howled. Jon joined him, until a rock was thrown at the former Lord Commander by his newly official wife.

"Sorry Ygritte." Jon called over, as the woman just shook her head.

"How is she settling in?" Robb asked as the two men walked away from the tiltyard and walked up to the balcony to oversee Rickon.

"Better now she has a purpose." Jon told him. "Giving her that role in the guard really helped her, thank you."

Robb waved it away. "She's your woman, so long as I'm here you'll always have a place in Winterfell the both of you."

Jon appreciated that but fell silent until they arrived at the balcony. Leaning on the bannister, they watched as Rickon finally hit the target, and applauded to make the child feel even happier. "He's growing up so fast." Jon said solemnly. "When I left the first time he was so young."

"And now we have a new generation of children." Robb noted, looking further into the courtyard of Winterfell to see his son Brandon running around playing with Grey Wind and Ghost. "Sansa's pregnant, Arya will have to get married soon. Life moves on Jon, things change. You should know that more than most."

Jon scowled. "I told you, I don't want to talk about that."

"We have to eventually." Robb insisted. "You have her diary, you have the sword. Whether you like it or not the facts are there…"

"You don't understand!" Jon shouted, catching the attention of the pair below them. Closing his eyes and catching his breath, Jon said quieter. "All my life I was led to believe that I was a bastard, a stain upon Father's honour, the child he should have thrown to the wolves. I was shunned, I was bullied, all for being a bastard. And now I find out that all that was a lie? Father… Ned, did all that to me when it wasn't true?"

"You know why he had to." Robb said softly.

"That doesn't make it any less painful." Jon snapped. "He should have told me, even if I had to keep quiet about it."

Robb nodded. "I agree." He sighed. "Which is why I told you almost immediately, and why I gave you your Mother's book."

"Don't." Jon said quietly. "Don't call her that, please."

Robb sighed and placed his hand on Jon's shoulder. "No matter what, you'll always be my brother. Remember that."

Jon nodded, and placed his hand on Robb's. "I know… I just need to process it all. If you'll excuse me My Lord."

Taking his hand away, Robb nodded again letting Jon walk away. Watching him, Robb knew exactly what he was doing, as Jon made his way over to the crypts.

In King's Landing, the Prince and the Princess were being looked after by Cersei. Elaenor had contracted a mild fever a few days back and was being treated, although a recent allergic reaction from a drink had set her back. Cersei wasn't happy and had had the girl that served Elaenor the drink arrested as the Maester set about alleviating the wheezing three-year-old by feeding her a drink mixed from special herbs and feeding her some small dices of a mix of chicken and pork.

"You knew that the Princess had reactions to certain flowers, and yet you felt it wise to force a flower-based tea down her throat?" Cersei asked coldly, as the woman tearfully hid her face. "Answer me!"

"It was a special tea from Yi Ti, Your Grace." She cried. "I didn't know…"

"You didn't know?" Cersei asked, enraged. "Did you not think to ASK?"

"I'm sorry Your Grace." The woman wailed, a noise which Duncan didn't like either lying in his crib as he began to voice his annoyance.

"And now you've awoken the Prince." Cersei scowled. "Take her away. Flog her and put her in the Black Cells for a night. Tomorrow morning, throw her out. I don't want to see her in the Red Keep ever again."

"Your Grace… please… I have nowhere to go…"

"You should have thought about that before you poisoned your Princess." Cersei snarled. "Now."

Two men dragged her by the arms out of the doorway, and Cersei tried to shake the anger off of her face, while inwardly she was still screaming the same scream that had engulfed her mind ever since she had seen Jaime's body. Putting a smile on her face, Cersei went to pick up the heir to the throne and walked over to the Maester, who was settling Elaenor down by the fire. "She will be alright." The Maester said. "Her airways are still filling more than they should, but it is not threatening. Some smooth soups and a specific diet will help the child. Let her rest tonight and she should be fine in the morning."

"Thank you, Maester." Cersei said.

"I'll go and ensure all of that imported flower is destroyed Your Grace, unless you need me for anything else?"

Cersei shook her head. "It's growing later Maester, we should both let the children sleep now." The Maester bowed his head and walked out of the room, leaving Cersei to place Duncan on the large sofa with his sister. She walked over to the table and picked up the dragon eggs, placing the right ones in the children's arms as they drifted off to sleep. Kissing them both on the forehead, she whispered. "Good night, my loves. Sleep well." Before walking out of the room, not hearing the sound of an egg cracking just a moment later.

After their conversation on the balcony, Jon had tried to avoid Robb as best he could, but they were brought together once more a few days later when the first shipment of Dragonglass weapons arrived at Winterfell. Four carts filled to the brim with baskets of daggers, spearheads and arrowheads, and Robb was talking with the new smith, Colren about getting them ready for the Northern soldiers to use. Jon meanwhile was stood to the side, talking seriously to Ygritte about something.

"Aye milord, I can do something with these." Colren said to Robb.

"Good." Robb told him happily. "I want this to be your priority now, forget steel. Get as many Dragonglass weapons ready and in the armoury as you can on a daily basis. We don't know when we'll need them to be sent to the Northern houses first. Last Hearth and Karhold especially."

"At once, Lord Stark." Colren bowed, before barking orders at the guards. "Get to work you lot! I want all these baskets in my shop now!"

Robb chuckled and grabbed a basket himself, helping his men with the moving. Jon also helped out, and a couple of hours later the carts were ready to go back to White Harbour.

"I want to go with them." Jon said out of the blue. Robb turned to face him questioningly.

"What?" Robb asked.

"I want to go to Dragonstone, to aid them in the mining efforts." Jon repeated. "This is good… but we need more. Send me to King's Landing to speak with King Durran, and I'll persuade him."

Shaking his head, Robb began to refuse. "No, your place is here in Winterfell. Your home is here."

"What place?" Jon laughed. "Winterfell is your castle. Your Mother still can't look at me and hates that I'm here even if she knows whatever the truth is. All I do is train and mope about in the crypts when I could be doing something useful."

Robb sighed. "Jon…"

"Don't try and persuade me, it won't work." Jon said sharply. "I love my family and I love Winterfell, but the Night's Watch showed me that I can make a life for my own. I can't just sit here knowing what I know and doing nothing but wait."

Robb knew he was right. Running his hand through his hair he sighed again, louder. "Very well." He shook his head, not believing what he was saying. "Go. Go to King's Landing. You can meet your family too, the Queen and your other cousins." Robb added with a hint of venom, not forgiving the Queen truly for scarring him. "But know you'll always have a place here."

Jon smiled quickly. "I know that, and I'll be back. I promise."

"Make sure you do come back." Robb told him, hugging the man he thought was his brother for so long. "I need you by my side, Jon. That's never changed."

Jon nodded, and pulled away to grab Ygritte as the couple ran to get a bag packed, and not long later, Robb stood next to his own wife as they watched from the battlements as the carts disappeared into the distance, with Jon, Ygritte, and a handful of other Stark soldiers on them.

"He'll be fine." Roslin said.

Robb knew that. "I know, it doesn't make this any easier though." He told her, rocking a snoozing Edwyle in his arms as the light snowfall finally hid the carts from vision.

Far to the North, past the Wall and near to where the Antler River branched into three different streams, a lone woman dressed in a slim red dress that seemed completely inappropriate for the amount of snow raining down was cooking a rabbit over her fire. Soon settling down she finished a bit of leg and stored the rest away.

The Red Woman was used to being in her own company, but there was something about being North of the Wall on her own that was extremely unsettling. The howling wind and the strong snowfall that night was giving the impression of Melisandre being surrounded by predators, although the Lord of Light would keep her safe.

As her thoughts turned from the cold to the Lord, Melisandre prepared herself to stare into the fire.

"Lord, grace me with your eyes. Show me your plans for me in stopping the Great Other and why I must be so far from your flames." She whispered in her native language of the Asshai'i. "I have done all you asked of me to aid us in this fight, but my role remains yet hidden. Help me, teach me."

She repeated the request, and then repeated it again. A dozen times Melisandre said the words over and over until the flames began to spit, dimming for a moment before roaring back into life shooting a couple of feet into the air. On her hands and knees in the snow, Melisandre peered closer in to the flames to see the vision.

The snow in the flames were heavier than anything that Melisandre had ever seen. Corpse after corpse slowly traipsed in a single direction. In the distance however were two mounted figures. One with skin of an icy blue, with piercing blue eyes and his head resembled a crown of large thorns it seemed. The Night King. Hitching her breath, Melisandre whispered. "So that is what he looks like." He watched as he slowly held his arm out to the figure next to him.

It was a woman, a woman with dark purple hair and the same blue piercing eyes as the Night King and a striking but slightly tattered red dress. Breathing quickly in absolute terror, Melisandre backed away as the woman in the vision took the Night King's hand and the two rode forwards.

Catching her breath as the flames died down to a normal fire once more, Melisandre stared at the fire, her mind racing. "So…" She said in her native tongue. "That's how we win."

Some very interesting moments here then! Shireen and Edmure are finally married having been betrothed 25 chapters ago, with the news that Robb has another son and Dany is pregnant again! Sansa is also pregnant over in Highgarden.

Bran is at the Wall like in canon, but the difference here is that Melisandre has gone North! She knew she had a mission, but now she knows exactly what she needs to do, and you know why she's gone North.

Other than that, Jon is on his way Southwards to meet his family and to feel more useful, and Cersei shows her anger, while also her caring side for her family.

I hope you all enjoyed it, and if you have a question or a comment then I welcome reviews or PM's if you'd like a quicker response.

We only have 5 chapters left now as well, which I am so excited to get through and to write for you. The last chapter though could be split however as it's looking about three or four times as long as my usual chapter lengths.

Next time, we shall discover which of the eggs has hatched and what happened to Theon Greyjoy!

Reviews:

10868letsgo: Edric Dayne has a massive task ahead of him, but eventually Dorne will come to heel. They've lost too much.

Many Faced Mage: So many more people are going to die by the end I almost feel cruel haha!

Lightningscar: That scene in Dorne gave me the idea on how to start the scene to be honest. As for Tommen, I presumed that under Daven Lannister's tutelage for a few years now and still having Jaime's genes that he would be fairly capable by now, although he's still a kid and still learning. Killing Jaime came to me a few days beforehand, and I rushed back to check my plan to see if I had included him for anything later on and I hadn't, so I thought, considering I don't think I've written an original 'Game of Thrones style' wedding that he could be the big name that dies. I fully expect to be hated because I love Jaime too, but honestly, what better way for him to die than to protect his children? I know it's convenient, but my feeling was that Dārys could sense that someone of the blood was in distress. He did go into a bit of a rage, luckily this is the show and I can use the whole fireproof thing, as annoying as it is in the actual show. I'm not skipping 7, this chapter is sort of the start of that series, but I've basically skipped the last half of season 6.

Hail King Cerion: The full title of the chapter was meant to be 'Kingslayer, Oathbreaker, Man Without Honour' but it wouldn't fit.