The Farosi

I own nothing but my OC's

AN: So, sorry for the slight delay. For the record, this chapter was originally going to be two, the first part and the ball sequance were meant to be seperate chapters but one was far too short so I decided to just merge them into one big chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

Also, at the risk of sparking controversy, I have to say it here. I do not believe in R+L=J, at least in the books. I believe that there is more evidence to suggest that he is the son of Ned and Ashara Dayne. Also, GRR Martin never actually told D and D that they were right about guessing the heritage, apparently he just smiled when they gave their answer. I think that Martin knew that the show would reveal Jon's parentage before he could get there in the books so he decided to do this as one giant red herring to double the impact of the reveal in the books. I basically agree with the Order of the Greenhand guys on Youtube so I suggest you watch their stuff.

For the purposes of this story though I will stick to R+L=J being canon though for the sake of simplicity.

Chapter Seven

The Puzzle and the Ball

Ned Stark was meeting with Lord Varys again, did he trust the eunuch? Not completely, but did he need the man? Of course he did. It was the early hours of the evening about a week after the skirmish between his men, Lannister and Jon's Troopers.

'I'm glad that the King asked you to remain as Hand afterall,' Varys began the discussion.

'The Queen wanted to have me killed for it,' he responded. 'It's not safe here.'

'This city has never been safe Lord Stark but you are needed here. For the sake of the whole of the realm.'

'I know.'

'With the Imp being taken my little birds have sung a song. Tywin Lannister has called his banners but I think he has been planning on it for a while anyway.;

'Why?'

'The rifles you bought from the Farosi, from what I've heard your son has been building up a formidible force with them. He's even hired some former Farosi soldiers to train up the new recruits.'

'He's done as I've ordered.'

'I understand that Lord Tywin is furious that the North has an army of riflemen giving them a massive advantage over his own men.'

'If he's worried then why doesn't just buy them.'

'That's an interesting idea Lord Stark. The rifles were here for weeks before the princess headed north to Winterfell and Lord Tywin sent men to negotiate to buy them, he offered five times the money for them but the princess turned him down.'

'Why?'

'She's turning you into her puppet, Lord Stark.'

'I doubt it. Princess Radwen is an intelligent young woman, I have no doubt that when she becomes Queen of Farsos her people will prosper.'

'She delibertly armed the North while shafting Tywin Lannister. She made him afraid of the North and now your wife had made him angry, his house looks vulnrable and he needs to strike back.'

'You think he's about to make a move against us?'

'Against you to be precise. We both know that the Lannisters always pay their debts and this is quite a debt to be repaid.'

'And of all the times to go hunting, Robert chooses now.'

'It leaves you with the power to act in his place for now,' Varys told him. 'Do you want to deal with Lord Tywin now or wait until he's struck already?'

'The king will not allow me to move against him, after what my wife has done he won't tolerate it.'

'So you have to wait until Lord Tywin strikes first and even then he can still claim that it was in response over what happened to Lord Tyrion.'

'I know and that's the problem. I'm going to guess that you already know what I've ordered.'

He nodded his head and Ned resisted the urge to sigh. In this damn city eveyone knew what everyone was doing, it was impossible to even walk down a corridor without half a dozen spies seeing him.

'Advising your son to move south with his army is a risky move. If anything it won't make Lord Tywin back down, it will just provoke him.'

'I don't plan on making him back down, I want to defeat him quickly if a war breaks out.'

'A quick defeat to limit the catastrophe of war?'

'That's right. I want this war over as soon as possible and not have it drag on forever.'

'Are you sure you can do that?'

'We live in an age where the greatest knight wearing the finest armour and the greatest Valyrian sword can be killed by a peasant armed with just a rifle. Of course I can win.'

'You are not including the Farosi in your work,' said Varys. 'Their embassy is probably the only place in this city where I know nothing.'

'I thought your birds flew in all corners of the world.'

'Except in Farsos and their embassy. A week before you arrived Lord Stark Colonel Donnah arrived at the Red Keep to speak with me. Do you know Colonel Donnah?'

'I saw him once,' he answered, not interested in the Spiders problems.

'He came to this castle and with him he brought a basket. After telling me not to spy on the Farosi he upturned the basket and poured out the hands of my spies who had been in the embassy or the Farosi District.'

'Their hands?' he asked, now concerned.

'Their hands. I made a mistake, I underestimated the Military Police. Do you know anything about them?'

'Jon said that policemen in Farsos uphold the law, enforce their kings peace. The Military Police must do that to the army, I would have guessed.'

'That was my mistake. One of fmy birds told me more, that some of them are spies and special agents who perform some of the most dangerous or important missions. You can tell them apart by thir uniforms, the men responsible for enforcing military law have silver cuffs on their coats, the agents have gold cuffs. Tell me, who would command so many dangerous men?'

'Someone who is very well trained and ruthless.'

'Exactly. The Farosi should not be counted as allies, they do not care about the realm, they care about themselves and their obsession with Gwaithol.'

'The were at war for fifteen years, of course they are concerned about Gwaithol but I need every ally I can hope to find.'

'You're playing a dangerous game Lord Stark. The Farosi should not be trusted until we know what they want. Right now your bastard is getting ready to dance with their princess while young Sansa reads their books and news sheets. Every day I walk through the streets and I see cobblers going out of business because they can't keep up with the supply of cheap foreign boots flooding the markets and many smiths are trying to make their own crude firelocks. Men are buying Farosi gowns for their wives while dressing in top hats and waist coats, a quarter of the gold cloaks are armed with shotguns and small ships land at the city in the middle of the night and vanish before anyone can stop them.'

'Small ships?'

'Yes, one of my little birds got close enough to see some of them and saw men in top hats and black coats unloading wooden crates before taking them into the tunnels under the city.'

'Military Police,' Ned said, wondering what this meant. 'Why would they be involved in smuggling.'

'I don't know. The Farosi are good at covering their tracks. Another time the same bird sung to me a song of seeing a large number of men come ashore in the boat and then were led into the tunnels.'

This made Ned think, the armoury that Arya saw, but should he inform the Spider? He needed the help of the Farosi but if they were really using him, playing him as a piece on the board, it would be good to have a "friend" in the Spider.

'Thos gives me a headache,' Ned groaned.

'I know it does. It's like trying to put together a puzzle without all the pieces.'

'You say that like you enjoy it.'

He didn't answer, instead he just stood up and left, leaving Ned by himself as he tried to work out what to do about this, the king would leave to go hunting in the morning, he had been eager to use his new toy, an ornate shotgun presented as a gift from the King of Farsos by Princess Radwen, the words of House Baratheon and its sigil on the butt and the barrel carved with an intricate pattern of hunters pursuing a boar through a forest. He spent about an hour a day in one of the courtyards shooting at clay pots being thrown by Lancel Lannisters but now he was getting ready to use it for the first time to kill an animal, and of course he was dragging Renly and Ser Barristan along.

...

Jon adored his uniform, it was comfortable, perfect for any weather, be it hot or cold, but in winter they would wear a heavy coat as well, and was hard wearing for service in any part of the army. Both branches of the cavalry, the infantry and the engineers all wore the same uniform, all made in the smae way but with only a few small differences, such as spurs on teh boots of the cavalry. The same could not be said for his dress uniform which he was convinced was made as a punishment for him for some unknown crime.

The dress uniform had a very tight fitting dark blue jacket with gold epullates on the shoulders, a high tight collar, white trousers which, like the shirt, felt too tight and knee high boots, both polished, and a gold braid went across his chest. Under his arm he held his cocked hat and around his waist was a dark blue sash, although slightly lighter than his jacket. He stood outside of the Princesses private rooms in the embassy and knocked on the door with a white gloved hand.

'Who is it?' asked one of the maids.

'Lieutenant Snow.'

A moment later the door opened and the maid allowed him in.

'Her Highness says that she will be with you in a few moments.'

'Good.'

Jon stood there with his hands behind his back and looked at the room, the floors were wooden and a warm carpet covered most of it. The fireplace was birning brightly and above it hung a portrait of His Majesty. Several chairs were sat close to the fire and a low table was close to one, a book on the history of the Westerlands was sitting on it with a marker in one of the early pages.

'Are you there Jon?' Radwen asked from behind the door of her bedroom.

'Yes Your Highness.'

'Excellent,' I'm sorry we're taking so long but a princess must look her best at these events.'

'Of course. Celebrating your fathers ascension anniversary must keep you busy.'

'It does, unfortunately most of that time is taken up by, no dear, the blue one, most of that time is taken up by getting dressed. You know, yes that one, you know it's most unbecoming of Prince Joffrey to refuse the invitation.'

'I agree.'

'Then again I'm not unhappy he's not coming. Knowing him he would have probably tried to smash the bottles over a servatns head.'

'Of course he would.'

'There we are. Alright I'm coming out, let me know what you think.'

The door opened and Radwen, followed be her maids, entered the living room, although Jon barely noticed the other women. Radwen had discarded her usual blue dresses for one of the deepest royal purple, made from many layers of thin silk and it was bustled with a slight train, her dress was also unusually low cut for Radwen, the straps were just off her shoulders and long purple gloves made from velvet went up past her elbows, a few rings adorned hr fingers over the gloves. Her hair was styled so it was gathered on top of her head and a fringe hung just above her eyes. She had selected some jewelry to wear, a necklace made of gold with dozens of small amethyst stones and similar earrings but the crowining achievement was her tiara, gold and had a single large purple stone set into it. She was the image of royalty.

Suddenly remembering his manners Jon bowed as Radwen aproached.

'Judging by the colour of your cheeks you approve,' she said with a chuckle.

'You are dressed perfectly Your Highness.'

'Thank you Jon, so are you. Although we should get you some medals soon,' she turned to face one of the maids. 'Go and tell them that Lieutenant Snow and I will be there soon.'

She curtsied and hurried off.

'Nervous?' she asked Jon.

'Not really.'

'I am,' she said and went to a table by the window with two glasses and a small silver jug were sat. 'Quick drink?'

'Of course,' he agreed.

'Arbor Gold,' she said and poured it out, filling both glasses, one of which Jon picked up.

'And what are we toasting to?'

'To a succesful evening,' she replied and their glasses clinked together before they drank one of the best wines in the Seven Kingdoms.

'Thank you for asking me to be your partner tonight.'

'It was either you or Colonel Donnah.'

'Really?'

'Probably. I imagine the newspaper men will have a field day with this one, dashing young cavalryman acosts Her Highness at the ball to celebrate her fathers ascension anniversary.'

'They make half of their stories up.'

'I know, still, they'll insist on a photograph tonight.'

'With me as well?'

'I hope so, after all, you went through all this trouble of having your uniform cleaned.'

'I suppose so.'

'Well, no need to keep them waiting any more Jon,' she offered him her hand and he accepted it.

He took it and then they left her rooms and walked through the embassy until they reached the reception room which was now being used as a ballroom. From the domed roof hung a crystal chandilier which shone like stars, around the walls stood members of the Royal Guard in full armour but instead of rifles they carried their symbolic halberds. The room was filled with several dozen men and women and a band sat on a platform in one corner. Jon and Radwen entered the room by the grand staircase, made of polished stone and with ornate hand rails, when they began to walk down the band began to play the national anthem of Farsos, a few steps from the bottom of the stairs Radwen stopped and so did Jon. At that moment he glanced across the room spotted Sam standing with a group of other officers dressed in their best.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' Radwen said to everyone there, 'I'm truly honoured to see so many of you gathered here this evening. Five thousand one hundred and fifty years ago, Cassius Sea Walker led his people across the waters seeking for a new home, fleeing from whatever happened to his home and his kin in Westeros. His dynasty continues to this day in my father, tonight we celebrate the twenty fifth year of his glorious reign. Long live the King!'

'Long live the king,' everyone within echoed

'Now the formalities out of the way, let's begin. Music I insist.'

Everyone cleared the centre of the room as Jon and Radwen walked into the middle of it as a traditional piece of dancing music began to slowly play. Remembering his dancing lessons at the academy, now he was grateful for them, he took Radwen by the waist and they began to slowly dance. It was very formal, Jon couldn't say he was enjoying himself, he kept minding his feet and where he kept his hand, certainly not wanting to go too far down her back. As they danced they were close, very close Jon thought to himself as they spun and moved across the dance floor, hoping that he wouldn't step on Radwen's toes the whole time. The final notes of the song came by and Jon stepped away from Radwen, she took a step from him, he bowed and she curtsied as the music stopped and the crowd around them gave a polite applause.

'Thank the True Queen that went well,' Radwen said quietly as they walked off the dance floor, the next song started playing and the other officers and gentlemen with partners began to dance.

'Agreed,' Jon replied.

'Although, you did step on my foot once,' she told him and they walked to the edge of the room where they each got a glass of Arbor Gold.

'I'm sorry Your Highness but if I spent the whole dance looking at your feet people would think I had a problem.'

'Very specific problems by the sound of it,' she said with a thin smile and took a sip of her drink. 'You dance well for a soldier, normally you dance on the battlefield.'

'I try my best to keep in practice.'

'I'm certainly happy to hear that. Now, I have to go and speak with some boring old men, you go and talk to the rest of the officers.'

'I'll see you later then Your Highness,' he said and bowed politely before joining a group of officers, Sam, Lieutenant Gorrik, a lean officer from the infantry and Captain Lowhill, his direct superior in the company.

Lowhill was popular with the men for turning a blind eye to their antics while off duty. While this was good for his popularity it didn't help the reputation the Light Horse had for a lack of discipline.

'Sir,' he said to Lowhil.

'Snow, I see you actually managed to find a girl to bring along,' the man joked, 'or rather a girl managed to bring you along.'

Jon chuckled at that, as did Sam.

'I see you failed to come with any girl though,' Jon shot back.

'Maybe, that just means I don't need anyone to try and drag me away from the drinks trays.'

'Speaking of which,' Sam pointed out as a waitress walked by with a silver tray of deep red drinks.

Sam and Lowhill aquired drinks and took sips of them, Lowhill grimacing a bit.

'You know, I wish Her Highness would have got us some real drinks. No offence you two, but I can't stand this stuff.'

'I like it,' said Jon and finished his drink.

'You were brought up here Snow. I'm the youngest son of the Duke of Great Mine, Farsos in in my blood, and my taste of liquor.'

'Gentlemen,' said Lieutenant Hoaren, a fellow officer of Light Horse, 'may I join you?'

'Of course Mister Hoaren,' responded Lowhill.

'Thank you sir. Have any of you seen the latest newspaper?'

'All the papers we get here are weeks old at best,' said Lowhill. 'Is it important?'

'Surprisingly yes. The Lord Senator's resigned.'

'What?' Jon and Lowhill asked at the same time.

'He's had the job since the end of the war,' Lowhill continued. 'Why would he quit now?'

'No idea,' Hoaren answered him. 'The paper said it was for health reasons.'

'In other words he got sacked,' Jon concluded. 'Don't they normally say it's for their health when they're really being dismissed?'

'Well done Snow,' Lowhill nodded before looking back at Hoaren. 'Whose the new Lord Senator?'

'Lord Wemmerford.'

'Wemmerford? Ah yes, the man who led the evacuation of Corrino.'

'That was the last major action of the war,' Sam remembered.

'Correct. My father was there, commanded the rearguard as the rest of the army escaped to Corrino.'

They knew that his father didn't make it out, none of the rearguard did, but they fought in the fields outside of Corrino and then they fought through the streets, armed with unloaded muskets and pikes against thousands of Gaithol's soldiers.

'In that case the new Lord Senator should be good at his job,' said Hoaren. 'A man with that much experience in the army should be talanted enough.'

Jon wasn't too concerned, while Radwen may have wanted him to pay attention to the political theatre Jon was planning to try to avoid all that, focus on his career as a soldier.

'The Western Line's also finished at last,' Hoaren added.

'Excellent,' Sam said eagerly and Jon smiled knowingly.

After arriving at the academy together Sam had developed a fascination with steam engines and the Steam Locs, the locomotives which travelled on steel rails across Farsos. The west coast of Farsos had been one of the most isolated parts of the kingdom since it had been brought into the fold a century earlier, the coast line dotted with hundreds of small fishing villages and a few larger ports which greeted merchants from the eastern coat of Essos. King Lukon, after ordering the reforms which rebuilt the Farosi army and navy, had formed a plan to build two new railway lines, one stretching north to south along the west coast and another conneting it to Cety, the largest railway hub in the kingdom. He had poured a lot of money into building up the largest of the western ports, Genston, into a small city and now many merchants from Essos visited and it served as the base of the the Western Fleet. Sam had followed the development of the railway during their time at the academy.

'At least the people at Genston don't need to go the whole way back home by carriage any more,' said Lowhill, he wasn't very concerned with the railway in the west. 'As long as the southern line keeps running I'm happy.'

'There's only one problem with it though,' Sam realised. 'Hundreds of railway engineers are going to be out of a job.'

'They'll find work somewhere,' Lowhill commented before the conversation went down into the usual troubles of officers, keeping the men happy, weapons drill and other matters.

...

Eventually Jon decided to leave the party for a few moments, walking away from the ballroom and into a side corridor, well lit with candles, Radwen hadn't been able to arrange gas lighting for the embassy yet, and the walls were lined with paintings. Jon remembered that this was called the History Gallery, all the paintings covered important moments in the history of Farsos. Jon walked along looking at them, one displayed King Harkin the Second, a mighty man clad in mail and plate, standing before fifty men, the first ever meeting of the Senate over four and a half thousand years ago. Another, the Battle of the Ice Woods with Prince Harmel, son of Harkin and the future Harmel the First, about to land the killing blow upon Garen the Red, the King of Iron Watch with a massive war axe he took from an Iron Watchmen's corpse. He continued walking until he reached a portrait of the Battle of Windy Moor, a line of halberdeers in yellow cloaks standing alongside men with the first firelocks fighting against the Tiger Cultists who ruled that land. Cety was built close to the battlefield a few years later. Finally he reached the largest painting, an image of a hillside by the sea divided in two halves, on one side stood a group of warriors in jet black armour with purple sashes across their chests and armed with halberds, one of them carrying a massive golden banner with a black gryffon at its heart, leading them was a broad shouldered man with a wheel lock pistol at his belt and a sword in his hand. Across from them stood a large number of pikemen, one man carried a banner just as large as the first but dark blue with a rearing unicorn. In front of the soldiers was a young woman in a green dress and a circlet upon her head, her hand gently held out towards the man.

'I never thought of you as an admirer of art,' said Radwen as she entered the gallery.

'I just wanted to get away from the party for a minute. I'm used to being sat away from the party, not much to being close to the centre of it.'

'I suppose so,' she said as she came to stand next to him. 'I just needed a moment away from from the uniforms and moustaches.'

'I thought you of all people would be used to that, I mean, you are a princess, you've grown up around all of it.'

'Not really. When I was a girl it looked like I'd become a priestess of the True Queen but then Simoki ran off to fight his rebellion and Miccal signed off his right to the throne leaving me. Suddenly I find myself, a thriteen year old, being sent to study economics, history, military strategy and political theory when just a week earlier I was learning how to not drop a thurible.'

'It must have been a shock.'

'That's an understatement Jon. I was terrified, I had no idea what I was doing and there were times I thought my father would force Miccal back into the succession.'

'How did you manage to stay on top of it all?'

'A lot of stubborness. By the time I was sixteen my father decided that I need some hands on experience so he sent me here.'

'Do you like your job, I mean, your the ambassador to the Iron Throne, the symbol of Farosi power here.'

'True, this place has its charms. Oh, this painting, do you like it?'

'I've never been interested in art.'

'You at least know what it is?'

'Of course. It's the Day of Union, when King Carr the Fourth agreed to marry Duchess Gerina of Serdera.'

'It was the birth of our United Kingdom. The Gryffon of House Cassius and the Unicorn of Serdera united as one. The United Kingdom of Farsos.'

'Their union changed everything.'

'Indeed it did. My ancestors are all around us right now, all of it leading to me and the day I ascend to the Emerald Throne.'

'You love history don't you?'

'My family history yes. For people like us though our family history is just history in general isn't it?'

'I suppose it is. Still, I'm a bastard, I'm free to make my own path.'

'Your father may not have married your mother but I really don't care about that. You're still the son of the Warden of the North, and an officer of His Majesties army. Me, well, I'm the heir to the Emerald Throne. I've learned so much about my families past, it's incredible what you can find.'

Jon heard the music in the ball room stop and he looked to Radwen again who was studying the image of Duchess Gerina, they had the same hair colour, Jon noticed.

'I think the next dance will be starting soon.'

'Yes of course,' she said. 'Just promise me you won't step on my toes again.'

'I try Radwen,' he said jokingly as she chuckled just a little.

'You should have shown more attention at your dancing lessons at the academy.'

'I paid more attention to riding, shooting and fencing lessons.'

'Boys will be boys I suppose. Still, the next dance is a Woren Waltz, do you know it?'

'I remember it I think.'

'You think?'

'I remember it but, like I said, I was focused on things a soldier needs to know.'

'Alright then, we'd better have a quick practice then,' she said and held out her hands for Jon to take.

Jon did so as he tried to remembered how this dance was done. Radwen mostly kept him on track for how this was done, with their hands held they took a few steps around until they both stepped forwards, Jon placing his right hand on her back and keeping her right hand in his left. They moved slowly, more swaying than anything else, and Jon now noticed the colour of her eyes properly, they were blue with a few flakes of green. They gently swayed back and forth for a few moments in silence, this isn't how this dance goes, Jon realised but he didn't say anything. The two stood still for moment after moment until Radwen moved closer to him and Jon, the scent of the princesses perfume hanging in the air around them, planted a quick and heated kiss on her lips. When he moved his face away he saw Radwen's wide eyes first and worry started creeping into him as he remembered Article 21 of Officer Regulations. "No officer of His Majesties Army shall in any way coerce a woman nor force himself upon a woman."

'Your Highness, I'm sorry if I,' he said as he began to move away, about to remove his hand from her back when Radwen's own hand tightened on his and her other touched his shoulder.

'Jon,' she said and smiled, almost looking relieved, 'I thought I'd have to draw you a diagram.'

'What?'

Radwen moved onto her toes and kissed Jon who, relieved at not being in trouble now pulled Radwen a little closer to him and responded in kind with a kiss. Eventually he kissed her on the neck and then on the shoulder, Jon glad that he heard a soft sigh from Radwen.

'Alright Jon,' she said before they kissed once more. 'We need to get back to the ball or we'll be missed.'

'Alright,' he said before making a coy smile. 'I think I'm glad we got some practice.'

'Me too,' she said with a chuckle, looking down at the floor for a moment before composing herself and brushing a little of her makeup off of Jon's jacket.

AN: So, early speculation about a romance between Jon and Radwen is proven correct. What did everyone think? I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at writing romance but I do my best.

Review Responses:

Pinoy Gamer: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope this one was just as entertaining. Thanks for the review.

Knight8: True, Tyrion makes mistakes but he's a decent man at heart. Interesting idea about Farosi knowledge of Jon's family history but what you have to remember is that Farsos has only been involved with Westerosi affairs since the Greyjoy Rebellion.

Nestor1000: Now that's a great idea for a story, interesting as well.

ATP: Hello again. Well she was certainly interested in him but as to knowing about his heritage, I won't reveal any future details about the story other than hints to stir up ideas.

Guest: Cheers.