Disclaimer: I do not own GOT or Harry Potter. Now on with the story.
Ch3: Going Back Home
Hadrian (Harry's) POV
After forging those 16 stupid chains, I decided I had spent enough time and done enough things in the South for the world about my genius to spread.
Now I felt it was time to go back north and use my new found fame to enforce my rule and my 'new and revolutionary inventions' to make the North the greatest of the seven kingdoms, as the next step in my plan to conquer this planet.
Sure my father still was technically the Lord of the North. But that didn't matter, I had a way to take care of him!
No! Not in that way you dunderhead. No matter how much of a bastard I am, I am not going to kill my father. Especially if he had done nothing but shower me with love and pride. Especially when it was something I didn't ever receive from a parent or a parental figure in my past life.
No! I will just to send a letter with a compulsion charm on it to the king to order my father to a position on the small council. That way my father will be out of north and out of my way while naming and giving me the powers of the warden of the north and Lord of Winterfell.
So I packed up my belongings, left 50 of my men at my new Mansion/base in Old town to garrison it, until I send more men to relieve them.
And then I left for the north.
But before I left, I got an irritating order form my irritating Lady Mother to visit my Grandfather and the rest of my maternal family in Riverlands on my way north.
I never should have informed my family that I was coming back. Oo well, What can go wrong?
After 20 days of hard riding on our horses we finally reached Riverrun Castle; The home of my Maternal Grandfather, Granduncle and Uncle.
The impression of my maternal family was kind of a mixed bag. My Grandfather was a shrewd Politian through and through; Though that can be guessed by looking at his history as well.
He had single headedly had held the whole of Roberts's Rebellion by the nutsack by not committing his support as well as stonewalling the armies of the North and Vale from reinforcing Robert in the South; until the Lord Paramount's of Erie and the North married his daughters. Tying his house with two other great houses using war as leverage is as shrewd political move as one can make.
Though I could already see his health failing and knew that he wouldn't last more than a decade to a decade and a half.
My granduncle was the one who impressed me the most. He was military man through and through. He was a great fighter but more than that he was a brilliant military tactician. We had been discussing battles of the past for days over ale while ripping out the pro's and con's in the tactics used by the generals. And I can guarantee this – However much I had been impressed by him, he was impressed by me a threefold.
There were two reasons for it.
One was the depth of my knowledge and understanding about battles of the past, the tactics used in them, my analytical ability to rip apart those tactics and my description of my own tactics. Well less my own but more kind of used by romans and alexander the great. But he didn't need to know that.
The second reason was that: I, a child of seven name days in his eyes, repeatedly and humiliatingly trounced him on the sparing ring. Not because of my physical power, no. I was able to do this due to magical enhancement ritual I had done on myself when I was two. The magical ritual however didn't give me super strength though. The ritual along with slightly accelerating my growth gave me extremely superior reflexes. I was just too fast for Byden Tully. And my height being 5 foot and 1 inch against his impressive nearly 7 foot height didn't matter; when my reflexes came into play.
Although that dosen't mean, I couldn't achieve super strength when I wanted. There were far too many ways to do it, including rituals, runes and spells. However I had decided against doing any rituals or runes on myself, till I felt I had reached my desired height, frame and magical maturity. Because those kind of things tend to be permanent and you can't make any alterations later on. However I had one way of temporarily gaining super-strength in dire situations if needed: Spells. And for my current situation they were perfect, as they would last only till I supplied them with my magic.
Anyways we are getting off topic.
Now the third family member I met was the reason for my mixed bag conclusion and also my disappointment. Yup, my good old uncle Edmure was 5 name day's older than me but was a complete and utter waste of human seed. He was a drunk, whoremonger, illiterate, irresponsible and a disrespectful slob. God help the Riverlands when he becomes its next Lord Paramount.
Oo! Who am I kidding?! I am the one who will have to help this stupid piece of dragon dung when he incites revolt in his own lords against himself because of his actions. Oo well, At least it will be an opportunity to show my power and put him in my debt later on.
After staying for a month at Riverrun, I finally decided it was time to move on. So I and my party left for Maidenpool, which was a harbour town in Riverlands, intending to catch a ship back to White Harbour. We arrived there after 5 days ride.
When I and my party arrived in maiden pool it was chaos. Buildings were burning, men were being slaughtered, women and children were being raped, kidnapped or killed. Screams of people were coming from everywhere. By the looks of it, it was an iron born raid.
"Fucking Ironborn", aa one of my future targets. I was going to cull those rocks to the last ironborm man. You know to make a point –That I Can!
It looked like the raiding party consisted of 200-250 Ironborns. Good. The odds were just 2-1. My professionally trained and slightly magically endurance enhanced one soldier versus their two stupid sword swinging screaming barbarians.
I immediately started barking out orders after a couple of seconds of analysis.
"Everybody fan out in teams of 5. Priority is saving the women and children. Capture the head hancho of this idiocy if you find him. Kill the rest."
Here I was, Master of Death trying to save lives. If this shit ain't ironic, I don't know what is? Living as long as I have, you develop a certain detachment to human life, because it's so dam short compared to yours. I couldn't care less, if they lived or died. But still, appearances need to be maintained.
I got various "Aye My Lord", from my men as they began to fan out. Yup I had trained them well.
"Jackson, pick three men and follow my lead.", I order and jumped in the fray. I heard an affirmative grunt and barking of orders by my second in command.
I and my four companions were weaving through the streets, chopping off heads off Ironborns from our horses, before they even knew what hit them.
When I saw a bunch of Iron borns dragging women into a house, to probably rape them, I jumped off my horse and followed them. I muttered Magica Embedia under my breath, willing my magic into my bones and muscles to enhance its strength temporarily, as I ran towards the house.
Just as one of the Ironborn was dragging one of the women in the house, I caught up with them; though he was still unaware of my presence yet. Before he knew it, his head was rolling on the floor and the woman was screaming from the shock and blood splatter on her. But I played her no mind and went inside the house.
As soon as I entered the house, my presence distracted six Iron borns from the activity they were performing on women. As they tried to pull their breaches up and swing a weapon at me, I had already stabbed one Ironborn through the throat and caved another one's skull in with a punch to the eye socket.
By that time, the companions of the now two dead Ironborns were ready and lunged at me.
I ducked a swing from the nearest one, punched his throat hard breaking his windpipe and throwing him through the wall of the hut.
As another one tried to stab me I swung out of the way getting behind him and swinging my sword to cut him off at the torso.
Another one tried to stab me with a knife. I managed to catch the hand with the knife in it midway through the air with my fast reflexes and squeezed hard, breaking the bones in his hand making the knife fall. It felt as if time slowed down and everything happened in slow motion for me. While the knife was falling I stabbed him with my sword through his torso and let go of the sword as he fell backwards. Then I grabbed the still falling knife through the air swung around and using the gained momentum threw the knife through the air stabbing the last one in the throat, who was approaching me, sword raised, from behind.
As I looked around the room with all the assailants dead, I felt a little irritated at my missing back up.
I saw the women whimpering, afraid of me. I unplunged my sword from the torso of the downed Ironborn cunt while lightly wiping the blood on it on his clothes.
Great job Potter, you are scaring them more.
"Lord Hadrian Stark.", I said indicating to myself using my thumb. "Stay here. And I will try to keep you safe.", I said eyeing all the woman in a no nonsense tone. All the women by now out of their shock induced stupor, nodded.
"Thank you for saving us Lord Stark.", one of the slightly courageous girl said. I gave them a curt nod. I might have saved their life, but I wasn't really able to save them. These women from now on were going to have a very hard life; Especially under the tender mercies of the followers of the seven. Maybe I could offer them a place in the North, A new start perhaps.
After contemplating for a couple of seconds I moved out of the hut. As I went out, I found the reason for my lack of backup. Ten of my men surrounding the house were fending of around 40 Ironborns. While quite a number Ironborns were lying dead at their feet already.
I decided to even the odds a bit and jumped into the fray. My sword moved like a blur cutting, stabbing and bludgeoning the enemy.
Within 5 minutes all the 40 iron born were dead. Within 30 minutes all the 289 ironborns save one were dead. In exchange, I lot exactly 17 men. Which was quiet expected. They were as close to super soldiers as you could get as I had taught them many of the fighting styles I had learned over thousands of years in my previous life. Additionally they also had the advantage of having their endurance enhanced magically. But still will they were not invincible.
I was planning on doing rituals on them later to make them practically invincible. Now I guess I will have to move my timetable a little early. As I entered the now dead town's watch headquarters where the lone Ironborn prisoner was being kept, I called Jackson to issue further orders. "Jackson, send 20 of our men to go and capture the iron born boat. I want a souvenir. Also send one of the men to send a raven to my grandfather as well as the Lord Moten of Maidenpool and inform them what happened here. Then take command of the rest of the men and being patrolling the town and the harbour and co-ordinating the relief efforts. Until my grandfather can send some men to takeover we are the towns watch."
"Aye my lord.", Jackson replied stiffly.
"You are dismissed. Now I need to interrogate the prisoner.", I said, dismissing Jackson and turning around towards the prisoner.
"As you will, My Lord.", said Jackson bowing and left.
Once he was gone, I was alone in the building with the just the prisoner in his cell. I closed the door of the building and put a locking charm on it, with a magical wave of my hand. Then I moved to the cell and wandlessly opened it. The prisoner was staring at me wide eyed and in fear at my causal show of magic.
Good!
Without saying anything, I fired a curcio at him from the tip of my index finger and took pleasure in his screams. I even cast a mild soronus so everyone outside could hear his screams. That will at least give some satisfaction to the town's people who lost their loved ones to these raiding, raping barbarians.
I kept him under the curse for 20 minutes, with small breaks in between, till his vocal cords ruptured from the screaming and he started vomiting blood.
I watched with sadistic glee as he silently begged me for mercy. Well pal, sorry! I don't have any to spare today.
As I feel satisfied with damage done, I dived into his mind using legitimacy to collect all the intel I can from him.
My heart was jumping with glee with what I found.
What I found was very good for me but very bad for westros.
Iron Islands were preparing to rebel. They were undergoing a massive build-up and were about to declare their independence in a month with simultaneous attack on Westernlands, Reach and the Vale. This moron was a vassal of House Drumstag who were a vassal of House Greyjoy, the ruling house of Iron Islands.
And this idiot was a dead man walking anyway. He had been given specific orders to sit tight by his liege lord as the higher up's wanted surprise on their side next month and not an alert enemy due to sporadic raids. But in a fit of drunken rebellion he decided to disobey and attack a harbour to show them what pussies mainlanders were and how they were being pussies by worrying.
Well safe to say it did not go well for him.
Looking pitifully down at the broken Ironborn, I contemplated to end it then and there. But, finally I decided against it. This idiot deserved losing his head in public. Plus it would have the additional effect of gaining more respect and love of the smallfok of the town as I would be seen as doing them justice.
So I walked out of the cell and closed it behind me leaving a whimpering broken mute man on the floor.
Giving him another glance I turned around and moved out of the building. After getting a status update from Jackson and issuing further orders, I decided I needed to move fast on the intel I had.
So I walked to an inn, forcefully paid for a room to its owner who refused to accept money from his saviour and then went to the room and closed its door. I put a locking charm on it for good measure.
Then I began to shuffle through the recently obtained memories of the iron born for an image of Pike. I came across one of its great hall and focused on it. Before preparing to apparate there, I summoned the powers of the Invisibility Cloak which was now a part of me, and became invisible. I also put a silencing charm along with an odourless charm on myself taking further precaution.
This was a complete stealth mission.
Once done, I directly apparated to the great hall in pike. After 10 minutes of wandering the castle and pilfering through the minds of the night guards for the location of Balon Greyjoy's chambers, I was finally standing over the sleeping naked form of Balon Greyjoy besides what I am guessing was a slave girl or a salt wife.
She was not important right now, Balon Greyjoy was.
So I dived straight into his mind, to get all the juicy intel like plans, strategies, military strength. What I found was just plain sad. What he had planned was not going to be a rebellion but more like a nuisance.
There was a build-up alright, but it wasn't as massive as the idiot in the cell in riverlands thought. They were just replacing old unserviceable ships with new ones. They were hardly adding ships to their fleet. If I left it like this, I was sure, that it would only take a half a year to a year at most, to crush this rebellion. After all, these idiots were going to be facing the combine might of the seven kingdoms.
No. I needed more time as a Lord to make changes out of the shadow of my father. I also couldn't afford a war so quickly before I arranged a few things first to kick start his revolution of the north. So I needed Balon Greyjoy to delay as well as prolong the rebellion.
So I planted a spying rune in Balon Greyjoy's head that would keep me updated on his activities and orders in real-time. Using the same probe I started planting compulsions as well. First was to delay the rebellion by 15 months citing the stupidity done by the idiot in riverlands as well as lack of preparedness. I also planted a compulsion to increase the size of his war fleet from 200 ships to 500 ships. But not one more. After all, they had to be defeated in the end as well. And that was going to have to be without my help.
Once done, I decided to leave. Before I left, my gaze fell on the naked and bruised woman at the side of Balon Greyjoy. I sighed and cursed myself silently. I dived into her mind. I found out she was in fact a slave girl who had been stolen after her family was killed in Westernlands years ago. I stunned her, casted a confundus charm on her making her think that the idiot in riverlands had kidnapped her from pike to bring her with him as a bed warmer. Then she was rescued when I and my men took the Iron Islanders boat.
Once done I transfigured her into a coin and put her inside my pocket.
Then I turned to balon greyjoy and plated a scene in which he got bored of her and then stabbed her and then threw her in the sea from his window. Which wasn't out of character for him at all, as he had already done it once before to his previous salt wife.
Swearing to myself that, this was last stupid thing I would do today, I apparated back to my room in the inn. Then I went down to the lobby of the inn, confounded the manager about the same backstory as I had given the woman, then took keys for another room and dumped her in there before transfiguring her back. I also planted another conversation in her head, where I asked her to come with me to winterfell to work in the castle if she wanted and then to tell me her decision tomorrow, once she had slept on it.
Once done. I left her room and closed the door. Then I went to my room and crashed for the night.
Next morning I woke up energized. When I went out, I discovered that reinforcements from the local lord had arrived along with the local lord. He thanked me for the protection and avenging of his people and what not. After a while I just tuned him out while using my occlumency to keep a nodding and smiling face.
Thankfully after an hour when that was over, I served kings justice on the Ironborn in the middle of the towns square in front of the whole town's people. There was a lot of booing and throwing garbage at him on his way to the chopping block and a lot of cheering for me.
Finally I offered that I was leaving for winterfell in a days' time and whoever was looking for a new start after their ordeal was welcome to come with me to the north where I would personally guarantee them all jobs if they swore an oath to me.
What? North needed more people and I needed more minions.
We started sailing towards north the next day in the now refurbished wolf banner blowing on the previously Iron Born warship. While on the way I realized 247 people had decided to join me. 175 of them were women, many of whom had been raped and no longer had a life in that town. There were a few children there as well. The remaining were men who wanted to learn to fight and join my service.
Yes things were looking up. But a lot had to be done still.
During the journey I recognized how many of my men and the women were sneaking glances at each other. That brought a smile to my lips. Yes it would do well for my future plans.
I assembled everyone on the deck and made the new passengers give me their oaths of loyalty and servitude by them and their families till the end of time, on the newly constructed and now hidden runic circle.
Once done, I could feel the magic linking them as my vassals and magic meddling with their mind to become fiercely loyal to me and obey my every command.
It sometimes scared and made my blood flow fast about how much power I had over them. I would order them to slit their own throats and they would do it with a smile on their face. They would also slit the throats of their children if I asked them too. Hell if I slit their children's throats in front of them, they wouldn't bat an eye and think what I did was for the good of them or the children.
But I won't. I am not a monster. Not that kind at least. But the power is exhilarating.
"Thank you for giving your oaths. I welcome you all into my service. Now I have been observing for the past few days how the men and women in this ship have been eyeing each other. If you are afraid, that I might disapprove, don't be. In fact I insist you get to know each other over the next few weeks as we reach the north. If you find a partner that you would like to share the rest of your life with, I will marry you in God's Wood as soon as we reach. You all have my blessings.", at that moment, I could feel a lot emotions coming through the link. Love, adoration, admiration, happiness and fierce loyalty.
Then I decided it was time to show them my real powers. Or at least a wink of it. I cast a patronus which took the form a corporeal phoenix. I was keeping an eye on their emotions through the link despite knowing that the oaths bound them. The emotions I felt previously only increased. Good.
One more thing that I discovered through the link was that, out of all the people who had given me oaths 10 people were capable of sustaining a magical core. They were equivalent of suibs of my previous world. And with my current power and magical knowledge, I could activate the cores and make them magical. But I decided against it.
Yes I need acolytes. But not right now. I had other plans for these people.
We reached white harbour in two weeks since we left Maidenpool.
From there on it was another week's ride to Winterfell. As I looked at the sight of my home, a warm feeling grew inside. Yes I am back. Though sadly not for long. And there was a lot to be done.
Eddard Starks POV
As I saw the approaching party with my son at the head of it from the South gate of Winterfell, I realized that my son had more people in his party than he left with two years ago.
I guess it was the same conclusion my wife reached holding our youngest Brandon, by the expression on her face.
The whole family including my second eldest Robb and my only daughter Sansa was there as well, waiting for their elder brother. At the back, I could see Jon as well wanting to welcome his elder brother, trying to hide in the shadows so as not to gain the ire of my lady wife.
After a few minutes, when they got close and came inside the gate, I finally got a good look at my eldest son and heir. It took my breath away. I guess my wife had the same reaction as I heard her gasp.
This boy of seven name days looked nothing like a boy of seven name days should. Instead he look much older, close to a boy of thirteen name days with broad shoulders, the stark like long face & chiseled jaw line, sharp features, unruly black hair and the deep green eyes of his mother. He looked nearly five feet in height, wearing black full body armour with an immaculate white direwolf on his chest and a black direwolf helmet that looked so life like that it seemed it would howl and bite people nearby anytime. He looked like the Warrior incarnate.
"I thought you went to south to study and gain knowledge not become the next coming of the warrior incarnate of the seven.", I joked when my son came down from his horse, ran towards me and hugged me.
"Please father! I am a northerner through and through. Those southern cunts of gods have got nothing on us.", my son joked as he removed the helmet, as he stepped back from the hug.
I so wanted to laugh, but seeing my lady wife's face after the comment reminded me about my fatherly duties and that I should chastise him about using such language in front of his siblings; if not for talking about the seven that way; No matter how much I agreed with him.
It was a good feeling to know that being in the South for two years hadn't made my son move away from the faith of his ancestors.
"Hardrian Stark! You will not use such language when you talk about the Gods! Or in front of your siblings!", my Ladywife chastised my son before I could. Aa at least he looked sheepish. There is still my boy that cowered at his mother's scolding somewhere in this near adult like man in front of me. It was good to know.
"Forgive me mother.
Is that my new brother Brandon?", my son asked looking at the bundle in my wife's hand.
"Yes son! Go take him! He has just finished his first nameday!", I told my son.
After taking Brandon and hugging his mother he played with it for a few minutes and then handed him back to his mother.
"Where are my other sibli….", he didn't get a chance to complete that as Robb barrelled into him for a hug making him fall. They laughed and cried, though latter was done only by robb, hugging each other and told one another how much they missed them. After the long and heartfelt reunion, Hadrian finally managed to pry his brother off him.
When he asked for his sister, he found that she was hiding behind me. It was understandable as when he left she was little more than an infant. So she had the right to be nervous and shy when meeting her elder brother properly for the first time.
Hadrain didn't rush her. He knelt down to her level and little away from her and let her come to him. After a little codling and sweet talking she finally found the courage to go hug him and within minutes Hadrian had her giggling and laughing as he was twirling her in the air mimicking a flying bird.
I finally felt happy. After two years of worrying about him, I finally had my heir home and with me. With his family! Protected inside these castle walls. However I have a feeling that it was going to be very difficult to keep him here if he didn't want it.
"I think we should go inside, you must be tired from the journey my son. We should go inside and get some food in you so you can rest.", my lady wife told my son.
"In a minute mother.", Hadrain replied looking around the castle for something.
Then he looked at me and asked – "Where is Jon father? Why isn't he here to welcome his elder brother?"
My lady wife scowled at that but I was ever so proud. I just pointed at the hay behind us that had a black top of hair peeking out of it.
When the black mop of hair attached to Jon Snow officially my bastard son and unofficially and in reality my nephew saw that everyone was looking at him, he eeped and hid behind it properly.
My son didn't wait a second and walked behind the hay and then there was sound of laughter by ticking or twirling in the air being done by my eldest to Jon.
Yes. My son was back home and my family was together again! What could go wrong?
Hadrian's POV
As I entered the castle, I was very happy to see the improvements I had compulsed my father to make were done. The castle was in a lot better shape than it was before I had gone for my trip south.
After the meet and greet at the gate we proceeded to supper where I had to share the heroic tale of how I saved the residents of Maidenpool from Ironborn's. My mother was not happy and she looked more and more horrified as I described the events that happened. Being a mother she didn't think I was anywhere ready for combat. My father on the other hand looked more prouder than ever.
Of course I left out the gory details and thing about the invasion. After all there were kids at the table. But those gory details and the story of my skills were later filled in by Jackson when my father asked after the children had been taken to bed.
After a couple of days of R&R and getting my new subjects temporarily settled in winter's town that I brought with me from riverlands, I began getting into a routine.
The routine mainly consisted of getting to know my siblings before I had to leave again along with some future planning.
The biggest thing that ticked me off was my mother's attitude towards my brother Jon. She was becoming more and more Petunia like. And that means she was treating the rest of her children like dudleys. I had no intention to become a Dudley.
When one such incident was going on, where my mother was berating Jon for some stupid reason telling him to mind his status, I saw my father hidden in the shadows behind my mother not doing anything. I wanted to interrupt, but at that point I wanted to know, why would my father - the honorable and noble Ned Stark, that adores all his natural born children wouldn't defend his bastard son from such impractical treatment. So turning myself invisible, I looked into his eyes. What I found was shocking!
Jon was not my brother at all. He was my cousin and child of my aunty Lyana Stark and Rahegar Targarean. Well this threw a wench in my plans. Even though I wanted to rule, He was the next rightful ruler of Westros.
Aa it didn't matter, if needed I would make him abdicate the throne. But this kind of treatment couldn't go on.
So I decided to talk to my father tomorrow about it.
Eddard Stark's POV
I was sitting in my solar looking at various reports that had been sent in by the lords of the north. These reports consisted of everything from the amount of crop yield, to taxes collected in the north and the taxes demanded by the Iron Throne. I started rubbing my temples when I looked at another royal order for a tax hike in the last 3 years.
What the hell was Robert doing down in the South that he required so much money?
If this kept going on, the northern lords would soon start becoming unhappy with Roberts reign.
At least the crop yield was good this year. Thank god I had listened to my heir when he asked to me expand the fields around Winterfell tenfold. I don't know what had gotten into me that I agreed that day but it was a good decision none the less.
As I was going over the rest of the reports from the north I heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." I allowed.
When I saw it was my son Hadrian, a smile grew on my face.
"Father we need to talk.", was my son's flat reply. That took the smile right off my face. This was the same line when my son used when he had come to discuss his trip to citadel two years ago.
"Have a seat then and speak freely son.", I told him gently as he took a seat after closing the solar door.
"Thank you father.", he said and then took a pause as if contemplating how to begin.
"You want to leave again.", I said flatly voicing my fear. Hoping against hope that he would deny it. But I knew that if my son really wanted to leave again I could do nothing to stop him. My son had a way of always out reasoning me and getting his way.
His initial reply was a single eyebrow rise as if being surprised and amused at the same time at what I said.
"Yes.", he gave a flat reply in return after a moment.
"Is there any way I can dissuade you from going?", I asked giving a sigh.
"You know me too well father. And you also know the answer to your question is no.", he said chuckling.
I smiled in return.
"At least tell your old man where you are planning to go for your next adventure.", I said shaking my head.
"East. I want to see Essos!", He replied smiling.
"When do you plan to leave? Where do plan to go in Essos? Give me some details son. Essos is a big place. And your lord father is weary letting you go so soon after you have returned.
For god sakes son! You are seven namedays old! Seven!
Other children your age don't even know how to ride a horse let alone how to use a sword.
And yet I let you go to the south for two years alone. I still don't know what I was thinking when I said Yes!
More still, you had to fight a battle for old god's sake and you had to kill people!
No child your age should have to do that!
Can't you just be a child for a few more years before you decide to give your father a heart attack from worrying about you!", I went into a full rant and didn't even realise when I started pacing while my rant got louder and louder.
When I finally looked at my son he had the audacity to grin at me. If it were anyone else, they would be cowering under chair by now hearing my voice. But no….. Not my seven year old. I have seen fully grown men cower under my seven year's old gaze when he caught them doing something wrong.
I still don't know whether I should be proud or horrified at that.
I finally sighed, returned to my chair. Put my elbows on the desk and used my hands to hide my face and waited for my son to answer.
"Well father. It's nice to know that I can rile up the calmest man in the north with nothing more than a few words.", he replied smiling.
As I looked up from my hands at him as I returned the smile with a smile.
"Well father, where in Essos, I don't know yet. My initial plan is to visit bravos and other free cities, but mostly we will go where the winds take us.
I plan to leave in a month at the latest when the garrison I had left in the south, at our new manor in old town, comes back to Winterfell after being relieved by the replacement house stark guards I had you send a week ago.
I am going to take two ships and all the men under my command including the one's that came from Riverlands. If they want to bring their newly married spouses with them it will be fine with me as well. I have no intention of separating the newly married couples."
"Aa yes. I heard about it. That you were going to marry off the southern girls you liberated in the raid, to men under your command in the next week. Are you sure that's wise?", I asked my son. Though as the Lord of the North, I could say no, but those men might be my subjects but they were sworn to my son's service. And I had no intention of challenging my son's command in front of my current and his future subjects. Even if I didn't agree with forcefully marring your subjects with each other.
"Father you talk as if I am forcing the women or my men to marry each other. No. I am not. When we left Maiden Pool, I told them to use the time they had till we reach Winterfell to get to know each other. If they could find someone on that boat they wish to spend rest of their life with, then I would happily marry them off in the Godswood of Winterfell. That Is All I Said.", my son replied in a calm yet stern voice.
I couldn't help but smile at that.
"Alright son. You can go. But please come back soon. You are the heir and you need to start learning how to rule from me, after a few years. So you will be gone for no more than two years. Understood?" I asked in a stern voice.
"Understood father. And as entertaining and fruitful as this conversation was, I didn't come here to talk about my trip to the east."
I scowled at that.
"Then what did you want to talk to me about son?", I inquired confused.
"I wanted to talk to you about Jon."
My scowl deepened.
"What about Jon?"
"Oo, I don't know. How about - I know Jon is aunt Lyana and Rahegar Targarean's son and not you bastard.", He said in a flat and dry tone.
But hearing it my heart almost stopped and blood drained from my face. I guess it showed because my son smiled the same smile as the 'wolf that caught a raven'.
"How….. How do you know?!", I asked in a panic filled voice.
"I didn't… At least not for sure anyways. Well not until you just confirmed it for me! Thank you father, you have been most helpful!", my son replied with a face splitting grin shattering my world.
I had an extreme urge to bang my head on the desk… repeatedly…. for being taken by a child of seven namedays!
Seven Namedays!
Seven!
"As your Lord and father, I command you that you are tell no one of this. Do you understand son. The life of Jon and this family can be in grave danger if anyone outside of you and me finds out about this. Do you understand? DO YOU?", I said to him in a whispering angry tone.
The grin didn't leave his face one bit. I had a feeling of sudden dread coming.
"Okay. But I have one condition.", he replied.
"No conditions. I have commanded you as your lord father to tell this to no one. You have no choice but to obey.", I reacted in the same angry whispering tone. I will not be blackmailed by my own child of seven namedays.
"Oo, I know that once you commanded me as my lord and father I am honor bound to follow your command. And I am nothing if not the honorable Eddard Stark's son. But father I am also the smartest person on this continent. Don't you think, if I really wanted to, I couldn't get around your command without violating it and my honor in the process.", he replied grinning.
The urge to bang my head on the desk was back. I was literally being cornered by my own child. And I knew what he said was true. If he really wanted to, he would get around any command I give with nothing but his wits, without violating the said command.
I covered my face with my hands, signed into them. Contemplated my situation for a few more minutes and then finally said – "What do you want?"
"You need to tell mother the truth.", he replied calmly in a quiet voice, the previous grin gone.
"Absolutely not!", I thundered.
"You have seen how mother treats Jon because she thinks he is the product of your betrayal to her. You need to tell her the truth that he is not. I don't want to see my brother like cousin ostracized his whole life.
And if she continues that treatment, one day Jon might just decide to join the night's watch to appease her.
And I am not going to let that happen.", now son replied in tone as cold as ice.
"Maybe it's better that way. Maybe it's better if Jon did join the night's watch.", I replied in a low voice hesitating.
"How could you say that father. He is your blood!", now it was son who roared and the air surrounding me suddenly became heavy and cold. I could definitely understand now why grown men would cower under his gaze.
"Aye, that he is. But he is also a Targaryen. A family Robert has vowed to end to the last man, woman and child. At least this way he will be alive. And the Night's watch is an honorable order. Many Starks have served as Lord Commanders of it in throughout the history." I countered.
"Nights Watch WAS an honorable order father. You know as well as I do, it is now a pale shadow of what it once was. Now it is being filled everyday with murders, rapist and thieves who want to avoid losing their head."
"So what, you want to put a Targaryen back on the throne? Usurp the current king?", I asked in a roaring whisper.
Talking about that family brought up all the old anger and fear I had shoved down all those years ago, so I kept on screaming in a roaring whisper to my son, cautious that my voice doesn't go outside the chamber. "And even if, by some miracle, we put Jon on the throne, then what? Await another Mad King to come down the road in the future?
I might not want to kill every man, woman and child in that family son, but the Mad King killed my father and brother. His son raped your aunt. Jon is the product of that rape. I love Jon as my own, but till I breathe I will not let that accursed family claim the Iron Throne."
"God No father! I completely agree with you. The Targaryen's were mad. All that inbreeding drove them mad. The only reason I think Jon is sane is because of the Stark blood in him. But that doesn't change the fact of what Targaryen's did to our family. Till I am alive there will not be a king with Targearean name sitting on the Iron throne.
And I am not asking you to tell Jon about his heritage. I am only asking you to tell mother.
And before you ask me for a reason, it's simple, you and I both have seen how she treats him. We know the reason as well. So once she knows that Jon is your nephew and not your son, her behaviour towards him will change. I want Jon to grow up as a Stark. I intend to have him legitimized a Stark and by my side when I rule north in the future." My son explained.
What he said did have reason. But I still had my doubts.
"Don't you think I want that?! I have to hold myself back every time from intervening, when I see how your mother treats Jon. But I do it, because it is necessary to maintain the lie. As all the bastards are expected to be treated that way.
And what if she decides to tell someone after I tell her the truth? Then what? If the news reaches south, then Robert will demand Jon's head, which obviously I won't agree to. Then we will be labelled as rebels and would-be Userpers harboring a false king, and then there will be war. A needless war. All of which can be avoided if everyone, including your mother thinks, Jon is a Bastard."
"If people can accept that someone as Noble as Ned Stark can slip and sire a bastard, then people can also accept that someone as stern and proud as Catleyn Stark can learn to love her husband's bastard as one of her own at her husband's urging. And at the end of the day, we are lords, and we can always act like we don't give a shit what others think.
And as far as mother spilling the beans goes. For the sake of old gods father, she is your lady wife. Just make her swear the same oath you had me and then explain to her the same risks you did to me. I am sure she wouldn't want to risk her family's heads on a pikes in kings landing by letting the information slip.
I do not think it is wise to consider you wife that stupid.", and just like that my seven name days old son used his logic to shatter all my reasons. And the urge to bang my head on the desk was back. Which I gave into this time! Which had my heir laughing loudly.
Hearing his laugh did bring a smile to my lips.
It is heartening to know that I will be leaving the North in my son's capable hands once I leave this life. He is smarter and more level headed at seven than I am even today.
Which he just proved to me with this conversation! Again!
"Alright son, let's call your mother and get this over with.", I sighed.
"As you wish father, I will send mother to you.", he got up and started moving towards the door.
"Where do you think you are going son. You forced me to do this. You face your mother with me. I am not doing this alone!", I tell him catching him by the shoulder before he leaves.
"You do realize that I am the seven name days old child in this situation. And her ire will be directed at you when she finds out YOU Lied to HER for Six Years. And her ire will only increase when she realizes that your own Seven Name Days Old CHILD had to Blackmail you into doing the Right Thing and telling your lady wife the truth!?", aa there is that urge to bang my head again. I loved my son but sometimes….. sometimes he can be…. What did he call it? Yes… An Insufferable Little Twit.
xxx
AN: 300 fav's in 3 days! You guys are awesome. So as promised 3rd chapter, if I reached 500 favs before 16th. The next chapter will be posted on or before 26th June. Although 1500 favs might make me reconsider posting before the date.
~Till The Next Time!
