-o0o-
The main hall is illuminated in warm light. The chatter of the room is quieter than it had been now that the dragon queen's presence has been announced. They whisper and steal glances at the fabled woman and her consort. Not everyday does a woman proudly hang on the arm of another woman, claiming her so openly. Noone dares to say as much as a whispered insult.
Oerion and Arya walk into the room. The grinning beast of a man strode in with the youngest Stark sister on his arm like she was the most priceless gift he ever received. The young woman tried to hide her smile behind a scowl. Onlookers blanched at the odd pairing as they made their way to the Targaryen and her companions. They looked like the most queer pairing but none doubted the man's obvious delight in having the young She Wolf by his side.
The Northern Dragon stopped in front of his grinning sister and her mate with Arya beside him. Lydia ran her eyes over the smaller girl while Daenerys smiled indulgently. Oerion's sister could see that look in the young Stark's eyes. This one had seen death firsthand, no doubt. If what Ori told her was true, this girl is a perfect fit for her little brother.
"Arya Stark of Winterfell, this is my twin sister, Lydia Dragonborn of House Skuldafn, The Huntress," Oerion said, standing aside. He hoped they would get along well. He would hate to have to choose between his wolf and his sister. Family is first for the Skuldafns after all.
Arya tried to smile at the woman but it turned into a smirk. She noticed the amazing resemblance of the woman and her dragon. The same black, shiny hair and thick lips the color of pink roses. Those silver eyes that could make your heart stutter in your chest. She is a fine woman indeed.
Yes, she felt even closer to Ori just from looking at his sister.
"Hello, my lady. It is a pleasure to meet the only person capable of beating Oerion in combat," Arya said, bowing before her. Oerion glared at her but it was weak. Lydia laughed hysterically at the comment. Her pride shouting through the roof. This girl is fine with me, she mused.
"It's my pleasure, really. My brother told me some things about you. I'd like to know if they are true before we are called to war with the Night King. If you're any good maybe you could help Ori and I finish the Queen's sword training."
Arya's eyes widened and looked to said queen. Daenerys was everything that Arya thought she'd be. She always imagined what Visenya Targaryen would look like and having a real one here blew her mind. She wondered if the silver haired woman knew where Dark Sister was. The sword was the one thing she desired to see before death came for here.
"I could use the help, Lady Stark. Oerion has spoken very highly of you. I might even let you meet my dragons," Daenerys said, snuggling closer to her love. Arya felt proud of Oerion. She told him offhandedly about her affinity for Targaryens and he remembered.
"I'm no lady but of course, your grace. I would love to be of use," she replied, smiling brightly for once. Her hand found Oerion's and she squeezed gratefully. The man's heart warmed for her.
"May we join you two," He said, not really asking at all. Arya and Oerion sat down beside them on the sofa lined with wolf fur. He wrapped his arm around Arya and exhaled heavily.
He was comfortable for the first time with his new family beside him.
-o0o-
The last remaining Starks, Skuldafns, and one lone Targaryen sat around the hearth of the main hall laughing. Jorah Mormont and the Lannisters sat drinking behind. It is a scene worthy of poems, songs, and portraits. The fire in the hearth crackled as the Stark children told the queen of their families lineage. The three dragons listened, enjoying the lore of a great house.
The tales of Bran the Builder building the wall and of Aegon the Conquerer naming Torrhen Stark the first Warden of the North. The two Skuldafns listened to the stories differently than Daenerys. Their family kept amazing record of the past. The mages in Wintersbane believed that accurate history of the house was more important than even their own spell books. For what it's worth, they had most of the history correct.
"We would ask her grace to bless us with the history of her house but we know most of it already. However, we know very little truth about the Dragons Beyond the Wall," Jon Snow said kindly. He had been quite curious about the two siblings since he met them.
The others looked at them then. Bran seemed like he knew something and Sansa was obviously intrigued. Arya and Daenerys, however, were looking up at their chosen Skuldafns expectantly. They wanted to know more than anyone else.
Oerion looked at Lydia and she looked back nodding approval. Silently they communicated they're cooperation of telling the story. What a beautiful story it is. Full of magic and deities unheard of in other parts of the world and ancient guilds now extinct.
Oerion took a breath and squeezed Arya's thigh, remembering what he'd been told and what he'd read. "House Skuldafn, which means Hell, began in Old Valyria with my namesake, Oerion The Dragonborn, First of His Name. It was said that the Dragon God of Time, Akatosh, blessed him with the knowledge of dragonstongue or Thu'um and the dragons blood.
He could tame dragons like no other and so he was highly sought after as a husband and a teacher of the Thu'um. He chose an archmage named Lydia, my sister's namesake, as his wife. For her devotion to Oerion, she was rewarded with the dragons blood as well but she could not utilize the Thu'um. She would not need it though. For she was a master of fire and ice spells.
No one knows if Oerion and his wife knew of the doom that would claim Old Valyria but they fled before it happened. He rode his massive dragon, Alduin the Worldeater, to Tamriel or Dawn's Beauty. Which you all know as Westeros. While Lydia rode her dragon, Odahviing, meaning Ice Wing. The only known ice dragon."
Daenerys gasped in surprise. An ice dragon was not something she'd heard of. She waited as her love began her tale.
Lydia grinned as the others listened with bated breath. Today they would understand the pride she wore like armor. "Once in Tamriel, the two Skuldafns had to build a keep for themselves. But, the Children of the Forrest or the Wood Elves were not happy with their arrival. Oerion and Lydia began making alliances with the Elves. They showed their respect to the old gods by praying to them like the children did. An alliance was made between the two and they promised to help build a stronghold for the Skuldafns. Later, the bloodlines would mingle bringing forth greensight and warging.
Before they could begin, Oerion met a man like no other he'd seen before. He was not Valyrian nor Essesian but one of the First Men. He was of dark hair and grey of eye like our forefather. Brandon the Builder met our forefather just after the wall was built."
The Starks were wide eyed as Lydia finished her part. All except Brandon Stark. The wise three eyed raven had seen it first hand. The odd, dark haired Oerion that looked so much like the one before him and Bran the Builder who looked like himself.
"Are you saying that Bran the Builder helped build your house," Arya asked incredulously. She was already in awe but now her mind was blown. Her dragon was closer to her than she thought. Arya looked up at him intrigued.
Oerion smiled down at her softly. He could see that she was loving the stories just as Daenerys was. "Yes, Bran vowed to help Oerion once he saw his dragons and his Thu'um in use. Having a Dragonborn on your side is invaluable.
Bran drew up the blueprints. Lydia Skuldafn and the children of the forest used odd magic which they layed into the foundation and stones. Oerion used Alduin to reinforce the walls of their stronghold which rise high into the sky. Alduin forged two thrones from his fiery breath which would serve as seats for the Lord and Lady of House Skuldafn. The thrones were named Dark Brother and Dark Sister. For two should always share power."
Lydia held her queen's hand as she remembered the next part of the lore. "They would come to call their seat of power Wintersbane. For the walls of Wintersbane held a magic that repelled the winds of winter. A magic that seemed to wear thin in this century.
Alduin and Odahviing, two of the last dragons, died and were buried outside the walls of Wintersbane. However, Odahviing's grave was said to have been moved to an unknown place. Oerion and Lydia invited many of the First Men and Wildlings to reside in their Keep. Lydia taught them magic and the ways of her lineage. The way of Sithis and The Dark Brotherhood.
They had many children whom they taught the ways of Lydia's lineage. All of them also learned the dragonstongue. This formal training was implemented for all children born in Wintersbane soon after. One of their children, Miraak, was truly gifted with the tongue. He would turn out to be the first true Dovahkiin.
When Oerion and Lydia died, Miraak took the title of Lord and his sister, Potema the Wolf Queen, took the title of Lady. Over the centuries our family became notorious for their battle tactics when challenged and their main faith. The Night Mother and Sithis are our chosen deity.You all may call him the Stranger.
The Dread Father and his terrible love gave birth to the Dark Brotherhood so very long ago. The Night Mother is his voice and only The Listener of the Black Hand can hear her demands. The Black Hand that is tattooed on our chests symbolizes the Tenets of The Dark Brotherhood.
Our jester, Cicero, was the last Listener. He died when the Night King sacked our home. Westeros was our killing ground just like the Faceless Men have Essos. When common folk wanted to give someone to the void they only had to say the Black Sacrament and an assassin would come running. Our house became one of the oldest and most feared."
The sounds of chatter in the hall had ceased eons ago to hear the two unknown warriors tell of their lineage. Now, one could hear a pin drop. Lydia and Oerion looked at one another with a smirk as the Starks urged them on. They didn't know the words of the Sacrament.
"Sweet Mother, Sweet Mother. Send your child unto me. For the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear," Bran Stark chanted with them. The northern dragons looked at him in surprise and he only gave a wistful smile as he continued. "And the words of House Skuldafn elicit fear from any who hear them spoken aloud."
The men behind them were still quiet as mice. They had taken the two foreigners for Wildlings but they were deadly wrong. Tyrion grinned as Jaime Lannister sipped his wine with wide eyes. He too hadn't known about the true tales of the Winter Dragons. He wouldn't be the one to cross them.
"I must say that I had many misconceptions about your house," Jon Snow said, looking completely shocked. Sansa patted his shoulder in agreement. The Skuldafns were seen as brutes no better than the Wildlings. Still, no sane man dared to wonder into the trees to find them.
"I feel much closer to you now that I know. However, I'm sure there is more to be said. I'll get it out of you before we leave this place," Daenerys whispered to Lydia. The huntress smiled and kissed her rosy cheek, figuratively bending the knee to her lover.
Arya squeezed Oerion's thigh and he looked down at her with raised brows. The young Stark grinned evilly. "You'll tell me the rest of it as well, dragon. Don't think you're getting out of this. The Dark Brotherhood sounds very interesting."
The northern dragon rolled his eyes and sighed. Stubborn wolf. I've chosen correctly indeed.
-o0o-
Fin
