The Witch Queen of Essos
Tyene: Wanda's a bit predisposed, so I'll handle the disclaimer today.
Wanda: (lying unconscious on the couch.)
Tyene: George RR Martin owns Game of Thrones, JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.
Chapter 6: Revival
"I'm the Queen of the World!" Lillian shouted for all to hear, throwing her arms up in the air. Rhaenrya let out a roar as if in agreement before launching herself and her rider further over the dark sea between Westeros and Essos. The early morning light cast rose streaks across the sky as the two made their way across the ocean, with Jon and Viserion just behind them.
The dragons had been chomping at the bit to be taken for a longer flight for quite a while by now, and their increasing irritability was beginning to terrify everyone who lived near their pen behind the Meereen palace. Jon, who had been very interested in travelling ever since he could walk, lead the charge among his siblings for begging and bartering with his parents to fly with the dragons beyond the walls of the city itself.
It took much convincing, but at last, Rhaegar caved in and allowed his children to all take the dragons for a flight, ordering them to stick together in pairs and return home before midnight.
Aegon and Rhaenys had taken Visenya and Rhaegal in the direction of Volantis, while Daenerys and Viserys took Balerion and Quicksilver west towards the Summer Isles. Lillian and her older brother, meanwhile, were riding east towards Westeros.
Jon laughed and shouted, "Slow down, will you?! You're leaving us behind!"
Rhaenyra snorted and flicked her tail. Viserion whined in annoyance at the gesture and began to pump his wings faster to catch up with his older sister.
"Be nice, you two!" Lillian admonished her dragon. "Let's go closer to the water!"
"Lillian, father said we should stay above cloud level when flying-!" Jon's protest dwindled off half way when Rhaenyra took a dive towards the surface of the ocean. "Why do I bother?" He asked himself before tugging at Viserion's harness to head down himself.
Rhaenyra's claws sprayed water in every direction when she pulled out of her dive. Lillian lowered one hand down into the cool foam, splashing her face and giggling the whole way. Her bow banged lightly against her back; the girl straightened up and pulled the leather strap tighter to ensure neither the weapon nor the quiver fell. The wind whipped through her hair and caressed her face as Rhaenyra lurched up towards the clouds again.
I was born to fly. Lillian thought. Just like Dany. Perhaps I should have been born from an egg than man and woman! Aegon and Viserys had often made comments to that extent whenever Rhaenyra woke the entire tower to get her rider's attention.
Jon chuckled at his sister's exuberance and gently urged Viserion forward when she re emerged above the clouds.
An hour later, Jon and Lillian saw the North of Westeros for the first time. From the backs of the dragons, it looked like a shimmering, raw landscape untouched by troubles and waiting for winter to fall. They both knew that wasn't so, but it seemed to be a beautiful land regardless of that. I can see why Aegon the First wanted this place to be the foundation of his kingdom, Jon thought.
When they reached land, Rhaenyra and Viserion both seemed to pause and snort angrily. Lillian slid off her dragon's back and nervously asked, "Rhany, what's wrong?"
Jon thought he might be imagining it, but both dragons seemed to be glaring in the direction of the cold north. Viserion growled and thrashed his tail as he did either hunted for his food or had it presented to him. "They're restless." He noted in concern.
Rhaenyra abruptly threw back her head and howled, before launching herself up in the air and hurtling forward like a dart, her brother on her heels.
Startled and alarmed, the two Targaryens realized they were in their mother's homeland – and their only way out had just flown north.
"They'll come back, right!?" Lillian asked fearfully, watching her dragon fly away.
"They always have," Jon pointed out, though he did say it partially to keep her calm. There had been times where the dragons had disappeared for days at a time, though they did always return to the family they were bonded with. "We shouldn't stay out here, Lily."
Lillian squeaked when her brother started tugging at her hair. "Ow! What are you doing?" She complained. "I like it down!"
"I know you do! But there are bound to be a number of people here who don't take kindly to our family." Jon said sternly as he carefully drew the delicate silver strands into a loose braid. "Your eyes, we could explain away with Valyrian ancestry, but your hair is the mark of our family. You could be killed if you aren't careful."
To his relief, Lillian did hush at this. And when he finished tying her hair back, she pulled her hood up on her own, hiding it under the black folds.
"The dragons are probably looking for food." Jon continued. "Let's walk north and see if we can get some for ourselves."
**In Winterfell**
Lillian leaned against the old, crumbly wall outside of the city where Jon had told her to wait for him. She was so bored! She could hear Rhaenyra's faint roars in the distance, but whatever had set her dragon off hadn't been dealt with yet. She wanted to go into town too, but Jon said it was too dangerous.
Finally fed up with waiting, Lillian turned her attention to the wall itself and examined it for a moment. Then she pressed her foot into the loose stones and began climbing up the side, hoping to get a good view. The stone was cold under her fingers, but it was still sturdy and easily carried her weight.
She had just crawled up the side when a hand came around from the other side and struck hers. Lillian yelped in unison with a young boy. The Targaryen girl nearly toppled straight down to the ground, but managed to keep her balance out of long practice.
"Oh! Oh, sorry..." She stammered, blinking to look at her sudden companion.
A young boy had appeared from the other side of the building. He had brown hair and dark eyes, and he was fairly well dressed too – a noble boy, probably. She was probably a bit older then him...but not by much.
"I didn't think anyone else was out here..." The boy stuttered nervously, staring at her.
For a moment, they both hung on the wall in awkward, embarrassed silence.
"Sorry I startled you," The boy said, smiling bashfully.
"Oh, it's okay! I didn't see you either." Lillian said. "I'm Lillian Snow." Jon told her to use that as her surname if anyone asked.
"I'm Bran Stark."
Lillian swallowed a squeak, staring at her cousin in surprise. She had never met her uncle or his family; her mother talked about him with fondness and some sadness. Her mother had asked Varys to tell her about how her brother was going periodically, so Lillian had known intellectually that she had cousins but she hadn't really expected to ever see them!
"You live around here?" Bran asked, tilting his head and snapping her out of her thoughts. Thank goodness he didn't notice my surprise! Or not...
"Not really – I mean, I live around here, but not here-here. My brother had to go to town to buy some essentials for us." Lillian explained hastily.
Her cousin seemed to buy this explanation, which she felt slightly guilty about. No one should ever lie to family, but Lillian didn't want to get in trouble with Jon.
"Do you climb often?" Bran asked eagerly.
"Yeah, all the time." Lillian responded, smiling.
"I was going to go to the old tower – you want to come with me?"
"Sure!" Even if he doesn't know we're related, I'm glad I get to spend a little time with my cousin!
Bran and Lillian made their way across the wall towards the old tower Bran was talking about. The boy was impressed by how easily Lillian moved across the wall. Arya would like her, he thought. Maybe I should bring her back to Winterfell and ask mother if she could stay for the King's dinner! Robb would probably be impressed too.
When the two children finally made it to the tower, Bran paused and frowned.
"What is it?" Lillian asked.
"I think I hear someone talking." Bran muttered.
Lillian glanced down and strained her ears. Sure enough, someone was talking – it was a woman and a man...
"...must know, or else why would he agree to leave the North?" The woman was saying.
"Because Robert asked him to," The man suggested. "They used to be very good friends before the rebellion. I think this is supposed to be a gesture of reconciliation, after their fight over after Robert's attempt to have the Targaryen children killed."
Lillian's blood froze for a moment at her family's name. Bran, alarmed at the mention of his father's name, began carefully making his way further down to hear better. Alarmed and worried, Lillian jumped over to the nearby tree to get a better view of the inside and hear better.
"...Jamie said something about-"
"I told you never to mention him around me!" The woman spat. "He abandoned me after that day, obsessed with some notion of being 'a good man'. As if such thing was possible in the world. That girl is responsible for it, I'm certain."
The man clearly knew the better of continuing that conversation and went silent for a minute.
"We can't afford this." The woman muttered. "He shouldn't come to King's Landing..."
"He wouldn't accuse us."
"Do you think Robert needs a factual accusation? I tell you, he loves me not." The woman argued.
Lillian shook her head when she saw Bran pulling himself closer to the window to hear better. "No, it's dangerous!" She whispered. Bran gasped when his movements dislodged and knocked down a brick, causing a clatter and making both people inside the tower fall silent.
The man came over to the tower. He was naked, as was the woman; they had clearly been engaged in sexual behaviour before Bran caught their attention.
"Lancel. Lancel, he saw us!" the woman hissed. Lillian gasped when she realized who she was looking at – it was the current queen of Westeros, Cersei Lannister.
Lancel Lannister was silence for a minute before pushing Bran with one hand.
Lillian lunged forward and grabbed her cousin by the hand, leaving them both dangling from the tree. With a gasp, she swung Bran towards the tree allowing him to grab onto it and save himself from falling. As she struggled to right herself, her hood fell back and her hair fell around her face.
An angry gasp caught her attention; Cersei had joined her cousin at the windowsill and saw her.
Lancel let out a breath. "Targaryen," He whispered.
Lillian glanced down at the stunned Bran. "go, go!" She urged him, clambering down the tree branches. She shook his shoulder when she reached him, shaking him out of his stupor.
They heard Lancel clambering down the stairs when they hit the ground, and they both ran as fast as they could back towards Winterfell.
**With Jon**
King Robert the Usurper just had to be here today, didn't he!? Mother is going to have me hung personally if she ever hears about this...!
Jon was in a bit of a predicament. The day he and his sister had landed in Winterfell turned out to be the same day the Barantheon usurper was coming to visit. It was rather like unknowingly walking into the dragon pit covered in pig's blood.
Aware of his pronounced resemblance to his mother and uncle, Jon did his level best to keep himself out of eyesight of any of the king's men. He had planned to slip out, find his sister and run north to where the dragons were, but was shanghaied into helping with the preparations when he met fiery Arya Stark.
Arya had been practicing swordplay outside away from her mother. Jon noticed and against his better judgement offered her a few pointers. Arya took a liking to him and asked him to help her through the boring dinner awaiting for her.
Jon realized she was his cousin the moment he stepped inside, so he figured he'd help her out for a moment before going back to get Lillian.
But then Lancel Lannister exploded into the building, Bran Stark running ahead of him with Lillian by his side. Jon realized the trouble they were in when Lancel yelled, "Targaryen! One of the Targaryen children is here!"
Jon immediately ran over to Lillian's side and took her hand.
They both headed outside in the moments it took for Robert Barantheon to get over the shock of this pronouncement. However, they were quickly surrounded by soldiers. Jon drew his sword and Lillian slid her bow off her shoulder, looking nervously around her.
Jon was about to sell his life dearly to give his sister a chance to escape when an earsplitting roar shook the city to its foundations.
Rhaenyra and Viserion had returned.
The soldiers all collectively dropped their swords in horror when the massive beasts flew down from the sky and landed next to the children.
"Forgive our intrusion, uncle Eddard." Lillian said. "We'll send a letter ahead next time to make sure you aren't busy!"
Both siblings quickly mounted their dragons and flew into the sky, headed back towards Essos.
End Chapter
So...that didn't go well. What will Robert do now that he knows Lyanna is both alive and has borne Rhaegar's children?
...Is not going to go well.
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