A/N: I still hope you liked the surprise. Anyway, let's get on with this. I fear the story is coming to a close soon.

I do not own this universe or its characters. All goes to George R.R. Martin, all except one. Not that he'd want him.

Chapter 30 Jon VII

Jon

The field still smelled of dragon fire. Jon Targaryen was standing in the middle of the same field, charred black by both the fire and burnt flesh, and had just seen his brother after so many months. It was not an official reunion, Jon Snow mused while he bent down to feel the grass in his hands. He felt remorse for the men he had Rhaegal burn, they didn't deserve all of this after Aegon had been defeated. Jon figured that the Tyrells hadn't heard the news, or else they wouldn't have still laid siege to Riverrun.

"Let's go, Jon!" Bran yelled from behind. Jon stood up and stared at the castle again. It's sandstone walls were beautiful looking in the sunlight. "Jon, let's go!" He urged again.

Jon took one last look at Riverrun, and turned around. The Northern host was now making camp outside the castle, and Jon was with Lady Catelyn, Daenerys, and Bran while they waited for the rest of the family to arrive. The Northmen were moving at a slow pace, most of them were still reeling drunk from the night before. Bran had let his bannermen have some fun to celebrate the victory at Riverrun, yet Jon thought it was funny that the dragons were the ones who ensured victory. Now the three-winged creatures were soaring over the open skys, and Dany would be able to warg into them to get them back.

He walked towards Bran, who was sitting atop his warhorse and smiled. Jon still couldn't believe that he was here with him, and not in King's Landing. It still felt like a dream. "Where is Daenerys and your mother?"

"In my tent back at the camp," Bran told him. "They keep insisting on being here when the rest of our family arrives. Do you know when they'll be here?"

"Soon," Jon answered. "James and Gendry should be leading them over here by now, and that was a few days back. They should be arriving within soon."

"I cannot wait to see them," Bran smiled. "It has been too long since I've seen Gendry and James. Too long since I've seen my nieces and nephews." Now he frowned. "I fear that Eddard and Rhaella won't even know me."

Jon laughed. "They'll always know family, Bran." Jon smiled. "I never did say congratulations for you son, Jaime. We're all proud and happy for you."

"Thank you. And I'm happy for you and Sansa."

Jon was taken aback, he felt himself grow nervous. If Bran knew that means that…Lady Catelyn must know, too. Jon Snow did not want to have that conversation with her. "How did you know?"

"I dreamt it," he replied. "I'm not angry, don't worry. My Lady mother…is a different story. You must tell me how you two…" He cleared his throat, "grew closer."

"Sure." Jon said nervously.

And so Jon Snow mounted his horse and trotted towards Bran's tent with his guard behind him. Bran explained that he had dreams of them together, dreams that he was too embarrassed to explain. In truth he didn't want to know about what exactly Bran dreamt about, but in the back of his mind he knew the answer. Jon than began to explain to him about how he and Sansa fell for each other. "Rhaella was poisoned by a servant girl," he explained. It was then that Jon forgot that Bran did not know about their nieces near-death experience. Bran's eyes grew wide and he shook his head, asking why he wasn't told. Jon explained that James figured he didn't need the extra stress, and that Lady Catelyn didn't either, the protective mother she was. Bran said he saw the reasoning, yet still would have liked to know.

They were nearing Bran's tent now, as Jon looked around at the camp. Most of the tents had been taken down, and all that remained were empty pots, some spears. All the things that a moving army left over. "Do you and Sansa plan on getting married?" Bran asked.

"Yes," Jon answered, "in Winterfell. Sansa wanted to wait for everyone to be there, for the war to be over. Now it seems we can, however long that will be."

"Their is still Stannis," Bran pointed out. "We don't know if James wants the Throne back now that we have dragons. This war might be just getting started."

And with that Bran urged his horse forward into a canter before Jon could reply, and whisked past him. Jon sighed and kicked his horse forward towards the tent. They arrived soon after and Jon didn't know how Bran was taking this, part of him must be angry, must want to go home. Jon Snow knew that James did not want the Throne, he didn't care for it. Daenerys, well, she wasn't so easily convinced. Dany felt that it was her birthright, "the blood of the dragon doesn't run so easily," she would always tell Jon. Yet, Jon was more Stark than Targaryen, and didn't care for the Throne either. He just wanted to go home like everyone else. James and Daenerys had argued over this one night upon the River Road, their shouts could be heard in the woods off to the side. Jon was with the children and the family around the fire while they heard their arguments:

"I don't want to be king!" James yelled at his wife. "I'm not the blood of the dragon, I don't care about all of that! I just want my family to be safe."

"Don't be such a craven!" Dany screamed back. "The Throne was my-our birth right and we need to get it back. We have the dragons now, James!"

"Dragons or no, this isn't right!" James retorted. "Think about Rhaella, think about Ned, think about Bran! Bran! He hasn't seen his wife in gods know how long, nor has he even met his newborn babe! Imagine how Myrcella must feel!"

"I'm sorry for what this has put them through," Dany said. "But, Brandon is Warden of the North and this is his responsibility. I understand he is your brother, but that is the truth of it."

"Our family deserves to be together once again, Daenerys. My mother - who loves our children - hasn't seen them for a year! A year! Do you know how that must be killing her?"

"I understand-"

"-No, you don't!" replied James. "If you did, you'd understand what I am saying and would not care about appeasing your dragon blood. Stop thinking about yourself!"

Jon had remembered everyones faces when James had said that. He knew Daenerys wouldn't take that kindly. "I cannot believe you just said that, James Stark!" She screamed. "I don't want to speak to you for days, days! Don't presume we are sleeping together tonight!"

"Fine," James spat. "I'll just take Ned and Rhaella and we'll sleep with Jon and Sansa by the fire."

"No!" Daenerys screamed in the brush. "I am their mother, I gave birth to them both and I carry our third child, they will be with me!" Jon heard her stomp her feet. "I won't have it, James! Ned already loves your sister too much. I won't have him forgetting me all together!"

James laughed. "Now you deem to tell me I can't spend time with my children. This is getting ridiculous, Daenerys. First you want me to continue a fruitless war that would end in more bloodshed - not to mention you cannot take King's Landing with dragons because half the city would be burned - and now you do this, I won't have it!"

"I've had enough of you!" Dany retorted. "I don't want to even speak with you anymore, James. You're an insufferable, stupid, bellowing-idiot! Now leave my sight."

"With pleasure, my queen!" James finally said as Jon saw him come out of the brush in a fury. He motioned to Jon. "Make room for three more tonight. My dragon wife kicked me out of our grass bed. Tell Sansa that her son will be with her tonight."

Now Jon saw Dany come out of the brush, her face contorted in anger. "He is not her son!" She screamed and pointed at James. "Don't you ever say that again!"

James turned to his wife and mockingly bowed to her. "As my queen of the forest commands."

Jon held back a laugh as he saw his aunt release a groan born out of frustration and anger. "You're impossible, you stubborn northerner!"

And that was the last time they spoke with each other, Jon remembered. I wonder if they've both gotten over it. Daenerys did not talk to her husband for a day after that, she didn't even kiss him when she and Jon mounted their dragons. Warging had drained him, Jon could remember looking out from Rhaegal's eyes and he saw volcanic ash around a cave he was in. The dragons were in Dragonstone this whole time, just as Tyrion predicted. I miss that dwarf. James was equally as unnerving with his anger towards Daenerys, for he vowed to Jon that he would not apologize for speaking his mind and defending his family. "If Daenerys does not know me already after three years of marriage than I don't want to know how the next ten will be like," James had said to him in passing when the dragons finally arrived from dragonstone after Daenerys managed to warg into Drogon. It was easy to defeat the Tyrell host after the dragons were warged into, and now they were off in the sky.

Jon dismounted his horse, handing it over to a squire, and walked over towards the tent now. He waited outside until his brother got into his seat and rolled towards him. Jon still couldn't believe that he was with Bran at this moment, Lady Catelyn with him. He missed both of them so much. Bran rolled his chair into the tent while a guard held the flap open, Jon walking in right behind him.

Inside he saw Lady Catelyn and Daenerys talking to each other, each laughing about something. Both of them looked up at the men and smiled.

"Sorry," Bran apologized, "we didn't mean to interrupt."

Daenerys waived her hand. "You don't have to apologize, good brother."

Jon smiled again and took a seat down next to Lady Catelyn. Bran rolled his seat to the front of the table, and looked at everyone.

"What were you two talking about?" Bran asked them.

Catelyn smiled. "I was just asking my daughter by law about how her marriage was doing. How her and your brother were."

"And how are things going with James? Is he still a stubborn bastard?" Bran asked with a smile.

Daenerys nodded with a smile. "Yes, I fear my husband is still the most stubborn man in the Seven Kingdoms. That will never change."

Catelyn laughed. "Even as a child he was persistent and stubborn. Somethings never changed."

"How are things going? Are you and James happy together?"

She nodded. "I still love him with each passing day…"

Jon let out a snicker, and it was abrupt and loud. Everyone looked at him at once, and Dany gave him a cold stare. It was as if she was asking him why he was doing this.

Lady Catelyn looked at him. "Is there something funny, Jon?"

He chuckled. "What Dany is failing to mention to you is that her and James aren't on speaking terms right now…"

Catelyn looked at Dany. "Why? What happened?"

She sighed at Jon. "I hate you, nephew." Now she looked at Catelyn. "James and I had a little bit of an argument before we mounted the dragons."

"An argument about what?"

"Whether or not we should re-take the Iron Throne," Jon finished for her.

"And what did he say?" asked Bran, "Does James want it back?"

Dany laughed and shook her head. "I think you know the answer to that one."

"He doesn't."

She nodded.

Catelyn sighed. "Bran told me that much, Daenerys." Lady Catelyn smiled. "James never wanted to be king, we all know, but we are still glad he fell in love with you."

She laughed coyly. "I'm glad I love him despite his stubbornness."

"And I'm assuming you want the Throne back?"

Dany nodded. "With the dragons it would be simple. We wouldn't need that many men."

Jon tsked. "Yet, we still need men to take King's Landing, and we aren't in high supply of those."

They spent awhile talking about whether or not to re-take the Iron Throne. Bran expressed that their was no need to take the Throne if James didn't want it. He told them that he wanted to go home and be with his wife and child again, that his family should go home for now. "Let Stannis be the king," Bran told them. "James never wanted it, and he will be a better king than my brother - I'm sorry but it's the truth, no matter how cruel it sounds." Daenerys countered that it was her right to sit upon the Throne, because of her blood and her heritage. Jon realized in this moment Daenerys just liked power, because she knew how to use it. His aunt was always meant to lead, "Aegon the Dragon reborn," Tyrion would jest, "except this Dragon wears dainty sandals under her feet." Jon smiled as he remembered when Tyrion said that, he missed the dwarfs humor and jests everyday, one of the only things he loved in King's Landing. Jon never wanted to go back, never again. He just wanted to marry Sansa and have children with her, live a life of relative peace in the lands they grew up in. Watching them grow…

"I never want to set foot in the capitol again," Jon blurted out-loud, not caring about the propriety of it all. He looked at all of them, their gazes fixed upon him. "I never want to go back to King's Landing unless I have to," he told them with a raised finger, his free hand supporting his head. "I don't want to re-take the Iron Throne."

Everyone was silent after that, nobody said a word. Jon looked around and noticed they seemed to be at a loss for words at what - no how Jon said it, not caring that Daenerys wanted to sit upon it again.

Dany shifted in her seat. "Jon…" she warmly began, "It is up to me and James whether or not we want-"

"-James isn't the king anymore," Jon corrected. "Stannis, is. Face it, Daenerys, nobody wants to sit upon that barbed chair anymore. What has it brought us since James dawned Robb's crown? A war that has left loved ones dead? The deaths of countless men who history won't remember? The almost death of not only James, but your daughter?"

Jon saw Catelyn's eyes grow wide as she scanned between in Jon and Dany, clearly shocked at the new of Rhaella's almost death at the hands of Aegon, but Jon continued, "It has brought nothing but ill will to our family." Now he looked at Daenerys. "And we are your family, Daenerys. Your last name just isn't Targaryen anymore, it's Stark. You wouldn't dare leave James now, he's given you two children that you thought you weren't able to conceive. I know that you'd give up your crown for him, so that is what I'm asking. Daenerys, will you give up your crown if James asked it of you - if your family asked it of you?" Now he smiled. "Face it, your last name is Stark just as much as it is Targaryen."

Daenerys was in shock at his words, and looked oddly bereft without them. She only cleared her throat before saying, "Yes. I'd give up my crown for all of you, and if James were too ask me to." Jon saw her clutch her stomach. "On the child growing inside me, I swear it. I'd give up my crown for you all."

Jon only smiled and nodded at her, which she returned in kind. He hoped to see Sansa heavy with child, and even imagined it as so while he looked at Daenerys in this moment. Jon could see hear walking around Winterfell heavy with child, as the wind blew in her hair. He longed to see the day.

Now Lady Catelyn spoke up. "So we will see what my eldest has to say?"

Dany nodded. "I shall tell him all I just told you today. I just wonder how my children are taking not being home, it's all they've been asking for since we left."

"When we going home?' Rhaella keeps asking me," Jon said with a laugh. "She'd look up at me with those lilac eyes and ask, but I never had the answer. 'Soon, little girl,' I'd always lie to her. How much they've grown…"

"How are they all?" Bran asked them. "How are my nieces and nephews?"

"Lyanna and Rhaella grow more beautiful by the day," Jon told them.

"Is Lyanna still a little lady, so unlike her mother?"

Jon nodded. "Yes, as is Rhaella. But, that little girl is feisty and more a dragon than me."

"I can't wait to see them," Catelyn smiled. "The boys? How's Robert?"

"Robert is big for a boy his age, he'll be strong and tall like King Robert. He'll be great friends with Ned when they grow up. They're already inseparable."

"Ned?!" Bran exclaimed, "Are we calling him after father now?"

Jon nodded.

Bran grinned. "How is the lad doing? Is he still shy?"

"He'll always be shy," said Dany, smiling. She was still clutching the tiny bump on her stomach; Jon could remember how she glowed when carrying the twins in her belly, how large her stomach grew when the time came to deliver them into this world. It was the happiest he'd ever seen her. "My boy will always be like his father, he already looks so much like him. Yet, his heart belongs to his aunt and always will. He used to hold mine not too long ago…"

Jon could see the pain in her face as those last words rolled off her tongue, as if the very words stung her. Jon had told Sansa that Dany had a right to be close with her son again, but Sansa was stubborn and protective. He knew that she was in for a bad revelation one day, when they'll have a son of their own and Ned will become a distant memory to her. Jon knew it would change in time.

"Dany…" Jon said, "Ned will never forget his mother. He still loves you."

Daenerys nodded and looked away, she was glowing again, as Arya has been too. Catelyn took her hand. "And I'll have a talk with Sansa about that, Dany. A mother always has a right to be close with her child." Now she sighed. "I guess I'll have to talk with her about that and numerous other things." She glanced at Jon and smiled. She knows…

The most of the day passed now and soon it was time for them to go inside Riverrun, where they would meet with Edmure Tully and wife Roslin, they even had a child named Hoster according to Lady Catelyn. Jon could not wait until he could be inside with real food, cold-strong ale in his hands, and a warm bed to sleep in tonight. He could not wait to sit in the Great Hall with his family and feel the warmth coming from a hearth. It had been too long since Jon Snow had that comfort - it had been over a moons turn since they left King's Landing in ruin. The only time he could lay in a bed was in the few inns they stopped at.

Yet, Jon could not rest easy unless Sansa and his family were okay. They were coming down the River Road at this moment, no more than a few days march away. James, Arya, Sansa, and Gendry promised to bring the children to them in no more than a few days time since they mounted the dragons, and that was a few days ago. They should be arriving by the night, Jon figured, and then once they arrived they would have to figure out their course of action. There were still the Northern lords to worry about. Jon didn't know what the future would bring.

They'd finally entered Riverrun's gates later that day when the sun was going down, leaving an orange glow against the sky. The Stark family and Lord of Winterfell marched upon horseback across the bridge. Outside of the castle the Northern army was camped, deep in drink and celebration. Roaring fires were already ablaze with meat and, slamming tankards rang throughout the dusk. Jon could not wait to get out of these clothing and dawn fresh new ones.

Edmure Tully was waiting in the Great Hall when the Stark family arrived, his wife Roslin by his side with a little boy at their feet - his looks favored his mother, but his hair was as auburn as a Tully…as auburn as Robb's used to be. Roslin Frey was just as Lady Catelyn described her, she was small of figure with very white skin, a pretty face with a small chin, delicate nose, and big brown eyes. Between her teeth she has a small gap. The reunion between Edmure and his sister was warm, or as warm as Catelyn allowed to be in front of her brother. Her eyes glinted when she first met her nephew, the smile on her face as wide as her eyes. Jon approached them and shook Edmure's hand, introducing himself for the first time. "You're the famous lost son of Rhaegar Targaryen," Edmure jested while he shook his hand. His auburn Tully hair was peppered with some grey strands now. Jon bowed at Roslin and she curtsied. He got down on one knee to look at their child, named after Edmure's father. "You remind me a lot of my brother," he said to the boy. "Robb Stark was his name. You look so much like your cousin." Hoster only smiled shyly, which reminded him of his nephew Ned. Daenerys hugged them after not seeing them for so long, it was then that Jon remembered she'd visited Riverrun with James once before they were married. Bran said hello with all the curtsies he always was used to.

Now Jon Snow was sitting in the lord's solar within the Keep of Riverrun. It was shaped into a triangle and had a stone balcony jutting outside. They had to climb a spiral stairway to get there, and Catelyn recounted to them about how many times she'd climbed these stairs as a child. Jon had gotten a fresh pair of clothing and was shown to his chambers by a servant. His bed was modest in size and the chamber adequate, he knew he'd have to sleep alone for now. Upon his bed was a doublet of deep blue with the fish of the Tullys upon his breast. He had fresh breeches as well, which Jon was grateful for. After he bathed and dressed he met them at Edmure's solar, where Bran, Lady Catelyn, Daenerys, Edmure and Roslin were waiting for him. Jon had decided to freshly shave his face, so Daenerys laughed when she saw him. Daenerys was in a modest blue woolen dress with a red bodice, Jon would have to get used to the Tully colors.

The family was around Edmure's table, and they had finished supping upon fried fish, potatoes, leeks and vegetables with strong ale. Stories were traded back and forth during dinner, Jon and Dany did most of the talking…well it was just really Dany in truth. She was a far better story teller than Jon. Daenerys recounted to them about what happened in King's Landing before Aegon attacked. She told them about Rhaella's near death at the hands of her own nephew, Jon's brother. He wondered if Aegon had lived the battle, if he was now Stannis' prisoner. "She was not with us for a whole week," Daenerys told them. "It was as if a part of me was gone with her. James took it just as hard, he and Rhaella are close." Dany went on in further detail about the battle and Jon's wedding, and how the Sand Snakes deemed to betray them. Catelyn's eyes widened at that again, no doubt reminding her of the Red Wedding. Fortunately, Daenerys, left out the part where Jon fell for Sansa, or how Sansa fell for him, he liked to tell people. Jon knew Lady Catelyn would speak with him about it once Sansa had arrived with the rest. In this moment Jon thought about Arianne Martell, and how she was doing. Jon felt sorry for what he did to her - how it all came about, and how he betrayed her in a way. Ned Stark would have said it was dishonor. He hoped she was okay in King's Landing, he hoped she married someone who would truly love her for who she is.

Once the meal was over they continued trading stories about the battle and their trip upon the River Road. Daenerys told them about how she stayed in the Queen's Ballroom, and how Stannis betrayed them in their hour of need. "We should have seen it coming," she explained. "We should have seen Varys being the traitor, and Stannis taking the Throne. It's all he's ever wanted since Robert Baratheon died."

The sun was down by the time the stories were told. Lady Catelyn and Bran had told them about the road south, the Battle for Moat Cailin, and finally Lady Catelyn's imprisonment by the Asha Greyjoy. That had taken Jon by surprise.

"I cannot wait to meet my great nieces and nephews," Edmure expressed with joy. "James has written to me by raven since his coronation, and told me about his - your children, Daenerys. About the boy who looks like him, and the girl who looks like you. He's even told me about Arya and her children. I never thought that Arya of all people would have children, considering what Cat has told me about her."

"Not even the Seven thought Arya would have children," Bran jested, "let alone marry."

Everyone laughed.

"Gendry's a good man," Jon told them, "he treats her right and well."

"That he does," Daenerys agreed. "They're very happy together, all though Arya doesn't like to admit it because of her stubborn Northern pride."

Jon saw Roslin place a hand on Dany's. "And how is your marriage to James going? How does it fair to be a Stark?"

"It fairs well," said Daenerys, motioning to her belly. "James and I take it one day at a time, but our love has grown."

"I'm happy for the both you."

"Now where do we go from here?" Jon asked them all.

Bran grunted and shifted in his chair. "I'll have to call a war council with all the Northern lords once our family arrives. We need to figure a few things out."

"James will not be the Lord of Winterfell," said Jon. "He told me so himself that it is yours by right, and that you've earned it. James gave up that opportunity when he took the black."

"James isn't a ranger anymore," said Dany.

Jon shot her a look and she only returned it. He knew that Dany wanted James to resume as the Lord of Winterfell, but at the same time Jon knew that Bran still wanted it. Bran being the Lord was the right thing to do, for both. James did give up that right.

"We will discuss that matter with the Northern lords," Bran told them both. "Now I'd like to catch up on some sleep if you all do not mind."

Everyone nodded and Bran bid them all good night. Soon after Lady Catelyn went off to her chambers with Edmure and Roslin soon following. Jon and Daenerys remained in the solar for a few moments, his aunt was visibly angry with him.

"Pregnant woman should be getting plenty of rest," said Jon, breaking the silence. He'd known Daenerys long enough to realize when she was angry with someone. She even took him to bed once at the Wall, long ago when the Others were a threat. Jon had to end that, for she wanted to be queen and he didn't want to be king. Jon figured James wouldn't have married Daenerys were it not for him in some way, he could still remember the conversation in their solar a lifetime ago.

"I've been pregnant once before, Jon, I know when to get sleep."

Jon knew why she was angry and he wasted no time in getting to the point. "Bran will be the Lord of Winterfell - not your husband."

Dany crossed her arms. "James will be my king and I his queen. We will re-take the Iron Throne."

Jon laughed at that. "Did what I say in Bran's tent mean nothing to you? Were all those words you spoke just a lie?"

"Are you calling me a liar, dear nephew?"

"No, sweet aunt. I'm just simply asking whether or not you meant the words."

"I did," she said with dignity. "I'm just as much a Stark as you, Jon Snow or Targaryen…whatever you think of yourself as."

"Well you legitimized me so that would make me a Targaryen, but I'll always be a Stark."

Dany just sighed. "I just like being in power, Jon, I was born for it. I was born to lead and not follow. You must understand that."

"I do," he told her, "but you must listen to what James wants, too. Ever since we were children he didn't like too much power. He just wanted to be a knight."

"Yet, he became a man of the Night's Watch."

"And he grew up because of it. All Watchmen grow up fast."

Jon sighed. "I just want you to accept that James will not be the Lord of Winterfell, nor will he be the king anymore. Bran has proven himself, and James did give the right up a long time ago."

Now Dany grew angry. "We will see what he has to say, Jon. Now, this pregnant lady needs her rest."

Jon sighed and drank another cup of wine before retreating to his chambers for the night. The rest of the Starks were supposed to arrive within the day, but Jon figured the children needed their rest. He knew that they would be here tomorrow, and if they didn't he would grow worried. Bran would have to send a splinter force of men into the River Road to search for them if they did not arrive by tomorrow, and Jon was admittedly nervous. Sleep did not come easy that night, for his thoughts were with Sansa and whether she - they were okay or not. Finally, the sleep did come and Jon Snow did not dream that night.

A knock came in the morning, as Jon awoke slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He kicked the coverlets off his bed and slipped on a tunic and breeches before opening the door. When he opened it he saw Daenerys standing there in the same dress she wore the night before, but her hair was pinned up in the back. Next to her was Lady Catelyn and Bran in his chair. Jon wondered why they were up so early.

"Good morning," he told them. "How are you all doing?"

"Get dressed," said Dany with a smile, "they're waiting for us in the Great Hall."

"They're here?!"

"They got here this morning," Bran explained. "They've been waiting with Edmure and Roslin while we prepared ourselves."

"Ok. Give me a moment to dress, than. I won't have Sa…" Jon paused and grew nervous, trying not to look at Lady Catelyn. "…Myself looking unwell. Please, a moment."

"We will be waiting," Lady Catelyn told him. "Do not take too long, Jon."

"I wouldn't keep my lady from her grand babies."

Jon closed the door behind him and quickly dressed. Again, he had to wear Tully colors just for today but he would rather wear them then the smelly riding clothes he'd worn since fleeing the capitol. Once he shook out his now longer hair, the hair Sansa loved, he quickly laced his boots and opened the door to meet them in the hall.

Jon offered Lady Catelyn his arm and she took it willingly, he could sense the excitement radiating from her. Bran rolled his chair down the hall with his guard behind them, and Dany was striding next to them, glowing yet again. Daenerys would never dare show it, but Jon knew her excitement to see her husband and children again. She despised weak women - love sick girls who only thought of Jonquil with flowers in their hair, but around James she became the same girls she despised.

Jon felt Catelyn's nails dig into his arm. "Calm down, my Lady," he whispered to her. "This isn't a dream, they'll all be there at the Great Hall."

Catelyn smiled. "I cannot wait to see them, Jon. I have to admit that I am quite nervous."

"Don't be. They'll love you all the same."

"I just can't believe that I'll see them after so long, it's almost too good to be true. Gods be good, I hope they don't mind the affection I'll show them."

Jon laughed. "Rhaella loves hugs, so you'll be good there. All will be good, my lady."

"Gods willing."

Jon could feel her nails dig into his forearm again when they were outside the doors to the Great Hall. He could only imagine what Catelyn must be feeling after not seeing her grandchildren, James or Gendry for a whole year. She was excited with apprehension, Jon could tell, and so was Bran by the looks of it. Daenerys was calm as could be. He took a deep-breath and the Tully guards opened the doors of the Great Hall for them. That's when the laughter of children hit them like an explosion of wildfire.

Jon saw them around the table in the middle, standing around. James was standing in front of the table with his arms crossed, laughing and talking to his uncle Edmure. Jon could remember James telling him that he enjoyed Edmure Tully's company, he explained that they were so much alike. "Edmure enjoyed wenching in his youth," said James with a smile. "And is hot-blooded and headstrong like me." Jon couldn't help but laugh at that. Gendry was right beside them with his arms crossed as well, laughing at some joke that Jon didn't hear. The women were sitting down at the table, Jon could see that Arya's belly had grown bigger now. The children were running around and laughing with Hoster - it seemed they were already friends. His Sansa was sitting across from them and stood up and smiled when she noticed them walking in.

"Mother!" Sansa yelled. "Bran!"

Then everyone abruptly stopped talking and turned to notice them walking in the Great Hall. James smiled to them with a hand on his chin, and Gendry was looking nervous for some reason. Arya turned around and smiled as well, glowing by the looks of it. The children stopped running and turned to see them, they ran back to their parents.

Time stood still for Jon Snow now, he didn't know how to react. All he did was hold Lady Catelyn's arm as they walked in the Great Hall. Now they all stood up apprehensively staring at them, as if they were all strangers. James was squatting down on the ground, holding back his two children who were staring at Bran and Catelyn as if they didn't know them. Yet, it was Lyanna who made the first move.

"Grandma!" The little girl yelled, running from Arya's grasp to sprint over at Catelyn. Robert soon followed her and both brother and sister were running across the Great Hall while everyone watched this moment. Catelyn removed herself from the crook of Jon's arm and got down on both knees to embrace her granddaughter.

Lady Catelyn held her so tight and kissed her hair, Jon could see the tears coming down her face. Catelyn Stark did not cry so easily. "My baby," she said soothingly, flattening Lyanna's hair with her hand. Soon Robert followed suit and Catelyn made room for him, too. "Robert, you've grown!" Catelyn exclaimed to him. It was all smiles from the adults as they watched this sweet moment. They went over to Jon who motioned them to say hello to their uncle. Bran gave them a wide smile as they jumped up in his lap.

Jon looked to James who was whispering in his children's ears. He released them from his grasp and Rhaella was the one to sprint at them first, no doubt envious of the attention Lyanna and Robert received. Ned was just walking behind her at a slow pace, growing shy after seeing all the attention on him. Jon couldn't help but laugh.

Now Rhaella jumped into Catelyn's embrace and she held her other granddaughter just as tight. "Rhaella, my dragon!" She told her between kisses. Now she smoothed her silver hair. "You look so much like your mother." Rhaella only smiled and hugged her grandmother again. She then walked over to Daenerys, who scooped her up and took her over to Bran. "Do you remember your uncle?" She asked her, Rhaella surprisingly nodded. Bran gave the girl a kiss to which Rhaella only blushed, it made Jon laugh again.

Ned was the last one to approach his grandmother, nervous as can be. "Eddard!" James yelled from across the Great Hall. "Quite being so shy and say hello to grandma. She loves you very much. And you say hello to your mother, too."

"Ned, stop being shy!" Sansa yelled back at him. "Go hug them both!" Jon locked eyes with Sansa and smiled, who returned it in kind.

Ned's resolve finally broke as he smiled and sprinted into Catelyn's arms now. He wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into her hair. "My Ned," she said to him, holding his face with her hands to stare into his eyes. No doubt she saw her husband in those grey eyes. "You look so much like a Stark." Lady Catelyn smiled at him, her face still tear stained. After Ned said hello to Bran and kissed his mother, Catelyn held all her grandchildren at once and didn't want to let go. Their tiny faces buried against her shoulders.

The Stark family reunion was filled with tears and words of joy. Bran and Catelyn embracing the rest of the family that they hadn't seen in so long. Sansa and Catelyn were crying while they held each other, and Sansa treated Bran as if he was still a little boy and not the Lord of Winterfell. Bran grunted his disapproval of her display of affection, but Sansa just told him to shut up and let her hug him. Everyone offered Gendry and Arya their congratulations, and Catelyn couldn't help but hold Arya's stomach after they reunited since James's near death. Catelyn's reunion with her eldest was warm and nice, she held his face while he just stared at her before embracing. Jon remembered it had been a year since she saw James, and Catelyn could not be there when he was almost killed, even though James wanted her to be, but he still understood why she went with Bran. Bran and James were never too close since he took the black, but in this moment you could swear they were both children again. James hugged Bran in his chair while he shook his hand.

Now everyone was sitting around the table while they broke their fast, everyone was happy as could be. Daenerys and James sat by each other, and even though they kissed once they saw each other again Dany had said, "We aren't done talking." To which James only sighed and replied, "Yes, my queen." Dany hated when he called her that. Sansa was to Jon's left and held his hand under the table. Arya and Gendry were sitting next to Edmure and Roslin, and Gendry had Robert on his lap. Catelyn was at the head of the table with Lyanna in her lap, the children had to fight for that spot. Bran was next to him her and Rhaella was in his lap, and Jon figured Bran was happy she remembered him. He also figured that it stemmed from him being a new father, and that he was showing her the love he couldn't give Myrcella or his new son. Ned was surprisingly with Daenerys on her lap, and not with Sansa.

Jon was ripping into a bite of bacon when Bran spoke first. "Has it truly been a year since we have all been together?" He asked. "That shouldn't happen again."

"Nor will it," Edmure corrected, "for Stannis Baratheon sits the Iron Throne now."

"More like Stannis Turncloak," said Arya in contempt. "The man swore to aide us, but instead he stabs us in the back."

"We should have seen it coming," James told them all. "But it looks like the Gods had other plans. Stannis will be a better king than me."

"You tried your best, my son," Catelyn complimented. "Your father would have been proud."

James nodded and drank a sip of ale. Daenerys was stroking her sons hair with her fingers. Ned was eating tiny bites of bread that his mother had cut up for him. Jon could tell he didn't feel the same sentiment as Catelyn, but she was his mother and would always tell him he did his best. Of course Jon never received the same treatment when they were children.

"The real question is where do we go from here," Gendry questioned. "We have to put the little ones first."

"I say we stay in Riverrun," Sansa proposed, "and then we re-take the Iron Throne."

James groaned and Daenerys smiled. "I agree," said Jon's aunt. "We consolidate our forces and march on King's Landing." She motioned to Jon. "We will lead the dragons."

"And burn half the city," replied James, "or whatever half remains."

"James…" Daenerys groaned in anger, "I won't speak of this again with you. You know my feelings."

James scoffed. "Oh, now it's 'unspeakable' to you, Daenerys. It's unspeakable, yet you're making the decisions for everyone. Have you ever asked what Bran thinks about it or any of the Northern Lords? Their is more to this than you and I."

Everyone kept quiet while Daenerys glared at him for a few seconds and just returned to stroking her sons hair. Jon clenched Sansa's hand even harder and she snickered along with him. Jon would never admit it but seeing James and Dany argue was a rare form of entertainment.

"I do not have that many men to give," Edmure told them. "Randyl Tarly and the Tyrells have drained the Riverlands of men. The prolonged siege have left us with not many provisions - and my men just want to return home for the harvest."

"As do my men," Bran said. "I'll have to call a meeting of the Northern lords before the feast tonight, and I want you all present." He motioned to the men. "We need to speak of the future now that James is no longer king."

"You will be the Lord of Winterfell," said James. "I won't take that from you, Brandon. Even though my sweet wife wants me to."

"Oh will you please shut up!" Daenerys yelled.

Jon had to try and hold back a laugh again. As he looked around, this time Catelyn spoke up. "I have not seen my grandchildren for a year," she began, "and I would like to make up for lost time. I just want to go home."

"And so you shall," James said standing up, he motioned to Gendry who stood as well.

"What are you doing?" Arya questioned.

Gendry cleared his throat. "James and I have talked about this for some while now, and we've decided it's best for the women to go home to Winterfell. Daenerys will take you back on the dragons. The children will be going with you."

Arya looked shocked, as did everyone else. "And what is to become of you?"

This time James spoke up. "Gendry and I have decided to go North with Bran and his army. He'll need some help relieving the Northern strongholds that are still held by the Ironborn."

Jon felt himself standing up, too, as if he was being controlled by someone else besides himself. "I'm going with you." He looked down at Sansa and nodded.

The men nodded in agreement with him, but Jon said, "That's if it is okay with you, Bran."

Bran only nodded as Rhaella was reclining on his lap.

"No!" Dany screamed from the other side of the table. "I won't have that happening, James! You're going to leave me all alone for gods know how long while you move up North? What is wrong with you?!"

James sat down and whispered in her ear, trying to calm her down. Usually this was the other way around, seeing as Dany was always trying to calm her husband. Daenerys only shook her head vehemently and Jon could see tears glistening in her eyes. Dany always preached about the blood of the dragon being strong, the blood of the dragon never being scared, the blood of the dragon…but in the end she was still human, and loved her husband very much. That and being pregnant left her very emotional.

"You want to leave me again?" She screamed at James, "Leave me all alone like you did before? Well go ahead, stay here and go North with your brother while I give birth to our child alone in Winterfell!"

"Now you will know how Myrcella felt!" James yelled back at her. Daenerys was taken back and visibly hurt by that. Jon saw Bran pretending not to notice as he was playing with his niece.

And with that Dany handed Ned off to James and excused herself from the table, trying to look as ladylike as possible. The tension in the air was awkward after Dany's outburst, and nobody said a word. James was sitting in his chair with his son on his lap, a hand to his chin and he was deep in thought. What Daenerys had said cut to his core - not only did she mention about her being alone, but she mentioned the strife that used to exist between them not too long ago. And what James said was cruel, yet in a way he spoke a truth for Myrcella had been alone when she gave birth to Bran's son. James looked over at Jon and motioned that he take Ned from his lap. Jon nudged Sansa who looked over at James, and got the message. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, Ned was raising his arms up to Sansa and she only picked him up.

They spent the next while talking about the future for all of them, while James remained silent in his chair. Arya expressed that she wanted to go back to Winterfell with her children, and that she did not want to live in King's Landing anymore. Jon pointed out that Stannis will have sent a raven to all the high lords by now, demanding that they bent the knee. "The Martells will go to his side," Jon told them. "He has Arianne and her cousins, which will lead all of Dorne to bend to him." Bran and Edmure agreed saying that the some of the Reach will also declare for Stannis, except maybe the Tyrells. Yet at the end of the day they figured the roses would hate them far more than Stannis, and they met go over to their side. At the end it just left everyone with a bad taste in their mouth, because nobody knew what they truly wanted.

The children had fallen asleep by this point and the servants took them to their chambers. Edmure excused himself as well, Roslin with him, and Arya went with Gendry to take a nap. James soon excused himself after that, still quiet from earlier.

Catelyn had called him over and took his hand. "I often had many arguments with your father before he was taken from me," she told him. "Dany will come around, just give her time. Her emotions run strong from being with child and you just need to talk to her once she has calmed down. She will see reason soon enough."

"Yet why am I always in the wrong, mother? Why does she deem to make me feel like I'm making some grave mistake from just looking out for my family."

Jon wondered whether or not James had decided if he'd take his family over to Volantis or whatever Free City. It was then he realized that it would never happen for James loved his family too much to leave Winterfell. Seeing Lady Catelyn's reunion with her grandchildren probably solidified that.

"Just give her time, my son," Catelyn advised. "Daenerys just loves you dearly and no wife wants to be away from her husband. I cried when your father left me to fight both of Robert's wars. I know what she is going through."

"Will you talk to her then? Give her some advice."

Catelyn nodded. "I will be happy to do so, James." Now she looked at Jon and Sansa. "After Bran and I have a few words with your sister and cousin."

Jon grew nervous after that and by the looks of it Sansa was as well. She dug her nails into the palm of his hand and Jon only touched her thigh with his hand which she brushed off.

"Go easy on them, mother," said James before walking out of the Great Hall. "Believe it or not I give them my consent. Just listen to them."

Jon smiled at that and nodded at James before he made his leave from the Great Hall. Now it was just Catelyn, Bran, Sansa and Jon at the table with their nerves on high. Silence filled the hall and Bran poured some wine before passing it around. Jon greedily drank to try and quell his nerves but it did him no good.

"Jon," Catelyn began. "Tell me true: do you love my daughter?"

Jon clenched Sansa's hand. "Yes, my lady. I have grown to love your daughter."

Catelyn sighed and tapped her long fingers on the table. Bran looked at them now, as if he was checking them for deformity. "I dreamt of you two, at Moat Cailin," he began. "The content of the dream, you don't want to hear, but I saw something there. At first I was appauld by the idea of you two together."

"-I don't care what you think!" Sansa snapped. "I will marry Jon at Winterfell and that will be the end of it." She looked at Catelyn with ferocity that he'd never seen out of her. "With your approval or no, mother, I will marry Jon. You might as well grow to accept it."

"But don't you think it a little odd," said Bran. "I mean, we did grow up as brothers and sisters in Winterfell. And not to mention you never really liked Jon when growing up, Sansa. You treated him with some coldness at times, if I remember."

"I don't care about that," Jon spat. "I've grown to love her and her me, and we will get married in Winterfell."

"This conversation is pointless," Sansa told them. "Nothing you can say will change our minds."

"And how did this happen?" Catelyn asked now. "Did you two just one day wake up and fall in love?"

Sansa shook her head. "James went to the Stormlands with Gendry for a month, leaving me to take care of his children while Daenerys was ruling the realm. Jon was alone, too-"

"-But he had Arianne Martell," Bran pointed out. "A great beauty, I hear. So, why the sudden change in heart?"

"Arianne was acting distant," Jon explained, "and she was being very strange around me. She was spending less and less time with me, so I turned to the only person who was there: Sansa. Arya, was with her children, Tyrion was busy as well, James and Gendry were gone. I had no one left to turn to, so I turned to Sansa."

"I've been unlucky with love," said Sansa. "First I thought to marry Willas Tyrell, but Margaery had sent assassins against James and so I had to stop speaking with him. I grew sad and lonely after that - not caring about life or whether or not I would fall in love. Being with my family in King's Landing gave me a certain resolve." She smiled. "Growing close with my baby, Ned, helped, too, but I still needed someone in my life. And that someone ended up being Jon. We just grew close and it grew into something more. Can't you just accept that?"

"I guess I will have to," Catelyn said. "It seems Jon has won your heart and I can't change that."

"Jon's a good man," said Bran with a smile. "He is your - our cousin in truth, and that is okay by the laws of gods and men for cousins to marry. I'd rather have you marry him and marry for love than someone who doesn't deserve you. You've been through enough, Sansa, and deserve to be happy." Bran laughed. "Looks like I'll have to marry Rickon off to some highborn lady instead of you."

Jon smiled and looked over at Sansa who he could see had tears in her eyes. She walked out of her chair and over to Bran to give him a hug, and whispered, "thank you," to him. Bran only nodded.

Catelyn sighed. "You have my consent too, Jon. I'll allow you to marry my daughter. I see what you two have for each other is true, much like what the rest of my children have."

Jon nodded his thanks and Sansa ran over to her mother again, bending down to hug her. Catelyn only kissed her daughter on the forehead and let her walk back down to her seat beside Jon.

"One more thing," said Catelyn, pointing at Sansa. "I've been told that you have taken Ned's love from his own mother."

Jon's stomach turned to a knot when she said that, and Sansa did not take it well. "What do you mean, mother?" Sansa asked.

"Referring to him as 'your son' and 'your baby', is what I mean. I don't want you doing that anymore, Sansa Stark. It is one thing to be close with your nephew, but to treat him as if he was your own son is another. At the end of the day he is still James and Dany's son, not yours."

Sansa grew angry. "He is my son, mother! You don't understand."

"Sansa…" Catelyn yelled in her motherly voice. "I will not hear anymore on this. Ned will not be sleeping in the same bed as you, and you will let him grow close with Daenerys again."

"Did Dany talk to you about this? Is that who told you?"

"It does not matter who told me," Catelyn snapped. "You can be close with him as is befitting an aunt, but you will stop this nonsense. Daenerys is his mother, not you. Learn to understand that."

"I won't!" Sansa spat. "Ned is my baby and I will love him like he is my own."

"One day he won't be three anymore," Bran told her. "He will be a boy of four and ten - chasing girls, practicing at swords, and you'll be a distant memory. You're going to get hurt, Sansa."

"And what if you have a child of your own with Jon?" Catelyn questioned. "Will you love Ned more than your own child?"

Sansa was quiet after that, she didn't say a word. She left the table than and Jon was going to follow her, but he knew better that to harp on it now.

"If you'll excuse me," began Catelyn, "I have to go speak with my daughter by law and my actual daughter. And then I'll be there when my grandchildren awake."

Catelyn left after that and also made her way from the Great Hall. Leaving Bran and Jon together alone. Jon took his leave as well and went back to his chambers for another round of sleep. He hadn't had proper rest since leaving the capitol, and the more he got, the better.

That afternoon he went into Edmure Tully's solar where Bran was convening a war council with the Northern lords and Lord Tully. When Jon arrived they were already there, all of them. Jon Umber was there with Gallbart Glover, Manderly, Karstark and the other faces he'd never knew. Bran was sitting at the front of the table in his chair, and James was to his right with Gendry beside him. Edmure Tully was to his left and the rest of the lords encompassed the table. The lords had already begun talking. Jon took a seat beside James and listened.

"I say we move back North!" Karstark commenced. "We've achieved what we came down here to do. Aegon Targaryen is defeated and Stannis sits the throne. Why should we go back and take it?"

"We have dragons!" Glover said. "Those bloody beasts will reduce Stannis's meager army to ash and dust with their fire."

"Why should we bow to Stannis?" asked the Greatjon. "Why can't we just rule ourselves like we did under the Young Wolf? Stannis wouldn't destroy us with the dragons on our side."

"Because I am not Robb," Bran told him, "and I won't become the King in the North."

"Let James be the King in the North," someone shouted.

James stood up from his seat. "I won't be the king of anything anymore," he said to the lords. "Bran will be the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North - King of the North, too, if he chooses. I just want to raise my children and be with my wife."

"Can't blame you for that," said Jon Umber. "But I say we shouldn't bow to Stannis. How do we know he won't attack us in retribution?"

"If we bend the knee, he won't," Gendry pointed out. "I know Stannis and he is honorable above all else, even though he betrayed us. He will let us bend the knee if we swear fealty to him."

"We are forgetting something," said Jon this time. "The Ironborn still hold some strongholds within the North. Torrhen's Square, Deepwood Motte, the Stony Shore. We need to move back North and re-take our lands."

"I agree with Lord Targaryen," Harrion Karstark agreed. "We must re-take what was ours, we must move back North!"

"If we move back North now than we'll lose everything we've gained," Galbart Glover said.

Bran raised a hand now and all grew silent. "If we move North than we will have to relieve the strongholds - which will take time and lives. If we move to King's Landing then the same thing will happen." He paused. "But, the Ironborn will not cause us too much trouble, but Stannis will. He has the might of Dorne and the Reach behind him by now - not to mention some of the Stormlords."

"And what does my lord propose we do?"

"Move back North and go home. Re-take our lands from the squids."

Jon looked around and heard some grumbling, but it seemed most of the lords were at an agreement. James was nodding to himself and Gendry was happy with this choice.

"I'll have to go back to Storm's End once this is over," Gendry told them. "I will move up North with all of you and so will James and Jon. It is time to end this war - let Stannis be the king of half a burned city. He may have to go to war with the Tyrells or Dorne if they defy him, so let it be. We will stay up North and take our lands back. Once that is over and the harvests collected than we can return to take King's Landing."

"Lord Baratheon is right," said James. "We need to resupply our men before we consider moving south to the capitol."

"Couldn't Lord Tully provide us with some provisions?"

Edmure shook his head. "The siege drained me of provisions and I have none to spare. I say to move North."

"How will we move North, my lord?"

Bran cleared his throat. "First we move to Moat Cailin with the army as a whole and leave a tiny force there to make sure Stannis nor Asha try anything. We will then begin to split our forces up slowly once we move past the Moat, and then we will take Torrhen's Square. After Torrhen's Square we move to Deepwood Motte. After we take that blasted castle the rest of the men can go home and I will return to Winterfell."

The Northern lords came to an agreement after Bran said that. Saying that his course of action was best for moving up North. Some still felt that King's Landing could be taken easily, but it would have only ended up with more war and bloodshed. Stannis would just try and re-take the Throne again, and would not give up. Gods knew where Aegon was, and that only made it even worse. In the end they would never be safe until the moved back North and in Winterfell.

"Now I will see you all at the feast tonight," Bran told his lords. "Where we can all get properly drunk."

The Northern lords cheered and made their way to the Great Hall, when Bran asked James, Gendry, Edmure, and Jon to stay behind. They stood up and around Bran who was looking up at them all.

"You don't have to move North with me," said Bran. "This isn't your responsibility anymore."

James laughed. "Bran, we want to move up North with you. We want to all do our part and help you out, you're not in this alone."

"James, Daenerys is with child. You should be there for her." Bran turned to Gendry. "Arya is with child as well, and you should be there for her, too."

"Myrcella was with child when I made you leave Winterfell," James pointed out, "and she was forced to give birth without you by her side. I've seen one birth already and knowing Dany their will be more to come." James clenched Bran's shoulder. "It is time we did our part, Bran."

Bran nodded and looked at Jon. "Sansa will be waiting for me until I return. Do not worry about her, Bran, she won't hate you for it."

"Arya might not like it, but she'll relent," said Gendry. "Plus, she deserves to give birth in Winterfell with her family around her. She needs to spend all the time with them she can until we return to Storm's End."

Bran nodded. "Ok. We will all move North together - brothers and good brother."

"One more thing," said James. He reached into a knapsack that he had with him, and Jon had never noticed it. James stuck his hand inside and pulled out his crown - Robb's crown, and placed it in Bran's lap. "You'll be the Lord of Winterfell, Bran. No matter what Daenerys says, no matter that I am the eldest, you will be the Lord of Winterfell. You've proved yourself as a leader and in battle. You've earned it."

Bran smiled and held Robb's crown in his hands. "Robb used to wear this," he said with wonder. "And you did too, James. I'm just glad that I'm a leader like my brothers."

James clapped his back. "You're better at this than me, Bran, and maybe even better than Robb."

"Better than Robb? But he defeated Tywin Lannister in battle."

"Robb was gifted in the battlefield, but was still a boy. He gave up his kingdom for a woman, and that was his undoing."

After that they went back to their chambers, where Jon changed into some fresh new clothing. This time he discarded the doublet and wore a deep blue tunic with black breeches, a Tully fish embroidered on the middle of the tunic and a small one sown onto the left side of his breeches.

The Great Hall of Riverrun was bolstering with music, ale, merriment, smoking meat, and Northern lords when Jon Targaryen arrived. Outside the castle he could already hear the Northmen having their own feast, but inside the lords were drinking. All the Riverlords and Northmen were heavy in drink and the smoking meat left a haze within the Great Hall. Above on the elevated dais sat Edmure and Roslin with Bran beside him with Lady Catelyn. Down at the table below them Jon saw the rest of the Stark family with the children around them.

Sansa noticed Jon and called him over with a waive of her hand. She was wearing a blue dress with red outlying the bodice, fishes were outlined on the hems of her dress. It brought out the blue in her eyes and Jon thought he'd never seen a prettier sight. Her auburn hair was down her shoulders, and it only enhanced her beauty. Next to her was the children in their parents laps. James held Rhaella, dressed in a blue doublet with a Tully fish on it, even though he looked like a Stark. Daenerys sat next to him, his wife was in a red dress that bared her shoulders with her silver hair pinned up in the back, her stomach was showing through the dress. Jon knew that she looked beautiful, but his eyes were on Sansa tonight. Arya was in a dress of woolen grey, as befitting Arya's personality of never dressing ladylike. Gendry was next to her wearing a black tunic with grey breeches, Jon wondered where he got those colors.

Jon took his seat next to Sansa and ordered food and ale. The servant girl came back with a nice fish, served with vegetables and bread. The ale was nice and strong, which left Jon's head spinning after awhile. Music resonated through the room over the smell of meat and fish, with many songs being played.

The Greatjon demanded they playing drinking games and the men were happy to oblige him. Gendry and Jon Umber had a drinking contest where both men put down so much ale that Gendry ended up falling asleep on the table. Jon and James drank so much both stood upon the tables and sang loudly, both dedicating songs to their ladies. Both brothers kicked the tankards off the table and sang while the Northern lords laughed and cheered them on. Jon looked down and saw Sansa laughing at him which only made him smile. Daenerys and Arya had gone to bed, as befitting ladies with child and the children went with them. Edmure and James were now drinking together and Jon hopped down from the table to sit next to Sansa.

He walked over to her and sat down, clenching her hands in his. "You look splendid tonight, my lady," Jon complimented, drunkenly. "Like a pretty ruby or something."

Sansa squeezed his hand. "It does me good to see you so happy, Jon. You never really smile that much anymore."

"It's just the ale," said Jon. "For a night…it-it lets me forget about having to not see you for a few months."

"I'll miss you," she said to him. "And I'll be waiting until you get back."

Jon looked in her eyes and they were so blue. He wanted to kiss her in this moment, but fearing Lady Catelyn's wrath held him back. Sansa was too beautiful for him not to do anything.

"You're beautiful," Jon blurted.

She laughed again. "You and James should never drink together."

Jon scoffed drunkenly. "James and I have been getting drunk together since we were children. Do not worry, Sansa."

Sansa smiled at him and began to stroke his palm with her fingers. The sensation was almost erotic, but Jon figured she didn't even realize she was doing it. He took his hands out of hers.

He saw James splayed across Bran's lap as both were singing loudly, both participating in drink that Bran had always wanted to do with them since he was a boy.

Jon laughed. "Bran looks happy."

"Indeed he does. James looks happy too, by the looks of it."

"Both deserve nothing but happiness!" Jon screamed. "Dany has been giving him a hard time as of late, putting a lot of pressure on him."

"She has, hasn't she? Yet, I'm envious of the love they have - the love Bran has with Cella, too."

"Why should you be envious? You have me, Sansa. I'll protect you."

Sansa stared at him and he froze. Jon was unable to stop her when she pressed her lips to his. Her tongue swept in and tangled with his before she let go.

Astonished, Jon's eyes were wide and he just stared at her. Jon was too afraid to look up at the dais or forward, but his eyes betrayed him. All the Northern lords were staring at him, and Bran and James were in shock.

The Greatjon Umber laughed. "The dragon and the wolf are together again! You've done good, Jon Snow!"

All the Northern lords began to laugh, even James and Bran, and Jon laughed along with them.

"Come to my bed tonight," Sansa whispered in his ear.

Jon looked at her, his head spinning. "Sansa, we can't. Your mother would kill me."

Sansa shrugged. "They won't find out."

The last thing Jon could remember was seeing Gendry still asleep on the bed before he went to sleep. Jon awoke the next morning in Sansa's chambers, not knowing how exactly he got here. He hoped they didn't do what he thought they did, and suddenly he had the urge to vomit.

Jon ran over to the nearest chamber pot and began heaving last nights ale. He retched violently and never wanted to drink again.

"You were so drunk last night," said Sansa from the doorway. "Must you Northerners always get so drunk on ale and merriment?"

"Now," Jon said, taking his head from the chamber pot to turn to face her, "that is no way to scold me after I was celebrating finally getting to Riverrun." Jon scanned the room. "Can I get water or some ale? My head is pounding."

"Daenerys refuses to give James ale," Sansa told him, giggling. "Says it was his punishment for breaking his promise to her. James is just as bad as you, I fear."

"He is?" Jon asked before he retched one more time. Sansa began to stroke his back with the palm of her hand and already his pounding head was already feeling better.

"Bran is also not doing as well, Gendry neither. It seems you all have out done yourselves."

"I never want to drink ale again."

Sansa laughed. "I do. It is what made you sleep in my chambers last night."

Gods, Lady Catelyn will kill me if she finds out. "Sansa, did we…."

Sansa shook her head. "No, but we did do some other things…"

Jon sighed and tried to remember, but he couldn't. He just hoped that Catelyn Stark nor his brothers…cousins ever found out. Jon wanted to be honorable and wait for marriage before he laid with Sansa, but he didn't know what happened last night.

Jon heard a knock on the door after he retched one last time. He turned from the chamber pot and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, as he saw Arya standing there heavy with child.

"You, too?!" She admonished. "Are all the men heaving their ale from last night?"

"It appears so," Sansa answered.

Jon saw Arya look around the room. "Wait. What are you doing here, Jon?"

Jon grew nervous. "I-I…ummm, shut up, Arya!"

"You didn't…"

"Shut up, Arya!" Sansa yelled.

Arya laughed. "Wait until I tell mother later."

"No!" Jon screamed, "You will not tell your mother about this! We didn't do anything - tell her, Sansa!"

"We didn't do anything, Arya," Sansa explained. "Jon was too drunk so I let him sleep here tonight, that is all."

Arya sighed. "If you say so, Sansa. Anyway, a message came from Stannis last night and uncle Edmure is waiting for us in his solar, says it is important."

"From Stannis?" Jon exclaimed. "Does James know about this?"

Arya shrugged. "Not sure. I was going to tell him now, if he is awake."

Jon stood up and walked over to throw a tunic on his head. "I'll go break words with him now."

"Ok," Arya said. "I'll meet you in his solar with Gendry."

Jon and Sansa strode out of her chambers and walked over to the sound of retching down the hall. Jon walked into his chambers and saw a figure slumped over the chamber pot and figured it was James. Daenerys was sitting next to him on the floor and stroking his back with her hand. Rhaella was sitting next to them too, and was mimicking her mother's movements, stroking James back up and down with her tiny hands while he retched. Ned was sitting on a chair and looking out the window, looking almost angelic with the sun glaring against his face.

James retched again. "Ale!" he groaned, "I at least demand a mug of ale!" He turned to his daughter. "Rhaella, will you tell your mother to let me have some ale."

"No, ale!" Dany insisted. "And how dare you use our daughter to get you some more ale. Only water, and it will be your punishment for breaking your promise to me."

Jon cleared his throat and knocked at the door. All of them turning to look at him. Ned flew from his chair and ran over to Sansa, who picked him up and held him.

"Looks like you aren't fairing well either, James," said Jon.

"I'd be fairing better with a mug of ale in my belly," he said inside the chamber pot, making his words echo. "But Daenerys is cruel."

Dany sighed and stroked his back, Rhaella proceeded to do the same. "Daddy not feeling well," the girl explained to Jon, rubbing her father's back. "Mama not letting him feel better."

Jon laughed. "It appears so, little one."

"Mama says that daddy needs to learn his lesson," Ned told him, sitting on Sansa's lap. Both of them were sitting on the bed.

"Mama is cruel," said James from the chamber pot after retching once more.

"Mama is not cruel," Dany corrected. "And don't say that in front of the children."

"Mama," said Rhaella, rubbing her father's back again, "please let daddy feel better."

"Please listen to our daughter," begged James. "She is wise beyond her years."

"She is only three, James."

"Three? More like three and t-" he retched again, Rhaella rubbed his back some more.

"Never drink too much ale, Ned," said Sansa, "or you'll end up sick like that."

"I don't want to be sick," he told her.

"Than don't drink too much ale," Jon said feeling just as sick as James.

Jon cleared his throat. "Dany, Edmure requests our presence in his solar. Says that he received a message from Stannis."

"Stannis!" James exclaimed, taking his head from the chamber pot to turn to face Jon. "Why wasn't I told about this?"

"That's why we're here!" Sansa told him. "Arya told us just now that he is waiting for us, says it's important."

James stood up. "Yes. Let's go see what news Stannis Baratheon has for all of us."

Jon nodded and they took the children with them out of the room towards Edmure's private solar. Along the way there they discussed about what he could have written to them. Everyone was under the impression that Stannis was writing the Tullys to bend the knee, but Daenerys thought otherwise. "He knows we're here," she told them. "Stannis knows we'd make for Riverrun and so it is more of a warning than anything else." Clutching Rhaella's hand, Jon was walking the down the stairs towards the Keep. Jon's head was pounding by the time he reached the top of the spiral stairs. Two Tully guards opened the door and they walked inside, noticing the scene before them.

Edmure was sitting in his seat with a broken raven scroll in his hand, reading it with intent. Jon noticed an unbroken one by his hand on the table. Next to him was Gendry, Arya, Roslin, and Lady Catelyn, reading over his shoulder. Bran sitting next to him.

Jon put his niece down and they all looked up to notice them, Gendry was looking as bad as they were.

"Messages from the new king?" asked James while walked over and bid everyone good morning.

"Yes," answered Edmure. He snapped the message and handed it over to James, who began to read. James grunted. "Stannis bids uncle Edmure to bend the knee and swear fealty, no surprise." His eyes widened. "Master of laws?" He looked at Edmure in shock. "Stannis wants you upon his small council?"

James sighed. "And Stannis says he knows we made for Riverrun, and that he bids us to bend the knee…" his eyes scanned the message once more. He looked to Gendry. "You will retain Storm's End." Now his eyes widened. "But, he has sent an envoy to us carrying his standard."

"Stannis comes to Riverrun?" Daenerys questioned.

James shook his head. "No. Stannis says that he has sent an envoy, and that the next raven scroll should explain more."

Edmure took the unbroken scroll and handed it to James. "Look at the seal."

James took the message and looked at the seal. "A Lannister seal? Who would send us a raven with the Lannister seal? Tommen?"

"Just open it," Arya urged.

James nodded and broke the seal with his hands, he flattened the message against the table and began to read. Jon noticed him reading in a furry and saw his eyes widen in shock. His face went pale and he began to sweat, it looked as if he was going to retch again. James crumpled the message in his hands and sat down on the seat.

Daenerys walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Are you feeling well, James? You look as if you just saw a ghost…"

He took Dany's hand and placed the scroll in it. "I just read a message from a ghost."

Dany looked at him confused and opened the scroll, apprehensively reading it. Her eyes widened when she finally finished. "This can't be…." she said in wonder. "This…this…"

"Dany?!" Arya yelled. "What's wrong?"

Her voice wavered. "It's from Tyrion Lannister. He rides to Riverrun with Stannis's men."