This is the resurrection,

This is the reason,

After the dust has settled,

We pick up the pieces

"Strange Young World'' by Hidden Citizens

Ch.1

House Scalebreaker

298 AL

"Please no wait, don't leave me behind!"

Daenerys screamed as she desperately ran through a world of complete darkness; reaching her hand out to a lone knight, whom walked forward through it. His blackened armor clanking and creaking, twisting to the sound of his twin blades screeching across the ground. Her cries meant nothing to him, for no matter how loudly she begged, he ignored Dany. Never once stopping, never once turning his head, and never once speaking anything words of sense. Only the empty calling of the cold abyss controlling his movement, as if actually pulling him deeper in. Yet he never remained more then just out of the young woman's reach, so close, yet so far torturing her as the nothingness crashed down.

The air in her breath freezing in front of her eyes, temperature dropping with each futile attempt at escape. The longer she stayed lost, the longer each passing second became an eternity.

"Is this what death feels like, did I pass in my sleep?"

The targaryen, more afraid of the answer then the limbo she was trapped within. Until a single speck of hope had showed it's self when Eldon brushed past her. Each step he'd taken left a burning foot print, guiding her to him-increasing in intensity the closer her guardian came to her.

"Where I go you can't follow" He said.

His voice echoed into her mind, so cold, so emotionless, this wasn't the same cheerful person Daenerys grew up protected in's shadow. As he spoke a wet, dripping sound, splashed against his steps. To her horror the pyres revealing a chain of battered bodies and a sea of dead piled everywhere around. Left forgotten like trash. Looking at them was like staring at a tapestry of sigils. She saw banners with gold lions, red stags, grey wolves, white trees, and even yellow krakens. Dany knew the houses they represented, but halted when she found many she, the markings of strangers; orange tigers with red teeth, blue serpents smashing a gallon to pieces, and a burning knight riding a black dragon. And finally past them was hundreds of heraldries, proudly displaying; the lone knight, blocking dragon fire with his shield, and wielding a blade in his other hand. All torn to shreds crumbling away slowly into cinders.

"They trusted me, believed in me, and this is what it got them." He muttered.

"That's a lie, you'd never be responsible for this. I refuse to believe you are, just like I will NOT leave here without you!"

Spurred into one final push at last reaching him, taking his hand to force him to acknowledge her, and in that moment he burst into a hellish inferno; burning brighter then anything she'd ever seen in her entire life. The tighter she held onto Eldon's hand the more they blinded her, scorching her down to her bone, but to her awe leaving no pain. The twisted embers clawing away everything. Her smoldering friend remaining still like the blazes weren't even there. And without any warning the world bled back into existence around them.

She knew immediately where they now stood. It was the scalebreaker's crypt at the top of the mountain. Frantically turning to notice, dozens of cold statues turning to look at them with hushed whispered.

"It's me they're judging not you." Eldon replied. A deep sorrow reverberating in his every word.

"Why?" She asked.

"They want to see if I will beg, try to justify everything with an excuse...If I'm a coward."

Her gaze widening at the sight of a massive red comet rippling across it like a fresh wound, scarlet reflecting off her violet eyes. Getting brighter and brighter. Eldon reaching up to it slowly. When the burning man did so, it shattered into three shooting stars leaving a trail of fire across the entire night. One turning a sickly blue, before colliding with the Eastwatch side of the brothers wall, collapsing it.

Her heart breaking once she saw the mangled looking man her friend had become.

Parts of his dark-brown hair were ash white, his face paler and colder then she'd ever seen it; a bloody hand print slide down the side it, his eyes looked so empty, so sad; one was even black with a sickening red iris. It felt like she'd watched the fire burn all the life out of him, and this was just some kind of husk. Then her eyes drifted down to his blades, one drenched in a rage spark of ruby red, and the other consumed in a haunting blaze of emerald green.

"He never did like you did he? Gods, how did I not see the irony in that?" Eldon chuckled, once a furious dragon, growled at Dany with a fury from behind him; making it clear she'd regret it if she moved closer to his partner. Before lowering it's head, rewarding Eldon with gleeful; almost pet like purrs of satisfaction that Dany couldn't believe, while he gently rubbed it's face.

She paused to observe it. Unable to accept it as it was nothing like the dragons she'd pictured from her stories; majestic behemoths wrapped in coats of beautiful scales. No this "thing" was if anything a parody of that standard. Bigger then several men, but not at all eclipsing them in it's presences like it should. Drenched in a gangly looking coat of rough silver and black. Even it's gaze of wrong, although that clearly wasn't it's fault. It's left eye was faded, having been scarred by something, and it's right was so red it hurt to look at; oddly enough like Eldon's had been.

The dragon's long neck spinning around in response to a loud roar, and the fierce clouds of a blizzard rushing to them.

"I couldn't have been further from perfect, hell decent was probably too strong for me as well...I made so many mistakes, failed so many of you." He answered, with a tone befitting his broken appearance-while he slowly clasped his hands into fists. "You most all. Words will never be enough to describe my regret in that."

"I don't understand what your talking about I just want us to go back home please!" Dany pleaded, falling onto her back in terror when a massive shadow flew over them. Landing right in front of Eldon, staring at him with those awful blue eyes; like two chunks of ice as empty as their owner. He then just looked at Daenerys, gazing in silence like he was witnessing her for the first time one time. The traces of a smile crossing his face as if making peace with himself.

"Breathe in...breathe out...slow your heart down...it's going to be ok" Eldon proclaimed raising his posture back into a proud stance, looking larger then live, finally like the person Dany recognized.

"What are you doing?" She screamed, once Eldon turned away to meet the twisted creature once more. It's mouth now opening with a plume of azure fury, lighting up it's faded neck as it did.

"Joy was something I never truly had in this life, I see why now. I understand his plan for me...It had to be this way please accept that someday." He stated, rushing straight towards the dragon with blades drawn his partner rushing to his side along him, spreading his wings wide open in triumph; taking his place next to his brother. Then both disappeared into faded silhouettes as the world erupted into nothing but blue light.

At that moment, daenerys opened her eyes in a cold sweat. Looking down to her shaking hands, unsure if she'd just saw one of her closest friends get killed or not. She had this dream almost every night for months now.

"It happened again didn't it?" A young maiden asked, once she burst into Dany's bedchambers concerned. "Now tell me what you saw?" Taking her frightened hand into her own for comfort. "

She was just as stunning as the Targaryen, not that you'd ever hear the modest northern girl admit it. She had long was red hair, pale northern skin, and the same blood eyes as her brother. Being almost the same age as Dany, Nera Scalebreaker had been her best friend practically their whole lives.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said brushing off Nera's question.

The young red head merely rolled her eyes in response. "Well now I have to know." She joked.

"I can't stop asking me." Dany shrugged pulling her hand back in irritation.

"It wasn't real." Nera pouted sitting down next to her.

"You don't understand, my family is different, good or bad our dreams are real. That's how I know it will scare you to." Dany cried choking up the words, until her friend-held her tightly in her arms.

"You let me decide what's going to terrify me?" Brushing Dany's messy hair away to look her gently in the eyes. "I'm the daughter of dragon slayers, and best friend's with a queen I don't frighten easily?"

"...Your not going to let me go unless I tell you?"

"Yep"

Nera meant the world to her, but gods was she as thick headily stubborn as any other Northern. Especially once she set her mind on something, giving up wasn't even an option in her mind.

"Fine I'll tell you." Dany relented to the other girl's request, being freed the moment she did. "I saw your brother."

"Which one little Ned or Ellie?"

"We both know it was Eldon, and it he didn't look anything like himself."

"How so was he older, younger, what?"

"He was mangled and twisted." Nera's eyes widened with concern like Dany had feared once she heard that. As close as they were too each other no one in the kingdoms could match the bond Nera had with her big brother.

Noticing that Dany was staring at her, Nera shook her head for a few moments to restore clarity. "I just had something in my eye, keep going."

Not fooled for a second, but understanding that Nera wouldn't back down until she heard the rest Dany continued. Telling her friend everything, the dead bodies, the strange banners, her brother's face, and his dragon. However she did not expect her to start laughing after.

"Well that proves it's not real" Nera giggled. "Eldon hasn't taken father's place yet as lord, he has no one to led into a battle and certainly doesn't have a "pet" dragon

"I didn't say it was a pet!" Dany retorted embarrassingly blushing for taking this far more seriously then Nera did.

"My mistake, but you have to remember the last one died hundreds of years ago." Hugging Dany letting her know it was going to be alright, and that she'd stay with her all night if her friend needed her to. "I promise you it was just a dream nothing more."

"Your always so sure of yourself, what would I do without your council?"

"Don't worry yourself with such things, because i'm always going to be here for you." Letting Dany go and dropping down next to her in bed with a laugh, "Now come one lets sleep together like when we were kids, that should make any nasty dreams fade away?"

[The next day]

"Come on we're going to miss it!" Nera said, pulling Dany by the hand through the crowded city of steel gate.

It was time for the yearly slayers festival, the time when practically the whole mountain was alive with activity. Most of the North couldn't understand why the scalebreakers, every year forgot themselves, and acted like they were southerns throwing some wasteful party of all things. Only the friends who'd mattered to them, having proven their loyalty; bleeding with them on the battlefield or in times of peril ever understood the truth. This wasn't a mere "party" it was a celebration meant to remember their old home, honor who their ancestors were before coming to Westeros. They all had the blood of dragon slayers in them low born or high born, steelscale or Scalebreaker they were all kin. Each house inspirit of that always brought something to contribute usually in several competition

The two young maidens, having just witnessed Lexia Flatscale, best every man and woman in the archery competition. Still blown away when, she'd told them to make the targets move faster then anyone every did before-hitting bullseyes on each one.

"Don't tell me you're still worried about last night?" Nera asked when she saw Dany lost in thought.

"I can't help it. I told you those dreams are supposed to mean something, and I just can't figure out what." She replied shrugging her shoulders in confusion.

Sad memories flooding to Dany as she looked down at the bay of ice; the seascales would have had the whole bay a lit with dazzling lights. With the sound of hearty fisher songs echoing across the waters. Now it was just an empty shore littered with crumbled ruins.

"You think your cousin Ekkor's doing alright?" Nera stopping them dead in their tracks, forgetting it had been just as hard for them to say goodbye to Ekkor as it had been to bury Hakkon and the seascales.

"i...i'm sure he's doing fine at Eastwatch." Her grip tightening tensely at the thought "He hasn't responded to brother's ravens, but i'm sure he's just busy with his duties as Commander Pykes ward."

"Oh Nera, i'm so sorry." Dany thought blaming herself.

"I know that face." Nera laughed trying to be strong, flicking Dany playfully on the forehead "You didn't make my cousin do anything, just like my brother he chose to protect you and our family in his own way."

"But if I just hadn't been he..."

"Hello little flowers, come to see the show huh?" Lexia Flatscale smirked with a cheeky grin, taking both shorter girls into her tight bear like hug. Sneaking over once she'd noticed the two get near the Steel Scale tourney.

"Lexie you were amazing earlier today!" Nera cheered returning the gesture to her older cousin, who picked her off the ground.

Lexia was taller then a normal woman, just about two heads taller then her own father. Priding herself on being the opposite of her houses "imp" like founder. Possessing a lean physique with steady arms, her cousins having lived their whole lives without seeing them ever shake once. A talent which had allowed her to continue her house's tradition with a bow. Her skin was paler then most-from living so far into the clouds at the peak of the mountain, yet it only seemed to intensify the twenty four year old's natural beauty. If she didn't prefer hunting and lazing around, she could easily be one of the most attractive women in the realm. Even despite her height intimidating most men. Unlike Eldon, only she and Nera had inherited the Tully traits from their sister mothers.

"Why thank you very much, I didn't spend all last month practicing for nothing. And you my snowflake just made it all worth it now." She laughed with another happy grin.

"Lexia what the hell are those two doing!" Dany shouted, pointing to the make shift arena in the main courtyard of the city.

Tilting her head to look Lexia, rolled her eyes at the spectacle. "Its fine Dany, Aiden just wanted to upstage Eldon, made a big show of it when he pulled those damn things out."

Aiden Steel Scale, the babe of the noble houses heirs-despite being two years younger then Eldon, almost could stand face to face with him in height. Just as physically built as any of the members of his house, famous all around the realm as some of the best blacksmiths the seven kingdoms ever saw. But feared even more as the most savage fighters in the Northern mountains. He had a handsome enough face, short silver hair, and violet eyes. Apparently a trait still in their blood from a union Dany's ancestor Aegon had arranged with House Velaryon. It was an...awkward subject for the Steelscales as those who knew found the irony humorous the slayers had dragon blood.

"That's what i'm afraid of though, you can still kill someone if you stab them, blunted blade or not. And Aiden's been known to fly off the handle?" Dany retorted back to the smirking Flatscale.

"Eldon's won the tourney for almost the last ten winters Dany, I don't think you have anything to be worried about little one."

"I'm giving you one last chance to reconsider this Aiden. We've used ironwood swords for a very good reason "

The silver haired boy chuckling in response, "Do I sense fear in your voice, maybe some hesitation. Feel free to forfeit if you want?"

Eldon only sighed and shook his head, "Fine I'll try to make this quick then?" Tossing one of his blades to the side, gripping double handed to just one.

"What the hell do you think your doing!" Aiden shouted taking the action as a personal insult.

"I don't need the extra weight to beat you fast Aiden." Eldon replied taking a defensive stance, twisting his feet firmly into position. "Now are you going to talk all day or will you be a man and strike me?"

"Thats what I can't stand about you cousin, you think you're just "so" much better then everyone else!" With a battle cry, Aiden charged at Eldon, bring his bastard sword around with a speed difficult to track. His older cousin only grinning at the sight.

Both young men excellent with a blade, but Aiden's downfall has always been his temper. So easy to provoke, so easy to wound his fragile pride. When he got like this his strikes became less calculated more predictable. All Eldon had to do was wait for the correct moment to strike. The instant arriving in the passage of a second, side stepping as he slammed the massive blade down; sliding his own blade up it's base creating sparks and striking Aiden with a tap of it's handle.

"No just better then "you" Aiden, I practiced with Ser Arthur, and you are no Sword of the Morning!" And with the crowd igniting in response, Eldon swung his own blade though the air-unleashing rapid strikes on his cousin. Several times striking him down onto his knees smashing the center of his massive sword letting gravity do the rest. But if nothing else the Steelscale had the endurance of a god, clawing back each time. The adrenaline slowly but surely, allowing Aiden to catch up with his cousin. Matching his blows, entering into a dance with Eldon. Each strike connecting, each blow countered, every step planned, both young men losing themselves in the exhilaration of the moment. Chuckling when one gained quarter over the other, only to scoff when that split second of advantage flipped back around on it's side.

The two warriors match reaching it's climax, when Eldon rolled to the side of the bastard sword's reach; dodging an arc that got way too close to his head. But before he could react, Aiden released his grip twisted the blade around with his momentum, and struck the sword from Eldon's hands from his blind spot. The recoil smashing into the his chest, knocking the wind out of his lungs, before toppling Eldon out of the arena.

"Well I wasn't expecting that?" Lexia said almost speechless.

"Well fought nephew, now with great pride I declare..."

"Not now uncle, I will have words with your son first." Aiden replied, "How fucking dare you, was this all just a game to you?" He shouted as Eldon pulled himself back to his feet.

"I don't know what you're talking about Aiden, you won did you not?"

"No I didn't you "let" me win, you never had any intention of winning again this year, I realized it when you tossed away your sword!" He shouted throwing his own away.

"You can make all the baseless claims you want cousin, but you won, now just go walk into the winners circle." Eldon glared at him not amused.

And it was that moment the flood gates broke. "I didn't want to win, I wanted your respect. Not your fucking pity." Spitting at his cousin's feet, who looked back up at him with a raised brow. "I dreamed of finally hearing you call me an equal for years, I worked hard for that...FOR WHAT!" He yelled punching Eldon hard in the face throwing him back down.

"You can't "win" respect in some show of your inflated ego cousin." Rising back to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth, "And it's not so cheaply "earned" by proving your the strongest, you have to deserve it with your actions and character. I pity the steel scales with you as their future" He roared, striking Aiden back much harder. He tried to listen to Dany, tried to mend bridges with him. But as the two young men devolved into a brawl, it became apparent they'd just never see eye to eye in this life.

"Both of you stop it, your family for gods sake!" Dany yelled.

Lexia placing herself between them, the moment Eldon knocked Aiden down with a head-butt; caring nothing for the slight bleeding of his forehead. "I won't ask nicely like she did boys."

The silver haired girl beyond words, this wasn't what was supposed to happen when Eldon came asking for a way to deal with Aiden, bury the hatchet once and for all. Apparently both prideful fools deciding their heads were suitable places? She couldn't stand seeing them fight over something as petty as ego.

"Let it go Aiden, don't make this worse for yourself, take the win and move on." Lexia whispered, sticking her hand down to help him up.

"Get off me woman, I can stand on my own" Aiden yelled waving Lexia's hand away to rise slowly by himself. "We haven't been a "family" in a long time Dany, just ask him why else would he insult me like this!"

"But that's not what happened it wa..." Dany tried explain to the angered young man.

"Silence" Eldon grumbled putting his hand around her mouth, gesturing a solitary "no". "He's right I did pity him. He was never going to beat me fair and square, and I have better things to do than play swords with him like we're children."

The fury Dany saw in Aiden's eyes at that remark would stay with her for a long time. "I knew it, you rotten bastard, who are you calling a child, your barely older then me!"

"ENOUGH!" The youths gazes all shifting to Eldon's father, striding over to them with his two brothers Oliver Flatscale, and Jason Steel Scale. The respective heads of their houses.

"Aiden we will discuss this later, go clean your self up thats an order son." Aiden relenting to his fathers wishes, taking one final hateful look at his cousin before searching for a cloth to wash his face.

Eldon didn't even acknowledge his petty action, no he was too focused on his father-he'd only seen that look one other time. Right before he left with Ned Stark to help crush the Greyjoys. "Who died?" Eldon asked, parting away past his cousins and Dany to stand face to face with his lord-father. "Or is it another one of Robert's damn wars?"

"Jon Aryn is dead," His son falling deathly silent, taking in that information and just what it meant for this house. Glancing over to a confused Dany, before his father tapped his shoulder. "Come you should be here for this discussion" nodding in agreement falling into line with his uncles heading for the grand hall.

"Why did he look at me like that? He's never looked at me like that before" Daenerys asked.

"I don't know, but we're dealing with two issues now. Nera and I will go try and calm Aiden down" Leaning in close Lexia whispered, "Perhaps you can be our little bird and see what's gotten Eldon so concerned?"

After a lengthy series of questions, between his father and uncles, Eldon stood in the grand hall with his arms crossed. If their was any doubt this was indeed serious, and not another one of his fathers "tests" it was gone when he ushered them into the war room; just behind the high lords seat. They never used this room for anything but what the title demanded, when the shade of conflict and death hung over their heads-darker than the walls shadow ever could be. The heir of scalebreaker, trying his best not to glance down to the chair reserved for the seascales; Hakkon's chair. The last crisis this house faced that horrible day. Finding it increasingly harder as he sought some kind of distraction, the lords having argued all day on what to do never reaching anything close to a plan.

The only reason Robert, never threw the entire kingdom against the gate, dragging Dany kicking and screaming from their mountain. Was because he believed Eldon and Ekkor had merely helped her "escape" to Essos, by stalling Stannis years ago. Thankfully passing her off as a steelscale for almost two decades. A lie he was none the wiser of thanks to Ned Stark and Jon Aryn. The two barely preventing a war with the watch when he demanded they send Ekkor's head to him at first.

If his father had taught him anything it's that when the unexpected happens, it's always a sign that more is to come. "Their are no accidents in this life son" They could only do their best to prepare for the avalanche once it arrives now nothing more, and that pissed Eldon off more then a million arguments with his cousins.

"Someone will have to meet with Lord Stark, he calmed the king last time" Jason Steelscale exclaimed.

"Robert was not calmed, merely talked down. Never forget that brother." Lord Steel Gate commanded.

"But do you really think he'd come all the way here for one girl?" Jason asked.

"That man killed thousands over "one" girl uncle."

"Perhaps he's here to make Lord Eddard his new hand? He's now most likely the only man he trusts in the kingdom?" Oliver chimed in hopeful that it could be resolved without blood shed.

"I agree with uncle Oliver, surely he's come to just appoint his friend. He didn't bring a big enough army to take the mountain, perhaps he'll just ignore us?"

"We need to consider options, surely word could be sent to her brother, he's offered to take her back before several times." Eldon's father suggested to all those within the grand halls war room." Jason spoke up.

"Viserys, is a damned coward who only cares about himself, and Dany isn't going to be some "bargaining chip" for that bastard while i'm alive." Slamming his fist onto the table shaking it in rage.

"No one said we were to send her to Essos nephew, but you have to at least be willing to hear all the options." Oliver said, putting his hand on Eldons shoulder to calm him, being brushed off almost immediately.

"Why don't we just tie a damned bow around her head then, make it easier for him to sell his sister like some cheap whore!" He barked.

"Haven't you allowed enough time to pass in this sick "game" of yours already boy, the only one treating her like some whore is you." His father said with contempt, Eldon shell shocked looked back to him unsure if he should be enraged or speechless.

"What does he mean by that Eldon?" Dany asked, having followed them and eavesdrop from the shadows. She couldn't believe what she'd been hearing, how could Eldon say such means things about her brother? He was the rightful king of the realm wasn't he, better by default then the man who'd killed her entire family and took the throne away from them. Worse yet had Eldon, been lying about actually caring for her this whole time?

"How much of that did you hear just now?" He asked with a worried tone, gauging her reaction. This wasn't how he'd planned on her ever finding out about such matters. "She's not ready to know these things yet?" He thought

"Of course you'd be to blind to see it girl?" His father laughed, before turning his gaze over to his son "I must say you certainly picked a decent imitation."

"Imitation?" She asked, Eldon's words from her dream already twisting her mind towards an endless amount of terrible answers.

"Thats right piece it together" Steel Gate, proclaimed

"How much of my life has been a lie!" She shouted at Eldon, who couldn't find the words to answer.

"Answer her damn you!" He roared in his mind "Say something!"

"Were you ever honest with me...no why would you be i'm just some plaything for you right!" slapping him once across the face, before running off to vent her anger and sorrow. Leaving Eldon shellshocked, speechless as he touched his face. His vision blurring into a haze filled mess, causing a slight twitch in his eye, and finally he moved without thinking the anger taking him.

"WHY!" The furious young man roared, slamming his father against the wall pinning him hard into it. Years of Eldon's life doing everything to protect her from that harsh reality wasted, fuckin thrown away for nothing! "I want to hear you say it too my face!"

Lord Steel Gate simply smirked to his son in response. He liked to think of himself as a man, but he still let his emotions shadow his better judgment. A lord needs to be able to remain calm, when the time came-as it always does to make sacrifices for the good of his people. Not for one person, not just for his family, but for everyone. And that is still beyond Eldon's understanding. "It's time she learned how the world truly works, why you "really" brought this pox on our house."

"You didn't have the right!" Eldon yelled as his uncle Jason literally had to rip him away from his father.

"Neither did you when you played god, yet here we are."

"How dare you drag Rhany into this you bastard!" He screamed clawing past his uncle's arms trying to get at his father. "Don't speak about things you know nothing about!"

"Down boy, don't allow your heart to blind you, he is still our lord!" The Lord of Steel Scale commanded, trying his best to strike reason back into his enraged nephew. Hopefully before he forced them to both do something they'd regret.

"When I return after restoring the damage you caused, we WILL have words." Eldon promised, turning and marching out after Dany once his uncle released him.

"Lord Stark put Eldon in charge of her brother, why shatter everything that poor girls' ever believed in?" Oliver asked, demanding to know how he could be so heartless, so unlike the man he was proud to call his eldest brother and lord.

"Harold old friend, please inform my brothers what you told me weeks ago." He commanded the silent measter of Steel Gate.

"Lord Steel Gate is dying, soon sickness will take him in the coming months, and in a year. He will take his place among the silence." Harold replied with a pained knot in his voice.

"But look at you, you're just fine h...how could you keep this from us!" Oliver beseeched his brother worried and furious.

The tired lord only laughing at his brother's pleas. "So you all could look at me like you are now? Some sickly old man, about to reach deaths door? If I can't decide how I'll die, I will be damned if I don't choose how I want to be remembered."

"He's not the one who played god with peoples lives, thats you m'lord!" Oliver yelled, still so innocent, the trait his lord thanked the gods he'd never let life take from him. Unlike his two older brothers who lost far more then just their father during the war...And still so naive, no wonder Lexia was a wild child growing up.

"My son is a good man, but a "good" man will never be enough to be the "great" leader this house needs, because a good man can't look someone in the eyes and ask them to die for them." Vivid memories of Eldon growing up flashing before his eyes, every misstep, every moment the leader he's meant to be shun through in his actions, and every fight they'd ever had...they'd had so many of those. Being a father wasn't easy, but being a lord-father had seemed damn near impossible for him. "And the Targaryen girl will never live up to her full potential if that boy, continues to coddle her and treat her like a child. She will bring a reckoning down on us, and that boy will need to grow up if he has any chance of surviving it."

"You can't let your final moments be with your son hating you." Jason echoed agreeing with Oliver. "If I was dying Aiden would know, not a moment would be wasted."

"I am still lord of this house, still his father, and I will decide what he needs to know." Lord Steel Gate spoke, staring at his hand. Shaking pathetically, soon he'd not be able to even hold a knife let alone dragonsbane. "It took our father's life to make me a lord-to make me understand being a leader. I'm willing to trade mine too make Eldon one as well."

[Later that night]

In life Doomwing had a wingspan of twenty meters, smooth black scales; horned spikes along stabbing out his spine, and eyes piercing as death. No dragon lord ever tamed him; and only one man had ever been able to break him

"Ser Gilbert, first of his name, founder of house scalebreaker; The breaker of dragons."

The first time Eldon ever saw the statues. He'd thought the beast would leap to life and eat him, even hoping his honored ancestor would spring to as well in his defense. Most heirs only saw the memorial to the dragon slayer...not Eldon. As he stood in that hall and closed his eyes, he was there watching the killing blow in Doom Wing's final moments.

Rubbing his hand across the frozen face of his ancestor's statue, it was here; no other place would do for his eventual resting place. When the dark came for him, he'd see his reward for a hard life being the honor of standing beside him.

"How did you know i'd be here?" Dany asked stepping out of the shadows.

"Do you really think I cared so little as to not learn your favorite hiding place?" He chuckled.

"Why did you lie to Aiden, it was my idea to let him win?"

"He already has his problems with me little one, I decided it was better to just keep it that way."

"You shouldn't have just decided that without asking me, I didn't want this."

"I know how important he is to you, and your important to him." Glancing over to Doomwing once again. "Aiden feels like an outcast, the laughing stock of our family, because he was born a dragon like you were; the first one in his house for decades. Thats an insecurity he has to mature from, and if hating me is the way he'll take pride in who he is finally...I can live with that sacrifice."

"Why do you never stop to think about yourself, and what you want Eldon?"

"What good would that do? I promised I'd take care of this family, and I meant it." He replied

"D...did you save me just as a replacement for Rhaenys?" Dany asked, already regretting it when Eldon's entire body stiffened, and he looked at her with reflecting only pain, and what she thought was regret in his eyes

"Who told you about her, little one?" He asked her softly.

"I know about my own family Eldon, and Nera's heard you mumble her name in your sleep before as well." She countered stepping closer to him. "Has my life just been one big game to you?"

With a deep sigh Eldon, glanced up over to the horizon below them, and finally slowly back to Dany. "First I must ask you my own question lit...Daenerys Targaryen?" It was a question the Scalebreaker had been dreading, but one that needed to be asked.

"Yes?"

"Are you happy here?"

"H...how could you ask that I...I" Dany struggled to protest, but finding no words clear enough to describe the chaos that question brought within her. Dashing over to him rapidly poking him in the chest with her finger.

"..Honestly I don't even remember when the lies started." He said very calmly and sternly. "I thought I was doing what was best for you. That by keeping you here your whole life, by shielding you from the truth I could keep you safe."

The realization of what he'd allowed to happen booming across his every word. Then to dany's shock he grabbed a nearby bird around a bird and trapped it in his grasp. "You tell me is this what happiness or freedom looks like?" Holding the caged creature up to the stunned girl. "You tell me the truth, i've made my home into your own dragon pit?" Raising his brow in confusion when she slowly, finger by finger opened the cage releasing it.

"You were never in charge of "my" happiness Ellie, that's for "me" to decide. I'm not a babe anymore, you don't have to protect me." Holding tightly on his hand, the same gentle one that helped read to her and Nera when they couldn't sleep. That tried but just never could seem to play the harp right. And was littered with calluses, from the years she watched him try and try to make his swords dance through the air and spin in his grip. "This is all the truth I need" she thought.

Kicking herself for ever having doubted him, regardless of his feelings for her niece, he'd never allowed Dany to live in her shadow.

"I just...just never wanted you to feel like you were different, that you didn't belong here, that you weren't part of this family." Staring down at their clasped hands, her's was smaller then his, but not by much. Just yesterday he could have sworn it looked so much smaller, had he really only saw what he wanted to see? That little girl he vowed to protect to his dying breath.

"Does something amuse you?" He asked once she started giggling.

"You are family to me you idiot! Nera and little Ned are as much my siblings as yours, and you've always been closer then a brother to me." She replied, looking deep into his eyes, and smiling brighter then he'd seen in years. "You've made me happy, never doubt that again Ellie."

"I should have told you about Rhany years ago, I see that now but..."

"What?"

"It hurt too much. She was my first friend, my best friend, and what did I do when she needed me I froze...No I ran away like a damn coward. So instead I lied to myself saying it was just another thing I was protecting "you" from."

Dany never saw Eldon in pain, she'd seen him in moments of joy, even seen him furious, but never had the young targaryen ever seen him in grief. She wanted to hear the truth, but she didn't want this-she'd never wanted to hurt him like this. The nightmare version of Eldon briefly draping his arms from down his shoulders like a demon. Forcing her to rub her eyes thankfully erasing him.

"Please stop, I don't want to hear anymore if this is what it does to you." Daenerys begged, turning to leave as fast as possible. Stopping as Eldon grabbed her hand forcing her still.

"No" He said, turning her to face him.

"Your not ready to talk about this, please please just give yourself time to heal." She yelled trying to break away.

"I didn't save you to "replace" Rhany. No one will ever be able to take her place"

"Then why, why risk your houses entire future. After my brother abandoned you, after my father tortured you?" She questioned wrestling her hand free.

"Because it was right."

"It couldn't have been that simple?" She yelled.

"I told you I ran away when my friend needed me and I froze when the gods took my mother from me. But you were just an innocent little babe, how could I look myself in the eyes and just allow Robert to murder you?" The guilt of just shoving Rhany's memory away like she'd meant nothing washing over him in waves. His legs turning to glass, shattering him to the ground. They both told him he looked better when he smiled, and tried so hard to keep doing so for them, but now realized he never let himself "actually" mourn either his friend or his mother.

"Eldon you were practically a babe yourself when my niece was killed, and if the measter couldn't save your mother no one could. You need to stop blaming yourself." She said hoping to break through too him.

"You weren't there, I relived those nights over and over again." In anger punching his free hand into the dead trees walls. "When my grandfather died, father had been scared, but he still picked up the sword and fought House Dracys. He didn't freeze he acted...What are you doing?"

"For once just shut up, and let me help you." She replied taking him into her arms like Nera had done for her. "It's alright, no one else has to know, just let that small boy grief for the people he's lost. I'm not letting go until you do."

She was holding onto him, tighter then Eldon ever thought she'd been able, he still could have broken free, but every-time he tried his body went limp. She was right he'd held this in far to long, pushed back the happy memories to long.

"There there just let it out, your not lord yet. It's alright to wear your heart on your sleeve."

A salty, bitter torrent breaking from Eldon's eyes as Dany held him. It felt so liberating, so freeing to just remember Rhaenys again, to say he'd never stopped missing her. To admit that part of his life had been empty without her in it. And admit to himself his mother would have never wanted him to think he failed her either.

"It's like I let them die all over again. That you won't hide how you feel anymore?" He thought

"Promise me you won't lie to me again."

"I promise little one..." Dany cutting him off

"No call me Daenerys from now on."

"Fine Daenerys Stormborn I promise to be honest with you from now on." Wiping the water from his eyes,

"If you don't mind, could you tell me what they were like?" Looking past him to see his mother's statue among his relatives. She'd heard stories about Lady Rila, but never from her children. And she wanted to know just what her older brother and his daughter meant to Eldon as well. Especially a question she now couldn't get out of her mind. The real reason Eldon fought off every attempt to have his father arrange a marriage for him.

The two talked for hours that night. Just being honest with each other in ways they'd never truly been. Eldon even telling dozens of stories about him and rhaenys. Especially how they'd used to joke about running away to Dorne, both too young to understand the impossibility of that fantasy. And the few memories he managed to make with his mother...

A/N

[Edited: 03/15/18]

Alright so this started as just a simple grammar correction, my beta suggested I do this to help me work through writers block with the next chapters I've been working on (i'm close to being done, but I can't prioritize them with school hanging over my head right now sorry). Between that I also worked in their suggestions. Even thinking of a way to have my Sothoryos OC's; especially house Dracarys. Everything from the old version is still there I just made it more subtle.