AN: I was going to head straight to action then realised I hadn't dealt with the raven from the North so here is more political stuff. I have neglected Connington a bit so I thought I should show a little of him. Action is coming up after this one.
Chapter 37: The Dragon's Hand
Jon Connington stared at the parchment again. He did not know what to think. I do not know how she did this. He felt a grudging respect for her but he now had a dilemma. He did not want to tell the boy about the raven.
Prince Aegon was no longer a boy in truth but Jon still found himself thinking of him as such. He had helped raise him. He had been the boy's father in a way. He had seen him grow from a child into a young man into a man grown. He reminded Jon more and more of Rheagar as time passed but Aegon still had that impulsiveness, that boldness and recklessness of youth. It was stronger in him than he ever remembered with Rheagar.
The last raven from Winterfell had almost brought Aegon undone. He had gone so far as to inquire about the feasibility of obtaining ships to go North. The knowledge that the she-wolf was marching to war had almost driven him mad. He had come to Jon in a way he hadn't in years, looking like a vulnerable boy seeking advice.
"Do you think she has any chance?"
"She is a trained assassin Aegon" he had said, more gruffly than he intended.
It hadn't mattered. Aegon had smiled in a way Jon did not like, clearly reminiscing about something he had shared with the Stark girl.
"I remember". The smile had then turned into a frown. "This is different though. It's war".
His head had dropped into his hands and Jon had struggled with how to deal with him. He did not want to comfort him and have him think that it was acceptable to be mooning over Arya Stark. He gave in after all, clasping Aegon's shoulder with his good hand. Treating the boy harshly would not end the infatuation. He had already tried that.
The stories travelling over Westeros were not helping. Jon had told the girl he had underestimated her. That had been an understatement. She had taken on some mythical status if the stories were to be believed. The Northern Lords had flocked to her side. They swore fealty to her. He had heard the account from Aegon and had thought it was to be attributed to her name only, that it would be temporary and she would be displaced when her brother arrived. It was now apparent that was not the case. Her power had grown and with it, the stories had become more wild.
She had not married. Jon still remembered her, chin up and defiant expression at Storm's End. She had said then she would not marry, her hair wild and her grey eyes stormy. He had assumed that would change in Winterfell. He had thought that would end Aegon's fantasies about her. Instead she had stayed true to her word. Jon now had to hear about the warrior maiden of the North, even worse some called her princess. She was said to be able to change into a wolf, that she could smell treason and that any man who tried to touch her would have his throat slit. The problem was there was more than a grain of truth to the stories and both he and Aegon knew it.
The prince had been distracted for a while when the ravens arrived from the Tyrells and Lannisters. Jon shook his head just remembering. Mace Tyrell was clearly desperate to have his daughter be queen. She was widowed three times already. Aegon had been almost amused by the letter thought that amusement was mixed with irritation that they would even think he would consider the offer. Aegon's rejection of the offer had been far more courteous than Jon himself might have been.
The prince had flown into a rage at the second raven. Jon still didn't understand what had possessed Cersei Lannister to propose the match. It was utter madness. Even if the girl had not reportedly been the product of her incestuous relationship with her twin, the link to Robert Baratheon made it untenable and the role of the Lannisters in the deaths of Aegon's family made it downright insulting.
The rejection letter to that proposal had been swift and brutal. Jon did not try to stop Aegon as he swore that he would see the end of the Lannister line. Unfortunately after the raven had flown off the prince let slip that he had also included accusations as to the execution of Eddard Stark and the red wedding in the letter. Jon did not let his irritation show. It was a foolish move. If he had been able to have input he would have advised not revealing his weakness where the Starks were concerned.
This brought Jon back to the parchment in front of him. He sighed heavily. There was no way around it. He would need to show it at the war council. The commanders of the Golden Company and the Lords looked at him curiously when he produced it. He cleared his throat and began to read. He did not get far before they were on their feet.
"You cannot give them independence".
Jon frowned. "The terms do not state independence".
"They are not going to swear fealty. I do not see the difference".
Jon knew they were right. It was splitting hairs. Before he could decide what to say next Aegon interjected.
"Finish reading my Lord".
The prince's voice prompted a lull in the arguments. Jon kept on reading. This time he got to the end. He began to read out the signatories to the proposed agreement. When he got to the bottom of the list he paused. He could not believe he had missed it in his numerous readings.
"What?" Harry Strickland prompted.
"Brynden Tully has signed this"
Aegon looked puzzled. "Lady Arya and the Tully's are kin. Is it a surprise?"
It was. The boy was clearly not following. "Do you know what this means?"
He looked around the table. He could see it registering on some of the faces. He brandished the parchment.
"This is not just an alliance with the North".
Aegon frowned. "I don't understand".
Jon wanted to shake sense into him. The boy was usually so intelligent. He was starting to wonder if he had lost some of his wits when he took that arrow.
"The Tully's are Riverland lords" he prompted "but not just any Riverland lords".
He saw the realisation dawn on the prince's face. "They are the liege lords of the Riverlands". A wide grin spread across his face and the light danced in his violet eyes for the first time since he had returned from the North. "She has organised terms which might give both".
"Why?" Harry Strickland asked suspiciously. "Why are they offering this?"
Aegon looked guilty. "I wrote them. I wrote Lord Rickon after the rumours were spread that I accepted the Lannister proposal. They must have all read it". He flushed. "I wanted them to know I would never do that. I wanted them to know what I thought of the Lannisters".
Jon wanted to curse him for his recklessness. "You took a risk' he said tersely.
Jon still didn't know how rumours had spread that Aegon had accepted the offer to wed Myrcella Baratheon. It had certainly not come from their side. He assumed the Lannisters had somehow been confident of an acceptance or that they thought they might pressure an agreement. Either way it was folly. The other possible explanation was that enemies of the Lannisters in King's Landing had spread the rumour hoping to provoke a backlash. If so, they had got their wish.
Jon still wasn't happy at Aegon's plans for the Riverlands. He still remembered the Battle of the Bells and the Stark and Tully host marching to intervene. He did not want to forgive those who had participated in Robert's rebellion but the prince was adamant that if they were willing to become allies they should not be held accountable. It was one of the strongest reminders of Rheagar Jon had seen yet. He could almost hear Rheagar speaking the same words.
They began to discuss the other terms. All prisoners and hostages held by the Freys and Lannisters were to be returned to the North once liberated. That met no argument. The other terms were the issue. There would be no fealty. Northern lands would be administered and allocated by their liege lord. The North would not have Aegon give their lands to southron allies. The discussion became heated. Aegon got to his feet.
"I will agree to the terms".
The announcement was met by protests. Jon added his own voice to it but Aegon was determined.
"I am not waiting for my Aunt to arrive. This alliance could unite most of the realm. Do you think we will get a better offer if we try to negotiate?"
Jon had to concede his point.
"They will see it as a kick in the teeth"
Aegon nodded.
"They will not make this offer to anybody else".
The boy was right. Jon knew he was right. If not for his friendship with the Lady Arya, the offer would likely not have been made. Jon gave his reluctant agreement. Harry Strickland added his but that wasn't a great surprise. Harry didn't like taking risks. The others took longer to come around. There was a great deal of toing and froing but in the end they had an agreement. Jon walked with Aegon after the meeting ended. The prince had a faraway look in his eyes.
"She might have just given me the throne".
Jon could not answer. This is why I did not want him to know. Every time the Stark girl did something the sense of doom seemed to grow. She was not Lyanna, that was certain. He was afraid it was much worse than that. Lyanna had been wild too but she lacked the discipline her niece had. This girl had brought Aegon to his knees, much as Lyanna had done with Rheagar only instead of the two of them fracturing the realm they were somehow mending it.
Jon had become a hard man. Hate and exile had made him that way but seeing what the two of them were managing to do might have been enough to soften him a little in different circumstances. But it was not different circumstances. It was only a matter of time before there would be dragons.
He shut himself in his chambers and inspected his hand. He was still taking the concoction the girl had given him. He wasn't sure if it had slowed the spread but it hadn't hurt. He remembered her face when she had looked over his greyscale. She was the only person who knew and she had kept his secret. There had been no disgust, no judgement.
He shook his head. He had to harden himself against her. If she was allowed to be any closer it could end them all when Daenerys eventually arrived. It was going to be challenging enough if Aegon did manage to take the throne before that time. He did not know how Daenerys would react. Aegon had a stronger claim but Daenarys had been calling herself Queen. It might go well or it might go badly. It might even be fire and blood.