Chapter 5
Harrenhal 301 AC
The Greathall at Harrenhal had been decked in all its finery. Growing up in Winterfell, I'd never been allowed to attend a feast whenever a Lord or someone came to visit. I spent the time practicing with my swords with the practice dummies.
Sometimes Robb, Sansa, and Arya would sneak me food and a mug of ale from the Feast. A force of habit I never went anywhere unarmed. I had left my swords in Dany's rooms. I still had my dagger with me as some form of protection.
I met the rest of Dany's family before the feast began. How was it that I felt more at ease with the Targaryen Royal Family than my own? Growing up in Winterfell I'd always felt like an outsider regardless of how I'd been treated by my siblings.
The Great Hall was packed as we made our way in. Daenerys looked ravishing in that dress of hers. It would look even better on the floor later tonight.
There was a low murmur as I sat at the high table: a Northern Bastard, a sellsword sitting with the Royal Family.
I didn't have to look at the table where the Starks sat to know that Lady Stark was glaring in my direction. I cannot fathom treating a person let alone a child the way she had me when I had been growing up in Winterfell.
Ned was nervous as he and the rest of the Great Hall watched as Jon sat at the High Table with the Royal Family. His family. Had Rhaegar discovered the truth of who Jon really was. No, if he had. He would have lost his head by now, or shipped off the Castle Black.
Jon was seated between the King's sister and brother. Daenerys and Viserys, Jacaerys/Jon's Aunt and Uncle. Ned watched Jon more closely in how he interacted with them. The King stood up.
"Thank you all for attending tonight. This feast is the start of the Tournament to celebrate the Twentieth Year of my Reign as King. To those competing, I wish you the best of luck. Tonight we celebrate tomorrow the competition begins. There is plenty of food and wine to go around so enjoy" Rhaegar finished his speech, his steely gaze directed at Ned. There was hatred and contempt in the hardened purple eyes glaring at him.
Another two pairs of eyes were glaring in his direction. The Dowager Queen Rhaella and Queen Elia. Ned shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Under their steely gazes.
"Father are you alright" Robb asked noticing his father's discomfort.
"I'm fine Robb, nothing to concern yourself with son" Ned took a long sip of his ale.
The gall of that Bastard. Sitting at the High Table with the Royal Family. Perhaps the rumors of the King's Sister's children being Bastards were correct. If the bastard was sitting at the high table then he must be the father of the King's Whore of a sister's bastard's sons then. The whore and bastard seemed fitting.
The Princess, 'Princess' that was a stretch. Was acting like a common whore while the bastard fawned over her.
Rhaella had hardly believed her ears when Elia and Rhaegar had her told of their suspicion of Daeaerys's husband Jon Snow, who was possibly their son with Lyanna. Jacaerys was stolen from them as a newborn babe by his Uncle Ned Stark.
If Rhaegar and Elia's suspicions were true and Jon Snow was their son. Ned Stark would have hell to pay. The bad blood between Eddard and Jacaerys now made more sense, as to why he had gone to Essos at such an early age.
Rhaella turned her gaze back to the Stark table. It was Catelyn Stark that drew Rhaella's attention. Her hackles went up when she noticed the Tully woman's hateful gaze was on Jacaerys and Daenerys who sat between Viserys and Rhaenys at the High Table.
If that Tully bitch has mistreated her grandson in any shape or form. There would be hell to pay, and if Eddard Stark knew and did nothing to stop it. Rhaegar would be the least of Lord Stark's worries. Not after Rhaella was finished with him.
Podrick Payne caught the eye of the red-headed beauty he'd seen a few days earlier. Gods was she breathtaking. Her father was Warden of the North, Lord Eddard Stark. Lady Sansa Starks.
She held his gaze for a time before turning back to her siblings. Podrick gulped when he noticed the gaze of Jon Snow, the White Wolf they called him. Lady Sansa's other older brother.
His reputation was fearsome. Pod had seen him sparring with Ser Jamie Lannister and Ser Barristan 'The Bold' Salmy a few days earlier. The man's skill with a blade was nothing like Podrick had ever seen. He was the best swordsman by far that Podrick had ever seen.
The Whitewolf wasn't half bad with a lance ever. Podrick had seen him at the lists earlier in the day. Tilting against his brother Robb Stark.
"You should ask her to dance son" His uncle and the only father he'd ever know Ser Cedric Payne advised his nephew.
"I'm a mere Squire I have nothing to offer"
"It's just a dance lad. You'd be surprised go on off with you" Cedric pushed his nephew to go ask the eldest Stark girl for a dance.
Podrick nervously made his way to the Stark table. His mind went blank the moment he got to the table.
"What do you want" The one they called Theon Greyjoy looked him up and down.
"Theon shut up," The eldest Stark boy told Greyjoy. "Was there something you wanted"
"Podrick Payne. I was wondering if it was alright with you to ask your sister Sansa to dance"
"Well there she is ask her yourself" Robb Stark prompted.
"Lady Sansa if it's not bold to ask for this dance" Podrick managed to say without making a right tit of himself.
"It's not"
"Podrick, Squire Podrick Payne Lady Sansa" Podrick answered.
"Then you may have this dance Podrick of House Payne" Podrick was stunned into silence as she took his arm and led him onto the Dancefloledor.
Sansa led the young man on her arm out onto the floor. Robb walked arm and arm with Lady Wynafryd Manderly granddaughter of Lord Wyman Manderly, Lord of White Harbour to join several other couples on the floor.
I racked my eyes over the room. Bronn was chatting up a woman, Gendry had walked over to ask Ayra for a dance. She took his hand. Taras and Bantal sat at their table deep in conversation with those sitting at their table.
I struck up a conversation with Viserys about my time fighting the Dothraki. Dany was deep in conversation with her niece Rhaenys. I didn't miss the lustful looks Visery's wife Princess Arianne Martel was giving me.
A man should be flattered that a beautiful woman was giving such looks. But I was also a married man and had eyes for only one woman. Viserys didn't seem all that concerned about his wife's wandering eye.
The Queen sorry Elia's brother and his daughters in attendance at the tournament were giving me the same lustful looks.
Ned smiled as he watched his two daughters dancing and carefree. Ned turned his gaze to the High Table where Jon had been. Both he and Princess Daenerys were missing from the table.
He spotted them on the dance floor with the rest of those dancing. What was the boy doing Daenerys was his Aunt. Then he was a Targaryen well half Targaryen. Eddard was hardly one to judge there had been inter-family marriages in House Stark as well. His own parents had been cousins.
I left the Great Hall to go take a piss. Unbeknownst to me, I'd been followed by Lady Stark.
"Something I can help you with Lady Stark" I moved to to go back inside the Greathall.
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to Bastard"
"And what exactly would that be Lady Stark" Wanting nothing more than to leave.
"Worming your way into the Royal Family. Plot, scheming your way in to take Winterfell from Robb."
"Your delusional Lady. Stark. If I wanted to take Winterfell from Robb I could do it. I don't need a Targaryen Army to do it. I have an army of my own. But I wouldn't because I have no desire to take Winterfell from Robb.
I never have wanted it. Robb and my siblings treat me like family. Unlike you. What kind of woman abuses a motherless child, for the mere crime of being born? The fault doesn't lie with me. But you husband.
He was the one who fucked my mother and broke his marriage vows. Him, not me. I'm not the same boy you abused at Winterfell." I towered over Lady Stark in heigh now. "You scared of me Lady Stark. You weren't when I was a boy. When you used to have me beaten and starved.
You lost Lady Stark, you thought you could break me, but you didn't. I rose above it and made a life for myself."
I walked away heading back inside the Great Hall, I had never known a more hateful woman than her.
Sansa was still dancing with the young man from earlier. Robb was dancing with Ayra now. Bran had joined them, dancing with a girl I'd never seen before.
"Evening Boss you enjoying yourself" Bronn came up beside me, a woman under his arm and a goblet of wine or ale.
"Aye, I am" I answered
"We're heading back to camp" Bronn down the last of his drink before he and his lady friend left.
Eddard noticed Jon/Jacaerys was on his own. He made his way through the crowds to speak with him.
"Jon, son may we talk"
"Talk about what Lord Stark" I grunted in annoyance.
"It's been a long time"
"Aye, six years what of it" I dismissed.
"Is that all you have to say to me after all this time?"
"What do you want me to say? I missed you Father dearest" I scoffed, walking off to find Dany.
"That boy has grown into quite a man Lord Stark. He is his father and mother's son no doubt" Eddard's blood froze when he heard the Dowager Queen Rhaella's voice behind him.
"Your Grace. Yes, my son has grown into a fine man. His mother would be proud of him"
"Oh Lyanna would be proud of him, I have little doubt of that Lord Stark. Jacaerys is his mother's son. He has a lot of his father in him too. His real father. The father you denied them, by stealing him. From his real family," Rhaella said hardly above a whisper.
"His real family. He's with the family he needs" Eddard weakly argued.
"Needs don't make me laugh Lord Stark. You hated that boy, didn't you? The walking-talking reminder of the man who killed your brother. A man who didn't take no for an answer.
Lyanna didn't love him, nor would she ever. That didn't stop Robert Baratheon from starting a war that cost thousands of lives."Rhaella wasn't backing down
"What of the part your husband played in the Rebellion, your grace? He burned my brother and father alive."
"Aeyrs played his part. Your hatred for my late husband is justified. But that doesn't justify stealing my grandson and raising him as a bastard. Letting that wife of yours abuse him. You knew she abused him, yet you did nothing to protect the nephew you supposedly love" Rhaella retorted.
Eddard was stunned into silence. Catelyn had never cared for Jon. But she never abused him. Had she.
"My son will not be so forgiving for you stealing his son. If you're lucky, you'll be shipped off to the watch. If not then" Rhaella left that statement hanging in the air as she walked away, back to the High Table.
I went outside to get some air this time. I stood lost in thought of my childhood or lack thereof. My 'father' that was a laugh must have known what went on yet did nothing to stop the abuse that Lady Stark imposed on me.
Rhaegar anger boiled when he heard from his mother that one of her ladies or really her spies had overheard the argument between Lady Stark and Jacaerys. It was the context of the conversation that angered him.
His son had been abused and starved, and his idiotic traitor-good brother had done nothing to stop it. Or was blinded by his wife? What kind of woman abuses and starves a motherless boy?
It seemed Eddard and Catelyn Stark were perfect for each other in that regard. The Gods would not save them from the wrath of the Dragons.
"Needed some air son" Rhaeger let slip as he stood beside Jacaerys.
"Rhaegar. Aye needs some air"
"Not a happy reunion with Lord Stark" Rhaegar made conversation, Arthur and Oswell were never far away.
"We've never been close. Even when I was a child"
"And Lady Stark," Rhaegar asked
"She's not my mother. Though I don't even who she is. Lord Stark never told me. I don't know if she's alive or dead. I don't know if she was a Noblewoman, a fishermen's wife, or a whore."
"She was no whore. You have so much of your mother in you Jacaerys" I turned to him stunned at Rhaegar's words.
"My mother" I looked at him with a slack jaw expression.
"Yes, my son. Your mother was Lyanna Stark. My wife. Your mother loved you with every fiber of her being. All three of us did. I was convinced you were a girl. But Elia and your mother just laughed at me saying you were a boy. Guess they were right Jacaerys."
"Father I" I was at a loss for words. All my life had been a lie. I was no bastard. I was a Prince of House Targaryen.
"Come here, son" Rhaegar no my father pulled me into a tight embrace. Both of us were crying as we hugged. I didn't care. All my life I had felt like an outsider despite being close to my siblings, well my cousins it turned out. I was never a Stark, nor a Snow. I was a Targaryen.
"How did you figure out who I was" I asked as we pulled back.
"I was watching you at the lists today with you brother, well I suppose your cousins. You ride like your mother, half a horse. You tilt like she did. But it was your smile I noticed. Your mother's smile.
You may have your mother's looks. There is a lot of Targaryen in you."My father answered.
"Who else knows about me, well my real identity"
"Elia and my mother" Father answered.
"Why did he take from you"
"I don't know Jacaerys why he stole you from us. Whatever his reasons, are no excuse for what he has done. Both he and that wife of his will pay for all they have done to you. Justice will be served. But not till after the tournament."Father explained.
"When we tell the others"
"Tomorrow if you wish. I am not going to keep you a secret Jace. You are my son. I am proud of the man you've become. Your mother would be so proud of the man you are Jacaerys" For the first time in my life, I had a home and was loved.
Later that night.
The feast had finished mere hours ago. The revelations of who I really was, playing over in my mind. I'd have to tell Dany who I really was. I was no Northern Bastard. I was a Prince of House Targaryen, stolen from my mother's breast and raised as a bastard.
That I was her nephew.
"Jon, are you alright you've been awfully distracted since we came back from the feast"
"Sorry, Dany. I found something out about my mother" I say lying back in bed.
"Your mother, like what"
"Who she was. And who my real father is" I answer
"Who was she, hang on your real father" Daenerys looked at me in surprise "Lord Stark isn't your father"
"No, he's not. He's my uncle. I am Stark through my mother's blood Lyanna Stark. My real father is Rhaegar. I was never a bastard, but a stolen Prince. Why Lord Stark took me I don't know nor understand" I finished.
Dany was quiet for a time as the news sank in that I was never Jon Snow. But I was her nephew.
"What is your real name"
"Jacaerys Targaryen," I told her.
"Jon or Jacaerys it makes no matter to me what your name is. If you are a bastard or my nephew. I love you Jacaerys"
"Aye and I love you my wife" I replied kissing her.
