Chapter 7
Harrenhal, 301 AC.
Another feast was to be held tonight. Tomorrow was the archery competition, followed by the jousting the following day. Having an afternoon free, I was going to spend it with my brother and sister. I knew I should tell my cousins the truth about who I was. Before the truth came out about what Lord Stark had done, and he was punished for the treason he had committed by stealing me as a babe.
It seemed the rest of the family was joining us. Ghost and Shadow had come up from the camp with Dany and me. The guard's eyes widened when the two wolves the size of war horses walked behind us.
"Jacaerys are those wolves." Father's eyes widened at the size of both Ghost and Shadow
"They are quite safe, Kepa. They won't harm anyone unless they mean me or anyone I care about harm. This is Ghost and that's Shadow" I introduced my father to my direwolves.
"Fitting names, brother. How long have you had them?"Ghost approached Aegon, sniffing at his hand.
"About six years. I found them on my way to White Harbour." Shadow sniffed at Aegon's hand next.
Ghost and his brother went to everyone looking for pets and scratches behind their ears. Once they were satisfied, they went and sat beside Dany and me.
"Brother, Would you like to hold your nephew," Aegon asked as he held his and Margaery's son. Aerion was second in line to the throne, and I was third in line.
"Aye, I would." Aegon handed Aerion to me.
My nephew looked at me with curious purple eyes. "Rytsas, byka mēre. Nyke aōha uncle jacaerys. Nyke swear nyke jāhor mīsagon aōha kepa. ānogar hen issa lēkia."I say it in Valyrian. Spending the last six years in Essos. I'd become quite fluent in it. Hello, little one. I'm your Uncle Jacaerys. I swear, I will protect your father. Blood of my brother.)
Aerion seemed content to lay in my arms as I held him. I felt a pang of regret for not getting to do this with my own sons. It didn't matter; now we were together as a family once more.
"You'll have to teach me a few of those moves you used today. I'm going to be fucking sore tomorrow. Thank the gods, the Joust isn't for a few days."
"Aye, I suppose I can teach a thing or two, Aegon." I agreed
"Look forward to it, brother. Perhaps this time I'll beat you."
"We'll see about that big brother," I chuckle.
"Boys, boys, let's leave that for the training yard."
"Sorry, Muna," Aegon and I say at the same time.
"There is nothing wrong with a little sibling rivalry between brothers."
"There was something your mother and I wanted to discuss with the three of you," Father said. This sounded serious.
"What about Kepa?" Rhaenys asked.
"Seeing as Egg has Dragonstone, your mother and I were talking about giving you and your future husband Summerhall once it's rebuilt. Jacaerys, you and Dany can have Harrenhal if you like. If you plan on staying, that is. Or are you planning on returning to the Essos? I know you have your men over there" Father proposed.
"I haven't really decided what we're doing yet, Father. It would take time to get all of my men from Essos to Westores. That and ships take all of my men from Essos to here. How long would it take for Harrenhal to be rebuilt?"
"I can't say how long it would take. Perhaps a year, maybe more. It really depends on what needs doing, Jace." Father answered. Father's Hand Lord Jon Arryn appeared. I had met him perhaps once when I was younger when he visited at the end of the Greyjoy Rebellion a little over twelve years ago.
"Your Grace I'm sorry to intrude; there has been an incident."
"Incident, what kind of incident, Lord Hand?" Father questioned, turning to the Lord Paramount of the Vale.
"A disagreement, your grace, a violet one between Edmure Tully and a few of Commander Snow's men." Great. Just fucking great.
"About what exactly, Lord Arryn?" I stepped in.
"Lord Tully was a bit hot-headed. Calling you some unsavory names, Commander Snow."
"Probably nothing I haven't heard, Lord Arryn. What exactly had put the Bur under his saddle about me?" There had never been any love lost between the Tully family and me.
"He seemed to think you had Gendry Waters deliberately targeted him during the melee. Your men didn't take kindly to that accusation as you can imagine."
"I can imagine. So what exactly happened, Lord Arryn?" I asked.
"Edmure and your men came to blows. They were separated. Lead away to cool their hot tempers. There may be trouble tonight at the feast."
"What proof does Lord Tully have that Jacaerys's men deliberately targeted him during the melee?" Father asked.
"Jacaerys"
"Yes, Jacaerys is my son with Lyanna Stark. He's not Eddard Stark's bastard son. He was stolen from us by Lord Stark when Jace was just a baby. Why he took him, we do not know. But he will be punished after the tournament. Taking the black seems like the best option." Lord Arryn just started at Father with a slack jaw expression.
Baelon and Jae came quite attached to both Ghost and Shadow. I never had to worry about the boys with the Direwolves. They took to each other quite well. Both wolves slept in the boy's room, in front of the fire.
Once again, the Great Hall had been decked in all its finery. There was still some low murmuring as I sat at the high table with my family. Gendry, Bantal, Taras, and Bronn were seated closer to the High Table tonight.
There seemed to be a budding romance, perhaps building between Bantal and Rhaenys. Interesting, I thought to myself as I took a sip of my goblet of wine. I was never a big wine drinker and still wasn't one, to be fair. Being a prince of House Targaryen. I'd have to get used to all this.
I'd have to learn to be a lord. Growing up in Winterfell, I was given some of a Lord's education—the bare minimum. I knew warfare and the battlefield more than lordship. It would be some time before Harrenhal was rebuilt.
As the night wore on and dinner was finished, people started milling around at other tables. I got up to go spend some time with my cousins. I kissed Dany on the cheek, making my way down to the Northern Tables.
Bantal leads Rhaenys onto the dancefloor. Gendry joined me in going to the Northern Tables. He was smitten with Arya. She was much the same with him. Love seemed to be very much in the air. Sansa has a young man now. Podrick Payne. He and I had competed against one another in the melee earlier in the day.
"Here he is, the Pride of the North. The White Wolf" Great Jon Umber nosily toasted me as I came over to the Northern Tables.
"Lord Umber. It's been some time." I nodded to the Lord of Last Hearth.
"Aye, it has been lad. Shame you weren't fighting for the North. But aye you showed them Southerners a thing or two." He laughed heartily, slapping me on the shoulder.
"I did at that. It's good to see you, Lord Umber. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to catch up with my brothers." I excused myself and headed for the table where Robb and the rest of my cousins sat.
"Course lad"
"Hope I'm not interrupting," I say as Robb is in deep conversation with Lady Wynafryd Manderly. He and Lord Manderly's granddaughter seemed to be spending more and more time together. I could hear wedding bells in Robb's future.
"Nonsense brother. Lady Wynafryd, do you remember my brother Jon?" The Manderlys had visited Winterfell several times over the years. We had never formally met.
"Of course I hardly recognize you. The last time I think I saw you was eight years ago. You've certainly grown into a handsome man, perhaps more handsome than your brother," Wynafryd said in a teasing tone.
"I'm much more handsome than Jon."
"Aye, the more vain one you mean, Robb," I chuckled.
"He can be a bit vain, can't he, Jon? Congratulations on winning the Melee today! Are you competing in any other events?"
"The Joust," I answer.
Catelyn Stark sat seething as the Bastard stood talking with the Northern Lords. The bastard had won the Grand Melee. He was all everyone could talk about. The Pride of the North, the White Wolf
Speaking of bastards, A friend of the bastard is another bastard. Gendry Waters was getting his claws into her youngest daughter, Arya. Both her daughters had become romantically inclined toward men below their stations as daughters of House Stark.
Podrick Payne was slightly better than Waters Bastard. He was from a lesser house. Unlanded, and only Squire. Why couldn't Sansa choose someone far better? Lord Stannis's son Steffon was neither married nor betrothed to anyone.
Robb at least had a decent match, though it was from a Northern House rather than a Southern House. It was unfortunate that Margaery Tyrell had married the Crown Prince. A marriage between House Tyrell and House Stark would be of great benefit to both houses.
The king's daughter and sister were both unmarried. Though the king's sister, Princess Daenerys, was soiled, she had two bastard sons. Who was the devil spawn of her husband's bastard, Jon Snow?
Yes, a marriage between Robb and Princess Rhaenys was a far better match than any daughter of a Northern Lord.'
Elia sat at the high table with Rhaegar, watching the feast going on below them. Watching their three children. Rhaenys was dancing with the man who seemed to have captured her heart, Bantal Sada. One of Jacaery's companions
Aegon was dancing with his wife. Jace was on the dancefloor dancing with his cousins Sansa and Arya. Elia watched worryingly as Edmure Tully made his way to where Jace was dancing with his cousin Arya.
"Rhaegar, my love. There's going to be trouble," Elia pointed to the dancefloor.
Edmure Tully and Jace were exchanging harsh words. They were too far away to hear what was said between the pair. Whatever it was, it angered Jace. Who was clenching his fists and resisting the urge to hit the future Lord of Riverun and Warden of the Riverlands?
Dany placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Jace turned away to walk away with Dany. Edmure Tully said something. Jace's eyes narrowed.
An uncontrollable rage built up inside me. I'd always had a short fuse, but this was more than that. Edmure Tully had the gall to call Dany a whore. I could care less what name he called me. No one calls my wife a whore and lives or keeps his tongue.
I turned around, brandishing my dagger. "That is the one and only time you refer to my wife by such a name Lord Tully. Because the next time that insult passes your lips, it will be the last time you have a tongue," I lightly threatened.
Skane, 301 AC
A great black beast awoke; it opened its green eyes. The dragonwolf has awoken. My Rider. He's awakened the dragon within him. The Great Black Beast, once known as Cannibale, thought as he took to the sky with a roar.
For the first time in over a century. Dragons will return to Westeros and the world. I'm coming, Dragonwolf.
You could hear a pin drop within the Great Hall at the news that Princess Daenerys was married to Commander Jon Snow, the White Wolf. A Northern Bastard So they thought.
"Alright, let's keep our heads here. There's no need for violence or blood to be spilled here."Father stepped in. "Commander, it's best if you put that dagger of yours away." I placed my dagger back in its scabbard.
"Ser Brynden Perhaps you should tell your nephew to get some air and cool that temper of his before he does something he regrets."
"Come on, Edmure." Blackfish went to lead Edmure outside to cool off.
"No Uncle. That bastard threatened to cut out my tongue. I will not leave it."
"After you called his wife, my sister a whore. How do you think he was going to react, Lord Tully? Any man would react the same way to his wife or his sister being insulted like that." Father cut him off.
"I demanded a duel."
"For what, Ser Edmure?" Father asked clearly, irritated.
"He threatened me with a blade."
"Why wait? Let's settle this now, like men. Unless that is the case, you aren't man enough. You're all talk, Tully." I'd had enough of Edmure Tully's big mouth.
"Jon. If you two want to fight to settle this, It won't be tonight. You can settle your dispute tomorrow in the sparring ring. Not here in the Great Hall." Father proposed
"That's fine with me."
"Ser Edmure," Father prompted.
"Fine." He growled, glaring at me with hate-filled blue eyes before storming out of the Great Hall.
The rest of the evening passed without incident. We all retired to go to bed after the feast finished. I checked on the boys. Both were sound asleep in their beds. Ghost and Shadow looked up as I entered the room. Seeing that it was only me, they went back to sleep.
"Are you angry with me for what happened with Edmure Tully? I asked Dany, who had been very quiet for most of the evening since the incident with Edmure Tully.
"No, what gave you that idea?"
"Just that you haven't said much since it happened, I answer, pulling my shirt over my head.
"I'm not angry with you. You were only protecting me, not that I needed much protection. As it was, you who taught me how to fight and defend myself with a sword, remember."
"Aye, I remember those sword lessons, alright." I chuckle at the memory.
"I'm angry at the way people treat you. Your uncle, in particular, and his heinous bitch wife and her family, for one thing Promise me one thing, though Jace."
"Aye, and what's that? I ask.
"Pumple him into the ground and remind him of that. Dragons eat fish."
"Aye, he'll get a little lesson in manners, alright, my love. But right now, Edmure Tully is the last thing I want to be thinking about. I gave Daenerys a wolfish grin.
The following morning, a large crowd gathered at the melee yard again. Word had spread like wildfire about the duel between the White Wolf and Ser Edmure Tully. Those who hadn't attended the feast were told what had happened.
Edmure Tully stood in his armor. Flanked by Tully Soldiers The White Wolf, the Killer of Khals Jon Snow arrived with his own men. The Royal Family was also in attendance, watching the duel between Snow and Edmure Tully.
Many men could understand Snow's anger at what Edmure Tully had called Princess Daenerys the night before. They would have done the same had a man called their wife a whore.
Snow climbed into the yard. Two swords were strapped to his side. One with a wolf on the pumpel, and another with two dragons with ruby-red eyes on the hilt. Curiously, Snow removed his armor and shirt until he was bare-chested.
Surely he couldn't be thinking of fighting without armor that was suicide. Especially if they were fighting with live steel rather than turney swords or practice swords.
Snow drew his blades. Those swords were not originally castle-forged steel swords. The blades were gray, almost black in color, and razor sharp. Valyrian Steel. Those were as rare as dragon teeth.
"Good luck, "Dany wished me luck kissing me.
"Aye, not that I'll need it, my love."
"Jace, don't get cocky. When you fight with live steel, anything can happen. So please be careful," Dany cautioned.
"Aye, I'll be careful." I returned her kiss before she stepped away.
"The first one to yield or draw first blood wins. Are we agreed?"
"Aye" I answer
"Sure"
"Alright, begin. The fight started.
Tully charged at me. Slashing at me wilding from the right, I deflected his wild sword swing. I sidestepped his next swing. He hacked at me from the right, and I parried his sword with one of my blades. Swinging around with Wolf's Bane, I got him on the back of his armor.
Edmure swung wildly at Snow's head. Snow rolled under Ser Edmure's sword. Swiping his leg out as he did so. Edmure, who was wearing heavy armor, had no chance to save himself. Fell on a heap on the ground.
Snow's fist connects with Tully's nose. Tully wore no helmet, only his armor. Tully roared with anger as he got to his feet. Charging at Snow, he deflected the blow easily. Wearing no armor Snow wasn't weighed down by heavy armor, and he was surprisingly quick for a man of his size.
The two men traded blow for blow. Neither one gave in. Tully got a few lucky shots here and there. He never broke through Snow's defense. Edmure Tully was showing signs of fatigue from the prolonged fight. It was as if Snow was toying with him.
Snow was covered in sweat but didn't show any signs of fatigue, unlike Ser Edmure. Edmure strength was waning; he barely blocked a savage sword swing of Commander Snow's swords.
He lost the grip on his sword as Snow knocked it from his grasp. The blade landed several feet away. "Yield, Tully, you have no weapon."
"Never Bastard. I won't be beaten by the likes of you."He spat, going to retrieve his sword. Edmure Tully was a glutton for punishment, it seemed.
"Very well, then," I sighed.
I knocked Tully's sword from his grasp twice more. Twice more, he refused to yield. So on the fight went.
I decided to put an end to this madness. I parried Tully's sword swing. I cut the side of his cheek, thus drawing first blood.
"The fight is over. First blood goes to Commander Snow." The duel was officially declared over.
I turned to collect my things and walk out of the yard. I had sheafed my blades back into their scabbards.
"No, I will not lose to the likes of that bastard." Edmure Tully roared, charging at me while my back was turned and I was unarmed.
There was a thunderous roar from above. Something dove from the sky. I wasn't going mad, was I? It was a fucking dragon that descended from the sky. Black as coal. It roared in anger. Its sights set on Edmure Tully.
It spat a ball of green and black flames at the ground between Edmure Tully and myself. Edmure Tully and everyone's eyes widen at what they have just seen happen.
People ran as the massive black dragon came to land. The ground shook as the massive beast landed beside me strangely. He, I think, roared in anger at Edmure Tully, who was rooted to the spot. He understandably pissed his pants at the sight of the dragon.
I noticed the dragon had green eyes. A black dragon with green eyes. There was only one dragon known to have those eyes and to be black as night. Cannibale. A wild dragon was last seen during the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragons.
How was he still alive after so many years? The Black Dread had lived for two hundred years before he died.
"Easy valonqar. Nyke nūmāzma ao daor ōdrikagon. Nyke sȳz, konīr's daor jorrāelagon naejot zālagon zirȳla naejot nykeā crisp.." I say in Valyrian what possessed me to approach the bast. He stopped roaring at Edmure Tully. Merely hissed at him, barring his black teeth. Turning his green eyes to me, (Easy boy. I mean you no harm. I'm fine, there's no need to burn him to a crisp.)
I know you mean no harm, Kepa. You have the blood of the dragon. Dragonwolf. You are my rider. You are the pact of ice and fire. I have waited for you.
I swore the dragon Cannibale spoke to me in my mind.
"Konīr's nykeā sȳz valonqar. Easy. Pāsagon issa klios daoriot sylutegon bona nice. Sīr skoros gaomagon nyke call ao? Nyke hardly pendagon ao jaelagon issa calling ao cannibale gaomagon ao valonqarr." I placed my hand on his massive snout. Cannibale seemed calm as I touched him. There's a good boy. Easy. Trust me, trout doesn't taste that nice. So what do I call you? I hardly think you want me calling you Cannibale, do you, boy?
Sȳndor means Shadow Kepa.
"Syndor. Easy, boy, don't burn that much. They're just a little scared of you, boy, I murmured, scratching his snout. He seemed to like being scratched on the snout. A wisp of smoke came from his nostrils as he seemed to calm down.
Everyone watched in slight fear and amazement as Snow talked with the dragon. The beast seemed to listen to him and calm down. Where had the dragon come from, and why was it so content with Snow? He didn't have Valyrian blood, did he? Nothing was known about his mother.
Lord Stark was tight-lipped about the identity of Snow's mother. So who was she?
That has to be Cannibale, the wild dragon. The one few remaining dragons alive at the end of the Dance of Dragons. If so, how was he alive, and where had he been all these years? Jacaerys had been chosen by the Wild Dragon to be his rider.
Dragons had returned to the world for the first time in over a century.