Author's Note: I don't own Game of Thrones or any of its characters. I only own the story's plot and a few characters, which are my own.
Summary: Rheagar killed Robert during the battle of Trident; the mad king succumbs to his madness; and Lyanna dies in childbirth—a son stolen from his dying mother's breast. Prince Jacaerys was raised as Jon Snow. Jon/Jacaerys leaves Winterfell, aged fourteen, heading for the Essos to become a sellsword and make something of his life. Six years later, Jon/Jacaerys returns to Westeros, looking for his wife.
Author's Note: Aged-up characters Robb, Jon 20, Dany 20, Sansa 16, Arya, 15, Bran 13, and Rickon 9. This story was inspired by The Rising Son by DerkAndFullOfErrors which can be found over on AO3.
Chapter 1
King's Landing, The Red Keep, 301 AC
The Twentieth Year of King Rhaegar I's reign
King Rhaegar Targaryen First of name, sat bored out of his mind in another small council meeting; it could have been worse. He could be sitting on that insufferable, ugly chair called the Iron Throne, listening to partitioners from all over the realm.
After killing Robert Baratheon that day on the Trident, Rhaegar and his armies returned to find Tywin Lannister camped outside the city gates with his army. His father had succumbed to his madness, burning himself to death with wildlife. While ranting and raving, burn them all. Fire cannot kill a dragon.
Elia, Rhaenys, and Aegon were safe. Rhaegar sent his good brother Lord Eddard Stark to Dorne to the Tower of Joy to bring Lyanna and their now possibly born Babe to King's Landing.
Jamie Lannister was sent to Dragonstone to retrieve his mother, Dowager Queen Rhaella, and his younger and only brother, Viserys. Eddard Stark returned some moons later with Lyanna's body.
She and the babe a girl had both died on the birthing bed. Eddard had scattered the babe's ashes at Summerhall. He would take Lyanna's body back to Winterfell to be buried in the crypts with the rest of her family.
The loss of both Lyanna and baby Visenya had hit both him and Elia hard. They both loved their wild northern wolf. Some happiness came a few moons later when his baby sister Daenerys was born.
"There has been news from across the narrow sea. The Spymaster Lord Varys, known as the Spider, began, "There is now peace between the Dothraki and the Freecites. The leader of the Dothraki, Khal Drogo, was killed in battle by the leader of the Bloodied Wolf Company. A Northern Bastard by the name of Jon Snow"
Various subjects were broached during the Small Council meeting.
"Your Grace, there is one matter I wish to discuss. Both Princess Rhaenys and Daenerys are unwed. Though it may be hard to find a suitable match for Princess Daenerys as she is,
"What, Grand Maester Pycelle? He has two sons out of wedlock, according to you and the High Septon. My nephews Baelon and Jaehaerys are not bastards; they are Targaryens regardless of who their father is." Rhaegar cut Pychell off. "As for Rhaenys, I will not force her to marry; she can pick her husband, as Aegon did with his wife."
"If I may your grace, the tourney at Harrenhal could be a good time to find a possible husband for Princess Rhaenys of her choosing." His Lord Hand, Jon Arryn, carefully suggested not wanting to irate the King's already fiery temper, more than Grand Maester Pychell had.
"Very well, then. When is the tournament supposed to take place at Harenhall?" Rhaegar asked.
"In two moons, that gives those attending plenty of time to travel to Harrenhal. And for the tournament to be organized."The new Master of Coin, Tyrion Lannister, cut in.
"Very well, that will be all for today," Rhaegar said, dismissing the Small Council meeting.
Rhaegar headed for the royal apartments, accompanied by his most loyal guards, Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Oswell Whent.
Ser Loras Tyrell was on guard outside the door to the royal apartments. He bowed his head to Rhaegar as Rhaegar walked into his and Elia's chambers. He dismissed Arthur and Oswell with a nod of his head.
"How was the Small Council meeting, my love?" Elia asked.
"Fucking boring as per normal. Though I wished to strangle Pychell." Rhaegar sighed as he poured himself a goblet of wine.
"What did that insufferable old goat do this time, my love?"
"Had the Gaul to bring up that Rhaenys and Dany are both unmarried? He practically called Baelon and Jaehaerys bastards. No man would want to marry Dany because she had them out of wedlock in the eyes of the Seven. Thankfully, Jon Arryn stepped in before I ran the bastard through." Rhaegar seethed
Elia worked to soothe her husband's anger. Rhaegar was protective of his family, particularly his baby sister and his nephews. Baelon and Jaehaerys
"What else happened at the meeting?" Elia asked.
White Harbour,301AC
twenty years after the rebellion ended.
It was just coming dawn when our ship from Pentos docked in White Harbour. We'd been at sea for nine days. The docks at White Harbour were a bustle of activity, with vessels being loaded and unloaded.
The gangway was dropped from the ship to the dock below. The cargo was unloaded, and passengers disembarked. I lead Balerion, my war horse, off the ship. My two dire wolves, Ghost and Shadow, followed close behind: Gendy and Bronn, and last but not least, Taras Qaanas and his cousin Bantal Sada from the Summerisles disembarked off the ship with me.
It was the first time I had been back in the North in six years. I'd left, aged four and ten, to make a life for myself in Essos as a sellsword. I started my own sellsword company. The Bloodied Wolf Company
The Bloodied Wolf Company was one of the largest sell-sword companies in the Essos. Our numbers had been battered badly over the last three years—a bloody, brutal conflict with the Dothraki.
The Dothraki had banded together under one Khal. Khal Drogo, the khal of Khals going to war with Free Cities. He had been until I'd cut him down in the last bloody battle a few moons ago.
With Khal Drogo dead, peace was made between the Free Cities and Dothraki. I'd left my most trusted lieutenant in charge, Grey Worm. While Bronn, Gendy, Taras, his cousin Bantal, and I sailed back to Westores,
I'd come home after six years looking for my wife. Dany well was Princess Daenerys Targaryen, the only sister of the current King Rheagar Targaryen—first of his name—the husband to my late aunt. Lyanna Stark-Targaryen.
We'd met in Pentos four years ago. Dany had been staying in Pentos at Illyrio Mopatis's Manse at the time. We, the Bloodied Wolves, had been contracted by Mopatis to protect his ships under the threat of Euron Greyjoy.
Against all odds, we fell in love—a princess and a Northern Bastard in the Essos. No one cared who my name was or who my father was. We eloped, married not by the Old Gods or the Seven but by the Lord of the Light in Volantis.
The peace was soon shattered as the Bloodied Wolf Company was called to war between the Free Cities and the Dothraki, led by Khal Drogo. The last letter I'd received had been only a few moons after we went to war with the Dothraki.
"So where are we going now, boss?" Bronn asked, readying his horse.
"I don't yet. Maybe Winterfell, or we'll head straight for King's Landing."
"Or we could stay in White Harbour for a bit. It's been ten days since my cock's had any pussy. He's feeling neglected. There will be plenty of brothels in White Harbour for me to fuck my way through." I shook his head.
"Alright, we'll stay in White Harbour for a few days," I agreed. It gave us a chance to get our land legs back after nine days at sea. Thankfully, the seas had been calm across the Narrow Sea.
Winterfell, 301 AC
Twenty years after the rebellion.
Lord Eddard Stark watched his sons spar below in the courtyard. His wife of twenty years, Catelyn, stood beside him. Ser Rodrik was below, instructing them as Robb and Bran, now thirteen-name days old, spared.
"Watch your footwork, Brandon," Ser Rodrik advised.
"Lord Stark. Rider from the Hills A deserter from the Night Watch has been captured." Jory Cassel spoke from behind them.
"Get the boys, Sansa and Arya, to saddle their horses." Eddard turned to his ward/hostage, Theon Greyjoy.
"Ned why most the girls go. An execution is no place for them." Catelyn argued.
"They are Starks and of the North. Our way is that the man who passes the sentence must swing the sword. One day they may have to carry out executions in their husband's name. If they marry Northern Lords,
Tell Rickon he's coming too."Eddard argued back.
"Ned he's nine name days old. That is no place for him."
"He won't be a boy forever. And Winter is Coming," Eddard spoke the words of House Stark.
"Do you have to? Surely someone else can do it."
"He swore an oath, Cat." Ned turned to Jory.
"The law is law, milady," Jory reaffirmed.
The deserter was escorted by two soldiers to the block, muttering something under his breath.
"I know I broke my oath. I know I should have gone back to warn the others. I know I'm a deserter. But I saw them, the Whitewalkers." No one said a word as he continued to speak. "Can you get word to my family? Tell them I didn't die a coward and that I'm sorry."
Ned nodded to the guards to put the deserter's head over the block. Pulling Ice from its scabbard. Ned knelt.
"In the name of Rheagar of the House Targaryen, King of Andals, of the first men."
"Don't look away; Father will know," Bran advised his younger brother.
"Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm I, Eddard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North, sentence you to die."There was a pause before Ned beheaded the deserter with one clean swing of Ice, the Valyrian Great Sword that was the ancestral sword of House Stark.
"You did well, little brother." Bran squeezed Rickon's shoulder.
Eddard made his way over to his youngest son. "Do you understand why I did it?" Ned questioned.
"Robb and Bran said he was a deserter."
"Do you understand why it had to be me that did it?" Ned pressed.
"Our way is the old way," Rickon answered.
"The man who passes the sentences should be the one to swing the sword."
"Is it true he saw the White Walkers?" Rickon looked out at his father, searching for answers.
"A madman sees what he sees."
The ride back to Winterfell was delayed when they came across a dead Direwolf with five pups. After a lot of pleading, begging, and getting the puppy-eyed look, Eddard let them keep the pups. Saying simple. 'You will train and feed them yourselves. And if they die, you will bury them yourselves.
"My lord, a raven from King's Landing." Catelyn met them as they rode into the courtyard.
"What does it say, Father?" Robb asked, dismounting his horse.
'To celebrate His Grace the King's twentieth year of his reign. A tournament will be held in two moons time at Harrenhall'
Eddard read out the raven from King's Landing.
"Can we go, Father? Please, Father," Bran asked.
"It would be an insult to the King if we didn't go."
"Already, we'll go. We'll leave in a week. It will take us Moon or more to reach Harrenhal." Eddard agreed they could all attend the tournament.
Eddard couldn't help but have a bad feeling about going south again. If the secret he had kept from everyone for twenty years came out, The king would have his head. When he discovered the truth, he had taken his newborn son Jacaerys, raising him as a bastard.
It wasn't just Jacaerys born that day, but his dead twin sister Visenya. Lyanna had died, bringing them both into the world. Only Jacaerys had survived.
Where Jacaerys/Jon was now was anyone's guess. He'd left Winterfell in the middle of the night with only a note of goodbye six years ago. Saying he was heading for the Essos. No one has heard from him since.
White Harbour,301AC
twenty years after the rebellion.
We'd been in White Harbor for three days. As predicted, Bron had fucked his way through the brothels in White Harbour.
"So where are we going now, boss? Winterfell or King's Landing?" Bronn questioned, tearing off a bit of bread.
"You may not have to go all the way to King's Landing to find your wife, Jon. The King's holding a tournament in Harrenhal in two moons' time. That's what people were saying." Gendry cut in, sipping on his ale.
"And if it's the King's Tournament, he and his family will be attending. Including your wife, who is his younger sister, yes," Taras pointed out.
"Dany would be there. We leave tomorrow. It's a long journey from here in White Harbour to Harrenhal." I downed the last of my ale. Ghost and Shadow got up from under the table, leaving the tavern with me.