Chapter 5
Castle Black
The days had slowly passed since I had been brought back from the dead. I had been reunited with my sister/lover Rhaenys, and my cousins, whom I hadn't seen for years. If all went to plan, we'd leave Castle Black and march south to Moat Coatlin to meet up with the other Northern Lords, who had hopefully answered the call.
Ravens had arrived from Houses Dayne and Velaryon, pledging their loyalty and as many men as they could bring to the fold. Aurane Waters most commonly known as the Bastard of Driftmark.
Had appropriated the Lannisters of 62 ships. Those ships would be used to transport the Dayne Soldiers from Starfall to White Harbour, the Raven they sent back said.
I sat in my room with Ayra and Sansa. Rhaenys was off bonding with Rhaegal. The dragon was named for our father.
Sansa was busy making my new cloak. Arya was cleaning Needle while deep in conversation with Sansa about something. I was working out battle plans for when we retook Winterfell.
I worked out battle plans for every scenario. Weather, time of day, or night. How many men did we have or lack? Working out every detail. How to use all three dragons in the battle
There was a knock at the door. "Enter," I say, not looking up from the maps I was pouring over.
"Ravens come for Lady Sansa." Howar Brackwell entered with a scroll in hand.
"Thank you." Sansa thanked Howar after he gave her the scroll. I went back to reading the maps of the lands surrounding Winterfell.
"Aegon, how far is Moles Town from here?" Sansa suddenly asked me a few minutes later.
"Two, three miles, why do you ask?" I looked up from the maps.
"Raven from Little Finger. He's in Moles Town and wants to meet with me." Sansa explained.
I paused for a few moments. Gendry and the other blacksmiths working on armor for the dragons and a set of armor for myself, hammering away, became background noise.
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to meet with him, Sansa. Not on your own. At least take Arya or me with you. I don't trust him. He sold you to the Boltons."
"I don't trust him either. I'll take Brienne and Podrick with me if it makes you feel any better," Sansa offered.
"No, it doesn't. Let me meet with him. That snake sold you to the Boltons, knowing full well what Ramsay Snow was like. Of that, I have no doubt." Well, Bran had filled in the gaps about Littlegfinger and the part he'd played in the downfall of our family.
"How do you know that?" I just gave her a look. "Bran told you, didn't he?"
I merely nodded in reply.
"Aegon's right, Sans. You can't meet with him on your own. You lived with him; you said it yourself—what a manipulative man he is. How he twists the truth to suit himself," Arya cut in.
"I need to face him and confront him."
"You don't have to do it alone, Sis." Arya gave Sansa's hand a gentle squeeze.
"I know. Would you both come with me to Mole's Town?"
Arya and I answered at the same time. We would go with her to Mole's Town to meet with Little Finger, seeing what it was the snake wanted.
We rode the three miles to Mole's Town. Baelish was waiting for us in a run-down building.
"Sansa, Lady Brienne" His eyes widened a little when I stepped into the building. "Lord Commander Snow a pleasure, I'm sure."
"You wanted to speak with my sister, Lord Baelish, so speak," I grunted, not trusting the snake as far as I could kick him.
"Lord Commander Snow, if I could have a moment alone with your sister to speak, it's a private discussion between the two of us."
"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Jon, Brienne, and Arya." Little Finger turned around to see Arya standing behind him with Ghost beside her. Ghost bared his teeth at Little Finger, snarling.
"Ghost"
"Lady Arya. The Gods answered the prayers of your mother; may she rest in peace that you are alive and unharmed." Little Finger looked a little uneasy at Ghost.
"Lord Baelish, you had something you wanted to talk with me about."
"When I heard you escaped Winterfell, I feared the worst. You don't know how happy it makes me to see you unharmed."Unharmed, how was Sansa unharmed after what that sick cunt had done to her?
"Unharmed!" Sansa scoffed. "What are you doing here?"
"I rode north with the Knights of Vale to come to your aid. They're encamped at Moat Cailin as we speak."
"To come to my sister's aid. Lord Baelish. Did you know what he was? When you sold her like a fucking broodmare," I snarled.
"I had no idea."
"No idea. If that is true, then you are a fool. And if you knew you are our enemy," Sansa cut him off.
"Would care to hear what he did to me on our wedding night." Sansa took a step toward him. "He never hurt my face. No, he needed my face. The face of Ned Stark's daughter. But the rest of me, he did what he liked with the rest of me as long as I could still give him an heir.
Ramsay Bolton would pay slowly and painfully for what he had done to Sansa. Little Finger would pay for what he had done. To our families.
"What do you think he did?"
"He beat you," Among other things, the sick fuck had done to her
"He enjoyed that. What else do you think he did to me?"
"Sansa," Little Finger tried dodging the question.
"My sister asked you a question, Little Finger, so speak." Arya had Needle pointing into his back.
"He cut you."
"Among other things, ladies are supposed to talk about that. But I imagine brothel owners talk about them all the time. Did you know about Ramsay?" Sansa questioned.
"I made a horrible mistake. I was misled."
"Are you the one that said Choas is a ladder?" I repeated something Bran had told me: "You know everyone's secrets, apparently."
"You seemed to know a lot about me, Lord Commander. How is it so? You know so much about me. The Night's Watch doesn't concern itself with matters of the realm."
"A man doesn't get to my position if he doesn't know his enemies better than himself, Lord Baelish," I answered coyly. Little Finger was a snake in the grass that needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
"And am I your enemy, Lord Commander?"
"Stark men have a way of dying around you, it seems, Lord Baelish. My uncles both stood in the way of what you wanted. Catelyn Stark. Now that she's gone, you're fixated on Sansa," I say.
"That's a bold accusation, Lord Commander. Uncles You mean your father, who stupidly trusted me?"
"So you admit betraying Lord Stark to the Lannisters that day in the throne room?" I hoped our plan of Little Finger incriminating himself worked. Arresting him and putting him on trial after we retook Winterfell. Removed a dangerous player from the game.
"How can you prove it? You are not king. You are Lord Commander of the Night's Watch; you haven't the authority to arrest me."
"That's where you're wrong. Little Finger, I do have the authority. You never asked who my mother was. I am a Stark. Through the blood of one of Lord Stark's siblings." I half answer.
"Benjen Stark"
"No, my mother is Lyanna Stark. Lord Baelish, your actions led to the deaths of thousands. My uncle, both my grandfathers, my mothers, my father, and my brother died because of you. What lies did you tell my uncle that he went to his death in King's Landing that day?" I questioned.
"Even if you are a Targaryen, you are a Targaryen bastard. You have no claim on the throne."
There was a roar outside. Rhaegal.
"My brother is no bastard, Lord Baelish. Answer his question, What lies did you tell Lord Brandon Stark?" Rhaenys joined us in the run-down building.
"It seems to be a day for raising the dead. Princess Rhaenys"
"Answer the question, Little Finger, what did you say to my Uncle Brandon Stark that led to his death and the Rebellion?" I snapped at him.
"You Starks with your short tempers and slow minds. It was easy. All I said was that she'd been taken by Targaryen soldiers. Your father was the one who took her. I burned the letter she gave to Lysa to give to Brandon."
"Why did you do it?" Sansa suddenly asked.
"Revenge. Brandon nearly killed you after you challenged him to a duel for Lady Stark's hand."
"Once again, I must ask how you know such things, Lord Commander, or is it Your Grace?" Little Finger turned his beady eyes on me.
"I have my ways of finding out things, Baelish. You will stand trial and pay for your crimes."
"You cannot prove anything. The Northern Lords will never believe you. The grandson of the Mad King. They will never follow a half-breed Targaryen." Bealish arrogantly smirked.
"That's where you're wrong. Lord Baelish. We follow King Aegon. He is of the North." Lady Mormont, Lord Reed, and Glover came out of their hiding spots.
"He is a Stark by the blood of his mother. And you, Little Finger, will pay for your crimes."
I nodded to the Night Watchmen who had come with us to Mole's Town to arrest him. "The Vale Lords will never follow you. You kill me. Lord Arryn will never follow you."
"The man who murdered both his parents, you posioned, Jon Arryn, and pushed Lady Lysa through the moon door."
"That was an accident. Tell him, Sansa" Little Finger looked at Sansa.
"You murdered my aunt Little Finger. You got my uncle and father killed. You sold me to that man who slaughtered my mother, brother, sister-in-law, and unborn niece or nephew. The man's son who raped, beat, and tortured me both physically and mentally. Why should I help you?"
"Get him out of here," I ordered.
Meereen Essos
Barristan Salmy had been surprised when the young Targaryen Queen had called an audience with him. It had been a hellish week. Dealing with the slave masters. Queen Daenerys had burned the slave ships with Drogon.
With the rebellion finally quashed, They could turn their attention to Westeros. It would take a few months to sail from Meereen to Dragonstone. But for that, they needed ships and plenty of them.
"You sent for me, my Queen" Barristan bowed his head.
"I did, Ser Barristan. There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you."
"Oh, and what is that, my queen?" Barristan asked, intrigued.
"Every King or Queen needs a Hand someone to guide, advise, and set them on the right path."
"You think Lord Tyrion is the right man for the job." Barristan had doubts that the youngest child of Tywin Lannister was fit for the job.
"No Lord Tyrion will have his uses. But he would not be the right fit for the job. I don't know Westoresi Politics and you do. You have been a dear friend to me and a father figure to me. I don't want to end up like my father or brother.
I know the saying that people say about my family. Every time a Targaryen is born, the Gods flip a coin. That is why I am offering you, Ser Barristan Salmy, the position of Queen's Hand.
You have served my family well for a lot of years."
"My Queen, I don't know what to say." Ser Barristan was taken aback.
"A simple yes or no would suffice."
"Then Yes. I mean, yes, it would be a great honor for me to accept the position of being your hand," Ser Barrisan answered.
They were interrupted as Tyrion stepped into the room. A scroll in his hand bearing the seal of Castle Black.
"A raven has arrived for the Queen from Castle Black."
"Castle Black, what does the Night's Watch want with the Queen?" Barristan questioned.
"I have no idea. But I'm sure the answers lie within this scroll. Lord Hand" Tyrion handed the scroll to Daenerys to read.
'To the Queen of Meereen Daenerys of House Targaryen.
My name is Aegon Targaryen. Sixth of my name, the true born son of your brother Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Lyanna Targaryen Nee Stark. This may be impossible to believe.
My parents and Elia Martell were married on the Isle of Faces under the Old Gods and New in secret. I have enclosed a copy of their marriage certificate as proof. We are not the only Targaryens in this world.
My sister Rhaneys still lives; she is here at Castle Black with me.
I was born at the end of the Rebellion in Dorne. My father had my mother there under the protection of Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent, and Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower.
After our father fell on Trident. My mother gave birth to a boy. Knowing what Robert Baratheon would do if he ever found out. She gave me to her brother. To raise as his bastard. To the world, I was Jon Snow.
My uncle took this secret to his grave. It was only recently that I found who I really was.
This was not the only reason I wrote to you. I intend to take back what is rightfully ours. Starting with the North. The Lannisters are not our only enemy. There is a far more dangerous enemy to the North of us, beyond the Wall.
The Night King. It may sound like something out of a children's tale. He and his armies are very real. If we do not stop him, we'll be ruling over nothing more than a graveyard.
There are three ways to kill the White Walkers: Dragonglass, Valyrian Steel, and Dragon Fire. We have four dragons. Your three and my dragon, Syndro, also known as Cannibale, if you believe me,
I am sending men to secure Dragonstone. You may sail there. But we may need your men in the North to hold it. Should the Lannisters send their armies North with the Tyrells? By the time you get this raven, we will have left Castle Black for Moat Cailin.
Yours faithfully. Your nephew, Aegon Targaryen Sixth of his Name, the Righful Heir, and the King of the Seven Kingdoms.'
"Ser Barristan, do you think there is any truth to this letter?" Dany handed the letter to Ser Barristan.
"It is entirely possible that this man is your nephew. The marriage certificate looks genuine. That is your brother's and Elia Martell's handwriting. The letter from Princess Rhaenys seemed to back up your nephew's claim of being who he says he is," Barristan said after reading both letters."You rode with him to the Wall, didn't you, Lord Tyrion?"
"Yes, I did. He was only a boy of ten and seven then. He is most likely a completely different man now. His family has suffered greatly these last few years."
Dany was lost in her thoughts. She was no longer the last of her family. She had a niece and a nephew. With them alive, House Targaryen could carry on. Aegon being Rhaegar's only surviving son. He had a greater claim to the throne than she did.
What matters more to her? Family or a throne. After Viserys died, she thought she was the last of her house. Her purpose of taking back her family's birthright had been important, as had freeing the slaves in Essos.
With this new information coming to light, her Niece and Nephew were alive. The throne seemed less important. She had family alive in the world. The only family she'd had back then was her mad brother.
Consumed by the same madness as their father, Aerys.
"What is the closet port in the north?"
"White Harbour. Why do you ask my queen?" Ser Barristan asked.
"My nephew has asked for our help in taking the North back. He and Rhaenys are the only family I have left. The Thrones is less important to me now. My nephew has a greater claim than I do. I don't want a second Dance of the Dragons.
I have a feeling that Rhaegal and Viserion have gone to Aegon and Rhaenys at Castle Black. How long would it take to prepare the men and ships?"
"A few days perhaps." Ser Barristan answered.
Castle Black.
Last-minute preparations were being made before they left Castle Black. If the weather held, they'd leave by mid-morning. If not, then tomorrow, if the weather is kind to them, winter will be well and truly coming with a vengeance.
Rhaenys made her way out of her and Aegon's chambers at Castle Black for what hopefully was the last time. That room held many good memories for both of them. Aegon was dressed in new clothes Sansa had made for him.
Speaking of Aegon, he was saddling his horse. Ghost and Bran Stark's direwolf wandered about the courtyard. Brienne and Podrick had left several days earlier. Heading for Riverrun to find Ser Brynden Tully.
They'd made more plans once Winterfell and the North were secure. Ser Davos and a small company of men would go to Dragonstone to secure it. Start mining the Dragonglass.
Aegon wore his new armor that Gendry had made for him. Vaylrian Steel. Where Gendry had gotten his hands on the rare metal was anyone's guess. The blacksmith had been busy making armor for herself and Aegon, along with armor for all three dragons and saddles for Syndro and Rhaegal.
A wave of nausea hit Rhaenys out of nowhere. She managed to find an empty barrel to empty her stomach into. Not this again. This was the second time in two days.
"Are you alright, Rhae?" Aegon came over concerned.
"Fine, just my stomach's unsettled. It's nothing, my love."Rhaenys rested her head against Aegon's chest.
"Are you sure? You don't like fine."
"I'm fine. I promise." Rhaenys kissed him.
"Oi, you two quit kissing before you start fucking in the courtyard. We're burning daylight," Arya said, annoyed.
"What about you and Gendry? You have your tongue down his throat just as much." Aegon bit back at his younger cousin.
Arya said nothing, trying to hide the fact that she was now blushing.
"Aegon," Sansa said from behind them.
"Aye," He turned.
"Your Cape. The one like my father used to wear As nearest as I can remember One fit for a King"
"Thank you, Sansa," He thanked.
Edd came over to say goodbye. "Don't burn the place down while I'm gone," He joked as he put on the furs Sansa had made for him.
"I'll try not to. Good luck. You need us. Just send a raven."
"Aye, I will." Aegon embraced his old friend.
Aegon walked over to his horse. Climbing into the saddle. Everyone else was already mounted and waiting for him.
"Come on, let's go. We got a long ride to Deepwood Motte," Aegon said, kicking his horse into a walk. They were going the long way around to Moat Cailin.