Runestone 295 AC.
Elaena.
She sat nervously as Jon readied to ride and Harry lined up to face him. That there was no love lost between them both only make her more worried. Even though the lances were not as full as the ones Andar and Robar used, they could still be dangerous, and as the horses rode she felt herself edge forward in her seat. The first clash though ended in a draw, as did the second.
When they lined up the third time she watched as Jon moved a little forward in his saddle, his horse moving faster. The hit was clean and true and Harry fell from his horse, Jon stopping to make sure he wasn't hurt too badly. Thankfully he rose quickly to his feet and though he glowered at Jon he didn't try to take this to swords, even Harry wasn't that much of an idiot.
For Elaena she was just happy that both were unhurt. Harry may be an arse and annoying but he was still kin and Jon was, Jon was Jon, she thought smiling as he looked her way. It wasn't a true tourney, the young squires riding against each other wouldn't get the chance to crown a queen of love and beauty. More's the pity she thought as Jon had promised he'd crown her if he won. Instead, though they'd receive a small prize in coin and recognition, something she knew Jon wished for more than anything.
"He rode well." Ysilla said from beside her.
"He did, Waymar is up next." she said and her cousin nodded, Elaena looking on as Jon passed Waymar and wished him good fortune.
That Jon had gotten to the final was a big thing and she knew that he wished to face Waymar, though he'd be happy enough to face Mychel. Jousting was in the Vale what really proved your skills as a warrior, something that she knew irked Jon, as it was with a sword that his talent truly shone through. Still, he'd taken to jousting well and had only lost in the semi-finals last time round to her cousin, which is why she knew he's who Jon wished to face.
It wasn't to be though as Waymar fell in four, Mychel perhaps like Jon had a lady he'd wish to crown she thought as she looked to Mya, who was smiling and sitting a few seats down from her. It annoyed her that the older she got, the less time she was allowed to spend with her friends in social gatherings. In private, she, Jon, Ysilla, Waymar, Mychel, Mya, and Domeric were almost inseparable. Yet when it came to events such as this, Jon and Mya were forced to sit away from her.
Waymar would sit with Jon and Mychel with them too, leaving her and Ysilla to have to sit with Harry and others. All because everyone thought of Jon as something he was not, a bastard, and not as she saw him or knew him to be, a trueborn prince. That revelation had been an awkward conversation and that he'd not told others only her, had filled her with pride. Jon trusting her with something so important clearly showing that her own trust in him was not misplaced.
"Elaena, you're doing it again, which daydream is it this time?" Ysilla asked a smirk on her face "Is it the one about the handsome prince come to sweep you off your feet.".
"I've met Joffrey thank you very much, that boy is not handsome." she said to giggles.
"Not the cowardly lion." Ysilla said with her hands on her face.
"Whose courage fails him at the slightest noise." she said as both of them broke into laughter.
"Elaena, Ysilla." Yara said and both of them did their best to put on a straight face, soon falling into giggles again when Elaena stuck out her tongue at her cousin.
On her last visit to King's Landing, Joffrey had been his usual annoying self when Elaena was spending time with her brother. That Jon, Waymar, and the others had come had just been by chance but she had been glad they had, as Joffrey had gotten an odd look in his face when she corrected him for calling her brother weak. The loud noise that she spoke of had been Jon slamming the door when he saw Joffery move towards her.
Though he'd said nothing, she'd seen it in his eyes, and even when he tried to berate Jon for slamming the door, the fear was clear to her. Jon playing upon it by suggesting that had he known the prince cared so much for quiet, he'd have never closed the door so heavily. Something that Joffrey took as an apology rather than the dig it was.
"They're riding out." she heard the voice call out and looked out to see Mychel and Jon riding together, both of them laughing and no doubt making some foolish wager.
"I say Jon in three." Ysilla said.
"I think Mychel will take it." she said as she looked to Mychel and tried not to react to the sideway look her cousin was giving her.
"You are a terrible liar, cousin." Ysilla said.
"I'm a very good liar." she said "I'm lying right now." she added as they began to giggle once more.
It ended up that neither of them was able to unhorse the other and she saw Mychel sigh when her uncle called for it to be decided with blades. Something he was right to do as within a few moments she heard him yield as Jon had tripped him and placed the blade to his neck.
"Your winner, Jon Snow." her uncle called out and she watched as Jon held his hand out to help Mychel up, both boys walking back still jesting with each other.
The next joust was the true one and she felt the excitement of the crowd rise, though her own did not and she barely paid attention to the riders. Not even Ser Arthur gaining her interest, at least until the final four. It wasn't that it was dull or boring but really apart from Andar or Robar sometimes managing to make it to the final four, it always ended up the same people.
Her uncle, Ser Brynden, Ser Arthur, and Sandor, even when one of the others fell because of the draw, usually her uncle or Ser Brynden, the final usually came down to Arthur and her uncle. Today it seemed to be no different, Sandor facing Ser Arthur and Ser Brynden facing her uncle. So Elaena's attention was elsewhere, watching as Mychel took a seat beside Mya and Domeric and as Waymar took his place beside them.
It took some time for Jon to come back and take his own seat and when he did it was of course with the others, and Elaena found herself more annoyed than usual about that. Almost glaring at them and the fun they were having, glad when Arthur finally took the day and they could head back indoors. She was no sooner in the keep then he found her, sneaking her away to the library before they had to get ready for the night ahead.
"Have I done something to upset you, my lady?" Jon asked as he looked at her face.
"Not you, just, I hate these things." she said and he nodded, reaching into his pocket to take out the small daisy crown he'd made.
"Not roses I know, but for now I hope they'll do?" he looked at her and she nodded as he placed it on her head, his fingers touching her face after he did so.
She leaned forward and kissed him softly, Jon staring into her eyes when she'd done so, Elaena shivering a little as he moved toward her and kissed her a little harder. They'd never gone further than this and this had only being going on for the past few moons. Elaena finding she enjoyed it very much, not just the kisses themselves but how he looked at her after them always seeming to make her heart race a little.
"A dance my lady?" he said after they had kissed for a few moments.
"Why thank you kind Ser." she said enjoying the smile that appeared on his face.
This was another reason she hated these events, it would not be done to dance with a bastard she had been told, even one who wasn't one. During their normal dinners, when they had music or when they took their lessons, no one stopped her and Jon dancing. The same when they spent time together in the gardens or at their lessons, it was only on formal occasions or when they traveled and she sighed once again knowing they'd be traveling soon.
"Elaena, what's wrong?" he asked as they sat down on the window seat.
"Nothing." she lied.
"Laeny?" he said and she shook her head as she laughed.
"I hate that name." she said a moment later, the smirk still on her face.
"You are a terrible liar." Jon said and she laughed once again, Ysilla's words being repeated to her.
"I was just... going to the Eyrie." she said looking to him and blushing when she saw he knew what she meant.
"Me too, but it's only for a short while and you'll get to see your brother." he said "Besides, we can sneak off while there too.".
"Hide from the scary fish, you mean?"
"Well, at least with me there she'll have someone else who annoys her." he said with a chuckle.
"I am looking forward to seeing father again, Robert too." she said far more cheerfully.
"See, now you're telling the truth." he said and moved quickly away from her when she went to slap him.
"I'll catch you one day." she said and he looked at her as if he was about to say something before he stopped himself and just nodded at her.
Elaena finding herself thinking on it later that night as she sat at her meal, wondering if perhaps she'd caught him already as he'd certainly caught her.
Runestone 295 AC.
Arthur.
He moved as Jon came forward, the sword flashing close to where he had just stood, Arthur, aiming his own back in a sideward's parry. Allowing the attacks to continue he brought Jon in close before he began to truly move himself, using defensives moves and swift counters rather than any true attacks to force Jon to test himself. When he then began to attack he smiled as Jon dodged and moved, bouncing almost on the balls of his feet to get away.
"You're getting slow Arthur." Jon said with a smirk.
"Am I." he said as his blade began to move quickly now, Jon having trouble keeping up with it.
The two of them fought for a long time, Arthur not truly trying to land a hit but just making Jon have to block and counter. Finally, he saw the tiredness begin to take its toll and so he caught Jon on the arm and took their spar when the sword fell to the ground. Jon looking at it with almost disgust that he'd dropped it, though he then just nodded to him and picked it up. Taking it and Arthur's and putting them against the wall.
"You're getting stronger." he said when Jon handed him the water.
"I need to, one day I intend to actually force you to spar properly." Jon said and Arthur smirked.
"That day is ever closer Jon." he said, happy when the saw the smile on Jon's face.
"Did you get the gift you wanted?" he asked as they sat and drank the water.
"I got it, Robar brought it back from King's Landing when he returned."
"Good, did he find it strange that it was Barristan who gave it to him?" he asked curiously.
"He asked me how I knew Ser Barristan and I told him that he was around the prince whenever he came near Elaena." Jon said his face almost curling up when he mentioned the prince.
"He believed you?"
"He had no reason not to." Jon said with a shrug.
After allowing Jon to get his breath back, he walked back with him to the keep, Jon off to do his lessons and Arthur his duties. It was a strange life he lived, on the one hand it was mundane almost, he a knight in Lord Yohn's service and Jon his squire. Underneath the surface, though it was very different, he was part of a conspiracy to place the rightful king on the throne. A conspiracy which now stretched far and wide and had some very unlikely bedfellows.
When the spider had come to him to actually tell him that he was on his side, Arthur's first instinct was to gut the man. Only the letter from Barristan keeping him from doing so and so instead he listened and was stunned. They were bringing in allies already, Varys meeting with a magister in Essos who was providing coin and then making moves to the loyalist houses. It was when he mentioned the Reach though that things took a turn.
"Lady Olenna will wish her granddaughter on the throne, Ser Arthur, that will be her price. It gives us three kingdoms, four if Dorne decides to join, maybe five if the Riverlands go with kin." Varys said.
"I'll not sell my king off like a piece of meat spider, not make plans for his life without his input or against his will." Arthur said.
"But isn't that what we do Ser Arthur, we make plans for his life? We wish him crowned and do all in our power to see that done." Varys said.
"We do, but not on his personal life spider, I've seen what happens when a match is made that's not a love one. What and where it leads to, I'll not see that with Daeron." he said shaking his head.
"The boy loves another?" Varys asked.
"He is a boy Varys, he feels as a boy feels but aye I believe he does and if he's anything like his father in that respect, then there is nothing he won't do to have her." Arthur said.
"Very well, for now, I'll leave the Reach out, but Arthur should this prove nothing but an infatuation?".
"Aye.".
He had known it would not and it had not, each day he spent with Jon he saw it, and despite the numbers that the Tyrell's brought, they didn't deserve a royal marriage. Had they rode instead of besieged a keep that would never fall, if they had come to Rhaegar's aide, he thought shaking his head. Seeing Sandor he walked over to him, his new brother watching as the two Royce guards sparred, an unimpressed look on his face, though he was like that most of the time.
"Not joining in this time?" he asked.
"Apparently I take it too seriously, it's a fucking fight it's supposed to be serious." Sandor said.
"A spar Sandor." he said shaking his head chuckling when the man almost growled at him.
"Jon at lessons?" Sandor asked looking behind him.
"Aye he is, the little sod is getting far too fast, even I'm finding it hard to keep up with him." he said proudly.
"Getting stronger too, better than these two useless fuckers." Sandor said pointing at the guards.
He laughed a little, before he left Sandor to his duties and went to do his own, only for a servant to call for him.
"Ser Arthur, Ser Arthur, a raven Ser." the boy called out and Arthur looked to see the scroll in his hand.
"Thank you lad." he said as he took it and looked down to see his family sigil on its seal.
He broke it quickly, it was rare he received news from home and he always enjoyed the letters when they came. Ulric would write occasionally but mainly it was Allyria who did so, his sister telling him tales of Starfall and of her and young Ned. Quickly though it was clear that this was not that type of letter, Arthur reading the words and feeling the upset they caused almost immediately.
My dearest brother,
It saddens me to write this news but Ulric has taken ill Arthur, gravely so. Maester Thomand says there is not much hope and while I've also had some healers look at him and gotten another Maester to examine him in the hope Thomand is wrong, it's clear that he is not. He asks for you, brother, wishes to see you before he goes and I believe it's the one thing which gives him the strength to hang on. I beseech you, please brother, please come home and grant our brother his final wish.
Your loving sister,
Allyria.
He needed to sit down after reading the letter and so he walked back to where he and Jon had sparred earlier that day. Though he found himself passing by and instead he ended up in the old Sept. The statues remained and though there were no candles to light, Arthur found himself kneeling by them anyway, praying to the father and the mother and finally the crone before leaving.
Dinner that night found him quiet and distracted, so much so that Jon kept looking worriedly at him. Something Arthur wasn't aware of until it came time to turn in. He was walking back to his room and had only just reached the door when he heard the footsteps and turned to see Jon standing there looking at him concernedly. Not wishing the conversation to be held in the hall, he opened his door and they both walked inside. Arthur almost falling onto the bed as he sat down.
"Arthur, what is it?" Jon asked, his worry clear.
"My brother, it's Ulric, Jon, he's dying." he said and felt Jon sit down on the bed beside him.
"I'm so very sorry Arthur, is there nothing that can be done?" Jon asked and Arthur shook his head and handed him the raven scroll.
"You need to go to him, Arthur." Jon said as he finished reading the scroll.
"I cannot, my place is by your side." he said.
"Not now, now it's with your family Arthur. Not only does your brother need you, your sister, your nephew, they'll need you also." Jon said.
"I am bound by an oath Jon, an oath to my king, I guard you, you have to be safe." he said shaking his head.
"I am, I will be, Arthur. I have Sandor and apart from going to Elaena's celebration in the Eyrie, I won't be going anywhere else. Even then I'll be traveling with Lord Jon, Elaena, and their guards, go Arthur, I'll be here when you return."
"Jon..".
"Go, don't make me command you." Jon said though with how he looked at him when he did so, Arthur was sure he would never do such a thing.
"You promise me that once you're back from the Eyrie you'll not leave Runestone until my return, will you promise me that Jon? He asked looking to him.
"I promise Arthur.".
He spoke to Yohn the next morning, the man expressing his sympathies and promising he'd not allow Jon stray from Runestone while he was away. Arthur then going to speak to Sandor, though he found he had no need to, Sandor telling him Jon had come to him and that he'd make sure the little sod didn't get into any trouble while he was gone. After finally making ready he went and said his farewells for now to Jon, still unsure if he was right to leave his side and yet glad he was able to all the same.
He rode hard to Gulltown and arranged passage to King's Landing and from there he'd take a ship to Dorne. Annoyed that he'd have to wait a day or so for a ship to take him from the Vale. Though he ended up welcoming it in the end as the ship he gained passage on was the ship that Jon Arryn arrived on. Arthur glad to see how large an accompaniment of guards the Hand had brought with him.
"Ser Arthur, is there something wrong, has something happened?" Jon Arryn asked and Arthur shook his head, knowing the man's worry was for Jon or his daughter.
"No Lord Jon, a family emergency, my brother is gravely ill and I travel to Starfall." he said.
"You have my sympathies, Arthur, truly. Sandor is with Jon?"
"He is, they'll travel to the Eyrie with you."
"Good, I'll see he's safe Arthur. I'll not let him go for rides or leave the keep once I'm there, to the Eyrie and back and that'll be it." Jon Arryn said with a nod.
"Thank you Jon." he said as he moved to walk to the ship.
"Once again Arthur, my sympathies."
He by that time had walked away, hearing but not replying to the man, thoughts of his brother now far more clear in his head. Ulric had been the rock their family was built upon, his brother had kept their house together through everything. Ashara's death, his own plans, Ulric had quietly gone about making sure House Dayne stood proud and ready to answer the call. All the while raising their sister and his own son, alone and with no wife to help him.
Though Arthur's duties were elsewhere and his place by his king's side and not his family, he swore he'd be there for young Ned if he needed him. That he'd see Allyria got married to a good man, one who'd treat his sister with the respect she should have, a man who'd give her the love she deserved. Though a different vow than the one he swore to his king, as the ship sailed away later that day, Arthur knew that this one he'd hold just as true.
Driftmark 295 AC.
Varys.
Troubling reports once again only showed why the Lannisters were to be feared and why the realm could not take them being even more in control of the Iron Throne. What they had done or to be more precise what the queen had done to those children and their mother, no these people couldn't be allowed to take the throne. As cruel as Cersei was or as ruthless as Tywin could be, the boy would be even worse Varys thought, shuddering as he remembered the cat.
Shaking his head from such thoughts he looked around the port, glad to see the work that had been done. He made his way to the castle itself, eager to meet with Monford once more and to hear from the man's own lips just what Illyrio's coin had bought. His disguise this time was of an Essosi trader, something that Driftmark had gotten so used to seeing that no one paid him the slightest attention. Varys smiling to himself when he entered the Great Hall and looked to Monford sitting and hearing petitions.
"My lord, I've traveled from Pentos to meet you at my good friend Magister Illyrio's request." he said and looked on as Monford hesitated before recognizing him.
"Ah, I'm eager to hear about my friend, Aurane could you show our guest to the solar." Monford said.
"At once brother." Aurane Waters said as he walked towards him, Varys allowing the man to bring him to Monford's solar.
He drank the wine that was offered and sat waiting for the lord himself to arrive, Aurane wasn't the most talkative person and Varys always got the impression that the man didn't like him. Not that it bothered him, he wasn't here to make friends for himself and had already made them friends of his king, that was enough to allow him to do his work.
"Forgive me Lord Varys, I find myself busier each day. Driftmark thrives thanks to our king and Magister Illyrio." Monford said sitting down.
"I'm most pleased to hear it Monford, may I ask how well it thrives?" he asked though he knew the answer.
"We now control more than fifty ships Varys. Illyrio gave us access to some of his own routes in Essos and I now have more than four thousand men at my call, though not all here obviously." Monford said with a chuckle.
"Essos?" he asked.
"Essos. They can be here in a moon though and I've started to bring some more over every few moons, with enough time I may be able to bring them all without it being too noticeable, especially if a certain Master of Whisperers keeps the secret to himself."
"Indeed. I have something for you." he said taking out the note and handing it to Monford who read it.
"Manderly?" Monford asked once he'd done.
"Speak to Lord Wyman himself, Monford. He knows of our king and our arrangement with Illyrio. It's time the North improved it's own navy even further, help them with the ships, they'll provide the men." Varys said.
"Robert?" Aurane asked.
"Will smile and be glad the Starks are looking to keep the Iron Born at bay." he said with a titter.
"The king?" Monford asked.
"Is coming along fine, he and Arthur train daily and he's diligent in his studies. He'll be ready when he's of age Monford and then finally we'll have a king to be proud of." he said his voice firmer than he'd expected.
"Fire and Blood." Monford said raising his glass.
"Fire and Blood." he said raising his own.
He left Driftmark that night, not staying for the meal he was offered and instead eating alone on the ship as it sailed past Dragonstone, Thinking to the work he'd done and the help that Illyrio had provided. Driftmark and Claw Isle, Velaryon, and Celtigar both had been brought on board and raised up. Darry too and House Mooton. In the North, they'd seen Wyman Manderly rise to be the second-largest trader in Westeros, only the Reach Lords doing as much as the lord of White Harbor.
Ned Stark had welcomed the extra coin and begun works that were long since needed, Moat Cailin specifically and the gathering of arms. The old gods themselves only knew how much armor and arms the Starks had smithed, Varys chuckling at the thought. Where Monford had spent coin on ships and men, Stark had spent it on strengthening keeps and making weapons. The North would ride to war far better supplied than it had ever been before, only Tywin's own army and the Knights of the Vale being better prepared.
Soon he began to smell the city and the docks of King's Landing drew closer. Varys changing his disguise to that of an old beggar and readying to travel through the city. There were far too many crimson cloaks for his liking, the Lannisters having pretty much taken the city over and he sighed once more at that. When Daeron took the throne he needed to do things differently, the crown and the people must be in charge, not the great houses, never them anymore.
He arrived at the tunnel entrance and was soon back in his rooms, the clothing discarded and he arranged a bath and washed quickly. The perfume he doused himself in and the silken robes he wore, just another mummery and he wondered if he'd ever be the real him again or did that boy die in that room so very long ago. Now was not the time for such thoughts though, so he left his room and began to walk around the keep. Seeing the knight walking alone he quickly joined him.
"Ser Barristan." he said softly.
"Lord Varys, you have returned, I assume you had a pleasant trip?" Barristan said.
"Most pleasant Ser." he said as the turned the corner, Varys seeing the golden armor of Jaime Lannister up ahead of them.
"Your brother Ser Barristan, I think it's time we checked his loyalties." he said his voice barely a whisper.
"How?"
"We tell him a hurtful truth and see how he reacts. It's time Ser Jaime knows he's not the only one who warms his sister's bed." he said and Barristan frowned but nodded.
"Relax Ser, it's just a move in the great game." he tittered and the frown on the knight's face grew more pronounced.
He had spoken the truth though and that's all it was. If he could steal Tywin's golden heir like Aerys had, if the knight lived up the promise he had once shown then Daeron would gain a valuable ally. They'd have another white cloak to guard his king's back and they'd remove a piece from Tywin's side, the game swinging ever more in their favor he hoped.
King's Landing 295 AC.
Barristan.
For over three years he'd lived on reports, letters, and ravens, anything he could hear from the Vale. Be it from Arthur himself, from Lord Jon or just in general, his days were filled with anticipation that he'd hear news of his king. Since speaking to Lord Jon, it had been easier, the Hand stunned to have him on the king's side and even more so when he told him that Varys was on board too.
"We cannot trust the spider, Ser Barristan." Jon Arryn said.
"On this, we can my lord, he's known as long as I have and the king has faced no danger." he said "He wishes to help my lord and he can go places where you and I cannot."
"You truly trust him, Barristan?" Jon Arryn asked.
"I trust him." he said.
"Very well. It's good you're with us Ser."
He had never thought himself capable of duplicity, had always felt it demeaning and beneath him. Yet he knew now it was necessary, needed even, and that what they aimed to do made it worthwhile. What was truly surprising was that he discovered he'd a knack for it, an ability he'd never imagined he'd ever have the use for. With Jaime Lannister, this was more clear than with any other and would be needed in the days to come.
Barristan found he liked his brother, that when they were together the two of them were apart from the rest, they were different. Jaime was arrogant and could be sarcastic when around other people, something he could now see was an act. When they spoke together they spoke as brothers, as once he'd spoken to Arthur or Gerold, Oswell or Jonathor, or to Lewyn. Both them remembering fondly the seven they once were and their spars over time had become a more regular occurrence.
The truth with Jaime though was there in his eyes and never was this more clear than when Arthur and Jon arrived with Lady Elaena on her last visit. The eagerness at first to see Arthur and then the interest when he saw Jon, was there for all to see, if you knew where to look that was.
King's Landing one year earlier.
The laughter was infectious and as he stood guarding the king and looking down on the boys' spar, his eyes were drawn from it to the girls. Lady Ysilla and Lady Elaena couldn't stop themselves from laughing and it quickly became clear why. Whatever Jon told them had made them both laugh truly, the spar all but forgotten and he knew then there would be trouble.
Loras like the roses his family were so proud of, was prickly at times, especially when it came to his work in the yard. Lord Renly's squire was the best of his age and he knew it, his arrogance though well deserved wasn't knightly in Barristan's opinion. Though he imagined some had said the same of him when he challenged anyone to face him in a joust at ten namedays old. What the Tyrell boy didn't realize though was the world didn't revolve around you, that what you did wasn't always the focus of the attention, something he proved not a moment later.
"What do you find so damn funny" Loras said walking over to Jon and the two ladies.
"My lord? "Jon replied.
"I said what do you find so funny, bastard." Loras said and Barristan felt himself bristle and was glad Robert didn't hear, for all his faults and there were many, Robert seemed to find great pride in Jon Snow.
"We were telling stories my lord, adventures of a day a few moons ago." Lady Elaena said looking at the older boy who still seemed to have his thorns on show.
"Ah, so a bastard trained by the Sword of the Morning would prefer to tell tales than face a sword, I'd be disappointed in you Snow, were you trueborn." Loras said with a snort.
"And I live in fear and worry about disappointing you Lord Tyrell, why the shame of it, truly what would I do? Though perhaps it's for the best, lest I take my own sword, and then you'd have to live with the shame of losing to a bastard." Jon said Elaena and Ysilla chuckling.
"You think you're a match for me, bastard?" Loras said contemptuously.
"I think on my worst day I'm a match for you my lord, on my best, you don't even belong in the same yard. Care to find out which day today is?" Jon said and Barristan noticed the focussed look in his eyes as he did so.
"Very well bastard." Loras said walking to the yard.
"Ladies, if you'll excuse me, it seems I've to do a little pruning." Jon said with a small bow and to more laughs.
He watched as the boy took a thin sword from one of his friends, both of them looking on eagerly as he walked to the yard. Robert who'd been talking to his brother Renly up until that point, soon looked up to see the boys ready to face each other.
"Looks like your squire is about to take a beating Renly." Robert said laughing.
"From a bastard? I very much doubt it." Renly said shaking his head and smirking.
"How about a wager, fifty gold dragons that Ned's boy takes the day?"
"Aye, but make it a hundred." Renly said his smile bigger now.
He heard the sound of the footsteps behind him and looked to see Jaime arrive with Princess Myrcella, the girl walking to greet her father while Jaime walked over to him.
"What's happening?" Jaime asked him.
"The Tyrell boy was being an ass and challenged Jon Snow to a spar, they're about to begin." he said and saw Jaime look to the yard with interest.
"Arthur?"
"No, it seems he's elsewhere." he said and noticed the brief look of disappointment of Jaime's face, though soon it was replaced with excitement as both boys began.
Barristan quickly looked to the Hound, the man was serving as Jon's guard and he found him looking on with almost a watchful eye. The man looking more like a tutor than a guard which he found interesting. Though not as much as the fight itself, he had thought Loras to be the best of his age, it was soon clear he was very wrong.
Jon moved incredibly quickly and caught Loras by surprise, the other boy's strike finding nothing but air, left and then right, in front of him and to the side, never stopping his movements. His feints were so quick and so fast that Loras fell for two of them easily, making every strike that came after it hit home if that was what Jon wished them to do. The end came with a leg sweep and a knee on Loras's chest, words spoken so softly that he couldn't hear them from where he stood. He smiled when Jon helped the boy up. The sullen expression on Loras's face was one he enjoyed, yet despite his anger and embarrassment the squire did at least shake hands.
Robert was overjoyed and Renly dismayed, yet looking to those who knew Jon he saw they weren't in the least bit surprised. The girls just smiling while Jon's friends just shrugged and Barristan found himself smirking at the proud look on the Hound's face. Though it was Jaime's which he'd remember for a long time afterward, his brother looking as if he'd seen a ghost from the past and Barristan wondering if he now knew the truth of things.
King's Landing now.
Among the many things he did when he spoke or sparred with Jaime since that day was to drop little hints and see if they were picked up on, see if he was right and if his brother knew. If he did he kept it to himself and it both filled him with pride that he protected his king and with annoyance that he didn't trust him enough to speak to him on it. Though considering he hadn't spoken to Jaime about Jon, it was a bit hypocritical of him to think so.
He spoke to Varys about it mainly, not ready to bring it to Lord Jon and not willing to risk it in a letter to Arthur, despite the spider telling him that he'd ensure it got to him unopened. They'd reached no conclusion and so he'd put it out of his mind, only for now the spider to present him with this. To have him send Jaime on a trail that would cause him pain and hurt.
"Why would we want him to know?" he asked.
"He needs to know, break him from her, Ser, and you have a chance to break him from his family." Varys said.
"We are Kingsguard we swore an oath, our king comes before our family." he said looking to the bald-headed man.
"You did. Love though, love is a powerful motivator Barristan, it can make you forget all other oaths, forget your senses and we've seen what happens when that love is all-consuming."
"Very well." he said the spider not needing to say anymore or tell him of whom he spoke.
He sat in his room in White Sword Tower, thinking of how to broach the subject. On this he found himself lost, how do you tell a man who's in love that he's not the only one? That he's just one amongst many and that when he's not there, his love looks elsewhere. There really was no way to do so without causing pain. So swift, sharp, shock would be better than long drawn out agony he felt as he walked to the round room.
"I had thought you'd retired for the night." Jaime said as Barristan sat down beside him.
"I had considered it, but..we must talk Jaime, of a subject I know you'll dislike." he said and saw Jaime stiffen.
"I wondered when this would come up." Jaime said and Barristan nodded.
"Your sister, Jaime, what you do together..." he said and saw Jaime looked at him seeming somewhat surprised, forcing him to pause longer than he'd intended.
"I had thought something else." Jaime said sounding almost relieved.
"I care not of what you do Jaime, it's not my place to judge. Jonathor saw a married woman and Lewyn had his paramour after all. I ask not for you to live up to the oath of chastity, I cannot. Nor will I condemn you for doing something that the family I served for most of my life thought right and proper, I'm not that hypocritical." he said.
"Then it's the oath we swore to the king that gives you pause?" Jaime asked looking at him.
"I care not for that either brother." he said reaching his hand out and touching Jaime's shoulder "I have harsh news for you, a harsh truth Jaime, you are not the only one who shares your sister's bed."
"Robert and she…."
"Nor is Robert." he said softly.
Jaime looked at him, glared at him as he stood up angrily, his face red and his hands balled into fists.
"You don't need to believe me and I wish I'd not have need to tell you this." he said looking to the table.
"Then why did you?" Jaime asked his voice tight as he seemed on the verge of either exploding or breaking down.
"You are my brother and you deserve to know." he said as he stood up "Watch and learn Jaime and when you know the truth, know that I'm here for you."
He walked from the room and hoped he'd done the right thing and that when Jaime learned the truth that it didn't break him completely.
Winterfell 295 AC.
Ned.
He had returned from Moat Cailin and White Harbor after being away from home for over a moon. Eager to get back to his wife's embrace and to their bed. That he had missed her and the children hadn't been a surprise, even how much he missed them he'd expected. But his eagerness to actually get back to his home was one he found growing by the day, an almost impatience at being out on the road forcing him to ride longer and harder than usual.
So much so that he'd nearly driven the horses into the ground, having to basically stop and rest and pretty much negating all his efforts to get home quickly. When he finally saw the walls of Winterfell come into view though he felt it deep in his heart, the joy and relief it always brought him almost overwhelming him this time. Seeing them line up to greet them was when it became clear to him, his wife's swollen belly was the true reason for his eagerness.
"Winterfell is yours, my lord." Cat said as he walked toward her.
"Its lord is most pleased to see you my lady, most pleased." he said kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear that he loved her.
"Father." he heard Robb say and he greeted his son and then his daughter, Sansa smiling when he kissed her cheek too.
"Look at you, my wild little wolf, you've grown so big." he said and Arya giggled as he pretended she was too heavy for him to lift.
"I missed you father." she said and he told her how much he'd missed her before greeting Bran.
He looked around the courtyard and saw his wards, Wynafred Manderly, Torrhen Karstark, Daryn Hornwood, and Eddara Tallhart. Others had come and gone but these were more permanent. He once again thanked Wyman for the idea, the older heirs and sons having come to spend some time in Winterfell, not a true fostering but more a short stay so they could get to know each other better.
He laughed as Sansa, Wynafred and Eddara walked away together along with Jeyne Poole, while Robb, Bran, Torrhen, and Daryn Hornwood weren't allowed to leave without Arya. Taking Cat's hand he walked into the keep and to their rooms and they were no sooner in them then he and his wife were kissing each other passionately. Ned having missed this for far too long also.
"God's I missed you Ned." Cat said breathlessly as they lay on the bed, Ned holding his wife in his arms.
"Aye me too, Cat, has this one been giving you any trouble?" he asked as his hand stroked her belly over her dress.
"No, thank the seven. How was the trip?"
"Good, Wyman says we're expanding further into Essos, whatever that means." he said and heard her chuckle.
"Now I can see why you leave trade to him." she said kissing his cheek.
"I've not the mind for it Cat, Wyman is a good man and true, he'd not cheat us." he said.
"No, he'd not. Did he ask about Wynafred again?" she asked as he got up and walked to grab a mug of water, looking at her when she nodded that she'd like one too.
"He did without asking, you know what Wyman is like. It's a good match Cat, though they're far too young." he said.
"It's a betrothal and I think he wishes for it Ned." she said and he looked to see her nod..
"Sansa?"
"Wants to go south, we should never have let her go to White Harbor. I know it was only a few moons but she wishes ever more to foster somewhere Ned, even with the girls here." Cat said as he handed her the mug.
"I don't wish any of them to foster, but perhaps we could let her travel a bit. She could go visit Jon in the Vale, your sister too." he said.
"Aye, perhaps." Cat said and he stretched and she laughed as his bones creaked "You need a warm bath and out of those clothes, I'll have Karla prepare one for you." his wife said and he chuckled when he had to help her off the bed, glad though that she didn't see him.
Dinner that night was one of the best he'd had in an age, just being with his family and eating in his own hall was more than enough for him. He looked to see his children all engaged in conversation, Robb and Wynafred speaking to each other and Sansa talking to Jeyne Poole while Arya and Eddara laughed over something. Looking around he felt happy, things had gone well and his life was as good as it had ever been. His family and friends were content he thought before he saw the one unhappy face in Winterfell's hall.
Theon Greyjoy had been an enigma to him, he knew he had it hard at Winterfell and he'd tried his best to make it easier for him. But he was an Iron Born hostage and with northern sons here, with them visiting far more often, no one ever let him forget that. At one time he'd hoped for the boy to be a ward and he would have raised him as such were it not for others.
Arthur, Wyman, his wife, all of them counseled him to think of the boy differently, he was not here by choice, nor to gain or make friends. One day he may be forced to take the boy's head and it would not do if when that day came he thought of him as a foster son. Something he'd saw even more clearly now in the boys who had come by choice, his true foster sons. Something he was incredibly proud of was helping to mold these boys into men. Of course, that thought inevitably led to the boy who wasn't here, the one others were molding.
"Ned, are you well?" Cat asked and he shook his head, knowing he must have been wearing that frown he was told he sometimes wore when he was thinking.
"Aye, I'm well." he said smiling at her.
A few days later they welcomed the arrival of their son, Rickon Stark. Ned couldn't be prouder or more relieved that both his wife and child had come through the birth well. The little boy's bright blue eyes looking at him and for the briefest moment they were the purple ones of another boy, the small finger's grabbing his own were a memory of another time and place and a promise he'd made.
The Vale 295 AC.
Jon.
The journey to the Eyrie had been dull, he had promised Arthur he'd not ride off and Sandor had made sure he kept to that promise. So he'd stayed by the carriages and rode at basically walking pace. It had though allowed him to keep near to Elaena and he'd enjoyed that, even if Waymar hadn't. While he had been bored, Mychel was excited to be traveling with them, the reason why becoming clear as they met Mya and her mules on the pass that led to the keep.
Once they'd arrived some of the shine was taken off almost immediately by the look on the lady's face. When or why Lady Lysa had decided she needed to attend these celebrations was beyond him. The woman had made it clear in King's Landing how she still felt about Elaena and only him being there had directed most of her ire at him and not at Elaena herself. Apparently bringing her sister's husband's bastard to court was a great shaming of her beloved Cat.
Jon had found that odd, Lady Catelyn had never felt him shameful, nor had she allowed anyone else to think so. Even saying so to a lady in Runestone while they had visited a couple of years earlier, Jon smiling when he remembered hearing her stand up for him. That he and the lady had no problems between them though didn't seem to have registered with Lysa, or she simply had not cared.
So it had made for an uncomfortable trip to King's Landing and even more uncomfortable one in the Eyrie, as now he was apparently despoiling her very own keep. The only thing more guaranteed to raise the scary fishes ire when she saw him, was if she saw him near Elaena's brother. Something sure to almost have the woman go into a seizure and which had caused Lord Jon to apologize to him more than once.
"Forgive me, Jon, my lady wife is most protective of young Robert." Lord Jon said.
"There is nothing to forgive my lord, perhaps it's for the best if I make myself scared when Elaena is with her brother?" he asked.
"It's for the best Jon, thank you."
So he had done just that, kept away from Robert, and yet it still hadn't been enough to stop the Scary Fish moaning and getting angry anytime he was near or did anything in her presence. Why she disliked him so though he found he cared not, it kept her from Elaena and that was the job of a knight anyway, to protect a lady from all harms and hurts.
His time alone with Elaena was when he was truly happy. That she knew the truth of him, that she accepted him for who he was, not Jon the bastard son of Lord Stark or Daeron the trueborn one of Rhaegar and Lyanna Targaryen. Simply him, he was Jon to her and that was more than enough for him. It had been what had led to their first kiss, that acceptance and why each day it was her that he found himself thinking off.
"You'll fall from that damn horse if you don't pay attention boy." Sandor said gruffly as they rode.
"I can ride a horse in my sleep." Jon said with a smirk.
"You can also fall off one in your sleep, now watch the fucking road." Sandor said and he nodded as they continued to ride.
The truth of the matter was he didn't need to pay attention when on a horse, he was able to ride almost at will. Something that had become even easier when he'd first warged a little over a year ago. When he'd spoken to his uncle about the dreams it had been easy enough for Aemon to tell him where to look, the books soon letting him know what it was he was feeling.
After that, he had tried to do the same thing while awake and finally managed to do it after almost a year of trying, once he had the floodgates had opened. Mice, rats, dogs and cats, horses, none of them were closed off to him and the more he warged, the easier it became. He closed his eyes and felt the horse beneath him, its eagerness to run, and he almost gave in to her. He was so close to allowing her to, only for the shouts to bring him out of her immediately.
"Attack."
"Attack."
Form a defensive position."
"Protect the lord."
The voices rang out and he looked to see some men down and Sandor drawing his sword and riding beside him.
"You stay close to me, you fucking hear me, Jon, stay close, no matter what." Sandor said and he nodded "Draw your sword, you'll need it.".
He did what he was asked and nervously drew his sword, looking to see the men come from the trees. They were big and ugly and carried axes and some had bows. Jon looked on as a man was dragged from his horse and another was hit by an arrow.
"Them there, ride with me and swing that sword hard Jon." Sandor said pointing up to some men moving from the trees above them, the hill giving them the higher ground.
He did as he was told, the mare beneath him glad to be running free. Jon looked angrily at the first man who raised an axe to strike not him but the horse he rode. His sword moved fast though as he moved the mare from the blow, the man missing while he did not, and had he the time to stop he'd have realized he'd just taken a life. This was no time to stop though and so he rode more, thrusting his sword into another man's neck and catching a third hard across the face. The sword almost being pulled from his hand as he needed to pull it back from the bone it had stuck into.
It was when they reached the top of the hill that he saw it. The men moving to Lord Jon's carriage from the other side while around them men were engaged in their own fights and hadn't seen it. He rode harder and faster than he had ever done, down the hill and to the carriage, catching the first man in the back and then feeling the horse go from under him.
"I take this one, get the girls." a voice called out as Jon hit the ground, though he rolled rather than crashed upon it.
Standing up he saw the man he faced more clearly now, scarred, rotted teeth, and twice his size, the large axe looked imposing in his hands. Behind him he saw the men grab and the doors and felt it then, his anger rise, Elaena was in there, they were going after Elaena. He moved toward the man and waited for the axe to fall, moving away from it and thrusting his sword into the man's belly, moving it in an upwards motion as he gutted the man.
Not waiting to see the man die, he pulled the sword from his stomach and ran to the carriage. He quickly stabbed the first man in the back and the second the throat and could feel the blood cover him when he pulled his sword back. The last man had opened the door and Jon heard the panicked sounds from within, Elaena and Ysilla crying and Lord Jon trying to move his knife toward the man's hands.
Jon slashed almost widely feeling the cut as it hamstrung the large bald man, the man fell to the ground and screamed out in pain, only for the sound to die as Jon thrust his sword through the back of the man's head. He looked in to see Lord Jon nod at him, Elaena and Ysilla huddled together and then he closed the door and turned around, ready for anyone else to try and take this carriage.
"I told you to fucking stay with me." Sandor said angrily when he arrived a few moments later.
"They were in trouble, I had to get to them, to her." he said and Sandor nodded.
"You do this?" he asked looking around at the bodies on the ground, five in total as one more had tried to get to the carriage only to find Jon's sword in his way.
"They deserved it." he said and saw the small smile on Sandor's face.
"Better them than you Jon, remember that, always.".
The attack was over and they'd lost some knights. Waymar and Mychel were bloodied but not badly hurt and he and Sandor were unharmed, as were Lord Jon, Ysilla, and Elaena. When Lord Jon climbed out of the carriage he whispered to Sandor to take Jon to the stream to wash and when he looked at himself in the water he saw why. His face was covered in blood, his hair almost red because of it. Washing and heading back he was happy to see that Elaena seemed to have recovered from the shock of the attack and that they hadn't lost as many men as he'd feared.
"Jon, Jon you're safe." Elaena said running to him and he hugged her when she reached him.
"I'm unhurt, you?" he asked and she nodded.
"Jon Snow, come here." Lord Jon called out and he worried he'd been too public with Elaena.
"My lord." Jon said and got ready to apologize when he saw the smile on Lord Jon's face.
"Kneel, my boy, kneel so I can knight you with my own sword." Lord Arryn said.
"My lord?" he asked confused.
"I know what you did Jon, thank you, for me, for Ysilla and for Elaena, thank you. Now by the god's lad, kneel." Jon Arryn said smiling at him.
He looked to Sandor who nodded and to Elaena who had a big smile on her face, around them men were nodding in agreement. This was an earned knighthood, what he'd done had deserved it. So he knelt and listened as he was charged to be brave, to be just, to defend the young and innocent and to protect all women.
"Arise Ser Jon Snow, the Mountain Wolf." Jon Arryn said.
"The Mountain Wolf." he heard the others shout as he rose to his feet, a knight of the realm.
A/N: Up Next Jon receives a gift from Lord Arryn, Elaena finds that being a knight changes perceptions and allows for them to be freer with their affections. Jaime finds out the truth about his sister which sends him into a tailspin and Lysa and Littlefinger scheme.
Wanning tide: It's one of the things which bug me, most people seem to think the story begins and ends with canon, I like to see the possible changes a small move or even a big one early on can bring about.
The biggest issue Jon has with Dorne would be the marriage, it's why the Reach is a problem too, if you offer the marriage you get Dorne, as you say Oberyn/Doran may initially take issue with Jon, but the marriage solves that, the problem is without the marriage, the issue becomes bigger.
Mugen: Glad you liked it.
Daryl Dixon: So happy you enjoyed it.
Zyrus: As you see the first steps are taken with Jaime.
Dunk: That's the thing, also with Elaena it's a little bit like Jon in canon with Cat thinking he'd usurp her children kinda making him almost go out of his way to show he'd do anything but. Here people expect/suggested that Elaena would wish her brother harm, so she's also even more keen to see him healthy and happy. On Jon A, we'll see, in a way, it's really the fact he doesn't care about Lysa which allows him not to spend time with her and miss these things. Aemon will live for some time. On Essos we'll see it through Illyrio's pov when it happens, Dany is almost going to follow canon at least up to the point where Illyrio finds her. With Jaime it's a difficult question, he's learning about Cersei here so we'll see where that takes him.
Svenion: Thanks so much, A part of me wishes I'd waited until I finished other work to start this, just so I could devote more time to it.
Lady Octarina: There's certainly a part of that with Cersei, Tywin wants it because it gives him the vale, we know he'd off Robin in a second, and the Vale brings military which to Tywin is strength. Cersei though certainly has a sense of blond is beautiful lol. The Dragon Egg won't hatch to play a part in the actual war, so either it'll hatch during it and we'll have some baby dragon goodness (which I'm seriously considering) or just after it. We'll see more of the wall later on. I wonder did they go the route of almost keeping it for themselves, I do like the idea of the blood lock on it and only the heir being the one, it's the kinda loophole bankers love.
We see the beginnings of Jaime here.
Winter Kiss. Your wish is my command.
Guest: On Robin, I subscribe to the theory that they drugged him for a long time, Lysa in my mind preferred him to be weak and reliant on her as it fit her own need and LF never cared anyway. Hope you liked the Jon/Elaena here, we'll of course see much more. DS will play a larger part in the war than the dragon. The warging was looked into as you see.
Xand007: Thank you, my friend. I hope the war will be fun with twists, on LF it just wouldn't work, he has to be evil always, it's like a benevolent Joffrey lol.
Darth Maine, it's not LF, we'll see who soon.
Creativo: lo bueno llega a quien espera..
Guest: He didn't, he hired LF in Gulltown on Lysa's suggestion, LF did a good job of raising the revenue and so he brought him to KL to do the same and because he knew he was friends with Lysa, basically he put him as master of coin to try and limit the Lannister influence here based on the fact that LF is good with numbers and makes them work, not on Lysa's say so.
: So glad you liked it.
Tony Warrior: Muchas gracias amigo mío, tienes razón, habrá giros y vueltas por delante, te mantendrás a salvo y bien en estos tiempos de miedo.
Youngthundercat: So happy you're enjoying this.
Darthwolf: It'll be interesting, fAegon is different in this, in that he's not connected to Illyrio at all.
Alexguamenti: I find it just works better with Arthur there, yes I'm biased and I just love the character but I just like him around, here having him with Sandor is kinda funny too.
Guest: Marge is the Logical/political choice in a Jon goes south early story but you can't do the same match over and over and as you see there are reasons why not to do that one here.
Sandor was calling himself a trout sarcastically, based on the idea of family, duty, honor and him staying because of family, Jon, so I'm not a dog, I'm a trout is a jape.
Hartley Skarsgard: I think for Arthur had he live then he'd have done everything to see Jon crowned, I just like the idea of them together and him kinda being the surrogate father for his best friends son. Agree completely on Aemon, that he and Jon were together and didn't know of each other or that he didn't get to meet Dany before he died is one of the biggest tragedies of the whole thing.
