Bringing the Dawn

by BonnieScotty

Eddard Stark was known for his honour and incapability to lie. But when it came to family, he would do so. Finding his sister dying in childbed and promising to tell the child on the day he turns sixteen the truth. A truth which throws Jon Snow into the greatest game of all. And when the game is played there is only two outcomes. You win, or you die.

8. VII

Jaeron Targaryen

Winterfell, 299AC

They had all been dreading this moment for days, and all thought they had been prepared for it. But as they watched their own entourage leaving the courtyard after the three of them, it became a reality. Jon spotted Robb's facial expression flicker for a moment before adopting that lordly mask he had perfected over the last couple of years. By now, Rickon was punching Catelyn's leg and screaming for a response to why they were leaving them. Normally, the Lady scolded such behaviour. He should know, he's been at the end of it a lot more often than his cousins considering for many years she had thought him to be a stain on their family. To an extent, he was a stain to the family. No matter what, he was always going to be an outsider apart from his colouring which confirmed he had Stark blood in him. Blood that everyone apart from a select few believed to be from Ned Stark and not Lyanna Stark. Or had she been Lyanna Targaryen as she had married his father?

That was a question he would need to ask Catelyn on. He'd made note that the Queen was introduced as Cersei Lannister and not Cersei Baratheon. Was that just a different decorum for those who were royalty? Jon rarely saw the Queen, seemingly keeping to herself. But on the few occasions he heard her he got the impression she was spoiled and believed herself to be higher than everyone else. A sense of entitlement that was well-known with the Lannister's. He'd even got that feeling from Tyrion for openly calling him a bastard and trying to compare himself to being one as well when he was not. Yes, the imp of Casterly Rock was looked down upon by many, but he had a higher pedestal to most. Everyone knew the Lannister's; everyone feared the Lannister's due to Tywin's approach to leading his family to be at the top of the pyramid of other houses.

It was eerily silent when they were the only ones left, workers immediately going back to what they were doing previously. Catelyn knelt now to pick up her youngest child and it hurt seeing Rickon punch her chest. She didn't openly chastise him, but she did give him a stern look which only made his wailing amplify. Robb gave Jon a challenging look, but the younger could see the sadness in his features. Both made their way to Robb's solar now, it being much different to Jon's. First, it was considerably larger. Second, instead of books everywhere there was maps and documents. He knew that Ned had started asking him with answering to letters to better prepare him for taking over once no longer could.

"Is this how you felt when you found out the truth? Being thrust into a position you don't want and don't feel ready for?"

Jon could only nod as he walked over to some of the maps. Obviously, the largest Kingdom was the North. It alone being the same size as the rest put together. Yet, the combined population of it was less than the population of Kings Landing. It was said the city was filthy and constantly stank of shit, but that could all be lies. However, it was true that the city was filled with spies and people who would betray everyone without a moment's hesitation. They would be travelling via the Kings Road. A single straight road that went from Castle Black all the way down to Kings Landing hundreds of miles away. They would be passing the easternmost parts of the Barrowlands, going by Moat Cailin, through the famed swamps of the Neck, bordering the Vale and Riverlands, before entering the Crownlands to the city.

"What did you say to Sansa earlier to have her smile so much? I don't think I can recall her ever smiling at you for many months."

The younger traced the road a few times with his finger, also imprinting in his mind where the castles and holdfasts were situated.

"I gifted her and Arya something for when they depart. I got Arya a small sword in a similar style to Dark Sister which she was delighted with. Sansa, I got her a bracelet commissioned. I also told her I don't plan on pressing a claim any time soon and if the Prince truly makes her happy, then I'll respect the match."

Robb snorted loudly at the last statement, making it obvious he disliked Joffrey as well.

"You know, I overheard mother and father the other day. They received a letter of some kind but I didn't hear what it was about. Mother was begging for him to call off the betrothal to Joffrey and promise her to you instead."

At hearing this, Jon froze on the spot before slowly tilting his head to look at his older cousin. This was the first he was hearing of such a thing. No one had mentioned it to him, and from the way Robb was wording it confirmed he had been eavesdropping on his parents. Why would Catelyn be pushing for Jon to marry Sansa instead of Joffrey when she was clearly smitten with the Prince? It was so unlike her to want to refuse her daughter what she wanted. Which meant whatever was in the letter was dangerous information.

"They said something about it being better for her safety, but father confirmed it probably wouldn't. The Lords of the North still think you're my bastard brother and not trueborn cousin, they wouldn't stand for a bastard marrying the daughter of the Warden of the North. But they probably won't stand for a Stark-Targaryen match either. As much as I hate to say it, she's probably safest with father in Kings Landing. At least she has Jeyne with her to keep her occupied because I doubt she's going to be friendly with Arya any time soon after that stunt she pulled at the feast."

Steadily, Jon sat down on Robb's bed, letting this information sink in. He always knew it would be dangerous if he were to press on his claim. Yes, he's made his mind up he will in the future, but it will not be any time soon. If he does so, it's a high possibility that the Lords of the North will revolt against Ned, and when they find out the truth will revolt against the Baratheon's. It will be war all out.

"Robb, you're of a military mind and you have much more training than I do on it. Answer me something. Say theoretically I were to press on my claim, what houses could I trust?"

To say the older was shocked at the question was an understatement. But then his words rippled in his mind. He isn't going to press a claim any time soon, but not forever. Eventually, he plans to do so, and he wants to be prepared. It warmed the older greatly that he was entrusting him with this knowledge. He pulled out a few sheets of parchment that contained the main houses of the Kingdoms that made up Westeros, going down them in a list and marking those off that would be unreliable.

The Northern Lords it could go either way, it was hard to say. It's known that they are prideful on acting for the better good. If they find out the rebellion was based on a lie, they will take it as a heavy insult. Either way there is going to be a revolt from them so Robb left a question mark beside them. The Vale Lords were much the same as the Northern ones, but they had a main difference. They were under command of Jon Arryn who fostered both Ned and Robert. If he found out what Robert had done and that he had betrayed Ned so horribly, there is no question he would rally towards the Stark's and Targaryen's. They were also tied via marriage bonds to the Stark's, and as Jon was a direct relative of the Stark's, there would be a tie there even though it was weak. The Riverlands were no question. Catelyn was the daughter of the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands and Lord of Riverrun. Due to a direct family tie, they would without question rally for the Stark's.

Then it got tricky.

The Reach was a potential candidate considering it was known the Tyrell's were staunch Targaryen supporters. However, it was also known that Lord Mace had avoided the fighting by setting up a siege. This may be considered an insult to those who would rally to his cause. The Crownlands, Stormlands, and Westerlands were a definite no due to their ties to the Baratheon's and the Iron Throne. Which left Dorne and the Iron Islands. It was common knowledge the Iron Islands were practically a separate country. They had their own way of life, they voted for who took over as Lord as opposed to succession, they had their own religion. It was unlikely they would do anything, but they would be incredibly valuable. Plus, they have Theon as a hostage disguised as a Ward. Play their cards right and they get the Islands and the famed Iron Fleet.

Dorne however, was another matter entirely. In Elia's letters he knew that Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn were aware of her annulment to Rhaegar. But they had married to have closer ties to the throne and to slight Tywin Lannister. If they rallied to their cause, the Lion would not take kindly to it and this may cause another war. They were vengeful though, why would they not be? Their Princess and her children had been butchered on someone else's orders and Robert had laughed at the bodies. This meant that the Martell's clearly despised the Lannister's and Baratheon's massively, which was a link. Like the Vale, there was a faint family link too considering the murdered Prince and Princess would've been Jon's siblings. No, they would never consider him their nephew, but they would consider that he was related to their niece and nephew.

The more he thought on it, the more they seemed like the most likely candidate. They thirsted for revenge and wanted to avenge their fallen, heavily slighted by the King, and despised the Lannister's. They were aware that Elia and Rhaegar had annulled their marriage not long after Aegon was born and both agreed to the decision. Rhaegar did not force her to do it nor did she force him to do so. It was an amicable separation, and it was agreed that Rhaegar made a decree that Elia's children would be first in succession if he and Lyanna had children. If the decree were filed, this would without question be in the citadel, which was in the Reach. There was a flaw in the logic though, the Reach and Dorne never really got along. At best they tolerated one another. The best way to solve tension was through an alliance, and the best way to set an alliance was through marriage.

Doran had three children and he himself was widowed. The older Prince would probably never marry again considering he was notoriously sickly as had Elia been, and preferred to stay out of everything. Prince Oberyn was also a no considering he was known to have numerous mistresses and one preferred Paramour, alongside numerous bastard children. The Reach followed the Seven to the last part of the book, no Lady in the Reach would take him to wed. This left Doran's children. Arianne, Quentyn, and Tristayne.

"How old are Prince Doran's children, Robb?"

The older gave his cousin an odd look at this, trying to figure out where he was going with this.

"I believe Princess Arianne is twenty-four or is nearing said age. I've heard father say something about her being half Lyanna's age when the rebellion happened. Your mother was sixteen when she died which meant she would've been eight then, and it's been sixteen years. Prince Quentyn is a few years younger than her, either in his late teens or early twenties. And Prince Tristayne was born a year after Prince Joffrey was, so he is thirteen- possibly twelve, depending when his name-day is. How come?"

"Apart from the Riverlands, Vale, and the North, Dorne is probably the most desired Kingdom I would want to my name when I decide to do it. But they will want proof of the decree filed by my father to confirm Rhaenys and Aegon were still in line of succession before doing so. Prince Doran may take it as a slight if they don't have this and Prince Oberyn almost certainly will. However, this will be in the citadel, which is in Oldtown. The relationship between the Reach and Dorne isn't exactly friendly- "

Robb opened his mouth in understanding at what Jon was insinuating.

"You're thinking of getting the two to ally with one another through marriage. But who would you betroth to one another?"

Jon thought long and hard into this one, who would he betroth together? It would need to be done in a calculating manner that would benefit all sides massively. The Martell's were Lord Paramount's of Dorne, which stood to sense they would prefer to be matched with someone of higher or similar position- meaning the Tyrell's. There were four Tyrell children. Willas was the heir, but he was crippled by Prince Oberyn in an accident, so he was out the game. There was Garlan, who was known to have a famous temper and not being forgiving, so he would likely not be an option. Loras was also said to have a similar temperament to Garlan but he wasn't spoke of much. Well, unless the rumours of his preference for men were true. Same sex relationships were common in Dorne, so he couldn't be ruled out. Which left Margaery as the best candidate. The only daughter of Mace and commonly known as the golden flower of Highgarden. Said to be a couple of years older than Robb and Jon. He could betroth her to Quentyn. This would tie the Reach and Dorne together.

"Margaery and Quentyn would probably be best. This leaves Arianne and Tristayne- "

"You could betroth Arya to Tristayne, although she would hate it with a passion. But they would encourage her tendencies as warrior women are common in Dorne just like they are in the North. However, I have a strong feeling Sansa will come to her senses soon and will want the betrothal with Joffrey broken, which would leave her to be tied to them. That ties Dorne with the North alongside the Reach."

Jon hummed at this, Robb's logic was sound, there was no denying that fact. But who would Arianne be betrothed to? He could say himself despite the age difference, but if he were to press a claim he would need to pick someone to wed who was without question the most advantageous. She was a strong contender, but there will be more. In the case he couldn't promise himself to her, who could he promise her to? The most obvious choice would be someone who would ally due to familial ties such as the Riverlands or the Vale. But the Lord of the Vale was a young boy and was sickly. This meant they were out of the equation. The Riverlands was a possibility. Edmure had no children and had not been wed before. But he was considerably older than her. No, age didn't matter when it came to betrothals. After all, Jon Arryn was thrice Lysa's age when they wed.

"It's a risky one, but I think it may be a possibility. Renly Baratheon."

Jon's eyebrows immediately rose on his forehead, he had not expected his cousin to say that name.

"He's a couple of years younger than she is, and it would tie the Stormlands into it. It would tear the Kingdom apart with those who are loyal to Robert and those who are not. If the truth got out, the Stormlands Lords would not take kindly to it in the slightest. They would take heavy insult that their Lord placed a claim on a false truth. Stannis is known to be a stern man who believes in the rules of conquest if the claim is valid. If he finds out the claim was invalid, he will openly disown Robert. This puts the King into a corner that will be difficult to break free from. From one side he will have Lannister's, and the other side he will have people revolting against him. The truth will come out if this is the case. Renly despises Robert and he dislikes Stannis as well, but he respects him more than the eldest Baratheon."

"And as Stannis is already married, he cannot marry again. Isn't he married to Selyse Florent? Well, Selyse Baratheon now."

Robb simply nodded, wondering why Jon was asking this. He went quiet for a few moments before he realised what he had just insinuated, a large smirk coming onto his face. The Florent's were a well-known family in the Reach, which would further tie them into the equation. She would be a distant cousin to the Tyrell children, meaning there was familial bonds there. With those words spoken, both went through every main house in the Kingdom's there were, deciding who was the most likely candidates. Technically, they were committing treason for planning a conquest, but this one was to set facts straight and to give the rightful heir what was his. He dreaded how Robert Baratheon would react when he found out there was at least two Targaryen's still in the world.

"Boys? The Lady wishes to speak to you both."

They snapped out of their planning at that to eye Maester Luwin who was looking at them oddly. He wasn't bound to either of them, simply sworn to serve the castle and nothing else. To be certain though, they filed away what they had been writing down and followed him to where Catelyn was. Unsurprisingly, she was in Bran's room. Her second son still sound asleep but slowly recovering. Luwin reached over to feel the boys forehead, nodding to himself that he wasn't burning up so there didn't appear to be signs of fever building up. The Lady looked more frazzled than either of them had ever saw her, but with everything that was happening that was to be expected of her.

"I've been thinking hard about something. I went to the window where Bran fell from and the ledge is a metre thick. I've seen him running across walls much thinner than that. There's also an extremely strong vine outside it, no amount of tugging on that made it come loose plus there were no vines on the ground when he fell. He's got a strong grip, just not the best aim."

All tightened their lips at this, her conclusion tying in with what Jon was sure he had saw.

"I don't think he fell, or if he did, not of his own accord. I think he was pushed. I found this in the room."

She reached her hand out and all frowned at seeing it was a clump of curly blonde hair. It wasn't dirty which made it look as though it hadn't been there for long. So, someone was in the tower recently. Possibly at the same time Bran was there but this would be hard to prove. Someone with long curly blonde hair. No one in Winterfell had blonde hair apart from a couple of servants, but none of theirs was curly. Meaning it was someone from the visit who was in there.

"I think he stumbled across something he wasn't supposed to see, and to stop it getting out, they tried to kill him."

By now, Jon was biting the insides of his cheeks so much that they were almost bleeding, and he could see Robb's anger building up as he knew what Jon saw. He had to tell her; he couldn't keep it from her.

"My Lady?"

Catelyn turned to him in surprise he was referring to her with formality in private, having gotten used to him calling her aunt since they had been told the truth. Then she remembered that Maester Luwin was in the room, as was Ser Rodrik at the opposite side of the room.

"I didn't want to say anything in case I imagined things, but in light of this, it seems I wasn't. When I noticed him, he was standing at the window completely still, which is odd for him. Bran can never stay still; he always runs all over the place. But when he started falling I- I saw a shadow. It looked like a person. It was only there for a split second but- "

He trailed off after this as panic began to seep into his bones. If their suspicions were correct and it was someone from the King and Queen's entourage who was in the tower when Bran fell, this meant his uncle and cousins were with them. And it was known that Bran had survived the fall, meaning said person would be treading carefully or planning on finding another way to silence whatever he had seen.

"We need to send a letter to father to alert him- "

"They will be intercepting letters, Jon. We can't do that."

Well, there goes that. By now, Robb was practically seething and it was clear Catelyn was much the same. The main difference between the two as in Catelyn Tully's blue eyes, there was a shred of panic. Clearly the same reaction Jon was having.

"Surely there's a way?"

"If I may my lady, there's a trick I was taught as a boy and it was known Brandon, Ned, and Lyanna used it too when they were planning on when to train her as her mother wasn't fond of the idea. If you mix lemon juice with water and use this as ink, it dries completely clear and can only be seen in front of a flame. We could wait a week or so and then send the raven. Since they are going by the Kings Road, they should be at the Inn of the Crossroads at that time so we can send it there and leave instructions for the innkeeper to give to him and what to do."

All eyes widened apart from Ser Rodrik, him remembering all-too-well the trick the eldest three Stark children used to plan things behind their parent's back. Ned rarely did it, but Brandon and Lyanna did so frequently. This way, they could get the warning to the Lord and pass it off as the kids missing him and wishing him good luck in their journey. The two Stark's contemplated it for a few moments before nodding, motioning to Ser Rodrik to follow so he could show them how to do it. Leaving Jon with a sleeping Bran, and Maester Luwin. He'd been meaning to speak to the Maester for some time now, ever since he'd realised the eggs were going to hatch and weren't dormant like everyone thought. The older man quirked an eyebrow up but simply nodded and gestured him to follow him into his solar. Jon was looking around in shock, never having been in here before. There were hundreds of books in here, like a miniature library of itself despite there being one already in Winterfell.

"What are you enquiring about, young Snow?"

He gave the boy a soft smile which immediately calmed him down. He looked around him to take in everything before eyeing the many chains the Maester had. He had dozens of links, but it was one which snapped his attention. One of Valyrian steel, meaning he had studied magic to some extent.

"What do you know of dragons? I've always been interested in them but there's hardly any books on them and I'm not sure if they're wholly accurate."

He let out an odd noise at this, clearly not expecting such a question. But it was one he was pleased to answer for him.

"As you'll know, dragons went extinct around one hundred and fifty years ago, only a few years after the dreaded Targaryen civil war. In official documents, dragons never stop growing so long as they are not in captivity and are fed regularly. Hence how Balerion was so huge, he was said to be over two hundred feet in length when he died. They also live long lives, much longer than their riders. They only ever accepted one rider which they bonded with, and they would not let anyone else ride them until the rider had died. They were notoriously difficult to gain control of, but once control was gained, they were incredibly loyal creatures."

Jon took a mental note of everything he was telling him. He needed to know as much information as possible. He's got a feeling they will be hatching rather soon, and he could feel the bond with Rhaegon already beginning to form. A feeling akin to what he had with Ghost. Something he shared with all his siblings which they had found out a few weeks after they had gotten the pups.

"If what is written is true, their main colour is the predominant colour of their egg, any other colours are either the wing membrane or the wings themselves. Apparently Rhaena had one which was a pale gold with baby pink wings, said to be one of the most beautiful ones to fly the skies by smallfolk and high lords alike. Incredibly fast as well, much faster than a horse. All had different personalities too. Balerion had a temper that was notorious to everyone, the brother Vhagar not far behind in that realm but not as bad. They were also genderless- neither male nor female. Any dragon could lay eggs in their nest, but how eggs were hatched have differing answers. But they're all gone now, the eggs nothing but extremely rare artefacts. One dragon egg could buy you an army of eight thousand at the least now."

That was all he needed to know. He'd already formed a bond with Rhaegon even though he hadn't hatched yet, which meant it would be easier to gain control of him when he did. Lyrax though, he wasn't sure about her. He didn't feel the same bond with Lyrax as he did with Rhaegon but hopefully this will happen over time. It wouldn't be a good idea to have a temperamental dragon on the loose- especially in the North.

"Maester, I wanted to send my uncle at Castle Black a letter. He asked for an update on the King's visit and I know my father didn't send this. I don't believe Lady Catelyn is in the correct mindset to do so, nor is Robb."

Luwin smiled softly at him before taking the letter from Jon, promising to send it later in the day. He probably thought he was referring to Benjen, but it was for Aemon. The writing on it confirming the visit had gone somewhat well and he hadn't been recognised. If he were recognised, he would've been dead already, Jon knew that much. Robert bent over backwards sending sellswords after his aunt and uncle who were last seen wandering the free cities of Essos, he wouldn't do the same if in the same building as another Targaryen heir. He wouldn't care about what it would look like, he would just do it and walk away triumphant. He made his way towards his own room after this. Robb would probably be dealing with Lord duties now, leaving them with little time to spend with one another.

It was a change to say the least. Ever since Eddard had brought him into his home as his own, the pair had been attached at the hip. They did everything together, but now they wouldn't be, all because of a secret that if it got into the wrong hands, would change everything. It was unlikely he would stick to the plan he'd made with Robb when he does decide to go for it, but it was a start. This over time will transition to a foundation before eventually to a takeover. No, Jon doesn't want the Iron Throne, but he most certainly doesn't want the families tied to it currently on it after what they had done to his family. There were too many families to consider for when it comes to it, but the ones that meant the most to him with the North and Dorne.

In the North alone there was Houses Locke, Mormont, Karstark, Stark, Reed, Umber, Bolton, Manderly, Glover, Cerwyn, Dustin, Ryswell, Flint, and many others. He knew he could count on House Reed considering the Lord knew the truth. Karstark was a possibility considering they were distant cousins of the Stark's. Stark's were a definite considering he had been raised as one and he was known and liked by most people in Winterfell. Flint was also a definite considering his great-grandmother had been one- Arya being named after her. Most were a toss of the coin on whether they would support or not. All except Ryswell and Dustin. It was well known than Barbary Dustin took great insult when Rickard Stark refused to betroth her to Brandon, and her father was a Ryswell and was known to be proud.

Dorne was much the same. No, they didn't have as many Houses considering they were a smaller Kingdom to the North. Alongside their climate being too much for most to handle. The Martell's were a strong contender if the cards are played right, and as they are Lord Paramount's, if they bend the others will likely too. The Dayne's he could probably trust considering Arthur had died protecting him and they were known to be a tight-knit family. If someone died protecting a baby, the others would follow suit as well. Yronwood was a possibility too, but not something that could be guaranteed. Jon shook his head before picking up the eggs again, the heat not bothering him in the slightest. To him, it felt soothing. Whereas to others, it would leave them with burn marks. It was then that he felt a pull towards Lyrax, but it was nowhere near as strong. It was enough to put fears to rest, if even a small bond was forming then it was a good start to gaining control of them.

Robb Stark

Winterfell, 299AC

The next three weeks went by in a massive blur. They were either sparring, watching Bran, or helping around the castle. Maester Luwin confirmed the boy's legs should be healed within the next fortnight considering he was laying perfectly still in bed, but there was no news on his back yet. All hoped it wasn't serious, but deep down they all knew. All they could do was support him to the best of their abilities even though it would crush the young boy that he could not longer be a Knight and therefore not get inducted to the Kingsguard.

Robb was over his head with everything. Yes, his father had been teaching him slowly the ways of being a Lord, but it was nothing compared to doing it. He was awake every morning at dawn and straight to meetings, then he would visit Bran, more meetings, take his lessons, more meetings, spar with Jon for a little, even more meetings. In amongst all this he had numerous letters to respond to, had to account every coin in the treasury, make sure food stocks were plentiful, and so much more. However, he was doing decently with the change it brought, also bringing on respect by castle workers that someone so young stepped into his father's footsteps so easily.

Many lords do so, but it's usually only when the current Lord dies, and Eddard Stark was alive. He was just asked by Robert Baratheon to be his Hand and his eldest daughter was betrothed to the Prince. He wanted to see the two together, and Arya had always wanted to travel so she made sense. But he could've left all the work to his mother considering he was the acting Lord and not officially the Lord. Today was one of those rare days where he only had two meetings, giving him plenty of time to himself. He sparred with Jon in the courtyard for a good hour, being beaten every time. His cousin's skill was something else, he treated the blade like it was a part of his arm rather than an inanimate object. He feared whoever faced Dark Sister's sharp edge in the future. That sword itself would put the fear of the dragon in anyone, everyone knew it was Visenya's sword and it was one of two ancestral blades of House Targaryen. Blackfyre had been lost gods know how many years ago, but perhaps it was still out there somewhere and not lost forever like its sister.

After this, he made his way to his own solar so he could bathe and get rid of all the sweat on him. How Jon never broke out in one was a mystery, perhaps it was something to do with his Targaryen blood. He's seen the things he can do, the being immune to fire was the most impressive. Apparently to him it felt warm but not scorching which was incomprehensible to the older cousin. Then he made his way to his little brother's room, passing Jon on his way to his own solar. Like always, Bran was asleep and his mother was beside his bed sewing something. It was a hobby that calmed her and she'd taken to sewing the faces of the seven and placing them on his bed. Bran worshipped both the old gods and new, but the old gods didn't have faces so she couldn't do so with them.

"Finished in your meetings for the day?"

He nodded at this.

"Second time since they left where I've had some time to myself, although I still can't beat Jon with a sword."

Catelyn snorted at this and went back to her sewing. Before she knew, she had openly scoffed when he couldn't beat his cousin who at the time he thought to be his bastard brother. Now though? She openly complimented the pair and had asked Jon to teach him some of his tricks. All knew she was doing this because when the truth does come out they will need to fight, and his mother knew he would be right beside her nephew the whole way through it unless something horrible happened. The comfortable silence was broken as the wolves all began howling, and not their normal howls. No, these ones were full of anguish and pain. Robb frowned before making his way to the window to look down to where the wolves were kept but he got his answer quickly. In the library tower there was a dim orange glow- fire.

"Mother stay here. There's a fire."

Her eyes widened massively but she wasn't quick enough to stop her son from running out the room towards that part of the castle. It was on the opposite end and he felt dread sink into his bones. Jon's room was near there. Yes, his cousin was fire resistant, but he didn't want all his belongings to be burnt to rubble when they were so valuable. Workers were panicking as they realised what was going on, some following with smothering blankets and numerous buckets ready to go to the nearby well so they could try to stop the blaze. He found Jon outside his room clutching the eggs tightly to his chest. At first, he didn't see it, but then he noticed the vibrating.

"Jon- are, are they?"

"I think so, cousin."

Now, Robb's eyes widened to an unnatural width before looking both sides down the corridor. No one had come back yet which gave him time to get there.

"Go, now! Don't let anyone see you go into the fire."

Jaeron Targaryen

Winterfell, 299AC

Jon nodded before running alongside his cousin, but Robb couldn't get too close as the heat to him was unbearable. He placed a hand on Jon's shoulder to offer him support and with a short smile, his cousin ran straight into the tower that left up to the library. Every bone in his body was telling him to go after him, seeing him be engulfed by flames and then disappearing up the stairs to the room it was going on. Why had a fire broken out here of all places? There was no time to ponder as soon people came barrelling down the corridors from both sides, setting to work in getting the blaze under control before it swept through the castle. The closer they were getting to the flames the more uncomfortable he was getting, but they had to at the very least get it under control to stop the spread. All he could do was hope that Jon was going to be okay.

A part of Jon screamed at him for doing something as reckless as running into an open flame, but the moment he felt them lick at his body, this disappeared. Yes, he knew he could resist fire, but he wasn't sure if it was only small quantities he could resist. He'd been in his room reading a book he had gotten from the library a few days prior when he first smelt the smoke. At first, he thought it was a fire outside, but soon he noticed dark clouds of smoke outside which confirmed it was indeed a fire. His first instinct had been to run, but there was a voice at the back of his head telling him to go into the flames with the eggs. He tried to resist it at first, but it became obvious this wasn't happening as it throbbed in his head like a migraine. He had been shocked massively when he felt the frantic movement inside the eggs, confirming it was time for them to hatch.

With that said, he grabbed the small knife he had used to cut his palm with the first time and ran towards it. Now, looking around him and seeing the destruction that was happening was something else entirely. It was almost beautiful to look at. He shook his head, knowing he had to push himself further. He had to as when people get closer to stopping the flames, the more open he is. Jon powered his way up the stairs to the library itself and immediately ran into the back corner which was as far back as he could go. When they do get closer to drowning out the flames, he'll just need to find a way to get somewhere he can hide. Jon pulled the blade out now and placed the eggs on the ground, ignoring the way his clothes were melting away on him and turning to ash on the ground before carefully cutting a thin line on his palm. Like the couple of times he's done this previously, his palm quickly filled with blood and he let it drip all over the eggs. The sight of this trying to block out the burning body of the librarian he had passed. She was a lovely woman and had always been kind to him, but he couldn't let himself get distracted.

"Hen exhōnnegon kāvētēs. Hen dōron kāvētēs. Hen pēskō kāvētēs. Se aōha sombītsossas pryjātās. Aōha tīkussaa hakomiōtsōs iksi zaldrīzoti irughātās. Perzys ānogar." (Wake from extinction. Wake from stone. Wake from the past. Break from your shell. Spread your wings and let the dragon out. Fire and blood.)

The language felt alien on his tongue. He'd been working hard at it ever since he found out the truth, and he was already leagues ahead of Robb in it. He hoped to be fluent by the time the year comes to an end which will be in a few months. After he had said the words, the movement in the eggs became more frantic than before. A few moments passed, the whole time he was holding his breath, and then the first crack appeared. A large smile made its way onto his face as he watched more cracked appear and soon the eggs were nothing but shards on the ground. Then he felt it, a scaly head pressing into his palm. By now, his clothes had completely burned away into nothing and the tiny creatures began climbing on him. The two of them screeching and clicking constantly as they did so. He made a hush gesture then blushed at realising there was no way they would understand.

"Lykirī." (Calm down.)

They seemed to understand this and kept quiet like he commanded. Jon tried to ignore the digging of their claws against his bare skin. They were surprisingly small, not much larger than a kitten, but if what Maester Luwin said was correct they could grow exponentially. Now that he was looking at them, he took in their colouring. Lyrax was a deep sapphire blue in colour, a little brighter than her egg had been. Her nose was dappled with steel grey and underneath her wings was the same colour. Gently, he petted her head and she let out a small trill in appreciation, clearly enjoying the touch. Her eyes were of a brighter blue and pierced brighter than her jewel coloured scales.

Then his eyes trailed to Rhaegon. Like his egg, his scales were an incredibly bright silver and made him stand out more than his sibling in the still burning flames. His wings were jet black, their underside a blood red. Then there were his eyes, and Jon's own widened massively. At first glance they looked black, but when he looked closer he noticed they were in fact an extremely dark purple. Hadn't his father had deep purple eyes? That's what his aunt and uncle had told him. That was when it hit him- both resembled his parents. His fathers silver hair, his house colours, his eyes. His mothers favourite flower being sapphire blue in colour and her eyes steel grey that was common in Stark's. It brought a few tears to his eye as he spoke their names aloud, both spreading their wings before climbing up onto his shoulders.

Robb Stark

Winterfell, 299AC

It took almost an hour for them to contain the flames. They had decided to not go further into the tower as they were unsure if it was stable or not, but they didn't want to risk it. All they could do, was wait for the fire to burn out. Robb sat down cross-legged for some time, Grey Wind and Ghost standing beside him. He had been expecting for Ghost to be howling, but as always, he was silent. This was a good sign, it meant that his cousin was okay.

"My Lord, you'd better come quickly. An assassin went into your brother's room and tried to attack him."

Robb's face went pale as he eyed the burning tower his cousin was in for a split second before running to his brother's room. The sight he was met with was gruesome to say the least. All knew that the direwolves were dangerous animals, but they were always so sweet around them. Well, apart from Shaggydog but Rickon was wild too. Therefore, it made sense the wild boy had a borderline wild wolf. Catelyn was on the ground with Maester Luwin beside her, her hands were covered in blood and from where he was he saw the deep gashes in her hands. The assassin was on the ground but there was a gaping hole where his throat had been which was still pulsing blood from it meekly. Forcing down his food, he made his way towards her.

"It was a diversion. He lit the fire expecting me to go with you Robb to put out the fire. He was shocked to see me still here and he came at me with the blade, I managed to fight him off but to do so I had to grab the blade with my hands. But he didn't get to Bran, Summer made sure of that after I managed to push him off me."

He knelt on the ground to take in the damage of her hands, wincing as he could imagine the pain she was currently in. Luwin had a roll of bandages and a few liquids which he assumed would be to clean the winds before he wrapped them up. Once he had done so, he left the room to find someone to take care of the body.

"We managed to get the fire under control, but they're scared to go deeper in case it damaged any of the stones of the castle. But mother, it's Jon. The eggs, they're hatching, they might've already hatched. He ran into the tower- "

"He did what?! And you didn't stop him?!"

He held a hand up to silence her but it was clear she was furious at him for doing so.

"Mother, I don't know if he's told you this, but he's resistant to fire. I've seen it a couple of times, Arya once. To him it's just like warm water running over your body. And Ghost isn't making a single sound, so he's fine."

Catelyn closed her eyes and breathed deeply a few times, trying to figure out what this meant. An assassin came after Bran, meaning someone intended to silence him again after failing the first time. She made a vow to herself then, she was going to find out who did this to her son and she would put him through the seven hells herself. They would be getting no mercy from the mother over what she was going to do to whoever it was.

Steadily, he helped her stand up and they made their way to the tower. From looking out the window it became clear the flames were going down. Soon, they would burn out. Grey Wind was on Robb's heels as they made their way back, showing he was equally as protective over his human as Summer was. Both sat down on a bench that lined the wall a few metres from the entrance to the tower. They must've been waiting for hours, only the occasional servant passing them in that time. It was already late into the day when he noticed the fire, so it must be nearing dawn now. Then he noticed a shadow, grasping his mother's arm in apprehension. Then Jon stepped out, completely naked, his hair burned mostly off, his body covered in ash. Catelyn blushed deeply before Robb removed his cloak to drape over his cousin. He stopped just before he did so as he spotted wings appear atop his shoulders. They had hatched. Jon had successfully hatched dragon eggs, the first person to do so in over a century. Steadily, he walked over and held out a hand towards the blue one. At first, it snapped at him but with a stern look from Jon, it stopped and let him touch the scales. They were warm under his touch, rough under his fingertips.

"Her name is Lyrax, and this one is named Rhaegon. After my parents."

The way his cousin's voice cracked at the last word wasn't missed by either of them, but Robb knew he had to get Jon into his own room before anyone saw the dragons. It didn't matter that he was completely naked. He eyed his mother whose jaw was practically on the floor, forgetting all courtesies and decorum at what she was witnessing. She checked the corner that Jon's room was on for anyone and when she nodded, Robb knew it was safe. Once Jon was in his room, they locked the door promptly.

"Perzys ānogar."

Catelyn looked to her son oddly at this, her having never learned High Valyrian, but from the small snort Jon gave confirmed he knew what he had said.

"Issa, hen Valyrio Uēpo ānogār nyke iksan. Nyke Rhaegar Targarīen trēsy, se yne lentor anogudlīlza kesos. Yne muñar, iāpa Brāndon, yne ñāmar se kepa osjitre, yne lēkia se mandia. Anogri anogar nymisi."(Yes, I am of the blood of Valyria, I am the son of Rhaegar Targaryen. I will avenge my family. My father, my mother, uncle Brandon, grandfather Rickard, my aunt and uncle in exile, my brother, and my sister. And I will do so with fire and blood.)