authorsnote: a new look, same great story.

this story genuinly came to me out of nowhere, but here we go, do enjoy

I'm a big targ fan, but jon is my fav, and so this was born

songrecs: the heirs of the dragon - hotd season 2

'I will take what is mine, with fire and blood'

- Daenerys Targaryen

-x-

"But why would you want me to take Aegon out and put another babe in his place?"

He resisted the urge to grab his dagger and force it into her throat. He had never enjoyed killing, always finding it a distasteful task, but he would do so when necessary. He hoped it wasn't necessary now.

"Because he will be killed, Tywin Lannister will see this as his way to make amends for not joining the rebellion" Varys said, in a low voice, "Alas I cannot save the girl, but one babe looks like another, switch them and Aegon can be saved"

The nursemaid nodded, but her hands trembled and Varys gave her a look, "My dear, you've been with me for a while, you know I would not ask this of you if it were not important" She knew she was being sent to her own death but Varys ensured loyalty in his little birds, in one way or another, she would do it.

"And you'll ensure my brother is taken care of? You will?" She asked in a whisper and Varys nodded, he would, he would be true to that, even if he was true in few things. He inspired loyalty in his spies in many ways, and so he would honour them to continue to inspire such loyalty.

Some little birds were his from birth, bought from poverty and loyal to him for food. Others he coerced with promises of gold, others came to him when desperate, willing to die for him for many different reasons. He didn't really care what those reasons were, as long as they loyal, and as long as they were useful, they joined his little flock.

"Now go my dear" The minutes ticked by, too slow, too slow, and then she came hurrying back out, the heir to the throne in her shaking hands.

She handed him over and said nothing more, only nodded before hurrying back to the children's chambers. Another babe would be killed tonight, as would the Princess Rhaeny's, for he could not save her, but he could save Aegon, Aegon Targaryen the heir to the Iron Throne. The nursemaid, Rhaeny's and the guard would be no doubt butchered, as well as the babe of a common woman he had paid off, but Aegon Targaryen would not perish tonight, he had seen to that.

He looked down at the babe, with his purple eyes that looked more dark blue in the light and his wisps of silver hair. He was asleep, well drugged, for they couldn't afford for him to cry. He was still just a babe, nothing more, innocent, and small, not even really a child yet, just a babe.

But if Varys had his way, one day he would be King.

And so, he made his way through the tunnels of the Red Keep, babe held to his chest, not a cry from his lips as he rushed him to the boat, where another of his most trusted birds took him in hand and then hid below deck as Vary's hurried back into the City.

One down, two to go.

The Queen's screams had longed died, and the blood on her bed had stopped running hours earlier. She was gone, as the storm began to finally calm overhead. The Queen was gone, all that remained was her body, which would soon be placed in the crypts and her babe, screaming and squealing, eyes already purple, hair silver at her head, lungs of steel.

Her mother had perished in birth but not before naming her, 'Daenery's'. She already had the Targaryen look to her, and already she was alone.

Alone and not long for living if the boats on the horizon had anything to say about it. They were coming, coming for the Targaryen children, though they would never get them.

He had his orders, his orders from Varys. He had managed to bring four servants with him, and one of the women held the babe in her arms. Varys would be disappointed that only one Targaryen child was with them. Visery's, the eldest had ran away in a tantrum when they had told him they were leaving, and it had been too late to go back for him. And so, they rode, with Daenery's, the daughter of the Mad King, the little babe not even a moon turns of age. She was drugged, to keep quiet, and the waves lulled her as the sailed.

She was the last female Targaryen, and perhaps one day she would be Queen.

They would meet in Pentos if all went to plan. The storm hadn't ceased but their small ship could handle it, as they sailed for the free cities, away from Westeros, away from war.

Two down.

"Promise me Ned" He sobbed as she fell quiet, as her body became cold, as her breathe stopped. As his sister, his baby sister Lyanna perished, in her own birthing bed, blood still running on the sheets, as she fell quiet, cold, dead.

The babe in the nursemaid's arms cried, as though he could sense his mother was gone from the world. The nursemaid Wylla tried to comfort him but instead Ned stood, took his nephew in his arms, rocked him gently, and the babe calmed some, opening those eyes, those vivid purple eyes. He rocked him gently, his nephew, gently and kindly as the babe's cries stopped.

The babe, who was a vulnerable child, and yet one of the most dangerous names left in Westeros now.

'His name, is …' She hadn't been able to say, too weak, too shaky, and so Ned had named him Jon, for Jon Arryn, a man who had been like a father to him. Not a Targaryen name, but one that would keep him hidden, a Targaryen name would be dangerous in the world now.

Ned would raise him as his bastard, for what other choice did he have? Robert could never know, even Lyanna had seen that, and so he would raise the babe as his own. Who cared if his honour took a hit? He would know the truth of what happened, and he knew had to do this, for Lyanna, for her child, for his nephew.

"Ned!" A yell from downstairs, Howland Reed, sounding panicked, and Ned quickly handed the babe back to Wylla before grabbing Ice and running for the stairs, sword in hand. What had happened now?

Bodies still littered the ground outside the Tower, but a living man stood among them now, guards at his back and a carriage in the distance.

"The Spider" He whispered, and the man nodded his head with something of an amused smile on his lips, his hands tucked into his robes, the scent of his perfume in the air.

"My Lord, my Lord" He said with a bow to him first and then the heir to Greywater Watch, "I'm here for the boy"

Ned took a step back then, raised his sword as did Howland. They would not give up Jon, they would not. Was Lord Varys here on behalf of Robert? Ned didn't know but it did not matter, he would not hand Lyanna's babe over for slaughter.

"You can't have him" He said with a shake of his head. Six guards flanked the Spider and Ned knew it was too many, but he would die before he gave Lyanna's babe over to be killed, he would die before he broke his promise to her.

'Promise me Ned'

"My Lord" Varys said, and took a step forward, holding a hand to halt his guards. He walked in striking distance of Ned's sword; sure he wouldn't be struck down and that made Ned halt for a second, that and there was no honour in killing an unarmed man. "I work for the realm, we may have different ideas on who should be King, but that doesn't matter now. The boy will not be safe, not with you, not here, you know it is true"

"His brother and aunt are in Pentos now, the boy Aegon and girl Daenery's, I smuggled them there, babes who your friend would have otherwise killed. He will join them, they will be taken care of, I will see to that" Varys nodded at that, and Ned shook his head again.

"No, I will raise him as my bastard…"

Varys shook his head, "No one will believe that my Lord, least from you, look at his eyes. He will not be safe. And shouldn't he be with family?"

"I'm his family" He said furiously and Vary's held his hands up in defeat with another nod.

"You can visit, say you're on trade visits, but this is for the best, you know it, as do I, I want to keep him safe too"

Ned paused…he could see the merit, and as he heard the babe cry from the tower, turned to look at Lord Varys, he knew, he knew this was the right decision. He couldn't keep him safe, not here, but in Pentos, with his family, he would be safe. It killed him to do it but again he thought of Lyanna.

'Promise me Ned'

"Who do you have taking care of them?" He asked.

"An associate of mine Master Illyrio, Ser William Darry guards the girl, and the guards are all paid well" He said, taking another step forward, "Do you have a northern man in mind? Who could join the compliment?"

"I'll send Jory Cassel" Ned said without hesitation, Jory was loyal, loyal indeed and anyone like Benjen would be too suspicious. The man would do it he knew, he was loyal, he would have to tell him the truth, but Ned knew he could be trusted, they had been friends since they were babes. "He is loyal, a good sword and will take the task until death"

"Perfect" Varys said simply, and then he nodded again, and Ned stepped aside, even though he wanted to take Jon and run, he stepped aside.

"Wait" He said, and the spider paused, turned back to him with a raised eyebrow and Ned continued, "Why are you doing this? And don't tell me you were loyal to the Mad King"

"No, I was not" Vary's said, honest for once, "But I am loyal to the realm, your friend won't rule well, not with the Lannister's holding the throne. I am doing what needs to be done for the realm"

Ned could accept that, could see that and Vary's seemed sincere. Besides what choice did he have? And so, he nodded, and the spider scuttled up the stairs of the Tower of Joy.

Soon the eunuch came back down with Jon in his arms and Eddard wanted to weep, he couldn't let the boy go but he knew he had to, he knew this was for the best, to keep him safe, he had to do what would keep him safe.

'Promise me Ned'

"Take Wylla" Eddard said, and the nursemaid nodded, taking the babe back from Lord Varys and joining the guards. Ned stopped her though, to stroke his thumb over the babe's cheek, to place a kiss to his head, he was a beautiful boy, with Stark features and dark hair, but his eyes, purple, they would have made him impossible to hide.

"His name?" Lord Varys asked.

"Jon" Eddard replied, and Varys simply nodded, no question, he would respect such a wish, even if the name were wrong for a Targaryen.

"Jory will sail for Pentos immediately, where should he head?"

"Ask for Illyrio at the docks" Varys said and then he went to turn away, but twisted back for a moment, "Thank you my Lord" Another nod and he walked away, into the carriage, and Jon went with them, in Wylla's arms, gone, Lyanna's babe, gone.

And Eddard fell to his knees and wept.

He almost vomited as he saw the babes, Rhaenys, the Princess looked as though she were sleeping, and the Lannister cloak she was wrapped in concealed most of the blood. She looked peaceful; her stab wounds hidden under the red cloak.

The babe however, Aegon Targaryen … or well, the babe people thought was Aegon Targaryen was barely visible peeking out of the blanket. He had been positioned so he looked too like he was sleeping but people knew, they knew the story, that his skull had been caved in, that he barely looked like a babe at all now and the cloak attempted to cover that.

Ned wanted to shout, to scream at such injustice, they were children! But he kept quiet, eyes on the floor. He knew the real Aegon was in Pentos by now, but … this was still a child, a child who hadn't had a chance to live thanks to Tywin Lannister's cruelty, it was wrong in every way it could be wrong.

And Rhaeny', the little Princess, so young, so innocent, and she had died too, for no reason, other than Robert's hatred and Tywin Lannister's ruthlessness.

There was no honour in hurting a child, regardless of their name or heritage.

"You have done a commendable task for the realm" Robert said, and Ned's gaze snapped up at that, as the King, as Robert thanked the butcher Tywin for his duty. Ned wanted to gag, instead he felt a fury in his belly.

That could have been Jon … was all he could think. Jon. He still felt a pang in the heart for his nephew, but also relief. He was safe now, safe across the Narrow Sea, with his family, where he belonged. Clearly, he would not have been safe here.

'Dragonspawn!' Robert had called them; he knew then his decision to let Jon go had been the right one. Ned knew then, as Tywin presented the bodies of the Targaryen children, wrapped in Lannister cloaks, he knew he had made the right decision. Letting Jon go had near killed him, but he knew, as Tywin Lannister ordered the bodies removed, he knew it had been the right thing to do.

And now, now there was another right thing to do.

"Your Grace" He stepped forward and his friend smiled, how he could smile after such a sight Ned did not know, but he was not like these other Lords, simpering and smiling, refusing to acknowledge such brutality, Ned could not. Honour demanded he challenge it.

"Killing children is a dishonour" He saw rather than heard Robert sigh, and he watched as Tywin lifted his head with a glare, it didn't matter, Ned would not be cowed, he was a wolf, the Lord of Winterfell now, he would not be scared by lion's … or stag's for that matter.

"Tywin Lannister has dishonoured you and his post" He paused before his next words, but well, in for a copper star, in for a gold dragon, he could not let this wrong pass, "You have dishonoured yourself by accepting it"

"Ned!" Robert boomed, anger in his gaze now, "They were dragons spawn, might I remind you what dragons did to your sister? To my love?"

Ned felt a sting in his gut then, that was a low blow considering Lyanna's bones were not even North yet. "Lyanna would never have condoned this Robert" Ned said in fury, calling his friend by name rather than title, the fury in him like fire, "You know that, she never would have condoned the butchery of innocents, of children"

"How dare…" He began but Ned shook his head, cut the King off to the gasps of the court, he didn't care.

"I dare, you have dishonoured yourself your Grace" He said coldly, and Robert stood then, in fury, his eyes blazing. "Lyanna would have thought so too"

"Get out" He spoke harshly, and Ned only nodded, calling for his men as he turned away, turned away from his King and the atrocities that had been committed here. He would not, could not condone it, especially as he thought of Jon, as he thought of his dear nephew, who if Tywin Lannister and even Robert had, had their way might be at the King's feet in a red cloak too.

Thank the gods he is safe. Ned felt some assurance as that as he re-joined his men. It was time to return to Winterfell, to his new wife and his babe he had never met. He wished Jon were with them, but no, he was safe now, safer than he would have been here. He knew that now, he would visit, when it was safe to do so too, but for now his nephew was half a world away.

Half a world away, but safe, that was all that mattered, that was what Lyanna had wanted.

'Promise me Ned'

And halfway across the world, in a manse in Pentos, Wylla the nursemaid and two maids of Essosi heritage settled the three children to sleep the elaborate nursery, where Jory Cassel stood guard at the door.

In the room next door Varys and Illyrio sat together, sipping wine, and discussing the events that had come to play, discussing who lay in the room next to him.

"They'll all be important" Illyrio said, as he picked at the food on his plate, a servant bustling in to pour wine before she was immediately dismissed.

"Yes" Varys replied with a nod, wine in hand, "I'll need to return soon" Ilyrio nodded at that.

"I'll keep them safe, as will their guards, and the servants, we've paid them well"

"I know" Varys said, and turned to glance at the door to the room, "They will be important"

And in said room the three babes slept soundly. In the middle slept the heir to the Iron Throne, Aegon Targaryen, fifth of his name and future King. Next to him lay Daenery's Targaryen, the last female of the line, who would perhaps be Queen someday. And then lay Jon, Jon Targaryen, who one day would be the King of the North.

If they had their way, and they would, they always did, and one day the three babes sleeping would have it all.

"Two Kings and a Queen" Illyrio said wistfully and Varys nodded with another glance at the door.

All three babes slept soundly, unaware of how important they were, unaware of the role they would soon play. They slept soundly, each with a fossilised dragon egg in their crib.

and the heirs to the dragon are safe ... for now, lets follow their journey

time jumps will be a plenty at the start, so do be aware of that!

also no I'm not revealing the ships yet

do fav/follow!