Disclaimer: I don't own GOT or ASOIAF. If I did, i would have made Jon the king and kept Rhaenys alive for the drama, or Aegon.
AN-1: College is a bitch. 10 hours a day are going to it directly, while sleep takes about 7. I am slowly settling into a new routine, and an abundance of time is only found on weekends. Updates might suffer for the next month too as I find a rhythm, or they may not.
AN-2: I have a P*T*R*N, where you can read the NEXT FIVE CHAPTERS right now, use the link on my profile! Also, Chapter 19 will go on my page soon!
AN-3: A very big thanks to LordLexx, Gladiusx and Hades for the edits, as well as an extra one for being such awesome betas!
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"You have a choice before you," I said loudly, looking at the couple hundred women in front of me, each of them staring at me with so much awe and hope that I couldn't even look them in the eyes for more than a moment, "Either you come with me to the North, where I promise to provide care and support for you in any situation that might come out of tonight…or you return to the Westerlands and the Reach. However, given the way your respective Lord Paramounts decided to leave you here even after the rebellion was crushed, you can guess the welcome that awaits you if you return there right away."
"The Septs will make you all pariahs in every corner of the South," my sister continued, both of us leaning on each other for support as the women of Bear Island stood behind us, "However, if you decide to come North… there will be no such things awaiting you there. Hundreds of our own women were brought back by our father after the rebellion, and they live without the jeers and taunts that you all will surely get south of the Neck."
"There is another thing too," I continued, grunting as I sat down on the ground, "Once the news of Harlaw's sacking, and your rescue reaches around the whole continent, the King and his council will ride North. With them, your husbands and fathers will ride North too…and then, then you will do your first task for me."
"So you saved us just to make us your slaves?" an older, half-blind woman said, standing with the support of the two girls beside her, her single eye glaring up at me, "Your grandfather was a far better man then, at least his cruelty was over quickly."
"Thank you for the compliment," I chuckled, before I looked her in eye, "But no, I saved you all by mistake. I was here just to free my sister and kill the Ironborn…rescuing you all is just an added accomplishment of the night. And I want a very simple promise in return for this. You will not speak a word of my dragons and my magic to anyone after we leave this Island. Not even to each other."
"And why would we do this?" the same woman croaked out again, stumbling forwards as she left the support of the girls holding her up, "What reason do we have to listen to any of this? For all you know, I might just walk to the King and tell the truth about you and your sister."
"You won't," I laughed lightly, sighing as I looked at the woman, "Your faith in him, and the Faith itself is broken. It was him and your Lords Paramount that decided to leave you here, because you were spoiled goods. It was the High Septon and the Starry Sept which issued the declaration for anyone to forget the women who were taken to the Iron Islands, as they were turned from the Light of the Seven—and the Mother, as well as the Father, didn't consider you to be a part of the humanity itself. However, the North took back its women with force, disregarding the counsel of the King's council as well as the stupid, rubbish words of that joke called the Faith. Today, those women live as free humans instead set of holes you all were for the Ironmborn over the last decade. Coming to the North with me is your only way off this Island right now."
"What do we do with the gold on Harlaw?" Visenya asked as we watched the women slowly trudge into the large, personal ship of Lord Harlaw, "Do we take it? It would certainly be better of with us than awaiting plunder by the other Ironborn."
"No, we neither have the time to loot it nor the boats to carry it back," I shook my head, looking at the two other, slightly smaller ships we had found in the hidden docks beneath the Ten Towers, "Besides, we are going to get a massive amount of Dragons once the word reaches Robert. Think about how we are going to play this off in front of the Lords, because forget about what Tywin and Robert might say, our own Uncle is not going to be happy about this."
"It wouldn't matter what he says when the Lords of the North raise their ale in your name," she pointed out, "As for hiding the evidence, the Dragons have already eaten the bodies that they bit and clawed at, and for the fires, we can blame the alcohol casks."
"Catelyn is going to be insufferable," I groaned out as Abel waved at us, a piece of cloth tied over her ruined eye, "Time to get back to the North. I just hope the winds favor us this time as they did for the Ironborn. And make sure the ropes on the Ironborn are tight a…well shit."
"What?" she asked, looking at the Dragons too "What happened?"
"Nothing, just tell the others to bring in some chains," I answered, walking down the slope toward Vhyraxes, "What do you say about dragging us back home? Think you are strong enough for it?"
He huffed out hot air at that on my face, standing up on his legs and swatting his siblings on their heads. Gaelithox snapped his teeth at that, but after a nudge from Caraxes, he blinked his eyes at me and stood up too—honestly, how lazy was this one?! Their heavy breathing echoed in the silent docks, and everyone stopped as they stared at the fabled, magical, extinct beasts with naked terror on their faces.
"I still can't believe it," Myrelle whispered, coming to a stop behind me as the dragons swam into the sea, "Do you want to take back the Iron Throne? Jon or Daeron, whoever the fuck you are…do you plan to make the North bleed for the South again?"
"I plan to conquer that throne, and the power it represents," I muttered, watching the chains be dragged towards me, "and this time, the North will not bleed for the South, like it did in the rebellion and was then forgotten by the King. When the word of my identity comes out, the Lords will not follow me because they would fear my dragons—they will follow me because of what I am. A Northman, who stands true to his words. A Northman who has proved himself in battle, and follows the Laws of the North. A Northman who will not forget the harshness of his home, who will not forget what the cold feels like when you have insufficient rations."
"I don't know about what the Lady Mormont and the rest of the North will say," she slowly mumbled, walking around to look me in the eyes, "But from this day to the day I die, you have my loyalty, Jon Snow."
Well, laying on thick certainly seemed to have helped, given the way the women who had heard my words were looking at me. Not that I was planning on forgetting my home when I sat upon the throne, but as of tonight, I was an official, full-time player in the Game of Thrones.
A Game that had no place for honor and sentimentality.
A Game that had been always been won on ruthlessness and pragmatism.
Looking at the women slowly walking into the ships, I smiled a little as some of them watched me with reverence and awe. Now that my place as their savior was fixed in their minds, they will talk with the other women, who had shared their pain and humiliation over the years. When these women would reach the North, they would see how free the worship of Old Gods was, without the need for the regular tithes and mandatory donations to the local Septs. Moreover, they would talk about all this when they would eventually return South. About how I, a supposed savage saved them from the clutches of the Ironborn. About how the women in the North bow to no man, and fight to defend themselves instead of hunkering in a room and praying to the gods.
They would speak about how the Faith and the current regime betrayed them in the worst possible way, only for Jon Snow to save them…and from them and the people who were going to visit the North, the tales would spread throughout the Realm. My name will be known to all without a shred of doubt, because this was a thing no one would be able to contain from the masses. And if the stories of Robert Baratheon told by my Uncle were true, then his impending visit to Winterfell was going to help me in more ways than one.
My idea of making the dragons drag our ship through the ocean had failed in its first hour. Evidently, the dragons needed to be a lot bigger, and the ship a lot sturdier for it. Biting into the fish, I sat outside a dingy little room built below the deck, with rusted iron bars instead of a door separating Rodrik and me.
"You know, despite the rather foolish decision Harras made by kidnapping my sister," I began, licking my lips as I threw the fish behind me, "It was probably the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me, for us to be honest."
"I can imagine why," he replied back, his eyes fixated on his sisters' faces as they slept in the corner, "Are my sisters going to be executed too?"
"I haven't thought about them to be honest," I hummed, looking to my right for a moment as Visenya walked into the room, "For that matter, I am not even sure about you. According to the deal made, it should be Theon Greyjoy who will lose his head…but my Uncle will probably go for yours."
"And what have you thought about it, My King? Will you try to stop Eddard Stark from taking my head?"
"Try? I can stop your execution altogether," I snorted, taking my sister's hand as she sat beside me, "But for that, you will command your remaining bannermen to bring in three-quarters of the gold on Harlaw. Only then, you and sisters will leave the North without Alannys seeing Theon's head roll off Nightfall's edge."
"I assume you are also going to keep Nightfall?" he asked after a few moments of silence, his face still away from me, "Or will it return with me once the ransom is paid in full?"
"Nightfall is something you can consider to be the price of Harras Harlaw's mistake," Visenya said, taking the sword from my hands as she ran a finger over the flat of the blade, "These are our terms Lord Harlaw. Three-quarters of your wealth, and your ancestral sword in return for your and your sisters' lives."
"I agree to your…demands," he muttered softly, finally looking us both in the eye, looking every bit the aged man he was, "For what Harass did to you both…forgive me if possible."
"No no, don't ask for forgiveness Rodrik," I smiled at him pleasantly, standing up from my chair as I moved towards the door, "It is not your fault that your whole culture boils down to looting and raping. Regardless, enjoy the cell for now, because you are going to get a lot more uncomfortable in the coming days once we reach Bear Island."
"Uncle is not going to kill Theon," Visenya declared once we exited the room, "He has raised that boy himself with more time and respect than we ever received. There is no way that he is going to cut off his head over this."
"Are you bitter over the fact Theon is not going to die?" I asked, passing on Nightfall's sheath to her, "Or that your worth in his eyes is lesser than a Greyjoy?"
"Probably both," she sighed, groaning as her back popped in several places, "Now, do you have any idea on how to find our elder sister?"
"To be honest, no," I lowered my head, walking into the room we had taken for ourselves, "She could be anywhere in Essos, just like our Uncle and Aunt, and while I have thought about going to the East…it will not be anytime soon."
"You think she can't be in Dorne?" she whispered quietly, laying down upon the bed and looking up at me, "Oberyn Martell has sired numerous daughters, what's one more on the list? Also, she was known to have Dornish looks, it won't be that difficult for her to hide there."
"True I suppose," I nodded, moving to the other side and just sprawling lifelessly on the bed, "Gods…this is far better than the one we had in Winterfell."
"Well, Harlaws can spend more money than the Starks," she grinned, poking the soft mattress with her finger as she snuggled up to me, "Now, are you sure these women will not tell anything to anyone? You are playing a dangerous game Daeron by trusting them…what if they decide to betray us after their respective Lords come to the North."
"They won't," I sighed, moving my left hand to her now cleaned hair and threading my fingers through the silver locks, "Because when they eventually come North, the High Septon will also do so in the guise of being the divine voice of the Seven. And I will make him admit how the Faith views these women and those who suffer similar incidents. After Tywin Lannister shows how little he cares about these women, I am sure no one will do anything to put us in danger. But there is just one thing I am worried about, the law that prevents a bastard from laying a hand upon a Noble."
"Play to Baratheon's weakness then," Visneya mumbled, crossing a leg over my waist as she laid her arm over my chest, "Draw parallels between how Uncle fought to save our mother, and you fought to save your sister. Maybe we can somehow make Arya stand in the room, she looks remarkably like our mother…and if nothing works, well he won't dare to kill us or send us to the Wall when every Lord in the North stands behind you."
"You think Uncle would support us if it came to that?" I asked, closing my eyes as my hand came to rest on her back, "Or will he obey his King as the Warden of the North?"
"I don't know," she answered quietly, the doubt and apprehension in her voice as clear as day, "and that is what terrifies me the most. Despite whatever we might have thought of him as kids, he did raise us in Winterfell. We didn't have the same respect and admiration his children received, but it was certainly better than what the other bastards get. You remember how we talked about why he was sending us to Bear Island, so that you might be motivated to join the Wall?"
"I do," I nodded, my mind flashing back to the day he had told us about fostering, "What of it?"
"Did you ever think that maybe he just wanted some good for us?"
"To be honest…never," I answered after a few moments, my mind flashing back to the night when Howland Reed and my Uncle had argued by that campfire, "I remember that night Visenya, when Lord Reed talked about placing me on the throne…and I remember how our Uncle defended his best friend's claim over ours. Maybe he was too distraught or stressed by the events caused by our parents, but that night changed my perception of him forever. I can't help but doubt him whenever a choice regarding us comes in front of him, especially when I know Catelyn spares no moment to remind him—and us about what we are."
"Do you think Tywin is going to bring them?" she asked, suddenly changing the topic as her arm tightened around me, "Amory Lorch and the Mountain?"
"He probably will," I nodded, remembering how large the Mountain, Gregor Clegane had been for me when I was in Lord Stark's arms, "I still remember how monstrously large that man was when we stopped by Robert's coronation. Tywin never goes out of the Westerlands without them both, and I doubt he'd travel to the North without them. Especially when everyone knows how Uncle had asked his friend for their execution, only to be rebuffed publicly. Tywin will not leave this opportunity to bring them to the North and sow terror in Winterfell, as well as spit in the face of Lord Stark."
"You are going to do something," she looked up at me, her eyes narrowed in accusation, "Don't tell me you are thinking about killing them both in Winterfell!"
"Not both…but one of them? Certainly," I answered, my mind running through all the words I had heard and learned about my intended target, "But that is months away from now. So let's just forget about it and sleep while we can. Also, stop trying to rub my dick, Visenya, this room stinks a bit too much for me to fuck you."
Six days later, we reached the shores of Bear Island, without any storms or accidents. Vhyraxes, Gaelithox, and Caraxes had already flown away to their residence on the Island some time ago, and given the large welcoming party standing at the edge of the treeline, they hand't bothered about subtlety. At the head of the party stood Dacey and Maege, and a foreboding shiver went up my spine as I imagined the conversation that was about to take place.
After the anchors were dropped, I took a deep breath and walked down the plank, grabbing onto the nearest Ironborn and dragging him with me. Behind me, the others were also brought down, the women taking particular, vicious pleasure in making it as painful for the Reavers as possible.
Pushing the man on the top of his face as I set my feet down on the pebbled shore, I watched the already shocked faces of the welcoming party turn even paler and wide-eyed as woman after woman walked down the planks from the three ships. Grabbing the crippled Ironborn by the cloth fastening his wrists together, I started to walk towards Dacey, taking in the dark eyes, and the disheveled hair before I looked at her mother. Maege too looked like she hand't slept a wink in the past week and some, her eyes fixed upon something behind me with disbelief and shock all over her face.
"You brought them all back," she whispered dazedly once I reached close enough to hear her, her hand latching onto Dacey for support as she watched the steadily growing number of women behind me, "You brought eve-is that Rodrik Harlaw?!"
"Yes, Rodrik Harlaw, his sisters, and the last few Ironborn on the Harlaw Island by the time I decided to leave" I nodded, grabbing onto Visenya's hand as she stopped beside me. Pushing the Ironborn at Maege's feet, I smirked slightly and waved my hand at the people behind me, "See how good a Northman is at raiding when he puts his mind to it?"
"Yo-You brought back your sister and the women who were taken from us," Fryke whispered, his sword dropping from his hands as he walked towards Abel and his daughter, tears flowing down. He positively crushed his wife and daughter to his chest, burrowing his face in his wife's hair as they hugged him back just as tightly, "You brought my Abel and Maris back to me…I do-don't care whether you are a Snow or a Targaryen, you have my sword till the day I die."
Watching three other couples hug each other just as tightly, I looked at Maege and Dacey both, their disbelieving eyes looking at me as I smiled at them. Rodrik and his sisters were slowly pushed to the front, and out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the fear on the ladies' faces, while their brother just looked at me calmly.
"Maege, could you arrange for the healers to look at these women," I said, making her almost jump in her place as her eyes snapped to mine, "After that, I think we should have a chat…while Maester Willas sends out a few ravens."
and BTW, Merry Christmas to you all guys!