Chapter 9: Plans for the Future

Hi, all. So, I know it has been while since I updated, let's just say, my life is currently in not very good place and I am not in a very good mood and it kills my creative thinking, with that being said to myself that I should go back writing this and my other fanfics, if for nothing else than to get my mind off other things. I will also try to write shorter chapters, to publish them more often, if possible.

Lord of the Neck followed Ser Rodrick through the old halls of Winterfell. It has been a while since Howland saw Ned or talked to him. To say he was surprised when being summoned out of the blew, would be an understatement, though truth be told Howland suspected what the reason for his summons might be, yet he still wanted to hear it from Ned Stark directly before making any conclusions.

Once he arrived in solar and the Lord of Winterfell looked at him, Howland could feel and see weariness with a slight hint of desperation beneath the gaze of his friend's grey eyes. Still Lord Stark smiled a little as went to hug the men who once saved his life. "Howland, it's good to finally see you after all these years."

"Likewise, Ned. Though I must admit I was taken aback when my scouts reported that the messenger of Winterfell was looking for me. I guess you have a good reason for bidding me to meet you."

"Yes. A very good reason." Ned Gestured toward the chair at the table opposite of his own. "Ser Rodrick, that would be all, leave us and see to it that no one gets inside or even near this room until I say so."

"As you wish my Lord." Rodrick bowed and quickly left, without any hesitation.

When they both sat down, Howland asked. "So, what is this about? You seem like something really bothers you."

"Is it really that obvious? Well, since you already caught upon that I will get straight to a point. The problem I am facing concerns my sister's child."

"Ah, I see. And what is the nature of this as you call it the problem?"

"She figured out the truth about her heritage, when she got some sort of magical visions of the past in her dreams. Maester Aemon of castle black told her these vision were called a dragon dreams"

"Dragon dreams you say?" Howland said while rubbing his beard all too casually for Ned's liking. "Interesting."

"Ehm….. You could at least try to sound more surprised, Howland."

Lord of the Neck just shrugged upon that remark. "Targaryens and members of other great valyrian houses in general were known for sometimes having such dreams, so it is not really a big surprise to me that young Visenya…pardon me Lyanna would possess such a gift, Ned. Still….. For such powers to be used it is required that magic of the dragons is present in the world so I question how was it possible for her to have a dragon dream when the dragons are all gone, unless….."

Howland didn't finish the sentence as Ned confirmed his suspicion. "She has a dragon, small one but the dragon nevertheless."

"Indeed? Now that something is very interesting, though I would ask you, how in the name of the Old Gods did she even manage to get one?"

"Now here's the onion." Said Ned and poured himself and Howland a tankard of ale. "To put it simply it turned out that my family crypt was hiding a secret nobody knew about, that secret was a dragon egg safely stored. I don't know how but our ever inquisitive Lyanna found it and later it hatched due to her presence."

Howland shook his head in puzzled amazement. "Who would have thought that something like a dragon egg, presumably not turned into stone, would be hidden beneath Winterfell all this time? And what's more a hidden Targaryen princess possessing the ability to hatch such an egg happens to discover it. Old gods had a really strange sense of humour."

Ned couldn't help but agree, yet he was far from being amused. "Indeed, however you surely understand the implication of it."

"Yeah, a very grim implication. I wager that should this get out, our beloved king Robert won't be too pleased."

"That is a little bit of an understatement, Howland. wouldn't you say? Well, if anything happens, I believe I can count on you and the Crannogmen?"

"Of course the Neck is sworn to the Starks of Winterfell and as long as it is, no enemy army will get through it." After his proclamation Howland paused, then he frowned. "But given the fact I am not killing the Baratheon or Lannister troops in the Neck right now, means that secret is still concealed, no?"

"It is for now. Lyanna is still able to hide the fact she has a small dragon in her chambers, but it will not stay small forever."

Howland nodded while he started rubbing his short beard. "Indeed, so tell me what are you planning to do?"

"Good question, in fact it's the reason why you are here, my friend. I have a favour to ask, though I am not certain whether you can do it for me or not."

"You will never know if you don't ask, out with it."

"Alright, you see Lyanna doesn't want to stay in Westeros for my family's sake and safety and wants to leave for Essos. Obviously I am not really thrilled by it but there may be some merit to her plan. Still Essos is a dangerous place and I don't want her to be alone there, but sending any of my retinue or lords could raise a suspicion, therefore I want to ask you if you know anything about the whereabouts of Ser Arthur and ... .well Ashara." Ned felt like something stabbed him in the hearth when he said the name of the woman he considered to be his first love.

"Hmm… what makes you think I would know about Dayne and his sister?" Howland raised his eyebrow, neither denying or confirming Ned's question.

"Howland.. I really don't know how to put this but you always knew how to find people, somehow, like that one time in the Stoney Sept, you knew the Exact location of Robert guided us to him during the battle of the bells. Now I am not sure how you managed to do it but you did. Plus you are a diligent man and I imagine you would keep an eye out for Daynes. So, I'll ask again, do you know where they are or not?"

Lord of the Neck looked stunned for a moment then he laughed. "It would seem you know me only too well. Yes, I know about their whereabouts."

"Go on…."

"They are living in Braavos, disguised as merchants of a lesser noble family under different names claiming to be originally from Volantis. Their mansion is located in a noble district of the city and despite the fact those two are trying not to stand out, they are one of the rich people of Braavos."

Ned blinked in surprise. "Braavos huh? That is not very far, convenient even. How come that they were not discovered by anyone?"

Howland shrugged. "It is the second most populated free city in Essos, Ned. One could even argue it is the only one of the free cities which is truly free with the laws that are more than welcoming to the exiles and outcasts who wish to stay hidden. As a matter of fact, if someone has a complicated past and wishes to keep it under the rags then he or she is more than welcomed to stay in the Free city of Braavos, at least as long as taxes are paid and laws obeyed than it is with no questions asked."

"That is the reason Daynes are hiding there and were able to stay hidden. I only know about them because I tracked their movement from the start. Not that I track their every whim and move, mind you but I thought it would be good to keep my eye on those who knew about the most dangerous secret in Westeros."

"Dangerous indeed." Ned agreed then he finally asked the question which was currently in the upfront of his mind. "If I write a letter, can you get it to them?"

Howland grimaced. "That is or would be…. A very difficult task, Ned. I suppose you want them to help our hidden Princess? I guess it is not the worst idea. Well, should you be able to write a letter I will try to get it to them, though it will take time."

"Time is something I dare say we still have. At least for now." Ned frowned when his mind again went back to the events transpired at tower of Joy, to his sister and his promise. "I might not be able to keep up with the promise I gave my sister but I have to find someone who will."

"Right." Howland nodded in agreement. "I imagine that Arthur Dayne would be more than happy to protect his friend's only remaining child, yet that dragon, Ned. I dare to say that not even Braavos will be enough to hide the fact of its existence. The word of it will get to King's Landing sooner or later and when it does ... .Well no can be allowed to connect her with the North and as such she must not be using the name Lyanna Snow, or the entire purpose of her leaving will be for naught."

"Yes, we are aware of that fact, Howland."

"We?"

"Lyanna wants to use her true name once she leaves for Essos, truth be told she will probably need to use it to gain access to the gold Prince Rhaegar left her. It is as they say, her choice.ׅ"

Howland couldn't help but wonder as to how much of her mother's boldness and courage the girl inherited. "So, to sum it all up, she will go to Braavos and will take her true name, Visenya Targaryen and as a proof of her heritage a dragon will fly wherever she goes. And if we manage to reach the Daynes they will help her from then onwards. Well, it will still be dangerous, you know that right?"

"Yeah, alas, should I keep Lyanna in Winterfell and the dragon is discovered and recognized as hers, it will raise questions and Robert as slow as he is sometimes, will realise, I kept a Targaryen on my court all this time." Ned paused and a grim expression appeared on his face. "I am not certain our friendship would be enough to stop him from marching North at the head of an army."

"True, however Ned….."

"Yes? What is it?" Ned noticed a hint of warning in Howland's voice.

"Something festers in the heart of the Seven Kingdoms, I don't know what it is but my guts are telling me that something is going to happen sooner or later which just might spiral us into another war regardless of Rhaegar's and Lyanna's child involvement."

Ned folded his arms and adopted a stern expression. "Howland, since the end of the Ironborn rebellion the realm is at peace, I am certain that we just need to handle this situation and it will stay that way."

"It is so good of you to think so, Ned, yet we have an old saying in the Neck: The building without solid and rotted foundation will fall back into a swamp. And Robert's reign is currently standing on only a few foundations, your friendship and the support coming with it, Jon Arryn and alliance with the House Lannister. I don't need to tell which one is rotted and which is solid."

Ned shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Allright, I see you have a rather sceptical outlook on my friend's reign but what are you trying to imply here, Howland?"

A leader of the crannogmen leaned forward and almost whispered next words. "I am implying that there is a balance to Robert Baratheon's reign, that is for now. However, as soon as one of those foundations is removed, well it will come crashing down, or worse it will be overtaken by the Lannisters."

Ned found himself getting a little bit upset by the memory of Tywin Lannister and the sack of King's Landing. "Robert would not let that happen. Even if something should happen to Jon Arryn or me."

"You have been warned my friend, still promise me one thing, Ned."

"Just one?"

"Indeed, do not rush south to give aid to Robert, it won't be worth it."

Ned was taken aback by the words he just heard, shocked even." Robert is my friend as much as you are. If he asks me for help I won't deny it as I wouldn't deny it to you. Don't ever ask me such a thing, Howland."

"As you wish." Howland shook his head in resigned gesture. "Well I said my piece. Now, may I see the one because of whom you summoned me?"

XXX

Lyanna was sitting at her table and was reading a book which she received from maester Aemon. It proved itself to be a very intriguing piece of work, which really confirmed the fact the dragons were more than meets the eye.

Zyraxes completely uninterested were laying in Lyanna's bed, sleeping.

Both of them were stirred up by someone knocking at the door, the voice soon confirmed who it was. "Lyanna, your father wishes to speak with you."

"Eh? Alright, please tell him I am on my way, Ser Rodrik."

She rose from her chair, put away the book and slowly walked to the doors. "I will be back in the moment, darling."

Zyraxes didn't answer, instead a little she-dragon moved under the furs, presumably to get back to sleep.

XXX

When Lyanna entered her Father's solar her gaze was immediately drived to the somewhat roughly looking short men, she felt somewhat familiar though she couldn't place him anywhere, not until Ned introduced him. "Lyanna, a good friend of mine wanted to meet you, this is Howland Reed, Lord of the Neck."

After studying her a little bit, Howland walked closer to Lyanna and smiled. "Pleasure to finally meet you, or perhaps I should say meet you again though last time you were just a newborn, Princess."

"Ehmm. I am not sure if that is what you should be calling me Lord Howland, but it's indeed a pleasure to meet you. It was said to me that you knew my mother."

"Indeed, Lyanna Stark became my saviour when she stopped certain squares of house Frey from harming me and later went to great lengths to acquire justice for me." Howland paused as he folded his arms and a sad smile formed on his bearded face. "Which then subsequently led to her and Prince Rhaegar running into each other. Hm I would say it's rather interesting what all transpired from that one fateful meeting between your parents, wouldn't you say, Visenya?"

Lyanna feeling a little uncomfortable gave Lord of the Neck a puzzled look. "Interesting? Tragic, more like."

"Oh so this is how you see the past? Granted, many tragedies have happened because of your parents' sudden meeting, but you are alive because of it."

"Well, yes. But it doesn't change nor erase the fact that my parents caused a fucking war and I am now in a precarious situation because of the mistakes made in the past, the past which can not be changed, Lord Reed."

"Correct…. no matter how we sometimes might want to change it." Howland glanced at Ned, who simply watched the conversation between them with great interest. When Lord Reed saw it he looked back on the young Princess with a serious expression. "Alas some of us can at least see it and learn from it. Tell me, do you truly have visions of the past, in the form of dreams?"

Lyanna didn't answer at once and for a while just studied Howland's face. His demure struck her with the feeling that the man before her clearly knew something about magical visions though she couldn't say for certain and her curiosity got the better of her. "Yes I had….. Still, you seem to be awfully unfazed or surprised by it."

Howland chuckled. "Ha! How observant of you. Just like your mother. Truth be told I myself have quite an experience with visions and dreams, with one clear difference, however."

"Difference? What difference?"

"Well, I am what you might call a greenseer just like many of my house before me. And, my own dreams do not come from the magic of the dragons, rather from the magic of the Old Gods."

"What? You are a greenseer? How…..?" Ned finally spoke, clearly perplexed.

Howland looked at him and shrugged. "It is not something I walk around telling people, Ned. Truth is that greensight is a mostly forgotten art which not many would even understand nor accept it and as such members of my house with this gift tend to keep it hidden, including me and my son who was also born greenseer. However my family is not the only one in the North with the magic of the Old Gods present in their blood, yours has it too, my friend."

"I don't know what you are talking about Howland. If my family had magical powers I dare say I would know."

"Would you? Oh, Ned, let me remind you that in the ancient past King of Winter of House Stark and his brothers defeated a Warg King and took his daughters as brides, hence getting magic of the Old Gods into your bloodline. But the sad truth is that those wargs or greenseers born into House Stark either do not know about their gift, don't understand it or tend not reveal it." Howland paused, letting his words sink in and turned to Lyanna. "Which brings me to you."

Lyanna suddenly felt very uncomfortable as uttered the words on her mind. "What does that supposed to mean?"

"It is very simple, Princess. It means that you have both blood of the dragon and the blood of the Warg King coursing through your veins and with it comes great potential."

"Oh… Wonderful." Lyanna said bitterly.

Howland again shrugged while trying to adopt a calming expression. "As a daughter of house Targaryen and Stark, it comes with the territory, I am afraid. Anyway I still can't say you have the gift of the Old Gods magic until you actually use it, I would offer you to go with me to Greywater Watch to see other more experienced greenseers to determine whether you have that gift but that would take a time. Something you don't have as even my home wouldn't keep a dragon hidden indefinitely."

"I see and how would I recognize that I used this gift of the Old Gods? I mean I already had dragon dreams, how would I differentiate them from the other visions?"

"That depends…..When it comes to difference between green and dragon dreams, you probably wouldn't find much of a difference, except the fact that the green dreams can also be pursued by connecting with the heart trees though it requires some knowledge and understanding both of which you do not possess, hence you do not have to concerned about it. I would however be concerned about warging."

Lyanna frowned. "Warging you mean like it is said in the legends, placing your conscience inside an animal?"

"Indeed, though to find out whether you have that gift, you need to own some animal and it needs to see you as its master as a random animals may not take it kindly should you try to warg into them on the whim, anyway I would say I burdened you enough, all I wanted was to just give you some warning about your…. possible abilities, should they even manifest."

"I am calmer already." Lyanna said, words dripping with sarcasm. "Well not that I am ungrateful for your warnings."

Howland studied Lyanna for a moment and after a brief pause spoke again. "There are things in this world we can't affect. We simply have to deal with them as they are, but that's enough from me as you have enough on your plate as it is, with you leaving for Essos and all. Speaking of which, Ned here figured something of a solution regarding your passage to the east."

Lyanna looks at her supposed father. "Indeed?"

Ned cleared his throat and began to speak in a diplomatic tone. "Yes, I was pondering about our situation and you are correct. Should you stay here with your dragon, things may get messy, still Essos is a wild and dangerous place where a lot of misfortunes can happen to you, but I might be able to provide a solution which could both satisfy my oath to your mother and your need to leave there." Ned gestured to Lyanna to sit on the chair opposite him. She did so, her curiosity sufficiently peaked.

"Recently I was thinking a lot about how I could manage to find someone trustworthy who would accompany you to Essos as a protection and guide, however it would require me to share the secret of your parentage to more people and that would not be ideal. Then I realised, I won't have to, when two people who were close to Prince Rhaegar and were loyal to house Targaryen are already present there, somewhere ..."

Lyanna didn't need to hear more as it immediately clicked for her. "You mean Arthur and Ashara Dayne. But you don't know where they are? No?"

"I didn't, however Howland knows and he also has a means to get me into contact with them, granted it would not be easy."

Lyanna switched her gaze to the Lord of the Neck who just stood near and listened. "Yes, they are in Braavos under different names. Both me and Ned agreed that it would be best that, should you leave to Essos, it would be best if you go to them."

"I see how…convenient Braavos would be the first place I would want to go. And are you sure they would be willing to help me? I mean they were forced to leave their home because of my parents…. And I will put them in danger."

"That may be true but if there is someone who would swear allegiance to you on the spot it is Ser Arthur Dayne, Lyanna." Ned said with absolute certainty.

It was Howland who added to Ned's statement. "Quite right. Prince Rhaegar was more than just a future ruler to Arthur. He was his friend and Dayne was ready to die while protecting his friend's last living child, despite the absurdity of it all as Ned would never harm you or his own sister."

"Yeah, it was all rather futile to fight at the Tower but enough about that. So, Lyanna, would you be willing to accept this? It will still take some time and effort for Howland to get a letter to Daynes but I would say it is worth trying." Ned asked while giving Lyanna an intensive look.

"Well…. I mean it is not the worst idea. I will need help to get a grasp on how things work in Essos. As it stands right now, I would go there blind…. Alright, I agree, if nothing else I won't have to run from Winterfell in secret and against your will, Uncle."

"Good." Ned said, while trying to ignore a fact Lyanna again called him uncle, rather than father, but she didn't call him that since they returned from Castle Black, she now only called him lord Stark in the presence of others, the fact that everybody could notice but ignored. "Now there was also something I wanted you to have, Lyanna."

Ned rose from his chair, picked up a small chest from behind his table and put it in front of Lyanna. "This contains everything important your parents left in the Tower of Joy, including documents of Prince Rhaegar's and my sister's marriage and annulment of his previous marriage to Elia Martell, basically proof you are true born Princess of House Targaryen."

"Huh, if she has a dragon it will be proof enough, Ned." Howland remarked.

"Ned gave him a serious look. Bastards were dragon riders too, besides she will need to prove who she is in the Iron Bank." Ned looked back at his niece. "Before you leave North I will also give you my own testimony with my signature and seal confirming who you are, so no one will ever question it."

"Thank you." Lyanna took the box. "Is there anything else or can I be excused?"

"I think that should be all for now. I am sure you are aching to see the content of this box, you may leave." Ned back on his chair, while Lyanna bowed her head slightly and got up and turned to Howland.

"It was good to meet you, Lord Reed, even though I am now even more worried of what the future holds for me."

"Future is uncertain for all of us, even for those who can see visions of it, as it is in constant motion and one can never see its final outcomes." Howland bowed his head respectfully. "Until we meet again, Princess Visenya."

As soon as Lyanna left Howland sat again on the chair opposite to Ned. "So, it's settled. Now only for you to write that letter, so I can get it to Arthur and Ashara."

"Oh, yes…. But before that, there is something else, which just began pestering me.ׅ"

"Indeed? And what is Ned?"

"Well it is something you said, that there will be another war… Now that I know you are greenseer I have to ask you whether you actually saw that war in some of your visions or you just guessing"

Howland shrugged. "I don't know Ned, maybe it's both or just my intuition, either way it doesn't matter. Even without green sight, you can see that Rhaegar and Lyanna's child can cause a war, regardless of her not being present in Westeros, by leaving she is just giving us time. Dragon, that is something which can't be covered, Visenya Targaryen will be noticed at some point, Ned."

"Hmm…. Sometimes I curse my sister for what a mess she made when she fled with Rhaegar. Then again she was my sister and should have listened to her when she told me about her disinclination to marry Robert, had I known how things would turn out I would have never suggested that match to my father…"

Howland made out a sigh. "I wouldn't change a thing, Ned. Lyanna and Rhaegar would still have met. No, there was something else."

Ned looked at his friend with the raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever thought why and how Brandon learned of Lyanna? Or how did he even come to the conclusion that she was kidnaped? Someone must have set him off."

"And you don't happen to know who? I mean as a green seer shouldn't you be able to somehow see it in a vision?"

"I spent a countless nights thinking about that, alas that is where my mind and green sight fails me, legends say that in the past there were green seers who could view anything from the past just by using the weird woods but no greenseer alive can do that, at least no greenseer in the Neck. Besides my talent is not so great, I can sometimes see glimpses of the future or feel what is to come, but see something concrete? No."

"I see, it would be good to know who caused my brother to die." Ned said, disappointment clear in his tone.

"It's the past, no point dwelling on it when the future ought to be full of danger." Howland leaned closer to Ned. "Danger you must prepare the North for."

"I know, well I guess I will have to make some arrangements. Let's just hope Lord Manderly won't ask too many questions when I ask him to strengthen the defences of White Harbor."

"Then let him ask, Ned. In fact I would get him even more involved in northern defence preparation if I were you."

Ned frowned at that. "Any particular reason you want him to be more involved?"

"Well yes, for one he is a head of the richest family in the North and he has good stonemasons at his disposal in the White Harbor, assets which can come in handy. And secondly he is loyal to House Stark to the death, so he will do anything you ask. In that regard, there is one thing in particular I would suggest asking him."

"I see, and what is that, Howland?"

Howland leaned back in his chair and with the stone, a serious face said only four words. "To rebuild Moat Cailin."

So, there you have it. Howland Reed is more of a mysterious character in the books, though he is bound to be knowledgeable as George himself said he can't have his own chapters, well I also made him into a greenseer which may upset some people but hey if his son is one why not him.

Next chapter: Robb will want to speak with Lyanna who will discover the contents of the chest Ned gave her, and Ser Rodrik will inform Ned about a deserter from the Night's Watch, yeah we are getting into the book timeline, finally.