Disclaimer: I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire or Smallville.

Different families II

"Talking"

"Thinking"

On the whole, this was not how Martha thought the day was gonna be like it. "Eddie, why is there an old man in chains by the fire?" she asked her eight-year-old son.

"Because that's where it's warm?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and Clark tried not to laugh. Martha was still not amused. She had gone a quick chore run, assuming that her children would be fine for an hour. How exactly did her other two children miss this? "Eddie," she began.

He glanced at the old man and quickly went over to her. "Mom," he said in a whisper. "He came out of the barn."

That stopped everything. For some reason, their barn had some sort of portal that led to a place called Dorne, where the Martells lived. The thing was, the Martells had never visited during winter, only summer. This was something different.

Martha took another look at their new guest. With him facing the fire, all she could see was his white hair. His hands were gnarled and wrinkled, showing his age. He wore black clothes that seem a size too big for him. Or maybe it because of what he wore. He wasn't in chains like she had thought, but instead wore a chain around his neck that dropped into his lap.

"Who is he?" she asked Eddie.

The old man spoke first. "My eyesight may have gone but my ears are still strong. If you wish to know who I am, you simply need to ask." His voice might've been gentle but there was definitely a rebuke in it.

Suddenly Martha felt she was back in school and got an easy problem wrong. The fact Rachel was trying not to laugh did not help matters. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, coming over to him. As he had said, his milky-white eyes showed his blindness. "I'm Martha Kent and you've already met my son, Edgar."

"Eddie," her son piped up.

The old man smiled with a gentle warmth. "A good day to you, Lady Kent. I am Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch."

Those words meant nothing to Martha, but they clearly held importance to him. "How did you arrive here?"

"I am not sure myself. I was walking to the rookery, as I had many times before. Only now, I found myself in some strange land, nothing like I've known before. It is only thanks to your son that I didn't topple over in shock."

"I thought he was cold," Eddie said. "That's why I brought him in."

"He's a good lad," the old man told Martha. "Although I have been far used to the cold."

Clark could admit it was a rather chilly day. But the old man didn't seem too bothered by it. "Where do you live?" he asked.

"At the Wall." Silence held after his answer. "You do not know what that is?"

"Do you know a place called Dorne?" Martha gave him a quick look, but he stayed focused on the old man.

The old man turned his head just enough to look somewhat at Clark, if he could still see. "I do. Dorne is the southernmost kingdom of Westeros. The Wall resides in the North."

"The North of what?" asked Rachel.

"I'm guessing of everything else?" Clark remarked. He gave his sister a moment before grinning at her. The grin grew wider once she started scowling.

Eddie snickered. "You walked right into that one, Rache."

"Shut up, Edd!"

"Children," Martha said with the power of a mother. There was a guest in their house, from a land that paid pretty good attention to manners. They knew to behave themselves.

But Aemon didn't focus on that. Those names lingered in his ear, changing into something else, something familiar. "What did you say your names were?" he asked.

The children shared a look but answered. "I'm Clark," the eldest introduced himself again. "This is Rachel and Edgar."

"Eddie!"

Something grew in Aemon's heart, a feeling that he dared not feed lest it die fast. He wondered if he was dreaming. Everything felt so real. He had to know the answer. "May I feel your faces?" he asked, reaching out to where he heard the younger two.

Edgar and Rachel were hesitant, at first. But there was something about the old man that promised no harm. After a quick reassuring look from their mother, they stepped closer to him. Rachel went first, then Edgar. The man's fingers were slow as they traced the lines of their faces. He wanted to know all he could.

When he finished, a wet gasp left him. "Rhaenys. Aegon." Tears welled up in his eyes. "By the gods, you're alive."

Martha went still. Clark noticed her actions and did the same. The younger siblings didn't know what was going on, exactly. But Rachel did know those were her and her brother's original names. But how did he know them? And why was he close to tears? "Who are you?" she asked again.

The tears stopped for a moment and a happy smile appeared. "To you and your brother? I am kin. I was born to King Maekar I Targaryen. When he passed, my younger brother succeeded him as Aegon V. His grandson eventually became Aerys II. And his son Rhaegar had two children, a girl, Rhaenys, and a boy, Aegon."

Brother and sister stared at the old man for a long moment as the information struck home. "You're our great-great-granduncle?" Rhaenys asked, hope leaking through her voice.

His smile was full of pride and happiness as the tears started to fall. "That I am, child." His hands reached out and cupped their faces again. "And I am so glad that you're both alive."

Things became a little easier after that, especially after their dad came home and knew what was going on. Aemon was welcomed as a guest and was treated with fine hospitality. They told him the story of how Rachel and Edgar arrived at the farm and how they were adopted after their mother passed away. After some consideration, they also mentioned that Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn were aware of their existence too.

Aemon welcomed the news with gratitude, and he was all too happy to share stories of his childhood with the children. While he couldn't tell them any stories about their father or grandfather, they were still happy enough to learn something about their father's family. Although they couldn't believe the fact their ancestors rode dragons. To them, dragons didn't exist.

But throughout the day, Aemon noticed something else, and it came from their older brother. He didn't see the guilty jealousy hanging over the boy's head. It was enough to hear in his words and the way he moved. He lingered in the background while Aegon and Rhaenys sat by his side and listened.

The next day, Aemon called him. "Young Clark, a moment if you will."

His steps paused before coming closer. "Yeah? Is there something you need?"

"Only to see about you. You seemed to avoid your siblings yesterday."

"Oh, no. I wasn't. They wanted to spend time with you. I didn't want to get in the way." He believed his words but not completely. The lie lingered at the end.

Aemon snorted. "Please, do not lie to me, young man. I grew up around men and women who could do it better than you."

Clark wondered just where he had grown up. The old man kept his sightless eyes on him, and they weren't leaving. The truth came out slowly, but it came out all the same. "I'm adopted, just like Rache and Eddie. But with their relatives finding them and coming to visit…"

He wouldn't call walking into a room and winding up in a barn coming to visit. But Aemon understood what he meant. "You cannot help but wonder if your relatives are out there as well."

"Yeah. I mean, I know I have a family here, but they can write to their uncles and cousins. I don't even know if I have that."

The writing was something Aegon mentioned yesterday. There was already a system in place for their Martell cousins and they could extend it to him. Aemon would've happily agreed if it wasn't for his blindness. Holding his feelings on that, he reached out and took Clark by the hand. His was a strong grip but also gentle. "It is as you say, Clark. You have a family here," he told him. "And as such, I am your family too."

He didn't need to see Clark's surprise to know it was there. "You but, I…"

"You are Rachel and Aegon's brother, are you not?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Then you are my nephew too." And he decided that was the end of it.

For Clark, it was amazing that the man could just simply say that and expected it to be truth. And he also loved the fact that the old man would say it. "Thank you, Mr. Aemon."

His finger tapped Clark's arm. "We are family, child."

"…Uncle Aemon."

He smiled again. "Very good."

The door burst open and Eddie rushed in. "Uncle, there you are," he said, rushing over to the chair.

"Yes, Edgar. I am here. Where I have been since breakfast."

He ignored the pointed humor. There wasn't any time for it. "Listen, can you lie well?"

"I grew up in King's Landing."

"…And that means what?"

He sighed. "I can lie, child. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I don't need you to lie, but maybe fib a little?" He looked up at his brother for help. Clark looked back, waiting for his answer. "I told some of my friends that you showed up yesterday and they didn't believe me. So…"

Clark knew what his brother had done, and he couldn't believe him. "Eddie, you told them to come over?"

"It just came out. They'll be over in half an hour." He looked back at his old uncle. "We've got that long to come up with a good story about you."

Much to his surprise, Aemon smiled. "Just like your namesake, getting in trouble without meaning to. And we even have our Ser Duncan to help along," he proclaimed, tapping Clark on the arm.

By the time Eddie's three friends came by, they were able to hash out a story about Aemon. He would be Edmond. When he was young, he had been in university when the war erupted and so he elected to join the army. He showed much ferocity and courage whilst fighting, the other men came to call him Dragon. But when the war was over, he had been sickened and horrified by all the death he had seen. So, when he returned to England, he became a monk at a monastery close to Hadrien's Wall, leaving the title and lands he was supposed to inherit to his younger brother, Aegon's namesake.

Of course, that was the broad strokes of a history. The rest was implied by Aemon as he talked to the children, making vague references and musings that let them connect the dots how they saw. Not once did Clark see him get caught in a lie.

That being said, he enjoyed the short time with the children, and they were amazed to see someone so old. Samantha asked if he would take Edgar and Rachel away, making everyone freeze. Aemon simply smiled and told her that he couldn't, being a monk and all. But he was happy that they had a family and were happy.

After the kids left, it was getting close to dinner. Clark forgot one of his books in the loft. As he came down the steps with it in hand, metal scrapping across leather echoed behind him. He turned and found a sword pointed at him. "Who are you?" demanded the man holding the sword. "Where am I?"

Clark couldn't speak, not at first. His eyes were focused on the sword. The point was close, really close to his heart. If he took the wrong step, he could end up getting himself killed. But then he looked past the sword, at the man. He wore leathers and a big cloak, all in black. That gave him the courage to speak. "Are you from the Night's Watch?"

"Was it not obvious, boy?" he sneered.

"Are you looking for Maester Aemon?"

That made him pause. "Aye, I am. Do you have him?"

Clark nodded. "He's inside. I'll go get him." He walked away without taking his eyes off the sword. It was only when he was outside that he could breathe easily.

Alliser Throne didn't have much patience, not when he found himself in what appeared to be a barn when he was supposed to be at the Wall. Thankfully it wasn't extinguished when the old maester hobbled in. "Ser Alliser," he said in greeting. "I'm glad to see you well."

"Some had started to think you had run, Maester," Alliser remarked. "It's been two days."

"As it has for me."

He looked around the barn. Lots of it was strange to him but he could recognize enough things to know it was a barn. "Where are we, Maester?" he demanded. "And how do we get back to Castle Black?"

"I have been told that we simply need to walk back through the entrance we came through."

Alliser glanced back at the doorway behind them. That was how he entered. "Fine, let's go." He was already dreading explaining all this to the Lord Commander.

A sudden idea came to Aemon, one that he liked very well. "A moment, Ser Alliser. I wish for your aid reading specific letters, if they were ever to show. Can I trust you?"

This was strange but he couldn't say no. Not with where they were. "Aye. Why?"

"First, I would have an oath of silence. You will never tell anyone what you see here. Not even the Lord Commander. Do I have it?"

He scowled but the old man remained firm. "Aye, you have my oath. What's this all about, anyways?"

Aemon looked back at the entry. "Rhaenys, Aegon, please come here."

At first, Alliser thought the old man had finally gone mad. But when the children stepped inside, he would've sworn to the gods that his heart had stopped. Having served House Targaryen during the rebellion, and living in King's Landing his whole life, Alliser had spent a brief time in the Red Keep before the Trident. He had seen Princess Elia in passing, with her children.

It may have been years, but he could never forget that smiling girl who giggled while her little brother splashed in a pond. Not after he had been told they were slaughtered in the Sack.

But that couldn't be, not when he clearly saw them standing before him. He came forward, leaving the maester behind, so he could see them better. Their features never changed and that told him all he needed to know. He bent his knee and bowed his head. "My Prince. My Princess," he said.

Eddie and Rachel shared a look. This was the first time anyone did that. It was kinda weird. "Uh, hi?" Eddie said.

"You can stand up now," Rachel told him. She looked past him at her uncle. "Uncle Aemon, who is this?"

"He is Ser Alliser Throne, a man of the Night's Watch."

Alliser flashed him a hard look. "I might be a man of the Watch, but I am still loyal to House Targaryen. That has never wavered."

A small smile twitched on the old man's face. "So you would not mind reading to me any letters the children would leave for me then?"

And just like that, he knew what the old man meant. He came to his feet and stood tall. "It would be my honor." The children smiled, happy to know they could finally write to their uncle. Alliser was happy for them, but he also saw the older boy frowning. Frowning at him. "Who are you, boy?" he demanded. With that dark hair and blue eyes, he could've been a bastard of King Robert.

Clark narrowed his eyes. "I'm their big brother," he declared. "And I think you're planning something."

It was a serious accusation and one he did not care for. "Your oath, Ser Alliser," Maester Aemon said before he did anything. "I hold you to it. You will not speak of the children's existence."

"Maester—!"

How could those sightless eyes bore into him with a silent fury? Once again, he reminded that before he was a maester, Aemon had been a Targaryen, a dragon. The burgeoning plan to silently inform the loyalists died quietly in his mind. "As you say, Maester Aemon." He looked at the children's so-called big brother. "You'll protect them." It wasn't a question.

Clark stood tall and did his best to match the look. "I already do. They're my family.'"

Aemon smiled to himself. The guilty jealously was gone now. "Come, Ser Alliser. We must return to our duty."

"Goodbye, Uncle Aemon," Eddie said. He wanted to wave but thought it would look foolish. His uncle was blind, after all.

"We will write to you soon," Rachel added. "I promise." She could only hope that the letters ended up where they were supposed to go. They didn't have this problem when they were only writing to Dorne.

"Goodbye, children. I look forward to the letters." Ser Alliser took him by the arm and guided him back the way they came.

To the children, it was if they were there one second, gone the next. Eddie felt his throat thicken and he did his best not to cry. He was happy to meet someone else from his family. He just didn't want the old man to go. "Next time, we're making sure he comes for Christmas," he declared, with all the authority he could muster.

Clark saw where his little brother was coming from and saw a problem. "Eddie, it's January."

"Good. That means we have a year!" That conversation lasted them all the way back into the house, back to their parents.

End

Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews you've sent me.

Of course I was going to do the other side of their family. The image of Aemon figuring out Aegon and Rhaenys were still alive hung around in my mind, prodding to be written.

Since this is still before the start of Smallville, Clark doesn't know about where he came from. So he still thinks he's human and might have family somewhere in the world. He can't help but get a little jealous when his siblings' cousins and uncles keep popping up. He just knows better than to take it out on them. It also helps that said uncles welcome him as part of the family.

Initially I wanted to bring Aemon in before Christmas so he could attend mass with the family, just to give him a feel of what life and religion would be like for Aegon and Rhaenys. But as I wrote this chapter, the more I felt it would be tacked on. Hence, Aegon at the end.

I'll see you all next chapter!