"You look like shit" Robert grunted.
The male raised a brow in question.
Ned smacked his friend gently on the shoulder, while Renly rolled his eyes.
"Someone has gotten a little too comfortable" the woman muttered.
"Is there… something wrong?" Margaery asked, moving away from the easy-going conversation the King was about to have. For one these two were in every possible way gods, easy-going discussions were not to be had with them. "Our seats and the wall vanished-"
"Your seats? I wasn't aware we gave our things away to you" The woman raised a brow, before grinning when Margaery looked flustered. "As easy, little lady. And there is nothing wrong. You have all seen as much as we are allowed to show you."
The hall erupted into murmurs.
"Even we have certain guidelines to follow" the man added, his tone solemn unlike his wife, "and this is as much as we are allowed to show. Please say your farewells before we send you back."
And with that, the two beings vanished.
-x-
The Starks
-x-
The mood in the chambers was a sad one.
Each family decided to go their separate paths and have the luxury of privacy in their respective sections. For the Starks, they congregated in Ned and Catelyn's chambers.
"I wish I had more time" Lyanna whispered, clutching Jon's hand. "I wish I could return with you, watch you grow into the fine man that I know you'll be," she said this to Jon. Then she hugged him tightly. "I am proud of you, I am so proud of the man you've become so far and the man I've seen you become."
"I have made mistakes-"
"You are human" Lyanna interrupted, pulling back to cup her son's face. "We all make mistakes. It only takes a good man to own up and improve on them. You have done that, my son" A soft sob fell from her lips. "I'm so sorry I was not there for you growing up, to hold your hands and watch you take your first steps, to hear your first words. I'm sorry that I ever made you feel as if I didn't love you enough. Because I do love you, I love you more than anything in this entire world and the afterworld."
Jon hugged his mother tightly, his own tears falling freely now.
"You've done well, Ned" Rickard stole Ned's attention from Jon and Lyanna.
The man turned to his father.
"You have done well cleaning the mess that I left, done well in making the North stronger and more united."
"Had I tried harder…"
"You can't count the treachery of little men as your failure" Rickard interrupted his thoughts. "What you've done, what you've built, is better than what I had hoped for. We may not see eye to eye on many matters, may not even agree on some of the decisions, but know that you have made me proud, have made our ancestors proud."
Ned was not certain whether the words were true or whether they were for his benefit, nor did Ned care. He was glad to hear those words, words he'd always wondered about since he'd become Lord of Winterfell.
Brandon came next and embraced his brother. No words were shared but the hug was enough for them both.
"Take care, little brother. And try not to join us too soon" he pulled back with a grin.
"I will try my best," Ned smiled back.
Lyanna came forward and hugged Ned next.
"Thank you for taking care of him, Ned."
"I could have done better" Ned hugged her back.
Lyanna said nothing to that.
Rickard moved to his grandsons.
"All three of you boys will one day or the next, have keeps of your own. Robb will be Lord of Winterfell and Bran will have a Northern keep of his own. Jon, you will decide where your destiny lies. But never forget to be there for one another."
"The Lone Wolf dies," Robb said.
"But the pack survives" Jon finished.
Both were smiling.
As was Rickard.
There was a knock on the door that Catelyn answered. Robert stood on the other side, Jon Arryn with him. The woman stepped aside to let them in. Jon Aryn went to Rickard right away and Robert to Lyanna.
Robert stared at the woman he loved, and Lyanna stared at the man she refused to marry.
"I-" Robert cleared his throat. "I'm no good with grand gestures or big words. So I'll be direct, I am sorry for making you feel the way I made you feel. I love you, I still do. I would have done anything for you."
Lyanna only smiled sadly.
"You are a King now, Robert. You must focus on the realm and make sure the great threat from Beyond The Wall does not end you all. It is your duty… and if not for that do it for the love you have for me."
Robert nods solemnly.
"I swear it, I'll be a better King. I'll be back in shape so I can lead the charge against these ice fuckers. And I'll make sure your son is looked after."
To Robert's surprise, Lyanna hugged him. And after a moment he hugged her back.
Another knock and Rhaegar stood on the other side this time, Daenerys with him. His welcome was a tense one, especially with Robert being in the same chambers. Daenerys though went straight to Lyanna and embraced her.
Rhaegar ignored the big oaf and went to Jon.
Father and son stare at one another for the longest moment in silence. Then Rhaegar smiled.
"You and I, we may not see eye to eye on many things" he began, taking his time to find the right words, "but you are my son, and I am proud of you no matter how you deal with the situation coming forward" he finished with a hand on Jon's shoulder and a squeeze of assurance.
Jon nods with a small smile.
"I'll get Daenerys to our side safely before any of the things that happen to her happen," Jon told him.
Rhaegar's eyes widened a fraction, his smile only growing.
-x-
The Lannisters
-x-
Jaime was hugging Joanna for the life of him.
"Maybe we can convince them to give us more time. Maybe even send you back with us" the man whispered.
Joanna pulled back, grasping her elder son by the shoulders tenderly.
"We must accept the natural order of things, my boy," she said softly.
"Fuck the natural order" Jaime muttered.
The woman chuckled.
She then turned to Tyrion, who stood a bit away from the duo. Joanna motioned him forward and he waddled over. The woman knelt and embraced him.
"I am sorry for not being there for you, my son. And for being unsure of you when we first met."
"It's alright mother, I do have a monstrous aspect to myself."
Joann pulled back and cupped his face.
"There is nothing monstrous about you," She told him vehemently, "and anyone who says otherwise is a fool."
"Thank you for your support mother, even if they are untrue" Tyrion chuckled.
Joanna smiled, kissing him on the forehead before standing.
"I may not agree with half the bullshit you two pulled and the way you both chose to lead your lives, but that does not mean I love you two any less. You are both my sons, and nothing will ever change that."
Both Lannister males smiled at that.
Joanna then turned to the children and embraced them both.
There came a knock at the door that Tyrion answered, finding Doran Martell with his siblings there.
"I believe we had a conversation once about an efficient way to deal with your father?" Doran said.
Tyrion opened the door and welcomed them in.
-x-
The group slowly made their way back to the Viewing hall, where the couple of cosmic beings waited for them.
"Have we said our goodbyes?" the male asked.
The hall rumbled with agreements.
"Then I wish you all the best for the war that is ahead. May those who fight in it prevail."
With a wave of his hand, he sent them all back.
"We could have shown them more, Father."
The couple turned and found a young man with impressive muscles standing behind them. He only wore pants, and a sword strapped on each side of his hip.
"They've seen as much as they need to see to understand the danger they are in," the man with the wings said, finality in his tone. "We are aware of what happens next. The bonds they built here will be broken and in doing so they will stand even less of a chance than they have now. This is the ideal situation, all of them united against a mutual enemy."
The young man said nothing, his head lowered.
"And should they fail?" spoke another, a young woman this time. She was lean and not so tall, wearing a snow-white dress.
"Then our efforts here were in vain" the winged male shrugged. "But worry not. Your mother has contingencies placed in such a case."
The woman with the serpentine eyes smiled at that.
"And now we watch?" an older voice spoke, coming from a hunched-back old woman in black.
The winged male waved his hand and the seats reappeared. He and his wife sat at the front, the strapping male on his other side while the young woman sat on the serpentine woman's other side. The old woman sat beside the young woman and another burly man appeared to sit beside the stapping male.
Behind them, more people appeared and sat down. One was shrouded in flames, while another was cloaked in darkness. There even was one who wore tree roots as clothes and had bone-white skin.
"And now we watch" the male spoke as the wall appeared before them.
