Disclaimer: I do not own Elder Scrolls or A Song of Ice and Fire. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Chapter 16

Gulltown 297 AC

The always bustling city of Gulltown was noisier than usual that day, as there were more visitors. They were camping outside the city walls, as Gulltown, one of the five great cities of Westeros, was protected by imposing walls that would cause significant casualties to those who dared to assault the city. However, how effective were the walls really? That was in doubt, as Robert Baratheon managed to scale them and was the first to kill the defenders during the siege of the city in the early battles of the "Robert's Rebellion."

The large new influx of people was due to a tournament taking place in the city at that time. A large-scale tournament, although not as grand as the legendary "Tournament of Harrenhal." However, it was not a small tournament, as it had the presence of all the houses of the Vale of Arryn, or at least the vast majority.

The sun shone in a beautiful clear sky, and on one of the many streets of the city, Jon walked accompanied by an excited Daenerys, who was wearing one of the newly purchased dresses that Jon had given her. If you wonder, how is it possible that Jon was walking with Daenerys when they seemed to hate each other not long ago? … Well, it all started the day after she talked to Sam.

Flashback

The «StarWolf» was gently rocked by the waves on its journey across the Narrow Sea. It was still daytime, so all the crew members were at their respective posts, performing their routine tasks.

The salty wind blew gently, caressing Jon's brown hair, while he kept his eyes fixed on the ship's helm and remained alert, watching the surroundings for any underwater attacks. Fortunately, that hadn't happened, but you never knew when a damn kraken or a stray leviathan might appear out of nowhere and capsize the ship with some erratic movement.

"It seems like today will be one of those calm days, right, Ghost?" Jon asked, diverting his gaze from the front and looking at his direwolf, who was sitting next to him.

The direwolf just looked at his master, and after letting out a yawn, went back to watching the sea, letting the salty wind caress his tongue.

The reaction of his wolf made Jon smile amusedly for a moment. When he was about to fix his gaze back on the sea to continue the journey to their destination, the Free City of Lys, he heard Sam's footsteps approaching. Turning around, he saw his helmsman, who took over the task Jon was performing while he was in the navigation room, seeing the ship's course and thinking about which ports to dock at.

"It seems you finally woke up, Sam." Jon said, looking at his friend.

The son of House Tarly blushed and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Yes, sorry, Jon." Sam said, with a tone of regret and fatigue in his voice. "But my talk with the princess lasted until very late at night."

"Yes, I see that. How many hours have you slept?"

"Not many, I'm afraid."

"Are you awake enough to keep the course while I go to the navigation room?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Good." Jon said, releasing the helm and allowing Samwell to take it.

Seeing that Sam could keep the course, Jon began to walk towards the navigation room. However, after taking a few steps, he heard Sam calling him. So, without thinking twice, he turned his face and looked at his friend.

"Jon… Daenerys wants to talk to you right now." Sam said, looking him straight in the eyes.

Jon's face hardened the moment he heard that the Mad King's daughter wanted to talk to him. However, before he could respond, Sam added:

"Jon, I know your family doesn't have the best history with the Targaryens." Sam said, seeing Jon's sarcastic and sullen smile at the mention of his family's relationship with the Targaryens. "But she has lived a lie her whole life."

Those words made Jon look at his friend in confusion. Wanting to understand what he meant, he decided to ask:

"What do you mean she has lived a lie her whole life?"

"All the information she had about her family and Westeros came from her brother, and he has distorted her view of the world and what happened in the rebellion."

"How so?" Jon asked, surprised, as he didn't expect someone not to know the truth about the rebellion.

"Viserys told Daenerys that her father was a great king and that the Baratheons, the Starks, the Tullys, the Arryns, and the Lannisters rebelled because they wanted the throne. He told her that the Starks were just the dogs of the 'Usurper.'"

Jon looked at his friend, surprised and confused, as he didn't expect any of this. Bringing a hand to his chin, he decided he would talk to Daenerys. So, after saying goodbye to Sam, he walked to where Daenerys was. When he entered the room, he saw her sitting in a chair, and what his eyes saw worried him, as the young woman looked devastated.

Walking softly, Jon approached her and, sitting in a nearby chair, asked her what was happening.

The Mad King's daughter looked at him, and unlike the previous night, she seemed shattered, with almost lifeless eyes.

"It seems you were right… my father was just a madman…" Daenerys whispered in a low voice, before continuing: "He wasn't a great king, he wasn't a good husband, he was just a madman obsessed with fire who caused the fall of our house by killing your uncle and grandfather. And my brother Rhaegar was just a kidnapper and maybe a possible rapist. And the rest of my family wasn't the best…"

Jon watched as Daenerys began to rant against her own family, focusing on the bad rulers her dynasty had had, for quite a while.

"It seems to be true. It's always the bad deeds that stick in people's minds." Jon thought sadly as he watched Daenerys renounce her own family. Although he wanted to feel anger towards the young descendant of one of his master's forty traitors, just as had happened with the old maester, it seemed he couldn't completely hate Daenerys. Maybe he would never fully accept her, but he could empathize with her a little. So, extending his hands, he took Daenerys' small hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze, which made her fall silent.

Daenerys looked at Jon in confusion, as she didn't expect him to do something like that, especially after learning the truth about the rebellion. But she couldn't ask him, because as soon as she was about to, he interrupted her.

"It seems you're only focusing on the bad in your family." Jon said in a somewhat soft voice. "While you've had bad elements in your family, that's not exclusive to one house. There are always bad apples in every basket. So, instead of focusing on them, why don't you focus on those who have been good in their own way? Like King Jaehaerys, Queen Allysane, King Daeron, King Viserys II, King Aegon V, among other members of your dynasty. Even right now, besides you, there's another living Targaryen."

Jon's words made Daenerys' eyes widen in surprise upon hearing that. She looked at Jon with eyes full of hope and asked him about it.

Jon sighed, somewhat annoyed, but decided to tell her everything. Without rushing, he began to speak.

End flashback

After telling her everything about the old maester, Daenerys had asked if she could see him someday, and he didn't have the heart to deny her. The hopeful look she gave him made him end up lying to her. Since that day, they started talking more and, over time, became a bit closer. Thinking about all that, Jon decided to give Daenerys his room, as despite her family's fall, she was still part of the royalty and therefore deserved the best room on the ship. Jon, for his part, decided to stay in the navigation room, the place where he spent most of his time while sailing. He didn't mind losing his room too much.

"I'm sorry for making you divert your trip from Lys to Gulltown." Daenerys said, looking at her new dress, a simple-looking dress but of great quality, as Jon had spent about fifty silver stags on it and more.

"It's no problem." Jon said with a somewhat fake smile. The trip had been diverted a bit when he and his friends realized that Daenerys didn't have any extra clothes. Noticing that, they gathered and thought for a while about where they could buy clothes for the princess. The first choice was King's Landing, but due to its proximity to Robert Baratheon, they decided not to tempt fate. They thought of Duskendale, but because it was near King's Landing, they also discarded it. White Harbour was mentioned, but due to the distance, it was quickly dismissed. In the end, they decided to go to Gulltown, as it was far from the capital and relatively close to their current location.

"Thank you, really." Daenerys said, then looking at the port of Gulltown with curiosity and some concern. She remembered that it was in a place like that, in a city outside King's Landing, where her father's descent into madness began.

"Don't worry. Remember, you are not your father." Jon said, seeing how Daenerys looked at the place with confusion.

Daenerys stopped looking at the port and looked back at Jon, nodding as she heard his encouraging words.

The young duo continued walking through the city, exploring its surroundings, as they would only be there until the next day, as they had to leave for Lys and then go to the Summer Islands as soon as possible. They walked quickly, eager to see what else the city had to offer. The rest of Jon's companions had separated from them to visit the city at their own pace, leaving Jon with the task of watching over Daenerys. This made him leave his wolf on the ship, as he didn't want it to be seen in the city and, even less, use magic to shrink his friend, because although he was starting to get along with Daenerys, he still didn't trust her enough to tell her about the magic.

The young couple walked a bit until they reached one of the walls, where they climbed up, as they wanted to see what the landscape was like beyond the city walls.

"Jon, what is that?" Daenerys asked, seeing several tents outside the city, which seemed to form a kind of mini-city.

"It looks like there will be a tournament." Jon replied after thinking for a moment, as he remembered that, apart from sieges, so many tents were only set up when there were tournaments.

Daenerys' eyes widened in surprise upon hearing Jon's response, as she had never seen a tournament.

"I've never seen a tournament…" Daenerys whispered, remembering that her brother used to tell her that the tournaments during her father's reign were incredible. That memory made her feel bad, as she thought it might have been another lie from her brother. However, she snapped out of that state when she felt Jon's hand on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw Jon looking at her with concern. Seeing that, she decided to reassure him. "Don't worry, Jon. It's nothing."

Jon looked at her and, seeing that she was still looking at the tents, understood that she wanted to see the tournament.

"Hmm… although I'm a knight, I've never participated in a tournament… Will this be my first?" Jon thought, weighing whether to take part or not. In the end, he decided to do it. He had nothing to lose and, if he wanted, he could make the trip to Lys take half the time, so he could make up for the lost days. "Yes, I'm going to participate. After all, what could go wrong?"

Jon rolled his eyes as he watched what was happening in front of him. This was because he was surrounded by several people, all dressed in armor and wielding real weapons. He was registered in the melee, but not in the joust, as it had already started days ago and was in its final stage. However, he managed to register in the melee under the name Ser Jon, omitting his bastard surname to avoid anyone finding out about his presence in the city.

He stopped seeing his enemies, as the melee was a simulated battle in which many combatants participated at the same time. Then, he directed his gaze towards the stands, where he saw his friends, accompanied by a ghost that had been transformed into a puppy and kept in a bag that Grenn carried to keep it hidden from the public. Next to them, with hair as black as night, was Daenerys, who watched the melee with a mix of excitement and concern.

Although he couldn't participate in the joust, he at least secured a place to watch the finals, allowing Daenerys to appreciate the pomp and grandeur of the tournaments.

"Good thing I convinced her to dye her hair with that special dye, more resistant than the usual ones." Jon thought, recalling how difficult it was to get her to agree to dye her hair black. She had refused at first, but eventually relented when he explained it was for her safety. Those words weren't far from the truth: if it was discovered that she had boarded the ship in Pentos, some might think she was the Targaryen princess, which would bring trouble to him and his family, as many would believe the Starks supported the Targaryens.

After this thought, Jon returned to reality and stopped seeing his friends to focus on his enemies. Placing his hand on his hip, he took the sword he would fight with in this battle, leaving «Gandravar» aside, as using that sword would draw too much attention. Instead, he opted for a common sword.

Looking at his opponents, Jon examined them closely, analyzing who he would be fighting against. After finishing his evaluation, he felt somewhat disappointed, as he didn't expect them to be so weak. However, he remembered that he was much more powerful than normal humans, so he was careful not to accidentally kill anyone. He then decided to attack non-lethal points, but ones that would cause excruciating pain until they recovered.

He was so focused on forming his plan that he didn't realize the fight had already begun. He was almost defeated at the start when a young man, a bit older than him, with blond hair and dark blue eyes, attacked him. The young man wore armor with a surcoat adorned with white diamonds on a field of gules. However, luckily, the training Jon had done to improve his reflexes allowed him to detect the attack in time. He quickly moved his sword to block the blow, surprising everyone present, as no one expected him to be able to stop such an apparently unavoidable attack.

"H-how?" Jon's enemy asked, bewildered.

Jon looked at him without responding, only subtly moving his hand, allowing his sword to slide down the young man's blade and opening an angle of attack. Then, he kicked his enemy's supporting foot, making him stumble. As the young man fell to the ground, Jon struck him on the chin, sending him flying several meters until he was unconscious from the force of the impact.

The body of the unfortunate young man fell with a thud, sending a chill through everyone watching the scene. Jon saw it all with a wolfish grin on his face, causing several of those who were waiting to see him fall to back away from him.

"So, are you just going to stand there watching, or are you going to come at me?" Jon said mockingly, challenging his enemies.

"That idiot…" said Grenn with a smile as he watched Jon start to fight seriously in the melee, easily defeating several enemies.

"Yeah, but it looks like he's having fun." commented Pyp while eating something he had bought at a street stall.

"Yes, it shows." added Edd as he watched Jon roll on the ground to avoid the attack of two knights, who seemed to have joined forces to defeat him after seeing how he defeated everyone who challenged him to single combat.

"It looks like they're grouping up to defeat him." said Daenerys with concern, clenching both hands tightly, as she didn't want Jon to get hurt.

"Don't worry, Jon is very strong." said Samwell as he watched Jon leave the two knights on the ground after striking them in the most vulnerable points of their armor.

"This is about to end." said Grenn as he saw all the participants in the melee stop fighting each other and start surrounding Jon, attacking him simultaneously.

"Yes, this is already over." commented Edd with a smile, as he had bet a good amount of gold on Jon in this melee.

While Jon's friends watched him fight, elsewhere, more precisely in the noble's box, various comments about the combat could be heard among the attendees.

"Ummmm… that young man is very skilled at fighting." said Lord Yohn Royce, also known as "Bronze Yohn." Lord of Runestone. Yohn was a tall man with grayish hair. Despite his age, his physique still showed strength, with large, knobby hands. His eyes were gray and his eyebrows very bushy.

"Ump. It seems age hasn't left you blind yet, Yohn." commented a woman beside him. She was an elderly woman with grayish hair, loose skin under her chin, and crow's feet around her eyes. Her name was Anya Waynwood, and she was the lady of Ironoaks. "But you're right, the boy is good. Too good for someone of his clear age."

"It seems so. I believe the first one he defeated was your ward, right?" Yohn asked, looking at the elderly woman.

"That's right. Young Harrold was the first to fall in this melee. But that was to be expected when you're a young man full of arrogance who thinks he can face more experienced fighters. I hope this defeat teaches him to be humbler and more sensible before rushing into combat." Anya replied, letting out a tired sigh. Her ward, who was theoretically second in line to inherit the rule of the Vale, was a very stubborn and proud young man, prone to youthful arrogance.

"All young people are arrogant, Lady Anya." commented Yohn, as he watched the young man defeat everyone who opposed him.

"Yes, but that one doesn't seem to follow that rule." Anya pointed out.

"That's true, his way of fighting is different from what is taught in castles. He doesn't just use his sword, but also his hands, defeating his enemies with quick and precise movements."

"That's unusual… Ummm… by his appearance, he seems to be a northerner." Anya commented, squinting her eyes, as the young man seemed familiar to her, as if she had seen him in the past.

"Yes, but he doesn't fight like one." said Yohn, recalling the battles he had shared with northerners in the past. "But that doesn't matter, the way he fights is excellent. He seems to be a wandering knight, and any Lord or Lady present could easily offer him service. And it seems he won't lack offers. Don't you think, niece?"

"Yes, it seems so, uncle." replied Myranda Royce, sitting next to Yohn. Myranda was a plump young woman with curly brown hair, a small mouth, and brown eyes. She was Yohn's niece, the daughter of his cousin.

Myranda had gone with her uncle to the tournament, as her father, the Lord Steward of the Vale, couldn't attend due to his responsibilities. As she watched the young man with brown hair fight skillfully, defeating everyone who faced him, the young woman began to feel curious. The way the boy moved, dodging and defeating his enemies, piqued her interest, and she soon realized she wasn't the only one attracted to him.

"It seems I'm not the only one interested in the young man." Myranda thought as she saw the other girls in the stands of the great houses of the Vale. They were young women she had met at various parties, and now they whispered among themselves, surely talking about the boy. Putting the girls aside, she turned her gaze back to the young man who was now fighting the few remaining participants. The young man was attractive, with a wild appearance, and he took down an opponent with a precise blow to the abdomen, using the pommel of his sword. The combination of his appearance and ferocity in battle made a bit of lust begin to stir within her. Staring at the young man, she thought that maybe she could have some fun with him. After all, she had been widowed for a while, and like any woman, she had needs. As she watched the young man face the last enemy he had left, she began to plan how to have fun with him.

"Do you think your father would accept him as a servant?" Yohn asked his niece.

"I don't know, uncle, but maybe, since he's been complaining lately about the lack of good men to keep the mountain roads free of wild tribes."

"I see… Maybe I'll make the young man an offer at the end of the tournament. And if we're lucky, he'll be part of your escort and your friend's when you return to the castle of Gates of the Moon."

"That would be interesting, uncle." said Myranda, smiling amusedly.

Jon was leaning against one of the castle walls, watching the celebration taking place for the end of the tournament. Although he had been invited as the "Champion" of the melee, that didn't mean he was liked by everyone present.

"I suppose being a lowborn knight is not the same as being a knight of noble birth." Jon thought, as he watched several couples dance in the center of the great hall. The great hall of House Grafton was very different from Winterfell's. It was not made of gray stone, but of white stone, and its floor was covered with polished marble tiles. "I suppose a house that owns one of the great cities of Westeros has enough money to afford such opulence."

After these thoughts, Jon looked at his cup, and as he prepared to finish his wine, he brought it to his lips. However, before he could drink, he was interrupted by a hand that gently touched his tunic. Turning his head, he saw that the owner of that hand was a plump young woman, dressed in a white dress adorned with pale orange decorations, in which some ancient runes could be seen engraved. The dress had enough neckline to highlight the girl's large breasts.

"My lady." Jon greeted courteously, recognizing that she was a noblewoman.

"Ser." the young lady responded, slightly inclining her head.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Jon asked, looking her in the eyes.

"Just curiosity." she replied with a mischievous smile, beginning to walk in circles around him.

Jon raised an eyebrow, showing an expression of feigned surprise. "Really, my lady? What has sparked your curiosity about me?"

"My curiosity comes from the fact that a young and handsome northern knight with your skills hasn't shown up in other tournaments before." the young woman replied with a playful smile.

"That's easy to answer, my lady. The truth is, I don't like to stand out much, so since I was knighted, I haven't participated in tournaments."

"I see… But if you haven't been in tournaments, then how have you managed to survive? I mean, it's clear you're a wandering knight."

"That's simple, my lady. There are many ways to earn money in the world, and one of the most profitable is being a merchant or a caravan guard." Jon replied with a smile. "But putting that aside, I'm afraid I still don't know your name, my lady, nor the real reason you've come to speak with me."

"Oh… that's right, forgive my manners. My name is Myranda Royce, I am the daughter of Lord Nestor Royce, Lord Steward of the Vale, and niece of Lord Yohn Royce, Lord of Runestone." Myranda smiled as she looked at him up and down.

Jon saw the young lady and saw something he had already noticed in many other women who looked at him: desire. Sighing mentally, he realized he was in the presence of a member of one of the most powerful houses in the Vale.

"As for my real reason for coming, the truth is I would like to ask you for two favors, Ser." Myranda said, smiling again.

The young woman's words made Jon raise an eyebrow, curious to know what she would ask. He decided to accept, but with some limits. "As long as you don't ask me for something as fantastical as killing a dragon, or as dishonorable as assassinating someone, I think I can fulfill your requests."

"Heh, heh, heh. Killing a dragon… that would be fun, but since there are no more dragons, I can't ask for something like that." Myranda said with a light laugh. "What I ask, Ser, are two simple things. The first is that you dance with me and one other person."

The request from the niece of the Lord of Runestone piqued Jon's curiosity, and he looked her in the eyes. "And who would the other person be, my lady?"

Myranda didn't respond verbally; instead, she turned her face to the side and looked at one of the corners of the hall.

Jon followed her gaze and saw the second young woman he was supposed to dance with. She was a tall, slender girl with short, straight black hair. Her eyes were a deep blue, and her attire was a simple dark blue and white dress, showing she was not a noblewoman, but a young commoner.

"Her name is Mya Stone, a courtier who serves my father and one of the few people I can call a friend." Myranda said, looking somewhat sadly at Mya, who was watching a young man dance with a girl. "As you can see, she wants to dance, but the person she wants to dance with can't ask her directly."

"I see… You want me to ask her to dance while you dance with the boy and then switch partners in the middle of the dance, right?"

"That's right."

"Fine. I suppose I can do that. I just ask that you explain your plan to the boy; I don't want any trouble with a noble." Jon said as he began to walk towards the young woman.

"Don't worry, Ser. I'll take care of everything."

After those words, Jon began to walk towards the young woman. When he was close to her, the song stopped, showing that a new dance would soon begin. He walked up to Mya and asked her for a dance.

"Good evening, my lady." Jon said, startling Mya, who did not expect the champion of the melee to greet her.

"Good evening, Ser." Mya greeted, smiling slightly, somewhat uncomfortable.

"I would like to ask you to share the next dance with me, of course, if you don't mind."

Jon's request surprised Mya, who did not expect him to invite her to dance. Although she didn't want to, she saw Myranda out of the corner of her eye, and the young woman winked at her, indicating that she had sent Jon. Knowing that her friend had sent him, Mya accepted the invitation. "I would be more than happy to accept your request, Ser."

Mya extended her hand, which Jon took gently, and he led her to the center of the hall. The whispers of several people began to be heard, especially from the noble ladies, who had been betting on who would manage to get the champion of the melee to dance. This was because Jon had rejected several dance requests, creating great anticipation to see who would get him to accept.

"I hope you don't get me into trouble, Randa." Mya thought with concern, feeling that she had earned the enmity of all the young ladies of the Vale.

When both bastards reached the center of the hall, several other couples gathered around them. After a small greeting, the music began to play, marking the start of the new dance.

Jon and Mya danced almost in perfect sync, surprising more than one, as both noble men and women did not understand how a common knight and a bastard could move with such coordination, almost as if they had practiced all their lives.

"Are you surprised to be able to dance like this, my lady?" Jon asked, looking at Myranda out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, Ser. The truth is, I've never been good at dancing. In fact, I've hardly practiced." Mya responded, smiling, as she did not expect dancing to be so fun.

"I see. There is always something we don't know about ourselves. It seems you have a talent for dancing." Jon said as he turned and prepared for the change. "Although I would like to continue talking, it seems our time dancing is about to end."

"Huh?" Mya asked, confused by Jon's words, but almost let out a cry of surprise when he made her spin and, with a quick step, handed her over to Myranda, who was also in mid-spin.

Mya continued spinning until she was caught by Myranda's new dance partner, a young squire named Mychel Redfort.

"It seems you have fulfilled your part, my lady." Jon said, watching Mya and the young man dance. A smile appeared on his face, as he had used a small enchantment on Mya to make her dance so well.

"That is right, thank you for fulfilling my request, Ser." Myranda said, leaning close to Jon's ear to whisper in a somewhat mischievous voice. "How about we discuss the other request I have for you?"

Myranda's words caused Jon to smile in amusement, but deciding to play along, he replied. "I would like that, my lady."

Red Keep 297 AC

The sun shone high, allowing its light to fully illuminate the capital city of Westeros, including the great castle that served as the king's residence. In one of the fortress's gardens, a very quiet and meditative Varys could be seen, reflecting on what had happened in recent weeks.

"The death of Viserys Targaryen and the disappearance of his sister is a great blow to my plan." thought the eunuch as he watched some courtiers walk carelessly down a corridor in front of where he was. "His death was something that occurred outside of my predictions."

These thoughts invaded Varys's mind because, at no point, had he planned for either of the two Targaryens to die, at least not yet, as he needed them for his grand plan. However, it seemed he had underestimated the abilities of Lord Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin.

"You played your hand very well, Baelish… You used the king's hatred against the Targaryens to earn some favors from His Majesty." thought Varys, recalling how the head of the «Beggar King» was brought by the assassins hired by Baelish.

Thanks to the information he had gathered, he knew that these assassins were not like the ones usually hired for the assassination attempts ordered by the king. No, those were much better-trained assassins, nothing like the drunken idiots or useless ruffians that were usually sent. Varys had prevented Aerys's children from being killed while temporarily calming King Robert's appetite for Targaryen blood. However, when the king ordered another assassination attempt, he was not present at the Red Keep, as he was in Pentos visiting his friend Illyrio. He was disguised as a magister who would be passing through Illyrio's palace, waiting for the Targaryens to arrive to gauge their temperaments and decide what plans to make with each of them. It was thanks to this that Baelish had the freedom to hire competent assassins who could face the Targaryens.

"Fortunately, the princess managed to escape. At least that's a relief, as we will need her to give greater legitimacy if the story woven about him is not enough." thought Varys, as his mind filled with the image of a small boy with silver hair and purple eyes, which under certain angles of light appeared blue. "I must find the princess and put her to safety, as she is crucial to the plan. Where should I start looking… Myr? Lys? Volantis?"

His thoughts were interrupted when a small boy bumped into him. Putting aside his reflections, Varys focused again on the real world and saw that the boy was one of his "little birds." Reaching into his pocket, he took out a sweet and some copper coins, which he gave to the boy. The ragged child took the items and quickly left, leaving Varys alone. The eunuch looked around and, seeing no one, decided to check what the boy had brought him. Taking the note the boy had left in his tunic pocket, he began to read it.

A wandering wolf was in a tournament in a place with seagulls. He danced with the king's stone and with the rune of a Steward, whom he later took on a nighttime stroll.

Varys read the note and quickly understood what was happening. Apparently, the bastard son of the Warden of the North had been in Westeros again and had participated in the Gulltown Tournament. That tournament was not something that really concerned the eunuch, as there was no scheme in motion in the Arryn domain. However, he found it interesting to know that young Snow had danced with young Mya Stone, King Robert's first bastard daughter.

"If His Majesty finds out about this, he will surely try to have young Mya marry young Jon, thus fulfilling his dream of having descendants who are blood of Lord Stark." thought Varys with some amusement, as if that happened, it was possible that the young man would become a lord. However, he knew that Lady Stark would not allow it, and the news that the same boy had danced and then disappeared on a nighttime stroll with Nestor Royce's daughter was an excellent piece of extortion. That would give him something against the young man… or at least it would, if Lady Myranda had been a maiden. But, to his misfortune, the young woman had already been married, so she could not be dishonored with such a scandal.

Shaking his head, he saw that the note his little bird had given him had something else written, but this time on the back of the paper. The discovery piqued his curiosity, as he had given clear instructions to his little birds not to do something like that. But, by the hurried way it was written, it seemed like something added at the last minute.

A young woman with amethyst eyes travels with the wandering wolf and his pack. According to them, the girl boarded the ship in Pentos.

The mention of a girl with amethyst eyes who had boarded the ship in Pentos made Varys think it was Daenerys. However, as soon as that thought came, he dismissed it. He couldn't conceive that young Jon would help the daughter of the house that had caused so much pain to his family.

"No, it's impossible that it's the princess…" Varys thought, almost paying no attention to the idea. However, the more he thought about it, the more he began to consider it. It was strange that the princess had disappeared in Pentos, and that a young woman with amethyst eyes was traveling with Eddard Stark's son. "Although it could be a coincidence, and the girl is just a Lysene, I will have to investigate thoroughly."

With these thoughts, Varys returned to reality. Looking ahead, he saw a page approaching. Sighing, the eunuch began to walk towards him to receive the news that there would be a meeting of the small council.

"Another day serving this king, but well, this is my job… for now."

Author's Note:

To those who have made it this far, thank you for reading. To be honest, my English writing skills are not strong, and I'm relying on Google Translate and the dictionaries that come with Office 2019.

And here is chapter 16 XD

As we can see, Jon and Daenerys are no longer so uncomfortable in each other's presence. Whether this will make them a couple, the truth is that it might or might not, as I haven't decided how the romance will develop yet, so if you're fans of Jonerys, don't get your hopes up XD.

We also see Jon entering his first tournament, in which he could only take part in melee combat. In the future, I will have him enter a more elaborate tournament.

Additionally, we see Jon meeting Mya and Myranda Royce; what might have happened between Nestor's daughter and Jon, well, we'll see that in the very near future.

Finally, we see that it was Baelish and not Varys who hired the assassins, all with the intention of 'ingratiating' himself more with the king and gaining more 'power'. In the future, we will see some reactions to this, both from Baelish and Robert.

I apologize for any spelling errors. Please don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter, or if there's something that needs improvement, or if you have any questions about the story. Any constructive advice is welcome. With nothing more to say, see you in the next chapter.