Harry sighed as he enjoyed the warm waters of the hot pool relaxed his muscles after a long hour of training with Oberyn. His skin was soaked in the heat, and the oil hugging his body made it all the more relaxing. The hot dip in his pool was not only relaxing his muscles but also his poor, abused ears.
After he had forced Jon to stay back from the mission in the Bite, his wayward brother had a few choice words to say to him. After all, it was a simple mission to blow up a couple of rocks and reefs surrounding the Three Sisters from a safe distance and sail away before anyone was aware of what was happening.
Harry had his reasons that he never shared with Jon. The presence of Lady Mormont was no accident or a routine visit as ordered by the Lord of Winterfell. He knew that much for sure. He also suspected Lady Mormont's presence had something to do with Jon as he was privy to some of his father's plans to negotiate betrothals for his brothers. It was now almost a certainty that Wynafryd Manderly would be betrothed to Robb, and he supposed a Mormont would be betrothed to Jon, who was going by the presence of Lady Mormont.
Now, all of this was taking too long, and his father was nowhere to be seen, which kept the suspense going for longer. It was not that difficult to travel from Winterfell to Avalon with the Wolfswood road connecting the castles. It should've been easily accomplished within a week and a half, but his father hadn't arrived yet.
'What is taking him so long?' Harry wondered.
Nymeria suddenly came up beside him from underneath the pool, throwing a handful of hot water on his face.
"Ah! Stop doing that!" Harry said, shielding his eyes from the water.
Nymeria, ever playful, merely grinned at him as she floated near him. Her dark hair sprawled out on the water, and she dipped her head back in the water. She disappeared beneath the waterline and kicked her legs out, sending a wave of water in his direction, which splashed against his nose. Harry retaliated with a splash of his own, which caught Nymeria on her face when she resurfaced.
She laughed as she came closer, and Harry couldn't help but catch her by the waist and spin them around so that he could press Nymeria against the edge of the pool.
"Are you still smarting from the blows you received from Oberyn?" Nymeria asked playfully, her long fingers tracing his cheek sensually.
"They were few compared to the last day." Harry said with a straight face.
"You tell yourself that." Nymeria grinned at him.
"You are free to inspect whether I'm telling the truth." Harry whispered back.
"Mmm. I think I will." Nymeria said huskily, her lips moving against the skin of his chest.
*** Lemon Scene ***
A warm pair of lips pressed against his
chest before they climbed towards his neck, leaving a trail of kisses warmer
than the pool's warmth.
An appreciative moan left his throat when
her nails dug into the skin on the back of his shoulder as Nymeria climbed all
the way to press her warm lips against his own. Their lips brushed against each
other, and they took their sweet time to enjoy the feel of each other.
When they pulled back, Harry could see the
same lust he was feeling in her eyes.
"I didn't bring you here to just taste the
sweetness of your warm lips." Harry whispered, his eyes taking in the puffy lips
and long, wide eyes of his lover.
"I know. I'm ready." Nymeria huskily
whispered, her eyes holding a playful glint as she threw her arms around his
shoulder and pressed a long kiss against his ear.
He could feel her bountiful tits pressing
against his body with her dark hard nipples poking against his skin which made his
want for her touch the sky and beyond. His fingers threaded through her long
black locks of hair. His fingers glided smoothly through them as her wet hair
parted like a smooth, silky veil.
"I like it that you grew your hair." Harry
whispered against the skin of her neck before showering her with kisses along
her long, shapely neck all the way to her earlobe.
His hands glided down her back to her hips,
and then his palms settled on her bulbous butt.
Nymeria's breath hitched as his fingers
sank into her pert butt, making her look at him with a hungry look. Her warm
lips caught one last bite of his lower lip before pulling back and wrapping her
legs around his waist.
His hands trailed further down so that he
had a good grip on her delectable butt before he sank the tip of his cock into
her welcoming pussy.
"Ohhh!" Nymeria moaned against his shoulder
as he slowly sank the length of his cock inside her.
He pulled back slowly, earning a mewl from
Nymeria, who slightly bit into his shoulder.
"Again!" Nymeria urged.
He didn't need any encouragement, but it
was welcome as he enthusiastically pushed in again, this time much harder,
which elicited a loud squeal from Nymeria's lips.
Harry started humping away in earnest without
a care in the world.
"Ah! Mmmm! Yeessss!" Nymeria cried in
pleasure as he ploughed her against the side of the pool.
He could feel her shudder, and her legs
trembled as he picked up the pace. Nymeria moaned as loud as her throat allowed
her to as he fucked her deeper, pinning her against the side. The warm pool only
inflamed their passion, letting them last longer until they both trembled from an
orgasm that made their toes curl.
They just lay there for a moment, gathering
their breath, their bodies joined together, and Nymeria pinned against the side
of the pool.
Harry pulled back slightly and pressed his
lips against hers. Their lips slowly danced against each other until they
pulled back to take some air into their lungs. Harry lowered his head further
and set his eyes on the beautiful, heaving breasts of his lover. His palms
maintained the vice grip he had on her butt, with which he raised her slightly.
He immediately put his head in between her breasts and began peppering them
with kisses.
Just as he took one of her dark nipples in
between his lips, he felt a ward in his chambers alert of someone opening the
door.
* Lemon scene ends *
Harry pulled back and concentrated on the ward.
"What is it? Why did you stop?" Nymeria whined, trying to kiss him again, but he pulled back all the way.
"No. There is someone in my chambers. I think it is Maester Marwyn." Harry said with a frown.
"The old man will go once he does not see you in your room." Nymeria said dismissively.
"He wouldn't come calling if it wasn't important enough. It's time we finish up here."
"You're no fun. We were coming to the next round." Nymeria said with a displeased huff.
"We can start where we left off tonight in bed." Harry promised and sealed it with a kiss.
"I will hold you to that promise. Now, go deal with that old man while I enjoy this pool in peace." said Nymeria, pushing away from him and swimming across the length of the pool.
Harry slipped out of the pool and wrapped a towel around his waist before climbing the stairwell up into his room.
"Maester." Harry said, sealing the entrance shut behind him.
"My lord, forgive me for the disturbance. Our spotters in the east tower report seeing Stark banners up the road."
"My father?" Harry asked with a raised brow.
"I assume so." Maester Marwyn nodded.
"Welcome them in and inform our guests. I shall make myself presentable and welcome my father into the castle."
Maester Marwyn slinked away while Harry hastily slipped into a cream tunic, pants with a belt to secure them to his hips and a red vest. He didn't wait for the servants to try their luck with his unruly hair and made himself stand at the ready near the courtyard by the time the horses rode into the courtyard carrying the grey direwolf banner.
Harry finally found the reason why his father took this long to reach the castle. The answer lay in the two wheelhouse that rolled into the courtyard after his father dismounted from his horse. Following the wheelhouse was escorted by Robb, Bran and Theon on their horses, along with an assortment of guards led by Jory Cassel.
He expected the Lady of Winterfell to step out of the wheelhouse but found Sansa and Arya stepping out of it. He was not left disappointed as his lady mother followed after his sisters with Rickon attached firmly to her hips. The servants offered to take Rickon from her hands, but his mother refused to let him go. Since Rickon was the youngest he was babied far longer than any of his siblings.
'He brought the whole family.' Harry mused, staring at his siblings and his parents with a warm feeling in his chest.
Seeing them all made it real that he was now part of a large family. Sometimes, everything around him felt like a dream or an illusion created by an evil spirit.
Harry bowed as his father came towards him and offered a plate of bread and salt as was the custom.
"The hospitality of Avalon is yours, my lord."
*****
"I didn't expect all of you to arrive, but it is good that you came because I have a namesday present for you, brother." Harry said with a grin at Robb, who looked intrigued.
"A present, you say?" Robb's eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement, "Let me see it then."
"A present for Robb! What about us?" Sansa pouted once her ears picked up on their conversation, which attracted the rest of their siblings to Harry's side.
"Well… Robb turns five and ten in a week, an age where he'll be allowed to compete in tourneys and use live steel in the training yard." Harry explained.
"The same is true for you." Arya said, crossing her hands with a displeased frown, "I can't wait to turn five and ten."
Harry exchanged an amused look with Jon, but they decided not to correct their sister's assumption that she'd be allowed to do as she pleased upon reaching that age. He looked for his father and mother, but they were nowhere to be seen.
"Lord Stark and Lady Stark have retired to a solar with Lady Mormont and Prince Oberyn." Ser Hallis helpfully provided.
"Oh. Their loss." Harry shrugged, smiling brightly at his siblings, "Come, my troublesome wolves. Let me show you my gift for Robb."
Harry led them to the southeastern part of the castle and walked through a wooden suspension bridge, which led to one of the towers overlooking the harbour's eastern side. The wind howled as they passed through the bridge, and when they finally crossed over to the tower, Harry led them through a flight of stairs until they reached the tower's topmost level.
"Wow! This is higher than the Astronomy tower of Winterfell!" Bran said in awe.
"Have you been climbing again?" Harry asked his little brother with a hard stare that made Bran look anywhere but his eyes.
"No!"
Harry sensed the lie a mile away, with his little brother keeping his eyes firmly planted on his shoes.
"Maester Luwin takes us there to teach us about the stars and the planets using the magic glass." Bran said happily, his eyes lifting from the ground to meet Harry's eyes head-on.
"Uh-huh." Harry didn't push much, considering the troubles he was making in Bran's age at Winterfell, "Anyway, you may now look upon Robb's namesday present. It is the brightest and most beautiful ship in the harbour."
"A ship!" Sansa gasped as she rushed towards the viewing point in the tower to find the ship.
"You will need to use that." Harry pointed to the telescope already set up on a stand.
"Oh! You have a far-eye." Sansa happily skipped over to the telescope with a girlish giggle.
He watched his sister fuss over how 'pretty' the telescope looked for a few minutes before looking through the device to find the ship below.
"What am I looking for? There are a lot of ships down there." said Sansa, squinting her eyes against the telescope.
"Look for the biggest ship with a grey direwolf banner." said Harry.
"Aha! I found it! It's huge!" Sansa exclaimed, rocking herself on the balls of her feet in excitement.
"Let me take a look!" Arya butted in and tried to take a peek by pressing her face against the telescope while pushing Sansa.
"No, I should see it next!" Bran pushed from the other side of Sansa.
Harry, Robb and Jon stood there and watched the three fight it out to hogg the telescope to themselves.
"I'm glad to see some things never change." Harry said with a silly grin, watching his siblings roll around on the floor over the telescope.
"So… ten silver stags say Arya gets the scope." Robb said with a grin at his brothers.
"I'll have my silver on Bran." said Harry.
"Sansa is older. I'll go with her." Jon also pitched in when his brothers stared at him expectantly.
A few minutes later, Jon was twenty silver stags richer.
"You know… you didn't have to do this." said Robb as they all stared at the massive ship anchored on the bay. "Besides, what am I to do with a ship? I can't exactly bring it to Winterfell."
"Who says you can't? It's a newly built airship with enchanted propellers added into the hull, which allows the ship to navigate the seas and the sky without sails." Harry said with a flourish, "The first of its kind. I call it the Blizzard class ship."
"You're joking, right!" Robb said with wide eyes as he stared at the ship and then at Harry with his jaws wide open.
"No jokes, O' twin of mine. It'd be a disservice to keep the power of the sky and sea from the future lord of Winterfell. Why else did you think I had you trained to steer the airship on our trip to Essos?" Harry asked with a smirk.
"You… you have been planning this for that long?" Robb asked with surprise.
"I had most of the ship built, but the Lyseni artisans had some choice designs to add to improve the ship's aesthetics. You'll see it when you see the inside of the ship. I think…"
The rest of what he was about to say was smacked away from his tongue when Robb pulled him into a tight hug.
"Thank you, brother. This is the grandest gift that has ever been given to me and probably ever will." Robb muttered against his shoulder, his sound thick with emotion.
"Oh, don't be so sure of that. I have time to make even grander gifts in the coming years." Harry said with a chuckle.
*****
Harry saw Lady Mormont coming out of the meeting with his parents quite happy. He supposed there was not much to discuss pertaining to Jon's betrothal to one of her daughters. With the Mormonts financially getting back on their feet, what they needed was some acceptance from the great houses of the North. Though Jon's status as a legitimised bastard, he carried the Stark name and the promise of the large castle that sat on one of the important trade routes into the Riverlands.
Binding the Mormonts to the branch of House Stark from the Moat was a splendid idea, especially with the ice trade expanding across the Narrow Sea and the Sunset Sea. Also, the Mormonts carried the blood of a nature spirit, which holds untold potential. If he hadn't already committed himself to Arianne and Nymeria, he'd have welcomed a match with one of Lady Maege's daughters.
"Lady Mormont." he nodded at the lady of Bear Island.
"Lord Harrion."
"Please, walk with me." Harry welcomed the gruff-looking woman to a stroll through the long corridors of Avalon.
"I assume an amicable agreement has been reached with my father, considering the plans we have for Jon."
"Oh, yes, Lord Harrion." Lady Maege smiled, which looked alien to the overall rough look on the woman, "Lord Stark informed me of granting your brother the castle of Moat Cailin and the lands surrounding it. This puts the betrothal with my daughter in question because of the nature of inheritance."
It was only then Harry realised Lady Maege's eldest daughter was the lucky woman being betrothed to Jon. He understood why that particular match might bring a lot of complications. As the eldest daughter of Lady Maege Mormont, Lady Dacey Mormont would inherit Mormont Keep. So, any children born from the union between Jon and Dacey would stand to inherit Moat Cailin and Mormont Keep.
It was the same concern involved in his betrothal with Arianne in his father's mind. The succession of Avalon and Dorne had to be discussed and reached a common accord before marriage. In his case, there was also the concern about the transfer of Avalon's magical knowledge to Dorne. However, unlike his father, Harry was not particularly concerned about granting knowledge to Dorne. After all, it was not his plan to horde magical knowledge in the North.
He invited Lady Maege into his solar and discussed the expanding ice trade in the region. Baer Island was host to many lakes where year-round freshwater ice was available, which he wanted to explore more as the demand for ice rose in Dorne and beyond. With access to Dornish ports, the merchants from Avalon were establishing deals with Summer Islanders. This had made the merchants ask for more ice every time another shipment sailed away from the harbours of Avalon.
Harry could've increased the production of ice with a simple spell, but it would end up crushing new jobs in Avalon and Bear Island. That was the only thing staying his hand as the ice trade was extremely profitable. Lately, ice has also been used to preserve fish and meat in Fair Isle.
Just as they were discussing their plans to expand the business, Maester Marwyn came into the room out of breath and with a sweaty forehead.
"My lord!" Maester Marwyn breathed hoarsely.
"What is it, maester?" Harry asked with some concern, seeing the man this bothered, which was rare.
"A raven from King's Landing. It's about the Hand of the King, my lord. Jon Arryn has passed!"
AN:
To read ahead of the update schedule; pat(r) eon. C (O) M/Dragonspectre.
For artwork related to the fic:
https://discord.gg/Nw2JH25fJf