Highgarden 294 AC.
Margaery.
How she had controlled her anger was a testament to her grandmother's training, to her education and to the fact that Sansa was as angry as she was. She had stormed off eager to be away from the woman, to not have to look at her. Sansa had followed and both of them had raged about Catelyn Stark and what she had said about Jon for almost an hour, before realizing it had done neither of them any good.
That night she had ignored the woman at dinner, as had Sansa, then when she had gone back to her room she had lain on her bed looking at the drawing and felt the rage both return and calm at the same time. One day the realm would know the truth of Jon, they'd know, as she did already, that his name was as true as his heart, as true as he was.
Sansa broke her fast with her and her grandmother the next morning, leaving Lady Catelyn to break hers with her mother and father. Then they had gone to lessons and it was while they were waiting for the tutor in the yard that Lady Catelyn had found them, her voice calm even though the displeased look on her face was anything but.
"Sansa, what are you doing sweetling?"
"I'm having my lesson mother." Sansa said and Margaery almost chuckled at the look on Catelyn's face.
"Lesson, out here, what lessons can you do out here?"
"My knife lessons." Sansa said turning away and taking out the small training knife from th rack the training swords and armor were kept on.
Truth be told that wasn't even what they'd come out here for, more they were going to learn about the plants and flowers, about the use of them and how certain ones could be used for tea, or for headaches and other aches. But Sansa upon seeing her mother couldn't resist the urge to annoy her and Margaery found herself liking her friend even more for it.
"You're being taught to use a blade?" Catelyn asked her face crumpled up as she frowned.
"She is Lady Catelyn, just as I have been."
"You've been taught to use a blade?" Catelyn said her voice scandalized.
"I have my lady."
"But you are a lady, it's not ladylike to learn such a thing."
"Jon thinks it's very ladylike doesn't he Margaery." Sansa said and she could have hugged the girl for the look that then appeared on her mother's face.
"He does indeed, Sansa, he's so considerate that way." she said and put, even more, affect in her voice overdramatizing her swoon some as she spoke.
They both waited until Lady Catelyn stormed off, eager no doubt to giver her mother or father a piece of her mind, gods help the woman if she tried to do so to her grandmother. As soon as she was out of sight both she and Sansa turned to each other and broke out in laughter, both of them soon standing there with tears running from their eyes as they had laughed so much.
"That was so fun, you are mean when you want to be." she said and Sansa giggled after calming some.
"She shouldn't have said what she did about Jon."
"No, she should not."
"Come, let's go to our real lessons." Sansa said and she nodded.
She knew Sansa would need to speak to her mother properly soon, had she not have been with her, had Sansa not have knocked her off her intent, then the conversation would already have taken place. But she also knew Sansa was as upset as she was with what her mother had said, more so perhaps in that it was in front of her she had done so.
Sansa would defend Jon to anyone even her mother, and had she not been there at the time than she would have been much more upfront to her mother about her annoyance. But with her there she had deferred, kept it to herself, waited, and shown her displeasure another way and she was glad to see her friend was growing some. It was a day or two later though that things went from bad to worse, when her own world came crashing down.
"Have you spoken to your mother yet?" she asked and Sansa shook her head.
"I will today."
"Are you still angry with her?"
"Very."
"She is your mother though, it's not good to let it fester." she said and Sansa nodded.
Later that day she saw Sansa and her mother go off into one of the gardens and so she went to speak to her grandmother, finding her in her solar as usual.
"Sansa is speaking to her mother." she said and her grandmother nodded.
"I heard you two pulled a little prank on the woman."
"She deserved it."
"She did, your idea?"
"Sansa's." she said and her grandmother chuckled.
"The little wolf's grown some fangs it would seem."
"She loves her brother, grandmother, above all."
"Even her mother?" her grandmother asked.
"I don't know, but she'd not allow Jon speak ill of Lady Catelyn, not that he would, so she'll not have it the other way either."
"True enough, she'll need to be told the truth soon."
"I know, Jon wished to do it already, but I talked him out of it." she said and her grandmother smiled at her.
"Why?"
"She wasn't ready yet, she will be though, very soon." she said.
She was drinking tea with her grandmother when the knock came to the door, her father entering with her mother, both of them looking upset, it took her a moment to notice but when she saw her mother's tears she jumped from the seat running to her.
"Mother, mother what is it, what's wrong?" she asked as her mother grabbed her and held her close.
"From Casterly Rock mother." she heard her father say and then a moment later she heard the gasp from her grandmother and turned to look at her.
"This, this, it can't be." her grandmother said and she'd never seen that look on her face before.
"Grandmother, what is it, Loras, is it Loras, is he hurt?"
"It's not Loras, Marge, it's Jon, Jon… he's been killed." her mother said and she turned to look from one to the other, her grandmother's own look confirming what her mother said.
"No, No, it can't be, it's wrong, it can't be, Please grandmother, it can't be." she said her eyes darting to each of them, her tears falling as she screamed and fell to her knees.
Time drifted after that, she'd been given some milk of the poppy to help her sleep, she'd been carried to her room, she never even got to see Sansa or her mother, instead, she woke up one night to find Fang laying on her bed, the wolf, looking to her face. She reached out, rubbing it's fur and watched as it began to nudge the picture she held in her other hand, looking into her eyes before nudging it again.
"Fang, what is it?" she asked and the wolf licked her face, before nudging the picture again "Fang" she said and the wolf shook it's head.
She moved closer to the wolf, watched as it licked her hand and nudged the picture once more, she looked into its eyes and saw it stare at her.
"Jon?" she said and the wolf nodded licking her face "Oh Jon, Jon, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I miss you, I miss you so much." she said hugging Fang as the wolf licked her face and shook its head, his head, Fang's or Jon's, she couldn't tell which.
"I don't understand, are you Jon?" she asked as she let go of the wolf and then Fang nodded again "Will you always be Jon?" and the wolf shook her head "Are you stuck here?" and the wolf shook it's head "Are you alive?" she asked, her last question full of hope.
The wolf moved closer, licked her face once again and nodded and she looked at her, at him "They said you were dead." and the once again the wolf shook it's head "You're alive, you're safe, for true?" she asked and the nod the wolf gave her made her laugh out loud.
"Oh thank the gods." she said smiling as she hugged the wolf even tighter still "I need to tell people, tell Sansa."
Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Jon.
Laying down in the back of the cart, the blood pouch dripping down his back into his small clothes, he felt a fool, though given the other fool was laying across for him, not a lonely one. Once the cart was brought into the Rock itself, once he was in among people they could trust, he sat up and Arthur nodded to Bronn to do likewise. He headed straight to speak to Jaime, Arthur, Loras, and Ghost walking with him while Bronn was taken to his own room by Jors.
"What did it look like?" he asked Arthur as the lift began to move.
"I'd have thought it true if I saw it, seeing the blood I almost did."
"Loras?"
"What?" Loras said before realizing he was actually being asked something "What did you think?"
"I'm just glad it was a mummery, that was not something I enjoyed." Loras said and he nodded sympathetically.
"Aye Ghost, you did well." he said rubbing Ghost's back when the wolf moved closer to him.
"Well. That damn wolf is the best mummer of all of us, I really thought he'd eaten Bronn." Arthur chuckled as did he and Loras while Ghost just stood there proudly.
"Do you want to be a part of this?" he asked Loras who nodded.
After getting out of the lift they headed for Jaime's solar, finding him alone and relieved to see them. Jon sat down while Gerion and Genna were sent for, and once they arrived he looked to Jaime and began.
"The word will reach the realm over the next few days that I've been killed, I've sent word to those who need to know that this is a mummery, but to the rest, it'll seem that the assassination worked. In a few days we'll send the word out that it didn't, but I want them to think they succeeded first."
"Why? "Genna asked.
"I want them to celebrate, I want them to be seen to celebrate, they'll show themselves without thinking of it, both with how they react to the news of my death and to news they failed." he said and Gerion smirked when he looked at him.
"This was the Tullys?"
"Aye, and Baelish."
"We should let the realm know the truth, let it out there and see them dealt with." Genna said.
"We should just fucking kill them." Gerion said.
"I've thought of both of those, and worse. Rhaenix actually wanted me to burn Riverrun to the ground." he said a fond smile on his face as he thought of his sister's anger and worry for him.
"But?" Jaime said and he looked at him.
"She's my sister's mother, my brother's mother, I can't." he said and Genna looked at him before speaking.
"That leaves Baelish and Edmure."
"We have plenty of time to deal with them both, Edmure is Lord of the Riverlands, for now it suits us he's lord of the Riverlands, his bannermen won't come to him, they won't answer his call."
"Your thinking of the war?" Gerion asked.
"I'm thinking of everything Gerion, if there is a war, if there isn't, I'm trying to think of all the possibilities. But if there is a war do we want a competent man in the Riverlands, a man they may show loyalty to?"
"No." Jaime said "But Baelish?"
"Is a known enemy, we can watch and predict his moves, if it were someone else there then it's the same as the Riverlands, Baelish we can deal with, at the right time."
"It's too risky Jon, they've tried twice to kill you," Genna said.
"If Robert found out the truth of me he'd try to kill me, my aunt has faced assassins for years and she was alone with no one to guard her. I have Ser Arthur, I have Walder and Jors, I've Ghost and dragons, and Casterly Rock, I have you all."
"And yet they still almost got to you?" Jaime said.
"Almost. We could kill them all my lord, each of them fallen and then think I'm safe only to find a threat from another source, or to by our actions make things harder for us, more dangerous, this is controlled danger. I think it worth the risk, but if you all think it not, then I'll go with your feelings on this."
"He's right Jaime, no one wants to see the Tully's suffer more than me, but he's right." Gerion said.
"I disagree, I'm sorry Jon, but I think it's too risky." Genna said shaking her head.
"Loras?" he asked and Loras too shook his head.
"I'm with Genna, sorry Jon." he said and he couldn't help but smile at Loras for his concern.
"I'm against leaving any threat out there undealt with Jon, I vote we deal with them now." Arthur said.
"Jaime?"
"This is what you think is for the best?"
"It is Jaime." he nodded.
"Then I vote with you." Jaime said.
He smiled at him then, glad of the support, that and the fact of the matter was that he still had no idea what to do about Catelyn Tully.
"Joy." he said then before they could begin to argue amongst themselves "It's time I told her the truth, of me, of the dragons." he said and saw Gerion look to him.
"She's too young Jon." Gerion said and Genna shook her head.
"No, she's not, she's clever enough, she should know and if you wait any longer she may not accept it, but I thought you'd want to tell your sister first?" Genna said.
"Joy is my sister." he said and Gerion looked at him proudly "I'll bring her with me on the morrow."
He went to speak to Jardene when they were done telling him to send the ravens, to let the realm know of the attack and its success. When he told the man that people would perhaps blame him for being wrong he just laughed, he cared not what others thought of him as long as they were happy with his service. Jon spoke to him a little on Marwyn and a little more on his grand uncle, finding the man to be most eager to speak to Aemon if he ever got the chance.
When he told Rhaenix that night of his plans both she and Lygaron didn't seem happy, the dragons wishing to see the people who had plotted his death to face their own. He explained it to them both and eventually they agreed, reluctantly. When he then told her of his plans involving Joy she seemed more than eager to meet the girl he considered to be a sister also.
After breaking his fast and preparing Winter and Apples he went looking for her and found Joy getting ready for her lesson, he whispered to Ashara his plans and when she agreed, he walked over to Joy.
"Want to go for a ride, Joy?"
"No ride, Jon, lessons." Joy said and made an annoyed face and let out a soft sigh which he knew to be just for show.
"I've spoken to Lyarra, we can go riding Joy, no lessons today." he said and she looked from him to Ashara and back, checking to see if he was playing her false.
"No lessons?" she said her eyebrow raised and he bit his cheek to stop from laughing.
"No lessons, unless you prefer to stay here and not come for a ride with me?"
"No ride Apples, see you Arra" she said grabbing his hand and heading for the door and a few moments later they were taking the lift down to the bottom.
Arthur and Jors went riding with them, Walder had stayed back and Bronn was going to help him with the sparring today, were it not for what he needed to do, Jon would have loved to watch the confused looks on everyone's faces. Instead, though he and Joy rode as fast as they could, both of them easily outpacing the others.
Apples was perhaps too big for Joy now, the horse had grown far more than he'd expected, but Joy rode her horse the same as he did Winter and Jon never feared for her in the saddle. When they reached the stream, he grabbed the pack with the pie and the pouch with the water he'd brought, it wasn't really a picnic, but more something for Joy to eat should she be hungry.
"Joy, you know what happened yesterday, what that man tried to do?"
"He tried to hurt you." Joy said angrily and she was so like Rhaenys in how she said it that he chuckled.
"He did, but he wasn't able to."
"Good." she said looking at him, almost checking to make sure he really was uninjured.
"The thing is Joy, he may not be the only one who wishes to harm me."
"Why, who wants to harm you, tell me?" she said her little hands balled into fists.
"Come here." he said and lifted her up and had her sit closer to him "My name is not Jon Snow, Joy, it's Jaehaerys Targaryen and there are people who if they found out would want to hurt me, like they did my family." he said and she looked to him, her brow creased.
"You are not Jon?"
"I am always Jon, to you I will always be Jon, but I'm Jaehaerys too and one day I will take back the Throne that was taken from my family." he said and she smirked.
"You will be the king?"
"Aye."
"Good, then I can be a real princess." she said with a giggle.
"You are a princess, my princess, always."
"Always?"
"Always." he said determinedly and she threw her arms around him.
He told her then that no one could know until he was older, until he was ready and then he told her about the dragons and she looked at him shook her head and said no.
"There are no such things as Dragons, Jon." she said as if she was stating a fact.
"You wish to meet them?" he said and the look on her face changed from certainty to disbelief, and then to excitement.
"Now?" she asked and he nodded "Let's go." she said jumping up and practically dragging him to the horses.
They rode back to the Rock and he took her down into the Vaults, Joy holding his hand all the way, when he got to his room, Sarella opened the door and Joy looked almost ready to run away when she first saw Rhaenix and Lygaron.
"They won't hurt you Joy, they'd never hurt my princess." he said and led her over to Rhaenix who allowed her to stroke her back.
Joy looked on in awe as the dragons allowed her to touch them, even more so a few moments later when he, Sarella and Arthur carried them out to the beach and they flew through the air. Joy standing there clapping her hands excitedly when Rhaenix let her flames out. That night as he began to read her story to her, she reached out with her hand taking his and asking to hear more of dragons and he told her of Meraxes and Caraxes, of Balerion and Silverwing.
"When will they be big like them Jon?"
"Soon, why?"
"Because if the dragons are big then no one can hurt you." she said and he leaned in and kissed her on the forehead, he stayed there watching her as she drifted off to sleep before tucking her in more as he got ready to leave, hearing her voice as he reached the door.
"Love you Jon."
"Love you princess." he said back.
His sleep that night was disturbed though, he felt sadness, great sadness, and woke up to find Ghost leaning on the bed, looking at him with a look which worried him greatly. Closing his eyes he went looking finding the door open as always, the feeling came to him then, sister, little sister, sadness, tears, crying, all of it coming to him and he knew what had happened.
"Jae, what's wrong?" Rhaenix said as he woke her when he went looking for the glass candles.
"I think the letter hasn't arrived in Highgarden, I think Sansa and Margaery think the worst." he said grabbing the four of them and laying them on the table.
It took him some time before he found what he was looking for, the images random and ever-changing, before he finally saw her. Margaery was crying, laying in bed, the drawing in her hand and he found the image disappearing far too quickly. He had messed up, he had messed up badly, in trying to play the game, he'd hurt her, Sansa too, he'd been a fool.
"Jae, what are you going to do?" Rhaenix asked and he couldn't think, a raven would take days to get there now, they'd need to wait until the one they'd sent had rested and returned and then rested again.
"Father, the wolf." Lygaron said and he looked to his son to see what he meant.
"I don't understand?"
"Use Ghost, father, his connection to Fang."
Could it be done, could he use Ghost to warg into Fang, would she allow him, Dusk had never allowed him, the door there firmly shut, even the mother wolf had not, she'd listened but had never allowed him to open the door. Would Fang? He looked to Ghost who was soon licking his hand and the wolf looked to him, closing his eyes he tried and after a while, he found the door unlocked, though it was clear he was but a guest and this was not a permanent invitation.
Sunspear 294 AC.
Tyrion.
He stepped nervously from the ship, seeing Arianne and the guards standing there ready to welcome them, the princess giving him a quick look and a smile which he returned. The ride to the Old Palace was spent in silence, though it was clear by the princess's face something had happened which she wished to speak to them on. Arriving and being led to the small solar they quickly learned what it was that had concerned her so.
"We received a raven when you were gone uncle, a strange raven though only more so because of what happened later." she said and Oberyn looked at her.
"This raven what did it say?"
"It informed the realm that Jon Snow was attacked and killed in Lannisport." she said and he and Ellaria gasped while Oberyn shouted, only to be calmed a moment later "It was a mummery uncle, Jon Snow is alive and well." Arianne said and the relief on Oberyn's face, lasted only momentarily before the anger replaced it.
"Why would you say such a thing, why would you speak to me of such a thing?" Oberyn said angrily.
"Why is this Jon Snow so important, Nym and Tyene refused to tell me and they too reacted how you did, what is going on that I don't know?" Arianne said her own voice raised.
He took a seat as Oberyn explained things, hearing him say the story in one sitting he found himself amazed it could be whittled down to so little, but Oberyn gave only the basic essence of things, the facts, before he ever delved into the feelings of things.
"And we are to support this boy?" Arianne asked though she was not dismissive, more curious.
"This boy is your cousin Arianne, Elia named him her son, he is our blood, my sister's own words called him so, blood of my blood. He has given Dorne justice for Elia, for Aegon, For Rhaenys, he saved my life, and he brought my niece back to me." Oberyn said and Arianne looked at him.
"As a dragon?" she asked and this time she was dismissive.
"I have been in her presence, as has Tyrion. Tell her Tyrion, is she a dragon or a girl?" Oberyn asked.
"Both I believe, there is no doubt that Rhaenix is Rhaenys, they are one and the same, how it is possible I know not, but then most of what Jon does is hard to explain." he said a smile on his face.
"Most of what he does Lord Tyrion?"
"Jon has gifts princess, things he can do that no one else is able, he is a warg, he birthed dragons, he made the glass candles burn once again, there is magic in him, be it because he's the blood of the wolf, or dragon, or both."
"The Song of Ice and Fire." Oberyn said and Arianne looked at them both, still not convinced.
"He means to take the throne, is he capable of such a thing?" she asked and Oberyn laughed.
"With his dragons alone, but he is not alone, he has my spear and he will have Dorne's too." Oberyn said.
"He has my families full support as well as his uncle's and the Tyrell's, he will be king, that much is certain." Tyrion said.
"Not if someone kills him first, this mummery uncle, I do not understand it, it vexes me." Arianne said and he couldn't agree more nor could Oberyn.
"Me too niece, I shall ride to Doran and return on the morn, Tyrion, I shall be sailing back with you, I need to speak to Jon myself."
"I welcome your company Oberyn, as always." he said with a genuine smile.
"Then we shall have a small feast tonight, nothing too extravagant, just enough to keep our hunger at bay." Arianne said looking directly at him and making him feel the tightness of his britches when she licked her lips.
The meal was over quickly, the drinking lasting a little longer, Obara and her sisters were busy elsewhere arguing over who if any would get to accompany Oberyn when they sailed. When Arianne turned to him, and passed him the note he feared it would be a rejection, a way to quietly say they could not meet again. He waited until he felt he was not being watched and opened it, his heart racing as he read the words.
My room tonight,
I wish to hear my lion roar.
The rest of the night seemed to stretch on and on, finally though Arianne excused herself and then after waiting for what he hoped was a long enough time so that no one would notice, he did the same. Though given how Ellaria smiled at him, he was obviously far less subtle than he had hoped. He made his way to her room, finding her guards all too eager to bid him enter, and then inside the room he found the princess already undressed, he looked at her and felt himself rise.
"Come to me my lion, or are you not hungry?" she said as she pulled the sheets down to show off her body to it's fullest.
As dawn broke the next morning, he pulled himself from the bed and dressed, Arianne smiling at him all the while.
"Never let anyone speak down to you for your height Tyrion, for you have the appetite and stamina of a giant." she said and he chuckled as he moved close to kiss her.
"Maybe I was just inspired by a beautiful princess."
"Of course you were." she said and they both laughed.
"I think we will leave today." he said and while it saddened him, it felt good to see her own smile falter when he spoke.
"What is Casterly Rock like?" she asked surprising him.
"It's hard to explain, it's much different than here, perhaps you could come visit one day."
"You would welcome me to your home?" she asked playfully.
"I'm sure I would show you all its delights" he said as he kissed her once again.
"I will come to see you, you have my promise on it, my lion."
"I will wait, you have mine, my princess." he said.
He was right they sailed that day, the ship ready to go, Oberyn, Ellaria and his guards joining him with his daughter's left behind. Loamara stood on the deck with him as he watched Sunspear fade into the distance. His eyes glistening at the thoughts of the princess he had left behind, a part of him telling him it could never be, while the other, the more hopeful part, told him anything was possible.
"Love is a strange thing, my lord." Loamara said.
"Maester?"
"Have you ever heard tell of Shiera Seastar?"
"The sorceress?" he said and Loamara laughed.
"My former friends at the Citadel would love to hear her called as such, magic cannot be real after all. But yes that's the woman I speak of."
"I've heard some Maester, why?"
"She was the most beautiful woman in the seven kingdoms, my lord, men fought for her, over her, to be with her. Brynden Rivers and Aegor Bittersteel brought a realm to its knees because of their love for her."
"What has this go to do with me?" he asked confused.
"Do you know what people said was her most beautiful feature?"
"No."
"Her eyes my lord, her eyes were mismatched, something that others consider a defect, a slight, yet she inspired both great and terrible love." Loamara said looking into his own and smiling before walking away, leaving Tyrion looking at his retreating from in confusion.
Highgarden 294 AC.
Sansa.
She knew she couldn't ignore her for long, though she tried her best to do so, she had even enjoyed the look on her mother's face when she and Margaery had told her of their training and that it was Jon's suggestion. Hearing her mother call her brother that word, hearing her say it here, in front of Olenna, Margaery and herself, Sansa had never been so angry.
So she had enjoyed the look of annoyance on her mother's face, had enjoyed hearing from Willas later on how she had gone to complain to his father and she had been surprised that Lord Mace had refused to stop the training. Ignoring her mother though was not a long term plan, they needed to speak and so she had taken Margaery's advice and went for a walk with her mother through the gardens, finding a secluded place to talk.
"You should not have spoken of Jon that way mother, he is my brother." Sansa said almost as soon as they sat down.
"Half brother." her mother said.
"Jon has been more of a brother to me than Robb has, were it not for him, Robb and I would still not be friendly." she said and her mother shook his head.
"You don't understand Sansa, you don't understand what he's like, what he's truly like."
"Jon is kind, he's caring, he has helped me, he listens to me, asks me what it is I wish to do, he makes time for me, that's what I know mother. I've seen it with Loras, with Garlan and Willas, I've seen how they act with Margaery, that's what a brother does and I'd not trade Jon for any of them."
"He's tricking you Sansa, luring you and the others in, it's part of his plan." her mother said and she looked at her dumbfoundedly.
"His plan?"
"To take Winterfell from Robb." her mother said and Sansa laughed, she actually laughed at her mother.
"Jon doesn't want Winterfell, he loves us mother, me, Arya, Bran, even Robb, it was Jon who spoke to him, Jon who arranged our fostering and you think it a plan to take our home from us?"
"You cannot see it, he's tricked you, he's tricked you all. What of what he did in Kings Landing, what he did to your uncle?"
"Given what uncle Edmure said and did I'd say he got off easy mother." Sansa said and her mother gasped.
Olenna had explained and Margaery confirmed what had happened in Kings Landing, that Edmure had tried to take Jon's hand, a lord trying to take a boy's hand, it shook her to her core. Even if Edmure had the right of it and she knew Jon far too well to believe that, he was a child, and to punish him her uncle wished to take his hand.
"How can you say that?"
"Did uncle Edmure try to take his hand Mother? Did he bring him up on charges that would have resulted in him losing his hand?" she said her anger clear.
"He attacked him." her mother said and she looked at her in disbelief.
"So if I pushed you, you'd seek my hand?" she asked and her mother shook her head.
"No, but you're trueborn, your not a…"
"Don't you say that word, I mean it mother, don't you ever say that word in front of me again, he is my brother, you'll refer to him as such."
"My sweet girl, my poor sweet girl, what has he done to you, what have they done to you?"
"They?" she asked confused.
"The Tyrell's, they wish to marry the prince to Lady Margaery, they're filling your head with lies, with false lessons, you should not be in this place, this is not what I wished for you."
"I know, you wished me to go to Riverrun where there are no children of my age, it was my brother who wished me to come here, my brother who knew I'd love it here, who cared enough about me to know what it was I would wish for." she said and her mother shook her head again.
"The Tyrell's, they must be in on it too, that son of theirs, that Loras, he is friends with the bas… Boy." she said when Sansa glared at her "That and they wish to marry you to that cripple rather than the prince, all to make their daughter queen and so the bastard can take Winterfell." her mother said and Sansa rose to her feet.
"How dare you, Willas is not a cripple and I told you never to call Jon that word, you should leave mother, you should go, we have nothing to speak of and father wishes me to be here as much as I do." she said angrily and ran away leaving her mother there.
"Sansa… Sansa." her mother called after her as she ran.
The voice becoming quieter and quieter as she ran further away, Fang running behind her, she stopped and fell down into the grass and cried, her arms around the wolf, how could she think like that, how could she believe that of Jon? Of Willas?. How long she lay there she didn't know but when she heard the sound of the cane in the distance, she did her best to fix her face, to wipe away the evidence of her crying.
"Sansa, Sansa, you need to come, there's been some terrible news." Willas said and she looked to him, surprised to see the upset in his face.
"What is it, what's happened?"
"It's Jon, Sansa, something terrible has happened to Jon."
She lay crying in the bed later that day, Olenna and Willas, Alerie, even Garlan had come to see if she was alright, all but Margaery and Sansa knew that of all of them, it was her friend who felt as she did. Her mother came in and rubbed her back, held her hair back and combed it, wiped her eyes and she hugged her tight. Sansa found despite the day she was glad for it, glad for the comfort, glad she was here to hold her and sing her to sleep.
The wolf looked at the crying girl, looked on as she slept, she was her, they were one, and her two-foot was in pain. She knew the reason why, the other two-foot, the one who belonged with her quiet brother, he had been hurt, he was gone and her two foot grieved for him. The other two foot two felt as bad, the brown-haired one who smelt of the gardens, who smelt of the flowers.
But the other one did not, she felt no sadness, felt no grief, and when her two-foot slept, she smiled, she laughed, she was happy. She looked at her as she moved around the room, saw the way she almost bounced on her feet, and she reached out for her two foot, reached out to wake her, to let her see, to show her the truth. She growled at the other two-foot, bared her teeth and waited for her to speak, to move.
"Get away you cursed thing, your should not be here you filthy beast, I regret the day the bastard ever brought you to my home. Maybe now he's finally gone I can get rid of you too, see you gone, see you dead, just like him." Catelyn said and Sansa looked at her in horror.
"Mother?" she said and saw the look on her mother's face, the look of shame, not at what she had said, but that she had been caught "Get out."
"Sansa."
"Get out and don't ever come back, I never want to see you again, I never want to hear from you again, go."
"Sansa."
She jumped from the bed and raced through the halls, Fang running off in the other direction, reaching Lady Olenna's rooms she saw one of the giant guards's at the door, his face for once not stoic as he looked at her concernedly, as he saw the tears fall from her eyes.
"I need to speak to Lady Olenna, please, I need to speak to her now." she said and the guard knocked and then opened the door allowing her inside.
Olenna sat by the fire, looking far older than she usually did, a glass of wine laying untouched on the table beside her.
"Sansa, Sansa, what is it child?" the woman asked worriedly when she saw her.
"My mother, my mother, I want her gone, please send her away, send her away." she said and Olenna hugged her and held her tight.
"I will sweetling, I will."
The Realm reacts.
White Harbor 294 AC.
Wyman.
Wyman was sitting in the hall, holding court when Richard's man arrived, Marao it seemed was the main runner of the group, he co-ordinated the messages, while Para and Walys took care of other duties. He nodded to the man and after holding court for some more time, he turned to Robb and Wendel and told them to carry on from here. Robb looking excited to spend more time listening to the petitions.
Giving the signal to his guards, he walked to his solar and was joined by Marao a few moments later, the man handing him the letter, which he smiled to see was from his king. He quickly broke the plan seal, looking forward to the day it would come with the three-headed dragon one instead and opened and read the letter.
Lord Wyman.
You will soon receive a raven informing the realm of my demise at the hands of an assassin. I assure you all is well and ask you to keep an eye on how quickly a raven is sent once you're informed, I would suggest you keep your correspondence down and your eyes on the rookery. In a few days another will arrive announcing my recovery and explaining the mistake, you should watch the rookery again after it's done so.
Your friend.
Jon.
He smiled at the simply signature, his king calling him a friend making him proud, burning the letter, he bid his farewells to Marao and later that night called Wendel and Wylis to his solar to speak.
"Why a mummery father?" Wylis asked.
"It seems Jon wishes to smoke out some of his enemies son."
"Should we not play our own part?" Wendel asked.
"How so?" he asked curiously.
"What if we make word of the raven public, then wait a day or two until the other arrives?" Wendel said and he looked at his son pleased with the idea.
"Lord Robb, the girls?" Wylis asked.
"Will be overjoyed by the news of Jon's recovery." he said and Wylis nodded.
The raven came and the news had most of White Harbor mourning Jon's loss, his guard's brought him back news of toasts to the White Wolf, and Wyman put the coin aside for the celebration to come at the news of his survival. Robb took it as badly as his son had feared, Wynafred was more concerned for him than for her own grief and he was proud of how she comforted him.
Just as Jon predicated the raven was sent on the night of the news, and Wyman knew his own Maester was not to be trusted, to make certain he placed a guard to watch the rookery the night the other raven came. While they feasted, while White Harbor rejoiced, while Robb smiled for the first time in days, a guard watched on as yet another raven flew.
Bear Island 294 AC.
Jorah.
He was rocking Gerold in the crib when Lynesse and Maege brought the letter, his wife taking over as he read it himself.
"You've read this?" he asked them both.
"Aye, what do you think of the Maester?" Maege asked and he shook his head.
"Artos is a good man Maege, I doubt he's part of any grand conspiracy." he said and Lynesse nodded in agreement.
"We still must know?" Maege said and he agreed.
Maege herself took watch the day the raven arrived, Bear Island mourned the boy who'd done so much for them and while they held a somber meal that night, Maege and Lyanna watched. His youngest cousin refusing to sleep while her mother was upset, and Jorah and her sister's being unable to dissuade her.
"Well?" he asked the next morning?"
"Not a raven left." Maege said and he smiled at that.
They held a feast when the second one came, the spirits lifted by the news and talk of incompetent Maester's and japes at the expense of the Lannister men who were staying on Bear Island. Once again the Maester was watched though this time by Lyra and Jory as Maege needed to be seen celebrating, and once again no raven was sent and Jorah was proud of his Maester's loyalty.
Winterfell 294 AC.
Ned.
When Luwin came rushing into his solar, he had thought the scroll in his hand was from Robert and he worried as to what it would contain. Writing to tell him he had lost a hostage, that Theon Greyjoy a boy of five and ten had managed to escape had been one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. Yet there was no reply, no reproach, no demands, nothing and while relieved, he still worried what Robert's reaction would be.
The raven though wasn't from Kings Landing, nor was it from Riverrun which annoyed him too, instead though it was from Casterly Rock and he broke the seal and read it shaking his head as he did so. Handing the raven to Luwin, he watched as the Maester read it, his own expression as confused as his was.
"A Mummery my lord?" Luwin asked.
"Aye, it would seem so, though why Jon or Lord Jaime feel the need to do so is beyond me?"
"Perhaps it's to flush out those responsible." Luwin said and he looked to the man.
"How would this do that?"
"I do not know my lord, but perhaps that is the reason."
"That he feels the need to do such a thing worries me." Ned said and Luwin nodded.
He found it hard to sleep that night, though it was thoughts of Jon and not Cat which kept him awake. Taking a walk he went to the crypts and paid his respects, spending time in front of Lyanna's statue he said a small prayer to her, asking her to look after Jon and keep him safe. Though he knew there was no need for such as Lyanna would no doubt be already doing so.
Breaking his fast the next morning, he laughed at Elle and the children, as Arya tried to get Elle to call of today's indoor lessons since it was such a nice day and with the lack of wind, surely a day to shoot arrows. Elle having none of it and only saying if Arya and Bran did well in their lessons, they could as a reward leave early for archery practice.
"My lord, a man at the gate, says he's from Riverrun." Alyn said and he got up, kissed his children and told them to behave for Elle and he and Lya walked to the South Gate.
"Brynden?" he said when he saw the man on the horse.
"Eddard." the Blackfish said as he dismounted and Ned looked around to see if Cat was with him.
"It's good to see you again, but what brings you North?" he asked as Brynden looked to see his guards take his horse to be stabled.
"I wished to see my grandnephew, Eddard, to see the North too while I'm at it."
"Well I welcome you to Winterfell, I'll see quarters and a warm bath are made available, have you eaten?"
"Not since last night."
"Come then, we were just breaking our fast, I'm sure you'll appreciate something warm."
"Aye, that and a drink wouldn't go amiss."
"I'm sure we can see to that." he said with a chuckle which Brynden matched.
Kings Landing 294 AC.
Jon Arryn.
When Pycelle brought him the raven he almost did a dance, had he been alone he may very well have, instead he called for both Rosby and Petyr, one to share the news with and one to find out what the realm whispered of the event. When they arrived he told them what had happened but briefly and sent Rosby off to do his job, something the man wasn't doing well in his opinion.
"A drink Petyr, a celebration is called for is it not?"
"It is my lord, it's good to finally see the Lannister's receive a setback and all it cost was the life of a bastard."
"A bastard who never knew his rightful place." he said and Petyr nodded as they drank the wine.
"No doubt his grace will mourn the boy's passing?" Petyr said and he found himself agreeing.
"It's perhaps a good thing, his plans for Theon Greyjoy's escape will be put on hold, hopefully for good now."
"He really planned to sail the fleet to Pyke?" Petyr asked.
"He did, can you imagine the cost of such a thing, all for a boy that Ned shouldn't have been fool enough to lose in the first place."
"And Ned Stark?" Petyr asked.
"What of him?"
"He did lose a hostage of the crown my lord."
"He did but while Robert may rant and rave over the stupidity of it, he'll not do anything about it."
"Should he not be punished my lord?" Petyr asked.
"How?"
"A fine perhaps, some coin would be welcome even with our new friend."
"How much?"
"Nothing too serious my lord, 50,000 gold dragons."
"Robert would never go for that, besides the North is far too poor to afford it."
"Not anymore, the Manderly's, even the Mormont's now are rising high."
"I'll consider it, but it will be hard to persuade Robert to punish his friend."
"It's just an idea my lord." Petyr said.
He thought on it more during the day and then went to Robert to tell him of the news, the king reacting just as he had expected.
"I want this man found and executed, if he acted with anyone I want them found too, he was a good lad, a fine lad, a raven, send a raven to Ned, send him my sympathies, tell him we'll find the man responsible." Robert said his voice surprisingly sobering up as he spoke.
"What of Greyjoy your grace."
"Who gives a fuck about the damn Iron Born, Ned's Boy, somebody killed Ned's boy, find them, Jon, that's a fucking order, you find them."
"I will your grace."
He strolled back to the Tower of the Hand whistling as he did so, good news was so rare these days he thought as he sat down and poured himself another glass of wine.
Barristan.
The note from Vylarr had been clear, he was to go to the tavern and meet with one of Richard's men and so he did, though the man took an age to get there. When he did, Barristan was taken to the room and the man began to speak, telling him things which he couldn't believe.
"Why a mummery?" he asked and the man smiled.
"I believe to flush out those responsible."
"How?" he asked.
"You'll see, some will celebrate, others will be sad, we just sit back and take note of which is which."
"You think more than one responsible?"
"I do not know, I'm just one of the lips, Alayn is the man who knows what to do with the whispers we bring him."
So he had waited and watched for himself, saw both the Hand and the Master of Coin, the Grandmaester, all of them seemingly happy at the supposed death of a boy. He had seen the king who while being sad had not stopped his activities for a moment, though he was found more than occasionally speaking of Jon in glowing terms while entertaining a whore.
"You should have seen the boy move, seen him fight, one of a kind I tell you."
"With a man like that at my side, by the gods, I'd have been proud to swing my hammer with Jon Snow."
"Poor Ned, to lose a son, I should be there for him, he should be here."
Eventually, though the drink and the whores took his attention away and Robert was back doing what it was he did best. The queen was probably the happiest he had seen her since her odd behavior with the king, smiling, singing, friendly to servants, it was disturbing to see.
He also found he heard talk in the streets too, small folk, people who Jon had helped, who Lady Margaery had helped, all sad to hear he'd fallen. Of course this all changed when the second raven came and Barristan had found he had enjoyed this one far more. Seeing the disgruntled looks on Baelish and Arryn's face, the queen's mood souring, even seeing Robert happy, though it was remarkably like him being sad truth be told.
"That boy, I knew he was too fast to be taken down, have I told you of the Squires Tourney in Lannisport?" Robert said to yet another whore.
Barristan just hoped the mummery was worth it and that Jon and Richard had gotten what they needed, he thanked the gods once again that Arthur was there beside him and counted the days until he could join him.
Riverrun 294 AC.
Raymun Darry.
Being called to a feast to celebrate Edmure's naming as Lord Paramount was not his idea of fun, knowing he'd have to go was not something he had looked forward to. But when Richard's man arrived telling him of the mummery, he knew he'd enjoy himself that much more. So now as he sat there on day two of the feast, seeing Edmure sitting in his father's chair and looking even more lost than usual, he waited.
Seeing the Maester walk in, seeing the smile on Edmure's face, he knew he'd received the raven and he smirked inwardly while looking to see what Edmure would say or do. The floppy fish didn't disappoint, instead of keeping the news to himself, instead of just reading it out, he reveled in it, he celebrated it, and Raymun took note of the looks of disgust around the room.
"It seems my lords, that the gods have seen fit to punish the bastard, Jon Snow is dead, this calls for a toast."
Raymun was among many who didn't raise their glasses, the Mallister's and Mootons, the Blackwoods and the Brackens, and Lady Shella all keeping their glasses on the table. Lady Shella going so far as to stand up and berate those who had raised their glasses for such a toast.
"I was born and raised in the light of the seven, I fear the gods and so should all of you, to celebrate a boys demise so, an innocent in the eyes of the mother, it shames me to be in such company." she said as she stormed from the room.
"Let the old cunt go back to her haunted castle." Edmure said laughing and Raymun once again looked around the room.
Richard's man had said it was a mummery his king wished to play, an act, to make those who plotted against him stand out. But Raymun could see it was more than that, while it was true that was no doubt part of it, he could tell his king had a different goal. Edmure Tully would not sit easily in the seat of his father and in time Raymun felt his king meant to reel the fish in, place him on the fire and roast himself some trout, dragons were hungry and needed to be fed after all.
Highgarden 294 AC.
Olenna.
Seeing Sansa so distressed took her mind off her own distress, off her own upset, her own anger and grief. She had a focus now, a way to channel what she felt and a target to let loose on. She had Sansa brought back to her rooms, placed Right at her door with orders she wasn't to be disturbed and then went to check on Margaery, finding her asleep. She shooed the wolf from her grandaughter's door and sent her back to Sansa's room and called for Lady Catelyn to be brought to her solar on the morrow.
The woman arrived bright and early, her face full of anger and scorn and Olenna shrugged, the woman had no idea of how angry she was, nor how scornful she felt of her right now. Waiting until she sat, she poured some tea and offered Catelyn some but she shook her head. Olenna felt herself in no mood for games, no desire to be circumspect, no desire to be pleasant and so she was none of those things.
"You men have already been informed, and I've called you here to do so to you too, you are no longer welcome at Highgarden."
"You're throwing me out?" Catelyn said her surprise clear and Olenna wondered how she could be so stunned given what had happened with Sansa.
"At your daughter's request yes I am."
"What have you done to my daughter?"
"Me, what have you done my lady, your daughter came to my room last night extremely distressed, care to tell me why?"
"I do not answer to you Lady Olenna."
"You do while you're under my roof."
"I have nothing to say to you, you think yourself so clever but I can see your plans."
"You could not see my plans if I wrote them out and handed them to you myself." Olenna said laughing.
"You wish to marry Margaery to Joffrey, marry Willas to Sansa and help the bastard take Winterfell, I can see your plans clearly, well at least the last one is no more, the bastard has finally been put where he belongs."
"You are a hateful woman Catelyn Tully, a hateful woman indeed, now go I have no wish to look at your hate-filled face any longer than I must."
"My name is Stark, Catelyn Stark, my husband is Warden of the North, my brother Lord paramount of the Trident and don't you forget it, you old witch." Catelyn said standing up.
"Both Sansa and Jon taught me something trout, they taught me the meaning of pack, wolves are pack, fish are not, you are a Tully, as you've always been and you and your brother are no longer welcome in the Reach."
"I shall take my daughter and leave." Catelyn said and Olenna laughed.
"Your daughter is here at your husband's request, only he can ask her to leave, if you wish to take her, you better bring an army, Lady Tully. Left, see to it that the fishwife here and her guards are off our lands by noon."
"You think I'll stand for this, one day my daughter will be queen and then we'll see how strong you grow."
"Perhaps, but today I'm far stronger than you, so go, swim away, but do so quickly. I'd hate for Sansa to see her mother dragged from the keep, I'd hate for it, but I'd see it done." she said standing up and watched as Catelyn gulped.
They were gone within the hour and she found herself happier than she had been in a while, it had felt good for there to be no pretense, no courtesy given or received. Instead, she had gotten rid of the woman and that made her feel far better than she had that morn. She walked to Sansa's room and told her that her mother was gone, told her it had not been pleasant and Sansa had just nodded.
She checked on Margery over the course of the day, her granddaughter wishing no visitors and Olenna felt her heart break for her sweet rose, it would take her time to recover from the loss of Jon Snow, it would take them all time. Checking in on her that night before she went to bed, she found the wolf once again outside her grandaughter's door and this time let her inside, perhaps she could succeed where all others had failed.
"Grandmother, Grandmother, wake up." she opened her eyes to see her granddaughter and Sansa standing over her bed, both of them smiling.
"Margaery, Sansa?"
"Aye, wake up grandmother, I've news to share, great news, the best news, Jon, Jon is well grandmother, Jon is alive and well." Margaery said the smile on her face filling Olenna with more hope than she knew existed.
"You are certain?" she asked and both girls nodded and Olenna found herself wide awake and eager to learn more.