Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Genna.
She had to admit, seeing Joy try to speak to Jon about the dragons while the little girl made sure no one could hear her was amusing to her. Watching as she whispered in Jon's ear, as he whispered in hers and then she looked around as if she'd learned yet another great secret had made her laugh more than once, Jon too. Which the boy had needed, such was his guilt and anger at himself for how Margaery and Sansa had felt.
She was glad he'd been able to fix it, somewhat at least, though she knew he wouldn't rest until the raven could be sent and the news could be confirmed through more normal means. When he had told her and Gerion what he'd did she'd been stunned, to be able to control an animal in that way was still difficult for her to understand, to do so to an animal that far away was frightening.
"What are you chuckling about sister?" Gerion said sitting down beside her.
"Those two, look at them?" she said as Joy was once again having something whispered in her ear.
"Did I tell you what she said to me?" he asked smiling.
"No."
"We were walking to her lesson, just the two of us and she began questioning me trying to find out if I knew. I swear Genna when she plays that game of hers, I don't know how she keeps it up." he said and she laughed imagining Joy's questions "When Balerion came running by, she picked the cat up and looked at it, saying you're a dragon aren't you, and then looking at me out of the corner of her eye."
"The little minx."
"Aye, I had to tell her I knew, that you and Jaime and Tyrion did, as did Loras and Cregan and Lyarra and Jon's guards."
"He didn't tell her?" she asked surprised.
"I think he was so relieved she accepted it that he didn't get around to it."
"She knows Brienne and the new boy, what's his name?"
"Satin."
"Aye, him, she knows they don't know?"
"She does." he said and both of them looked at her and Jon as he began tickling her, Joy's laugher echoing around the room.
They were almost finished breaking their fast when Jaime arrived carrying a scroll in his hands.
"The ship's being spotted a little way out, Tyrion's home." he said and she sighed.
"We need him to rest and be settled first Jaime, tell Jon." she said and he nodded.
She took her mind of what they needed to speak of with Tyrion by making sure Joy went to her lesson and Brienne, Satin and Cregan went to theirs, Jon and Loras would be joining Jaime for the day and heading to Lannisport to welcome Tyrion home. Once she left Joy with Lyarra she then went to her own solar and began to read through her letters, there were some that responded to her request for fostering, which she had put off reading for now.
Tion would foster with Lord Brax and so she had sent letters to find some boys to foster here with Walder, one from the Riverlands, a Blackwood, a young lad from House Payne and a lad from House Rykker along with her nephew Tyrek, she would agree to. Joy's fostering was harder, as it seemed even Joy being the future lady of Castamere was not enough for some to forget Joy's birth.
She had received a number of house's apologies and it annoyed her no end, how dare they look down upon her niece. She had though received some replies which she was glad of, some of which she was more than happy to accept. One from House Bracken and one from Emmon's house. Despite herself she had asked for and gotten Walda to come to stay with her, the girl was kin after all and White Walda as they called her deserved far better than growing up at the Twins.
The others though had excused themselves, most claimed other arrangements and Genna wasn't happy about it in the least, still, there was time and so she wrote a letter to Olenna seeking someone from the Reach. She was just finishing when Gerion arrived and was annoyed to find that she'd spent barely any time on the work she'd come to do really.
"You can't hide away in here you know?"
"Who can't." she said and he chuckled.
"We have to be there for him, I understand the urge, I feel it too, a part of me just wishes to ride to Castamere and hide out there, just leave it to others to deal with. But we can't, we already did that with Jon and only that he understood we'd have harmed the boy far more than we almost did, we can't do that with Tyrion."
"I know, I'm scared Gerion, gods help me I'm scared. I'm scared of seeing him and breaking down, I'm scared how he'll react, I'm scared what it'll mean for us all." she said and her brother got up and walked around her desk, kneeling down and taking her in his arms.
"Remember the night we scared Kevan." he said and she shook her head "You, me, Tygett, we all snuck to his room in the dark, you don't remember?"
"No."
"Tygett got the key and hid it so he couldn't lock his door, remember how he was at night, how worried he was about ghosts and how father would allow him to lock his door?" he said and she nodded, a small smile on her face.
"Aye."
"So we snuck in and, it was dark and windy, one of those nights when the Rock was louder than usual. We found him hiding under his covers, so Tygett and I grabbed his legs and you, you." he said laughing.
"I jumped into the bed beside him screaming loudly all the while." she said laughing too.
"Aye, that was scary Genna, this, this is nothing." he said and she looked at him nodded and kissed him on his cheek before watching as he stood up.
"I'll see you later?" he asked and she nodded once again.
He was right, they needed to be there for him, to put aside what they may be feeling, it wasn't about their hurt, their pain, their anger, it was about Tyrion. He needed to know he was her nephew, Jaime's brother, he needed to know that his family loved him, now and always.
Lannisport 294 AC.
Oberyn.
Seeing the docks come into view he searched and was happy to see the white wolf and his nephew standing beside it, happy to see him safe and well. Even after Arianne had shown him both of the raven scrolls, even after Ellaria had told him that should it be untrue then Sarella would have sent him word, he still worried. Seeing Jon standing there, he now really began to think about the reasons behind the mummery, about why Jon had felt the need to do such a thing.
Watching Tyrion greet his brother he smiled, as he did when Jon greeted him and then a moment later when Tyrion yelped and tried to shoo the white wolf away. Though for once Ghost was not 'Trying to remove my britches'" as Tyrion had told him the wolf was wont to do, instead, the wolf was licking his face and forcing Tyrion to chuckle. Jon greeted Ellaria first and he was happy to see the easy way he did so, he hoped when he was king he ignored protocol as he did now, as he looked at Jon greeting Ellaria with a warm hug.
"It is good to see you Jon." Oberyn said far too many people watching for him to call him nephew.
"You to Prince Oberyn." Jon said and nodded to show him they'd speak in a moment.
As they got into the carriage he was happy they'd be going to Casterly Rock rather than the building they'd stayed in previously, feeling the urge to be closer to Jon and Sarella. He was happier still when Jon joined he, Ellaria and Tyrion in the carriage, Ghost following Arthur and Jors as they led Jon's horse away.
"What happened Jon?" he asked as soon as they left Lannisport itself.
"Firstly I want you to know I was always safe, everything about the attempt we knew of, they even hired one of Richard's men to do the job." Jon said with a soft smile which wasn't as reassuring as the boy thought it was.
"Who?" he asked and both Tyrion and Ellaria looked on as eagerly as he did.
"Catelyn Tully, Edmure Tully, and Petyr Baelish." Jon said and Ellaria gasped at the mention of Jon's aunt.
"Your aunt was part of this?" Ellaria asked her shock still clear in her voice.
"I believe she was the key part." Jon said.
He told them then of how Richard on Olenna's advice investigated the Tully's, finding out it was Edmure behind the attack in the Riverlands, of how he then followed Catelyn to King's Landing and then Jon told them of the hiring of Bronn. As he spoke Oberyn was surprised both by how calmly he did so and by how every so often he'd glance and then look away from Tyrion.
"What steps have you taken against them?" Tyrion asked and Jon looked to him, then away and then back to him, making Oberyn wonder if perhaps he had been wrong and his nephew wasn't calm at all.
"None." he said and Ellaria beat him to the punch, moving from her seat and sitting down beside Jon, her arms going around him and holding him tightly, he couldn't make out what she whispered in his ears but he did see Jon nod a couple of times as she did so.
"Jon, we need to act, you know this?" Tyrion asked and Jon moved his head from Ellaria's shoulder.
"We can speak on it later, tell me of Essos."
He began to tell him then of Illyrio, of Viserys and the rumors of Daenerys, he was about to tell him more but they had arrived at Casterly Rock and so they left the carriage and Jon moved to show them to their rooms. As they got out of the lift he saw Tyrion's family waiting to see him, his aunt and uncle and cousins, he smirked seeing Tyrion look warily at Balerion as he greeted them.
"Father." he heard Sarella say and looked to see her walking from where he knew Jon's room was.
"Daughter, you look well, you are happy?" he asked and she nodded before hugging him and then Ellaria.
Jon nodded to Tyrion and Jaime and the others before walking with Ellaria, Sarella and him to his room, asking them to step inside for a moment, the white wolf guarding the door along with Arthur and Jors.
"Your own rooms are in the guest wing or should you prefer you can stay in the vaults with us?" Jon said as he looked around surprised that Rhaenix and Lygaron were not in sight.
"The vaults?"
"The dragons are too big uncle, they need room, Rhaenix, Lygaron, they are much happier down there and so we moved down with them." Jon said and he turned to Ellaria who nodded.
"Show us these vaults."
They took the lift down and when Jon and Sarella led them through the Vaults he was surprised to see just how different the place was. It was brighter, cleaner, the rooms they brought them to would be perfect. Jon brought them then to his room where Rhaenix chirped happily seeing him and both he and Ellaria walked to her while Jon spoke to Lygaron.
"Soon, son." he heard Jon say.
After getting reacquainted with his daughter and niece, Jon asked him to walk with him to the beach, so leaving Ellaria with Sarella to catch up he followed him, enjoying the walk and immediately seeing the benefits of living down here, for the dragons especially though for Jon too.
"I know you have questions uncle, the anger you feel I've felt it too, he helped calm me." Jon said with a smile as Ghost ran through the sand ahead of them.
"How?"
"I'm a dragon and a wolf and wolves stalk their prey uncle, they wait and pounce when the time is right."
"Like a viper in the sand." he said with a smile and Jon nodded.
"Edmure Tully is a fool, his men won't follow him and so Robert can't count on their support, Baelish, we know all about Baelish. Richard told me that he's the father of Jon Arryn's child, that he's been sleeping with Lysa Tully for years and that she's not the Tully he really wishes to sleep with." Jon said and he looked at him in surprise.
"Was there not some story of him and your uncle?"
"Uncle Brandon almost killed him, though it vexes me why he cared so much." Jon said and he looked at him inquisitively.
"I do not understand?"
"My uncle was in love with Ashara, they married, why would he care to fight Baelish over Catelyn Tully?" Jon asked clearly confused.
"The fight may not have meant the same to both men, perhaps for Littlefinger it was for Catelyn, for Brandon it may have been sheer annoyance, anger at being called out, your uncle had temper did he not?"
"It got him killed." Jon said softly and he caught the worried glance he gave him, felt the lump in his throat at his nephew's concern.
"I have learned to control mine own temper, someone showed me how much I have to live for." he said and Jon smiled "So you plan to wait?" he asked.
"Do you see Robert giving up the Throne uncle, do you see a way this happens without a war?"
"No, war is inevitable." he said.
"Then should we not use all the tools we have, create dissension among our enemies, have them fight themselves, even while they fight us?"
He looked at the boy, his nephew, his sister's son by choice, blood of my blood she had called him and he saw it even more clearly now, fire and ice may course through Jon's veins, but there was sand there too, there was Martell in him, that much was clear.
"You are far too smart for your age nephew." he said with a chuckle.
"I've had good teachers." he said and they turned as Ghost came running up the beach carrying a fish in his mouth.
"It's a pity that's not a trout." Oberyn said and Jon laughed as did he.
They headed back into the vaults and he told him even more about Illyrio and his uncle, Jon getting angrier as he did so, even more so when he spoke of the magister sending men after Daenerys.
"What is he up to uncle?"
"I do not know, Daenerys you sent the Hound to her?"
"I did, I saw him protect her in a vision."
"He is doing so, none have gotten close to her, as for Viserys, I do not know."
"How well protected is he, could we get to him?" Jon asked.
"With planning, yes, but on his lands, we are at a disadvantage. I also think he will move your uncle from the manse but we could try."
"I'll see if I can learn anything, see if the glass candles can help me."
"You can control them?" he asked eagerly.
"I can see some of what happens or is happening now, it's hard to focus but I can somewhat, if I really want to see something, I can see it, I think."
"We found the Maester, Loamara maybe he knows more, or perhaps it's time we speak to the mage?"
"I'll talk to Loamara, what do you make of him uncle?"
"I believe him loyal, nephew."
"Uncle I need you to do something for me, Tyrion, I need you to be there for him, can you do that?" Jon asked stopping him as they reached the vault doors.
"Tyrion is a friend, both Ellaria and I are fond of him, he will need us?" he asked and Jon nodded "Then we will be here for him."
Winterfell 294 AC.
The Blackfish.
After eating and bathing and watching his grandniece and nephew do surprisingly well at archery, Arya especially, he spoke to Eddard only briefly before he was called away on lordly business. So he found himself walking the grounds of Winterfell and becoming more and more impressed with it as he did so. Unlike Riverrun, the Red Keep, Highgarden or any of the southern keeps, this was far more to his liking.
Winterfell was built for practicality, not show, for defense, not luxury, watching the guards go about their business, the way each gate was guarded, the training drills which happened, all of it making him feel right at home. This was how a keep was supposed to be run, be prepared for the worst, always, even if it never came to pass.
"Ser Brynden, I wonder if you'd be up for a spar." the bushy whiskered Ser Rodrik asked and he nodded.
"Aye, that sounds like a grand idea."
In the end, he sparred with Ser Rodrik and his nephew Jory, with Alyn, Harwin, and Tomard, he beat them all, Ser Rodrik giving him a fair go and Jory coming closest to beating him. He chuckled at the claps which came after the last few spars, seeing both Arya and Bran looking on, his grandniece doing her best impression of his fighting style as she watched.
The woman who grabbed the children and took them away was the new governess, a Lady Cerwyn and was it any other man that Eddard Stark he'd have thought it strange this woman being her while Cat was not. He doubted there was anything untoward going on and even the little voice in the back of his head saying he had fathered a bastard once, was ignored.
War was war, men did things they would not in peace and Brynden could not see Ned sully his vows again. He had been enjoyed himself immensely, and was looking forward to eating and drinking with these men later on when he overheard the conversation between two of the guards.
"I tell you it's the fucking southerners." the older guard said.
"Every day with you it's the southerners." the younger guard said with a laugh.
"Aye, and every day I'm right, they hate us, they look down on us and don't want to see the North strong, that's why they tried to kill the lad."
"You think the south wants to kill Jon Snow to keep us weak?" the younger guard said his laugh gone now and Brynden listening more closely.
"Aye, they tried to kill him in the Riverlands and now in the West too."
"The West wouldn't want him dead." the younger guard said dismissively.
"Did I say the fucking West, clear your ears you daft sod, the south, it the south who wishes him dead, not the West and certainly not the North, that lad's as true a Northman as I've ever seen."
"The white wolf." the younger guard said with a smile.
"Aye, the White Wolf, may the old gods keep him safe."
Brynden was stunned, it couldn't be, could it? Would they have gone against his wishes again? Would Edmure be that stupid? Would Cat?. His nephew was an idiot, his return to Riverrun proved that, to argue with him, to basically tell him to leave showed that clearly.
" You did what uncle?"
" I ordered the stocks replenished, the stores to be full, then began the work of putting this keep back to how it should be, Riverrun is supposed to be a fortress nephew."
" You overstepped uncle, you are not Lord of Riverrun I am."
" I was acting Lord, perhaps you should act a damn Lord yourself."
" I am Lord, I thank you uncle, but you had no right to tell my men what to do, no right to spend the coin."
" No right, No right, I'll not see my home turned into a laughing stock, for fuck's sake Edmure the fucking Frey's could have taken this keep."
" I'll protect Riverrun, I'm lord here uncle not you, perhaps it's time you went back to the Vale."
" Oh I'll go, I'll not set foot in this place ever again and when they come for you Edmure, when the enemy is at the gate, you shout you're Lord of Riverrun at them, I'm sure that'll be enough to put the fear of the gods in them. You nephew are a fucking disappointment."
It was clear to him that nothing he had said and done had gotten through to Edmure, had it gotten through to Cat? Had she listened? Or had they played him, had they told him what he had hoped to hear? He spent the rest of the day finding out as much as he could about the attack, surprised to hear that at first, a raven had arrived telling of its success before another arrived telling of its failure.
Why two ravens? Surely a Maester wouldn't send news that the boy had fallen without seeing him for himself? Surely he'd wait and confirm the boy's death before letting the realm know of such a thing? Unless? No, it couldn't be, would they do that? Would anyone do that?.
"There you are Ser Brynden, come it's steak and kidney pie tonight, with onions and gravy, you've not lived until you've had one of Gage's pies Ser." Jory said and he smiled and followed the man into the great hall.
He looked to the high table to see Eddard, Lady Cerwyn, his grandniece and nephew sitting there, taking his seat beside his Goodnephew he found it hard to speak for most of the night, his mind in turmoil. Feigning tiredness as the reason for his lack of conversation he instead watched while his mind went over things. He noticed how easily Lady Cerwyn spoke to the children, to Eddard, how at ease they were and that voice in his head threatened to rise up again.
"Uncle Blackfish, could I be a knight?" Brandon asked and he smiled at the boy.
"Of course you could lad, in fact when you're older how about being my squire?"
"Could I, father could I?" the boy asked excitedly.
"Aye, if you're good lad." Eddard said and the boy agreed he would be, before reaching down to talk to the wolf and tell him he was going to be a knight.
"Could I squire too?" Arya asked and he shook his head telling her ladies couldn't be squires and chuckled as she groused saying she wasn't a lady and that boys had all the fun.
He ate and then drank far more ale than he should, finding himself while not drunk at least well on the way to being so. Laying down in his bed that night though his mind was once again filled with thoughts of Jon Snow, thoughts of whether or not his niece and nephew had once again tried to kill a child. Though as he slept, as he drifted off it was to dreams, dreams of Lion's and a White Wolf tearing down the gates of Riverrun, dreams of his home in flames.
Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Jaime.
While as always he was glad to have his brother with him, he found his happiness tempered by what was to come. They would allow him to settle back in, allow him to rest up and enjoy the calm, because the storm was coming, so each of his family greeted him and Jon took Oberyn away, giving them more time alone with Tyrion. Though it was what had happened with Jon and Dacey's condition which Tyrion seemed most concerned about.
"What do you plan to do?" he asked him as they sat in the solar an hour later, having gone over events both from his and Tyrion's side.
"Wait for now."
"Wait?"
"Jon was right Tyrion, we know them, we know their plans, we can watch them and should it need be we can change our minds and deal with them, but the more he explained it to me, the more it makes sense."
Explain it to me." Tyrion said clearly not convinced.
So he did, he explained it all and Tyrion nodded adding little things to it before laughing when he was done speaking.
"He really is a wolf."
"Not only." he said and his brother nodded "What of Loamara?"
"Strange man, he keeps looking at me oddly, but I think he's trustworthy, he thought we were there to kill him."
"He did?"
"Aye, got down on his knees and asked us to make it clean, he knows things, we'll see more when he speaks to Jon."
"Viserys and this Magister?"
"I don't know Jaime, I can't understand his game."
"Jon will look to rescue him." he said
"Aye, at least his aunt seems safe."
"You saw her?"
"No, but we heard of her, she and the Hound are proving far more difficult to capture than the Magister expected, even if he claims it to be his goal to help."
"Jon was right." he said laughing and Tyrion looked to him "The Hound, he said he saw him in a vision, a large dog guarding a silver-headed girl, it seems sending him was the right thing to do." he said and noticed Tyrion look away from him briefly when he said vision.
"Dacey?"
"Soon brother, you're soon to be an uncle." he said and Tyrion smiled reaching for the glass and pouring them both some wine.
"To uncle Tyrion." his brother said with a laugh.
"Aye, Uncle Tyrion." he said and though he laughed too, he felt bad doing so.
Dinner that night was one of the happiest he could remember, Dacey was even feeling well enough to attend and only grumbling a little bit when both Tyrion and Oberyn stared at her size. Ellaria quickly sitting with her and speaking to her of things which helped with certain pains and aches, giving her a drink she had made which had Dacey seemingly far more comfortable after drinking.
While Oberyn spoke to Sarella, Loras, Cregan, Satin, and Brienne, all of them listening eagerly as he told them story after story. While Jon kept Joy entertained and Tyrion and Gerion laughed, while Ellaria and Dacey spoke quietly to each other, he found himself looking to Genna. Both of them wearing the same look on their faces, both of them no doubt finding themselves seeking Tyrion out, and both feeling trepidation at what was to come on the morrow.
"It will be alright, you know this, my love." Dacey said softly to him as they stood in their room later.
"He's going to be so hurt Dacey, so hurt by it all." he said as he helped her undress before helping her to bed.
"Aye he is, but you'll be there for him. We all will."
"Aye." he said his arms going around her and kissing her neck softly before he inadvertently tickled her when his hair brushed against her ear "What was that Ellaria gave you?" he asked as she laughed and brushed his hair away.
"It helps with the back pain, some herbs, I felt so much better after it, she said she'll make me some more.
"Back pain? you didn't tell me you were in pain."
"No I didn't, you already treat me like I'm about to break, I wasn't giving you more excuses." she said and he laughed before kissing her again.
He found the night went far faster than he had hoped, found his appetite gone the next morning and when Tyrion was finished eating, when Genna and Gerion arrived, all four of them made their way down to the vaults. They walked through and past the rooms and out onto the beach itself to find Jon there with Arthur and the two dragons, Rhaenix and Lygaron flying in the sky.
"By the gods, she's grown." Tyrion said and Jaime and Gerion shuddered as the bronze dragon flew closer and looked at him and chirped only for Jon to speak something they couldn't hear to it.
"Tyrion there's something we need to tell you." he said and waited for a moment until Jon arrived, the look on his face one of worry which Tyrion picked up on.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"While you were gone I had a vision Tyrion, a vision of the past." Jon said and paused when Tyrion nodded "I saw something, something I wish I could forget, something I wish I didn't have to tell you, but it's something you need to know."
"What is it? What's wrong?" his brother said looking from Jon to him.
"My grandfather was an evil man Tyrion, far more than we ever knew, it seems that..it seems that… I'm sorry Tyrion, I'm so sorry, but he… he…"Jon said and looked to him though Jaime couldn't speak.
"Rhaella wasn't the only woman Aerys forced himself upon Tyrion, he did it to your mother too." Genna said and Tyrion looked to them all shaking his head.
"He couldn't, he wouldn't, father, no he couldn't, father would have, father would have, Jaime, this isn't true, please, tell me it's not true." Tyrion said his voice almost breaking as he shook his head and began to back away from them, moving up the sand.
"It is Tyrion, it is, but that's not all, it….you….I…" the words not coming to him he looked helplessly to his brother.
"Aerys was your father nephew, not Tywin." Gerion said when Jaime couldn't and Tyrion fell to his knees, Jaime moving to him as quickly as he could.
"Look at me, Look at me, you are my brother, Tyrion, you are my brother, nothing anyone can say will ever change that, you are my brother." he said his arms trying to drag Tyrion closer as he tried to pull away from him.
"I'm a monster, a monster, sired by an even bigger monster, Rapespawn, Dragonspawn." Tyrion shouted and the bronze dragon flew closer, the white one and Jon both trying to keep Lygaron away.
"You are my nephew, my nephew who I love, the furthest thing from a monster there could be." Genna said as she too embraced his brother.
Gerion came over too and all three of them tried to hold him, his brother screaming as he sobbed, pulling away one moment and letting them pull him closer the next. Eventually, he calmed somewhat and reluctantly they allowed him to move from them, Tyrion shaking his head and walking down the beach, he moved to follow but Jon placed a hand on his chest and he watched as Ghost took off after Tyrion, as he and the white wolf went from their view as they then crossed over a dune.
"What if he's not safe, what if he tries to harm himself?" he said his voice full of panic.
"Ghost won't allow it. Give him some time, a little anyway." Jon said and Gerion nodded in agreement.
"We should have told him differently, better, softer, we should have done something, anything." he said pacing in the sand a few moments later, he saw Jon's worried face, saw him looking over his shoulder and turned to see what was going on, seeing Jors run towards them.
"My lord, my lord, you must come, it's time, it's time, the babe, the babe is coming."
"What, it can't, it's too soon." he said looking out in the direction Tyrion had gone.
"It is happening now my lord, Jardene says it is coming Lady Dacey asks for you." Jors said.
"I can't, I need to be, Tyrion he needs me."
"Go Jaime, go, you too Genna, Gerion and I will stay, go." Jon said and he found himself torn over what to do.
He was practically dragged away by Jors and Genna, was standing in front of his rooms so quickly that he didn't even know how he'd gotten there, and was inside holding her hand before he had time to process anything.
"She is well?" he heard Genna ask and then he looked down to see her, the sweat on he brow, the pained expression, he looked to the Maester, to Genna and then to Ellaria who he had not even noticed when he entered.
"She is, the babe will be here soon."
"Jaime, Tyrion how is he?" Dacey asked and he looked at her grabbing a wet cloth and wiped her brow.
"He is fine my love, nothing to worry about." he said and she just nodded, allowing him the lie for now.
Winterfell 294 AC.
Ned.
He had allowed Brynden to settle, to get comfortable before he spoke to him, both for the man's sake and a little for his own. Seeing him arrive without Cat had been a surprise, seeing him here at all had surprised him. That he had come after Cat had gone south, that he had come without her, something didn't sit right with him about it. So they had eaten, drank, and he had spent the night as he had many of them since his wife had left to visit her family, looking over the letters he had found.
At first, he had been so shocked at what Lya had taken him to, so caught out that he couldn't place the man's name with the man himself. Petyr Baelish, not registering in his mind as that Petyr, as Cat's childhood friend, as the man Brandon had almost killed. Instead, he had been wrapped up in the sheer number of letters, the fact that there were over half a hundred of them, he had been so wrapped up in trying to read through them, that he had missed it.
Then when he had finished, when he was done reading them, when the shock wore off, it came to him who Petyr Baelish was and so he read them again and again, seeking answers? Clarity? though it was hard to find either, the letters on the face of it were innocent enough, though some of the subject matter was hard to take. Why was Cat speaking to this man about Jon, why was he telling her things which were clearly not true?.
He dressed, broke his fast, and tried to put the letters out of his mind, tried to once again go about his daily business, but Brynden's mood seemed similar to his own and so he decided to speak to the man, to clear up the bad feeling in his gut before it got worse.
"Brynden, have you seen the godswood?" he asked walking towards his gooduncle.
"Not yet Eddard."
"Ned."
"Ned." Brynden replied.
The two men walked and he could see the awed look appear on his face when Brynden saw the Weirwood, walking over to the stream he sat down on the log and bid him do likewise, though he felt a little naked doing so without Ice.
"Why have you come here Brynden, truly?" he asked and Brynden sighed.
"I wished to see the north and my grandnephew, wanted to see if the boy was someone I could feel hopeful for, someone I'd like to squire for me in the future." Brynden said and Ned could tell while it was the truth, it was not the whole truth.
"Why now?"
"Did Hoster write to you, about Brandon?" Brynden asked and for the briefest moment he wondered if he'd known of the letter Hoster had sent to his father, but then he realized it was his son, not his brother he was speaking of.
"No, he never did."
"After his death, I found some notes, he wished Brandon to foster with him, talked about speaking to you about his future, he never did?"
"No, why do you ask, what's this really about Brynden."
"My nephew's an idiot Ned, a complete idiot, before he died my brother and I spoke, I think he may have been ready to name Brandon his heir instead of Edmure."
He couldn't be suggesting what he thought, could he? Was he really suggesting his nephew a kinslayer and if so, then what Luwin had said regarding the Tully's, Did this not make that more likely?.
"Where is Cat, Brynden?."
"She traveled to Kings Landing with Edmure for his naming and after that, I believe she planned to go to Highgarden, but I do not know for certain where my niece is."
"What is it your not telling me?" Ned asked and the man shook his head.
"I'll not speak on things I do not know Ned, not in case they're just the mistaken thoughts of an old man, all I'll say is my nephew is an idiot and I hoped to see my grandnephew was not one."
"And if he's not?"
"Then I'd ask to train the lad, to be his knight and he be my squire."
"He's too young, when he's older perhaps."
"Why wait, your bastard was what six namedays when he went west, why not allow Brandon to go earlier?"
"He's only four namedays Brynden."
"Aye, but I ask you to think on it Ned." Brynden said standing up."
"How much of an idiot is your nephew Brynden?" he asked as the man turned to walk away.
"You heard of Kings Landing, of what happened?"
"Aye.."
"That was him being clever Ned." Brynden said shrugging and walking away.
He ended up sitting there alone for far longer than he had imagined, Lya walking over to him eventually and looking at him, her eyes he swore were full of concern. He picked a stone and threw it into the pool and watched as the fish scattered, Lya growling at them as they did so.
Later that night he found himself speaking to Luwin again on the timing of the ravens to Riverrun, working the dates in his head, thinking back to the concern from Cat over Sansa and not Jon. Once again he reread the letters, the early ones not making much sense, the things spoken of not clear to him. It was the later ones though, the ones that were clearly about Jon, and he saw it even more clearly then.
These were replies, returned thoughts, which meant that his wife had written as many the other way, that she had initiated this conversation, that this man's thoughts on his nephew had come in response to his wife's own. It was the last one he kept going to, the one which had come when Jon was due to arrive, her behavior clearer in his head now.
My dearest Cat.
I hope this letter finds you well, though the news I have to share will no doubt cause you concern. I dearly wish it was not so, I wish the news I shared with you would only ever bring you happiness and joy. But alas that's not the way of life and so instead I must warn you of the danger you may find yourself and your family in.
It has come to my attention that along with the Lannisters, Jon Snow intends to take Winterfell from your son. After he tricked Edmure into a skewed duel he was heard to brag about bringing the fishes down once and for all. I'm sorry to say he did so with no witnesses my dearest one, for if he had I could have brought it to Lord Arryn's attention and stopped him before he could put whatever plans he had into action.
He was then heard to brag that soon your son would be reviled in the north leading to him being declared heir, I do not know what plans he has to dispose of young Brandon but be wary Cat for I'm sure he has some. I will continue to help in any way I can, ask of me any service you wish and if it's in my power to provide it I shall.
Be careful Cat for I fear that perhaps your husband is not only aware of these plans, but may in some way be behind them.
I remain as always your most loyal friend and servant.
This letter had laid out her fears and worries clearly, at first he had been furious at Baelish for saying such things, had wanted to tell Jon of him, to tell Jaime of him. But something at the back of his mind was telling him things were wrong, things were not right, that he was missing something and until he found it, he would be wrong to speak on it.
It was clearer now that this was in response to the things Cat had said, this man was telling her what she wished to hear, feeding her paranoia over Jon, adding to it, and he at first couldn't be certain why. This man was in love with his wife, still, after all these years, he was willing to help her, and was now Master of Coin. The letter's, his wife's absence, the attacks on Jon, Brynden's arrival, his cryptic words, all of it, all of it, it was clear, his wife…
The knock on the door took him from his thoughts and he placed the letters back in his drawer and opened it to find Luwin standing there.
"A raven my lord for Highgarden." Luwin said and handed him the scroll the Rose of Highgarden seal clear.
Lord Stark,
We've just had to cut short a visit from your wife after she upset Sansa greatly and was flippant and dismissive of the terrible news we had at the time believed to be true regarding Jon. I had no choice but to order her to leave, she did not do so gracefully. I assure you I place no fault with you, nor with Sansa who will write to you with her own thoughts on the matter, I just wished you to be informed. I will not have a woman speak ill of Jon in my home, and to do so when we believe he had passed, was not something I'd expect from a godly woman.
Lady Olenna.
He waited until Luwin had gone, sat down hard on the bed, placing his head in his hands.
"Cat, what have you done." he said his voice tinged with both sadness and anger.
Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Jon.
The beach was quiet just he and Gerion sitting there waiting while Arthur stood far enough back he could barely be seen, he could sense Tyrion's sadness, his anger, and he knew that he was rubbing the white wolf as they waited, his movements far calmer than he would have expected. Rhaenix was flying over him keeping Lygaron away, trying to tell his son that yes his rider was hurting, but now was not the time, now he needed space.
"Soon my son, soon you can go to him, for now, let him be." he said in his mind and the bronze dragon reluctantly agreed.
"Watch him Rhae." he said and she told him she would.
Gerion just kept looking up the beach to where Tyrion was, Jon could tell he wanted nothing more than to get up and go down there to be with his nephew, to comfort him if he could. Though he occasionally looked the other way too, to the vaults to where Jaime had gone, to where Dacey was bringing a new cub into the world.
"We should go to him." Gerion said and he shook his head.
"He doesn't want us to my lord, he wishes to be alone, give him time."
"Is he safe? Well?"
"He is safe and he will be well, he's handling it better than I had hoped."
"Or he's not handling it at all Jon."
"I think he is, but you could be right. I'll go."
"Maybe it's better if I go, Jon?"
"Trust me it's not." he said and Gerion nodded.
He walked slowly down the beach finding Tyrion almost snuggled against Ghost he was that close to him, he closed his eyes and thanked the wolf for looking after his family and Ghost looked to him and he felt it in his head 'Pack' and despite the circumstances, he smiled.
"May I sit." he asked and Tyrion nodded "I understand you know, better than anyone, its why I didn't want to tell you, why Lygaron and I fought so much."
"Why would you fight with a dragon?"
"I'm a dragon we fight." he said and though it was a jape, neither of them laughed.
"I'm a monster, a child of rape." Tyrion said his self-disgust clear.
"When Jaime first told me the truth, I felt that way, a monster, a child of rape, that's what I had been told you see, what I had believed had happened to my mother, that she had been kidnapped and raped by my father. Of course, I didn't know she was my mother or that he was my father when I heard that over the years, but later, when Jaime told me, that's how I felt."
"Your mother wasn't raped though was she, mine was, by your grandfather." Tyrion spat out.
"I know, but I understand, I get it, how it makes you feel, how it hurts you and as hard as you may find it to believe, it actually makes no difference at all."
"What the fuck are you talking about Jon, how can you say that? it makes every fucking difference, I'm a child born of rape it makes a fucking difference." Tyrion said angrily.
"Aye you are, and it makes no fucking difference at all, just as being a bastard makes no difference, or being trueborn, none of it fucking matters Tyrion, none of it. You are who you are, not because of your birth, but because of you." he said and Tyrion looked at him shaking his head.
"I'm… I'm…"
"A brother, a nephew, an uncle and soon to be an uncle again."
"What?"
"Dacey is having her babe, you're about to become an uncle again." he said a smile on his face.
"Again?"
"Aye Uncle, again." he said looking to him, Tyrion looking at him before realization dawned in his face.
"Jon, I…"
"I know this is hard, I know you'll need time to deal with it, I did, but you haven't changed Tyrion, no one feels any differently about you, not even me. I considered you my family before this, this just confirms we are kin. I fucking hate Aerys with every ounce of my being, for what he did to my grandmother, to my grandfather and uncle, to your mother, but you are my uncle, my family, my blood, for that I'm grateful."
They sat in silence for a bit and Tyrion looked out as the dragon's dropped, Jon feeling Lygaron trying to speak to him, trying to come into his head.
"He is yours you know." he said then a moment later.
"What?"
"Lygaron, he is yours, you are his rider, he's waiting for you."
"You, you're given me your dragon."
"He is not my dragon, he chooses you Tyrion, I think he did it from the first moment he saw you." Jon said remembering how the bronze dragon reacted when he first saw Tyrion.
"When I was a child, Gerion asked what gift I wanted for my name day. I begged him for a dragon. It wouldn't even have to be a big dragon, I told him. It could be little like me." Tyrion said a small smile on his face.
"He Uncle, like you will cast a large shadow." Jon said and stood up "Your niece or nephew is about to be born, do you wish to stay here or go see them?"
"Let's go, nephew, I can wallow later." Tyrion said and Jon nodded.
Gerion nodded at him as he walked towards them and he gave him a soft smile and looked on as Gerion knelt down and hugged Tyrion. Jon told Rhaenix and Lygaron that he'd speak to them later, the bronze dragon seeming to be happier for now. He knew Tyrion still wasn't there yet, that he'd not fully come to terms with things, but the babe had probably picked the best time to arrive for him at least.
After telling Jors and Sarella to help Rhaenix and Lygaron in, they took the lift up and found Loras and Joy outside Jaime's room with Genna there too. Once she saw Tyrion she went over and whispered into his ear and Jon was relieved to see the small smile.
"Where are the others?" he asked Loras.
"Oberyn offered to do some sparring with them, but Joy wanted to come here."
"Babe is coming Jon?"
"He is, another little cousin for you Joy." he said and she smiled.
"When?"
"Soon." he said and she nodded, walking over to stand beside him.
"Tyrion sad?" she asked and he hid his chuckle when after he nodded she ran to Tyrion to give him her biggest hug.
He ended up having to take Joy for something to drink, bringing back something for each of them, it wasn't for lack of servants but hearing the noise from inside he worried it would scare her. Not long after they got back they heard the sound of a babe crying and after a few more moments Jaime walked out, the smile on his face only getting larger when he saw Tyrion.
"Is everything alright? Dacey is well?" Genna asked and he nodded.
"She is, she and our daughter." Jaime said looking to Tyrion "Joanna Lannister." he said and Jon watched as Tyrion nodded and wiped his eyes.
It was the next day he saw her, the babe was laying in a small crib, she looked so small so delicate her hair almost as dark as his, her eyes a vivid green. After speaking to Dacey and finding out she was feeling much better, he talked to Jaime and told him of how Tyrion had reacted, Jaime surprised he seemed to be taking it so well.
"It will hit him again my lord, I think the babe, other things have taken it a little from his mind."
"What do we do about others Jon, do we tell them?" Jaime asked.
"There's lots of time for that, enjoy your daughter my lord, make sure Dacey is well, we'll deal with things as they come."
Over the next few days, he noticed Tyrion drinking a little more, so he spoke to Oberyn who told him he was hiding whatever it was inside him and so he spoke to him again, though nothing really came of it. Instead, Jon asked Gerion and Genna to speak to him, as it seemed it was partly that Tyrion wasn't sure how their relationship worked for now and needed more time.
"My lord?" he heard the voice as he stepped from the lift, Walder on guard today.
"Maester?"
"I do not know if I'm still one, so perhaps it's best to call me by name, Dalor Loamara." the former maester said.
"Essosi?" he asked and the man smiled and nodded.
"I was born in Braavos but came here when very young to study at the Citadel." Dalor said as they walked.
"Why?"
"I wished to work for the Targaryens, my lord."
"Jon." he said and the former Maester nodded.
"Jon."
"Why work for the Targaryens and if so why not just work for them, why go through the expense and training at the citadel?"
"An old friend told me I'd be needed here one day, she told me this many years ago when I was just a boy."
"An old friend?"
"A story for another time. I've been catching up on some of the things you've done Jon, incredible achievements for one so young."
"I've had some ideas Dalor, others have seen them through." he said and the man just laughed quietly.
"You are just like him you know."
"Like who?" he said his mind already telling him what he was going to say.
"Your father." Loamara said and Jon was about to say something when Melisandre walked from the lift.
"Jon?" she said obviously noticing something in his expression.
"Lady Melisandre, this is Dalor Loamara, the former Maester of Dragonstone."
"My lady, Jon, I must get back to my work." the Maester said turning and beginning to walk away before turning back "Blood is the key Jon, the red priests know this, there is power in King's Blood and magic needs power." he said and then walked away.
"That man was a Maester?" Melisandre asked and Jon nodded.
"Aye, he delivered my sister." he said and she looked at him and nodded "What he said about King's Blood is this true?"
"There is power in all blood Jon, King's Blood is powerful yes, yours more than any."
"Why?"
"You are his chosen."
He spent the day playing on the beach with Joy, she felt even happier that not only was coming down to the vaults a 'Yenture' but it was secret and she got to see the dragons. Though she had actually spent most of the day chasing Ghost and Dusk through the sand and making sure, he, Cregan and Loras helped her. He sparred before dinner with Brenne and Satin as they still couldn't come down to the Vaults, he was missing time with them, and so had resolved to try and make some more.
That night he spoke to Sarella about what Loamara and Melisandre said before she then went to eat with Ellaria and Oberyn, leaving him alone with the dragons. Lygaron was annoyed Tyrion hadn't come to him yet and Jon laughed each time the dragon complained, even more so when he and Rhaenix argued over his complaining.
"You're behaving like a child." Rhaenix said.
"I am a child." Lygaron said.
"You're a dragon." Rhaenix said.
"A small dragon."
"A dragon still."
"You were right father, she is bossy."
"I am not bossy."
".."
"Jae, I am not bossy tell him."
He decided not to mention her bossing him to tell Lygaron she was not bossy proved the bronze dragon's point and instead in his most serious voice just did as she had bossed him to do.
"Rhae is not bossy."
Thankfully Lygaron decided to leave it at that and the dragons decided to rest after eating, Jon walked to the glass candles deciding to practice once more, taking them out he lined them up and he found to his annoyance nothing he could do seemed to stop the images from changing, no amount of concentration it seemed would help. He was about to put them back when the idea hit him, so taking his knife he cut his hand and allowed the blood drip on them all one by one.
Looking at it again he noticed the flame on top of the green one was different, brighter, the others seeming even less alight than usual. Beginning again he tried and to his delight, it began to work.
He asked for Highgarden and the first of the black candles showed him the keep, it was the first time he'd seen it and it looked amazing. Thinking of Margaery he saw her then, laying asleep her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around her pillow. Asking for Sansa he saw the image change and saw Fang and his little sister asleep in bed.
Turning to one of the others he asked for Winterfell, and saw it, asked for his uncle and saw him drinking at the high table while around him people did the same. He asked for the wall, for Castle Black and saw the keep coming to him, the men drinking in the common hall, he soon saw Benjen and Aemon, Ser Alliser and Ser Jaremy.
He turned to the last and thought of his aunt and saw her and the Hound ride with a woman he didn't recognize, heading towards a city by the sea in the distance. He asked for his uncle and the image faded and then he asked for Viserys and he realized he needed to be clearer, The image of his uncle tied up in the back of a cart came to him quickly, he asked for Oberyn and saw him and Ellaria and what they were doing led him to quickly asking to see Tyrion instead, finding him drinking with Gerion.
He sat back in the chair, looking from candle to candle, seeing each of them, seeing the images stay steady and clear, as he leaned forward he looked to the first one yet again and asked for the past, he asked for his mother and he cried as he saw a woman ride a horse over lands he knew well, as he saw her hair flying behind her, the smile clear on her face.