Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Oberyn.
The news of the babe had lifted spirits temporarily at the Rock, both he and Ellaria had given their best wishes to the new parents and he had even been allowed to hold the babe, something only possible in this strange new world he lived in. Being welcomed at Casterly Rock, being friendly with Lannisters, holding Jaime Lannister's babe in his arms, all of it had become second nature, which was strange in of itself.
But while most of the inhabitants were celebrating and while on the face of it so was Tyrion, it was clear to him and even more so to Ellaria that something was wrong with their friend. Even without his nephew's words he'd have noticed, he was drinking more, was quieter and less quick with a smile or a laugh. It was almost as if he was forcing himself to look happy even if he was anything but.
"You should speak to him my love." Ellaria said as he dressed.
"We should." he said back and she shook her head.
"No, sometimes men need men, go speak to him, I'll be there for him when he needs me." she said as he kissed her and left the room taking the lift up to the family wing.
Tyrion was not a morning person usually, both he and Ellaria had found that out during there time with him and no amount of teasing could change it. So seeing him breaking his fast alone only made Oberyn that much more determined to get to the bottom of whatever it was that was on his mind. He took his seat beside him quietly, didn't speak, and just watched as Tyrion went through the motion of eating, as he sat there almost in a daze.
"Come." he said standing up and walking to him.
"What?" Tyrion asked and looked surprised to see him there.
"Come my friend, it's time we talked."
"I'm fine Oberyn." Tyrion said shaking his head.
"Don't make me carry you." he said and Tyrion looked at him expecting to see a smile but instead he found him standing there looking at him with a serious expression on his face.
Reluctantly Tyrion followed him and they took the lift to the bottom and walked into the vaults, Tyrion glaring at him all the way. They passed Jon's room and he saw the small look Tyrion gave to the door, then as they walked out to the beach Tyrion hesitated.
"I don't want to go out there."
"Tyrion."
"No."
"Tyrion, look at me." Oberyn said kneeling down to look him in his eyes.
"We must talk, please my friend, talk to me."
Tyrion didn't reply but he did nod and so they walked out onto the beach, the sun was beaming down and the beach was empty, he saw Tyrion look to a spot further up but he instead brought him to the water's edge. Grabbing a shell from the ground he rolled it in his hands and then leaning back threw it as far into the water as he could. He bent down and repeated the process, before turning to hand one to Tyrion.
"What do you want me to do with this?" Tyrion said his voice sullen.
"Throw it as far as you can, go one, show me."
Surprisingly he both threw it and threw it a fair distance, Oberyn bent down and picked up another, and then another, and then another, for the next hour the two of them stood there silently throwing shells. Finally, Tyrion spoke, his words barely being able to be heard above the sound of the waves, his voice choked with emotion.
"I killed my mother, my sister always told me I did, she always blamed me for it, but Jaime, Jaime told me I didn't, that it was just the way of the world. That I couldn't, shouldn't be blamed, but he was wrong I killed her, I'm the reason she is dead." Tyrion said his voice breaking.
"Woman die in the birthing bed Tyrion, if it was just that alone then you'd have no blame, but we know why your mother died and we've seen justice brought to the man who killed her." Oberyn said.
"Have we? I'm the man who killed her, I'm the reason she was killed, they killed her because of me, they killed her to stop me from being born." Tyrion said and Oberyn looked to see him wiping his eyes.
"You are not to blame, they are, they and the control they seek to wield, they used your mother's death to fuel your father's rage."
"My father's rage didn't need fuel" Tyrion almost spat out "What fuel does a madman need? No the only fuel my father ever needed was wildfire, had he his way he'd have burned them all."
Oberyn looked at him confused, Tywin was an evil man, but even he didn't consider him mad, wildfire, what did he mean by wildfire?
"Tyrion?."
"I am a child of rape, a monster, how am I supposed to live with that, how am I supposed to live knowing what Aerys did to her, knowing that because of me they killed her, they killed my mother because she carried a child raped into her by a madman." Tyrion said and almost fell to the ground he sat down so hard.
It took him a few moments to figure it out, a few more moments and then when he did he too sat down hard. Reaching over he put his arm around Tyrion's shoulder and pulled him toward him, Tyrion sobbing as he did so.
"You are not a monster, nor are you the reason for your mother's death, she would not blame you were she here, speak to Ellaria, ask her how a mother feels, speak to Dacey and ask her would she give her life for her babe's."
"She's not here, she never had a chance Oberyn, she never had a chance." Tyrion replied shaking his head.
"I know my friend, I know. But you are, you live, so be what she would have wished you to be, be what she would have wanted you to be."
"I don't know what that is."
"Be a brother Tyrion, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin, speak to your family, they love you and you, them. My nephew has a new uncle, one I'm proud to call kin, be there for him as he will for you."
They sat there for a few more moments, Tyrion sitting quietly looking out at the sea, the waves almost calming him, while he sat there looking at his friend, he was still in pain but he hoped he'd helped even a little. Eventually, Tyrion rose to his feet and they began to walk back to the vaults, entering Tyrion stopped him and looked up at him nodding before heading to Jon's room.
He hoped he took whatever comfort he could there and as he walked towards his own room, as he prepared to tell Ellaria what had been bothering Tyron, he cursed Aerys yet again. Never had a man-caused so much distress, so much hurt, never had a man deserved to rot in the seven hells as much as Aerys Targaryen.
Highgarden 294 AC.
Olenna .
After telling Catelyn to leave, after seeing her gone, Olenna had written to Winterfell to inform Ned Stark. She knew politically she had been rash but the woman had forced her hand. She had caught her in her own genuine grief over Jon's death, not just in the sense of loss over what it means for her family's prospects, but actual grief for the boy himself.
Olenna had been surprised by her own reaction, at first putting it down to knowing how hurt Margaery was by the news, but now in the cold light of day, she realized she had grieved for him too. This was why her granddaughter coming to her with Sansa and telling her that Jon was alive, that there had been some mistake, wasn't met with the relief that Margaery would still be queen but with the happiness that Jon was alive.
"How could you know this, have we received a raven?" she asked and Margaery shook her head.
"No grandmother, Fang told me."
"Fang?" she asked as both she and Sansa looked at her granddaughter in bewilderment.
"Jon, he was in Fang, it was a mistake grandmother, something went wrong."
"How could Fang tell you? What do you mean Jon was in her? "Sansa said before she had a chance to ask the same questions.
"He warged into her, she showed me and then when I asked her she told me, Jon told me." Margaery said her smile beaming as she did so.
Olenna tried to get her thoughts clear in her head, she knew of the warging, she had seen it in action, but that was a bird and one that was just outside the keep. Was it even possible for someone to do this? Could someone actually do it over that distance? She looked to Sansa who was looking both shocked and disbelievingly at Margaery, evidently, she didn't think so either and so she was on the verge of getting upset.
"He warged like the bird?" she said more to stop Sansa's upset than because she believed in what Margaery had said.
"He did grandmother."
"But how did you know it was him sweetling?"
Margaery told her then of the drawing and the silver case she kept it in, of how she had been holding it in her hands, of how Fang had pushed against her and against the drawing. Of how the wolf had then looked into her eyes and when she questioned it had told her it was Jon and he was safe and well. While her own doubts were somewhat assuaged by what her granddaughter said, Sansa's it seemed were not.
"I saw Jon do this myself Sansa, if Margaery says it was Jon, it was Jon." she said and saw the girl's posture relax and the smile return to her face "Why don't you two go get some sleep, we'll speak on this on the morrow, with any luck we'll receive a raven soon."
She kissed both their foreheads as they left and walked over to pour herself a mug of water, it had been a trying day, now a trying night also, but as she climbed back into her bed she felt far better than she had an hour or so earlier. She hoped when she woke a raven would have arrived, as much as she may hope Margaery was right, as much as she may believe her, she needed more tangible proof.
The next day it wasn't a raven which arrived as they broke their fast, it was a man, a man she soon learned who should have arrived days before. As she looked him over in her solar, as she read the letter he handed her, she both glared at the man and felt her ire rise at the letter.
"Why were you delayed?"
"My horse broke a leg, I had to walk for a few miles before I found somewhere to buy another, it added some days to my journey."
"Very well, my man will see you rested and fed." she said and the man left and she looked over the letter again.
Lady Olenna,
A plot has been uncovered to see me dead, an assassin hired by Catelyn Tully, Edmure Tully, and Petyr Baelish. The man hired though is a man who works for my master of whisperers. I have decided to use this plot, to benefit from it and to do that I intend to act out a mummery. Raven's will be sent informing the realm of the success of the assassination and of my death, a few days later ravens will be sent speaking the truth of my survival.
I will use this opportunity to expose those who stand against me, those who would never stand by my side, be they Lords, Ladies, Maesters or whomever. My men are watching and taking note, Let the Fishes celebrate and the Mockingbird sing, let them rest easy in their beds thinking their work done. Then let them worry, let them ponder their failure and fear the retribution.
Dragons burn, my lady and Wolves stalk. Today I intend to be a wolf, but the hour of the dragon will soon be at hand.
Jon.
It annoyed her that had she received this letter late, had she known of it earlier, then she, Sansa and Margaery would not have needed to worry so, would not have felt the grief they did. Another part of her, the more vengeful part, the part which she too would release on occasion enjoyed the letter immensely. Cregan Stark had unleashed the Hour of the Wolf on an unsuspecting realm, removing enemies of the crown with great and ruthless efficiency.
"Why be a wolf or a dragon when you can be both." she said as she held the letter to the candle and watched it burn.
It took another couple of days for the ravens to arrive, one for her and one each for Margaery and Sansa and seeing both girls smiling faces when they read the truth from Jon's own hand, brightened up Highgarden for days. She found herself laughing as she had to turn down requests from both of them to go to Casterly Rock to see Jon for themselves. Found the little stomp her granddaughter did as she left her room annoyed at her to be incredibly amusing.
She understood the sentiment, a part of her felt the same way too, but a letter, raven scrolls. and a warging were enough to prove Jon was well and so while she would like to see him again, for now, they had their own lives to lead. When Margaery came to speak to her on the warging, on how Sansa was having dreams of being a wolf, she found herself shocked.
"She dreams this at night?"
"She does, she told me something most strange grandmother." Margaery said.
"Stranger than dreaming yourself a wolf?" she asked with a small chuckle.
"She says that she's woken up with the taste of blood in her mouth, that when she's looked to Fang she's seen blood in the wolf's mouth too."
"She can taste it?"
"Aye, she can."
"That is most strange, I'll ask Willas to see if he can find out more, has she spoken to him of this?"
"I think she's embarrassed to." Margaery said and she nodded "Perhaps we should go visit Jon, I'm sure he'd be able to help her through this." her granddaughter said as innocently as she was able.
"You think those games work on me child?" she said and watched her granddaughter smirk and shake her head.
"It was worth a try."
"Has she written the letter to her father?"
"She has grandmother, she was most cross indeed when writing it."
"Good, I'll have it sent to Oldtown and by ship to Winterfell, with any luck, it'll arrive there before Catelyn Tully does." she said noticing Margaery's grimace at the fish's mention.
"Good."
She had almost given in to Margaery's request, her granddaughter was right Jon could help Sansa, but a part of her feared it too, she needed to know more of this warging, more of what was capable with it. Could it be learned? Was it just a Stark thing? What were its limits, yes she needed to know more, so she sent her maid to find Willas, this was something that needed to be looked into.
Norvos 294 AC.
Dany.
Despite Sandor's misgivings, they made their way to the Red Temple, entering she could sense his discomfort at the flames all around him. She wanted to go take his hand in hers, to offer up whatever comfort she could, but she knew how he'd respond, he'd just tell her to 'Fuck Off' so instead she offered him her warmest smile and saw him nod in return.
Ralsar took her to the high priest and Darius was everything she'd expected of one, he was tall with long dark greying hair, his eyes a sparkling blue, were it not for the scars on his face then she'd have thought him handsome.
"Welcome Princess Daenerys, Sandor, I've been looking forward to seeing you both." Darius said his voice softer than she had expected.
"Why?" Sandor asked angrily.
"I am an instrument of my god's will and R'hllor has bid me help you on your journey"
"How can you help?" she asked.
"I require a drop of your blood princess for the flames, you will find the answers you seek in them."
"Fuck this, let's go." Sandor said and she shook her head.
"If you're playing me false, priest, my friend and I will not take kindly to it." she said making her voice as tough as she could make it sound.
"I promise you, princess, I am not, the visions are for you both. If you will." he said motioning to the brazier.
She moved closer while Sandor did not, taking her knife she cut the wound on her hand and allowed a drop of blood fall into the flames.
She saw a woman wearing a red mask which covered her face, she, Sandor and the woman rode on a boat towards a city. She saw a long bridge and black walls, a temple rising high to the sky, she saw a woman with long dark hair smiling and beckoning her inside, her red robes shining as she did so. She saw her eggs laying on some stones, she saw a small bottle of green liquid placed on top of them and watched as she cut her hand and dropped her blood onto each of the eggs.
She moved back and saw the arrow fly, it's tip covered in flames, and then she saw green fire burn for some time and when it stopped the dragons emerged. She saw them on her shoulders, one black and red, one green and bronze, and one cream and gold. The red priestess smiled as did the woman in the mask while Sandor knelt in front of her.
The images changed then and she saw a small boy on a bronze dragon, his red and black outfit clear, she saw a dark-haired man on a white dragon flying beside the boy, the dragon's four legs marking him different, he too was dressed in black and red, she saw herself riding the black dragon, her hair flying in the wind, she was also dressed in the colors of her house as she flew beside the other two.
When the flames died down she turned to look at Sandor seeing the shocked look on his face, whether or not he'd seen what she had, he had seen something and she took great relief in that. She turned to Darius and Ralsar both of them standing looking at her, seemingly waiting for her or Sandor to speak.
"What trickery was that?" she asked.
"No trickery princess, what you saw was your future, what you do with that is up to you."
"The city?" she asked.
"I do not know what you speak of princess, you saw a city?"
She described it to him and he nodded before looking to Ralsar, then shaking his head when she described the woman to him.
"The city is Volantis princess, the great temple of R'hllor stands there, but this woman, I must warn you from this women, this witch, this sorceress, she is evil princess, it's best you stay away."
"Then why is your god showing her with me?" she asked and the man shook his head leaving them standing there with just Ralsar.
"I can take you to this woman, princess." Ralsar said and both she and Sandor looked at her suspiciously.
"Why you and not him?" Sandor said.
"Darius believes the woman to be evil, but my god has shown her to you which means she has a part to play, our duty is to serve our Lord, not to question him."
"What can you tell me about her?"
"I do not know much princess, only that she owns a small sailing boat and she arrived back here only yesterday."
She looked to Sandor and saw he too thought this more than a coincidence, that he too thought this strange. Still the images she'd seen in the flames, the dragons, the man, the boy, Her husband? Her son? Where did those dragons come from and where had the other two gone? These questions plagued her mind, yet it was the idea, the thought, the hope of dragons being born which won the day.
"We will go back for our things, meet us at the tavern." she said and Ralsar nodded.
Sandor waited until they were some distance from the temple before he turned to her, his face full of fury.
"You don't actually believe those fuckers do you?"
"What did you see in the flames?"
"Nothing, I didn't fucking look in the fire." he lied and she looked to him again.
"Sandor, please, what did you see?"
"Dragons, I saw the sky filled with dragons." he said and she smiled.
She found the eggs where she'd hidden them, grabbing their things they soon collected their supplies and waited, Ralsar arriving a few hours later. All three of them walked to the river's docks, finding numerous boats, large ones, small ones, some which looked ready to fall apart, before eventually finding the one they were looking for. Three men stood on the deck, the small sail rising above them and the large poles resting above the water.
"We've come to see the lady." Ralsar said and the oldest of the men looked at them, Sandor especially.
"She's been expecting you, princess, you too Clegane." he said and both she and Sandor's hands instinctively moved to the weapons on their hips.
"You have nothing to fear here Daenerys Stormborn, I give you my oath on that." she heard a soft feminine voice say from the cabin at the front of the boat.
Turning she saw a woman emerge, tall and slim wearing a hooded robe and a red mask, the woman walked towards her before she looked dismissively at the red priestess and bid her join her.
"Come, princess, we have a long journey ahead of us and the tide waits for none."
"A journey?" she asked wondering just how much this woman knew, her knowledge of her name alone unnerving her.
"Volantis, we must wake dragons from stone princess."
"Who are you?" she asked and the woman's eyes stared at her almost as if they were trying to pierce her soul.
"You can call me Quaithe, for now at least."
Casterly Rock 294 AC.
Tyrion.
Talking to Oberyn helped, talking to Jon even more so, but it was talking to the dragon which brought him most relief. He couldn't understand the dragon, couldn't communicate as Jon could and yet somehow he understood him, he could feel him as if he was inside his head. At first, it had been strange and Jon had sat with him, he, Rhaenix, Lygaron sitting around speaking to each other, while Sarella sat in the corner taking notes.
When Jon told him he needed to cut his hand, that he needed to feed his dragon his blood he had looked at him as if he was mad. But seeing the dragon look at him, seeing how his head leaned from one side to each other almost questioning why he wasn't doing what his father had told him, Tyrion asked for the knife.
"You're sure about this Jon?"
"Me no, I just make things up as I go." Jon said and was it not for the annoyed chirp from Lygaron, the less annoyed almost happy chirping from Rhaenix he'd have thought the boy serious.
"You really think this is a good time for japes?" he said and Lygaron chirped as if in agreement.
"Aye, there's always times for japes, uncle." Jon said and despite himself, he laughed.
"Aye, there is."
As he cut his hand, before he could feel any pain from it, before the blood even got the chance to drip to the floor, Lygaron was licking his palm and drinking up the blood. He felt it then, felt it begin slowly, the presence in the back of his mind growing ever larger until he heard him, he heard his dragon's voice and thought it the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.
"Welcome rider." Lygaron chirped.
"Tyrion." he said and the dragon chirped his name "It's good to see you too little one." he said and the dragon chirped indignantly.
"Not for long, soon I will grow large and then Tyrion, then we can fly." Lygaron said and he nodded.
He reached out and placed his hand on the dragon's neck, feeling it as he moved into his touch, as he purred and rubbed his neck against him before moving closer. He never heard Jon leave, nor Rhaenix, instead he just sat there holding the dragon close, feeling it against his chest. All his life he'd wanted this, a dragon of his own, a dream, a silly dream.
"No dream." Lygaron chirped and he smiled.
He spent a fair bit of the day in Jon's room with the dragon, both of them dozing off and he was almost embarrassed when Jon returned and woke him up. Lygaron still slept and Tyrion had found that he had slept far better than he had been since he had been told the truth. As he stood up Ghost came into the room and he prepared for the inevitable tug of war over his britches, instead receiving a lick on the hand from the wolf.
"Jon, why does your wolf suddenly like me?" he said and Jon laughed as Ghost gave him what could only be described as an affronted look.
"Ghost has always liked you Tyrion, he was however annoyed at you."
"Annoyed?" he asked dumbfounded.
"Aye, he says you were pack, but you didn't act like pack."
"Pack?"
"You are family uncle, to Ghost that makes you pack, I think he could sense you before any of us knew, but the fact you didn't know, it confused him and he tried to make you see." Jon said and Tyrion chuckled as he rubbed the white wolf's head.
"So my britches are safe."
"For now, though dragons do burn things." Jon said before laughing out loud at the worried look on his face "How did you ever survive with Gerion around, uncle."
"Will he be alright?" he said looking to Lygaron who still slept.
"He will, you'll need to come visit much more and you may need to spend the odd night with him too."
"I will, thank you Jon."
"For what?"
"For being here for me, it means a lot." he said nodding.
"We're family, we'll always be family."
"That we are nephew, speaking of family, I had better go see my niece before Jaime or Dacey think I'm avoiding her."
"Aye, you'd better, Dacey will be up and around soon and you've seen what she can do with her mace."
He felt nervous standing outside Jaime's room, not to see the babe, but more he and his brother hadn't really spoken since the revelation of his birth, not properly, not sat down and spoken. He had been putting it off, he knew that and so he knew Jaime did too, he was ready to speak now though and so he knocked at the door and Jaime opened it himself, a smile on his face when he saw him there.
"Come to see your niece brother?" he asked and he nodded as Jaime moved to let him enter the room.
"Aye."
He found Dacey resting on the bed, half-awake, her eyes opening when she saw him and so he just put his finger to his lips and nodded and she closed them again as he moved to the crib. Looking down at the babe he felt his eyes water, she was beautiful, perfect, her green eyes looking up into his mismatched ones. Her little smiling face and tiny little hands, he reached in and took on of her fingers in his, amazed that something could be so small, so delicate.
"She's a wonder, Jaime, an absolute wonder." he said as her hand gripped one of his own fingers and tried to bring it to her mouth.
"She's healthy brother, perfect and healthy, I can wish for no more." Jaime said and he felt his heart jump at hearing him call him brother.
He had told him so, he thought so anyway, no he was sure of it, among the pain and the tears, among the rage and the sadness, he had heard his brother call him brother, but still, knowing he thought him such removed a weight from his chest.
"Jaime we should speak, about everything." he said when Joanna began to close her own eyes.
"Wait for me in my solar, I'll call for the wet-nurse." Jaime said and he nodded.
He sat in his brother's solar trying to go over in his head what it was he wanted to say, finding yet again his mind being uncooperative, his thoughts as clouded as they had been earlier. When Jaime came in and took a seat, Tyrion tried to speak and found himself stumbling over his words.
"I..what happened with mother, Jaime, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." he said finally getting them out.
"Sorry, what do you have to be sorry about?" Jaime asked confused.
"It was my fault Jaime, I'm the reason they killed her, the reason she died, they were trying to kill me, not her, if I hadn't, if he hadn't."
"Enough." Jaime said loudly making him stop "I won't have you blaming yourself for this, you are my brother, do you understand, my brother, you've always been my brother, you'll always be my brother."
"I.."
"No, it was them not you, it was him not you, you think if mother was here she'd look at your differently? You think she'd treat you differently?"
"I'm a child of rape." he said almost silently.
"Then why didn't she get rid of you? Why didn't she take moon tea?" Jaime said and he looked to him shaking his head "She never blamed you, she never would have and neither do I, Aerys is dead, I got to put a sword in his back, I can take even more comfort in that fact now, so can you, the man who raped our mother died by my hands."
"He was.."
"A monster, as was my own father, we are not them, we will never be them. Joanna Lannister's blood runs through my veins, as it does yours, that's who we'll seek to emulate, seek to be like, not them, never them." Jaime said and he nodded.
"The maesters?"
"Will play, we will roar brother, we will roar together."
"Together." he said and Jaime smiled at him.
Casterly Rock 294 AC
Ser Richard Lonmouth .
After meeting his man in Lannisport, after collecting the whispers that had been sent, he rode to Casterly Rock to speak to the king. The note he'd received from the Reach gave him pause, both the part about the trout and the fact his man had arrived late. But the other news was promising though there was still more to arrive, mainly though he looked forward to seeing his king again.
He found he enjoyed speaking to Jon, enjoyed spending time with him, knowing he was out there preparing things for what was to come was all well and good. Receiving instructions form the king was something he had come to welcome though, especially those given in person. As he arrived at the Rock he was taken to Jors, who then took him to the king who was practicing his jousting.
Richard had seen the king spar and he had seen him ride against the floppy fish, but to see him ride a proper joust was something he looked forward too. Watching his father win at Harrenhal had been one of the best experiences of Richard's life, seeing Rhaegar ride against Arthur, against Barristan, he'd never saw the likes of it before, or since. So he looked forward to seeing his king do the same, to see if he picked up his father's skill.
"I hadn't expected you back so soon." Arthur said when he saw him.
"My time in the North was well spent and so I wished to see Jon." he said and Arthur nodded pointing to the tiltyard.
"Jon and Loras are the best of them, evenly matched I'd say." Arthur said as two horses rode towards each other.
"That's not Jon?"
"No Cregan and Loras, Jon's riding against Brienne."
"The lady?"
"She's far more than that, besides you and I have known ladies who don't fit the mold." Arthur said and he chuckled.
"More than one my friend." he said as the two lances hit their mark.
"Your nephew's not bad either?"
"He fades after the first, though given he's only just begun to learn he'll be fair jouster in time."
"Is that?" he said seeing the man out of the corner of his eye.
"Loamara, they found him in Essos."
"Tyrion and Oberyn?"
"They found more than him, you should speak to Jon about it." Arthur said as Cregan fell on the second tilt.
Jon's ride was even more impressive, or at least it was to his eyes, Loras still had the edge in lance work but Jon had them all beat at horsemanship. Seeing him ride was like stepping back in time for him, only it was his mother and not his father he saw. His lance caught Brienne square and only for her strength of will she'd have fallen, something which happened on the second tilt.
As he and Loras lined up to face each other he looked on eagerly, the joust took four tilt's to win and Loras had taken this one which he found disappointing, though Jon it seemed did not. As he was getting up from the ground he nodded to Loras and then saw him waving off the next match and walking towards him, still in his armor.
"It's good to see you Alayn." he said though there were not many around to overhear.
"You too Jon, may we speak?"
They took the lift down, Arthur walking with them and soon found themselves down in Jon's room. He was surprised to find Oberyn there, he, Ellaria and Sarella eating lunch and playing with the dragons.
"She's grown." he said quietly looking at Rhaenix.
"Aye, we'll need to move again, I'm trying to prepare a room that's closer to the beach, one which is more open."
"I'm sorry about Highgarden Jon, an accident, a horse broke his leg and my man had to walk and so he arrived after the raven."
"I know Richard, he did arrive though? it was an accident, he's well?"
"He is and I have some more news to share."
He told him then of Lady Catelyn being thrown out, though he knew not the reason why, he told him of the reactions to the news of the assassin, Riverrun, the Red Keep, the Stormlands, Dragonstone, and then he told him of the North.
"Olenna threw her out?" Jon asked.
"She did, I know not why Jon, but Olenna is far too smart not to have had a pressing reason." he said and Oberyn nodded before speaking.
"He is right nephew, the Queen of Thorns has been playing this game longer than all of us, there is a good reason why she is still winning."
"Why would the Blackfish go to Winterfell?"
"I can only guess." he said and Jon bid him continue.
"I believe Brynden to have found out or at least to have suspected what his niece and nephew did, I know he argued with them both on his arrival and certainly with Edmure just before his departure, I think he went to Winterfell to see his kin, to see if he had family worth his time."
"Bran, you think he went for Bran?" Jon asked.
"Why would he go for your cousin? Oberyn asked.
"Brother, uncle, Bran is my brother. I offered to have Bran squire for me as he wishes to be a knight when he grows older. Lady Catelyn though would never allow that, so she must have asked for her uncle to take him on."
"You and the Blackfish know each other do you not?" Oberyn said and he nodded.
"A long time ago, aye, we know each other."
"Is it worth reaching out to him?" Jon asked.
"I'm not sure Jon, but perhaps." Richard said and Jon nodded.
"The rest of the North?"
"We've begun, it'll take some time but we'll soon know what we need, you were right about Wyman Jon, a good man."
"Aye, he is, his Maester?"
"One of them. Speaking off Maesters, Loamara, you speak to him yet?"
"Briefly, I'm trying to get a handle on the man, he seems trustworthy, but he's strange."
"Bring him to the dragons, Jon."
"Why?"
"He was always fascinated by them, he and your father spoke of them while Rhaegar was on Dragonstone."
"I will. What of the other places."
"Riverrun behaved how you expected, Edmure actually held a toast to your death." he said and watched as both Oberyn and Ellaria scowled "The larger houses didn't raise their glasses Jon, Bracken, Blackwood, Mooton, and Mallister, Lady Shella even called him out on it, his own kin, that's doing the rounds as we speak." Richard said.
"Your work?" Oberyn asked.
"Would that I could take the credit, this is purely Raymun."
"The Stormlands?"
"Renly Baratheon was heard to speak about it, seemed very happy about your demise for some reason."
"Renly, why would he care?" Jon asked.
"I don't know, I'll look into it."
"Stannis?"
"He had a knight who was heard laughing about your death thrown from his hall, the man was drunk which in Stannis halls is not something he accepts, but he was heard to say that he'd not welcome any man who laughs at the death of a child."
"What more do we know of him?"
"Tough but fair, during the rebellion, he struggled with rising against the crown."
"Even for his brother?" Jon said surprised.
"Aye, his oath to his king, or his blood, in the end, he rose and was then besieged, but he struggled with the decision all the same."
"A potential ally?"
"I doubt it, he'd see you a usurper, besides if the truth of the children were to come out then he's the heir to the throne." Richard said and Jon nodded
"Essos, you've heard"
"Arthur mentioned it and Loamara being here, but that's it."
He sat there while Oberyn explained what had happened, while he told him of the Hound and Daenerys and the Magister, of Viserys being held prisoner and the game the Magister seemed to be playing. He had heard of Illyrio Mopatis, knew of the man, but that was it, he knew who he was, now it seemed there was far more to it than that.
"Maybe I need to take a trip to Essos?" Richard said
"No, it's too dangerous, they'll be looking for Westerosi especially after Oberyn." Jon said.
"What is it you wish from me Jon?" he asked.
"I'll try and use the glass candles, see if I can learn something, I saw Viserys chained in the back of a cart, I think he's been moved, Dany was with the Hound and a lady."
"You've managed to use them?" he said surprised.
"Not exactly, I've been able to use them somewhat, but it's difficult and it seems they sometimes don't work."
"I don't understand."
"Loamara made a comment about blood being the key, so I used my blood" Jon said and shook his head when both Oberyn and Ellaria made to speak "Just a small cut, nothing I've not done before. I saw the present, saw my mother in the past, I was able to see more, able see what I wanted to see, but since then it doesn't work, they won't light."
"You think them broken?" Oberyn asked.
"No I think the magic isn't strong enough for them to work right, my blood isn't strong enough yet, or they need to cool down after you use them, I'm not sure."
"I'll see what I can find from here too, see if there's a way to reach out to Essos and grow my network over there."
"I may be able to help you with that." Oberyn said and he nodded.
"There's something else you need to know." Jon said.
He was standing on the battlements looking out on the sea later that night, trying to figure out what all this meant, what it meant to Jon, to them, to the future. Tyrion Lannister being Aerys' son, being a Targaryen bastard, a Blackfyre, alone was bad enough, but he would also be a dragon rider too. Was it a boon to Jon as he seemed to think? Or was he a threat?.
"You always were pensive Richard." he heard Loamara say and turned to the man.
"And you always spoke far too much bollocks before you got to the point." he said and Loamara laughed.
"Its good to see you again old friend."
"You too, I had not expected I ever would." Richard said.
"Nor had I, exile was far preferable to death."
"How much do you know?" he asked curiously.
"I know Jon Snow is Rhaegar's son and that Tyrion Lannister is Aerys's son. I know that you all plan to put a king back on his rightful throne and that I have a part to play."
"Talk to Jon, there is a lot more you can help with."
"Such as?"
"Why the glass candles shut down after use, what you and his father spoke about and what it is that's really on Dragonstone."
"Rhaegar never told you?"
"Me, Arthur, Myles, we all knew something, but no he never told us, do you know?"
"I know some, but Aemon Targaryen is the only man alive who really knows, only he and Brynden Rivers know the truth of that place."
"Speak to him Dalor, he is who you hoped Rhaegar to be, he is the Prince that was Promised."
"How can you know for certain? I believed it to be Rhaegar, I was wrong, as was he." Loamara said sadly.
"I know because unlike his father, Jaehaerys has woken dragons from stone."
Oldtown 294 AC.
Catelyn Tully.
She had left Highgarden almost apoplectic in her rage, her guards knew better than to question her, better than to speak to her it seemed and so the first part of their travel was spent with barely a word spoken between them. How dare they treat her this way, insult her this way, threaten her with being forcibly removed, had she not seen the look on Olenna Tyrell's face herself, she'd have never believed it.
Sansa could not stay in such a place, it was bad enough the bastard was corrupting her sweet girl, to have the roses do so too was too much for her to bear. Ned would have to listen to her, they would bring Sansa home and she would raise her right, teach her right and then when the time came for her wedding to the prince, he'd find himself marrying the most worthy girl in Westeros. After that, she'd deal with Olenna Tyrell and those up jumped stewards.
As they took the road to Oldtown she regretted her decision to leave Septa Mordane in Riverrun, she should have brought the woman with her to Kings Landing, to Highgarden. Maybe she would have been able to get through to Sansa where she had failed, even had she not, having her here with her now would have calmed the turmoil in her heart.
"My lady, we'll be stopping here for the night." the guard said and she looked around, glad of the mildness of the weather at least.
"Very good."
She didn't sleep that night, instead, she spent it tossing and turning, trying to find something to break her mood, something good to concentrate on and then it came to her. The bastard was dead, her and Petyr's plan had worked, she needed to write to him, to tell him how grateful she was for all he'd done for her. She found herself envious of Lysa as she thought of her friend, to have someone close to you, someone, who believed in you and who wished to help you was something she was sorely lacking.
Arriving at Oldtown she was amazed by the place, by the Hightower and the Citadel, by the port itself. Even the smell of the place was incredible, it smelled of fresh apples and fruits. Were it not for her newfound feelings towards the Tyrell's she would have enjoyed the beauty even more. She debated whether to stay at an inn or to present herself to the Hightowers, in the end, propriety dictating that she must do so.
"Lady Stark, welcome to Oldtowm." Ser Baelor said as she stood in front of him, the high hall less impressive than she had expected.
"I thank you Ser Baelor."
"We have made rooms available for you and your men, perhaps you'd like to rest before this evening's festivities."
"I would be most grateful Ser."
She washed in the bath they'd provided for her, enjoying the feel of the warm water and the scented oils. When she was finished she dressed in the best dress she had brought with her, before Ser Baelor himself knocked at her door to escort her to dinner. It wasn't so much of a feast as a gathering, but she sat the High Table with Ser Baelor and his wife Lady Rhonda finding they were the most graceful of hosts.
"You must be most thankful for the news Lady Catelyn." Rhonda said and she looked at her with a small smile, not sure what it was she was referring to.
"News my lady?"
"About young Jon." Rhonda said and Cat looked at her in shock, how could she know? How could anyone know."
"It was most distressing my lady." she said and the woman this time looked at her oddly.
"Distressing, surely finding out that the boy survived would be anything but, Lady Catelyn?"
He survived, he lived, how? This had to be a mistake, a miscommunication, she couldn't be that unlucky, couldn't be that cursed that the boy still lived.
"He survived?" she said trying to keep her emotions in check.
"He did, were you not aware my lady?" Ser Baelor said noticing her distress.
"I had heard he fell Ser, not that he survived."
"Forgive me, my lady, I had thought you knew." Rhonda said her face going red from the embarrassment.
"Well then let me share the good news my lady, young Jon is hale and hearty, the assassin has been captured too, can you imagine it, trying to kill a young boy? Well I'm sure Lord Jaime will soon get to the heart of it and bring those responsible to justice." Ser Baelor said and Rhonda nodded.
She felt the panic rise, felt her heart race, it was bad enough the bastard lived, but to make things worse they'd also captured the killer, could it be traced back to her? Had Petyr covered their tracks, her distress must have been even clearer to her hosts as both Ser Baelor and his wife looked at her with concern.
"My lady are you well?" Ser Baelor asked.
"I, it's a shock Ser, I have been trying to come to terms with the boy's death and what it would mean to my husband and now to know he lives, it's brought things back up. Forgive me but perhaps it's better if I retire, if I take some time to deal with this."
"Of course my lady."
She didn't sleep that night and barely ate anything when she broke her fast the next morning. When she heard there were two Pinnacle ships in the docks she almost hurriedly made her way to them. She thanked her hosts for their welcome and tried to look far happier than she felt now that she knew of the bastard's survival. Making her way to the dock's she found both ships to the be owned by the Lannister's and only one of them heading North, so she spoke to the captain to arrange transport.
"Of course Lady Stark, we'd be more than happy to give you passage, we leave at high tide, from here to Lannisport and then onto Bear Island." he said and she almost grimaced.
She couldn't, if she were to stop in Lannisport, if they knew she'd been there and not come to visit then it would bring shame on her family, a snub such as that would not be forgotten. But she couldn't, she couldn't see him, she couldn't hold her tongue should she see him again, that along with the small worried voice at the back of her head which warned her he may know, made her decision for her. She sent one of her guards to the ship that night and made her excuses, citing a fever she'd come down with unexpectedly she made her apologies and the ship sailed without her.
The other ship was to travel to King's Landing and she could take one of the others on to White Harbor, she could speak to Robb, see her son and though the journey was far longer, it would be worth it in the end. They sailed the next morning after having taken rooms at a nearby inn, she was glad to be leaving, glad to be heading home, though she did so with a heavier heart than she had upon leaving Highgarden. The news she'd learned from the Hightowers angering rather than cheering her.
White Harbor 294 AC.
Wyman.
Hearing the news come from the docks had taken him completely by surprise, it shocked him, to tell the truth. That she had come here, that she was to be welcomed into his keep, a part of him was ready to just deny her, to send her packing, to have her far away from him and her son. But it was the boy who he thought of, Robb would at some point learn the truth of his mother, he would not be the one to teach him that lesson though.
Robb was overjoyed and confused by his mother's arrival, but as he stood beside him at the high table in the Merman's Court he seemed more excited than anything else. His sons and granddaughters and their lady mother all sat ready to welcome Catelyn Tully to White Harbor for the first time. Normally a visit from their lieges wife would be welcomed, celebrated, but he could sense both Wylis and Wendel's own annoyance from where he sat.
"Lady Catelyn, welcome to White Harbor." he said a plastered smile on his face when she was brought before him.
"I thank you my lord." she said though her eyes were fixed on her son all the while.
"We've had rooms prepared for you and your men my lady, and we'll host a feast in your honor this evening, but I'm sure it's my squire you wish to greet, so we'll do away with the formalities I think." he said and while he'd phrased it the right way, it was his wish to give the woman the least respect he could get away with which was behind his decision.
"I'm most grateful Lord Wyman." she said and he watched as she greeted her son and he led her from the room.
He sent a raven to Winterfell that day, Wylis standing with Theomore while he did so, claiming it urgent but more to see the man doing his job. He awaited word from Jon as to what was to be done with the Maester, his own urges kept under control for now, but he knew his king had a plan and he waited to see it revealed. As it was, any message he sent was watched and made sure it left, any important correspondence sent another way and Richard had proved right in this, his methods being far quicker than his own.
The feast that night was strange, the atmosphere off, be it his own wishes to not have the woman there, his granddaughter's glowering at Lady Catelyn or Robb's own sullenness. Something had happened with Robb and his mother, something had strained their interactions with each other, Wynafred was either aware of it or part of it and Wyman dearly wished he'd spoken to her before the feast.
"My lady, my condolences on your father's passing." he said and she nodded,
"I thank you, my lord, it was peaceful and quick which is all we can hope for."
"Indeed, far better that then to be at the mercy of someone who wishes you dead, you heard no doubt of that terrible business with young Jon, an assassin, of all things." he said making his disgust clear.
"The boy survived did he not." she said and he noticed how quickly she answered.
"He did, you should have seen the feast we held for him here in White Harbor my lady, the whole town rejoiced, young Robb most of all, is that not right Robb?" he said a little louder drawing the young lord into the conversation.
"My lord?"
"I was just telling your lady mother of the feast we had when he heard the good news about Jon, a fine night was it not?" he said and the grimace on Catelyn's face grew more pronounced.
"It was, I was most happy to hear of my brother's safety, I still owe him for that prank they pulled on me in Braavos."
"Braavos? You were in Braavos?" Catelyn said her voice rising.
"I was mother, I plan to go to Pentos and Tyrosh and Myr too when I'm older, is that not right my lord."
"It is, Lord Robb's taken well to the life of a trader, both Wendel and Wylis can't speak highly enough of him, nor can I." he said and watched both as Robb puffed his chest pridefully and Catelyn's grimaced even more almost causing a vein to pop in her head.
It was breaking his fast the next morning he found some of the reasons for both Robb's and his granddaughter's upset with the lady from the night before. Wynafred's came from Catelyn while not being dismissive of her but of her attempting to dissuade Robb from becoming too close to his granddaughter. Though remembering the smiles on Wynafred's face when Robb danced with her at the feast, it seemed Lady Catelyn had failed there.
Robb's was more what he had suspected, Lady Catelyn had run down his brother to him, warned him of the nature of bastards, of how they manipulated people, used them and coveted what they had. Robb had confided in Wynafred of the argument he had with his mother, of how he had spoken up for his brother, and Wyman felt his respect for the lad increase.
When Robb and his mother arrived to break their own fast he was surprised to see Grey Wind, not with him, the wolf slept in his chambers each evening and while he at times like Ghost would do his own thing, during the mornings he'd be found with his master. He looked from Robb to his mother, both clearly still not speaking freely to each other and wondered if the two were connected.
"My lady, I hope you slept well?" he said when she took her seat.
"I did my lord."
Once again the conversation was hard to come by, something which was rare for their morning's, usually Wynafred and Robb would laugh and jape, Wylla would speak a million words a minute. He and his sons would discuss their day before joining in with some of the children's japes when appropriate. But this was a different affair, it was quiet, the atmosphere tense and as he looked at the woman he wondered if she was even aware she was the cause.
Surprisingly she left that day, the weather was good and made travel easy and had it been a normal situation he'd have accepted that as the reason. But given how Robb almost moved away from the hug, he knew there to be another reason. They escorted her to the gates of White Harbor, he, however, stayed back, he was far too large to ride a horse these days and so he let his sons and Robb do the honors.
"She is gone?" he asked Wylis when he returned.
"She is, it was most strange father."
"What was?" he asked curiously.
"Grey Wind, he stood at the gate after she left, almost as if he was making sure she was gone, when Robb called him he ignored him and then just before she got out of sight he howled, loudly, more so than I've ever heard him and then turned to run back to Robb."
"A Wolf's Warning son."
"Father?"
"Danger to the pack." he said and Wylis nodded.