Lyanna Stark did her best to remain inconspicuous from her spot near the doors leading to the kitchen. She had put on a heavy coat to hide her face, as well as protect her from the cold, so surely no one would know that she was here.
The girl of six was staring at the gathered lords in the courtyard as they awaited the arrival of a very important guest. For weeks now, lords from all over the North had converged in Winterfell in order to meet with this important guest, who was supposed to be showing up today.
Lyanna did not really get it. Her mother told her that it was the crown prince who was coming to Winterfell. This meant that he was going to be king of the Seven Kingdoms one day. She knew that the crown prince was someone important, obviously, but she had never seen her father act so nervous before. It was weird for her to see her normally confident father act so skittish.
Because of the prince's visit, she was supposed to be on her best behavior. Lyanna didn't get this either. She was always on her best behavior! It wasn't her fault that her father got mad at her for sneaking out all the time. But what was she supposed to do? Spend all her time inside the castle just learning boring things with the maester? Who had time for that? While she was stuck here, her older brothers were out in the world having fun adventures. She only had Benjen to entertain herself with, and he wasn't all that fun.
It just wasn't fair.
At least Brandon was back. Thanks to him, Lyanna had been able to get more practice with her sword and also go out riding outside of the walls. They never got too close to the Wolfswood, not when they were on their own, but being out and about was more fun than being stuck in the castle all the time. These last couple of weeks had been exciting all on their own.
Because of the prince's upcoming visit, Lyanna was able to see so many new people for the first time in her life! There were the Harvest Feasts that happened every couple of years, but Lyanna did not remember much about them to be honest. This was the first time that she was able to better understand what was going on, and she was more than a little excited.
Despite hating her lessons, Lyanna had to admit that they were coming in handy as she saw the many banners flapping in the wind, recognizing most of them. She spotted house Cerwyn, house Bolton, house Dustin, house Ryswell, house Glover, house Hornwood, house Umber, house Karstark, and many others.
The lords had not come alone. Some had brought their sons and other family members with them. Apparently, according to her mother, someone from the royal family hadn't visited Winterfell in a very long time, so many of the lords were more than a little eager to meet with their future king.
Not that Lyanna cared much about any of that. While she didn't care much for princes or whatever, she did know one thing: the prince that was visiting had magical powers! Maester Walys had told her so anyway.
Lyanna couldn't believe it! She thought magic stories were just something Old Nan liked to talk about for fun. Some of her stories were really scary ... .okay, most of them were. But they also had magic in them, and that sounded cool.
Why was it that this prince could use magic while she couldn't? Lyanna had been pouting for days after finding out about this. A part of her thought that maybe the prince was a liar and was pulling a prank on everyone, so she wanted to get a good look at him when he first arrived at the gate. Unfortunately, she had underestimated the size of the crowd that had gathered in the courtyard, and so her vision to the South Gate was practically cut off.
'Nothing is ever easy!'
She was going to have to get in closer to get a better look.
Before she could move, she heard someone clearing their throat behind her.
Paling, Lyanna slowly turned around to see her mother standing with her hands on her hips, glaring down at her. A couple of the guardsmen were with her, and they were exchanging glances with one another, silently expressing their amusement.
"I thought I told you to prepare yourself for the lineup," Lyarra Stark said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You do understand who's coming to the castle, don't you?"
Of course she did!
But Lyanna had something else on her mind as she lowered her coat from her face. "How did you get behind me?"
"I've lived in this castle far longer than you have, my daughter. You're still far too young to be able to catch me by surprise. Now come. Your father and brothers are waiting for us."
That wasn't an answer, though!
Frustrated, Lyanna allowed her mother to drag her along to the middle of the courtyard where the rest of their family was. Sure, she would get a good look at the prince this way, but then he would also be able to look at her too. How was she supposed to uncover his secrets when he knew that she was staring at him? Unfair.
It also sucked that she was forced to wear a dress for this occasion. She didn't mind her hair being braided, but she didn't want to be paraded around like a doll either. Lyanna always felt more comfortable wearing breeches compared to dresses. She didn't particularly hate them, but they weren't her preferred choice. Her father rarely approved of that either, though. Honestly, he rarely approved of anything that she did. Sometimes it felt like he was frustrated with everything that she did. Not that Lyanna could help it.
"There she is." Brandon threw her a smirk as their mother forced her to stand in between him and the squirming Benjen. His usual wild brown hair was combed for the occasion. "I thought you were going to be late, little sister."
"I was on a mission, okay."
"To do what? Give our dear mother a heart attack with your absence?"
"That would never happen!"
"At least you didn't drag poor Benjen along this time. I don't think he can handle another scolding from father."
Her only younger brother grumbled at Brandon's words, but he already knew that he couldn't argue. Whenever Lyanna thought of something new to do, she always decided to bring him along for the ride. Personally, Lyanna thought it was a nice way to build memories between siblings, but the constant lectures from their father were not fun either.
"Enough." Their father's glance was enough to make their idle chatter stop. "The prince's procession has been spotted. We don't have the luxury to be joking around. You will make sure to represent our family with honor. Is that understood?"
There it was again. Was the crown prince so scary that her father had to look so worried like this? Many people wouldn't see it, but Lyanna thought that she was pretty good at reading her father's moods.
Brandon just shrugged. "I'll be sure to put on my best face, father." His words seemed sincere.
But then a small smile began to form on his face after, which almost made Lyanna giggle.
Rickard Stark just sighed, an almost tired expression befalling him.
"I swear, where did I go wrong with these two…"
Brandon seemed to take that as a compliment while their mother just rubbed their father's back in an attempt to console him.
At least maester Walys seemed entertained by their discussion. Considering how stern he usually was in their lessons, Lyanna considered this a win.
Some of the other lords who had overheard the exchange were also chuckling, so Lyanna felt even more proud at the moment.
Her focus shifted to the opened gate as one of the guards shouted from above, signaling that the crown prince was finally here. It didn't take long before columns of men began to march inside the courtyard. For the first time in her life Lyanna was seeing the sigil of a house that she had only read about: the three-headed red dragon.
She didn't know why, but she felt her breath leaving her at the sight of it. It almost seemed to radiate power, but that seemed silly to her. And yet, there was a strange sensation gripping her heart right now.
Several carriages soon started rolling into the courtyard as well. However, her father's gaze was solely trained on the first one that entered.
'Is that where he is?' All of this anticipation was really getting to Lyanna now.
Two men in very fancy white armor got off their horses and quickly walked over to the door of the carriage and opened it. Once they did, everyone, lord and guardsmen alike, fell to one knee and bowed their heads. Lyanna had almost forgotten her mother's instructions, having been caught staring at the dragon banners again, and was one of the last ones to do so, almost startled by the sudden movements around her.
She flushed in embarrassment when she heard her brother chuckling beside her.
'I'll get you later!' she swore.
She heard footsteps coming from the carriage. Soon, a pair of feet were walking on solid ground heading toward her and her family. She didn't look up, not until her father told her that it would be okay to do so.
"Welcome to Winterfell, my prince," she heard her father say, his tone subdued. "We are most honored by your presence."
"You may rise, Lord Stark." The prince's voice….it was not as scary as Lyanna had expected it to be. It wasn't too deep, nor was it rough. It wasn't fully soft either. It was somewhere in between.
Lyanna still kept her head down as she and everyone began to stand back up. But that didn't last when she heard her father make a choking sound, like he had just been physically struck in the stomach, hard. She heard both of her brothers let out gasps of their own, followed by many others in the courtyard which also included her mother.
It took a second for Lyanna to realize that she was the only one who was still looking down. Of all the times for her to actually follow directions!
Trying to understand what was happening, Lyanna finally raised her head. She was met with a striking face with features that she had never seen before. Silver-blond hair and a pair of deep purple eyes stared back at her. Despite being around Brandon's age, the prince was taller than her brother, and her brother was already tall for his age. Even for someone as young as her, she could recognize the ethereal beauty that the prince seemed to possess.
But all of that paled in comparison to the two baby dragons perched on his shoulders, their heads tilting as they gazed at them with curiosity.
Lyanna felt her own breath leave her for a second time.
Perhaps all of Old Nan's stories weren't so fake, after all.
---
Rickard Stark did not know what to make of the sight before him. When Wyman Manderly had first informed him that the crown prince had been late to arrive to White Harbor, he had understandably panicked. He did not want the king to start blaming the North for his heir's disappearance. His uneasiness about the prince's visit to Winterfell had more than doubled as several different scenarios played in his head.
Thankfully a second raven had come a few days later, informing him that the prince had finally arrived to White Harbor and would be coming to Winterfell in the coming days. When he informed the other lords of this, the impatience that had been brewing finally settled. Rickard hadn't filled them in about the prince's supposed disappearance, not wanting to cause panic when there was little need. That proved to be wise.
And yet, all of that seemed to matter little now as Rickard's eyes settled on the two baby dragons. He felt his heart beat faster in his chest when his eyes landed on a third one as the prince's twin brother emerged from the carriage.
Just what was happening!? Why were there three dragons inside his castle!?
Why hadn't Wyman informed him of this beforehand!?
Rickard did not need to look around to know that there were similar feelings of awe and shock among the other lords in the courtyard.
"Dragons," maester Walys said in a hushed tone from behind Rickard.
"Impossible." Rickard was unable to find his voice to correct his wife on her possible disrespect.
The prince just smiled as he tilted his head in their direction. "My apologies, Lord Stark. I told Lord Manderly that I wanted to heap this surprise upon the North and so asked him to keep quiet of the dragons. Hopefully my prank has not alarmed you too much."
A prank, he called it. Dragons were pranks now? What was this world coming to?
Rickard realized that not keeping up with all the rumors coming from the south may have been a mistake. On the other hand, dragons walking around Westeros would have caused a bigger noise, right? But judging from their size, they must have just hatched recently.
In other words, they were a new phenomenon.
This was nothing more than conjecture, but Rickard felt confident in it regardless. Not that it changed much. The fact that the crown prince had dragons was an undeniable fact, and Rickard found his political aspirations hitting a new wall.
---
"They have dragons! No one told me that they have dragons!"
Brandon rolled his eyes at his sister's excited yell as she bounced in place inside his bedchamber within the Great Keep.
Their father had told them to prepare themselves for the feast while he retreated into his solar with their mother and the maester, his face troubled.
Even after the Targaryen prince was led to his chambers in the guest house, all the eyes in the courtyard had followed after him, or more specifically his dragons.
Brandon could hardly believe it himself. They had been told that dragons were extinct, never to return. They had been legendary beasts that had conquered Westeros and had propelled the Targaryens into becoming the most powerful family on the continent.
Now, they were back, and they were inside Winterfell. This was not what Brandon had been expecting to see today to be honest. He thought that his family was just going to have to entertain some stuck up prince and his curiosities. Sure, all of the North had heard of the prince's supposed magical abilities, but Brandon put little faith in the stories of southerners. They were probably nothing more than overblown rumors meant to prop up the crown prince, nothing more.
As if to slap him in the face for his ignorance, the first thing the prince showed them was dragons.
Brandon was starting to believe that he may have been a little too dismissive of the crown prince's powers. If he had dragons, what else was he capable of?
"Brother, are you listening to me?"
His sister's pouting face freed him from his thoughts.
"Did you follow me to my room just so that you could yell?"
"Hey, I'm here too," Benjen spoke up from his spot on the bed.
"I again ask why."
"You saw them, didn't you!?" Lyanna squealed in excitement. "They said dragons didn't exist, but we got to see them! They were so adorable!"
Benjen looked weirded out. "Sister, you think they were adorable?"
"You didn't?"
"They looked scary," their younger brother admitted while looking down. "They could probably burn us alive."
"They're too small for that," Brandon reassured him.
Although for how long, who knew.
"You think the prince will let us pet them!?"
Lyanna's question had Brandon rolling his eyes again.
"Sister, I understand your fascination, but do not do something that will get father in trouble later on."
Usually he was more than happy to play along with her antics, but for once he was going to have to agree with their father. The crown prince was not someone they wanted to get on the bad side of, and messing with his dragons was a sure fire way of doing that.
Lyanna pouted again. "Why does everyone think that I'm going to do something weird?"
"Were you not the one who was trying to spy on the prince earlier?"
"That's different! They say he can use fire, and I wanted to see if it was true."
Brandon did not know how she was going to accomplish that by "spying" on him from the kitchens, but whatever. Trying to decipher his wild sister's thought process would just leave him confused by the end of it all.
"I bet Ned is going to be so jealous that he missed this!" Lyanna looked excited by the thought. "That's what he gets for having his own adventures in the Vale all on his own!"
As if their brother had a choice in deciding to go there.
"But how do you think that the prince has dragons?" Benjen's soft voice echoed through the room. "I thought they didn't exist…."
Despite the excitement, their little brother hadn't missed that crucial detail.
"That is the question," Brandon agreed as he walked up to him and patted him on the head. "Maybe we'll get to find out."
Even though the dragons were eye-catching, Brandon hadn't missed the Valyrian steel sword hanging from the prince's side. As far as they knew, the two legendary swords of house Targaryen had been lost, so why did the prince have a new one? More than that, judging from the prince's build, he was a fighter. Brandon was curious to find out who was the better fighter between the two of them. He could feel the excitement building inside him at the thought of defeating a Targaryen in combat.
It was something else to look forward to he supposed, but for now he had to set a good example to his siblings.
"Go to your rooms and start getting ready. Father will not be happy if you're late."
Despite their grumbling, the two did as told, leaving Brandon to wonder more about the dragons and the Valyrian steel sword.
---
Winterfell was built upon natural hot springs that helped to keep the castle warm. This was why, despite the severe drops in temperature during the harsh winters, the people living inside were still able to survive year after year.
Rhaegal felt this warmth for himself when he and the others were led to their rooms inside the guest house within the castle. The imposing Lord Stark said he wanted to give them a moment to settle in before they began with the opening feast with the rest of the lords, but clearly he was doing it because he wanted to get his thoughts in order.
The presence of dragons had really shaken him up. Rhaegal had taken notice of the man's family, and his children in particular had been more fascinated by the dragons rather than scared.
'The beauty of youth,' he thought with some amusement.
"At least we don't have to suffer from the cold anymore," Rhaegar said as he joined him inside Rhaegal's room.
The others were all getting settled inside their respective rooms. Melisandre had offered to sleep in his room, but Rhaegal had turned her down. Again.
They were still dressed in their doublets which displayed the colors of their house. Despite the warmth inside the castle walls, Rhaegar had not removed his heavy coat.
The three dragons were chirping at one another as they stood on Rhaegal's bed.
"There will be questions." Rhaegar looked at him.
Rhaegal made sure that Brightflame was secured in the room before looking back at him.
"I'm aware."
"You have not told me what you have decided to do when Lord Stark hears of Skagos. Lord Manderly was kind enough to not share the details with him, but that will not last."
Thanks to the dragons, none of the lords had noticed the Skagosi in their midst. Rhaegal had no intention of hiding him, however. The man had proved to be a great help in the short time that he had been in his service. Sharing everything from the oral traditions that he knew to the more practical matters on the island, he had been an invaluable source of information that Rhaegal intended to use for the future.
"The Starks will accept my terms," Rhaegal said. "No doubt some of the lords will grumble anyway. They will not like that I made the island a possession of the crown without consulting them first. However, if Rickard Stark is smart, he'll understand that he has more to gain by agreeing to my terms than trying to fight it."
"Hmm." Rhaegar let out a small hum. "You know, brother, when you talk so confidently, I start to believe that you can do anything."
"Perhaps not anything," Rhaegal said with a small grin. "But making a bunch of lords submit? I think I can handle that."
The two shared a small laugh before it was time to get moving again. Rhaegal did not contemplate for a second leaving the dragons behind. They were the safest when they were with him and his brother, so the three dragons joined the group once more when the wife of Rickard Stark came personally to escort them to the Great Hall of the castle.
"Wonderful engineering they got going on here," Oberyn said when he rejoined them. "They have water running through the walls from the hot springs to heat up the chambers. I was thinking that I was going to freeze my balls off while staying here."
If Lyarra Stark was offended by the crass nature of his words, she did not show it as she titled her head in thanks.
"The Starks of old have made sure to make this a livable castle, prince Oberyn."
He laughed. "I can tell! One of the servants was kind enough to tell me that you have a glass garden too. Imagine that! I guess you wolves have more comforts than you give off."
"The North is a hard land, but that does not mean we cannot find pleasures where we can," she replied smoothly. "Although you misunderstand, prince Oberyn. The glass gardens were not built to show off our wealth. They are a practical necessity that keeps us fed during particularly harsh winters. I'm sure that's not a struggle that you're familiar with."
"Dorne is not known for its winters, no," Oberyn agreed with a laid back grin. "But you'll find that the deserts have their own struggles, my lady."
Lyarra did not respond to that, just nodding stiffly.
Stannis looked exasperated by the exchange while Arthur just shook his head.
Rhaegal didn't bother to dwell on the exchange as they continued on their way to the Great Hall. They were hit with the cold again when they exited the guest house and traversed the main courtyard to reach their destination. Along the way, Rhaegal spotted many guardsmen and other servants glancing their way, more specifically the dragons.
No doubt that this would be an event that they were going to talk about long after Rhaegal returned to King's Landing.
More guards were stationed by the entrance to the Great Hall. As the guests of honor, they were the last ones to arrive for the feast so that they could properly be introduced.
Rhaegal cared little for this. He was more interested in the talks that would follow once the welcoming feast concluded.
That, and the ever present burning sensation that permeated all of his senses. Now that he was inside Winterfell, the burning sensation was stronger than ever. There was little doubt in Rhaegal's mind that there was at least one dragon egg somewhere in the castle.
It was just a matter of figuring out where.
---
The young eight and ten Roose Bolton watched on with great interest as the crown prince's entrance was announced. A few moments later, he led his group into the Great Hall, two of the dragons still perched on his shoulders.
His pale eyes were fixated on the dragons the entire time the prince walked toward his seat.
Roose had accompanied his father to the gathering of lords as was expected of him. When he'd first heard that the crown prince was coming to the North, his mind had raced with the implications of it all. Despite his inexperience in ruling, he knew the significance of a royal visit to Winterfell. It had only happened once before in history. While one of Rhaenyra Targaryen's sons had once traveled to Winterfell in order to win support for his mother, it was kind of an open secret in the realm that the boy had been no true prince. Just a bastard fortunate enough to have ridden a dragon. Not that it mattered much to Roose. Ultimately, power triumphed over all as it could even override history.
Sadly for Jacaerys Velaryon-Targaryen, he had lacked the power to make that change permanent. Now his mother was known as nothing more than a bloody usurper while he and his siblings were regarded as bastards, a stain in the Targaryen legacy. Not that King Aegon II fared much better, but this was beside the point.
Roose felt like he was watching a new power on the rise, and he felt compelled to see if he could make that work to his advantage somehow. His father was happy to keep playing as the servant to the Starks, but Roose had never once felt that inclination in his heart.
The Boltons had once been kings. Was it wrong to dream for more rather than to stay as mere servants to a house that did not serve to remain at the top?
Roose was not one to let impatience dominate him, however. He was aware of his house's history. They had risen up before, only to be brutally put down every time. Of course, if it had been him, he would not have allowed the disobedient house to keep on existing. The fact that the Starks had been lenient with them highlighted their weakness.
Watching the Targaryen prince with his dragons presented a new player on the board. The Iron Throne had little impact on the North. The Northern lords were subservient, sure, but they did not meddle much with the affairs in the south. There was little use in it.
Now those southern games seemed to be approaching them, and Roose knew why. It was the dragons that had compelled the North to kneel. And now those dragons had returned and Roose could see the expressions on the lords' faces as they watched Rhaegal Targaryen sit on the high seat of the old kings in the North. While before curiosity and honor had bound them to greet the crown prince with respect, his supposed magical abilities notwithstanding, now there was some fear and apprehension mixed in.
The extent of the prince's magical abilities were unknown. The power of dragons was not.
While these lords were not well versed in playing the same political mind games as their counterparts in the south, they were smart enough to realize that there were big changes coming.
This thought no doubt frightened them, for they did not know what the crown had in mind for them.
For Roose, this was just another opportunity for the future, and if there was an opening for him to exploit then he would take it.
This, he swore.
---
The feast opened up with a big toast given by none other than Rickard himself, honoring the king and for the continual stability of the realm. The other lords gave their agreements by raising their cups, or in the case of Lord Umber shouting at the top of his lungs.
The man was huge, and so were the rest of his family. No wonder they were said to be descended from giants. They weren't as hairy as the Skagosi, but besides that they were practically the same in terms of physical appearance.
'How interesting.' Rhaegal didn't allow himself to drink too much. The same couldn't be said for the rest of his companions. Euron and Oberyn especially were going hard at it, drinking more and more with no signs of stopping. Some of the lords and their heirs took it as a challenge and began to try and match them.
Rhaegal wasn't looking forward to seeing the hangovers tomorrow.
Stannis and Arthur were more cautious with their drinking, as was Tytos. Mace was enjoying the drinks himself, but not to the same extent as Euron and Oberyn.
"It's not every day that we get a Reachman up here," one of the lords said to the drinking Mace whose cheeks were flushed. Based on the sigil in his clothes, the man belonged to house Karstark, one of the branches of the Stark.
"Haha! I've been setting records lately!" Mace declared by raising his cup. "I was one of the first to see the dragons return to Westeros! And I'm one of prince Rhaegal's closest confidants! The songs will tell much of my glory!"
Rhaegal almost snorted in amusement.
Lord Karstark was not taking him seriously, but he nevertheless raised his own cup while laughing.
"That's some achievements you got there!"
Some others joined in the laughter.
Rhaegal shifted his gaze to Melisandre, who was sitting beside him at the head table. As usual, the red priestess drank and ate very little. She was just observing the festivities with some curiosity, but whatever her thoughts they were closed off to the world. She had been quiet since their arrival to Winterfell, and Rhaegal had a good idea as to why that was.
"Enjoying yourself, my prince?" Rickard approached him with a conversation first. The man was seated on his other side, with the rest of his family sitting beside him. Rhaegal had not missed the eager looks on the younger Starks' faces all throughout the feast as they kept shooting glances at his dragons.
"It's quite pleasant," he said, not seeing the need for extra flattery. "Winterfell is quite impressive, although I noticed that some towers have been abandoned."
"Years take their toll on the strongest of fortifications," he replied.
"You have not rebuilt?"
"Such an endeavor would quickly dry our coffers, my prince. I'm sure you know that we are not the wealthiest of kingdoms. What gold we make we prefer to use for necessities."
Food then.
Rhaegal hummed in understanding. "I understand. At least you have a good reason for it. King's Landing has needed repairs for many years now, and despite the gold being there no one has seen fit to do it. It's a shame really."
"Is that something you aim to do during your reign, my prince?"
"Before that, if possible. But yes. I have many plans, Lord Stark. You will find that the North is involved in some of them."
His words caused the man to go quiet. Rhaegal had to admit, he was good at masking his emotions. Nevertheless, Rhaegal could tell that his words troubled the man. Why? Rhaegal wasn't certain. Did he think that Rhaegal was going to purposefully sabotage parts of his kingdom? The thought was insulting.
"Forgive my caution, my prince," Rickard said after a moment's silence. Despite all the noise from the feast, Rhaegal was hearing him well enough. "The crown has never seen fit to meddle with us before. I cannot imagine what changes you might wish to implement."
"There are some that I'm already running through my head," Rhaegal admitted. "I talked about some of them with Lord Manderly on my way here. Of course, I wish to speak to you on certain matters as well. No doubt you'll be interested in hearing what I have to say."
"I….I look forward to it, my prince."
Rhaegal ignored the forced pleasantry and just nodded.
The feast carried on while Rhaegal continued trying to ignore the burning sensation that was coursing through his body and mind. No one approached him and Rhaegar directly, but Rhaegal could tell that many of them were wanting to. Either because they wanted to hear from them directly or because they wanted to know more about the dragons he could not say. Maybe it was a combination of both.
Rhaegal wasn't certain if he was going to tell all of the lords directly about his escapade in Skagos, but the choice of bringing it up was taken from him as one of the men stood up while raising his goblet.
"Prince Rhaegal!" he shouted, catching everyone's attention. His cheeks were flushed from all the alcohol. His immense size marked him as an Umber. "I've been waiting to say this for a while now. Many of us are eager to hear how you have acquired three dragons! It's not something we expected to see today!"
"Not that any of us are complaining!" The lord from house Dustin shouted while laughing.
"Aye! To see a dragon with our own eyes! Such a grand treat this day is!" Another lord chimed in.
More cheers rang in the hall as they turned their expectant gazes on him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed one of Rickard's children almost bouncing in her seat, probably eager to hear of his story.
Well. It wouldn't trouble him to share some of the details here. By now, his raven had probably reached King's Landing and news of his expedition to Skagos had more than likely spread.
"I don't mind at all, my lord," Rhaegal said as the hall began to quiet down, all wanting to hear from him. Only the dragons made noise as they played with one another. "Although I don't think the story will be as fascinating as you think."
He could hear Oberyn snorting from his seat, but Rhaegal ignored him.
"You may find this difficult to believe, but the dragons called out to me, and as luck would have it they were calling to me from Skagos."
The name of the island was met with several wide eyes. Even Rickard looked taken aback by the admission. They were more shocked by the fact that he had gone there than the fact that the dragon eggs were "calling" to him.
How funny.
"I set sail there immediately. I was fortunate to find three dragon eggs waiting for me on the island, and with the help of my red priestess I was able to hatch them. Now my brother and I have claimed one each. His is Aegorax, while I named mine Ancalagon. The third one has yet to receive a name."
It was brief and to the point, but it was enough to captivate the lords. They were probably impressed just by the fact that he had sailed to Skagos personally. They knew better than most the stories surrounding the Skagosi, and it was not a place that one should wander into carelessly.
They cheered.
"To prince Rhaegal!"
"To the prince!"
And many others like it followed.
Rhaegal accepted the celebrations with a calm smile as he sat back comfortably in his seat while Rickard remained silent.
The feast would continue for many hours after that, and by the end of it only a few men would be left standing.
---
Rhaegal was not surprised that Rickard invited him to his solar after the feast began to wind down. Even though it was late, he knew that there were some things that they needed to talk about, especially after his reveal earlier.
Rhaegar had wanted to come along, but Rhaegal advised him to stay behind and keep an eye out for some of their more troublesome companions. With the way Oberyn and Euron had drank, they would be more than willing to do anything right now, and that included mayhem. Melisandre was also a wild card right now too, and the last thing he needed was for her to unintentionally, or more likely intentionally, start insulting the religion of the North.
Ser Gerold and Ser Barristan followed, but Rhaegal tasked Ser Brynden to stay behind with Rhaegar for the time being.
When they reached the solar, Rhaegal signaled for the two knights to stay by the door. Regardless of how the conversation went, he doubted that he was in any danger. Of course, Ancalagon and his sibling were not going anywhere, the two hatchlings once again taking position on his shoulders.
He felt like he was a tree branch for them sometimes.
Rickard's solar was sparsely decorated. There was a set of oak chairs as well as a long table where the man conducted his daily affairs. A fire was also present, and it provided the room with some extra warmth.
"I apologize for keeping you up, my prince." Rickard gestured to one of the seats while he too sat down. "No doubt you want nothing more than to just rest after a long journey."
"It is no trouble. I have been meaning to speak to you in private as well. It's better to do it now than to wait."
Rickard slowly nodded, his eyes briefly going to the dragons once more. The man was no doubt wondering what was on Rhaegal's mind, but he was going to let the Lord of Winterfell say what he needed to first.
"First, I must apologize for intruding, but Lord Manderly sent word that you were late arriving to White Harbor. At first, we all feared the worst. We are all gladdened to see you and your brother alive and healthy."
Rhaegal did not respond.
"After hearing your story earlier, am I right to understand that you were late because you traveled to Skagos?"
"That's correct."
"Was it as you say? Did the dragons really call for you?"
"The evidence speaks for itself, Lord Stark."
Rhaegal did not mind the skepticism. It would be hard for someone to understand unless they lived and experienced what he had. Magic was strange like that, especially at the moment when it had practically disappeared from Westeros for so long.
Speaking of which, he needed to get this conversation moving. The longer he waited, the worse the burning sensation within him became. He couldn't be patient forever.
"Skagos is one of the reasons that I want to speak with you, my lord."
While Rickard was trying to collect his thoughts, Rhaegal moved the conversation forward.
"I had a feeling that there was more to it than what you initially shared," Rickard said.
"There is. I won't go into all the specifics, but the lords of Skagos have declared their loyalty to me. From now on, Skagos will belong to the crown."