Riverrun 295 AC (seventh moon).
Catelyn Tully.
Her brother was useless, he tried his best she'd give him that, but he really was useless. She found herself taking on more and more of the duties of running not just the house, but of the Riverlands themselves, Edmure enjoying the trappings of being a lord more so than the actual realities of being a lord. Though perhaps his biggest failing was turning out to be a blessing in disguise for her.
Try as she might she had been unable not just to get Edmure to wed, but to get him to consider being wed. Not that there were any ladies of great repute beating down the doors of Riverrun to try and become the Lady of the Riverlands. At first, it irked her, both his reluctance and that there weren't more ladies looking for a match, had her house really fallen that much from grace? Was it her brother? Or was it simply that there weren't that many ladies of an age who were around?.
She had done the calculations in her head, Ysilla Royce from the Vale, one of the Florent's or Redwynes, though given Olenna Tyrell it would more than likely be the former. She doubted she could get someone from the West given the bastard's connection with the Lannister's and there were few if any in the Stormlands, which really just left the Riverlands. She actually found herself contemplating a Frey as apart from the Brackens few had daughters of an age.
In the end, though not only were none of her choices forthcoming but Edmure himself put a stop to it, declaring he'd not marry from a lower house nor was he ready to be married just yet. Her brother was far too busy bedding servants and whores, and while it offended her, it actually turned out fortuitous too. The simple truth was if he wed, then what was to be done with her? What was her place? As it was, for now, she was the lady of the Riverlands and had some power, should Edmure wed that would all but disappear.
"My lady, the figures you requested." Vyman said handing her the books.
"How are we fixed with our stores Maester?" she asked.
"We have a few moons supplies, my lady."
"Only a few moons?"
"Indeed, as per Lord Edmure's instructions my lady."
She nodded and sent Vyman on his way and had a servant go fetch their steward, Utherydes arriving a few moments later. Edmure had demoted the man basically and it had taken her time to be able to bring him back into her confidence, hopefully, the task she was given him would do that even more so.
"You sent for me my lady?"
"I did, I'd like you to take a look at the books Uther I need to know where our coin is going, why we're not spending more of it on our stocks."
"Of course my lady, do you intend to bring the stocks back to their previous level?"
"I do, I cannot understand why we've allowed them to slip so." she said shaking her head.
"Neither could your uncle my lady."
"My uncle spoke to you about stocks?"
"He did my lady, I informed him that I was no longer involved in them and so he reinstated me."
After Utherydes left she shook her head once again at her brother's stupidity though it was tempered by her feelings toward her uncle, he had deserted her, them, he hadn't stood up for her when she needed him to. Family, Duty, Honor all but forgotten as he rode back with her to Riverrun and then just left to go to the Vale. She had argued with him, pleaded with him, begged him even, yet he had just ignored her and told her that she like her brother was a disappointment.
Edmure at least had been angry, furious with Ned, wanting to call the banners and to ride North, stating loudly that no savage could treat his sister that way. She had never loved her brother so much as she did right then, he was willing to fight for her, willing to stand up for her, were it not for him and Petyr she'd have fallen into a pit of despair. But now was not the time and despite the insult, she knew the banners would not rise, not for that, no as Petyr said for now they needed to bide their time.
" Petyr, you came." she said as she greeted him at the gates of Riverrun.
" Of course I did Cat, I cannot believe he would do such a thing, has he taken leave of his senses?"
" I worry you were right Petyr, I worry that he is in league with the bastard, nothing else makes sense to me." she said the tears falling.
" Don't cry Cat, I cannot bear to see your tears. I swear it, I'll not allow this insult to stand, I shall do everything in my power to see you in your rightful place."
Were it not for him, for them both, then she'd have crumbled and broken but instead, her resolve was only strengthened, she needed time, she needed time to make House Tully strong and to be ready. So she had begun to try and repair the rifts that Edmure had caused with their bannermen, she had reached out to Lady Shella though she agreed with her brother that it was the lady that was wrong.
She had spoken to Lord Bracken, to Lord Mooton and Lord Blackwood, even to Lord Darry and most especially to Lord Mallister, the rift growing ever stronger between Edmure and both the lord and heir of Seagard. She hadn't bothered to reach out to Walder Frey knowing the man's word to be useless and she'd taken pains to reach out to other houses who may feel how she did.
At the feast that night Edmure was drunk once again and yet again she had to speak to him and tell him to be quieter in his complaints.
"I'm the lord Cat, not you, I'll not have ingrates sup from my table."
"These are our most important bannermen Edmure, you may not like them, you may speak of them any way you like in private, but in public. you must be more discreet, more circumspect."
"Was father discreet when he spoke of the weasels or called Darry a coward?" he answered drunkenly.
"Yes he was, for he did so in his solar and not in the feast hall. You are a lord now Edmure you must behave as one."
"Like Ned Stark, some lord he turned out to be."
"Edmure." she said admonishingly.
"Cat, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way, I, my anger at him for how he treated you, I'm sorry. I wish I could just face the man and strike him down for such an insult."
"It's quite alright, please Edmure, for me, try at least."
"Aye, for you I'll try." he said smiling.
When Utherydes returned she was shocked. she had no idea their coin situation had been so dire, while never a rich house they were a well run one, and coin had never been an issue. As it was they'd soon be in debt if things weren't to change and so she moved Uthreydes back to his former position, argued with Edmure who relented and hoped the changes she did would be enough.
Looking at the amount of coin they'd spent on the attack on the bastard, she was faced with a sobering prospect, she couldn't risk bankrupting her house on his death, no matter how much she wished for it. She couldn't afford too many more chances to see him fall, so she had to bide her time, and next time they did something it had to succeed.
She cried herself to sleep that night after the feast, the news arriving of the tourney at Highgarden, the knowledge that the king and queen would attend making her own banishment feel that much worse. She only hoped that the king would take one look at her daughter and decide to announce the betrothal then and there, that he'd make it public leaving no room for Ned to back out. She cursed Olenna Tyrell for banishing her and she cursed Jon Snow for being the cause.
Volantis 295 AC.
Dany.
The journey to Volantis was long and boring, though she found over time she and Quaithe got along really well. Even if the woman had an annoying habit of correcting her, be it her posture, her eating habits, how she dressed, or how she spoke. At first, it was grating but then it became endearing, it was like having a mother look after her, a woman around to teach her things no one else could.
This became something she was most grateful for one morning when she woke up with blood in her bed and between her legs. She was horrified, terrified, both for the shame of the blood on her sheets and for what it meant to her that she was bleeding from there of all places. Hiding in her room not knowing what to do or what to say, she soon found herself huddled in a corner.
"Princess, are you well? " Quaithe's voice called from the door.
"Dany, are you still fucking sleeping in there you lazy sod?" Sandor's gruffer voice called.
"Go away, leave me alone." she said her voice soft and barely recognizable.
"Princess?"
She heard the mumbling at the door and then to her horror it opened and Quaithe and Sandor walked in.
"Get out, get out, get out." she said panicked as she shouted at them.
Only Sandor did and a moment later Quaithe was over with her, kneeling down and looking in her eyes.
"It's no shame princess, it happens to all girls, you've flowered, become a woman."
"But the blood?"
"It happens to us all." Quatihe said her voice soft.
"It does?"
"It does, come let's get you cleaned up."
She allowed Quaithe to help her clean herself and to take the ruined sheets and dispose of them. Standing with Sandor later that night she told him she was well and that she was a woman now and he just nodded uncomfortably making her even more glad for Quaithe's presence than she had been.
When they finally reached Volantis she was surprised to see a beautiful dark-haired woman waiting on the docks for them, the woman was accompanied by some men and all of them wearing red robes.
"Welcome to Volantis Daenerys Stormborn, we have been expecting you."
"You have?"
"We have, I am Kinvara and we have much to do."
She looked to Sandor who seemed reticent to join the woman even if it was why they'd come and to Quaithe who watched her almost eagerly awaiting her decision.
"Why should I trust you?"
"Because I've helped your kin, the prince that was promised." Kinvara said and Quaithe gasped.
"My brother is no promised prince, and I don't remember you helping us." she said and Kinvara smiled.
"No he is not, come princess we have much to teach you."
While she was reluctant to follow the woman she had also come here to meet her and after the amount of time the journey had taken, it seemed ridiculous and pointless to turn back now. They were escorted through the streets, the black walls of the old city looming in front of them, and then she saw the temple of R'hllor in front of her. She was in awe of just how large it was, just how massive and as she stared she heard Kinvara speak.
"Our God has called for you Princess, for you have a part to play. You've seen it in the flames, dragons live in the world once more, come and let us see if we can give them more kin."
For the first few days, Kinvara was vague to the point of annoyance, she refused to speak to her more on her so-called kin other than to tell her she wasn't the only Targaryen alive in the world. That she and her brother had more kin than she had ever known about, while it confused her it filled her with hope too, she had family, more family out there and she longed to know more.
Instead, of explaining further though they were feasted and given comfortable rooms, she spent her days sparring and while Sandor hated being surrounded by so much fire, he did enjoy the food.
"I'm beginning to think these people breed these fuckers." he said holding a leg of chicken in his hand one day after sparring.
"I'm beginning to think you're trying to eat all these fuckers yourself." she said as she grabbed the second leg.
"Fuck off, get your own." he said glaring at her.
"I just fucking did, didn't I." she said with a smirk.
"Princess." she heard Quaithe say from behind her, her smirk soon gone and seemingly moved to Sandor's face.
"My lady." she said trying to hide the chicken leg.
"You are a princess of the blood Daenerys Stormborn, a woman flowered and noble, you must behave as such." Quaithe said and Sandor snorted "And you need to watch your own mouth Sandor, she is still a child also." she said and Dany tried not to giggle as she saw his chastened look.
"I hate that fucker." he said a moment later when she had gone.
"I heard that." they heard Quatithe's voice call back, both of them looking around but unable to see her.
She broke out laughing and then looked annoyed at him when she realized he had grabbed the chicken leg back.
"Greedy fucker." she said getting up and walking back into the temple.
A few days later she was taken down to a room way below the temple late at night, she, Quaithe and Sandor all made to follow and when they arrived they found Kinvara there with two men, the first a dark-skinned man with white hair and the second was a tall thin man with none. Both men had flames on their faces, tattooed flames which formed an intricate design.
"Princess this is high priest Benerro The Light of Wisdom and Moqorro The Black Flame, I am Kinvara The Flame of Truth, you have come for answers and we shall give them to you and in time you will birth dragons from stone."
"I've seen it in the flames." she began but Kinvara bid her stop.
"As have we, but together we will see the truth princess. Your blood, we need but a drop."
"Use mine." Quaithe said stepping forward.
"The offering must come from the princess, it must be king's blood."
"As mine is, but you will not use my kin, no more." Quaithe said as she took off her mask.
Dany watched as the woman changed, her hair growing silver like her own, her face becoming that of a beautiful woman, she gasped as she saw her eyes turning green and blue.
"Forgive me, niece, my name is Shiera Seastar, daughter to a king long since past, you can use my blood for my niece's is far too precious to be spilled this day."
"You are my kin?"
"I am niece and we are not alone." she said a smile on her face.
Oldtown 295 AC.
Marwyn .
It had taken him moons of watching and waiting, of placing acolytes close but not too close to some of the conspirators. He watched as Theobold held meetings, as Walgrave shuffled around, he spent time looking at Vaellyn and Gallard. He was able to completely rule out Ebrose, the man too serious and studious to worry about what the others were up to.
He was surprised there was not more, he had expected it would need more, but he supposed it really didn't which actually upset him some. Three or four Archmaesters and a group of well-placed maesters that's all, in the end, that was needed to take down a dynasty. His biggest problem had been finding those who were outside the Citadel, but it was the young man, young Tarly who ended up being the key to that.
The boy was an absolute natural with ravens, so much so that Walgrave had taken a shine to him, and considering his own diminishing health the old Archmaester had used him far more than he really should. Even to the point of sending ravens he should not, sending messages he should not have been privy too, Walgrave had used the boy and the boy had brought him the news. Ravenry wasn't the boys first love, that was magic and here he was Archmaester of that and very quickly Tarly had deferred to him.
"Well Samwell, what have you learned today?"
"Otar and Kates, Archmaester there a lot of messages flying between them and Archmaester Walgrave, each time he gets them he goes to speak to Archmaester Theobold."
"There have been more recently?"
"Aye, Archmaester."
"Well done Sam, anything else?"
"Grandmaester Pycelle has been sending more and more ravens also."
"Excellent work, here I thought you may enjoy this." he said handing him the book Sam smiling at the treatise on the doom.
"Thank you Archmaester." Sam said as he took the book and left.
Taking the young man under his wing had been even more of a blessing than he'd hoped, Sam was a diligent student, smart and extremely driven when it came to gaining knowledge. His interest in magic was almost as keen as his own and he'd bonded quickly with the boy because of it. Getting him to essentially spy on people was hard at first though, the boy seeming to be honest to a fault, but he had used magic as his reasoning.
" The other men of the Citadel Samwell, they look down on magic, see it a long-forgotten study, a thing of the past and are glad of it. But magic existed and it's coming back, it needs to be studied, to be known, to be understood."
" It does."
" Then should we let those who wish it forgotten to have their way?"
" No."
" That's is why I need your help Samwell."
True it was manipulation but the cause was just, the need pressing, and Sam had proved a most apt spy. People looked at him and saw the fatness of his belly, his bumbling nervous nature, but there was far more lurking beneath the surface and so Marwyn had honed it for his own benefit. Very quickly he had confirmed his own suspicions and then began the tedious process of finding every name he could.
There had been a wrinkle in things when Caelotte's journal had arrived, the conspirators rushing around like flies worried and harried and he cursed Oberyn for his rashness. The death of one Maester of a great house could be explained, two was very much harder and it created too much fear and worry that they'd been exposed.
Dorne's acceptance of the new Maester removed it and he knew he couldn't intervene, only warn and so did so, but still, the ravens went out to each of the conspirators telling them to be on their guard.
His trips to the brothel had stopped being followed, it had become such a regular occurrence that they'd relaxed and left him alone, allowing him to do as he wished, tonight though it was to the undercity he went, the old lady wishing to speak to him.
"You wished to see me?"
"I did, it's time, the prince calls for you Marwyn the Mage, the prince beckons and you must go to him." the old woman said.
"My work?"
"Is pointless and meaningless compared to the work you must do, go, speak to the prince, help him, for he is in need of more than he has."
"What of those who would see him fall?"
"They must fall, but be you here or there that is still true, go to the prince, do as he bids you, he is close Marwyn the Mage, closer than you think."
He spent the next few days arranging for his departure, finding a ship to Casterly Rock wouldn't be a problem, and setting the seeds in his colleague's minds that he was off on another fact-finding mission was easy enough.
"Why do you waste your time with such idiocy?" Ryam said loudly as they broke their fast.
"Magic is real, it's tangible, all we need do is look and we'll find the truth of it."
"And how many years have you been looking?" Theobold scoffed.
"Knowledge is its own reward is it not brothers? Is that not what we seek here each day, knowledge, to learn that which is not known?"
"We seek knowledge, you seek myths and legends." Vaellyn said laughing.
"Aye, but should I find them, then what? What do myths and legends become when they're proved?"
"Yet in all your years, for all the time you've been wearing that chain around your neck, what have you proved Marwyn? What have your studies brought you?" Ebrose asked.
"What have yours?" he said and Ebrose almost choked on his drink "What care you what I find, I'm a fool, Marwyn the Mage, if what I seek doesn't exist, what care you that I waste my time looking for it?"
"We care not, only that you seeking it sullies the reputation of the Citadel, flights of fancy, myths and legends, this is not learning, it's dreams, this is not knowledge it's fantasy." Theobold said as the others nodded.
"What's life without a little fantasy?."
"Leave him go brother, let the fool waste himself on yet another pointless journey, Westeros, Essos, for over twenty years he's searched and what has he found, the glass candles still do not burn." Ryam said dismissively and he nodded conceding his point and seeing the smile appear of Ryam's face.
It took him another few days to gather his things, another few days to make sure he had all the papers he needed, reading over the notes he sighed, wondering what the prince would do with this knowledge. Despite what they had done, what they would do if they knew of the prince, they were his brothers once, that they were close-minded fools was not their fault, though the actions they took were.
He looked over his notes, Otar and Kates, he had been asked by Tyrion's man to find out who they were and why they would be so important, told that their names had been found in Caelotte's journal. It didn't take him long to figure out the game his colleagues were playing, Otar at Yronwood and Kates at Brightwater Keep.
It wasn't just the Lord Paramount's houses that they set their men up in, it was their strongest bannermen too when they could, or their biggest rivals. His brothers wished to control both the way things ran and how they could run, they had overstepped, in trying to control how things progressed they forgot their duty. They were to record, to offer advice when asked, to keep a record of the world, not shape it to their preference.
"Are you going to the tourney?" Sam asked when he entered his room.
"Tourney?"
"Aye for Lady Margaery's nameday, I heard some men speak of it in Oldtown. Apparently, almost the entire realm is going, the king and queen, the North and West, all the Great Houses will be represented, as big as Harrenhal some are calling it."
"The West is going?"
"Aye, Lord Jaime will probably even compete, I'd love to see that." Sam said.
"Why don't you go?" he asked and Sam shook his head.
"I have my duties here."
"Speak to Ebrose, tell him you miss your family, then meet me at the docks Sam, I could use a companion for my journey."
"You'd take me with you?" Sam said his surprise clear."
"Aye, why not, though keep it to yourself they think I'm heading in a different direction altogether."
The riverboat set off early that night, there was still some daylight showing and the captain was eager to be on his way. Marwyn looked at the boy as he read in the small cabin they'd taken, Sam almost as excited as he was. It had been many years since he went to a tourney, as big as Harrenhal Sam had said and Marwyn smiled, he'd be the judge of that.
The prince is close the old woman had said and he laughed then startling the boy before he continued to read his book. If there was no magic in the world then how did it explain Mya, how did it explain what she was and what she knew, it did not. Magic was real and Marwyn was about to meet the living embodiment of it, the prince that was promised, Rhaegar's son.
294/295 AC.
Theon Greyjoy.
Sailing was far harder than he had imagined, he had thought it in his blood, that he'd have been a natural and taken to it like all Iron Born supposedly took to it. But he had quickly found it to be far harder than he had imagined, far more difficult. Trying to judge the wind, trying to find the wind, navigating the waters themselves, even judging supplies, all of it was quickly clearly beyond his skills.
But he persevered, he sailed through storms, through waves which scared him and cost him to loose his bladder more than once fearing his death. When he saw the land in front of him, saw the islands, he couldn't believe it, he'd done it, he'd come home. Bringing the boat into the small beach and then walking on the sand he almost sang such was his happiness and relief.
So wrapped up was he in this that by the time he turned back to look to the sea the boat was gone, he'd tied it off badly and it had drifted away. For the briefest moment he felt panic, but then he laughed as he walked up the hill from the beach.
"What care I about a small poxy boat, soon I'll be captain of my own ship, one of father's best no doubt."
The more he walked that day though the more worried he became, the island while rocky didn't look like Pyke or Harlaw, like Wyk or Blacktyde. There were no ships nearby, no sign of keeps or villages if anything it looked deserted. He slept by a tree that night, feeling the wind and the coldness seep into his bones. Waking the next morning he felt his hunger rise, felt the thirst almost break him as he began to walk seeking food and shelter.
Later that day he came to a small stream and was able to sate at least some of his needs, he saw fish swim and was embarrassed at how long it took him to catch one, even more so when he couldn't start a fire and had to eat it raw. Though the food did help and he ate every part of it that he could. He followed the stream and eventually came to a small village, no more than fifty or so houses packed tightly together near a dock and some boats.
"Where am I?" he asked a man who was fixing a net and the man just looked at him like he was mad.
"You be here lad, just like me." the man said laughing as another couple of sailors did likewise.
"What island is this?" he asked and the man looked at him before shaking his head.
"Got lost did ya? Yer on The Blaze lad, in Blazewater Bay." the man said and Theon almost fell to his knees.
It had felt like weeks, moons even that he'd been on that boat, all that time, all that struggle and he'd made it to the two damn islands that were closest to the Stony Shore. He'd covered more damn ground by land than he had by sea.
"Are there any ships to the mainland?" he asked and the man laughed.
"Aye, once every few moons we get a passing ship with supplies, won't be another for a moon at least."
"Would they take me with them?"
"You got coin lad, people will do almost anything for coin."
He nodded and then looked around, he was fucked, if he was to be stuck here for over a moon, then what the hell was he going to do, he doubted there was a tavern or place to stay.
"Is there someone a man could stay here?" he asked to more laughs.
"Man, what man, have you looked at yourself, still wet around the ears you are boy."
He felt his anger rise but bit it down, he was far too much out of his element here, so instead he just laughed along with them and it seemed to relax them a little.
"You look like a healthy enough lad, Ol Tommard be looking for some help, you work for him he'll feed ya and give ya a place to stay."
They showed him an old ramshackle house and he after some time found himself talking to an old man, the man eventually agreeing that if he looked after things for him, he'd feed and shelter him. Over the next moon was the most work he'd ever done, milking goats, chasing after sheep, cleaning out stables, and fixing up the house, he ended up working from early morning to late at night each day.
Tommard was a grumpy old fucker, but he could cook, he shared his ale and it was warm, were it not for the back-breaking work he'd not have minded his time here, that and the lack of girls to have a tumble with. They were either too young or already married and while he found himself looking, he couldn't risk trying anything here, so it was to his hand he looked to for relief.
"Ship will be here on the morrow, you sure you have to leave Robb, I could do with having you here a bit longer, you could even have this place and the animals when I'm gone." Tommard said as they sat by the fire.
"I need to get back to my family, they'll be worried about me." he said and Tommard smiled.
"They're lucky to have a son like you, well I'll not see you on the morrow, good luck Robb I wish you all the best."
"I thank you." he said and despite everything he really meant it.
It took half his coin to book passage and he'd still have to work on the voyage, he was glad to leave The Blaze, the life there was too hard, too simple for him. He was Theon Greyjoy heir of the Iron Islands, he was meant for far more than the life of a farmer. Arriving in Seagard he found this town to be more his style, nicer streets, warmer days, and to his absolute pleasure a brothel.
The girl cost twice as much as those in Wintertown and her teats were smaller than he preferred, but it had been far too long and his hand was getting calloused from overuse. So he indulged and found himself spent far more quickly than he usually was, still he was happy when he left and happier still the next day when he saw the Longship and the familiar man walking its bow.
"Dagmer Cleftjaw as I live and breathe." he said looking from the docks to the ship.
"And you be who boy to address me by my name?" Dagmer said before the man recognized him "Quick lad, come aboard before anyone sees ya."
Dagmer brought him down below deck and gave him a mug of ale, then taking a seat he looked him over.
"You've grown lad, we heard you escaped, your father received a raven from the Fat Stag demanding your return."
"What did father say?" he asked slightly worried.
"That he didn't have you and couldn't return that he didn't have." Dagmer said laughing "Where've you been?"
He spent the next hour telling him an over-exaggerated story of his escape, how he'd fooled the guards and snuck out without them ever suspecting, how he paid the Iron Price for his ship and sailed it to a cove a little away before burning it for firewood and making his way here.
"Why didn't you sail to the islands themselves?" Dagmer asked.
"I couldn't risk it without directions, besides I knew if I kept to the coast I could stop off for food and water and that I'd eventually make it here, or be picked up by one of my father's men."
"You did well lad, your father's sure to be proud of ya, we sail on the morrow." Dagmer said picking up the jug and pouring him more ale.
They treated him like a returning hero that night and when they set sail the next morning. Theon standing on deck feeling how he was born to feel as Dagmer talked to him of his father, of his sister and uncles. A little over a week later he saw it in the distance, Pyke, and when the ship docked and he walked off he smiled, for the first time in six years, Theon Greyjoy was home.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Jon.
It was hard to tell who was most excited by the travel, Loras could barely contain himself though he was missing Satin and was sad the boy couldn't join them. Brienne was looking forward to seeing her father and Dacey to both seeing and to introducing her mother to Joanna. Cregan was both eager to meet Sansa again and to see his first tourney, while Arthur and Ashara were nervous, neither had really attended one since Harrenhal.
Kevan, Genna, and the children had decided to take a riverboat up the Mander and he had almost considered they had done it right, but riding the Roseroad on Winter, having Joy sit in front of him and see the Reach from horseback soon made him change his mind. The place was beautiful, the smells amazing, flowers and apple trees, peaches and plums, all of it growing no more than twenty feet from him at any time.
"Hungry Joy?" he asked when they came to a small village and she nodded, though having heard the sound her stomach had just made he didn't really need to ask.
They stopped and ate and Joy found the different fruits even more delicious than he, almost gorging herself on the assorted berries.
"Strawbellies Jon." she said putting large blackberry in her mouth.
"No." he said and she giggled.
She rode with him as much as she could, they'd left Apples behind much to her annoyance, though given they'd brought horses to ride in the tourney, there was only so much room. In the end though he thought she'd preferred it, sitting in front of him and alternating between playing her games and being a lady, depending on her mood and her tiredness.
Camping at night she'd ask for stories as they sat around the campfire, falling asleep on his shoulder and having to be carried to bed. He, Loras, Brienne and Cregan would sit up late and talk around the fire, each eager to arrive at Highgarden, all for very different reasons. For him it was seeing his sister, his brother, speaking to them, and hoping they didn't blame him for their mother, it was seeing Loras's home and his family.
It was Margaery, seeing her again, speaking to her, dancing with her, just spending time with her, he grunted as Loras hit his shoulder, shooting his friend an angry glance.
"What was that for?" he said and Loras chuckled.
"That's for not paying attention."
"You were speaking, no one was paying attention." he said as Brienne and Cregan laughed.
"I do hope I'm drawn against you, seeing you fall is my dream." Loras said and Jon laughed too.
"I've told you to stop dreaming about me." he said and Loras glared at him before laughing.
Genna and Kevan beat them to Highgarden by more than a few days but as they rode the Roseroad and saw it in the distance he felt his breath catch, it was incredible. It rose from the ground and was perhaps the prettiest keep he'd ever seen, he looked to see Loras smile and both Cregan and Brienne look on as he did. As they rode through the town, through the labyrinth and came to the entrance he felt his heartbeat rise.
Standing in front the saw them, all of Loras's family were waiting and he smiled when he saw Lady Olenna look to him. He looked down and saw his sister, her smile beaming and her posture almost that of someone coiled and ready to spring. Fang stood beside her, the wolf looking eagerly to Ghost and Dusk, and then it all faded away, he was alone and there she was looking at him.
She had grown, her hair was longer, yet it was Margaery and her smile was blinding, he almost jumped off his horse so impatient was he to greet her, to greet them all so he could get to greet her.
"Lord Jaime, welcome to Highgarden." Lord Mace said.
"I thank you, my lord, you know my wife Lady Dacey, and the little bundle in her arms is my daughter and heir Joanna."
"My lady." Mace said as Jaime moved to Lady Alerie.
His own introductions were more perfunctory though Lady Alerie greeted him warmly and Lady Olenna seemed almost happy to see him, when he reached Sansa though the protocol was soon forgotten.
"I'm so happy you're here brother." Sansa said as she grabbed him in a hug which he returned eagerly.
"Me too little sister, it's so good to see you, I've missed you."
"I've missed you too Jon, so much." Sansa said as he released her from the hug and brushed her hair from her face.
"Joy, it's so good to see you again." Sansa said and he had to admit the girl's timing was impeccable as it allowed him to move and speak to Margaery.
The two of them stood there silently looking at each other, he wanted more than anything to grab her into a warm embrace but he could not, there were far too many eyes on them, even standing there quietly he could feel them watching.
"It's so good to see you again Just Margaery." he said and she looked at him nodding as she spoke.
"And you Just Jon." she said as he took her hand and kissed it, his eyes never leaving hers.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Margaery.
She had awoken early that day, broke her fast, and eagerly awaited news that they'd been spotted, that they were on their way. When Lady Genna and Lord Kevan had arrived she had briefly worried that he wasn't coming, that for some reason something had kept him away, only to find out they'd parted at Oldtown. Her grandmother had set the signal up so they'd be ready to welcome all who arrived and when it came she almost raced to the doors.
Sansa too was as eager as she and as they stood there she could hear her friends excited breathing. Seeing the carriages, the horses she found her eyes scanning the riders until she saw him, smiling when she saw him looking at her and feeling her heart race when he smiled back.
Looking at him when he dismounted she felt he was taller, he'd filled out more, looked different somehow, but he was still Just Jon she hoped. It felt like an age until he reached Sansa and despite herself she felt jealous her friend could be greeted so warmly, though that quickly faded as he stood in front of her and greeted her. His smile, how he looked at her, kissing her hand and staring into her eyes, him calling her Just Margaery, she felt herself melt.
Were it not for Joy and then the babe, she may not have been able to speak much more and so she welcomed the little girl and like Sansa cooed over the babe, her dark hair and green eyes were striking and Dacey was only too happy to let them look at her. She was pleased that Jon didn't need to rest after they settled in and he and Loras, Joy, Brienne, and Cregan soon joined them outside.
"So should we gift you now or would you prefer to wait my lady?" Jon said catching her by surprise.
"No Jon, remember what auntie said, presents are to be given in order." Joy said and she found herself giggling at the voice the girl put on.
"Remember what Genna said she'd do if she caught you doing her voice Joy." Jon said and the little girl smirked.
"But you'd protect me would you not, my brave knight?" Joy said her hand to her head in a more than passable swoon.
"Aye, I would." he said, and as Joy smiled her looked to her making her heart flutter yet again.
"How was the journey?" Sansa asked and she watched as Jon walked over to his sister hugging her again.
"It was good, it's very beautiful, the land, the flower and trees." he said and she saw Sansa nod.
"When we arrived first Marge showed me it from the boat, I'd never seen the likes of it before."
"Nor have I, I've longed to see it for quite some time, to come here, to be here." Jon said his eyes on hers all the while.
She spoke to Loras and to Brienne and Cregan, she and Sansa both keen to find out how he had a wolf now, though Jon kind of paled a little when they asked before he interrupted to speak about the upcoming festivities. She saw him pale yet again when Sansa told him that her father was coming, quickly glancing to Cregan who too seemed to look worried for some reason.
At one point she saw Jon whisper in Cregan's ear and then saw the boy nod before he and Joy left with Brienne and Dusk. She was about to speak to Jon when Sansa brought up the attack and how worried they'd been, Jon holding his sister tight until she calmed and once again she felt jealous. It didn't last for long though as surprisingly he walked over to her, taking her in his arms and holding her against his chest.
"I'm sorry I worried you both." he said though she barely heard him so loud was the beating of her heart.
Taking her hand he walked her over to where Sansa was and helped her to her seat, before sitting between her and Sansa.
"I'm so happy to be here, and there are things I need to speak to you both on, but for now why don't we just enjoy the fact that we're all here, together, we can discuss other things another time." he said and she found both she and Sansa were of the same mind on this being a good idea.
They sat around laughing and japing, though eventually, they knew they needed to go inside, Jon helping her up and leaning to whisper in her ear "Can you come to my room, I need to speak to you" she nodded and then watched as he walked with Sansa and she with Loras, before they parted when he left with his sister.
"Is it to be a big meal tonight?"
"A feast Loras what did you expect?" she said and her brother sighed.
"Just for once a nice family meal."
"I'll speak to grandmother, maybe we can arrange it for tomorrow, but you know father, with guests arriving he'll not miss the chance to feast."
"Aye, I know. It's good to be home sister."
"I'm so happy you're here brother, I missed you."
It was almost an hour later when she made her way to Jon's room, she had spent some more time with Loras both of them almost feeling as if they were just getting to know each other again. As she saw the guards on his door she felt herself becoming a little nervous, it has been surprisingly awkward with her brother, and she wondered if being alone with Jon would be the same.
"Is Jon inside?" she asked Walder who nodded and knocked and a moment later Jon opened the door smiling when he saw her.
She walked into the room and couldn't see Ghost anywhere, before she even had a chance to take a seat though, Jon walked over to her and reached out taking his hands in his.
"I missed you so much Just Margaery." he said looking at her.
"I missed you too Just Jon." she said as he led her to the seat and she knew that there would be no awkwardness between them.
Volantis 295 ac.
Dany.
She had been stunned, shocked, surprised and so many other things by the revelation that Quaithe was Shiera. Had it not been for the visions she saw, for what the flames revealed that would have been what preyed on her mind that night. However, it took her until the next day to find herself able to process that a woman who should be long dead, a woman who had to be over one hundred nameday's old and who yet looked how she did, was also her aunt many times removed.
Sandor had told her they should leave this place and a part of her agreed with him, but both the idea that she had more family than she thought and what she saw in the flames forced her to stay. It would be here her dragons were born, here and soon if what Kinvara said was true and as she held one of her eggs in her hands she felt it to be certain.
Shiera didn't join them when they broke their fast, though Kinvara did and once again made Sandor uncomfortable simply by her presence. She actually chuckled as she watched him glare at the priestess and found the woman's lack of response to that glaring to be either foolhardy or impressive, she wasn't sure which.
"When will the damn eggs hatch?" Sandor asked in his own inimitable style.
"On the princess's nameday, as you both saw." Kinvara said.
"I didn't see fucking anything." Sandor lied.
"We see only truth in the flames Sandor Clegane, if it's a house of lies you wish to be a part of there are many, this is not one of them."
"Why my nameday?" she asked both curious and to relax the tension.
"Perhaps you should speak to your aunt princess, she has answers that I do not, ask her of the Prince that was Promised, of Azor Ahai and the prophecy, for she knows it as well as I."
"You know my aunt?" she asked curiously.
"Magic knows magic princess." Kinvara said as she got up to leave.
She'd been gone no more than a few moments when Sandor looked to her and spoke.
"Fucking fire-worshippers, of all the fucking places you could have brought me you bring me to a fucking temple of fire-worshippers."
"What are you whinging about, I thought you liked the chicken here?" she said and he snorted.
"You're lucky I do, otherwise I'd have left already." he said and she felt the worry rise as she looked at him, he noticed it "I'd have taken your annoying arse with me." he said and she chuckled, it being as good as she'd get this morning.
"I'm going to speak to my aunt."
"You sure she is who she says, I may not have done much studying, but shouldn't she be dead?"
"She should, I need to know the truth."
"You got your dagger on you?"
"Always." she said as she got up "Sandor, thanks for being here with me." she looked at him and smiled.
"Fuck off and let me eat in peace." he said though she noticed the small smile as she walked away.
She made her way to the room where her aunt was staying, moving nervously as she'd not spoken to her after the visions. Instead spending her time trying to make sense of them, lions and wolves, stags, and falcons, a blue rose in a wall of ice. Some didn't make sense, while some were no doubt sigils, representations of the great houses, but still to her it seemed they were purposely vague as if it was not time for her to know the full truth.
What had been clearly shown though was her dragons, just like in the other temple the vision was the same, fire and blood and dragons born from stone, she saw herself fly, saw herself soar and that alone was what was keeping her here. She knocked at the door and it was Shiera and not Quaithe who answered it, the woman letting her in and bidding her take a seat.
"You have many questions, ask away niece the time for mummery is long gone."
"Why didn't you tell me on the boat?"
"Things happen for a reason, these priests, R'hllor, I know more of him than you. I've met some of them who seek to use people for their own gain, I needed them to be unaware of me, which meant you needed to be unaware of me."
"You think I'd have told them?" she asked confused.
"I think it's not only in the fires they discern things Daenerys, they pick up on what we feel, as it was in that room the person you cared most for was Sandor, to them, to you, I was the lesser of the three."
"You worried if I knew you were my kin that I'd care more for you?"
"I worried they'd pick up on it yes. I am known to them as Quaithe, why would Princess Daenerys Stormborn think of me as more than just a friend."
"Why did you reveal yourself?"
"These priests are playing you true, they serve who we all serve."
"R'hllor?"
"The Prince that was Promised."
"Kinvara spoke of him, who is he?"
"Our kin."
"There are more of us, what you said, we're not alone, you know of more of us?"
"I know of the prince, I've always known of the prince, it's why I came here, why I left my home, why I abandoned my love."
"Bloodraven?" Dany asked and Shiera smiled.
"Many times did Brynden ask me to be his and many times I wished to say yes, but we looked into the void Daenerys, we sailed too close to the darkness and what we saw changed us both."
"How?"
"Brynden saw the fall of our house and it made him determined to stop it no matter the cost, it forced him to fight our brothers, to do terrible things, to become a kinslayer. I too saw the fall of our house, but I also saw why it must fall, why it needed to be burned to ash."
"Why?"
"So he could rise from those ashes. The world is darkness and light, two brothers ever fighting for control, each time light prevails and darkness retreats to the shadows, but there cannot be one without the other, cannot be light without dark and so the battle can never be won."
"Then why fight?"
"To ensure it is not lost. For thousands of years the war has been fought, each time the darkness is pushed back, each time the light prevails. Yet each time the darkness returns and a hero rises, the Last Hero, Azor Ahai, Hyrkoon the Hero, Yin Tar, Neferion, and Eldric Shadowchaser. Many times darkness has been beaten back, many times it's returned."
"So the Prince that was Promised he's the hero for now?" Dany asked and Shiera smiled.
"No little one, he's the hero eternal, the one to end to the cycle, the one to Bring the Dawn. Darkness is cold princess, Light is warm, Ice and Fire, Fire and Ice and to end this never-ending battle it takes a child of both."
"I don't understand?"
"Come, we must go to the priestess you and I, she will give you answers even I cannot."
Dany followed Shiera down through the corridors trying to make sense of what she said, trying to understand what it was she was suggesting, battles fought over millennia, never-ending and never truly being won. It didn't make sense to her, Why? Why fight if there is no real winner? What was the point?.
Reaching the room with the braziers she found Kinvara there waiting for them almost as if she knew they were coming.
"You have told her the tales?" Kinvara asked.
"I have told her my part, it is time for you to tell yours." Shiera said.
"What know you of your brother princess, of Rhaegar?"
"I know he was a great man, I know he was killed by the usurper and it led to the fall of our house."
"The truth about your brother is a tale only the prince will know, but his fall was necessary as was the fall of your house. His role was to bring the prince into this world, it was never to see him rise, never to see him fulfill his destiny, he was to write the song, never to sing it."
"The song?"
"A sad song of a man who fell in love with a woman promised to another, a tragic love never to last, a marriage doomed to lead to death and a prince raised unknown, this was the song your brother wrote, would you like to know what it sounds like when sung?"
"I would." she said eagerly.
"You have a nephew, a prince, a king, he is Azor Ahai reborn, The Prince that was Promised, he has birthed dragons from stone and even as we speak is readying to take back that which was taken from his father, from you brother."
"Aegon died." she said and Kinvara and Shiera nodded.
"He did, but it is not he that I speak of." Kinvara said.
"Then who?"
"Jaehaerys Targaryen your nephew. It is almost time princess, soon he will take back the throne and then he will move against the darkness, he will need all of our help for this battle will be the last battle, the great war is coming princess where will you stand when it comes?"
"I stand with my family." she said determinedly and both Kinvara and Shiera smiled at her.
"Then let me tell you of The Song of Ice and Fire." Kinvara said.