Highgarden 295 AC.
Marwyn.
The boy was nothing like his father, true he had only met Rhaegar briefly but even then it was clear there was a sadness in the prince, something that he didn't see in the boy before him. Once they'd been fed and warmed up Oberyn had seen to having rooms readied for them and after changing he was brought back to Jon Snow's room. He found the boy sitting by the bed, the large Direwolf laying on the floor and he looked on in amazement.
"Remarkable thing to see my prince."
"Call me Jon please, there are far too many people here who'd enjoy finding out who I really am." the boy said smirking at Oberyn when he took his seat.
"Jon, how much do you know of what Prince Oberyn and Lord Tyrion had me do in the Citadel."
"I know of your work Maester."
"Good." he said handing him the list which the boy looked at before handing it to Oberyn.
"This is all of them?" Oberyn asked.
"It is." he said and watched as Oberyn looked to Jon and nodded.
"Otar and Kates?" Jon asked.
"Brightwater Keep and Yronwood, Jon." and he noticed the look on Oberyn's face as he realized what that would mean, but it was Jon who was quicker.
"So not just the Lord Paramounts but also their strongest bannermen too."
"Indeed, it would seem my former brothers wished to ensure they decided who ran the realm, that should they be unable to control the fate of a house directly then they'd use their bannermen to do so."
"They poisoned Yronwood." Oberyn said and Jon looked to him.
"I thought that was you uncle?"
"Ha, as if I would need to resort to such a thing, Lord Edgar was a fool Jon but not enough to kill him, not for a night with a woman who was not your aunt." Oberyn said and Jon chuckled.
"Then why not explain it?" Jon asked.
"I am the Red Viper of Dorne, a legend in my own lifetime, the damage was done nephew, the insult already blamed upon me. At that point, my exile and Yronwood's slight were already known, so I accepted it and the name." Oberyn said with a bow that had Jon laughing again.
"But this was an attempt for what, to force a war between you, why? What did it benefit them then?" Jon asked when he stopped laughing.
"Nothing then Jon, but perhaps, later on, the bad blood remains and where there is bad blood…" he said before Oberyn interrupted him.
"There is someone seeking vengeance." Oberyn said.
"So Otar did this, what of Kates, why hasn't he done anything?" Jon said before he shook his head and looked at Oberyn rather than him "Can a woman be ehmm, can she be….is it possible to make a woman wish to couple?" Jon said and Oberyn and he both chuckled at the boy's sudden blush.
"I know of many ways nephew, maybe we can talk later." Oberyn said and wiggled his eyebrow making the boy blush some more.
"I mean by giving her something, if one was to give someone something to a woman, would it make her more… agreeable?"
"There are things yes, potions I know of that are available in some houses of ill repute. I'm sure the Maester may know of even more than I, but why do you ask nephew?"
"Delena Florent." Jon said and even he gasped at that.
"Why would they wish the king to have a bastard?" Oberyn asked.
"Because he has no children with the queen, uncle."
He found himself stunned, not at the audacity of the plan itself but that this boy had managed to figure it out. Should they have ever needed to do anything about the king's children, ever needed to out them for their own ends then it would put the Baratheon reign in a precarious position. With the Targaryen children having survived, would the realm have accepted Stannis or Renly or would they have reached out to the Dragon's once more?.
A bastard as an heir would also not be accepted, but a bastard born of a noble lady, a bastard the king had been forced to acknowledge, with the right moves then House Florent could have found themselves in a very interesting position. Even if it was never needed it was yet one more arrow they had to fire should the need arise, and he found himself thinking on Theobold in a different light than he once had, the man it seems was cleverer than he'd given him credit for.
"What do you intend to do with my brothers?" he asked curiously.
"Kill them Maester, what else." Jon said and the way he said it without emotion or doubt for a moment had him sweating.
"My prince I…"
"You know what these men have cost me, what they have cost people I care about." Jon said looking to Oberyn "How they've sat in the shadows and made decisions which have robbed me of my family, for why? Because they fear magic, it's not magic they should fear Marwyn."
"No?"
"No, they should fear retribution." he said and while uncomfortable he nodded his head agreeing with the boy.
"Tell me about your talks with my father?" Jon asked then and he was glad of the change of subject.
"Many years ago your father wrote to me searching for what he could find on dragon eggs, on the prophecies of the Prince that was Promised, on the untold history of your family, and of Summerhall."
"I know of Summerhall, I know what they did, it was them was it not?" Jon said and he nodded.
"I believe so, there is a woman, an old woman, she came to me many years ago and then again but a few, her name is Mya, Mya Rivers and her father was…"
"Aegon the Unworthy." Jon said surprising both him and Oberyn.
"You know of her?" he asked.
"I met her sister and her brother, though only one in this world physically." Jon said and he looked at the boy even more curiously now.
"Physically?"
"What do you know of wargs and greenseers, of dragon dreams?" Jon asked and he almost ran to the boy to touch him and make sure he was real.
"You know of these things?"
"I am these things Maester."
He sat down as Jon told him of things he had only read about, things he couldn't fully understand how he was able to do. He looked on when the boy warged into the white wolf, when the wolf licked his hand and shook his head to the questions and nodded when appropriate, and then just when he thought he had seen it all, Jon showed him the Glass Candles.
"I'm not strong enough to use them fully yet, magically or physically and I think the magic needs to be restored if you use them too much, but I have seen the past, the present, and I know someone who's seen the future." Jon said taking the Glass Candle out and placing it on the table along with three others.
"You can light them?" he asked eagerly and watched as Jon picked the black one up and then one by one lit the others in order.
He looked on as they saw a silver-haired girl stand with a beautiful woman and a man with a scarred face, fires burning in the background. As he saw children playing in the orchard outside chasing after wolves. He saw sparring and men preparing for the tourney and a young blond girl laughing as she and a young blond boy looked on. He saw Mya on a small hill sitting by a fire looking younger than he had seen her, before she changed to an older woman in front of his eyes. Then there was nothing and both he and Oberyn looked to Jon.
"That was now, I dare not look into the past just yet, dare not try to see what I wish to most of all."
"Your mother?" Oberyn asked.
"My family." Jon said.
"That woman at the end, that was Mya Rivers, but you say this was now?"
"Is was."
"She couldn't have made it there by now, she was in Oldtown even after I left." he said and Jon looked at him.
"Tell me what she told you? All of it?."
He was tired by the time he went back to his room, even though the night was just falling he was tired, he had talked for what felt like hours, told Jon and Oberyn things he'd not told anyone before and had been surprised the boy seemed unphased by any of it. He just listened and accepted and he found him to be perplexing, interesting but perplexing and he knew he needed to learn more about the prince.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Ned.
Robert had caught him unawares, he'd been so focussed on Sansa that he'd not thought he'd have asked him about another of his children. Given how the prince had behaved at the feast and then in the gardens, he'd been both appalled and relieved that it would allow him to deny the betrothal without an argument. Not that he wasn't ready for one, using Sansa's age, Cat's overstepping of bounds, and even what he'd been told about the boy as his excuse, he'd been ready.
Then he'd been completely blindsided and he didn't know what to do about it, how would this make Jon feel? Would he think him betraying him? Going against his wishes? Would he think him in league with Robert still? He was walking to his nephew's rooms to explain it to him when he saw his old friend walking towards him and he knew he'd need to speak to him now.
"Howland, I was going to speak to Jon, but maybe we could talk?"
"I'd like that besides it seems he's busy anyway." Howland said and they walked back towards his own room.
"I'm surprised to see you at a tourney Howland."
"You're one to talk Ned." Howland said with a chuckle.
"I thought it a good chance to see my family again, Sansa being fostered here, and knowing that Jon would come, then finding out that Robb was here too I was even more glad for it."
"Aye, Jojen and Meera wished to come to see Jon and Loras again and I don't know something made me wish to come, something is in the air Ned, it feels, it feels like…"
"Harrenhal." he said softly.
"Aye, but right, as if this was how it should have been." Howland said when they reached his room.
Taking his seat he waited expecting to hear Howland raise up how he'd not lived up to his sister's promise, but his old friend just sat there looking at him before he finally spoke.
"I was furious at you for the longest time you know that, so long in fact that I almost forgot that we were close once." Howland said.
"I know."
"Why?"
"I thought it was for Jon, really I did. I thought it was him I was protecting, I never saw it Howland, Cat, I never saw it, had Jaime Lannister of all people not come, god's I don't know." he said shaking his head "Look at him, at what he's done, for himself, for his family, for the North. I almost… I wished for him to go join the Watch, thought it a noble calling, an honorable life, I was a fool."
"And now?" Howland asked.
"A lesser one." he said and they both chuckled.
"He's the best of both of them Ned, but he needs us, in the years to come he'll need us, have you talked with him, properly, of the things he's done, the things he's learned?"
"What things?"
"Speak to him, just the two of you, show him you're his uncle, and that you'll always be there for him."
"Is that the real reason you came?" he asked.
"I came to see my king." Howland said smiling.
"Our king." he said and Howland nodded.
They spoke a bit on their children and he remarked how Jojen seemed almost a different lad than he had been at Winterfell, something his old friend seemed most pleased about. When he told him of Robert and the betrothal it was strange his reaction far different than he'd expected. Even later as he walked to meet with Wyman before the feast that night he couldn't get his head around it, why would Jon be pleased he'd agreed to this?.
"Lord Stark." one of Wyman's men said when he reached his door.
"Is Lord Wyman inside?"
"He is my lord." the man said knocking and he walked in to find Wyman and Wylis sitting at a small table.
"Ned." Wyman said moving to stand up and he held his hand up and took a seat himself.
"Wyman, Wylis."
"I'm surprised to see you here Ned, though I know young Robb was most pleased when he found out you'd come." Wyman said.
"Aye, it's been good to see him. I want to thank you Wyman, you too Wylis he can't speak highly enough of his time in White Harbor and of you both, Wendel and the girls too."
"We're more than happy to have him Lord Stark, he's a good lad." Wylis said and he nodded his agreement.
"At dinner the other night he brought something up to me, something that I'd like to discuss with you both."
"Aye, have you eaten, drank Ned?" Wyman asked.
"I'll not say no to an ale, has the ice made it this far south?" he asked pleased when Wylis poured him some ale into a mug filled with ice "God's if Robert ever sees this we'll be hearing him shout about his hurt head for most of the night." he said chuckling which both men joined in with.
"So what is it you wished to discuss Ned?"
"A match, between Robb and Wynafred, Wyman?"
"They get along well and I'd be most pleased by it, son what say you?" Wyman asked turning to Wylis.
"I'd be more than happy to have Robb as a goodson and Wynafred and he seem more than happy together, so aye, I'm for it."
"We can iron out the details later, but for now we're agreed?" he asked and both Wyman and Wylis nodded "Then I'm most pleased Wyman, most pleased indeed."
"As am I Ned." Wyman said proudly.
"I wanted to speak to you on some other matters also, roads for one." Ned said.
"You saw them too?" Wyman said and he nodded "We need to do work on our own Ned, I'll put some coin on the table, I'm sure we can get the others to see the benefits also, quicker trade is good."
"It is" before he had a chance to speak on anything else though there was a knock on the door and he was surprised to see Ser Garlan enter the young knight seeming to be even more surprised to see him there.
"Lord Stark, Lord Wyman, Ser Wylis."
"Ser Garlan."
"I came with a note from my grandmother for you Lord Wyman, perhaps you can share it with Lord Stark too?" Garlan said handing Wyman the note which he read before speaking.
"Tomorrow evening, someone will come for us aye?"
"Aye, they will, before the feast my lord."
"Then tell your grandmother we'll attend."
"I will, the note my lord?" Ser Garlan asked holding out his hand and he watched as Wyman handed it back to the knight who walked and threw it into the open fire "My lords." he said then as he left.
He waited until the knight had left the room and turned to Wyman who was smiling and he looked to him for an explanation.
"We're being summoned to a meeting, it seems this tourney just like Harrenhal has an ulterior motive Ned, the king wishes to speak to us all."
"Is that not a risk?"
"Lady Olenna says the king will ensure it is not."
"I don't know Wyman with Robert here, his men, is this not just asking for trouble?"
"I have faith that Jon knows what he's doing Ned, whatever it is we need to discuss it has to be important." Wyman said and he nodded.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Sansa.
After the actions of the Kingsguard against Lord Gerion and knowing that it was Jon that had warged into one of Willas's hawks, she had wished to speak to her brother. But the melee, then the rain and then Jon's own disappearance had meant that she could not. When they arrived back at Highgarden she had found herself, Meera, Mira Forrester, Arya, and Lyanna Mormont all in the company of Lady Jonelle while the rain fell outside.
She still wasn't completely sure what to make of the woman, while it seemed as if she was nice enough, she worried she was trying to take her mother's place, that she was trying to be Lady of Winterfell, and yet she wondered if that was really what she was doing. She seemed nice enough and so she resolved to get to know her better, to spend some time with her and it seems the weather wished it to be so too.
"Now I know you three won't' care for sowing." Lady Jonelle said to giggles from Arya and Lyanna "So instead I want you all to study up on the houses of the North, Lady Meera perhaps you can instruct these two in that." Jonelle said handing Meera a book.
"What of us?" Mira asked.
"Well, I think two fine northern ladies fostering in the south may appreciate embroidery more, am I right?" Jonelle asked smiling and both she and Mira nodded their approval.
While she'd already gotten Margaery her present, she still enjoyed to sew, and given she now had a new cousin she decided to make him a handkerchief, one with a black wolf in the center of it she felt would be appropriate. While Mira worked silently, Lady Jonelle sat beside her, and soon she found herself talking on things with her.
"You're close to your wolf Lady Sansa, more so than even Arya or Bran."
"I am, Jon gave us them and he's helped me a lot with Fang." she said and wondered how Lady Jonelle would speak on her brother."
"Your brother?" she asked and Sansa smiled.
"Aye, have you met him, he's the one with the white wolf, Ghost."
"I met him briefly a few years ago, he and Lord Jaime stopped along with the king when he was heading to the West, he's done quite well for himself, your father is most proud of him, your sister too."
"As am I." she said almost defensively.
"I can see that and rightfully so too, the Direwolf isn't just a sigil of your house Lady Sansa, it's a gift from the old gods, have you noticed Ghost's coloring?"
"He's white with red eyes."
"Aye, the same as the Weirwoods, your brother like you all has been blessed by the old gods, I'm happy to see you are all so close."
She found after that she listened more attentively to the things Lady Jonelle spoke of, tales of the Children of the Forest and the Old Gods, and she was almost jealous that Arya and Bran got to hear them all the time. Had she not been so happy in her fostering she thought she'd have liked to be taught by Lady Jonelle, far better than what Septa Mordane taught her anyway.
When the rain stopped she had almost wished to not go outside, but Elle as she had by then asked her to call her had insisted, saying the wolves wished to see their familiars. She stopped before she went outside though to thank the woman, finding she could see what it was that Arya and Bran liked about her much more clearly now.
"Thank you for today Elle." she said and she was graced with a pretty smile.
"It was good to spend some time with you Lady Sansa, I enjoyed it myself."
"Maybe we could speak some more while you're here?" she asked and Elle nodded.
"I'd like that Lady Sansa."
"Sansa, Elle, please call me Sansa."
"Sansa." Elle said and Sansa found herself walking happily to join the others later on.
The atmosphere at the feast that night was much different than it had been at the others, the king seemed in a good mood and so did some of those there, but apart from the table she was at it seemed to be almost forced. She however was happy that Margaery was sitting with them and not at the High Table, her place up there taken by Garlan and Leonette and she could see how pleased Jon was to have her at their table also.
Her brother was laughing with Joy, Cregan, Arya, and Meera, yet she caught him every few moments look to Margaery and smile, her friend blushing as she smiled back. Robb was busy talking to Wynafred and that left her to talk to Wylla and Margaery, while Loras, Jojen, and Brienne discussed the girl's showing in the melee.
"He looks like he's swallowed something horrible." Wylla said quietly and neither she nor Margaery needed to look to see who she was talking off.
"He does, good." Margaery said and all three of them broke out laughing.
They were giggling among themselves when all of a sudden they saw the man being brought in, the whole room quieting down as Ser Boros Blount was led in by two of his brothers. She and Margaery looked to the High Table and she saw the panicked look on the prince's face and she knew then it had been him who had told the knight to do it, he who had sent the knight to attack Lord Gerion from behind.
As she turned to Jon she saw that both Margaery and he were also looking at the prince and their expressions showed they knew so too. The king coughed loudly before standing and she was surprised to see the man looked sober, something he hadn't been much since he'd arrived here.
"My lords, my ladies, Lord Gerion." the King began as he looked to Gerion "What happened today shamed me, it shamed the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan if you will."
All eyes in the room were on Ser Barristan as he tore the white cloak off the man who trembled in the center of the room. Folding it up he handed it to one of the other Kingsguard's and nodded to the king.
"You have dishonored yourself Boros Blount, you are no longer a Kingsguard and I hereby sentence you to serve your time at the wall, may you find the honor there that you sorely lacked here today."
"I.."
"Ser Barristan remove this man, see to it that he departs this night for the wall, be gone, and let it be known that we will not stand for dishonor as long as I am king."
Sansa looked around the room and saw some surprised looks, Lady Olenna seemed genuinely shocked by what she'd seen and it was only when she saw the smirking man with the mustache nod at her that she wondered why did he seem so happy. Jon walked her to her room later that night and she said it to him, saying how she found it most strange.
"He's an odd fellow, I don't trust him." she said.
"Why not?"
"The wolves, what you said about them, Fang, Ghost didn't like him, is it, am I wrong to think so?" she asked confused.
"No, I told you to trust them, to keep Fang close. I don't trust him either, but see how she reacts should you find yourself near the man again."
"I will, good night Jon." she said hugging her brother.
"Good night little sister, don't forget the race is early in the morning."
"Are you competing?" she asked excitedly.
"I am, maybe you'll make some coin." he said and she giggled as she entered her room, maybe she would.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Jaime.
His wife had been exuberant in her celebration that night, so much so that he was glad he wasn't competing today. He had woken up early, eager to get a start on the day, and to have a morning spar and given how stiff his muscles were he needed to work them out, far differently than he had the previous night. As he groaned when putting on his boots he heard his wife's laughter in the background.
"I fought in the melee, took a knock from more than one opponent and went head to head with the Strongboar and yet you're the one who moves like he was in a fight, was I too hard on you my love?" she said her smile annoying at this hour in the morning.
"Maybe I'm getting old." he said and she laughed some more then.
"Maybe you should come back to bed, I could rub it better for you."
"It is fine, it's the rest of me that's old." he said to more laughs.
"What hour is the race at?"
"Early, before lunch and then the early rounds of the joust."
"You riding today?"
"No thank the gods." he said and she smirked as she walked to the crib checking to make sure their daughter was still asleep which she was.
"Are you sure you wish to spar?" she asked a little more seriously as she walked over to him.
"Aye, I think I slept badly, the spar will loosen me up."
"But I like it when you're tight and coiled and ready to pounce my lion" she said her hands reaching around to grab his arse.
"Don't I know it." he said kissing her before he turned to walk from the room.
He found Jon waiting when he got there, something which had surprised him in their morning spars was that while Jon would accept pointers from Arthur and would spar with him, he would only ever do so at his direction. Almost as if this was their time and he'd not sully it by using it with someone else without his approval, he found he liked that, it made it clear Jon valued it as much as he did.
"You look tired my lord."
"I didn't get enough sleep last night." he said and Jon chuckled "Don't you start I got enough of that from my wife.
"I'm sure you did." Jon said and try as he might the little sod was too fast as he ducked out of the way of the slap he aimed at him.
The spar began then and he found himself smiling as he loosened up, laughing soon at the barbs Jon was throwing his way. Even enjoying the little creases he was able to put in Jon's forehead when mentioning his own upcoming marriage, years away though it was. By the time he'd beaten him they were both breathing a little heavy and laughing as Arthur shook his head as he carried the water to them.
"You two are like children." Arthur said handing them the water and chuckling as he sat down.
"Sometimes its good to be a child Arthur." he said and Jon nodded.
"We have enough serous stuff to deal with later. Marwyn arrived yesterday, he has the rest of the names." Jon said and he looked to him surprised he'd not called him about the Maester.
"Why didn't you come for me?"
"I thought you and Dacey could spend some time together and what he had to say wasn't leading to anything happening without speaking to you, so there was no need to disturb you."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Aye, he spoke of Summerhall." Jon said and Arthur turned his head to look at them both.
"What did he say?"
"That the egg came from there, my father found it there among the rubble and that I need to speak to the woman who sent him there."
"It was no woman, Rhaegar got a letter from your uncle at the wall." Arthur said.
"Who got it from Marwyn who got it from Mya Rivers." Jon said and he found himself shaking his head trying to keep up with things.
"Who?"
"Mya Rivers, the Ghost of High Heart, Aegon the unlikely's bastard daughter and Walder's great great aunt some times removed." Jon said and Jaime looked and finally noticed the large man was not with them, though he'd assumed he'd been given the day off because of the melee.
"I don't understand this."
"My family has been steered in directions by many people my lord and for many reasons, be it the Maesters and their fears of magic, be it the gods themselves or people thinking them acting out their will. For nearly three hundred years someone, some presence has been pushing the Targaryen's down a specific path. From the moment they left Valyria my family's been at the whims of gods or monsters. "
"Why?" Arthur asked.
"So the prince that can promised can bring the dawn." Jon said.
"Jon?"
"Aegon the unworthy, Aegon the unlikely, Jaehaerys, Aerys, Rhaegar, what does that lead to Jaime, Arthur?"
"I don't know."
"Me, that's what it leads to." Jon said and he laughed "I know, I can see how both of you are looking at me and how crazy I sound right now, how mad this seems, I didn't see it at first, it was talking with Rhaenys that made it clear."
"Brynden Rivers, Mya Rivers, Gwenys Rivers, three bastard children of Aegon the unworthy and Melissa Blackwood, three children who possessed certain gifts, certain talents, three who'd play their part. Who was Jaehaerys's mother Arthur?"
"Betha Blackwood." Arthur said.
"Targaryen's and Blackwoods linked for how many generations? What do you know of Summerhall?"
"Jon?"
"Rhaenys showed me Summerhall, I saw a dragon fly, it circled and circled but didn't stay and then a dragon was born, but it was not the right dragon. Who was born in Summerhall Arthur?"
"Your father."
"Aye and then he found the egg which became my sister there. I don't see it all yet, I can't see it clearly, but the Blackwoods, the Ghost of High Heart, Summerhall, it's all connected, I just don't know how or why. There's something missing and I need to go to High Heart and Summerhall to find it and then to Dragonstone."
"Jon, you can't Summerhall and High Heart yes, but Dragonstone, you can't go there. Stannis, even offering him a trade deal I can't see why he'd wish you there."
"Don't worry my lord, when I go he'll not be able to stop me."
"Jon?"
"It's almost time for my sister to fly."
He found himself not hungry when he got back to the keep, his appetite was gone both from the strangeness of the talk with Jon and by the knowledge that they'd be meeting later that night to discuss the future. Both he and Arthur suggested Jon not speak on what they'd discussed and he agreed for now, though he said he'd be speaking to Margaery on it and Jaime knew he couldn't stop that.
By the time it came for the race to start he had tried to get the memory of the morning out of his mind, tried to focus on enjoying the race itself. Seeing the competitors lined up he found himself smirking, at least he could enjoy watching Jon ride Winter and make some coin along the way he thought, and briefly at least found his mind clear.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Margaery.
She sat with her family as the race got ready to begin, Willas was almost as excited as she was, her brother had a number of his horses in this race, one he'd gifted Renly Baratheon that the Lord was riding. But for Margaery, there was only one rider she was looking at, one horse, and as she looked down at Jon she thought him to look so very small compared to some of the other competitors.
But she found herself almost breathless when he stood up in the stirrups, when the wind caught his hair and when his jacket opened and she saw it tied to his belt. She had hoped he'd come and ask her for a favor, ask for something to give him luck and as she saw it wave in the air she knew now why he had not. The ribbon blew and when he looked up she could see that while he was making it look as if he was not looking at her, he was showing her that he carried her favor always.
"Your Graces, my lords, and ladies, we are about to enjoy a display of horsemanship, a race around Highgarden itself with the prize of one thousand gold dragons and a horse of the winner's choosing courtesy of Lord Willas Tyrell. Among the competitors in this race are Lord Renly Baratheon, the king's own brother. Prince Oberyn Martell, Ser Baelor Hightower, Lord Mathis Rowan, Lord Patrek Mallister,.." she found herself drifting off as the Herald must have read every single name and could see the king become agitated as he drank yet another mug filled with wine.
"Get on with it." the king shouted to laughs and then the herald nodded and she and everyone else looked down to see the two men raise the flags and then it began.
She looked on eagerly as the horses began to run, trying and failing to see Jon amongst the now grouped together competitors. Looking on as they finally disappeared from her sight she laughed to herself when she realized they were all essentially sitting there looking at nothing. Something which created an uncomfortable silence and soon had her father speaking to one of the servants hurriedly, and then after a few moments, they were entertained by the worst fools ever.
"Father should have listened to me." Loras said from beside her.
"Why?"
"I told him the way he should have done this, this wasn't it."
"Then how?" she asked curiously as one of the fools tripped the other to stifled laughs.
"When we were in the North, Jon and Lord Jaime had a race, they raced to a set of trees a half-mile away and turned around them before racing back. We could see them race off in the distance and then when they turned they were coming towards us, but all the way we see them ride." Loras said and she had to admit it sounded far better than this.
Time seemed to stretch on, the fools had already out served any benefit of having them out there and the crowd was bored and beginning to get very impatient. The king even more so, and she thought he was about to say something when she heard someone shout.
"They're coming."
She like the rest of the crowd turned to see the dust in the distance, she could make out horses but couldn't see who it was and she closed her eyes praying Jon was safe, that he'd not fallen or had an accident, something Loras must have picked up on.
"You've no need to worry sis, Jon is the best horseman out there, he and Winter are unbeatable."
"Did you bet on him?" she asked and her brother laughed.
"Of course I did.
She was smiling when she heard it, Joy's excited yell of Jon's name focussing her attention more clearly on the race.
Winter wasn't just winning, she was so far ahead it was as if the other horses weren't moving. They dust she had seen earlier was from those who were chasing, those who were running their own race because as the Starks began to cheer, as Joy and the Lannisters began to cheer, she too rose to her feet to cheer for Jon. As he crossed the finish line she saw the smile on his face and the favor on his belt and found herself smiling just as broadly as he was.
"I told you." Loras said and then she heard the king.
"Ned, did you see that, by the gods I've not seen anyone ride as your boy does."
"Aye, a well earned win your grace." Ned Stark said smiling proudly.
She wanted nothing more than to go to him and help him celebrate and looked on jealously as Sansa, her siblings, and Joy and Cregan did so. She was glad Loras stayed with her and by the time the last competitor had finished Jon was standing in front of the stands taking the plaudits, something he seemed embarrassed about. They had a break for lunch before the first of the jousts began, and she managed to sneak off to meet with him, finding him in the secluded garden.
"You were amazing." she said hugging him tightly.
"My lady's favor is as lucky as ever it seems." he said and she blushed as he held it in his hand.
"I had thought to give you another." she said and he smiled.
"This one is special." he said and she looked at him, her eyes focussing on his lips as he spoke, the lips she'd kissed and would like to kiss once again "Your grandmother wishes me to speak to your mother." Jon said and her eyes looked to his.
"Why?"
"I believe she wishes me to tell her of us, I think she may know already." he said and she felt both panicked and eager to speak to her mother also.
"Should we go together?" she asked and felt disappointed when he shook his head.
"I think your grandmother wishes for your mother to get the measure of me, to see if she approves or not, if we both go she may not speak so freely."
"My mother likes you, she will approve." she said determinedly and he smiled.
"I will make it my mission to see she does my lady." he bowed and she slapped him on the shoulder.
"Jon." she said giggling.
"Margaery." he said joining her.
She felt his hand take hers and pull her close and he leaned forward, her eyes closing as she felt his lips on hers, she could feel his breathing was as shaky as her own and the kiss seemed to last forever, both of them breathless when it ended.
"Forgive me." he said blushing.
"Only if you promise to do that again."
"I promise to do so often Just Margaery." he said and she kissed him herself this time.
"Then I shall hold you to your promise Just Jon."
He walked her back to the keep, close to her but nothing that wouldn't seem like two people who'd just met and happened to be walking in the same direction. She walked to her rooms while Jon headed to speak to her mother before the jousts began. She was walking down the corridor when she saw him, smelt him actually, the mint lingering in the air proving he'd been there for some time.
"Lady Margaery I'm so glad I bumped into you." Lord Baelish said and she smiled and schooled her features knowing this wasn't just a chance encounter.
"It's good to see you Lord Baelish, is there something I can help you with?"
"I come carrying some correspondence my lady, our prince feels terrible about how he's behaved and is rightfully full of apology and remorse."
"As any prince would be my lord." she said as he handed her the letter.
"Of course, but perhaps after reading what Prince Joffrey has to say you'll see it in your way to see his actions in a different light?." the lord said his grinning face beginning to annoy her.
"What light could threatening a girl with a knife be seen other than an unfavorable one my lord, let alone the insult to myself?."
"His grace was under a tremendous amount of worry my lady, seeing those wolves so close to your person, the fear of the possibilities caused an overreaction that has been misconstrued."
"And calling me a lying bitch my lord, is that to be blamed on the wolves too?"
"It is not my lady, however, I'm sure the prince's apology is genuine, and no doubt the influence of a fine lady such as yourself can only serve to ensure such events never happen again."
"I thank you, my lord, I shall, of course, give his grace's letter every consideration it deserves."
"I ask no more my lady, a fine race was it not?" he said smirking even more now.
"It was indeed my lord, a worthy victor."
"Indeed, a most talented man is young Jon Snow, most talented, not content with opening mines and building ships it seems even horsemanship is something he excels at."
"Some people excel my lord, others do not."
"Truer words have not been spoken my lady, I shall leave you to ready yourself for the joust, perhaps we'll see the young man excel there. Though really a boy of his age shouldn't compete, one never knows what may happen." Lord Baelish said and she found herself rushing to her room.
Once inside she threw the letter on her desk and found her breathing coming short, she sat down and began to feel faint, feel the tears in her eyes, her worry overcoming her. She reached for some water and knocked the mug with her hand, watching as it fell to the ground and smashed, her guard quickly running into the room at the sound.
"My lady are you well?"
"My grandmother, please fetch my grandmother, I am well, but please ask her to come." she said and the guard nodded as she tried to catch her breath.
She grabbed another mug and filled it and then drank it down so quickly she felt it drip down her chin onto her dress, one thought in her head overriding all others.
"Willas." she said softly.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Alerie.
She had been asked to host a tea, a tea she more than wished to attend, her goodmother, her sister, Prince Oberyn's paramour, Lady Dacey,, and her mother and Lady Genna. Knowing that all of them knew of Jon Snow's true name making her even more excited for it, even more, eager this day to hurry along.
The horse race was not as exciting as she'd have wished for and she couldn't but agree that Mace should have listened to their sons, both Garlan and Willas had said it would be so, and Loras had even suggested a different route. The idea of the race around Highgarden though too good for her husband to see past, in the end, they'd sat and waited, and only for the fact that Jon had won it would have been a pointless exercise.
Of the first six horses, four had been bred by Willas including Jon's horse Winter, and when Mace had heard that he had soon been speaking up their son's achievements. She had cried off the public lunch after the race feeling the need to get changed and as she finished and was heading back, Pala knocked to tell her she had a visitor, that Jon had come to see her.
"Send him in Pala." she said and took a seat while she waited.
"My lady forgive me, I didn't wish to intrude." Jon said and she wondered where the white wolf was.
"Your friend not with you Jon?" she said with a soft smile.
"Ghost is with his siblings my lady, having them all here they are most eager to spend time together before they part, and it's safer having them in numbers."
"Safer?"
"Given what happened with the prince I worry someone may wish to gain favor by harming one of them." he said shocking her.
"What did you wish to speak to me of Jon?"
"I think we know that's not my name my lady."
"Indeed."
"I ask your forgiveness, my lady, in not telling you I meant no disrespect or slight. I just, I wasn't sure who I should and should not tell and I feel now I erred in not telling you sooner." he said and she was surprised by how chided he sounded.
"I understand Jon, you prefer Jon?"
"I think it's best, for now, my lady."
"I understand Jon, I'm not one who cares for politics. I understand it's needed and my goodmother revels in playing this game of thrones, I do not. I wish for only one thing, do you know what that is Jon?"
"For your children to be happy." he said and she smiled.
"Indeed, my Loras thinks very highly of you as does my Margaery, I believe you feel the same do you not?"
"Loras is my best friend my lady, he is someone I trust, someone I would do anything to protect."
"And Margaery."
"I..I..wish her to be my wife my lady, to be my queen."
"Olenna has told me such, and were I to refuse my permission?" she asked curiously.
"My feelings for Margaery are true my lady, I would not seek another, but I would not wish to go against her family's wishes either. While I would want the choice to be hers alone, this is not the world we live in, should I not have your approval then I would be forced to accept it."
"You give up much to easily Jon Snow." she said chuckling.
"I never said I'd give up my lady, only that I'd be forced to accept it. I would do everything in my power to show you that your refusal was a mistake, that my feelings, that Margaery's feelings are what's most important."
"I wish my daughter to be happy Jon, can you promise me that?"
"I promise that I'll never dishonor her, nor disrespect her, nor love another my lady, for me there is just Margaery."
"As for her there is Just Jon." she said laughing.
"You know of that?" he said blushing.
"I am a mother Jon, I know of my daughter's heart. I care not for the crown, oh I can see why Robert is a bad king and why his son would be a terrible one, but I care not for it. My daughter being queen is my husband's dream, my goodmother's, all I wish for is for her life to be happy and I believe you'll make her happy. You have my blessing Jon and my support."
"I thank you, my lady." Jon said his smile beaming.
"Now if you'll escort me I believe we have a joust to attend to."
The joust was the early rounds and it was dull, she found most jousts were, she loved the pageantry, loved the balls and feasts though they could go on, and she particularly looked forward to Margaery's nameday itself. But the joust, the riding down the tilt, the crashing of lances she found not to her taste. She was happy when the day came to an end, eager to get to the tea with the ladies and now even more so after speaking to Jon.
That he had her daughter's affections was clear, it had been clear from King's Landing, clear perhaps from before that as she remembered the presents he sent Margaery and how she reacted to them. That he shared them, felt them too was even more clear to her now, she worried about the fight to come, about war and what it may mean. But what she didn't worry about was Jon, of him she had no doubt, he would be a fine husband for her girl, one she was more than happy to call a goodson one day.
Sitting in the room she watched as they came in, each of them ladies she'd spoken to but briefly, each of them powerful in their own right. As they sat they looked to her and to her goodmother who had joined them and she found herself eager to begin, eager to speak on plans for the future, to speak to ladies who would help to shape the realm.
"Ladies shall we have tea." she said and smiled at the nods.
Highgarden 295 AC.
Jon.
Marwyn had sent his mind in a million directions, the things he said forcing him down into thoughts he wasn't sure were his own. When he'd gone he had lain down on the bed and went looking for her, went searching and was glad he'd not taken her advice, glad he was tired as it was Rhaenys he sought and not Rhaenix. He had found her on the cliffs, she was walking down a rocky staircase towards a cove, the sea out in the bay leaving the sand uncovered.
" You are troubled, little brother." Rhaenys said.
" More than troubled."
" Why?"
" Who are we Rhae?"
" We are dragons, little brother." Rhaenys said smiling and he reached out and took her hand in his, he looked at her, her dark hair, her purple eyes, the woman she would have been, the woman she should have been.
" We are pawns big sister, pawns in a game, it's all we've ever been." he said and she looked at him smiling.
" You've only just realized that?" she said and he laughed.
" There are two games little brother, the game of thrones, and the game of life, both have the same rule."
" You win or you die."
" And you will win little brother, you will win for all of us."
" How can you know this?"
" How can you not?" she said looking at him and he felt her hands on his face "Our family is you Jaehaerys, you're the end of our line, you're the meaning of it all, what it's been leading up to, don't you see that?"
" I don't understand Rhae, I don't understand any of this?"
" Daenys dreamed and we came here, Aegon wished and we conquered, have you ever asked yourself why little brother?"
" No." he said honestly.
" We needed to be here, we needed to unite the seven kingdoms, only a dragon can rule Jae, only a true dragon can Bring the Dawn, you are the prince that was promised, everything that happened has led to you, can't you see?"
" You're saying it's my fault, that I'm the reason, if so then it's not worth it, it's never been worth it." he said shaking his head.
The slap was hard and heavy and his sister's anger clear.
" How dare you, how dare you think so, you are worth it, you're worth it all, everything, anything, you're worth it, don't ever speak like that again, don't ever say that to me again." she said her tears falling.
" Rhae."
" No Jae, whatever it took for you to be in this world it's worth it, whatever the cost, if I knew I'd have gladly paid it. I don't know what it is you're to do, I don't have all the answers, but look at me little brother, you are worth the price, do you hear me? You are worth any price." she said taking him in his arms as he sobbed on her shoulders.
How long he stood there for he wasn't sure, but stand he did and eventually he looked at her and leaned forward to kiss her cheek.
" I love you big sister."
" I love you too little brother." she said hugging him tightly.
It had been still dark when he woke and he had ended up going to the library, he and Ghost and Jors, he had looked and been happy to find the books on his family and he had read them eagerly. It didn't take long to see the pattern, Blackwoods and Targaryen's linked by blood and it would seem by magic too. His line went directly to a Blackwood by blood and he was connected to them magically, to Nan, to Bloodraven, and to Mya Rivers.
Blood and magic, fire and blood, there was more but he couldn't figure it out, Summerhall was the work of the Maesters, but something else had happened there, something different, and he needed to find out what. So he had spoken to Jaime, to Arthur, he had read up more and spoken to Marwyn some more, but still, he couldn't get to it.
He had been tempted to use the Glass Candles, to look at it but it drained him, it tired him, and he had a race to prepare for and so he had done that instead. It was while Warging into Winter, while beating the others he had felt something at the edge of his mind, a presence trying to get in and it had almost cost him the race, his eyes closed as he tried to reach out to it.
" Sing the song young prince."
" What song?"
" Sing the song for me and I'll tell you what I can, my time is near done, sing me the song so I can be happy one last time."
" What song?"
" The song of my daughter, Jenny's song."
Later as he walked to the meeting his mind was in turmoil, Ghost stood at one end of the hall, and Jaime's guards at the other, he had warged into mice and checked the rooms finding Littlefinger laying in his and Robert with a whore in his own. Joffrey was whining to his mother and their guards were busy. As he entered the room he looked around as they stood to their feet.
"Please take your seats." he said.
His uncles and his aunts, Lady Olenna, Lord Jaime and Lady Dacey, Lady Maege, Lord Howland and Lord Wyman, Ser Richard, and Ser Barristan who was wearing a grey cloak which he found amusing. Lady Genna, Lord Gerion and Lord Kevan, and sitting in the corner looking at him worriedly was Margaery and he wished to go her but saw that Loras held her hand.
"Many years ago at a tourney my father wished to depose a bad king. Lord Varys finding out and for his own reasons told my grandfather and the realm suffered because of it. I am here because of that tourney, but there are those who are not, I ask that we bow our heads and remember the fallen, remember those who would have been here, those who should have be here." he said and he bowed his head.
He pictured her dark hair and her smile, his silver hair as he played the harp, he pictured her holding a babe, his silver hair barely showing and he pictured a girl playing with a black cat. Rhaenys may be right but he didn't need to be happy about it, he didn't need to not feel the sadness he felt at them not being here, nor could he ignore the part of him that felt him a bad substitute for them all, for any of them.
"Marwyn has given me the names of the Maester's involved, the ones at the Citadel, and the ones in houses throughout the realm."
"You have all of them your grace?" his uncle Ned asked.
"I do, two have already been dealt with." he said and Lord Wyman looked to him.
"How your grace?"
"They were killed my lord, Caleotte spent years poisoning Prince Doran and Princess Elia amongst his other crimes, Creylen's crimes were even more heinous. As for the others, Lady Genna if you would." he said and smiled when she spoke.
"The Maester's are responsible for so much evil that it's hard to know where to begin, they've fostered hatred between houses, they've steered houses down the path of their choosing regardless of the consequences or cost to that house" she said looking to Ned and then him "But they have spent most of their existence trying to end House Targaryen."
"How?" Lady Maege asked.
"Jon?" Genna asked and he nodded.
"In many different ways, but the worst of them were visited upon Queen Rhaella." Genna said and he interrupted.
"My grandmother had three miscarriages, three stillborn babes and two who died within a year of being born, none of these were natural events." he said and heard the gasps from Maege and his uncle Ned.
"Jon I'm sorry." his uncle said and he nodded.
"I wish I could wait and deal with them, that I could try them and see justice done. I wish that I didn't seek vengeance but my blood calls out for it and even did it not these men are too dangerous to be allowed to live."
"You mean to kill them?" Howland asked.
"I see no other choice, but I bring it to you all. I think this is right, this is just, and this is the safest course of action, is there any here who think me wrong?"
"I don't hold with killing men without a trial." Lord Kevan said "But when I heard what Creylen did, what he cost my family, never have I been so glad a man was already dead. These men didn't just seek to harm the Targaryens, this is not just Jon's vengeance, it is mine too."
"Ned?" Howland said looking to his uncle.
"They killed my mother, let them face the vengeance of the old gods."
"I say aye." Lord Wyman said and one by one they agreed until it got to Olenna.
"How do we do this?" she asked.
"Richard and I have come up with a plan, it'll take some time to put in place but it will work, I give you my word on that my lady." he said and she nodded.
"I don't doubt it your grace."
With the Maesters dealt with it fell to speak to Robert and here he found himself surprised by what his uncle Ned told him.
"He did what?" he asked after his uncle had told them.
"He never offered the betrothal for Sansa, Jon, he instead offered one for Bran and Myrcella." his uncle said shakily and he began to laugh.
"Jon?" Jaime asked.
"How does Robert come up with a better plan than us." he said chuckling.
"Jon?" Gerion asked.
"Lady Genna when we spoke on Myrcella and Tommen you asked me what our plans for them were, at the time we had none, does having her married to my cousin and giving them a keep of their own work for you?"
"You would keep the betrothal?" Ned asked.
"What are your plans for Bran, uncle?"
"He's to be squire to the Blackfish and then I had thought of Moat Cailin or Sea Dragon Point?"
"What about Riverrun?" Gerion asked and all heads turned to him
"My lord?" Jon said.
"House Tully will not keep that land, not given what they've done."
"Lord Gerion." he said angrily and found to his shock it was too late.
"What have they done?" Ned asked.
"Uncle, please not now, not here, I'll speak to you on it in private." he said and his uncle nodded.
"Riverrun your grace?" Lady Genna asked.
"Would that be acceptable?" he asked Jaime.
"As Lord Paramount?" Jaime asked.
"No, I don't think so, we may need to name someone else, even House Tully led by Bran may not be accepted." he said and Jaime nodded.
"We can sort the particulars out later, does it work for you to have Myrcella and Brandon Stark wed?" Lady Olenna said and he was relieved to see that each of the Lannister's seemed happy and his uncle nodded though he could see he was thinking on what Gerion had hinted at.
"Which brings us to Robert and to Joffrey."
"What of Tommen your grace?" Genna asked.
"Ser Barristan if Tommen was to squire do you think it possible you'd be sent to be his Kingsguard?"
"No your grace, it would be Ser Arys or someone else."
"What if the queen insisted upon it?" he said and the knight looked at him.
"Aye I can see that, I'm sure if the queen insisted on it, aye, yes."
"Tommen he's safe for now?" he asked.
"He is your grace?"
"Jon I don't understand?" Jaime said.
"When I'm knighted I'll need a squire will I not?"
He saw the smile on both Jaime's and Genna's face, Kevan and Gerion looked to each other and nodded and he saw Lady Olenna's smirk.
"You think you can get Robert to agree?" Oberyn asked.
"I think if it's presented right we can, and we have time to do so. Which brings us to Prince Joffrey." he said distastefully.
"He may not be as big a problem soon your grace." Ser Richard said.
"Why?" he asked
"My latest whisper tells me that Robert spoke to his brother about fostering him, his brother reluctantly agreed."
"Renly won't help the boy." Jaime said and Richard chuckled.
"His other brother Lord Jaime."
The laughter was heard all around the room at the idea of Joffrey being sent to Dragonstone, Joffrey to be fostered by Stannis Baratheon, even if that didn't straighten him out it at least took him from King's Landing.
"My lords, my ladies, my father planned to hold a Grand Council, to have the realm declare him to be king and to have my grandfather removed. I too would like to do so, but all in this room know that's not to be, Robert, Jon Arryn they will not give up the Throne even if the realm orders them to do so."
"No, so it's to be war then?" Howland said and he nodded.
"It is, my sister is almost ready to allow me to fly with her, soon she and Lygaron will be too big to hide, the whispers too loud even for Ser Richard to hide. I do not know when, but we have time to prepare and prepare we shall. My lords I ask for your support to begin to make ready plans to take back the throne stolen from my family."
"You have mine your grace." Oberyn said.
"You have House Tyrell your grace." Olenna said and Loras and then Margaery smiled at him.
"The North stands with you my king." his uncle Ned said and Howland, Maege, and Wyman nodded.
"The West is yours." Jaime said as did Gerion, Genna, Kevan, and Dacey too.
"We stand with you now and always." Arthur said.
"Now and always." Barristan and Richard said looking at him proudly.
Looking to Margaery he smiled which she returned and he nodded.
"I am humbled my lords, my ladies, I vow to be a better king than the last we've had, I swear to do what I can to make this realm what it should be, to make people's lives better, I swear it on Fire and Blood."