[Chapter Size: 3400 Words.]
Third Person POV.
Winterfell.
...
...
Daemon was seated at the main table after nearly two moons away, taking the opportunity to have lunch at Winterfell, while his presence alone basically left the castle tense.
After he left the dungeon, and all the men had been killed, no one questioned his actions, but they could imagine that they had not met an easy end. He had executed a band of mercenaries, not even bothering to give them a fair trial.
As soon as he came out, he asked for lunch to be prepared for him. Now his eyes were thoughtful as he analyzed the hall while eating his meal.
Eyes turned away from him: the nobles, men who had returned to Stark service, and the free folk were avoiding looking at him directly. Daenerys, on the other hand, had hesitant eyes turned toward him, clearly wanting to ask her husband about what he had discovered, and seeing Daemon's more pensive behavior, she could not help but feel worried, even though she also wanted to know how he was doing in the south.
That was not the moment for that conversation, at least.
Stannis's wife was with her daughter; Lady Selyse Florent seemed tense in his presence. The little girl looked at Daemon beside her with some fear and curiosity, even hope...
"Is it true that you conquered Riverrun after taking the Iron Islands in just one day?" Arya's voice broke the silence of the hall, as the girl was turned toward him, as if she could no longer endure that silence since Daemon had entered.
The Stark children were on Daenerys's side, to Jon's right. And Lucis was to his left with Della and Karsi's girls.
"You could say that," Jon said in a relaxed tone this time to the girl.
"That's amazing. Can you tell us how you did it?" Rickon asked. Bran seemed a bit reluctant beside his siblings speaking to Daemon that way, but he also looked at him with a certain expectation.
Jon knew that the boy was exercising the duties of lord at that moment, but still he was just a thirteen-year-old boy, as he himself had once been in search of his heroes, but in a dangerous land like Skyrim when he was the same age.
Jon smiled faintly and did not fail to recount things eloquently with his experience as a bard, omitting most of the violence, such as not telling how he burned men alive and tore them in half with their parts scattering everywhere.
He only said that after burning the port, he leapt from the dragon onto the last resistance in front of the castle, defeated everyone, and opened the castle, continuing his fight inside it.
"You alone took the castle and captured Balon Greyjoy?" Rickon said excitedly, looking at Jon like a legendary hero.
"And what happened to Riverrun?" Arya asked immediately, eager to hear more.
Jon spoke about simply landing on the walls with Winter and making everyone surrender, saying that a dragon could easily convince anyone, even to take a castle.
Daenerys snorted beside him, with a look that said they would be far more afraid of the dragon — or of him himself.
"I heard that you stole the Tullys' fortune..." Arya murmured.
"And the Lannisters' as well, along with the Citadel's coffers, if you want to know," Jon replied in his carefree way, as if anyone there, in that hall, could have done it.
"You're not going to give it back?" Bran asked carefully.
Jon shook his head. "No. I used part of that gold to buy food that was brought from Essos, and I also intend to rebuild the kingdom after this war. Those families and the Citadel were very appreciative when they donated the gold to me," Jon said calmly.
In short, he took the money, but it did not end there. "I know you have Tully blood in your veins, but you shouldn't worry about that. This gold will not be returned to that house. Besides, they are merely compensations for the damage caused by your own mother," he said openly, making the children shrink back.
Jon turned his gaze and met Lucis's blue eyes staring at him. She had wanted to speak to him the entire time.
"And how are you?" he asked, starting a conversation with his lover, running his hand over her thigh beneath the table. She did not avert her gaze from his.
"Missing you very much, but I'm fine. I like the castle, and there's nothing to complain about," she said, breaking into an affectionate smile.
"When all of this is over, you will go south with me and Daenerys. You will become the queen's lady-in-waiting and live with us," he said.
Daenerys heard this and said nothing nor showed displeasure; she liked Lucis's company and was aware that she had arrived last in Daemon's heart. Even so, the queen was willing to share the man she loved, the same man who had given her a crown and an heir.
If the child could be half of what her father was, he would become a greater king than all the others, perhaps not like Daemon, who was more renowned than the Conqueror himself.
"And how is my brother?" Lucis asked, still a little flushed by Daemon's declaration, then changed the subject, wanting to know about her brother, whom she was worried about.
"He is well. Well-behaved and learns quickly. He already knows how to give orders to other nobles. Even though I can't give him much attention lately, he is with the lords of the North."
"Is he safe?" she asked, a little worried.
"If anyone lays a hand on my squire, he will be a dead man. Everyone knows that," Daemon gave his answer gently. She nodded.
"Your Majesty..." a childish voice called to him at his side. He looked down and saw Rickon, his youngest cousin, who seemed hesitant.
"Speak," Daemon said simply, meeting the Tully blue eyes.
"About Shireen..." he began. The little girl seemed to raise her eyes upon hearing her name, but watched carefully. Even her mother looked up, clearly worried, while Rickon seemed hesitant, somewhat nervous.
"He is asking if you could help his friend. Shireen has that condition," Daenerys said this time, anticipating the boy's words.
"I told her father that I would do it," Daemon said, looking at the girl, who shrank a little under his gaze. "I just can't do it now," Daemon continued. "When you go to King's Landing, we'll take care of your face. But I believe your father has already told you that," he said.
"I was still unsure," Rickon murmured softly, a little embarrassed, with Daemon opening a small, indulgent smile.
"There is no shame in wanting to care about a friend, even if it's annoying sometimes. It's good to see you here. You seem comfortable with Lady Baratheon," Jon said, analyzing the children. Rickon and she seemed to be forming a bond.
"Daemon! Can you find Nymeria, my giant she-wolf, for me?!" Arya suddenly shouted, remembering the matter she wanted to discuss.
"Call him Your Majesty, Arya." Bran said in a stern tone to the girl.
"He's our cousin, we don't need to be so formal!" Arya stomped her foot and looked at Daemon with childish expectation.
Jon raised an eyebrow and Daenerys could not help but let out a small laugh. "Nymeria... is it? I can look into it, but I can't guarantee anything." Daemon said, he could send his direwolves to investigate the woods of the Trident.
"Great!! Thank you!!" Arya suddenly jumped out of her chair and ran to him, hugging him tightly at the side of his body, even catching Daemon by surprise.
Daenerys laughed, and even he heard his mother laughing somewhere; Bran looked hesitant seeing his older sister's behavior.
"My mother told me that we should thank family members with a hug, even though I can't feel her when she hugs me!" Arya laughed and ran back to her chair.
Daemon raised an eyebrow. "A long story..." Daenerys said, without Daemon knowing what his mother had been doing with the little girl.
"She remembers you from when she was only 4 namedays old, when you disappeared from this world... She adored you, despite her mother forbidding you from seeing her, or vice versa." Daemon's mother's voice sounded.
"I see..." He merely commented, returning to his plate and asking how Bran's condition was, as he was still recovering.
Lunch continued and, shortly after, Jon left to meet with Daenerys in the lord of Winterfell's solar.
The entire conversation he had with the mercenaries was still a mystery, but from the serious look on his face when he left the dungeons before relaxing at lunch with his cousins, Daenerys knew that something big was happening, enough to worry even her carefree husband.
When she questioned him, he said he would talk to her after lunch. First they would eat together; then they would talk about the problems, and that moment had come.
Daemon entered the solar with Daenerys, his mother also came along.
Jon sat in the chair Bran had been using now and called Ghost, prodding his white fur with an affectionate gesture between master and familiar, making the feared direwolf succumb to his owner's touch, tongue out and making cheerful sounds at the human contact.
"You are bigger than before... you are really growing," Jon said, pleased, to the wolf, and then looked at Daenerys and his mother.
There were only the three of them in that room. Barristan was guarding the door, and Lyanna was there as well. She had refused to leave, even without saying anything; she wanted to know exactly what was happening. She was stubborn enough to disobey even an order from her own son.
"You knew he found a mate?" Daenerys said, sketching a smile at the enormous direwolf, who was strutting through a considerable part of the solar with his size.
"I know I shouldn't intrude on these moments, but I feel that Ghost will soon have a new litter," Jon said, looking at Daenerys's belly. "One of those wolves will be for our son."
Daenerys sketched a smile. A direwolf as her son's protector was a pleasant idea.
But her expression soon changed. Her gaze turned serious as she turned to Daemon.
"And then?" she asked. It was a simple question, as Daemon stared at her; even his mother had materialized beside them.
"It seems there are more players in this game than I imagined. And now we have a Blackfyre."
Daenerys raised an eyebrow.
"A boy with white hair and purple eyes is coming to Westeros with the Golden Company. He should already be near the Stormlands at this very moment, while Dorne's army prepares to move toward him."
"Blackfyre?" Daenerys could not help but murmur. "Is that possible?"
"The boy describes himself as Aegon Targaryen, son of Elia Martell and Rhaegar Targaryen, my father, as well as your brother. He is passing himself off as my half-brother," Daemon said in a surprisingly calm tone.
Daenerys seemed to be left speechless, her mouth parting slightly.
"He is not who he claims to be," Daemon said right after. "The Daedric Princes showed me, even before I came into this world, without any doubt, the death of my brother that night in the Red Keep. For that reason, I declare the boy a Blackfyre trying to pass himself off as my dead brother."
"What do you plan to do? He sent those men after me and our son..." Daenerys said, unable to hide her fear. Lyanna remained silent, but her eyes were full of intent.
"Yes. In fact, this has to do with Illyrio, from what I realized. When I killed him on the night I first found you, in the city of Pentos, I read his letters, and there were messages addressed to the Golden Company... They spoke of a certain boy using the name Young Griff and constantly asked how he was doing. I didn't pay much attention to that when I read the letters, but now everything makes sense. Illyrio was with them the entire time, and first he needed to get rid of you and your brother back then, placing you in a forced marriage. That was an opportunity to make you disappear." He summarized his suspicions with a pause, before continuing.
"And now you are here in the North, married to a man who declares himself the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar. I may have proven this to the North, but the South may see me as a bastard, even with a dragon. Our marriage only claims my right even more, and our son growing in your womb is a declared threat to his attempt to take the throne. That is why he needs to get rid of you and our son first, as it is easier to kill..." Jon said, in an indifferent tone, laden with anger as he remembered it.
"That bastard... who does he think he is? I want to strike him myself!" Lyanna could not help but snarl.
"But everyone knows what you are capable of now, Daemon. You have a dragon and you know what you can do with your magic... No one can fight you or stand in your way! All Seven Kingdoms have seen that. Why would he still try to do something, knowing that this could draw your wrath more than anyone else's?" Daenerys murmured.
Daemon looked serious. "It's because he has three dragons with him," he declared. She seemed to go cold at that moment.
"Three dragons, Daemon?" Lyanna murmured with stunned eyes; Daenerys seemed to lose the ability to breathe.
But what did Jon do next? He suddenly began to laugh, throwing his head back in a burst of laughter, surprising the two women, who were tense and looked at him in disbelief at Daemon's sudden outburst.
"What is there to fear from three dragons?" he turned to the women. "Do you know what I used to do in Skyrim? I killed dragons. Dragons far more dangerous than Balerion and any other Targaryen dragon. Dragons that wielded magic, intelligent, not wild beasts," he said, turning serious again.
"The three dragons will be dealt with when the time comes. Let the boy be as arrogant as he is. The Martells are with them, the Tyrells as well; now it makes sense that they fled the capital and are about to join him. He will probably marry the Tyrell girl. Poor woman, being used the entire time, now it's what, her fourth marriage? Well, it will be the perfect excuse to finally rid myself of the Tyrells," Jon said in an analytical tone. "And also the Martells. They certainly would not accept the fact that I am your son, mother."
"You intend to use this Blackfyre to get rid of entire groups of enemies?" Lyanna murmured.
"Yes. It's the perfect moment. As soon as they ally themselves, believing they have three dragons against only Winter, and that even with my powers, they can still see a way to win with the beasts... It will be perfect for them to show their claws. We will have a solid justification to eliminate every one of our enemies: House Martell and House Tyrell are already problems I wanted to deal with. Moreover," Jon said to Daenerys, "why not thank that fool? He has not only brought us three dragons, but is also in possession of the sword Blackfyre, according to what the mercenaries told me."
"And so I ask you, my wife: would you like to become a dragon rider? Because your husband is going to capture a few of them." Daemon sketched a smile.
Despite being furious over the attempt on his wife's life and that of his unborn child, he was also able to see the opportunities.
There were no dragons to eliminate here like in Skyrim, and Daemon seemed a little depressed by the lack of action, so this was exciting. With the threat of Alduin destroyed, he had thought he would have no more challenges. Now, he could have a little fun with this opportunity.
How would Westeros deal with a Dragon Hunter? He wondered.
Daemon stayed at the castle a little longer after that. He still had a small argument with Lyanna, his mother. Daenerys still seemed perplexed by her husband telling her that she would become a dragon rider, after killing this Aegon Blackfyre.
While the queen seemed caught up in the idea of flying through the skies with her own dragon, Daemon called Bran to the godswood and gathered the Children of the Forest, who emerged from their hiding places among the bushes of the grove.
"I want you to teach him to use the green sight, just as you told me Bran could be like that bastard in the tree," he declared. Bran was surprised, but soon seemed to accept the idea.
"Without someone to guide him in this, it will take him a very long time, even with our help...."
"I won't lament anything here about that individual I killed when I first met you, but there is something that can help. I know you wanted me to seek a Green Man at the Isle of Faces, but this here seems better," Daemon said, pulling a necklace from his dimensional space. "It holds a piece of the soul of the man you served before me," he said.
He had made this object with a fragment of Brynden Rivers's soul, or rather, the soul of the Three-Eyed Crow. He had not put it all into the Dawnbreaker sword to strengthen it. He had kept a small piece, thinking it would be useful, and created a magical necklace.
Bran took the necklace carefully.
"You will begin practicing by sending yourself through the past. I want you to investigate this Aegon Blackfyre and his origins first. I want enough proof to pin him against the wall. Sending a raven can take time, so you can come to Ghost near the hour of the wolf, when I take over his mind and will be listening to you," Daemon said.
"The green sight can see the past, and that is what I expect from you, Bran. Just as I expect you to go to King's Landing, become a knight, as you have always wanted, but also take on your role as my Master of Whispers. I see no one better to help me with this." Jon said seriously.
Bran was at first surprised and speechless, but he nodded. Despite the catastrophic relationship between his father and Daemon, he owed Daemon a great deal: it was he who had made him walk again and also the one who had spared his father.
Lastly, without Bran's knowledge and even Daemon's, out of disinterest, Bran was meant to be the new vessel for the body of the Three-Eyed Crow, that was before Daemon appeared and destroyed him.
The next day, after Daemon spent the night in the castle with his wife and his lover, he departed once more for the South, his eyes set on the Crownlands, arriving there in the middle of the morning.
He had found something interesting in the past few days while he was in Riverrun. While scouring the kingdom with his birds and wolves, using his warg abilities, he found a group of people who had been investigating the region for weeks. There was a woman among them, called Lady Stoneheart, as they called her; he had never seen her face, but something about her stood out to him while she was with a group called the Brotherhood Without Banners.
They had captured some Freys who fled the Twins before Daemon arrived with his northern army, and they had killed them by order of that woman. Daemon could not help but feel something strange about that figure who had caught his attention, and he would certainly go after her, just waiting to reach Riverrun and get a horse.
----
Raccoon Here:
I think I got Bran's age wrong, I confused it based on Jon's age, but Jon is 4 years older than he should be, so Bran has an 8-year difference, which makes him 13 years old.
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