Chapter 10: Chapter 10: The Boy Who Would Be King - Part 9
In true Westerosi fashion, everything I'd experienced only forced me to ask more maddening questions.
It made a great deal of sense that the tunnel Alaric- Arthur had found led out of the Broken Tower.
The thing was built close to the first keep and the lich yard, which put it in very close proximity to the entrance of the crypts. Its position was strong, and the view it would have given at its highest would have no doubt been excellent, worthy of the once largest watch tower in Winterfell.
It was a pity it had burned from a lightning strike a little over a century ago and had never been rebuilt.
I frowned in thought, wondering why that was. Surely some Stark wanted to restore the castle to its glory?
Speaking of Stark's, there was that Sara Snow mystery. Too many pieces and I had no idea where to stick them.
Arthur's reappearance startled me, though my heart rate rose in anticipation as he carried my chest, one in each hand. We'd managed to avoid any debacles, and aside from the visits of concerned Robb and Ned, I kept to myself. Now, once more in the middle of the night with only a lantern for light, I waited for Arthur to drop the chests with a dull thud in front of me, where I sat cross-legged on the floor. We were on the second floor of the broken tower, having snuck out under the cover of night, and Arthur had left me for a moment to retrieve the chests from where he'd buried them the night before.
Arthur
I turned to stare up at the man, and quite involuntarily my mind swirled with thoughts.
The freaking sword of the morning, Kingsguard, and loyal friend to Rhaegar Targaryen, my father, until the bitter end. Only apparently, he'd never met his end in this world. None of the Kingsguard who'd been at the Tower of Joy had. He'd told me as much, as the night before.
I asked about Lyanna first.
I don't know why, and it didn't affect who I was in any case, but I had to know.
Did she come willingly? I'd asked, and he'd sworn up and down that she had, that the kingsguard members were only ever there for her and Rhaegar's protection, not to keep her captive.
"I swear it, yet...." The man gritted his teeth when I asked him to go on. "Your grace, I do not know how it happened. King Aerys had sent the prince in pursuit of the Knight of the Laughing Tree, but Rhaegar seemingly abandoned that mission when he found Lyanna instead. They looked to be happy together, despite each knowing the other for so little time.
But near the end of the tourney, they were both unhappy, your grace, before Rhaegar ever crowned her. Both were miserable, but Lyanna came willingly all the same. I do not know what occurred, only that her unhappiness was not the fault of Rhaegar, nor was she the cause of his. I was curious, of course, but it was not my place to inquire."
Then I asked about how he'd managed to find his way to the North, and the tale turned grimmer still
Ned Stark had arrived in the final hours of Lyanna's pregnancy, yet tempers had run high, blades had crossed and neither side had conversed until nearly the entire Northern party had been butchered. When Ned had revealed what he knew, the fighting had come to an almost reluctant pause, and Ned went up the tower to reunite with his sister.
The rest, as they say, was history
"Ser Oswell was sent east" Arthur had told the tale "I've had no communication from him, but his goal was to find your uncle Viserys, your grace, and the young princess and fulfill his oaths to them. One kingsguard with foreign looks could pass as a foreigner your grace, hidden behind Ned Stark's shadow and reputation, but two would have drawn attention. More to the matter, he was kin to Lady Catelyn, and though they'd met very little she would have likely recognized him all the same.
When I asked about Ser Gerold Hightower, though, he had looked away, pain in his eyes.
"H- He fled, your grace, I know not where. When Eddard Stark made clear his desire to take you as his bastard and raise you in the north, he flew into a great rage, more when I and Oswell agreed with the plan for your protection. He drew steel. I was forced to duel him and in doing so... it was not my intention, your grace, but I wounded him greatly. We left him to rest, bound for all our sakes, but he escaped days before we arrived at Starfall and no words have reached my ears of him since."
It had been a clusterfuck of epic proportions, one that all sides had contributed to in nearly equal measure.
Par the course for this world, naturally.
I brought myself back to the present, staring at the two chests with great anticipation. One was large, about a foot and a half thick, and nearly as high as I was tall. How the hell I managed to swim with it was a mystery, all things considered. The other, though, was far smaller, and thinner to boot.
The size difference, however, wasn't what immediately stood out. no, that honor went to what exactly they were made of.
"Ah," Arthur spoke as I passed my hands over the smoky, grey metal "You've noticed. I had wondered how anything could've survived in that spring, besides you, Jon, but it wasn't until I just saw them that I realized how valuable they were. That's without taking into consideration their contents, I've yet to see those."
The chests were both made of Valyrian Steel.
Worth more than gold, the material was so valuable that houses could beggar themselves before acquiring even a scrap of it, and someone had gone and made chests out of the stuff.
I reached for the largest and dragged it towards me. Anticipation was almost a physical force on its own, now, as I searched for a way to open it. I almost immediately noticed a protruding metal bar, in the middle of the larger side of the chest.
Leaning forward, I grabbed onto it and tried to turn it, to no result. Then I pulled, and I could feel movement.
Grinning, I pulled and twisted to the left, the bar following my movements.
Once, twice, thrice, and then...
An audible click
I sucked in a sharp breath. With shaking hands, I held each side of the lid, then pushed up, the lid catching on hinges that held it in place.
.....Well, I'll be damned.
Behind me, Arthur let out a noise I couldn't identify, nor did I care to as I beheld the dragon eggs.
Five in total, all lined up in a row. Two were a beautiful shade of Green, though where one had blue swirls the other had swirls of deepest black. Another was blood red with black beside one that was pale pink with sharp white swirls. All magnificent.
But I could barely shift my eyes from the first of them, the one that had first caught my eye. Brilliant gold, with shades of deep yellow so similar I could scarcely see the contrast. I reached out for it, pressing my hand against it.
Warmth
I hardly realized I was laughing until the world came to focus with me on my side, tears in my eyes as I laughed and laughed and laughed.
(Finally, a chance!)
...
When I composed myself once more, Arthur had already closed the chest, locked it, and replaced it with the smaller of the two.
"I understand your excitement" he spoke as he noticed my disappointment "But the night is not long
I winced at his choice of words.
"And you have another prize to investigate"
I stared at the smaller chest. I had expected and hoped for the dragon eggs. Even thinking of them brought a smile to my lips. But what else could be left? It wasn't another egg, that's for sure. The box was just a hair too small. Carefully, I grabbed the lock and went through the same unlocking process.
When the box clicked, I lifted the lid with confidence and peered in. The first were two objects. First, a small book. My eyes widened considerably when I beheld the title
"The life and will of Jacaerys Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne"
Well.
Interesting, and worth a read if only for possible family secrets, information that I could take advantage of.
The second object was by far the oddest of the bunch. I lifted the bundle of cloth and unwrapped it, staring at it with bare confusion.
"The eggs and the journal I can understand" I turned to show Arthur "But what's a shard of metal going to do?"
"Not a mere shard" Arthur murmured curiously as he held the piece in his hand, small enough to fit in his palm "A fragment, of a blade at that. You can tell from the edge. One in pristine condition, as though it was only shattered a day before"
Strange
...
Arthur hid the chests and escorted me back to my room for appearance's sake. That night, when I slept, I dreamed of dragons
...
The next few weeks were almost overwhelmingly tense.
I had the beginnings of possibly the greatest military advantage I could have in Westeros, an incredibly loyal and massively skilled kingsguard, and the advantage of complete anonymity.
So now what?
What do I do now that I wasn't lost, that I had support and the strength to fight back?
Surprisingly, It was Ned Stark who helped me decide.
He found me laying on my back, at the very edge of the godswood (because I was not going into the godswood proper, fuck that noise!) and staring ut ap at the canopy.
I was startled when he spoke "That's not a very comfortable place to lay"
"I like it"
Conversations between us tended to turn awkward very fast. He tried to parent me, but my adult memories clashed with that and I would respond curtly but politely, and things devolved from there. Though this time, it appeared he would not be so easily deterred. He walked towards me, before sitting down and lying next to me.
"When I was your age," He began "I loved the godswood. But not because I was very pious, mind you, but because the calm provided me with a place to think. I was often found here by my father growing up."
He turned to look at me, then "So what bothers you, my son"
For a moment, I considered telling him nothing. Then I relented "The Rebellion"
He stiffened, and I carried on "You fought a war, father, you and Robert Baratheon fought a war to save Aunt Lyanna and depose Aerys and Rhaegar. You set out to do something good, and you succeeded, but at a cost. Do you wish you had done it differently, now, after everything?
Because that's what my hesitance boiled down to. Fear of the consequences. To fight the coming end, I would likely have to be king of the seven kingdoms if I wanted to have any impact at all. But what the hell happened if I messed up? Did something the wrong way? Should I just give what I know to Robert Baratheon in a way that didn't get my brains bashed via a massive war hammer, then take Arthur and get the hell out of dodge?
"Craven!"
Yeah, fuck you asshole. You sat on your dusty ass and did nothing for decades. Your opinion is irrelevant.
Ned chose to interrupt my thoughts "Gods, you're but a child, but you have always been quick-witted. I will tell you this much -I have my regrets, Jon "
I whirled around to stare at him, and he carried on
"I regret the deaths of men. Of all goodmen who fought for a cause they believed in and died for it. Yet, I can not wallow in them. I fought for my father and brother, unjustly murdered. I fought for my sister, unjustly taken. I have regrets, ones that I will carry until my dying day, but If I were to spend all my days pondering on mistakes long past, I'd waste my life and I'd only gain more"
His eyes were unfocused, and I had the sense that he wasn't talking to me alone.
"There will come a time in your life, Jon" He began, voice heavy "When you will face challenges. I pray you never have to, but you almost certainly will. My only advice for you then: Do not wallow in your mistakes and regrets, and do not give your fears and doubts purchase. They will crumble your resolve, and break you where your enemies don't."
He looked me straight in the eyes then "Choose a path that rings true to who you are, and walk it with your head held high"
He left me there, lying on my back.
Which path rings true to who I am?
I thought of my mother, who endured hardship after hardship for my sake. Of my father, my brother.
Of Ned and Arthur, of Rhaegar and Lyanna, and all the others.
I made my choice.
...
"We're leaving" I whispered to Arthur the next night at the broken tower
His gaze widened "Winterfell-"
"Winterfell has kept me safe" I cut him off "Ned Stark (this was going to destroy the man) has kept me safe. But now it's time for me to prepare to take back what's mine. With Fire and Blood"
I gestured to the largest chest, and his face paled a shade. He was very smart, and scarcely took a moment to catch on.
"Jon" he stressed the name "The eggs have remained unhatched for well over a century. They're valuable and worth a good deal of coin, nothing more."
"No." I replied firmly "I'm going to hatch them"
"Do you hear yourself?" He questioned, incredulity coloring his tone "I know you learned your histories well! The last attempt made to hatch dragons almost completely decimated House Targaryen! It put Aerys on the throne!"
"I am aware!" I shot back "But I have to try. My dreams make that much clearer. Besides, we have next to nothing, Arthur. If I hatch these eggs, within a few short years we'd be next to unstoppable! My ascension would be guaranteed!"
He drew back, a thunderous look on his face that I met head-on. After a moment, though, he sighed and leaned back.
"Even," He began, a hand on the bridge of his nose "Even if we did this, where would we even begin? there's no-"
"I have a good idea" I grinned and he froze, staring at me in shock.
I lifted the journal of Jacaerys Velaryon. I'd been reading it for the last few weeks every night under the cover of darkness with Arthur as my protector
"This started as an irregular telling of the prince's days. He could go moons without adding an entry, but towards the end, he'd filled page after page, with barely legible scribbles, drawings, and notes. Right after an entry that detailed that he'd started having-"
"Dragon dreams" Arthur cut in. At my confused look, he added "Rhaegar was much the same way. He filled pages and pages of books with his notes, detailing his dreams"
"You mention this now?" I asked incredulously "Where?-"
"Oswell took them, for safekeeping" He answered with a grimace "What little Rhaegar left with us at the tower, that is. The ones in Kingslanding have almost certainly been destroyed, among any other possessions of your father."
Fuck. It's like this stupid continent is trying to get itself and everyone else killed!
"....Regardless," I continued sourly, before my excitement "The last entry is the most important, I think"
I turned the book to him, showing him the page. Only two sentences were written, repeated over and over again
Zaldrīzoti hen dōron va Zaldrīzesdōron. Perzys Ānogār kessa urnēptre se ñuhoso
His eyes widened. He could read Valyrian better than me.
I grinned again "It says: Dragons from stone on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood shall show the way"
He stared down at me for just a moment, expression unreadable.
"Well then. It would appear we must prepare."
...
The night we left Winterfell was unassuming. No especially ominous clouds, no storm to dramatically disappear into, nothing. I stayed up late, telling Robb stories.
"You must never stop learning, you understand?" I told him seriously "Always pay attention to your lessons, try your best at everything and you'll be the greatest lord that ever was, you understand me? promise!"
"I promise!" He nodded thoughtfully for a moment, before beaming at me and asking for another story, one more than I promised. Just for that night, I agreed.
Arthur slipped into the room silently, long after Robb had fallen asleep. I slipped off the bed, fully dressed in my warmest clothes as he nodded.
"It's time"
Slipping out of the castle proper hurt. For better or for ill, this had been my home for years. My eyes felt blurry as we passed by the kennel and the kitchen.
"I've told the guards we're leaving on Lord Stark's orders, which gives us until morn before the lie is discovered. We'll take the east gate" Arthur explained gently "It opens to the Wolfswood, and tracking us through there will be more difficult. We'll ride hard the first few hours, circling around and through the wilds, before rejoining the kingsroad proper far later."
Made sense. People didn't lie about having their lord's permission, that was a good way to find yourself short by a head.
We arrived at the Gate, a saddled horse with full packs, one of them holding my chests. Arthur hoisted me up first before joining me. I took. a deep breath as we rode out. The guards never even paid us a second glance.
The last I saw of Winterfell, we had just crested over a hill. The castle stood in all its glory, a great light burning in the dark.
Then we were gone.
...
We stopped briefly hours and hours later, as the light of dawn shone through the trees above us. Arthur had gone to relieve himself and had warned me not to stray.
A gurgling croak caught my attention, and I stared up into the eyes of a
-oh
The raven stared down at me, and I didn't need to hear it croak "snow" to know who it was.
I didn't care though. He had no claim on me.
I smirked at the bird, and smirked, even more, when it croaked "Fail. Fail. Fail"
"Is that supposed to...what, exactly?" I asked as I stared right at it "Anger me? Make me second-guess myself? give up, perhaps. You'd know all about that, wouldn't ya, Rivers?"
The raven didn't reply, and I carried on anyway "You really fucked me in the head, you know? I spent a lot of time having to face the realization that my very fucking existence had lost the world it's one chance of survival. But no more. No more, you hear me!?"
I pointed my finger straight at the bird "Your failures don't define me, old man. I don't care If the original Jon Snow was Azor Ahai reborn, or anything like that. I'm here now. Me. I'm going to face what's coming, and I'm going to do it headfirst, and if you don't want to help, then fuck you, because at least I'm trying. Your plan went to shit and you just roll over and die? Now, who's the fucking craven!"
I laughed when the raven puffed up, unmistakably angry croaking rising.
"Don't like that, do you? Shouldn't dish what you can't handle, you old hypocrite."
The raven croaked "Snow. Snow. Snow"
"That's my name" I paused, looking down "Except, no it isn't. At least, not just it. I'm as much Eli Cauley as I am Jon Snow. But by the time I'm done, old man, the world won't know me as either of those."
I thought of the name that Arthur had told me. The name Lyanna and Rhaegar had both agreed on, the one that Ned Stark had buried in his effort to protect me. The name the whole world would know, before this was all over and done with.
"I will be everything you said I wasn't, and I will do everything you said I couldn't, and not to spite you, you old shit, you aren't nearly that important, but because I refuse not to stay true to who I am, who I was raised to be." I declared "I will unite all seven kingdoms, kicking and screaming if I have to, and I will prepare the realm for the Great war to come. "
I looked up at the raven, face set in fiery determination
"My name is Gaemon Targaryan, and I will bring the dawn. And when I'm done, assuming you survive, I'm going to find you, Rivers, and I'm going to ruin your day!"
Then I spun around without another word, leaving the raven behind.
...
Later, as we rode into the night, I observed the beautiful northern landscape, an environment untouched by industrialization. Gorgeous, and so easy to find comfort in.
Arthur spoke up then. "I have a suggestion"
"Yes?"
"We need support before we travel to Dragonstone. The island is ruled by a Baratheon, and while they will not be aware of our existence, an ally can make a great difference should difficulties arise."
Thinking on it, I could certainly see the logic, but-
"Will this take long? You aren't suggesting we go looking for Ser Oswell, are-"
"No, no" He reassured me "They are in Westeros, and we will travel quickly"
I sighed in relief "Very well. Where is this mysterious ally of ours then?
Arthur sighed, as if in preparation, before speaking calmly "We must go to King's landing, your Grace"
..."What?"
...
Far to the North:
Deep beneath the earth, an old man lay entwined in a weirwood throne.
Through the eyes of another, he saw a boy he had scorned declare his intent to the world, and gave a smirk
It only grew more pronounced as he heard movement behind him. From the shadows of his cave, a figure emerged, wearing a cloak of green leaves. Small, almost like a child, with dappled, nut-brown skin. Voluminous hair of browns, reds, and gold with flowers woven through it, amongst vines and twigs. Large, slitted liquid gold and green eyes focused on the man on the throne, who opened a single red eye and spoke in a raspy voice "Awake, are we?"
"I was stirred from my sleep" The figure replied in a high voice "How may I serve?"
"You may not. I did not call for you"
"You?-
...
"I was stirred from my sleep" the figure repeated
"And it was not my doing" the old man replied "Not directly, in any case"
"Direct-?" The figure's eyes widened "The greendream, It stirred me awake?"
"Perhaps. What of it?"
"I have little affinity for it, and yet I awoke all the same" The figure replied frantically, then reared back, as though finally catching the expression on the old man's face " I felt -change unforeseen has occurred. Things are shifting in ways they should not, everything has unraveled... Raven, what have you done!?"
"What the scions of my family do best!" The man laughed then, long and hard "Look at what stands in our way, and burn it all. Now? Now we wait, and see what rises from the ashes."
Then he closed his sole remaining eye, and silence reigned once more.
***
A/N: Soooooo. I'm the author, and I say Bloodravens is still a jackass who needs a reckoning.
haha. So the arc is finished, folks. The next chapter will probably be an Arthur interlude, to flesh stuff out, Stay tuned.
As always, leave your comments, notes, and ideas, I would love to have them. If you don't like it, please be courteous.
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