Chapter 205 - Chapter 4 Breakaway (Part 2)

The Kings Road, A Couple of Weeks Later...

The party of the Prince was moving up the road towards their next stop, they would have gone to Storm's End to meet with the Baratheons but unfortunately Lord Baratheon was not there are present and so it would be a wasted journey.

So instead they were heading to Riverrun to meet with the Tullys next and from there they were heading to Winterfell. A visit to the Vale was also planned but for now they were waiting until they had been to the other two first.

Haeron had not let up in his training and was not giving Jaime any breaks, he trained relentlessly and so Jaime did too. The boy was about ready to drop before finally calling a break and as they sat down to eat some lunch Haeron asked Jaime a question.

"Have you any plans for when you become Lord of Casterly Rock?" Haeron asked Jaime calmly and Jaime nearly spat out the water he had been drinking and asked him with wide eyes.

"What?!"

"While I am sure your father will be around for a long time yet but there will come a time when you must take the reins from him." Haeron said sternly. "Have you given any thought about how you will run things?"

Jaime was stumped as he had no idea just what he would do when the role of Lord of Casterly Rock came to him, he was immediately worried at the idea of having that position hanging over his head. Just learning to read and write had been torture for him he remembered with a shiver given how harsh his father had pushed him to do it and having to deal with all of the endless pressure and administration scared him to his core.

"I don't want to be a lord." Jaime blurted out in his fear. "I just want to be a knight! A member of the Kingsguard, the most noble knights of all and have adventures! That's what I want."

Jaime was nervous after a moment as he saw the look on the Prince's face had hardened and he was just staring at him with a cold expression. He took a moment to look over to Ser Lewyn was busy speaking to Golor and the rest of the men before he started taking off his shirt. This confused Jaime for a moment until he had finally removed it and turned to show Jaime his back. Jaime gasped in horror at the sight of it having never seen anything like it before.

There were thick rope like scars covering most of his back! They were old wounds and clearly would never get any better, criss-crossing the prince's back in jagged patterns and extended from his shoulders down to his waist, Haeron had ensured Jaime hadn't seen these yet as he was trying to be kind to the boy but his admiration for the Kingsguard was clouding Jaime's ability to think clearly and so he would need too 'educate' him on the true nature of knights and the Kingsguard especially.

"These were given to me on my seventh nameday...by the Kingsguard you so admire on the orders of the king." Haeron said wondering just why Tywin had never said anything but dismissed that as maybe his own ego making this more than it was. Jaime's eyes widened in shock at the mention that the Kingsguard had done this on the orders of the king, the prince's own father.

"The King felt I had disrespected him." Haeron explained before saying. "But his madness is not the reason I dislike the Kingsguard so much. I like you idealised them when I was younger than you are now, I wanted to be a knight and do all of the things that knights are supposed to do."

"I was...different once." Haeron admitted to Jaime who was now confused. "I believed the best in everyone, had faith things would be good if everyone tried their best. I had nothing but admiration for the knights of the Kingsguard, they were my heroes and told me all of what a knight is supposed to do. I envied them." Haeron said before adding the next painful bit. "I also had friends around the Red Keep, children that were not nobles but stable-boys, the gardener's daughter and others. I was going to make them members of my court when we all grew up." Haeron did not shed tears any more but the aching grief he felt when thinking of his old friends was still as raw now as it was then.

"What happened?" Jaime asked never having imagined this, he had never been allowed to make friends with the servants as they were beneath him but he had a few like Addam Marbrand who were from the noble families. Haeron stilled for a moment before giving the second...harsher part of the story.

"When my mother suffered a miscarriage due to my father's abuse, he hit her again and again for 'her failure'." Haeron said with a faint growl in his voice as he remembered the incident. "The oh so noble Kingsguard did nothing as my mother was beaten nearly to a pulp by my father and when I pushed him over to try and protect her...he decided that I had to be taught a lesson."

"He waited until my nameday as I mentioned before and I was brought to the throne room to greet the guests for my celebration, when I got there...his gift...was waiting for me. All of my friends were there strung up...dead." Haeron said seeing the image in his mind clearly. "The gardener's daughter was the worst, she had been raped by the king himself as the Kingsguard watched and they are the ones that killed those helpless children. Grown men, slaughtering those that were less than half their size in the name of the king. Then I was made to look at them before being tied up myself and before not only the court but my own screaming mother I was whipped with a steel studded multi tail whip by my own kingsguard protector as the rest of them did nothing but watch. If it had not been for your father and Lord Baratheon interfering then I honestly believe I would have been killed that day." Haeron said with complete truthfulness.

"Ser Barristan, Ser Gerold...Ser Myles...they all did nothing or acted as his hand. They came to me afterwards and said how sorry they were but it did not stop them doing it. They all knew it was wrong and they did it any way betraying all of the principles they were sworn to uphold. Whipping and killing helpless children and standing by as a young girl of six was raped by the disgusting wretch that they call a king. They are hypocrites and liars, hiding behind vows to excuse the things they let go on and pretend that it makes it acceptable. They do not even have the adventures that you imagine as most of the time they are just standing around as the King does nothing but scowl. I only allow Ser Lewyn with me as he was not part of the Kingsguard then and so far has proven to be different than them." Haeron said with a tired voice as the weight of the story hung on him.

"From that day to this I have sworn to protect my siblings and my mother from my father and when the time comes the knights of the so-called Kingsguard will know what I intend." Haeron told Jaime who was slightly unnerved by the intense gaze of the prince. "I want you to understand that things are not always so simple or so clear. True Knights who hold to their values are few and far between in this world." Haeron told him. "Besides it is not like you will have to rule alone, you will have your family and you have a brother I understand, he will be there to aid you." Haeron said making some assumptions but he knew he had said the right thing as Jaime started smiling slightly.

"Tyrion will be smart, he's already talking and reading. It took me and Cersei ages to achieve that but he is so clever already." Jaime said with a faraway look in his eyes. Haeron nodded, he knew Tywin hated Tyrion and blamed him for Lady Joanna's death unfairly but the fact that Jaime actually cared for his younger brother was a good side to his character. But then there was the other sibling and so Haeron who as a Targaryen knew the danger of inbreeding all too well spoke to Jaime about his 'relationship' with his twin sister.

"Jaime, I have to ask...why are you attracted to Cersei? It isn't natural to be attracted like that to ones own siblings." Haeron asked and Jaime was caught off guard by the change of subject. He froze as if not sure how to explain things as his sister had.

"We came into the world together, shared the womb together...isn't that reason enough?" Jaime asked and Haeron frowned as he saw that Cersei was clearly the one who was dominant of the two but to help Jaime break away he had to explain.

"No its not. Twins are meant to be close but as siblings not as lovers Jaime. My own family has done that for centuries and see what it has done to us. So many people in my family have been frail or mad, there are a few exceptions but that is the majority rule...I mean look at my father who had his own son whipped for pushing him over. Then there is Aerion Targaryen who drank wildfire to in his eyes become a dragon. There are many examples, your sister thinks she knows everything but siblings are not meant to love each other like that, it only hurts their children later. Not to mention she might be using it as a way to control you. I know you care for your sister Jaime but there is something not right about it and you know it. It only short changes yourself to make sure decisions at a young age, keep your options open Jaime and maybe you will find a person to that you love even more." Haeron told him sternly.

Jaime was silent as he was being told this and deeply confused, Cersei had always been the smart one and he had always thought that listening to her was the right thing to do but the Prince's words weighed on him. She had always been vicious he thought remembering that she had humiliated people who annoyed her and more than one servant had left due to her treatment of them. The way she enjoyed tormenting Tyrion sent a cold feeling through him and he had been forced to stop her from hurting him more than once. Whenever he did though she would treat him coldly until he said sorry and then she would slowly start treating better but only if he did the things she told him, had she been using him all this time? Jaime thought with confusion not sure just what to believe at the moment.

"Either way, soon we shall be at Riverrun and from there to Winterfell and possibly the Eyrie. This is an opportunity for you to learn about the rest of Westeros first hand. Don't waste it." Haeron told him before going to get some more water which left Jaime thinking deeply on what he said and after having seen some of Dorne, he would admittedly be happy to see more of Westeros.

Riverrun, the Riverlands...Two Days Later...

Riverrun was far less impressive than the Sandship or Casterly Rock, the defensive ability to flood the moat around it by opening gates to let in the nearby rivers was a good defence but not that good by the standards of other castles in Westeros.

Riding over the drawbridge they came into the small yard and there to greet them was House Tully. Lord Hoster Tully was of course leading them and he was hardly an impressive man, thin with a frail looking face his thin red hair already turning grey, his brother Ser Brynden 'The Blackfish' Tully was noticeably absent but the man had travelled much over the years so it wasn't hard to imagine he was doing so again. Hoster was looking at them with expectation and Haeron could guess he was hoping to use the visit to his advantage somehow. He had already arranged for his eldest daughter Catelyn to wed the heir to the North Brandon Stark so Haeron guessed Hoster was hoping to tie Lysa to either himself or Jaime which annoyed Haeron but it was to be expected he guessed with irritation.

The children of Lord Hoster were at his side and they were hardly that intriguing either, the oldest two were girls who were pretty but not the most beautiful that any of them had seen although as they aged that could change. The older looked more healthy with long lush red hair and a fuller figure than the younger sister who was a more thin and bird-like frame although she had the same long red hair. They were Catelyn and Lysa Tully who both were looking at Haeron with wide eyes and excitement which didn't exactly endear them to him.

The young boy next to them was even younger than Jaime and was still chubby and awkward looking, Edmure Tully the heir to Riverrun and third child of Lord Hoster. He was looking very nervous as his father's eyes were looking at him with a hard glare, to ensure his good behaviour.

The final person was also a young boy who looked thin and short for his apparent age, his features were sharp and there was a cold glint in his eyes that Haeron recognised from different courtiers that he had seen in the Red Keep, that ambition burning deep inside and the willingness to do anything to advance themselves. He knew to keep an eye on that one, knowing that someone like that could never be trusted. This Haeron guessed must be Petyr Baelish, the ward of Lord Hoster.

The family did kneel as they approached and dismounted, stable-boys quickly taking their horses. Haeron walked over and Lord Hoster spoke.

"Your Grace. Welcome to Riverrun, we are of course at your service Prince Haeron." Hoster said and Haeron nodded before replying.

"Your service honours me Lord Tully and it is a pleasure to see your home." Haeron said which allowed them to rise. "I see your daughters, son and ward are well. Greetings." Haeron said with a nod of the head. Catelyn and Lysa looked like they were almost going to faint and were blushing as he looked at them which didn't leave him with a good impression of them and he merely greeted them politely then young Edmure and Petyr. The jealousy in Petyr's eyes was increasingly as he greeted Catelyn which only made Haeron want to sigh not having the energy to deal with an jealous child and given he had no interest in the girls so he vowed to keep them at arms length. He did not have anything against them but having met many more intelligent women in his life these girls meant nothing.

He was here to speak to their father.

So he went to speak with Lord Tully who had promised Lord Mooton of Maidenpool, Lord Mallister of Seagard and Ser Cox of the Saltpans would be there to discuss the ship designs but only Lord Tully was present.

Although his magic was still not what it once was he did manage to use a little legilimency on him and also the fact that Hoster kept trying to talk up Lysa and Catelyn to him made him realise to his frustration the man intended to to use the ship designs as leverage over his own vassals and at the same time try to tie Lysa and Catelyn to him and Jaime, the fact he would insult House Stark by breaking Catelyn's betrothal to Brandon Stark was worth it in his mind if he could tie her to either Casterly Rock or better to the Crown Prince.

It disgusted Haeron and realise more than even that he was wasting his time here, Hoster he thought with disgust would change his allegiance with which ever way the wind was blowing and he could certainly never be counted on.

Haeron became coldly stern as he listened to the pointless chatter of Lord Tully before deciding to not stay longer than tonight. He would stop at Seagard on the way to speak to House Stark so he could see Lord Mallister about the ship designs to try and at least cultivate one ally here and would speak to House Mooton on the way back but since he wouldn't be staying as long as he had thought he decided to make a detour of his own to see Harrenhal and see the largest castle in Westeros for himself.

The Eyrie, the Vale...

Jon Arryn stood on the battlements of the Eyrie, the home of his family for centuries and wondered about the delicate situation that was growing across all of Westeros. He had long been watching events in Kings Landing and saw the ever growing madness of King Aerys, his attack on his own son was just the worst example so far but who knows what might lie ahead he thought with worry.

It was partly for that reason that he had been working hard to establish a power block of his own, if needed to defend themselves from the Mad King. It was for this reason that he had arranged to foster both Robert Baratheon, son and heir to Lord Steffon Baratheon and Eddard 'Ned' Stark, second son of Lord Rickard Stark here. He wanted to create a strong bond between the North, the Vale and the Stormlands to act in their mutual defence and if necessary to remove the Mad King from power, he had even encouraged for Rickard Stark to consider betrothing his children outside of the North and bring the Riverlands into their alliance by wedding his heir Brandon to Lady Catelyn Tully. He was working on perhaps tying Lyanna Stark, Rickard's daughter to Robert but that was still uncertain.

He was at least successful in building a good bond of friendship between Ned and Robert, they were as close as brothers he thought with pride at that achievement and that his own heir Elbert Arryn was good friends with them too was just a great addition to his plans.

But there was a piece on the board that gave him pause Jon thought as he considered his problem...Prince Haeron Targaryen.

The Prince was ironically showing the signs of greatness not seen since Jaehaerys the Conciliator, the Great King himself. He had intelligence, will and the determination to achieve whatever he set out to do. The way he had shaped himself into the best warrior House Targaryen had ever produced since the legendary Dragonknight and even created a rival to the greatest sword in Westeros, Dawn was testament to that, not to mention the innovations that he had created. As a man who prided himself on being an educated lord he looked into these new inventions and works that Haeron had made and it was astonishing.

Jon was genuinely impressed at that...but wary too.

The Prince was not the sort of person that was easily led and while that was no bad thing for a monarch but also bad as he wasn't sure he could be brought to their way of thinking. He had from what he could guess already call on both House Lannister and House Martell for support and was trying to get other houses onboard to presumably remove his father from power. But Jon didn't know if he wanted to put another Targaryen on the throne, they had been declining for centuries now and with the odd exception had been appalling rulers for Westeros, causing more problems than they solved. Perhaps it was time for a new dynasty he thought and his choice of Robert as a ward was a crucial part of that plan, being the closest relative to the current line after his father so if the main line of House Targaryen were 'eliminated' then House Baratheon could take the throne.

It was a dangerous game but one that he believed might be necessary for a better future...Robert was far from perfect, he drank too much and was far too involved with women and hunting than a future lord should be but Jon was sure he would calm down eventually.

But still he considered with doubt over Robert's suitability to be a king, it might be a good idea to see the Prince for himself.

Jon's sources told him that the Prince was currently at Riverrun and would be for several days before moving on to Winterfell, if he moved quickly he might just beat him there...in time for a 'fortunate' coincidental meeting. Even better he had an excuse, given his ward was of House Stark what better reason did he need, Jon thought and with a small smile on his face he walked over to the yard where he saw his wards training.

Watching them for a moment he saw again that Robert was easily the most formidable warrior the Stormlands had produced in years. His skill with his war hammer was impressive for his age and he had proven that in tactics on the battlefield he was exceptional, far better than Jon himself which would only serve them well if it became needed. Ned was acceptable, a capable swordsman and rider but not the finest warrior he had ever seen but he was good enough and loyal to a fault.

Seeing Robert disarm Ned again was enough for Jon to end it and make his intention known to them. He cleared his throat loudly enough to attract their attention and Robert smiled as he looked up while Ned just bowed his head respectfully.

"Want to join us Jon?" Robert asked with a somewhat arrogant swagger that Jon knew was impossible to tame. He just shook his head in disappointment before saying.

"Maybe another time Robert. But I think its time for us to go on a journey. Pack warmly, Ned its time to go and see your father." Jon told them and that did make Ned perk up with hopeful eyes.

"We're going to Winterfell?" Ned asked hopefully and Jon smiled kindly before saying.

"We are. If we time it right then we might also be there in time to meet the Crown Prince. Best make sure you are ready to leave by dawn tomorrow." Jon told them sternly and then left which left the two of them alone. Ned was happy to be going home even if it was just for a visit but Robert made a face.

"The fucking Dragon Prince is coming?! Shit." Robert said with distaste which seemed to shock Ned.

"Robert, he's the Crown Prince. The next king. What's the problem with him? They say he's much saner than his father," Ned reasoned, trying to understand Robert's dislike for him. Robert did not as usual hold back.

"He's an inbred cunt. An entitled prick that everyone gives far more fucking praise than his deserves. Now we have to bow and scrape...fucking hell." Robert said before going off to relieve his frustration in the bed of one of the maids. Ned watched, wondering if Robert's dislike for the Prince went deeper than that but all he could do at the moment was be excited on the fact that he was going to see his family again.

Harrenhal, the Riverlands...

The intimidating sight of the ruined Harrenhal was awe inspiring the moment they saw it, the melted and twisted stone a testament to the power his house had once commanded and Haeron only found himself more infuriated at his ancestors for screwing up so bad that they had lost it. While as Harry he had not had the best experience with dragons to say the least with Norbert and the Horntail and a few other incidents later in life, he had a certain...fascination with them now. Flying on the back of dragon, that had to be an experience of a lifetime and he was unable to do it because of idiots who were too greedy for power he thought with anger.

The egg he had been using magical fire on though was getting warmer which according to the notes Brynden Rivers had managed to acquire meant it was preparing to hatch which excited him. He knew better than to get his hopes up but it was good sign regardless.

House Whent had been welcoming and he pitied them as he could feel the ambient magic in the air, the curse of his place was real and he wondered if he might disarm it to spare future generations. They had enough problems with maintaining this place he thought given it must cost a fortune to maintain, so that night he crept around the castle alone, looking for the source of the curse that he could sense. The vast size of the castle was making this much harder than it needed to be but thankfully he was undetected due to the time of night.

He soon arrived at a corridor which was covered in a thick layer of dust, clearly no-one had been in here for years, the intensity of the magic here was reminiscent of a ward, presumably what had kept whatever the object that carried the curse from being found and destroyed.

But there was no objects in the corridor, just dark coloured stone walls.

Haeron could feel the curse though and it was not in the walls but behind them, knowing that the Red Keep had secret passages he could only assume that Harrenhal must do too. He took a deep breath and summoned his magic before casting a spell with a wave of his hand that should allow him to see if there was anything concealed here.

"Revelare."

The spell was somewhat draining given the size of the corridor but a faint red glow appeared around a section of wall about half way along on the right. Haeron walked over and cast another spell now he had the location.

"Alohomora." A brief smile coming to his face as he remembered the first time he had seen the spell used and again thanked Hermione for showing him.

The stone wall parted slightly, showing it was a concealed door as expected. Pushing it open he looked inside and used the torch he was carrying to see what was inside.

There were stairs that went down a bit so carefully he made his way down, sure that there might be traps but it seemed whoever had designed this had clearly not thought them necessary, the stairs were steep but climbable and then came to what looked like a large natural cavern which he guessed must be deep under the castle. It was dark and difficult to see but clearly there was some reflecting the light his torch was giving off, Haeron soon realised just what the contents of the chamber were as he got closer and knew House Whent was going to love this.

- x -

Next Morning...

When he had brought Lord and Lady Whent not to mention Jaime and Ser Lewyn to show them what he had found they were in complete shock.

"This has been under the castle all of these years!" Lord Whent exclaimed in shock as he looked at the incredible amount of treasure that lay here. Heaps of gold and silver and other valuables.

"The secret stash of House Hoare, the Iron Born always steal, it is their way and have no loyalty but to themselves. Stands to reason they would hide something like this even from their own people." Ser Lewyn said with a shake of his head at the fortune that was here.

"And now its ours." Lady Whent said in amazement as she picked up a golden necklace and brushed her fingers over the sapphires that the gold held in place.

Jaime was used to gold and so his eyes were drawn to others things like the statue of Harren 'the Black' Hoare in the centre of the room. Smirking he drew his steel sword which he was allowed to carry as they travelled and slashed at it when to his astonishment and everyone that saw it...the sword shattered on impact. Jaime was so caught off by this that he stumbled and fell on his backside, looking at his ruined sword with shock while everyone looked between them and the statue.

"How is that possible?" Lord Whent asked in confusion knowing that even if the stone was strong enough to resist steel it should have just deflected not shattered. Haeron looked at it and admitted something to them.

"Thanks to the stupidity of Baelor the Blessed most of the texts my family had on magic were destroyed but some of them did survive. One of the things that they say is that a curse has been be held in an object to endure. Perhaps this is the source of the curse that has driven so many families to extinction and brought down misfortune on your own." Haeron said with a curious look on his face which made the others look at him with surprise that he would admit to having read texts on magic but his mentions of the curse being held in this object intrigued them especially the Whents who had been suffering badly since they had taken ownership of the castle with all of the losses in their family and poor birth rates.

"You've read about magic?" Jaime asked as Haeron helped him to his feet and Haeron told his squire.

"If one is to understand then one must learn. Even if you don't believe it can help you understand those that do. Knowledge is key to many boons Jaime." Haeron told him hoping to educate Jaime and let him see that he must know more to be better prepared for the world. Jaime was confused but nodded making a mental note to try and learn more of the world.

"Perhaps we need a stronger sword." Haeron said as he drew Crimson Heart and hoped it was strong enough for this but short of Valyrian steel it was their best option. He took a deep breath and swung the sword at the statue while everyone watched with baited breath.

This time the sword did not break and cleaved cleanly through the stone, the magical properties in the sword's metal allowing it to do this and dampening the magic that had broken Jaime's. The Statue fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

But the moment the statue was broken, an inhuman scream bellowed across the chamber, dark smoke began to pour from the shards of the broken statue before their horrified eyes which joined together into the form of a man, he seemed to be letting off some kind of vapour.

He was dressed in black armour with the crest of House Hoare on his chest, grey hair on his head and holding a vicious looking axe in his hands but what scared all of them was the moment that he opened his eyes. There was nothing there, just a dark void in each socket and he did not speak but instead when it opened its mouth emitted another horrific scream.

The more fearful among them scrambled for the stairs to escape while others just stared in shock at what they were seeing, Haeron however rallied his own courage and held Crimson Heart ready as the ghost of Harren the Black came at him. The ghost swung its axe wildly at him but Haeron was able to parry the blows and deflect them away from himself, Haeron could only guess the reason he had gone for him and not the others was that he was holding the sword that had broken his statue.

Harren's ghost did not quit however and lunged violently at him, each attack more desperate than the last but Haeron remained calm despite the fact he was dealing with a malevolent ghost, he was an opponent like any other and so treated him as such.

Eventually the ghost made a mistake and overcommitted himself and allowing Haeron to get an opening to stab him through his ghostly heart. Harren's ghost started screaming again as white lines spread out from the wound with great speed before it burst into white light, the screams echoing for a moment before finally disappearing forever.

The silence in the room was complete and everyone who remained including Lord and Lady Whent, Ser Lewyn, Golor and Jaime all looked at Haeron with awe in their eyes. The prince had stood firm in the face of an evil spirit and slayed it with his sword, as great deeds went this one was certainly up there.

He would be the first, the new Dragonknight who would set the standard for those that followed.

Haeron however looked at his sword to make sure it had not been compromised and sheathed it when he was satisfied it was good. He had not had to do anything that in a long time he thought, as Harry he had been forced to deal with unfriendly spirits as the Master of Death and now as Haeron he was doing it again, it was something he didn't relish doing but it was good to make sure spirits that had been corrupt or evil moved on.

The curse was also fading he thought as without the statue and the spirit inside it was now breaking, he turned to Lord Whent and made a suggestion to him though.

"While I am sure this will bring about an end to the curse it might be worth constructing a new home for your family elsewhere, maybe closer to one of the town's you control. There is plenty of stone here spare to work with." He said with a smile and Lord Whent when he had recovered his wits nodded in agreement.

"Given the costs of maintaining Harrenhal I can only agree my prince and I am sure that the gold in here will be sufficient for that task. Your Grace, how can we ever repay you for this? You may well have saved my family from ruin." Lord Whent said and Haeron merely raised an eyebrow before saying.

"I need no reward for this Lord Whent. As a member of House Targaryen it is my duty to aid those we serve as they serve us. As a prince my duty is always to the realm and its well-being, I am merely carrying out that sacred task." Haeron said calmly. That was partly why he had done it but he had let himself be seen doing it for another reason.

By slaying the spirit and being so humble about it he would only increase his legend, it was a potentially dangerous thing to do but he had slain a ghost and a curse that had endured for centuries, that was something anyone would take notice of.

But as he was leaving the chamber he saw a ring with an unusual stone in it, picking it up he saw it was a fire opal set in a gold ring. It was beautiful but what really intrigued him was that he could feel the magic in the stone, gemstones were hit or miss with magic with some being excellent for use as foci while others were next to useless. Opals had to his knowledge never been tried but he was sure this one would be ideal he thought and picked it up. It was a good sized stone and when he slipped it onto his finger he could feel his magic strengthen.

At last he thought with relief, he had a foci.

Jaime didn't comment on the ring as to be fair it was one small trinket compared to the wealth House Whent would have but did feel the need to ask.

"Your grace, did you mean what you said. About duty?" Jaime asked and Haeron turned to him and told him honestly.

"In part, but remember despite what your father might say appearances and reputation matter. Your father's reputation means that he rules without opposition because people know what will happen if they displease him. I as a Prince do serve the realm and it is better to be seen doing that than not...like a lot of my family." He said with a grimace as he remembered the ancestors he had that had been idiotic to say the least.

Jaime was finding it difficult to reconcile that with what his father had always said, he had always told him 'A Lion doesn't concern himself with the opinion of the Sheep' but the more he thought about after the Prince had explained it the easier he found it to understand. Reputation is important in how others will see you not just with your family name and so if he was going to be respected then he would need to craft a reputation that deserved respect.

Haeron who unknown to Jaime was secretly reading his thoughts smiled privately to himself...the boy was learning.

Winterfell, the North...A Week and a Half Later...

The cold of the North had been a shock to most members of their party as the moment they had crossed the Neck it had easily become far less warm. The wind had a bite to it that they had never felt before and Golor and Lewyn who had grown up in warmer climates found it very uncomfortable, so did Jaime as they all donned thicker and warmer clothes.

Haeron did not seem even remotely affected by although he did wear warmer clothes as they did, he still trained just as hard as ever and trained Jaime relentlessly, but the vastness of the North seemed to shock the others. Haeron knew that the North was large enough that you could fit the other kingdoms inside it and when they had winters they were like a white hell. He looked around and saw some of Scotland and Ireland and some of Wales too in the landscape around him and the fact days could pass without seeing even the slightest sign of civilisation was strange to him but it only made him wonder more about travel.

They camped more often than not and the cold had the effect of pushing them harder to get to Winterfell as fast as possible. They only stopped occasionally to pick up fresh supplies in towns or villages they came upon.

But finally, they arrived.

Winterfell was apart from Highgarden the only castle that could really challenge the Red Keep as the largest intact castle in Westeros. It was a grim structure compared to the other two but solidly built and he could easily see why it had withstood the ages. The two massive walls with a moat in-between and rugged towers along it. Riding through the gates he saw that House Stark was already out to greet them and other Northern nobles from their vassals too. That pleased Haeron as he had something they had been after for centuries and would ensure good will when the time came, but surprisingly they were not alone.

Robert Baratheon was here given how much he resembled Lord Steffon it couldn't be anyone else, and the old man standing to his side must be Lord Jon Arryn judging by the Falcon medallion he was wearing. Why were they here? Haeron asked himself and knew it could not be a coincidence so he would have to move carefully until he knew why.

Stepping forward he saw Lord Rickard Stark at the head of the line, he knelt as Haeron approached and spoke.

"Your grace, welcome to the North. Winterfell is yours."

"Greetings Lord Stark, I thank you for your hospitality and welcome." Haeron said as he stood in front of the man and he and the rest of the family stood. Haeron then turned to Brandon Stark, the Wild Wolf as he was known and shook his hand, Brandon smirked and increased the strength in his handshake to try and rattle the prince like this was some sort of game but Haeron merely responded in kind and Brandon only just managed to cover up his wince as he was nowhere near as strong as Haeron.

Next it was Eddard Stark he met, the boy was respectful with a bow and keeping his eyes down but Haeron told the boy.

"I have heard you are a dutiful son of House Stark. Honourable to a fault." Haeron said and added as they worried he might disapprove. "You do your family credit."

Eddard looked relieved by that as did their father Rickard. Brandon looked disappointed and maybe hoped that Eddard would be more like himself. Haeron moved on to Benjen Stark after that and the young lad smiled at him as he bowed. Haeron surprised everyone by giving him a slight nod and a pat on the shoulder before moving on to the last member of House Stark present, the daughter Lyanna Stark.

A thin and gangly creature with the same long face, grey eyes and dark brown hair. Unremarkable really although she was still young, Hermione had certainly changed as puberty set in Haeron remembered and so would Lyanna in time.

"Can we see Crimson Heart?" Lyanna asked with a daring grey fire in her eyes which made Rickard call out.

"Lyanna! Apologize to the prince...NOW!" He said with a furious expression on his face and Eddard and Benjen looked horrified at what she had said, scared Haeron would take offence. Robert and Brandon smirked as they liked her fiery spirit. Jon Arryn he noticed was deeply concerned too and a reading of his thoughts showed his ambition, and his intentions to remove the Targaryens from power.

Haeron might hate his father but he was not about to allow his family to be destroyed which was the only way Arryn's plan would work and he would certainly not allow a lout like Robert Baratheon who he could already tell from his thoughts of booze and fucking Lyanna Stark would be a repeat of Aegon the Unworthy.

As long as Steffon ruled House Baratheon he would stay his hand, he owed the man that much but if Robert ever made any move to be a threat then he would end that threat Haeron thought coldly. The same with Arryn as he had no intention of starting the Civil War he feared was coming early.

Bringing himself back to the moment he granted Lyanna's wish and drew his sword, scaring many who thought he might cut Lyanna in half but instead he showed her the blade and she was wide-eyed with amazement at it, so was Eddard and Benjen while Robert and Brandon just looked at it with barely concealed longing.

"It would probably be best to get out of the cold. I am sure that you would appreciate a bath and change of clothes your grace." Lord Rickard said eager to get them apart and deciding to let the man off the hook, Haeron nodded and allowed himself to be led with the rest of his party to their rooms.

Rickard meanwhile turned to his daughter with enraged eyes.

"Lyanna! That is the crown prince! The heir to the Iron Throne and one of the greatest swordsman in all of the kingdoms. Show proper respect." He almost growled at her, Lyanna was not intimidated as she knew her dimples would get her out of this and merely smiled as she said sweetly.

"Of course father. I promise, shall we get ready for dinner? I for one am hungry." She told them and Rickard, Jon, Eddard and Benjen all sighed with frustration while Brandon and Robert both laughed at her audacity.

'What a woman!" Robert thought to himself with his interest in her heightened.

With some time to pass before dinner the Prince and his party toured Winterfell and Haeron had to agree it was a formidable fortress but there were places where it could be improved. A lot of the inside area was unused and some of the castle was crumbling. Not unexpected in such an old castle but it really should be repaired he thought as he looked at one of the towers which was known as the Broken Tower.

"Its grim." Jaime commented arrogantly as there was not much to look and marvel at in Winterfell, Jaime was of course used the ostentatiousness of Casterly Rock which was often cluttered with unnecessary displays of wealth. Feeling he needed to be aware of other cultures Haeron told him sternly as they stood on the battlements of Winterfell.

"You have never seen a Northern winter have you?" Haeron asked already knowing the answer and allowed Jaime to splutter at the question before continuing to make his point. "According to records the snow will cover everything you see and fall so thickly that you will not be able to see more a short distance ahead of you. The cold is so harsh that it will freeze to the bone, food and travel are impossible to find and many will starve. A culture that grows in a place such as this would learn to make the most of their resources, what ever is not needed would not be bothered with as you have to use whatever you have just to survive. What is the point of paintings if you are freezing to death? Better to burn them so you can live another day." Haeron said plainly.

"The North like Dorne is a country of extremes, just the other way around. Instead of harsh deserts they have harsh cold. The culture of a place will evolve depending on the environment it endures. Look at the Reach for example, they have pleasant fields and farmland so they became farmers and in the Stormlands they not only have bad weather and rugged terrain but were constantly under attack from others so they became warriors. Peoples who grow in harsh environments will have to be tough Jaime." Haeron said with a stern look in his eyes that made Jaime almost wilt but he did take on-board what he was being told. Respect for other cultures and understanding them was vital in making alliances and given he would one day be a ruler of a kingdom he would need that skill.

They all then went to join dinner and while he spoke to Lord Stark he saw Robert Baratheon stuff his hand down the cleavage of a serving girl and half carry her to his room while being so drunk his entire face was red. Eddard Stark looked so embarrassed by Robert's behaviour he might just hide under the table while Lyanna looked on with disgust at Robert's behaviour.

This was the person Lord Arryn was thinking of putting on the throne? Haeron thought as he looked at the Arryn who was doing his best to ignore Robert's dishonourable behaviour. He decided there and then to not bother with a visit to the Vale as it would be pointless given Arryn's potential plans.

- x -

The following morning while Robert was sleeping off his drinking and night of sex Haeron was standing again in the hall as the lords had their breakfast and explained the new ships to Lords Stark, Manderly, Glover and Mormont the latter three being the ones that actually had ships.

Lord Manderly was easily the most eager to get the new ship designs, he had seen the Aemon's Ranger win the race from Kings Landing. He was also the biggest trader in the North so having fast and capable ships like that would really be a benefit to him, not to mention he had a fondness for the new ships as the race had won him a large fortune from placing bets with House Peake who they still were rivals along with other houses to the south. So much coin had been won by them that they were restoring Wolf's Den which had been used previously as a prison.

Haeron gladly gave a copy of the designs to them but did have to add one last provision to his act of kindness.

"I must insist that all steps are taken to ensure the Iron Born do not acquire the new design. It would only embolden them." Haeron said knowing full well how bad they were and would not change for anything. They didn't respect anything or anyone, praised thieving, rape and murder but called it a crime if it ever happened to them. They were weak and pathetic thieves stealing what they couldn't be bothered to make themselves and if they put a toe out of line on his watch he would gladly give them a slap down Haeron thought with disgust the Iron Born.

"You can count on us your grace." Lord Glover insisted and Lord Mormont nodded in agreement, he could only hope that was true before turning to the other thing he was giving the North which would benefit them all in the long run.

"There is another matter that I wish to discuss with you." Haeron said before turning to Golor who came forward with a fairly big square shaped object covered by cloth. The Northerners looked on curiously as Haeron removed the cloth and showed them what was underneath it.

"You all know what this is." Haeron said, holding up a sheet of glass with a slight green tint to it. They were unimpressed he could tell by the glass but not what he he said next.

"Myr has long been the sole producer of glass which you use to make the glass gardens you rely on in the harshest weather to make more food. They charge harsh prices for glass, enough that it would be more than the North makes in a year to make a single glass garden. But I am a prince that looks for the betterment of my kingdoms, so I present to you the first pane of glass produced in Westeros." Haeron said proudly and that instantly got them interested and excited he thought with a mental grin. They were dependant on trade for food as they found it hard to grow enough in their climate especially without sufficient glass houses.

"I will show you how to make more, enough that you will be able to build all the glass houses you want." Haeron said with a smile, it had taken him effort to learn how to make the glass but it was exactly the sort of thing that would make him a friend of the North for life. They would no longer need to be robbed by Myr for glass or other kingdoms for food, now they would be able to make their own or at least enough to be far more independent.

The excited and joyful looks on their faces was enough to let him know that he had made the right choice, there was an old saying 'The North Remembers', it usually meant that if you wronged the North then they would never forget and eventually take their vengeance on you...but it also meant they did not forget those that helped them especially in a way that meant something. The look of admiration in the eyes of Lord Rickard who like him knew how much his home land would benefit from this was proof of that. Eddard Stark too looked at him in amazement alongside his brother Benjen while Brandon looked simply bored as if he didn't care. That nearly brought a frown to his face as the heir who didn't care would never rule well.

- x -

Three Days Later...

Haeron had spent the last couple of days teaching Northerners how to make glass and was confident that they had finally got the process down, it would take time for them to spread the knowledge and process to other keeps but it would happen and soon glass houses would spread around the North. Their value would make this a top priority for them.

So he was finally taking some time to train with Jaime, the lad had a natural gift with a sword he thought as he watched Jaime run through his drills. He might not be talented at ruling or other disciplines but in terms of physical pursuits he was highly gifted. He only hoped the brother Tyrion would be good at ruling as together they would balance each other out, Jaime would rule but with the guidance of his brother. Some would assume Tyrion might betray him and while that was a certain possibility Haeron would he hope be proven right to trust their brotherly bond.

"Excellent." Haeron said as Jaime finished his drills. "You learn quickly, I hope that you soon gain the experience required to improve. Practice and training will only take you so far. To truly master your abilities, experience is often the best teacher and I can tell you from my own that the sensation of being in a true fight will make you keener than you can imagine." Haeron explained to Jaime, knowing the sensation and fear of a real fight would push you harder and further than any sparring session.

"Then prove it...Dragonspawn." A taunting voice said from the side, making Haeron and Jaime look over to see Robert Baratheon standing there with his war hammer over her shoulder. He could see the Starks and Arryn coming running up behind him.

"Robert what are you doing?" Eddard asked urgently with some worry, Jaime not liking this at all stepped forward but Haeron put his hand up to stop him.

"He's challenging me Jaime, if he wishes to face me then I will not deny it but to use real weapons Baratheon? You cross a line." Haeron warned him, this would be a real fight not a simple spar.

Robert just snorted and ignored all of the calls from the different Starks and Jon Arryn to stop, he had seen the admiration people gave him and it made Robert sick, the inbred fuckers were disgusting to his eyes and then there had been the looks he had seen Lyanna give him...looks of interest.

He would prove who was the better warrior he thought as he took his war hammer in both hands.

Haeron drew Crimson Heart and stood ready. Both of them were tall with large muscles but the prince was slightly older and had something of an advantage given he had some real fighting experience which Robert did not have.

He also had the advantage of being calm and collected, judging things carefully but quickly...something Robert could not do.

Robert like a wild man began to swing his hammer, Haeron however knew the war hammer was a weapon that relied on blunt force to do damage even through armour so he must at all costs not let it hit him, especially as he was not wearing any armour he thought with some worry.

So he ducked and rolled around Robert's attack and leapt to his feet, deflecting the second blow as Robert wheeled around to continue attacking. To give Robert his credit he was accurate with his blows and fast to move, keeping Haeron on his toes but Haeron was precise with his attacks, aiming not at the metal of the hammer but the wooden staff that held it.

Robert's rage only grew the longer it took to pin Haeron down, he was not used to a fight going on this long and he would normally have hit and slow him down by now but the dragon fucker just side-stepped, dodged or deflected his attacks away. His breathing was becoming more and more laboured with each swing of his hammer but then he stumbled as the prince spun away from another lunge and that was when Haeron went on the offensive, slashing down hard with his sword on the wooden staff of his war hammer!

The wood, already weakened by the smaller hits he had inflicted on it when deflecting previous attacks split in two! The metal hammer falling with half of the handle falling to the ground while Robert was left holding the other half, he barely had time to understand just what had happened before Haeron moved in and elbowed him hard in the face, knocking the shocked Robert to the ground. Robert, dazed but determined to continue this fight went to get up only to find the tip of Crimson Heart right in his face. Haeron held it there, looking coldly down at Robert. Everyone watching held their breath as they wondered just what he was going to do before Haeron said coldly to Robert as he sheathed his sword.

"If your father had not saved my life once I would punish you...but for Steffon's sake I won't. Your passion gives you great strength Baratheon but do not let it control you." Haeron told him before turning to walk away. Everyone breathed a sign of relief and Eddard went over to help Robert up while everyone else looked on still trying to understand just what had happened.

Rickard Stark though was looking at Haeron with curiosity and then seeing that it might be wise to get Robert Baratheon and Prince Haeron apart for the time being suggested an expedition.

"Your grace." Rickard said as Haeron passed to get his attention. Haeron duly turned and Rickard then made his suggestion. "Perhaps since you are in the North it might be of interest for you to see the Wall first hand? It is a magnificent sight." Rickard offered and Haeron was intrigued. He had always known of the Wall but he had never thought to actually see it.

"I would be delighted...Lord Stark." Haeron said in agreement.

The Wall, The North...Three Days Later...

Riding towards the Wall accompanied by his own men and Lord Rickard Stark was uneventful but when the Wall finally came into sight...all of the men except Rickard and his men were stunned even Haeron.

It was easily the largest structure that any of them had ever seen, reaching high into the sky and yet stretching far into the distance in both directions.

Haeron in particular was astonished, he could only imagine the effort it must have taken to build it and then the magic that had been woven into it. He could feel it even from here and it was intense, the Children of the Forest supposedly had weaved their power into it and he could well believe it given the strength of the magic even after thousands of years.

Castle Black itself as they arrived was substantially less impressive but the men of the Night's Watch, as miserable and tired as they seemed to his eyes were still impressive as they manned such a structure and kept their constant vigil. Rickard and Haeron both were treated with due respect as they rode in and then went to the metal cage to ride to the top. Both men were silent as they looked out while Jaime, Lewyn and Golor shivered in the cold, too distracted by it to really enjoy the view.

Eventually they arrived at the top and exited the lift cart, seeing the tunnels of ice as they walked to the outlook Rickard commented.

"Your ancestors King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne came to the Wall, walked these same passages with my ancestor Lord Rickon Stark and came to this same outlook." Rickard said as they approached one of the wooden outlooks that dotted along the Wall's top. Their breath was stolen away as they looked out over the ice covered wild land beyond. They weren't sure but they all suddenly felt a strange chill that had nothing to do with the weather as they looked beyond the North and into the lands beyond.

"They say that the Conqueror also came to the Wall with Queen Visenya and Torrhen Stark to see the Wall for themselves. You at least are not threatening me with a dragon." Rickard said with a smirk and Haeron frowned before saying calmly.

"I have no dragon to threaten anyone with thanks to the foolish ambition of some of my ancestors and Otto Hightower." Haeron said with a deadpan look as he stared Rickard in the eye. "I remember that story too and they say the dragons both times refused to cross it."

"Aye they would not cross it. The most powerful force in the world and they would not cross the Wall. Do you think my ancestors would build a 700 foot high wall that spans a hundred leagues. Three hundred miles according to the distance measures you created. To keep out cold and savages?" Rickard asked him, knowing the ancient legends of why his people had built the Wall and what it protected them from.

Haeron did too, despite not being as interested in such things as Rhaegar was he studied all legends as he knew from his experience with the Deathly Hallows that often there was a grain of truth in there somewhere.

"To protect all of the living against the Others, the White Walkers as they are otherwise known. While else would it and an order like the Night's Watch be created but to protect the world from a threat more dangerous than any other?" Haeron said calmly and wondered if the Walkers were real, for their sake he hoped not but knew better than to take something like that for granted.

At ten years old as Harry Potter he had known that dragons, unicorns, fairies and magic were tales told to entertain and nothing more.

At eleven years old, he had known they were all true.

"I am glad to see you do understand your grace." Rickard said with genuine relief. "If the legend should ever turn out to be true, I would hope you would aid us in that battle."

"I would, after all what else can you do against a force that cared for nothing more than death." Haeron said although how do you fight a foe like the White Walkers he wondered?

"They're just stories." Jaime interjected, finding the mood a little too dark for his liking and Rickard turned to him and said.

"Boy, my ancestors could have conquered the Wildlings and made them into Northerners, grown the North by nearly twice its size. Why instead would we make the Wall instead of making ourselves kings of a much larger kingdom?" Rickard asked him sternly. Jaime had no answer and they all looked out of the outlook and across the tundra and forests beyond, their thoughts uncertain and unsettled at what might lie out there.

They rode the lift back down to the castle below and Haeron went to meet someone that he had been hoping to meet for some time.

Knocking on the door he heard the person he had come to see answer.

"Enter."

Haeron pushed the door open and saw an old man, older than any other that he had met on this world so far but his thinning snow white hair, unseeing eyes and thin frame did nothing disguise the power of his mind or the wisdom he had.

"Can I help you?" Maester Aemon asked and Haeron gave one of his rare smiles as he told him.

"You have helped me many times already Uncle Aemon." Haeron said, affectionately referring to him as Uncle Aemon even if he was many times more than that.

Aemon cautiously walked towards him, following the sound of his voice until they were right in front of each other and gently felt his face. Haeron allowed this and Aemon soon smiled.

"You have a strong face, like my own father but from our letters and what we hear of your exploits in the south then you can only be Prince Haeron." Aemon said with a wise old voice.

"Indeed, I was visiting the North but I could not let the opportunity for us to meet in person pass by. To thank you for all of the help and advice you have given me over the years." Haeron said kindly and Aemon just kept smiling as he reassured him.

"It was my pleasure, you have an inquiring mind and the will to do good in this world. That is more than enough reason and reward for me." Aemon said as they sat down and began to talk, the smile on Aemon's face was worth the trip to the Wall to Haeron as he owed this man so much. He would never have been able to achieve even half of what he had without him and his advice.

They talked for many hours until Haeron finally showed Aemon the dragon egg which he had brought from Kings Landing so he could keep heating it as he travelled. Aemon was amazed as he felt the warmth of the egg in his hands and smiled deeply at the sensation, potentially hoping as did Haeron that it would one day hatch.

It was late in the evening when Lord Rickard, Ser Lewyn and Jaime came to fetch them for dinner and were surprised to see the Prince and old Maester speaking so openly with each other, they knew they were related but not that they had been corresponding for years. But as the old maester handed the egg back to Haeron...something amazing happened.

The shell of the egg became much hotter, so hot that Haeron nearly dropped it but red lines appeared on the egg around each of the scales, stunning all of them as they watched while Haeron held it in his hands.

He watched as the scaled shell of the egg broken apart, revealing a creature the size of a normal cat. It was covered in red scales with flecks of gold and dark whorls that were tiny now but would no doubt grow as it did. Its front legs were attached to its wings and it had a small angular head, it cried out little cries that sounded pitiful but they were persistent. It had golden eyes which turned on Haeron and snuggled up to him, Haeron gladly held it close so it could seek out his warmth and smiled while the others all looked on in amazement as the first dragon born in over a century was right there in front of them. Jaime and Ser Lewyn in particular had seen the skulls of Balerion and other great dragons in the Red Keep so they knew that this small creature might one day grow into a huge beast that would dominate all around it.

Rickard was silent and glad that he was on good terms with the Prince as his dragon would hopefully not be turned on the North someday but the most joyous of all of them was Maester Aemon who heard the chirps it was making and actually cried as he gently petted the creature which took to him straight away but refused to leave Haeron's side.

Haeron was inside though not only excited but worried as he knew many would try to kill this little marvel he thought knowing the powerful creature it would one day become and for now it would depend on him for protection. He gently petted the creature which allowed Jaime, Lewyn and Rickard to as well but only if he was there. The men marvelled at the incredible thing before them and now were more certain than ever that the Prince was meant to do greater things.

"Haeron." Aemon said with pride in his voice. "Thank you, today is a day that I honestly never thought would ever happen...not since the Dance of the Dragons has House Targaryen had the symbol of our house but now you have restored it. You have made an old man very proud and very happy." Aemon said with tears on his face as he felt the tiny dragon rub its small head against his hand.

Haeron smiled back, this dragon changed everything and he would need to make sure it was raised right but it would be a worthwhile endeavour as this dragon would one day be a symbol of his power and bring him the support he needed to overthrow his father.

But on a personal level, he was deeply touched that he had managed to make Aemon so happy, it must have been awful his life here but he was so strong and so wise...it was his privilege to do it.

As the Haeron and his party made their way back south, knowing it was time to return to Kings Landing, they had no way of knowing just how fast tales of their exploits had spread, especially that the Prince had ended the curse of Harrenhal and 'killed' a dark spirit with his special sword, some of the people who heard this story were in disbelief that in the real world that could happen but others were intrigued or even in wonder. The Septons who heard it were enraptured as they saw it as validation for their beliefs, if spirits existed then so too must the gods and many would pray in septs for protection from evil spirits like the one that the Prince had ended. This also made him a hero in some of their eyes as he had defeated an evil ghost and with only his sword like a legendary hero of the past.

Haeron's own family were very different.

Shaena and Daeron were in awe of their older brother as he seemed like an untouchable hero in their eyes, a towering figure that would do incredible and great deeds. Viserys was too young to really understand all of this yet while Rhaegar was amazed as the first solid proof to his mind that the White Walkers did exist as life and death was clearly not as definite as everyone one believed and the mystical could exist so he intensified his research and would make a journey of his own to the Citadel to study there.

Rhaella however while proud of her son for his accomplishment was deeply worried as Aerys was so enraged at the praise and attention Haeron was receiving. He was fuming and the last time he had fumed this badly he had whipped Haeron on his name day, the memory of that day making her shudder as she had nearly lost him that day and she did not want to let history repeat itself.

- x -

The Red Keep, Kings Landing...Two Weeks Later...

Walking through the familiar corridors of the Red Keep was bittersweet for Haeron, he disliked the place only due to the backstabbing politics of the place and Aerys of course but still...it was home he supposed and his mother and siblings were here.

They made it bearable.

But their party or rather him specifically received far more attention when they saw what was riding on his shoulder. The little dragon had already grown a fair bit with a rich diet of pork and beef which it seemed to like especially when well cooked and somewhat spiced. It had a voracious appetite and that made sense given how much growing it had to do.

The dragon was amazed by the sights and sounds of the Red Keep, its small head looking around eagerly as they moved around to see and hear and smell everything. He petted the dragon's head which made Jaime, Golor and Ser Lewyn smile as they despite the fearsome creature the dragon would one day become found the small beast rather cute.

He had decided to name his new dragon Kara, derived from the High Valyrian word for 'great' which was apt he thought for the dragon that would hopefully bring back their species and do a lot of big things in its life.

The stares and double takes continued all of the way to the throne room, that was when the fat was really thrown into the fire.

The sight of him with a dragon draped around his shoulders as he walked into the room brought gasps of shock and when Aerys saw it, he froze in complete surprise before stumbling down off of the throne and looking at the dragon with undisguised longing.

"A dragon!" He said in barely a whisper as he went to touch it but Kara did not like him, the dragon spat out a burst of sparks in his direction which stopped him in surprise. Everyone looked on as Haeron gently petted his dragon who rubbed their head against his temple in adoration.

"Kara doesn't like you. I can hardly blame it." Haeron said with a cold smile as he looked Aerys in the eyes. "Kara hatched to me, a dragon will only accept one person."

"The dragon is mine! Its meant to be mine!" Aerys screamed, suddenly becoming furious and lunged forward as if to grab Kara with his hands outstretched like grasping claws but Haeron stepped back intentionally at the last moment and allowed Aerys to fall flat on his face. He yelled out in pain but it was nothing more than a bruise.

"This is a new beginning for House Targaryen." Haeron said to the courtiers which all looked on in surprise at the rather pathetic actions of the king before giving him their full attention. "The dragons return marks a change that I will not ignore." Haeron said simply before leaving with Jaime and Golor while the Kingsguard helped Aerys to his feet. They all looked at Ser Lewyn in shock but he only shrugged as he would inform them of the mad adventures they had been having when on their journey later.

Jaime was struggling to contain his amusement at Aerys being so weak, Golor likewise was having to work hard to keep the smile off of his face. But neither of them had any way of knowing that Haeron was thinking deeply of his current plans and knew that him having a dragon would change things dramatically.

Aerys would want the dragon and would do anything to get Kara, even kill him this time Haeron thought with a dark look in his eyes and knew that he would need to be ready. Given he had not been able to gather as much support around Westeros as he would have preferred that meant he would need to go to his back up plan, one that he had set in motion before leaving Dragonstone and why the Aemon's Ranger was now tucked up in a dock nearby.

He had intended his back up plan to be a demonstration of his power and skill but now he would need it sooner rather than later. He had already made arrangements for it to be ready and Davos had moved his family to Oldtown for safety and they would be provided for by House Hightower in exchange for the new ship design.

Haeron would have just killed Aerys but unfortunately the blasted Kingsguard and foodtaster made all of attempts not worthwhile, they were too good at their jobs he thought with annoyed admiration, and his magic was still not strong enough to help him in a meaningful way. So to give him time to get Kara grown to a point that she would be strong enough to help him and gather necessary resources to overthrow his father...he would need to play the long game for now Haeron thought with care as he was playing a daring game.

But for this moment he went to see his mother and siblings so they could see his new dragon for themselves.

- x -

"She's adorable!" Shaena squealed as she fed the little dragon meat which made it chirp with happiness. Haeron smiled as his sister's happiness, not having the heart to tell her that dragon did not really have gender but let her have her moment.

"She's going to be as big as the Black Dread!" Daeron said with a beaming smile as he could see it in his mind, his older brother riding the enormous dragon through the sky and together with him Daeron wished that he and the rest of their family would have their own dragons some day.

Haeron could tell what he was dreaming and he would do his best to see to it that they all had a dragon some day, not Aerys but the rest of their family he thought to himself. He would restore the species and his family's power at the same time. Even Rhaegar seemed excited by this Haeron noticed with surprise as he was looking down at the little dragon.

Rhaegar was seeing this as a sign that the Prince that was Promised was coming, the return of the dragons meant the dragon has three heads might have alternate meanings than he had thought but it was a great advantage regardless against the White Walkers he thought with excitement that this might be truly the miracle he had been hoping for.

Rhaella stayed quiet as she looked at her children making a fuss of the dragon which she could tell was loving every moment of it. Despite her fears she was still a Targaryen and the sight of a dragon filled her with excitement too and she was so eager to see this little creature grow into the massive dragon it was going to become. But she was worried too as she knew Aerys was going to do whatever it took to get hold of that dragon and she pitied the small creature if he should succeed but worse in her mind was the fact that he was certainly going to have to kill Haeron to do it.

She was terrified for her son and had all of her own people in the castle on the highest possible alertness to make sure if any attempt was made to attack him, they would know about it well before it happened.

She could only hope they were able to stop Aerys she thought with some desperation as Kara made a noise at her to keep petting it which she gladly did and resumed feeding the dragon treats of meat chunks.

- x -

That Night...

It didn't take long for Aerys to act, mere hours which was impressive given his poor self-control.

As most of the Red Keep slept, a figure crept through the dark corridors and quietly entered the prince's room, he saw the lump of the prince under the sheets of his bed and quietly drew his sword. He hesitated for a moment before suddenly as he went to strike, he was tackled from behind.

"NO!" Ser Michel Redding shouted as he rushed forward and pushed his fellow Kingsguard to the ground! He overheard the king commanding Ser Harlan to kill the Prince and bring both the dragon and Crimson Heart to him and Ser Harlan to his shock had agreed! So he would not fail his prince a second time! Ser Redding thought desperately as he did his best to protect Haeron.

The two men fought and wrestled with each other fiercely but as Ser Harlan Grandison reached for his dirk with the intention to end his sworn brother he felt a blade at his throat.

"Not so fast Ser Harlan, now...slowly to your feet." Haeron said, already dressed and with Crimson Heart in his hand. Looking over at the bed that they had disturbed with their fighting both Kingsguard realised it was just a pile of blankets beneath the sheets and more than that Golor and Jaime Lannister were standing their with their own swords in hand while the dragon Kara was on the nearby dresser snarling at the two intruders. "Do you think we didn't see this coming? I know the King too well." Haeron told him although the interference of Ser Redding was a surprise. The man had been kept at arms length by Haeron ever since the day he had been whipped by him but it seemed at long last the knight had done the right thing he thought with amazement that it had taken him this long.

Harlan however was not one to give up and used this to kick Ser Redding away while picking up his sword, charging at the prince. He was regretful of this but the Prince had spurred them for years and he was directly under orders from the king to kill the prince and bring the dragon to him.

He had always thought that the Prince would suffer from not learning from them, he had seen the intense training that Haeron had put himself through but never actually fought against him so he had thought that against someone of their skill he would be ill-equipped.

But the prince quickly proved that notion false.

He was swift and precise, not a single movement wasted even in the confined environment of the room, parrying Ser Harlan with ease and then as he stepped past he did a backwards jab, stabbing Harlan straight through the gaps in the armour.

Harlan stilled, shocked at the prince defeating him so easily and in some ways glad. The prince hadn't deserved to die but hopefully whoever took his place on the Kingsguard would be a better person than him.

As Ser Harlan fell to the floor they all looked on with disappointment and Haeron nodded to Golor who went to take the body away, it would be better to not let it be found in his chambers they all thought.

"Your grace." Ser Redding started as he faced the warrior the boy he had known had become. He wasn't sure what to say but Haeron nodded and told him.

"I am glad that you at last have made the right decision and not the knightly one Ser Redding. I have long known that this day might come, when I will have to leave for the sake of the peace but I will not be gone forever. If I might ask something of you, it is for you not to turn a blind eye again and see to the protection of my mother and siblings in my absence." Haeron said with an expectant look at the Kingsguard who he had once been so close with. Ser Redding looked confused and worried at what he had said.

"Leaving your grace?! Where will you go?" He asked and Haeron told him calmly.

"That is not your concern but I will not be seen in Westeros for some time. Jaime, I will arrange for you to return to Casterly Rock." Haeron said sternly and Ser Redding was deeply concerned as it sounded like the Prince was intending to flee to Essos but given his father was actually trying to kill him he could hardly fault his reasoning and nodded in acceptance of his command.

"I will your grace." Ser Redding said with a deep hope he could do just that. Haeron wondered if he would or not but then he turned to his own squire who looked put off by being left out as surprisingly had actually liked life on the road and the strange experiences he had found there.

"I am still your squire, it would be best if I stayed with you." Jaime said with a smile, making his decision. Haeron didn't react too much, just with a raised eyebrow before explaining to him.

"Jaime I will be leaving Westeros for a long time maybe even years, can you take being away from home for that long?" Haeron asked knowing he should probably send Jaime home as it was going to be more dangerous out there and he would be far from Tywin's protection but Jaime seemed intrigued at the idea of visiting foreign shores and having 'adventures'.

"So it will be fun." Jaime said brightly and Haeron sighed as he could tell the boy would not be moved.

"If you wish okay, but I doubt highly it will be all...fun." Haeron warned him and then went to say his goodbyes to Rhaella and his siblings as after tomorrow...it was Essos or dead with what he had planned for Aerys. He knew killing him in public was too much for the realm to handle and he was only just getting used to his new magic foci so he would need to start small but he would ensure that Aerys paid for this.

- x -

The Following Morning...

Aerys was waiting in the throne room, eager for his new dragon and sword to be delivered to him by Ser Harlan Grandison, like a child on their name day but to his surprise and that of the courtiers it was not Ser Harlan carrying a dragon and sword that walked through the doors of the throne.

Servants carried a bath of warm water with soap and towels looking as confused as the courtiers but they were merely doing as they were told. Then much to Aerys' shock and anger Haeron came into the room with his dragon on his shoulder and his sword at his waist. But Haeron was only feeling disgust at the sight of Aerys. He was unwashed, his thin hair far too long on both his head and his beard, his nails revolting in their twisted gnarled length.

Haeron walked proudly forward and concentrated his glare, creating a confusion over the Kingsguard in the room and was surprised how much easier than he had thought but still he knew it would only last for so long, so without wasting another moment he walked up to the throne. Aerys was terrified as he was sure Haeron was going to kill him and saw the Kingsguard looked dazed and were not going to save him!

But instead Haeron literally picked him up and carrying the spluttering and shocked Aerys down the steps and tore off his clothes and without wasting another moment threw him in the bath! Haeron took the cloth and soap and started scrubbing the filthy Aerys and then took a pair of scissors to cut both his hair and nails to a much more normal length. Haeron spoke loudly so everyone could hear him.

"Your grace, if you are going to be king then you should look the part at least. After trying to kill me last night I am left with no choice but to educate you in how to look the part at the very least." Haeron said with false cheer and scrubbed Aerys clean while everyone looked on in astonishment that this was really happening. Not to mention the fact that Aerys had apparently tried to kill his own son last night! Some of them were honestly shocked and more than a little fearful at how unstable the king really was and wondering if this was the prince's revenge.

It took some doing but Haeron was finally done cleaning Aerys so he had fresh clothes already prepared and dressed him before putting the now clean and presentable Aerys back on the Iron Throne who was seemingly in a state of shock at what had just happened.

"There...now you look somewhat like a king even if you don't act like it." Haeron said even straightening his crown on his forehead before calmly walking out of the room, stopping only to give his mother and siblings one last hug before going to the yard, Jaime and Golor were both waiting for him and they all got on horses and started riding out of the gate and towards the harbour before the hammer dropped.

It took a bit longer for it to happen then they thought it would and they had already arrived at the Aemon's Ranger which was casting off before cries and bells rang, Ser Davos in command of the ship turned and asked him.

"Are you sure this is the wisest course of action your grace?" Davos asked, knowing what they were about embark on was probably the greatest voyage that he had ever heard of. Haeron nodded before telling the captain.

"Given what I just did to Aerys which was I admit purely to show the realm how pathetic he really is and that was before he was trying to kill me, it is necessary. Ser Davos...will the crew be ready when we arrive at Dragonstone?" Haeron asked and Davos nodded, glad he had managed to move his family to Oldtown and see to their upkeep for the immediate future.

"The crew will be ready, but why would we need so many? After all Aemon's Ranger has a good crew already." Davos asked confused and Haeron told him with some satisfaction that he had managed to keep his secret project hidden until now.

"Who said anything about using the Ranger?" Haeron said with a smirk coming to his face. "This ship is good but for the voyage we are intending to make we will need something better. There is an old saying, you never show a new invention unless you have something better on the drawing board." He said with confidence.

That confused all of them as Aemon's Ranger was easily the fastest ship in all of Westeros now, what could the prince have been building that would be better than that? They all asked themselves.

Dragonstone, Black Water Bay...A Day Later...

The Aemon's Ranger made good time getting to Dragonstone, not as fast as a raven but thankfully that was not a worry as they were not going to the castle that dominated the island. Instead they made their way through the lava tubes of the volcano the island had to reach a hidden bay were Haeron's secret project was at last revealed.

Davos, Golor and Jaime looked on in astonishment as they saw the vessel he had been constructing for themselves. It was much larger than Aemon's Ranger and had three far taller masts and sails, painted black and red it was a fearsome looking vessel with strange hatches along the side but above the water line although just what they were none of the men could guess at. It was streamlined like its smaller sibling and had a dragon head on its bow.

"While the Brig is a good ship for trading and defence, this ship is suited to longer voyages." Haeron said proudly as he led them forward. "I call it a Frigate and have made a number of improvements to its design learned from having the Brig in operation. Not to mention there are some more...newer innovations added to the ship that will make it the fiercest ship afloat." Haeron said with a smile of pride as he took in his new ship. Davos being the most knowledgable of ships in their company was in awe of his new command asked the Prince.

"Does she have a name your grace?" Davos asked with curiosity and Haeron nodded before telling them.

"I decided to name this ship after one of the ancestors of House Targaryen that needs respect...Queen Visenya." Haeron said, referring to the original Visenya who had been wife and queen to Aegon the Conqueror and a dragonrider like him. The woman who had played a huge part in the Targaryen Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms and ruled in his stead when he did not want to bother with governance once the war was done. The same woman who had been in charge of the initial construction of the Red Keep when Aegon had been a prick and not wanted to bother as he retreated to Dragonstone and before that preferred Rhaenys who to Haeron's mind while a dragon rider herself was weaker than her older sister.

A pleasant nature and being beautiful was not a good thing when you wanted to rule effectively he reasoned.

"Visenya?" Jaime asked confused. "Why not Alysanne?" The reputation of Alysanne was far more 'clean' and 'just' than Visenya but Haeron told him.

"Alysanne was no warrior, a dragon rider and fiercely intelligent yes but no warrior. I chose the name of this ship with that in mind." Haeron said and wondered when they would get to use the new 'innovations' he had installed as it was inevitable they would be needed.

Boarding the ship they looked around and saw things that they didn't recognise on the main deck but the Prince would tell them what they were with time.

"Davos, the command is yours. Captain." Haeron told him and Davos was a bit nervous of this new ship which was larger than any he had ever seen except the largest swan ships of the Summer Isles and had the largest crew. He saw about sixty or so men and with misgivings that he had not had a chance to get to know the ship properly but it was looking to be unlike any ship before it so he would need to learn fast Davos realised with concern.

"Raise anchor, set the sails bring us around and towards the Narrow Sea. What's our destination you grace?" Davos asked hoping they had somewhere in mind and Haeron nodded with a smile as he was actually looking forward to visiting Essos and seeing the wider world that he had only read about. He gently petted Kara who was still in their customary place on his shoulders as the ship began to move out towards the open sea.

"Braavos of course, I have business there. But there will be other places captain. Now let us get underway." Haeron said and saw as did Davos and Jaime that a storm of ravens was being released from Dragonstone castle, something he had arranged with the maester the moment that the Queen Visenya set sail.

It carried a message, from him to every single castle that they could reach in Westeros. A short and simple sentence that would send a chill down many spines.

I will return.

The Red Keep, Kings Landing...Two Days Later...

Aerys was swearing up a storm and having prisoners burnt alive in anger at Haeron's escape, the little shit had humiliated him and then gotten away without a scratch! He could hardly handle the sheer amount of rage he was feeling and made everyone keep their distance as much as was possible.

But the new ship he had escaped on had shocked everyone, never had Westeros had such a vessel and it was already being ordered of every shipbuilder to build a bigger one by Aerys to not be second best.

Tywin who had now returned to Kings Landing and making sure his wilful daughter had learnt her lesson and left both Cersei and Tyrion in the hands of Genna and Gerion was angered that Jaime was being taken out of Westeros but the reports he had received on his son's progress were quite good and showed he was learning, he just hoped some time in foreign ports would make him grow up. As for the crown prince Tywin could not fault him for his actions, Aerys was the poison that was rotting House Targaryen from the inside out and Haeron was the cure. His own ambition aside he wanted a peaceful Westeros that he could work in to advance his house and interests which would be easier with Haeron on the throne so he would be glad for the day he 'returned'.

Rhaella meanwhile was heartbroken that her eldest son had been forced to flee Westeros due to Aerys and was already working to make sure that if he did try to kill Haeron that she was able to warn him and with a disgusted look on her face as she thought of her brother/husband pondered if there was a way to end him. She would need to be careful for obvious reasons but maybe without Haeron around he would allow his guard to drop she thought as she made her own plans.