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Robb was finding quickly that he very much enjoyed waking as a married man, for there were few things better in life than waking up to the warmth of the woman he loved pressed up against him. Even if his waking brought on the painful reminder of just how much his head hurt from the previous evening. Though this time it was not from drink, well at least not entirely. After his father, the King, Lord Tywin and a few other Lords left to go hunting while they waited for Lord Nox to return so that they could officially begin this tournament, he and his wife had an unexpected visitor to their tent in the form of Lord Tyrion Lannister.
The man had come offering drink and words, and with the Lords' curtesy in mind, Robb had allowed him into the tent he shared with his wife for the evening. While he honestly hadn't gotten to know the Dwarf of Casterly Rock all that well, despite the man having spent several moons in Winterfell, he could honestly say he was a decent man. And sharp witted…and he was sure that he had a hole in his leg or something for all the wine and ale he drank to leave him. Gods, the man could probably even out drink the wildling Tormund and the GreatJon!
And if it had just been drinks that they had shared, Robb would've been fine this morning. But no, Lord Tyrion and his wife just had to start…talking…and talking…and talking. By the gods there were times when he honestly thought the two didn't take a breath last night! He'd always held that Lord Nox was perhaps the most intelligent man he had ever met, while Talisa was a close second…but now he also held Lord Tyrion up to their level as well. Most of the things they talked about, from politics to science and numbers and history just made his head spin! If he wasn't so sure of his own wife's love for him, he would've been afraid that he would lose her to the Imp with how…vigorous she became when talking to him.
Talisa woke up soon after he, and like normal she was able to immediately get out of bed and begin her day, leaving him to sluggishly rise and get dressed as she waited so that the two of them could break their fast together, just as they had almost every morning since they were wed. Walking out of their tent arm in arm, the two were immediately surrounded by the House guards sworn to House Stark. After the events of the previous day with the Septon throwing literal shit at his wife, Robb was no longer in the mood to take any chances with his wife's, or his families, safety while they were in the south.
"Shall we head to the keep for our morning meal my love?" Robb asked as they started to move, the ring of Stark guardsmen moving with them in a protective manner. "Or perhaps we should test our luck with the…merchants…"
His words died as he saw a most unusual sight heading towards them. A full contingent of men in red cloaks and armor wearing the sigil of House Lannister…and headed by a knight of the Kingsguard. Robb didn't recognize the Kingsguard, but he knew that he wasn't either Ser Barristan or Ser Jamie. "Lord Robb Stark," the Kingsguard shouted as soon as he spotted him while also resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "The Crown Prince, Joffrey Baratheon, demands your presence in the court. Now."
Robb was more than slightly confused. Why would the Crown Prince summon him to court before anyone had truly had a chance to break their fast? And why would he send a full contingent of men at arms, led by a member of the Kingsguard, to deliver the message? Something was not right. And based on his wife's furrowed brow and the way the other men and women of the North began stirring around them, he was not the only one to realize it. "And may I ask why the Crown Prince has summoned me in such a manner?"
The Kingsguard narrowed his eyes, his hand shifting to better grip the hilt of his sword. "The Crown Prince has summoned you, and you will answer his call. Willingly or by force if need be."
This wasn't good. The red cloaks were all gripping their swords, and he knew that the men of the North were but a breath away from drawing their own steel. And once that happened, there would be no going back. "Very well," Robb said, glancing at the various men and women of the North who'd gathered around them. Catching Theon's eyes, he made a subtle gesture with his head. Thankfully, his friend seemed to catch on immediately as he gave him a single nod back and disappeared into the gathering crowd. 'Hurry, Theon.' "The North is sworn to the crown, and I will heed the call of the Crown Prince. Though my wife and I have yet to break our fast, perhaps we mig—?"
"Now, Lord Stark. While you still are a 'Lord' Stark."
'Well, if I didn't already have a bad feeling about this, that just confirmed my suspicions.' Robb thought as he nodded to the Kingsguard and began walking towards the towering walls and towers of Harrenhal.
While he couldn't stall for time by stopping for food, Robb did make sure to take his time by calmly walking through the masses and into the great keep, doing all he could to give Theon or whatever runner was sent out as much time as possible to find his father and the King.
Upon entering the great hall, Robb found that it was already near to the point of bursting with hundreds of nobles standing shoulder to shoulder. When he entered, the crowd immediately went quiet and turned towards him. 'What in the name of the gods is going on here?' he thought, keeping his head held high as he walked between the crowd of nobles towards the end of the hall.
At the far end of the great hall, Robb found the Crown Prince, Joffrey Baratheon, sitting on a makeshift throne that'd been assembled on the dais where the high table normally stood. By his side was the Queen, looking all too pleased for some reason. And around them were the rest of the Kingsguard save for one notable absence in Ser Barristan Selmy, who was more than likely with the King given that he was commander of the Kingsguard. As for Joffrey…the crown prince looked far, far too pleased with himself for some reason.
"Your grace," Robb called out in greeting as he reached the front of room, bowing slightly as he did so. "Might I enquire as t—?"
"Be quiet, mutt," the crown Prince nearly yelled. "You came like you were called like the good dog you Starks are. But now you will remain silent until I say you can talk!"
If it wasn't for Talisa grabbing his hand, Robb was sure that he would've retorted something that would have been…very improper given the circumstances. Seeing that he kept quiet seemed to surprise the Crown Prince, but none the less he pressed on. "Lord Robb Stark, I Joffrey Baratheon, future King of Westeros, do hereby find you guilty of the murdering of a Septon here in Harrenhal! Do you have anything to say before I have your head removed from your shoulders?"
To say Robb was blindsided would be similar to saying that north of the Wall was only slightly cold. It was an understatement. "What?" Robb exclaimed, looking around wildly. "I – I have no idea what you are talking about…your grace. This is the first I have heard about a Septon being murdered, and I certainly had no part in it."
Smirking, Joffrey leaned back in his seat. "A Septon was found stabbed in the back this morning. The same Septon that you were seen to have an altercation with the day prior. And if you have nothing further to say, then I call now for your head!"
The Kingsguard all immediately put their hands on their swords. Narrowing his eyes, his fingers itching towards the lightsaber hilt at his waist, Robb began discretely looking around with both his eyes and through the Force, trying to figure out the best way to get both himself and Talisa out of here, no matter how many he had to cut down to do so. "Forgive me for saying, your grace…Whilst this is a gross breach of etiquette for even a common criminal, let alone the Heir to House Stark and your future Warden of the North, but do I not deserve a trial?"
Joffrey's grin never left his face. "Your trial has already been concluded, Stark. And I have found you guilty of the crime of murdering a Septon. I merely brought you here to see if you have anything to say in your defense, which you clearly don't. And now I hereby han-"
"Well, well…This is quite the way to start a morning!"
All eyes in the hall, including Robb's, turned towards the entrance. A sea of men wearing the sigil of House Lannister were pushing their way through the crowd of nobles. And leading them was the smallest man in Westeros, Lord Tyrion Lannister. "I must say, nephew," Lord Tyrion said looking around. "I truly do hope that this little lapse in judgement of yours can be blamed on your inexperience with matters of state. After all, the trial of the heir to a Great Lord is certainly not something to rush…and not something that can or should be done with them in absence. You should know that dear nephew…and you as well, sister. So, I'm sure that this whole 'already found Lord Stark guilty' thing was just a slip of the tongue."
Robb was both grateful, and surprised, but not only of Lord Tyrion's arrival, but also the fact that he seemed to be aiding him against his family. As if he could read his mind, Lord Tyrion turned towards him. "And no, Lord Robb, I am not 'taking your side against my family', if that is what you are thinking. I am merely a man of the law and wish to see that it has been followed correctly." Turning away from him, the little Lannister walked towards the dais, stopping just short of the steps leading up. "Well, your grace? Were your words just a slip of the tongue?"
Robb noticed the Queen tried to say something to the prince, but it didn't appear that the Crown Prince was willing to listen to what she had to say. "I am the Crown Prince! The future King of Westeros! What I say is law! And the Crown Prince can do as he pleases and has the right to sit in judgment and make decisions in absence of the King!"
Tyrion stayed silent for a moment as the imp stared at the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen also did as he liked with House Stark. And the Mad King performed what many have called a 'sham' trial where he murdered both Lord Stark and the heir to House Stark. Has your father ever told you how that ended for them?"
Joffrey grew steadily redder with each word spoken, and the Queen looked like she'd just eaten something rotten. However, neither answered Lord Tyrion's question, instead the answer came from one of the helmed Kingsguard who took a step down the dais with his hand on his sword. "No one threatens the Crown Prince and the royal family in the presence of the Kingsguard, imp!"
Even with his back turned to him, Robb could see Tyrion roll his eyes at the knight. "I'm not threatening the Crown Prince or the royal family, Ser Blount. I'm merely educating my nephew on what he should already know. Lord Robb, if Ser Blount here opens his mouth again, feel free to kill him. You'll have my backing, and you'll be doing all of us a favor."
The Kingsguard, Ser Blount, snapped his head towards Robb. To his part, Robb merely smirked at the Kingsguard in spite of the situation he was in. 'Oh yes. He will most certainly be the first to die should I need to cut my way out of here.'
"That was a threat, Ser Blount," Tyrion continued. "See the difference?"
"Regardless, the Crown Prince has already made his ruling," the Queen spoke up, though she did look certainly less sure of herself than she did when he'd first entered. "All that is left is for the sentence to be carried out."
"Perhaps," Lord Tyrion nodded, and it was just then that Robb noticed a commotion coming from just outside the hall. "But the judgement and sentencing of a Great Lord, or the heir to a Great House, is not something done easily. And is no longer your concern."
The doors to the great hall burst open as raised voices filled the hall. But as soon as the commotion started, it stopped as the ones making the commotion came into view. The Lords and Ladies that were in the hall parted to the sides, trying to make themselves as small as possible as King Robert, Robb's father, and Lord Tywin Lannister all marched into the hall side by side. The king looked…furious. No. That was too soft of a word for the look on the King's face. And while Robb's father looked calm, Robb knew him well enough to know that his father was just a hair's breadth from pulling Ice. The only one Robb couldn't read was Lord Tywin, who looked completely devoid of any emotions at all.
Glancing towards the dais, Robb saw that both the Prince and the Queen mother had gone deathly pale as perhaps three of the most powerful men in Westeros marched forward. 'If Lord Nox were here as well…then it would be the four most powerful men in Westeros coming down the hall.'
No one in the hall uttered a single word until the King reached the foot of the dais. He glanced first towards Robb, then Lord Tyrion, then up to his son, who looked as if he was doing all he could not to start shaking in boots. "Someone want to tell me what the fuck is going on? NOW!"
"A trial, your grace," Lord Tyrion explained calmly. "Crown Prince Joffrey was presented with evidence that Lord Robb Stark here was involved in the murder of a Septon last night, and as is expected of him he was looking into the matter."
The King did not look pleased at all as he walked up the dais and stood before the Crown Prince, who had shrunk into the large chair he was sitting in. "Move your ass, boy," the king hissed, and the Crown Prince moved faster than Robb had ever seen him move, fleeing the seat and running behind the Queen. Taking the vacated seat, the King looked at those assembled before him. "Well? A Septon was murdered, and why is Lord Robb here standing trial?"
The Queen recovered faster than the prince, who was still hiding behind her. "He was seen having a confrontation with the murdered Septon the previous day a—"
"As were at least a dozen others, some Northerners and others from various other regions," Lord Tyrion cut in quickly. Robb was having difficulty figuring out just what side the little lord was on with how quickly he was going back and forth between defending Robb and putting forth the trial. "Not enough to put anyone, let alone a lord, on trial for murder and to sentence him for the supposed crime."
The Queen's face soured, and Robb could swear he heard a whimper from the Crown Prince. "The dagger that was used to kill the Septon was found still in his corpse. It was made from this northern steel. Found only in the North."
That was a surprise to Robb. Gendry and Lord Nox had yet to begin producing Northern steel in mass. So, there were only a few pieces even in existence. "Well?" the King said, looking towards the Queen. "Where the hell is this blade?"
One of the Kingsguard, the one that Robb didn't know, produced a blade from his hip and brought it up to the King. As soon as the steel was bare, Robb was instantly confused as to why any man of the North would be associated with such a blade. And from the looks on the King's face, as well as the one on Robb's father and Lord Tywin, he was not the only one who was confused.
"I may not be the most competent weapons master in the realm, your grace," Lord Tyrion said calmly. "But even I can see from here that the blade being presented as the murder weapon is a Valyrian steel blade, not a Northern steel blade. And while the Northerner's do have a large supply of Valyrian steel, perhaps the largest since the fall of the Valyrian Empire, from what I have heard they have begun exclusively trading the steel away in favor of their new Northern Steel."
Whatever bravado or self-assurance the Queen had when she presented the weapon vanished in an instant. As for the King, he looked like he was ready to break something, or someone, with how angry he was. "Your grace," Lord Tywin said, stepping forward and speaking for the first time since entering the hall. "Perhaps this is a matter best resolved in private."
Though he nodded agreeably, the King visibly took hold of his anger as he rose to his feet. "If your name is Baratheon, Stark or Lannister, follow me. If not, then fuck off."
The King turned and marched towards the back of the hall, leaving the masses to mutter amongst themselves and the members of the named Houses followed in his wake. Leaving the great hall, the King immediately led them into a small hall that was barely large enough to hold the members of the royal family, House Stark, House Lannister and the Kingsguard. The moment the doors were shut by the Kingsguard and sealed, the King rounded on the Crown Prince, burying his fist into the boy's gut and dropping him to the ground, leaving him gasping desperately for breath.
"You have one chance, boy!" the King nearly spat as he stood over the gasping and crying boy, the Queen looked like she was about to step between them, but her path was being blocked by Lord Tywin. "Wars have been started for less than the shit you just tried to pull!"
The Crown Prince began stuttering incoherently between gasps. "I – I – The – The da – The –"
The Crown Prince was saved from his stuttering by Lord Tyrion of all people. The little lion stepping forward and clearing his throat loudly to get the King's attention. "I believe that what the Crown Prince is trying to say was that he was deceived, and due to the brashness of youth combined with the desire to prove himself a competent ruler, he made a mistake and hastily judged Lord Robb Stark for the crime. A mistake that he will not be making again."
The idea was…not preposterous. Someone had killed the Septon and planted the Valyrian Steel dagger on him. Could someone have also whispered the idea that it was a Northern steel dagger and the Prince simply didn't know better? "Brashness of youth is no excuse for putting my son on trial for the murder of a Septon, and even going as far as calling for his immediate execution," Robb's father stated, his voice as cold and hard as winter.
"Of course not," Tyrion nodded. "But the fact remains that someone wanted to create a rift between House Stark and the Crown. And to do that they not only murdered a Septon that your son was seen confronting, but they also lied to the Crown Prince. Who in turn got a little ahead of himself. The Crown Prince will be making a public apology for his actions of course. But in the end we must remember that this was a plot to turn the Crown, and House Lannister by extension, against House Stark. Something we cannot afford to have happen."
"Wh – I – I'm the Prince an—"
"And you will apologize to House Stark at the feast tonight for your hasty decision to accuse Lord Robb Stark of murder," Lord Tywin, of all people, cut in. His tone quelling the Prince faster than the King's fist had done. "Then, you and the Queen will aid us in finding those who are attempting to turn our Houses against one another."
Robb could now piece together just what Tyrion, and now Tywin, were trying to do. They were not trying to save Robb. If he was anyone other than the Heir to Winterfell he doubted either man would care and he would be short a head or stretching by a rope. No. They were trying to give the Crown Prince a route to escape from the mess he'd created while not souring relations between the North and the Crown, and by extension House Lannister. 'So…this is the Great Game my father and Lord Nox talk about the nobles playing. Gods, no wonder father swears off of this shite.'
The Prince went to speak, but a hard look from the King immediately silenced whatever he'd been about to say. "Fucking hells, Ned," the king sighed as the Prince continued to shrink in on himself, seemingly trying to disappear from the King's hard sight. "I don't know what I can do to make this up to you and Robb here, but I will personally see that this is made right."
His father made to respond, but before he could there was a loud knocking on the door. "Oh, for fuck's sake," the King growled, motioning towards his Kingsguard, who immediately opened the door revealing a very clearly nervous squire, or page or something on the other side. "What the fuck is it, Tyrek?"
The boy, or rather the King's squire now that Robb recognized him as such, quickly spilled his message, "A thousand pardons, your grace, but the Sorcerer has returned."
Robb felt his heart hammer in his chest. His sisters were back! Immediately he reached out through the Force just as Lord Nox had taught him, trying to find them. But given the sheer number of people in and around Harrenhal, it was like looking for a pair of shining needles in a haystack. His senses were good, perhaps not quite as good as Jon's were, but even he had his limits. And this appeared to be one of those times.
The king immediately brightened. His quivering son seemingly forgotten as a wide smile spread across his face. "Bring them to the great hall, immediately. I want to see the results of these 'trials' the Sorcerer puts his people through." But just as quickly as the smile came, it went again as the King turned back to the Prince. "And you, boy, will be making a public apology to the Starks before they arrive. On your knees. In front of the entire court. Then we will be working on finding out who put this fool notion in your head and why."
Nox could tell that something was wrong the moment he stepped foot off the ferry near Harrenhal. It was in the air. A tenseness that wasn't there before he'd left for the Isle of Faces. A looming threat of impending doom. His suspicion was proven true the moment he and his new Apprentices stepped foot back into the Northern section of the large encampment. He was greeted almost immediately by Nyra, but instead of the normal welcome he'd come to expect, and looked forward to receiving, she instead greeted him with dire news. Robb had been summoned before the Crown Prince, by a Kingsguard and a contingent of Lannister men at arms.
Sighing at the thought of having another mess to clean up after, Nox turned and headed towards the walls of Harrenhal, leaving his wife and his Apprentices all struggling to keep pace with him. Honestly, all he wanted was a warm bath and the warmth of Nyra for a single night. Could these people truly not even handle him disappearing for a few days without going to shit?
The guards standing watch at the gates to Harrenhal did nothing to stop him as he passed them by. And those that stood guard before the great hall nearly tripped over themselves in their haste to open the doors for him.
The interior of the great hall was packed with nobles, all of whom were staring at some spectacle occurring at the front of the hall. Not caring a single lick for who he might insult, he pushed his way through the crowd with physical force and with even the Force when the occasion called for it. It only took him a dozen or so paces into the crowd before his presence was noticed, and then the nobles were scrambling to get out of his way as he led his wife and Apprentices towards the front. Nox was expecting the worst, considering the impending doom he sensed and his wife's frantic behavior. But what he saw at the front of the hall upon reaching it…baffled him.
The Crown Prince was…kneeling before Robb and apparently in the midst of some sort of apology judging by the few words Nox was able to catch. The Prince's words failed him as Nox pushed his way to the front of the crowd. Glancing around, Nox took a moment to take stock of what was happening. The Crown Prince was kneeling before Robb, offering an apology though Nox could tell that the little shit didn't mean a single word he was saying. Meanwhile, Ned was watching, fuming in silent anger, while the King watched on from his place on the dais not bothering to hide his anger and…shame at what was happening before him.
"Alright, I'll bite," Nox said, loudly enough to garner everyone's attention. "What the hell happened?"
No one seemed anxious to rehash whatever had just occurred and led to this moment. All save Tyrion Lannister, who seemed more than pleased with retelling what had happened. "I fear our Crown Prince was hoodwinked into putting Robb Stark through a sham trial," the little man explained impassionedly, though Nox could feel the vindictive pleasure the little lord was getting from seeing his nephew, and by extension his sister, in this position. "Thankfully, a mixture of my own and the King's timely interventions prevented things from getting too far out of hand. And now our gracious Crown Prince was merely offering his apologies to his future Warden of the North."
"I see," Nox nodded, taking a step back and waving towards the kneeling Prince. "Well, don't let me stop you, your grace. I can wait."
Robert nodded and turned his attention back to his son kneeling on the floor. Now that he had a moment to think about it, this was perhaps the first time that Nox had ever been this close to any of Robert's children by way of Cersei. The last, and only time he was in King's Landing he never crossed paths with the children. Or if he had, there had been no introductions made. 'Strange,' Nox thought as he listened to the Prince's empty apology. 'There is almost nothing in the boy that reminds me of Robert. Even his Force presence is…Well, it's not like Gendry's at all. Given the relation between the two, there should be at least some sort of similarity between Joffrey and Robert…but I can't see it. Is it because he apparently has the Force sensitivity of a stone? Perhaps…or is it something else?'
With the Prince finished with his apology, and with Robb accepting it even though his Apprentice knew it was false, the Crown Prince scrambled back to his feet and made a hasty retreat so that he was well clear of the Starks and back beside his mother the Queen.
"Well, Nox," Robert began, excitement growing within the King as he leaned forward expectantly. "You disappeared with these five the day after you arrived for these…'trials' as I've heard you call them."
"Indeed, I did," Nox nodded, stepping forward and motioning for his five new Apprentices to step forward as well. Of the quintet, only Sansa seemed like she didn't want to be here, but he suspected that was more because she was still unbathed and standing before the King after enduring days' worth of trials on the Isle of Faces. "These five have grown to the point where calling them Acolytes would be a disservice to them. As such, I brought them to the Isle of Faces so that they might undergo their trials to see if they were truly ready to hold the title of 'Apprentice'. Each of them met, and exceeded, my expectations. And now all five have joined with Jon and Robb Stark as my Apprentices. And as such, they now carry the weapons of a true Force adept."
Murmurs broke out across the hall as Robert grinned like a child that'd just been given a new toy. "More of those weapons you carry, eh, Sorcerer?" Robert grinned before motioning towards the quintet. "Well, let's see 'em."
Arya, always eager to show off, was the first to reveal her lightsaber. While some might find it strange that the hilt of her blade was slightly over half as long as her own arm, there was a reason for it, one which he had cautioned Arya to keep quiet on, at least for the time being as he knew it would only be a matter of time before she had to reveal the full nature of her lightsaber. Holding the hilt parallel to the floor, Arya ignited her lightsaber, revealing a single light purple blade.
Not one to be outdone by her sister, Sansa revealed her own lightsaber, her own hilt just long enough to accommodate a two-handed grip with slight room to spare. The green blade that emerged cause no shortages of whispers, no doubt many were trying to make the connection between her blade's color and the House she was betrothed to. 'If only the color of one's blade actually worked like that,' Nox thought as Joy Lannister revealed another lightsaber for all to see.
Joy was next, revealing a second green lightsaber blade. Nox had kept his sight focused on Tywin as soon as Joy had pulled the hilt out, looking to glean a further insight into the man. What he found was…excitement. Desire to possess. And underneath, a small amount of pride. But not for Joy, rather for the Lannister family.
Next, Shireen produced her lightsaber, the yellow blade that emerged bringing a smile and a laugh from the King. "Ha! You are a true Baratheon, girl! Even your blade takes the colors of our House!"
Nox felt a spike of anxiety, and slight fear coming from the dais at those words. It did not take him long to realize that it was the queen herself who was the source. But why would such an offhand comment from the King cause fear and anxiety in the queen? Her reaction warranted his attention beyond today. She was hiding something. And he would find out what it was. While he might be allied with Robert, he was under no delusions that the Queen held him as anything more than a threat at least, or even an all-out enemy of her own. The very idea of which made Nox want to scoff. As if she was even worth being considered his 'enemy'. She was a nuisance. A rash. But one that needed to be delt with sooner rather than later.
"And you boy," Robert continued, his gaze lingering on the largest member of Nox's apprentices. "Let's see it."
Gendry hesitated, clearly uncertain about being the center of the King's, and the court's, attention. But despite his clear unease, Gendry produced his own lightsaber. The hilt was smaller than the rest, a hand-an-a-half hilt. And when the blade was ignited, it was blue just like Robb Stark's. Again, he could feel another spike of anger and fear coming from the Queen, as well as feeling of pride coming from Robert at seeing his son, his bastard son, holding the weapon that marked him as Nox's Apprentice.
"Well done! All of you!" the king congratulated, rising to his feet. "You five have done yourselves and your House's proud! And each of you will have a place of honor tonight at the feast and be given places in the royal box during the tournament! Now, I have two more announcements to make. I was going to announce this tonight, but I am done with waiting. As of now, I hereby name Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell as my new Hand of the King!"
There was a collective round of applause throughout the hall, though it was merely done as a formality as Nox could sense that only a few in the crowd were pleased with the appointment. "And," Robert continued, holding his hand up to bring an end to the applause. "After three hundred years of the Iron Throne, I have decided that it is far past time to enlarge the Small Council. Therefore, I am adding a new position. Master of the Arcane. And I know of no man better to take that position than Lord Alim Nox of the North!"
The applause for Nox's appointment was far more…muted than Ned's. Not that Nox necessarily blamed them. Despite living in this land for years, he was still considered a foreigner and an unknown by most. And even the few who knew him, outside of the North anyway, were at least wary of him. 'Well then,' Nox thought as the King stepped down from the dais to congratulate each of Nox's new apprentices in a more personal manner. 'Time for the true Game to begin.'
It'd been well over two full days since the night he and Ygritte went to the godswood together, and Jon was still having difficulty coming to terms with what was before his very eyes. Pacing back and forth in his chambers high within the Sorcerer's tower, Jon couldn't help but stare at the small little winged lizard that was currently nestling into Ghost for warmth while the only other occupant, Ygritte, simply sat and stared back and forth between him and the two beasts on the floor. "So, ye hatched a dragon. I don't see what the problem is. If the tales about these beasts be true, it'll be the best weapon we have against da Others and their mindless dead when they attackin the Wall."
Pausing mid-step, Jon glanced towards Ygritte. 'She doesn't understand,' he thought, before giving voice to his thoughts. "You're right…It…He…I think. Will be perhaps the best weapon to use against the Others but…but it's far more complicated than what you think."
"Why?" Ygritte asked, her head tilted to the side. She wasn't mocking him. She was trying to understand why him hatching a dragon wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Forcing himself to stop his pacing, Jon sat down heavily next to Ygritte and stared at the small dragon that was sleeping soundly within Ghost's thick fur. "Dragons…are not from Westeros. The Valyrian Empire in Essos were the only ones who controlled the dragons, and they kept a tight hold on them. No one else save for the Valyrians could control the dragons."
"And yer the spawn of one these 'dragon lords' ain't ya? That Rhaegar one that sired ya on yer mother before heading off and getting himself killed." Ygritte surmised not unkindly.
"Aye…and that is the biggest problem," Jon sighed, burying his head in his hands. "After the Valyrian Empire fell, only the Targaryens remained of their empire. Only they could hatch and control dragons. No other lineage could control the beasts no matter what they tried. When word gets out about…this…someone will be able to put the pieces of my birth together. And if it reaches the wrong ears…it will mean war. Or dodging assassins for the rest of my life. Or perhaps worst of all…having to become King."
Ygritte scoffed. "Ye making it all too complicated. What do you want, Jon Stark?"
Pausing, Jon thought out his answer before saying it. "I want you…and Arianne. I want us to be together, be it here in the North or in Dorne. I want to grow old with the both of you and…and I want to watch our children be born and grow. That is what I want."
"Then do it," Ygritte said, and Jon could've sworn he'd seen her face redden slightly at the mention of children, something none of them had ever brought up before. "Ya got me and our southern Princess. Take us and keep us. And if someone tries to make ya do something ye don't want, then kill em. Yer so focused on trying to do what others want ya to do, yer forgetting that it's still yer life, Jon Stark. Live it the way ya want. And as for this little beastie here…I can tell he's bonded to ya just like Ghost. He's a part of ya just as much as the wolf. And what would you do if someone tried to take Ghost from you?"
"I'd kill them," Jon answered without hesitation, to which Ygritte raised her brow and Jon conceded her point. The dragon might—no, would—cause him problems in the future. But it was his. And he would kill anyone who tried to harm it or control it. "I guess I should give it a name then…Can't just keep calling it 'dragon' or 'beast'."
Shaking her head and chuckling, Ygritte leaned back in her chair. "Ya southerners and yer love of naming things so quickly. I swear you'd name yer own cock if ya could…and I'm surprised ya haven't yet given just how…impressive it is."
Ignoring her teasing, Jon watched as the little dragon woke from its slumber and began stumbling its way towards him. Getting down on a knee, Jon held out his hands so the dragon could crawl up into his arms. The claws on the dragon bit into his flesh, but not with enough strength to pierce it. "Archon."
"Huh?"
"His name," Jon said, knowing without really knowing that he was holding a male dragon in his arms. "His name is Archon. After the rulers of the old Valyrian Empire."
Ygritte looked at him curiously as the dragon yipped in his arms. Holding out one arm, the dragon climbed down his arm and jumped into Ygritte's lap, much to the surprise and mild fear of the spearwife. "I – Yer impossible, Jon Stark," Ygritte said, glaring at him as the dragon walked around in a circle a few times on her lap before settling down. "But…I suppose it's a good name. Though naming him after da rulers of this dragon empire ye keep talking about…Thought you were worried about someone finding out about the one who sired ya?"
"I still am. But you're right, and don't give me that look just because I admitted it," Jon said, though it didn't save him from Ygritte's smug look. "I'm going to live my life the way I want too. And if anyone tries to take that which is mine…I'll kill them."
Smirking, Ygritte leaned back once more, her hand slowly reaching down and lightly stroking the dragon's back on her lap. "Now yer starting to sound like a true free man, Jon Stark."