Dragons and Wolves

Aegon thought of what his cousin had said, the clever smirk on her pretty little face, mocking him.
He knocked his goblet of wine to the ground, his teeth grit with rage, “I’ve given those damn Northerners long enough.”
“Your grace, if the rumors are true, Drogon and Viserion have gone to Castle Black, it is said that Queen Daenerys is there with Rhaegal the Slow Roaster,” His King’s Hand explained.
Aegon smirked, “I have a means of taking care of the dragons.”
“Your grace, if Queen Daenerys is able to muster her Unsullied and her Khalasar into crossing the Narrow Sea we will be grossly outnumbered.”
“That would leave her holdings in Essos unprotected,” Aegon laughed, rising to his feet, “And why do you keep calling her Queen? She is nothing but my aunt, nice enough to procur my throne for me.”
Aegon looked to his Kingguard, “Cut his head off and put in on a pike, then find me a Hand who doesn’t call Lady Daenerys, Queen.”
----
Val led two Night’s watchmen in, “The blonde one, we’ll put her in Lady Sansa’s extra room.”
Sansa jumped up from her seat next to sleeping Bran, “What?”
Val cocked an eyebrow at Sansa, “This is fortress, we don’t have endless quarters for ladies to stay in, you have two bodyguards, all the men know to stay away from your area, it’s the safest place for her.”
“Ok, I suppose that’s fine,” Sansa sighed, sitting back down, returning to hold Bran’s hand as he slept.
The men picked up Myrcella and Val followed them out, casting Sansa a curious glance
“What was that about?” Arya snickered from her bed.
“What?” Snapped Sansa.
“That! Your crazy reaction. Is it because she’s that Joffrey cunt’s sister or do you not want someone in your quarters?” Arya probed Sansa with her eyes, “You don’t want anyone in your quarter’s!”
“Not true!” Sansa growled, “Shush! Bran is resting, he’s had a very taxing few weeks.”
“Oh please, Bran’s had more fun in the last few weeks than he’s had in years,” Arya grinned, “You’re hiding something, you lied to Jon.”
“No I didn’t,” Sansa held Bran’s hand tighter, looking down and avoiding her sister.
“Are you having an affair? With one of the Watch?” Arya asked, “Are you secretly bethrothed?”
Sansa shook her head, “That’s ridiculous, who would want me? Married to a Lannister and then to a Bolton, the latter of which took my virginity in no uncertain way, no one would want to marry me. I’m spoiled goods.”
“Oh please, times have changed, if someone doesn’t think you’re worthy because of that then fuck them, they aren’t worth the likes of Sansa Stark, not Bolton or Lannister” Arya rolled out of bed and hobbled over to Sansa, sitting in the chair next to her, embracing her sister in her weak arms.
And for the first time in years, since her wedding night to Ramsay, Sansa burst into tears.
Sometime later, Val came to collect Arya leaving Sansa alone with her thoughts and Bran.
Sansa could think of someone worthy.
---
Val helped Arya hobble into a chair facing Jon at his desk.
Rickon was already there as well as Sam.
“Did you find, Lady Daenerys?” Jon asked Val.
Val shook her head, “I couldn’t.”
Jon sighed, “I guess we will start without her.”
Arya crossed her arms and laid back in her chair, “What’s going on?”
“War council,” Val grinned.
“Are you serious? This is all we have? Why am I here?” Arya coughed, “A thirteen year old, a Wild woman, a maester and a Crow, one who technically can’t sway to one side or another?”
Val laughed, “A Crow, the Crows lost their neutrality when they marched with us to Winterfell, the Crows are just like the rest of us, we fight for the North every damn one of us, we won’t let any Southerners take our home or disrespect our people! I’ll have you know, you little wench, that I could take you any day in a fight and I don’t have to use southerner magic to do it!”
“Name a time and a place,” Arya growled.
Jon slammed his palms down on his desk, “Enough you two. Get serious for a moment!”
Arya and Val calmed, staring at him blankly.
“I have sent word to Stark bannermen and our relatives. Robin Arryn has agreed to fight with us, he was especially eager, I believe this will be the first battle he has ever been in, he has quite a few bannermen, so good news on that end,” Jon ran his hand through his hair sighing, “As for your mother’s brother Rickon, after lord Walder Frey’s death six months past.”
Jon looked to Arya, she smiled in return and Val rolled her eyes.
“His grandson, another Walder Frey, has taken control of the Twins, your uncle Edmure has been a captive of there’s for quiet sometime and he has been let loose at last, this Walder seems very much like his grandfather, though he did let Edmure go back to the Riverlands, he still demands something from us in return, I guess your mother promised that both Arya and you Rickon would also marry Freys. But Edmure has agreed to fight with us, his elder brother the Blackfish will be representing him in the battle but their bannermen were devastated during the War of Five Kings, I don’t know if they’ve yet recovered.”
“So what of the Freys?” Rickon asked, “Are we just going to bow to their wishes? I don’t trust any betrothals or weddings to them.”
“Wouldn’t trust them as far as I—well you could throw one,” Arya shrugged, “I would say we lead a coup there before the battle, destroy the House of Frey, instill one of the more loyal Stark bannerman as the house there, most of our Houses remained loyal to the Starks, allying themselves to Stannis Baratheon just like father wanted instead of joining the Boltons. The coup would be a perfect reward, though overdue.”
Val nodded, “Very brutal, I like the sound of that as long as I can be there for it, would make it incredibly difficult for Aegon to make his way North.”
“But what house would you instill?” Jon asked.
“House Thenn, it is a new house but the leader, a former wildling, is married to a Karstark girl, a marriage you bartered Jon, it has roots strong roots in the North, Alys Karstark holds a particular hatred for her uncle for trying to ally with the Boltons and Lannisters so long ago, it may drive Ramsay Bolton into such a rage he appears from hiding, we can annihilate another enemy of ours in the process. House Thenn has no holdings right now so it won’t anger the other houses,” Arya shrugged.
“You know quite a lot for a girl who spent a decade in Braavos,” Sam smiled.
“Well I had to get up to date on everything didn’t I?” Arya smiled.
Jon looked to Rickon, “This is a lot of lives to take, are you sure you want to do this Rickon? It’s up to you.”
Rickon sighed, “It is hard, I hate the thought of taking all of those lives but when I think about what they did to mother and to Robb, Greywind and his pregnant wife. They didn’t even have the stones to meet Robb or Greywind in battle, they killed them in the guise of friendship. But they sure have the stones now to demand promises Mother made before they murdered her.”
“Then it will be done,” Jon nodded, “I also had a few ideas for incentives for Wildling help in this battle. Val, I know since Mance’s death as well as your sister’s, you’ve kept an eye on their child, Aemon Steelsong, you are the defacto, Regent of the Wildlings.”
Val shrugged, “Yes, the old loyalties remain and after the great battle with the White Walkers, they have a particular liking for you Jon but I don’t know if they’ll meet this Aegon in battle, most are still uncomfortable going south.”
Jon frowned, “Aye, I’ve heard it quite a few times, since the Winter is staying roughly the same, no colder or warmer, most don’t want to flee south anymore though not they seem very interested in our customs south of the Wall. I was thinking of asking Lady Daenerys if we win this battle and she takes back her throne if she would be interested installing a Warden Beyond the Wall perhaps granting a few knightships and holdings for Wildlings.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea.”
They all turned to see Daenerys in the doorway.
She smiled, “May I join?”
Jon rose abruptly, “You can take my seat. We looked for you but couldn’t find you.”
“It’s alright, I’m here now,” Dany smiled, sitting in Jon’s chair, “I really like the idea of setting up houses beyond the Wall as a way to instill loyalty, I’ve hear you’ve tamed them quite a bit since the Battle of Skirling Pass where you defeated the White Walkers. They say you showered the White with a thousand arrows of Dragonglass, beheaded the Night King with the sword at your hip.”
Jon blushed, “Well anyone would have allied with me after seeing those creatures.”
“Anything else I’ve missed?”
“Well we’re afraid House Frey will betray us again, they’ve already demanded that myself and Rickon marry Freys or they won’t fight with us,” Arya explained.
Dany nodded, “Tales of what they’ve done to your family even reached Essos, it was considered savage even there. What were you thinking of doing?”
“On top of that, they’ve kept our uncle captive for eleven years. We want to lead a coup, install one of our loyal bannermen there, a new house, House Thenn, the leader is a former Wildling and his wife is a Karstark, a distant branch of our house,” Arya continued.
“What must be done, will be done,” Daenerys nodded, “I had a similar idea, asking some of my warriors in Essos to fight with us, giving Lordship of the Shield Islands as a reward.”
The rest of the people in the room nodded.
“When I arrived at the Twins with Drogon to introduce myself to Walder Frey, it would seem he had around two thousand to three thousand men,” Daenerys pondered, “You do have many of Stannis Baratheon’s men still here but who else will help you take the Twins?”
“Could we call on Robin Arryn early, you said he’s never seen battle, he has at least triple that in the Vale, why not give them a little practice? They train at such high elevation that it heightens their fighting abilities, even untested, they are a formidable fighting force,” Arya suggested.
“Sounds—“ Daenerys started but Val interrupted.
“You mean you can’t take your dragons and burn the fuckers and their damnable towers to the ground?” Val chuckled, “Are we seriously talking about waiting weeks for your cousin’s people to march there when it would take a few hours for you to ride a dragon there.”
“Like Balerion at Harrenhal!” Rickon cheered.
Daenerys sighed, “Well besides that fact that Drogon is still very young for a dragon, still practically a baby dragon, and not full size nor is he the size of Balerion, may never be actually, I don’t want to be like my father and burn people to death whom I don’t like.”
“You had no problem showing up at every Warden and Lord Paramounts holdings,” Arya pointed out.
“The only person I burned was that Red Witch and Drogon took the initiative himself to do that, that’s why I’m worried about allowing him to char people to death, I don’t want him to think it’s okay, they obey me to an extent, they are my children but they are still intelligent and massive beasts.”
“So you’d rather have thousands of men leave their families to do our dirty work for us?” Val asked.
Daenerys brows furrowed thinking about it.
“He’s the size of Castle Black! What do you mean he’s a baby dragon?” Rickon asked.
Sam placed a hand on Rickon’s arm and explained, “From the History of Westeros, for as long as House Targaryen has been in Westeros, even before Aegon the Conqueror when they held Dragonstone, the dragons lived longer than people, I believe the oldest in our Westerosi history was Balerion at two hundred years and Vhagar, the dragon of one of Aegon the Conqueror warrior queens, she lived one hundred and eighty one years.”
“Queen Visenya’s dragon!” Arya grinned.
“Old Nan used to say Beyond the Wall there were Ice Dragons that were far larger than Valyrian dragons, their growth never interfered with by humans, their breath colder than winter’s chill,” Jon smiled at Rickon.
“Ice Dragons,” Daenerys murmured.
Val scoffed, “I’ve never seen one.”
“You didn’t see any White Walkers until a few years before the Long Winter,” Arya grinned, “All of Old Nan’s tales have been right, why not Ice Dragons?”
“Okay enough of Ice Dragons, what of Valyrian Dragons? Perhaps we do what you did before, Lady Daenerys, arrive on Drogon and if they surrender their home then they may choose exile and live but if they want a fight they will get it,” Jon sighed, meeting Daenerys eyes.
Daenerys nodded.
“For Robb and Grey Wind!” Arya yelled.
“For Robb and Grey Wind!” Rickon and Val joined in.
Daenerys eyes never left Jon’s, “To the King of the North. The Young Wolf.”
-----
Sansa returned to her quarters after Bran woke and he asked to be alone.
She begged him to let her stay but he refused.
She supposed after everything that had happened to him he would need some time alone.
Brienne and Podrick met her at the door and led her back to her room without a word.
As Sansa started to open her door, Brienne stopped her, “Milady, I’ve heard word that they’ll be marching on the Twins tomorrow. Commander Jon has sent word to your cousin in the Vale and the Stark and Tully Bannermen, many of Lord Stannis’ men have decided to join the fight.”
Sansa felt as if the air was knocked out of her, she leaned back against the stone wall of the hall to catch her breath, “Who is all going? Who is leaving?”
“Commander Jon I believe, Arya Stark if she can convince Jon of it and Val, who will no doubt leave Aemon in your care. There have been Lady Daenerys will ride Drogon into battle, like Balerion of the songs. Jon is leaving most of the Watch and loyal Wildlings here to protect the Wall and Castle Black, as well as Pod and I to look after you.”
“I thought we had six more months,” Sansa whispered.
“It is said that the Freys will allow Aegon and his army to pass, an army full of southern and western bannermen, taking King’s Landing didn’t make Lady Daenerys any Lannister or Tyrell friends they are eager to take her and any remaining Starks in battle,” Brienne sighed, “They will only ally with your family if Lord Rickon and Lady Arya marry Freys.”
“Utter bullshit,” Podrick muttered, “How dare they? You know what they say? I’d sooner drink a pint of piss than take the word of any Frey. No doubt they will double cross the lot of you, Commander Jon knows it and made the tough decision, Lady Daenerys agrees. If they don’t bend the knee to Drogon, they will die under Longclaw.”
Sansa nodded and entered her chamber, “I thank you for staying her with me in Castle Black to protect me.”
--
Myrcella woke in the dark startled.
This wasn’t her jail cell.
She looked down, her ragged dress was gone, instead a dress of pale grays and whites, a tad too long on her short frame.
She looked to her wounds, dressed and bandaged with care.
A hand went to her hair, tingling from drowsiness,
She looked around, candles cast the room she was in a warm and pleasant glow. Her bed was made of feathers, the blankets warm furs in rich browns and golds.
A small window to her right showed her only snow, “How far North am I?”
She looked directly ahead to see an intricately carved wooden door, tip toeing to the door she place her hands gently on it.
She could hear people speaking on the other side.
Moaning.
Myrcella flushed thinking of Trystane.
She pushed on the door slightly to peak out only to gasp.
Lady Sansa and the Hound.
“Lady Sansa?”
Sansa screamed.