Protector of the Realm

Rodrik

"By the right of Conquest and of the Seven, I crown thee Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name. Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar. Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. The Unburnt. Mother of Dragons. Queen of the Bay of Dragons. The Breaker of Chains." The one named Missandei spoke and placed a silver circlet on Daenerys, the Mother of Dragons raised her head and turned to face them, "Long may she reign!"

He and Sansa rose with their followers and the followers of the new Queen of the Iron Throne and blessed her reign, he can only hope the restoration of the dynasty lasts longer than its predecessor and that every monarch is a good, wise, and king ruler of their people.

Four months have passed since the Lannister's were defeated.

It was a good time to relax as soldiers filed in the camps every hour of the day, all coming from the Riverlands, Westerlands, the Stormlands, and the Crownlands. They all have to gather for the coming storm before they march for the North.

And Dragonstone, Orion had sent word that the deposit of Dragonglass was a huge success. eighty-thousand arrowheads, fifty-thousand spear tips, and with what was left forged the amount of twelve-thousand curved blades and ax-heads.

They have a good enough force to fight the dead. The battle plans so far have been set. 10,000 men will remain at Winterfell and Moat Cailin in the worst case that they fail at the Wall, all the young children 10 and younger and the elderly and wounded will travel South.

He will admit, he is afraid to die, afraid of not seeing his daughter or the Vale. He will fight, though, he has to so that the next generation may know a sense of peace without war or betrayal.

"All hail the new Queen of the South," Sansa muttered and he sighed, indeed, congratulations are in order for the new monarch replacing the old.

Cersei. His daughter, though young is learning quite a bit since then. Colemon is teaching her how to write, how to pass judgment, fairly and justly.

Recently, she's written about how her mother has been doing. Cersei Lannister has had more smiles in the day but cries at night for Jaime Lannister, but, she seems to be at peace from what Colemon wrote for Joanna.

He feels for his daughter. He wished he could be there but he has to go North, he has to fight for her and for the future he already dreams for her to have.

Daenerys smiled lightly and sat on her throne, Tyrion was at her right with the Hand pin on his breast. The newly arrived Jorah Mormont was at her side in the armor of the Kingsguard, her first knight and no doubt there will be more to come.

The ceremony dispersed and many began offering fealty or congratulations.

Daenerys looked at him and sent a nod his way, he rose his cup of wine at her as a silent compliment.

"Dorne, the Reach, Stormlands, Crownlands and the Westerlands are hers. How will the North and Vale compete in the generations to come?" He smirked and turned to see Tyene Sand standing before him, smiling and her dress being relatively revealing.

"I am sure the North, Vale, South and Iron Islands will survive and thrive in peace, Lady Sand. I promise you that." He told his former one-night lover who chuckled and crossed her arms, "Where is Arianne?" He asked her, his smile getting replaced with a frown.

"My cousin left home with Myrcella sometime ago, the girl is carrying Trystane's child and Arianne has her own duties, such as telling Doran that the Mountain has finally been killed, finished." Yes, Cersei's Pet was terrifying.

Gregor wasn't Gregor anymore. A husk, made by Qyburn which ended with the man being banished and the dead and not dead knight being burned by Drogon and Sheepstealer's flame. Fire and Blood wasn't his or Daenerys first choice, the brute killed eighteen Dothraki warriors because the knight stood at the entrance of the Red Keep.

"And you? Trystane?" He asked Tyene who smiled widely.

"My Sisters, Sarella, Nymeria, and Obara will be going North to fight, Trystane also wants to fight, to give himself for a future for his unborn child." He can understand that, the son of Doran has also become an advisor to the new Queen as her Master of Laws.

"I haven't fought them, myself. I will admit that I am scared." She approached him and placed a hand on his chest, he could feel her warmth.

"Being afraid is natural. If you weren't, then you wouldn't be human." She told him and he was reminded of a saying said to him by Ned, when he was crying as a boy at Riverrun.

His father told him that he was going to fight the Targaryen loyalists, he begged his father not to go, that he might die. Ned found him in the Godswood, by the stump of a heart tree.

"What is the matter, Rodrik?" He turned and saw Ned looking at him.

"I am scared. I don't want father to go and fight." He whimpered and one of the men he considered an older brother knelt down and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I am afraid to fight, all men are, Rodrik. It is being afraid that makes us brave, you know why?" He shook his head at Ned, "It is because I have people I care about, it is because I have something worth fighting for."

And he understood that when he pledged for Stannis. When he marched with Robb and attacked the Westerlands. Or when he destroyed Lysa and Robert in their rebellion against him. Each time, he was scared and when he met Joanna, it made him more scared than ever.

Ned taught him the lesson in duty, the worth of the things close to him so he can fight harder. Robert taught him strength, to never stop fighting, even if it is a losing battle. His father taught him honor, to always keep his vows and see the brighter side of things.

"I wish us good fortune, then, Tyene. May we all survive to grow old and wrinkly." He said with a smile, Tyene laughed and drank up her wine.

"Wrinkly, no. I will still please the eyes of young men when I am old."

Later on, he bid Tyene farewell and went over to the balcony that saw the outstretch of the Blackwater Bay. It was possibly one of his favorite places in the Red Keep.

He remembered playing with Robin, his brother. They'd pretend to be knights when he wasn't with his father or Robert hadn't taken him hunting for the thousandth time.

Other pleasant memories flooded in. This was also the place he had his first kiss. Lady Elanna Wendwater asked him to dance with her, he accepted and two cups of wine later and he had his tongue in her throat, it would have gone further if his father didn't catch him and scold him for humility.

"I thought I'd find you here, of all places." Another visit, and this time from Waymar who still wore his crown of iron on his head. "Do you remember that time when we fought over Lady Rykker? We both wanted to ride in the joust with her favor despite her being married and eight years our senior." He laughed with Waymar, that was one rowdy day, he got a black eye and Waymar had his nose broken for a month.

"... You know, we might both die in the coming days. From what Jon said, Hardhome had nearly 60,000 people, only about 4,000 came out of it." Waymar hummed, that is true, of course.

"I tried to tell Sansa to go to Dorne, to keep her away from it all. She told me that she would rather die early than leave her home again. I don't want any harm to come to her or imagine this dead getting near her." He shivered with Waymar, he doesn't want to think about that, about them losing and dying, unable to protect those they love and cherish.

"We can't think like that, friend. We have to think about winning, about destroying the Other's and their Wights." He told his friend and brother, "Now go and comfort your woman, for as long as we still can."

Jon

Brandon was waiting for him in the main hall, watching the fire crack and dance.

Upon arriving he was met with at least a dozen small people, Meera Reed and Hodor. The rider had left some time ago, he saw what these small people looked like and was surprised, they were a grey-skinned with dots like a deer over their skin. Large green eyes that looked with untrust and resentment.

Arya arrived not long after, hearing the same news he had and the proof was there when they saw Lady and Summer and Nymeria. Ghost reunited with his siblings, Shaggydog was still in Winterfell with Rickon as the acting Lord of Winterfell.

"Bran?" He called out to his little brother, sitting in a chair apart from him. Bran turned to him with a slight smile on his face.

"Are you going to show me around, like you promised, big brother. Or cousin, now, but everything is confusing now." He didn't understand him. "It is good to see you two, Rickon and Sansa's faces are missing but I'll see them soon enough." His brother added and he and Arya looked at one another.

He cleared his throat and grabbed a chair so he could take a seat near Bran, Arya remained standing but was no less surprised and happy to see their brother.

"Tell us what happened, Bran, how did you survive?" Arya asked Bran and he nodded, it was hard for others who had their legs to survive in the North, he can't possibly imagine a cripple surviving long out there.

Bran went into great detail about his time after Winterfell was burned and when he went beyond the Wall. His brother told him about when he was captured by Karl Tanner and Rast, how he was close to calling out to him.

Then he went into speaking about the Three-Eyed-Raven. How he was chosen by Brynden Rivers to be the next Greenseer, a person who can see the past, present, and future. How the White Walkers first came to be, how the Children of the Forest made them so they can fend off the First Men.

"Then... " Bran's smile went away, looking pointedly at him, "I was at the Tower of Joy, Jon, I saw father and what was there," Bran added and he took a deep breath, leaning in so he could hear Bran.

"The Tower? You mean, you saw our aunt Lyanna? Lyanna Stark?" Arya asked Bran who nodded solemnly at the question, "Was it true, that Rhaegar kidnapped and, raped, our aunt?" Surprisingly, Bran shook his head.

"No. It was all a lie. The Rebellion. Lyanna's kidnapping. It was all a false truth." He didn't like the sound of that, none of them did, yet he wanted to hear him.

"Tell us, Bran." He told his brother, Bran looked at him with a calm face.

"The truth is that you, Jon Snow, are not our father's son. You aren't even a bastard. You are the son of our aunt, Lyanna Stark, and Rhaegar Targaryen."

Daenerys

She watched Tyrion storm out of her chambers, even she was heated about what they were arguing about.

She was enjoying her coronation, she actually had a good time for what they will be going through the next few months. She needed it and then came her Hand of the Queen walking through to discuss an urgent matter.

Tyrion brought up the fact that she cannot bear children, Mirri Maz Duur had placed that infernal curse upon her and no matter how much she had laid with Daario, there would be no pregnancy or any change in her body.

This was the proof when she found out, she cannot have any children and it has become an obstacle in her entire journey coming to Westeros.

Tyrion had found her and had to bring it up, had to ask her what to do about an heir in the case she dies. She shouted at him, told him that she will figure it out when they have time to do so, he, in turn, rebuffed her and said that they do have time to decide.

"I need to go and see them." She said to herself, frustrated with her Hand and the problems to face at another time and place.

She left her chambers, Jorah meeting her along with one of her Unsullied guards that have since replaced the Goldcloaks under the advisement of Tyrion told her that the Goldcloaks were untrustworthy and so she had instructed for the three-thousand two-hundred and ninety Goldcloaks to be re-disciplined by Lord Randyll Tarly.

"The dragons have been on edge, my Queen." The Unsullied said and she scoffed as they turned a corner.

"They have been on edge since Rodrik came with Sheepstealer, I can't believe he didn't change the creatures name." Her response was haughty, and she wanted it to be like that.

Jorah chuckled lightly, she turned and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Forgive me, Khaleesi. I just thought it humorous, since I came back after the Lannister's were defeated, you two have more than once bickered or debated against one another." That just isn't true, and if so, then she was right in all of those debates.

"Enough, now." She didn't want to talk about it, not at all.

She walked for quite some time to reach for the ruined building that was made to house her families dragons, reaching it, she saw not three but all four of them. No doubt, the oldest must have had memories of being here. She thought as she walked toward Drogon.

"Come, child." She called and the largest of her dragons arched down his head, his teeth were red from fresh cattle which she had brought to them, better that than seeing the bones of another child brought to her throne room.

She noticed Sheepstealer watching her, the oldest dragon was lying down, resting and had its eyes open the entire time.

It was boldness or complete stupidity that made her move towards the elder dragon, its giant head raising in confusion at with its terrifying eyes.

It began to growl as its head inched closer to her, then she heard a voice.

"Oh, I'd stay away if I were you. He doesn't like many people, Queen Daenerys." She didn't know the man, though she recognized him from Rodrik and Sansa's retinue that came to Dragonstone.

He was older by a good many years, slicked back yellow hair that had tints of grey. His eyes were a dark blue, he also sported a growing beard, much like Rodrik's but larger.

"I'm afraid we've never made an acquaintance, Ser... " He smiled kindly and handed the reins of a goat to Jorah who took it reluctantly.

"I am Ser Orion Stone. A Winged Knight, akin to your Kingsguard and sworn to King Rodrik, the First of His Name in almost eight centuries. I also happen to be related to the young man via the lesser branch of House Arryn." Ah, she knew that he looked like an older Rodrik.

"And why come here, with a goat of all things?" Jorah asked Orion who smirked and took the reins back from her knight.

"The beast is a picky eater. He prefers goats and sheep to horses or cattle, it is how he got his name." So that is why Rodrik calls him that, she often wondered that since she first saw the creature. "The bastard nearly turned Rodrik to ash a half a dozen times, almost had a heart attack." That would slightly amusing, seeing Rodrik with his ass on fire, rolling on the ground to put it out.

An idea popped into her head, she walked over to Orion and held her hand out.

"May I?" She asked the Winged Knight, Orion looked at her for a moment and then to Jorah who shrugged, it wasn't encouraging, really and she sighed whilst rolling her eyes.

In the end, she was handed the goat and she started her slow walk over to Sheepstealer who has rustled awake because of its food, it watched her with a suspicious stare as she came closer and closer until she was eight feet away from it.

She let the goat go. It tried to run but Sheepstealer caught it and bathed it in flame before eating it whole. She felt the flame and it felt warm, warmer than even Drogon's was.

The dragon soon took flight, leaving and shockingly, Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal left with the elder dragon. "Where are they going?" Jorah asked and she watched on, seeing the four dragons fly North, she smiled and understood why and she turned to her knight, Ser Orion watched on as well.

"They are going North... And so shall we, we have battles to fight yet."

Tyrion

Was he being stupid? Yes. Was he an idiot for coming her, drunk as the Septon who married him and Tysha together? Most definitely.

His brother's death has hung over him like an ax, always terrorizing his dreams as he watched Rodrik's blade sink into Jaime's throat. He blames the King of the Vale still, perhaps he'll always blame Rodrik Arryn for his brother's death.

Maybe that is why he is here, maybe, he is here with that same crossbow to kill Rodrik for Jaime's death who died legally in combat. Yet he killed him, he killed my brother, the one person I wanted to be by my side. He thought angrily as he waited, sitting in this very chair with his crossbow ready.

The door clicked open and Rodrik entered and immediately went for Widows Wail, his brother's sword. He halted Rodrik's movements when he aimed the crossbow at him, "Reach for it or call for guards, and you'll never live to see my head lopped off." He told Rodrik who looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"You said you didn't want vengeance, you said that your brother's death was unavoidable, so why do this now after months? Was it to cripple my people? To make conquering the Vale easy without Sheepstealer's rider?" No, he has to do this or else his brother will haunt his nights forever, but, he must also do this to further stabilize his Queens realm.

Daenerys cannot have children. A successor to the throne needs to be made before the War for the Dawn begins.

Robert's death left the Kingdoms torn apart. He expects that once Daenerys is dead, either from fighting the White Walkers or age or unknown circumstances that the three independent Kingdoms of the North, Vale and Iron Islands will carve out Daenerys kingdoms.

That, and the Tyrells. They are far too ambitious to be counted out. They'll try to seize control of the Targaryen territories. Garlan and his descendants will have the armies and food to do so.

It will shatter more once Dorne tries to stop it, Arianne and her future children will most likely hang on their distant blood ties with House Targaryen to lay claim to the Iron Throne. They don't trust him, no one will trust a Lannister's leadership after his father and siblings, especially Joffrey Waters.

He will either be dead or insane from the ghosts. Any children he will have will face an uphill battle against these odds... And they will fail in the attempt, no matter how brave they will fight.

It's all very dark and frightening, seeing the future he sees if Daenerys cannot bear any children or doesn't pick a successor from her most loyal supporters.

He can kill Rodrik here, slay the Falcon King and weaken a potential enemy, it doesn't sound smart. He is drunk and without much courage to think about what he is doing here.

"Jaime, he could do it without hesitation... So why can't I?" He whispered to himself and lowered the weapon, eventually, it slipped from his grasped and fell to the floor, he heard Rodrik breathe a sigh of relief as he closed the door to his chambers and slowly approached, grabbing the weapon and putting it away.

"I know how you feel, Tyrion. When I lost my father, I felt like the world wouldn't be bright without him, that I couldn't survive without his guidance. I remember wanting to slay your entire family when Lysa said you all were responsible for his death." Rodrik started telling him, and he was both too drunk to listen or not drunk enough to ignore him.

"When I executed my brother, Lysa and Harrold Hardying. I wanted to think I was happy, they were traitors and deserved it... But Robert, he wasn't blood to me but I missed him, he was my brother and I still have hope he is at peace." Maybe Jaime is as well, perhaps his brother can finally forgive himself for all the things he's done and take pride in what he did for the people of King's Landing, he was and always will be a hero to him.

It is for this reason, he had Jorah put what Jaime did in the book of the White Cloak. History WILL remember his brother as not the Kingslayer, not even the Young Lion... But a Hero of Westeros.

"Do you know why I am here, other than to kill you." Rodrik shook his head, he smiled solemnly and reached for his bottle of wine, well, it was his sister's Arbor Gold that he took personal ownership of when she was sent to the Vale. "I was angry, not with you, clearly. The Queen and I have argued over a problem and I see one way where she would rather wait." He added and Rodrik was curious, listening intently.

"What would have the most hardened dwarf who has taken scrutiny all his life, be angry with his Queen? I don't get it, Tyrion." He wouldn't either if he wasn't aware of the problem. He shouldn't know, Rodrik shouldn't know that his Queen is barren, or so he would believe at this point of time.

And yet the drink gave him the wrong bit of boldness.

"Daenerys cannot have children, that is the problem."

And like that, he has officially ruined his early career as Hand of the Queen.