The War of the Dawn II

Rodrik 

Rodrik nodded and Jon left the room, he and Dany were alone and she hasn't spoken a word since Jon- Jaehaerys told them the truth of his birth and who his real father was. He approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder but she shook it off, turning to face him.

"He could be lying, what he said couldn't be true." She said and he wished he could believe it, but, why would he do that, what's the point?

"I don't think he would lie when he needs you here... I somewhat believe him." She gave him a cold look, he sighed and stood up to her icy stare, "Ned went South to get his sister when the Rebellion ended, he came back with her body and a baby who he claimed was his bastard son." He noticed she didn't want to hear him out, she crossed her arms and took a deep breath.

It still rang in his head, Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, nephew to Daenerys Targaryen. The more he thought about it, the more he believed it, Ned would be the type of man to protect his enemies son from his greatest friends.

It's true, Robert would have killed the baby or the Lannisters would. Robert let the deaths of Aegon and Rhaenys happen, one would one more child matter. It was something he hated about the King who was like a brother, Robert was so full of rage for House Targaryen that he wanted to kill them all.

Jaehaerys Targaryen is the last trueborn male of House Targaryen, ambitious men and women will want him to stake his claim on the Iron Throne of Westeros. It would crush Daenerys reign before it even begins, a new war would begin and he cannot let that happen. There is another option, he is her blood, the same blood of House Targaryen. He thought and cleared his throat.

"Dany... He could be your heir." He suggested and she blinked a few times, hurt by what he said.

"What about us, the other night, we... " She whispered and he shook his head, remembering the night as it was still fresh in his mind.

"I am the King of the Vale, you are the Queen on the Iron Throne... We are from two very different worlds, we have our people we need to look out for." She frowned and eyes began to redden with emotion, he strode towards her and cupped her cheeks, "I have fallen for you, you were the most stubborn woman I have ever met but I still fell for you." She grasped his hand and put the other on his waist.

"Don't say it, please don't say it." She begged him and he choked, closing his eyes and putting his lips to her own. She leaned into the kiss and he let in a small moment of comfort, then gently pushed her away.

"Take Jon or Jaehaerys as your heir, it should smoothen your reign... I am sorry, Dany." He left the hall and heard Daenerys sit down and begin to cry.

He didn't like that, a part of him wanted to stay by her side but it would all turn sour. Any instance of them being together would have terrible consequences and he went through all of them before he decided to suggest taking Jon as her heir and not her rival.

One instance, he wanted her to be his, he would forsake his kingdom for her and despite his struggle to resist joining her kingdom. He would be her husband and they would have children but Jon being the trueborn heir meant a civil war would be fought once he and Dany are dead.

It was something he wouldn't put the people through, another Dance of Dragons will not occur because of his desire for the Dragon Queen.

He doesn't know Jon too well, Sansa and Arya do and he was still raised by Ned and Ned always worked for peace throughout the Realm. He can trust Jon to raise his children, whoever they may be to be honorable and just.

The three kingdoms of Westeros might have a chance this way, even at the risk of heartbreak. He closed his eyes and remembered something his father told him when he was ten. Man can have love or duty, he cannot have both. He chose duty, his love can only be for his people and the livelihood of his kingdom.

Rodrik Arryn walked toward the path where it takes him to the top of the Wall, he's never seen the place before now, it is truly something that comes from fairy tales.

The Wall, built by Brandon the Builder after the first Long Night. Giants, Children of the Forest, and perhaps some human ingenuity might have played a part in creating it. He pulled his furs closer and breathed on the cold air, looking out into the vastness of the wilds beyond the Wall.

The dead, he thought on it while he put a hand on Honor's handle. Gold isn't his color and he'll be redecorating the handle to suit his House, maybe a falcon pommel with sapphires as they eyes.

Ideas to put to work when this war is finished.

"King Rodrik." He was addressed and turned around to see Jon and his wolf, Ghost. The other wolves are all with Bran, Rickon, Sansa, and Arya at Winterfell, Moat Cailin since just a few days ago.

Gods, he hopes they left for the Neck and isn't stubbornly staying in their home.

"Prince Jaehaerys." Jon shook his head conflictingly, he is caught between being Jon Snow, the Bastard of Winterfell or Jaehaerys Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen.

"... I don't want to be King, I never wanted such a thing." He heard Jon say and he smiled, neither did he but he did out of concern for his people.

"But you wanted to be a Stark, No?" He asked the younger man who was confused about how he knew, "Your chatty friend from the Night's Watch, Samwell? He is a talker." He mentioned and remembered the welcoming feast at Winterfell, Samwell Tarly came early with his Wildling Wife and son.

Lord Randyll stared at his son and questioned why he was here, Samwell stood up to the veteran commander and said that every man is needed for the War of the Dawn. He almost thought he saw a smile creep on the stonefaced Tarly's lips but he ignored it.

Jon chuckled and patted Ghost on the ear, "That he does. I did want to be a Stark, King Stannis would have made it happen if I didn't refuse him." He didn't know that, he almost wished the boy would have taken the offer and helped defeat House Bolton with the King he was loyal to.

"Jon, you are her nephew, you two can help mend the South and aid the North and East to the future as friends." Jon shook his head, he didn't want to do it, "The Realm will know soon enough, Jon, no secret stays hidden for too long in Westeros. You and your House need to make a better world, a world where children aren't gutted in front of their mothers and wars aren't started because of madness." He added and put a hand on Jon's shoulder, "I love her, but we are two rulers of two countries and have our people to look after, they'll be yours too, from the Crownlands to the Reach and Westerlands, the Stormlands and South to Dorne. Help her rule them with the honor Ned taught you." Jon looked into his eyes and he returned the favor before leaving.

The horn blew, their army has arrived.

Daenerys 

She had dried her tears, heard the horn blow and met the first half of the army arrive.

It was her Unsullied and Dothraki, an hour later after that, the Reach and Westermen, two hours after that, the Valemen and Northmen and lastly came the few thousand Dornishmen and 3000 Stormlanders.

Men and some women from all corners of the Realm have come to unite against their greatest enemies.

All throughout this, she thought about the stubborn King of the Vale and her nephew she never knew was hidden from the entire world. Rodrik told her to care only for her people and kingdom but her heart had felt very different from his own.

Jon, a Targaryen? She's barely met more than a few minutes and he already has a claim to the throne, her throne. She conflicted about it, about him and about what Rodrik suggested she do. Take him as her heir, she sees the sense in it but she wanted him to be by her side, prove that what Miri Maz Dur said was wrong and give her a child.

She was almost too angry with him, she felt that he just doesn't want to merge their kingdoms. Perhaps he believes this was all a plan to annex his country and bring it into my Realm. She thought bitterly and hated the thought of him thinking that.

She had accepted the Vale's independence, she's accepted the Iron Islands independence, she's even let the North keep its independence at the cost of her ambition. Her feelings for Rodrik grew on the road to Winterfell, started when she saw how happy he was with his daughter, and at Queenscrown, she decided to fall for him and give herself to him.

"My Queen." Jorah entered the room as the generals in their army began to settle in within Eastwatch, Grey Worm entered and she smiled.

"Where is Missandei?" She asked and it was a stupid question, why would she wanted to come here where the battle going to be taking place.

"I asked her to go to the neck, my Queen, I cannot fight well if I worry for her safety." She understood the feeling, there were many that came with her from Essos that are here to fight, she hopes to stop them from dying because she lost Barristan, she lost Irri and Rhakaro, even her intended though she tolerated him at best but he still died.

No more, she isn't losing anyone else.

Grey Worm dismissed himself and she was left alone with Jorah, she told him everything that has happened, from her and Rodrik's night to her finding out that she's had a nephew half-way across the world. He remained silent and waited for her protector to respond to all of it.

"Is he truly blood, from the way you said it, it could be true." He said and she almost wished he agreed with her, a sigh escaped her and the chilly breath was visible. "Khaleesi, I was there, at the Trident and what Rodrik said about Prince Rhaegar and the Lady Lyanna could very well be true. Eddard Stark went South of the Dornish Marches and returned with his sister's body and a bastard son." So it could all have been lies, the Rebellion, her brother kidnapping the Stark woman and raping her, all of it.

She nodded and asked to be alone, later she went in search of Jon, Jaehaerys and found him with his wolf. The animal was as large as a pony, she was almost frightful to approach them but she's raised three dragons to maturity, a wolf isn't anything to her, not truly.

"He's a magnificent beast." She complimented and he turned to her, quickly standing straight and addressing her.

"Queen Daenerys. Yes, he is, a good friend of mine." Her nephew said with sincerity, "Yours are as well, I only ever saw dragons in books and when Old Nan told me and my siblings- I mean, cousins stories." This is going to take some getting used to, isn't it? She smiled and took a step closer.

"They can be ours, you know? Want to ride one?" Jon's eyes widened and he coughed, her offer made him nervous and that brought a wider smile across her lips. "It's alright, baby steps I know." He nodded and heard one of the dragons groan and take flight, it was Rhaegal.

"Your grace, I understand your reluctance to trust me. To trust what I said in the Shieldhall, I can assume you must think it's insane but we live in an insane world." He said and she can call that an understatement, it seems more than insane but accounts from both Rodrik and Jorah have convinced her somewhat, "I am truthful to what I say, I am your blood. My family." She took a deep breath to process what he said and closed her eyes.

Rodrik told her she has a duty to her people, she has to be the best Queen she could be and as much as she hates letting him go...

"Jaehaerys Targaryen, son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. I, Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of the South and a Protector of the Realm do name you heir to the Iron Throne after my death." She decreed and her nephew took a deep breath and got to one knee, bowing his head low and in front of several people who see it.

"I would be honored, my Queen. You have my loyalty, now and always."

Waymar 

He found his brother in arms at Castle Black Sept, he was praying at the statue of the Father and the Warrior.

"Praying to cheat your way out of fighting?" He teased his King and friend, Rodrik turned around and looked at him with a smile before embracing him.

"I was worried you weren't going to fight with me, that you were going to sit and needle cloaks with Sansa." Rod joked back and they both shared a bit of laughter in this dreary hour as the rest of the army was arriving.

"If only, fighting the undead isn't my forte. I was trying to get Sansa and her siblings to leave Winterfell, I argued with her for hours before she demanded I leave." Rod sent him a sympathetic look, patting him on the shoulder, "We have to defeat them here, promise me, Rodrik, they aren't going to get past the Wall." He said and Rodrik stayed silent for a long time before he nodded and swore that it would be so.

Sansa, she's everything to him, he wished she would have listened and left for the Neck and even to Dorne if it would make her and their unborn child safe.

She told him that hundreds of men fought to take back her home, she swore she would never abandon her home again, never. Gods, her siblings aren't any better. He thought as he remembered the other Stark children defending their Queen's choice to stay home.

Arya told him that they'd need to break her legs to get her away from her home. Rickon locked himself in his chambers. Bran simply said he wasn't and no one wanted to pick fights with the Children of the Forest.

He left Lady Brienne of Tarth and Sandor Clegane with them, two of the most fiercest fighters and Children of the Forest should be enough to defend them, then another 10,000 men also helps, so, he hopes that the fighting doesn't get that far, he needs the dead to be stopped here and not Last Hearth or Winterfell.

"Enough on my married life, how was the dragon ride here? Don't suppose Daenerys asked you to bend the knee again, just like before and the time after that." He brought up the silver-haired woman who came to Westeros.

Rodrik didn't laugh, he expected him to at least chuckle but nothing came of it. He tilted his head noticed a strange look on Rodrik's face, a frown formed and he shook his head.

"Rodrik, don't tell me you fell for her?" He questioned Rodrik and his best friend sighed heavily.

"I didn't expect it, it all seemed so right when we... I don't need to make an excuse, to no one." He grunted and grabbed Rodrik by the cuffs of his shirt, "I love her but she can't be mine, we're two different people and have a responsibility to our countries." Rodrik whispered and he couldn't believe this, the man who could never love or marry had fallen into bed with the Dragon Queen.

"Don't you remember, she might be allied with us now but that doesn't change what she'll always be... A conquerer." He said to his friend who's face didn't change, "She will never be content with having only four out of the Seven Kingdoms, and now that news is beginning to spread about Jon being her nephew? We've given her enough ground." Rodrik took hold of his hands and ripped them off his shirt, stepping away and shaking his head.

"I have a plan, you are my brother, Waymar and I need you to trust in this alliance," Rodrik asked him to trust him and he does, he just doesn't trust the Dragon Queen.

He stormed off to blow off some steam, sparring before the dead arrives is a good replacement for his stress.

Daenerys 

'High in the halls of the Kings who are gone. Jenny would dance with her ghosts... '

It was getting late in the night and still no sign of the dead, many of the noblemen and a few from the Brotherhood Without Banners were gathered in the Shieldhall where the last meal was being served.

The commanding officers amongst the Commonfolk were seen to in the common hall where nearly five hundred were seated.

Daenerys sat with Waymar and Rodrik on the dais, Jon was there as well but he was brought along by his red-bearded friend and the fingerless man who left a few moments ago to walk about the Wall.

She took a deep breath and continued to listen to one of the men, a minstrel named Tom of Sevenstreams started to spin a song.

'The ones she had lost and the ones she had found. And the ones who had loved her the most... '

It is a beautiful song he is singing, there must have been so much emotion in the making of it. She sipped some water and tilted her head to Jorah.

"What is this song about?" She asked and he cleared his throat, it must take a lot of explaining.

"From what I remember, it was written about the love affair between Prince Duncan Targaryen and Lady Jenny of Oldstones. King Aegon had made marriage pacts with many great Lords of Westeros." She heard him explain while she listened to Tom sing.

'The ones who had been gone for so very long. She couldn't remember their names... '

Jorah continued, "Prince Duncan was heir to the throne, his father had betrothed him to Lord Lyonel Baratheon's daughter. During his trip through the Riverlands, he met Jenny, a common girl he later fell in love with." She sighed and understood somewhat about what was going to happen next in this story.

'They spun her around on the damp old stone. Spun away all her sorrow and pain. And she never wanted to leave... '

"King Aegon disapproved of their and threatened to disinherit Duncan from the line of succession," Jorah told her and she put down her cup and frowned.

"What did he do? Did he put her aside?" She asked and Jorah shook his head.

'Never wanted to leave. Never wanted to leave. Never wanted to leave... ' The song ended and Jorah told her the rest of the story.

"He refused his fathers commands. He married Jenny and renounced his right to the throne, all for the love of one." She was struck with such revealing knowledge, she folded her hands together.

Duncan Targaryen was the future King, he had his birthright and he gave it all up for love. She swallowed and trained her eyes on Rodrik, would it be the same for King's?... Or even Queens.

Rodrik stopped a moment, sighing and his blue eyes found hers.

She would have left if not for the blowing of horns, then a second and lastly a third. Everyone knew then that it was time... The dead are here.