19

Wolf of NúmenorLouen_Leoncoeur

Chapter 19: Ship my ship I seek the west

Summary:

Jon recieves a vision of times to come and knows his destiny is across the great ocean

Notes:

I hope you enjoy leave a comment all credit to my co-author Alex_Stark who helped when I was in a jam

Chapter Text

They had left the castle of lord Hasty five days ago, after the victory feast, and now they were a league away from the ruins of Summerhall.

"I still don't understand why you want to go to a place in ruins, Jon," said Loras, as they stopped to let the horses rest near a river.

"I told you why. I dreamed of ruins and books and distant lands. Then I saw a castle in flames with a dragon coming under it," replied Jon, caressing his horse.

"We should go, Jon. Soon the sun will set, and we better not find ourselves in the woods or open field at night, since Stannis' men may be lurking around here," said Robar, stopping Loras from whatever the Knight of Flowers wanted to say.

Summerhall…

When they reached the destination, Jon stopped for a moment to admire the ruins of this castle, which was built by order of Daeron the good, during the Dornish reign.

"High in halls of the kings who are gone-"

"Jenny would dance with her ghosts," finished Jon. "I wonder if she is still there, in those ruined halls of a summer castle, dancing with her ghosts."

"Doubt it," replied Robar, snapping the reins, riding forward, followed by Ghost, and he and Loras, after a look, did the same.

By every step that he was approaching these ruins that had no more than forty years ago housed the royal family, Jon could feel a strange feeling, as if something was calling him, luring him. An ancient force that hopes to reveal some great truth to him. But what Destiny can a bastard from the North have?

Getting down from the horse, Jon tied him to a tree, and turning to his friends, "Robar. You go hunting. Loras and I will gather some wood for tonight."

Robar nodded, and after getting rid of the armour, he took his bow from the horse and walked away in search of game. Jon and Loras took of their armours too, placing them behind a ruined wall, and with some leaves on to hide them, before moving away in different directions.

A few moments later…

As he was gathering the faggots for the fire, Jon was looking at this ruined castle, that despite being burned by wildfyre, the walls were still standing. Putting down the faggots that he gathered, Jon started to wander the ruins, and his skin was shuddering for the emotion and the dread that he was feeling. Many people perished in that inferno; King Aegon was one of them, then there were some of his sons, and of course, there was the Lord Commander, Ser Duncan the Tall, who gave his life, trying to save as many as possible. At least according to the tales.

Running his hand over the destroyed of the hallway, with closed eyes, Jon had a strange feeling that he could hear them. The Targaryen's were crying out in torment, desperate to escape. Jenny of Oldstone was calling Prince Duncan's name, and in the end, a beautiful voice singing a lament about this tragedy. Jon immediately opened his eyes, shaking his head. This was only in his mind. There was nothing her, just ruins. Nothing magical.

However, as he was ready to go back, Jon heard something from the ruins' deepest part. A voice saying, "Come, son of the Dragon. Your Destiny awaits."

But Jon didn't follow it and returned to where he placed the logs, picking them up and moving away, back to the camp.

An hour later…

The night was already upon them, and the coldness was rising. He found a good spot where they could make a fire sheltered from the wind, and now they were sitting around it, eating the stag that Robar hunted for them, throwing a log from time to time to keep the fire alive, and he suddenly hears Loras said, as he looked around, "I really don't like this place."

"Are you scared of some ghost, knight of roses?"

"Fuck you!" Loras snarled.

"No, thank you. You are not of my taste," replied Robar, chuckling, before biting a long piece of meat.

"It's not about that; it's just that this place has a golly air. As if the souls of the one who died are still here," the Knight of Roses replied, looking around, and they could hear the cracking of trees, the moving of branches from the winds, and the rising of sleeves.

"Maybe you should make a circle of salt around you so that the ghosts stay away," muttered Robar jokingly, and a small chuckle escaped him.

This was a cursed place for sure, but it was a perfect place to hide from Stannis' men since he doubts they will come here.

"Jon?" he hears himself called, and looking in the direction, saw that it was Robar. "It's everything all right?"

"Yes. Just thinking about the enemy," he replied, shaking the head, and placing remnants aside. Stretching for a moment, he said. "I think we should go to sleep. Tomorrow we need to leave at first lights, and we need to be well-rested if the enemy should block our way." And the Knight from the vale nodded, as Jon lay down next to the fire, and looking up at the heavens studded with dots of light, wondering what fate awaits them.

"Hello my child," Jon heard of a voice of a man, that was noble and sonorous like the clanging of soft bells, and he immediately woke up, however, not finding himself among the ruins of the castle, but in a grand marble hall.

Looking around, he saw a man in a blue robe, with eyes like glittering stars, sitting upon a great throne and holding a sceptre of sapphire.

"Who are you?" shouted Jon.

"I am Manwë, King of the Valar and of Arda, and one of the eight Valar. I've been following you all your life, my child. I have felt your sufferance, and I saw your search for your place in this world. But you shall not in this accursed place, but maybe in another world, yes."

"What do you mean?" asked Jon, even though he was full of questions.

However, suddenly, he was no more in the grand marble hall, but instead, he found himself before a great White Tree. And immediately after, the White tree started to burn, followed by a catastrophe destroying an island; he could hear the screams of the dead and dying, knowing their doom was at hand. Then fast forward, he found himself on the shores of a land and in the distance, he could see a great fleet of white ships with black sails approaching, their sails bore a strange sigil, to whom it belongs he cannot say.

"They are the faithful. Who seek a new home on the shores of Middle earth," the same voice said to him. "And it's there that your Destiny awaits you. You will join their ranks and gaining glory through them."

At hearing those words, Jon immediately asked in a high voice, "How do I get there!"

"The answers are lay within my child. But remember to never lose sight of the Star of Eärendil. The brightest of the stars. However, before you leave these lands, you must seek the daughter of the sun and bride of fire. Their futures are intertwined with yours and shall be your greatest joy."

"Where can I find them?" asked Jon, even though he should ask who they were.

"In the halls of the Lord of spices, you will find the bride of fire, in fear and danger, ready to escape and find happiness with a wolf," the voice said, and in his mind appear the face of a young girl with pale skin, silver blond hairs and purple eyes, before he continued, adding, "Go to the old palace in the kingdom of the sun. There you will find the daughter of the sun, who is the prisoner of a vile father who forces her to endure a destiny that isn't hers." And this time appears a beautiful girl, with olive skin, large dark eyes, and long, thick black hair.

"Remember, my child. The key to the shores of Middle Earth is in these ruins," the voice said, and before he could ask something else, everything disappeared, and he woke up, gasping for air and panting.

His friends woke up too, and they ask in a worried tone and at the same time, "Jon, what happened?"

He didn't reply immediately, as his head was hurting like hell, and trying to figure out what happened, but once the normal breath returned, he said, "Someone appeared to me in the dream, showing me where my future lies."

"Where?" asked Loras eagerly.

"In the Middle Earth."

"What is Middle Earth?" asked Loras making a face and made him laugh, but he restrained himself, and shaking his head, he got up, saying, "I do not know. But the key to getting there is hidden among these ruins, and it is up to us to find it."

After making a torch, Jon with Ghost started to search for God's knows what, followed by Robar and Loras, who at the same time said, "I heard that Prince Rhaegar in his youth often came here. And we know he loved books –"

"And raping and kidnapping," Jon snapped, remembering the stories regarding the Dragon Prince.

An hour later…

They searched around the ruins for a very long time, and his friends were starting to get bored, wanting to go back to sleep, especially Loras, but then, stepping on it, Jon found an Iron door on the destroyed floor of a small ruined room, and opening it, he saw that stairs were leading somewhere under the ruins.

"Over here! I think I found something," said Jon, and his friends rushed to him. Pulling out his sword, Jon started to descend the dangerous stairs, slowly and walking in front of Ghost. It was very dark now, and the only thing that was making light was the torch that he had in hand.

"We are behind you, Jon," whispered Robar, barely enough to be heard, as Jon descends in the gloomy basements.

When he reached the floor, Jon started to look around and realizing that it was a library. There were hundreds of books; some looked as if they had never been touched, others were decaying with dozens of pages missing, with a table and some chairs in the middle. The shelves and the stone walls were full of webs, and the air around was cold and smell of dust and closed.

"What is this place?" asked Robar, looking around.

"I don't know, but we should light the torches that are on the wall and see what we can find."

"Do you know what we have to look for, Jon?" asked Loras, approaching one of the shelves.

"No. But I supposed it should be a map, or maybe a book, who knows. But anyway. Maybe we will find some interesting books down here and can take them with us."

"Do you want to bury the sword and become a Maester, Jon?" asked Robar, laughing, and so did Loras, as Jon, ignoring them, approached the table.

Someone has been here apparently, although it had been decades judging by the thick coating of dust on the scrolls and maps. At that moment, as he was looking at them, his gaze was caught by a map that had the name of the Middle-Earth.

"Loras. Robar. Come here," he called, and once they were near, he handed them the torch. I think I found something," he said, bringing the map closer, and by leaning on the table, to have a better look.

There were strange names of lands that he never heard, like the island of Númenor, or Harad, Rhun and Khand.

"What a strange land," Robar said, looking as Jon passed it to him, before taking the opened book that was there. The sheets were already falling, and the writing to fade. It was also written in a strange language that he didn't know; however, he could see some notes on the sides.

'As a reward for their suffering in the fight against Morgoth, the Valar, the guardians of the world, gave the Edain a land where they could live sheltered from the dangers of Middle-earth.'

"Fuck!" muttered Jon.

"What is it?" asked Robar at hearing him.

"Well, it seems the so-called Middle Earth is a dangerous place.

"Doubt it's more dangerous than Westeros. With its plotting and the fucking lords fight over an Iron Chair," said Loras, and Jon could feel anger in it. And he didn't blame him for that. The Throne took away his lover. Jon himself felt that since Margery choose the Throne over him.

His friends moved away to look at the other books, as Jon keep reading the one he had in his hands.

'Most of them crossed the sea; guided by the Star of Eärendil,'

Star of Eärendil. It was the same star that Manwë asked him to follow to find the way to Middle earth.

'they reached the large island of Elenna, the westernmost of the Deadly Lands. There they founded the kingdom of Númenor.'

"it's a kingdom," said Jon, as he turned to read the title of the book. 'The kings of Númenor.'

"What?" asked Robar.

"The island. Númenor. It's a Kingdom. Like Old Valyria, it seems," replied Jon. "And this book is about their kings."

"I wonder if there are dragons there too," said Loras, and that is what Jon wandered too. "Rhaegar Targaryen spent a lot of time in these ruins, according to the tales. He must have read these books too." And Jon though if the Dragon Prince was the one to write these notes on the sides.

An hour later…

It was already dawn when they left the library in the basements, taking the most important books, which some were about the history of Westeros and others about Middle-earth, and of course the maps, they left the basements, sealing them so that no one will be able to destroy the books that were still there in the future.

After a good meal, they got ready to leave the ruins behind, and once they put on their armor, secured the items, he said, "We are riding to Stonehelm."

"And from there?" asked Robar.

"We take a ship to the harbour city of The Tor, in Dorne. I have to meet someone at Sunspear before leaving for Essos," Jon replied, snapping the reins and riding away, followed by Ghost and by his friends.

Several days later…

After a long ride, they were nearing Stonehelm, but their path was blocked by a dozen men bearing the sigil of the Baratheon stag enclosed within a red heart surrounded by orange flame.

Drawing his sword, Jon charged at them, and so did his friends, knocking them down with the horse, as Ghost attacked them from other sides, ripping the throats of those who were on the ground.

Jon rode through their ranks several more times, removing half a dozen heads before dismounting his horse and hacking off the limbs of several Baratheon men at arms.

Once they were almost all dead, and cleaning the sweat from his forehead, Jon saw Robar and Loras approach, "That coward of Stannis Baratheon is scared to face us himself," cursed Robar, as he cleans his sword.

"Yes, but doesn't matter. Once we take the ship, we are going to leave this bloody land behind," Jon replied, cleaning his sword and patting Ghost's head, who had the snout full of the enemy's blood, before heading back on the horse. "Let's go. And leave these dead to the crows."

Sunspear…

The burning sun of Dorne was high in the sky as Arianne was spinning her spear, sparing with her brother, Quentyn, under the watchful look of her uncle Oberyn, the Red Viper of Dorne.

When she decides to start and learn the ways of the shield and spear, she never expected it to be so tricky, and the heat of Dorne was making it harder and harder to breathe. But above all, she didn't expect that her uncle will be so demanding.

"Enough!" shouted her uncle, stepping between them. "What in the seven hells are you doing. Your movements are clumsy and slow. In battle, you would have already been killed a couple of times. He uses a sword and you a spear, and yet no one of you seems to use the advantages of their weapons."

"I'm trying," Arianne replied, annoyed by his words. She was putting everything she had in this to prove herself.

Oberyn sighed, leaned to her ear, whispering, "You wanted to prove to your father that you aren't a defenseless maiden who can't protect herself and Dorne. You wanted to show him that you are a viper, ready to strike when provoked. So, prove it. Prove that you are stronger and better than Quentyn."

She nodded as he moved away, and spinning her spear, Arianne retook her position. Now she will wipe the floor with this pompous fuck.

On the other hand, her brother, smirking, started to round her changing side now and then, until he decides to attack her first with some slashes from the right and left, then try to break her guard with his shield.

Arianne defended herself, and when she saw him make the wrong step, she started to attack him with the spear, pushing him back until he stumbled and fell on his ass. Arianne, pointing the spear at his neck, "Now you are dead, frog face," which she knows will anger him, but he could do nothing.

"Enough!" said her uncle, approaching. "Well done, nice. You will be a great ruler of Dorne one day."

She smiled at his words and saw a servant approach, who said to her uncle, "Prince Doran wants to see you, my Prince."

And her uncle nodded, but before leaving, he said, "For today, it's enough, but remember what we talked about. Now go and take a hot bath. Your muscles need to relax." With that, he left, as Arianne, turning to her brother, helped him get up, and at the same time, hears him say with a warning tone, "I will make you pay for this."

"Keep dreaming, little brat," she replied, smirking, hitting his ass with the spear, and moving away.

She really needs a good and warm bath and with it a release, but first, she wants to find out why her father needs to speak with her uncle.

When Oberyn entered the Great Hall, he saw his brother resting on the couch, with a goblet of Dornish wine next to him on the table, and a happy expression. The captain of the guards, Areo Hotha, a bearded priest from Norvos, had come here with his good sister, Mellario, but when she left, he remained here in Dorne and is following Doran like a shadow. And that is what he is doing right now. Standing behind him like a shadow.

Filling himself a goblet of sweet Dornish wine, the best in this word, Oberyn asked, twirling the goblet, "You want to see, brother?"

"News from Pentos has arrived."

"I suppose they are good news since you are in a happy mood," said Oberyn, taking another sip and sitting on the other oversized couch.

"The alliance between the Dothraki and Viserys Targaryen was successful. Soon the girl will marry the Khal and together will sail for Westeros."

"Good. The time for revenge has come, and Lannister blood will be spilled on this land and inside that cursed city where our sister died."

"I heard that you have started to train Ariane in the way of the Dornish spear," Doran said calmly, and Oberyn tried to avoid his look. Of course, he knew. "May I ask why?"

"Precautions, dear brother. I do not want my niece to have the same fate as Elia."

"Why should she be? Aerys is dead. The Lannisters will die soon, and so will the Baratheons."

"Viserys Targaryen," muttered Oberyn, twirling the goblet before taking another sip. "He is mad as his father and-"

"You want me to marry a madman?!" came a screaming voice from the entrance, and he saw his niece, with an expression of rage marring her beautiful face. And it seems she still was in her training clothes, but her hairs were down. "Father. tell me that I heard wrong, and you do not want me to marry a mad man."

"Of course, you heard wrong, daughter. Now recompose yourself and sit down. We need to talk."

Arianne hesitantly sat down on the opposite couch, as Oberyn was looking at her, trying to figure out what she is feeling. Her breath quickened, and her chest was moving fast also because of the fast beat of her heart. Sweet could be seen on her temples, but that was because of the too much training she has done today.

"You are going to become a queen soon. You will marry Viserys Targaryen because I say so, and you will not listen to the rumors' that are said around regarding his madness."

"I won't do it, father! I'm your rightful heir, and according to the law of Dorne I-"

"You are my daughter and will do as I command," his bother said calmly.

"Have you lost your mind besides your spine, dear brother?" asked Oberyn crossing his legs and placing an arm over the top of the back couch? "I saw how he treated his sister. He slaps her, insults her, and treats her in the worst way that could be imagined. do you really want that fate for Arianne?"

"Everyone needs to make a sacrifice for the future of the house and- "

"then marry him yourself, or make that frog of your son do it since you love him so much!" shouted Arianne getting up, but his brother, keeping the same composure, said calmly, "Areo. Please escort my daughter to her rooms and put loyal guards at her door. She will remain confined there until Viserys Targaryen lands on the shores of Westeros."

"I'm a prisoner now, father?"

"Yes. Until you will learn how to behave and see that this isn't a punishment or a cage. I give you the opportunity to become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms."

"Just like my aunt Elia?! Who was butchered like a dog?!" screamed Arianne, as Aero was dragging her away.

Despite her being already very far away from the Great Hall, Oberyn could still hear the screams and curses of his niece, and turning to his brother, he said, "This is a mistake, brother. And you know it. The boy is just like Aerys. He was like that since the beginning."

"Doesn't matter. Once she had a son and a daughter Viserys Targaryen will die."

Getting up, Oberyn shakes his head and left the Hall, without adding another word because he knew it was for nothing. His brother's mind was already made up.

Pentos…

Daenerys was sitting on Illyrio's palace's terrace, eating her meal, and reading a book about dragons. Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History by Septon Barth, to be precise, and she was so fascinated by how he describes them. Of course, there were less pleasant parts of the book to read, like, for example, what happened to Princess Aerea Targaryen.

"Good morning, sweet sister," came the voice of her brother, who sits at the table, as a servant brought him a meal, as he keeps saying something, but she didn't reply immersed in the book, which made him very angry, and took the book from her. "When I speak, you listen."

"I was listening-"But she couldn't finish, as he slapped her cheek. "Never interrupt me, sweet sister, or you will wake the dragon." And she lowered her head, placing a hand on the burning cheek, that was red because of his slap.

"As I was saying before you interrupted me, I speak with Illyrio, and he informed me that the Khal will be her in a few weeks. Now he is dealing with a rival in the far east. But he is eager to see you, and I'm of course eager in receiving my army."

"I don't want to be his bride," she muttered, knowing perfectly that she may anger, but she needs to try.

"I don't care what you want, sweet sister. I only care to take back my Throne, my Kingdoms, my crown. And destroy the usurper and his dogs of course," he replied, making here release a sigh of defeat, but then feel his hand on her chin, and rising up, he asked, "Do you know how we are going to get that, sweet sister?" she shakes her head. "With Khal Drogo's army. I will let his whole tribe fuck you, all 40,000 men and their horses too if that's what it took."

"I thought I was supposed to be your queen."

"You will. One Day. When the seven Kingdoms are ours, I will kill your husband and all the bastards that you will bear him."

Daenerys wanted to throw up at hearing that. He only saw her as that a broodmare to be sold to the highest bidder for him to get what he wants.

"Now leave, sweet sister. I need some time alone to plane our vengeance," he said, in a boring way, and she immediately got up, ready to leave, with her book; however, he grabbed it from her grasp. "You don't need to read this. The only thing you need to learn is how to please the Khal with your body.

She didn't reply, running away and trying to keep her tears at bay. At least until she will be alone, in her chambers and away from her brother's gaze.

Once she was alone, he chambers, Daenerys close the door behind her, locking it, and sitting with the back at it, sobbing silently. She hated him. He was a monster. She hated her brother for what he wanted to do to her.

She wanted to run from him. Hide in some lost city of this world, and away from his cruelty, but she knew she couldn't, because alone she won't have a long life. She would be raped and perhaps even killed after they had their fun. In good or in bad, he protects her in his own way.

At the end of this day, when the sleep claimed her, Daenerys dreamed of her shadow lover. Young, strong, and caring. She knows he was a good man, but she didn't know who she was, only that he bears the coat of arms on his chest of a white wolf with red eyes. Her wolf. Her shadow lover.