Dragons' Rest 308 AC.
Baelon Targaryen.
He looked down at them as they lay in the bed. His wife and son. His family. Each of them held a large piece of his heart in their hands. A heart that was now finally as full and whole as he had ever wished it to be. With a nod in his direction, Ghost moved to the bed and lay down. Baelon smiled as he watched his most faithful protector do for his family what he had always done for him. Turning from the bed, Baelon readied himself for the day ahead.
Some mornings, Daeron would wake when Baelon did and so it would be in his arms that his son would be held. Baelon would walk around the room speaking softly to his son while allowing Dany to catch up on her sleep. For the first few moons of Daeron's life, neither Baelon nor Dany had truly slept much. Both of them were so awed by the little wonder they'd created together that they felt unable to close their eyes. Unable to deny themselves the pure joy that the sight of him brought them. For Dany especially, their son had become almost her whole world. The loss of her babe in Essos and the fear that the witch's words were true had made his wife believe that she'd never get to hold a child of her own in her arms. Daeron was proof that she would and Dany had reveled in that proof.
Baelon would begrudge her nothing and so he took on more of the duties of running the realm while Dany spent her time with the littlest of their dragons. Simply seeing them together was more than enough to chase away the worst feelings that at times threatened to rob him of his will to go on. Each day since their son had been born had been one day closer to Baelon fixing all that was broken in him. Though not even the birth of their son and the happiness that brought to both Dany and to himself had been enough to fully do so.
That had taken news from Winterfell, bringing justice to the assassins who'd taken far too much from far too many people, as well as another gift from the gods that Baelon now once again walked out of his room to pray to. Nodding to Ser Donnel, he and the knight walked through the corridors of the Dragon's Lair and out through the large set of double doors. Feeling the coolness of the morning air on his face, Baelon allowed the last vestiges of sleep to be washed away and then walked to where the Weirwood stood tall and proud.
"I'll pray for a bit before we break our fast, Ser Donnel."
"Of course, your grace."
Taking a knee, Baelon closed his eyes and did as he did each and every morning, he thanked the gods for all they'd given him. It was a far cry from how he'd felt about them for so very long. The anger and hatred that just thinking about the Old Gods had stirred in his heart was now a thing of the past. Baelon had forgiven them for those they'd taken from him, knowing now that it was not a deliberate act or a way to punish or test him. Many years and conversations with his brother it had taken for him to even consider the words that Rickon spoke to him regarding the truth of the Old Gods. Yet without his son, without the return of his sister, those words may have well been lost in the wind.
How long he knelt and prayed, he knew not. Some mornings it was for quite some time, others for merely a few moments. Rising to his feet, he nodded to Ser Donnel and they made their way back into the keep. The Dragon's Lair, the name still made him chuckle inside. He'd left it to Dany to name their new keep and just as she had with the city they ruled from, it had been with thoughts of dragons that his wife had led with. So the keep had become the Dragon's Lair because that was where dragons made their home. Built around and incorporating some of the old Red Keep, it was still unfinished but was already truly secure.
As for the city itself, Dragons' Rest, his wife had named it, and never had truer words been spoken. They were finally at rest. After a lifetime where both he and his wife had known little of such, they were now truly finally at rest. There were no enemies to fear, no knives in the dark to prepare for, and no overriding threat that wished to take all they had. The realm was at peace and their rule was secure. Baelon had even begun to believe that the days of fighting were far behind him and that he may never swing his sword in anger ever again. Rickon certainly believed so and given the powers that his brother possessed, who was Baelon to question him?
"Baelon." Lady Olenna greeted him as Baelon walked into the room where they mainly broke their fasts in.
"Good morning, Olenna."
"The queen and prince are at rest?" Olenna asked as Baelon took his seat and bid Ser Donnel to do likewise.
"They are, I awoke early once more," he said as Wylla walked into the room, the soft kiss she placed on his cheek was one that he welcomed as much as he always did.
"I live for the day when you lie in, Baelon," Wylla said, only half chidingly.
"It'll never happen, Wylla, my brother is a man of habit," Rickon said as he too entered the room, Baelon glowered at him before offering him a quick wink when his brother grabbed an empty plate and took his seat.
The morning conversation was one of their more light-hearted ones. Not that they ever truly allowed for the breaking of their fasts to be anything different. Wylla had finished eating and Missandei had arrived to grab her own quick bite. Their Mistress of Education would, as always, eat far more truly with Dany when his wife broke her own fast. So with another kiss on his cheek, the woman who was as close as he knew to being a mother to him, now left with Missandei to head to his chambers. Where she would show herself once again to be just as truly a grandmother to Daeron.
"Is there much to be done today?" he asked Lady Olenna, their meal almost at an end and both of them reverting to King and Hand rather than the true family that Baelon considered them to be.
"Not much. A Small Council meeting is to be held later and our Master of Whisperers wishes to speak more about the realm." Olenna said and Baelon looked to Rickon who was barely paying attention.
"Rickon?" he asked and received a shake of his brother's head in response.
At times his brother was a mystery even to him. Baelon understood his powers better than most and he knew his heart even better than Rickon himself did. He knew that the time was drawing ever closer for them to part and while there had been a time when the mere thought of it would send him into a panic, now he almost wished for it. No, that wasn't quite true, he could never wish to be parted from Rickon. Moreso, he wished for his brother to know the same joy and happiness that Baelon knew. The joy and happiness that could only come from one place and with one person. Both Lyanna Mormont and his brother deserved it more than anyone Baelon knew.
"Very well, we'll hold the Small Council meeting after luncheon. I think I'll tour the city before then. See how the works are progressing.
"I'll join you, brother," Rickon said and Baelon smiled at him, wondering if today was to be the day he'd be told or if it would it be yet another where Rickon held his tongue.
As with most tours around the city, Baelon walked with a small escort. Ser Donnel, Ser Sarel, Rickon, and Bear and that was it. With the House of Black and White no longer a threat and the message that had been sent there one that had been heard loudly and clearly, he feared not an assassin's blade. As for fearing that one of the lords who served him and Dany or one of the Small Folk would seek his death. If that was to be so, he'd already failed in some ways. If he couldn't trust that people believed he and his wife to be the right and true rulers and what was best for the realm, then why even bother wearing a crown? Or so he told his Small Council when they brought up matters of his personal safety.
It wasn't that he was casual about it, not truly. He had no wish to be taken from this world again. At least not until he was old and grey and had seen his son and any other children that he and Dany would be blessed with were all grown and happy. Baelon was alert and with his two Dragonguard, he believed that other than a decent-sized force they could hold off any would-be assassins. Not to mention that with his brother beside him, with Bear as it was today, or Ghost as it was on others, then other than atop Rhaegal's back he was as safe as if he was locked up tight in the Dragon's Lair.
"Where are we going, brother?" Rickon asked after they'd been walking for a few moments.
"Nowhere in particular. I just wish to see the city." he replied to a roll of Rickon's eyes that made Baelon chuckle "Through mine own eyes, Rickon." he added before his brother could speak his next words.
Baelon could if he wished, and he did at times, warg into a familiar and see the city through their eyes. Be it a bird, something smaller or larger, or even Ghost when his wolf was on one of his own small adventures. Unlike his brother, however, warging was not how he preferred to experience things. He needed to see them as himself. To feel the wind blowing on his face, and hear the sounds. Smell the smells and even feel the contact of a mother, father, or child's hand in his own. To look them in the eye and ask them if there was anything that they needed from their king and queen, as he had done as Rickon's Regent in the North and as Dany did all the time with her Unsullied and Dothraki.
As they entered Rhaegar's Square, the sound of children playing soon brought a true smile to Baelon's face. It had been something they'd sought to do right from the start of their rebuilding. To create a place where children could play without getting in the way of merchants plying their trade or people going about their daily chores. With the new Dragon Watch looking over them to make sure they were safe and protected, the sight of the boys and girls just having fun was one that always brought Baelon good cheer. As did the sight of him and his brother to them.
"The Dragon King." a little boy called out and before he knew it, Baelon was amongst the children and being asked about Ghost, Rhaegal, Dany, and Daeron. As well as a thousand other things.
Walking back to the Dragon's Lair, a couple of hours later, it was as always with thoughts of days long gone that Baelon's mind turned to. To memories of his time spent playing in the yards of Winterfell with his brother and sister. While he still very much mourned the one, it was soon the other that filled his mind.. The wild little wolf that was Arya Stark and how her return, her true return, had truly healed his heart. Again as he always seemed to know just when it was that Baelon thought about their last journey to Winterfell, Rickon reached out his hand and placed it on Baelon's shoulder.
"They are happy, brother. All of them." Rickon said as Baelon closed his eyes briefly and pictured Arya, Sansa, and his nephew.
Winterfell six moons earlier.
The preparations for the journey were extensive. Just the practicalities of it alone required it. Despite wishing to simply fly to Winterfell atop Rhaegal's back, Baelon wanted both his sisters to meet his son too. He, Dany, and a decent enough guard could have flown and been there in two days. The flight, however, was too much for his son to endure, for now at least. So plans had been made and discarded. Eventually, they settled for the one they had.
They'd sailed from Dragons' Rest to White Harbor. A guard of one hundred men with them, though they needed them not. Lord Wyman had welcomed them and their son with true eagerness and much ceremony. Then after staying in the city for but two days, it was to boats and the White Knife, from where they traveled onto Winterfell or close enough to it to allow them to fly the rest of the way. Once they'd disembarked the boats and Ghost and Bear had set off across the lands at pace, Rhaegal, Viserion, and Drogon had landed and it was to the skies they took.
While Dany had only one passenger with her, Daeron, Baelon had flown with Rickon, Ser Sarel, and Ser Jorah, and through the entire hour that they flew he'd never once taken his eyes off his wife and son. He swore he could hear both their laughs from where he sat on Rhaegal's back and after they landed and he moved to his wife and son, the smile on Daeron's face, which so mirrored the one his wife wore, was enough to tell him that it had been true. Taking his son in his arms, kissing his wife on her cheek, and taking her hand in his, together they walked in through the gates and Baelon almost stumbled when he saw her for the first time in more than two years.
"Arya'" he said as the happy tears fell down his cheek.
His little sister looked exactly as she had before the Battle of Winterfell. There were no marks on her or signs of the injuries she'd received. Before he knew it, Baelon was running across the ground and Daeron was laughing, thinking it was all some game. Then moving his son to one side with one arm, Baelon embraced Arya with the other.
"It's really you," he said as he held her so tightly to him that not even Arya could break free from his embrace.
"You're squishing me." Arya said, giggling and Baelon kissed her forehead before letting her go "Is this my nephew, give him here."
"Daeron, my son," Baelon said as Arya took him from his arms and Daeron showed no signs of reluctance or reticence to being held by his aunt.
Baelon stood for a moment and just looked at them both. Then as Arya moved so too did he and a moment later he was embracing his other sister just as warmly. Something that had anyone asked him to do years ago he'd not have been able to. Sansa cooed over his son and bid Arya to hand him to her. Again Daeron showed no signs of not wishing to be held by another of his aunts. If anything, Daeron looked more than pleased to find he'd more family in the world and even seemed a tad annoyed to finally be handed back to his mother.
When it was suggested that they spend the night together in one room, Baelon had welcomed the idea eagerly. It turned out to be one of the very best nights he'd ever known. Yet was someone to ask him what they did to make it so, then he'd have no answer to give them. No, that wasn't quite true, he knew the reason why he'd felt that way. The pack was as close to being all together as it could possibly be. Only Benjen wasn't there and for the first time that he could ever remember, Baelon and the others thought only about those who were living and not those who were not.
The next morning he arranged to speak to Arya alone only to find his brother had beaten him to it. Thinking he'd then spend the day showing Daeron around Winterfell and probably showing his son off to any who'd wish to see him, Baelon was surprised when Sansa asked to speak to him. He was even more surprised to find out where it was she wished to do so and so as he walked to the Crypts with Ser Sarel, he did so with some worries about what it was that his sister wanted to talk about.
"I'll go the rest of the way alone, Ser Sarel," he said to the knight and then entered the crypts to find Sansa standing in front of her father's statue.
Though his feelings for his uncle were still not resolved, Baelon could at least look at him without feeling anything but anger. He'd not begrudge him the love of his daughter either.
"I often wonder what he'd think of me," Sansa said softly.
"He'd be proud. As would your mother and both sides of your family. As am I." he said, and was surprised to see the little shudder that Sansa gave at his words "Sansa?"
"Please don't be angry with me. I cannot bear it if you are, I…."
"Sansa?" he said confused and then he felt her arms wrap around him as she almost held onto him fearing that he'd never hold her again.
Baelon heard her soft crying and so he rubbed his hand in circles on her back. It always seemed to work with Dany and to his relief, it soon had the same effect on his sister.
"I could never be angry with you, Sansa. You know that right?" he said as he moved so he was looking into her bright blue eyes. Eyes that sparkled with the wet tears that had already and were still yet to fall.
Wiping away the ones that had, Baelon waited for Sansa to speak and then stood there open-mouthed by the words she said.
"What do you mean you're with child?" he said once Sansa had stopped talking "How can you be with child?" he asked and despite how worried she clearly was about his reaction and the fact that she'd just been crying a moment earlier, Sansa began to giggle and it seemed she just couldn't stop "Sansa," he said firmly only for the giggle to turn into full laughter now.
Baelon would be worried she'd lost her mind, only for the fact that it was clearly some humor she'd found in his words that had made her laugh. After a moment, he realized what that was. Dany and he had brought their son to meet their aunts, so for him to ask how Sansa got with child was really a stupid question. His little sister had gotten with child the same way that Dany had gotten with child. He'd asked the wrong damn question.
"Who is the father, Sansa?" he asked, finally finding the right one.
That it was enough to stop the laughter should have given him pause, instead, he repeated the question once more. This time Sansa answered.
"Josera Snow."
"Who?"
"Josera Snow, Talia, and Rodrik Forrester's brother."
"You lay with a Snow?" he said, shocked that she'd do such a thing and yet in a way very much not at the same time.
"He's a lord now, and a good man, brother." Sansa declared.
"And when is the wedding?" he asked to a determined shake of Sansa's head.
"There will be no wedding."
"Sansa," he said reproachfully.
"No, I'll not wed any man, Baelon. I've made that much clear, have I not?"
"Think of the babe, Sansa. Of how he or she will…."
"Then my brother and Goodsister better get busy breaking that damn wheel they speak so much of, won't they?"
"Sansa…"
"NO! I'll not wed because someone tells me to. Not even you, Jon," she said, angered and so unable to use his proper name, or so he believed.
Baelon sighed and moved to her, taking her in his arms once again even though she fought him before she allowed him to do so.
"I'd not tell you to, Sansa. No one will make you, you know me better than that."
"I know…" she said shakily.
"You are happy?" he asked and she nodded. "Josera, he makes you happy?"
"I… I think I love him, brother. Yet I wish not for us to be man or wife or even be together more than we are… Does that make me wicked?" she asked worriedly.
He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, noticing how much she moved into the kiss and welcomed it.
"It makes you a damn Wildling." he japed, enjoying her laughter.
"Free Folk," she said a moment later and Baelon kissed her again.
They stood there for a few more moments, Sansa still in his arms and Baelon moving her hair from her face as they just looked at each other. It had taken some time for their relationship to grow into the one it should have always been. Time wasted in some ways and yet mayhap it had been needed too. As much as he just wished to stay that way a little longer, Baelon knew he could not and so he readied himself to speak the words he knew he must.
"They can't be a Snow, Sansa. Your babe can't bear that name, you know this right?"
He saw it, the moment she was about to argue with him and so he moved his finger to her lips to stop her from doing so.
"There must always be a Stark in Winterfell, Sansa. A Stark, Sansa, not a Snow, and so any child of yours will bear that name by order of the king," he said and she nodded.
Moving from the embrace they'd been entwined in, Baelon reached out his hand and was glad when she gave him her own. Together they walked out of the crypts and his sister waited until they reached the door to say what she did, showing that she quite enjoyed making him stumble and stutter.
"So you'll write a proclamation legitimizing my babe." Sansa said and Baelon nodded "You may need to write more than one, brother."
"Aye, we don't yet know if it's a girl or a boy, or even if you carry more than one babe."
"Aye, we don't. Though I meant it because I doubt this will be the only babe I have."
"Sansa!" he exclaimed, shocked.
"I doubt it very much, brother mine," she said as she skipped away from him and he heard her laugh loudly when he called out that she belonged with those Beyond the Wall.
Try as he had, he couldn't get Wylla to fly on Rhaegal's back and so she arrived at Winterfell a few days later with their guards and the rest of their accompaniment. As he would have wagered were someone to but ask it of him, it was straight to Daeron that she went and as it always did, it filled his heart to see them together. Those first two days were spent trying to come to terms with what Sansa had told him and sneaking off to spend time alone with Arya. As well as making his way to the crypts to pay his respects to his mother and even to his uncle.
When Rickon told him what he wished to do, Baelon had for the first time doubted his brother's abilities. Not even hearing it from Arya and understanding that if his little sister could be brought back, then there truly was no limit to the Old Gods' magic, had been enough to make him dare to hope it could be true. So he'd been glad when Josera Snow had finally made an appearance at Winterfell. He'd even taken comfort in just how worried Sansa was when she looked at how Baelon was glaring at the father of her unborn babe.
To the man's credit, he didn't wither under the glares that Baelon sent his way and it was he and not Baelon that made the move so they could speak together. That he wished it to be in front of the Heart Tree, bode well for the man's health. As while Baelon had promised both his sisters, his brother, and his wife that he'd not truly harm the man, he hadn't promised he'd not see the man suffer a little pain should he find him wanting. Bidding Ser Donnel to allow them to speak in private and having not brought Ghost to the Godswood with him, Baelon walked the last few feet alone and unarmed. Soon finding the man in question already there kneeling and praying to the gods.
"My sister is most precious to me, Josera. Most precious," he said as Josera rose to his feet, his praying over for now.
"I know, your grace."
"Sansa has suffered at the hands of cruel men. It is not something that will ever happen again. Nor will any man ever use her for her name or position." he said as Josera nodded "Any man who would even dare to think he could do so would face not only mine own fury but that of my brother, sister, and all those we could call upon. You've seen my wolf?"
"I have your grace."
"You know my brother's powers?"
"I do, your grace."
"And no doubt you've seen Rhaegal."
"He's hard to miss, your grace."
"I'd not let it be any of them that sought you out, Josera. Should you cause my sister even a single ounce of pain it won't be them you need to worry about, it'll be me." he said as he moved closer to the man who gulped a little "Yet my sister tells me you cause her none and that she believes you care for her."
"I do, very much, your grace. I'd wed her if she would but have me."
"Yet she'll not."
"No, she'll not, your grace." Josera said sadly "So I'll accept however much of her she's willing to share with me and pray that it'll be enough. I believe it will be, your grace. I hope it will…."
Baelon watched as Josera dropped to a knee.
"I swear to you here in this sacred place that my intentions are true, your grace. You'll not have to seek me out if I cause Sansa any pain, I'll slit mine own throat rather than do so. I give you my oath that Sansa will have no man more Leal to her and none so devoted."
"Then I can ask for no more than that and so I bid you rise and let me embrace you as a Goodbrother, even if my stubborn wolf of a sister won't make it official," he said and Josera did as he'd bid him.
After the man had walked away, Baelon called them out and both Bear and Nymeria came skulking out from behind the trees.
"I told you I'd not harm him lest he gave me a reason." he said with a chuckle as he moved to Bear "I'm ready brother."
Baelon waited alone at the Heart Tree and though he couldn't be certain, he believed he felt the presence long before his brother, wife, Wylla, and his son arrived. The wind in the trees, the sound of the leaves fluttering, all of it felt to him as if he was being watched and was not alone. Once Dany arrived carrying Daeron in her arms, Baelon moved to her and smiled at his son as he took him in his own. Then he moved to Wylla and whispered in her ear that he wished her here for this. Happy to hear her say that she would stay.
Turning and walking back to his wife, Baelon reached out his hand and took Dany's while at the same time speaking to his son.
"Your grandmother would have loved you, my son. She'd have spoiled you as much as Wylla, me or your mother does." Baelon said as Rickon knelt and touched the white bark of the Weirwood.
"It's time, brother."
---- TBC-----