Magic, Power and Glory (Game of Thrones)

Is This What I Want?

Upon my return to Winterfell, I immediately returned to my chambers to sleep. When I woke up, I had to bring Theon with me to go and speak to Aegon. The king was still in a bad mood, but it was improved from when we last spoke.

I was not there for the meeting between Aegon and Theon, as I had other things to do. Steel and Ice both stayed with Brandon, who had been teaching Rickon how to use swords again. Rickon was not getting much better, but he was improving somewhat.

Now I stood in my father's solar, waiting for the lords and the men from the Golden Company to show up. Brandon, Hunter, Steel and Ice were already with me, so we were waiting on everyone else. I was not impatient, but I was very nervous.

My agreement with Aegon was that we would marry when he helps me kill the Freys, and now he has. I am unsure of what we will do now, as he wants to say the words before the Old Gods and the New, but we only have a Godswood. If Ramsay Bolton had not burned down the Sept - as well as many other parts of Winterfell - we would be fine.

Jon Connington and the Greatjon, who seemed to have become friends, walked in together. They were followed by Barbrey Dustin, Wyman Manderly, Lysono Marr, Franklyn Flowers, Tristan Rivers and then Alysanne Mormont. Wyman Manderly was clearly very tired, even though his men helped him up the stairs.

Robett Glover came with Rodrik Ryswell, who has apologized at least twenty times for the actions of his sons. Allister, who was still clearly very sick, had to be helped up the stairs by Harry Strickland, who did not seem pleased about it. Everyone is here now, apart from Aegon, who came in with Rolly Duckfield, his sworn protector.

I smiled at my betrothed, and although he returned it, it was clearly very strained. Allister came over to where I was and stood with me, as if he had never betrayed me in the first place. I shot him a warning look, but that was for the benefit of the others here.

"There are so many stairs in this castle," Wyman complained. "That does not matter now. Why are we here, my lady?"

"As most of you know, the agreement between Aegon and I was that we would wed if and when I got my vengeance against the Freys," I stated. "The Freys that deserved to die are dead, and that means we are to wed soon. I was unsure of whether it would be best to wait until we actually have Westeros or if we will wed here, and if we wed here, we will have to plan."

"You could wed here, but what if you are with child during the war?" Barbrey Dustin asked, logically.

"If you are with child during the war, you can be sent back here," Aegon told me. "I cannot wait to see you crowned my queen."

Despite my suspicion at how true Aegon's words are, I smiled at him. A small smile found it's way onto Alysanne Mormont's lips, the men seemed a little uncomfortable, and Barbrey Dustin watched me with those cold, calculating eyes of hers.

"Weddings are hard to plan for," the Greatjon said. "Lady Dustin, Lord Manderly, I request that you stay. The rest of those who are not directly involved in this are to leave."

Harry Strickland, Rolly Duckfield, Aegon, Jon Connington, the Greatjon, Allister, Hunter, Brandon and I all stayed, as well as Lysono Marr, Barbrey, and Wyman. Everyone else left, as they did not have to be here. Harry Strickland could leave too, but he's still upset about the loss of his elephants and is wary of us all.

I sat on my father's old chair, after moving it to the side of his desk. Aegon sat on the desk, on my right, and smiled at me. I smiled at him, as kindly as I could. He has no right to be angry and then act like this. It is not fair.

Do I really want to wed? When I was younger, I was so determined on finding the man I love and then I would wed. I thought it would happen with Theon, and part of me wanted (and still wants to be) with Hunter.

"With this wedding brings a lot of issues," Allister stated, calmly. "You want to say the vows in front of the Old Gods and the New, but there is only a Heart Tree here, and no Sept. Then, when you take the Iron Throne, people are going to question your marriage, and you will have to wed again for show."

"We could say the vows in front of a Septon, and then say them again in the Godswood," I suggested. "It is the same thing, anyway. My worry is who is going to walk me over to King Aegon. Sure, Rickon is my brother, but he is too young and too angry. He may think that I will not return to him and attack Aegon."

"Then I will do it," Brandon volunteered. "It is what Robb would suggest if we could speak with him."

No one argued, which I was thankful for. They actually managed to calmly work out the wedding in the short amount of time we had. All we needed now was a bit more food and I needed a dress.

***

Aegon and I were not dining in the Great Hall tonight. Instead, we are sitting in the smaller hall where I used to have dinner with my family. Jon Connington, Rickon, the Greatjon and Brandon were with us. I had also invited Hunter and Allister, but they were not here.

All I was told was that Hunter was trying to use magic to heal Allister. Apparently that's the only way to help Allister, but it was helping. Brandon's the only other one who knows about this, as we are keeping it a secret.

Aegon was at the head of the table, and I was on his right. Jon Connington was on his left, and then the Greatjon was next to him. Rickon was next to me, and he was next to Brandon. We were just having the same thing as those in the hall, but we were away from the noise so we could all talk.

"How have you been, Rickon?" Aegon asked, kindly.

"Good," he answered, a large smile on his innocent face. "Brandon and Hunter have taught me how to use a sword, and Valyria has been calming Shaggy down when she can. Have you found Bran or Arya or Sansa yet, King Aegon?"

"Not yet, Rickon," Aegon said, looking at me and shyly smiling. "I will one day. We can only search the North for now, but that will change when I am the king of all of Westeros."

I had not known that Aegon was trying to find my siblings, but I appreciated it. I just do not have the time anymore, although I wish I did. Sansa is in the Vale of Arryn with Petyr Baelish, where she is safe for now, but that is all I know about my siblings. Bran and Arya seem to have vanished.

Despite the fact that Aegon has not yet apologized for his cold actions, he has been a lot kinder. He is kind normally, so those few days of nothing but cold greetings was very odd. I suspect Varys was one of the issues, but I have not bothered to confront either Aegon or the Spider himself about it.

"Are you nervous about your wedding?" Jon Connington asked Aegon and I.

"I have not been this nervous in too long," I stated, laughing after. "Nervousness is good, though. I am just worried that it will be like the Red Wedding or the Purple one, where Joffrey died. It seems to me that Westeros has a bad name when it comes to weddings."

"Yours will be fine," Brandon insisted. "Someone will test all of your food and drink before you have it. I will make sure of it."

Brandon smiled at me, although it was forced. Rickon ate his lamb, unaware of how serious we all have to be about this. He is so young and innocent, like a baby bird. Soon he will have to take flight and deal with the consequences of the world, despite his age.

That was when he looked up at me, with pleading eyes. I knew what he was going to say, so I prepared myself.

"When you and Aegon leave, after you are wed, will you come back to visit me?" Rickon asked, slight worry in his voice. "You will not die like Robb did, will you?"

"I will do my best, Rickon," I told him, quietly. "Dinner is not the place to discuss this, but I will visit when I have the time. Being queen will be very difficult, and I will be even more busy then I am now."

A sad sigh escaped Rickon, and I almost agreed with him. I would feel the same way if I were as young as him. His reactions are normal for a boy so young, who has lost so much. I will be the queen, but is it what I really want? Or do I want to protect my brother from the woes of the world?