eternity • Brandon Stark

chapter 58

"should i be calling you your grace now?" Bran teasingly told her as her dainty fingers helped put his coat on.

She rolled her eyes playfully before meeting his. "We've talked about this" she said with raised eyebrows.

He chuckled, hand rising to caress her cheek softly, "no one is listening, don't worry" he softly told her. "I can't believe i let a princess live like that for years— i even brought her beyond the wall" his voice was full of teasing but an underlying sadness can still be heard.

Valeria sighed as she stared at his eyes before she softly sat onto his lap. "You know i didn't mind. I wouldn't have been happy living behind the wall when you were on the other side suffering." She mumbled, hands caressing his cheek.

Bran sighed as he leaned onto her hand, thankful he was blessed with such a loving wife.

"Plus we wouldn't have catelyn if we didn't go" she said with a suggestive look on her face.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her words, nonetheless agreeing.

Comfortable silence grew between the two before bran broke it.

"Who should we tell?" He softly asked her.

She thinks for a while.

"The starks should know."

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"Cat, cat here here!" Rickon continuously said as he claps his hands trying to get her attention.

"What? No! Come to auntie~ look i have a knife~" arya cooed waving the shiny knife.

Valeria could only facepalm at the two who were kneeling on the carpeted floor with catelyn sitting a few feet away.

They were betting on who catelyn would go to.

"That's cheating!" Rickon annoyingly said as catelyn started to crawl to where arya is.

Only to stop, changing routes and sitting near the bed much to arya and rickon's annoyance.

Sansa laughed as she watched her family, she felt so content.

Yes, they weren't complete like before but, this was better than the last few years of being alone.

"She's growing too fast" sansa commented to bran to which he could only sigh. "Soon she'll be off to marry-"

"No!" Rickon and bran immediately said in surprise.

The three girls laughed at their reaction. "Not now ofcourse but you know she'll have to leave one day right?" Sansa told bran to which he rolled his eyes.

"She's far too young and— and no one's even good for her" he tried to say, cringing at the idea of giving his child away for marriage.

Valeria could only laugh at his protectiveness. "No one would ever be" she softly says.

"So, what's the reason for this.." arya trailed off as her fingers gestured to all of them.

Bran and Valeria shared a look as they breathed in.

"We found out about Valeria's ancestry- who her real mother is, and her father.." he softly said making the other Starks turn in curiosness.

They all waited for them to continue, staring intently at the two.

"My mother. She was Rhea targaryen, second born daughter of the mad king— apparently my grandfather" she softly said gulping as she watched their reaction.

"Forgive me, I. I know it'll be hard to accept that considering he burnt your grandfather and uncle—"

Arya and sansa immediately snapped out of their surprise immediately shaking their heads to ease Valeria's anxiety. "Goodness no valeria! That wasn't your fault. And you are a stark now, remember that. There is nothing to forgive." Sansa fussed as she held her hands.

Valeria sniffed, getting emotional as she wiped her tears away.

Rickon agreed as he went to hug his 'mother'. "Besides, we're your family now. They were never your family to behin with" he mumbled.

Valeria couldn't agree more, she never really met them anyway.

Arya stared at them with a smile before it fell. "Wait. Does this mean-"

"You're a princess!" Sansa stated almost excitedly.

Arya rolled her eyes playfully. "You're the real heir to the iron throne" she said with her sly smile, raising her brow.

To this they all stopped as they realized something. "Your mother would've been queen after rhaegar since he didn't have any children, and since your mother died.. wouldn't you be first in line to the throne before daenarys?..." Sansa deduced with furrowed eyebrows.

Valeria's eyes slowly widened. "I-"

"We are not to speak of this again" bran sternly said to them with a hard face. "She'll kill her if she knew. Not only is my wife first in line to the throne— she has the support of the north and she grew here in westeros. Unlike daenerys.."

"You are a threat to her." Arya said dumbfounded, almost proud that it was her friend/ sister.

"I don't even want the throne.." valeria said in stress as she pinches her nose bridge. "And with all honesty, daenerys deserve that throne after all she's been through." She mumbled.

Only bran could agree with her since they both knew of her hardships. The others, not so much.

"And your father?" Sansa asked after a short silence.

"My mother was married to oberyn martell." She answered.

To this sansa's mouth fell. "The prince of dorne?"

"Is that why your last name is sand?" Rickon immediately asked.

"They we're wed! Meaning she would be named martell" arya argued.

"Which king robert revoked turning her surname into sand, hopeful it'll hide her being targaryen" bran explaine to them.

They were all somehow speechless with all the revelation, silence consuminh their thoughts.

Soon sansa told them to rest especially since bran will have to do his usual warging session so he could watch the wall.

He insisted valeria to sleep with their child knowing she'd be tired, saying he'll sleep soon too.

He sat near the fire, relaxing his body before his eyes rolled back and his mind transferred to the many raven that flew above the wall.

It was peaceful.

Until he saw the wall collapse letting thousands of whitewalkers in.

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