The Dragon Queen

Izula Ampā

Arya Stark watched with wonder in her eyes as the last Targaryen sat with her husband, the two seeming to measure her up. It was clear that the Targaryen woman was pregnant, yet she still bore a sword at her side, and her hair was braided like some of the Dothraki warriors in the camp. She had read stories of Visenya, the warrior queen who rode into battle on the back of her dragon, and now, before her, sat the woman who had brought dragons back. Would she be like Visenya?

"Arya Stark, I have done my best to keep your family out of the game of thrones, as they are my own family through birth. However, I am rather disturbed by the fact that your sister still desires to marry that Lannister whelp."

Arya nodded in agreement at the insult towards Joffrey, but wondered about the mention of family relations. "Um, Your Grace, what do you mean by birth?"

Daenerys smiled. "My older brother Rhaegar did not rape your aunt. Instead, he and Elia wanted a third in their marriage. During the rebellion, a child was born. To protect him, your father claimed him as his bastard."

Arya's eyes widened, and she gasped. "Jon?"

The princess nodded before glancing at the young girl. "Seeing as they were never officially married, he has no claim to the throne. And seeing as he swore himself to the Night's Watch, that makes it clear he abdicated without knowing."

Daenerys watched as the young wolf processed the information, curiosity filling her eyes, though she decided to nip it in the bud for now.

"Your father is on his way back to Winterfell, and the rest of your family is safe and sequestered in the North while Stannis Baratheon stands by his brother's side, keeping the banner men at bay. Daella will help you get settled. After that, you should write them a letter to let them know you are safe."

She watched as the young wolf followed her friend before turning to her husband, placing his hand on her bump. Worry flickered in her eyes. The couple said nothing, simply basking in the few minutes of silence they had.

Eddard Stark rushed into Winterfell, hoping to see his son, but his wife dragged him up to his solar, where Robb stood with a frown on his face and passed his father a message. Ned's face grew pale as he lowered himself into a chair. "She knows more than we do," he murmured, his expression grave. Did she know about Jon as well?

Before he could ask, a raven flew in through the window and landed on the table. Robb quickly took the letter, read it, and then placed the bird in a cage. "Father, explain this."

The letter was written in perfect calligraphy, and its words answered Ned's question. "Tell them the truth about my nephew. I know that the Martells passed along the full story."

Ned looked up and glanced at his son and wife. "Call Sansa and have the guards block off the hall."

Catelyn and Robb exchanged alarmed glances but obeyed. It did not take long for Sansa to enter the room, a frown on her face. As soon as she stepped inside, the door was locked, and Ned took a gulp of water.

"There is something about the rebellion that you do not know," he began, pausing before taking a deep breath. "Robert's Rebellion was based on a lie."

Catelyn paled and rose from her seat. "Ned, what do you mean, a lie?"

Ned stood and walked over to the window, ensuring there were no eavesdroppers before he continued. "Rhaegar did not kidnap your aunt. They ran away together, and Elia was supposed to join them so they could marry as a trio. However, due to Elia being kept in the Red Keep, the two decided to hold off on marriage. But Lyanna got pregnant. She gave birth the day Rhaegar fell. I found her, and she gave me the babe, making me promise to protect him before she died."

Catelyn grew pale. "Jon is Lyanna's son? Why did you not tell me?"

Ned looked at the ground. "He had Targaryen blood, Catelyn. I could not trust anyone with the truth."

The woman sank back into her seat, lost in thought. The boy she had treated so cruelly was not her husband's bastard but Lyanna's son—her own nephew.

Ned then turned to Sansa. "The reason nobody knew the truth was that the Lannisters intercepted the letter your aunt sent to inform us. Then they sat back and watched what happened. Do you truly want to marry that boy—the son of those who caused so much bloodshed?"

Sansa stared at her father in shock, then slowly lowered herself into a chair. This changed everything. As much as she wanted to be a princess, she did not want to marry the son of the woman who had helped start the war. "No, Father."

Ned nodded, then turned to Robb, who stared at him. "You did not protect Jon from the people of Winterfell, who hated him for being a bastard."

Ned lowered his head in shame, but Robb simply sighed. "Shall we ally with his aunt in this war?"

Ned nodded, knowing he would have to tell his banner men and deal with the Boltons and the Freys. Remembering that they had lost all sources of information from Daenerys after her wedding, Ned wondered: Was she anything like Rhaegar or Rhaella? Or was she like Visenya? He could only hope she was not like her father.

While the Starks made their plans in Dorne, the Martells read a letter with smirks on their faces. The closest people to Robert were not his own. The Lannister family was a problem, but three members of his King's guard had already been replaced by Faceless Men. Some of his favourite new whores were Dornish women who hated him. 

Even if Robert died before Daenerys was ready, she and her allies had already slipped their people into the Red Keep. When she attacked King's Landing, she would end the battle quickly.

As she was pregnant, they were prepared to wait before their plans commenced, but they did not mind waiting. Proper revenge took careful planning—avenging their sister and her children, alongside her good family.

 If Daenerys decided to extinguish House Lannister, they would not argue. By now, the Dornish knew that all the Baratheon children born of the Queen were not her husband's. If only they had a way of spreading rumours, they could watch as the house fell into scandal and was destroyed by the Faith of the Seven.