Kivi finishes the braids within my hair as Odanno watches when there's a knock on the door. Odanno opens it to reveal the red haired man who arrived with Jon, Tormund I believe his name was.
"It is going to be a cold unlike anything you've ever faced up there." He says, walking inside to place a pile of furs upon my bed. I nod to Kivi and she leaves the room with her father.
"Thank you, Tormund. I'm grateful we got to speak before leaving for this journey." He smiles at me.
"I am glad too." I unfold the furs on top of my blankets.
"If you wait outside the door, I will meet you outside after I've finished dressing." He obliges and I pull the many layers on, my white hair draping down the back. I pull open my chamber doors to see Tormund waiting for me, we begin the walk together. "What was life beyond the wall like, Tormund?" I tighten Dark Sister's holster.
"It was harsh, cold, but we were free people. We made do to stay that way until the summers ended." He lets out a breath. "Before the walkers arrived."
"You've faced them?" I ask.
"I have. And they are more deadly then anything I have ever killed." I look in front of me as we walk, the deadly reality setting in.
We arrive at the shore line to see Jon and his men beside Daenerys and Tyrion. Odanno and Kivi wait on the other side of them, Odanno pulls me into his arms before Kivi follows.
"Come back to us, sister." Kivi says, I nod.
"I will see you both again I promise." I tell them before turning to Daenerys. She squeezes my hands and smiles at me.
"Be careful." Is all she says before I board the ships.
...
I stand at the edge of the ship as the wooden hull breaks through the waves. The air grows colder and colder as we sail, footsteps come from behind me as Tormund arrives beside me.
"Have you ever seen the north?" He asks, I shake my head.
"My family was forced to flee Westeros during Robert's Rebellion when I was only just born. I never got to see any of Westeros." I tell him.
"I've heard stories of your grandfather, the King." He chooses his words carefully, following with a glance.
"My grandfather was a horrifying king, Daenerys will be a just queen." I look over to him with a smile. "Not every Targaryen is insane, you know. Half my blood comes from House Stark, I should be half as level headed as your friend." He lets out a laugh before I turn to look at Jon as he watches the sea with Davos.
"Are you not the true heir? Jon has told me your father was Rhaegar Targaryen, first son of King Aerys." I shake my head.
"I am a bastard, dear Tormund." I grin at him before walking up the stairs beside Jon and Davos.
"We'll be arriving soon." Davos tells me, I nod and take my place beside him. "North of that wall is a cruel place, your highness. Stay close to Jon Snow, without your dragon you all will have to put up quite the fight."
...
Tormund greets his people as we arrive at Eastwatch, the air growing colder by the second. He quickly spins around, as if he's forgotten something, and offers his hand to me. I take it and smile at him, stepping off the dingy and up the stairs to follow Jon. I wait at the top of the wall as he goes to see the prisoners held below. Once again, the man with the hair like fire appears beside me.
"You always manage to find me, Tormund." I say with a grin as he approaches me.
"It's the Dragon Queen I fear, don't want to let you out of my sight after her words." He tells me, I let out a laugh and look back at the wilderness beyond the wall. "I have been in awe of you since we arrived, I must admit. After seeing you fly in on top of that great beast, and your blood splattered face from a great battle when you entered the throne room, I knew I must come to know you." I turn back and smile at him.
"You speak words of such kindness." I place a hand on his forearm. "That is rare in days like these." I step back once more. "I must admit you have crossed my mind more than once since we met eyes in the throne room." Tormund smiles and slowly bends to one knee before me.
"I will protect you in those woods, Princess Rhaenyra, even if it costs me my own life." A soft gaze passes over my face as I take his hand in my own.
"I am grateful for you, Tormund. But do not think I am so helpless." He nods with a smile.
"I know you aren't, this is why I wish to be so close to you." I laugh as Jon arrives from the dungeons.
"Come on, we're heading out."
...
I walk behind Gendry and Jorah as we make our way through the snow, I stare in awe at the massive mountain peaks before us.
"I've never seen anything like this." I tell Jon, he smiles at me.
"The North is unlike anything I've ever seen, King's Landing in the South can never compare." He tells me, I grin.
"This is the first time I've ever seen snow, I don't know how your family survives in such cold." He places a hand on my shoulder and smirks.
"It's your family too, don't forget, your highness." I grin and roll my eyes, looking back to the mountains.
"Have they been kind to you, the rest of the Stark siblings, though you are a bastard?" He nods.
"I've never felt like an outsider among them, they have always treated me as one of them." I smile at him.
"And you have a sister, I believe?" Jon chuckles as he treks through the snow.
"Two of them, Sansa and Arya. Three brothers too; Rob, Bran, and Rickon. Rob rebelled against the throne when Joffrey took it and killed our father, he didn't fair well in the end." A look of remorse passes over my face.
"I'm sorry, I heard he fought fiercely against Tywin Lannister's army." Jon nods in agreement.
"That he did." We walk in silence before he quickens his pace to speak with Jorah.
"Careful!" Tormund calls, grabbing my arm and pulling me to my right. He holds both of my forearms from behind and kicks against the snow. "The snow, it sometimes freezes over and hides the drops underneath." The frozen snow falls away to reveal a large crack in the ground, leading to a deep chasm beneath.
"I suppose there are more dangers out here than just white walkers." I say with a grin as I meet his eyes, he holds my arms for a moment before realizing and taking a step back, brushing his hands off and smiling at me.
"Come on, we better catch up." He places a hand on the small of my back and leads me closer to the group.
YOU ARE READING
Shadow of the Dragon Queen
Fanfiction"While I was within that crypt, words were spoken by Tyrion; he revealed Daenerys's plans to Lady Sansa in hopes it would reach you, she found only Tormund before she could make her way to you." Varys tells me, my brows furrow as he continues to spe...
