The North Remembers || Jacaerys Velaryon

1. Succession

130 A.C.

song for this chapter: Family Line - Conan Gray

Cregan Stark, the King in The North, and his sister, Nicoletta Stark, heir to the Northern Throne.

The two Stark children were close, they spent every day for the past four years training together, despite the common folk's views about women and battle.

Cregan Stark didn't care what others thought.

"I don't give two fucks what society calls acceptable. My sister will not be a pansy bitch sucking up to some high lord. She will be a warrior as she was born to be." that's what Cregan said when our mother tried to interrupt the plan.

Cregan knew I desired to be a warrior. I have since the day I was born, but now I was heir to a throne, so it made sense to be combat-ready.

well, technically Cregan wasn't king yet, our coronation was in a month which allows those from all the realms to attend, so I technically wasnt heir yet.

I hope the royal family is enjoying the start of their month-long journey.

Cregan could not take the throne until his twentieth name day so during the last four years our mother, Queen Eastyn, has been ruling and I would say she's done well.

But Mother hates me, so I would never see the good side of her rule.

I was sitting in the Godswood praying to something, (I didn't much believe in gods) but it felt nice that there might be someone out there listening.

"I don't know why I'm doing this" I spoke softly, staring at the leaves and feeling the cool breeze. "I haven't prayed in years, but, something about now. I'm being crowned Princess Royal in a month, my brother becomes King, and I have nobody to go to. nobody to ask advice from."

Tears brewed in my eyes but I didn't let them fall "I sometimes think that maybe if I pray, they will hear me, maybe Father and Alli will hear me and forgive me for what I caused, for what I did."

"you didn't kill them, sister" Cregans voice spoke lowly and awakening me from my prayers "You continue to blame yourself for their deaths when it was not your fault"

"it feels like i did" I responded sharply "I may not have dealt the final blow but their deaths feel like my responsibility"

"surviors guilt-"

"I don't want to speak of it Cregan" I stood abruptly and turned to face him, I had matured a lot in the past four years and had developed the intimidating glare of the stark women, so had Cregan, not the stare but the maturity where he now stood very tall.

"you never do" he reminded me "It's been four years and we have never had one single conversation about it"

"and it will continue that way" I laughed dryly before changing the conversation "Why did you come to the Godswood Cregan, you aren't a believer"

"neither are you" he snapped back

"I was praying"

"doesn't mean you believed it would be heard" he approached "I came to the Godswood because I want to go riding, and I believed you would enjoy it as well." he turned to leave "Your bow and arrow are already waiting."

I laughed, of course, he would offer up riding, it was one of the few ways we could fully bond with each other with no interruptions.

so of course, I agreed. Im Nicoletta Stark.

"what's the point in having me crowned as well?" I asked Cregan as we rode through the woods atop our wolves "My claim will be gone as soon as you have a child, so why go through with all the formalities?"