THE SOUL'S EXCHANGE

A Stark's thoughts

Cregan Stark stood on the fringes of the tourney grounds, watching as his elder brother, Sirius, knelt before King Viserys, swearing his oath to the Kingsguard. As the crowd erupted in astonished gasps, Cregan let out a long, weary sigh. He wasn’t exactly shocked by the turn of events. Sirius had always been different—never one for the trappings of power, nor the responsibilities that came with being the heir to Winterfell. Politics, diplomacy, and duty had always grated on him. Sirius didn’t love the game of thrones; he despised it.

But there was one thing Sirius did love—his sword and shield.

Cregan could still remember their countless sparring matches as children. Sirius had always been the first to rise before dawn, eager to train. His brother had lived for the clash of steel, for the simplicity of battle. There was clarity in it—a kind of freedom that politics could never offer. In a way, Cregan thought bitterly, it made sense that Sirius would give up his birthright to follow that path. And yet, it left an uncomfortable weight in his chest.

His mind wandered to the reactions that would inevitably come from their family. Father would probably just sigh, as he often did when faced with Sirius’s more reckless decisions. Uncle Benjen would laugh, his hearty chuckles filling the halls of Winterfell as he marveled at his nephew’s audacity. And Mother… well, she’d probably want to bash her head against the nearest stone wall. Cregan could already imagine her dismay, her hands thrown up in frustration, wondering what she had done to deserve such a son.

And then there was Regulus, their quiet, introspective younger brother. If Sirius was staying in King’s Landing, Regulus would find some way to stay as well—of course he would. Regulus had always looked up to Sirius, admired him in ways that went beyond the usual bonds between brothers. If Sirius chose to stay, that would leave Cregan alone in the North, shouldering the weight of Winterfell. A place Cregan had always believed would be Sirius’s responsibility, never his.

His chest tightened as he thought of the people of the North. They would not take kindly to this. It wasn’t every day that the heir to one of the most ancient and noble houses in the realm quit his position to become a King’s Guard. It would raise questions—uncomfortable ones. The North valued duty above all, and to walk away from that responsibility… Cregan could only imagine the whispers that would follow. There was already talk of discontent with the way the realm was shifting—rumblings that King Viserys was losing his grasp. And now this? The Northern lords would not be pleased.

But it wasn’t just that. Cregan’s thoughts turned back to the oath itself, the words Sirius had spoken. He had sworn his loyalty to the Queen, not the King. It had been a bold move, and one that would certainly raise eyebrows. The way he’d declared undying loyalty to Queen Alicent was more than just the words of a loyal knight. The look in his eyes—the way he sought her favor, the jesting between them—it was like they had known each other for years, as if there was some deep bond between them.

Cregan frowned, recalling the way Sirius had looked at Alicent as she slid her favor onto his lance, as if her honor meant more to him than his own. The way she had joked with him, like they shared some private history. The way Sirius’s eyes had softened, filled with a kind of love Cregan recognized—the same love he had seen in the eyes of their uncles when they spoke of their daughters.

But Alicent wasn’t their kin. So what was it that made Sirius’s heart well up like that?

When had the Queen become so important to his brother?

Cregan shook his head. This could only lead to trouble. The Starks were already bound by loyalty to Princess Rhaenyra—his father had sworn himself and his sword to her cause long ago. And now, Sirius’s clear bias toward Queen Alicent could create a dangerous divide within the family when the inevitable battle for succession began. There was no avoiding it—war was coming, and the Targaryens would tear the realm apart over who would sit the Iron Throne.