Stormbringer | Jon Snow

Chapter 24

The battle hadn't gone as they thought.

A dragon did more damage than anyone would have thought... yes, that turned out to be true. Melisandre was a great help, lighting spikes along the flanks to ward off the wights– this, Melyse had no longer doubted, though she lamented not saying it before she found Melisandre withered away on the battlefield, her last deed done in service of R'hllor. She might've been the only one who truly mourned her (and that shocked even her).

Her own goal had been met. She'd killed a White Walker in spear-on-spear combat when their little group had found the Walkers and the Night King past Whitetree. Beric Dondarrion had fallen, the man who'd given Jon the opening to slide the head off the Night King with Longclaw, ending the war after days of battle along the Wall.

But it brought her no sense of accomplishment. She'd returned to Castle Black to find Ser Davos holding vigil over Stannis's body, slain when a group of wights massed onto the spikes and swarmed the right flank of the Stormlands. Their king had raised his own sword then, he'd fought alongside them and died with his men.

She'd broken down in tears only when they reached Winterfell, and it came to her to tell her aunt and cousin the news. Selyse was graceful, but Shireen had never been more confused and angry. Melyse had hugged her for a long while, with Arusha lapping delicately at the girl's hands. It wasn't what Melyse had wanted– she had already grown fond of the idea of Stannis sitting the Iron Throne and teaching Jon to be king after him. She imagined him being the closest thing to a grandfather that her children would have, she envisioned the realm flourishing under him.

His last words to her had come before her group rode out to find the Walkers. For a singular moment, he'd nodded his head and told her that he was proud to fight alongside her. She didn't think it would be the last time she heard him address her. The uncle that might've been different, the only one who showed her care, the one she'd never stopped believing was a rightful heir to the Iron Throne.

There was no consolation, not even in news from Essos. It seemed Euron Greyjoy had gotten himself and his fleet destroyed. No one knew if Victarion lived or not. He'd made the mistake of trying to use that foul-sounding dragon horn on Daenerys's remaining dragons. The one called Viserion had been disoriented, but still managed to wreak havoc before a scorpion bolt caught him as he flew low, quite nearly hypnotized into stopping his fiery attack. It was good news for Yara and the rest of them especially, but Melyse could not celebrate it.

Humor found little room with her, then. She'd wanted to tease Tormund when he rode back to Winterfell with them and hugged Jon, calling him his 'little crow.' She would have joked that Tormund was Jon's wildling husband, perhaps even thrown in a quip about Samwell being his platonic lover as well. She didn't have the heart for it, not when she thought of Shireen so distraught and wondered if Jon would still be valued the same as a potential king without Stannis there to advocate for him and, most importantly, guide him.

The most she'd managed to do was contribute to a plan wherein they'd remove Cersei by force from the Iron Throne. Dorne had been invited to enact their justice on every Lannister– Lady Olenna would be allowed to partake in the execution of Cersei, but Doran Martell would be the one to worm out of her first as much as he could about the murder of Elia and her children. The Hound would be the one to kill his brother, but not before the Sand Snakes, daughters of Oberyn, were given their chance at poisoning him and letting him suffer in agony.

A Great Council was called, where Jon finally spoke aloud to all those present (even risking the wrath of the Martells) about who he really was. Melyse added her snippets of conversation with her uncle, while Ser Davos confirmed her suspicion of what Stannis's plan would have been. Lady Olenna, Lord Edmure, Lord Royce, and now Lady Shireen were in agreement with his ascension.

Jon would not choose to take the name Targaryen. He stated for all to hear that at present, with Stannis's death, Melyse was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne post-Rebellion, the oldest legitimized daughter of King Robert. Still, he would broadcast the truth of his birth to deter Daenerys. Most believed that after the Greyjoy attack on Meereen and the loss of yet another dragon, it was unlikely Daenerys would come. She would be a good queen in the newly renamed Bay of Dragons, and would likely do her best to free all of Essos, but would find no place with the already free people of Westeros.

Ser Davos was chosen to be Jon's Hand. Samwell was named Grand Maester. One of the older Velaryons who supported Stannis and one of the Ironborn chosen by Yara were selected as Masters of Ships. A position was opened for a Dornishman to be the Master of Laws, wherein they hoped to change the succession to be in the Dornish fashion– the heir to the throne would be the firstborn, regardless of sex. Master of Coin, at present, was being offered to an Arryn, Tyrell, or surviving Lannister who proved themselves capable of the task.

Podrick might one day join Jon's Kingsguard or Sansa's Queensguard– Melyse wasn't sure. He'd given her a tight hug the last they'd seen each other, and she'd tried to encourage him to fess up to his crush on Meera Reed. He might, she hoped. Brienne, however, Melyse was less sure of. With a trial being prepared for Ser Jaime and a great possibility of him choosing to start a new life in Essos, she didn't know if Brienne would wish to follow him or stay... she knew there was more to them than she'd ever known. Brienne deserved to be happy.

Gendry had yet to decide where he wished to serve. Sansa, Yara, and Melyse all offered the same possibility: becoming Master Smith for their kingdoms and being in charge of all weapons henceforth. Shireen, meanwhile, had grown much happier with a quiet return to Storm's End, her room in the Red Keep waiting for whenever she wished to come and stay. Arusha had a bed waiting for her, for Melyse knew she'd like to sleep next to Shireen if the opportunity arose.

At first, she hadn't been sure if Jon felt the same as her. That strange pit in the stomach as if it wasn't over, as if enough hadn't been done. But as always, she knew that they shared a mind about these things. These new responsibilities fell hard on them, and they grieved those they had lost without feeling the sense of accomplishment they might have expected from this moment. To Melyse, it was a sign that Jon especially was the right person to sit the Iron Throne.

It was only after the coronation that she felt the weight off her shoulders. Her mother had, for the first time, sent her a letter congratulating her and asking if she might visit, to relay an apology. Melyse disliked the thought that her mother only cared because she was queen now, because she was being celebrated, because now it was favorable to acknowledge her as her daughter. She'd wished to tell Miryam to piss off, but Jon had counseled grace. They'd indulge her to an extent but keep distance otherwise, so that Melyse might get to know her half-brothers at the very least. That arrogant smirk had been wiped off of Lord Lyle Blackbar's face when he first beheld her standing beside the Iron Throne with Rhaegal peeking in through the windows.

It wasn't until Sansa first shared her idea of a betrothal to Theon Greyjoy– who she'd steadily reconciled with and gotten to know in his time at Winterfell– that Melyse and Jon finally worked an agreement with the Dornish. Their first child would wed one of Arianne Martell's children, and would serve as either king or queen consort.

Shireen remained their heir until the day bells rang through King's Landing– once a stinking shit pile of a city and now known for improved tidiness and order– to announce that Melyse had given birth to their first child, a son that Jon named Robb, for he'd imagined a son to grow up alongside Sam and Gilly's baby. Their second child came two years later, a girl they named Ruby, as promised.

Robb and Ruby would never know the glares that Jon and Melyse had. They'd never want for more nor find limitations in searching for their purpose. The storm had come and passed, and their children would grow in the calm.

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A/N: Keep reading for the Final Author's Note!