Still Soulmate

Chapter 4: Dragonstone

  They stepped out of the boat and onto the damp sand. Jon had never been further south than the North other than when he was born but he couldn't remember that. He had expected it to be sunnier though. That was always what he'd heard. It wasn't sunny here though. It was glum and cold, the sand was grey and salt spray licked at his face as the sea crashed into the shore.

  He trudged forward with Ygritte and Davos at his side, a few of his men a few steps behind. The company before them comprised of Tyrion, a tense looking young woman who was obviously from Essos and there was a sizeable bunch of Dothraki standing there silently and menacingly.

  "The bastard of Winterfell," Tyrion greeted him and Jon couldn't help but smile remembering their last meeting and Tyrion's words about excepting himself.

  "The dwarf of Casterly Rock," Jon returned.

  The King in the North stepped forward and gripped the imps hand in a friendly shake.

  "I believe we last saw each other atop the Wall," Tyrion made small talk.

  "You were pissing off the edge if I remember right," Jon smiled, taking in the scar that stretched down Tyrion's face. That hadn't been there last they had spoke, neither was the facial hair. The Lannister looked a lot older, mind you he probably did too. His eye was also caught by the silver Hand badge on his lapel. The world had certainly elevated both of their positions, "Picked up some scars along the road."

  "It's been a long road but we're both still here," Tyrion returned before turning to Ygritte.

  "You must be the soulmate and wife of Jon Snow here then," the dwarf addressed her.

  "Aye. That I am," Ygritte nodded. 

  "You know it's strange because when I knew your husband he was an Unmarked, much like myself. Now here you stand my dear. Either you truly are the King in the North's soulmate or that is just his excuse to get away with something that would otherwise be a scandal.  I would like to hear about that on day,"Tyrion addressed Jon's wife before turning to Davos and introducing himself with an outstretched hand, "Tyrion Lannister."

  Davos took a brisk step forward and excepted the proffered hand, shaking it firmly, "Davos Seaworth."

  "Ah, the Onion Knight. We fought on opposite sides at the battle of Blackwater," Tyrion acknowledged.

  "Unluckily for me," Davos offered up a small chuckle.

  He vaguely caught the exchange, focusing rather on the curiosity and slight displeasure that was emanating from his wife. Of course he had never told her that he had hidden his soul status from the world. He'd have to answer those questions later, he had to concentrate for the now though.  

  "Missandei is the queen's most trusted adviser," Tyrion moved on, gesturing at the frizzy haired woman behind him.

  "Welcome to Dragonstone," Missandei greeted smartly, "our queen knows it's a long journey, she appreciates the effort you have made on her behalf. If you wouldn't mind handing over your weapons."

  Jon looked back at his men, then to Davos and finally to Ygritte. She felt uncomfortable, he could feel that through their connection, but she looked completely calm. As usual. She shrugged at him and so he turned back to Daenerys' adviser. 

"Of course," he smiled rather falsely. Of course there was the obvious reasons for wanting them to give up their weapons but again the Targaryen had a whole army around her, what were a few swords meant to do?

  He watched as the Dothraki stepped forward and took their weapons, Jon unbuckling Longclaw and handing that over as Ygritte gave the silent foreigners her dagger, bow and quivers. The King in the North turned slightly to watch the progress, watching as the burly men carried away their boat.

  "Please, this way," Missandei gestured to the steps behind her.

  The Northern group hesitated before Davos stepped forward and both companies started off. Ygritte fell into stride beside him, her hand brushing against his as Davos stepped forward to talk to the queen's adviser.  It wasn't long though before Jon's friend and adviser fell back to mutter, "this place has changed," before falling back a respectful step.

  They started walking up the steps. The sun shone stronger here but the winding path they took was long and the heat wasn't necessarily a welcome at that point.

  "And Sansa? I heard she's alive and well," Tyrion started, walking a step in front of the pair of soulmates.

  "She is," Jon replied. He knew that Tyrion must care for his sister- not in the way of a wife perhaps but he cared. It was  just who he was.

  "Does she miss me terribly?" the imp asked. Jon knew that he was joking but he said nothing in reply all the same, "a sham marriage. And unconsummated." 

  "I didn't ask," Jon said quickly. He felt Ygritte smirk beside him because even after all these years talking about sex still made him squirm and she loved to use that against him.

  "Well it was. Wasn't. Anyway... she's much smarter than she lets on," Tyrion continued.

  "She's starting to let on," Jon snorted.

  "Good," the dwarf nodded to himself, "at some point I want to hear how a Night's Watch recruit became King in the North."

  "As long as you tell me how a Lannister became Hand to Daenerys Targaryen," Jon returned.

  "Well if that is how this is going to be then tell me, the two of you. Are you really soulmates?" the dwarf asked them both.

  The two soulmates looked at each other. Jon's left hand closed around his right wrist where the mark lay under his glove. "We're soulmates," Ygritte stated.

  It wasn't really a done thing to show people your soul mark so Jon grabbed Ygritte's wrist as she went to pull up her sleeve. Obviously there wasn't that taboo north of the Wall. Tyrion looked over his shoulder and saw the little interaction, with a small smile he nodded.

  "I believe you then. Although that still begs the question as to why you pretended to be Unmarked. If I had a soulmate I promise you I would not have spent half the amount of coin as I have on wine and whores," the Lannister remarked.

  Jon bit the inside of his cheek but didn't say anything. He had never told anyone about that, not even Ygritte knew that he had ever pretended to be Unmarked before Tyrion made that comment earlier.

  Jon took a breath, looking around then and feeling the full force of his decision to come here and he said as much, "my bannermen think I'm a fool for coming here."

  "Of course they do. If I was your Hand I would have advised against it. General rule of thumb; Stark men don't fare well when they travel south."

 "True... but I'm not a Stark," Jon retaliated. Saying that used to hurt but now he said it just as a fact.

  They were cut off at that point by the great thunder of wings and a dragon flew over their heads. Jon, Davos and Ygritte threw themselves out of the way in terror as the beast flew over. The King in the North stared at the retreating reptile in horror before he looked over at his wife to find her crouching against the wall boarding the path. She was scared, although not as much as he was, but mostly he was getting awe through their connection. Growing up beyond the Wall Jon knew that she had lived among creatures that the rest of Westeros thought extinct or just myths. Giants and wargs and direwolves- not to mention the white walkers. They were common place in her world, of course a dragon would get this response from her.

  He looked back around at everything else then, Tyrion, Missandei and the Dothraki were all still standing. Missandei was standing looking down a smug smile on her face that Jon purposefully ignored. Tyrion offered Jon his hand and the bastard took it, brushing off his legs as he stood. He didn't bother to try and help his wife, she would just bat his hand away anyhow, so he just watched as the dragon was joined by another and they swooped around the towers of the castle before them.

  "I would say you get used to them... but you never really do," Tyrion said, looking off in the same direction, "Come, their mother is waiting for you.