Northern Conqueror

Chapter 24: Discussion

Chapter 24: Discussion

"Have you fought Grumpkins and Snarks as well?" Tyrion asked when he found Jon stood on the walls of Widow's Watch.

"No. I dread the day they come," Jon said turning to Tyrion.

Smirking, he gave Jon a once over. "Who'd have thought? The Bastard of Winterfell a hidden prince."

"And the dwarf of Casterly Rock now hand to Daenerys Targaryen." They smirked at each other before Jon nodded toward him. "Picked up some scars along the way."

"It's been a long road," Tyrion nodded. "But we're both still here."

"Better than we were, hopefully."

Tyrion nodded. "And Sansa? I hear she's alive and well. Does she miss me terribly?" Jon maintained a slate expression, only just tilting his head. "A sham marriage. And unconsummated."

"I didn't ask," said Jon.

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

"She's started to let on," Jon said with a fond smile.

"Good," Tyrion nodded. "I'll gladly step aside and annul it. Let her have happiness with a good man."

Jon gave a thankful nod for the offer. "I hope to be worthy of her."

"If Good King Jon isn't worthy of her than I don't know who would be," Tyrion said with a laugh.

"Gods," he grimaced, "you've heard that too."

"Only twice. Chorus was much better than Long King Jon."

Jon sighed, shaking his head before glancing toward the tower housing their chambers. "I hate this," he said to Tyrion's surprise. "It all feels like such a waste of time when I know he's coming. While we stand around trying to figure out who should lead they get closer to the Wall, and we're finished unless every kingdom comes together."

"You can't expect her to just give up the moment she finally makes it back," Tyrion said solemnly. "Her entire life she was told she'd return, and ever since her brother's death she knew it would be as queen. Now she finds out not only is there another Targaryen but her claim is surpassed. That she lived every hardship because her brother ran off to marry, and now his son she never knew existed holds claim to the thing that kept her going through most of it."

Tyrion sighed. "Give her time. She's a good woman, a good queen, caring, just and fair. She's not some foreign invader. She could have sailed for Westeros long ago, but she didn't. Instead she stayed and saved many people from horribly fates. Some of whom came with us... She protects people from monsters, just as you do. It's why she came here.

"But she can't just give up everything she's wanted for years, what drove her through every challenge. She wouldn't be a worthy queen if she did."

Jon glanced at him, thinking back on Melisandre's words weeks earlier. "I understand that," Jon nodded. "I do, but I can't stand aside either. Even if I wanted to, the North wouldn't accept her easily. They only accepted me because I fought alongside them and still have Stark blood. I would have spent the rest of my life on the Wall, but I couldn't, just as I can't give up now. I'd rather us all focus North, but I have to worry about Cersei to the south and now my own kin and her dragons."

"You needn't worry," Tyrion offered. "Daenerys doesn't want to take this from you any more than she wants to kill you. It's one thing to have you step aside, but she's no kinslayer, not when you're all she has. Together you two will be unstoppable, you could retake the throne and unite every kingdom under a Targaryen banner once again. We're on the same side."