The Wolf and The Lion || Jaime Lannister

Ninety

Rayna

Brienne, Sam, Maester Wolkan, Sansa, Bran and I sit in the war room as the letter from Jon is read aloud.

"Daenerys knows. Once she takes the city she will summon you to answer for treason and bend the knee otherwise you will be executed. Varys wrote your name as successor in letters to gods know who. We released Jaime to go south, to end this before Daenerys gets the chance to take the city. I will try to talk Daenerys out of execution but I can't make any promises. You need to leave Winterfell and go somewhere she can't find you but you're too stubborn to do that. I know that part of your claim rests on you being my natural successor through blood. I have never wanted a crown and I don't want this claim. I believe you now when you said Daenerys had a mad side to her. These past weeks she's become unhinged and I finally see what you always saw. I can't get close to her, neither can Tyrion. She won't let anyone see her. If she burns the city then I give you permission as my legal heir to use my claim as part of yours the throne. You are my family and I promise I will do what I must to protect you, Sansa, Arya and Bran."

If the city burns Jon will allow me to reveal the truth to use it for my claim. Jaime is going south so slaughter may yet be avoided but if it isn't then I will make my claim, however while Jon is with Daenerys I'm reluctant to use his, I care for his safety more than a throne. I just wish he hadn't let Jaime go south but at the same time I'm glad, I don't want Jaime anywhere near Daenerys, let alone in her custody.
"You conspired with Varys to commit treason?" Brienne asks in disbelief.
"We all did", Bran confesses.
"But why?" Sam exclaims and before I can answer Bran does.
"Fire and blood"
An eerie silence fills the room and my hand rests protectively over my still growing stomach. In a few months I'll give birth.
"Do you want me to arrange for you to go to the Dreadfort to stay with Ser Bronn your Grace?" Maester Wolkan asks "Or perhaps to Riverrun to your uncle Edmure or even to the Eyrie to your cousin Robyn"
"No", I answer "I'm going to stay in Winterfell. I will not run from Daenerys. If she knows then there is no reason to hide"
"Rayna remember that you are pregnant", Sansa says but my mind is made up.
"If I flee then I appear weak", I tell her before turning back to Maester Wolkan "Bring me parchment, I will be sending letters to Gendry Baratheon, Yara Greyjoy, Dickon Tarly, Robyn Arryn, Edmure Tully and the prince of Dorne asking for their support"
"You will be declaring war", Sansa warns.
"I declared war without knowing it the moment I refused to bend the knee", I remind her "Daenerys would never let the North be free. Even now she asks for me to bend the knee. Gendry will support me due to his relationship with Arya, Yara likely will due to Theon even if she is still loyal to Daenerys, I will promise her and the Prince of Dorne independence which is something Daenerys never offered Dorne. Dickon is loyal to Jaime and I due to the battle on the Gold Road and Robyn and Edmure are my family. It is time to finally lay my claim"
I look to Bran and he nods his head, that is all the confirmation I need.
"Yes your Grace", Wolkan says as he goes to fetch me parchment.
"Sam, how are the scorpions coming along?", I ask and he clears his throat nervously.
"Nearly done", he informs me.
"Good", I say "Even if Daenerys is killed her dragon may yet escape. We need to be prepared for all possible situations"
I am so close to the edge. The edge of either greatness or the pit so many others have fallen into. I'm at the top rung of the ladder and now all I have to do is survive the final step. As Cersei said, when you play this game you either win or you die, there is no middle ground. Daenerys will never show mercy.
"Is that it?" Sansa asks as we look at the map before us. Our troops lined up against Daenerys's. They are almost even after the Long Night. Almost but not enough.
"No, call the banners", I declare "Summon them to Winterfell"

I sit at the High Table with Sansa and Bran on either side of me as Maester Wolkan reads the letter from Jon to my bannerman. Well part of it. He omits the part about Jon's claim to the throne. That will stay secret unless Kings Landing falls.
"Is it true?" one asks "Did you conspire to kill the dragon queen"
"Yes", I answer honestly "And with good reason, my brother who many of you know is the Three Eyed Raven has seen visions of fire and blood. Kings Landing will burn, as will any holdfast that resists her, including Winterfell. The moment I refused to bend the knee it was a declaration of war however only now has it begun. I will not subject the North or the realm to the reign of a mad Targaryen"
"The realm?" Lord Royce asks.
"I am claiming the realm as mine", I declare "The North shall remain independent from the realm as shall the Riverlands if they wish. The Vale, The Reach, the Westerlands and the Crownlands shall remain in the realm due to their fragile states while Dorne and the Iron islands shall be granted independence"
They are all silent as they process this. They certainly didn't expect this when I summoned them.
"Well I'd drink to that but how exactly do you plan on killing the dragon queen and the other blonde cunt who's still on the throne", Bronn asks.
"My husband is on his way to Kings Landing to assassinate Cersei, however if Daenerys attacks before he has a chance then either way Cersei will be dead. Cersei isn't the concern. Considering Brans visions Daenerys will take the city with fire and blood and lose the support of the realm, they will fear another mad Targaryen. I have several people that will be in the city who are relatively close to Daenerys who will kill her if she commits slaughter. However if she decides to fly here before anyone can get close to her I've had scorpions made in preparation but I doubt it will come to that"
The room seems to be in agreement. Everyone remembers what Daenerys's father did to my uncle and grandfather. They will not accept a Targaryen rule.
"We will stand behind House Stark and our Queen", one of my Bannerman declares drawing his sword and the rest follow.