From the Ashes {Game of Thrones}

Chapter 48: Tales From Lands Far Away

Yunkai 
Daenerys walked the streets of Yunkai with Jorah and Ser Barristan. The two men trailing slightly behind her, but not too far that she couldn't talk to them. The Dragon Queen smiled gently at the people that passed them. "You knew my brother Rhaegar quite well, right Ser Barristan?" Daenerys asked. There had been many things on her mind regarding Rhaegar since Ser Barristan had joined them and pledged his loyalty to her.

"I was often his guard, but there were men that knew him better than I. Men within his inner circle. Ser Arthur Dayne, Jon Connington, and Camren Spyre were almost always around him. Though it was Laena Spyre who knew him best. She had his heart and confidence," Barristan told the Dragon Queen. He had fought beside Rhaegar until the very end and deep in his heart he had wished a different outcome had come from the Trident.

"Laena Spyre? I don't believe I've heard of her much. Viserys once mentioned her perhaps once," Daenerys said.

"Lady Laena Spyre was the sister of Aren Spyre who is currently the Lord of Veritas and Warden of the Falls," Barristan said. "While Aren was the ward of Jon Arryn with Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon, Camren and Laena stayed in King's Landing. The two grew close to Rhaegar during their stay in King's Landing. On his ten and sixth nameday, Rhaegar asked Aerys for one thing only. Laena's hand in marriage. As they grew up, Rhaegar had fallen for Laena and her for him," he said.

"But he married Elia Martell," Daenerys said confused.

"Aerys refused. There wasn't anything advantageous in that marriage. A more advantageous arrangement was with Dorne and marrying Laena off to a Lannister. In that case Rhaegar and three other noble houses would be controlled," Barristan said. "Though Laena remained a close and dear friend to Rhaegar. The Spyres were his most ardent supporters during the rebellion until the very end of his life," he concluded.

Beyond the Wall
In Mance Raydar's camp, Jon sat by the fire. Ygritte sat near him, but she had been talking to some of the other free folk. Jon had unpinned the direwolf from the inside of his cloak while sitting there. The howling direwolf stared back at him, reminding him of his father and siblings. The father he'd lost and had been unable to say his goodbyes to. The brother that had gone off to war for their father. The brothers that remained in Winterfell and served as lords of the keep at an age far too young for such politics. And the sisters held hostage within the capital by the people that killed their father. It also reminded him of the friend he had found in Karina Spyre. Or perhaps she went by Karina Lannister now. He wondered if she was safe and sound in the lion's den. He hoped that she was. Karina was far too kind to be harmed.

"A direwolf?" Ygritte asked when she saw the silver pin in his hand.

"The sigil of House Stark. Of my father's house," Jon said smiling sadly at the pin he held.

"Did he give it to you?" Ygritte questioned. They'd all heard of Ned Stark, the Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell.

"No, a friend gave it to me. She was one of the few highborns to show me kindness," Jon said remembering the trip that he, Robb, and Karina had made to Wintertown. It had been a simpler time that he'd taken for granted.

"She? She must be very special if you kept her gift," Another free folk said.

"One of a kind," Jon said.

"Did ya love her, crow?" Tormund questioned.

"She was a friend. And even if I did, it would've never happened. She's a highborn lady of the most noble and ancient house Spyre. Despite how well the Falls treated its children, bastards and trueborns alike, only a highborn lord would be suited for hand in marriage," Jon explained. He did love Karina, but not in the way you love a lover. Rather in the way you love a friend who sees you for who you are.