Chapter Text
One Month Later
Visenya Targaryen
She was by his side and had been for quite a while. Right beside the sick bed of Lord Cregan Stark.
Visenya felt a range of emotions as she watched the Lord of Winterfell lay motionlessly in his bed. She felt a tinge of guilt that he put himself in harm's way for her. No one had ever done that, not her husband, her son, or anyone else. However, his being there in front of her also made her angry. Angry at Cregan for doing that, angry at Aemond for attacking them, and most importantly, angry at herself for not killing Aemond in the first place.
A knock came at the door. "Queen Dowager, their Graces King Aemon Targaryen, and Queen Daenerys Targaryen wish to see you at once."
"You can tell the King and Queen that they can come here if they wish to speak to me. Surely at this stage, they know where the Tower of the Hand is. I could draw them a map if they don't."
"Your Grace, the meeting is about your reward for your service in the war." The servant stuttered.
She sighed. This was her last chance to speak to them about naming their child Maegor or Vhagar. What choice did she have?
"Very well, I will leave immediately. No one is to enter this room without my approval. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Your Grace." He said nervously.
Once left alone, she equipped her armour and attached Dark Sister to her hip. Visenya always slept with chainmail underneath her clothes, but that was not enough anymore, not after their fight in the Throne Room, where none of them wore armour, she would have, but Joffrey took it off her. Never again would she be in that situation.
She was escorted to the spare bed chambers of the King and Queen as opposed to the Small Council chamber or their own primary chambers within Maegor's Holdfast, which she found as an odd decision.
Aemon greeted her. "Dowager Queen Visenya, it has been too long. Please sit. We need to talk."
She nodded her head and sat where he indicated. The first thing she noticed was that Daenerys no longer had the round belly of a pregnant woman.
"You had the child and did not think to inform me?" She snapped.
Neither looked bothered by her words. "You were so busy caring for Lord Stark that we thought it best to wait so we could surprise you."
"Daenerys, I am, to an extent, over three hundred years old. Any surprise I have ever received included knives in the night from Dorne or another Targaryen descendant doing something stupid. I do not need nor want a surprise." She retorted.
"Regardless though, Dowager Queen, what's done is done. We are here mainly to discuss how to repay your efforts in us winning our war against the Lannisters and the Night King. We can and will discuss the birth of my daughter soon. I promise you that." The King said firmly.
"I do not need thanks. I did what I had to for my family to survive."
"You are too kind…." Dany began
Visenya interrupted her." But I have a list of demands you could fulfill, all of which are in your power." Her tone challenged any rebuttal.
Their faces turned grim, but they accepted all the same. "Very well, what would be on this list, a seat on the Small Council? Your own lands and titles?"
"Give me quill and paper, and you will see for yourself." She said.
Visenya got to work as she promised and handed them her very concise list after five minutes of deliberation and writing.
"Very well," Aemon sighed. "How bad could it possibly be?" He then read it out.
"Demand number one- I want a place on the Small Council as a personal advisor to the King and Queen until I die."
"I see no issue with that one." He and Dany nodded to each other.
"Demand number two- Your firstborn child will be my ward once they come of age, not Lord Stark's, mine and mine alone. I will personally train them in the art of swordplay and how to defend themselves. Furthermore, when I feel they are ready, I will bring them to find the wild dragon that now roams Westeros and beyond."
"You want our child to be your ward? Can you blame us for being concerned about that when your last wards were hostages and only escaped from you when you died?" Daenerys said assertively
"Different time, and look how Jaehaerys turned out in the end, best King Westeros ever saw, next to his Uncle Maegor, of course." She said defensively.
"And you wish to bring them to find Wildfyre wherever it may be hiding? A wild dragon that tried to kill us both."
"Do you have a better idea? A Targaryen cannot ride two dragons. It has never been done. Instead, a dragon having more than one rider at different times is the norm. So the only way you will be able to get Wildfyre under your control is if one of your children tames it, I can help them."
"We will think about it," Daenerys said, irritated.
"Demand number three- You must name your second child Maegor."
"No, Visenya, we are not naming our children after your son." Daenerys snapped.
"He was the son of Aegon the Conqueror, too, do not forget it."
"Aye and his brother…." The King tried to protest until she interrupted again.
"Was weak and named after a part of the arse."
"Was still the King regardless, and his son was to be King afterward." He was like a dog with a bone.
"Fine, we can reevaluate that one at a later date." She relented.
"Demand number four- Any mention of Maegor being named The Cruel are to be wiped from the history books, and mentioning such a name is to be made a punishable offense. Instead, he is to, from this point forward, be known as Maegor the…Builder."
"Visenya, you cannot be serious?" Daenerys said, baffled for some reason.
"I am very serious, Your Grace. If not for Maegor, neither of you would be sitting here right now. He built the Red Keep."
"The answer is no. Your son is not having his crimes wiped away from the histories of Westeros. The task itself is a near impossible one for a start."
"Fine, fine. Just read the last one and be done with it." She said, annoyed at their refusal.
"My final demand is to elope with Lord Cregan Stark," Aemon said, the words struggling to escape from his mouth.
"You…you wish for Lord Stark's Hand in marriage. Why?" He asked, confused.
"It makes political sense, and he has been good to me this last while. I owe him for saving my life against that bastard Aemond One-Eye."
The same Aemond One-Eye whose head now decorated the walls of the castle.
"But if you owe him, then give him thanks and move on. I fail to see why you, of all people, wish to marry." Daenerys said, trying to push her on the issue.
"I wish for a husband who understands me. Failing that, Lord Stark will have to do. As I have said, it is for political reasons more than anything else. He sold his loyalty to ye to fulfill the Pact of Fire and Ice. Is that not correct?"
"Yes," They said together.
"And he suggested both Sansa and Arya marry for political reasons, correct?"
"Yes." They replied again.
"Then perhaps it's past time Lord Stark return the favour. He fulfills his pact, and your child and future children can wed outside the Stark line."
"And how about your children?" Dany said, receiving a deadly stare from Visenya.
"I was born before the Seven Kingdoms became one. Maegor will remain my only human child, which benefits you two as well. Rickon is Winterfell's heir; my marriage to Lord Stark does not change that."
"So, are you prepared to carry out the tasks expected of the Lady of Winterfell?" The King said in jest.
"Are you prepared to take me North yourself, Your Grace? My place is here until I decide otherwise. We already agreed on a seat on the Small Council."
"I think you have feelings for Lord Stark, even if not even you admit it." Daenerys now joined in by mocking her.
"And if I do, they are my own to deal with and are no concern of yours."
"Very well, If Lord Stark consents, then we do as well. I expect you will be keeping your titles."
A rhetorical question from the King.
"You guessed correctly. I am Dowager Queen Visenya Targaryen, mother of Maegor the "Builder" and rider of the dragon Vhagar. Gods grant strength to anyone who dares to say otherwise.
"Now, onto other business. What is the name of your first child?"
They looked at each other with a shared grin.
"We have decided to name our firstborn…Rhaenys, Rhaenys of House Targaryen. After my sister who was murdered all those years ago and after the first Rhaenys who died in Dorne." The King said proudly.
"We needed a name that would be acceptable to you, and since she was born a girl, Maegor was not an option, and Vhagar was literally the name of your dragon and is not an acceptable name for a Princess. This is the one that fits best. Do you approve, Dowager Queen?"
She smiled. It was her first genuine full smile in Gods only know how many years. "Aye, aye, I approve."
The watcher in the wall with the oversized head and an even larger harem
The watcher in the walls could not believe what he had just heard. He had only been let into the real world again for about an hour, and already he had been betrayed.
He was betrayed by the King, betrayed by the Queen, and even betrayed by…her. The watcher in the wall with the large head and the even larger harem would not stand for this. There was one way to make them pay, and pay they would.
Now to find the Tower of the Hand.
Cregan Stark
He opened his eyes, confused as one could be. The pain crushed the urge to leave the bed he felt while doing so. "Careful now. You were hurt quite badly in your fight…dear husband." Said the voice that, to his shock, belonged to his second wife, Alysanne Blackwood.
"Aly, what are you doing here?" He gulped, remembering the deal he made with his wives before he left for the real world, a deal he broke that night at the God's Eye.
She gave him a playful smirk. "I thought my dear husband would be happy to see his favourite wife, or have you moved onto fucking Targaryens now?"
He paused for a moment and moved his gaze to his feet. "So you know about that?"
"Aye, I do, Lord Stark, and Lynara and Arra know about it too. We were not happy at first, but fortunately for you, we have agreed not to punish you for breaking your promise."
"May I ask why, my love?". He was almost too scared to ask.
Her tone was soft. "Because you already suffered through enough, and we believe Visenya can bring you happiness while you do the same for her."
"Suffered enough?"
She sighed. "I'm sorry, Cregan, but the Maester had just been here and confirmed the worse. Perhaps the milk of the poppy has drained some of the pain but your eye." She said, pointing to his right side. "It will never heal again after the wound you received from Aemond One-Eye's dagger. There is hope yet for your leg, but for now you will require a crutch."
"So I am crippled? That is the price for my ambition. Never having my full eyesight or being able to walk properly again?" He said, showing more emotion than usual.
She hugged him. "Do not think of it like that, dear husband. You have been through a lot. The whole realm has. It is now time to pick up the pieces and build the realm up to its fullest potential."
"Thank you, my dear wife, you always knew what to say and when to say it, but I must ask…how the fuck are you here?"
Just then, they heard the sound of heavy footsteps making their way up the tower's stairs, followed by the crash of the door. A large man burst in and grabbed Cregan's Royal Hand pin that had been located in the other corner of the room.
"This is mine now, Stark. If you want it back, you'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands." Said the man sounding rather infuriated. "Also, you are not allowed to marry my mother. I forbid it."
The door slammed behind him again, falling off the hinges this time. "Am I going senile already, or was that…?"
"Maegor the Cruel? Indeed, as soon as the war ended, we were given a chance to return, but only a certain amount of us, so we had to draw lots. Maegor was one of those who were picked."
"So now I have to deal with him. Also, why was he saying I can't marry Visenya? Who said either of us even wanted to marry?"
His wife smiled at him again. "I guess you best go find out. Just remember, you have my full support. If Dowager Queen Visenya was willing to stay by your side for days, then she truly does care about you, even if neither of you seems to be good at showing it."
"She did that?" he said, surprised.
She giggled. "Yes, according to one of the guards, she only left recently because the King and Queen summoned her. She would still be here otherwise."
She stood up, grabbed a stick from nearby, and handed it to him. "Here, let me get you down those stairs so you can get your pin back. Then I will leave. I wish to visit my family home before I disappear again."
The Harem Hand
"And from this day forth, King Maegor Targaryen the First of His Name will no longer be known as Maegor the Cruel. Instead, he will be known as Maegor the Builder, so it is declared by me, Maegor Targaryen, the Royal Hand." Maegor bellowed from atop the Iron Throne. His plan had gone without fail. He now controlled the Hand of the King, pin, so he was now, in theory, the Hand. No one would dare say otherwise.
"Also, I wish it known that my royal decree now outlaws the Faith of the Seven. Instead, all Septs and Septans are to convert to the religion of Old Valyria and must do so within the next fortnight."
That caused a high level of whispers and murmurs throughout the court, but no one truly protested. "Lastly, I am introducing a new law in regards to marriage, every man in the Seven Kingdoms must take seven women to wife, no more and no less, failure to do so will lead to the punishment of death…."
Just then, the doors to Throne Room burst open, and in walked a mysterious man with his head covered by a hood. "You are in my seat, Maegor Targaryen. You shall answer for your crime."
"Who are you? Who dares speak to the Hand? I will have your tongue for your insolence!" He cried.
"If you want my tongue Maegor the Cruel, you'll have to best me in a dual." Whispered the man, who then revealed a sword from its scabbard, but it was not just any sword.
"Where did you get that? That is Dark Sister. It belongs to my mother."
The man smirked. "Let's just say a bird gave it to me." He then pulled back his hood to reveal the albino hair and skin of the one and only Bloodraven. "Now get out of my seat. I am the Hand, not you."
Maegor was outraged. How dare his position be challenged. "You want a fight, bastard? I'll give you one right here and right now. Just let me find a sword."
That was the last thing he got to say before Bloodraven blindsided him by forcing a cloth to his face. It had a nauseating smell to it. "Maybe another time, King Maegor, but today I am the Hand." These were the last words he heard from this usurper before he blacked out.
The Shadow Hand
The court that had gathered broke out into a whisper again as Maegor the Cruel's body lay on the floor by the throne. He was not dead. Brynden Rivers made sure not to kill him. He would be in enough trouble once Visenya tried to take her sword back. Why make it worse by killing her son? But he would not be much trouble for the foreseeable.
"My Lords and Ladies of the court, I regret to inform you that you have been deceived. Maegor the Cruel was not made the Royal Hand. He stole that pin." He pointed at the motionless body. "He stole that pin from me, Lord Brynden Rivers, natural born son of Aegon the Fourth. I am the real Hand."
Whispers broke out again. He could hear them slanderously discussing him. Those who knew their histories knew precisely who he was.
"However that does mean any laws Maegor tried to enact are now null and void and are to be replaced by the following." He cleared his throat.
"All coastal keeps are to prepare for a Blackfyre invasion at once. All those from House Bracken are to present themselves to the Red Keep within a week or face the Bracken tax, and all portraits of Shiera Seastar are to be confiscated and brought to me at once. There will be a reward of fifty gold dragons for anyone who brings me pictures of her face and seventy for pictures of her feet."
"Lord Hand, I must ask, why do you wish to have pictures of her feet?" Said the questioning voice of one of the lords in the room. He had not expected to be interrupted.
"My Lord, I only wish to have them for…research." He lied.
"Is that right…Bloodraven, or do you wish to see them for other less savory reasons?" Said the voice of someone he knew well, perhaps too well.
"Who are you to speak to me like that?" he protested angrily. "Why, I am your brother, here to pay the Bracken tax." The man revealed himself to be Aegor Rivers because, of course, it was.
"Aegor, who in the Seven Hells let you out and why?" He snapped.
"I am here to finish what I started." He said as he unsheathed his sword to reveal Blackfyre. "I will carve you up and take that throne in the name of the true Kings of the Seven Kingdoms…House Blackfyre. Then it will be I who will collect the portraits of Shiera Seastar's feet...I mean face." He quickly corrected himself.
"Over my dead body, those portraits are MINE," He readied Dark Sister. Both ancestral blades of House Targaryen would clash once more.
He and Aegor circled each other, preparing for the other to strike when the doors sprang open again.
The Real Hand
The walk from his bed chambers to the Throne Room was a long one, but it was where Maegor had run off to, as confirmed by the guard who sighted "the big man with the bigger head" that had put them in harm's way as he ran at full speed through the halls.
"Are you ready to see what disaster Maegor Targaryen has created now?" Japed Alysanne, but Cregan knew there was too much truth for it to be a joke. "Better now than never" He sighed before they opened the doors to the Throne Room to find…two men circling each other and shouting about Shiera Seastar.
Then in the corner, he just about made out Maegor Targaryen unconscious. "Good Gods, this is worse than I thought. We need to stop this right now." He said to Aly before he walked into the room. "stop this madness at once, I am the Royal Hand, and I speak with the voice of the King and Queen, and I demand you stop this nonsense." He bellowed, those in the room looked at him, and even the two men fighting looked his way, but it was for naught. "You must be confused, Lord Stark.
"As you can see, I have the pin. Therefore, I am the Hand." Said the man with the albino skin, slyly.
They then turned their back to Cregan and began to quarrel again, much to his dismay. "I'll skin them alive for their insolence." He said angrily. "Oh, relax, Cregan. I will deal with this." Alysanne said, patting him on the shoulder. She then took out her bow and repositioned herself. "Lord Bloodraven is of my house. It is only fitting I will be the one to put a stop to his nonsense.
Bloodraven? That could only mean the other man was Aegor Rivers. He thought to himself.
He then watched as his second wife shot arrows in the air in the middle of the court. Her aim was precise enough to miss any onlookers and hit her intended targets. One arrow each was all it took to pierce Bloodraven in his sword hand and Bittersteel in his right shoulder.
"Nice shot." He complimented her. She half bowed in response as a jest.
"Now, get your pin and bring this place back into order." She said as he hobbled towards Bloodraven. The lords and ladies made room for him to where their duel once was.
"I will be taking that now, Lord Bloodraven. You have my regards for keeping it warm and dealing with the angry man-child over there." He said, motioning towards Maegor. But just as he was about to grab it, Aegor snapped it away. He had someone gotten free from the arrow and was now limping towards the doors.
Would this day ever fucking end. He muttered to himself.
He watched as Alysanne fired another arrow, which hit its mark on the same shoulder as before. Aegor let out a shriek of pain and cursed at his misfortune. As he finally reached the door, another man battered him and stopped his escape once and for all.
That man wasn't just a guard or a passing lord. It was Eddard Stark.
Moments later, the King, the Queen, and Visenya arrived. "Lord Cregan, I am glad to see you are awake. You won't believe what happened, we were strolling in the gardens, and a giant bird came down from the sky and stole Visenya's sword, then moment's later, Aegor Rivers appeared out of nowhere and stole Blackfyre from me."
"Oh, it appears you have company." The King chirped.
"Jon…it has been too long, my boy," Ned said solemnly
"Lord Stark…or should I say, Lord Eddard Stark, I never thought I would see you again after we parted ways. Clearly, much has changed." The King said.
"Clearly, Your Grace."
"Oh, come on now, father, I did not die and come back to life again only for you to play coil." Another voice said playfully.
"The King and the Queen have certain court procedures to follow, Robb," Eddard said, scolding his son.
"I was a King, too, for a time, don't pretend I do not know the reality of ruling, but it does ruin the fun of it."
"Robb!" This time the King did not hold back. He ran towards his cousin and embraced him, much to the confusion of the court who were looking on.
"All of you are excused. The King and Queen will be holding court soon, but not today." He exclaimed. "This is a family affair, as you can see," Cregan said, demanding they all leave, which they did.
It was then that Visenya finally saw Maegor. "My son, what happened to you?"
"Bloodraven used his dark arts to overwhelm me." The former King said angrily. Visenya looked around the room only to find that both Bloodraven and Bittersteel had disappeared into the night.
"He stole my pin, Dowager Queen, and I am willing to bet that's what started this entire mess."
Her eyes narrowed. "Is that true, boy? Were you trying to interfere?"
"Yes." He admitted. "I see no reason for you to remarry this wolf lord. He has no blood of the dragon in him, and what would father think about your betrayal?"
"Aye, he is not the blood of the dragon but needs I remind you that only one of your brides shared our blood, yet you married them all anyways, and about your father, if he has an issue, he can speak to me himself."
Aye, and how many of his brides were actually willing? A question that needed to be asked to his future…goodson? But he was not the one who was going to ask it, not til his leg was better anyways.
Besides, he never agreed to marry anyone.
"I believe you have all forgotten one thing, I never once agreed to marry the Dowager Queen or anyone else for that matter." He said stubbornly.
"Lord Stark, you are well within your rights to refuse the proposal. As King, you have my word that you will not be forced to remarry for a fourth time. However, I ask you to consider the political benefits if you do decide to marry the Dowager Queen, as well as any emotional attachment I know you have for her."
"Who said I had any emotional attachment to her boy? You may be a King, but that does not make you all-knowing."
"Aye, but I have two good eyes, Lord Stark, or have you forgotten your plentiful lover's quarrels at war council meetings?" Aemon said in a tone that irritated him.
"Or how Visenya sat by your side until today, waiting for you to wake up." The Queen weighed in.
"Or how you accidentally bragged about that night at the God's Eye right in front of our enemies."
"Both of you deserve something more out of your second life. Our enemies have been defeated, and the realm needs to be run and rebuilt, but we would rather do it with both of you." Aemon said solemnly.
He turned to Visenya. "You waited by my side?" She nodded, "You threw yourself in front of Aemond One-Eye's blade. I took care of you while you healed."
He paused for a moment. Did he really want this? Yet another wife? The answer seemed clear.
"Fine, I will do it…for the sake of politics and the realm, I will marry the Queen Dowager," He said gruffly, but he was actually rather pleased with himself, in an odd sort of way.
Aemon smiled. "Then we have much to celebrate, and we shall before any more guests arrive. The birth of the Crown Princess, the return of my brother in all but name and Uncle Eddard who raised me, and the marriage pact between the Royal Hand and the Dowager Queen."
"Wait, your heir has arrived already? Why didn't anyone tell me?" He demanded. "You weren't the only one they forgot to tell," Visenya assured him. "The disrespect is immense."
Hours passed that were full of joy and merriment. Cregan watched as the King and his cousin reunited and how Eddard Stark dotted over the new babe. Even Visenya and Aly seemed to
"Your Grace." Began Eddard Stark, "are you forgetting something? My daughters are not here."
"Oh yes, thank you, Uncle." He then turned to the room. "Has anyone seen Arya or Sansa recently?"
No one answered until a hooded figure appeared from nowhere.
"My…spies saw them not too long ago." Whispered the mysterious man.
"Who are your spies, and more importantly, who are you?"
"I have many names, but you may call me Brynden Rivers. I am happy to meet you both, King Aemon and Queen Daenerys. I am here to serve." He then bowed.
"It'll be hard to do that once I skin you alive for stealing Dark Sister from me," Visenya growled as she launched herself at the former spymaster. Cregan managed to keep her from reaching her target.
"Where are they, Lord Brynden?"
"Tying up some loose ends, in the names of Your Graces."
Now, what could that possibly mean?
Hours Earlier
Joffrey
He was done hiding. That's all he had been doing since everything went wrong. Fucking Aerys ruined everything.
He still remembered it all vividly. Just as he was about to execute yet another Lord Stark, Aerys and those other inbred lizard lovers arrived and messed up everything. It was so painful to watch. It was nearly as painful as watching his mother die in childbirth. Between the shock of seeing Aerys atop the dragon and from hearing the news that her brother was about to die, her life just gave way.
"Promise me, Joffrey, promise me that you will look after your baby brother, protect him and treat him as your heir." Those were her last words to him. He was her firstborn and golden child, yet as she lay dying, she couldn't even praise him, the gall of her!
So, he handed the child to his Uncle Jaime and fled the carnage, closely followed by Euron Greyjoy. They had made plans to meet again and launch a counter-attack once the heat had died and they were both presumed dead.
Joffrey Baratheon changed his fine silks for rags and melted into the underworld that was Fleabottom, all the while waiting for word from Euron Greyjoy regarding their strike back against the Targaryens.
All hope was nearly lost as time continued to pass, but the Gods looked down on him in favour as today was the day his luck changed.
"Your Grace." Whispered a tall man whose head was covered by a hood. "I am here to take you to meet King Euron Greyjoy. Please follow me."
"It's about time." He complained as they made their way down to a small boat in a deserted part of the city.
They reached a small row boat where another man met them there. He was to bring Joffrey to where Euron's ship was waiting for them. According to his escort, the plan was to sail to Essos and gather any sellsword companies available to fight for their true and just cause. The escort told him how they were already painting banners with his crown stag sigil and were crying out for him to return as the rightful King of Westeros. It nearly brought a tear of joy to Joffrey's eye.
The escort helped his other companion move the boat from the sand to the water, making way for Joffrey to sit in it. "My friend here, Ser Maynard Plumm, will bring you to where you need to be. Your Grace, he is a good man and will protect you."
"You have my thanks, good Ser, for being loyal to the true King. Remain loyal, and you shall receive a reward once I take back my throne," Joffrey said respectfully.
"I appreciate your regards…Your Grace, but I am already a lord in truth."The hooded man responded.
"Lord of what castle, may I ask?"
"My friends call me Lord Fleabottom." The man smirked.
"Lord Fleabottom! That's ridiculous. Fleabottom doesn't have a lord." He exclaimed.
"It is only a jape, but some of them mean it to insult me." Joffrey saw a smirk appear upon the man's lips, but he could do nothing as they rowed to the ship in the distance
"What a strange man," Joffrey said to this Maynard Plumm.
"He truly is, Your Grace. I hear he spends his nights in brothels and was once Commander of the Gold Cloaks."
"Oh really?" He snarled, "So what did he do to lose his position?"
The man smiled. "I cannot say, Your Grace. I was not there."
It appeared this man was just as strange as the other. The longer he looked at him, the more it looked like parts of him were missing, and his blonde hair turned silver in a certain light. Not to mention the bandaged hand. When Joffrey questioned him about it, his escort just told him he hurt himself in an archery accident. It seemed like a lie to him, but he did not press the issue.
As the ship began to come into sight, more thoughts about the man who escorted him started dancing around in his head. This story about him being the Commander of the Goldcloaks did not make any sense. The more he thought about the man's appearance, the more he thought he seemed familiar but what confused him the most was his self-proclaimed title of "Lord Fleabottom?" that name…it sounded so familiar he just could not figure out who it belonged to.
He cursed himself for not paying more attention when the Grand Maester was teaching him about historical Kings and Queens of the past. But, in truth, he could only remember that part of history where Rhaenyra got eaten alive by her brother's dragon.
That was it! The man on the beach, he had something to do with that usurper Rhaenyra Targaryen who was named heir, passing over her uncle, her uncle named…Daemon Targaryen. Who was once Commander of the Goldcloaks and had the name "Lord Fleabottom," a name given to him out of spite.
Oh, good Gods, what was really happening here?
"We are here, Your Grace. Please make your way to the Captain's Quarters. King Euron Greyjoy will be waiting for you there."
Joffrey did not give this Maynard Plumm any gratitude. He did not deserve any for knowing the other man was Daemon Targaryen and not saying anything about it. He instead climbed onto the deck in silence.
Only to be met by the same, no one there, no crew members. He felt tricked. Was this all a mummer's farce? If so, by who? Euron Greyjoy had to know, he decided, and so he stormed into where he was told the pirate would be.
"King Euron Greyjoy, I demand you tell me what is going on this instant! What is our plan of attack?"
"There is no plan."
"Then I demand you think of one fast, or I will kill you." He spat, infuriated by the response.
"The only one dying here today is you, Joffrey Illborn." It was a woman's voice, the voice he recognized from his time as King, and the red hair confirmed his suspicion. It was that traitor Sansa Stark.
"Sansa Stark, what are you doing here?" He said, trembling slightly as she slammed the door shut.
"Euron, don't just stand there. Help me!" He shouted as Sansa revealed her very sharp and large knife in full view.
"Euron Greyjoy died not too long ago, Joffrey Illborn. It is I…Arya Stark and I have been waiting for this for years." That bitch Arya said as she removed the face of Euron Greyjoy to reveal her own, followed by another large knife.
"no, no, please don't kill me…noooo." His wails were loud, but no one heard them.
Joffrey had died to the Stark sisters.
Later that night
Cregan Stark
Sansa and Arya had returned from their "eliminate Joffrey campaign" and were overjoyed to be reunited with Eddard Stark and Robb about an hour prior.
Now he sat on a bench in the gardens with his stick resting in Hand, contemplating all that had happened since he returned to Westeros again.
In truth, Cregan had nearly lost on multiple occasions. Joffrey was close to killing him publically, and one false move could have led to Aegon the Usurper killing him too. Not to mention the constant danger Daenerys and Aemon had been in during this whole thing while Daenerys was pregnant. Every move he made, every time he avoided death, led to the cost of his eye.
"Considering your life choices, my Lord Hand?" Eddard Stark said suddenly.
He looked youthful, the complete opposite of when he was Hand of the King for Robert.
"Aye, I am. How did you know?" He muttered.
"Because you look like the man I was in your position. It seems like a long time ago now, that's for sure."
Cregan looked to the ground from his one good eye. "I suppose it was a while ago now."
"I almost forgot," Eddard said suddenly. "I took your pin and never gave it back. Here, take it now before that sorcerer Bloodraven steals it. Maegor seemed interested in it too."
He handed him the pin after examining it once more. "Did you know I never wished to be Hand of the King? I only did so because my brother in all but blood asked me to, and I received a letter suggesting he was in trouble, so I went South to prevent that." He sighed. "Yet I died anyway. I was not prepared for the court, yet you were, Lord Cregan, somehow."
Cregan returned a gaze to the younger man's eyes. "I may have been too tough on you, Lord Eddard. My words were harsh. You could not have predicted Joffrey would do such a thing, and you tried to do what was right and save your friend. I used to believe I would have survived if I had been in your positions, and maybe I would have, but I did not give you enough credit, so I ask for your forgiveness for my cruel words before I left."
Eddard smiled at him. "There is nothing to forgive, Lord Cregan. Three of my children are alive and will have happier lives because of you. Rickon has a second chance because you chose to bring him with you. The realm is safe in your hands, my lord, and in the hands of Jon and this Daenerys."
"Are you not upset that I stopped your children from being more successful? Sansa was Queen in the North in your time, and Bran was King of the Six Kingdoms."
Ned looked away for a moment. "Aye, I am sad that the North does not have its freedom, in some ways, but what was more important to me, Lord Stark is my children's happiness. Sansa was all alone in the North, and Bran…Bran had died a long time ago and was controlled by the Night King, not to mention Arya was sailing across the world on a pointless task, and Jon was miserable in the Night's Watch again."
"The alternative you gave my children, and yes, Jon is my child too, in all but name, is not perfect, my lord. I will always mourn Bran for what happened to him, but they seem happy, and after all that happened to them, that is what matters to me."
"You have my thanks, Lord Eddard. Can we share a toast?"
"Yes, of course, please come inside. I will…." He then stopped and stared at a figure that had appeared. "Dowager Queen Visenya, it is nice to see you again. You have my thanks for all your help training my daughters."
"They have more power than either of us could ever imagine, Lord Stark and not just Arya. May I have a moment alone with my betrothed?"
"Yes, of course." He then turned to Cregan. "Lord Cregan, I will see you inside the castle for further celebration."
Cregan nodded as the other man walked off, leaving him alone with Visenya.
"Betrothed. So you really do plan to marry me. How is your son taking the news?" He asked.
"Better, I left him with the notion that the King and Queen would name their second-born child after him, so that will distract him for the time being."
"At the fall of the sanity of our King and Queen, no doubt." He chuckled.
"Why me, Visenya?" he asked her suddenly. "Why would you choose me as your husband, of all people."
There was a long moment of silence while he waited for her to respond.
"Because I know you will be content with us not having children, you certainly have plenty of heirs, and as the years go on, that list is sure to grow. "
He pushed further. "Aye, we would not have any more children, that is true, but there has to be a reason you would choose me."
"Because I know you would not expect me to take part in any duties expected of me if I were to be anyone else's wife."
"Well, I know by now that no matter how many times I scream and shout, you refuse to back down, so it would be foolish of me to expect such a thing from you."
"Exactly."
"And, most importantly… I have come to care for you, Lord Stark. I have felt things for you that I have not felt in a long time. So I think putting those…feelings into action makes sense."
"Aye, I have feelings for you too, Visenya." He smiled.
The silence seemed through once again.
Visenya then stood up. "You know what this means, don't you?"
"No, but I suppose you are going to tell me." He japed.
"Before the wedding, we must have a tourney, a melee, to be exact. This is once your leg is healed, of course, as I expect you to compete."
"Very well," Cregan said. "Whom else do you expect to compete in this wedding tourney of ours?"
She laughed at him. "Isn't it obvious, Cregan? Everyone will be competing." Visenya exclaimed.
What the fuck was that suppose to mean?