Rivers of Fire and Blood

Jon VIII

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Ice and Fire Novels, Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon TV shows. However, I decided to have a little play around with the characters. I do not earn any money from writing these stories, it is for my entertainment and is something I like to share.

Arya took charge of Winterfell with Ser Davos as her right hand man while Jon and Sansa spent the next two days flying around the remaining houses. Their first stop had been at Barrowtown and House Dustin. Lady Barbrey had survived the Long Night, and knew all about what had happened although they hadn't sent men to help them. Nor had they helped during the Battle of the Bastards. Jon and Sansa knew it was unlikely the old woman would help, but they needed to know why she was so cold to the family and if they could rectify the matter. Just to make matters worse, they arrived on dragonback, something which appeared to be a rather sore point with the matriarch. Such was her annoyance, Sansa was not received like the Queen she was, instead the old woman was defiant, which meant she had good reason.

They entered the gloomy great hall, where Lady Dustin was bedecked in a black woollen dress, with hints of gold jewellery, and sat on a huge chair, looking down on them with a cynical look. Her cheeks were pulled in so tight, Jon thought she looked like she was sucking on sour lemons.

"My Lady." Sansa said. "I am Que..." Sansa started.

"I know who you are." Lady Barbrey looked Sansa up and down. "You look like your mother." she turned to Jon. "You were once the bastard of Winterfell, and I still believed you were Ned's bastard, Jon Snow isn't it, even though I'd heard rumours you were a Targaryen. Then I saw that dragon land on my property. But more importantly I saw your face. No doubting who your father was." she spat. Jon looked at Sansa in surprise. Nobody had ever mentioned that he looked like anything other than a Stark. "All you are missing is the silver hair." she looked him up and down. "And you're shorter than him. He was quite tall."

"You met my father?" Jon frowned.

"Aye I did, saw him once, not long before he kidnapped your mother. Couldn't miss him. Handsome fella he was. I would've been smitten myself if I hadn't have been wed. then my husband was killed going on a mission with your father." she glared at Sansa. "He never had the decency to return Willam's bones to me." Jon knew that was the crux of the matter, she'd never been able to lay her husband to rest. To get her on their side, he knew he needed to make a bargain.

"They are in Dorne." Jon told her. "I might be able to find them for you." he offered.

"How? Do you know exactly where they are in Dorne? It is a big place." she snapped.

"I might be able to get that information from House Dayne." Jon told her, Sansa frowned at him.

"What does House Dayne have to do with it other than Ser Arthur being one of those involved in the melee which killed him?" the old woman asked, Jon picked up her voice was softening somewhat.

"Ser Arthur Dayne served my father to the bitter end. It was his job to protect my mother and I after my father died. Nobody knew she was carrying me. My uncle, Lord Eddard returned their house sword Dawn to House Dayne. I believe they would know where he is buried, along with your husband." Jon explained. "Your house was once loyal to House Targaryen and then to House Stark."

"What's your name boy? Your real name." Lady Barbrey asked.

"Aegon Targaryen." Jon almost whispered, he hated using that name, the comfort and anonymity of Jon Snow was beginning to appeal to him more and more, every time he uttered his birth name.

"Ha!" Lady Barbrey laughed. "Now that's more like it. Your father may have been a handsome bastard, but he was as arrogant as they came. He knew how to charm women, and bed them I suppose. You are not like your father, even though you have more reason for arrogance than he ever did. You have many tales told about you, either they are very tall or you are someone special. Which brings me to ask, if you are special, why have you come to see a crotchety old woman like me?"