Silver Stag

Bastard Of Winterfell

[Dragonstone - Throne Room]

Jon approached the throne room and Dothraki guards opened the doors to allow him in.

He was walking with Tyrion, Missandei, Davos and other Dothraki guards.

Daenerys was sitting on the throne. Beside her was an unknown, silver haired man, whom could only be her brother, and Princess Aelinor.

"You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, rightful heir to the Iron Throne, rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, The Unburnt, The Breaker of Chains." Missandei recited.

They failed to notice Aelinor look at her husband. She still could not get over the pretentious sounding nature of her sister-by-law's titles. She had done much, that was true, but to Aelinor, these titles only added to the arrogant aura her sister-by-law seemed to exude. Not much different to her mother, at least in matters of the importance they placed on the titles bestowed upon them.

Jon turned and looked at Davos.

"This is Jon Snow." Davos nodded and paused. "He's Warden of the North."

Tyrion smirked to himself.

"Thank you for traveling so far, My Lords. I hope the seas weren't too rough."

"The winds were kind, Your Grace." Jon replied.

"I am told your bannermen wished to crown you King In The North."

"Apologies. I have a Flea Bottom accent, I know. But Jon Snow refused the title, Your Grace. He instead agreed to rule Winterfell with his sister, the Lady Sansa. The North claimed independence from the Seven Kingdoms and was freed by their brother, the last King In The North, Robb Stark."

"Forgive me -" Daenerys paused, waiting for his name.

"Your Grace, this is Ser Davos Seaworth." Tyrion told her.

"Forgive me, Ser Davos. I nevr did receive a formal education, but I could have sworn the last King in the North was Torrhen Stark who bent the knee to my ancestor Aegon Targaryen in exchange for his life and the lives of the northmen. Torrhen Stark swore fealty to House Targaryen in perpetuity. But do I have my facts wrong?"

"I wasn't there, Your Grace."

"No. Of course not. But still, an oath is an oath. In perpetuity means -- what does perpetuity mean, Lord Tyrion?"

"Forevr."

"Forevr. So I assume, My Lord, that you're here to bend the knee."

"I am not." Jon disputed.

"Oh. Well, that is unfortunate. You've travelled all this way to break faith with House Targaryen?"

"Break faith? Your father burned my grandfather alive. He burned my uncle alive. He would have burned the Seven Kingdoms."

Though his father was not his father, Rickard and Brandon Stark were still his grandfather and uncle respectively.

Daenerys looked at her brother before turning back to Jon Snow. "Our father was an evil man. On behalf of House Targaryen, I ask your forgiveness for the crimes he committed against your family. And I ask you not to judge a daughter by the sins of her father. Our two houses were allies for centuries. Those were the best centuries the kingdom's evrr known. Centuries of peace and prosperity with the Targaryens sitting on the Iron Throne and a Stark serving as Warden of the North. I am one of the last Targaryens, Jon Snow. Honor the pledge your ancestor made to mine. Bend the knee and I will officially name you Warden of the North. Together we will save this country from those who would destroy it."

"You're right. You're not guilty of your father's crime. And I'm not beholden to my ancestor's vows."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I need your help and you need mine."

Daenerys smirked and looked over at Tyrion before turning her attention back to Jon. "Did you see three dragons flying overhead when you arrived?"

"I did."

"And did you see the Dothraki, all of whom have sworn to kill for me?"

"They're hard to miss."

"But still, I need your help?"

"Not to defeat Cersei. You could storm King's Landing tomorrow and the city would fall. Hell, we almost took it and we didn't even have dragons." Davos noted.

"Almost." Tyrion reiterated.

"But you haven't stormed King's Landing. Why not? The only reason I can see is you don't want to kill thousands of innocent people. It's the fastest way to win the war but you won't do it. Which means at the very least you're better than Cersei." Jon said.

"Still, that doesn't explain why I need your help."

"Because right now you and I and Cersei and everyone else, we're children playing at a game screaming that the rules aren't fair."

Daenerys turned to Tyrion. "You told me you liked this man."

"I do."

"In the time since he's met me he's refused to call me queen, he's refused to bow and now he's calling me a child."

"I believe he's calling all of us children. Figure of speech."

"Your Grace, everyone you know will die before winter is over if we don't defeat the enemy to the North." Jon explained.

"As far as I can see, you are the enemy to the North."

"I am not your enemy. The dead are the enemy."

Daenerys paused. "The dead?" She addressed Tyrion. "Is that another figure of speech?"

Instead, Jon answered her. "The Army of the Dead is on the mqrch."

"The Army of the Dead?" Tyrion asked.

"You don't know me well, My Lord, but do you think I am a liar or a madman?" Jon questioned.

"No, I don't think you're either of those things."

"The Army of the Dead is real. The White Walkers are real. The Night King is real. I've seen them. If they get past the wall and we're squabbling amongst ourselves-"

Jon began walking closer to the throne. The Dothraki guards stepped towards him to halt him.

"-we're finished." Jon told them.