Stranger - hotd Cregan Stark

23

Upon their return to Winterfell, Valaena took a detour, promising Cregan to land at his home, which he reaffirmed was theirs. She left him, red cheeks and her hands still burning from his fingers rubbing her palm. He was kind, but to her still a stranger.

She was glad to spend some moments alone with her Dragon. And by noon, she had returned to Winterfell as promised. Cregan's men had already left at dawn, and it was Willem Blackwood along with Lord Cerwyn who would oversee Winterfell untill Cregan's swift return.

Valaena had to help Cregan mount Sapphire, he seemed only slightly nervous but she settled on the thought that he was, perhaps just very good at hiding it. He slipped into the saddle easily, she repressed a sigh, and more so a memory of her and Aemond flying on Sapphire as children.

They took to the skies swiftly, Valaena calmed her dragon by whispering to the beast in High Valyrian, raising her voice only to shout commands.

She could feel Cregan craning his neck as they passed Winterfell and villages.

She had flown higher just above the clouds between the cold thick layers the last time she had- well evidently also the first time she had taken him with her, to say farewell to his brother. Of course it would have been faster to fly above clouds, but her mother had once warned her that if you were to take a non rider on Dragonback, it would be unwise to go too high, as they might pass out or get frightened.  She hadn't minded the cold back then as Cregan's bidy kept her very warm.

Valaena grimaced as she ordered her Dragon to fly higher, crossing the cloudy barriers, it left drops of water all over her and Cregan.

"Look around you." Smiled Valaena as she felt him tightening his grip on her waist. Between their thick layers of clothing and cloaks, she couldn't feel his heartbeat, but she was sure his had sped up. The sun sat quite high, and it cast a nice warmth over them. Valaena was glad to be in the sun, Cregan was kind, but were it up to her she would rather marry a Dornish Prince. Which was a bold Statement, considering Dorne was no part of their Seven Kingdoms. But atleast she would get to bask in the sun all day, dip her toes in the rivers and oceans.

She felt more alive with the sun on her face. More at home, Valaena had come to realize that perhaps she had never really known home, not after her father's passing. She had been ripped from her family, in more than one way, raised in a strange family, amongst her uncles and aunt, whom, perhaps were family, but she had cone to realize they were so different from hers. She had dwelled on the memory of her mother's love, stroking her hair and singing her to sleep, her father's wisdom, perhaps not that of Ser Laenor, but mainly that of Ser Harwin, because she suspected as much, and his kindness was more han welcome for her. Yet both had died, in their own horrible ways, and she had been taken away from her family, brought to the capital to be raised as Aemond's wife.

Perhaps it had taken moving to the North, marrying another that so much of her existed only to please her future husband. She had seen it as a curse, as a condemnation, but in reality nothing had been as freeing as being sent to a strange country to be wed.  Her husband, a stranger, atleast he was kind, too focused on his duties, which she saw as a blessing, for she could settle in those first two weeks. Settle in without the pressures of sharing his bed. She thought of their swordlesson. How his hands had traveled up her wrists to show her how to hold the blade, or the way his eyes shone as he tried to hide his laughter resulting from her clumsiness.

Cregan didn't talk much to her during the hours they flew North. Only once when she dipped down low between the clouds, She had asked him if he were able to tell where they were, but he suggested that they fly low. So that they would be able to tell whenever they neared the wall.

Only minutes later did the wall come into sight, but still it took them over half an hour to reach the castle. The wind was loud and made it unable for them to talk to eachother, and so Valaena quietly marveled at the sigh, at the snow.

Apart from her wedding night, when it had snowed, but it hadn't stuck, she had never seen snow before.

It looked magnificent, as if a white blanket had been wrapped around the hills, filling every gap and crevice in a white layer, the air felt thicker, but easier to breathe in and as they flew closer Valaena could only imagine allowing to wrap herself in the snow. She knew it would be horribly cold, but the air was so quiet, and the winds so serene that it looked like a welcome bed rather than frostbite and shivers.

"Do you wish to land slightly away?" Shouted Valaena over the heavy winds. "What would your Dragon prefer?"

"A hill, perhaps a cave?"

Cregan outstretched his left hand, slightly shaking as he pointed it just left of Castle Black. "Over there!"

Their landing was smooth, and Valaena was yet to overcome her wonder of the snow as her boots hit the cold substance. Sapphire roared, causing Cregan Stark, whose hand rested on her waist to step back slightly.

"Mhmm Lykiri." Hummed Valaena as she mentioned for Cregan to take another step back. "It'll be too hot for you, my darling Northern Lord." Joked the Princess as she rested her hands on her Dragon's neck.

She stepped back slightly as well, "Dracarys."

Valaena watched with much amusement as Sapphire cleared the snow around her, the air was hot, and it warmed her cheeks and hands. Her hair felt less damp already, as a Targaryen, she wasn't fireproof, but she could withstand heat that others could not and for this she was gratefull. She kissed her Dragon's snout, whispering something to her in High Valyrian.

"I'm sending her to Dragonstone after your men arrive." Hummed the Princess as she stepped inside the cold snow again. Slightly bending down to grab a handfull of snow. It was soft and powdery, yet it reminded her of clay in some sense. Frowning she pushed it together, taking off her gloves to allow for the soft ice to slide through her fingers. Cregan watched her, holding back laughter as she hissed at the cold of the snow.

"Come."

"Is it true the wall hosts criminals?" Questioned Valaena as she rose. Cregan shook his head only lightly, "For a long Time I had feared it would be but almost all men volunteer, young sons and men without a purpose. At Castle black they learn to fight, and wield the sword. Your ancestors ordered for some Criminals of Kingslanding to join our wall as Punishment, however-" Cregan cast a look at the immense structure, "The Wall is a great place of honor for many Northern men."

"Queen Alysanne ordered them to abandon the Nightfort, and settle here."

"Hundreds of men still occupy the Nightfort, however I felt it was no place for my wife." Smiled Cregan Stark as he offered his arm to Valaena.

"How many men are at the wall?"

"Thousands, but they are shattered all over the castles and watchpoints."   Answered Cregan her as he watched a party of men approach them. The drew a carriage, but also extra horses. It suprised Valaena how well endowed the watch must be.

Cregan Stark nodded at the men who approached them, they all bowed down their heads in respect.

"My Lord, My Princess Lady."

"Obert Caswell" Greeted Cregan back to the older man who had gotten off his horse to properly greet his Lord and Lady. The two shook hands like old friends, and despite the raging cold Valaena could feel something like ancient brotherhood between a Lord of Winterfell and the commander of the Wall.

She noticed the men their eyes looking up at her Dragon, who rested on a nearby hill. "She will depart for Dragonstone, Dragons do not go beyond the wall." Affirmed Valaena.
She watched the men, their eyes had gone slightly larger, they probably never would have seen a Dragon before. Their boots dug into the snow while their black cloaks lapped behind them in the howling wind. She could see Castle Black, perched between multiple smaller buildings, and then behind it, a wall so large and vast that Valaena had to crane her neck to see the top, even if she stood so incredibly far away from it. Castle Black looked magnificent, larger than she had expected it to be. In the south, there wasn't much reverence towards the Night's watch, in fact some even dared look down upon in.

Obert Caswell commanded thousands of men and the earth's hum drummed through Valaena's bones as she made her way through the snow, towards Castle Black.

Could she accept the North as her home?

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I have had to attend a few funerals, ao hence my silence, I hope you all enjoy this chapter