1,798authorsnotes: sorry this took a hot minute but I am so so so happy of how this chapter turned out, I cannot wait for you to read it!
also I promise there will be another pre-christmas update, thanks for sticking with me
do enjoy, do review
songrecs: Dragons Will Rule The Kingdom – HOD Season 1
'I see you. I see you, wolf child. Blood child. You are cruel to come to my hill, cruel. I gorged on grief at Summerhall, I need none of yours. Begone from here, dark heart. Begone!'
- the Ghost of High Heart to Arya Stark
-x-
Come morning, Jon realized, upon waking, aches and pains gone, head cleared, a spring in his step, that he was perhaps too healed.
There would be questions from Robb, questions as to how he wasn't limping, where his cuts had gone, why he seemed like a man who'd spent yesterday relaxing in a warm lake with some mead, fruit and a woman at his side.
Jon with a look in the mirror, to his face, younger still, but looking older now than when he'd first come back, how long had it been since he'd returned? Five moons? Six? So little time and yet it had felt like an age.
He didn't even know how to look at time anymore, what it meant, what would happen if he died again.
He brushed a hand of his ribs, where the wound had been, now only a thin white line. What if he had died? What if he had drowned, or that wound had toppled him? Where would he have woken? Four lives now instead of five. All the way back in Winterfell? Sooner? Earlier even?
He thought of all of this with a heaviness to his shoulders, to his heart. If he lived until fifty namedays in this lifetime and then an ailment took him would he rise, 19 to his name again?
Would it ever end?
He didn't want this, this eternal life, like a wanderer scouring the world, alone, five lives to live, surely by the fifth it would just be him, everyone else gone, dead, buried, bones in the ground, or only the dust remaining.
But, if he got them to their old age, if they lived full lives before going to the snow and soil, as man was meant to, would it make it all worth it?
Yes, but it wouldn't make it any easier.
But that was his duty now, his burden, one he would weather, and ultimately weather alone.
The book chimed then, as though to remind him, he wasn't alone, even as he felt it.
Level Up!
That gave him cause to smile, something positive, the day prior had been hard, but it was all worth it, for more reasons than one.
The Mountain was dead.
Dead and gone.
Well, Jon at least hoped so, he was proof after all dead didn't necessarily mean gone.
But as far as Jon knew the Mountain was dead, his siblings to some level avenged and a monster taken off the continent. And he, Robb, and their direwolves had done that, no one would know but that didn't matter, what mattered was that he was gone, dead, and would terrorise no longer.
His siblings could rest, he'd never known them, and they'd never be to him what the Starks were, but he looked up for a moment, hoping they were looking down, from whatever existed beyond what he'd been pulled back from, hoping they were at rest.
And at that moment was perhaps the least likely he expected the book to chime in.
Quest Alert!
Real Death
Find out what the next adventure is after this life!
Die, all five times.
Reward: You find out what comes next … at the cost to what is now.
Failure: You're alive, or never made it, or perhaps you did.
Well, that was suitably ominous, and completely beyond what Jon needed to worry about now, even if it made him feel a chill run across the back of his neck, he pushed it away, lingering on the line 'Die all five times' just once, fearing what that meant, fearing he was right.
To be a wanderer forever …
He hoped not, but once again what could he do? Focus on the now, and hope next time he died, he didn't awake.
And so, Jon needed to stop being melancholy, contemplating himself in the mirror, that for a moment he could have sworn he saw a ghost of purple in the depths, but shaking his head, almost like Ghost after a bath, he moved on.
He needed to avoid Robb, at least for a day or two, he shouldn't look this fresh, and so, early as it was, Jon made to leave, hoping Robb would spend the day as Jon would have not so healed; hiding in his room and licking his wounds, still Jon left word with the guard that he'd gone for a walk to check on any whispers, and hurried off, Ghost at his heels.
His long cloak swept the floor, he'd worn a tunic with long sleeves, and his breeches and boots of course, most of him was covered, in case others wondered where his tourney wounds had gone.
Though he didn't intend to be around people for long.
Instead, he made his way to the tunnels.
They were easier to slip into now, instead of going the long route around by the kitchens, knowing they were gone, with the pang in his chest, he went to the guest wing where the Tyrells had inhabited.
He fancied he could still smell roses on the air as he found the door hidden behind the tapestry he'd come out of, that fateful time.
'I don't think you're supposed to be down here my Lord'
'And what are you doing here then, Jon Snow?'
He pushed back any feelings of Margaery reminded of the quest, he would see her again, and he didn't intend for it to take a year.
For now, he had to focus on what he could control, and so, roses in the air, he moved on. And so, he was into the tunnels and making his way hastily to his safe room within minutes.
The castle was large, and it took him a while, torch in hand, pack full of provisions, Ghost behind him, red and sure eyed needed no light, and Jon fancied his eyes were adjusting to the dark as he rounded each corner, knowing it better and better now. He was thankful he was healed, knowing he'd have never made the journey battered and bruised.
But this was the place he could hide; this was the place Maegor had intended for Kings to use, and here Jon was.
And then he found his safe room, door propped with a rock to ensure it couldn't close on him. It wasn't comfortable per say, but it was functional, the chest in the corner he checked once, but the book had told him it was a safe storage spot, and he trusted it.
Still, he couldn't resist a glance inside, at the dragons egg, large and dark, cold to touch and yet it thrummed with something, but for now it lay dormant, cold, nestled in Jons spare cloak, safe.
Was it because he was half Targaryen? Or just a man, that he imagined hatching it, lingered on it for a moment before shutting the trunk, he had work to do.
And so, he propped his torch in a wall bracket, laid down the blanket he'd packed on the floor, and huddled down with his book.
It was dark, lit only by fire, but with Ghost settling down by him, some dried meat they shared, it was comfortable enough, Jon had suffered far worse.
And most importantly it was private.
His rooms were too well known, Robb or any of the Stark guards or household could come in, and any royalty from the family could spy, Jon was confident he was alone down here, had swept the room many time for hidey holes or spy slits and found none, it was quiet, Ghost was his guard and detector of anyone nearby, nose and eyes in the dark as he was. He was alone here.
And so, he pulled out the book, knowing he could do so uninterrupted.
There were snakes, spiders in the walls here, he could never be too careful.
Down here it was like breathing a sigh of relief.
Especially as he opened it, and it popped up again:
Level Up!
XP: 2900/2500.
You have climbed 1 level, to Level 6!
As always as you have levelled up you have the option to add ten points to 'GENERAL' skills for each point you could add to BASE STATS. Thus, for each level you can add 10 points to BASE STATS, or 100 points to GENERAL SKILLS (spread out).
Further, now you have surpassed Level 5 with each level you will get an additional bonus to levelling! These may be vast or small.
For Level 6 you gain the ability to see warg potential with different animal companions! This means you will be able to see any potential companions name, level and warging potential. Remember not all animals can be warged into, and you can only have three companions! Plus, warging is very difficult with unbonded animals, consider this, and consider making friends first!
Well, he hadn't expected that, and felt a need to pat Ghost, he had little intention of taking on other companions, his loyalty to Ghost ran deep, and yet it was something to think about, to have a raven for example, eyes in the sky could be of great use, he thought of Orell, and his eagle, and how he had been able to see miles away, was that something Jon could do?
Was that something that could only help him? He glanced at the chest as well, there was another companion he wouldn't refuse, how could he? And yet that felt a while away.
Something to think about, as he offered Ghost another pat and turned back to the book. Time to look at his stats.
He once again pulled our parchment he'd packed, a quill and wrote out his current points, checking the book to do so:
STR: 25
PER: 26
END: 18
CHA: 18
INT: 17
AGI: 19
LUC: 11
MAG: 8
Before tapping the BASE STATS with his quill, they were harder to come by, his general skills came up in quests a lot more, and so it made sense to focus on his base stats.
And in particular he looked at the INTELLIGENCE score, and how he needed to add to that.
Also, was it wise to keep avoiding MAGIC? Considering all the magic the quests had been hinting at? And yet 10 points didn't go very far.
He spent a few minutes on it, scratching behind Ghosts ears absent mindedly, before he came up with a spread he was happy with, though he could always use more points, he would take what he got.
STR: 25 (-)
PER: 27 (1)
END: 21 (3)
CHA: 18
INT: 20 (3)
AGI: 20 (1)
LUC: 11
MAG: 10 (2)
He focused on AGILITY and ENDURANCE, as that was what had saved him against the Mountain, and yet not every opponent would be slow, he needed to be prepared for stronger, quicker, faster opponents, and adding to those two categories seemed wise.
He always felt a need to add an extra point into PERCEPTION considering how often it helped him, in this life and the last. His INTELLIGENCE score was long overdue some points, hence the 3.
And then finally perhaps it was time to stop ignoring MAGIC, and so he rounded it up.
10 points, countless XP and weeks of work, all gone that quickly, and then:
Level 6
Current XP: 400/3000XP
The grind continued, but Jon was smiling, he was levelling up, he had quests to complete, and a headstart on XP.
And then …
Well done on levelling up! As more levels come so do more potential skills and abilities, but with these come responsibilities! And its time to learn some of those.
A reminder:
Current Quest!
Targaryen Tragedy
Research the Story of Summerhall
Reward: 10 History Knowledge, 200 XP, A hidden memory, unlock the quest: Valyrian Tragedy
Failure: -20 History Knowledge, the memory is lost to time
-x-
Quest Alert!
Valyrian Tragedy
LOCKED
Understand how far back tragedies span
Reward: A hidden memory of your ancestors
Failure: The memory is lost to time
Quests upon quests, the book truly never stopped, and yet Jon was glad for it, glad for the distraction, especially with quests like this one, quests that gave him memories, knowledge, information.
Knowledge after all was power.
And so, he picked himself up from the floor, dusted off his breeches, whistled to Ghost, and made his way for the library.
As healed as he was Jon thought a day of reading and resting might be a good balm for the fighting from the day before, though he tried to tell himself that, as he passed a window and saw the sun outside, the promise of the breeze on his face for a ride, or a tumble through the woods with Ghost, he forced himself into the bowls of the Red Keep, Ghost trotting behind.
He had tragedies to learn, to prevent others.
A day outside could wait.
The History of Summerhall by Archmaester Kleetus was long, overly wordy and seemed to focus on debunking the rumour that Maesters had started the fire to rid magic and dragons from the world.
Three chapters in and Jon was more convinced they were behind the tragedy.
Another chapter and it went back onto the shelf, and Jon looked for something with a little less bias.
And that was how he came across The Tragedy of Summerhall by Historian Dorian Hanservy, a Dornish Historian who (aside from his comments on how the Targaryens had gotten what they deserved), was mostly neutral and laid out the history for Jon to read.
A history of his ancestors, his family, that had ended in tragedy.
If he had been a Targaryen Prince from birth, raised by those ancestors would they have read to him the pain this had caused their family? Would he have learned the hard histories of dragons being gone from the world? Of the Targaryens being stripped of such power that had been crucial to them?
A line in the book said it all;
'Targaryens without their dragons, were unfortunately for them just like everyone else'
Any divine right, any fear of conquerors had vanished when their dragons had.
And that had been with Summerhall.
He continued through the book, Ghost at his feet napping, Jon wished he could join him, he was no scholar, no historian, but this book was easier to read, and yet he couldn't find it interesting not when it detailed such a tragedy to his family.
He didn't consider how much more and more he was now considering himself half Targaryen, just as much as he did Stark.
He couldn't undo years of being a Stark, but he could acknowledge the reality of his ancestry, the dragon egg he felt something with hidden away in the tunnels, and the thrum of fire in his blood.
Had it always been there and he was just now aware of it? Or had dying and awaking ignited it in him?
He could barely even explain it, what he felt, something in his blood, some kind of urgency, a fire that hadn't been there before.
Or had it?
The book of course, offered something
PERK!
Blood of the Dragon
Remember you are a Targaryen, 1 MAG, Quest: A History of Dragons.
That was interesting, welcome, even if he felt a sting at the betrayal of his Stark side; he knew he had to stop thinking like that, and yet it was difficult, but it was good, to identify more with his fathers side, a side that could only help him, the Targaryens had been legends after all.
And the quest.
Quest Alert!
A History of Dragons
Read about all the great dragons of Targaryen history
Reward: A secret
Failure: It remains hidden
Interesting, that seemed odd rewards and failures for a book reading quest, he was tempted to move to that over Summerhall but he forced himself to remain with his current book, the rewards were good and he needed to avoid Robb for a few days, he could read more tomorrow.
He glanced out the window again but pressed on.
He read long into luncheon about how the Aegon Targaryen, known as the Unlikely had gathered those closest to him at Summerhall, and Jon realized as he read the family tree, Aegon had been the younger brother of Maester Aemon, who had called his younger brother Egg.
Jon felt a pang for the old Maester (would they meet again?), before continuing.
Aegon had gathered his family, and then Jon read the letter penned by the Maester Corso of Summerhall before his death:
'The blood of the dragon gathered in one…
… seven eggs, to honor the seven gods, though the king's own septon had warned…
pyromancers …
… wild fire …
… flames grew out of control … towering … burned so hot that …
… died, but for the valor of the Lord Comman…'
The King Aegon, Egg, had died, as had Prince Duncan Targaryen, Duncan the Tall and the Maester himself who'd spent his final moments penning the fragments of history that now was all that was left of Summerhall.
A few witnesses, children, and potentially King Jaeherys Targaryen had never spoken of it, the rest of the book was speculation, but the widely accepted theory had been that Aegon had been attempting to hatch dragon eggs, using pyromances and wild fire, and had failed.
Or Maesters had sabotaged it.
Jon wasn't sure what he believed, did it matter? They had failed, and the truth had died to the pages of history.
Quest Completed!
Targaryen Tragedy
Research the Story of Summerhall
Reward: 10 History Knowledge, 200 XP, A hidden memory, unlock the quest: Valyrian Tragedy
= History Knowledge: 55, XP: 600/3000XP, Quest Unlocked: A Valyrian Tragedy
Before Jon could read the quest, he everything go dark, as though he were warging, or was being submerged into water, and then when he blinked, he was somewhere new.
He had expected Summerhall, and yet …
He was in the woods
But not just any woods.
And in front of him was a woman.
But not just any woman.
Jon knew her from the stories instantly, three feet tall, white hair touching the ground, pale flesh, red eyes.
The Ghost of High Heart.
Jon had heard of her enough in childhood folk stories, in Sansa singing over and over the song:
'High in the halls of the kings who are gone, jenny would dance with her ghosts'
'And she never wanted to leave'
Jenny and the Ghost had been friends, and now she stood here, but alone, was this Oldstones? No, this was as Jon looked beyond the woman, or rather woods witch, he saw the towering Weirwood and he knew he was at High Heart.
The shiver, burrowing deep to his bones, that the Gods looked upon him here, confirmed it.
He wanted to yell at them, beg them not to make him live five more times, or perhaps ask them why he'd been chosen to return to living, had anyone else? Anyone he could commiserate with? Why were they doing this? Were they?
Jon had accepted the burden, the responsibility, and yet that didn't mean he understood why it was him.
And besides, this was a memory, nothing more, he would be silent and watch -
"Are you going to talk boy?"
He jumped near a foot in the air as the woods witch, who was meant to only be apart of a memory, spoke, and as he hesitated, she speared him with that red gaze, as though to make it clear who she was talking to. "Well?"
"I… how am I here?" He asked, stumbling, he'd expected a memory, like those he'd had before, to be a silent observer, watching, learning, not to be able to talk to a witch who by all means shouldn't be here, ghost or not.
But then he supposed neither should he.
"What a stupid question" She crooned, twisting her gnarled black cane in hand, "Think of a better one"
He hesitated then, what wasn't a stupid question? What was he supposed to ask?
Why was he here?
Not here, not High Heart, but the wider picture.
"Why was I sent back?"
The question that had been subconsciously at the back of his mind, or rather the front of it, but ignored ever since he'd awoken in his bed in Winterfell five or six moons earlier, ignored to be practical, to commit to duty, and yet, never ever forgotten.
"Not for me to answer" She said with a shake of her head, though, was that pity on her face? "You'll get those answers boy, one day, or not, but not from me, and not here, not now"
He had expected those words, and yet something still sunk in him. What question could he ask?
And then he thought of the quest, and why he was here, it wasn't quite a memory, but then he realized, what had the book said?
'Few had survived the tragedy of Summerhall, children and witnesses who wouldn't speak of it, and the Ghost of High Heart, if some believe it'
Ahh, that was why he was here.
He didn't matter, his fears, the questions that made him feel sick with fear and longing didn't matter, not making the same mistakes of the past, or rather never repeating them did.
For he'd been returned for a reason, even if he didn't know it, and that meant understanding.
His tone was only slightly bitter as he said, "Tell me of Summerhall please"
The Ghost seemed to smile, before nodding, "What do you want to know?"
"How did it happen?" He was here to learn, and as much as it hurt, as much as he wanted to scream at the Gods, he could feel them almost over his shoulder, or the Ghost he knew it was no use, his burdens weren't the priority here, and as heavy as that was he could bear it.
Hadn't he everything else?
"Fire, wildfire" The Ghost said, "No dragonfire, that's not how you hatch a dragon, silly descendents" She shook her head, as though annoyed the Targaryens had lost the magic of the dragons, annoyed they'd been too stupid or ignorant to get it back, "Pyromancers chanting, and Maesters cursing, and it all went up in flames" She paused then, "But that's not what matters"
"What matters?" Jon asked but he knew instantly she'd just shake her head, she was to answer his questions, not provide them.
He tried to think, the why didn't matter did it? The Targaryens of new had attempted to hatch dragons and failed, and then Jon realized …
"Why did they fail?" He asked, and the Ghost smiled again, her gums showing, pleased, he was asking the right questions.
"Wildfire is useless for dragonhatching, as is chanting about seven gods" She scoffed, "When I was born the Targaryens shunned the seven gods, it was Valyria they worshipped and Valyria is needed to hatch dragons"
"To go there?" Jon asked, and there was that fire in his blood, something fizzing as it dawned on him why he was here, what this memory was, it wasn't a memory at all really, but learning.
Learning something crucial.
"No, no" She said with a shake of her head, "Just the secrets"
"To hatch dragons I need to learn Valyrias secrets?" He asked, and he couldn't deny bitterness giving way to excitement, giving way to something close to awe, to realization, to what he needed.
What fought ice?
Fire.
"Of course" She said "And the blood, but then you've got buckets of that, icey as it is"
Half Stark, half Targaryen, ice and fire.
Was that why he'd been sent back?
Was who he was? Down to the blood and bone of it all why he was sent back?
But she wouldn't answer that, and for now he had more important things to ask.
"Where do I learn them?" He could hear the fever in his voice now, so could she as she laughed.
"That's for you to figure out, but a visit wouldn't go amiss"
Ahh, and so Jon nodded, a bit dampened, there'd be no charging into the tunnels and awakening Balerions Heir anytime soon, but he remembered the quest:
Quest Alert
Explore Old Valyria
Explore the ruins of Old Valyria to uncover some interesting secrets and trigger the quest 'The Doom'. Careful, this quest will be extremely difficult, and 'The Doom' even harder.
Rewards: Trigger the Quest 'The Doom', 1 LUC, 1 MAG, Unlocks Full Map of Valyria, 500XP.
Failure: Quest, 'The Doom' is locked, -2 LUC, -2 MAG, Full Map of Valyria is locked.
It might take a while, but perhaps he could learn the secrets there, perhaps he could be a real Targaryen, a dragonrider.
He smiled then, nodded at the Ghost, "Thank you"
"You're a patient boy" The Ghost said almost fondly, and Jon noticed her coming closer then, as the edges of his vision went darker, he knew this memory, or rather this experience was almost over, and so he didn't step back, no, as she spoke, his eyes widened, and he stepped forward.
"After all, why hatch when you can just find?"
"Find?" Jon asked frantically as the Ghost laughed again, as the darkness crept and crept, pulling him away, "Where?" He asked, tone frantic, to avoid hatching?! Years and years of waiting, of finding the secrets, to find a dragon now? To potentially take the fight to the Others now?! To ride a dragon as his ancestors of old had done?! "WHERE?!"
"Figure it out Jon Targaryen" She said with a giggle, turning away now, "And drop that silly name"
And before he could utter another word the blackness dragged him back down and away from the Ghost still laughing, the Weirwood behind her watching.
there we go, magic abound!
I loved writing this, and yes, this story will continue to wild out like this, just wait till we get to valyria!
next ... a bit more reading for poor jon, but dragons? lets find out!
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