59Chapter 11. The North Remembers
The screen had gone as white as snow as the last feed ended. The people present in the room sat in astonished silence having just witnessed the birth of what they believed to be creatures of the old. "Dragon's fly again" Rhaegar said in stunned awe. He could not believe his baby sister would be able to do something that their mad father and those before him have tried so hard to do and fail in horrible ways. Ned and Robert looked at each other and shared meaningful glances yet were on opposite sides of the spectrum. Ned still believed killing Daenerys would be the dishonorable thing to do while Robert just wanted her dead. But both were sure on one thing, Cersei and her eldest mad bastard needed to be dealt with swiftly. Jaime stood in silence, still going through the memories of the future version of himself had collected in this very room. Tywin was silently fuming at the work of his foolish daughter and her bastard son, neither was getting his support for they had tarnished the Lannister name. Jaime he was not sure what he would do to him yet. Mance and Jeor were conversing heavily on how the threat beyond the wall was not the free folks and how the free folks could be useful to the men of the wall once they were allowed safe passage before they joined the growing army of the night king. The people from the future though did not say much or have much to discuss since this was still in their past.
Before they could settle down, Sky appeared in a flash of bright light and stood in front of them with a hard look on his face but his eyes had a playful twinkle in them. _"So you have seen the first year of the starting of this disaster"_ he said in a deep voice as the rest nodded. _"Now I would be sending a few of you back and when I do, you know what to do. But be warned, do not interfere with the birth of the dragon for that would bring your demise far swifter than you can ever imagine"_ he said the last few lines looking straight at Robert who seemed to not like the instructions but nodded in understanding, as did the others from the past. Sky nodded and clicked his fingers as Robert Baratheon disappeared from the room, _"He is not needed for this next part. Ned you might be dead but you still have ways you can be of help. And Rhaegar and Lyanna..you are here to know what it is your families do and how big of a player they are for the future, even though knowing would do no good for you two since you are dead"_ he said. Most just nodded thinking that he was talking about the Stark children and Danaerys, but Ned, Catelyn, Lyanna and Rhaegar knew there was one exception to all this, Jon Snow. Sky disappeared and the screen behind him turned pitch black before a new scene opened up.
Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's rangers arrive at Craster's Keep having passed several abandoned wildling villages. Jon Snow, Grenn, Dolorous Edd and, Samwell Tarly are repulsed by Craster, who has many wives, most of whom are also his own daughters, but who seemingly has no sons.
"Disgusting" Catelyn said with pure venom in her voice. She did not lie this Crasterfor defiling the purity of relations. "That he is my lady. But he provides us with much help beyond the wall, so we look the other way" Jeor grumbled. Catelyn nodded her head in understanding but she did not like it one bit.
Craster tells Jeor that he has not seen the missing Benjen Stark and reports that the other wildlings are assembling for the King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder. Jon challenges their host, who is low and crude, but is demanding and demeaning when he is talking to the noble Commander Mormont. When Craster refers to them as southerners, Jon argues with him. Jeor reprimands Jon, noting that Craster may be disgusting, but the Night's Watch needs him. His information and shelter in the harsh conditions north of the Wall have helped them many times before. Mormont asks Jon if someday he wants to lead and tells him that first he needs to "learn how to follow."
"Words that have helped me out in many situations" Jon said with a smile. Jeor looked at Jon and assessed the man. He was worn, probably seen a lot of battles, not as much as him or his lord father but has his own share of stories. Jeor returned the smile with a nod and a small smile, a courtesy smile but a smile nonetheless.
King Joffrey Baratheon holds a tournament to celebrate his nameday on the walls of the Red Keep. He is irritated by Ser Dontos Hollard, who arrives both late and intoxicated for his bout. Joffrey orders his guards to pour an entire barrel of wine down Dontos' throat with a funnel.
Sansa growled under her breath. Even after his demise, he was still high on her hate list. Not as high as Ramsey but still up there.
Sansa Stark intercedes telling Joffrey that ordering a death on one's name day is bad luck. Joffrey dismisses this as a mindless superstition, but Sandor Clegane seconds her. Sansa convinces Joffrey to instead make Dontos his court fool, for which Dontos is grateful. Tyrion Lannister arrives back in King's Landing, to Joffrey's disdain, but to the delight of Tommen and Myrcella who had worried that he was dead.
"So the bastard king doesn't want his imp uncle around? How rude" Tyrion said with a smirk, taking a sip of his wine.
The small council are in session to discuss the Conclave's announcement that the long summer has ended. Cersei orders the city gates closed to refugees from the war in the Riverlands. When Tyrion arrives with a letter from Lord Tywin, appointing him as acting Hand of the King in Tywin's stead, Cersei becomes livid. She is suspicious that Tyrion is taking power for himself, but he convinces her that he is there to act as an advisor. He criticizes his sister for failing to rein in Joffrey and overseeing numerous bad decisions, particularly the execution of Ned Stark. Their actions have sparked a war, which, he adds, their side is currently losing. He is even more incredulous when he learns that Arya Stark escaped, pointing out how much stronger their position could have been with three Stark hostages. Tyrion hides his lover Shae in his chambers in theTower of the Hand because he was forbidden by his father to bring her with him. She is initially thrilled at being brought to the capital, and says that big cities make her "want to fuck".
Tyrion rolled his eyes disdainfully, inhaling a chalice of wine in one go.
Cersei tasks Petyr Baelish with finding Arya. She needles Petyr about his unrequited love for Catelyn and he counters by referencing her relationship with Jaime, telling her that knowledge is power. She responds by threatening his life in a demonstration of her control over her guards, ordering them to first seize Baelish and cut his throat and almost immediately rescinding the order. She warns him that power is power.
"Should have killed that bastard off right there she should have. And save us all the pain he later caused" Jon growled lowly, Daenerys patting his hand to try calm him down. Catelyn sat in her seat, ondering what Petyr could have done to her family, having heard Jon's growling rant.
Joffrey redecorates his throne room, hoping to restore the intimidating grandeur it held under the Targaryens. He refuses his mother's suggestion that they ask Tywin Lannister for aid in the search for Arya because he does not feel it is necessary to find her and does not feel it is fitting for a king to ask for help.
"Arrogant fool" Jeor barks out earning nods from all of the people present.
He blames Tywin for their losses in the war and the capture of Jaime.
Tywin's eyes hardened as he looked at his bastard of a grandson.
Having heard rumors about his parentage, he confronts his mother. She dismisses it as gossip spread by his enemies. He questions her about his father's bastard children and insults her by saying that Robert had grown tired of her. She slaps him, and he warns her never to hit him again under threat of death.
"That is no way to talk to his mother" Catelyn fumed. "I think we have already come to the conclusion that this Joffrey bastard is an arrogant child who would burn the whole kingdom down if he stays in power for too long" Rhaegar said with steel in his eyes.
Lord Janos Slynt leads a city-wide massacre of Robert's bastards. The infant Barrais killed in Petyr's brothel in front of her mother and the prostitute Ros. Tobho Mott is interrogated and reveals that Gendry has left the city as a recruit of the Night's Watch. He says that Gendry can be identified by his bull's head helm. Gendry and Arya are travelling north on the Kingsroad with Yoren's recruits. At Winterfell, Bran Stark suffers through the petty complaints of his vassals, facing unrest at Robb Stark calling his banners and taking the young men south. Maester Luwin guides him in carrying out a lord's duties.
Bran smiled ever so slightly, remembering the old maester and his teachings.
Bran dreams that he is his direwolf Summer walking in the Godswood, and when he looks in the pool, he sees Summer's reflection not his own which wakes him. He has Osha and Hodor take him to the pool and is reassured to find that his waking reflection is his own. They discuss the phenomenon of the Red Comet, as many people think it means different things. Osha tells him she believes it signifies the return of dragons to the world.
"So much legend the men beyond the walls know" Tyrion mused. "While you southeners put logic into your beliefs and clouded the old religion, we stuck with them. We all know about every legend ever told in the north from the beginning of time and have preserved them" Tormund grumbled out.
On the island of Dragonstone, King Stannis Baratheon allows his advisor Melisandre to burn statues of the gods of the Faith of the Seven as an offering to her deity the Lord of Light.
Stannis blinked in surprise at the actions of his future self.
Maester Cressen is outraged at the affront to his gods and fearful that Melisandre is leading Stannis into a war that he cannot win. Melisandre proclaims Stannis a champion of the Lord of Light, as he draws a burning sword from one of the statues. Cressen asks Davos Seaworth to help him intervene but Davos says that it is not the right time. Stannis has received Ned Stark's letter, informing him that he was the true heir of King Robert Baratheon, so he will send copies of a letter announcing his claim to the throne of the Seven Kingdoms to Lords throughout the realm. He details the incestuous relationship between Cersei and Jaime Lannister and challenges Joffrey's legitimacy. He rejects Davos's appeal to consider an alliance with his brother Renly Baratheon, while Renly is claiming the throne for himself, despite Renly having widespread support, or even with Robb Stark, since while Robb does not seek the Iron Throne, he desires Northern independence, which Stannis sees as Robb "stealing the Northern half of his kingdom."
"Understandable why he would think that. That is what a king would see" Ned said to Rob when he saw his son ready to retort. He might be his eldest son and the next heir to Winterfell but he is still too young and does not have the right temperament to lead yet.
Cressen feigns an apology in an effort to trick Melisandre into sharing a cup of poisoned wine with him. Davos sees him drop the poison in the cup, and tries to stop him. He drinks first and hands the cup to her. Melisandre is aware of what Cressen is doing, but smiling she drinks anyway and is unaffected by the poison, and Cressen dies in vain.
"She is one crafty woman" Stannis said."That she is" Tyrion raised his chalice in agreement, knowing Melisandre personally.
Robb receives the letter and interrogates the captive Jaime about his reasons for crippling Bran. Jaime reveals nothing and attacks Robb's decision to keep him in his mobile camp rather than with one of his bannermen as demonstrating a lack of trust. Robb asserts his faith in his men and his concern at the lengths House Lannister would go to in order to free Jaime. His direwolf Grey Wind is almost fully grown and menaces Jaime during the questioning. Robb sends his prisoner Alton Lannister to King's Landing with peace terms. His demands include the release of his sisters, the return of his father's remains along with the remains of all those who served him, and the recognition of the North as a free and independent kingdom. Theon Greyjoy appeals to Robb to send him to Pyke to seek an alliance with his father Balon citing their need for a fleet in order to attack King's Landing.
"That would be a bad idea" Ned warned his eldest.
Catelyn counsels against putting trust in Balon because of his history of rebellion. She asks Robb to consider exchanging Jaime for his sisters. She then asks to return to her younger sons at Winterfell but Robb tasks her with seeking an alliance with Renly and sends Ser Rodrik Cassel instead to Winterfell.
"Listen to your mother. You cannot trust Balon Greyjoy" Ned warned again with a hard look on his face. Rob nodded his head in understanding, this was one thing he would not do and he felt like there were more things he should not do if he were to live long enough to take over from his father who he was determined to not be killed this time.
Daenerys Targaryen leads her diminished khalasar east into the Red Waste to avoid her rivals. She is surrounded by powerful enemies who Ser Jorah tells her will kill her and take her dragons. The deadly emptiness of the Red Waste is her only option. She struggles to make her dragons eat what little meat she has, and her people face starvation. Her beloved white mare, her first gift from Khal Drogo, dies prompting her to halt the march and send three of her bloodriders in three different directions to scout for sustenance and refuge.
"It was tough. But we survived and were stronger because of it" Danaerys said, answering the unasked question of her brother and her allies.