#Targaryen restoration

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Idea #73: Game of Thrones, but make it Lancelot

As anyone can tell you, I have a terrible weakness for female Jon Snow fics, largely because a female heir to the throne allows you to combine claims and explore facets of Westeros in a way that can't be easily done with rival male claimants. And then I thought: if I can have an Anne Boleyn, why not a Lancelot?

Or: What if Jon Snow, the most famed knight of his generation, had an affair with the Queen of Westeros?

Aka: The Lord Protector Fic

Just imagine it:

Everything follows canon, except Cersei Lannister dies in childbirth with her second child, Myrcella. This bothers her husband not at all and, despite Jon Arryn's urging him to remarry to secure his throne, Robert works his way through a series of brothels and mistresses before being forced to marry 14-year-old Margaery Tyrell in 297 in exchange for House Tyrell paying off some of his debts.

When Jon Arryn dies the following year, Robert and his court head north as per canon. While there, Sir Barristan takes interest in young Jon Snow - perhaps he sees something of Rhaegar in the boy, maybe he imagines he sees something of his presumed uncle Arthur Dayne's talent in him - and offers to raise him to knighthood with the aim of one day serving in the Kingsguard.

Ned is unable to turn down the offer, and reluctantly allows Jon to accompany them to King's Landing.

Jon quickly gains a reputation for gallantry and chivalry to rival either Barristan the Bold or Arthur Dayne - he intervenes when Joffrey tries to have Lady put down, makes a strong showing in the Hand's Tourney, and preforms several small acts of standing up for ladies/smallfolk/children that are quickly mythologized. Within two years he's knighted, with some asking if he will be allowed to take up the Sword of Morning as a presumed bastard of House Dayne.

Princess Myrcella is particularly taken with him after he defends her from Joffrey and demands he become her sworn sword until a position opens up in the Kingsguard.

His actions also draw the attention of Queen Margaery, who is even less happy in her position as queen than Cersei was but much better at hiding it. At first it's just friendship couched in a courtly love tradition, but by 299 they're lovers. When she gives birth to Prince Harlen a year later there's no doubt in her mind that Jon is the father.

Meanwhile, King Robert is almost as taken with Jon as his wife and daughter, for here is a version of Ned Stark who is also knightly, willing to take part in tourneys and feasts and dancing, and cannot help but see Jon as the son he never got to have with Lyanna. Instead of allowing Jon to take a position the Kingsguard as they open up, he showers Jon with riches and titles.

After winning a huge purse at the tourney in honor of Prince Harlen's second birthday - and Queen Margaery's second pregnancy - Jon is named Lord Cargyll, taking up the name and lands of the extinct Crownlands house of the same name, changing the golden goose in their banners to a golden direwolf.

After a falling out with Renly a year later, Jon is named Master of Laws...

...and six months later Robert's vices finally catch up with him, infamously being found dead in brothel of particularly ill-repute following an orgy.

Joffrey, now 17, is still very much his mother's son. One of his first acts on being named king is to declare his father's second marriage invalid and his half-siblings, Prince Harlen and Princess Lenna, bastards. His second act is to declare most of his father's Kingsguard and small council traitors for allowing his father to be "lured" to the brothel where he was "assassinated by Targaryen loyalists."

This naturally goes down badly, and though some of the lords named are captured and executed - Ned Stark, Petyr Balish, and Grand Maester Pycelle among them - most manage to escape. Jon in particular is able to get Margaery and the royal children to his lands in the Crownlands, and start raising a rebellion in Prince Harlen's name.

Robb ends up leading an army south to avenge his father, as per canon, but is never named King in the North. He does win several key victories against Tywin Lannister in the west, eventually taking Tywin himself captive. His victories earn him the nickname the Hammer of the West, a la Edward I.

Jon leads the fighting against the Lannister forces in the east, eventually taking King's Landing. The fact that he's able to keep his army from sacking the city and offers Joffrey the chance to take the black earns him the nickname Jon the Just. (Joffrey naturally refuses, tries to attack Jon in a rage, and is very swiftly killed in self-defense.)

In the aftermath, 4-year-old Harlen is crowned king. His mother Margaery is named Queen Regent, with Jon being asked to serve as Lord Protector of the Realm instead of taking one of the open spaces in the Kingsguard. He agrees, and two years later weds Margaery in a ceremony forever known as the Rose Wedding. (It's not as flash as the Golden Wedding, but is still something else.)

Meanwhile, Tywin is sent into exile for his part in abetting Joffrey's actions, with Tyrion taking over as Lord of the Rock. He and Sansa eventually wed and, though their marriage is never one of love, both are are content with their choice.

Robb marries Myrcella. Theirs does end up being a love match, becoming taken with each other when they first meet in the aftermath of Harlen's Rebellion. After their marriage they seem to make it their effort to make up for all of House Stark's losses, eventually having eleven children live to adulthood and marry into various important houses. By their deaths they're known as the Grandparents of Westeros.

Jon goes to his grave thinking he is Ned Stark's son, not knowing he's inadvertently brought about a Targaryen restoration.

Bonuses include: 1) the full force of angst and drama being brought to bear on Jon and Margaery's relationship, from its start as a mutual crush when they first come to each other's attention on the journey from Winterfell until they finally marry in 306. This should include Jon's desire never to father a bastard, Margaery's awareness that infidelity in a queen is treason, and their inability to keep away from each other. Extra bonus points if Margaery is able to pass Harlan and Lenna off as Robert's even to Jon, and not admit the truth until many years later; 2) every possible Camelot illusion that can be made to King Robert's court, made with the full knowledge that the beauty and glamor and chivalry of both courts is just smoke and mirrors, and one doesn't have to go looking very hard to find the gritty, painful, ugly reality beneath; 3) Jon using his time as Lord Protector to force through something like the Magna Carta, which enshrines basic rights that even kings must follow far more than the RL document actually did; and 4) Sansa having a prominent B-plot, slowly realizing during her time at court that not everything can be a song. The turning point of this is not Ned's execution, but her discovery of Jon and Margaery's affair years before - and her active choice to cover for them so that someone at least gets their happy ending.

And that's all I have. As always, feel free to adopt this plot bunny, just link back to me if you do anything with it.

Other Jon Snow Headcanons: Aelor the Accursed | Aegon the Adopted | Aegon the Undying | Aegon the Unyielding | Aemon the Adventurous | Baelor the Brave | Bastard of Winterfell | Daemon the Destroyer | Daena the Dreamer | Daeron the Desired | Dyanna the Defiant | Elia the Magnificent | Jon the Fair | Jon Whitefyre | King of the Ashes | Lady Arryn | Lady Baratheon | Lady Lannister | Lady Stark | Lord of the Dance | Lord Protector | Maekar the Maester | People's Queen | Prince Consort | Prince of Summerhall | Queen Mother | Queen of Nightingales | Red Queen | Rhaegar the Righteous | River Queen | Shiera Snowbird | Visneya the Victorious | Weirwood Queen | Wolf Queen

More Terrible Fic Ideas

[jaenaravelaryon]

Targaryen Restoration: A second Dance-

the Reign of King Aegon VII

King Aegon VII or King Aegon ‘the Lysene King’ was the first born son of King Daeron III (the second born son of King Daemon I) and his Lysene wife Queen Lyretzia of House Delaegare, whom herself was a great niece of the infamous Lady Lysaera Delaegare, wife to the old Lord Aerion of Sunstone. Most notably of her time, she was the eldest daughter to perhaps one of the most famed men of their House, Lord Mysario Delaegare whom now financed many of the crowns endeavors. Aegon himself had been one to take his Lysene roots and flourish with them, though, he was still as much a dragon as any of his own dynasty.

Aegon had been a handsome youth and is said to have won the affection of anyone he desired. Though he is said to have desired none more so than Lady Viserra of Sunstone, whom he was not betrothed and the liaison would over time cause much rivalry within the royal dynasty. His grace had long been arranged to wed the Lady Laena Targaryen of Moonstone and while he was said to be fond of her as well, he had intended to marry both when it came time for such ceremonies.

His father King Daeron had loudly protested the idea, not wishing to provoke the faith or any other needless revolt. Unfortunately, his Majesty would not to live to see his son wed any how. Aegon had even declared before his fathers untimely passing, “We have more dragons than the conquerors did, and more Targaryens. We need not bow to the laws of common men again.”

Though before his own coronation, perhaps in haste of some kind or by his own stubborn impatience, the King took his Ladies of Sunstone and Moonstone as his brides in a Valyrian ceremony on Dragonstone, becoming the first Targaryen king since Maegor ‘the Cruel’ to take more than one wife and the first since Aegon ‘the Conqueror’ himself to have two Targaryen Queens at once.

When the kingdoms learned they would have two Queen consorts as in the days of the conquerors, the two women had flown on the backs of their dragons- Viserra upon her dragon Morghos and Laena upon the mighty Vhaeraxes ‘the White Queen’ who once bore Queen consorts Jonaera and then Queen consort Rhaenys upon her back to attend the coronation of King Aegon, the seventh of his name- King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. Few dared raise their tongues against the union when the queens themselves were crowned alongside him with all of their dragons in attendance as well.

It can be said, at least by several contemporaries of the time that Queen Laena, whom was the great granddaughter of Lady Aelora Targaryen was said to be of the same temperament, keen to jealousy and entitled to her own. Many do agree that while Queen Laena had at first got on well and dealt kindly with Queen Viserra, the relations greatly strained after they had both given birth near the same time and both would only grant the king living daughters then and after.

Queen Laena would give birth to a girl named Jonaera for their ancestor the consort of King Baelon I, whilst Queen Viserra gave a more Lysene inspired Valyrian name Maelara to her own daughter. The girls had been born but a fortnight apart from one another with Maelora being the eldest, but Viserra had not been the intended consort but the desired. Had the old King lived and Aegon not survived him, Princess Jonaera would be the unquestionable heir next in line to the throne for the King would never have been allowed to marry Viserra. In the eyes of many, the marriage between them was invalid. Laena by all rights was his lawful Queen.

Meanwhile, given that a precedent of equal primogeniture had taken root after the reign of Queen Daenerys I, his majesty King Aegon VII would challenge that newfound tradition and sought to have a son with one of his wives and refused to name a successor until he had been answered in his prayers. In this and perhaps only ever this did he have the support of many faithful to Andal law and tradition.

Queen Laena would be the only wife to give birth to a son, whom she named Baelon. But whether by tragic twist of destiny or malign acts of conspirators, the little Prince would sadly not survive the turn of a moon. Afterwards King and Queen Laena would begin to become estranged. And so the two queens themselves would enter a rivalry of which of their daughters was to be the next Queen in her own right, for while Jonaera was the elder and by all rights should have been the unquestioned heir, the Kingdoms had seemed to thirst for blood. Nor did King Aegons favoritism towards Viserra and her daughters clear the muddy waters. Thus, the House of the Dragon split into factions known to history as the House of the Sun and the House of the Moon.

In kind, the Kings brother and Hand, Prince Aemon advised King Aegon to betroth Princess Jonaera to Queen Viserra’s own nephew Aenar of Sunstone and Princess Daenerys to Queen Laena’s nephew, Macaerys of Moonstone, so to ally the two branches of House Targaryen once more and hopefully keep from civil war, reaching amicable accord. His Majesty did just the opposite of that, choosing not into intervene in his queens “affairs” as well as refusing to name either Jonaera or Maelara as his heir. The king refused to simply name an heir at all. The two factions and their animosity were openly allowed to fester under his rule and so they did. Given how intermarried the Targaryens of Sunstone, Moonstone, and the crown had been even when marrying into other houses, the division which sparked from the southernmost edge of Dorne to the Free Folk of the far north was not to be underestimated. Vassals would eventually turn on their own lords, and the small folk turned against each other and on their lords as well.

Both Targaryen princesses had the sworn and blood bound loyalty of their mothers branches of House Targaryen- hence the names of their factions but even that would not remain true throughout the entirety of the bloodshed which was to inevitably come to pass… Disheartening to all, it is said the two princesses themselves had been as close as two sisters could be when growing up but the enmity growing in their family had poisoned them as well by the time that they reached the age of maturity. Nor would their eventual husbands or brother in laws get on well.

The brothers of the Lords Aenar and Macaerys, Baelor of Sunstone and Jaehaerys of Moonstone had thrice been separated in the midst of a fight or had Kingsguard intervene before a fight could occur. Nor did their dragons fare well, and at the last feast held by his grace before calamity fell, all of the dragons of the opposing sides seemed to snarl and roar at one another as if about to rip each other to pieces. This feast would be held at Dragonslanding, whereupon his majesty bestowed the ancestral seat Dragonstone to Princess Jonaera. Seeing as it had been the seat of most heirs apparent in the long history of House Targaryen, many took this as a sign that he was naming her as his heir. That is until he deemed it appropriate to land another confusing blow by bestowing the legendary sword Blackfyre upon his son in law Lord Aenar in the name of Princess Maelara. With the majority of the Targaryens present now infuriated, his grace said only “Now you may all have a thing of your own before you murder each other for my throne” and ended the feast and tourney with echoed cries and whispers of fury.

Before we may speak of the passing of his majesty or the bloodlettings that took place after, we must once again look to the characters of his daughters Princess Jonaera and Princess Maelara. For as mentioned before, the two had been close as young girls but were poisoned against one another over the course of their youth. Their time on Dragonstone and at the royal court of Dragonhal would last until they were near six and ten. The girls had even mounted and claimed their dragons Vaelar and Taerax together.

{to be continued..// will update soon but I wanted to post and get some feedback.}}

[evax3]

JONERYS SUMMER LOVIN’ 2K22 | JON x DANY | RATING: E | GOT | 4K

DAY 3: FORBIDDEN LOVE + DAY 6: ARRANGED MARRIAGE

A Place To Hide

A certain encounter in the Red Keep's stables turns out to be more educational than it seemed at first sight. A knight, a maid and a place to hide.

Shout out to @snowxstormworld​ for organising this again. You ladies are the best! 💙

[agentofscifi]

I Only Married You For Duty

Margaery had everything she'd ever wanted, everything she ever dreamed of, and yet it felt empty and wrong. How can you have everything you wanted, and nothing you wanted at the same time?

*Warning: Critical of the Tyrells, Not for Tyrell Fans

_______________________________________________________________________

Margaery couldn’t believe how badly this was going. She’d done what she was meant to do, become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Well, she was technically one of the Queens, but she knew she was the true Queen. Margaery Tyrell was a true southern lady, she had impeccable manners, she was a devoted follower of the Seven, and she had mastered the womanly arts. She could sew and embroid perfectly, play the vielle, harp, and flute to perfection, sang beautifully, was a fair good artist, even practiced hawking with her brother Willas, and she knew how to run a household as large as the Royal one. Most importantly, she was fertile; her mother had successfully delivered 4 children with no stillbirths or miscarriages, and she would be no different. She was exactly what Jaehaerys Targaryen needed for a Queen.

And yet, he didn’t care. He paid more attention to his first wife than he did to her. He always had.

Princess Clarissa Martell, Prince Oberyn’s only legitimate daughter by a Northern Lady. The brief whirlwind romance that ended when Amelia Mormont, twin of Jorah Mormont, died of childbed fever, just a few months before Robert’s Rebellion broke out. Oberyn Martell never married again, but he did sleep around the world.

Clarrisa Martell was an obscure member of the nobility. She never showed up to tourneys, never came to King’s Landing, and there was very little gossip about her. The only thing anyone really knew about her was that in 290 AC she was sent to Bear Island in the North to be fostered with her Mormont relatives, and then in 295, it was said that she was in Essos looking for her criminal Uncle. She was said to wield a multitude of weapons, including a bastard sword, a bow, a spear, and something from Yi Ti called a kyoketsu-shoge. She rode her horse astride, she wore breeches under her dresses, and she never acted her station. Until the reveal, her largest indiscretion had to be her marriage to the Bastard of Winterfell 296 AC, someone so far below her station that there had been calls to strip her of her title as “Princess” and remove her from the nobility.

And yet, despite all of these indiscretions, Clarissa still had seniority over her. She had taken over running the entire Targaryen household when the truth came out, even after her own marriage to Jaehaerys, Clarissa still ran everything. Clarissa was the one to sit in on Small Council meetings, the one to attend executions and even perform them, and the one the nobles and commoners came to for petitions. Clarissa was the true Queen in the eyes of all of Westeros.

When the War of the Five Kings broke out after Eddard Stark’s beheading and everyone began declaring for someone, all of Westeros had expected Robert Stark to declare for Stannis Baratheon, Robert Baratheon’s rightful heir. Instead, shortly after her first marriage to Renly Baratheon, they declared for Jaehaerys Targaryen. A story came out, about a love story between Elia Martell, Rhaegar Targaryen, and Lyanna Stark. A story of misunderstandings and manipulations. A story where the Honorable Eddard Stark claimed his nephew as his son to save him from death.

Most of Westeros had been skeptical, her own family had been skeptical until tales of a dragon came down from the North. The Greyjoy fleet, the one that had been raiding and reaping across the North, had been burned. The story continued to say that the Iron Islands no longer existed. The various salt wives that had been held hostage over the years had returned to their homes, their young children alongside them. The thralls were sent home as well. The various noble lines from the Iron Islands had all been sent to the wall or killed, the women were all allowed to relocate to Essos or join the faith. Even the Greyjoy line was gone, with Balon beheaded, Asha Greyjoy dying with her fleet, and Theon Greyjoy was currently at the wall after he attempted to take over Winterfell. That Jaehaerys Targaryen had burned the island so badly that the various stone buildings and castles were heaps of still-warm rocks. Jaehaerys Targaryen was riding the Wild Dragon Cannibal.

She’d been worried then, when they heard that story, as she had still been married to Renly at the time. Fortunately, and she never says that to anyone else, Stannis used Shadow Magic to kill his brother, in public. In the wake of Renly’s death, her father had made for Riverlands and the Targaryen Army. They’d arrived a few weeks later, and seen the King.

He took after his Stark mother, with his dark brown hair and long face, but his eyes were a dark purple, almost grey in some lights. And yet, he was much more beautiful than his Stark cousins and much more than Renly. His father had pledged the whole of the reach to Jaehaery’s cause, with one condition, that he make Margaery his Queen. She remember that day like it was yesterday.

“Let me see if I understand this correctly,” Robb Stark is glaring at her father. “You want my brother to marry Margaery Tyrell, who was just recently made a widow, despite the fact that he’s already married and had children.”

“His father did,” Her grandmother had come, of course, and was present in all of the negotiations. “Rhaegar Targaryen already had a wife and two children when he married Lyanna Stark. What’s the difference here? And regardless, he is your King and your cousin, not your little brother, you can hardly order the man to do anything.”

“The difference,” Robb Stark is glaring at her grandmother now, “Was that Elia Martell couldn’t have any more children, she was also involved in picking her sister-wife.”

Her grandmother rolled her eyes. “This is all moot. Either he marries Margaery or we try our luck with Joffrey. Now, what will happen to all your armies, all your people when winter comes and we control all the food? The Riverlands don’t have anything to give anymore, and I know the North doesn’t have enough money to buy enough crops from Essos.”

“Lady Olenna!” Robb Stark had looked thunderstruck, as did all the other Northern & Riverland lords present. “That is-”

Jaehaerys had raised a hand, quieting his cousin. “I will speak to Clarissa and see if she is amicable to a sister-wife. We will break until tomorrow morning.”

Grandmother's face filled with a smile. “That is agreeable, now if-”

“Lady Olenna, don’t ever undermine my brother again, do you understand me?” Jaehaerys had fixed her grandmother with a stare. It had been captivating and awoke something inside her. It made her whole body tense as she waited for her Grandmother to respond.

“Yes, Your Grace, I understand.” Her Grandmother, who never cowed to anyone, had been cowed. They were going to be perfect together.

They had not been perfect together. Jaehaerys had agreed to the marriage the next morning, his wife giving a verbal agreeance herself. Two months later, they’d married. The wedding was not as grand as she’d hoped or planned, she wanted another wedding in the Great Sept of Baelor after they won the war. Regardless, she was a Queen now, wed and bed, already planning the name of the child she’d soon be carrying. No child came from that wedding night, and soon, Jaehaerys was off fighting in the Westerlands. She’d been content, she’d have a child when he returned, and started to spread her influence to build her court.

Only, no one respects her. Clarissa had outdone her almost instantly, as shortly after the wedding a baby bump became visible, and she announced that she was 6 moons along. This would be her third pregnancy. She’d felt a small amount of satisfaction when the pregnancy resulted in twin girls. This meant that while the King had seven children now, only one was a boy. It didn’t matter if Clarissa had a hundred children if all she gave her king were girls. However, everyone praised Clarissa, who went right back to running the war after giving birth.

She felt further undermined when a rider man to Harrenhall, which is where Jaeharys had established himself after taking the castle back from Tywin Lannister, came to Clarissa to announce the death of Stannis Baratheon. Again, when Lady Shireen arrived at Harrenhall, she presented herself to just Clarissa, not Margaery and Clarissa or one and then the other. Lady Shireen bent the knee before Queen Clarissa Targaryen and gave her vow of loyalty to her.

She hadn’t been able to understand it, still couldn’t. She had been the one to bring in an alliance, she brought the Reach and all its men with her marriages. When Jaehaerys identity had been revealed, the Martells didn’t join the cause. They even married Myrcella to Trystane. The only people who had joined the cause had been the elder four Sand Snakes, who were hardly worth her army of 75,000 men.

Lady Shireen’s arrival sparked the start of the hectic year of 301 AC. Laena & Rhaella had been sent up to Winterfell with Lady Sansa, who’d been rescued for King’s Landing nearly a year before, to be with the rest of their siblings. Clarissa left shortly afterward to work with the Crownland Lords to rebuild the royal fleet and take King’s Landing. Just weeks after their departure, it was announced that Joffrey had died at his sister’s wedding to Trystane Martell. Tommen Baratheon was declared King. Tyrion Lannister was found guilty of the murder in a trial by combat and executed a week later.

A few weeks after that, ravens announced that happy union between Lysa Arryn & Peytr Baelish. Before any plan came about from that announcement, another raven came from Lord Royce, announcing that Lysa & Robin Arryn had been murdered by Petyr Baelish. The new Lord of the Vale was Harrold Hardyng, now Harrold Arryn, who came and bent the knee to Jaehaerys.

Any sort of sense of victory was soiled when Jaehaerys announced that Clarissa was once again pregnant. The woman stayed with the royal fleet, even as her womb grew. She stayed with the royal fleet as they besieged King’s Landing from the seas, while Jaehaerys besieged it from the surrounding lands. They surrounded that castle for three days when the gates finally opened. The people of King’s Landing had risen and overthrown the Lannisters. Cersei, Tywin & Jamie Lannister were presented to Jaeharys by the people. Tommen had been sequestered in his room.

Jaehaerys, along with Clarissa, were greeted with cheers from the common people of Flea Bottom as they rode to the Red Keep. She’d been at Harrenhal for all of this, “for her own safety”. She’d immediately ridden out for King’s Landing, despite having not been called, and arrived to a muted greeting with her Grandmother. The people were more interested to hear about the newest Prince and Princess of the Realm, Prince Aemon & Princess Rhaenyra had been born three weeks after the siege was lifted. Still, she’d had hope, even after she’d been placed in the Maidenvault with her Grandmother, Lady Catelyn, and Janei Lannister, who’d been in King’s Landing during the siege. Jaehaerys was currently living in the Tower of the Hand, as Maegar’s Holdfast needed to be cleaned out and fixed up from several of Cersei Lannister’s tantrums and the King’s Chambers still held all of Joffrey’s things, which included a variety of dead animals. She hadn’t know where Clarissa and the children were living, and she hadn’t cared. She was more interested in getting her husband’s attention now that they were both in the same location for more than a few days.

Cersei, Jamie, and Tywin were all executed, along with Pycelle, Petyr Baelish, and a failed maester named Qyburn. She’d wanted to throw a banquet of some sort, or a tourney to celebrate the victory. This was shot down, as the war was not done yet, and the Crown was now 8 million golden dragons in debt.

The war finished rather quickly. Prince Doran Martell arrived with all three of his children, Myrcella Baratheon, Prince Oberyn Martell, his paramour, and their 4 younger bastards. Prince Doran bent the knee, but Jaehaerys has not been as forgiving as some might have predicted. Arianna Martell was named the new Lord Paramount of Dorne. Jaehaerys forced Prince Doran to step down from his position and all of its benefits and duties. He was spared being sent to the wall due to his gout, but that had been all. Myrcella and Trystane’s marriage was not annulled either, forcing Prince Trystane to stay married to Myrcella even after she was officially denounced as a Lannister bastard born from incest. Still, Dorne was returned to the fold.

The Westerlands folded quite quickly after that, and the Lannisters were removed from power. All of the men in the family were sent to either the Wall or the Citadel, and most of the women were made to either join the faith as a Septa or a Silent sister, with a few remaining women being promised to various loyalists. Jaehaerys had decided to keep most of the Westerland houses, with a few like the Clegane being removed from existence, but had a variety of loyalist daughters married to eldest sons and daughters sent away to marry loyalist sons. It wasn’t until after that she realized that none of these arranged marriages took place with any Reach house that the Tyrells had recently married into. Essentially, none of her cousins were married to Westerland lords and ladies.

Jaehaerys younger cousin/brother, Rickon Stark, was named the New Lord Paramount of the Westerlands. He was placed into an arranged marriage with Janei Lannister, with the Blackfish being named his regent. The marriage would take place 6 months after Rickon turned 18, so Janei would be 17 for her wedding. It was also decided that when Rickon would start a new house and take a new last name when he married. The Redstarks was currently in discussion, but nothing had been decided.

Jaehaerys was finally crowned King in the Great Sept of Baelor, and all of the Lords and Ladies kneeled and pledged their loyalty to the new monarch. She’d been on top of the world for those few days. She’d dressed in fine silks of red and black, with hints of greens and golds. She’d worn fine jewelry and the gorgeous crown her father had gifted her after their wedding. She’d been seated to the left of Jaehaerys for all of these events. But soon, the excitement had died. Winter was officially on them and all the armies started to return home. The Westerland houses were forced to send some of their saved food with the Northern and Riverland men to make up for all the crops that were burned.

The seven kingdoms had finally settled in 303 AC. Maegor’s holdfast was fixed up and Jaehaerys finally moved into the King’s Chambers. The royal nursery was prepared for the Prince and Princess, who were already on their way down to King’s Landing with Lady Sansa and an honor guard of Northern men. They’d be met at White Harbor by Velaryon men to guard the royal children. The Maidenvault was starting to clear out. Lady Janei Lannister would be fostered in Winterfell with her future husband for the next several years. Lady Catelyn was prepared to return with her son to the North. Her Grandmother’s rooms remained in place, and no one asked her to leave. The rooms left for her various Ladies-in-waiting were the same. She’d been a little surprised when no rooms were prepared for Lady Sansa, wondering if the girl would be leaving as soon as she arrived. Regardless, she’d started to subtly pack so that the move to Maegor’s holdfast would be seamless. Only, she was never told to move.

Instead, Clarissa had settled into the Queen’s chambers. A large room in the Holdfast, only trumped by the King’s, Queen’s, and Heir’s rooms, had been prepared for the triplet Princesses Alysanne, Lyanna, and Amelia, who were now 6 years old. The heir’s room was prepared for Prince Duncan and Princess Daena, who were now 5 years old. The nursery was prepared to take in the Princesses Laena & Rhaella, who were now 3 years old. Basic preparation for Prince Aemon and Princess Rhaenyra, who had just passed their first birthday, and would be moving into the nursery in a few short months. Lady Sansa even had a room prepared for her in Maegar’s holdfast, as the Lady Governess to the royal children. She hadn’t thought it could get worse. It did.

Clarissa, just after her children all arrived, announced that she was once again pregnant. Her stomach seemed to swell even more quickly this time, as the weeks quickly passed.

It was beginning to become a taking point. She’d been married to the King for three years and in that time Clarissa had been pregnant twice and delivered four children. How the people would talk; how Queen Clarissa had successfully delivered nine children in just seven years of marriage while helping run a war for four of those years, while Queen Margaery was yet to even fall pregnant.

She’d thought she’d finally get her chance with Clarissa finally being pregnant, as most men needed to find pleasure while their wives were pregnant and unable to lie with them. She’d be the perfect person to go to him, seeing as she was also his wife, so he’d be able to keep the honor her husband desperately clung to.

She’d gone to his chambers in nothing but a robe and waited for him on his bed. He never came. Not the first night, nor the second, or any night after that. For nearly a month she tried this but to no avail. She never did figure out where her husband was sleeping during those nights. She tried joining him on hunts, watching his training sessions and even sitting with him when he held court and worked through the problems of the people. Nothing caught his interest. She would have believed he was like her brother, preferring men, if not for how he looked at Clarissa. Her Grandmother gave her tips, and she tried them all. Nothing ever worked and before she knew it, Clarissa had given birth.

For nearly a day and a half, Clarissa held the whole Keep hostage before she finally delivered. Margaery had thrown a glass dish at the wall when she heard. Queen Clarissa had given birth to Princess Deanaera, Prince Maekar, & Prince Jacaerys early that morning. Now, the woman had twelve children. Four sons and eight daughters.

Her Grandmother became even more insistent that she get pregnant now. A girl, her grandmother told her, so that her child could marry Prince Duncan and eventually be Queen herself. With four sons already born, no son of hers would even sit on the Iron Throne.

Margaery was starting to go insane. Jaehaerys has started doing day visits around the country, or weekend trips with his eldest daughters by riding Cannibal. Storm’s End and Winterfell turned into his favorite places to visit, though he made just as many visits to Casterly Rock to supervise the regency of the Westerlands. No matter how many tricks she tried, the clothing she put on, or the various things she did, Jaehaerys refused to come to her bed.

A year had gone by, from the last birth, when Clarissa had fallen pregnant, yet again. She’d retried her old skills from Clarissa’s last pregnancy, and none of them worked. For three months she showed up, lewdly dressed, to his chambers to entice him to bed. Yet again, he never showed up. She still had no idea where he was going. For the entire pregnancy, she had been desperate to get her husband to bed. Anything so that she could show him the skills she had and tempt him back to her bed. He had not touched her since their wedding night.

And yet, halfway through 306 AC, Clarissa gave birth to two more children, Princess Valaena & Prince Lucerys. So now, Clarissa had fourteen children and she had none.

Today, however, she had finally snapped. Lord Monford Velaryon had arrived just two days earlier to meet with the King and she just found out why. Lord Monford’s only son, Monterys, was formally engaged to her stepdaughter, Princess Amelia. Monterys was only thirteen and Amelia was only nine. The marriage was years away, and barely tentative, but there had still been a discussion and she had not been a part of it.

She pushed open the doors to the Small Council Chambers. Jaehaerys didn’t even look up from his papers to look at her. Ser Davos, the Master of Ships, had glanced at her before returning to his own papers. Lord Royce, the Master of Law, had actually rolled his eyes when he was who had stormed in before looking back at the current speaker. Wendel Manderly, the Master of Coin, didn’t stop in his explanation to the King ignoring her existence. Ellaria Sands, the Master of Whispers, and hadn’t that been an insult, having a bastard woman on the small council instead of one of her relatives, simply smirked at her and refused to look away from Margaery’s face. Grand Maester Theobald stared at her eyes wide open from his spot like he was unable to believe she was actually here. Lord Commander Selmy doesn’t look at her, nor does he bow from his spot behind Jaehaerys.  

She tunes herself into Lord Manderly’s discussion when it becomes clear they weren’t going to stop for her. “Now, we’ve been able to severally reduce the original debt of 9 million dragons. The 4 million owed to the Lannisters was immediately erased. The 750,00 dragons owed to the Faith were paid off by selling the various jewels, tapestries, and clothing of Cersei Lannister. The remaining 4.25 million had been slowly worked through. After going through the remains of the Iron Islands, Lannisport, and Casterly Rock, we were able to pay off 1.25 million of the debt. Taking back the 500,000 Dragons that Baelish had stolen were also paid back, along with the other money in his account. The legitimate business that he owned had been used to collect money to continue to pay back the crown. As of right now, we only owe 450,000 dragons, which I estimate we will have paid off in 15 months. If you wish to start putting money aside for your daughters’ dowries, we can reduce our current payments. I have a plan created, which would have us paying off the loan in 21 months instead of the original 15. This would allow you, your Grace, to put roughly 10,000 Gold Dragons for each of your eldest three daughters, 7,500 for Princess Daena, and 5,000 for Princesses Laena & Rhaella over the next two years. Does this sound agreeable to you, Your Grace?”

I cross my arms over my chest and clear my throat, staring at the side of my husband’s face.

Jaehaerys looks over the sheet before him, ignoring me. “Is the Iron Bank agreeable to this extension?”

“I’ve spoken with a representative. They’re agreeable, so long as the debt is paid within the next three years. They’re also willing to start the paperwork for the Princesses’ dowry accounts. Once we’ve paid off the debts we can lower taxes slightly as well as start the accounts for the other Princesses.”

I clear my throat

“Good. Get started on the paperwork for the Princesses’ accounts. Thank you Lord Manderly.”

“Of course, Your Grace.”

Jaehaerys looks around the room, still avoiding looking at me. “Anything else pertinent?”

“No, your Grace, I think that is everything we needed to cover today.”

“Good, I’m dismissing the council for the day. We’ll adjourn in a week, as usual.”

“HUSBAND!”

There’s a heavy sigh. “I’ll see you all in a week, good day My Lords, Ladies.” The small council starts to fill out of the room, so that soon only Jaehaerys, Ser Selmy, and myself were present. Jaehaerys finally looks over at me. “Margaery, what can I do for you?”

“I would like to speak to you, privately.”

Jaehaerys’ eyes bore into her. “Lord Commander, please wait outside the room, please. I’ll be out in a minute.” Ser Selmy gives a small bow and leaves the room, closing the door behind him. “What can I do for you Margaery?”

I openly glare at him, every lesson my Grandmother and Mother had taught me was being ignored. “You don’t treat me like your wife?”

“Are you being mistreated?”

“Yes! By you! For 6 years we’ve been married, 6 years and you have not bedded me since our wedding night. Clarissa had been pregnant 6 times, she’s had 14 children. I know you’re capable of having children, so why are you avoiding my bed?”

“Margaery,”

“And another thing, why do you favor her? I gave you an army. My marriage gave you 75,000 men to your cause. Clarissa only brought you 4 bastard sisters and one Dornish informant. That is nothing compared to what I brought into this marriage. So why, why do you love Clarissa more than you love me?”

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. It’s obvious that you love her more than me.”

“I don’t love you.”

I freeze. “What?”

“You’re right, you gave me 75,000 men to my cause, but only because of our marriage. My ancestors raised your family up from mere stewards 300 years ago. My family made your family possible. And you were loyal, until recently.” Jaehaerys stands from his seat. “Your father sat outside Storm’s End, feasting away while my father fought on the trident. If he had allowed half of his army to assist in the Battle of the Trident, the Targaryens would have won. My father would be alive, my brother, my sister, my stepmother, hells, my mother might even be alive. Mace Tyrell did not need an army of 60,000 men to hold a castle with barely 500 men who were all starving. And then, your father goes and ignores the natural right of succession. Ignoring my existence, Renly could never have inherited before Stannis. Your family’s allegiance was only done to serve yourself. You proved that when you came to me and only promised your army in return for our marriage. You all proved your selfishness when you threatened to starve my people to get what you wanted. Well, you got what we wanted. The marriage was done and we consummated it. We are married for all intents and purposes. The only way you can get out of this is if you join the faith.”

I stare numbly at him. “Why won’t you bed me?”

“I won’t have another Dance of the Dragons. Alicent Hightower usurped the rightful heir to the throne by naming her son and threw the whole of Westeros into a civil war. Despite the illegality of it all, despite King Viserys’ will, people still followed the usurper. I have angered some of the Vale, all of the Westerlands, and even some of Dorne. I’m not stupid enough to think that you and your family wouldn’t kill my children to put your son or daughter on the throne. That you wouldn’t throw Westeros into a civil war to see your child named King or Queen. Therefore, I will not give you a son or daughter to use against my family.”

“How-how have you resisted? Every man has a weakness. Every man wants pleasure.”

“I have a wife, Margaery. A woman who I share a bed with every night. I have a multitude of children whom I love. It was not difficult to ignore your advances, they only work on the weak-minded. I married you for an army. I married you so that I could win the war more quickly and with less bloodshed. I did not marry you for love. I did not marry you for lust. I married you for duty and duty alone. I will not pretend otherwise.” Jaehaerys stands up and starts to walk past me. “Oh, and Margaery, the King's Guard had been informed. I will no longer tolerate you showing up to my private chambers unannounced. They’ve been informed to bare you from Maegar’s Holdfast from now on.

I will also warn you not to use your family’s power to punish anyone. If I find you are unnecessarily raising crop prices or limiting shipments to the North or the Riverlands, or anywhere else in an attempt to get revenge. I will strip your family of your titles as Lord Paramounts. I will strip them of their nobility and leave your family as commoners. I will also formally set you aside. Being a footnote in a history book is better than being known as the wife who was set aside by Jaehaerys the Conquer, isn’t it? And before you say anything, most of the Reach Lords won’t care, they’ll probably start pounding at my door to be named Lord Paramount themselves. The few families that do care, well, I have Cannibal. Have a good day, My Lady.”

I hear Jaehaerys push open the door. “Ser Selmy, shall we go watch Duncan's sword lessons? It’s been a few days since I’ve been able to see his progress.”

The doors shut, blocking out any response. I collapse into an empty chair. All of my family’s hopes and dreams were disappearing in a puff of smoke. There would be no Prince or Princess from the Tyrell line. No Son of mine your sit on the Iron Throne, like my family had always planned. No daughter of mine would marry the Crown Prince. There would be no way for my family to achieve all that we had dreamed of and worked for.

I would be nothing more than a line in a history book, the Tyrell Queen who died childless after decades of marriage. The Tyrell Queen who was second best in everything. This was not what she had dreamed, not what she had hoped and prayed for.

And yet, she couldn’t stop that small voice in the back of her head asking, “Would things have worked out better for herself if her Father and Grandmother hadn’t demanded the marriage?”

That same little voice answered back, “Yes.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King Jaehaerys “The Conquer” Targaryen was the fourteen Targaryen King to sit on the Iron Throne. The son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Lyanna Stark was born after the end of Robert’s Rebellion. He inherited the Throne from his Grandfather after the death of his father and elder brother, Aegon.

King Jaehaerys was raised in secret by Eddard Stark in Winterfell, under the pseudonym Jon Snow for over a decade and a half. The truth of his birth was only revealed in 298 AC when the War of Five Kings broke out. His identity was formed by Lord Howland Reed and by the Citadel which held the appropriate documents. The War raged on from 298 AC - 303 AC, coming to a close after King’s Landing was retaken and the Westerlands forced to formally submit and bend the knee. Throughout the war, King Jaehaerys was rarely without his Dragon, Cannibal, or his Direwold, Ghost.

King Jaehaerys was married to two women. He and his first wife, High Queen Clarissa, were married in 296 AC in Winterfell’s Godswoods. They were happily married for 79 years. High Queen Clarissa died peacefully in her sleep in 375 AC, at 96 years old. Together, King Jaehaerys and High Queen Clarissa had a total of 19 children during their marriage, with a total of 7 sons and 12 daughters, all of which became dragon riders in their lifetimes.

Their issues included:

Princess Alysanne Stark-Targaryen; Lady of Winterfell, Wife of Lord Eddard Stark, son of Lord Robb Stark, Rider of Winter

Princess Lyanna Targaryen; Member of the King’s Guard, Second Woman to Join, Replaced Lord Barristan Selmy in 316 AC, Rider of Skyfyre

Princess Amelia Velaryon-Targaryen; Lady of Driftmark, Wife of Lord Monterys Velaryon, Son of Lord Monford Velaryon, Rider of Tsumami

King Duncan Targaryen the First; Married Queen Visenya Targaryen, Daughter of Empress Daenerys Targaryen, Rider of Shadowfyre

Princess Daena Targaryen; Queen Consort of Dragon's Bay, Married Emperor Aegon of Dragon’s Bay, the Son of Empress Daenerys Targaryen, Rider of Stormrunner

Princess Laena Tully-Targaryen; Lady of Riverrun, Wife of Lord Brynden Tully, Son of Lord Edmund Tully, Rider of Riverdancer

Princess Rhaella Martell-Targaryen; Princess of Dorne, Wife of Prince Morgan Martell, Son of Princess Arianna Martell, Rider of Sunrays

Prince Aemon Targaryen; Prince of Summerhall, Married Lady Samantha Tarly, Daughter of Lord Dickon Tarly, Rider of Winter Rose

Princess Rhaenyra Royce-Targaryen; Lady of Runestone, Wife of Lord Larence Royce, Son of Lord Andar Royce, Rider of Tessen

Princess Deanaera Targaryen; The First Ever Female Grand Maester of the Realm, Archmaster of History & Sums and Numbers, Rider of Quotient

Prince Maekar Targaryen; Archmaester of Magic & Higher Mysteries, Rider of Valyria

Prince Jacaerys Targaryen; Archmaester of Medicine & Botany, Rider of Abrasion

Princess Valaena Arryn-Targaryen; Lady of the Eyrie, Wife of Lord Jon Arryn, Son of Lord Harrold Arryn, Rider of Windfyre

Prince Lucerys Targaryen; Prince of Harrenhal, Married Lady Minisa Tully, daughter of Lord Edmund Tully, Rider of Bronzeclaws

Prince Daemon Targaryen; Prince of The Gift, Married Lady Lyarra Reed, Daughter of Brandon Reed neé Stark, Rider of Gift

Princess Daenys Baratheon-Targaryen; Last of Storm’s End, Wife of Lord Davos Baratheon, Son of Lady Shireen Baratheon, Rider of Sandstorm

Princess Elaena Redstark-Targaryen; Lady of Casterly Rock, Wife of Lord Benjen Redstark, Son of Rickon Redstark, Rider of Sunset

Prince Daeron Targaryen; Prince of the Red Keep, Commander of the City Watch, Married Lady Rhea Hightower, Daughter of Gunthor Hightower, Rider of Redfyre

Princess Baela Lefford-Targaryen; Lady of the Golden Tooth, Wife of Lord William Lefford, Son of Lady Alysanne Lefford, Rider of Goldfyre

His Grace married his second wife, Queen Margaery Tyrell, in 300 AC. No issues were ever borne from his marriage and Queen Margaery died childless in 342 AC after she fell from her horse.

King Jaehaerys is credited with the destruction of the Iron Islands and the freeing of the Iron Born Salt Wives and Thralls. He is also credited with ending the Lannister family name and leaving the Westerlands in the hands of his younger brother-cousin Lord Rickon Redstark of Casterly Rock, formerly Rickon Stark of Winterfell. His the first known rider of Cannibal The Wild Dragon. He found and returned the Family Swords Blackfyre and Dark Sister to the Family in 312 AC. He wielded Blackfyre himself until 358 AC when he handed the sword to his son King Duncan. Dark Sister was given to Princess Lyanna Targaryen after she was Knighted in 314 AC.

King Jaehaerys is forever remembered as the King who brought back the Targaryen Dynasty in Westeros, united all of the Seven Kingdoms through his children’s marriages, and brought back the Dragons to Westeros. He was also referred to as “The White Wolf” and “The Ice Dragon” throughout his reign.

He was succeeded on the Throne by his son, King Duncan Targaryen the First, in 382 AC. He was succeeded as the rider of Cannibal by his Great-Grandson, Prince Gaemon Targaryen, who would eventually become King in 402 AC, after the Death of his Grandfather, King Duncan the First in 391 AC, and the Death of his Father, King Aegon the Sixth, in 402 AC.

_______________________________________________________________________

Rough Timeline of Events for the Story

279 AC

Clarissa Martell is Born

280 AC

Jaehaerys Targaryen “Jon Snow” is Born

296 AC

Jaehaerys & Clarissa Marry in Winterfell

297 AC

Alysanne, Lyanna, & Amelia Targaryen are Born

298 AC

War of Five Kings Starts

Jaehaerys True Identity is Revealed to Westeros

Duncan & Daena Targaryen are Born

299 AC

Jaehaerys destroys the Ironborn fleet & Islands

Renly dies, the Reach provisionally pledges to Jaehaerys

Sansa is rescued from King’s Landing

300 AC

Jaehaerys is forced to marry Margaery for an Alliance in Riverrun

Laena & Rhaella Targaryen are Born

Stannis Baratheon is denounced as a Kingslayer, he’s killed by a random soldier whose brother he burned for following the Seven

301 AC

Shireen Baratheon is declared the Lady Paramount of the Stormlands, she declares for Jaehaerys Targaryen; she rejects a marriage alliance with Tommen Baratheon

Joffrey dies at the wedding of Princess Myrcella to Prince Trystane, Tyrion is declared the murderer, tried & executed for the crime, the real murderer is Cersei, as she was trying to kill Prince Trystane

Petyr Baelish marries Lysa Tully-Arryn

Petyr kills Lysa Arryn and Accidently kills Robin Arryn

302 AC

It’s revealed that Robin Arryn was Petyr’s son

The Vale declares for Jaehaerys Targaryen

King’s Landing is Taken from the Lannisters

Aemon & Rhaenyra Targaryen are Born

303 AC

The Westerlands are Defeated just in time for the official declaration of Winter; Dorne bends the Knee

Jon declares Arianna the Lady Paramount of Dorne, forcing her father to step down

Jaehaerys announcing that Rickon Stark is the New Lord Paramount of the Westerlands with his marriages to Janei Lannister, with the Blackfish as regent

304 AC

Deanaera, Maekar, & Jacaerys Targaryen are Born

306 AC

Valaena & Lucerys Targaryen are Born

307 AC

Daemon & Daenys Targaryen are Born

310 AC

Elaena, Daeron, & Baela Targaryen are Born

[spacerockfloater]

Cersei Lannister & Rhaenyra Targaryen:

Are forced to marry someone they don’t love, so they find solace in the arms of a family member and commit incest

Seduce members of the Royal Guard

Have their husbands murdered because they didn’t like them

Have three bastard kids

Commit atrocities to claim the Iron Throne

Betray their allies when they feel threatened

Rule with fire and blood

Live in constant paranoia so they murder innocent servants whom they believe will betray them, even if said betrayal would be a direct consequence of the way they treat their subjects

Are hated by the people

and lets us not forget the -

But no, please go ahead and tell me all about how Rhaenyra is this feminist icon who has the divine right to rule over hundreds of thousands of people because her daddy said so, therefore if I don’t support her I’m a misogynist.

[rise-my-angel]

I think its funny that technically Jon has "the blood of Old Valyria" in him as well. But if you told him that as if it meant something, you know Jon would dismiss it entierly as unimportant, and that he does not give a single shit about it. Being Valyrian is so integral to someone like Danaerys or really any mainstream Targaryeans identity.

Then you have Jon Snow whose just like "I have things to do, I don't care" literally anytime something tries to convince Jon hes special. He's the opposite of everything Valyrians stand for and it would be so funny if hes the only one with Targaryean blood to survive, so that the last living relic of the ancient Valyrian Freehold is stuck inside the most grouchy, anti prophecy Northerner known to man.

[sad-hippie]

I can't understand how anyone could look at the Storming of the Dragonpit - the greatest act of courage to ever be seen in Westeros - and despise the smallfolk for it.

The bravery, the discontentment, the hopelessness for their own future, and yet, the undying hope for the chance of liberation that would push those who suffer the most from the vicious wars for a metal chair that is meaningless, to finally say - Enough.

To risk being burned alive so that their children won't be. Knowing that the chance for failure is tremendous and nevertheless trying. Because they have to. Because enough is enough. Because no one is safe, not even their own. Because there is no other way. Because the Targaryens will always resort to this. They will always resort to Fire and Blood.

The rule of the dragons must come to an end.

And to look at the greatest act of revolution against the Iron Throne and think it anything else but justified, earned, bought and payed for with their own blood. That anyone would find it in their hearts to pity the dragons, that are nothing more than weapons of mass destruction is so contrary to the spirit of the series that I wonder if people know what they're reading/watching at all...

[ghostofashina]

welcome to asoiaf fandom

you want:

- nice theories and deep analysis

you receive:

- neonazi power fantasy about pure blood supremacy

[crimsonbastard]

Team Black when Non-Valyrian Women/Men won't conform to their Blood-Purist Power Fantasy.

[moompl]

You know what I have seen a lot of people doing that gives me a bit of an ick, it’s people who try and give the Targaryens more “ethnic” looks and clothing.

I don’t know how to explain it, but I can’t help but feel like they do this so they can feel better about rooting for the conquering and slave empire people because they aren’t white. Does that make sense? Yes I think all the art looks cool and stuff but it feels like it’s trying to glorify people who should not be glorified.

I don’t know this may come off as nitpicking but I just can’t but feel like there are more underlying reasons to this.

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Idea #82: The Chronicles of Narnia, but make it ASOIAF

@kyuremking recently asked me how I would go about combining Game of Thrones with The Chronicles of Narnia - and admittedly I was a bit baffled at first. Narnia has never been one of my go-to fandoms - I never liked how CS Lewis handled Susan, as if growing up was a crime worthy of exclusion from paradise, and the religious imagery feels quite heavy-handed considering the century in which they were published.

But I thought. And I mused. And I turned the idea over in my mind. And this is what I came up with: What if the Stark siblings fell into an Old Gods-analog of Narnia?

Just imagine it:

One day while exploring beneath the catacombs, young Arya Stark falls into Narnia. It is not quite the Narnia we know, with most of the heavy Christian symbolism of the books being replaced by the beliefs and mythology of the Old Gods.

As the religion of the Old Gods is not overly expanded upon in canon, let's imagine it here as something of a cross between shintoism and folk orthodoxy - polytheist and heavily animist with a notion of "pollution vs purity" and an un-codified moral code, but with localized cults of anthropomorphized saints which over the centuries have picked up certain aspects of certain of the New Gods. The details don't really matter so long as the two most important of these saints, which have taken on aspects of the Smith and the Mother, can be used to replicate the Narnian idea of son of Adam and daughter of Eve.

Arya falls into Narnia. Bran tentatively believes her, but the rest of her siblings think she's telling tales. This leads to some back and forth before Jon and Sansa are separately tasked to pull Bran and Arya out of the catacombs - and end up falling into Narnia after them.

Jon, Sansa, Bran, and Arya free Narnia from an endless winter at the hands of the Corpse Queen, who was trapped there by the Children of the Forest, which weakened the Others enough that the Last Hero was able win the Battle for the Dawn. They then rule Narina as Kings and Queens for forty years, eventually falling back into Winterfell while hunting the White Stag.

The exact details of the Narnia interlude are unimportant, as our story picks up literally the minute they find themselves all in a heap back in the catacombs, child-sized once more.

The rest of their family immediately notices the difference, but has no idea what to make of it. All of a sudden the four middle Stark children seem to have overcome all of their differences. They're not just acting like miniature adults, they're acting like proper lords and ladies - used to commanding and their orders being followed.

The difference is starkest with Arya - who seems have mellowed in the course of a day to warrior queen out of legend - and Sansa - who is no longer dreamy but dangerous in the way all Queens of Winter have always been. But it's there with Jon - who seems surer, steadier, and more comfortable in his own skin even as he looks at Ned with betrayal in his eyes - and Bran - who has gone from wanting to be a storybook knight to being the gallant knight he's always wanted to be.

Additionally, all four seem unspeakably close these days and can often be found whispering together - and slowly going silent when anyone else draws near. They're in and out of each other's chambers to the point where it's honestly strange to find one of them alone.

There's no time to ponder these changes, as the royal party is on their way North.

Ned will regret not paying closer attention for the rest of his life.

For while in Narnia, the Stark children learned two things: 1) That Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and his second wife, Lyanna Stark. Though it's never outright stated, it's heavily implied that while Lyanna's abduction was willing, her imprisonment in a tower was not, and by the end of it hated her husband more than anyone. Jon will never, ever be sure where his conception fell on the spectrum; and 2) that the Long Night is coming. It may be in their generation, it may be in the next, but Westeros must be strong to ensure the Dawn will come. Everything they've learned about Robert Baratheon suggests that he will not - cannot - be the king Westeros needs. And so Jon, Arya, Bran, and Sansa plot, and scheme in preparation for Jon to take the throne himself.

They're prepared to play the long game - but don't have to after Bran spies Jamie and Cersei in the First Keep. He arranges for the pair to be discovered in a way that is utterly undeniable. The twins are tried, found guilty, and beheaded in short order. Cersei's children are declared bastards - and, after Joffrey draws a sword in protest of this, Joffrey is slain as well. Myrcella and Tommen are remanded to Ned's care until they are old enough to join the Faith, enter the Citadel, or take the Black.

And then Robert does what he does best: drinks and whores, seemingly uncaring that his rule is hanging by a thread.

And so Jon acts - or rather, Jon and Sansa go to Ned so that he can act. They sit him down, explain that they know Jon is the rightful Targaryen heir, and state that if Ned does not declare for Jon now, he is dooming Westeros to a bloody civil war. It is best to act decisively now rather than wait for Robert's vices to kill him.

This conversation takes the better part of the night, but eventually Ned is convinced. When morning comes, Ned orders his guards put the few royal guards not already under watch (the majority Lannister men-at-arms having been imprisoned for rioting after Jamie and Cersei's deaths) and takes Robert hostage.

Jon is named King Jaehaerys III.

A great host marches south to King's Landing, picking up the lords of the Riverlands while fighting off Lannister forces, and takes King's Landing quickly, despite Renly's spirited defense of the city. Forces are sent to mop up Stannis at Dragonstone in echo of the Rebellion and in short order Jon is King of Westeros in truth.

What follows is a montage of Jon doing is best to strengthen the kingdom, put down rebellions, and make Westeros ready for the Long Night.

Bran marries Shireen Baratheon, who is named Lady Paramount of the Stormlands in her own right. Their marriage is one of surprising affection - and one which seems determined to restore House Baratheon to its greatest number through their own efforts. Bran is known as The Noble Wolf, and earns a reputation equal to that of the Dragonknight or Duncan the Tall.

Arya marries Robin Arryn, but it's doubtful they ever consummate the marriage. When he dies two years later, she claims the Vale by right of widowhood, and has already been doing such a good job ruling in his stead that few protest when there are no viable alternatives. No one ever quite knows who fathers her heir, but by that point the Long Night is in full swing and few take issue with it.

Robb marries Margery Tyrell, the closest the Tyrells can get to the crown. It's a successful marriage, if not one of deep affection, and ensures the North is well-fed when the Long Night comes.

Jon marries Sansa, with whom he'd had a relationship in Narnia and who he'd been dancing around after their return to adolescence. They often wonder about the children they left behind in Narnia, which causes some angst when they start having children in Westeros, but are undeniably the happiest royal couple in 200 years.

There are other efforts beyond marriage in the background, including 1) a long sequence during which Theon Greyjoy is installed as Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands after his father rebels. He proves to be remarkably loyal to the crown, marries Lyra Mormont, and turns the Ironborn from pirates into a royal navy in one generation; 2) Rickon is sent to foster in Dorne, which he takes to in a way no one could have predicted. He ends up staying in Dorne for most his life and becomes known as The Desert Wolf - a wilder, fiercer knight than his brother Bran. He never marries, but fathers a bevy of bastards to rival Oberyn Martell - at least half of them with Oberyn's daughter Loreza; and 3) Tywin being in open rebellion for years before Tyrion, in a desperate attempt to ensure a Lannister stays Lord of the Rock after they're assuredly defeated by the combined strength of the rest of Westeros, kills his father, takes his place, and swears his fidelity - just in time for the Long Night to descend.

With their preplanning, the Long Night is not half as bad as it was in canon - but it's still war. Sansa rules in King's Landing while Jon, Arya, and Bran lead the fighting to the north.

The situation goes poorly at first, with royal forces able to hold The Others off long enough for the Free Folk to to safety - but it's still a retreat, with each loss to the living strengthening the dead. The situation is starting to seem desperate by the time the Others reach the Wall.

In the darkest moment of the Battle of the Wall, the dragon Cannibal arrives at Castle Black to aid Jon, while two of his kin go to help Arya and Bran at the Shadow Tower and Eastwatch-by-the Sea. (These dragons being ice dragon cousins of the Targaryen fire dragons of the east, and thus drawn to the Stark bloodline when they bother to take riders at all.) Together they are the three heads of the dragon...

...and they start pushing the Others back. Within two years, they have won and the Night King is destroyed.

Jon goes on to rule for several more decades, beloved and capable in a way that no Targaryen ruler before him has ever been. (His few detractors are quick to point out he's more Stark than Targaryen, but Jon takes that as a compliment.) His queen, Sansa, seems less a consort and more a co-ruler, and is possibly more beloved than her husband. Their rule is one of peace and growing prosperity throughout the Seven Kingdoms and takes up an almost Arthurian place in the later history and mythology of Westeros.

They never speak of their experiences in Narnia to anyone - save Jon and Sansa's eldest son, Robb and Margery's eldest daughter, Arya's heir, and one of Bran and Shireen's middle children, who fall into Narnia themselves while exploring the Red Keep, who help the rightful king retake his throne...

Bonuses include: 1) The relationship between Robb and Jon never quite getting back to where it was before the Narnia interlude. As a result, Robb and Theon become even closer - which may have a strong role in Theon's efforts to turn the Iron Islands away from raiding. Dealer's choice if this relationship is bromance or romance; 2) A revival of the Old Gods and their religion following in the wake of the Targaryen Restoration. They win many converts everywhere the Stark family gains a foothold and godswoods are restored throughout the Seven Kingdoms; 3) A projection of Westerosi power into the lands beyond the Wall. At first this is nominal, but as parts of Beyond The Wall start to build villages and keeps similar to those in the North, things begin to change. Within 100 years most of the area capable of being settled this way is under control of their own Lord Paramount descended from a marriage between Robb and Theon's lines. The lands further north continue their pre-War lifestyles, but are nominally part of Westeros as well; and 4) Daenerys lives a happy life with Drogo in Essos. She watches with pleasure as her son Rhaego forms the largest land empire the world of ice and fire has ever seen - and lives just long enough to see that empire collapse after his death as his heirs scrabble for power. One of her great-grandsons, however, does end up on the throne of Yi Ti. His dynasty will eventually rise to be Westeros' great eastern rivals.

And that is surprisingly more than I thought'd I'd have. @kyuremking, IDK if this is quite what you were looking for, but it's the best I could come up with. As always, feel free to adopt this bun, just link back if you do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

[jaenaravelaryon]

Queen Daenerys I and King Jon 🖤🐲🤍🐺

[irintican]

it would be too simplistic to have daenerys targaryen save westeros as its “rightful” queen. ignoring that her family was uprooted and her claim is weak, and given her track record in various places such as qarth and slaver’s bay, i think she is not a benevolent ruler. she scoffs at counsel and ruling, however, i do think that she is the ultimate villain. the tyrant who believes she is righteous and good is such a great trope and it fits her like a glove. she has three dragons that are uncontrollable which remains terrifying to her enemies. she enforces what she thinks is right, not for the good of her “children.” forget the savior princess trope and explore daenerys for what she is: bloodthirsty as the rest of them.

[spacerockfloater]

In the show, Rhaenyra is just as weak and self centred as Viserys is.

The fact that she repeats her father’s mistake, remarrying and producing legitimate children who would overshadow her chosen yet questionable heir, is so stupid.

Viserys desires another woman and male heirs, therefore he gives into the temptation of obtaining Alicent and having male children, without realising that by doing this he’s making it difficult for Rhaenyra, a girl, to keep the throne.

Rhaenyra desires her uncle above everything else, therefore she gives into the temptation of obtaining Daemon and having children with him, without realising that by doing this she’s making it difficult for Jacaerys, a bastard, to keep the throne.

The dance would have happened anyway, maybe it could be postponed for one generation had Otto not been so eager to chase the throne, but it would still happen.

And let’s be real: had Viserys not chosen Alicent, he’d pick another girl, like Laena, whose father would want the exact same thing Otto wanted: his blood on the throne. Corlys admits that’s what he’s after. Anyone would do the same thing. All the great houses are ambitious. The issue is that Viserys and Rhaenyra kept making stupid choices that made it easier for them to be undermined and then they cry about it.

[rise-my-angel]

Sometimes targ stans just baffle me. Saw someone making the claim people say the lords wouldnt accept Jacaerys because hes a bastard and went "uh no they wouldnt say anything cus he has fucking dragons."

Like

You do know that's worse right?

You do realize being bigoted against a bastard is nowhere near as bad as not being objected to rule because you could burn alive entire cities in seconds right? You do realize having dragons is not actually an argument for why someone should be King right?

Someone tell Jon Snow hes been insecure about being a bastard for no reason, turns out no one would care as long as he could destroy cities and burn people alive with a dragon.

Please listen to yourselves talk for once.

[rynnthefangirl]

I love how Fire and Blood shows time and time again how Targaryen women are passed over, usurped, abused, killed, raped, and slandered, all building to Daenerys, a Targaryen woman who rises to great power while seeking justice and salvation for all those crushed beneath the oppressive systems of her world... just to be usurped and killed so that we can place a man on the throne again.