CHAPTER 3: The Legacy Of The Savages

"They've arrived!"

"Are you ready, Lady Savage?"

"The true question is, are you ready?"

"Listen, Emilia, if anything happens-"

"I know what to do."

Spitting out lowly Emilia walks beside Daenerys and Missandei. Behind them is Lord Varys and Tyrion Lannister. In front of them is Grey Worm, a few of his men and some of the Dothraki. Once they are off the steps and onto the beach Emilia shapes into an eagle and flies above them in the sky as if she was hunting for dead fish on the shore. She flies in huge circles above near the Queen, her eyes are on the boat reaching the shore. Once a handful of men are off the boats the Dothraki takes them to put into storage. The men from the North all look worried about not having their boats but disregard the matter for now. They walk further into the beach to meet Daenerys and her council, all of their men look from the Queen not even noticing the simple bird. Jon Snow comes face to face with Daenerys, he smiles at her and bows slightly while saying.

"Daenerys."

"Jon." She nods her head before turning and walking away, "Follow me."

The men do what she says as they look around the lands, their eyes keep darting around looking for the so-called dragons. Emilia looks down trying to see who the King of the North is but finds it rather difficult when so high up. She can see his figure beside Danny and his furry brown coat but other than that nothing but colors. As they reach the steps Emilia flies down to stand on the railing while watching them walk by. A few give her strange looks before continuing to follow the Dothraki. Danny nods her head slightly at Emilia as she walks past the so-called eagle. In return, Emilia spreads her wings before casually pecking at her wings. When Jon Snow passes by the eagle he turns to look at him in surprise for it being this close to humans but doesn't react. Struck in place Emilia looks a Jon with her bird eyes in shock, if he didn't have dark brown hair she would have thought it was his father. Old memories flash in her mind making her want to shape about into her natural form and really look at him.

She begins to follow them by walking on the railing when dragon calls flood the air. All the men from the North turn in shock by the sound and see the three impossible things. Three dragons fly in the air with wings stretched out as far as they can. They fly so close to the stairs all the Northern men fall to the ground as if they were under attack. The rest of them are standing firmly with smirks on their faces as they wait for them to stand back up. That's when Emilia opens her wings up wide and flies into the sky to follow them. She couldn't go as fast but she tried her hardest. Flying near the castle to go in she looks down to see Jon Snow once again, he's looking up at the dragons but he can't help but glance at her as if he knows something he shouldn't. Taking one last look at him she flies onto the balcony and shifts back into herself.

She's breathing heavily as the memories of her escaping Westeros come back involuntary. Pacing back and forth in front of the council room she can't help but think about all his father has done for her. No knew about Ned's help for her during the war but her, everyone else who did is either dead or an animal. She then leans on the table that's carved as a map and looks at it. Looking at the Capital where she met Ned she travels down to the spot of land she last saw him. So much yet nothing had happened between that distance, the world didn't know the hardship she and Ned had to go through to get her out of Westeros. Growling at the thoughts she slams her hands down on the table before swiping everything on it to the floor.

If only the world knew. If only they knew who she had to be to survive.

"Take this."

"I don't know how to use it!"

"You can't turn into an animal." Ned explains breathlessly while hanging her a knife and the smallest sword he had, "Our cover is blown if you do. Use these if needed. Don't hold back. Pretend you're shaping into these instead of animals. Now run! I will catch up to you."

Ned pushes her forward while turning to the men running their way. Their horse is lying dead on the grass in the heart of the forest. Baratheon's men coming storming toward Ned with swords and shields. Emilia runs as fast as her short legs can while looking back at Ned every chance she gets. He pulls out his sword and begins slaughtering his own men when they reach him. A dozen soldiers circle around him making Emilia stop running, there is no good end to this without her help. Even though she's still a child her father taught her many tricks, swords and shaping tricks. Running back toward the soldiers she takes out the knife and stabs one in the back making other turn her. Realizing who she is the soldier aim their weapons at her instead of Ned fighting half of them of. He looks at her in horror before yelling as he kills another one.

"Run! Emilia! Run!"

"Not without you!"

She shouts while taking her sword and slicing a man's chest. Four soldiers run at her with swords ready to kill. Opening her mouth she screams a dragon roar with fire coming out of her lungs. The fire burns the four men to ashes making the rest of the men step back in shock. She turns to them and they see the eyes of a dragon isn't of her own. She screams again but this time it's so high pitch like a bird they've never heard before. Pain floods their ears making half of them kneel in pain. Grabbing her sword she uses her elephant strength to chop all of the men's head clean off in one motion. Ned kills the rest of the men standing before looking around to make sure everyone is dead. Once he's sure he runs to Emilia and kneels down breathless while saying.

"I told you not shape into anything."

"I didn't, though. I'm still me."

"But… How did you breathe fire?"

"Savages can do more than we let on." She smirks while resting her childlike hands on his shoulders, "There is more to us than the world knows."

"You'll be the death of me…" He sighs before standing up and looking around the dead men, "Come on, let's see if they have anything useful then leave. We can't be here for long."

"Is our cover blown?"

"No. As long as everyone is dead there is no one to report it."

Little did they know Jaime Lannister, a rookie in the rebellion, stands a little way down with all the horses his men rode on. He stands there in shock of what he saw, he didn't believe the rumors were true but how could he not now? Watching them look through his men's pockets and bags he knows he needs to report what has happened here. As he looks at the scene in front of him he hears the horses move. They all try to get free of the chains and rope, they try to move closer to the little girl. That's the Princess of the forest, Jamie's sure of it. She looks so pure, so innocent but he knows what she can become. Then again, she didn't have to become what the seven kingdoms believe she will be. They make little noises but not enough to cause attention to themselves. Looking back to the Princess then to the horses he does something he knows he could be killed for.

He cuts the rope off two horses and they instantly start trotting toward the girl and man. Jaime watches the horses meet the two in the heart of the forest, they go beside the girl and snort as if they're talking to her. She begins petting them and smiling as she talks to them like actual people. Ned then stands up after searching a dead soldier, he then talks to the princess and helps her get on one before getting on the other. Once they're settled on the horses they ride off not even taking notice of the last soldier standing. Jaime waits until he can't see them before getting on his horse and riding the opposite direction. His mind told him to tell his father but his heart told him otherwise. A girl who has that much potential shouldn't be murder because of the reasons his family told him. She was meant for more than this, she was meant more than to be murdered for her own gift. Riding back to camp he knows what he must tell the captain and he knows he must let that forest princess have a fighting chance. If only he knew who her companion is.

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

"This is Jon Snow." Davos Seaworth, Jon's second hand, announces like a commoner, "He's King in the North."

"Thank you for traveling so far, my lord." Daenerys speaks up to Jon, "I hope the seas weren't too rough."

"The winds were kind, Your Grace."

Standing in the front of a stone room is Missandei, Tyrion and a few Dothraki guards. Near the doors is standing Jon Snow, Davos and a few of their men. Emilia, however, is on the floor appeared as a snake. She long and thick, her scales are as black as the stone underneath her. She slithers around the throne Danny sits on while watching the men of the North. They plan is to not let the men know she's a human, not until they must or is needed to. Emilia was a legend, a myth, they didn't want people to see her right away knowing what happened in the past. They wanted to do it right. So here she is in another form of her fallen kingdom. Daenerys sits up straight as she watches Jon like a hawk while announcing confidently.

"So I assume, my lord... You're here to bend the knee."

"I am not."

He responds with his head tilts knowing saying that won't help the reason he's here. Emilia watches him curiously on why he's here. What King would leave his lands to see a Queen he's not going to bend the knee to? As she slithers around the floor she finds Jon's eyes glancing at her but not saying anything about it. He looks at her like he knows she more than a snake but can't promise it yet. Looking at him know Emilia can he his father in him, if his father was any other man she wouldn't be giving him the benefit of the doubt right now. She can see Ned humble posture in Jon, his simple words are the same as his fathers and without question, she knows Jon's intentions are as true and pure as Ned were. She didn't even know what his intentions are but she truly believes if they weren't pure and honest he wouldn't be here.

"Oh. Well, that is unfortunate." The Queen sighs while saying in a rude tone, "You've traveled all this way to break faith with House Targaryen?"

"Break faith?" Jon chuckles lightly before looking Daenerys dead in the eyes with complete seriousness, "Your father burned my grandfather alive. He burned my uncle alive. He would have burned the Seven Kingdoms-"

"My father... was an evil man." Daenery breathes out in regret before saying humbly to Jon, "On behalf of House Targaryen... I ask your forgiveness for the crimes he committed against your family. And I ask you not to judge a daughter by the sins of her father. Our two houses were allies for centuries, and those were the best centuries the Seven Kingdoms have ever known. Centuries of peace and prosperity with a Targaryen sitting on the Iron Throne and a Stark serving as Warden of the North. I am the last Targaryen, Jon Snow. Honor the pledge your ancestor made to mine. Bend the knee and I will name you Warden of the North. Together, we will save this country from those who would destroy it."

"You're right."

Jon sighs making Emilia tilt her head and slither down the steps. His eye catches hers and she stops, she feels as if she's looking at her original shape other than the one she appears to be in at the moment. Looking into his eyes know she knows Jon still doesn't plan to bend the knee. Shifting back to the side of the throne she waits from Jon's to continue his words. He stands there looking at Daenerys before saying something she did not expect.

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

"Then why are you here?" She waves her hands around impatiently.

"Because I need your help," He answers honestly while leaning forward, "... And you need mine."

"Did you see three dragons flying overhead when you arrived?"

"I did."

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

"They're hard to miss."

"But still, I need your help?"

"Not to defeat Cersei. You could storm King's Landing tomorrow and the city would fall." Davos smiles before laughing with his hands behind his back, "Hell, we almost took it and we didn't even have dragons."

"Almost."

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

"Still," Danny sighs while laying her hands in her lap and glancing at Emilia, "That doesn't explain why I need your help."

"Because right now," He begins to move forward but stops when the Dothraki get closer to him, "You and I and Cersei and everyone else, we're children playing at a game, screaming that the rules aren't fair."

"You told me you liked this man."

Daenerys growls without looking at Tyrion since he already knows who she is talking about. Danny looks to Emilia then not knowing how to react to this conversation. She couldn't read the Savages face and wished at that moment she came into the room as herself so they could at least have a silent conversation with one another. Seeing the Queen's expression Emilia slithers behind the throne where the men of the North can't see her. She plans to shape back into herself but wants to make an appearance at the right time so it isn't obvious. Tyrion doesn't turn to look back at her but responds like he's questioning it himself.

"I do."

"In the time since he's met me." The Queen snaps making it known she's getting frustrated, "He's refused to call me queen, he's refused to bow, and now he's calling me a child."

"I believe he's calling all of us children." Tyrion points out while trying to stay serious, "Figure of speech."

"Your Grace…" Jon speaks up knowing they need to get to the matter he came here for, "Everyone you know will die before winter's over if we don't defeat the enemy to the north."

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

"I am not your enemy." Jon sighs while saying his next words in a way she will believe him, "The dead are the enemy."

With those few words being heard Emilia's eyes go wide in disbelief. She shapes into herself then but doesn't leave from her spot behind the throne. The Dothraki who see her change nod their heads to her but don't say anything to have her cover blown. Her hand goes to her mouth as she thinks about what he said. They couldn't still be alive? Her father said their family killed them all. Sliding down to the ground Emilia thinks back to when she was a child and when her parents were still alive. Her father would tell her a story every night when she was a child. He told her the story of how their family came to be who they are now. Sitting down with her mouth cover Emilia tries to make sense of everything she knows.

"The dead?" Daenerys says like it's the most ridiculous thing she's ever heard, "Is that another figure of speech?"

"The Army of the Dead is on the march."

"The Army of the Dead?"

"You don't know me well, my lord," Emilia hears Jon say before asking who she believes to be to Tyrion, "But do you think I'm a liar or a madman?"

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

"The Army of the Dead is real." Jon announces to everyone in the room, "The white walkers are real. The Night King is real. I've seen them. If they get past the Wall and we're squabbling amongst ourselves... we're finished."

"What do they look like? The white walkers."

Emilia speaks up for the first time in this conversation, she comes out from behind the throne and walks toward Jon and his men. They all look confused about who she is and why she is speaking. None of the Northerners have seen her before, they all look at her as if she's a familiar face though. She's staring straight into Jon's eyes as she storms to them, her face looks emotionless. However, her posture tells everyone in the room she's quite shocked by Jon's announcement. Tyrion and Daenerys look at one another confused on why she cares so much about this dead army. They don't say anything, they wait to see how this will play out. When she reaches Jon she stands there waiting for him to answer her. He sends Davos a look before turning back to her and saying with the hope that she will believe him.

"Whoever the dead kill they come back to life with blue eyes. They look dead, cold, and decay over time but don't die no matter how much they've decayed."

"How many did you see? Where are they?"

"A 50,000 at least. They're behind the wall but they won't be for long." Jon says determined to have someone here believe him, "Do you believe me? Lady…"

"Savage."

Emilia answers in a soft voice while looking to the ground in conflict, she doesn't notice Jon's posture go stiff from her name. His eyes roam her body, taking in the woman he's heard in stories. All she thinks about it the history her family has told her for years and the books her father used to make her read. But most importantly she thinks about her kingdom and her friends there who never mentioned this to her. The room can tell her mind is far away thinking a million things. Daenerys rests a hand on Emilia when she doesn't look at anyone. Emilia doesn't notice the gesture and begins walking away to the nearest exit. Halfway to the doors, Emilia announces to the room with a disturbed expression.

"I need to leave. I need to take care of something. I'll be back when the sun falls."

"Papa… Can I read something else?"

"You don't like that story?"

"It's facts, not a story. It's doesn't count."

"Well, you need to read it. It's our legacy."

Thomas, Emilia's father, sighs from his desk tiredly. They're in Thomas's study, he has scrolls and books covering his desk. Some scrolls are from the King of the Seven Kingdoms and some are from his Wife. She's in Essos at the moment getting intel on the lands. Emilia is sitting at a table nearby with a few books her father wants her to read for the day. Her short legs don't reach the floor where she sits so the swing back and forth bored. Thomas notices her eyes wanting to fall shut making him sigh, she needs to know what's on those pages. She'll be the only one who knows what in that book. People may know a little bit about what's in these pages but she'll be the one who knows the truth. Getting up from his chair he goes to sit down beside Emilia, he smiles while asking all too innocently.

"Why don't I read these facts out loud for you? Would that help?"

"I guess…"

Emilia mumbles, she doesn't want to hear about years or events, she wants a story. Even more so she wants to go leave the castle and see the rest of the world outside of the forest like her mother. Their kingdom is in the center of the deepest forest in the world. No common man could find it, then again, no one has even tried to get to the center of this forest. It's just too large for a person to explore it through and through. The castle is as tall as the trees around them, it's no taller than them so it's harder for the world to find it. She's never able to leave the castle or the forest but she desperately wanted to. She wanted to see how the world lives, how people live. Her father, however, has different plans for her. Smirking Thomas takes the book and reads the title out loud curiously.

"The Longest Winter, huh? This is one of my favorite stories."

"It's not a story, papa. It's a list of dates and events."

"How could it not be a story, Princess?" Thomas asks in pure surprise, "It's the story of how all this came to be."

"How what came to be?"

"How our kingdom became what it is now." He says while opening the page and skimming the words, "Let's see… Ah, here we go. Once upon a time, thousands of years ago." Emilia brightens up from hearing the first words to every good story, "Back when Dragon flew freely as they please and back when giants were alive an army known as White Walkers were born. They were white as snow and with eyes blue as the sea. Born of powerful and untested magic, they were created by the Children of the Forest. The children had made them for protection… Protection from the First Men."

"Didn't our family rule over the Children of the Forest?"

"I'm getting to that…" Thomas sends her a knowing look making her grin and rest her head on her arms, "The First Men had waged war on them ever since they had arrived from Essos. The White Walkers were fighting them off until one day they broke free of the Children's control and became the most feared creatures in Westeros. Posing a threat to anything living. The day they became free was the day the longest winter began."

"Oh! I heard about that part! They lived in the far North but wanted more than just that." Emilia lights up at the stories she's heard from her family, "They killed anyone and anything in their path as took the lands. The Children's magic was no match for the monsters they created."

"Exactly, who told you this?"

"Grandpa did."

"Well… Did he tell you about how the Children of the Forest tried to stop them?"

"I can't remember…"

"At first they waited to see if the First Men could defeat them but they were as powerless as the Children." Thomas explains in seriousness since this is where the story is the most important to their family, "The Children realized if they wanted to destroy the White Walkers they need a man that was less than a God but more than a man. So they found a man who instead of hated them, admired them. His name was Xalvador Savage. The Children gave him and his house a gift to defeat the White Walkers. A gift that would be passed down to every member in the Savage Household. With that gift, came power that no one could fantom. They gave his family the ability to talk to animals and to be able to transform into them."

"They just gave our House that kind of power? Why? Why us, Papa?"

"It says… In these boring facts and events, that the Children of the Forest chose Xalvador and the House Of Savages because they were the only family who wanted peace among everyone." Thomas says carefully so she understands, "They wanted peace with everyone living, man and creature. The rest of the First Men only wanted peace among themselves. Which is why they gave us the power, we were the only ones at the time who saw the value in all life."

"Did Xalvador defeat the White Walkers?"

"After they had given him and his family the gift Xalvador was able to join not only the First Men and The Forest Children but the animals in the world together to fight alongside. Against the White Walkers." He explains with meaning behind it, "It was the first and last time the living joined together, for once the world had a common goal. To live." Thomas says with his hands moving passionately, "As the White Walkers were destroying everything in their path the living was getting ready for the biggest war this world has ever seen. Men attacked them with dragon glass, Children used magic against them, and animals slaughtered them in huge numbers of packs. Dragons were attacking from above, Men were surrounding them from the ground, and the Children attacking from the trees. They became an unstoppable army, who was lead by House Savage. If it wasn't for us, we wouldn't be standing here today. The living killed the White Walkers until the last one was dead. When Xalvador killed the very last White Walker the long winter had finally ended but a new era began."

"The era of the Savage Kingdom."

Emilia's grandpa speaks up as he slowly comes into the room with a cane. She lights up at the sight of him, he smiles at her with pure love for her. Emilia always loved the company of her grandpa, he told her all sorts of stories. Of course, she'd listen to all of them on the edge of her seat. He may be old, pale, and slow but he was the best at telling her stories. His cane makes a clicking sound on the floor as he walks toward them. Looking at his granddaughter he raises his free hand dramatically while continuing the story his son started.

"The living crowned Xalvador Savage ruler of the land for no one came close to the respect he was given. Or the power he earned, everyone looked up to him. He had done the impossible, he had brought true peace to Westeros. Something no man has ever done before and has yet to do again, he was looked upon as if he was a God. He ruled over the animals, the First Men, and the Children of the Forest. It was a kingdom like you've never seen before."

"Yes… But, as the years past the number of Men grew and the Children of the forest were dying." Thomas snaps at his father from getting to say his favorite part of their history, "It was only a matter of time until the First Men broke off from the Kingdom House Savages built. Instead, they built a new kingdom, known today as the Seven Kingdoms. The Men were ruled by a man and the creatures were ruled by Savages. Or should I say The Savages. We've been Kings and Queens ever since that winter."

"Men have forgotten everything this family has done for them. They now believe they did all that themselves." Her grandpa grunts while going to sit at the table they're at, "That it was them who built the wall in front of where the war took place. If only they knew who really built it…"

"Why don't we tell them?" Emilia blurts out while thinking about the outside world, "They have a right to know. We were once just like them after all."

"It's more complex than that…" Thomas sighs while shutting the book and sending his father an annoyed look, "The world we in live in now believe the White Walkers are a myth and that the Children of the Forest never existed. Are name has been turned into the meaning of real Savages. Which is why no one remembers what it really stands for."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Savages was once just a House Name, it didn't use to mean Savage people." Grandpa explains slowly to help her little mind know what he means, "The way our house fought in the war was cruel and unforgivable, it was the only way for us to win, so the First Men began to use our name as a term until it was nothing but a term for that kind of behavior. That's why no one truly knows what Savages mean. They think Savages are untamed people but really it's our House name, our kingdom… But one day, they'll find out the truth. One day, we will return as the one true rulers of Westeros."