"My first kill… I suppose it was one of my professors," Harrie remarked quietly, watching as the current fight dwindled, as the man in the roped off field of snow yielded to the woman. "I was only 11 at the time though and he had Voldemort possessing him."

Rhaegar stared at her and blinked, his eyes widening at her words. The late afternoon sun made his hair almost glow and Harrie's heart skipped a beat at the sight. He was even more beautiful than anyone she had ever seen in England. "Your first kill was when you were ten and one?"

"Yes. It was… I collapsed from exhaustion afterward and I don't remember most of the aftermath but yes. He had been possessed. Have you ever killed anyone?"

"No, I have not. I've trained well enough with a blade but Arthur and Oswell and the other knights of the kingsguard are there for a reason. My father though… He's killed people. He fought in the War of the Ninepenny Kings in the Stepstones."

"Stepstones? War of the Ninepenny Kings?"

Rhaegar sighed and turned to look ahead at the woman who had won the last bout. "One of the Targaryen kings of the past legitimized his bastards and one of them challenged for the throne. Daemon Blackfyre tried and failed to win the throne and so did his children and his children's children. King Aegon the Fourth is not thought well of to this day. My father… thinks well of him though, at least a little."

Harrie wrinkled her nose and was about to speak when a yell echoed throughout the crowds around them.

"What's going on?" Harrie exclaimed, raising an eyebrow and walking over to the challenge field. The few men and women in the center of it all turned to look at her, their eyes narrowed and their fists clenched.

"Lady, Darrik be wanting to fight you."

Harrie blinked and turned to look at the man in the center of the field. The man in question was taller than her, wore a set of mismatched armor and gripped an axe in his hands.

"You're leading us into an ambush south of the Wall! We should lay siege to the crows' castles and take them over, not play nice with them! They've slaughtered us for centuries and you think they'll just let us by!"

Harrie's lips curled into a frown and she loosened up her shoulders as she stepped over the rope. Her meeting with the Night's Watch was in two days and she was nervous. Dreams of what might happen had filled her sleep over the past few nights and she had woken up to nightmares at least twice, past memories invading her dreams too.

"Alright. And what would you think would happen if we were to do that?" Harrie questioned, seeing Rhaegar drop his hand to the blade at his waist out of the corner of her eyes. Tormund and Karsi were at the edge of the rope line as well but they were relaxed, and maybe even a little amused.

"It would put an end to their slaughter of our people."

Harrie snorted as she dropped her cloak and dropped her arms to her sides. "You think that would happen, hmm?"

"Aye!"

"What of the Starks?" Harrie questioned, jerking a thumb to the south. "You think they would just let that be? They already know of us and our camp here. They know there's a Queen Beyond the Wall. They know we mean to march south."

Darrik scowled and shook his head. "You're a witch! Just like the wargs and just like the three eyed raven! You were-"

Harrie frowned and stepped closer to the man. "You mean like Briar and her shadowcat? Like the children of the forest? Like the many skinchangers and wargs that are in our people's history?"

"You only came here three and a half years ago! What do you know of our history?"

"I've been living amongst you and your people for all three of those years."

Darrik let out a strangled noise and began to circle her, aiming his axe right at her.

"If you want to fight, you'll get a fight," Harrie retorted, staying exactly where she was. "I won't even use any magic."

Darrik smirked. "I bet you can't even fight without your magic. And you call yourself one of the free folk when you can't even handle a-"

Harrie inhaled deeply and kicked out with a sharp toed boot, picking her timing. Darrik yelped and bent over as her boot connected with his cock. He stood there, nearly bent over backwards and panted as he immediately dropped his hands to cover himself.

"You said you wouldn't-"

"I didn't say I wouldn't fight dirty. Besides, isn't that what all of you do?" Harrie asked, raising her voice as she took in their audience. They had gained a good hundred people, all of them gathering around to watch her. "You all fight dirty and slaughter the people of the south too. Steal, loot, pillage and rape. I said it would stop and I hold to my word. I am leaving tomorrow to secure us passage south. I expect you lot to behave."

Silence filled the air and Harrie grimaced as she walked out of the challenge field to stop by Rhaegar. The man looked at her with wide indigo eyes. "Where'd you learn…"

"One of the members of the Order of the Phoenix was an older woman," Harrie offered, shrugging. "Nymphadora Tonks. She taught me a few things in between my fifth and sixth year. I think I fell in love with her for that."

Rhaegar blinked and stared at her as she walked off.


"You've never told me how," Rhaegar started as they urged their mounts ahead the day after. The Wall was in sight but they still had an hour to go to reach Castle Black. Luckily, it was a still day, no snow falling and no rain dusting the ground. The sun was shining brightly in the sky and there were a few clouds drifting by.

Queen Hariel turned to look at him, her green eyes narrowed in thought. It was a small party going to Castle Black and Rhaegar didn't know who she had left in charge of the huge camp but she had given her word to him that nothing would happen while they were gone.

The huge wilding, Tormund, was with them and so were the three women and one man who often flanked her. He knew of Karsi but wasn't quite familiar with Val or Dalla or Sigorn.

Arthur and Oswell rode behind him, occasionally chatting with Tormund or Sigorn. Rhaegar had come back to their tents on more than one occasion in the last two weeks to see Tormund drinking with them.

"How…" Hariel's voice trailed off as she turned to look at him from her mount. "What?"

"How you became… Why you can change shape."

"To be fair, I've only told one person here," Hariel offered, shrugging her shoulders lightly. "And that person is not you."

"Who did you tell?"

"Karsi. Who then told Val and Dalla, if I'm not mistaken."

Rhaegar smiled at the thought. "So wildlings gossip?"

Hariel snorted. "Aye, we do. It is not a particularly… happy story."

"Most stories are not," Rhaegar spoke, looking up at the forest a mile ahead of them.

"Perhaps if this meeting goes well, I'll tell you."

"I look forward to it."

Hariel met his eyes briefly and then looked up at the Wall. "I remember flying over that Wall months ago to rescue Karsi. It's… sure something."

"Brandon the Builder. He built the Wall and founded House Stark," Rhaegar remarked, following her gaze. "He also built Winterfell."

"I didn't fly as far as Winterfell that day. What's it like?"

"Hmm?"

"What are the southern lands like? Are they all cold and wintery like the north?"

Rhaegar shook his head immediately and smiled. "No, they are not. The southernmost kingdom of Westeros is a desert. That would be Dorne, with Sunspear as capital and seat of House Martell. The western most kingdom is the westerlands, with Casterly Rock as capital and seat of House Lannister. My father's Hand is Lord Tywin Lannister, head of the house. House Arryn is the Warden of the East in the Vale. They have the Eyrie, a castle that sits atop a mountain. Riverrun is the seat of House Tully in the riverlands and Highgarden is the capital of the Reach, with it being the seat of House Tyrell.

Everything above the neck is cold and wintery but below… it's valleys and lakes and gardens," Rhaegar finally finished, breathing out a sigh. "It's beautiful."

Hariel's eyes softened at his words and met his eyes. "I look forward to seeing everything."

"If this meeting goes well, should I dare ask to show you everything myself?"

"You might."

"Very good, my lady."

"You sound very romantic when you say that."

"Ah, I should hope so."

Hariel blinked and froze as they began to ride out of the forest, the trees starting to thin out around them. They could still see thin pillars of ice even here, from where she had destroyed Craster's keep. There were big puddles of water however, proof that her ice would not last forever. She stared at him, her cheeks reddening.

"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Rhaegar's smile widened and he urged his horse faster, changing to a canter and then a gallop. He left the Queen and her wildlings behind as he rode, hearing Arthur and Oswell gallop to keep up with him.

"Rhaegar!"

A gust of wind echoed through the forest and Rhaegar distantly recalled what the brothers of the Night's Watch called it. The Haunted Forest. He idly wondered if the tales of the Night's Watch were true about the forest and then his horse whinnied, neighing in alarm.

The ice dragon took flight above him and Rhaegar pulled his horse to a stop to stare at the Queen in awe. She hovered in the air, giant and lethal. Ice dripped from her wingtips and claws and her silver grey eyes stared at him as she slowly descended to fly alongside him.

"You're beautiful," Rhaegar whispered, seeing Arthur and Oswell's eyes widen behind him. They still hadn't gotten used to the Queen or any of the wargs that the wildlings had with them and he with them. He suspected he would never get used to seeing the Dragon Queen change her shape.

She stared at him, her eyes narrowing in what looked like bemusement, and rumbled low in her chest. Rhaegar urged his horse forward to Castle Black, to what promised to be an interesting meeting.


Jeor Mormont blinked and dropped his hand to the sword at his waist at the first sight of the dragon. Every other man of the Watch gasped as they watched the dragon and the prince fly and ride side by side right up to the Wall. Jeor wondered what the men on the wall were seeing, wondered what the dragon looked like from above. He knew that their Lord Commander had put archers on the Wall, bows nocked and ready in case of… anything.

The dragon stopped a few feet away and descended to the snowy floor, its beady eyes looking at the assembled men as if it was searching for something.

Maester Aemon stood next to Jeor and he could hear the man's sharp breath as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen pulled his horse to a stop next to the dragon. He had his two kingsguard knights behind him and five wildlings also pulled their shaggy horses to a stop, flanking the dragon.

Lord Commander Ryon Qorgyle's dark eyes widened and everyone's hands fell to the swords at their waists.

Rhaegar rode forward and stopped his horse, holding out a hand. "Lord Commander, she will not attack if you won't. You were sent a letter a week ago, were you not?"

"She?" Maester Aemon echoed, raising an eyebrow. "Your Grace, are you well?"

Rhaegar's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Lord Commander, dropping his arms to his saddle loosely. "I am well. She and her people have not harmed me or my knights."

"We received a letter. Yes. It said nothing about the Queen Beyond the Wall sending a dragon. A dragon, Your Grace. The very same dragon who attacked Castle Black some months ago."

"Where is the Queen anyway?" Jeor questioned, peering into the ice dragon's eyes. It was quite a beast, with her silver eyes peeking at every man. As the dragon's gaze turned towards him, he felt like the beast was looking into his very soul.

Ice gathered at the animal's wingtips and Jeor stared at it in awe. Aemon was staring too and Jeor now remembered that Aemon was a Targaryen. He would be interested in the dragon more than anyone in the Watch would be. The dragon let out a soft rumble, exhaling out a cold breath. Flashes of the attack went through Jeor's mind and he remembered scrubbing off the ice from the roofs and weapons.

"She is right here," Rhaegar offered, his lips curling into a small grin. "She is here to negotiate travel south for the free folk, for her people."

"We don't want them," Lord Commander Qorgyle remarked, crossing his arms. "Westeros doesn't want them."

Jeor winced at the man's words and the dragon rumbled again, this time less soft and more… threatening.

"We are here to make sure you are alright. We have no intention of negotiating with the wildlings, your Grace. The Queen Beyond the Wall… Pah. The wildlings will not hold together for very long for a woman, much less a queen."

The dragon threw up its head and roared, loud and eerie. A beam of bright white ice shot from the beast's mouth, breaking through what clouds there were and seemingly going on for miles. Jeor saw more than a few men cover their ears and he started to reach up to do the same when the dragon began to… shrink.

Jeor gasped and took a step back in shock as the dragon continued to decrease in size, kicking up a cloud of snow. Wings, claws and fangs disappeared to be replaced by… a human woman.

Aemon sucked in a tight breath and the men around them pulled their swords out of their scabbards.

"Witch!"

The woman stood before them, tall, regal and almost glowing in the meager sunlight. Her long, wild black hair was splayed around her shoulders, framed by a few braids. The scar on her forehead was faint but visible, in the shape of a thunder bolt as it forked downward on her skin. Her green eyes were bright and flecked with silver for a second or two before the grey disappeared and green took its place.

There was no crown on her head but Jeor knew… This was the Queen. This was the woman that the wildling girl Karsi had spoken of.

The woman stared at them all, spared a glance at Rhaegar, and then looked at the Lord Commander. "My name is Hariel Potter and I am here to negotiate travel south for my people. If you do not want to deal with me then fetch the Starks. Or I shall travel to Winterfell and deal directly with them.

I give my word that I will not harm any man of the Night's Watch, Starks or the prince."

Silence fell in the clearing around the Wall and Jeor swallowed at the sight before him. Prince Rhaegar Targaryen had walked over to stand beside the Queen, his arms loose at his sides. He clearly felt like the woman would not harm him. Aemon beside him stared at the queen and the prince.

The woman who had just been a dragon a few seconds ago and the man that was descended from the dragonlords of Valyria.