Okay everyone so here is the final chapter of Part 1 (Finally…). It kind of condenses a little bit of story so it may look a bit rushed to some...Now I must warn that this is how I wish to end it before I decided on updating the story, so it may still subject to some changes in a not so distant future.
I decided, in accordance with the voting to keep my initial idea of Brandon as King on, though like I said before, there will be some changes happening in the plot to improve this outcome. More information in the final notes of the chapter.
As for the other idea of having a Regency for Aegon, I decided to make it a separate project in the future to come. This is mainly because there are quite a few stories focusing in Elia and Rhaella right now, they well written though most if not all have Brandon/Ashara which pities me but everyone has their own theories so I won't complain…So because of this, I don't wish to get myself in that territory yet. Anyway, it's yet another project I have in mind for the future amongst others but I will not commit to it yet.
Also thank you for every voting, suggestion, and comment in the past "Chapters".
Elia Martell
White Harbor, North, Year 283 AC
The ship was steady as it was entering the docks of White Harbor. Her son was careful nestled in her arms, sleeping, tired from playing with his more energetic sister. And said sister was happily playing with her new three uncles…the new King Brandon, his brother Ned and Ser Jaime Lannister.
Ashara had sent a letter in the time the Starks were in the Stormlands telling her that Lyanna was to arrive soon at Winterfell, to deliver another letter for her Sweet Quiet Wolf…and to be strong because everything was going to be okay. Elia replied with a letter explaining what went down in King's Landing including the election of the new King.
Once the Starks brothers returned from their trip to Storm's End, she told them everything she knew about Lyanna from what Rhaegar and Ashara told them for they asked for it, not that truth was anything but ruthless…their crushed expressions proved as much and made her feel pity for them…they were nice men and they had fought a war for their sister and although she wasn't kidnapped she ended up pregnant…with Rhaegar's child…
Her late husband was still a mystery to her…he had everything served to him in a plate and he still failed miserably…whatever tormented her husband so much it won't do so again.
Of course, Elia still had bitterness in her mouth from what transpired at King's Landing with her children being disinherited but she supposed it was predictable…she was thankful that at least they weren't killed. Not that many lords wouldn't wish for it to happen…there was a strong anti-Targaryen sentiment amongst the Rebels and she could name a few just from their glances…
The Starks, however, did not wish for such cruel thing to happen…she still remembered the day when Brandon came to her after his first meeting as King and explained the situation and the decisions his council took regarding Elia and her children. She had expected as much, her children would have been denied much freedom…
And then he expressed his desire to not send the threatening letter that the lords of council found fit to send, instead he proposed a solution of his own: Elia and her children would remain in King's Landing like they would be if the Rebellion did not happen and once Brandon had an heir, a betrothal between said heir and Rhaenys could be arranged in order to restore peace between Rebels and Loyalists once and for all. He also told her that when Aegon was to come of age, he could become Lord of Dragonstone as the Targaryens of old.
In all honesty, she didn't know what to think of the arrangement and she told him as much…she also expressed her worries as a mother and he told her he would protect her and her children as if they were his own children. She accepted his suggestion, she wished to end the war and bring the peace to the realm and this arrangement was as close as she could get to their original destinies of Princes.
On Brandon's behest and her own, instead of the threatening letter that the council wished to send, she sent a letter to her brother Doran, explaining the arrangement and begged her brother to cease hostilities until further negotiations could be done, after Brandon's marriage. She knew Doran was a cautious man and would likely comply but Oberyn was an entirely different matter so she sent a letter to him as well with more soothing words.
Around the time in which they were preparing to leave North by ship, as the Starks wished to see their sister as fast as possible, as understandable and Cersei Lannister's arrival in the capital would take some time still, they received Doran's answer. He had accepted to enter the King's Peace at least temporarily and was looking forward to the negotiations proposed, expecting House Stark to keep true to their words. He also assured that Oberyn would remain still, even though she received no reply from her younger brother…
The only focus of resistance left was Dragonstone and Driftmark where Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys were. Brandon sent a letter to them and Elia sent another a couple of days afterward. In them they promised to treat them with as much dignity as they so deserved and assuring their safety and return to their normal lives but from them they received no answer yet…
Most of the Royal Fleet of House Targaryen was still moored at Dragonstone or Driftmark with less than five ships remaining at King's Landing. From ship, the new King crossed Blackwater Bay to Massey's Hook. From there, they rode to Stone Dance which hosted the Vale fleet and soon enough the Lannister fleet. From there they sailed to White Harbor on a Valemen ship.
Since the King's Peace was now being enforced, the bulk of their armies returned home.
"Elia." Brandon Stark called with a smile on his face. "We will disembark in a couple of minutes. I'm sure Lady Manderly will provide you with a wheelhouse in which you can take the children in. Me, my brother and Ser Jaime will of course ride beside you."
"Okay." she replied.
"You seem a bit down still…" he said worried about her.
"I'm worried about Queen Rhaella…I hope she received the message…" she confessed worried, thinking about the mistreated woman…and her ladies-in-waiting friends.
"I'm sure Queen Rhaella will see reason, only House Velaryon still supports House Targaryen…at least at first glance." Brandon said. "Our offer is the best for her and her children."
"Queen Rhaella is smart." she avowed. "You are right Your Grace, she will accept."
"By the way…you may watch your daughter…I think she is trying to steal my brother from his wife…" Brandon Stark said as he pointed towards her daughter who was piggybacking on Ned's back, while laughing, oblivious to what transpired.
Elia laughed as well. "Oh dear…Ashara has competition indeed…"
"All japes aside, thank you for your help in everything, Elia. Really it means a lot and I will be sure to repay you as you deserve."
"I just want peace and for my children to have futures, give me this and I shall be content." she explained to him.
"A Stark doesn't back down from his word." he assured her.
"Let us disembark then." she proclaimed. "I'm quite excited to see my best friend once again and you and your brother to see your siblings, am I right?"
"We are My Princess, we miss them dearly," he assured her. "Otherwise we wouldn't rush here by ship, especially since I'm the King now...but we had to see with our own eyes that Lyanna is safe."
"As you should. I'm sure the realm will understand."
"Also between you and me…I'm actually quite frightened to see Ned's child…"
"Why so?" she asked curiously.
"Do you realize how freighting an army of small brooding Neds sounds? Them all saying Winter is Coming? I shiver with the thought of it…"
At this, she couldn't hold it anymore and began laughing so loudly that made the other crew look at her confused. She controlled herself but she continued giggling. "By the Seven it has been a while since I laughed this much…an army of brooding Neds…"
"I'm always at your service, My Princess," he said with a prideful smile. "But truly, it does sound frightening…"
"I sure it does. Winter is Coming is it not?" she assured him amused. She was looking forward to see Ashara and Arthur…
Ashara Dayne
Winterfell, North, Year 283 AC
"I'm scared…" Lyanna whispered crying as Arthur brought her in his arms to her room. Her sister-in-law began feeling the first contractions early in the morning, but by lunchtime, she was feeling ill with an immense pain as well. Ashara who was closer to her placed her hand on Lyanna's forehead and felt it boiling with fever…it continued to get worse and worse to the point in which Lyanna was now…
At the worse was that Ned and Brandon were to arrive any time soon…
"You don't have to be afraid Lyanna everything will be fine." Ashara assured the Stark girl but it wasn't helping anything at all. Lyanna was smart and knew as well as felt that she was not right.
"Hang on in there," Arthur said as he placed Lyanna in her bed. "Where is the Maester?"
"I'm here…" Maester Rhodry said, entering the room with haste. "This moving between here at Castle Cerwyn is too much for me. I must have sent a thousand ravens to the Citadel for them bring another man here. I hope that with the war over they send one for the Seven's sake."
"Maester Rhodry we know it has taken a heavy toll on you just as with us but please Lady Lyanna is boiling in fever she should be made the main concern." Ashara said as to make the man do something.
"I know, I know." The Maester scoffed. "I shall do my best but expect no miracles, My Lady. Now if you could give me some privacy, I will see if I can lower her body temperature before she really enters into child labor at which point I shall request the ladies' assistant."
"Of course…do keep us informed." Ashara pleaded worried, for it seemed something was not right at all with her sister-in-law…
The minutes turned into hours and she patiently waited in the Great Hall of Winterfell with everyone who was there…Her brother, Lyanna's brother, her son, Ser Oswell, Sharley, Jonelle, Nan, the servants…all awaited with anticipation…
"Her mother died like this…" Nan said saddened.
"Nan, Lyanna is strong she won't die." Benjen said but his worried face told he was skeptical too…
"So was your mother…one of the strongest women I ever saw in my long life."
"Please, can we talk about something better?" Ashara pleaded. "Let us not speak of deaths, it helps no one."
"I'm sure…having her brothers here will help her somehow…" Sharley suggested. "If they could arrive faster…"
"We have sent twenty good men as an honor escort to meet them along the road," Benjen said. "But they are likely to take some time still."
"My Ladies, she is in child labor!" The Maester said panting.
Ashara aroused from her seat as quickly as she could. "We are right after you. Girls, Nan."
"On the way."
Poor Lyanna did not seem to get better at all, only worse…her fever was still high… "My Lady you must push…" Maester Rhodry said worried with Lyanna's horrible condition and look.
"Seven Hells she is steaming…" Jonelle said as she placed a wet scarf on Lyanna's head in hopes to reduce the temperature. "This is too much for her…"
"I'm afraid the child cannot remain in Lady Lyanna's womb either way so she much push." The Maester said. "If she cannot do it…then we must open her…"
Open her? Gods…The likelihood of surviving will be close to none then… "Lyanna I know it's hard but…you must push my dear…" Ashara begged, tormented with the sight of her sister-in-law.
"I…I…I'm weak…" Lyanna whispered in so much pain that Ashara began crying herself…
"Lyanna, you are a strong woman, my dear, come on, give it a push…" Ashara pleaded once more. "Ned and Brandon will arrive soon and you ought to receive them."
"Ned and Bran…" she whispered with a very weak smile. "I wish to see them…"
"And you will, my dear, but you must push the child of you first." Ashara assured.
"I will try…"
"Come on My Lady push!" The Maester pleaded.
"AAAAARRGGGHHH!" Lyanna screamed as she made a strong push. Ashara held Lyanna's hand and she noted that she did not have a lot of strength in her gripe…
Finally after a very long push Lyanna's child was out…a boy…a spitting image of Rhaegar with silver-blond hair and indigo eyes…and a dead babe…Gods…
"Oh Gods!" Jonelle screamed. "Lyanna? Lyanna! Oh Gods, I think she fainted…"
"Oh Seven Hells!" Ashara screamed in agony. "Lyanna! LYANNA!"
The days were grimmer ever since Lyanna gave birth…she did not simply faint…she was in a coma…lingering for her life…the Maester did not know what to do…going as far as to admit she would not wake up…Ashara did not wish to even think about it, sweet Benjen was already crushed…seating by his chair in the Great Hall of Winterfell every minute of the day…
"There are riders approaching." Arthur proclaimed as he entered the grim Great Hall of Winterfell. Her brother and Ser Oswell to distract themselves from Lyanna's horrible condition. "The twenty that were sent together three more, one of which carrying the same white armor as us and there is a wheelhouse as well."
Oh Seven Hells my Ned is returning… "Sharley can you take Jon into arms?" she inquired.
"I can Ash." The woman said smiling. "Someone is already going mad it seems."
"You have no idea, my friend," Ashara admitted. "We need something to cheer us up. Come let us go wait for them outside."
The winds were gentle, nothing compared to those blizzards she endured in winter both in the North and the Vale. The long-awaited riders passed through the eastern gates followed by the wheelhouse with House Manderly's sigil. They stopped and her heart was racing when she saw him…Walder and the other stable boys took the reins of their horses once the riders dismounted but she found herself running like child and the next thing she remembered was being on the floor, on top of him.
"History repeats itself…" Ned said with a smile on his face.
"It does…" she agreed while she took his lips on a deep and long kiss.
"See what I told you Lannister? My brother is a hopeless romantic below that cold exterior…"
"It seems as much Your Grace." The title made Ashara remember the letter she got from Elia a while back…the Rebels chose Brandon as their King…he was her King now…
Ashara got up, pulling Ned as well. "My deepest apologies, Your Grace…" she began but was quickly interrupted by her brother-in-law.
"You are not stopping that kiss for my sake are you Ashara? Oh…" he muttered amusedly. "And we are family are we not? I don't want you call me that nonsense. Brandon should do for you."
"Of course, Brandon…" she said a bit overwhelmed with it all still.
"Ash, my dearest friend."
Ashara saw Elia exit the wheelhouse and she would have jumped onto her had she not seen little Aegon on her friend's arms. She did, however, hug her friend. "Oh Elia, my friend, I have missed you so much…and look at you my little dragoness! Look how much you have grown!"
"Who are you?" Little Rhaenys asked confused, not remembering Ashara at all…
"I'm Ashara Dayne, one of your mother's former ladies-in-waiting," she explained to the little girl.
"Like Jasline and Nysah?"
"Yes, like them, darling."
"Ben!" she heard Brandon Stark shout. "Look at this pup Ned, he grew a lot!"
"Aye." Came Ned's answer.
"I did say I would did I not?" Benjen barked at his older brothers.
"Damn look at his voice, all manly now!" Brandon smirked. "Seven Hells…A man is away almost two years at this happens…"
"Well…you can't remain the tallest forever…" Ben said with a smirk as well.
"No I can't, but it isn't going to be today that you pass me in height, Pup." Then her King turned to Sharley and Jonelle who were there, Jon was in their arms. "Hey Ned, there is someone there to see you too I believe…"
Her husband noticed the baby covered in furs in Sharley's arms, he must have seen Jon's eyes and expression, signs that gave away his father. Then her wolf moved slowly towards that Dustin woman…A smile just as tears came to Ashara's face once her Ned took the child onto his arms.
"He is beautiful…" Ned said with a proud smile. "You have not told me his name in the letter…"
"His name is Jon Stark." she replied with a devilish smirk.
"Jon Stark…" he repeated chuckling. "Lord Arryn will be proud."
"He looks like Ned…" Brandon said as he peeked from Ned's shoulder.
"Someone's worst nightmare…" Elia added giggling. "If his own words are to be taken into account."
"It's just one, everything is alright…for now…" Brandon retorted with his own smirk. "Congratulations to you both."
"Thank you Brandon." she thanked as she embraced her two wolves, Ned and Jon.
"And Sharley and Jonelle are looking good as always." Brandon continued. "So is Harlon, Harwin and of course Walder."
"We are Your Grace," Sharley said. "You do seem well as well."
"For now…" Brandon chuckled. His gaze befell upon Arthur and Oswell. "Sers."
"Brandon Stark." Her brother acknowledged, without saying, Your Grace…Gods Arthur… "Congratulations on killing King Aerys."
"Thank you, Ser. I must thank you for returning my sister home."
"Your sister…" Arthur began, his expression getting worse. "She…"
"What of her?" Brandon inquired before he clearly noticed that she wasn't there. "Where is Lyanna? Where is my sister?"
Ned looked towards Ashara and she failed to meet his gaze and instead called for them to follow her…
Lyanna was as if she was sleeping but if someone were to shake her, she wouldn't wake. The fever had decreased but there was no telling if she was to wake up or not…
"Gods…" Her Ned said upon seeing his little sister.
"Lya…" Brandon said as he knelt beside her. "What happened to you…"
"The babe didn't make it?" Ned asked with troubled eyes. She shook her head and he sighed, kneeling like his brother but on the other side. "We are all here Lya, we are waiting for you, my sweet dearest sister."
Lyanna Stark
Winterfell, North, Year 283 AC
She did not know where she was…she was nowhere near her room at Winterfell which was what she remembered last…she was…she was falling!
An endless fall…she got scared as who wouldn't? There was nothing below her…only darkness…darkness all around her…
"Fly…" A voice whispered in the darkness…she was a woman for the Gods' sake, how was she to fly? Humans can't fly!
She could not see anything but the bloody darkness but she could feel how fast she was falling…Was this a dream somehow? She had a fever when she went into child labor so she likely fainted…or died…or Gods what am I thinking? This a dream and I must wake up from it…
"And if you don't?" The same voice from before asked. The darkness below her turned into grey mist, still blurred…there was ground below her but it was still miles and miles away from her…
"Where am I?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes as she was unable to do anything but fall, the ground would come and she would die from it...
"Not cry." The voice whisper yet again. "Fly."
"I can't fly you bloody idiot." she hissed. "I'm a woman, not some bird!"
"How do you know? Have you ever tried?"
"I'm not stupid!" she hissed yet again, searching for whoever was speaking…and there was a crow falling with her, just out of reach…What? "What are you?"
"Fly…" The crow replied. "Fly…"
"I'm not a bloody crow and how in Seven Hells am I speaking to one?" she asked frightened. Damn fever was making her mad as the Mad King.
"Say, got any corn?" The crow asked.
"Corn? Do I look like I carry corn with me? I have no pockets nor am I a maze field." she barked at the damned creature.
"Search it in your waist…"
"What?" she reached her waist as she was told and…she had pockets now? What? "How?"
"Got any corn?" The bloody crow asked again.
Lyanna decided to search inside these newfound pockets, frightened of what she would find…she felt something inside and grabbed…it looked as if her hands were still on their place so…she pulled whatever she grabbed from inside and…Corn?
The kernels were falling with her and the bloody bird…said bird landed on her hand began eating them kernels… "What are you?" she asked again.
"Are you falling?" The crow ignored her question with his own…damn bird…
"No doubt this a dream," she said. "Otherwise I would have cracked my head on the floor a long while ago."
"Is it really a dream?" Asked the crow.
She looked down below and the mists were clearing…there were…mountains! She could see their white peaks, there were rivers too, she could see their course from up there and green, she could see green too…What is happening to me?
"Crying will do you no good." The crow said. "I told you, the answer is flying, not crying. How hard can it be? I'm doing it." The crow took off and flapped his wings around Lyanna's hand.
"You have wings, you bloody stupid creature!" she hissed. "I have none!"
"Maybe you do too…"
"I swear to the Gods if I could get my hands at you, I would pluck all your feathers off!" she barked angrily, the bloody bird was angering her more than what she was used to be. "You bloody creature!"
"There are different kinds of wings yours." The crown insisted.
In an act of stupidity, Lyanna search for those bloody wings but she fail to find any. She noticed a face forming in the grey mist, shining with light, silver… "Oh child you are so very kind and yet so very reckless." The old woman's voice…from Summerhall…
The crow flew once more, cawing as crows did. "Not that!" It shrieked at her as if angry. "Forget that, you do not need that now, put it aside, put it away!" It landed on her shoulder and pecked at her, making the old lady's face disappear. Now she was falling ever faster… "What are you doing to me, you stupid creature!" she hissed at the crow once more, crying… "Stop it you cursed beast!"
"I'm teaching you how to fly…"
"I can't fly you, ignorant creature!"
"You are flying right now…"
"I'm falling, you stupid!"
"Every flight begins with a fall…" The crow said. "Look down."
"No!" she barked at it.
"LOOK DOWN!"
She did so…the ground was closer and closer…she could distinguish everything clearly…she could see…the entire realm and everyone in it…
She saw Winterfell…the tall towers looking weirdly from above, the castle walls just mere lines in the dirt. She Ashara with baby Jon at her breast pacing in the halls of Winterfell, Ser Arthur and Ser Oswell and sweet Allyria waiting at the Great Hall…with Princess Elia and her children! She saw Sharley and Jonelle bringing Nan towards her room…the Maester running from place to place…in the distance she saw Walder, her friend carrying buckets of water and ice…and in her room she saw herself, inert without making a movement, all of her brothers near her…her brothers were it her… all there for her and she was here...falling…
"No." The crow shrieked. "No! Fly! You must fly!"
"I don't want to fly, I want to kiss my brothers…I want them!" she hissed back, crying like a baby but she cared not.
Then she saw the Godswood, the great white Heart Tree of Winterfell…its leaves rustling in the wind…when it felt Lyanna's gaze it stared at her…
"FLY!" The crow shrieked.
Lyanna looked towards it the fucking crow, seating on her shoulder and it looked back at her. It had three eyes and the third eye was nothing but a foul thing. She averted her gaze from the crow, looking down in the process, there was nothing but snow, cold and death…a frozen wasteland where jagged blue-white spires of ice waited to embrace her…she saw more bones, impaled upon their pointy ends and she screamed in utter agony.
"Now Lyanna…" The crow urged. "Choose…fly or die."
Death was coming for her, screaming just as loud as her… "I WANT MY BROTHERS!" she screamed and a bright light shone around her.
Her next memory was that she was somehow at Winterfell's Godswood…near the Heart Tree…the same one that had looked at her moments earlier…She wasn't falling anymore she was on solid ground…Thank the Gods…
"You don't need to worry about falling anymore." A sweet and feminine voice proclaimed. Its source was a woman who looked like a copy of Lyanna just an inch or two taller…a full-grown woman as well. "You must be wondering who I am."
"I am." she replied, thankful that the crow was not with her anymore, saying his bloody nonsense…
"Well…unlike your dear brothers, you were but a babe when I passed away so…"
"When you passed away? Are you…dead?" she asked aghast.
The woman laughed upon hearing her question. "And here was I thinking you would say my name but it seems I was wrong…yes, I'm dead."
"Am I supposed to know your name if you died before I was born?" she inquired skeptically.
"I think so…especially if we are kin."
"Kin?" she asked amazed. If the woman resembled Lyanna so much, was older, dead and kin then… "You are…my mother?"
"There we go, my sweetest Lyanna. I knew you would see through it." The woman said laughing.
"So…you are really my mother?" she asked, caught by surprise.
"I am." The woman replied. "I'm Lyarra Stark wife of Rickard Stark, your late father." Late father…she still couldn't believe she would not see her father again, killed unjustly by the Mad King... "Your father would not wish to see sad, my sweetest daughter."
"Can you read my mind?" Gods be good but this was too much for her head…
"Maybe…" Her mother said smiling.
"Mother…can you tell me what I saw?" she questioned, this was clearly a dream but perhaps…perhaps she could get some answers… "Why I was falling?"
"Because you are neither dead nor alive."
"I'm neither dead nor alive? What does it mean?" she asked confused.
"You are in a coma as your fever was too high and childbirth took a heavy toll on you my sweetest Lyanna." Mother said with a grim look.
"I see…" It made sense and it definitely tied up some knots… "But what was that crow?"
"You will find out somehow my beautiful daughter." Mother proclaimed. "There are many mysteries to solve."
"Mysteries to solve…About what?"
"Life and death perhaps? Something bigger than us definitely. I actually don't know myself. I just know it will be hard my love." Mother said as she cupped Lyanna's cheek to which she felt a wonderful warmth coming from it. "You have truly grown into a beautiful woman my love, you are worthy Queen of Love and Beauty even if…things only turned south from it…"
"I'm afraid mother…" she confessed, still shaken from the things she saw early…the crow was cold but her mother was warm… "I don't wish to die…"
"You didn't forget about the words of the pack did you, my love?" Mother questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"When the snow falls and the white wind blows, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives…" she recited.
"Correct." Mother smiled. "Now you must choose to live marked or die. You mustn't forget that you are in a coma."
"But what marked me, mother? I just don't understand all these secrecy." Lyanna hissed at her mother, longing for concrete answers.
"I wish I could tell you more but I know not my love…" Mother said with a sigh. "I'm not omniscient, I'm unreliable."
"You are not," Lyanna assured as she inhaled some air and let it out. "So I only have two paths to choose, life and death?"
"Yes."
The decision was quite easy, she wanted to live, she wanted to be with her brothers, nephew, and child if it was alive…
"Then, if you want to live my beautiful daughter, you will live." Mother said smiling. "Make the pack stay strong for what's coming, my love and tell your brothers I love them, and every Stark."
"I will, I promise." Lyanna assured.
"Goodbye, my sweetest Lyanna, be strong." Mother wished as she planted a big kiss on her forehead.
"Goodbye, mother…" Lyanna whispered with tears in the corner of her eyes, thankful that she met her mother…A bright light shone around her once more…and she remembered nothing.
Then she woke up panting and sweating…in her room…her brothers around her, their tired bulging with the sight of her and their mouths opening with surprise.
"Lya?" Ben inquired, aghast.
"Yes?" she replied, a smile forming on her lips. "Is something amiss with me?"
"For fuck sake Lya, don't be stupid!" Brandon barked, tears in his eyes. "You were in a coma!"
"Brandon is right Lya, we were worried for you…" Ned said, his eyes had tears as well.
"I know my dear brothers…I just…I don't know…I'm happy to be next to all of you…I have missed you so much…" she said, tears in her eyes as well.
"Look at us…a bunch bloody crybabies…" Brandon laughed. "How far we have fallen…"
"We suffered a lot but we survived," Ned said smiling. "When the snow falls…"
"And the white wind blows…" Brandon added.
"The lone wolf dies…" Ben said.
"But the pack survives…" Lyanna completed, remembering the talk with her mother and her kiss…I will survive…I will solve the mysteries with my brothers and family. The pack stays strong. "Winter is Coming my dearest brothers."
"Winter is Coming indeed…" Her brothers nodded before they all hugged her. She was happy now, happy with her brothers at Winterfell.
So I'm quite sure this was a weird chapter especially the last part…but this was how I envisioned the end of Part 1.
Now some changes that I have thought about and will most likely occur in the plot after being more polished.
-I will most likely make Littlefinger have some influence in Brandon going to King's Landing like I originally planned but scrapped because of inconsistencies regarding timelines since I was using a very detailed timeline (days and months).
-Brandon will go to King's Landing but will not shout "Come out and die" instead he will politely (I'm not being sarcastic) ask for an answer and justice.
-Aerys deprived of Lyanna will call him a traitor and demand his and his friends' arrest, in order to make House Stark answer for it's "treason".
-Brandon buys time for his friends to escape but is captured. Ethan, Jeffory, and Kyle survive and will join the Rebellion.
-Rickard goes to King's Landing unaware about Brandon not going crazy, gets arrested and still dies in an unfair trial.
-Ashara still tries to save Brandon but its Varys or Elia or Jaime (I haven't decided who yet) who lets him free before the Trident can even occur.
-Brandon ends up joining the Rebellion either at Stoney Sept, after what happened at Riverrun with Hoster or before the Trident and so he joins the Rebellion in its climax. I'm also thinking about making the Trident not happen in the Trident but closer to King's Landing so the Rebels can get to the capital faster but I'm not sure about that yet.
-Brandon and some other Rebels will enter the Red Keep by the secret passages and kill Aerys, save Elia and the rest should be the same as it was.
There are also somethings I'm rather undecided about.
1) Lyanna's son (Young Griff) died in this chapter as I originally intended but I'm not sure if it's the correct choice.
2) I have been conflicted about Rhaella's outcome, I originally intended for her to die as in canon but then as I wrote her POVs I kind of felt pity for her and decided against it but I'm not sure especially when I end up writing the Regency in which she can shine more than with Brandon as King.
3) I sort of wish to have Jaime remain in the Kingsguard because I think he is a good knight and without his "sin" he has the potential for greatness. It would be good for his character development and for the plot for him to have a wakeup call with Cersei earlier than canon. But it's just my opinion regarding him, many of you seem adamant on having him abandon his vows and return to Casterly Rock, I'm opened to it, so I would like some thoughts about it.
I think these are the things that trouble me the most, keep in mind this isn't a poll, I'm done with them but I still wish to hear some thoughts about it.
Anyway as I said at the beginning, this is the end of Part 1 everyone. I know it took way more time than what it should but it came. I will not go and repeat myself for the third or fourth time, but…thank you for everyone who gave this story a chance, it was a good and enriching experience, I think I grew as a writer with it and I definitely learned with my many mistakes. I'm quite proud to say I "finished" a work, as I set myself to do.
So, for now, I will slowly update the past chapters and hopefully enter Part 2 soon. As always, thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.
Red Aquilla.