No King or Queen had visited the Wall since Jaehaerys and Alysanne two centuries ago, and these royal visitors were Steward Jon Snow's half-brother and Maester Aemon's great-grandniece.

"The Night's Watch takes no part in the realm's internal political affairs," the black brother intoned, "but we welcome the monarchs of Houses Stark and Targaryen – Robb the first of his name and Daenerys the first of her name."

"Thank you," Robb answered. "As said by raven, we wish to have a private meeting with Steward Jon Snow," he continued.

"Very well then," the fellow steward responded. This must be Sam Tarly. Jon had made fast friends with one of the few other highborn young men to take the black these days. A messenger went to fetch Jon, as he was currently manning the top of the Wall.

"Your Grace – the dragons, they are real! I trusted Ser Jorah's news but still wanted to see them with mine own eyes."

"For too long, they were only stories. I have made those tales true again. Lord Tyrion said that after seeing one in flight, a man may as well stay in his garden, as no other sight could compare."

"Jon says I would like him – a clever man, an outcast amongst the highborn."

"Robb! A joy to see you again! Even with hundreds of black brothers, I miss my true ones."

"And you, especially with Bran and Rickon still missing. But the Watch needs more than a few hundred men, given what you report from beyond the Wall."

"Indeed. The Others are the true threat, but the Free Folk…"

"Free Folk?"

"What the wildlings call themselves. I disguised myself amongst them on Watch orders. A day ago, a raiding party scaled the Wall and attempted to take Castle Black from the rear. We held it but the main force is coming."

"Since you did not come alone, I suspect more than a social call." With Ned murdered, maybe they were delivering the secret of my parentage in his stead, Jon thought. He wasn't surprised to see Lord Reed here - he had been one of Eddard's longtime companions, and would know who Jon's mother was if any man alive would. However, Jon was surprised to see Queen Daenerys join them. "Your Grace, was my mother of House Targaryen?" Jon guessed to try and explain her presence.

"Not exactly," the young queen responded.

"Jon, your Stark blood is from your mother, not your father," Lord Reed explained. "You may know I went to the Tower of Joy with Eddard to try and rescue his sister Lyanna. She was there birthing you. We were unable to save her, being soldiers instead of midwives, but we brought you back to the North with us." Maybe the man who'd raised him hadn't been able to find a healer quickly enough, but why hadn't Rhaegar provided one? He'd claimed to love Lyanna but hadn't cared for her. Apparently he'd risked her to preserve the secret of her location.

"So he raised his nephew as a son," Jon said to summarize. "I think I'll forever think of him as my father; my true sire must've been Prince Rhaegar."

"Indeed."

"That would have made me the Mad King's heir," Jon observed.

"Which would have made you a target for the new king. It was Lyanna's dying wish for Ned to conceal you. And so he hurt his friend and wife to protect his sister and nephew."

His vows to the Night's Watch would keep him off the throne, but that made it safe to tell him. Jon had been jealous that Robb would inherit Winterfell, and this may have presented the opposite problem. Daenerys seemed much more honorable than the stories about her father, but Jon still could tell she could be dangerous.

During the Dance of the Dragons, House Targaryen also had dragons without riders. Lord Reed stated that Daenerys wished to put out the same call Jacaerys Velaryon had then, one reason Howland felt it was finally time to reveal Eddard's secret. He was certainly more to be trusted than Hugh Hammer and Ulf White had been.

Even without that, the truth of his parentage was still happy news, but Jon was especially awed by the dragons knowing they were his ancestors' pride and joy.

Rhaego was more in the care of his father's people than his mother's next husband. Jon took it for granted that the reports from Eddard's actual son were true. "I hope the khalakka will think of me how you feel about Eddard," Rakharo said. A great many women wanted him and this was a positive indicator of he'd act if his seed took root.

"Jon, my deepest apologies."

"Lady Catelyn…"

"I was too often cold because I thought you a sign of an infidelity my Ned had never actually committed anyway. Even if that had been true, I should not have mistreated you for it. I regret that extremely."

"Thank you."

Reed handed Jon a sheet of parchment. He instantly recognized the Stark seal, which had passed from his uncle to his first cousin. The Targaryen dragon was nearly as recognizable. Instead of a legitimization decree, it was an announcement that he had been trueborn to begin with.

"Honor yourself. You can't much have a secret marriage," Robb told Jon. Yet since he'd taken and held Ygritte, they were wed as far as Free Folk custom was concerned.

Even as a man of the Night's Watch, constrained by the black brothers' oath, this was invaluable to him. Yet since he'd taken the black, he could be told without the knowledge being a threat to the Iron Throne.

"Guess who's not actually a bastard?!" he shouted to his fat friend Steward Samwell Tarly upon emerging from the meeting.

"Congratulations! News is often late in reaching the Wall, but not usually five-and-ten years. Maester Aemon may wish to know about his kin." He'd lost his eyesight. The only other black brother of an age with him, Ser Wynton Stout, had lost his wits. Such was a problem of serving for life.

It also befell the white cloaks. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard was castellan of Kings Landing. Barristan Selmy felt too old for such arduous travel. Yet such a distinguished man was not to be tossed away.

Arys, Meryn and Preston were with their queen's children at Winterfell. Dany hated to be separated from her babes but hadn't dared expose them to the cold. Jon had learnt that the Free Folk so often lost infants that they didn't get their true names for two years.

"Jon, Arya still carries Needle. Dany's blade Dragon's Tooth is patterned after it."

"Where is my sister?" He'd just learned that Ned and Cat's children were his cousins, but what he'd been raised with stuck with him.

"Right here! Mother felt I could learn from the likes of Brienne as I wished while still being made aware of court affairs."

"Reinforcements are riding hard from Eastwatch but it may not be enough. Whatever the circumstances of our birth, whatever our actions since then, we are united in defense of the realms of men. Our visitors share that goal if not share our words - though the Queensguard oath is modeled on ours." Mandon, Loras and Balon nodded assent. Jaime looked away in shame at the reminder of having to trade his white cloak for a black one.

The royal party quickly agreed to stay at Castle Black. It would be the height of selfishness and cowardice to abandon them, wreck the rapport they were developing with the Watch. "The crown must defend its realm," Daenerys pointed out.