The Lost Dragon | Game of Thrones

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Dearest Sister,

          The magic that flows through our veins is something beyond my comprehension. But walking out of the fire beneath Drogo's pyre made me feel the most powerful I have ever felt, and our dragons were born from the ashes. Had you not already beaten me to it, I would have killed Stannis myself for trying to take you from me. I definitely feel more connected to you somehow, yet I have no answers as to why. I can feel you're also at odds with yourself and your ability to lead an army, but you should never doubt yourself. Violet, you are the most competent fighter I have ever seen, and I know you will trust your instincts on how to lead them. Although Grey Worm or Daario might be of better assistance in that matter. Rhael  and Viserion are fine, Drogon is a seperate matter I wish not to speak of, though I assume he is fine as well. Things in Essos are fine. We all miss you terribly but I know you are enjoying yourself much more away from this city, so no rush for you to return -- Though Daario argues that fact. He says he'll be writing you a separate letter and to expect it soon. Please do whatever you feel is best, the soldiers in the Targaryen army are as much yours as they are mine. They pledged themselves to you and I know you will lead them in the right direction.

Love always,

Dany. 

Dany's letter was waiting on Violet's bed when they returned to Castle Black. Davos had acquired chambers for her on the suspicion that they would be there for longer than intended. She liked the privacy, but felt slightly isolated with al her men outside. Her soldiers and the Free Folk were all now occupying the same space and she could only hope they wouldn't kill each other before too long.

She slid Dany's letter under her pillow and holstered her sword, She would reply to her sister later, but for now she had an army to attend to.

~

Violet found Davos breaking up a fight between two of the Free Folk and one of her soldiers. "For fuck's sake, put down the bloody chicken!" Davos grunted pulling one the Free Folk off her man that was falling onto the ground.

Violet frowned before placing two of her fingers in her mouth, whistling loudly. The kind of loudness that Rhael could hear even from miles away. The men instantly stopped fighting, several placing hands over their ears. And a large chicken fell from his hands and tried to scurry away. Violet yanked it up by it's neck.

She handed the chicken to one of the soldiers that was standing beside her. She hadn't the time to learn names yet. "Kill and skin this and try your best to ration it between both your squadron and these Free men." 

The young man nodded before running off to a stump of wood and chopping it's head off. Her decision seemed to sate the men surrounding her. Davos patted her on the shoulder. "Good to see you, your-- Violet." He corrected himself with a single glare from her. 

"Can you get my men in formation? Theres some things I need to say to them." Violet asked of Davos. He nodded with a smile before running off with commander Armitage, and twenty minutes later all two thousand of her men were lined in front of her.

"I know you all pledged yourself to house Baratheon. A loyal house that I'm not too sorry to say is now no more." She spoke ,loudly, walking down the path between her men. All of them looked forward with obedience, but she knew their attention was on her.

"Now while you all kneeled to me shortly after Stannis' death, I want to offer you something else. A way out. " Violet turned around to stand back beside Davos, who seemed confused as to where she was going. Violet had thought hard about what she was offering her men. 

"Any man who wishes to leave, may do so. Go home to your families, stay here and take the black if you so wish. But any man who stays must not only fight for me -- Violet Targaryen, but my sister as well, Daenarys Targaryen. You will join our ten thousand manned army in helping us claim the iron throne. You will do whatever task is asked of you without hesitation. You will pledge yourself to house Targaryen, and do whatever is in the best interest of the seven kingdoms."

Violet hoped the men could all hear her, giving speeches wasn't something she had ever done before. But she would hate herself for the rest of her life if she didn't offer her soldiers the same deal Dany offered The Unsullied. She wanted to offer them the freedom to do whatever they wished before this war truly started.

"Now there is a war coming. A war that none of us can truly prepare for. An army of the dead is marching beyond the wall and I thought it best that you all know what you are getting yourselves into. You can abandon this army if you so choose, but if you stay, I make my own pledge to you. I pledge myself to fight beside every one of you. I will never ask any of you to fight in a battle without myself beside you. My sword is yours as yours is mine, and I will never abandon any of you! Now will you fight for me? And fight beside me, now and always?" Violet's voice carried widely, and deeply and echoed against the large icy wall behind them.

Without a moments hesitation all two thousand soldiers had hoisted their swords into the air with a loud battle cry. Violet smiled and did the same with hers. She noticed even many of the Free Folk had joined in and were hoisting their own weapons in the air behind them. Davos patted her on the arm with a mighty grin showing her his crooked teeth. 

"You shouldn't doubt your ability to rule, Violet. You're gaining followers you haven't even realized yet." And he wandered off before giving her a chance to even argue. 

~

It was later that night, she was writing Dany a reply to her letter, whilst also secretly hoping a raven would be arriving with the letter from Daario as she missed him terribly -- that something felt wrong. The air around her seemed to still, a chill ran down her spine that hadn't been there before. And a heavy silence loomed outside.

Until the howling. 

Oh ghost's howling seemed to push a dread inside of her that she never thought possible. She abandoned her parchment quickly, ink spilling all over the wooden desk. She gripped her sword and sprinted outside into the night air. 

She could hear ghost growling and clawing at his cage, but she couldn't see any intruders in the courtyard. Her eyes peered quickly around her before catching the eye of Davos who was exiting his chambers he had been sharing with Shireen. He frowned before walking slowly down the steps in front of her. She followed until she saw a body laying beneath them in the snow. She shoved Davos out of the way and crumpled onto the ground.

"Jon!" She cried out, pulling at his lifeless body. She laid her head on his bloody chest but still heart no breath nor heartbeat. His brown eyes looked to the night sky, they looked but they did not see. 

Tears clouded her vision, before uncontrollable sobs raked her shivering body. Pain like never before buried itself into her heart, and all she wanted was to make the pain go away. Her best friend was taken from her, the man who had seemed like the other part of her at one time was dead. A sign branding him a traitor was nailed in front of her and she screamed loudly before smacking it over with her fist. 

"No. Not my Jon. Not Jon." She cried softly, clutching him to her chest. The snow and blood was seeping it's way into her skin and yet she felt nothing. She felt a hand on her shoulder and swung her sword quickly at whoever had touched her. She dropped it seeing it was Davos.

"My Lady, we should get him inside." She saw many brothers were standing with tear filled eyes around them. 

"I will kill them. I will kill whoever did this to him." She growled, releasing his body with hesitation to let his brothers take them into his office. 

"You should come inside, Violet. They may try and attack you too." Davos said, rubbing his arms for warmth. 

"Let them try." She whispered, her eyes not wavering from the traitor sign laying in the snow. 

"As your advisor, I'm advising you to come inside." Davos said, gripping her arm. 

Violet ignored him, and walked over to Ghost's cage, promptly releasing him. Ghost whined and rubbed his head against her hip. 

She bent down and wrapped her arms around the wolfs neck, trying to seek comfort in that moment. But she knew comfort was something that would never come to either of them -- as they both had lost their best friend in the entire world.