Fire and Blood

The Act of Settlement

The feast was loud. Many cheers from drunken warriors, men and women alike. Survivors who now live to see a new dawn. Free from the pale of eternal slavery to an undead master. Beer, wine and food flowed freely. The supplies from the south she ordered to be distributed. Merry songs were played. She sat at the head of the table, Aegon to her side. Her loyal bear, Jorah too was smiling more than usual. Missandei was near as well, sharing smiles and jokes with the northerners who were warming up to her.

All in all, Daenerys was content. She did not feel the loneliness she felt in her previous life, surrounded by loved ones and allies. She sipped her honeyed milk, wine did not feel good for her tonight. She then heard the familiar ruckus.

"Who the fuck climbs upon and rides a fucking dragon? Him, Jon Snow! A crow with a little prick this one ha!" Tormund laughed as he slammed his ale laughing with the host of free folk and northerners. Lyanna Mormont, a survivor in this life of hers, cut in. "Aye, Jon Snow climbed and rode a dragon but you forget the mother of the dragon who allowed him to do so". She turned her head Daenerys, raising her own mug in the direction of the dragon queen, "to the Dragon Queen!" A cheer echoed the great hall. Daenerys smiled in return. Daenerys knew Viserion did not bond with Jon, he barely tolerated him. She still felt that bond with her pale cream child, she felt confident that Viserion was meant for another Targaryen.

Daenerys rose from her seat and the hall silenced itself. She raised her mug to everyone, smiling widely from left to right, "To the success of our brave fighters, the men and women who gave their all for us to stand here!" The hall cheered in ayes. A lord, of northern nobility judging from the trident holding merman sigil rose and asked, "Your Grace, House Manderly offers the service of its ships to ferry the royal forces in their journey south. The smallest we can do as gratitude for House Targaryen's generosity." Many northmen hummed in agreement. She nodded, gesturing the lord of her acceptance. As she was to take her seat, a cold voice cut through the merry of the night.

"You are no true Queen," the voice, familiar, said. The hall turned silent, Sansa Stark entered the hall behind her stood her entourage of guards. "You are a usurper, the throne belongs to Aegon Targaryen, the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark!" Olenna Tyrell chopped in, "dear, stop your nons" Daenerys raised her hand. "No Lady Hand, let Lady Bolton continue," Daenerys proceeded sip her drink. She saw Sansa shiver at that name, a reminder that she was once married to the monster.

"Jon Snow, he was never a bastard. He is the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Rhaegar Targaryen had his marriage to Elia Martell annulled before marrying Lyanna. My Father kept this secret his whole life. Impossible for the honorable Eddard Stark to sire a bastard, but he bore the brunt of such shame. Jon Snow or Aegon Targaryen, he is the true heir to the Iron Throne. Daenerys Targaryen is a usurper." The hall turned to Daenerys, expecting undisguised anger and wroth. Yet, she smiled. She clapped her hands together.

"Whatever occurred in the South, it taught Sansa Bolton the arts of mummery." Daenerys stood from her seat, her hands clasped together. In the distance the roar of her children were heard. She descended the steps of the dais, "a person, educated in the finer arts of canon law of the Faith as well as the laws of the crown knows fully in heart and mind that an annulment of marriage between two requires a Trial by Seven Septons where both husband and wife are given ample chance to testify their argument. Especially in the circumstances of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, a marriage consummated with two children as proof of it." She looked the crowd.

"Tell me Lady Bolton, for your claim to be valid, you must fulfill the following. First, produce the documentation of the annulment with backing of the Faith. Second, prove that the annulment was valid in the eyes of Gods and Men. Third, prove that Elia Martell consented to the annulment. Prove all three and I will consider your claim." Sansa's face was red with embarrassment, clearly in expecting Daenerys knowing these legal procedures. Turning back on the red faced fool, Daenerys signaled Grand Maester Marwyn. She nodded to him, "inform them of the decree", he bowed, "At once Your Grace." He pulled from his sleeve a long scroll.

"Her Grace, blessings to her name, has communicated with the High Septon concerning any documents filed by Rhaegar during the Rebellion. The Faith after much search and many days and moons spent, testify that upon reviewing the journal of the previous High Septon during the reign of Aerys II had annulled the marriage of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. Grounds of such annulment were unclear but there were no mentions of infertility. The Faith after reviewing their canon laws declare the annulment as void. Rhaegar Targaryen had failed to acquire the consent of Elia Martell as well as seek leave of his royal sire to commence annulment proceedings. No testimony was recorded by Elia Martell nor any other indication of consent. The Faith frowns upon such conduct and declares the annulment and marriage of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark as void from the start. Any children sired are illegitimate in the eyes of Gods and Men." She turned to Jon Snow whose face was the epitome of a naive fool. He told his sister-cousin but again not predicting her cunningness to spill whatever secret told.

"Furthermore," the Grand Maester added. "After reviewing the royal libraries and records, King Aerys II had issued a decree after the death of Prince Rhaegar. The decree stated in its contents that the bodily heirs of Prince Rhaegar, legitimate or illegitimate, are disinherited from the line of succession. The new heir would be Prince Viserys, his descendants and the child within the womb of Queen Rhaella, our Queen Daenerys." Marwyn concluded, closing his scroll and taking his place back to the side.

Silence reigned. Sansa Stark whose usual cunning smirk was wiped clean from her face. Her face, red like her hair, embarrassed - no shamed before her own bannermen by a foreign Queen. Daenerys nodded in thanks to Marwyn.

"As far as the crown is concern, Jon Snow, be it son of Rhaegar and Lyanna or not is still viewed by the throne as a bastard. Our heir," she smiled as her hand publicly grasped her abdomen, "grows strong within me and shall be the next sovereign of Westeros." The lords of the South cheered. She noticed the Ryswells, Dustin and Manderly men cheering. So the North is not as united as she expected?

"Seeing that Jon Snow has tendered great services to the Realm, we legitimize him as Jon Stark." The cheering paused, "as such, we confirm him as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Under such terms, we also note that by this decree, we strip him and his bodily heirs of any legal right to the Crown and any legitimate entitlement as Princes or Princesses of the Blood. Such is our Royal Decree."

She raised her wine cup, "to Jon Stark, Warden of the North!" The northmen cheered raucously, beer spilling in their loud cheer. She then turned to the frozen Sansa Stark, "to Lady Sansa," she smiled.

"We confer to her the honors and prerogatives of Lady Bolton and ownership of the Dreadfort with its surrounding houses. As the crown does not recognise her marriage to Tyrion Lannister, we declare her lawfully wedded to Ramsay Bolton. The marriage is valid in law as it was consummated. With his death and extinction of House Bolton, Sansa Stark shall be confirmed as Lady Bolton. Her line shall adopt the Bolton name, arms and Bolton words." The whole hall stopped in their cheers. Sansa Stark was on the verge of tears, Unsullied had moved behind the she-wolf preventing her escape.

Her southern vassals cheered her on. She grinned, her stay here in Winterfell has been very eventful.