The Dove and Her Hound

Chapter Fourteen - Bend the Knee

"Lady [y/n]," Tyrion said to you. "I trust you've been well?"

"As well as I can be."

"And Lady Sansa?"

"She is alive and well," Jon said to him. You looked at Tyrion and you could see that he was relieved.

"Has she missed me terribly?"

Jon looked at him and when he didn't say anything back, Tyrion glanced at him.

"A sham marriage and an unconsummated one," Tyrion said.

"I didn't ask."

"Well, it was. Anyways, she's much smarter than she lets on."

"She's starting to let on."

"Good. At some point, I would love to hear how a Night's Watch recruit became King in the North."

"As long as you tell me how a Lannister became Hand to Daenerys Targaryen," Jon quipped back.

"A long and bloody tale."

"Well that just means interesting, yes?" You interjected.

"To be honest, I was drunk for most of it," Tyrion said. You laughed.

"Interesting indeed."

"My bannermen did not want me coming here," Jon said.

"If I was your Hand I would have advised against it. It's a rule of thumb that Stark men don't do well when they travel South."

"True. But I'm not a Stark." You went to smack your brother on the arm when you heard a roar. Jon grabbed you and pushed you down, covering your body with his. You felt the wind pushing you against the stone steps and when you looked up, a giant dragon was flying through the air.

"I'd say you get used to them, but you never really do," Tyrion said as he helped you from the ground.

"Seven Hells, that's an actual Dragon," you said to yourself. Two more appeared in the sky and your mouth fell open.

"Come, their mother is waiting for you."

---

The rest of the walk up to the castle was uneventful. No more words were said from you or your brother. The castle was magnificent inside and out and when you reached the Throne Room, two heavy doors were opened by Dothraki men with ease.

The room was impressive. There were carvings all along the floors and the walls. The ceiling was high and your footsteps echoed. There were steps leading up to the Throne. The Throne was made of stone and it spanned several feet. A woman was sitting on it, and you knew it was the Targaryen.

"You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. Rightful heir to the Iron Throne, rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men. Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. The mother of Dragons. The Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. The unburnt, the breaker of chains," Missandei said.

"This is Jon Snow," Davos said after a moment. "He's King in the North."

That declaration sounded weak after all the titles Missandei spewed. You felt the need to laugh, but shoved it down.

"Thank you for traveling so far, my lord," the queen said. "I hope the seas weren't too rough."

"The winds were kind, your Grace."

"Apologies. I have a Fleabottom accent, I know, but Jon Snow is King in the North. He's not a lord," Ser Davos said.

"Forgive me," Daenerys started before Tyrion interrupted her.

"Your Grace this is Ser Davos Seaworth."

"Forgive me, Ser Davos. I never did receive a formal education. But I could have sworn I read that the last King in the North was Tauren Stark, who bent the knee to my ancestor Aegon Targaryen, in exchange for his life and the lives of the Northmen. He swore his loyalty to House Targaryen in perpetuity. Or do I have my facts wrong?"

"I wasn't there, your Grace," Davos said.

"No, of course not. But still, an oath is an oath. So I assume, my lord, you are here to bend the knee."

"I am not," Jon said. You stood a little straighter and looked at Daenerys.

"No. Well that is unfortunate. The world hadn't seen a dragon in centuries until my children were born," she said. She got up out of the Throne and approached the three of you. "The Dothraki hadn't crossed the sea, any sea, but they did for me. I was born to rule the Seven Kingdom's and I will."

"You'll be ruling over a graveyard if we don't defeat the Night King," Jon said.

"The war against my sister has already begun. You can't expect us to halt hostilities and aid you in fighting whatever you saw beyond the Wall," Tyrion said. You took a step forward.

"You don't believe him. I understand that, it sounds like nonsense. But if destiny has brought Daenerys Targaryen back to our shores, it has also made Jon Snow King in the North," you said.

"You were the first to bring Dothraki to Westeros, he was the first to make allies of Wildlings and North men. He was named Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, he was named King in the North. Not because of his birthright, he has none. He's a bastard. All those hard sons of bitches chose him as their leader, because they believe in him," Davos chimed in. "All those things you don't believe in, he faced those things. He fought those things."

"If we don't put aside our enmities and bound together, we will die. And then it won't matter whose skeleton sits on the Iron Throne," you finished.

"If it doesn't matter, you might as well kneel," Tyrion said. You could hear the plea in his voice. "Swear your allegiance to Queen Daenerys, help her defeat my sister and together our armies will protect the North."

"There's no time for that," you said. Daenerys looked at you

"There's no time for any of that," Jon said.

"It takes no time to bend the knee. Pledge your sword to her cause."

"And why would I do that? I mean no offense, your Grace, but I don't know you. As far as I can tell your claim to the throne rests entirely on your father's name and my own father fought to overthrow the Mad King. The Lords in the North place their trust in me to lead them. And I will continue to do so as well as I can."

"That's fair," she said. "It's also fair to point out that I'm the rightful Queen to the Seven Kingdom's. By declaring yourself King of the Northern-most kingdom, you are an open rebellion."

You went rigid and saw Jon be the same. You were about to open your mouth when footsteps echoed through the hall. Turning, you saw Lord Varys. He walked right by you and whispered something into Daenerys' ear.

"You must forgive my manners. You must be tired after your long journey. We'll have baths drawn for you and supper sent to your rooms." She turned to one of the Dothraki men and spoke to him in his language.

"Am I your prisoner?" Jon said. Daenerys turned around.

"Not yet." Was all she said before walking away. The three of you were led out of the room by the Dothraki man, the doors to the Throne Room closing behind you.

---

"Who was that girl?" Daenerys asked Tyrion.

"That was Lady [y/n] Stark. Older sister to Jon Snow."

"They don't trust me."

"The people of the North have never been ones to trust easily, even more so now."

"And what do you think of them?"

"I think they're good people."

"Do you think they will bend the knee?"

"That I do not know."