A Marriage of Convenience Chapter 6: Farewells

This is a Game of Thrones fic. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

This chapter has been edited due to content. I did make minor edits throughout the chapter. If you want to see the unedited version GO HERE.

JORAH MORMONT

I groaned as I opened my eyes, my body slightly sore from the lovemaking, and looked over at Daenerys. She was beautiful in the early morning light that came in through the windows. If only I could stay by her side instead of going north of the Wall. But I couldn't change my duty as Jon needed to stay safe. The man needed to be protected from himself.

"Khaleesi." I said as I kissed her on the lips.

Daenerys woke up and returned my kiss. I could tell by the vigor she put into it that she was looking for something more this morning. I chuckled. My body could go for another round now but there was only so much I could risk. So much I could do for the woman I loved.

"I have somewhere to be, Daenerys." I told her and got out of bed.

"You can spare another hour." She argued.

"Spending the night here already invites suspicion, my love. Staying any longer will confirm any suspicions people may have."

"At least let me help you."

I could tell that she wanted to dissuade me by how she helped me. Slight movements that made me remember last night. Slight movements that nearly made me do something I'd regret. Luckily before I lost control I was fully dressed. Daenerys looked me over to make sure the signs of lovemaking were gone or barely noticeable.

"You stay safe, my sweet bear." Daenerys demanded.

"As my queen commands." I replied with a bow.

There was only one Dothraki at the door now. I put on an expression that was as unreadable as his before making my way to my room. There were things I still needed to do before leaving Dragonstone. When I ran into people I put on an expression that was pained. Let them think that I was sad about spending all night in Daenerys' chambers and not being able to make love to her. I kept calm as a few of the servants laughed.

"You were in Daenerys' chambers all last night." Missandei said with a sad expression on her face.

"She told me to remember my place." I lied. "She told me in extreme detail which is why it took so long. It was not a pleasant meeting but I needed to hear it."

"You don't look like you slept well."

"I didn't."

"Was that all you talked about? Surely it didn't take that long."

"Daenerys was worried about Jon and myself leaving."

Missandei nodded as she bought the excuse. The next half hour was spent making sure things were in order. I was finally going North and that felt like home. Though I was going much further north than I had ever been. It would not do to let fear override me now. Once I returned to the safety of Khaleesi's arms I would let myself react to fear. I would be strong for her while away.

I heard a knock at my door and saw Tyrion open the door. He was a very smart man for one so annoying. If there was one person who could figure out the plan it would be him. He might easily figure out that I had gone to Daenerys last night for something other than a conversation. I waved him inside and he shut the door.

"So you were in the queen's chambers all night." Tyrion said. "And here I was thinking she had forsaken you."

"It wasn't like that." I replied angrily. "We talked about how I was to keep my distance. Then she was worried about losing both Jon and myself. That wasn't a conversation that was going to be short."

I wanted to yell out and bemoan the fact that I wasn't able to sleep with her. I wanted to yell out and try to convince him about not being able to be with her. But I knew that was not the way to convince a man like Tyrion. It wasn't because of luck he had become Daenerys' hand, it was because of skill. Skill that had made him very good at playing the game of thrones.

"You just talked and you look like that?" Tyrion said suspiciously. "I've come out of enough whorehouses to know when someone is hiding something."

"I can't deny I wanted to." I said with guilt in my voice. "I also can't deny I tried."

"And yet you stayed all night."

"That I did. Mostly I was too ashamed to leave."

"You must trust me to tell me that."

"Unfortunately I do."

I could still see suspicion in his eyes but it wasn't as blatant as before. He nodded and there was some sorrow in his eyes. I wouldn't tell him how the new revelations connected to the story but that didn't matter. The fact that Daenerys would be confused if he asked her would only confirm my story. He would see our queen denying the lie as confirmation of that lie.

* * *

I had been on the beach a long time. Or at least it seemed a long time to me. In too short of a time I would be going back North. I would be going closer to home than I had been in many years. If only I was going back to Bear Island but then again, no. I didn't deserve to go back to my home. I had betrayed my House and left Lyanna the burden of ruling. It was a blessing that she had proven herself strong enough to rule. But I still had put that burden on her.

At the time my crime had seemed justified. The woman I had loved was withering away and I needed to help. So I had done my best to make her happy. Even if to make her happy I had to blemish my House's name. To me it would be worth it just to see her smile. And then she had left me after we had to flee into exile. I had risked so much for her and she didn't care at the end. I didn't know what hurt more: the crime or the fact it had all meant nothing in the end.

In any case it had left me unworthy to go back home. It had left me unworthy to be loved by Daenerys. Yet...yet Daenerys did love me so did that mean I would ever become worthy enough to go home again? Or was I just fooling myself?

"I'm going to miss that scowl." Tyrion said and I turned to look at him.

I didn't reply as I was still trying to get back to the present, my thoughts trying to pull me back. He was a good man and part of me would miss him. Even though his wit left something to be desired, it would be good to hear in the cold. If I died he would be there to help guide Daenerys to her desires. From all accounts he had become good at reigning her in. The Tarlys were the only stain on his good record.

"You remember when the slavers gave us our coins?" Tyrion asked and took out his from one of his pockets. "We could use them to buy our freedom. Give it to me when you get back. Return, Ser Jorah, our queen needs you."

With that he handed me his coin. It felt awkward holding it. What worried me was when he said Daenerys needed me. Did he guess the truth from our conversation earlier? Did my lies seem blatant to him? Maybe that was a good thing since if I died, he could help continue the plan.

Or it could be that he knew that the queen needed me by her side to rule. Whether I shared her bed or not wasn't the question, it was that she listened to me. I only gave him a brief nod before I walked to the water's edge. I looked to the small boat that would be the first step in my journey back North.

I turned my head as I heard Daenerys walking towards me. The sounds of her footsteps were etched into my memory and were something I would never forget. She looked regal as a queen should. Behind her stoic eyes I saw fear for me. Fear that I wanted to relieve but knew I couldn't.

"Ser Jorah," Daenerys said once she stood in front of me. "We should be better at saying our farewells."

Words formed in my mind as I thought how best to comfort her. I couldn't be too informal or risk the plan and so I had to be formal. Before I could say my reply she grabbed my hands. To me it seemed time had stopped and my blood froze in my veins. Winter had come in my body as I thought about what Khaleesi had just done. If anyone saw how she grabbed my hands and the way she looked at me, a very deliberate gaze was in her eyes, they could guess that we were more than just acquaintances. That I had comforted her last night in a very different way than the rumors said.

For a moment I didn't care about the plan. I didn't care about her future on the Iron Throne. All I cared about was being with her. All I cared about was kissing her lips that deserved to be kissed for lifetimes. Before I could do something so foolish I looked to see Jon walking by. Jon with the jealous gaze as he feared I would bed the woman that didn't love him. I gave a silent thanks to the bastard for waking me back to reality with his timing.

Daenerys looked at him and I could see confusion in her eyes. Like she had said the other night and times before, she did not like the plan. She didn't like using Jon Snow for her rise to power. Yet another part of her, the stronger part, knew the plan was right and so continued with it. I had to reassure her and make the gesture simple enough to not be too romantic.

I kissed her hands and she turned back to look at me. There was such longing and desire in those eyes as I straightened myself back up. The look she gave me made me assured she would stick to the plan. She would fool Jon into loving her and things would go the way that they should. She let go of my hands and yet her eyes were calling me back to her.

But I didn't risk anything more with her. I heard her tell Jon that she would miss him. However, I knew something else was being said in her voice. She didn't like the plan at all and her sadness was because it would still continue. I listened to the waves crashing as their voices became more distant the further I walked. The waves crashed onto the sand and I knew the waves in Eastwatch would make a much different sound.

I would have to work with wildlings, a fact that had not escaped me. Tyrion had told me about wildlings being in Eastwatch one day after he had talked with Jon. I was going to go North to bring proof of the dead with the help of a former enemy.

As I pushed the boat away from shore I took a brief moment to look back at Khaleesi. Her eyes met mine and it was hard to continue going away from her. But I did. I resisted looking back a second time as I knew after that I would swim back to shore. In the distance I heard Ghost howling and I looked at Jon. He looked back at Dragonstone with regret.

"You're doing the right thing, Jon." I reassured him.

Jon shook his head and looked forward.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

The cold wind blew at me as I watched Jorah and the others disappear from sight. Very faintly I could see them going onto a ship. I watched as that ship turned away from Dragonstone and headed to Eastwatch. I held back tears as now there was nothing I could do for my sweet bear. At least I had spent last night with him and woke up in his arms. At least I had that memory to hold onto.

"He'll be back." Tyrion said as he took a place beside me.

"Yes, Jon will be back." I said, knowing if I had said Jorah's name I would break. "He doesn't look like much could kill him."

"I wasn't referring to Jon."

"I'm not worried about Jorah."

I felt proud of myself as I had kept my voice strong while saying his name. I had also made it seem to the Imp that I cared more about Jon than Jorah. Something that he would need to think especially as Jorah had spent the night in my chambers. A night that I would dream about until I knew that he was safe and back in my arms once again.

"He is your friend." Tyrion pointed out. "Although with what happened the other night, I can see why you would want him gone."

"What are you referring to?" I asked, my voice a mixture of fear and anger.

"So Jorah did try to **** you?"

I wanted to laugh but I didn't. Jorah must have had to tell Tyrion a more expanded lie than he had Missandei. It must have involved him trying to force himself onto me. At least my love had told a lie where my reaction would fit the story. I would have to thank him once he returned.

"I will not talk about it." I told the Imp and he nodded.

For awhile we all stayed there on the beach and then we headed back indoors. We all wanted to head back to a warmer climate for some time and only go into the cold if need be. Missandei ended up walking beside me and the others walked away from us.

"Jon really has gone to impress you." Missandei said.

"Probably to his doom." I replied. "Sometimes I don't think I love him. Some hours of the day I don't."

"He doesn't know a lot it seems."

Even though I didn't think I would, I laughed. Jon wasn't aware of much and, instead, was blinded by his own needs. He was blinded by his desire for me to the point he wouldn't see the plan in motion. It was because the bastard wasn't smart that the plan would be able to work. Yet that didn't make me happy. It made me feel sick to my stomach to think I had agreed to manipulating him. Out of all of us, he was the most innocent.

"He'll probably do something to impress me while he's beyond the Wall." I told my friend. "Then he'll expect me to be happy about it."

"He could just lie about it." Missandei pointed out.

"Someone like Jon couldn't lie. He would want to be honest with me."

Yes, he was honest and he expected honesty in others. In that way he would be a very poor king unless he learned quickly. Very quickly. He would have to learn that, at times, the less honorable action was the only way to win. That walking the line between good and evil was the only way to survive. If he failed to learn that then I would have won the Iron Throne but lost the chance at a wise king.

Missandei seemed like she was looking off in the distance. With her comment before about Jorah, I wondered if she was missing him. I think she had told me once that there was no such thing as marriage where she was from. That could mean she was more open than some. However, she was also a slave which I would think meant she wouldn't be open in that way.

"Grey Worm will return." I told my friend.

"I hope so, your grace." Missandei replied. "It took so long to convince him to fully open up to me. I've never felt that way about another person and I don't think I'll feel that way about anyone else."

I held back a sigh of relief. So she wouldn't go after Jorah and he would be my sweet bear and I would be his maiden fair. There had been no reason to worry about Missandei even if she did want Jorah. My love was loyal to me to a fault and cheating on me was not something he'd do. He did not have as much honor as Jon, but he did have enough.

While I kept telling her that Grey Worm was okay, I wondered. He was still at Casterly Rock and it might take some time to safely get the Unsullied free. It shouldn't be too hard unless Cersei decided to tighten her grip on them. If we distracted her then we could send a small force to get them back to Dragonstone. Why hadn't Tyrion suggested that? Was he really so loyal to his family that he didn't want to launch a real attack against them?

"Jon is a good choice for you." Missandei said. "I am sure once he is more open to you that you'll have as good a lover as I've found."

"Do you...ever miss..." I started but was too embarrassed to finish.

"I'm going to assume you meant a ****. That's the first question that would be on many a person's mind. No, I don't. Men can be tactless as if thinking they only need one thing to pleasure a woman."

I looked away from her. I didn't know if I had asked the question because I was interested or I had just wanted to make conversation. Myself, I had had lovers in the past and all of them male. All of them having a **** and using it in different pleasurable ways.

"So Grey Worm is that good then?" I asked.

"Well...some men around here do make me wonder if I made the right choice." Missandei joked. "I think if I ever changed my mind Ser Davos wouldn't mind having me as company."

We both chuckled at that. Davos was a good and loyal man. He was also wise and I could see why he kept getting the role of advisor. He had helped Stannis Baratheon and now Jon Snow. He had a friendly enough demeanor that I couldn't think of House Baratheon when looking at him. Everyone in this world had their fault and Davos had found his here: Missandei.

It showed a strength of character that he backed away when he found out my friend was already accounted for. Jon had good people beside him to help guide him. Davos with his years of practice with Stannis and Sansa who had grown up. Hearing about her journey made me ashamed of my own. She had made mistakes and yet those had made her stronger. I had had Jorah, Selmy, and Tyrion to help guide me. She had mostly Littlefinger who was not trustworthy. Yet she had risen up. It would be good to meet her and learn from her.

"Who would you have if Jon denies you?" Missandei asked.

"I thought you were certain Jon will share my bed?" I replied.

"I am still certain. It's just a game."

"It's not a game, is it? You want to know just in case you sleep with someone I long for."

It was a risk pointing this out as she could very well start to question me. I could lie, and lie well, but there was always a risk of messing up. Always a risk that I would say or do the wrong thing. Yet Missandei's lie had been bothering me and I needed the truth. Or at least as much of the truth as she was willing to give.

"I want to make sure that you don't mind me getting close to Jorah." Missandei said after a few minutes. "I know he is your friend."

"Yes, just a friend." I replied a little harsher than I intended to. "I'm more worried about what Grey Worm will think."

Missandei looked taken aback but still kept walking with me. So she did want to get close to my sweet bear and share in the riches that I did. She wanted him poised above or below her as they made sweet love. I remembered last night with the scent of our love making filling the air. How it felt when I woke up with him.

Why abandon Grey Worm or was she thinking of polygamy? That was something my House used to practice but had stopped. Maybe Missandei did miss ***** much more than she admitted. But why Jorah? Why not Davos who was clearly willing to do what she wanted? Of course then the question was why did I love Jorah instead of Jon who was more suitable? Jon, unlike Jorah, had a title and was respected. He was also more desirable to many women.

"Something tells me that you're closer to Jorah than you want to be." Missandei said as we entered the Room of the Painted Table.

"What would you suggest if I thought of Jorah as nothing more than a friend?" I asked.

"To stop caring about the Iron Throne so much. You're as obsessive about gaining that seat of power as Jon is about defeating the Night King."

"And what about Jon's political importance?"

I sat down at the Painted Table and thought about Jorah. What would happen once he got to Eastwatch? What would happen once he went beyond the Wall? Would Jon do something so foolish that the man I loved would die for the bastard? Adding to that fear was what Missandei had said. I was more obsessive than she knew. I was using someone to gain my goals. That made me no better than Cersei and yet there was a difference. There had to be a difference or I would go mad.

"I think you thinking he is so important is part of your problem." Missandei said and walked behind me. "You want all of the Seven Kingdoms and don't want to give up even one. Let Jon have the North and you will be allies. You might not rule Jon's kingdom but you will have his support. And possibly one day House Stark can marry into House Targaryen."

"And I can get the North that way." I finished.

It was a long game and a gamble, but it might work. It might give me what I wanted without having to use Jon. I could clear my conscience with Missandei's plan.

"And there is nothing between myself and Ser Jorah." I told her. "If you want to sleep with him I'm not the one you have to be worried about."

Missandei nodded and there was a scared expression on her face. She didn't suspect that I was having an affair with Jorah, she was hoping that was the case. For some reason she was scared to sleep with my sweet bear. From our shared history I knew it wasn't because of some malicious reason, it was because she was shy. She might be feeling guilty that now there was nothing in her way that she could pursue the Mormont.

I would be sure to bring Grey Worm back to her as fast as I could. Not just because of jealousy, but so my friend wouldn't be conflicted over her emotions.

JON SNOW

After a long trip, Eastwatch was on the horizon. Jorah stood next to me and had one hand on his sword. We hadn't talked much, partially due to the fact I was nervous around him, and he seemed happy about that. I embraced the cold and the Mormont did too. It had been many years since he had felt the cold only the North could bring. We spared a glance at each other and then looked forward again.

The snow was like Daenerys' skin. I had dreamt about fucking her while on the journey to Eastwatch. The dreams made me feel guilty at times. I kept waking up and thinking of Ygritte. Thought of how she would react when she found out I had thoughts of another woman. But she was dead and she would understand I had needs. She would have to understand that. Wouldn't she?

"So we're close." Gendry said as he came onto the bow.

"An hour away at most." Jorah replied.

I saw Gendry shiver and then watched him go back to his cabin. Jorah and I looked at each other. There was a warmth to his eyes as if he was laughing. I held back a chuckle of my own. It was amusing seeing the Baratheon bastard get so shaken up about the cold as it would only get worse. Compared to the chilling temperatures we would encounter later, this was warmer than it was back at Dragonstone. Jorah was the only one on the ship who was used to the cold and found it refreshing.

Soon we were docking. Once I could get off the ship I did so. My legs took a few minutes to get used to a floor that didn't move before I was stable again. Jorah and Gendry waited behind me. I was the leader on this venture and so had to start moving first. It was when my feet first hit the snow that I felt I was home.

As I made my way to where Tormund was holed up, I thought about Ygritte. If she was alive she would be angry about Daenerys. Ygritte would talk to me in her usual harsh sarcastic tone. But she wasn't here. It wasn't like I was cheating on her. Her spirit was gone to the other realm and I knew she would want me happy. When I was reunited with her she would know she always had my heart. She would understand that I had moved on but never forgotten her.

Once my feet felt the wooden floor and the harsh winds stopped hitting me, I decided I would pursue Daenerys without the fear of disrespecting Ygritte. A small grin graced my face as I saw Tormund come in.

"So what insane mission do you have for us this time?" Tormund said and looked at the two men behind me.

I could very well guess who he was looking for. Brienne of Tarth had not been able to come due to us coming straight from Dragonstone. Besides getting Brienne, it would have been good to be back home no matter how briefly. It would have been good to see Arya, Sansa, and Bran again. They were a few of the only family I had left.

Quickly Tormund gathered a few others to hold an actual meeting. It was still cold inside, a fact Gendry noticed very well. Any warmth was gone from Jorah's face as now was the meeting. Now we would work towards why we were here in the first place.

"We're here to get a wight." I explained. "With a wight we can convince Cersei Lannister that the dead are real. That we need to focus on protecting Westeros so whoever rules isn't ruling ash."

"Cersei...is she the one who ***** her brother or the one with dragons?" Tormund asked.

"The former."

My friend grinned and laughed. It was good to hear laughter as once we went beyond the Wall things might be different. Tormund and the other wildings had lived beyond the Wall but hadn't actively sought out the dead. Once we started fighting the dead then there might not be that much laughter to be had.

"So did you bring the big woman?" Tormund asked as he still couldn't give up hope.

"No, we didn't." I said with a small smile.

"And it's just you three, then?"

Tormund let out a long sigh. The next few minutes were full of another set of introductions and Jorah getting into a brief argument with Tormund. I could understand the Mormont's frustration as it had taken me a little time to grow accustomed to the wildlings being friends. It had taken even more time to get on good terms with Tormund.

By the time we entered the Wall the team was made up of myself, Tormund, Gendry, Jorah, Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, and Sandor Clegane. A few other men were also there. I didn't know how many of us would actually survive.

In my life so far I had hid among the wildlings just to betray them. I had been at the massacre of Hardhome. I had fallen in love with a woman from House Targaryen. I had won back Winterfell. I had been murdered by my fellow men of the Night's Watch because I dared seek peace with the wildlings. I had fallen in love with the wildling woman Ygritte who had taken my heart.

But nothing I had ever done in my life was as foolish as this. I was going on a suicide mission purely to earn Daenerys' heart. A heart I had already earned. Yet I wanted to make certain that her eyes would never wander back to Jorah. I wanted to make certain that I would always have a place in her bed.

As I stepped beyond the Wall the harsh winds seemed to be mocking me. It was as it they knew my mission was one of vanity instead of one of nobility.