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It had been a long time since I had been at a feast like this one. There was laughter in the air, the beer was strong, and I was accepted. Ever since I fled into exile there had been no thought in my mind how lonely I was. The North had been my home and now I realized just how much I missed it. Even though Khaleesi was my home now, there was a unique feeling of belonging while being with my fellow Northerners.
All of them were engrossed in my many tales of traveling around Essos and serving Khaleesi. While they were very much afraid, they loved hearing tales about the dragons. I explained to them about how she had named her dragons. Drogon after her husband, Rhaegal after the brother she admired, and Viserys after the brother she hated. Even while I continued to drink I made sure to leave out certain details. I couldn't risk the dragons or my love being killed by a vengeful Northerner.
"Does Essos have better wine than the North?" A woman asked.
She was a young thing and enamored with me. At least until someone else caught her eye. She had spent at least an hour talking about how the Night King was killed. By her body language and the topic of conversation I figured she'd go after Jon or Tormund once she realized I wasn't interested in her.
I looked over at Daenerys who had a look between jealousy and amusement on her face. As the number of men turning to me for my stories, I had moved to a table a little distance away from my love. Besides giving her room to enjoy the feast, she also escaped the drunk men that spilled their drinks.
"There is nothing like a drink made in the North." I turned to the man sitting on my other side and feigned interest. "I know your stories aren't the same as mine, but they must be interesting in their own rights."
The woman finally took the hint and walked away looking insulted. While other men would've taken this time to wander and sample Northern delicacies, I remained faithful. My eyes went to the woman's next target: Jon Stark.
Khaleesi had legitimized him. She had looked to me for advice on how better to show the North how much she cared. I had suggested she let him be a Stark. This meant, besides gaining favor from the North, he couldn't claim the Iron Throne through his Targaryen heritage. Though my reasons for wanting him legitimized weren't so grand as playing the game of thrones, I truly thought he deserved to never be called a bastard ever again.
I excused myself and walked to Khaleesi. I stood in front of her and saw a wave of relief wash across her face. It seemed as if she was using me to anchor herself to the world. She moved her head and I took my place seated beside her. While for tonight sitting at her side was just for the feast, soon it would indicate I was the king. How could that ever be? How could I really balance my duties as king and my duties as Lord of Bear Island? While there was a way, the future crumbled around me until I focused on my love. I would've kissed her deeply if not for us being at the feast.
"That woman was interested in you." Khaleesi said and a faint smile was in her eyes.
"She was interested in bedding a hero." I replied and drank some of my wine. "That interest would've soon waned. In a month's time another man would've made her run from my arms."
"Not every man killed the Night King."
"And not every woman is deserving of my heart."
I didn't bother trying to find Missandei and Grey Worm in the chaos of the feast. They were much too busy to bother with other people. It worried me that the Northerners feared the pair not because they sided with Khaleesi but because their skin was a shade other than white. As long as Khaleesi reigned others would be too afraid to act against her allies. Hopefully.
"Do you think Jon should be the only man I legitimize tonight?" Khaleesi asked as she drank her wine.
"Without Gendry we wouldn't have weapons to kill the Night King." I replied and placed my cup down. "It would be a good show of how much you reward those that serve you."
"A way to manipulate him to say loyal to me?"
"Of course."
Khaleesi stood up and it took a few minutes for everyone to turn to her. Jon stopped his conversation with Tormund and Tyrion looked up. My love's Hand wasn't sober and I suspected that was on purpose. The man I had kidnapped was now a mourning mess. Most likely he was worried about what would happen with Jaime now. The older Lannister had been loyal in the Battle of Winterfell but would that loyalty hold now that the danger was gone?
"Gendry," Khaleesi started and held her chalice up. "In thanks of how you helped forge weapons to fight the dead, I now declare you to be Gendry Baratheon Lord of the Riverlands."
"Thank you, Your Grace." Gendry replied and bent down deeply, though I sensed my love's grip on the man hadn't increased.
I got up to walk over to Gendry. It would be good for the future king to be a part of such a pronouncement from the queen. Though how she thought the people of the Riverlands would accept a former bastard as Lord was beyond me. But I trusted her as whenever she made a choice the gods stepped aside so her will was done.
"Did you have anything to do with the Targaryen's decision?" Gendry asked.
"I have been an advisor to my queen for years." I replied. "I give her advice and it is her that decides what to do with the information."
"I will thank her properly once I have the Riverlands under control."
He was wise to not immediately celebrate Khaleesi's declarations. If the people would have him, he would be a good ruler that thought before acting. Something that my love needed to learn better. There was an art of balancing what you wanted with what was the best course of action for your people.
"Who will you have as your wife?" I asked.
"I would ask Arya Stark if she were still alive." Gendry said sadly with a smile. "We...we spent time together before the battle. I was hoping that would be the start of something more."
Out of the corner of my eye I looked at Khaleesi. Her unease hadn't gone away since the feast started. I hoped that she would join in and talk with her people. Staying so alone removed any possibility of the Northerners thinking of her as one of them. She couldn't just win one battle, she had to cut through the distrust for her House that they were all taught.
Hopefully ******* or talking with me would reassure her. I opened my mouth to say a few words praising the young Stark girl but at that moment someone grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me around. The man did it in such a quick motion that I didn't have time to take out my sword or push the man away from me.
So Tormund was able to kiss me roughly on the lips without too much trouble. His beard felt interesting and if he were a woman I would've been taken away by his lips. They would've made me feel like this was the first time I had ever been aroused. As I was drunk, though not nearly to the same extent as he was, I returned his kisses.
Finally he stopped and looked at me with a drunken grin. All hatred of me had gone from him. Was it the beer? Was it fighting against the Night King together? Was it the fact we had gone after a wight together?
"You're drunk, Tormund." I said as sternly as I could manage. "You've mistaken me for a woman."
"I didn't mistake you, Jorah." The Wildling said and held up what he was using as a flask. "I knew exactly what you were. You've been looking at Jon."
"He's an important political figure and a friend. I think you need to stop drinking now."
"I will do no such thing!"
I had to do my best to hold back a laugh. He appeared deeply offended by my suggestion to stop drinking. He held his flask tightly to his chest and his eyes dared me to fight him. Though I didn't know if he wanted to fight or ****. Maybe to the Wildling there was no meaningful difference between the two. He didn't care about the difference between a man and a woman after all.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Gendry using the moment to move elsewhere. I didn't blame him as this moment was awkward and there was no easy way to escape it. If I had been a peasant there would have been no shame to my fleeing but I was now Lord of Bear Island and future King of the Seven Kingdoms. It wouldn't do for anyone to see me fleeing Tormund.
"You seem scared," Tormund said with a grin. "If I had been Jon would you be taking me up the ass?"
"No!" I shouted in anger. "I am a good man!"
How dare he suggest I take part in such perverse actions! I admired Jon because he was a good leader and should've married Daenerys for that reason alone. He had been able to take the title of bastard and leave it behind him. Even before my love legitimized him, he had already risen above his assumed heritage. His story was one to admire. That didn't mean I ever dreamed of my body intertwined with his. I nearly vomited at the image but managed to keep myself composed.
"You need to have better control of your tongue, here." I said. "The only people I make love to are those with *****. I don't desire having a **** up my ***."
Tormund just huffed and walked away. I hadn't realized how fast my heart had been beating. Why had it felt like an intense battle instead of a simple conversation with a drunk? I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. After a few minutes my head had cleared to the point I got another drink. One of the strongest ales I could find.
"****, thought the Wildling would still be with you." Tyrion said as I started drinking the ale. "By the way you were kissing him, I thought you'd be getting further along."
"Tormund was drunk and I couldn't stop him." I replied with a shrug as I quickly finished the ale. "There was nothing to see."
"You sure you haven't ****** people your father wouldn't be proud of?"
I admired Tyrion more than he deserved. At first he had been nothing but an annoying Imp, but he had become a friend. As much of a friend as anyone could have in this world that did not make it easy to keep one's honor.
"When I was younger I was foolish." I replied with a heavy sigh. "I would **** anyone that would let me. Sometimes it would be girls and other times boys. There was more than one instance I had to silence a lover that would've said more than they should. Once I grew up I decided bloodshed wasn't worth childish thoughts and only sought out women afterwards."
Instead of making a joke, Tyrion replied by drinking. Was he ashamed I had ****** boys when I was younger? Would he now use that as a joke? Would he ever reveal it to someone that would decide I shouldn't be king? The Imp was a friend with Varys and that man was nearly as dangerous as Littlefinger himself. It wouldn't matter that I had changed my ways long ago. It only mattered that I had taken boys into my bed while still a youth.
"Is my brother bothering you?" Jaime asked with a teasing grin on his lips.
"Very much." I replied and raised an eyebrow. "Tormund was too drunk to know I was a man and Tyrion came to do what he usually does."
Unlike the younger Lannister, I was not friends with Jaime. While he was an ally, I felt nothing for him. He had decided to murder his king and my queen's father. While the Mad King had deserved a horrible fate, the ability to kill someone you were sworn to protect was only possessed by monsters.
"There you are, Jaime." Podrick said as he did his best to keep up with Brienne.
"Ser Brienne," I said to the first knighted woman. "You truly earned your title in the battle."
"As well as all the events prior to that." Jaime replied defensively.
"Of course, I didn't know her personally until the battle and wanted to only comment on her feats of bravery I saw."
I had come very close to complimenting Jaime. There had hardly been a trial for him and it was only due to Brienne's testimony he hadn't been executed. I still had my issues with the man but it was impossible for one's word to go against hers. She was one of the most noble people of Westeros. Unlike myself or the man who had knighted her, she would rather die than do a dishonorable deed.
"You fought well, Ser Jorah," Brienne said. "If not for you then all I did would mean nothing."
"If not for Arya Stark, Tormund Giantsbane, and Jon Stark I wouldn't have been able to do much." I replied. "I would've been just one of the many corpses littering Winterfell that served the Night King."
"How about we all sit down?" Jaime asked and there was the faintest hit of nervousness. "And Jorah will need another..."
"Ale."
"Ale."
As we walked towards a table where we would have minimal privacy, I got another ale that was only slightly less potent than the previous one. Upon sitting down we all had drinks in front of us since it was both a feast and we were obviously going to play a drinking game. It was more than clear to everyone that Jaime fancied Brienne. If the woman saw some kindness in the man, I would do nothing to break up their union. I didn't have to trust him, I just had to trust that she would do the right thing if he ever dared to cross her.
"I propose the best drinking game ever conceived, the first man to drink the most wins." Tyrion said and held up his mug.
"You started drinking before the feast began." Jaime pointed out. "Any of us have a greater chance of winning than you do. No, we need a game that is fairer than that. How about-"
But I had stopped listening to my companions for the evening. I had seen that Khaleesi was walking hurriedly away from the feast and I wanted to race to her side. She wouldn't have moved like she was if everything was going good.
"So it's your turn, Jorah." Tyrion said.
"What's my turn?" I asked.
"You have to answer a question. I think that's at least one of the rules."
"How about I leave until you get sober enough to talk about rules. I hope you enjoy this night as you earned it just by surviving a much darker one."
I looked briefly at Tyrion, Brienne, Jaime, and Podrick before making my way to where Khaleesi had gone. It was hard to search for her with wine and beer and ale coursing through my veins. My footsteps sometimes threatened to slam my entire body into all the walls around me. But I persisted and soon heard my love's voice.
Before I approached the door Jon opened the door and walked out of it quickly. He looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand and didn't want to focus on. All I wanted was to figure out what had made my love react like she had. I could ask Jon questions later if I wanted.
"Khaleesi?" I asked and shut the door slowly behind me.
"What?" She replied and sat weakly on a chair.
"You aren't enjoying the feast. It is a celebration of all we have overcome fighting the dead."
"I don't have the freedom to enjoy the feast, my enemies won't stop just for a night."
"And Jon is an enemy?"
I never wanted to choose having to serve one over the other. Ever since hunting for the wight a bond had formed between myself and Jon. The bond I had with Daenerys was stronger and I'd always choose her over any other ruler. But her mind would be calmed and soon she would be start to see clearly again.
"Even though I legitimized him, Jon wishes to tell Sansa the truth of his heritage." Daenerys said as I knelt in front of her. "If he does that he could usurp me and take my power all for himself."
"If Sansa does tell others and they prefer him, he can always refuse the request." I said and put my hands on her knees. "And you must remember that she is his only living sibling. She is his only connection to the past. Besides that, he is loyal to you and only you. If anyone tries to usurp you because they prefer him as king, he would make sure they paid with their lives."
"You are right."
Though her words agreed with me, her tone did not. I couldn't calm her down with rough lovemaking now as we both needed to return to the feast. We could come up with a lie about being gone for so long. Any excuse we made would leave out pointing blame at Jon or House Stark or the North.
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