Lynesse Chapter 9: Succession

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

This chapter has been edited due to content. If you want to see the unedited version GO HERE.

Khaleesi and I were now back in our room. Instead of being caught up in the political landscape of Westeros, she was very concerned with petting Ghost. After getting back to Winterfell, Ghost was there for me at the gates. He had restrained himself from jumping at me but had lost himself as we walked through the castle. In what his mind must have been protecting his friends, he had sniffed every odd scent that had attracted his attention. Did that mean he trusted me?

Our room, while warmer than outside, was still cold. My queen seemed to be petting the direwolf out of a need for warmth than anything else. While Ghost enjoyed being petted, there was a slight nervousness to him. It just meant that he needed time to grow used to Daenerys. There was nothing more to be read from Ghost's nervousness.

"Why did Jon give you this?" Daenerys asked after she had finished petting Ghost. "Did he not think I could protect you?"

"Jon is well aware of how I can protect myself and the forces you have to ensure my safety." I said and walked from the corner to sit beside her on the bed, Ghost between the two of us. "He merely wanted to give me a symbol of the North so I don't feel lonely when we leave for King's Landing. I won't be able to return to the North for some time."

"But am I not your home?"

"You are more my home than Bear Island is. Yet it is still comforting to return to the North."

She nodded her head and leaned on Ghost. In response the direwolf huffed which seemed to be his version of a sigh. Was she still worried that I would abandon her? It would be good to take her south so that she would start to think clearly again. The North had healed my many scars but it had created new ones for my queen.

"Why would Jon give you a direwolf and not some other symbol of the North?" Khaleesi asked.

"The direwolf is the symbol of House Stark which is the ruler of the North." I explained. "Even as wardens, House Stark's reputation was stronger than any other House's. To truly show how he felt, Jon would have no better symbol than a direwolf."

"But haven't you said that Starks are uniquely connected to their direwolves?"

"Jon knew what he was doing."

Jon shouldn't have given me his direwolf. Ghost would always be his no matter how distant he felt from his direwolf. It was as if he had given me a part of his soul and I didn't want that responsibility. Once Khaleesi took the Iron Throne my duty would be to the well-being to the Seven Kingdoms. My duty would be to taking care of my queen. Where would be the time to take care of Jon's soul?

"Why did Jon name him Ghost?" Khaleesi asked.

"I assume because of his white coat."

It was ironic, though, that Jon had become a ghost himself. He had died after being betrayed by his own men and later he returned from the dead. Maybe he had been brought back to help defeat the Night King or reclaim Winterfell for House Stark or maybe a great feat that would be achieved in the future. If there was anyone that could be Azor Ahai, it was him.

"Could Ghost be a sign that the North is finally opening up to me?" Khaleesi asked. "Could it be a sign that Jon won't betray me?"

"I don't think in his mind he betrayed you." I replied. "He hasn't fought against your claim as Queen of the Iron Throne. He is also polite to you when in public."

"So Ghost isn't a sign for me?"

"If he is a sign it's to reassure you of Jon's loyalty to both yourself and your followers."

Ghost put his head on my knee. His eyes looked sad and I could feel some despair coming from the creature. If only I knew how to understand what he was telling me. Was he sad that he wouldn't see Jon for years at a time? Was he sad that the scorching sun of the south would burn through his fur? Did he even like Khaleesi?

Of course Ghost liked my love, he was just nervous about how his life would change. One day he would become as close to Khaleesi as he had been to Jon. It might take some time but at least once there was peace he wouldn't be bothered by anything else. Once I began living in King's Landing there wouldn't be much reason to travel as often as I had been.

"Do you need Ghost to remember the North?" Khaleesi asked. "What about Heartsbane?"

"My Valyrian sword reminds me of fighting the Night King's army." I replied. "The only thing I have to remember Bear Island are my memories. And those fade in time. Ghost is the only thing that is truly from the North that has been given to me."

"I don't think I have a home. There was Essos and now there's Westeros. The only thing giving me purpose now is the Iron Throne."

"Don't I give you purpose?"

"You are the thing I lean against when all hope seems lost. You are the thing that gives me the power to accomplish my purpose. But there is more to life than love. You can't tell me that I'm your purpose?"

"For so many years I was lost and then you gave me direction. You allowed me to become more than I have ever been. Protecting and serving you is my only purpose."

But wasn't I Azor Ahai? Wasn't I cursed by the gods? Didn't I now have a greater purpose than my love or Jon?

"You won't ever leave me." Khaleesi said and kissed me on the lips.

"I wouldn't ever think of doing so." I replied and returned her kisses.

She was my reason for existing and she trusted me beyond reason. Together we would rebuild the Seven Kingdoms into a utopia and hopefully it would last a few generations before dissolving into chaos.
* * *
I stood behind Khaleesi in the Great Hall. No matter what the future brought, I was her protector. When she couldn't stand on her own I would be there beside her. When she questioned herself I would be there to reassure her. My eyes went from my love to Jon Snow who was seated beside her to Sansa Stark who was seated on the opposite side of my queen.

Finally my eyes looked briefly to everyone who sat and stood in the Great Hall. Today she would announce me as her king and I worried about how my fellow Northerners would react. While I had been born in the North, I was now marrying a Southern Queen. While they had forgiven me for my past actions, was their forgiveness enough to make them comfortable with my choice of wife?

"I was born amidst a storm." Khaleesi began with pride in her voice. "I grew up far from my home under the watch of my brother who was not fit to be king. In my early years there was no hint of who I was to become. I appeared to be a Targaryen that the gods had no great plans for. How wrong all who knew me were."

I had been wrong too. My love for her is what made me stay by her side, not the thought that she would become a great conqueror and Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Sansa retained her composure but I had a sense she didn't want to hear the rest of my love's speech, she just wanted Khaleesi to declare me her king and be done with it.

"It was Khal Drogo that first showed me my actual worth." Khaleesi said and there was a bittersweet tone to her voice. "Unlike my brother, he treated me gently and reveled in my successes. The only thing my brother saw in me was how to win the Iron Throne. But the gods had a great destiny in my future and so brought me into the arms of Drogo."

It had been fortunate that she had found herself in the arms of a kinder Dothraki than most. Her fate could have seen her as a plaything for a Khal. I would've attempted to rescue her but there was a high likelihood of failure. The Dothraki were feared for a good reason as they were like demons on their horses. Nothing could stand in their way. The only hope would have been to escape to a city and stay in civilization. Would Khaleesi have even hatched her dragons in that scenario?

"Soon after Drogo's passing, I hatched my three children. There had been no dragons for many years and the obsession to hatch dragon eggs killed many men." Khaleesi continued. "With Drogon, Viserys, and Rhaegal I inherited my heritage. With the bleeding star I knew it must be me that reclaimed the Iron Throne for House Targaryen. When my dragons hatched I was reborn into something stronger."

Drogo hadn't passed away peacefully in his sleep. Khaleesi had had to make the hard decision to kill him to end his suffering. It was no surprise that she had left out that part of her story. No need for people to have an even worse opinion of her than they already did. Better for her to reassure their hatred with her profound story.

"From the moment I emerged unburnt with my dragons to the moment I am talking to you now, there were numerous obstacles to overcome." Daenerys said in a voice that seemed too calm. "I had to overcome my own weaknesses and naivete. I had to learn to understand that people don't care about me, they care about what I can do for them. I had to learn that kindness is not a common trait. During this time of growth I had one man to lean on above all others. One man that had seen me at my weakest moments and still chose to serve me. One man that I exiled multiple times but was still there to help rescue me."

I hid my nervousness from all those in the room. No need for them to see my weakness at such an important time. They needed to trust that I would be a strong leader. If they didn't trust Khaleesi, they needed to trust me to keep a hold on her. Sansa made a slight motion as if stopping herself from turning around and looking at me.

"I chose my king with much thought." Khaleesi proclaimed. "I needed my king to be one that would never betray me. I needed my king to be one that could advise me. I needed my king to be someone that could help connect North and South once again."

Some people looked at Jon as if they expected my love to proclaim him her king. Some people must have heard rumors about Daenerys and Jon ending their romance as their eyes roamed the Great Hall. The latter group of people tended to look at either me or Tyrion.

"Ser Jorah Mormont," Khaleesi said and I walked so that I stood in front of her with my back to the others in the Great Hall. "You saw me as a queen even before I was a conqueror. You served me even when I didn't want to speak to you. You loved me with no care if I ever returned your affections. As I told you in Essos, I can't rule the Seven Kingdoms without you by my side."

"I would be honored to be your king." I replied and knelt without looking in her eyes.

I tried to hold my body in such a way to show humility without indicating the fear that was coursing through me. What if the Northerners thought the idea of me becoming king was despicable? What if the Northerners thought Khaleesi choosing me as her king indicated her supposed madness? So many questions went through my mind but there was no backing out of this now. To do so would be to embarrass and betray my love. So I endured my fear.

"Rise, King Jorah Mormont." Khaleesi said loudly so to be heard over the loud sounds of applause.

They wanted me to be king. At a pace that wasn't too quick or slow to show my fear, I stood up. My love's eyes burned with fire and I smiled at the sight. My eyes then went to Jon whose expression I couldn't read beyond the contentment that was on the surface. If the Targaryen and Stark both agreed I was fit to rule, there was no means to contest their faith in me. If they believed in me I would have to believe I was fit to be king.

I slowly turned to take in the entire room. Most were genuinely excited for my new title while a smaller amount were merely feigning excitement. I didn't mind that some did not want me as king, or did not care either way, as those I cared about wanted me to help rule the Seven Kingdoms.

Ghost, who was laying behind Jon, let out a rare howl. Was he scared for me? Sad about leaving the North? Proud of my new duties? Because I wasn't facing the direwolf, I didn't turn to see if I could read the expression on his face.

Finally my scan of the Great Hall ended and I waited as chairs were rearranged so I could sit to the left of my love and to the right of Jon. Sansa seemed to want to say something but was waiting until silence returned.

"House Stark is more than grateful of your sacrifices, Your Grace, and having such an ally of the North sitting on the Iron Throne." Sansa began, a faint hard edge to her voice. "No matter where you go, you will always have Northern blood. No matter where you go, House Stark will always stand at your side."

Jon had told me how Sansa once wanted to marry Joffrey and revel in what being married to the king could mean in life. I didn't know if she still wished to be queen and my marriage to Khaleesi meant that dream would never happen now. Though she could be worried about the fate of Northern independence and the edge to her voice was because of that.

"I am grateful for the support of House Stark, Lady Stark." I replied. "Without the support of your House, the North would not be loyal to the Iron Throne. Queen Daenerys and I will strive to show you that your trust is not misplaced."

"I know it isn't." Sansa said and only briefly glanced at Khaleesi while giving me her full attention.

"Do you wish to question me? I will reassure you if need be."

It took a few moments for Sansa to answer, most likely because she was finding a polite way to ask her questions. This gave me time to calm my own mind so I didn't make a mistake. While the Stark girl didn't have dragons, she had political expertise which was just as deadly. I had to impress her so that I would have Jon's loyalty and friendship.

"Wouldn't you prefer to stay in the North?" Sansa asked and I could feel Daenerys tense up.

"That I would." I admitted. "But my place is by my queen's side and it would be wrong to abandon her at such a moment. I made my decision to not set foot on Bear Island again the moment I became loyal to her and not King Robert Baratheon. To be back in the North, no matter how briefly, was not something I expected to ever happen."

"You are now the last person with Mormont blood. Your House has been small yet powerful and loyal. If you were to have no children carrying your House's name then the Mormont line would die. Your House was intensely loyal to mine and it would be a great loss if the Mormont line ever died."

"You want to know if my children will be Mormont or Targaryen?"

"I assumed you had already made a decision."

Sansa's tone had become very close to mocking and I nearly felt like slapping her. There was no reason for her current line of thought if not to bring me down in some form. No, not to demean me but to make sure I had the interests of the North in my heart. If someone like the Stark girl were to relinquish control of the North it would have to be to someone that truly cared about her home.

My head made the tiniest motion to look to Daenerys for what she wanted. In a look that only I could read, she told me that it was up to me to decide. She was trusting me to make the right decision as was Sansa. Whatever I decided would have to please two very powerful women.

"I don't want the Mormont line to end with me." I said after a moment's hesitation. "But I have married a Targaryen and it would not be fair for her to suffer my needs. So if Queen Daenerys is alive by the time we take the Iron Throne, all of our children will be Targaryens so that her line may continue. If she dies, then our children will be Mormonts."

"You are certain you will be able to let your line die?" Sansa asked. "What of Bear Island?"

"If Daenerys survives then I will choose another to become the ruler of Bear Island. Even a bastard."

Daenerys and Sansa both had the same expression on their faces. Both women were pleased and worried about my decision. Both most likely wanted me to be more on their side than I had been.