Chapter 24 2 страница

Sensing his target like a lighthouse at night, Jon focused his will to divert the flow of the Force to reach that which he sought. The young blond girl jolted upright, her eyes blinking rapidly as she stared around wildly trying to find what woke her from her slumber. As her eyes fell upon him, her gaze softened, and her body relaxed. " Jon, " she said, her breath coming in and out in soft pants.

" Dany, " Jon smiled, elation flowing through him at being able to make the connection. " I didn't actually think I would get this to work so fast. "

Dany's head tilted to the side as she blinked at him. " Get…what to work? "

" This…" Jon started, motioning between them. " This connection between us. My Master said it's a Force bond and that allows us to talk and see one another. Though he didn't really know why it'd formed between us, though he called us a dyad in the Force. Whatever that means. "

Dany's just continued to stare at him, confusion still written clearly across her face. " The…Force? A – A bond between us? What are you talking about? "

Rubbing the back of his head, Jon thought about the best way to explain this to her. 'How many times have I run this conversation through my head? And now that it's here, I can't remember a single word I meant to say to her. ' " Well, the Force is basically magic. Though that term is an oversimplification and if you call the Force 'magic' to my Master, he'd just laugh at your ignorance. "

Dany's confusion started to wane, being replaced by awe. " So…So, you have this magic? This…Force? "

" Aye, " Jon nodded. " And so do you, Dany. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to talk like this. "

Dany's eyes widened once more. " I – I have this power as well? "

Jon nodded. " Aye, you do. And I can even show you the basics on how to use it if you'd like. I'm afraid I'm not nearly as good as a teacher as my Master is, but then again I doubt anyone is. "

" Your Master? " Dany questioned, her face becoming somewhat guarded suddenly. " You–You keep mentioning him. But…But who is he? And–And, if you don't mind me asking, who are you? "

'She's…concerned? Why? ' " My…My name is Jon Stark, baseborn son of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. And my Master is Lord Alim Nox, the Northern Sorcerer. "

The moment the names left his lips, Dany immediately jolted away from him as she started scrambling at what he could only assume to be her bedroll. Confused by her actions, Jon reached out to try and reassure her, but he immediately had to pull his hand back as Dany slashed at him with a small dagger she'd pulled out from beneath her bedroll. " Stay back! Son of the Usurper's dog! I won't let you kill me so easily! "

" What?! " Jon gasped, keeping his hands raised and making sure to have one eye on the dagger. " Dany–? "

" Don't call me that! " Dany hissed, slashing at him again even though they were nowhere close to one another. " I am Daenerys Targaryen, sister to King Viserys Targaryen, the true King of Westeros! "

'She – She's a Targaryen?! ' Jon gasped. 'No. This – This isn't possible. Well, I suppose it is possilbe be cause it's happening and – shit. She's frightened, but she's telling the truth. I can sense it. Do I tell her who I really am? No, that won't do any good right now. ' " Dany. " The knife twitched towards him again. " Daenerys. I – You might not believe this but – but I mean you no harm. And neither does my father. "

" Lies! " Dany hissed as she suddenly stopped backing away from him as she clearly backed up against something. " I will not believe the words coming from the mouth of the Usurper dog's son's mouth! "

" Then look past the words, " Jon said, doing everything he could to keep himself calm. " Look to me. Look with more than just your eyes, feel the connection between us…It's like a stream. Don't fight it, just…feel. And you will know that I speak the truth, Daenerys, when I say that neither I, nor my father, nor anyone in House Stark wishes to see you come to harm. "

He could feel something touching at the outside of his senses. It was tentative and clearly ill-practiced, but he could feel the probe. So, he willingly left himself bare to its fumbling touches. " No, " Dany kept muttering. " It's a trick. It's all a trick. The Usurper has been sending assassins after my brother and I since he overthrew my family in his own selfish bid for power. My brother told me so…and I've seen them with my own eyes. "

'I know that my father wouldn't send assassins after the remaining Targaryens… But I guess that I can't really say the same about King Robert. But wait, what did she say? 'His own selfish bid for power'? Does she…Does she not know what happened to start the Rebellion? '

" Dan – Daenerys. " He quickly corrected himself, keeping himself open and trying to impart the truth of his words through the Force so that she could sense it. " Do you know what started the Rebellion against your family? "

Dany's hold on the knife faltered as the tip lowered slightly. " Brother…He doesn't like to talk about it. He only says that the Usurper, his dog, and those who supported him revolted against father, their rightful king, and brutally murdered our brother, Rhaegar. "

" That's only part of the story. " It was true, from a twisted point of view, but it was not everything. " The truth is that the Rebellion was a long time coming. But the tipping point was when your brother, Rhaegar, disappeared with Lyanna Stark. My uncle Brandon, the heir to Winterfell, marched to King's Landing and demanded of your father that Rhaegar present himself to explain his actions. Your father had him imprisoned and then called my grandfather, Rickard Stark, down to King's Landing to explain what he considered to be 'the treasonous actions' of his son. When my grandfather arrived, King Aerys immediately had him arrested for treason before he could even utter a word in his own defense. Knowing that he had no hope in a fair trial, my grandfather demanded a Trial by Combat. King Aerys agreed and named fire as the champion of the crown. "

He could see Dany's eyes go wider and she began to shake her head in denial, but Jon pressed on. " He had my grandfather suspended from the rafters and slowly burned alive in his own armor. At the same time, he had my uncle brought out, put a noose around his neck, and had a sword placed just out of his reach. He told my uncle that he could save his father if he could reach the sword. My uncle strangled himself to death trying to reach the sword while watching my grandfather be burned al—"

" It's a lie! " Dany screamed, and Jon had to take a step back as he felt the Force react to her shout and force him back a step.

" It's not, " Jon replied sadly, shaking his head. " You know my words are true, even if you don't want to believe them, even if you don't know how you know. You know that every word I am speaking is the truth. "

The knife clattered to the ground as Dany grabbed her head in both hands and sank down to her knees. " I – I don't know. I don't know. It can't be…It just can't be…"

Sighing, Jon knelt before Dany. He wanted to comfort the girl. But, honestly, he had no idea what he could say or do that would bring her any sort of comfort right now. Especially seeing as how he was the source of her anguish. He needed something to try and convince her. Or someone. But who was in Essos that could talk to her? That she would even believe? 'Wait…the Martells. Arianne's mother is still in Essos. And Dany and her brother are supposedly on the run. It…it might be possible. ' " Tell me, Daenerys, are you and your brother by chance traveling towards Norvos? "

Dany's eyes shot up and went wide with fear. " Wh– How…? "

" Don't worry. I have no intention of telling anyone where you are heading, " Jon tried to reassure her. " I only want to help. "

Despite the tears still staining her cheeks, Dany eyed him wearily. " Why? You all serve the Usurper. Why aren't you trying to kill me? "

" Because life is not so simple, Daenerys, " Jon replied. " My father and the North did indeed hate your father, King Aerys, and your brother Rhaegar for what they did. But that hatred started and ended with them. In fact, the fates of Elia Martell and her children combined with King Robert's demands for you and your brother's death damn near started another war. In the North, we believe that the sins of the parent should not fall upon the shoulders of their children. "

Sniffing, Dany sat up straighter. " What help can you offer us? You're…I don't even know where you are. And I…My brother and I are alone and constantly on the run. "

Wincing, Jon sat down so that the two were eye level with one another. " I can't offer help directly, but I can point you in the direction of someone who might be willing to at least give you and your brother shelter for a time. When you reach Norvos, if that is indeed where you are heading, seek out the manor of Lady Mellario. She might be willing to give you and your brother at least some aid. "

Dany blinked. " Why? "

" Because she is the wife of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne, " Jon answered, drawing a look of surprise from Dany. " I cannot guarantee that she will be welcoming of you and your brother, but at the very least she might be willing to meet and speak with you about what happened in Westeros that led to the downfall of your family. "

Rising to his feet, Jon stared down at the still kneeling form of Daenerys Targaryen. " I – I won't contact you this way again, Lady Daenerys, until you try and reach out. I don't want to cause you any more anguish than I already have. But when you want to talk once more, I will be here for you. And…one last thing. You and your brother…You're not as alone as you might think. "

And with that, Jon severed the connection, ending his time in the black void of the Force and snapping back into his body with such force that he nearly knocked himself over from his kneeling position. Taking a moment to regain his bearings, Jon rose on unsteady feet and made his way out of his master's meditation rooms. The moment he stepped out of the room, he was nearly run over by a mass of silk and wavy black hair.

" Gods, Jon, " Arianne gasped. " I thought you would still be in meditation and – What's wrong? "

Giving himself a shake, Jon did all that he could to put what had just happened to the back of his mind. " Nothing of importance, " he said, forcing himself to look at Arianne, which in truth was not a difficult task in the slightest. " Are you alright? Did something happen? "

Arianne didn't look convinced, but she seemed willing to let the matter slide for now in favor of whatever it was that'd brought her to him. " I've deciphered the last of the runes and – and I think we can finally finish your copy of the Rhyonish artifact. "

His ill-mood brought on from his encounter with Dany – no, Daenerys – quickly left him as the prospect of finally finishing the task his Master had assigned to him nearly a year past. " Finally, " he breathed as he met Arianne's smirk with one of his own. " Let's get this done, shall we? "

The two didn't say another word to one another as Arianne grabbed hold of Jon's arm as they made their way back to the Sorcerer's library and to their own little section that they'd been using ever since the day of Arianne's arrival in Winterfell. The little table that'd been there originally had been replaced with a much larger table that was nearly as long as Jon. Skewed across its surface were dozens of books, sketches, and pieces of jewelry, most of which had been donated by Arianne herself and sitting amid all the chaos was the armlet that Jon had found in Valyria alongside the duplicate that was now nearly complete.

Setting to work immediately, Arianne pulled out a small sketch book that she seemingly took everywhere with her and opened it while Jon grabbed a small chisel to etch the runes into the new armlet. The work was almost excruciatingly slow, mostly since Jon had next to no experience working on metal in this manner, and neither did Arianne. So, the two were learning as they were going. But while the chiseling and organization of the runes was indeed difficult, it paled in comparison to the fact that Jon had to constantly channel the Force into his every etch to imbue the armlet with the Force. Or at least he hoped that he did. If not…well…best not for him to dwell on the matter.

" And the last rune, the one for 'water', should go right here, " Arianne stated, pointing to what was quite possibly the last piece of unetched metal on the armlet. " Then you'll need to connect the rune to the others using this arrangement…or at least that was what was done on the original. "

Following her instructions exactly, Jon made the last few additions that were necessary to complete the runic design. Thanks to how deeply and continuously he was channeling the Force, the moment his chisel made the last connecting line, Jon felt something. It was like a startling spark. A strong shift in the Force the likes of which that he'd never felt before. The armlet beneath his hands glowed red like a hot ember for the briefest of moments before returning to its normal silver coloring.

" Jon, " Arianne breathed, her face so close to his he could swear he felt her breath on his face. " Did that…? Did it just…glow? And—And what was that…feeling? I swear I just got a chill but there was no wind. "

Picking up the armlet, Jon stared down at the simple thing. It wasn't that beautiful or impressive looking, all things considered. A silver forearm bracer with a leather pad to protect the skin with a slim golden chain Arianne had provided him that was connected to a ring that was meant to be worn on the user's finger to further their connection and provide better control. Or at least that was his hope. In truth, he didn't know why he'd added the chain and ring. It'd just felt right to do so in the moment, so he did. But now that he was holding the completed armlet in his hands, and with Arianne sitting so close to him, he could feel something else. Something between the beautiful woman at his side and the armlet in his hands.

" So, " Arianne said, clearly putting the strange phenomenon out of her mind. " Does it work? "

" Let's see, " Jon said, before turning and holding the armlet out for her. " Put it on. "

For the first time since he'd met her, Jon finally had the pleasure of pulling a surprise out on the Princess of Dorne. " What? " she gaped, looking from him to the armlet and then back again. " But I thought – Lord Nox said I don't have magic. "

" No, " Jon replied, shaking his head, " he said that you do not have the same type of Force affinity as my siblings and I. That doesn't mean that you are incapable of manipulating the Force at some level. And plus, this is Rhyonish, your people. If anyone has a right to wear this Arianne, it's you. Here, hold out your hand. "

Jon didn't really understand why, but as Arianne held out her right-hand Jon felt something shift within him. And it shifted again as he carefully placed the armlet on her exposed skin and slipped the ring onto her finger on her right hand. The moment the ring was fully on, Arianne shivered and let out a slight gasp. " Jon…? What was…? What's happening? "

Keeping hold of her arm, Jon pulled the two of them up to their feet. Without even realizing what he was doing or why, he arranged them so that his front was flush against her back and her right hand was being held in his right with her palm pointed towards the cup of water. " You're feeling the flow of the Force, " he said, her hair tickling his face and her scent filling his nose nearly to the point of distraction. " Let it guide you. Feel the room around us. Then find the cup of water through what you feel. "

Arianne's hand was still slightly shaking in his own as her breath started coming in short pants. " I – I can feel it. It's so…gods… Is this what you feel all the time? "

" Focus, " Jon gently chided her, tightening his grip on her arm not to cause pain but to make sure she focused at the task at hand. " Find the water. "

Nodding, Arianne closed her eyes and her breathing leveled out. " I – I see it. How–? "

" Now command it, " Jon told her firmly. " Don't ask it. Don't will it. Command it. Bend the water to your will and form it into a ball and lift it from the cup. "

He could feel Arianne almost vibrate against him as a surge of the Force flowed through her. The cup on the table shifted and rocked back and forth as she squeezed her eyes closed. Slowly, the water within the cup began to ripple, then the rippling stopped as the water began to form a ball and slowly rise out of the cup. " Arianne, " he said lowly, his lips near her ear. " Open your eyes. "

Arianne's eyes snapped open, and she let out a gasp as she saw the ball of water floating before her. " I – I did it! " she all but yelled joyously.

Unfortunately, her elation was short lived as her concentration broke and the small ball of water fell back down into the cup, over half of which splashed back out and onto the table. " That's alright, " Jon smiled, trying to be reassuring despite her loss of concentration. " You just need to practice a bit more an—"

That was about as far as Jon got as Arianne turned in his arms, wrapped her surprisingly strong arms around his neck, and firmly sealed her lips to his.

Jon's mind went blank as Arianne pressed herself harder against him to the point where he could feel every sensuous curve she possessed pressed against him. But when he finally began to reciprocate and she let out the slightest of moans of pleasure, whatever control he had snapped as the slumbering wolf and dragon within him both awoken simultaneously. Before he could even comprehend what it was that he was doing, he'd backed Arianne up to the wall and pressed her against it just hard enough to make her gasp. But he didn't stop, he couldn't stop. The wolf and the dragon within him that he always kept on a leash were now unleashed and demanding that he take what'd always been on his mind ever since he'd met her. And for her part, Arianne seemed more than willing to take everything he was giving her and return it tenfold.

But as pleasurable as the sensation coursing through him was, all too soon the needs of the body took hold and Jon had to separate from Arianne to breathe. As he pulled back, Arianne's eyes opened, dark and filled with a heat that made Jon shake.

" You know… That doesn't look all that comfortable doing that against the wall like that. "

Jon sprung away from Arianne, his hand reaching out on instinct and calling his lightsaber to him. " Gods…Arya. " Jon growled, seeing his youngest sister standing just a short distance away from them. " What are you doing here? "

Arya, for her part, was just staring at the two of them with a blank expression. Well, mostly blank. There was no hiding that slight smirk on her face. " From the stories that I've heard Theon and the other guards tell, this sort of thing works a lot better on a bed. And with less clothes. Though just why you'd want to do something like…well…that is just weird. You two looked like you were trying to suck each other's faces off. "

Clearing her throat, Arianne stepped up past him and towards his sister. While Jon was sure that he was completely red by this point out of embarrassment, Arianne looked utterly at ease despite having just been caught doing…well, what they were doing. 'Hopefully Arianne can calm this situation down. Or at least convince Arya not to tell everyone…The last thing I need is for the Red Viper of Dorne to think I've dishonored his niece! '

" A bed and less clothes are the end game of such activities, little wolf, but not necessary to have fun. " Any hope that Jon had of Arianne calming things over went right out the window as she glanced towards him and gave him a wink before turning back to his sister. " As for whether it is fun or not, of course it is! It's quite an enjoyable experience for both parties, otherwise you and your brothers and sister wouldn't be here. Give it a few years, and once you find the right man or woman you will understand just how enjoyable such activities can be, little wolf. "

" Man…or woman? " Arya asked, which only served to add to Jon's mortification. " How can two women do…that? "

" Quite easily, " Arianne answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. " Such activities are not limited to just between a man and woman. A woman and woman can enjoy one another, as can a man and man. You can even just enjoy yourself should the need arise. "

" Gods, Arianne, " Jon breathed, his mortification reaching levels he never thought possible. He was not about to have…this conversation with his little sister. " She's just ten! She doesn't need you to corrupt her. "

Arianne turned on him with an arched brow, and Jon immediately knew that he'd said something wrong. " Oh? A corrupting influence am I, Jon Stark? "

Jon had next to no warning before something cold struck the back of his neck and quickly ran down his shirt. " Come, little wolf, " Arianne said, a smile on her face as she purposefully turned her back on Jon and looked to his sister. " I have some 'corrupting' to teach you. Away from your brother's sensitive ears. "

Shivering from the cold water running down his back, Jon could do little more than just stare as Arianne took his sister by the arm and quickly led her out of library. 'I wonder who will actually be doing the corrupting? ' Jon sighed, knowing his sister and her…fondness for pulling jokes on people.

" I see that you finally managed to complete the task that I set upon you. "

" Shit! " Jon nearly screamed, jumping in place, and turning so that he was facing his very amused looking Master. " Master…"

" Though I do admit that I agree with your sister. If you truly wish to engage in such activities, I would highly recommend a bed. At least for the first time, much more comfortable. After that, well, a little bit of exhibitionism never hurt anyone and can provide quite the thrill when done right. "

" By the gods, Master! " Jon swore, trying to shake the water out of his shirt, which of course only spread it out further. " I'm not talking about this with you! Or anyone! "

His Master, seeming to take joy in his suffering, didn't let the matter drop. " Why not? It's not healthy to keep this sort of thing bottled in. Humans, and most sentient beings, are creates of needs and passion. Denying or bottling those up can cause a lot of harm to both oneself and those around them. "

" Aye, I know, " Jon nodded. " You've lectured on this topic to all of us many a time before. "

His Master nodded. " Aye, I have. But you still seem intent on not understanding it. Though it does seem that the young Princess is quite good at getting you out of your shell, so to speak. But let's leave this for now and let's focus on the fact that you finally managed to replicate the Rhyonish armlet you found in Valyria. An armlet that you immediately gifted to Arianne. "

Jon's chest puffed out slightly in pride. " Aye, I—wait…You said a Rhyonish armlet…not Valyrian. Which means – oh gods. You knew it was Rhyonish and not Valyrian. "

" I did. "

Huffing, Jon brought a hand through his hair in frustration. " Then why didn't you tell me? I've been spending months pouring over every Valyrian book I could find trying to make sense of the damn thing. If I had known that it wasn't even Valyrian, then…oh. That…That was part of the lesson…wasn't it? "

" Aye, it was, " his Master nodded. " You did good in using the Force to guide you in the recreation of the armlet, take pride in that because I do not know of many Apprentices your age that would've even come close to manipulating the Force in such a precise way as you just did. But you missed one of the larger points of the lesson for a long time. Never make assumptions based on what you think you know. We found the armlet in Valyria, so you simply assumed that it was Valyrian. And you became so blinded by this view that you forgot the fact that we learned one of the key factors in the Valyrians becoming such a dominating force was because they took what made their enemies strong and incorporated it into themselves. "

" Aye, Master, " Jon nodded. " I won't make the same mistake again. "

" See that you don't. Tunnel vision serves no one well. " Pausing, his Master held out a hand and summoned a seemingly random book from the depths of the library. " This is a book on how the Rhyonish used the Force to manipulate the elements like water, fire, earth and air to their needs. I would suggest that you gift this book to Arianne as an apology. "

" An apology? " Jon asked, taking the book from his Master. " But – But I haven't done anything wrong. "

The look his Master gave him was one of amusement. " You know nothing, Jon Stark. But at least you're capable of learning so you're not completely hopeless. "

Walking through the darkened alleyways of King's Landing, a man wearing a dark cloak with his hood raised over his head easily avoided the prying eyes of the people of the city as he made his way towards the harbor and one of the more prestigious inns known to house usually only the captains of vessels or visiting nobles from across the Narrow Sea. Pausing near the back entrance, the man took one last look around to make sure he wasn't followed before quietly making his way into the building and up a narrow flight of stairs to the uppermost level of the building. Ignoring the sounds of whores applying their trade, the man made his way towards the last room at the end of the hall and knocked on the door twice, then once, then thrice more.

The door immediately opened, revealing an obese man who could rival King Robert and Lord Mace Tyrell in girth. The man's oily golden forked beard twisted as the man smiled and pulled the dark cloaked man into the room. " It's been too long, Varys, " the man said after shutting the door and making sure that they were alone.

Lowering his hood, Varys nodded as he watched his long-time friend make his way back across the room towards a large pitcher of wine and a platter of bread and cheese. " That it has, Illyrio. I take it that you managed to take advantage of the information that I sent you? "

" Yes, for all of a few days that is. " Illyrio grumbled as he sat down, the chair beneath him groaning as he did. " There are plenty of wealthy in Essos who will pay good coin for Northern glass, especially those decorative pieces that they've been exporting as of late. Unfortunately, it seems that the North prefers to do direct business with only one of their own in Pentos. Even if he is an exiled kid from a disgraced House. "

" Domeric Bolton, " Varys said, identifying the young man. " I had heard songs that he was doing well in his exile. "

" Doing well is an understatement, Varys, " Illyrio laughed. " The boy arrived in Pentos with nothing more than the clothes on his back and few loyal men who were willing to follow him. I thought he'd end up as nothing more than a sellsword that I could perhaps employ and slowly turn to work with us in the endgame. But he proved me wrong. Within a few days of arriving, he managed to get the edge on the glass market. By the end of his first week, he managed to set up a stall and secure a few high paying customers. And within a moon's turn, he managed to grow his trade to the point where he can afford one of the largest manors in Pentos near equal to my own. He has a small army of Unsullied guards and sellswords. The kid either has the greatest mind for trade I have ever seen. Or…"

" Someone is helping him, " Varys finished for his friend.

" Yes, and I'm willing to bet coin it's the second. No one establishes a network as fast as he did without help. Then there is the fact that some of his more…aggressive competitors just up and disappear. But not until they try something nefarious against him first, of course. But still, just to be safe I've pulled out almost completely of the Northern glass market and I'm staying clear of the Myrish market as well. This is one trade war that I guarantee will get bloody soon if it hasn't already. "

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