Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jon learned the truth over his blood through a book he hadn't been supposed to read or even hold in his hands. A book he later learned wasn't even around in Starfall for just that reason. There was no gentle trusted father sitting him down to explain the rather shocking truth, let alone explain the gruesome version of the victor's truth about the war that ended the Targaryen rule over Westeros.

It was a book.

Recent History: Robert's Rebellion.

A book written by one of the Archmaesters at the Citadel and copied many times under order of the King to have every House in Westeros be supplied with one, so that no one may forget just who had changed history.

So that no one would forget who had pushed the dragons from their throne.

And the book had been taken from Starfall in the year 288AC so that a smart curious little boy would not find out too soon what had been set in stone as the victor's truth.

Only...in Sunspear and the Water Gardens, those precautions had not been taken and the Daynes had in late 292AC ridden to the Water Gardens to join the celebrations for Prince Oberyn's nameday that would last for a whole sennight.

--

Jon had snuck away to the library on the third day because so many people weren't supposed to crowd into the Water Gardens, it was stiffling, and he had just wanted a moment of quiet. It seemed like everyone wanted to meet him at least once and Lady Gargalen and Lady Blackmont liked his hair way too much.

His father had wished him good fortune in escaping, had been trying the same since they broke their fast in the morning and if the look on Uncle Aurane's face was any sign than he had been mapping out plans to steal Jon's father away for a while already. Tyene had taken pity on Jon after some begging looks sent her way while the friends of his Aunt Allyria cooed over him.

Torrhen – the traitor – had long since disappeared with Prince Quentyn and Anders Yronwood, but they were just bashing at each other's heads with sparring swords. Jon just wanted some silence where he could think again.

This part of Dorne had no godswoods anymore, no blood of the First Men had been left in these parts after the Rhoynish had conquered this land, but the library would be equally abandoned at this time of day.

Tyene brought him to the library through some secret passages but then had to leave again, she actually liked this whole people chaos, according to her it was a great time to get information. Jon would have loved to have her teach him some more tricks but it was getting too hot, too loud and too much.

The second the doors of the library closed and Jon found himself alone in total silence, he breathed out a deep sigh and loosened the tension in his shoulders.

How good this felt...

As he walked closer to the bookshelves he hoped that Uncle Aurane had somehow managed to steal his father away for some quiet time. Jon couldn't understand how kissing that long and that much could possibly be nice but they seemed to like it, even after three years. And it made them happy, they made each other happy and Jon at least liked that.

He could have done without all the times he walked in on them kissing, but it was nice, especially now where Uncle Aurane was around for longer.

But now, what to read, what to read...

--

“Oh man, this is like a beehive.” Aurane sighed and cracked his neck as he stretched before he sat down behind Arthur, drawing him back against his chest, “And I can't believe I needed the help of a freaking six year old to escape the Water Gardens.” He grunted and Arthur laughed, glad that no matter from whom they had gotten the help and distraction needed to escape from the festivities for just a bit.

Jon was right, this many people really didn't belong in the Water Gardens and if he had one more Lord presenting his unwed young daughter to him while winking about the future, he was going to scream. In their eyes, Jon was the son of a redeemed Knight with no lands to his name, and still they were crawling all around him with betrothal ideas.

For a boy of only nine.

It was ridiculous.

He said as much to Aurane and found arms being tightened around him, “I'm just happy they stopped propositioning you to their daughters. Or me for that matter.” Aurane added and Arthur snorted, legitimization brought along a whole new female interest it would seem, even in Dorne, even to a man who was Valyrian enough that he was paler than the Daynes and stuck out like a sore thumb.

“I just don't want to think about it. He's a child still, he's my little boy.” Arthur lamented quietly and huffed when Aurane pressed a warm kiss to the back of his neck, here at the beach it was so quiet and peaceful, just the two of them.
“He'll always be your little boy.” Aurane reminded him, “That's how it is for fathers. If your father were still alive, he would fret over you the same way mine still does over me. In their eyes, we never grow up.”

“I don't want him to not grow up but growing older means one step closer to the truth of his blood.” Arthur pointed out and closed his eyes when Aurane tightened his arms around him.
“He's not going to stop being your son just because he knows the truth about Rhaegar. Jon's Prince in the Locket might share more blood with him than you do, but you're Jon's father, Arthur.” Aurane was calm but insistent in his words. “And maybe we are the only people in this world who will never strive for any thrones for him but we'll make sure that Jon stays happy.”

“Together.” Arthur agreed and placed his hands upon Aurane's, squeezing them and letting the sea breeze calm his thoughts. He only spoke again after a long round of silence, “I'm still not gonna take marriage offers for my nine year old son. If Dagos Manwoody...”
“Tell Torrhen someone wants to marry Jon off to their daughters, problem will solve itself rather quickly.” Aurane chuckled and Arthur rolled his eyes, “And now, shut up and enjoy the silence.”

--

Jon grunted when he finally had the chair pulled over to where he wanted it, there was a little corner at the back of the library where people weren't supposed to pick out books from the shelves. It was Maester Caleotte's personal collection of books, important ones and very old frail ones that needed good care. Jon though had gotten permission to read those as well because he was always so very careful with books and Caleotte had argued that if Jon got to read these books, Caleotte himself had more times to do something else than answer questions.

So Jon climbed up on the chair now and traced his fingers over the backs of the book, read titles and tried to figure out what he wanted. At home, he had last read a book about plants, especially about Northern plants and how they had developed over time to endure the cold better and better.

Today, he felt more like history and maybe Caleotte had something recent, he sometimes kept the new books sent out by the Citadel for his own studies first. Maester Darvin did the same in Starfall, though he always said that he wanted to read those books first to ensure they hadn't gotten anything wrong.

Maybe there was something about the war in Essos, Jon really wanted to know more still about what had happened when they had needed to run.

Ah, right there.

Recent History...

“Robert's Rebellion?” Jon muttered in surprise, eyes looking around the library before carefulling pulling the very heavy looking tomb about of the shelf. “Huh. There is a book about it? Why don't we have that at home?” Jon would have liked to read more about the Rebellion that had done so much harm to his family.

He jumped down from the chair and walked back to the table at the window that was his favourite place to read in the library here. Absentmindedly he patted the locket around his neck as he opened the book and began to read.

Not knowing that he would soon get the shock of his life.

--

'The Abduction of Lyanna Stark'

Jon blinked and sat up straight again after he had read the title of the second chapter, rereading the words at least twice more until he frowned. Abducted? His mother hadn't been abducted. She had run away with his Papa because her father wanted to force her into marrying a man she hated.

No one had gotten abducted.

'In the year 282, Lady Lyanna Stark was abducted from Riverrun where she had dwelled awaiting her brother's marriage before travelling South for her own marriage to Robert Baratheon, then Lord of Storm's End.'

“The King?!” Jon choked out through his gasp, “She was betrothed to King Robert?” Or Lord Robert Baratheon of Storm's End back then but oh gods, of course the King would hate Jon's Papa if Lyanna had run away from marrying him. And who would not want to not marry that man? Everything Jon had heard so far about him painted him as a fat stupid man who only liked to drink and let others rule for him.

A man who had killed the right Prince and only gotten to sit the throne because someone else had killed the King for him.

“I would have run away from that man, too, Ma.” Jon whispered and bent back over the book, only to have his heart come to a stuttering halt.

'Not much is known over the line of events that followed the abduction of Lyanna Stark by Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen but this Maester wants to try and shed some light on what must have happened. We will start at the end, the Lady's tragic and surely traumatic ordeal ended in a watchtower in Dorne where the Prince had raped and tortured her, imprisoned by his loyal Kingsguard and only freed after the Stranger had already claimed her.'

No.

That was a lie.

A lie.

They were lying.

--

Jon was in a stupor as he stumbled from the library a few minutes later and Tyene's smile froze in place when they crossed paths in the first corridor to the left of it.

“Jon, are you okay?” She asked him but violet eyes only blindly stared back at her, Tyene quickly looked him over, tried to find injuries or something that explained his state. His eyes so wide with terror and shock, his hands clutching a book with white knuckles...

A book with the title of...

Oh no.

“Jon...” Carefully she crouched down in front of him, placed her hands upon his and slowly tried to take the book from him but Jon held only tighter, “Jon, you know that what they write is a lie. It's only the victor's truth, that is not what happened.” Jon shook his head, a first sign that he was even hearing her and reluctantly enough he let her take the book then, only to pull at the chain around his neck, pulling out the golden locket he usually always carried.

“Ty...” He began with a trembling voice and Tyene tried to come up with something that could help here right now, she needed to find Arthur or her father or even better yet her grandfather, someone needed to explain to Jon that none of the Usurper's lies were true. It had all been stupid lies, created so that the Usurper could go against Prince Rhaegar, ugly terrible lies, and people should know the truth.

But of course no one wrote a book now about Ser Arthur and Lyanna Stark, not while the Usurper was king.

“Tyene,” Jon tried again and Tyene looked up at him again, him and that locket he had opened to show her the tiny portraits of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, especially that of the Silver Prince Jon held out for her to see, “Tyene, I think they lied to me.”
“Lied to you about what?” Tyene frowned, confused and worried when Jon pushed herself a step closer still.

“Something doesn't add up. Something is wrong.”

“What is wrong? Jon, you're scaring me.” She pressed a little, really only a small step away from loudly calling for someone to fetch one of the real grown ups. Jon reached out with his free hand and held himself up against her shoulder, he was shaking so terribly, the other hand still showing her the locket content.

“I think Papa lied to me. I think Rhaegar Targaryen is my father.”

--

She pushed him into the very first available unlocked room she could find, accidentaly or luckily exactly the room where Arianne was just about to push her hand down Gerold Dayne's fucking breeches.

Tyene slapped a quick hand over Jon's eyes and snarled a “Get Out” towards the annoying idiot who scrambled to pull his clothes back up while Arianne groaned and sank back against the desk.

“You're a spoil.” Arianne complained after Tyene had slammed the door shut behind Gerold's disappearing ass and then let go of Jon again.
“Shut up, we have real problems on our hands.” Tyene muttered and pushed Jon over to a chair, apparently she had found some kind of half forgotten sitting room, and crossed over to her cousin, setting the book heavily down upon the desk. “Do you know this book?”

Arianne sent a look from her to Jon and then down to the book, her face going from annoyed to alarmed, “Of course, I do, it's a disgusting piece of junk. Jon, the victor's truth is a lie. Robert Baratheon only got away with his version of the tale because he won.” Arianne turned her words to Jon but violet eyes only stared back at her, “Okay, why does he look like he just caught you with your hands on Gerold's cock?”

“You've met Prince Rhaegar, didn't you?” Tyene focused on her questions before Jon turned from temporarily shocked into scarred for life. Arianne scrunched up her nose.
“Yeah, like ages ago.” Arianne gave her in response, “Why, what's going on here? Jon, what's wrong?” Tyene knew that among the older Sandsnakes and Arianne, Jon definitely preferred her the most because she wasn't so crass in her language but Arianne had little brothers and she could be a concerned big sister in the blink of an eye.

And all of them loved the Dayne children.

Jon didn't answer at first and Tyene was already prepared to go on when Jon did manage to speak up, though she quickly wished he hadn't.

“I've been dreaming of dragons.”

Arianne froze and Tyene could feel her heart set out for a moment. Jon's wide eyes blinked back tears and this was so not good.

“I've always been dreaming of dragons, I never thought that was something weird. All the stories I like, all the books I have. But...but lately there is this dragon that isn't described in any books. It's not Balerion or Meraxes, it's not any of the famous dragons...It's mine.” He finished very quietly, looking from Arianne back to her, “It feels like it's my dragon. I only told this to Torrhen. And now I find this book and...” He broke off and fiddled with his locket again.

“Are we...” Arianne began hesitantly, snapped her mouth shut again and began anew, “Are we seriously implying what I think we are implying?”
“Where is the lineage book? I know that Caleotte doesn't keep it in the library.” Tyene didn't choose to answer because she just couldn't, she couldn't even start believing in anything close to that.

When her father had sent her to the Citadel to talk to the Septon who had once been the older Dayne siblings' Velaryon born uncle about falsefying papers about a wedding between Ser Arthur and Lady Lyanna, she had thought it was to protect Jon as a trueborn wanted son instead of an accident that happened to two people who ran away together.

The problem was that now where she got to thinking about it, Septon Ashryn had been a bit too cooperative right from the start maybe.

“In Caleotte's chambers no doubt. He doesn't want anything to happen to that book or people fussing with it.” Arianne explained and then nailed Tyene down with a look, “Please tell me you're kidding, cousin.”
“We need to find that book.” Tyene didn't give her cousin the reaction she wanted and instead walked back to Jon, pulled him to his feet and steered him right out of the room again, her mind was spinning in circles.

If Jon was right...

If this was right and Ser Arthur and her father and who knows who else had all lied...

No, she couldn't finish that thought.

Arianne rushed after them and then way too fast and also not fast enough, they were walking into the Maester's chambers and they all looked around until they had found the harmless looking brown book. Tyene set it down on a table and in the very next second Jon and her were already turning pages.

“Just scroll through to the Daynes and you'll all find that what you're implying is madness. Jon is Ser Arthur's son.” Arianne had barely finished her ranting when Tyene quickly pulled her forward and showed her the emptiness below Ser Arthur's name in the book, Jon was back to shaking like a leaf. “Oh my...”

And then suddenly while Jon was not moving anymore, Tyene and Arianne took it upon themselves to hurry forward and get to the Targaryens at the end of the book. Page after page after page and then there...

Oh.

No.

--

His name was Jaehaerys Targaryen.

A little note.

Just a little note under his mother's name.

His mother's name which was connected to his father.

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.

--

“JON!”

“Tyene, what...”

“Find Grandfather, Ari, please! Jon, stop! Please stop!”

But Jon was quicker around corners than her and Tyene only managed to catch up to him finally when Jon had already reached the more lively corridors of the palace again and had run straight into the laughing little crowd of Ser Arthur, Captain Aurane, Tyene's own father, Ser Benjen and Lord Andric.

Before she could reach him, before she could even think or act in any way, Jon had already taken off his locket and slammed it to the ground right at Ser Arthur's feet.

--

“You lied!”

Jon didn't like yelling, he hated it when people got loud but right now he couldn't even stop himself anymore, everything was spinning and everything was not making sense, and nothing was making sense.

“Jon, what is going on here?” His father wanted to know, frowning and kneeling down to get closer to Jon but Jon immediately took a step back. He couldn't, he just couldn't be touched right now. He was so angry, and there was something very very ugly crawling its way up his throat. “What happened?” His father asked him and he picked up the locket, carefully looking it over.

And just as Torrhen rounded around the corner with a big grin behind Uncle Oberyn and Uncle Andric, Jon felt something take over.

“You lied to me! About my mother, about your prince, about the entire Rebellion!” Jon called out and curled his hands into fists, his father's face began to lose color, the locket slipped from his hands but Jon couldn't hold this ugliness inside of him back anymore. “You lied about who I am. Everyone did. You lied about Prince Rhaegar and what he did.” His head began to ache with the tears pushing at his eyes.

Uncle Andric made to move but Uncle Oberyn held him back, Jon saw it all.

He saw most of all how his father's violet eyes – so similar to his but never the same – filled with an emotion that told Jon just how right he was. His father's eyes filled with guilt.

“You lied to me!” Jon yelled even louder, he knew he had to be red all over but he didn't care, “You're not my Papa!” His father's face fell, from one second to the next it just crumbled away but Jon could barely see him anymore through the tears burning in his eyes. “I'm not your son. I'm Prince Rhaegar's son. And the Rebellion happened because of him and my Mama, because of me!”

“Jon...” Aurane tried but Jon shook his head, aware of all those eyes staring at him, at them and they had all lied to him, they had all lied.
“That's not even my name, isn't it?” He viciously snarled at his Uncle and felt terrible when Aurane recoiled back from him as if slapped, “I hate all of you! I never want to see any of you again! You're all liars!” It slipped out before he could help himself and as the tears finally couldn't be held back anymore, Jon bit down hard on his lips and ran.

Not knowing where to go, he just ran.

--

In his numbing shock, Arthur saw how Torrhen remained staring at them for one short moment before he shook himself out of his stupor and took off after Jon, loudly calling for his cousin, Tyene following him with skirts flying.

But then the bubble in his head burst and the pain, the guilt, the terror, it had him double over where he was still kneeling on the ground, loudly gasping into the sudden silence of the corridor. Aurane was crouched in front of him within the next second and he felt Andric's hand on his shoulder but their words he couldn't hear.

You're not my Papa.

You're not my Papa.

“Arthur, darling, you need to breathe.”

“I can't.” Arthur choked out, his left hand curling back around the locket on the ground, all he could see was Jon running away from him, Jon's eyes filled so much betrayal and fear. Even when Aurane and Andric pulled him up, Arthur could see nothing else but Jon running away from him. His brother tugged him back until Arthur was leaning against his chest and Andric's hand was a grounding weight on Arthur's chest and Aurane was there, hands framing Arthur's face and looking just at him but Arthur couldn't breathe.

He just couldn't breathe.

Jon had found out. Somehow he had found out.

You're not my Papa.

“Arthur, please, look at me, just look at me. It's gonna be okay.” Aurane promised and brought their foreheads together, “It's all gonna be okay, he'll calm down again and then we'll talk. I just need you to breathe right now.” Somehow, Arthur found the strength to take in a breath and then another when Aurane's encouragements only doubled but his mind was far away.

--

“Jon.”

“Leave me, Torrhen!”

“Jon, please.”

“NO! Leave me alone! I want all of you to leave me alone!”

--

“We need to find Jon.” Benjen fretted as he watched Aurane and Andric lead Arthur away to break down in privacy and not under the eyes of everyone, “Who knows where he could run down to, right now.” With all the yelling going on the corridor had filled with people from Oberyn's party, there were Prince Quentyn and his friends whispering in a hissing whisper with Princess Arianne and the older Sandsnakes, Larra Blackmont, Dagos Manwoody and Lord Fowler and people from all over frigging Dorne.

People who knew Jon but didn't know the truth about him.

“Damien, run and have them lock down the stables. I don't want Jon getting his hand on a horse.” Oberyn ordered and Damien was off like a shot, Gerold Dayne and Anders Yronwood running after him. “Ellaria, take Allyria and Eyrin and look after the children. I don't want them to hear that something is up.” Ellaria nodded and Benjen leaned down to kiss Allyria before they hurried off. “Where is Ashara?”

“I have no idea.” Benjen admitted and then looked over to Prince Quentyn, Princess Arianne and Oberyn's daughter, “Tell people to look for Jon but tell them to keep their distance and find someone who he knows instead. He won't react well to strangers right now.”
“I'll take the Palace, Ben.” Oberyn set a hand to Benjen's shoulder, he looked just as worried as Benjen felt, this was so far from how he had hoped his nephew might find out. “Take some men and ladies and search the gardens. Jon unfortunately knows all kinds of places to hide here.”

Just as they each wanted to ask for people to join them, Tyene reappeared around one pillar, her face tear stained now, teeth gnawing worriedly on her bottom lip. Richard at her heels, looking horribly confused.

“I lost them. Jon first and then Thorren, I have no idea where either of them are.”

Lyanna, forgive me, forgive us all, Benjen thought and then made eye contact with Prince Quentyn, “Let's go.”

--

Elion Gargalen had once given up a Lordship over Salt Shore and being the future Head of his House to become the husband of the future Princess of Dorne. He had embraced being Loreza's Prince Consort, had gladly taken his place in his loved wife's shadow and accepted without any grim thoughts that his role was to advise and counsel but never decide.

His wife had ruled Dorne with a strict hand while Elion had raised their children with kindness until it was time for them to take their place at his wife's side. Being a Father, being a Grandfather, it had always been his favourite role, as much as he had sometimes enjoyed playing the game alongside Loreza, the time spent in the Water Gardens had always taken priority.

His children and now his grandchildren had always taken priority over everything.

Time had broken his heart over and over again, tested his belief in kindness, tested his strength. His wife, taken so young. His beautiful intelligent daughter, murdered so brutally. Her children, her beautiful sweet children, killed for the sheer blood in their veins. His goodbrother, slain in a useless war. His godson, killed before he could have really been great.

When little Jon had shown up along with Arthur at the Water Gardens all these short years ago, Elion had thought justice had arrived, that now it was all coming together and though not the son of his daughter's womb, a Targaryen could be groomed for the Iron Throne. Aegon's little half-brother could have finally given them the power back that had been so coldly ripped away from them.

Justice for Elia. Justice for Rhaenys and Aegon. Justice for Lewyn. Justice for Rhaegar.

But then he had met the boy, gotten to know the boy and his opinion had changed so dramatically that he now felt sick over his initial thoughts. Never for a second since then had he gone back to those thoughts.

Jon hadn't needed a mentor to gently prepare him for his future as a ruling monarch, Jon had needed a kind grandfather who told stories and listened to a little boy's worries. Of which there were many.

One blood grandfather had killed the other. And the one his surrogate father should have been able to provide had died long before Jon could have even been a thought in his parents' minds.

Elion had never truly had the chance to become a grandfather for Rhaenys and Aegon but he could be one for Jon, be the steady rock in the shadow, be the protecting hand for both son and the father. He had failed Arthur when he had been young, had been too afraid for Oberyn's mind and instead condemned sweet wonderful Arthur to the dragons in King's Landing so the only thing he could do now to ever have a chance of making up for it was to have his back.

And it meant protecting Jon from those who wanted more.

He knew what people would think, what his own sons, what Andric would think about his silence but Elion would not push for the throne, would not step up and help until Jon asked him to.

Now, he crept through his home, looking for a terrified boy who had just learned the full unforgiving truth about his origins and his sire's demise. Maester Caleotte had already expressed his sorrow over having left the book where the boy could have found it but Elion had waved it away, as terrible as this way had been, the boy would have found out the truth at some point, he was smart, he wanted answers to questions and politely pushed until he got them.

The whole palace was up and about to look for the boy now which ultimately meant that it would be only the harder to find him. Quite similar to Elia as a child, Jon was proportionally better at hiding the more you looked for him.

He hoped Aurane and Andric were able to comfort Arthur, Jon's words had been harsh, spoken in fear and pain and anger, and Arthur had to know that Jon hadn't meant them. Elion would see to it that Arthur understood, but first he would find the boy, because as well as he knew the Water Gardens and as much time as he had spend with Jon in some of his favourite places to tell stories and answer a million questions, he had quite a good feeling of where he could find him.

He left the others to their mad scrambling about the gardens and the palace and carefully opened the door to his private solar, a room usually off limits and forbidden for anyone to enter if Elion himself wasn't sitting in it or entering along with them. They were a few exceptions, namely the grandchildren he loved so dearly.

Among them a wolf with the eyes of a dragon raised among stars.

He closed the door behind himself and then slowly looked up, needing a moment to find the little trembling body hiding between armchair and curtains in the corner, the book with old Rhoynish tales still open in the middle on the table next to him. Elion smiled despite how much it was tearing at his heart to hear the quiet crying and he slowly walked over to the armchair until he could sit down in it. He leaned back and turned the book slightly so he could see with which story they had stopped yesterday.

Jon didn't let him wait long, surprisingly short actually, only a few minutes, before a skinny body was moving around the chair and climbing up into his lap, bony arms got wrapped around Elion's neck and Jon hid his tear stained face against Elion's chest. Elion wrapped his arms around the boy and carefully began to sway them back and forth a little, humming an old Dornish nursery song that he had already soothed Doran with.

And then he waited.

Waited until Jon felt ready.

--

“Is it my fault?” Jon asked quietly after some time had passed and kept his chin tucked against Elion's chest, eyes set on his hands twisting around each other, “My fault that they died?” The words were barely out before a finger tipped up his chin until Jon found himself looking up into Elion's gentle face and warm eyes.
“Now, Jon, there is something I never want you to say again, or think about.” Elion began, eyes kind but also sharp and his voice was serious, “None of what happened was your fault. None of it. Children are not to be blamed for their parents' mistakes.”

“But...”

“Jon.” And Jon snapped his mouth shut again upon that tone his name had been spoken with, the tone that meant he had to listen now, “Everything horrible that happened during the Usurper's Rebellion, it happended before you were born. Prince Rhaegar's death, the Mad King dying at the hand of his own Kingsguard. The murder of my daughter and my grandchildren. There are people to be blamed for that and some have already gotten the Father's justice dealt to them, but you, my beautiful little boy, you are not responsible for any of it.” Elion made it all clear and though Jon understood, his stomach was still spinning.

With a sound falling from his lips that he couldn't describe he slumped forward and buried his face in Elion's shoulder again, there were no tears left anymore, Jon had run out of water to waste. Elion's hand came to rest on his back, even when Jon wouldn't have minded the hair petting for once but he was just too glad to have his head stopping to scream in panic.

And with it he could think again, and his stomach sunk even deeper when he remembered the look on his father's face before Jon had turned around and run away.

“I hurt Papa.” He mumbled and pulled back again a little so he could look up again at Elion, the old man was smiling, not as bright as Jon was used to see from him but there was a smile nonetheless. “I shouldn't have yelled at him so...right?” His face flushed a little with the shame in his veins, Jon knew it, everyone was always teasing him about how red he could get.
“No, little wolf, you shouldn't have, but I have no doubt that your father understands those words were said in shock and anger. He's gonna forgive you if you say you're sorry, Jon.” Elion assured him and Jon blew out a breath, he had truly made a mess of everything, “Do you want to apologize?”

“In a minute.” Jon whispered, he didn't want to go and leave this room looking all puffy like Aunt Ally always called it, he didn't want everyone to know that he had cried so much, that was none of their business. Elion didn't rush him, even when a minute clearly turned out to be quite a bit longer than it should be, he let Jon sit on his thighs and get his thoughts in order, stroking over his back. “Can you come with me?”

“Of course I can.”

--

Jon held Elion's hand and kept himself hidden at his side as they walked down the corridors to the guest rooms where Jon knew his father shared a room with Aurane at the end of the long corridor overseeing the pools from the east. No one was around when Elion stopped in front of the closed door and Jon could feel his heart beating so hard that he felt it in his throat.

He had hurt his Papa so much.

He let Elion knock and then waited with his breath stuck in his throat when soft steps could be heard, the door got opened just a bit, just enough for Aurane to look out, eyes widening when he caught sight of them.

“Someone wants to apologize.” Elion explained quietly and gently pushed Jon towards Aurane, “I'm gonna go and call off the mad hunt, get the chaos calmed down.” He went on and then crouched down to Jon's height, wiping off his cheeks once more, “You take as much time as you want now, Jon, let no one tell you that you have to go anywhere, you hear me?” Jon nodded and then Elion tapped his nose, straightened up again and walked off.

Jon twisted his hands around each other and looked up at Aurane, his uncle looked tired and worried but he smiled when he glanced down at Jon, holding out a hand after a second. “Come here.” He whispered and Jon threw himself forward, hugged him as tight as he could for a long moment while he heard the door being shut.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.” He hurried out to say, his face still buried against Aurane's stomach, Aurane's hands rubbing softly over his back and neck. “I'm so sorry, uncle, I was so angry.” Aurane let go of him and crouched down, bringing them face to face almost, “I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean it, it just slipped out. Of course he's my Papa, he'll always be my Papa.”

Aurane smiled at him and stroked a hand through Jon's hair, Jon found himself desperately almost leaning into it.

“I hurt Papa so much.”

“Nah, little wolf.” Aurane's smile brightened a little but Jon could see how exhausted he was, Papa must have been feeling really bad, “Your Papa will be so happy to see you. Come here.” He let himself be picked up by Aurane, leaned against him even more, it was getting rare that people picked him up, Jon was getting too big.

They walked through the small sitting room over to where a door was nearly closed all the way but when Aurane pushed it open, Jon could quickly see his Papa with his face buried in his hands, sitting on the bed with his knees pulled up to his chest. It hurt to see him like that, to know that Jon had caused that, that he had been so angry that he had caused his Papa to hurt so much.

Uncle Andric was sitting on the edge of the bed and when Jon caught his eyes, relieved blue eyes, he stretched out his arms. Aurane handed him over and Jon hugged his other uncle really tight as well but then Andric set him down on the bed and stood up. His uncles smiled at him one more time and then they quietly left the room, giving them a moment alone without Jon having to ask for it.

Jon could feel his heart beating so fast in his chest.

“Papa?”

--

“Elion found him.” Benjen announced himself as he stepped around the hedge to where Ellaria, Eyrin and Allyria had been watching over the children who for the most part played on without having any clue over what had transpired just roughly an hour ago.

The only two not happily playing in the pools and the field were a stubbornly stoic looking Edric sitting in the shadow of a palm tree and a glowering Rhaena sitting next to him, steadily ignoring how Vhagar was pulling on her skirts or how her mother was trying to talk to her. There was no sign of Torrhen at all.

“He'll reappear.” Allyria had caught onto his searching looks, “Maybe he's already working out his frustration with the Yronwood boys. Where is Jon now?” He wrapped his arms around her as she asked, traced a hand over the swell of her stomach, his eyes flickering over to where Alysanne was shrieking around with other girls her age.

“With Arthur and Aurane, Andric found me on his way to talk to Oberyn. We gotta give them some time now.” He calmed her worries and exchanged a brief relieved look with Eyrin and Ellaria as well. “Tyene and Arianne know but I believe Elion already told them to keep absolutely quiet about it.”

“Good, and they will.” Allyria promised him, tugging him down to sit on the edge of the pool, Benjen didn't feel the exhaustion that came with this kind of panicked worry until he was sitting down, feet in the water, his wife leaning against him, “I believe Ari likes Jon more than her own brothers and Tyene loves him anyway. They're not gonna say anything to anyone.”

“This is so not how I had hoped Jon to find out.”

“I believe none of us wanted him to find out like this.” Eyrin agreed with him and then smiled when her own daughter handed her a shell she had found. “But Jon is gonna be okay, he'll just need some time now without people crowding him. Which brings me back to someone finding Torrhen.” Benjen nodded but was saved from having to actually get up again by a stormcloud entering the protected pool area.

Torrhen glared into the round, anger created from confusion, having steered him forward and over to them in the first place, Damien Sand sent an apologizing smile into the round.

“What is going on?” Torrhen demanded to know and his voice prompted the children who knew him well to stop their play, Eleana and Alysanne made quite the impressive show of rushing out of the water, two little dripping three year olds hurrying to hug their cousin's legs to cheer him up. Torrhen absentmindedly patted their heads, grimacing over his pants getting soaked but not making any move to push them away.

Rhaena and Edric ran to his side as well, a united confused worried front against the grown ups, hadn't been the first time.

“Someone explain to me what happened.”

--

“I'm so sorry.” Jon kept on repeating endlessly while he sobbed into Arthur's neck and Arthur in turn cried into curly black hair, “I'm so sorry, Papa. I was just so...so shocked and I got so angry and I couldn't stop it.” Arms tightening around his little boy, because that was what he still was, Arthur's little boy, Arthur was suddenly laughing and crying.

They pulled apart and looked at each other, Jon's hands reaching up to wipe Arthur's tears away from his cheeks, again and again.

“We're a mess, Papa.” Jon concluded and Arthur had to laugh harder still, leaning forward to kiss Jon's forehead.
“Yes, we are, little wolf.” He agreed wholeheartedly and took a deep breath, Jon calling him Papa just minutes earlier had been the best sound Arthur had ever heard in his life, effortlessly trumping everything else.

The only thing coming close to it being Jon's first cry and Jon calling him Papa for the very first time.

“I'm sorry, Papa, I really didn't mean what I said.” Jon began earnestly then, looked at him with these often too serious eyes, with Lyanna's stubborn set of the chin. “Of course you're still my Papa. You've always been there. I know you must have not like lying, that you wanted to protect me.”
“I did, my little wolf, protecting you and seeing you happy was the only thing I ever wanted in the last ten years.” Arthur told him softly and was glad when his tears finally stopped, “I never wanted to lie to you, Jon, I didn't do it on purpose. The truth is not a pleasant story as you undoubtedly found out now but before we start with any questions, I need you to know that what you read in that book is not the truth.”

“Elion already explained what a victor's truth is.” Jon took the biggest worry away from Arthur, Rhaegar had not been a rapist or a kidnapper, never, and that terrible book should have never been allowed to be written by the Citadel. “Will you tell me though what happened? What really happened?” Arthur nodded, pulled Jon back against the pillows to get comfortable, knowing Jon the way he did, this would take a while.

He started then, all the way at the beginning, questions already floating in before Lyanna had even met Rhaegar at Harrenhall but Jon was snuggled against his chest like he couldn't be parted even if someone ordered it and even though Arthur was so exhausted, he could talk for hours. Aurane returned somewhere between Harrenhall the second time around and the Isle of Faces, hesitating in the doorway, plate full of fruit and cheese in his hands but Jon stopped Arthur's story telling just long enough to ask Aurane to join them.

And then it goes on, a wedding, a long flight to Dorne, a tower not far from Starfall and then the war, the Rebellion that burned too hot too fast. Aurane joined in with his own tales, what he had seen in King's Landing, what he had been involved in. Arthur didn't like the way violet eyes shone hard like steel when Jon called King Robert the Usurper, had tried to get it out of him so many times already, tried to teach him that even if not liked you had to call a King by his name.

But Jon is stubborn in this, not the smallest sparks of interest for his usually so liked manners. Arthur knows that he has the Martells to blame for it, mostly Tyene who is still Jon's favourite girl in the entire world. The father in him worried, knew about this one remaining condition of their fat king, to have Jon presented at court but there was still time. The friend in him, Rhaegar's best friend, Lyanna's friend, Elia's friend, the brother of Lewyn and Jonothor and Oswell and Gerold, the knight turned friend who showed Myles how to be a warrior, that man in Arthur was steaming in pride.

And then it was all told and said and explained and Jon was silent as he cradled the locket in one hand that Arthur had hanging around his own neck now.

“I wish I could have met them.” Jon chose as his first words while Aurane and Arthur waited on him to say something. “Rhaegar, Ma, Princess Elia...my siblings.” That word had Jon's voice break a little and Arthur wondered if Jon had ever wanted siblings and just never said a word because even years younger he had known it to not be possible.

Or he wondered what would have been if Tywin Lannister had not been a monster. Would Rhaenys have loved Jon like the Sandsnakes and Arianne did now? Would Aegon and Jon have been as close as Torrhen and Jon were now? Would Jon have looked at them as Edric, Rhaena, Eleana and Alysanne did to him now?

Would Jon have been as comfortable being the youngest as he was now in his role as one of the oldest children in Starfall?

There would never be an answer to that.

And maybe that was good as well, because Arthur knew in that scenario he could have never become Jon's father and it was a role he never wanted to lose, never wanted to miss anymore.

“How many people know?” Jon wanted to know then, stuffing a piece of cheese into his mouth because being angry made him hungry, Arthur found it near hilarious that that was another thing Jon had in common with Lyanna. “About Jaehaerys Targaryen?” He had to force the name past his lips and Arthur brushed a hand through his hair.

He couldn't speak the name easy either, for all this time had passed and no one except for Griff had ever used it once after Arthur and Ashara had left for Volantis with two little boys.

“You mean aside from the obvious?” Arthur asked and got an eye roll in turn, Aurane chuckling over their antics, “Everyone at Starfall basically knows but they love us and they keep the secret close to the heart because they want to protect you. Oberyn, Doran and Elion know because it had been their right to know. Arianne and Tyene know only because they found out with you, and they will not tell anyone.”

“My father, uncle and brother know.” Aurane spoke up as well again, leaning against Arthur's other side where Jon wasn't a heavy warm cheese munching weight. “Then of course your Uncle Ned, Lady Stark and a Knight of House Stark who was a friend of your Uncle Brandon.”
“And Jon?” Jon noted, hand reaching for a grape for once, Arthur scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion until he got it just as Jon rephrased his question, seeing their bewildered eyes, “Does big Jon know about me?”

“Of course Griff knows.” Arthur replied finally and Aurane huffed, he had apparently decided to continue what grudge against Connington Arthur had given up on.
“Good.” Jon nodded, lost in thought for another long moment, “Is it okay if I want this to remain a secret? That I don't want more people to know? Not family anyway? I will of course tell Torrhen.” No one had ever expected anything else, what Jon knew, Torrhen knew as well, right away, no delay in it at all. “And Edric and Rhaena as well when they're older.”

“Jon,” Arthur began and tugged Jon's chin up a little, “You are the only one who has a right from now on to decide who learns the truth and who doesn't. And I want you to know, and to really understand, that no one will ever tell you what to do. If you want to be a Dayne for the rest of your life, then so be it. I will do anything I have to do to have you happy.”

“I am happy.” Jon assured him right away, “And I don't even know if I want to be a squire for someone yet. I don't even want to think about what I wanna be when I am a grown up. If I say I want the throne, then there will be war.” He was smart, he was too smart, his little boy, “And I really don't want to sent anyone into war. Or see someone go to war for me while I have to stay behind.” Every word of war had Jon's eyes flicker over to Aurane as it always did, a hand reaching out to pat Aurane's scarred shoulder. “If I ever want to even think about becoming a Targaryen and taking the throne away from the Usurper again, then only when I am old enough to be with my armies...Papa, why Jaehaerys?”

“Because Jaehaerys the First was the longest reigning Targaryen King and many say he was also the greatest and smartest. He was very wise and always chose the peaceful end over the easier ones.” Arthur explained softly.
“He was a dragonrider...” Jon recalled suddenly in a tone that set something in Arthur on edge, especially when Jon frowned at thin air and then looked up at him with eyes that looked a little frightened, “Papa, I've been dreaming of a dragon.”

And yes, always something Arthur hadn't been prepared for, next to him Aurane went rigid.

When no word came from them, Jon went on, “It's not like the ones I had when I was younger, not something I made up because of all the stories. It's...there is no dragon like that described in any of my books. He's violet.” Arthur bit back the gasp just in time to have it leave his lips but he was aware that Jon saw his reaction anyway, “He's so big in it and sometimes we're flying together. And it feels like he's mine.”

“Jon...” Aurane very quietly started his question but Jon was looking to him immediately, “Do you know when those dreams started?”
“Two years ago.” Jon answered very quickly and Arthur exchanged a look with Aurane, knowing what it meant, knowing what it had to bloody mean.
“Well, Jon,” Arthur laughed quite unbelievangly for a moment, pulling Jon closer, “There is something I will have to show you when we're back home.”

Namely a violet dragon egg.

--

“You know what we should do?” Arthur began to propose while Aurane stretched out on the bed, exhausted now and giving into it, and Jon contently munched on that loved cheese of his. “Spend the night outside, watch the stars, we haven't done that in a while.” Aurane rolled his head around to smile at him and Jon grinned after swallowing.

“Can't go to the beach at night, let alone sleep there.” Aurane pointed out lazily, “Unless all the stories Dornishfolk has been telling me about this place was just to mock me.”
“No, there really are scorpions and vipers all over the beach at night.” Jon noted smugly but blushed in being caught when Arthur raised an eyebrow at him, “It was Torrhen's idea?” He tried a little too smiley smiley and Arthur snorted.

“Yeah, little man, try that one again.” Arthur told him and threw a grape at him, Jon caught it with a quick hand, “Beach might be out of the question here but the balcony will do just as well.” Jon lit up like the sun he was in Arthur's life and despite the cheese breath, Arthur only too happily let him dive in for a hug. “If that's okay with you?” Jon nodded enthusiastically and Aurane smiled softly.

--

A little bit later, Jon was already quietly going on about the stars they would be able to see while Aurane wrapped him into a blanket and heaped more pillows onto the sunbed. Arthur remained behind in the guest apartment for a moment longer, standing in sight of the balcony but with his eyes not set on lover and son but on the locket in his hands.

Benjen had only recently gotten Jon a fitting second picture for the locket, a picture he had had made by a friend in the North who had known Lyanna.

Jon had already asked back for it and Arthur had no intentions not to give it back, just wanted another moment to renew promises. Promises to keep Jon safe and happy, to never leave him behind again. And to make a new one.

“Honesty. From here on out, nothing but honesty.” He promised himself and the two faces looking back at him from the locket. “I got this.” He told himself and then snatched the locket close and walked outside to join the playfully squabbling two on the sunbed.

He was glad that despite the worry that everyone must have carried with themselves until Elion and then Andric as well had soothed it, nobody had come to check on Jon or him. They had all left them alone, family, friends, strangers. Arthur didn't even want to imagine how many people had needed to sit down on Torrhen to achieve that, he would make it up to his nephew but Jon had been more important for now.

It had done them good, to have these hours to just talk.

Arthur was furthermore very glad that Jon's fiery moment out in the main corridor had only been directly witnessed by people who had already known the truth except for Torrhen, and that everyone else might easily understand that Jon's outbreak had come from hearing the terrible victor's truth about the Rebellion.

“Make him stop, Papa.” Jon brought him out of his thoughts and Arthur grinned when he saw Jon weaseling away from Aurane's tickling hands. He was pouting but also grinning, clearly not as unhappy about the attention as he claimed to be. Arthur pushed himself the last steps over to them and dropped down on the sunbed, above them the sky was darkening further and further, very soon the stars would be visible.

“I know something better than just stopping him.” Arthur proposed and as Aurane whipped his head around to look from Jon to him, he was already moving. Jon squealed and pushed his blanket off to join into tickling Aurane who shrieked and laughed but not loud enough to drown out the happy laughter that fell from Jon's own lips.

And that sound was pure magic to Arthur's ears on this evening.

When Aurane pled for mercy and fell back, gasping at the sky, Arthur snatched up Jon and flopped down next to Aurane, Jon between them.

It was all going to be okay.

They watched the stars for hours that night, told stories and made some new ones up. Especially one story that Jon quickly spun up about a seahorse that got lost in a storm out on the sea for years until it found a star that guided him home, had Arthur wrap both arms tightly around a teary eyed Aurane and a proudly smiling Jon.

And later, Aurane and Jon already asleep next to him, Arthur watched them sleepily and couldn't believe how damn lucky he had gotten, how much he had now when he had believed everything to be lost and over almost ten years ago.

--

Watching Jon explain to Torrhen the next day what had happened when everyone had considered it to be Jon's place to tell Torrhen the news was hilarious.

Over ten years had needed to pass until Arthur saw his oldest nephew completely speechless for once.

And if he had known back then already what Torrhen was beginning to plan, he would have had so much more time to be proud of him.

--

“Can't sleep?”

Arthur looked up upon the soft question reaching his ears and he caught sight of Elion walking towards him where Arthur had sat down on a bench that overlooked the beach and the sea, right on the edge of the Water Gardens, in a rather quiet corner. Not that quiet was needed right now, not when it was already long past sunset.

Balerion was curled up on his thighs, purring happily over the fingers that were stroking through black fur.

“A little.” He answered when Elion sat down next to him, leaning back to watch the sea himself, “Didn't want to keep Aurane awake with my tossing so I came out here.” Aurane would be a little pissed if he woke up and Arthur wasn't around but as much as talking with him was easy and helped, sometimes Arthur just wanted to figure out his thoughts alone first.

“You raised him well, you know.” Elion surprised him with his next words and Arthur looked over to him, caught dark eyes that looked so much like Elia's. “Jon is a wonderful amazing young boy.”
“I couldn't be prouder of him.” Arthur agreed, after yesterday's disaster, he had made sure to give Jon a quiet day where he could determine what he wanted to do. They had gone riding and Jon had asked some more questions.

Arthur knew he needed time to come to terms with what had been revealed but when Jon had asked after the midday meal if he could go and find Caleotte for lessons, Arthur had only too gladly let him get back to his usual shedule. Jon needed to dictate how he wanted to deal with it, maybe with other children his age Arthur should have been more worried, should have poked a little more, but Jon was not just some child.

“Caleotte brought Jon by my solar this afternoon, there were some questions I was apparently more equipped to answer.” Elion explained to him and Arthur raised an eyebrow, “He asked after Elia. If she would have accepted him, liked him.”
“What did you tell him?” Arthur wanted to know, he was beyond grateful for what Elion had done yesterday, that he had staid calm and focused while everyone else had descended into madness over finding Jon, had sought out Jon's hiding place and not only calmed him but also took some of the fear away already.

“I told him that Elia would have loved him, that in all scenarios we could play out where my daughter lived, she would have loved him like she loved the children of her own blood.” Elion began and he smiled when Balerion stretched and made his goodbyes to them before going off to explore and hunt. “Elia would have raised him as her own.” Arthur smiled, it felt good to hear what he had been thinking himself about Elia's beautiful kind heart.

“Last night,” he began with a slightly different side of the topic, “When I saw Jon telling Aurane about the stars, there was this one ugly thought. And maybe it's because he's been my son for almost a decade now and I've never been so scared to lose him as I was yesterday but...” He made a brief pause and caught Elion's eyes again, “I found myself asking myself if Rhaegar would have loved him.”

“Arthur, Jon is his son...”

“And he wanted a daughter.” Arthur held against it, “He was so convinced by his prophecy, he didn't even want to entertain the thought that the babe could be a boy for a second. He refused to talk about it. The babe would be a girl, his Visenya. What would have happened if he had come back from the Trident? Would he have been disappointed?”
“I can't answer you that, Arthur. No one knew Rhaegar better than you did but war changes people. Had the Rebellion ended differently, Rhaegar wouldn't have been the same. And maybe Jon wouldn't have been the Visenya for his prophecy dreams but he would still be his son and Rhaegar loved his children.” Elion gave his opinion and Arthur sighed, “Don't let thoughts like that eat you up. The boy loves you, thinks the world of you....Listen, Arthur, there is another thing why I wanted to talk to you about.”

Arthur braced himself for whatever was to come but what actually came was a total surprise.

“I know I've apologized to you already and we promised to let decisions of the past be dust in the wind but I have a feeling that you are expecting me to turn on you once more. This time with Jon.” Elion started on a very serious note and Arthur frowned at him, “It's not gonna happen. I will admit, when I first heard that Rhaegar still had a living son, I was of course thinking of the throne but that was before I met Jon. Jon is a great kid, a great kid who could be an even greater king...if we let him make the decisions in his own time.”

Arthur knew he had gasped out loud over the words, surprised and even touched because it was in fact not what he had expected.

“Rhaegar was a good prince and he would have made a good figure on the Iron Throne, could have been a good king but the path he had to take to get there...that isn't something I would wish upon a child who carries worries and insecurities too hard on one's shoulders.” Elion explained and Arthur nodded in agreement, knew how much Rhaegar had often suffered, second-guessed himself, fallen into black holes because of doubts, especially as a child. “As much as Jon takes after his mother in looks, he takes after Rhaegar and you in nature. If you pressure him over something, he will get only quieter and more brooding, more insecure.”

“So what are you saying?”

“I'm saying that the only reason I am joining these meetings that we both know are happening behind your back because I want to stop them from doing too much.” Elion replied and knocked the breath out of Arthur's chest with it, “Creating an outline of support and plans for a time when Jon does decide to go for the throne, that I accept. Making sure we have a basis where we will not have a King Viserys sailing for Westeros, those plans I support even more. But I swear to you, Arthur, I will not sacrifice another son of Dorne to the Iron Throne.”

“I want him to be happy.” Arthur said in response and dragged a hand down his face, “He'll be great at whatever he chooses to do but I just want him to be happy.”

“Jon will find his path, whether that leads to Starfall, Sunspear, King's Landing or the North, only time will be able to answer that but I know one thing, Arthur. With you as his father, the boy will always be happy.”

--

Jon loved nothing more after an emotional few days than to be dragged out of bed before dawn by his overenthusiastic cousin who then proceeded to push him half asleep down to the stables and onto a horse before riding hard with him to Sunspear. Jon was only glad his sand steed knew the path through the desert and even more the paths leading up through the winding city.

He still wasn't really awake by the time they left the horses with a surprised stablemaster at the Royal Palace and made their way down to the great square and the Sept, Torrhen nearly exploding with joy and Jon dragging his feet and yawning every third step. He was also puzzled by Torrhen's outfit, Torrhen was for once actually dressed perfectly accurate for a squire of House Dayne, not a wrinkle in sight and no button out of place.

It should have been a moment of “well done, Torrhen”, but it was so uncommon that it alarmed Jon's sleepy mind into paranoia.

He finally had enough when Torrhen pulled him up the stairs of the Sept, another piece of alarming behavior. Jon held his interest with both the old and the new gods, read even more about other gods as well, especially those of Old Valyria but Torrhen had only held true to the Old Gods, the Seven and Sept was not his.

So why was Torrhen dragging him into a Sept now?

“What are we doing here?”

“You hold on long.” Torrhen whirled around with a grin for him, “Following my lead for hours before asking once, I'll keep that in mind for the future.” He teased Jon and got a scowl for his tone. “I need to tell you something before the eyes of the gods.” Jon's scowl turned into two raised eyebrows upon those words from Torrhen's lips, “We've got no godswood in the area, let alone a Heart Tree, so the Sept will have to do.”

The Sept will have to do.

Jon couldn't wait for Torrhen to kneel vigil before getting knighted.

“What did you do?” He wanted to know very slowly and it was Torrhen's turn to scowl at him, arms crossed over his chest, his chest that was bearing the finely decorated tunic in Dayne lavender and Stark grey, squire armor above it, the swordbelt from Lord Commander Selmy around his waist, the wooden sword proudly strapped to it.

“I didn't do anything. Can't I just make a trip with you to talk in private?” Torrhen asked stubbornly and Jon blew out a breath, knew when to engage in a fight of wills and when not.
“We could have talked in private in a hundred different places in the Water Gardens, we didn't need to ride for the bloody Sept before the sun was even up. Pa is gonna go crazy when he can't find me.” Jon pointed out a little angrily even if curiosity was burning in him now as well.

It had to be something important for Torrhen to drag him before the gods of all things.

“I left a note.” Torrhen took all breath out of Jon's chest, “He won't worry, we'll be back before the midday meal, “Now can we please just do this and you can ask all the questions later?”
“Fine.” Jon gave up, too confused about everything to argue any longer and he waved Torrhen to go on, following him with a slowly shaking head.

Torrhen didn't stop until he was standing in front of the Father.

“Alright.” Jon mumbled quietly, “Now you have me skipped past confused and right down to deeply concerned. Torrhen, what are you doing?” He asked very carefully, his heart hammering a little faster while Torrhen simply smiled at him.

“I want to do something that you will not like so I brought you here because I know you respect the gods and you won't yell at me here.” Torrhen began and Jon got a really bad feeling, “I know this revelation about your heritage was a blow for you.” Torrhen continued and Jon hated that his last grow spurth meant that Torrhen was once more a bit taller than him so he could to look up when Torrhen made a step closer still. “And I want you to know that no matter what you'll choose to do in the future, I will be by your side.”

Jon swallowed...Torrhen wouldn't...

He wouldn't dare...

He did.

Torrhen went down on one knee in front of him and held out his sword to him, wooden as it was the gesture was unmistakable and Jon was too frozen to do anything.

“I know you, Jon. You're my best friend. Our blood makes us cousins but we grew up as brothers and nothing will ever change in that. And whether you will take back the Iron Throne for the dragons, become a Knight for House Dayne or find your place in this world somewhere else, I promise you that I will be right by your side.” Torrhen told him and only ten namedays old or not, Jon could see that he was dead serious, he meant every word.

“Torrhen, please don't...”

But of course he was ignored.

“No.” Torrhen only said, matter of fact and no room left for protest, “I won't take a no for this because I know I need to do this. Jon, you're my little brother as much as I know and we've just learned that if the wrong people found out the truth about you, you'd be the most hunted boy in all of Westeros. You'll need people to protect you, people who will always stand with you, no matter your choices concerning the damn Iron Throne. I know what doing this will mean, I know what I am doing. This is not some reckless decision, I thought about this for three long days. Please?” Torrhen pleaded with him and Jon knew that his following reaction was one with consequences.

But it was one made from the deepest spot in his heart.

Jon nodded.

“Thank you.” Torrhen told him, held Jon's gaze without a drop of doubt or hesitation, “And I will not swear myself to him.” Torrhen went on explaining still, the look in his eyes and the emphasis in his voice telling Jon he meant Jaehaerys Targaryen, the true name that still felt like a mummer's face to Jon, three days were by far not enough. “I can do that if you choose to become him, when I've got a Knighthood on my shoulders and steel in my hands, but me doing this has nothing to do with any Kings or Princes or Kingdoms. I'm doing this for you. For my brother. For Jon.”

“Okay.” Jon croaked out as the emotions strangled his throat, he took a half step back and stopped to not take this entirely serious, “Okay.” He repeated and then nodded again, “Okay, we're doing this.”

Torrhen smiled, gave Jon strength and stability without really knowing and then lowered his head, properly kneeling in humility in sight of gods. Jon threw a quick last glance at the Father, asking for strength as well and then Torrhen began to speak.

“In sight of the Father Above, I, Torrhen Sand, pledge my sword, my strength and my honor to Jon Dayne. I swear to protect him, to follow him in all his ways and to stand with him in good and bad times until the end of our days. I swear it by the Father, I swear it by Mother, Maiden and Crone, I swear it by Warrior, Smith and Stranger. I swear it by the Old Gods and the New.”

Knowing that his eyes were swimming with tears and that his voice was heavy with too much gratitude and love and just everything, Jon still spoke as well.

“And I, Jon Dayne, accept your sword at my side, through good and bad times until the end of our days.”

He gave Torrhen then just enough time to get back to his feet before he threw his arms around Torrhen's neck, buried his face in it and sobbed out this knot in his chest that seemed too big for it. Torrhen chuckled but held onto him, arms strong and tight around Jon, hands rubbing slowly over Jon's back.

“I'm with you.” Torrhen promised, leaning his head against Jon's, “Whatever happens, whatever you choose to do, it won't matter to me, I'll be at your side. I won't ever let you forget who you are. I won't ever let anyone hurt you. And if you someday decide that the Red Keep is your calling, then I will turn my cloak white and I'll stay right at your side.” Torrhen pushed at him a little so Jon pulled back just enough so he could look at him, “I'll protect you. I'll keep this head from brooding too much.”

“Thank you,” was all Jon could whisper at first, and only swallowing twice let him find more words, “Thank you so much, Torrhen, I will never forget this. I will always honor this. It means everything to me.” Torrhen smiled in response and pulled him back into his arms.

Nothing was going to part them.

--

A few weeks later

--

“You did that.” Jon realized as he stared at the mishappen tree among the ruins of the Tower of Joy, still holding the reins of the horse he had just gotten down from. “The tree...that was you, Pa.” He continued and then looked around to find his father's eyes. His father grimaced but still nodded, earning himself a wide eyed look from Aurane and Torrhen, both of them still sitting on their own horses.

“Yes, that was me. And Dawn. And I'm pretty sure the only reason it's still alive is sheer stubborness to have died from my grief.” Jon heard his father explain while their bound their horses to exactly that tree, Jon let his fingertips ghost over the cut bark.
“You did this after you heard that Rhaegar had died?” Aurane wanted to know quietly when he came closer, holding out his reins for Jon to wrap around another branch, Aurane's hand went up to frame Jon's Papa's face.

“I did this until I couldn't stand anymore.” Jon's Father explained and both Jon and Torrhen walked away once the horses were secured to give them a moment, sharing a long look. They hadn't told anybody except Edric about what Torrhen had done the morning they had ridden for Sunspear, mostly because Jon had needed time to come to terms with everything that had happened in those days.

But today, they had grabbed the chance when his Papa and Aurane had asked if they wanted to come along riding, and they would tell them.

Torrhen flopped down into the sand at the foot of the steps that Jon sat down on, grimacing when the steel sword Torrhen had gotten for his nameday clanked against a stone. He still didn't know what he was going to do with his future but he also knew that he had time to decide, time to figure things out and that no matter what he chose in the end he would never be alone.

Not with this family.

--

Jon wouldn't make the decision that was to change Westeros' fate for quite a few years yet, not outspoken anyway but even at only nine, he had known that this visit to the Water Gardens had changed something for him.

--

A few years into the future

--

Standing in a foreign place that still felt like home upon the first step inside, Jon would find that a King had been born. Not in the Tower of Joy, not on the day that two Kingsguard and his Mother had given their lives for him.

King Jaehaerys III had been born in a Sept in Sunspear and his fiercest protector right along with him.

He would look down upon the locket he still carried with himself and then groan when the white beast of fur pushed him out of the way.

“Stop being so impatient, Ghost.” Jon grumbled and let the locket fall back against his chest before climbing up the ruined staircase to follow his direwolf. He could hear the distant laughter of the camp, even a song or two, the mood was good, uplifted. Jon hadn't wanted to get away on purpose, he was only too glad to be among his men, to share their ale and hear their stories but it just had been too tempting to go exploring.

And he was expecting someone anyway.

Ghost waited for him on top of the old tower, the highest remaining one in the Southern corner of the former great castle. Jon stroked a hand through Ghost's fur and then stepped up to the window, looking towards Dorne.

“He's close.” He told his four legged companion as Ghost set his head down upon the window ledge, looking as well, “Not long now.” Jon smiled and watched the sunset, yellow dipping into orange, his thoughts going back to Starfall, to what he had left behind, and ahead to what was to come. Ghost raising himself higher still, front paws coming up upon the window's ledge had him snap back to the present and his eyes flickered up to the sky.

And the shadow growing in it.

“See, I told you.” He chuckled and scratched Ghost behind the ears, “Always right on time. Go, Ghost, find Torrhen and Shadow.” Ghost bumped his head against Jon's hip and then raced off on near silent paws, Jon grinned and looked up again. “Welcome home, Starfyre.” He said quietly as his hair got ruffled by the wind of a wing's beat. “Lots to do.”

And over the ruins of Summerhall, a great violet dragon roared his greeting back.

A dragon had come home.