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(EM Vol. 2: A Wandering Melody) Chapter 39: Winter’s Heart
🕑 Added 2025-07-22 14:00:21 +0000 UTCChapter 39: Winter’s Heart
123 AC, Dragonstone
It took a lot of convincing to get her Grandparents to agree on the trip to Winterfell, despite the fact that it was the largest castle in the North and that she would be under the protection of the Potters.
Well, she could see their thoughts, given the rumours of Pyke made their way to Dragonstone, alongside the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. The entire fortress of Pyke had been destroyed, most blaming it on a freakish storm or divine punishment. House Greyjoy was gone, and the Iron Islands were in chaos.
The idea that her grandparents were there made her both terrified and a bit jealous. Lord Harry hadn’t told her what happened and didn’t seem inclined to elaborate too much, only that it was very dangerous. And well, given what happened in the castle of a Lord Paramount because of the Potters’ visit, it was no wonder that her grandparents were wary of them going to another one.
Finally, after the Potters promised that Winterfell would remain standing and that they wouldn’t end another family line, and that Rhaena would tell them everything that happened, and they meant everything, her grandparents agreed.
Which was why Rhaena was standing in front of the Potters’ manse, practically shaking in excitement. Lord Harry and Lady Daphne were waiting for her, both wearing a light fur cloak, black for the man and white for the woman, which somehow matched them perfectly. “Hello, Rhaena. Are you excited for our little adventure?”
The young Targaryen rolled her eyes. “We’re going to Winterfell, not a grand adventure.”
And she was slightly stung with that. From what she understood, the Potters preferred to explore ruins and the remnants of old civilisations, not some normal castle. A part of her was quite excited to see something new, but she knew that the chances of adventure were low, which was likely what her grandparents wanted in the first place.
Lord Harry, though, gave her a smug grin. “Oh, my dear, everything can be a grand adventure if you want it to be. Now, since this will likely be a common event, we brought you a little gift.”
Before Rhaena could say anything, Lady Daphne waved her hand and took out a smaller version of their fur cloak, white, much like the woman’s. Rhaena marvelled at it and put it on. Immediately, she felt warm. It was comforting, despite its thinness, and she gave Lord Harry a questioning look. “Yeti fur. This one attacked us back in Tibet. Their fur has fundamental temperature regulator properties. Since we won’t be exactly hiding, we thought that wearing cloaks would help us blend in more.”
The young girl couldn’t help but gaze in wonder at the soft magic cloak. “Is it for me?”
“I think we’re a bit too big to wear it, so I’d say so, yes,” Lady Daphne joked back.
Rhaena ran at them and hugged them, wiping her traitorous teary eyes. “Thank you.”
Lord Harry ruffled her hair again, which made her growl at him, “No worries, kiddos. Oh, would you look at that. Things have changed.”
The young girl turned around and froze as she saw the sheer white surrounding her.
Snow, mountains upon mountains of snow in the distance. She could see it on the top of trees, and even around her feet, even if it wasn’t very deep. “But it’s not even Winter…”
Lord Harry smiled, “Perhaps, but it’s known that it even snows in the North during Summer. I believe they call it summer snow. It’s quite a harsh land, the North.”
Rhaena turned towards the sorcerer while glaring at him, “You took me there without even noticing.”
“Ah, but that’s just to test the cloak. You didn’t feel any different, did you?”
The young girl froze and realised that the man was telling the truth. She truly didn’t feel cold despite the snow around her. It was extremely odd, to say the least, but she wouldn’t deny the comfort. They slowly walked forward until they found the Kingsroad, and they slowly walked in one direction. “Is that where Winterfell is?”
Lady Daphne replied, “It is. We’ll have to walk through Winter Town first, but we should be here shortly.”
Rhaena nodded, but couldn’t help but grumble, “I wish Solarys was with us.”
Lord Harry chuckled, “I suppose you do miss him. Now that I think about it, this is probably the first time you’ve been apart, isn’t it?”
She simply nodded. This was, in fact, the first time her dragon didn’t come with her on an adventure. He had gone with her when they went into the Dragonmont and when they went to Skagos, but the Potter had drawn the line at Winterfell.
“A girl with Valyrian features will be unusual enough, but people can attribute it to a wealthy Essosi merchant and their family. However, a Valyrian girl with a dragon around her neck will show everyone that she’s a Targaryen. And you’re not here as a Targaryen, are you? You’re here as an explorer.”
Rhaena snorted, “As if you couldn’t hide him with your magic.”
“Perhaps, but not everything should be solved with magic, Rhaena. Solarys has grown enough that you can spend a few hours without him around your neck.”
The young girl wasn’t convinced, but her reply stopped completely as they finally saw past the hill. There was a village, a settlement of wooden houses and stone cottages huddled close together, smoke curling from chimneys into the pale sky. Rhaena realised that it must have been Winter Town, the settlement that Lady Daphne alluded to. It was quaint and stable in a way she hadn’t expected, and for a moment she wondered what it would be like to live in a place like that.
However, all these thoughts vanished at the sight of the castle behind it.
Rhaena knew that Winterfell was big, but she was unprepared for how large it truly was.
Even from this distance, it looked massive.
It wasn’t tall like the ones in the South, but wide, layered, and clearly built with defence in mind. No fancy carvings, no bright banners fluttering in the wind, just dark grey stone, thick walls, and a few towers that looked like they’d been repaired more times than anyone could count. She could even see a large forest spreading behind it into the distance, probably as large as the Kingswood in the Crownlands.
She hadn’t realised that they’d already arrived in Winter Town until Lord Harry tapped her shoulder. “Imposing, isn’t it?”
Rhaena blushed. She was so taken by the sheer size of Winterfell that she hadn’t even felt time slipping.
“It is,” the young girl said honestly. “It looks like it was built by people who expected to be attacked every week.”
Lord Harry gave her a sly grin. “I suppose you’re not exactly wrong about that. This is also one of the oldest structures in Westeros, apparently built by the first King of Winter, Brandon the Builder. Of course, given that it has been there for thousands of years, it’s pretty unlikely. If you try to look, you’ll see a lot of Andal building techniques as you spread out from the Great Keep, showing the expansion of the castle over time.”
They had almost arrived near the Market Square, where she could see many wooden stalls with merchants trying to sell their wares. A young man spoke up loudly, “You’re wrong.”
The Potters and Rhaena turned towards the voice, and Lord Harry smiled. “Is that so, young man?”
“Yes. The oldest part of the castle is the First Keep, near the crypts, not the Great Keep. It has been rebuilt many times; the main structure remains the same. Most people think this was built by Bran the Builder, himself.”
As the boy answered, Rhaena finally had the time to take a proper look at him. He looked like he was almost a man grown. She would guess he was around four and ten, or five and ten, with grey eyes, and long hair. He had broad shoulders and a serious expression on his face, which was contrasted by the mischief she could see in his eyes.
“That’s some very interesting information, young man. So, you’re claiming that this entire castle started from the crypts, not from the Godswood or the Hot Springs.” Lord Harry stated.
“The castle is so large and so old that anything could be possible. Even if it was written somehow, I don’t believe books could ever survive for so long, and even if they did, they’d be in the Old Tongue,” the boy retorted, “But that does not explain why three strangers come to visit our home.”
“How do you know we’re strangers?” Rhaena asked.
“Your clothes are different, you walk differently, and you’ve been staring at Winterfell like it was made of gold. There’s also the fact that your hair is silver, lass. We don’t have many Valyrians in these parts.”
Rhaena blushed, especially as she noticed the teasing smile on the boy’s face. Lord Harry, though, spoke up, stopping her from giving the boy a piece of her mind, “Oh, where are my manners. I’m Harry, this is Daphne, and the little one is Rhaena. We’re travellers of sorts.”
“I’m Grenn,” the boy answered. “Why would you travel so far North? I’ve never been outside of Winter Town, maybe just hunting in the Wolfswood at most.”
“Why else would anyone travel?” Lord Harry continued, his smile growing, “To see things that we have never seen before, to understand this world just a bit more. And I have to admit that Winterfell is definitely special, isn’t it? I can feel it in my bones.”
Lady Daphne spoke up for the first time since they arrived, giving the boy a kind look. “Tell me, Grenn, do you have a trade of some sort, or something you want to become?”
The boy looked up at the woman for the first time, and suddenly blushed completely, ignoring just how sudden the question was. “I’m training to be a guardsman, my lady. My mother works in the Kitchens and asked one of them to train me.”
“A very noble goal, Grenn,” the sorcerer commented.
The boy suddenly perked up, as if remembering, “I think I might have misheard. Did you say that you came to Winterfell just to see it, nothing more? No wares to sell, no offers of fealty, nothing?”
“If all someone travels for is to make some gold, or serve a lord, then the world would be a sad place indeed. I believe that many people, for example, would appreciate the network of pipes inside the walls that use the hot springs to heat an entire keep. It’s a marvel of ingenuity, really, one that is unique in Westeros, perhaps even this world.”
“I suppose I could see the appeal for scholars, or perhaps even bards,” he answered while snorting at his last comment.
Lady Daphne caught the amusement and asked, “Why bards?”
“Oh, nothing. A few people even say that there is a dragon slumbering beneath the castle, and that its breath warms Winterfell through the Hot Springs. Some bard made a song of it, before the Conqueror came. It’s ridiculous, of course, but it’s a nice thought.”
Lord Harry and Lady Daphne shared a look, and Rhaena’s eyes widened. Was there a dragon, much like there was an egg in the Dragonmont, which heated up Winterfell? Both other eggs, even the dead one, were hidden inside mountains, with creatures defending them from danger.
She knew that look in their faces, the way they talked to each other without speaking a word, and after a minute of silence, Lord Harry spoke up, “Tell me, Grenn. You seem like a knowledgeable young man. Is there any Dragonglass anywhere in Winterfell?”
The question obviously surprised the young man, “Dragonglass?”
“Yes. Obsidian. Frozen Fire. Dragonglass. Have you seen any of it in Winterfell?”
“I’m afraid not, my lord. No Dragonglass. I think the nearest repository in the North is in Skagos, but they’re all but Wildlings with titles there.”
Lady Daphne continued that line of questioning, “What about any volcanic activities, earthquakes, or anything out of the ordinary?”
“Not that I know of,” the boy answered, obviously feeling awkward and somewhat guarded, “I think the freezing cold and snowstorms are enough for most Northmen.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m just slightly curious,” the sorcerer spoke up with an excited smile, “You see, what I’m hearing is that there are hot springs around this place, coincidentally where a Godswood also grew, and that given the architecture and the inclusion of the pipes in the castle, has been there, stable for thousands of years. In all that time, there have also been no signs of volcanic activity, or materials that naturally exist around this kind of activity. After all, there would have been signs of it as The Children of the Forest often used the material. So, we can come to a single conclusion. We have impossible hot springs on our hands. Quite a mystery, huh?”
Rhaena found herself excited as well. That was much better than visiting a castle. She knew that Lord Harry would find something exciting to do, even in the North.
Grenn, though, snorted and commented in a mocking voice, “So, you’re planning on discovering the dragon slumbering underneath Winterfell.”
Rhaena bristled, but Lord Harry’s hand squeezed her shoulder gently. “Oh, of course not. I’ve seen slumbering dragons before, and I don’t think this is one. I’m quite excited for this one, if I’m honest.”
The boy obviously had no idea what to say to that. The young girl almost giggled at the sheer bafflement on Grenn’s face. Once she would have been the same, reacted with confusion and bewilderment at the casual statements that the Potters proclaimed. Lady Daphne once said to her that her husband loved seeing that expression on people’s faces. She knew why now.
Lord Harry walked on the drawbridge without anyone stopping them, and Grenn followed after them. “You can’t just enter Winterfell.”
The sorcerer gave him a smug smile, “I believe that I just have.”
Grenn looked around frantically and noticed that none of the guards moved to arrest them, before running in front of them, stopping them. “Why didn’t they stop you?”
“As you grow up, Grenn, you’ll notice that confidence can be a very powerful thing. Walking with purpose, as if you wouldn’t wish to be stopped, and people will stay out of your way.”
The boy didn’t seem satisfied with this, but instead of insisting, he asked, “What do you mean, you’ve seen dragons before? Did you go to Dragonstone or King’s Landing?”
The sorcerer’s smile widened even further as if he had already won. “The world is a very big place, young man. Very big indeed, and far more marvellous than one can imagine. Everyone gets stuck in a single place, happy with what came before them, and predicting that the future would be the same, unknowing of the wonder that awaits them if they simply look up from their paths.”
Rhaena rolled her eyes. “We saw dragons on Dragonstone. He just likes being mysterious.”
“Hey, I didn’t say anything wrong,” Lord Harry protested, as his wife giggled at his reaction.
The grey-eyed boy growled at their japing and spoke up, “I could call the guards here to arrest you now. Your confidence will not help you with that, will it?”
“Oh, I don’t believe that confidence will help me if you do that. But you’re not going to call the guards, are you?”
“I’m not,” the boy answered, obviously getting angry.
“After all, your first question to me was about dragons, about something you hadn’t experienced before. That means that you’re a curious person by nature, one who is hungry to know what happens outside this castle. And now, I’m offering you something better than that, a chance to solve a mystery no one has ever solved before, to finally understand the source of heat that might as well have baffled Maesters for thousands of years, before the Andals even came to Westeros. I’m offering you a peek into the mind of Bran the Builder himself, one of the greatest heroes in the history of the North, maybe even the World. We are three unarmed travellers who wish to discover the secrets of your home alongside you. So, tell me, young man, are you going to call the guards and throw that away, or are you going to humour a few travellers who do not pose a threat to Winterfell in any way, and get the chance to accomplish something great?”
If she were honest, even Rhaena was moved from the speech. It sounded like something out of a bard’s tale, the sort of thing meant to inspire old kings and foolish knights. But coming from Lord Harry, it didn’t sound rehearsed or dramatic. It just sounded like him. Like someone who genuinely believed that wonder still existed in the world, and that anyone, no matter how ordinary, even the son of a cook, could be part of something bigger, if they were willing to take the first step.
Grenn didn’t answer right away. He looked like he wanted to argue, before looking back at the gates and slumping in resignation. However, the excited gleam in his eyes made any show of reluctance disappear, “Please tell me you’re not planning on digging down, are you?”
“I knew you’d come around, Grenn. Now, don’t worry. I’m not planning on digging into the ground, especially since there is an obvious entrance.”
The boy looked exasperated when he asked, “An entrance?”
“Of course. Now, young man, can you point me to where the Winterfell crypts are?”
AN: Sorry if this feels rushed. My uncle literally died while I was writing this chapter, and I wasn’t exactly in the mood to write after that. Don't worry, Thursday's chapter will be uploaded like normal. As usual, I don’t mind rewriting this depending on your feedback, so please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
Comments
fireball77
My condolences for your loss
Daniel Kerber
Bet that’s cregan
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