Chapter 49 - The Grand Banquet 01. 

[Chapter Size: 3400 Words.] 

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Third Person POV 

Harrenhal, 101 AC. 

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After Prince Daemon arrived riding his dragon, a messenger went to the Stark camp carrying a message from the king. 

Then Lord Stark gathered everyone so they could prepare for the evening. What Lord Stark did not reveal was the king's final demand, written in a separate letter sent by one of the members of the Small Council. 

He only showed the letter to his mother. 

She sighed. "Whatever he wants with the boy, we cannot disobey a direct order from the king," she said in a weary tone. 

Her husband nodded, knowing full well the implications. 1

They informed Jon while it was still midday, and he was clearly surprised by it. 

He knew there would be a dinner before the king at some point, but he had never imagined he would take part in it. After all, it was an environment he had never expected to be invited into. 

It was at that moment that Jon began to suspect something was wrong. None of it made any sense to him. 

Even though he was a ward and publicly recognized as being under House Stark's protection throughout the realm, appearing at a banquet before the king and all the nobles could still be considered an offense. 

He could be regarded as a commoner or a bastard, and either status alone was looked down upon by much of the nobility. 

Even so, Jon received a set of clothes from Lyarra. 

"This is for you to wear tonight." She entered his tent while Jon was organizing his belongings, with Ghost lying in the middle of the tent. She brought both the clothes and the news. 

"Thank you." Jon took the clothes, but his eyes remained fixed on her. "Please... Why am I going to this banquet?" He could no longer hold back the question. 

Lyarra pressed her lips together. "Well... We'll talk about that later. But you're no disgrace to us, understand?" 

Jon nodded, though he knew there was far more behind it than they were letting on. 

In any case, night soon fell. 

They traveled in a wagon, crossing the road the guards had cleared between the many camps, moving through the center of the enormous grounds until they reached the great castle, which was in a festive mood. 

Numerous wagons passed through the castle gates, displaying their banners. Every noble family had been invited to the grand banquet that night. 

Lord Stark and Alys walked at the front. 

Rickon and Lyra followed right behind. 

Jon walked last, beside Lyarra. 

As they approached the entrance, Lord Stark spoke with the guards as well as the master of ceremonies responsible for receiving all the guests. 

The entire North had come along, following right behind the Stark wagons, and the wagons soon moved aside to make room for the other lords arriving just after them. 

Many of the northerners' gazes fell upon Jon, their surprise unmistakable. Not even those nobles had expected to see him there. 

Jon, for his part, was just as confused as all of them. After all, it was a rather uncomfortable situation. 

Jon would have preferred not to come at all. Even though he was curious to see the royal family and how the great houses behaved at a formal banquet, he could have simply used his abilities. After all, he had come through the eyes of his feathered friends to observe the banquet, but he did not think he should be taking part in it. 

In any case, they were granted permission to enter, while Lord Stark led them through the corridors for quite some time. 

"Wow, this place never ends," Lyra began to complain, as they had to walk at least a hundred meters through the corridors, guided by one of the servants and guards. 

"The castle is very large," Rickon remarked, looking around the place. 

They only stopped when they reached the entrance to the hall. The area was filled with guards, and a man outside was scribbling down names with a quill dipped in ink. 

He looked up and gave a small smile. "Ah, Lord Stark. It's good to finally see you arrive. The North's tables have all been arranged in the eastern wing of the hall, close to the center. You'll find someone there to guide you after you've greeted the royal family." 

Lord Stark merely nodded, maintaining his serious expression. 

"Now I shall announce your arrival." The man opened the door just a crack, positioned himself on the other side, and knocked a few times, signaling the guards. 

The massive doors swung open. "Lord Stark of Winterfell and his family!" the herald announced. 

The great hall was already nearly full. Every eye immediately turned toward the entrance, watching Lord Stark cross the threshold while leading his wife at his side and his family into the hall. 

As he walked, Jon quickly began observing the surroundings. Several tables were already occupied, and he noticed that each one was designated for one of the kingdoms. 

They were all incredibly luxurious. Jon also noticed that the North's table was quite close to the center, something rather unusual, even if it was not among the tables closest to the royal table, which were occupied by the houses of the Reach, the Crownlands, and the Stormlands. He had imagined the North would be seated farther back due to the little contact they maintained with the capital, despite their loyalty and the oath they had sworn to House Targaryen. 

That struck Jon as somewhat strange, and he began noticing small details and subtle changes here and there. In any case, he turned his attention back to the main table. 

It was enormous, decorated with the banners of House Targaryen. 

Some of the seats were already occupied. The place reserved for the king was still empty. But the claimants to the Iron Throne were already there. 

Viserys Targaryen was seated beside his wife and a girl slightly younger than Lyra, who looked very much like her parents. Jon immediately noticed her eyes, the same as her father's. 

Typically Targaryen eyes. 

On the other side, Jon recognized Corlys Velaryon beside the other claimant, Rhaenys Velaryon, accompanied by her two children: a boy around Lyra's age and a girl the same age as Jon and Rickon. 

They first had to pay their respects to the main table, even though the king had not yet arrived. 

At that moment, House Stark had not yet declared its support for either claimant. Even though they had arrived the previous day, every member of the nobility present kept their eyes fixed on the Starks as they walked toward the claimants. 

After all, they represented the largest expanse of land in Westeros. Even if they were nowhere near the wealthiest, they still carried tremendous weight in the vote. 

"My Prince. My Princess." Lord Stark stepped forward and knelt, while everyone behind him did the same. 

Jon also knelt beside Lyra, keeping his eyes on the main table as he observed those seated there. 

"Lord Stark." Viserys clapped his hands together with a friendly smile. "It is an honor to have you here." 

"Lord Stark, it is good to see you and your family for the first time," Rhaenys greeted them with a smile as well. 

Jon felt her eyes travel across the entire group until they stopped on him. For a brief moment, a look of surprise appeared on her face, but it vanished just as quickly. 

Jon could not tell whether it was because of his presence there or because of who he was. But did she know him? Most likely, considering the level of information people like them possessed, especially while seeking allies wherever they could. 

He also noticed Viserys's wife watching him with curiosity. 

"I shouldn't be here..." Jon murmured quietly so that no one could hear him. That kind of attention was definitely not something he had expected to receive. 

As incredible as it was to be meeting those who might become the next king or queen of Westeros, it still felt wrong to him. 

Viserys did not even seem to notice his presence as he exchanged a few friendly words with Lord Stark. 

Jon had the impression that he was quite kind and could certainly become a friendly king. Of course, he had no idea how Viserys would actually rule. 

He then turned his attention to the children. The girl beside Viserys watched them with curiosity, while on the other side, Corlys tried to join the conversation, clearly seeking to win Lord Stark's support just as Viserys was doing. 

Next, Jon shifted his gaze to Princess Rhaenys's children. He was able to observe them more closely. When his eyes met the girl's, he spent a few moments studying her face. 

He had to admit it. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. 

She was looking at him as well. He could see a look of surprise in her violet eyes, until she gave him a small smile. 

Jon was startled and immediately lowered his head. 

A princess smiling at you could be a blessing, but more often than not, it was a curse. He did not want to cause trouble. He certainly did not want the girl's parents to notice that she was looking at someone who should not even be worthy of her attention. 

He knew she kept looking at him for a few more moments. But Jon did not meet her gaze again, even though, from the corner of his eye, he caught the dissatisfied pout on her face. 

"Well, I hope you have an excellent dinner. I also hope to get to know your vassals better, and I hope you will accept my invitation to a meeting in the coming days, Lord Stark," Viserys said. 

"So it shall be, my prince. Now, with your leave, we will proceed to our table," Lord Stark replied. 

His tone remained quite serious, even if respectful. Whether he liked Viserys or not did not matter. At that moment, all the claimants wanted was to secure House Stark's vote. 

A servant then came forward and began leading them to their table. Before moving on, Jon looked once more toward the main table. 

His eyes automatically found the girl. She reminded him very much of one of the women from his dreams. She was neither similar nor identical, but she possessed the same beauty, the same hair color, and the same eyes. Just like the other children, she greatly resembled the daughters of that Jon from his dreams. 

Jon sat down at the table, still reflecting on that, when Rickon sat beside him and nudged him with his elbow. 

"Hey, I saw your eyes," he said. 

Jon's eyes widened as he looked at his friend. "What are you talking about?" 

"I mean... Even I was taken aback. Damn, look at her mother. She and her daughter are beautiful," Rickon commented as if agreeing with something, while turning his attention back to the main table, which was now receiving other lords. More northern nobles approached after being announced at the entrance, exchanging a few words with the claimants. 

Jon felt the girl's gaze turn toward their table once again. 

"No way..." Rickon muttered beside him. 

Jon still kept his eyes fixed on her. "What do you mean?" 

"I saw the way she was looking at you. I just can't believe it. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine you'd manage to win over a princess too. She could become the princess of the realm if her mother becomes queen!" he said, now sounding more reproachful than surprised. 

Jon was completely stunned as he looked at the young Stark, still confused. "What are you talking about, Stark?" 

"She was looking at you just now! I mean, she was looking at you the whole time. I always knew you'd be good with women. And I'm not talking about Lady Ryswell, of course," he said, almost laughing as he remembered their earlier conversation. "But this is too much." He finished with a grimace. 

"What are you talking about? I'm not good with women," Jon protested. 

"You just don't notice because you're an airhead. You're always thinking about something else: your books or your animals. But you have no idea what they say about you. Even some of the noblewomen from the North wouldn't mind marrying someone without a family name... And some of them are even hoping for it, you know?" he said in a serious tone. 

Jon merely shook his head in disbelief. I mean, he had never paid that much attention to such things. He liked looking at beautiful women and girls, even rating them with Rickon, but he had never known what they talked about. Sometimes he simply noticed a few of them looking at him or being friendly with little giggles and a greeting. 

Rickon merely shook his head as he looked at Jon. "You're a fool. You may be smart in many things and skilled in others, but you're a complete airhead when it comes to women." 

"I'm not an airhead." 

"Yes, you are. Tell me, where were you when my father started introducing us to the princes?" he asked, crossing his arms. 

Jon's eyes widened. "He did that?" 

"Of course he did." Rickon raised an eyebrow. "He even got one of the princes to raise an eyebrow when he mentioned you. But you weren't paying attention at all. You kept your head down the whole time, embarrassed because of that princess." Rickon shook his head. 

Jon was speechless. Had he really become like that because of a girl his own age? If he were interested in older women, he would have found her mother more beautiful, but Jon liked looking at girls his own age. Had she really distracted him that much? 

Jon elbowed him again to make him stop. "Let's not talk about this anymore..." 

Rickon started laughing. "But this is serious... She's a princess, Jon! We don't want a war breaking out in the middle of the kingdom," he emphasized. 

He received another elbow from Jon. "Damn you, Stark. You just can't stop talking nonsense. She's probably just curious, and I won't get any closer to that girl than I already did today..." Jon replied. 

Rickon just kept laughing. "I know, but..." Before he could continue, someone lightly tapped the table in front of them. 

"Can you two stop this nonsense?" Lyarra said in a serious tone, seated beside Jon. 

"Alright, alright." Rickon raised his hands in surrender. 

Jon felt a little embarrassed by it. He certainly did not want to draw attention to himself that way. 

He soon turned his attention back to Lord Stark, who was talking with his mother about the surroundings. That was far more interesting than Rickon's teasing or even the gaze of that violet-eyed girl at the main table. 

The lords of the North began arriving one after another. 

Each of them first approached the main table to briefly speak with the claimants before heading to the tables reserved for the North, which, to Jon's surprise, were extremely close to the main table. 

He did not like that. People were already beginning to look at him and whisper. 

Perhaps it was because of his unusual appearance, perhaps because of his position. After all, he had no close blood ties to the Starks. 

He was just a boy without a surname, raised on a farm in the middle of a village in the North. How had he ended up there? Among the kingdom's elite? He was certainly out of place at a banquet of such importance. 

"Prince Daemon Targaryen!" the herald announced. Everyone turned their attention toward the entrance. 

Even Jon looked toward the doors as they opened. A man of about twenty namedays strode into the hall alone, wearing an expensive tunic bearing the sigil of House Targaryen and carrying Dark Sister sheathed at his waist. 

Jon was glad to see that sword, even though he knew it was not exactly welcome at a banquet like that. 

The prince's arrogant gaze and the faint smile on his face made it clear that Daemon walked as though he owned the place. 

At the same time, Jon turned his eyes toward House Royce's table, where Lady Rhea was already present. 

Lady Rhea Royce, the prince's wife, who should have been seated beside him, remained sitting far away, casting him a far from friendly look, while her husband did not even glance at her. 

Jon did not know much about the internal affairs of the South, nor did he know the state of Daemon's marriage. Even so, he was surprised by the distance between the two. 

Judging by that interaction, they practically hated each other. One was full of hatred, while the other was full of arrogance and indifference. 

She looked at him with hatred. He, on the other hand, did not even seem to care that she existed. 

He simply walked to the main table. "Hello, brother. Hello, cousin." Daemon climbed the steps and took his seat, passing by the four Kingsguards assigned to protect the claimants. 

The Kingsguards merely exchanged glances. They were clearly already accustomed to that behavior. 

Jon found all of it intriguing, but remained silent as he observed the interactions among the members of House Targaryen. 

Viserys seemed both happy and somewhat apprehensive about his brother's arrival. Even so, it was easy to see that the two genuinely cared for one another. 

At least whenever Daemon looked at Viserys, that arrogant expression disappeared... or, at the very least, diminished considerably. 

The conversations continued throughout the hall for quite some time, and the tables soon filled up. Before Jon realized it, the entire hall was occupied. 

The men of the North had already begun drinking, since only beverages had been served to the guests up to that point. 

The banquet itself would only begin once the king arrived. 

And it did not take long. The herald entered first, accompanied by two Kingsguards, who quickly inspected the entire hall, watching for any possible threat. 

After a few moments, one of them nodded to the other. The herald took his position beside the entrance, while the Kingsguards remained a little farther back, ready to accompany the king as he passed. 

"And now, the man for whom the entire realm has been waiting... His Majesty, King Jaehaerys I, the Conciliator!" the herald announced. 

Immediately, everyone present rose to their feet in respect for the king. 

The great doors opened, and Jaehaerys soon appeared. 

An old man with white hair that had never changed since birth, though it now seemed far more frail, his eyes equally weary. 

Leaning on a cane, he walked forward slowly, greatly weakened by old age. A Kingsguard walked just behind him, while a handmaid remained at his side, ready to assist him should he need support. 

The king proceeded through the hall. Everyone watched him in absolute silence, waiting for him to reach the main table so that only then could they sit back down, as etiquette demanded. 

However... Jaehaerys stopped halfway. 

"Everyone may be seated." His voice echoed throughout the hall. Despite his advanced age, it still carried the authority of a man who had ruled the Seven Kingdoms for nearly five decades. 

The longest-reigning king in history. Everyone obeyed immediately, believing he was simply being gracious. 

But Jaehaerys did not resume walking. Instead, he stopped before the North's table. 

His eyes fixed directly upon the Stark table, leaving everyone present astonished. 

The king remained motionless. His gaze was directed solely at a single boy who was not a Stark by blood... 

The green-eyed boy. 

Jon looked back at him with the same mixture of surprise and caution. And the two remained there in silence, staring at one another. 

A king and a nameless boy from some common farm. 

The highest rank in the realm, facing the very lowest level of the social order. 

While the entire realm watched in stunned silence, the King of the Seven Kingdoms stood before a boy in whom, until that very moment, most people had not shown the slightest interest. 

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