The Dragon Cub| Game Of Thrones

POISON IS A WOMEN'S WEAPON

Howland Reed.

Howland knelt before the Weirwood and prayed to the old gods, the vision he'd gotten had been clear and he wondered why the gods had decided to speak to him now. As a younger man, he'd travelled to the isle of faces and spent some time among the Weirwood's that grew there, the feeling of closeness with the old gods were intensified and Howland could feel the magic on the isle.

He had been plagued by visions and strange dreams since he was a child, but they were all too hard to comprehend and it wasn't until the events had already occurred that their true meaning had become clear, by then though it was too late. Had he been given a vision as clear as this one then maybe he could have saved her, maybe things would have turned out different.

After the rebellion, his wounds had been severe and Howland had retreated back to the Greywater Watch, the visions had subsided although the more he now thought on it, the more sure he was that they really hadn't and he'd instead ignored them. A few moons ago though they had returned and these he could not ignore, he had failed the mother, he would not fail the son, so he had sent Jaygen to see how Jaehaerys was doing, he needed to make sure the boy was safe and happy.

"Jayden, I hear there is a tourney in Lannisport, I would like you to go."

"A tourney my lord, why?"

"There's someone there I wish you to see for me, someone I want to know more about, will you do this for me?"

"Of course my lord."

So his friend's son had gone to participate in a tourney and Howland eagerly awaited his return, he needed to be sure that her boy was safe, it was the least he could do for the woman who had meant so much to him. Howland had been furious with his friend when he told him his plan for Lyanna's son, while it protected his life, he knew it could damage the boys' sense of self and after meeting his new liege lady he had known he was right.

He had argued with Ned, offered to raise Jaehaerys in his home and to give the boy his name if he wanted it, but Ned had refused and the rift between the two men had barely been breached since. When he heard how the boy had been raised, how he was treated, he had considered stealing the boy away himself, but Jyana had talked him out of it telling him rightly that such a thing could damage the child irreparably.

When he had heard that Jaehaerys was squiring for Jaime Lannister he didn't know what to think, but the images of his vision began to make sense, a wolf cub standing in the shadow of a lion, both fiercely growling at something unseen before as one they attacked, the two then walk away side by side.. Howland had understood the sigils and the significance of them of course, but the context was something beyond him until he had heard the news.

So he had accepted that this was a good thing and the visions had gone away for a time when they returned though he couldn't make sense of them at all, it was images that lasted a split second and there were so many that when he woke he could barely remember them. It had plagued his thoughts and had been the main reason he had sent Jaygen to check on the boy, worried that perhaps he had been wrong about Jaime's intentions.

"Father." Howland turned to see his wife swinging his son's hand making the boy laugh, his daughter Meera beside them trying to do the same with Jojen's other hand.

"My love, my children," Howland said as he got up from his knees and kissed Jyana and then each of his children on the forehead.