When Ser Barristan approached, Daenerys nodded slightly before asking, "Ser Barristan, is there something urgent?"
"A letter just arrived from the North," the old knight replied as he produced a sealed parchment. His eyes flicked toward Aedric. "It's addressed to Lord Jon."
Aedric frowned, took the letter, and unfolded it. The news inside was momentous — the War of the Four Kings had come to an end.
After securing the loyalty of most of his bannermen, Stannis Baratheon's power had grown greatly. He even defeated Yara Greyjoy, the new queen of the Iron Islands, in a massive sea battle, briefly becoming the most formidable claimant to the Iron Throne.
Then, mustering all his forces, Stannis split his army in two — one to block Tywin Lannister's cavalry from Casterly Rock, the other to strike at King's Landing from the sea, hoping to seize the capital in one swift blow.
But, as in the show, his campaign ended in failure.
There were only two notable differences this time. First, Stannis did not survive the war — he was personally slain by the "Beauty" Brienne, who had sworn vengeance for Renly.
Second, Tyrion Lannister, who had been maimed in the original timeline, escaped unscathed this time. Instead, King Joffrey caught a stray arrow to the eye and was now half-blind.
With the war over and Tywin Lannister once again in full control of King's Landing, the Lord of Casterly Rock acted swiftly. Declaring that the now-disabled Joffrey was unfit to rule, he forced him to abdicate and be sent to Dragonstone as its new lord, while crowning Tommen Baratheon as king.
Then, in his usual calculated manner, Tywin reached out to the North, proposing to renew their alliance through marriage.
To prove his sincerity, he sent Tyrion himself north to negotiate with Lord Eddard Stark, accompanied by none other than the golden-haired princess Myrcella Baratheon.
This time, however, Myrcella was not promised to Trystane Martell of Dorne — but to "Jon Snow," the Storm Sword Saint, Aedric himself.
Yes. Tywin Lannister intended to marry his granddaughter — a royal princess — to a supposed bastard.
It was such a bold move that Aedric couldn't help but chuckle.
Running through the show's events in his mind, Aedric quickly pieced together Tywin's true reasoning.
In the original story, Tyrion's near-fatal wounding during the Battle of Blackwater was, in truth, likely arranged by his own father. Tywin had always viewed his deformed son as a stain upon the family's honor.
But in this world, Aedric's arrival had changed everything. His unmatched strength had cowed every noble on the continent — including Tywin himself.
Thus, the old lion made three calculated moves to secure his family's safety.
First, instead of getting rid of Tyrion, he spared him and sacrificed Joffrey instead, elevating Tommen to the throne. It was a concession meant to show goodwill toward the Starks and, more importantly, to avoid provoking Aedric's wrath.
Second, he renewed the Lannister-Stark marriage pact by offering Tommen to Sansa Stark — making the two great houses kin by marriage. This would help stabilize the throne and minimize any lingering hostility between the North and the Crown.
In truth, even the scheming "Queen of Thorns," Olenna Tyrell, had played a similar game when she sent Margaery north. It wasn't about love or honor — it was about fear.
Neither Tywin nor Olenna truly feared northern armies — the North was too distant to threaten the Reach or the Rock directly. What they feared was him — the man known as the Storm Sword Saint, who had already proven he could crush armies and walk away unscathed.
No castle, not even the Red Keep itself, could guarantee safety from that kind of power.
And those who rise to the heights of power often fear death most of all — especially when facing something beyond their control.
But Tywin was no fool. Unlike Olenna, he had firsthand reports from his children, who had met and spoken with Aedric. He knew this "Jon Snow" wasn't merely Eddard Stark's pawn — he was an independent, unpredictable force.
So, for his third move, Tywin went straight to the root: marry Myrcella to him.
If the princess became Aedric's wife, then his sword would never again threaten the Lannisters.
After all, even the fiercest warrior wouldn't strike down his own father-in-law, or his wife's family.
Better still, Tywin likely hoped the union would produce a child — half Lannister by blood, but born of the greatest warrior alive.
And since Aedric was officially a bastard, his son could be legitimized and raised as a Lannister, inheriting Casterly Rock itself.
In that way, Tywin's bloodline would not only endure, but be guarded by the most powerful protector imaginable.
A small price — one granddaughter — for a century of unchallenged dominance.
It was, as always, a masterstroke of ruthless pragmatism.
Aedric smiled faintly, shaking his head as he handed the letter to Daenerys.
But when Daenerys read to the part where Tywin proposed that Aedric wed his granddaughter, her expression froze — then darkened.
"So," she said quietly, "what do you intend to do?"
"What else can I do?" Aedric spread his hands helplessly. "Do I really have a choice?"
If Tywin had made such an offer casually, Aedric could have ignored it. But the old lion had already paid dearly to make this happen — even crippling his own grandson to cement peace with the North.
To reject him outright would be to humiliate House Lannister beyond forgiveness.
And if that happened, even the Storm Sword Saint's legend wouldn't stop Tywin from fighting to the death. The Lannister words were clear — a Lannister always pays his debts.
He would not die dishonored.
Daenerys understood this too well. Months of political lessons had sharpened her mind, and she grasped the cruel logic instantly.
That only made it worse.
Her lips pressed together in frustration — not because she didn't understand, but because she did.
She had already given her heart to this man. Now another woman — a princess, no less — was being offered his hand. And she could not even object without seeming petty or weak.
Seeing her clenched fists and wounded pride, Aedric gestured subtly for Barristan and Missandei to leave.
With him present, Daenerys hardly needed guards.
Once they were gone, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"As long as we live in this world," he said softly, "we can't escape politics and duty. We've both gained much — it's only fair that we give something in return."
Her silver eyes glimmered with tears and defiance. After a long breath, she turned to him and said quietly but firmly:
"I won't stop you from going back. But I have one condition—"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Tonight, you may not refuse me again."
With that, Daenerys turned away and walked toward her chamber. Step by step, she shed her silken garments, each piece slipping soundlessly to the floor.
By the time she reached the bed, she was as radiant as moonlight, her flawless form bare and waiting. Lying down, she closed her eyes, her breathing calm but expectant.
Aedric stood there for a long moment, heart pounding, torn between reason and desire.
Then, with a low sigh, he cast aside the last restraints of his old world's morals — and stepped forward.
When he leaned down, their bodies met in a fierce, inevitable embrace.
If he had turned away now, he thought with a wry smile, he would be less than a beast.
And after all — in this world, when in Valyria... one must follow its customs.
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