Different Paths to Destiny [Game of Thrones]

32: The Wolves

I walked out into the throne room with the others. I hardly waited until I was through the door to pull Theon into a hug. It had been almost a year since I'd seen him with Sansa, right after their escape. I pulled back to look at him, hands coming up to rest on his cheeks. "You look so good. How have you been?"

"Better," he said quietly. I wrapped my arms around his neck again and squeezed him tightly. He laughed and tears sprung to my eyes. His laugh brought back memories of our childhood, it sounded like home. I stepped back and glanced over at his sister who was watching us with an amused smirk. "Amina, this is Yara."

I let go of him to take a step toward her. "Daenerys told me you were special, I thought she meant...charismatic." She shook her head. "Theon's told me plenty about you. Thank you for taking care of my little brother, even though he is a pain in the ass. "

"He took care of me too," I said, giving him a smile. "I should go, but I'll see you soon?"

"We're leaving for Dorne tomorrow," Yara explained. "Daenerys plans to lay siege to King's Landing with all our armies."

"Oh, so that was the other plan she mentioned. Good, I hope you succeed." I looked between them both. "Be safe."

OoOoO

I wrapped my arms around Jon's waist and read the message over his shoulder. "She didn't tell me we were being summoned," I mumbled. He turned around, leaning against the rail, I was sure a barrage of questions were coming. There hadn't exactly been time to explain the Dragonstone situation in detail. I was beginning to realize how much of an island I'd made myself; it was hard to let go of that isolation.

But he only had one question. "Is your name actually Rhaenyra?"

I nodded. "I was going to tell you, but it didn't seem important."

"Of course it's important," he said, his tone was soft not upset. "It's a part of your identity."

I shrugged it off. "I will always be Amina Winterfell first and foremost. Rhaenyra is nothing but a name someone gave me a long time ago." I didn't admit that reading it for the first time had nearly made me cry. Or that hearing Daenerys say it made me feel like I truly belonged somewhere for the first time in my entire life. "Aylward was the only one who knew, but I asked him not to tell. I want to be called Amina, at least by those who've always known me that way."

He nodded, pulling me toward him and pressing a kiss to the side of my head. "You'll always be Ami to me."

"Are you going to go?" I asked. "To Dragonstone?"

"Should I?"

I looked out over the courtyard with a sigh. "She's my sister, so I won't pretend to be unbiased on these matters. But she and I have been thinking about this day for a long time. We may not always agree, but I do trust her. And we need the dragons if we're going to-" I broke off. "Of for fucks sake. I haven't even told her about the Night King. She is going to be livid."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's sort of an important detail."

"There's never been time! I don't know how to explain them. I haven't even seen one. And it isn't as if they have a pretty carved sigil to sit on the painted table."

"We'll go," he said after a moment. "We can tell her together."

I leaned my head on his shoulder. "First we just have to convince the Lords that this is the best choice."

He held up a second piece of paper. "I may have a way to do that." I snatched it out of his hand and read it over. "You think your sister will help us with that dragonglass."