Sansa could, of course, announce herself as part of another branch of the Targaryens, but that would only count as a self-proclaimed claim. Compared to the Dragon Queen's official declaration, it would be hundreds of streets apart.
"Of course," the Dragon Queen readily fulfilled the expectations of her pseudo niece-in-law. "I will not only announce this publicly, I can also trace it back to the source and return an ancestor to you."
"Return an ancestor… to me?" Sansa was overwhelmed with joy and shock. She opened her small mouth, widened her eyes, and looked completely at a loss.
"Think about it. Why is House Karstark universally recognized as a cadet branch of House Stark?" Dany prompted.
"Because…" Sansa gradually came out of her confusion and said thoughtfully, "because everyone knows that House Karstark was founded by Karlon Stark, and that all Karstarks are Karlon's descendants.
"So the branch of House Targaryen represented by me and my children must also have a 'Targaryen' ancestor recognized by everyone."
A flash of approval passed through Dany's eyes. This little green-tea schemer was sharp-minded and could keep up with her train of thought.
"That's right."
"Would Daemon Blackfyre I work?" Sansa asked.
"No. He still falls short. He never became king, nor did he fully escape the shadow of bastardy. He is not qualified to found another branch of House Targaryen," Dany shook her head.
"Then who is qualified?" Sansa asked in confusion.
Daemon Blackfyre was already the progenitor of the Blackfyre line. Who could be more representative than him?
"Aegon Targaryen the Fourth," Dany casually spoke a name that left Sansa dumbfounded.
"The Unworthy? Make the Unworthy our branch's progenitor?" Sansa said in disbelief.
This was no longer a pie falling from the sky. It was a whole roasted suckling pig dropping down.
The Unworthy King was indeed unworthy, but he was a legitimate Targaryen king. If Aegon were acknowledged as the direct ancestor of her line, what would that represent?
"That's right. Aegon the Unworthy. He was Daemon Blackfyre's father and personally declared that Daemon Blackfyre enjoyed his right of inheritance.
"Since that is the case, let Daemon Blackfyre fully become Aegon the Unworthy's heir."
Dany generously gifted away an ancestor. Sansa was so overjoyed that she burst into tears. "Thank you, Aunt Dany."
After receiving the Dragon Queen's recognition, Aegon Mopatis once again became Aegon Targaryen. In terms of generation, he was on par with Shireen and one generation below Dany.
Dany waved her hand, completely unconcerned.
Not just the Unworthy King. If possible, even the Mad King could be given away. No, that would not do. The Mad King could not be given to Sansa; he belonged to the dwarf.
King Aegon's Targaryen branch was only the first example, not the only one.
In the future, the dwarf would certainly have to be assigned a "Targaryen founding ancestor," and the Mad King would be among them.
If Jon's identity were revealed, he would also be assigned one.
If any other Targaryens came knocking, it would be fine even if all the "Targaryen founding ancestors" were divided up.
The Dragon Queen meant what she said. Before lunch, she publicly announced the matter in front of the many nobles gathered in the hall.
Aegon the Unworthy would found a new Targaryen branch, using a brand-new sigil and house words.
Previously, King Aegon had already altered the royal sigil by adding a black sword to the claws of the three-headed red dragon on a black field.
The new Targaryens were also called the Black Sword Targaryens.
Aegon IV became the first head of House Black Sword Targaryen. Daemon Blackfyre was renamed Daemon Targaryen, became the Unworthy King's sole heir, and served as the second head of House Black Sword Targaryen.
"But King Aegon the Unworthy is also your direct ancestor!" one of the Northern nobles exclaimed in shock, voicing the obvious doubt.
If he were not a direct ancestor, I would not even bother kicking him out of the family tree.
Dany waved her hand and spoke bluntly. "I belong to the founder of the empire. I do not need any inheritance from Aegon the Unworthy."
Hearing the Dragon Queen's words, the nobles fell silent.
What inheritance could Aegon the Unworthy possibly leave behind?
Nothing more than bloodline, nominal Targaryen legitimacy, and, in legal terms, the right to inherit the Iron Throne of the Targaryen dynasty.
Did the Dragon Queen need any of that?
Everyone knew Aegon the Conqueror, and later generations of Targaryens took pride in calling themselves descendants of Aegon the Conqueror.
Who cared who Aegon the Conqueror's father was?
Not just Aegon the Unworthy. Even Aegon the Conqueror could be given away, and Dany would not mind.
Her descendants would not care about her actions today either, because "Dragon Queen" Daenerys would surpass "Aegon the Conqueror" by hundreds of universes.
The establishment of House Black Sword Targaryen caused a tremendous stir.
At any other time, this news would have been enough to shock the entire Westerosi noble circle.
But with the Others about to reach the city, the lords of the North merely sighed that "the Dragon Queen is merciful and magnanimous" before throwing themselves back into war preparations.
Not long after lunch, the gloomy sky over Winterfell was suddenly covered by a mass of "black clouds." The soldiers looked up and saw dozens of wyverns, each carrying enormous wooden crates.
"Ah, it's the Dragon Queen's wyvern legion!"
"The dragonglass weapons from Dragonstone are here!"
Seeing the huge white seven-pointed star on the wyverns' flesh wings, everyone understood the origin of the wyvern legion.
Indeed, the dragonglass weapons from Dragonstone had arrived.
Not only the dragonglass weapons, but also Dany's Dothraki handmaidens, the Bloodriders, and a small number of knights from Slaver's Bay had come as well.
They might not necessarily take part in the battle, but the chance to witness a war against the White Walkers, and even the decisive battle against the Night King, was far too precious. Dany did not want them to miss it.
To put it plainly, this was a military observation group from Slaver's Bay.
Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.
The last Long Night was eight thousand years ago. Not only do historical records barely mention it, the maesters do not even acknowledge that Westeros has an eight-thousand-year royal history, much less that there was a Long Night and White Walkers.
If not for the Dragon Queen changing the course of events, the Seven Kingdoms, from kings down to beggars in the streets, would know nothing about the White Walkers.
Only by experiencing a large-scale battle on the level of "defending Winterfell" could the generals of Slaver's Bay gain a more intuitive and accurate understanding of the Long Night.
This was only the first group of observers. More would arrive afterward.
In fact, not only the commanders, but Dany herself was also part of the military observation group. She too needed to understand the true strength of the Night King.
If they knew nothing about the White Walkers, the wight armies, or the Night King, how could they formulate targeted tactics?
"Watch more, listen more, learn as much as you can, speak less, and do not risk your lives!"
The Dragon Queen gathered her followers together and stated her attitude toward the Battle of Winterfell in the most straightforward way.
"Your Grace Daenerys, there is news." Jon looked grave as he hurried into the guest castle, holding a thick stack of letters.
Besides Jon himself, several Northern lords were present. Even Edd Umber was there.
Yes, the people from Last Hearth had been sent directly by the Dragonstone wyvern legion to White Harbor. They did not go to Winterfell, which was destined to become a battlefield.
After that, the wyvern legion flew straight back to Dragonstone. By the time they returned with dragonglass weapons, Edd Umber had already settled his people and family, then led thirty guards back to Winterfell aboard wyverns.
This had been discussed before leaving Last Hearth. Edd Umber intended to fulfill his duty as a bannerman and help the King in the North defend Winterfell.
"The clan tribes in the forests north of the Wolfswood have sent ravens. They have already encountered the White Walkers. Counting Karhold and Deepwood Motte from earlier, four territories have now been overrun by the White Walkers.
"And Winterfell lies in the center of the North, somewhat to the south. So I suspect the main White Walker force is only a few hundred kilometers away from Winterfell. There may even already be White Walkers lurking in the nearby Wolfswood."
"Your Grace, I have a feeling the great battle will happen within a week." Jon handed the letters to the Dragon Queen with a heavy expression.
"The White Walkers really move fast. They covered two or three thousand kilometers in just a week," Dany said with a sigh.
Jon said bitterly, "The White Walkers are not human. They need no supply lines. As long as they do not encounter terrain they cannot cross, even the lowest wights can go without food or water and never feel fatigue. Running twenty-four hours a day, that speed is normal."
"You came to me because of Stannis?" Dany's expression was a little strange. "By now he should indeed have arrived at Winterfell. Since he has not, was he delayed by something?"
Could the second stag be having second thoughts? But I have already spread the news of the 'three gods battling the Night King.' If he backs out now, his reputation would be utterly ruined.
Jon had thought of this as well. Frowning, he said to Dany, "Your Grace, should we go to the Vale to urge him along?"
"He is your king. You should go," Dany shook her head.
But the 'three gods versus the Night King' was what you told me.
Jon felt anxious, and some things had to be said plainly. "Your Grace, to be honest, I did swear loyalty to him, and I even arranged for two thousand Northern cavalry to follow him south to contend for the Iron Throne.
"But after Aegon was burned, there was no trust left between us, and our relationship became very strained."
"You think my relationship with him is good?" Dany asked coldly.
"Wait, Karhold?!"
Suddenly, she noticed a letter from the maester of Karhold among the papers Jon had handed her. "At around three in the morning, countless dead surrounded the castle. They are White Walkers! The legends are true. There really are White Walkers. We were wrong. The maesters were wrong. Seven gods above, Karhold is finished!"
"Three in the morning." Dany's face turned extremely grim. "When was this letter received?"
"Yesterday afternoon, not long after you arrived at Winterfell. Why?" Jon asked, puzzled.
Edd Umber said in surprise, "Didn't Your Grace pass by Karhold on your way after leaving Last Hearth yesterday morning?"
"I did," Dany said softly, "but it was peaceful and calm there. Smoke rose from the chimneys, and there was not a single wight outside the city."
"Ah, the Thenns are that strong? They drove back the White Walkers?" A trace of shame appeared on Edd Umber's youthful face.
He had failed to hold Last Hearth, yet the Thenn people, whom he had always despised and cursed, had held Karhold.
Lord Eel glanced at the youth and said thoughtfully, "Perhaps the Thenns have dragonglass weapons and are accustomed to fighting wights.
"After all, holding a fortified city with two thousand Thenn warriors, it is not impossible to resist an army of twenty or thirty thousand wights."
"The Thenn family?" Dany was stunned for a moment before recalling information about the Thenn tribe beyond the Wall from a corner of her memory.
"What is the relationship between the Thenn family and the Thenn tribe? Isn't Karhold the seat of House Karstark?"
As soon as she said this, the atmosphere became somewhat delicate. Several Northern lords turned their eyes toward the King in the North, whose expression had grown solemn.
"House Karstark's male line has ended. Alys Karstark is the only legitimate heir to Karhold. She married Sigorn, the Magnar of Thenn," Jon said calmly, explaining the situation of Karhold.
Dany suddenly realized that she no longer quite recognized him.
Or perhaps she had never truly understood him before.
(End of chapter)
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