Robert and Eddard sat by the fire, deep in their cups and louder by the minute. They swapped stories the way old warriors always did — first kills, first won, the stupid shit they got away with when they were young and unbreakable.
Tony and the others listened without interrupting. Fathers loved nothing more than bragging in front of the next generation.
From the tree line, Sandor Clegane and Victor appeared, dragging a fat wild boar between them. Blood streaked their black armor.
"Nice work," Tony called. "Victor, you're getting the hang of this."
Tyrion and Jai ca next, hauling the massive black bear. Tomn followed, proudly carrying the huge salmon like it was a trophy.
Robert took one look and burst out laughing. He didn't even glance at his son's pale face.
"A bear! We're eating paws tonight!"
Ned started to speak, but Tony was already moving with his kit. He wasn't so Citadel genius like the ones who wrote the big books, but he knew how to brew basic penicillin and strong iodine. Good enough out here.
"Tyrion. Clean your brother with this first. It'll stop infection."
Only Jai had real wounds. The other two were just rattled.
Tyrion flipped Tony a gold coin without hesitation. "Lannister pays his debts. Even to a maester."
Jai gave a tired laugh. "One coin for my life? I'm feeling cheap."
"Match it with your weight in gold and I'll call it even," Tony said, smiling. "Maester work costs money."
Back in Winterfell the girls sat sewing under Septa Mordane. Arya lasted ten minutes before she started squirming. With her mother and the queen watching, she couldn't bolt. She stabbed the fabric and ended up with a lopsided pig's head.
Sansa's work was perfect. The septa praised her warmly.
Cersei watched with cool eyes. "Won are ant to bear children. Everything else can be left to servants."
Catelyn smiled without missing a stitch. "There's still sothing nice about making a shirt for the man you love. Feels good when he wears it."
Cersei didn't answer.
Maester Luwin arrived with fresh ravens. "Letters from the Citadel, my lady. One for Lord Eddard. One for Tony."
Diana stepped forward from the sewing circle, beautiful even in a simple maid's dress. She curtsied low.
"If it please you, I'll take Lord Tony's letter to him right away."
Catelyn handed over Eddard's scroll and gave Tony's to Diana. "Go on, then."
Catelyn read in silence. Her face went still.
Cersei raised an eyebrow. "Well?"
"The long sumr is over. Winter is coming. The Citadel says we should stockpile hard. They think this one could last fifty years."
The words landed like ice in the warm room.
Out at the camp they split the bear open and found sothing impossible inside its stomach — a chunk of black iron, harder than Valyrian steel, unlike anything any of them had seen.
Robert grunted. "Best sword steel in the world. You killed it, Jai. It's yours."
In the salmon's belly they found a dagger. Clean. Sharp. Wrong.
Robert stared at it. "How the hell did that get in there?"
Tony was already building a fire and setting a pot. "Doesn't matter. Fish is fresh. We eat."
"Father! Jon! Tony!"
"Master!"
Diana rode in with Arya clinging behind her. The girl had followed without anyone noticing.
Diana handed Tony the letter from the Citadel. He read it once, then dropped it straight into the flas.
Coben. The friend he'd funded in secret after the Citadel kicked him out for studying things they didn't approve of. The note was short: "Experint successful."
Tony watched the paper burn. The stone n work was done.
Far across the sea, Khal Drogo married Daenerys Targaryen.
He brought her a white horse and lifted her onto it like she weighed nothing. Viserys watched them ride away, already counting armies he didn't have.
"Please him," he muttered. "Give my throne."
They stopped by the sea. Drogo began to undress her. Daenerys cried quietly, asking if he even spoke the Common Tongue.
He answered in a low voice. "A little."
She blinked.
"Because of this." He pulled a battered book from his saddlebag. The cover was worn, the title clear: Postpartum Care for the Mare by Tony Stark.
Drogo looked at her with sothing close to respect. "Your people know horses. This man understands them. I will find him. For my khalasar. For my herds."
Daenerys didn't know what to say.
When he took her, he was careful. Gentle. She felt warmth instead of only fear for the first ti.
Sothing in the world had shifted.
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