Chapter 51
Harry left Daenerys's room and went downstairs in search of his father.
As he had expected, he was in his solar, probably waiting for him, but besides his father, there was someone else: his mother. He couldn't help feeling a slight headache coming on.
"Mother, Father," Harry said with a smile as he sat beside his mother and affectionately took her hand.
Catelyn looked at Harry with feigned anger, trying to keep a smile from appearing on her face at her son's ingratiating expression.
"How was your trip, son?" Ned asked with a very slight smile.
"It went more than well," Harry said, turning his attention to his father.
"It seems like you bring back a new woman from every trip. Tell me if you need us to expand the castle to accommodate them all," Catelyn said, looking at her son with some amusement.
"Not yet. I think they can all fit in my tower, although—" Harry said, nodding before being silenced by his mother's glare.
"All right, but it's not what you think. I'm just helping her. The girl was in a bad situation," Harry said, smiling at his mother and putting an end to his joking.
"I saw the girl. She's incredibly beautiful. If you can resist her, I'll be impressed," Catelyn said, not believing her son.
"It's your fault, Mother. I inherited your incredible beauty, and now I attract women left and right," Harry said with a smile.
Catelyn looked disdainfully at Harry, but the slight curve of her lips was difficult to hide.
"Wyman sent me a letter about the ships you bought. As far as I know, you didn't take any money with you," Ned said, changing the subject and looking at his son.
Harry couldn't help cursing him in his mind. What a gossip.
"I robbed the Iron Bank of Braavos," Harry said with a small smile.
"If you don't want to tell us, just say nothing," Catelyn said with a small snort.
Ned frowned as he looked at his son, clearly displeased with what he had done. Unlike his wife, he had no doubt that Harry was telling the truth about robbing the Iron Bank. Even so, he simply sighed and chose not to pursue the matter.
"When you have a chance, please come up to my room in the tower. There's something I want to show you, and I also have some gifts for you," Harry said with a mysterious smile.
Catelyn simply rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to climb hundreds of steps just so he could show her what he had brought back from Essos.
Ned had even less interest. In fact, he had never been up to Harry's room.
"And what about Lady Dustin?" Catelyn said, unable to stand the smile on her son's face, feeling satisfied when she saw his expression stiffen.
But this also infuriated her, since his expression completely confirmed what she already believed she knew.
"What about her?" Harry asked after coughing awkwardly. In fact, he had been thinking of leaving in a few days to see her.
"She arrived a few days ago, very pregnant. She threw the maesters out of her town, so she said she wanted to give birth at Winterfell. Curious, considering her father's castle is closer," Catelyn said, giving Harry a piercing look.
Harry remained silent for a few moments, feeling a little embarrassed at being caught like that. Even so, only a little.
"Mother, I'm just doing my duty as the future heir, ensuring the loyalty of the Houses," Harry said seriously.
Catelyn struck Harry on the shoulder, looking both furious and helpless in the face of her son's shamelessness.
Ned, for his part, simply rubbed the space between his eyebrows as Harry's words confirmed that the baby was his.
"You don't have to take it so seriously. The child will simply inherit House Dustin. You can love them if you want, and if you don't, that's fine too," Harry said without joking.
"Do you think I'm a woman with a heart of stone? Of course I'm going to love your children even if they're bastards," Catelyn said with a frown.
"My children aren't going to be bastards. At worst, I'll have more than one wife," Harry said casually.
"Do you think your family name is Targaryen?" Catelyn asked as her anger flared up again.
"If they can, why can't I?" Harry said with a shameless smile before grimacing when his mother pinched him.
Quickly changing the subject, Harry looked at his father.
"By the way, Father, you haven't spoken to Robert since then?" Harry asked.
"To the king, and no, not since the Greyjoy Rebellion," Ned said, staring at Harry.
"I see," Harry said, thinking that was for the best. The ominous scene of the dead direwolf and stag was still on his mind.
Harry said goodbye to his parents and quickly escaped from his father's solar. He hoped they would come up, but he didn't think they would, so they couldn't blame him for not telling them that there was a dragon in the castle.
Thinking about his child, Harry finally walked to the guest tower, where he thought Barbrey would be.
To his surprise, she wasn't actually there.
Returning to the castle, he looked for Vayon and asked him about her. It was then that he learned that Barbrey was staying in one of the main rooms.
Thanking him, he quickly made his way to the room Vayon had indicated and, since he wasn't in the habit of knocking on doors in his own home, entered without asking.
He once again found himself facing Barbrey, who looked much better than the last time they had seen each other.
Her black hair was still just as silky, falling to the sides and revealing her forehead.
Her usual proud, noble bearing had diminished a little, but her gaze still held that innate arrogance.
"Harry," Barbrey said with a slight smile, unsurprised by his arrival. She had clearly already heard the news.
"You look well," Harry said, looking at her face before lowering his gaze to her breasts, which had grown considerably, as had her belly.
"I've been feeling well," Barbrey said casually.
Harry closed the door before walking over to her, dropping to one knee and reaching out toward her abdomen.
He didn't analyze her or try to explore anything. He simply touched and caressed her abdomen, feeling an inexplicable emotion in his chest.
The cold decision he had made back then had become something he couldn't ignore.
"I'm sorry I came without telling you. Technically, I broke our agreement. Your mother looked at me as if she'd seen a ghost," Barbrey said, looking at him.
"It's fine, I don't mind. It's safer, and that's all that matters," Harry said, shaking his head as he sat beside her.
"How magnanimous of you," Barbrey said with a small laugh as she looked into his eyes.
"How has your pregnancy been?" Harry asked with a slight smile.
"It's a little uncomfortable. I haven't been able to sleep on my stomach, ride, or drink," Barbrey said with a sigh.
"It seems there isn't much longer to go. How much longer do they think it'll be?" Harry asked.
"About a month," Barbrey said with a slight smile as she gently rubbed her abdomen.
"And you? How was your trip?" Barbrey asked, looking at him.
"It was fine, but spending so much time on a ship is really exhausting. I brought you some gifts. I don't know if this little one is a girl or a boy, so I didn't bring them anything," Harry said as he continued gently caressing her abdomen.
"What would you like them to be?" Barbrey asked curiously.
"A boy or a girl, either is fine," Harry said, shaking his head.
Barbrey simply laughed softly.
"They say it hurts a lot," Barbrey said, looking at Harry.
She wondered if there was a potion that could make things easier.
She had done her homework and had researched pregnancy and childbirth extensively.
Honestly, some of the things that were described were truly grotesque, so she felt quite nervous.
"Don't worry, I'll give you a potion. It'll be much less painful, and I'll keep an eye on you in case you need my help," Harry said, taking her hand to reassure her.
Barbrey lowered her gaze to Harry's large hand holding hers before looking back into his eyes.
"Hmm, thank you," Barbrey said, nodding as her eyes grew a little red.
"Is Lady Dustin going to cry?" Harry said, looking at her with a smile.
"Idiot, I'm a pregnant woman. Besides, I'm not crying," Barbrey said as some of her usual sharpness returned to her gaze and she glared at him.
Harry chuckled at the sight of that familiar face. Remembering the first time they had met, he couldn't help but feel amused.
"In the blink of an eye, eight months have passed since I went to Barrowtown," Harry said, shaking his head.
"Have you ever regretted it?" Barbrey asked, looking at him as she casually played with a strand of her hair.
"Who knows?" Harry said, giving her a smile that Barbrey found very annoying.
"If you regret it, you deserve it. That's what you get for pestering me to go to Winterfell. You didn't just leave your seed behind, you left your reputation behind as well," Barbrey said mockingly.
When news of her pregnancy became known, it wasn't difficult for some people to put the pieces together, especially since Harry had visited her a couple of times after that first visit.
The rumors had already gotten most of it right.
"Look who's talking. If we're talking about reputation, you're the woman who shamelessly seduced the future Lord Stark," Harry said with a small laugh.
"The other women will only be envious. Their insults would be like music to my ears. Unfortunately, none of them dare say anything to my face," Barbrey said with an arrogant smile.
"So you're a lucky woman?" Harry said with a half-smile.
A little embarrassed, she couldn't help but extend her foot and give Harry a gentle kick in his firm abdomen.
"I'll take that as a yes," Harry said, laughing.
"Who's taking care of your lands while you're here?" Harry asked, changing the subject.
"A cousin. I told her that if the accounts didn't add up when I returned, I'd shave her head and make her parade through every town in the North with her name written on a sign around her neck."
"Let's see if she can ever get married," Barbrey said disdainfully.
Harry let out a small laugh. That really was her style.
"Forget it, let's not talk about that," Barbrey said as she placed her hands on Harry's shoulders and straddled him.
"Hey, it's been quite a while. How about sleeping with me tonight?" Barbrey said, giving him a heated look.
Harry immediately knew what she meant and couldn't help feeling tempted. He had never been with a pregnant woman like that before.
Barbrey saw Harry looking at her breasts and, feeling his hands on her buttocks, let out a small laugh before kissing him.
Just as things were starting to get exciting, the bedroom door opened, causing both of them to freeze.
Barbrey and Harry's annoyed gazes immediately settled on a woman who was looking at them in surprise.
"Lis, you really have terrible timing," Barbrey said with a sigh while mentally blaming Harry for not locking the door.
Climbing off Harry's lap, Barbrey leaned back on the couch, still feeling a little hot.
"I'll come back later. I have a few things to take care of," Harry said, looking at Barbrey.
"Don't take too long," Barbrey said, nodding.
Harry chuckled, gently pinching her thigh before standing up and leaving.
"My Lady, you shouldn't do that kind of thing while you're pregnant. If necessary, I could help you," the woman said, looking at her.
"Lis, don't be annoying," Barbrey said, rolling her eyes.
Harry left the room and quickly climbed the stairs to his room.
He wasn't too surprised to see Sansa, Arya, and Bran inside.
How patient could they possibly be when gifts were involved?
The three of them seemed to be huddled beside the bed, looking at the little dragon, who was still sleeping.
Val didn't seem to be anywhere around. For a moment, Harry wondered where she had gone.
Harry suddenly smiled before slamming the door shut, amused when he noticed them jump in fright.
Their cries of complaint came immediately, making Harry burst out laughing.
"Brother, what is that?" Arya asked, quickly running toward him and grabbing his shirt.
"It's a dragon," Bran said immediately.
"Idiot, dragons don't exist anymore," Sansa said firmly.
"Sorry, sweetheart, but it actually is a baby dragon," Harry said, stroking Sansa's head, which immediately made her blush.
Arya and Bran immediately gave Sansa smug looks.
"But you have to remember that it's a secret, and you can't talk about this with anyone. Not Mother or Father, not even among yourselves when you're outside my room, although you can come see it whenever you want," Harry said, giving them a more serious look.
Seeing their brother with that expression, the three of them nodded seriously.
"Good, then I'll give you your gifts. Sansa, come here," Harry said, approaching a table where he had left the things.
Sansa immediately brightened up as she happily approached.
The three of them had already seen the objects on the table and were eager to receive them.
Harry handed her a couple of dresses and several Valyrian steel necklaces and earrings that had been found in the bank. It had to be said that the ancient Valyrians didn't seem to consider Valyrian steel as scarce as it was considered now.
Sansa immediately hugged the dresses and jewelry happily before kissing Harry on the cheek and running downstairs to try them on.
"Arya," Harry said, calling his sister, who approached with a mischievous expression before hugging him affectionately, her large eyes meeting his.
Chuckling at her affectionate behavior, he picked up the Valyrian steel dagger, which was sheathed in a delicate, intricately decorated scabbard.
Arya's eyes immediately fixed on the dagger, completely ignoring the dresses lying beside it.
"Arya, you must be very careful with this dagger because it's incredibly sharp," Harry said, drawing it from its sheath and showing her the perfectly polished blade, which almost looked like a mirror.
He extended his finger and barely touched the tip of the blade. A small drop of blood immediately appeared and began to grow.
Arya's eyes widened in surprise as she watched the blood appear from such a light touch. She wondered what kinds of things she could cut with it.
"This isn't a toy, Arya. Until you're older, it's just for decoration. You can take it out and admire it, but don't try cutting anything with it. If I find out you've been irresponsible, I'll take it away from you. Are we clear?" Harry said, trying to hold back a smile at his sister's excitement.
Arya's excitement faded slightly at the restriction, but she still nodded repeatedly, unable to take her eyes off the beautiful dagger.
"Here," Harry said, sheathing the dagger before handing it to her. Seeing how she almost dropped the dresses on the floor, he couldn't help smiling.
Arya happily hugged her gifts as she quickly ran to her room. She had to put the dagger away before her mother saw it.
Harry then looked at Bran, smiled, and gestured for him to come closer.
"You're getting a little old for toys, but you don't seem to like weapons very much, do you?" Harry said, looking at his little brother.
"I'm not as good as Arya at that," Bran said, shaking his head.
"It's not about whether you're good at it. It's about whether you like it. As long as you like it, you just have to put in the effort. I'll help you get there," Harry said with a smile.
"I brought you clothes, shoes, and these leather gloves I bought in Pentos. They're made from wyvern hide. Wyverns are creatures similar to dragons, but smaller and unable to breathe fire."
"I know you like climbing. With these, you'll have a better grip so you don't have any accidents," Harry said with a smile as he ruffled Bran's messy hair.
"Thank you, Brother," Bran said with a smile as he put on the gloves, opening and closing his fingers as he watched the scaly hide move.
"I really like them," Bran said with a smile before hugging Harry.
"Be careful going down the stairs," Harry said with a smile as he watched him leave.
Looking at his bed, occupied by the pup and the little dragon, Harry took five potions and tucked them into his clothes before heading down to Val's room to see if she was there.
He found her in front of the mirror as she braided her long hair. Their eyes met in the mirror, and they both smiled at each other.
"I heard Lady Dustin arrived at Winterfell with a big belly," Val said, unable to hold it in any longer. She hadn't said anything before because Daenerys had been present.
"Do I hear a complaint? You could be the child's second mother. Technically, without you, it wouldn't have been born," Harry said, rolling his eyes.
"I wasn't in bed with her," Val said with a half-smile.
"Do you want me to guess what you were doing while I was in bed with Barbrey?" Harry said with a smile.
Val simply gave him an unimpressed look before finishing the braid, standing up, and wrapping her arms around Harry's neck.
Harry wrapped his arms around her waist with a smile as he rubbed his cheek against hers. Her mint scent was fresher than ever.
"One day we should go see how your people are doing, just you and me. Maybe make some memories beside a tree?" Harry said with a smile.
Val let out a small laugh as she gave a little jump and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"I think right now I want to make some memories against the wall," Val said, kissing Harry's cheek.
Harry smiled before kissing her lips, his hands moving down to her buttocks to hold her as he pushed her back against the wall somewhat roughly.
Her cold blue eyes stared directly at him without flinching. Harry simply loved looking at them.
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