An Unexpected Message

Jon was having a great time conversing with his friends and family. He knew he had missed their company but it wasn't until he was actually welcomed back into their hall that he realized how much. Eventually, the appetizers gave way to bigger portions and conversations dialed down a bit while people focused on their food, though his followers and he received questions every now and then. Especially Lyra Mormont, who sat next to Arya and kept getting grilled over her time with her brother.

He sighed in contentment. It was good to be home.

Suddenly, however, he felt his mind's eye picture a blinking image that he recognized, and then his actual eyes widened.

It was one of the several glass candles he had claimed, which allowed the people he entrusted them with to send messages directly into his mind from very far away; sometimes even half a world away. The Valyrians Dragonlords and their sworn sorcerers had jealously guarded the secrets that allowed them to produce such means of fast communications, which is why most thought the knowledge to make them work perished with their civilization during the Doom of Valyria. And it did, for the most part. Thing is, he had access to...unusual magical help. Thanks to it, he was able to figure out the secret.

Only Jon's most important, capable, and trusted followers carried his glass candles, and even then, he made sure they were mostly spread across the various buildings he owned from Essos to the Summer Islands. Specifically, in the regional centers of his growing trading network, aside from a few highly places spies he had turned to his side with his Written Ownership powers and now reported valuable information to him from the major cities of Westeros. But that wasn't the glass candle from any of his known properties in the Free Cities or from the Summer Sea...it was the glass candle from his secret stronghold deep within the Ruins of Old Valyria.

That meant he needed to answer immediately. So, he caught Lyra's attention and pointed at his head with an urgent expression: his signal to her to draw attention to herself while he had a telepathic conversation with one of his trusted servants. Her eyes widened slightly but she nodded immediately.

"So, who wants to hear the tale about how we smashed a horde of Dothraki while working with the Second Sons Mercenary Company?" She asked loudly.

Once heads turned to her direction, Jon refilled his ale and made a show of sipping it slowly.

"What is it, Yna?" He asked with his mind. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon after your last shipment. Thanks again for the discovery, though. I will be able to put it to good use soon, I am sure."

"I am pleased to hear that, Master," She replied in a proud tone through their mental connection. "And I am sorry for bothering you but the Dragon Dreamer had another vision and this time, it involved you and your family."

Jon frowned. It had been a while since one of her visions included him, never mind his family.

"I am listening," He thought out to her.

"She said that she foresaw that your brother Bran could be in great peril tomorrow, should he stumble into a royal secret he wasn't seeking out or supposed to see. In her vision, she claimed they were surprised by his sudden appearance and that, and I am quoting her here, the "Golden Lions would ferociously defend their secret if pushed."

Jon narrowed his eyes while he drank the ale, his thoughts darkening as he quickly calculated the symbolic aspects of the vision.

"Then it seems I must keep my brother away from the Lannisters for a time tomorrow," He mentally remarked. "At least long enough for that potential future to be averted. And fortunately, I know just what to do to ensure the Lannisters are focused on something else. Thank you for the warning."

Then he paused for a moment, before deciding he might as well ask. "How goes your search for the Temple of Dominance?"

"We have already finished searching what's left of the ruins of the Valyrian city of Rhyos," Yna replied. "We did claim some additional objects that survived the Doom which we believe will be worth your attention, Master. It was as you said, as long as we took our time, were careful, and applied your magical instructions to secure our defense, the dangers that have endured in the wake of the fiery cataclysm have left us alone. But so far, we have been unable to uncover a trace of the Great Temple of Meraxes. We have to contemplate the possibility not even its ruins may have survived the Doom."

"I trust those visions," Jon repeated, remembering the time where the Valyrian God of Dominance and Ownership appeared to him briefly. "Don't risk your lives too much but keep looking because I know you will find it eventually. And I need to find more answers about the nature of the powers I hold that was granted by this barely worshiped, nearly forgotten god."

"Your will be done, Master," The Blood Magic sorceress said just as he sensed devotion coming from her mind. "As soon as we know more, we will let you know."

"Good, and...do me a favor will you," He added. "Tell the Dragon Dreamer that I miss her but that I can sense that her time is coming soon. I don't know all the details yet but one way or another, the preparations are nearly ready. I can feel it."

"I will let her know, Master." She replied. "Please be safe."

"I will do my best," Captain Snow responded. "And likewise."

Just like that the mental connection broke and he started to actually hear part of Lyra's retelling of the battle.

"...and, due to Captain Snow's secret weapon, the Horse Lords fleed after their charge meet his unexpected plan, their horses panicking as well," The islander explained.

That's when pretty much everyone from the Stark Household turned to look at him.

"What secret weapon?" Arya asked, clearly curious.

Jon smiled at the impeccable timing. "You will see. I actually have it waiting outside, a fair distance from the walls of Winterfell with a few of my remaining followers guarding it. I thought it would be best to show it to you after lunch. You know, once the shock of my return had passed."

Ned Stark frowned at that. "And is it safe to keep such a secret weapon under light guard away from the walls?"

Jon chuckled. "Safe enough. We can head out to see it for ourselves as soon as we are done if you like. I have a feeling you will find it...legendary," He added with a grin.

"Oh, now I really want to watch it," His little sister declared.

Before the Lord of Winterfell could respond, however, the doors of the Great Hall opened again and Jon turned, wondering if Sansa had arrived with her gift.

A/N: It seems like the plot is thickening with the mysteries shown here, eh? And yeah, Glass Candles are book objects capable of performing those telepathic feats of magic if you know how to use them and there is enough ambient magic in the world at the time, of which there was since near the end of year 298 AC, shortly before Jon left the North because that was when Daenerys Targaryen managed to hatch her 3 dragon eggs and that did wonders to fuel the magic of the world, if the books and show are of any indication. More on what Dany has been up to in this alternate timeline later. After all, her dragons would be approaching Season 7-8 sizes by now.

Anyway, I welcome any speculation or theory-crafting about the topics in the comment section but regardless, thanks for the support so far guys! Very much appreciated.