Different Roads is an A Song of Ice and Fire fanfic written by Inks_Prophecy
. It can be read at Archive Of Our Own here.
Jon wakes up on the Wall after being revived by the Red Woman. The only conscious thought he has is for his little sister and the bastard who thought to claim what was actually HIS.
Arya is in Braavos, learning to be an assassin at the House of Black and White. After gaining back her eyes, the organization sends her to the Gate where she is to play the role of a mummer, only Mercy is quickly distracted by a visiting dignitary who Arya Stark recognizes as Raff the Sweetling. After taking care of that loose end from a girls past, she goes back to the Gate, only to hear two Westerosi men talking about the Lord Commander of the Nights Watch being murdered by his men. A girl must make a decision.
Daenerys was lost in the Dothraki Sea, her wayward dragon refuses to bring her back to Meereen. After wandering for days along the Skahazadhan, eating poisoned berries, and quite possibly miscarrying her lover; Daario’s, child. Dany and Drogon team up to hunt, after seeing a Dothraki scout nearby. What happens next, sends Daenerys backward, back toward her past so that she can move forward and embrace her destiny. A lone wolf howls, and his call carries across space and time, and Daenerys knows, it’s time to go West.
This fic provides examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Rickon calls Jon "Egg" since he has trouble saying Aegon.
- Asshole Victim:
- Khal Jhaqo and his Bloodrider, Mago. After Khal Drogo's death, and during the time Daenerys was unconscious from her rough birth, the two of them raped and murdered a girl that Daenerys was protecting, before riding off. Once Daenerys woke up and found out about this she swore to one day get revenge, which she finally gets by burning the two of them alive with Drogon.
- Walder Frey, one of the three men responsible for the Red Wedding, is forced to watch almost his entire family being murdered before having his throat slit by Arya Stark.
- Roose Bolton, another one of the three men responsible for the Red Wedding, along with actually being the one to murder Robb Stark, is both taunted and then murdered by Arya Stark after attempting to escape to the Dreadfort. Extra points for Arya stealing his face afterwards.
- Back from the Dead: Jon Snow is brought back to life by Melisandre after being dead for 3 days.
- Black Sheep: Gerold Dayne mentions how the Daynes of High Hermitage are treated as the black sheep of the family by the Daynes of Starfall: the main branch of House Dayne.
- Bodyguarding a Badass:
- Jaime Lannister swears himself as Arya Stark's sworn shield. The same Arya Stark who was training to be a Faceless Man, and easily wiped out almost the entire male line of House Frey in one night.
- Ser Gerold Dayne, A.K.A Darkstar, swears himself as Jon Snow's sworn sword just before the Battle for Winterfell. This is the same Jon Snow who controls an army of dragons.
- Continuation Fic: This story picks up where 'A Dance with Dragons' left off.
- Curb-Stomp Battle:
- The Battle for Meereen. I suppose with Daenerys having a dothraki horde numbering 75,000, 60 Ironborn ships, and 3 dragons we shouldn't expect anything else.
- The Battle for Winterfell. Jon and Arya have an army consisting of northerners, free folk, Skagossi, remnants of the Brotherhood without Banners, the Lannister army led by Jaime Lannister, a giant, a wolf pack numbering in the hundreds, and a dragon that has been around since before Aegon the Conqueror was even born. The Boltons have a small number of Bolton men-at-arms, and are surrounded by northern lords and ladies who despise them. I don't think I need to tell you which side won.
- Dragon Rider:
- Daenerys Targaryen rides Drogon.
- Jon Snow rides the Cannibal.
- The Dreaded: Doran Martell considers Gerold Dayne to be this due to him being one of the few people who know about Jon Snow being a Targaryen, which could derail Doran's plans to put Martell blood on the Iron Throne.
- Dual Wielding: During the battle at the Crofter's Village, Arya uses both Needle and Widow's Wail at the same time.
- Forceful Kiss: Gendry gives one to Arya. This however doesn't lead to any long lasting strife, and after a brief argument they go back to being on good terms.
- Malicious Slander: Contrary to popular belief, the Skagosi aren't actually cannibals.
- Meaningful Rename: After finding out his true identity, Jon Snow starts going by the name Aegon Targaryen; the name his mother chose for him.
- Mercy Kill: As there is no known cure for the Pale Mare, and the infected citizens of Meereen are dying slow and painful deaths, Daenerys burns them all with dragon fire, which kills them instantly.
- Secret Identity: Oh boy, there are a few.
- Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark and an unknown woman, is actually Aegon Targaryen, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.
- The wildling Val is actually Vallyria Targaryen, the daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, and the twin sister of Aegon Targaryen (Jon Snow). Not only that, but she was also briefly under the alias Allyria Dayne, who ran away from Dorne after being betrothed to Beric Dondarrion.
- Daenerys Targaryen is actually the daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, not Aerys and Rhaella Targaryen.
- The Faceless Man masquerading as Jaqen H'ghar is actually Rhaegar Targaryen, who after his defeat at the Trident, and Lyanna Stark's death decided to join the Faceless Men.
- Qhorin Halfhand was actually Ser Arthur Dayne.
- Mance Rayder is actually Ser Oswell Whent.
- Dalla, Val's sister, was actually Wylla: Jon and Val's nursemaid from Dorne.
- The Gravedigger at the Quiet Isle is actually Sandor Clegane - The Hound. After Arya left him for dead, he was found and healed by the Elder Brother of the Quiet Isle.
- The Chooser of the One:
- Melisandre now believes Jon Snow to be The Prince that was Promised.
- The majority of Red Priests/Priestesses in Essos believe Daenerys Targaryen to be Azor Ahai reborn.
