#( prelude ; a rift between siblings )

[fushichoumomo-arch]

"I don't know who you are anymore." Toshiro when he sees Momo with Aizen in the big reveal in C46 living quarters.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 , 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑 , 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐌 , 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓    ━━   paying no mind to the decaying bodies around her , nor to her MASTER and the snake next to him , for her choice had already been made . 

❝ Don't you , or were you simply not paying attention ? ❞  she retorted ; there was something harsh in the way she spoke , something cold and menacing . 

❝ Because I assure you ------ my loyalty is far from the only thing you're clueless about . ❞

[fushichoumomo-arch]

❝ 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓��𝐑 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 . ❞    ━━    affirmed the Lieutenant resolutely , her eyes shining with zeal and determination , fists curling and shaking .  ❝ I always knew something was OFF here , from the start . The plot itself , was … insidious , yes … but Lord Aizen didn't make it difficult to figure out … for those of us with EYES TO SEE . ❞

The cold , harsh TRUTH remained , thus : everyone that went along with the faulty decree , was guilty of A FAR GREATER BETRAYAL .

This was something neither Tōshirō , nor any Captain , could refute . And for Momo , it was the LAST STRAW . She wanted to barf , she wanted to rant about it , now that her brother was finally , FINALLY beginning to see reason . 

❝ Lord Aizen may have given the order … but he had no power to make nearly everyone else go along with it . They did that entirely on their own .   [ … ]    They chose to throw away a comrade , put one of their prized nobles on the chopping block for a crime that wasn't even worthy of death … no , ANNIHILATION . ❞

Though she could not see it , Momo knew that Aizen must be SMILING behind her , now , for she had figured it out .

In hindsight , the whole plot was LAUGHABLE ; the fact that Kuchiki Rukia had faced a life-or-death situation , should ALONE have moved the Central 46 to leniency . Pleading her case , as Momo was certain that Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth had done , shouldn't have been necessary . The surrounding factors , ones that CAPTAIN AIZEN himself had voiced before his “death” , should , thus , have given everyone PAUSE . The esteemed Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were many things … yet STUPIDITY was not among those traits . 

So that only left two answers : misguided comformity … or MALICE .

❝ You're missing the point , Tōshirō . This isn't about whether or not I'd commit a crime … but about who would stop the sages from killing innocent people . Miss Kuchiki had her Captain on her side . I'm asking you … if it was me instead … who would advocate for me … ? And if it was you … who would move to stop them … ? ❞

Momo already knew the answer to that latter question . SHE WOULD RAISE HELL TO SAVE HER BROTHER . She didn't know how , but she would . Somehow . She HAD to .

The way he looked at her … the pain in his eyes , the uncertainty , the hesitation , the way he was grappling between his duty to her [ the way he assured her that he of all people could change the Soul Society , all by himself … FUTILE , and naive ] and his duty to the Court Guards … 

… Tōshirō was already SLIPPING AWAY FROM THEM . 

Momo gulped . He looked to her for GUIDANCE . And as his sister … guidance is what he'll receive from her .

❝ You can't serve two masters , brother , as can't I . If you raise your blade against me … then you're saying that the promise we made to each other means NOTHING to you , anymore .  [ … ]   And if I raise my blade against you … then I have FAILED , as an elder sister . ❞

This was the coup-de-grace . Gaze softened , voice quieted down to a whisper , for she could not be indignant as Tōshirō was looking to her for SAFETY . A child like him … never should have had to join the Court Guards . 

DAMN THEM ALL .

❝Not everyone. ❞

There were faint whispers the Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake were planning something ----- a rescue of Kuchiki surely. Ukitake in particular was a kind spirit and there was no way he'd let her be sentenced to death. However, his pleas fell upon deaf ears ----- went unheard by everyone.

❝The only reason Rukia was being executed is because AIzen ordered it so. Aizen wanted to KILL her to obtain the Sokyoku. Why do you not point your blade at your master? Or have you lost your reasoning and become his thoughtless lap dog, Hinamori? ❞

His inner world is fields of ice. As far as his eyes could see ----- ice stretched out endlessly. The bright blue sky vast. It felt as if that very sky, and those fields of ice might swallow his soul whole and envelop hm. Hyorinmaru's voice echoed, reverberates throughout his entire being. His voice, his decision to lend Toshiro strength stands. Toshiro was the mast of that world Afterall ---- a winterscape, unnatural, just like his silver - white hair and blue-green eyes.

His breath appearing like soft whisps of air before him. The cold caressing his very being like an old friend. However, he didn't want to answer her question or draw his blade against his elder sister.

The sting of her question cutting deep, momentarily shaking his resolve. His reitsu wavers but regains its strength.

❝You'd never commit a crime. We both know you'd never do anything to get yourself executed -----❞ He paused. ❝--------Not until now. You realize you will be put to death if you go through with this. ❞

His hand falls from Hyorinmaru. Lands at his side. ❝You don't have to leave to change things. I'm a captain now. I can change things for us both right here. Besides, this mess would've never happened if AIzen never slaughtered all of Central 46 and issued orders in their place. He's the reason Kuchiki was sentenced to death and even you must acknowledge how messed up that is all to obtain that Hogyoku. ❞

Still, even he must admit she's right. No one questioned it and that is why AIzen got away with it for so long. His hands ball into fists as he considered the ugly truth of the matter. Still . . .

He was a captain. If he turned a blind eye to Momo, he'd be considered an accomplice as well, wouldn't he? He has to stop her here but drawing a blade against her meant breaking their promise to protect each other.

The blood of his sibling trumped that of his station.

A look of uncertainty settled upon the younger sibling's face. For all his prodigy, for his captaincy . . . he was a child. He eventually gazed up towards her just like he'd done all those years ago when she used to ruffle his hair and call him ❛Shiro-chan.❜

❝Do you understand the position you've put me in? I'm duty bound to capture or kill you and my promise to protect you goes against that very order. ❞

[forgottenroderick]

The Boy King: A Prelude

excerpt from GOD'S OWN CHAMPION by Dr. K. Aa, a stunning new biography of Roderick the Terrible, himself. Armed with the recent discovery of a trove of letters sent to and from the emperor's court during his fabled reign, Dr. K. Aa has published her much-awaited new biography on the most controversial emperor in Astairan history. Available wherever books are sold. Preorder your copy, today!

EDUCATING AN EMPEROR

roderick's early life, in terms of the history annals, would appear to be a relatively quiet affair in which a little-known second son received a sterling education. in the years to come, there would be much speculation about roderick's childhood, with some historians claiming that he was undoubtedly his father's favorite -- how else could the boy have emerged w such confidence as to topple so many nations? others would cite quiet determination as his mindset -- a humble beginning overshadowed by the spectacular future, but fewer would be those few who would hit upon the truth.

the records of roderick's elder brother were detailed, drenched with near-obsessive care for a father whose favoritism would prove extreme. For this firstborn son, the finest tutors in the world were shipped from across the continent to instruct the young prince, his tutelage ranging from warcraft to statescraft, with individual scholars cultivated to instruct him in philosophy, science, alchemy, falconry, oratory, art, history, and every other pursuit a young royal might anticipate. what is less sure is the education of the heir apparent's younger brothers. did they, too, benefit from the scholastic training heaped upon their elder brother and, even, upon their elder sister?

a recent cachet of letters gives us, perhaps, a touch of insight upon the question. dated from the early part of her reign, roderick's second of many queens writes the following to her brother, godfrey of hanthom. "...and when i asked my husband whether he should suffer one man to give instruction to both his sons, when the time came for edmund and arthur to be educated, he replied that any crafty man may learn from his brother's tutors, if he cares so to do..." while the document is fragmentary, this retort does give some insight into the mind of the emperor. it seems he had already thought carefully about mining a brother's instructors for information, suggesting he may have gleaned something from his own experience of the kind.

nonetheless, the question cannot at present be known for certainty. what is certainly fact, however, is that roderick's own education, while certainly planned to be much the inferior to his brother's, was quite well attended as well, with roderick's tutors (though of less quality), instructing him on a similar variety of subjects.

this very early matter of education is the first openly observable rift between the two families of roderick's father, for it was not only lines of gender, as might be persumed by the culture in which roderick was raised, that lesser tutors were engaged: it was upon the matter of mother, for roderick and alaric were born to the old king's second wife. yet, for all the care put into his half-siblings' studies, the truth is that the surviving children of the original dynasty were all gotten on the king's second queen.

...

A KINGLY FATHER

there has been much speculation upon the relationship of roderick with his father, but with the recent discovery of his body and the CT scans run over it, it seems many of the tales -- long relegated to the status of mere myth by scholas -- may indeed be true.

most readers will already be familiar with the colorful tale of the king beating his young son half to death, each blow bloodying the child till, at last, the horrified monarch gathered his comatose boy in his arms, shrieking and wailing for what he had done. most scholars have been quick to dismiss the lurid tale as nothing more than propaganda meant to drum up some scientific explanation for the horror that would follow -- yet, it may prove just that. according to the story, the boy was comatose for three days and, when he at last awakened, was never quite the same afterwards.

his remains indicate that this may, in fact, be true, his skull itself wearing the marks of his trauma. says dr. bonespert, "There is very clear evidence of brain and skull trauma from a very young age written here in the bones, badly healed over fractures showing damage to a growing child. did the king truly knock down his own child and bash his head repeatedly against the marble floor till it ran red with blood and he wept his remorse over the boy, like the stories say? who can really know? but something terrible did happen to this person in his teen years: its right here in his bones. that much we can see for certain."

THE FIRST ASSASSINS

there is another story, as well, that might perhaps account for roderick's childhood injury, though source materials say that he was in his twenties at the time, already king and beginning his bid for empire. according to sources, roderick stood before a cheering crowd, arm raised as he made a speech upon the glory of empire. writers of the time note how his eyes shone, his voice booming with certitude: this, they said, was the very image of a king in his prime.

all, however, did not agree, it would seem, for one amongst the crowd leapt upon a ledge with bow and arrow and shot at the young king. for a moment, the writer notes in horror, the young ruler stood staring at his attacker before raising his arm and pointing one finger towards him even as blood coating roderick's whole side. "he looked an angry god," writes the witness. "and next he looked nothing at all." next thing anyone knew, the king stumbled back, collapsing from the parapet. the would-be assassin was signed and hanged, drawn, and quartered for his transgression, with the ailing young king rising from his bed to witness the execution. this was to be only the second of a series of assassination attempts, with the king's -- soon to be emperor's -- ferocity only growing with each attempt.

the first assassination attempt against his own person (as opposed to one of the many poisoning schemes perpetrated in his view against his father) was, in fact, a more intimate affair. it was roderick's first campaign following his father's death, a hard-fought war against roderick's late stepmother's home nation of antilla*, almost immediately following the death of his father. roderick, himself, had gone to the front with his first wife and future empress where they stayed in a tent together. one night, an agent tore inside, threatening roderick with a with a scimitar. fortunately for roderick, he kept a knife beneath his pillow and was awakened by his wife's scream just in time. the two men fought with roderick ultimately defeating his opponent and slaying him on the spot, but not before the assassin slashed roderick across the chest.

according to legend, realizing that the assassin's blade had been poisoned, his queen quickly sucked the wound clean and spat out the poison, saving his life, only -- the legend nearly always states -- for his neglect of her ultimately to doom her mere years later. had she doomed the rest of the world in saving his life?

but whether any of this is so cannot be said: his bones bear scars enough but where each might have originated cannot be said...

----

*placeholder name

[wildwoodmage]

Starlight Symphony - Deity AU Part I

Prelude. The tale of the Queen and King of the gods, their endless war, and the newborn Earth that hangs in the balance.

I meant to briefly summarize the lore of this universe. It turned into a fic. Since this whole story is centered around religious themes, I feel the need to add a disclaimer: this is not meant to be an exact analogy for my beliefs concerning religion and morality. Obviously my beliefs will have a substantial influence, but my first goal is not to write a parable or a fable, but a compelling fantasy. Some things are a commentary on religion and human nature, some things are just for fun. Even I don’t know which is which. Enjoy!

Tags: Sally/Scourge (it’s complicated), fantasy, religion, creation myth

The story begins with the Queen and King. Immortals tend to be born in pairs, siblings, lovers, or enemies; equals in power and force of will. All that is good in the universe arises from balance between these pairs. The firstborn, ancient as atoms and stardust, are the Queen and King. Sally, the Goddess of Order, draws power from physics and foresight; every chemical reaction in the newborn universe an intricate dance, familiar to those who know the steps. Scourge, the God of Chaos, draws power from supernovas and entropy; the breathless expansion of matter toward infinity, the steady march toward inevitable decay. Equal only to each other, their first and greatest desire is to reign unchallenged over the heavens.

The possibility that one could permanently defeat the other is unlikely. The fact that either would be miserable without the other is irrelevant. In the recklessness of youth they stopped at nothing in their crusade to destroy their enemy. Their battles laid waste to time and space. The universe, destroyed and recreated in glorious displays of power and rage, wears scars to this day--so the story goes (sages whisper of rifts at the edges of infinity where the brave or foolish might venture into a realm beyond even the reach of the gods).

While their rivalry will never end, time and wisdom soothed their fury. Hatred was tempered by grudging respect, which in time would resemble love. Love, like many of humans’ noblest desires, is expressed differently by a god than a mortal. While Sally and even Scourge would grow to admire the love of humans, it does not come naturally to them, and it will take some time for them to understand it. In the early morning of the universe, the Queen and King learned that endless destruction would serve neither of them. There was no official truce, no agreement made, but nevertheless their conversations turned toward cooperation, then creation. They could fill the universe with life that would grow and change. Instead of the Queen and King’s duet, a chorus would resound until the stars winked out and all fell into silence.

Sally hung a tapestry of stars, weaving constellations into a map that could mark distance and time to those who only knew how to read it. Around her most beloved star, she set planets in orbit. Nine planets, all unique, all designed with care by the ancestor of artisans. The third planet was her masterpiece, the first note in the chorus. Bathed in the light of the sun, cloaked by the sky, the Earth would serve as the cradle of life.

Scourge would not allow Sally to have sole dominion over this grand chorus. He too blessed the newborn Earth. The first gift was luck, the promise that no living creature was immune to twists of chance. The inhabitants of Earth, although at the time no more than a cluster of cells, would evolve in ways that not even the Queen could foresee. Scourge bestowed upon these future creations heroes, those whose force of will could change fate. And through each atom he wove magic, such that those who learned its secrets could defy even the laws of physics.

The Queen and King, their powers combined, also created something that they did not expect. On Earth, a soul was born; simple, weak, but echoing across the heavens. And it was not the last. Rivers and stones and green leaves took on new life, docile but as real as the gods. New gods were born from stars and mountains and trees, crying out to the Firstborn to be acknowledged and celebrated. Gods and spirits and wild beasts multiplied and flourished, adding their own melodies to the chorus. Earth was a beacon of song in a quiet universe, and even the Queen and King could spend an eternity listening to the strange, wondrous hymn.

Ages passed, marked by Earth’s dance in the dark. She and her siblings chased the sun through space. A soul cried out, daring the gods not to hear it. A human stood with feet planted on rich black soil, a torch chasing away the night, and the universe listened to a new melody.

[him-e]

Sansa and Ned, kingmakers

x, x

It’s been often discussed how Sansa and Ned share some character traits and how their storylines have common points (Littlefinger being a mutual false ally, the Vale, etc). But with season 6, everything clicked into place, at least for me. I know many viewers were frustrated that Jon was made king instead of Sansa, and while I think it would have worked MUCH better if the writers had kept Robb’s will in the story, I would make the opposite argument—that it was a good writing decision, as it highlights Sansa’s political trajectory as a mirror to Ned’s. Because, like Ned before her, it isn’t in Sansa’s cards (at least at this stage) to be a queen, but to ride at a king’s side, and be, at least in part, the architect of his success. (warning: spoilers for season 7)

(pictured: Ned and Sansa smiling affectionately at their bffs)

to begin with, there are a few narrative parallels between Robert’s rebellion and Jon&Sansa’s /Reconquest of Winterfell/.

both are a reaction to a violent, sadistic tyrant;

both were sparked by an explicit threat to the rebels’ right to exist: Aerys wanted Ned and Robert’s heads, Ramsay more or less threatened to rape, torture and kill everyone with the Pink Letter;

both are in response/connected to unforgivable crimes committed against the blood of Winterfell (Rickon is Brandon, the trueborn heir horribly executed, but he’s also Lyanna, the captive Stark, the other catalyst of the war, dying tragically in front of her brother who came to her too late);

both wars end with a bittersweet victory, tainted by the burial of (a) beloved sibling(s);

the prelude to both is a… complicated journey back to Winterfell that begins in the Vale. In Sansa’s case, it happens long before the wheels of the war are set in motion; in a sense it is what sets those wheels in motion (although I’m talking specifically about her arc in the show, I’m moderately confident that she will make that journey in the books too, and it might be an even closer parallel to Ned if she, as it’s often speculated, travels by boat from the Vale to White Harbor) 

Sansa’s saving the day with the knights of the Vale is reminiscent of the battle of the bells, where Ned came to Stoney Sept with a Stark/Tully/Arryn army (!!!) in time to save the wounded Robert and turn the tables against the royalists;

finally, both wars bookend the secret of Jon’s parentage: the end of Robert’s rebellion marked the beginning of Ned’s lie about Jon, the conclusion of the battle for Winterfell, with Jon being crowned king at Sansa’s side, heralds the end of the secret and the unveiling of the truth—clearly for the audience, and soon for the characters as well.

Father and daughter, in different times and circumstances, make the history of the seven kingdoms through a war that sees them as co-leaders and that ends with the extinction of an entire house and the rise of a new king. 

it’s interesting how Sansa’s position in the war mirrors and contrasts Ned’s. 

neither of them were supposed to raise the banners during their life. Ned as a second son, Sansa as a girl, they weren’t prepared to deal with this. But due to extreme circumstances and extreme violence perpetrated against them and their blood, they had no choice but take the survival of their home in their own hands.

not unlike Sansa with lord Glover & Lyanna Mormont, Ned was initially met with skepticism and had some trouble convincing people to jump on the rebel bandwagon.

they both have extremely high, personal stakes in this war (even more so for Sansa, who has directly experienced Ramsay’s sadism on her own skin). 

but they take almost a sidekick role, more or less implicitly pushing their partner forward as as they recognize the latter makes for a better “face” for the rebellion (Robert because he had an actual claim to the iron throne, Jon because he’s male and a relatively experienced commander)—it is Robert’s rebellion, much as it is the battle of the Bastards.

they’re at his side when he triumphs (Sansa literally, as she’s seated next to Jon during his crowning), but the victory is tainted by an opening rift between them. For Ned and Robert, it was the disagreement over the brutal murders of Elia’s children, for Jon and Sansa it’s a mix of mutual trust issues and Sansa’s growing resentment for being passed over; in both cases, what began as a closely-knit duo evolves into at least one person being severely disillusioned about the other (and we know that in Ned’s case the disillusionment re:Robert was never really resolved, but intensified when 15 years later he is named Hand).

unlike Ned towards the Iron Throne, however, Sansa has an interest and an actual claim for the seat of Winterfell (that she’s only partially and ambiguously aware of during the whole campaign), and Jon’s rise as King in the North happens at the expense of her own birthright being literally bypassed in front of her eyes. This makes the conflict between Jon and Sansa more layered, and possibly running deeper, than the one between Ned and Robert.

there’s a sibling or sibling-like relationship between both Ned and Robert (fostered together) and Jon and Sansa (raised as half-siblings). While Ned knew that Robert wasn’t his actual brother, seeing him in that sense was a deliberate choice of the heart. For Sansa, it’s almost the opposite: the reason she trusts Jon and is willing to ride at his side is largely because of a sibling bond they actually don’t share (though a family bond still stands, via Lyanna). Who knows if Sansa eventually comes to make Ned’s choice—prioritize nurture over nature and accept Jon as a brother despite not sharing any parent with him. It will be interesting to see how this evolves post r+l=j.

at some point, both Ned and Sansa end up doing something against the other person’s back and keeping a dangerous secret that could be perceived as a betrayal and does contain the seed for a potential threat to the other person’s rule. Ned secretly adopts the last natural son of Rhaegar Targaryen, passing him off as his own bastard. Sansa secretly asks for LF’s help, allowing him into Winterfell’s politics, with all his schemes and personal agendas (and we know LF will try to undermine Jon’s rule). Notice how we��re supposed to sympathize with Ned, but not with Sansa. Ned’s protecting his nephew, while it looks like Sansa’s motivation is either ambition or a lingering hostility towards Jon’s bastardy, neither of which seems particularly noble.

again sooo unlike Ned, Sansa is (seemingly) positioned as the ruthless one in dealing with the remnants of house Bolton AND those who didn’t support their cause despite being bound to house Stark by centuries of vassalage. See: “they can hang”, her execution of Ramsay—and even before that, in season 5, her possibly planting in Ramsay the idea of killing Roose, Walda and the newborn heir (I’m not saying that Sansa intentionally used Ramsay as a proxy to wipe out the entirety of house Bolton, but… yeah, it makes an interesting counterpoint to Ned’s righteous fury at the deaths of little Aegon and Rhaenys).

one of the reasons why Ned was frustrated with Robert at the end of the Rebellion is that Robert ignored his advice to send Jaime to the Night’s Watch as punishment for breaking his oath. Guess who’s also frustrated that the king doesn’t listen to her advice?

yeah.

NOTE: due to the purpose of this post, Jon takes Robert’s place in this Rebellion 2.0, but it goes without saying that’s merely a circumstantial parallel, as the two couldn’t be more dissimilar in personality. Of course, Jon is also = Ned in this scenario, as many of the things above also apply to him, see especially the /going to war against a tyrant who left him no choice and committed atrocities against his family/; also the whole parallel/contrast situation re: Lyanna and Sansa, with Ned rushing to save his sister who was dying inside a tower VS Jon watching his sister come to him after saving herself by jumping off a tower (and how both Sansa’s and Lyanna’s captivities were a major factor in the war, though in different ways). (there ARE some fascinating aspects to Sansa’s season 5 storyline, imo).

I’m not going into this in depth, but it would also be interesting to compare/contrast all the above with the other “kingship” experience in house Stark’s recent history, Robb/Cat. (note how Catelyn has a “breaking of trust” moment too, when she released Jaime behind Robb’s back.) I’ve often seen Sansa compared to Cat via their common role of counselors/supporters of the newly made king, and not without reason, given the deliberate similarities between the two king in the north scenes and the two storylines in general (they were pretty heavy-handed with the Cat/Sansa parallels throughout season 6). But while Catelyn’s role is more in line with a typical mentor figure, due to the generational gap and, well, Catelyn being Robb’s mother, Ned and Sansa are, respectively, Robert’s and Jon’s age peers. Their role is less of advisors and more of co-leaders. 

Catelyn generally took a socially-conscious sidelined role, and exerted her influence through soft power and private conversations, or as an envoy. Sansa’s role is more upfront. She marches at Jon’s side, not behind. She participates to parleys and war councils. She discusses military plans. She addresses their allies and bannermen directly, and personally demands fealty, even when Jon’s right at her side. She even shares with Jon the same cloak and Stark insignia, establishing the two of them as part of the same package. 

A package that she personally designed, btw.

(just a thought, does this make Dadvos the Jon Arryn of the situation? I bet it does.)

But here’s the problem: Sansa is a woman. She doesn’t physically lead her men to battle. She’s a leader, but not a military commander. This makes her political role in all of this harder to define, compared to the one Ned had in Robert’s Rebellion. Is Sansa a part of Jon’s retinue? A privileged advisor? Is she the equivalent of some, huh, queen consort, minus the consort part (I guess)? Is she Hand of the King? Is she Lady of Winterfell, implying that the two titles, lord of winterfell and king in the north, are now de facto distinct? And if so, is she Jon’s first vassal?

Or is she nothing but the king’s sister and the next one in line for succession (until Bran shows up)?

It’s all very blurry because it’s an unprecedented situation, at least in the North, and I think this confusion is at the root of a lot of the current tension between Jon and Sansa. It’s also why we see her in various stages of assertiveness throughout season 6: she is, herself, uncertain of her role, of what her prerogatives and boundaries are (see the war council pre-botb, in which she waits until everyone leaves to question Jon’s plans: it’s like, the more Jon grows into his role as military commander, the nearer the big battle gets, the more Sansa retreats to the shadows, painfully conscious that this is not her purview. The more anxious she gets, too). It’s clear that one of the main future challenges for Jon and Sansa as a team will be to sort out this confusion and define their respective roles.

in light of these parallels, what to expect from season 7?

It looks likely (and spoilers confirm) that Jon and Sansa will have to part ways, at least for a while. Like Robert and Ned at the end of the Rebellion, Jon has to consolidate his rule across the country and this will bring him South, to Dragonstone and King’s Landing, while Sansa stays in Winterfell, entrenched behind its walls, reluctant to ever leave it again, like Ned himself did for so long. But fast forward 15 years after the Rebellion, and you’ll see Ned in King’s Landing again, sitting on the Iron Throne in Robert’s stead, as Hand of the King, and that’s exactly what Sansa is going to do in Winterfell during Jon’s absence. This will be a great testing ground to exercise her political skills, but what I’m actually interested in is how she might—like her father before her—be involved in a mission to thwart a treasonous plot against the King, a plot that features Petyr Baelish in a prominent role. The person Ned trusted to help him expose Robert’s enemies, and who betrayed him. This person is now whispering in Sansa’s ear, earning her trust, making himself *indispensable* like he did with Ned in King’s Landing. This person is simultaneously one of the puppeteers behind the War of the Five Kings, orchestrated Ned’s execution by manipulating Joffrey behind the scenes, and is now trying to use Sansa to undermine Jon and take control of the North. This person has to be dealt with VERY carefully, because, not unlike the Lannisters in AGOT, he holds a good portion of the wealth and the military resources that allow Jon and Sansa to maintain their rule.

It’s time for Sansa to come full circle, by confronting and defeating her father’s nemesis and fix the ultimate wrong, the original wound** that split house Stark in several broken pieces and sent it on a downward spiral: Ned’s death. Where Ned failed—his begrudging trust in Littlefinger being the reason of his fall—his daughter, his legacy, will prevail, by virtue of knowing the enemy intimately enough to predict his strategy and use it against him. The Ned in Sansa has shrunk (a bit) to make room for something of Littlefinger’s, and that’s precisely why she’s going to win this battle.

** because it is the original wound, it makes sense that Sansa, despite being formally in charge, isn’t alone in this. That Arya and Bran will play a role in casting LF down. It will be a joint effort by all of Ned’s children to bring the end of the man who destroyed their father.

in conclusion:

season 6 has firmly convinced me of Sansa’s potential as a political agent, but not necessarily as a queen—a ruling lady of an important castle or region, or, even better, a /hand of the king/ type. She’s still learning, she’s made some obvious mistakes along the way, and the fact that her political training comes from Littlefinger whereas Ned’s came from Jon Arryn inevitably makes her approach to /power/ a bit different than Ned’s—a bit more on the *scheming* side, as it seems that Sansa is growing more and more confident with the Game, in a way Ned was never able to be. 

But that’s only for the better. 

[fushichoumomo-arch]

❝ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃-𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍 ... ? ❞ 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐘 .   ━━     ❝ You mean the one that just … bent over BACKWARDS to fulfil the decree , regardless of the fact that it went against EVERY practice in the Court Guards …? ❞ 

A crystalised layer of ice began to spread throughout the chamber , chill biting at Hinamori Momo's skin , burning the cells with Hyōrinmaru's bitter cold . IT HURT . It hurt so much . The tremor in her legs was proof that Tōshirō's [ or rather , Hyōrinmaru's ] affront could no longer be ignored .

She could not , would not , relent to her brother , here . Not because he was clearly the stronger of them … but because the path she was determined to follow , was THE RIGHT ONE .

AND INSIDE HER VERY BLADE , TOBIUME WEPT .

Momo could hear it … the weeping , gnashing of teeth of Tobiume , drowning out everything else in this room . How her inner world became one of FLAMES , ashes raining down from blood orange skies , burning down the lush flower fields the spirit in the likeness of the Goddess Benzaiten had cultivated . And at this rate … EVERYTHING would be gone . Flames spread , and burn , and DESTROY , even the bonds between SIBLINGS …

              … bonds that HITSUGAYA MOMO held most dear .

              … How was she supposed to face Granny , at this rate … ?

❝ You cling so much to your position , to the Soul Society    [ … ]    but would you be saying these same things … if I was the one being executed … ? ❞ 

Lashes downcast , she still refused to draw Tobiume , still opting to , rather , ENDURE Tōshirō's bitter cold .

Momo never wanted to have to ask Tōshirō this question ; because from the way he talked … she wouldn't know his answer . Of whether he would side with the Soul Society , over HIS OWN SISTER . Of whether he would allow his sister to be executed by the Sokyoku ; his sister , who had even LESS standing than a Kuchiki , one of the Four Great Noble Houses . 

❝ Everyone went along with executing a Kuchiki , under the pretext of UPHOLDING THE LAW … but what they really did … was throw away a comrade , knowing her soul will be destroyed . ❞ 

The way her words seem to bite into him ----- into his very soul. The sting of her calling him ❛Captain Hitsugaya ❜ burrows into his very bones. Her tone reminiscent of when she led the family. The way she would talk to him when he was upset at her leaving when he was younger ----- a brat in fact. Eventually he'd grown accustomed to her leaving for periods of time. That's why, he was not surprised when she left to become a shinigami. She'd come back to him ------- she always did.

His hand still rested 'pon Hyorinmaru He felt his reitsu, felt Hyorinmaru's will. He knew his zanpakuto was willing to fight, to put it all on the line ------ even against the phoenix despite the fact that both of them worked to keep balance upon the heavens. As long as Toshiro's will was firm, their powers could not fail.

❝I am a captain, and it is my duty to stop any threat to the Soul Society. ❞ He challenged her reasoning with his own. Finding it appalling that she'd throw away the career she worked so hard for for Aizen's delusions. Toshiro still believed that she was being lured in or tricked in some fashion by the man standing there, smiling behind her with that deceptive smile of his.

A thin layer of ice began to crystalize over the surface of everything in the chamber. He still held out hope that he would not need to draw his blade against his elder sister. However, the fury, the bite of winter was still in the air in response to his emotions. Further proof that he was [ blessed ] cursed by Hyorinmaru.

❝If you continue down this path, I may be unable to beg for your pardon from the Head Captain. ❞ But at this point, was that what she even wanted? Momo seemed committed to die for this cause.

❝If you do not see reason, we will have to cross swords, and I cannot guarantee your safety. ❞ Despite being a captain, there was a reason he always warned his subordinates to stay back. Even if he was a prodigy, he still had yet to fully learn to control his own powers. ❝I am giving you one last chance to come back to me, Hinamori. ❞

[fushichoumomo-arch]

𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐍 .   ━━     Momo flinched , her gaze darting at the Tenth Division Captain's hand , resting 'pon Hyōrinmaru ; his eyes shook with fury ; his teeth bared at his own flesh and blood . Momo chose not to draw Tobiume . Her lips tensed instead . 

Tōshirō did very little to rein in his massive reiatsu , his bitter cold biting at her skin . Momo struggled not to cower before such immense power [ a Captain's reiatsu was not something to trifle with ] , yet she knew , oh , she knew that Aizen was watching her like a HAWK . He stood right behind her , relinquishing the STAGE to her . And though he said nothing , the young woman could almost feel him lean close , whispering in her ear :    ❛ prove your worth , girl . ❜  

Whether such was truly his sentiment or merely extrapolated from her imagination … was impossible for her to know . 

❝ Stop and think . ❞ Momo commanded , her stern tone reminiscent of herself as family leader in bygone times , ❝ Lord Aizen's influence has nothing to do with my decision .      [ … ]       I have always done what benefits us both ; you of all people should know . ❞

[ She purposely omitted any mention of Ichimaru ; to her , he was simply irrelevant . ]

The elder sister narrowed her eyes ; her hands started to tremble  , partly from the icy atmosphere that has managed to overshadow the shocking revelation of Aizen playing the Court Guards like a fiddle , and partly from the terrible RAGE that was overtaking Hinamori Momo when considering the implications of it all . Scorching her lungs , scorching her bones , scorching her soul . Her breath burned white-hot , just like it did when her reiatsu had manifested itself for the very first time , back in the Rukon . 

❝ If you paid any attention and read between the lines of these … bizarre events ; you'd agree with me . Wholeheartedly , in fact . ❞

❝ The Seireitei … is a place COMPLETELY devoid of empathy . Have you become so attached to your position that you view any threat to the Court Guards as a threat to yourself , Captain Hitsugaya ? ❞ 

His hand is on Hyorinmaru. It's weight familiar 'pon his back. He grips it, feeling the presence of him. Cold. For the first time, Toshiro feels the cold. His reitsu raising and yet, he's never been phased by the chill in the air until now. A shiver spreads up his spine. Goosebumps 'pon his skin. His sister's gaze devoid of light making his skin crawl in unease.

Teal orbs shift from her to Aizen and Gin standing back. Smiling like snakes. Toshiro once more shivers ever so slightly. His hand grips the hilt of his zanpakuto once more, almost hard enough to bruise, to draw blood. Teeth grit together, fury behind those eyes upon hearing Momo's words.

❝I refuse to believe you'd ever consider such a thing. Aizen and Gin's influence must be the cause. I'll kill them both and wake you from this nightmare. ❞ His voice a low growl. His instinct to protect her driving him to such lengths. Ears deafened to the words Momo has hurled at him. He refused to believe this system he worked so hard in was crooked.

A system he never wanted to partake him. He never wanted to become a shinigami in the first place. Yet the alternative was to be sent to the MAGGOTS NEST instead. He had no choice. It was serve or kill everyone in their district and be thrown in prison even though he committed no crime.

His reitsu flares, spikes once more. ❝Hinamori, come back to my side now where you belong. You belong with me your brother. These two must answer for their crimes. I don't want to draw my sword against you. ❞

@fushichoumomo / continued from here.