#I just don’t see her ever going on the same journey Arya did and surviving

[nymerias-heart]

I really do like what u wrote but I think like the biggest difference in how we see this au is that I wouldn’t change anything prior to Ned’s capture by the Lannisters. So, what the character knew/did before Roberts death shouldn’t change (in my opinion) cause then it kind of starts to feel a little like cheating, if that makes sense??.

So I wouldn’t include the conversation between Arya and Sansa, were sansa finds out about the secret passageways. Cause that’s not something she would know/could rely on when the guards come looking for the stark girls.

A lot of what u wrote for Sansa here, feels to me MORE like trying to get Sansa to the same points in the story that Arya went through and LESS if u switched the roles how would Sansa’s choices change the journey that Arya had to take, which is how I prefer to look at the au.

So, firstly, ur kind of ignoring just how blinded Sansa was in her love of Joffrey and Cersei and her belief in their goodness. As Cersei herself says here:

"The girl was wet with love. She would have done anything for Joffrey, until he cut off her father's head and called it mercy. That put an end to that."

Or from Sansa herself:

Their dreams were full of songs and stories, the way hers had been before Joffrey cut her father's head off. Sansa pitied them. Sansa envied them.

It took Joffrey ordering Eddards death to wake Sansa up, when Jaime killed Jory Cassell and the other stark men, Sansa separates his actions from those of House Lannister and Joffrey:

Sansa was certain her prince had no part in murdering Jory and those other poor men; that had been his wicked uncle, the Kingslayer. She knew her father was still angry about that, but it wasn't fair to blame Joff. That would be like blaming her for something that Arya had done.

So Sansa seeing the death of septa Mordane wouldn’t really change her opinion about the Lannisters in my opinion, instead I would see her going to Cersei or Joffrey to inform them of what the Lannister guards did, EDIT: I don’t believe any fear of the guards would stop her from going to Cersei and instead choosing to live in the streets hungry and alone, believing she could get justice for them this way and believing that Cersei and Joffrey were good and kind and different than the others.

I also again just really don’t like the inclusion of new scenes and events that didn’t happen in the original in the form of the Sansa and Ned talks. Instead I would have septa mordane survive or at least live longer and try to get Sansa to other septa’s and this be the way how she gets Sansa out of the keep, working as a sort of protecter of Sansa, taking the role that Yoren played with Arya.

Also I don’t believe yoren would ever have recognised Sansa ( he thought brown haired Arya was Ned’s son even though he already met Jon, meaning he didn’t know that the rest of the stark kids were blue eyed red heads) nor should Sansa be able to recognise him (they never met prior to Roberts death/ Ned’s failed plot to make stannis king) and she doesn’t have any reason to trust him (Arya initially fought yoren when he dragged her away and believed he was trying to kill her when he started to cut her hair off, why would Sansa who never even met him trust him?).

As someone else said in the comments, Sansa disguising as a septa is really the only disguise that I believe would work for Sansa with the knowledge she has (knowing the prayers and the songs of the faith of the seven). EDIT: so I would keep the septa disguise for Sansa and not have her go with the nightswatch. She could pass for a septa but I don’t believe Sansa could pull off disguising herself as a boy, even if yoren did cut off her hair and find her a boys outfit(he didn’t have to get Arya boys clothes cause what she was wearing already worked), even if she could pass off looking like a boy, could she act like one?

Arya always loved the small folk and treated them as she would any other person. She tried to deal with her grief from hers fathers death by taking it out on hot pie and beating him with a sword, she climbed trees and picked fruit and caught and killed rabbits, she grew up playing in the dirt and being messy, she was closer to her brothers than Sansa and could actually pass as a boy because of this.

Sansa on the other hand was raised to be a lady, perfect manners and speech, perfectly dressed in a gown and appropriate hairstyle. She never played in the mud or interacted with any small folk. So I agree with u that she could never have made friends with gendry, hot pie and Lommy the way Arya did. But even worse than that I don’t believe the other men travelling with yoren wouldn’t eventually figure out that she was a girl, especially if she was alone and didn’t make friends with the other boys. I don’t believe a hair cut is enough to convince anyone that Sansa ISN’T a highborn, noble girl. (Imagining a scene of sitting by the river trying to wash off the dirt and singing to herself and some man witnessing this: Arya who was believed to be a boy was threatened with rape, what would happen if they found out sansa was a girl? EDIT: dressing her as a boy puts her in more danger, Yoren probably beloved he could pull off the boy disguise with Arya because he himself initially assumed Arya was a boy when she was dressed liek one and was dirty.

We also see Sansa rewriting her memories to deal with trauma, if the gold cloaks came I could see Sansa revealing herself to them and begging them to take her back to Good Queen Cersei and her beloved betrothed Joffrey. If Sansa never made any friends on the road with the other boys, she would mostly be left with her own thoughts every single day and I could see her starting to doubt herself and convince herself that she must have been mistaken about Joffrey and the more she would see the horrors of the war, the more alone and unsafe she would feel and the more she would want to return to her closest family members: Arya and jeyne poole in kingslanding.

As for the rest: I don’t see Sansa ever getting to that part of Aryas journey in the way she did in ur version so I’m not really sure how she would act/behave or what choices she would make. Would Sansa be part of a travelling group of silent sisters/septa’s that someone who’s a part of e.g. septa mordane or another woman (it has to be a woman in order for Sansa to trust them, EDIT: men played a role as teachers and friends and protectors in Aryas story, where in sansas it was catelyn septa mordane, jeyne poole and Cersei (she does have sandor and Tyrion a but she never really trusts them and littlefinger comes later on) for Arya it was her brothers, father and syrio, mycah and gendry and yoren and then later lady Smallwood and other women start to come in a little bit. So I would like for Sansa to travel with a group of women, while Arya befriends male courtiers, to kind of keep this Trend going.

If Sansa was already with women she would trust why would she ever reveal herself to the brotherhood without banners? Also if she was recognised by harwin like Arya was, I don’t see a group of adults (Arya was travelling with other boys) allow the brotherhood to just take Sansa away from them? Especially if they believed they were on a religious mission (Sansa chose to abandon her nobility and dedicate her life to the seven).

Sorry if this is king of long and messy, hopefully it makes sense 😫. EDIT: I realised I missed some parts from the original post so I had to insert a few more parts.

Arya and Sansa storyswap: an exercise in imagination

Premise: I tried to speculate what might happen if Sansa manages to escape King's Landing and Arya gets stuck in the capital. I collected my thoughts on this scenario trying to make logical, credible choices that respected the characterization of the characters and the timeline of the books (the wiki was very usefull for this). I discarded all the scenarios that end in "…and then she dies horribly" because they're boring. I write with assumption that they would still remain POV characters and therefore mantain a minimum of plot armor. Like everyone, I have my biases so it's not perfect, but I tried to put myself in the most neutral mindset possible. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts. Part 2, Part 3

Part 1/3: Sansa

A Game of Thrones 

I believe Sansa's story would remain mostly the same until the end of Sansa III (AGOT). The only thing I feel like adding is an exchange with Arya. During breakfast Sansa notices Arya's bruises and her sister tells her about the secret passage with dragon skulls that she found, and how she got out of the Red Keep. Sansa clearly doesn't believe her and she thinks it's just Arya being weird.

At the end of Sansa III they receive the news that they will be leaving King's Landing soon, and she runs away crying and barricades herself in her room. In Sansa IV she is locked in Maegor's Holdfast and we find out that she went to Cersei to tell her about Ned's plan to leave. There's a narrative hole between these two chapters that can be exploited to make little changes. What happened that night after Sansa locked herself in her room? It has to be something that makes her change her mind about going to the queen or at least something that stops her from doing so. Personally I choose septa Mordane, you could expand her character and make her a little more similar to how she is in the show where she is shown genuinely loyal to House Stark.

The septa is present when Sansa escapes to her room so it's not unrealistic that she would decide to follow her. Sansa has been behaving "almost as wicked as Arya" lately so Mordane decides to follow her to lecture her or console her. Maybe she reaches her before she can barricade the door and make her see reason. Or perhaps seeing the girl so out of it she goes to Lord Eddard to talk, and she persuades him to talk again to his daughter and help her to calm down. Here you could write a scene parallel to the one in which Ned talks to Arya about Needle.

Sansa is not happy with her father's plans, and she begs him to go to the queen, to discuss this further and find another solution, to make her stay. To reassure her, Ned tells her that he already intends to go to Cersei (as he will do in Eddard XII), but he does not reveal the real reason why he wants to talk to her.

However he fears that the girl might take the initiative and do it herself. To be safe he assigns her a guard and ask him and the septa to prevent his daughter from interacting with Cersei before the departure. (I would like the guard to be Alyn but at this point he has already left for the Riverlands).

Cersei has less informations and when the moment of Ned's arrest arrives, Sansa is with her protectors that have already been warned to keep the Lannisters away from her. When the Lannister men arrive for her, the Stark guard slows them down and septa Mordane drags her away. First the two try to look for Ned, but they soon realize that the Tower of the Hand is under attack. The septa drags Sansa into the servants' quarters (into the kitchens? in the pantry?) idk.

The Septa shoves her in a dark niche, under a cupboard, throws a tablecloth over her and tells her to stay hidden. Mordane tries to think of a plan, but the Lannister men burst in. They recognize her as one of the Stark servants but when she does not provide useful information on the Stark girls they kill her. Sansa remains there all night, lying in the dust. She tries not to make any noise, she is terrified, and from her hiding place she can see the septa's corpse lying on the ground.

The first light of dawn comes in through a little window. Sansa tries to gather courage, she has to leave before the servants start working. The idea disgusts her, but she sees only one way to go unnoticed: she undresses Mordane, covers the silk dress with the septa's habit and hides the face with her veil. Then she wraps the woman in the tablecloth, as if it were a shroud and hides her in that same niche. She tries not to attract attention and find a way out. Sansa doesn't fully understand what happened, she would like to go to the queen or her father, but she is too afraid of the Lannister men after seeing them kill Mordane.

She hasn't eaten in a whole day so before leaving the kitchens she steals some food, like she did with Jeyne. The thought saddens her, who knows where her friend is? She hasn't seen her since she had breakfast with her and Arya. 'Arya...' Sansa remembers the secret passage her sister told her about and decides to try to reach it. With a little luck she makes it, no one pays attention to an anonymous septa. Thanks to the tunnel she manages to reach Flea Bottom.

Here she lives for a few days, trying to listen conversations to find out something about her father. Obv Sansa doesn't try to kill pigeons, she has to stoop to pilfering some food, and even eat trash. She mostly frequents the surroundings of the The Great Sept of Baelor and prays. She sings religious hymns and people take her for a begging septa and throw her some crumbs. One day the sept square fills with people, they are here for the execution of the traitor Eddard Stark. Sansa tries to climb up to not be crushed by the crowd. She sees her beloved Joffrey give the order! She screams, but her voice is drowned out by the noise.

The show is over, the people disperse again. She looks around desperately searching for something, she hopes for a friendly face. it is then that she recognizes a man dressed in black: it's Yoren. Sansa had seen him a few days earlier in the throne room, while he was asking father for men to recruit in the Night's Watch (in Sansa III). He's going away, but Sansa follows him. Now it's clear to her that King's Landing is no longer a safe place and this may be her only chance to return in the North, to home, to safety.

Yoren realizes he's being followed and try to scare her away. Sansa lifts her veil to show herself, she reveals her identity, She begs him to take her out of the city with him, she try to appeal to the ancient friendship between the Starks and the Night's Watch. Yoren looks at her face and recognizes a certain resemblance to Catelyn Stark. He chooses to believe her, so he cuts her hair, dresses her up as a boy and throws her in with the other recruits.

A Clash of Kings

I find it very funny that Sansa's boy name could be Sandor. Anyway, she tries to act nice and compliant to not put herself at risk, but mostly gets people to walk all over her. The younger recruits bully her because she “looks like a female (derogatory)” and she's an easy target. On the other hand, she doesn't have a sword to steal so Hot Pie and Lommy don't try to rob her, they just think she's a loser. Sansa keeps to herself, she doesn't go near Jaqen's cage, she doesn't catch a rabbit to share with Gendry, she doesn't manage to establish a particular relationship with anyone in the group. The commonfolk sucks, Yoren is kind I guess but he stinks. It will take a long time before she can start thinking about social injustice, for now she's just shocked by their miserable living conditions.

The Golden cloaks come looking for Gendry, but Sansa stays hidden because she thinks they are looking for her. Why would the queen want that rude guy? For a moment she thinks that he vaguely resemble Lord Renly… but no, that's nonsense. And even if it was, he's still a bastard. Yoren tells them that if the golden cloaks return they must escape.

One night the group go to sleep, but soon they are attacked by Amory Lorch. Sansa doesn't want to fight, she tries to hide, but in the chaos she ends up showing a soldier down from the tower, killing a man for the first time. She does everything she can to reach the trapdoor and escape. There's no way she'll go back to free Jaqen, but she decides to grab Weasel in the escape.

The small group of survivors, led by Gendry, arrive near an abandoned village. The Bull decides to explore it and takes Hot Pie with him. Sansa doesn't know it, but Gendry wants to abandon her and the others because he thinks they are just slowing them down. He has decided to propose the escape to Hot Pie because he is the second "less useless" choice after Arya. As per canon, Gendry and Hot Pie are captured by the Mountain's men (and probably die in Harrenhal).

Now here is an important change. Arya was captured and taken to Harrenhal because she returned to the village and try to save Gendry, but I don't think Sansa would do the same so she would not be captured at this point in the story. When Sansa and Weasel hear the sound of men in armor approaching, they run away to hide and leaves Lommy there to his fate.

The two girls now find themselves in the forest alone and without supplies in a land of burned villages, they're severely malnourished. Sansa would definitely think about trying to reach Riverrun, but she has no way of orienting herself. If we want to give her any hope of survival I'd say the only solution is for the two of them to be lucky enough to walk in the right direction. In this way the two get closer to the territory frequented by the Brotherhood without Banners and with a bit of luck the outlaws finds them before they die of starvation.

A Storm of Swords

The Brotherhood takes the orphans with them and feeds them. Weasel is probably left at the first inn/orphanage (where she will live a long and happy life), while Sansa meets Harwin, she is recognized and taken hostage. She learns that Winterfell has been conquered by Theon and that Bran and Rickon are dead.

She stark using women's clothes again because she prefers them. And also because every day she manages to hide the fact that she is a girl less and less. She has no intention of cutting her hair a second time, and now that she started eating regularly again she got her first period too. Coarse as they are, it is a relief to be surrounded by people who recognize her as a noble lady. Lady Ravella is a breath of fresh air and Tom is an acceptable singer. She enjoys Edric Dayne's company and thinks he's cute, but she doesn't understand why he wants to talk about Jon Snow.

Sansa is taken to Lord Beric who promises to reunite her with her mother. The sight of the undead man repulses her, but his behavior is chivalrous enough. She certainly doesn't try to escape, she just hopes that he respects his oath.

One day a prisoner with a familiar and unmistakable face is brought to the Hollow Hill: it's the Hound.

[weirwoodking]

what do you think sansa's endgame is? and i'm not talking ships. like what do you think she'll be doing by the time the books end.

Anon, you accidentally made me write an essay.

So, to try and guess where Sansa could be at the end of the story, we have to look at where she’s heading currently.

She’s currently in the Vale, stuck under the control of Littlefinger. I think Sansa’s arc in TWOW will revolve around breaking free of his manipulation. There’s a line in Bran’s first ASOS chapter that seems to foreshadow this:

Sometimes he could sense them, though, as if they were still with him, only hidden from his sight by a boulder or a stand of trees. He could not smell them, nor hear their howls by night, yet he felt their presence at his back . . . all but the sister they had lost. His tail drooped when he remembered her. Four now, not five. Four and one more, the white who has no voice.

These woods belonged to them, the snowy slopes and stony hills, the great green pines and the golden leaf oaks, the rushing streams and blue lakes fringed with fingers of white frost. But his sister had left the wilds, to walk in the halls of man-rock where other hunters ruled, and once within those halls it was hard to find the path back out. The wolf prince remembered.

—Bran I, A Storm of Swords

It’s hard to find the path back out, but not impossible. I do believe Sansa will return to “the wilds” that belong to her and her siblings.

George was asked once if Sansa still has skinchanging powers even though Lady is gone, and he said she does. We’ll probably see that aspect of her character start to make an appearance in Winds, especially since the presence of magic ramps up with each book. I think it would make sense if she bonded with a bird (such as a falcon or a hawk), seeing as she has quite a lot of bird imagery (particularly caged bird imagery) in her story. Sansa “flying free”, both literally and figuratively, seems like a logical step for her arc.

I do wonder how her connection with the “pack” will be handled. All of the Stark kids except for Sansa have the telepathic bond through their wolves, so I wonder what GRRM will do with Sansa there. It’s heartbreaking, that she doesn’t have that mental connection that the others do. I don’t know if that could somehow be reformed without Lady? There are a lot of unanswered questions about the Stark kids skinchanging powers (and the telepathic bond). Why did their powers only show up when the wolves did? How far do their powers go? How powerful could they become once they’re properly trained? How does the telepathic bond work? Is that a thing that other skinchangers can do? Is it there because of the wolves or is it through the kids themselves? Is it forever broken with Sansa because Lady is gone, or could Sansa reform that connection through another wolf that joins the Stark warg pack? Would it make sense narratively and thematically for GRRM to give Sansa another wolf?

Anyway, no idea what he’ll do with that. (Some sort of scene where Sansa is like “I don’t have a wolf anymore”, and then all the other Starklings crowd around her for a giant group hug and say “that’s okay, you’re still a part of the pack no matter what” is something I could see happening. It’s not like the other kids would treat her any less for not having a direwolf, she’s still their sister.)

A common speculation I see for Sansa’s endgame is that she could become the new head of House Arryn. And, well, the aesthetic of Sansa being Lady of the Eyrie/Lord Protector of the Vale/Warden of the East is definitely cool. The Queen of Birds up in a mountain palace with her flock all around her like a winged army? That’s some gorgeous imagery.

But...

I don’t think Sansa would ever willingly choose to stay in the Vale if she had the option to go home to Winterfell:

She awoke all at once, every nerve atingle. For a moment she did not remember where she was. She had dreamt that she was little, still sharing a bedchamber with her sister Arya. But it was her maid she heard tossing in sleep, not her sister, and this was not Winterfell, but the Eyrie. And I am Alayne Stone, a bastard girl. The room was cold and black, though she was warm beneath the blankets. Dawn had not yet come. Sometimes she dreamed of Ser Ilyn Payne and woke with her heart thumping, but this dream had not been like that. Home. It was a dream of home.

The Eyrie was no home.

—Sansa VII, A Storm of Swords

One of the largest themes in the stories of the younger POV characters (Theon, Jon, Dany, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Rickon (even though he’s not a POV character)) is that of home. Just go on A Search of Ice and Fire and search for the word “home” in each of those characters’ chapters. I think Sansa will end up at her home, with her pack. We know she must return at Winterfell at some point, as she has the final part of this prophecy to fulfill:

"I dreamt a wolf howling in the rain, but no one heard his grief," the dwarf woman was saying. "I dreamt such a clangor I thought my head might burst, drums and horns and pipes and screams, but the saddest sound was the little bells. I dreamt of a maid at a feast with purple serpents in her hair, venom dripping from their fangs. And later I dreamt that maid again, slaying a savage giant in a castle built of snow."

—Arya VIII, A Storm of Swords

The wolf howling in the rain is Grey Wind (or Shaggydog/Rickon, since it’s raining on Skagos when Jon dreams of his “black brother”), the clangor is the Red Wedding and the bells are the ones on Jinglebell’s hat when Catelyn sawed at his throat, and the maid at the feast is Sansa. And Sansa will “slay a savage giant in a castle built of snow.” That castle is obviously Winterfell, although the fandom has yet to concretely agree on who the “savage giant” is.

Evidently, Sansa will return to Winterfell, and she probably has to get there before winter really starts setting in, or else the journey would be nearly impossible in the deadly weather. So, probably at some point in the next book.

Now, I believe that there’s a big moment coming for Sansa in TWOW: the moment where she unrepresses/uncovers her memories. Sansa knows a lot of important things. She knows the truth about Jon Arryn, she knows that her hair net was used to poison Joffrey, she knows that Littlefinger was involved in the disappearance of Jeyne Poole. Sansa’s memory swapping/adjusting/erasing/repressing (whatever you wanna call it) is important to her character. It’s her brain’s way of coping with the trauma she’s been through.

I think that one of these memories coming to the forefront is going to trigger something big: Littlefinger’s downfall. I speculate that what will most likely come out in the open first is what happened to Jeyne Poole. Sansa finding out what Baelish did to her closest childhood friend could definitely be what turns her against him.

Warning, I’m going to mention the sh*w here for a second. George has said that he wrote Sansa and Jeyne’s interactions into season 1, and that he tried to build Jeyne as a character, but her scenes were cut by the showrunners. Clearly, George cares about her, her friendship with Sansa, and her value in the story, he was very upset about the deletion of her character and of Sansa’s friendship with her.* I believe the reveal of what happened to Jeyne will be a major part of Sansa’s story in Winds. She’s repressed her memories of Jeyne and her disappearance because it is, understandably, too much for her mind to handle thinking about.

The reveal of this memory could be a catalyst to the other memories coming forward, especially since they involve Littlefinger. I think Sansa will be a key part in wrapping up the political aspect of the story, she can reveal the truth of why the Stark-Lannister conflict began all the way back in book 1. She can expose Littlefinger’s lies and schemes. That’s where I think her narrative is heading, at least in TWOW.

I’m not sure what Sansa’s story arc will be in ADOS (I’m not sure what anyone’s story will be in ADOS, but Sansa’s is a bit more of a blank page than others). If the Littlefinger conflict gets wrapped up in TWOW, I don’t know where her story will go from there. Supposedly, she could be in Winterfell at that point. What will happen then… well, then it’s Long Night time. Sansa is not one of the “key five players” (Tyrion, Dany, Arya, Bran, and Jon), but I still think she’ll have an important role in the book. I think Sansa and Arya’s relationship is something that will be focused on a lot through both of their chapters in the final novel. We’re going to see Ned’s quote, “you need her, as she needs you”, really matter.

No matter where her arc goes over the next two books, though, I do think she’ll end up at Winterfell. And like I said, I don’t think Sansa would choose to leave her home again after returning. I think that her story will end with her staying at Winterfell with the other kids. The Stark children would never willingly leave each other after reuniting. Jon literally describes the separation from his siblings as “a deep ache of emptiness, a sense of incompleteness.” And, of course, the iconic line Ned delivers to Arya: “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” I don’t see any of their endings being them as “lone wolves” again.

So, to answer your question, I think the endgame for Sansa will be her back in Winterfell with her family, where she belongs, where she is strongest. I do suspect, however, that there will be some sort of epilogue at the end of ADOS, possibly a “10 years later” or somewhere along those lines. Where she’ll be then, I have no idea. She’ll probably be involved with something politically by then, like ruling or advising.

*Based on what George himself has said about the show’s post-season 4 portrayal of Sansa, I don’t think her story will be similar in any way to the show’s very different version of her character (same goes for everyone). George is typically very mild when talking about the show, saying stuff like “they chose to go down a different path with the story”, but this is one of the only times he flat out criticized the show for how wrong it is. He was very upset the show cut out her storyline. He has also said that “every character has a different end” in the books. So take from that what you will.

[rueitae]

Writing Roundup 2020

This is a writing reflection I’ve been doing for myself every year for the last four years. Its a positive boost to myself see how far I’ve come and look back on my progress for the past year and look forward to the new year. 

Everyone is welcome to use this same format if they’d like to do the same! 

~~~~~~~

Stats:

Words written:

330,000, which is nearly half of all the words I’ve written on Ao3 in the last three years. 

One Shots Posted (all fics plance unless otherwise stated):

In the Arms of the Ever(pink?) Tree (4463 words)

For the Plance Secret Santa exchange. Post s8 date/not date on a snowy moon. Love confession. 

Birthday Treats (2129 words)

For Pidge’s birthday this year! Domestic family fluff, breakfast in bed, plance kids.

Begin Again (Together) (4805 words)

Canon divergence from before episode one! Pidge and Lance are established dating when alien intervention brings them to where they are supposed to be: with the Blue Lion. Just a brief look into what the AU would look like. 

Common Ground (4521 words)

A treat for my friends who introduced me to Magic Knight Rayearth and pointed out some fun character parallels. There is this beautiful art Arya made to go with it because we’re all trash for both series. Plance meet up with Fuu and Ferio post series for both couples. 

Bonded To You (1808 words)

For the Langstron Halloween Exchange! Established plance with a baby Lance is trying to keep safe from a witch who would take advantage of the child’s heritage. 

It Tasted Good (6785 words)

Pikelavar for Pikelavar Month! The premise is crack, but it's mostly treated seriously. Pike ate the Jewel of Jitan by accident and doesn’t realize it until Haggar finds them. Meklavar gets Protective.

The Remainder of Days (3188 words)

Part of my Bad Things Happen Bingo. Fantasy AU where Pidge is a minor forest goddess and Lance is her neighbor mortal farmer. 

I Love You a Lily More Each Day (3232 words)

Another of the Bad Things Happen Bingo. Canon compliant where Lance is undercover at a flower shop and knee deep in an illegal smuggling operation. 

Lease on Life (4978 words)

This one was also part of Bad Things Happen Bingo and was an experiment. It’s POV of an oldest plance kid, canon verse. Her parents’ Paladin days come back to haunt them one night. Some cute family stuff too in there. 

Ready to Dance (4135 words)

For the Valentine’s Day exchange! Post series. Lance tries to get back into the party scene and Pidge rescues him from a disastrous night. 

Loopholes (5476 words)

Technically I didn’t write this fic this year, but a very kind reader asked if I would post this to Ao3, so it was my first fic of the year on Ao3. It’s Lotura! Originally a gift for a dear friend I’ve had since elementary school. It’s a fantasy AU where Lotor stumbles into Allura’s kingdom needing help. 

Next to Me (7311 words)

Also for Bad Things Happen Bingo, this is probably one of my favorite fics of the year. This is the canon verse AU that went all wrong in s7, and Sendak succeeds in destroying Earth. Lance and Pidge end up not only his prisoners, but also two of the last humans in the universe. Ends open ended, but it became a series in the end!

Into Me (14248 words)

The sequel to the above fic. There are two versions, this and the one below. The title tells all. Lance and Pidge come to terms with their new life aboard Sendak’s flagship and do their best to keep the other comforted.

Into Me (non-explicit version) (7228 words)

Exactly the same as the fic above, only this one is SFW

Sunshine (3831 words)

A Bad Things Happen Bingo! One of my favorite concepts. Canon verse. Pidge gets sick while she and Lance are on a scientific mission. 

Showoff (635 words)

A really short fic for a friend on their birthday, featuring their plance kids!

Respite of the Heart (4181 words)

A fic I have been wanting to write for a very long time. I love the concept of Pidge as a Disney Princess in the sense she has the forest guardian theme and all these animals love her. So there’s some play on that as the Paladins stop for lunch on their journey back to Earth in early s7. Lance comes to a realization and they have a chat surrounded by the animal friends. @anchoredtetherart did a phenomenal piece to accompany it. Please look at it in awe here.

The Hardest Part (3960 words)

For Bad Things Happen Bingo! An AU of the episode The Reunion where Pidge doesn’t return when she’s supposed to. 

A Planned Sacrifice (4988 words)

Another Bad Things Happen Bingo. Canon verse. Pidge assumes that being a sacrifice for the ‘forest god’ is strictly ceremonial and at worst a wild animal. It’s actually Sendak, who no one has seen since Shiro shot him out of the Castle. He remembers Pidge and is far too pleased to see her again, tied up on a silver platter. 

Almost Forgotten, but Not Gone (3946 words)

Bad Things Happen Bingo. AU sometime in s1 where Haxus isn’t as dead as Pidge thought. 

Touch (7519 words)

Written for the Lance Goes Boom bang! It was inspired by @fenixseraph ‘s amazing art here! It’s a different take on The Way Forward, where Pidge and Lance are separated from the rest of the team and placed in their own cell. And the Red Lion causes issues. 

Chaptered Fics started/added to:

Wolf In Thieves’ Clothing (4516 words)

An AU of The Castle of Cagliostro from Lupin the Third series. Lee, you have my thanks forever for making me watch this finally. Pidge is a literal princess whose kingdom is in the middle of an internal coup. Lance is a gentleman thief who rides with his best buds Hunk and Matt. Their paths are destined to cross again when Lance goes back to the castle he used to call home. 

Game of Love (4593 words)

The most crack of the bunch. AU of Fall the of the Castle of Lions where Sendak and Haxus get away with it all. Pidge and Lance are prisoners on Haxus’ new ship, and Lance finds an opportunity for eventual escape when he learns that Haxus has a crush on his second in command. Operation matchmaker begins. (happy ending planned for all)

What Tides May Bring (20704 words)

Collab with the fantastic @anchoredtetherart for MerMay! Established plance as mermaids and guardians of their elements with adorable mer child. Then angst because they are all captured by a ‘research’ institute. 

Seasons of Magic (16546 words)

I actually added a chapter this year! Ongoing collection of one-shots with mage Pidge who lives in the country and cultivates her plant magic and makes potions with the assistance of her dragon familiar, Lance. Mostly domestic fluff. 

Too Soon and Not Soon Enough (11438 words)

Added another chapter this year to my Keith-centric AU. It’s basically VLD but five years early and they’re all literally child Paladins. Keith gets to meet Krolia earlier and its fun to go into tween friendships as they try and navigate the reality of their situation. 

Seeds (48833 words)

Added a ton earlier this year. A collection of plance fics all or mostly under 500 words. All meant to be adopted by others if interest strikes. Covers many genres.

Chaptered Fics Finished:

Resolve to Fly (75799 words)

Written for the Pidge Angst Bang. My artist @alchemie0 did an outstanding job capturing the feel of the fic. Look at the art here! Canon verse AU where Pidge encounters Haxus, who has crashed on Earth. She helps him repair his ship in excitement and good faith, which he pays back by kidnapping her. For two years she survives as little more than a housepet on Sendak’s ship. Gen.

Who's Protecting Who? (28989 words)

Also technically not written this yeah, but posted. A collab with Hush waaaay back in 2018. It's a plance Altean AU with Pidge as distant royalty and Lance as a bodyguard.

A Dish Served Cold (21533 words)

Finally finished this one! Canon verse in which Pidge accidentally runs into Sendak on an isolated planet. Sendak takes advantage of this encounter and tries to return to the Empire with her in tow. Much Pidge whump. Gen

Reflections: 

Best title 

I still really really love Too Soon and Not Soon Enough (11438 words). Because it's too soon for the Paladins to be Paladins, and for Keith it's not nearly soon enough for Krolia to return. It just feels like it has a lot of heart to it. I hope I can keep it going, but my ideas are incredibly scattered for it. 

Worst title 

Touch (7519 words). Yeah it’s a play on ‘Don’t you touch her’ but it feels soooo dry. 

Best/worst last line

Best: This was really, really hard choice this year, but ultimately, making up for the terrible title, its Touch (7519 words) 

“It feels good to escape the ship with all of his teammates, secure in the knowledge that he has a way forward not just as a Paladin, but also with Pidge.” 

- Not only did I manage to fit the title of the episode in there, it's got that hopeful tinge to it and reflects on personal growth both internally and with Pidge. 

Worst: This one isn’t necessarily bad from Begin Again (Together) (4805 words), but it could be better. It didn’t get quite the epic sense I was hoping to pull from it.

“Okay,” he smirks, hand firmly on the throttle. “Operation save Earth starts now.”

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than you thought, or about what you predicted?

Definitely wrote way more. Even with posting two fic that are essentially the exact same, I still ended up writing nearly half of my total Ao3 word count this year. (330,000/670,000). Doing Bad Things Happen Bingo was a bit part of that - I was very inspired at the beginning of this year - but also there were many events I participated in (8 total!!) on top of my personal projects. 

What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest.

A really hard decision this year, because there are several that make me really happy. I think oddly enough though, it’s Game of Love (4593 words) because of its potential and how much crack it is. It has such whacky rom-com energy to it but also that underlying angst of the situation I can fall back on. My favorite trope to explore is what happens to the characters when they’re captured. I just really enjoy the concept and the challenge to make such a concept believable with minimal suspension of belief. 

Okay, NOW your most popular story.

Using kudos as my gauge (and not counting the chapter fics), the winner is: 

Respite of the Heart (4181 words)

Not surprising because Ivy’s art is STUNNING.

Story most underappreciated by the universe?

I think that’s It Tasted Good (6785 words), the pikelavar fic. Pikelavar is underappreciated in general

Story that could have been better?

For all I was excited to write Sunshine (3831 words), it didn’t quite fall the way I had imagined in my mind. I don’t know if it was the structure or I was running out of steam or what. All i know is that I wanted more but all I could concentrate on was that scene where he’s caring for her in bed. Maybe I was just too ambitious.

Sexiest story?

No brainer it's Into Me (14248 words). Literally. Which really shocked me that it happened. Didn’t think I’d write any smut at all, let alone this year. This particular fic just kinda called out for it 

Saddest story?

The prequel to the above fic: Next to Me (7311 words). How much more sad can you get than Earth being destroyed, being Sendak’s prisoners all while trying to tell each other ‘i love you’ without seeming weird because you’re the last humans in the universe. 

Most fun?

I think it's Ready to Dance (4135 words). Just Valentine’s fluff and impromptu slow dancing in the park at night. 

Story with single sweetest moment?

I’m picking What Tides May Bring (20704 words). Listen, mer Lance and mer Pidge playing with their mer baby in their domestic paradise is probably one of my favorite things I’ve ever written. Dad Lance has my heart. 

Hardest story to write?

The last chapter of A Dish Served Cold (21533 words) was like pulling teeth. I’m pretty happy with it in the end but at the time man it was so hard. 

Did you take any writing risks this year? What did you learn from them?

I wrote smut. It was...weird? But also strangely calming. I wrote more for another fic but it's still a WIP. I definitely need to be in the mood to write it. 

Proudest Achievement:

The Pidge Angst Bang. Resolve to Fly (75799 words). Look at that word count. I only wanted something under 3k at first, so it was just going to be Pidge meeting Haxus. But by the time I finished that part it was already 10k. So even though I was going through a rough part of my life, I just kept going and it ended up being my therapy. I’m really proud of the fic and I love my artists’ pieces. It really lifted my spirits. (You should all really go check out the Ao3 collection of all the bang stories and art they are AMAZING you won’t regret. If you love Pidge angst they are all must reads.)

What are your fic writing goals for next year?

I’d like to finish my Bad Things Happen Bingo card and then focus on my current WIP, that includes the Seeds collection. There are days I still feel a bit overwhelmed, and I’m still trying to find a routine after moving. I’d like to do more events too, but I think I need to be more selective about which ones I do. I don’t want to burn myself out. 

Apart from that, I’d really like to try and give back to the community more. I’d like to start consciously writing fics for others without an event to go by. 

Past Years:

2017

2018

2019

[wraithxwitch]

Daenerys took shelter in IT delusion to survive her trauma. She literally had no desire of thought about getting back IT, she couldn't care less in the beginning but after she was sold and raped, I think Daenerys held on to last piece of her life, something Visery planted in her head, to ignore what she was going through. It's an assumption but her relationship with Drogo was literally so weird, I don't even think grrm knew what he was writing with making Daenerys fall in love(?) and desire a throne she never cared about. There's too much to about her whole journey in book one but in the end she's a character written by a weirdo pedo man who fantasies about children getting raped.

i hear you, anon. you make some points, especially the last one. like, everything in any given series is down to the author, and grrm really didn’t need to do half of the horrible shit that he did to characters in order to get them to where they are (e.g. dany, sansa, etc).

my short answer is that: yes, her desire for the IT develops but the seeds are there at the start. yes, she’s traumatised and her way to agency is having power. even after her abusers are dead, and she can effectively do what she wants, she still goes after the irone throne. but she’s not driven by any kind of compassionate desire to help the smallfolk and rule fairly. her motivations are, to put it bluntly, selfish. 

i’m gonna put my longer answer under a read more. (it’s kinda all over the place and i definitely forgot some things but hey ho):

trauma is different for each victim, it affects everyone in an individual way. i don’t think that her trauma is an excuse for her actions later on, i’m not saying this is what you’re saying btw, i’m just saying (cause i know some people do).

with dany, i agree that her desire for the throne developed and wasn’t there from the get go, but that’s just part of her arc. like, yeah sure, right at the start, in like her first few chapters her only real desire she voices (to us) is to go home. she’s still very young and doesn’t remember westeros, so the only home she knows is ‘the house with the red door’. in her words it’s the only childhood she’s ever known. she felt she was safest there. she has absolutely no agency at the start, she’s powerless and at the mercy of viserys (and she starts out scared of him). so it’s understandable that she wants to just go home, but also understandable that she wants power, because having power means having agency and not being at the mercy of anyone else.

she obv isnt introduced with these fantasies of the IT from the get go, bc these things need to develop in stories. i also find much of the first book to be an intro to the world, it puts all the main characters where they need to when shit kicks off. even her monologue is passive to start with, as if her pov is a window to viserys. but like this is like, the start of her villain origin story in a way i guess. *shrug* i think she does from the get go also believe that the IT does belong to the targs and that they were wronged, i just don’t think she immediately believes it’s HERS to take, because she has spent her life being the younger sibling of viserys. but like, i do think that in her chapters the targs are introduced as villains (mostly through the comments of the dothraki characters, e.g. the way they talk about the dragons and the fact that it is CLEAR that nobody back in westeros is waiting for their return).

her relationship with drogo is obv problematic af, i think that maybe grrm wrote it in as a way to start to give her a taste of agency and sense of power .. maybe? like she doesn’t have power in reality with drogo but you can see as her chapters go on that she’s starting to make decisions of her own (to sway drogo, etc) and she starts to talk back to viserys and even states that she doesn’t know why she was ever scared of him (paraphrased ofc). she was also scared of the dothraki at first, it was a fear of the unknown and i think that if she conquers something, it’s hers, so she can’t fear it anymore. also, she figures out if she pleases drogo -> she gets more sway on things. but again, lemme state, that relationship is toxic AF, i’m just trying to see how it fits in with dany’s arc. 

she also takes comfort in being a targ. the same way that arya has her ‘fear cuts deeper than swords’ line, dany has her ‘i am the blood of the dragon’ chant. and the seeds for her campaign for the IT are there in the first book. SHE’s the one who’s gifted dragon eggs for starters, NOT viserys. in a way, i think the point of having it be his dream to start with is to tell us “viserys was too weak, he couldn’t do it, but dany can”. also at the point in which her confidence starts to change, she is also having dragon dreams. and they become pleasant to her, she even thinks they heal her aches and wounds while she’s travelling with the dothraki. she voices to jorah that viserys will never take them home and at around that point her visions of home turn into king’s landing -> of it burning. this is before viserys and drogo die. it’s foreshadowing of her story to come.

she does enjoy having power (and you can’t blame her to an extent, it makes her feel safer). her chapters at the start do show that she is meant to be the one going after the throne, not her brother. how she gets to going on that path (trauma, viserys, etc) is just part of her journey. though i don’t think viserys specifically planted it in her head, given the dream thing and the dragon eggs. she wants a home, she doesn’t want to be at the whim of others. but the thing is that she isn’t driven by her compassion for the small folk even at the start. when she talks about slaves in her first few chapters she only shows discomfort at it when she’s the one in the collar (her wedding) and there’s of course the events with mirri. there’s an interesting contrast between her and sansa, who also wanted to be queen from the start, but she wanted to be the opposite of cersei (and dany) despite her trauma. she wanted to rule through love, not fear. 

even after drogo and viserys are long dead, and she’s free to live her life how she wants (she has dragons and she doesn’t need the IT, lbr), she doesn’t give up on going for the IT. she likes power and she isn’t motivated by her desire to help people, she wants to help herself. i think her trauma is in part an explanation for her actions, but not an excuse. traumatised characters can also be villains. 

i went off on a tangent here, sorry about that. uhh, this is actually really interesting tbh, i might just re-read her chapters in book 1 & 2 to explore this more lol. 

[yvvaine]

ASOIAF hot takes ?

I’m not in the best mood right now as I have been working on an essay on the legality of war crimes all week (which is very uplifting in case you were wondering), but that kinda means I want to take out my frustration on something SO LETS JUMP IN:

1) Not much of a hot take but Dany is going be a villain, loves. Don’t misunderstand me: NOT. CRAZY. Nor will to be a sudden, last-minute twist either, looking at you Dumb & Dumber. She’ll be fully in control of her actions, impulsive with violence like she has a long habit of being, and it will end up having dire consequences that solidify her tyrannical tendencies. She’ll hurt and kill a lot more innocent people (more than she has has already….which is still more than a lot of people are comfortably admitting). And it will only become more apparent as the books continue. As the GRRM approved Meereenese Knot Essays basically stated: the dream sequence in the last novel was ultimately a turning point for Dany toward an even darker path where she embraces the family motto to a draconian degree. 

2) It’s worth saying just for the record that I love Daenerys’ idealism and her crusade for a more just, equitable world (how much you think that crusade is actually for personal gain, survival, and/or ambition under the general guise of righteousness is on you though), but it ended up being pointless and ill-executed.

2B) On that point, I’m vehemently against those who counter any criticism of her crusade, specifically how she handled the crucifixion of all men wearing togas (which were a symbol of wealth, not just of owning slaves) over the age of 14, as being “pro-slavery” when that’s usually far, far from reality. I’d argue that though she tried to make the situation better, which is again admirable, she eventually becomes a glorified slaver herself, literally. “Mysa is a master”. Think about it, I mean at first she “liberates” cities based upon opportunity, and impulse, and what they can offer her, at that moment. But it’s a short term power/resource grab, and all she ends up doing is creating a bigger mess for the mostly-innocent people that live there, sentencing them to lives in horrid conditions like hunger, death, violence, and poverty. In Meereen she uses the people that she liberates (and its not like these “ex”-slaves had better options other than to follow her, or families elsewhere, etc. … plus to them she’s this albino goddess come out of ashes to save them who has these magical, thought-to-be-extinct dragons; it seems reasonable she’d amass a following on that alone) as her unpaid labor force in various inhumane conditions. Then the city becomes so mismanaged, chaotic, and violent because she is so inept at actually, ya know, ruling, that she allows said people to sell themselves BACK into slavery, SO LONG AS SHE GETS A 10% CUT…. sort of like A SLAVER. I just don’t think the metaphorical America in GRRM’s Afghanistan, considering how anti-war he is in real life, and how disastrous he’s said that that expression of imperialism actually was, is going to end up being the good, ethical guy you want in charge by the end of his novel allegorizing the triumphs and pitfalls of power. His whole point is that good intentions don’t guarantee good actions or good outcomes, however honorable that they might be. Short term decisions are just that; short term. 

3) Sansa is not like Lysa in any way besides their casual connections to Littlefinger (of totally different natures) and their red fucking hair. I see a lot of gifsets or meta —usually by extreme Arya stans (which to be fair: you do you! I’m not about to sit here and tell anyone how much they should or shouldn’t love a particular character; the whole point of literature is that its entirely subjective and based off of emotional connection) — that states to some degree or another Arya = Lyanna and Sansa = Lysa when like….. no. I agree its very apparent that Arya shares a lot of personality and appearance-related attributes with her paternal Aunt, but that does not foil to her sister and other Aunt. If anything Arya has a stronger Lysa-connection with the whole “jealous of the more beautiful and dutiful red-haired older sister” thing. But that’s a silly and superficial parallel at best, just like claiming a connection to Lysa/Sansa because of shared geography and a “Tully look”. Moreover, on the Tully note, there’s nowhere that it says Sansa and Lysa look alike the same way the text explicitly says Arya and Lyanna do. They just both have red hair and blue eyes. That fact alone is not enough to constitute a parallel; in the books their face shape, eye color, physical figures, and other attributes like cheekbones are described totally different. Even the color of their red hair is described in different shades. 

4) People need to stop discounting Sansa’s connections to Lyanna. Yes, they are not alike in looks or personality the way that Arya and Lyanna are, but their stories align very closely in many ways that Arya and Lyanna’s do not. Both were Northern princess with broken betrothals to “Baratheons”. Both were debatably romantically involved with Crown Princes. Both were given tourney roses. Both “kept/imprisoned” in the South. Both’s strengths were underestimated because of their beauty (Porcelain, Ivory, Steal, vs. You saw her beauty, but not the iron underneath). Their siblings went to war for them (and independence too) and their fathers and brothers were executed in the south, on the King’s orders. Both have strong song motifs, rose motifs, etc. And they share a lot of literary quotes besides their famous beauty v. metal parallel (i.e. “like a ghost, dead before her time” is repeated once in regards to Lyanna, and once again by Sansa, no other times). Just…. stop discounting them. 

5) Arya’s story is not one of duty and ladyship, stop trying to fit her into that mold. She doesn’t want to be the wife, mother, or queen. In her own words: “Thats not me, that’s Sansa”. She’s finding herself and trying to survive while being true to who she is at the same —  that’s her journey of personal growth. To accept her rebellious nature, her untamed wildness, her adventurous spirit and know it doesn’t make her a freak or bad at being a woman. While I know a lot of people might hope that the end of her journey is like, “I’ll be a queen of the people sitting at my desk doing paperwork and running a castle and kingdom and all that it involves”, but I would be sorely disappointed if that’s her endgame, the woman they’ve been trying to mold her into since the beginning. I can understand why: she understands the common folk and their needs, wants, and humanity, in ways that no other contender for queen does. Daenerys has always been a degree removed from the people, even when she wast technically supposed to be a part of them re: her marriage to Khal Drogo, and she has become further and further removed from the people she rules over ever since. Margaery doesn’t truly, truly care about them, but rather sees them and their love as a source of popularity/power. Cersei is Cersei. Sansa bought into the role of the “high dignified lady” and the class system that unwittingly upholds the duty she’d been taught to model, and though she is learning that its a load of crap - especially as the “bastard” Alayne - and has always been very, very kind throughout her imprisonment in Kingslanding to dealing Sweetrobin in the Eryie, she still has a long way to go before she is truly a lady of the people, (which i think is the crux of Sansa’s journey).

I think I’ll stop there - thats enough ranting for one day! It did make me feel a little bit better though, I have to say! Thank you for the ask dear

Xx 

[writingthrones]

the northern dragon- part 7.

PART 7: A CELEBRATION.

TAGS: @psychosupernatural , @xleviiiix , @ashtronomyyyy , @starkbelova,@5aftermidnight , @makapaka11 , @mxxkscreate-write , @scorpiosmalfoy,@harrison-shot-first , @art-flirt , @jessyballet , @vaexvictis ,@callmeconceited , @cassiopeia-barrow , @the-three-eyed-ravenclaw , @iirelynn , @aspiring-fangirls-world , @emmaelizabeth2014 (feel free to shoot me a message if you’d also like to be tagged!)

DESCRIPTION: the world thought that just 2 dragons survived, that house targaryen was missing its third head. but there was another– the youngest, the final child of the mad king and queen rhaella. of course, she was almost part of the near extermination of her house. but the honorable ned stark, unable to watch a babe be murdered for crimes she did not commit, rescued her from an awful fate. instead, she grew up amongst wolves within the walls of winterfell.

NOTES: this chapter was so much fun to write wow. i hope y’all enjoy, it’s a bit longer than usual, too. as you know by now, feedback is very much appreciated!

WARNINGS: ANGST ANGST ANGST, things getting a little steamy.

First, I must tell you why I need to leave. I should have long before this and I suspect you will agree. My name, my true name, is Visenya II Targaryen and I am the youngest child of the Mad King. How did I end up as a ward to your father? Well, he is truly the best man I’ve ever known. He risked everything to save me. If not for him, I would’ve been slain in the arms of my mother the Queen. I was lucky to have been welcomed with open arms by your mother. I was lucky to have known them at all and trust me when I say that I mourn them as you do.

Second, with this being my last word to you I must be honest. I love you, Robb Stark. I always have, before I even understood what love was. All our lives I wondered: if I never had to hide myself, would you have loved me, too? I didn’t let myself dream for too long before realized even then that wouldn’t be possible. A Targaryen and a Stark, really? My father did awful things to your family, no amount of noble blood could change that hurt. So I suppose it was just never meant to be.

Lastly, I am so sorry for all that has happened. I do not understand the pain of losing the ones you love more than anything. But I will not apologize for saving your life even if it’s not what you wanted. You are a king and your people are counting on you. I truly want nothing more than for them to be granted their freedom. Sansa and Arya are counting on you. Please, if you will, tell them that I love them. But I must go. Jaime Lannister discovered who I was the night he escaped. I already stayed too long and put you at risk. If anyone found out that the King in the North was harboring a Targaryen, I know it could mean disaster. I’m sorry for putting you in this kind of danger. I will not be a burden any longer, though. I’m not quite sure where I will go, maybe across the sea, as far as I can get away from this place.

Now burn this letter. I do not want it to end up in the wrong hands.

Farewell.

- Y/N

CONTINUED THIRD PERSON.

So the Young Wolf sat there, mouth actually hanging open with astonishment. There’s just no way this could be true.. right? His father, saving a Targaryen girl? The idea sounded ridiculous at first but the more he thought on it, the more it made sense. He could understand his father seeing an innocent babe and being unable to just walk away. He was nothing like the former King Robert in that aspect. He had never known the full details of what happened when they took King’s Landing but he did know that children were murdered as part of it.

His body felt numb and it felt impossible to move. A lot of information had just been thrown at him; he had grown up with a Targaryen princess, whose identity had been discovered by the Kingslayer, she was headed Gods know where and she.. loved him? All her life, apparently. How could that be and he just never knew? He quickly shook away the thoughts, instead focusing on the more pressing matters: Jaime Lannister knew who she was and now she was fleeing, supposedly in his best interest. But the ink was still wet, which meant she couldn’t have been far. So snapping himself out of it, he hurried onto his feet, out the door and down the hall. There was still no sign of her, not even any sounds he could hear. But she couldn’t possibly have already left! The letter was freshly written.

He ran out into the courtyard. Still no sight of her. His heart was truly racing now. As he searched high and low, he finally spotted a figure preparing a horse in the dim light. The figure’s frame was a small-- it had to be her. So he ran up, grabbing at their shoulder and turning them around. It was. Shock was written all over her face. Robb wasn’t quite sure what to feel. “I’m sorry,” he began. She sighed, it didn’t seem like she truly believed that. “I am so sorry, Y/N.” Or should he call her Visenya? He didn’t know and didn’t care right now. “You didn’t deserve any of that. I know what you did was exactly what my mother wanted..” He can still hear her pleas to Y/N and shuddered at the thought. “But you can’t go.” Not after all his parents went through to protect her. “We’ll figure this mess out with Jaime Lannister but I won’t let you just leave.” Her brow furrowed at that. “It’s not up to you whether I stay or go,” she shot back. No response to his apologies-- great. “Stay, Y/N. Stay for a time, just.. don’t go now. Not after everything.” She sighed and released the reins of the horse. Giving him the same silent treatment he’d given her, she followed him back into the castle and up to her room.

BACK TO READER’S POINT OF VIEW.

There was a very uncomfortable tension when the two of you returned to your chambers. He still hadn’t really addressed who you were or the fact that you said you love him-- present tense. You sighed, sitting down on the bed while he sat in the chair in front of the desk. “We should both get some rest,” you finally said quietly, hoping to spend the next few quiet hours getting some rest before another exhausting day started back up. “You’re right,” he said, though he never moved. “What are you doing...?” you asked, brow furrowed. “I...” He seemed awkward. “I just.. want to make sure you stay. And.. uh, that we don’t have another problem like this business with the Kingslayer.” Huh. “So are you just going to sit here the whole time?” you questioned incredulously. “Yeah, uh, I guess so.”

Well, this would be interesting to say the least. You stood and walked over to your trunk, searching through to find something you could get some sleep in. Settling on the first nightgown you saw, you looked at him over your shoulder. “Can you.. turn around?” He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but instead just turned like you had asked. In the most uncomfortable manner, you slid off the heavy material you’d donned for your long journey and changed into something else. You made your way back to the bed, falling back onto the soft material, which he took as a sign of you being decent. Your eyes met as you turned your head to look at him. “So you’re actually going to sit there and just.. watch me sleep?” You almost wanted to laugh. “Well, no.. I just want to be sure that something else doesn’t happen,” he replied.

With a sigh, you turned over and did your best to fall asleep. Instead, though, you remained in a state of somewhere in between. When you couldn’t deal with anymore, you sat up only to find that Robb had dozed off. It made you giggle and it felt so good to have that tiny moment of happiness after all the misery that had been the past two weeks and all the heartache that came even before that. Feeling particularly restless, though, you decided to sit at the window, something that you did often back at Winterfell. With most people still asleep and the other person in the room already knowing the truth, you removed the wrap from your head and tossed it aside.

THIRD PERSON BREAK AGAIN.

He hadn’t meant to fall asleep. The young wolf jolted himself awake, hoping that he had only dozed off for a few brief moments. But his heart started to pound when he saw the furs tossed open and no Y/N wrapped up in them. He hopped out of the chair, ready to run when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Turning quickly, there she was. For the first time in his life, he saw her without being all covered up. That signature Targaryen white-silver hair that fell down her back in tousled waves was... beautiful, frankly. He didn’t expect to feel that way but he did. The young king felt frozen as he watched her.

Feeling the eyes on her, she turned around to face him. Seeing her in all her glory was breathtaking but he cursed himself for thinking so. He’d just lost his wife and mother to the child he’d never gotten to meet. And he still loved her deeply, those feelings couldn’t just go away like that. But seeing her, really seeing her, it brought up feelings from the past. He needed to break the silence. 

“You scared me,” he said awkwardly. Still taking it all in, he walked closer. “Well you don’t have to worry,” she sighed, brushing past him to go pick the fabric back up and re-apply it. Jogging over to her, he grabbed her wrist. “You don’t have to. Not now, at least.” Her eyes went wide and as he looked deeply into them, he could see the purple hue they held. All those years they’d grown up together and he never noticed. Realizing it had already been too long, he released her arm and once again, she pushed past and collapsed back into the bed. This time, though, the silver locks sprawled out around her. It’s all he could focus on as she moved. Sighing, she curled up under the covers.

BACK TO THE READER’S POINT OF VIEW.

He returned to his spot in the chair so you tried to just close your eyes and actually fall asleep. In a moment of impulse, you opened them again and met his. “You should lay down. I won’t run.. but you should probably get some rest, I’m sure it’ll be another long day.” He looked completely taken off guard and it made you immediately regret opening your mouth. “You’re sure?” he questioned softly as he rose from his chair. Surprised by his positive response, you nodded and so he came to the edge and you looked up at him for a moment before moving back, allowing him plenty of room. He removed the cloak he’d been wearing and all other heavy garments he wore then slid under the furs, lying on his side and looking directly at you. It became clear that neither of you were going to get much rest but hey, at least you were comfortable.

“Did you mean it?” And there it was, the moment you were dreading. Of course he was going to ask! You only wrote that because you really did plan to never see him again. Unable to form words, instead you just nodded. “All this time?” You nodded again. No point in pretending, right? “And you never said anything?” That’s when you propped yourself up on your elbow. “How could I ever? And if I did, what would it matter?” He didn’t move but continued to hold your gaze, never breaking away from a second. “Maybe it would have,” he replied softly. Your brow furrowed-- what on earth was he talking about? You let out a humorless chuckle. “Ah, yes. Robb Stark and Y/N, a girl from no house of any importance who just so happened to grow up as his father’s ward.” You laid back down, this time staring up at the ceiling. It sounded like he was about to say something, but you cut him off, “I’m tired. You should get some rest, too.” So you turned onto your side facing away from him and drifted off into slumber.

THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW.

Robb laid there, staring at the back of her head, for a while. What am I thinking? he wondered. He was still in mourning, why was he concerning himself with her romantic feelings for him? But then again, how could he not? She said she loves him, as in, currently. And here they were, sharing a bed so it had to be a thought on both their minds, right? Watching her frame ever so slightly rise and fall with each breath, his eyes soon fluttered shut and he slept as well.

This night, Robb was gifted a look back into his memory in a dream. He was 11, she was 10. He had been just about ready for bed when his door flew open, revealing the red, puffy-eyed and tear stained face of Y/N. He quickly got out of bed and ran over, ushering her inside and shutting the door behind her. “Woah, what’s wrong?” he asked. “I--I had a nightmare,” she said between sniffles. Robb placed his hand on her back in an effort to comfort her. “What happened?” he questioned cautiously. “I— There was a dragon. I was somewhere outside.. and it just came down in front of me, it roared so loud I thought I’d never be able to hear again. I think it was just about to blast me with his fire when I woke up. But it was so scary!” It was hard to even understand what she was saying she was so choked up. “It’s okay, Y/N, all the dragons are gone. And I’d never let anything hurt you,” he replied, pulling to girl in his arms and squeezing her. Her tears wet his shirt, but she seemed to calm soon after he held her. Robb leaned back from her, wiping the rest of the tears away with his thumbs. “All better?” he asked with a warm smile. The younger girl nodded. “Come here,” he said quietly, pulling her gently by her hand and leading her to his bed, urging her to lay in it. “You can stay here. I’ll be here if it happens again,” he said, continuing to smile at her. So she laid there, falling asleep not long after. Meanwhile, he watched to make sure she slept peacefully before he could sleep himself.

That morning when he woke up, she was still sleeping. He didn’t think it was possible for someone to sleep so gracefully, especially when she was a total mess when they were younger. The thought made him chuckle. He watched her for a few minutes longer before he turned to lay on his back, sighing as he stared up at the ceiling. What a mess things had become. It was about time he move and get prepared for a long day of trying to figure out what their next move would be. Many of his men had been taken out at the Twins, but a decent amount had also escaped and had reportedly re-assembled at Riverrun.

He gently slid out of the bed and began to put himself together when he heard movement behind him. Y/N looked groggy as she propped herself up on her elbow. He still found himself fixated on her hair, that beautiful hair, that hung down in loose waves. He loved his wife and mourned for her and their child’s death. It was horrific and he would seek revenge for them, as well as his mother. 

But was there still feelings there for Y/N? Feelings he hadn’t really thought about in years. As he grew older he came to realize that he was heir to Winterfell and she was no one, so he had been told, so there was just no way it could be. When they were children, though, he loved to do things like hold her hand, lay with her, hug her. He had never considered what his role would be as a man, all he knew back then was that there was a pretty girl who he loved to spend his time with-- a harmless crush. Then, they got older and they started to speak less and less until it became strictly when they needed to. He needed that distance or he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from acting on those feelings. Even with it, he couldn’t keep himself from stealing glances of her at occasions she’d been invited to or even just time spent in the courtyard. Theon always made jokes about the way she was covered up and he hated himself for sometimes laughing along but none of that mattered to him. Beauty radiated off of her. And then when she showed that she was as strong as she was beautiful.. wow. He could see the raw talent back when he caught her sparring with Jon. It only made him more attracted to her. Seeing her insist on being involved with the war, it scared him. But it also intrigued him.

Then Talisa came along and immediately he was pulled in. The woman was beautiful and smart and challenging. It was an instant love, a love that he didn’t care about risking things for. She loved him back, too, just as quickly and intensely as he had. They married and in no time she was carrying his child. All the while, though, his feelings for Y/N certainly hadn’t just disappeared. In fact, she was the first taste of love he had. But having it drilled into him for so long that he would one day be Warden of the North and he would be married to a Lady of another great house, he had to just.. forget about it. It was terrible and unfair to push her away but that’s what he did. And now, here they were, being thrusted back together again. They shared a bed just like when they were children. He enjoyed it just as much. Everything was just so mixed up it was making his head spin.

“You—“ he started, only for her to immediately cut him off. “I know,” she grumbled as she hopped out of bed going over to get her head wrap. Well, that’s not what he was going to say. But, being as frustrated as she was, she rushed over to change without even thinking about how he was standing right there. He watched as the night gown slid down off her back and it was just about to pass her hips when he tore his gaze away. She dressed quickly and reapplied the wrap.

READER POV.

You couldn’t believe that you two had slept together. Why did you offer him the place next to you? It was stupid. It was stupid because as soon as he did and stared at you as he did so, your heart fluttered. You remembered the sleepless nights when you’d run to his chambers and he’d pull you right in. How could you not have fallen in love with him? Sighing, you sat on the bed. “Shouldn’t you be on your way out? They shouldn’t see you leaving from my room. And I imagine there is a lot to do today.” The look on his face told you that he wanted to say more but instead he nodded and made his exit.

Letting out an even heavier sigh, you placed your hands over your face and unwillingly let some tears slip down your cheeks. Today was going to be a long one. You weren’t sure how, but you needed to find some way to be useful and keep yourself busy, your mind off all that was going on. You stood up, wiped the tears off your face and told yourself there would be no more of that today. Then you turned and made your way out of the room.

After having some breakfast, you tried your best to find something to do but what was there? Yeah, you saved the king but the Mallisters didn’t plan on bringing you into the meetings. However, after some wandering, you started to hear a conversation between multiple men. The closer you got, the more you could hear. It was Robb and the other men, discussing all that had happened and what would come next. So what you found out was under Theon, the Iron Islanders had taken Winterfell (infuriating Robb and you as well). Then, Roose Bolton had been slain, by a peasant girl (causing you to smile when you heard this), after attempting to murder the king he had sworn his men too. With that being said, his bastard was now mobilizing Bolton forces with the intent to take Winterfell for themselves which was going to make an even bigger problem. The Bastard King was furious upon learning that Robb had survived the assassination attempt and Lannister forces were surely on their way to find them, though they hadn’t yet figured out that he is at Seagard. But the final news is what made you fall to your knees with a sharp gasp. “…Daenerys Targaryen lives and has somehow produced three growing dragons. She has an army of Dothraki and bought over 8,000 Unsullied. We believe she has intentions to return to Westeros to reclaim the throne and has already sacked several cities in Essos.” Your sister was alive. No longer were you a Targaryen alone in the world, no, your older sister was alive and thriving. You clasped your hand over your mouth to muffle the cries that escaped. When you were able to gain control of your limbs again, you ran off to your quarters. This was the perfect opportunity to leave now. You would sail to Essos to find your sister and fight at her side-- then you would be out of Robb’s hair. It would be a win for the both of you.

Once again, you were assembling your things together. Only the absolute necessities would be going with you and whatever else you didn’t need could be sold. You would need as much money as you could get in order to make this trip. This time, though, you would not simply run off into the night. Maybe Robb deserved a goodbye, if that’s what he wanted. And if that wasn’t it... well, you’d find your way out. It wasn’t his decision whether you left or not, just as you had said the night before. 

Hours passed and when you grew tired of waiting for the chance that he would visit you in the night again, you stood up and approached your door-- just at the same time there was a knock and he walked in shortly after. This put you two within inches of each other, causing you to suck in a breath with surprise. He looked down then stepped back a bit. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to--” You cut him off again, “It’s fine.” Feeling nervous about the closeness, you hurried back over to your bed and sat down then patted the spot next to you, beckoning him over. He looked confused but came and sat anyway.

“I heard your meeting today.” If he expected an apology for eavesdropping, he certainly wasn’t going to get one. But he knows you better than that, you thought. “I need to go, Robb. It’s dangerous for me to be here when Jaime knows who I am and my sister is alive. I have somewhere to go!” At this point you stood up, your emotions getting the better of you and making it impossible to be still. “I thought I lost my entire family and now that’s not the case and I just.. I need to be with her..” The tears were starting up, as much as you tried to hold them at bay. “Were we not your family?” his voice is stern but it isn’t hard to hear the hurt in it. “You know that’s not what I was saying,” you shot back weakly. “...I just don’t see why you want to leave for someone you don’t know. You don’t know what she’s like, Y/N!” You swallowed the lump in your throat. “And neither do you! But I’m willing to take the risk. I told you before, it’s not your decision if I stay or not and I’m choosing to go,” you spit out harshly. 

That’s when you march across the room to go grab everything you might need and shove it into a bag that was easily carried. So much for a bittersweet parting. You feel his hand grab your arm and you look up at him as you pull it from his grip. “You can’t,” he says. “But I am,” you reply, throwing the bag onto your shoulder and shoving past him, only for him to catch hold of your wrist and pull you backwards. “Let go of me!” you shout, both anger and sadness in your tone. “I can’t let you go,” his tone is softer now, as is his gaze. You hated that you thought about but Jaime’s words calling him your captor crossed your mind. Was that it? He wanted to keep you because having one of the remaining Targaryens under his thumb was easier than the two potentially teaming up and conquering Westeros like their ancestors had? No, of course not. The two of you may have lost your connection over time, but Robb was not that callous.. was he?

“What is this about?” you questioned, once again pulling your arm away from him. “I..” He seemed so conflicted and it left you baffled. “I love you, too, Y/N,” he finally spits out. Your body felt numb and your heart began to pound. He couldn’t be serious. He had a wife just a month ago-- one who was tragically killed. This was absolutely ridiculous. “Don’t say that,” you replied, voice breaking. “I do. I have. I should have said it a long time ago but then I was told I had no choice in who I would be with and so I.. I don’t know, let it go I guess! Then there was Talisa--” That’s when a tear managed to slip down your cheek, which you wiped away as you stepped back. “Listen to me,” he pleaded, noticing the way you seemed to have checked out. So you nodded. “Then there was Talisa. The first woman I loved since you. And she loved me too. There was the Frey girl but I wanted a choice, so I made one.” Did he really want you to listen to the story of how he fell in love with someone else? “I’m saying this because I don’t want to lie to you. I loved her.. I don’t know if she’ll ever leave me, truly. She was the mother of my child.” Another tear you needed to wipe away. “But I loved you since we were children, just like you. I always loved you, it was always there, I just.. didn’t want to confront it and that was stupid. I was being a coward. But I can’t anymore, I can’t just watch you walk away.” 

You tore your gaze away from him in a poor attempt to hide the tears. But he came close and pulled gently at your chin to make you face him. He took your face into both hands, Tully blues giving you the most intense look. “Why? Why now?” you asked in a strained voice as tears continued to stream down your porcelain cheeks. “I told you, I’m a coward. I should’ve told you as soon as I knew. I think I was 10.. but I was scared.” You simply stared at him, unable to find the words to say. “I love you, Y/N, I do. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Targaryen, you are as much a Northerner as I.” He wiped away the tears with his thumbs. “I won’t be your secret,” you replied, your voice as stern as you could manage. “No, you won’t. I promise. I will figure this all out and I promise I would never keep you a secret. You’re a Northerner who has fought alongside them, what could they possibly have to say?” You sighed, why was he so foolishly optimistic? “I’m a Targaryen. I can’t stay all covered up anymore, if I do it’ll only be a matter of time before it gets revealed and I’d rather do it myself than have Jaime Lannister spread it across the Seven Kingdoms,” you replied. He sucked in a deep breath then nodded. 

“We’ll figure this all out,” he said softly before pressing his forehead to yours, still holding your head in his heads. You sighed, both out of a strange sense of relief but at the same time, frustration. This was all so complicated that it made you sick. This was all you had wanted all your life and yet now that it was here, it wasn’t as happy an occasion as it should’ve been. He leaned back and looked deeply in your eyes, “Just don’t leave.. please.” The way he seemed so vulnerable, so distraught.. it made your heart ache. Gods, you wanted to meet Daenerys-- you wanted to know your family but maybe staying was the best option, at least for now. But Robb’s doubts be damned, you would find a way to make contact with her. Even if you had to do it in secret, you didn’t care. Sure, you knew very little of her but something in your gut told you that she could be trusted-- that’d she’d be just as excited as you to learn that her sister had survived.

So you nodded. You wouldn’t leave, not now at least. And he smiled, a smile so bright-- something you hadn’t seen from him in Gods know how long. Then, finally, he pressed his lips to yours and you kissed him back with the longing of so many years. He returned the amount of passion and in no time, the two of you fell onto the bed. Things were getting intense when you stopped him, staring down at him with a smirk and watching as he was left panting. “You’re mad if you think I’m risking falling pregnant right now. I intend to keep fighting, Stark. And besides, you don’t want to dishonor me, do you?” you said, that smirk never wavering. He chuckled, propping himself up on his elbows and running a hand through your hair. “You’re right.. I guess,” he replied playfully before pressing a kiss softly to your lips. 

You rolled off of him, settling in the place next to him instead. He rolled onto his side to look at you and you did the same. It felt like you two were children again. “The men who survived and more are meant to be here tomorrow. I’ll tell them that I mean to take a new queen. I won’t let any of them try to object and then.. you can tell them who you are,” he said quietly. Your mind raced and your heart was pounding-- so this was in then, huh? After going your whole life hiding, you were going to reveal that you were in fact the Mad King’s daughter. With a sigh, you nodded. “Aren’t you afraid of losing their support?” you questioned. “They swore an oath to my father and then to me, they can’t simply go back on that. And you are no ordinary queen, you fought for them-- alongside them. You saved my life and killed a traitor. It shouldn’t matter what your name is after all that.” All you could do was nod but your mind continued to race. Would it really go this way? You sure hoped but.. you knew all too well that not all men were too keen on keeping their oaths. 

And they did reach Seagard that next morning. You were still lying in bed when Robb came in to inform you. So this was it then. Robb was going to announce you as his queen and you would tell them that you were a Targaryen. It was a terrifying thought. But you realized you hadn’t even confronted the thought that Robb was going to make you his queen-- he loved you and you two would be bound to one another. Before he could leave the room, you shot up out of bed. “All you said was that you’d make me a queen, you know. You are terrible at this whole asking someone to marry you thing,” you said, chuckling slightly. His eyes went wide and his face had a slight red tinge, presumably from embarrassment. He quickly made his way over, seating himself next to you on the bed. One hand went to the side of your face, fingers getting tangled in your hair. “Marry me, Y/N Targaryen. I wish to be yours until my last breath, and you mine. I love you.” The butterflies in your stomach fluttered so intensely you thought for a moment that you might be sick. “I will. I love you too, Robb Stark,” you said, nodding with tears in your eyes. He pressed his lips passionately to yours before breaking apart. “Get ready. It’s time.” You nodded and he left the room.

You put on a simple gown and then your wrap. When you stepped forward and made your own speech, you would remove it. But obviously you couldn’t just walk out that way. Closing your eyes and catching your breath, you smoothed out your dress and mentally prepared yourself for what could either be a liberating or life-threatening moment but either way, nothing would ever be the same. So you made your way out the door, hands clasped in front of you as you walked down the hall. Keeping your head high, you finally arrived in the courtyard where Robb was speaking with his trusted advisors. When he notices you from the corner of his eye, he quickly makes his way over. “It’s time then,” he said softly. You felt yourself beginning to shake and he grabbed your hand, “It’s going to be okay.”

Then it began. Robb stepped out into the middle of the courtyard, calling to the men to listen. Your eyes scanned the crowd, shocked by how far they went. They went far beyond the gates of Seagard, all trying to get a listen of what their king had to say.

“Men!” he called out. “After the tragedy at the Twins, I thank you all for assembling here to discuss our next course of action.” The men all cheered, clearly their loyalty never wavered despite what happened. “I promise you all, we will avenge all those we lost. We will punish the Freys for betraying their king in the name of some bastard in the South.” They cheered even louder this time. Well, it was surely going to get silent the moment he mentioned you-- or they’d protest, even. “But there is another matter I must speak about.” They were quiet this time, the anticipation written all over their faces. “I understand what taking Lady Talisa as my queen did. You must understand that I was making the choice I believed to be right and I will be seeking revenge on her behalf as well. But now, I ask that you trust me when I tell you I present you all a new queen. A woman I grew up with, who is loyal to the North. She understands our ways and she would gladly fight for you all until her last breath!” Just as you expected, they were silent now. “It is she who saved my life that night. She drove the dagger into Lord Bolton’s heart when he sought to kill me in the name of the Lannisters!” Then there was some enthusiasm from them. You were shocked.

He looked back at you now, nodding. “Come forward, Y/N,” he said, loud enough for those close to hear but no longer shouting. Shaking, you walked to his side and looked out at the men before you. You were able to recognize some of them as those you’d fought with, who commended you on your skill in battle when it was all over. Robb looked over at you, nodding as a way to tell you to speak. You exhaled a deep breath and built your confidence. “It is true, I plan to continue to fight alongside you all. I would die protecting any one of you! I am a Northern woman, it is my home and I will see to it that we destroy all of its enemies and take back the freedom that is rightfully ours!” You saw them nod and begin to cheer, not as loud as before but it was something. “It was I who put that blade in Lord Bolton’s chest-- and I plan to do the same to Lord Frey and any other traitor! Any ally of that Bastard King is an enemy of mine and I will happily put my life on the line to cut each and every one down!” Their cheers got louder and a grin began to grow on your lips. “But if I am to be a Queen, then I must be honest with you all. I am not nameless, not a peasant. Lord Stark saved me when I was just a babe and raised me in the ways of the North-- to pray to the Old Gods-- the true Gods-- and live with honor!” Your heart was racing as they grew silent again, waiting for what truth you needed to tell them. 

“But I am a Targaryen.” Gasps echoed across the crowd as you removed the wrap from your head. “Yes, the Mad King is my father but I have no connection to that evil man! And I wish to right all the wrongs he committed. My name may be Targaryen but I am as much a Stark as your king!” You called out. Still silence until.. there were some that began to cheer and others joined in until the entire crowd was. Queen in The North, they called you. You couldn’t believe it. A Targaryen-- a Northern Queen. It felt like a dream. You were absolutely beaming. Robb then grabbed your hand, smiled over at you and held it up. The people cheered. They would now have rulers who wouldn’t hide away-- but would aid them in the fight for freedom.

“We invite you to celebrate our union tonight with a grand feast!” he exclaimed as you grinned at him. So this was it. Years and years of loving him and now here you were, ready to marry and live as King and Queen. The men cheered as Robb lead you away from the commotion, back into the castle. The two of you kissed passionately as Robb wrapped his arms around your waist and lifted you off the ground, causing you to giggle against his lips. How had things gone from so catastrophically wrong to as close to perfect as can be in just a matter of nearly two months? It was so hard to believe and yet here you two were.

“A grand feast, huh?” you asked, smirking as he let you back down. “And why not?” he shot back playfully. “Nothing! Just.. shocked is all. A Targaryen-Stark wedding being grand.” It was something no one would have ever thought possible let alone it being celebrated. “Well here we are,” he said softly before pressing another gentle kiss to your lips. “Do we even have a septon?” you asked. “Of course! And I believe the Mallisters have something for you to wear,” he said as he began to grin. Your eyes narrowed, “You are something else, Robb Stark.” He pulled you into a tight embrace again and you melted into his touch. Just then, some handmaidens walked over to you two, heads bowed. “Lady Targaryen, we apologize for the interruptions,” their voices sounded like they were shaking. You turned to face them with a warm smile, “No need.” Both of them looked up, returning the gesture. “We are to help you prepare for the ceremony if you could please come with us,” they still sounded intimidated, but less so. You nodded, breaking away from Robb and venturing off with the two young women. With one last look over your shoulder, you grinned at him.

First, you were given a bath. The two women looked shocked when you stepped right in, both warning you that it was still extremely hot but it felt great to you. You submerged yourself, holding yourself there for a few moments before returning to the surface, wiping your eyes. Once it finally ran cold, you stood and the handmaidens rushed over to cover you in a robe. “Thank you,” you said, chuckling slightly at their urgency. While one of them worked on trying to dry your hair, the other laid a dress out on the bed and you gasped at its beauty. It was done completely in Stark colors but you could swear that there was a three-headed dragon stitched just over the left breast. Completely taken off guard, you began to walk over, completely disregarding the woman working on your hair. As you stared down, you found that you were right. “How...?” you asked, looking over at the woman who stood next to it. “His Grace swore us to secrecy and asked that we make a small tribute to your house.” Your eyes began to water but you wiped at them before they tracked down your cheeks. Robb was unbelievable.

After apologizing to the other handmaiden, the both of them got to work on preparing you for the wedding. It wasn’t much, but they seemed to have some simple makeup on hand: painting your lips red, adding an ever so slight pink tinge to your cheeks and braided pieces that met in the back while leaving the rest of your silver locks in loose waves. They helped you step into your dress and while one pulled your corset tight, the other helped to adjust the front of the gown. It felt like you could hardly breathe but.. it was worth it for such a joyous occasion. “My lady,” one woman, who you now came to know as Lyla, said as she brought a mirror to your face. You smiled at your reflection before looking up at Lyla and Samaya. “I can’t thank you two enough,” you said, beginning to get choked up. “It was our pleasure, Your Grace,” Lyla spoke up first, but both grinned at you. Both of them gave you a curtsy before making their way out. “Congratulations, Your Grace,” said Samaya as she shot you a grin.

So you were left alone in the room, trying your best to not freak out. It was just so hard to believe that this was really happening. It was then that you heard the door open and you spun around to find Robb in the door way. He actually had his mouth hanging open as he stared at you, causing you to smirk. “Yes?” you asked, raising your brows. “You look.. breathtaking,” he said as he came closer and grabbed hold of your hand. “But we should go, Your Grace,” he replied, grinning. You realized then that there was no one to walk you to the ceremony. It should’ve been Lord Stark or Lady Catelyn but now they were gone. He seemed to notice your change in mood and his brow furrowed, “Y/N?” Your head snapped up to look at him, shaking your head. “It’s nothing.”

And then you two made it into the Great Hall where Robb walked right up to the septon then looked over at you, awaiting your arrival. You walked down the aisle with your head held high as all the high lords and ladies stared at you. When you reached your spot across from Robb, you smiled warmly at him and the vows began. “...I am his and he is mine. From this day, until the end of my days.” “...I am hers and she is mine. From this day, until the end of my days.” The two of you finished in unison. Then, the septon began to tie a ribbon around your clasped hands as he proclaimed, “Let it be known that Robb of House Stark and Y/N of House Targaryen are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder.” The two of you looked at one another with a smile as he finished, “In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity.” And then the ribbon was unraveled. While you both believed in the Old Gods, Lady Catelyn believed in the Seven and you both knew this is a ceremony that she would appreciate. Besides, you were in the Riverlands now. A formal Northern wedding could be held when this was all over and you two were home.

The next few hours was magical. You never really expected to have a wedding or be married at all.. much less to Robb. But here it was, the time of your life. You danced with Robb amongst your people, laughing and beaming from ear to ear. And just as he had said, there was a grand feast for all to enjoy. By the end of the night you were quite exhausted when the two of you retired to your now shared room within the castle, though you wouldn’t be there much longer.

As soon as the door closed, Robb pressed his lips to yours with a sense of urgency, pushing back until you were up against the door. “Someone’s eager,” you giggled against his lips. “Should I not desire my wife?” he bantered back. His wife. You were his wife. Before you knew it you fell down onto the bed, dress half off, with Robb on top of you. Without thinking, you allowed him to strip you of nearly everything when you finally pulled away panting. “I told you, Stark, I will not fall pregnant. Not now,” you said with a smirk but you were very serious. As much as you would love to indulge in all the pleasures of married life and live in domestic bliss, there was a war to be fought. No time for children, not right now. He simply sighed but pressed another gentle kiss to your lips. You stood up and changed into a night gown before crawling back into bed, cuddling up to him.

The two of you were just starting to doze off when the door floor open. It was a young man who stood in the door way. “My apologies, Your Grace!” he exclaimed, clearly very shaken up. “What is going on?” Robb questioned in a gravely voice as he began to sit up in bed. “The men, they caught someone sneaking into the castle.. I think you’ll want to see him right away,” he said frantically, though he put his head down. “Yes.. I will be right there,” Robb quickly responded as he hopped out of the bed and got more heavily dressed. You got up as well, hurrying to find a robe you could throw on. He turned to look at you with a furrowed brow, “You don’t need to worry yourself with this.” With a single brow cocked, you shot back, “Robb, I plan to rule at your side. I would like to know who is trying to spy on us.” He sighed but you caught the slightest hint of a smirk as he turned away. 

The two of you followed the young man out the door and down the hall into the Great Hall, where a group of guards stood around a shackled prisoner. Upon your arrival, the disheveled man raised his head-- none other than Jaime Lannister. What on earth was he doing here? You knew that it was now well-known that Robb was re-assembling his army at Seagard but did the Lannisters really send him, just when he escaped their capture? Jaime was a fighter like no other but him against an entire castle? Tywin Lannister fought hard to get his son back, this move seemed ridiculous. “You know, I sent good men after you yet here you are, willingly coming back to me. Did you really think you’d be able to finish the job your father’s spy could not with an entire castle to get through?”

“I’m not here for you, Robb Stark. I’m here for her.”

[kalena-henden]

This is gonna seem weird but on that one Got post about Arya you wrote "foreshadowing is not character development" and it's intriguing me. Could you explain what you meant with it? Because I'm actually really curious to know what you meant. 🙂

It’s not weird at all. It’s a concept I saw other people on tumblr talking about in regards to many of the unearned endings in the GoT series finale.

In good writing, foreshadowing and character development are used in tandem. Steady development is the everyday journey each character is on. During this slow journey, nuggets are dropped along the way which may at the time seem to just be part of the character’s journey but which actually hint what is to come. When a character finally reaches one of these turning points, you may not have expected it, but it clicks into place and makes sense. So this is what they were alluding to all this time, you might find yourself say, because it means the character has developed to the point that was foreshadowed. (A good example of this is Frodo getting on the last boat to the West in Lord of the Rings.)

In GoT, there were many ‘hints’ that were dropped along the way to what became the finale. The writers could have chosen to write towards those things. Unfortunately, what they did instead was intentionally write the character development in the opposite direction so that when those things came to pass they would be a shocking ’twist’ we didn’t see coming. But in doing so, those twists don’t make sense because they didn’t develop the characters to meet those expectations. So instead of a revelation that makes sense, it’s a WTF moment of this character would never do that!

In Arya’s case, she only once in the entire series expressed a wish to see what was ‘west of Westeros’. If this was the hint that was supposed to foreshadow her ending, it failed because foreshadowing needs to be backed up along the way. The majority of Arya’s journey consists of her losing her identity (along with everyone she loves) and her fight to find herself (as she reunites with the people she loves who remain). The turning point for her is in Bravos. To join the Faceless Men, Arya must become ’No One’ forever. She decides she doesn’t like the Faceless Men’s way of life by refusing to kill the older actress. When the Faceless Men punish Arya for this disobedience, it’s the actress who saves her from death. In coming to Bravos, Arya was fulfilling the last desire of her former life, to train in the place where her beloved waterdancing instructor was from. As she recovers, Arya expresses this desire to run even farther away from her old life to a place that may not even exist. The only thing she has left is this dream of someplace far away (‘west of Westeros’) that she’ll either discover or die trying. And why not, she has nothing left to live for at this point. But when the actress is finally murdered by the Faceless Men, this snaps Arya out of her stupor. She takes her revenge on the Waif and declares that she is not ‘No One’ she is ‘Arya Stark of Winterfell’ and she’s going home reclaiming who she truly is. Once she returns to Westeros, though she does initially start back on her Kill List, as soon as she learns her family is back at Winterfell she chucks that thing so fast to gallop back to reunite with them and doesn’t leave home until she needs to take care of the only threat left against her family. Arya has always been a champion of the common folk treating them equally. The Faceless Men serve death but she rejected that and fought for life, no more so when she defeated the god of death, the Night King. She loves her family deeply and fought for House Stark’s survival against anyone who would come for them. She cared for the Hound and listened to his advice to live. She sought out living life by reuniting with her dear friend and now lover, Gendry, who kept her secrets and had protected each other from harm for years before they were forceably seperated.

We come to end of the series. Arya has reclaimed her identity as a Stark, reunited with friends and family she loves, protected all the people of Westeros. She’s ready to LIVE. One of her first dreams was to be a Lord to rule people (this was the same conversation in which Ned tells her she’ll be a lady and she says that’s not her). Gendry basically already offered this to her, but she’s so adverse to the title of ‘lady’ she rejects him. However, this seems like a misunderstanding on Arya’s part because both Lady Lyanna Mormont and Lady Brienne of Tarth have proved for YEARS that a woman can be a ruler and a warrior while still being a lady. Jon also confirms this idea of Arya being able to do things outside of the confines of what usually is expected and accepted of women by pointing out that no one would dare stop her from visiting him in the Night’s Watch even though women technically aren’t allowed. So after years of being torn away from everyone and everything she loves that she fought tooth and nail to get back, she ends the series by throwing that all away to do something she mentioned once on the brink of despair when she was the farthest from herself she’s ever been. It doesn’t make sense.

While you can technically say this choice was ‘foreshadowed’ because it was mentioned once, the writers never developed this idea. In fact, they gave us reason after reason why Arya wanted to be in Westeros and how that ‘sail to the ends of the earth’ fantasy was the antithesis of who she really is. Hence, foreshadowing is not character development.

[ansheofthevalley]

I strongly disagree with the endings for the Stark Pack. Sansa and the Northern lords along with the Vale and Riverland's lords and armies travelled to what was left of King's Landing to get Jon back against a few, what, hundred foreign invaders with no leader? And just let Jon be punished for saving them all? And Arya, who had finally learned that she had family and a home to go to and protect would just leave to go sailing, something that was never really a part of her arc other than an off...

...handed comment to a stranger in Essos? And Bran, who's motives and POV have been non-existent for SEASONS is made king by a group of people who don't know him or what he is capable of at roughly 17 years old when there are other, better, candidates in the Dragon Pit and elsewhere. And Sansa, who's whole arc has been about her status as the Key to the North and how she only wants the love and safety her parents had is entirely alone at the end of the show? All of the Starks should be together.

Hi there!

One of the things I'm still trying to wrap my mind around is the Starklings ending. LBR, season 8 was a mess and it didn't make much sense narratively, especially if compared to previous seasons. It's as if D&D discarded seasons-worth of character growth and development in favor of shocking twists *pretends to be shocked*

But you asked about the Starks and their ending.

The thing about the Starklings is that they’re deeply connected to the idea of home, but more specifically, going back to that home. Some left by choice, others by force or circumstance. But the thing is that all the Starklings have been uprooted from their home early on. Their journey (and I’m simplifying the hell out of it) is about going back home. All the characters have their distinctive aspects to their journeys to set them apart. But if we were to say what their journey is about in just a few words, it’s that: it’s about coming home. But there’s also another factor: family. All of them had to be stripped of their identity as a Stark in one point (or more than once) of the story. (*) Since the moment they’re stripped from their home and identity, they start their journey on regaining both (we could make an exception with Bran since he’s tied with magic and is in pursuit of a higher calling) (**). But the themes of identity, present in their arcs trough their home and their family name, are there. 

(*) I just realized that all the surviving Starks had to renounce to/hide their identity in order to survive. All those who didn’t (Ned, Robb, Cat and Rickon) ended up dead.

(**) Bran’s journey can be identified with two archetypes: the Sage and the Magician. Both archetypes are connected to the sense of self. The Sage is about knowledge and a yearning of paradise (which is connected to his fight against the Night King and the Others). Basically, his journey is to bring back Summer through knowledge and an understanding of his powers. The Magician is about power and wanting to leave a mark in the world. We can see this with him when he’s north of the Wall with the TER.

Jon

D&D screwed up Jon's character and his development, reducing him to a mere mouthpiece to justify Dany's actions. The problem with Jon in S8 (which started in S7) is that. He was no longer treated as a protagonist but as a plot device, which can be said about all of the Starks.

Jon has huge identity issues, mainly because of his bastard status. He’s automatically set apart, even if his siblings and father did accept him and treated him as a trueborn son. The fact that he’s a bastard is a huge cross he carries, and it’s because of this he makes the choice to leave his home. For him, going to the Wall is a way to prove himself, to make others see that even a bastard can be honorable, but also to escape from the name “Snow”. At the Wall, all men are equal: it doesn’t matter where they come from or who they were before. At the Wall, they’re all equal. Or at least, that’s what he thought. 

Of course, he found a place where he belonged, people that made him feel like home. But all of those always ended up being taken from him. So, there was only thing for him to do: to go back to his real home, Winterfell, and be Jon Snow again. Because in the Night’s Watch he was “Lord Snow” and a brother of the NW, later Lord Commander. With the Wildlings he was “a crow” and later a traitor. But he really found himself in S6, when he took back Winterfell with Sansa and when she “made” him a Stark (by cloaking him). Of course, that came crushing down in the S8 premiere, when he finds out he’s the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. And that’s it. We don’t see how the RLJ reveal affected him, how much of an impact it had on his identity, which already was complicated, how it changed his family dynamics or his relationships with certain characters. The reveal, along with his character, were used as plot devices for another character. We never saw the conflict of his true identity and home be resolved, not explicitly.

Jon's ending (him being sent to the Wall as "punishment" for killing Daenerys) makes little sense. As you said, he’s punished for killing Daenerys, instead of, IDK, punishing him for participating in the Sack of King’s Landing. That was a war crime, and punishing him for said war crime would’ve made more sense (since GOT and ASOIAF are basically politics with ice zombies and dragons). I could understand if the lords (and Greyworm, for some inexplicable reason) wanted to punish him for kinslaying. We know it’s bad and that it’s frowned upon in Westerosi culture. If that were the reason for his exile, I could understand it (and this is what D&D went with). But they completely undermine this by basically awarding Tyrion with everything he ever wanted for doing the same and admitting to killing his father in front of the nobility of Westeros five minutes earlier. It doesn’t matter if Tyrion suddenly sees these things as burdens. It doesn’t change the fact that these are the very things he was after when the show started. If the punishment for kinslaying is exile, then exile every person that committed that crime, which is both Jon and Tyrion. If the punishment for enabling and participating in the Sack of King’s Landing is exile, then exile every person that took part in it, that means Jon, Tyrion and Dany’s remaining army. You can’t punish some and award others when they did the same thing. That’s bad writing. But it’s known D&D are huge Tyrion fans (to the point of making him a completely different character), so...

The fact that he was made to leave his home and spend his life at the Wall (even if there were people that respected him there) is underwhelming. He yearned for a home, for a family, for an identity. And what better way to give him all that than to have the people he loves to accept him for who he is, not the name he carries? If it were up to me, Jon would’ve ended up in Winterfell, stripped from all titles, both from his Targaryen and Stark lineage. I would’ve made him remain, Jon Snow because that’s who he is. Because, ultimately, it doesn’t matter who fathered him. His loyalties always were with the Starks. But in the end, he would’ve had a chance to show it, a chance to defend and fight for his family and House. All while remaining a Snow. But for that to happen Jon needed a POV; the Starklings needed their POV; their dynamics needed to be shown, not hinted at; Jon needed to be shown interacting with other characters, not just Daenerys; the RLJ needed to be centered around him, not Daenerys.

Because, ultimately, that’s why the final season failed to deliver a satisfactory end to the story: it was centered around the wrong character. Because D&D chose not to comment in-universe on Dany’s morally gray actions, they had to double down in the last two seasons, so the GA wouldn’t be caught off guard with her “turn to darkness”. And because they centered S7 and 8 around her, all of the plot points that were established in previous seasons were used as a means to explain her “turn”, even when they shouldn’t have. RLJ was never about her. RLJ would’ve served as a perfect explanation of why Jon did what he did if it had been used from his POV. But it wasn’t. It was used as a plot device for the Dark!Dany arc. And we ended up with an unsatisfactory S8 that felt off.

Arya

Arya’s complete arc was about family and how revenge and justice can blur a little bit. When she’s forced to hide her true identity, she embarks on a journey that’s related to defining herself as a person: she’s Arya Stark, then she’s Arry, then she’s No One and finally, she’s Arya Stark again. It’s a turbulent journey in which she deals with revenge and justice, and she manages to fight for justice once she reclaims her identity as Arya Stark of Winterfell. Her journey has always been about that: identity. We meet her as an outsider in her own family group, an outcast. It would’ve been reasonable to go full circle, and show Arya to the audience being with her family, show her being accepted just as she is (things that made her an outsider in the beginning). Arya’s journey is a typical Heroine’s Journey.

She starts the series with a separation of the femenine. We see her dislike for feminine things and her desire to do what her brothers do. And taking her ending to Winterfell would’ve displayed perfectly the integration of the masculine (her being a water dancer and a faceless man) with the femenine (her new relationship with her sister and playing a role in Sansa’s court). She’d be right where she started, but different. She’d be accepted and valued for who she is. But we know GRRM is going for the bittersweet ending, and that ending is too sweet an ending for George’s liking, I imagine. But in my opinion, you can always bring a bittersweet sense to the ending by showing how hard it is to rebuild their world. Because that’s what they’ll all have to do: rebuild. These characters started the series are children or teenagers, and by the end they have the responsability to rebuild what other people have destroyed. Give the audience a glimpse of the hardships to come, show them that once it ends it won’t be sunshine and rainbows, but actual hard work. But then again, that’s just my opinion.

Bran

It’s a bit complicated for me when it comes to disscussing Bran’s ending. The thing is, D&D never understood Bran’s character. That’s why his connection to magical elements are downplayed a lot. That’s why he was missing a whole season. Because D&D didn’t understand his character and ultimately treated him as a plot device, mainly for the RLJ reveal. That’s why so many people have problems accepting him ending up as King, I think. Because it feels out of nowhere.

TBH, I’m on the fence regarding his ending. Not because I can’t see him as King, but because of D&D’s inconsistent writing. From S1 he’s linked to the magical aspects of the story but D&D downplayed those aspects so hard that ultimately Bran’s story fell generic. Then you have the season in which he was missing, explained as “him training to be the TER”. But then he’s brought back because he’s important again. We see him train with the TER, understand his powers of greenseeing a bit more and his link to the Night King. But then again, his character does a one-eighty, and by the end of S6 and the entirety of S7 he turns out to be a soulless, omnipresent God rather than the boy that wanted to fly. Sure, it can be “justified” if you go with the “Bran died in the TER cave” way of thinking. But what bugs me the most of D&D’s writing of Bran is that he stated that he wasn’t capable of being Lord of Winterfell, simply because he wasn’t Bran Stark anymore. He did that twice: once in S7 when Sansa gave him the title back (his claim surpasses Sansa’s since he’s a man) and once again in S8 when Tyrion offers him the chance to be Lord and Warden if he wants to (to ensure little to no resistance from the North respecting Daenerys). He declines both times, he gives his reasons. But in the series finale, when Tyrion proposes him as King, he’s suddenly Bran Stark again and able to rule? It doesn’t make sense. The thing is that D&D fucked up when it came to Bran, and the story overall suffered for it.

Sansa

Sansa’s arc has been defined by family and belonging, as all of the Starklings. But what differentiates her arc to those of her siblings is the fact that time and time again, she was referenced as “The Key to the North” aka the future of House Stark. The fact that she starts the series as a dreamer, a feminine girl that yearns for a family of her own and a valiant husband that loves and respects her, only for those dreams to be beaten out of her almost immediately, leads you to believe her arc will come full circle in a way in the end. But since GRRM is going for the bittersweet ending, maybe it was never in Sansa’s cards for her to end up married and having the family she always wanted, but at least she could be surrounded by her remaining family or those she considers family.

Yes, in the end, she “won”. She’s home and she’s Queen in her own right. But her journey feels inconclusive. Her arc is the only one tied to the themes of marriage and family (in the sense of having her own children) in a romantic way. She was defined as a character through her womanhood, as @esther-dot said. But not once she has had a romantic partner. Which really leaves you thinking, since minor characters like Bronn and Pod had “romantic” partners. But not Sansa. She was punished by the narrative for wanting to be a wife and a mother.

She was married off twice, she was groomed and raped. We see her go from a girl with dreams to a suffering woman, all because of her name and her being “the Key to the North”. She has basically been put through all that suffering and pain because of her identity. And even after all that, she ended up alone. She has not known what a consensual relationship is, what a healthy romantic relationship is like.

Even if we abstain from talking about romantic relationships, ever since leaving King’s Landing, all she wanted was to go home and rebuild it for her family. Since reuniting with her siblings, all she wanted was to take care of her family, for all of them to be a pack. After having her isolated and surrounded by enemies, it would’ve been satisfying to know that at least she was now surrounded by family and/or friends. But no, she ends up alone, after just finding Jon, Bran and Arya, after feeling safe with Brienne.

TL;DR: D&D fucked up big time by forgetting that the Starks always were the heart of the story. They used them as plot devices to reach their ending, which is why the Starks’ endings feel hollow because it was not driven by the characters themselves but by the writers’ need to reach the finish line. So, even if they ended the Game alive and well and in places of power, it feels unearned in some ways, nonsensical in others.

Thanks for the ask!

[geekprincess26]

Jon didn’t stay at the Wall.

After many months, he tired of his labors and fell back into a deep depression.  Seeing his distress, Tormund Giantsbane, leader of the Free Folk, sent a raven to Queen Sansa, his closest surviving relative.  After consulting her maester, she sent a secret missive back, along with a small vial of clear liquid.  Tormund duly fed it to Jon, whose heart slowly stopped beating.  The maester of the Night’s Watch declared him dead and asked Tormund and a few of the other Free Folk to handle his burial.  They promptly loaded him onto a wagon and escorted him back to Winterfell with Ghost.  Along the way, his body slipped out of the stupor into which the medicine had cast him, but he still spoke no words and would barely eat.

They arrived at Winterfell late one night and at once brought Jon to the maester’s quarters.  He opened his eyes just in time to see a flash of tears and red hair and feel the impact of Sansa’s overjoyed embrace.

“Your death has been marked in the annals of the Night’s Watch,” she told him.  “You are free to come and go as you please.”

The first words Jon spoke in nigh a month took the form of a croaked protest about Bran’s bargain with Grey Worm, but Sansa shook her head firmly.

“Grey Worm sailed to Naath long ago,” she informed him, “and those Unsullied who remain in Westeros have begun warming to their new home and king.  Some have even married and begun families.  A few have remarked on the harshness of your sentence, now that they have had time to reflect on it.   If you do not do aught to garner much attention to yourself, they will pay you none.”

Jon only shook his head, but he did eat the stew Sansa offered him.  Over the following weeks, his gaunt face and near-skeletal body filled out nicely, and his sallow cheeks turned pink with life.  He insisted on helping the people of Winterfell repair their home; it was his duty, after all, and he must earn his keep.  Sansa shook her head at that, but did not protest aloud.  Instead, she poured her energies into ensuring that he, like her other people, was well-fed.  She personally delivered stew and bread to him every noon as he labored under the spring sunlight.  She sewed him new garments and kept a seat open at Winterfell’s high table for him every night.  And every so often, she would ask for his counsel about refreshing the castle’s weapons stores, or handling a quarrel between two hot-headed young lords, or where he thought the new granaries ought to go.  Every so often turned into every day, and often into every night by the fireplace in her solar, where Jon would review her letters and charters and deeds over a cup of wine or ale.  Sometimes they said little.  Other times they laughed over their childhood memories.  Eventually, more recent events crept into their conversation.  One night, after a day of settling particularly fractious quarrels among her lords and ladies, Sansa’s wine cup shook in her hand as she admitted that she had never been more terrified than the day she’d gotten the raven carrying the news of the sack of King’s Landing, not even when she’d had to live with Ramsay.

“I couldn’t - I couldn’t lose you - or Arya,” she said, trembling.  The first tears she’d cried in months left her eyes then, and Jon gently took her by the shoulders.  She stared up at him, and he hesitated until she huddled against him and wept.

Not long after that, as they were walking through the glass gardens, Sansa showed Jon the budding fireflowers, and he turned white as a ghost and sat in the dirt with his arms wrapped over his head.  Sansa said nothing, but she sank down beside him at once, heedless of her fine dress, and wrapped her arms around him, stroking his curls gently with one hand.  It took him over an hour to rise and suffer her to lead him back into his chambers, and no sooner had he reached them than he collapsed on the bed, sobbing.

Sansa said nothing the following day, but every so often, Jon began alluding to the birds he’d seen flying past his prison cell window, to the shapes the sunlight would make on the floors, to any number of other fragmented recollections to which Sansa would listen with rapt attention.  Sometimes he would stop in the middle of a sentence and go silent, or even begin weeping, but slowly, as the last snow heaps melted and the violets covered the fields, he began finishing each story, even the worst stories - the ones about his imprisonment on Dragonstone and hatching his desperate plan to persuade her to come North, even at the cost of his honor, and then of his imprisonment in Winterfell, when he had briefly thought himself free of Daenerys before she threatened Sansa, then refused to let him speak of his heritage or to listen to his family, since they must all be plotting against her.  It took months more for him to speak aught of the day she burned King’s Landing and of the day his desperation and his conscience plunged his knife into Daenerys’s heart.  But Sansa always listened to him patiently and never shamed him for his reluctance or for the tears that occasionally escaped him, and eventually Jon took his own turn listening as Sansa recalled the month her heart beat like a bird’s so constantly she thought it would explode, starting with the day Varys’s raven had reached her, continuing through long nights of her writing missives and sending messengers and hastening with Bran to King’s Landing at such speed that they traveled overnight almost every night, only stopping for two nights on the entire journey.  Their nights in front of the fire got longer, and sometimes they fell asleep on each other’s shoulders.  More often than not, Jon would wake first and gently lift Sansa in his arms.  Sometimes she would start and gasp, but the sound of Jon’s voice rumbling against her ear would calm her at once.

When he had first returned to Winterfell, Jon had never even approached the seat Sansa always set aside for him at her table; but soon enough he forgot when he had last taken dinner in his quarters, as had been his wont. He never said much, but he often grinned into his stew as he watched Sansa charm surly lords or hand out lemon cakes to their children.  Once or twice, he cleared his throat and interrupted a conversation Sansa clearly did not want to have with a flirtatious lad too far into his cups.  Sansa always thanked him afterwards.  She teased him that his glare alone could stop men in their tracks, and he offered to do more than glare if any lord should need a sterner reminder about how to treat his Queen.

Once, on Sansa’s name day, he did do more than glare.  One of the visiting Riverlands lords leered at Sansa over dinner, then let his hand wander while they were dancing.  Jon cut in at once and shoved the man away from a wide-eyed Sansa.

“I’ll put you in the dungeons myself,” he growled.  The dancing had stopped, and several of the other lords, both Riverlander and Northern, had stepped forward.

“That is not necessary, Jon.”  Sansa’s voice was as firm as her face was ashen.  “Lord Dorrel is in his cups and shall leave the feast.”

Lord Dorrel’s men dragged him away amid many apologies.  Soon after that, Sansa left the hall.  She did not get far before Jon caught up with her.  She whirled and squealed with fright when she felt his hand on her shoulder; he supposed she must not have heard him call her name.  Wordlessly, he took her into his arms, and for a long time they stood there, Sansa trembling in Jon’s embrace as he stroked her hair and pressed his lips to her head.  At last, when her shaking had subsided, he guided her to her chambers, but no sooner had they reached the solar than she clung to him like a woman drowning and begged him to stay there with her, just for a few more minutes.

They woke as the first light of dawn crept through the windows.  Jon carefully lifted Sansa and carried her to her bed, but she woke as he set her down and whispered a sleepy “I’m sorry.”  

Jon tucked back a strand of hair that had fallen into her eyes.  “There’s nothing to forgive, sweet girl,” he whispered, and Sansa’s eyes shone.

“The last time you told me that,” she whispered, “you said, ‘Where will we go?’”

Jon smiled at the memory.  “I thought you meant to go off without me,” he replied.  Sansa shook her head.

“I thought the same thing myself,” she said, and sat up to face him.  “I - I was so afraid you’d leave me.”

Her voice stumbled over the last few words, and Jon sank to his knees beside her.

“Never,” he whispered.  “I’d never have left you then, and I’ll never leave you now.  Not unless you want me to.”

His heart sank to his stomach and lower as he said it, but Sansa shook her head and clung to him once more. 

“Never,” she assured him, and raised her eyes, ice blue in the pale light of dawn, to plead with his.  “I never - please - no, never leave me, Jon; I lo - I don’t want you to go, not ever.”

Jon smiled and touched his forehead to hers.

“I’ll always be here for you, sweet girl,” he murmured, and lowered his lips to touch her forehead just as Sansa sat up straighter, causing his lips to alight on hers instead.  For a brief moment, Jon sighed against their softness, and for an even briefer one he almost tried to deepen the kiss, before he startled and moved back.  He thought Sansa would be angry, or at least as startled as he; but she was flushed and smiling, and she reached for him and took his lips again, and he cradled her head and kissed her and whispered again and again how much he loved her, how much he needed her, how she need never fear that he would depart from her again, Grey Worm or no Grey Worm, bargain or no bargain.

He repeated his vow to her the next month in the godswood, with the entire household of Winterfell as their witnesses.  Bran, of course, could not attend, nor could he acknowledge Jon as King; but Jon did not wish to be King any more than he wished to travel to King’s Landing himself, and Sansa smiled when he said it.

“You shall always be my King,” she told him, “and you are my home.  I promised I should never leave my home, you remember, and that is a vow I mean to keep.”

And she did.

[sometimesrosy]

Do you think bellarke not being “confirmed” (like a kiss or a confession) by the end of the series is bad writing/disrespectful to fans? I can appreciate the story without a confirmation but I feel like they almost owe the audience this? Idk what’s your take on this

My take on this is part of why I’m struggling with being part of the 100 fandom right now. The 100 does not owe you confirmation of your ship. They are telling the story of Bellarke, but what they decide Bellarke to be is up to them. If you want to watch the story of Bellarke, it’s up to you to actually PAY ATTENTION TO THE STORY OF BELLARKE, not make up your own.

Everyone seems to feel that they are being disrespected by the show telling the story of the show. And I have a problem with this. I feel like the fandom is disrespecting the story by not letting it BE the story it is. I’m the first person to say that this IS the story of Bellarke, this is what we’ve been watching all this time and they have NOT betrayed that. They have continued to tell Bellarke for 6 seasons and every season they have gotten closer and deeper and more intimate and more epic. The love story that IS Bellarke is far more beautiful to me than what the fandom is demanding. If the story had pulled away from Bellarke at any point, I might have said that it was not going there. That they changed their minds or I was wrong. But it’s not. Every season the Bellarke love gets MORE. And every season when I see who they are at the end, I think it is more beautiful and more intense, even when it is also painful.

If this were a romance genre show, which requires, as part of its genre, that there be a HEA (happy ever after) where the love interests get together, then NOT getting together is a betrayal of the genre/audience/expectations. Although I’d like everyone to remember that Pride and Prejudice never had Elizabeth and Darcy get together, and the first confession resulted in an ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION of the romance relationship and it wasn’t until the very last scene that we got a marriage proposal and acceptance. 

As this is NOT a romance genre show, and is instead a post apocalyptic science fiction action survival show.... a HEA is NOT a requirement. 

HOW they define Bellarke is UP TO THEM. What the endgame is IS UP TO THEM. Romance can definitely be an element of post apocalyptic science fiction survival shows, but the expectations are not the same for the genre. With the mythic and tragic element to this story, a HEA is ABSOLUTELY NOT GUARANTEED. And for the fandom to require it is an imposition on their part. Sorry. 

We as the fandom don’t get to decide for them how this story should end. And to think we do is rather offensive.  Do you know? That’s where I think the disrespect is. When someone is telling a story, you let them tell it. You don’t demand your version. 

Maybe people consider this perspective to be old fashioned, but this is my belief. Everyone should get the chance to TELL THEIR STORY. And this is what I want to encourage. it’s one of the reasons I love fanfiction because it’s a freedom to write your own story and tell your perspective and desires and fears. The more people who tell their story, the more perspectives we get. And I would defend the right of EVERYONE from beginning teen age writer to broadcast show runner. 

The flip side of the directive to TELL YOUR OWN STORY is that we need to have an audience that listens when people tell their own story, because otherwise what’s the point? It’s not just about seeing yourself in the stories, it is ALSO about learning about other people’s stories, listening when people tell their version of the world. Sharing. being open to other perspective. So that means the flip side is LISTEN TO THEIR STORY.  

When I listen to the story of The 100, and the bellarke story within The 100 story, I do not see a story that is missing anything. I do not see a story that is a betrayal of the audience, the expectations or itself. I see a story where a kiss or confession is NOT the culmination of their love. He just saved her life with NOTHING but his love. How could you possibly be disappointed by that? How could you feel cheated? I guess because fandom is more interested in romance genre which requires kiss/confess/sex? Or soap operas, which require melodrama in regards to romance and sex everywhere? 

Listen. Do I WANT them to kiss? Yes. Of course. Am I frustrated that story goes so slow? Sure. But as I’m watching the show, I can see it is STILL developing and growing and getting deeper. We are not at the endgame. We are building the endgame. I don’t have a guarantee that they will get a HEA. I don’t have a guarantee that it won’t be last minute like P&P. I don’t have a guarantee that their love won’t be tragic and someone sacrifices for the other. I don’t have a guarantee that their love won’t be a particular myth like sun/moon who never get together (although since they are getting closer it would seem that they ARE not in a static orbit but heading for connection, in the case of binary stars I think that might meet in supernova, creation of a new galaxy and all that.)

To top it all off, I don’t like it when people ask me to make judgments on what I haven’t seen yet. And yet, the fandom does that ALL THE TIME. Like, you want me to feel betrayed by an eventuality that hasn’t happened yet and may not ever happened. No wonder you all think JR is your enemy. You’ve got him set up to be betrayer when he hasn’t done anything yet. You’re just PROJECTING that he’ll do that. 

I mean, I’ve seen people say he’s just like D&D and will ruin The 100 the way they ruined GOT, but I don’t see that happening. I see resolutions of storylines that pull on the entire history of the show. I see all those parallels as they bring important elements back into play. I see characters working through their trauma and growing stronger.... none of this happened on GOT. Or, it started to and when they got to the end of GRRM’s story, they dropped it all. Which tells us that the structure and meaning of the story was coming from the author while the flash and dazzle was coming from the showrunners. And when they lost the support of the author, their story fell apart. The 100 has been JR’s baby from the start and the story HIS, and he’s refused to allow other people to push him from his story even when it caused problems. 

But here’s the thing. If GOT had ended with the same people dead and the same people on the thrones, they COULD have made it a satisfactory ending. There’s no way to tell if it works or doesn’t work until you get the story. They COULD have tied it into the prophecies. They COULD have worked an epic tragedy, instead of dropping character arcs and forcing them to BECOME what they were all fighting against. They could have had them facing their pain and growing, even if they lost. That’s why Lyanna’s story and Theon’s story felt right and Dany’s and Jon’s and Jaime’s stories felt wrong. They could have USED the spirituality and magic they set up for Bran to make him a powerful scary king instead of “weird.” (that’s the worst. he’s not weird. he’s magic. do they even LIKE fantasy?) They could have made Sansa be a STARK instead of turning her into a Cersei-Littlefinger hybrid. Lyanna Mormont was a better Stark than Sansa. BUT THEY DIDN’T. The ending could have worked if they had valued the journey they took us on. THAT’S the betrayal. And the funny thing IS, I got all my endgames on that show. Jon and Dany. Arya and Gendry, Brienne and Jaime... got the kisses. got the sex scenes. got the confirmation. Did that stop them from betraying the audience???? NO. BECAUSE BONING IS NOT STORY.

Bellarke is the STORY of The 100. One of them. And we have not been betrayed. To be honest, I felt more hurt by the finales of seasons 2 and 4 than the finales of seasons 5 and 6 which gave us all the fandom outrage. Because in THE STORY Clarke and Bellamy are TOGETHER, closer and more epic than before. To be honest, they are practically one soul in two bodies at this point... they are being WRITTEN as soulmates. This isn’t just being told to us by word of god, you can SEE it. Clarke lived on, for six years with Bellamy’s soul inside of her. And Bellamy lived on with hers inside of him. And when she was body snatched, Clarke could reach out and contact HIM and when she was murdered inside her mind, he REACHED IN AND PULLED HER OUT. 

And y’all are pissed off because Bellamy is still “technically” with someone he can barely have a decent conversation with? And spends no time or energy on? 

I can’t listen to the complaining anymore. The story we HAVE is so good. And everyone is like BUT THE BONING!!!! BETRAYAL IS LACK OF BONING!!!!!

We aren’t misinterpreting this story. There are things we are misinterpreting, like the imagined war between Clarke and Spacekru, or Echo being a bad guy. Or Clarke being a bad guy. We’re imagining a shipwar too. B/E vs B/C. That doesn’t exist. Echo and Clarke are not enemies. They are not opposites. They are not good vs evil. Echo doesn’t have to be bad because Bellarke belongs together. B/E isn’t toxic. Taking Josephine into the woods was not a sign that Bellamy turned his back on his people. But we aren’t misinterpreting that Bellarke is the center of the story.

And I’m not going to say the story is betrayed by projecting my own speculation and blaming it on JR. Not sure anyone can tell their own story if we can’t tell the difference between OUR story and someone else’s story.

[katlyn1948]

An Unexpected Journey: Part 6

His voice was still the same as she remembered it. And her name on his lips made her heart flutter. She could not believe that he was here standing in front of her. She had imagined how their reunion would go and it certainly didn’t involve a small child plastered on her hip, nor a gathering crowd. The people of Storm’s End were becoming a curious lot and Arya couldn’t help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable about the whole situation. At that moment she wanted to run away and hide so that no one was able to find her. She hated attention and would rather be in the training grounds shoot arrows or stabbing people.

The little girl at her hip started to squirm. She wanted to be let down and Arya obliged. Lyra immediately ran towards Gendry and he swiftly picked her up into his arms.

"Lyra, how are you my sweetling?" Gendry asked the her. She was small in his arms, even more so than in Arya's, but she has a grip on him so tight that it would be impossible for him to put her down even if he tried.

"I waited for you, papa. But Joanna was being mean and I did not want to wait anymore." She pouted. Her eyes were watery and Arya had recognized that look, for she had given her own father that same look when she was her age; it was the look that no father could resist.

"And where is your Septa Joanna?" He questioned her.

She quickly buried her head into the crook of his neck. Gendry wasn't necessarily scolding the youngling, but he was stern when he spoke, despite the fact that there was a softness in his voice.

Arya couldn't help but smile at the encounter between father and daughter, for it reminded her so much of her relationship with her father. A relationship that she missed dearly. But she also couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. She had told him to move on; she said as much on their last night together. Any lady would be lucky to have you. She now cursed those damned words, because she realized that she could have been that lady. Not the kind that sewed, or gossiped, or bared children, but the kind that could love him just as fiercely as he had loved her.

Arya's heart was broken, that she could admit, but she will be damned if anyone would be able to tell on her face.

"I do not want to go with Septa Joanna," Lyra whined. "I want to go with her." She pointed straight at Arya.

Gendry looked up from the young girl and stared at Arya. His eyes were filled all kinds of emotions that Arya couldn't decipher. There was a mixture of confusion, worry, happiness and for a moment, desire. His stare lingered and he could notice his keep workers looking with curios eyes.

"Well, how about we go inside, look for Septa Joanna and maybe my friend here can join us in the search?" His eyes were pleading with Arya.

Lyra then looked at Arya and everything within her melted. She did not want to disappoint the young child so she nodded, "Of course, I'd be more than happy to help."

Gendry walked up to Arya and gently set Lyra down. She looked in between the two adults and smiled quickly grabbing both of their hands. Arya was taken by surprise, but did not pull away. If anything her grip on the young girl's hand tightened feeling a sort of comfort in it.

They walked silently to the castle's great hall, only exchanging quick glances here and there. They were both afraid to break the silence, for they didn't know what the other would say. Arya had never truly been scared of much, but for the first time in her life she was completely terrified. They were old friends, so why was it so difficult to speak as such? It was taking everything in Arya to muster a word to him, but thank the Gods that the child's Septa had decided to enter the great hall.

"There you are, child! I have been searching high and low for you! Where did you run off to?" The Septa was young, could not have been more than a few namedays older than Arya. Her head covering was that of a Septa in training; not fully covering her hair.

"Joanna! How in the Gods did this child get away from you?" Gendry had asked the young Septa.

"Oh, my Lord! I had not realized you had returned. I do apologize, she is a quick thing. One moment she was right beside me in the gardens and the next she was gone." The young Septa was clearly out of breath, probably from searching for the lost child.

"You wanted to give me a bath! I hate baths!" Lyra accused the Septa.

Septa Joanna huffed and gave the child an annoyed look. "You have mud on your skirts and in your hair. I need to get you clean, young child."

Lyra stuck her tongue out at the Septa and ran to hide behind Arya.

"Will you come here? Come from behind the lady." The septa went to grab at the child, but Arya unconsciously got in the way.

The septa stopped in her tacks. She looked at Arya and was truly confused as to what was going on.

"Please accept my apologies, Lady..?"

"It's Arya. Arya Stark of Winterfell."

The septa's face grew pale. She knew exactly who Arya Stark of Winterfell was. Her story has traveled all across Westeros, there was hardly a person in this country that did not know who Arya Stark was. Even her, a small town folk girl from the Riverlands has heard of Arya Stark.

"Lady Arya! How rude of me! Please do forgive me, I hadn't realized who you were." The Septa gave her a small bow.

"There really is no need for that. Please do no bow." Arya said to her.

Septa Joanna rose from her bow and gave Arya a wide smile.

"I've heard so much about you. Well not of about you, but your accomplishments! There are songs written about you, you know! Wonderful songs on how you defeated the Night King and how you survived The Battle of King's Landing. It truly is a pleasu-" Her ongoing rant was quickly cut off by Gendry. He was becoming annoyed with the young septa and wanted nothing more than to talk to the brown haired lass that was standing beside him.

"Septa Joanna, I am sure Arya would love to here about the songs written about her someday, but that day is not today. Please if you could, take Lyra and do give her bath. We have special guests tonight and she has to look presentable." Septa Joanna nodded and reached for the child once more.

"No papa! I don't want to go!" Her eyes were pleading. With those eyes, Arya knew Gendry wouldn't last much longer on holding back his weakness for her. So she was going to save the stupid bull before he let a 3 year old boss him around.

"Lyra," Arya knelt down beside the girl, "If you go with your septa, I promise that when we meet again, we can play in the mud all you like."

Lyra's face lit up and she gave Arya the biggest hug a girl her size could give. She squealed with joy and quickly ran towards her septa. Arya looked back at Septa Joanna just in time for her to mouth a "thank you." Arya nodded and saw the two figures depart the great hall.

It was just the two of them now, standing in the middle of the great hall. There was still silence and it was becoming unbearable and uncomfortable for Arya. So with all the courage she could muster she spoke first.

"So...you have a child." It wasn't a question.

Gendry cleared his throat, "Uh, yes. I have a daughter, Lyra. Well you met her." He was nervous, she could tell. He wasn't meeting her eyes and his hand were fidgeting, no doubt wanting to hammer something into submission.

Arya swallowed, but there was nothing but ash in her mouth. She had to ask the next question, but she was afraid of the answer. She knew that if he had a daughter, then he had a wife and that would completely shatter her.

"You're married then?" She spit the question out.

Gendry's hands had stopped fidgeting and he looked directly at her. "No, I am not," He hesitatied, "Not anymore."

"So you were? Did you love her?" Arya's voice was small and she hated how he made her feel, how this situation made her feel.

Gendry was not longer nervous, in fact he was angry. She had been gone for five years and thinks that she can walk into Storm's End and pick up where they left off.

"Gods, Arya! I haven't heard from you or seen in five years and this is what you ask me when you see me? You told me to move on, so I did!" He yelled at her.

Arya flinched. He had never yelled at her, but she could understand his anger and frustration. It hurt her every being that they were having this dreaded conversation. All she wanted was his arms around her, holding onto her and never letting go.

"I never thought you would. At least I never believed you would." She told him truthfully.

Gendry let out a long sigh. He wanted to be mad at her. Wanted to yell and scream even more than what he was doing now, but he just couldn't. Because all he saw standing in front of him was the a ghost he's never thought he'd see again. He could see she was sad, for she could was now the one who could not meet his eyes. She looked so vulnerable in front of him. It was a side of Arya that he had hardly ever seen, not since they were in that cave with the brotherhood. Not since she asked him to be her family.

He took all of two steps to her and embraced her into a hug that he never wanted to let go. She was visibly shocked, but she received the embrace, returning it all too quickly. She took in his smell. It hadn't changed in all these years. The smell of the smithy still very much prominent. It was a smell that she recognized as home.

"Gods I've miss you." he whispered into her ear.

"I've miss you too." She let out; her voice quivering as if she was about to cry.

They were embraced for what seemed like a lifetime. Each not wanting to let the other go. But the preparations for supper were coming underway and the maids and cooks were beginning to come in and out of the great hall.

Gendry released Arya and grabbed her hand leading her from the great hall.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked him as they began to make their way up a column of stairs. She had realized they were climbing the tower that stood in the middle of the castle.

"We are going to my chambers, so we can talk more freely." He told her.

Her cheeks blushed at the thought of entering his chambers, but she quickly suppressed any thoughts that Sansa would deem improper. As the ascended the stairs, he never once let go of her hand. He feared that if he did, that she would just disappear like the first time.

They had finally reached his chamber doors. With one swift motion he entered his solar. It was magnificent, Arya had to admit. As you entered, there was a table that could seat four. The bed was near the wide open window that overlooked the seas. Sheer curtains were the only things covering the open archways that led to the balcony. The fireplace at the head of the room was large; a stag adorning the stone atop of it. This room was large; larger than her parents chambers had been back in Winterfell. Although large, the room still felt rather cozy and Arya did enjoy the sea breeze that was tickling the curtains of the balcony.

"Nice room, my Lord." Arya teased.

Gendry gave a small smile but still flinched at the title. Everyone had been calling him 'My Lord' for years now and he still couldn't get used to the name. Arya saw his discomfort at the name and continued to tease.

"Now you know how it feels, my Lord. To have people call you my lord. It gets annoying, doesn't it, my Lord?" She was practically laughing.

"Yeah, yeah. Just shut it, mi'lady." He teased back.

"It is 'My Lady,' you are a highborn now, remember?" Arya sipped on a goblet of wine that Gendry had poured her when they entered his chambers.

"Of course, how could I forget, My Lady?" He jabbed back at her.

Arya face turned to a scowl, "Don't call me that."

"Oh, so you can give it, but cannot receive it?" He asked her.

He could tell that she was no longer teasing. Her face had gone solemn and her wine goblet remained untouched in her hands. She still looked the same except for her hair; it was longer than before, almost reached her mid back and she had few more scars that seemed to adorn her face. He could tell that she was lost in deep thought, about what, he wasn't sure. He knew that she must have gone through things in their years apart, but he had gone through things as well. The reality of it was is that they were no longer the same people that they had been those years ago. It seemed easier to pick up where they left off when they were they were at Winterfell; nothing but younglings. Now there was five years of experience between them and they had to learn to know each other again.

Gendry walked over to his bed and sat at the edge, facing Arya who was seated at the table. He wanted to grab for her and put her hands in his, but he thought better of it and just watched her. He watched her mind race, he could see it in her eyes as they flicked back and forth. It was almost as if she was trying to fit things together without asking for the answers.

"Arya?" He called to her.

She heard him and immediately her trance was broken.

He took her hands this time; grabbed the goblet and set in on the table beside her. Her brought her chair close and looked her in the eyes.

"Ask me your questions, you stubborn she wolf."

"Are...are you sure?" She wanted confirmation.

"As sure as I can be. Now ask." He assured her.

"Who was she? What was her name? What happened to her?" Every question Arya could think of was spilling out of her mouth. She was like a run away horse unable to stop.

"Slow down, love. I will answer them all, just give me a minute to hear them." He smiled to her.

She quickly shut her mouth and began to listen to Gendry Baratheon's story.

"Her name was Isabel Haywater. She was the daughter of one of my bannermen. I wasn't intending on marrying her, or any woman for that matter. I was going on year two of my lordship and my bannermen were pressuring me to marry; to create heirs to Strom's End. Every woman they threw at me I dismissed. I did not want to marry, for there was no other woman that could make me happy but you." He paused and could see the tears welling in Arya's eyes. "I was going to wait, however long it took. Ser Davos had advised against it. He feared that my bannermen would stage a coup and put a Lord in charge that would produce heirs. But it did not matter, I would have gladly given up Storm's End if it meant that I could wait for you. But something happened. Lord Haywater had come to me and begged me to marry his daughter, for she was ruined. She had fallen in love with a local farmer and had ended up with a babe in her belly. When she told the farmer, he left her and the Stormlands altogether. She was devastated and Lord Haywater was worried about the wellbeing of his daughter and her unborn babe. He knew that the child would be a bastard and he didn't want his grandchild to go through what I went through. He didn't want his daughter to be deemed nothing more than a common whore. I took pity on the woman and her child, but more so for the child." Gendry swallowed. "I knew what it was like to grow up with no name and no family. I knew the hardships and I couldn't let that babe endure the same fate as I did, so I married her and claimed the babe as mine."

Gendry gave time for Arya to process the information he had given her. Slowly, everything started to fall into place.

"Did she love you?" She had asked him.

"No, but she loved her babe, as any mother would. She was grateful for what I did, but she told me herself that she couldn't find it in her heart to ever love another man again. She had her own chambers that she would reside in. When we were together in front of the people, we were man and wife, Lord and Lady, but behind closed doors we hardly interacted. We did become friends, though and she was funny. Had a good sense of humor." Gendry smiled at the memory of his late friend.

"What happened to her?"

Gendry hated the memory. Every time he had to think about it, he would close up and retreat. But he was here to give the woman he loved answers, so that was what he was going to do. He grabbed the pitcher of wine and pour himself a glass. If he was about to let in all the emotion he had suppressed for the last three years, he needed wine in his belly to do so. He chugged the goblet and resumed his story.

"She had gone into labor early, nearly two moons early. And Isabel was a tiny thing, smaller than you, if that was possible. The maesters had said it was going to be a difficult birth, even when she was only four moons along. We had prepared for what seemed to be the worst, but we did not account for the fact that the babe would come early. We also didn't account that the babe would be as large as she was. I remembered Lord Haywater saying that the farmer Isabel had been with was a rather large man so I knew that the babe would be difficult for her. Even the way she carried the babe. She had to stay bed ridden around moon five because she was so large. Lyra just did not fit, so the maesters had to cut her out of Isabel. There was little chance that Isabel would survive, that much I knew. On her dying birthing bed she made me promise to take care of her." Gendry's voice broke. "What she didn't know is that I already loved that babe as my own before she was even born. Isabel didn't last the night and when it came time to name the babe, I chose Lyra, for it had been Isabel's mother's name." Gendry hadn't noticed the tears that were running down his face. The memory truly did hurt him, for Isabel had been a dear friend.

He looked up at Arya and noticed that she had her own tears falling down her face. She hated seeing him hurt. She wanted to take all of his bad memories and lock them away forever.

"Why are you crying?" He had asked her as he wiped her tears away.

"I am so sorry! For everything! What you went through and what you did. Not a lot of men of your stature would have done that, but you did. I should've been here with you. You should not have gone through any of that and if I was here you wouldn't have." Arya was nearly sobbing.

Gendry grabbed her and held her close to him.

"Don't you dare apologize, for any of it. I know why you left. You had to live for yourself in your own way. Was I angry at you? Of course; I still am, but that doesn't mean that I don't love you. And if you were here, I would not have Lyra. I cannot imagine my life without that little girl and I hope you can understand that."

Arya pulled from him and grabbed his face into her hands. She looked him straight in the eyes. "I understand everything. But I do have to ask, have people wondered of her parentage? I could tell that child was not your true kin the moment I looked at her. What happens when others realize that?" She asked him honestly.

Gendry sighed and pulled Arya's hands into his. "There have already been questions of her linage. I have dismissed them all, but there are some who will not let it go. I am afraid for her sometimes, that is why I have her Septa constantly with her and Ser Davos not to far behind."

Arya's heart swelled and she fell in love with this man all over again.

"I will promise you, Lord Gendry Baratheon, that if anyone tries to harm her or question her parentage in anyway, they will have to deal with me."

"Arya, I cannot let you do that. You don't even know her, and I've changed. You don't even know me anymore." he protested.

"Will you stop being a stubborn bull and let me get to know her; get to know you again?" She pleaded.

Gendry's mouth turned wide. He hadn't meant to kiss her, but at that moment he couldn't help himself. Her lips tasted the same, sweet but with a little hint of Storm's End sea salt. Arya melted into him and gladly accepted his kiss. She had missed his lips on hers and she never wanted this moment to end. But the sound of dinner bells had pulled the couple apart.

"Does this mean you are staying?" He asked her as pulled from her lips.

"Aye, I'm staying."

Gendry smiled, "Good, now let's go eat."

[avatarsarny]

Post S8 Arya/Gendry? With a cherry on top?

Well, anon, since you asked so nicely. Just in time, bc I really needed to get this out of my system. This is for @gendrie, @gendryadempsie, and @starrynightshade, whose blogs and fics have kept me sane over the past few weeks of D&D’s clownery. Thank you guys for feeding us with that sweet sweet Gendrya content throughout :)

For context: In my head, everything ended similarly to D&D’s bad fanfic version with some notable adjustments: Jon is not exiled to the (nonexistent) Night’s Watch; he decides against being king and goes to bring the Wildlings back down to the North with Tormund (bc the lands beyond the wall are a barren wasteland wtf) and thereafter settles at Winterfell to be Hand to Queen Sansa. Bran is made King of the 6 kingdoms as he was in the show, with Tyrion as his Hand and ruling with his council. Jaime did not turn on Brienne in the last moment, didn’t erase years of character development, and instead left to kill Cersei himself, finally realizing the disease she really was, and became Queenslayer for the good of the realm. He survives Daenerys’ attack on KL and is serving Bran in the new Kingsguard, under Brienne the Commander. 

Finally, Arya does not randomly decide to become Christopher Columbarya and sail the ocean blue, erasing years of her own journey to finally be home with her family again, no sirs, she finds Gendry after the sack of KL, after she realizes what Sandor was trying to tell her to do, to choose life, and tells him to ask her again. You can guess the rest from what you read below :)

And in keeping with the pack survives narrative (bc that’s what good writing is about!! Consistency!!) the Starks remain closer than ever, visit each other often, and don’t end up alone and separated! Hope yall enjoy!

P.S… Okoye. You’ll see why soon. definitely not taken straight outta black panther Ahem. Continue.

“And reinforcements from the Stormlands will arrive tomorrow, Your Grace, if I’m not mistaken. Lord Buckler of Bronzegate sent me a raven saying twenty ships worth of food and supplies will be here just after sunrise.”

Bran nods in approval and looks up at the sunlight streaming in through the windows of the newly - reconstructed King’s solar. Daenerys’ rampage had left little of the Red Keep standing, but some of the personal chambers had remained mostly intact, so the new King and his council lived in close quarters for the past three months while they supervised the city’s recovery. There were still many injured and many more starving, so Bran called upon every Lord and leader in Westeros, high and low, to contribute whatever they could to the city’s smallfolk; who had suffered the most.

Bran glances over at the man across him. His blue eyes are bright with belonging and purpose, his dark hair is gradually breaking free of the short crop he had sported when Bran had first met him, and he wears fine leathers in same way his father and uncles had, only this time adorned with clawlike marks on the shoulders of his tunic.

The young King smiles at this observation. Stags don’t have claws. But he can think of another animal that does. 

Gendry catches his King’s gaze. “What is it, Your Grace?”

Bran’s smile grows ever so slightly. “When is my sister returning, my Lord? It’s been a fortnight since her last raven.”

Gendry sighs and looks out a window, where the city gates rise from the sea of ruined buildings far out in the distance on one end, and the azure waters of Blackwater Bay lay calm and still. “I’m not sure. She said she wouldn’t leave Queen Sansa at Winterfell until she’s made sure she’ll be well protected.”

“Won’t Jon be there soon?”

Gendry blinks. “Yes - er - I didn’t know that until this morning - got a raven from Tormund. How’d you find out?”

Bran throws him an unimpressed glance. “Well I am the three eyed raven. I flew over Jon and Tormund’s group last night. They’ve settled the Wildlings in some unoccupied lands about a day’s ride from Winterfell. Sansa wants Jon to be her Hand, and it looks like Jon’s agreed to it.”

Gendry nods slowly, trying to process the King’s extraordinary statement in a way he can understand. “I’ve heard of your abilities, Your Grace, but forgive me, I’m not sure how one flies when they can’t even walk. But if what you say is true, then you can see where your sisters are, too, can’t you?” He grins then, and maybe in front of a different King he’d be punished for his audacity, but Bran is no ordinary King. And Gendry has never been one to worship the ground at a highborn’s feet. 

But he’ll fight for any one of the Starks. Arya and her family time and again showed kindness and mercy to the common folk, and beneath their ferocious direwolf fangs they shared a gentleness for the innocent that Gendry had rarely seen among the rich and powerful. Even Sansa, the Red Wolf of the North, held a great tenderness concealed beneath her icy, calculating exterior, and people everywhere adored her for it.

Bran’s smile widens into a true grin, then. A feat so rare Gendry thinks he should get Grand Maester Samwell to check on their King’s health. 

“Yes, I can see everything. Anything, anywhere, at any point in time. But sometimes it’s nice to put it all away for a while, and be a normal man. Or at least act like it,” he replies. “I did see Arya, by the way. It appears she’ll be staying in Winterfell for a few more weeks before she starts her journey back here.”

Gendry’s face falls, but he catches himself and hopes the King doesn’t notice. The least she could do is send a raven, but she’s been oddly silent since her last message to him, and he’s getting worried. If she doesn’t send more word soon, he’ll go off to Winterfell himself.

Bran quirks a brow at him. “Storm’s End needs someone like you, someone who will take care of the people. Your uncles left the Stormlands in such disarray, but the Stormlords are willing to follow your command. Don’t worry about my sister, she can handle herself.” He smiles serenely at the former blacksmith.

 But what about me? Gendry thinks. Does she not understand that every day we’re separated feels like an eternity to me?

None of it will mean anything, if you aren’t with me, so be with me…

It will be nearly four months since Arya left to help Sansa settle into her role as Queen in the North. Four months since he last held her in his arms, since he tasted her on his lips and felt the warmth of her smile, since he saw the heat and tenderness in her gaze she reserved only for him. 

She had sought him out after the Dragon Queen had stormed King’s Landing, after Jon drove a dagger through his aunt’s heart and liberated all who would come under her tyranny. She had been covered in ash and blood and he’d never felt more fear in his entire life, that he would have to watch her die like this, but she was mostly unhurt, the blood had not been hers, not all of it.

“Ask me again,” She’d rasped, coughing out grey soot and clutching at him for dear life. “I thought I wouldn’t come back from Kings Landing. I was going to die there, and I couldn’t do that to you, I had to refuse,” She whispered, tears falling from her eyes and down her grimy face. “I couldn’t hurt you.”

And oh, she had never looked more beautiful, he had never loved her more fiercely than he did in that moment, not even on that night they thought would be their last, when she had kissed him down in the Winterfell stores and made breathless, frantic love to him. “You could never hurt me, love,” he’d said, wiping her tears away and crushing her to his chest. “I know you don’t want to be a Lady, I’ve always known. We can go wherever you like. Do whatever you want. I’ll follow you anywhere you go, till the end of my days,” he promised, and released her so he could kneel before her in the ash and dust. “My life means nothing without my family. Please be my wife. Please be my family, Arya of House Stark.”

And with that, she’d tackled him into the rubble with all the strength she could muster, and kissed him senseless. “I love you,” She’d breathed against his lips, “I will be your family. Your - your wife,” she broke off in a quiet moan, as he moved to press searing kisses down her throat. She held his face in her hands, stilling his sweet movements to look earnestly up at him. “And I will lead by your side, Gendry of House Baratheon.”

He stared at her in shock, his hands coming up to bracket her own. “You - you want to rule the Stormlands with me?”

Arya smiled at him, even though it hurt to do so and her face was bleeding. “I want to be here for the people who can’t protect themselves. I want to make our world a better place than the one we grew up in…I couldn’t save them in King’s Landing,” she’d paused as more tears trailed down her cheeks, and he dutifully brushed them away with the pads of his calloused fingers. She would tell him about the girl and her mother, later. The little family that had saved her from the stampede, only to end up burnt beyond recognition in the end. “I have to make sure this never happens again.”

Gendry kissed her forehead, the bit of it that wasn’t cut open. “As m’lady commands,” he’d murmured, threading their fingers together. “Now let’s get you a maester.”

“I also need to teach you how to use a fork, none of those idiot lords will respect you otherwise.”

He laughed and scooped her up into his arms. “I’ll need all the help I can get. I don’t know any other rich girls willing to teach me.”

Part 2 coming soon :)

[adreamofspring-archive]

Hi! I read a post by someone explaining why Dany won't go mad in the books. I think it might have been you, or might've been reblogged by you? I just watched the Game Revealed and they said "When George told us he was going the mad queen route with Dany..." that's not good. What do you make of it? I mean, they couldn't outright lie, could they? I mean it's... super convenient that that's the first dialogue in the entire thing, but... now I'm scared. I had hope the books would go differently. :(

Hi!

So I’m pretty on the fence about two things.

If she will go 'mad’ in the books

If that’s necessarily a bad thing

I haven’t watched the Inside the Episodes because I really don’t give a fuck, but if they really said that then I’m not sure how I feel. If this wasn’t how GRRM intended for it to go, why did he allow for it to happen? I also know that D&D have changed things from ASOIAF DRASTICALLY to the point where it’s literally not even the same series / characters in some cases. D&D can say literally whatever they want and to me it’s complete and utter bullshit because in the BTS of every episode they’ve said she’s not her father, she’s not a sadist, ect. Take a look at how they’ve supported her over the years and are now saying it’s wrong of us to support her the whole time? So I take everything they say with a grain of salt.

I personally don’t think that this is where GRRM is taking her character.

Here are some good metas about why she won’t go mad in the books.

x. x. x. x.

Here is a small paragraph from this post, written by @goodqueenarya​ and @snowstcrm​

Dany won’t go insane. Why? Because nothing she has done is any worse than what her male counterparts have done. Like Arya, her journey is about finding her home. Daenerys’ pursuit of the throne is something she sees as a duty to the people she is told are waiting for her. She supports other claimants whether it’s her brother or her son over her own claim. For herself, she wants a simple life. But she puts the needs of her people above personal goals. Also, the vision of the destroyed Red Keep is a show only invention. She has more complicated visions in the book, none of which suggest she is insane or will be.

The Others are way bigger threats in the book than the show made them seem. Prophecies being taken much more into account in the books than the show + daenerys’ rules of threes. Grrm once wrote that his main 5 characters will survive the books which includes daenerys. The guy has known the ending from the start and hasn’t changed it. His biggest story beats have also stayed consistent, with the first third being about Lannister vs. Stark, Daenerys’ Westeros conquest, and then finally the giant threat to humanity which is the Others which will unite the characters to fight.The show completely prioritized her goal for the throne when Daenerys in the books has a more earnest, secret desire for a simple home.

Beyond that, I don’t think that the Throne is going to be the end goal for Daenerys. She literally dreams about being a common woman, not being Queen and having a lemon tree outside her window. She craves a simple life.

Here is something I think it’s important to remember what is actually book!Daenerys

“Yet Your Radiance has found the courage to answer butchery with mercy. You have not harmed any of the noble children you hold as hostage.” “Not as yet, no.” Dany had grown fond of her charges. Some were shy and some were bold, some sweet and some sullen, but all were innocent. “The Shavepate would feed them to your dragons, it is said. A life for a life. For every Brazen Beast cut down, he would have a child die.” Dany pushed her food about her plate. She dare not glance over to where Grazhar and Qezza stood, for fear that she might cry. The Shavepate has a harder heart than mine. They had fought about the hostages half a dozen times. “The Sons of the Harpy are laughing in their pyramids,” Skahaz said, just this morning. “What good are hostages if you will not take their heads?” In his eyes, she was only a weak woman….What good is peace if it must be purchased with the blood of little children? “These murders are not their doing.” Dany told the Green Grace, feebly. “I am no butcher queen.” - ADWD

Why do the Gods make Kings and Queens if not to protect those who cannot protect themselves? - ASOS

“I told you, I know our little queen. Let her hear that her brother Rhaegar’s murdered son is still alive, that this brave boy has raised the dragon standard of her forebears in Westeros once more, that he is fighting a desperate war to avenge his father and reclaim the Iron Throne for House Targaryen, hard-pressed on every side … and she will fly to your side as fast as wind and water can carry her. You are the last of her line, and this Mother of Dragons, this Breaker of Chains, is above all a rescuer. The girl who drowned the slaver cities in blood rather than leave strangers to their chains can scarcely abandon her own brother’s son in his hour of peril. And when she reaches Westeros, and meets you for the first time, you will meet as equals, man and woman, not queen and supplicant. How can she help but love you then, I ask you?” - Tyrion, ADWD 

"It is such a long way," she complained. "I was tired, Jorah. I was weary of war. I wanted to rest, to laugh, to plant trees and see them grow. I am only a young girl." - ADWD 

In terms of asoiaf, if Daenerys doesn’t make it to the end of the series, I personally think that she will die fighting the army of the dead. She is the mother of dragons. She is the breaker of chains. Her entire arch has been revolved around her using her power to free slaves and punish those who would harm them. It is her destiny to destroy the Others and break the chains that death has on them.

With all that being said, if this is where he’s taking her character... I’m over it. I think the hero falling into the villain trope and dying tragically is pretty... boring to be honest? It would be such a better message and a much more interesting story if after everything she’s suffered and endured and survived if she stayed true to herself rather than falling to the dark side. As Kristen said, I’ve had enough of the mad woman trope. I’ve had enough of it. It isn’t original or interesting. I don’t care what path he takes to get there. It’s not a destination we should be going to in 2019 or later and calling it subversive or good writing. And up through ADWD Dany is, to me, one of the less grey characters. Not someone I could see conceivably doing what Dany did in 8.05. If that happens, even if it takes her years and a slower and more carefully constructed descent into madness, I’m out. Women don’t have to be mad or villainous to be interesting. Their trauma doesn’t have to strip them of their humanity or turn them into hardened badasses. Dany staying true to herself to the end would be a lot braver storytelling and a lot more interesting to read. I personally think it sends a terrible message to every woman out there who’s ever moved past their abuse and became their own hero. I can’t stand it, honestly.

[fortunatelylori]

This episode is more convoluted than the crypts of Winterfell

Disclaimer: Proceed with caution! There is snark ahead! I repeat: There is snark ahead! It had to be done, people. If I had to sit down and actually take this episode seriously, I would have lost my freaking mind!

So it happened. The first episode of season 8 aired. The leaks were true and I am now officially dead inside. Let’s get started. 

General Impressions

Trying to review this episode is an extremely challenging exercise. There is no cohesiveness to it, no narrative strand to tie it all together. In an ideal world, an episode should be linked by a common theme. It should have a structure that pushes you towards the end from the very first scene onward. 

Here the writers have completely given up on even pretending they care about structure and plot progression. They’re essentially jumping from scene to scene like a freaking gymnast on crack. 

Surprised that Euron managed to travel to Essos and back and Cersei still hasn’t grown her hair? Seems dubious to you that the Wall gang not only survived the Wall falling but managed to get to Last Hearth through zombie infested territory? How about Ned Umber traveling all the way to Winterfell and back to Last Hearth just in time to die a pointlessly shocking and gratuitous death? 

Well, I’m here to tell you to knock it off! GOT does not give a shit. This show has its priorities straight. And those priorities are: 

Pretty pictures of people being dismembered, burned alive or generally dying painful deaths. 

Porn ... we got to get that porn quota up, you guys! Just you ladies, of course! Who the hell wants to see naked men on this show?!?! Not the Ds certainly. That would be yikey. 

For the sake of my own sanity, I’m going to try and bring some order to the chaos by splitting the episode into 3 main story lines. I’m extremely generous here because 2 of those story lines are barely there at all, and the other one is not linked together by anything other than location: 

Story A 

Winterfell is turned into a Big Brother type house where everyone that ever hated each other is now forced to coexist. If I were to pick a main character in this story line it would probably be Jon. 

The problem is Jon is confused and confusing so watching him work his way through this meandering plot is painfully strange and frustrating. And that’s because his POV continues to be, at least, partly hidden, meaning that I never get any idea of what the hell he’s doing or what is actually driving him in this episode. 

Generally this would allow for some sort of character reveal at the end of the episode when all these loose ends would be brought together and we’d finally know what Jon is up to but these are the Ds. They’re going to milk the ambiguity for all its worth and in true Ds fashion run it into the ground from sheer exhaustion. 

If I were to summarize Jon’s story line in this episode it’s: Jon arrives at Winterfell and proceeds to be flabbergasted that the people he knew would be upset that he bent the knee, are actually upset that he bent the knee. He rides a dragon and gets down to some PDA in the middle of nowhere because he needs to amuse the royal bush. He reunites with his long lost family members and spends most of the episode sulking because Sansa is giving him the cold shoulder. 

I feel like I’ll be saying this a lot but this is not a story line. This is a character aimlessly drifting from scene to scene whose reactions don’t make much sense. 

Then there’s the parentage reveal: 

This goes just about as bad as you’d expect. The dialogue is slightly sophomoric with John Bradley being forced to deliver this line straight: 

Your mother was Lyanna Stark. And your father, your real father, was Rhaegar Targareyen. You’ve never been a bastard. You’re Aegon Targareyen, true heir to the Iron Throne. 

This little bit of exposition here just sounds off and strange, despite Bradley’s best efforts to soldier through it. Not to mention that the writers are ripping themselves off by having Sam parrot basically the same thing Bran said in season 7. 

But the real problem with this scene is ... and I’m very sorry to say it ... Kit Harrington. He just doesn’t deliver. He doesn’t find the right tone and reactions to the monumental reveal and the whole scene falls flat on its stupid, exposition face. 

It’s made even worse that this scene is following the Tarlys burning reveal in which John Bradley does, without a doubt, the best bit of acting in the whole episode. 

The Tarlys reveal is a strange and off kilter scene as well but Bradley sells you on Sam’s grief and horror so you’re instantly in his corner, which in turn helps ground the entire piece. 

Harington doesn’t manage to do that so the scene ends up not amounting to much of anything other than setting up the future plot point of Jon and D*ny as rivals to the Iron Throne. We’ve known the truth of Jon’s parentage since season 6. What’s interesting to us in this scene is how Jon reacts to the news and we want to be given the opportunity to commiserate with him. Alas, we never get the chance. 

Story B 

The King’s Landing plot. This is not really a plot. More like an amalgamation of scenes that are sporadically thrown at you in haphazard fashion, with the only goal of setting up plot points for future episodes.

 In quick succession we get Euron and Cersei having sex (off screen). Lena gets about 10 seconds to act some sort of emotion once the business is concluded and we’re off to the next plot point. 

Theon and Yara reunite and separate within the span of 5 minutes and Bronn is off to kill the Lannister brothers - one man sent into hostile territory, in the freezing winter, with a crossbow. What could go wrong here? ... WHO CARES?!?! PORRRRRN!

The funniest thing about this plot is that the White Walkers are treated as an after thought at best. 

Cersei is more upset she didn’t get her elephants. How much do you want to bet that the Ds blew their CGI elephant budget on the dragons? Speaking of which, should we start putting up flyers for Ghost? Lassie has been MIA for a while now, guys. I don’t think she’s coming back this time. 

Bronn is trying to get it on with the 3 prostitutes in what is easily one of the least sexy scenes I’ve ever seen in my life. The 3 ladies of the night, however, seem determined to kill his buzz with talks of dragons disfiguring people. I guess everyone in Westeros is a fan of D*ny’s children, right? You know what they say: no press is bad press and all that. 

Story C

The Wall gang meet up at Last Hearth and, in true redneck style, get down to some barbecue! 

Again this isn’t a story line. It’s just two scenes hobbled together for the purposes of: 

Exposition: we know that they’re going to ride to Winterfell and arrive in the next episode so we’ll have all of our main characters in place for the big battle in episode three. 

Gratuitous child murder: 

Complete with a strange parallel to this: 

I take no credit for this connection. It was pointed out to me by @and-holly-goes-lightly​. At this point they’re just hitting us over the head with the clues that once the Night King is dead, D*ny is the next, big bad. 

And putting the fear of God into the audience when they realize they’ll have at least 1 episode of night scenes: 

Do you see anything? Yeah ... hope you enjoy darkness for a full hour because that’s exactly what you’re going to get. 

Favorite scenes

The opening sequence: 

The writers swore up and down that the first episode of season 8 would be filled with callbacks to the pilot. The only one that lands, in my opinion, and makes a good counterpoint is this scene. Visually, it looks amazing. We have a little Bran stand in to act as the POV and we have Arya watching her beloved brother finally arrive home. 

It’s poignant and unsettling at the same time. When I watched it the first time, I wasn’t really sure why it felt so unsettling to me. I knew that D*ny wasn’t going to receive a warm welcome in Winterfell and I knew she’d be angry about it so that wasn’t the reason for my misgivings. 

Later on I realized, the most unsettling thing to me in this scene is Jon. He left Winterfell as the character that I most relate to and came back as a distant, off putting figure. Jon, who has never been elevated above those around him, is now marching into Winterfell in the midst of a foreign army and he’s so dead eyed and distant, that he doesn’t even notice his sister in the crowd: 

Who are they now? What are they to each other? There’s something deeply sad and mournful about these shots and seeing these two people that were so close at the end of a very long journey of being torn apart. And Maisie Williams does a fantastic job of conveying all of these emotions.

To me this scene was better than Jon and Arya’s reunion. The reunion is pretty by the numbers, with the two of them comparing swords and not truly ever communicating. It was heartwarming but it didn’t have the emotional punch this scene did. 

The Tarlys burning reveal: 

I’ve already talked about this scene in the Winterfell plot section but, while I felt the scene was awkward and choppy, John Bradley completely sold me on Sam’s tragedy and I can’t help but love the scene because of it. 

There is something else that caught my eye, though: 

From this scene, it seems pretty obvious to me that Jorah knew about the Tarlys’ execution. Which makes it all the more interesting that Jon, on the other hand, doesn’t know. I guess he’s not the only one keeping secrets. 

The Gendrya reunion: 

Initially, I really disliked this scene because it feels stilted and it doesn’t flow properly. I still think it’s poorly constructed. However when watching the behind the scenes video, Maisie gave me some much needed context. Her saying that Arya was in love with Gendry and would have followed him to the ends of the Earth finally made the Gendrya relationship click for me. 

While I’ve always liked the idea of them together, I never really understood how we were going to get there. But this is, actually, about a girl reuniting with her childhood crush and him being able to see her as a young woman, instead of a little girl. 

It also plays in really nicely with Arya’s standoffish-ness in the scene, since Gendry abandoning her to go off with the Red Woman gets a romantic connotation as well as explains Gendry’s awkwardness around her. She’s not a little girl anymore and, dare I say it? He likes her. 

It’s all very cute. 

And these lines? 

Gendry:  It’s Valyrian steel. I always knew you were just another rich girl. 

Arya: You don’t know any other rich girls. 

Legitimately adorable banter. 

The scene is also setting up something with the weapon Arya is commissioning. It looks like a spear or an arrow of some kind. It reminds me a bit of that flash back Bran has in the books of one of the Starks making an arrow from a weirwood branch. It’s been theorized that those arrows were meant to kill Aegon’s dragons. I wonder if they’ll tackle that plot point with Arya?

The opening credits: 

Yeah ... I’m really scraping the bottom of the barrel on this ... 

I assume everyone noticed that the title sequence has been changed. What I found really intriguing is that they focus a lot on the underground tunnels of both Winterfell and King’s Landing. 

The Winterfell sequence doesn’t feel like such a novelty since they’ve been pushing the crypts pretty hard in their promotion so far. The crypts represent the parentage reveal as well as possible danger for whoever hides down there once the dead attack the castle. 

But King’d Landing is intriguing because the thing that I most associate with the tunnels underneath the Red Keep is wild fire. I guess we should get ready to see King’s Landing go up in flames. 

Episode MVPs: 

Lord “I think you’ll find you’re wrong” Varys

Varys would have been on this list for this alone: 

Tyrion: You should consider yourself lucky. At least your balls won’t freeze off. 

Varys: You take great offence at dwarf jokes but love making eunuch jokes. Why is that? 

Thank you, Varys! Thank you! I’ve been saying that Tyrion is a mean spirited hypocrite since season 1. Glad I’m not the only one that noticed. 

But then, Varys goes on to shoot down the idea of a Jon/D*ny marriage alliance with this: 

Varys: Nothing lasts. 

Lolz ... you, my friend, are a STAR! Keep doing what you’re doing!

Sansa “No time for your bullshit” Stark

If looks could kill ... Sansa was so on point this episode that I relished every second of it. Not only did she look stunningly beautiful but she decided to give some much needed reality checks to everyone she came into contact with. 

Apparently everyone that arrives in Winterfell is delusional because Sansa’s actions of merely pointing out the obvious, like: 

Armies and dragons eat a lot. How are we going to feed them? 

or 

You really took your sister at her word?  Am I supposed to keep thinking you’re smart, Tyrion?

Is met with shock, horror and confusion. Everyone and their mother is wondering what Sansa is doing and what she’s up to. Jon is sulking because Sansa is not jumping at the bit to see him. D*ny is upset Sansa doesn’t like her. Tyrion is shocked that Sansa doesn’t think he’s as brilliant as he thinks he is. 

Meanwhile, Sansa is just standing there, not breaking a sweat while everyone around her is twisting themselves into pretezles trying to figure her out. Now that’s a Boss Bitch right there! (yeah, yeah, too much Good Girls. I know). 

Bran “King of the Clap back” Stark

Talking of Boss Bitches, here comes Bran to ruin D*ny’s day. He ain’t having whatever lame attempt at human emotion D*ny is trying to convey and decides to spread some reality checks of his own: 

Bran: The Night King has your dragon. He’s one of them now. The Wall has fallen. The dead march South. 

Also: 

Your hair looks stupid. That coat is lame and I don’t like you very much. 

(this was the subtext, right?)

But Boss Bran doesn’t stop there. He decides to out creep even himself by waiting in the freezing cold of night in order to spook Jaime Lannister upon arrival in Winterfell, like a ghost in a gothic novel: 

Since I apparently have a lot more to say, I’m going to make a little series out of this. In the next two installments I will tackle the J0nereys and Jonsa relationships. Stay tuned!

* none of the gifs or pictures are mine. Thank you to the content creators!

[thebluelemontree]

What do you think of Gendry meeting Mya. I don't know if we will see any of Robert's children ever meeting but I think that Mya meeting Gendry has the highest probability. They are both connected with the Stark sisters in some way and I think they would really like each other. And it will be interesting to see a sibling dynamic between the two. And personally I just want them to meet each other.

Oh, I’d be thrilled to see Gendry and Mya meet!  And I think, there’s no reason why that couldn’t happen and perhaps a few reasons why it probably will.

As you say, they are both connected to a Stark sister, but there’s even more.  It’s appropriate that Gendry has chosen to remain at the inn at the crossroads to protect Willow and the other orphans.  He’s living with Arya’s ghost since this is the last place Arya was confirmed alive when Sandor Clegane had the deadly brawl with the Mountain’s men.  They argued the last time they saw each other before Sandor kidnapped her from the BwB.  All the ravaging of the towns and villages must have filled Gendry with fear for what might have happened to her.  So he waits there, hoping that Arya is among the next group of orphans make their way to the safety of the inn.  Crossroads.  Riverlands.  The aptly named region where many paths meet and flow together, which has proven to be true over and over with many different characters.

Interestingly, Gendry and Mya are also connected by Ned and Catelyn Stark.  Catelyn and Mya spent a decent amount of time together when Mya escorted Catelyn up to the Eyrie.  Now Gendry is apart of the BwB that follows Lady Stoneheart.  To a lesser degree, they are also connected by Ned Stark, who saw baby Mya often when he was fostered at the Eyrie.  Ned goes to see Gendry at Tobho Mott’s armory as well as Robert’s other bastard, baby Barra, who he notes looks like Mya at the same age.  Mya, Gendry, Edric Storm, and Bella (the prostitute at the Peach) are the only known surviving children of Robert.  The only one who doesn’t know his parentage is Gendry; however, someone who does know who his father is, even mistook him for Renly at first, has already crossed his path at the inn and is still in the general area:  Brienne, who is also connected to both Stark sisters.  She may have started her Feast journey looking for Sansa, but she ended up tracking Arya’s path and has been heavily connected to Arya the whole time.  Brienne could be the one to tell Gendry who his father is and may alleviate some of his insecurity of being too lowborn for Arya.    

Back to Bella though.  She’s a half-sibling Gendry has already met, unbeknownst to both of them.  Good thing he declined to ring her bell.  If he can have one brush with a half-sibling, why not another?  Seems to me the pathways to Gendry learning of his parentage, what that will do for his character arc and personal insecurities, plus the knowledge that he has some siblings out there have already been laid down long before any potential meeting between Mya and Gendry.  That’s a good sign.      

Of the four bastards, Mya and Gendry are the closest in personality.  They are both shy, sullen, stubborn, and industrious.  They’ve both experienced bitter resentment at their lives being altered and hopes smashed by the will of the nobility.  Mya, who already had trust issues from her father’s abandonment, had believed with her whole heart she was going to wed her love, Mychel Redfort.  She’s blissfully innocent when she tells Catelyn about their plans to marry.  She gave him her virtue, and he left her to marry Ysilla Royce instead.  Now Mya’s loss of virginity is a source of gossip as if she were promiscuous.  She feels rightfully angry, brokenhearted, and most likely also stupid and embarrassed for believing a trueborn son of a blue-blooded family would wed a bastard girl.  Gendry showed signs on first meeting him that he was interested in becoming a knight, which Ned sort of recognized when he offered to have Gendry sent to him if he wished to learn to fight.  He was forging his own helm that he refused to let anyone, not even a high lord, take from him.  Then his life is turned upside down when he’s turned over to Yoren and sent to the Wall with a bunch of vile criminals for seemingly no reason.  He has knights sent after him to arrest him when he has no idea why.  For the first time in his life, he finally finds a connection with Arya and feels kicked in the teeth when he learns she’s highborn.  In his eyes, it’s the brutal class structures swooping in to slap his hand away from even the simple pleasure of having a friend.  All his life he’s been told what to do, where to go, what he’s allowed to be, and he’s pretty much sick of it, which is why he finds Beric and the BwB so appealing as opposed to serving again in a castle.             

Gendry and Mya are also the two that have the most issues with their father.  And even though Gendry has no idea who his father is, between the two of them, they have a pretty accurate read on what kind of father Robert really was:  drunk, careless, selfish, quick to abandon people when they lose interest, solving problems with his fists as a first resort (as he did with Joffrey and Cersei).  Gendry doesn’t have to know Robert personally.  All his evidence is in his absence and in the kind of men his mother brought home.   

Gendry ignored that. "At least your father raised his bastard, not like mine. I don't even know my father's name. Some smelly drunk, I'd wager, like the others my mother dragged home from the alehouse. Whenever she got mad at me, she'd say, 'If your father was here, he'd beat you bloody.' That's all I know of him." He spat. "Well, if he was here now, might be I'd beat him bloody. 

Mya shook her head. "I remember a man throwing me in the air when I was very little. He stands as tall as the sky, and he throws me up so high it feels as though I'm flying. We're both laughing, laughing so much that I can hardly catch a breath, and finally I laugh so hard I wet myself, but that only makes him laugh the louder. I was never afraid when he was throwing me. I knew that he would always be there to catch me." She pushed her hair back. "Then one day he wasn't. Men come and go. They lie, or die, or leave you.

Edric, Bella, and even Barra’s mother operate more on Robert Baratheon the legend more than the real man, and I feel like they are the opposite sides of the coin to Mya and Gendry.  Edric is Robert’s only acknowledged bastard.  He’s a really sweet kid too, but he has all the privileges and social advantages of being officially claimed and having a noble-born mother.  He believes this is a sign that Robert loves him and is involved in his life.  What he doesn’t know is that all his gifts supposedly sent from Robert were actually sent by Varys and Robert never actually gave a shit as Stannis recounts: 

And he worships Robert, as Renly did when he was young. My royal brother played the fond father on his visits to Storm's End, and there were gifts . . . swords and ponies and fur-trimmed cloaks. The eunuch's work, every one. The boy would write the Red Keep full of thanks, and Robert would laugh and ask Varys what he'd sent this year.        

Still neglectful and absent as seeing Edric at Storm’s End was probably incidental to other matters at hand.  He could turn on playing the fond father when it was easy.  When the boy was already right there in front of him.  Bella also takes pride in having a share of the king’s blood and the belief that Robert favored her mother above all others.  It makes her feel special like she’s more than just a common whore or a whore’s daughter.  It’s a small shred of care from Robert regarding her mother that she can hold on to.  But Robert for a brief moment showed the same favor to Barra’s mother, who was a virgin when Robert took her and believed that Robert would still care for her and her child.  When Ned tells Robert about Barra, his attitude is that a whore should have more sense, i.e., that she should have taken her moon tea instead of holding up bastard children named after him for the world to see.  Whereas Ned sees her as a poor innocent fifteen-year-old child who fell in love with Robert’s charms.  Mya hasn’t had any such illusions about Robert since she was old enough to understand her father wasn’t coming back, the same as Gendry.

Mya and Gendry have both been directly threatened by Cersei for being Robert’s bastards.  Gendry was hidden in Tobho Mott’s armory, probably by Varys, who has an interest in safekeeping some of Robert’s biological children so they can be used later as a basis of comparison to Cersei’s.  When Cersei learned of Barra, she sent Allar Deem via Janos Slynt to kill both the mother and baby.  Cersei also had Robert’s twins from a serving girl at Casterly Rock killed.  After Gendry is on his way to the Wall with Yoren, gold cloaks are sent with a warrant from Queen Cersei to arrest Gendry.  Long before that, after the fetal kitten incident, Robert made some comments about sending for Mya (a much more amiable child to distract him for a while) to be brought to King’s Landing.  In response, Cersei makes a not-so-veiled threat that Mya will be killed if Robert brings her to court.           

So yeah, for a lot of reasons I think it makes sense to bring these two together.  If you want my opinion on how they will reach each other, I believe Septon Meribald and Elder Brother will be a conduit of information that brings the parties of the Riverlands and the Vale together as I describe in this post.                 

[where-theres-smoak-2]

GOT 8X06 THEORIES

Usually I don’t post my theories until the day before the episode airs so that I have the week to mull it over and think it all through but @lamesaucerylee asked what they were on my ep 5 post so I figured I’d just do them now and if I think of anything else later in the week I can do another post. 

So these are my theories for what I think may happen in the last ever episode of GOT. Now I’ve said in most of my review and theory posts that Game of thrones likes parallels and history repeating itself and circles and all that jazz. So I feel like we will have a lot of parallels and throwbacks in this episode as it is the last one. The rest is below the cut. 

1) I think the episode will open on several of our characters walking through the city taking in all the destruction until it will lead us to that shot of Dany walking out to where all her Unsullied are gathered. She’ll then make a speech will contain something that will worry our Characters and make it obvious that there’s no turning back for Dany. 

2) I said in my last theory post that I thought we’d get a coronation scene for Dany that mirrored Cersei’s and that’s how the episode ends as we didn’t I think its possible we’ll get it early on in this episode. 

3) The first thing Dany is going to do as Queen is summon all the lords to come and pay her fealty, this will include Sansa and Gendry. 

4) Jon obviously wasn’t impressed with Dany’s actions so I suspect he’ll start gathering his forces to unthrone Dany. This will include him sending a message to Gendry who I reckon has gone to Storm’s End asking for his support. Naturally Gendry will side with the Starks. 

5) Tyrion will be arrested and will face a trial. 

6) Sansa will refuse to swear fealty to Dany and will demand the release of Tyrion (her husband). When Dany refuses Sansa will gather the last remaining northmen and march them South. Now this one I think might happen because of all the reminder’s we’ve had about them being married, It might be that we’ll find out they weren’t granted a divorce after all and that Littlefinger lied about it. But also because as I said throwbacks and parallels. If Sansa does this then it will mirror Catelyn’s storyline. 

7) I’m not sure what’s going to happen to Tyrion, I’ll be honest I’m very worried about him. Especially as I said above about mirroring Catelyn’s journey of marching south to free a husband, well in that version her husband is executed before she gets there so they might go that route. But I also always believed that at least one person from each of the 4 main houses (Stark, Lannister, Targaryen and Baratheon) would survive. Tyrion is the last of the Lannisters. If there is one way out of it for Tyrion its him demanding a trial by combat. I actually think this is highly likely to happen for a couple of reasons. 1) He’ll ask Bronn to be his champion as Bronn will know he won’t get his castle if Tyrion dies. This will be a throwback to the first trail by combat at the eyrie. Also another thing Game of thrones likes is the number 3. If Tyrion asks for a trial by combat then that will be three bringing the set to a complete. 

8) There will be a standoff between Jon’s forces and Dany’s. It will look like its going in Dany’s favor when the Baratheon host will arrive and turn the tide just like the Knights of the Vale in the Battle of the Bastards. 

9) The North, The Baratheon forces, The Vale and what’s left of the Lannister forces will join together to take down Dany just as they did during Robert’s Rebellion, again history repeating itself. 

10) Yara will show up at some point. I’m not sure who’s side she’ll be on as she has got that deal with Dany where if she supports her then the Iron Islands get their independence with Yara as Queen. So if I gave it my best guess I’ll porbably go with she’ll start out on Dany’s side but will turn half way through when she sees how far off the deep end Dany has gone and as a way of honouring Theon by choosing to support her brothers family instead. But I’m not all that sure on this one.

11) Drogon will be killed by a mob of people. This will mirror the Storming of The Dragonpit from Targaryen history. There is going to be alot of anti-dragon feelings going on in the next episode.  

12) After the stand off becomes even again the two opposing sides with come to a stand still with neither one having an advantage. So Jon will ask to meet and treat with Dany to which she will agree. When Jon sees that Dany is lost to her madness he realises he has no choice but to kill her. 

13) Jon will be offered the crown but will refuse it and will instead go back up North to live with the Wildlings beyond the wall. I think he’s just so traumatised at this point that he’s going to try and find whatever peace he can. This will be a bittersweet ending for him because he’s lost so much but it’ll have that touch of hope that he can find some happiness out in the wilderness. 

14) Gendry will become King. Bringing everything full circle. We started this series with a Baratheon King on the throne and I think we will end it the same way. I think he’ll marry Arya finally uniting House Baratheon and Stark. And they will rule together. Arya will show everyone that you can be a Lady/ Queen and still be a complete badass jsut like Nymeria did in Dorne and like Visenya and Rhaenys did. After all those are her heroes. Either Davos or Tyrion will be hand of the king, Brienne will be in the Kingsguard. Bronn will get his castle. 

15) Sansa might become Queen in the North if Gendry gives the North its independence. In which case I think Tyrion will become Hand of the Queen (with Davos as Hand of the King). This could have been foreshadowed by Sansa’s comment of ‘depending on the Queen I suppose’ back in episode 1. If she doesn’t end up as QITN then she will end up as the Warden of the North. 

16) Tyrion will be granted Casterly Rock. 

17) Sam and Gilly will get Bear Island and raise their family there. Her baby will be a boy and they will call it Jon. They’ll go on to have many more children.

18) Bran will keep on being Bran living in the past and staring at people wierdly. He might have a place on the council. 

19) If we don’t find out Sansa and Tyrion are still married (and he does surivive) then I think they will get remarried. I do think we’ll get a montage of all our remaining characters at the end. 

20) I joked that the very last scene of the episode will be focussing in on Dragon eggs all around the world showing that the last of the Dragons aren’t truly gone. At the time I was joking about it but now I actually think it might be a possibilty. 

So those are my best guesses for the next episode. I think the thing I’m most worried about is Tyrion because he’s one of my favourite characters so I really don’t want him to die, but he’s definitely in some hot water after letting Jaime go last episode and Dany isn’t in the greatest frame of mind. 

Who I think will die.

1) Dany (she’ll be killed by Jon) 

2) Grey Worm (In the trial by Combat killed by Bronn) 

3) Drogon (by a mob) 

4) Possible Tyrion (executed by Dany) But I really really hope not.