#to be clear though this is less about Sansa herself and more about the insanely bias framing of the narrative

[rynnthefangirl]

The evil, power hungry Queen- agrees to set aside her political aims and give all her strength and focus to defeating the White Walkers while being promised nothing in return.

The good, selfless Queen- argues against getting the resources they desperately need to even stand a chance against the White Walkers because it threatens her political aims.

[madamebaggio]

Notes: Previously...

I also find very funny that I said Jon would take care of Sansa in the next chapter and everybody’s mind just went straight to the gutter. Honestly guys... This has a M rating... LOL

***

Chapter 3

Sansa woke up feeling confused and groggy. Her body felt heavy and she was convinced someone had given her poppy milk the day before. She remembered having a headache, so she’d probably had some before going to bed.

But… Why couldn’t she remember doing that?

Sansa sat up on her bed, and noticed she was alone. Jon must have left for his morning training, even though she couldn’t remember him coming to bed.

She looked out the window and saw it wasn’t as early as she’d thought it’d be.

How long had she slept?

That was when she remembered! She’d fainted the day before.

Oh Seven, how embarrassing.

She’d been dealing with that headache and then she argued with Jon and fainted! It’d been before the midday meal… Had she slept all this time?

The door opened and a maid entered. “Your Grace!” She smiled at Sansa. “I was coming to wake you up.”

“How long have I slept?” She wanted to know.

“Almost a whole day.” The maid told her simply.

“What?” Sansa sprung from the bed. “A whole day?”

“Almost.” The maid pointed out again. “It’s hardly an hour later than you’d normally awake, Your Grace.”

“Oh no! I have so many things to…”

The maid seemed uncomfortable now. “You see… Your Grace… The King…”

Sansa’s head snapped in the girl’s direction. “What has he done?” She asked.

“He asked us to prepare you a bath and breakfast.” The maid hurried to explain. “And that after that he’ll come see you.”

“But I have things to do.” Sansa insisted.

“The Maester and Lady Arya have divided your morning tasks between themselves, Your Grace. They’ll take care of it.”

“Sam and Arya?” What was going on? “Can you tell…” Sansa took a deep breath in. “Can you ask the King to come to see me as soon as possible?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The girl left and Sansa took a deep breath in. What were they all doing? Sam and Arya were now doing her work? What was Jon even thinking?

She needed to calm down. Besides, a bath did sound like a good idea; she still felt a bit groggy.

The water was deliciously hot when she entered the bath, and it smelled like lavender. The bath did wonders for her, especially when one of the maids came back to help her wash her hair.

When she was done, she went to her sollar to find a meal waiting for her, full of her favorite things.

Sansa wasn’t sure what this was all about, but she sat down and started eating. Jon arrived a bit after that.

“Sansa.” He sighed in relief, a small grin on his lips. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. What is going on?”

Jon cleared his throat and pulled a chair to sit down. “You fainted yesterday. Do you remember that?”

“Yes.”

“Sam said it was because you were exhausted.” Jon explained to her. “And it makes perfect sense. You’ve been acting as my hand and mistress of the Keep. You should’ve told me you were overloaded.”

“I’m not.” She protested. “I can do both.”

“You don’t have to.” Jon insisted. “I know you’re doing your best, but I don’t want you to do this at the expense of your health. I would like you to consider working solely as my Hand, and passing the running of the keep to someone else.”

That gave Sansa pause. “You want me to remain as your Hand?”

“Of course.” Jon’s tone was serious. “I need you by my side. I know you were raised to be the lady of the house, but I’d rather you work solely as my Hand.”

Sansa lowered her gaze. “I thought you’d prefer the other way around.”

“I can’t tell you what to do, Sansa.” Jon sighed. “If you want to stay as my Hand, I’d like that very much. However, if you’d rather take care of the keep…”

“No.” She was quick to say. “I do prefer being your Hand. It’s been… Difficult doing both.” She confessed.

Jon reached out and held her hand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you. You also have many things to do.” She explained, eyes on their hands.

“Even if I do… I’ll always worry about you, Sansa.” His thumb was making circles on her hand. “Especially when you faint and I have to grab you.”

She blushed. “Oh please. Is this what happened?”

Jon chuckled. “It was very heroic of me. You should’ve seen it.” He teased lightly.

She laughed. “I’m sure it was.”

They sat in silence for a while. Jon cleared his throat and got up. “Sam and Arya are taking care of your duties for today. Your only work for now is to think of someone that can take over the managing of the keep. Besides that, try and rest. Do whatever you want.” He paused. “Unless it’s more work.”

Sansa arched an eyebrow at him. “Is that an order, My King?”

Jon leaned over the table, plating his hands on its surface, as he looked into her eyes. “Aye. That is an order.”

After he left, Sansa sat there, completely shocked and more than a little bit excited.

***

It had been a long while since Sansa had been able to enjoy an idle day. Her first business was finding someone else to run the keep, but it turned out to be way too easy. Davos’ wife -Marya - had come to the North and she was really competent. Sansa would pass to her these duties.

After that was done… Sansa still had a lot of free time.

At first, she’d thought she’d have nothing to do and would spend the day bored.

It wasn’t the case.

She embroidered -something she loved doing and hadn’t been able to do for a while -and talked to the women around the keep.

It was nice talking and just being around other people.

In the end, the day passed fast.

It was as if she’d blinked and then she was supping with her family.

Jon had arranged an intimate dinner for them. While they normally supped in the main hall with others, tonight it was only the Starks, Sam and Gilly, Davos and Marya, and Tormund.

They were laughing and talking and things were great.

Sansa wondered if she’d been so tired lately that she hadn’t been able to enjoy simple things like this moment. After everything they’d been through, it’d be a waste to not appreciate these moments to the fullest.

She’d almost forgotten why they’d fought so hard to protect the North. They’d done it for their family, the people they loved.

Sansa didn’t know how long they were talking and drinking, but at some point she rested her cheek on Jon’s shoulder.

“Sansa?” His thumb caressed her cheek. “Are you tired?”

“I didn’t do anything the whole day.” She pointed out.

“I think Sansa’s drunk.” Arya commented, looking amused by the idea.

“I’ll take her to bed.” Jon said getting up and helping Sansa do the same. “Thank you all for the help today.”

“It was our pleasure.” Marya smiled at the King.

Jon guided Sansa through the hallways as she laughed for no reason.

“You look happy.” He commented, a fond smile on his lips.

“It was a great day. I didn’t know I needed this.”

“I’m glad you had the chance to rest.” They’d reached the door to their room. “I’ll get someone to help you out of your dress.”

“There’s no need.” She told him as she dropped her cloak on the bed. “If you can just untie the back for me, I can take care of the rest.”

Jon paused. “Are you sure? Because…”

“I don’t want to wait. Come on, Jon!” She gave him her back, pulling her hair over her shoulder. “Just do this.”

Jon could do this. It was a really simple task. Once he loosened the ties he’d wait somewhere else for her to finish getting undressed.

He took off his glove and started pulling at the laces of her dress.

“Jon?” Sansa called softly.

“Sansa?” He called back, a grin on his lips.

“Thank you for today.” She told him, her voice low and intimate. “I didn’t know how much I needed this.”

“I didn’t know anyone needed this.” Jon admitted. “We’ve been working non-stop for so long, Sansa… And you… You’ve done so much, sacrificed so much for us.” Jon had finished his task and it was time to leave, but… She was there and the night was so quiet… “I wish I could give you the world, Sansa, but -unfortunately- this is all I have to give.”

Sansa was quiet for so long, that Jon feared he’d said something amazingly stupid and she was wondering why she had to…

Sansa turned to him suddenly, arms going around his neck. Jon realized her intent a second before her lips were on his and she was pressing her body against his.

Jon couldn’t believe she was kissing her like this, with all the candles still burning and because she chose to.

And he knew all her kisses, the sweet ones, the careful ones and the hungry ones. When she kissed him like this -open mouthed and urgent - Jon knew they’d have a long night, because her desire fueled his and they would end up stuck on this never ending circle.

Jon really liked those nights.

However, she’d never kissed him in the light like then; Sansa never allowed him to even touch her before the candles were blown out. But she was kissing him, pulling at his clothes and biting his lower lip.

Her urgency made Jon lose his control and, before the thought had fully formed on his head, he was pulling at her clothes.

They’d never been this clumsy before. Clothes got stuck halfway and Jon almost fell down trying to take off his boots. They were both in an insane hurry, like they feared this would end if they didn’t get it done. As if it was a spell that would end by midnight and they’d never know what could have been.

Jon hadn’t even finished taking off his clothes when he picked Sansa up and dropped her on the bed -less charmingly than he’d have wished for. Sansa herself still had some clothes on, but he just had to do this, because he was terrible with words, but maybe like this she’d know how much he loved her.

She had to… Right?

He peeled her stockings and small clothes down her legs, before he kissed the inside of her thighs, brushed his beard against the sensitive skin.

He felt Sansa’s fingers grabbing at his curls as he drank from her, his name a prayer on her lips.

He’d have spent another hour -or three -doing just that, but Sansa pulled him up, bringing his lips to hers, uncaring that her taste was still on them.

Jon’s shirt was thrown away, his pants merely lowered enough to be out of the way, since Sansa wouldn’t let him get too far.

Jon pushed inside her, feeling her hot body receiving him.

“Jon…” She mewled sweetly.

Jon grabbed her waist and rolled them both, so he was on his back and Sansa was on top of her. “Jon!” She screeched, making him chuckle.

He sat up on the bed and cradled her face as he brought her in for a kiss. “Today you can have whatever you want.” He promised against her lips.

Sansa caressed his cheek. “Even you?” She asked.

“You always have me, Sansa.” He assured her.

There were tears in her eyes when she kissed him and Jon was mesmerized by them. Even after he helped her out of her shift, he couldn’t look away from her eyes.

That night, as Sansa took him, Jon had the mad hope -for the first time ever -that Sansa might love him as well.

***

Notes: Next one is the last one ;)

[a-song-of-quill-and-feather]

Timeline ask: #13 Alys Stark, #14 Astrid Tyrell

Gonna just throw the both of these under the cut because of length and everything:

Alys Stark + #13 the timeline in which instead of the most influential person in their life, they had a person who had the complete opposite effect on them.

So, not a person, but one of the most influential things in Alys’s life was definitely her time as a hostage in Kings Landing. So, to have something of the opposite effect upon her would be for that never to happen, the best way for that to happen (that I also think would be fun to think about here) is for Lyanna to have never been taken by Rhaegar and for the Rebellion to never have happened.

Let’s say the Tourney of Harrenhal still happens the same, but Aerys falls ill and passes soon after and Rhaegar (with Elia and his children) go to Kings Landing and Rhaegar becomes King. The next several years, without the stress of Rhaegar ‘stealing’ Lyanna away or the stress of a Mad King upon the throne, Westeros is fairly at peace (because for however insane Rhaegar can be with his whole prophecy schtick he is well liked amongst most nobles)

Because he is no longer where he needs to be to steal away with Lyanna, that never happens. Brandon marries Catelyn; Alys and Lyanna return to Winterfell for the foreseeable future.

Lyanna still fights against her betrothal with Robert, but she no longer has the opportunity to escape it with Rhaegar like she does in canon and thus when the time comes she does inevitably marry Robert. It’s probably not the happiest of marriages, and Lyanna likely vies for freedom at every turn, but Alys goes with Lya to Storms End to help her sister adjust until Rickard tells her of her own betrothal

Because Rickard Stark has all these Southern Ambitions (as evidenced with Brandon&Catelyn, Ned’s fostering, Lya&Robert, etc) he arranges a betrothal in the south for Alys. Coming to an agreement with Doran Martell to arrange a betrothal between Alys and Oberyn

Alys travels to Dorne, Lyanna probably hitching along for the sake of a little taste of freedom, and eventually she and Oberyn marry and she settles in there

She and Oberyn get along as well as the do in TOSG canon, and honestly he probably helps Alys become a bit more care-free. She’s still one who tends to think through things carefully (with a bit of nerves to her) but she also would find herself pretty happy in Dorne and with Oberyn. 

She would be very kind to the Sand Snakes, and eventually would love them as dearly as her own children. 

I don’t know whether Ellaria would enter the picture with Oberyn or not, but Alys also is a fairly understanding person of how things work, especially as she comes to understand the difference of how Dorne views paramours and bastards. She’d not stand in the way of Oberyn, though it would likely take some time to understand that it in no way negates their own relationship. If Ellaria does enter the picture she and Alys would have a fairly strong relationship as good friends

I like the idea that she and Oberyn only ever have daughters, and because Alys enjoys being a mother they’d have a few (probably 3-4) all of them easily trained alongside the Sand Snakes

Astrid Tyrell +#14 the timeline in which they took a chance they didn’t in canon.

So in canon at the start of Astrid’s story she is sent to the Vale to (hopefully) court and marry Harry Hardyng. She tries her best, and though she gets close she doesn’t get it just out of not taking a chance in bedding him when he inquires after it. In this timeline she does, and Harry does ultimately hold true to his word and wed her

Thus, she never meets Robb and never falls in love with him. Instead she stays in the Vale as Harry’s wife, with her family proud of her success (and also hoping for Robert Arryn’s ill constitution to take him) 

Even with her succeeding here in the role her family set for her she struggles to find her place in the Vale. She misses Highgarden and her family greatly and finds that for as gallant and handsome Harry is she doesn’t ever fall in love with him. He continues still to bed lovers and does still have a bastard or two

Her first bit of happiness in the Vale is when she has her first child, a little boy she names Elys after Harry’s grandfather. She throws herself entirely into motherhood and through it finds some peace in her new home. 

When Petyr (and ‘Alayne’) arrive in the Vale she finds herself wary of him, and for how it would benefit her and her son she doesn’t truly wish Robert Arryn dead. 

Petyr, obviously is no longer able to go the route of marrying ‘Alayne’ with Harry (though he would perhaps consider it, finding a way to get rid of Astrid and her child, he ultimately doesn’t risk it for the fact that it would be very clear to the Tyrells that he was behind it). So instead he plays on Astrid’s kindness and gentler heart by having ‘Alayne’ grow close to her instead

But, Robert is sickly and does eventually pass, making Harry the Warden of the East. Petyr, ever the schemer, goes the step further in his plan by arranging Harry’s death as well (perhaps in some tourney accident or some other ‘accidental’ death) leading to Astrid ruling as regent for her son and finally having ‘Alayne’ reveal her truth as Sansa and plea for the Vale’s assistance in retaking the North

Essentially in this timeline Sansa is the Stark that binds Astrid to the Northern Kingdom and its independence, and because Astrid is fond of Sansa and wants to help her she does. And in this sudden thrust into a position of power Astrid, as in her canon, grows into her confidence. It takes longer, and is less for the sake of her son and more for her own sake to prove herself to the Lords of the Vale 

Send me a timeline # and an OC of mine and I’ll tell you how things would’ve turned out for them in it

[lady-griffin]

Argubably this long rant doesn’t matter since Petyr is dead in the show, but I couldn’t help myself, since I’ve seen people say that Baelish would never be outsmarted and die like that…so here you go.

It is basically accepted as canon that Petyr Baelish is one of the smartest characters in the story and is some Machiavellian-type genius --- manipulating everyone to his whim.

But is he?

Don’t get me wrong, Baelish is certainly intelligent and definitely very clever. And he benefits a lot from the fact that no one ever really thinks he is a real threat, or at least that’s the case in the books. In the show, he’s more seen as a necessary evil by the characters who work with him. They don’t trust him, but they need him for their own agenda.

And Baelish uses people not seeing him as a threat or seeing him as a means to an end to his advantage. But is he some great puppet master, pulling every single string?

Not really.

The idea that Baelish is some kind of absolute mastermind who planned for everyting to work out to his benefit is fueled by several factors –

1. That is a very common assumption of intelligence and is very common trope in media, particulary with political-type or scheming characters. Intelligence is easier to show or prove when it is revealed that said character had everything planned form the start (no matter how implausible that is).

1.A I see this a lot with chess being used as a shorthand to show a character’s intelligence. The intelligent character could’ve won the game at any time and when they suddenly have to leave, they quickly finish the game in one move (to the surprise of their opponent).

2. And in the books, Baelish’s actions and overall scheming have only benefited him, the backlash hasn’t caught up to him…yet

Looking at Baelish and a lot of his actions (both in the show and books), he’s kind of throwing himself everywhere and essentially working with whatever is thrown at him.

The best example is Joffrey sending the Catspaw to kill Bran (because of what he heard from Robert) and Littlefinger takes advantage of Catelyn’s belief that it was Tyrion/Jaime/Cersei (or at least one of them) that sent the assassin, based on whatever Bran saw. And because of that opportunity Baelish is able to further cement the Stark vs. Lannister conflict, which he started by having Lysa send that letter to Catelyn.

Littlefinger himself didn’t plan for Jaime to push Bran out the window or for Joffrey to send an assassin to “impress his father” (Joffrey’s own plan is insane), but boy did he ever take advantage of those extra factors.

And that’s smart, there’s no denying that, but eventually Petyr’s own self is going to catch up with his ambition.

What I mean is that Petyr is fueled by spite and hatred. He wants to stick it to all the nobles in Westeros whoever looked down at him. And every time he gets away with something, he gets bolder and more reckless. The best example of that is Littlefinger kissing Sansa right outside Lysa’s window.

Petyr has a need (that’s growing) to not only be the smartest man in the room, but to have everyone know it.

Basically, Petyr is a very flawed man, who isn’t as smart as a lot of fans see him as or more accurately, doesn’t have everything planned from the beginning and is basically one slip away from it all crumbling around him.  

And there are certain lines that indicate all of this to us.

“[Petyr] was always clever, even as a boy, but it is one thing to be clever and another to be wise.” (AGOT, Catelyn IV)

I really think this gives us the first clear image of who Petyr is as a person – the outline of his character and overall his limitations. Someone who is clever, but as we quickly see, hasn’t become any wiser in his years.  

���In King’s Landing, there are two sorts of people. The players and the pieces.”

“And I was a piece?” She dreaded the answer.

“Yes, but don’t let that trouble you. You’re still half a child. Every man’s a piece to start with, and every maid as well. Even some who think they are players.” He ate another seed. “Cersei, for one. She thinks herself sly, but in truth she is utterly predictable. Her strength rests on her beauty, birth, and riches. Only the first of those is truly her own, and it will soon desert her. I pity her then. She wants power, but has no notion what to do with it when she gets it. (ASOS, Sansa VI)

This is Sansa’s introduction to the official “game” and the “rules.” But we should take this overall idea not as an objective fact of how the world is, but how Petyr (and others) see the world. It’s not necessarily inaccurate, but definitely a limited scope of how things work.

And Petyr’s criticism of Cersei, also shows how blind he is of his own limitations. And honestly, having Petyr think he himself is this great player, only for him to be nothing more than a piece, is very ASOIAF.

Petyr wants power, but like Book!Cersei, has no idea of what to do with it once he has it. Petyr’s all about scheming and getting himself higher and higher, but what would he do once he got to the highest point.

He’s great at creating chaos and benefiting from it, but that can only benefit him for “a limited time.” Particularly since his goal is to eventually be in charge and rule – creating chaos and conflict, isn’t going to help him with that.

Now as he’s the Regent Ruler of the Vale, the cracks are beginning to show in his way of thinking and how he operates (as he also seems to be drinking more and is getting more bold (super creepy and gross) with Sansa – which is not great for his own plans, since he’s pretending to be her dad)

“Everyone wants something, Alayne. And when you know what a man wants you know who he is, and how to move him." (ASOS, Sansa VI)

This is how Littlefinger views the world and people, but it’s also a key to how Sansa should start viewing Littlefinger. 

What does he want? Who is he really? How can she move him?

And while I think Sansa should be considering those three things, this idea certainly has holes on it.

Littlefinger is use to operating on tangible wants and desires, a woman (or man) for the night, money, a drink, and so on. And even other less than tangible desires like status or justice, we have seen Petyr dangle those wants in front of people’s faces and take advantage.

But as we have seen with ASOIAF, people are more than a bit complex and have conflicting desires within themselves.

For instance, Jon wanted nothing more than to be Lord of Winterfell, to have a wife and a son of his own. To do his father proud and yet when that was offered to him by Stannis he refused.

Though that might actually be to Petyr’s point. Stannis didn’t know what Jon truly wanted and therefore doesn’t really know who Jon is, and thus can’t move Jon to his own whim. Which I might break down further (at another point).

But back to Petyr.

How is he trying to move Sansa?

He offered Sansa the chance to go home, but that was a lie and Littlefinger has no plans to bring Sansa back home. 

It honestly seems like Littlefinger thinks Sansa’s desire to return home is a temporary desire. And to some extent is working with what he presumes is Sansa’s true desire, which was her old desire, to be queen and have her romantic dreams come true.

Petyr, because of his own desires, is not fully aware of Sansa’s true desires, which means according to his own theory, he doesn’t know who she truly is and will have more difficulty controlling her.

“Clean hands, Sansa. Whatever you do, make certain your hands are clean.” (ASoS, Sansa VI)

There are many flaws in this ideology. 

For one thing - to accomplish anything, especially lasting change or permanent status (the power and respect Petyr wants) you have to get yourself dirty.

I don’t mean doing horrible things and playing dirty. I just mean you actually have to do something. You can’t just sit behind-the-scenes trying to accomplish what you want, you actually have to do it. You need to take an actual risk and put yourself in harms way.

Also, Petyr’s hands are so dirty at this point (in regards to doing crimes).

To name two of his recent best hits…

He killed Lysa and there were two witnesses to his crime.

He has Sansa Stark – who is wanted for regicide (because of Baelish). If Sansa gets found out before Petyr’s “grand plan” can unfold, he’s fucked.

And –

Several people are looking for Sansa Stark (and have an idea who Alayne is)

Several people don’t want Petyr Baelish to be Lord Regent/Lord of the Vale

And some just don’t want Alayne Stone around or don’t want her to marry Harry.

And that’s just naming three separate aspects of essentially one-single problem. There’s more that can affect the Vale and Petyr’s plans.

Two major ones being the Others and Daenerys and her dragons.

But also, the growing restlessness of Westeros (and the Vale), Winter is coming (not the monsters, but like just food shortage) and then there’s the Mountain Clans and there are just so many potentially pitfalls with his plan.

Petyr, to me, is not really a major player. He certainly has had a lot of influence and has cast a large shadow over this world…but,

As Petyr himself explained, every piece has their own agency and desires and certainly can do a lot of damage, but that doesn’t mean they themselves are important in the grand scheme of things. 

And Petyr isn’t a major character himself (in the literal story) as he’s a part of Sansa’s story.

I just find it really interesting (not surprising though) that he’s been built up in the fandom as this absolute Machiavellian genius who’s 20 steps ahead of everyone, when honestly it seems like he’s juggling several knives and each time he doesn’t get cut, he adds another knife.

And his time (in the books) might be coming to an end sooner than we think.

[sailorshadzter]

here’s me compiling all of my thoughts on episode 1 of season 8!! or at least the thoughts i deemed important enough lmao. big focus on jonsa, political jon, and the starks in general. 

under the cut for SPOILERS + length. 

shout out to all of the amazing content creators out there who have already gif’d this episode. ya’ll are amazing!

anyways, here we go! ps. things could be out of chronological order, sorry lol

lets jump right in with dany and jon arriving at winterfell. i really enjoyed the call back to season 1 bran scrambling up as high as he could to watch robert baratheon & company arrive. 

we have them riding in among dany’s army, looking quite like the royal “couple” they want us to believe they are. dany doesnt look particularly interested to even be there and i think it’s because she’s upset at how everyone is looking at her. jon reminds her that the north isnt easy to impress, that they dont look kindly at foreigners. this isnt pleasing to her. dany has to be loved, by everyone. she cant stand thinking not everyone is on her side. in her mind they have to support her because she’s the queen. 

but she’s not queen, not yet at least. 

next comes the dragons. 

the northerners run, some screaming in fear, others just stumbling in an attempt to find shelter from the dragons that fly overhead. and just look at dany’s face. look at her! what a smug little smile, i hope she enjoys it because she’s got a lot coming to her this season.

i hate this, i just want everyone to know. i still like dany but this arrogant, mocking girl is driving me insane and it’s only episode 1. what little bit of likeness i had for her will fade real fast at this rate. she’s glad the people fear her dragons and thus fear her. she knows the northerners probably will never come around to her and bend so she’s going to get them on her side the only way she knows how: her dragons. 

lets be real- dany has nothing on her own. she’s nothing but a pretty face with a cold heart capable of dark, brutal things. but what if there werent any dragons? what would she be without them? who would fear her then? sure, she’s got a big ass army... but armies can be beaten. armies can be led astray by their own leaders doing. so yeah, she’s got an army but in the end, thats not foolproof. but dragons? those are pretty damn foolproof (unless you send your ~romantic interest~ off on a suicide mission that ends up costing you one of said dragons). she’s going to try and coerce everyone in the north through fear and it might work on the common folk, but wait til she meets the Starks.

yeah, do these girls look afraid?

not at all.

youre a man. almost. 

 i low key teared up at their reunion. it was sweet. plus it was nice to see bran in a more human moment. he’s always so robotic, i thought it was nice to hear him joke a little. 

as jon is looking at bran, you can see the moment he realizes sansa is looking at him. he pulls back from bran and turns to her (wow she looks beautiful, i cant even get over that). 

(gif by @stark)

sansa opens her arms to jon and i have to admit... the hug felt almost lackluster... at first. once i watched it a second and third time, i started seeing the things i didnt see the first time. 

for one thing- it was so amazing in the trailer because we could see jon’s face. kit is so incredible at his facial expressions and you knew exactly what jon was feeling the moment he saw sansa. with sansa, she’s very subdued- but its definitely done on purpose. obviously, she’s happy to see jon but she’s angry with him too. and dozens of people are there watching them, including this queen he’s brought with him. she has to be careful. 

(gif by @stark)

this instant, ever since i saw the trailer, ive thought jon whispered something to her. that’s why her eyes immediately flick up and pin their focus on dany who is standing just across the courtyard. we dont hear jon say anything but that doesnt mean he doesnt. what i find interesting about this is how in the episode, we’re shown sansa’s face and her emotional reactions to whats happening, but we dont see jon’s. in the trailer, it cuts to sansa’s eyes as soon as jon reaches her embrace, so we never see jon’s face in this scene. meaning, we dont see his lips ever move. i still want to believe he whispers something to her, but i almost feel like sansa would have referenced it later in the episode when they speak privately. but, you never know! 

next we have jon introducing sansa to dany, which as we all suspected, did not go well. 

as dany walks up, she’s smiling, her tone charming. her eyes are wide and she looks soft- she’s good at this. notice how no one in the courtyard moves, no one kneels or even bows in dany’s presence as they had once done for robert baratheon. this is not their queen. 

i literally laughed as dany said this. 

she’s trying desperately to come across as likable. she knows most of the north won’t bow to her without the backing of this girl and while she has her dragons to instill fear, she probably does want sansa to like her. she’s in love with her “brother” after all. they’d be sisters, so they should get along, right? 

wrong. 

sansa sees right through her. she’s good at finding a liar- she’s spent her whole life around them. learning from them, the best of them. you cant lie or manipulate sansa stark. not anymore. 

(gif by @cptainsrogers)

whew boy, that’s the face of someone who’s pissed. how quickly she changes!! as soon as sansa speaks, she loses her smile and blinks and she breathes in. she’s trying to restrain herself and keep a calm, cool composure. but its written all over dany’s face here- she’s not happy. 

again, im reminded that this is a woman who cant be told no and who doesnt like when someone isnt falling over themselves to please her. sansa is clearly not impressed with dany and she’s not afraid to let her know that. she’s calm, polite, but her tone & face says everything her words cant. 

bran interrupting was great. 

he sees what’s going on here and he’s right, now isnt the time for a little cat fight. he tells them that the night king has a dragon & dany’s reaction is clear she didn’t know that yet (right? i could be forgetting lol) & basically there’s like 100 other things they need to think about right then. which to be fair is totally true. but i had hoped to see a little more between sansa & dany.  what i loved though was jon didn’t look at dany when bran mentioned the night king having her dragon, he looked at sansa. 

now i wanna talk about arya and jon’s reunion because

well... i have feelings.

while the initial reunion was really sweet & had me crying, it ended real quick

this scene is where i really noticed jon was “off” 

jon stoops down and puts a hand on her shoulder (which arya looks down at) as he talks to her. where were you before? i could have used your help with sansa. she doesnt like your queen, does she?

then we get this next line from jon.  

first things first, it’s almost like jon doesnt realize she’s grown up. he’s got his hand on her shoulder, down at her level like you would with a kid. i mean, he probably cant help it, can he? she’s always going to be his kid sister, after all. thats how he knows her and remembers her. not to mention he’s been pretending to be someone else around dany for a long time now, he’s trying to shake himself back into the person his family knows him as 

arya looks at his hand before she says she’s the smartest person i know. you’re defending her now? you?

like he cant really believe that these two sisters that only used to bicker and fight are getting along to the point that arya is defending her to him. this is where i get upset with jon because he’s been gone for how long now? has he even bothered to talk to sansa about all that happened at winterfell? has he even asked her anything about what’s been going on while he was gone? clearly not, or he would know how close arya and sansa have become in his absence. that they’d taken out littlefinger together, even! 

i’m defending my family. so is she. i’m her family too. 

that alone points me into the direction of political jon. he’s avoiding sansa because he’s less likely to control himself in front of her. he might spill the beans about what he’s up to and its not time yet. he cant let that happen, not until the right time. while we all know he’d be better off telling her and the other starklings, so they could fight as a united pack... jon hasn’t come to that conclusion yet. lets hope he gets there next episode, though. 

he sounds so sad, so dejected when he delivers his line. like, sansa should be defending him, smiling, just in general happy to see him back. he’s brought a massive army and dragons! he did what he thought was best for the north and he cant quite grasp why sansa would be upset with him. one of jon’s weaknesses is sansa and how he thinks she feels about him. he craves her approval and he knows she’s angry with him at this point. and man does that bother him. he thinks she should have ultimate faith in him, even though he doesnt really deserve that, does he? anyways, thats a conversation for later in the post.

ps i love that he looks around before saying im her family too. almost as if he’s afraid of being overheard. 

dont you ever forget that.

yeah i had to pause the show at this point just to compose myself. this second hug was just as sweet as the first and im glad it was there. it finished the scene out nicely. 

i love how we got this moment of them being addressed at the same time, in frame like this. i live for moments like this, with them side by side. 

we get a lot of talk back and forth about why jon bent the knee and of course we get lyanna mormont calling his dumb ass out. 

i was waiting for this scene too & it didnt disappoint me. 

also i find his choice of words interesting 

sansa looks back at him and she’s literally the embodiment of the shrug emoji. like bitch i told u so. she has zero sympathy for him and the mess he’s in with the northern lords because she fucking told him it would happen. 

tyrion gets up and tries to do some mega damage control because lets be real, this situation is getting nasty. he talks about dany’s amazing army and the dragons as if this will lighten the mood. he also mentions about the lannister army coming (lol) like this is what will get everyone on their side. 

sansa interrupts and god do i love her more than i ever did

finally someone asking the REAL questions. 

sansa has worried about feeding the entire north the whole time jon has been gone. she’s built up as much as she could to ensure her people didn’t starve to death come winter. now jon shows up with this queen and her massive army with not even a wagon load of grain. when it cuts to dany a moment later, you can see she’s visibly shaken by sansa’s comment. hmm, wonder why? it couldn’t be because she’d just burned TONS of food that could have been used to feed her army and the rest of the north out of spite, right? nah, couldn’t be. 

sansa spits out these words and just look at her face- she’s doing her best to control herself here but her mouth is a snarl and her eyes are narrowed. she’s got every right to be angry over this- her people will probably starve because this so called queen hasn’t provided anything for her own army and now sansa will have to figure it out herself. if she’s this angry already, imagine how she’s going to feel when she learns dany burned all that food when she burned the lannister army. 

what makes me angry here is dany’s response. whatever they want. she’s so fucking childish i cant stand it. like she’s so bent out of shape that sansa’s calling her out basically, she’s going to resort to these sort of comments. like, you keep calling yourself a queen, fucking act like it dany. not a jealous, spoiled little girl. id respect her a whole lot more if she’d stood up for herself and her dragons here but that was never going to happen. its out of her character, especially at this point in her story. her dragons really could never do any wrong, in her eyes. and at this point i wouldnt be surprised to hear her defend them burning houses, crops, or innocent people. 

this episode is not making me like dany anymore. i cant stand characters like her, good or bad ones. and we all know dany is trending bad these days. but sansa doesnt even respond which is fantastic- instead of listening to her, everyone is focused on what dany had just said. we stan the real queen. 

im pretty sure next we see the bit between tyrion and sansa.

i didnt dislike the scene, it was actually pretty good. i especially liked the last time we saw each other was at joffrey’s wedding. dismal affair. it had it’s moments.

we also got this

not only is this true, we also later hear dany threaten sansa. 

interesting. 

but other than that, i didnt take much away from it. sansa was cool to him, as i expected her to be to anyone on dany’s side. tyrion may have been kind to her once, but as far as she’s concerned... he’s basically her enemy now. plus the whole scene before couldn’t have helped. 

somehwere in this we get all that junk with jon and dany. 

i... hated it. all of it. 

but after seeing it im 100% certain political jon is coming. his stiff demeanor with dany hasn’t changed, thats for sure. but what sold me was when dany threatened sansa. 

i’m queen, she must respect me or...

we all know  how jon “dont touch my sister or else” snow acts when someone mentions sansa around him in a way he doesnt like. the fact that jon barely even REACTS is clear in its message: he cant behave like he normally would. not with dany. he cant even go against her because he know how easy it is for her to become swayed. he cant lose control of the situation, not yet. i think he knows things are spiraling out of control more quickly than he anticipated. 

political jon must be a thing because there’s no reason for him to then roam across the north on a fucking dragon. the whole jonerys scene was as lackluster as they all have been and the kiss with drogon watching was very... weird. it felt ominous almost. there was no romance behind it, even if dany wanted there to be. 

but i think its very clear that dany feels threatened by sansa. she needs to be loved by everyone and sansa makes it clear she cares little if at all for her. queen or not, sansa doesnt respect her, nor like her, and she isnt afraid to make it known. i worry how dany is going to behave the deeper into this love triangle we get (because they sure arent being subtle about it). 

also, something i find interesting is the fact that dany would allow jon to ride her dragons at all. now that he has rode rhaegal he’s created a bond with the dragon, essentially taking him from dany’s control. she’s more or less lost 2 dragons now. and if you dont think jon would use this dragon against her to protect his family... then we must be watching two different shows.  

next comes jon’s scene with sansa (i think, at least its what im gonna talk about next lol). finally we get a glimpse of them alone! and god it doesnt disappoint me at all. i mean, id have loved to have more of it of course- yelling and even some tears, but we got something simple and hyper charged with both of their emotions. as always, the jonsa scenes get it done with as little as possible. 

we get a lot of angry stares and heavy sighs. its the same damn energy as the tent scene before the battle of the bastards. i love it. i fucking live for it. there’s so many things left unsaid between them and it makes me want their next scene that much more. literally, this scene was less than 2min long and i got so much from it. 

the scene opens and sansa is in her chamber, reading. the knock on the door sounds and she calls them in and she sighs when she sees it’s jon. the first thing i noticed was jon back in his old direwolf armor- he changed clothes before coming to her rooms- and then sansa paraphrases what the letter she’s holding says. jon parrots back lord glover’s words to them back when they met and thats when sansa gets up, very clearly angry, and says i will stand behind jon snow, the king in the north. she whips around to look at him and walks across the room like she wants to do something else entirely. i told you we needed allies. you didnt tell me you were going to abandon your crown.

this is where jon explodes, much how he explodes back in the tent scene with her. i never wanted a crown! i wanted to protect the north! he tells her, then goes on to say he brought with him an army and 2 dragons. this is where i wish we would have had more- sansa yelling at him about did he even think of how they would feed them all, specifically. but we get a lot of ~emotion~ and im living for every second. 

(gifs by @desired-paradise)

as soon as jon finishes ranting, he heaves a huge sigh (first gif). then he closes his eyes, thinking for a moment, before breaking down an asking her if she has faith in him. look at her face- she’s so hurt. they’re both hurting, honestly. what i love about jonsa scenes is how soft and vulnerable they both are during them. they let down their walls and open their hearts to the other. 

i think that’s why jon is so hurt by how sansa has been treating him since his return. he thinks he deserves her ultimate trust not realizing how he really doesnt deserve it. not,yet. you know i do. despite it all, she does have faith in him. but that doesnt mean she isnt angry or upset with him. and it doesnt change how she feels about dany. trust is not something that comes easy to sansa, not anymore. how can she be expected to trust a complete stranger when even those who were supposed to care about her turned on her? when for so long everyone around her was nothing beyond abusive and harmful. this girl trusts no one but her family and jon should get that better than anyone. 

but he thinks because its him, he gets a pass from her. that because of all they’ve been through together sansa should automatically know where his heart is and the truth of him. but how can she? he’s been gone all this time, promising to find them allies, not a queen that they didn’t ask for or even want. he promised them allies that would help them, not doom them to starvation.

when sansa speaks, he takes a step forward, almost like he thought of reaching for her. but he thinks better of it and says something about how she’ll be a good queen, yada yada. 

 and then... sansa drops this bomb

we never get jon’s answer because thats it, the scene just fucking ends there. like alright guys, thats fine i didnt want the answer anyways. i know jonerys fans are insisting he doesn’t answer because we already know the answer to that. but its not that easy. 

the set up between jon and sansa can’t be for nothing. the back story from season 6 cant just  be a random addition. so many lines that will come back this season (ill protect you, i promise. you are to me. ect) and i cant wait for that. 

next i want to talk about when dany and jorah meet with sam. 

first off, i have to say its weird that jorah has never told dany his name? is that just me? anyways. the scene opens and it reminds me a lot of the feel from her first meeting with sansa. dany is smiling, jovial. this is the man that saved jorah from death and she wants to thank him personally. their conversation goes well- in fact, its kind of sweet how sam behaves. he’s honored to be standing before her, being addressed by her, because he doesnt know who daenerys targaryen is yet. but he’s about to find out.

similarly to how dany reacted when sansa didn’t return her compliment, she goes from soft and smiling to hard and somewhat aggressive.

we go from this: 

to this:

(image from @snowsjohn)

in record time. as soon as sam mentions his name, it registers with dany and she asks him if he meant randyll tarly. that’s when she immediately, without sympathy, tells him she executed his father. you can see sam get visibly upset but he’s doing his best to keep it together, saying at least i can go home now, which by the way... is fucking heartbreaking. now that his brother is in charge he could go back home and be with his family when this whole thing was over. oh nope, dany tells him she executed his brother too. 

how anyone can stand behind this queen, ill never understand. this scene was so sad for sam & so unfeeling for dany. she doesnt even have the sense to pretend to be remorseful for what she’s done to this man’s family. and when sam does leave, she looks upset- but not because of what she’d done to his family. because now she’s in trouble and she knows it. again, they’re making it incredibly easy to dislike dany and they’re doing it for a reason. 

dark dany is coming for us. it’s going to all be revealed in the next two episodes, without a doubt. 

last but not least, i want to talk about sam telling jon the truth of who his parents were. 

(gifs by @kitsn0w)

i loved this whole scene.

while i was really surprised they told jon so early (and that it was sam alone) i enjoyed the shock. i didn’t honestly anticipate the reveal until at least episode 2, if not the third at the latest. but, it added something to the first episode- a similar shock value the first episode of the first season left us with. 

what i take from this scene is a few things, mostly how upset jon seems just to realize that this means ned lied to him his whole life. who gives a fuck about the truth, why didn’t ned just tell him all along? but when sam says the line about robert killing him, he seems to calm down a little. 

what else is interesting is jon’s lack of defending dany here. if he loved her as we’re supposed to believe, wouldnt he have said something beyond this is treason. id expect a “what will i say to her?” or “i cant take this from her, its all shes ever wanted’ or even “its hers, not mine.” anything else! but we got nothing in terms of jon defending dany’s right to the crown. 

and when sam asks him if dany would give up her crown for his people as jon had done, we don’t get jon’s answer. similarly to his scene being cut off with sansa, its done here as well, and we’re only left wondering what he would say. why wouldn’t they let him say? if he loves dany so much, wouldn’t he jump at this chance to defend her? especially to sam, who’s going to have a hell of time going forward now that he learned what dany did to his family. more so, it’s not yet been revealed that she burned them alive. what will they say then? when they realize that? 

i guess we’ll find out next episode, especially now that jaime is in winterfell. im really excited to see what episode 2 brings & im hoping for more dark dany & more private moments among the starks. 

overall, i really did enjoy the episode. i think there were things that could have been done better or differently,  but i think the episode set us up for a lot of good things to come!

in conclusion:

- jonsa is endgame & jonerys is doomed. sorry guys. 

- political jon theory is confirmed (in my mind at least)

- sansa is still the queen of sass.

- arya & gendry flirting is adorable (im sorry i know i didnt talk about them)

- WHERE. IS. GHOST?

thanks for reading!

[angelqueen04]

ASOIAF Fic Recs

Had an anon ask for some recs and um... yeah, I decided to post it separately because, I may have, um, gone a little overboard. Lots of different pairings involved below.

Yeah. 

Born-a-Girl Fics

I have an enormous love for these stories, as it's so much fun to see how the various dynamics of the Starks, and indeed, all of Westeros change when the one thing Rhaegar was wrong about in canon becomes something he was right about after all.

All of Madrigal-in-Training's stories on AO3, her profile being located here. I'd read a few born-a-girl!Jon stories before I started reading her work and had enjoyed the genre, but after I read her stuff, I damn near became obsessed. (Did I say ‘near’? I lied, there’s no ‘near’ about it - I did become obsessed. I admit it.) Most of her fics are WiPs, but she updates fairly frequently, so her stories are definitely worth following.

The Acquaint the Flesh series, by Author376.  In a Westeros where Soulmates are bound and Marked by the Gods to bind Houses together and pay blood debts, Lyarra Snow and Oberyn Martell are about to get a shock. The born-a-girl!Jon story to end all born-a-girl!Jon stories. I have re-read this series at least a hundred times and I still squee my head off every single time. The gods throwing together two complete opposites, an OFC who is so much fun, a Frey we can actually like, and that's barely scratching the surface! The series is also a WiP, but don't let that put you off.

And I'm calling for my mother as I pull the pillars down, by dwellingondreams.  Elia Martell becomes the Lady of Casterly Rock due to her mother's machinations. Robarra Baratheon becomes a princess due to the Mad King's obsession with finding a bride of Targaryen blood. The seeds of rebellion are planted all the same. JFC, who knew that Elia/Tywin could be possible? Well, in a world where Robert Baratheon is born Robarra Baratheon and is quickly snatched up to be Rhaegar's wife, it seems that it is. Of course, this switch up does not prevent Aerys and Rhaegar from setting the world on fire because they're either insane or obsessed with prophecy or both. Still, the affects of this change-up are really fun.

empire (i'm building it with all i know), by willowoftheriver.  Fem!Jon Snow is discovered to be a Targaryen as a chld, triggering an unfortunate marriage. Femslash ahoy! Viserys is still a nutjob, though. Words cannot express how much I love this two-shot series.

Oh, mercy, I implore, by SecondStarOnTheLeft. She collects friends with the same ease she conceives healthy babes - so her goodmother tells her, something soft and wistful in her sad eyes, and Berta cannot disagree. A different crown princess, and a different world. Jeez, but I do love these gender-flipped fics. This one is fun too. Girl!Robert isn’t taking any crap from Rhaegar, no sir.

Time-Travel or Fix-It stories

Three Tully Daughters, by ProcrastinationIsMyCrime.  Conflicts for the Iron Throne before the darkest hour led to the defeat of the living on Westeros. Jon must have known the fate of men for he’d drugged and snuck his sisters onto a ship set for Braavos. That had been the last time either Stark daughter had seen Jon. Upon Arya's death, Sansa encounters a Dornish bachelor in Braavos who by all rights should be dead. Armed with knowledge held by no other, she would sail for Westeros and save her home; for she was in the reign of Aerys II Targaryen. There would be less chaos for Littlefinger this time. Joffrey would never be born if she could help it. Cersei would never sit the Iron Throne. A time-travel story that actually doesn't solve the insertion process by having the character in question (Sansa, in this case) be reborn into a new family. A very ASOIAF twist! I was a bit wary of the Sansa/Jaime pairing at first, but in this story it works, OMG it works. Sheer brilliance. WiP.

Valar Botis (All Men Must Serve), by sanva.  “But you, Lord Snow, you’ll be fighting their battles forever.” Ser Alliser Thorne Every time he died his last in that life he awoke again in another at the exact moment of Ghost's birth. Jon Snow is the King of Groundhog Day. What more needs to be said? ;)

Aegon the Unlikely-era Fics

You and I conspire and split the ground, by SecondStarOnTheLeft.  Grandfather's boots are next, soft and worn where Father's are always polished to gleaming, and then Grandfather's hands, and then his face. He looks tired, under his beard, under his crown, but he is smiling when he reaches under the bed to her. "My sister Daella used hide under her bed with her dollies, when we were small," he says, his voice very quiet and very gentle. "Will you come out, poppet? Your grandmother and I would like to speak with you a little, if we may." Wherein Aegon the Unlikely actually doesn't wash his hands of his kids and their obsession with prophecies, wherein Rhaella Targaryen is the ultimate sweetheart who deserves Nice Things, and wherein Rhaelle Targaryen is a total badass. I have a huge love of the family of Aegon the Unlikely and their antics, and this fic is a favorite of mine.

Behind the Ballads, by Ramzes.  Jenny of Oldstones and her prince were a favourite theme for singers, their romance making them larger than life. What were they like in life? I absolutely love this behind-the-songs look into the life of Duncan the Small, and seeing just WTF he was thinking. Utterly brilliant. I'd also recommend you look at Ramzes' other work. She has at least two series about Rhaelle Targaryen, one that covers the same time frame as this one (but is not connected to this story), and one that is a series of AUs featuring what might have happened if Rhaelle had lived to the era of Robert's Rebellion. Definitely worth a look.

Coins, by ariel2me. QUOTE SWAP: Rhaelle Targaryen + “What sort of father uses his own flesh and blood to pay his debts?” Oh, the heart. It breaks. 

Crack Fics

Ned Stark Adopts His Way Through Westeros, by witchbreaker.  "This isn't my fault." And other lies Eddard Stark tells himself. A short fic inspired in the comments of Acquaint the Flesh, it is probably one of the funniest stories ever, not to mention adorable. Also, read the comments, as there is a hysterical little extra piece in there dreamed up by a responder and the author. The best.

A Helpful FAQ, by Siamesa. In a world where Renly Baratheon accidentally spent the War of Four Kings on vacation in Dorne, surviving King Stannis's small council meetings takes a clear understanding of people and politics. Luckily, he's here to provide both... or so he thinks. Ohdearlord, this one still makes me LMAO, even after having practically memorized it. Hilarious.

The Dragon and the Maiden, by modbelle. Viserys brings the Stark girl Joffrey's head. He's surprised by her reaction to this. He'd expected her to be upset, but she seems quite delighted by this. What a strangely charming creature she is, even if she is a Stark. Yeah, this one came out of left field for me, but holy crap who knew such a thing could somehow work?

AU Fics

Desert Wolves, by bluegoldrose.  "But Ashara’s daughter had been stillborn, and his fair lady had thrown herself from a tower soon after..." ~Ser Barristan Selmy What if Ashara's daughter lived? What if Ashara Dayne raised Jon Snow alongside her own bastard? What if Ned Stark never stopped loving Ashara even when he fell in love with Catelyn? The bastards of Lord Eddard Stark are the Desert Wolves. The true born children of Lord Eddard Stark are the Winter Wolves. Their lives are lived apart until the tides of war see fit to bring them together. Ashara/Ned is a ship that I cling to, and one that I am always on the lookout for in regards to fics. This one is one of my favorites, particularly since neither Catelyn nor Ashara is demonized. It's a WiP, and hasn't been updated in a while, but I'm still hopeful that the last few chapters will eventually be posted.

Winter's Crown, by orphan_account.  What if Rickard Stark had other ambitions? Or, a history of the Starks, from Torrhen to Rickard, in a world where they spent two and a half centuries building up their wealth and waiting for the perfect moment to declare their independence. A twist/expansion on all that we learned from World of Ice and Fire. Very interesting.

Lightning (Struck Before Me), by sanva.  “Send the letters,” her voice came out clear, unwavering, resolute, “request House Stark, Arryn, and Tully send representatives to treat and bend the knee.” Wherein Jon discovers something long hidden deep in the crypts of Winterfell and everything changes. This fic is part of a series, and I'm not sure if any more will be posted for it, but this is still fun to read on its own. A mix of book and show.

Dragonstone, by Danivat.  After the death of his brother, Robert Baratheon needs a loyalist Lord on Dragonstone. He also really wants back in Ned's good graces. Or, the Game goes on after the Rebellions. The Starks still won't play, but everyone is playing the Game all around them, and Jon Sand has somehow become an important piece. Robert Baratheon, unknowingly, is the Targaryens' greatest asset. This one could fall under either the category of AU or Crack, or perhaps both. There are quite a few divergent points, and they are listed in the notes at the start of the story so you will not be hopelessly lost. Very fun.

One Day (Is Now and Forever), by SimplexityJane.  Rhaegar takes Lyanna to Dragonstone, not Dorne. This story had the potential to be a complete and utter epic, but it also stands wonderfully as it is.

Kingdoms at War, by deathwalker.  What if Ned Stark wasn't executed at the Great Sept of Baelor? Instead, what if, he had been removed from Kingslanding before Joffrey could give the order for his head? What impact would this have had on the Game of Thrones? I've called this fic a "small step to the left" in the past, and it is so much fun, particularly since it’s based on a question we have all asked ourselves. Though, be prepared - this is a long one.

The Duel, by Aiur. The duel between Robb and Joffrey goes differently than anyone predicts.  Be prepared to shed a few tears here. That’s all I’m sayin’.

The Dragon’s Queen, by orphan_account. Aerys married his eldest son off to Elia Martell immediately after Viserys's birth instead of sending his cousin to Essos, and she bore Rhaegar three children before dying in labor with the last. Rhaegar is therefore a young widower when he crowns Lyanna Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty during the tourney at Harrenhal, and Aerys decides that his son will marry the lady. Here are seven letters Lyanna Stark sent in another world. I really love epistolary stories, and this one is so interesting. I wish there was more of it, because it hints at so much more. Very fun.

But you are of the North, by LuminaCarina. Ned Stark doesn’t visit from the Eyrie. Brandon, Lyanna and Benjen adjust. Very interesting idea.

The Squire of Dragonstone, by EmynIthilien.  Instead of joining the Night's Watch, Jon travels south to squire for Stannis on Dragonstone. Roughly spanning the events of A Game of Thrones through A Storm of Swords, Stannis and Jon investigate the royal incest mess, fight battles in and out of the courtroom, attend a joyous wedding, and come to rely on each other more than they ever expected. I call this one “Sherlock!Stannis and Watson!Jon”. A great trilogy of stories where things are actually taken care of, and in a legal-ish way!

The Lady of Storm’s End, by Sarah_Black. Sansa was supposed to marry someone brave, gentle and strong. Lord Stannis Baratheon was not what she had in mind. Or: The one where Sansa is never betrothed to Joffrey, never loses Lady, and only comes to King's Landing to attend King Robert's wedding feast. The king is marrying Margaery Tyrell as Cersei's treason has been exposed and dealt with. But things are never simple when the Iron Throne is in desperate need of heirs and wildlings threaten the peace... Another pairing that is a bit weird, but the author makes it work beautifully! The story is also inspired by The Squire of Dragonstone listed above, though it is not necessary to read it. The author explains anything you need to know in the opening notes. 

broken lovers series, by soapboxblues. wherein rhaegar wins the war, and jaime manages to keep his head by taking a stark for a wife I never knew Lyanna/Jaime could somehow be possible, but this series proved it to me. There are so many wonderful things about this series, I can’t even.

Kindness, Not Fear, by SecondStarOnTheLeft. In the wake of Daenerys' triumph, Sansa comes to King's Landing. Multi-POV post-series short fic.  An older story, but one that I still love to pieces. 

The Lion Queen, by Laine. I am the first of my kind, and the bards will sing of me for centuries after I'm gone. Ned Stark takes the Iron Throne, and he intends to share it with his Queen. Yeah, pretty sure I was going to hell for liking this pairing, but nonetheless, I do love it. Plus, a non-crazy Cersei. How often do we see her?

I Fear No Fate (For You Are My Fate, My Sweet), by vixleonard. Myrcella Baratheon always knew she would be married to a man for a political alliance. What she did not know was that she was going to be left in the North at 8-years-old to one day become the wife of Robb Stark and just how much it would change her life. I think this was one of the first ASOIAF fics that I bookmarked, and I still come back to it from time to time. A classic.

[fourtrisheafanfic]

The Cloak: Chapter 4

Also on Ao3: (x)

Rating: Mature

Summary: A short dive into the beginning of S8 of GoT. Jon and Dany attempt to cloak their love as the great reveal and the tampering of others threatens to tears them apart. This will have romance, angst and smut.  I am not a GoT expert, this is not about plot points or trying to stay perfectly true to character. This fic is emotion centered and written for fun. I hope you enjoy! **I have no rights to these characters, all belong to HBO and Author of GoT** Mostly Unedited

Chapter 4: The Cloak

+++o+++

Actual GoT Season 8 – Casting call: A sassy/attractive girl, 18-25: GOT would like to find a "sexy and confident" young northern woman for just one scene. The role is "memorable" and will be with leading cast.

+++o+++

Author’s Note:  Here is chapter 4, enjoy. It is ANGST - but no fear, this will be HEA. I don’t like reading sad endings, let alone writing them. A huge THANK YOU to my fellow GoT fanfic writer,  her work is amazing! - LustOnMyFingers (on Ao3, here she is: @tomakeitbeautifultolive  ) - for her help with how to add images to my chapters on Ao3 and for taking a look at this chapter beforehand.  xoxo

+++o+++

^^ The next day^^

Sighing softly, Arya finishes getting dressed for the day. Although Jon and his travel party arrived to Winterfell less than twenty-four hours ago, it feels more like a week. So much has happened in such a small amount of time.

My brother, Jon. I don’t care what Bran says…Jon will always be my older brother.  

Always.

Shaking her head, Arya never dreamed Jon would become King of the North.  The brother she loved as early back as she could remember, who was always made to feel as though he was not as good as the rest of their siblings.

Arya remembers the meeting Tyrion led after dinner last night. It was the Stark family members, Davos, and Sam that Tyrion requested to meet with. Jon had stormed in late, he was visibly upset but insisted that Tyrion hurry and get it over with. Tyrion was very factual and calm as he revealed what the Dragon Queen had decided in regards to the North and carving it out of the seven-kingdoms. The North would remain independent, and Jon would remain King of the North.

Rolling her eyes, Arya remembers having to pinch Sansa’s arm to get her to stop gloating with relief. Bran nodded as though he believed it was a good idea, or maybe he knew already from listening in to other’s private conversations earlier.

Davos was on the same page as Arya, both watching their king as the news was relayed. Jon said nothing. From the moment he entered the room after dinner, he was silent and brooding. Arya was starting to worry that Jon’s feelings for Daenerys Targaryen was much more serious than anyone was aware of.

Arya doesn’t care about titles, or who is King or Warden of Winterfell. What she cares about is her brother’s happiness. As much as Arya wants Jon to be content in life, she isn’t convinced that the Dragon Queen is right for him.  Especially with all she has witnessed in the last day, Daenerys came across as very cold and indifferent.

As soon as Tyrion’s meeting ended, Jon said goodnight and walked out. He had made it very clear he didn’t want to talk about anything else that evening. Sansa was very pleased with the new direction and needed to take lead on logistics for Winterfell, as the undead approach many more Northerners are arriving to Winterfell each hour that passes. Sansa was so relieved that Daenerys’s armies were comfortable with the camps that have been set up on the surrounding lands. We are running out of room for all of the Lords, women and children that need refuge.

With time on her hands before it was time to turn in for the night, Arya asked Davos if he would accompany her to visit Gendry. The smirk Davos gave her was enough to make her cheeks flush, but the loyal man happily complied.

Davos did make sure to tell Arya that once she was done spending time with Gendry that he would personally escort her, alone, back to her room…that same evening. Arya laughed at the old man, she could see why Jon appreciated his counsel and company so much.

They found Gendry working hard, helping assemble tools out of dragonglass that Jon had brought back. Arya has enjoyed finding Gendry again, and she finds herself wanting to get to know him again. But also weighing on her mind, is her need for information about Jon. She had known that Gendry traveled with Jon and Daenerys by ship.

Arya recalled what Daenerys had said to Jon in the small counsel room: “Almost everyone in this room got to hear us on the boat. So what if they also get to hear you ending things between us now?”

Of course Arya could guess what types of things people in the travel party had heard, but she wanted details from Gendry, and Davos as well if he was willing to share.

Unfortunately, as close as she and Gendry were becoming again he is very loyal to Davos and Jon. At least when it comes to Jon’s privacy. Neither Gendry nor Davos were willing to spill any private details of Jon’s history with the dragon queen. Arya knew that she would get no further by asking directly.  

Arya smiles at her satchel with her collection of faces, she will find another way to investigate if needed.

Groaning as Arya shuts her bedroom door for the morning – she recalls her late night of sneaking around Winterfell numerous times to keep an eye on Jon.

As Davos had escorted her back to her room, she saw a brooding Jon roaming the halls. She choose not to approach him as he seemed so very sad and unhappy.

It was also last night that Arya begin to think about the incest issue, she hasn’t spoken to Jon about it as he refuses to discuss Daenerys with anyone.

Although not how they are raised. She wants Jon to be happy.  

Arya decides to walk to Sansa’s room before the dining hall.

“Good morning Arya, I am glad you came by. There is a lot to be done today, I was hoping you could help me with some things,” Sansa asks while signing documents at her desk. “Jon has not been…himself. I haven’t bothered to transfer back all of the responsibilities yet.”

“Of course, I actually came here to talk about Jon. I am worried about him,” Arya says cautiously. She decides not to tell Sansa about what she saw in the halls last night. Sansa can be so judgmental at times.  

“If this is about Jon and the queen, it may be hard for him now but it is good they found out early they are related,” Sansa says calmly. “Jon did the right thing.”

Arya’s eyebrows raise. “You know, we have history of incest in the Stark family, not even that far back.”

Scoffing, Sansa frowns while signing. “You seem to have put a lot of thought into this, my question is why?”

“Our own grandparents were cousins, Sansa! Our father’s parents were Rickard Stark and Lyarra Stark,” Arya protests. She doesn’t feel strongly either way, but there is still the part of her that loves to argue with her older sister.

“Arya, I am not concerned with family history. What I can tell you, Joffrey was a monster, he was insane…and his parents were siblings!” Sansa snaps, her irritation growing. “I think Jon is wise to worry about his future, especially since he most likely want children one day.”

“Ramsey was insane, evil even. Was he product of incest?” Arya asks.

Sansa rolls her eyes, shaking her head as a no.

“What about Myrcella and Tommen, were they insane and evil too?”

Sansa puts down her pen, meeting Arya’s eyes. She hasn’t thought of Tommen and Myrcella in ages, but she was flooded with both warmth and sadness.  They were good. They were kind.

And now that, like so many are gone.

“No, they weren’t any of those things,” Sansa concedes, a sad look now on her face.

“Evil exists, whether it is something someone is born with or due to their upbringing…but I don’t think it is fair to assume that children from an aunt and uncle are destined for ruin,” Arya says. “All I know is that I love Jon, and I want him to be happy.”

Sansa nods, she wants the same thing for her brother.

“Jon was so happy yesterday when he first arrived to Winterfell. Which was expected as he was finally reunited with his favorite sister…” Arya laughs at the scowl on Sansa’s face. “Have you really looked at him? I mean since Bran blew up his world...since he ended things with her.”

“I’ve been busy, but yes. I am seeing the same thing you are,” Sansa admits, knowing that Jon is miserable. “Arya, you should talk to Jon. And alone, he bit my head when I asked him about Daenerys. Don’t forget, it is more than just the incest issue. I think he is very upset that father is not actually his…”

“Sansa, father adored Jon. No matter what, he will always be Jon’s father too. In every way that matters,” Arya insists but agrees, she plans to ask Jon the hard questions. No matter how much he wants to avoid it.

+++o+++

Arya spars with Brienne in the courtyard after breakfast, both are testing out their new swords. Gendry worked throughout the night to finish both Arya and Brienne’s dragonglass weapons. Arya had mentioned that training with Brienne was able to challenge her the best.

Gendry immediately met with both women to gather specifications he needed to make their new swords.

Arya’s cheeks flush with warmth remembering the time she has spent with him, since just finding out he was alive just the day before.

“Arya, do you need a break? You look flushed,” Brienne chastised, a touch of humor in her voice.

Arya is about to push back when she notices Jon across the courtyard, he is speaking with a few of the Northern Lords. Even from a distance she can see his body language, he looks tired and put out. The dark circles under his eyes and preoccupation makes him looks year older than he is.

“I need to speak with Jon, do you mind if we regroup after?” Arya asks, smiling as Brienne agrees and turns to Podrick for his turn to spar.

Arya approaches quietly, Jon is speaking to the Lords to go over the weapon types that are being wielded with dragonglass. There is a dispute on whether the Lords should just pick weapon types or ask their men for their preference.

Arya leans against a wall, observing all those around her. The courtyard is full, Winterfell has had even more arrivals today. As the army of the undead approaches, the most northern houses have begun migrating their people to Winterfell.  

The hope is that it will just be as an unnecessary precaution.

Arya notices a small group of maidens standing on the opposite side of Jon’s group. They are watching Jon’s every move and giggling. At first Arya assumed it was the many young men sparing throughout the courtyard that were drawing the group’s attention, but after a moment it became obvious that it was mainly Jon that has captured their fancy.

Arya notices a young woman in purple cloak, she sticks out from the rest. She seems very confident, and calm. Arya can also admit that her beauty allows her to stand out more than the rest, numerous men are stealing glances at her. She is quite the northern beauty. Arya has no idea who she is, nor has she ever seen her before.

Arya can also clearly see that this young woman only has eyes for Jon.

+++o+++

Arya approaches Jon as his conversation ends, he is staring intently at the fresh snow on the ground.

“Jon, do you have a minute? Is everything okay?” Arya asks quietly.

“Of course, Arya. I just looking at the snow…we must have gotten a snow fall last night,” Jon mumbles painfully. His mind has been remembering his conversation with Dany from the boat. He misses her so much. Every turn he makes, he is faced with painful memories of things they have talked about, moments together and now broken promises he has made.

“Yes, the season of winter does sometimes result in the falling of snow, brother,” Arya smiles, hoping to get a smile from. It doesn’t come.

“Is everything okay, Arya? Did Gendry finish your new sword?” Jon asks worriedly. He has witnessed how incredibly skilled his little sister now is, but the thought of her facing off with the undead army makes his blood run cold.

“Oh, yeah. Yes, Gendry did an amazing job. Look, Jon. I really wanted to talk to you about Daenerys-” Arya begins.

“No,” Jon snaps, cutting Arya off. “There is nothing to talk about. Leave it alone, Arya. Please.”

Arya places her hand on his arm, “Jon, if not me…who can you talk to you about her? Let’s not pretend that you aren’t in pain, that you don’t have strong feelings for her.”

Jon moves a step away, so that her hand drops to her side. “There is nothing to discuss, Arya. Dany and I are now over…and in case you missed the obvious, she detests me. It’s too late. I am asking you to leave it alone.” He finishes, then turning away from his sister before letting her respond.

Arya frowns, unsure of what to say. She doesn’t know the dragon queen well enough to dispute Jon’s assessment.

“I have to go, I’ll see you at lunch,” Jon gives Arya a quick nod before walking away.

+++o+++

“And there goes another one, this is painful to watch,” Arya snickers quietly in Sansa’s ear.

The sisters are watching as numerous maidens miserably attempt to flirt with the great King Jon. The comical part being the fact that Jon is completely oblivious to their advances.

“Why would Jon notice anything, he hasn’t torn his eyes away from Daenerys even once since lunch started. It’s almost pathetic,” Sansa says equally as quietly, hoping that no one overhears her. “How did your talk go?”

“Not well,” Arya answers and frowns. As Jon told her that he has no hope with the dragon queen, she seems to be the only thing on his mind. All he does is stare at her and brood.

Arya notices the beautiful young maiden from the courtyard again, she is sitting close to Jon but has not made any attempts to flirt with him. She is discreet and dignified, but Arya still sees the way she watches Jon carefully out of the corner of her eye. She seems to be waiting for the possibility that Jon will notice her great beauty and pay attention to her. Ready to speak to him, but holding back on initiating.

Watching Daenerys Targaryen throughout the meal has also provided insightful. The young queen has not looked in Jon’s general direction even one time. In fact she has been very careful to never look at any of the Starks, Davos or Sam. She seems to be avoiding anyone that has anything to do with Jon. Arya wonders if she has any clue that Jon is basically watching her every move. Arya also wonders if she would even care

Arya reminds herself that Jon ended things between them, fighting her first inclination is to despise the queen for her role in his current unhappiness

“Jon didn’t want to talk about it, he is adamant they are over,” Arya answers Sansa, her mind deciding it is time she investigate more.

It is time to become no one.

+++o+++

Wanting to blend into the background, Arya choose the face of a plain, older woman. She wore clothes that made her appear to be one of the many servants. With so many additional people at Winterfell, Sansa has been utilizing staff from other houses. No one will find her disguise to be out of place.

Gendry and Davos arrived to the dining hall as lunch was ending, which could not have worked better for Arya. She knew they would be staying late in order to eat and then she could be part of the clean-up staff without them noticing her.

Arya walks over to the men, pretending to be deaf as she motions for them to lift their feet while she rudely sweeps under the table where they are eating. Davos and Gendry do as told before continuing with their conversation. Arya listens quietly while cleaning, pretending to not even notice them.

Davos sighs. “That boy has not even so much as looked at a woman in years. The queen opened his heart to love again. It’s quite tragic how things have played out. Of all of the women in the world, to fall in love with someone that is his blood.”

“I want to feel bad for him, but I really don’t. He has a beautiful queen, that is madly in love with him…and he just dropped her,” Gendry rolls his eyes before continuing. “It seems rather foolish to me. Love is worth fighting for, no matter what!”

Arya is glad she is wearing a mask, she feels her cheeks flush at Gendry’s words about love. She makes sure to be looking in the opposite direction, not wanting to see Gendry’s face. She does look forward to finding him before dinner this evening, they agreed to meet in the courtyard to spend time together.

“Look at you, one day in the presence of Lady Arya Stark and you’re suddenly a bloody love-poet!” Davos laughs wholeheartedly before directing the conversation back to Jon. “The truth is no one can force Jon to accept who and what he is. Just as no one could ever force the dragon queen to forgive the king if he ever tried to win her back…”

Arya cringes, Davos appears to have the same concerns she has. Daenerys was furious and hurt by Jon…but now she seems to be completely done with him.

They say the opposite of love is not hate, instead the opposite of love is complete indifference.

Which is where Queen Daenerys seems to be now.

“No way, Davos. That queen loves him dearly. She risked her life and her dragons to save him. Yes, there were others that needed saving…but her face when it was believed Jon had died beyond the wall. I couldn’t even look at her, I felt so bad for her suffering,” Gendry reminded Davos with confidence.

“Aye, you bring up a good point, son. Eh, speak of the devil…there is our king now. We should best stop gossiping like old women before he hears us. Be ready to give Jon an update on the dragonglass,” Davos says while shoving a large spoon of stew into his mouth.

Arya resumes sweeping, as she turns her back from the men. She has yet to be around Jon when wearing a face. She doesn’t want to risk him recognizing her.

Jon storms over, his face is pulled into a tight frown.

“Davos, I was just informed that the queen has left Winterfell! How did this happen without my approval?!” Jon barks.

“Your grace…my understanding is that Queen Daenerys would only be leaving for the day in order to visit her armies. She isn’t leaving for good…is she?” Davos says, sounding concerned.

“Well no, of course not. She wouldn’t do that. But she will be gone all day, and I would have expected to have been apprised ahead of time. I am king of the North, I should know when the queen is going out on daily excursions!” Jon spits.

“Forgive me, your grace. But did you think the queen would have wanted you to join her?” Davos pushes back. Davos knows he is bringing up a sore subject for his king. But he also knows that if Jon is going to have any chance to fix his love life, he needs to move quickly. That’s if it’s not already too late.

“Obviously not,” Jon snaps, frowning at the question. Even Arya knows that Daenerys would not have wanted his company, she can’t even bear to look at Jon right now. She can only guess how dejected that point made him feel.

“I am the King, and I just feel it is my responsibility to make sure she remains safe while here, in my home.  That is all,” Jon says before turning to leave.

“Understood, I will keep that in mind moving forward,” Davos agrees.

Jon nods in thanks and begins to walk away.

“Oh, Tyrion has been asking. Any word from the south? We are still waiting for Cersei’s armies to arrive,” Jon questions the men.

“No, I will follow up with Varys. He is always in the know,” Davos says.

Jon nods again before walking out of the dining hall.

Arya sighs as she resumes her sweeping. She is worried both Jon and Daenerys are too damned stubborn to ever make up. Even if they do really love each other.

++o++ ++o++ ++o++

Jon finishes his plated dinner, he is eating alone in his private study this evening. Being so despondent he decided to dine alone so he could concentrate on work. Daenerys and her small travel party would not be back in time for this evening’s feast. Had she been at dinner he would have tortured himself some more, and watched her every move from across the dining hall.

It’s as if I no longer exist in her world. She won’t even look at me.

Another way he has tortured himself all day long was listening to the comments of men around him, all completely enamored with the dragon’s queen and her beauty. Jon has had to turn away from the many men that have stared at her with lust or appreciation since they arrived to Winterfell.

Jon slowly releases the breath he had been holding. He doesn’t know how he will survive when she marries one day, or even just takes a lover. The thought of her in another man’s arms sends a chill down his spine, a dull feeling in his chest.

Jon resumes reading his papers, Sansa has done an amazing job running Winterfell, but the war needs his attention now.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jon recalls his awful night and then day. Miserable is the only word to describe how he feels. He was unable to sleep his first night in Winterfell, anytime he tried to lay down he would think of Dany. He missed holding her in his arms, he missed being able to love her completely.

And when he wasn’t thinking about Dany, he was agonizing over the fact that Ned Stark was his uncle, and not his father.

So Ned is my uncle, the same way that Daenerys is my aunt.

Groaning Jon dives back into his work. There is so much to be done. Pouring over maps, weapon counts, numbers of men, many hours go by. Jon fights to concentrate on what is needed, worrying about the things that have gone wrong are not going to save his people from the white walkers.

Jon doesn’t even know if he will live past this war, he could easily die. It dawns on him that he can’t imagine a world in which Daenerys isn’t alive. He is so torn about his feelings. There is still a large part of him that wishes he had just waited before bluntly ending things with her. He wishes he had taken the time to think things through.

Fuck, he loves her. He knows he does still. He never doubted for a moment that he would always love her.

He loves her with every part of him that is.

Jon wishes he had never learned the truth from Bran and Sam. None of it.

What he hates most of all, is that Ned is not his father. The biggest part of his identity came from being Ned Stark’s son. Jon feels a pang in his heart. He had been concentrating so much on the incest with Dany, and then losing her…that he hadn’t concentrated on what it meant to not be Ned’s son. Even his own siblings…are really his cousins.

Jon thinks about his childhood at Winterfell. How Catelyn hated him with such a passion. Jon knows that Ned and his wife had a great love between them…why couldn’t Ned have just trusted his own wife to know the truth about him? Surely she loved her husband enough to join him in protecting Jon. It was her deep envy of the unknown, of how Ned had come to father a bastard, that drove her to such hate. How could Ned not have trusted his own wife that way? A wife that he loved so dearly.

                Should Dany trust you now? Look at how you are treating her…

Jon is startled at the revelation his mind made. He realizes that he had been thinking of Dany as his wife, thinking of a marriage with Dany. He wanted to marry her, to have forever with her.

Jon feels completely off kilter, he fears he has ruined everything.

Placing his head in his hands while resting his elbows on his desk, Jon tries to think things through. He doesn’t know if Dany still cares about him, or if he even will have a chance to talk to her again. She wants nothing to do with him. He is lost in thought, wishing he could turn back time to the previous day.

“Your Grace?” a woman’s soft voice rings through his office.

Jon is startled, his eyes snapping up to search the room. He sees a young woman standing a couple of feet away from his desk. After deciding she is no danger, he doesn’t look at her closely. The truth of the matter is he just wants to be alone with his thoughts.

“You startled me,” Jon says. “Why are you here?”

“My apologies, your grace, I was asked to check if you needed anything,” the young maiden purrs softly.

Jon slowly releases a breath to control his emotions. He just wants to be alone but he also doesn’t want to be rude to this woman, one of his subjects. He is still king after all. “I am fine. If you have the time, the plates from my finished dinner can be cleared.”

“Of course, your grace, but maybe later. I am actually here to see is I can assist you in another manner. To relieve your stress,” the young maiden say confidently, stepping closer to Jon as he still sits at his desk.

Jon’s eyes snap up to meet hers, seeing her for the first time. Jon cannot deny that she is very beautiful, she appears to be about his age. He gulps, momentarily wondering if he is reading too much into her words.

“My family joined your travel party the last leg to Winterfell,” the young woman says softly. Jon then studies her, he remembers the trip and he doesn’t recall seeing her before. The only family that joined their travel party was the Karstarks.

“I actually looked for you the night before we arrived, in your tent…it was empty,” she finishes with a small smirk on her face. “I was hoping you could help keep me warm.”

Moving to the front of the desk, the young beauty is now very close to a sitting Jon. She unties the top of her cloak, baring her voluptuous breasts and leaning back seductively against the desk. Her cloak now having fallen around her waist. 

She places her hand to Jon’s cheek and speaks provocatively. “I have desired you for so long my King, and now that we face such eminent danger I want tonight to please you.”

Jon tries to control his scowl, “Desired me? For so long you say? Who are you?” He places his hand over hers.

The maiden keeps her smile firm, “I am Tila of house Karstark. A distant cousin of Alys, Lady of Karhold. I was in Winterfell the day you became King.”

There it is, Jon thinks. It does not escape his attention that this woman probably would have never wanted him as just a bastard.

“Is that the day you speak of, when you say you began to desire me?” Jon asks emotionlessly as he removes her hand from his face.

Tila’s voice falters as she is perplexed by his change in tone and actions. She answers his question honestly, she does lust for him. “Yes, you were so handsome and…”

“And I became The King, no longer the bastard of Winterfell. Isn’t that the most important detail you are leaving out?” Jon interrupts her. He then stands at his desk putting distance between the two.

Tila blushes, her robe still at her waist. She is a very beautiful woman, she is not used to such a cold rejection from a virile man. She is speechless.

“We are done here,” Jon says while trudging to the door of his study and as he is about to open it, he turns to her, seeing that she is still exposed. A look of shock on her pretty face. “My lady, you need to cover yourself up and leave.”

Dejected, Tila pulls up her robe roughly. Realizing a moment of passion with the young king was not going to happen, and she is very disappointed.

Walking towards him with her robe back on her shoulders, but not tied, Jon can see her large breast and that she is not wearing a stitch of clothing underneath. Her eyes meet his, still inviting him to take her. Her eyes are dark with lust and longing. She is a true northern beauty, he will give her that.

Alas, Jon feels no desire for her. She isn’t the woman that he loves. She isn’t the one woman that has made him feel like a man again after so many years.

Jon steps back while pulling open the door to his study, waiting as Tila finally passes. He is just relieved to see her finally go.

As she steps out of his study a loud gasp is heard in the hallway. Jon immediately steps out behind the young woman, his eyes landing on Dany’s stunned face!

Seven hells!

++o+ Chapter End +o++

Find chapter 5 here: (X)

[ladystarks]

oops i did it again

For @theonbaejoys, who I had to keep this a secret from! (Oops?) but this is based on your prompt, so please enjoy!

They didn’t exchange numbers.

Sansa only knows his name: Jon Snow. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t look him up, she wouldn’t stalk his Facebook to find out more about him, she wouldn’t go back to that bar and try to find him again. This is what a one-night stand is, and this is what she wants to remember it as—a hot night with a complete stranger. A thing to make the numbness go away, to slow the fear of where her life is going. A stranger.

Only he’s not such a stranger now, standing in the middle of her parents’ living room. He looks confused, horrified and more than a little sick—Sansa’s sure that if anyone were looking at her, her expression would mirror his.

“What?” Arya finally chokes out, breaking the silence.

Their father’s tried to settle on a smile, but it’s really more of a grimace. “This is your half-brother. He was born before your mother and I got married. His mom—Ashara—and I knew each other in college.”

Jon looks utterly out of place in their tastefully decorated room. He’s standing—they’re all standing—and his scuffed sneakers and black jeans clash with the warm yellows and browns of the living room. It had been that look that attracted Sansa to him in the first place, that bad-boy look, so far from any guy she’d ever look at twice. He’d been less bad boy, though, when she spoke to him, yelling over the noise of the bar. More of an overworked student than anything, it seemed, studying history and working on his thesis. It hadn’t taken Sansa much time to decide she didn’t mind that he was cuter when he smiled—rather than the broody look she’d spotted him with. Or that he was nice enough to offer her his soft leather jacket when they stepped out to smoke.

Or that he’d gone down on her without a word of protest. He’d initiated, for heaven’s sake. The next morning, Sansa had done the walk of shame with an extra bounce to her step—Joff had never made sure she orgasmed when they’d had sex, and this sex had been amazing, mind blowing.

A one-time thing. Sansa had been firm with herself.

A one-time thing. She was never going to see him again. Except here he is, and he’s her half-brother. Sansa thinks she’s going to faint.

Her mother doesn’t look happy. Her face is pinched, but she still offers a strained smile. “Jon’s mother passed a month ago,” she tells them. “It was her wish that your father and Jon get to know one another. And your father wanted you all to meet him.”

Sansa can’t keep standing. She sits heavily on the couch. She can’t tear her eyes away from his face. How did she not see it? He looks like Father, in the light. It had been dark in the bar, but now she can see the dark grey of his eyes, the long Stark face.

Only a week ago, she’d picked him up in a bar and gone home with him. Sansa has never been so rash before, she’s never done something so stupid. That was supposed to be it, her last wild night before committing to her law program, committing to Joff.

Jon’s voice is unsteady when he opens his mouth to speak. “It was nice to meet you all,” he tries, sounding unconvinced. His eyes dart around the room, and finally they meet Sansa’s. Despite herself, a bolt of electricity runs through her body, remembered heat from their night together. Her face is red, she’s sure.

“I have to go,” Jon continues, clearing his throat.

There is silence when their father walks him to the door. Sansa is still in a state of shock. And what’s more—she can’t forget that moment, when his eyes met hers.

Just because Sansa didn’t want to take his number down doesn’t mean she forgot where he lives. Okay, she did forget which block it was. She was slightly drunk that night, but thankfully she checks the record of her uber trips and there it is—proof of her bad decisions, his address staring her in the face.

His hair isn’t tied up when he answers the door, but messy in the way it’d been the morning she left. Sansa suppresses the urge to run her fingers through his locks. She’d done it that morning, when he kissed her goodbye in the doorway.

This is too much—not just the déjà vu, but the swirling of anxiety and something else in Sansa’s belly.

“Sansa,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I—what are you doing here?”

“We need to talk,” Sansa answers. “Can I come in, or are we going to do this out here, where the neighbors can hear?”

His hand clenches on the doorknob. “Come in,” he says, swinging the door open.

His apartment is cleaner than she remembers. He’s doing laundry, and it’s half-folded on the couch. The place is tiny, barely bigger than a closet, but tidy. He’s in his last year of grad school, a TA at NYU. Sansa thought she forgot everything about him—she’d wanted to forget, let it be a meaningless one night stand. But some things must have gotten through, like the stack of papers he’s grading at the table, that he’d made her coffee before she left, offered to pay for her uber. God, the best sex she’s ever had, the most considerate guy she’s been with—and her brother.

“Look,” he says, fidgeting with the sleeve of his sweater. “What we did was fucked up. There’s no way to…no other way to see it. We need to forget it.”

“Agreed,” Sansa says, her heart clenching. “I—it was insane of me, anyway, I’ve never…”

She trails off. God, he’s hot. Why can’t she stop looking at him?

Jon seems to be making a decision. Finally, he sits down at his rickety table and rubs his eyes. “My mom died last month,” he says. “I was lonely when we met at that bar. My friend Grenn wanted to go out for his birthday, and Sam told me I had to get out before I fused to my couch. And you—” he cuts himself off, pained. “We need to forget that it ever happened.”

Sansa swallows and nods. “I know,” she says. Up close, he looks tired and worried. And then his eyes are on hers and they’re so dark. He doesn’t look like he wants to forget. Sansa doesn’t either, she realizes. She lets her eyes fall to his lips.

Before she knows what’s happened, they’re both reaching for each other, and she’s on his lap and her mouth is on his again—

God, it’s sweeter than she remembers, more desperate. She never wants it to end.

When their father invites Jon to stay for Christmas, Sansa doesn’t actually think Jon will show up. When she makes her way into the house, though, his boots are in the foyer, still crusted with snow.

“Jon’s here,” Arya tells Sansa. Her eyes are bright. “He’s really cool,” she continues, while Sansa struggles out of her coat. “He’s into baseball and history—and Rickon’s been following him around for two hours.” She chews her lip. “Mom’s not happy, though.”

“I’m sure,” Sansa says breezily, kicking off her shoes and already moving towards the kitchen. “Mom! I’m home!”

She sees Jon out of the corner of her eye, wavering in the doorway to the living room, but keeps her eyes straight ahead.

They are civil. It’s a good word for them. Jon doesn’t linger on her. His eyes never meet hers for too long. Sansa’s glad, because it would just make this too hard. The sick feeling since she found out two weeks ago hasn’t gone away, but neither has her wanting. It’s better to just have this distance, for now. Until they can behave normally, though Sansa isn’t sure that will happen any time soon. He even helps her set the table, and they have a non-conversation, using Robb as their shield.

Joff stops by to drop off a present. Sansa doesn’t doubt his mother had her assistant buy it and had to bribe Joff into bringing it along. Sansa gives him a smile and kiss, politely asks if he’d like to stay for Christmas dinner.

She knows he won’t. He’s meeting with a classmate of his tonight, after his family dinner. He declines, shakes her father’s hand, and checks out Arya’s ass all in the space of six seconds.

Sansa’s relieved to see him go. She doesn’t check to see if Jon had watched their exchange. The weight of his eyes on them was heavy enough to feel.

“Don’t forget about the brunch tomorrow,” Joffrey tells her in the doorway. “My mother told me you’re expected at eight. And that you shouldn’t eat all the lemoncakes, like you did last year.”

“I had two,” Sansa says flatly. The combination of stress and eggnog (with tequila sneaked in) has been getting to her. “Besides, I’m not sure if I can go,” she continues, surprising herself. “I’m going to be tired.”

Joff raises an eyebrow, challenging her. “My mother wants you there.”

And you don’t, Sansa thinks. “I’m sure,” she says. “She’s also going to want to nurse her hangover. You know how she gets on Christmas, with the stress of Jaime and Tyrion and your grandfather staying over. She might not be in the entertaining mood tomorrow. You remember last year.”

Joff’s face flushes with annoyance. “You’re coming,” he insists. “It starts at eleven. Be there.” He barely looks at her when he leaves, but his parting words sting. “Try not to pig out too much tonight. My mother said you looked bloated last week.” He lays a perfunctory kiss on her cheek, already checking his phone. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“I’m glad you came, Jon,” Sansa says, halfway through dinner. Her face is still red with anger and embarrassment, her tongue loosened with the red wine. “It’s been really nice having an addition to the family, and I’m very glad you weren’t alone this Christmas. Aren’t you?”

He looks up, startled. This isn’t the normal they agreed on, pulling their clothes back, faces turned away in shame. They agreed to steer clear, to get along if they could. Not interrupt dinner conversation and talk.

“Yeah,” he says at last. He’s barely touched anything on his plate, but he’s on his second glass of wine.

“Sansa wasn’t going to stay home this Christmas,” Robb interjects. “She was talking about heading to the Baratheons. I was maybe going to head to Jeyne’s. But I’m glad we stayed and I’m glad we’ve gotten this opportunity to know one another better.”

Bran raises his glass—sparkling water, but it carries the weight of a toast. “To family,” he says, awkwardly. But their father laughs and raises his glass as well.

Sansa makes sure his eyes meet hers when she drinks to that.

She’s angry and confused. She’s been this way for a while, no matter how much she wants to deny it. There is nothing that’s gone right these past few months, not school, not Joff, not Sansa, if she’s honest. She felt good with Jon. He made her forget, for a little bit.

She wants that again. And she wants it more than she wants to hate herself for what she’s done—what she did twice now.

Jon’s staying in Uncle Benjen’s old room, the end of the hall. It’s right next to her parents’ bedroom. Sansa is mostly sober by the time she makes the decision to slip inside.

“Jon,” she whispers. She hopes he’s awake. She hopes he’s not.

“Sansa?” He answers, his voice cutting through the dark. She can see his expression, when the lamp clicks on. He knows why she’s here.

She can’t forget who they are to each other. But she wants to, for tonight. Maybe more than just tonight.

“Merry Christmas?” she tries, sitting on the edge of the bed, putting a hand on his knee. “It doesn’t feel very happy to me, but I hope you enjoyed it. Arya and Rickon are obsessed with you now, and you even got my mom to crack a smile.”

Jon looks cautious. “Your mom has been nice.”

“For my father’s sake. You know that.”

Jon presses his lips together, and shifts. She keeps her hand where it is.

“That guy—”

“My boyfriend Joffrey,” Sansa supplies, her voice twisted and sharp as a nail.

“—Arya says he’s a bit of an asshole.”

“He’s a lot of an asshole,” Sansa says, turning away. “But we have plans. I’m going to be Mrs. Joffrey Baratheon.”

“You shouldn’t,” Jon says, softly. “You looked really upset after he left. You shouldn’t—be with someone like that. You deserve better.”

Sansa laughs. It’s an ugly laugh, filled with pain and hurts she can’t show anyone. But Jon doesn’t really know her yet. There’s no harm in letting him see a little.

“What?” she challenges. “Like you?”

And with that, Sansa kisses him.

It’s soft, barely a press of skin. Vulnerable.

“I want you so much,” she confesses. “I wish I didn’t, but I do.”

Jon kisses her again.

Their first time had been fun. Their second was a flurry of desperation and tension. This is slow, exploratory. Sweet. Intense in a way Sansa hadn’t expected, when Jon pulls down her panties and groans in her mouth. A relief when she finally sinks down onto him, shaking and ready.

She doesn’t make it to brunch.

[crownuponherhead]

2/15 || reputation precedes me

“You probably don’t remember me.” What a shit way to start out an introduction with your new co-worker. He told himself, moving to shake her hand. “I’m-”

“Jon Snow, you were best friends with my brother, well are I assume. He says you’ve kept contact since you ran into each other. A Targaryen, huh?”

It's been twenty years since he last saw Sansa Stark but now she's across the hall everyday working with him under his Aunt for Targaryen Corporations.

When his Aunt told him who was moving into the office across the the hall from his he thought he was going to choke from coughing in shock. Now watching it was obvious to him, the Sansa Stark he knew growing up was a myth compared to the woman that was bossing around movers in a calm and collected voice. He remembered a girl with long crimson hair, usually in braids, a girl who loved princesses and bubblegum pop. He honestly wasn’t sure he was looking at the same person when she walked out of the office her once long crimson hair cut to just above her shoulders, he could tell she was working on stripping dye from the hair, only because he could remember the bright color it used to be.

“You probably don’t remember me.” What a shit way to start out an introduction with your new co-worker.  He told himself, moving to shake her hand. “I’m-”

“Jon Snow, you were best friends with my brother, well are I assume. He says you’ve kept contact since you ran into each other. A Targaryen, huh?” He sees the glint in her eyes and know it’s faded but at least it’s there. He’d heard the rumors. If there’s one thing he had figured out when out with Robb once is that his sister had a reputation that didn’t even hold candle to who she was. And he’d read her resume when his Aunt had told her who she had hired. Sansa had worked for everything she’d gotten. He didn’t doubt she had struggles she started out interning at Lannister Inc. and then was with Baelish and Company during the downfall of his scheming not to long ago. From the way Robb had mentioned it when it came across the news once and the look on his girlfriend Margarey’s face, Sansa shouldn’t have been working for him.  

“Trust me no one was as surprised as I was.” He finally answered. He couldn’t help but notice how carefully she watched him it was as if she was waiting for something but he couldn’t figure out what or why.

“I don’t know you were always the Dragon when we were younger.” She let out simply before looking down at her paperwork. “I have a date with these and a bottle of wine at home. I’m glad we’ll be working together, Jon. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

x.

He probably shouldn’t be as surprised as he is when she waltzes into his office right before he has a case for the company her hands full of paperwork. Despite being across the hall from each other and usually each other’s company at lunches they’d barely been in each other’s offices. He’d been in hers to drop of files she’d need to properly help with press releases. He’d been impressed with the look she’d given it. A painting on the wall that looked eerily like her home up north covered in snow, he’d only confirmed his suspicions when his eyes caught her own signature at the bottom corner instead of an artist. A few pictures around the room most of her family, a few he saw of her and Robb’s girlfriend Margarey in a tiny dorm room then an apartment and a few with them out, one he think he even caught himself in from her 7th birthday. That was once in the two months she’d worked here, so to see her in here and sitting across from him, he was a bit shocked.

“I prepared statements for you for every possible outcome of the trial, I’ll keep updated on it too and adjust what I need to but I wanted you to be prepared for any questions from the press.” They’re printed with highlights and little handwritten notes in her purple pen all over the pages. The sticky note on top is the what stops him. In her curly handwriting she’s written ‘ i’ll miss our lunch dates, win quick.’  In this moment he’s pretty sure that he’s insane for not thinking before he speaks, after all he did go to school to literally learn how to do that. Instead the words fall out of his mouth before he can even think.

“There’s always dinner.” The shock on her face turns into a small smile and he sees her electric blue eyes light up before he can even correct himself. He’s glad the shade of her hair is back to normal and it’s slowly getting longer.

“I’d like dinner. You can text me when you’re done at court and I’ll meet you wherever.” It’s his turn to smile and he can’t think of when he got so used to smiling around and being smiled at by Sansa Stark, the woman known for having a statuesque mask in the workplace. Jon’s decided he likes it.

x.

“Sans, you don’t have to.”

“Oh please, let me do this come on you should do more than just go out for a nice dinner at a restaurant for your birthday.”

It’s how he finds himself in her impeccably put together home. One of the things he didn’t expect was her to not live in the city. She doesn’t mention it until they’re in the parking garage a simple. “I commute to work.” They’re thirty minutes out of Cardiff when she pulls into the driveway of a tiny cottage just past the Welsh border.  

“I bought it on a whim when I was staying with Robb and Margaery in Bristol.” She answers his unspoken question with a simple shrug as she moves to start cooking. He didn’t know she stayed with them. She knew from looking at her resume she took a gap year after Baelish and Company went down. He figured she went back North to be with her family not just across the way in Bristol. Looking at the woman in front of him cooking him his favorite meal, he can’t help but wonder what he’s gotten himself into.

“You know I’m not the only one with a reputation.” She lets it out on her second glass of wine. They’re on her couch cake she’d picked up from a store in front of them and some cheesy comedy movie playing on the screen. He can’t help but let his eyes meet hers. Looking at his hands he waits for her to continue, she does eventually. The waiting is agonizingly slow.  When it becomes clear he isn’t going to speak up she decides to speak up again. “You’re one of the brightest lawyers on the entire continent, I’m sure your Aunt would have hired you blood or not. I remember when you were still working at that firm Baelish was praying you wouldn’t ever be with a client against him. I know what you must think of me, what you had to when you saw me. How did she do it? The little girl obsessed with princesses and all you saw was a girl who can barely smile now. I’d wonder how too.”

“You don’t barely smile.” It’s all he can get out finally meeting her eyes.

“That’s because of you.”

x.

He starts going over to her place more often, usually he doesn’t drive home either, sometimes he can catch an uber and the train, other’s he crashes there. He’s started bringing clothes and leaving clothes. They both like the company it’s nice to have someone else. They’ll take the train together to Bristol to see Robb and Margaery. He learns quickly that Robb’s story of meeting Margarey at a party in college was when he went to visit Sansa and ended up partying with her roommate. It’s fun to see her relaxed around people other than himself though. Seeing Sansa Stark without her mask on is like seeing a ghost, it’s fleeting. Lately however, it seems to be fleeting less.

There’s been a few times they’ve showed up to work together, both of them getting out of her car talking as they head up to the office. He shouldn’t be surprised about the gossip really. If he was on the outside looking in he’d probably think the same thing. However when he’s sitting in his Aunt’s office one morning, drinking coffee and wondering why she needed to see him if there wasn’t a case at the moment. He wishes you could just die from embarrassment.

“How long have you been sleeping with Sansa Stark?” He nearly spits out his coffee looking at the silver haired woman in front of him.

“I’m sorry? I’m not sleeping with Sansa.” At least not in the way she was implying.Sure, he had spent his fair share of nights in bed with her and woken up a few times accidentally curled together. However it’s because she lives in a one bedroom cottage, she renovated the other bedroom into a large bathroom and closet, and her couch is not a couch for sleeping. Those are her words not his.

“Oh, that’s a shame. I would have thought from the looks you two give each other and the fact that you both leave late together and show up together in the mornings.”

“I don’t think Sansa would want me like that, Dany. Besides shouldn’t you be discouraging your employees from dating.” He watches his aunt scoff and roll her eyes. Sometimes he forgets how close they are in age from how she holds herself. They aren’t that close, then again he judges his closeness based off the Starks,  it’s just them left in the family and there isn’t really a way they could be as close.

“As your Aunt not your boss, do something about that please. I don’t care if she’s your best friend’s little sister, save us all a world of hurt.”

x.

“I remember the last time you played with me when we were kids.” He hears her say it randomly, they’re on the floor of her place and she’s leaning against him as they go through her photo albums. Sansa wants to put together a collage for each of the kids for her parents anniversary. It’s been her special project he’s more than happy helping with.

“You do?” Jon barely hears the hum in response she gives as she sets her glass down and places her hand on his.

“We were playing knights and dragons in the backyard, I was the princess who needed saving as always but that day Robb insisted you were the prince and not the dragon. I thought it was silly you two always fought about who would be who and he gave it up so easily. I think it was the first time you were the prince too. I remember you actually picked up when you ‘saved me’ and I was laughing while making sure you didn’t get my princess dress dirty. When we were done you and Robb looked so sad but no one told me why. You didn’t come over the next day or the next after three days I finally asked and they told me and Arya you had to move families from the one across the street. Arya cried, I didn’t but I just felt disappointment like I’d be missing something I never had.”

In the time she spoken he’d moved to wrap his arm around her shoulders instead, holding her close to him. He wanted nothing more than to reach across and kiss her, but he didn’t. He remembered that day. Leaving knowing he’d never see the Starks again, his best friend. He’d cried all the way to the new home.

“Sans,” He moved his hand to her cheek, wiping the tear she didn’t know had fallen.

“Come home with me for their anniversary next month?” His eyes shoot up at that it wasn’t anywhere close to where he think the conversation was going. His last memory of Alnwick, of Northumberland in general, he thought it was all he’d ever know of it. There was nothing more he’d want then to go back home. It was his home too even if it wasn’t the building that was, the idea was home to him.

“Of course.”

“Jon?” He met her eyes trying to make sure he wasn’t imagining her gaze moving to look at his lips.

“Yeah, Sans?”

“Can we go on a real date?” His grin split across his face before he could stop it. Kissing her cheek he nodded moving his hand from her cheek to her hair.

“Anything and Anywhere you want.”

x.

The ride up north is split with Robb and Margaery, all four of them piled into Robb’s Land Rover. He’s in the back with Sansa watching as she goes through a few statements she needed to fix. He’s learned she writes everything out first before typing it. He’s even caught her reading it out loud a few times. Kissing her temple he looked out ahead at the road. They were on hour 4 out of 6 and he was dying with anticipation. He turned his head when he felt her hand on his cheek as if knowing how excited he was getting without him showing it. He leans in to give her a sweet kiss, of course it’s interrupted.

“Hey hands to yourself back there, there’s no defiling my sister in my car. Gods, think of your reputations for once.” Robb yells back.

He has to stop himself from laughing and he can see Sansa is having to do the same thing. They both shot their reputations, at least in the office, out of the roof when he gave her a kiss in the middle of the board room before she had to give an interview for the company with a newscaster. Then again he’s thinking maybe they just shot the rumors she’s still the most respected public relations expert in the entire country and he’s still the same lawyer he’s always been. Messing with a strand of her hair, longer and her crimson color, he rolls his eyes at Robb’s protests and kisses her again.