Note: The story picks up from the last episode of season 6. I'm still thinking how the story goes. I'm not into incest but the original idea came to me and there is incest. It's essential to the plot. So yeah...there's the warning. I'm gonna try to water it down though because the main point of this story and the angle I want to show is how far the Stark siblings are willing to go to protect each other.

Disclaimer: The characters and anything familiar isn't mine. I'm just playing around with the characters and world created by GRRM.

It has been a couple of months since they were able the win back Winterfell from the Boltons. They-her and Jon, just like Jon would always correct her. Just like Jon would always correct anyone who conveniently brushes aside her part on the war.

She honestly does not know how to react to that. It is true that had it not been for the knights of the Vale coming to their rescue, they might have lost the battle against Bolton's men. Still though, that battle was won by Jon. She might have been learning how to play the game to favor their family, but in that battle, it was her brother who inspired his men to fight. It was him who ran after Ramsey and led the attack to Winterfell. He deserve to be declared as the King in the North.

Sansa is fine with that. The Northmen are brave, loyal, and honest people, who value strength and conviction. They are tough and would only accept a leader who is brave, strong and knows how to fight and defend them. Jon is all that, and he has the blood of a Stark. It does not hurt them either that Jon looks so much like her father. So Jon is the figure that the Northmen and the wildlings needed to unite them. Sansa is more interested in staying in the shadows.

If there is anything that Sansa learned in King's Landing, it is that battles are won with swords, but war is won with words. Also, plotting is easier when no one's looking your way, and lying is better achieved in the shadows. So she stays in the shadows. The Northmen do not care for the game of thrones, that much is sure. But having Baelish in Winterfell, Sansa wouldn't be very sure. She means to protect her and Jon from anything and anyone at all costs, and Baelish is a disaster waiting to happen.

Sansa had been weary since Littlefinger talked to her in the Godswood trying to turn her against Jon. He thought he could tempt me with power. As if she wanted power. For so long, all she wanted to be is back home with her family. All the time she was in King's Landing as Joffrey's betrothed after her father was beheaded all she wished for is to turn back time where life is simplier and she was safe with her family in Winterfell. Being the queen has lost its appeal a long time ago. She learned that her family is the most important thing to her, and right now, Jon is the only family she got. There was no way she'll turn her back on her brother.

She knew that Littlefinger is always plotting, and at first she wanted to straight up told him that she will not be part of his plans, but the she realized that she needed to make him believe that she is interested with what he plans to do, so she would know what to do about it. He would never suspect her, he did told her that she is bad at lying. How wrong he is now to think the same. Oh yes, she's learned how to lie very well. She has to, no matter how much she loathes lying. The North may be in peace at the moment, but it would not be long if it is up to Baelish or Cersei, and so she has to be smart about everything. Every single move she and Jon will take might mean their doom.

That is another thing that gives Sansa comfort though she stays behind her brother in the eyes of their subjects. Jon demands his people, their people, to give Sansa the respect that they owe him. She is, after all, their princess. And after they agreed to tell each other everything and to trust each other, Sansa decided that it would be worth it to start sharing her political opinions to Jon, which he gladly accepted. It had been their routine now, that before Jon make his decisions, he would talk to her first and they would analyze the repercussions before making a step to go about the issue. She became Jon's most trusted adviser.

That is how she find herself sitting in the bed of what used to be Arya's room, waiting for Jon to finish talking with his bannermen regarding the Winter. The food supply will not be enough for people of the North as well as the wildlings if the maesters are to be believed that this winter looks like it would last much longer than the previous ones. It was hard to grow anything in the north during summer, much less during winter. There was no way that they could have enough food to feed all of North for the whole year.

Even when they were younger and still in Winterfell, she knows that their food supply came from the Riverlands. It would be impossible to have them deliver goods now though because the Riverlands have suffered a lot during the war of the five kings, and after that. Not even their supply would be enough to feed all of the Riverlands this winter. That, and the fact that the Riverlands is in chaos.

Someone murdered Walder Frey and his two sons, and no one knows who did it. All everyone knew about it was that his sons were brutally murdered, mutilated some would say, and that Walder Frey had his throat slit when they found him. What was curious is that, according to some, when Frey men came to move the body of their dead lord, his head had been taken from the body and was never found.

Sansa hated the minimal information about the murders, but she hated the non-information on the murderer more. Is the killer a friend or a foe? She was informed that people had been talking, they think whoever did that to the Freys was avenging her brother, Robb, and her mother. Sansa could understand why people would think that, a slit throat and a missing head. But what if the killer intentionally did it so Jon and I would be complacent. I will not trust the people's judgment until I know who murdered the Freys. My brother and I could be in danger for all I know.

That is another thing that worries Sansa from time to time. That killer was aware of what happened to Robb and her mother, he was aware of the existence of the Starks. Being in a killer's radar is a dangerous place to be. She and Jon had to be extra careful. She would not let anyone harm this family again. If she has to talk and outsmart every suspicious guest that comes to Winterfell, then she'll do it. If she has to be more practical than that, and just kill them while they sleep, then she'll do it as well. Anything for this family. We've suffered enough because we trusted the wrong people. Because I trusted the wrong people. It will not happen again.

"I can hear you thinking from the other room, little sister," Sansa was startled by Jon's deep voice from the doorway. She whipped her head in his direction and found him telling one of his men to guard the door, and then he locked it and faced her with his lips turned up a bit.

"Well, someone has to do the thinking for both of us, dear brother," she teased back. Jon smiled fully now as he sat down at Arya's chair in the corner of the room facing the bed. "Aye, and what were you thinking?"

"Nothing. That incident at the twins with the Freys just crossed my mind again," she could see that Jon was about to say something so she rushed on continuing, "and yes, yes, Jon. I know. I should not give that much thought about it. We've talked about this already, brother. I try not to worry, it just crosses my mind from time to time and when it does, it bothers me."

Jon sighed, "I understand, I do worry as well, Sansa. I just do not want to have you worried about something which might be nothing more than a random incident. There are more pressing problems we have to deal with, little sister. We'll tackle that problem if the threat becomes real."

"When the threat does become real we might not be able to worry about it because we might be dead."

"We will know about the threat before it comes for us. We would know when he or she in the north already. I will protect you."

"I know you will protect me, brother. But how do we know when the danger is in the North already? What? Do you think he would knock on our gates? Did you think he knocked on the twins?"

"Look, Sansa, when-" Jon was cut off by one of the men guarding the door.

"Your grace, I'm sorry for interrupting your time with the princess, but it is an emergency. Someone is at the gates, and she is demanding your presence. Said she brought a gift for you and your sister."

Jon frowned, "Did she mention a name? Was she from a Northern family?"

The guard paled a bit, Sansa didn't think Jon even noticed, she might not have if she had not learn to pay close attention to people while they make conversations. He answered in a lower voice, "She did not say anything, your grace. She just told us that her gift would look good on a stake."

Jon looked stunned, but Sansa was suddenly on her feet pulling Jon out the room and into the hall as she called to the guards, "Let her in, my brother and I will see her in the courtyard."

When they arrived in the courtyard, Sansa could see that some of the northern lords, Lady Mormont, and a few wildlings were looking very intrigue at something, or someone. There, being watched closely by Stark soldiers is a figure, shorter than Sansa, probably thinner too, wearing a cloak with its hood up, holding something long wrapped in clothes with her right hand and lazily holding a bag of something on her left.

Sansa walked toward their guest in a slower pace and whispered to Jon, "Brother, let me do the talking."

"Sansa, something does not feel right. Maybe you should head back inside and let me handle this," Jon whispered back. Sansa kept walking as she answered him. "No Jon, let me. But I need you beside me." "Aye," he answered as they reached their guest.

The girl curtsied clumsily though she did not lowered her hood, "Your graces." They acknowledged her with a nod, and then Sansa spoke politely, "My lady, you look like you have travelled far, what brings you here to Winterfell?" She noticed that the girl tensed a bit when she addressed her as a lady. I need to keep that information for later.

"I did travel far, your grace. I have come here to personally give you this." The girl held up the cloth bag she's been carrying and offered it to Sansa. Sansa hesitantly move her hands to take it but then Jon spoke up, "Tormund, take this lady's gift." Sansa knew they could not afford to affront this mysterious guest, so she immediately smiled brightly at Jon, "Dear brother, it is fine. I would like to see the gift now, with your leave."

Sansa then turned to the girl, "If it is alright with you of course, my lady?" The girl nodded. Sansa heard rather than saw Jon sighed, "Alright then, let us see what is inside." Before Sansa could open the bag however, the girls hand was on her wrist. "I suggest you turn the bag over and pour the content on the ground, your grace," she said in a very calm voice which does nothing to calm Sansa's nerves at all. On the contrary, her heart is beating harder, she still managed to smile though and nod her head.

The girl let go of her wrist, only to be replaced by Jon's hand. "Let me, Sansa," he said firmly, using his King tone which broach no argument. Sansa gave him the bag and Jon turned it over at once. Sansa gripped Jon's forearm harder than she ever gripped it before. Jon was clearly shocked, and Sansa is not sure if it is because of her strong grip or because of the thing that fell from the bag.

"Did you like it?" the girl suddenly asked. Jon's frown deepened and then he ordered, "Grab her! Take her to one of the prison cells." Sansa could not even make much sense of what was happening. But she noticed that the girl did not even flinched when the soldiers took her, she even heard a faint chuckle.

Sansa did not know what she expected, truthfully. She suspected that something is wrong even before they went down to the courtyards, and she might have thought a messenger from Cersei came to the North to bring bad news. But not this, at least not yet. But here it is, and here they are, looking at the severed head of Walder Frey on the snow.

"Sansa!" That's Jon, now shaking her mildly, "Are you okay, sister?" She nodded, "Yes, I'm okay. Just…shocked is all."

Jon nodded, "I reckon she does knock on castle gates, little sister." Sansa knew that Jon knows how serious this matter is, however, she could not fault him if he would find a little humor, especially after their conversation which had been interrupted.

"Of all the time you could have used your very small bout of humor, you decided now would be a good time?" she said exasperatedly, but with a small smile. Her brother chuckled a bit and then started ushering her protectively inside telling her that she should stay in her room as much as possible for now and should not be roaming around the castle without a couple of guards, before turning to his soldiers and lords giving orders to be more alert in guarding every part of the castle.

But of course Sansa would not heed his instructions. She needed to know more about this girl who managed to murder the Freys in their own castle and get away with it with no one noticing. No, she is not going to her room to be guarded, she needed to talk to their new prisoner. No time like the present, she thought smiling as she made her way to the prison cells.

N/A: I've written a few chapters already. So here's a preview of Chapter 2:

"I'd like to talk to you my lady. If that is alright?" Shit. Sansa of all people! Arya groaned silently, she knows she have to be careful. Her sister is not someone she should underestimate. She needed to decide on a facade she would use for Sansa.

"You call me my lady, your grace, but you put me in a prison," she answered calmly. It's not enough though, she needed to put Sansa on edge. Maybe later.

She heard Sansa sighed, "I'm so sorry, my lady. It was not my wish that you be put here. I'm sure my brother was just shocked as well. I would talk to him about this and try to reason with him, worry not."

Gods, she's good at this. She sounds really sincere and innocent, she even wants to downplay her influence on Jon. It is obvious though with the way Jon paid attention when Sansa spoke to him earlier in the courtyard while walking towards her. She was able to read her lips. Brother, let me do the talking. Jon has absolute trust in her judgement. Arya would bet needle that they were ruling together, but making it seem that it was only Jon who does. How clever. Definitely Sansa's idea.

"Thank you, your grace." She answered shortly. She heard her sister fidget before speaking to her again.

"My lady, are you of the North?"

"Does it matter, your grace?"

"Well…no, not really. It's just that…umm…" Sansa paused and exhaled deeply, "It's just, if you are not of the North, then you do not really needed to address me as your grace." Arya listened carefully, and she knows that Sansa wasn't exactly feeling awkward or timid at all. Her sister has become a good actress. Sansa is fishing for information, it seems.