A Song
….
Of Ice and Fire
Daenerys Targaryen could hear her heart hammering in her chest as she walked through the gates of Winterfell. She swallowed nervously as she followed Jon into his family's fortress, the snow crunching under her boots. She could feel Jorah, her loyal friend, walking just behind her. She felt a rush of gratitude that their journey had brought them back together again. His very presence gave her the courage to keep walking forward into this foreign land.
The North might as well have been another planet to the Mother of Dragons. While she had been far north before, to save Jon from the white walkers, she still found this part of the world entirely strange. The idea of choosing to live in the snow and cold was unfathomable to her. But for the Starks, this was their life…and their home.
But it wasn't the North that made Dany uneasy. She looked up and locked eyes with a red-haired woman, standing tall and proud, her eyes chips of ice as she stared down her nose at the dragon queen. She reached out to embrace Jon, her cold stare never leaving Dany's, with distrust and anger etched into her every feature.
A tall blonde woman clad in armor stood protectively behind her, braced as if a fight might break out at any moment. A much smaller girl stood nearby, her lips pursed as if she had just eaten something especially sour and her dark eyes glared hatefully at the newcomer.
Jon cleared his throat awkwardly, sensing the tension between the women, "Sansa, this is Queen Daenerys Targaryen. Dany, this is my sister, Sansa," he said as he stepped aside, gesturing for the women to greet one another.
Dany smiled broadly and tried to relax her shoulders, desperate to prove to Jon's sister that she was no threat to them.
"Thank you for inviting us into your home, Lady Stark. The North is as beautiful as your brother claimed…as are you," she added, willing the hard-looking woman to approve of her presence here.
Sansa gave Dany a thin smile and eyed her up and down, studying every detail before she replied coolly, "Winterfell is yours, Your Grace."
Dany's eyes flickered with alarm at Sansa's demeanor and tone. She had never encountered a woman in power before. Sure, she had servants and Missandei, but they were not her equal. The woman before her was every bit as powerful, strong, and unnerving as Dany felt that she herself was…and she wasn't sure how to handle it. She licked her lips nervously and glanced at Jon, hoping he would say something to break the overwhelming tension in the yard.
Thankfully Jon's brother, Bran began to speak, breaking the awkward silence. Dany glanced over at Sansa, trying to gauge her reaction to the strange Stark boy's words, but the woman remained expressionless and turned to enter the castle of Winterfell, leaving Dany and Jon to follow in her wake.
…
Of Ladies and Queens
She had had asked to speak with her.
Daenerys wasn't sure what to make of the request. Since she had arrived in Winterfell she had been ignored or given hateful glares from both Sansa and the people of the North. There was no love lost for the Targaryen blood that flowed through her veins.
Dany felt a rush of anger at the thought. Her predecessors had not always been good men and women, but the same could be said of any house. The judgement she faced for being a Targaryen ate away at her. The fact the Targaryens married within the family to keep the bloodlines pure and possessed dragons confused and horrified the people of Westeros. Being different came at a heavy price.
Dany knew the main reason the people on this side of the sea looked upon her with such rage and distrust: her father, the Mad King. The Mother of Dragons grimaced as she thought about her father. She had been young when the Kingslayer slaughtered him and when Robert Baratheon had his men butcher her family. She and Viserys had barely escaped with their lives.
Dany had been raised by her older brother on Dragonstone after their mother died an early death. Viserys attempted over the years to gain riches to purchase an army to reclaim their place on the Iron Throne, but never succeeded in any of his efforts…until he sold her to the Dothraki.
Dany shook her head, eager to get the awful memories out of her mind. Her past had been brutal and violent. The young woman had been bullied, abused, raped, and sold like a brood mare, and yet here she stood. She would not succumb to the history of House Targaryen. She would not allow the worried glances or hateful glares change who she was. For now, when the people of Winterfell looked upon her, they saw the Mad King. Dany was determined to change that perception.
And it all started with the Lady of Winterfell.
Dany pushed open the heavy door and entered a poorly lit room. The dust floated through the air in the slanting rays of sunlight in the dusty old space. She glanced around, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the gloom.
"Lady Sansa," said Dany in greeting.
"Queen Daenerys," said the low, cool voice of Sansa Stark as she stood, "Please, have a seat."
Dany smiled kindly as she pulled out the rough wooden chair and sat down across from the stoic woman.
"I'm glad you've asked to speak with me," she said, clearing her throat, "I'm afraid sometimes it is hard to be candid around an audience."
Sansa smiled tightly, "Yes. Though, perhaps it makes it easier to deceive without one's advisors in the room."
Dany dropped her gaze at the thinly veiled accusation, "I don't wish to deceive you, Lady Sansa," she said, staring down at the oak table, "But I understand your reasons for not trusting me," she added quietly, forcing herself to look up, "I know that the North doesn't know me…and all you know of me is who my father was…and that I love your brother."
Sansa visibly shifted, uncomfortable with Dany's last statement.
"I do love him," whispered Dany fervently as she leaned across the table, "If you believe nothing else that I say, believe that. Jon is what most men are not. He…he calms me when others can't."
Sansa's eyes flashed quickly as she stared at the dragon queen.
"I did not have the privilege of being raised by the kind of father your family had," said Dany, tearing up, "I did not have the upbringing you and your brothers and sisters experienced. I lost my family when I was a small child, and then I lost my older brother when he let the madness take over. You are so blessed to have had a mother and father who loved you so fiercely and brothers and a sister who would do anything for you. I envy you that, Lady Sansa."
Sansa's face gave nothing away as she leaned forward slightly in her chair, "And what is your point, Queen Daenerys?"
Dany stared intently into Sansa's hostile glare and leaned closer toward her, "We are both women who have known abuse, loss, and love. We are both women who rule over men. We have both had a long few years…and they have brought us both to this table today."
Sansa's severe demeanor faltered for a brief moment as she listened to Daenerys.
"I believe in fate, Lady Sansa," said Dany, her eyes seeming to glow with ferocity, "And I do not believe we are here simply by chance. Instead of fighting one another, perhaps we should unite. After all, before Cersei men ruled Westeros for years. I believe, between the two of us, we can change that."
Sansa pulled back, a sneer crossing her face, disrupting the emotionless mask she had so carefully constructed.
"And how exactly is that supposed to happen, Queen Daenerys?" she said through clenched teeth, "I believe you've made it rather clear how you feel about who should sit on the Iron Throne. And with you on the throne, where does that leave the North? That is why I called you here. What do you intend to do with my home?"
Dany hesitated a moment as she studied the intense woman before her. The North. She had assumed the North would naturally fall under her rule along with the other six kingdoms. But Sansa was making it clear that would not be quite so simple. Dany's brown furrowed and she looked back down at the table as thoughts raced through her mind. Suddenly, a decision became very clear for the dragon queen. A natural compromise. One that would unite the Starks and the Targaryens. A compromise that would mean the difference between winning the war for the throne, and losing everything she had worked so hard to gain. Remembering the choice her brother made, Dany decided in that moment to choose differently.
She glanced up a little and saw Sansa's hand resting on the table. Dany reached out and placed her hand on top of the Lady of Winterfell's and looked into her steely-blue eyes.
Sansa flinched at Dany's touch and narrowed her eyes in suspicion as the Mother of Dragons began to speak.
"The North—Winterfell—should always belong…to the Starks," she said, smiling as her eyes glowed with excitement, "Jon has told me so many stories about your home and what it means to your family. I know what it means to lose your home to an invader…to someone who believes they can just take what is yours and make it theirs instead. I do not wish to do to you what was done to me. Lady Sansa, would you consider ruling next to me—as equals?"
Sansa blinked several times and quickly pulled her hand back as she tried to absorb Dany's words. Her brow wrinkled in confusion as her eyes studied Daenerys' face. Doubt and excitement warred in the woman's gaze as she tried to read through the Queen's words.
"As equals?" she asked, hesitantly.
Dany smiled, "Yes. The North…as beautiful as I said it was when we first met, well, I must be honest Lady Sansa…this is not the home for me."
Sansa broke into a small grin at that, "No I suppose it wouldn't be."
"But I know what it is for Jon. I know what it means to him—and to you," continued Dany, "I can see that on your face. You have lost Winterfell once and you fought to regain her. The only way you would ever feel safe—that you would ever feel like Winterfell truly belonged to the Starks—is if you were able to rule it yourself. And that simply isn't possible if I took the Iron Throne and declared myself your Queen. I was wrong to declare such a thing when I arrived here…I realize that now."
Sansa could not hide the tears that sprung to her eyes as Dany voiced everything that had been echoing in her own mind since the day they regained Winterfell from the Boltons.
"You are a warrior, Lady Sansa," said Dany fervently, "Jon told me how you were able to win back your home. I suppose I should have approached you differently…maybe talked earlier and we could have gotten beyond this—this being at odds as we are now."
Sansa shook her head and glanced down at her lap, "No, no Queen Daenerys—I did not greet you at my gates properly. I was rude. I should have thanked you for bringing your dragons and your armies to our doors."
"You were right to be fearful of what my presence here, and on the throne, would mean for the North," said Dany, biting her lip, "Because when I first arrived a few days ago I had no intention of allowing the North to rule freely. I had every intention to claim it as mine…as I intend to claim the other six kingdoms of Westeros. And that was wrong, I see that now. Jon's stories of you are heroic and brilliant, but seeing you and speaking with you now sheds an entirely different sort of light on the matter. You are not a lady, Sansa. No…you are a Queen."
Sansa felt her breath catch in her throat at Dany's declaration. A Queen? The Queen of the North? Even in her wildest dreams Sansa had not allowed herself to think something so bold. The most hope that she'd allowed herself was that Jon might find a way to secure the North and protect it from future invasions. The idea of the North being separate from Westeros had never occurred to Lady Sansa. Nor had she considered the possibility that Jon's dragon queen would bend the knee herself and offer their freedom so openly.
Sansa shook her head again, her breath hitching slightly as she spoke, "But I couldn't be the Queen of the North…Jon—they chose him for their King."
Dany smiled, "They did—but Jon is mine now. He would join me in King's Landing and be my highest advisor. I don't intend to share my throne with any man, but I would gladly heed his council. I need him…to temper the…the parts of me I struggle to control by myself."
Sansa reached across the table and grasped Dany's hand. Dany glanced up, gasping slightly in surprise at Sansa's touch.
"Jon is not the only person you have to help you now," she said quietly.
Dany felt the tears fall down her cheeks as she placed her other hand on top of Sansa's and grasped her firmly.
"I never had a sister," she said, sniffing, "But if I had—I would have wanted her to be just like you—strong, fierce, and brave."
Sansa returned Dany's smile, her eyes alight with genuine happiness, "We may not be blood, but perhaps one day we could learn to trust each other enough to become—sisters."
Dany gave Sansa a watery smile as she squeezed her hands in her own, "Well then, for now…shall we be Queens?"
…
Of Wolves and Dragons
Dany felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. Jon was a Targaryen, and not just any Targaryen, but the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. The last living male heir. Everything she had worked so hard for was about to be ripped out of her hands because Jon was a man, and she a woman.
"I don't want it," said Jon, growling with passion as he gripped Dany's arms, "I don't want it Dany, do you hear me?"
Dany felt her entire world crumbling down around her as she stared into the brown eyes she had fallen so deeply in love with, "It doesn't matter what you want, Jon. They'll always want you more than they'll want me. They know you. You're half Stark. They love you…they don't love me…"
"They will learn to love you," said Jon, forcing Dany to look at him, "I swear to you. You made my sister love you. If you can accomplish that, you can easily win the hearts of the people in the North…and in all of Westeros for that matter!"
A small flicker of hope flared in Dany's chest. She loved Jon, but she had worked her entire life to get to this place. She couldn't have it taken from her simply because of her sex.
"I must tell my sisters," said Jon, looking away from Dany, "They deserve to know the truth."
Dany nodded, her mind racing, "I want to speak with Sansa…after you tell them."
Jon smiled sadly and nodded. The two women had grown close since the battle against the white walkers. He knew they had spoken in private, but neither woman would reveal what words had passed between them. Nevertheless, since they had spoken they had been nearly inseparable.
"Of course," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her.
"It doesn't bother you?" whispered Dany as they pulled away, "That…you and I are…"
Jon grimaced, "It feels…odd. But I love you, Dany. I would move mountains for you. We will get through this."
Dany felt a warmth spread from her heart into the rest of her body. She leaned into Jon's embrace and felt the love emanating from his very being. A part of her soul was awakening under her new-found friendship with Sansa and Jon's dedication and love to her. In that moment, Dany felt as if she could conquer the world.
…
"Sansa?" murmured Dany as she slowly slid into Sansa's chambers later that evening.
Dany frowned when she saw Sansa sitting on the edge of her large bed, staring vacantly out the window.
"Sansa?" she asked, raising her voice as she stepped closer to the bed.
Sansa jumped slightly and whirled around, relaxing the moment her eyes met Dany's.
"Oh, Dany it's you," she said, forcing a smile, "Sorry I was…thinking."
Dany nodded and glanced down at the floor as she walked over to where Sansa sat. Hesitantly, Dany settled down and slowly reached out her hand. She felt a wave of relief as Sansa lifted her arm and grasped Dany's hand in her own.
"Are you alright?" asked Dany, voice quaking, "I just found out myself and…it's a lot to take in."
Sansa nodded, staring down at their clasped hands, "I always thought of Jon as a brother. He was never my half brother or my bastard brother—he was just my brother, Jon. And now…now…"
"Now he is still your brother," said Dany, lowering her head to catch Sansa's eyes, "He shares some of your blood—and some of mine, yes. But he is as much your brother as he is the man I love. Where he came from changes nothing."
"It changes everything," muttered Sansa, her eyes watery, "He is the heir to the Iron Throne."
"He doesn't want it," replied Dany, glancing away, "He told me himself before he came to find you and Arya. He wishes to be my closest advisor and to help me get the Iron Throne. He wants everything to stay the same…and it can, Sansa. It can. Jon will declare who he is to the North and tell them his wishes. As the rightful heir to the throne he has every right to abdicate it. And he intends to do just that."
Sansa squeezed Dany's hand and leaned against her, "Perhaps. I just—I thought I knew my father so well. He lied to us…he lied to us all…"
"He protected Jon," said Dany as she leaned her head against Sansa's shoulder, "He could tell no one or Jon wouldn't have lived. He protected Jon, and now Jon is protecting us so that we might rule. I told you, Sansa…I believe in fate."
Sansa sighed and placed her head on top of Dany's. The two queens stayed there a long while before they spoke again.
"I suppose this would be a way to ensure the union of our houses," mused Sansa, "Jon is half wolf and half dragon. He is the perfect one to advise you and maintain the peace. His presence could keep the Northerners and the people of Westeros from fearing war between our kingdoms."
Dany smiled, "That he is. It seems no matter how powerful we are, it always circles back to Jon Snow."
Sansa laughed at that as she sat up and looked down at Dany, "Who would have thought that one day wolves and dragons might rule Westeros together?"
Dany smiled back at her new friend, the burden on her heart lifting under Sansa's happy stare, "Until the day I met you, Sansa…not even I would have thought such a thing."
…
Of Two Kingdoms
They had done it.
The Last War was won.
Dany felt a rush of elation course through her veins as she looked out over the burning remains of King's Landing. The ramparts that held the scorpions were destroyed. Part of the Red Keep had crumbled to the ground and the bells were ringing, signaling the city's surrender. People in the streets were on their knees, honoring her as their new Queen.
Dany leaned down and hugged Drogon's neck as she laughed with joy. Next to Drogon, Rhaegal landed on one of the last standing ramparts with Jon on his back. Dany looked up and smiled at her green dragon.
A memory flashed through Dany's mind of when Sansa had advised her to not move her troops so soon after the battle with the white walkers. She closed her eyes briefly and silently thanked her dear friend for the sage advice. Euron had been skulking around Dragonstone with a fleet of warships and fully loaded scorpions, ready and willing to destroy her dragons. Had it not been for Sansa, Dany may have lost one of them—or both.
Jon was beaming at her from atop Rhaegal and Dany felt her heart explode as their eyes met. They had destroyed the Lannister defenses and crippled the Red Keep. Cersei was trapped within the hold, but Jon's youngest sister Arya would soon see to that. The tiny, fierce assassin had played the most pivotal role in the battle against the white walkers and Dany thought it would be fitting for her to have the honor of destroying Cersei.
Jon had been surprised that Dany chose Arya and not herself to take Cersei's life. But if truth be told, Dany had seen enough bloodshed to last her a lifetime. It was an odd thought—a Targaryen not desiring bloodshed, but Dany knew the reason why her bloodlust and ambition had been tempered: Sansa and Jon. In her worst moments they had pulled her back and kept her grounded. They never let her forget who she was or where she had come from. Thanks to them, Dany had overcome the curse of the Targaryen bloodline she had been born into.
"It's time," called Jon, his smile as bright as the sun.
Dany grinned back at him, suddenly feeling like the giddy little girl she'd never been permitted to be, and urged Drogon off the rampart. Together, the two dragons took to the sky and flew toward the Red Keep, wing tips touching as they roared victoriously.
…
"She was already dead when I got here," said Arya, her face a mask of fury and energy as she stood before Dany in the throne room.
Dany's eyes were wide with shock as she entered the room. Sansa walked in behind her, followed by Brienne and Jorah. Jorah immediately moved to stand just behind Dany. Despite the union of the two houses, Jorah still felt a need to protect Dany above all others. Brienne had taken a similar approach to protecting Sansa and walked over to stand next to her charge.
"But who killed her?" asked Jon, brow wrinkled in confusion, "Who could have cut off her head like this? One of her own men?
Sansa grimaced at the gruesome sight of Cersei Lannister's head in her younger sister's hands, "Arya! Must you continue to hold it?"
Arya shrugged and dropped Cersei's head on the ground. It gave a sickening thud as it hit the throne room floor, causing Jon, Sansa, and Dany to pull away, faces distorted with disgust.
"I did it," muttered a deep voice from behind one of the massive throne room pillars.
Brienne audibly gasped as a familiar figure stepped into the light. His dirty blonde hair was disheveled and blood seeped from what must have been at least a dozen wounds. He leaned against the pillar for support, eyes glassy and unfocused as he stared in the direction of the group.
Brienne ran toward Jaime Lannister and grabbed him just as he began to slide down the pillar onto the floor.
"I killed her," he muttered, "I had to. I…I had to…she…she would have…killed us all…in the end…"
"Shhh," tisked Brienne, "Don't speak. It's okay," she said as she turned to face some of the Unsullied that lined the room, "Help him! He needs help!"
"Do as she says!" ordered Dany as they stood and watched two of the Unsullied move forward and begin to tend to Jaime's wounds.
"The Kingslayer is now a Queenslayer," said Arya, dejectedly, "I was really looking forward to this one," she added as she nudged Cersei's head with her boot, "But…if it wasn't going to be me who killed her, I wanted it to be him."
Dany nodded, "Jaime needed to right his wrongs before he could feel like one of us," she said as she watched Brienne hover over the Unsullied while they worked on Jaime. She smiled at the sight, "Perhaps now the Queenslayer will know where he truly belongs."
…
Dany and Sansa's armies finished clearing out cavernous space and moved off to the side, creating a direct path to the throne. Jaime was moved to a smaller room in the Red Keep so that his wounds could be properly dressed by one of the maesters. Jon, Sansa, Arya, Jorah, and Brienne all turned and looked at Dany expectantly.
Daenerys felt an overwhelming rush of emotion as she stared at the Iron Throne in front of her. For years she had worked, dreamed, bled, and nearly died for this. She had sacrificed so many things and lost so many people, and a dragon, she loved in the process. But in that moment, it was not simply the Iron Throne that made the Mother of Dragons' heart feel so full.
Dany glanced over at the people who had become her entire world in a very short amount of time. The looks of awe, pride, and love reflected in their eyes made her soul sing. A sudden thought entered her mind and a slow smile crept across the dragon queen's face. She turned to look at Sansa and held out her hand.
"Together," she said.
Sansa's eyes danced with excitement as she stepped forward and took Dany's hand.
Jon and the others stared at them in confusion as the two women stood on the path to the Iron Throne.
"I promised you that we would rule together as queens," whispered Dany into Sansa's ear, "I suppose now would be the proper time to tell them, wouldn't you agree?"
Sansa beamed as she nodded, words escaping her as the enormity of this moment weighed heavily on her chest.
Together, Dany and Sansa stepped forward, hand-in-hand, and ascended the steps to the Iron Throne. They stood before it and turned to face their friends, family, and their armies.
"Before I take the Iron Throne," said Dany loudly, her voice trembling with emotion, "I must inform you all of a decision that Lady Sansa and I made shortly after we met one another in Winterfell. The North has had to fight harder than most to regain what is theirs, and that must not be something they ever endure again. In order to protect the North, and honor both the man I love and my dear friend…I pronounce the North free from the rule of Westeros and free from my own command, and instead place it in the capable hands of the woman who has more than earned her title…Queen of the North…Sansa Stark!"
The throne room erupted in cheers and cries of disbelief as the Northern army began to chant "Queen Sansa." Jon ran a hand through is long hair, shock and utter joy on his face. He looked up at the throne and gazed at Dany, love and admiration glowing in his dark eyes.
Dany smiled back at him, pleased to see that her decision had brought him so much happiness. The North would be safe, and Westeros once again belonged to the Targaryens. But this time…with the aid of the Starks in the North. A new era was dawning, one that would see many, many years of peace under the rule of Fire and Ice.
…
Of Futures and Promises
Dany laughed as a young boy ran across the throne room, his white-blonde hair falling into his eyes while a baby dragon chased after him. A small girl crawled after them, whimpering as she struggled to keep up, while her white and grey direwolf pup pushed her from behind, urging her to move faster. A boy with dark brown hair sat petting a larger purple-scaled dragon while a girl with wavy brown hair wrestled with a black direwolf.
One day, about a year after Dany took the throne, her dragons had returned to King's Landing with a surprise: baby dragons. Rhaegal had shocked them all by revealing that he was in fact a she. Since then Drogon and Rhaegal had laid several eggs. There was a total of two babies, one half-grown, and one adult dragon that had been added to the family as the years went on. Each of Dany's children heralded the hatching of another dragon egg.
Dany had decided that their four children, and Sansa's three children, should also have direwolf pups to honor their Stark heritage. Sansa agreed heartily to the idea and sent out a patrol in the North to find more direwolves. Jon's own direwolf, Ghost, had been returned to him from the North following the Siege of King's Landing. Sansa had also acquired one for herself. She had lost her own wolf, Lady, when she was much younger. To honor her former pet's memory, Sansa named the silvery white direwolf, Queen.
Jorah dodged a low-flying baby dragon as he walked across the throne room, Brienne and Jaime close behind. The three knights were heading out for their morning patrol. While it had been many years since any uprisings or wars had touched King's Landing, Ser Jorah had insisted on leading patrols to guard the outskirts of the city. His insistence on protecting Dany and her children warmed the dragon queen's heart.
Jaime had moved to Winterfell, despite how deeply he hated the North. There was something, or rather someone, who resided there that overrode his disgust of the cold climate: Ser Brienne of Tarth. Sansa and Dany exchanged knowing looks as they watched the two knights whispering together while they followed Jorah out of the Red Keep.
A dragon and a direwolf pup began to wrestle in the center of the room, drawing the attention of several of Dany and Sana's children.
"They grow faster by the day," said Dany with a contented grin as she adjusted the cushions beneath her. In the years since the Siege of King's Landing, Dany had started having pillows and cushions spread around the stairs and floor beneath the Iron Throne for her and Sansa to lounge on whenever the Queen of the North came to visit. The Iron Throne was a symbol of power, but when Sansa was in King's Landing, Dany insisted that they lounge in comfort as equals and not sit upon a throne of any kind.
Sansa nodded in agreement, "It is hard to believe our oldest are nearly at the age for being wed."
Dany groaned, "Don't remind me. You make me feel old, sister."
Sansa smirked, "We are well passed our youth now, it is true."
"And yet just as lovely as ever," crooned a deep voice as a handsome knight emerged from the hall.
Sansa rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Foolish man," she muttered fondly as the knight leaned down to kiss her.
Dany laughed at the couple as they kissed, "You could have done worse for yourself, Sansa. Braxton is quite the attractive man."
The knight turned to the Queen of Westeros and gave her a wink, "I see this Queen has good taste as well."
"You just keep your eyes to yourself over there, Braxton," joked Jon Snow as he joined the lively bunch, "That one is mine."
Dany narrowed her eyes playfully, "I belong to no man."
Jon rolled his eyes as he strolled over toward Dany and settled down on the cushions beside her, "I suppose I belong to you more than you belong to me, I will concede that."
Dany smirked as she kissed Jon, her heart brimming with happiness in his presence.
"Have you noticed our eldest daughter and your oldest son, Snow?" asked Braxton as he nodded subtly over to the far side of the room.
A young woman with long dark-red hair and a young man with silvery-blonde hair were huddled close together behind a pillar, trying in vain to avoid their parents attention as they whispered to one another.
"Oh, seven hells," muttered Jon, rubbing a hand across his face as he watched.
Dany laughed, "Oh let them be, Jon," she said, her eyes soft as she watched her son, "To be young and in love and so carefree was a privilege denied to many of us for so long. I say let it live and flourish."
Sansa lifted her chalice of wine, "I will drink to that, Queen Daenerys. I can also think of no better way to keep our kingdoms united than to let our children marry. Imagine their children taking the Iron Throne when the time comes."
"And the North," added Dany with a warm smile, "Perhaps we shall keep Starks and Targaryens on our thrones for many years to come."
Sansa turned to Dany and returned her smile. At the same time, the two queens reached for each other's hands and grasped them firmly.
Sansa nodded, "Together."
"Always."
…