Sansa

The feast in Highgarden could be compared to nothing she'd experienced before. Of course, she'd attended many feasts in Winterfell and even numerous ones at Riverrun, but those seemed small, compared tothissplendor.

Her lady mother was conversing with Lady Olenna and the Queens. (It was still strange to think, that they were both married to her cousin, not to mention, that both of them were so closely related to him.) Her lord father was speaking with Lord Tarly and Uncle Benjen.

Sitting next to Lady Margery had proved wonderful too- she was quick-witted and told her stories she'd never heard before. Lord Willas has also proved to be awonderful and knowledgable man. She would have thought, that his injury hindered him in enjoying life, but she'd been wrong.

„And tell me, Lady Sansa..." Lord Willas started again, when seemingly from nowhere, her cousin materialised.

Namely, the eldest of her cousins, Jon.

„Your Grace." the Tyrells muttered, dipping their heads.

„Lady Margery, Lord Willas, Ser Garlan." Jon- she still had trouble thinking of him asJaehaerys, despite that name being his true one,- looked at her with those piercing violet eyes. „May Iborrow my cousin for alittle? Ishall bring her back in afew minutes."

Lady Margery gave acharming smile. „Of course, Your Grace."

Sansa stood up and Jon dipped his head towards the door. Sansa nodded, though she felt confused. Why would Jon ask her to leave? (Being around him still made her nervous. She'd never been outrightmeanto him, but she didn't act like family either and that made her feel guilty. She should have listened to her father, when he said, that it was the Stark blood that made the family and not the name.)

Once they were out of the hall, he offered his arm and she took it without aword. They walked for along while until reaching the garden. The silence around them had been heavy and it was growing worse with every passing second.

She steeled herself and decided to say all, that had been bothering her, since meeting him at Riverrun after months of separation. „Jon- I.. Imean, Jaehaerys..."

„Sansa..." They both stopped gazing at each other- bright blue on deep violet. „Continue, sister." he said, voice like velvet.

Sansa's heart squeezed. She'd never been particularlykindto him- no sisterly bond at all, he was much closer to Arya-, yet he was calling her sister, while hisrealsister was inside the hall. She bit her bottom lip and swallowed.

„I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being so mean to you all this time. Ishould have..." her voice cracked at the end.

„It's alright, Sansa. Idon't blame you." he said, tilting her chin, so their eyes met again. „We're family."

„I should have listened to father." she said. „When the snows fall and winter comes, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives." she said, recalling her father's words. „You don't have the Stark name- never had and never would, but you're family. Ishould have treated you, like abrother. Ilistened to Theon and Joffrey..."

„It's alright, Sansa, Iforgive you."

At those words, atear rolled down her face and she wrapped her arms around him in astrong hug. „You'll always be my brother. From now on forever."

„And you're as much my sister as, Rhae, Dany and Arya are." he said, hugging her back. For amoment, they stayed like that, enjoying the silence and embracing each other, before Sansa pulled away and wiped the lone tear from her cheek.

„So, why have you called me out here, Your Grace?" she asked with asmile, feeling abit better.

He rolled his eyes. „We're family. Don't call me that in private. Ijust wanted to ask what do you think of Lord Willas."

Sansa shrugged. „Intelligent and courteous. Handsome too. Despite his bad leg, the Lady who'd be his wife will be very lucky, Ithink. He would take care of her and being the Lady of Highgarden is not bad either."

Jon seemed pleased with every word she spoke and by the end, he was grinning at her toothily- quite the uncommon sight to anyone, who knew Jon personally. „And what would you say,PrincessSansa..."

Her heart fluttered. She'd always wanted to be aPrincess and now she was, for being born aStark, thanks to Jon. (Of course, she knew it was probably Jon's way of thanking her father for keeping him safe from the Lannisters, but the result was something she was glad for.)

„... if Itold you,youwould be that lucky Lady?"

Her breath caught in her throat. „Wh-what?"

The smile was gone then, replaced by kingly seriousness. „I still need allies, Sansa and the Tyrells command amassive force. Plus, winter would be here soon and Highgarden is the breadbasket of the Realm. We need supplies. Your parents agreed, that it would be agood match. You and Lord Willas. But Itold them, that while Ineed the alliance, Iwould not force you to wed, for Imyself had wed out of love..."

Wed.

She would be wedding Lord Willas- or at least, that was what her family had planned for. After leaving King's Landing and her betrothal to Joffrey called off, she had been afraid she would never find anyone, nor would she have acrown. Now, she had acrown of her own right and Jon was saying she could marry if she wanted.

„If you do not wish, Uncle Ned could still find you aNorthern Lord or aTully bannerman to..." She shook her head and Jon fell silent.

The night had been long and the more time she spent around the Tyrells, the better she felt. Wyllas was kind even if arelative stranger for now. She could learn to love him, despite him not being the knight in shining armour she'd always dreamed of, after hearing the songs.

Plus, it would be good for her family too, she knew that. Jon would need the army and later, the North might need the supplies for winter...

She looked at Jon with a steely gaze, atiny smile on her lips. „I wouldn't mind marrying Lord Willas at all, Jon..."

He smiled back and kissed her Tully-red hair. Then he took her arm again and led her back into the hall, to continue the feast. She sat back between Margery and Willas with asmile on her face.

Theon II

The great hall of Pyke seemed foreign after so many years spent in the North and Winterfell. Even the smell of stale sea air seemed foreign. He could barely recall the day he'd been taken away by Lord Stark after his father's rebellion against Robert had failed.

He could barely recognise his father, even. Balon Greyjoy seemed much older than his years away from Pyke. His sister, Asha had changed as well and the way she stood next to their father's chair... That spot was for the Heir of the Islands.Was he not the Heir?

„Theon." his father greeted, his voice flat. Theon's stomach churned. He'd been greeted, like astranger, not like ason of the Iron Islands finally coming home.

He swallowed and bowed his head in greeting. „Father."

„What brings you to our shores? That fat, no good King had forbidden you from coming back. Would you wish us all dead?"

Theon shook his head. „Robert is dead. The true King had allowed me to come here. He wishes for an alliance with House Greyjoy." he stated simply, showing the scroll penned by his foster brother (for as reluctant Theon was to admit, Jon had become abrother), sealed with white wax and the three-headed dragon.

His father raised an eyebrow at the letter and nodded at Asha. Asha moved from her spot without aword and strode over to him, taking the scroll and hurrying back to their father with it. The Lord grabbed the letter and Theon could see, as his eyebrows went up at the sight of the Targaryen seal.

Then, he broke it unceremoniously and unfurled the parchment to read the message. Theon himself didn't know what was written in it, but he had agood idea.

Afew minutes passed, then his father started laughing.

„That's some impostor. All the Targaryens are dead." he said, lowering the letter into his lap.

Theon shook his head. „I've seen his dragons."

His father blinked. „Dragons?"

He nodded. „Three massive dragons. And I've seen the two women brought by Lord Stark to Riverrun. The three of them mounted the beasts like one mounts ahorse and the dragons follow their commands."

„And why would Ihelp him? The Iron Throne is no concern of mine. The Ironborn had only answered to the throne, which seated aGreyjoy."

Theon's jaw went slack. His father had been put down the last time he declared the Iron Islands independent from the Iron Throne. It was the reason he'd been sent to Winterfell. Was his father trying to do the same thing again, in the chaos of war between Lannisters and Targaryens?

'No. He wouldn't risk his peoples' death.'he told himself.

„Consider it, at least." he said simply. „I've seen the destruction wrought by those dragons. Consider his offer, is all Iask."

His father gave him across look before he waved ahand. „ I'll think about it. Now leave." he basked, Frowning, Theon did just that. The Drowned God have mercy on the soul of innocents. He hoped his father made the right decision.