Welcome to Chapter 7! We slow burning this ishhh like a mooofooo. I really wanna take my time here before we jump into any of the nitty-gritty.
I'm a Jon/Kit Stan through and through, but I also love Daenerys/Emilia with all my heart. Both of them got a lot of shit they gotta take care of before they can get their love lives together... you know... Jon murder the love of his life... and Dany smurdered like... everyone lol
Whatever happens with them, we/they gotta get over those two iiiitty bitty hurdles first lol.

(ALSO to all my Nintendo homies: ANIMALCROSSINGISBACKPAPABLESSSSS!)

It had been a somber few weeks since the spring clans gathering. Sage had fallen ill after the other clans had left, and hadn't seemed to be getting better. Then, of course, there was the big thing. Snowhome was had recently finished and Jon and his clansmen were leaving for the Fist to start living in their new homes. Many of the members of his clan were packed up and ready to leave, saying their goodbyes to the women of the Keep who had let them shared their home over the past half year or so. Daenerys was watching as they were getting ready for their travels. Some of the women had fallen for Jons men, so they were leaving too. It was a time for changes. Just as she had gotten used to catching rare and random glances of Jon as she did her work, she now had to get used to him being gone again.

"If I don't return at least you won't have to deal with the King in the North anymore."

"I've grown used to him."

The memories of the past had her biting her tongue. This was a different time, for a different Daenerys. She wasn't a Queen or a Khaleesi. She wasn't even sure if she was the Mother of Dragons anymore. Daenerys had to get used to being just Daenerys Stormborn. Even her family name had to be hidden away with lock and key. It was her only chance of a better life.

"Come to see your King off, then?"

She smirked at the sound of Tormund's voice. "Jon Snow is not my king."

"No? Are you not one of his people?" Tormund had a big sly smile on his face. He was poking the bear… or the Dragon in this matter.

Daenerys didn't mind though, she had grown used to Tormund Giantsbane as well. "I am, but I haven't bent the knee…" Tormund snorted, taking her reply a bit too literal. "Or promised a sword. I-I need to work on just taking care of myself, and making me better."

"Right," Tormund clicked his tongue. "Good luck with that one." He panted her shoulder as he headed to his horse, turning back for just a moment to nod his head and smile.

"I know he's a bit much," She could feel Jons presence long before he approached her, but kept forward facing to not give away the fact that she had been waiting for him. "But he's one of the best men I've ever known that's still breathing."

"We do know a lot of dead men." Daenerys' bitter response was a bit harsher then she meant it.

"Aye, we do." Jon turned to face Daenerys. "So, you're staying here then?"

Unfortunately… "Yes. I-I just…" Daenerys turned her head to look him in the eyes and sighed. "They need me and I feel… wanted here. This place is what I need right now."

The look on Jon's face screamed 'but what about what I need?' Still, he managed to keep it very civil. "Of course," He flashed the shortest smile, "at least you don't have to deal with the King in the North anymore."

Daenerys wanted to say the words, but they hung at the tip of her tongue. This wasn't the time, place or moment, and deep down she knew neither of them was ready. More importantly, she wasn't ready. On the impossible chance that it could be, it wouldn't be now. "Goodbye, Jon."

He nodded with no goodbye as he headed to his horse. Daenerys watched as he put his things on the saddle and mounted his horse, her heart racing at the sight of him getting ready to go. In the distance she could hear what she figured must be Ghost's howl, and the clan began to move. Older members at the front, then Tormund and a few other fighters. Then followed the rest of them followed as Jon followed last. It was a wolf clan formation, she thought to herself. It was something he had taught her long ago. The leader stood in the back to make sure no one got left behind. It was very… Jon, of him.

She was lost in her thoughts, but the sound of his voice broke through no problem. Jon rode a little closer to her, so he didn't have to yell and only the two of them could hear him. "Daenerys," He stared at her, and then took a deep breath, "If-If you change your mind…"

"Yes?" She tried hard not to sound too needy of him.

Jon just smiled, "There is always a place for you in the Wolvesden. If you get lost… it's the one with the red door."

She had no words. She could only stand there with her mouth gaped open as Jon rode off and followed the rest of the clan. Physically she stood there watching them all ride away, but mentally all Daenerys could think about was the words he just spoke to her. Long ago, in what was truly another life, Daenerys could remember telling Jon about a time where all she could dream of was a simple life. About her childhood, and the home that left such a footprint in her heart and mind. There was a house in Braavos that she would dream of; with a red door and the lemon tree. Even now she dreamed of that house and the better life that maybe the two of them could have had in that home. Still, it was only a dream. A beautiful and impossible dream.

And now here she stood watching it go away, once more.

It took Jon and his clansmen about a week to get from Widow's Keep to Snowhome. He almost didn't recognize it when he could start seeing it on the horizon. There was no more snow, which made its name ironic, but he could see the Fist it's self and the new stronghold that sat on top of it. Some houses followed down the peak of the Fist, and the rest of the homes sat below it in Snowhome. The town was small, and still had lots of growing to do but it was home and Jon was proud of all the work they had done here. One homestead at a time they were taking back the lands that winter had stolen from them.

After another week, Jon had seemed to be settling. His time as King had truly begun and every day he found himself trying to help maintain the peace. It was a challenge to help these once wild warriors relax and settle into normalcy but it was rewarding and kept his mind off of all his other worries. Every moment he spent thinking about someone else's problem was another moment he could keep his own problems at bay.

Though Jon tried hard to keep them away as long as he could, eventually they all came rushing at him.

"Another bloody raven." Tormund watched Jon read the letter he had just received over and over again. His friend could tell he was stressed. "We should just eat it, that would teach him…"

The letter was blunt in its message, such as Bran become in his time as the Three-Eyed Raven, but as blunt as it was the message was clear. "It doesn't matter what you do to it. Bran can send all the ravens he pleases… and after a while, he won't just send the raven's…"

'Jon, your new position as King Beyond the Wall is treason but we shall pardon you if you come south and help us kill Drogon.
Do not come, and we will send someone to kill the traitor amongst you. This is the Kings' final warning.'

"I'm sorry, but fuck you're King Brother. He has no power over you here." Tormund remarked.

Jon sighed, dropping the letter to rub the stress out of his face. "They know about Daenerys…" Thought of Bran sending someone north to assassinate her made his blood boil. Jon jumped up from his seat, flipping the small desk he sat at as he rose. "Of course he knows about Daenery! How could I be such an idiot!?"

Tormund smirked, "You don't want me to answer that..."

"It's not just Bran… if Sansa finds out… fuck!" Jon kicked the chair away from them, "Sansa just won't send an assassin... s-she would send an entire army to kill her!"

"We won't let that happen, little crow. You're are king now." Tormund tried his best to calm Jon down, but he was much too far over the edge.

"I didn't let these people choose me as their king so they could all die in my name," Jon uttered, the fire in him now dispersing as he felt a rush of regret come over him, "I don't want to be that kind of King."

"All Kings have men die for them," Tormund reminded him, "It's the good Kings that men die for with their heads held high and their swords dripping in blood."

"There has to be a better way…" Jon thought about it for a moment, trying desperately to come up with better ideas.

It was Tormund who figured it out first, smacking Jon over the shoulder in excitement, "The bloody Red Bitch! If her God wants the two of you alive so desperately, send her a stupid raven and tell her to fix this mess."

"Only raven here is the one waiting to bring my response back to King's Landing," Jon started to explain but then he had a moment of realization. "But there is the one that she left us at Widow's Keep with Daenerys. She brought that Raven with her from Volantis."

"It's worth a shot!" Both men felt a bit better, with smiles on their faces in light of their plan.

Moments later, their smiles would fade. A knock on the door followed by the rushed entrance of a clansman, "My King, a rider from Widow's Keep is here. She says Sage is dying."

Jon rode with the rider from Widow's Keep alone, both making haste back. She explained during the ride that she had suddenly become worse, and wouldn't make it to the end another three days. So they rode without stopping till they made it back. The moment he was back on the homestead he quickly dismantled the horse and made his way to the main house. He took not to all the pale and broken faces that he passed. She must've truly been in her final days.

The first thing he heard as opened the doors to the main house was crying, and it immediately sent him back to his first day at the keep. Except for this time, he knew that wasn't a newborn crying. Today Widow's Keep was a place for death. He followed the noise as it grew louder until he found himself at a dead end. At the end of the hall was Daenerys. She was facing the door, maybe trying to listen, but it was her silver locks that had given her away.

He approached her slowly, trying not to scare her. "Daenerys…"

She jumped anyway, and when she turned to face him she could see her face was flushed and her eyes were red. There was no doubt she had been crying. "You made it."

"What happened?" Jon couldn't understand how she could have fallen ill so quickly.

Daenerys sniffled, "We… no one knows. She fell one day, and then it just got worse…"

Jon wanted to reach out to her, but he didn't want to push his boundaries. "May I see her?"

"Of course." Daenerys pushed the door open for Jon, moving to the side to let him in.

Inside the room was Parsley, Rosemary, and Thyme all surrounding Sage on her bed. There were a few other of her daughters and sisters there but Jon didn't know them very well. All of them were crying, some only sniffles but a few sobbing. Parsley was one of them, her head down on the left side of her mothers' bed as she wept. Thyme was at her side, rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her. On the right side of the bed, it seemed that only Rosemary had noticed Jon had entered the room.

"Y-your grace…" She started to rise but Jon stopped her.

He put his hand on Rosemary's shoulder, not wanting her to get up just for him. "Is she awake?"

"Just barely…" Rosemary looked back at her mother with tears in her eyes as she put her hand on top of Jons. She squeezed it tightly, as a thank you for his comfort.

"J-Jon… J-Jon Sn-Snow…" Sage could barely mutter his name, trying to set herself up to greet him. Rosemary stopped her before she could move too much, setting her back down.

Jon sat towards the edge of Sage's bed, taking her hand into his. "I'm right here, Sage."

She could barely open her eyes, but she smiled when she saw him. "Y-you are going t- be... t-the greatest.." Sage paused only for a second to catch her breath, "King… she s-showed me… in her flames…"

Kinvara.

He knew the red priestess had a hand in making the Keep what it was today, but he never knew the extent of it. "That doesn't matter now."

Sage gripped his hand harder, her breath jagged and fading. "Y-you haven't seen… what you'll do…" Her eyes started to tear as she tightened the grip, "The future… Ice… and Fire." She looked past him, and Jon turned his head to see that behind him was Daenerys. Sage looked back at Jon and smiled. "You'll be… okay."

He wasn't sure why, but Jon started to cry. "Thank you, Sage."

Sage's grip started to loosen, and her smile starts to fade. "Tell…" She muttered with her last breath, "T-tell Gilly... I'm pro-..." Her eyes closed and her hand slips out of Jon's as Sage passes on. To the left of him, he could hear Thyme start to hysterically cry.

Jon let go of her hand and left the girls be, the crying in the room getting worse as he opened the door. He could hear footsteps behind close the door and follow him out. He didn't say anything, but he knew it was Daenerys. Instead, he turned towards her ready to hear whatever angry retort she had for him but Daenerys didn't yell. Her face was absolutely red, and she looked like she wanted to scream but when her mouth opened a gasp came out and she started to cry. It was a heavy sobbing cry, like a child who lost her mother. In her eyes, Jon figured she did. Sage loved all the women here, included Daenerys and now she was gone. Another person who loved Daenerys was gone.

At this moment Jon felt it best to put the past to the side, and comfort her as she needed. So he pulled Daenerys close to him, and let her cry. She didn't hold him back, but he could feel his shirt becoming wet as she sobbed. It killed him to see her like this, but also it was a bit of a relief. It was clear to him that Daenerys had changed. She wasn't the woman who burned her enemies and laid waste to cities anymore. Daenerys was just a girl, wanting to be loved.

And gods did he want to love her.