The tea at Dragonstone was of Dornish origin, spicy and rich. It almost had something Northern. The North also favoured strong teas, but those were simple because exotic spices didn't grow in the frozen tundra. Meanwhile, King's Landing had light flavoured cold teas and the Reach preferred fruity and fresh ones.

Perhaps it was telling that Sansa let her head dwell on teas instead of Westeros. Tea was an easy and relaxing topic, whereas the future of herself and the realm was filled with worries. She looked up at Willas, who sat across from her.

Due to the extent he'd strained his leg the day of their arrival, he hadn't been able to leave their room. A blessing, perhaps, as it provided him an excuse to stay in. He'd only bothered with baggy breeches and a black linen shirt underneath an unbuttoned woollen doublet as dark as the circles underneath his eyes. He didn't notice her gaze.

Sometimes she felt like a ghost, unnoticed. Other times, she thought Willas was the ghost, a shadow of the person she knew..

Sansa finished her cup, putting it down a bit louder than she normally would. Willas looked up.

'Finished?' he asked.

'I should get going. Start preparing for our departure', said Sansa.

'I'll do my best for this afternoon', Willas promised.

'If it doesn't work, that's fine. Even without a ceremony, you'll be –'

'I'll try', Willas said, interrupting her. He couldn't bear to hear it out loud. But that suited her fine, she didn't like saying it. It sounded so dreadfully old.

Sansa rose and walked over to his side of the table.

'Take your time', she told him, bending down to kiss his brown waves. She could smell the scented oils he used for his hair and beard.

'I've been taking my time for days', Willas said.

Sansa lifted her head, her fingers combing through his manes.

'There's my impatient lord husband the way I know him', Sansa smiled.

Her fingers froze, a couple of strands of hair remaining between them. Was that silver? Last time she counted, there had only been about ten. Not that she had done a thorough job, but still the amount of grey surprised her.

Since Willas' attention was already on her, he noticed.

'What is it?'

'Nothing', she said, continuing to brush his hair.

'Alright then. Just a mysterious pause for no reason.'

'I was just thinking of something.'

'Aren't you always thinking?'

'Just as much as you. But some thoughts distract me more than others', Sansa smiled. She put another kiss on his head, and a quick peck on his forehead. Willas tilted his head, offering a full kiss which Sansa gladly took.

'Shall I make your usual apology?'

'Yes, but tell them it is getting better, but that I'm being careful. Otherwise they might be annoyed that I'm not fit to join them, but will be able to travel soon.'

'Alright', Sansa promised, stealing another kiss.

Sansa left their tiny dining room and entered their bedroom. Amaryllis sat waiting on the bed, perking up when Sansa entered. She seemed to be bursting with energy. At least one of us is having a relatively good day, Sansa thought with pleasure.

She lifted her eyebrows in question, but Sansa could only shake her head. He wasn't doing better.

They left the bedroom, followed closely by Sansa's guards Ser Hugo and ser Gwayne.

'Even more people came in after I dressed you', Amaryllis told her, her voice excited. 'I was in the great hall when they arrived.'

'Anyone we know?' Sansa asked.

When Amaryllis didn't answer, Sansa turned to her, wondering what she was being silent for. Her friends was grinning from ear to ear, and nodded once Sansa's eyes were fixed on her.

'Yes!' she said.

Amaryllis took Sansa's hands.

'Garther's here! He's fine!'

'Oh… Oh Father and Warrior blessed him indeed. I'm so happy for you.'

'Me too!'

'You've had the time to talk? You had to be upstairs quite quickly to join me again.'

'It's fine. You and Lord Willas take a long time for breakfast. I had ample time to eat and hug him. Oh my, I'm going to light a candle at every face of the seven-faced-god, I can't express how happy and relieved I am! Well, I would burn candles for them if King Stannis hadn't burned the sculptures. Well, I'll just light seven candles in the seven corners of the sept', Amaryllis decided with a satisfied nod.

Sansa nodded.

'He's coming with us right? To the North?' Amaryllis asked. 'Please tell me he can.'

'Uhm… If you want him to fight? There'll be another war in the North. I would have thought... Well.'

'Maybe as an additional guard? I don't want to fear for his life the way I did the past few weeks, it's just unbearable.'

'You do know that –'

'I know. I know. He'll be a guard and I'm still a lady-in-waiting', Amaryllis agreed. 'It's not like I'm planning any improper business. I just like having him with me so much.'

'As far as I'm concerned, I appreciate a man who follows his betrothed to the end of the earth, or Westeros. I know I would have liked a comforting partner during all my travels in the past.'

'Oh, I knew you'd understand', Amaryllis said before hugging her.

'And he isn't the only one who came through this morning.'

'Oh?'

'Yes, the past few days the unharmed Tyrell soldiers have been shipped in by the boatload because of our departure plans… And Garther was on the last boat which also started including some harmed men.'

'Oh?'

'Yes, they're all downstairs.'

'Oh. That's amazing!'

'It is! Isn't it? Come!'

Amaryllis pulled Sansa forward, and for a second Sansa was filled with pure joy, though she had no idea which men had arrived that got Amaryllis so excited.

'Oh, how happy will Lady Leonette be to hear both her brother and lord husband have made it out alive and relatively unharmed', Amaryllis said as they raced down the stairs.

'Relatively unharmed?' asked Sansa.

The hall of Dragonstone was filled like never before, rows of tables lined up from the front to the far back were filled with men and women, all tightly huddled together with people they knew. Finding someone in there would have been like finding a needle in a haystack if it hadn't been for Amaryllis detector that could flawlessly spot her betrothed in a giant room. She led Sansa through the people to a table of soldiers.

Lord Rowan stood at the table, as one of the chief strategists he was obviously invested in the welfare of his men. Garther was the first to notice them, bowing politely for Sansa before hugging Amaryllis.

'She said yes', Sansa could hear her whisper a bit too loudly.

'My lady, I hope I find you well.'

'Quite well, thank you Lord Rowan', smiled Sansa before turning to the table.

The men all stumbled into a standing position, which wasn't easy given how close the benches they sat on stood to the table.

'I am glad to see our brave heroes returned to us', smiled Sansa. They bowed before her, and it suddenly struck Sansa how rare large public displays of respect had been for her, even after joining Willas' family.

'We are happy to still be here, and to be able to serve you', said a knight Sansa didn't know.

'Have you been here long, my lady?' asked Ser Raymas.

Sansa noticed how Lord Fell was also present from the corner of her eye, but she remained focussed on her good-brother. An idea formed itself in her head. 'A day or five. It was a bit of a sudden decision.'

Raymas nodded.

'I am so glad to see you. Has Lady Leonette already been informed of your survival? I'm certain it will give her great pleasure.'

'I uhm… have not been able to write. I was too busy helping the evacuation', explained Raymas.

Sansa then turned towards Leonette's new husband. Well, new, they had almost been married for a moon's turn, but they hadn't seen him in three weeks. Leonette didn't want him to die, but Sansa didn't think she was waiting for good news about him as much as she was waiting for news about her brother.

'I was a bit indisposed', he said. Sansa nodded. Lord Fell didn't look too well, with a blue eye and tired expression. But when he turned towards her in full, revealing his left side which she hadn't seen before, she saw he was more than not too well.

'Oh, seven', Sansa said, barely keeping in a curse.

'I did a little Kingslayer. Alright, a bit worse than that, I had a big kingslayer accident moment,' he said, lifting his left arm. Half of his forearm was wrapped in bandages, the other half was missing.

'Are you –'

'To follow you North. I can strap a shield to my arm. It must be at least somewhat healed by then. I'm right handed', he explained. Sansa's eyebrows took off, rising to somewhere in her hairline.

'I admire your courage and devotion', she stammered. They kept looking at her.

'Perhaps it will give Willas joy to see his brothers are alive and doing well. He's still upstairs. Maybe he can write to Lady Leonette?' Sansa suggested.

'If you don't mind me, my lords, good sers, I have a meeting I have to attend.'

'Ah, my presence is required as well', said Lord Rowan. 'I had quite forgotten the time. I shall join you.'

'Of course, good luck at the meeting. Meanwhile we shall go to Lord Wi- Lord Tyrell as soon as we've finished breakfast', said Ser Raymas.

'Oh – oh Stranger yes, Lady Sansa, Lady Tyrell, my condolences for your losses', said Lord Fell. The others immediately stammered some condolences as well. Their faces contorted with frowns as they said it. Sansa understood. It was just as strange to hear their condolences as it was for them to say them. Mace Tyrell and three of his children dead, all within the span of six months.

With a quick curtesy and some additional bows, Sansa was walking out of the main hall.

'So, good news, right? I know nothing replaces a brother or a sister… But it sure is good news Lady Leonette's lord husband and brother are alive and well? Especially her brother. Lord Willas liked him a lot, I know they often talked.'

'You were right to bring me there. I really hope Raymas manages to at least… I don't know… offer some comfort? Provide some joy?' Sansa said.

'I shall pray for that as well', said Amaryllis.

They paused at the doors of the Chamber of the Painted Table.

'Good luck', said Amaryllis, falling back in line with the guards.

The last few days, there had been little to negotiate about. It was evident that the people of King's Landing who'd lost their homes, had to be sheltered somewhere so they were brought to Dragonstone. It was evident that the surgeons and maesters kept open tents for the wounded. It was logical some soldiers stayed there the first few days to try and evacuate some more citizens, and it was necessary that the Tyrell soldiers who were well enough to travel and weren't needed for the evacuation or the keeping of King's Landing came to Dragonstone so they could depart the second Sansa and Willas decided. On top of that the Aegon, Arianne and Daenerys had been having very fun conversations that were riddled with tensions while they danced around the question of just how many dragons would end up on the throne.

But today, negotiations were necessary. She and Willas had talked through their goals last night. But to be frank, Sansa had no faith in the negotiations today. She feared the conversations would once again be all Iron Throne, and no future of the realm.

'Thank you', Sansa smiled before going in.

A year ago, it would have been inconceivable Sansa would be sitting down at a table together with representatives of almost all parts of the realm, as well as two Targaryens, a Dothraki, the Golden Company and the Unsullied. But here she was, the Lady of the Reach, actively voicing her own concerns and agenda. Jon Cupps perked up when he spotted her and Lord Rowan, and immediately beckoned her over and drew out a chair for her.

Arianne didn't look overjoyed sitting on one side of Aegon whose purple eyes were at the moment more purple from the bruised skin around them than the colour within. Daenerys also looked quite unhappy. And Tyrion? Well…

'No, we must go after Cersei. I know my sister, as long as she draws breath she is a serious threat.'

'We can send a few hundred, I suppose', said Aegon. 'She must be arrested and put to justice.'

'A few hundred? You're pretending like we're chasing a mere horde of outlaws in the woods instead of a power hungry lunatic who can claim the throne of Westeros in the name of her daughter and is currently, most likely, on her way to one of the strongest and most impenetrable castles of Westeros. There, she will be protected by the military power of all the military power that was left behind in the Westerlands', said Tyrion.

'First of all, without the support of the rest of the realm, her claim is practically worthless. Second of all, how much is the military strength of the Westerlands still worth? Largest part of it has been burnt by her in King's Landing, and the other part is stuck in the Riverlands, no doubt being exterminated or taken prisoner there by Lord Tully', said Arianne.

'I warn you not to underestimate her', said Tyrion. 'When she feels threatened, that's when she's at her most dangerous. It was a threatened Cersei who felt she was being cornered that decided burning the city was the perfect cover for an escape. She may have other tricks up her sleeve.'

'Lord Tyrion, is there anywhere she may run to that isn't Casterly Rock?' asked Arianne.

Tyrion shrugged.

'I don't think so.'

'Well, a few hundred strategically sent soldiers will be more than sufficient. We'll send with them someone who knows their way around this impregnable castle so that the castle can be taken from within. Same way we took Dragonstone and King's Landing.'

'Who?'

'Well you, of course, you grew up there, didn't you?' Arianne asked Tyrion. 'From what I heard, Casterly Rock is filled with secret passages. I'm sure a few hundred men suffice to make their way through those tunnels and attack everyone within?'

'A threat the size of an usurper surely deserves at least a thousand men.'

Oh yes, the people will be oh so grateful that instead of trying to make sure they have homes to live in during the winter, we are focussing all our strength on a wild-goose chase around the Westerlands. A thousand men to capture two women? Never mind that I'm not wild about sending a thousand men through knee deep snow', said Arianne.

'We could put them to excellent use up North', Sansa quietly added.

'That too', said Arianne.

'How dire is it? How far have these Others advanced?' asked Tyrion.

'You know as well as I do that news takes a long time to travel from the Wall. The situation was dire at the start of the previous month, it will be more dire still. I also know it takes a very long time for troops to travel from King's Landing to any capital of another one of the parts of Westeros. It will already take too long for the soldiers to travel from Dragonstone to the Wall. Do not ask whether there is enough time for the soldiers to travel up and down to Casterly Rock before heading North, for you know there is not enough time.'

'And from the Rock to the North via the Iron Islands?' asked Tyrion.

Sansa shook her head.

'I don't even know if we'll be in time as is. And we're talking about the safety of all of Westeros.'

'But we cannot send every soldier North. The capital must be safeguarded, Cersei Lannister is still a threat and the King's Peace needs to be instated in the unruly parts of the realm. Right?' asked Aegon.

Arianne nodded.

'I'm afraid it does. We cannot abandon Westeros and all travel North. Someone needs to keep Westeros running.'

'And some do not', said Tyrion. 'So who is going to go where, and with how much military strength?'

That's where the conversation completely derailed. Numbers were being thrown around. If Sansa were honest, she didn't have a clue about their meaning. She didn't know how many men it took to keep a sacked city from being plundered, nor how much military assistance was needed to make the bare minimum repairs so some of the smallfolk could live in their homes this winter. She had no clue how many men had to remain behind to keep the king's peace and she didn't know how many men were truly necessary to put an end to Cersei.

When she'd talked it through with Willas, they had agreed on their goals, but they hadn't talked numbers. Did Willas know how many men they wanted to take North with them? Sansa hadn't been taught anything about military strength. Did Arianne know? How did she know how many men it took to accomplish anything? Was she guessing or was she accurately estimating? How did Queen Daenerys know? Had she learned it across the sea as wife of Khal Drogo or while taking cities like Meereen?

Sansa shifted in her seat, bringing a hand to her belly. She'd been feeling more unease as of late. She wasn't necessarily nauseous or ill, just plain uncomfortable, like her body was too small for everything within. The skin of her chest itched regularly, and her stomach felt uneasily tight. The new position afforded some relief. Sometimes she got the feeling that her skin hadn't yet been informed that it had to grow along with whatever was growing inside of her.

The arguments and numbers were meaningless in her head.

'Are you alright?' asked Lord Jon Cupps.

'Fine', smiled Sansa through gritted teeth. 'Sitting still for so long is just a bit uncomfortable.'

'I feel you', Willas' uncle smiled.

'And if we were to send a Dragon to Casterly Rock instead of an army?' someone suggested.

'And what? Burn one of the oldest castles of Westeros filled with a staff of innocents?' asked Lord Varys.

'We could smoke them out, say that if they don't deliver us Cersei and Myrcella, we'll burn the castle. Worked quite a few times in the past', smiled Arianne.

'Are they truly innocent?' asked Daenerys. 'And is there no such thing as a higher goal? The Lannisters were the ones who betrayed my family. They betrayed the people of the realm by hurting them. They are responsible for the deaths of your families too, are they not? How should we punish the worst criminals in the realm?'

Violet eyes rested on Sansa.

'They instigated the deaths of all Starks, all Stark bannermen, and now many deaths in my lord husband's family and they killed and raped many smallfolk in the Riverlands and burned all their crops', Sansa recognized.

'Should we show mercy to people who protect such rulers?' asked Daenerys.

'Your grace, my family is notoriously cruel to bannermen and smallfolk who go against them. I wouldn't blame anyone in the castle for being afraid of standing up to them', said Tyrion.

'Isn't Harrenhal still suffering from the burning of Aegon the Conqueror?' asked Aegon.

'It serves as a reminder', said Arianne and Daenerys at once. An awkward silence followed at the table.

'It has had a most unfortunate history since', agreed Lord Varys.

'What message do we give if we burn a castle filled with hundreds of servants when we want to use the burning of King's Landing to highlight the depths of Lady Lannister's depravity? Are we then not just as bad?' asked Aegon.

'Isn't there some saying about fighting fire with fire?' asked Daemon Sand.

'Can't we just burn all the Others, they're made of ice, aren't they?' asked someone else.

'Excuse me, but my role within this court isn't even defined, yet right now me and my children are expected to go any and everywhere you all want?' asked Daenerys. 'I am the sole decider of what my dragons shall do.'

On and on the conversation went about how many to send, and whether or not dragons were warranted. But as the discussion lengthened, Sansa's patience shrunk.

'We haven't heard the opinion of the Reach', said Arianne, which did catch Sansa's attention.

Looking up, Sansa saw Arianne's pleading dark eyes begging her to take her side. Alas, Sansa didn't even know what Arianne wanted her to say. Better to pretend Sansa didn't care about the argument at hand. Her husband often pretended to be a man with simple desires and a friendly disposition, although she didn't have his humour and knowledge at her disposal.

'There's no such thing as the opinion of the Reach', laughed Sansa, trying to appear a bit humble. 'But if you're asking me about the opinion of my lord husband and I… We care about Westeros, as much as all of you. Of course, keeping peace and subjecting all parts of the realm are necessary. I will not busy myself with numbers, I'm sure many of you are better versed and more experienced in warfare and ruling than I am to be the judge of that. But I am a daughter of the North. I grew up in a home where the protection of the people who lived right beside the Wall came first. My little cousin is the Lord of the Eyrie and my uncle is Lord Paramount of the Trident, my brother is a watcher on the Wall. What I know is this: an army of the undead, which previously existed only in myths and stories, is coming to Westeros. My brother will be first to fall, the people of the North, will be second, and the regions of my cousin and uncle. There is no second Wall or border. Once the Others make it through the Wall, they'll kill their way through the lands of my family, and after that, the rest of Westeros. Which is why my lord husband and I's priority lies there. We only ask you carefully weigh the importance of each of the tasks that require manpower, and attribute military strength accordingly. Lord Tyrell and I will set sail tomorrow at midday, regardless of the strength we're given. Those who wish to join us are always welcome. Now if you would all be so kind to excuse me, I'm not feeling all too well.'

She stood, the scrape of her chair as Lord Jon helped her stand dramatic and loud. With a final polite nod, and a curtesy to the three heads in the middle of the table, she left.

She finally managed to draw some breath in the courtyard. The stale air and dark gloomy interior of Dragonstone weren't the greatest if one was feeling uncomfortable. Amidst the hustle and bustle Sansa didn't notice a messenger approached her until he was in front of her.

'My lady, a raven from King's Landing.'

Sansa accepted the note, and off the messenger went. The rookery got new messages every hour. Everyone was inquiring after their families and this new king. But this note didn't pertain to any of that.

It was from Randyll Tarly, the most talented strategist the Reach had had, but who had to remain a minor player in their plans up until now. He shared that he was currently in charge of the on-ground management of the first aid camps and the evacuation of King's Landing, but since the plans were to go North, he could appoint a replacement and take the next ship his lord and lady commanded for the following battle.

Sansa couldn't be more grateful both him and Lord Rowan had survived. They could really use their experience.

'Thank the Warrior.'

She turned around, looking up at the Stone Drum and avoiding the watchful gaze of the dark reptilian curled around the tower. Its head rested upon the decorative statue of a dragon as if it were a hard pillow. She swallowed away her unease. Willas was up there, and he'd want to know this.

'Alright, back to business.'

Sansa found their chambers much busier than she'd left them. Willas, Raymas and Axel were all quite occupied with a certain cup in the middle of a table. She'd expected to find the men in deep conversation, perhaps wiping away a manly tear. What she hadn't expected was the deep focus on a wine cup.

'May I enquire as to what you are all doing?'

Ser Raymas looked up with a smile.

'A very foul game.'

'Foul?'

'There's no game tactics, it's just a matter of luck, you see? You start out with a cup of wine, half full. Then, you start putting in coins from your purse in turn. The wine level rises. And you try putting in a coin that's big enough so your opponent might have to drink, but small enough so that you don't have to drink during that turn, or the next.'

'Aha', said Sansa. She wasn't sold on the premise.

Coming closer, she saw the cup was very close to the brim, almost overflowing. Five coins lay in front of Willas of varying size and weight.

'Whose turn is it?'

'Willas', said Ser Raymas.

'What makes the game so foul?' asked Sansa. Willas carefully picked up the smallest and lightest coin he had left. He very slowly dipped it into the cup, and saw the level rise dangerously high. He hissed, and closed his eyes when he let it sink. The cup overflowed, barely, but it did.

'Loser's gotta drink what's in the cup. Not just his own cup', explained Axel.

They laughed when Sansa's face scrunched up. Drinking wine in which coins had been soaking for minutes? Dirty copper and silver that had been in the hands of so many? It was gross. Was Willas truly going to do such a thing? But she soon realized her husband never avoided a challenge. He bent forward, put his lips to the cup, and drank until the level was low enough so he could pick it up and drink it without spilling some.

'I cannot believe you did that', muttered Sansa.

'Thrice', said Willas with a disgusted expression that showed the wine tasted just as bad as Sansa imagined.

'My bad luck is never ending. Guess who else is quite gravely injured?' asked Willas, looking up at Sansa.

Sansa shook her head. Another one?

'Who?'

Willas closed his eyes, folding his hands in front of his face. 'I'll have to write to Highgarden again. It's Alyn.'

'What? But… He was put in the same regiment as Garther and he's fine.'

Sansa could still see him as if she last saw him yesterday, his gangly posture, his shaggy hair, the way he'd supported Elinor.

'My lady, it happens quite frequently that some parts of a regiment die or get injured instead and others don't. I've seen men die right beside me while I survived', explained Raymas.

'The wildfire burned some building, making some collapse and others explode. The collapsing building that turned the bones in my hand to dust was the same one that crushed the skull of the man who'd been standing beside me', said Axel. 'The boy yet lives, someone must have prayed hard for him.'

'So he'll be going home once he's healed enough?' Sansa asked.

'Looks like it.'

'Well, Elinor will be happy with that news.'

'Especially since he's knighted. I knighted him when he was five steps from death on the battlefield because I feared he'd die on me before being rewarded for his valour. Well, he probably pissed himself, but he pulled people from burning homes. That's bravery by my book', smiled Raymas.

Sansa really wasn't interested in knowing how horrible it had been in the city. The more she heard, the more she wondered how anyone got out alive.

'Right', she said. 'Gentlemen, if you would excuse us, we have to prepare for the ceremony.'

'Oh, right. Do we have to dress up? Do you happen to know?' asked Ser Axel. 'I'll have to go and search for my squire because with the arm situation it takes quite a bit of help to manoeuvre into a doublet.'

'Uhm… We were going for dressed up, but we don't have really extravagant clothes with us, we're travelling and we doubted we'd have many very formal celebrations that required all the embellishments', explained Sansa as the noblemen got up.

'I'll try something.'

'I'll let them polish my armour until it shines, that counts', said Ser Raymas with a grin and a wink. 'Until soon.'

As the men left, Amaryllis, who'd fetched Willas' servant, came in.

'How was the meeting?' asked Willas.

'Oh well, they were all throwing around numbers and talking about when it was ethically responsible to burn down people and buildings with dragonfire.'

Amaryllis let out a laugh before quickly slamming a hand in front of her mouth.

'My apologies.'

'They were terribly serious, I'm afraid', Sansa told her. 'They were thinking about whether it would be a good idea to have Daenerys burn Casterly Rock.'

'She has my support', said Willas calmly as he was helped into a bright emerald doublet and breeches.

'Some were of the opinion it would be hard to judge her for the crime of burning a castle with people in it when we do the same.'

'There's a difference between burning a castle with a couple dozen people in it versus the most populous city of Westeros. No need to try her if we serve her the justice she deserves' he decided as he slipped into a richly decorated jerkin with fur trimmings.

Amaryllis finished doing the buttons on Sansa's warm and beautifully trimmed emerald green dress. Sitting down, she showed Amaryllis how to do some Northern style braids laced with golden ribbons. In half of her hair Those were then pinned around her head like a makeshift crown.

'Do you think you'll manage?' asked Sansa.

'If they ask me to kneel, I'll never get up. But for the rest, totally fine', Willas smirked.

'Oh, but they wouldn't ask that', smiled Sansa, standing now that her hair was done.

'And?'

'I believe I still have the most beautiful bride in all the Seven Kingdoms', smiled Willas.

When they exited, their guards were all present and all armed in front of their door. This moment was about showing power and strength. And a group of personal guards suited that purpose perfectly. Ser Leander, Ser Thorne, Captain Ser Hugo, Ser Kris, Ser Roger and Ser Gwayne accompanied them downstairs. Sansa had heard Gwayne hadn't dared to step outside ever since the dragons had arrived. Oldtown had left him scared and fearful of everything magical, including mythological beasts. She could hardly blame him.

The throne room of Dragonstone was filled to the brim with bright colours of every noble house present, intersparsed by knights who now had to be recognized as lords because their kin died. At the far back stood the throne of Dragonstone. It was but an elevated chair compared to the Iron Throne, though it looked much better suited to serving as a seat for hours when a king held court there. Aegon hovered near the throne which had a seat situated within a Dragon's mouth, with Daenerys and Arianne beside him.

The girl who'd given him an army and the aunt who had brought living breathing dragons with her and had named herself queen. Sansa didn't envy their problems. But for once, she didn't care. This chair dance was their little family problem. She hoped they would solve it in an amicable manner, instead of like their predecessors had done during the Dance of the Dragons.

In the end, Aegon sat down on the throne, and Arianne and Daenerys kept standing beside it. One by one, Aegon accepted the loyalty of the men and women who had sworn their allegiance to him if that allegiance had come at the price of splitting their families or deposing of the Baratheon minded rulers of their houses. One by one, Aegon rewarded their loyalty by giving them the title of lord or lady of their house. Most had, of course, sworn their allegiance during the Young Lords Council, but this was public.

Finally, it was the turn of the Reach.

'The representatives of House Tyrell', demanded Lord Mathis Rowan who, in the absence – or rather, because of the death - of the Hand had taken over control of the procedures.

When Sansa and Willas stepped forward no one knew Willas had taken his wheelchair until the stairs and his crutches to go downstairs to the throne room. Those were now held by Ser Gwayne. The people only saw his straight shoulders and the ornate cane he used as he walked forward with his Lady Wife, appearing powerful and proud in a way the world recognized.

'Lord Willas and Lady Sansa, we were sorry to hear of your Lord Father's death. It means there will be a new ruler of the Reach. A new loyal ruler of the Reach. Do you promise, upon taking up your father's mantle, to pledge your allegiance to House Targaryen?' asked Aegon.

Willas bowed his head as much forward as he could, but Sansa compensated, sinking so low until she was basically crouched on the floor, her one knee even leaning against the cold stone tiles. She kept her head bent as well.

'I promise to be loyal and faithful to King Aegon the Sixth, the one true King of the Seven Kingdoms and serve him above all others . I swear to never bear arms against him or his descendants but to instead always take up arms and defend him when the need arises. May the Seven judge me and punish me if I forsake my vows.'

'Rise, Lord Willas and Lady Sansa, I hereby recognize you as the new and true rulers of the Reach, Lord and Lady Paramount of the Mander and Wardens of the South.'

And just like that, they were now the official rulers of the Reach. A shiver ran down Sansa's spine. Years ago, she'd dreamt of becoming queen. Now, she found the reality of being a mere Lady Paramount intimidating. But then I didn't know what the job entailed, I thought it was just about having many banquets, playing music and bearing babes.

They went to stand back in line until everyone had finished.

'My lords and ladies, today you all pledged me fealty as your rightful overlord and king. For this you have been rewarded by either being given your titles or being allowed to keep your territory. I hope with your support after years of decadence and years of decay, we can plough through the challenges this winter has set out for us, and usher in a new age of peace and rebuilding', said Aegon.

They drank wine and shared their meal, before all retreating to their rooms for the night.

But the night did not bring a peaceful sleep.

In her dreams, Sansa flew across snowy landscapes. Sharp rock formations jutting out from the surface, thick dark woods, low castles with thick walls and taller defensive walls rising up around them, rivers blue as ice. She flew over the river, and then land inwards. A castle appeared upon a sloping hill, the grey granite the same colour as the sky, four old ruinous towers rose out above two wide and tall defensive walls with over thirty watch turrets that had been all but impregnable for thousands of years. Within these walls hid two keeps, a sprawling godswood, large stables and a hall great enough to house all the lords of the North. It was Winterfell, but it looked a lot worse than she remembered.

My poor home, what have those monsters done to you?

But despite that she wanted to land and explore exactly what had changed about her childhood home, she kept flying forward, leaving Winterfell behind. She looked over her shoulder until it was naught more than a dot.

Where am I going? There's not much farther north I can go.

Only she could, and it dawned on her when she saw the wall. As she flew over that as well, she could see her brother Jon, older and more mature than she last saw him, a scar upon his face and his black clothes forgotten as he looked out over the Wall together with Ghost and a horde of fearsome looking men.

I'm so glad at least one of us still has their direwolves. Oh Jon, the world has not been kind to you either, has it? You don't have to be worried much longer, we're coming.

Miles and miles of snowy landscapes with no signs of civilisation flew past her until…Sansa's heart stopped, and that was the moment she stopped flying over the landscape, but instead paused above it. Millions seemed like too small a number to describe the number of black dots she saw. Wherever she looked, there they were. They seemed to take up the entire ground until the horizon. As she focussed, she noticed that whatever it was, the things were moving, but they were with so many it looked like ants that were crawling across each other. But she was high above ground, so whatever she was seeing had to be way larger than insects. Her mind offered an idea it could not yet accept. No, it couldn't be. It shouldn't be. It would be a disaster if –

She fell. Lower and lower and lower, the ground coming up to meet her until she slammed right into it, yet she didn't feel pain. She didn't dare to look up. Her body felt cold all over.

I was there with you during your moments of happiness, during the Solstice at the heart tree in the maze, at your ceremony in front of the Three Singers. Now it is your turn to be there for me, for humanity, a voice said in her head.

Once again, she felt that strange wind around her that she had felt when she'd been in the weirwoods, that same strange presence.

Winter is here, we were taught to face it.

Sansa had been through hard times time and again. She'd survived everything that had been thrown at her by hardening herself. She was a daughter of the Starks, she'd been prepared for hardships. But those challenges had been manmade or nature-induced. The eerie unnatural silence that was suffocating her now, told her that this challenge would be nothing like the others.

But she could not fight what she did not know. She had to look up, much as she didn't want to.

What she saw absolutely paralyzed her. She didn't know how her heart didn't give out on the spot. Her first instinct was to wish for death, before realizing she was pregnant, had a husband, and wanted happiness. But she couldn't fight this. Who could?

Much as the wind tore at her, the wind tore at the decaying scraps that hung from the putrefying corpses that stood in front of her. Some still resembled a human, others were grey and weathered, their ears and noses blackened holes from frostbite, their eyes rotting away in their sockets. Some lacked limbs and jaws, others had cracked open skulls. Many were carrying spears and swords. Some sat atop rotting horses whose colours had paled and greyed in the harsh climate, dark intestines dragging across the snow as their flesh continued to freeze-dry and fall apart. They defied nature: dead and rotting, yet something held them standing, and gave them an alert air which should have only been reserved for the living. And then there were the creatures, things she'd never seen before but could be nothing else but the mammoths, direwolves and even giant ice spiders and giants from Old Nan's stories.

This, was their enemy. They had to fight an enemy of a size that was beyond counting, and kill that which was already dead. This army could take over Westeros already, it could even take over the world.

A sound was finally made. White mist rose towards Sansa, and she finally recognized the sound. It was the cracking of horseshoes into snow. From between the rows upon rows upon rows of wights, appeared a creature so strange and foreign that Sansa could do nothing but watch as it neared. Atop a horse sat a monster whose skin was pale as milk, eyes that seemed to be burning with blue fire and were as bright as a torch in the night. Its armour shifted in colour with every movement, appearing opal one second, and grey ice the next depending on where they passed, so quickly did its armour adapt to its surroundings.

Sansa desperately wanted control over her body. Was she even in her body? She couldn't remember she was able to fly. Away. She needed to be gone from this place.

How can I even send men to fight things like that?

'Go North. Fight for the Dawn that ends the Long Night and reign of the Others. United we stand.'

Sansa awoke with a start, heart beating like mad and skin covered in goosebumps. She registered another body drawing in a sharp breath at the same time as her. She turned towards Willas, and in the light of the dying fire, she saw he was just as wide eyed and horrified as her.

'Nightmare', she stammered.

'Me too.'

'It was the strangiest… scariest dream.'

'Tell me about, I dreamt about what lay beyond the Wall', muttered Willas. 'All these stories must be getting to my head.'

Sansa stilled in Willas' arms.

'You too?' she asked.

'What?'

'Did you also dream you flew across the North and then saw those… things?' she asked.

Willas took Sansa's chin, and lifted her head so he could look into her eyes.

'We had the same dream?'

Sansa nodded lightly.

'How?'

'I think…'

She could still hear the voice from her dream, but in her head it was a thousand voices and one. She should have been disturbed that someone witnessed her most intimate moments, but she had felt soothed instead. Something about the presence had always felt comforting, even though it had just dumped her into the hellscape she'd woken up from.

'Someone is trying to tell us something. Not even trying, they did tell us something. Can't it be like a glass candle?'

'Who would contact us? Who could send that vision? It would have to be someone who can fly, and has been beyond the Wall and survived. Besides, glass candles are very rare.'

Sansa's mind went back to the Solstice and the wedding in front of the Weirwood. A memory unlocked of Old Nan explaining why there were barely any Godswoods south of the Neck. They had been chopped down because the children and greenseers could see through them. Whoever had been with her there, had spoken to her in the dream. But what magical creature would bother following her and now sending her and Willas the same dream?

'I don't know', said Sansa.

The following morning it became clear that it was not just them. It was everyone. Amaryllis entered her room pale and shaken, her hands fumbling with the buttons of Sansa's gown. Once prodded, her frightened account of her night came tumbling out.

She'd spoken to Garther, and Garther had also had that dream. Stranger still, in the Hall she'd heard everyone talking about poor sleep and nightmares.

'Everyone?' asked Sansa, throwing a meaningful look at Willas. He paused at the writing desk.

'Magic', muttered Willas. 'There can be no reasonable explanation for all of us sharing the same nightmarish dream.'

'No dream at all, pure nightmare', muttered Amaryllis under her breath.

'If anyone now doubts the use of going North, they're fools', said Sansa. 'I hope this changes things.'

'Actually… It does. For me', confessed Amaryllis.

Sansa turned towards her blonde friend.

'What do you mean?'

'Well… It kind of looks like death is all but certain.'

'How lovely of you to hope for the best', Willas said.

Amaryllis fumbled for words, a blush appearing on her cheeks.

'Willas, don't use sarcasm when talking to my friend, she's not used to a lord doing so in jest. It's fine, Amaryllis, we're not optimistic either.'

Amaryllis nodded, nervously tucking away her hair, her eyes darting from Willas to Sansa.

'See, the thing is… We don't want to die unwed. We wondered if perhaps we could… have a quick marriage, so we can at least be together in this.'

Her and Willas had also wed during a dark moment because they could no longer face their challenges alone. And Amaryllis had been hoping for a wedding for a lot longer than she had.

'But King Stannis had the statues and septon burned. There's no one to marry you here. But once we dock at a port, you have my fullest blessing', Sansa promised.

But the time of jumping and giggling at the idea of marrying was over.

'I'll tell Garther', Amaryllis smiled. 'Thank you so much for understanding.'

'I understand perfectly', Sansa assured her. 'But now we really have to get going.'

The Chamber of the Painted Table was also under the influence of the strange night. When Sansa and Willas arrived, the loud discussions that had been audible from beyond the closed door fell silent. All looked at them.

One person rose. Daenerys Targaryen was dressed in black. With her short silver hair barely grazing her frail shoulders, she looked like she could just as well be a Targaryen prince as a princess.

'Lord and Lady Tyrell, me, my Unsullied and Dothraki khals and warriors will be travelling North with you. I had seen enough of Witchcraft and the House of the Undying to know the undead could live, but never could I have imagined the scope of the threat we're facing.'

She turned towards the room, hands lifted in an appeasing manner. The lords crawled back into their chairs. They had been arguing about this before Sansa and Willas arrived. And they didn't like the result.

'We will need every last man and woman, or there will be no more Westeros. I encourage anyone who wares for anything and anyone on this continent to come with us, and if the boats are full, to march North. From the moment I received my first bit of power, I used it to protect those who could not protect themselves from those seeking to enslave them. I will not stand by and watch my home country be enslaved by monsters.'