It was the morning of their departure.

Sansa, Willas, Daenerys, Arianne and Sam were down in the mines from which dragonglass had been extracted ever since King Stannis gave Ser Rolland Storm the command to start mining. That was long before the island was taken by Aegon.

'Why is our presence required in the mines?' Arianne had asked over breakfast. She did not like the idea of being told what to do.

'This night, the miners bumped onto a shaft that had been closed off by rocks since no one knows when', explained Sam. 'I went to check it out, and… you just have to see it for yourselves. I think it might tell us something about our history.'

And so they'd gone down.

'These mines have been here since before the conquest', explained Sam as they walked in.

'The veins run so deep, men have gotten lost and were never heard of again.'

Sansa thought of the crypts underneath Winterfell that ran so deep no one knew where they ended. She hadn't been inclined to find out the answer to that question. She had always been easily frightened, but now that she was older, she knew there were things one couldn't run away from.

'Back when I was travelling to Storm's End, we hid in a cave near Cape Wrath. Caves like that run very deep, it is easy to get lost. They were situated underneath some rain woods filled with all kinds of trees, even weirwoods… wild young weirwoods, and that in the South. I'd never seen anything like it. When one of our company went missing and we went looking for her, we bumped into a cave the size of a hall, with tall columns hewn out of rock, and faces… so many faces. It had to have belonged to the children.'

'Near Cape Wrath?' asked Willas.

Arianne nodded, her face looking terribly unhappy at the memory.

'That's deep into the South', he muttered.

Sansa could hear the gears turning into his head. She knew he was scouring his mind for every piece of knowledge he'd consumed about weirwoods.

'What do you mean with faces? Like the type that are usually carved in the weirwood trees?' asked Willas.

Sansa had grown up with Maester Luwin and Old Nan telling her about the Children and the First Men. She had been told how all weirwoods south of the Neck had been chopped down as theOld Gods and children were denounced. But since then she'd seen the weirwoods in Highgarden and now she'd heard about wild weirwoods growing in the Stormlands. It made Sansa wonder why after thousands of years, they had started coming back. The Others had returned, and now the weirwoods were regrowing as well. Did that mean that one day the Children who had always lived in these caves and near these trees would return as well?

'The very same', said Arianne.

'Fascinating' said Sam. 'Well, actually, the reason I wanted to show you these caves ties into that. The men found something in the sealed off shaft and wanted me to tell them what it was. Truth be told, I didn't know the answer. But I did some digging in the library, and believe I know more now.'

Sam lit some torches and braziers. Their red shine revealed a ceiling of glimmering black stars.

Dragonglass. The mine was filled with it.

'The mine was never a great success in regards to ore, diamonds or other valuable items, but it's always been rich in dragonglass', explained Sam. 'Which is good, since it's one of the few things that can kill an Other.'

Willas touched some of it.

'The Valyrians make glass candles with it', said Willas. 'I assumed they used some kind of spell to charge it with magic. But if you say it can defeat magical creatures, then perhaps the magic is in the thing itself.'

Sansa watched her husband, and wondered what he was thinking of. That glass candle they'd used together with Jon Cupps was unnatural. It shouldn't have existed. It went against the laws of nature that one could be somewhere else, but appear many leagues away.

'The Valyrians would not call it glass candles. As they do not call it dragonglass', Daenerys interrupted.

'No?' asked Willas.

'No. They call it frozen fire', the young woman pointed out. She carelessly walked deeper into the shaft, unafraid of the darkness.

Everyone paused and turned towards Daenerys.

'I'm sorry, what do they call it?' stammered Sam.

'Frozen fire', replied Daenerys. She turned to look over her shoulder with a confused frown. 'Doesn't anyone learn High Valyrian anymore?'

'That cannot be a coincidence', said Sansa. She turned towards Willas, and then to Sam. 'Right?'

Sam looked perplexed for a second.

'Well, that makes what I'm about to say a lot more interesting', he stammered.

'S-so what I wanted to say was that I found records at Castle Black. The children of the forest made tools and weapons out of dragonglass like daggers, blades and arrowheads. It was once a very common in Westeros, so the children used if for everything. There's records of the Night's Watch being given hundreds of obsidian daggers every year by the Children. I'm guessing the Children knew it was a practical tool and that was why they used it and gave it to the Night's Watch. Unfortunately, now that they're dead, we have a hard time finding it, except on Dragonstone.'

'Frozen fire kills the Others, the icy demons from across the Wall', said Willas while looking at Sansa. 'And the Children were giving it to humans, that long ago. Cold fire against cold creatures.'

'We need to send the other lords and ladies with mines. If it was indeed a tool that was used back in the day to fight the Others, it would be useful if those living closer to the Wall started mining for it as well.'

Sansa nodded. It was one thing to know there was a weapon they could use against the Others, but another to know that thousands and thousands of years ago, dragonglass had already been used for that exact purpose. It made this whole venture feel less hopeless. The Children and First Men had survived The Long Night without modern inventions. Perhaps they had been in the exact same situation as them, faced with an army of frozen monsters, and had won it with these weapons.

'What is this?' Daenerys called from deeper down the shaft. As they had been having their brainstorm, she had been exploring.

'Ah, that's what I called you for. Intriguing, is it not?' asked Sam? Hurrying into the dark after her.

Sansa and Willas were a bit slower. The uneven underground was quite a challenge for Willas. But once they were there, they couldn't help but gasp. They had come upon a cave that was covered in carvings as far as the eye could see.

'The Children of the Forest made these. A very long time ago', explained Sam as everyone took in the circular patterns, the carved men, monsters and magical creatures that were depicted upon the walls.

'Look at the scenes. They portray humans and Children together… And here, come, bring a torch, see? It's the Others… I swear to you, they look just like they do in real life. It means everything is real. The story of how during the Battle for the Dawn, an alliance between the Children and the Night's Watch defeated the Others is true. Here, it shows the mines, it shows them making weapons, and it shows them fighting against the Others with those weapons.'

'Too bad the Children are gone, do we not need them, then?' asked Arianne.

'How about the Last Hero?' asked Sansa, remembering the story Old Nan had told her.

'Legend says he slayed the Others with a blade of dragonsteel, or at least according to an account in Castle Black's library', explained Sam to Sansa. 'And I hope we don't need the Children to win, otherwise we are lost. They are dead.'

'Is dragonsteel a Northern word for dragonglass?' asked Willas.

'Your brother thought it referred to Valyrian steem', Sam told Sansa. 'Hadn't considered it could be dragonglass.'

'Perhaps steel and obsidian molten together', suggested Daenerys.

'Let us try to make that. You may be on to something', admitted Arianne.

'How about Azor Ahai?' asked Daenerys of Sam instead of replying to Arianne.

'The hero from the followers of R'hlorr, Stannis' men?' asked Sam.

'Stannis?'

'King Stannis, King Robert's brother? He came to the wall to help us', explained Sam.

'Another king still alive? Why did we not discuss him?' demanded Daenerys.

'He's no direct threat. We have the loyalty of all regions of Westeros. He's a king whose army diminishes by the day. A king without a throne.'

Daenerys grimaced at that. Probably struck too close to home.

'Azor Ahai is a hero who fought the darkness in the world. He worked for thirty days and thirty nights to create a sword befitting of a hero. First try didn't work. He tried making a sword twice more. Only the third time, when he tempered the sword in the breast of his wife, did he manage and created Lightbringer. He defeat the darkness together with his fellow knights. It was said that after a long summer a cold darkness would descend upon the world and the hero, the prince that was promised, would come again', Daenerys explained.

'Melisandre told Maester Aemon that she believed King Stannis to be Azor Ahai. He has a sword that can flame, and she called it Lightbringer. Maester Aemon said the myth of Azor Ahai was about the war for the dawn and had to do with the prince that was promised.'

'My brother believed his son was that prince', Daenerys confessed quietly. 'Ser Barristan told me how even my grandsire, believed the prince that was promised would be born from the line of my father and mother.'

'How marvellous, if so, we have our hero. We are saved!' said Arianne.

'Ser Barristan?' asked Sansa, letting the important message slip past her. She remembered the old honourable knight from her days in King's Landing. They had gotten rid of everyone good and honourable in King's Landing after Robert's death. 'You know Ser Barristan?'

'I did not know it was him for a long time. He hid his identity. I only discovered after the Siege of Meereen. But yes, I knew him.'

'How is he? He disappeared without a trace after the Lannisters were so cruel to discharge him from the Kingsguard.'

'He died… protecting the people', Daenerys replied softly. 'He was a good man.'

'He was', Sansa admitted.

An awkward silence followed.

'Actually, it doesn't have to be Aegon', said Sam. His eyes darted nervously to Arianne, who immediately looked at him with critical eyes.

'Maester Aemon, the maester of Castle Black before me, believed it was you.'

'Me?' asked Daenerys in surprise.

'He pointed out you were born amidst the salt and smoke on Dragonstone. Your emergence from a funeral pyre with your dragons during the months the red comet passed further proved it, as comets are bleeding stars of sorts. He explained that in High Valyrian, the word "prince" is gender neutral. The prince that was promised could just as well be a princess.'

'Me?' the young woman muttered again, this time more to herself.

'Well, we have our hero in any case', said Arianne. 'We'll see which one it is. As you said, prince is both male and female. There's a fifty percent change it's Aegon as he's from the same line.'

Sansa approached a wall to inspect a carving. Shivers ran down her spine as she watched the skeletal white monsters with their long hair, dark expressions and sharp weapons. She lifted her hand, a cold chill seeping into her skin when she touched it.

'There's hope. We've done it before', Willas explained, coming to stand behind her.

Sansa nodded.

'It's a lot of magic though, isn't it? Wights, Others, people speaking to us in our dreams, dragons… Last time, if the myths are true which… apparently they are… we had other creatures fighting alongside us. That means we had more fighting with us. The tools alone won't save us. Have you seen how many wights there were? We need the numbers too.'

'What was it you said? Focus on what we can't control. Are we dishing out advice we don't follow ourselves?'

'Isn't that the most common type of advice?' asked Sansa, turning around to face her husband.

Willas smirked. 'So it is, my lady wife. But let me advise you to follow it as well.'

On the road back to the castle, Daenerys and Arianne were fighting with lowered voices. They had been fighting ever since yesterday's meeting. It was about who would travel North. Technically, Aegon was the king, and the king needed to rule and be near the seat of power in the middle of the realm. Arianne wasn't a fighter or a strategist, she had no purpose in the North. But at the same time she did not like it that no one of Aegon's court would go up North with Daenerys, Willas and Sansa. And then there was the matter of who would lead the campaign against the Lannisters.

Aegon had claimed he wanted to fight for his people, as he otherwise wasn't setting the right example. Arianne pointed out Aegon had almost died in battle once before and should thus be more careful about going to dangerous places.

Now the identity of the prince that was promised has sparked new flame into their argument, as whoever was the prince was clearly needed in the fight against the Others.

'I'm so glad I'm not caught up in those games anymore', sighed Sansa.

'No, now we only reap the effects of whatever they fight about, much better', teased Willas.

'I keep closing my eyes and imagining being in the Reach, at peace, with you. No travelling. No politics. Just caring for our people and being together.'

'A dog at my feet, a child on my lap, a book in my hand', dreamed Willas. 'Young me would have hated my boring dreams.'

'Young Willas had the luxury of being bored, growing up in a peaceful summer', smiled Sansa. 'I was never ashamed of my tame dreams. The only thing that changed was that I thought my dreams were easy and evident. I've learned you got to fight and have a bit of luck to achieve a peaceful family life.'

'I hope we'll get there. But if my family is any indication, well… Not a single happy marriage that ended with both reaching old age. Not in the past three generations.'

'Well, it still can. Your aunts and their husbands are still alive, those are Tyrells who can still die together with their husbands when they're old and grey. And… you and I still can?'

'My brothers and sister will never. One in four odds.'

'Ever the more it's important that you and I live very happily, and make a lot of children. We'll have to live and love for all those who can't now.'

'Make a lot of children, eh?' asked Willas. 'Are you thinking of topping our parents?'

'It depends on the Gods', smiled Sansa. 'Don't you want that too?'

'I never thought about numbers. All I knew was that I needed an heir and a spare. So I need at least two. But, well, to me it was more important to have a wife I enjoyed.'

'But now that you have a wife… Is there a number?'

'I started thinking we needed three boys, one for the Reach, one for the North and at least a spare. But now that you apparently still have a brother, that number has become flexible again. Of course, I calculated we would have at least one girl. Just because in the recent family histories, our fathers and grandsires have always had at least one girl.'

'So you want two boys and a girl?' smiled Sansa.

'It would be a shame to not see your looks born again in a sweet little girl', he smiled.

'The boys could look like me as well. Robb, Bran and Rickon took after mother, while Arya took after father.'

'All the better. Boys, girls, they can all look like you for all I care, we both know you're the prettier out of the both of us.'

'My lord, you insult my taste. I do not fall for my own reflection, I fell for you. And do you not want the Tyrells to have the Tyrell looks? Some who'd look like you or your brothers?'

'I always thought you fell for my personality.'

'That too', she admitted with a smile.

'Truth is… I don't know if I would enjoy looking upon a child that looked too much like my siblings. I hope they're a mix of us.'

'No?' she asked in surprise. 'I always rather liked the idea of having children who looked like my siblings, perhaps even giving them their names. It would be like… a part of them was reborn and got a new chance at life. I found that beautiful, that I could carry them with me a bit in my children. Then they wouldn't be completely gone from this earth.'

'I don't think I'd like that for mine. There's no replacing them, so I don't want to see them reborn. It would remind me too much of what I lost, and that they're not truly back.'

'Well, that makes it easier for the names then', Sansa decided.

'Names?' asked Willas. 'You have it all planned out, don't you?'

'Yes. I thought… Well, it was not a fixed plan, I'm not that presumptuous… But I thought that if we wanted to honour your siblings and mine… We would need at least six children so we could name them after our deceased siblings. One name each.'

'Six? You really planned to outdo our parents', Willas laughed.

'If we only use the names from my family, we can finish quicker. Robb, Bran, Arya. Your two boys and your girl.'

Willas chuckled.

'It's not because I don't want the names of my siblings, that I wouldn't want the names to be a bit… local. After all, much as I'd like to humour you, my lady, we are still the Lord and Lady of the Reach. What message would it send if we gave all our children Northern names?'

'That your wife loved her family a lot?' Sansa asked.

'That, also, and I'm sure it will be understood. But it would also sound like we don't appreciate the Reach and its culture.'

'So… more than three children?' asked Sansa.

'Or we could… make the names sound a bit more Reachian? Maybe we could add some suffixes that are common in the Reach.'

'You've got me intrigued, lord husband.'

Willas thought for a while during their walk. They ignored the fight happening in front of them.

'Aryanna or Aryanne', suggested Willas.

'Sounds like Arya's name combined with aunt Lyanna's', laughed Sansa.

'Yes, but many ladies from the Reach also have a -nna. Like Olenna, Janna, Alysanne.'

'Robwell. Branwell? Branthor? Robbas? Aryse? Robys? Branfrey?'

'Please, stop', laughed Sansa. 'We'll pick a name from the Reach for some of our children… these blends just sound wrong for the most part. So… no siblings for you, and no historical names either, right? You said before you didn't want the children to have big shoes to fill.'

Willas nodded. 'I rather have them have their own name. Then they can either become famous with it, or do nothing, but at least they won't be compared with a famous predecessor.'

'We'll think of something. We still have time.'

In the courtyard of the castle, the queen and the princess stormed away. Willas and Sansa looked at each other with surprise in their eyes.

'I didn't pay attention.'

'Neither did I.'

'Either it'll blow over, or we'll hear about it', decided Willas.

It was then that they noticed the remaining Tyrells with their bags in hand. It was time for them to leave as well.

Alyce Gracewood, baby Tywin, Septa Nysterica, Alysanne Bulwer, Victoria Tyrell, Janna Fossoway, Merydith Crane and Ser Mark would take a ship to King's Landing, and follow the Rose Road home as Willas had decided no ships could be spared to take the family's home.

'Willas, dear, and Lady Sansa, we've been told our ship is ready to set sail', Janna said taking the lead as the eldest of the company and the closest family member.

Willas bowed his head. But Janna wouldn't have it. The small woman threw her arms around him, pressing her greying curls against Willas' cheek as she held him against her bosom.

'Oh, my dear boy, I shall pray every day to the Mother, the Father and the Warrior to keep you safe, and for the Crone to guide you. With your dear papa gone it is of the utmost importance you and your lady wife remain safe. I suppose I can't convince you to travel back home with us? A lord should guard his castle.'

'My father did not stay in Highgarden either', said Willas as he separated himself from her. 'But I thank you for your kindness, aunt.'

Janna turned to Sansa then, her brown eyes warm and pleading.

'And you, my poor girl, with child, only our second grandchild in the family, are you sure you want to travel North? It's so dangerous over there.'

'It's my family we'll be visiting, Lady Janna, I shan't send my lord husband where I don't follow. Not for my sake.'

Janna cupped Sansa's face with her hand, maternal worry in her eyes.

'Bless you, child. So young you are still. Do be careful, the both of you. You're such a young, handsome and good couple. Don't waste your lives in an attempt to be brave.'

'We're not planning any brave or reckless acts, aunt. We'll leave the fighting to the knights.'

'As you should', Janna said.

'Well, we'll be off then. I admit I'll be glad to see that lovely baby of Garlan and Leonette. Do you want us to deliver any message to Alerie or mother?'

'Tell them what you know that's been decided here and what happened in King's Landing. Tell mother I'm sorry I… that we couldn't get you all out sooner… and all alive… And that the two of us will try to be safe', Willas managed to say.

Sansa discreetly took his hand.

'We're so happy you tried, Willas dear. Given how certain victory was, it was strange you even considered getting us out of the city, instead of having us wait in the castle until the city was taken over. We could have all died. You did your best.'

'Hmm. I'm glad, at least, you will get to see your children and husband again, aunt.'

'As am I', she smiled. 'We're all grateful to have gotten out alive. There's so much still to live for. We are lucky and blessed. Even though I grieve my brother and niece.

She bowed her head and took a step back. The others said their much shorter goodbyes. Sansa looked at the little Lady Bulwer and shivered at the idea that the little girl had to marry Ser Hugo Vance according to the Young Council Agreements. She hoped Ser Hugo would wait at least six years. Ser Mark came last. He bowed his head deeply.

'My lord, my lady, I bid you goodbye. I vow I'll protect the ladies until they are all safely delivered to their homes before I shall return home.'

'Thank you, ser, it is appreciated', said Willas. 'I hope your journey will be safe and that there will be no need to protect them. But I am glad that if the occasion arises, you will be ready.'

Ser Mark nodded, and took a step backward.

Sansa and Willas were on their way back upstairs when they bumped into the two Targaryens, Arianne and part of their court.

'Ah, good, more witnesses', said Arianne. She carried a thick orange cloak in her arms. The entire party looked doubtful. 'Come along. Especially you, Lady Sansa, we'll be needing you. Hurry, time is short, we'll all be leaving soon.'

They were dragged down again, and into the Godswood.

'There's only one way we can, though not entirely satisfactory, go in different directions. The campaign against Cersei Lannister will be arranged by Lord Tyrion who knows the region and the castle. He'll be accompanied by Daario who has knowledge of leading a battle. He'll be married to my dear Tyene first. Given how good she is at infiltrating places and knowing how fearless she is, she'll accompany them', Arianne explained.

They were combining people Arianne trusted and people Daenerys trusted so Arianne and Daenerys could spy on each other and so they could both trust what happened during the campaign, Sansa realized.

'The sept has lost its statues due to Stannis' fanatic support of R'hlorr. And as we also lack a septon, a red priest, or anything else, we'll have to make do with the only religious ceremony we can have in this gods-abandoned place: the old ones. That's where you come in', Arianne informed Sansa.

That's how they all ended up in front of a heart tree. Tyrion, Varys, Illyrio, Lord Rowan, Maester Haldon, Daenerys who was looking quite upset, Daemon Sand who looked unhappy, and the Targaryens and Arianne.

The captain with his curly blue hair and strange beard didn't look too bothered by the whole affair, he had his arms crossed and grinned at Tyene as Arianne tied the orange cloak around her shoulders. His golden tooth shimmered in the sun. Around his shoulders hung his heavy black cloak with fancy trimmings but no coat-of-arms.

'So?' asked Arianne. 'What do they need to say?'

Sansa moved to the old oak tree, going to stand in front of them.

'Who comes before the Old Gods today?' Sansa asked quietly.

This wasn't a real weirwood, nor a real Godswood. Could the Old Gods even bless them? Well, probably more than the Seven could, given their statues and the septon had been burned. This tree was rooted in the earth of Westeros, in that same earth, some distance away, grew weirwoods. Perhaps, if one wanted to be optimistic, the roots could send the message through the earth.

'I'm Daario Naharis of Tyrosh, captain of the Stormcrows', he said, uncrossing his arms to appear more formal.

Sansa then turned to Arianne.

'Tyene has to be presented by a person who gives her away. A male family member, usually.'

'Fat chance of that', said Arianne, stepping closer to her cousin to take up that place.

'Tyene Sand of Dorne.'

Well, this wasn't going to plan. They were supposed to say they were both here to wed, and Arianne was supposed to say that Tyene was an adult of marrying age. But of course, they couldn't know that.

'What purpose brings both of you here today?' Sansa asked.

'To marry', explained Daario.

'Do I have to answer that for her too?' asked Arianne.

Sansa nodded.

'To enter into marriage.'

'These two people have come to ask the blessing of the gods', said Sansa. 'Who comes forth to claim this woman?'

'That's me', Daario said. Sansa lifted her eyebrows at him. 'Daario Naharis', he added.

'Who gives this woman away?' Sansa asked.

'I do, Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne, heir to the princely seat of Sunspear, her cousin.'

'Lady Tyene, do you take this man?'

The blonde woman nodded, looking at the brightly coloured captain.

'I take this man.'

'Captain Daario, do you take this woman?'

'I take this woman.'

'Now you need to take each other's hands and kneel down in front of the tree to pray in silence. When you rise, Captain Daario will replace Lady Tyene's cloak with his own.

So it was done. They knelt and rose. He took off the maiden cloak Arianne must have brought with her because she had anticipated marrying Aegon after King's Landing was taken. As Tyene held the cloak in her arms, Daario put his cloak over her shoulders.

'There we are', the captain said with a roguish grin.

'What the Gods have united cannot be parted', said Sansa.

And she thought that was the end of it, but it wasn't.

Tyene stayed by Arianne's side while Daario stepped away. Lifting the embroidered orange cloak with the blazing sun of golden thread once more, it was put around Arianne's shoulders.

Sansa should have given more attention to what the princess had worn instead of said. She'd changed into a dark orange dress and had put a small golden circlet on her head that was shaped of suns and arrows.

Illyrio handed the king his crown as he moved to stand in front of the tree, giving Sansa a sheepish grin.

They can't be serious?

Sansa looked over at Daenerys, who had her arms crossed and looked very unsatisfied as Daario moved back to her side, patting her shoulder.

They had not been able to agree on this for days. What changed?

'Ready for round two, Lady Sansa?' asked Arianne.

And so it was done. Sansa, in a very surreal moment, married Arianne to Aegon. The Martell cloak was exchanged for Aegon's basic black cloak with his coat-of-arms on it, still quite torn from the battle in King's Landing. Thus rose Arianne Martell, queen of Westeros. Sansa hoped she would fare better than the previous Martell queen.

It was later explained, as they returned to the castle, that it was the only solution they could imagine.

Since both Targaryens could be the saviour that was promised, and both wanted to fight for the people, both had to go North. But the realm couldn't be left behind to a Hand since Jon Connington had died, and Arianne deeply mistrusted Tyrion. The other solution was appointing a new hand, but there was nobody they trusted enough as of now. By making Arianne queen, Arianne got the jurisdiction to rule while both Daenerys and Aegon were away. Daenerys wasn't fond of the idea of Arianne becoming queen while her status as anything but Aegon's sister and thus princess was unrecognized. But she recognized that as Arianne was the closest relative she and Aegon had, and was as loyal to the Targaryen throne as anyone could be, she was the best option to rule in their stead.

Sansa and Willas made their final preparations and by the time they went to the docks to depart, they could already hear jokes about the young royal couple making sure the Targaryens couldn't be pushed towards extinction again.

The horses were loaded into the ships.

Daenerys, Aegon, Sansa and Willas boarded together with their protectors and entourage.

'Why don't we fly?' asked Aegon as the ships were pushed away from the docks. 'You flew when you came in.'

'Only a short distance, from the ship to the castle. I don't think they can make the trek North yet.'

'But, they're flying right now', Aegon pointed out, looking up at the heaven. Three dark shapes flew out in front of them.

'To stretch their wings, maybe grab a bite. They'll land when they're tired', explained Daenerys.

'Could I… I always wondered… is it hard to ride one?'

'Yes. They need to trust you first. You need to earn it by showing them kindness. If you assume you have any kind of ownership over them, and they see you as an enemy, you'll be off no better than a roasted pork at a feast.'

Aegon let out a laugh.

'Wouldn't want that.'

'No. But don't worry. Fire can't kill a dragon, or so they say.'

'So they say. But is it true? It sounds fantastical.'

Sansa and Willas pretended not to listen in too much as they all stood at the back of the ship, watching Dragonstone grow smaller.

'I survived a burning funeral pyre. But I've been burned at other times.'

'By your dragons as well?'

'And bitten too.'

'Sweet.'

'A dragon is not made to be sweet', was all Daenerys said. 'We'll see whether they like you.'

Sansa wondered what the trip until Gulltown would bring them now that the two Targaryens had some alone time without Arianne. There, boats with Aegon and his army would go land inward until Darry. There, Edmure's army would be waiting. From there, they'd travel North by boat and by horse. Sansa hoped they'd make it in time. Meanwhile, Sansa, Willas and Daenerys would continue by boat to White Harbour. Sansa and Willas would take the boat to Winterfell, and Daenerys and the army would continue to Eastwatch-by-the-sea, where they would hopefully meet up with Bronze Yohn Royce's army. As the mountains of the Vale were impossible to travel through in winter, the Lord Regent of the Vale had decided to send his army to the North by boat.

She shoved her hand across the wooden railing until it was in front of Willas.

He covered it with his without a word, giving it a comforting squeeze.

They would simply have to hope for the best.