Sansa

"Please tell me I heard you incorrectly."

"You didn't."

"You want to meet, in person, with Daenerys Targaryen?"

"Yes."

"She'll burn you alive!"

"Well I'm not going to show up unannounced, Sansa. I'm going to ask her first. If she doesn't want me there then she'll say so. But it's been far too long of putting off the Daenerys problem. Something needs to be done. If I could get her to trust me-"

"Father, she believes a Targaryen needs to be on the throne. She will never accept King Robert. She might, maybe, be willing to tolerate him, at this point in her life, but what could you offer her?"

"Peace. Security."

"Not unless we get rid of the king."

"Get rid of?" She noted the horror in his voice. "Sansa, whatever do you mean?"

"Get him to abdicate."

"Abdicate," he repeated. "And why would he do that?"

"Because he doesn't want to be king. He wants to drink and make as many bastard children as he can."

Her father shook his head. "That's beside the point. He won't do it. He hates ruling, but he loves power."

Sansa sighed. She would have to figure out something else. "Well, how are you planning on convincing him to allow this?"

"Leave that to me. I'm hoping he trusts me enough."

"Good luck with that. But you can't go see her yet. In less than a month's time my grandfather is going to die, and we have to travel to Riverrun. And you have to keep your promise to me. To tell Mother the truth about Jon."

"I can arrange it, though. You said Varys is working for her."

"Well, working around her, anyway. Yes."

"Would he negotiate this meeting?"

"He wants her on the throne. He believes it must be a Targaryen. Strange, really, given he always claimed to serve the realm and for some reason thought the Targaryens were best. If he didn't hate all forms of magic I would almost think..."

"Think what?"

"Father. When-when Jon was born, did Lyanna tell you anything about a prophecy?"

He looked like he'd been slapped across the face. "She mentioned something about some vision, about a song of ice and fire, but Sansa, she was feverish and dying, I hardly think-"

"The Long Night," she said. "The prince that was promised. It was this idea, that this prince would be born, the song of ice and fire, and save the realm from the darkness. Jon is the song of ice and fire. Stark and Targaryen. That's why Rhaegar wanted Lyanna in the first place. He was certain his son would be the prince that was promised. Varys hates all magic, all followers of the Lord of Light, but his idea that a Targaryen would be best for the realm is in line with what they believe about a Targaryen having to sit the Iron Throne, isn't it? I wonder..."

"Sansa, I don't understand these musings about magic and prophecies. Would Varys arrange a meeting between me and Daenerys or not?"

"Hard to say. The thing is, because he wants her on the throne, he'd probably only do it if it worked towards that end. I just don't know..."

"If Varys truly wants what is best for the realm, he wouldn't want dragon fire to burn it, correct?"

"Well, obviously. That's why he turned against Daenerys in favor of Jon last time."

"I'm not telling him about Jon."

"No, clearly not."

"But I will speak to him."

"No, I will." After all, she thought, if Varys wanted what was best for the realm, he had to understand that that wasn't Robert Baratheon.

"Lady Sansa."

"Lord Varys."

"What brings you to me?"

"You claim you serve the realm, yes?"

"I do."

"Then you must understand the dangers of the Long Night."

"The Long Night?" He frowned. "The bedtime stories you Northerners tell?"

"They're more than stories. And I believe you may understand that. What I'm sure we can both understand is that King Robert is not going to help the North fight it, and he's never going to help make peace with Daenerys Targaryen, stop her from coming over here and burning the world with her dragons."

"Baby dragons."

"For now."

"Did your father tell you about the dragons?"

"He may have."

"He swore he wouldn't tell the king, or let the information get out."

"I'm not the king and I can keep a secret. Anyway. My father wants to meet with Daenerys."

Varys raised his eyebrows. "What now?"

"You heard me. Jorah Mormont works for you. Can you arrange it?"

"What does he intend?"

"To stop her from coming over here to take back the Iron Throne."

"He thinks he can stop her?"

"He wants to negotiate with her. Personally, I'm very unsure about it, but something has to be done. She is going to come over here and wreak havoc if nobody does anything."

"What can your father offer her?"

"That's for him to choose. I'm just asking you to set it up."

"And what might I gain for doing such a thing?"

"Besides getting to potentially be the facilitator of a history-changing meeting? Daenerys can try to take the realm with fire and blood, and she may succeed, but what would be left? King Robert would never surrender to her, so she would be left to burn everything. Even Aegon the Conqueror never had to do that. But if my father meets with her, at the very least, she might see that this place isn't like the stories she's heard. She might decide not to come, she might, at least, go about it in a better way. The thing is, Lord Varys, I think we can both agree, it would be better for her to cross paths with Eddard Stark than with Robert Baratheon."

"You said before that Robert wasn't the best thing for the realm."

"He isn't."

"You want him off the throne."

"I don't want him dead. I'm not above arranging those deaths that need to be arranged, but I don't believe in killing those who haven't done anything to earn it. But yes. I want him off the throne."

"Not above arranging deaths? You almost sound as though you've done it before."

"It was just a morality statement, nothing more. Look. My father is a good man. You know that."

"I do."

"He might be able to help Daenerys."

"He won't help her take the throne."

"No. But he can help her as a person. Help her to be better. So that if she does come to take the throne, she might just, you know, be worthy of it."

"That's your play? Would you live under a Targaryen queen?"

"Personally I favor independence for the North. But that's an issue for another day."

Varys looked her over. "I'll arrange this meeting for your father. But I do think it should wait until the queen gives birth."

She started. "You know she's with child?"

"She's starting to show, Sansa. Even in those dresses she wears. You did well keeping her secret. She sees you as an ally. And a queen is a good ally to have."

"Why does her giving birth relate to this meeting?"

"King Robert will be in a better mood. And distracted. And his position less vulnerable."

"You know Renly is plotting with Lord Baelish to overthrow him?"

"Yes, I'm aware. If he succeeds, you'll have a much easier time with Daenerys. I don't think Renly gives the slightest care about her."

"I told you, I don't want him dead. Beyond the general moral quandary, my father would never forgive me for allowing him to die."

"Have you told him what you know?"

"I wanted you to confirm it first."

"Oh, clever girl."

"I think they're waiting for the child's birth, too. To see if it's a boy, or a girl."

"All breaths are bated until the babe is born."

"Indeed. Good day, Lord Varys."

"Good day, Lady Sansa."

She walked back to her chambers to find a man waiting. "Lady Sansa."

"Hello?"

"I come from Riverrun. I serve Lord Hoster Tully, and was sent by his son, Edmure. I bring you a message from your sister. I have been instructed to bring her back your reply, as well."

She took the scroll, her hand shaking slightly, and opened it.

Arya

When Edmure's servant arrived back with Sansa's reply, she opened it rapidly.

Dear Arya,

Bran having visions can't be good. I hadn't even thought about things in that sense, about some external danger to meddling with time. I've been too concerned with the happenings here in court-to answer your question, the queen is pregnant but doesn't want anyone to know, Lord Renly is plotting with Littlefinger to overthrow the king and waiting till the baby is born, and Robert is about as unreasonable and unhelpful about everything as usual. I have told Father the truth about our journey through time, and it's led to some interesting conversations. Firstly, he promises to tell Mother the truth about Jon when we arrive at Riverrun-which I suppose will only be a couple weeks after you get this. Secondly, he's decided that he's going to go to Essos and meet with Daenerys Targaryen. If you think this is highly unwise, I think you're probably not wrong, but he believes he can come to an understanding with her and he's as stubborn as always. At least, he agreed to also wait until after the queen gives birth. That'll be just under five months' time, by the time you get this letter. For now, we have some time. But this information about Bran does have me worried, I don't like to trifle with magic. I don't want to anger the old gods, either. We may have to send someone north to figure it out at some point, but it can wait.

Give my best to Mother, Bran, Rickon, and Uncle Edmure, and I will see you soon.

All my love,

Sansa

Nothing in the letter brought her confidence. With a sigh, she summarized its contents to her mother-leaving out, of course, the bit about Jon.

Mother sighed. "He wants to meet with Daenerys Targaryen? He's far too noble, your father."

"Yes, that he is. But we have some time."

It was the part about Bran that troubled her most. She went back to his chambers. "Have you had more dreams?"

"Some. Arya, after the funeral, can we go to the Wall?"

"What is it with you and wanting to go to the Wall?"

"I need to see Jon."

"He's not even there."

"He'll be back on this side soon. I saw it. They're going to climb the wall. Just a month and a half or so after the funeral."

"And we're going to infiltrate a wildling camp? Why do you need to see him so badly?"

"Because I think I can give him back his memories."

"What?"

"His future memories. Like the ones you have. I could have them back, have the mind of my older self, if I wanted, but I chose not to for now. Since I can make do with visions. But I can do it for him."

"Why do you want to?"

"Why? Because he can help!"

"Help?"

"Help change what's to come. Help save our family."

"You-you want to?"

"Of course."

"But the Three-Eyed Raven's been warning you-"

"Sure he has. But I'm not his servant. I'm Brandon Stark of Winterfell, and I want to save my family. Whatever threats or risks come from that, we can deal with them then."

Arya looked at Bran for a long moment, then threw her arms around him. "You're still my little brother."

"I always will be."