The scroll that was delivered by a crow from King's Landing surprised her; in it, Bran told her that he had sent a small convoy to Winterfell and asked that she officially welcomed it. There was no further explanation. The bottom of the scroll had a note that read,
'Do not worry, Sansa.'
But she did worry because some months ago, talk about Bran's skills as a King had started. Two regions were about to ask for independence, The Reach and Dorne.
There were jokes about it in the North 'It's not our Queen's fault that each region's Lords didn't ask for their independence.'
Lord Cromwell, one of her advisors interrupted Sansa's thoughts, "He acted on his own. He is the King of the Six Kingdoms but the North is not under his rule, he should have asked for permission before acting, Ma'am."
You're right Lord Cromwell, but he is my brother and we are standing in what's his home too. I'll abide by that before I react wrongly."
"There is the possibility that, in other to quiet down other's claims for independence, they want to annex us back under their Crown." Lord Harry was who voiced their valid suspicions. By now, some of the other kingdoms wouldn't conceal their opinions about the North obtaining independence because of nepotism.
What Lord Harry said was exactly what she thought but she didn't reply, instead, she looked out the windows and reflected on the words she would write to her brother and Lord Tyrion demanding explanations. After a few moments she opted for privacy and she damaged five scrolls before feeling at ease with her words expressing her concerns without seeming defensive but also showing her displeasure.
The second surprise of the day was that the convoy arrived on that same afternoon. She was expecting it to arrive in two or three weeks and she knew her advisors would take Bran's actions wrongly.
Once she was informed about the banners approaching she gave the order to let them in and with certain amount of trepidation she called on her advisors and walked to the Great Hall. The men became visible through the windows as she made her way.
Five soldiers and a member of the Kingsguard leading the group, Ser Podrick Payne. A familiar face.
Her brother was playing his hand.
What was evident to her was that none of the men were wearing armor.
"It doesn't matter if they took the Kingsroad or if they landed at White Harbor, they should have informed us that they were on their way."
"They're in plainclothes; it figures, they didn't even raise their banners until they reached Winter Town."
"The secrecy is suspicious."
Sansa heard part of her council already speculating, she saw them standing as she entered, "Ser Podrick is not someone to fear, he's an emissary," she said as she walked to her seat, her two favorite guards appearing almost immediately, being followed by the direwolf that lay under the table.
After a few minutes Podrick was taken to the hall that he already was familiar with. A pleasant warmth enveloped him as soon as he stepped through the doors. Right away his eyed fixed on her presiding the meeting, he didn't know why he had imagined her more majestic, her and the room. The latter became warmer as he stepped inside; the heat was coming off the torches on the walls and not from the huge fireplace that always had a fire going years before, when he had lived here. Winter had passed already and the cold that those rough and coarse men were used to, still chilled him to the bone.
There was a side table where a dozen men sat, her council, he guessed. She was up front where she had always presided over the meetings. He recognized the table as he approached and he made his way into the grey and dull hall feeling as if he was on trial.
The enormous direwolf at her feet followed his steps gazing at him with interest as he looked at it in awe at its size. He had heard direwolves were big but he wasn't expecting one so big. He suddenly saw the wolf raising his head as its body tensed up, so he carefully continued walking without taking his eyes off the animal until it deemed he was close enough as it immediately started growling at him; still Podrick continued walking until he saw the wolf coming out from under the table and rising majestically. As soon as the hierarchy was established, the animal lay back down carelessly closing its eyes and seemingly falling asleep.
Podrick's instincts told him it wasn't sensible to take another step so he held his position some twenty feet from the table. Still feeling cautious, he lifted his eyes to meet her inquisitive gaze, "Your Grace," he greeted as he bent his body a bit forward. After a moment and due to the sighs around him, he realized that for some reason, he was expected to fully bow and kneel before her. But, he couldn't do that, he wasn't one of her subjects.
"What's the reason for this visit, Ser Podrick?" Sansa asked immediately as she interlaced her fingers on the table and going straight to the point.
He realized his visit was not a welcomed one. These were State business and not a friendly visit, he reminded himself. "I'm just a messenger Ma'am," he stated as he showed her the scroll that he was tasked to deliver to her in person.
A soldier approached him and took the scroll from his hand to give it to her. The wolf didn't even stir. He saw her studying the scroll, making sure The Three Eyed Raven seal hadn't been broken. For a few awkward moments he saw her reading the letter and he took the time to study his surroundings finding some familiar faces that now looked at him with suspicion.
The hall had been rebuilt to look like the original one, it had changed very little and he had been expecting a more feminine touch but he found nothing of the sort. She was the most feminine thing in there.
He turned his attention back to the animal and to her and he saw her frowning even more and then let out a sigh.
After rereading the document a few times, she raised her eyes to the soldier and handed him the scroll so that he would pass it on to her advisors.
Podrick followed the letter with his eyes and saw that it had been handed to the Lord who looked like the Hound.
Sansa's eyes went back to the soldier, "Make sure that our guests get some rest." After all, the conversation that was about to take place wasn't for Ser Podrick's ears.
Podrick bowed his head and turned to the exit.
It took her a few seconds to realize she was being rude because she felt defensive, "Ser Podrick," she called and he turned back to her, expectant. She looked at him in the eye and bowed her head, "...Welcome."
Was he? He decided to take that welcome as an implicit warning to her advisors and to her army's Commander and Guard that he was not to be harmed. The soldier would probably spread the information even before the Commander could. "Thank you, Ma'am."
Podrick studied the keep as he went, seeing the renovations it had undergone in his absences and how it was being maintained. The town outside the castle –Winter Town– had grown a lot and it had become pretty evident. It was only to be expected; she hadn't wanted to move from Winterfell to White Harbor to rule as previous generations of Starks had ruled from Winterfell.
He had been aware that he wouldn't be received badly, and he informed his men of that fact as they stared at Her Grace's soldiers with some suspicion, but they didn't have many misgivings after they were taken to the warm dining room where they were served their first home-made and plentiful meal in weeks.
It was two hours later that a soldier who was his acquaintance showed up. They exchanged greetings and some words and he informed Podrick that Her Grace required his presence. While Hugh advised the soldiers not to leave the room until Podrick's return. When he entered her office room, he found her alone, "Your Grace."
Sansa gestured to a chair facing her desk, "Ser Podrick, I'm sorry we're meeting again in these circumstances."
Podrick nodded, unaware of what the circumstances actually were. And he thought it prudent not to tell her it was good to see her again.
Seeing he remained silent, she went on, "What do you know of the letter that my brother sent me?"
"...To be honest, very little, Ma'am. The only thing he ordered was for me to remain by your side." Even if she didn't like it.
Sansa exhaled and closed her eyes as she shook her head and pinched her nose bridge. Why him? why not Brienne? ...because he wasn't the Lord Commander of her brother's Kingsguard and because he was the most familiar face to her after Brienne, she answered her own question, she already knew and trusted him, "I've the most loyal soldiers on my side. I see no reason for him to send you. The Northern Lords that have objected to my rule are in no position to betray me. And those on my side are loyal to the bone." That was something she kept telling herself because she knew everything was possible.
On the other hand, she was glad to know her suspicions were mistaken; the loss of the North as an independent Kingdom. She had no intention of going to war against her brother but the Northern Lords would demand it if necessary.
Podrick frowned, "...Your brother said that having blind faith is not always right." And he had said it as if he knew the words that would be exchanged in that meeting. Podrick took out a small envelop from his coat's inner pocket and handed it to her, "This letter is from your brother, not from the King of the Six Kingdoms. He also told me that you shouldn't talk about the contents of this letter with anyone, and that I should check it is destroyed."
That took her aback as she didn't expect it. She saw Ser Podrick walking to the lit fire place, to warm his hands with the fire. He was also giving her privacy as he turned his back on her. As she opened the letter she had the fleeting thought that it may be summer but the weather was cold still and he wasn't prepared for it. She read the letter in his presence and after a few minutes handed it to him because in it, Bran said that he wished for Podrick to read the reason behind his visit to Winterfell.
Podrick took a seat. In summation, the Six Kingdoms were under pressure due to some mismanagement and misdirection in certain matters. There would be changes and therefore, the following months would be chaotic, which might affect her although he didn't expect it to.
The North would continue to be independent as long as he was King, he promised, since she was doing a good job unifying it and he knew that, among other things, she had the best interest for her people, which was the most important thing. In an affectionate paragraph —which didn't fully come across as such— he implied that he didn't wish war to break his blood ties with the only relative with who he could communicate, and that she was the blood and the future of Winterfell.
Going back to politics, he disclosed that the independence conceded to the north would be granted to other regions that could prove that they could be self-ruled.
Bran couldn't see the future and he couldn't see anyone currently having actual qualms against her but he had had a dream, not a vision, a very vivid dream that had him acting and so, to be less concerned, he was sending Podrick and his men to aid her in case she needed it. Brienne would remain by his side because he suspected that he would need her.
'As you know, Sansa, I can see the past and the present but not the future. And my bad feelings about this are most likely my brotherly concern, but I think it's in both our interests to let Podrick serve you as if he was serving his King.
I don't mean to worry you, sister; I just want you to be ready.'
When Podrick finished reading the letter he faced her as he handed it back.
"What do you think of this," she asked distraught. Bran said a lot and nothing at the same time. As usual…and, brotherly concern? In spite of her, she wasn't very sure that he was able to feel those things.
"...I'm not paid to think, just to follow orders."
To stay by her side. "...You must have an opinion about being sent to the end of the world to look after me. That's not why you became my brother's Kingsguard."
The coldness in her welcome betrayed the memory he had of the last time they met two years ago at her cousin's wedding, but he understood, she felt in danger and was on the defensive, "Yes, Ma'am."
Yes what? She wondered as he didn't explain so she waited for him to do so.
Podrick held her gaze unwilling to repeat that he was following orders and that he hadn't liked it in the beginning, but then he thought better of it, maybe in the North he would be tasked with more that dragging her brother's wheelchair around. And for a place that lacked so much in entertainment, the North always held some adventure, at least for him.
After a few moments, she exhaled seeing him unwilling to say what he really thought, "You aren't enough of a guard to protect my brother but you're enough for me?" she asked immediately seeing why Winterfell might not be of his liking, among other reasons.
He found himself clenching his jaw, "Evidently," he mumbled and after a few seconds he decided on honesty, "I didn't like that, no."
She had no reasons to attack him but she really didn't want him there, his presence would only result in problems with her subjects and a constant reminder of the imminent danger that her brother foresaw. "Am I in danger and you don't want to tell me, Ser Podrick?" Certain people were unhappy with the fact that all of Westeros was ruled by her family and she could see how that might incite rebellion, first against her to send a message and then against her brother to put the final nail in the coffin.
Enough time had gone by for their enemies to gather resources.
Surely, she was a Queen. Her safety was something that she could never take for granted. And, it might have been a dream but the King wouldn't bother sending him here if he was certain nothing was going to happen. But again, he was no one to question it. "...I know nothing more than you do, ma'am." And that was the truth. He remembered something the King had said to him, "The green door."
She didn't understand what he meant, "What?"
"Your brother said that before I left and he asked me not to forget it and to make sure that you don't forget it either, the green door."
"What green door?"
He shrugged, "are there any green doors in Winterfell?"
She sighed and reread the letter intending to memorize it before burning it. She looked for a hidden message but couldn't see anything of the sort "he knows something is going to happen to me...even though he says it's a dream, a gut feeling..."
"I think there's more to that dream that your brother isn't saying…" He conceded that.
"I know," she admitted. She wanted to write him to ask for more information but if he didn't in the letter that he sent with Ser Podrick he wouldn't sent another scroll with a crow that could be intercepted by enemies. She exhaled, "Fine, you'll be part of my security for the upcoming weeks." she said, putting an end to the matter. Her own safety was paramount, it was more important that her subject's interests.
Podrick saw her walking toward the fire and throwing the letter on it, then set her eyes on the flames. He stood, "I can't see how my men and I protecting you can do more that your entire army, Ma'am but don't doubt that we will try."
She didn't pay mind to him. She was her, always thinking the worst case scenario and Bran was The Three Eyed Raven; if he had acted, he had a reason. "I'll call my Guard's Commander but I can assure you, he will not like it in the least to give up part of his job."
"I know, ma'am."
Sansa wondered how she would present this situation to her advisors, army, workers, and most of all, the Lords, "Do you want to stay in the guest's quarters or are you alright with staying in the barracks?" even that was food for thought. If he stayed in the guest's quarter that would mean giving him some power, putting him at the same level as an advisor and that would displease her subjects. But if she sent him to the barracks the soldiers would feel like she was taking power from them.
"The barracks are fine, ma'am."
She nodded, "Now, explain to me, why did you feel it necessary to make your way here as civilians."
"Your brother's orders."
She had thought so. "And, did my brother warn you that that coat and the clothes you and your men are wearing won't be of much use against summer's cold?"
Podrick exhaled amused, "No, ma'am," he smiled, "he wasn't kind enough to warn us. But that's on me. I thought that in summer the cold would be more manageable." Now, he'd have to re-acclimate.
"...It is. But maybe not in the way you thought so." she bowed her head, her guard would be giving them something more appropriate to wear.
Seeing as he was being dismissed, he said goodbye.
.
Almost immediately Podrick set to find out if there was a green door in the castle or if there had ever been one. Podrick himself checked the three doors that remained as well as the contents of the rooms they blocked, there was nothing to them.
Sansa didn't share the content of that second letter with anyone and she gave permission for Podrick to get familiar with her army, which wasn't taken well by those who didn't know him.
She found herself at odds as to how to explain the presence of Ser Podrick and his men to her advisors. On one hand, they thought they were spies sent by her brother to watch her and on the other, they didn't see with good eyes that a group of foreigners would have come to mingle with her army. It wasn't like she was completely pleased with the situation either. But she calmed them down by reminding them that he wasn't politically-minded.
"I think it extremely important to keep good relations with the King of the Six Kingdoms and this will be a show of our own interests. Besides, he is not part of my Guard, or my army he cannot serve two monarchs at the same time."
"Then what is he doing here, Your Grace?" What is his mission?"
Sansa was well aware that they wanted her to concede to them, "I would call him the link to my brother. Not to the King of the Six Kingdoms. As many of you know, Ser Podrick and I have known each other for a long time; he was Ser Brienne's squire when she swore her sword to me. I know him and where his loyalties lie," she looked at several of her advisors, "from now on, I'll take that as my assurance." she said making her point final.
In the end, she answered some of their questions with more vague words.
.
.
Podrick didn't miss the shadows under her eyes and her gauntly look after his arrival, which let him know without words how worried she was about an impending attack against her.
On an afternoon where he was particularly shocked by her appearance, he spoke without thinking that he wasn't familiar enough with her to do so or that they weren't alone, Lord Harry was there, "Are you eating and resting enough, ma'am?"
She knew she was looking badly and she was tired, too tired, and she was increasingly withdrawn and moody. She didn't even raise her eyes from the scroll that she had been trying to read for over five minutes, but it was hard to focus, "do I look so terrible that you're worried, Ser Podrick?" she asked disdainfully.
He felt himself blushing right away, aware that he had crossed a line as he saw Lord Harry straightening from the corner of his eye, "Not Terrible, Ma'am. More like…sickly. You're not as energetic as usual. And yes, I'm concerned." Once he was already in the middle of this, it was better to discuss it than apologize in embarrassment.
Sansa sighed, that was a good way of putting it, she thought, as she tried to ignore Lord Harry who minutes before had openly criticized her unkempt looks, which were unbecoming of a Queen.
"Have you eaten something today? Have you rested well these past few days?"
She was surprised by the question, the fact that he kept insisting on it, "I had a good breakfast and no." She threw a look at Podrick and saw that he was uncomfortable.
A good breakfast, and nothing more, the sun was setting by now, he hesitated for a few seconds, aware that his words wouldn't be welcomed. "In order to do a good job, to keep a clear mind, you need food and rest. You know that."
"...I'm worried, it's all," she exhaled as she rubbed her eyes with the tip of her fingers since they and her forehead felt extremely heavy. She didn't want to say too much because not even Lord Harry knew about the real reason behind Ser Podrick's presence and her concerns.
"It's no use working too much. Take some time, rest, I'll tell one of your handmaids to bring you something to eat. Otherwise there'll be nothing left of you in a few weeks." he saw that she was about to argue and cut in "Listen to me...Remember, I speak on behalf of your brother."
Had she afforded him the trust to speak to her in that manner? Not him, but to Brienne, certainly and now he spoke for her and her brother. She wanted to refuse for a few moments but she didn't even have the energy for that, "Have the food brought to my room," she said deciding to take off the rest of the night, although she didn't see why she should, a restless sleep wouldn't come for her but after dinner and a bath she might take a walk with Snow; the fresh and cold air had always suited her. She ignored the heavy stare that Lord Harry threw her way seeing as he had suggested something similar and she had refused. Next, she heard why Ser Podrick had truly came to see her.
Lord Harry decided to speak once Ser Podrick left, "He speaks on behalf of your brother or himself?" he wondered.
Sansa shook her head, "Ser Podrick knows his place."
"Are you sure, ma'am? The casual way with he addresses you makes me think you are mistaken."
She tried not to let her eyes concede anything but it was true, Ser Podrick treated her with some familiarity and assuredness that she knew had been solidified by the conversation they had in the Vale two years prior; an innocent conversation that evidently had brought unintended consequences on both sides.
"He is wrongly confusing the familiar way Ser Brienne used with me. I'll make sure he respects the roles between our genders."
"Remind him that he is not wanted in Winterfell or in the North and that the way in which he addresses you might reflect badly on you." he noticed that he angered her with that as she closed her eyes and turned her head, "You know what most men really want. Don't be surprise when he starts to push to see how far you'll let him get away with."
That was something that had already crossed her mind.
.
.
It might be because nothing happened in the following weeks that the worry started to fade away from her. Early one morning he saw her walking along one of her handmaids and he noticed she was looking better. He smiled when she approached, "...You see? What did I tell you?" he exclaimed as he gestured to her face.
Sansa took her chance, "...I take it you like how I look, then," she said, known in advance how she was wording her question because she wanted to assess his true intentions since they were going to be spending more time together. She saw him blushing and Lady Rose looking uncomfortable when she realized what Sansa was doing, "Now that I've recovered, I mean," she corrected herself. It was her health they were talking about, after all.
He avoided her eyes, embarrassed, "...Splendid as ever, Ma'am." he said trying to be polite but being surprised at what came out of his mouth, he should have said 'regal' "...I meant Regal. Though, it's not my place to say." She was a Queen, a respectable lady he was talking to, not one of his conquests. He felt even more embarrassed when he saw her handmaiden scornfully mocking him and Lady Sansa sharing a short but complicit look with her.
No, it wasn't his place. Not for the first time, she noticed how he skillfully recovered from his blunders.
"No it isn't," Lady Rose spoke feeling angry and wary of the handsome foreigner. And he was presumptuous! And her Queen...more than once she had witness her using that kind of noncommittal insinuations —something she disapproved of and had expressed— but she obviously hadn't listened. That's a lesson, with a man, you'll give an inch for something small and if they take a mile, you'll know how to read their intentions.
She decided not to apologize for her lady's words, "are you headed to the Great Hall?" she asked instead and Ser Podrick nodded, "That's all for now, Lady Rose." she said, realizing that the young woman didn't like that at all but she saw her leave after a few seconds.
They started to walk to the next meeting and he decided to change the subject to stop himself from further embarrassment, "I didn't mention it that day because I don't know how much Lord Harry knows about our suspicious about an attack against you, but you shouldn't let the possibility consume you. It will destroy you."
It was easy for him to say that, "Not worrying is impossible, Ser Podrick." They made it to the hall and each one took their place. She was a few minutes early and not all her advisors were present yet, while she waited for them she decided to go over some matters that would be addressed that morning but her mind wasn't fully on it. Once more she saw her advisors ignoring Ser Podrick and him settling at an appropriate distance next to her head Guard.
Sansa was aware of several qualities she possessed such as being beautiful and desirable. He was a man and that was enough for her to have misgivings. And though it was obvious that her brother and Ser Brienne trusted him —A raven had come some days ago praising the young man and reassuring her of his trustworthiness as she had trusted her before— and that she did too, it wasn't blindly.
The only men she trusted blindly were Bran and Jon. Lord Royce.
And Ser Podrick, never disrespectful or overly familiar had been somewhat distant but friendly to her. But she wasn't friendly, she kept her walls up to protect herself, so she had planted the seed knowing that if in the next days or weeks he made an unwanted pass, she wouldn't be able to fully trust him.
She would always doubt every man's intentions. It didn't matter if the man appeared to be flawless, and if he did, well that would only raise her suspicions even more.
.
.
On a morning during a meeting with her advisors and two lords who were visiting Winterfell, Podrick saw the direwolf appear again in the Great Hall, acting before the Queen's guests just as it had with him. He hadn't been wrong when he suspected that it was a display to intimidate put on by her and her Guard. And it worked. Even now, the wolf started to growl whenever it saw him making him stop as is it knew he didn't belong in the castle.
When there were visitors the Guards kept all their attention on her and so did the wolf. Winterfell was her home, no one would attack her there, she had said during a conversation where he had asked to strengthen her security, and she refused.
She didn't need guards following her everywhere; she did want them at strategic points, that was fine, but she didn't want them in her way or making her feel like she was being watched.
She enjoyed what little freedom she had behind these tall and thick stone walls.
She never left the castle for leisure, only for work. But that didn't mean that she wouldn't enjoy riding or talking walks when there was plenty of security along the way.
One day when she had been tired of being in the carriage and decided to ride, he spoke, "How did you end up with a Direwolf, Ma'am?" he asked since silence was more awkward than conversations. At the time, the wolf was running and trotting along among them, and the guards and soldiers with them, sometimes it would go ahead and other times, it'd stay behind.
She looked at the animal, "he showed up as a pup on the lands of a lord who though it appropriate to gift it to me. I decided to send it beyond the wall where it truly belongs. The Night Watch took him away when they stopped at Winterfell on their way to Castle Black with new recruits." She hadn't wanted to get attached to it like she had Lady, she sighed, "It ran away and they didn't informed us; after a few months it showed up at the castle as if nothing was wrong. Dirty, stinking and malnourished, but it found its way back." Her Lord Commander decided to train it to follow and protect her thus strengthening their efforts.
Podrick had noticed that, although she wasn't indifferent to the animal, it wasn't like she loved it. It was something that was there to serve a purpose. Like everyone else. Yes, he sometimes saw her walking with the wolf and petting its furs, once or twice he'd caught her smiling at it when it played with her and she would allow it, but she wasn't affectionate.
She didn't even worry when the animal disappeared for days. It was odd because the wolf would constantly seek her out, it would overprotect her; thanks to the guards, he knew that during the Queen's sleepless nights, when she'd go to the library or for a walk, the animal would meet her halfway to keep her company as though it had sensed her. It was even more shocking that during big feasts and the castle was crowded, it wouldn't leave her side and she'd welcome it, even as to let it in her room at night for protection when there were two guards posted at the door.
The animal was wary, and at times it would suffice as a guard.
Her way of repaying it was for her to let it be the best fed and cared for animal —or being, really— in the castle.
After a few minutes he saw her look for the animal after they lost sight of it, and moments later he heard her ask one of the guards where Snow had gone off to.
.
.
By the middle of the first month news came that the King of the Six Kingdoms was making changes to his cabinet, one of those was the Master of Coin. She looked at Ser Podrick's reaction in a not so subtle manner. He wasn't leaning against the wall but he reminded her of Little Finger since he chose the same place to watch over her. She saw him clenching his jaw at hearing the news.
"I heard he's quite inept," one of the lords said aloud, which earned the approval of the Queen's advisors.
"It says here that he was removed from Highgarden."
"Good. He fell and he fell hard."
Sansa listened to the talk for a few more moments until they were done and then the meeting went on.
That night she invited Ser Podrick to dine with her after weeks of reassurance of his intentions with her. The man only talked to her or approached her only when it was absolutely necessary. And always with a valid reason.
"Do you know him well?" she asked upfront once the greetings and small talk was done; they had just eaten and were now talking a walk. She knew that Bronn, the Master of Coin, was a friend of Ser Podrick's. She had met the man in Kings Landing as a sell-sword and Lord Tyrion's personal guard but she didn't know much more than that and the gossip about him.
He nodded, feeling bad for the man, "he had been warned to be more responsible and careful," he said. Suddenly he saw the direwolf appear in the distance and walking towards them, imposingly. His instinct was to stop.
"He won't attack unless I order it," she let Ser Podrick know, since the animal oddly still mistrusted him. She heard the wolf growling at him and she turned to it, "Snow, don't!"
Podrick's eyebrow shot up when the animal lowered his head and growled as it stood to her other side. "And have you ordered it?" he asked, "To attack?"
Sansa exhaled choosing not to answer that, "The Master of Coin built several brothels with gold from Highgarden. He put his hobbies over the needs of the realm." And where was Bran when that happened? or Lord Tyrion?
He was his friend, "He also restored the army to its former glory and in record time." No one spoke of that.
Sansa hummed, his failures were larger than his victories, "By acquiring sell-swords at five times the price of training new recruits." That piece of insight she got from an angry letter from Ser Brienne.
Podrick choose silence instead of telling her that she knew nothing of matters of defense, that there hadn't been a significant number of voluntary recruits to defend the ruins of Kings Landing in over a year.
"And in the end, they were paid to sit around for twelve months while they waited for a sudden attack that never came; poorly invested money." She took a deep breath as something else occurred to her, "Lady Olenna would have turned in her grave if she knew that her castle, her family's legacy was given to that...Lord. A real tragedy."
Lord Bronn wasn't everyone's cup of tea, he understood that.
"I'm not surprised that the other lords of the Reach turned on him and excluded him. That they put pressure on my Brother's council to unseat him as Master of Coin." And, given that it hadn't happen, it had been the main reason for the Reach to claim their independence.
It was the straw that broke the camel's back, he knew "... he's not a bad man, I know him, Ma'am. If anything, I believe he thought that his titles and influence would save him once again." It had been his pride. "We all make mistakes, his were...catastrophic."
The thought of Jon came to her, "do you agree with what he did?" she asked.
"Of course not but...he's my friend, I bare him no ill will."
Sansa rubbed the bridge of her nose seeing a parallel but she was too tired to think about it, "why did Bran and Lord Tyrion let things go that far with that man? You don't need to be too sharp to realize that he's not fit for the seat that was given to him."
"...I've never been one to question things, Ma'am."
She turned to look at him, that was true, "I'm not asking you to question anything I'm just asking for your opinion. Or don't you have one? Are you a soldier who follows his Lord blindly?"
Podrick was not used to being asked what he thought of things and he thought very well about what to say, "It may be that your brother doesn't rule in quite the same manner as you. He delegates to his council." He delegated everything, something Podrick saw as lack of interest. And the King either didn't realize or only worried about the things that were going wrong once the danger had arisen.
His opinion was that King Bran wasn't a good King, the only thing that made him competent was that he knew right away when to correct other's mistakes, but after those mistakes were made, and already had consequences.
The complete opposite was true of her. If she wasn't aware of everything that went on in her realm she took it as a personal failure. She usually was one of the last people to go to sleep and one of the firsts to be awake before dawn.
"...Delegating blindly is no way to rule." After a few second she saw him nodding, not letting her see much of what he thought. He was prudent. "You're free to speak your mind to me..." she let him know as she realized that his silences weren't a recent development.
"I know Ma'am," he lied because she might not like what he thought about her brother. Or what he had to say. "I'm just getting used to...this new position I hold now here in Winterfell." He wasn't an advisor or a Queensguard, least of all a friend, but he saw that she sought out his thoughts even if they wouldn't be taken into account in the end.
She frowned, since she hadn't offered him anything and he would return to Kings Landing as soon as circumstances allowed. What circumstances? She didn't know, "and what's that position?" she asked because she noticed that in her mind she saw him as a temporary replacement for Brienne.
She wouldn't let him see if his words had bothered her, "I don't know, you tell me. The link with King's Landing, I suppose."
A link to a part of her that he had witness before the battle for Winterfell. Before the Battle of the Bastards while they traveled to Castle Black. She trusted him because she knew him, because he had stayed loyal to Ser Brienne, and therefore to her, and because she respected him. But she was selfish; she was letting him stay beside her for her own safety not the realm's.
He waited for her to say something but she didn't for several minutes.
She tried not to judge but she did, she knew that Lord Tyrion and Lord Bronn had a high esteem for Ser Podrick and he for them, of their friendship. So he must have been very aware of the misspent gold and she wondered if he ever even voiced his disagreement with it or if he...reaped the fruit of his silence. Although, even if he had question Lord Bronn she assumed he wouldn't be taken seriously given his position.
Either way she couldn't make assumptions about what had happened, "Ser Podrick, you're aware that there will be a series of outings next month, right?"
He nodded "Of course, Ma'am, and I would suggest cancelling them."
He didn't know for how long those visits had been scheduled and how hard it had been to arrange the calendar with all off her lords, "you don't have to remind me that it will be dangerous. No matter how much I want to I cannot stay hidden in here with my arms crossed waiting for something that happened on a dream to come true."
"I know it's absurd, Ma'am," he answered and then she sighed, "with your permission, I'll have some men investigating and surveying the places that we'll visit, is that alright?"
"Yes. You don't need my permission when it comes to my safety."
"I'm just telling you because if they discover my men, even if they're from the north, your Lords won't like it."
"Then make sure they're not discovered."
That was the idea but sometimes plans went awry. Having nothing else to talk, he thanked her, bowed his head and left in the direction of the barracks as she made her way to the castle along with the wolf. He didn't think to ask if the wolf would come with them on their visits.
Podrick tried not to think much about it but dealing with her sometimes was harder than he ever thought; although he should have been better prepared, she hadn't made things easy to Brienne at times.
He heard heavy breathing behind him and without looking; he knew that it was the wolf coming after him. Podrick quickened his pace to make it faster to the safety of the barracks.
.
.
.
One again thanks to fangfaceandrea for this translation!