authorsnote: here we gooooooooo
apologies for my tardiness on this chapter, I was wrestling with the last section but I'm happy with how it turned out!
do lemme know what ya think, the story is moving to a new phase, and I'd love your thoughts! where will we go next? what twists and cliffhangers are inevitably coming? how will our bbys do? give me your guesses and wishes! I love to hear them!
also awful shameless plug, check out my new jonsa oneshot: connected always, it's on my page!
songrecs: the times they are a-changin - fort nowhere
The rest of the journey, off from the Vale and then travelling East is thankfully uneventful.
It seems they have come to an understanding. Jon doesn't brood quite as much, trying to remember his brothers and the life he'd had there, rather than mourn it. She tries not to feel so awfully guilty, trying to internalise the words Jon told her – 'I'd choose you, I did'. They both hug if they need to, smile even if strained, and each and every night they fall asleep holding hands.
It's easier, much easier, and Sansa feels herself start to relax for the first time in years.
Tension that has been ever present in her shoulders starts to bleed away, pain from always digging into her nails into her hands fades and she feels she might have a normal heartbeat, not elevated and thudding for the first time in months. Everything feels a little less tense, a little more relaxed, it all feels easier.
At night with her hand in Jon's, Ghost at the door, the sway of the boat gentle, she sleeps easier than she thinks she ever has. Often, she'll wake up with her head buried in Jon's chest, or her head on their joined hands. It's never awkward, just comforting.
And Sansa Stark has been sorely in need of comfort.
She basks in it, and the change is soon noticeable. Her cheeks glow a little, her smile is wider, the lines of sorrow under her eyes and the bags of exhaustion begin to fade, and her entire being just seems better, at ease, happier.
And all Jon's doing.
Well, Jon's doing and her escape, which was all her. Her self-confidence, dragged through the mud over the years is starting to recover, bit by bit, pace by pace, and she flourishes as each day passes.
Jon teases that the sea air is good for her, but they both know it's not that.
"We'll be in Essos soon" Jon's voice breaks through her thoughts, as they stand on the ship. It's late, the moon high in the sky. They spend most of their time hidden below, but tonight they stand on the deck, only the first mate at the wheel, everyone else slumbering, as they look out at the dark sea.
It's beautiful, the stars twinkling overhead, the bright crescent moon shining down, the inky sea peaceful tonight. They see no land ahead, but it may be too dark, as she knows they are nearing their destination.
She feels both fear at that, at being somewhere new, at having to adapt, at being back on land; here they are protected, only a few crew members and other travellers, they are safe, on land they will be in danger again. Yes, that scares her.
But she also feels relief, to be able to settle down with Jon, to find somewhere to live, to be away from Westeros, away from the Lannister's. She'll be a whole world away, and that eases something in her that has been tense for a long time.
She never imagined this is where she'd end up, looking out at the midnight sea, head resting on Jon's shoulder, the stars shining overhead, their destination as far away from home as she's ever been, but it feels right almost, to leave home, to find safety somewhere else.
Home isn't safe anymore, and as much as that hurts, as much as leaving Westeros behind, leaving it without a Stark hurts her, she knows this is the right thing, home isn't safe anymore, might never be again.
"We should go to bed" Jon offers, but he doesn't move, neither does she, not for a while. They stay on the deck, the fresh salt air refreshing, the pretty sky drawing her gaze before a wave does. It's peaceful, a peace she hasn't known in a long time, and with Jon by her side she just shuts her eyes and basks in it.
This peace almost feels earned, it took her so long to get here, why shouldn't she have it? Just for a few hours, as come morning Essos is on the horizon, and their peace short lived.
Pentos is on the horizon.
He's seen pictures of it in the books, he remembers sitting down with Robb, pouring over pages of the East, pretending to put together a tour, talking about all the places they would go, playing at being adventurers in Bravos, Valyria and Volantis.
It pales in comparison to the books, but then doesn't everything?
He remembers when he'd first seen the Wall, how he'd gasped, everyone laughing but in good nature. That had paled, the great structure of ice and fierce might. It had been so much more leapt out of the page, and so is Pentos.
Okay, not quite as astonishing as the Wall had been, but he thinks (in fairness to Essos, his new home after all), the Wall is hard to top, but Pentos comes close.
The walls tower over the City, and yet he can see the rows of housing, with their flat rooves, tiled, something he hasn't seen before. The towers are made of brick, red and dusty. The entire City has that air, of sand sweeping on the breeze, it's odd, he's never even been near sand, which he's thankful for, as he's read it's hard to fight in, though he supposes he'll have to get used to it.
A large gate is what they sail towards, and he can see a large temple close to the docks, red and massive, it is easily one of the more notable structures in the City. Everything else looks so similar. Yes, some houses are more extravagant than others, and he notes the outdoor manses, covered in silk, purple, red, blue, yellow, but the tiled rooves, the red brick, it all lends to looking the same.
He's not sure when his mind became a tacticians, but it is now, and he memorises the layout, looks at the docks, can see what looks like a market deeper in. They'll need first and foremost to find housing, and to do that they'll use coin, once settled they can sell their stuff to get food, new clothing, books on the area. His mind reels through the plan – always have a plan, the Watch taught him that.
He feels a pang in his stomach but shoves it aside, now is not the time to be distracted for mourning his brothers, his old life, as that is what it is now; his old life, he has a new one now, with a new vow at the heart of it; Protect Sansa.
A vow far more important than his old one.
He'll do anything to keep Sansa safe, even be here, the air too hot, his dark clothes absorbing it, sweat already pooling at his brow. He hates it, the salty air, the heat, the sand on the wind, hates it, and yet he knows this is where is safe, Westeros isn't, not anymore, maybe not ever again.
He can put aside his preferences for safety, and he'll adjust. He adjusted to the Wall after all … though he feels this will be a worst adjustment, he'll do it, he has to.
For Sansa.
So, his mind goes back to the plan. He holds the sword at his hip, and glances to the side, knowing Ghost is there before he sees them. He knows Ghost makes them conspicuous, but he could never have left him behind.
Still, he takes Sansa's hand and nods his head, to go back to their quarters, time to pack up.
"Keep your head down" He says straight away, his mind thinking, analysing. His goal is to get them to safe lodgings, and to do that they need to be inconspicuous. They had washed their clothes the night before, and they had dried out on deck, looking clean is good.
He wants to give off the impression of enough money to be trusted to get a house but not too much they risk robbery.
Sansa's dress, grey and lined with diamonds is good, it shows she's of rank, but not too high. Jon's clothes are a problem, few wear black, but the sword at his hip gleams against it, hopefully that will stop anyone from seeing them as a target or asking too many questions. He picks up a shawl, it is grey too, and wraps it over Sansa's head like a hood, tying it under chin, her hair too distinctive, too Westerosi, they need to cover it.
They both look like foreigners, his hair too dark with pale skin and grey eyes, Sansa's hair too red with her blue eyes, but that can't be helped, they can't change the way they look, and as Sansa giggles, untying his poor knot and retying it he manages a smile, he wouldn't have her look any other way.
Each night they've fallen asleep looking into one another's eyes, and Sansa's, that piercing blue, they calm him in a way nothing else has.
"We'll buy new clothes once we have housing" He says, getting back to himself, and Sansa nodded, they were on the same page it seemed, and Sansa's trust in him, not a hesitation as she nodded, how she followed his lead, not only did it make things easier, it warmed him, but not in the annoying way the air this far South did, but rather in his heart, his chest, a way that made him feel stronger.
"Right" He said then, grabbing his bag, full of their valuables, what they needed to get settled. He shrugged off his tunic first and pulled the bag strap over his undershirt before pulling his tunic back on, and then his cloak. Sure, it was too hot for it, the long material brushing the floor, but he felt naked without it. Now his bag was hidden too, no pickpocket would get them.
"Here" Jon said then, grabbing a spare shawl and tying it around Ghost's middle. His direwolf as always silent did not look amused, but he knew he'd appreciate the protection from the sun. Neither of them were made for this weather, this heat. "Got everything?"
She nodded, as Jon had everything they needed, and then they both paused, taking one look around he cabin. Here he'd felt safe, as Sansa had, not out in the open as they soon would be, but they couldn't be passengers forever, they had lives to live, even in hiding.
"Jon" Sansa grabbed him as he turned, and as he could see the fear in her eyes, pulling her into his arms was almost instinct at this point. His guilt at leaving the Wall paled in comparison to the horrible tugging on his heart he felt when Sansa looked upset. "I'm scared"
"I know" He didn't offer her empty platitudes, she was too smart to accept or be soothed by them, instead he was honest "Me too" She nodded to his chest, he knew Sansa appreciated honesty, as he did, a Stark trait, a Northern one for him, he barely felt the sting as hid mind corrected him.
Not a Stark.
"But I'll protect you" He promised, focusing his thoughts, and Sansa nodded again before pulling back, and again he felt the calm as his gaze met hers, grey to blue.
"We'll protect each other" Her promise renewed, and he smiled and nodded before stepping back, opening the door, and taking her hand in his, protect one another they would.
He promised himself that, as they nodded in thanks to the Captain and made their way to the bridge to land. They only paused for a second, and with Ghost at their feet they stepped off of their safety, and into the unknown.
Protect one another, that was the best plan they had, as they moved forward, into the new land of Pentos.
Kings Landing was in chaos.
And well, it had been for a while.
Sure, normally things weren't calm in the City, they were busy, hurried, and his little birds ran with that business, it made it easier, slipping in and out of crowds, overhearing delicate information in a packed inn, using the roofs to clear the crowded streets, it was how they operated, and often how he knew a tidbit of something important weeks before anyone else.
And yet, even though things were normally mad in the Capitol, full of schemers and spies (himself included), overflowing with powerplays, wealth, ambition, hunger, and hatred, they hadn't quite been this insane in a long, long time.
To think one little girl, one pretty girl yes, and one important girl, but just a girl all the same, had caused all of that had almost amused him.
Or would have, had it not taken him far too long to locate her.
He didn't like waiting a while for news, and though he was fairly confident he was still the only person who knew that the pretty Northern bird was flying across the sea, it had taken far too long to find out, practically years by his time.
He hadn't anticipated her escaping, and had been impressed, a Stark indeed, not so dreadfully Tully as many assumed, nor as stupid as many thought of her, he liked that surprise. But still, even her escape shouldn't have stopped him finding her quickly, and yet it had taken weeks to track her down.
He had spies all over Westeros, and yet up North he was spread thin, too thin. Foreigners were noticed quickly in the North and paying off Northerners was near impossible, with their damned honour, hence his limited resources anywhere above the Neck slowing him down.
But not just that, he hadn't even thought Sansa Stark would flee to the Wall. Stupid of him really.
First, he'd checked the Vale, her Aunt there, and then Riverrun, blockaded as it was and nothing again. He'd checked the North, old Stark safeholds, White Harbour, The Last Hearth, and that had taken weeks to slip spies into their before they'd been forced to flee, and still nothing.
He'd only found her once she'd boarded the ship and one of his birds had slipped aboard, meant to be going to Essos, and instead finding just who he'd been looking for.
Luck had found the Stark girl, and he hated relying on luck.
Only this time he'd let it pass, just thankful he'd found her, and when his little bird had reported back, he'd chastised himself for not thinking of the Wall, of Jon Snow, her half-brother. He hadn't even considered him, not even remembered him, his own stupid fault, and he'd gone without dessert for a week for his failure. So obvious in hindsight.
And so, he knew where she was, and was keeping that to himself. As why tell, why ensure she was soon back with the Lannisters? No, no, not a good idea for such a prize.
And so, as Tywin ranted in the small council meetings, as Cersei was confined to her rooms for day for her failure at letting not one but two Stark girls slip through her hands, as Joffrey raged in fury, even Margaery unable to calm him down, as Tyrion looked worried, as the Tyrell's whispered more and more, as Baelish let his persona slip just a touch to panicked, he kept quiet.
He'd leave her be for now and had already spread the word to his usual thieves and robbers to leave her alone, to see her protected, though not that she needed it, counting the sword at her protectors' hip and the look in his eye. No, Sansa Stark was as safe as houses for the moment, as was Jon Snow, a bastard boy, not relevant to the game.
Though how long he'd be safe was limited, for eventually he'd need to move Sansa into play, and the boy would be a distraction to that, a problem, his days were numbered.
Still, no further moves needed for the moment, not as he considered how this changed the game, and change it, it did, a great deal.
Sansa Stark, Key to the North, out of the hands of the Lannister's, yes, change the game it did.
soooo thoughts?
damn I love a new pov!
we will keep getting little snippets of kings landing, and other places! can you guess where?
shorter chapter I know but this was almost a transitioning chapter? next turn we are in a new area! pentos! ahh I hope you're as hype as I am, our bbys will be doing a lot of adjusting, and danger is quick on the horizon.
do review and lemme know your thoughts, fav/follow for updates too!
speak soon