Sansa eyed Daisy cautiously. "So...how does this work?" She was forever grateful any reaction she may have to Daisy was easily mistaken for nerves at these lessons. The way Daisy's touch half burned where she touched her was…a new and frankly unhelpful sensation even if it felt as if it'd swallow her.
"May I?" Daisy glanced pointedly at her arms.
She breathed in but offered her hands out. "You may."
Daisy reached out, catching Sansa's elbow with one hand. With her other hand, she caught her hand, with ease she pushed, pulled, and twisted till she was holding her forearm parallel to the ground, and straight in front of her. It was strong, and Sansa knew this was a trap, she hated that despite knowing this she still didn't wish for Daisy to release her.
"What now?" Sansa's voice felt tight.
Daisy winced. "I'm going to twist, you need to know what this does. It's going to force you to bend, it'll force anyone to bend. If they fight it they'll seriously injure themselves, and you can seriously incapacitate a person. But you need to feel what it's like on that side of it before you can learn to do it to someone else."
"Do it." Sansa forced herself to relax, she was good at that.
Daisy barely moved her arms, but it was sharp, a threat of pain that forced Sansa to bend at the waist so that she was parallel to the ground.
A hiss escaped her lips.
And then Daisy released her, before gently helping her straighten. "You ok?"
"Fine." Sansa breathed out, that hadn't been bad, for all it'd been unpleasant she didn't feel fear. No, what she felt was different from fear.
Daisy grinned slightly. "Good, now, you're going to do that to me until you can do it automatically. This will get anyone who grabs you from the front off of you. So, let's start, elbow, hand, straighten it." She reached out slowly as if to grab at her shoulder.
And Sansa did her best to mimic Daisy's early motions.
Sansa sipped from her cup of wine, sitting on the thick rug before the fire. "My sister would have loved to have learned this."
"Your sister sounds fun." Daisy took a sip of her own cup of wine. "You're doing good."
Sansa raised a brow. "Please, we both know I'm awful at it."
"Eh, you're willing to put in the work. That's worth more than being natural." Daisy laughed softly into her cup. "You don't need to be able to fight off armies, just make anyone who tries to hurt you regret it."
She softened. "It's funny, I expected to feel worse." And she had, but instead, she found she treasured these evenings where she could let so many of her burdens fall away. That and the time with Daisy, the closeness of it all left her heart aching.
"If it changes let me know. But break time is over." Daisy reached out and touched her hand that was laying on the carpet between them. "Now, fingers are very sensitive," she winked, "And they're very weak, you won't have an issue with breaking several of them," Her lips twitched up, a mischievous light in her eyes, "My Queen." She paused, waiting for permission.
Sansa's cheeks heated as she tried desperately not to show exactly what hearing the words 'my queen' from Daisy was doing to her. Instead of risking speaking, she gave a slight nod, it would seem her lesson for the night wasn't over. Something she was glad of, even if she felt like she was burning up. She set her cup of wine to the side and waited to see what she had next to learn.
/
Rickon looked up from where he'd been sharpening a sword in the gods' wood. "Jon?"
"Aye, mind if I sit?" Jon asked as he stood by the black pool below the face tree.
He dropped the sword. "Sure, not like I even know what I'm doing."
"Give it here, I'll show you." Jon sat beside him, taking the sharpening stone from his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Rickon picked up the sword and passed it over. "Why do I have to get married?"
"Everyone gets married sometime." Jon grunted as he began to run the stone up and down the length of the sword. "And Sansa won't make you marry if the two of you don't like each other. You know that."
He pulled his feet up off the ground, wrapping his arms around his legs. "I don't know how to be a prince."
"Neither do I." Jon reached out and ruffled his hair. "But Lyarra Karstark is a sweet girl, and you'll get to know her."
Rickon rested his chin on his knees. "Did father used to sharpen his sword here? I don't remember if that happened or if Bran just told me."
"Whenever he needed to think." Jon looked up at the red leaves above them. "We follow the old ways, thinking under the eyes of the Old Gods can bring peace."
It was...comforting to know that was real. His memories of family were distant and foggy. They felt more like dreams than memories. "I miss how I think I felt...before."
"So do I." Jon let out a long, tired breath. "We were happy then." He looked at Rickon. "But we have each other, we have our sister, we have our home. I think this is the closest to happy I've had since the day I left."
Rickon bit at his lip. "I think I'm happy."
"Then that's what matters. We can deal with all the rest." Jon carefully handed him back his sword and the stone. "Now you try."
/
Lord Glover stood watching his men drilling against the Order. "Even if I hadn't of seen her power, I'd believe her seeing this."
"If I was twenty years younger." Wyman Manderly shook his head, longing in his voice. "Gods be good, her Holiness turned those men into a fighting force."
Glover watched as the two dozen members of the order broke into smaller clumps instantly the second their shield wall was tested and promptly divided and forced his own men to yield. "They've made the line breaking an attack." His own men were seasoned fighters. How hard had their god driven her men to make them into this? His eyes flicked to two of the Order members that were back to back and holding ground. "Those two are girls."
"Hadn't you noticed? Her Holiness accepts all. Those who can't fight are busy keeping records and serving in other capacities. Remarkable really." Wyman chuckled. "I believe she has three girls in her service now."
He crossed his arms. "Prince Jon thinks we should require all women to learn to fight."
"Yes, very practical that one. He has a point, and look at those three, or the Mormont women, hells the Wildling women." Wyman hummed. "I'll have a knife made for each of my granddaughters, and have my son teach them how to use it. Not a bad skill to have."
Glover gave a nod to that. "I think my girl could use a sword." He watched as his former ward joined in with the Glover men for their war training. Good on the boy for keeping himself sharp. "Her Grace's marriage alliances, smart choices."
"Aye, your ward the honorable Lord Hornwood benefits greatly." Wyman folded his hands over his stomach. "Named Lord of an ancient House, legitimized by a royal decree signed by a god as well as our Queen, and now given a wife of Stark blood, no matter how distant. I doubt even in the south they could look down their noses at him now."
Glover found he couldn't help but feel awe for their Queen. "It'll keep the men of House Hornwood from rebelling when their neighboring land is given to the Wildlings."
"There is that, funny her actions all do three things at once." Wyman snorted. "I don't think we've had a Stark as wily as that one in an age and a half."
He agreed with that statement. It was true, Ned had been a good, honorable, and worthy Lord. And Robb had been a glorious King for the short time he'd led them. He even remembered Rickard as a hard but strong leader when he'd been Lord. But the remaining Starks were something else. "Prince Jon is a good Hand. There's still seats on the council to be named, however."
"There is that. Lord Forrester is a good candidate for Master of Coin, he's lost a great deal due to the war and his House's loyalty to the Starks. And the Forresters are a House built on trade, he'd have the training for it." Wyman eyed him. "And they're beholden to your House."
Glover narrowed his eyes slightly. "What are you getting at, merman?"
"Her Grace needs loyal councilors. With her current hold, she'll reach out to Houses less bound to her. It's a risk. She's given me and mine too much regard already." Wyman dared him to argue.
And it was...it made sense. Oh, one of the Crannomen would likely end up on the council, but other than that? There were few good candidates. Best to put forward good options whose loyalty they knew. "I'll speak to her on Lord Forrester's behalf. That fucker Whitehill stands judgment tomorrow. Once the trial is completed it's a good option to reward Forrester loyalty."
"What to do about a Master of Whispers though…" Wyman frowned.
"What use do we of the North have for a Master of Spies and Liars?" Glover scoffed, pulling back. "Waste of time if you ask me."
Wyman groaned like he was in actual pain. "You'd make a terrible king."
"A good thing I'm just a lord then." He replied dryly.
/
Daisy carefully closed the book her men had been working on. "This code of honor, where?"
"You taught us." Joran's chin tipped up in pride. "In everything you do. That kindness is worth more than honor, that protecting others is more important than any loyalty, that doing what is right is our purpose."
Wilber nodded. "Humility, kindness, self sacrifice, and protection are your highest ideals because you love humanity. We're just sort of putting it into words a bit. Is it bad? We can redo it?"
"No you...it's...it's really good." Daisy's throat felt tight as she looked at the book, or well slightly larger than a pamphlet with a cover….booklet? Was that a word? But its contents left her feeling gutted. "I liked the bit about judging based on harm instead of action." She cleared her throat, god she felt like she was going to cry.
Duncan beamed. "I wrote that bit, you never punish based on what we did but on if anything is damaged."
"Thanks for not being mad about the laundry issue." Wilbur turned bright red.
She stared at him. "You spilled wine on some unfolded blankets. Seriously, it's not a big deal as long as you clean it." Daisy paused…..they'd built a moral code off of her not yelling at people for stupid mistakes.
He was still a bright red. "The blankets for your bed."
"Were they really?" Daisy blinked, that did explain the panic slightly better. She shrugged. "Still not a big deal."
Joran leaned forward slightly. "But you approve of it?"
"Yeah, I...it's good." Daisy felt trapped suddenly sitting in here with some of her men. Like the air was too thick.
Joran just smiled at her with so much kindness it was unfair. "Only because you are good."
Daisy sat on the edge of her bed. Her breathing was slightly too fast, the vibrations around her seemed like too much. It just felt too much. There was a jitteriness to her that she was barely keeping under control. Her emotions were bubbling as well as her powers or rather were causing the powers. She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing.
She shuddered, but her powers faded as she focused entirely on the in and out of her breathing. The stretch of her lungs, the pressure on her diaphragm, the fabric beneath her hands. Finally, she pulled her legs up, folding them under her as she let herself slip into a meditative mental space. Focusing on why she was upset felt...raw and dangerous so she gently pushed it away, focusing just on the feel of her body, the feel of the air.
Time didn't matter like this, it simply passed as quick or as slow as it needed to as she carefully stilled herself, letting the unimportant things fall away, leaving her calm again. Just how May had taught her. Focusing inwards meant she hadn't been feeling outward. A hand touched her shoulder. Daisy absently felt for the vibrations of the person, and they were familiar. She couldn't help the recoil and she cringed away, eyes flying open, her powers shoving the hand off as she focused. "Fitz!" She hissed, straightening up. "Jesus, don't sneak up on people like that."
Fitz frowned, his hand still hanging in the air slightly like he wasn't sure what to do with it. "What was t-that?"
"Nothing, you just startled me." Daisy straightened, her feet hitting the floor as she stood up. "Did you need something?"
Fitz was focusing on her in that way he had of looking at machines and understanding them. "I've g-gotten you out of meditation b-before without being nearly sent through a w-wall."
"That's an exaggeration and it's nothing." Daisy shrugged. "Just kinda off from dealing with my cult. They've gone and created an honor code that is like...better than the SHIELD one honestly."
Fitz's eyes narrowed slightly, but he took the change of topic. "What, like p-picking daisies or s-something?"
"No." She rolled her eyes. "It's all about helping people, being humble, and judging fairly before intervening. Humility, kindness, self-sacrifice, and protection."
He blinked. "Huh...wasn't e-expecting that."
"Neither was I...I haven't even really talked philosophy or ethics with them much. I mean sure the whole devotion to being better to make a better world but…" Daisy shook her head. "Anyways, I just wasn't expecting that."
Fitz cocked his head. "I w-wouldn't have expected that. Like y-you punch them a lot?"
"Not hard." She muttered, crossing her arms. "What did you need me for?"
He picked up one of her ceramic cups, looking at her oddly. "Was g-going to ask you about….about speech therapy." His mouth twisted slightly. "If it's n-not a bother."
"Of course, right, what do you want to do? The old breathing exercises?" Daisy forced her arms down to her sides and a smile on her face. She'd done this before the first time, it wouldn't be any different now.
/
Fitz watched Daisy as he carefully breathed, following her example. Not that he didn't know the exercises, but the familiarity of doing this with Daisy was something he'd thought would help. But he could tell something was wrong. She was on guard. He hadn't spent years living with and besides Daisy not to know the difference between her faking ease and actually being at ease. And now that he was looking for it, it was clear she was faking it.
Now that he saw it he found himself looking back over his old memories of the last several months he realized it'd been there since the start. What he'd ignored, or thought was their location wasn't that, it was him. He felt bile at the back of his throat. He pulled back sharply. "So it was c-crap then?"
"What's crap?" Daisy looked at him in confusion. But the tension she carried in her jaw didn't drop.
He jerked to his feet, beginning to pace. "You s-said it didn't matter. T-that you didn't think it was me. B-but that was crap. Y-you hate me."
"No, I don't." Daisy tightened then. "And what are you talking about?"
Fitz ran a hand through his hair. "The F-framework, torturing you, h-hurting everyone!" He glared. "Which fine, t-that's on me. But you lied!"
"I don't blame you for that Fitz." Daisy was on her feet then, putting more space between them. "That was Aida, and Radcliff. You weren't you in the Framework. None of us were."
He scoffed outright at that. "Stop LYING! Y-you can't e-even look at me right!"
"I'm looking at you right now! Come on Fitz. Stop being ridiculous." Daisy caught his upper arm. "I promise, I don't blame you for that."
Fitz slapped her hand away. "Then why are we w-wrong!" He saw her still, her words not coming out. "Y-you've been avoiding me. I t-thought you were just b-busy, but that's n-not it. You're a-avoiding me. You f-flinch if I'm behind y-you. You're m-managing me like I'm c-crazy. And I know w-what you look like w-when you're faking. Just b-because I didn't notice at f-first."
"Drop it Fitz." Daisy pulled back, her face shutting down.
He glared at her, wetting his lips as he put that together. "The o-other me did something t-then? What c-could be that bad? What c-could be worse t-then the Framework?!"
"Nothing that matters." Daisy tried to blow off, but her voice was tight, her posture leaning back and away from the issue.
And it was… "That's b-bullshit. What d-did I do? I deserve t-to know."
Daisy's jaw tightened and she shook her head. "No."
Fitz waved his hand. "If you h-hate me it changed s-s-something." He realized he could feel the air vibrating. "Y-you're just running a-away like always. Just r-repress everything y-you don't like till it g-goes boom. Think y-your new friends w-will survive that?"
He glared as he watched her crossing her arms, clearly not willing to give ground. Not saying anything and he was...he was so angry. "We're t-trapped in this s-shit hole of a w-world! And it's j-just us!"
Daisy raised a brow, half daring him to keep pushing, saying nothing. The air felt heavy, near trembling against his skin.
"What? Going to j-just say n-nothing?" He scoffed outright at that. "W-we're not a team if y-you can't even t-tell me why you're m-mad?" His arm waved to the side. "Is it t-that perfect D-daisy can't p-possibly feel anything bad? Cause t-that's what you d-do, isn't it? Just p-pretend everything is fine. If y-you can't f-fake it you j-just run."
The floor was vibrating now, Daisy's eyes bright and sharp, but her mouth remained frustratingly closed, her lips a thin line.
"W-what was it? What d-did I do t-that's bad enough for y-you to hate me? You, D-destroyer of W-worlds who had t-to have killed seven p-point seven b-billion people in the t-timeline? A-and you still s-shove it all down. D-doesn't matter you could kill everyone a-around you over a s-stubbed toe because of it. S-so why do you g-get to JUDGE ME!?"
"Fine!" Daisy snapped, every piece of glass in the room shattering. She was breathing heavy, her arms crossed still, her stance strong. "What did you do? You knocked me out, strapped me down, and cut into me while I screamed for you to stop. Because you thought it was necessary. Didn't stop for other options, you just decided and you did it. Didn't matter that Jemma begged you to stop to the point you held a gun on her. My screams and pain didn't matter to you, none of it mattered except what you had decided was necessary. And the worst part? The worst part is you weren't even sorry, couldn't even imagine it was wrong."
Fitz flinched back in the face of her words, the pain behind them.
"You could have paralyzed me, killed me, definitely was more painful than the fucking torture in the Framework. It didn't matter. Just Fitz, the world on your shoulders, not like the rest of the team was there and killing ourselves to change the future together. Because it's all about you. No one matters to you except for you and Jemma."
Fitz's eyes turned to her neck, he didn't want to believe her. "Your n-new scar?"
"Yes." Daisy replied shortly.
He shuddered but ran his hand through his hair. "Right, s-so the D-doctor can take c-control. We c-can fix it? Or p-put me under g-guard or something."
"It wasn't the Doctor, it was you." Daisy spat. "So sorry I'm having a hard time trusting you."
Fitz balked at that. That wasn't...that wasn't him. No version of him could do that. "I w-w-wouldn't..."
"You would." Daisy was sharp as the vibrations picked up the metal in the room nearly humming from the pitch of the vibrations. "And if you thought it would get you home you'd cut me to pieces for it. And you wouldn't miss a wink of sleep over hanging my entrails from a tree. I know you Fitz, and I may repress things and run when I'm in pain. But you stopped caring about anyone but yourself and Jemma a long time ago." She spat out, the room giving a shudder again, the stones making a terrible sound. Her eyes widened as she seemed to realize her powers were slipping.
Fitz didn't say anything. Was that him? Something he could do? Who he was now? He couldn't say he wouldn't without hesitation and wasn't that damning? When had that been him? He lunged for the nearest bucket shaped anything and retched.