Sansa sat upon her throne in the King's Hall and looked out over her court, her lords and ladies sitting along the low benches running down the room. Their faces were grim; the news had been spread then. Dragons to the south, the Dead to the north, Cersei in-between, and Winter falling deeper every day. At least the arguments over whether they should turn their attention to the south would end. Even with the Vale, there was no force that could stand in the field against the Dragon Queen.
She stood from her throne, facing her court. "As no doubt, you have all heard, several messages have arrived in recent days." Sansa held up the message from Sam. "This is a message from Samwell Tarly. He is Maester for the Night's Watch, and his honesty is not in question. He writes to say that Dragonstone stands on a mountain of dragonglass."
The court was filled with mutterings, they knew what that meant. She and Jon had loudly proclaimed it was one of only three methods of killing the dead.
"This," She raised a second message, "Is from Tyrion Lannister." There were several cries out of disgust. Sansa narrowed her eyes, waiting for them to silence themselves. "He writes as Hand of the Queen, to Danaerys Targaryen. She's arrived on Dragonstone with a Dothraki horde, an army of Unsullied, an Ironborn fleet, and has met with the armies of Dorne, the Reach, as well as commanding her three dragons. She intends to take the Iron Throne and graciously summons me to Dragonstone. An action I will not be taking."
There was a round of 'Ayes' and agreeing bangs on the tables.
Sansa continued, the frenzied arguments that she had engaged in with her small council now needed to be laid out before the Lords of the North. "There has been a great deal of argument on whether we should turn our attention south in an attempt to secure dragonglass. Every route possible was examined, but with Dragonstone now held by a Targaryen with such a huge force at her command, that is now moot. This leaves us with the shield of winter and the Vale to protect our backs while we stand against the dead, armed with fire alone as our only effective weapon."
"We can no longer wait and hope for another option for fighting the dead to emerge." Sansa met her nobles' eyes. "We must begin our preparations in earnest, and without delay."
Jon stood up, his pin naming him her hand glinting upon his chest. "I will go to Dragonstone."
Sansa paused, staring at him in confusion, what was he doing? That would be suicide. "No one is going to Dragonstone."
"I mean no offense sister. But we need that dragonglass, we'll all die without it." Jon's face was grim, even if there was an apology there. "But not just that, we need allies."
The court was against it, there was outrage as men and women turned to bite out words of opposition to each other.
Jon held Sansa's gaze for a long moment, and then he was snapping his head around to bark out at the court. "We need this dragonglass, my Lords. We need to mine it and turn it into weapons. The Night King's army grows stronger by the day. We can't defeat them on our own. We don't have the numbers. Danaerys has her own army, the largest in Westeros if this message is to be believed, and she has dragon fire. I need to try and persuade her to fight with us. I will ride for White Harbor tomorrow, and then set sail for Dragonstone." He turned back to Sansa. "With your permission my Queen."
Sansa felt her facade of calm cracking. It was stupid, so incredibly stupid. She could wring his neck personally. "Have you forgotten what happened to our grandfather? The Mad King invited him to King's Landing and roasted him alive."
"I know that." His voice lowered, but the stubborn set of his shoulders remained. Even with the court making sounds of agreement with her.
Her voice was quick as she tried to force some common sense down her brother's throat before he could do something irreparable. "She is here to claim the Iron Throne and The Seven Kingdoms. The North is one of those kingdoms. This isn't an invitation, it's a trap. One meant for me to fall into, but which by your walking into will give her the pretense of my insult of sending you as a means to hold you. A convenient hostage until I bend the knee."
"It could be." Jon spoke over the Lords and their consensus. "But I don't believe Tyrion would do that. You know him, he's a good man."
Lord Royce stood, the bench sliding backward as he spoke. "Your Highness, with respect, I must agree with Queen Sansa. I remember the Mad King all too well. A Targaryen cannot be trusted. Nor can a Lannister." His face was unflinching before Jon's disappointment.
Starting up from the bench Lord Glover snapped at Jon. "We called your brother King and then he rode south and lost his kingdom."
"Winter is here your Highness." Lyanna Mormont spoke, standing with more strength than any child her age should hold. "We need the leader of our armies in the North."
Jon stood there waiting as the noise of the crowd's argument died down before speaking, appealing to the Lords. Clearly, he knew he needed their support to have a chance at forcing her hand into allowing this madness.
Sansa cursed herself for respecting the Northern court's custom of allowing its Lords a voice at times like this. To silence her brother would be to violate their own customs.
"I swore to protect the realms of men, I swore to protect my sister, and as Hand, I have sworn to lead the North against the dead. This is my home and I will never stop fighting for it, but the odds are against us." He sighed, the weight that had seemed to lift from his shoulders week by week settling back down over him. "None of you have seen the army of the dead. None of you. We can never hope to defeat them alone and with only fire. We need weapons. We need allies- powerful allies. I know it's a risk, but I have to take it."
"If you truly believe Tyrion means well, that this is a necessary risk then we send an envoy. I won't send my Hand and my brother into a possible trap. You are too important to this war to lose on mere hope."
Jon stood firm in front of her. "Daenerys is a Queen. As a member of our House, as a Prince of the North, and as your Hand, I might be able to convince her to help us in your place."
Her heart was in her throat and the words to accuse him of abandoning their people were on the tip of her tongue when Daisy stepped forward.
"I'll go with him." Daisy stood firm as the entire court froze in shock. She spoke easily as if she wasn't saying something entirely insane. "I've pledged to help in your fight against the dead, but I'm a god of destruction. My help could kill more than all the dead put together. Jon's not wrong you need allies. Nor that you need dragonglass. So I'll go with him. If it's a trap… let them try. I'll kill them all before they touch a hair on his head." Daisy gave a slight bow of her head towards Sansa.
And Sansa…how?... Her words stuck in her throat. She wanted to scream that they couldn't leave her, either of them. That she needed them. That it could go so horrifically wrong. That Starks were cursed and going south brought nothing but death and destruction to them. That she was the only Stark to survive going south and she hadn't done so unharmed. "And if this Targaryen is as mad as her father?"
"Then we bully them into filling our ship with dragonglass and we leave." Daisy gave a brief glance towards Jon. Whatever it communicated had him looking like he'd already won. "I'll bring your brother back to you even if I have to fly him back."
Jon spoke. "You don't need me to prepare the North. You're a better Queen than any. I will leave good men with instructions on how to aid you, but we need this if we mean to live. If I failed to do everything in my power to protect you and the North father's ghost would never give me peace."
The court was silent as they held each other's eyes. The last two grown Starks who still drew breath and they stood in opposition, truly opposed for the first time since they'd been reunited. Jon wouldn't bend on this. His heels were dug in and would not budge. And Sansa knew in her heart she would not have him dragged to the dungeons till he changed his mind, and it was the only method that would keep him here, where he belonged.
"Very well." And so Sansa bent. "But you leave in two days' time, with a proper envoy as befitting your position as my Hand and as a Prince of Winterfell. If we are to negotiate with a Targaryen then you will be prepared."
Jon bowed his head. "Thank you, your Grace."
Sansa wanted to stride across the room to punch him in the face for it. Her heart was still beating wildly against her chest because she was afraid and her idiot brother couldn't have done this privately. The absolute idiot. She would never speak against it, however. She'd seen what happened to rulers who didn't allow dissent in public. And she would not turn into a tyrant, no matter how terrified she was. No matter how every fiber of her being cried out at the wrongness of her brother leaving.
"Do you have to be this stubborn!" Sansa threw her hands up as she glared at her brother. "You have to be smarter than Robb, than Father. You can't just take Davos and a dozen men at arms with you!"
Jon didn't so much as flinch under her fury, it was irritating as hell. "I'm not taking your strongest supporters and more men than I have to with me."
"If we are going to attempt to negotiate with the Dragon Queen we are going to do it right while projecting strength. You would insult her and forecast weakness if you just show up with nothing but yourself and one Lord." Sansa reached up touching her forehead before breathing out, being angry with her brother did nothing. "You can still change your mind. Your place is here, in the North." 'With me' she left unsaid.
Jon shifted like he was resisting the need to reach out for her. "Sansa…it has to be done or we will all die."
"We could find a way." There had to be another way. Her fists clenched, her nails biting into her palms.
He softened as his stupid, big, sad eyes focused on her. "I'll be protected, I'll come back to you." He smiled sadly. "You don't need me here, you need me there getting dragonglass and hopefully an ally."
"Even if by some miracle you and Daisy convince this Targaryen to help and you get all of the dragonglass we can mine, you must know the peace will not last. You have to see that the peace will end the minute the Dead fall." Sansa hated that he wasn't necessarily wrong. They did need allies, just the Vale wasn't enough. They needed effective weapons beyond just fire.
He gave a slow nod. "I leave all that to you. I only know that if we don't do this, we will die."
"Listen to Daisy." Sansa swallowed, forcing her emotions back. "We'll talk tonight, but you will have an escorting company who are able to help you. And if Daisy tells you to do something, you do it. She knows how the game is played better than she's given credit for. Most of all, if she says run, you run."
Jon's teeth grit but he nodded. "Alright."
"Good." She moved to walk past him. If she stayed much longer in his presence then she'd say something stupid. Her anger should have faded by the small council meeting tonight. At least enough that she'd be able to be practical about it.
He caught her forearm. "I'm doing this for us, for our people."
"I know." She replied because she did. It didn't make it any better that he was going to leave her to walk into an obvious trap. Nothing could make that better.
Sansa was ignoring the silent presence of Loras behind her as she walked towards her private solar and chambers only to pause as she saw Daisy leaning against the wall waiting for her. "Daisy."
"Sup." Daisy winced. "Look, I'm sorry about sticking my nose into your whole political thing over the last couple of days. It has just been moving quickly and it was never a good time to check in with you. I'm sorry, it was shitty of me."
And...Sansa had no words for that. Of the myriad of things, she had wanted to speak of with Daisy, the concept of the woman owing her an apology was so far removed from reality that she hadn't even considered it. Of the many emotions Daisy had stirred, none of them had been negative. Perhaps too positive, but certainly not upset.
In recent days Daisy had given Sansa utter control of their dynamic publically and without question. It was an unheard of course of action, and one that had neatly removed multiple political issues for Sansa. She was no longer under the constant pressure from her court to fuck a god. It allowed political marriage as a tool for an alliance to be open once more if she so chose but on her terms and hers alone. Which was to say nothing of Daisy diverting the majority of Lord Baelish's attention onto herself. And just now she'd prevented a public dispute from turning into a true fight or challenge to her authority while also guaranteeing her brother's safety.
Daisy continued a faint shuffle in her movements. "But I promise I'll keep Jon safe and keep him from doing anything too stupid." She huffed in amusement.
Sansa wanted to ask what on earth Daisy could think she owed her an apology for. In what world her actions could be construed as anything but genuine and thoughtful service. That in both intent and result Daisy's actions had been favorable towards her. None of that however was what she asked. "Why did you volunteer to go to Dragonstone?" She had to know because Dragonstone meant nothing to Daisy, it was nothing to her.
"Because he's your brother?" Daisy tilted her head, eyes looking at her curiously as if it was as simple as that.
Sansa looked at Daisy and her mind went desperately still, and the burning in her chest moved her. She took two steps forward, her right hand reaching up to catch the side of Daisy's face and pressing her mouth against Daisy's before she could have thought of stopping herself. Not that she was thinking much of anything.
Under the palm of her hand, Daisy's cheek was warm, her loose hair gently brushing against her hand. Daisy's lips were soft against hers and still for a few terrifying seconds, and then Daisy turned ever so pliant before pressing back.
Sansa jerked back slightly, her eyes wide open as she stared at Daisy whose brow had furrowed as she moved as if to say something, a confused blink as she stood there, still not pulling away from Sansa's touch.
She'd kissed back!
Sansa leaned in, cutting off whatever Daisy had been about to say, changing the angle slightly and hoping she was doing this right.
The breath caught in the back of her throat as Daisy kissed back immediately and thoroughly this time. It was liquid how Daisy responded slowly and hotly against her. Nipping lightly at her lip and soothing it with her tongue and oh god…
One of Daisy's hands fell to Sansa's hip, gently pulling her closer, her other hand brushing Sansa's hair away from her face, before sliding down to where her neck met her jaw. Her touch was there but not possessive. Daisy's hold was easily breakable if Sansa had any desire to move away from the kiss she'd started which was so rapidly turning into something else.
And Sansa…Sansa had never been kissed so thoroughly, it was new and different. She burned with it as she found herself holding Daisy closer, needing her closer. It felt like she'd lose more than the air she couldn't keep in her lungs if this moment ended. She found herself unconsciously pressing back, trying to match Daisy.
Her free hand slid to the small of Daisy's back, as she ached with the feelings she'd so firmly tried to hold back. She was burning with sensations that had never felt pleasant before.
Daisy eased her mouth away, and then pulled back slightly, her voice breathless. "Sansa?" She waited until Sansa's weighted lids opened and she could look her in the eye. "You're sure?"
Staring into the face of the person she trusted and depended on, who had proven every terrible lesson to not be universally true, her friend who looked that slightest bit up at her, waiting for a real answer…there was only one answer: "Yes."
Daisy's eyes flicked across Sansa's face, looking for something. Whatever it was, Daisy must have found it because suddenly both of Daisy's hands curled around the sides of her waist, and she pressed their mouths back together.
They stumbled back a half step, Sansa's hand fell from Daisy's face to her shoulder, gripping the fabric of Daisy's outer wool jacket. Sansa sighed in terrified relief, because she wanted this. Had wanted it. And she was wanted in return. She was safe. She barely knew what she was doing. Hopefully, she knew enough to not make an utter fool of herself.
Daisy pushed them back across the hall, Sansa's back hitting the door to her chambers. Daisy's mouth pulled away from hers, only to then begin kissing along her jaw and towards her neck.
Sansa's head fell back against the door, a faintly surprised and high pitched noise at the sensation. Ok..this was new and nice…so nice. She panted faintly, her cheeks certainly flushed.
Reaching behind her she caught the latch of the door, and then they were both stumbling into the room.
Daisy laughed as she caught her footing, easily keeping Sansa steady with her hold around her waist. "You ok?"
She gave a nod with a laugh, though she knew her cheeks were burning. As she stood there, Daisy closing the door with a flick of her wrist, she realized she was going to have to say something before this went disastrously wrong. "I haven't…done this before."
"With a woman?" Daisy asked with kind understanding. She rocked back on her heels as Sansa shifted self consciously. "Hey, it's fine." Daisy rocked forward and lightly kissed her, a simple brush of the lips. "I've got you, it's awkward." She gently nudged their noses together.
Sansa's breath came out shaky with relief. She closed her eyes leaning into Daisy because Daisy was safe. Despite this conviction of Daisy's safety, Sansa knew if her dress was ripped off she wouldn't…she couldn't guarantee that- Sansa shook off the thought and pre-emptively unhooked the leather girdle around her waist that kept her dress neat and against her while keeping her posture even. The weight of it hitting the floor felt...profound, and sounded…loud in her quiet chambers.
Her fingers had a slight tremble which she was relieved Daisy couldn't see and didn't mention if she noticed, as she reached behind herself to unknot the lacing up the back of her gown. Looking up, she caught Daisy's eye and felt like the air in her lungs froze. The warm brown eyes she was used to were nearly black, but the playful grin and crinkles of laughter around the eyes were still there. Also, Daisy clearly didn't have any care or hesitancy about nakedness. She'd shucked off her wool jacket, and linen shirt in one go, and her hands were already unlacing the britches she wore underneath.
Breathing out slowly, Sansa forced herself to calm. She had to calm herself because this was different than it had been before. Daisy wouldn't hurt her, and while she was so clearly desired, the source of that previously sullied emotion was still so plainly Daisy, exactly as she always was. So she held Daisy's eyes as she loosened her laces, let her dress fall; pooling at her feet and leaving her in her shift and hose.
One moment they were watching each other and the next they were kissing again. Hands caressing as they stumbled from the small private solar into the bedchamber. Sansa gasped sharply as she fumbled, not entirely sure where or how exactly to touch, but needing to all the same. There was so much skin and it was right there. It was…she'd never wanted or been able to touch like this with a person she actually desired before.
For a few seconds, Sansa's view was cut off as her shift was lifted over her head, barely a flicker of unease touched her at being so vulnerable.
The back of Sansa's legs hit the edge of the bed, and then she was toppling over on top of it. It felt like the world came rushing back in. She realized she was going to panic, she needed…she needed to be in control or she was going to ruin everything. It was Daisy. She wouldn't hurt her. She knew that. Knew it so well that it left her breathless sometimes.
She rolled them over.
Which left her staring down at a very naked Daisy, and Sansa had no idea what to do next. She could breathe again but…she was so stupid. What now? She was supposed to do something. Looking down at Daisy, her shoulders pressed into the blankets and furs, her hair haloed out around her, looking up at her with so much affection…it felt like the image was burning itself into her mind's eye. Surely it was a thing she could never forget, it left her blood feeling hot and her heart pounding with desire. But…she didn't know what to do, how to do it right, and it left her frozen and unsure, inert.
Daisy blinked, her expression shifting slightly, and then she was sitting up, cupping the sides of Sansa's face. "Hey, come back to me." She lightly kissed her forehead. "I've got you, you're safe."
Sansa shuddered, leaning into the touch, her eyes flickering closed. "I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about, you just got lost in your head." Daisy pressed their foreheads together, gently grounding her.
And it was…oh gods, taking stock of her position she was basically straddling Daisy's lap, naked as the day she was born and had panicked like an idiot. So much for not ruining this. Humiliation burned in her. As soon as she opened her eyes it would be over. Her throat felt tight at the thought of speaking. If she needed to she could have just gone to that silent place in her head, just let it happen. Everything would have been fine if she could have done that but that wasn't what she wanted and the mere thought felt like a betrayal to Daisy.
"We can stop this, it's alright if you're not ready." Daisy's voice was soft as she brushed Sansa's hair out of her face with gentle fingers, her other hand trailed down to her hip, gripping her firmly but not harshly.
Sansa felt a blind hope, she hadn't ruined it. Not yet. "No, I want this."
"What do you need?" Daisy nudged their noses together again.
She opened her eyes, meeting Daisy's warm gaze. The air rushed from her lungs in relief. It was still Daisy, it would always be Daisy. Daisy who knew about Ramsey, who had so many scars of her own. "I can't…I don't know what to do, but you can't pin me."
"Do you need to touch me first?" Daisy asked carefully, clearly watching for her reaction.
Sansa knew her face was flushing red again. But… "Please."
Daisy gently tapped their foreheads together before pulling back slightly and sliding further up the bed. Sansa followed, because it was Daisy.
Catching Sansa's hand, Daisy brought it to her lips and gently kissed her open palm. "If it's too much we can stop." She offered again as she leaned in kissing Sansa's mouth. It was heat and tongue, and so easy to be lost in. The way Daisy was dragging Sansa's hand slowly down her front and then between her legs ensured Sansa didn't stop paying attention to anything for a second though.
"You can touch me." Daisy nipped at her ear.
Sansa felt like she was immolating from heat as she did. It was intoxicating; the need, the desire burning through her and washing away so many fears. The quiet murmuring of soft direction and encouragement in her ear, interrupted by the hitch in Daisy's lungs as Sansa's fingers pressed into her. The heat and slick of it consuming, the faint vibrations that seemed to suffuse Daisy tickling at her.
She mimicked Daisy then, kissing along her neck, a strange daring filling her as she used her thigh to add to her movements, at the whispered words from Daisy. The feel of Daisy against her, encouraging, and every stutter were things Sansa quietly prized. She committed the feel and memory into her mind and heart. Time seemed to lengthen and shorten in a sort of haze of sensation and heat. She didn't know how long it was.
And then Daisy was arching up with a sharp sound, a wave of vibrations washing past her.
Sansa was breathing heavily, holding Daisy as she came back. She smiled. "Are you ok?"
"More than." Daisy huffed out a laugh.
She felt a faint loss, pulling her fingers out of Daisy's warmth. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she wiped her hand off on the rumpled bed covers.
"Hey." Daisy leaned forward kissing her. "My turn."
Which…Sansa didn't have time to worry that she might panic again before she felt a vague sense of confusion as Daisy began to kiss down her neck to her chest…and then lower? Sansa allowed herself to be gently rolled onto her back even as she fought her confusion.
She was distracted as Daisy kissed down her stomach and her breathing began to turn heavy again, but not in a bad way. Then Daisy…and oh, her confusion vanished as she realized exactly what was happening. It was..oh…well she was not being pinned…but…And then well, her head was snapping back with a gasp at the sensation, her right hand entwining with Daisy's. She held on as she let the sensations overtake her.
Sansa let herself be.
/
Loras Tyrell looked up from his post as Brienne came marching down the hallway.
"Where is her Grace, the small council met near half an hour ago!" Brienne looked stressed. "Is she safe?"
Loras bit back a snort. "She's good." Very good based on the faint shake to the stones and muffled sounds he'd been hearing. "Her Grace is currently indisposed and will not be attending the small council meeting. Best have some wine sent to the council."
"Have you sent for the Maester?" Brienne checked, concern drawn across every line of her honorable being.
He patted Brienne's shoulder. "Not that type of indisposed." He gave a pointed glance to the door. "And I'm sure her Holiness is taking very good care of our Queen."
Brienne's face turned a bright red. "Ah..I'll just…you did the right thing."
"Thank you, Commander." Loras held back the sniggers as Brienne turned on her heel and marched off in mortified horror. Once she was out of sight he couldn't help the silent laughter. Who knew the North would be this much fun?