Jon thought the whole send off thing was a bit much, but it filled him with quiet affection all the same. Being near to his family was a warm ember banishing the cold of death from his bones. Sometimes he near forgot he'd been dead at all. Pausing beside Ghost, he buried his hand in the thick white fur, scratching behind one ear. "You watch out for them for me boy."
Ghost's red eyes flicked to him, as he turned his head into the scratching. The giant wolf's tongue lolled from his gaping jaws.
Huffing, Jon smiled. "I know, you'd have done it anyway." He gave his faithful companion a final scratch. "Don't think I don't know about those scraps you get from Sansa. Lazy wolf."
It was comforting to know Ghost would be a silent shadow behind his sister and brother. Even if the beast got fat. Sansa never denied him morsels of food or the warmest spot by the fire. It was ridiculous, the wolves were wild animals.
Jon left Ghost behind, moving to join his party destined for Dragonstone. His grin grew at the sight of Daisy waiving for him from where she'd been quietly speaking with her Order members who were going. "Jon!"
He lengthened his stride, easily reaching her and hugging her tightly. He'd never be able to repay her for helping this happen. "You'll join us soon?"
"Three weeks in Whiteharbor." She agreed, hugging him back. "Don't get into too much trouble till you get there."
He gave a final squeeze before pulling away. "We'll look to the sky then."
"Good." She waved the two order members forward. "You know Joran, but this is Seth. He's a part of your royal guard and will be keeping your mopey ass alive."
Chuckling he offered his hand to the boy, clapping it gladly. "Any man of her's has nothing to prove to me."
"I'll keep you safe, your Highness." Seth replied, a faint edge of eagerness barely restrained.
Welp, the man'd grow out of it in time. If he lived that long. "Joran, good to have you along."
"Glad to be here." Joran gave him a short nod of respect.
Jon reached out squeezing Daisy's forearm in gratitude. Moving further into the throng he grunted as Tormund half tackled him from the side. "Fucking Stark!"
"Tormund." Jon laughed, he trusted the ginger bear of a man to keep the Wildlings in line while he was gone. "Didn't think you'd be here."
Tormund's laugh was half roar. "And miss seeing you off to go fight dragons? You've got a death wish pretty boy."
"Trying to make friends with the dragons." He slapped the other man on the back as he chuckled.
Tormund snort. "Oh aye, make friends with dragons. You're a crazy bastard if I ever met one."
"I agree entirely." Sansa's calm, clear voice cut in as she approached. Her posture and dress impeccable. Her great black cloak, with a thick black fur, fell over her shoulders.
Jon slid out from under Tormund's hand and hugged his sister as fiercely as possible. The stiffness of her posture melted instantly as she hugged back. His eyes closed as they clung to each other. He tried to imprint the moment in his memory. Leaving his family tore at him. But to protect them he needed to go. "I'm going to miss you."
"And I you." Sansa pulled back, and looking at her face it couldn't be doubted she loved him with every bit of fierceness he loved her. "Be safe."
He smiled. "I will, and next time you see me I'll have that dragonglass."
"Don't do anything stupid," Sansa replied, though her lips turned up slightly.
Jon's attention jerked to the side as he barely caught Rickon before the boy bowled him over. He laughed, arms wrapping around his brother. The kid was going to be tall as Sansa or taller if he kept growing at this rate. He tightened his arms around his brother. "Hello to you too."
"It's dumb you have to go." Rickon grumbled into his shoulder.
He pulled back, grabbing Rickon's shoulder with one hand, another hand curling around the back of his brother's neck. "It's my duty to keep you, our sister, and our people safe. When you're grown you'll understand. For now, just take care of yourself."
"Shaggydog could go with you." Rickon's eyes were sharp as he offered.
Jon shook his head. "No, you keep your partner here." He pulled Rickon in, hugging him again briefly. "I'm so proud of you."
He looked over the courtyard full of the party going to Dragonstone. But more than that, it was a courtyard of a secure Winterfell, men, and servants about. The Stark colors hanging from the walls; it was clean, safe, and home. Keeping it this way was worth it. He loved his home and his family to the depths of his soul. This place was in his bones. And he'd do anything to protect it. Even if he would feel its loss when he rode out through the gates.
/
Lady Dustin marched herself straight into Lord Forrester's small solar. "Rodrik, what in the gods' names are you doing here? I'd have thought you'd be out the front gates the second Prince Stark was off for Dragonstone."
The man paused in the writing of their proposal for the deferment of tax collection till such a time as people could pay. It would hurt the Starks in the short term but would allow their people time to recover. "Why would I be leaving?"
"You're not serious?" She was disappointed that the typically intelligent man was looking at her blankly. "You are Lord of the Ironrath. War is coming and your lands need to be prepared. Now is the only time you will be able to leave for your family. Once war comes you may not see your home again for years."
Rodrik Forrester set down his quill, folding his hands on top of the table as he looked at her. "I'm Master of Revenue."
"Oh aye, you are. That's why we are forced to work together. But you are also Lord of Ironrath, go ask our Queen for a small force of men to go and prepare your home for the dead. Go see your wife, hug your new babe, maybe get her with child again." She laid her hands on the table, leaning over him. "And by the gods when you're required to return bring your wife, and surviving siblings here. Your sister and I can handle your duties here while you see to the Ironrath. But Ironrath stands no chance against the dead. Your family needs to be evacuated."
He swallowed thickly. "Our work here is important."
"Our work here won't even be useful till after this war, if we survive it at all. Go get your family and move them as far from danger as you can. Idiot." She pushed off from the table and grabbed a pitcher of wine. "With Davos and Jon gone now is your chance to get your own House in order. Glover and Manderly have grown sons to run their lands while they're here. You do not."
Rodrick leaned back in his seat. "I may take your advice."
"Ironrath isn't even far from here. I'll finish the draft of our tax deferment proposal while you're away." She took some pity on the man. "Your sister Mira will be safe here while you are gone. I'll keep an eye out on her, and you know that Tyrell pillow biter will as well. She has friends here, and beyond that, you think our Queen would allow a woman to come to harm while under her protection?"
Rodrick's shoulders slumped. "No, I know Mira would be safe. But she deserves to return to our home."
"But your home will barely stall the dead for a few hours should they get past the Wall." Barbrey finished for him. It was an understandable grief. They all wanted to be home and safe, but that didn't make their homes safe.
He stood from his chair, his movements stiff. His wounds from the Red Wedding left him moving like a man of a great many years instead of one barely in his prime. The limp would likely never go away. "Do you think we have any hope of survival?"
"Do we have a choice not to?" Barbrey replied. "And if someone is going to claw survival out of this mess for us it'll be the Starks. Especially this batch of them."
He huffed. "Aye, Sansa's the only one not back from the dead." He paused. "Quite literally in Prince Jon's case."
"The dead back to life, the Long Night, at least one god roaming around. We live in times where the rules have changed." Barbrey poured them both generous cups of wine. Quite frankly she needed it. "Though, cheers to our Queen finally securing her Holiness's favor."
Rodrik laughed, but picked up his cup and clanged it against her before drinking. "I do not believe she could have lost it."
"There is that." Barbrey laughed as she drank. Watching a god pine for their Queen had been the most entertaining thing she'd witnessed in years. Also nerve wracking. "The balls on that girl, who plays seduction games with a god?"
He hummed. "It worked." Rodrik leaned against the mantle by the fire. "But you've made your point. I'll speak to her Grace in the morning about departing for a short while."
"Good." Barbrey sighed. "I'll make sure your sister is busy while you're away. Someone needs to start forming some ladies in waiting for our Queen." Even if every woman in Winterfell was currently being put to work at winter preparations. Appearances still had to be observed.
Rodrik grimaced. "Mira will know how to do that, but after her time in the south…if she refuses don't force it."
"I'm not a monster." Barbrey rolled her eyes. If the girl wanted to sew quilts, cloaks, gambesons and knit socks away from the Queen that was her own choice. "I'm a prisoner here if you haven't forgotten."
He gave her a look as he finished his wine. "Anyone who believes you are merely anything my lady is a bigger fool than I can imagine."
"You flatter me." She smiled all the same. Good, man had a brain, made him tolerable to answer to. "Now before you go, best speak with our resident god about getting some glass made for Ironrath."
/
Brienne found that she was filled with an honorable satisfaction of doing her duty. Standing there against the wall, her charge safe and alive before her was a balm after years of misery chasing her oaths. Finally, she was doing her duty. It was rewarding. However, she could see the worry in the lines of her Queen's shoulders. She had waited till it was just them to say something. "Your Grace, I'm sure your brother will return safely to you."
Sansa looked up from where she'd been pouring over letters newly arrived from Whiteharbor. "Starks don't do well in the south. Even when they should be safe."
"You've given him his best chance, your Grace." Brienne was admittedly not good at comforting. She shifted awkwardly. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
Sansa smiled faintly, the heavy pall of grief at her brother's departure remained settled over her shoulders. "Thank you, even if you don't truly mean it."
"My Queen…" Brienne frowned. "I have more faith in his well being than anyone else. He's already come back once."
Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "There is that." She looked away towards the window. "I know I'm being silly, but every time he leaves it is harder to say goodbye."
"That's not silly at all, your Grace," Brienne assured her Queen. Because it wasn't silly, not after everything that had happened to the Starks. Fear was the least silly thing she could think of.
Sansa sighed, a rare show of weakness. Her Queen was very good at appearing strong and controlled at all times. It was one of the things worth admiring about her, worth protecting. "Thank you." Her attention moved away from the window and back to Brienne. "How are things progressing with the royal guard?"
"We'll do our duty, your Grace." Brienne thrummed with pride at being made Commander of the royal guard. It was an honor she would do everything in her power to live up to.
Sansa gave her a quiet look of warm approval. "I'm sure you will."
They settled back into the quiet of the warm room. Sansa reading correspondence and carefully writing out replies in an elegant hand, as Brienne stood at her post as silent protection. It was a quiet evening.
The silence was interrupted by a knock on the door, and then without so much as a 'by your leave' the door opened, and Daisy strode in without a care in the world.
Brienne narrowed her eyes faintly, as her hand fell away from the hilt of her sword.
"Did you just come in through the door?" Sansa asked in some disbelief. "I was half convinced you traveled exclusively through windows."
Which…Brienne had known Daisy was getting into the Queen's rooms without going through the door somehow. Everyone who guarded her Grace had known or guessed that. And if they hadn't their Queen suddenly and inexplicably knowing how to wield a dagger would have given it away. But the window? Not some dark magic, the fucking window!? Brienne was going to be inspecting every window in the royal quarters in the morning and ensuring no human could also use that route.
Daisy grinned, brandishing a plate of what looked like dried meat, a sliced apple, and some cheese. "It's hard to fly while keeping stuff from flying away. And you didn't eat a thing at dinner, don't think I didn't notice those food pushing about skills. So I figured you're actually probably feeling hungry by now."
Brienne's eyes snapped to Sansa at that. She hadn't realized her Queen hadn't eaten. And it was clear the god was right.
Sansa opened her mouth slightly as if to argue before not bothering. Instead, she shook her head. "I'm just being stupid. You didn't need to worry."
"Uh, no, don't go there." Daisy rolled her eyes while setting the plate of food on the small table by the fire. And pointedly rocking on her heels waiting for the Queen to join her. "You're like one really bad day away from snapping and trying to strangle someone with your bare hands."
The audacity was vaguely galling, but then Brienne typically avoided the god since she was generally confounding and galling in turns. But then it was hard to judge what to expect from a god. And Queen Sansa trusted the woman. A great, and mortifying deal of trust.
Sansa seemed to hesitate before rising to her feet. "I'm too sober for this."
"Probably also not healthy, but I'll take it." Daisy snagged a pitcher of wine and poured a cup setting it by the food before preparing and heating water for tea with a flick of her fingers. "I don't think I'll join you for the wine tonight though."
Sansa just laughed as she walked to the fire, closing her eyes as she stood near enough to the fire for it to warm her bones. "It's been a long day."
"And arguing with your brother didn't help, I'm sure." Daisy lifted the cup of wine and pressed it into Sansa's hand.
Sansa took the wine, her eyes opening as she drank deeply from the cup before replying. "I can't afford to be weak." She looked at the wine in some disgust.
"You're not weak, you're human." Daisy reached out, gently tipping Sansa's chin up. "I promise, you're one of the strongest people I know." There was a moment of stillness and then Sansa seemed to crack before she was taking a half step and hugging Daisy to her fiercely. A sound that might have been a sob choked in the back of Sansa's throat.
It was…Brienne turned so that she was facing away. This was private in a way that she was uncomfortable witnessing. But she found her..discomfort with the god fading. Because she knew that her Queen deserved to be human, and if this god gave her that. Well, it wasn't her place to say anything anyways.
/
Daisy carefully unfolded from her chair with a yawn. She stood on silent feet, looking to where Brienne was, her voice soft. "I'll get her to bed."
"Excuse me?" Brienne's voice was stiff.
She gently lifted the empty wine cup from Sansa's hand. While typically she knew Sansa was easily startled, and almost certainly a light sleeper; she knew a bit too much wine and the redhead was out. And slept deeply, a thing she'd learned in Barrowtown. "I'm not leaving her to sleep in a chair."
Daisy was grateful to the serum then, it'd have been a bit of a gamble if she hadn't had it. Wool gowns were fucking heavy, and Sansa had a few inches on her. But she did have the serum, making it easy to gently lift the sleeping Sansa into her arms. One hand around her back, the other under her knees.
It filled Daisy with an emotion she didn't name, when Sansa shifted, burying her head into her shoulder. There was a faint flick of groggy blue eyes, and then her eyes closed again. Sansa knew it was her, and she was safe enough to simply return to sleep. Daisy may not dare name the emotion it filled her with, but she burned with the warmth of it. The weight of it.
She smiled faintly as Brienne opened the attached door between the small Lord's solar that Sansa had turned into her private solar, and her bed chambers. Daisy gave Brienne a nod of thanks as she gently carried Sansa into the bedchamber. She tipped her head towards the bed.
Clearly, Brienne got the message as she pulled the top covers down.
Daisy set Sansa down upon the sheets with care. Then it was easy work to get her girdle off, Sansa's preference for an outer leather girdle helped. Which seemed to just be a Sansa thing? It was easy enough to remove the article of clothing. Passing it to Brienne, she dropped on one knee so she could quickly slide Sansa's shoes off.
That done she used careful movements to lift Sansa's legs up and into the bed. She pulled the covers over her…paramour? Was that the word? Daisy didn't think on it much, just ensuring the woman was tucked in. She pressed a brief kiss to Sansa's hairline, pausing as she caught the groggy blue eyes looking at her again. "It's alright, just go to sleep. Brienne will be just outside the door."
Sansa made a soft sound, her eyelids falling shut again. And she was out. Her vibrations the slow feel of sleep. Hesitating a second Daisy looked down at her face. She wished…she wished she could do more than ensure she ate and be an ear as Sansa tried to hide her terror for her brother's safety. But looking at her now, asleep and in some ways at peace it felt…there was nowhere Daisy would rather be.
Daisy forced herself to turn away and pad out of the bedchamber. She stopped as the door shut behind her. "Thank you."
"You truly care for her." Brienne was looking at her like some puzzle had been solved.
She stared at the woman, so many easy ways to brush the emotional vulnerability off. But… none of them would be honest. "I do."