Sansa wasn't sure what woke her up. Even later she wouldn't be able to put her finger on it. All she knew is that one minute she was asleep, and the next she was cracking her eyes open in the dark of her chambers. She blinked groggily in the dark before sitting up. Everything was exactly as it should be. The only light in the room was from the embers in the hearth. It was quiet..but Sansa frowned.
She let out a beleaguered sigh..she wasn't going to be getting back to sleep anytime soon. Not with a vague paranoid unease that was apparently utterly displaced. Well, there were letters to be responded to from Essos and a series of plans for the building of grain silos to write. It was...and beyond that, she felt an instinctive pull. The only comfort was at least she wasn't fearful, just paranoid.
Slipping out of bed she grabbed a wrap, pulling it over her shift. With quiet feet, she padded out of her bedchamber and into the attached solar. It'd long been the Lord's solar, but with how much business she was required to do she'd not wanted half the court tromping into the family wing. Thus the newly named and set aside for its new use, King's Solar down below. The division of public and private was useful. Honestly, why no one had done it earlier she didn't know.
Closing the door behind her she stilled. The room was brighter than it should be. Sansa breathed out more than spoke. "Daisy?"
Because sitting in front of a stocked fire was Daisy. She was sitting half curled on the carpet. Her arms wrapped around her legs, chin resting on her knees. At her entrance, Daisy had looked up, she seemed to hesitate faintly before raising a hand in greeting. "Hey."
Sansa's brow furrowed ever so lightly. But...she was concerned. There was an air to the other woman that wasn't...typical. It was nearly melancholy. "Has something happened?"
"What? Oh no. I wasn't thinking and just kinda ended up here. Sorry…." Daisy frowned. "Is that creepy? I don't know if that's creepy or not."
Sansa paused...she wasn't sure either. Brushing off the thought off she lowered herself down onto the rug beside Daisy, their sides touching. "Do you wish to speak about whatever it is that brought you here?"
Daisy didn't reply, just staring into the fireplace for the longest time.
It was...peaceful in its own way. Sansa quietly leaned against her paramour. If she didn't wish to speak it was fine. She could draw the conclusion of nightmares. It was...it filled her with a warmth that Daisy had come to her. Some faint doubts of what exactly she meant to the other woman settled. Because Daisy seeking her out when haunted by whatever ghosts in her past were lingering tonight, meant something.
Daisy's voice was quiet, a faint crack. "Did you know my mom tried to kill me?"
Sansa's eyes widened, as she turned to look at Daisy's profile in horrified silence. What was there even to say to that?
"Her gift was life. I don't actually know how old she was. I think...I think she was a good person once but it was cut out of her. The elders of our people would give their last years to her so that she could go on. For them to do that she had to have been good?"
And...there was grief in Daisy's voice as she spoke. So Sansa reached out, laying a hand on her knee. "What was she like?"
"Beautiful, her voice was soft and warm. The type of person who just sounds wise. She had scars across her face from when...well our family was ripped apart. But they...suited her. I only knew her for a handful of days." Daisy swallowed. "And then everything went wrong and SHIELD and our people were on the brink of war and I was stuck in between. Then SHIELD attacked and it was war, only it was a lie. She faked it to justify the genocide of the human race." Daisy scoffed. "Who does that? Respond to a single threat with genocide?"
Daisy was still staring into the fire, the light flickering across her skin. "I didn't even realize what was happening till I saw her killing Raina. Raina was complicated…could see the future and covered in thorns like a plant hedgehog person or something." Her lips pulled up. "We don't all look human you know? Gordon didn't have eyes."
"I…had assumed you all looked human." Sansa admitted which was..fascinating to think of actually. It was so easy to forget just how inhuman Daisy was sometimes. Though she was coming to realize Daisy constantly was vibrating ever so faintly if you touched her firmly enough to notice.
Daisy shook her head. "No, my dad was hoping I'd have wings actually. He'd be…very smug if he knew I'd figured out how to fly with my powers. I think it's the freedom of it he wanted for me. The scarier powers like mine hurt us." She reached up, her hand touching her own neck. "This is how my mom fed on the life of others. I…I could feel my life being drained. She wasn't going to stop. I'd thought…well it doesn't matter what I'd thought. She was going to wipe out billions and I couldn't let her. I would have killed her to stop her."
"But you didn't." Sansa tightened her hand on Daisy's knee.
"No, my dad did so I wouldn't have to." Her voice cracked. "Sometimes I still dream of what it felt like…the agony of dying, the look on her face when she decided."
Sansa lifted her arm and wrapped it around Daisy's shoulders, pressing their sides tightly together. Because of all the pain, she'd experienced she'd always been able to hold onto the love her family had for her. And she knew there was nothing to be said that made the pain less. She wondered what words to say to that? If there were she didn't know them.
Daisy spoke finally, a thickness to her voice. "Sorry, I haven't had that nightmare in…a while."
"You have nothing to apologize for." She replied firmly. "I am grateful for the love my parents gave us, but no one's family is perfect."
Daisy looked at her, something like amusement on her face. "Oh, besides being terrible at politics, what flaws did they have?"
"They believed in a world that didn't exist." Sansa paused, putting her thoughts together. "I'd known that, but overseeing Rickon's lessons I think I've realized just how true that is. We were raised for a life like one in the songs. A world where honor, justice, and nobility weren't just ideals but the truth of it. I was taught everything needed to run the North you know. Math, the logistics of food storage, support for an army, noble houses, so many detailed pieces of information. I was taught everything I needed to know to increase the iron brought in, the fuel increases, all of it so that our forges can run day and night. I wouldn't be surprised if Father saw that we were the most practically educated children in the seven kingdoms."
Daisy nudged her slightly. "You are kinda terrifyingly brilliant."
"That's.." She swallowed back any argument about her intelligence. Instead, she just leaned back into the contact, a faintly pleased thrum in her chest. "And mother..well I was the only one of us who cared for her lessons. But dance, embroidery, manners, music, I was never the lesser of any lady in the south at any of the court graces. All of that, and I was an idiot, left utterly vulnerable once I reached court."
Daisy's brown eyes were focused on her fully. "How so?"
"I was…horribly naive. I didn't know the dangers, the cruelty, or selfishness. None of it. I gave the Lannisters everything they needed to take my father and I thought I was making sure nothing silly would ruin everything. I lied to protect my betrothed's honor and put my sister in danger and my direwolf was killed. I risked allowing Loras to court me in hopes it would allow me to escape, only to draw attention to myself, and was forced to marry Tyrion instead. I didn't understand the stakes, the way rumor or power itself worked."
"You were a kid." Daisy gently protested.
Sansa refused to allow the excuse. "And yet they sent me to court, to become the Queen. I was unprepared to be sent as betrothed for anything greater than a minor Lord and I was sent to be Queen. The last thing my father gifted me was a doll. I was betrothed, nearly of age to bleed and be wed and he gifted me a doll."
She ached at the reminder of that doll. While she'd hated it upon receiving it'd become her dearest possession. "I couldn't have spotted the snakes from the grass. I was on the brink of death and worse. The worse is what terrifies me. And I look at my brother who won every battle, had every justification and claim to justice, who lost. He lost allies, was beset by betrayal, lost the North itself. I never spoke to my brother after we left Winterfell. But I can look at what he did, and I can see his mistakes, his trust in the better nature of men, his rigid honor, and I see how he died. Even if he had not been murdered at the Red Wedding he never could have won. He was too hard, had too much faith, and lacked imagination for betrayal. Things he should have known. We are of the North, it was never our way, and yet…it hamstrung us."
"I don't think anyone is truly ready when they're left to the world to sink or swim. But the world can always get darker. No one is ready for how dark it can get." Daisy frowned. "But it's not just that. It's got some pretty awesome shit in it too."
Sansa couldn't help the laugh she let out at that. "You might be one of the most idealistic and noble people I've ever met." She leaned back poking at Daisy's arm. "You hide it under just all the horrible things, and the fact you can kill anyone any time you wish. But you believe in all those ideals that we all scoff at for being childish."
"Do I?" Daisy was smiling then. "Rude, but can't really argue that." She had a spark to her as she spoke. "I guess what's the point of having power and not making the world a better place with it? Sometimes being different means making a difference."
And Sansa was charmed by her. "How are you real?"
"I'm not unusual, people like me just tend to die. Which, I did kinda die like…twice-ish now?" Daisy snorted. But then she swayed forward, bumping her forehead gently against Sansa's. "You do know you're not stupid?"
She looked away from Daisy. "If I and my people are to survive I need to be better."
"And you think I'm 'noble'." Daisy reached out cupping her cheek and pulling her attention back to her. "You're a far better person than you give yourself credit for."
Sansa leaned into the hand on her cheek. "As are you."
Daisy's face flickered as she pulled back. "You know I've broken almost every one of your people's taboos? Guest rite, kinslaying, murder, I've done a lot of terrible things."
"I'm sure, likely more than I know about." Sansa wondered how to explain it properly. She knew she as well as her people had recognized that Daisy was something great but also dark. "Although unless I'm mistaken you just explained how you weren't guilty of kinslaying."
Daisy's face was dangerous then. "I'm related to the Kree. I don't like the Kree very much. Especially the fuckers who made my species." The danger flickered away as if it'd never been then. It left nothing but grief. "And what is ripping the mind out of my dad's head but killing him? He's alive but he's not really my dad anymore. Everything that made him, him, is gone."
"I'm sorry." Sansa ached for her paramour. Because she knew how very deeply Daisy had to have loved her father from what little she'd said about him. The way she spoke of him now.
Daisy stared at her. "How is it that you've never been scared of me?"
"What are you talking about?" Sansa was confounded by that. "I have been terrified of the power you hold, of what you might want for months. I didn't even begin to think of you as an ally until Barrowtown! And I know you are aware of that, no matter how much effort I put into not acting terrified."
Daisy laughed, genuine affection there. She leaned in kissing her lightly, a simple brush of the lips before pulling back. Her smile was warm and full as she looked at her. "You were scared of the threat I posed, not of me. Do you know how rare that is? You cared about what I might do, not what I was."
That…Sansa stared at Daisy's face. "You do know when Theon and I murdered Ramsey it was because we thought you were going to kill us anyway?"
"Well yeah." Daisy shrugged but reached up cradling her face once more. "You're what I'd normally call abnormally paranoid, though in your case appropriate level of paranoia. And then you got stuck with me. I could turn Winterfell to dust in minutes if that, and that's not even touching the level of chaos I could cause, and am frankly deeply confused I haven't accidentally caused with the Order. Cause ya know, the whole philosophical argument of whether I'm a god or not which…just the title there is power. I'm kinda shocked you never did try to stab me."
She blinked. "Oh." That implied a great deal of how the humans Daisy was used to perceived her.
Daisy nodded, her thumb running along Sansa's cheek, her hand staying warm and there against her. "It means a lot." Her lips twitched. "Also you took your brother having a magic mind link thing with a horse-sized wolf-like so fast. And the giant, and general animal mind link thing that is a thing for the Free Folk."
"What I've come to accept as possible in the last year is horrifying." Sansa really ought to have paid more attention to Old Nan and her tales since they were all apparently coming true. If ghosts ended up being a threat she was going to scream.
Daisy just looked so incredibly fond. And then she was leaning in and kissing her again. Only this time it was slow and purposeful.
Sansa breathed out with a sigh, her eyes fluttering closed. She didn't care that this was doomed to hurt her when it ended. This window of affection was worth what it would inevitably cost her when Daisy returned to her own world. No matter how uncertain and fumbling she felt because for seconds even moments she felt as if she was in free fall.
Sansa woke up for the second time more peacefully. Sunlight was on her face, and she was content. Her arms were wrapped around a still sleeping Daisy, her nose buried in Daisy's hair. She huffed as she realized she had hair in her mouth that wasn't hers. Pulling back she shook her head, that was…actually disgusting. She was smiling despite that. Rolling onto her back she noted her poor maidservant tending to the fire.
"How late is it?" She asked, resigned to the mortification of being utterly naked and in bed with Daisy while her poor servant was there…again.
Poor Sera looked up with an irritatingly amused glint in her eye from where she was stocking the fire. "Later than is custom for you, your Grace. But early still."
Daisy made a vague sound of protest. "Morning people."
"You always wake early?" Sansa asked as she sat up, holding the blankets against her chest while looking down at Daisy.
Daisy cracked an eye open. "Because May was evil and insisted on morning training and its habit. Not cause I like it." She rolled onto her back. "My clothing is still in your office, solar thing aren't they?"
"Sera, please retrieve her Holiness's clothing after you're done with the fire." Sansa couldn't help the hint of laughter in her voice.
Her poor maidservant tipped her head before scurrying into the solar to retrieve said clothing.
Sansa slipped out of bed, easily lifting a fresh slip from her chest of linens, and pulled it over her head. She looked behind her back at where Daisy was laying in the bed still. "You're going to leave for White Harbor soon aren't you?"
"Tomorrow." Daisy agreed, yawning. "I'll come back to check in on you as soon as everyone is settled in Dragonstone."
She could understand trying to find a boat at sea while flying was probably difficult. Also that Daisy simply dropping into Dragonstone unannounced could go very badly. It didn't change that she was loath to lose Daisy so soon after Jon had left as well. There was no point to argue against a plan she'd already agreed to. Especially when her dislike of it was entirely personal and selfish. "I'll finish my letters for Jon before tonight then."
"Are you ok?" Daisy sat up, ignoring her lack of dress. "Cause you got this, you've had it."
Sansa shook her head. "It's not that." She stepped back to the bed taking Daisy's hand. "I've said goodbye to a great many people, and seen very few of them again. I know you will come back, and that your presence means that Jon will come back. But it does not change that the last four Stark men to go south were murdered. And murdered badly."
"Ah." Daisy pulled her back down onto the bed, kissing her firmly. She pressed their foreheads together, brushing Sansa's hair behind one ear. "I'll be dropping in with updates before you know it. 'Sides, if it goes bad I'll just drag Jon back and you can see him puke. Flying does not agree with him."
She breathed out, allowing herself to soak up the strength offered. It was so incredibly dangerous to do so. But then if she was going to trust anyone besides her blood it might as well be a god. She was being ridiculous, she knew she was. "Thank you."
"Hey, Jon's a cockroach. He'll be fine." Daisy teased gently.
Sansa knew it was too late to just push Daisy back into the bed no matter how much she wanted to. She had duties and obligations, not least of which a younger brother she'd promised to discuss the Stark family histories with. "Will you come tonight?"
"Yeah." Daisy brushed a light kiss against the corner of her lips before pulling away and sliding to her feet. "Sorry Sera." She grabbed her clothing from the bright, apple red, maid servant's arms.
Sansa gave in and pinched the bridge of her nose. "My apologies."
"It's nothin' your Grace, your Holiness!" the poor woman squeaked.
/
Daisy slipped into Fitz's workshop. "Crann, is it finished?"
"Of course!" Crann grinned while jogging over to her and handing her a small leather pouch. "I told ya I could bribe one of the smith's into letting me use their tools for it!"
She laughed as she double checked the contents were what she'd asked for. Good, it'd offer some measure of protection to Sansa. "Finally dropped the Holiness address?"
"Well, figured I should do as you command." He grinned. Which, definitely the effect of the two people he spent the most time with being Fitz and Rickon.
"Daisy!" Fitz looked up from the plans he'd been working on. He blinked. "What're you doing here? Not that t-that's a bad thing."
She rolled her eyes. "Just grabbing something I had Crann have made for me. Think you'll survive without me here for a month?"
"Oh, you leaving today?" His stutter was nearly gone when he spoke now.
Daisy hopped up onto the workbench looking at him. "Tomorrow. Try not to insult anyone while I'm gone."
"I think the only one I've insulted terribly since I got here is you." He said surprisingly dryly. "I made something for you." He tossed her a shiny piece of metal.
She caught it easily and frowned. It was…a metal Y? "What is it?"
"It's a t-tunning fork. Might be able to figure out sound waves or something." Fitz sighed. "Please try not to get eaten by a dragon."
Daisy snorted, and it was…it was better than she'd have excepted her and Fitz to ever really get to again. "No promises."
"Well, that's not comforting." He ran a hand through his hair. "I've drawn up a printing press design. Sure they'll figure it out after the whole zombie business is over with."
She gave a nod. "Baelish will approach you while I'm gone."
"I can deal with that weasel." Fitz looked actively insulted.
Which, point. If a professional spy ever failed to spot what Baelish was on first sight they didn't deserve to be called a spy. "He's not incompetent."
"Oh sure, just no idea how to handle you," Fitz grunted. "And it's like t-they all forgot I killed that knight who attacked me."
Daisy's lips twitched at that reminder. Her exploding the knights trying to kill Sansa had rather overshadowed Fitz murdering the fuck out of a knight. "Good job with that by the way. Very badass."
"Thanks." Fitz sighed. "Look, I'll find a way to get us home…I just don't know how yet."
Daisy was…it was a good thing. "Let me know if you need help."
"I will." He stepped closer reaching as if to touch her arm only to hesitate and drop his arm. "I'll get us home. P-promise."
Daisy smiled and pretended what she felt was just pleased. Because getting home was the important thing…right?