Chapter Notes

Thanks to the reviewer that let me know this was out of whak, hopefully this time around itt's legible.

So... this is a bonus track chapter. It's more about Jon & Sansa but it's definitely part of this universe, so I hope you enjoy.

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She was deep in thought, standing on the edge of the godswood when a deep voice broke through her musings.

"You really are the smartest of us all!"

"Jon?" Sansa turned surprised to hear and see her brother standing just a few feet from her; she rushed to hug him.

"Your knight brought me along, I'm supposed to be recruiting men and something about new responsibilities of the night's watch?" he said while still holding on to her.

"We'll talk about that later. You should have come sooner." she chided lovingly as she pulled away from the embrace to get a good look of her brother.

"I- I wasn't sure of my welcome here."

"You're always welcome home," she hugged him again. "Bran will pardon you soon, I think. And you are guilty of nothing in the North." she finished adamantly.

She grabbed his arm then and took him deeper in the woods signaling to her guards to stay behind, she wanted privacy.

Once secluded, he kissed her on the forehead "Thank you, but I'm guilty all the same, and many here may not be as forgiving as you for surrendering the north to her" he said with a sorrowful voice and sad eyes.

"You had to do it. I always understood that. I hated it. But don't think I didn't understand, Jon" her eyes were so kind.

"I had to do it, yes. But I was also a fool in love, that's on me" he let his eyes fall to the ground, sorrowful.

"Oh Jon..."

"And as I said, that's why you are the smartest." he met her eyes and this time they carried less sorrow, more like pride in her " You made sure your people loved your Ser before giving anything to him."

She took a second before responding "I don't know what you're talking about" she denied with an air of false seriousness that made him laugh.

"Sansa, even the free folk already sing songs about you two"

"I'm sure those songs are very accurate..."

"Songs are stories and stories carry weight; practically the entire realm is clamoring for you to wed your knight already. You could have put that to an end, easily"

"As you said, they carry weight, not a lot of men want to be the villain in a love story. It puts an end to some unwanted marriage proposals even before they're fully formed."

He studies her for a few seconds before replying, her smile is somehow sardonic, her stare firm "You know, I'd think you cold and cynical if I didn't know you and if I hadn't just spent a fortnight riding south with him. He won't admit to loving you either except it's in everything he says about you, the picture he paints of you is anything but cold"

She sighs, wanting to quit the charade. "Ser Podrick is not very good at hiding his feelings, that's true." the words were sad with fondness and a bit of a worry, Jon detected.

"You worry that it might make him seem weak, it doesn't. From what I've seen everyone respects and admires him. You did that"

She huffs with a smile "I actually have very little to do with that, you know? Podrick is very easy to love"

"Aha! So you admit it. You love him!" he said with a twinkle in his eye.

She straightened her shoulders and looked her brother in the eyes "Yes, I admit it. I love Podrick, more than I ever thought I- just, more" her voice cracked a little, that might be the first time she shared that with someone besides the knight in question.

"Good. You look happy, Sansa, love suits you"

"Thanks" she blushes a little and offers him a wide smile "And thank you for actually asking me, most people either insinuate it or know about it but won't dare to speak a word to me about it" she rolls her eyes.

"I'm sure you put up a convincing act, though."

"The Ice Queen, some say, a necessary act that protects us and the north; a queen in love is a queen impaired, I can't seem like an infatuated girl"

"I see you as a stronger woman for it, for your love, but I understand what you're saying."

"Infatuated or not, everything will come out soon enough..."

"... wait what?..." he looks at her with disbelief "you… are you going to marry him?" she nods shyly "soon?"

"Yes, we'll announce it in a few weeks but… let's just say we are enjoying the freedom that a lack of acknowledgement gives us" she finished her sentence with a slight blush.

"What do you... Oh! I… didn't need to know that" he answered with a sulky frown that she found rather amusing and gave her the courage to tease more.

"You did, actually, the last thing I need is for you to walk in on us and try to defend my honor or something" she deadpans.

"Sansa!..." she giggled at his appalled expression, which in turn made him smile… eventually.

Jon grabbed her hand and turned more serious "So.. he is good to you, then… there's no need for me to give him my big brother talk?"

"He's very good to me." she nods reassuringly "but by all means, have the big brother talk, and do try to make it less amusing than the former-husband and sworn-sword talks we endured back in King's Landing."

"Oh gods… what did Tyrion say?"

"He joked that he felt betrayed because he couldn't figure out if he should be mad at his former squire for stealing away his wife or the other way around, you know Tyrion..."

"And Ser Brienne?"

"Said that there were no people better suited to each other." she grinned "after a lot of reassurance that we are not going to hurt or dishonor each other."

He barked a laugh "so she practically married you on the spot"

"Pretty much"

"And Bran?"

"Bran was oddly happy for us but that was longer conversation with him since Pod was his emissary"

"Ah, there's no love without politics in Westeros" he sighs as he looks up.

"I'm afraid there isn't"

"But you're being smart about it"

"I'm trying to be"

"Good" he nods and he can't seem to say more. He's glad she's smart but it still hurts that he didn't how how to listen to her.

They sit in silence, side by side for a few minutes before she speaks again.

"Jon…"

"Will you come? For the wedding?"

"Do you really want me here?"

"I really want you here. I want Bran and Arya here too but..." she shrugs.

"Won't the lords be mad if I come?" he doesn't want to dwell on Bran and Arya being away any more than she does, so he defelects.

"I don't think so but…" she bumps his shoulder with hers and grins mischievously "you can always bring Tormud to protect you, you know".

He barks another laugh "Ahh well, If I can bring Tormund, then there's no question about it."

It warms him, he's laughed more these past minutes than in the last few years and he feels silly for forgetting; Sansa is his family, in his sorrow and shame over Daenarys and King's Landing he'd heard her words, he'd known she had brought the entire north to rescue him, but he had forgotten their bond, the one they forged when they fought for their home together.

Sansa is family and she wants to share her happiness with him. It warms his heart and it soothes his soul and later, when he catches her and Podrick smiling at each other over dinner, he can't help but feel the niggling sensation that there may be hope for him yet.