Notes: Hello... It's me... I bet you all thought I'd given up, hm?

I am so absolutely sorry for not posting anything sooner.

I said in the last post that I accidentally deleted a big chunk of this story. And even though it wasn't this part here, it kind of put me off for a long time, I couldn't even open this file u.u
It was all very dramatic.

But now I promised a friend I would go back to writing, which does mean going back to posting.

Anyway… Thank you so much for all the kind words you gave me and the amazing support!

I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Chapter 10

"This is a terrible idea."

Jon pinched the bridge of his nose. At this point he didn't know if she truly thought that or if she was just trying to be contrary. He never knew with her.

"And why is that, Lady Susan?" He asked, but his voice made clear that his patience was hanging by a thread.

She arched that damned brow in his direction. "I understand that with the better weather conditions we've been having lately, the men might be a little… Eager to venture out, but this doesn't mean it's safe out there." She indicated. "We haven't been able to scout the region. There might be dangers there."

"Like what?" Tormund wanted to know.

"The cold brings hunger, hunger makes people and animals desperate." She spoke, her voice firm. "There might be people out there, doing whatever it takes to survive, there might be threats… Even animals. You yourself, Your Grace, spoke of an uncommonly large pack of wolves." Susan reminded Jon.

"They're nowhere near here." Arya spoke before Jon could. "They're closer to the Riverlands."

Susan arched a brow. "How can you be sure?"

Arya just glared at Susan. "I just do."

Susan took a deep breath. "My point remains. We have no idea what is out there and we might not be prepared for it."

"That's another reason for us to go." Davos interfered. "We need to know what is going on out there. We need information, we have no news of the Night King's army."

"Oh yes, and that's a great way of finding out." Susan scoffed.

"If it inconveniences you so much, Lady Susan, you don't need to go." Jon finally snapped.

She arched a brow at him. "As your Grace wishes." She replied, ice-cold, then got up and left the room.

"Oh… You're fucked." Tormund chirped.

Jon pinched the bridge of his nose again. Just great.

XxX

"So I heard you should be fleeing for your life."

Jon sighed. He didn't want to have this conversation, but if there was one person who had every right to come question his actions… Well, Edmund was definitely this person.

"Are you about to kill me for talking to your sister like I did?" Jon asked tiredly.

"Me?" Edmund snorted. "Lord, no. Susan will tear you down herself for that one. I'm not getting involved."

"Very comforting of you." Jon spoke dryly.

"It wasn't supposed to be." Edmund indicated, his voice devoid of any sympathy. "You acted like an idiot. Susan is a woman, Jon."

"I'm quite aware…"

"No, I don't think you are." Edmund cut her. "Sansa and Susan have to fight double to be respected by the men around here. Arya and Brienne have their reluctant respect because they are fighters and walk around in breeches. And probably because the men fear them. Susan and Sansa -and even Lucy -give a gentler impression, they are more feminine. They're just women."

Jon was shaking his head. "They all respect them…"

"To some point, Jon." Edmund cut him. "How many times has one of the lords asked Sansa about dinner? She's your Hand, not the lady of the house. You treating Susan like a woman who has no idea what she's talking about does her no favors. If the King sees fit to talk to her like that, what do you think the other lords will think?"

Jon groaned. "I'm so stupid."

"No arguments there." Edmund snickered. "It's not that you can't disagree of what she says, but snapping at her like that?"

"I'll have to apologize." Jon concluded.

"The faster the better." Edmund had a small grin. "Before she decides to use you as target practice."

"Your sister wouldn't do that." Jon murmured, eyes lost as he thought how he could apologize. "She's not a violent person. If she's angry at me she won't shot an arrow at me."

Edmund arched a brow. "Because you know her so well?"

Jon cleared his throat and decided to pretend he never started this topic. "I actually have a question to ask you." He changed the subject without caring about how desperate he sounded. "What do you know about dragons?"

Edmund seemed totally thrown by the change in subject. "They are… Gigantic lizards that breathe fire?" It came out more like a question, than an affirmation.

"You've never seen one?" Now Jon was the one surprised.

"No. What kind of place do you think Narnia is?" Edmund snorted. "Dragon. As if. Wait." He turned to Jon. "Your aunt has dragons." Understanding spread through his face. "And you're concerned about them."

"Shouldn't I be?" Jon asked. "Dragons, Edmund. They used to be tales, stories to put children to bed. If she marches here with her army, with dragons flying above our head… I have no idea of what we can do."

"Your fear is understandable." Edmund put a hand on his shoulder. "You should talk to Sansa about it."

"Why?" Jon asked confused.

"Because I'm pretty sure that, between trying to marry you off and running Winterfell, she and Susan have done something about this."

"What?" Jon was shocked, to say the least.

"That you'll have to ask her." Edmund shrugged.

"I might as well just make Sansa the Queen and save myself the trouble." Jon grumbled.

Edmund opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of it. "Let us live one day at the time. You might not even survive until tomorrow." He was grinning.

"Thank you for your kind words, lord Edmund."

XxX

Susan wasn't a violent person. She thought violence was a pointless way to solve any kind of conflict, and she truly believed it to be sad that many things could only be solved through wars.

She'd fought more battles than she wished she had. Even what had happened with Rabadash was a thing she despised. Yes, she had acted in self-defense, and she'd do it again, not only to protect herself, but to protect any woman; but it was a horrible state of affair that things could get that far. That as a woman she had to fear things like this, perhaps for the rest of her life.

And that, the only way to protect herself, was killing a person.

In times of violence it was easy to think that killing was easy. It wasn't. Even when one truly believed in their cause, even if it was against wicked people, even if it was in self-defense… Killing left a mark on the people's soul. Of course, some did it for pleasure, but these people hardly had a soul to begin with.

Susan despised war, violence and killing.

That said…

She was considering killing the King in the North.

Sansa could take over the throne. Nobody would notice the difference.

She couldn't believe the way he talked to her. Jon was a respectful man, he never made her feel like she was "just a woman". She knew he listened to Sansa and respected her opinions and views.

Probably that was why it tasted even more bitter to be treated like that: because she never expected it to come from him. Jon had always treated them all the same.

Maybe it was about her.

"Lady Susan."

Think of the devil…

"Your Grace." She turned to him and curtsied.

Jon sighed. "I know you're not happy with me right now, Lady Susan."

She arched a brow. "It's not my place to question the King." She told him flatly.

"If I didn't trust your judgment, why would I invite for council meetings?" He asked her.

"I was wondering exactly the same thing." She replied, her voice dripping with sweetness. "I was starting to think it was to make the place more charming."

Jon gave her a look. "Lady Susan…"

"Yes, your Grace?" She batted her eyelashes at him.

"What do you want me to say?" He huffed.

"Guess."

Jon let out a dry chuckle. "Is it an apology?"

She just arched her brow a little more.

"You have to know how much I admire your intelligence." Jon started.

"Actually, I don't." Susan cut him. "I have no idea how you feel about me, besides the fact that I annoy you sometimes. And I'm almost sure it was what happened today."

"You do not…" Jon took a deep breath. "It is my fault for saying that in the first place." He grumbled to himself. "However, you are a brilliant woman, Lady Susan, and I highly doubt you need my approval."

"That's where you are wrong!" She finally snapped. "That is what you fail to understand. I do need your approval, and so does Sansa. And even Brienne, Lucy and Arya. We need your approval to get at least some respect from the men around here. We're just women, your Grace, and they love to remind us of that flaw." She spoke the last part sarcastically.

Jon took another deep breath. Susan was imagining how much of his brooding time he was cutting down to try to communicate with her. "Susan, I am deeply sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. It wasn't fair of me, and I'm quite aware I don't snap at people like that. So I apologize for that."

Susan was agape.

"And I do value your advice, like I value Sansa's. And I truly believe you are an intelligent woman." He finished.

Susan finally recovered some of her senses. "Thank you, your Grace." She bowed gracefully.

"That said, I'd still like for you to accompany us tomorrow. We might need someone with such fine skills as yours." He finished, the corner of his mouth tugging up slowly.

Was he…?

"Flattery will get you nowhere. Your Grace." She added, as if it was an afterthought.

"Good thing I was merely speaking the truth then." He nodded at her. "Lady Susan."

As Susan stood there, watching him walk away, she thought -not for the first time -that the King in the North could become a problem for her.

She wasn't exactly running in the opposite direction, though.

XxX

"We'll leave early." Jon informed the others. "I don't want to spend too much time outside."

"Looks like it might be another clear day." Tormund commented. "We've been having a lot of those recently." He threw a look at the Pevensies, but they didn't comment.

The siblings were aware that the people in the North were starting to believe they'd bring spring sooner than what it was expected. They couldn't claim to have this kind of power. What happened in Narnia was part of a bigger prophecy; they had no idea if the same thing applied to Westeros.

Maybe the Spring wasn't coming because of them. Maybe the good weather was a very strange coincidence.

"You're coming with us, Tormund." Jon declared, ignoring the last comment. "Davos will stay, and so will Brienne and Lord Peter and Lady Lucy."

Peter arched a brow. "You want me to stay, Your Grace?"

Jon took a deep breath, like it cost him to say something like that. "Yes. Lady Susan and Lord Edmund will come with us. I'd rather have some people stay behind and take care of Winterfell."

Peter opened his mouth, but one look from Susan and he became quiet again.

"This should be interesting." Arya commented, an amused smile on her lips. "Can you hunt, Majesty?" She asked Susan.

Susan gave her a flat look. "No. I use my bow as a decoration and the arrows to curl my hair."

Arya snickered.

"It's decided." Jon stood. "Lord Peter, a moment, if you will."

Peter frowned but got up. "Your Grace."

The two men left the room and started walking down the corridor. "I'm trusting you with the security of Winterfell." Jon started.

"I'm honored by your trust, Your Grace." Peter said honestly, not a trace of arrogance on his voice.

Jon stopped and turned to him. "That said… I trust you'll know your place and keep a respectable distance from my cousin."

Peter snorted. "So this is where this conversation is going."

"I see how you look at her." Jon growled at the other man.

"Well, perhaps not very well." Peter replied before he could stop himself.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jon demanded.

"I deeply admire your cousin." Peter informed Jon. "A fact that she is well aware of. I have told her what I think and…"

"You what?"

"I have promised to treat her with all the respect she deserves." Peter finished, like he hadn't been interrupted. "Lady Sansa is a great woman, and she has my utmost respect. Another fact that she's quite aware of."

"I don't like you." Jon declared.

"That's funny. Because I don't like you either." Peter threw back. "And I like even less the way you look at my sister."

That gave Jon pause.

"So while you're here, telling me to keep a respectable distance from Lady Sansa, remember: do the same with my sister; keep a respectable distance."

"I would never impose on Lady Susan." Jon told him firmly.

"Good." Peter pulled an invisible lint from his clothes. "I'm glad we had this conversation, Your Grace."

One of these days, Jon was going to kill Peter. He was sure Arya would help.

Notes: I hope you enjoyed that!

I guess you all saw the very fast, veiled reference to Nymeria's super pack. Keep that in mind.

Jon and Peter are not going to be besties anytime soon… lol

Next chapter… The hunt!

Let me know your feelings!