Jon sat in his solar re-reading the raven that just arrived from Dragonstone. "The Queen wishes to have an audience with Jon Snow, the Warden of the North and Lady Sansa Stark of Winterfell. It will be in your best interest to comply with our Queen's request." It was signed by Yara Greyjoy.
There was no mention of why or that she suspected they were harboring Tyrion Lannister. Just then, he heard a soft knock at his door. "Enter." he shouted annoyed at the interruption. He heard the door open and then close but did not look up from the small piece of parchment in his hands. "Jon? I must speak with you." Sansa's voice caused him to look up. He motioned for her to sit. "It's about your queen." Jon squeezed his eyes shut and breathed out an exasperated sigh. "Sansa, she is your queen too no matter what you feel. You can fight it all you want, but unless you want Winterfell to end up like King's Landing, I suggest you bend the knee."
Sansa felt her cheeks heat. "I made a promise to the Northmen, Jon. I need you to send a Raven to her. Ask for the North's freedom." she said in her most steadfast voice. Jon handed the paper to Sansa and watched her read. "Yara? What does she want from us? There's nothing of Tyrion. Maybe she doesn't know he is here. If so, then he can stay and not take the Black. He could make a new life here." Jon looked solemnly at his sister, well, cousin. "Sansa, he can't stay here and live out in the open. Dany would find out and then what?" Sansa put her head in her hands, "I really don't know, but, Jon? I love him."
He looked at her in disbelief, "Don't look at me like that. I do. I love him and cannot watch him leave me to never be with me again. He's the only man to ever treat me with respect; other than you. We must find a way." "Sansa. We need to meet with her. Will you come with me to Dragonstone? Tyrion needs to stay here though. She cannot know that he is here at Winterfell. Better yet, we could have him stay at Castle Black with Tormund and the Wildlings just to be safe." Sansa agreed but still did not like the fact that she would be separated from the man she loved.
Sansa left Jon in his solar as he began to write his response to Dany's request.
"My Queen:
We shall leave for Dragonstone after the wedding celebration of my sister, Arya Stark to Gendry Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End. Lady Stark shall accompany me with some of her bannermen. We wish for a peaceful talk and bear no ill will. Look for us to arrive within a fortnight.
Yours,
Jon
No matter what happened in King's Landing, he still loved Dany. His heart and his conscious were at odds with eachother. She was his aunt, but nobody besides a few people knew that. Cousins married and he didn't see a problem with that so why couldn't he get past this. Why did Sam and Bran tell him the truth? He would have been perfectly happy staying the bastard of Ned Stark. He was in misery.
Meanwhile, Sansa had walked back to her own chambers and notice the door was ajar. Ser Brienne was seated by the fire with Podrick Payne and they spoke in hushed voices. They looked up when they heard her footsteps approaching and stood together. "My lady Ser, do you wish me to stay or shall I leave the room?" Pod asked. He was such a kind man; nothing like the other Payne's. "Thank you, Pod. If you could leave the room while I speak with Lady Sansa." He nodded and left the room smiling at her as he passed. "My lady. I don't know how to say this." began Brienne. Sansa grabbed her hand, "What is it, Ser Brienne? You can tell me." Brienne sighed and continued, "I am with child." Sansa gasped, "Who is the father?" Brienne's eyes filled with tears. "The baby is Ser Jaime's." she sobbed and Sansa pulled her into a hug. "Hush now. It's going to be alright. Have you told anyone else?" Brienne nodded, "Pod knows and I told Lord Tyrion this morning in the courtyard."
Sansa remembered their interaction she had witnessed earlier. "I don't want anyone to know the baby's father is Ser Jaime, so Podrick has offered me his hand and to be the father of the child. It only hurts me to tell you all of this because, well..." "You are leaving Winterfell." Sansa stated with understanding. Brienne nodded. "All I had ever wanted was to protect you. I swore an oath to your dear mother. I am a knight of the Seven Kingdoms." Sansa stopped Brienne's speech, "And now you will be a mother and that is the toughest job in the world. You have served my family well, Ser Brienne. I will keep this secret for the safety and wellbeing of the babe and to save your honor. Podrick Payne, please come back in here." Podrick walked back into the room. "I hear congratulations are in order?" Sansa asked him with a warm smile.
Pod walked next to Ser Brienne with his goofy grin. Brienne smiled at him. "Pod, I will accept your hand. We will leave for Tarth tomorrow morning. I will send my father a raven telling him of our upcoming marriage. I will forever be grateful to you. You truly are the most wonderful, kind, and thoughtful man I have ever had the great privilege of knowing." Pod blushed crimson at the compliment and admitted, "You are the only woman I have ever felt true affection for, Ser Brienne. You helped make me into the man I am today." He took her hands in his and brought them up to his lips, looking to her for approval. She nodded with wet eyes and he kissed her hands. Sansa watched the whole thing and thought it was one of the sweetest moments she ever witnessed. 'He'll make her very happy. I feel it in my soul.' she thought to herself. "If you will excuse me, I need to help Arya get ready for her wedding in the Godswood tonight. I hope to see you both there." Sansa curtseyed and left the room.
Arya paced back and forth waiting for her bath to be drawn. She was getting married in a few short hours and had no idea if it was the baby or nerves making her nauseous. She wondered if Gendry was nervous at all. This was just all happening so fast. Suddenly she wretched and was on her hands and knees. "ARYA!" she heard Sansa yell as she was rushing to her little assassin's aid, "Are you not well?" Sansa helped Arya over to a chair. "I don't know. I think it's just nerves. This is just not what I saw for my future, Sansa. I was never going to marry or have children. I wanted to explore what is West of Westeros. I was going to live a life of a lone wolf. Damn that stupid Bull for making me fall in love." She said the last sentence with a smile. "Arya, you can still seek out the answers to that. Gendry would do anything for you and your happiness. Maybe just wait until after the babe comes though. Let's get you cleaned up, shall we."
Sansa took Arya to her bath and the heat of the water soaked into her still sore muscles. Arya closed her eyes and sighed. "After your celebrations, Jon and I will be getting a caravan together and heading south to Dragonstone. He received a raven from Yara Greyjoy. The Queen wishes to have an audience with us both." Arya opened her eyes and turned her head to meet her sister's worried face. "I'm going too." Sansa shook her head no. "You cannot, I am sorry. You have a duty to Storm's End after tonight. Jon will leave Bran here to watch over things. We will have him warg before we leave to see if he can find out what she is planning, if anything. She truly does love Jon and he loves her. I could see it in her eyes and his. She will not hurt him." Arya didn't like this at all. "But she would hurt you. You are a threat. You do not want to bend the knee and she knows this."
Sansa knelt down to face Arya. "Jon has told me that I must swear my fealty to Queen Daenerys. It breaks my heart to do so, but this may be the only way for peace. If I do, I will do so only on the condition of the pardon of Lord Tyrion and the reinstatement of his claim of Casterly Rock. I want to wed Tyrion and have his children. I know it sounds silly to you, but we are in love." Arya smiled, "It's what you always had wanted. I know you envisioned a much taller man, but he is a good man, that I can see now." Sansa kissed the top of her sister's head. They finished getting Arya ready. Sansa begged her to wear a dress, but Arya was not having it. She wore a tunic with pants under her fur-lined cloak and they headed out to the Godswood arm in arm.
Gendry stood next to Ser Davos with the biggest smile he'd ever seen. "Lord Gendry, if you smile any harder, you may burst." Davos said with a chuckle. "I can't help it. She'll be here any moment. I never thought she would say yes, I only hoped. I have never had a family before, Ser Davos, and I just cannot contain my happiness." "Well, that being said, I am glad to be a part of that family. I will see you to Storm's End and help you in any way that I can, but my family still awaits my return. I have not seen my wife and children in so long." Gendry nodded his head and gave a sad smile. "Although I shall miss you, Ser Davos, I understand. And thank you for saving my life and being the father I never had." Ser Davos felt tears stinging his eyes and brought the new Lord into a hug.
Jon Snow appeared at the entrance to the Godswood and gave Gendry a small smile as Sansa passed by and took her seat next to Tyrion Lannister. Then he saw her, his Arry. She smiled at him from across the wood taking Jon's arm in hers and began to walk toward Gendry. She looked beautiful, her hair cascaded just past her shoulders in soft waves peaking out from the hood of her cloak. He chuckled when he noticed she was in trousers. Arya always got her way. Jon and Arya finally arrived in front of the Weirwood tree. He kissed her forehead, shook Gendry's hand and stood beside them.
Bran, being the lord of Winterfell would oversee the ceremony so he waited as the young couple approached and began the ceremony. Ser Davos, acting as Gendry's father would, said, "Arya of House Stark, will you take Lord Gendry Baratheon, first of his name, as your husband?" Arya looked deep into his big, blue eyes and smiled, "I take this man." They the knelt down in the snow in front of the Heart Tree and said their silent prayers to the Old Gods while holding their hands in each other's. "Rise. Lord Gendry will now remove Arya's cloak and cloak her in her new cloak." Arya shivered as they removed the cloak of her father's house. The new cloak was hastily made but you could see the Black Stag of House Baratheon woven onto a gold patch of fabric. "I will have a better one made once we arrive at Storm's End." Gendry whispered to which Arya gave a small smile.
The ceremony ended and the met in the Great Hall for a small feast. The party was quick. There was much to do to prepare for their departure from Winterfell to their new home at Storm's End, Jon and Sansa were headed to Dragonstone in the morning, and it was learned that Ser Brienne of Tarth was heading back home and taking Podrick Payne as her husband there. So many changes happening, some more confusing than others but war does that, she supposed.
Arya removed her clothing ready to bed her new husband. She found he was staring at her in wonder. Gendry walk over and dropped to his knees in front of Arya leaning over to kiss her stomach. "You have given me everything I have ever hoped for, Arry." She placed her hand on his head and combed her fingers through his hair. "After the baby comes, I wish to sail west. Let's find out what's west of Westeros. All the maps stop, it could be a great adventure, don't you think." Gendry stood up and held her in his arms. "If that is what you wish to do, then that is what we will do, my love." Arya smiled and pulled him to bed to show him her "appreciation."