Sansa and Jon's caravan to White Harbor was making good time. The roads were much easier to navigate now that all signs of the long winter were gone. A cool breeze traveled through Sansa's carriage as she watched Faerys nap acrossed from her.
Her thoughts were all over the place; Tyrion, Brienne and Pod, Arya, Bran, her Northmen, and the Dragon Queen. Tyrion would probably be at Castle Black by now. She wondered how he was fairing and if he missed her as she missed him. She wondered if Brienne and Podrick Payne were still traveling south on horseback or if they had decided to take a ship from White Harbor to Tarth. She smiled thinking of her dear friend's impending marriage and the child growing inside of her.
She hoped Arya and Gendry were getting on well and beginning their journey to Storm's End. She prayed silently for the health of her niece or nephew. And then there was Bran, her brother, the Three-Eyed Raven. She hoped the lords and ladies of the North houses would hear reason and listen to Bran; bend the knee. It still pained her to lose the promised independence of the North, but she knew it was the only way to restore balance and peace in the Seven Kingdoms.
Her carriage came to a sudden stop and could hear Jon talking with someone not far from her. Unable to make out the words being said, she moved to leave, feeling Faerys grab her wrist. "No, m'lady. Please don't go. It may not be safe." Sansa smiled at the young girl, "Faerys, sweetheart, I shan't be but a moment." The young girl nodded and let go of her wrist. Sansa stepped out and could smell the salt air. They had arrived at White Harbor.
"Lady Sansa!" she heard Jon yell out and turning saw him riding towards her. "Jon, is something the matter? I thought I heard you arguing." Jon looked at his cousin and smiled with tenderness in his eyes, "It's nothing. Just speaking with a ship's captain to sail us to Dragonstone, and the man was refusing to take us there because he feared the Queen's dragon. I told him she was expecting our party and there would be nothing to fear. I guess word of King's Landing has sparked fear into everyone." That damned queen and her childish temper; Sansa felt it would take a lot for the people of the realm to feel safe with Queen Daenerys in rule.
She hoped she was wrong. "I've sent a raven to tell the Queen of our setting sail and that we should arrive in Dragonstone shortly. Sansa, look at me." Jon could sense the tension between himself and his dear cousin and reached out for her hand. Sansa sighed out of exasperation but then reached out to join hands with Jon. "Please know that I would never allow her to harm you. Ever. I love you, Sansa. You are my family, and she will not do anything to make me hate her and that would do it. I would risk my life to protect you, you know that right?" Sansa looked into his dark, pleading eyes. He always looked so pained. "Jon. Listen to me now. I do not fear her wrath for I know you will stand by my side. You were my brother for most of my life and now we know eachother as cousin, but that doesn't change our sibling bond at all. I love you too. Just be sure to go into this with eyes wide open. Do not let your guard down. You love her, I know, I saw it in your eyes at Winterfell. She is in love with you and wants to be with you."
Jon closed his eyes and then opened them again, "But she's my aunt, Sansa. We can't be togtogether, not like that." "If cousin's can marry, then why not a nephew and his aunt he never knew existed. Jon, see reason." Jon just shook his head, "It's not that simple. I do love her, but I just don't think I could be with her knowing what I now know." Sansa pulled him to her and gave him a warm hug. "You are so good and noble, cousin. This world doesn't deserve you." She kissed his cheek and began the task of waking Faerys to prepare for their sea voyage South.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile back in Winterfell...
The lords and ladies of the North convened in the Great Hall for a meeting with the Lord of Winterfell. They looked around chattering amongst themselves as the waited for Bran to arrive. Arya entered the Great Hall with her Lord husband on her arm as they took their seats at the Lord Starks high table. Bran entered moments later being pushed in by Ser Davos. The people rised from there chairs to greet him. Bran looked to each one as he passed and nodded to them. Arya and Gendry greeted her brother as he took his place.
"Thank you for coming my lords and ladies of the North. We have news from the Queen at Dragonstone. Jon Snow and my sister Sansa have gone to meet with her, and, after much deliberation, we have decided to bend the knee and remain a part of the Seven Kingdoms." Shouting began but was silenced just as suddenly with the raising of the young lord's hand. "I have seen her in my visions. She is conflicted in her feelings. She mourns for the people of King's Landing and is angry at herself for what happened. At the same time, she yearns for respect from the people of the realm and thinks that once she has complete control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, her vision of a free and united kingdom will come true. She is young, yes, but she has brilliant ideas that can help the entire Realm, if we come together and join her cause."
The lords and ladies of the Northern houses looked around skeptically. Arya added, "Let us not forget what the Dragon Queen did for us during the Long Night. She did not need to help us. She could have just left on her dragon, but no! She stayed and lost a lot of her people; people that fought side by side with you and I!" Murmurs of agreement flooded the hall and Bran looked relieved for her support. Gendry smiled with pride. As a lord of a Southern house, he was going to keep his mouth shut on matters of the North. "Then we are in agreement. The North shall remain as a part of the Seven Kingdoms."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once the hall was empty, Bran asked Arya to accompany him to the Heart Tree. Gendry was going to check over their supplies for their trip to White Harbor to sail down to Tarth to see Lady Brienne and Podrick Payne before heading to Storm's End. He smiled at the thought of beginning their life there and hoped the people of Storm's End would welcome their new lord and his wife...and their child.
"What's got you grinning so, Lord Gendry?" Ser Davos walked over with a smile of his own. "Just thinking of getting on the road to our new home, Davos. Anxious to meet my people. Gods that sounds crazy, "my people", heh! I'm happy I'll have you there with me though. You're the closest I'll ever get to a father. Will you stay for a while? I know you want to get home to your real family." Davos put his hand up, "Stop that. You are my real family just as much as my wife and other sons. I was devastated when I lost my Matthos, but I gain a new son shortly after in you." Overcome with emotions, Gendry pulled Ser Davos into a tight hug.
"Thank you. That really means the world to me." "Once your lady wife is ready to leave, we'll be in our way, m'lord." Gendry heard the gentleman leading the caravan and turned to meet his eyes, "Thank you, my good man. We shouldn't be too much longer. I am just as anxious as anyone to set sail." Gendry looked toward the weirwood as Ser Davos continued to check over everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arya pushed her younger brother in his chair through the wood to the Heart Tree. She wondered if this would be the last time they met here. She had heard there was a weirwood tree in Storm's End, but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be her father's tree, his special place. And Bran would now be Lord of Winterfell. He had already proven himself to be able to have his voice heard and his people willing to listen.
She was getting lost in her own thoughts when she heard Bran speak, "My dear sister. You will be stopping un Tarth in your travels, yes?" Arya nodded. "Would you be so kind as to extend my congratulations to Lady Brienne and Podrick Payne? I fear that in my times of solitude, I neglected to say anything to them before their departure other than a nod. Being the Three-Eyed Raven has made me forget my manners at times since I am always so distracted. You know I am very pleased that you have decided to become Lord Gendry's wife. He is good for you and loves you with every ounce of his being. I have seen it in his eyes and read it in the way he is around you." Arya smiled because her brother was slowly coming back a little each day.
His quiet contemplation was happening less than before. She could sense something was bothering him though. "Bran?" Bran looked up at her waiting for her to continue, "I sense something is wrong. Are you alright? I know you must feel that we are all leaving you, but you are a man now and Lord of Winterfell so you will have much to keep you occupied." Bran half smiled but there was much sadness in his eyes. "You'd think me a fool if you knew why I seem so forlforlorn. I am glad for you. I am happy for Sansa and Tyrion. I am anxious to see if Jon will finally realize that Daenerys is who he belongs with. Do you know, none of your happiness would ever make me sad? It is my own loneliness that has me acting as I do. I do not know if I could ever have that life with the woman I love."
Arya's brows raised at the revelation that her brother is in love. "But who?" she inquired. He smiled and then shook his head, "Doesn't matter. We could never be together." Arya felt a pain in her chest. "I don't understand, Bran. Why not? Because you can't walk? If she loves you, that will not matter." Bran looked out toward the trees surrounding them and closed his eyes. "I couldn't give her what she needed. It wouldn't be fair to her. I couldn't even say anything but thank you to her when last we met. She's probably forgotten about me by now."
Arya still could not figure out who he was talking about but still wanted to try to help her brother. "Why don't you just use your sight? Find her." Tyrion had also suggested that to him, but he felt like it would be a misuse of his powers. "Come on, Bran. Humor me...as a wedding gift." She smiled brightly at him as he sighed. She watched him grip his chair, close his eyes, and warg into some ravens. Bran searched through his sight. Searching for Greywater Watch, searching for Meera Reed.