Act II

Jon stood over the water basin, washing his hands of blood. He could feel his hair still not as clean as he wished it to be.

"Jon have you been listening?" Jon grabbed a cloth, quickly whipping his hands dry once more.

"Mostly." He smirked at his brother. Aegon shook his head, beckoning him to the table.

"We were speaking on the matter of your Uncle. He is still walled up in the hideous castle of his."

"Hey, that is to be my castle, once his over." Aegon defended his future estate.

"The Red Keep isn't much to look at, but the views of the ocean are wondrous." Jon pointed out.

"Women folly." Joffrey scoffed under his voice.

"There wasn't much Women folly on the field today. Didn't see you anywhere close to it." Jon sat down in his chair, glaring at the boy.

"My strategy won us the battle."

"My men, won us the battle." Jon grabbed his cup, taking a sip from it.

"Don't you mean the Queen in the North's men?"

"Her majesty, Queen Sansa didn't grace me with any of her troops. This was a southern's war. A southern's war it will remain."

"The wildings than? Are they not of North lands?"

"The men that followed, became apart of my army. They are looking for lands to settle down south. Easy to farm. The Riverlands is all I asked for from my uncle, and from you. For the refugees of the great winter war we had fought."

"I consent of course. People need a place." Aegon agreed.

"But their savages." Joffrey scuffed.

"You are savage to them." Jon retorted back. Joffrey slammed his cup down, his eyes growing bright.

"I think you are untrustworthy. There's nothing that is binding you to this war, no agreement that is in place to earn my trust. The Riverlands share a border with the kingdom of the rock. What makes me think that after this war is done, you wouldn't push onto my lands?"

"Don't you mean your Grandfather's?" Jon quipped.

"Jon." Aegon spoke up. "Joffrey, its a simple fix. Jon recently lost his betrothed. Your sister, Myrcella, is without a husband or a betrothed." Jon glared at his brother.

"You speak to freely Aegon."

"Would a marriage match put your mind at ease?"

"Aegon-"

"It would." Joffrey stood up after a few moments of silence. "I will leave you to think about it. I expect an answer in the morning." Joffrey sauntered out of the tent, a winning smirk on his lips.

Jon slammed his fist on the table. His eyes glaring at his brother.

"No."

"Jon, please! Think about it."

"I will not be marrying his inbred sister."

"You don't know that to be true!"

"Fine you marry her!" Jon, knew he was being harsh to a girl who didn't deserve it, but being sold off another time was not something he would agree to.

"I can't. I'm already engaged to Margaery Tyrell. Besides Joffrey isn't convinced of your allegiance, not mine. It wouldn't mean anything to him."

"I can't Aegon. I can't I already-"

"If you want to protect those you saved during the great Winter war, you need the Boy's approval." Jon's thoughts went to the villagers he fought for. The children who would grow up not scared of the noise at night. "If you want to protect the Queen in the North from his wrath, I suggest you take the deal."

"I'm not under Queen's payroll."

"No but if rumors are true, your in her bed." Jon reached over taking a sip of wine. Her red hair flashing in his mind, her gentle smile looking down at him while they laid under the heart tree in the Godswoods.

Peace.

He thought. That's what she gave him. That's what he is giving up.

"For your people Jon." He finished off his wine, nodding.

"Fine. I'll agree to the match. Only if my people are safe." Aegon smiled, clapping him on the back.

Sansa sat under the heart tree, her fingers laced in Lady's hair. Her eyes dry as could be, yet her she felt her heart slowly turn to ice. Fixing the cracks that formed from his betrayal. She held the note in her hand, a message from Cersei Lannister, informing her of her daughters marriage to Jon Targaryen.

Jon Snow, my Jon.

She thought, clutching the raven's message.

"Dark Wings, Dark words." She heard from behind her. Sansa looked up, her eyes meeting her sisters. She can't remember the last time she heard her sister approach. Not since she disappeared for a couple of years and came back from the Many face gods.

"Jon has married the Baratheon Girl."

"Don't you mean Lannister?" Arya sat down, her own direwolf lurking in the woods behind them, probably fetching a deer or two.

"That can't be proven."

"Gendry looks like a mini version of his father, with his dark brown hair and brown eyes, opposed to his blue eyed mother." Arya pointed out. "He always said a wise man, said that that the Seed is strong in Baratheon boys." Sansa gave a slight smile to her sister.

"When are you going to make an honest man out of that Blacksmith?"

"Here I thought you would make me wed a lordling." Sansa shook her head.

"No. I only threatened you with that, so you wouldn't run off again."

"Wouldn't that make me run off?" Sansa clutched the letter to her chest.

"I hear she's the most beautiful thing to come out of the south." Arya shook her head.

"You are prettier. You're a Queen, what is she? A bastard who doesn't know who her real father is?"

"Arya-"

"No. You're better than she is. You're smarter. Do you think little miss lion cub could do what you did. You saved the north."

"Jon saved the North."

"But couldn't have done it without you. You saved us sister. Give yourself some credit." Sansa reached out taking her sisters hand.

"You know you would be a great mother if you tried."

"I don't want children." Arya shook her sister off. She stood up, Sansa's smile returned. "You always and will be the better mother out of us two girls." Arya turned her back. "Little miss prim and proper." She muttered, earning a snowball to the back. Both girls laughed, throwing snow at one another. The note forgotten in the snow.

Jon had arrived to King's Landing to meet his betrothed. She was a delicate thing, young and madly in love with someone else. He could tell just off their first meeting. She would do her duty, forced if she had to, but she would. Jon knew that both were being forced into something they didn't want.

He was sitting in his room, looking out at the city, wishing he saw trees insteads of buildings. Smelling winter air instead of seawater. He was lost in thought, when his door was swung open. He stood up, seeing two of his men he left in the Riverlands.

"Tormund? Edd?" Jon took them in. Each man, was covered in mud and blood. Tormund was still bleeding from his arm, the droplets dripping on the floor. "What happened?"

"It was the stags!" Tormund yelled. "The people fled back up north. At least the villages we could save."

"They came out of nowhere Jon! I've never seen such brutality, not since the Long night. Women and children, they were just farming, living when they cut them down."

"Jon?" All three men, turned to see the blonde haired girl standing shocked in the doorway. "Is everything alright?" She was coming by for her usually daily visit. At least to try and get to know him. He walked over to his bed, grabbing his sword and motioned for ghost. The direwolf came off of his sleeping bed, excited about what was happening now. Jon walked over putting a gentle hand on Myrcella's cheek.

"I hope you find happiness." She smiled, knowing what he meant.

"Thank you." She whispered, quickly running off towards the one she really wanted.

"Let's go." Jon made his way to the stables.

"Go where? Our people are scattered."

"North! That's where they will go." Ghost howled, knowing he would be home soon.

It had been three months since Sansa had received news of Jon's wedding. Everyday she walked to the Godswoods in the morning, wishing to find him there, like she used. Lady who was walking beside her, stopped in her tracks, before quickly taking off forward. Sansa quickly followed, to see Lady playing with Ghost. The white direwolf whining in happiness, excited to see one of his own again. Summer was with them, even nymeria out from the woods to see her long lost brother. Sansa quickly turned, heading towards the gates. She stopped, once she spotted him, hugging her sister. Bran was smiling, knowing this was always going to happen. Sansa took him, quickly running to met him, embracing him. Her lips on his, while he held her close.

"I thought-"

"I know-" he whispered, holding her closely. Arya smiled, her eyes looking over at Gendry, who nodded at her.

"He's not married." She called out, to Sansa. Sansa looked at her sister, before looking at Jon.

"Married?" Jon questioned.

"I got news you had wed Myrcella Baratheon."

"No, it was a betrothal. I had no intention of following through with it." Jon wiped away a tear from Sansa's face. "I would never betray you like that. Not again." Sansa nodded, looking behind him to see Tormund and Edd. She quickly tried to regain her footing.

"What happened?" She asked, taking in their appearance. "Gendry, get a Maester." She called out to him, she noticed Tormund was still bleeding.

"I'm fine." He said, shaking his head. "Just a little blood. Most of it is not mine."

"What happened?" She demanded. She looked behind them to see women and children in all different types of ways. Somewhere hurt badly, somewhere fine, but mostly everyone was tired.

"Baratheon. They went against their word and attacked the refugees in the Riverlands. Sansa say Jon's eyes, both matching their intensity.

"Let's get them some food, before we do anything else. She left Jon's grasp, quickly moving Arya and her people around to help those who needed it. Jon smiled, knowing he was finally back where he belonged.