The journey was long, but the queen had many friends who gladly offered their homes, manors, and castles to the family on the way back. At some point though, Sansa and Jon decided all the socializing was wearing down on them. Before they knew it, they were back in the tented camps they were all too familiar with.
They'd been absent from Winterfell nearly 4 months, and when they finally returned, it had been almost 8 all together. Sansa realized that she may have had a baby with her, if things had gone differently.
Finally, after the months of travelling grew to a close, Winterfell crested over the horizon, and they rode upon it, urging the tired horses just a little further, just a little faster.
Bran waited for them in the courtyard, and Sansa was surprised to find him looking even older and more dignified. He sat in a wheeled chair cart he'd designed himself, that rolled easily even through the mud in the yard of of Winterfell.
He embraced them all, smiling brightly. Kyria climbed onto his lap and settled there, leaning against him casually, more relaxed and happier than they'd seen her the whole time. He smoothed her hair, glad to be reunited with his favorite niece.
"There's someone I want you all to meet." he said, looking up at his sisters and Jon. He motioned to his right, where a pretty and curvaceous young woman descended the steps. She had long blonde hair with was neatly plaited, and a nearly plain face, but it lit up as soon as she smiled. She was pleasantly rosy cheeked, and had freckles, and deep dimples, just like Kyria.
"Alis Cerwyn." Bran said. "Well, actually, Alis Stark."
The family was silent for a long moment as they absorbed the news. Alis looked at them, nervously, and then curtsied, low.
"Honored to finally meet you." she said. Her voice was soft, singsong like.
"Hello!" Sansa cried, her face lighting up. She rushed to Alis, taking her hands and then hugging her. "I can't believe it, you're so lovely."
Bran gave Sansa a look, and she laughed.
"Not to say...Bran...oh just look at you. You've married, Bran, oh darling." she bent, kissing his cheeks.
The other Starks greeted her with equal eagerness.
"That only leaves Arya, now." Jon said dryly. Arya laughed.
"Funny joke, Jon." she said. "Really."
He rolled his eyes.
"When did you marry?"
"A few months ago, once the army arrived and the traitors were dealt with. But we'd been writing letters for a while before that." Bran said, looking up at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She grinned down at him, and took his hand, squeezing it.
"Did you do this yourself?" Sansa asked, pointing at the embroidery at the nape of Alis' dress.
"I did." Alis said, looking down, embarrassed.
"It's beautiful!" Sansa marveled, looking closely at the miniscule row of roses entwined with thorns and branches. She looked at Jon, excitedly.
"Come on." Bran said, turning his chair round. "We should eat, you all should have a meal before you go to rest.
Kyria clapped as Bran pushed them through the courtyard swiftly. She stood on his legs, using his shoulder to balance herself, looking up and around at the grey walls around her. She finally felt safe, and blissful. Completely so.
Things seemed to return to normal over the next few weeks, it felt as though the family had never left. And Daenerys had been right, the bannermen didn't say a thing once about the official announcement of Jon's true parentage. Even a few wrote to remind him of their support, thanking him for his leadership.
"Well, where were they when we were running for our lives?" Sansa asked, looking at the letter bitterly.
"It's in the past, Sansa." Jon sighed. "Not to mention we didn't even make a call to arms, perhaps they would have retaken Winterfell for us, with no help from the queen."
She rolled her eyes, but she tried to forget about it.
One morning, Jon and Sansa went out for a hunt. Sansa had begun accompanying him in the year before Kyria was born, and they went together on days when there wasn't much business to attend to. He'd taught her how to hunt with a bow and arrow, and she's really grown quite skilled at it.
Mist rolled low over the hills and crept into the edges of the forest. Sansa felt the relief of being free of her responsibilities as soon as she rode out of the gates of Winterfell. Though her home brought her safety, it also brought with it the weight of being a Queen. When it was just her and Jon, alone in the woods, she felt truly free.
She rose beside Jon, enjoying the steady rise and fall of the horse beneath her, inhaling the crisp morning air. They galloped into the trees, and slowed, following a winding deer path up a small incline. Sansa wore her hair in a tight braided bun atop her head, and a thick woolen sweater and fur lined riding pants. Across her chest her bow and quiver were strung. Jon wore a leather jacket in black, a color he still hadn't let go of, even after leaving the Watch. Along with his bow, was his sword.
They were both silent, watching the trees around them as they rode.
Sansa's eye caught movement in the brush beyond, and then a glimpse of white. She quickly strung her arrow, and used her legs to slow the horse. Jon, just behind her, stopped to watch.
She shut an eye, focusing in on where she'd seen the movement. After a moment, she let the bow loose, but the white-tailed deer dodged it, and sprinted away into the distance. She sighed, lowering the bow. Jon laughed.
"You were close." he assured her, and rode forward. He eyed the spot where she'd just fired, and then dismounted, scooping her arrow up. He handed it up to her, and she returned it to her quiver.
"I thought I had him for sure." she said. "Stupid of me to think it'd be that easy."
"Ahh," he said, climbing back atop Stranger. "Isn't that the case with everything?"
She gave him a wry smile, but didn't respond.
Jon watched her disappearing figure in awe. How her hair glowed in the dull morning light, how the sweater hugged her small waist, and then the curve of her hips. She rode forward a ways, but stopped when she didn't hear Jon's horse following her.
She turned around, arching a brow at him.
"What?" she called. He grinned cheekily.
"Come on, abandon the hunt for a moment. I want to show you something." he said.
He changed directions, heading to the edge of the trees, and she turned her horse round, following him. They rode for a while, nearly an hour, with Sansa pestering him the whole time about where he was taking her.
Finally, he turned back into the trees, and they rode deep into the forest, until they reached a small clearing. The creek that ran through the woods widened here, and in the distance, Sansa heard a waterfall. They crossed the creek on their horses, the icy water splashing onto their legs as they did.
They mounted a final hill, which dropped off as a cliff. Below it was a pool of bright blue water, surrounded by trees and a carpet of thick green grass. Into the pool a waterfall spilled.
Jon looked at Sansa, who's face had lit up in delight.
"I didn't know this was out here." she said softly, before swinging down off Rose, her mare.
"I found it when I was 14. I used to come out here a lot. I don't know why I haven't showed you it before." Jon said, joining her on the edge of the cliff. She was surprised how warm it felt, the air around them. She walked over to the stream that led to the waterfall, and put her hand in. It was icy cold.
"Why's it so warm?" she asked.
"The pool is a hot spring." he said. She sniffed the air, and then noticed the slight tinge of sulfur. She wrinkled her nose, but smiled.
"Let's go swimming." she said.
Before he knew it, she was running down the hill, towards the water, tugging off her bow and then grabbing at the edge of her sweater. He followed her down, walking slower, watching her as she reached the edge of the pool and untied her pants.
She undressed completely, her skin tightening and nipples hardening in the cold morning air. She jumped, and was enveloped by the silky warm water. She swam up to the surface, and gasped for air.
Jon tugged off his boots hastily, and stumbled on a rock nearby.
"Slow down, Lord Stark." Sansa giggled.
"Not a Stark anymore." he said as he unbuckled his pants. "I think I'm more formerly...what, Jon Waters? Jon Hill? I can't remember which surname I'm blessed with this time."
"You're ridiculous. Lord Targaryen, then."
"Not one of them, either." he said, but was grinning wider now. His clothes joined Sansa's in a crumpled mess, and he dove in. He dissappeared underneath the water, and then Sansa felt a hand tug at her ankle. She squealed, and he popped up beside her.
"A High born queen, skinny dipping with a common bastard." Jon said, reaching for her waist and pulling her to his chest.
"What would the court say?" she said, gasping lightly. She pressed her forehead against his, meeting his eyes. His hands traveled up the curve of her spine, his thumbs pressing against the edge of her breasts.
"Well, I don't know what they'd say. But I say this is a much more agreeable alternative to hunting."
"Mmm." she hummed. "I'm inclined to agree."
She slipped out of his grasp, and swam towards the waterfall. She stuck her hand in, and pulled it back, surprised at the contrast of cold and warm, which brought goosepimples to her skin. She went underneath the water, swimming under the strong current of the waterfall, and into the cave behind.
It was dimmer, but shallower, and she could stand on the bottom. The walls were slick with moisture. A moment later, Jon joined her.
"It's loud!" she cried, and he smiled. Her stomach flipflopped at the sight of his grin, dazzling and so rarely brought to his lips. She settled on a ledge, sitting atop the smooth rock, still completely immersed in the water.
"Good!" he said back, and swam closer, wrapping his hands around her waist and squeezing. She looked up at him, biting her lip, grinning. When he spoke again, his breath was hot against her ear. "Nobody will hear Lady Stark's very unladylike moaning."
She hummed, running her hands down the length of his hard body, still so rigid even though his fighting days were mostly done.
"Let's stay here forever." she whispered, looking up at him with her round blue eyes, her lashes covered in moisture.
"Gods, yes." he sighed, sinking into her softness.