authorsnote: ngl got a bit emosh writing this chapter

do enjoy, do review

songrecs: waves - dean lewis (the acoustic version on YT is the best)

"What were you thinking?!"

He'd expected this, but he still winced as Daenerys turned on him, all fire and fury, skirt twirling, her eyes full of flames, wake the dragon indeed.

They were Targaryens after all.

He'd avoided this in a slightly cowardly fashion on the way back from the Sept, both in hiding away from the advisors he knew would be furious and wanting to spend more time with Sansa in a day otherwise taken up for him, but now there was no avoiding it.

And so, he'd stolen away in the carriage with Sansa, and they had ridden back to the Red Keep together. They'd spoken of simple things, the ceremony, the city, he'd asked her questions about some of the Houses in the Crownlands he knew less about, and Sansa had been clever, clearly, she'd paid attention to her education as she'd filled in some of the missing gaps for him.

It was also evident how observant she was, that wall of ice she put in front of herself was only for keeping others out, she took plenty in.

"Do you think you could stay here Sansa?" He'd asked as they rounded up to the Red Keep, sat opposite one another, his purple eyes meeting her blue.

He could drown in that gaze, he'd thought it once, and did every time their gazes met.

He also thought he not just could but wanted to … desperately.

"I think … depending on the circumstances" She'd said, blue Tully eyes wide, a flicker of nerves before she locked those emotions away again, "I could"

He hadn't pried on the circumstances, especially as they'd reached the Red Keep, instead he'd nodded, they'd shared a smile and had to part ways.

The circumstances … he knew whatever they were, he had to make them happen.

And he would, when he was done with his Aunt scolding at him, Tyrion glaring, Varys with his head cocked to the side, and Jon matching Tyrions glare and then some.

"I was thinking I wanted to wave to my people and have Sansa by my side" He threw back, but he was lying of course, that had been what he'd been thinking, but there had been more than that, much more.

The people had screamed for Lady Sansa, a few had called her Queen, and he'd loved every second.

Because he wanted her here, with him, not tucked away up North, not at risk of marrying some Northern man, he wanted her here, and if she wanted to be here, with him … he wouldn't let anything else get in the way.

He was the King, surely that meant he could flex his power a little.

Part of him knew he should stop, think of the politics of it all, Sansa politically was not a good choice, he'd be far better ensuring the Reach to come to heel by marrying Margaery Tyrell, or should honour the familial ties and pacts with Dorne and marry Arianna Martell, or to endear himself to Westeros should marry a woman from a minor house and lift her to becoming Queen, even a Velayron cousin was a better option to ensure a renewed Valyrian bloodline.

But for once, he didn't care.

He'd spent years preparing for this, to be King, the politics of it all, he'd learned about Westeros, about the people, when he'd met Dany he'd understood her, had understood what advisors he needed, how dragons would conquer Westeros, but he'd need to keep it, with Jon coming along he'd understood the importance of connecting with his people.

He'd spent so long, first with Jon Connington, and then other advisors, Dany, Tyrion, Varys, Jon, spent so long doing what was right, the best thing to become King, surely he could be forgiven taking one thing for himself?

Yes, he'd wanted to become King, had taken it as both his duty and desire, but this … with Sansa, that was just what he wanted, his happiness, and hers.

He knew he could make her happy.

"Don't be a fool" Dany hissed, "You can't marry her!"

"Careful" Jon interjected, his teeth grinding now, always ready to rush to Sansa's defence, he had few family left, and cherished them above all else.

"You know I don't mean anything against Sansa, Nephew" Dany said, turning her ire to Jon then, Aegon was glad for the reprieve, "She's a lovely girl, but she is a Northerner, there is no political benefit to the alliance, and Aegon has to think politically" She paused then, "So will you, when you marry Jon, you'll marry a Northern girl will you not?"

Jon nodded, but reluctantly, Aegon knew he was thinking of Ygritte, they'd once spoken of her, over bottles of mead, by a camp when taking the Riverlands.

'Have you ever been in love brother?' He'd asked, a little in his cups, and getting to know his knew brother, a welcome family member, but still a little bit of a stranger.

'Aye' Jon had said, a few more sips had got him talking.

'Her name was Ygritte, she was part of the Freefolk' Aegon would always remember his smile, joy at mentioning her, and profound sorrow at missing her, as Jon had spoken of his lost love, 'I loved her, more than I've ever loved anything' Jon said, that profoundly sad smile etched on his face.

'How did you know?' Aegon had asked, his voice dropping to a whisper, he unlike Jon, had never been in love.

'She was part of me'

No more explanation, no more needed, and Aegon realised, as Dany turned back to him, Tyrion interrupting to calm her, he was starting to understand why it didn't need explanation.

"Daenerys" Tyrion was annoyed too, Aegon could tell, but he was trying to stop two dragons from roaring fire over one another, "Aegon knows this"

"Does he?" She said with a scoff, "He hasn't denied it"

And now was the time too, but the words would not come to him, to deny it, to settle his advisors at ease.

And then he knew.

"I won't deny it" He said.

He knew.

'She was part of me'

He knew.

"I want Sansa to be my Queen"

There it was, said out loud, something he'd maybe known for days even, ever since she'd stepped out of the carriage when they'd arrived at the Red Keep and he'd been waiting to take her hand, and the people had cheered for them, and the feeling he'd had, of pride, of joy … he'd never wanted to let it go.

And it had been there again, outside the Sept, and that had sealed the decision.

"You can't" It was to everyone's surprise, him most of all, that Jon spoke first, "You can't ask her to live here"

And of course, for Jon, it wasn't about the politics, and Aegon loved him for that, it was his worry and his love for Sansa that drove his objection, and Aegon even smiled at that, regardless of the tension in the room, and the own fear pattering in his heart.

"She said she could, depending on the circumstances" Aegon said softly, and he noticed at that Tyrion and Varys deflated, they knew. His mind was made up.

"She said as much to me" Jon said then, and Aegon raised an eyebrow, but then he smiled, "That she might belong here" He smiled too, Jon, it was rare but welcome, "But I needed to know that you had asked"

"Of course, brother" Aegon said, and then Jon approached and they clasped hands, mutual respect of Kings, but brothers first.

"I must talk to her" Jon said, "But if she will have you, you have my blessing" Aegon didn't realise how much that would mean until he had it, and he nodded, clasped a fist to his heart, "But you must bring her up North, at least twice a year, she must remember her home" A nod, an easy compromise.

Not for everyone though.

"Are you mad?" Dany interjected, "Aegon, the people won't accept this"

"The noble people" Aegon said, "The common people already love her"

"She is not the right choice" Dany said, but even she was faltering, perhaps she saw the determination in Aegons gaze, but she shook her head, "Ruling isn't just about what you want"

"I know Dany" Aegon said, "But this is"

She couldn't give him her blessing, she just shook her head, and left the room in a whirl of her skirts, Aegon would have liked her approval, but he didn't need it, not for Sansa.

"Well I know you won't take our objections" Tyrion said, cheerfully, resigned, already trying to figure out how to manage this no doubt, perhaps Tyrion was used to the whims of Kings, though Aegon didn't like to think of himself as the type to have whims, "We have a wedding to plan then"

"It will need to be quick" Varys said, "To stop any speculation, your Grace" He nodded then, bowed, and he and Tyrion left.

Jon clasped his arm once more, "You better go and ask her then"

He smiled, felt a pang for Dany, for her worries, and he had his own, but they were surpassed by what he felt.

'She is part of me'

He had better.

The breeze was gentle the next morning as Sansa sat alone, on a bench overlooking Blackwater Bay, her knitting needles and sewing materials were in a basket on her lap but they went ignored, as she watched the ships leaving and coming to the bay.

It reminded her of another time, the same place, but years earlier, when she'd been a foolish young girl, so alone, only a handmaid for company, desperate to leave this awful place.

And now, she had told Aegon, the King, that she could stay here.

And it terrified her that she could.

But only as Aegons Queen.

She knew that now, she wasn't sure if it was his Coronation, or the little sleep she'd gotten over the night, tossing back and forth, mulling over what they'd discussed, mulling over the people cheering for her, Aegons hand clasped in hers, the pride in her heart for his rule, and something else lingering for him too.

But she knew now, she would stay, if he asked her to be his Queen, she could handle Kings Landing, with Aegon by her side.

She wondered if she loved him.

Maybe not yet, but there was something close to it, just reaching out to her heart. She had worried once, after Joffrey, Littlefinger she wasn't sure if she could love, that her heart would be as frozen as her beloved North, after what she'd suffered, after what she'd seen, and yet, she could feel it awakening, and she knew that was thanks to Aegon.

His smile, his belief in her, his kindness, and most of all … just him. He would be a brilliant King, and she knew now, with such clarity it had brought tears to her eyes as she'd finally fallen into unrestful sleep, that she wanted to be there to see it, she wanted to be his Queen.

She remembered once Margaery had joked to her, 'I always wanted not to be a Queen, but the Queen'

Sansa had laughed, but so terrified of Joffrey she hadn't understood, being Queen had seemed like a death sentence, now it was a lifeline.

Or was it?

She thought she knew how Aegon felt, Littlefinger had taught her about men, what they wanted, what they needed, even in all of her remaining innocence, she thought she could see more than just desire in Aegons eyes, there was something there, a caring for her, she just hoped she wasn't imagining it, making it all up hoping he felt for her what she did him.

She should just ask him, but her heart, though not frozen, was fragile.

She knew if she returned home to the North, if she was wrong, she would never marry, she didn't know why it was different with Aegon, but she could never trust anyone, not like that again, never. She'd proven too foolish in that regard, if not Aegon, it would be no one.

She still thought she could be happy, she'd follow Jon home, she'd be Aunt to his Heirs, she'd help him run Winterfell, she'd devote herself to the Northern people, there would be a happiness in that.

Though her heart still ached for what she could have otherwise.

Perhaps Sansa Stark had never gotten over her desire to be Queen one day, with the people loving her, Princes and Princesses, her children, sitting on her lap, one day to inherit, her husband, the King, all powerful, but all loving by her side.

Perhaps she was still a fool.

"Are you always this pensive?" She jumped, and turned, but her heart calmed as she saw Aegon, smiling at her, he indicated to the bench and she nodded, as he slid in her next to her, her heart was not so calm then.

"You made me jump" She said with a small smile, "My pensive thoughts are scattered now"

"Good" Aegon said, and he grinned, and she found herself mirroring it with a small smile of her own, "You looked sad"

"Not sad" Sansa said, though her smile was a touch sorrowful, her mind full of thoughts, both sad, but happy too, "Just thinking"

"I'm told that rots the mind" She grinned again as he spoke, "But a necessity all the same"

"For Kings especially" Sansa teased, "It must be burdensome for you"

"Oh, a terrible weight" He said, he wore no crown now, but he was no less a King, Sansa admired him for it, how he carried it wherever he went, a weight of duty, something she'd always admired, "But I can bear it"

"I have no doubt of that" She said, and she meant every word.

"But sometimes you need people to help" Aegon said, almost tentatively, and Sansa's heart quickened. She didn't dare hope, could she?

"You have your advisors" Her voice had dropped to a whisper, her hands trembled, but Aegon took them in his, and stilled them, he stilled her, no poet could have written it any better.

"I need more than that" Her heart quickened again, and then Aegon, the King, was kneeling before her, her hands clasped in his, and her gaze was clouded by tears, by hope, maybe she would have one good memory of Kings Landing, and would replace the painful with better, maybe Aegon was offering that to her.

"I need you Sansa" Her gaze fluttered, heart trembled, but Aegon was her steady presence, and she knew, she needed him too, "Marry me"

She gasped, she had seen it coming, but still the gasp was wretched from her, her eyes widened, as the ships sailed in and out of Blackwater Bay, as the world moved on, for her time stopped for a moment, just a moment to appreciate it.

She was going to be Queen, Aegons Queen.

And for the first time in years, Sansa Starks heart opened.

"I…" She stumbled, but then she was nodding, no objection, for a moment she didn't care how he'd gotten it past his advisors, she didn't care if they approved, didn't care if politically he was making a mistake, she could only nod, trembling, and then, "Yes, yes, yes" She said, and threw herself into his arms.

And then they were laughing, tears trickling down her cheeks, as he wrapped his arms around her, cushioning her, as her knees hit the floor, and he held her close, placed a kiss to her hair, and then pulled back and placed one to her lips, and she whispered.

"Yes, yes, yes"

She was going to be Queen, his Queen.

there will be a pairing for jon btw and we will see more of him, I just haven't revealed it yet ... who are you hoping for?

I hope you enjoyed, do review, fav/follow etc

also do follow my page, I've got a new sansa WIP upcoming where she'll be paired with another targaryen... no spoilers!

speak soon