Author's Notes: Hello everyone I hope that had a happy Easter, consider this my gift to you. As always I own nothing SPOILER ALERT: there will be some stuff from the books here.
After being dismissed Sansa set herself and the servants to preparing for the journey, as she had few possessions this did not prove a time consuming task. After consulting with her uncle she sent a message to Hother Umber and requested that he come to Winterfell and take up the position of Steward of the North. Her uncle had wondered if an Umber was the best choice, their family having a reputation for recklessness and suggested someone from White Harbor instead. Sansa knew; however, that many did not consider the men of White Harbor to be true men of the North, whereas the Umbers were accepted by all.
Looking about her room she found that she had mixed feelings about leaving Winterfell. She had wanted to come home for so long and she did not want to go. On the other hand, homecoming had been a bittersweet and part of her hoped that by leaving she could escape the ghosts which seemed to haunt her as she walked the halls. Gone she could dream that Winterfell was the way that it had been before, there she had to face that reality that it had changed forever every day. Her thoughts were interrupted by a chough behind her. Turning she saw one of the guards.
"Pardon my lady, there is someone here who must see." Sansa suppressed a sigh. That was one good thing about leaving, she would not have to deal with anymore petitioners. She was tempted to say that she was too busy to see whomever it was but she stopped herself. That would be what the old Sansa would have done. Worse, it would have been what Joffrey would have done.
"I shall meet him in the great hall."
"As you wish my lady." Sansa preceded to the great hall to meet her guest. She had just gotten there when the visitor arrived.
The man cut a rather unimpressive figure, being rather small for a man, though taller than Tyrion had been. His trousers were light green and his boots were plain brown. His shirt was also a light green shade, over which he wore a cloak of darker green. This last was held by a clasp of bronze stylized in the form of a lizard-lion. In his had he held a spear which more resembled a triton than a traditional spear, the hood of his cloak was thrown back showing that he had brown hair flecked with grey and his eyes were green. He came up and gave a bow.
"Lady Stark, it gladdens my heart to see a Stark here in Winterfell, though my heart grieves for all who have left us. I am Howland Reed, head of House Reed and Lord of Greywater Watch. We have not met but I was a close companion of your lord father and when your brother became king I sent my children to Winterfell to renew our house's pledge of loyalty to House Stark. I have not heard from them since Winterfell fell to the traitor Greyjoy. Since I have no more children to bring my pledge of loyalty to you, I come to do so myself."
Sansa had never met Howland Reed, but she knew the name. Her father had talked of him several times, how Reed had saved his life from Sir Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard during Robert's Rebellion. Her father had always spoken highly of Reed, saying he was a brave man and his most loyal companion. He had also said that the man had not left the Neck since the rebellion. Realizing she was just staring at him she quickly spoke up.
"I thank you for your loyalty and I grieve for your lose which you have sustained in service to House Stark. I would be honored to accept your oath of loyalty." He nodded, drew himself up to his full height and began to speak.
"To Winterfell I pledge the faith of Greywater. Hearth and heart and harvest I yield up to you, my lady. Our swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to our weak, help to our helpless, and justice to all, and we shall never fail you. I swear it by earth and water. I swear it by bronze and iron. I swear it by ice and fire."
It was a strange oath and Sansa had never heard its like before. She felt a flair of panic when she realized that she did not know the proper words to respond. The clan lords had used simple words and she had responded in kind, the others had been individual soldiers and they had mostly just shown up and fallen in with the column. With Brienne she had just made up words using the words Brienne had used. That was it, she suppressed the urge to smile and spoke.
"I, Sansa of House Stark, accept your oath. I shall grant mercy to your weak, help to your helpless and justice to all. I swear it by earth and water. I swear it by bronze and iron. I swear it by ice and fire." Reed bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"If I may counsel you my lady?" He paused and Sansa nodded. "If you command it I shall bring my bannermen to the King's banner. However; my people are not that kind of warriors, to stand in a shield wall. Our ways are speed and stealth, to strike at a foe before he even knows that we are there. When the Ironborn held Moat Cailin we harassed them till the Boltons took the place. Give the command and we shall continue to do so. After losing at Winterfell Roose Bolton will likely seek aid from King's Landing. Any army would have to come through the Neck. My people do not have the strength to block any such army but we can bleed any force that uses the causeway before they leave our lands." Sansa thought for a moment, in truth she knew nothing of military strategy but she did not want to show her ignorance. After a moment she nodded.
"Very well Lord Reed. Return to the Neck and hold it against any incursion from the south. Harass any Bolton forces that you can but do not take any unnecessary risks, there have been enough loses already." The last part almost chocked her but she forced herself to swallow. He bowed again and made to depart but before he could leave Sansa called out to him.
"Lord Reed…I am very sorry for your lose. I can understand your pain."
"I understand my lady and I know that your grief is great, it is something that we share. The pain is great but we must endure," he paused and it seemed he too had difficulty speaking and when he did so his voice was strained and heavy. "Even if at times we do not want to. We have a duty to the living that we cannot forsake, even if in our hearts we long to join those who have left this world." Sansa felt tears well up in her eyes and she did not trust herself to speak till Reed had left the room and merely sat in silence for several minutes.
The journey to the Vale was blessedly uneventful. They journeyed to White Harbor where they took a ship to Gull Town. From there they rode north to Runestone, the seat of House Royce. The head of House Royce, Yohn Royce, was among the Lords Declarant, who were ruling the Vale for Lord Robert till he achieved maturity. Lord Royce was expecting them and had sent an escort to see them to Runstone. As they rode along the road Sansa could not help but notice that the land here seemed so much more fertile than the lands of the North. In addition to the warmer climate the Vale had stayed out of the war and its fields had not burned, nor had the crops rotted from lack of men to harvest them. From the look on his face Sir Massey seemed to think the same thing.
"Their land is still fertile and their armies unbloodied. Where they to come over to the King's cause, it would be a great boon indeed." Sansa looked at the peaceful land and felt a pang of longing.
"But Sir Massey, why would they wish to risk all that they have when staying out of the fighting has profited them so far?" Here he smiled cynically.
"Lady, you speak with the wisdom of women but you do not understand the hearts of men. The old men may know the value of peace but the young men will only see the chances for glory passing them by. We must inflame that passion. The right words will carry the day and sweep the nay-sayers away."
When they arrived at Runestone they were immediately taken to the great hall where Lord Royce and the other Lords Declarant awaited them. In addition to Lord Royce there was Lady Anya Waynwood of House Waynwood, Lord Gilwood Hunter of House Hunter, Lord Horton Redfort of House Redfort, Lord Benedar Belmore of House Belmore and Ser Symond Templeton of House Templeton. They sat at a long table at the back of the hall on a raised dais, where Lord Royce would sit at feast. There were no other seats, forcing Sansa and Sir Massey to stand before them looking up in the manner of peasant petitioning their lord. As they entered the room a herald announced them.
"Sir Justin Massey of the Crownlands and Lady Sansa of House Stark, Lady of Winterfell and Wardeness of the North." The assembled nobles nodded their heads in greeting but said nothing, clearly waiting for their visitors to make the first move. Sir Massey strode forward and began to speak.
"My lords, my lady, since the target death of you liege lady you have assumed the heavy burden of ruling the Vale and you have done so wisely. You have maintained her prudent course of neutrality in the war that has engulfed the Seven Kingdoms, but times are changing. Matters are coming to a head. The pretender in King's Landing is allowing chaos to take hold. The Faith is turning the Kingdoms to madness in a time when unity is most needed.
"Stannis is the true king of Westeros, this cannot be denied. He has proven his strength again and again. He prove it at the Wall when he defeated the Wildlings who would have brought, death and ruin to the Realm and he did so again when he drove Bolton from Winterfell and installed its true liege, the Lady Stark. He has recovered from the defeat at Black Water and is now stronger than ever. Never the less, there are still many who follow the false kings and he has need of the Vale and its valiant swords. He is a man who will remember all who aided him and is as generous as he is bold." As he finished Sir Templeton leaned forward, his blue eyes narrowing coldly.
"You speak fine words Sir, many fine words. Yet I hear nothing concrete. Your lord has won some battles it is true, but there were far away and have nothing to do with us. Moreover the Vale has, first under Lady Arryn and now under us, known peace and prosperity while the rest of the realm has known only suffering and death. Tell me Sir why we should risk all that for a man hundreds of leagues from us. A man moreover who sends the sister of the mad child who murdered our lady to treat with us." Sansa was stunned by this but before either she or Sir Massey could speak Lady Waynwood, who was seated next to Sir Templeton, laid her hand on his arm.
"Peace Sir Templeton, Lady Stark did not commit the crime, her sister did." She then turned her eyes to Sansa.
"Never the less, I too most voice my concerns. We would take it as a sign of your remorse for your sister's act and proof of your king's justice if you were to hand your sister over to us to face justice if she has taken refuge with you. Surely you agree that that is just do you not Lady Stark? Your family after does have a reputation for justice and honesty." Sansa was stunned and struggled to recover. The thought of handing her sister over to certain death was obscured, yet if she outright refused then the negations would be at an end. A lady's armor was her curtesy and Sansa used it.
"I too am appalled by the act done by my sister and I grieve for your lady and my aunt. Still, my sister has not presented herself to me and unless pledged to him the King may prove reluctant to hand over his subjects to others to judge." Those at the table stirred at this but Lord Royce spoke up.
"While this is a grave matter, the safety of the Vale and its people must take precedence."
"You speak wis…" Sir Massey began but Lord Royce cut him off.
"As the others have said, the Vale has known peace and in light of recent events, it may be well for us to maintain that course."
"Recent events?" Sir Massey asked.
"Indeed." Lord Royce said. "Two days ago a raven arrived from Dorn with a proclamation and it seems may other castles have received them as well, one may have even reached Winterfell Lady Stark." He took a roll of paper from the table and heanded it to Sir Massey, who read it. He went white as a sheet and swayed on his feet before he handed it to Sansa. She began to read and felt her body go cold and her own legs wobble as she read.
I, Daenerys of House Targaryen, first of my name. Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Princess of Dragonstone do hereby announce my return to the Seven Kingdoms. And I do call on all lords of the Realm to renew their oaths of loyalty to House Targaryen. All who do so will receive pardon for past treasons. I do not come alone, I come with Dothraki, I come with Unsullied, I come with dragons and to all who oppose me so bring war to my land will recive fire and blood.
Author's Notes: Bet you didn't see that one coming, more a Stannis man myself but I think we are all ready for her to get a move on so I gave a nudge. Still working out how this will effect everything but it will be interesting don't you think? Till next time please keep praying for Brussels, the victims of the bombings in Pakistan, the priest who may or may not be dead and all who need it. Thanks and may Jesus bless you.