The Stark children discuss the situation in the godswood.

Jon said, "You all understand we'd all be dead if not for her. We'd be corpses marching down to King's Landing."

Sansa said, "Arya's the one that killed the Night King."

Jon said, "Her dragon gave his life defending Winterfell…"

Sansa said, "And we will never forget them or all of the help she and they have given to us. That doesn't mean that I want you to be controlled by her."

Jon said, "I swore myself to be King of the North. She is behind that."

Arya said, "I respect that."

Sansa said, "You respect it? You thought Aldarra was talking Jon into an alliance with King's Landing."

Arya said, "We needed her. We needed her dragons. You did the right thing. And we're doing the right thing telling you what we see in the changes in your behavior."

Jon said, "You don't know all about her yet. You think you do. We wanted to tell you together."

Arya said, "Is she seducing you Jon? Are you going to marry her? I see you getting closer and closer to her." He started laughing.

Jon said, "If you only trust the people you grew up with, you won't make many allies or friends.

Arya said, "That's all right. I don't need many allies or friends.".

Jon said, "Arya…"

Arya said, "We're family. The five of us. The last of the Starks. We are, real family, not adopted, not befriended. Blood."

Jon said, "I've never been a Stark." He saw Aldarra walking up to them at a distance.

Sansa said, "You are. You're just as much Ned Stark's child as any of us."

Arya said, "You're my brother. Not my half-brother or my bastard brother. My brother." Jon hesitates and Aldarra walks up and he puts his arm around her shoulders.

Bran looked at both of them and said, "It's both your choices." Sansa, Rickon and Arya look to Bran, confused.

Jon said, "We need to tell you all something. But you have to swear you'll never tell another soul."

Arya huffed and said, "What is it?"

Jon said, "You have to swear it, before we tell you."

Sansa said, "How can I promise to keep a secret if I don't even know what it is?"

Jon said, "Because we're family. Swear it."

Arya said, "I swear it."

Rickon said, "I swear it."

Sansa said, "I swear it.

Jon looked at Aldarra and told Bran to tell them.

Sansa, Rickon and Arya turn to Bran.

—--

A cloaked person walks by the modest house.

—--

Jamie and Tyrion talk by the fire. Tyrion said, "So she's going to stay here?"

Jamie said, "She's sworn to protect the Stark girls, so... Say something snide."

Tyrion smirked and said, "I'm happy. I'm happy that you're happy. I'm happy that you'll finally have to climb for it." They both laugh.

Tyrion said, "Do you know how long I've waited to tell tall person jokes? To climbing mountains." Tyrion and Jamie clink their glasses in a toast.

Jamie smiled, "To climbing mountains." They drink.

Tyrion asked, "What's she like down there?"

Jamie said, "What? That's not your concern."

Tyrion said, "Give me a morsel? Assuage my curiosity."

Jamie said, "You're a dog."

Tyrion said, "I am the Imp, and I demand to know."

Bronn enters. He cavalierly holds a crossbow. Bronn said, "I knew you were fucking her. A pair of blond toffs. Must be like looking in the mirror."

Tyrion said, "Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. Where's your drink? What are you, what are you doing up North?" Jamie motions to the crossbow.

Jamie asked, "What are you doing with that?"

Bronn said, "Oh, this? This is for you. For both of you."

Tyrion said, "You're supposed to be south." Bronn sits next to them.

Bronn said, "You boys are a pair of gold-plated cunts. Do you know that?" Aldarra stops before entering the room as she hears Bronn talking and wondering what the hell he was doing in the north after all the fighting was done. She listens.

Tyrion said, "That's a bit rude."

Bronn said, "Year after year, I've shoveled Lannister shit, and what do I have to show?"

Tyrion said, "You're a knight, thanks to me."

Bronn said, "Thanks to me. And that title's worth as much as a blonde hair from your brother's ballsack."

Jamie said, "Power resides where men believe…"

Bronn said, "Shut your mouth."

Tyrion said, "I'm just trying…"

Bronn said, "I've never hit a dwarf before, but say another word and I will belt you."

Tyrion said, "See, I don't believe you'd do that, after all…"

Bronn pivots in his seat and gives Tyrion a left hook to the face. Jamie jerks to his feet. In a fluid motion, Bronn leans back and threatens Jamie with the crossbow.

Bronn said, "You couldn't do it on your best day, you one-handed fuck. And your best days are long gone."

Tyrion tips his head back and groans, holding his nose with both hands.

Tyrion said, "You broke my nose!"

Bronn said, "I did not break your nose."

Tyrion asked, "How do you know?"

Bronn said, "Because I've been breaking noses since I was your size, and I know what it sounds like. Now listen. Those Dorne cunts offered me Riverrun. Nice big castle, good lands, plenty of peasants who do what they're told."

Jamie asked, "And you trust them…"

Bronn said, "I knew those Dorne cunts were dead the second I saw those dragons. Now, your army may be torn to shit, but I'd still bet on Aldarra and her sweet cunt. And it just so happens I'm a betting man. If Dorne is dead, they won't pay up." Bronn picks up a cup of wine and drinks deeply.

Bronn said, "Mmm, that's good. Of course, the odds change if Aldarra turns up dead. All of a sudden…"

Tyrion said, "May I speak?"

Bronn said, "Why not? Only death will shut you up."

Tyrion said, "We made a deal long ago. Do you remember?"

Bronn said, "If anyone offered me money to kill you, you'd pay me double. What's double Riverrun?"

Tyrion said, "Highgarden. You could be Lord of the Reach."

Jamie said, "Highgarden? Are you mad?"

Tyrion said, "It's better than being dead."

Jamie said, "He's not going to kill us. He wouldn't be talking to us if…"

Bronn unleashes a crossbow bolt just past Jamie's head. They both are taken by surprise and go silent at the threat. Bronn goes to reload and finds a dagger next to his throat.

Bronn swallowed and said, "Hello Aldarra."

Jamie sneered, "Highgarden will never belong to a cutthroat."

Bronn said with his head tilted back by Aldarra gripping his hair, "So? Who were your ancestors, the ones who made your family rich? Fancy lads in silk? They were fucking cutthroats. That's how all the great houses started, isn't it? With a hard bastard who was good at killing people. Kill a few hundred people, they make you a lord. Kill a few thousand, they make you king. And then all your cocksucking grandsons can ruin the family with their cocksucking ways."

Aldarra said, "Shut the fuck up Bronn or I'll either shove that crossbow up her arse so far I can shoot it out of your mouth or have my dragon friend fry you to a nice crisp black. How dare you threaten my family and hit one of my goodsons. Your fancy dreams of killing for profit end right here and now. I was hoping you'd be respectable, but see you'll be a sellsword forever. Can't put a fancy dress on a pig, because a swine is a swine, huh? Bronn?"

Tyrion said, "We are riding south in the morning to defend King's Landing from Dorne."

Bronn chuckled and said, "Oh, no. I'll come find you when the war is done. Till then, don't die."

Aldarra said, "Who said you'll see the next minute." Bronn's eyebrows went up and Aldarra slit his throat. Jamie and Tyrion look at one another and back to her smiling.

Tyrion said, "Thanks mother."

Jamie said while taking a drink, "Thanks mother." She smiled at them.

—--

The Hound rides though the gray and snowy landscape, chewing on jerky. He sees something in the distance.

The Hound said, "For fuck's sake."

Arya rides up next to him. Annoyed, The Hound throws his jerky on the ground.

Arya said, "On your own?" They ride side by side.

The Hound said, "Not anymore. I don't like crowds."

Arya said, "Me neither."

The Hound said, "Why not? They all love you now. You're the big hero."

Arya said, "Don't like heroes."

The Hound said, "It must have felt good sticking a knife in that horned fucker."

Arya asked, "Felt better than dying. You're heading to King's Landing?"

The Hound said, "I have some unfinished business."

Arya said, "Me too."

The Hound said, "I don't plan on coming back."

Arya said, "Neither do I."

The Hound asked, "Gonna leave me to die again if I get hurt?"

Arya said, "Probably." Sandor laughs. Arya smiles.

—--

Aldarra pets the growling Rhaegal, who then takes flight. Drogon and Aldarra watch Rhaegal take flight. Aldarra smiles and turns to climb onto Drogon.

—--

Sansa watches the dragons soar through the air. Tyrion approaches.

Tyrion said, "My lady." Distracted by the flying dragons, Sansa does not answer.

Tyrion said, "My lord" is the standard response."

Sansa asked, "Do you think she will be able to get Tywin's cooperation?"

Tyrion said, "A good relationship between the Iron Throne and the North has been the core of every peaceful, prosperous reign we've ever known."

Sansa said, "Jon will be Warden or King of the North, whichever comes, so a good relationship seems likely."

Tyrion said, "I don't expect him to spend all his time here going forward."

Sansa said, "Well, I suppose that's up to him."

Tyrion said, "Sansa, look at me." Sansa takes her eyes off the dragons and slowly turns to look at Tyrion.

Tyrion said, "With Jon in the capital, you'll be the true power in the North."

Sansa asked, "What are you worried about? Jon's taking our army with him. Aldarra still has her dragons…"

Tyrion said, "She's your friend too."

The soldiers march in time out the main gate of Winterfell. Sansa and Tyrion both turn to watch.

Tyrion said, "You don't want to be her friend anymore? Don't you trust her more than anyone? That is what you have to ask of me and others. How is it that you think she wouldn't keep the best interest of your family, or the North, or…"

Sansa asked, "Aren't you afraid of her at times, that now that this is all over and she goes back to King's Landing, then she might change?"

Tyrion asked, "Why would you think Aldarra of all people would ever change into someone else. She's the one who sacrificed everything to take us with her, she then took you to your supposed last relative with supplies to help him. She saved your brother Rickon by burning two thirds of Ramsay's army. She nursed Jon back to health, after getting that wright to get the armies we desperately needed while destroying a quarter of the dead. She got Tywin Lannister to support us and that in itself is a miraculous feat. She has given everything to you, Jon, me, and even Shae. What would make you think after all of that she would turn on anyone of us especially now?"

Sansa pouted and said, "I don't want Jon to go down there. The men in my family don't do well in the capital."

Tyrion said, "No they haven't. As your brother once told me, he's not a Stark. You're afraid because of what happened to you and what could have happened, Aldarra changed that for you. Don't blame her for changing if you are the one with fears and doubts. You used to talk to her about these things. Don't be afraid of her, because you're just afraid of King's Landing."

Sansa gives a sigh and turns away. Tyrion looks at her curiously.

Tyrion said, "Are you all right?" Sansa mulls over the knowledge she has about Jon's heritage.

Tyrion said, "I believe in Aldarra. I think you should too." Tyrion starts to walk away.

Sansa said, "Tyrion." Tyrion stops and turns to look at Sansa.

Sansa asked, "What if there's someone else? Someone better to rule?"