Chapter 11

"Sansa!" Daliya suddenly cried out, her voice sharp with panic as she spotted her sister walking across the courtyard with a young man. "Don't go with him! You mustn't go! Rotten! Ugly! You must stay here!"

Sansa froze, her face flushing with embarrassment. The young man beside her narrowed his eyes at Daliya, his expression turning cold and disdainful.

"Who is that?" he demanded sharply.

"She's no one," Sansa replied quickly, her voice strained. "Just a lunatic. Please, ignore her, my prince."

"Daliya," Jon interjected, stepping forward with urgency, trying his best to calm her. "Please, come with me."

"Ugly," Daliya murmured, her eyes unfocused. "Rotten."

Jon grabbed Daliya as gently as he could, guiding her quickly back inside. He realized with a sinking feeling that the young man had to be Prince Joffrey. Daliya's whole body was trembling, and she continued to murmur those haunting words over and over again.

Once inside, Jon led her to a quiet corner, his voice soothing. "Daliya, it's alright. You're safe here."

She clung to him, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I saw it, Jon. I saw the darkness around him. He's rotten inside."

Jon held her close, his mind racing. "It's okay, Daliya. You're safe now. No one will harm you here." He stroked her hair, trying to comfort her as best he could. He led her firmly but gently back to her chamber, silently cursing their terrible timing. A walk in the godswood had sounded like a good idea and Daliya had clearly enjoyed it, but perhaps they should have stayed in her chamber. No. She wasn't a prisoner. The godswood made her happy.

Jon barely had time to take Daliya's cloak when Sansa marched in, fuming with anger.

"You were supposed to keep her out of sight," she snapped. "She embarrassed me in front of Prince Joffrey! I was forced to tell him that she's my sister!"

"Sansa…" Jon started, but she wasn't listening.

"He's ugly," Daliya murmured. "Rotten inside. You mustn't go with him, he will hurt you…"

"Hey!" Jon protested when Sansa slapped Daliya across the face.

"Keep your crazy mouth shut!" she shouted. "You're just jealous! Admit it! I'm going to become the Queen and you'll rot here for the rest of your miserable life! No one wants you here, you're an embarrassment to us all!"

Jon stepped in between them, shielding Daliya. "That's enough, Sansa! She's your sister!"

"She's a lunatic!" Sansa hissed. "She's ruining everything!"

Daliya, holding her cheek where Sansa had struck her, looked at her sister with tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?" Sansa scoffed. "You can barely protect yourself. Just stay out of my way, Daliya."

"Sansa, you don't understand," Jon said, trying to calm the situation. "She's seeing something. She's trying to help."

"Help?" Sansa repeated incredulously. "She's making things worse. I don't want her help. I just want her to stay away from me and from Joffrey."

With that, Sansa turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Jon turned back to Daliya, who was now sitting on the bed, looking utterly defeated. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. "I'm sorry, Daliya. She doesn't understand."

"I didn't mean to make her angry," Daliya whispered. "I just… I saw the darkness, Jon. It's so strong."

"I believe you," Jon said softly.

Daliya nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Jon. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You don't have to worry about that," Jon assured her. "I'm not going anywhere."

He pulled her into his embrace and held her until she finally stopped shaking.

Daliya was quiet for a long while before she finally looked into his eyes and cupped his face. "It's you," she murmured. "It has always been you."

"What do you mean?"

She was quiet again, her eyes looking deep into his. "I was meant to serve you."

Jon felt a chill run down his spine at her words. "Daliya, you don't have to serve anyone. You're not a servant, you're my sister. We're family."

Daliya shook her head gently. "No, Jon. It's different. I don't understand it fully, but I feel it. Something binds us."

Jon was silent, grappling with her words. He wanted to dismiss them, to tell her it was just the confusion of her troubled mind, but something in her eyes made him hesitate. There was a certainty, an ancient knowing that he couldn't easily brush aside.

"Whatever it is," Jon said slowly, "we'll figure it out together. You don't have to be afraid, Daliya. I'm with you, and I'll always protect you."

She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know you will, Jon. And I'll be strong for you. I belong to you."

Jon swallowed hard, knowing that he should tell her that wasn't true. She didn't belong to him, no matter how much he hoped that she would.

"Daliya… You… You shouldn't say that," he murmured. "I'm your brother."

She shook her head. "No, you're not."

"A half-brother. You know what I mean."

"No," she murmured. "You're not."

Jon's heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of confusion and fear. "Daliya, what are you talking about?"

Her eyes locked onto his, filled with an intensity that sent chills down his spine. "You're not my brother, Jon. I've seen it. In my dreams, in the fire. You're… different. You're meant for something greater."

Jon shook his head, trying to process her words. "Daliya, you're not making any sense. You've been through so much. Maybe you're just…"

"No," she interrupted, her voice firm despite the tremor in it. "You're a dragon, Jon. You have the blood of the dragon in you. I see it every time I look at you."

Jon stared at her, speechless. The tales of dragons and ancient prophecies seemed like distant legends, not something that could touch their lives in the cold, harsh reality of the North. But looking into Daliya's eyes, he couldn't deny the conviction he saw there.

"Even if that were true," Jon said slowly, "it doesn't change anything between us. I'll still protect you, no matter what."

Daliya nodded, her expression softening. "I know, Jon. Your love means everything to me."

Jon smiled faintly, though his mind still reeled from Daliya's words. "And your love means everything to me," he replied, his voice gentle but firm. "Nothing will ever change that."

Daliya's eyes softened, and she leaned into him, taking comfort in his steady presence. Jon froze as her soft lips suddenly touched his. In that moment, his head was full of images and whispers. The chaotic cacophony made him gasp and pull away.

"What…" he panted. "What was that?"

Daliya stared at him, her eyes wide. "I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I just wanted… I didn't mean… I didn't know you could see and hear it all."

Jon's heart pounded as he tried to process what had just happened. The kiss had unleashed a torrent of images and voices, overwhelming his senses in a way he had never experienced before. He looked at Daliya, her eyes filled with a mixture of apology and fear.

"I don't understand," Jon said, his voice trembling slightly. "What did I see? What did I hear?"

Daliya lowered her gaze, her fingers nervously twisting together. "What I see. What I hear. I'm so sorry, Jon. I never wanted you to experience that."

"No, Daliya," he finally managed to say. "Don't apologize. I… I never could have imagined what it's like for you. I can't even imagine how you cope…" He paused, shaking his head. "Come here."

He pulled her close and wrapped his arms tightly around her, wanting to shield her from the rest of the world.

"Can we… try again?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"I don't want to hurt you…"

Jon shook his head, tightening his embrace around her. "You won't hurt me, Daliya. I trust you. I want to understand. We can take it slow, okay?"

Daliya hesitated, her fingers lightly tracing the edges of his cloak. "Are you sure?" she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

He nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "I'm sure."

Daliya took a deep breath and nodded. She leaned in slowly this time, her lips barely brushing against his. Jon closed his eyes, bracing himself for the onslaught of images and whispers. This time, the connection felt different, more controlled. The chaotic cacophony was still there, but it was muted, more like a distant echo than a deafening roar.

When they finally broke the kiss, Jon was breathless but steady. Daliya's eyes were wide, filled with both fear and hope. "Did you see?" she asked tentatively.

"I did," Jon replied, his voice steady. "It's like seeing the world through your eyes. It's overwhelming, but it's also… beautiful. You're beautiful, Daliya."

Before he realized what he was doing, he kissed her again, focusing solely on her lips. He wanted this so badly it hurt. A knock on the door made him quickly pull away.

"Daliya?" Robb's voice called as the door opened.

Jon paled, suddenly realizing what he had just done. Daliya on the other hand looked nothing but serene as her dreamy eyes met Robb's.

"Robb," she greeted him.

"Hello, Daliya," he replied, offering her a smile. "Can I have a word with you and Jon?"

"Of course."

"Thank you." Robb paused and moved a chair beside the bed before taking a seat. "Mother sent me. Apparently, Prince Joffrey complained to the Queen about you insulting him."

"She didn't insult him," Jon stated, finally pulling himself together.

"I didn't believe that either, but apparently, the prince really is a prick. Pardon my language."

"I won't tattle to father," Daliya hummed, giving Robb a smile.

"I appreciate that," Robb chuckled before taking a deep breath. "Unfortunately, the prince wants an apology."

Jon's eyes flicked to Daliya, his protective instincts kicking in. "An apology?"

Robb sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know, Jon. It's ridiculous, but we can't afford to offend the royal family, especially with the King and Queen here." Robb paused, turning his gaze to Daliya. "I… Mother explained to the Queen that you're not…well. She understood, but…"

"But what?" Jon asked sharply.

Robb lowered his gaze. "She insisted that we keep Daliya…under control during the rest of their visit."

Jon's brows furrowed. "Meaning what?"

Robb sighed and gave Daliya a compassionate look. "I'm sorry, but you need to stay in this room until they leave."

Daliya's expression shifted from confusion to hurt, her eyes wide as she processed Robb's words. "Stay here? You mean… I can't go outside?"

Jon's heart sank at the desolation in her voice. "Robb, that's not fair," he interjected, frustration creeping into his tone. "She deserves to be free, to go where she wants."

Robb held up a hand, trying to calm the tension. "I know, Jon. I know it's not right, but if we don't do this, the Queen will make things worse. We can't risk drawing more attention to her or giving the royals a reason to complain. It's just until they leave, and then things can go back to normal."

"But this isn't normal!" Jon protested, his protective instincts flaring. "Keeping her locked away? That's how you treat a prisoner, not a member of the family."

"It's alright, Jon," Daliya said softly. "If it keeps the peace, I can manage. I don't want to cause any trouble for you or Robb."

"No," Jon said vehemently. "You shouldn't have to bear this burden alone. You didn't ask for any of this."

Robb's eyes narrowed, frustration etched on his face. "You know how the politics work, Jon! Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good, even if it feels wrong."

Daliya drew in a shaky breath, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. "If it helps, I'll stay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I promise I won't make a fuss."

Jon shook his head, unwilling to accept the situation. "You shouldn't have to sacrifice your freedom for anyone, least of all someone like Joffrey."

"I know it's unfair," Robb replied, his voice lowering. "But we're all in this together. We'll find a way to make it right, I swear."

Daliya managed a weak smile, but the sadness in her eyes didn't fade. "I'll be alright, I promise."

Jon clenched his jaw, frustration boiling inside him. "I can't just sit by and let this happen."

"I'll come back and check on you," Robb said, trying to reassure both of them. "Just… give me some time. We'll figure this out."

Jon watched as Robb turned to leave, his heart heavy with the weight of the decisions being made for Daliya. She deserved so much better than this.

As the door clicked shut, Jon faced Daliya, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "I hate this," he admitted, anger flashing in his eyes. "You shouldn't have to stay cooped up like this."

Daliya reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "I'll be okay, Jon. Thank you for standing up for me," she said softly, a hint of warmth returning to her voice. "It means a lot."

"Always," Jon replied fiercely. "Just hold on a little longer. Once they leave, I swear things will get better."