Sansa
This winter was supposedly unlike any other winter to have been found in Westeros before. It had started almost five years ago when Sansa had still been a hostage in King's Landing, and though there had currently been winters that had lasted longer than this one, this winter was said to be the coldest on record. The snows were some seven feet deep outside in some places, and Lord Howland had written that marshes and swamps of the Neck had been completely submerged in snow, making travel hard and supplies of food very hard to come by. And yet Winterfell and the North survived, as it always had, Jon was a great lord, as good as her father had been, making sure that everyone had enough food within Winterfell and the Winter Town to survive, and that if someone needed some more, food was brought in. Though of course with a still growing dragon also in Winterfell sometimes it was hard not to feel as if they would run out of supplies very soon.
She had heard of the destruction that Theon- the Boltons really- had done to Winterfell when she had been held a prisoner in King's Landing, and yet when she had arrived in Winterfell over two years ago she had returned to find the castle looking just as it had when she had left for the south all those long years ago. Jon and Alys had seen to it that Winterfell was returned to its former glory, with help from the northern lords who were all too happy to see a Stark back and ruling in Winterfell once more, so much so that even some parts of the castle such as the broken tower and the Keep of the First Men that had been ruins for as long as anyone could remember had been rebuilt, though the Keep of the First Men was now a open structure used to hold Jon's Dragon Rhaegal.
Thinking about Jon still brings a blush to her cheeks. Her betrothed- for that was what he was now- had come back from the war at the Wall scarred and looking more handsome than ever before. Sansa sometimes caught herself wondering how she could have ever thought Joffrey a mere boy beautiful in comparison to Jon. He seemed to have filled out a lot in that last few years, seemingly more mature and more muscled, and even more handsome. When he had returned, he had come back with his brother- it still felt so strange to think that word, let alone say it- King Aegon, the king was pleasant and graceful and very good looking, but for Sansa he had not been nearly as eye catching as Jon had. She and Jon had communicated a lot during the war, sending ravens back and forth so much so that both Alys and Lady Ashara had joked about it, Sansa knew during that time that the feelings that she was developing for Jon could not be right and could not be fulfilled, he was already married and far too honourable to ever set aside Alys for her even if he did love her.
This was why she had seriously considered asking Jon to consent when a raven had come from Highgarden asking for her hand for Lord Willas. So her surprise when instead of immediately accepting which would have made the kingdoms all that more secure, Jon had simply stared at the letter and then stared at her and asked her softly "Is this what you want Sansa?" She had not known how to reply and so she hadn't, and so it seemed that had been enough for Jon he had merely folded the letter up and handed it back to Maester Arthor, and then got up and walked out of the hall. Sansa had been very confused about Jon's actions then and Alys had refused to tell her what it meant, and so she had been very surprised when she heard a knock on her door later that night, to find Ghost and Jon both standing in the doorway. Jon had proposed to her then, a simple gesture but one that had set her heart pounding and sent the blood rushing to her ears. She had accepted, but she still worried about why he had proposed to her, and why it felt so normal and not strange or like a betrayal. Alys had simply kissed her cheek and smiled lovingly at her when Jon had announced the news at a feast held a day later, obviously Jon had already told his first wife what he intended on doing. There were no murmurs either, or if there were Sansa heard none of them, for the people of Winterfell held Jon in some very high regard, considering him the saviour of the realm and the world from the darkness that had threatened to engulf it. It had taken her some strength and nerve to even ask her goodmother- for that was what she was, Jon still referred to Aunt Ashara as his mother- why Jon had asked her to marry him. Lady Ashara still a haunting beauty even now, had simply held Sansa's hand and said "Because he loves you very, very much Sansa. And he sees no reason not to have your love as well, when he can."
Their wedding was to take place in two weeks time, and there was so much to prepare for, and as Sansa watched the snowflakes continue to fall onto the ground she wondered whether or not the ceremony would take place in the godswood or the Sept, and though she was not really bothered about where it took place she still wanted Jon to feel comfortable. "You have that dreamy look on your face again Sansa." Sansa heard her soon to be wife joke. Alys always seemed to be glowing now, since Jon had come back and they had found out she was with child. "Waiting for the day to come and go so that you can have our Jon for yourself eh?" Alys teased.
Sansa blushed slightly, the three of them had engaged in some very illicit activities once their betrothal had been announced, though never verging onto sex, for though Jon was a very passionate person, he was still to honourable to do something like that before it was appropriate. "Well, I can have you now though can't I Alys?" Sansa said slyly though her cheeks blushed something fierce with her own words.
Alys grinned and moved closer to her, and soon the two of them were lost in a tangle of skirts, hair and limbs. As was always the way, Alys led them, and though Sansa knew that perhaps she should feel guilty or even strange about what they were doing, she found that she just could not give a damn. Jon was a Stark and the Lord of Winterfell but he was also a Targaryen and the Prince of Dragonstone, though Sansa dearly wished that they never had to set foot in King's Landing again, so he could do whatever it clearly liked, and so to could she and Alys. She loved Alys, truly she did, when she had been in Winterfell before moving south, Sansa had thought Alys to be the sister she had never had, always there to help sew or stitch or even gossip, things that Arya never wanted to do. Though such thoughts often made Sansa feel pangs of guilt after times such as this, where they were both lying in bed, on top of the sheets panting and heated, she could never feel anything but love and joy for the family she now had.
"I must say Sansa, if your anything like you were today during the bedding, Jon will never wish to leave our room. And then we shall be getting complaints from everyone. And we can't have that now can we?" Alys said laughingly.
Sansa blushed fiercely, but said "Ah but then surely I can keep you here for a while yet Alys."
She was about to lean over and kiss her future wife when Jon entered the room followed by Ghost, and on Ghosts back Rickard, Jon and Alys' son. Jon stopped by the foot of their bed, and looked at them both, his eyes hooded for a moment, before they became loving. "Now look who we have here son," Sansa heard him say to Rickard, who seemed to be the spitting image of Jon with his dark brown curls, and long solemn face and grey eyes. "It's your mothers. Now why don't we go and join them."
Jon growled playfully and lifted Rickard up from Ghost and began tickling him causing the boy to scream with delight. "Yes papa." Sansa smiled, Rickard was such a delightful little boy, he reminded her somewhat of Bran when he had been that age, and she felt a little pang at the fact that Bran and Rickon were still missing, with no one knowing truly where they were, though Lord Manderly said that there were signs Rickon might be closer than they think.
As Rickard clambered onto the bed, and began playing with Sansa's hair, something that both he and his father seemed fascinated with, Alys asked Jon something that Sansa too had been wondering. "Will Ser Jorah be coming to the wedding my love?" They had received a raven from the Vale, writ in Lord Baelish's hand stating that Ser Jorah Mormont was coming to Winterfell to discuss terms for Jon to bend the knee to Danaerys Targaryen who was claiming the throne. Sansa knew how most of the northern lords, especially the Mormonts themselves had reacted at this news, and it had not been favourable.
Jon sighs, and from where she is on the bed, Sansa can see the little lines of frustration showing on his face, and she feels the strong urge to smooth them away with kisses. Instead she has to content herself with his voice. "Yes he will. He will be a guest under our roof, we are not the Freys to insult a guest. Besides he might actually have something interesting to say compared to the so called Queen he serves. And it might do to have a northmen in Danaerys' camp so we can figure out what is going on with her and Littlefinger." Jon snarls that last word, and Sansa involuntarily shivers, they all knew what Littlefinger- her mother's childhood friend- had done to see their father executed and the war between their house and the Lannisters start, Lord Varys had told them it all one day through a raven, and though there was some suspicion, proof had been provided by the servants they had found snooping around Jon's solar one day, both of whom had been sent north sometime when her mother had still lived, by Littlefinger's direction.
"How many of the lords will be here?" Sansa asks hating how small her voice sounds. She knows some of the Lords wanted to marry her off to either themselves or to their heirs, Jon's goodfather for one, wanted to marry her to Harrion Karstark that great bear of a man, who had spent much of the war in the south in Harrenhal. Jon's betrothal to her and the fact that King's Landing did not object- for how can they when Jon could easily unseat Aegon if he so chose to- meant that they did not get their wish.
Jon sighs once more, and at that Sansa sees Ghost perk his head up and stare at his master, Rickard clambers over Sansa to fall into Alys' arms completely unaware of the discussion going on around him. "Lord Karstark will be there of course, Lord Manderly, Lady Jonella Cerwyn, The Tallharts and Galbart Glover and Lady Maege shall be here. As will the Ryswells." At that Jon grimaces, and Sansa feels her heart drop slightly. The Ryswells had been the one house that had strongly supported the Boltons when they had ruled the north for that brief period, and Sansa knows that neither the north nor Jon have forgiven them for that, or for the fact that Barbery Dustin once made some comment about Robb and Sansa's father when in her cups, a comment so severe that Jon had merely stared at her and Rhaegal's roars could be heard for miles around, needless to say that the Ryswells will not be welcome in Winterfell for some time.
"Do they have to come? The Ryswells I mean, they are a bunch of stuffy nosed gits, as is that old cow Barbery Dustin. She's still bitter over something that happened twenty years ago now and..." Alys says before Jon interrupts her.
"I know, I know. I would rather not have them at the wedding, but it is necessary that we provide a united front especially with that exile Jorah Mormont here, we do not want the man or Danaerys to get the impression we are not united. Besides the Greatjon won't be here due to the snow and so we won't have to worry about him smacking Roger Ryswell in the face again." Jon says, laughing slightly.
It does some to relieve the tension inside of her she supposes, and the two weeks leading to the wedding fly by, preparations are made, the bannermen who agreed to attend arrive with even greater supplies than what they gave when Jon and the men returned at the end of the war with the Others, it's almost as if winter is not happening. The Umbers arrive a day before Jorah Mormont does, their arrival a surprise and a joy at the same time, they have always been staunchly loyal to Winterfell, and the Greatjon and his heir Dorren are no exception, both large men who lift Jon and Sansa and Alys and little Rickard off their feet when they greet them. The Greatjon booms a response about the snow when asked by Lord Rodrik Ryswell. "Pah as if a little snow could stop me from attending this wedding. We Umbers are not the softies you Ryswells are."
The day Ser Jorah Mormont steps foot in Winterfell is a tense one. Sansa and Alys work hard to make sure that the Mormonts do not react badly to seeing him though Lady Maege seems uninterested in her nephew and completely ignores him in the great hall during both lunch and dinner. Some of the other lords though, those who were old enough to know of what Mormont had done to be exiled in the first place, and why he fled, grumble and give the man angry looks as he makes his way to the stand in front of the weirwood throne where Jon sits, with Alys and Sansa on his left and right respectively, Ghost sitting on the floor at their feet and Rhaegal the great big bronze dragon's head peering in through the window.
"Lord Stark, you know why I have come here. I have come to present the terms for your bending the knee to the rightful Queen of Westeros, Danaerys Targaryen." Jorah Mormont says in a thick accent.
"Aegon Targaryen is the rightful ruler of Westeros slaver!" Dorren Umber shouts.
"What has your queen done for us slaver, does she have you wrapped around her Littlefinger?" someone else shouts.
More insults are thrown at Ser Jorah, and as they continue his face grows redder and redder, as if his anger will soon get the better of him, Sansa turns her head slightly and sees that Jon is merely staring at Ser Jorah intently, as if waiting for him to have an outburst, she looks to Alys and sees that her soon to be wife is glancing at Ser Arthur Dayne, who stands closest to the weirwood throne. His greatsword in its sheath, but his hands lightly holding onto the pommel.
Eventually Jon speaks, and when he does his voice is cold. "Enough. I would hear what these terms are Ser Jorah. Speak true and quick."
The hall goes silent and Sansa feels herself shiver slightly. Ser Jorah swallows and when he speaks his voice his quiet though still heavily accented. "Her Grace Queen Danaerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, hereby requests that Lord Jon Stark of Winterfell along with his lords bannermen and the wildlings bend the knee and recognise her as the rightful queen of Westeros, and that the boy calling himself Aegon Targaryen is nothing but a pretender. Should this be done, then Her Grace in all her wisdom will allow the Starks to remain as Lord Paramounts of the North, and to keep all their holdings from the neck to where the Wall used to stand. She also requests and end to the betrothal between Lord Stark and the Lady Sansa, on the grounds that such a betrothal will be of no benefit to the north or the rest of Westeros, and that such a betrothal was made without the lady's consent. She would ask that Lord Stark allow the Lady Sansa freedom to leave Winterfell and return with me to the Gates of the Moon to serve as the Queen's lady in waiting."
There is a dreadful silence, and Sansa feels her heart go cold, she does not want to leave Winterfell again, preferably ever, this must be Littlefinger's work, he must want her for some purpose that she cannot comprehend. Jon stiffens beside her, she can feel the tension in the room, Rhaegal seems to be reflecting the anger his master is keeping hidden, puffs of smoke come from out of his nose. Eventually Jon speaks, and his voice is colder than the ice on the wall he has told her about, she is certain. "I am afraid that I cannot nor will I ever bend the knee to Danaerys Targaryen. She maybe my aunt, but I will never bend the knee to someone who would consort with the evil that is Lord Baelish, or consort with the man who brought about some of the destruction to my homeland. Her terms are not reasonable, the Lady Sansa consented to our betrothal, and it was not forced she was given a choice, she could have refused she did not. I am sorry Ser Jorah but I am afraid that your mission here has been wasted."
Sansa can see that that was not the answer Ser Jorah wished to hear, and it is reflected in the tone of his voice when he speaks next. "You foolish boy. You have put your desires before those of your people. Her Grace has conquered the free cities with her dragons, and she has the allegiance of the only kingdom not affected by the wars that raged before. She will win the Iron Throne. Lady Sansa do you wish to wed this solemn faced man and stay in the barren wasteland that is the north, or do you wish to live in the south with Lord Willas or with Lord Harrold or any other southern lord who could give you the happiness that you have always desired."
There is uproar then, the Lords of the North who had been so silent before, now come to life like a pack of wolves hounding an enemy. The Greatjon bellows "Lord Stark a fool, have you forgotten what you did for your lady love Slaver? Your Queen has married a squid and will bring more death and destruction to our lands."
Rickard Karstark shouts "She is the mad King's daughter. We have all heard the tales of what happened to her in Essos, her father was mad, her brother was mad, she is the maddest of the lot to work with a man like Victarion Greyjoy!"
Sansa speaks then, and the lords all go silent. She speaks softly but determinedly. "Ser Jorah, I appreciate your concern for me, but truly I am happy with my betrothal to Lord Targaryen. He is the heir to the Iron Throne at present, but that is not what matters, he will keep me safe and happy for the rest of my days I know that, much better than any southerner ever could. So he speaks truly when he says that I will not leave for the Vale, unless it is of my own choosing which at present it is not."
The northern lords roar their approval and the council comes to an end. The next day they are wed in the godswood, the snow painting a surreal picture for Sansa, something that lasts throughout the day and the bedding where she Jon and Alys all couple together for the first but not the last time. Two days Ser Jorah leaves for the Vale, with a rejection for the promise of the North's allegiance to his Queen. As she, Alys and Jon sit in Jon's solar with uncle Benjen and Aunt Ashara and Ser Arthur they discuss various things, whether or not the wall will need to be rebuilt "It will." Uncle Benjen says, Jon merely asks their uncle to remain in Winterfell for the time being, and when asked why he says "War will come to Westeros again. Aegon and I will need to deal with Littlefinger and Danaerys before they deal with us." Ominous especially when two moons later Sansa realises she is with child.