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The woods around Acorn Hall were showing the first buds of spring leaves. The air was brisk on Arya's face as she took her morning run. She sometimes felt guilty that she loved the Riverlands. She could never tell Jon or Sansa but there were times it felt more like home than Winterfell. Arya loved Winterfell, she really did just not the same as they did. She wondered if she could have two homes.
Ravella Smallwood, the Lady of Acorn Hall, had become a bit of a second mother or second big sister to her over the years. Something else Arya would never tell Sansa. She had been kind to Arya when things had been hard for their family. Arya was thankful, she had invited her to stop for a short visit on her way North. Much of the Riverlands, including the Brotherhood without Banners, wanted to join the North. Lady Smallwood had been working on drumming up support amongst the Lords and Ladies as well as amongst the small folk.
Passing through the tall maple trees, Arya's mind wandered. She couldn't forget how it had all happened. They just wanted to get Sansa back. Cersei wasn't supposed to be at the rehab center's gate waiting for them when they were leaving with her sister. The security footage was even more troubling. Arya pushed the thoughts out of her mind, the footage was deleted now. She had made sure of that. And someone had moved Cersei's body. She prayed it had been someone from the Brotherhood that moved the body from the back gate to a small office. Her breath grew short and Arya had to stop for a moment. No, she wouldn't think about these things. No one truly cared how Cersei died. 'It was time to move forward,' isn't that what all the news reports were saying?
When she returned to her room at Acorn Hall, Ned Dayne was snoring away underneath the heavy comforter.
For such an attractive man, he sure made the most gods-awful noises when he slept. She loved his fair hair and violet eyes against his tan skin. To her, he looked like he spent all his days in the sun. Really that was his natural color. Everyone said he was a striking man and Arya had to agree. They were supposed to go to Dorne and visit his home Starfall after Cersei's funeral but then Daenerys showed up at Dragonstone. Deciding it best to postpone a vacation, they took up Lady Smallwood's invitation to spend some time with her in the Riverlands. She wanted help strategizing ways to convince the River lords to fully commit to the North. Arya dared not refuse her. Leaving Ned to his dreams, Arya went to find breakfast in Ravella Smallwood's large airy kitchen.
The light was starting to pour into the east facing room. Arya thought this was the nicest kitchen she had ever seen. Of course, Ravella had a knack for these things. There was hardly a building or re-built castle in Lord Vance's, her liege lord, territory that didn't have her touch on it.
"Have you heard any more from your sister or Jon?"
Ravella asked motioning to Arya to sit while she served her oatmeal with apples.
"Not since yesterday," Arya answered digging a spoon into the steaming bowl. "Lady Dustin had them all tied up with parties or whatever. And this morning they should be on a plane to White Harbor."
"hmm...Lady Dustin's trying to stay on their good side," Ravella said
pointing her figure at Arya with hand and pouring her coffee with the other.
. "Don't think we don't see what her and Lord Manderly are doing importing shade-of-the-evening from those warlocks in Essos. They bring it right into the Riverlands through Moat Cailin. And we've gotta deal with the problem."
Arya looked up at her friend, her spoon in her mouth. Jon had the same suspicions but no proof. Ravella sat down across from her to eat her own breakfast. She glanced down at her tablet checking the newswires while Arya went back to shoveling food into her mouth.
"Oh DJ O-sevens played last night in Barrowton," she reported. It had been awhile since Arya had seen good ole' Tom O'sevens. He was part of the Brotherhood, not that it was public knowledge.
"Yea, I think my sister went. Lady Dustin invited them to some club opening," she said t
aking a sip of the hot delicious brew in her cup, something exotic from Essos no doubt, imported on the same ship as that shade-of-the-evening Ravella hated.
"So jealous," Ravella said shaking her head. "That man almost ruined my marriage. And I would do it all over again. Stay away from DJs."
"Noted," she said.
"They're too cute. Watch out for the cute ones. Your Ned is too cute. So is that brother of yours. Trouble," she said shaking her head. "Oh look they have pictures from the party. It was supposed to be super exclusive, no cameras, but I guess someone snuck in," Ravella went on. Arya went back to eating her breakfast. Ravella continued to mumble "Too cute.." and laugh to herself as she scrolled through the pictures on her tablet.
Arya looked up when Ravella got quiet, her hand had stopped moving across the tablet. She looked up at Arya with her mouth open. Before Arya could ask her what was wrong, Ned Dayne walked into the kitchen in blue sweatpants and a tank top, his hair sticking up in all directions.
"Holy shit, I knew it!" he said. "Woohoo..." Arya looked at him like he was crazy.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded putting her spoon down.
"Ha! Arya how come you didn't tell me..about your brother and sister..." he said holding his phone to her. Arya couldn't see the picture on it. She grabbed the phone to get a better look. Her stomach turned and her hands started to shake. 'The King in the North Has Family Time' read the headline above a picture of what could only be Jon sucking Sansa's face in a dark club.
"He finally got it in...I knew that bastard wanted her..." Ned said sounding more excited then he should.
"This can't be right. Its gotta be a fake." Arya said. "And don't call him a bastard." she almost screamed.
"It's not fake Ari. Look there's more. Way to many to be fakes," Ned added leaning over Arya's shoulder. She didn't like how lightly Ned was taking the article. She didn't like it at all. "Look there he is getting in Cley Cerwyn's face. Ha! Bet Cerwyn deserved it. Oh and then they've some pics from where ever they were staying...might not wanna look at those..." Arya's whole body was shaking.
"Arya hun, I'm so sorry," Ravella said. "It's...there's gotta be an explanation..." Arya felt hot tears come to her eyes. She couldn't read the articles or look at the pictures. She threw the phone back at Ned and stormed out of the room.
*****
Sansa
The plane flew over the fields of the North. The snow from two nights before had all but melted. Farmers would start tilling the soil soon. Sansa couldn't wait for spring to come and the fresh smell of flowers, beautiful green things everywhere. She could take walks and plan picnics. Maybe she could convince Jon to make love to her in a meadow or take a riverboat cruise.Jon was quiet next to her on the ride. He had been silent all morning. Brooding. Maybe he wouldn't want those things. Maybe she shouldn't want those things. They weren't children anymore and had the entirety of the North to think about. Soon, they could have the entire realm to think about. He definitely didn't want that. But the kiss they shared at the club. Sansa had felt it in the pits of her stomach. The drink had gone to her head that was all. It had been too soon for her to start drinking again. On the plane, Sansa could feel the tiredness from being out the night before. It was a short ride barely an hour in the air. She was anxious to reach White Harbor. Straightening her grey sweater, she sighed. Pulling at her black leather pants. She even fussed with her knee-high black boots. They could've easily driven but with Daenerys already in Westeros, Jon had thought it best not to waste time. Sansa had thought he wanted to stay in bed with her just a bit longer in the morning. She turned to him again. The memory of waking up curled in his arms, their bodies flush next to each other, made Sansa blush. He kissed her all over from her lips to her toes. When his mouth found her cunt, she thought she truly had died. It was enough to make her start praying again. She worried now that she had been wrong. That he simply wanted comfort. Looking at him next to her on the plane she knew she would give him whatever comfort he sought. Jon seemed to notice that she was staring at him. "Are you ok," she asked. "You didn't eat anything before we left the hotel.""It was too early..." he said. They had left early and Lord Manderly would have more than enough food ready for them once they reached White Harbor. Jon never ate much anyways. Not since he died and was brought back. His grey eyes were made darker by the black shirt he wore under a heavy brown leather jacket with a fur lining. Sansa wanted to reach up to run her hands along his chin feeling his scratchy beard or pull his dark waves out of his man bun. "I'm sorry Sansa," he said in a low voice so that Brienne and Satin or their other security personnel on the plane would not hear. "For what," she whispered leaning closer to him. "For last night. I wasn't thinking," he said.
"And you weren't thinking this morning?" she asked giving him a coy smile. "Aye, I was upset. You were being kind to me and I took advantage," he said. Sansa took his hand. "Jon, we didn't do anything wrong," she said. "People won't think that," he said gently pulling it away. Brienne was in the aisle next to them. Sansa could feel her eyes on them. "Oh now you care what people think," she laughed in a low voice."No...I care about you. I care how they treat you," he said touching her chin. "You've been through so much....I know you think you're better... " For a moment he stared at her lips before dropping his hand. He turned away from her. "I think I can decide if I'm better," she said determined to be better. Jon nodded his head. Sansa leaned toward him putting her hand on his shoulder and resting her chin there. "And...it can be our little secret. Besides lots of people are more accepting of half-siblings these days," she said"You're not my sister anymore. I'm not a Stark anymore," Jon said. There was a sadness in his voice. "We don't have proof yet. You still have to talk with Bran. He'll know," she said moving away from him. Jon shook his head and mumbled a complaint about Bran and his foretelling abilities. "Jon, believe me, it'll work out," she said. Maybe if she said it that would make it true."How?" he asked. Their eyes met again. Brienne coughed to interrupt their conversation. Sansa was sure her friend and bodyguard knew something had happened between her and Jon. Brienne will be discreet Sansa thought. "We're landing soon," Brienne told them. Sansa nodded fastening her seatbelt. Brienne had said little to Sansa about her own love life. Sansa knew that Jaime Lannister could make her friend blush. Maybe now that Cersei was gone Brienne could have a chance with Ser Jaime. Sansa at the very least hoped that for Brienne. One of us should find love. It is spring after all. The plane landed at an airstrip outside White Harbor. Sansa put on her black leather jacket with a quilted lining. There was a row of cars ready to take them to Lord Manderly's New Castle. Sansa was surprised to see so many cars. Further behind a fence near the airstrip, she saw a crowd of people. Sansa's heart jumped into her throat. There shouldn't be so many people out there. No one was supposed to know they were coming to White Harbor. She grabbed Jon's arm to show him the crowd. He growled. Sansa worried for a moment he would tell the plane to turn around. As they prepared to deplane Sansa heard Satin say, "Oh no...fuck" Jon snapped his head around to his personal assistant, "What?"Sansa didn't think she had ever seen Satin look this terrified. "Your grace...I wouldn't...I wouldn't look at the newswires..." Sansa looked back out at the crowd. It wasn't just common folk, there were cameras and microphones. It was too much even for a public visit. "What's happened," she said her breath growing heavy. Her mind flashing to all the possible tragedies, all the tragedies she had seen, riots in King's Landing from four years ago, the crowd the day she Cersei's men took her, or the army of the undead that attacked Winterfell. "What's happening," she said again louder. Jon put his hand on her thigh to steady her when he looked straight at Satin. The assistant rubbed his face and handed Jon the phone with an article on the screen. "Royal Family gets Intimate" the headline screamed. Sansa took the phone from Jon's hand. She scrolled down to see several pictures from the club including one of her and Jon kissing in the hallway with his hands much to low on her hips. She inhaled deeply. Another was of him threatening Cley Cerwyn. This was bad...but maybe not so so terrible. Sansa kept scrolling down the article. Her heart stopped. The worst were the pictures at the bottom. How had they gotten those? They were blurry to be sure but they showed the inside of the bath at the Barrow Kings Hotel's guesthouse. Images taken through the french doors. An image of Sansa naked and standing at the shower while the back of Jon's dark-haired head could be seen. Several others showed them in the tub together, one of her standing in the water up to her waist and splashing water at Jon, another with her next to him looking out the french doors. She was looking right at the camera. Right at the camera! Sansa felt sick to her stomach, hot tears welled in her eyes. Brienne and Satin sat across from Jon and Sansa waiting for them to say something. Jon's face twitched. "How did this happen," he growled. "HOW!" Satin shook his head. "There was security all around. Nothing was out there....just rolling hills..." he said. Jon leaned towards his assistant.
"I want to find out who took these. So I can kill them," he said. "Jon.." Sansa begged her voice cracking. She placed her hand on his, "Please.." The entire plane was silent. Satin and Brienne looked terrified. After a few moments, Brienne rose to speak with the pilot."My Lady, your grace, they're ready for us to get off the plane," Brienne said after she finished having words with the crew as well. "I've had them pull the cars up as close as possible it's best to get it over with."Sansa rummaged through her bag to find her sunglasses. Taking a deep breath she prepared to walk down the stairway that had been attached to the plane. Jon went first before he started he reached back to grab her hand. She thought to stop him and then realized it didn't matter. The crowd of reporters roared when they saw Jon and Sansa disembarking the plane. The flash of cameras went off. Reporters could be heard yelling at them. "Your grace, a comment, a comment,""Are you a couple, now?""Lady Stark, Lady Stark, can you comment on the pictures?""What's it like to sleep with your sister?"Jon's guards and Brienne almost had to hold him back from rushing toward the reporters. Sansa thought they didn't need another incident. Instead, they rushed into one of the black SUVs waiting for them not speaking to reporters. The fleet of SUVs sped off towards the center of town. The cars circled around trying to lose the reporters just like they had when Jon and Sansa were in Torrhen's Square. Reaching New Castle in less than 20 minutes."Why are we stopping here? Can't we go to the Wolf's Den first?" she asked. The driver turned towards her."There's a huge crowd at the Wolf's Den. Lord Manderly thought it best if you come here first," he said. Jon shook his head and clutched his fist. He had not spoken to Sansa since the plane landed. She wanted to be alone with him, to talk with him. He would barely look at her. Her heart sank. The Stark's condo at the Wolf's Den would be the only place they could be alone. It would be hours before they would get there. Arriving at New Castle, the SUVs pulled into a private underground garage and they were led to a large office where Lord Wyman Manderly greeted them. Opulent New Castle was the seat of White Harbor's government and his home. "My lady, ever more beautiful. Delightful to see you back in the North," he said kissing Sansa's hand. She could hear Jon growl. "Your grace," he said slapping Jon on the back. "Might I congratulate you on your relationship. Fine woman, the Lady of Winterfell is." 'We're not..." Sansa started to say. Jon looked at her his eyes wide and she looked down at her feet. She didn't know what they were. "Ahh don't be shy my darling," Lord Manderly said. "I know you're really cousins.""Who released the pictures," Jon said."Oh that.." Lord Manderly waved his hand. "Happens to all of us. You should see some of the pictures they've caught of me." The fat Lord bellowed with laughter. "Nothing like a good scandal. Gets people's minds off things. You already have the press conference planned. Answer a few questions and it'll be done with." Sansa was not so sure. "Come have brunch with me," he added. Jon shook his head in disbelief. They were led into a large dining room with a table set with more food than Sansa cared to see at that moment. Everything from eggs to bacon to hash, fruits, and rolls. They were urged to sit. A server brought coffee and tea. Lord Manderly filled his plate and talked of all manner of things going on in White Harbor. Sansa thought they should be dealing with the current crisis at hand. They had to decide how to address the pictures.Lord Manderly preferred to talk of Daenerys Targaryen. "She's with the Tattered Prince," Lord Manderly said between bites of sausage. "According to my sources. "Sansa thought for a minute, "The Tattered Prince? Head of the arms and security company?""Or as I like to call them mercenaries. Yes, that would be him," he said. "Experts in guerilla tactics and counterinsurgency. Messy business...""Messy indeed, my lord," Sansa said pretending to sip her tea thinking that Lord Manderly's hands were not so clean."Its how she keeps a lid on things in her little corner of Essos these days," he said. "Not as bad as it was. Trade still not what it was. The peace treaty improved things. With Cersei dead...""I'd think most people are happy to see Cersei gone," Jon said. He had hardly spoken. Sansa thought he wasn't even listening. Mostly staring out the window in thought. "Oh yes, we Northmen have no love for the Lannisters. It did create a power vacuum. And the sooner we get rid of the imp who claims to be running the interim government down south the better," the fat Lord said.Jon leaned back in his chair taking the Lord in, "And who do you think should run the Southron government?" he asked. "Lady Dustin tells me you plan to make a claim for the throne," he said. Sansa watched Jon carefully. "Where did Lady Dustin get that idea?" he asked. "Said she spoke to you last night about it," the Lord smiled. "Seems like it would be a nice solution to the problem with those photos.""What do you mean, my Lord?" Sansa asked trying to remember her courtesies and not let the cold slip into her voice. "I believe you know, my Lady," he said. Sansa did know but she wanted to hear him say it. "Announce that King Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. That you are cousins and free to be in whatever relationship you want.""And that Jon is making a claim for the throne," Sansa added. "How convenient." The Lord smiled at Sansa, offering her a platter of cakes. "When life gives you lemons make lemon cakes, isn't that right?" Sansa pretended to smile back as she took one of the lemon cakes from the platter.The meal did not last much longer. Lord Manderly suggested they take the secret tunnel from New Castle to the Wolf's Den. The long tunnel was low ceiled and went under White Harbor. It seemed colder than the air outside. Putting her hands in the pockets of her jacket, Sansa thought missed seeing the beautiful white buildings of the city and smelling the sea air. She had imaged running along the sea wall. That was impossible now. "It was Lady Dustin," Sansa said walking next to Jon with Brienne and Satin following at a respectful distance. Jon gave her a questioning look. "Lady Dustin had us photographed. I'm sure of it.""Why would she take the risk," he said. "She wants you to make a claim for the throne. So does Manderly," Sansa said. "I don't understand why," he said. 'Trade...stability...who knows," she said."Easier to move shade-of-the-evening from North to South..." Jon joked. Sansa's heart sunk. On the rare occasion, she was let out of her room at the rehab center, she had glimpsed people addicted to shade-of-the-evening. It was horrible. "Let's hope its not that," she said. Reaching the Wolf's Den, they made their way to a condo on the upper floors. Centuries ago the building had been used as a prison, centuries before that it had been a castle. It had been raised by a Stark King named Jon Stark to defend the White Knife river. The river that followed into White Harbor and was the entrance to the North. After the war for with dead, Lord Manderly gifted it back to them. Sansa thought it had been the Starks to give and take but she gave no argument. Instead, she encouraged Jon to accept it graciously. The continued restoring it creating several beautiful condos. One for their own use and others to lease or gift to friends.Their condo was white and bright. At the entryway, there was a small bouquet of blue winter roses. Sansa smiled turning to Jon. They were her favorites. He looked sheepish for a moment. Brienne and Satin walked past them to take some bags into the living room. "I had them ordered yesterday when you insisted on coming...before everything..." his voice trailed off. "I thought they might make you feel better. You'd been doing so well since...since...I didn't want...I didn't want it to be too stressful..." he almost laughed. Sansa went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sansa..." he started to say. "We shouldn't....""I don't care..." she said. "I don't care what they think. You heard what Manderly said." Jon put his hands on her waist. "I want to kill them all," he said. Sansa chuckled a bit. "As long as we're doing this together," she said. Jon nodded pulling her closer to him. "Killing them all together," he asked. "Maybe not that..." she said. Her mind flashed to the night she the took her from the center. The memory was there she could feel it just out of reach. "I can't do it without you Sans...." he said nuzzling his face into her neck."I know," she whispered back. They stood in each other's arms for a long moment. Brienne came around the corner with a phone in her hands."My lady, your sister's messaged..." she said. Sansa remembered she hadn't turned her own phone back on since they landed. Pulling it out of her jacket pocket, she switched airplane mode off. In seconds, there were 25 messages half of them from Arya. Sansa closed her eyes. It was about to get much worse.