Jorah Mormont's body lies on an unlit funeral pyre. Daenerys mourns over his prone body. She leans down and kisses him gently on the forehead. She then whispers something in his ear.
Just behind her stand Alyssays and Lyanna Mormont. The young head of House Mormont has her chest wrapped from several broken ribs and her head is bandaged but her house will live to see another day as Ser Jorah wished.
Jon stands over Edd's body with Sam and they say good buy before turning to join Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy who stand amidst the Stark men, some of whom bear torches. Ghost stands obediently in mourning near by, he is missing part of a ear and is still covered in blood from the battle.
Daenerys, Alyssays and Lyanna join the crowd a bit further down, next to Grey Worm, Varys, Missandei, and Tyrion.
Spread out in front of the crowd there are dozens of funeral pyres laid out in a organized grid. Stark soldiers stand at intervals with more torches.
Jon steps forward to address those assembled. "We're here to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters. To our fathers and mothers. To our friends. Our fellow men and women who set aside their differences to fight together and die together so that others might live. Everyone in this world owes them a debt that can never be repaid. It is our duty and our honor to keep them alive in memory for those who come after us and those who come after them for as long as men draw breath. They were the shields that guarded the realms of men. And we shall never see their like again."
Soldiers and Free Folk hand torches to Jon, Sansa, Arya, Sam, Tormund, Daenerys, Alyssays and Grey Worm. They fan out to various pyres in the field, joining their fallen comrades for one final farewell Jon looks at Alyssays who meets his eyes with a soft look letting him know she is alright. She looks at her sister whose mood is much more fragile. As one, they ignite the pyres. Daenerys watches the flames spread under Jorah, then turns away. The air fills with a thick black smoke.
.........................
Inside the Great Hall the victory feast is somber and quiet, even though the hall is filled to capacity. At the head table sits Bran, Sansa, Jon, Alyssays, Daenerys, and Tyrion. Davos and Theon sit to the left of the Starks and Grey Worm, Missandei and Varys to the right of the Targaryen's.
In the crowd, Gendry is looking around. He turns back to the table where ThevHound is eating hungrily and takes a drink.
"Have you seen Arya?" He asks quietly.
The Hound gives him a doubtful look. "You can still smell the burning bodies, and that's where your head is at?"
Gendry stutters. "I just want to thank her for..."
"I'm sure you do." The scarred knight smirks.
"Look, it's not about that." He protests.
"Of course it's about that, you twat." The Hound scoffs. "Why shouldn't it be? The dead are dead. You're not."He takes a deep gulp of his wine. With a huff Gendry gets up, insulted. He walks the length of the hall to exit, but Daenerys notices him as he passes the head table.
"Gendry." She calls out. He stops and faces her as the hall goes even quieter. "That's right, isn't it?"
Gendry approaches Daenerys cautiously. "Yes, Your Grace."
"You're Robert Baratheon's son?" She asks but it sounds like a statement. Aly shoots her a look. How long has she known? Gendry gives a nod. "You are aware he took my family's throne and tried to have me murdered?"
Alyssays tenses, her sisters mood is tricky right now and she exchanges a look with Jon.
"I didn't even know he was my father until after he was dead." Gendry explains.
Daenerys nods. "Yes, he's dead. His brothers are too. So who's Lord of Storm's End now?" She inquires.
Gendry looks confused. "I don't know, Your Grace." He admits.
"Does anyone?" Dany looks around, but no one
in the hall responds. "Neither of us are our fathers, and I think you should be Lord of Storm's End." The crowd murmurs.
Gendry shakes his head. "I can't be. I'm a bastard."
"No," Daenerys corrects. "you are Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End, the lawful son of Robert Baratheon. Because that is what I have made you."
The newly named Gendry Baratheon nods in shock and surprise. At his nearby table, Davos stands and raises his glass. "To Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End."
Everyone in the hall rises to their feet to salute the newly legitimated Gendry, "To Gendry!"
With a big smile on his face Jon offers Gendry a cup of wine. Gendry salutes the hall. They cheer in response.
Tyrion leans closer to his queen. "A fitting reward for a hero." He reflects. "And a Lord of Storm's End who will be forever loyal to you."
Daenerys gives him a playful smirk. "See? You're not the only one who's clever."
Sansa looks at Daenery with concern, pondering the play that the Mother of Dragons has just made.
.......................
The mood has lightened considerably with wine and the news of Gendry's new station. The crowd laughs and enjoys themselves.
Jamie and Brienne are laughing and she tries to refuse another cup but he insists, "We fought dead things and lived to talk about it. If this isn't the time to drink, when is?" He reasons and they clink glasses and drink together.
Davos and Tyrion are standing and drinking and start talking about Melisandre.
"The last time I saw her, I told her I'd kill her if I ever saw her again." Davos reminds Tyrion.
"I'm sure you had your reasons." Tyrion assures him.
"I did. I do." Davos agrees.
"So did you?" The hand of the Queen asks.
Davos shakes his head. "Never got the chance. She did it to herself. Or her god did it to her. Lord of Light. We play his game for him, we fight his war and win, and then he fucks off. No signs, no blessings. Who knows what he wants?"
"I don't imagine thinking about that subject will leave you any happier than before." Tyrion cautions.
"And what if I'm not trying to be happy?" Davos asks.
Tyrion shrugs. "Then you're in luck. We may have defeated them, but we still have us to contend with." He nods towards the head table where it is clear there is tension between House Stark and House Targaryen.
"Thank you. I feel much better." Davos says sarcastically as he takes the wine that Tyrion has poured for him and drinks.
Tyrion wandered to the fireplace and stares into the fire, pensively. He looks up and address Bran, who sits nearby. He gestures to the wheelchair Bran is setting in. "This is clever. Even better than the saddle I designed for you."
Bran smiles. "It's the same as the one Daeron Targaryen built for his crippled nephew 120 years ago. I liked that one."
Tyrion chuckles. "You know our history better than anyone. That will be useful as Lord of Winterfell."
"I'm not Lord of Winterfell." Bran objects.
"You're the only surviving trueborn son of Ned Stark." Tyrion reminds him but Bran stares at him blankly. "You don't want it." Tyrion realizes.
"I don't really want anymore." Bran musses.
"I envy you." Tyrion sighs as Bran turns to look behind him at Maester Wolkan.
"You shouldn't envy me. Mostly I live in the past." He confesses as Maester Wolkan steps up behind the chair and starts wheeling him away.
At the end of the head table Tormund is goading Jon into drinking from his horn while Alyssays watches laughing.
"All of it." The big redhead wildling insists and others join in encouraging him.
"No, not in one go." Jon objects.
"Go on. I believe in you." Sam encourages.
Tormund insists. "We have to celebrate our victory!"
"Vomiting is not celebrating." Jon laughs.
"Yes, it is." Tormund yells.
Everyone laughs and Tormund turns and holds up the drinking horn in salute to Daenerys.
"Ah! To the Dragon Queen!" He toasts and everyone in the hall cheers. Daenerys nods with a smile and stands.
"To Arya Stark, and The Queen in the North! The heroes of Winterfell!" She raises her glass to them.
Everyone stands and cheers again, even louder. Only The Hound remains seated in disdain for the celebration. Tormund tips the great horn back and drinks for an inordinately long time and once he finishes he roars in triumph. Jon and Alyssays exchange happy smiles. Sansa watches Daenerys for a moment then stands and exits the room.
Daenerys returns to her seat, sitting alone while watching the merriment go on in the Hall.
Tormund is getting quite drunk and loud as he celebrates with Jon, Davos, Alyssays and some of the Free Folk.
"I saw him riding that thing." The wilding yells as he gestures to Jon.
"We all did." Davos agrees with laugh.
"No. No." Tormund insists. "I saw him riding that thing!"
Jon, sitting behind him, shakes his head and laughs. He is happily hold Alyssays hand and her head is curled into his shoulder as she laughs so hard there are tears in her eyes. He takes another drink as he listens and shares his glass of wine with Aly.
"I did. That's why we all agreed to follow him. That's the kind of man he is." Tormund is loudly explaining to Davos.
Sitting just beyond the group, Daenerys notices the praise that Jon is getting. She watches closely as Tormund puts his hand on Jon's shoulder with drunken affection.
"He's little but he's strong. Strong enough to befriend an enemy and get murdered for it!"
Tormund shakes his head. "Most people get bloody murdered, they stay that way." He firmly slaps Jon on the back so hard that Jon winces in pain. "Not this one."
The men laugh and Jon looks at Alyssays adoringly. "Yeah, I didn't have much say in that."
"Exactly!" Tormund yells and loops his arm over Aliya shoulder. "Because of you! The dragon princess so brave she looked death in the eye and told him fuck off!" Everyone laughs at his antics. "You loved him so much you pulled him back from death! And he comes back and keeps fighting. Here, north of the Wall, and then back here again. He keeps fighting. He keeps fighting.: He climbed on a fucking dragon and fought. What kind of person climbs on a fucking dragon? A madman or a king!"
Daenerys grows more unhappy with the praise and attention that Jon is getting. The crowd cheers and Aly is looking up at him joyfully. Jon glances up at Daenerys and she toasts him with her glass.
She looks around the room feeling left out and she stands quickly. Varys is sitting near by and stands in response. As she exits, Varys bows to her, then watches her go with concern.
Alyssays has also noticed her sisters quick exit and looks at Jon in concern. He drops a quick kiss at the corner of her mouth. "Go." He whispers with a nod encouraging her to check on Daenerys.
She knocks on the door to her sisters chamber a few minutes later. Daenerys opens the door and Alyssays can see that she has been crying. She wraps her arms around her and they sob into each other.
"I begged him. I begged him to stay somewhere I could get to him. To stay safe, but he said his place was by your side. If he could have chosen a way to die, it would have been protecting you." Aly whispers.
Dany nods. "He loved me. And I couldn't love him back. Not the way he wanted."
"You can't think like that." Aly assures her. "He was where he wanted to be. Right till the very end.
.....................
Smut Warning*
Much later Alyssays returns to her and Jon's chamber. As she slips in Jon is sitting on the edge of his bed, his head propped up on one fist, tired and a little drunk. Alyssays closes the door and steps up to him and runs her fingers through his hair.
"Are you drunk?" She asks.
Jon looks at her for a beat before answering. "No." She gives him a look and he admits. "Only a little." She leans down to kiss him gently.
"How is she?" He asks about Daenerys.
She shakes her head. "I'm not sure."
His hands span her waist and pulls her closer to stand between his legs. "How are you?" He asks gently with a frown between his eyebrows.
"I'm not sure." She repeats and he pulls her down to press a kiss to her lips.
"I had you a bath drawn." He nods to the big brass tub in front of the fireplace that she hadn't noticed. "Let me take care of you?" He asks so gently she is afraid she will start crying again he is so caring. Instead she nods and allows him to turn her around so he can start unlacing her dress.
When the material slips from her shoulders he guides it down her hips and lets it pool in the floor. His fingers trace the lines of her spine and the curve her hip before he stands and scoops her up in one smooth motion. He carries her to the tub and helps her sit down in he steaming water. He starts to move to the side of the tub but she grabs his hand before he can.
"Please? Join me?" She asks and after a moment he starts to undresses. She leans forward and hugs her knees while she watches him strip and then slip into the tub behind her. He carefully unties and unbraids her hair until the whole silvery curtain falls around her shoulders and then pulls her back to lay against his chest.
The heat from the steaming water soaks into her bones and she can feel herself relax back into Jon's hard chest as he takes a cloth and begins to gently wash her. The warm soapy cloth slides over her skin as Jon presses kisses to the side of her neck and jaw. As he skims the side of her breast she arches into his hand makes a needy noise low in her throat that has his body responding.
She moves back into his hardness that is pressing into her backside making him groan. He drops the wash cloth and his calloused hand palms and strokes her breast, teasing the sensitive peak of her nipple. Alyssays turns her head to press her lips to his and they kiss gently, putting every ounce of their love and warmth into it.
Jon's hand skims down her belly and below the water to slip through the folds of her sex. Aly gasps and whimpers against his lips as fingers circle her clit and tease her opening before easing two fingers deep into her. She bucks against his hand but rather than let her find the friction she is seeking Jon carefully brings his other hand to wrap around her slender throat.
Alyssays eyes fly up to meet his in surprise. The hand around her throat is not tight, not meant to restrict her air or hurt her in anyway, but the implication is clear, he is in control. The hand between her legs begins to move, his thumb slowly stroking the nub of her clit while his fingers slip and thrust slowly into her. His tongue darts out to flick over her lower lip and tease her mouth open to languorously mate with hers.
No matter how much she squirms Jon refuses to speed up. Building slowly he increases the pleasure and tension rising in her body till she is nearly sobbing and shatters hard into a million pieces. Watching her Jon is sure he has never seen anything more beautiful or erotic than Alyssays coming undone in his arms.
She is still slightly dazed when Jon eases them out of the tub. He dries her off with a fluffy towel and carries her to bed but when he ease into bed beside her she turns to him and begins tracing the lines of his chest and abdomen. He captures her hands and pins them to the bed on each side of her head.
"No." He whispers and kisses her. "I wanted to take care of you."
"You always do." Alyssays responds and nips playfully at his lower lip. "You made me feel cherished... Now make me feel alive Issa Zola (my wolf)."
When Jon's lips connect with hers this time there is a hardness and aggression to it. His weight is still braced over her when he growls against her mouth. "Turn over." She blinks at him for a moment.
Alyssays time with the Dothraki hadn't exactly led her to believe what he wanted would be pleasurable for her. However, she had to admit the thought of being so vulnerable and at Jon's mercy didn't scare her, the ideal of him being in control had heat and wetness gathering between thighs. Jon was watching her carefully and the little flare of excitement he saw in her eyes had him nipping at her lip. "I'm not going to repeat myself Jorrāelagon, now!"
With a little wiggle Alyssays rolls over on to her stomach under him. She can feel the hard length of him pressing against her backside and gasps as he pulls the pillows out from under her head. "I want to hear every sound you make while I take you." He explains horsely.
His hands are strong and just a little rough with her as grasps her hips and positions her how he wants her with knees under her and her shoulders flat on the bed. She's slightly shocked to realize how exciting it is to be completely vulnerable and at Jon's mercy. His fingers slip between her legs to ruthlessly drag through her folds and he groans at how wet and swollen he finds her.
The thick head of his cock presses at her entrance and before she can catch her breath Jon has thrust deep into her in one hard stroke. Her fingers scramble to clutch the sheets and brace her self at the sudden delicious stretch of being filled. He brushes her heavy hair to one side a moment before the heat of his chest covers her back. His warm breath ghosts over the back of her neck where he nips gently and with a low rumble asks. "More?"
She nods frantically, caught up in the feeling of him pulsing inside her as he withdraws to the tip and then pounds back into her. The intense pleasure is only heightened when Jon splays one hand across the small of her back and presses down gently making her back arch more and her hips and core open up so that the next thrust penetrates even deeper.
Both of them shudder at the heat and fiery pleasure rushing through every nerve and vein. Alyssays manages to buck her hips back into him with what little movement she has to let him know she needs more and it shatters Jon's control. His thrusts strengthen as he pushes them both towards oblivion. Ever snap of his hips harder and deeper as he fills her over and over.
"You feel so good love, so perfect wrapped around me." He whispers against he back of her neck. One hand keeps a grip on her hip to hold her upright while the other slips around to trace down her belly and slip through her curls to stroke and circle her clit with the calloused pads of his fingers.
His rhythm builds with each thrust until it's like one movement and with each stroke he manages to drag his cock against the spot deep inside her that makes her see stars. Alyssays buries her head into the mattress to muffle the sounds being driven from her but a hand at the back of her hair tugs firmly at her scalp and turns her head. "I told you Byka zaldrīzes (little dragon), I want to hear every noise you make." He rasps.
Her walls start to clench and tighten around him as the sound of flesh meeting fills the room and Jon works like a man possessed. Moving faster, thrusting harder, sliding deeper and flooding her with the feeling of belonging to him. Completion crashes into Alyssays and she cries out his name like a prayer to the gods as he follows her moments later with a series of rapid thrusts burying hisself as deep as possible.
She can feel his cock jerk and pulse inside her as bursts of his hot cum paint her womb like dragonfire. He tenses above her and shudders, the vibrations nearly causing a second orgasm to rip through her. Jon withdraws and collapses by her side, pulling her to his chest he presses soft adoring kisses to her lips and face.
Both of them are breathing heavily and clinging to each other. Alyssays hand presses over his chest to feel his pounding heart as Jon strokes her tangled hair down her back. His hands feather across her hips where he can already see the faintest of bruises on the fair skin from his grip. He presses his lips to her temple to ask. "Are you..."
"I swear to the gods Jon, if you ask if I am all right I will have Daegar set you on fire." Aly mumbles sleepily and Jon has to smile as he pulls the blankets and furs over them and watches her drift off.
.....................
The light tapping on Daenery's door surprises her, she had thought everyone either asleep or still drinking in the great hall. She expected it to be her sister who opened the door when she called out to enter but was surprised to see the face of the King in the North slip inside.
"Does she know you are here?" She quietly asks.
"No." He admits. "She's asleep, and worried about you."
Daenerys smirks slightly. "You are a good husband. Your worthy of her." She tells him quietly. "I wish the two of you had never told me. If I didn't know, I could be proud of what we accomplished here." She looks into the fire. "I try to forget. Tonight I did for a while, and then I saw them gathered around you. I saw the way they looked at you. I know that look. So many people have looked at me that way, but never here. Never on this side of the sea."
Jon shakes his head. "I don't want it and you know that all your sister has wanted for so long is to see you on the Iron Throne."
Daenerys turns to him angrily. "It doesn't matter what you want! You didn't want to be King in the North! What happens when they demand you press your claim, and take what is mine? Will you ask Alyssays to choose between her sister and her husband?"
The first glimmer of anger appears in Jon's eyes. "I would never do that to her." He insists and when she scoffs his jaw clenches. "Do you want me to kneel, give up my crown to you? Swear the North to you? I would for her."
Daenerys stands and glares at him. "As if Alyssays would ever forgive me if I accepted." She snaps.
Jon looks at her in frustration. "I don't know what else I can say."
Daenerys steps closer and looks him straight in the eye and says desperately. "You can say nothing. To anyone, ever. Never tell them who you really are. Swear your brother and Samwell Tarly to secrecy, and tell no one else. Or it will take on a life of its own and neither you or Alyssays will be able to control it or what it does to people. No matter how many times you say no, no matter what you swear."
Jon looks at his feet for a moment and considers. "I have to tell Sansa and Arya."
Daenerys shake her head. "Sansa will want to see me gone and you on the Iron Throne."
"She won't." Jon objects.
"She's not the girl you grew up with. Not after what she's seen, not after what they've done to her. And neither you nor Alyssays will be able to control her." Daenerys insists.
"I owe them the truth." Jon insists.
"Even if the truth destroys everything we have built? Everything my sister has worked so hard to build?" She snaps.
"It won't." He pushes.
"It will. I've never begged for anything but I'm begging you. Don't do this. Please." Daenery's implores.
Jon looks into her eyes. "You and Alyssays are my family. Nothing will change that. And they are my family. We can live together."
Daenery's face turns stony. "We can. I've just told you how."
Jon's face falls, Daenerys turns back to the fire and walks away. After a moment he leaves.
.........................
Alyssays wakes from her dreams to slip out of bed carefully and send a raven before Jon wakes. It's time to send for a old friend and she has both her and Jon's siblings to deal with while trying to protect the dragons from a new threat.
.........................
The room contains a map of Westeros with stone pieces representing the forces at Winterfell and King's Landing. The mood is somber and tense as Grey Worm picks up a handful of Unsullied markers.
"A third are gone." He let's them know the count.
"The Northmen as well." Jon informs them and slides off some other markers while Maester Wolkan slides away some more. "Approximately a third of the Knights of the Vale fell as well." Sansa offers.
"The Dothraki were decimated, but there are 30,000 in reserve that we left to hold Dragonstone. They are rested and ready to fight." Tyrion reminds everyone.
Varys places additional markers in King's Landing. "And the Golden Company has arrived in King's Landing, courtesy of the Greyjoy fleet. The balance has grown distressingly even."
Missiandei speculates. "When the people find out what we have done for them, that we saved them..."
Daenerys shakes her head. "Cersei will make sure they don't believe it. We will hit her hard. We will rip her out root and stem." She growls.
Tyrion reminds her gently. "The objective here is to remove Cersei without destroying King's Landing."
Varys speaks up. "Thankfully, she's losing allies by the day. Yara Greyjoy has retaken the Iron Islands in her queen's name. The new Prince of Dorne pledges his support." He nods to Alyssays. "Just as you foresaw your grace. That's 20,000 Dornish soldiers and 15,000 Iron Island sailors."
"No matter how many lords turn against her, as long as she sits on the Iron Throne, she can call herself Queen. We need the capital." Daenery's reminds them all.
Tyrion grimaces "I watched the people of King's Landing rebel against their king when they were hungry, and that was before winter began. Give them the opportunity and they will cast Cersei aside."
Jon gestures To the map. "We'll surround the city. If the Iron Fleet tries to ferry in more food, the dragons will destroy them. If the Lannisters and the Golden Company attack, we'll defeat them in the field."
Tyrion nods in agreement. "Once the people see that Cersei is our only enemy, her reign is over."
Daenery's pauses and thinks, glancing at Aly she nods before responding. "All right." She agrees.
Sansa speaks up. "The men we have left are exhausted. Many of them are wounded. They'll fight better if they have time to rest and recuperate."
"How long do you suggest?" Dany asks.
"I can't say for certain, not without talking to the officers." Sansa responds with a shrug.
Daenery's eyes narrow as she glares at Sansa. "I came north to fight alongside you at great cost to my armies and myself. Now that the time has come to reciprocate, you want to postpone."
Sansa huffs. "It's not just our people. It's yours. You want to throw them into a war they're not ready to fight?"
"The longer I leave my enemies alone, the stronger they become." Daenery's snaps with a furious expression and Aly and Jon exchange a look.
"If the difference between winning and losing the war is a few days to let soldiers who have bled for us rest, then we've already lost." Alyssays looks at Daenerys as Jon turns to Sansa and Arya.
"And when they march, the Northern forces will honor their promises and their alliance to the Queen of the other Six Kingdoms." He reminds them and then turns to face Daenerys. "The north will stand with the other kingdoms, we are family now."
Arya and Sansa exchange a glance.
Tyrion tries to refocus the conversation. "So if all are in agreement Jon and Ser Davos will ride down the Kingsroad with the Northern troops and the bulk of the remaining Dothraki and Unsullied."
Jon moves the corresponding markers on the map.
"A smaller group of us will ride to White Harbor, and sail from there to Dragonstone with the Queens and their dragons accompanying us from above. Ser Jaime has chosen to remain here, as a guest of the Lady of Winterfell." Tyrion nods to Sansa as Grey Worm moves those markers into position. Davos looks in surprise from Jon to Alyssays that they will be traveling separately.
Daenerys looks around the room. "We have won the Great War. Now we will win the Last War. In all Seven Kingdoms, men will live without fear and cruelty under their rightful rulers."
Everyone exits, except for the Stark children, Jon and Aly. Alyssays gives him a look and a quick kiss, "Your siblings need a word." She tells him as Arya comes to stand beside him and Sansa moves to stand beside Bran.
In the godswood the Stark children discuss the situation.
Jon sighs in exasperation. "You understand we'd all be dead if not for her. We'd be corpses marching down to King's Landing."
Sansa reminds him. "Alyssays is the one that killed the Night King with Arya's help."
Jon tries another path. "Her men gave their lives defending Winterfell..."
Sabsa I trusts him. "And we will never forget them. That doesn't mean that I want to kneel to someone who..."
"No one is asking you to kneel to her! The North remains a separate kingdom because of Alyssays but I swore myself and the North to this alliance."
Arya looks at him and nods. "I respect that."
"You respect it?" Sansa asks in shock.
"We needed her." Arya responds. "We needed her army, her two dragons. You did the right thing. Alyssays did the right thing. And we're doing the right thing telling you we don't trust The Dragon Queen."
"You don't know her yet." Jon insists. "And your asking me to put my wife in a impossible position."
She gives him a regretful look. "I know, and we're sorry. I like Alyssays, we would all be dead without her and anyone with eyes can see the two of you are meant to be together. But i'll never know her sister, She's not one of us." Arya insists.
Jon looks exasperated. "If you only trust the people you grew up with, you won't make many allies."
"That's all right. I don't need many allies." She responds stubbornly.
"Arya..."
Arya interrupts. "We're family. The four of us. The last of the Starks. And Alysssys is a Stark now too."
Jons expression is both touched and somehow pained. "I've never been a Stark."
Sansa jumps up to object. "You are. You're just as much Ned Stark's child as any of us."
Arya nods in agreement. "You're my brother. Not my half-brother or my bastard brother. My brother!"
Jon hesitates and glances at Bran.
"It's your choice." The Three Eyed Raven replies. "You know Alyssays will support you no matter what, if she hasn't seen this conversation already."
Sansa and Arya look to Bran, confused.
Jon takes a deep breath. "I need to tell you something. But you have to swear you'll never tell another soul."
"What is it?" Arya asks.
"You have to swear it, before I tell you." Jon demands.
Sansa objects. "How can I promise to keep a secret if I don't even know what it is?"
"Because we're family." He throws back at her. "Swear it."
Arya and Sansa give each other a look and then nod.
"I swear it." Arya promises.
"I swear it." Sansa agrees.
Jon looks at Bran and nods. "Tell them."
.......................
"How did they take it?" Alyssays asks as Jon opens the door to their chamber and enters.
He walks over and drops a kiss to her forehead. "About like you would expect. Didn't you see?"
She shakes her head. "Not the end." She gets a worried frown between her eyes. He cups her chin and makes her meet his eyes.
"What else did you see love?" He asks softly.
"That everyone's families are just as complicated as ours." She whispers.
Jon gives her a doubtful look. "Cersei Lannister is sending a assassin to murder Tyrion and Jamie."Jon's jaw falls open and he looks shocked. "We're just lucky that her assassin is their friend Ser Bronn and he can be bought or I would need to step in." He sits down next to her and she gives a little squeal of surprise when he scoops her up and settles her in his lap.
"Anything else before I can spend the next few hours distracting you from our own terrible families?" He asks with his mouth hovering over hers.
She considers for a moment. "Arya is going to ride south with The Hound."
He presses his forehead to her and sighs tiredly. "Is there any point in my trying to stop her?"
She snickers. "I'd love to see you try." She smarts off but a moment later is indeed completely distracted when his mouth crashes into hers.
.............................
Three days later Daenerys is standing and peting a growling Rhaegal, who then takes flight. Alyssays is next to her and as they watch him fly off they share a small happy smile at how well he has recovered. Daenerys turns to climb onto Drogon and Aly to Daegar and they join the green and bronze dragon in the sky.
Sansa stands on the walkway and watches the dragons soar through the air. Tyrion approaches cautiously.
"My lady." He greats her but she is so distracted by the flying dragons she does not answer.
"My lord is the standard response." He teases.
"Why her?" Sansa asks.
"You know she would never do anything that would hurt her sister. That means anything that would hurt your brother now too." Tyrion tries to placate her.
"That doesn't mean she'll be a good queen." Sansa points out.
Tyrion sighs. "You seem determined to dislike her. A good relationship between the Iron Throne and the North has been the core of every peaceful, prosperous reign we've ever known."
"Jon and Alyssays will rule the North, so a good relationship seems likely." Sansa admits.
"There time here will likely be limited going forward. Alyssays is still her heir, and once they have children I expect they will spend much of their time in the capital or Dragonstone. Alysssys in particular loves the Targaryen stronghold.
Sansa shrugs. "Well, I suppose that's up to them." She replies mulishly.
"Sansa, look at me." He asks.
Sansa takes her eyes off the dragons and slowly turns to look at Tyrion. "With Jon and Alyssays in the capital, you'll be the true power in the North. I'd feel much better about the future of this alliance if I left here today believing that you and Daenerys were allies."
Sansa scoffs. "What are you worried about? Jon's taking our army with him. Alyssays just left on Daegar and your queen still has her dragons." The Unsullied can be heard marching in time out the main gate of Winterfell and Sansa and Tyrion both turn to watch.
"You don't have to be her friend. But why provoke her?" Tyrion looks worried. "How is that in the best interest of your family, or the North, or..."
"You're afraid of her." Sansa realizes.
Tyrion hesitates but answers. "Every good ruler needs to inspire a bit of fear."
"Jon doesn't, Alyssays doesn't. They are good, truly good, through and through."
" your brother may be the greatest warrior Westeros has ever known, and you are mistaken if you think the silver seer can't be vicious when it comes to her enemies."
"But I trust them to know who the enemy is." Sansa clarifies and frowns and her voice is soft with real worry. "I don't want Jon to go down there. The men in my family don't do well in the capital."
"No," Tyrion admits. "But, as your brother once told me, he's not a Stark."
Sansa looks torn and gives a sigh then turns away causing Tyrion to look at her curiously.
"Are you all right?" Tyrion asks in concern.
Sansa mulls over the knowledge she has about Jon that keeps churning in her mind.
Tyrion tries to comfort her. "Her people love her, you've seen that. You've seen how they fight for her. She wants to make the world a better place. I believe in her." He starts to walk away.
"Tyrion." She calls out and he stops and turns to look at her.
"What if there's someone else? Someone better?" She asks.
He sighs. "If you mean Alyssays and Jon, there time will come, and they..."
"No," She steps forward. "I mean right now, what if their time, is right NOW!"
.....................
Davos mounts his horse while Jon packs his saddle. Tormund approachs.
"You're not gonna ride the dragon south with your wife?"
Jon shakes his head, amused. He walks to meet Tormund halfway. "Just a horse. Alyssays and I said good buy this morning, we'll see each other soon. Besides, Rhaegal still needs to heal. He doesn't need me weighing him down."
Tormund scoffs. "You weigh as much as two fleas fucking."
Jon laughs. "Alyssays and her sister need time together too." He explains.
Tormund nods. "I'm taking the Free Folk home. We've had enough of the south. The women down here don't like me." He whispers referring to Brienne.
"This is the North, you know." Jon insists. "And I am King, the Free Folk are welcome to stay."
Tormund looks around. "It isn't home. We need room to wander. I'll take them back through Castle Black as soon as the winter storms pass. Back where we belong."
Jon looks at Ghost. "It's where he belongs too. I can't take him with me, A direwolf has no place in the south. Will you take him with you? At least until we return. He'll be happier up there than locked in n a kennel here."
"So would you."" Tormund smirks. "And maybe your queen too, she did well north of the wall, fierce as any wildling woman."
Jon sighs. "I wish we were going with you. But our place is at Dragonstone or here." He smiles. "This is farewell, then."
Tormund shrugs. "You never know." He leans in and they hug. "You've got the North in you. The real North." The big red head tells him and turns to walk off.
Sam and Gilly approach and Jon gives her a fond hug and is surprised when he feels the swell of a baby bump. She looks at her belly, smiling and Sam nods with a grin to confirm that she is pregnant.
"Yes, well, the nights have been getting longer and there wasn't that much to do in Oldtown. There's only so many books a person can read, so we..."
Gilly interrupts. "I'm sure he knows how it happens, Sam. If it's a boy, we want to name him Jon." She tells him.
"I hope it's a girl." Jon laughs.
Jon and Sam hug, both of them holding back tears. "You're the best friend I ever had." Sam tells him.
"You too, Sam." Jon admits and walks towards his horse. Ghost whines as he passes and Jon looks at him with a sad and regretful look. He mounts, and rides out of the gate with Davos.