#like people will say ‘cersei took it too far by’ i actually don’t care that she cheated on her abusive husband when there’s a million other

[atopvisenyashill]

i don’t care that rhaenyra’s oldest are illegitimate not bc i’m a targ stan who thinks she can do no wrong but because legitimacy is a social construct that does nothing more than enforce the patriarchy and class system, and rhaenyra having kids out of wedlock with a man she is consenting to sex with is fine, actually, and if you’re hung up on that it is my opinion that you are clinging to the rules of propriety and patriarchy when analyzing her because you think she should be punished for having sex outside marriage and not like, all the things she actually does that are morally wrong, which is like, textbook misogyny.

“but the lords” so the thing is i don’t give a shit if the lords think she’s a slut. i understand the time period bc not only am i not stupid, i also understand that it is still a big issue in many communities for mothers to have children out of wedlock. i am saying i do not care because it’s a fake issue the way “brienne can’t really be a knight because she’s a woman” and “sansa can’t rule winterfell when she has true born younger brothers” or whatever else. legitimacy is a tool of the patriarchy, of colonialism irl, of classism, and the argument “rhaenyra is a bad person for having children out of wedlock when she knew that would put them in danger” is stupid bc legitimacy doesn’t fucking matter and neither does marriage.

#valyrianscrolls #it’s a classist and misogynistic argument i need this fandom to be less heterosexual and realize sex and love that exist outside of marriage #aren’t dirty!!!!!! those kids are not dirty for being harwin’s and she’s not a bad person for it eitherrrr. #rhaenyra targaryen #me shit talking people in the tags #like people will say ‘cersei took it too far by’ i actually don’t care that she cheated on her abusive husband when there’s a million other #bad things she’s done that she feels no shame for. women are not bad people for cheating even if they’re royal!!! #‘cersei is had for killing robert’ like if joe biden got murdered by jill and it turned out he’d spent their whole marriage abusing her #i would say ‘yeah girl go’ #like the ‘taking it too far’ is her bad decisions when in power. her passing her bastards off as her husbands is certainly scandalous but in #the Specific case of ‘cersei coped with the humiliations heaped on her by defying robert the best way she could’ man whatever #the problem with joffrey is his personality ya know. #but like that is very much robert’s son also. it’s just. every day i am forged to see the Most Ridiculous takes. why. #that one lady who hit her husband’s penis off was innocent actually. he shouldn’t have been doing things that made her need to bite his peen

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

The thing about Jon that a lot of people forget is that he is actually a rather well known figure all around Westeros. I don’t think it’s incorrect to say that he’s Ned’s most famous kid by a large margin, and perhaps even one of the more famous teens in Westeros; especially now that he has become Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and his reputation has began to stretch to a different continent. Because of his very unusual origin - being honorable Ned Stark’s bastard son by an unknown woman - his name has been passed around in noble houses across the entire continent. He’s not some random kid from the North that no one has heard of. The majority of people may not have seen him, but they have at the very least heard of him.

I bring this up because people tend to act as if Jon would be automatically scoffed away by just about everyone if his true parentage ever came to light. After all, they say, why would anyone believe that some random kid from the north is a Targaryen prince? But this is not really true. Jon is not a random kid. His father was one of the most powerful men in the entire land. And not only that, but Ned’s reputation as an honorable man with no fault ensured that the scandal of begetting a bastard was known by everyone who is someone. The thing is, readers tend to ignore a very large gaping hole in the story when it comes to public perception of Jon’s parentage. People all over Westeros have been talking about Ned and his bastard, but no one can agree on the mother - this is actually important!

Most people would not have questioned Ned to his face, but they too want to know who Jon’s mother was, even if it’s just for a little bit of gossip among nobles. Jon’s parentage is a mysterious puzzle that a lot of people have tried to solve themselves. Catelyn hears one answer in Winterfell, but Davos hears another on his way to White Harbor. Edric Dayne from Dorne says a different name to Arya, while Cersei and Robert (who both live in KL) hear different things. That there’s so much variation all around Westeros is actually proof that a lot of people are talking about this one issue. And Ned’s refusal to name a woman may actually end up having unexpected consequences when someone finally mentions the name “Lyanna Stark”.

So I would like to push back on the belief that no one in Westeros would care about the R+L=J reveal or that they would immediately write Jon off. GRRM deciding to keep Jon’s mother an in universe mystery that is the topic of constant conversation will have major payoff. While I could see some being incredulous, it’s absolutely not a foregone conclusion that most people will choose not to believe it. And it’s not a foregone conclusion that this reveal will only matter to the Stark kids and no one else. Sure GRRM is playing with fantasy tropes, and Jon squarely falls under the hidden prince/king. But something that makes Jon quite different from a lot of his genre counterparts is that he’s not an unknown figure who shows up at the last minute to claim the crown. Jon is not an unknown entity. He is well known, it’s just that very few people have dared to think too deeply about the very large elephant in the room regarding his origin. But I’d imagine that if R+L=J was to be revealed, it wouldn’t be too shocking for a lot of people. It’s not so far fetched that honorable Ned Stark actually chose to protect his sister’s son.

And in regards to GRRM playing with fantasy tropes, Young Griff always comes up in conversation as Jon’s foil. People say that he will be the one to be believed because he looks the part of a Targaryen, whereas a random kid from the North won’t be believed because of his brown hair and grey eyes. Jon doesn’t look like some random unrecognizable Northman. He very specifically looks like a Stark! And anyway, is Jon’s story - that Ned took him in after his sister died and raised him as his own under the protective banner of House Stark - any less believable than Young Griff’s - that Varys had the foresight to save him and whisk him off to Essos before the Mountain bashed his head in? Until now, people have never heard of Young Griff so they’ve never had the opportunity to ruminate over and gossip about his origin story. But they know Jon. And they know about Rhaegar and Lyanna. And Jon looking so very undeniably like a Stark (like Lyanna Stark!) could perhaps work in his favor.

#jon snow #asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #r plus l equals j #my stuff #early morning rambling but oh well

[hchollym]

If Rheagar was such a bad guy then why does most of westeros still think about him positively after the Rebellion?

This ended up being a long response, so I'm going to put a lot of it under the cut for length.

First of all, even if most of Westeros thought that Rhaegar was fantastic, that still wouldn’t mean that he actually was fantastic. Perception plays a huge role in politics, which is obvious from Sansa’s observation about Margaery and the Tyrells:

The smallfolk cheered them as well.

The same smallfolk who pulled me from my horse and would have killed me, if not for the Hound. Sansa had done nothing to make the commons hate her, no more than Margaery Tyrell had done to win their love.

Reality does not always equal perception, especially where the rich and powerful are concerned.

Second, there’s absolutely no evidence that most of Westeros thinks about Rhaegar positively. In fact, quite the opposite. The story that has been told across Westeros ever since Robert’s Rebellion is that Rhaegar kidnapped and raped Lyanna; that’s the story that Robert (as the new king) spreads, and it’s what most people believe, including children like Bran:

“Robert was betrothed to marry her, but Prince Rhaegar carried her off and raped her,” Bran explained. “Robert fought a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar on the Trident with his hammer, but Lyanna died and he never got her back at all.”

That doesn’t sound too positive to me.

Third, it may seem like Rhaegar is viewed as mostly positive because of the POV trap. We only really get a few people’s outright opinions about Rhaegar (instead of vague or implied ones): Daenerys, Jorah, Ned, Bran, Barristan, Cersei, Jaime, Robert, and Jon Connington.

Of those, 2 of them (Bran and Robert) see Rhaegar negatively, 2 of them (Ned and Jaime) see him almost indifferently (I’ll talk about that later), and 5 of them (Daenerys, Jorah, Barristan, Cersei, and Jon Connington) see him positively. That seems like there is more good than bad, but you have to look at the context.

Daenerys certainly isn’t going to view her brother (that she never met but has heard tales about from Viserys) as a villain when she’s been told a very different story, and even if Jorah and Barristan didn't like Rhaegar, they would never tell Daenerys that. It’s also worth noting that Jorah traded slaves and Barristan was part of a Kingsguard which has seriously questionable morals, so I can’t say that I hold either of their opinions in high regards.

Jon Connington thinks of Rhaegar in a positive light because he was in love with him, but ironically enough, he barely knew him. That's obvious from the fact that he was more jealous of Elia’s relationship with Rhaegar than Lyanna’s, which would make no sense if he truly knew what transpired and what Rhaegar was thinking.

Cersei thinks of Rhaegar positively because Rhaegar is to her what Lyanna is to Robert – a fantasy of what could have been that serves as an escape from the awful reality. Robert has abused Cersei countless times, and she’s understandably unhappy with him. She didn’t even know Rhaegar, but she deludes herself into thinking that her life would have been better if she had married him:

If she had only married Rhaegar as the gods intended, he would never have looked twice at the wolf girl. Rhaegar would be our king today and I would be his queen, the mother of his sons.

This is just like the way Robert deludes himself into thinking that he would be happy if he married Lyanna. Neither of these ideas are based in reality.

There’s also an unrealistic perception of royalty that comes into play. Look at what happens to Cersei:

Cersei was soiled goods now, her power at an end. Every baker's boy and beggar in the city had seen her in her shame and every tart and tanner from Flea Bottom to Pisswater Bend had gazed upon her nakedness, their eager eyes crawling over her breasts and belly and woman's parts. No queen could expect to rule again after that. In gold and silk and emeralds Cersei had been a queen, the next thing to a goddess; naked, she was only human, an aging woman with stretch marks on her belly and teats that had begun to sag … as the shrews in the crowds had been glad to point out to their husbands and lovers.

The perception (as opposed to the reality) is what really sets the royal family apart, and Rhaegar certainly had an advantage in that regard: he was a handsome and intelligent prince and a talented jouster and swordsman. On paper, that sounds great, so for people who didn’t really know him (like Cersei and Jon), what’s not to love?

Also, compare that to Aerys (who was growing increasingly paranoid and delusional and even looked like he was going mad by refusing to cut his hair or nails) & Robert (who was an abusive, angry drunk). To people like Barristan, Rhaegar seemed like the lesser of all evils (though the bar is certainly set very low).

Now think about the two people who view Rhaegar almost indifferently: Jaime and Ned. With Jaime, I say it’s indifferent because his memories and thoughts about Rhaegar aren’t really based on his opinion about him; they are more about his guilt at failing to protect Rhaegar’s children, which I think he realistically would have felt regardless of how he felt about the prince. It’s no secret that Jaime hates Robert, but he doesn’t seem to particularly love Rhaegar either. He mostly just gives facts about him that are tainted by his youth and his guilt.

Ned’s opinion is what people usually point to as an excuse for Rhaegar “not being so bad” because if Ned doesn’t hate him, then surely he must not have been so awful 🙄 The irony of that is that Ned had a much greater opinion of Robert than he deserved (at first), but that certainly doesn’t mean that Robert was a saint. And he mostly just remembers facts about Rhaegar; the only “positive” thing he thinks is this:

There was no answer Ned Stark could give to that but a frown. For the first time in years, he found himself remembering Rhaegar Targaryen. He wondered if Rhaegar had frequented brothels; somehow he thought not.

If not frequenting brothels is the standard for being a great person, then his expectations are far too low.

I also think this is rooted in Ned’s misogyny. Even though Ned doesn’t think poorly of Lyanna (which he shouldn’t), he knows that she went with Rhaegar willingly, and because of that, he doesn’t seem to fault Rhaegar for the power imbalance as much as he should.

Since he doesn't think of Rhaegar as a rapist, that implies that he seems to just accept that this was a bad decision that Rhaegar and Lyanna made together that had domino effects. It's not as bad as some characters thinking that Lyanna “seduced” Rhaegar, but it still doesn't put the blame fully where it belongs (by acknowledging that Lyanna was still a child who Rhaegar took advantage of).

Ned clearly still loved Lyanna dearly, but I do think he didn’t understand her decision to run away with Rhaegar in the first place, and part of that is because his views about Robert didn't match up with hers (which was obvious when he assured her that Robert was a good man who was true and would love her with all his heart). Even though he told Robert that he didn’t see the iron underneath Lyanna’s beauty, he still somehow thinks that Robert loved her truly:

Lyanna had only been sixteen, a child-woman of surpassing loveliness. Ned had loved her with all his heart. Robert had loved her even more. She was to have been his bride.

That’s one of the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read, and yet somehow Ned believes that. By the time he starts thinking about Rhaegar again, he’s finally seeing Robert more clearly, and because of that, he’s finally beginning to think about/understand why Lyanna made the decision that she did. So I personally think that Ned's thoughts about Rhaegar (above) have more to do with Lyanna than the prince.

This became way longer than I intended, and I feel like I went off on a few tangents (sorry), but to sum it up: Not everyone views Rhaegar positively, and even if they did, it doesn’t make him a good person. He left his wife and children to kidnap a girl that was still a child, locked said girl in a tower without access to her family while she was pregnant, and set into motion a war that killed so many innocent people. I don’t care how many people “liked” him in the books; Rhaegar was still a jerk.

#anti rhaegar targaryen #anti rhaegar x lyanna #ask me #anon ask #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #valyrianscrolls

[hellsbellschime]

I always love your takes on Dany because I think you explain her really well and was wondering what you think of this take by a Dany stan. It's got some uh... interesting ideas. Sorry too because it's quite long

The main difference in between Daenerys' political arc, and that of other "heroes" and their Houses is that Dany's is not currently a political arc relegated to fighting for Targaryen grievances and wins. Meanwhile, all other main House representatives in the narrative (Starks, Martells, Lannisters, Greyjoys, Tullys, Tyrells, Baratheons) are generally fighting precisely for nothing else but their own (and their Houses') grievances and wins.

That's where the double standards come in-

+ Daenerys is harshly and minutely judged for the quality of her every act, upon every single person in her narrative, bc her arc involves her aim to hold responsibility over the wellness of all these people.

+ Everyone else who are part of the Great Houses however are merely judged as per how they perform towards the wellness of their own Houses, because that's all they aim to perform for.

One girl dies in an act Dany is not directly involved in, particularly in intention, and the discussions are endless as per the repercussions and outrage of the occurrence. Because Daenerys took it upon herself to defend all these people, and this seems like a failure, particularlyin her POV: one girl with no other importance in the story and a few lines, among maybe millions. One girl. Hazea.

Robb Stark and his men, on the other hand, will kill, maim and rape thousands, or even tens of unnamed thousands, and there is no outrage; rarely discussed repercussions. Because Robb's political arc is not about protecting nameless people. Not about caring for the fate of one-liner non-noble characters. His arc is about the grievances of House Stark. About Ned. Readers judge him upon how close he gets to getting revenge on Tywin and Jofrrey, about how well/or bad he leads wars, not about what kind of leader he is to people, what kind of 'monster' he is to enemy commonfolk. The relevance of his eventual loss is not about the fate of his people, or enemy people, either. It's about his personal tragedy. It's about the tragedy of the remaining Starks.

There is outrage for Daenerys even killing her (leader) enemies. For everyone else, it's an undisputed aim.

Daenerys is even already judged for the possibility of a future where she will anything that concerns her actually being Daenerys of House Targaryen in Westeros. The possibility that any Westerosi people might die, while hundreds of thousands may have been dying so far at the hands of other Great Houses (directly and indirectly), and it's mostly irrelevant for them. But for Daenerys that judgement is everything. She is looked through the lense of "if she's a Queen she's meant to protect them, not kill them" tho she has not yet been granted that status, while those who have had the status of Kings, Queens and Lords of Westeros in the meantime have been responsible for the deaths of their own people all of this time.

No noble Northener really cares for a Jeyne Poole, least of all for a Hazea.

Daenerys alone is (harshly) judged as a leader of people, because that's her current actual arc. She is not Daenerys of House Targaryen currently, in a real sense, not really. Her family and House don't really matter where she is now, and to what she is doing.

Almost every other noble character (and I only say almost to partly exclude those not taking particular part in politics) is given the leniency of the tragic MC in a tragic family drama biopic. ALL THEY ARE IS X PERSON OF HOUSE Y. And in most cases nothing else matter. - end post

Well, obviously no hate to this person whoever they are and I don't necessarily think it's a bad take just because I disagree with it. I particularly DO agree on things like Jeyne Poole, and I think that is GRRM very intentionally trying to point out some huge hypocrisies with everyone in the story, even the "good guys", because it is incredibly unfair that no one will come to save Jeyne Poole while a fuckton of people will come to save "Arya Stark" just because they cared about Ned.

But where I don't agree is on that aspect in particular. Because it's not about winning or airing grievances for these great houses, a lot of their actions are largely driven by the fact that they simply care deeply about the other people who are involved in the war now or who have been hurt or killed in the past wars, and that is largely what is motivating many of them to do what they do. And in even more intense cases, they're going to war because they are in extremely immediate danger.

This is true for both villains and heroes, I mean Robb and Cat go to war against the Lannisters because there is an immediately mortal threat to their entire family, and even though Cersei and the rest of the Lannisters are clearly villains, their actions are also driven by an immediate mortal danger that their family is facing. And it's safe to say, a huge portion of what happened in the WOT5K would never have even occurred if a lot of these people weren't put in a position of "HOLY SHIT me or someone I love is about to die RIGHT NOW if I don't do something so I better fucking do something".

I feel like the story makes it clear that the wars that they are fighting are very pointless and brutal anyway. I mean FFS, GRRM does not accidentally traumatize the shit out of Arya by putting her in a commoner's position in a war that is supposedly being fought in her name. So I actually agree with the writer in the sense that there is a double standard when it comes to Dany vs. everyone else, but I feel like the double standard is valid because all of these characters for better or worse have a dog in this fight. Whatever they've done is incredibly personal and therefore pretty irrational for them.

And the fact that the men are rallying to save Arya Stark when they wouldn't rally to save a thousand Jeyne Pooles is very telling and demonstrates that they are extremely hypocritical, but it's also telling because they're not fighting for the "heir to House Stark". They repeatedly talk about how they're fighting for Ned's girl. It has very little to do with her nobility and power and a great deal to do with how these people feel about Ned not as a Stark, but just as a person that they knew and cared for who was horribly wronged.

So while I agree and recognize that a ton of the main characters have done the wrong things, often for the wrong reasons, it's personal, it's emotional, and it's irrational. And in a lot of cases it is driven by something as simple and pure as "I am about to die if I don't do something so I'm doing the first thing I fucking think of to get out of it". Even for the houses who initially got involved as a power play, it has become very much about the people that they care about and their own feelings rather than strategy and house advancement.

That doesn't magically make it moral, but it does make it hugely distinct from what Daenerys is doing. Because Daenerys doesn't have a dog in this fight at all. She has absolutely no personal ties to Westeros or anyone in it, and she is not in any danger from anyone in Westeros. Literally the only Westerosi person who has ever even really tried to kill her is a man she doesn't know and is already dead, and the only Targaryen she ever knew who even had a connection to Westeros was someone she hated who abused her horrifically and who is also already dead.

Ergo, Dany is a villain because she literally has no personal or political justification for the massive war that she's going to bring to Westeros. She is going to leave the place she's in that is a complete mess and desperately needs help even more than it did after her intervention, and she's going to invade a place that she doesn't care about beyond some imaginary concept she has about it in her head, has no connection to, has no need for her, and poses no threat to her.

She's not fighting for anything besides herself and her own sense of entitlement over Westeros. She's more harshly judged for her actions because they are completely driven by her own whims and desires and nothing more. She has the opportunity to think things through and plan and get advice and actually figure out the best way to do things, whereas every character in Westeros is reacting to something very immediate that they don't have a lot of time to consider and that is deeply emotional for them. But still, she doesn't even do that.

She's judged for all of the mistakes she makes because they're unnecessary and foreseeable mistakes. And, if she actually just waited and tried to figure out what to do instead of basically throwing herself into situations where she's suddenly overthrowing governments and ruling hundreds of thousands of people without a plan or any governing experience, then a lot of the bad things that have happened as a result of her campaign wouldn't have happened.

And obviously, I think this is a very intentional move on GRRM's part. I think he establishes that war is pointless and often outrageously hypocritical with the WOT5K, but there's a reason he gave Dany no one she loves and no one who needs her help and no one who poses a threat to her in Westeros. She's going to bring war to an already war-ravaged continent simply because she feels like it should belong to her.

That is drastically different than Robb going to war because his father has been falsely charged with treason or Cersei murdering Robert because he will try to murder her children if he finds out they're not his. And while all of the wars in ASOIAF are terrible and purposeless in the end, GRRM is going very far out of his way to demonstrate that Dany has literally zero justification or even explanation for why she acts the way she does beyond her belief in her own super-special entitlement.

#asoiaf #anti daenerys targaryen #anti daenerys targaryen meta #asoiaf meta

[dreadwulf]

2: The Black Mountains

Post-Apocalyptic Modern AU. Chapter 1 is here.

The last thing his right eye ever saw was Brienne. 

In that eye she is shouting. Of course he couldn’t hear her at the time over the jeers of the Bloody Mummers tying him to the table. Their laughter had been right up against his ears and the sound of it drowned out everything else in that abandoned mall. The image is soundless: her mouth is just open, her throat pushing out a word that looks like No. Her blue eyes are also open wide, both frightened and angry, a righteous fury that came to him as a surprise, at the time.

She is a still image that resides in the abandoned nerves to that empty eye socket. If he cares to, he can still see her there, superimposed over everything.

She hovers over The Spider’s right shoulder just now. Still saying No.  

He tries to focus on the Spider’s face instead. Varys raises one perfectly sculpted eyebrow on his immaculate bald head.

“You can’t shoot anymore. Not like before, not with one eye. You know this.”

“I don’t mean to shoot.” Jaime shows his palms. “I have two hands still. I need a weapon I won’t have to aim.”

Varys measures this statement. He is a man who deals in knowledge more than goods, but he has an armed guard, and a collection of interesting weapons. Both for his own protection, and for use in acquiring the most valuable intel.

“In that case,” the Spider presses a button on the trailer wall. To one of the bikers, a large man with a burnt face who looks in the door in response to his call, he instructs, “bring me the Widow’s Wail.”

The same scarred man reappears with a comically oversized weapon in his hands. Turns out Widow’s Wail is an axe. It is a huge, two-handed, double-bladed axe and when the burnt biker hands it to Jaime his hands dip with the weight.

Axes, Brienne used to tell him, are the best weapon for killing Others. You don’t need to reload an axe. It can’t jam, doesn’t recoil. Simple and effective. 

Messy though, he had said back. He had always preferred his rifle -- clean and fast, one shot and done, and hopefully at a distance. The Others would fall down like carnival targets, one after another, and his favorite jacket would remain spotless. But after they took his eye, he had needed a new weapon, and his jacket was long-ruined by then. 

This is messy work, she had replied.

Now, he lifts the weapon, turns it one way and another. Both edges gleam in the fluorescent light. This axe has been sharpened recently. It is spotless. This weapon has never seen battle.

“It’s new,” Varys fills in immediately, “but it was designed to kill Others. Old valyrian steel, made the old way. We haven’t yet had opportunity to test it, but it will strike true.”

Jaime doesn’t ask how Varys would be able to make a valyrian steel weapon. Knowing how is what he does. 

The Spider watches him curiously. “Are we square then, Slayer?”

“Almost.” He sits again, crosses the long weapon over his lap with both fists grasping it tightly. “Where did it happen?”

“In the North. What exactly happened is unclear even to me, but we know for certain she had traveled north with a small gang. There are reports of her at Winterfell, and then she went with Snow and a small band of Starks beyond the Black Mountains. They returned without her.”

Jaime nods shortly. “Winterfell, then the wilds.”

The Spider frowns. He is perhaps a little perplexed by this conversation, or by Jaime himself. He likes to think he knows people, knows how they will react. But recent years have made a different man of Jaime Lannister. The fall of King’s Landing, his father’s death, the business with Cersei -- after all that, the arrogant and impetuous adventurer of his younger days is long gone. He is a ghost of himself, and the Spider doesn’t know what this ghost will do. He doesn’t like that.

He sits up a little bit straighter on his couch.  “Then it isn’t our local outbreak you intend to fight? I expected you would be nearby. Kill some Others, burn off some steam, and incidentally clear out some of the infestation in the Riverlands, which would be convenient for me. But you aren’t doing that, are you? You mean to follow her? To what purpose?”

Jaime’s eye flickers briefly right. “Hunting.”

“It will be pointless to mount a rescue mission, I assure you.”

“That isn’t the point.”

Their eyes meet for a moment. Jaime isn’t about to elaborate on his intentions, and Varys is visibly frustrated. His silky tones shorten, revealing something sharp beneath. 

“I ought to stop you. You have brought order to the Westerlands, and you’re starting to bring it here too. Alliances, patrols for the roads. Your brother, clever as he is, did not do that. If you abandon these lands, it may all fall apart.”

Jaime feels a flicker of guilt for that, but it is quickly doused by everything else happening inside him. No, this is important. Maybe the most important thing he has ever done.

He shrugs stiffly. “If it falls apart without me, it was too fragile to last.” 

“You’ll need more than an axe and your motorbike to make that journey. You have favors to trade, certainly,” Varys cuts him off before he can argue, “but not that many. The scouting party went beyond the Black Mountains, across them, into the far North. There are few enough waystations on the way to Winterfell, and everything North of Winterfell belongs to the Others. There will be no shelters for you along the way, no refuges, no refueling.”

Jaime is unconcerned. “If she made it there, then I can too.”

“The Blue Angel had a party of supporters, specialists. She would have been outfitted with the best supplies and equipment. She was welcomed everywhere she went, and at the peak of her powers. No offense, Slayer, but you are past your prime, and your powers lately end at the borders of Lannister territory.”

He smiles thinly as he stands. “I didn’t know you cared, Spider. Thanks for the weapon. We’re square.”

Jaime takes the axe outside, and stands staring up at the moon, while the bikers retrieve his motorbike.

Anytime he looks at the moon, anytime there is a moon, he thinks of her. Remembers how they had looked on it together, during those long nights on the road, even though they had parted years ago now. Her on to glory, him back to the arms of his family. They delivered the girls to Winterfell, and he left her to the Kingsroad. It was her territory after that, what once had been his. She had earned it in sweat and tears and blood. She tended it well without him. He had gloried in tales of her exploits.

Whenever he looks at the moon, he has always wondered if she is looking too. Wherever she is.

He thinks he will not be able to look at the moon anymore.

When he turns his head, Varys stands on the steps of his trailer, his bald head gleaming against the fluorescent light. Jaime has never seen him outside his trailer. It’s confusing, a little like seeing a penguin in the jungle.

“The Others of the Black Mountains are different,” The Spider warns him. “Worse.” 

When his bike comes rolling back with two of the Spider’s bikers, it comes with a few more gifts. Two metal spheres, one the size of a softball and the other the size of a chestnut.

Grenades, obviously Old World. Gods know where Varys got them from, certainly they aren’t made this way anymore. What they’re calling grenades now will mostly just make noise. But these two could probably blow a hole in a tank. He packs them onto his bike carefully.

Any old-world weapon would be priceless now, Jaime knows. Varys would not overpay a debt.

He squints up at the Spider, who makes a silky shadow in the doorway against his light. “And the cost?”  

The Spider smiles -- he can’t see it, on a shadow, but he can hear it in his voice. “If you come back, tell me what you saw. I hear very little of the Black Mountains and none of it first-hand.”

Jaime can promise that easily enough. He knows he won’t be coming back.

He walks his bike in silence about a mile up the road before waking the engines and roaring away.

He rides the motorbike until the last of his carefully hoarded gasoline is run out, rides right through the next day and into the night. Gets more miles out of it than he would have gotten with his creaky armored car, and certainly faster. 

Along the way he sees no other travelers. Five years ago there would have been at least a few others, some other vehicles, perhaps spaced out and alone, perhaps all in a big caravan for safety. But there is not much fuel left anymore. And North is not a direction people go in now.

It was how he had met her, actually. On a road much like this one.  He had been on a different motorbike and she had been driving a sedan. Obviously following him, less obvious why. He made it a chase - weaving between the stopped traffic, blasting around the walkers and cyclists and parades of cars going nowhere. She had somehow kept up with him, pushing her poor little car to its limits. Eventually he decided whoever it was had earned his attention for at least a few minutes, and he pulled over on the road to watch the tallest, ugliest woman he had ever seen unfold herself out of her car. 

She kept his attention considerably longer than a few minutes. .

Of course, he could enjoy a chase back then - you could still count on petrol, could siphon it out of most any vehicle you encountered along the way. The cars along the road here are bone dry by now, haven’t moved in years, and the electronics, trunk supplies, and even promising upholstery have been stripped out of them long ago. The cars pass by now in muted streaks of blue and red, dulled by layers of paint-stripping weather damage and snow. 

When his bike sputters to a stop, he leaves it right out on the highway. Packs his equipment onto his back. Then he begins to walk.

Without the headlights of his bike, it’s quite dark. No streetlights, of course. He has a torch in his bag, but he’s saving that battery as long as he can. Anyway, the moon is out, and once his eyes are adjusted he sees well enough. The trees encroaching on the interstate have not quite overtaken the shoulder, and the glow of moon and stars light up the cracked concrete in front of him, and glitter in the frost.

His boots echo his footfalls up and down the highway. First the gritty sound of gravel, and then the crunch of ice, and then the quieter scrunch of snow. 

There are no other sounds to hear out here -- no bird cries, no insects. They aren’t sure if the animals are dead, hiding, or run away, but no one sees them anymore. Means he doesn’t have to worry about being eaten by bears, at least.

The last bear he has seen was that time with Brienne, actually. It might have been the last bear, period. He hasn’t heard of any other ones since. That would be a shame, if that had been the last bear, and they’d killed it. He hadn’t wanted to. He can’t take it personally, the bear trying to eat them. He was only hungry, and they were all very hungry that winter. 

He didn’t know he would be fleeing the last bear in Westeros with her, when he met Brienne on the road. He only knew she was capable, and she was following him, and anyone out in the wilds could be dangerous. Out here other people were either foolishly overconfident, robbers, or competition. 

Brienne proved to be the last type, possibly also the first. She was after the Stark bounty, same as him. She had a personal stake. He could keep the money, she said. He had a lot more experience and knew where he was going, but she could be an ally. She could help.

He had laughed in her face, more or less. Said she was free to make the bounty herself, but he traveled alone. Newbies tended to die almost immediately, and he hadn’t stayed alive this long by babysitting foolish college students. He would locate the missing Stark girls and deliver them home. But if she wanted to return them herself she’d have to beat him there. 

A few weeks later they had wound up with one Stark girl apiece -- him with Sansa and her best girlfriend Jayne, her with Arya and her mate Gendry -- and again she had proposed an alliance for the trip up to Winterfell. No one had made it to Winterfell since the disaster, but their chances were better together, she said.

His better idea was that he could take the two valuable girls to Winterfell and she could take the two spares and go back to King’s Landing where it was safe, or jump in a lake for all he cared. But that conversation had been interrupted by the Bloody Mummers, and after that… things were very different after that.

Jaime slows to a stop with this remembrance, digs in his bag for his water bottle and takes a long pull. He’s tiring faster than he expected. He has tried to keep himself in fighting shape the last few years, but he hasn’t made a journey like this in a long time.

You’ve grown soft, he thinks, but inside his head it sounds like Brienne’s gentle ribbing. The tone she had taken after she stopped insulting him for real.

I’m refined, he answers back, slinging his pack over his shoulder and walking again. Answers between breaths, like he’s actually speaking. I’m a diplomat these days, remember? 

Will you try to negotiate with the Others then? She laughs in his ear. What will you trade them, wine? Broken electronics? The only economy they know is violence, and we trade them blows. 

He smiles to himself, despite everything. Young lady, it’s a good thing you didn’t come back to King’s Landing with me. You would have knocked out the Small Council within a day, and we’d both have been out on our asses.

And King’s Landing would have better off with us in the street than you in that office. We might have saved it. Old man, whatever have you done without me?

Jaime stops a moment, breathing hard, looking up at the moon.

I don’t know. I don’t know what I’ve been doing, where the time went. It all blurred together without you.

He has been having these conversations for years now. It isn’t exactly imagination. More prediction. He knows exactly what she would say in every instance. What she would think of the people he meets, the places he goes. He hears her critiques of his private practice sessions, when he tries to stay in shape for the inevitable invasion. Her quiet, private commentary. Her icy rejoinders to his jokes. They come to him like a reply. Like she has heard him gods-know-how-many miles away, and answered him back. 

It’s painful now, hearing her voice. He doesn’t know why it would be different - alive or dead, he is only talking to himself after all. Perhaps it is only more obviously futile this way, knowing she is gone. 

He was never going to see her again, he knows that. The things she does, they were always eventually going to get her killed. Hells, he told her that himself more than once. 

Even now it still isn’t entirely real to him. It doesn’t seem possible. But the Spider knows things, and if he knows them they aren’t just rumors. It’s true. It’s sinking in. Brienne is gone. 

She doesn’t walk the same world as him anymore. He will hear no more tales of her adventures, and smile privately at the things nobody else knows of her. He will not wonder if it snows where she is, or if the sun shines. Whether she ever thinks of him, the way he does of her. They traveled together only a year, but she carved a place for herself in him, in the slow and brutal way water carves a cliffside. He has kept her there all this time. Now in that space there is emptiness, a brutal, sucking vacuum that might just pull him apart if he stops moving long enough.

So he starts walking again. Keeps walking, on and on, without rest, for as long as he can stand it.

Here and there one of the Others comes onto the road ahead of him. They wander on and off aimlessly, looking lost. At a distance they look nearly alive, so long as they aren’t missing any limbs, and only the directionless of their movements give them away. As you get closer you can see their clothing is wrong -- it’s not enough clothes for the weather, or their clothes are torn, bits are missing. Maybe the clothes are rotting right off their bodies, if they’re been out long enough. Closer still and you can see the blueish tinge to the skin that the Others are famous for, the thin layer of frost that covers them head to toe. At ten feet or so you can make out the ice blue eyes that glow like cat’s eyes in the light. But by then they’ve seen you, and they move much faster than you think they can. Best not to get that close. Best to stay well away, and let them turn and wander in another direction out of sight. 

As always, one wonders what they’re looking for. Where they’re going.

Some of them will wander away before he catches up, and he pays them no mind. If he is quiet, and they didn’t take notice of him, it is easier to let them pass by. Fighting can be loud, and that sort of noise could bring more of them running.

But eventually one is too slow. They can be damaged, and those stumbling steps can be frustratingly deliberate at times. This one is fairly tall, and drags its foot in the snow. On the highway, it reminds him of an elderly driver occupying the fast lane at a crawl. Even as he slows his pace, he gets closer and closer, and the dead thing shows no signs of changing direction.

Eventually he can wait no longer. He will have to overtake the creature. At least he hasn’t seen any other Others nearby. This Other shows no sign of noticing him. Jaime slowly draws the axe off his back, and makes six rapid, long strides in the thing’s direction, winding up for a massive crossways swing.

Varys didn’t lie; the axe cuts true. One good blow across the back is enough to bring it down, and he remembers where to strike. Sever the spinal cord, destroy the brain, or burn them, that destroys them. The axe is so sharp it cuts the thing nearly in half. There is a quick, sharp sound of impact and the thud of a body hitting the ground, and then silence. 

They don’t scream, the others. They don’t make noises of any kind. Maybe because they don’t breathe anymore; who knows. He pulls the axe out of the thing’s bulk and wipes it in the snow. 

The first Other to fall to him in five years that he didn’t hit with his car. It feels good. It doesn’t relieve the great sucking void he has inside him but it does feel good.

He shoulders the axe and keeps walking. After that, he strikes down one of them every few hours, until the sun comes up, and then he huddles on the embankment, dozing, for most of the morning. It’s not so cold he’ll freeze - not yet, anyway - and there aren’t so many Others around that he can’t risk it.

He’s lucky, for the most part. There aren’t any big clusters of Others out here. Those tend to form up around settlements and cities, or lingering around empty houses. Not out here in the open space, where there aren’t travelers anymore. 

He passes the next night in a car, after crawling in a broken window. It’s not especially safer, but it is more comfortable than the ground. He sprawls across the backseat and thinks about the red wood-paneled station wagon he had found buried in a parking lot and managed to start. He and Brienne drove that car all the way to Harrenhall, the now five children sleeping in the back. The seat was so wide even Brienne could lay down in it, and she was inches taller than him. 

This car is blue, and he has to bend his knees and curl up to fit on the seat.

Keep watch for me, Angel, he tells her, before he drifts off.

Days of steady walking pass this way, with fitful bursts of sleep. 

The Black Mountains are looming in the far distance when he nears Winterfell. So tall he can see them all these miles away, staining the low edge of the horizon like a shadow. 

Jaime keeps his eyes on the ground mostly. He’s only been here once, and it wasn’t an enjoyable visit. It was a destination, and it meant the end of a long journey. He’s never much liked those. Endings. He tries to get those over with. If he can help it, he’d rather turn around and begin again right away, try to get back to the middle.

Wintertown is relatively intact, patrolled by fur-clad soldiers with shotguns. The town has grown since he was here last. The streets have people on them now, much more than in Lannisport or anywhere in the Riverlands. No cars, but regular people, old folks and even children, strolling about. He has to stop and stare at that for awhile. Pedestrians. It’s been a long time.

Perhaps things are better in the North? Maybe they are safer than they were. But Wintertown is small, and easily guarded, and in the shadow of the old Winterfell fortress these people know they can flee within its walls and be safe, should the Others attack again. That’s more reassurance than most places have. 

For a little while he walks up and down those streets, just another window-shopper. The buildings are mostly refitted as residences, but on the sidewalks people sell goods out of carts, or spread out on the sidewalk. Wanderers come through and trade the trinkets they’ve found. There aren’t prices. Most likely they will take food, and medicine, and more practical items, in trade. He didn’t bring anything like that, unfortunately. But there isn’t anything he needs here.

At the end of a long boulevard Jaime finds himself before the gates of Winterfell, and he pauses.

This was where he had parted from her. Right here.

He grimaces past that memory. He was an ass about it, of course. Tried to sneak away. She caught him. There was a confrontation. Things were said. 

Things? Brienne-in-his-mind prods him indignantly. Have you forgotten already?

I remember every word. He sighs. Unfortunately.

The gates to Winterfell stand open for now. Probably so that Wintertown can run inside, if someone rings the alarm. Jaime passes through and takes the gravel path to the old castle. It’s a sturdy thing, for being several hundred years old. Solid and undecayed. Sure, they have to replace the wood every few decades, but the stone is thick and unbroken. There are walls behind walls, like any medieval keep, and courtyards and gates separating them. Guards stand atop the fortifications with guns, and they watch him approaching. Wary, but welcoming. Anyone not undead is allowed to pass through, at least to the midden.

The kids are here at Winterfell, probably. Somewhere. Many of them stayed, he has heard. The Starks for sure, and maybe some of the other strays he and Brienne had picked up along the way. Any of the running kids in Wintertown could have been Apple, that baby that Willow and Sansa had fawned over. He would be five, six years old now. That is, if he were alive. 

He doesn’t want to see any of them if he can help it. Best not to go inside the Great Keep then. He goes to the Great Hall instead. The velvet ropes are all taken down. It was a tourist trap for a lot of years, before its fortifications became unexpectedly useful again. Used to be you could get a feast inside, with cosplayers and a jester and a bard, and then you could get back in your car and drive away home. 

Bit different now. The fires are still roaring, but put to more practical use. Broken furniture surrounds the great fireplaces where they have been stripping the upholstery and feeding the fire. Laundry is strung up before them, and boils in great kettles. Nearer to mealtime the laundry will be replaced with soup and stew. The fireplaces in the living quarters had been stripped out long ago, replaced with appliances that no longer work. They have to do nearly everything in the great hall now, and gather in smaller rooms. 

The head washerwoman takes his message back to the living quarters and Jaime sits down to wait. There is an armchair that is strikingly comfortable for as old as it looks, upholstered in a velvety material. It might be some kind of antique, something with a PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH sign on it back when this was a museum. There isn’t much use for antiques anymore. He sits in the chair.

He sits back and stares at nothing for a time. He might have fallen asleep, because the girls appear as if by magic, just as he remembers them but taller and leaner, their chubby faces hollowed by early adulthood. 

Sansa is quite tall, for a Stark anyway. She looks like her mother otherwise; red-haired, high-cheekboned, very pretty. Her sister looks like their father, sturdy and strong-jawed, Northern. They stare at him owlishly, and he wonders what he looks like to them. He is not nearly so changed -- grew a beard, added some lines around his eyes -- but they were children when they saw him last, and they are not children now. He has to look up to see them.

“You came for Brienne,” Arya says abruptly -- as usual she realizes the obvious first and doesn’t hesitate to speak it aloud. 

Jaime nods. There isn’t much more to say than that.

“We had a memorial,” Sansa hovers over him awkwardly, looking unsure. “All of Winterfell came, much of Wintertown as well. We would have waited if we had known you would come.”

“You thought I wouldn’t?” He says it more sharply than he intends.

Arya snaps back. “You’ve been gone a long time, and not a single letter. What else could we think?”

Sansa stops her with a hand to her shoulder. She was always an empathetic child. “You’re welcome here now. Can I get you anything?”

“Your brother. If he’s here.” His eyes drift to Widow’s Wail, where it sits on the floor beside him. “I’ve heard he was there when it happened. I need to hear it from him.”

Sansa leans forward and touches his hands, briefly. “We can take you to him.”

He can only nod. 

He follows the girls through the old fortress into a more modern living area. Home, most like. The Starks have all congregated here, the ones left.

Jon Snow he has never met before. The girls’ half-brother. Lord Snow of Winterfell, now. He stands straight and stiff, trying to look older than he is. He has a warm parka on over his polar fleece, something puffy and filled with down. It’s hard to be serious in a puffy coat without coming off at least faintly ridiculous, but the young man manages it somehow. 

“She was a great help to my family,” Jon says, and shakes his hand vigorously. “A great fighter, the bravest of all of us, and the kindest too. Every one of us here at Winterfell thought very highly of her.”

“And your mission?” Jaime shuts down the reminiscence quickly. He does not want to remember Brienne here. Certainly not with the Starks.

Jon hangs his head. “It wasn’t a complete waste. But it wasn’t quite what we wanted, either.”

He gestures to a sofa. Jaime sits on the edge of it, unwilling to relax. This is rather too much civilization for him right now. Jon sits down expansively on an easy chair, and runs a hand through wild black hair. 

“We were hoping to find something that would explain where the Others come from. We thought the Black Mountains might have the answer, the mountains and the land beyond. It’s hard to find much on the Mountains though -- only one road is passable, everywhere else is ice and deep snow. Beyond the Mountains there is a place they’re calling Craster’s Keep. We knew something was very wrong there. We should have stayed away.” Jon shakes his head, so serious. 

Jaime waits.

“We suspected they were colluding with the Others somehow. The ones on the Mountain. The old man… it was terrible. What he was doing. We had to put a stop to it. Brienne followed one of the men to their meeting place, where the Others come down the Mountain. She never came back.”

That is rather less definitive than Jaime wants to hear. 

“That’s all? Did you search?” he asks sharply.

Jon looks defensive at first, but softens quickly. “I assure you, if there was anything to find, we would have found it. We were very fond of her. There were signs of a battle, and several Others fallen there. But of her there was no sign. There was no body.” Jon looks reluctant to continue. “We did find this.”

Hesitantly, he holds out the wrapped bundle to Jaime. He knows it immediately. Takes it like he took the grenades, carefully and reluctantly.

His hands unwrap the thing before he can think twice, to show himself what he already knows. It’s Brienne’s titanium bat. Bloodstained, dirty, with a single chip in it near the tip. 

They had nicknamed it Oathkeeper, way back then. It was more like a mythical sword than a bat. Titanium bats weren’t even allowed in baseball, in any league. They hit the ball so hard it was dangerous to the other players. They probably shouldn’t have been made in the first place, and they stopped making them decades before the Others came and their true usefulness became apparent. 

Jaime holds the bat. Brienne had carried this thing for so long. He puts his fingers where she would have put hers, the way a player held it  to hit a ball. He can see the mark of her fingers there, slowly rubbed into the metal across the years. 

Jon is still talking. “These Others are different. Our Others will kill and turn. But these... We suspect that they consume the bodies instead of raising them. I think there was nothing remaining to find.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Jaime stands.

“If you will insist…” Jon rises as well, solemn. “My friend Sam stayed behind there. If you reach Craster’s Keep, ask for Sam. He’ll tell you what you need to know.”

*****************  

He passes a night there, lying awake in a bed. 

They gave him her room. A quiet, out-of-the-way guest bedroom with little in the way of modern amenities. It has a homey feeling, just the same. It feels like her.

She left some things there; little knick-knacks. She liked to pick up small things, put them in her pockets. Her coat had loads of pockets hidden everywhere. By the end of the day she would have lots of little treasures. You could turn her upside down and shake her and all sorts of shiny treats would come rolling out. Figurines, stones, tiny toys. They’re arranged all around the room, on the windowsill, on the dresser. Probably if he went through her clothes he would find more things still hidden away in her pockets. The coat, though, that wouldn’t be there in the closet, he knows without looking. She would have it with her, wherever she has gone.

Jaime leaves her things alone. It’s enough to know they’re there, waiting for her. 

Brienne slept in this bed. This is the only home she had, so far as he knows. She stayed here after he left, here at Winterfell. She would have rested here -- she was still a little sick. It had been a few weeks, at least, before she went back to the Kingsroad. After that she came back here between adventures, making the long, dangerous journey there and back again. In the dead of winter she would rest here at least a month, from what he could tell, every year.

He should have stayed with her. 

She never asked him. Not out loud. But he knows, deep down, he would have been welcome. He knew it then, too. But he had left her at Winterfell and gone back. Back to the arms of his family who needed him more than she ever would. Back to his father and his expectations, to his siblings who needed his protection. The job was over, and he went back to where he belonged. 

Not a day has gone by that he doesn’t regret it. 

************************

In the morning he is lacing his new boots in the great hall, a gift from Jon. They are a little large, but warm, and useful for maneuvering on ice. He suspects they had once belonged to Ned Stark; certainly none of the Stark boys have feet this big.

Jon has also given him a down parka like his own. Such a thing would fetch a lot in trade these days, but he insists Jaime take it. “This is the least I can do, for bringing my brother and sisters home.” 

Jaime promises to return it, though he can see that Jon does not expect to see him at Winterfell again. Neither of them do.

His pack has been refilled with food, bandages, antiseptic, and an icepick. Arya had thrust the bag at him wordlessly and turned on her heel and left and he does not see her again. How much and how little people change from when they are small; he can still see the dark-eyed child in the woman she is becoming. It makes him feel positively ancient.

Sansa accompanies him to the gates of Winterfell, gliding elegantly over the snow in her warm winter coat. She chatters as much as she always did, though it was never to him before. She used to keep her distance from him, as she had from most men. She misses Brienne, he realizes, looking at her. She must have been like an older sister, or an aunt, or...

He never did lay eyes on Rickon, did he? He is probably running wild somewhere, running with the wolves. He doesn’t ask, though he suspects Sansa would like him to. Nor does he ask about Willow, or Gendry, or any of the others. He has too much to carry already.

“You’re different,” Sansa tells him, nearing the gates.

“You’re older,” he says. “You see me better.”

“Maybe.” The auburn beauty frowns. “Do you think she’s still alive out there?”

He doesn’t want to talk about it. He doesn’t want to see the concern on her face, not if it’s for him.

“Do you think Brienne would want you to do this? Go after her like this?”

No. “That won’t stop me.” 

“She would want you to go on with your life.”

“I don’t care.” He can’t quite look at Sansa. He couldn’t look at Arya either. They remind him of too much. 

“Why did you never come back? She waited for you. She was still waiting.”

He shuts his eyes against her. “Don’t tell me that. Don’t. Not now.”

Sansa sniffles, and her voice trembles. “I’m so sorry. You were both so good to us. I’m so sorry,” she repeats, and tries to put her arms around him, but he’s already walking away.

He’s going through the gates of Winterfell, straight down the boulevard of Wintertown.

He doesn’t stop. He turns to the Black Mountains, and keeps walking.

#dreadwulf fic #And You Will Know Them By The Trail of Dead #braime #jaime x brienne #modern AU #Zombie AU #though ASOIAF is already a zombie AU this is just... a different one

[aboveallarescuer]

Btw, I wonder if you ever thought about the Jaime/Cersei and Dany/Daario relationships paralleling eachother? I never see people talking about it but some of their quotes and scenes seem intentionally similar to me. + For example, how Daario and Jaime's (yes, Jaime Lannister is a toxic romantic partner, the fandom can stay mad) reaction to their respective marriage proposals are heavily linked with posession (more so than love).

First of all, Anon, I'm assuming you're the same person who sent me two asks, this one and another about Tyrion. Re: the latter ask, I basically agree with your comments and have nothing substantial to add, so I'm going to focus on answering this one.

So, yes, I had thought about similarities between Dany/Daario and Cersei/Jaime before, but I'm glad you sent me this ask because you made me think of more parallels and antiparallels. They are certainly worth discussing because they highlight different aspects of Dany's and Cersei's characters and make it clear, once again, that they are meant to be foils.

(I'm not going to add book quotes here because I'm tired, sorry... But you can ask for evidence in another ask if you find anything I say questionable)

Daario and Jaime are both hot-headed, arrogant warriors presented as alternatives to the husbands of the two queens (Hizdahr, Robert).

Both Dany and Cersei love these men instead of their husbands.

Both Daario and Jaime react angrily when they find out that Dany and Cersei are going to marry.

Both Daario and Jaime ask the queens to leave their husbands and to be with them instead, but they both deny their requests.

Both Daario and Jaime offer to kill their queens' husbands for them. Both Dany and Cersei imagine the two men following through with their threats at some point.

Dany ends her affair with Daario after she takes Hizdahr as her consort. Cersei doesn't end her affair with Jaime after marrying Robert (and she did nothing wrong in this particular situation).

Neither Dany nor Cersei hides their affairs well (though it's worth noting that Cersei is being more reckless in doing so because she was queen consort and her power derived from Robert, while Dany was queen regnant and, therefore, had power in her own right. Indeed, Dany taking Daario as her lover is compared to Lewyn Martell, a man, taking a paramour in Dorne. That certainly isn't how the Faith views Cersei's affair with Jaime. Also, as I said above, Dany's affair lasted while she was unmarried, while Cersei's happened while she was married).

Dany thinks she'll never have a child with Hizdahr because she believes she's infertile. Cersei thought she'd never have a child with Robert back when he was alive because she always took measures to prevent that from ever happening (and she definitely did nothing wrong here).

Dany idealizes her relationship with Daario way more than Cersei idealizes hers with Jaime. For instance, Dany says to herself that she would give up her crown for Daario if he ever asked her to do so, but she doubts he ever would because she assumes he loves her solely because of her power. Cersei never considers giving up her crown for Jaime (to be fair, I don't think Dany would've done that for Daario either). In this particular case, I actually think that Rhaegar is Cersei's Daario, because it's with Rhaegar that Cersei dreamed and still dreams of marrying and having his children and living a blissful life together (though, even in that fantasy, Cersei would still want to be queen, while Dany thinks she'd be content living a normal life alongside the man she loves without any power or luxury in the house with the red door). Daario and Rhaegar (rather than Jaime) are the men who bring out Dany's and Cersei's romantic sides (which makes sense because Cersei idealized Rhaegar back when she was a young girl like Dany). Rhaegar is the one that got away for Cersei, and I imagine Dany will have similar feelings about Daario in the future.

At some point during their reigns, both Dany and Cersei send Daario and Jaime away, but for opposite reasons: Dany does so because Daario advised her to kill her subjects and she's appaled by the suggestion; Cersei does so because Jaime advised her to cooperate with her subjects and she assumes that that means he is disrespecting her authority (which he does sometimes, but not always).

It's harder for Dany to be apart from Daario than it is for Cersei to be apart from Jaime. Dany immediately regrets her decision to send him away and even goes as far as to think that, because she had an indirect role in Hazzea's death for allowing Drogon to roam freely, she is a monster just like Daario (seriously, how can anyone think that book!Dany is arrogant???). Meanwhile, Cersei only comes to regret her decision to send Jaime away after she needs his help, specifically after the Faith arrests her and she has no reliable option to choose to fight for her life in a trial by combat.

Both Dany and Cersei spend most of their storylines away from these men. (I could be wrong, but I don't think GRRM had Daario out of the picture because he was supposedly bored with him like I've seen some BNFs or 'neutrals' argue... I do think that was a choice specifically made to strengthen the parallels between Dany and Cersei).

Both Daario and Jaime feel jealous of Dany's and Cersei's relationships with other men throughout AFFC/ADWD.

Daario returns with the Stormcrows when Dany recalls him even though it would have been beneficial to betray her and turn to Yunkai's side, especially since he already knew that the Second Sons had done that. Jaime doesn't return when Cersei asks him to go back... You could even say that he switches sides, in a way, by deciding to prioritize Brienne's request instead. This is part of a larger pattern: while most of Dany's people (including Daario) remain loyal to her by the end, almost all of Cersei's allies abandon her. While it's said that Dany managed to keep everyone (former slaves and former masters) together, Cersei destroyed the Lannister-Tyrell alliance due to her poor decisions.

ADWD Daenerys X ends with Dany thinking about how Daario wouldn't mind seeing her in such a messy state like how she is by the end of the chapter. AFFC Cersei X ends with Cersei hoping against hope that Jaime will return and win her trial by combat. Both expect to be reunited with and to be saved by their lovers at the end of these chapters.

Dany doesn't trust Daario, but she doesn't close herself off from him either, which is why she has the support of the Stormcrows. Cersei says she lost her trust in Jaime, but then, by the end, she is in such a dire situation that she desperately decides to put all her hope in him and trust him way too much (to a degree that even Qyburn finds concerning since he lost his hand). This is part of a larger pattern: while Dany is wary of some people, she knows that she should still take risks and make alliances. This attitude doesn't make her omniscient and she is not immune to making mistakes or to people (like Brown Ben) betraying her, sure. That being said, Dany still remains open-minded, cooperates with influential allies and makes a peace agreement that could have worked if the deal wasn't inherently false for prioritizing the privileges of the masters over the lives of the slaves and if her primary goal wasn't to protect the disenfranchised first and foremost. Meanwhile, Cersei thinks she should distrust everyone, which leads her to alienate potential allies that could have been useful and to be surrounded by people who claim to agree with her on everything, but who are neither experienced nor reliable. Then she creates plans that rely way too much on these very untrustworthy people, which is why they backfire: from the construction of the dromonds (which she relied on Aurane Waters, who turned his back on her) to the attempt on Bronn's life (which she relied on Balman Byrch, who turned his back on her) to the scheme to have Margaery and her cousins arrested (which she relied on Osney Kettleblack, who turned his back on her) to the decision to rearm the Faith Militant (which she relied on the High Sparrow, who turned his back on her) to her decision to trust that Jaime (who also turned his back on her) will return to fight for her life ... I'm sure there are more examples, but that's enough to illustrate my point. Cersei's thinking is too extreme, while Dany has a healthy distrust of others. As a result, Cersei makes hasty decisions and burns bridges unnecessarily, while Dany is able to make more carefully weighed decisions, as well as to create and maintain important alliances.

Finally, I think Dany and Daario's relationship is more positive than Cersei and Jaime's. Not only there's no verbal abuse or disrespect of sexual consent like how it happens with Cersei/Jaime, but Daario didn't switch sides to Yunkai, gave her good counsel (such as when he tells her to hold court and reminds her that her children need her) and genuinely cares about Dany, which we see from when he tells her not to get married time and again to when we contrast him with Osney. He is possessive and brags about sleeping with her on some occasions, yes, but I think it was @evilwomen who pointed out in one of our conversations that Dany doesn't feel bothered by any of that, which goes to show how much she loves him, since she's willing to forgive actions that would be considered insults for his sake.

So, once again, thanks for this ask, Anon, it encouraged me to think about connections that I hadn't considered before.

And you know, I said this before and will say it again... This is why I think Dany is the YMBQ... Not just because she clearly fits all the requirements, but because she and Cersei were way too carefully written to parallel and contrast each other (so much so that the author mentioned that in multiple interviews). You said you "never see people talking about" the parallels between Cersei/Jaime and Dany/Daario, but look at how much I managed to find off the top of my head (and I'm not even sure this is comprehensive, tbqh)??? Now imagine that happening to all of their casts of supporting characters and to all the political events and to pretty much every single aspect of their characterizations and storylines. Their parallels and antiparallels are really overwhelming, and it's why I decided to make gifs showing why they're foils.

#daenerys targaryen #cersei lannister #daario naharis #jaime lannister #answered #asoiaf meta

[megsironthrone]

The “Handmaiden’s” Sister

Based on this request:  so Y/N is shae’s playful n honest younger sister (think lizzy from pride and prejudice) who works in the castle n shae n tyrion keep her out of joffrey n cersei’s eye n out of trouble but at a feast hosting the northern houses a drunken joffrey notices her n tries it with her but she rejects him. she’s ab to be punished but ramsay volunteers to do the punishing himself at the dreadfort which joffrey gets smug ab. but actually ramsay was fascinated by Y/N n was saving her n they fall in love

Here you are! *Familiar Characters are NOT mine!*

Warnings: Angst. Mentions of violence, blood. Brief mentions of torture(not actual torture, but mentions of possible torture) Typical Ramsay and Joffrey. Dark! Changed a little from the request because Ramsay in love is HARD for me to write.

Pairings/Characters: Ramsay Bolton x fem!reader, mentions of Joffrey.

When your "sister" Shae had insisted that Tyrion bring you along to the Red Keep, you had been excited. You enjoyed new experiences, although not as much as your sister. Tyrion agreed, if only to keep your sister with him, and you found yourself doing honest work in the Keep. You didn't mind the work. What you did mind were the lecherous gazes and touches. Although none made you more uncomfortable that Joffrey.  

         He was a child by all rights, despite wearing a crown atop his head. And he was to be married to Lady Margaery. Both of those things were marks against him in your book. Add to that the stories you'd heard of his cruelty and you were not the least bit impressed or interested. That didn't stop him from trying and it all came to a head one night during a feast he held in honor of the Northern Lords that were loyal to him.

         You could only avoid him so much that night as you were required to wait on the head table. That meant being in Joffrey's vicinity the entire evening. Every time you went near, there were small touches and little comments that no young boy should know the meaning of. And you were so focused on avoiding Joffrey that you didn't notice the eyes of one of the lords glued to you.

         Ramsay was intrigued by you. There was something about you that he couldn't put his finger on. Oh, you played the dutiful servant very well. You acted demure and never spoke out against those stationed above you. But Ramsay could see something brewing behind your (e/c) eyes. Something dangerous. Something devious and he liked it. He knew he had to have for himself and Ramsay saw his opportunity when you finally pissed Joffrey off one too many times.

         "Forgive me, Your Grace, but perhaps you should look to one of Lord Baelish's prostitutes to warm your bed for the night for I certainly won't." Ramsay relished in the bite of your tone. There were only a handful of people who heard your comment, but it was enough to embarrass the poor Boy King. His face grew red and the veins in his neck popped. Still, you didn't back down.

         Joffrey gripped your arm and Ramsay had to force himself to remain calm. In his eyes, you were already his and no one else should be putting their hands on you. "I could have you killed for that, wench," Joffrey said through gritted teeth. You glared at him and replied that you didn't care. Anything was better than having his hands all over you. Then you said something else not suitable for young children's ears, practically emasculating the king. Ramsay had to stop himself from laughing.

         Joffrey stood, his hand still gripping your arm. The rage was evident on his face as he nearly threw you at Ser Ilyn. "Ser Ilyn, remove her head." It was then that Ramsay decided to act. He stood and reluctantly bowed to Joffrey. "Your Grace, let's not ruin this delightful feast with an execution. Besides, for such an insult, the girl needs to be taught a valuable lesson in knowing her place. I volunteer to take her back to Dreadfort with me. You'll find I have a gift for…teaching unruly servants lessons."

         Joffrey's eyes swung to Ramsay briefly before returning to you. Ramsay wasn't looking but clearly there was enough fear in your eyes to bring a sadistic grin to Joffrey's face. "Very well. Ser Ilyn, escort her to the cells for the night. Tomorrow, she shall be Lord Ramsay's prisoner and return with him to the Dreadfort." With that, Ser Ilyn lead you from the room and Ramsay met your gaze. There was a bit of relief, yet still fear and defiance in your eyes. Ramsay looked forward to what was to come.

         The next morning, Ramsay pulled you into his wheelhouse behind him. You scooted as far away from his as you possibly could. Your eyes never left his as he sat back opposite you. For a few moments, he merely stared at you and you stared back. Only this time, you were glaring at him in defiance. Ramsay smirked and leaned over to say something. That was when you flinched.

         "Ah, so you are the scared little mouse." Your eyes narrowed at his tone. "I am not a mouse, milord. But I know what you plan to do to me. I do not want to die." Ramsay sat back a little, still regarding you. He laughed lightly. "My dear, I have no intention of killing you." You scoffed before replying, "Torturing me until I long for death is the same."

         "I do not plan on torturing you either." You blinked in surprise. "Why?" you asked before you could stop yourself. Ramsay pondered for a moment. "You intrigue me. You are a mystery I wish to unlock. As long as you do as I say, whatever I say, no harm will come to you. You shall be under my protection."

         "I'm not a whore!" you snapped, taking Ramsay back for a moment. Then, he began laughing. "I never said you were. I didn't save your life just to have you in bed, although I wouldn't be opposed. I have other plans for you, my sweet." Your brows furrowed in confusion. Ramsay reached over and gripped your knee.

         "What plans?" He smirked again, leaning closer until your noses were almost touching. He noticed a shiver run down your spine. "Revenge, my sweet. I'm going to teach you the ways to get revenge on those who wronged you. Including Joffrey. Nothing will stop you."

         "Not even you?" Ramsay let out another chuckle. "If you can defeat me, I deserve to be defeated. But I don't think you'll want to. My plan goes beyond just teaching you my ways. By the time I'm finished, you'll never want to leave my side." Another shiver coursed through you, making Ramsay smile in triumph.

*time skip*

         True to his word, when you arrived at the Dreadfort, Ramsay had his servants set up chambers just for you. He took you down to the dungeons, scaring you half to death with the many devices of torture down there. He watched your face as you took everything in. You were curious and that scared you even more than the devices themselves. But Ramsay wasn't going to give you time to adjust. He began showing you that very night how they worked and how to inflict the most pain with the least amount of effort.

         That was what lead you to the moment you were in now. Covered in the blood of your unfortunate victim, breathing heavily as your (e/c) eyes met Ramsay's. He was smirking proudly, his arms crossed over his chest. You hadn't set out to hurt anyone that morning, but the man had insulted you. He had nearly attacked you when you hadn't responded to his verbal attack. After so long, you lost it.

         On the outside, Ramsay looked proud as a peacock. On the inside, the man was in awe. You, this incredible woman in front of him, were not the frightened mouse he had thought. You were glorious. You were amazing. Blood was spattered on you as your chest heaved and Ramsay couldn't deny his attraction in that moment. In two steps, he crossed the room, gripping your face in his hands and crashing his lips to yours.

         To his surprise, he heard your weapon hit the ground and you deepened the kiss. Whether this was love or not, Ramsay didn't know. He knew he'd never felt something so raw. So animalistic. So…intense for another human being before that moment. If it was love, Ramsay was never letting you go. You were his. Forever.

(a/n: I know it’s not the fluff you were hoping for, but I hope you like it all the same! I should probably not watch Deadly Women while I write Ramsay XD)

Forever Tags: @fizzyxcustard​ @brewsthespirit-blog​ @etherealpotter​ @line-viper​ @frozenhuntress67​ @cd1242​ @gruffle1​ @smalltownbigheart​ @igotmadskills​

#george r.r.martin #game of thrones #ramsay bolton #ramsay bolton x reader #ramsay x reader #tw: blood #tw: violence #tw: torture

[reginarubie]

The difference between Anakin Skywalker and Daenerys Targaryen ~

Alternatively why, in my opinion (and I refer only show-wise and movie-wise) one is the fall of a hero and the other is the rise of a tyrant.

Under the cut more.

Now, I have stated more than once that it is possible that in the books Daenerys Targaryen will pull an Anakin Skywalker so still burn KL maybe for a honest mistake as she battles against fAegon or maybe because of a fit of rage (she is prone to those and it's canon) and will try to redeem herself during the Great War maybe even dying in the pursuit of her redemption.

Still, even if that was the case, there's a reason why I absolutely love Anakin Skywalker as a character as the fallen hero who died for love and a reason why I like Daenerys as a multi-facets characters but I do not love her.

Now, both characters have done unforgivable things. I don't hide from that, I mean Anakin killed all of those younglings and who knows how many people is his years as the Emperor henchman, Daenerys killed, burned, crucified and had children tortured (book) or fed her supposed opposititors to her dragons (show).

Yet, while their stories might be similar, if Daenerys really does burn KL and dies trying to redeem herself, I feel the heart of their stories in fundamentally different.

Anakin and Daenerys both start at a low point. Both are sympathetic in the beginning of their journey. Anakin is a slave in a far off planet at the edge of the galaxy while Daenerys is an exiled princess living off the courtesy of strangers who wants something from the last Targaryens, a girl who lived in poverty and often followed by assassins.

Both are compassion-filled or so it seems in the beginning.

Both feel strongly, wether it's fear, love or hate in all the arc of their journey. Both are rejected and only a person believes in them.

Anakin, no matter all he has done as a nine year old is rejected by the Jedi council and only Qui Gon Jinn believed in him being the Chosen One. Same as Daenerys is rejected by the lords and ladies of the continent as the true queen as they support the Baratheons or Starks or whoever else but her and only ser Jorah believes in her.

Then Qui Gon Jinn is killed and Obi Wan steps up.

Ser Jorah is discovered for his treachery and exiled and ser Barristan takes his mantle.

So far similar journey.

Anakin kills all the tusken; children, women and men. All of them to avenge his mother.

Daenerys crucifies all of those slavers - without even holding an investigation to see who of them has offered their child slaves to crucify them (again, the investigation before passing a sentence was done since the time of the romans, so around the time of Old Valyria in asoiaf). She does the same as Anakin when she burns down KL.

At first we see Anakin actually regrets or feels bad for what he did. He cries because of that, because he is grieving. He cry about it to Padme and she consoles him (not gonna delve into the Padme/Jon possible parallels right now) about it and he seems off for the better after it.

Daenerys does the same. Because she is grieving (ser Jorah, Missandei, Viserion, Rhaegal, Barristan, at least show wise) she burns down KL and kills everyone. Children, women, men, elderly, soldiers, civilians. She does not feel sorry for it. She does not cry. She gives conqueror-speeches. She basks in the fact that she has gotten the Iron throne (not that she has had revenge for the people she lost).

Why? Because their fall stems from different seeds.

Power for Daenerys.

Love for Anakin.

Anakin is pushed into the Dark side by rejection of his feelings by the Jedi council - he searches the guidance of Yoda and the only reply he gets is to learn to let go, but to a boy who has fought tooth and nail to finally have and loves so absolutely... I mean, if I was afraid of loosing someone and one to whom I went to get help told me to let go...I wouldn't take that counsel - but mostly because of love. He loves Padme and his fear of losing her is so great he is ready to condemn his whole soul to save her.

the Dark side then twists him and he wants power. But the root of Anakin character is love. In fact it's that same love he has arbored for his wife that pushes him right back in the light side by saving the galaxy and what has remained to him of her. His children. Her children.

He is a man of love. First and foremost.

What is Daenerys goal? The Iron throne. Power.

In the show she burns KL because she is grieving and the people rejects her, keeping to call Cersei queen and asking her help to be saved from Daenerys. That's what triggers her.

Otherwise, if it was only revenge against Cersei she would have went straight to the Red Keep. She would have not rained fire on the streets.

Power. She wants the Iron throne and the people of Westeros to accept her as their queen. They don't. She'll use fear to get power.

So, even if in the books the order of events gets reversed and Daenerys burns KL before dying trying to find redemption during the Great War still her character won't hold - at least to me - the same degree of feeling as the character of Anakin did.

Anakin actions always sparked from love. And not self-love, but love towards others (his wife and his children).

Daenerys actions always sparked from self-love (she believes she is to be loved and accepted and hailed as queen by everyone just because she is herself) and wants for power. What else of good was left to her character in the beginning she slowly lost when she choose time after time to use Fire and Blood instead of planting trees.

Just a side note.

Take the reaction of Padme and Jon and confront them. When Anakin kills the tuskens because of his grief he cries and she consoles him. When he kills the younglings and is twisted by the Dark side she shakes her head and still asks him to stop, to just be with her and leave behind the rest. He is too far gone. Jon goes to Daenerys and asks her, when he sees her feeling good and powerful for her conquest, if she has seen what she has done; but she is un-repeteant. She does not care. So Jon does not ask her to stay with him and just be with him, stop her dream of conquer the world to "free it", no when it is clear she is too far gone he plunges a knife in her chest (still horrendous the way it was written) to protect those he loves. His family.

Jon is the Anakin Skywalker in a way. He does not give in to the allure of the Dark side, even when he is tempted - he knows Daenerys loves him and would never kill him if he stays by her, or so he believes - no, he takes a step back and for those he loves (his siblings) he kills her the same way Anakin took a step back and killed Palpatine to save his son and his daughter because he knew he would die anyway and that Leia, if Luke kept saying no, would be the next.

So...

... Anakin was a hero who fell and rose (in a way, he is still a morally grey character to me)for love.

Daenerys was felled by love (in the show, as she loves Jon and because he choose those he loved most over her), but as Drogon points out to us what killed her was not love or fear. It was power, the cause of her fall, was the Iron throne. Was wanting it more than returning home to that house with the big red door and the lemon tree outside her window.

This is why I love the Anakin Skywalker from the movies, and why I like Daenerys as the multifaceted character she is, but she does not inspire in me the same degree of appreciation as Anakin Skywalker does.

#anakin skywalker #dark dany #anti-dany #anti-daenerys #fallen hero vs rise of a tyrant

[madamebaggio]

Notes: As promised, here is the Margaery ship chosen by you!

This is a direct continuation of this.

I hope you enjoy it ;)

***

Thranduil was incredibly old. He remembered things that history itself had forgotten, and some that he himself wished he could.

He’d seen countries rise and fall, kings and lords losing everything, humans learning and destroying. He loved dearly, he lost things…

Thranduil could go on for days about things he knew -when he was feeling particularly bored he’d do exactly that, just to make his guards sweat.

Legolas -still young and impetuous -would roll his eyes and call his father dramatic. And Thranduil imagined he could be considered dramatic by some standards, but he was too old to actually care.

Besides, drama was one of the last things he could actually enjoy.

As he was this old and experienced in life, it was downright insulting that a human would think of lying to him. Most wouldn’t even try, because they could see in his eyes that he wouldn’t take kindly to it.

But this woman…

If Thranduil was in a generous frame of mind -he hardly ever was -he’d concede that she wasn’t exactly lying to him. She was -at most -hiding parts of the truth, and Thranduil normally didn’t care humans all that much to really be bothered by it.

However, this time, there were dragons involved.

“Let us try this again.” He told her slowly. “What does your Queen want?”

At least Lady Tyrell was smart enough to stop flowering her words. He could see she was still smarting from him calling her out a few minutes ago.

“As you probably already know, Your Majesty, my Queen had to fight hard to get what was rightfully hers.” She started again. “This led to a war, and that itself brought many consequences. Most of all, we are short on allies and some goods. I am here as her emissary to question about those things: friendship and trade.”

Thranduil hummed his understanding, now knowing she was speaking the truth. It wasn’t as pretty as she’d made it sound at first, but it did make sense that the Queen would look for new allies.

He hoped Lady Tyrell wasn’t in a hurry.

“We can discuss this later.” He decided. “I hope you enjoy your stay.”

***

Margaery had dealt with many people throughout her life. She was raised to be the lady of a big house, groomed to be a Queen if the chance presented itself. Her grandmother had sat her on her knee and taught Margaery a lot.

From a young age she’d learned how to read people, and -consequently -how to get what she wanted from them. She always hoped she’d get to be like her grandmother one day.

She talked to lords and ladies, made them think she was sweet and kind; talked to commoners and made them love her. Margaery knew that alliances were important to get what she wanted and she had wanted a lot.

The war for the Iron Throne curbed her ambitions, to the point she was happy to be alive. Many hadn’t  had the same luck; like her grandmother.

Margaery had always wanted to be a Queen, but she’d learned that she’d rather survive this. She wasn’t unhappy serving Queen Daenerys, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore.

She enjoyed the respect brought by her position, and even liked the fact that she was actively doing something for Westeros, but…

Some days she felt as if she was doing things just to survive, just to keep going.

Like this, right now.

It had been a week since she’d been ‘welcomed’ into Greenwood, and she hadn’t seen King Thranduil since then.

When Daenerys suggested going to the elves, everyone thought she’d finally lost it. There had been no contact with the elves for centuries at that point, and everything that was known about them came from songs and legends.

Daenerys had pointed out people thought the same about dragons.

Therefore, Margaery, Tyrion and Varys had sat down and tried to figure out what could be real and what was fantasy.

At that point, immortal beings didn’t seem that far fetched. There had been an army of undead and dragons, so why would that be impossible?

The songs agreed on a few things: elves were beings of pure light, they were beyond beautiful, and they lived for a long time. Everything else was… Not so simple. Some stories pictured them as extremely benevolent creatures, full of goodwill and wisdom. Others portrayed them as fickle and untrustworthy, always willing to sacrifice what they considered ‘lesser’ creatures. It was hard to determine what was fiction, personal impressions, and they didn’t feel comfortable considering any of that actual information.

They poured over maps and figured a general direction and sent messengers.

Margaery hadn’t expected an answer, but she got one.

Tyrion had wanted to go, but Daenerys asked him to let Margaery go instead, since she was much better at first impressions. Marge was starting to think Tyrion might have had better luck with the King.

They were all beautiful; it was downright ridiculous. There wasn’t a single elf she’d seen that was less than stunning; men or women, they all had perfect facial symmetry. And there was this… Strange glow. It did look like they were made of light -or at least had great skin care. And the King…

Margaery wasn’t a girl to be infatuated with good looking men, but… She had never seen a face like his. It was… It was perfect, because there was no other word for it. Even his hair was perfect.

She was still figuring out what was true from what she’d read, and mostly elves were… Odd. She could imagine that being immortal could get boring after a while, and maybe that’s why they seemed too detached from the world.

The only elf who’d talked to her more was Lady Tauriel. She was supposedly guarding Margaery, but the young woman knew she was just keeping an eye on the human.

Tauriel was a fierce warrior, and extremely young by elves’ parameters. She wasn’t even a thousand years old yet.

She was also full of questions. She wanted to know about Westeros, the dragons, the dead, the Queen, the war…

Margaery didn’t mind talking to her, because she was the only one willing to talk back and let the lady know what to expect from elves in general.

There was also prince Legolas, who was also extremely beautiful -not as much as his father, of course. He seemed to mistrust her on principle, but Margaery didn’t care about his opinion at all.

She wanted to talk to the King, but he was never around.

Tauriel admitted that the King did this occasionally, then came around saying that weeks were a blink of an eye to him, so he’d forgotten. She was also unsure if he was serious about it, or just messing with them all.

That wasn’t encouraging.

“Lady Tyrell, the King has invited you for dinner.”

Well, finally.

***

The dinner was intimate, for lack of a better word. If he was anyone else, Margaery would think he was trying to get her alone and seduce her, but the idea seemed laughable when it came to him.

They sat together for the meal and she was served the best wine she’d ever tasted. She tried making small talk for a while, but then got the distinct impression he was amused by her attempts, so she became quiet and waited for him to say something.

“Tell me about your Queen.” He asked eventually. “Not the pretty lies and the poetry. Tell me the truth.”

Margaery took a minute to think about it. “What do you know about the Targaryens and the war that almost ended then, Your Majesty?”

“Nothing about that.” He replied easily. “I don’t pay attention to human affairs. Once the last dragon died, I didn’t care anymore.”

“I see.” Margaery told him about the Mad King and the rebellion against him, and how Daenerys and her brother had escaped and lived in exile. She told him about Daenerys being sold into marriage in exchange for an army.

During the whole tale of Daenerys’ conquests in Essos, Thranduil barely moved. Margaery wasn’t even sure he was actually listening to what she was saying, but -as he didn’t tell her to stop -she just carried on.

That was until she spoke of their first meeting.

“What did you think of her when you first met?” He finally asked.

“I thought she was pretty.” Margaery admitted. “I thought she couldn’t possibly be the woman of the stories. She’s quite short, and looks very dainty.”

“And after?”

This was a tricky question. Margaery had already learned she couldn’t lie to him, and the answer to that question was…

“I was…” She took a sip of her wine to buy herself some time. “I was intimidated. She’s fierce and the people that serve her are loyal. Honestly, at that point I just wanted someone to kill Cersei Lannister.”

“So you didn’t mind what type of person she’d be.”

“No, not really.” Margaery confessed. “I just wanted her to end Cersei, I didn’t particularly care how. I barely escaped King’s Landing with my life, I wanted retribution.”

“Do you believe in your Queen?”

“She’s young.” Margaery spoke diplomatically. “I think she will grow into her role, and she’ll be a great Queen.”

“How political of you.” Thranduil took a sip from his wine, and Marge felt as if she’d lost his interest. “Do people in Westeros still talk about the gods tossing coins to know if a Targaryen will be mad?”

“I… I didn’t know that story was that old.”

“Trust me, it is.” His eyes turned back to her. “Is your Queen mad?”

“No.”

He hummed. “You are uncertain.”

She was. Margaery didn’t dislike or envy Daenerys, and she had supported the Queen and intended to continue doing so.

But…

“Only time will say, sire.”

“You do have a way with words, Lady Tyrell.” He sighed. “I don’t care to listen more about the Dragon Queen. Tell me about yourself, Lady Tyrell.”

“Myself? What would you like to know, sire?”

“The truth, but only the interesting parts.” He was still watching her. “You don’t strike me as a simple woman, and you do seem smarter than most humans.”

Margaery couldn’t help but chuckle. “How kind of you, sire.”

“There’s something about you, Lady Tyrell. Something that is vaguely interesting.”

This time Margaery couldn’t hold in her laughter. “Oh sire. You are so charming.” She couldn’t stop giggling. “I think this wine is too strong.”

The corner of Thranduil’s mouth was curled up. “For some, yes.”

“I can tell you whatever you want to hear, sire, but it’s not that interesting. Or pretty.”

“Pretty stories are normally lies, Lady Tyrell. I’m interested in the truth. Tell me something that will make me pay attention.”

“I’ve been married three times and all of them are dead.” She blurted out a bit less gracefully than she’d have liked. That wine was going way too fast.

Thranduil arched an eyebrow. “Now that is something that sounds interesting.”

#madame baggio #crackship #CrossOver #Crossover Pairings #gifs not mine #the hobbit #game of thrones #margaery tyrell #Thranduil #Margaery x Thranduil

[kyloren]

i was never really into the jonsa ship, but that post of yours has got me really interested... do you have any fave fics of them??

welp, we’re going old-school, lads. prepare for some of my favourite fandom throwbacks well, I failed at that, I put some of the newer things on the list, too

CANON-VERSE:

Now You See Me: Kissed by fire, Ygritte thought to herself, just like me. 

Goodbye Means Going Away (And Going Away Means Forgetting): Memory is unreliable. No one understands this better than Rickon Stark.

Take My Crown Away (Don’t Smile So Sweetly, My Love): A world where everything is easier. Except for those who love, and love too much.

Build a Ladder to the Stars: Jon abandons the Night’s Watch to join Robb’s cause. After rescuing Sansa from King’s Landing, he and Sansa find themselves in a relationship they never saw coming.

A Winter’s Tale: The War of Three Dragons comes to the Vale, bringing Jon Snow and Sansa Stark together once more.

The Winter of Our Discontent: In the end it is Jon and his men of the Night’s Watch who come to take her back to Winterfell.

tell me true (who are you): Ned Stark brought a dark-haired, grey-eyed bastard babe home and called him son. Years later, Jon Targaryen does the same.

Lift Me Like an Olive Branch and Be My Homeward Dove: She never dreams of Jon Snow but in the end he is the one that comes for her under a Targaryen banner, the might of Winterfell and the North behind him with their father’s sword on his back.

The Whispering Ghosts (Left You Out In The Cold): Winter came and brought Jon home. [this is the first Jonsa fic I ever read, boy, did it fuck me up]

A Bronze Crown: In the end there are no knights. In the end Sansa must rescue herself. Based on the prompt: he doesn’t ride to her rescue; she comes north with her granduncle and the armies of the Vale to wage war on the Boltons, save his life and teach his assassins and the Boltons a sharp lesson.

how ruthless are the gentle*: “Yes, I do.” The easiest lie he’s ever told, by far. It came so naturally, he hardly thought of it as false. “She’s easy to love.”

Tell the Ones That Need to Know (We Are Headed North)*: After years of confinement in the Red Keep with Ned prisoner in the black cells, the Dragon Queen comes. With the knowledge that Jon Snow is actually a Targaryen, she agrees to let the Starks return to Winterfell only if Jon marries one of the Stark daughters. Sansa volunteers so they can all go home. Soon she figures out being married to Jon isn’t bad, but it is complicated.

Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things*: We know no King, but the King in the North whose name is Stark. 

Dragons of Red, Dragons of White*: An AU where the Battle of the Trident took place, but just between Rhaegar Targaryen and Robert Baratheon. Their duel and its outcome have ramifications that none could foresee. In the world built afterwards, dragons once again rule and roam Westeros, among them the son of a northern beauty and the king. Prince Jon and his kin, Stark and Targaryen alike, face new challenges from both without and within. Whatever the future holds, the Seven Kingdoms will learn that, whether in a coat of red or a coat of white, a dragon still has claws.

A Knight’s Watch: Jon Snow is forbidden to take the black by his father. Instead he sent to squire for a famous knight, beginning a long arduous journey that causes him to cross paths with characters he never would have. Along the way he learns truths long hidden and discovers love in the most unlikely of places.

The Conquest*: Three hundred years after Aegon the Conqueror built a new empire on the ashes of the Valyrian Freehold the known world is a place of war. The Targaryen Empire is pressed by enemies, the Seven Kingdoms war amongst themselves and forces contrive to pull them all apart.

Live Without Shame: When Catelyn’s treatment of Winterfell’s Bastard unexpectedly softens, Sansa reconsiders her relationship with Jon. But despite the revelations that ensue, Jon must and will always remain Winterfell’s Bastard and suffer its consequences.

The Tempered Kingdoms*:  After years of wars, death, destruction, politics, and White Walkers, a tentative calm has returned to Westeros partially due to the rulership of King Jon and Queen Daenerys. But politics rues its head again as Stannis Baratheon demands his right to rule, while the former Queen Cersei languishes in a cell, plotting her revenge against all who live above her. Sansa Stark is forced to return to King’s Landing after being found by the rumored lovers Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth.

winterbloom: “You’ve traveled a long way for a rumor.” Sansa lives at the Wall under the protection of her brother Jon Snow, but when Sandor Clegane comes looking for her, she and Jon begin to realize that she is not as safe as they once hoped.

As History Changes: Jon agrees to accompany Stannis south to the Vale and he meets a person he did not expect to meet.

hold onto your heart (you’ll keep it safe): When Sansa turns eleven her wrist burns. She excitedly unwraps the cloth guarding her skin, waiting eagerly for the name to finish forming. The dark letters stop after only three and when Sansa leans in closer she realises that she knows that name and she knows that handwriting already.

carve your heart into mine: Sansa spent many evenings sewing her wedding dress by the fire, dreaming of her husband. The gown spilled out of her hands like a silver river, burning brighter from the light of the flames. She had embroidered it with a noble husband in mind, but she wed her lowborn love in the godswood, with snowflakes falling on her veil. 

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE:

Into the Darkness of the Grave: The tragic death of Eddard Stark’s cousin Lyanna brings her estranged son back to Winterfell House, the family’s old plantation home, for her funeral.

The Other Shoe: If anyone had told Sansa Stark that she would be married to Jon Snow, expecting a child with him at the age of nineteen she would have laughed at them. Not because Jon was a bad person, for he had slowly come out of his shell in the past seven years; not because she was young, her parents were married right out of Hogwarts; simply because Sansa Stark seemed to be the anthesis of a happy ending.

several sunlit days: Everyone knows you don’t date Robb Stark’s sisters unless you want to spend your days avoiding hexes and angry bludgers shot at your head. Too bad Jon’s traitorous feelings could care less.

the unexpected champion: Jon must swim to The Black Lake and retrieve something *cough* Sansa *cough* stolen from him. This task makes him realize who he should invite to the Yule Ball.

Where Did You Sleep Last Night: Sansa needs a new guitarist, Jon needs a new band, and the two of them definitely don’t need each other.

and labor till the work is done: Stark Industries is a family legacy she was hoping to avoid: Robb is a project manager, grooming to eventually be a partner, Arya is a summer intern with Bran sure to follow next year and Rickon in another three, and even Jon Snow, who is technically not family but who has been around for as long as Sansa can remember, works as an estimator. But Sansa is not who she was at sixteen or eighteen or even twenty and she’s still in the process of learning what’s truly important, like who she is, who she wants to be, and what kind of people she wants in her life.

One Of The Few Things: Jaime and Sansa spend a lot of time pining over Brienne and Jon together. Sometimes, they actually even do their jobs.

flower shaped heart*: Alayne Stone has lived her whole life in her hidden tower, forbidden by Mother to leave. But she yearns for an adventure like the ones in the songs, so when a man named Jon Snow crashes into her tower and into her life, she seizes the chance. They travel to King’s Landing where the floating lanterns shine each year on her nameday. The new world is exciting and frightening, but Jon Snow is there to guide her every step. He is not nearly as terrible as Mother said men are, though the rest of the world might be. Danger, betrayals, and lies form the steps of their journey as Alayne uncovers terrible secrets.

Crawl up to my Room: Jon left her side after a few moments of silence and she watched him leave with a quiet thought playing in her mind. He was her stepbrother for only a few hours, and she already found herself utterly fascinated and irritated with Jon Stark. 

in the summer, as the lilacs bloom: “You did tech in high school,” Sansa points out. (Yeah, I did tech because you were playing the lead and I was in love with you.) Jon doesn’t tell her that, though. Of course not. Instead he agrees to spend his summer stage managing this passion project of hers, and some trace of his seventeen-year-old self has dried out his throat at the thought of three months’ constant contact with Sansa.

Down from the Mountain: Sansa flies home from college after her older brother Robb, one of the country’s hottest young pitchers, is hurt in a car accident. Robb’s best friend Jon is there to help the Stark family in any way he can.

Little Bed in the Big Woods: “I stared at him for a solid five minutes because he looked like what I imagine god would look like if god was a lumberjack.”

A Game of Stars*: When the Mad Emperor hears that the Starks are Force-sensitive, he discovers the hidden rebel base on Hoth. He sends Jon there with one order: Burn them all. But bring the Stark children to Coruscant. It’s time for the two most powerful Force bloodlines in the galaxy to merge.

I’ll Pack My Goods for the Arkansas Woods*: When Sansa’s brother goes missing, it falls to her to defend the house and the woods against the greed of the Boltons and Freys. All of this would be much easier if she could fight fire with fire, and there’s a saying in the valley: that all the Starks are a little wild, and all the Targaryens are a little mad. Her cousin Jon just happens to be both.

In the Face of Death: On a long list of things Jon never expected, Sansa came top.

United States of Irreversible Oblivion: With the government losing its fight at the northern border, Sansa’s only hope is that one of its soldiers, Office Jon Snow, will return for her and save her from the horrors of a collapsing society.

remember me love when i’m reborn: ‘Longest Night’ has biggest night in hollywood history. “Joffrey wanted someone to make him famous, and as soon as Sansa wrote a movie for him that did just that, he left her in the dirt.”

Hear the Wolf*: The Starks are in Hogwarts. Sansa has to learn to stand up to her ex-boyfriend and Jon has to learn to face his past. They’re determined to do it alone. Will they ever admit they’re stronger together?

Somewhere in the Winter Woods*: Lost on her way to her grandmother’s cabin in the winter woods after running away from home, beautiful young Sansa thinks she’s run into trouble when she crosses a white wolf in the forest. Instead of harming her, the animal guides her to his master, a handsome warrior named Jon who lives in solitude and clothes himself in black.

* marks the ongoing stories. 

#jonsa #jonsa fanfiction #jon x sansa #sansa stark #jon snow #game of thrones #* #anonymous #ask box #in this tag resides fanfiction

[dany-is-my-queen]

Born To Be Yours | Part VII

Sansa Stark x Fem! Baratheon! Reader (Daenerys Targaryen x Fem! Baratheon! Reader eventually)

Season 1-8

Word Count: 1,496

Note: If you’re enjoying the story leave a comment, it means so much! <3

Pt.1 Pt.2 Pt.3 Pt.4 Pt.5 Pt.6 Pt.8 Pt.9

It was a lovely day. And you chose to spend it with your best friend. At least you can keep each other company without anyone disturbing you.

“Let’s have a walk in the gardens.” You invited Sansa after knocking her door. She opened it revealing her divine hair done in a southerner style.

“Why such a beautiful princess would want to waste her time with someone like me? I mean... of course I’ll go-“ she bit her lip and flushed. You giggled.

“Not a waste at all.” She shyly smiled.

“This flower... is gorgeous!” It doesn’t compare to your beauty. “I’ve never seen one like it. They don’t grow in the North.”

“Yes, they are rare yet special. They are called The Middlemist Red. Actually, there’s only two of these left in the world, as far as I know. The other one is on Highgarden.” You commented gazing at her.

“You also have vast knowledge in botany.”

“I am familiar with the topic. I have friends who live there. They taught me.”

“Ser Loras?”

“Indeed. He is one of my best. Now he’s with my uncle Renly, they have always been closer, I can’t blame him. His sister is married to him.”

“Do you want to marry a handsome lord?”

“Sure. Just not now. Or anytime soon. First I want to travel. Meet people. Have adventures. So when I’m old and grey I have a lot of memories.”

“Arya wanted that too. Robb and you would have made a good match.” Sansa’s stomach twisted at her own words. She didn’t know why.

“He was a gentleman. I respect him and I understand his position. He wants justice. I know the last thing you desire in the world is to marry my brother.”

“I was so stupid... a stupid girl with a stupid dream of marrying a handsome prince.

He turned out to be my worst nightmare.”

“Hey hey, you are not stupid. Every girl would dream that. The circumstances didn’t play in your favor. But daylight will always come. It’s not your fault. Nothing’s gonna hold you down for long.” You sympathetically reassured.

“Thank you, Y/N. You are so good with words.” You resumed your steps and continued talking about the flowers.

“I want to introduce you to someone. Dear Y/N. This is Shae.” Tyrion said. The young woman clumsy bowed.

“It’s a pleasure, Princess Y/N. Your uncle always speaks about you.” Her accent sounded foreign.

“Nice to meet you, Shae.”

“I was planning to make her your new handmaid but since you don’t really need handmaidens I’ll be giving her to your beloved friend Sansa Stark.”

“I’m sure she’ll be pleased with your service, my lady.” Shae left. “Are you in love with her?” You playfully inquired once you were alone.

“Shae is special.” He looked quite smitten to her, the way he looked at her gave him away.

“If she makes you happy then I’m happy for you, uncle.”

“I intend to keep her safe. If your mother, my father, or someone finds out it’ll be a mess. Just Varys knows and now you.”

“I won’t breathe a word.” You crossed your heart. And you would never betray his confidence, he was the one to comfort you when your mother and Joffrey were unkind.

What a consideration of Cersei to host a dinner for your two younger siblings, the northern girl and you. You tried to keep a good face so your mother wouldn’t be scolding you for her own falseness. You seated next to Sansa. Myrcella and Tommen in front of you and Cersei at the top of the table. The room was awkward and quiet.

“When will Joffrey and Sansa be married?” Myrcella suddenly asked.

“Soon, darling, when the war is over.” Cersei answered.

“Mother says I’ll have a new gown for the ceremony and another for the feast. But yours will be ivory since you are the bride.” She joyfully announced but the tall girl didn’t reply back.

“The Princess just spoke to you.” The lioness peered at Myr and then at Sansa.

“Pardon, your grace. I’m sure your dress will be beautiful, Myrcella. I’m counting the days until the fight is done and I can pledge my love to the King in the sight of the gods.” She staged a very pitiful smile.

“Is Joffrey going to kill Sansa’s brother?” Now the little prince asked.

“He might.” Sansa took a big sip of her cup, hiding her fear and pain. “Would you like that?” He frowned.

“No. I don’t think so.”

“Even if he does, Sansa will do her duty. Won’t you, little dove?” You bit your tongue. Seeing her like that broke your heart. She was on the brink of tears.

“We can’t be certain of anything. The food was delicious.” Changing the topic was the first thing that came to your mind.

“It’s a pretty ring, where did you get it, little dove?” Cersei glare landed suspiciously at her finger. She opened her mouth but didn’t utter a single word. You put your hand on Sansa’s to calm her anxiety.

“I gave it to her so she can remember her home, mother.”

“The home of traitors.” She bitterly laughed.

“I lost my appetite. Excuse us.” You gestured Sansa to stand up and left the place. “May I escort you to your chambers, my lady?” She nodded lowering her head.

“Your brother and your sister are just as friendly as you, Y/N.”

“They like you. I apologize for my mother’s behavior. Have a lovely night.” You bid her goodnight, she gave you a quick hug and then you couldn’t help but kissed swiftly her cheek, the torches were burning low so you didn’t quite see her reaction. You hoped you didn’t make her feel uncomfortable.

The following day you chatted with uncle Tyrion. He told you some news you weren’t expecting.

“Your sister must go. She will be promised to Prince Trystane of Dorne. I tell you before you learn from your mother.”

“She won’t like that. She’s so young, uncle... I don’t know.” It was true, giving her to strangers and people who despise your family didn’t sound like a good idea.

“She’ll be safer there if the city falls when one of the self-proclaimed Kings come.” He had a point.

“You are right.” Still, you feared for Myrcella.

You walked to the throne room just to find the King humiliating the Stark girl and shouting things at her with all the lords and ladies contemplating the scene. She was on her knees, with her garments all ripped out.

“If we want Robb Stark to hear us we’re going to have to speak louder!” Ser Meryn was ready to strike her.

“Stop it! What do you think you’re doing?” You furiously yelled.

“Are you crazy? What kind of knight beats a helpless girl?” Tyrion intervened.

“The kind who serves his king, Imp.” Meryn responded.

“Careful now. We don’t want to get blood all over your pretty white cloak.” Bronn added looking at him, a hand on his sword.

“Here, my lady.” You took off your cape. Luckily you were wearing one today. “What did I told you about treating her like this? She did nothing wrong. Have you no regard for her honor, brother? She is going to be your queen!”

“I’m punishing her.” He complained.

“For what crimes? She did not fight her brother’s battle, you half-wit.” The youngest Lannister repressed him.

“You can’t talk to me like that. The king does as he likes!” Joffrey whined.

“The Mad King did as he liked. Has your uncle Jaime ever told you what happened to him?”

“No one threatens his grace on the presence of the kingsguard.” The awful knight spoke.

“I’m not. I’m just educating my nephew. Bronn, next time Ser Meryn speaks, kill him. That was a threat. See the difference?”

“Come.” You helped Sansa got up.

“Tell us the truth. Do you want an end to this engagement?” The throne room followed you with their glances.

“I am loyal to King Joffrey. My one true love.” You shook your head to the short man. Sansa walked out just as if nothing had happened. You knew too well she had to keep pretending, the wrong people might hear if she said what she really wanted to say.

Late at night you found yourself staring at the ceiling of your room. You were thinking about Sansa, oh how hard you were falling for that smile and those blue eyes... she was perfect, but of course she’ll never feel the same way, considering the possibility was silly. She deserved to be loved, you could love her, would she let you do it? No, you were also a girl. Being around her was enough, protecting her and keeping the promise you made to Lady Catelyn. Your little sister is going off to some strange land, gods, life is getting harder...

#game of thrones fic #game of thrones imagine #got #sansa stark imagine #sansa stark x reader #sansa stark #sansa x reader #sansa x fem baratheon reader #house baratheon

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

How can S7 be your favorite?? Like ok fine its better than S8 but I literally tear my hair out during the conflict between Arya and Sansa. Tyrion develops a brain tumor, characters teleport across the world, and we get to watch Daenerys flirt with her own damn nephew and even though they have zero chemistry he still bangs her at the end?

I shall gladly share my counterarguments, anon!

Among other things, Season 7 made me actually care about the Night King. I got invested in the Army of the Dead, when I had always considered that to be more of a “B” plot behind all of the politics and scheming. Even though I’m pretty sure the show itself wanted me to to feel the opposite. The characters certainly did. And in Season 7, they finally brought that conflict to the forefront and the season finale being all about arranging a ceasefire was kind of awesome. And no, I don’t care that it was all for nothing, or even that Viserion died for nothing. They still had to try, and I dunno, it may have been bleak but that’s just the kind of show that Game of Thrones is. It didn’t feel pointless to me. Cersei’s final betrayal led to Jaime leaving her at long last. I have no complaints about that whole truce storyline. 

I agree that the Sansa vs Arya storyline could have been handled better. Rewatching Sansa sentence Littlefinger to his death gives me so much satisfaction every time, but honestly he’s the main problem in that plot for me: His evil is too on the nose for a character that always worked with subtlety. I could have lived without the shot of him looking on with a nefarious grin as Arya discovered Sansa’s old letter. That was just too much. Like most people, I think it’s ridiculous to hold Sansa accountable for a letter that she was coerced to write as a child, but I guess they wanted to give the old Arya/Sansa rivalry some resolution and give them something to do other than wait around in Winterfell. I definitely prefer this over just omitting them from the season. (Looking at you, Bran.) 

Ah, speaking of that sweet summer child, this was the season that killed Bran. And then everyone in the show and the fandom proceeded to forget it happened. Seriously, it’s genuinely uncomfortable for me in the last two seasons to see everyone just explaining away the Three-Eyed Raven as “Bran is weird now.” when both he and Meera have already flat out confirmed that Bran is effectively dead. In short, I don’t mind this being the end of his story. I just kind of wish the show didn’t act like he was the same person anymore, because he’s not. He is The Three-Eyed Raven, speaking through a body that once belonged to Brandon Stark. That’s about it. 

I truly don’t agree that Tyrion lost his intelligence. I know that’s a common complaint, and I could write essays about why it’s not what really happened, and misses the point of his character arc. It all comes down to one particular line “Faith makes fools of people.” Tyrion expressed this as the reason he never subscribed to faith. Until he met Daenerys. He took a chance on her, he lost his cynicism. He also underestimated Cersei, because he was analyzing her with the mindset of what she was like in Season 4, before she totally went off the deep end. S4 Cersei? Would have kept her word to Jon Snow. If only for the sake of her kids, or because Tywin would have made her. But that’s all over now. Tyrion makes stupid decisions in the final seasons because he’s not the heartless pragmatist he was earlier on, 

Jon and Dany lacking chemistry is another complaint I see a lot, and sure, that’s kind of subjective...but all I have to say is, did you see the boat scene? (No, not the sex scene, the other one.) Dany holding his hand? Seeing his scars for the first time? Pledging that they will fight together? Jon bending the knee was a major fuck-up for his character, but damn if it didn’t melt my heart for these two. That’s not even getting into the scene where Drogon and Jon meet for the first time. You just know Dany is thinking “He’s good with kids, too?” Sorry, I’m Jonerys trash. I don’t really care that they’re related either. This is Game of Thrones, they’re Targaryens, and they didn’t grow up together. They only found out after it happened. It’s far more harmless than Jaime and Cersei, that’s all I’m saying. 

I guess Season 7 just got me really excited for the rest of the show. It was quick-paced compared to the others, it really would have benefited from three more episodes...and the constant fast-travel does get frustrating once you notice it. But seeing Sandor, Gendry, Tormund, and Jon all traveling together...stuff like that, just makes it worth it. The combinations of characters that hadn’t really interacted before, and the emotions they wrought. Theon’s reunion with Jon, Brienne’s reunion with Sandor. The return of Jorah. Viserion’s death. Jaime finally leaving Cersei. Every moment that Davos is onscreen. I appreciate the greater scope story, but also the smaller details. I giggled as much as Missandei during the “Many things…?” scene, I squealed like everyone else when Gendry finally came back from rowing. Season 7’s finale isn’t my favorite in the show (Season 6’s finale is just so hard to top) but every moment was incredible. I still get chills during “He’s never been a bastard…” 

#Game of Thrones #Game of Thrones Season 7 #Jon Snow #Daenerys Targaryen #Arya Stark #Sansa Stark #Petyr Baelish #Tyrion Lannister #Brandon Stark #The Three-Eyed Raven #Jonerys

[turtle-paced]

Appreciation post: Sansa Stark

Sansa’s needlework was exquisite. Everyone said so.

We first see Sansa through Arya’s PoV. Arya is jealous of her sister, who has no difficulties performing the femininity that Arya finds constraining and unfulfilling (not helped by Septa Mordane loudly praising Sansa and disparaging Arya). Sansa through Arya’s PoV is…not the most immediately appealing of characters.

Sansa through Sansa’s PoV is also not the most appealing of characters, at least initially. There are definitely debates about how well GRRM handed his first truly unreliable narrator. In any case, an analysis of Sansa that does not account for how she grows up over the course of the novels is incomplete to the point of uselessness. She doesn’t start out so immediately sympathetic, hell, she doesn’t start out immediately and consistently kind, but as her situation becomes worse, Sansa herself becomes better.

In AGoT, Sansa is under the impression that she’s living in a fairytale. She is the beautiful princess, she’s going to marry the handsome prince, she’ll have the approval of the beauttiful and kind queen, and her life is going to be lemon cakes and happiness forever. She does not take kindly to information that conflicts with this rosy picture. Her sister is one consistent such source of conflicting information, something that results in Sansa lashing out, sometimes quite cruelly, and ultimately to Sansa going to Cersei with information that allows Cersei to detain Sansa herself as a hostage in King’s Landing.

What saves her as a character, and what should lead readers to think about her role in the story, are the glimpses of courage, empathy and genuine kindness she displays. The most noticeable of which is shown when she’s alone at night with a strange, angry, violent man. 

The rasping voice trailed off. He squatted silently before her, a hulking black shape shrouded in the night, hidden from her eyes. Sansa could hear his ragged breathing. She was sad for him, she realized. Somehow, the fear had gone away.

The silence went on and on, so long that she began to grow afraid once more, but she was afraid for him now, not for herself. She found his massive shoulder with her hand. "He was no true knight," she whispered to him.

- Sansa II, AGoT

Who Sansa is in the dark indeed.

What Sansa shows throughout her arc are the vulnerabilities in conforming to her unjust social system. Her status as a “good girl” who needed little supervision or discipline from her father and authority figures arguably resulted in her never having certain realities of her situation explained to her. She was allowed out unsupervised at the Ruby Ford with Joffrey, where he promptly got her drunk, and unsupervised at a major feast at the Hand’s Tourney, where her chaperone got drunk. The final lines in her AGoT PoV are killer.

"Here, girl." Sandor Clegane knelt before her, between her and Joffrey. With a delicacy surprising in such a big man, he dabbed at the blood welling from her broken lip.

The moment was gone. Sansa lowered her eyes. "Thank you," she said when he was done. She was a good girl, and always remembered her courtesies.

- Sansa VI, AGoT

Courtesy may be a lady’s armour, but here it has left her vulnerable to things that real armour might have protected her against. Or real knowledge. Now all she can do is thank someone nicely for helping her clean up after she’s been whacked across the face. 

The extent to which Sansa’s social system and training has left her vulnerable is a major feature of her ACoK arc - and so are the limited extents to which she can learn to manipulate that system. Though we see the failure of her attempts to protect herself from regular beating, we also see her play on “bad dreams” and her apparent fragility to lie to Tyrion and hide her escape plans, and play on her piety to excuse her frequent visits to the godswood for the same. Hell, her very first ACoK chapter features her rescue of Ser Dontos Hollard, with an assist from Sandor Clegane.

The king stood. "A cask from the cellars! I'll see him drowned in it."

Sansa heard herself gasp. "No, you can't."

Joffrey turned his head. "What did you say?"

- Sansa I, ACoK

If this is not a change from Sansa I, AGoT, I don’t know what is. The reversal helps to emphasise that Sansa is not inherently bad. She was sheltered and spoiled and naive, but equally she is capable of growing past all those things. Her quality shows in adversity - something that is also very important thematically in ACoK, as she interacts further with Sandor Clegane. 

Sandor’s thesis is basically that nobody can remain good and honourable and kind when the world is so unbearably shitty. Sansa proves him wrong. What Sandor sees at the end is her willingness to offer him comfort via song when he’s broken into her room, drunk, and scared her spitless. What the reader has also seen is that Sansa spent the evening comforting scared people in the Red Keep while a battle is going on outside (when the queen couldn’t manage it) and finding help for Lancel Lannister, one of her captors, because he was hurt and neded it. 

ASoS plunges her into murkier water still, as Sansa develops her ability to see the undercurrents of her situation in the Red Keep, and is more obviously drawn into the plots of people around her. First it’s the Tyrells, who have questions about Joffrey that don’t quite add up for Sansa. Then she herself is married to Tyrion against her will as part of a Lannister-Tyrell power struggle.

Sansa’s wedding to Tyrion is another powerful example of the double-edged sword of conformity. There is nothing she can do to evade the marriage itself. She tries to run and is promptly hauled back. She cannot talk her way out of it. But her refusal to kneel at the altar, this targeted deviation from the script expected from her, is a devastating insult to Tyrion personally (only possible because of his disability, it’s worth remembering) and a potent symbol of her unwillingness and her pride.

I won't. Why should I spare his feelings, when no one cares about mine?

- Sansa III, ASoS

The first half of Sansa’s arc comes to a climax at Joffrey’s wedding. Sansa’s role in the plot thus far has been a passive one - it sounds simple, just requiring her to wait and to wear a certain hairnet to Joffrey’s wedding. What it actually required her to do was maintain her symapthies and her nerve through months of imprisonment and both physical and emotional abuse, through the news of the deaths of four family members and the total vanishing of a fifth, and through the loss of hope that she’d have a home to go to when she did escape. She does this, and wearing a Stark dress to a Lannister wedding (another targeted fuck you to her captors), she escapes.

Things become more morally perilous for her afterwards, even as physically, they generally become safer. Nevertheless, Sansa’s emotional release from the Red Keep results in one of my favourite scenes in the entire series, where she can at last express some of her grief and longing for her home.

The snow fell and the castle rose. Two walls ankle-high, the inner taller than the outer. Towers and turrets, keeps and stairs, a round kitchen, a square armoury, the stables along the inside of the west wall. It was only a castle when she began, but before very long Sansa knew it was Winterfell.

- Sansa VII, ASoS

The matter of her new caretaker is the ongoing source of external tension in Sansa’s arc, which also serves to fuel the internal tension. Littlefinger has been shown to have an interest in Sansa before that point (even requesting her hand in marriage). Now he shows that he is the one who engineered her escape from the Red Keep. More than that, Sansa’s role in the plan was to smuggle the murder weapon to the scene of the crime, with regicide providing the minor distraction needed for her to leave. Littlefinger then takes Sansa under his wing and reveals he lied about taking her to Winterfell, instead taking her first to his home and then to the Eyrie. In the process he reveals Sansa’s unwitting complicity in Joffrey’s murder.

There’s more and worse than even that. Sansa witnesses Littlefinger murder Lysa Arryn, who seconds before revealed Littlefinger’s role in Jon Arryn’s death and by extension the entire War of Five Kings. Littlefinger then enlists Sansa’s help in the cover-up of that death too. AFFC gives us the information we need to see that Littlefinger is also arranging the murder of Lysa’s son Robin Arryn, current Lord of the Eyrie, by urging the overprescription of medicine with a lethal accumulating effect. Sansa does not appear to be aware of the last one. Yet.

Littlefinger is also offering Sansa lessons in politics, which she’s taking to very well indeed. This provides her with a skill-up consistent with and complementary to those of her younger sister and younger brother over the course of AFFC. What Littlefinger has to teach Sansa can help her gain agency in the mundane power systems of the world.

Sansa’s method of coping with trauma is an established one: she tries not to think about it. Yet her story has given her the information she needs to work out the human evil most responsible for her father’s death and the war that resulted in the deaths of her mother and eldest brother. She may also learn who it was took her best friend from the Red Keep and sold into sexual slavery. Whether she likes it or not, she’s also in the middle of a plot that has claimed the lives of two Arryns thus far and seems likely to claim a third. There is a limit to how often and how much Sansa can remain blind, especially as Littlefinger urges her ever more active involvement in his plans.

Sooner or later, in order to keep her soul and her identity, Sansa will have to stand up to Littlefinger.

Sansa is one of my favourite characters in the series. She’s overtly feminine and she does not find much satisfaction in violence, but she’s still portrayed as clever, courageous and strong. If you see characters like her, they’re often in the background, not needing the benefit of an arc to learn and grow. Not treated as if their skills and strengths are worth a major place in the story. And Sansa, who appears to be set up to bring down one of the major forces in the fall of House Stark as well as helping to relieve a looming food crisis, definitely has a major place in the story.

#ASoIaF #valyrianscrolls #sansa stark #a game of thrones #a clash of kings #a storm of swords #a feast for crows

[hellsbellschime]

1I feel for Jamie so much. Right now he resents himself, what he has become. It is not how others see him, I disagree. It is how he sees himself. He tried to kill Bran, but he saved a million people. His reckoning with what he did to Bran has not come yet; for all he knows so far Bran is dead, and not by his own hand. Meeting him again will be a great moment for him (arghhhh, the show took that away from us!) He has come to the realization that what he has become was because of Cersei. Therefore

2 he chose to leave her and not return yet in search of himself. He is going through an identity crisis, not exactly a redemption arc, because his crimes are frankly, at least as I see them, not that great (apart from what he did to Bran and his reasons for it that are seriously messed up). In this he is very similar to Jon, not Theon. I also do not see how Theon can redeem himself by saving Jeyne. Jamie did not actually kill Bran, but Theon killed those boys. What Theon did is hugely evil.

3 He destroyed WF and created a power vacuum in the North that allowed for the Bolton coup. Had Theon not attacked WF there would actually be no RW. Indirectly, Theon is responsible for the murder of the Northmen at the Twins, of Robb and Catelyn. So no matter if he regrets it or not, no matter if he feels remorse, his crimes are much more heinous than Jamie's. He might redeem himself by sacrificing for the Starks but it won't undo anything. So in my opinion there's a stark contrast here.

4 Jon and Jamie save lives; they are not perfect and have made mistakes, sometimes grave ones, and there's a lack of morality in Jamie highlighted by having sex with Cersei in the Sept. But is his lack of morality inherent in him, or is it acquired after so many years of addiction to his toxic sister? Theon by contrast chose to kill when time came to decide. He chose to do harm, unlike Jamie. Sorry for the rant, I just had to put this opinion out there and give another twist to the dialog.

I mean, I don’t think it’s fair to blame Cersei for who Jaime is. She is definitely a nightmare, but even she thought that Jaime’s reaction to Bran catching them was inappropriate and too much. So how can she be to blame for what Jaime did to him? And Jaime didn’t have sex with Cersei in the Sept, he raped her in the Sept. Not to mention, if Theon is indirectly responsible for everything that happened at the RW then Jaime is indirectly responsible for literally everything horrible that has happened in the series. He may not have successfully killed Bran, but that was his intention, and if indirect responsibility is in consideration then he’s responsible for the murders of thousands of innocent children and smallfolk in general now. 

For me Theon has done hugely evil things, but the potential for his redemption is different because he has actually lost his sense of entitlement whereas Jaime has not. Theon’s only hope for redemption now is that people won’t see him solely as the man who did all of those terrible things, and that even though he’s done so many terrible things he can still do something good for someone. And that’s why his narrative arc means something for me. He’s saving Jeyne Poole who is essentially a nobody. She’s not anyone important to him, he has no emotional ties to her, and he’s not going to go down in the history books for coming to the rescue of Lady Jeyne Poole. She’s expendable and no one really cares about her for her, which is why the fact that Theon is risking his life to save her is actually so meaningful. There’s no glory in it but it’s the right thing to do, and it will mean literally everything to her. Theon began his journey in a similar state of mind to Jaime, he was arrogant and believed that he deserved a lot more than he got in general, and especially when it came to the respect of other highborn people. Now Theon has suffered enormously but has also genuinely changed. He’s not the person he was before because he doesn’t want to be that person, and he’s doing the right thing because he actually wants to do the right thing. He may be beyond the point of redemption, but that doesn’t mean that all of the choices he makes don’t matter anymore, and for me I think it’s more meaningful to have a character who is making choices that aren’t being made in exchange for something else, but are just simply their own choices. And it’s especially meaningful for Theon’s character arc that he’s making the much harder choice because it’s the right choice, even though there is a very strong possibility that he’ll just suffer horribly and die and ignominious death as a reviled asshole instead of gaining any favor with anyone else besides Jeyne. 

Jaime on the other hand is still in the glory and respect phase of his emotional development. Contrast the fact that Theon is saving Jeyne with the fact that Jaime is trying to save Sansa. Saving Sansa WILL bring whoever does it glory, whoever does that likely will go down in the history books as saving the lost princess of Winterfell, and it will be especially memorable and attention getting if it’s a Lannister who does it. There are thousands of people he could save now, but he’s not saving them, likely because there’s nothing in it for him. Jaime wants to keep his promise to Catelyn but it’s because he wants to be known as someone who does keep promises, it’s not because he actually cares about keeping promises. Even now he’s broken his promises to people a hundred times, but because people don’t know that he’s made those promises and because it’s not something that will actually make him look better and he doesn’t care that much about something that won’t change his image in the eyes of others. Theon’s perspective on what matters and how people see him has evolved, but Jaime’s hasn’t yet. 

That’s not to say that it’s impossible for Jaime to evolve in the future, but the problem is that all of his motivation to change is external. Even when it comes to his dream about his mother, he’s not doing that because it’s what he himself wants, he’s driven by the idea of other people seeing him in a different way than he wants to be seen. He’s still extremely invested in the perception of others but he’s not actually putting in the groundwork of just being a decent person to everyone and earning his reputation through that. And that is truly how all of the best characters have earned their reputations for being good people in Westeros. He and Theon are different because they’ve both done evil things, but Theon has an understanding that the things he’s done are evil while Jaime still excuses himself. Theon murdered two innocent children, but the brutal reality is that the world won’t care or even really remember them. But what’s different now is that Theon cares and remembers them, and it haunts him even though the smallfolk are seen as mostly dispensable by highborn people. Jaime tried to murder Bran and threatened the life of Edmure’s baby, but in his mind it’s still the ends justifying the means and these are things that he rationalizes and excuses by saying that he was somehow forced into these choices. That’s not to say that Jaime is incapable of change or finding some measure of decency, but his motivation for his own behaviors and decisions is entirely different than Theon’s, and he’s much further away from becoming a truly decent person than Theon is.

#theon grejoy #jaime lannister #asoiaf #Anonymous

[queenaryastark]

George RR Martin: dragons are weapons of mass destruction, they're symbols of destruction and not of rebuilding, it's why the targaryens lost their power because their rule was built on fear and when the dragons died it only took a small spark to cause a rebellion, daenerys should read fire and blood so she can learn how not to use dragons daenerys herself: dragons plant no trees, If they are monsters than so am I Yall: i cant read suddenly i dont know

LMAO! I can’t even call that paraphrasing since this jumble of out of context gibberish completely misinterprets GRRM’s words and intent. 

First off, no one said dragons weren’t weapons of mass destruction. Them being powerful weapons is pretty obvious. Them being weapons does not erase the violence and cruelty of characters who do not have them. The mass destruction the Starks and Lannisters have wrought against the Riverlands and Westerlands was done without the aid of dragons. So was the mass destruction the Greyjoys and Boltons wrought on the North. The Tyrells were able to commit mass murder by cutting off food supplies, which led to mass starvation, which was their specific intent. 

Dragons are dangerous. Obviously. So are people, as George R. R. Martin goes out of his way to tell us in every chapter of his work. The man literally depicts Robb, Stannis, Balon, and Joffrey as equally as violent toward the common people and the land of Westeros. He even gives Dany this metaphoric image of the four of them:

“In one room, a beautiful woman sprawled naked on the floor while four little men crawled over her. They had rattish pointed faces and tiny pink hands, like the servitor who had brought her the glass of shade. One was pumping between her thighs. Another savaged her breasts, worrying at the nipples with his wet red mouth, tearing and chewing.” -- A Clash Of Kings

And that is far from the only time he frames them in an equally negative light given their level of mass destruction.

when the dragons died it only took a small spark to cause a rebellion, daenerys should read fire and blood so she can learn how not to use dragons

You think Dany should read Fire and Blood? I agree. I hope she gets a copy once she arrives to save Westeros from the warlords, opportunistic politicians, and the Others. Though you should probably try to find someone who can read it to you and explain what all the big words mean. If you look in that book, you will see that the Targaryens became extremely popular and loved. They decreased the amount of war and destruction, they streamlined the laws, they established roads, and they removed a couple of the abuses that were the norm. They were far from perfect. But in that imperfection, Dany could learn from them too. 

As for a “small spark” causing a rebellion as soon as they didn’t have dragons... *sighs* If you don’t know about a topic, that’s fine. Not everyone can be an expert on every topic. But you Sansa stans (yes I know you’re a Sansa stan and you probably have that hideous image of ST with her trademark vacant expression and that ugly ferret crown as your icon) should actually fact check yourselves before trying and failing to present yourselves as an authority on anything. The last dragon died in 153 AC. The Targaryens were overthrown in 283 AC. Even before 153 AC, the dragons that lived either weren’t under their control, were pretty young, or were deformed. In other words, they continued to rule Westeros without dragons for a significant amount of time. In that time, not only did they rule, but they were able to bring Dorne into the realm peacefully. 

Even the wars they had were far fewer than the amount of constant wars that happened while the kingdoms were separate. The Blackfyre Rebellions were sparked by Westerosi racism and xenophobia against the Dornish, as well as the greed and opportunism from the Andal/First Men supporters of the Blackfyre claimant. Notice how in those rebellions the people of Westeros supported either the Targaryens or the Targaryen blooded Blackfyres? No matter which side the lords took, they were supporting a Targaryen because they support that family. Like in real life civil wars, they just supported different members of that same royal line. It wasn’t because they feared them. They wanted their rule. They just wanted the rule of a specific claimant over another based on their own values or what they thought they could gain from a change in Targaryen leadership.

Even with the Baratheon rebellions, they were still Targaryen blooded claimants. With Lyonel Baratheon, he felt his family was insulted when an engagement between the crown prince and his daughter was broken so the prince could marry a peasant. This might seem like a “small spark”, but this would have been considered hugely offensive by the classist nobility. Note how this rebellion was resolved incredibly easily to the point where I don’t even think it warrants being labeled an actual rebellion. It seems more like it was set up for the next Baratheon rebellion since it resulted in that House gaining even more Targaryen blood than it already had. That’s the thing, the nobility wanted their children to marry Targaryens. Doesn’t sound very fearful, does it?

Robert’s Rebellion wasn’t set off by a “small spark”. The kidnapping and rape of the Lord of Winterfell’s daughter and the betrothed of the Lord of Storm’s End is not insignificant. It also didn’t set off the rebellion. The murders of multiple lords and their heirs is also not a small thing. It didn’t set off the rebellion either. What set it off was the combination of those two events with the demand for the executions of the new Lord of Winterfell and the Lord of Storm’s End. Those events taken separately are not small sparks and they certainly aren’t small when put together. It took something HUGE to make a big part of the realm turn on the Targaryens. Even still, the rebels were in the minority since most of the other regions either stayed out of the conflict waiting to see how it played out or stayed loyal to the Targaryens. If Tywin had continued to stay out of the conflict, the Rebellion could have lasted indefinitely with either side winning since the Crown’s forces outnumbered them and occupied the Stormlands. 

You also seem to miss the fact that quite a few people in Westeros are still Targaryen Loyalists and want to restore them to the throne. You even miss the fact that Robert, Joffrey, and Tommen’s claim comes from their Targaryen blood. 

So no, the Targaryen rule was not based purely on fear. They clearly retained loyalty and love without the benefit of dragons as weapons.

daenerys herself: dragons plant no trees, If they are monsters than so am I

It’s funny how you can try to quote the book while having no understanding of the passage you’re quoting. Here’s the paragraph you’re referring to:

Mother of dragons, Daenerys thought.Mother of monsters. What have I unleashed upon the world? A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. Without dragons, how could she hope to hold Meereen, much less win back Westeros?I am the blood of the dragon, she thought.If they are monsters, so am I. -- ADWD

This takes place in Dany’s second chapter of A Dance With Dragons after she has captured and chained two of her dragons and failed to capture the third. Why is she trying to chain them? Because Drogon killed one (1) child. That’s right. Not only is Dany compensating the people for the sheep her dragons were eating. She has no tolerance for them killing innocents. The quote above is not her glorying in the destructive power of the dragons. Nor is she going around without an ounce of guilt for terrorizing, maiming, and murdering innocents the way Robb, Balon, Stannis, Joffrey, Tyrion, Cersei, and every other leader in Westeros does. That is what this passage is PROVING. Seriously, using the “If they are monsters, so am I” quote is proving that Dany has guilt over the life her dragon has taken and that she has taken steps to prevent that from happening again. Compare that to Tyrion’s complete lack of care when it comes to the mass murder his family is causing:

"A lordling down from the Trident, says your father's men burned his keep, raped his wife, and killed all his peasants."

"I believe they call that war." -- Tyrion, ACOK

While Dany is trying to preserve lives, the mass murdering leaders of Westeros see murder and rape as the norm and completely acceptable. Even the noble Robb Stark tried to move the carnage that he and Tywin were inflicting on the Riverlands into the Westerlands and was upset that his plan to do so was partly thwarted by Edmure. His issue wasn’t with the common people suffering and dying. He just wanted the suffering and dying to happen to the common people of the Westerlands (the ones who hadn’t been forced into service as arrow fodder by the Lannisters yet) instead. Yet, you’re trying to use Dany’s guilt at one (1) child being killed by her dragon as proof of...something?

As for Dany not planting trees, yes, she fears that’s something Targaryens can’t do. But the text shows that her ancestors could and did. Dany is also planting trees in ADWD and was in the process of making Vaes Tolorro bloom in ACOK before she was invited to Qarth. The Golden Company (who wants to put her and Aegon on the Iron Throne as a pair) are even upset because they think she’s only interested in planting trees in Meereen.

When analyzing a literary work you have to understand that what the characters fear and the guilt they feel are not signs of their permanent situations. They’re signs of their internal obstacles that will be overcome in their arcs. Dany fears her dragons and fears herself and fears that she won’t be able to achieve peace and positive societal growth. Its good that she fears these things because this shows she acknowledges these issues so they can be overcome. The current Westeros leadership don’t see the issue in their mass murdering, which is an issue all on it’s own. 

Its alright if this series is above your comprehension level. There are books out there for you to read that are better suited for your capabilities, like Hop on Pop or Green Eggs and Ham. It’s probably best if you stick to those.

#this is why sansa stans shouldn't have access to keyboards #fandom wank #Anonymous

[ladycatofwinterfell]

Consequences, part 5

Catelyn and Ned decided to walk different ways after their relationship of three years, for good reasons. Ever since that Catelyn have kept a secret from him. When she one day, ten years later, decides that she should tell him they meet for the first time since the breakup. It takes them no time at all to fall back into old habits. The problem is that Ned is married, and that Catelyn is still keeping that damn secret. The only thing they can be sure of is that actions have consequences.

This feels incredibly messy, but I hope it’s worth the read. Enjoy!

“You look terrible” Barbrey Dustin said as she sat down next to her.

Barbrey disliked her for some reason she had never really been able to figure out. And it was easy to tell. She had sounded quite gleeful when she stated how terrible Catelyn looked.

“I’m aware” Catelyn said, not looking up from her phone.

Why didn’t Cersei reply when she needed her? She was usually so unnaturally quick to answer any texts or calls, but she seemed to be stubbornly set on not answering. Catelyn just needed to vent to someone, talk to someone. Get out her frustration. She had not slept a second that night. It had been very hard with everything that was spinning around in her head. It had not taken long. Only a few minutes. And then she had made sure that child number two would grow up without parents in a relationship as well. In the moment it had felt like he had no right to say what he had said. But afterwards, when she had calmed dow, she had just felt terrible. At least the baby would have a father.

“Well, what happened to you?”

“None of your business, Dustin.”

She really didn’t have patience for Barbrey Dustin in that moment. She had enough on her plate as it was. She needed no more. Sometimes she was ungodly tired of her colleagues.

“There’s no need to be rude, Tully.”

“I’m not rude.”

“You’re not even looking at me.”

Catelyn had never even wanted to talk to her, she had forced a conversation upon her. She sighed and looked up at Barbrey.

“Better now?”

“Much.”

What has happened now, darling?

Finally!

Too much. Meet me after work?

Robb wouldn’t be happy with her coming home later than she had said, but she had to talk to Cersei. He had tried to get her to tell him what it was all morning. She had been up early and made him pancakes, mostly to prove to herself that she could, but also to make him happy. In a way it was a sort of apology for not letting him have a father, but he didn’t know that. And as they ate he had tried to guess what it was. He had not guessed that it was a sibling, but she supposed that was because he didn’t think it was possible.

I can’t today, I'm with the kids. Tomorrow?

Of course. Why had she not expected that? With her luck she should have seen it coming. But tomorrow was better than nothing, she supposed.

Sounds great

It definitely wasn’t great. It was quite terrible actually. She was supposed to feel happy. She was pregnant, she would have a child. Robb had been the light in her life for so long, and she would have double that light soon. But still everything felt very dark. The rest of the day went painstakingly slowly. She taught her classes, did her job. And she wanted to hit every person that smiled at her. How could they smile at her when everything was going so terribly? Of course they didn’t know about it. They had no idea about how she had started a fight with the father of her children and the only person she had ever loved. She was a sad person. When she came home she was exhausted, ready to go to bed and sleep away the rest of her life. But Robb was waiting for her in the hallway, smiling so brightly. He was almost bouncing with excitement. And for the first time that day she felt happy. It would be fine. It would be. Just Robb’s smile was enough to make her believe that.

“Can you tell me now?” he asked.

“Can I come inside first?” Catelyn said.

He unwillingly backed away and watched silently as she put down her bag and took off her jacket. Her very own little bundle of joy. Soon she would have two of them. And she looked forward to it very much in that moment. She loved her children. Both the one before her and the one she had yet to meet.

“Go to the living room, I will be with you in a moment” she told him. “I promise.”

He sighed very dramatically and made his way to the living room. She looked after him. He looked so much like her. There was almost no trace of Ned in him. He had her hair, her eyes, her face. Maybe Ned would become more apparent when he got older. She hoped not. It was a lot easier that way. And she hoped she would have the same luck with the baby. She hoped the baby would look like her too. But before she talked to Robb she had to get some coffee. She had decided that she would try to lower her caffeine intake significantly for the sake of the baby. But her body was screaming in protest. And her head screamed the loudest. She had not had coffee for breakfast and she had not had coffee during any of her breaks. Which meant a headache straight from the seven hells. Her colleagues had probably suspected something was wrong when she had not been seen with a mug of coffee at all that day. She had come to the realization that she drank a lot of coffee. But one cup couldn’t hurt. She needed that. So it was a huge relief when she finally got her coffee. Everything immediately felt a lot better. And then she went out to Robb, who waited impatiently in the living room.

“That took forever!” he whined.

She sat down and sipped her coffee.

“I’m sorry.”

“Can you tell me now?”

“Okay, but first you need to promise me that you won’t tell anyone until I say you can” she said. “Can you do that for me?”

Catelyn really didn’t want it to spread too far before she got things under control. And losing it would be even harder if everyone already knew.

“Yes, I promise!”

“Pinky promise!”

He did that and then he looked at her expectantly.

“Do you remember what we talked about a few weeks back?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“That day when you were at the aquarium with Uncle Edmure?”

He nodded.

“The day after, when you were going to bed, we talked about something. Can you remember what it was?”

Robb’s face lit up.

“Did you ask Ned to be your boyfriend?” he asked.

She had to keep herself from crying. All he wished for was a dad. And he had been so close to having one without even knowing if. Had she not said it he would have had a dad. Ned would have came to them. But then they had got into a fight instead and there had been no dad for Robb. She had ruined that for him. She had told Ned that Robb was fine without a father. But clearly he didn’t think so. Why had she done what she did? Why could she never make the right decision?

“No. It’s not that, but it’s close” she said, pulling herself together.

Robb frowned for a moment.

“Then I don’t know.”

She took a deep breath.

“You will have a sibling, Robb. I’m pregnant.”

At first he looked at her like he could comprehend what she had said. But then his face lit up once more. She didn’t believe she had ever seen a happier person. His smile. Oh gods, his smile. It could have made even the saddest of people happy. It really did put the stars to shame. She just had time to put down her mug before he launched himself at her and hugged her tightly. With a laugh she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. Her son, her wonderful boy.

“You’re the best mom in the world!” he said. “Is it a sister? Please say it’s a sister!”

“I don’t know yet, sweetheart. It’s way too early to tell.”

“Okay. But when you know will you tell me?” he asked seriously.

“Of course. I will tell you everything as soon as I know.”

He wriggled out of her embrace and looked at her skeptically.

“But you said you needed a boyfriend to have a baby. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“No. But I think we’ll be fine just the three of us.”

“I’ll help you with the baby, I promise.”

She didn’t deserve him. She really didn’t.

~*~

His blood boiled just from thinking about it. What exactly had given her the idea that it would just be fine to keep him from knowing about their child? Their son. That boy, Robb, was his son. And he had not known it. She had raised their son without him. What had he done to her that made her decide that they were better off without him? And then she had the nerve to get upset because he was angry about it. Of course he was angry about it!

“Ned? Where did you go?”

His sister looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“If I tell you something, will you promise that you won’t tell Ashara?” he asked.

He needed to talk about it with someone that could assure him of that he wasn’t being unreasonable. What if he was unreasonable? What if she was right? No, that wasn’t possible. She had no right to do that. He wondered what had been going on in her head that lead her to doing what she had done.

“Why would I tell Ashara anything?” Lyanna said. “I haven’t spoken to her since your wedding.”

“Because if you were a good person you would tell her.”

“If you want to talk to a good person you should go to Benjen.”

Benjen would have gotten Ashara on the phone in about half a second. Ned loved his little brother, but that man really couldn’t stand doing something morally questionable.

“Is that a promise of that you won’t tell Ashara?”

He had to be sure. He really had to be sure. He didn’t want Ashara to hear it from someone else. He needed to talk to her himself. Because he would not leave Catelyn to take care of that child alone. No matter what she said. He wouldn’t go into a relationship with her, he would never forgive her, but he would be damned if they didn’t share custody. The baby was his, no matter if she wanted it to be or not.

“Yeah, can you tell me now?”

“Well, first of all, I’m aware of that what I have done is not good. And I’m a bad person–“

“I get it, you’re terrible, now get on with it!”

Lyanna was always so supportive.

“Okay, I have been seeing someone outside of my marriage.”

That made his sister laugh. And he immediately felt regret over that he had said anything. What had he honestly expected? It was Lyanna, he should have known.

“I knew it would happen” she said. “It’s Cat, isn’t it?”

“How did you know?”

“She’s the only one you would break your wedding vows for. The only one you would be too impatient to get a divorce before seeing. How long has it been going on?”

Ned Stark was apparently a lot more predictable than he had realized.

“Six weeks, I think. Or, well, we saw each other a couple of times during one week and then I heard from her again last night. And that’s where the main problem began.”

“Do tell.”

“She called me and was very upset about something. So I went to her, and I found out that she’s pregnant. And she told me that she wanted to keep it, and I wanted that too. And then out of nowhere she told me that her son, Robb, is mine.”

She had kept that secret for ten years. But he felt that he had a right to tell his sister about his son. That he apparently had.

“I thought that was an open secret” Lyanna said.

“What?”

“I thought you knew. I mean, many have figured it out. She had a baby not even nine months after you broke up and refused to talk about the baby’s father. It was quite obviously you. Still a dick move to not tell you about it though, you have every right to be pissed.”

That was a very mild way of putting it. It wasn’t like she had kept a small secret. It was a child, for gods’ sake! And he had been in that apartment, he had looked at that child, unknowing of that it was his son. He supposed the boy didn’t know anything either. The poor child.

“I just don’t understand why. What did I do that made her feel so bad that she wanted to keep our son from me?”

“You left her, Ned. You were the one who broke up with her. And then you moved. It doesn’t justify anything, she had absolutely no right to keep your son from you. And you have every right to be angry about it. But in her head it probably sounded like an okay plan. I guess she had seen the breakup coming because even I know that you fought a lot and rarely agreed on things, but suddenly just ditching her was probably not what she had expected.”

He wished he could have read her mind, just to get a bit of understanding. At the moment he didn’t understand anything at all, he just felt angry. What Lyanna said sounded reasonable, but it still didn't feel right. He had broken up with Catelyn because that had been the best thing to do for both pf them. He had loved Catelyn, but it wouldn't have worked in the long run.

For a moment he had been happy about that they would have a child together after so many years. And then he found out that she had done that to him.

“She got angry at me when I questioned it” he said. “We got into a fight. And it ended with that she told me that I am no longer welcome in her home.”

She had also said that he was a bad father. That had almost been the worst. She had no say in that when she had kept her son’s father a secret. She was such a hypocrite.

“Defense mechanism” Lyanna chuckled. “I do the same. It feels good to shift the blame when you know that you have fucked up. Anyways, what are you gonna do?”

“I will be there for my child. Robb might technically be mine, but I will never be his father. It has been too long. Catelyn said it, he has no father, and I won’t try to be something I’m not. But the baby. I will be a father for the baby. No matter if Catelyn likes it or not, this is our child, we’ll do this together.”

He would have to cooperate for the sake of the baby. Their baby. He caught himself wishing that it would look like Catelyn. She was a beautiful woman, despite everything, the baby would be lucky to have her looks.

“And what are you gonna do with your wife?”

“Divorce. Catelyn might be a mess of a woman and I don’t think I have ever been angrier at anyone ever, but she made me realize that I can’t stay in this marriage” he said. “Ashara is fantastic, but I can’t stay with her. It’s not the right thing to do.”

Lyanna smiled.

“Look at you making reasonable decisions.”

“Look at me making reasonable decisions. I will talk to Catelyn soon. When she has calmed down a bit.”

He was also angry, but he would never forgive her so drawing it out was only unnecessary. It was better to have it done quickly. The only thing he worried about was that making reasonable decisions would probably be a lot harder when he saw her again. How was he supposed to look that woman in the eye and come to an agreement about how they would do with the baby after what she had said and done?

“Good. Just to make it clear though, your wife has every right to kick your ass. You’ve been a shitty husband recently.”

“I’m aware.”

“And don’t fall into bed with Catelyn again.”

There wasn’t even a small chance of that because just thinking of her made him so angry that he didn’t know what to do.

“There’s no risk.”

“Well, I suppose that if you solved your issues there would be no problem with it. So feel free to do it after you have talked it out.”

“Lyanna!”

~*~

“Oh you look like you need some wine” Cersei said once they had sat down in her kitchen.

She did look like she needed some wine. Unfortunately alcohol brought along the risk of something being wrong with her baby. And she did want her baby to be healthy.

“First of all, it’s a week day, and drinking during week days is heavily frowned upon. Second of all, I can’t drink.”

“Are you pregnant or something?” Cersei scoffed.

It was just a joke, Cersei didn’t at all think that she was pregnant. That was what she always said when Catelyn denied a drink. But the look on her face when Catelyn just got quiet and looked at her was shocked to say the least.

“Wait, are you really pregnant?”

“Yes” Catelyn sighed. “I’m pregnant.”

"With a baby?"

"What else would it be? Of course it's a baby!"

“So are we happy about it or not?”

Excellent question. She was happy about it, couldn’t wait to have another baby. But she had made some not very great decisions and had therefore managed to get into a fight with the father. She had thought of it even more and had come to the conclusion that she was terrible. She had said terrible things and done terrible things. He would never forgive her. She couldn’t even ask it of him. If it had been the other way around and he had asked her to forgive him she probably would have committed a murder.

“We’re happy about the baby. It’s the rest that we’re not very happy about.”

“Congratulations! Okay, so tell me about the rest and why we are not very happy about it.”

“Well, I don’t think I need to tell you who the father is.”

“The same as last time, how fun” Cersei smiled.

“Yes, it’s– wait, I’ve never told you who Robb’s father is.”

Cersei laughed and shook her head. It made Catelyn very nervous. She had not told anyone. Only Ned. How did Cersei know? Had Ned actually told people? And it had spread? Oh no. Oh fuck.

“You didn’t need to, it was obvious. Were you not aware of what an open secret this is?”

An open secret? Apparently she had not been as discreet as she thought she had been. She didn’t appreciate the thought of that everyone knew though. Not at all.

“I wasn’t. And neither was he.”

“Oohhh, did you tell him?”

“I didn’t mean to” Catelyn said. “I was just going to tell him about the baby. And then he started talking about leaving his wife and I panicked and told him too much.”

“So your baby daddy is angry at you?”

“He was angry. And then I got angry back, because once more, I panicked, and in the heat of the moment I said some absolutely terrible things. So he’s not angry, he’s furious and he hates me.”

The look on Cersei’s face was one Catelyn had never seen before and that made her worried. It was bad, in other words. Very bad. If even Cersei disapproved of it, it was very very very bad.

“Yeah, that’s not great.”

Talking about it didn’t make it feel better. It only felt worse. She hated herself a bit. Why had she decided that throwing more fuel on the fire was a great idea? Why had she decided to hurt him more? She didn’t want him to hurt. She wanted him to be happy. So why had she acted like a petty child?

“I don’t even know what I was doing. I had no reason to get upset, he had every right to be angry with me. But for some reason I couldn’t handle that he told me that what I did was wrong. Even though I knew it was wrong, and I regretted it very much.”

“Might I ask about what you said to him?”

She felt herself blushing and looked down at the table. It had been terrible enough the first time, she really had no wish to repeat it.

“He accused me of having hurt my son by denying him a father, and I responded with that maybe Robb was better off that way. And he asked if I meant that he was a bad father. And I told him that maybe I thought he was.”

Cersei actually frowned when she looked up again. Yeah, she was screwed.

“That probably did some damage” she said slowly.

That was absolutely one way of putting it. Catelyn was ready to cry. She wished everything would just disappear. All she wanted was for her baby to have a stable family. A safe home where he or she could be happy. Cersei reached over the table and laid a hand on top of one of Catelyn’s.

“Are you sure of that having this baby is a good idea?” she asked and she sounded genuinely worried. “You’re not old, this is not your last chance.”

“Yes, I’m sure. I have a little less than eight months to try to patch things up with Ned enough to cooperate with the parenting thing.”

They would be no more than parents to the same child. She had made sure of that, even though it had not been intentional. And that was fine, as long as it worked with the child. She was just happy they would have some sort of contact. And she would have opportunity to try and set things right. Because she would.

“It seems very messy. Maybe a child is not really the thing you need right now. I will support you no matter what you choose to do, of course, but I want you to really think it through. When we talked about it a while back it sounded like what you wanted was a partner to have it all with.”

Or a child was exactly what she needed.

“I have thought it through. I want it. And Robb is already picking out names.”

They would work it out. They would never be what they had been before, but they could probably manage to take care of the baby. That she was sure of. Even though she wasn't sure of much else.

“Then I’m happy for you.”

The smile was back on Cersei’s face.

“Thank you.”

“Do you know what names Robb is thinking of?”

He had already decided on what it would be named if it was a girl. Sansa. And she had promised that she would make sure of that Ned was aware of that there would be no debate surrounding the name. If it was a girl her name would be Sansa. He was still deciding on what it would be named if it was a boy though. But he would pick that name too. There would be no debate about that either.

“Sansa, if it’s a girl.”

“Sansa” Cersei repeated. “It’s cute.”

“It is, I like it a lot” Catelyn agreed. “I think that’s what it will be.”

“Are you hoping for a girl?”

“Yes. It doesn't really matter, but Robb really wants a little sister.”

A little sister, a daughter. Sansa.

~*~

It would have been better if she had been angry when he told her that he wanted to divorce. He wouldn’t have felt quite as terrible about it if she hadn’t been accepting. She was accepting. She actually just sighed. There was nothing more about it. It only took them a few very undramatic minutes of conversation to come to the agreement that their marriage was over. Ned couldn’t really put words to how he felt. It wasn’t quite relief. But in a way it was. They had had some good years together, but he wasn’t sad about that it was over. And Ashara didn’t seem to be that upset either. But of course he had not told her about the rest of it. Because that would probably upset her.

“Well, there is nothing I can do. I’m just glad you told me before it got bad.”

It wasn’t bad. It probably never would have become bad. But at the same time they couldn’t continue. It didn’t feel right at all.

“I wish you everything good in the world, Ashara. “But I can’t give you that. So I think it’s better if we end this here.”

She looked at him and if felt like she was seeing right through him. That just by looking at him she could see everything he had done. Or maybe it just seemed that way because he was well aware of all the ways he had wronged her.

“There’s something you haven’t told me” she stated.

“Yes, there is” he confirmed. “And I want you to know that I won’t ask you to forgive me for it, because it is unforgivable.”

“It’s that red headed lady from a while back, isn’t it?” she asked. “What was her name again?”

The complete lack of anger in her voice startled him. There wasn’t any emotion at all in her voice. Just acceptance. Why couldn’t she be angry with him? It would have been easier if she had been angry with him. But she wasn’t. She seemed to handle it perfectly. She was perfect. And still he had let her down. She did deserve a lot better.

“Catelyn. Her name is Catelyn.”

Ashara shook her head and smiled. It wasn’t a smile of happiness, it was a smile filled with frustration. She was angry. That was just her way of being angry. Her rage was a calm one. A silent one. But it was just as dangerous as Catelyn’s storm.

“I should have known. The moment you looked at her I should have known.”

“I’m sorry. I really am.”

“You’re an ass” she said. “I wish I could kick you out of the house right now. But I won’t, for Jon’s sake. I hope you’re happy with her though, so that this wasn’t all for nothing.”

She would definitely kick him out once he was finished. Because, gods, there was more. There was the baby. As if just cheating wasn’t bad enough. He had always believed himself to be a decent person, in the last weeks he had proven that he was a bad person and an even worse husband.

“I’m not leaving you for her, there won’t be anything between us. And I’m not done yet.”

“Are there more than her? Are you not leaving me for her, but for someone else?”

“Not like that.”

“And what exactly does that mean?”

Telling her about Robb was unnecessary. That had nothing to do with it. But she would get to hear about the baby sooner or later anyway, and it was better that she heard it from him there and then. So that she could be spared from it later.

“Catelyn is pregnant. And she wants to have the baby.”

“You got her knocked up? You better take care of that child. I hate her, but if you cheat on me and then leave her alone in the mess you helped create I’ll have no choice but to kick your ass.”

He did deserve that. Very much. But he would take care of the child. It was his child just as much as Jon was.

“I will ” he said.

“Good” Ashara sighed. “At least you have some sort of redeeming feature. Gods, I wish murder was legal.”

“I don’t think anyone would blame you if you did it.”

“Probably not. So now I will take a walk to calm down a bit so that I can be sure of that I won’t kill you in your sleep. We can talk more tomorrow.”

“You do that.”

~*~

“Dad will disinherit you” was what Edmure had to say about it.

Catelyn snorted.

“I’m pretty sure he disinherited me after Robb, so there’s no need to worry about that. And I think Mom will advocate for actually letting me inherit at least something.”

Her father had not been very happy about that she would have a son even though she hadn’t been in a relationship. He had tried to bribe her into telling him who the father was and failed. But from the way he liked to spoil Robb rotten it wasn’t easy to tell his disdain for her son’s status as a bastard. Her mother had not been too hard about it though, she had actually been very supportive.

“I find it very funny that his golden child ended up being such a disappointment” Edmure chuckled.

“All three of us are disappointments, Ed.”

If anything she was probably the least disappointing of her father’s children. It was hard to believe, but she actually thought that it was true.

“The difference with you is that he had hope for you.”

“I have a finished education. That’s more than you can say.”

“I’m married. Beat that.”

“Yeah, but I have given him a grandchild and if I’m not unlucky there will be one more.”

“Outside of marriage though. Important point.”

Just as she was about to answer that the doorbell rang. She was definitely not expecting anyone so it was probably a friend of Robb’s. But the door to Robb’s room stayed shut so it seemed like he wasn’t expecting anyone either.

“Wait a minute” she told Edmure.

She went to the door, opened it. And almost froze when she saw Ned outside. She had known that he would come, but she had not expected him to come so soon. She had thought that he would take longer after what she had said and done. But there he was.

“What are you doing here?” was all she could get out.

Last time she head seen him she had been so angry that she couldn’t find words for it. But at the moment she just felt ashamed. She couldn't even imagine what he was feeling.

“You’re pregnant with my child and I thought that maybe we should talk about it.”

“Catelyn?” Edmure shouted from the living room. “Who is it?”

She turned back to Ned.

“It’s a bad time right now. Can we take it another day?”

Ned looked at her for a second.

“I would really like to take this now.”

She would have to kick Edmure out, in other words.

“Fine” she sighed.

He came inside and she went back to Edmure.

“You need to leave” she told him.

“Why?”

“Because I have more important things to do.”

That grin that she hated so passionately immediately turned up on his face. Was he aware of how incredibly punchable his face was when he did that?

“Hello, Ned!” he called out.

It took about half a second and then Robb’s door opened and he poked his head out.

“Is Ned here?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes, Ned is here” she said. “But you need to stay in your room.”

“Why?”

“We need to talk alone for a bit. You can come out soon, I promise.”

Edmure laughed as he got up from the couch.

“While he’s at home? You have no shame, do you?”

“Mom, what does he mean?”

Catelyn wanted to sink through the floor. She could feel herself blushing. If it was with embarrassment or with anger at Edmure she didn’t know. It was probably a bit of both. She had not told Edmure about the fight, therefore his... reaction. She still wanted to murder him though.

“Edmure, please, for gods’ sake” she said. “Just leave.”

He had come there to pick up a scarf that Roslin had forgotten when they had dinner there a week earlier. But of course he had stayed longer than necessary because that’s what he very often did. He just never left.

“But what did he mean?” Robb asked again.

“I meant nothing, Robb” Edmure said. “Now listen to your mother.”

That clearly didn’t satisfy Robb, but he accepted it anyway. And for that Catelyn was very thankful.

“Fine. Bye, Uncle Edmure!”

“Bye, Robb.”

And then Robb closed the door again. Edmure exchanged a few words with Ned as he left, but she couldn’t hear what it was. Probably unnecessary nonsense if Catelyn knew her brother. He was full of unnecessary nonsense.

“Why did you so desperately need to talk about this now?” she asked when Ned came into the living room.

It was very annoying that he thought that he had a right to come to her home and demand her time. Not that she had been doing anything important, but still.

“I was afraid of that if I didn't do it now I wouldn’t be able to bring myself back anytime soon.”

“And why is that?”

“Just looking at you is hard.”

She had to bite her tongue in order to hold back the ten different stupid responses that immediately popped up in her head. She had spent way too much time with Edmure.

“I understand. And I’m sorry.”

“Are you really?” he asked.

“I am. I know that it won’t make anything better, but I am sorry. Very sorry.”

It was true. She was sorry. She shouldn’t have acted the way she did and she was aware of it. But no apology in the world would make up for it. Unfortunately.

“That’s always something” Ned said dryly.

She sat in an armchair, but he seemed determined to stay on his feet.

“Have you spoken to Ashara?” she asked.

“Yes. She’s planning murder.”

“As she should.”

“As she should” he repeated. “But it’s decided. We are going to divorce.”

“Good for her.”

Catelyn knew absolutely nothing about that woman, but everyone deserved better than what Ned had given her. She was also officially a home wrecker. Maybe Edmure had a point in saying that she was a disappointment.

“I guess you will want the baby with you the first months” Ned began.

“There will be no discussion about that” she confirmed. “You can come visit, but she’ll live with me.”

“That’s reasonable. Should we take a week each after that?”

She wished it could have been some other way. She wished she could have had her daughter with her always. But Ned was also her parent. And he also had a right to see her and take care of her.

“I’ll have to agree to that.”

Catelyn really didn’t like the feeling of that they were in some sort of business meeting. Negotiating terms for an important affair. In a way that was what they were doing, she supposed. And it was very important. But she didn’t like the formality. And she didn’t look forward to taking care of an infant child on her own again. She was perfectly capable of doing it, but that didn’t mean that she would like it. She would have to though, unless...

“But what if we did something completely different?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” Ned asked, sounding very suspicious.

Well, he had every right to be. He could shoot it down if he thought it was a bad idea. He probably would think it was a bad idea. He wouldn't want to be closer to her than necessary. But she could at least put forward a suggestion, there was no rule against that. 

“I know you hate my guts, but what if we lived together purely for the sake of helping each other with her?” she said, beginning to realize just how crazy he though she was. “Hear me out, I’ve done the whole taking care of a small child alone thing, and it’s extremely draining. Maybe it’s good to be two.”

“Purely for the sake of the baby?” Ned asked, and he seemed to actually consider it.

Maybe it hadn’t been a terrible idea, after all.

“Yes. Nothing else. Just to make it easier.”

Robb would love that. Living with Ned. It wouldn’t matter to him that Ned wasn’t her boyfriend, as long as he could have a dad. Ned probably wouldn’t object to that. And it would give the baby a more stable home the first years or so. It would be good for her.

“Will you give me some time to consider?”

“Of course. Take all the time you need.”

“I suppose it’s too early to talk about the rest.”

“A bit, yeah. But at least we have a few things clear. I’m sure that by the time we can meet her we’ll have it all fixed.”

“You keep saying ‘her’ and ‘she’, we don’t know if it’s a girl yet” Ned said.

“No” she said and smiled. “But Robb and I are hoping for a girl. He has already picked a name. You’ll have no say in that.”

Ned snorted and she thought that she could see the hint of a smile in his eyes. That was always a step forward. At least he didn’t look at her with burning hatred anymore. She didn’t dare to hope for much, but maybe the future was a bit brighter, after all.

“Can I know what that name is?” he asked.

“Sansa.”

“Sansa” he said. “I like it.”

“Good. Because that will be your daughter’s name.”

“And if it’s a boy?” he asked.

Robb had wanted to pick that name too, but they had to think of the rest of thier dysfunctional little family.

“I might be able to convince Robb to let Jon pick the name if it’s a boy.”

“I’m sure Jon would be very happy to do that.”

“How has he taken it?”

She had not thought much of Jon, but she did then. And she pitied the boy. She had broken up his parents’ marriage. One day, when he was older, she would have to apologize for that. But maybe a half sibling was a bit of a comfort. Or maybe he hated it. He probably would.

“We haven’t told him yet” Ned said, and suddenly he seemed like he had the weight of the world upon his shoulders. “But he’s too little to understand more than that Ashara and I will split. It will make him upset, but it will probably get even worse when he’s older and actually understands.”

“He’ll hate me” she said.

She didn’t feel particularly sad about it, she had no relation at all to that child. But he would also have to stand out with her, because she would be the mother of his half sibling. The poor boy. She had not really reflected upon what her relationship with Ned had done to others. But she understood more and more with every passing day. And she had realized that she had been a happier person before.

“Maybe. He’ll probably hate me too.”

“I suppose it’s only what we deserve.”

“Yes.”

They looked at each other, and Catelyn found that she couldn’t quite turn her eyes away. They did deserve it. They deserved to face what they had created with their own questionable decisions. But at least they would face it together. As it was supposed to be. She did love him. But he hated her. And that was torture, but she would have to live with it. Both of them jumped when Robb threw open the door to his room and came out.

“Is he Sansa’s dad?” he asked.

Once more he was at it with not saying hello and instead jumping immediately to the questions. And he had already started referring to the baby by the name he had picked. He thought that it was more likely to be a Sansa if he called it Sansa.

“I am” Ned responded and he did have patience enough to smile at him.

“Cool!” Robb said. “Can you be my dad too?”

He just had no limits.

“Would you like that?” Ned asked surprised.

Catelyn could see exactly how much was running through his head in that moment. Did he want to be a dad to Robb? He had sounded like he wanted it. But maybe that had just been the heat of the moment.

“Yeah, I’ve never known my dad, but I think it would be fun to have one.”

Catelyn could just watch it happen, she didn’t really know what to do. She couldn’t interfere. And she really was hoping for that Ned would agree to her suggestion about living together.

“And you can take care of my mom. I think she’s a bit lonely.”

“I think your mom can take care of herself” Ned chuckled. “She’s tough.”

“Thank you for that” Catelyn sighed.

“You know, Robb. We’ll live together soon. You, I, your mom, Sansa, and every other week, my son Jon.”

She looked at him, couldn’t hold back a smile.

“Does that mean you agree with what I said?” she asked.

“As you said, it’s easier to make it work that way.”

“So I will have two siblings and a dad?” Robb asked and Catelyn was pretty sure of that he had never been happier.

He looked like he could have burst with happiness. Her little bundle of joy. She loved him so much.

“I suppose you could put it that way” Ned said.

He seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by Robb’s reaction. She didn’t blame him. Many were a bit overwhelmed by Robb. But he was also very lovable. She had never met someone who didn’t like him. Robb almost knocked her over with his hug.

“Thank you, Mom!”

“Oh my dear boy.”

She was close to tears at that point. She was quite often close to tears. She blamed hormones. Once Robb had let her go and bounced back into his room she followed Ned back to the hall.

"Don't think I've forgiven you" he said and looked at her with something she could only descibe as some sort of disdain. "Because I haven't. It's purely for  the kids."

She had not thought it to be anything other than that. But hearing it from him still hurt a bit. She could admit that much to herself.

“Would you like to talk about it?” she asked.

“No” he responded. “Not right now. There’s enough as it is.”

He was right. They would probably just fight again. It was still too fresh. And they could really do without another fight. For the sake of the kids. They would have time later. If he wanted to.

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you soon, then.”

“Yes.”

“Goodbye, Cat.”

Knowing that it wasn’t their last goodbye, that they would see each other often, made her more hopeful about the future. They had fucked up lots and lots of things. But maybe they could attempt to set some of them right. And, he was back to calling her Cat. Yeah, maybe things would be alright.

“Bye.”

~*~

Having a dad was every bit as fun as Robb had imagined it would be. He liked Ned very much. Sometimes he got a bit distant though, Mom said he just was that way and there was no reason to worry. Because Robb had almost thought that Ned didn’t like him. And that would have been quite terrible. His little sister was not as fun, she mostly ate and slept and screamed. She screamed really much. But she was quite cute, and she had the same hair and eye color as Robb. And they had named her Sansa, like he had wanted. So she was okay. Sometimes he helped Mom with her and that was actually a bit of fun. His new brother was okay as well. He was very shy though and he rarely wanted to play with Robb. And that was really boring. And for some reason he didn’t seem to like Mom that much. Robb couldn’t understand why. Mom said it was because Jon had a different mom than him and was sad his mom and dad didn’t live together anymore, so Robb should not be so hard on him. He wasn’t hard on Jon, he just wanted to play. But he was a bit younger than Robb, maybe he woukd be more fun when he got older. Robb hoped so. And for some reason Mom and Ned were not together. They lived together, but they had different bedrooms and they didn’t act like a couple. It was very weird. Robb had thought that they would be together since they had Sansa, but they were not. They seemed to like each other though. He had tried to ask Mom why she was not together with Ned, but she had just told him that it was hard to explain. He didn’t like it when she got all adulty and told him things were complicated and hard to explain. It just seemed like an excuse. Because she did like Ned, he was sure if it. And Uncle Edmure said so too. And he would make sure of that they got together. If it so became the last thing he did, he would make sure of it.

#IT'S DONE #FINISHED #THIS IS IT #just kidding there will be a sequel #love you #consequences #my fic #Catelyn Tully #Catelyn Stark #Ned Stark #Robb Stark #Cersei Lannister #ashara dayne #edmure tully #jon snow