#and I LOVE WATCHING SANSA BECOME STRONG I LOVE HER SO FUCKING MUCH

[alwritey-aphrodite]

I want that!!

Ok, but I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into:

Ned Stark: like I said before #1 dad (I read somewhere that he’s based on Duke Leto, who I also adore for being the best father he can be in his circumstances). But also, I really just love his sense of honor and need to do what’s right, which is so at odds with everyone around him. He just wants to make the people he cares for happy, one of his driving motives to take Robert’s offer as hand of the king. He’s someone who doesn’t want to play the twisted games, who doesn’t want to manipulate and backstab and double cross, and I respect and love him so so much.

Catelyn Stark: do I despise her for the way she treated Jon? Yes absolutely. Do I admire her for her strength and resilience? Yes absolutely. She cares so much for her children, she’d quite literally die for them, she stopped a knife with her bare hands for one of her sons, she crossed a terrible terrain full of giants to bring who she thought tried to kill her son to justice. She loves her family, and she’d do anything for them. I understand her bitterness at the fact that Ned cheated on her, and Jon’s a reminder of that, but I think I’d respect her a tiny bit more if she was able to look past that and care for Jon the way he deserved. Still, she’s a kick ass mom and I love her.

Robb Stark: my sweet boy :( little baby :( I think my attachment to the Stark children stems from the books, where they’re twelve or fourteen or ten and still experiencing the things they went through in the show at twenty or eighteen or fourteen. He’s just a child, and he had so much placed on his shoulders. Just like his father, he only wants to do the right thing. He believes in justice, and that’s the only reason he became King of the North and started a war: for justice for his father. I think he was a great leader, and his only downfall was how trusting and kind he was, to enemies and allies alike, and that’s what really pushed him towards his demise.

Jon Snow: my son, my sweet little guy, I love him so much. I’d literally die for him. I’d kill for him. If he got one thing from Ned, it’s his honor. Honor means everything to Jon, in every situation. The way he felt so fucking upset with himself when he had to keep switching from the Night’s Watch to the Wildlings and then back again. He just wants to do the right thing. He wants to be an honorable leader, which is so difficult to do within that universe. Idk man I just really fucking love Jon Snow (and I refuse to acknowledge whatever the fuck happened with his ‘parents’ in season 8)

Sansa Stark: it took me much longer to warm up to her in the show (at no hate to Sophie Turner, I absolutely adore her), but her arc is one of my favorites. I love the strength she finds within herself, and how she can still find it in herself to be kind. She forgives her siblings, she becomes a leader when all she wanted before was to essentially be a trophy wife. I love watching her reach her potential, watched her fight back and resist in any way she could. I think she and Arya show so well how different resistance can look, how different it can be for people to be strong, and I love her, despite the rocky start to my relationship with her

Arya Stark: my girl! I’ve been rooting for her since day one, I love feral little girls who just want to run wild. I adore the relationship she had with Ned, how he supported her and found her a teacher and really just wanted her to be happy. Honestly, I can’t help feeling proud of her, for all of the things she did at such a young age. She’s a spiteful, revengeful little girl, and I’d do anything to protect her. There’s something about the way she literally never stops fighting, how she keeps trying over and over and over until something works out for her. She’s dealt the worst possible hand in life, and yet she kept fighting, never giving up no matter what happened to her.

Brandon Stark: my least favorite Stark, sorry not sorry. I just think he spent so much time only thinking of himself and only trying to help himself. I know he’s a child and I’m probably being too hard on him, but I honestly just think he’s really annoying

Rickon Stark: I don’t have much to say about him except poor baby :(

[bioshocked-astroghost]

Been severely binging Game of Thrones in a matter of about 5 days or so (only my second time watching it, last time was honestly a year or two ago?) and god I forgot how much I fucking love this show I’m at the start of s7 and GOD I fucking love Arya so much she really DECIMATED House Frey in like, what? A day? Two? Avenged the Red Wedding and made sure everyone knew who did it

I love her so much I’m about to explode she’s fucking amazing

[cellsshapedlikestars]

So Jon and Sansa both see a crime being commited and become prime witnesses to arrest this big crime mastermind (Petyr? Or maybe Tywin?) and they have to go to witness protection... Only witness protection makes them pretend to be a married couple when they actually don't know each other. Does that sparkle something in that brilliant brain of yours as a prompt?

Look I'm in a Mood™ today and wrote this in a weird fugue state so don't @ meeeeee. I also like barely edited this so who knows if it makes sense, and grammar? I barely know her.

Also, I don’t really know how to do trigger warning tags, so this is my warning that there are vague mentions of blood/gore/violence.

.

.

Sometimes when she wakes up, she forgets.

But then she looks around the room that isn't her room and she has to tell herself that it is. This is her room. This is her home. That is her husband downstairs making breakfast.

(And sometimes she wakes up unable to breathe, the dreams are so real; the blood and brains and pieces of skull spraying the wall in front of her, the sounds of men pleading for their lives. The strong arm wrapped around her, one hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming, the only thing that kept her still and quiet and hidden under the desk, the only reason she's alive. He's downstairs making breakfast.)

….

If there was ever a place to get lost, she thinks, it's here.

She stares out the window of her house, the same as every other house on the street. Row after row of identical houses. Neighborhoods of them, the suburbs stretching on forever. They've been here for two months and she doesn't even know her neighbor's names. The one across the street is Edmond, she thinks. Maybe. Edmure? No, if it were Edmure, she would remember, because of-

(But Alayne Stone doesn't have an Uncle Edmure.)

“I'm headed out.”

She turns to look at her husband.

“Have a good day,” she calls, just like she does every day. She watches him walk out to their nondescript grey sedan, just like he does every day. He backs it out of the driveway, then drives west, towards the main road.

…

They don't talk about before.

He is Aemon Stone. They met in college, in a geography course that they both almost failed, and they fell in love. They just got married and moved here - not that any of their neighbors have asked, so she's only had to tell that story to her new coworkers at the craft store.

They're trying to start a family.

(Jon, she thinks his name is, she remembers the agents calling him that, before they were handed folders with their new lives inside. But Jon is not her husband. Aemon is.)

…

Sometimes she likes to think she's a hero, giving up her whole world just to take down the bad guy. She's a hero, a martyr, the protagonist of her own daydreams. Her actions will save the lives of countless others.

(The reality is that she had no choice. They gave her one, technically, she doesn't have to testify against Petyr Baelish, but they all knew there was no choice. If she stayed, he would've found her. He would have killed her and anyone she could have possibly told about what she saw. She knows Aemon had no choice, either, and sometimes she wonders what he gave up. But they don't talk about before.)

…

She tries not to let her mind wander too much, but it's hard not to. Her life is routine. Mundane. She makes friends with her coworkers but she can't – she won't– let them get too close.

The problem with all her free, mundane time is that it gives her space to think – gives her time to regret.

She remembers that weekend, remembers thinking what harm could it do? Remembers thinking the bachelorette party sounded so fun. Remembers taking cash out to play the slot machines, ordering drink after drink until she felt numb.

It all goes a bit fuzzy after that. No matter how hard she tries, she can never remember how she got into the back halls of the casino, to the places where guests aren't allowed. She remembers a strange man kissing her, large, with scarring across his face, who told her that a pretty bird like her shouldn't be back here and demanded a kiss as payment. She remembers running, running, running.

If only she hadn't run.

If she hadn't run, she wouldn't have found herself in that room. She wouldn't have heard the door opening, turned around to see him, watched his face twist in horror when he saw her. He wouldn't have had to tell her get down, hide.

She remembers not being able to move, frozen to the spot at the sight of the gun at his hip. She remembers the way he'd pulled her down under the desk, one arm around her waist to keep her still, one hand over her mouth to keep her quiet, just in time, just before the door opened again.

(And she remembers the men who came in right after, the gruff where the fuck did Rivers get to?)

…

She's seen the tattoo.

(She doesn't think she was supposed to. Aemon Stone shouldn't have a tattoo.)

They try not to get in each other's way – he works days, she works closings. She sleeps in the master bed, he sleeps in a guest room down the hall. He wakes up early and makes breakfast and leaves her a plate. She eats while he goes for a run. But every once in a while...

That day he'd been coming back from the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist. She's never upstairs when he takes a shower, but she had gotten the urge to read, for the first time in months, and had gone up to grab one of the books that came with the house when she ran into him in the hall.

And there, on his chest, right above his heart, the mockingbird tattoo.

(Aemon Stone is her husband. He is not one of them.)

(But Jon Snow was.)

…

She probably should be scared, but she can never find it in her to be. Their handlers wouldn't have put them in the same house if they thought he'd hurt her.

(He's the reason she's alive. His arm around her waist, his hand over her mouth. Get down. Hide.)

…

Sometimes she wants to ask – why?

Why did he hide her?

Why is he here?

He was one of them, there's a tattoo on his chest that proves it.

Why did he save her? Give up everything for her to live?

…

She slips, once.

She's at work, in the break room, heating up a mug of soup in their tiny, low watt microwave. The break room TV is on, the news is playing, and then he's there.

Petyr Baelish, donating a giant check to an orphanage. Everyone's clapping and cheering him on and all she can hear are the screams of two men, pleading for their lives. Begging Petyr Baelish to stop. (They had wives and children and their screams echo in her head and-)

“Alayne?” her coworker, Myranda, shakes her arm. “I think your food's done?”

She's shaking so hard that the soup sloshes over the side of her mug and she apologizes as she cleans it up and Myranda asks if she's sick or something. She has to go home early because she vomits into the break room trash can.

At home, Aemon is watching football on TV and he's surprised when she comes home early. All he says is, “everything ok?” and she knows what he's asking.

“Everything's ok,” she tells him and he nods and she goes upstairs.

They don't talk about the past, but they don't talk about the present, either.

(And they definitely don't talk about the future.)

…

There's one time she doesn't wake up confused or breathless.

She wakes up screaming.

In her dream, he finds her. In her dream, Petyr Baelish walks around the desk and bends down and reaches under and pulls her out. In her dream, he tortures her like he did those men. In her dream, he puts a gun to her head, just like he did-

She wakes up screaming.

The door to her room slams open and she takes a gasping breath and looks up at her husband, standing in the doorway with a baseball bat in his hand. His hair is wild and his eyes are wide as they search her room and she tries to tell him it's all in her head but she can't make her voice work. When she tries, the words just come out as a small sob and she watches his tensed shoulders relax and he sets down the baseball bat.

She curls into herself and cries into her bent knees – for her dreams and her fears and the knowledge that this might never end. It's a choking, clawing abyss in her chest that's been growing as the days and weeks and months slide by – that she will never see her family again. She'll never eat mom's cooking or hear her dad yell at the TV when his team loses or see Robb's infectious smile or argue with Arya or talk about philosophy with Bran or watch one of Rickon's basketball games. She'll never get to play with Lady again.

She has kept them locked away inside her, tried to forget about them because Alayne Stone doesn't have a family.

The bed dips and she lets out another gasping sob as she feels an arm settle around her shoulders. “Alayne,” he says, and then again. Again and again, until - “Sansa.”

“I'm not Sansa,” she whispers when she finally looks up.

“Sometimes you need to be,” he says, his voice is steady and he brings one hand up to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. “It's hard, not everyone can just change who they are. Especially not like this.”

“You say that like you're some expert,” she sniffs, wiping at her cheeks now that her tears have slowed. She feels like a mess – her eyes feel hot and puffy, her nose feels raw, her throat is sore, but she also feels more human than she has in months.

He hesitates, seems to think hard about something before - “Aemon Stone isn't the first person I've had to become.” She jerks back a bit, but she doesn't pull away.

(He saved her life.)

“Who else?”

“Before this, I was Aegon Rivers.”

“I thought your name was Jon Snow? That's what they called you.”

“Jon Snow,” he says, voice low and soothing and she feels herself relax, settles into the warmth of his arms a bit more, “is a federal agent who went undercover with the Mockingbirds two years ago.”

She looks at him, then – really looks at him. At his grey eyes and his long face and his black hair wild from sleep, at the scar that runs through his eyebrow and the dark stubble that he meticulously shaves off every morning.

“Jon Snow fits you better,” she tells him.

“And Sansa Stark fits you.”

“I'm not Sansa Stark anymore,” she reminds him again, feeling her voice waver, though she thought she was past it. “This was just a bad dream, I promise I'll do better.”

“Like I said, sometimes it's hard,” he tells her. “And sometimes it's easy to forget who you are.”

“Is it for you?” she asks. He doesn't answer, but she thinks he doesn't need to, she can see it in him and she wonders how much of Jon Snow he remembers. Two years is a long time to be someone else. “I don't...” her voice breaks and she has to drop into a whisper. “I don't want to forget them. I know I have to-”

“What if,” he cuts in when her words fail her completely, “what if we're Jon Snow and Sansa Stark here?”

“They told us we-”

“No,” he shakes his head, “I don't mean... not in the house. Not during the day. But how about, once a week, at night, when it's just us, when the rest of the world is sleeping – I'll come in here and just for an hour, we can remember.”

The words make her ache and she nods and looks over at her clock. One hour – one hour to remember who she is and where she comes from. One hour to talk about anything and everything – about the past and the present and the future. It's not a lot and it's a risk and against the rules, but-

“Yes. Please.”

He nods and looks a bit grim and she wonders, once again – why? She doesn't think he wants to talk about Jon Snow. He's doing it for her – he's saving her life again and she still doesn't know why. Maybe she'll find out, some day.

“Ok,” he breathes, like he's jumping off the deep end, “Sansa Stark – what's your favorite color?”

[alwaysdaenerys]

The consequences of King Bran

I had this sudden thought about the end of Game of Thrones, in comparison to the theorized end to ASOIAF, in regards to King Bran. I’m not a huge fan of this ending, and yes this is obvious because of my username, I’m aware! But at least in the show, it was lackluster and not foreshadowed in the slightest. Things may be different in the books in any case, though this is not truly what I want to put on the table for others to discuss and analyze. 

I’ve read and talked about with other fans about how making Bran king at the end of the book series may be advantageous, because the realm is healing from the significant massacre of its citizens during the Long Night. And if this is the case, the showrunners and writers missed a huge opportunity to kill more people. I’m not necessarily saying more main characters—though this is another problem I have with the show—but actually more smallfolk, more un-named or lesser lords, etc. The fact that D&D decided that the War for the Dawn was only going to last one fucking night is preposterous for many reasons, but the main one is: the Others and their wights would have never tired because they don’t need food for water or rest, and could have totally swept through the weak and depleted Riverlands, Reach, Stormlands, Crownlands even, with ease.

And because the writers did not extend the Long Night, because they didn’t kill half the humans in Westeros like the Others had the means to do, there are so many contenders left for seats of power. There is a logical argument in saying that Bran may be a good leader because there is literally no one else to take on the mantel; I will concede to that. But there are SO MANY CHARACTERS LEFT AT THE END OF THE SHOW. Bran has no army to defend him from all these people who command thousands of noticeably-alive soldiers. Who, if they were in character in the last season, would have had more to say about this tiny kid who they just met today being king of the fucking world. 

And because he just hands the North its independence without asking anyone else if they’d like to petition the same thing, it will snowball out of control quite quickly.

Yara remains: the Iron Islands have a long history of coveting independence and now that their last liege, Daenerys, is no longer living, it won’t take them long to realize that they have no opposition on the high seas, or the battlefield. Who cares if land is not their strong suit? It will be against, you guessed it, an army of Tyrion and a wheelchair-bound Bran. Yara will raise her men, who, once again, are not walking dead, and they secede from the mainland for good. And Bran cannot do a thing because his faction has neither strength at sea nor land.

Dorne and its unnamed prince: another example of a region in Westeros that was continuously on the outs with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. They were not truly “conquered” until the Daeron II married a Martell princess. The dragons were never able to hold Dorne on the battlefield so what makes anyone think that Bran Stark and his lack of dragons will? They’ll be the first to go, in my opinion, because at least Yara had a previous somewhat-working relationship with the Crown, whereas the unnamed Prince of Dorne has no obligations to a single person at that Great Council. 

Edmure and the Riverlands: this region, in the show and in the books, is always the most affected my war. If the Others would have made it past Winterfell, the Riverlands would be next. The smallfolk suffered during the War of the Five Kings and Edmure knew it and wanted to help. I always thought it was clever of GRRM that he chose Edmure Tully to be one of the only lords that actually cared about his people, because of his region’s proximity to the conflict. Yes, Ned Stark may have cared for his people as a whole, but we never see him do anything as protective as Edmure is by letting the smallfolk into his keep, for the poor of the North. And in the show, since the Others did not even glimpse Riverrun and its vassals, the Tullys have the army they do at the end of season 6. Edmure won’t like that he was insulted by the Queen in the North, and will take his next move from Yara.

The Stormlands are a toss-up for me: Gendry owes his legitimization to Queen Daenerys, not Bran. So either he will be overthrown and/or killed by the other Stormlords immediately upon entering his keep, or they will persuade him to secede as well. Arya jilted Gendry and if we are to believe she plans to never see him again, there’s a pretty good chance Gendry won’t care about the consequences of his actions because he has nothing to lose. It seemed pretty obvious that he didn’t want to do all this lord stuff without the love of his life, so it’s not much of a leap to assume he wouldn’t care about the trappings of royalty anymore. Storm’s End is nearly impregnable and Bran has no army to besiege the castle like Mace Tyrell did during Robert’s Rebellion. I have no doubt that with or without Gendry, the nobles or the Stormlands will not be appreciative of Bran or Tyrion. Maybe they haven’t flirted with independence quite as much as others have since Aegon the Conqueror, but it will feel monumentally better than watching all the other kingdoms secede and stay silent.

The Eyrie seems to the most realistic example here, as far as what the regions will be like after the defeat of the Others: the Knights of the Vale participated in the War for the Dawn, therefore the fighting force has been depleted. And I would argue that they have a very similar situation to the Stormlands; Rhaenys was only able to bring the Arryns into the fold by flying her dragon to the castle. Once again, without dragons, I don’t see how Bran is going to be as successful. Robin Arryn doesn’t know Bran; he was all in for Sansa. But since Sansa decided to leave him in the lurch to declare independence, I don’t think he and his advisors are going to stay besties with her. Sitting out the War of the Five Kings makes it even easier for me to theorize that they would be just fine on their own.

The state of the Reach is the most embarrassing thing that happened on Game of Thrones: the fact that we have to watch Bronn of the fucking Blackwater sit in the Queen of Thorns’ seat of power is a travesty. I always liked him on the show and in the books, but this, I cannot forgive. He is woefully ill-equipped to be lord of a keep, let alone Highgarden, and putting him on the small council as MASTER OF COIN when he can’t read or understand loans was beyond lazy. As far as the state of the Reach, they are pretty depleted from the sack of Highgarden, but even so, it seems painfully obvious that his lack of support from the other lords in the region will be his downfall. Maybe they weren’t 100% supportive of the Tyrells either, but there’s no way any of them will allow some up-jumped sellsword who’s best friends with Tyrion Lannister to lead them. Since Bronn has no army of his own, he’ll be dead soon enough and someone who was decidedly not killed during the Long Night, will take his place and give a middle finger to the Iron Throne, just like Olenna.

The Westerlands are the weakest of the remaining Six Kingdoms, I think: they don’t have much of an army after the Battle of King’s Landing. I think they’d be the only support of Bran after he is crowned, and that’s because Tyrion is the Hand. After Daenerys took Casterly Rock, most everyone bent the knee or died, so Tyrion doesn’t even have a suitable army to defend him, let alone the castle. I can’t imagine the soldiers remaining after all this would be enough to take on all the rebellions that are destined to occur after the secession of the North.

Lastly, the North: how will Bran react when his home region is starving and begging for aid? They have nothing to feed their people in the cold, white North. Yes, a lot of people died in the war, but there are plenty who didn’t participate and since it didn’t get past Winterfell, only those involved in the Battle—and the Umbers—were affected. Will the new king give it, even though they have no right to ask for it? Will he defy the laws of the realm for his sister? Because as far as I’m concerned, the North cannot sustain itself without the help of the other kingdoms. It’s not warm enough for farming, while the livestock trade was probably diminished when the Boltons were Wardens. Sansa would rather be in the Queen in the North than actually take care of her subjects; because by choosing independence, she has doomed everyone. Nothing changes for the smallfolk; it’s just another feudal overlord.  

In conclusion: if Bran becomes King, there would have to be an apocalypse for it to be successful. There definitely wasn’t on the show, therefore several events will cause his coronation to be all for naught before Tyrion’s ten years are up. As GRRM has stated, the Others are the focus of the story and who sits on the Iron Throne is a secondary plot to distract from the actual horror. I’m not usually someone to ask for more horror, but when it comes to the future of Westeros under King Bran, things are looking terribly bleak without more of it.

[malereader-inserts]

To Serve Our King and Queen

Fandom: Game of Thrones Pairing: Daenerys Targeryen x Baratheon!Reader, Sansa Stark x Baratheon!Reader Summary: A story of heart break, love and heart break again. Word Count:  2,407 Request:  Hey can u do a Daenerys x Baratheon reader where he is the son of cersei and Robert the true son. He used to be In love with Sansa but she wanted Joffrey so she break his heart. Reader leaves king’s landing with tyrion and meet Daenerys where both fall In love with each other. Later Sansa sees the reader with dany and Jon when they arrive to the north. Sansa is being disrespectful towards dany and reader put Sansa in her place and tells her to not talk to his WIFE like that ever again please. A/n: I changed it a bit, I wish it was a little bitter but oh well. 

Cersei and Robert were married before he even became king, Tywin had faith that the Baratheon would overrule the Mad King. It was the start of the downfall of their marriage, the sex was lousy, but it got the lioness pregnant. You were a beautiful babe that Cersei had fallen in love with your looks.

You were a year old when your father overthrows the throne and becomes king of the seven kingdoms. You had a somewhat happy childhood, you were spoilt by your father more than your younger brother - Joffery. Whilst your mother somewhat loved you, you knew that she loved her golden crown children more than you, you had a suspicion about your siblings, they look too much of your uncle Jaime than your father, which was known that Baratheon seed was strong.

So, you were more of a father’s boy than your mother’s. At a young age, you were trained hard, went through advisers and teachers - teaching your expanding knowledge, your father demanded that you were to start off young in training to be king, making sure you know how to fight and be a respected knight just like your father. When you were growing up, you were told tales from your uncle Tyrion, who adored you because he could hold an intellectual conversation with you.

As you grew up, often at times you went with your father to go on hunting, even met with your dad’s best friend and his children. You often had playtime with them, being good friends with Robb and Jon, but you were always wanting to be with Sansa, your father laughs that you would marry Sansa when you two were older - Ned would laugh too.

As years gone past, you tried to ignore your father’s debauchery and your mother’s ever growing hatred towards you. You grew up to be a fine young man, despite being the son of two fucked up people, you were a loved prince - charming, caring and a fighter. You were too familiar with your mother’s manipulation that you were just as smart as her in playing games.

Tywin saw your potential to rule. The people will love you, they already do, because you weren’t fake but you knew when to stand your ground. You weren’t going to be pushed around, you knew your worth to that throne and you will be king whether your mother likes it or not. 

You knew what you wanted but sometimes that’s not how it works out.

You wanted Sansa as a bride, when you arrived at Winterfell after so many years later, you saw how beautiful Sansa was. But, you could see how she was ogling on your brother Joffery, you scoffed - he’s not that big of a deal. 

“Sansa be wise, pick (Y/n),” Robb says in their little family circle after being dismissed in greeting the king, “Jon and I know him better than you, and he’s a delight.”

“But, he’s not Joffery.”

Arya snorted, “Of course, you would want a little prat than an actual prince.”

“Joffery is a prince,” Sansa argued, “He’s handsome and I love him.”

“You barely know the boy,” Robb says with concern on his voice, “How do you even know if you love him?”

You tried winning Sansa’s heart, but before you left Winterfell, Sansa had pulled you aside, you had a little bit of hope but you had seen how she was all over your brother and was by his side every opportunity she could get.

You got your heartbroken by her, she was honest and you were thankful for that, but it hurt your heart. Sure, the two of you were still young, feelings can change like the wind and nothing is certain in the future. 

When you arrived home, you talked to your dad about it and for once, he got serious - talking about that even if you were rejected you should always try to pursue her. He then laughed it off saying Baratheon men don’t have much luck with Stark ladies, but you could see in the pain in his father’s eyes as he remembers Lyanna Stark. 

When your father died there were talks about who will inherit the throne, Cersei was quick on her game to get Joffery on the throne, you were livid. There was a screaming match between you and your mother in front of the small council before venomously bidding her hell. It was Varys, who started to tell you to leave because there were talks of your mother that she was going to hire people to kill you. 

You couldn’t risk that, so you took a route down to the deepest part of Kings landing, keeping yourself out of sight, picking up a stray sword that caught your eye.

That’s your story really.

Anyone back home would believe that you were killed or dead, and suffered in the rule of Joffery Baratheon. People called your the lost prince of hope, their last strand of hope.

Tyrion did not expect to see you alive and by Daenarys side when he entered Esso, running away with the potential of execution on his head. When he saw you, it had been a few years that had past, you were a lot different. 

Your hair was longer, you had grown more muscle mass, must of because you trained with Greyworm. You stood up straighter as if you had a purpose, but you looked happier. What your uncle did not expect was to look at the silver haired woman with such love.

It was a familiar look that he had seen, it was the same look you used to stare at Sansa with. But, to Tyrion’s surprised the look with returned. When you weren’t paying attention or was looking away, Daenerys would give you the same look of love. Tyrion asked Barristan, who laughs and nods.

“Those two? In love like any other teenagers!” He laughs, shaking his head, “They’re betrothed to each other, looking for the perfect time to marry. Daenerys has explicitly said that she wanted no one by her side when she becomes Queen, but learning Ser (Y/n) story, she realised that the two of them have the biggest claim to the throne, rightfully, and on the way, she fell in love with him as did he.”

“Of course,” Tyrion nodded, “I would have liked to see my nephew rule the seven kingdoms, at least he has the birthright unlike Joffery and his siblings.”

“Bastards?” Ser Barristan asked as Tyrion nodded, “Well, that explains the blond hair.”

“I know for the fact that (Y/n) would rule with a good heart, he was trained and he has compassion, he fought any manipulation and lies that were fed to him.”

“Yes,” the knight nods, “I wonder what the people of Westeros would think when they find out a Baratheon could ride a dragon.”

As months past, years past on, Tyrion watched his nephew enjoy his life fighting for what is rightfully his alongside his wife, who loves him as much as he did. There was no one better to rule the Realms other than two great leaders. Tyrion watched how Daenerys freed slaves and took control, Tyrion remembers how you were as a prince. 

“Was there someone you loved before me?” Daenerys asked once, it was on the sail back to Westeros, she could see how excited you were to return home.

You looked at her, “I did, once,” You say, remembering how Dany had disclosed her lovers to you before, “She was fiery, but unlikely you who is made of fire and blood, it was her striking red hair - her name was Sansa Stark.”

“Is she-?”

“My uncle has told me before he had fled that she was alive, but I have no idea where she is now or if she is alive. I’m sure she turned to be a fine young lady.”

Dany raised an eyebrow, “Do tell more.”

“Well, as you know I am of Lannister blood.”

“I am aware,” Dany says distastefully, cringing that you were of blood of the man who murdered her father and you were the son of the man who killed her brother.

“She was more in love with my brother, Joffery. Half-brother because I had my suspicion that he wasn’t of Baratheon blood. You could say he’s pure, like you.”

Dany nods, knowing what you mean, after all, she is in a long line of keeping her blood pure as her relatives were all related one way or another. She hates to think the fact if she were to marry her narcissistic brother, Viserys, whilst both of you acknowledge that you two were distantly related - it was a fact that she was willing to ignore. 

“He was a cunt,” You laughed whilst your wife giggles next to you in bed, “Spoilt and full of himself, I don’t want to imagine what his rule was like, but stories from my uncle it seems to appear as hell.”

“And she picked him over you?” Daenerys asked, raising an eyebrow, “Well, her loss, I think I have a great man before me. A true king.” 

You chuckle, smiling at her lovingly, kissing her forehead, “Shall we sleep, my love?”

“No,” She pouts as you can’t help but find it adorable, “I think you should tell me tales of Westeros, after all, it’s more of your home than it is of mine.”

You weren’t expecting to return to Winterfell, but, it demanded it’s independence, which you thought was outrageous - really. You were reunited with Jon, who greets you with a smile, a joke and good hug - it has been a while since you’ve seen your best friend, glad to see him alive.

You thought that you were going to take over Kings landing, but having to take a detour route to Winterfell to battle in a war of the undead. Although, you get to see your mother before going to the North.

You relish the sight to see her and your uncle Jaime astonished that you were alive and knowing you were going back to claim for the throne. Cersei did not miss how your eyes darken and the glimmer of your sword.

“Mother.”

“Son.”

It was the only interaction you had with her, she refused to come to talk to you, you weren’t surprised - you lacked a mother’s love as you grew up. But, Jaime tried his best to get you to talk to him. You shook off his advances before turning to Jon and Daenerys.

You were surprised to see Sansa, as she was with you. Arya had noticed how she was staring.

“You’re staring, do you have regrets?”

Sansa cleared her throat and stood up straight, “No, he’s just grown.”

“So, have you, perhaps you have a chance at wooing him,” Arya hums looking over to you, talking to Jon with Daenerys by your side, “I can’t deny that he is very handsome.”

You barely got to talk to Sansa when everyone was preparing to war, luckily that your group of people survived the war. But, Missandei was down in the tombs with Sansa and Tyrion where she had heard that Sansa was disrespecting your wife.

Missandei was going to tell her Queen, but rather think other when she sees you walking towards her with a smile - she knew that you were better to handle it. She saw how your jaw locked, no one was going to disrespect your wife.

“Thank you, Missandei, please be with Dany, I’ll sort her out.”

You went to Jon first, who was confused at his cousin after you and Dany told him that he was actually the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Jon had his whole heart to support you and Dany’s plan to rule the seven kingdoms, agreeing that despite Winterfell wanting independence, they would struggle.

Sansa was trying to find the right ways to talk to you, perhaps try and mend the relationship. But, when you were looking at her as you stride towards her - she thinks differently. 

Tyrion was in the room, trailing behind you as well as Varys. Jon followed closely behind whilst Arya looked confused, looking at her sister. 

“How dare you disrespect your Queen!” 

No greetings, no smile upon your face, fury on your expression and for once in her life, Sansa no longer recognise the sweet boy from many years ago.

“You should owe her your life after she came to rescue your home! She brought dragons and not once has she spoken about the clear disrespect that you and your people wore. She is not mad like her father at all.”

Tyrion, Varys, Jon and many other people could agree to that, Daenerys was nothing like her father and it was mostly because of you. You were her constant grounding, bringing her to reality and knowing that you will always be by her side. 

“She’s not my Queen!” Sansa snaps back, gritting her teeth, “I don’t think she should be if anything if someone was to take the throne it should be you! It’s been rightfully yours since your father died.”

“It is my throne,” You sneered as Sansa stops upon hearing your words, “You’re not only disrespecting your queen, you are disrespecting my wife.”

Wife.

Her hearts shatter, she wonders is that how you felt when she had rejected you. Your eyes were cold, your stance was stiff and the lost Valyrian sword matches it’s current owner - you. It reflected who you were, shiny and attractive, but can cut so deeply - it was hard to recover from it’s inflicted wounds.

“You shall never bad mouth the throne, you hear me?” You pressed on, your tone turning stern that she reluctantly nods, “Don’t test me, Stark.” 

With that, you turn on your heel and leave the room, leaving the occupants confused and somewhat terrified. 

“Well...” Arya breaks the silence, “Sansa?”

Her heart was broken, she thought this time she could find love. She was never Joffery’s, she refuses to be claimed by Ramsey and she lost Theon. But, she could not let a man ruin her thoughts, putting up a wall as she looks away from where you last were.

“I believe we all have a meeting on how we will accompany our King and Queen to the throne.”

She dreads to see you because she knows when she arrives - you will look at Daenerys with love and it’ll be returned. 

[dalekofchaos]

If Rhaegar won au aka King Rhaegar and Queen Lyanna

In an au where Rhaegar won the Battle Of The Trident and killed Robert Baratheon(reposting my old au after so long do to harassment)

Rhaegar gets the upper hand in the battle of the Trident and killed Robert Baratheon

Tywin would have chosen to back Rhaegar once hearing the news of Robert’s death. Instead of the sacking of King’s Landing, the Lannisters would have slaughtered the Rebel forces. He would have kept Ned, Jon, Hoster and Stannis alive cause Tywin saw the value of them to keep the peace and Rhaegar never wanted the war.

Stannis would not play along, he would have been sent to the wall. Renly would have became the lord of Storm’s End

Rhaegar would have sent the medical aid to Lyanna , Lyanna would have lived

Arthur Dayne, Elia Martell, Rhaenys and Aegon would have lived

Rhaegar and Tywin would have ousted Aerys the minute they entered the red keep. Aerys would act like the grateful father and the old friend praising his old friend Tywin. But Rhaegar forcibly removes his father from the crown and Tywin orders Gregor Clegane to deliver the crown’s swift justice. Jaime’s honor would not have been stained

Jaime would immediately tell Rhaegar and his father about the wildfire plot and that would have been dealt with in a heartbeat. Rhaegar praises Jaime’s heroism and tells him that he owes him a debt that he could never repay. 

Rhaella wouldn’t have to be forced to flee to Dragonstone and would have lived to raise Daenerys and Viserys would not have lost everything and be force to become the beggar king, Viserys would have lived a stable and happy life. Daenerys would have a home, she wouldn’t have had an awful childhood, she would have her family and she would be happy.

Lyanna would have lived. I believe Rhaegar and Lyanna were in love. As soon as Lyanna recovered, I believe she would have told Ned that she did not want to be in a loveless marriage with Robert, and chose to go with Rhaegar of her own free will and tell she fell in love with Rhaegar. Ned would have understood and knew that she couldn’t have possibly foresee what would happen, so there would be peace between the Targaryens. and the Starks.

A proper wedding. Rhaegar and Lyanna would be married under the Weirwood Tree and Lyanna would wear a crown of Winter Roses and a gown and cloak befitting a Northern Queen

Queen Lyanna is loved by the commonfolk, it took the high lords and ladies sometime to love her, but eventually the Wolf Queen wins them over

Rhaegar and Lyanna would be together and raise Jon and Rhaegar will also take care of Aegon and Rhaenys

Jon Snow would be Jaehaerys Targaryen.

Elia would return to Dorne in this case, since she already gave heirs to Rhaegar and they don’t live together as a couple any longer. As Rhaegar and Elia’s marriage was a political move, not based on love, it seemed it was a platonic love, not a romantic one. it was a mutual agreement that Elia would remain in Dorne, as Rhaegar feared for her health and safety and Aegon and Rhaenys would visit Elia every now and then in Dorne. Elia and Rhaegar kept correspondence often and remained friends. Elia living a happy life is more important.

Lyanna and Elia would become fast friends. There is no resentment from Elia nor jealousy from Lyanna. Elia is happy that Lyanna was someone Rhaegar could truly find happiness and Lyanna was fond of Elia. They would correspond frequently and even bring her son to meet auntie Elia.

Jaime would remain in the Kingsguard and Cersei would remain a lady in the court who would be betrothed to Viserys when he comes of age

Petyr Baelish would have never attained the power he had in the books and would have just fucked off in Braavos.

Gerold Hightower, Barristan Selmy, Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent and Loras Tyrell would be Rhaegar’s Kingsguard. 

Rhaegar’s small council would consist of Tywin Lannister as Hand Of The King, Gerold Hightower as Lord Commander, Pycelle as Grand Maester, Doran Martell(of course Oberyn would go in Doran’s place) would be made as Master Of Laws in a way to mend relations with the Martells, Mace Tyrell as Master Of Coin, Paxter Redwyne as Master Of Ships, and Varys as Master Of Whispers.

With Rhaegar as king, there would be more effort into sending knights and soldiers to The Night’s Watch. Rhaegar knew The Others were coming so he would indeed take The Night’s Watch more seriously than his father or the crown ever did.

The Greyjoy Rebellion would still happen because Balon Greyjoy is a fucking moron. Balon believing Rhaegar was too soft to be king, rebels, and boy was he mistaken. The end result is the same. Balon’s sons are killed and Theon is taken as ward of the Starks.

Prior to the Greyjoy Rebellions, Rhaegar began to have dreams about the one eyed kraken blowing a horn to control dragons to burn the kingdom down. So Rhaegar took action and swiftly executed Euron Greyjoy in the Rebellion

Lyanna was a queen of action. She is there to lead the armies with her husband and king. Lyanna urged Ned to be more vigilant of The Boltons. And because of The Starks watching his every move, Roose Bolton dared not take FIrst Night with the Miller’s Wife, so Ramsay is never born.  

There would be no War of the Five Kings. Tywin is hand of the king, Cersei is content with  her marriage to Prince Viserys, Littlefinger never became as powerful as he is in canon. The realm is under the strong leadership of The Last Dragon. 

Rhaegar would have taken several visits to Essos to find the dragon eggs. Eventually the dragon eggs are found and Rhaegar would attempt to hatch them. Even though he was deeply traumatized by the events of his birth, he’d still want to make the prophecy of his grand-grand-uncle become true. Only Rhaegar would be much more careful in his attempt to hatch dragons, unlike Aegon V, who managed to burn down almost all of his family and himself included. when the eggs are indeed hatched, the dragons would be given to his children, Rhaenys, Aegon and Jaehaerys. But there would be one more. This dragon would be given to Dany

Something within Rhaegar is called to the ruins of Valyria. In this expedition. Rhaegar finds a Valyrian Steel Sword. Rhaegar names his personal Valyrian Steel Sword The Song For Dawn

Betrothals. Aegon is betrothed to Margaery, Viserys is betrothed to Cersei,  Robb is betrothed to Rhaenys and Jaehaerys is betrothed to Daenerys. 

Aegon and Rhaenys would love Lyanna and treat her like their own mother and Lyanna views them as her own children

Aegon would be the heir to Dragonstone. The Crown Prince Aegon is loved by the high lords and ladies and the common folk

Princess Rhaenys inherited her musical skills from her father. She plays the high-harp and fills the halls of the Red Keep with her beautiful singing voice.  Little Baelarion always dances to Rhaenys songs. 

Summerhall would be rebuilt and Jahaerys would be lord of Summerhall. 

Rhaegar’s children would get along with Ned’s children. Jaehaerys and Robb would be best friends. Rhaenys adores Sansa and Arya. Aegon loves his cousins. 

It took some time, but Ned and Benjen forgave Rhaegar and Lyanna and grew to love them like family. The Targaryens and Starks have been close ever since

During one of Jaehaerys visits to Winterfell, Jon and his uncle Ned would spend time together and in that time, Jaehaerys would find a Direwolf. Jaehaerys would have Ghost in this au

Due to his prophecies, Rhaegar would see that all three of his children and his sister are needed to save the realm. They would be raised together and would be well prepared to defend the realm for the war of the dawn

With Rhaegar as king, the realm is safer, Lyanna lives, Elia lives, the Starks do not suffer any deaths and the realm is prepared to fight the War for the Dawn

Art by chillyravenart

Edits by thelastdragonsnet 

[thecaffeinebookwarrior]

The Many Faces of the Strong Female Character

The much-requested, positive counterpart to my classic “Female Characters to Avoid in Your Writing” and it’s much-later sequel.  

Here, I will discuss some of my favorite fictional ladies and what makes them work so well;  given my rapturous love of women, there will probably be a sequel!  In the meantime, I talk more about portraying female characters here.

Happy writing, everybody!  <3

1.)  The Warrior

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When most people hear “strong female character,” they picture the most popular definition of the term:  a stony-faced, emotionally shallow, conventionally attractive broad who punches and kicks stuff.  She may occasionally shout things like, “I DON’T NEED NO MAN,” while perhaps punching a small baby. 

I decided to start with my wife Diana, because she is the perfect antithesis of this trope.  She isn’t stony, she’s courageous.  She’s unabashed about showing her doubts, hopes, affections, and optimism.  Her love interest never steals her spotlight, but she feels no need to shun romance to appear “strong.”  She’s beautiful, but not sexualized or objectified.

And while most Strong Female Characters™ are ironically reduced to damsels in distress at some point in their own narratives, Diana consistently takes the lead, totally autonomous over her own story.

You can kick ass AND love babies, people.  Joss Whedon, please take notes.

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Other examples:  Okoye from Black Panther, Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road, Rey from Star Wars, and Ser Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones.

2.)  The Comedian

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If you haven’t watched Chewing Gum on Netflix, stop whatever you’re doing and watch it right now.  Its relatively simple premise – a twenty-four-year-old from a fundamentalist Christian household struggles to lose her virginity – is a segway into a hilarious, genuine exploration of human sexuality, relationships, and how we forge our identities.

Brilliantly portrayed by the series’ creator, Michaela Coel, Tracy is essentially that one friend who knows exactly what you’ve been thinking and isn’t afraid to say so.  She is never relegated to a single trope or stereotype.  She’s stumbling, clumsily but enthusiastically, through the life experiences that shape us.  Most importantly, she is allowed to be sexually curious, awkward, aggressive, insecure, and – I can’t stress this enough – hilarious.  The dialogue is infinitely quotable, and endlessly relatable. 

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Watching shows like Chewing Gum makes me realize how few female characters – and even fe wer Black female characters – are portrayed as truly human.  Typically, they’re allowed to be sexy, but not sexual.  They’re allowed to be awkward, but only if it’s cute.  They can be insecure, but only if that insecurity can easily be solved by the affirmations of a male love interest.  And they’re rarely allowed to be the main source of a series’ comedy.  

So remember:  let your female characters be human.  Let them be awkward, funny, sexual philosophers.  It’s easier than you think.  

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Other examples:  Abbi and Ilan from Broad City, Leslie from Parks and Rec, Tina from Bob’s Burgers.

3.)  The Drama Queen

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Watching Riverdale is like hurtling along on a structurally unstable rollercoaster.  It’s utterly insane, a lot of fun, and once you’re on, you can’t stop.

But amidst the explosions of batshit crazy plot points, killer cults, and the existential perplexity of finding yourself attracted to emo Jughead, there are some real gems.  One of these is Cheryl Blossom, and pretty much every plot line surrounding her.

Cheryl is introduced as a fairly one-dimensional, catty mean girl, though the Regina George-esque charisma with which she’s portrayed makes her instantly likable.  Initially, we expect her to be a character we’ll love to hate.

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And yet, within the first few episodes, I was impressed by how layered and complex her motivations were.  Much of contempt towards others was misdirected rage from an upbringing of extreme emotional abuse, and grief over her dead brother -- all portrayed without a Snape-style condonation of said behavior.  By the end of season one, my thoughts were generally, “Oh, crap, I don’t think I can claim to be watching this ‘ironically’ anymore,” and “MORE CHERYL.”

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Season two answered my wish, and then some.  Cheryl was saved from an (impressively conscientiously portrayed) attempt at sexual assault by a pack of her female friends, and her attacker got the shit beat out of him in one of the most cathartic moments of modern television.

To the exaltation of my queer heart, she also came out as a lesbian, in a deeply moving story arc that I never would have expected from this show.  Without spoiling too much, she and her new love interest kissing in front of anti-gay propaganda footage was legitimately one of the most powerful moments I have ever witnessed.

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Before the season was over, she viciously threatened her abusive, homophobic mother while covered in blood, shot a serial killer with a bow and arrow, and joined a gang.  If that’s not gay culture, I don’t know what is.

Oh, how I wish this show was just about her.

Other examples:  Alexis from Schitt’s Creek.

4.)  The Lovable Bastard

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Ah, The Good Place.  I have never experienced such a breath of comedic fresh air.  A new philosophical principle each episode, examined and applied in hilarious and thought-provoking ways.  A complete absence of harmful stereotypes.  Incredibly lovable, three-dimensional, and ever-evolving characters. 

I was considering using my queen Tahani for this list, who externally larger-than-life and internally vulnerable after emotional abuse by her parents.  Also, she’s hilarious.  Everyone and everything in The Good Place is hilarious.  And I also thought about talking about Janet, who is the best character in anything ever, but of course:

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Instead, I’ll be talking about bisexual icon Eleanor, who is something very few female characters get to be:  the lovable bastard.

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Eleanor, when we first meet her, is not traditionally good in any sense of the word.  She turned down a high-paying job because she was expected to be nice to people.  She sold placebos to the elderly, and was great at it.  She was drunken, slovenly, hedonistic, and selfish.  And she’s instantly incredibly likable.

Why and how Eleanor is so enjoyable, even at her very worst, merits an essay all its own.  But in a nutshell:

We empathize with her.  We are introduced to “The Good Place” completely through her eyes.  We are in her shoes.  

The stakes are high.  When we discover that her entry into the good place was a mistake, we want her to be okay.

We come to understand her, and how her terrible childhood shaped her destructive behavior.  

She wants to be a better person, and with time, effort, and character development, we watch her become one. 

Not only is this an amazing lesson in how to endear audiences to your character, it is also infinitely refreshing.  The most famous lovable bastards are all men --  Han Solo, Dr. House, Captain Jack Sparrow, the Man With No Name, et cetera -- but women are rarely afforded the same moral complexity.  If a woman in fiction has done bad things, she’s not usually a lovable bastard.  She’s usually a bitch. 

Eleanor isn’t just a great character.  She conveys an important lesson:  women are people.  People with the same capacity for mistakes, growth, redemption, and love as anyone else.

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Other examples: Chloe from Don’t Trust the B*tch in Apartment 23

5.)  The Cinderella

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Yep.  I said it.  Cinderella is a strong female character.

My girl not only survived in an abusive household, she persistently stayed positive.  She worked each day to make the best of an impossible situation, from which she had no means of escape.  That takes an insane amount of courage and tenacity. 

But Caff, I hear you scream, she needed help to escape!!  Well, my imaginary counterargument, so the fuck what?  MOST people need help to escape their abusive situations, and there’s no shame in that.  Accepting help from someone you trust is the best thing you can do in a situation such as that, and implying otherwise is horribly damaging to victims of abuse.  

But she married the prince, you more feebly protest.  Yes!  She did!  She found love and happiness and a great life in a socially influential position!  And that’s an amazing message!

So in the flurry of female warriors, let’s not forget Cinderella, who tells people that their terrible circumstances won’t last forever, to stay hopeful and kind, and that accepting help from a trusted friend can lead to a happy life.  

Cinderella is a bad bitch, and she deserves her happily ever after.

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Other examples:  For some reason, I’m thinking of Sansa from Game of Thrones.  When people try to discredit her as a strong character, they often make similar complaints.  But both, quite fittingly, end up as queens.

[charmtion]

I somehow missed the fact that you don't watch GoT, so now I'm really curious about how/when you fell in love with Jonsa? Is it a "crack ship" for you or one you genuinely like the idea of/think will happen in the books?

I have probably watched a grand total of approx. 11 minutes (🙈) of screen-time from various YouTube clips and gifs and the like on this site! I adore the aesthetic of GoT, the imagery, the little show-snippets I catch from time to time… but I’ve got no burning desire to watch it till the books are finished — a naïve hope, I know — could be waiting a looooong time. But I am nothing if not patient! Now! Onto the ask... *clears throat*

Book-verse Jonsa is a different beast to show-verse Jonsa, in my opinion at least. George R.R. Martin is a master world-builder. Master word-weaver. Master plotter. There are no lingering looks that burn on-screen. No subtle stares translated via cameras. No fuck-me eyes and fiery arguments in tents and solars. For one, Jon and Sansa are hundreds of leagues apart even by the end of ADWD. Probably still years apart from being reunited. They are also younger than their show-verse equivalents. Their trajectories are very different. Their traumas are different in subtle ways, too. Yet despite these differences in circumstance and distances in space and time, they occupy — share — a really fascinating territory: a reciprocal reality.

This reciprocity of their lived experience(s) has always resonated with me — as has the outright reversal that takes place between them. High-born daughter to a lowly bastard of rocks and sheep-pellets. Bastard-born boy to a capable and respected Lord Commander. Reversal, to be true — but reciprocity, too. Crow and little bird. Stone and Snow. Lady and Commander. Queen and King(?????) This innate circling of each other’s place in society, the sidesteps their character-arcs take… ultimately I think the edges of their circles will meet to form a new one.

Why? Because in many ways they are each other’s mirror. Sansa starts as Catelyn reborn. But she grows into something different than her mother’s miniature. Sharper. Stronger — gentler, too. She has tact and courage. She knows how to survive. She is so clever it is startling — especially the subtle things and treasons she picks up on in any and all exchanges between lords in the Vale. Now Jon. Jon starts as Ned. Wants to be Ned. Looks so much like Ned it makes Catelyn sick with fury. But he moves on. Becomes something different. Something sharper. Stronger — gentler, too. He has tact and courage. He knows how to survive — even if survival means shedding honour and choosing to bend to spite and vengeance. He is so clever it is startling — especially the way he twists situations to his best advantage, how he plays kings, makes parlays, switches babes. You see where I am going here with the two of them? They are a mirror-image in many ways. Two halves of a circle. Brave. Gentle. Strong.

✨ [I have more to say about that central motif — brave, gentle, strong — and how it relates to the numerous characters and interactions Jon and Sansa entertain (and suffer…) throughout the books… but I won’t bore you with that — I am aware I am already rambling!] ✨

So to stop my rambling and sum up (and actually answer your question sorry sweet!!) when I first read ASOIAF — about 10 years ago now gulp — I didn’t connect the two romantically really. I read Sansa purely as a child and never focussed on who she might end up with. I adored (and still adore!) Val’s character, thought her a natural fit for Jon… but then over years of re-reading (and a fair bit of fanfic theory and dabbling) I have come to view Jonsa as a distinct canon possibility — and my absolute OTP. Do I read every passage of every Jon or Sansa chapter and make detailed inferences as much as other Jonsa book-verse shippers? Probably not. Sansa’s snow-castle passage in the Eyrie, for instance, has always carried two very distinct underlying readings for me: snow as in Snow as in Jon Snow… or snow as in Winterfell. Home. Grey and white. The North. Her heart — the place it will come to beat within, rule over, find some rest after the weary weight of years and whatever horrors WoW will sweep upon it (and us!). Do I think either reading is possible? Yes. Do I think they are reciprocal? Hell yes. Mirror-image, honey. Mirror-image. Full circle. All that jazz. Just like Jon and Sansa themselves... ⭕

I’ll stop now, sorry — but thank you so much for the ask, my dear; I hope there’s some semblance of sense in that massive word-splurge mess — and apologies if this is seems like token-knowledge not worth repeating! ❤️

[astranne]

Crossover idea MCU/GoT

I was watching a Game of Thrones edit and this idea came in my mind. 

2012, when Loki attacked New York, he had Clint Barton (Hawkeye) under control. But not only that. Clint had a strong mind, so Loki took all his memories of his personal life, only leaving the ones full with violence and darkness. He doesn’t remember his family, his loyality to S.H.I.E.L.D., his friendship with Natasha. He thinks, that he’s a mercenary and just working for this Loki guy. And when his job is finished, his handler sends him away, through a portal. 

Now, Loki made some mistakes, especially with this archer. He talked to much about his plans, he can’t risk his victory and reign over earth. So, he stole many memories, happy memories of this mortal and send him to another world, another dimension. But he isn’t too cruel, he enchants the quiver, so the mortal has an infinite amout of arrows. He makes him faster and stronger than any human, like a super soldier and sends him away to a world full of knights, kings and other dumb mortals. His mortal will be the best of all. 

Clinton lands in the middle of snow and trees. He just sighes and makes his way through the forest, until he comes to a town. There he sees, that his clothes are not really usuall and he steals a cloak. Since he’s trained as a spy, a mercenary, he does his ‘magic’ and makes some money. He now knows, he’s in Westeros, in the North and wants to go to Dorne. He buys a horse and makes his way. Some years pass and he makes himself a name. The common folk calls him the Hawk, since he never misses and also has a tamed hawk as a pet. He even goes to the King, who is the biggest joke he ever saw, and asked for a house. House Barton, we never miss. Naturally a hawk and an arrow are his house sign. He goes to his castle, the Nest, which is in the north. That makes the Starks his ‘bosses’. Not that he really cares, they are honorable and good fighters. Soon Barton men are known to be the best archers in the whole world, but also woman become ‘Hawks’, as everybody calls them. Clinton takes his job as lord seriously, he is loved by his common folk and feared by many lords. He’s ruthless, but kind to innocents. He’s a hunter and always finds his prey. He makes money with training hawks, eagles and other birds, but also his bows and arrows. His weapons are the best in whole Westeros, even Essos. They are made with metal and cost a fortune for anyone who is not a part of the Barton household. He personally trains his archers, in many ways. Since he’s known to be a good, fair but also strict lord, many come to pledge loyality to him. Bc of this, his army grows, his ‘Hawks’ become more. He lives is peace, trains a elite group to be like him (mercenarys (only loyal to him)). Then he hears, that Lord Stark goes to Kingslanding and offers a place over night for the King and the Lords, to stop, before they leave the north. Naturally, they accept, since Ned wants to talk with him and Robert enjoyed his presence. The King’s and Lord Starks households are in awe with the nest, the caste, which grew in the past years. There are hawks, eagles and other birds of prey. Lord Clinton Barton welcomes them, as well some of his best fighters. Since he knows, that Robert is the biggest whore alive, he sent most of the woman away. While his guests eat, he observes them and finds out, that Lord Stark is worried. Before they march to Kingsman, he asks, if he could make Arya as his ward, since he sees great talent in her. Ned hestiates, but Robert just laughes and says he approves. So, Clinton takes Arya under his wing, teaches her everything he knows. She becomes his shadow, which many find amusing, they can see the stars in the girls eyes, whenever Clinton talks with her. 

Then the whole shit in Kingslanding happens, well, almost. Clinton has his birds (of prey (he definitly doesn’t call them his little birds, like Varys)). They save Ned Starks life, but there is war. Ned recovers in the Nest, while Clinton makes preparations to go to Winterfell. He sends many forces away, telling them, they need to hide in the common folk. He takes 1′000 archers with him, and leaves the elite group in charge of the nest. 

Ned Stark remains in Winterfell, while his son goes at war to rescue his sister. Clinton becomes one of his best advisors, many Lords don’t know him personally but are impressed. He keeps his eyes close to Roose Bolton and when he’s sure, that this man will betray the Starks, he kills him. Well, his eagle kills him, and blames Roose for this. His animals are loyal and would never hurt a friend, they remain peaceful, as long they are not bothered. And instead that Roose asks for help, he tried to hurt/hit/kill the animal. When Clinton is sure, that they don’t have spies anymore, he calls every archer, he sent away from the nest. Robb is baffled, when he suddenly has 5′000 soldiers more. They are all great swordfighters, but even better archers. With new strenght, they walz the Lannisters to the ground and defeat Tywin. Well, Clinton defeats him (his army) and takes him as hostage. 

Robb almost dies, but Clinton could save his life. He sents the young Lord home and leads the big army himself. At first, the lords start to protest, but then Robb himself says, that this is the best idea. Clinton is now always seen at the front, with his two eagle (Artemis and Apollo) and his three hawks (Ares, Mars and Tyr) He marches in only three months to Kingslanding, defeating every army and winning every battle. When he’s finally at the capital, he kills Joffrey, says that Tommen would be the better king than his mad brother and safes Sansa. He keeps some of his Hawks in Kingslanding, so he still has informations. He’s grinning the whole day (many are terrified, when they see his grin), when one of his Hawks told him, that she’s now the secret lover of Tommen Baratheon. 

He goes back to the north and starts his normal life again, bc of his glorious victory in the war, more people come and want to be trained by him. Slowly, his army becomes bigger than anyone’s, but he hides the number before everyone. His official number now is 10′000, but he has around 15′000. Since he saved a Stark’s life, twice, he’s now a true friend to the house. Everything is good, until he hears of Daenerys Targaryen, who is now the queen of Mereen. He takes some of his men/women (something like 100?) and makes his way to Essos. He sends some spies, gathers informations and is intrigued by this young woman. Clinton offers his alliance, at first Daenerys is very skeptical, but then she hears what people say about him. Clinton remains some weeks at Essos, starts to teach the young Queen and promises her, that he will fight for her. He isn’t a big fan of Baratheons and Lannisters, there is a reason why Targaryens are Kings and Queens. He leaves 10 Hawks with her, to protect but also train her. 

Then fast forward, Cersei kills Tommen, becomes Queen, bla bla. The Starks don’t care about the shit in Kingslanding. Ned makes Robb the Lord of Winterfell, since he fears his health. (someone tried to poison him (totally the Lannisters)) Then all the shit in the series happens, until Daenerys finally comes to Westeros. She immediatly has the support of the Starks, since Clinton spoke with them. (more manipulated, but eh- does he care? Daenerys is the best choice for the Iron Throne) Bc of this, the whole North follows now Daenerys. Clinton leaves Nest and goes to Dragonstone, with some hunderts archers. The two spend some time together, become rather close, until they are lovers. They don’t let anybody know for a long time. When the time came, and Daenerys wants to attack Cersei, Jon Snow visits with Robb Stark. They talk about the Army of Death and Clinton wants to bang his head against a wall. Of course something bad needed to happen. 

The whole fight with the Night King hapoens, Clinton is a proud dad™, when Arya kills him. Then they go at war with Cersei, totally win, bc one of Clinton birds who kills Cersei, while she fucks Jamie. Naturally everybody knows and is disgusted as fuck. Daenerys becomes the Queen, Clinton her Queen’s Consort. 

Happy ending? You wish. After 20 years he came to Westeros, he slowly starts to remember. He’s torn, he has a family on earth, but here too, he loves Laura and Daenerys, he’s an agent but also a Lord. How should he even go back? Well, either, he slowly becomes depressed, but hides it or the Avengers come to his rescue. I don’t know and I’m really torn, since Clinton loves Daenerys dearly as well his children in this world, but still Laura and his other family.

So, if anyone wants to write a story or a HC, please tag me, so I can read and reblog it :)

Masterlist

[ninaahelvar]

Chivalry Fell On Its Sword (17/23)

Summary: All Arya wanted so to feel normal and go outside of the damn castle. Now, through a series of unfortunate, she’s stuck with a bodyguard that she accidentally flirted with: Gendry Waters.

AO3

A/N: me? edit a chapter? unlikely. I'm sorry for all the mistakes. also, I know my breaks between chapters can sometimes be long and very infuriating as a reader, but right now, for my own creative energy, i’ve decided to take a break from cfois. This is only for a short time, but i’m so creatively burnt out that i’m not working on anything. I will update on tumblr and twitter when things are picking back up, but right now i’m sorry you have to wait for more. xx

Arya heard the shots, and when Robb went down, she thought the worst. Until she saw Gendry. He staggered before he eventually fell to the ground. In a moment, Arya saw everything she had held so close slip from her hands. He tried to be a strong man, holding onto his chest, and all she wanted to do was run across the short distance to him to find out what the hell just happened. He was wearing a vest, wasn’t he? How could he go down like that?

Instead, she was whisked away against her better wishes and escorted to their safe point. Throughout the entire car journey, Arya found herself begging to go back, because above everything else, she didn’t want her last memory of the man she loved to be tainted by that touch of blood on his lips as he choked for air. 

In the car, Arya was with Sansa and Bran, her brother in Sandor’s arms as they were told to get to a secure location. She found out later that the reason Sandor was carrying Bran was because once the shots were fired, they didn’t have time to get the chair in the car. They would have to get Bran a new one, as they weren’t sure if the chair would have made it through the chaos of the events. 

It was hard for Arya to concentrate when so many different reports were going around. They were whisked from one place to another, trying to get as much information out of each of them on the attack. Arya found it hard to explain what went wrong. All she remembered was the joy that washed away after she saw Robb get knocked away, but Gendry went down. She was overcome that finding the words to explain what went wrong were so far from who she was in that moment. 

Arya knew she was a pistol - she understood that she was reckless, blazing through her life and shooting through other’s lives like nothing. But in a moment of pure rage, hatred, and grief, she found Jon, who had managed to get the suspect into an interrogation room. When their eyes met, it was as if Jon knew more than Arya. she hadn’t even known how she got there, just that she found them. 

She began to storm past her brother when he caught her arm and dragged her away like it was nothing. Arya fought against him, tearing his hands from her every time he put them back ont.

“Get your hands off of me!” she snarled, wrenching herself away, trying to leap out of his grip until he held onto her by her waist, picking her up and dragging her off. 

“Arya you can’t go in there!” Jon said just as Arya brought an elbow down into his shoulder. He crumbled, letting her go for just a moment, not even enough to let her escape. She hated that he could get her to stay. 

“I deserve to pummel that asshole within an inch of his life!” she roared, trying to pull away. The door was so fucking close, she could almost touch it, but sanity kept her in place. It was her brother’s doing, but it knocked her. “Please Jon, please let me in,” she whimpered, turning back to him. 

“I can’t do that, you know I can’t,” he said, and Arya beat her fists against his chest. It was only a few fists later that her hands hit with less impact, and her heart was lurching into her throat. 

“Arya,” Jon whispered to her, her name a comfort when it came from his lips. 

“My boyfriend and love of my life just got shot. I don’t know if he’d gonna live or not. So please, let me be mad,” she asked in a huff. Jon held her by the bicep, lowering them down to the ground until they completely on the floor. Arya watched as Jon began taking deep breaths, and her having the follow suit. When she was calm, she felt herself become weak, as though her pain was dwindled by her rage. But she didn’t want it to, as when the pain rose, her eyes could spring a leak at any moment and she’d be bawling her eyes out for hours. 

“Let’s go to the hospital.” The words made Arya look up at him. He gave a soft nod of confirmation that he was serious. He’d take her there, not keep her away like everyone else would have. 

Part of her wanted to argue, but the way Jon looked at her, pleaded with her to move an inch for him was enough to get her to nod. From there, it was just following Jon until she felt like she wasn’t going to cry. She could hold it in as long as she followed Jon. That’s what she told herself anyway. 

By the time they got there, Arya found her mother and father were talking with a doctor. Arya and Jon ran to them - well, more so, Arya ran to them, Jon was just keeping up. Catelyn draped her arm over Arya’s shoulder, holding her close and kissing her forehead. 

“The prince is just fine. A few scraps and bruises, but nothing serious,” the doctor explained, as though this would have been his second or third time doing so, it was just more family coming to explain to. 

“And the bodyguard?” Arya questioned. The doctor then looked at her, sorrowful eyes that wouldn’t let her heart not break. With a sigh, the doctor pointed to two parts of his torso; one finger pressed to his side, along where his kidneys were, the other pointed at his heart. 

“He was hit three times. Two hit his side, but the one that made impact with his chest was the one that cause the most damage. We’d be surprised if he felt the two to the side without how brutally the third went through him.” 

“He was wearing a vest wasn’t he?” She’d kill him if he hadn’t - stupid, reckless bullheaded asshole. 

“If he hadn’t worn the vest, the bullet at his chest would have gone straight through him instead of how it landed. The possibility that it ripped through his heart and lungs would have been greater than the position of the bullets. He’s still in surgery, so we won’t know his condition for some time, we suggest waiting where you’re comfortable.” 

With that, the doctor gave one final nod, taking the family to Robb who was secluded amongst other patients. From the corner of Arya’s eye, she saw the other patients all gossiping and wondering what happened until the news interrupted programs on the waiting room tvs. Every second of her life was on display for the world’s consumption, and part of Arya felt like shattering. 

“I have to call Tailya. Has anyone called her yet?” Arya suddenly realised, looking around. Jon looked at her, giving her a soft shrug. 

“Not that I know of,” Jon said. 

“I should call her,” Arya said, hands roaming over her form to try and find her phone. Was it even in her pockets or did she have a purse that she completely forgot about. Jon suddenly took Arya’s wrist, taking her to sit amongst the others in the waiting room, sitting her down and kneeling in front of her. 

“Arya, maybe I should. Why don’t I get dad so he can -” 

“Can you get mum?” she interrupted. Jon stood, hand to her cheek. 

“Yeah. Of course,” he said, phone pressed to his ear, leaning down and kissing her crown. “Yes, am I speaking with Tailya Waters? It’s Jon Snow from the palace. I’m sorry I have some…” Jon left before Arya could catch more of his words. Arya’s heart broke for Tailya. It wasn’t like she could have foreseen this happening, or even if she did, she hated that Tailya had to get that call. Part of her wished she’d made the call, but she knew if she’d talked to his mother, she could have very well come apart at the seams. 

With Jon gone and her mother at her side, Arya held onto her hand, keeping herself calm. Catelyn was patient until she was beckoned away. The pair didn’t wish to part, but Arya knew her mother’s responsibility to the public and said it was fine. Once she was alone again, Arya was left with her thoughts - the ones that festered and fed into the notion that she was bound to loneliness for the rest of her life. 

It took an hour before she saw Gendry. He was wheeled out and into a seperate room. Arya rushed to the doctor that she had seen before, taking his arm and his attention in one moment. 

“How he is?” Arya asked, not caring how ridiculous or desperate she looked. She just needed to know more than seeing the man she loved lying in a bed. She hadn’t even gotten a proper look at him, she just knew it was him. The doctor took a moment, looking over to Gendry’s room before he sighed, combing back his hair 

“He’s stable for now. There was a lot of damage, but we think he’s been through the worst of it,” he said, though he extended a hand to her shoulder, almost in warning, not to give hope a chance of latching in her chest, “we’ll need to monitor him for the next few days.” Arya gave a nod before she looked at the door.  

She wanted to look in, but couldn’t bring herself to. Everything in her told her not to look - she wasn’t the same Arya she thought she was when it came to Gendry. Every day she was the tough, unbeatable woman that the world rallied behind for being an outrageous royal princess. But with him, all she was, was a woman that loved a man, simply in love. And all she could do was shatter when he was broken.

“I don’t understand how a goddamn bullet got through a bulletproof vest,” Arya said, pacing across the length of Gendry’s door. Jon stood close by, her parents and Robb having left an hour before. 

“It was a combat weapon. They’re designed to do the most impact, including going through bulletproof vests. Like the doctor said, if he hadn’t worn that, it would have torn up his insides and we’d be having a different conversation,” 

“I’m Tailya Waters, I’m just trying to -” 

“Tailya! Over here!” Arya called. Tailya perked when seeing her, rushing over and seeing that the door was right behind her. Upon the two seeing each other, Jon gave a simple nod and left the pair. 

“I want to see him,” Tailya asked. Arya hurried a nod, showing her the door. As Tailya moved past her, Arya turned - maybe it was the freedom of an open door that had her scared - that she’d jump inside and never leave. “Sweetheart?” she said before Arya looked up. With her hand extended, Tailya gave a tender smile. Arya took it and guided them both into the room. Upon seeing him, Tailya whimpered, gripping harder into Arya’s shaking hand. 

As always, Arya remained strong, but had to admit, once seeing Gendry hooked up to all those machines, she almost fell to the ground. Taking Tailya to Gendry’s bedside, his mother gripped tight to his hand as Arya went around to the other side, combing the hair out of his face, just to see him. Gendry didn’t seem like he was in pain, just an uncomfortable sleep. 

Why did it feel like her heart was breaking over everything. 

Suddenly a phone started to ring, making Tailya scramble for her phone in her bag.

“Shit, why now?” Tailya said with a sniffle in her voice. In a moment she was gone, leaving Arya alone with Gendry. He was defenseless, a man bound to his sleep, living through a pain that he never asked for. 

Arya couldn’t help it, she burst into tears, holding him with all her might. He didn’t touch her or budge as she held onto his sleeping form, and it only made her cry the harder. She didn’t care who saw her, or even if it was published in all the papers. She just wanted to hold him until he held her back. At this rate, however, there wasn’t a likely chance of that happening. As her tears dried up, Tailya coming back, Arya sat back down next to him, holding onto his hand as his mother held his other. 

Tailya explained that she had to leave the pub abruptly, which meant her regulars were phoning in to find out the news, so every time she got a call, Arya sat by her, holding her hand and making sure she was ok. It the least she could do without taking the calls herself. It wasn’t like Arya could say much to them either. 

On Arya’s end, she was called by Sansa every few hours. Even when she should have been asleep, Sansa phoned, checking up on both of them. Arya didn’t know exactly what happened between Gendry and Sansa in the short time they were paired together, but they became close enough that Sansa considered him a friend. It warmed Arya’s heart in the past - now it felt like it was breaking because Sansa may lose a friend she only just scarcely had. 

The next morning, once she had stretched out her back from the uncomfortable armchair she slept in, Arya found her phone, texting the group on Gendry’s condition and letting them know that she’d loved to be cheered up, in spite of the pain she was feeling.

By 7am, her family had conjured a smile from her. 

TO GROUP ‘The Ghost Fan Club (Jon fuck off)’ 

7:03am - Bran: wow, john mulaney foresaw the events of the day

7:05am - Rickon: bruh the tax payers paid for that :(((

7:05am - Rickon: that wheelchair is worth more than bran is

7:06am - Sansa: hes like 8th in line for the throne we can afford to lose him

7:07am - Bran: i am DISABLED

7:07am - Bran: and still i get fucking dragged 

7:10am - Jon: is it sad that my first thought was ‘you get dragged everywhere anyway’

7:10am - Bran: JONATHAN! 

7:11am - Jon: please don’t use my full name 

7:12am - Sansa: nice burn, but Jon you don’t have a name, you gave one to yourself cause you were lonely

7:13am - Jon: I thought we were making fun of Bran, not me

7:13am - Sansa: no one is safe 

Arya looked through her phone, laughing as she felt tears fill her eyes. It made it harder to see, but she didn’t care. It was the only thing keeping her happy when the man she loved remained in a bed with machines hooked up to him. It wasn’t what he deserved, but he had put his life in danger before. He worked hard to be good at what he did - he protected Robb, but at the cost of his life. It was the hardest thing she’d ever have to do - wait to see if he’d ever wake up. They weren’t sure, it wasn’t even clear if he’d ever fully recover. 

Over the course of a few days, Gendry was unhooked from machines, able to breathe on his own, it was just a waiting game until he woke up. The doctors were happy with his stitches, and could see if he woke up he’d have no complications. It was just the waiting that was killing Arya.

It had been nearly a week since Gendry had been admitted to the hospital. His mum found it hard to take herself away from work, and every time she visited, she’d end up crying and having to leave. Arya understood. Most days, she’d go into the bathroom to steal away her cries so no one would know. Everything was sacred in that room - all secrets she whispered to him were kept in that room like they had done in her bed so many countless times. 

In the meantime, the tv played, endless shows that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Arya flicked through her phone, going through some emails as a show began with ridiculous music. 

“It’s sunday so you all know what that means! It’s time for the North daily's which heartthRobb is it?”

Arya scoffed at the name, the music getting dramatic, and for a split second, Arya got interested. Picking up her phone, taking a video of the events that unfolded.

“Here we have a picture of Robb or Richard at yet another event from this week. So Shyen, our chosen audience member, you know the rules.” 

“I can’t believe this is a real fucking show,” Arya whispered, her hands shaking as she laughed. 

“Tell us which heartthrobb it is, and you'll win this weeks prize of a $1000 gift voucher to leading supermarket Winter's Harvest.” 

On the screen flashed a picture that Arya had to legitimately question whether or not it was her brother or not. It could have been Robb or Richard, as they both decided to sport that stupid grey streak in their hair. Arya contemplated, almost guessing but faltered at the last second. 

“Robb. I’d know his dumb head anywhere.” It was like the hum of a drum that echoed around the room. Arya shot her attention from the screen to the sleeping man beside her, but instead of a calm man who had just been shot, she saw a gorgeous smile that looked weak but utterly happy. She dropped her phone in an instant. 

“Gendry!” she yelled, throwing herself over him, only pulling back once she heard him wince. “Don’t you ever do that again,” Arya warned him, watching as he chuckled. She couldn’t help herself - she surged forward, stealing the smile from his lips and making it hers upon her own. When he sighed against her, Arya cried, a breath of life she hadn’t thought she’d ever be able to have again. His tired arms came around her, pulling her onto the bed, both holding onto each other with every ounce of love they could spare in that moment. 

 *~*~*

 TO GROUP ‘The Ghost Fan Club (Jon fuck off)’ 

8:46pm - Bran: did you guys see how fucking fast she dropped her phone when she realised he woke up? That was iconic 

8:47pm - Ygritte: kinda romantic

8:48pm - Robb: ygritte? In this chat? 

8:49pm - Ygritte: this is jon typing 

8:50pm - Sansa: now that I believe 

8:51pm - Jon: Ygritte is in another country, you guys know this! 

8:52pm - Rickon: jon stop lying, we know you have ygritte’s phone! 

8:53pm - Jon: i hate you guys 

 *~*~*

 Out of all the things about being shot Gendry hated, it was mostly having to stay in his fucking bed. The hospital was small and made him feel like he was going to kick at the end and break the goddamn bed was sleeping in. The food sucked too but it was a hospital so he didn’t complain as much. 

What he did like, though, was the fact that Arya kissed him more than she ever had before. It was him that usually had to steal kisses when she wasn’t looking. Now, it was Arya that just interrupted him mid sentence to just kiss him. He didn’t know how much he worried her, but it must have hurt her. He hated that he had done it again, without even meaning to. He understood his role as a bodyguard, and it was always to put himself in between danger and his protectee. 

When he was home, he liked it a hell of a lot more than the hospital room. He liked the simplicity of his home, even if he had to keep packing for his new place. When Pod could, he came by and helped Gendry pack, but they weren’t exactly the most efficient pair around each other. 

Then, he got an unusual call. Gendry wasn’t sure what to make of it. He still had a ways to go for recovery, but the palace had called and asked for him to come in, he didn’t know what to make of it. They gave vague instructions, so he followed them the next day. 

With a tight breath, he walked into the palace. He felt like he wasn’t walking straight, and constantly felt the need to hold his side as though it were going to burst open a stitch or something. When he saw the stairs, true fear set in, because there was a very likely chance he’d pop something on the ascent. 

“Gendry!” A voice yelled, echoing around the foyer. Without even a second to think or brace himself, Arya had collided with him, arms around his neck and hanging onto him for dear life.  The pair struggled to stay on their feet, but Gendry didn’t care when he could hear the playful giggles of his girlfriend. For a moment, he was glad he could hold her amidst the pain, he just wanted to be bound to her from that day on. 

As she fell from his embrace, he held onto his side and she hissed as though she recognised her mistake once out his grip. Then, with her hand on his cheek, he felt like a weightless fool, bending down to her, their foreheads pressing to one another. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?” she asked with hope in her breath. It wasn’t like she saw him every day without fail, but she asked every day. 

“I’m doing fine. A little fragile but I expected that,” he explained, smiling to here. As she parted from him, she looked him over as though seeing him standing there was particularly an amazing feat. 

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her smile spreading wider. 

He gave a shrug - or something he should have called a shrug if one of his shoulders wasn’t as lame as it currently was. “Robb asked me to stop by.” 

It was like this family was tuned into the front door opening, because the next thing Gendry saw was Robb rushing down the stairs as casually as someone could rush down stairs. Maybe the family was unused to visitors that anyone coming inside was a treat. Or someone could have told them in some way. Gendry never told Arya about people stopping by, but he was usually told. Maybe it was through those channels. 

“Gendry! Gods, it’s good to see you.” Robb smiled before he embraced Gendry. It was a tender thing, as though he knew he couldn’t hold Gendry as tightly as someone who had saved his life should have been embraced. But Gendry didn’t mind. He loved the Starks, and although he wasn’t terribly big on affection - he didn’t mind it with them.

“You’re only saying that cause I didn’t die.” Gendry gauged Robb’s reaction, realising he wasn’t only speaking to Arya. To his surprise, Robb chuckled, slapping Gendry’s shoulder.  

“Saved my life, man. I can’t thank you enough,” he said, and Gendry had some doubts it would be the last time. 

“What’s this all about?” 

“I wanted to explain what happened, and why you were hurt,” Robb said, his tone getting serious, hands in his pockets as he explained. 

“Alright,” Gendry nodded, turning to Arya, taking her hand, kissing at her knuckles. “I’ll see you later, ok?” he asked. Arya stepped up, kissing Gendry briefly. 

“Love you, don’t let him kick you around,” he smiled, allowing Arya to steal yet another kiss from his lips. 

Gendry walked up the stairs slowly beside Robb, who explained what his schedule was, and that things were going to get more chaotic than he wants it to be, but he couldn’t stop it. Gendry had always been on the outside of their schedule, and knew that it took a lot out of everyone to be someone with the utmost authority. It was often for them to be more comfortable around other royals as it was a chance to breathe. 

There were only a select few people that the royals were comfortable being informal around. Gendry was luck to be one of them, with the entire family it seemed. Especially in such a short time. Their security and palace staff were an exception, but they were considered as much part of the Stark household as any other. 

 Once inside Robb’s office, Gendry took a seat, and groaned once his body had relaxed into it. He wasn’t sure how long the pain would last, but it didn’t seem to be giving up any time soon. As he got comfortable, Robb sat down next to Gendry instead of across from him like he anticipated. 

“So,” Robb started, giving himself a moment before he continued, as though the words were there, but somehow hard to find. “I can’t even begin to describe how thankful I am. I’m not sure to saying thank you to people who save my life,” he said, and Gendry shook his head, reaching over and gripping Robb’s shoulder. 

“It must be a very foreign feeling, I’m sure,” he said. 

“Dude, I wish you’d drop the formal shit for a second,” Robb scoffed. 

“Ok,” Gendry laughed, before he took his own breath - finding words that were there but somehow not. Instead, he played it off as best he could. “Robb, I don’t want me taking a bullet for you to be some sort of sign that I might like or even...respect you.” 

“Fuck you,” Robb blurted before he cracked into a giant smile. “I’m serious though, you risked your life for me and I can’t thank you enough for it,” he said.

“Just doing my job.” 

Then, as much as they had been messing around, it seemed like Robb realised his place. He stood and walked around the desk. “The guy we got talked almost instantly. We found out he was from a fringe group known as the faceless men. They were set on dismantling the seven kingdoms. There were many attacks all on the same day. We think their main goal was to cause as much chaos as possible and divide the kingdoms, break us apart. Killing me wouldn’t have made the North crumble. I have like twelve siblings,” he said, sitting down, chuckling but still remained somewhat solemn. 

“Are you doing ok?” gendry asked. 

“Oh yeah I’m fine. Talisa slapped me for scaring her, but other than that I’m good,” he shrugged, his hand going to his mouth as his elbow met the table, as though he were thinking of something else. Gendry had his suspicions. 

“Ever since waking up, Arya has been scaring me more than a gunman does,” Gendry admitted. 

“Why? Too much?” Robb asked with a softer voice, as though Arya would walk in and hear what they were saying. 

“She just fucking clocks me every time she sees me,” Gendry said, smirk on his lips. 

“She punches you?” Robb asked with a furrowed brow. 

“No! She hugs me like her life depends on it, and I’ve got like...bullet wounds in me. I’m never going to heal at this rate,” he said, and the two laughed, shaking their head at the ridiculousness of their Arya. 

“She loves you. If she didn’t hug you like her life depends on it, you’re not worth it for her,” Robb reminded. 

“I know,” he confirmed, though he didn’t need to be reminded. 

“We’re having a big meeting with the other kingdoms. You won’t need to get to know any of them, but I’m sure some of them would like to meet you, if that’s ok?” Robb informed, and Gendry was a little taken back. He hadn’t been so included in an event like this before. He was always on the sidelines, but now Gendry was thrust into the limelight. 

“That’s fine. When is it?” Gendry played off his nerves, but he felt them , the anxiousness in his chest still there in spite of his calm appearance. 

“In a few days, we’ll make sure that everything is in order. As you won’t be staff, but a special guest, we’ll send through details,” Robb smiled, and Gendry smiled back. Standing and taking a step forward to shake Robb’s hand. 

“Thanks,” he said, and as they shook each other’s hand there was a thought popped up at the back of his mind, and he had to question it. “Uh,” he started, taking a step back and putting his hands behind his back. “Will King Robert be there?” 

“So far he’s said yes, so I suspect so,” Robb said with a nod, and went back to his work, not questioning Gendry’s enquiry. 

With a breath, Gendry left Robb’s office and wandered the halls to go back to the room where he spent most of his time. Before he even managed to get there, his spitfire of a girlfriend found him first, holding onto his arm and guiding them back to her room. He explained the situation, and then the wandering thought that greeting people would work a hell of a lot better if he had any idea of who all the royals were. 

In Arya’s room, lying on her bed and his head in her lap, he tried to rattle off all the people he knew from memory. It wasn’t great, but he was trying. “So, Dany, Drogo, Lannisters, Robert,” Gendry stopped once the memory of the one family he knew was gone, the thought pressing to his temple but lost so quickly. “Ah fuck, who else will be there?” he cursed. Arya’s fingers were in his hair, scratching at his scalp.

“Do you want me to quiz you?” she said with a little laugh in her voice. 

Looking up at her, watching as she smiled so tenderly, he wanted to remain angry at his inability to remember anything, but just told her his frustrations. “Look, I didn’t even know the royals I was coming to work for, Arry, how am I meant to know other fucking kingdoms?” 

“Ok, so we’ll start with the easy ones. Daenerys Targaryen, queen of the crownlands. Tywin Lannister rules over The Westerlands,” 

“You’re already going too fast,” Gendry huffed, covering his face. 

“I heard something about a quiz!” A voice beamed, followed by the flare of red hair that came barrelling into the room and onto Arya’s bed. 

“Why did you invite her?” Gendry groaned, just as Sansa moved over him, face wide with a devilish smile. 

“I invited everyone,” Arya admitted, and Gendry shut his eyes. He sat up, resigned to the fate that was about to become his life. 

“Oh god, let’s just go to the dining room and roast me on a spit,” he said, taking Arya’s hand and Sansa got on the group chat, everyone eventually meeting down in the dining room. Gendry sat with Arya, the two of them studying to help him as the family gathered. In the end, every member of the family was there, chairs all set up against the wall like a true audience, where Gendry was put on display as Bran sat in his chair, wheeling himself around as he went through flashcards with Arya occasionally to see if Gendry would be able to answer everything. 

When everything was set up, Gendry was forced to sit in his chair in front of the family as Bran came over, and for the first time since getting in the dining room, he noticed what Bran was wearing. It immediately made Gendry roll his eyes. Of course this fucking family…

In a bright purple blazer that was shimmering when it caught the light, it was just as overtop as Gendry should have expected from Bran. Well, from the Starks in general. 

“Ok! Welcome to the Stark Royal Quiz night! Our contestant for this evening is Gendry Waters, a known royal idiot that can’t pick out a Stark from a Tully!” he announced, sending the family into a round of giggles. Gendry rolled his eyes. 

“I hate this, I really fucking hate this,” he groaned, covering his eyes. 

“Come on Gendry! You’ve got this!” Talisa yelled. Gendry cracked a smile, shaking his head. 

“Take your top off!” Rickon yelled. 

“Stop objectifying my boyfriend,” Arya spat back. 

“Please this is a family show,” Catelyn said, and the room erupted. 

“Wish you’d told me that a year ago,” Ygritte said, drinking her beer as she winked over to Gendry. He frowned as Jon spat out a laugh, one that he hadn’t realised was going to come out. His fiancee was certainly a funny one. But Gendry had learnt that very quickly. Ygritte wasn’t afraid to be herself, even when it came to the royals around her. 

“Now, Gendry, please tell us more about yourself,” Bran said, offering his hand over like he had a microphone. 

“Are you serious right now?!” 

“Tell us! Tell us!” The family - save the two parents amongst the group - roared back at him. 

“You guys need to get a life,” he said, crossing his arms and leaning into Bran’s hand. “I’m Gendry Waters and I hate this,” he said. 

“Good enough!” Bran said quickly, turning away and pandering back to his family. “What category will we start with?” 

“Why are there categories now?” Gendry shouted, throwing his hands in the air. 

“Because fuck you that’s why!” he said, “So! Family, name, lands, or other!” 

“Please just ask me questions, this is going to kill me,” Gendry said, throwing his head back. 

“Ok, fine, have it your way,” Bran said, an obvious huff of irritation in his voice. “Even with the seven kingdoms, there are some that are not connected to the mainland,” Bran started, and Gendry frowned. 

“Isn’t there only one? Essos?” he replied. 

There was a long pause, the family all huddled together as though they were judging Gendry’s answer. Then, they all turned to Bran. “You are correct! It was a trick question. Bonus points for the ruler of that kingdom,” he said, waiting for Gendry to answer. 

“Dothraki. Specifically Khal Drogo,” Gendry finished. 

“Off to a great start!” Bran said. 

After that, it was entertainment for the rest of the family, who drank and laughed and roared in approval at all of Gendry’s answers, even when they were wrong. Gendry got into it as much as the rest of them, the answers feeling like second nature, but he still got frustrated when the answer was wrong. 

“No, I swear to fuck it’s the Martells!” Gendry challenged in a shout. 

“No, Dothraki! Next question,” Bran played off. 

“Oh come the fuck on!” Gendry huffed, sitting back in his chair with his arms folded. 

“It’s ok, Martell’s would be honoured you thought so highly of them!” Talisa joked, much to the family's surprise. Robb leaned over to his wife, kissing at her cheek. For a moment, so singular and special, Gendry wondered if that would be him one day - happily married to the woman that he loved. 

Bran came shooting in with another question. “Which family….has some relation to the Stark family?” There was a pause in the room, waiting for him to answer. 

“Uh fuck, ok, I know this,” Gendry said, holding up his hand, trying to think. 

“You have ten seconds,” Bran said quickly, which shot Gendry’s attention back to him. 

“No I don’t, there isn’t a time on this thing,” he reminded, as they hadn’t been playing with any sort of time limit throughout the other questions asked that evening. 

“Five seconds,” Bran said again. 

“Tully! Tully! It’s the Tully family!” Gendry shouted, purely out of gut instinct.

“That is…” Bran teased, “correct! The matriarch of the Stark family, Catelyn Stark, was once known as Catelyn Tully. Please take a bow,” Bran said, and much to the amazement of the room, Catelyn stood, doing her best bow and settling back into her chair. “Now, who will be attending on behalf of the Tully family on Sunday night?” 

“Jon Arryn?” Gendry said, unsure. The Riverlands were a strange area, as they were once run by the Tully’s before it was passed to another family through a strange number of circumstances.

“Yes!” Bran said, before he grimaced. “Who will unfortunately bring our cousin Robin, but that’s a different day,” Bran said, to which all of the siblings laughed. 

“Bran,” she warned, “at least it isn’t Edmure,” Catelyn remarked. Edmure often tried to be more than just a king, which led him to be an absent king and give his title to Jon Arryn. 

“Ha! God, I hate that bastard,” Ned chuckled to himself. 

“I get to make fun of my brother, you don’t,” she warned her husband with a jab in the ribs. 

Bran then wheeled around the front of the crowd of his family quickly, doing a little stunt to draw everyone’s attention to him. 

“Ok! Lightning round! Man all the people coming on sunday and the Kingdoms they preside over!” He shot out his question and Gendry knew he had to answer fast. He sat up straight, gripping hard to his knees. 

“Tywin Lannister, Westerlands. Daenerys Targaryn, Crownlands. Khal Drogo, Essos. Jon Arryn, Riverlands,” he started, stopping himself as he thought. “Ok gimme a second!” he shouted as the family began to laugh and get more into the quiz. “Oberyn Martell, Dorne? You guys, so Ned Stark, The North. Robert Baratheon, Stormlands.” He finished, making sure he listed everyone by counting it down on his hand. It felt right, but he waited before Bran shouted out. 

“Yes!” 

“Wow, he got that quicker than Jon,” Sansa laughed, sipping at her gin, the one that she had been consistently drinking over the course of the night. 

“One family event, I just want one family event where I’m not emotionally traumatised,” Jon shouted as everyone started to pack up for the night. As soon as the family started to move, it gave Gendry a chance to breathe, and Arya moved to him, taking him by the hand and linking their fingers together. 

“Oh darlin, that’s never going to happen,” Ygritte said. 

“Your future wife fits right in,” Robb said. 

“Also! Why haven’t you guys told everyone!” Ygritte said quickly, jumping over to Talisa and Robb.

“Gendry was shot! Arya wasn’t exactly with it, you know?” he confessed. Gendry and Arya looked at each other. 

“What news?” Arya asked. She held tight to his hand, but he was about to have his suspicions confirmed. 

“Robb and Talisa are -” 

“No way!” Sansa shouted, covering her mouth and jumping over to her brother and his wife. 

“You guys aren’t!” Arya said next. 

“We’re expecting!” Talisa said with an excited giggle. It felt heartening that Gendry was included in such an announcement with the family. 

“Holy fuck I’m gonna be the cool uncle!” Bran shouted. 

“Why can’t you be the disable uncle and I’m the cool uncle?” Rickon said, to which Bran shot him a look. “Yeah that’s fair,” he said, and everyone chuckled at the resignation of him. As the family congratulated the couple, Gendry and Arya walked down the stairs slowly, finding their way to the staff entrance, and sneaking away from the family. 

Gendry pulled away, ready to go to his car, when Arya tugged hard on his hand. “Hey,” she said, stopping him and pulling him back to her. 

“I should get home,” he reminded Arya. She sighed, resting her chin on his chest and looking up towards him. 

“I love you,” she confessed, as though it were the first time. Gendry smiled, leaning down to her, stealing a kiss from her lips.

“I love you too,” he replied, kissing her once more. 

“Thank you for dealing with my family tonight,” she replied, letting them sway back and forth. Ever since he was shot, Arya was far more open about her feelings, he found. She said everything she needed to - and although they were doing so before, Arya wasn’t afraid to confess that she was desperately in love with him. He felt the same all the time. 

“I love your family. Even though they embarrass me,” he shrugged. Arya laughed, cupping his cheek. 

“That’s what family is for,” she reminded. 

“Feels like home,” Gendry confessed, feeling far too open for a moment. He wanted to tell Arya...say more than he had, but it was hard. How was he meant to say what he needed to when it meant revealing far too much of what he saw. 

“Feels more like home when you’re there,” Arya said, a flash of red running over her cheeks. He wondered if they wanted the same things, or if he was fooling himself. He didn’t wish to get scared of their future, just hopeful of where it would lead. Fear could wait for another day, he reasoned. 

“I should go,” he reminded, kissing her one last time, hands slipping from hers. “I love you. Sleep well,” he told her. 

“I will,” she said, hands going behind her back as he walked away, constantly looking over his shoulder at her, “call if something happens,” she shouted. 

“You’ll be my first call, I promise,” he yelled back in return. 

 ***

 The day came, and Gendry was wearing his best suit. Well, it was new purely because Jon and Robb took him out to get one that was suitable for a royal gathering. Gendry wanted to remind them that Khal Drogo would be there, and his attire wasn’t anything like the royal prince’s, but it would be a fruitless venture. 

He fiddled with his tie as he met with Jon Arryn and Oberyn Martell. They all took photos and thanked him for his service to the crown. They also regarded his bravery, and said his service didn’t go unrecognised, even throughout other kingdoms. Before he was to meet with the Lannisters, Arya came over to him. She was wearing a nice navy suit and a white wilk blouse underneath. She was a fashionable princess thanks much to Sansa for this particular event. 

“Stop fucking with your tie! It’s going to look different in all the pictures,” Arya warned him, straightening out his tie for the fourth time that day. He huffed, before she had to leave and go towards her family for some pictures with the Martells. 

Gendry was sure he’d be seeing the Lannisters next, he was certain of it. Yet, when it came down to it, Gendry felt his heart in his throat when he saw King Robert next. He was stern, almost menacing as he came closer to him. Gendry stood up straighter, trying to be as presentable as possibly. It scared the shit out of him. Then, Robert stopped in front of him. 

“Your majesty,” Gendry greeted, bowing to the king. 

Robert smiled as they came face to face, then, he clapped Gendry on the shoulder. “Good work son, it was very brave of you for doing what you did,” he said, clearing his throat, as though he recognised Gendry for a moment but couldn’t place him. 

“Thank you,” Gendry replied. The two stared at one another before Robert moved, turning on his heels and shouting as he saw Ned. Gendry met the Lannisters briefly before a familiar head of white hair came running through.

“Gendry!” Daenerys yelled, embracing Gendry and he held her back just as tightly. Their meeting was short the first time, but they left perfect impressions on the other. “I heard and instantly wanted to run, but I have a country to run and -” 

“Bull!” Khal Drogo yelled, making everyone in the room jump. 

“Drogo. You know he hasn’t met you before, stop scaring him,” Dany warned, swatting at his stomach lightly. 

“Arya just talked about him and I know he’s big bullheaded idiot!” 

“Thank you, Khal,” Gendry said back, offering to shake his hand. Drogo bat it away as he embraced Gendry off of his feet then back down again as he spoke. 

“Drogo! You are a warrior through and through, my people would be proud of you,” he said, batting at Gendry’s chest, which cause the impact spot as much pain as when he was shot. Gendry groaned as he clutched his chest, and Drogo laughed, hooking his arm around Gendry’s shoulder. 

For the remainder of the day, it was formal proceedings that they had organised to discuss what they would choose to implement change amongst the seven kingdoms to make them more united and less divided as they once were. 

As Gendry stood to the side with Arya and the rest of the family as Robb took point with Ned, she leaned over to him. “So,” she whispered, “King Robert talked to you?” 

“I’m glad Dany came over,” Gendry whispered back. 

“Are you alright?” 

Gendry shrugged, “I’ll be fine. As long as I don’t interact with him for long, I’ll be ok,” he said, and Arya tugged on the back of his jacket. It was the only form of affection they could give each other as Gendry reached behind his back, touching at her fingertips as lightly as he could. Her hand slipped down to his, touching their hands against each other for the briefest of moments before it was gone.

The night wound down easily, the family gathering ending as each royal had to travel back to their homeland, Arya and gendry walked to her room, weaving their way through the castle to kill the time. Gendry suspected they’d be visited by Sansa or the two youngest boys at one stage, but he didn’t mind - it wasn’t like they were planning on doing anything exciting once they got to her room. At the bottom of the stairs, ready to climb for the fourth time, they were met by a figure at the top of the staircase. 

“Gendry, may I speak with you?” Catelyn asked, her head tilting towards her office. Gendry gave a nod back to her.

“Of course,” he said, looking to Arya with a smile. “I’ll be right back,” he said, kissing her cheek.

“Don’t take too long,” she said. “Oh! Mum, can Gendry stay the night?” Arya asked, and as Gendry looked at the Queen, he went stiff, his entire body feeling trapped in one embarrassing moment. She glanced between the pair before she rolled her eyes. 

“Yes. But as I know you’re injured, I don’t expect anything to happen,” Catelyn remarked, ��am I right, Mister Waters?” she asked, with a glare that could kill a person on sight if they weren’t prepared. Seven hells, Gendry almost died and he was prepared for the scolding she was ready to unleash.

“Yes, your majesty,” he said, clearing his throat. 

“Stop scaring him and go,” Arya warned as Gendry followed the queen. 

As they made it to her office, it was a complete surprise when the door closed. In a moment, Gendry was held so tightly, it was like the air had been sucked from his lungs. The queen held him tight, and the echo of a sob came out that made him look down.

“Oh!” he gasped, “Your majesty,” he said softly, stroking her arm to comfort her. She backed away, clearing her face of tears that stained her cheeks. He held her by the shoulders, making sure she was ok as he inspected her. 

“You almost gave your life for my son, and I cannot express how thankful I am for you,” she said with another sob leaving her chest. She covered her mouth and for a moment, it tore him in two; a subject of a royal, or the need to comfort like only a son could comfort his mother. The latter took over, as he brought her back into his chest and held her for a brief hug, keeping her small cries silenced by his chest. 

“It was all part of the job, your majesty,” he remarked. Staying put for a moment, she left his embrace, wiping her face clean once more and composing herself. 

“I understand,” she remarked with a sniff, “but please, and I know you’ve been trying not to, but don’t break that girl’s heart again. It was brutal enough the first time around,” she warned, and Gendry agreed with her. 

“It was never the intention, your majesty,” he said, taking a bow, heart in his throat at how natural everything seemed to be falling into place. Then, a knock came to the door, and in walked the king with a cup of tea for the queen. “Oh, good, you majesty is here too. May I please speak with you both?” Gendry started, the two listening to him throughout their entire conversation, leaving it on good terms. 

Gendry walked to Arya’s room, finding her in her bed, her arms folded an a deep scowl on her face. 

“I thought you would have been asleep. I was talking with your mum for a while,” Gendry said, loosening his tie and kick off his shoes. 

“I wanted to talk to you,” Arya said, and Gendry stopped. He cautiously took off his jacket, undoing his belt and trying hard to strip down to his underwear as possibly without aggravating Arya. 

“That doesn’t sound good,” he said, trying to kick off his pants, seeing if her reaction changed. 

“No! I just wanna talk,” she reasoned, letting her body loose, obviously realising her mistake of posture. 

“Ok,” he said, finding her spare set of boxers and loose singlet he could wear in her bed. After he was dressed, he snuck into bed beside Arya, holding onto her hand as she seemed to come up with the courage to say what she wanted. 

“I’m not going to ask you to stop,” she said, and Gendry took in a breath, as he realised what conversation he was having. “I know you like your work and it’s what brought us together.”

“But…”

“I just want you to be more careful. Put Robb in front of the bullet next time,” she said, and Gendry chuckled. 

“Arry,” he smiled. 

“Yeah I know, it’s treason,” she said, pouting. 

“I love you.” He leaned over to her, catching her chin in between his thumb and finger, kissing her quickly.  “I’ll be more careful, I promise.” 

“I know you will. You can’t stop danger all the time. Just...try not to get shot,” she asked weakly, looking at him with caution. 

“Trust me, I never want to get shot again,” he laughed and Arya hit his arm for being an idiot. “Can we go to bed now?” 

“Yes,” she said, and Gendry lept at his chance to curl her into his embrace, holding her tightly and kissing behind her ear. He just wanted her to know he held her as tenderly as she deserved. 

 *~*~*

 When Sansa arrived in Arya’s room that morning, ready to finally tell her sister who she was dating, she wasn’t quite expecting to see what she did. In the bed slept Arya and Gendry wrapped in sheets and each other’s embrace. 

Sansa’s news could wait, because for the first time, she had seen Arya fully and perfectly protected. 

[kellyvela]

That "might burn your family" tweet is indicative of what I know is going to happen in fandom: sure, people are indignant now about Dany but most people don't like to be rebels; they like to be co-signed by authority (the "I'm right b/c its canon" crowd"). And no matter how it was sugarcoated, GOT canon is that Dany is a mass-murderer. Those who are not stans will slowly but surely fall in line with this reading of her, not the least b/c they don't want to be wrong AGAIN when the books come out.

If you didn’t see it already, this is the HBO_UK tweet the anon refers: 

You sound very hopeful Anon. I agree that, in general, most people don’t like to be wrong, and certainly they don’t want to be wrong again about the same issue. 

But this fandom is something else…

Certain part of it just decided to live in denial and delusion (oh the irony): “I would never post a pic of dead dany”, “dany belongs to her fans that really love her and not to the misogynist show/books creators” (copyright what?), “I would never read the Books if that is the final”, etc, etc, etc.

We also have the actress that played dany saying/doing things like these:

I stand by Daenerys.

Clarke revealed that she met Beyonce at an Oscars after-party hosted by the musician and her husband, Jay Z. There, she was approached by the host herself, who gushed about Daenerys Targaryen. Beyonce, however, like the rest of the world, was at that point ignorant about Daenerys’ dark turn in Season 8. “All I wanted to scream was ‘Please, please still like me even though my character turns into a mass-killing dictator! Please still think that I’m representing women in a really fabulous way,’ ” Clarke said of the encounter. [x]

About the backlash on the final season: “It was profoundly flattering. Is what it was, because when someone cares that much, that they’re ready to make such a noise about how they believe the characters should have been… should have been finished, and how the story should have been gone. That’s just enormously flattering, that just shows how much everybody loved it.”        

She is using Dany and Drogon images to promote her charity.  Dany is not bringing fire and blood for once, she is a cute little nurse bringing help to those in need.     

We also have certain group of “asoiaf experts“ so called BNF, that decided not to watch the Show years ago, because it’s “sacrilege“, only the books are canon (in this I agree), but they have created their own canon, the way they interprete and understand the Books, and their followers buy everything they say as “the canon”. They still believe in their 20 years old theories that include Dany is the hero, maybe she would have a brief “dark phase“ but then “enters Jon” and they gonna fall in love, make love, celebrate life, have a baby, defeat the big bad guys walk walkers and sacrifice themselves to save the humanity. Tyrion will be the third head of the dragon, etc.  

As you can see Anon, that very human sentiment to hate being wrong, sometimes includes the belief that you can’t be wrong. So all these people (fans/stans/experts/etc) will stand by their beliefs and theories till the very end (when the books are at last published and they read them). And even after that they would say that GRRM is wrong, just like right now they are saying D&D are wrong.  

Dark Dany is not new. It have been theorized for years, And according to Elio García, co-author of the World of Ice and Fire, GRRM himself complimented that Dark Dany essay: “(…) he referred very specifically to the Meereenese Blot website and the knot essays. He said he was told about them, read them, and was very pleased that someone was able to get his difficulties and his intentions perfectly.”

And for those that paid attention, it was clear that the Show was taking that route at least since season 2. Her conversation with the Spice King is very telling. There is also this conversation with Hizdahr Zo Loraq in season 5 that is very much the same conversation she had with Jon just before he killed her. 

The Battle of the Bastard’s script says: “She doesn’t have to look. She only allows the faintest hint of a smile. A smile that says: my tyranny is not ended, motherfucker. It’s only just begun.”

People also have season 7 and even after watching those seven episodes, they believed that GOT was going to have a happy ending, a Disney one, with Targaryen restoration, jonerice wedding, king and queen coronation, boat baby and all. 

But you are right, the sugarcoat was real. They change season 7 - episode 2 title from “The Mad King’s Daughter” to something more poetic/whitewashed: “Stormborn”: 

What I was impressed by was the little hints that we saw of potentially her (Daenerys) becoming like her father in those conversations ( her talking with Varys). You know, threatening to burn somebody alive, in any universes, it’s not great.

Bryan Cogman: She has dragons, an effective form of execution.

But knowing what her father was doing to people that line sticks in your ear and also when inviting him ( Jon) down and she wants him to immediately bend the knee

Bryan Cogman: Yeah, I mean, she sees this as her birthright… it’s plain and simple, you know, they took this from her, it’s hers.

And so much of the episode ( really the whole season) not just for Daenerys but for a lot of our characters is dealing with the legacy of their families and the generations that preceded them and dealing not only with how they feel about it and what they might share with some of those ancestors but how other people perceive you.

That legacy it’s kind of why I wanted to originally call it the Mad King’s daughter (I like Stormborn, I think is a great title actually), I really wanted to call it the Mad King’s daughter and actually it would have made more sense.

In the original edit there were more characters referring to her like this in pretty much every scene and I think some of that was lost in the final edit but in the original script and in the original edit ( which was longer) pretty much every character that wasn’t in the Daenerys‘s circle was referring to her as “the Mad King’s daughter is here” .

Considering this idea that she’s got a reputation before she has ever set foot there, because she has a brother’s reputation too, that first scene is definitely about her reconciling with that, wrestling with how much of that legacy is good for her brand and what isn’t and certainly that is a big part of the no-fire bombing strategy.

It’s like: you could come in here and torch the whole place and everyone would be horrified and what have you achieved? If you want to rule, you need to take a different approach.

But under that, and I think you picked up on something in that first scene, is that she’s got a real kind of need and desire to go in guns blazing and from an emotional point of view the scene has to set up this.

Game of Thrones’ Writer Bryan Cogman: In Conversation (Part 2)

The Mad King’s Daughter, she’s got a real kind of need and desire to go in guns blazing. 

Yeah, hero material you all.

And even during season 8, after episode 2, Bryan Cogman made this really telling comparison between Sansa and Dany:

Sansa knows that of all the Starks that were ripped from Winterfell, she suffered the most to get it back. She’s the driving force for getting it back. Now she’s being told, “It’s not yours, and it’s not the Starks’ anymore. It belongs to Hitler’s daughter, the worst person in the world’s daughter, the daughter of the person who murdered your grandfather and uncle in the worst way possible. And guess what? Your brother, who you convinced to step up when he wanted to fuck off because of his death experience, bent the knee to her and is telling you that she’s your queen.” What part of Sansa’s reaction to any of this is irrational?

At the same time, if you’re Dany, this is the family that stole your family’s legacy. You grew up as a child living in constant fear that you were going to be murdered the next day. Then you’re married off to a warlord, and you’ve scraped and suffered and endured, and here you are. You’re going to help these people who destroyed your life and your family’s lives. Where’s the gratitude?

Even if he described both sides’ positions and sentiments, if you say one side’s reaction is not irrational, and then call the other side “Hitler’s daughter”, you know exactly who is the good guy and who is the evil one. 

D&D surely sugarcoated Dany, they were not calling her plainly “The Mad King’s Daughter”, but they were subtly telling us that she indeed was Aery’s pretty version: 

Jon: She’ll be a good queen. For all of us. She’s not her father.

Sansa: No, she’s much prettier.

—GOT season 8 - episode 1

In that “I stand by Daenerys” article, the interviewer recalled Kit Harington’s words about Jon killing Dany, during season 8 filming:

“I think it’s going to divide,” Harington says of the finale’s fan reaction. “But if you track her story all the way back, she does some terrible things. She crucifies people. She burns people alive. This has been building. So, we have to say to the audience: ‘You’re in denial about this woman as well. You knew something was wrong. You’re culpable, you cheered her on.’”

Harington adds he worries the final two episodes will be accused of being sexist, an ongoing criticism of GoT that has recently resurfaced perhaps more pointedly than ever before. “One of my worries with this is we have Cersei and Dany, two leading women, who fall,” he says. “The justification is: Just because they’re women, why should they be the goodies? They’re the most interesting characters in the show. And that’s what Thrones has always done. You can’t just say the strong women are going to end up the good people. Dany is not a good person. It’s going to open up discussion but there’s nothing done in this show that isn’t truthful to the characters. And when have you ever seen a woman play a dictator?”

After reading what Kit said, Dany stans gone rabid. They said things like HBO forced him to say those words and others simply insulted and hated him. Because, you know, he is wrong. D&D are also wrong. They are just a pair of white misogynist dudes that can’t stand women in power… SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!

I mean, look at these headlines. Dany stans/targ lovers are now justifying genocide. They are making/selling/buying “Her Satanic Majestic” T-shirts. 

So there you have it Anon. Some of them decided to believe Dany will still be the hero in the Books, because she ended slavery you know, that’s not what villains do, if you think different, you are a slavery apologist, also misogynist, and surely a Stark stan, those fucking classists xenophobes…   

Some others just joined “Her Satanic Majesty” cult. Those ungrateful peasants deserved to be burned alive because they didn’t love Dany. it was their fault that Dany had to go in guns blazing on them. Burn them all! Dracarys! Fire and Blood! 

It would be a long ride Anon.  

[ghostofbambifanfiction]

How is arya’s arc tying into the battle? I don’t watch the show all that closely but I enjoy hearing people get really animated about the show and the characters :-)

“What do we say to the god of Death?”

Arya has been a servant of Death since shortly after Gendry was taken away from her in season 3. She told Beric Dondarrion that Death was her god. She travelled to Braavos to learn the way of an order of assassins who consider Death—or the many-faced-god—to be their one true god. Her motivation is to avenge her dead, and she does that by offering names to her god in the form of a kill list she recites to herself like a prayer. Death is her friend and her leader and a force she feels she knows, and being a harbinger of death has been the only thing to bring her satisfaction—not happiness, satisfaction—over the course of many years.

But emotionally? Mentally? Death has done her no good at all, just drove her deeper and deeper into her own darkness, compelling her to travel to truly disturbing lengths to exact her vengeance. And yes, along the way she has picked up these immensely impressive combat and stealth skills (no word yet on how she learned to seduce men, but I think that might have just been naturally ingrained in her soul), including the ability to fight whilst totally blind, but any relief she ever felt at a successful kill was perfunctory, the way a band-aid might relieve a bullet wound for a hot second.

What Arya was meant to say to the god of Death was, “Not today,” but that was swallowed up by pain and heartache, and she welcomed Death with open arms instead.

The only reason that Arya fell so deeply in with her god of Death in the first place is because the people she loved—her family, her friends, her soft places—were taken from her, one by one, and in the most vile and cruelest of ways. She was present for her father’s beheading, watched her brother’s wolf die and saw Robb’s body paraded through a courtyard with Grey Wind’s head sewn atop his shoulders, lost her strongest, healthiest friendship to the clutches of a red priestess who wanted to hurt him, left the Hound to die, was blinded by a man she thought to be her friend, and found a carer in Lady Crane only for her to die immediately, too. Arya fell in deeply with the god of Death because what she wanted—friendship, family, love, safety—was denied to her over and over again.

(Side note: It’s hilarious to me when people say that Arya is the most emotionally detached of all the Starks when Bran is now as detached as it gets and Sansa has long been able to shelve emotion in favour of common sense when occasion calls for it. Arya is all emotion and feeling. She has never been able to rein in the stirrings that rule her, nor the love she feels for other people. That’s why she never could have made it as a true Faceless Man, because she finds it impossible to let those feelings go. And why would she, when they’re all she has left of Robb, of Jon, of Gendry and Sansa and her mother and her father?)

So Arya has had this kill list, and she’s ticked quite a lot of names off it. Polliver, Meryn Trant, the Waif (who was lowkey and deservedly on her list, since she kept trying to kill Arya) and the entire male line of House Frey all fell victim to her devotion to her prayer and to her god of Death. Who is left on the list now? A couple of people have fallen on and off over the years, but Cersei Lannister remains the one constant and popular opinion is that the season will end with Arya killing her, mostly likely whilst wearing somebody else’s face—because she can do that, followers who don’t watch Game of Thrones. She can completely transform into other people. It’s a whole thing.

What happens if she kills Cersei, though? Her arc just… ends? Mission completed, heart a dank pit in her chest, her soul worn away by death and death and more death? Arya has been miserable for years as she embarked upon this mission? Confident, yes, and skilled and snarky and very, very clever, but miserable. And lonely. She’s been very, very lonely.

Anyway, there she was with her list and her horse and her plan to go King’s Landing and kill Cersei, and then her old pal Hot Pie informed her that her beloved brother Jon had taken back the North, so Arya turned her horse around and returned to Winterfell for the first time since she was a wee, innocent girl, where she was immediately reunited with Bran and Sansa and—following a brief and incredibly meta interlude which pointed out how stupid the fandom’s disdain of Sansa is—established her relationship with her brother and sister again. She and Sansa in particular make for a very strong unit as we’ve seen, supporting and respecting one another as they ought to.

The pit in her chest begins to fill with clean earth. A little spot on her soul is rubbed clean.

Enter Jon, her most beloved brother. Enter Gendry, the first and only boy she ever fell in love with. Hell, enter the Hound, who was her surrogate father for the best part of a season. She hugs her brother for the first time in years. She listens to the Hound say that he fought for her and realises for the first time, perhaps, that she meant a great deal to him. On what might be her last night on earth, she initiates sex with a smitten, awestruck Gendry—who she trusts and loves and cares for and feels totally comfortable with, and who reminds her of a time in her life when she was not so broken—because she wants to feel good and be close to him and grasp on to her humanity. It’s such a human thing, to want closeness and connection to another person. Arya has spent so much time alone and she has fooled plenty of viewers into seeing her as a lone wolf, cold and emotionless, but that’s the opposite of who she is. She is hot-blooded and passionate and loves the few that she loves with total commitment. She is no natural servant to the god of Death, because Arya is Life. She personifies Life.

The Night King is Death.

Arya believes she knows Death’s many faces, but she hasn’t yet stared into his cold blue eyes and accepted what exactly that means. We know that Arya is going to be part of the battle on Sunday. It would be ridiculous if she didn’t, what with her impressive skillset and equally impressive array of weapons. Right now, she seems reasonably confident and cocksure (she has plenty of reason to be) and is considering the battle with a detached coolness, but I think this battle is going to change her irrecoverably. For the first time, she will be fighting for the living, rather than to avenge the loss of one already dead. For the first time, she will be coming face-to-face with the Night King, her god of Death personified. She’ll see first hand the horrors he can inflict, feel the terror he strikes into human hearts and be confronted with the very worst of herself, amplified in tenfold because this is her god. This is who she has been serving—this cold, blank creature who takes everything beautiful and replaces it with rot, and who has no aim but to destroy life.

But what better way to end this revenge arc, what better way to see her permanently on a path to love and friendship, and inner peace, and life, than to be the one who finally destroys the Night King? Wouldn’t it be perfectly poetic if Arya Stark, servant of Death, was the one to put an end to him?

Kill the Night King or no (though I really, really hope that she’s the one to do it) I hope she decides that Death can play no more part in her life. I hope she lets herself be sad and human and vulnerable, especially with Gendry, who is clearly plummeting into love with her at breakneck speed. I don’t want Arya to carry on with her kill list until there’s nothing left of her heart and her soul is rusted over. Fuck killing Cersei. What’s killing Cersei going to do for her that hugging her sister or laughing with her brother or pressing her skin to the body of the man she loves can’t? It can’t bring back her lost friends and family, and it can’t bring her any real sense of peace. I don’t care how “badass” 90% of this fandom seems to think she is whenever she crosses off another name, nor how little they value her for any reason aside from her combat skills. I don’t care about the people who whinge and crow about how she isn’t “suited” to a romance plot—she is more suited to falling in love with somebody than almost any other character in that whole damn universe.

I don’t want Arya Stark to continue to embrace Death. I don’t want her to serve Death. Fuck Death! I want her to look Death in the face and say, “Not today,” just as she was instructed to when she was a very little girl with a wooden sword in her hand. I want Death to shatter and vanish before her very eyes, and free her from this dangerous, draining, desolate path of servitude. I want her to drive her catspaw dagger through the centre of Death’s chest and become the woman who saved the living.

I want her to live her fucking life.

[cellsshapedlikestars]

it’s just a costume 2: electric cataloo

again, I’m really trying to take a break from writing but I have zero self control. Also this was one of my favorites from last time and I wanted to continue it.

for the @jonsa-halloween day five prompt: clothes.

I added it on ao3 as a second chapter to the first, you can read both here

tumblr link to the first part here

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She's not sure why she does it, why she stomps to her closet and digs through the boxes to find it. When she does, the dress smells a little musty from sitting in storage for so long, the wire in the tail is bent, and the ears are falling off the headband. She hot glues the ears back on while wiping away angry tears with the back of her hand, she washes the dress, she bends the tail back into shape before reattaching it.

Jon's bringing Ygritte.

Robb had said it so casually at dinner. Of course he did, he has no idea.

He has no idea that she's spent the last six years watching Jon date all the wrong girls. That she's spent the last six years dating boys that weren't him just to try and get over him. Ever since that Halloween when she last wore this costume, there's been something between them, she's not crazy. He'd avoided her for a while, started dating Ygritte, then Dany, then Ygritte again, then Val, then fucking Ygritte again. In high school she dated Joffrey and then in college, Harry.

Neither of them were him.

(Both of them sucked.)

But this year Jon was single. Single and going to Robb's Halloween party (well, Jeyne's Halloween party). Sansa's home from school for the weekend and she had been so excited to go and have fun with everyone in Robb and Jeyne's new apartment. She doesn't know what she was expecting, but it wasn't for Jon to decide last minute to get back together with Ygritte of all people.

She's not crazy, there is something between them. She knows there is. And in August, right before school started again for her, she'd kissed him when she and Arya had been helping Robb and Jeyne move. He'd been carrying boxes up and down stairs all day and had stopped to drink some water in the kitchen while everyone else was downstairs. In a moment of weakness, she'd kissed him, right there in Robb's apartment, but then everyone came back in and they hadn't been alone again. Then she'd gone back to school and he... he never called. He never even texted. Is she crazy?

She's not sure what she's hoping to prove by wearing this old costume. When she puts the dress on the next night, it's still too short and too tight, but she's worn much worse out clubbing with Marg. She draws her whiskers and cat nose with black eyeliner and maybe puts on too much makeup and perhaps the fishnets with her heels is a little extra, but she doesn't care.

“Yowza,” Arya drawls from the doorway of her room. Arya's dressed like the wrestler Strong Belwas (thankfully with a shirt under the vest). She doesn't respond and eventually Arya sighs. “I thought you looked pissed when Robb brought up Ygritte last night.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” she responds in her haughtiest voice, the one that usually makes Arya roll her eyes and leave her alone.

“Don't know why he's back with her, she's toxic,” Arya continues “I thought you two would finally bone, but I guess not.”

“What,” she turns from the mirror to look at Arya, who is absolutely rolling her eyes (but not leaving).

“It's so annoying. She's too young, she's Robb's little sister, I'm so sad and our love can never be, I'm Jon Snow, I'm such a martyr,” Arya mimics and her Jon impression is so spot on it startles a laugh out of Sansa.

“Wait, so you'd be ok with...”

Arya's face softens for just a moment before she slips back into little sister mode, “I mean it's better than watching you two pine over each other. It's becoming unbearable, we all think so.”

“All?”

“Well, everyone but Robb. I can't tell if he doesn't want to see it or if he's just dumb.”

Sansa turns back to her reflection with a wildly pounding heart.

She's not crazy.

“Maybe lose the heels,” Arya muses, “we don't want Jon to die.”

They pick up Marg on the way to Robb's (Marg takes one look at her outfit, raises an eyebrow, and Sansa knows immediately that she's part of we all think so). When they get to the apartment, she does kind of regret the heels walking up three flights of stairs but that's washed away the minute she steps foot in the apartment and Jon's gaze sweeps her from head to toe with his drink frozen halfway to his lips.

She does her best to ignore him and talks to everyone else at the party (and discovers that the we all think so crew also includes Theon, Gendry, Asha, Jeyne, Beth, and Hot Pie, somehow). Maybe she's being petty when she dances with one of Robb's friends from work. Maybe that's why she put on the costume in the first place, because she's petty (and, ok, yes, it hurts to be rejected so thoroughly, to be ignored for months after you kiss someone).

Jon and Ygritte don't look like they're having fun (Jon never looks like he's having fun with her, she's all wrong for him) and it doesn't give Sansa a sense of satisfaction like she thought it might. Instead she's just sad and she finds herself on the balcony, shivering, because of course she didn't wear a jacket.

When a flannel settles over her shoulders, she turns to see Jon lean against the railing next to her. They stand in silence for a while.

“Even if you don't want me, you shouldn't be with her.” It's not what she wanted to say, but it's true. Jon isn't happy with Ygritte, never has been.

He sighs and rubs a hand over his face but he doesn't argue. “Arya's already told me I'm an idiot.”

“She's not wrong.” He glowers at her and she never thought she'd be so happy to be frowned at.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” he asks after a bit. “I think we should talk.”

“Why can't we talk now?”

“Because I need to take Ygritte home and I can't have a proper conversation with you when you're wearing that.”

She blushes and he gives her a smile and he lets his eyes fall to the costume again, now half hidden under his flannel. He sighs and then heads inside and she has to stay on the balcony because now she's very warm.

Tomorrow.

[madamebaggio]

Notes: Following this piece of fluff, because those family feels are killing me and I love them and I want them to be a familyyyyyyyy!

***

The next day, Arthur was walking around the keep looking for Cat, but couldn’t find her anywhere. Eventually he found a maid from the house and managed to ask her.

“Lady Cat fell into a washbasin and got soaked wet, so her mother told her to stay in her room and get warm.”

It sounded like an interesting story; he’d have to ask the little lady about it later. Arthur thanked the maid and carried on.

***

During dinner the next day, Lady Cat was still nowhere to be seen.

“Lady Stark, how is Cat?” He asked his hostess.

“She’s a little indisposed.” She told him. “So she’s still resting.”

That was when he noticed the signs of fatigue on the lady. She’d probably was caring for her daughter besides her duties as warden.

***

In the next morning, Arthur was looking for Lady Stark, because he wanted to give Cat something to make her happier. He’d carved a eagle figurine a while back and he’d been carrying it around. He thought it might make her smile.

“Ser Brienne.” He nodded at the tall woman. “Is Lady Cat better?”

Her expression put Arthur immediately on alert. “Actually, Your Majesty, she has a high fever; it came during the night. Lady Sansa is by her bedside.”

Arthur felt a knot on his throat. He asked the lady knight for directions to Cat’s room.

He knocked on the door and found Lady Stark exactly as Brienne had said: by her daughter’s bedside. Cat seemed to be asleep, a cold compress to her forehead.

“Your Majesty.” Lady Stark was about to get up when she saw him, but Arthur made a gesture for her to remain seated.

“It’s fine, Lady Stark. How is she?”

The woman sighed. “The fever won’t go down, but at least now she managed to sleep.”

Arthur could see how exhausted the lady looked. She was already tired the night before, and he suspected she hadn’t slept at all.

“I know I should be leaving soon…” He told her. “But if you’d be so kind as to allow me, I would impose on your hospitality just a bit more.” He looked at Cat. “Just until she gets better.”

Lady Stark gave him a tired smile. “She’ll be happy knowing you waited for her. She’s grown fond of you.”

“I have that effect on ladies.” He joked, but it was weak.

***

It was a crying maid that made Arthur realize that Cat might be worse. He didn’t stop to think; he just ran all the way to her room.

He didn’t know why exactly -sure, she was a lovely child, but she wasn’t his. However, the idea that Cat might be too sick, that something could happen…

He barged into her room, decorum and proper conduct completely forgotten, only to find Lady Stark crying.

“Is Cat…”

“Her fever is so high.” She told him, tears coming down in rivulets. “If it doesn’t come down soon…”

“Is there anything that can be done?”

She just shook her head.

“Lady Stark…”

“I’ve lost so many people already.” She told him, all her walls down, her soul bared in fear and grief. “I can’t lose her.”

“You won’t.” Arthur vowed, knowing this wasn’t a promise he could keep, much less make. “She’s strong, she’ll get better.”

She covered her face and her shoulders started shaking. Lady Stark might be the lady of Winterfell and he was a visiting King and it was hardly proper, but he couldn’t just stand there as she broke down in front of him.

King Arthur of England hugged Lady Stark, Warden of the North, and she collapsed against him.

***

Cat’s fever wouldn’t go; she’d show signs of recovery, only to get worse again. The maester was worried that, if this didn’t end soon, the little girl might not…

Arthur couldn’t even think about the possibility. He could only begin to comprehend what Lady Stark was going through, and the fear in her heart…

It was probably a devastating force.

He went by to see Cat one day and found only her nanny there. Lady Stark was in one of her very rare breaks from her daughter’s side.

Cat was pale, looking small and fragile on her bed. Arthur sat close under the watchful gaze of the nanny and kept silent watch over her. He didn’t know what to say, so he just stayed quiet.

After some time he’d been there, Cat started moving. “Cat?” He called.

“Mom?” She called, her voice tearful and weak.

“Get Lady Stark!” Arthur ordered the nanny. “Now.” As the woman hurried away, he picked up Cat’s delicate hand. “Cat? It’s Arthur.”

“Mom?” She called again, clearly not hearing him.

Arthur held her hand and made soothing noises until Lady Stark arrived in the room, gathering her daughter in her arms. She sat on the bed and pressed her lips to the girl’s forehead.

“I think…” Her voice was tremulous. “I think her fever is going down.” She gave him a  relieved smile and Arthur just smiled back.

***

Cat’s fever did go down, fortunately. The little girl was still weak and needed to recover in bed, but she was much better.

“You really have to go?” She pouted as Arthur visited for the last time before leaving.

“I do, Lady Cat.” He told her with sincere regret. “My home needs me.”

“Winterfell could be your home.” She insisted.

“Really?” He asked, grinning at her.

“Yes. You could stay and meet uncle Jon and Aunt Arya.”

The other famous Starks. Arthur did want to meet them, but they would arrive in a fortnight, and he should’ve gone back to Camelot a week ago.

“I wish I could, Little Cat, but I have to go.”

Her pout got more pouty. “But I like you.” She insisted.

This wasn’t going to be easy, was it? “I like you too.”

Then her face became bright, like she’d just had the most brilliant idea ever. “You can marry my mom and become my dad.”

Well, fuck.

Fuck.

Arthur didn’t know those simple words would hit him so fucking hard.

He knew that, at some point, he’d have to marry and have children, but he hadn’t felt the need for it. He’d never dreamed of having a family before, but now…

Cat’s words packed a punch, one he wasn’t prepared for. The idea was much more attractive than he thought it’d ever be.

However, this was the pure heart of a child. Arthur couldn’t say he’d marry Lady Stark, just because he’d suddenly become greedy and wished he could have a daughter like Cat. This was hardly mature of him.

“It’d be a great honor to be your dad, Cat.” He told her honestly. “But your mother deserves a husband that loves her dearly, don’t you think?”

“Why can’t you love my mom?” She asked confused.

“We’ve barely know each other.” He pointed out.

“But she’s pretty. And so smart and gives the best hugs. Loving her is easy, I promise.” She insisted.

Well, fuck again.

What should he do?

That was exact the moment Lady Stark chose to enter the room.

“Lady Stark.” Arthur hurried before Cat decided to share her plan. “I’d like to invite you and Cat to visit Camelot.”

“That’s really kind of you, Your Majesty.” She replied as graciously as ever.

“When can we go?” Cat asked immediately.

“You have to get better first. Besides, uncle Jon and aunt Arya are coming, remember?”

It was clear that Cat was now divided between going to Camelot and seeing her family.

“Camelot will stay there.” Arthur told her gently. “Waiting for you. I promise.”

Cat gave him a shaky nod.

“And you keep your eagle, and take care of Cake and your mom…” He told her, gently holding her hand. “I’ll see you soon and I’ll show you everything you wish to see in Camelot.”

“Promise?” She asked, a big fat tear rolling down her round cheeks.

“I do, Lady Cat. I’ll see you again.”

“Soon.” Lady Stark called. “It’ll be soon.”

Arthur looked at her, unable to hold in a smile. “Soon it is.”

[scarmander]

Women, power and anger

An analysis of Game of Throne’s misogyny regarding Daenerys Targaryen in the last two seasons.

This is a very long rant. It’s over 4000 words. I needed to get this off my chest because it helps with my grieving process. 

A quick summary: I try to figure out when the show decided they wanted to go with the ‘Mad Queen’ bullshit theory. I try to undertand why they’ve done her so dirty lately. Spoiler alert. It’s not pretty.

So, if you want to know 

Game of Thrones has been known for its brutality, its shocking twists and deaths and ruthless scriptwriting. It is also known for having ‘strong’ female characters amidst broken journeys and fallen heroes. In a sea of raped, enslaved, prostituted and belittled women our female protagonists were born. From those patriarchaly imposed positions of subordination Daenerys Stormborn, Yara Greyjoy, Missandei of Naath, Brienne of Tarth, Sansa Stark and Arya Stark were hatched from the fossilized shells of the broken bodies and souls the male characters had made of them. They rose from their own ashes, time and time again, made themselves stronger with every blow men would throw their way. We watched them grow, evolve, fear, feel, fail and win for years, watched them become more than what their society wanted them to be, more than what they were allowed to be. They became rule-breakers, game changers, rulers and warriors. But that was until the show had decided that the end was coming and everything ought to be put back into order. The patriarchal one, that is.

It is my belief that everything changed the moment when Daenerys Targaryen, undoubtedly the most empowered and powerful woman on this show, decided to sail for Westeros with her fleet, three female allies (Yara Greyjoy, Ellaria Sand, Olenna Tyrell), the three dragons she had given birth to and the ‘largest army the world had ever seen’. Imagine the audacity of a woman accomplishing all of that. So, it is on this character that I will put my focus on, I’m also super fucking biased, but whatever, I would gladly do an entire essay on how they’re ruining every female character in this show. Anyway, back to Dany T. main female protagonist, the woman with the most amount of screen time (behind the two male protagonists Jon and Tyrion).

Let’s talk about the audience’s opinion of Daenerys. Truth be told, Daenerys’ influence and might as a character has already greatly surpassed the show’s realm, and that for a very long time. Even in the first seasons where she didn’t actually get that much screen time, she made a mark. And she has grown increasingly more so over the years. She has become an icon of pop culture to the point where people who are unfamiliar with the show recognize her. Now, this might have in part been facilitated by her peculiar looks and strange-sounding name, but Daenerys Targaryen is known worldwide for having power. She is primarily known for one thing: she has dragons. She’s the Dragon Queen, the Mother of Dragons. And those dragons are the physical representation of her inner strength. The only reason she has those dragons is because she walked into her husband’s funeral pyre and hatched them from stone like she hatched herself out of the stony shell of a weary, fearful teenage girl the world had forced her into being. And out of that pyre came out dragons and a woman with so much might the world watched in awe. Some people may call her Khaleesi, an unusual title which has stuck into people’s minds to the point where non-watchers recognize the title as her name. She is the most recognizable character in the show to the point where her hair colour has been a trend that has become every hair stylist’s worst nightmare, where people have named their children and pets after her and her title. She is also noticeably the show’s best marketing strategy, she is the one with the most personally dedicated amount of merchandising, and is relentlessly used by HBO’s marketing team to promote the show. But I digress. Sort of. The amount of power her character has both on and off-screen is indisputable and is probably what led us to the gigantic mess that has been season 8. She has too much power. Even away from the show’s narrative. She has had an impact on women. She has marked us, branded us with her might. And the show does not know how to handle this.

So, Daenerys, one of the most iconic female characters of this generation goes to Westeros. Unluckily for her, her arrival into Westeros also coincided into her arriving into the male protagonist’s territory. And that was the show’s last straw in deciding to let women have that much power. This is her fatal flaw, existing in the same realm as the male protagonist. The writers realized right then and there that they had greatly miscalculated. Because of how much power they had let Daenerys accumulate over the years she had spent far far away from the male protagonist’s character arc, she had become a threat to the sacred male character’s hero journey.  See, that’s the issue with having a strong female character that you let grow into her own power for 7 seasons, where she is free to go into conflict with men after men after men who all share the same unlucky traits: they are all both non-white and not the main male protagonist. So, Daenerys brings them all to their doom, they try to tackle her, try to diminish her, take her power away. They try, all of them, so many times. And they all inevitably fail. Because she is powerful. And men and women alike bow to her when they realize her might and her power. She is a goddess incarnate, dragons or not. She is so powerful fire dares not harm her. She is unique, mystical, mythical and strong. And not only is she powerful and strong, she is beloved by her people, her own soldiers follow her not out of fear but out of complete devotion, because she frees them, gives them the freedom she had wished someone would give her and finally realized she had to give to herself. She is a woman. She is their mother. She has power. She frees people, loves them, inspires them and has so much power the world shakes beneath her feet and fire fears her wrath.

And then comes season 7, along with Jon Snow, D&D, and Tyrion’s shitty battle plans. Whatever, it’s all one and the same. It’s all there to take her out piece by piece. That’s it, that’s been the show for two seasons now and I wish I had realized it earlier. I mean, I had my moments of realization here and there, but damn was I severely unprepared.

In Season 7 episode 2, Daenerys has a council made up of 4 women (Olenna, Ellaria, Yara, Missandei) and 3 men (Varys, Tyrion, Theon – and I’m only including Theon out of pity). By episode 3, Daenerys has 1 woman – Missandei, who unlike the other women does not advise her on military tactics – left in her council, and just as many men. Hell, by episode 5, she has gained three more men who ‘advise’, or more accurately question her every move. Jorah (I mean not you bby, come back to us), Jon and Davos, who is more of a comic relief personal pep-talker than anything else. But Varys and Tyrion’s advice grows like ivy and tries to strangle Daenerys from every angle. They try to control her more and more with every episode.

How the hell did I not notice right there and then where this was going? I don’t know, call me blinded by love.

How the hell did Daenerys end up with so few women left in her council? Men happened. The writers, the characters, all of them. That is literally the first thing they did to her storyline in season 7. It went something like this:

1) Get Daenerys to Dragonstone.

2) Get Ellaria and Yara out and destroy some of those ships, she has too many ships, that’s bad, can’t have her be too powerful.

3) Get Olenna out, but like, not at the exact same time because that would be too conspicuous, let’s wait another episode or two. Oh, and take out some of those Unsullied soldiers and even more of her fleet.

4) After one fucking badass battle let’s kill two random traitor assholes who have sided with the queen who murdered their former queen and daughter of their liege lord, their liege lord, their liege lord’s son and a good chunk of King’s Landing’s population on the field of battle who have refused her generous offer to get their titles and lands back if they just join her against the murderous queen. And also that one offer of going to the wall to protect the realm. They refuse. She kills them. Tough luck, bitch. Bad choice, should have probably offered them a cup of tea and a warm blanket instead as they went back to King’s Landing to fight you and kill your army at their nearest convenience. You fucked up because idk, Dickon was kinda hot I guess. Yeah and also they have names and one relative people know on the show, so that’s bad for you. Randyll and Dickon Tarly. You don’t know it yet, but this one is gonna be bad for you because you are now evil and your hand and his shitty bff are now saying you are mad. Maybe you should have been, maybe you should have killed them both too. If only. Sigh.

5) Have her lose a dragon. Give it to the Night King instead, she is too powerful.

6) Have her fall in love with the man who would bring her doom. Have her save his life. Have her think that maybe she deserves something good as she grieves her child’s death. They decide he’s the one who is going to kill her. Because having her become mad isn’t bad enough. She has to be killed by the one man she has let herself love not out of obligation but out of mutual admiration.

7) Make her promise to help defeat the Night King and go North to fight him.

Now, they take all that away from her. But they give her a love story with Jon Snow in return. And you think, alright, at least she’s not alone in this world.

And then we move on to season 8. The ultimate acceleration of events because they realized that they needed to wrap this shit up and that people didn’t hate her enough. So, Season 8 is where you learn that the plot twist to end them all was that Jon Snow was going to be the one who destroyed everything Daenerys has and is and will be the death of her. Groundbreaking work there. I wonder if GRRM has the same ending planned. So here’s the plan in Season 8:

1) Get Daenerys to WinterHell. Everyone is behaving like assholes. Bran is a cold little bitch who’s like “remember your dragon? Your dead dragon? He’s back and now he wants us all dead yayyy” and she has like zero seconds to process it because ‘we don’t have time for all this’. But you know what we have time for? Sansa hating her. The xenophobic MAGAs hating her. That’s valuable screentime. Sansa hates her for daring to bring her SoLdIeRs to her HoUsE and her DrAgOnS who she can’t believe are there to fight. Sansa brings up food issues when she knows the wall has been breached and the Night King is bound to arrive very shortly. She knows Daenerys isn’t going to stay here very long. Doesn’t matter. She (the writers) wants to be angry and petty and so she is. Because we couldn’t possibly have women collaborating on this show. Not after last season! Notice how they left out every single woman in Dany’s circle? Cause who would want THAT. Am I right MEN? I hope the meninists are having a good time.

2) Jon doesn’t comfort her much, doesn’t defend her much. He’s there. Like, he’s a physical man who barely says anything and is there. His purpose is to be… There, I guess. Good for him. He has everyone’s support anyway. He’s a man and he’s there. That’s all they ask of him. He’s not formally the King but he is the King anyway. He has the power. He makes the decisions. He’s a man.

3) Daenerys gives Jon access to her dragon. The one she gave metaphorical birth to. The one she walked into a pyre for. He has it. He has access to her power.

4) Jon now knows who he is. The man who tells him is that one relative of the family that Daenerys killed last season. He hates her. He tells Jon to take her throne, that it’s his anyway because he’s a man. He says that Daenerys is evil and should bend the knee to him. Jon then ignores Daenerys for at least an entire day while she has to face the man who killed her father, made her a homeless orphan on the run who lived on the streets, in fear, running away from assassins. She is angry but listens to a woman’s tale about him, asks for Jon’s opinion on the matter. She lets him have the decision.

5) The Night King comes. Daenerys’ armies are first in line and defend WinterHell with everything they have. Daenerys herself is first in line. Jon Snow wants to wait around. Daenerys has a sudden jolt of independence run through her spine, claims back her own authority and climbs on her dragon, burns as many wights as she can. Jon Snow follows her mechanically, like a lost puppy, gets attacked by the Night King and Viserion. This injures Rhaegal. Daenerys knocks evil Mr. Freeze down from HER precious bby boy and tries to burn him. It doesn’t work. She saves Jon’s life a second time in the process. And then a third, risking her and her dragon’s life for him. She ends up on the ground, with her oldest friend with a sword made of dragonglass and fights for her life. Her oldest friend dies in her arms.

6) And so it goes down from here.

This is the moment you’d think SOMEONE somewhere would show the tiniest fucking bit of sympathy, of gratitude. And they don’t.

What we got instead in Episode 4 was Daenerys being alone as Jon was being praised for her accomplishments. Jon falls upward as Daenerys faces consequences for her actions, good or bad, it doesn’t matter. Daenerys faces consequences because the show wants her to. She is alone. She begs Jon not to tell anyone about his ‘rightful claim’. He betrays her and tells his family. She has warned him Sansa can’t be trusted. Turns out Sansa can’t be trusted. And on it goes as Sansa, Tyrion and Varys plot behind her back to make sure that Jon falls upward for the uptenth time, Varys even going as far as to suggest killing her. His reason is that she is a woman and he can’t control her. That is Daenerys’ biggest crime on this show. And it won’t let her live it down. Hell, they’ll kill her for it. There is talk of a wedding between Jon and Daenerys. Somehow this is a bad idea because she is too strong and cannot be controlled.

She is too strong. Too much. Too powerful. That is Daenerys’ problem. She is too much and too much of a she. She is a dragon they cannot tame.

7) And just because she hasn’t had enough already they kill another one of her dragons for shock value, out of nowhere, with no purpose whatsoever but to show that they could. That she would be ‘mad’. That this somehow was the point of her character. It feels gross and unjustified.

8) And then, because why the fuck not at this point, fam, they go and execute Missandei. It has no purpose other than to show us that they put a former slave back into chains to kill her, to make Daenerys and Greyworm angry. That is what her life is worth. Her value will be the sum of two other character’s madness level.

And the countdown accelerates.

Let’s go back to when everything changed for Daenerys Targaryen. Let’s go back to Season 7, Episode 3. The moment where Daenerys Targaryen met with Jon Snow, hero extraordinaire, broody, rugged, manly and characteristically lacking of ambition. Jon Snow is a Bildungsroman’s wetdream of a protagonist. A poor little bastard boy hated and mistreated by his (semi-evil) stepmother who somehow rises to great heights despite everything adversity has thrown his way and who somehow ends up being the Chosen One to lead them all out of the darkness and to fight evil. Like Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins, King Arthur and countless other Christ-like figures before him, Jon Snow is good. That’s it, that’s all there is. That’s all you need to know about him, that’s all the story wants you to know about him. He is good. Sure he makes mistakes, but he’s good. He’s killed a child but he had his reasons, he killed a man begging for his life, but he had disobeyed him. He is good. And to top it all off, the lucky bastard just might happen to be a man. He is therefore the Chosen One. He is thus because he is He.

In Season 7, Episode 2 when Melisandre introduced to the audience the show’s own version of an Arthurian prophecy – Azor Ahai or: ‘the prince that was promised will bring the dawn’ – the show had its last inkling of an ability to pretend that they could somehow have a woman be a hero. Daenerys’ only female adviser and personal translator Missandei of Naath (a former slave they had captured and chained last episode just to kill her, in case you’d ever think the only woman of color in this show could die as a free woman) pointed out that that the High Valyrian word for ‘prince’ is genderless and that it could mean that Daenerys might also fit that prophecy. They also introduced the idea that BOTH Daenerys and Jon would play a role in this. I was fine with this. I thought all of their parallels from previous seasons meant that their fates were linked and that they would be two sides of the same coin.

If only the show had stopped right there. If only they hadn’t even tried to bring that up when they didn’t need to, when they didn’t even need to pretend to care. I’m wondering what the purpose of this line was. What was the meaning? A red herring? A last sliver of hope? Their last attempt at trying to pretend women mattered as more than canon fodder to further narratives, as more than bodies to be used and killed for entertainment’s purposes? It doesn’t matter. The very next episode sent off the ticking time bomb on Daenerys’ life.

In Season 7 Episode 3, Daenerys Targaryen met Jon Snow. The writers called it “A meeting of Ice and Fire” continuing on their claim that this is what the entire show had been leading up to, that even in Season 1, GRRM had told them that this was important, that the story was about these two characters coming together. I was pumped. I was rejoicing. The whole meaning of the show was right in front of me. And here’s how it happened: they made Daenerys look smug and entitled, having Jon Snow look humble and measured in comparison and when I watched it, I was taken aback, I didn’t understand what they were doing. I remember thinking that the way they were framing it looked weird because she was just as much of a protagonist as he was. I had been stupid enough to think the show could have a female protagonist when they already had a male protagonist.

The show wanted you to side with Jon Snow. The show wanted to make it clear that if you had to choose between Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, you would choose Jon Snow. Humble, measured, naïve, male Jon Snow.

The ‘General Audience’ caught onto that. The moment Daenerys’ set her eyes on Jon Snow, she had lost. You should go and have a look on the comments of the Youtube videos of their first meeting. On that day, Daenerys was the villain. She lost that day, because she was in the man’s way. Because she spoke to him and didn’t bow. Because she stood there, fire and might, and didn’t let him take everything from her right on the spot. He was asking her to lay her entire life’s goals aside to help him with nothing in return. She was painted as arrogant for not bending to him and his will on the spot.

If only things had stayed that way. If only she’d stayed ‘arrogant’ and hadn’t let him close. Would she still become ‘mad’? Would she still lose it all anyway to make sure he would get it all in the end? Probably. Because why not? Why would the show give the most powerful woman any other outcome?

I guess the moral of this story is that women are only allowed to have power as long as it doesn’t interfere with a man’s ability to have more power than they do. And isn’t that what Varys has been telling us in the latest episode? That Daenerys and Jon would never be able to rule together because she was too strong for him and would bend him to her will? Because what could be worse than a strong woman having power? A strong woman potentially having power over a man. And so the ticking clock went off on Daenerys’ life. Her time has run out, because the show needs to have the male hero to win over everything, and if he can’t because a woman is in the way of the inherent inevitable male-centric greatness he will stumble and fall into reaching... Well then, it’s the woman’s fault and she angry and mad. So Daenerys will be mad and angry and hysterical and evil and he will kill her. Take that, woman she show tells you. Take that and die. We don’t need you when we have a male protagonist.

In a way, this show will end quite like the fairy tales warned us it would. The white knight, the Chosen One, the Prince that was promised, in his shining armour of goodness will swoop in and kill the evil dragon(Queen) to save the realm. And if this is a fairy tale then the dragon had it coming for daring to stand in the hero’s way. Perhaps the dragon ought to have apologized and stepped aside, perhaps the dragon ought to have known its place. Perhaps the fairy tale’s magic kingdom should have stopped the dragon’s rise before. And they did try. All of those men are knights, even the worst slavers of them all. Knights because they fought the dragon. They died trying to take her down. Perhaps they were right, then to try and defeat her. Perhaps it is sad, after all that the dragon took those poor men down. But it’s alright, the male protagonist will win. Because that’s what he does.

But if this is winning then why does it feel like rage and fire?

Because somehow the dragon is every woman. “You are a dragon” is what this show is telling me, as if that was a bad thing. “You are a dragon. You are too much. You ask too much. We will not bow to you, begone, be slain, you are in the man’s way. You are a hiccup in his rise to greatness. You will be killed prophetically and be swept aside and the hero, the man – the words somehow become synonymous – will inevitably win. And down you will go, defeated and broken. You and your might. You and your will. You and your power. Bow to us, woman, to our will, wishes, words and actions. Bow to us.”

The show wants me and you to know that. The show wants you to see what happens to women who stand in the way of men’s ascension to power, who are too powerful, who are too much for the story to handle. You are a dragon and you will die.

But dragons are fire made flesh risen from the ashes and dragons do not go down without a fight.

In a show that wants women to gaze adoringly at the male protagonists, women like Daenerys Targaryen have no place. They have no place because the show cannot fathom how someone could take her seriously, could value her efforts and her strengths when men are… There. That’s all they need to be.

And from that same patriarchal cesspool of a show/fictional society was also born Cersei Lannister, evil queen incarnate. She was the protagonists’ – male and female –  foil, their enemy, and she still is somehow, but she is also apparently doomed to be the female protagonist’s future. Cersei is evil because she has power. Cersei is bad because she is a madwoman. Cersei is all of your fairy tale’s evil spinsters. Cersei is in the way of a man’s greatness. And Cersei is Daenerys’ future as much as she is Sansa’s, or mine or yours. Bow down, women. Or be villains.

And so, in Season 8 Episode 4, as they tried to tear down at the last piece’s of the main female protagonist’s might they ignited the enraged fire that women try to swallow back down with every breath, for fear of being slain for having shown too much power and might. And the audience has never loved Daenerys more than it does now. The audience has done the unexpected. People who hated her now want her to burn the world down. People who already loved her have never wanted her to use her might as much as they do now.

“Dracarys” was Missandei’s last word. The show didn’t seem to realize it was a call to arms. “Women everywhere, join her and burn it down” seems to be the meaning the audience got from Missandei. I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

The show wants me to think that ‘Dracarys’ was meant to take down the Cerseis of the world. It didn’t realize it made me want to take it down.

Maybe the show is right, maybe I, too, am a dragon ready to be slain. But if that’s the case I’m not going down without burning everything to the ground. Try and take me down, assholes.

[foreverreadingbeautifulbooks]

Jonsa Fic Recs: Modern AU WIPS

There are so many amazing Jonsa Modern AU fanfics that I am enjoying the hell out of right now that I wanted to recommend some of them to you guys! Holy crap I’m subscribed to all of these and I’m just so excited whenever there is an update because all of them are sssoooo good! Go leave all the kudos and comments on all these fics because these authors deserve so much love! (My flailing on why I love each of these fics is in italics below.)

A Past Worth Having by Honorificabilitudinitatibus

    Rating: Teen      Current Word Count: 36,311

Summary: When the eldest daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark is stolen from her bed as a child, the Westerosi media seize upon the investigation, dubbing it ‘the case of the century’. Several years later, tragedy strikes the family again, as Lysa Arryn vanishes into thin air with her son, Robert.

Eighteen years after the Stark Kidnapping, WBI Special Agent Oberyn Martell- investigating the Arryn case- walks into a small coffee shop in Braavos, nearly tripping over his own feet when his order is taken by the girl whose face has been on every 'missing child' poster in Westeros for the last two decades.

When Sansa discovers that she is the missing Stark child, she's suddenly and violently thrust into a media spotlight that she’s in no way prepared for. Amidst reuniting with a family she doesn’t remember and steeling herself to testify against the man who raised her, she meets Jon Snow. He isn’t family- not biologically at least- but he’s a calming presence in the storm that has become her life, and he might be the only person in the world who doesn’t expect anything of her.

The one where Sansa Stark is discovered to be the Westerosi version of the Lindbergh baby, but things turn out better, if more complicated.

I’m so excited every time I get an e-mail about a new chapter for this fic because the plot is to die for! Not only that, but every single character has been perfectly characterized so far! Sansa is so incredibly brave and strong and I adore everything about her. Arya is caring and sassy and I can’t get enough of the developing relationship between the Stark sisters. Ellaria and Oberyn are so smart and kind that I’m falling in love with them all over again. And of course, Jon is amazing and I’m already in love! Go read this incredible fic right now!

Also, I did not read the tags as closely as I should have and was absolutely delighted to discover that Elia and Lyanna both dumped Rhaegar's idiot ass and got together to raise their kids (which to be honest is what we all wish had happened in GOT).

baby, I’m the whole damn meal by @cat-stark

     Rating: Teen      Current Word Count: 10,904

Summary: Jon had never really given much thought to cosplayers before. There were characters he loved enough to rant about for hours on the internet, sure, but he had never felt the inclination to dress as one before.

Now he was starting to seriously rethink that policy.

- or -

It starts the way any good romance should. At Comic Con.

Okay, I love pretty much everything this author has written (like seriously, I have like four other fics they’ve written that are definitely going to make it onto other rec lists), but I have to flail about this one for a moment because it is too cute for words. Jon and Sansa are so into each other from the get-go and it is absolutely adorable to watch. I can’t wait for the next chapter, whenever it is posted. <3

Tipsy in a Red Push Up Bra by @tacitwhisky

    Rating: Mature      Current Word Count: 21,320

Summary: Of course the first time Sansa Stark sees Jon Snow in God knows how long, the first time since they lost the house and she’d come to live with her aunt Lysa, it would have to be at a house party where she’s already tipsy on schnapps. And of course it would have to be the one time she’s wearing the ridiculous red push up bra Margaery talked her into buying.TLDR: Tipsy Sansa in a red push up bra. What could go wrong?

This fic, guys! This one is filled to the brim with Jonsa feels and Stark sister feels and I just can’t get enough of both. I adored the way that Jon and Sansa tried so hard to be there for each other through hard times facing family and dealing with grief. I love it!

I am a Heart on Fire by thewolvescalledmehome

   Rating: Not Rated      Current Word Count: 42,970

Summary: Both Jon and Sansa are reeling from the loss of Robb Stark. Sansa is mourning her older brother, her protector, her savior. Jon is mourning his brother-in-arms and the closest thing he's ever had to a family. They both flee to Winterfell and realize that maybe they don't have to go through this alone.

This fic is so sweet and sad! Sansa and Jon feeling and sharing their grief has literally brought me to tears so be careful where you read this one if you don’t want people to see you crying. The PTSD is so well-written and excellent psychology in fics (and in general) is one of my favorite things! Also, the Starks are all incredible and Ghost is the goodest boy! 

The Big Bang Theory by zarahjoyce

  Rating: General Audiences      Current Word Count: 11,372

Summary: Theon: Knowing Jon, if left to fend for himself he would probably get the nerve to ask her out some time around never Margaery: And Sansa will probably be happy to wait for him until he makes his move Margaery: Unless she dies of old age first Arya: So we're just speeding things along. Make them happy together. Robb: Jesus, Arya, ever since you started dating Gendry you've turned into such a fucking romantic Arya: THAT'S A FUCKING LIE ROBB YOU TAKE THAT BACK OR I'LL SLIT YOUR THROAT

I end up cackling every time there is an update for this fic because it is freaking hilarious. The entire fic is written as texts in various group chats between the Starks and their friends and it is the best.  Oh my gosh, Jon and Sansa are so awkward and Theon is the biggest drama queen in the entire world.

Check out more of my Jonsa fic rec lists here!