The Last Stag • Game of Thrones

38.

Chapter Thirty-Eight.
Ships in the Night.

"You're too nice." Sansa stood at Renfri's side as they watched Jon and Daenerys swoop low on their dragons overhead, their cries of joy lost on the wind. "If my ex-lover flaunted his happiness in front of me like that and I'd string him from his undergarments in the center of the courtyard."

"Doesn't surprise me," Renfri did not even bother to look up, concentrating on the parchment in her hands. "A man treated you worse and you fed him to his own hounds."

"And you tore one's throat out with your teeth." Sansa mused. She looked down at Goji, trotting between them. "I were you, I'd feed the next one to him. He's too skinny."

"Don't listen to her." Renfri looked over at the massive brown bear, who stood at eye level now. "She's a terrible influence."

Goji grunted, pushing his head into her side.

As a sign of good faith, Daenerys had the large bear waiting for her when they met the night prior. She recalled the argument, resisting the urge to grimace. Daenerys, reiterating that Renfri wasn't to speak a word of her capture to Jon. Renfri, having no choice but to accept.

Renfri had explained to Sansa about Daenerys holding her hostage, though she had first sworn the little Wolf to secrecy. How the pain of being near Jon - of looking in his eyes and remembering their son - was just too much to bear. How she didn't know where they stood with each other, not with Jon bending the knee to a Targaryen.

"Has Jon come to see you yet?" Sansa asked.

"Nope." Renfri popped her lips. "Not bothered though."

"Not- Ren, that's insane." Sansa stopped, turning to her. "You two were in love. You carried his son. You sound like an insane person."

"Yeah." Renfri looked back down at the parchment in her hands, the helm design staring back at her. "That's why I like to stay busy. Say, how do I get to the smithy from here? I've got a design I need made."

Sansa pointed vaguely towards the east wing, still clearly unsatisfied with the conversation. Ren rolled her eyes, whistling for Goji as she made off.

"She is a beautiful girl." Varys raised his eyebrows, watching her and the bear go from the bannister. "What an odd position she's been put in."

"Dunno what she's thinking." Davos muttered. "She could have the King in the North back with her with the snap of her fingers. Why's she letting him walk away?"

"Lovers fall out. It happens." Tyrion shrugged, hoping to prevent them from thinking deeper into the situation. "Perhaps they've simply moved on?"

"You didn't see them at Castle Black." Davos smacked his lips. "There's no just moving on from something that visceral."

Tyrion looked up, curling his lip.

"Ser Davos. Ew."

Unaware of the conversation, Renfri finally found her way to the forge, following the heat that radiated off the room. She pushed open the door, holding it open for Goji.

Hearing footsteps approach, Renfri looked up, raising her eyebrows. A man about her height with light colored eyes and shaved dark hair stared back at her.

"Afternoon." She greeted. She looked back down to the parchment in her hands. "I had these designs for a helm drawn up. I'd need it by week's end."

The man said nothing in response. She looked up, frowning.

His lips had parted, his eyes wide with surprise. Renfri looked over her shoulder, but there was nothing behind her.

"Okay..." She frowned, slowly turning back to the man. "What am I missing here?"