Shadow of the Dragon Queen

12.

I walk to Tormund as we arrive on Dragonstone, he greets me with a smile.

"Are you ready to face the people of the North?" He asks, I grin.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

...

I sit within my cabin on our ship, brushing through my silver hair with only a small red dress of silk covering my skin, when there's a knock on the door. I open it to reveal Tormund, holding a glass vase full of bright red flowers.

"I meant to give these to you before we left Dragonstone, I found them around the castle while you were at King's Landing." He tells me, I smile at him as that familiar feeling of heat travels to my cheeks.

"Come in, set them beside the mirror. Thank you Tormund, your kindness never fails to make me smile." I shut the door behind him as he sets down the vase. He turns to face me with a smile on his face, seeming nervous to tell me something. "Is something on your mind?" I grin at him, feeling as though I know what he means to tell me. I gather my hair to one shoulder, sitting down atop the blankets on my bed.

"Princess, I-" He stops, walking to kneel in front of me. He takes my hand and looks up at me, I smile down at him. "When I first saw you, what I felt was an attraction to the way you held yourself, the way you looked walking into that throne room on Dragonstone. But since then, I have become attracted to everything that you are. The way you speak of those you love, your fierce leadership, the way you laugh, all of it. I could not go on knowing you any longer without telling you this." Butterflies circle within my stomach as I stare back into his eyes. I pull my hands from his and place them on his cheeks, he gently moves his hands to rest on the back of my calves.

"Tormund, you have been the shining light in my life since I met you." A smile grows even larger on his face. I lean down and place my lips onto his, he moves his hands to my hips as he gently kisses me.

"You do not know how long I have saved my kiss for you, Rhaenyra Targaryen."

...

Tormund offers me his hand as I come to a stop within the walls of Winterfell. I take it and slide from my horse, looking around at the massive stone walls of House Stark. I look up to see the red hair of Sansa Stark watching us, I offer her a smile in which she takes a moment to return. Tormund places a hand on the small of my back and leads me inside the walls following Jon. Odanno and Kivi remain only steps behind.

"I looked forward to meeting you since we left Dragonstone, Lady Stark. Jon has told me much about you." I say, offering a small bow to her. She studies me for a moment before offering a gentle smile.

"Jon has sent me many ravens about you, and your beliefs. I notice they don't always match your Queen's." I nod to Odanno and he rushes Kivi along to take my things to my bed chambers.

"Daenerys and I have very different views of how to approach Westeros and the North." We walk through the halls and onto the balconies outside. "I have never agreed with her idea that all of Westeros should bow to her simply based on family name. Our family name is not exactly one with the fondest memories behind it, which is why I would have never advised Jon to bend the knee to her." She looks at me in surprise.

"You did not think he should bow to her?" I shake my head.

"I believe that House Targaryen and House Stark would make powerful allies. I don't believe it is wise to force the people of the North into submission. This is how Daenerys will lose any and all support from them." She looks to me and a small smile grows on her face.

"I'm glad you have come to Winterfell, anyone else with some sense is one I will gladly call a friend." She looks out over her home, the people of the north tending to horses and preparing hot meals. "We should head inside, Jon will want to call his bannermen together soon."