Seven Dreams One Kingdom

16-Sansa

Sansa

With only three weeks to prepare fore the wedding, Sansa had been furiously sewing her cloak and gown from what little material was available in the castle after it had been burned down and ransacked since it was last inhabited by the Starks. She had managed to purchase some cotton and wool from the clothier; and some beadings from the haberdashery in Winter Town, albeit not of the finest quality. Fortunately Lord Manderly had been able to acquire some silks and Myrish lace to be sent with the Dragonstone caravan from White Harbor, as well as cases of the finest Dornish red and Arbor gold. He had told them these were gifts redress his actions when it came to not helping re-take Winterfell. She knew Jon would find them frivolous and unnecessary, but forging alliances was sometimes more valuable than money. A wedding was an opportunity to talk trade and make deals, good wine helped sweeten those deals. This was something Sansa had learned from her time with Cersei and Littlefinger. Show just enough wealth to give a sense of power, without appearing too frivolous to upset the smallfolk, the latter being a concept which neither of her tutors seemed to have grasped.

Unfortunately, the goods arriving from White Harbor, turned out to be too vast for the meagre sleighs House Cerwyn could offer, instead, Jon would have to take three of their own, along with six men to drive them and Tormund who wanted to go along for the ride.

When Jon climbed atop of his horse, he gave Sansa one last smile before setting off towards the gates, and leaving her. Ghost sidled up to Sansa, his nose nudging her arm. She rested her head against his. "He'll be back soon." she said, watching the sleighs riding out until the last horse had left and the gates were closed.

Although Sansa knew she needed to plot against Littlefinger, which she was already planning in the back of her mind, she had other work to do. It was already getting late in the day and planning for winter couldn't be put off. Therefore although she already knew what the stores were like, she needed to carry out the inspection. Sansa was believed to be inexperienced in running a castle, so she asked Maester Wolkan and Lord Royce to teach her the necessities. However in truth, it was an excuse to speak with Lord Royce to put her plan for Littlefinger in action.

That night Sansa woke from terrible nightmares of Ramsay with a knife in his hand, drawing a flayed man sigil over her heart; this was despite the presence of Ghost. Even if Jon had warged into the direwolf, Sansa couldn't sense it. She needed Jon in person. Once she had woken, she couldn't go back to sleep, so instead she began to go through the ledgers.

Sansa had asked to meet with Lord Royce and Maester Wolkan on the upper level of the courtyard, Littlefinger had also decided to join them, which was fine by Sansa, it would make her time with Lord Royce appear even more innocent. Down below, men were working in the courtyard, rolling carts of hay and carrying water, while the blacksmith was working the forge. One of the stables was being cleared to house the dragonglass, while work had already been started on one of the derelict kennels to house a new forge, specifically for Gendry.

The first item Sansa wanted to tackle was how much grain they had in the stores. "How much do we have?" she asked Maester Wolkan.

"Four thousand bushels, Your Grace." he replied.

"What does that mean?" Sansa knew the answer, but she couldn't let on how knowledgeable she was in these sorts of matters.

"For the current occupants of the castle it's enough food for a year, perhaps more." Lord Royce replied.

When Sansa began to walk, her companions followed. "It will have to have a meagre wedding feast and coronation." she sighed.

"I'm sure the Lords and Ladies of the North and the Vale can help with the wedding supplies." Lord Royce smiled, snapping his fingers at one of the vale men, who he whispered something in his ear before re-joining the inspection.