DAGGERS TO THE HEART Part 2 - CLASH OF THE KINGS

Sansa VIII

Sansa found herself bewildered by how swiftly time had slipped away. Preparing for the looming threat of the Long Night was one matter, but readying herself to depart Queenscrown, perhaps indefinitely, presented an entirely different challenge. And amidst it all, she couldn't ignore the pressing task of organising Theon and Ygritte's upcoming wedding, regardless of her father's stance on the matter.

Those slated to accompany her to Winterfell included Robb, Sam, Gilly, Theon, Ygritte, Edd Tollett, Varys, and Tormund, along with approximately twenty soldiers who would journey alongside them. Tormund, ever adamant, insisted on ten Freefolk to represent their people at the wedding, and to forge lasting bonds with the northerners. Additionally, there were Ramsay and his four guards to consider, not to mention the dragon egg and the four direwolves.

What had initially seemed like a week's worth of preparation had now dwindled to a mere two days. Sansa could have delayed further, but the prospect of reuniting with Jon sooner rather than later spurred her on. Yet, uncertainty gnawed at her—she did not know when Jon would return to Winterfell. It had been over two moons since he and Arya departed Queenscrown, leaving her anxious for news from King's Landing. That was precisely why she had summoned Bran to her solar for assistance.

Ever since learning of Bran's unsettling discovery in Littlefinger's brothel, Sansa couldn't shake a sense of unease around him. His gaze seemed to linger on her in a disconcerting manner, as if he were trying to envision Sansa and Jon re-enacting the scenes he had witnessed in the brothel. Or worse yet, perhaps he had glimpsed their encounters in the cave through his greensight. Whatever knowledge Bran possessed, Sansa had no desire to uncover it.

Bran sat across from her as she arranged for the kitchens to send up some oatcakes, a modest offering from the earliest harvests of oats since Queenscrown's establishment. The process of identifying the best soil and crops had been time-consuming, but oats emerged as the most viable option for the present.

As Bran sampled a bite of the oatcakes, Sansa inquired, hoping for some positive feedback. "What do you think?" she asked.

"They're oatcakes," Bran replied with a furrowed brow, offering the expected response of a typical teenager.

Sansa, anticipating such brevity, steered the conversation toward the true purpose of their meeting. "I need to know what's been unfolding in King's Landing. Have you been keeping abreast of events since our last discussion?"

Bran nodded his head. "Jon rescued Shireen. He arrived at Dragonstone late last night. Joffrey is dead. Prince Oberyn has pledged his support to Jon and is expected to arrive at Dragonstone within the next couple of days. From there, they'll journey to Gulltown, where Jon intends to address Melisandre before making his way north to Winterfell."

"And Shireen?" Sansa inquired.

"She's travelling with Ser Davos. They'll be in White Harbor a few days ahead of Jon, likely reaching Winterfell in about a fortnight," Bran informed her.

Sansa nodded thoughtfully. "I'll need to write to Father and inform him of their impending arrival. Do we have any insight into Jon's intentions regarding Melisandre?"

Bran shook his head. "He hasn't divulged his plans to anyone. Frankly, I'm not certain he's decided himself."

Sansa sighed in frustration. "What does one do with someone as troublesome as they are valuable?"

Bran met her exasperation with a deadpan expression. "I'm twelve, how would I know?"

Their shared laughter broke the tension. "Is there anything else I should be aware of?" Sansa inquired.