She Wolf • |Book 2|

• Chapter Nine •

Jon rode for White Harbor, taking with him a few good men and Ser Davos. Behind, remained Rhaella and Sansa, two completely different women with an understanding for one another that was never there before.

"I still think this to be a foolish idea. What if he does not come back?"

"Jon will come back," Rhaella watched from her position on the bailey beside Sansa. Below Jon and his men rode out, heading west. "Believe in him Sansa, he needs us to."

"It is quite hard to do when he does something like this. Robb rode south."

"Forgive me, but Robb was not Jon, nor could he have ever been. Robb was raised as a Lord's heir should have been while Jon was granted more freedom. Both boys are their father, that is certain, but they are different. Robb protected only those he loved. Jon protects his people."

She caught the look Sansa gave her and sighed, "Robb died for me. I know he did. He risked the lives of his men for me. I am sure he started with the motive to avenge your father but in the end his fall was for me. Jon, Jon would put his people before me. That is the king we need."

"And would you put your people before Jon?"

Sansa's question struck Rhaella. She had never considered it before, who she would put before the other. She never gave it any thought since she was only a wife before and then a captive. But now she was a queen, chosen by those who followed her long before she married Robb Stark.

"Only time will tell," she said at last. "What about you? If you were a queen, love or your people?"

"Only a foolish queen would put love before her people," Sansa replied, her sharp blue eyes peering into Rhaella's, almost challenging her.

"Mm," Rhaella turned away, "perhaps you are right."

A week had passed when Winterfell stirred to life after the arrival of a face long forgotten. Rhaella had been listening to the small council she and Sansa had selected when Sansa came in with word that Bran had returned home.

"I'm amazed," she sat beneath the weirwood tree across from Bran. "But perhaps I shouldn't, Jon came back too."

"You know about Jon," Bran said after some time, "You've always known."

"My sister told me," she admitted, "but swore me to secrecy."

"He should know."

"Perhaps he shouldn't," she would hate to see the kind of king he would become if he knew it was his birthright.

Bran stared directly at her, his eyes dark and filled with knowledge. She knew he was staring beyond, seeing what she was really thinking.

"You should tell him."

"He would look at me differently."

"He should know."

Rhaella frowned, "He should, yes I will agree to that, but we both know it is best if he does not."

"Is it?" Bran challenged.

"Is it not." She replied.

.a•n.

I post this short piece for two reasons, it's old and needed to go up, and because tonight was season 8's premiere and spoiler alert, I am so excited.

For this story, I actually want to rewrite it completely. But I also may just try to finish this and start a new story with a similar plot line.

Undecided.

By the way, these reunions have me in tears. All my babies, especially Arya 💕