Rightfully Mine // Ned Stark

104. Breathe

'I just... I just...' sasha couldn't breathe.

'sasha breathe.' Ned requested running a calming hand up and down her arms. 'I need you to breathe, youre having a panic attack.' She needed to draw breath, but a heavy weight settled atop her chest. 'listen to my voice... closer your eyes... just feel the waves.' He instructed leading her to the water. The waves crashing into her legs she closed her eyes still gasping for breath. 'listen to sounds of the ocean.' He instructed. 'breathe in the salty air.' He whispered in her ear, warpping his arms around her. she felt herself calming down. Ned felt her relax in his arms. 'in and out with the waves.' He told her. 'breathe in...' she took a shaky breath in. 'breathe out...' a shaky breath out. 'in... out... in... out...' sasha nodded tipping her head against ned.

'thank you.' Sasha told him softly turning around and burying her face in his chest.

'of course.' He cradled her to him kissing her head. 'I wont let anything happen to you.' He assured her.

'shes going to kill us all if jon doesn't bend the knee.' Sasha remarked. 'you know how she got her armies? Made a name for herself?' sasha questioned. 'she oblivated everything in her path to get what she wanted.' Ned just kissed her head again keeping her close.

'don't think about her.' he said finally. 'if this is to our last few days... lets enjoy them.' he told her. grabbing her hand, walking backwards into the water he led her deeper. 'remember the first time I found you in the water? I thought you needed saving. You didn't. you are a brave and strong woman, but even the bravest of us need help. Jon and I are not helping this Targaryen get to the throne. We are helping you. Guiding you. Because we believe in you.' Ned reminded her. the waves were up to their chest, sasha let out a laugh as a wave consumed them. they popped up laughing in each others arms.

'thank you. For believeing in me.' sasha whispered against his lips.

'you will always be my queen. Crown or not. Mine.' Ned told her, his lips consuming her.

+++++++++++

'I came to brood over the Greyjoy attack but you're making it difficult... although you are better brooding than I am... you make me feel like I am failing brooding over failing to save my people' Tyrion told Jon

'I'm a prisoner in this island' he said in monotone. Not looking at Tyrion.

'You are not a prisoner you're free to move the castle to the beaches.' Tyrion told him, knowing that didn't sound too good, but he wasn't in a cage.

'You took my ship' jon spat. 'I'm not playing word games with you the dead are coming for us all!' jon declared.

'You figure out what to do with my missing fleet and I will figure out what to do with your walking dead man?' Tyrion offered.

'If someone told me about the white walkers in the night King... you wouldn't believe me.' jon said defeated.

'I do believe you' Tyrion said

'It was nonsense but then Mormont saw them and you saw them and I trust the eyes of a honest man over whatever everyone else claims.' Tyron told him

'How do I convince people that don't know me, that don't believe in me that this is going to kill them all?' jon questioned

'Good question'

'I know it's a good question I'm asking for a good answer' jon informed him.

'peoples minds do not want to answer the questions that large.' Tyrion informed him. 'white walker night King... it's almost familiar to face a monster like my sister.'

'I can't help my people from here Tyrion. I would like to leave' jon requested.

'It seems unlikely that you became king of the north giving up that easy...'

'Everyone told me to learn from my father's mistakes don't answer summons from mad King's daughter and here I am the northern fool.' Jon remarked.

'Children are not their fathers lucky for us and sometimes there's more to the northern fools than meets the eye... Daenerys could have flead but she stayed she save the people. you might wanna ask some of the people what they think of the mad king's daughter... she protects people same as you. she's not about to go north and fight an enemy she has not seen after a single meeting, it is not a reasonable thing to ask.' Tyrion smiled at the sight of sasha and ned playing in the water sashas laughs echoing. Tyrion knew that sasha had always wanted the crown and that Tyrion following another queen would break her but right now, she needed his silence more than his support of her rule. 'they seem close.' Tyrion remarked. Jon looked down to where Ned and sasha were.

'they are.' Jon agreed vaguly. Knowing he wasn't going to get anything else out of jon, Tyrion went on.

'So do you have anything reasonable to ask?'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm asking if there's anything I can do to help you, sasha has been my friend for many years, we tormented each other yes but we were friends. Let me help you and her.'