End Game// Tormund Giantsbane (3)

37. The North Remembers

"Forgive me, my lady... if you're at prayer." Petyr remarked taking a step back.

"I'm done with all that." sansa corrected "I came here every day when I was a girl. I prayed to be somewhere else. Back then I only thought about what I wanted, never about what I had. I was a stupid girl."

"You were a child." Petyr offered

"What do you want?" Sansa hissed.

"I thought you knew what I wanted."

"I was wrong." Sansa offered

"No, you weren't. Every time I'm faced with a decision, I close my eyes and see the same picture. Whenever I consider an action, I ask myself will this action help to make this picture a reality?" Petyr remarked Sansa stared back at him. "Pull it out of my mind and into the world? And I only act if the answer is yes. A picture of me on the Iron Throne... and you by my side."

This cunt, Caro thought as she silenced her steps and pressed up against the wall out of sight and hopefully unheard. 

"It's a pretty picture." Sansa offered.

She couldnt be so stupid Caro wanted to shout. Sure for as long as Caro could remember Sansa always wanted to be queen, live in a palace but surely she wouldnt trust Petyr, not after everything. 

"News of this battle will spread quickly through the Seven Kingdoms. I've declared for House Stark for all to hear."

"You've declared for other houses before, Lord Baelish." Sansa corrected "It's never stopped you from serving yourself."

"The past is gone for good. You can sit here mourning its departure or you can prepare for the future. You, my love, are the future of House Stark." Petyr declared and Sansa believed him. She didn't trust him but she believe he thought he loved her. "Who should the North rally behind? A trueborn daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark born here at Winterfell or a motherless bastard born in the south?"

Being home brought back all the memories. Caro didnt know if it was good or bad but she felt all the emotions raging through her once again. As though the pain of losing Ned and Jory was fresh and not years old. 

~

"I wish father was here, Brandon too... I always thought Brandon would hate every suitor, scare them away." Carolina admitted.

"Me too." Ned admitted. "You know he told me when Lyanna was matched with Robert that he was never letting you marry."

"Really?"

"You were the baby of the family, we all wanted you to stay our little girl." Ned reminded her. Being ten years older than Carolina she didn't know what was going on during the rebellion. All she knew was Targaryen's were monsters that tore her family apart. Ned didn't talk about them, Carolina thought it hurt him even to remember the pain they went through. "You were always everyone favorite." Ned told her softly. "You know you are stuck here, I'm not losing my best baby sitter." Ned mused kissing her head.

"I love your children as my own." Carolina informed him.

"I remember when I brought Jon back." Ned recalled with a small chuckle. "You carried him around, thinking him and Robb were dolls. When they shit themselves you made a face and put them down wherever you were standing."
"Robb had a stinky butt." Carolina told him.

"He still does." Ned mused. "Gods we have come a long way since then." Ned remarked.

"We have." Carolina agreed.

"I'm glad you and Jory found love." Ned told her.

"Me too. I cant imagine being with anyone else."

"Alright lets get you married before you get me emotional." Ned murmured letting out a deep breath and offering her his arm.