STRANGER ━ Jon Snow

SIXTY SIX

Varys nodded. "Yes, they did once. As did House Sanders, just because Lord Sanders' last daughter was married off the Daenerys' brother. Yet here you stand, an ally to the North. It's funny how people can switch sides."

"Me helping the Starks has nothing to do with the situation," she defended. "Besides, I'm not actually related to anyone in House Sanders. I just have the last name. All Travelers are given the last name of a Westerosi house, therefore I have no relation."

Varys' eyes shifted across the throne room. "Whatever you say."

"It's too bad none of us can do anything to help the situation that's going on." Tyrion said, swirling his wine around. "We all just sit around here. Idle. Waiting to hear back from someone."

"I'm sorry I can't be of that much help." Maia apologized with a frown. "I'm given a title and I barely know what I'm doing. All I know is what I read about in books."

"If we had more time, you would be of use. But alas," Varys sighed, "we do not."

She kicked her boots against the stairs, scuffing the shoe. "It was an idiotic plan anyways."

Before she could move away, Tyrion's small hand was on her own. Maia's eyes met his and she smiled at his gesture. "Sometimes, we must sacrifice ourselves for the things we love, Lady Maia," he said. "The next time you're in a dire situation, remember that."

•••

Freya hugged Jon Snow tighter than ever before. She couldn't believe it had been seven years since she saw the familiar bastard. He smelt the same. He was almost the same boy she remembered, but Freya knew something was different about him. Had he gotten taller? Was he happier? Questions riddled her mind, but all she could ask was, "How have you faired, Snow?"

"Could be better," Jon replied with a soft chuckle. Freya remembered the laugh well. "You must tell me if what these idiots were saying is true? You were married to Robb?"

They were standing on the top floor of Eastwatch, cladding each other in heavy furs for the trip ahead. Freya grabbed a large fur jacket, wrapping it around her small body. "All true," she said. "Granted the marriage was a plot created by Roose Bolton to trick us into betraying Walder Frey, but I ... I don't regret any of it."

"I thought you two hated each other."

Freya secured her sheath around her hips before staring at Jon. "We did, yes." She grabbed for his arm then, making sure he knew she was serious. "I tried to save him, Jon. I wanted to, but I couldn't. In my time of being a ward to your father, never would I have thought to miss Robb Stark. I loved him more than you know."

Jon clasped his furs around himself. "You don't need to blame yourself, Freya. None of us saw our future coming."

"I fought, and I lost." She smiled sadly, looking to her boots. "I lost not only my husband and my army, but my families too. The Greyjoys are probably all dead and they don't want me back."

Jon patted her shoulder. "Not all," he replied. "Theon and Yara live on. They're alive."

Freya's eyes went wide in shock. Tears pricked from the edges of them. She suddenly latched her arms around Jon again, reveling in this new information. She had never been so happy in her life to hear that her siblings weren't gone. All this time, she believed they were dead. She believed that she would never be able to make amends. She could now.

Freya agreed to this mission because she was tired of taking her revenge on Lannisters, Boltons, and Freys. She knew her husband would want it this way. He would've wanted her to use her skills for something good, to save their world. But now, Freya had something else to fight for, and that was to see her family once again.

•••

Laila was standing in his room again.

Jaime ran his hand over his face, still not believing Cersei's words from hours ago. Pregnant? How could she be pregnant? Well, he knew how, but he almost didn't want to believe it. They were in the middle of a war, and now he had to worry about an unborn child. When Jaime looked up, he didn't want to see her ghostly figure in his room, even if she was just a figure of his imagination.

"Congratulations," Laila breathed out, a smile plastered to her sheer face. "I wish you and your new baby well."

Jaime bit down on his lip, almost drawing blood. He began to pace his room and tried to keep his eyes on anything but Laila. "How can you be so okay with this? How can you be so okay with me?"

"I hold no grudges against you, Jaime Lannister." She replied fondly. "It's what you would've done for me."

Jaime shook his head, continuing to pace. He didn't even stop when Laila's ghostly hand grazed his own, for he couldn't feel her touch. He wished he still could, but he made a big mistake, and this was his punishment. "I'm always going to be with you, even when you can't see me." Laila said. "I will stand by you, no matter what you did or will do. We were not meant to be, neither was Tyland, but maybe this new child can be your new hope."

And when Jaime looked up into her eyes once more, he saw nothing. It was almost like she was there again, holding his hand. The ghost of Laila Ryswell haunting him would always be both a blessing and a punishment.