She Wolf • |Book 2|

• Chapter Seven •

"We will find them, I promise you." Jon knelt before Rhaella, her hands in his while Sansa sat in the chair opposite of them.

"Perhaps they were separated and Ghost found her." She said, hoping her words would soothe the pain Rhaella felt.

"You don't understand, nothing could separate Winter from my daughter, not if... not if..." her words failed and fresh tears fell. Jon rose to hold her in his arms, allowing her to weep into his chest.

His eyes met the blue ones of his sister, who had confessed only an hour ago as to why Rhaella was so distraught. Now it made perfect sense why Robb would take off on his own when he was only just reunited with the one woman he wanted.

Sansa was the first to rise when a knock sounded at the door. She left and returned, a scroll in her hand.

"It's from Dragonstone," she replied.

"What's it say?" Rhaella had cried herself to sleep and Jon had just laid her in bed when Sansa spoke.

"It's from her sister and it's not good."

She held the paper out for Jon to read himself. He unraveled the scroll and held it up to the candle for better lighting. When he finished reading, he looked up slowly at Sansa and then turned to Rhaella.

"Now I know how he felt." Jon said quietly.

"I don't think you will ever know how Robb felt," Sansa replied, surprising Jon. "She cried for you while he held her. She cries for her child. A child is different from a lover, Jon."

"I know that," he said. "That isn't what I meant." Jon turned around to face Sansa. "You want to know what his last words were to me? 'How do you do it?' He wanted to know how I stopped her from crying, and now I don't know how to stop her from crying. I don't know how to make her happy."

Sansa frowned, "I don't think even bringing her child back could make her happy. Jon, it's been years since you've seen her last. We were all children then, none of us knew what would come. I think we've all forgot what it was like to be happy."

"What happened to her?"

"The same thing that happened to us all," she replied. "Give her that when she wakes. It's best if it comes from you than me."

She didn't cry which had surprised him greatly. Instead, she carried the scroll to the desk where she laid it down and then walked to the window.

Two white direwolves consumed the floor, their eyes on Rhaella just as Jon's had been. She stood there, hand under her chin, staring out into the yard below. He was curious about what went on inside her head. Then she turned to him, her eyes first on the wolves and then him.

"You make me happy," she said softly, startling him. "I overheard you and Sansa last night. You've always made me happy, Jon. It's just different this time."

"I know," he sat forward in the chair, hand on his knee.

"It's different for women than it is men. We're vulnerable, always an easy target. It helps not when your enemy is quite powerful and knows your very weakness. Mine knew every single one of mine. Every one of them. And without you, I was very much weak."

"Rhaella-"

She shook her head, silencing him, "With Robb I realized I couldn't be weak. Even though he promised me protection, I knew it would never happen. I didn't think there would ever be need for that dagger you gave me and every time I did need it, it was never there. I learned my lesson then. Neither you nor Robb could protect me. Wolves? There were none to save me when men had their fun with me. Least not until after. I learned not to depend on them either. My first and biggest mistake was that I depended on men to save and protect me. But had I not, how would I have ever known? I'm different because I had to change, we all did. You adapt to your surroundings, you of all people should know this."

"I'm sorry that I was not here-"

"Don't be, Jon," Rhaella crossed her arms and offered up a small smile. "I'm glad you weren't. If Robb couldn't save me, who's to say you could? You know how I felt about him then, I didn't want to feel that way about you."

"I admire you," he smiled softly, hands clasped and dangling between his knees. "No one protected you when you needed it most, but you protected others. My sisters, Sansa told me what you tried to do for her. I can't imagine it's be easy for you, but despite it all, you've managed to stay strong."

"I broke," she replied. "But when things break you either rebuild them or leave them. I chose to rebuild myself the day your brother forced me to marry him. I chose to protect those he loved because despite it all, Robb did try to protect me. He may have died, but he did so to protect me."

"Would you ever marry me?"

"What?" She stared at Jon, baffled by his question.

He looked up at her, his eyes showing he was serious, "If I asked for your hand, would you give it to me. You love me, yes, I can and have always seen that, but would you stand by my side, always?"

Rhaella sat down in the chair across from him, her eyes on the flames in the hearth. She couldn't think of an answer and that truly baffled her.

"Robb may have forced you, but you did wed him and you bore him a child. Was there ever a time when you saw the same for us?"

"No," she admitted truthfully, slowly turning her head to look at him. "I don't think we were ever meant for that sort of life."

Jon dropped his gaze, "Neither do I," he replied.

She found his gaze now fell upon their wolves, nestled together and fast asleep, "It's a bit weird," she then said, "Uncle and niece, mates."

"Uncle and niece?"

"She's Nymeria's pup, least I believe so. Don't really think Nymeria is capable of breeding, but how else did another direwolf come to be?"

Jon looked at her before standing up and bending down to kiss her head, "I wouldn't know." He said to her.

•a.n•

It's funny to rewatch GoT and see the similarities between Daenerys and Rhaella.