snow and stars| jon snow

xvii: soon again

Gendry was already waiting in the dining hall, sitting in his usual chair and waiting for Andromeda and his king to show up. Davos was sitting as well, attempting to make small talk with the Baratheon, who was obviously eaten up about leaving. Davos didn't look like he was fairing any better. No one was ready to leave the beautiful place with beautiful people, and especially not to go back to Kings Landing.

They stood upon seeing Jon approach them, and sat down when he sat. "Good morning, Ser. My Lord," he greeted formally. "Where is Tyrion?"

"He's been working on that document day and night." Gendry said, ignoring the growl in his stomach. "Before you ask, Your Grace, it will be finished before we leave."

"I don't want to leave." Jon admittedly said. "There's something I need to tell you all." He sighed and told them everything. Everything about who Ramona actually was, everything about how soul bonds work, and how he was bound by his soul to the foreign queen that they had all come to respect and love in their own way. He told them everything but the impulsive marriage that took place, saving that for another day. If he told them about what they did (eliminating any potential strong marital alliances), it would ultimately flip the world around, and Tyrion would have lost his head. He wasn't interrupted once, even though their sounds such as gasping and grunting made him want to stop a few times.

"You love her," Davos stated. "I could tell that there was a certain attraction between you two. And it was different than last time." Everyone knew what 'last time' was. "Why don't you bring her with you? With us?"

Jon immediately shook his head. "She can't leave. She is the last with her name. Just as a Stark must always be in Winterfell, a Vela must always occupy Ilta."

Gendry furrowed his brows, but nodded in understanding. "I would have followed Arya wherever she wanted to go. But I am the last Baratheon. I can't be gone from Storms End for long, even though that's what I desired." It was hard for Gendry to take up the responsibility of a lord, especially one as important to the game as a Baratheon.

   Jon shook his head and sighed, doing his characteristic nose pinch. "I just don't know how to deal wit-"

  "Lady Ramona," Gendry interrupted, cutting Jon off from saying something potentially embarrassing. "It's quite wonderful to see you on this beautiful morning."

"Yes, thank you Lord Gendry." Ramona— Pandora— answered. "It's rather early, and Her Grace is taking a little more time than usual. Today's... circumstances have made her a little sluggish. Excuse Her Grace's tardiness."

"Please, you have no reason to be formal with us anymore, Ramona." Davos said to her with a sweet smile. "We have grown close enough during our stay, I believe."

"I think so too, Davos." The hidden Vela woman said softly, finally sitting down. "Any moment now." As if on cue, soft footsteps came around the bend, heels of boots clicking and the swish of a long dress against the floor sounding as the woman who was unmistakably Andromeda made her way down the dining hall.

Pandora pushed her chair out immediately and stood for her queen as she made her long and elegant walk. Her hair was done beautifully, pinned up with a blood red barrette. It was extremely unlike how she usually wore it. Today, she wore her trademark dark blue, but what shocked the ever observant Davos was the gray undertones in her simple jewelry, especially because she usually wore gold. They were Stark undertones. Andromeda kept her walk at a leisurely pace, her face stony and her eyes cast at Pandora. She made it to her heavily decorated chair at the head of the table and made her usual show of preparing to sit, until another screech of a chair sounded in the room.