COMPLETE. Sansa decides to be more proactive in trying to win a free North from Daenerys by forging a friendship between them. But what if false friendship leads to something more real and more complicated than Sansa ever intended? Season 8 AU, Daen...
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When the laughter subsided, Sansa and Daenerys settled into a comfortable silence. Sansa could see Daenerys sizing her up, could feel Daenerys's inner questioning about Sansa's motives.
"Your Grace, my activity last night is not the only reason I wanted to speak with you. I wanted to apologize for my outburst in your war council the other day. I still wish for the northern armies to be given more rest but it was wrong of me to be so disrespectful. Jon is right. The North honors its promises."
"Thank you, Lady Sansa. I appreciate and accept your apology."
"And if I may, I feel like you're not always getting the best advice from your council."
"In what way?" Daenerys asked, eyes narrowing. Sansa had to be careful.
"I admit I know next to nothing of military strategy. But I do know the North and its people. If you want more than a begrudged loyalty, then you have to inspire it, to earn it. You did so much during the battle and no one is helping you capitalize on that so the people can know you better, so they can acknowledge what you did. Right now, you're still an outsider, a foreigner. And I know I haven't made it easy. I've been selfish and wary. Trust doesn't come easy for me. But Jon trusts you, Lord Tyrion trusts you, would you be willing to do a little more to earn mine as well?"
"And how would you suggest I do that?"
"Come with me on my rounds overseeing the rebuilding of the keep, seeing to the smallfolk and their needs, perhaps order a portion of your armies to help with food distribution? It will help my people to see your people as more than a demonstration of fire and blood."
Daenerys sat quietly thinking about Sansa's words. It didn't look as if she had been angered and Sansa took that as a good sign.
"Jon won't like you going around him with these requests," Daenerys wondered aloud.
"Jon Snow will do whatever you tell him to, your Grace," Sansa answered firmly, a little anger creeping into her tone. It would look too false to follow with a smile, so Sansa smoothed her features and waited.
After a pause, during which Sansa wondered if she'd moved too far too fast, Daenerys answered, "I will think about your request and discuss it with my advisors. Is there anything else?"
"Thank you, your Grace," Sansa said, somewhat relieved Daenerys wasn't going to make her justify her request further and the smile she gave was an honest one. Now for the other difficult thing she had to do. Sansa had made up her mind about how to use Tyrion in her goal for the North's independence – she decided not to use him at all; she would protect him as much as she could by giving him deniability if it all went wrong.
"And yes, there is one more thing but I am hesitant to say."
"Please, Lady Sansa, tell me."
"Last night Lord Tyrion made me an offer of marriage and I refused it. I have much respect and affection for your Hand," Sansa added with a smirk, which was met with a small smile from Daenerys, "But I cannot give him what he desires and..."
