[Driftmark]
It had been decided Daenerys and her men, including a newly returned Daario Naharis, would travel to Winterfell, and Daemon and Aelinor would arrive after ensuring the safe arrival of their children on Driftmark.
Aelinor also planned to spend as much timr with Eleanor and all of their children as she could.
That was where they were now.
They had arrived on dragon back.
Aelinor had ridden with Aegar as his unnamed dragon flew beside then. His dragon had grown a lot, alongside his bonded. He was the perfect blend of Loki and Freya. Majority of his body was green, save his golden underbelly and the horns along his back and on his head.
Daemon, being the more experienced dragonrider, offered to take the twins. He'd had a harness made for himself to carry the twins. That way he didn't have to worry about directing Loki, and holding onto his daughters simultaneously.
When they arrived, Eleanor and Jacearys were waiting for them outside. Each of them held one of their twin daughters.
They both carefully dismounted their dragons, bringing their children with them.
"Sōvēs," they commanded in unison, watching as their dragons flew to the nearby cliffs to rest, followed by their son.
Aelinor, Aegar still in her arms, strode towards Eleanor, embracing her in a hug, careful not to harm the young girl in her friend's arms.
"And who is this beautiful little girl," she asked, causing the little girl to giggle and hick her face in her mother's neck. Judging by her auburn hair, it was Daenara. "That can't be little Daenara. You're far too grown."
"Nuh uh," the little girl retorted.
"And this must be your equally beautiful sister, Laena."
"Lay," Daenara parroted.
"I'm sorry. Lay," Aelinor corrected. "You both are very beautiful little girls who I'm sure will turn out to be just as intelligent as your mommy and daddy."
"With a mother like theirs, it would be hard not to," Eleanor's husband, Jacearys Velaryon, quipped.
"I'm sorry about Dyanna," Eleanor told her. "She was an amazing person, who didn't deserve what happened to her."
"No, she didn't." She turned to look at her friend/lover. "Look at us, we're both married with children. I only wish she got the chance to do the same."
"As do I. But, enough talk about such sad topics. We are finally together again, even if it is only for tonight."
"You're right. Might as well make the most of it."
[North]
Daenerys and her men were travelling down the Whiteroad. They had sailed to White Harbour, in order to avoid passing through King's Landing, and being perceived as a threat. They had also decided to travel the remaining distance on the Whiteroad, as most of them were unfamiliar with the Northern terrain, but it appeared straightforward. It seemed safest, rather than attempting to use shortcuts through the untamed forest.
Her dragons flew overhead as they mqrched and trotted down the road.
Unfortunately, for them, they were unaware they were being watched.
In the woods, men were huddled, watching as the soldiers passed by.
They had been instructed to target the army's resources. If it was avoidable, they were to keep as many men as they could alive. Killing them would only add to the army of the undead, unless their bodies were burned.
These particular men had been selected due their penchant for archery. It would allow them to remain mostly concealed and still attack.
There were men hidden in the wilderness all along the kingsroad; archers, cavalry, infantrymen. All strategically placed to allow for maximum effect.
Also to their advantage, Daenerys' men were spread out.
At the head of the envoy were a host of Dothraki riders.
Daenerys and her advisors were in the middle guarded by Unsullied, and bringing up the rear were more Unsullied and some more Dothraki, guarding the majority of the envoy's provisions.
Their resources were spread out enough that a single attack would not cost them everything, but with enough, it was sure to cause a problem.
Not to mention the weather.
None of them could have predicted the storm that came, not even Jorah.
The North, much like the Stormlands, was known for its unruly weather patterns.
None but Jorah had experienced weather even remotely like this.
This weather worked out perfectly in the Northerner's favour.
Everyone was on edge as the visibility worsened the further they trekked down the road.
The men hiding in the woods used this to their advantage.
When they noticed the first of the party's resources, which were being escorted by some of the Dothraki, they made their move.
Under the cover of the snow, they charged, breaking through their lines, and toppling their resources, which startled their horses, causing them to trample said resources, rendering them useless.
Then, they slipped back into the forest, undetected.
When Daenerys caught up and question them about what happened, they told her they had been attacked. But, from what she could see, none of them had been harmed, only that portion of their food.
They stopped to regroup, but what they didn't realize was, this allowed for another attack.
Much like the first, these men used the storm to their advantage. The howling of the wing and the blowing of the snow allowed them to sneak in again, providing a distracting and destroying the caravans before sneaking off into the woods.
"Khaleesi, there has been another attack," one of the Dothraki rode up and told her.
"What is going on?!" She questioned, turning to Tyrion, who sat in a carriage with Varys. "I thought you said these Northerners are honourable."
"They are, at least more than most."
"Then why are we being attacked."
"I don't know, Your Grace."
"You are my Hand. It is your job to know."
"Actually, it is to advise you as you shape yourself into the ruler you wish to be."
"I know what kind of ruler I am. Now, I need them to see it as well." She sighed. "My men are not accustomed to such weather, and now with these attacks..."
"We are very close to Winterfell, and I am sure we will find answers there."
Winterfell was now in view, and Daenerys could see the gates that led to its castle.
The walked through the unmanned tunnels and continued until they were at the main gate.
"Guests approaching!" One man yelled as he and another men raised the gate.
Daenerys and her advisor, along with some of her most trusted members of her army, entered the courtyard of Winterfell.
Inside there was a small host.
At its head was a young woman with flaming red locks. This must be Lady Sansa Stark.
The rest appeared to be servants.
Daenerys could see the wariness in Sansa's eyes, the fear of being betrayed again, and she knew that she had to tread carefully.
"Welcome to Winterfell, Queen Daenerys," Sansa said, her voice cool and measured. "I trust your journey was uneventful?"
"It was eventful enough," Daenerys replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I have come to fulfill my duty to the North, as I have promised. But I must admit, I find it difficult to trust those who have broken their word to me."
Sansa's expression softened, and she reached out to take Daenerys' hand. "I understand, Queen Daenerys. But I assure you, I am not my brother or my sister. I will not betray you."
Daenerys felt a shiver run down her spine as Sansa's hand touched hers. It was a subtle gesture, but it was enough to make her realize that there was a connection between them, a shared understanding of the sacrifices they had both made for their families and their kingdoms.
"Forgive me, but I was expecting to be greeted by this 'King In The North', who claims to be my nephew."
"There were other matters that required Jon's attention."
"Jon? You do not use his new title?"
"With all due respect, my full brother, Robb, was the last King In The North."
"You do not believe him."
"I don't know what to believe. As far as I know, my father nevr lied to me."
"And I assume you have no idea who is behind the attacks on my people."
"Attacks? I'm afraid I do not. War incites the worst in humanity."
The two women stood in silence, staring at one another.
"Ah, my former wife," Tyrion stepped forward. "Lovely to see you again."
"Tyrion."
"If it pleases you, m'lady, we have had quite the journey..."
"Of course," Sansa replied. "Of course, we cannot accommodate your entire army, but..."
"My men can accommodate themselves."
"Very well. Winterfell is yours, You Grace."
"Is it?"
The tension in the air returned.
"I hear your brother and sister by law will be joining us as well." Sansa remarked, avoiding the question.
"Yes. They stopped at Driftmark and will travel on dragonback."
'Wonderful. Shall we head inside?"
"We shall."
Sansa led Daenerys and those who had ventured inside the walls of Winterfell inside.
[Winterfell - Great Hall]
As the two women sat together in the great hall of Winterfell, the weight of their shared experiences hung heavy in the air. Sansa Stark and Daenerys Targaryen, once on opposing sides, now found themselves united in their understanding of the hardships they had both endured.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds and experiences, they found common ground in the struggles they had faced as women in a world dominated by men.
"I nevr thought I'd say this to another person," Sansa began, her voice barely above a whisper, "but I think I understand what you've been through. Losing my father, my brothers, my mother... it felt like the world was against me. I can't believe how much I've had to sacrifice for the sake of my family," She continued, her voice heavy with emotion. "First my father, then my home, then my brother and mother, and even my youngest brother. It feels like I've lost everything that evrr mattered to me."
Daenerys nodded sympathetically. "I know how that feels. I've lost my home, my family, and my dragon. But I've also gained so much. I've seen the power of dragonfire and the strength of my people. I've learned that true strength comes from within, and that I don't need a man to make me whole."
Sansa looked at Daenerys with newfound respect. "You're a good queen, Daenerys. You've been through so much, and yet you still stand strong. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to be you."
Daenerys smiled. "It's not easy, but it's worth it. I've seen the power of my dragons bring hope and freedom to the people of Essos. I've seen the look of wonder in the eyes of those who thought they were doomed. And I've learned that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope."
The two women sat in silence for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. Then, Sansa spoke up again. "I nevr thought I'd say this to anyone, but I'm glad you're here, Daenerys. It's nice to have someone who understands what it's like to be a woman in this world."
Daenerys reached out and took Sansa's hand. "I understand, Sansa. And I'm here for you, as a friend and as a queen. Together, we can face whatever comes our way."
As the night wore on, the two women continued to talk and share their stories, finding comfort and strength in each other's company. And as they waited for Jon and his army to return, they knew that they would face whatever lay ahead with courage and determination, knowing that they had each other's backs.
As they sat there, surrounded by the ghosts of their pasr and the hope for their futire, Sansa and Daenerys knew that they had discovered a bond founded in mutual respect that held all the possibilities of lasting a lifrtime.
A/N: I realized I haven't given you visuals of their dragons, so here are some that I've made to give you an idea of what their dragons look like. Of course, they're larger due to being older than Dany's dragons, outside of Aegar's, but I couldn't seem to capture how large they are; maybe three times this size (Loki and Freya/Freyja). Loki was inspired by Marvel's Loki, which is why I had the two large horns on his head, similar to the helm Loki wore, but green. What do you think? Thought I hit publish on this chapter. Sorry.
Loki
Freya/Freyja
Aegar's Unnamed Dragon