CHAPTER 43 | HONESTY
"NEWS of this battle will spread quickly through the Seven Kingdoms. I've declared for House Stark for all to hear."
Sansa stood a few feet away from Petyr Baelish, not believing his words. She left him at the weirwood tree just outside of Winterfell, a place she always used to visit to think, and yet he had interrupted her sanctuary. She knew what he wanted – she always knew what he wanted. He could never have her mother, so he wanted her. Every little move he made, it was to capture her.
"You've declared for other houses before, Lord Baelish." She responded, her back turned away. "It's never stopped you from serving yourself."
Petyr shook his head. "The past is gone for good. You can sit here, mourning its departure, or prepare for the future. You, my love, are the future of House Stark." He took a step closer, grinning suddenly. "Who should the North rally behind? A true born daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark, born here at Winterfell, or a motherless bastard, born in the South? Will you let an older woman – who seemingly dropped here from a wiped out house – take your spot as Lady of Winterfell when your bastard brother rules?"
Sansa looked down at her hands. She knew what he was doing, but somehow, the young red-head was finding herself believing his words. It wasn't as if they were lies: she could feel the North growing closer to Jon because he was their leader in battle, whilst she sat behind the scenes. She heard Jon speak the word of marriage to Maia, and once she says yes, the older blonde would surely become Lady of Winterfell. Sansa would be left in the dust, after she had done everything.
She took in Littlefinger's words, but tried to brush them off as she walked back to Winterfell. Her feet padded through the thick snow, and though she kept trying to not here Petyr's reply in her head, she knew they would leave an imprint forever.
•••
Throughout most days, Maia could be found in the Winterfell library. She was surprised to find out it was larger than the one at Castle Black, and she sat in the room curiously all day, reading up on anything she could find.
Frequently, Maia tried to find any specific information on her supposed house. It was only mentioned here and there, in very short sentences, but when she found a extensive volume all on Robert's Rebellion, she had finally got lucky. The book explained in depth about why House Sanders sided with the Targaryens in the battle, and it was because one of the Lord's daughters, Lauryn Sanders, was promised to Rhaegar Targaryen as a second wife, in return for their large army. Their house was small, and on the verge of extinction, but their army was more than Rhaegar needed. The Lord of House Sanders had several other family members, she read, but they had all died before or after the war. When it came time for battle, the tiny house was completely slaughtered by Robert Baratheon's army.
Maybe this wasn't her house. Maybe she didn't belong in it. But one could not deny that the coincidence of the name was uncanny.
Maia traced her finger over her supposed house's sigil, the corner of her mouth lifting at the thought of it. The words, "To rather burn nor kneel," were embedded underneath the image.
She seemed to be so caught up in the history of House Sanders that she didn't even hear Sansa's knock on the library door. After finally noticing the constant rattling, Maia glanced up and smiled to her friend. "Sorry to interrupt," Sansa apologized. "You seem to be quite busy."
Maia shook her head as she adjusted her legs under the wooden chair she sat on. "Not entirely. Is there something you need?"
Sansa was quiet for a moment. Maia noticed the girl was looking at her fingertips, deciding on her words. The blonde cocked her head to the side. "Is there something wrong, Sansa?"
"I must ask you a question –" the red-head paused "– and I need you to answer me honestly."
Maia nodded. "Ask away."
Sansa took the seat across from the blonde and clasped her hands together. She bit her lip before asking, "Do you plan on becoming Lady of Winterfell?"
"No," the elder woman answered honestly. "What would give you that idea?"
"Maia," Sansa sighed, closing her eyes, "you promised to be honest. I know."
Maia looked around the room, confusion racking her brain. She decided not to reply, but if there was one thing for sure, she knew the right to be Lady of Winterfell was reserved for Sansa.
"I know Jon asked for your hand in marriage." Sansa continued, finally looking at her friend. "Are you going to accept?"
Maia lofted a brow. "How do you know about that?"
"Are you going to accept?"
The older woman viewed at her hands. Maia closed the book in front of her, causing the old table below it to shake. "I ... I don't know."
"You must know that Jon has a lead on me to rule Winterfell, though he may not even want it. If this happens and you accept his offer, you will automatically become Lady of Winterfell once you are wed."
Maia sighed as she stood from the table. She walked over to one of the various bookshelves in the library and slid her book back into it's place. "Are you asking me not to marry Jon?"
Sansa wasn't sure. She didn't know her true reasons for asking, though she supposed it was jealously seeping into her skin. She wanted what she should have. It was Littlefinger's plan – she knew this – and yet, she couldn't help but be curious.
"I'm asking you if you're aware," she finally replied. "That's all."
Maia laid her hands on one of the chairs. Her fingers gripped the edge so tight, they turned white. She didn't want to make a decision now; she wasn't ready yet. "I don't know if I'm going to accept Jon's offer. I'm not sure if I want to be married."
"Do you want to be Lady of Winterfell?" The red-head asked quietly.
Maia stared at her friend in disbelief. There it was, hiding beneath all the questions and wide eyes – that was what she really wanted to know. "Sansa," Maia exhaled, "you are my friend. I know being Lady of Winterfell is something you want – no, something you deserve. I do not want to take that title away from you."
Sansa smiled, standing from her spot and taking Maia's hands. "I'm so glad you understand."
The blonde sent her a false smile before Sansa walked out of the library. A sigh escaped Maia's lips as she thought over the conversation. What could she truly do now? Refuse Jon, after everything he'd done for her? Who was she to guess if Jon actually wanted to rule over Winterfell? She wasn't sure on her decision before, but knowing that by accepting she would be taking away Sansa's rightful title, and that caused her even more terror.
For once in her life, Maia hoped to the Gods that the people didn't want Jon Snow to command them.
•••
Memories and inconceivable thoughts swirled in her brain. Maia felt her hands gripping her sheets tightly as she wound up in her room shared with Jon in Winterfell. By the time she realized she was in a dream, her digits were wound around a lean man's shoulder.
The shoulder was clad in dark brown leather and Maia slowly looked up to him, dressed in only her ivory night gown. The boy next to her – only around fifteen years old – stared at her in confusion, before they both looked back to the scene.
A man knelt before a woman's bedside. He had long, light brown hair, of which was kept back and away from his face. Blood coated his fingers and armor as he gripped the woman beside him, where her own hands were bloody as well. Her body shook; her eyes were weak. At the sight of the man, Maia's brain clicked with a name: Ned Stark. Of course, she had never met the man, but she knew just by the look of him who he was. She remembered glancing at the first Game of Thrones season with Derek, something that sat idle in her mind. But the woman lying in a sweat-covered bed next to him, she didn't have a clue.
The black-haired woman lifted her hand, watching the crimson drip down. "I don't want to die," she whispered.
"You're not going to die." Ned answered fiercely, turning to the nurses in the corners of the shady room. "Get her some water! Is there a maester?"
"Listen to me, Ned!"
Maia's predictions had been correct. She wondered why she was dreaming of this as her hold loosened on the boy's shoulder. He looked to her again, almost afraid to ask a question. Time seemed to move in mid-motion. Why was she here? What purpose was this dream giving her? The last time she had a dream so vivid, it was of Jon's death. Was it possible for her as a Traveler to explore the inner memories of Westeros? She wasn't sure.
The girl leaned in close to Ned's ear, whispering words neither Maia or the boy could hear, though she did catch a name fall softly from her lips. The two silently took a step closer, and they managed to hear, "If Robert finds him, he'll kill him. You know he will. You have to protect him."
The mention of Robert made a chill run through Maia's spine. Could this moment be during the dreadful Robert's Rebellion? The one Ramsay had so casually mentioned?
"Promise me, Ned." The girl's voice grew louder as she wept. "Promise me."
A wet nurse approached Ned as he slowly glanced up. A infant was handed to him, crying and wiggling around in his swaddle. "Promise me, Ned," the girl repeated. "Promise me." Ned began to cry as he looked down at the child, listening to it's soft cries for it's mother, but as he looked at the broken girl, he could see she was already dead.
Maia couldn't take the curiosity. Her hand fell from the brunette boy's shoulder and she sprinted to Ned's side, almost in slow motion. She caught a glimpse at a pair of dark chocolate eyes – something too familiar to her. No, she had seen those eyes before, in fact, she looked at them everyday.
She had finally woke up, sweat coating her entire body. She looked to Jon, who was snoring soundlessly, wrapped up in the covers. Maia gulped as she silently muttered the name, "Jaehaerys."
•••
A/N (updated from 2017): I know they revealed Jon's Targ name to be "Aegon," I, personally, do not agree with it. Mainly because Rhaegar already had two children with Elia Martell before he had Jon, and one of those kids was a boy named Aegon. I don't understand why they wrote in the show for Jon's name to be Aegon when Rhaegar already had another son by the SAME NAME. Idk fam??? But anyways, Jon's Targ name in this is Jaehaerys and it's staying that way!!!!
Also!!! (I should've said this sooner but lmao.) Just wanted to tell everyone that even though it may seem like it, Maia is NOT a Greenseer. A lot of her traits may direct towards that idea, but she is a Traveler, if not the Traveler, which is basically an idea I came up with that is part of the religion of the Red God. To find out more about Travelers, check out the appendix!
Aaaaaand I made this super cool mood board for House Sanders, so enjoy fam
There are only 2 chapters left of Book II!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All info regarding Book III will be posted after all of Book II is posted!