The day Sansa arrived to Winterfell it was snowing lightly. Everything was covered by a faint layer of white that seemed to welcome the young girl into her motherland's arms.
Daenerys saw the girl with fascination. Sansa was a very beautiful young lady with the same hair of her mother and the bright blue eyes she saw in Robb. It was impressive to see her perfect manners, even after all she had gone through. That control over her emotions reminded her of herself. It was because of that that Daenerys believed one day, when she and Robb ruled the Seven Kingdoms, Sansa would make an excellent Queen for the North.
Bran had long before confided her that he did not want to be Lord or King. He had dreams of flying, of seeing the world just like he had always intended before his accident. And Rickon, sweet and wild Rickon, was eager to learn every style of fighting and to run around; mayhap he'd become the knight Bran had wanted to be.
"Your Grace," Sansa greeted her with utmost respect and Dany had to smile at her.
"Sister," she replied. "You're my sister." Dany cradled the young girl's face in her hands and grinned at her. "I'm so happy to meet you, to have you back home."
She could tell Sansa was just getting used to smiling again, that she had trouble to let her happiness show. At least she was trying again.
When Ser Jorah approached, just to talk to a servant about the horses and their belongings, Dany stopped him, taking his leathery hand in hers and looking up into those hardened eyes. She knew how he felt about her and that she would never be able to reciprocate those feelings.
"Thank you." As she spoke, her eyes fell upon Catelyn and the boys, smothering Sansa with affection and good-natured questions.
"Your husband has already thanked me."
"Did he grant you a pardon?"
"He did."
Dany turned to him and tried read his expression but, as always, he kept his emotions hidden. Perhaps he had learned after his failed attempts to give his heart to a woman.
"What are you planning to do now that you're free?"
She followed his gaze to the Starks children and Catelyn, laughing and hugging. Did he want a family? Or, did he despise that he was not able to have one?
"Before coming here, the King offered me to be Captain of the Guards of his house while he's away. At least for now."
It was blatantly obvious that she was surprised but his low chuckle let her know that he thought it was amusing. And, well, she had never believed Robb could change his mind but after Jorah had proved himself, her Wolf had apparently granted him a place among his trusted men.
"How is he?" she wondered in a small voice.
"The war is going slow. Tywin Lannister is planning something but so far we're winning. I don't believe the man could do anything useful unless he plans on offering a deal to Stannis or Balon Greyjoy and take this war to the sea."
She had feared that. In case that happened, they were in danger. Among their allies they did not have a strong fleet, at least not like the ironborn or Stannis Baratheon did. As long as the war was fought in land, they were safe but they did need to think about a future ally with a large fleet.
"Is he calm? Has he let his temper unleash?"
Jorah scoffed. "A temper he has, and after he left Winterfell, he had been more irritable than usual until…" he trailed off but Daenerys noticed his hesitance.
"Until what?" The fear gripped her heart in its claws. What had been the outlet of Robb's fury? How had he calmed? Her first thought was that he had find someone, that Jorah had doubted because he knew how much it would hurt her but then the older man sighed noisily through his nose, deciding to just say it.
"He is injured."
"Explain," she demanded. "When? How badly and why hasn't he sent a message about it?"
"Do you really need to ask why he hasn't let you know?" True. He couldn't let himself show weakness and if an enemy happened to find out, he would be in danger. Rumors were a kind of weapon usually used to turn enemies into allies. A weak King would be devastating. "It's been a while now. He was stabbed in his leg with a spear."
Her eyes filled with tears and she had to clench her jaw not to let out a sob. The thought of Robb being in danger, of losing him so quickly during battle, frightened her. Dany wanted to be with him and nurse him back to health, to help him lead his people.
"He does not want your pity."
"I'm still upset about what happened between us but that does not mean I wish ill to him. He is my King and my husband."
She turned around with a strong step, ready to join her family but also to make plans about the immediate future.
"Do not go to him. He will not like that."
Sharply whipping her head around, ice-cold stare directed at Jorah, Dany told him firmly, "I do not like to be kept away either. He will have to accept that I'm not a submissive woman who follows orders. Besides, soon I will be ready to go. I was preparing for the moment."
-o-
"Mikken," Dacey called as soon as they arrived to the blacksmith's workshop, where it was hotter than in any other place Dany had been for a while. "We have work for you and it's urgent."
The man bowed before Dany and greeted her in an appropriate manner.
As time had gone by, Daenerys had felt the change in the people's attitude. The first time she had set foot in the North, everyone whispered behind her back and she could feel they did not like her one bit. Now that she had given Robb an heir and had proved her loyalty to them, people learned to respect her and were slowly growing to love her.
"Mikken, I need a custom made dagger," Daenerys explained him, unfolding a piece of paper with the drawing of the aforementioned weapon. It was the vague idea Dacey and Jamie had offered. "It needs to be small enough hide it under the clothes."
"I understand," Mikken replied, looking at the drawing with a furrowed brow. "But I could come up with a much better design. Is it for you?"
Daenerys nodded. "You will be rewarded for your work."
"I know, Your Grace. It's an honor for me to serve the Queen and King in the North. But, have you thought about smaller knives?"
Dacey frowned but seemed interested in the idea. "Smaller than a dagger?"
"Yes, yes." The older man moved around his workshop and soon pulled something that looked like a waist cincher, something a woman would wear as an accessory for her outfit. "It is not finished but I got the idea from your dragons, Your Grace. And well, you." He laid the waist cincher on a table and Dany took a closer look.
"Are these… scales?" she asked, brushing her hand over the small pieces of metal that created a pattern similar to the skin of her dragons. "It's pretty." She saw no use in it besides making a great addition for her more elegant dresses, the ones she hadn't been able to wear since there hadn't been reasons to celebrate parties.
The man chuckled and with little force plucked a scale. The part of the metal hidden in the leather of the waist cincher was sharper than any knife. "Each scale is a small knife. It can be used as a short-range weapon or to throw them."
Dacey grinned. "No one would ever see danger. They would think it is just part of her dress. It's a great idea."
"Can you make them black?" Daenerys asked, already liking Mikken's offer.
"Sure, Your Grace."
"Then I want it. Finish it for me, but I also want the daggers, a pair of identical daggers."
"I'll work on them."
"Good."
-o-
Bonding with Sansa had become an experience completely different from meeting the boys. Where Rickon was wild and generally outspoken around her and Bran observant and making the right comment at the exact time, Sansa kept many things to herself even if she wore her emotions proudly in her eyes. She honestly reminded her of the girl she had been before, back in Essos where Viserys had kept her prisoner of his desire for power.
"He is very beautiful," Sansa praised Iagan, who was crawling over the bed the best he could. His aunt smoothed those lovely platinum ringlets of hair. "His eyes are like Robb's but brighter and he has your hair…"
"Yes, Iagan is the perfect union of our houses."
"The Ice Dragon?" Sansa wondered, giggling when the babe gurgled with a smiley face at her.
Dany grinned. "He likes that."
Sitting beside the younger girl, Danerys decided to help her face whatever it was that she was keeping inside her soul, caged like a wounded animal afraid to show its anger and pain because of the consequences.
Her voice was soft and calm when she asked, "Are you fine?"
Sansa did not look up, avoiding her gaze.
"I imagine you felt lonely for a very long time, but now you are home now. There is nothing to fear." When Sansa just shook her head, Dany reached for the pale hands of her sister, one she had gained through marriage. "I know it's not the same, but I felt very lonely once, as well. My opinions did not matter or what I wished for myself. I was treated like a thing to be traded, much like they were treating you."
Squeezing her hands, the younger girl looked up. "I can't feel sad anymore. It hurts but… I cannot show it."
"You feel like you are not yourself."
The only answer from Sansa was a nod to agree with Dany.
"You do not need to worry anymore. You have time and we have patience."
Dany smiled when she felt Iagan's soft and tiny hands over theirs, as if offering his understanding.
"I thought I would never come home. After Father's… and Arya…" Sansa trailed off, lost deep in her musings, probably feeling guilty when everyone knew there was nothing she could have done to escape the fate that had waited for them in King's Landing.
"We will find Arya just like we found you."
"You're not like stories say Targaryens are," Sansa commented as she welcomed Iagan in her arms. The boy seemed drawn to her fiery hair and the tender nature of the girl.
"Stories are just stories. You, Starks, are not like I had heard either." Dany took Iagan in her arms and soon offered Sansa to accompany her to the Godswood to see the dragons since she was the only one of Robb's siblings who had been a little shy around them. But as soon as her eyes fell on Rickon laughing joyously as he rode Viserion, a smile appeared on her face.
It had been a long time since the children had laughed with reason, like children should and it was perhaps because of that that Catelyn had allowed them to be so close of the beasts she feared.
"Maybe one day you could ride them too."
Sansa shook her head. "No. I'm not a fighter, that would be Arya."
"You're a Lady, a Princess," Dany replied. "As the oldest of Robb's siblings, you might even become Queen one day, when he becomes King of Westeros and become Queen."
"I cannot. Only men can-"
"I'm sure rules can be rewritten if Robb wishes so."
Sansa's wide eyes were lovely and full of awe.
Dany knew she was right and Sansa would be a great lady and queen, eventually.
-o-
Jaime had trained her harder than she expected. He claimed that for women to go into battle, they had to be better than men because they needed to be quicker if they weren't as strong, and smarter if they weren't as vicious.
Learning to throw the small scales Mikken had created had been difficult but with the help of Brienne and Dacey, Daenerys had become not only fast but also very accurate, hitting her targets with little error.
"Your Grace?" Maester Luwin called as he entered the library, a place where she had found peacefulness to think about the future.
"I must go." She looked up and saw the tight smile on the old man's face. "Robb says it is not my war but he is mistaken. We need to work together and not only keep me here, writing letters to our allies and… waiting."
"But you are conflicted."
She clenched her teeth and nodded. "I don't want to leave my son but I know he is in good hands with his grandmother and Sansa who has grown much attached to him. And I love the boys. I'll miss them all."
"It is your decision. The only advice I can provide is that as long as you believe the future will become better because of your departure, you shouldn't feel as guilty."
The only certainty for her was that Robb wouldn't be pleased if she joined him. He would try to send her back to Winterfell again but she would not give up. She would prove him and everyone that she was not only a very beautiful and educated yet temperamental Queen. She was a dragon and as such she would march into battle.
"I'll take Dacey and Jaime with me. Brienne and Jorah will stay to take care of things."
"Of Theon, you mean."
"I'm afraid of what he is harboring against us and I cannot take him with me in case he decides to betray me."
"I understand and will do my share to help as well."
She smiled and reached for the hands of the understanding man. He had always given her the right words when she needed it and had never judged her.
Standing up, ready to continue with her plans, Dany stopped when the Maester asked her something.
"Those daggers Mikken made for you," he looked at her face, wordlessly asking for honesty. "There's a dragon in the hilt of one and a wolf in the other. Why?"
"One is mine and the other… the other is Sansa's."
"You see yourself in her."
"Yes. And it is why I have to prove that we can overcome fear. We're stronger than we look."
"Does that mean you will ride the dragons?"
Daenerys grinned, proud of not only her but of her family. "As the boys did and as I have done with their help. We will return victorious."