SANSA

“Ale?” the girl with auburn hair seated in the Queen’s chair, offered her guest a drink. The frail looking man sitting opposite her remained immobile, disinterested in what she was saying or offering. He looked smaller and a lot less fearsome than last she saw him. A wildling was not made for a closed space. At least not this one. Pouring ale in his usual cup of choice, a horn, she ignored the distrust in his eyes. 

“Let me guess… I am here because you lost White Harbor, isn’t it? And now you want to trade me for the city?” Tormund chuckled, spitting the ale over himself. “... it will not happen, kid. You might as well let this dream of victory go. You cannot win against the Free Folk.”

Sitting back in her chair, the Queen squinted her eyes. “No…” She leaned on the table between them, laying her forearms on it, interlocking her fingers. “Perhaps we could agree on one thing, none of us likes to see our people hurt. A good number of your people were captured. Tell your men to release the common people of White Harbor and in return you shall have your people back. They are currently riding here from The Dreadfort.” 

“Just the people of White Harbor? And not the city?” the suspicion in his eyes was a look the Queen had learnt to spot at once. 

“I wouldn’t ask too much. And if you agreed, I would trust you even less than I do now.” The Queen knew Tormund would not refuse her offer. It meant cleaning out the city of every single person that isn’t one of their own and getting their hundred people back. Weaklings they may be, but a hundred could mean the difference between victory and defeat in a war. 

“Perhaps you are becoming a wiser Queen each day, my Lady.” the wicked smile on his face piqued her anger. She has had enough of dealing with wildlings for a lifetime. Swallowing her resentment, she looked her guest right in the eyes, hoping he fails detecting it.

“So what do you say of my… rather generous offer then?”

“Say I do take your offer, what then? We free your people, you free ours, and then what?” The more he chugged of the ale the more his cheeks attained their normal shade of red, as if he was drinking the life back into him. 

“That depends… How long you plan to linger in White Harbor?” 

“Perhaps indefinitely…” Keeping her anger at bay became more challenging with each word coming out of his mouth. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes.

“You know I can’t let you do that.”

“Then war it is… A war you cannot win. Your brother is still a dear friend kid, I don’t want to see you hurt. Once we fought side by side.” If she didn’t know any better she might have believed he spoke the truth. But she was a student of Littlefinger after all, she did know better. 

“Then war it is…” the Queen agreed.

Three day since the Giant by the name of Tormund had taken her generous offer and rode down south, Sansa decided to let her advisers in on her strategy. After the council meeting was over, the Great Hall of Winterfell was welcoming the members for a feast. Her people raised their cups to drink a toast in their Queen’s name and health, as if what was spoken on that meeting was enough to win back their trust. As easy as it was to change their opinion of her, she resisted the temptation of believing it would last. The longer she wore that crown, the more she realized her people were quick to change allegiance. Perhaps weren’t even worth the scorn against the Dragon Queen or worth seeking independence for. It would be a lie to say the Queen never considered rejoining the North to the Six Kingdoms and letting go of the crown for good. However, her pride wouldn’t let her, these people would learn she is someone worth sitting in a Queen’s seat. 

Not two weeks passed before her armies were standing outside the walls of White Harbor with the folk dressed in heavy furs and animal skins in the front lines. Beaten bloody, covered in dirt, unrecognizable… just by looking at them it was easy to tell, you wouldn’t wish to be a prisoner of the Queen. As soon as the gates of the castle opened, armed wildlings dispersed out of the walls in all directions forming a line of their own. In the middle of it, just in front of the gate, a gap opened, wide enough for the people of White Harbor to pass and face their replacement. When a horn blasted from the walls of the city, the frontliners from both sides took their first step towards each other. 

After the exchange was over, the gates closed, sealing the city… until they opened again amidst the night. With the better part of the Free Folk asleep, the northmen covered under the wildlings’ furs, dirt and animal blood on their faces took the first victims of the night. The guards. As their path was opened, the Queen’s army entered the castle, slaughtering the first awoken wildlings. One guard managed to blast a horn, waking up the city and disturbing the peaceful night before his head hit the ground. Thus began the war.

>> Chapter 25: THE DRAGON