Oathkeeper

Chapter 15: Pledged

Brienne and Sansa had been engaged in a shouting match since the crows woke this morning.. All of the Lords and Lady's of the North were called to Winterfell for a meeting. They needed to talk about their pledges, filling positions of the small council, and the rumors of people opposing their marriage. It was time for them to gather with their newly appointed Queen of the North. Sansa believes Brienne should be there alongside her being that the woman was set to be her bride. But Brienne feels her presence being forced upon the people so soon would only serve to make matters worse. They both agreed that Sansa needed to form her own personal bonds with the noble houses of the North, and not as a Stark but as Sansa, the girl apart from her surname. Brienne simply felt this was something the girl needed to do alone.

"I don't understand why you don't wish to stand alongside me" Sansa huffed out.

"It isn't that,my love. I- I just feel that my presence isn't necessary. A Queen does not sit in on meetings when the King rules." Brienne argued.

"But there is no King here. I want us to rule together, as one" Sansa tried to explain to the taller woman.

"Alright, alright." Brienne complied, solely for the sake of ending the argument

She truly didn't feel this was the best way to go about it, but she didn't to add to the stress that was already looming over Sansa. The two women had already dressed for the meeting, being that neither of them could settle their nerves long enough to get any rest. Brienne held the door open for her Queen, now walking closely behind her and they roamed the castle for the meeting hall. Two of the Winterfell knights jolted into a militant position before holding the tall heavy wooden doors open for them All of the House seat within the room were filled with the grungy bottoms of the Northern highborns, all except for the Dreadfort and Last Hearth. Being that both the Bolton and Umber house names went extinct between the Battle of the Bastards and the Battle of Winterfell, those castle's were not currently being manned. Sansa hoped to get that situation under wraps before they became overrun with thieves, rapers, exiles, and whatever other evil lied within the unfortunate people of Westeros.. The Lords and Ladies rose from their seats, awaiting for the Queen to sit so they could as well. Sansa took her seat at the head of the table and Brienne stood directly behind her, a bit off to the left.

"Well, it is good to see some familiar faces again." Sansa smiled, greeting her people.

"Let's just get this over with. Castle Cerwyn will not be bending the knee to two Queens and that is final" Lord Cley Cerwyn objected.

"Aye, that is not something my men will fight for," Lady Alys Karstark agreed.

"Does anyone else feel the same way as House Karstark and House Cerwyn?" Sansa remained composed as she looked around the room.

The other Lords and Ladies said nothing, allowing for their silence to voice that Lord Cerwyn and Lady Karstark were the only two in the room who wished to change the mind of the Queen. Sansa let out a subtle sigh of relief as some of the pressure from her chest faded.

"Who will take us seriously? Every time we march into a battle, anytime we voice a concern. They'll see us as nothing more than a joke, fighting for a place with two women in charge and no heirs." Lord Cerwyn continued to voice his concern.

"They've got a point there" Lord Glover hated to admit. "If you do not bear children, who will inherit the throne"

"Who do you suspect we will be in need of proving ourselves to. The freefolk we've made peace with, or the southers currently ruled by my brother King Brandon Stark" Sansa argued with the group.

"You brother cannot father children either, the throne will inevitably be passed onto another. Can you guarantee they'll be as kind as Lord Stark? What happens when another secret greedy Targayen, Lannister or Baratheon pops up and we're thrown into another war" Lord Cerwyn argued.