Trustfall / Jon Snow / Theon Greyjoy

67. Now & Always

Rieka looked around winterfell and felt so much love and so much pain. It was a strange thing. Rickon was showing shireen and olly around happily as everyone else started removing bolton banners.

"When we had feasts, our family would sit up here... and I'd sit down there." Jon remarked as he stood at the front of the banquet hall. "I was jealous of you back then. EVen you got a place and I didnt." Theons face turned down. Theon opened his mouth to speak but jon marched off.

"I'm having the lord's chamber prepared for you." Jon remarked

"Mother and Father's room?" Sansa questioned.

"You should take it. Rieka didnt want it and I'm not a Stark." Jon agreed.

"You are to me." Sansa corrected.

"You're the Lady of Winterfell. You deserve it. We're standing here because of you. The battle was lost until the Knights of the Vale rode in. They came because of you." Jon remarked. "You told me Lord Baelish sold you to the Boltons."

"He did."

"And you trust him?" Jon questioned and Sansa chuckled.

"Only a fool would trust Littlefinger." sansa corrected "I should have told you about him, about the Knights of the Vale. I'm sorry."

"We need to trust each other." Jon said moving to her. "We can't fight a war amongst ourselves. We have so many enemies now" jon reminded her before kissing her forehead.

"Jon. A raven came from the Citadel. A white raven." Rieka informed them as she approached. They shared a look. "Winter is here."

"Well, Father always promised, didn't he?"

+

"You can't expect Knights of the Vale to side with wildling invaders."

"We didn't invade. We were invited." Tormund corrected.

"Not by me."

"By me." Rieka agreed. "What? I like the teddy bear with knives." Rieka agreed. "What are we talking about? I was hungry but clearly we have drama and my stomach can wait."

"Observant." Tormund agreed. Rieka sat beside Theon and Jon watched her, he felt a wave of jealousy but Rieka smiled back at him. He looked good up there, she didnt want to take away from Jon's leadership since most still saw him as a bastard even though Rieka knew that didnt define Jon. 

"The free folk, the northerners, and the Knights of the Vale fought bravely, fought together, and we won." Jon reminded everyone. "My father used to say we find our true friends on the battlefield. "

"The Boltons are defeated. The war is over."

"The war is over, who is this idiot?" Rieka countered. Theon hushed her nudging his leg against her, she smiled back at him. "I'm glad you are here." Rieka admitted. 

"You are?" Theon rasped. 

"A second chance at being friend again." Rieka agreed. 

"Friends." THeon agreed, a smile curved his lips as Rieka grabbed his hand. 

"But Winter has come." Jon agreed looking to Rieka.

"If the maesters are right, it'll be the coldest one in a thousand years." Podrick added.

"We should ride home and wait out the coming storms."

"The war is not over." Jon declared. "And I promise you, friend, the true enemy won't wait out the storm. He brings the storm."

"He brings the storm." Rieka repeated, there was a hauntingly eerie look in Jon's eyes. Jon saw the night king, saw the pain and destruction he brought, he didnt want his home to fall not after they just got it back he wanted a place for Rieka and Kai, for Rickon, Olly and Shireen to be safe.