Different Paths to Destiny [Game of Thrones]

" this took my life to make "

Night fell, and still I couldn't sleep. A knock on my door interrupted me from trying. "Come in!" I called. The door squeaked open. I turned to see Sansa peeking through the door. "I said come in."

Sansa opened the door slowly and walked into the room. "I didn't want to intrude, were you sleeping?" I shook my head, and motioned for her to come sit next to me on the bed. The candle on the nightstand cast shadows on her face. "I've only been in here a few times," she noted. "I was never really welcome before."

I smiled. "You weren't missing much, just an old room. Doesn't have much personality anymore."

"I like these blankets," she said, running a hand over them. Ellaria had sent them in one of the chests from Dorne. They were thick with beautiful embroidered patterns that reminded me of the Water Gardens. I wondered if she had them made especially for me.

"Did you want to talk about something?" I asked.

"It's over," she said quietly. Her tone was calm and her face betrayed no emotion. "It's really over." I knew she meant Ramsay was finally dead. The sounds of his screams and the dogs barking had carried across the courtyard.

"How does it feel?" I asked after a moment.

"Good, I think." She looked down. "Does that make me an awful person?"

I reached out for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Of course not. After everything that monster did to you, you're allowed to take some joy in his death. He can't hurt you anymore, he can't hurt anyone."

"Do you want to kill the Freys for what they did to Robb?"

"I almost had a chance at Riverrun, I was so close to Lothar and Black Walder. I thought that there would be a perfect moment. I pictured them storming the castle, a huge fight. But then the Lannisters arrived." I shook my head. "One day House Frey will be reduced to the rats that they are, and I will be there to watch."

Sansa crawled forward, turning to put her back against the headboard. She laid her head on my shoulder. For a moment we just sat there in silence. I thought she had fallen asleep. "Robb was so in love with you," she whispered. "It was like something out of a storybook. He would have done anything for you. I was always jealous, I guess I still am."

"I loved him too." I closed my eyes for a moment, a sad smile on my lips. "I never got to tell him."

"You showed your affection in your own way. I'm sure he knew."

I shook my head. "I never let him in. He was so good to me, but I tried so hard to push him away. I thought that if I kept him at arm's length it would make things easier on us." I let out a breathy humorless laugh. "And the whole time he knew. His last words to me were about Jon. He always knew about us, but he never said anything."

"We all knew, except for father," Sansa told me with a shrug. "But no one could stand to break your heart, so we all kept quiet."

I shook my head, amazed that they'd let it go on for years. "Even Catelyn didn't stop me, and she hated Jon."

"You've spent years apart, and now he's just across the courtyard..." She trailed off. "Why aren't you with him?"

"I saw him at Castle Black, I wanted to legitimize him as Robb asked me to do. He said no, he'd rather stay at the wall." I shook my head. "I understand why, I do. But hearing that still hurt."

"So your plan is to avoid him until the next war council?" I shrugged. She leapt forward and turned to look at me. "Gods, Amina, I almost forgot how stubborn you were. Talk to him, at least. Do it for me." She gave me a push.