[ days later and -- additionally -- some time after gendry first accosts the speaker, sansa has managed to compose enough of herself. she's asked for them to stop their horses so she might take a break beneath a tree and navigate this conversation without also having to navigate a horse through the road. riding had never been one of her strongest suits -- arya had always been better at it.

she hates how her fingers tremble when she catches at the locket's face and opens it up. sansa sighs. drags breath into her lungs, and has to behave coolly. as if she doesn't know him half as well as she wants to. as if she doesn't care half as much as she's learned to care.

we are a like, now, brother is all she can think: ] We manage, my lord. [ how strange. ] Lord Commander, is it not? Ser Gendry said your name was Jon Snow and I heard a Jon Snow commands the Watch. Is it true? Tell me it's true.

[ she wants that much for him, she thinks. she wants to be proud. ]