Book One: Chapter 7

The white wolf- Faith, she remembers Eunbi calling it- first appears outside her bedchamber three nights after her meeting in the godswood with the queen. Though she has always been raised on the teachings of the Seven, the gods that reign in the south, Sakura has to admit to finding the sept in Winterfell drab and uninspiring. It was easy to feel devout in the sept in Highgarden, where the stained glass windows reached as high of the treetops and choirs of children sang the praises of the gods into the vaulted ceilings. The faith of the Seven sits strangely in contrast to the politics of Highgarden, and though she had never been particularly pious her time in the sept had been enjoyable if only for a place to wear her grandest dresses in front of the nobility of the south and listen to pretty songs. Her parents had been devout enough, but as a young girl she hadn’t cared much for the gods, despite Prince Wells’s constant badgering and pious faith to the Seven. Now, in the decrepit sept in Winterfell, it is even harder to force herself to worship.

From her window, high in one of the castle towers, she can see the eerie godswood. It stretches for acres within the castle walls, a dark, snow covered forest. There is something silent and watchful about it, and sat beneath the heart tree at its centre, she had felt more in the presence of the gods than she ever did in the sept of Highgarden. Even thinking of it makes a chill rise to her skin.

The ghostly wolf lingers outside of her chambers, so still and quiet that she almost trips over it when she first steps out. Faith looks up at her with interest, stretching as she gapes. Behind her, a soft body collides into hers and she turns to find Haruppi, arms full of linens, staring down at the direwolf with terror in her eyes.

“Haruppi,” She touches at the handmaiden’s elbow, drawing her back to herself before the girl can be completely overcome. “It’s alright.”

“My- my lady, I-” Haruppi is trembling, the linens almost slipping from her arms, and Sakura soothes her as well as she can.

“She will not hurt you.” Hyewon tells the handmaiden, her eyes running over her with something close to disdain, and Sakura feels herself bristle.

“You’re alright, Haruppi. Come,” Carefully, Sakura leads her back into the bedchamber with gentle hands.

She eases the girl to sit on the futon at the end of the bed, taking the linens from her hands to place in a pile beside them. The girl is still trembling, darting terrified glances to the door, and Sakura kneels before her, her dress crinkling and her bodice stiff. Her hands run over the girl’s knees, and she makes soft, soothing noises until Haruppi’s eyes flicker down to her.

“You must have seen the direwolves around the castle before, Haruppi?” Her voice stays low and even, as if she’s speaking to an uneasy mount.

“Yes, my lady, but-” Haruppi cuts herself off with a trembling sob. “Only from afar. They are… so big.”

“I thought you had northern blood? Where’s your dignity?” Hyewon demands, from the doorway and Sakura’s glare is enough to make her falter.

Her voice is cold as ice when she speaks. “You’re not required in here Snow.”

Hyewon’s jaw grinds, her eyes flickering between Sakura and Haruppi, but eventually she acquiesces, stepping out into the corridor to wait. She leaves the door hanging open, and Faith’s expectant face peers in. When she sees Sakura’s eyes on her, she takes a few steps closer into the room, a low, uncertain whine rumbling in . Sakura wonders for a moment, her hands still rubbing gentle circles over her handmaiden’s trembling knees, and finally she gestures the wolf closer.

Faith seems to understand, because she trots into the room, her claws clicking against the wooden floor. Haruppi whimpers, and tears sparkle in her eyes, but Sakura doesn’t stop the wolf until she is a few paces away. From her place kneeling on the floor, Faith is so much larger than she has ever been before, and though Sakura sees the flash of her fangs she finds that most of her fear has gone. Hesitantly, she reaches out, and the wolf allows her to rub at the space between her ears, butting affectionately into her touch.

Haruppi hiccoughs over a sob beside her and Sakura says, quietly.

“You see? She doesn’t want to hurt us.”

Haruppi stares, open mouthed, as Faith accepts a few more moments of petting before flopping down onto the floor, her eyes sliding shut as Sakura continues to pet her. Her tail swishes against the floor as it moves back and forth, and she is so soft to the touch that Sakura almost forgets she is petting a wolf the size of a small horse.

Above her, Haruppi hiccoughs over a sob, and Sakura’s attention is drawn back to her.

“I know they seem scary,” She says, her voice sure and certain. “But the queen says they will not hurt us, and she’s right.”

Her eyes meet her handmaiden’s again, and under her gaze Haruppi nods slowly, dragging her cuffs over her hands to wipe at her eyes. Sakura gives a comforting squeeze to one of her knees, and instructs.

“There, now go down to the kitchens and get something warm and sweet to see you right. I won’t be needing you until the evening now.”

Her hands still shaking, Haruppi gathers up the linens and bods a small curtsey. “Yes my lady, thank you.”

Sakura watches her go with a soft sigh and is left alone with the direwolf beside her. Faith’s eyes had slid open when Haruppi had moved, and now she watches her, her eyes like slits as Sakura continues to rub at the soft fur on her head. On her knees, Sakura is closer than she  has ever been to the beast, and she takes the moment of peace to rake her eyes across Faith. The direwolf is long, sprawled out across the floor, and her tail is as long as a hand and a half sword. Her pelt is as white as the winter snows, and thick and warm. Around her paws her fur is matted with mud from where she has been running and hunting with her brothers and sisters, and her paws are almost as big as Sakura’s hands. Though her eyes are now closed again, Sakura knows that they are as blue as the summer sky.

“Maybe one day you’ll allow me to draw you.” She tells the direwolf, quietly and Faith rumbles.

Reluctantly, Sakura draws her hands away from the soft fur, ignoring Faith’s whine of displeasure, and stands slowly back to her feet. Her hands brush over the brocade, embroidered bodice, shifting it back into place, and smooth out the long, heavy blue skirts. Faith clambers to her feet reluctantly, and follows a pace behind as Sakura straightens her shoulders and makes her way into the hallway where Hyewon waits. The guard pushes away from her place leaning against the wall, and she must read the fury in Sakura’s eyes because she rolls her eyes and begins.

“The girl needs to toughen up, I was just-”

“You’re dismissed.” She is crisp and cool, her chin rising when Hyewon’s mouth falls open in surprise.

“What?” The girl gapes at her, stuttering over her words. “You can’t do that! The queen-”

“When I decide I want you back on my service, I’ll request you from the queen.” Her voice is sharp. “Until then I want you out of my sight.”

“The girl was a fool, she deserved-”

“Out of my sight!” Her voice cuts through an octave, and it must be enough to convince Hyewon that she’s being serious because the girl turns on her heel and marches away down the stairs.

---

The air is close, in the way that suggests they should be expecting a heavy rainfall soon, and the clouds hang heavily over the castle in a rolling blanket of soft, dove grey. The air is warmer that it has been for an age, and Eunbi can feel the season shifting into spring around her. Though it has been for a long time, the realisation that winter is finally over seems to hit her when she least expects it. The time for the long spring is coming and soon they will celebrate the first bloom and a new era of peace.

Eunbi’s fingers flex against the bow string pulled taut. Her fingers brush against her cheek, her elbow perfectly positioned as years of training has taught her. The small archers yard is empty but for her and Valour and Liberty. The direwolves lie beside each other, Liberty almost asleep as Valour grooms her. The dirt underfoot is undisturbed and Eunbi draws in a slow breath, steadying herself. Beneath her feet, she feels the bones of Winterfell, on the air she can smell the bread baking from the nearby kitchens and within her heavy furs she feels free to the playful winds from the west. Her breath escapes her slowly and she releases her grip on the bowstring, watching as the arrow soars towards its target. It thuds into place just to the left of the centre and she stretches her arms out, reaching for another bolt from the quiver at her hip when a presence disturbs her.

Turning, her fingers glance over her dagger until she finds her master at arms, Ser Sooyoung, watching her. The woman bows her head respectfully when their eyes meet, and when Eunbi gestures her closer, Sooyoung makes her way across the courtyard as Eunbi slots another arrow into her bow.

The woman who manages her guards and trained her when she was a child watches as she draws another arrow. Eunbi waits for a moment, drawing in another slow breath, but when the bolt is released it hits the target in the same place, just left of the centre. She lets out a frustrated grunt.

“You’re distracted, your majesty.” Sooyoung’s low, serious voice comes from beside her and Eunbi nods her head, acquiescing.

“Running a kingdom is no small matter, it seems.”

“You’re out of practice too,” Sooyoung remarks and when Eunbi turns to fix her with a raised eyebrow, the master at arms does not flinch away.

“I wish I had more time,” She confesses, rotating her shoulder on her injured side to dispel any aches. “Nyko has barely cleared me for training.”

“As you say, you are busy running a kingdom.”

“I am,” Eunbi leads them both to the table set up at the edge of the range and places down her bow, taking up the jug of water to pour herself a mug. “Fortunately I have you to supervise my soldiers, is all well?”

Sooyoung purses her lips, an expression of distinct displeasure which Eunbi had seen many times when she was a young squire. Just the sight of it makes her stomach clench anxiously. “I wish to speak to you about Lady Sakura, your majesty.”

“Lady Sakura?” Eunbi’s voice ticks up, though she is less surprised than she should expect to be.

“You asked me to assign Hyewon Snow to her guard when she first arrived.”

“I did,” Eunbi places down the mug and her hands slide behind her back as she listens to Sooyoung speak.

“Though Snow complained bitterly, I did as you asked. Several days ago, however, Snow told me that Lady Sakura wanted someone else for a while.”

“Someone else?” Eunbi’s brows crease, her face drawing with irritation.

“I as