Chapter 113: The Women Who Noticed
Winter's Heaven was alive once more.
The crisis at the frontier had passed.
The stations stood.
The dead had vanished.
Trade flowed normally.
Factories worked day and night.
Trains crossed the kingdom without interruption.
Life continued.
Just as it always had.
And today, there was even more reason for celebration.
The Winter's Titan had returned.
The colossal ship had completed its journey to White Harbor and returned safely to Winter's Heaven.
The sight of the floating city entering the harbor had become a celebration in itself.
Thousands gathered to watch.
Children waved.
Merchants cheered.
Workers stopped to admire it.
The gigantic vessel slowly approached the docks while steam rose from its sides.
For many citizens, it was a reminder.
Winter's Heaven continued moving forward.
Growing stronger.
Growing richer.
Growing larger.
Exactly as King Jon intended.
Yet while the kingdom celebrated, two women noticed something strange.
Jon Snow wasn't himself.
The king sat inside the Hall of Governance.
Reports covered his desk.
Trade reports from White Harbor.
Construction reports from Frost Seven.
Production reports from factories.
Military reports.
Agricultural reports.
The mountain of paperwork never seemed to end.
Jon calmly worked through them.
Page after page.
Document after document.
Signature after signature.
His face remained calm.
His movements remained calm.
Everything appeared normal.
At least to everyone else.
Not to Val.
Val sat quietly across the room during a meeting.
Listening.
Watching.
Observing.
Jon was speaking normally.
Giving instructions normally.
Reviewing plans normally.
Yet something felt different.
She couldn't explain it.
The king seemed distant.
As though part of his attention was somewhere else.
The feeling stayed with her even after the meeting ended.
And it wasn't only her.
Ygritte noticed too.
Unlike Val, Ygritte didn't spend her time analyzing people.
She trusted instinct.
And her instincts were telling her something was wrong.
Jon was working more than usual.
Much more.
Every time she looked for him, he was reading reports.
Inspecting projects.
Meeting officials.
Reviewing plans.
Doing something.
Anything.
As though he refused to sit still.
As though he was deliberately keeping himself busy.
Three days later.
Both women reached the same conclusion.
Entirely separately.
The attack affected him.
Neither knew exactly how.
Neither knew why.
But they knew Jon.
And something was bothering him.
The next morning.
Jon was peacefully reading reports.
Peacefully.
For approximately ten seconds.
The office doors suddenly opened.
Ygritte walked inside.
Without permission.
Without knocking.
Without caring.
Jon looked up.
Then sighed.
"You know most people knock."
Ygritte ignored him.
Her eyes landed on the stack of reports.
Then she frowned.
"There are more."
Jon glanced at the pile.
"Yes."
"You finished the last pile yesterday."
"Yes."
"And now you have another pile."
"Yes."
Ygritte stared at him.
Jon stared back.
Several moments passed.
Then Ygritte grabbed half the reports.
Jon immediately narrowed his eyes.
"Ygritte."
"No."
"Give them back."
"No."
"I'm working."
"No, you're hiding."
Jon blinked.
"Hiding?"
"Aye."
She pointed accusingly.
"You're hiding behind paperwork."
Jon looked genuinely confused.
"I am literally doing my job."
Ygritte rolled her eyes.
"Exactly."
Twenty minutes later.
Jon somehow found himself outside.
Walking through the city.
Ygritte proudly carrying stolen reports beneath one arm.
Jon still wasn't entirely sure how that happened.
The streets were crowded.
Citizens greeted him as he passed.
Children waved excitedly.
Merchants bowed.
Workers smiled.
Life was normal.
Peaceful.
Safe.
Exactly what he had built all these years for.
Ygritte walked beside him.
Occasionally pointing toward various things happening around the city.
A new bakery.
A market expansion.
A training field.
A school.
She talked endlessly.
Jon mostly listened.
And despite himself...
He found it relaxing.
Eventually they reached one of the military training grounds.
Immediately Ygritte brightened.
This was her territory.
The best archer in Winter's Heaven.
And arguably one of the best archers in the entire world.
Several young soldiers were training.
The moment they noticed Ygritte, they immediately straightened.
Ygritte smirked.
Then borrowed a bow.
Without warning she turned.
Drew.
Released.
The arrow crossed the entire field.
And struck a target directly in the center.
Bullseye.
The soldiers erupted into cheers.
Ygritte grinned proudly.
Jon laughed.
"There it is."
"There what is?"
"Your giant ego."
Ygritte gasped dramatically.
"My ego is perfectly reasonable."
Jon laughed again.
The soldiers exchanged glances.
It wasn't often they saw their king laughing.
From a nearby rooftop.
Val watched the entire scene.
And immediately became annoyed.
Not because Jon was laughing.
That part made her happy.
Because Ygritte got there first.
Later that evening.
Val finally found Jon alone.
Or so she thought.
The king stood on a balcony overlooking Winter's Heaven.
The setting sun painted the city gold.
The view was beautiful.
For several moments neither spoke.
Simply enjoying the silence.
Val eventually broke it.
"You seem better."
Jon glanced toward her.
"Better?"
"A few days ago you looked like you wanted to carry the entire kingdom on your shoulders."
Jon smiled slightly.
"Only the kingdom?"
Val laughed softly.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The smile."
Jon shook his head.
"Apparently everyone keeps looking for it."
"Because it's usually there."
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Val leaned against the railing.
The city stretched before them.
Beautiful.
Alive.
"You know," she said quietly.
"The kingdom is doing fine."
Jon nodded.
"I know."
"The frontier is secure."
"I know."
"The Titan returned."
"I know."
Val studied him.
Then smiled.
"Good."
Jon raised an eyebrow.
"Good?"
"Good."
She nodded confidently.
"That means you're officially out of excuses."
Jon immediately became suspicious.
"I don't like where this conversation is going."
Val smiled sweetly.
"You should take a day off."
"No."
"A half day."
"No."
"A few hours."
"No."
Val sighed dramatically.
"You are impossible."
A familiar voice suddenly interrupted.
"That's what I've been saying."
Both turned.
Ygritte stood nearby.
Arms crossed.
Looking entirely too pleased with herself.
Val narrowed her eyes.
Ygritte narrowed hers.
Neither said anything.
Yet Jon somehow felt tension appear from nowhere.
Then both women looked at him simultaneously.
Jon immediately became nervous.
For reasons he couldn't explain.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Both women smiled.
That somehow made it worse.
Far across the square.
Tormund watched everything.
The giant wildling chief sat comfortably on a bench.
Eating roasted meat.
Observing the situation.
Val.
Ygritte.
Jon.
His grin slowly widened.
Their king could build railways.
Their king could build factories.
Their king could command dragons.
Their king could destroy armies.
Their king could kill White Walkers.
Yet somehow...
Somehow...
He remained completely blind.
Tormund laughed so hard he nearly dropped his food.
End Chapter 113
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