"Alaric... wake up, my prince," a voice whispered, sweet as honey and soft as the morning mist.
Alaric's eyes snapped open. He was still cocooned in the grey-blue wool of Sansa's travel cloak, his head resting in her lap. The scent of winter roses was thick in the air, a reminder of the girl looking down at him with an expression that held no traces of the "Little Dove" the world saw.
"You slept well," she murmured, her fingers giving his dark hair one final, lingering stroke. "It has been nearly two hours. I watched the treeline the whole time. Not even a squirrel passed without me noticing."
Alaric shifted, the stiffness of the frozen ground finally reaching his joints as he sat up. He let out a long, heavy breath, feeling more centered than he had since the System first flickered to life. He looked at Sansa, who was still draped in the shadows of the sentinel tree, her eyes bright with a newfound vigilance.
He reached out, his large hand landing on the crown of her head in a slow, affectionate pat, his fingers smoothing the stray copper hairs that had escaped her braids.
"You did well, Sansa," he said, his voice a low, appreciative rasp.
"I didn't think you had the patience to sit still in the cold for that long. Maybe you're more of a Northman than the septas give you credit for."
Sansa leaned into his touch for a moment, a small, triumphant smile playing on her lips before she swiped his hand away with a playful huff. She began to gather her heavy cloak, smoothing the wrinkles out of her silk skirts.
"Well," she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "it wasn't just me. A 'Lady' helped me keep watch."
Alaric raised an eyebrow, his hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. "A lady? Who? If one of your handmaidens followed us out here—"
"Not a handmaiden," Sansa interrupted, her smile widening as she whistled a low, sharp note that Alaric had never heard her use before.
From the dense brush of the Wolfswood, a shape emerged—silent, grey, and larger than any hunting hound. Lady, the direwolf pup, trotted into the clearing. The animal didn't go to Sansa; instead, it walked straight to Alaric, sniffing his leather boots before sitting back on its haunches, its yellow eyes fixed on the treeline they had just been watching.
"She stayed by my side the whole time you slept," Sansa explained, looking at the wolf with a mix of pride and awe. "Whenever the wind shifted or a branch snapped in the distance, she grew still. I just watched her ears. If they stayed forward, I knew we were safe."
Sansa looked back at Alaric, her expression softening. "You see? You aren't the only one who can protect what belongs to them."
Alaric looked from the girl to the wolf.
Alaric reached out, his calloused palm meeting the thick, grey fur of the direwolf's head. Lady leaned into the touch, her yellow eyes steady and preternaturally calm as she accepted the silent acknowledgment from the man who now stood as the shield of her pack.
"She's more vigilant than half the guards on the walls," Alaric muttered, giving the wolf a final, firm pat on the shoulder.
Sansa stood, brushing the last of the frozen pine needles from her skirts. She looked toward the distant towers of Winterfell, the golden light of the afternoon beginning to wane. "I have to go," she said, her voice tinged with regret. "I've stretched my time here long enough. If I stay a moment longer, my mother will realize I'm not in the sept and send Jory or the guards to find me".
Alaric remained seated for a heartbeat, his dark eyes fixed on her face. He read the lingering hesitation in her posture, the way her fingers toyed with the clasp of her cloak, and the expectant softness in her gaze. He let out a low, dry chuckle.
"You're waiting for a goodbye kiss, aren't you?" he asked, a dark, playful glint sparking in his eyes.
Sansa's cheeks immediately flushed a deep crimson, a stark contrast to the pale porcelain of her skin. She didn't look away this time; instead, she gave him a small, shy nod, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.
Alaric rose with a fluid movment, closing the distance between them. He didn't just offer a quick peck; he wrapped a heavy arm around her waist, pinning her to his leather-clad chest as he tilted her chin up. He pressed a slow, bruising kiss against her lips.
When he finally pulled back, Sansa was breathless, her eyes darting around the trees as if the forest itself might have seen. With a final, lingering squeeze of his hand, she turned and disappeared into the brush, Lady trailing silently behind her.
Alaric stood alone in the silence of the Wolfswood, the air still carrying her scent. He turned his focus inward, fixing his attention on the translucent blue window hovering in the frozen air.
"Alright," Alaric whispered, his voice rough against the cold. "System, you still haven't told me what these 'Monarch Points' are for."
The blue light pulsed in response, the text shifting as if reacting to his focus.
[System Query Acknowledged: Nature of 'Monarch Points']
[Current Balance: 250 MP]
"Monarch Points are the currency of sovereignty," the System replied, its voice emotionless and heavy. "They can be used to increase attributes, upgrade skills, create constructs in the real world, and eventually purchase blood soldiers for summoning."
As Alaric remained still beneath the trees, the interface continued. Lines of text scrolled quickly, outlining the true scope of the power now bound to him.
The display shifted again, organizing itself into a clear list.
[SYSTEM: MONARCH PATH OPTIONS AVAILABLE]
Monarch Points Available: 250
SYSTEM: ATTRIBUTE UPGRADE
Current Monarch Points: 250
Cost: 100 MP → +1 Attribute Point(Cost increases with each upgrade)
Example: If one attribute point is assigned to
Strength, the increase is equal to approximately three months of harsh physical training. Endurance will also increase as a secondary effect.
CURRENT AVAILABLE PASSIVES
[MONARCH'S COMMAND]
Cost: High
Effect: Projects authority. Followers show increased loyalty and greater resistance to betrayal.
Note: Units affected are less likely to rout.
Status: Locked (Insufficient Monarch Points)
BLOOD SUMMONING
Status: No bloodlines possessed.
Blood summoning options will unlock once a bloodline is acquired.
Note: Additional bloodlines will unlock more summoning options.