Ygritte did not decline. She walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Her movements were not exactly rough, but they certainly were not graceful either. The chair legs scraped briefly against the floor, the sound strikingly clear in the now-quiet hall.
"This is Ygritte," Viserys said to Rhaenys, turning his head. His voice was quiet, but loud enough for both women to hear clearly. "I mentioned her to you before. She is one of the Free Folk. When I last came to the Wall, she helped me take care of a few things. Afterward, I left her here to help Mance Rayder settle the Free Folk coming south."
He paused, then looked at Ygritte again. "Ygritte, this is Rhaenys. She is also my... queen."
When Rhaenys heard Viserys say "my queen" before everyone, the corner of her eye twitched slightly. Inwardly, she was thrilled, but her expression remained calm.
She slowly set down her wine cup and nodded to Ygritte.
"I have heard my brother speak of you," Rhaenys said, taking the initiative. Viserys's words had left her in a very good mood. Her voice was gentle, carrying the particular grace and composure of a noblewoman.
"He said you helped him a great deal beyond the Wall. You went to Caste's keep and the Haunted Forest together, and later you helped settle the Free Folk at Castle Black. Thank you for all your hard work."
Ygritte looked at Rhaenys, remembering what Viserys had just said. A complicated emotion flickered through her blue eyes.
Over the past year, she had met quite a few noblewomen from the south. While Mance Rayder negotiated with the Night's Watch, she had taken it upon herself, as a representative of the Free Folk, to negotiate with many houses in the North, hoping to