Nell watches you sort through a few papers, his eyes barely able to read a few words from the pages before they’re folded away. Out of sight out of mind as you like to say. He purses his lips, biting his tongue as he waits for you to address him. He spares a glance out the frostbitten window, eyes narrowing at the snow already starting to fall. It’ll only get colder, despite his numerous attempts to light the fireplace in your room you’ve been adamant that you’ll be fine.

He knows better than to argue with you, it’s better to take your word for it than to risk pissing you off. He feels a little guilty, despite his affections for you he can’t bring himself to trust you as much as you deserve. You’ve done more for him than your sister has done in all the time he’s known her. Still, he can’t blame himself for being wary. For all he knows you’re just like your sister, even if he wants to believe you’re not. He hardens his resolve, putting a hand onto your desk to grab your attention.

He’s spent enough time admiring you, and as much as he’d like to stay the night and wake up here he knows better than to keep Ariana waiting. Only the gods know what that woman has planned for him, he can feel his stomach tying up already at the mention of it.

"Your Highness, I have more information about the empire’s external affairs."

He hopes you’ll let him stay a little longer, next to you and not your sister. Tensions are rising, for a reason he already knows. The other jewels have taken it upon themselves to stick near you whenever they can and it’s becoming an issue. With the Summer Solace up and coming Ariana has been busy trying to curry enough favor to lead it. When she’s finished with that however, it’ll be you she’ll focus on.

One will start to wonder why all her jewels are missing, god help him when she figures out why. He’s used to her by now, the degradation and lack of humanity. It keeps him up at night, remembering how much of a fool he was allowing her to walk all over him. He only did it for his family, so she could help his family, but she didn’t.

In the end it was you who helped him, albeit discreetly. He can only imagine you’ve done the same with the other jewels, it would explain why they’ve become so enamored with you. While Ariana’s palace is a prison decorated with jewels your palace is a sanctuary, to polish and clean them before you send them back to the slaughterhouse.

He prays you don’t care for them like you care for him, he hopes you care for him at all. Maybe you pity them, he certainly doesn’t. Regardless, at WinterFell none of them have to worry about Ariana showing up unannounced. He’s glad it’s just you and him, he can’t handle dealing with the rest of the jewels at his only form of sanctuary.

"I.. I also have information on Madam Verdi. If that is something you would like to know."

He hides his nerves as best he can, even when his hands start shaking. He straightens up, already cursing himself for speaking on the subject. He knows enough to know it’s probably a touchy subject, but Ariana is so hungry for information on Verdi and he figured maybe you would like to know before she does. It’s disloyal, risky, maybe a little desperate, but he’s desperate to stay a little longer. Anything to keep him out of Ariana’s palace, anything to keep him away from your demon of a sister.