Sansa remembered the first time she left the North. She was ten name days old and she was visiting the Riverland's, her mothers home, to meet her Lord Grandfather. He was a tall an imposing man but shared the same kind look about him as her older brother Robb had at his young age of seventeen name days and as soon as they had arrived and the formalities were done with he showered them all with present saying that they were from the name days that he had missed. Robb and Jon had each gotten a fine set of swords with their houses words on them "Winter is Coming", Bran had gotten a practice bow and promises of archery lessons by none other than Lord Tully himself, Arya still being barely older than a babe had gotten a fine necklace with both their Lord Fathers and their Lady Mothers house words on it to remind her of where she comes from when she's older Lord Tully said, and Sansa had gotten the most beautiful of silks and ribbons all the way from the Free Cities and Dorne.
The first time Sansa had left the North had also been the time where she discovered that perhaps she didn't want to be married to the heir of a Lord, perhaps she wanted to be married to the heiress of a Lady. Lilianna had been the name of the heiress, Lilianna of Harrenhal, the only child of the late Lord Harroway and the sole heiress to Harrenhal. Lilianna was already a beautiful girl of fourteen name days with flowing brown locks, skin paler than the moon and eyes as bright as the sky. Lilianna had been Lord Tully's ward so that she would learn to rule Harrenhal until time that she married. Sansa had never actually spoken to Lilianna choosing to instead admire her fro a distance until it was time to travel North once more. Six more name days passed without a single thought going to the beautiful ghost of Harrenhal, without a single thought to a girl or boy in fact, six more name days passed until she was to leave the North again. King Robert had demanded that her Lord Father be hand to the King in payment of her direwolf, Lady, staying alive after the "attack" on Prince Joffery and the Queen demanding Lady's head. Bran and Arya were to accompany their father to Kingslanding as well, while Robb, Jon, and Rickon were to stay in Winterfell with their mother. Robb had to learn the ways of being the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, their father had forbidden Jon to go south a long while ago for an unknown reason and their mother had refused to let Rickon go, saying that he was still just a babe and that going to the south too soon would turn him into a true summer child. Sansa had no idea why she was required to leave home but she held her tongue and asked no questions.
It took a full moons turn to reach Kingslanding and by the end of it Sansa had reached her wits end with the Prince thinking that even baby Rickon didn't cry as much as the Prince did, not even when Shaggydog had to be put out to the kennels or when their father told him that they were going south and he was to stay home. Kingslanding was far too warm for Sansa's comfort and she was glad that her mother had new dresses made from the lightest of cottons for her "Father" Sansa said when Kingslanding came into view, "Where are we to stay during our... Visit here?"
"I should imagine that we're to stay in the Red Keep. Why do you ask?" Eddard replied, jumping off of his horse and helping Sansa off of hers while Bran struggled to follow his lead and help Arya down who simply jumped off like their father and shoved her younger brothers shoulder
"But is that not where the Royal apartments are?" Bran questioned "That they are, but as I brang you three with me there simply isn't enough room the Hands Tower and Robert has given us permission to reside in the Red Keep with him" Eddard explained before drawing the three closer as he knelt to the ground,
"Listen and listen well. The south is not like the North and we are not free to say what we want, the walls have ears as do the gardens, so keep your words close to your chest and you mightn't melt yet."
"Yes, father" Sansa, Arya and Bran replied in unison
"Alright, follow Jory and he'll show you around. Not you, my winter rose" Eddard said clasping his hand on Sansa's shoulder. When Jory, Arya and Bran had disappeared, Eddard dragged Sansa through a maze of roads and side roads until they were in a dark corner "Robert wants me to give you the Prince's hand in marriage." Eddard whispered "No" Sansa replied and folded her arms over her chest, "I will not"
"Nor would I let you, nor would your mother. But the Prince _will _try to court you and you _must _be polite about declining his advances, okay? I am going to have Jory escort you everywhere if you are not already accompanied, I don't trust the little monster nor should you" Eddard finished with a firm kiss to her brow before pulling her off again "Lady Sansa" A boyish voice called from behind her and her father, making them both grimace before turning around with polite smiles "My Prince" Sansa said, dropping into a curtsey "May I escort you to your rooms?" Joffery asked, holding his arm out "I'm sorry, Prince Joffery, but I have already promised my daughter that I would show her and her brother and sister to see the knights practice." Eddard spoke before Sansa could open her mouth, "Perhaps another time"
"Perhaps" Joffery said, barely holding the sneer off of his face before storming off
A moons turn passed with Joffery trying to court her at every turn until King Robert organized a tourney in Sansa's name from Joffery, noble families from all over Westeros were to attend and bring their best nights to fight against each other. Curtains were being dyed, banners sewn and food prepared for the next month until, finally, the tourney day was upon them and Sansa was to dress in a white and grey cotton dress with a decorative silver direwolf embossed chest plate
"Good morning, Arya, good morning Bran" Sansa said, entering the private dining room, "Are you excited for the Tourney? I've been told that the Knight of Flowers is to attend" She asked more so to Bran than to Arya and smiled when Bran went on excitedly about it, it was perhaps the only reason she was standing this if not to see the smile on Bran's face when they entered the Tourney yard. Sansa didn't really understand the rules of a Tourney, nor why they were deemed so interesting. It was like watching her brothers play at war in the snow of Winterfell, she thought
"Good morning, everyone" King Roberts booming voice called out and a hush fell over the crowd, "I am glad to see you all arrive here safely in time for our new Tourney here, Sansa's Tourney, named after the love of my son's heart" the crowd cheered, "Hopefully the men you brought will entertain her, she is of the North after all, she's seen men tougher than all of us Southerners combined" Robert laughed, "Well, let it begin"
Knights jousted, melee, arched and fought for what seemed like several life times before the last competition, a jousting match between Ser Loras Tyrell, the knight of flowers and a beast of a man they called The Mountain. Ser Loras galloped over on his mare of gold to match his hair and gave her a rose straight from his cape that was made of flowers that would slowly fall to the ground. Ser Loras had won easily which sent the Mountain into a rage as he beheaded his black stallion and went for the Knight of Flowers. Sansa had already ran off with half the women after seeing the poor stallion beheaded
"Why are you hiding, little bird?" A beautiful voice asked and Sansa looked up to see soft, doe brown eyes peering down at her
"I didn't wish to see the poor knight get hurt after the poor horse" Sansa replied
"The poor knight is perfectly safe, little bird" The girl told Sansa
"How do you know?" Sansa asked
"The poor knight is my darling brother. Margaery Tyrell of High Garden," Margaery introduced herself "Who might you be?"
"Sansa Stark of Winterfell" Sansa replied
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Sansa" Margaery said with a smile, "Would you like to accompany me to tea in the gardens with my grandmother? She is always going on about the Starks of Winterfell, the Kings and Queen's of winter and breeders of the hardest knights in Westeros"
"I would love to" Sansa replied