"Run, Sansa!" Theon yelled. The hounds were getting closer. Sansa was running as fast as she could but the long winter dress she had been wearing was weighing her down. The shoes she had on were not made for running in the snow either.
"RUUN!" Theon yelled just as one of the hounds jumped up and sinked it's teeth into Sansa's neck.
"HAAA!" Sansa gasped and woke up from her nightmare in terror. She had clenched her feet so hard that all her toes were numb locked together. She immediately looked for Theon, her broken guardian and probably her only friend in the world.
"What's wrong Sansa?" Theon rushed to her and immediately picked up on her state of panic.
Sansa just hugged him for comfort and Theon understood.
Later that night, Brienne came back, with two squirrels she managed to catch. There wasn't a lot of game to be found in the north during a cold night. Podrick started a big fire and the four of them positioned themselves near it.
Some time passed and no one said anything. Everyone was thinking the same thing but no one said a thing. That one question that had been lingering in their minds.
Finally, it was Brienne who broke the silence.
"Lady Sansa…" She gently turned to Sansa who turned her gaze to her.
"Where do you think we should go?" Brienne asked.
Sansa couldn't muster an answer. She tried to say something but nothing came to her mind
"Where do you think you'd be safe?" Brienne asked the real question this time.
"Nowhere." Sansa thought with a heavy heart. Her family was gone. Her father had lost his head in King's Landing. Her brother was murdered alongside her mother in a wedding, by her husbands family… Her other siblings were all probably dead as well. Brienne had seen Arya with the Hound sometime ago but she ran away from her.
According to Theon, Bran and Rickon were not dead. The news had made Sansa happy initially but then she thought "Just not killed by you." in agony. "Doesn't mean they're alive." She would never have blind hope like this…Never again. Not after what she had seen. Not after what she had been through.
And Jon…She had no idea where he was, or what had happened to him. When his father was named the Hand of the King, Jon had travelled with their party until they reached the Kingsroad. Sansa was told he was going to take the black by Septa Mordane but then she saw him riding towards east.
Her father said that he changed his mind and that he would travel before he made up his mind. Sansa was a little girl and didn't care much for Jon so she never thought to ask "Make up his mind about what?
Sansa often found herself thinking about Jon…Especially after she returned to Winterfell. She found herself wondering about where he is…What he is doing. And then she would get mad…because she would feel like he abandoned them…abandoned his family. Abandon…her. But then she'd let go of it because she figures…he's probably dead. Just like…everyone else.
"What about the Eyrie?" Podrick asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes. Isn't your cousin Lord of the Vale?" Brienne asked.
"He is but not really. Littlefinger actually runs the place. Robin is like his puppet." Sansa replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"He's the one who sold you to the Bolton's." Theon said what was on Sansa's mind.
"Yes…He did." Sansa said, with self-pity and resentment dripping from her voice.
Just then, an echo was heard from afar. Brienne was quick to realize and almost immediately drew his sword. Podrick and Theon followed suit. Three of them made a circle around Sansa and they started to wait.
The echo slowly turned to a voice and the voice slowly came closer. "A horse" Sansa realized in terror.
As the source of the sound draw nearer Sansa realized, much to her horror, that it was more than just 1 or 2 horses. Their fire wasn't strong enough to cover a large area so they waited in fear until the silhouette's became visible to them.
Almost a dozen men. Sansa childishly hoped for a second that they were random people but soon saw her hopes were in vain. The flayed man was apparent in their armor.
"So this is as far as I go?" Sansa thought..A bittersweet thought. A part of her was tired. A part of her wanted out. Surviving only to be mistreated and betrayed…and then surviving yet again for the same thing to happen. Her heart could only be broken so many times.
Two of the men got off their horses and drew closer. They were careful of Brienne the most. The circle they had made with their horses gave no chance for an escape.
"Podrick and I will make a breach." Brienne whispered .
"You two, run as fast as you can. Run towards west. The forest is thicker there. "
One of the man was close enough to be seen entirely by the flame's light.
"Lady Sansa…" He bowed…but it was mockery.
"Ramsay has missed you. " The man whispered and soon, 3 others showed themselves behind him. Brienne took two steps towards them and went into a battle stance.
Sansa closed her eyes as the impending battle was just about to begin. She heard a "whoosh" sound and something impale someone. She got on her knees in fear and just wanted it to be over. The clash of steel and the sound of screams and grunts echoed through the air.
It was only when Sansa heard one of the Bolton men yell " Who the fuck-?!" that she decided to open her eyes. The man who yelled was cut down almost immediately. Almost all the Bolton men were dead and two hooded man stood between them and the remaining Bolton soldiers. The two remaining decided to attack the hooded men at the same time. Much to her surprise, the short hooded men leapt in between them and managed to slide-and slash between the two. He managed to cut them down before they got the chance come closer. Sansa had never seen such ferocious swordplay. Not even in King's Landing.
Sansa realized both in shock and in joy that none of her companions had died nor even suffer a wound. These two hooded men had saved them.
She remembered a lady's courtesy and bowed slightly towards the men .
"T-Thank you, sir's. You saved our lives." She politely and gratefully acknowledged their actions.
The shorter one took three steps in succession, spooking both Sansa and Brienne who threw herself between them.
The man removed his hood. Sansa froze as if the world had stopped.
It was Jon. He was very different. But it was Jon.
"Hello Sansa." Jon smiled. Sad and happy at the same time.