When Ned Stark was beheaded for crimes he did not commit Sansa Starks life changed forever. She was subjected to years of physical abuse and mental torture. Sansa went from being an innocent naive child to a strong secretive woman; she faced her enemies with false kindness. She was the lone wolf living in a pit of snakes. She was innocent and they destroyed her.

…

The cold of winter has started to settle over Kingslanding when the dornish prince arrived, he who was dressed all in yellow and orange, the colours of his house, Nemeros Martell; the house that has ruled over the sunny sandy deserts of Dorne for centuries. His dear sickly brother had sent him in his steed to take the dornish seat on the small council of the seven kingdoms.

…..

As the south grew colder and colder the southerners shut up their windows and stared their fires, while the only northerner left south of the neck relished in the cold; Sansa stark would not hide from the it, no she will welcome it with open arms.

…

Oberyn was in the capitol for a mere few hours when he was requested to attend court to witness the daily dealings of the true king Joffrey Baratheon. Oberyn was assigned a seat next to king while he ruled over court dealing with the peoples disputes. Joffrey was harsh and rash and though of violence more than justice. For when a man came asking the king for food to feed the people Joffrey had his men pelt the man with hard old mouldy bread that bruised the poor easily, he then spoke of how grateful the people should be from keeping the traitor kings away from his city.

Joffrey truly did have a spark of madness within him; his eyes sparkled with it 'Oberyn thought'

…..

While court was coming to an end the gold cloaks of the king's guard came towards the king dragging the small frame of a girl, no woman. Her copper hair was mused and her dress ripped she still stood tall, tall as the men would let her stand.

…

She raised her eyes to meet the young kings "your grace" she curtsies not forgetting her manners, must the king deem it an act of rebellion and beat her.

Sansa was walking in the gardens enjoying the cold that touched her skin when the wind was harsh, then out of nowhere three kings men game and told Sansa she was being summoned by the king. They then went and ripped her skirt thinking this mere act would humiliate her. They had failed. It only made her feel stronger they were peeling back her mask one layer at a time and one day she will snap, and she will die for it.

"My lady I have brought you here to introduce you to prince Oberyn of Dorne" Joffrey motioned the tanned skinned man next to him. He was ruggedly handsome, black hair that had a few grey hairs shining through the mess of curls.

The prince stood from his seat and sauntered over to Sansa; he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of her palm noticing the flinch he received when he drew back.

….

Looking deep into her eyes Oberyn could tell she was stronger than the little dove Queen Cersei had portrayed her to be, no she was a wolf wearing the mask of a dove. Her eyes shone with hatred when she laid eyes on the yellow haired king though landing on his they were scrutinising wondering if she would be back handed or treated as any lady was due.

Surprise was clear as well when he kissed her hand, Oberyn smiled "My lady." He greeted his dornish accent strong.

"Your Grace" she greeted back. Oberyn noticed she hid behind her manners; they were her shield after all.

/

Sansa rarely got to wander the red keep alone, she was always flanked by two or more guards. On these rare occasions when she got to wander Sansa liked to visit the training grounds where boys and men fought, there grunts of pain when they suffered a blow from their opponent, or the yells of victory when one takes down another. A place Sansa would have stayed clear of years ago.

Today the yard was clear of Lannister men and filled with men dressed in orange and yellow, the colours of Dorne. They fought differently from the men of Westeros. They were swift, quiet but deadly as a snake, while the westrosi men were brutes, loud just like a bear searching for his prey.

Sansa watched as the men battled admiring their skill and gracefulness; it was as if they were dancing a deadly dance. Just as Sansa was about to leave two women arrived weapons in hand. Curiosity forced Sansa to watch as two beautiful women, black of hair and tan of skin fought each other. Their moves were as sleek as the men before them, there moves just as deadly.

….

Oberyn watched Sansa closely as she watched his men and woman fight, wonder clear on her face. As two of his warrior women made their way up to fight her eyes widened in curiosity. He could see admiration clear of her pale face.

When the battle came to an end Oberyn decided it was about time he made his presence known to the copper haired stark before him.

"Are you enjoying the show?" Oberyn's deep velvet voice said.

Sansa did not flinch nor seem surprised by his presence; she simply turned towards him and nodded. A stone like expression on her face. But though her face showed no feeling her eyes did, they twinkled with light.

"They fight very differently." She commented shyly. Oberyn smiled "aye we do, we are not like the men of Westeros. Dorne wishes to separate its self as much as possible from Westeros."

"The dornish are passionate people, we fight, we love and we survive. We do not hurt those who have given us no reason to hurt them like these Westeros people do. They fight for land, money power." Oberyn chuckles. Feeling completely comfortable talking to Sansa about these things, she wanted to hear of a better place after all.

Spies his brother had sent tom Kingslanding had reported that she was beaten daily in front of court, tortured while her family fought a war to gain justice for the death of Eddard stark. She was humiliated and hurt beyond repair. She was something Oberyn wanted to fix. Someone he had to help.

He did not want her to suffer anymore, and most of all he did not want her to become another death in the game of thrones.