It's been far too long since she's seen Arya. She closes her eyes and wishes that she could still hear Arya's sleepy breathing or snoring coming through the surprisingly thin walls in Winterfell. But that doesn't happen here, not in King's Landing. Not when she's completely alone and the rooms are far too big and probably soundproofed, Sansa doesn't hear anyone. She doesn't ever touch anyone and now she just wished she could hug her sister.
Back in Winterfell, everything was simple. They had a normal sisterly relationship, both she and Arya were immature and they messed around and bickered a lot but Sansa fully believed her mother when she told them that when they were older they would like each other, that they would be nothing like her and her sister. She never hugged Arya, they used to play fight a lot but Arya had Sansa's back and Sansa well Sansa used to.
She hates herself for it all the time, she took Joffrey's side over her own sister. She likes to blame it on the fact the she was young and naive and a prince had said he wanted to marry her, how could she refuse? Except she should have refused him and stood up for her sister. How much simpler would their life had been if she had just flat out refused to marry Joffrey? Her Dad was a good man, he would never have completely forced her into doing something that she didn't want to do, stupid stupid Sansa. What a terrible job she did of looking after her baby sister.
Arya's probably dead although there is a slight chance that she was able to hunt, she was always better with a sword than Sansa was. Sansa was more of a lady whereas Arya was a complete Tom boy, Sansa sometimes thought that Arya would have been happiest if she were born a boy. Sansa always got along better with her brothers so maybe that would have been the best, Arya's never shown any interest in boys anyway, not that Sansa is very straight these days either, not since Margaery came along.
She sighs and closes her eyes, she'll probably dream about Arya or her family tonight. She's about to drift off to sleep when her door swings open.
"Sansa" Margaery whispers,
"Sansa, are you awake?" Sansa groans in response and Margaery rushes over to the side of Sansa's bed.
"I have great news"
"Could it not have waited till morning?" Sansa yawns.
"I promise you it couldn't, I have been doing some snooping for you and well"
"Sansa" She knows that voice, she knows that voice anywhere. She sits up in bed to see Arya lurking in the doorway, needle still attached to her waist, she looks a bit of a mess but it's Arya alright.
"Arya" Sansa says breathlessly and turns to Margaery,
"Why would you do this for me? You could get yourself killed"
"You're going to leave now, you're going to Highgarden, people are much nicer there. There is a boat waiting for you"
"But"
"I'll visit you, I promise" Margaery pecks Sansa's lips.
"I love you sweet girl, be happy and look after each other for me. You have to go, come on. I'll send things for you, I promise" Sansa pulls a cloak around her nightdress and heads towards the door.
"I love you too" She says to Margaery before darting down the corridors, Arya in tow.
"Are you alright?" She asks,
"Where have you been?"
"I've been okay, I hunted, I had a friend but he got" She pauses.
"Taken and then Margaery's people found me, so you love her huh?" Sansa nods and doesn't attempt to wipe away the tears that fall down her cheeks, they don't have the time.
"Your friend, did you love him?" Arya shrugs,
"Maybe, I don't know. Were you together?"
"No, I didn't even know she liked me. That's the first time she's told me"
"Oh"
They board the boat with relative ease, the rest of the crew seem nice and they've got a decent sized cabin with a double bed. They've even got a cabinet with blankets which they choose to wrap themselves up in once they strip off.
"I hope they don't mind the dirt"
"When did you last have a shower?"
"I'm not exactly sure, do I smell?"
"No, surprisingly"
"You look well considering, I'm guessing he hasn't been treating you well"
"No not really but he's not mine anymore, he's getting married to Margaery. She's smarter and stronger than me, she has him wrapped around her little finger. She'll be okay, I've every faith"
"Faith doesn't exist Sansa, it can't with everything that has happened to us. You do sound a bit smitten with her"
"Oh shh, I think I missed you"
"I missed you too Sans" Arya allows Sansa to wrap her arms around her.
"That boy, did he hold you?" Arya shook her head.
"No, it wasn't like that. I wasn't romantic at all, I'm not even confident it was a friendship to him but anyway, how long has it been Sans?"
"I don't know, a year maybe more" Sansa yawns.
"You sleep okay out there? Were you cold?"
"What are you doing Sans?"
"You're my little sister, I'm meant to look after you" Arya giggles.
"Arya, have you killed people ?"
"You don't survive in this world without killing people Sans, I met the people who killed Robb and Mum so I killed them too. I'll kill anyone that hurts someone I care about, do you have anyone that I can kill ? Anyone that's hurt you?"
"Joffrey is the main one but you can't kill the king Arya. Cersei perhaps but death is a bit far maybe"
"She's on my list too, I should have taken the opportunity while I was in Kings Landing"
"No you shouldn't have, this is our chance for things to be okay to be normal"
"I am not okay" Arya shouted.
"I am not okay, I cannot be okay while people live when they shouldn't, when they should have a dagger in their heart"
" Arya, I'm not okay either. How can I be ? How can we be ? We have to move on"
" We have to take vengeance"
" If we take vengeance then this will never end. This ends here Arya" Arya sighed and lay back against Sansa's chest. Sansa kissed her forehead.
" Let your big sister look after you okay ?"
" I don't need looking after Sansa"
" Yes you do, you need me to stop you from doing stupid things"
" But it's the right thing to do"
" Murder is not a good thing Arya, do you want to get a reputation as a murderer ?"
" It's better than getting a reputation as someone who can be used Sansa"
" What's that meant to mean ?"
" Nothing, I'm sorry Sans. Ignore me, you're right that it's good for us to have a new life here but I can't say that I'll never kill again if I see someone who deserves it. If someone hurts you Sansa"
" Alright, alright shh now. Let your big sister cuddle you"
" You know I don't like cuddles"
" Well this is pretty intimate for us Arya, everyone likes to be held, even you"
" I wish I was you sometimes"
" Why on earth do you want that?" Sansa frowned.
" You're beautiful and I'm not with my stupid horse face"
" Arya you haven't got a horse face, you're beautiful too" Sansa patted Arya's cheek.
" No I'm not and you know it"
" Arya being beautiful comes with consequences, there's a much higher chance of being raped in this kind of world. Do you think I'd have been paired with Joffrey if I was ugly ? This isn't a world where it's a good thing to be beautiful"
" His name was Gendry, the friend I had. Maybe he'd have liked me more if I was pretty"
" Oh Arya" Sansa sighed.
" If he would have liked more because of looks then he's not a good friend or boyfriend"
" I don't think I do love Sansa, there was just something with him"
" I don't do love either, Arya I'm really sorry. All of this happened because I was stupid and naive and I thought I'd be happy with Joffrey"
" It's okay Sans, you were younger then"
" I don't feel young anymore"
" No I don't either" Arya yawned and closed her eyes.
" I love you Sans"
" Love you too"