The present day setting will be Sansa's POV that is set 10 years after all the wars in Westeros are over. This does not mean it's 10 years after ADWD. All other POVs take place during the years leading up to the present. Also each of the Stark children is sort of the main character in this story. This first chapter just seems to center on Sansa and Rickon more than the others.

Again, it all belongs to GRRM with the exeption of a few characters I had to create to make this work.

Sansa

10 years since the wars ended

Two towers stood on either side of the river. The bridge that had, once, connected them was gone. The towers themselves looked more like ruins than anything else.

Sansa had rathered not come this way to go North but it was the quickest route and she had nothing to fear from them. The Twins were long abandoned, their cruel occupants long since driven from their lands.

"Wow, look at that!" Her 8-year old son, Garth exclaimed. "Cat! Cat, do you see it?"

Cat, Sansa's 5-year old daughter sat in her mother's lap on a horse. She seemed to pale at the sight of the towers and withdraw into Sansa a little bit. "It looks scary," Cat had responded quietly.

Garth simply laughed atop his pony. Having recieved his father's brown hair and brown eyes, he looked every bit like a young Willas Tyrell. "What's to be scared of? They're just some ruins. No one lives there anymore."

Garth started to ride out closer to one of towers and Sansa finally couldn't stand it anymore. "Garth, you come back over here this instant. We are not in Highgarden and this is no place to be acting like a boy." Sansa sternly called out.

"Aww come on Mother, can I please go a little closer," Garth replied giving his best puppy-eyed look. The same look that would have every servant and noble in Highgarden giving its heir exactly what he wanted. The same look Sansa knew never to fall for.

She was about to retort that but Ser Vortimer Crane spoke first. "I'll go with the young Lord, Milady. We'll be right behind the rest of you, I assure you."

Sansa could only sigh and smile at Ser Vortimer. "If you'd be so kind then by all means. I think my daughter and I will remain on course." Garth beamed at Ser Vortimer before galloping off, leaving the old knight to quickly gallop after him.

Ser Vortimer Crane was Highgarden's captain of the guards. Willas had insisted on him and 200 men-at-arms accompanying them to Winterfell since Willas himself had to remain in Highgarden managing some affairs.

She had been disappointed that her husband would not be going with her to Winterfell and had thought to put off the trip all together but Willas had strongly resisted that. "No, go see your brother and his new baby boy," Willas had gently urged her. "With Bran and Arya gone, you're all he has left of his old family. He'll be delighted to see you again."

Rickon's young wife had recently given birth to a boy and the whole North seemed to rejoice at the new Stark's arrival into the world. It was the first real bit of good news for the Stark family since the war ended.

Willas had also thought it would be a good idea for their two children to go with Sansa and see their mother's home. A prospect that delighted her son and terrified her daughter.

Cat liked Riverrun well enough and laughed at all of Uncle Edmure's bawdy jokes. Sansa thinks Cat had liked him so much because of his similar appearance. Cat had taken after her mother in all of the Tully looks. Long auburn hair and bright blue eyes. The Twins, however, seemed to bring back her initial fright.

How odd, thought Sansa, it's almost like she can sense all the evil that was done here years ago. And she doesn't even know that she lost an uncle and a grandmother here either. Such knowledge can come with time.

A satisfaction came to Sansa to know the bridge was destroyed and the towers left as a ruin. A reminder to anyone that evil deeds do go punished. There still remained some Freys but they were scattered across the realm.

The only Frey with real power left is no longer even a Frey but is Roslin Tully. Sansa still finds it a little strange how her uncle and his wife dote upon eachother so much considering the circumstances of how they were married. But Roslin is a sweet woman and Sansa is happy for their happiness.

Garth and Ser Vortimer came riding back up along side her as the Twins were falling behind them. "Aw Mother, it was so cool. Up close, it almost looks like the tower is going to fall over!"

Good, maybe it will, Sansa couldn't help but think. Seeing the Twins had put her in such dark spirits and she would be happy to be gone from this place or for the place to be gone from them.

"Those stones are tough little Lord. I'd wager those towers will remain when you're my age," Ser Vortimer responded to Garth.

Sansa turned to get another long look at the ruins and began having memories of another ruin come to mind. A ruin that she grew up in and that her family had to rebuild. But that ruin brought happier thoughts to Sansa and she was overjoyed that she was finally returning after almost a decade of being gone.

Rickon

1 year since the wars ended

A knocking on his door shook Rickon from his comfortable sleep. "Go away, I'm still sleeping."

"Milord-"

"I said go away!" He angrily shouted.

"Lord Bran told me to summon you to his solar. He said you had important business to discuss," the servant nervously replied.

Rickon let out a sigh of frustration. "Fine! Tell Lord Bran I'll be there once I'm dressed." It seemed about once or twice a week Bran would torment Rickon by making him help attend him in his duties as being a Lord. As if waking up every other morning to assist in rebuilding your home wasn't bad enough.

He pulled himself out of bed and started to get dressed. He thought about taking his sweet time and making Bran wait but knew Bran would only send more people to pester him.

Shaggydog merely watched Rickon the whole time as he dressed and as soon as the door was open, he bolted out and was down the hall in seconds. The sound of a serving girl shrieking sounded down the hall but Rickon couldn't have cared in the slightest. They'd all have to get used to Shaggy eventually.

Rickon went the opposite direction towards Bran's solar and arrived to see his brother in a chair with letters all over one side of his desk and random papers over the other. "Why do you insist on doing this to me when it's clearly your job to do all this crap," Rickon groaned out as he slumped into a chair on the other side of Bran's desk.

Bran only gave his brother a look of amusement before pushing a stack of letters towards him. "I need you to look over these and respond accordingly."

Rickon was about to start protesting when Bran continued, "You have to learn these things sooner or later Rickon. I may not be here forever and I'll not leave Winterfell in your hands if you can't handle it properly."

"Oh really? And just where are you going may I ask? It's not like there's a war to fight anymore." Bran said cryptic things all the time these days, especially concerning Rickon and the care of Winterfell.

Bran looked up at him and looked like he was going to say something before he stopped.

"Well?" Rickon pushed. His older brother was like a stone. You had to keep squeezing him if you ever hoped to get anything out of him and more often than not, you never did.

"It doesn't matter. Even if I was Lord of Winterfell forever, you'd end up Lord of another castle and you'd still have to do all this." Once again, Bran evades the question.

After sitting, reading, and writing for about an hour in silence, Rickon felt the need to start talking again. "Hows the castle coming?" He knew Bran wouldn't evade this kind of question.

"It's going very good. I thought it'd be atleast 3 years before everything was finished but at this rate, we'll be done in half the time. I've had half a mind to go ahead and rebuild the Old Keep as well." The Old Keep had been a ruin since before Winterfell had been made a ruin.

"May as well, finally make something of the place," Rickon was saying as Sansa came into the room.

"There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere," She immediately started with angry eyes for Rickon.

"I haven't done anything. You can ask Bran," Rickon instantly went on the defensive. Sansa had since taken on the duty of being their mother apparently and most of her efforts always seemed aimed at him.

"Exactly! You've done nothing, meanwhile your wolf has been terrorizing the entire castle. Didn't I tell you that if you weren't going to keep him by you to make sure he's in the Godswood?"

"Oh, right. Sorry about that but as you can see, I had some business to do," He said gesturing towards all the papers on the desk.

Bran let out a chuckle and Sansa immediately turned on him, "Don't encourage him!" Bran put up his hands in mock surrender before she looked back towards Rickon again.

"Hey, how come you let Bran off so easily but never me. Hell, I don't even see you telling Arya anything anymore." It was true. Sansa seemed always after Rickon and Shaggydog these days.

"He's got enough things to worry about and Arya has been a lost cause since she was 5." She replied with her hands on her hips.

"How come I can't be a lost cause. You and Bran won't ever just let me be me."

Bran jumped in at this point. "Because you are too wild and need a little discipline. But I think you've done enough for today, you can go do whatever you'd rather be doing now. Oh, and Sansa, you're having some more guests arrive tomorrow."

Rickon let out a bark of laughter and ignored the pointed looks he got from his siblings. By 'guests', Bran meant more suitors all looking for Sansa's hand. They'd been arriving from all over the realm for over a year now. "Aye and where are these 'guests' from? Don't tell me Dorne again."

A young, good-looking Dornish lad had come and asked for Sansa's hand. He'd been all the gentleman and seemed perfect if it hadn't been for the fact that he had a paramour whom had come with him as well. Sansa had been so offended that Bran had to reject the proposal for her because she swore she'd curse him all the way out the gates.

"From the Reach actually." Sansa seemed to perk up at that. "In fact, it would happen to be Lord Tyrell himself."

"Willas? Really? All the way here?" Bran simply nodded his head to each question and a small smile reached her face.

Rickon wanted to gag. "Really Sansa? He's Willas already? Haven't you only met him like twice?" The small smile was quickly replaced with a frown before she slapped the back of his head. "Ow! Hey!"

"Hush. I've met him plenty more times than twice and I may call him whatever I want." With that, she turned and left the solar.

Rickon rubbed the back of his head and whined, "You're just going to let her hit me like that?"

Bran merely shrugged and smiled."I'm not going to stop her. So her wrath will turn on me? No thanks."

"Fine then, be that way. If I'm done here then I'm going." He got up and was walking out until he stopped to look back at his brother.

Bran was already back into his paperwork with a serious look on his face and Rickon couldn't help but think his brother looked too tired and old for his age. "Hey...You need a hobby or a girl or something. You'll work yourself into an early grave at this rate."

"Maybe when you can handle half of these papers, I'll have time for something." Rickon just laughed.

"It'll be a few more years before that ever happens," Rickon said, leaving Bran just shaking his head at his brother's antics.

The next day Rickon was out practicing swordplay with Arya. Although, practicing was a kind word for it. It was mainly Arya kicking his ass up and down the yard.

Bran had finally decided to take a day off of work himself and sat in his wheelchair watching them spar. Sometimes, Rickon would swear he'd see a far off look on his brother's face, as if he was remembering when he could still walk and fight. But the look was always gone before Rickon was sure he'd seen it.

Sansa sat on a bench beside Bran and chatted with him as they watched. She had gotten all dressed up today and looked beautiful. No doubt she wants to look good for Willas, Rickon sniggered to himself before Arya's practice sword caught him in the wrist making him drop his own sword.

"OW, DAMN THE GODS THAT HURT," He cried out rubbing his wrist.

"Rickon, language!" came a shriek from Sansa that he promptly ignored.

"How do you do that everytime?" He asked Arya as she smirked and waited till he was ready again.

"I was trained by the best. You, however, are too slow. You also put too much weight into each of your attacks." She said.

They continued 'practicing' for awhile until a horn blew signalling Tyrell's arrival. They went and waited by the gate as the southerners rode into the courtyard.

Willas Tyrell climbed off of his horse and already had a cane in his right hand. He walked over to where the Starks were waiting and greeted each in turn. He shook Bran and Rickon's hands giving a nod of his head saying, "My Lords." He then kissed Arya hand giving a, "My Lady," which she rolled her eyes at. Finally he kissed Sansa's hand giving a, "Sansa".

Oh, so she was Sansa just like he was just Willas, mused Rickon. This is just too rich. They may just as well kiss, be married, and be done with all these courtesies.

Garlan Tyrell, Willas' sole surviving sibling was with him as well and they greeted him as well.

They all went inside and ate lunch together as Willas told them of their travel north. Then, when he and Sansa departed to be alone Arya piped up, "Geez, when's the wedding?"

When Bran raised an eyebrow, Arya just snorted. "As if it couldn't be more obvious how much they're taken with eachother."

Garlan and Rickon just laughed. "In a month or two, or however long they decide," came Bran's reply.

That clearly shocked Rickon and by Arya's face, her as well. "I thought he was just here to propose?"

"He is, but it's a long distance from here to Highgarden and they've known eachother for awhile. To have a long bethrothal would just be too difficult. Willas and I decided they would be married here and afterward, they'll leave for Highgarden together."

Wow, thought Rickon, guess they are just getting it over with after all.

Two months went by and it was finally happening. Rickon walked Sansa out to the Godswood to give her to her new husband. Garlan stood behind Willas and Rickon moved to stand by Arya and Bran. A Septon carried out the ceromony and Willas cloaked Sansa in the golden roses of House Tyrell.

Rickon thought it was funny to trade a direwolf for a rose but knew better than to voice the thought out loud.

They feasted and celebrated all night. Rickon didn't think he'd ever seen his sister look so happy as she was when she and Willas shared their kiss to seal their marriage. He didn't think he'd ever seen her look so embarrassed as when the bedding ceromony was carried out either.

Bran and Arya maintained their usual dignity but Rickon was determined to get as drunk as he could. He and Garlan seemed to make a competition out of it and he wasn't sure who won because he passed out and woke up the next morning in his own bed chambers.

A week later they were saying all of their goodbyes.

Sansa and Arya hugged tearfully. "Goodbye Underfoot, don't be afraid to let some boy steal your heart. Don't scare them all away." Arya just rolled her eyes and said she'd try not to.

Sansa then bent and embraced Bran."Goodbye Brandon. Take good care them. Gods know they'll drive you crazy but don't you give up on them. Don't give up on yourself either. Go meet a nice girl, someone that'll let you have fun again." Bran told her he'd do his best and for her not to worry.

Finally, she turned to Rickon and brought him in for a hug. "Rickon, try to be good while I'm away. I'd hate to have to come back here to scold you some more. Things are already tough for your brother so don't go making them any tougher. Think about settling down too, I know it's probably the last thing on your mind but give it some thought. Oh and be safe."

"How come you didn't tell Bran or Arya to be safe?"

"Because you're the only one that I feel like I need to tell that to." She said before she smiled at him and kissed his forehead.

Sansa, then left with her new family to start a new life in the south. That left only 3 Starks left in Winterfell but Rickon was sure they'd be fine.