Disclaimer: I own nothing, anything that might seem close to the books or any other work is pure coincidence.

Note: I'm happy to write something of substantial about this pair and add to the SanSan lit. I'm also doing a bit more to practice my POV focus. Comments, crit and so on are appreciated as always. I can't promise full on lemony goodness, but our characters will find themselves in naughty situations starting already a bit from Chapter 2. It's the slow burn baby!

Chapter 1: A Secret Worth Keeping

Sansa

Putting quill to parchment had always been easy for Sansa Stark, Her handwriting always the prettiest, her thoughts the most flowery, her words the best choice. Though today, she was writing neither poetry nor song verse. She must choose her words carefully the tone had to be both diplomatic and firm. Above all, her wants had to be clear.

As her quill continued to painfully scratch out her message, she became more aware of the alarm bell ringing through Winterfell. One lone ring over and over again. It meant Jon, the Dragon Queen and their armies were near. He had sent a raven in advance, but had arrived two weeks early. Her heart lightened at the thought that the King's Road must be clear and the weather conditions fair. Sansa read her message one last time before signing it. She could trust no raven with this, she would need to go to the Vale personally to deliver it. She would need to deal with the consequences on her own, whatever they might be.

The piece of parchment safely rolled up, she stuffed it into her bodice near her left breast. She sighed at the poetic significance of putting it there. This parchment was the key to her heart, ultimately the key to her freedom. With it, she would undo what Lord Baelish had set in motion before she had unceremoniously sentenced him to death. It would be the final step to her complete freedom. Jon wouldn't be happy though. It could have consequences for his campaign beyond the wall, and it would mean traversing Westeros on her own. 'He cannot know.' She decided. No one needed to know.

Sansa turned her attentions to the present. Walking out of her study she called her Pages to prepare the rooms for the Lords she knew had traveled with Jon, including Lord Tyrion, her first marriage annulled. They would need need fresh clothing, comfortable rooms and a space for their armies. She would need to have some boars butchered for a small feast. Winter was coming after all, they needed to conserve food to survive. Though the Northern Lords had been working hard, training their men and conserving their harvest, a moment of levity would do them all good.

Blue skies and the light heat of the sun kissed Sansa's face as she waited with Arya, Bran, their Maester and Master of Arms in the courtyard. It set her red hair ablaze, a fiery flash of color in the dreary darkness of the North. She smiled to see her sister break ranks, running to Jon and wrapping her arms around his neck. The last time they had seen one another had been so many years ago, when they had left for King's Landing with father, and Jon had left for the Wall. All their lives had changed since then, all of them had withstood forces that would see them torn apart, only to be reunited in their home. It was a victory not lost on her.

She took this moment to greet the Dragon Queen, Daenerys Targaryen. Daenerys was everything a Targaryen should be. Beautiful, strong, determined. Though she had only glimpsed them a few moments, Sansa could understand why Jon seemed to fancy her. Though younger than Sansa, she was resolute and strong, the consequence of a difficult life spent scraping for everything she now owned. Sansa understood more than most what that meant in a man's world. Could it really be considered a man's world now, given all the queens that inhabited it?

Jon's embrace was strong and familiar. It was clear from his words that he was pleased to see the excellent state of the ranks of Winterfell. Sansa had always been a better organizer and administrator than he, this had been clear from a young age. Jon was a fighter, a leader that inspired green boys to take up their arms and fight for a cause. Both were needed to run the North successfully, though Sansa wondered what kind of a toll time would take on them...given they won against the Army of the Dead.

"My Lady." Sansa smiled at her former Lord Husband, Tyrion Lannister. He had been good to her in a time when few had. However, as she looked at him now, she still could not love him. It had nothing to do with his stature or his looks, what might have disgusted her in the past. She felt only respect and kindness towards him, but that was all. She doubted very much that she could find it in her heart to love any man, particularly after what she had suffered at the hands of Ramsay Bolton.

She allowed him a kiss to her hand, then bent down to speak with Tyrion more privately. "I've stocked your room with books and candles, my Lord. Should you need any further...company," she paused a moment to find the words, "simply ask the handmaids and they will find what you need." Tyrion smiled at this. It was the least she could do for having treated him so poorly. It was long ago yes, but she wanted to make clear that she had changed. That the stupid things she had done to him in the past were just that, the stupid actions of an upset and angry teenaged girl.

A slight bit of commotion drew Sansa's eye to the crowd of men, soldiers and women that had gathered. A large form was emerging from the sea of people, pushing its way through the tightly packed crowd. As he came forward, his helmet in hand his face now clear to her, Sansa's mouth went dry as if she'd seen a ghost. She raised her hand, quieting her guards, making sure they stood down. This man was supposed to be dead, everybody in the Seven Kingdoms knew it. She'd pushed him out of her mind, but as his large form made its way to her, she could no longer deny that he was very much alive.

"My Lady." Sandor Clegane bowed slightly, showing her respect but not fealty.

Sansa was dumbstruck. Both Arya and Brienne had confirmed he was dead, that he had died near the Vale in single combat. Yet here he was, towering, strong and still very much alive. Sansa's eyes looked him over, she knew his armor more intimately than most. They had spent so much time together in King's Landing after all, they had been through so much together. He was a herald of her past, reminding her of where she had come from and what drove her now. He was a devil, having run down the butcher's boy because of her mislead silence. He was an angel, covering her with his cloak to protect her modesty from the court, and offering her escape during the Battle of the Blackwater. Sandor Clegane stirred up a whirlwind of emotions in Sansa that she had pushed out of her mind, tried to expel from her person. The sight of him made her breath hitch, her heart race, and her belly warm.

Clearly her silence had been unbearably long, as Arya jabbed her with her elbow bringing Sansa back to reality. "Ser Clegane it's…" she started.

"I am no Ser, you know that." Came his gruff voice, only loud enough for her and Arya to hear.

Sansa inhaled, silently berating herself for forgetting. "Yes indeed." She said. "It's good to see you amongst the living."

The Hound snorted at her empty words, gave a quick conciliatory nod to Arya and returned to the crowd from which he came.

Life turned back to normal then, as people went on with their preparations for the war to come and the evening feast. Sansa took a moment to try to find him in the crowd of people, animals and armor, to look upon him once more. He had disappeared, melted into the rustic background of Winterfell. Of all the people she has expected to see that day, he had not been one of them. It had been several years since she had looked upon his scarred, disfigured face. She realized only now how much it mirrored him. It mirrored what he was, and what he was trained to be. Something about him had changed, to think of it plainly he was a dog without a master. Did that make him a wolf? She pondered that thought while she continued her duties for the feast this evening.