"I am truly sorry, my lord, for my sister behaving distastefully and unladylike…" Sansa started, but stopped abruptly probably feeling discomfort with her own words.

Sure, she rarely expressed her displeasure with her younger sister, and even on her second cup now she did not feel comfortable enough to speak her mind to him.

Why he should bloody care about his not so lady like wife's gender contradicting activities?

"It doesn't offend me at all, my lady, plus it is Arya's kill; my father just teaching her his ways," Tyrion slurred and took a deep sip from his goblet of Dornish red he was nursing the last half hour.

"As he probably was not happy about her taking his game," he continued, "Let's consider it as his sharp lesson, " he chuckled and took another sip moving the cyvasse's piece as sensible as he could in his present state.

Sansa's beautiful face remained unreadable, if not for the sadness of her eyes he couldn't know she cared at all, however her sadness stopped him from sniggering.

Was she ashamed of Arya or simple jealous of her, he was dying to find it out. Sure, skinning the stag together could be a new passage of rites in the disturbing relationship between his lord father and her sister…

"I think as we do not partake in our spouses hunting business, we better not overstress ourselves with such distasteful details, my lady, and just remain happy with the skins presented to us afterwards," he assured Sansa.

Sansa nodded silently, tried to smile, had more of her wine and moved her syvasse piece.

He carefully sized up his ex, after giving birth, she had lost her girlish look and apparently gained some curvaceous forms and even some unobtrusive self-confidence, befitted to her present station.

What would happen if she would remain his wife? Would he break through her estrangement and empty courtesies if he broke through her virginity?

His lord father did break through the latter at least. The proof of his "victory" was in the nursery, his almost one year old half brother with Lannister golden curls and Tully's blue eyes who was born nine and half months after their wedding.

He shouldn't complain; he also was successful on his recent wedding night too, without such splendid result though.

After they were left alone for the bedding, Arya took off her shift and small clothes without any shyness or hesitation," I don't have any desire to end up with Bolton's bastard, so you better do your duty, but first make me be wet for you, if you will."

Arya produced some silky scarf, "And make me enjoy it, my lord husband," she smirked, laid down, blindfolded herself and pointed her finger towards her nub….

He was greatly surprised about her virginity after such boldness, but taking it did not give him much satisfaction.

"Tyrion, we both were forced into this marriage, but it doesn't mean we can't enjoy some interactions, I actually like your talented tongue a lot, when it is working in the right place of course," she said to him offhandedly the next morning.

She got fascinated with his enormous cock too, even rewarded him with her mouth treatment in her best moments, but she let him fuck her only in the position she couldn't see his twisted body.

It shouldn't bother him much, as for a fuck with kissing, snuggling and looking in each other's eyes and all the niceties he could have his Shae any time he wanted to; Arya was so relieved to inherit her sister's handmaiden…

Probably if he had been more clever with Sansa, she would still be his wife. And Arya, Arya probably would be….

He overheard the conversation between his father and Arya right after she was caught and dragged to the Red Keep.

….

His, usually composed lord father slammed something, probably a goblet into the wall, "Damn it, Arya, why, why did you run away," he growled.

"What, you had left me under the Mountain's command, it was like a death sentence, so I did not care to take a risk."

"I warned him specifically against harming or even touching you."

"How thoughtful of you, my lord, but you did not enlightened me about it."

"I dropped you a hint..."

"So you already knew about my true identity?"

"I was not sure…Damn it, I thought you had died in attempt, my scouts had reported a body of some girl."

"So now as you captured me I should wed your deformed son…would you really give me away to that damned Bolton, if I'll refuse to wed Tyrion?"

"Do I look like someone who is producing empty threats? But I prefer to keep you, I mean in my family of course."

Tyrion could understand this logic, for political reasons both Stark girls should be in the Lannister fold. And his stern and reserved lord father should be satisfied with the perfectly polite and obedient wife like Sansa.

Arya's next words shocked Tyrion, he even got afraid for the girl, as he had never heard anybody talking so bold to his father before,

"I'll marry your son and even will not cause any troubles afterwards but under three conditions," she said calmly.

"You aren't in position to speak such," Tywin snapped.

"But I will try anyway, maybe you will not find them so problematic after all."

"The first one," she continued after a little pause," You will set free and unharmed my escape companions, as all this affair was completely my idea and doing.

"You can have this one, the boys aren't of any import to me," his father replied sharply.

"The second one, you will make Tyrion your heir, as much as you dislike him he is the most smart and capable among your children," after hearing that, Tyrion knew he was already in big debt to his wife–to-be.

"You are overstepping," growled his lord father,

"No, I am not, plus with ser Jaime refusing to take down his white cloak, Tyrion is the rightful heir," Arya was surprisingly firm for someone in her position.

"I might consider it if you could keep him from whoring, but I'll make it official only after you'll produce the next successor for Casterly Rock.

"Deal," Arya said with satisfaction in her voice

"What is your third condition?" lord Tywin asked to his surprise.

If Arya had voiced the third one, it probably was a whisper, as Tyrion couldn't detect any words spoken, or maybe where weren't any words spoken at all.

"Are you satisfied now?" his father said irritable after a minute or so.

"Probably not as much as my sister,"

"Get out," shouted lord Tywin

You will depart to Casterly Rock right after your wedding to take over the responsibilities of the Lord and the Lady there, I will see how capable both of you will be," he concluded more calmly.

….

Arya proved herself amazingly capable in running the castle together with him, so practical and assertive like only a few men could be. He couldn't hope for a better wife-partner indeed.

In spite of her youth Casterly Rock's staff had learned very fast to not displease her. Of course it was far from the fear they felt towards his lord father, but it was a promising beginning nevertheless.

Lord Tywin proved to be a caring husband and father, as he made his young wife move to Casterly Rock during her pregnancy, as the fresh air from the sea would be beneficial for her.

Since then the lord of Casterly Rock visited his domain every two months if not more often, checking on the well-being of his wife and his son…but always included his good-daughter/ good-sister in his too frequent hunting trips…

"Are you jealous, Sansa?" Tyrion ventured out of the blue.

" I would be jealous if Arya would look a little bit more like a woman, plus they do have separate tents on the overnight hunting trips," Sansa said with badly hidden uncertainty in her voice.

This was much less dancing around the subject as usual, to his big surprise, and he suddenly envied her naïve set of mind regarding the separate tents…

"But I hope she became a better wife to you than I was," she corrected her tactlessness about Arya's nature, another naïve misconception…

Sansa was not aware of course of the young blacksmith's apprentice Arya had insisted be placed in the Casterly Rock forge. It was a fair deal because of Shae, and was almost a silent agreement.

He followed Arya secretly once, as small as he was it was easy to be unseen….

He did not expect how hurtful it was to watch his wife kissing and caressing this blacksmith.

How she devoured eagerly every part of Gendry's body, how tightly she was imprinting her body in his. He couldn't blame her as the boy did have the body of a god, but he wanted to kill the lad the same at this moment.

He observed the boy after Arya left. The blacksmith sat up, his shoulders stooped, he lowered his head and covered his face with his large hands. The hatred left Tyrion.

No, it was not Gendry's fault, that he was just the one irresistible bastard. It was not Arya's fault either, as she was a girl with a healthy sexual appetite, forced to marry him, the deformed ugly imp he was.

She and Gendry probably had started their…interactions back in Harrenhal, when Arya was an adept cupbearer of his lord father.

He had started his…relationship with Shae when he even couldn't imagine marring any of the Stark girls. So it was perfectly fair, Shae for him, Gendry for her.

Fairness, Arya was all for it, never pretending or faking….

Fairness… several month ago his wife said to him with wicked smile, "You know, if you feel like taking in another handmaiden for me, I don't really mind."

First he thought her generous offer was only because his interaction with sweet Shae came down to almost nothing.

Sansa kept on drinking and trying to keep her face expression neutral focusing on protecting her syvasse pieces from his attacks. He should take it easy on her, if he wanted their game to continue for some time more.

He got up and refilled both their goblets…It seamed so unfair to Sansa to be so sad…And so unfair to him to go to the trouble of finding another "Shae…"

"My beautiful lady," he took Sansa's hand, "If it would be possible to return back in time, I would try harder to make our life together more pleasant," he lifted her hand to his lips and planted a careful kiss, dreading she might jerk it back with disgust.

But Sansa just smiled weakly and traced his face and hair with her exquisite long fingers, the gesture of sincere kindness Arya was incapable of, at least with him.

"I would gladly give you that chance," she said simply to his surprise.

...

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