Chapter 2
She's upset obviously. He watches her sat on some stones fallen from the keep as he's taking care of the horses. She doesn't move, doesn't say anything, doesn't eat either. When he offered her some bread a few minutes ago, she shook her head, mumbling that she was not hungry.
She spent the night crying at first, then shivering, her teeth chattering with cold. The sound was high enough to awake him. He couldn't sleep again and waited in silence, watching what was once the ceiling of this room. Dawn came as a release and in the end he allowed himself to get up.
And now he has to take her to the south, to a place she doesn't even know. They leave the ruins to get back to the forest and avoid this road where anyone can notice a sad-looking girl and a man with a burnt face.
What was he thinking about when he undertook this? She's been raised as a lady, living in castles, sleeping in feather beds. Before its fall, Winterfell had nothing to see with the Red Keep, however, in his memories, it was a comfortable place, where you could be warm and get food whenever you wanted. Then she discovered King's Landing and lived a life of luxury for months. She tasted delicacies of the south, wore the finest silks and heard chivalry songs. And what is he offering her? A long journey through dark woods, alone with an old dog. Everyone knows that dogs bark; they can't talk.
I should try, at least.
He clears his throat, then turns to her.
"What name are you going to give to your mare?" he asks.
"The mare isn't mine. Besides, I don't like horses."
That sounds like a provocation, in front of such a beautiful animal as Stranger. As if the horse could understand what she says, he snorts. He strokes Stranger's neck and answers "You're wrong, girl, horses are useful. Even good friends."
She remains silent. She's very straight, almost stiff and looks forward, avoiding his eyes.
"What happened to you after I left King's Landing?" he tries again.
"It's of not the slightest interest to you, I'm afraid. Abusing me was part of Joffrey's daily routine before and after you left, so you missed nothing."
"I heard you got married to the Imp" he rasps. He remembers he was in a tavern on the Red Fork when he got the news. He couldn't believe it. But the merchant who told the whole story with saucy details seemed so sure...
"What was it like?" he asks.
She stares at him, exasperated.
"I was locked in the Red Keep, alone. And one day, I was told to get dressed for my wedding. They married me, against my will, to a dwarf. He had to jump on Ser Dontos' back to wrap the cloak around my shoulders. What does it look like?" she snaps.
The merchant he met on the Red Fork didn't mentioned the part played by Ser Dontos during the ceremony. He could tell her her wedding was the last story the merchant told before loosing his buckteeth, but it wouldn't help.
"I'm sorry" he whispers instead, but she ignores him.
/
When they stop at noon, he tries and fails again. She doesn't want to speak to him. She pushes away the meat and the bread he offers her and suddenly he realizes she hasn't eaten something since the day before, since he abducted her. She's slim, at the beginning of a long journey and she doesn't eat anything. How can she make it? Wrapped in a cloak too thin to warm her at night, rejecting food, unable to sleep when she should, she's a burden, that's what his father would have said.
How could I didn't see this? What was I thinking about when I decided to find her and steal her from Baelish? Neither the mountains of the Vale nor the woods of the Riverlands are places for a high-born girl. Now he can only blame himself.
As he finishes his meal, however, she comes to him and sits on her heels. At first, he thinks she changed her mind but soon becomes disillusioned when she puts in front of him a pair of bracelets and a silver necklace.
"What?" he rasps.
"I thought I should give them to you since I'm your prisoner."
Her voice has no trace of anger or provocation. It sounds emotionless. He stares at her, trying to understand and it makes his blood boil.
"Keep them" he says, "What do you have in mind? I'm not a thief."
No, she only sees me as a killer.
"But do me a favor: eat" he groans, hoping his tone could make her more obedient.
She looks carefully towards him but doesn't move. Is she challenging him? He repeats his order, with the same result: the girl keeps still. After a few seconds, he chooses another tactic.
"We won't move from this place unless you eat something" he says, trying not to lose his temper.
The blue eyes are locked to his, but she remains motionless. After all, she doesn't care about their journey; she hates riding and can't see any good reason to put an end to their break. And to think that among Eddard Stark's six children, she was said to be the more sensible. Her stillness drives him mad and he closes his eyes for a second. He seizes her shoulders and shake her, not too much, but the Sansa he knew in King's Landing would have screamed in such a situation. Her mouth is closed and she stares at him, though she doesn't look so confident.
"Can you hear me?" he shouts, "You're going to eat this food or I swear I open your mouth and stuff it with this damn bread. And when it's over, you won't ride your horse, no. I'll tie your hands and feet and carry you at the back of my horse, like a bundle of dirty linen."
That said, he lets go of her and waits. She lowers her eyes and bites into the piece of bread he holds out to her. She looks like a little mouse, both hands on the bread. She eats slowly, swallowing with care before taking another bite. He can't help watching her, frowning and pretending to be infuriated. He allows himself a sigh of relief, but only when she moves away to gather her things. Maybe she's a burden, but she's my burden.
During the afternoon, a hilly landscape forces them to go at a walking pace, one behind the other. He often turns back to keep a check on her. She follows obediently, without saying a single word. He feels tired. Art of conversation isn't one of his skills, so he keeps silent, waiting for the end of the day to ask the questions he still has in mind.
/
He's been looking for the perfect place to settle for almost an hour, but since he didn't find what he wanted, they dismount when the path becomes too rocky and too hazardous. Night fell and their eyes get used to darkness. Rocks and crags are scattered across the woods, casting strange shadows everywhere. Once he's gathered kindling and branches, he makes a fire and finally sits by her. When he asks her if she's cold or hungry, she shakes her head, then nods. She's making progress, obviously: a few hours ago she wouldn't have paid attention. She takes gratefully her bread and slice of cheese and starts to eat, giving him glances from time to time.
"How did you escape from King's Landing?" he asks all of a sudden, "Was it Littlefinger's idea?"
"No" she says, sighing. "It's a long story."
He takes a gulp of wine from his skin, then makes a gesture to encourage her.
"Ser Dontos offered to help me escape the Red Keep and I said yes."
This confession is like a slap in his face. She chose the fool instead of me. He doesn't want to show how deeply he's offended, so he says again "What is Dontos fucking doing with Littlefinger ?"
"Was" she corrects. "As long as he was useful for him, Lord Baelish kept Ser Dontos as a puppet. The night I escaped from King's Landing, he killed him. After that, Lord Baelish took me to the Fingers where I met my aunt Lysa Arryn. They got married and we began our journey to the Vale."
"What happened to your hair?" he asks, pointing at her dark locks.
"I wasn't known as Sansa Stark out there. Only Lord Baelish and my aunt knew who I was. The others would call me Alayne Stone : they thought I was Lord Baelish's daughter. To keep my identity secret, Lady Arryn provided me with hair dye."
Her tone is calm as if she was talking about somebody else. She seems contemplative for a while, then says "I couldn't figure what Lord Baelish was planning for me. He said he would help me get Winterfell back, but it doesn't make sense..."
"I can tell you what were his plans" he rasps, making her jump, "As the heiress of Winterfell, he would marry you."
"He's already married to my aunt !" she says, losing patience and thinking he hasn't listened her story.
"This marriage won't last. Littlefinger can't be satisfied with the Vale if he thinks he can get the North too."
She's astonished. After a short silence, she mumbles he's probably right.
"I don't like this black hair" he says.
"Neither do I".
At least, they agree on this point.
She's not crying this time, but he's quite sure she's been brooding over what he revealed her. It's pitch-dark and he can't sleep, thinking of the lasts events. She only lowered her guard when he expressed his concern for her repeatedly. Maybe that's what he's supposed to do : watch over her, make sure she's alright, as a father would do. After all, she's an orphan and maybe he can do for her what people never did for him. Hide his obsession for her would be more appropriate. That's what he resolves as he falls into sleep.
/
This noise, again. The unpleasant, repetitive sound of teeth chattering. Dawn won't come before two or three hours, and she's awake, shivering. He knows he won't sleep again if she doesn't stop. He prepared her abduction so carefully, thinking of all the details, except the fact she would be freezing. He rolls over, undecided, waiting for a flash of genius that won't come, and in the end, he pushes back his cloak. His legs are stiff with exercise, but in two strides he's by her. He picks her up and carries her to the place where he was sleeping. He lies down by her side and wraps his cloak around them both. She thanks him with a shy voice but she's still shuddering.
"I'm sorry" she says, "I'm so cold I can't help shivering."
He tries to soothe her. "Hush... You're all right. Stop it now."
Without realizing, he begins to stroke her shoulder, then take her in his arms. She huddles up and soon her breathing calms down. After a few minutes, she doesn't move anymore and seems to be asleep. He makes sure his cloak covers her and sighs. Holding her in his arms is all he's been longing for and now it's for real. His heart beats too fast and he's lucky she can't see the turmoil on his face. For the first time in his life, he holds a woman in his arms and doesn't know what to do.
I don't give a damn about behave like her father and all this shit...
He's lost; this one thing he knows for sure.
Thank you for reading, especially to TheBlack1: I really appreciate your review.
For the record, English is not my mother tongue and this is my first story in english... So please review and be kind!