Chapter 9.
Afterwards Sansa lay comfortably under the covers and recovered little by little. She felt numb and sore inside. She stared at the ceiling still amazed at her recent experience.
I cried out of pleasure in the arms of one of the Lannisters, she realized and blushed.
Tyrion moved close to her on the bed.
"Are you alright?" he asked gently.
"I think so, yes. And you were right from the beginning, Tyrion. What happened here tonight… it really was good for me. It didn't feel like a duty, not at all. You did good", Sansa said with sincerity.
"I'm happy to hear that. It was good for me too, Sansa. You were the sweetest partner ever", Tyrion replied with a smile.
"Is it like this every time?" Sansa asked shyly.
"It depends... on many things. Each time is different, each partner is different. The pain reduces and the pleasure increases over time, I promise you that, Sansa", Tyrion explained in a low tone and looked at her passionately.
Sansa blushed, smiled and put her hand on her flat belly.
"So - it's possible that I'm pregnant already, right?" she asked hesitantly.
Tyrion nodded. The look on his face was difficult to interpret, Sansa noticed.
"Yes. It's quite possible. The seed... is in you now, so to speak. Time will tell what happens. You're a young, healthy, fertile woman, Sansa. Your mother became pregnant with Robb soon after her wedding if I remember correctly. These things are often hereditary", Tyrion explained.
Sansa froze.
The last person she wanted to talk about now was Robb. Tyrion sensed her mood change and cursed his own thoughtlessness silently. He touched Sansa's shoulder lightly, consolingly.
"Please accept my condolences one more time, Sansa. I respected both your parents and your brother, the Young Wolf. The way they died was a crime", Tyrion said quietly.
"You have to trust me on this - I didn't know anything about the Red Wedding beforehand. My Lord father conspired with Walder Frey without anyone knowing about it. Stealth is the way he does things. Always has, always will", he continued bitterly.
"Despite your last name I don't blame you for it, Tyrion. You're a good man", Sansa replied quietly.
Suddenly they felt very close to each other.
"Family is a strange thing, Sansa. Yours was obviously much happier than mine. I saw it immediately when we arrived to Winterfell with king Robert a long ago, remember? I guess king Robert saw it too and envied your father, his old comrade-in-arms somehow. Your Lord father, Eddard Stark, was a beloved father and spouse. Each member of your family was accepted the way he or she was - your wild little sister Arya, your crippled brother Bran - even your father's bastard son, Jon Snow. While in my family... Tywin Lannister is constantly disappointed in all his children, the most to me, because I am what I am - a freak, really. And because my mother died when I was born", Tyrion said thoughtfully, sadly.
Sansa felt tears in her eyes.
"I don't see you as a freak, Tyrion. I see you as you're - a kind-hearted, unique and smart man. It's unfair to blame you for your mother's tragic death - or to look down on you because of your height", she said voice trembling.
"Thank you for your kind words, My lady", Tyrion said gently.
"We are quite a couple, aren't we? Strange bedfellows", Sansa said and winked at him, trying to cheer him up.
"Literally, My lady", Tyrion said in a solemn tone and kissed her again.
"Do you think we should … do it again?" Sansa asked breathlessly after the kiss.
"In the near future, yes. But not tonight. You're way too new for that", Tyrion whispered into her ear.
xxx
Two days later Sansa felt humiliated.
King Joffrey had given a command, and Grand Maester Pycelle had examined Sansa the most intimate way. That dirty old man had been very thorough and obviously enjoyed the task.
Afterwards he proclaimed the results of his study to king Joffrey and his next of kin. The Lannisters were having a cheerless little dinner with each other - Sansa was excused because of the examination.
"I have the honor to tell you that Sansa Stark - lady Sansa Lannister I mean - is no longer a virgin", Grand Maester Pycelle explained pompously.
"So - Sansa really got some rod", Joffrey exclaimed and started to laugh shrilly.
Tywin Lannister silenced him with a cold gaze.
"I'm happy to hear that, Grand Maester, thank you. You can go now", he said formally.
After the Maester was gone Cersei turned to look at her little brother.
"Congrats, Tyrion. It seems to me that you get to keep your ugly head after all", she noted mockingly.
"Sleep with Sansa as often as possible, Tyrion. Make her pregnant. Winterfell needs heir - and soon", Tywin said thoughtfully.
Gods, sometimes I can't believe that I'm really related to these cruel, unbalanced people, Tyrion thought tiredly and decided to drink more wine.
Maybe - just maybe - an entire pot would be enough.
xxx
Elsewhere in the Red Keep Varys discussed with Littlefinger.
"Have you heard today's hottest gossip, Lord Baelish?" he asked and looked at the other man subtly.
"I don't think that I have, Varys", Petyr Baelish noted absently.
The Spider smiled. He had noticed the way Littlefinger looked at Sansa Stark. Naturally - noticing this kind of things was his job, and he was excellent at it.
"I think that this is of interest to you, My lord. It's said that the Imp has finally slept with his noble wife, Sansa Stark. That's quite a couple, don't you think?" Varys said softly, with innocent face.
As expected, Lord Baelish grew pale and gritted his teeth.
"Certainly…", he stammered, trying to hide his feelings.
Varys smiled. He enjoyed seeing the discomfiture of this usually so self-confident man.
Littlefinger also has an Achilles' heel - and it's called Sansa Stark. Good to know, the Spider concluded.
