2nd Month of 302 A.C. Moat Cailin

Lady Sansa Stark

The battle for Moat Cailin had raged for nearly two moons, Sansa had told her husband and Littlefinger that they would never gain purchase going through the neck, that the cranongman would bleed them dry every step of the way, and they had both laughed at her. Harry laughing her off due to her being a simple girl and not some warrior, and Littlefinger, well Littlefinger she knew not why he had laughed at her, but then he had said that as she was Lord Eddard's daughter Howland Reed would never stand against her. How wrong they had both been, Harry was dead, slain by Cregard Stark himself, and Littlefinger, well Littlefinger was dead as well but not by any enemy hands but by her own.

Littlefinger had come to try it on with her, as he had tried to do many times during this campaign and during her time in the Vale. Most of the time she had managed to offload him with just a kiss, even if it had made her feel like she was nothing more than a whore, but sometimes he would push harder and threaten her and scare her into doing more for him. As he had done the night of Harry's death, he had come in stinking of wine talking of putting a babe in her belly to ensure that they could continue this fight. And as such he had forced himself on her, and she had screamed and screamed but no one had come to aid her, just as no one had come to rescue her in King's Landing, not Robb, Not Jon, not her father no one had come to rescue her and so she had had to do something herself. She had pushed him off before he could try anything too lasting and grabbing a knife she had kept by her bedside during the fighting she had lunged at him and hacked and stabbed until he lay there dead and sputtering.

Of course Sansa once she had realised what she had done, had gone about calling for aid, thankfully they had been in Littlefinger's tent so that none suspected her. And yet once the main schemer was dead, the lords of the Vale seemed less willing to fight for a cause that truly they did not seem to be really that invested in. and as such Sansa had suggested that she ride to meet with Cregard Stark and his men, and that was why she was here now inside Moat Cailin for the first time ever. The place was a ruin and yet it was still quite intimidating, and the man before her was also intimidating. Cregard Stark was not a tall man, of average height, but carved in muscle and with a face like ice. His voice seemed like ice when he spoke. "So Lady Sansa, daughter of Eddard and Catelyn, you have come to speak terms with me have you? Or have you come to throw yourself at my feet and grovel?"

There was some angry muttering from the Valemen who had come with her, but she ignored them and said. "I have come to speak with you my lord. We are Starks and are kin, and as such we should not be fighting. We are not in the time of the She Wolves of Winterfell, and as such there is no reason for us to try and ruin one another. I have come to propose an alliance."

"Why should Lord Cregard take alliance with a woman who has slept with a Lannister and then another southern man? There are rumours that you, yourself spread your legs for the man who committed the Valemen to this invasion. How do we know that we can trust such a slut as you?" Torrhen Stark, Cregard's brother asked.

There was some muttering and Maege Mormont herself said. "Careful Torrhen that is Lord Eddard's daughter you are speaking to. You will watch your tongue."

Sansa looked at Lord Cregard himself and his expression was neutral, his brother's face though was alive with anger and anticipation. "And pray tell me Lady Maege, why I should remain so silent? Sansa Stark is the daughter of a usurper, the descendant of an usurper and someone who was a traitor to her own family in King's Landing. Her mere presence in King's Landing allowed the Lannisters to have a claim on Winterfell, putting the north in danger. Really she was just a burden to her own brother by her continued presence."

There are some very angry mutterings coming from the Valemen with her now, as there are from some of the northern lords present, Lord Howland a man whom was her father's good friend speaks then his tone angry. "Think on what you are saying Lord Torrhen. That is a person's life you are so casually dismissing. How would you feel if it were your own sister stuck in that situation would you wish for her to end her own life to be less of a nuisance to you?"

Some positive murmuring comes from this and before Torrhen can respond, Lord Cregard is speaking. "Enough, we shall not debate the merits or demerits of what is being spoken of in the past. What are the terms of your alliance my lady?"

Sansa swallows then and says. "You are now the confirmed Lord of Winterfell by royal decree my lord, but there are still those who would love a chance to oppose you, after all your own family has not been in the north for nearly a hundred years now, and as such could be considered foreigners to most. That you have aided in riding my home of the Boltons and Stannis is something that I thank you for. However, I propose that a marriage between the two of us could help further cement your hold on Winterfell and the north, as many here know me for my father's daughter and as such that would hold sway with the mountain clans as well as some of the more distinct lords such as the Mormonts, whom Lady Maege represents. Furthermore a marriage between us two, would bring the lords of the Vale and the Riverlords to aid in the conflict brewing at the Wall."

There is even more murmuring at this and Torrhen Stark shouts then. "You cannot be serious. Allowing my brother the saviour of the north to wed you, a harlot? No that is beyond the realms of reason."

Lord Howland once more speaks. "Such a marriage makes sense, it brings together the two rival claims and unites them as one. It would be perfect."

"For you perhaps frog eater, for those of us who have waited to see the north once more it would not." Torrhen Stark says.

Cregard Stark speaks then and his voice is like thunder. "Silence!" the lords all go quiet and then he speaks once more. "We are not southerners to bicker about alliances and the past. The past is the past. Lady Sansa is alive and she is here, not in the south. And so I shall wed you Lady Sansa, and bring your armies to aid in the struggles at the wall."

Sansa nods, and so four days later they are wed in front of the godswood in Moat Cailin and they begin to get to know one another and to begin the journey back north.