Dragons and Thrones: Rising Tensions – Breaking of Bonds

Chapter 24 of my crossover, enjoy.

Reviews

Thewritter1996: Thanks.
Marina Ka-Fai: Thanks, yeah, it's hard, on all of them.
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Veridissima: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, yeah, it's bad, what's worse, seems there's nothing more they can do, we can only hope and pray.
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Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin. Dragon Age belongs to Bioware.

Sansa

Sansa shuddered and tried to keep the tears from falling. She winced at the stinging pain on her face, she knew she had bruises, too many to count and several on her face. She looked in the mirror forlornly at the vivid red marks, some of them already discoloring, including a harsh one on her right cheek and a particularly nasty one around her left eye.

'I look horrible...Urgh, why, why do I...' She thought in dismay. 'I want to go home.'

It wasn't the first time she'd thought that, but it was more intense now. She was shocked she'd ever wanted to come here, that she thought it the most beautiful romantic place ever. She missed the North, the purity.

She shook her head. 'I just want to be home again, to see Mother and Father together, Robb training with Theon...To see Bran and Rickon again, find out how Bran's coping with his accident...Oh even to see Arya again, preferably up to her usual antics...'

She wanted that, yearned for it, so desperately, even the thoughts about Arya as it would mean to her, things were back to normal. Shaking her head she winced again as she stood up, she did not want to draw attention to what happened to her, so she stayed hidden in her room. But she knew Joffrey would shame her soon, would force her to make a public appearance, so everyone could see how disfigured she was.

She knew these injuries wouldn't last, but she was still afraid. She was so deeply shaken she started in horror when there was a knock at the door. But she calmed herself as she remembered, Joffrey and those who did his bidding never knocked, they simply barged in.

"C-come in..." She said, before remembering.

Her fear gripped her again as she waited for her visitor to behold the horror of her face.

She gasped as the figure entered. 'Gods, no, not Margaery…?'

But it was her, she gasped when she saw Sansa.

"Gods, Sansa, what happened to you?" She cried.

Sansa shook her head. "I...I can't, I..."

Margaery nodded, understandingly and turned, speaking briefly to her guards and closing the door.

"There, we won't be disturbed for a while; now, talk to me, what happened to you?"

With a shuddering breath Sansa shook her head. "I...I don't...Joffrey..."

Margaery sighed. "What did he do?"

"He, he called me to the throne room, after the meeting with the Arishok." Sansa choked out. "He, he insulted my family again, tried to force me to denounce them and when I, when I refused he...he had his men beat me..."

She let out a choked sob before finally explaining the rest of the story. Margaery gasped in horror before, surprisingly, hugging Sansa.

Sansa was startled by this and didn't know how to react. She still couldn't understand what Margaery was doing or thinking, after all she was due to marry Joffrey. Yet despite her telling Margaery the truth about Joffrey and now this, she showed no fear.

"How can you…?"

Margaery smiled gently. "I can take care of myself, don't worry about me. But, we cannot have you staying here. I may have a way for you to escape, to get you out of King's Landing."

Sansa froze at that, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Are, are you serious? But how, how would you…?" She stammered.

Margaery smiled. "How would you feel about marrying my older brother Willas, heir to Highgarden."

Sansa went quiet at that; she had not anticipated that; she had wanted to go home. She desperately hoped Margaery would find some way to help her with that. Still, despite everything that meant, to her, to her family, to the Tyrells, but if it got her out of King's Landing, away from Joffrey.

"That, that would be wonderful." She replied.

Margaery caught on to her tone however. "Sansa, I promise, Willas is a wonderful man, he will care for you, and I'm sure you will love him. Trust me. Oh and we must keep this secret."

Sansa nodded and Margaery left, smiling. Sansa felt a tiny thread of hope for the first time in a long time.

Later, Sansa, her face somewhat healed, was in the Godswood. She sighed as she looked around.

'The Seven ignore my prayers, but maybe, maybe...the Old Gods will listen.'

She shook her head and managed to smile as she thought about Margaery's plan, it was her one thread of hope.

She wasn't alone either as Podrick was with her. "My Lady?"

She smiled. "Oh, Pod, I...I'm just thinking...About home."

"My Lady I...I wish I could say or do something to help." Pod said sadly.

Sansa smiled. "It's alright Pod, I...I may not have a way home but...Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

"I...Lady Margaery has offered me a chance to escape, she wants me to marry her brother, I can go to Highgarden." She said quietly.

Pod's eyes widened then he nodded slowly. "I...That's wonderful, My Lady, you will be free from, from what happened at last...I swear, I won't say a word."

Sansa let out a sigh of relief, Pod looked thoughtful, as if an idea occurred to him, but he did not elaborate on it.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.