I love my faithful readers and reviewers. I'm trying to figure out how I can incorporate the Lannisters at this point in this chapter. Perhaps a discussion with a dear friend can help me. I won't tell you whats in this chapter, so enjoy.

…..

Sansa smiled as a handmaiden poured her wine into the glass goblet, "Thank you." She returned to eating her fish and looked across the table to see Lord Baelish poking at his food with his fork. She swallowed, "It was freshly caught this morning." Petyr looked up at her and then to Stannis, "My apologies, I have never been fond of fish. Perhaps you have some venison or…" Stannis nearly laughed in his face, "Venison? Lord Baelish, you forget I live in Dragonstone." He returned to eating his own fish,

"Venison is hard for us to come by here. We eat fish or whatever the marketers sell on land, whenever we can get it."

Petyr smiled, "Of course." He looked across the table at Sansa and cleared his throat, "Now that we are all here together, perhaps we can discuss you coming with me back to the Eyrie." Sansa sighed, "I just don't understand. Why bring me here for a few months and then decide it would be safe to be with Aunt Lysa? You told me I would be here for as long as-"

"How do we know the Vale is safe? What makes you believe family can keep her safe now?"

Stannis had interrupted Sansa, not even glancing at her as he stared daggers at Petyr Baelish. Petyr gripped his fork in his hand, "Why has her leaving become such a great deal, your grace? You should rest easy knowing she will be with her mother's sister and I." Petyr felt a panic rise within his belly; what was Stannis up to? Why was he fighting so hard to keep Sansa at Dragonstone?

Sansa stopped any further argument, "Perhaps you both should speak tomorrow morning when everyone is well rested." Stannis looked at her and down at her hand, where the ring he proposed marriage to her with was now missing from. He hissed, "Perhaps."

…..

She tossed and turned, sleep was no longer a friend to her while Lord Baelish was here. Sansa sighed as her hand reached to her table and lit the small lantern, "Gods forbid I should rest…"

"Sansa?"

A soft knock followed and in haste she ran to the door to find Stannis on the other side. Sansa gasped and looked down each end of the hall before pulling him inside, "Your grace, should anyone see you visiting my chambers this late at night…."

He closed the door behind him and smirked, "You only worry about him." Sansa did not deny those words and watched as Stannis looked around her chambers, "I'm disappointed in you, Sansa. Is your betrothal to me such a horrid thing?" She did not have to be the smartest of women to know what he was speaking of and watched as he walked to her vanity to see the ring sitting upon a small chest. Stannis grabbed it and held it up, "You should be the proudest Lady in the land."

Sansa's lip quivered, "If he knows about us, then he will try even harder to take me away from you. Stannis, I know what Lord Baelish wants, especially from me." Stannis became angry, "You don't think I know?" Sansa backed away as he continued to shout, "You are to be my Queen! I-I can't let you leave…not now…not later." He held the ring out to her, "Put it on, Sansa, and wear it proud. You will be the wife of the one true King someday soon." Sansa gently reached her hand out and took the ring back before slowly placing it on her finger. He saw that his anger scared her slightly and sighed,

"In the morning, we will figure all of this out."

She looked at the ring and back at Stannis, "Do you promise?" Stannis smiled slightly and turned away to walk to the door, "I am Stannis Baratheon, my Lady. I always stay true to my word."

Stannis left her chambers quietly, watching the halls to make sure he was not seen leaving her so late at night. But in the small alcove several feet away, hiding in the darkness, Petyr Baelish wore a frown and confusion upon his face. He slowly walked to Sansa's door and stared at it, while in his mind, words raced.

What was the King doing with her so late at night?

Would his own plans be thrown out the window?

He could have knocked, he should have confronted the Stannis in the hall, but Petyr knew one thing in that moment. Stannis was not stupid and surely his plan was greater than any other mans.

….

"Look at me."

Sansa looked up at Petyr and sighed, "I'm not sure what you want me to say, Lord Baelish." Petyr frowned, "I want you to say you will return to the Vale with me." He saw her hesitation; he could see it from the day he arrived at Dragonstone. Sansa's breath caught in her throat as he leaned forward and whispered, "You will be safer with me, with your Aunt, away from here." She could hardly believe what he was saying to her. Only months ago when he brought her here he told her she would be safe with Stannis.

Stannis is the only one that could truly keep her safe now and Sansa knew it. Sansa placed her left hand against his chest and pushed gently, "I know what is best for me, Lord Baelish." Petyr looked down at her hand and saw the shine of the silver ring upon her finger. He knew what those rings meant, but he quickly pushed the thought from his mind. No, not his Sansa, she would never do that to him.

He had stopped her in the hall that very morning and urged her to walk the beach with him so they may get fresh air and speak of leaving that dark and gloomy place. He felt her uneasiness as he took her hand in his as they walked and at one point, he caught the glance of a certain King watching them from above. Petyr was not stupid, no, he was brilliant and he could see that a connection had built between the older King and the young Sansa Stark. She would not agree to leave with him and that worried him, especially about his future plans with the girl.

Petyr watched as the young girl he once knew backed away from him and left the room, running from him once again.

He followed.

…

Sansa sighed and placed her forehead against Stannis', "He will not stop until he gets what he wants." Stannis breathed in her scent and closed his eyes, "Quiet, Sansa, just let me hold you." Sansa sat upon his lap in her own chambers and her hands played with his short hair as Stannis vowed,

"They will have to storm Dragonstone to take you away from me now. Our fate is sealed and it is known that you are to be my wife."

Word of their marriage spreading around Westeros scared her, but Sansa was learning not to care for such a thing. Stannis took her hand in his and kissed it lightly, "I am unsure of what you have done to me, Sansa, but you have softened me." Sansa smiled down at him and leaned down to kiss him, but before she could, what happened next made her heart drop and her whole body grow cold. The voice she heard was emotionless,

"I had hoped it wasn't true."

…

CLIFFHANGERRRRRRRRRRRR. Thank you for reading! Your continued support puts a smile on my face and the writing muses in my heart! Love on ya.