The Red Wolf

"I don't see why you have to do this," Sansa was fighting her laughter.

"Because I thought it would be fun," Tyrion stated as he ran the brush through her hair.

"You thought that brushing my hair would be fun?" Sansa started to shake from holding in her laughter.

"It's the first time I wanted to do it," Tyrion said from behind her. "I highly doubt Cersei would have allowed me near her hair."

Sansa bit her lip as Arya burst out into laughter across the inn, the sound was still shocking to Sansa's ears to even hear her sister's laugh. Arya was watching Jaime and Brienne in some kind of match against each other with Oberyn, Ellaria, and Podrick. For a moment, Sansa had thought that Arya had been laughing at Tyrion brushing her hair, like she was close to doing herself. She could only imagine that her hair was almost as long as Tyrion was tall. The thought made Sansa giggle a little bit, but Arya's laughter drowned out her own.

"That's the only reason?" Sansa asked.

"I thought I would give Mira some time with her brother, so we could continue our forming bond," Tyrion said.

"You wish to bond with me?" Sansa was surprised.

"No, I wish to brush your hair because I wish to have mine as long one day," Tyrion chuckled. "Of course I want to spend time with you, Sansa. We should like each other by now, given that Jaime and I are now traitors to our own House. At least, I... like you."

Sansa smiled a bit, those were words she had longed to hear from anyone in King's Landing before she'd given up, "You really like me?"

"You're a very sweet girl, Sansa, it would be hard for me not to like you," Tyrion placed the brush down on the table and moved until he was in front of her. "I would hope that one day, you could consider me a friend."

Sansa stared at Tyrion as more of Arya's hysterical laughter came from across the inn-mixed in with Oberyn, Podrick, and Ellaria's laughter. In King's Landing, Tyrion had been the one kind person to her, he had spared her from Joffery's cruelity, and he had gotten her out of the awful place once he had tracked down Arya. If anyone was really Sansa's friend, it had to be Tyrion.

"I already do," Sansa gave him a small smile.

"You do?" Tyrion blinked several times, then he smiled back at her. "Then our marriage is already better than most."

Sansa laughed a bit, but her laughter faded as she thought of the most who weren't friends... like Alyssa being married to Roose Bolton's son. Her stomach turned at the thought of ever having to marry the son of the man who murdured their brother. The day that they had gotten the news that Alyssa Stark had been wed to Ramsay "Bolton", Sansa had cried for her older sister, Arya, Brienne and Jaime threw a huge fit, Mira didn't know how to react, and Asher Forrester went into denial, saying that Alyssa had vowed to never marry when they were children. Sansa could see Alyssa making that vow, and cleverly keeping to that vow until whatever the Boltons did to her happened. No one else seemed to know how they should react, they only held onto the hope that Bronn and Gendry had succeeded in becoming Alyssa's sworn-swords.

"Beat his fucking ass!" Arya called out loudly.

Sansa opened her mouth, but she was shocked by the kind of language that came out of Arya's mouth. Tyrion offered her a smile, "You have to remember that she was with the Hound for a while. We should be happy that worse didn't come out."

"She-" Sansa stopped herself. Tyrion had a point, and Arya wasn't the type to listen to anything Sansa had to say. "You're right."

"Of course I'm right," Tyrion winked at her. "I'm right most of the time."

"What about when you're wrong?" Sansa asked, glad to be changing the subject.

"I'm usually not wrong," Tyrion stated.

"You can't possibly be right all of the time," Sansa pointed out.

"Here I thought wives were supposed to support their husbands," Tyrion joked.

"Friends are honest," Sansa told him. "At least they should be."

Tyrion looked surprised at first, but then he gave her a sad smile, "Yes, friends should be honest. I never thought that you would ever consider me your friend after what happened to your family." Tyrion sat beside her, "That surprises me as much as the fact that Arya hasn't tried to kill me yet."

"I don't see that happening," Sansa laughed a bit. "You're not on her list."

Tyrion glanced over at Arya and sighed, "It's shocking my name wasn't along side my father and sister's."

"When you weren't in King Robert's party at Winterfell, Arya kept asking 'Where's the Imp', I'm thinking because you were the one Lannister she wanted to meet."

Tyrion raised his eyebrows, "Damn, and that was back when I was pretty." He winked at Sansa, making her smile.

"I've got wonderful news," Asher Forrester came down the stairs with Mira and Briska close behind, he had a smile on his face. Everyone in their party looked at Asher in curiosity. "We can go back to Ironrath in a few days. The Whitehills have been force to leave."

"By who?" Tyrion frowned.

"The Queen of the North," Asher's smile grew.

"Alyssa ordered the Whitehills to leave Ironrath?" Sansa gawked.

"We were given our Ironwood back, and Ryon was returned to Ironrath as well," Asher nodded. He took a deep breath as he sobered, "She ordered Roose Bolton to do all of that. I don't think she realizes Ethan is dead, because Rodrick doesn't say anything about her sending sympathies for Ethan."

"They can't keep that from Alyssa forever, Asher," Mira pointed out.

"Let's hope so," Asher looked at Sansa. "Or the fate of your mother and brother. She has every right to know what happened to your family. Alyssa would rather die than marry someone who gets enjoyment out of tormenting people. You know that."

Sansa nodded. Oberyn stood and grinned a bit, "I guess that we should prepare to go to Ironrath."

"You still intend to stay in the North? How does your brother feel about you being in the North?" Tyrion smirked.

"As long as Myrcella remains betrothed to Tristan, and our alliance may prove to throw your father off his golden throne, my brother shouldn't have any problems," Oberyn stated.

"And it's not too cold for your warm blood?" Tyrion's smirk grew.

"My Paramore keeps me warm enough," Oberyn grabbed Ellaria and kissed her passionately.

"As long as Myrcella is safe, we welcome an alliance," Jaime said.

"I told Cersei what I will tell you, we do not harm little girls in Dorne. She is innocent," Oberyn's eyes went to Sansa. "Innocent girls don't get punished for what others have done."

"I'll drink to that," Asher Forrester smiled.

"He took my line," Tyrion told Sansa.

She laughed a bit, then looked at Asher, "What about your army?"

"We still have to go against the Boltons at some point, I did several favors and made a promise that I have to keep in order to get that army of Second Sons," Asher stated. "They'll be meeting us in Ironrath as well."

"So, more Forresters," Tyrion offered her a smile.

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