Many things happened to Sansa in the last chapters, but we didn't really see her thoughts since Joffrey's death. Now we will. And another concern will appear now.


SANSA XIV

Mira adjusted the girdle around her hips so it would not be too tight. Her handmaiden was helping Sansa to pull on her purple gown displaying flower symbols. Sansa didn't want to wear black for Joffrey's death. She was quite glad he was dead and had no intention of mourning him or even for people to believe she mourned him. He received what he deserved. She thought about her father, and about Bran and Rickon, and about Robb and her mother. Joffrey wasn't the one to have her elder brother and her mother killed, but he had been so happy when he learned their deaths that for Sansa it didn't matter. He was a monster and he received the punishment he deserved. However, Sansa couldn't wear the red gown Tyrion offered her the day of the royal wedding. She would have liked to wear it for Tommen's coronation, but most of the people would wear regular clothing, and a few would be clad in mourning attire. Sansa chose regular clothing, just like Tyrion did.

Everything had come back to normal since the last week. There had been a few days after the wedding when Sansa was afraid Tyrion might think ill of her, but finally her fears proved to be unfounded. Tyrion didn't find anything bad about the fact she kissed him suddenly while they were in bed, and he didn't worry if she needed more time before she felt ready for their marriage to be consummated. He was very patient with her, more patient than anyone else had ever been with her. She nearly found him too much patient sometimes. Sansa still had difficulties to understand how a son of Tywin Lannister could be so… honorable. If only Tywin Lannister had died before the war began. Jaime Lannister would have refused to leave the kingsguard and Tyrion would have been the Lord of Casterly when all this madness started. Perhaps there would have been no war. At least, Tyrion wouldn't have slaughtered her family. Would she be married with him if it had been the case? Sansa doubted it. Tyrion would have found a wife not long after he became Lord of the Westerlands, and she wouldn't be this wife. The thought saddened her. Her family had to die so she could meet Tyrion.

She pushed these thoughts aside. It was useless to think about it. She couldn't change what already happened, but she could try to make the future better. And with Tyrion, she could make it better. She doubted about their marriage for some time. She thought she may not be the wife Tyrion wanted. She knew Tyrion wanted someone who would love him. That was the thing he wanted the most. He wanted to be loved. Sansa wished she could give him what he wanted, but right now she couldn't. She liked Tyrion. She liked to spend time with him, to share jokes, to speak, even to sleep with him… but she didn't feel she loved him, not yet. She felt guilty about that, but there was still so much uncertainty in her heart. She just couldn't give herself to him without any doubt yet. She feared sometimes he may be brought to cast her aside for this reason, but also for other motivations. After all, Sansa was still officially the daughter of a traitor. Tyrion was already a dwarf and mocked for this, so to be married to the daughter of the traitor Ned Stark? We're perfect for each other. To remind his jape brought a smile upon her face. But her mind returned to darker thoughts almost immediately. Sansa was only fifteen and she had nothing to offer Tyrion, except her links with traitors. Margaery on the other side…

Sansa had been in such anger when Margaery came to tell her about Olenna Tyrell's scheme. The Queen of Thorns wanted to convince Ser Kevan to marry Margaery to Tyrion instead of Tommen. Olenna Tyrell thought that her granddaughter would have a much better position as Lady of the Westerlands than as queen. Sansa had to admit it could make sense. After all, the Lannisters were the richest people in Westeros, and Sansa saw while she was kept as hostage that a crown or a name didn't give you much power. The Tyrells probably came to the conclusion it would more to their benefit to have Margaery's children as future Lords of the Westerlands than as future kings. Sansa thought they may even hope that if Tyrion set her aside, they could marry her to Loras Tyrell. The thought made her sick.

Margaery had come to tell her about this last week. She wanted Sansa to know she wasn't the one at the origin of this. Margaery genuinely wanted to be queen and she hoped Kevan Lannister would refuse her grandmother's proposal, but she came to see Sansa so she may know about it if things didn't go as she hoped. For a few hours, Sansa's doubts caused her to panic. She feared Tyrion would prefer Margaery to her. The daughter of Mace Tyrell was more suitable as wife of a great lord than her. She was publicly tainted by her father's treason. Margaery was not linked to any treason, except for her short marriage with Renly Baratheon that didn't really matter for most of the world. Renly didn't have the time to fight Joffrey like her father and her brother did. But finally, her fears proved to be futile since Tyrion refused to hear anything about annulling their marriage. Sansa was relieved when he told her. She didn't want to try another marriage. She had found safety and comfort in this one, and she didn't want to risk losing it.

Sansa should have known Tyrion wouldn't reject her because she acted improperly or because of her family's actions. After all, Tyrion's first wife had been the daughter of a wheelwright, or at least he thought so when he married her. He didn't have any prejudice against a woman because of the way people looked at her. He didn't cast aside Shae, who was a whore, when they married, no more than he disavowed her when his uncle suggested he could marry someone else. Thinking about Shae brought anger and sadness at the same time to her mind. Sadness for losing someone she thought to be a friend, and anger for her betrayal against her and Tyrion. However, she was also sad because of something else. While they were married, Tyrion secretly loved another woman. She knew nothing happened between him and Shae after the wedding, but still, it hurt her that the man she married loved someone else than her. She wondered if her mother felt that way when her father came back from the war with Jon, discovering he loved another woman and had a child with her. How would she react if Tyrion came to her one day with a bastard child of his own blood? The idea of Tyrion with someone else, or only loving someone else, filled her with some sort of despair. She wanted to be his wife. She didn't want him to look at another woman the way he looked at her with a mix of compassion and admiration.

Sansa tried to banish her thoughts about Shae from her head. Tyrion was no longer with Shae. She was far away from him, and he would never see her again. He refused to reject her for another woman at least twice. It meant she did have value in his eyes. She was a person for him, someone he cared about. Sansa was touched by it. However, she also feared he may only refuse to disavow her out of pity. She was afraid he still saw her only as a child. It wasn't what she wanted. Perhaps he still loved Shae and that was why he accepted that she took all her time before going further in their relationship. The thought dreaded her. She didn't want him to stay with her only out of pity. She wanted him to want her as his wife. But at the same time, she couldn't yet resign to surrender her maidenhead to him. She wondered why she was so hesitant about it. All her childhood she was prepared for the moment she would have to carry out her duty as a wife, and yet now she couldn't do this duty with a man she trusted above everyone else. Why? Joffrey's threats came back to her mind, and the riot too. Her body shook violently for half a second.

"Sansa, are you alright?" Mira's voice took her out of her thoughts. She realized her breathing was quicker than it should be.

"Yes, Mira. I'm alright. Just carry on."

Sansa relaxed. Tyrion wouldn't set her aside. She was safe now and in good hands. She was married with a kind man, the sort of man her father wanted her to marry, even though he never realized Tyrion was this sort of man. The dream of her father where Tyrion stood behind him continued to follow her in her nights, reminding her of this. The dream about her wedding with Ser Loras still haunted her too, but there was something Sansa felt she missed. She couldn't find out what it was. She had time before her, and Shae was far away. There was no woman in Tyrion's life except her, and only her. And so my watch begins. That memory brought a smile upon her face. However, in the back of her mind, doubts lingered. What if Tyrion really had someone else in his life?

"How is your friend Sera?" Sansa asked to Mira, trying to completely set aside her dark thoughts.

"Far better than before, though she still has a hard time to deal with Lord Tarwick's denial."

Sansa could feel the regrets in Mira's voice. After Ser Meryn Trant was accused of Joffrey's murder, her friend Sera Durwell was released from the black cells. Sadly, the damage was done. The simple fact Sera Durwell was suspected for a moment to have participated in the king's death was enough for her betrothed, Lord Garibald Tarwick, to undo all the arrangements concerning their upcoming marriage. Mira told her how Sera had been utterly destroyed when Lord Tarwick abandoned her. Sansa didn't want to imagine how she would feel if Tyrion abandoned her. Sansa sighed internally. Her attempt to think about something else had failed.

"Don't you think Margaery could do something about it?" Sansa suggested.

"I don't think so. She may try to convince him, but she doesn't have the same influence she had before. It's not even certain yet she will marry Tommen."

Sansa knew it only too well. They tried to marry her to Tyrion instead. She would have to talk to Margaery about it again. Mira completed the adjustments of her gown, then brushed her hair in a way they fell behind her head in waves. Tyrion arrived not long after and they went to the ceremony for Tommen's coronation. Mira left them when they entered the Great Hall, finding a place in the back of the room. Tyrion and Sansa were on the first rank.

Tommen walked along a red carpet from the huge doors of the Hall to the Iron Throne. He wore a red cloak that enfolded his whole body from the neck to his ankles. Everyone followed him with their eyes in silence. Sansa could see uncertainty, but also excitement on his face. If only he had been the firstborn instead of Joffrey. Her father would still be alive, and her whole family as well. The sweet boy climbed the dais and knelt on a red cushioned footstool as the High Septon held the crown above his head, pronouncing the blessings from the Seven.

"In the light of the Seven, I now proclaim Tommen of the House Baratheon, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the First Men and the Rhoynar, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms." The High Septon placed the crown on Tommen's head. "Long may he reign!"

"Long may he reign!" shouted all the highborn people who were present. Tyrion and Sansa joined them and cheered with everyone as Tommen rose from the footstool. With Cersei gone, there was no one to regret Joffrey. Tommen tried to keep a serious face, as it was suitable for a king, but he allowed a smile to appear from time to time. Afterwards everyone lined to congratulate Tommen. She and Tyrion were among the first and she exchanged a few words with the new king before leaving. He really looked happy. Tyrion remained behind, saying he needed a few words with his uncle. Ser Kevan stood right next to Tommen on the dais. He was the Protector of the Realm until Tommen was old enough.

Sansa left the dais and had to speak with many ladies and lords of the Westerlands again. There was a time she would have enjoyed all the attention she got and thought these people really loved her, but now she knew they mostly tried to gain her favor for this thing or another. Most of them liked her title more than anything else. She really started to be annoyed by all this. She used her courtesies as always to get rid of them and went to Margaery who stood in the gallery aside the Great Hall, clad in black. She was among the few obliged to wear this color as if they mourned Joffrey.

"Margaery," Sansa greeted her.

"Lady Lannister," Margaery replied with a smile.

Sansa stood beside her, watching the court before them. "Before it was you who told me to call you by your name. Do I have to do the same?"

Both chuckled. "Since I am no queen and that you are a great lady, I must call you by your title, unless you allow me not to."

"Permission granted. Call me Sansa."

Margaery smiled at her in thanks. They both looked at Tommen receiving respects from everyone. Sansa could see Tyrion engaged in a discussion with his uncle while Tommen played to be the king. He played it much better than Joffrey and it suited him much better.

"He sits the throne like he was born to it," said Margaery.

"Yes," Sansa approved. "Even if he wasn't born for it. Long may he reign."

"Long may he reign," her friend repeated.

Sansa knew Tommen wasn't supposed to be king. By the laws of the Seven Kingdoms, Stannis Baratheon should be sitting on this ugly iron chair. Sansa was still under quite a shock after the revelation Mira told her more than a week ago. Her handmaiden saw Ser Jaime and his sister fornicating before the dead body of Joffrey. She heard them talking of their sons and their daughter. Sansa wasn't surprised that Joffrey was a bastard born of incest, but it had quite an effect on her to learn Myrcella and Tommen were Jaime Lannister's children as well. She remembered Myrcella, a kind and good girl. And Tommen, who was so sweet and unable to hurt anyone. How could this be possible they were the result of an incest? She could believe it for Joffrey, but for his brother and his sister? Sansa looked at Tommen, trying to see a boy born of incest before her, and she couldn't. And yet he was. Mira wouldn't lie about this. She didn't tell Tyrion. Anyway, what good would it make for her to reveal it? Another war? Or perhaps she would be executed for high treason if she began to speak against the king. Whatever great lady she was, she was still submitted to the king. Looking at Tommen, she couldn't see any of the madness or cruelty that characterized Joffrey. She wouldn't speak about it. Tommen and Myrcella were good children anyway. She didn't want them to die, and she wouldn't try to bring Stannis Baratheon on the Iron Throne knowing that he burnt people refusing his new religion.

Her eyes moved to look at Jaime Lannister standing on the dais, protecting the king. Protecting his son. Sansa felt some disgust for the man, knowing he laid down with his own sister. He helped her to save Tyrion, and according to what Brienne told her, the knight wasn't without honor as she once thought. But still, bedding his own sister! She wondered why Tywin Lannister hated so much Tyrion for spending time with whores while his two older children were laying down together. She didn't tell Tyrion either about the fact Cersei asked her brother to kill him. Anyway, Cersei was far away now and Jaime Lannister refused to carry out her request, so she had nothing to fear from the Kingslayer.

"Has your family asked about marrying you to Tommen?" Sansa asked her friend.

"My father asked, I think, but for now we have no answer. The Hand of the King believes Tommen needs time to mourn Joffrey."

Sansa looked at Ser Kevan. He wasn't speaking with her husband anymore. Tyrion was no longer on the dais. "He needs time, yes. Perhaps he's really sad about Joffrey's death."

Margaery nodded slightly at her side. "As I must be."

They both knew Margaery was only sad Joffrey died before she could be queen. Sansa saw Mira with an arm around Sera's shoulders in the crowd. "I guess your handmaiden will have a lot of time before she's wed too."

Margaery didn't answer before long, sighing when she finally did. "I did everything I could. I tried everything to convince Lord Tarwick to maintain the engagement, but he didn't want to listen. If I was the queen, he might have accepted, but if I was the queen Sera would never have ended in a cell and nothing of all this would have happened."

Sansa saw pain and regret on Margaery's face. She had more compassion than her grandmother. "It seems your grandmother is good at destroying marriages. She destroyed two, including yours, and attempted to ruin a third within two weeks." Sansa's voice wasn't without accusation. She still didn't forgive the Tyrells to have tried to tear into pieces her marriage with Tyrion.

"I'm sorry about this, Sansa. That wasn't my idea."

"But it wouldn't have bothered you. You're the one who told me Tyrion wouldn't be a bad husband one day."

"It was mostly to reassure you." Margaery smiled in her direction, but Sansa could only return half of it. "But I thought what I told you. He's probably the best Lannister there is. Without his small height, he would be very handsome. You're right, he wouldn't have made a bad husband. He would have been far better than Joffrey." No one could argue with this. "But I think I prefer to be queen. This way I have an ally at Winterfell and Casterly Rock. And anyway, my grandmother left not long after your husband came to see her and told her himself what he thought of her marriage proposal with very crude words. I wished I had been there to see this conversation."

Margaery smiled again in her direction and Sansa could return most of it. Perhaps a duel of words between the Imp and the Queen of Thorns would have been entertaining. Her friend didn't stop to talk. "That's strange when we think about it. When you were betrothed to him, I was the one to speak highly of him, but now you're the one to speak highly of him to everyone. And no one dares to contradict you. I wish however you could give me details about how experienced he is."

Sansa couldn't stop herself from flushing this time. Margaery laughed at her expression, but lowly to not attract attention. Sansa tried to recompose herself. "Even when we'll do it, I doubt I'll give you details."

"Sansa, you wound me. I thought we could trust each other. That we were friends." Margaery said it with a false indignant voice.

"We are, of course. Though I think it will be difficult for me to consider your grandmother a friend after what she did."

Margaery smiled sadly at her. "I know. But I would have a friendly advice to give you Sansa, before you leave for the Westerlands. If I were you, I would consummate my marriage as quickly as possible. I'm surely not the first person to tell you that, but I'm telling you this because I think it would be the best for you. You must give children to Tyrion soon, or else people will start to whisper against you. And with everything that happened with your family, it would be for the better if you silenced any other possible accusations that may be thrown against you."

Margaery's eyes only showed sincerity, and Sansa knew she wasn't playing. "I'll think about it."

"Also, once your marriage is consummated, then there will be no way for another old lady to propose another young woman to your husband."

Both chuckled at this. Sansa left Margaery and went to see Tyrion. She spotted him discussing with Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand. Sansa caught a frightened sight on the woman's face. The Dornish prince left, his paramour glancing at Tyrion with a face between plea for help and threat. Sansa came at Tyrion's side.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Tyrion seemed surprised by her presence. "Oh, sorry, I didn't see you coming. No, everything is alright."

She could tell he was lying. "Do you really think I believe you?"

"I'll tell you everything after the coronation feast," he finally said. Sansa didn't press the matter.

The rest of the ceremony included a feast in the gardens. Sansa spoke with many people, including Sera Durwell, offering her some comforting words for her broken betrothal. The girl of the Reach looked in a better mood than when Sansa saw her in the Great Hall. There were also the knights, lords and ladies who came to talk with her, many trying to bring her attention on some problems they had and some help they would need. Some Tyrell and Baratheon bannermen were among these people. Sansa found it strange they asked something from the Lady of the Westerlands. However, no one from Dorne asked anything from her.

She and Tyrion left at the end of the ceremony, excusing themselves to Tommen. As they came back to their chambers, Sansa noticed Tyrion was really preoccupied by something, and she didn't think it was financial matters. There was something on his mind. She sat with him and put her hand on his.

"What troubles you?"

After a moment, he decided to speak. "It's Oberyn Martell. You surprised the end of our conversation. He told me he would kill Gregor Clegane tomorrow, no matter what I did to stop him. If my men are to intervene, he will kill them before he kills the Mountain."

Sansa was agape before this new. "But why? Why does he want so much to kill this man?"

Sansa knew Ser Gregor Clegane was a monster. She still remembered the discussion she had with Littlefinger about how he disfigured the Hound when they were still children. And she heard many rumors about the atrocities he committed during the war.

"Gregor Clegane is the man who murdered Rhaenys and Aegon Targaryen, the children of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, at the end of Robert's Rebellion. The oldest of the children hadn't reached her third name day. Elia Martell was the sister of Oberyn. Clegane killed her as well," Tyrion explained.

Sansa was horrified. She knew about the death of the Targaryen children at the end of the last rebellion, but she didn't know it was the work of a single man. She thought they were killed in the chaos that followed the Sack of King's Landing. She knew the Mountain was in the capital right now. Cersei had called him back from Harrenhal to be her champion if Tyrion demanded a trial by combat. It was a chance it never happened.

"And now he wants to get his revenge," Tyrion continued. "He didn't come here for Joffrey's wedding. He came to kill the man who raped his sister and killed her with her children. I tried to convince him to not try this, but he wants to kill him now. And knowing the Mountain, I'm afraid it may end up quite bad for the Red Viper."

Sansa saw what Tyrion meant. She knew the relations between the Lannisters and the Martells were very bad. Their alliance was quite weak, and anything could destroy it forever. If Oberyn Martell was killed by some Lannister bannerman, then this could start a war between the Lannisters and the Martells. Sansa thought about Myrcella in Dorne. What would happen to her? She remembered how she smiled at Tyrion when he arrived in King's Landing and how Tyrion seemed to like her. She understood he worried about this.

"Is there some way to prevent it? To send Gregor Clegane away, or to force the prince to leave the capital?" she asked.

"We cannot force Prince Oberyn to leave. He is a member of the small council. As for Gregor Clegane, I don't really like the idea of sending him away in the nature. Everywhere he goes he only spreads destruction, and I think he already caused enough sufferings to the Seven Kingdoms. I was planning to have him put on trial once I would be back to Casterly Rock. There are rumors about him disfiguring his brother, but also killing his father, his sister and his two wives. There are people who disappear mysteriously in his lands to never be seen again, and I know he raped and killed innocent people for no reason even in times of peace. That wouldn't have been difficult to sentence him to die. I promised Prince Oberyn that I would have him executed, but he's too impatient. He's going to try to kill him tomorrow, no matter what I say."

Sansa thought about the half-burned face of the Hound. She thought about how the Mountain tried to kill Ser Loras at the tournament, and how he killed Ser Hugh of the Vale. She thought about everything Tyrion just told her about this monster. She understood quite well why the Hound hated knights, especially if the rumors about his brother killing his father and sister were true.

"Perhaps you should have him killed." Sansa never thought she would say something like that one day, but she did. She had no desire to see Gregor Clegane live, and she wouldn't feel any remorse by ordering someone to kill him. Tyrion stared at her in surprise.

"I suppose I could. Though it wouldn't look very good if I ordered one of my bannermen's assassination, monstrous he may be. But I can't allow Oberyn Martell to die all the same. And I cannot stop him either. He told me nothing would stop him, and I'm afraid it's true."

"What will happen if Prince Oberyn succeeds in killing Gregor Clegane?" Sansa asked hesitantly.

"Well, I wouldn't blame him too much. I would get rid of a mad dog, and it would improve our relations with Dorne I think. The problem is we can't be sure he will manage to kill him. Clegane is mad, but he knows how to fight all the same. And he fights pretty well and moves quite quickly despite his huge size. If only I could be sure Gregor Clegane would be killed…"

Tyrion's face slowly changed, as if he realized something. He rose from his chair.

"I need to speak to a few people."

He left the room without any other explanation. Sansa wondered what idea Tyrion had. Perhaps they could make sure Gregor Clegane would be killed by Oberyn Martell, but Sansa didn't really know how to do it. But Tyrion seemed to know. She wondered how.


A duel seems imminent. What would be the outcome?

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Next chapter: Bronn