Sansa I

"A raven has arrived, my Lady"

Sansa's eyes immediately went to the Maester. A shiver passed through her, but she managed well enough to supress it. She didn't want to make Lady Cersei cross. She had been as kind and supportive as the circumstances allowed, and she was right she had to be stronger, she was the oldest Stark. She couldn't flinch every time a letter was delivered, no matter how much it reminded her of that awful letter that brought the boat where mother, father and Robb traveled had sunk, they searched for them on nearby towns and ports to no avail, the bodies had not been retrieved either, a part of her (a foolishly naive part of her) hoped against hope that somehow they would one day return, alive and unscathed... But there was no use in dreaming, Lady Cersei told her. They were dead and the dead never return.

"Are you unwell Sansa?"

Myrcella's voice snapped her out of her grim thoughts. She looking at the embrodery in her hands, she had stopped stitching and had even dropped her work in her lap. It was not good, she wanted to finish this handkerchief to send it to Bran before his nameday.

"I'm just fine, it seems I got lost in my thoughts. I apologize if I made you worry" she gave the younger girl a shaky smile which Myrcella returned and despite them being nothing alike she was suddenly reminded of her sister, she always wondered how was Arya doing. Sansa sighed and looked around the room to find almost half the ladies were gone including Lady Cersei.

"Myrcella, where are all the ladies?"

The small girl frowned "Mother said she had to discuss something with father and left, the other ladies went after her, they wanted to eavesdrop surely. Are you sure you're feeling fine Sansa?"

"Yes. I just haven't slept very well"

"M'lady, if you are feelin' tired perhaps it would be best if we went back to your room so you can take a nap before supper" said Shae coming up behind her chair.

"No, it would be terribly rude of me to leave Myrcella alone" she protested feebly.

"Don't worry about me Sansa, you should go take a nap, I was just thinking on playing with Tommen in the garden, so I will take my leave first" Myrcella stood from her chair and made a small curtsey in her way before leaving the room. Her ladies and septa all trailed after her.

Sansa eyed her work with sadness, and left it in it's place promising to advance on it on the morrow. "It seems I will take that nap after all Shae. Let's go back to my room."

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Back in her room Shae helped her undress, all the while telling her the town's hottest gossip. It seems ser Leonyd Lannister was thinking of marrying the daughter of a poor fisherman so his Lord Father wanted to send him away... Some Old Maester was seen entering a brothel and some said Lord Robert had just had a bastard son with the inkeeper's daughter...

Sansa slipped on her sheets and let her mind wandered back to Winterfell. She thought of Arya with her wild hair and big grins, of her scabby knees and loud voice. She hoped she wasn't giving Old Nan and Ser Rodrick too much trouble, though part of her hoped her sister was just as she remembered even the annoying infuriating sides. She thought of Bran, so small and so full of energy, always climbing the walls and fighting around with Arya, now he was Lord of Winterfell and how boring that must be. He should be outside playing on the snow all day and at night he should hear Old Nan's stories curled up on his furs beside baby Rickon an Robb.

Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. She let the tears travel down her cheeks to fall on the pillow. She wanted to go back home, no matter how ungrateful and selfish her wish, it was her heart's only desire to see the snowdrops fall outside her window, to play with her siblings in the snow tíl all their cheeks were flushed and their hair messy and wet, to swim in the termal pond beside the Wierdwood tree, to have Robb muss up her hair, to fight with Arya, to read stories to Bran and to carry Rickon in her arms.

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Shae woke her up gently. Sansa washed her face, and dressed in a simple grey dress, it was a bit old but she had wanted to wear something that made her feel closer to home.

She had just finished getting her hair done in a braid like Mother usted to wear, when Joffrey knocked at the door to escore her to dinner. A pang of guilt twisted in her heart. Joffrey had been so patient with her all this time, all those times he had invited her to go rinde with him or to walk around the gardens and she would excuse herself (she just hadn't the spirits to go with him and have fun) , he never got angry just kissed her cheek sweetley and said they would go next time. And there she was selfishly thinking of going home without him. She hadn't been thinking much of him at all lately, and that was wrong he was going to be her husband as soon as she turned six and ten, and he loved her so much, she had to be a better bride for him

Shae oponed the door. Joffrey was always so serious and dignified, with his golden hair always perfectly arraged around his face.

"My Lady" he kissed her hand and took on her appereance "Sansa why are you wearing that old dress? I believe just last month I gifted you that black dress with the gold embrodery stag and that red velvet dress with gold myrish lace."

"I'm sorry my Lord, it's just that those dresses are all so fine that they deserve to be used on most special ocasions."

"Well, you better go change, my grandfather is here and I want you to look your best before you meet him"

Sansa nodded, and bid Shae to help her change the grey dress for the red velvet one with golden lace. Lord Lannister was here, the King's Hand, it was surely important, perhaps ser Jaime had finally gotten engaged or they wanted to call Myrcella to court so she could be a Lady in waiting to Princess Rhyella.

Joffrey had gallantly waited for her outside, he looked her over and smiled "My Lady looks beautiful as always" then he leaned in a pressed a small kiss to her lips that made her hands clammy and her face red as the dress she was wearing.

Sansa's impression of Lord Tywin is that he was just as wise and fearsome as people said, but at least she was right about his visit for Lord Jaime was getting engaged to Lady Brienne of Tarth, and he would be holding a ball in Castle Rock in a months time to celebrate the occasion, he wanted Lord Robert's permission to allow Lady Baratheon, to go there immediately so she could overlook the preparations. Lady Cersei, kind as always had said it would be her pleasure, and excused herself from the table as she wanted to pack immediately.

The dinner went on as always and once it was done Joffrey escorted her back to her rooms, bid her a good night and stole another kiss from leaving her dazed..

While Shae brushed her hair and wondered if they would order a new dress for her to wear at the Lannister's engagement party or if the black dress would be fine someone knocked on the door.

"It's me little dove" said Lady Cersei from outside

Sansa hurriedly put on her robe while Shae opened the door. Lady Cersei's face was flushed and her eyes shined, she looked anxious and way too pale.

"Don't be so skitish Little Dove, come sit by me" Lady Cersei said putting the corner of the bed

"Is something the matter?" she asked confused.

Lady Cersei unexpectedly buried Sansa in her arms and started to sob uncontrolably all the while strocking her hair and murmuring words that Sansa never catched. After a while Lady Cersei seemed to calm down enough to let go of her. Sansa's mind was a whirl of confusión, Lady Cersei was always so composed she never imagined to see her in this state.

"Would your maid be so kind as to fetch me some water Little Dove?" Asked Lady Cersei in a weak hoarse voice. Sansa nodded in Shae's direction.

"Can I do something for you Lady Cersei?" she asked.

Lady Cersei shook her head, and drank from the cup Shae had turned to look at Sansa again.

"Poor Little Dove, such terrible things you have gone through and still you ask if I need help" Lady Cersei caressed her face affectionately, still Sansa felt startled because this voice and her eyes were the same as when she told Sansa of her parents and Robb. " I have somethings to tell you my dear" Lady Cersei took her hands and squeezed them " You have to be strong dear girl"

Fear gripped Sansa's chest, something happened. Something horrid.

"Pirates attacked Winterfell." said Lady Cersei at last " It was so sudden, they never go that farther up land. They killed everyone in the castle, and then burned the place down after they robbed it"

No! This had to be a nightmare, it couldn't be like that, Winterfell was strong and so were Ser Rodrick and his knights, there is no way something like that could happen.

"I understand it must be quite shocking my dear, but well, Lord Bolton wrote this letter, he was the first one to arrive at Winterfell, it seems the Maester got to send a few ravens but no bannerman could have possibly traveled that fast.–"

Sansa knew Lady Lannister was still talking but she couldn't hear anything, her own heartbeat muffled the sound of everything else, it was so loud and quick, the world went out of focus and darkness enveloped her. Sansa welcomed that sweet nothingness, because once she woke up this horrible nightmare would be over.

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Sansa woke up hours later, Her neck was hurting and the bed seemed to be moving. She rose and immediately realized she was not in her room at Storm's End, she was in a carriage with Lady Cersei and Shae.

"Where are se going?" she whispered. Her throat was almost closed.

"Oh Little Dove, we thought you would sleep all through the night. You are coming with me to Castle Rock, the Maester said a change of scenery and some seaside air would be good for you"

She frowned "What happened to me?

Lady Lannister shook her head "Let us talk tomorrow dear, you need your rest. Joffrey was most worried about you he didn't want to let you out of his sight but the Maester and his Lord father calmed him down"

The nightmare came unbound to her mind, she willed it away with toughts of Joffrey and of the ball, it would surely be beautiful, and she and. Joffrey would dance the night away bathed in moonlight with the sweet music blending with the sound of the crashing waves. Sansa closed her eyes, fabricating in her mind beautiful and sweet stories to keep at bay those dark awful thoughts that wanted to choke her mind.