A/N: Woo! Nice long chapter to make up for a series of shorter ones! Hope you guys enjoy.

Tyrion finally closed the heavy ledger and pressed his fingers to his temple, trying to chase away the forming headache. This damned royal wedding was going to cost the crown thousands of dragons that would have been put to much better use aiding in the ongoing war. The stress of trying to find the money and his conversation with his father he had earlier was weighing on him heavily and he was ready to call it a night.

He swung his little legs around and hopped down from the desk. It was much closer to his size than the overly large one in the chambers of the hand and it was the one thing Tyrion was glad for. This smaller workplace was grating in every other sense though and Tyrion was insulted that he had been given them. Still, he tried to forget about all the injustices done to him and made his way to his rooms. Back to Sansa.

With every step that he took, he felt lighter. He was in much need of some relaxation and just knowing Sansa would be waiting for him made him move just a little faster. The night before had been slightly less awkward than the first and to be honest, he was getting used to sharing his bed with the redheaded beauty. Just as he expected, her heavenly scent lingered in the sheets and by association his own skin. He had noticed the smell earlier today and caught himself envisioning her elongated body reclining next to him in bed. The way her modest shift had clung to the curves underneath and her pink lips had parted in sleep had him waking early just to stare without making her uncomfortable. He had always admired her in her finery at court, but seeing her so vulnerable and unguarded was especially enthralling. Especially knowing he was the only one to witness it. That to everyone else she was a cold, impenetrable pillar of ice. That only he was privy to her gentle smiles and her musical laughter. He couldn't help the smile that came over his face as he came upon their door.

And when he opened it and walked in, his smile only grew. Sansa was in the process of setting up their Cyvasse board and at the noise he made, she glanced up immediately- a smile brightening her face at the sight of him. A warm feeling bubbled up in him at the sight of her and her reaction. Tyrion couldn't remember the last time someone looked at his arrival like that. Whores had always had joy in their faces whenever he came to the brothels, but it was accompanied by greed in their eyes- they knew he paid well for their services. And the gods knew he was only ever met with disdain from his family-all except for Jaime. But even his brother never looked quite like Sansa did now.

"My Lord" she greeted him demurely.

The perfect lady always made him wish he could be her knight in shining armour. Although he would never look the part, he knew she always enjoyed when he treated her courteously, so he stepped closer to her, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her fingers.

"Good evening, My Lady" he murmured, watching her eyes sparkle at the gesture.

"Our dinner has just arrived," she nodded towards the table. "I hope you are hungry."

He quickly took in the presentation of food on the table and the large flagon on wine and chuckled. "Ah!" he said warmly "Just what I needed..." he popped a brussel sprout into his mouth and poured two goblets of wine. He drank deeply and brought the other to where Sansa was still meticulously setting up the board.

"Tonight is the night I beat you" She said determinedly causing Tyrion to chuckle. So far she had only beaten him once, for Tyrion found it would be insulting to let her win. Had she been a less skillful player, he might have gone easy on her, but she had a tactful mind and he found even when he was giving it his all, he still barely won. He loved that she challenged him and was eager to see her in triumph again.

"How about we make it interesting?" he tested, smiling at her confused look.

"What do you mean?"

"How about for each territory one of us conquers, the loser has to tell them a secret. Something no one else knows." Tyrion was eager to learn more about Sansa and although he knew she was more open with him than anyone else in King's Landing, there was still so much she was guarded about. Perhaps with a little game and a little bit of wine, he could make progress on drawing her out of her shell.

She looked at him for just a moment and he could see the cogs turning in her blue eyes before she nodded, a slight smile on her lips.

"Alright...But start coming up with secrets now. You'll be telling me plenty of them." He laughed loudly and went back to the table. He filled two plates with the stuffed dates and roasted vegetables and brought them over to where the game was mapped out. Sansa had just finished with the elaborate pieces and took the offered plate. She picked a date and licked the honey from her fingers while her shrewd eyes took in the board. Tyrion sat opposite her and they began to play.

Of course, she took the first region and Tyrion handed over his last soldier there defeatedly. She smiled at him wickedly. "So? Tell me a secret." her playful tone had him chuckling again.

"Okay...okay!" he raised his hands and pondered what he should tell her. "You know, it was technically my father who taught me how to play Cyvasse." She looked at him expectantly. "He wasn't trying to, mind you, but the result was the same. There was a few months where he would come to our chambers every morning and try to teach Jaime. Jaime showed promise as a great swordsman even that young and my father was trying to groom him into a master tactician." Tyrion snorted at the memory. Jaime could not care less about the game or the strategy behind war. He was much to caught up with Cersei even then and when he wasn't with her he was beating everyone in the training yard. He had no time to sit still and pay attention to the strategy. He was a soldier-the best of them-but he would never be a leader. "Anyhow, I paid much closer attention than my brother ever did. I begged my Aunt Genna to play with me since I knew my father would not. I listened to my father every morning and I practiced with her as often as I could."

He saw her smile across from him, thinking about a young Tyrion trying so hard to learn. His own smile faded as he remembered how the story ended. "My father found out of course and had a few cross words with my aunt. Genna was never a docile woman and apparently they got into quite the screaming match. Whatever was said, it was only a few weeks later that my father had orchestrated a match between her and one of the Frey boys. That was a nail in the coffin for them. Genna was so furious and I don't know if they've truly had a kind word between them since. I remember the day she left... She was like a mother to me..." Genna had always been there for him-always his golden champion. She had been a tart woman, never gentle or sweet like he had heard his mother was, but she fought anyone who had thought less of Tyrion, even her brother. He would have to write to her soon, tell her of this marriage. Genna would surely be pleased that Tyrion's wife was so kind and sweet.

The sudden seriousness of their conversation left them silent for a moment before Tyrion shook it off. "Anyway," he forced himself to say cheerfully, "prepare a secret of your own, My Lady. I will not let you take me so easily!" He saw her sympathetic frown while he was speaking of Genna, but was glad to see her smooth it over at his transition. She truly was skillful at reading people and interacting with them. She would have made a spectacular queen.

When about a half an hour later he managed to take her desert he grinned triumphantly. "Ah ha!" he cried.

"Fine..." she groaned dramatically causing him to grin. She chewed her lip slightly before launching into a description of the godswood in Winterfell. She elegantly described the setting in a way that had Tyrion mesmerized. "So one day we were all swimming in the pools when the boys decided to run off. They thought it would be funny to hide in the trees and make us think we were abandoned. Arya was little then. She had always been fearless but this was the first time I saw her truly upset. She actually cried, thinking we were all alone so far from home. I hate myself for it, but I remember being happy she was so upset. It meant I could comfort her. I knew Robb would catch and earful from father if he actually left us alone, so I knew we were safe. But I just remember holding my little sister and wiping away her tears..." Sansa looked so dreamy right then, lost in her memory before her eyes turned sad. "It was just after then that Arya lost interest in me. She became so much closer to the boys, always acting so rowdy and unladylike. Still...when everything happened on the kingsroad...with our wolves..." Tyrion nodded solemnly. He hadn't been present of course, but he had heard everything. Cersei truly was a cruel bitch. "I saw her look at me when I was brought before the king. She looked at me the same way she had in the godswood that day. Begging me to protect her. And I didn't..." He watched his wife's eyes fill with tears and he took her hand as she trailed off. He allowed her to cry for a moment before she collected herself.

"I didn't protect her that day." she said resolutely. "Nor while we were here in King's Landing. I truly abandoned my sister. Now I don't even know if she's alive or not."

Tyrion had truly wanted to get past some of her walls, but he hadn't wanted to upset her. He squeezed her fingers comfortingly. "Sansa..." she looked at him with vacant eyes. "I know it may not be much, but I will do what I can to find out what happened to your sister. I know half the country is looking for her and I may not be able to find her...but if it would ease your mind I'll spend everything I have on news of her." She continued to look at him emptily for a moment before warmth flooded into her face again. She nodded and wiped the tears from her face.

"I would like that, My Lord."

The game continued and Tyrion made a point to keep all other secrets light-hearted stories. Sansa did the same-telling him of her affinity for lemon cakes and of the snow fights she had with her siblings. Her tears were forgotten as she finally took his king and laughed in victory. Tyrion mock-bowed to her in defeat and threw another log onto the fire. The two of them spent the rest of the evening discussing strategy before heading to bed together.

Sansa slept instantly, allowing Tyrion to observe her in slumber again. After just a moment taking her in, he settled down into the pillows and felt himself nodding off. Just as he was losing consciousness he felt her turn her face into his shoulder. The last thought he had that day was of her perfect, lemony scent and how it would certainly cling to him tomorrow.

Just a little fluff 3