Whilst travelling aboard the merchant ship Rhaena was able to put her newly learned skills to good use and endeavoured to learn even more beyond that. She learned how to navigate by the stars, how to judge the tides, how to steer the ship and listen to the winds. Syrio instructed her in the ways of the Water Dance as he had once taught Arya so that Rhaena could become lighter on her feet and more adept in her fighting skills. In the evenings the crew would gather upon deck for song and dance, teaching Rhaena the steps to several different dances from the obscurest folk dance to the grandest royal waltz. She learned their languages and customs, their habits and styles from not only Braavos but every city they came to weigh anchor in. They were making excellent time and whenever they stopped to offload and trade, Rhaena would take Sansa by the hand in order to lead her into the city with Syrio as their escort. There she made good on her promise and used some of their silver to purchase Sansa not one but two silk dresses, one in pink and the other in blue. With the bustle of people and voices rising in the air to sell their wares, Sansa gradually began to take notice of the world around her. Where before everything had been devoid of colour and warmth, everything was vibrant and the spiced air tickled at her nose.

Syrio showed them the best places to see and the finest cuisines to try, everything ranging from sweet to spicy tantalising their tongues. They became happy, and the happiness seeped into Sansa's soul which roused her from her aching grief and helped her to put it to one side within her, always present but now little more than a lingering pain that she would carry like a scar for the rest of her life. The night she truly came alive was when one of the sailors had offered her his hand and dazzled her with a handsome smile, music swelling in her ears as before she even knew what she was doing, had placed her hand upon his palm and felt his fingers squeeze at hers lightly to pull her to her feet in order to dance. At first she had drifted and stumbled as her mind spun but as the sounds of laughter and cheering began to settle upon her Sansa blinked and her feet began to move. Although not entirely awake before, she had seen the steps and now began to dance them herself, gradually growing increasingly lively as Rhaena watched her with her hands covering her mouth and tears streaming down her face. For the first time in weeks, Sansa was alive once more. She smiled and laughed, her eyes brightly glimmering as she was passed from one sailor to the next as each wanted a turn to dance with her, beaming and laughing joyously as the music continued to undulate and quicken until they were all spinning madly until dizziness forced them to stop and Sansa's squealing delight echoed into the starstruck night.

Breathless, Sansa looked around her and began to truly see. It were as if she had been in a dream before, looking but not truly processing what was around her other than dim shapes and movements. Life thundered through her entire body as her heart hammered and her lungs winced btu she welcomed the sensation, because it meant she was truly living. Spinning around, Sansa searched the faces of the onlookers until they fell upon the one she searched for. Rhaena. No relation by blood, but her sister nonetheless. She had never abandoned her, had kept her safe and taken care of her every need since the moment they had escaped the massacre of the Red Wedding. When Sansa had chosen to close herself off from the world Rhaena had been there to guide and protect her. Without her, she would have died. No, even before that. If it were not for Rhaena, Sansa would have died in King's Landing. To be in receipt of such devoted and loving friendship, it was enough to make Sansa's soul quiver as she saw the moonlit tears upon Rhaena's cheeks. "Rhaena." She croaked, throat swelling shut with emotion. "Rhaena…Rhae…"

"Hush, my sweet Sansa. All is well now." They dove into one another's arms as the men gave a rising cheer and struck up another song, jostling at them both until they were laughing and dancing once again. It warmed the hearts of every man present to see the ghost girl come back to life and warmed them further still to see the absolute joy and elation of the friend who had refused to leave her behind. In the quiet moments Rhaena regaled the men with stories she had once told to the little ones in Winterfell, acting out fighting scenes and putting on voices and accents in order to fully convey the story in a theatrical masterpiece which thoroughly entertained her audience. Part of Rhaena would not have minded staying aboard the merchant ship for the rest of her life. They were good and kind, warm and brought a sense of humour and enjoyment back into her life which she had not felt in a long time. One of the sailors even taught her the art of knife throwing, letting her use his specialised slim blades which were as light as feathers. Her eye became sharp and her aim improved by the day, though once or twice there were some near misses with one knife nearly taking off someone's ear. They had laughed about it afterwards as Rhaena had screeched and apologised repeatedly in every language she knew, finding her shock and horror funnier still.

When they were not up on the deck or exploring the new wonders of the east, Rheana and Sansa were in their cabin with Lady, resting side by side with their hands linked together between them. Sometimes Rhaena had to pinch herself to reassure herself that she was not dreaming as Sansa smiled back at her. "Where are we stopping next?" Whispering quietly, the sway of the ship rocked them gently like a crooning mother would her own child.

"Volantis. If the winds stay in our favour we should get there the day after tomorrow according to the captain." Rhaena murmured back, shifting so that her neck was not so much at an angle. She smiled to Sansa. "I am so glad you are awake, Sansa."

"I'm sorry I was such a burden to you."

"Never, my sweet. You were never a burden."

"But all you have done is protect and look after me. I've done nothing but slow you down. If it weren't for me, you could have been with your sister months ago. You could have sailed east the moment you left King's Landing, but you stayed for me." Swallowing back the thick lump in her throat Sansa grew emotional once again. "I wish there was a way I could pay you back." Now Rhaena grinned, wanting to make light of the situation.

"Well, if you ever become a wealthy woman of property, I fully expect to be showered in gold and jewels and given an entire wing to myself with the best view. I will grow old and fat leeching off your good grace." Giggling at the suggestion, Sansa struggled to think of Rhaena as an old and fat woman lounging upon a chair eating sweet things and drinking wine for the rest of her days. "We may become wealthy yet. When we reach my sister, we will want for nothing. I expect when she goes to conquer Westeros there will be plenty of fortunes to be shared around. I am certain two imaginative and bright young ladies such as ourselves can find a way to profit from everything."

"You make it sound so easy."

"The first step to getting something you want is to imagine you already have it. Then you simply take one step after another to achieving your goal." Pursing her lips thoughtfully, Rhaena gave a long hum. "I read that in a book somewhere. Not sure which one though." Inching a little closer, Sansa closed her eyes in order to rest them for a moment, but as with every time she closed her eyes unbidden images and dark thoughts began to swirl in her head. They caused her to whimper and shiver so Rhaena hushed her gently and began to sing to her as had become habit, stroking Sansa's hair until she was sound asleep. She would never stop taking care of Sansa. Not until Sansa no longer needed to be taken care of. For now, though, Sansa was still mourning her mother, the cumulation of loss and suffering having snapped her sanity and nearly broken her entirely. But Sansa was strong. Far stronger than she herself knew and Rhaena firmly believed that she would only grow stronger from this. More mature and wiser as well. Sansa was now experiencing the real world for the first time, and both wanted to take it all in and possess as sacred memories within themselves for the rest of their lives, because should their lives fall back into sadness and sorrow once more, it would be those memories that they would cling to for comfort. It was Rhaena's dearest hope that such pain and troubles were now far behind them. With her sister, Rhaena felt certain they could conquer Westeros like their ancestor had and return triumphantly to the seat which belonged to them by right of birth and blood. Rhaena did not care for it. She was glad Daenerys had named herself the queen, because Rhaena had had her fill of the Iron Throne and the people who sat upon it. No.

Once the world was set to right and her sister was on the throne then Rhaena was determined to travel once again, only this time without threat of capture or death. She wanted to see everything that she had ever read about in her books, to travel from north to south and east to west and back again. Now that she had had a taste of the pleasures of simple living Rhaena was hungry for more. After her duty was done, however, and once the North was back in the hands of Robb and everything wrong put to rights. It was what Rhaena dreamed of every night and caused her to wake each morning with a smile. Waking earlier than Sansa was not unusual, Sansa often slept late so she rose quietly and dressed without disturbing her, rubbing Lady's head before leaving to go up on deck to see how she might help. The winds remained in their favour and soon they were arriving upon Volantis where they would stop, however Syrio Forel had noticed how both the girls were not as eager to disembark as before, there was a dimness in their eyes and a sadness in their hearts. "What troubles you, dear child? Do you not wish to visit Volantis?" He questioned Rhaena gently with a touch of his hand to her arm, drawing her back from her own thoughts.

"There is someone here I must see. Do you by any chance know of a family with the House name of Maegyr?" Knowing that this might be their only chance to deliver the news of their daughter to the family of House Maegyr, Rhaena and Sansa had decided that they would find them personally. Rhaena was competent enough in her ability to speak High Valyrian that she could communicate with the family to tell them of Talisa, and of course Syrio insisted upon accompanying them. Lady came too which of course made many stop and stare to see the giant wolf walking beside the beautiful young lady in a silk dress. They stared just as much at Sansa as they did at Lady, but Sansa bore it well but raising her head and gliding forwards as they sought out the home of the Maegyr family. They were not difficult to find for everyone knew the name and their home. Rhaena soon found herself looking upon a luxurious house with large, open balconies with sheer curtains flowing in the breeze. The fine looking building was guarded well and the group were halted upon their approach, but Rhaena was able to secure their entry by merely mentioning Talisa's name. They were ushered inside and invited to rest upon silk cushions and served refreshments by slaves. Both were uncomfortable being served by people who wore collars around their necks but neither did they wish to appear rude so they accepted the hospitality and thanked the slaves, who all seemed shocked to be acknowledged by the strangers.

When a woman breezed inside, Rhaena knew her instantly to be Talisa's mother. They had the same face though hers was older and more heavily lined from age, the rims of her eyes blackened and smudged from sweat. She had the same smile, and when the Talisa's mother greeted them she embraced them openly and kissed their cheeks, beaming before inviting them to sit as she clapped her hands for more refreshments to be brought. She chattered away brightly, so happy to finally have news of her daughter that the longer she talked the harder it became for Rhaena to deliver her the news. Tentatively she asked if Talisa's father and brother were also there, to which her mother indicated that they were not but had already been sent for and would arrive soon. With a cold sense of dread knotting in her stomach, Rhaena continued to wait. Thankfully Talisa's mother was able to fill the silence with her own voice, describing the latest ball she had given, telling them stories about Talisa's childhood and how stubborn she was, how she wished she had stayed at home to become a proper lady. Here at least Rhaena was able to tell Talisa's mother that although she might not have become a lady, she did in fact become a queen. The dark, smouldering eyes widened in shock before bursting with delight, crying out with joy before demanding to know the details so Rhaena explained them as best she could and when her language faltered, a slave was present to help her translate. The young man could have spoken for her but Rhaena was determined that Talia's family would hear the truth from her directly. She owed them that much at the very least.

By the time the father and brother had arrived, Rhaena had finished telling Talisa's mother how she had become a healer helping men who had been injured upon the battlefield and there she had met Robb Stark, the King in the North of Westeros. Her mother had delighted to hear of the romance and so Rhaena had painted it in the best possible light she could even as the words felt like oil in her mouth. Now that the entire family were gathered, Rheana knew she could not hold back her news any longer. The father had more grey hair than black, but the son reminded Rhaena of Talisa most of all. The same slim face and dark eyes with a strong, straight nose and coppery skin. She could barely look at him. Although the mother chattered, the father seemed to know instantly that there were bad tidings in the air as he looked at Rhaena. He was more sensible than his wife and so he hushed her, growing dark and pensive as he invited Rhaena to tell them what she had travelled so many hundreds of miles to tell them. She could not help it. Rhaena began to weep. She had no idea how she managed to choke out the words, but when the news of their daughter's death was finally delivered, Talisa's mother shrieked, only this time it was not with joy, but despair. She flung herself upon her husband who barely managed to catch her as he himself seemed to grow pale and waste away in his own grief.

Only the brother did not break apart at the news of his sister's death though it was evident it pained him just as deeply as it did his parents. Instead he drew himself up and stepped towards Rhaena, his dark eyes like liquid obsidian as he focused upon her and spoke in the Common Tongue. "This must have been difficult for you to tell us. We cannot express our gratitude that you would come here in person to tell us the fate of Talisa." Rhaena choked as Sansa also cried silently, Syrio bowing his head and murmuring a prayer on behalf of the family.

"I am sorry. I am sorry we could not save her." Shaking his head, Talisa's brother clenched his jaw and breathed deeply in order to maintain control over his emotions. Once he had centred himself once more, he looked back to Rhaena.

"What is your name?"

"Rhaena. I am Rhaena Targaryen. This is Sansa Stark. It was her older brother your sister married. We were with her for a while, and we loved her dearly. She was so greatly loved, of that I can assure you." Remaining silent for a little while longer, the young man before her eventually introduced himself as Malaquo Maegyr, bearing the same name as his father.

"Where is she buried? Did she die peacefully? Is there any way to have her remains brought here to her home?" Despairing at these questions, Rhaena glanced to Malaquo's parents in hesitation before lowering her voice to answer.

"I do not know where she is buried. In truth, your sister did not just die but was murdered. Killed in cold blood by our enemies. They killed her mother-in-law at a wedding feast when we were meant to be under the protection of guest rights. Our hosts betrayed us and your sister…I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There is no making this right, no amends that can be made for your loss. I do not know what to do or say that can ease your suffering." Hearing that his sister was not only dead but had been brutally murdered, Malaquo wavered on his feet and Rhaena jumped to steady him with her hand, grasping his arm as he gave a shuddering breath and doubled over as if he were thinking of vomiting. He did not, but his expression remained nauseous and wan.

"You know who did this?" Instantly Rhaena began to nod her head fervently and promised Malaquo that she had every intention of going back and taking their heads in recompense for their treachery. "Good. Do not give them a quick death. Let them bleed slowly and leave them to become a feast for wolves and crows. Let their bodies rot and do not permit them the right of an honourable burial with blessings from your gods. Let their souls be damned, then my sister might have peace." Vowing that she would do everything in her power to ensure that Talisa's murders would receive no mercy, Malaquo nodded his head in satisfaction before straightening his back against the weight of his grief. "This will cause my parents great suffering and perhaps send them to the grave after my sister in their sorrow. I will not tell them the truth, and I must beg of you to also keep silent. It is enough that I shall know. How should I tell them my sister died?"

"In childbirth. She…she was with child when they killed her. Neither she nor the child survived." Again, Malaquo's face crumbled but still he did not lose himself. Rhaena admired his strength as he turned and comforted his mother by taking her into his arms, murmuring to his father who eventually nodded his head and went to Rhaena and Sansa. He took them by their shoulders and kissed their cheeks four times apiece, thanking them for travelling across the Narrow Sea to speak to them in person. He wanted to give them a reward, but Rhaena blankly refused, telling him that any reward given for such tidings would forever be cursed, and instead offered her blessings and hopes that Talisa now rested in peace. They left the family to grieve, Lady whimpering in sympathy as she followed them. No one could find the will to speak or even knew what to say. No words could soften the pain of losing one's daughter or a sister, and Rhaena's mouth tasted like ash even now. Silently, Syrio touched their backs and guided them forwards in order to take them back to the ship to rest. There would be no exploration of Volantis and that night neither of them appeared for songs or stories. They kept to themselves in order to mourn and honour the memory of Talisa before then letting her go with their prayers, imaging that they had brought her spirit back with them and now it safely resided where it belonged. With her family.