Sansa
Watching Jon and Daenerys take to the skies on their dragons never ceased to amaze Sansa. She couldn't help but envy what they had a little bit. The two of them were to fly over to the Dothraki and the Unsullied armies outside of King's Landing and order them to journey north. The majorities of the armies were outside the walls of the city, but there were still a garrison of each army at Highgarden and Casterly Rock. Daenerys would fly out to Casterly Rock and order the Unsullied to empty the keep while Jon would do the same at Highgarden. The only problem for him was that he didn't speak an ounce of Dothraki, but the problem was solved by having the translator Missandei accompany him.
Sansa was on a Manderly ship sailing back for the White Harbor with Arya, Tormund Giantsbane, Sandor Clegane, Podrick Payne, Tyrion, Lord Varys, and Gendry Baratheon. Theon had been kind enough to provide an escort of over one hundred Ironborn ships to join them. He captained his own ship and hosted Sansa and Arya's cousin robin Arryn and the other Lords of the Vale, along with Rodrick Forrester, Lyanna and Jorah Mormont, while Yara would return to the rest of the fleet with the Dornish and Stormlords to ferry the Dorne and Stormland armies. What remained would travel to Dragonstone to transport as much dragonglass as they could with what little time they had left which was just over a month according to Jon. Time was shortening and there was still far too much to do. Before she left Winterfell, Sansa had been organizing with the First Builder of the Night's Watch to have catapults and infantry shields made as quickly as possible.
The armies of the Reach which consisted of twenty-five thousand would join the Dothraki in Highgarden for the ride North while also transporting shipments of grain Daenerys was able to negotiate from Lady Melessa with the help of Sam. The Riverland armies were only waiting for Edmure to return to march to the North. The only armies Sansa was uncertain about were Cersei's. She could sense that Cersei wasn't lying about pledging her forces, but something didn't feel right. She couldn't help but suspect something.
As Sansa stood on the starboard side of the ship, watching as King's Landing shrank into the distance and the Red Keep was only a red dot. Finally, out of range of the smell of pig shit, Sansa took a deep breath of the open air and couldn't be happier to be far away from the city as possible. The clean air and smell of the sea helped calm her nerves, but she was still on edge about anything Cersei could be plotting. 'Sometimes when I try to understand a person's motives, I play a little game.' Littlefinger's voice wouldn't detach from his words in her mind, but she wouldn't deny any of the teaching he gave her in this situation.
'What's the worst possible reason Cersei would declare her armies for us? To lie and retake the lands she lost. But that would only unite the country against her for going against her word. What if she truly did march them north to fight with us? Why would she do that? To get her army close to ours. But she's far outnumbered and if her soldiers turn against the others, it will be the exact opposite of what the Red Wedding was. Could she really mean to fight with us? All of it depends on if we win against the dead.' This was one situation that Sansa couldn't figure out, and she even doubted Littlefinger could. But with Bran's help then things would be easier to piece together. But passing the time until she returned was nerve racking.
"It's nice to leave King's Landing without having to be smuggled." Arya said as she walked next to Sansa and stood beside her. "Though I will admit it there was some fun traveling with the Night's Watch. I made many friends."
The two Starks turned their gazes from King's Landing to each other. Sansa eyed Arya's arm briefly. "Bran told me that Nymeria and Ghost saved you from the Lannister men in the Riverlands."
"Aye, them and Nymeria's wolf pack. I encountered them once when I was returning to Winterfell after ending the lives of the Frey men. It was much smaller then, but she was just as big. If I can't ride a dragon, then maybe I could ride a direwolf."
Sansa giggled a bit. "Ride a dragon? You and Rickon have impossible desires."
"If you told the Valyrians they would become dragonlords when they were still goat herders, they would be acting just as you are. Sometimes things just happen that turn into something greater. That reminds me, I had completely forgot about my promise." Arya dug her hand into a small pouch strapped to her sword belt and pulled out a small trinket. "I was nearly done before I lost my hand, Gendry helped me finish it since I couldn't with one hand trapped in a splint. Arya opened her palm and revealed a small steel direwolf. The design of it was different than the direwolf sigil of House Stark. It was more of a tamer design than the ancient sigil. The direwolf was sitting and the tail wrapped in front at the feet. At the mane was a small loop and a tiny chain ran through it turning the direwolf into a neckless. For some odd reason, it reminded Sansa of her direwolf, Lady.
"It's beautiful." Sansa said as Arya gave it to her to see up close.
"Consider it a gift for all the namedays I missed."
"That's not fair," Sansa told her, "now I need to find something to make up for your namedays I've missed."
"The only thing I could want from you is for you to survive the hell that's coming."
Sansa felt touched. Arya was starting to open up more and be more like a sister that they both failed to be long ago. "We will survive the wars to come, Arya. But even then, I will find something for you." Arya's brow arched as she thought of what she would want.
Before she could think of anything, the two of them heard a commotion from behind on the deck. They both turned around and saw two men hauling the crate that delivered the wight on deck. But why? The Citadel was given the wight's body to study, so what use did the crate have?
Sansa recognized one of the men was Podrick Payne and she was curious to what means he had in store for the crate. She walked with Arya and approached him as he and the other man set down the crate. "Podrick, what are you doing?" Sansa inquired.
"Forgive me, my lady. But we're far away enough from the city now." He began to undo the locks of the crate and removed the steel bars. As soon as the lid was free, Podrick pulled it off and out sprung a young woman, gasping deeply and her clothes soaked in sweat.
"Fucking hell, I couldn't breathe!" Her accent was the same as her skin, Dornish. She had long black curly hair and deep brown eyes. She looked well over twenty and was very beautiful.
"I'm sorry, my lady. Ser Bronn and I worked as fast as we could."
"Podrick, who is this?" Sansa demanded, confused as to what was going on as she scanned the mystery woman.
"I am Tyene Sand, daughter of Oberyn Martell and Elliara Sand."
"Tyene!" Varys took notice to what was going on and approached her with Tyrion. "It's good to have you out of the city."
"It's good to be anywhere but the city." Tyene spat as she climbed out of the crate and sat on the rim of it. "Do you know if my mother is alright?"
Tyrion remained calm as he delivered the news to her. "I'm afraid she died not too long ago in the Black Cells." He didn't sound apologetic, but Sansa knew why.
Tyrene looked devastated, but she didn't cry. "I'm going to fucking kill that Lannister Bitch."
"No, you're not," Arya argued, "Cersei's mine and mine alone. I've had her on my list far longer than you have."
"Who the hell are you?" Tyene glared at Arya like a snake as if challenging her.
"Arya Stark of Winterfell. If I recall, you should dead. I heard Cersei had you poisoned."
Tyene wiped the sweat off her brow as goosebumps began to appear all over her exposed skin. "She did, but my man saved my life and offered my mother a deal. He could only free one of us and she chose me of course. Cersei never never paid visits so switching myself with a corpse from the streets of Kings Landing was no problem. I worked in a brothel until today when this one here and my lover smuggled me out of the city." She looked over to Podrick, grateful for his assistance. "Dammit, it's fucking cold. Could I get something other than a thin dress to wear?"
Arya was kind enough to remove her own cloak and wrapped it over Tyene's shoulders. "I'll be expecting it back when we land."
"Gladly." Tyene stepped off of the crate and wobbled as she acquired her sea legs. She turned to face Podrick who looked pleased that she was smuggled out of the city successfully. "Where's my man, squire boy?"
"Ser Bronn is still in the city. He's working to smuggle out some of Cersei's wildfire."
Tyene scoffed and looked disappointed. "He'd better not take long. I want to hear him sing again."
"Lady Tyene," Sansa said, "I'm sure you must be famished after being in a crate for some time. And I assume you don't have any proper winter clothes with you."
"I'm not a lady, I'm a Sand. And the only thing I brought with me is what you see."
"Then may I extend our hospitalities and offer you a meal and something better to wear?"
Tyene grew a slick smile. "And to what name do I thank for such courtesies?"
"My name is Sansa Stark, Lady of Winterfell and Wardeness of the North." She couldn't help but take some pride in her position. She didn't boast about it, but she enjoyed it.
Tyene walked up to Sansa, still wearing her smile. "Then let me express my gratitude for your kindness, Lady Stark." Before Sansa could react, Tyene pressed her lips against hers and kissed her for a moment. Sansa was wide eyed and motionless as Tyene pulled her head away and winked at her before walking back to Podrick. "Come on squire, I need to take a piss. Show me where I can."
Panicking, Podrick stuttered as he nervously bowed his head to Tyene. "O-of course." She began to walk down below deck, Tyene following close behind him.
Arya turned to look as Sansa, who was just as confused as everyone else who saw what occurred. "I think she likes you."
"Shut up!" Sansa hissed.
Night came quickly and the skies became infested with thick clouds. The air grew colder and various areas of the ships sailing began to have a light layer of frost form.
Sansa and Arya stood at the railing at the front of the ship, enjoying the evening sea breeze. They had both already had their supper and wanted some time alone together, though Sansa was cautious to steer away from any form conversation inquiring about how Tyene's lips felt. But she did take to wearing the direwolf necklace Arya had given her.
"Do you ever what our lives would've been like if we never left home?" Sansa asked. She imagined that she would still be some stupid girl dreaming about gallant knights carrying her away.
"Sometimes," Arya admitted, "I mostly wonder what it would be like if father were here now. Do you think he would proud of who we've become?"
"Undoubtedly. He wanted you to be who you were and I'm glad I'm not some idiot chasing after princes anymore."
"You weren't an idiot, you were a little girl, and what little girl doesn't dream of marrying a prince?"
Sansa looked at her doubting her words. "I can name one and she's right next to me."
Arya smiled at her. "Point taken. Does that mean you're done with men?"
Sansa shook her head and rolled her eyes. To avoid going were Arya was leading her, Sansa decided to play her at her own game. "I've noticed you've been more close to Gendry ever since I saw you at the Dragonpit. When we watched Jon dueling, you were at his side the entire time."
Arya's sly mood shifted to a calm panic. "I've already told you, we became friends when I was hiding from Joffrey."
"You were friends, but now it looks like your something more."
Arya sighed, and surprisingly to Sansa, came clean without a much of a fight. "When we were captured by the Brotherhood, he wanted to stay with them, saying they were like a family. I told him I could be his family. I said near the exact same thing at Winterfell when he told me he was going to leave and start his own life. At Storm's End, he said he was thinking about what I said."
Echanting as it was, Sansa had to show concern. "Does he want to marry you?"
Arya scoffed at Sansa. "He hasn't been thinking 'that' much."
"Do you want to marry him?" Sansa couldn't contain being direct.
Arya stared out into the distance for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't want to be a Lady of the court."
"Then what do you want? To be knight? A great swordman?"
Arya only sighed. "When the war is war is won, I'll tell you what I want to be."
The planks of the deck creaked as someone approached the Stark sisters from behind. They turned around and saw Tyene Sand, dressed in one of Sansa's dresses she brought with her and still wearing Arya's cloak. "My ladies," Tyene said with a bow of her head, "or rather, the only ladies on the ship. I must say that I don't understand how you stay warm even in something as thick as this."
"Summer in the North is like Winter in the south." Arya informed.
"It must be." Tyene locked eyes with Sansa, who kept her distance. "I must apologize for my actions earlier. I became a bit too excited. But when your in a crate for hours and it feels like the hottest summer in Dorne, your head can get cooked."
"I don't appreciate your gesture," Sansa told her, "but I forgive you."
"Was that your first kiss?" Tyene asked while Arya cracked a smile, waiting for Sansa's answer.
"It was with a woman." Sansa admitted.
"You've kissed a man?" Arya asked.
"No, a man kissed me. There's a difference."
"Was it a lover of yours?" Tyene inquired.
"He wished he was."
"It couldn't've been Ramsay." Arya said. "Please don't tell me it's who I think it was." Arya pleaded. The only person who could fit that description was Littlefinger and all Sansa did in response was nod at her sister.
"Who's Ramsay?" Tyene asked.
"You shouldn't-" Arya began, but was cut off by Sansa.
"It's alright, Arya. He's nothing more than a memory." Even after what she said, Sansa was hesitant to tell Tyene. "Ramsay Bolton was the second man I was forced to marry, but Tyrion was the only one who treated me like a wife. I thought Joffrey was a monster, but compared to Ramsay he was just a spoiled child."
"You don't have to say anything else, my lady." Tyene said, no longer having a proud appearance, but a concerned one.
Surprisingly, Sansa couldn't help but smile just a bit as she realized where she was and who she was with, grateful for both. "He made so many suffer and knew how to take pleasure in it. That was the only thing he taught me and I made sure he knew I learned when I fed him alive to his own hounds."
"I underestimated you, my lady. I thought you were just a highborn girl who ruled over others, but you are more than that."
"We're Starks," Arya told her, "we have the ferocity of Direwolves and the tenacity of the North."
"Clearly." Tyene agreed as she smiled. Her faced winced all of the sudden and she brought the tips pf her fingers to her left check. She looked up to the clouds and became marveled at what she saw. Sansa and Arya looked up with her and saw snow starting to fall all around them. Tyene held her uncovered hands out and felt the snowflakes touch her skin. "It's beautiful."
"You've never seen snow before?" Arya asked.
"It tends to be too hot in Dorne for such a cold weather." Tyene corrected.
The snow falling was only a light flurry and disappeared quickly when it touched a surface. "If you're amazed at this," Arya said, "you'll be swooning when we reach the fields of snow in the North."
Tyene chuckled as Sansa took one last look out to the sea. "I'm going to retire for the night."
"I'm going to stay out hear for a bit longer." Arya said.
"I think I will as well. I like this." Tyene said as she began to sway and dance on deck.
"Then I bid you both a good night." Sansa departed from them and headed straight for her quarters.
Tucked in the warmth of her fur covers and dressed in a nightgown, she rested her body on the feather mattress and let her eyelids fall over her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her and the dawn of the next day to arrive.
I hope this chapter was to all of your likings. Did anyone else think when Bronn left with Podrick out of the Dragonpit in the show that it was slightly suspicious? Next xhapter will be from Jaime's POV. I wonder what will happen, ah ha, ah ha, ah ha.
