[From this point on Hope would be referred to as Sansa, since she is Sansa Stark now]

The first to enter through the gates of Winterfell was some knight Sansa did not find in her memories. Unimportant men, she thought to herself. The first person she recognized was Ser Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard and the Queen's brother. Most though knew him as Kingslayer. But Sansa knew another title that nobody but she and Jon Arryn knew.

The next one to enter was the crown prince, the heir to The Iron Throne himself, Joffrey Baratheon. Sansa saw the pleasantness in him and could understand what the original Sansa saw in him. He was tall, handsome, and held himself with a sort of grace and pride. But knowing what she knew about Joffrey, this version of Sansa knew better than to be infatuated by all of that.

The center of attention though was King Robert Baratheon. Sansa knew that the man was no longer in his prime, losing the ferocious look and gaining a rather cushioned and tame look. But seeing him in person was an experience in itself. Sansa hid the emotions she felt at seeing him and just smiled politely. The Queen's wheelhouse was the last to come in with the Queen and her remaining children.

Sansa watched the King get off his horse and make his way to her father. They were all kneeling and only rose when the King wanted them to. Ned Stark offered a formal greeting while the King stared at him with an almost unimpressed look.

"You've got fat" the King stated and his Northern Warden gave him a look. Both of them then proceeded to burst into laughter and embrace one another.

"Where's the imp?" Arya spoke from beside her sister with excitement all over her face.

"Arya" Sansa gave a firm yet gentle admonishing and her younger sister deflated just a little. Their mother who was within hearing range and had just gotten free from the King's grips gave her eldest a warm smile.

"Whom we have here? You must be Robb" the King spoke when he reached Robb, clapping him on the shoulders and making the boy hide a wince. He then moved on to Sansa and gave her a far gentler smile than Sansa expected. "My, you're a pretty one."

"Your grace" Sansa smiled and gave a small curtsey. That seemed to please Robert. He then moved on to the rest of her siblings before turning back to Ned.

"Take me to your crypt. I want to pay my respects" he spoke with an authoritarian tone. The Queen argued gently that maybe a bit of rest would be better before doing that, only to be ignored and my extension humiliated.

Ned Stark led the King to the crypts while the Queen and her children were led to their chambers by Catelyn Stark. The Stark children broke away from there, Sansa making her way to the godswood. This was another difference from the original Sansa. She was a follower of the seven as she had told her when they met. But this Sansa did not follow a single religion. She met all the gods that were worshipped already, and she wasn't in the mood to worship them that stuck her in this mess. Her purpose for the godswood was simply to calm her mind. It was silent in there and it gave her a place to relax and think without an interruption.

But the godswood this time around was quieter than usual. There was tension in the air and every living thing in here was afraid. Sansa made her way to the lake at the very center of the woods, right under the heart tree. She felt the tension, but she did not let it affect her. She held herself with her usual poise, grace, and elegance as she walked. When she reached the stone where she would usually sit, where her father sat and those that came before him sat, she stooped. This time she did not sit, instead of watching the carved face on the body of the heart tree.

"How much longer do you wish to stay hidden?" she asked, "You know that I know you're watching."

At first, there was no response. Then there was a rustling noise before something fell in front of her. This something was as big as a child with cat-like golden yellow eyes and spotted nut-brown skin.

"You knew we were watching?" the thing asked.

"From the moment I stepped into the forest" Sansa answered. "Why are you here?"

"We were told to find you" the thing answered. There was more noise and similar-looking creatures stepped out from the foliage and the shadows. Sansa watched one of them hold a small bowl in their hands. What exactly was in that bowl, she didn't know. But it did not look appetizing.

"Will you be kind enough to tell me why?" she asked politely. But there was a hidden note of impatience in it. She had come here to clear her mind and think about what she would be doing for the next few weeks that the royal party remained here, not deal with the Children of The Forest and their cryptic messages.

"Drink this" the child holding the bowl spoke. "You will need this to get in contact with him. He wishes to speak with you."

Sansa didn't need to be told who this 'him' was. There was only one man that the Children of The Forest talked to and would listen to. The auburn-haired femme gave a nod and accepted the bowl. The first sip was sour before the taste shifted to sweet, almost tasting like honey. She handed the bowl back to the children once she was done. The Children of The Forest gave a short bow before returning to the shadows. Sansa remained in the woods for a while, thinking about the things she would change and the things she would need to do before returning to her room to prepare for the feast.

"So," Catelyn stark spoke while she brushed through her oldest daughter's hair, "what do you think about the prince?"

"He's quite handsome" Sansa answered nonchalantly. "He's taller than Robb and I suppose his hair and eyes are nice as well."

"You sound smitten my daughter" Catelyn teased and Sansa rolled her eyes.

"Mother, you and father have raised me better than to be smitten by just looks" she explained with a slow drawl. "But it is curious that he looks exactly like his mother. I had expected that he would take more after the King. None of the King's children took after him."

"It is not unheard of" her mother explained. "Robb and you take after me more than your father."

"And Arya, Bran, and Rickon after him more than you" Sansa pointed out. "But I suppose you do have a point" she conceded in the end.

"You are to wed him soon" Catelyn changed the subject right away when Sansa conceded, not finding a need to continue with this topic. "How are you feeling about it?"

"Honestly?" she turned to look at her mother. "I'm nervous. Joffrey is all but a stranger to me still. Maybe I'll feel different the more I know him."

"I'm sure you'll fall in love with him in no time" Catelyn assured her. "Your father and I were strangers when we wed. And we have learned to love each other as the times went by" she added and Sansa gave her a genuine smile. The story of how these two wed was tragic, but them falling in love with each other was always a touching story to recall.

"I just hope I am as lucky as you are" Sansa smiled and then stood. "Come one mother, we wouldn't want to be late for our feast now would we?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

That night after the feast was over and Sansa returned to bed, she pondered the possibility of being able to change Joffrey for the better. He was practically a child, maybe she could think of a way to destroy his madness and make him a better ruler than he is supposed to be. And maybe live longer than he will. The thoughts lulled her to sleep and in her dreams, she saw a three-eyed raven.