Disclaimer: I don't own Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire.
Sansa was distant for the entire next day. Her mind was distant as she shared her meals with Shae and spent her day sewing. Thankfully it was a lonely day, where noine but her maid even attempted to talk to her. She was happier that way.
In the daytime, Sansa was very restricted. Moving freely was for those who weren't prisoners. In the night she could move as she liked as long as she was careful, for all her captors would be sleeping.
Her pockets were full of gems the queen mother had gifted her and she was wearing a simple gown with hardly any embroidery. Her shoes were sturdy, and her cloak was long. She knew she would look out of place, but this was the best she could do of what she had.
All morning she had played with the small circular disk of that strange material on her arm. She ripped it off as soon as she saw it, disgusted at what it might do, but it just seemed to stave of the blood from her arm where that man had pricked her with a needle. It was smooth, repelled water, and bent like fabric. She was bewildered but it proves that last night had not been some fantastical dream. She had been somewhere that was not Westeros. She yearned to be back there.
She should have waited until later but Sansa couldn't skt in her room any longer, she had been ready for an hour. Approaching the same mysteriously dark wall, the moon barely in the sky, Lady Sansa hesitantly walked into it. Until she was again in the loud, bright alley.
Glancing out at the street ahead of her, the redhead just looked at the people. They looked the same as her, but they were all in such finery. Colourful, thick fabric adorned everyone, and it all looked so soft, like fur.
Uncomfortable but determined to not look a fool, Sansa cut into her simple dress, mid-shin, and tore the rest away until dress looked similar to some other women around. Although seeing a rowdy crowd of girls, walking around on short stilts with their entire legs showing, Sansa decided she was okay with seeming a little prudish compared to the people here. That kind of behaviour could get you attacked.
She strode into the street and began reading every sign she could. The last thing she wanted was to get lost in this massive place. Storefronts and storefronts surrounded her. More than she could count, more clothes than she had seen in her life were before her, framed prettily on creepy models. Every person around her looked vital, fat, tall, and happy looking. Approaching one window she read what was beneath the racks of items.
'35 jumpers. Denim from 10. Up to 25% off deals inside.'
Unfamiliar words, everything was unfamiliar, but Sansa was soaking it in. Like her first trip to Kings Landing she felt excited, escaping her overly simple life to see what the world had to offer.
must have been their version of coin but with no way of knowing its worth Sansa just decided to read more.
It was strange. She saw a thin simple looking dress for 100 and steaks of meat for 5. Bricks of metal and glass for 500 and delicate, intricate necklaces for 10. It was all skewed. The worth was messed up. In Westeros good meat was rare, but even peasants could afford to buy a dress of only 1 colour and 1 fabric type.
"Hey babes could you take our picture?" Her thoughts were interupted by the whiney, high pitched voice. It cane from a man and a woman in front of her. He was huge, she had an orange face. Sansa froze up and shook her head, staring at the strange looking people.
"Come on it would only take you have a second!" The girl looked angry; Sansa had obviously done something wrong. She was found out!
"It's all right darling, you just point it at us and push that button here." The big man said to her. His accent was strange, not like that woman Brenda, this mans mouth seemed to wrap around everyword. She'd never heard the common tongue spoken like that before.
Sansa took the metal brick from him and did as he said. An image like a perfect painting of the pair appeared in the centre of the brick. She nearly dropped it.
"Fanks babe."
She'd been here long enough, but Sansa was determined to get some local money before she returned to the Red Keep. Searching around she saw a storefront which read:
'We Buy You Sell! Pawn it!' Only it was across the road. The fast-moving road. Peaking her head out at the moving boxes she gauged their speed and carefully crossed the way. She ran, fast and desperate not to be hit. The light seemed brighter here. Reds and yellows mixed into her white blur of vision. Loud horns filled her ears, but she kept of running. It was thrilling. Political dangers didn't feel as real as these ones. Most of the time.
Reaching the other side, she entered the shop. There was music coming from somewhere though she couldn't see anyone playing, another of this world special things she supposed. She was getting compliant with it all rather fast, she thought to herself, pleased. Adaptability was one of the things Sansa strived for.
Large sheets of glass covered everything in the room. Boxes of glass were on the ground and walls and inside were riches she had never seen before. There was a short woman behind one of these boxes giving her pointed looks.
"Do you buy anything?" Sansa asked curiously.
"Nofink illegal, depends on what you 'ave." Her voice was unusually deep. Thick and guttural for a woman as if she were talkig mid-cough.
Sansa placed a gem on the counter. The woman's eyes widened, there was greed in those eyes, Sansa had seen it before.
"What's this then?"
"A ruby."
"No, looks like glass to me, or plastic. Good imitation though." She pretended to think, "I'll tell you what, I'll give you 50 pounds for it." The greed was still there, now tainted with excitement and joy making the woman far easier to read.
"No, that's a ruby, It's worth more." The woman took out a little eyeglass and put it close to the nail sized them.
"All right, perhaps it is real, 300 pounds." She conceded, but Sansa could tell she was holding back.
"Could you just direct me to the nearest jeweller." She said, pushing her old attitude into her voice.
"Look darling, you obviously stole this from your rich parents so why don't you just take my price and run home!" The woman had her crooked teeth bared at Sansa like a dog. She hadn't seen such aggression from a woman outside the north. The mention of her parents, however, turned her to stone.
"No, you look. I'm sure you could make a pretty profit off of this no matter what you give me so why don't you be nice and give me a fair price or I won't even show you the others." The greed was back in her eyes. Sansa could use it. She could sense that courtesy wouldn't do her any good here and there was no point in hiding behind something that couldn't protect you.
"Okay fine, 1000 is all I have in the shop right now in cash, that's what I'll give you. But only if you look in that camera right there. If these are stolen, I don't want the blame landing on me." She pointed upwards and Sansa looked to the corner of the room where a glass metal tube was staring at her, like a single eye. It was creepy but Sansa knew she hadn't stolen anything so decided there was nothing to worry about. If that eye was some kind of theft detector it didn't change and the transaction didn't stop so Sansa compelteoy relaxed again.
Not caring too much about losing one of Cersei's gifts, Sansa gladly accepted the money and handed over the gem. was pound, and she had a large stack of them.
"So? Let's see the rest of it then."
Holding the stack of paper that somehow held large value, Sansa felt very good. Better than she felt in a long time.
"Maybe tomorrow. Goodnight." Smiling at the angry looking woman and turned away.
She tucked the money away and strode out into the strange world once more. With a big smile she walked into the nearest clothes shop.
An hour later she was full of bags. Scarves, pretty jewellery, perfumes and clothes filled most of them. She couldn't help herself; beauty was power, and she was tired of Margaery being titled The Most Beautiful Woman in The World just because she could fill her neck with silver. The same could be found in these shops for nearly nothing and Sansa bought all she could.
Granted it didn't seem like it was real silver but it certainly looked real and that was good enough for court.
She got some sweet foods aswell which, after a taste, Sansa could understand being addicted to. Even lemon cakes couldn't hold a candle to the taste of chocolate. She boight plenty of that. The buildings were shutting down though, so Sansa was forced to take a break.
Hiding the rustling of bags was harder than she thought when she suddenly entered the silence of the castle. Not horns or music or whirring of cars. Her plastic bags which she had initially been so excited about now rustled like a hundred leaves in the silence. She quickly made her way to her rooms. Tyrion was snoring awwy which was a stroke of luck she was thankful for. Putting the normal looking items into her wardrobes and boxes and hiding the rest underneath her mattress, Sansa finally felt like she could relax and sleep. The energy she possessed, however, kept her awake for another couple of hours for she was filled with excitement she couldn't suppress.
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