Sansa Stark

A month ago, her Lord Father and Lady Mother informed her that the King is interested to court and likely marry her.

Sansa wasn't able to sleep well ever since. Her father and mother made her swear to secrecy that she won't speak to anyone about it and she promised to do so. However the weight of the secret have worn her, she wanted to share it to someone, to Jeyne or Beth perhaps but Lord Eddard had strictly warned her to never share it to another soul for such information was sensitive especially now that the realm was in the state of distress for the Queen and the Kingslayer's death may have offended and angered the Warden of the West.

Sharing it to someone may put not only her but her entire family in grave danger.

And though her father assured her that she won't be forced to accepting it and she can have her choice whether or not she'll let the King court her, she felt scared.

But at the same time she felt honoured and lucky for she of all the beautiful girls in the realm was chosen by the King to possibly become his next wife.

She obviously hasn't seen the King before let alone another member of the Royal Family and she heavily relied with Jeyne's stories for her to know what the members of the House Targaryen look like.

She knew that they have the typical Targaryen traits—silver gold hair and indigo eyes with the exception of Princess Rhaenys who had inherited her mother's Dornish traits—olive skin, black hair and black eyes.

And when she asked Jeyne if she knew how the King looks like, the girl rewarded her with a dreamy sigh (Sansa rolled her eyes at Jeyne as her friend often does this when she talks about boys) and told her that the King was the most handsome man in the Seven Kingdoms and swore that she was not exaggerating.

For several nights after she asked Jeyne, Sansa spent her time visualizing what the King looks like but often gives up and she can't come up with a decent image of the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.

She was then plagued by a lot of questions regarding the King's appearance, attitude and etc.

What if Jeyne was wrong?

Was he a kind person? Will he treat her gently and with respect like her Father does to her Mother if she does agree with his proposal?

What if he'll think that she is too young for him considering that she was half his age?

She does not know how to answer these questions first but then when the day finally arrived. Sansa doesn't know what to do; she was both thrilled and fearful at the same time. What if he won't find her beautiful? Or what if he won't like her at all?

And what if he'll be disappointed if he'll learn that she doesn't even look like a Stark?

After the news of the King's proposal, her father told her the truth of the King's episode with Lyanna Stark. Sansa's father had confirmed the rumours that Lyanna did ran away with the King years ago and as she didn't inform or notify her parents and brothers about the reality of the situation, everyone perceived that the Prince kidnapped Lyanna. Thus, (there was a hint of anger and grief in her father's face as he narrated her the whole ordeal) it caused a lot of unnecessary deaths of people close to her father's heart.

Her father also added that the King and her aunt loved each other and they made a reckless decision that almost destroyed the realm.

So Sansa wondered if the King was still in love with her Aunt Lyanna and if it was the reason why his marriage to Cersei Lannister failed and why Cersei had an affair with her brother. Sansa pondered what will happen if she looked like her Aunt; will the King love her as he did Lyanna Stark?

When she finally met him, some of her qualms had been answered and she felt a little relieved that Jeyne's words were true; King Rhaegar Targaryen was indeed the most handsome man in the Seven Kingdoms.

The King was a tall man and Sansa knew that if she'll stand beside him she'll probably look like a child even though she's high for her age. He was wearing armour but Sansa knew that he was a lean man, not really that muscular and not also that lanky.

His long silken locks of silver gold reached his shoulders and Sansa somehow envied the neatness and its glossiness. His skin was as pale as the snow, flawless and unblemished despite living in a hot place (according to Jeyne, King's Landing was a hot place but not really that scorching as Dorne).

And his face, Sansa never saw anything as perfect and as beautiful as his face. For someone who appreciates art, Sansa thought that Rhaegar Targaryen's face was a masterpiece, it was like a sculpture carved by the most talented artists in Westerosi history.

His eyes were like glittering amethysts, when eyes first met, Sansa felt that that the whole world melted away in an instant. His gaze was piercing but there was softness in there. Sansa also saw the sadness, longing and a hint of disappointment there that made Sansa wonder if it was because of her non-resemblance to Lyanna Stark.

His nose stood firm and tall and his lips, his bow shaped lips were rose colored, it felt soft when it first touched her knuckles and Sansa pondered how it would feel like against her own lips. His cheekbones were high and regal and his jaw was square and hard. There was no imperfection or blemishes on his face except for a scar under his left eye and Sansa thought that it added more beauty on his face.

And if life was a song, Rhaegar Targaryen was the perfect knight that she always envisioned.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" Sansa raised a brow at her friend as she woke up from her stupor.

After they welcomed the Royal Family in the courtyard, Sansa and her friends immediately went to their favorite spot in Winterfell. They were currently in the greenhouse inside the famed Glass Gardens of Winterfell, the location was meant to be a secret.

It was originally built for Lady Lyarra Stark, her grandmother who was fond of flowers. Her father told her that it was a gift to his mother from his father, Lord Rickard. The only ones who knew about the existence of the said place aside from her and her friends were her father and mother.

It was her mother who brought her here partly because Lady Catelyn knew of Sansa's love for flowers and also because she wasn't a fan herself. So the care of the flora was given to Sansa and she brought her friends here to help her with the task since Jeyne and Beth also enjoyed the flowers as much as she does.

The greenhouse consists of different sort of flowers that can only be found in cold places but the most prominent of all was the winter roses that comprises almost half of the place.

Now, the three ladies were gathered in a small marble table located inside. The greenhouse was elevated and from there you can see the godswood as well as the mountains and a small door can also be used as an exit that leads towards the wolfswood.

Sansa choose to visit the greenhouse today since the winter roses have started blooming and she'll gather some to use as a decoration in the great hall. But since she brought her best friends here, the three of decided to stay for a while and started weaving wreaths made from the winter rose.

Jeyne huffed and frowned, "I was saying if you've notice the way the King looked at Arya earlier? I mean he looked like he had seen a ghost. I wonder why?"

It's no surprise, my father have always told Arya that she looked like Aunt Lyanna, Sansa thought bitterly and scowled at her friend at the mention of Arya and the King. Surely, she had also noticed the way the man looked at her younger sister and it made Sansa jealous.

Was he wishing that Arya should have been the older one? Sansa asked herself and felt a pang of hurt in her heart. She and her friends called Arya several names before; Arya Horseface, Arya Underfoot and etc., and she never really thought her sister was pretty until her father told them of Arya's likeness to their dead aunt.

Sansa have seen Lyanna Stark's carved face in the crypts before and she can say that her Aunt was indeed beautiful. And if her sister indeed looked like their Aunt, Sansa was certain that Arya will grow up as a lovely lady.

"I don't know. I didn't notice it." She lied and focused on her wreath instead.

She hates to admit it but she felt jealous of the look the King gave her little sister.

"The King wasn't only looking Arya, I saw him looked at Sansa as well and he gazed at her much longer than he did to Arya." Beth countered and gave a significant smile at Sansa.

"Yes." Jeyne squealed. "I saw it too; he has been staring at Sansa since he got off his horse like he's studying her or something." Jeyne added and gave Sansa a little push; her words caused the auburn haired girl to blush.

"No, he didn't." She argued, apparently she didn't notice the gaze for she was busy staring at the King's children and sister.

The three of them looked lovely; Princess Daenerys could be mistaken as the King's female version while Prince Aegon appeared to be a younger version of the Silver King. Only Princess Rhaenys had no resemblance to her father aside from the shape of her eyes and her nose.

"Yes he did." Beth said.

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't."

Sansa sighed in resignation and placed the wreath of roses on the table and turned to her friends.

"What are you trying to achieve?" She asked Beth who already finished her wreath.

Beth was smiling brightly and there was a hint of mischief and malice on her eyes that made Sansa uneasy.

"Can't you see it Sansa? He likes you." Beth said gleefully and Sansa rolled her eyes, it was a ridiculous notion. The king just saw her and him staring at her doesn't mean that he automatically likes her.

However a part of her hoped that Beth was right, she wanted him to like her. She hasn't thought about her decision yet if she'll permit courtship or not but somehow she wanted to try, she wanted to know him more, to possibly befriend him.

Maybe if she'll be sure that he is a kind person perhaps she would accept his marriage proposal. She would not rush things. Her sister may call her stupid, ambitious and dreamy but she knows she's not.

Beth then stood from the marble chair, walked towards her and gently placed the wreath of winter roses on her head and sighed, "Sansa Targaryen, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms! Isn't it lovely?"

However she wasn't able to reply to her friend for her eyes only focused on the man who just entered the greenhouse.

He was wearing a simple black and red doublet and a pair of grey trousers, his silver hair hanging loosely reaching his shoulders and his crown was nowhere to be seen. He was a handsome sight, and Sansa felt her heart quicken.

Why is he here? Sansa asked herself silently as her surprise mirrored in his indigo eyes.

Her friends who was a shocked as she is, scrambled quickly. Beth left her side and stood besides Jeyne.

"Your grace," the two chorused and curtsied before the King.

"Lady Sansa," his melodic voice whispered and she can almost hear bells chiming on her ears.

His eyes were focused on her like she was the only thing in the world, those indigo orbs were staring at her with such intensity that she can almost melt under his gaze.

A soft blush crept on her cheeks as she greeted him in return, "Your grace."

And she was rewarded with a warm smile.