I want to skip ahead in this chapter a bit. In the last, we had an understanding between Sansa and Stannis, a meeting between Sansa and Selyse and more. I feel like I want to skip two weeks ahead in this one. Enjoy.
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Time gone by
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Two Weeks Later...
In the next two weeks, Sansa found herself becoming comfortable in the presence of Stannis and the others. After speaking with him privately that night, she found it easier to be around him, to understand how he ran his own domain. It was the meeting with his wife that plagued her mind the most, however. She would purposefully try to stay away from her in the halls, stay in her chambers during the day to read books, and practice her writing. At ten and three, she had quite the age difference from Selyse, and Sansa knew that would cause them to not get along among other things.
She did not see much of Stannis over the last few weeks, however, it was making her curious as to what he was doing. Melisandre made Sansa nervous, but the two would walk together in the halls, her telling Sansa of Dragonstone while Sansa spoke of Winterfell. In her spare time, Davos would escort her to meals and wherever she needed to go in the castle.
"Did you hear me, my dear?"
Sansa looked up at Ser Davos and shook her head, "I'm sorry, Ser Davos, I was miles away..." She trailed off as they passed the painting that caught her eye on the night she arrived. She stopped and walked back to it, staring up at it as though it held the secrets to all she didn't know. Her eyes met the figures eyes in the painting, "Who is this?" Her thought came out as a question to Davos, "Ah, I see this has captured your attention." She turned and questioned, "I remember seeing this when I arrived here, but I never knew-"
Davos nodded, "It is the last remaining portrait of the King as a lad." Sansa looked at the painting and gasped, "This is the King?" The portrait of Stannis Baratheon looked down at her, his long black hair about his shoulders showing that he was a true Baratheon by blood and name. Davos smiled, "A handsome lad, wouldn't you agree? I met him late in life, but I always believed that perhaps he was the one that was favored as a child before Robert." Sansa took her eyes off of the painting,
"Favored? Robert Baratheon did not believe so. Look what he did to him."
"Yes, look at what he did."
Melisandre entered from the shadows, "I am sorry, Ser Davos, but the King is requesting Sansa's presence at the moment." Sansa said her goodbyes to Davos and as she walked with Melisandre, she heard the Witch whisper, "Robert Baratheon cast his brother away, but let me assure you that the King will one day reclaim his throne." Sansa nodded, "I would very much like that. Joffrey- he doesn't deserve the throne." The Red Witch smiled to herself at how Sansa said those few words. Could it be that the child believed in her father's vision of Stannis sitting upon the throne? Of course. Was it possible for her to help him get there. Oh, yes.
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"I thought you would be tired of your chambers."
Sansa nodded eagerly, "Oh, yes, your grace." He smirked as he watched her sniff the wine in her hand before he spoke, "You know, my Lady, you do not have to drink it." The young woman in front of him nearly sighed in relief as she placed it on the table, "Thank you. I-I have never enjoyed wine except a bit with meals." She thought of the night of the battle when she was in hiding with Cersei. The Queen made her drink nearly two full glasses of wine as she watched and became drunk in her own drink.
"You are drifting. What are you thinking of?"
They locked eyes before she explained about her time with Cersei. Stannis would become serious and eager to hear anything she had to say about Cersei or her boy King. He hummed, "I suppose your time there was worse than I truly believed. The beatings, the lies, those are all inexcusable ways to treat a highborn Lady." The two became quiet as Sansa watched Stannis move about the room, placing books where they should be on the table, looking out the window to the angry sea below. She dared to comment, "You are quite Kingly, your grace." Stannis arched an eyebrow, but did not look back at her as he waited for her to continue.
Sansa bit her lip, "Joffrey never showed such pride nor honor in himself and with those around him. I-I would not want to be anywhere else but here." Stannis felt the corner on his mouth tilt upwards for a split second before he turned, "You are very brave, my Lady."
"Sansa. Your grace, since I am your guest for an unknown amount of time, I wish for you to call me by my given name."
He bowed his head in respect, "Sansa."
Should she dare mention the painting in the hall? Sansa wished to ask him about the beautiful painting, but feeling that she was not in the position to question the King, she kept quiet, smiling and being the perfect little Lady as she spent another few hours with the King.
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Later that night, Davos knocked upon her door, "My Lady?" Sansa answered only moments later, a robe wrapped around her and her red hair in a perfect braid. She looked confused, "Ser Davos? It is late." He nodded, "Aye, it is. I have come to ask if you would like to join me?" She arched an eyebrow in question,
"I-I take lessons, if you will, to read. The princess teaches me when all the others are asleep."
Sansa was unsure of what to say, for the idea of meeting Stannis' only child was one she could not grasp. He urged, "It will get you out of those stuffy chambers-" Sansa nodded, "Alright, I would love to." Sansa did not dress, but simply placed on one of her cloaks over her robe, following Davos with haste down the halls. She feared the Queen would catch them, "Wouldn't her grace be angry that we are visiting her daughter so late?" Her escort shook his head, "No, for the Queen barely visits her child."
"How horrible." They stopped in front of a large heavy door and Davos quickly unlocked it before pushing Sansa inside. As they made their way up spiral stairs, Sansa whispered, "Why have they locked the princess in here?" He explained, "They only lock it at night when the castle is asleep. It is to keep her safe-"
"Ser? Is that you?"
The sweet voice Sansa heard made her heart skip and when they reached the top step, she saw a small girl sitting up in her bed, half of her face gray in color and rough like a dragon. Davos walked to the bed and sat upon it, "I've come for my lesson, princess. Do you mind that I have brought a guest?" She looked past him and at Sansa with a smile, "Does she need lessons too?" Sansa smiled and stepped forward, "Oh, yes, princess, that would be lovely." Sansa did not fear this child at all for what she looked like, for she was as sweet as a lemon cake. Sansa walked closer and was asked,
"What is your name?"
"Lady Sansa Stark, princess."
Shireen smiled and stood from her bed, "I am Shireen! I have heard so much about you, my Lady!" Davos smiled, "I tell her almost everything." The group spent most of the night reading stories, Sansa listening to Shireen correct Ser Davos, and the two girls speaking of fairy tales. It was when the sun was just peeking over the sea that Davos was escorting Sansa back to her chambers to get sleep. As they left Shireen, Selyse peeked from around the corner. Her guard escort questioned, "Is everything alright, your grace?"
"I want that girl in my chambers after breakfast, do you understand? I wish to speak with her."
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The End...of this chapter.