Sansa could not remember the whole of how she had gotten from the narrow corridor in the walls of the Holdfast to her room in the Maidentower last night. She had been too dazed to remember any of it, actually. Too struck with shock of having to marry a Lannister, and the ugliest of them at that.
She stopped herself at that thought. Lord Tyrion was not the ugliest of them, not truly. Perhaps on the outside, but she knew him to be better than his nephew or his sister or even his father. She did not know the rest of his kin, but she knew enough of his family to suppose. He was not without his flaws, and no doubt he had ruthlessness in him, but he had always taken it upon himself to be kind to her. No, he was not the worst or ugliest of them, but he was still a Lannister.
An old seamstress had come to call on her today. Very kindly, very chatty. The queen had commissioned a new gown for her. This would have been exciting news to Sansa, if she had not instinctively known what it was for. The old woman complimented her figure, commenting on everything she measured, from her legs (which were very long and comely) to her bosom (which rivaled the queen's in loveliness she was told).
"How soon will it be done?" Sansa asked softly, not daring to say more.
"Oh " The old lady hemmed and hawed for a moment. "The queen wants it done quite soon. All of my girls will be working on it. I believe we can get it done in about six days?" The old woman replied.
"That soon?" Sansa commented, hoping her voice sounded more eager than terrified.
"Well, with all the accoutrements it might take seven." The old woman said, as if to not get her hopes too high.
"Oh?" Sansa asked.
"Oh yes, you'll be getting small clothes, and hose, and kirtles, and a mantle, and a cloak as well. As to fit a lovely young lady of noble birth. Such as yourself dear." The old woman answered. Her stumbling gave away her ruse, but might not have if Sansa didn't already know it.
A bridal outfit. Sansa was sure of it. And in only a week's time she would be wearing it to wed Tyrion Lannister, the Imp of Casterly Rock. Sansa suppressed a shiver of dread.
After the old woman had finished measuring and chattering at her she left, leaving Sansa alone. Sansa sighed and decided to start her day with a visit to the sept, as usual. As a matter of habit she now used her hidden path to the sept instead of going through the yard. She was so used to the quiet and seclusion that she was quite startled when she ran into Lord Varys waiting in the path, for her she supposed.
"Lord Varys," Sansa greeted kindly, but she did not mask her surprise.
"Lady Sansa," Varys greeted. "I believe we have much to discuss. Might I accompany you on your way to the sept?"
"Of course, my lord." Sansa agreed, as though she had a choice. Varys offered his arm and she laced her hands around his elbow.
"I must say, I am very impressed my lady. I never would have found half of the pathways you have. I only know of them myself because I had someone to show me." Varys said as they walked.
"Oh I didn t know I d done anything strange." Sansa answered.
"You clearly have a knack for finding hidden things. That skill would take you far as a whisperer." Sansa thought it was a compliment, but she wasn t sure.
"Thank you, my lord." She said, just to be sure of her graces.
"It really does require less colorful clothing though. The blue dress you had on yesterday did catch the light quite a bit. It s a wonder no one else saw it. But then, they did not know to look." He went on.
He'd seen her, she realized. She'd wondered at the time but had dismissed the possibility.
"I..." Sansa wasn t sure what to say. "I thank you for the advice, my lord."
"It occurred to me, when I heard what had been discussed in the small council after I left, that you may know of your upcoming nuptials. But as you are not supposed to know, you may find yourself wanting for a person to discuss this knowledge with." Lord Varys said, coming to the point.
Sansa tensed a bit, unsure of what to say. She did not know Lord Varys very well. Her father had known him a bit, but hadn t trusted him well. But then again, her father had trusted Petyr Baelish, and she knew from last night he had betrayed her father into the hands of the queen. So perhaps her father was not the best judge of character. Lord Varys certainly seemed kind. He was soft of face, and holding his arm felt almost like she was holding onto one of her brother's.
"You are the Master of Whisperers. So surely you know much of Lord Tyrion, even if just from his time as Hand of the King." Sansa commented.
"This is true." Varys conceded hesitantly.
"I don t wish to know anything specific." She assured him. "But... could you tell me, in all honesty, that he is not the sort of monster I've come to expect from other of his name?"
Varys stopped walking as he thought about his answer.
"He's not an innocent man, if that is your question. He has done quite unspeakable things to those that compromise him or oppose him. But he is unlike his family. When Lord Tyrion strikes at someone, it is usually with good reason and a purpose. I do not know him to be irrational or deliberately cruel, as observations of the rest of his family might have you believe. I believe he would be quite kind to you, in his capacity as a husband." Varys answered.
The answer seemed sincere, but Sansa knew doubt in a way she hadn't just a year ago.
"Who do you work for lord Varys?" Sansa asked.
"I work for the good of the kingdom, not the ones who rule it." Varys answered.
"But how do you judge such a thing, if not by the ideals of the ones on the throne?" Sansa asked.
"When the kingdom thrives, and the people are happy, and towns grow instead of dying out, those are all things that are good for the kingdom. I advise the members of the council and kings all separately in ways I believe will make that happen." Varys replied.
"When Lord Tyrion was the Hand, do you believe he did what was good for the kingdom?" Sansa inquired.
"I believe he had the right idea, but if the way he was proceeding would have been to the overall benefit of the kingdoms, I could not say." Varys answered.
The way he answered was guarded and unsure. As if he didn't know how much he truly wanted to say on the subject. Sansa supposed it was hard to know such a thing, even if you were trained to figure it out.
There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask him. But they started walking again and she wasn't sure of any of them.
"I did not come just to discuss Lord Tyrion, if you must know." Varys said after a moment, when it was apparent that she wasn't going to say anything else.
"Oh?" Sansa asked.
"I would feel remiss if I did not warn you away from Ser Dontos." Varys said.
"Ser Dontos?" Sansa asked, as though she did not know the name.
"You are not as clever as you would wish. Not yet, anyhow. But in time..." He trailed off for a moment. "Ser Dontos is in the employ of Littlefinger, who is also not as clever as he thinks he is."
"He... He works for Lord Baelish?" Sansa asked, she held a bit tighter to Lord Varys. She felt a bit faint.
"I would not presume to sway which choice of action you would take, but I felt as though you should have all the information before deciding on one." Varys went on.
"Why.. Why would you help me like this?" Sansa asked.
"You ve quite a bit of potential, Lady Sansa. I believe Littlefinger sees it too. If I am honest, I would rather see that potential go to a better purpose than whatever Petyr Baelish has up his sleeve." Varys answered.
"And you're sure Ser Dontos is working for Lord Baelish?" Sansa asked firmly. Varys gave her a look full of sympathy that would have seemed insincere on anyone else, but he did not answer. He didn t have to.
"I thank you for your council, Lord Varys. Though I confess I am unsure why you would give it at all." Sansa said as she detached herself. They were nearing the sept.
"You are a good soul, and more clever than you would seem. I believe you would do the right thing, but you have to have all the information to know what that is." Varys answered.
"So you would have me stay in King's Landing and marry Lord Tyrion?" Sansa asked.
"You would be good for each other. And, in turn, I believe you would be good for the kingdom." Varys answered.
"But... what influence do we have that our marriage would sway anything at all?" Sansa asked, feeling genuinely confused at this point. Lord Verys chuckled a bit.
"You are still very young, Lady Sansa. But I assure you, if you spend enough time with your husband-to-be, you will learn." Lord Varys said, bidding her goodbye.
Sansa stood in front of the sept, feeling somewhat dazed for the second time in two days. She watched the eunuch depart, feeling confused and only somewhat reassured. She honestly didn t know if she could trust him, but he made her feel less scared somehow.