Chapter twenty-one

The rose wolf

Trigger warning: Violence and sexual themes

Sansa

Sansa Stark awoke the morning of her wedding and instead of the nervous giddy excitement that accompanied most brides on such a day all she felt was a numbness that spread to her body. As her maids helped her dress she barely felt as they dressed her in the expensive dress the Tyrell's had picked out for her. It was lovely she had to admit. An emerald colour, of course, with silver wolf heads decorating the hem. The neckline dipped below her newly budding breasts and Sansa couldn't help but try to pull it up, but her hands were soon slapped away from the dress.

She had never believed this would be her wedding day. Her mother not in attendance and none of her siblings. She always believed she would be in love with her husband but instead her heart was with another. She tried to smile as her father knocked on the door and asked for a moment alone with his daughter.

"Sansa you look lovely." He said smiling after the maids had filed out.

Sansa looked at her father who looked almost regal in his finery but instead of replying she just burst into tears.

Ned immediately rushed to her and gathered her into his strong arms, he still smelled of the north to Sansa and it only made her sobs increase.

"I know you wish your mother was here. She would too." Ned tried to comfort Sansa.

"I do." Sansa managed to say. She didn't tell him the main reason of her tears; she knew he would stop the wedding and as much as she disliked the match it was good for the north so she would endure. With this thought she pulled back from her father and took a deep breath wiping the tears from her face.

"I'm ready father, truly." Sansa tried to smile again but it didn't reach her eyes that still glistened.

Sansa linked arms with her father and headed towards the small sept in the Red Keep. Sansa and her father had tried to insist the wedding take place in the small gods wood but again the Tyrell's declined. Although Sansa had been a devout follower of the faith of the seven growing up in the north she had always imagined her wedding underneath a heart tree. Yet another thing in her heart she hated the Tyrell's for.

Her father didn't speak on the walk to the sept, and she was glad, she didn't know if she could keep her composure if he had. Just before the doors her father came to a stop and one of the guards following them gave him a folded cloak and Sansa's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe she had forgotten. He unravelled it and Sansa swallowed her tears. A black fur lined cloak with a grey wolf embroidered onto the back. As he wrapped Sansa in it more tears slipped out of her eyes. It felt like home. Like protection. It was warm and heavy and still smelled of Winterfell. Sansa was happy to note the cut of the cloak covered the dip in her dress that she was self-conscious about in her rooms.

Sansa stood for a moment in silence and then turned to the doors and nodded. It was time.

When the doors opened Sansa's eyes did not go to the groom, stood at the end of the aisle looking just as pretty as Sansa herself looked. Instead, she searched the crowd until she saw Tommen's sad eyes staring back at her. He gave her a small smile, but she noticed his eyes were red rimmed as though he also had been crying all morning. Sansa took a deep breath and headed down the aisle, unable to even fake a smile.

The vows were a blur to Sansa and she heard only snippets as she tried to control her breathing.

"Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder." She shivered.

She could barely stutter out the word required of her and she tried to grab her cloak and Loras removed it to replace it with her own. Of course, she was unsuccessful. The new cloak was again emerald, if she had to wear that colour again, she would burn it, it had golden roses embroidered all the way from hem to neckline and was sheer. It felt cold.

Once the ceremony was completed her new husband grabbed her elbow and frogmarched her out of the sept. he said not a word. He kept a tight grip on her elbow the entire way to the small hall that had been decorated for the wedding feast. He sat her in her seat and then disappeared into the crowd that had followed the just married couple.

Sansa just sat staring at her plate, her reflection showing how pale she was. Until he once again just appeared next to her and took his seat. She could smell the wine upon him immediately. During the food Sansa moved automatically moving the food around her plate and not talking to anybody. From where she was, she could not see Tommen, but she could see her father and he kept looking at her and smiling encouragingly.

Once the food had been cleared Loras once again stood and Sansa thought it was time to dance with him and stood as well but he instead turned his back to her and stalked off. Sansa's face turned bright red, completely humiliated, and went to sit back down but before she could he was there. Tommen stood before her hand outstretched.

"May I have the pleasure of your company during this dance Lady Sansa?" He asked.

"Of course." She replied with a small genuine smile upon her face.

As they reached the dance floor Sansa was happy to notice they were not the only ones dancing and she stepped a inch closer than property allowed considering she was now a married woman.

"I've missed our walks Sansa." Tommen mutters to her.

"Me to Tommen. More than I could say." She looks at him and tears once again fill her eyes. "I hope my husband allows them to continue."

"Please don't cry Sansa. Even if Ser Loras doesn't allow them, we will find a way. Your allowed friends as a married woman. Plus my good sister is the Queen, it would not be unusual for us to visit at the same time occasionally." Tommen smiled and his hand gripped hers slightly more tightly. "I will not let our friendship go."

"You have no idea how much that means to me Tommen. You are my only friend here and you are so dear to me. I wish it was you." Sansa all but whispered and rested her head on his chest happy that the crush of people surrounding them hid them from view.

"Me too." Tommen whispered back.

It was as the last few notes of the song rang out that the sound Sansa had been dreading rang out.

"Bed them!" Some man from the reach shouted.

Sansa clung to Tommen's cloths her face filled with terror.

"Bed them! Bed them!" People began to chant.

"Look at me Sansa. Keep looking at me." Tommen said his voice cutting through the panic that had clouded her head.

Suddenly hands reached out and started pulling on her clothes and her breathing increased again but she still did not tear her eyes away from Tommen's kind ones. He guided her gently through the crowd and glared at anyone who got to close to her breasts or attempted to remove any of her clothes. There was jeering and lewd comments, but Sansa heard none of it. Her hand was buried in Tommen's arm as they made there way to the rooms set aside for the wedding night.

It was because of him she arrived still fully dressed to the room and her heart broke as he let go of her and slightly pushed her towards the door. Her maids had told her what occurred on the wedding night and the idea made her feel physically ill. However as a good high born girl she did as was expected and turned the knob on the door and entered.

The room was dimly lit, brightened only by a single candle on a table next to the bed. Evidently Loras had arrived earlier than her and had fared worse in the bedding ceremony as he was without a top although his pants remained. He was sat in a chair facing away from the door with a goblet of wine in his hands.

"My lord." Sansa said quietly.

He didn't reply.

"Sir Loras." She tried again. "I'm unsure how this should happen."

He took a large drink from his goblet and then stood. He towered over Sansa and she felt her heart hammering but not in desire in fear.

"On the bed." He said, his voice slurred.

Sansa turned and sat on the end of the bed her head down and her hands clasped together. She could feel herself start to shake and she knew this would not be the love making that some of the maids had spoken to her about.

"No." Loras spoke again. "Lie on your front."

"Ser Loras." Sansa tried to speak. "I don't know why you're asking for this."

"Do as I say!" He roared his face twisted in fury.

Shakily and unable to speak again Sansa turned and buried her face into the soft grey fur on the bed. She heard him move and tried to turn to look at him, but she was unable to see behind herself. She felt more tears burn her eyes and felt humiliated she was going to be taken like the dogs in the stables back in Winterfell. At the time she hadn't realised that was what was happening but now she did.

She heard rustling and a shadow fell over her and she shook harder. Sansa watched the shadow on the bed and she watched as his hand moved into his pants and started to move furiously. They stayed like that for around a minute before she spoke up again.

"Ser Loras. Maybe if we talk and get to know each other it might be easier to consummate our union." She tried but no answer and the movement got faster.

"My favourite season is spring. I enjoy riding and dancing. Do you enjoy those, my lord?" Sansa said through her tears.

"Just shut up." Loras ground out through his teeth.

Sansa tried but she could not stop the words from escaping her mouth. "I hear Highgarden is beautiful."

She couldn't speak again before she felt him grab her arms and pull her up to face him before his other arm rose and quickly came down on her face. He barely even looked at her before he stalked out and she curled up on the bed sobs wracking her body as she pulled the furs around her imagining being back at home.

Sansa is married but Loras is not as noble as he portrays. I'm unsure when the next chapter will be as I've lost enthusiasm for writing it. I really hope you do enjoy however.

xxxcrazyxladyxxx