Game of Thrones: Tragedy and Reunions

Next chapter of my Game of Thrones story.

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jau0062: Yup she's back, glad you enjoyed it :)
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Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin.

Sansa

Their pace was fast now. They were drawing closer to the camp. The Direwolf banner appeared as a beacon of hope to Sansa. Sandor was notably apprehensive, but that was understandable.

"They will hear you out," she told him. "I'll ensure it."

He merely grunted and nodded in reply. They soon reached the boundary of the camp. They were in luck; Sansa realized when they saw that the camp guards were currently talking to one of her father's, now one of her brother's, bannermen. He recognized her instantly and his disbelief showed. Finally he stepped forwards.

"Who...No, it cannot be," he stammered. "It is... Princess Sansa?"

The title perplexed Sansa for a moment until she remembered that Robb had declared himself King in the North, making the rest of his siblings Princes and Princesses.

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, it is me."

He nodded slowly as he turned his gaze towards Sandor and glared. "And...The Hound?"

Sandor merely nodded, a small smile appearing. Sansa quickly interjected.

"He's with me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have made it here," she explained desperately. "He saved my life, more than once; he's the one who helped me escape from King's Landing."

The man, who Sansa now remembered was Galbart Glover, seemed even more surprised by this.

"So..." he remarked finally. "I assume you didn't just bring her here out of kindness."

Sandor gave his usual rasping laugh and replied. "If you think I came to ransom her, my price isn't gold, I assure you. But I will only name it to your King."

Galbart relented and escorted them through the camp, through the midst of surprised stares, towards the central tent.

They reached the tent and entered, all those inside looked up and froze. However Sansa found her attention drawn to only one of them. Her brother, Robb, at the head of the large table. Robb stared, stunned, before he slowly stood up.

"Sansa?" He gasped. "You...You're alive, safe."

She nodded. "Yes I...Robb I..."

Robb shook his head and quickly called a messenger over.

"Go to my mother's tent and bring her here. Tell it is urgent and she needs to come immediately."

The messenger bowed and hurried away. Robb turned back to Sansa.

"I can scarce believe it." He said, wonder in his voice. "So, you managed to escape the Lannisters and make it here?" He paused and then turned his gaze to Sandor. "Thanks to you, I'm guessing, Clegane."

Sandor nodded. "Yes, that's right...And before you start. I don't want your gold." He smiled crookedly before continued. "I've heard about how you treat your men, you'd be a much better master than the ones I previously served."

Everybody was taken aback by that comment.

Robb finally found his voice. "Are you...saying you wish to join me, and my army?"

"Aye, I wish to swear my sword to your service." He looked around at the faces of the others. "I know none of you trust me, but rest assured. Give a task to carry out in the next battle and I'll do it."

A large man who had been sitting on Robb's right spoke up. "If you accept this man into your service your grace, I have a task for him in the next battle."

Robb turned to the man. "And what would that be, Lord Umber?"

"He's to lead the vanguard in our next battle."

Sandor smirked at this and accepted the task before formally swearing his sword to Robb's service.

Sansa watched all this unfold, smiling.

'Let others say what they want about him.' She thought. 'I will always be grateful to him. Without him I would not be standing here...I'd probably still be trapped in King's Landing with the Lannisters.'

Just then she heard another familiar voice crying out her name. She turned and her smile grew wider as she saw who it was. She hurried over to the new arrival.

"Mother!" She cried out, joy shining in her voice as they embraced tightly.

When they parted she saw her mother's great relief shining out from her eyes.

"I cannot believe it, you're safe too!"

Sansa nodded. "Yes mother, I'm here, I'm safe..." She then realized what her mother meant. "Who...What do you mean, who else is...?"

Catelyn smiled and, with Robb putting the meeting on hold, leaving his men to contemplate their strategies, led Sansa from the tent. Robb accompanied them, smiling joyfully. Finally she answered her.

"Arya made it too, not even two hours ago."

Sansa gasped; her sister was alive too? "A-Arya, she's here?"

Catelyn nodded. "Yes, now Sansa..."

"I know what you're going to say..." Sansa paused and then composed herself. "There won't be any trouble, mother, I'm just so glad she's safe...I really couldn't care what she says to me."

Smiling at that Catelyn led Sansa to her tent. As they arrived Catelyn took in Sansa's appearance.

"You're not so bad...You should've seen Arya." Catelyn stated. Sansa suppressed a laugh.

"I'm guessing she was filthy."

Catelyn nodded in confirmation. "Yes, well, hopefully she'll be cleaned up by now."

They continued walking as Catelyn told Sansa about Arya's injuries. Finally they arrived at the tent and Catelyn urged Sansa to go ahead.

"It's better you see each other alone first..." Catelyn trailed off but Sansa understood and entered the tent by herself.

When she entered she found Arya, just finishing getting dressed and attempting to lace up the boots she was wearing, despite her blindness. Sansa walked over to her sister, fighting not to tremble at the sight of her.

"Here, let me." She said as she took over lacing up the boots.

Arya's mouth turned down, Sansa guessed she was scowling. "I don't need any help I...Wait." She stopped scowling. "That voice, it can't be..."

"It's me, Arya," Sansa reassured her. Arya gasped.

"Sansa! You're alive!"

Sansa smiled and embraced her sister, fighting back the tears. "I am, you're the one I thought was dead. Where did you go, after what happened with...with father. You just disappeared."

"I...I escaped; I saw them kill father, but before I could do anything, Yoren, a man from the Night's Watch, he took me away. He cut my hair short; I was disguised as a boy, off to join the Night's Watch. That's how I got out."

Sansa was amazed at this. "So...What happened, what was supposed to happen?"

"Either I was to go to the Wall and to Jon, or when we passed Winterfell, Yoren would let me go there, but...We never made it that far..."

Sansa listened as Arya related her story; Yoren's death, their capture, the imprisonment at Harrenhal and finally her escape with Gendry and their long journey north until they finally reunited with Robb. As Sansa listened she was equal parts amazed, horrified and relieved. She had washed and cleaned herself up while listening to Arya and was now seated next to her sister.

"This Gendry, he's the one who brought you here?" She asked.

Arya nodded. "That's right; he's working at the forge just now. Armourer's apprentice." Arya paused and then asked. "How did you get here? Someone must've brought you here."

Sansa gulped nervously, she knew about Arya's aversion to Sandor. She couldn't lie though, she had to tell her. "It was...Sandor Clegane."

"The Hound?" Arya's voice was filled more with surprise than anger or disgust. "Wow, so what, has he betrayed the Lannisters or something?"
Sansa smiled. "I believe he has, he just swore himself to Robb's service...Arya I know he..."

"If he proves himself loyal to Robb; then I'll think about forgiving him."

Sansa felt greatly relieved by that; however something was bothering her. She looked at her sister again and felt the tight clenching feeling in her throat.

"Arya...Your eyes." She whispered fearfully. "That explosion, how it maimed you...Mother said..."

Arya cut across Sansa. "She's right, it's not permanent. In fact my vision's been getting better every day."

Arya then seemed to realize something and reached up to the bandages.

"I'm supposed to take them off each day to see how they're recovering," she paused. "There will be some permanent damage; but I won't be completely blind.

With that she took the bandages off and Sansa smiled as she finally got to see her sister's eyes again.

She waited in an agony of suspense until Arya sighed.

"Well, is everything alright?" She asked.

Arya turned to her; Sansa noted there was something slightly odd about her eyes.

Arya then revealed, "I don't need the bandages anymore, I can see perfectly again...Out of my left eye. My right eye is completely blind. I...Those bandages were actually fresh but...I hoped..."

Sansa gasped, horrified by this. "Arya!"

However Arya shrugged nonchalantly. "It's as good as I could hope for. I better go and tell Gendry, I said I'd tell him."

Sansa nodded. Arya began to leave the tent. Before she did however Sansa called out to her.

"Wait Arya...I...I know we have never really...got along but...I want to try and..."

Arya smiled. "I know what you mean...Let's just put it behind us, please. We're back together again, that's all that matters."

Sansa nodded. "Also I've...I've realized something...I realize now I should never have been so hard on you. This is who you are and...I guess now I can accept that."

Arya smiled but it soon vanished as she looked carefully at her sister. Something just wasn't right.

Arya turned back and sat down in front of Sansa.

"Is there something wrong, something you haven't told me?" She asked.

Sansa let out a shaky breath and then, her voice choked, blurted out the truth.

"I killed someone Arya...I killed him."

She related the story of the young lordling she had killed, not leaving out a single detail. Suddenly, to Sansa's surprise Arya embraced her.

"Oh Sansa, I can't believe you had to go through that." Arya stepped back. "Don't worry, I understand."

"How can you possibly..." Realization then dawned. "Arya, you...?"

Arya nodded in confirmation before leaving the tent. Sansa was horrified by the revelation, but refused to dwell on it. She was safe and reunited with Robb, Arya and her mother. For now that was all that mattered.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.