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CHAPTER 16

SANSA

She realized before even opening her eyes that it was late. How long had she been sleeping? Surely longer than she should have, but it was so comfortable in the cot, she didn't want to ever wake up. She enjoyed a few more minutes resting lazily under the blankets before getting up. It was cold now; the fire had almost died and there were only some embers left in the hearth of the chimney. Sansa wrapped up in her cloak and cracked the door open to peek outside the cell. A black brother stood there, watching the corridor.

"Do you need anything m'lady?" he asked.

"I… hum… what time is it?"

"Noon has long passed. Do you want me to bring you something to eat?"

"Thank you, I'm really hungry. What about my companion?"

"He's in his cell. He's already eaten, twice in fact. The Lord Commander has expressly ordered me to not let you leave your chambers until he calls for you."

"All right…"

"Oh, take this," he handled Sansa a package. "Grenn told me to give it to you. He said he's sorry but this was the only he could find." Sansa took it and then the man left. Once in her room she opened it and found a simple gown. It wasn't fancy, like the ones she used to wear at the Eyrie, but it was clean and quite nice, and it suited her perfectly. Where had he found it? she wondered, I must thank him later for this favour. The package also contained a pair of warm leather boots to replace her old ones. She thought of Sandor, if Grenn would have also been able to find some clothes for him. He was such a big man it was probably a difficult task.

Some minutes later a man brought her a tray with her meal. He also relit the fire and she ate warm and alone. Time passed by, though no one came. She was beginning to get nervous, that situation made her feel like being a hostage again, but finally someone knocked at her door.

"You have to come with me. The Lord Commander is waiting for you," the man said.

Sansa nodded and prepared herself. She brushed her hair and arranged her dress the best she could. Then she grabbed her cloak and left the cell. Sandor was already waiting there and he stared at her up and down.

"You look better, girl," he grunted.

"Thank you. You too…" she muttered, and it was true, the hours of rest, the proper meal and a good bath had transformed the wilding by which he was mistaken just a day ago into a simple man. His black thick hair was clean and properly combed, hiding the worst part of his face. He wore a clean tunic and breeches, his cloak had been brushed down and his sword was clean of dirt and blood at his waist. Though he wasn't less impressive with those new garments he somehow looked less terrifying and more northern like. Sansa realized she was running her eyes over his body as if it was the first time they met, enjoying what she saw and she had to look away so she wouldn't blush.

Jon waited for them outside the tower, Ghost by his side.

"Did you rest well?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you Jon"

"Good. King Stannis wants to meet you at his chambers in the King's Tower." Jon looked at Sandor "I think you shouldn't come, Clegane, I'm not sure you will be welcome"

"Bugger Stannis!" Sandor snarled "I've already deal with him at Kings Landing; he thinks no one is worthy for him. I bet he hasn't smiled his whole life."

"I'm not going anywhere without him," Sansa quickly replied.

Jon seemed annoyed but he agreed, "As you wish. Come on then."

The King's Tower was a hundred foot tall round tower with merlons atop it, overlooking the gate and the foot of the wooden stair leading up the Wall. It was reserved for honoured guests, though no king had visited it in over a hundred years, until then.

King Stannis' chambers were located on the second floor, where a knight with a red heart embroidered on his chest announced them before letting them in. The room was more spacious and better furnished than the other buildings they had visited so far, though it was as cold and austere as the rest of Castle Black. Stannis Baratheon sat in a big wooden chair at the bottom of the room, flanked by a red woman and his ugly wife, Selyse Florent.

Stannis studied her with his dark blue eyes for a long moment before deigning to speak.

"Lady Lannister, what an odd coincidence that we met in this distant place of the Realm." His voice was free of any kind of emotion.

Sansa bowed her head in respect, "Yes, my Lord"

"Your Grace," Pointed out the red woman. "He's the only true King of the Seven Kingdoms, girl"

Sandor snorted at her back.

"I see you haven't come alone, apparently you brought a dog with you" he continued "Clegane, I haven't heard from you since you fled the battle"

"The battle you lost, as I've come to understand" Sandor growled. Stannis ground his teeth at that impertinent remark and gave his attention back to Sansa.

"Why did you come here, My Lady? Do you expect to somehow get Winterfell back? Don't you think I'm not aware that you're accused of killing Joffrey Lannister."

"I did not kill him, your Grace. And no, I don't intend to do so for now. I just need a place to stay for a time. It's been a hard journey."

"Hmm…we'll see…Maybe your presence here can be of any use…" Stannis thought aloud.

"Pardon me, your Grace, but I don't know how that could be, I'm alone and I don't have any allies… I would be very grateful if you just let me be with my brother…"

"You're a beggar now, girl," Lady Selysse stated. "You'll do what you are commanded. If not, I'm sure there will be more than one who would like to warn the Lannisters about you."

"Shut up, woman," Stannis told her wife. "You're not a prisoner here," said the king. "Be calm, no one is betraying you, though maybe we can arrange some kind of deal together. Now go, I'll call for you if necessary."

He waved his hand and the knight opened the door for them to leave.

"That's not the first time I've been called a beggar—my aunt told me so too. But now she is dead" Sansa said angrily once outside, rage filling her. She was a Stark of Winterfell; nobody should call her that. But for the moment, that cold place was all she had. And it was almost enough.

"Bugger that woman, she's disgusting! She even has more moustache than you Snow!" Sandor mocked.

"Shut up Clegane! You better show her more respect if you two want to stay here longer," Jon told him, "Fine, if Stannis doesn't mind you being here, I guess there's no problem for you to stay or to move freely around. Now, I have matters to attend to, Grenn and Pyp will help you with anything you need."

Sansa smiled at him, that was good news and she was grateful. "Thank you. I promise you won't have any problems, Jon," The Lord Commander began to walk away but he turned before leaving: "Just try to pass unnoticed. If you could," he finally said.

"Would you help me to find Grenn?" she asked Sandor "I'd like to thank him for the cloths he got us." He snorted but followed her. The man was training some boys in the courtyard and he went to meet them as soon as he saw Sansa. "Everything's aright m'lady?"

"Yes, we just wanted to thank you for our new garments. I guess it must been difficult to find them," she said.

He scratched his neck and looked at his feet "I asked one of Queen Selyse's maids for it. I know it's not worthy of you but you know… there aren't many women here…"

"Oh, it's perfect Grenn. And thank you too for his clothes."

Sandor just snorted and looked around for something. "What in the seven hells have you done with my horse, boy? If anything happens to that animal I swear…" he said angrily.

"I think he's in the stables. They're over there, next to the Silent Tower," Grenn answered.

Sandor began to walk where he had pointed, without saying a word, and Sansa followed him. "Please," she said, "don't be so harsh to him, he's just trying to help."

"Do not fool yourself, girl, he's helping you. He couldn't even look me in the face" he snarled. Sansa didn't know what to say. All those weeks travelling alone through the Realm had made his burnt face so familiar to her that she didn't even notice it, and she had forgotten that not everybody saw him the way she did. She felt sad for him.

Stranger was really at the Stables. Sandor caressed his snout and back softly and smiled to himself. He always seemed a different man while taking care of his horse. She sat next to them and watched how he isolated himself and began to brush him carefully, how he fed him or how he checked his horseshoes. Time passed quickly there and before she noticed it, lunch time had already passed.

During the following days, Sansa took long walks with Jon around Castle Black. They talked about their lives since they separated, about their fears and hopes and for the first time in years also about their family. They recalled them fondly and the fact of being able to talk openly about them helped them somehow to relieve the deep wounds their loss and years of silence had caused in their hearts. And so, little by little they began to fabricate a brotherly relationship they didn't really have at Winterfell. Sansa began to get to know her half-brother better; that wasn't an easy life and he'd chosen it for the Realm. Important things were happening beyond the Wall and Jon Snow and The Night's Watch were the only ones that were aware of them. She realized she was proud of him and she thought their father would have been too.

During those walks she also began to recognize the people living there. It was a strange mixture of characters; the black bothers, the wildings all dressed with furs and animal heads and the King's men, with their southern colours and their bright sigils, looking suspiciously at everybody else. Ned Stark always said to Robb that he should know the name of all his men, and in a way Sansa tried to do the same; learning the name of everybody and greeting them with courtesy.

They usually ate alone in theirs cells or in the kitchen after everybody else was gone. She also began to sew a new dress, remembering her Septa's lessons while Sandor took care of Stranger, or fixed his armour and sword at the Armoury.

The day the dress was finished she tried it on and looked for him. He was at the stables again; it seemed to be his favourite place in the Castle. He looked at her making her blush. He always stared at her that way lately, a deep gaze full of longing that made her shiver.

"I did it by myself," she said just to break the moment.

"Too fine for this place," he rasped out. "Are you going to use it to visit the stables?"

"No. I thought I can use it to have dinner with the others. I'm tired of being alone."

"I'm not sure your brother likes the idea."

"Me either, but we could try. Please," she begged.

He shrugged and followed her to the Common Hall. The room had large wooden tables where the men of the Night's Watch sat to eat. One of them was reserved for the Lord Commander and his closest men. Although the Hall was crowded at that hour, a great silence fell over when Sansa entered the room accompanied by Sandor Clegane. She took a deep breath and walked towards Jon's table bowing her head to the men she knew as thousands of eyes followed them. Jon was frowning when they reached his table.

"What are you doing here?"

"Please, don't be mad at me. I just thought that if they are your new brothers then they are also mine. I'd like to sit with you too if you don't mind." She said the last words looking at the men around them. Everybody had heard her and an odd wave of pride ran through those hard men as they murmured softly in approval. The Lord Commander looked at Sandor who just shrugged and finally invited them to sit in front of him. A steward brought two dishes for them and soon the Hall was full of conversation again.

Sansa talked politely with the men at their table and peeked from time to Sandor who sat by her side. The dinner passed by quietly until an ugly and bald steward came into the Common Hall. The man was in charge of the ravens and he gave a letter to Jon.

"It's just arrived this afternoon, my Lord. It's from Kings Landing. I thought you would read it as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Clydas". He waved a hand and the man left. Jon read it immediately and then stared at Sansa. "I think you should read it too," he said. Sansa took the piece of paper and unrolled it. As her eyes ran eagerly through the words, she put a hand over her mouth and gasped.

"This is…" she muttered looking at them. She smile widely and handed the letter to Sandor. He took the paper and read it as Sansa rested her head over his shoulder and closed her eyes, not caring who could be watching them, only letting herself be close to him at that moment.

To Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.

My Lord, I have taken the liberty to write you as you are the sibling of Sansa Stark. I'm aware that it's possible you may not have heard of her in years but as her brother, and from what I know, her last living sibling, there are some issues I think you might want to know. As she commanded me, I went back to Kings Landing and told Jaime Lannister the information she gave me. Jaime ordered the arrest of Petyr Baelish for the murder of Joffrey Baratheon and Lysa Tully. He has been tried and sentenced to death. As I am writing you, Ser Illyn Payne is doing his duty with him. Tyrion Lannister has also been acquitted though nobody knows of his whereabouts since almost two years ago when she fled from his prison and is considered dead.

I wanted you to know that Sansa Stark didn't murder Joffrey; her name is clean now and she can wear her Stark name with pride. Last time I saw her she was heading North with Sandor Clegane. If you ever meet her again, please try to help her. I hope she is safe and wish her to be happy; she really deserves it; she is a very special and strong woman and you should be proud of her. If you have the chance, please tell her I haven't failed her and that if she ever needs me, I'll be ready to help her as I promised Lady Catelyn.

Brienne of Tarth.