That night Rhonda Hightower was sleeping in Kestrel's rooms, waking up late at night and hearing the pattering of footsteps on the stone floor, sitting up to see her daughter pacing the room in her nightdress, looking thoughtful.

'Kess? What are you doing, it's the middle of the night'. She looked up 'uh, I'm just thinking'. Kestrel sat down on her own bed, looking over at the other bed where her mother was watching her closely 'Just thinking about this… all of this'.

Rhonda nodded, patting the bed beside her and Kestrel moved over and sat down, looking unsettled and anxious.

Rhonda kissed Kestrel on the cheek with a sad smile 'regardless of blood, you are my daughter, and regardless of what happens, I am proud of the woman you have become'. She saw tears in her daughters eyes and shook her head, looking her in the eyes 'no, you are a strong, beautiful young woman, and you will make not just the Hightower's proud, but everyone else too. You have chosen this path, it is not the path I would have asked of my daughter, but it is the path nonetheless'.

Kestrel nodded, taking a steadying breath 'I wish I could be back in Oldtown'. Rhonda smiled encouragingly 'one day my dear, one day you'll be there with your husband and all your children. One day'.

The following day Cersei and Joffrey looked up as the Knight at the door announced 'Kestrel Hightower, your Grace'. She entered, looking incredibly pretty in her red dress with her hair in a simple braid as she made a slight curtsy to the two Royals in the room. 'Your Grace, I wondered if I could ask a favour of you?'.

Joffrey looked intrigued 'you can always ask, I will not promise you the answer'.

'I want Sansa Stark to be one of my Ladies'. Cersei looked stunned 'the daughter of a traitor to the King?'. Kestrel nodded slightly 'trust me, my Lady, I know what the Stark's have done, but you know what they say- keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I do not trust the Stark girl, as you may know her father killed a Hightower in the rebellion… I want her close to me, where I can see her. Who knows what she is planning in that room, alone all day?'.

Cersei and Joffrey glanced at each other, clearly thinking the same things before he nodded 'very well, you may tell the girl yourself. She will be in your rooms however?'.

'That is fine, my Grace. Thank you'. Cersei nodded with a slight smile as Kestrel left, turning to her son 'she is a very good ally to us, we're lucky we've managed to keep her here'.

Kestrel smirked to herself, walking down towards her rooms feeling incredibly smug. The Lannisters thought she was keeping Sansa close so that she could make sure she wasn't planning anything against them.

Instead, they had let the enemy right into their ranks.

By the evening Rhonda had moved in to another set of guest rooms and Sansa and all her things had been moved into Kestrel's enormous rooms just down the corridor. Of course, Sansa had been told that she was to be a Lady for Kestrel, but that was it, she was more confused than she had been before.

Kestrel had been out riding with her father, Tellan and some of their Knights all day, and when she came back it was the late evening and she was exhausted.

Sansa was sitting on the smaller bed, looking tired and confused as Kestrel came back in the room, looking over at her and sitting on the other bed. 'Do you want me to braid your hair?'. Sansa nodded slightly and Kestrel patted the bed beside her, the redhead standing and sitting beside her as Kestrel sat on her knees, undoing the twist in Sansa's hair.

'Do you understand why I've had you become my lady?'. She shook her head slightly and Kestrel started to comb her hair gently, holding it to make sure it didn't pull

'I'm not who everyone here thinks I am. My mother and your father were brother and sister, you've seen what happened with the fire. My father was a Targeryn, Ned Stark and Baelor Hightower took me from the Tower of Joy before Robert and his men could find me, and I was raised in Oldtown. We are cousins, and I want revenge for what has happened to our family'.

Sansa turned around in shock, looking closely at the brunette behind her, seeing the similar eyes to her father and the same lips and jawline as her father and Benjen. The hair was a mixture of the dark Stark's and the brilliant blonde of the Targeryn's, and the burning intensity in her eyes told her everything she needed to know.

Sansa had seen Kestrel put her hand the entire way into a burning hot fire and feel no pain or burns, that could only mean she was a Targeryn. 'You…you're my cousin…'. She nodded, brushing the redheads hair again 'indeed. There will come a day when I ask you to run, Sansa. I have made a promise that I will protect you, and I have sworn that with my life…when I ask you to run, you must run'.

She nodded slowly 'who have you promised?'. Kestrel looked sad for a second 'your mother. Ned told Catelyn not long before he died…I promised her with my life I would keep you safe as best I could. I want everyone to know that winter is coming, and it's not going to leave'.

Sansa felt her heart swell a little bit as Kestrel continued to do her hair, hearing the family motto had been almost like a battle cry, making her feel like she could last out for a little while longer. Now she had someone next to her, someone who was arguably more upset, more angry, and looking for more retribution.

'Does Sandor know?'. She nodded as Sansa turned around, the plait done 'he knows, it wouldn't be fair to marry him and then have him find out. If the Lannister's find out, they'll have my head- that wouldn't be a fair situation to force Sandor into'.

'Why are you marrying him?'. 'Cersei arranged it, she wants Sandor to stay here and protect Joffrey and she wants me to stay here too, it was a solution I assume'.

'Your brother in law will be Gregor Clegane… Have you seen him before?'. She saw Kestrel visibly tense at Gregor's name, her fists balled so tightly her knuckles were white.

'I have seen him, I can't look at him without feeling sick. He is the man that killed my little brother then raped and killed the Queen… he is a monster. At least Sandor and I have something in common, we both want the same man dead'.

Sansa blinked but nodded slightly 'Daenerys Targeryn… isn't she your Aunt?'. Kestrel nodded 'yes, but Robb Stark is the man I want to command the kingdoms, Daenerys hasn't been raised here, she doesn't know what life is really like for us, what has happened here- Robb does, and he has proven himself'.

Walking back from their stables, Baelor glanced at Tellen, looking around to make sure that they weren't going to be overheard, his voice quiet 'Tellen, the Snow boy, don't tell her, for her own sake'. He looked confused 'you don't want her to know?'.

Baelor shook his head 'if you tell her about Jon Snow, she will leave here and go straight up North to the Wall'.

'Kestrel wouldn't leave, she has been planning this for too long'. Baelor shook his head sadly 'I know my daughter Tellen, she will be halfway to the Wall before anyone realises she has gone. That bloody horse is quicker than anything in the Seven Kingdoms, she'll leave before you know it, and it's not fair for her to leave Sansa, and it's not fair on Jon Snow either, he has sworn an oath to protect the wall… He can't know either'.

Tellen nodded, not looking happy about the situation but aware that he was right.