When Sansa awoke, she realized that she was in Oberyn's arms. Two seconds later, she realized that they were on horseback, and that they were riding in pitch darkness. "Where are we?" she asked her husband groggily as she rubbed her eyes.

"We are on the way to an inn in Bitterbridge," Oberyn answered. "After Grand Maester Pycelle removed that bolt from your back, I decided that it was time to leave that shit-hole behind us and return to Dorne. But first, I make good on my promise to you, my love."

Sansa furrowed her eyebrow. "I don't understand," she said. Joffrey was already dead and she was now riding with him away from King's Landing. He had obviously survived his fight with the Mountain, so what else was there that he had promised her?

Kissing the back of her neck, Oberyn replied, "We're on our way to see your family." Once Grand Maester Pycelle had treated Sansa's wound, he spent no time in getting the Dornish retinue to leave King's Landing and to make their way home towards Dorne. He no longer cared for what went on in the stinking capital, and as far as he was concerned, Cersei Lannister's actions alone were enough to warrant war where Dorne was concerned. However, he made no move against the Queen, nor the rest of the Lannisters. He had went to see Tywin Lannister before they left, and had told the Lord Hand that Dorne no longer wished any part of the Small Council or King's Landing, that they would see to the recovery of their princess and if anyone stood in their way, they would see only fire and death. The Dornish retinue left as soon as Sansa's wounds had healed enough.

"How long was I unconscious for?" Sansa asked.

"A good two days," Oberyn answered. "Do you remember what happened?"

"I..." At first, everything was a blur to Sansa. She had remembered Oberyn successfully extracting the information he wanted from Gregor Clegane, that they had walked back towards their pavilion with Tyrion. Cersei... yes, she saw Cersei Lannister still at the royal stand, with a Gold Cloak armed with a crossbow. "The Queen was going to kill you or Lord Tyrion..." she recalled.

"And you shielded me from the bolt that was meant for me," Oberyn finished her sentence for her. "Should I thank the Gods for a brave wife or that the Gold Cloaks have terrible aim?" Sansa did not know how to answer him. "I am not angry at you, Sansa. How can I when I owe you my life?" He was sure that it was a mix of the two reasons that he had just named, and was beginning to think that his brother's choice to ally with the Starks as well as the Targaryens was surely a choice spurred by some form of foresight.

Sansa could only sigh. There was no rhyme or reason to her actions. She only knew that she could not lose him, for he was the one who could bring her to freedom. Now that the walls of the Red Keep no longer closed in around her, the chilly night air in her bones were a much welcomed change. She knew that she had made the right decision in shielding him with her own body. She would have given everything to one day see the open sky like she was doing at that moment. She would have given everything to see her family again.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" Ellaria exclaimed with some amount of joy when she brought her horse next to Oberyn's. "You gave us quite a fright, my love. Oberyn refused to leave your side until we knew that you were out of danger." Personally, she had half expected Oberyn to have called for the blood of the Lannisters, but he did not. Instead, he had secret ravens sent out to Casterly Rock, sent directly to Robb Stark instead of through their Dornish network based out of their homelands to Obara and Nymeria. They were to meet at Bitterbridge, dressed as merchants without colors or sigils. This was because House Caswell, whose seat was Bitterbridge were vassals of the Tyrells, and at that point in time, the Tyrells were no longer trusted by anyone, due to their shifting allegiances and shaky alliance with the Lannisters.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't..."

"Hush, now," Oberyn silenced her. "You should get more rest. I do not want to be skinned alive by your brother when I meet him."

At least, Sansa began to chuckle although it stung her back slightly. Before King Robert came to Winterfell, Robb had taken a habit of removing any boy from staring too long at her. She was only thirteen then, but already enough to keep the young boys in Winterfell in an uproar. Oberyn told her that Robb had uneasily agreed to ally the North with Dorne, but he did not tell her of his personal reaction towards her being a Dornish princess. "I wouldn't want to speak to him at all," she mused. "He sold me to you as Viserys Targaryen sold his sister Daenerys to the Dothraki." Her words made Oberyn and Ellaria burst out in laughter, although she did not know why. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Our dear King in the North said the same thing when we first met," Oberyn answered her. "And we Dornish thought that family is the strongest bond. It would seem that it is the same in the North."

"Ironic, isn't it?" Ellaria added. "That the ones we have the most in common with are the ones who are most distant to us. Perhaps as we cook in the deserts of Dorne, the Northerners freeze, and such extremes bring out a certain kingship?"

"Perhaps it is why the Gods gave us the Princess of the North," Oberyn continued. "That she might remind us that there is no difference between men in the world, only similarities."

Sansa smiled. "Perhaps. Perhaps it's the other way around?"

Catelyn Stark had not seen her daughter in three years. Apart from the first few letters, written by her hand, but dictated by the Queen, she had no news of Sansa. With Arya, Bran and Rickon were all missing and assumed to be dead, Sansa would be her one remaining child alive next to Robb.

For obvious reasons, she had chosen the room with its main window looking out to the Roseroad, so that she could look out and watch for any sign of riders that would come by, for any sign of a rider with red hair like hers and the same blue eyes.

There was nothing, no sign of anyone that she knew. Only wearied travelers and disgruntled merchants from the Reach. On the first day of her arrival at the inn with Robb and the Sand Snakes, she had been filled with hope, and when the second day passed with no sign of Sansa, she sighed at her window, clearly beginning to worry.

"What is taking them so long?" she asked anyone who would heed her, anyone at all.

"My father said that we should expect them sometime this evening," Nymeria told her. "Perhaps we should wait a little longer."

Taking a look at the young woman before her, Catelyn knew that she was thinking too much of herself. Both Nymeria and Obara had not seen their father since he had left for King's Landing and he just recently had the fight of his life. Yes, there were reports of Oberyn fighting Ser Gregor Clegane in a trial by combat for Tyrion Lannister, and once again, the Imp escaped death by proving that the Gods favored him.

Then, they heard the familiar rhythm of the hooves of horses trotting down the road. There were three riders in the front, wearing strange cowls on their heads, but behind them, Catelyn recognized Brienne of Tarth. It must be them!

"Call Robb, Nymeria," she said, and the girl quickly went to get her son.

Catelyn was joined by Talisa on her way down the stairs, and by then, Obara and Nymeria had already been gathered into their father's arms.

"Papa!" they called. It was a magical thing, seeing the Sand Snakes acting thus around Oberyn. They were fierce upon the battlefield and took no nonsense at court, and for those reasons were soon becoming stalwarts of Robb's council, although they preferred to act as bodyguards, messengers and observers. To see them being returned to childish smiles when reunited with their father brought warmth to Catelyn's heart.

Soon, she and Talisa were joined by Robb. They could easily spot Sansa from her fair hand that peeked through the Dornish riding clothes as Oberyn helped her to get down from her horse. "These are my daughters, Obara and Nymeria," Oberyn told his wife, introducing him to the Sand Snakes, who managed to give Sansa proper curtseys despite wearing Dornish armor. They had called her "Princess", but Sansa had told them to dispense with the formality and address her by her name instead.

"Robb? Mother?" Sansa exclaimed when she saw them. Immediately picking up her skirts, she ran towards them as the Sand Snakes with their father. The embrace between the Starks was a bittersweet one. Three pairs of ice blue eyes were immediately red and tearing. It was a spectacular reunion, one that none of them had expected. "I missed you so much," she cried. There was even one period of time where she had thought that she would die before she would see what remained of her family again.

The few soldiers that Robb had taken with him immediately bowed to her. "Welcome back, Princess," they told her. While she had been accustomed to being addressed as such, it was not the same with her brother's Northern soldiers. She had always been "Lady Sansa" and nothing more. Oberyn was right. She was a princess of two territories, of Dorne and the North now.

"I want you to meet my wife, Talisa Maegyr," Robb said to Sansa, introducing his sister to his wife. The two of them smiled and laughed as they hugged one another.

"Your Grace," Sansa said to Talisa, curtsying to the Queen in the North.

"Princess," Talisa said, doing the same.

"Sister..." they then said in unison and hugged each other again.

"There is someone I'd like you to meet," Sansa told them, almost dragging Robb and Catelyn towards the third rider. She was a classical Dornish beauty. Golden skin, dark almond-shaped eyes and black hair as dark as night. The woman gave them a low bow and Catelyn could see that she was not a simple woman. She had the grace of a lady, but there was a certain air of... freedom to her, and it made her seem more dangerous than any woman that she had met before. "This is Ellaria Sand," she said. "She's..."

The pause that followed was unbearable. Oberyn looked at Catelyn and knew that the woman was already glaring daggers at Ellaria. While Sansa fumbled with the right words to say, she took both his hands and Ellaria's.

"She's our paramour," Sansa said, with the same iron and resolution that was never known by Robb and Catelyn. They had not seen her in court. They did not know what terrors she had to chance in order to survive in King's Landing, nor did they know how Ellaria's kindness had brought back from the brink, even when Oberyn was already infinitely gentle to her. Moreover, Ellaria was already Oberyn's wife in all but name. She was the intruder of their relationship.

It would be a lie to say that Robb and Catelyn were not stunned until the point where they were dumbfounded. Talisa observed as the Dornish part of her family widen their eyes in surprise, but they stood by her words. Oberyn, in particular, looked towards Robb and waited for his reaction while Catelyn's eyes went as wide as they could be.

"I..." she tried to speak, but found not the words to say again.

However, Catelyn was the one who truly broke the silence. "Welcome to our family, Ellaria," she said. Her voice was warm although her expression was not. It was a peace offering to say the least. Done to ensure that the situation was quickly put aside.

"Thank you, Lady Catelyn," Ellaria said. There were no family hugs for Ellaria, only a warm handshake. The Sand Snakes heaved a sigh of relief while Sansa looked as if a wind had swept over her.

"Well, I think a good round of supper is in order," Robb said, clearing his throat. "All of you must be famished."

"That's a brilliant idea," Oberyn said, only to receive a glare from Robb. Placing both of his hands upright to signify he only wanted peace, he obediently retreated to the company of his daughters and decided to let Sansa do all the talking.

"That was a stupid move, even for you," Tyrion told Cersei. Their father had Cersei holed up in her own chambers under heavy guard for her stunt after Tyrion's trial by combat for trying to Oberyn Martell, which resulted in his wife Sansa taking the blow for him. "Even if you wanted to kill me, you could've chosen a more subtle way to do it, not try in just after one of the most sensationalized trials in the history of King's Landing."

Cersei gave her brother a bitter chuckle. "That stupid girl should not have acted like a hero," she spat. The fact that she could no longer find an excuse to have Tyrion killed was now secondary to her worries. The fact she had openly harmed a Dornish Princess, Stark or no, was reason enough for Dorne to call to arms. Oberyn had everyone in his retinue evacuated from King's Landing and back into Dorne the moment Sansa was well enough to ride. They had disappeared in the night and no one had seen where they had went.

"Sansa didn't do it for the glory, you know," Tyrion jibed. "He's her husband. It's only natural if..."

"She barely knew the Red Viper," Cersei reasoned. "She's only known him for what... a few months?"

"But in these few months, Oberyn's given her enough love and kindness that she's willing to risk her life for him," Tyrion countered. "What did your son ever do to her? Oh, he had his Kingsguard beat her and you humiliate her constantly."

By that point, Cersei was too tired to argue about anything. "She's a vicious little thing, wearing the feathers of a dove."

"Dove or not, if Dorne decides to band with Robb Stark in vengeance for what you'll did... Father will do everything he can do to stop another player from joining the war," Tyrion warned. "Maybe he'll marry you to Prince Doran instead?"

"I'll kill myself before that happens," Cersei announced. She had no intention to marry again, being a wife to another man that she did not love, especially when Jaime had already returned to her. She never wanted to be a pawn used by her father again, especially when the Lannisters' hold over the Seven Kingdoms were already strong enough. She would not let her fate to be decided by men, ever again.

"That's not up to you," Tyrion said. "Father does as he wants, and we'll always be his pawns."

Sansa was in the room where her mother was staying in with Robb, along with Oberyn and Talisa. Dinner had been... awkward. No one knew what to say, so they ate in silence, speaking only when they needed to. Catelyn could only look at her daughter, how she was so at ease in Oberyn's company, even though it was evident that he had openly brought his... his... paramour with him. Robb had given her the worst sort of husband, and her poor daughter could do nothing but to accept it, as he was her only way out of the grasp of the Lannisters.

"Are you happy, Sansa?" Catelyn asked her, deciding to disregard the uncomfortable silence between them. Someone had to start the conversation, and she would do so no matter the discomfort that she would cause. They all had to go through it sooner or later. "Being a bride..."

"I am immensely happy, Mother," Sansa answered truthfully. "Oberyn is a gentle husband, and Ellaria is very kind to me." She knew her mother's concerns on her marriage. "Without them, I don't know how I would have went through my last few days in the capital."

"What did the Lannisters do to you?" Robb asked her.

"They..." Sansa paused again.

"Joffrey had her beaten by his Kingsguard," Oberyn answered on behalf of Sansa. "He had her whipped or beaten whenever you won a battle. Her back is proof." Sansa placed a hand on his, but she did not stop him. She needed his voice, for she found not the words to speak. "Sansa was merely a plaything for him, although she was once betrothed to him. When I met her, she had whip-marks that weeped so much that it yellowed the silk gauze of one of her gowns."

Catelyn uttered a little gasp, but Sansa smiled it off. "The wounds have healed, Mother, thanks to a salve from Lord Varys," she told her.

"Lord Varys?" Catelyn asked. "Can the Spider really be trusted?"

"Without the Spider, this alliance could not have existed, Lady Catelyn," Oberyn answered, still unsure on how to address his mother-in-law. "If he had not volunteered to lead the campaign to assassinate the Targaryens, Daenerys Targaryen would have been slaughtered in her cradle." Their alliance was based on the need of the Targaryen dragons as well as Daenerys Targaryen's need of their armies. None of this would have occurred without Varys' efforts.

"What are your plans now?" Talisa asked Oberyn. "Will you return to Dorne or will you join Robb?"

Oberyn took a deep breath and said, "I will return to Dorne with Sansa and Ellaria," he said. "There is much to be discussed with my brother, particularly our new position against King's Landing." He had told Robb not to worry Catelyn too much with the specifics, that Sansa had been shot by Cersei's underlings. He knew that his mother-in-law tended to worry more than she should, riddled with the fact that she was very distrusting of outsiders. "As for Obara and Nymeria, they would make their own decision."

"Understood," Robb said. "Oberyn, I would like to speak with you about the... specifics in the morning," he said.

"We should all get to bed now," Catelyn said and kissed Sansa's forehead before she left for her room with Oberyn. "Good night, my dear."

Sansa smiled. "Good night, Mother," she said. "I'll see you in the morning."

HAN: This reunion was a very difficult for me to do, because I was slightly drained from the previous two chapters, so do forgive me if this is slightly lackluster compared to the others.

Enjoy!