SANSA
The kiss was short, and it was less than experienced. She pulled away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She looked up at Tyrion hesitantly, waiting for his reaction. He looked clearly shocked, and didn't move an inch. Sansa fought the urge to laugh again, and thought about how, two years ago, any kind of kiss would have sent her hiding with her tail between her legs. Alright, he isn't going to say anything.
"Tyrion, I need to ask you for something. I know I don't deserve it after all I did to you in the past, how cruel I was when we wed, but I feel I must ask anyway." He nodded, and sighed. "Sansa, I will write a letter petitioning for the annulment of our marriage. We can both move on with our lives." He made to stand again when Sansa roughly pulled him back on to the lounge. "For fucks sakes Tyrion, listen to me!" I suppose I did learn a thing or two from him all those months ago, she thought, proud of herself. "Ouch! Alright, alright, I'm sorry" he said, rubbing his arm where she pulled on it. "I'm going to say my piece, you're going to shut your mouth and listen to the entire thing until I tell you I'm done; understood?" Tyrion smiled slightly, covered his mouth with his hand and nodded. Sansa snickered a little.
"Alright then, firstly, I'd like to offer you a proper apology for my abandoning you in King's Landing after Joffrey's murder. It was not my intention, but I was a child, afraid, and offered a way out of hell so I took it. You already know about the Vale and Petyr Baelish, I also told you that I was forced into marrying Ramsay Bolton." She stopped here for a moment, trying to fight back the tears that were sure to well up when she spoke of her time back in her childhood home. She took a deep breath. If I am to convince Tyrion to stay married to me, I need to be honest with him. She looked at Tyrion in the eyes and saw nothing but kindness and sympathy. "Tyrion, this is very difficult for me to talk about but I feel that I need to be completely open with you. I'm not a virgin." The tears finally welled up and were starting to freefall. Tyrion began to tell her not to continue but she held up her hand. "No, my Lord, this needs to be said if I am to have closure and move on." She took a breath and spoke through the tears as coherently as possible. "The night of our wedding, Ramsay brought me up to his room. He asked if I really was a virgin, or if I had lied to marry him. I told him that you had been nothing but kind to me and didn't force yourself on me. I foolishly believed that I'd get lucky twice. I don't know why I was so shocked when he ordered me to undress, but I started to do as I was told when I noticed Theon standing by the door. He averted his eyes and started to leave, but Ramsay wanted him to watch the girl he grew up with like a sister, 'become a woman'. I was about to argue when Ramsay turned me around, pushed me on the bed and ripped my dress from top to bottom. Theon was forced to watch the whole thing, and I was so ashamed and humiliated. It continued like this every night for the duration of my… stay."
Tyrion's face was twisted in agony. He looked like he was about to cry himself. "Sansa, I -" She stopped him with another flick of her wrist. "No. I said I wanted you to know the truth. Now you've heard it and you can make your decision." Well, here goes nothing. She got on her knees in front of him and looked up at his kind eyes. She didn't even see his scars anymore. All she saw was her beacon of hope for a semblance of a happy, normal life. "Tyrion, I am asking if, despite everything I've done, you would consider staying married to me. I'm not asking for you to let me in your private quarters or to take me to your bed, or to even pretend to like me, but –" It was her turn to be interrupted. Tyrion held up a finger to her lips. She stopped talking immediately and stared at him with desperation. He's going to say no. I'm going to have to marry some old man or worse, I'll be childless and alone forever. He's not my knight in shining armor, but he's the best chance I have. He slowly removed his finger, and put Sansa's hand in his two. He took a deep breath "Is this truly what you want? To be married to a dwarf? Sansa, there was no love between us and I meant what I said on our wedding night. I will not force myself on you." She absorbed what he said and smiled. "My Lord, my father and mother were married because his older brother, meant for my mother, had died. Neither was in love with the other, but they grew fond of one another, and eventually fell in love. Why can't the same be true for us? You said it yourself, a traitor's daughter and the demon monkey, we're perfect for each other" she said, laughing lightly. He smiled cautiously back at her. "If this is truly what you want, Lady Stark, I will do my duty by you. I will acknowledge you as my wife and claim that our marriage had been consummated in King's Landing in order to easily nullify your union with Bolton." She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you Tyrion" she released him and looked at her husband, "for what it's worth, I wish it would have been you."
"How should we proceed?" He ventured. Sansa blushed and started to stammer. Does he think that I mean tonight? "Sansa, Sansa, relax! That's not what I mean. We won't rush this. We may be married but I would still like for us to get reacquainted and court before we move on to marital activities." He winked at her teasingly then. She let out a nervous giggle and motioned for him to continue what he was saying. "What I meant to ask was whether you wanted to announce this? Or if you preferred keeping it between us and the queen for the time being, we could do that. There is also the question of living arrangements." She didn't hesitate, not for a second. "My Lord, I do not want this marriage to be like it was before. I do not want it to be a farce or something people laugh about. We will announce our reunion as husband and wife whenever the Queen dubs it appropriate, and I will live here, with you; if that is what you wish, that is." I didn't even think about whether or not he'd want me to live with him. What if he has a concubine he has to deal with first? Should I even bring that up? "Sansa, nothing would please me more than to share my space with my lovely wife." That made her smile. But something was still bothering her. Oh just ask him already. It's not going to get easier as time goes on.
"My Lord—"
"Tyrion, Sansa. Please."
"Sorry. Force of habit I suppose. Tyrion, can I ask you something? I'm afraid it's not something that a wife, or any woman for that matter, would be asking a man, let alone her husband."
"Just say it, Sansa."
"Do you have a mistress?"
I can't believe I just said that. I cannot believe I just asked that. What is wrong with me? She looked stunned and horrified the second the words leapt from her mouth. Tyrion smiled widely and laughed. He looked at her so kindly. "My dearest Sansa, I have not taken a woman to bed, or anywhere else for that matter, since we stood together in the sept". She looked at him with doubt. Really, Tyrion Lannister, master of the brothels, has been celibate this whole time? He sensed her uncertainty and continued. "It wasn't exactly by choice, you see. I had a whore before we were wed. I thought I loved her. I am sorry Sansa, but she was your old handmaiden, Shae. I was with her many times leading up to our wedding day, but swore to never share myself with any woman other than you, even if you never welcomed me into your bed." This news shocked her. He was serious. She remembered Shae, and it all made sense now. A new question entered her mind. "Why would you make an oath like that? Is it not commonplace for Lords to find their pleasures elsewhere?" Why would you hold back for two years? "You had already been tormented by my family enough. I was not going to add my name to your list of Lannister's you despise." She smiled, and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thank you Tyrion. Even in the beginning you only cared for my happiness and well-being. I only wish I hadn't been so stubborn to see it then."
They talked until the early morning light began to appear, drinking delicious Dornish wine and swapping tales of their travels. Tyrion was doing most of the talking. He told Sansa about his brother's return, how he was smuggled out of Westeros by Varys and came to be in the Queen's service. She loved hearing his stories, but did not share many of her own. Her past was much too painful.
"Sansa, the sun is nearly up. How will we function today?" He asked, yawning. Sansa considered this for a moment. "Well… surely Queen Daenerys could grant us two or three days to get reacquainted." Tyrion smiled at her and took her hand. "Come, let's go and find out. We need to present you as my wife to the court, after all." She followed him out of the room and towards the Queen's chambers. For the first time in years, Sansa felt safe.