Sandor had spent most of the morning with the captain, getting full details of their journey while Shae stayed with Sansa. The boat was expected to leave within the hour, making Sansa slightly nervous. She began to pace her room as Shae watched her.

"My lady you will make yourself sick, come sit down with me." Shae held out her hand for Sansa to sit in a chair next to her.

With a sigh, Sansa moved to sit with her. She agreed all the pacing had left her stomach a bit sore. She looked to Shae curiously. "You never told me what happened, after I left Kings Landing."

Shae frowned and looked away from Sansa for a moment before finally looking back to her. "What I say you do not repeat." When Sansa nodded she sighed and continued, "I was in love with Lord Tyrion, even before you were married to him. I came to Kings Landing with him. It was he that assigned me to be your handmaiden, he knew I could handle any trouble that you may have." She smiled slightly, "such as a drunken Hound lurking in the hallways." She looked down at her hands again, "when his father commanded that he marry you, I felt as if I would fall to pieces. I even considered leaving Kings Landing, but then I saw you and the pain in your eyes. You were terrified and completely destroyed. I knew I could not leave you, I had grown to care for you like a mother loves her child."

Shae then reached over to grab a hold of Sansa's hand, stroking it lightly. "So I stayed, because I wished to protect you. And it was a wise choice, when Lord Tywin heard of the fact that Tyrion refused to consummate your marriage, he was furious. He assumed that you had refused him and even offered to let Tyrion have a few men hold you down." Shae's hand tightened around Sansa's slightly, "Tyrion set him straight though, telling him that he could never rape you, and that he would not take you unless you wanted it." A single tear started to form in Shae's left eye, "Tyrion fought his father at every turn, and we kept you as far from him as we could so that you did not have to see his anger. At one point Lord Tywin told Tyrion if he did not consummate the marriage soon, he would have it annulled and give you to someone who could. I didn't hear who he named, but the look in Tyrion's face told me that it was a fate you would not want."

Sansa had opened her mouth but Shae squeezed her hand, "let me finish." She sighed a bit, "Tyrion did not poison Joffrey, but he was arrested for it. They would have taken you as well as an accomplice, but you had disappeared. There were so many rumors as to where you had gone and who had taken you, the Queen suspected that Tyrion had arranged for your escape. Once he was taken to the black cells, I was completely on my own, except for Lord Varys who had become a good friend of mine. He was able to get word to Tyrion that I would be fleeing Kings Landing and that I would be heading to Lorath so that when he escaped, he would know where to find me."

She finally released Sansa's hand and sat back in her chair with a sigh, "I have not heard anything of Tyrion since."

Sansa sat there stunned for a moment, she had no idea of the relationship between Shae and Tyrion. Whenever she had seen them together she had seen nothing but two strangers, not secret lovers. But she could see it in Shae's eyes now, she truly did love Tyrion. The thought sickened Sansa, had she known, perhaps she could have fought harder, tried to refuse the marriage. But she knew it would have been almost impossible to refuse Lord Tywin, even Joffrey was afraid of him.

"I am sure Lord Tyrion is somewhere safe, and on his way to find you now." Sansa smiled at her dear friend, "I know him well, he is smart, and very resourceful. And if Bronn is still by his side, then there is nothing stopping him from finding you again."

Shae nodded with a slight smile, "I know."

The two girls were interrupted by a knock at the door, "Little bird, the ship is about to leave port, did you want to go on deck?"

Sansa smiled, she had begged Sandor to let her stand on deck as the ship began its journey, knowing the fresh air and new experience would be a wonderful feeling for her. She looked to Shae with a nod, taking her friends hand as they stood and opened the door. The three of them heading to the deck together, ready to start a new journey.

….

"Your Grace, Sansa Stark is too valuable to just let go of. We should confirm she is still a maiden then have her marriage to my disgrace of a son annulled as soon as possible." Lord Tywin stood before King Tommen, still refusing to bow before any King.

"The Lady Sansa is my friend, and I know she would make a great ally, why would I force her into a marriage she would not want?"

Tywin let out a small sigh as he stepped up the dais to look at the young king closely, "the north is still in rebellion against us Your Grace. They refuse to bow down to their rightful King and still declare war against you. Should Sansa Stark return there an unmarried woman, all Lords in the north will flock to her. If she marries any of them, then their hold over the north will grow stronger and we shall find another war on us as we did with her brother Robb."

Tommen tapped his chin slightly, though he was still a child, he knew the northerners still blamed his family for all that had happened in the past. "Perhaps you are right grandfather, but the match you propose is not a traditional one. And if I am to force her to marry, I want to make sure she will be happy."

Lord Tywin let out a laugh as he moved back down the dais, "she would be one of the wealthiest women in Westeros, her children would be heirs to the greatest lands and she would be treated as a Queen." He then turned to the King, "and her husband would not fail to bed her and give her children." He then turned from Tommen, exiting the room without another word, giving the King the time he needed to think on it.

…

"Your ship is ready m'lord." The hooded man approached Lord Baelish as he stood at the docks of The Saltpans.

"You tell me their ship departed only two days ago?"

The man nodded, "aye, so they do not have too much time ahead of us. And with the Lady still recovering, I am sure they will allow her time to rest in Braavos before they try to travel more."

Baelish let out a laugh with a nod, "I agree, they would be stupid to try and push her too much."

They then both moved to board the ship, the same mockingbird symbol decorating the sails, slowly leading them towards Braavos.

…

Unknown to them all, another ship carrying the banner of the King had also set sail, heading in the same direction…..

….

(((Oooh… I bet you have so many questions now! Lol, I'm already working on the next chapter, maybe it'll be up tonight!)))

~huggles~