Sandor paced around the fire as more soldiers began to arrive. Their numbers were growing by the hour as the men sent from Winterfell and Casterly Rock had arrived. The ships from Kings Landing had also arrived in Duskendale with the army prepared for war. Arya watched in silence, everything becoming a slow reality for her that they truly were about to embark in something she had never truly faced.

Yes she had faced many battles, killed many men. But now, there were thousands of men around her. Men ready to lay down their life in the name of her sister. The reality that they all vowed to sever Sansa was shocking to her. "She…" Arya looked up at Sandor. "She truly is a Queen."

"Aye…" Sandor finally stopped pacing, looking to Arya who began poking a twig at the fire that burned. "They are calling her the Queen of hearts." He let out a low groan as he sat before the fire, "she has won the heart of all these men, of the people of Westeros." He then looked around and moved closer to Arya. "Word is, many of them wish her to sit upon the Iron Throne, not Tommen."

Arya gasped a bit and shook her head, "Sansa would refuse. You know that as well as I do."

Sandor nodded as he picked up a rock to throw into the flames. "She would, and that is why so many love her. She sacrifices herself for others, she has not put herself first. She would rule the seven kingdoms completely with her heart."

"Do you think that is why Stannis wants her?"

"Aye…" Sandor groaned a bit, "Though to tell the truth, I have never seen Stannis as the type to hide behind a woman." He looked at Arya again, "this doesn't seem like him."

"Then, could it be someone else?" Arya looked back to the fire, poking it again with the twig she held.

"Possibly, but Dragonstone has always been held by Stannis." He moved to stand again as a group of soldiers approached them, "be on guard wolf-girl, we may be surprised."

Arya nodded, watching as he moved to the group of men as they began to talk. Making preparations for the upcoming trip to Dragonstone. "Don't worry Sansa… we're coming." She then returned to poking the fire.

….

"Of course I will marry you, your grace." Sansa smiled brightly as Joffrey kissed her hand. Her blue eyes still showed a slight glaze over them as she spoke. "Forgive me though, I thought you wished to marry Lady Margaery?"

Joffrey frowned slightly, shaking his head as he held Sansa's hand in his own. "No my lady, that was a mistake. The Lady Margaery turned out to be a traitor, her and her grandmother wanted to murder me. I saw through her lies, her deceitfulness. It made me realize that I had a true Queen all this time, and I had almost let her go." He grinned as he pulled her closer, "you my lady."

"I thought you hated me, because of what my family had done to you." She looked away from him slightly, the words she spoke were true. In Kings Landing she always believed he only hated her because of her name.

"I never hated you," he placed his hand under her chin to turn her to face him once again, "I was cruel to you. I should have never treated you the way I did. I am the one who should expect your hatred, my lady can you forgive me?"

Sansa smiled at him with a small nod, "of course your grace, you were only doing your duty as King. You cannot show weakness, even when it comes to love."

Joffrey smiled, placing his hand to her cheek. He moved in closer to her, their lips now inches apart before Melisandre suddenly spoke.

"Wonderful!" She smiled clasping her hands together. "Then shall we get started?" The smile on her face never fading, even when she caught the glare from Joffrey who was obviously upset with her for interrupting them.

As if on cue, Fiana and Fiona entered the room carrying robes. Fiana moved behind Sansa to wrap her maiden cloak over her shoulders. Fiona moved to Joffrey's side, holding a cloak made of the Baratheon and Lannister colors. Melisandre then moved beside Joffrey a moment, moving close to whisper so that Sansa would not hear her. "She will break from that spell soon, best not to waste time your grace." She then smiled to move in front of the two of them.

Joffrey finally let go of Sansa's hand, only to wrap her arm around his as they turned to face Melisandre. The grin on his face growing as Melisandre began to chant in high Valyrian. Her words grew louder, causing the fire behind them to suddenly grow in strength. A gasp was heard from Sansa who suddenly held her arm tighter around Joffrey's.

"Worry not my lady, this is our lord R'hllor blessing us. You are safe." He glanced her way, giving her a reassuring smile before looking back to Melisandre who continued to chant. Soon everything would be his once again.

….

As the men began loading the ships, Arya stood with Eldron. She looked down at her freshly sharped dagger before placing it into her belt. "How long will it take us to reach Dragonstone?"

Eldron looked down at the girl then back to the ships, he leaned against a stone wall and shrugged. "With as many ships as we have sailing, it will take longer than a single ship would. We have to keep ourselves in a proper formation, as well we will have to be able to communicate by raven. Gods be good the weather will remain calm as well."

Arya rolled her eyes, "that's not an answer."

"A fortnight would be my guess." He then straightened up and moved away before Arya could say anything else.

"He's a shit…" Sandor approached from Arya's side, "but he's a good fighter."

Arya looked up at him then to Eldron who had moved to stand with a few of the men. "He doesn't like me, or the fact that I'm here."

"You'll just have to prove how tough you are girl, then he'll get used to you." He looked down at her and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Come on wolf-girl, let's go get your sister."

Arya couldn't help but let out a laugh as the two of them began walking towards the ships. "Here we go again."

Sandor looked down at her with a confused look, "again?"

"On another adventure, you and I. They will write stories about us one day." She laughed at the look he gave her before they started walking up the ramp to the boat they would be sailing in.

"Funny wolf-girl, very funny." He grumbled slightly.

….

Sansa stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open. She didn't remember falling asleep, or much of anything from the day. She rubbed her eyes slightly, it was still night. The only light in the room was from a fire roaring in the center of the room. She laid there a moment trying to recall everything that had happened when she suddenly felt movement beside her.

She had to hold her hand to her mouth to keep herself from screaming. Beside her, Joffrey was asleep, and to her horror, he was completely nude. She then looked down and realized she too was naked. Quickly she grabbed for the sheets and pulled them over herself as she sat up. The room she was in, it was not the one she had slept in the night before. She could not make out much in the darkness, the only thing she could see were the color of the sheets she now held firmly to her body, they were the color of Lannister red.

"Oh gods…" She looked back down at Joffrey who remained asleep. What had happened? Why couldn't she remember anything?

Slowly she began to try and slide from the bed when she felt a hand grab for her wrist. She gasped as she looked back over to see Joffrey grinning up at her as he held her tightly. "What have you done to me?"

Slowly he sat up, taking a hold of her arm to pull her closer to him. "Don't you remember?" He grinned as he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "Every woman should remember her wedding… and her wedding night."

Sansa's eyes widened, his words causing her to try and pull from his grasp. "No!"

"Shhh…." Joffrey placed a finger over her lips, his other hand still holding firmly to her arm. "Things will be different now my Queen. Now that we are wed, we shall work on having ourselves a strong son, a strong heir. And together, we can take the Iron Throne back, you and I shall rule the seven kingdoms as we were meant to be."

Sansa shook her head, her eyes wide as she looked at him. Something in him had changed, his death and rebirth had changed him. But she knew he was still the same Joffrey she had grown to fear and hate. "No, the people will never welcome you back as their King!"

He let out a small laugh, his finger now tracing lightly over her bare arm. "R'hllor has already declared it my sweet wife. Anyone who stands in our way shall perish and be cleansed in his fires." His hand continued to stroke her skin softly as he moved in closer to her, "it is our destiny Sansa, and the people love you. They will never revolt against you, they would die for you. And now…" He smiled, gently placing a light kiss to her lips, "they will pledge loyalty to the both of us."

….

(((Ooh a cliffhanger again. Sorry for the delay, busy busy photographer)))

~Huggles~