Chapter 16

Petyr was up the rest of the night thinking about the Hound and his band of bandits he traveled with. The familiar way in which the Hound spoke with his wife did not go unnoticed. He would have to keep a close eye on him. He knew his wife was a loyal little wolf but he didn't want that dog to take advantage of her kindness. He especially didn't want her to find herself in a situation where the Hound took things too far. Sansa was his and no one else's. He did not share.

He looked to her lying in their bed and he smiled. The dog had looked pissed when she had taken his hand. He would have to find out today if the fierce warrior harbored romantic feelings for his Lady or if they were only feelings of friendship, as Sansa said they were. At least on her end.

He got up and walked back to bed just as the sky was beginning to light. It was still too early for most of the castle to be up, but the servants were probably just stirring to get their day started. Petyr decided he wanted to play a little this day. His smirk made it's appearance and he laid down next to her, pulling her close to him and started rubbing gentle circles between her legs to wake her. When she had opened her eyes, and her legs to him, he dipped below the furs and traveled south.

As Sansa dressed later that morning she frowned as she looked in the mirror. "Petyr, did you see this?" She asked, eyeing a bruise like mark high on her neck under her ear.

"What's that my love?" He feigned ignorance. As he walked towards her he was pleased to see the love bite that was blooming rather nicely on her skin. It was not like one of the marks Ramsay would have left. This one will heal completely and disappear. But he had wanted to let the Hound, and anyone else with any ideas, that she was his and his alone. Plus, that little mark would help him determine the dogs true affections towards his pretty little wife.

"I'm sorry my dear, did I do that?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"It's fine." She said, not really sounding fine. "I just don't have anything with a neckline high enough to cover it. I'll have to wear my hair down and over that shoulder." She said.

"I do apologize my love. I promise to be more careful in the future. It will fade soon enough, however." He said reassuringly.

"Yes, I suppose it wil." She said, sighing and giving up trying to cover it. "Let us go break our fast in the hall with everyone today, ok?" She asks, already having made up her mind.

"That sounds like a fine idea little wolf." He says and takes her hand in his arm and leads her down to the hall.

Once there, they took their seats at the head table with Jon. Clegane and his bandit buddies were at the table in closest to them. Petyr had a clear view of him. He smiled as he watched the Hound watch his wife walk up and take her seat. He glanced over to see Petyr's smirking face and grimaced and looked back down at his food as he ate.

Though he didn't look pleased to see him next to her, he didn't look jealous either. Maybe there isn't anything more there than him wanting to protect her from harm. Only time will tell.

Sansa took a bite and looked to her right. Petyr had been acting strange since last night. He was overly negative towards Sandor, and then the way he had made love to her last night was different. Not that she would call that making love, but a Lady does not 'fuck' her husband as a whore would. Even just thinking the word made her cringe. Whether or not it was proper or normal, she had quite enjoyed it and hoped he did those things to her again in the future. But then he never came back to bed. He stayed up all night. Having grown very accustomed to having him hold her all night, she found it difficult to stay asleep in his absence. Then he had left the mark on her neck. She was sure he had done that on purpose. Petyr Baelish was not a careless man. All his moves were planned out and intentional. She just didn't know his reasoning behind his actions.

As they ate she stole glances at him. Every now and again he would catch her looking but he never gave anything away. Once the plates were cleared and everyone was just sitting around talking before beginning their day's duties she saw Sandor stand and start to head out of the hall. She peaked out of the corner of her eye and saw Petyr watch the large man walk away with his sly little smirk on his face. Ahhh, so that was it. He didn't believe her that there was nothing between her and the Hound. She turned to Petyr and whispered in his ear. "I know what you're doing, my love." As she pulled away she smiled at him as sweetly as she could.

She barked out a quick laugh as he wore his confused mask almost seamlesly but he had forgotten one thing. She knew his eyes and they did not look confused as the rest of his features did. "Petyr, stop. You aren't fooling me." She leaned forward to whisper in his ear again. "I told you there was nothing between him and me. You have nothing to fear." When she went to sit back in her chair he reached forward and held her close to his lips.

He whispered back into her ear "I do not fear what your affections are towards the man. I know you will not betray me." He said vehemently, startling her the tiniest bit. He continued, gripping her arm a bit tighter than before. "I do not trust him. He is a man without honor. If he found you alone in a corridor or out in the Godswood, are you certain that he would not act on his impulses? I am not."

Without moving her head to look at him she breathed his name in a plea "Petyr-"

"You are the most precious thing to me and I will not see you harmed. I promised you that I would not hurt the man, but I will not leave you a sitting duck, vulnerable to him and his whims."

"Petyr, if he had wanted to hurt me, he'd have done it years ago in my chambers." She tried to reason with him. "I told you he had been drunk when we were alone in my room. He didn't touch me. He only asked me to go with him and when I told him that I would stay in Kings Landing he walked out of my door without a backwards glance." He eased his grip on her and let her ease back in her chair a bit.

"Nevertheless, I will have one of my men be at your side whenever we are apart. Just to be safe." He told her.

"No!" She said sternly. "I will not be followed around like a child in my own home. If we leave Winterfell, then I'll allow it. But not here, and that is final." She said, ending the discussion by standing and looking down at him. "I am going for a walk. I suggest you do your duties as master of coin and give me space for a time." She nodded to him once and he bowed his head in agreement. She turned and walked out the door.

Luckily the hall was mostly empty at that point and no one of consequence noticed their little squabble. Especially not the Hound. Petyr decided that even though she had declined his insistence on having a guard present at all times, he would make sure one was watching her from afar at all times just the same. As her husband it was his duty to protect her, always.

He walked to one of the Knights still sitting at the table. "I want you to watch my wife. I do not trust the Hound around her. Do not let your presence be noticed. She requested to not be followed. Do you understand?" He asked. "Yes my Lord." He answered earnestly. "You can arrange a sort of shift out with two other men, but let me know of their names when you have figured it all out. I want her watched at all times. Even when she is with me. Are we clear?" He asked again. "Yes my Lord. I'll get on with it right away." And he bowed a small bow and walked out to find Lady Baelish.

...

Sansa walked towards the Godswood rather annoyed with her husband. He could be so dense at times. She marched through the snow and straight to the pond that was next to the Heart Tree. She needed to be alone and away from the eyes of the castle.

She plopped down unceremoniously on the ground, not caring if the snow melted through her dress. She fiddled with the ties of her cloak as she looked at the black water of the pond. After a few minutes she was lost in her thoughts and didn't hear the person closing in on her from behind.

He stood behind her, watching her. She was taller and her hair was longer. Her womanly form had really taken shape as well. He couldn't deny that she looked beautiful. More beautiful than he had anticipated her growing up to be. He had been so relieved to see her whole after knowing who she had been married to. What was this now? Her third marriage? The girl sure did go through men. He had heard that her marriage to the imp was never consummated and he could only imagine what being the bastard's wife had been like. He couldn't imagine her truly happy with the brothel owner but he assumed he'd at least be a better lover for the girl.

Seven hells! Why was he thinking about the Little Bird's sex life? This was not what he wanted to have on his mind. He couldn't help it though, after seeing that mark that little cunt had left on her neck. A dog was no fool. He knew that mark was left there for him to see. He could see the jealousy plainly in the little Lord's eyes last night as Sansa had defended him, twice. It made him happy to make him uncomfortable. Baelish was a little shit.

He didn't know why Sansa had married him. She deserved a handsome young lad without a tarnished reputation. Not that snake. But it was not his choice to make, and if it had been he'd have been too late to stop her anyhow. He knew they had definitely consummated their marriage. He had heard as much last night. He assumed that, too, was for him. He had never had more affection towards the girl than the type of fondness you'd find between an older brother towards his much younger sister. He had tried to protect her as best he could and it broke his heart that he couldn't do more. But he figured that the little Lord had assumed he had more developed feelings towards his pretty little wife.

He hadn't been quiet when he walked towards her but apparently she hadn't heard anyway. He cleared his throat to make his presence known. Startled she turned around on the ground to face him, fear painted all over her face. He laughed at the look she gave him and said "It's just an old dog come to visit. No need to be afraid Little Bird."

"What are you doing out here all alone, girl? Don't you know there are bad men out here who could hurt a pretty thing like yourself?" He teased, taking a seat next to her on the cold ground.

"I needed to get away from everyone and find some peace." She sighed, looking back towards the water.

"Would you like me to leave?" He asked her gently.

She looked up at him and placed a hand on his arm. "No, please stay. I would love to catch up with you. How have you been? How is Arya?" She asked.

"I have survived. As for your sister, I can't say. I haven't seen her since that she-beast knocked me off the side of a mountain. But she was in good health when she left me for dead." He said.

"She did not leave you for dead, did she?" Sansa asked, shocked.

"Aye, she did. I would have done the same. I'm not a good man, Little Bird." He told her.

"You are to me." She whispered. "Thank you, for watching out for her while you did. It means the world to me to know that she wasn't alone, for a while at least."

Her thanks made him uncomfortable. "So, you married the little weasel Baelish." He said, not really a question.

She laughed a half hearted laugh and said "Yes, I married Petyr. You don't approve?" She asked.

"Hell no I don't. You can do a hell of a lot better than him. Did he trap you? Force you to marry him?" He asked.

"No, he did not force me or trap me. I married him of my own free will. I wanted to. I love him." When she saw the disgusted look on his face she smiled and continued. "He may be unworthy of my hand in your eyes, but he was the one who protected me after you left." He looked away from her when she said that, remembering the night he had come to her room asking her if she wanted to go home. "He protected me and got me out of Kings Landing. He has hurt me along the way, I don't deny that. But I believe he is a different man now. A changed man. He's not the same as he was the last time you saw him." She told him.

"Oh he's not is he?" He asked sarcastically. "Is that why you have a guard watching you right now?"

"What?!" She said, looking around for the Knight. "Where is he?" She asked Sandor. He nodded his head towards his right and she saw the sun glare off the man's armor in the distance. "Why that little..." She trailed off.

"Weasel?" he offered. Sansa elbowed him in his side and told him to hush.

"I told him I didn't want a guard around me at Winterfell, but he doesn't trust you. He believes your affections towards me are of the romantic nature. I tried to assure him otherwise but he wouldn't listen, obviously." She said.

"You are a beautiful woman, Little Bird. I don't blame him for wanting to protect you." He told her. "I would do the same if you were my wife." She blushed at his words. She was truly beautiful. "I'll make it easy on you, girl." He said as he stood up and looked down at her. "I'll keep an eye on you, Little Bird. Just like back in Kings Landing. If ever you need me, just chirp away and I'll be by your side, no questions asked." He eyed her.

She nodded at him and said "Thank you Sandor. You don't know how much It means to me to hear you say that."

"Now don't go getting mushy on me girl." He teased in his own way and turned and walked back inside the walls.

Sansa sat there on the ground a while longer until she could feel her inner skirts getting wet. She stood, dusting herself off and headed back to the castle. She had a husband to talk to.

A/N: I know that in the books Sandor was more aggressive towards Sansa in her room, but as I said in the prelude, this is based off the show since I haven't read the books. Only snippets here and there. I promise that I won't have Sandor be a main character in all the chapters. I just really like him and wanted to play around inside his head a bit. Next chapter will be back to our regularly scheduled drama! And lucky y'all! 2 chapters in 1 day. Sorta. It's after 0100 here. Enjoy and please review!