Sansa
Sansa could not believe her eyes. The last time she had seen her father, the honourable Eddard 'Ned' Stark, was when the demented boy-king Joffrey Baratheon ordered the head of the former Warden of the North to be chopped off. Sansa gave out a gasp before taking a step back, "Father, how are you… I saw you die… I…"
"I have seen you die as well," Ned spoke with a great sadness that Sansa could see etched on his face, "Sansa… I… I saw you die. I saw that man… no… that thing bite your neck and then drink your blood."
Sansa shook her head and closed her eyes, 'no, Father could not be here. How can he be here? How…?' She opened her eyes to Ned still standing still in the same place. She could see he was still wearing the same clothes as the day he was executed but without any trace of blood around his neck. She looked down at his legs and could not see the injury he received when he was alive… when Ser Jamie Lannister attacked Ned and a retinue of the Stark household guards. Sansa could not feel her heart beating, and she could not feel her chest moving up and down as it did when she was alive.
"Sansa," Ned spoke, "I saw the man… he… he then cut his wrist and fed his blood to you."
"He called himself Lord Dracul Tepes," Sansa spoke as she looked away from Ned and to the left wall. A part of herself did not feel as if she had done something that was not honourable in doing what she had done… what she accepted as her choice. She mentally reminded herself that there was no way the Lannisters would ever let her go free. Sansa knew she would have no power in Kings Landing… after all, there were others who played the Game better with the power they had in their disposal. And Sansa was not one of them. Sansa turned her head back towards Ned and explained what happened after seeing Dracul in her dreams; and at the end, she looked on at the anguished look on Ned's face after saying she agreed to Dracul's offer. "I had no choice, Father… you were dead… Arya could not be found… and… and Joffrey and the Queen are cruel. This city is cruel… everyone… is so cruel."
"Sansa…" Ned reached out with an arm raised as he stepped forward. But he stopped when Sansa's eyes turned blood red; her voice now edged with anger.
"Knights are cruel and give no protection… the songs I listened growing up from mother and you have been proven false…" Sansa felt her anger rise as she stepped forward with hands rolled into fists, "Lords and Ladies watched as I was beaten, and… and… and Robb… Robb never came for me! He…" And that was another issue, Robb was winning the war but he could not even exchange the Kingslayer Jamie Lannister for her. Robb had refused and both the Queen and the demented boy mocked her for it. "Where is the pack?! Where is my family?!" Sansa screamed in the empty passageway as she glared at her father.
Realizing that she had raged too loudly in the passageway so much so that her Father was staring at her with a look of deep anguish… deeper anguish than earlier if it was possible. She also realised that her fangs were extended, and as such she instinctively retracted them and the red tint in her vision faded as well. She could feel tears welling in her eyes as memories swirled in her mind of her childhood; stories from her Septa of how the South was civilised and the North seen as barbaric, how she needed to be a perfect Lady so she could be married to a Southerner; how the stories of kinights, beautiful Lady's, and handsome Lords were truth.
"It was all a lie," Sansa whispered while wiping the tears welled in her eyes. Before Ned could speak, Sansa asked in a quiet voice. She wanted her anger to ease, and so she changed the topic at hand, "how are you here, Father?"
Sansa watched as Ned took another step forward, and then another until he could place a hand on her cheek. Sansa could feel a chill from his hand hovering just over her skin but never touching. She noticed Ned's eye cutting to his hand and then back towards her eyes.
"My ghostly hand… well…" Ned said, "it goes through your face." He then chuckled, as did Sansa at the absurdity of it all. Sansa's chuckle faded into the darkness of the passageway before she spoke once again.
"I wish I could feel your warm hand, Father," Sansa spoke with sadness in her voice.
"I could feel a pull towards the North… towards Winterfell… I could feel my bones travelling through the Neck," he said while lowering his hand to his side, "but I have resisted the pull since you were alone… stuck here… in this nest of vipers." Sansa couldn't help but be surprised at what he had just said… he was still here for her. So that she wouldn't be alone. And Ned continued, "and I suppose the dead are the only ones who can see the dead."
Sansa shrugged her shoulders.
"Sansa," Ned said, "I have made many mistakes in my life; from being blind to the kind of King Robert had become, to hiding…" Ned suddenly stopped talking and Sansa could only watch as he looked towards the Northern section of the passageway. She watched him close his eyes and whisper, "Forgive me." Sansa wanted to ask what he meant, but before she could say anything, he continued while turning towards her once again, "we should have told you the truth of the world, or at least I should have." Sansa was surprised at the admission, but he asked her to listen before asking any questions. After Sansa nodded her head, Ned then continued, "your mother and Septa Mordane told you the idealized version of the world, and… and I should have asked them to stop. But I wanted for you to have a childhood… to have dreams of this ideal version of the world. I didn't want to tell you that not all Knights are honourable, that beauty and handsome strength can hide monsters beneath their skins. I wanted to tell you everything, but I not could bring myself to shatter your dreams."
"Arya knew," Sansa whispered sadly, "and I ignored her… made fun of her… and…"
"The both of you are still children," Ned said gently, "your mother, Septa Mordane, and I failed you and Arya the most."
"Father… I…" Sansa wanted to tell her father that it was her fault… that if she hadn't gone to the Queen after having been told they would be returning to Winterfell, then they would have survived. But before she could say anything, Ned was the one who spoke.
"I made many mistakes, Sansa," Ned said, "and one of them was going to the Queen and admitting I knew that her children were born from the seed of her brother." Sansa was stunned at the admission, both at Ned saying he went to the Queen and that Joffrey, Myrcella, Tommen were the spawns of Jamie Lannister and the Queen. Before she could ask why, Ned continued speaking. "I am certain you are wondering why I went to the Queen…"
"Yes," Sansa nodded her head.
"I wanted her to leave the Red Keep with the children," Ned said before there was a look of sadness on his face, "Sansa, I know you wonder why… why I would do such a thing…" He closed his eyes and then shook his head, "I still remember what happened immediately after the rebellion… I saw unspeakable things all around me that day. Including the bodies of Princess Elia, Prince Aegon… his skull was smashed… there was just bits of skull in the Lannister cloaks, and Princess Rhaenys… her body was covered with holes…."
"Father," Sansa reached out with her face etched in horror. Her father never spoke of the rebellion, and she now knew why.
"And all Robert could say when I demanded the Kingslayer and Lord Tywin be punished was… all he said was that they deserved it… that they were Dragonspawn."
She could see how upset Ned was getting as he thought about that day. She wanted to hug him, but she knew there was no way. After all, Ned Stark was only a ghost. Sansa then shook her head and said, "after we spoke, I went to the Queen…"
"San…"
"Father," Sansa then asked him to wait for her to finish. She bit her bottom lip before admitting, "after you demanded we pack for Winterfell, I was upset. I was angry, I was… I was a stupid girl. Father, I went to the Queen and told her…"
"Oh Sansa," Ned whispered before closing his eyes. She could see his lips pressed together.
"I told her you demanded we pack," Sansa said, "and… and I asked her to speak to you so that I may stay." Sansa stepped forward, "I'm sorry, Father… I am to blame as well… and…"
"You are just a child Sansa," Ned replied with a gentle smile, "you are just a child… and… I can not fault you for anything. What happened has happened, and there is nothing we can do."
"I can seek justice for you, Father," Sansa said, "I…"
"Sansa," Ned said, "I cannot begin to understand what you have become, I…"
"I have made a choice, Father," Sansa countered, "I was a child, and now… now I want to be justice. I want justice for you… you were betrayed, and…"
"Sansa."
"Father," Sansa interrupted, "I want to seek justice for you… I… I know I must feed on blood to survive and… and I…" She then shook her head before saying what she thought Ned was thinking, "I… I don't want to be a monster…"
"You are not a monster," Ned said with conviction in his voice, "Sansa, you are no monster… you are my daughter."
"I killed the two Silent Sisters," she said with a look of regret, "and I… I am sorry for that I… I was hungry."
Ned nodded his head before saying, "Sansa, I cannot understand this hunger you must have felt. It must have been…"
"Excruciating hunger, Father," Sansa said.
"I have seen what the Knight did to you," Ned whispered, "II would have killed him too if I could."
"Father, I will feed on those who hurt our family," Sansa said as she raised her arms and rolled her hands into fists, "Cersei, Joffrey, Ser Boros… they all hurt me and betrayed you. They will pay, Father. I will find Ice, collect it, and then return it to Robb."
Ned nodded his head. Sansa saw that he opened his mouth, but then he quickly shut his lips and said, "I will trust you to not harm any Northerners unless it is deserved." Sansa nodded her head before he continued, "and only with insight from Robb."
"I am sure Robb, Mother, and the other Northerners will be surprised by my change."
"I would suggest only revealing your changes to your mother and Robb… at least for now," Ned said. And Sansa nodded her head. She knew Ned was correct, the other Northerners may not immediately accept her 'changes' but she was hopeful her mother and Robb would accept it a little more easily. It was then that Ned continued, "I want you to tell Robb to return to the North. Tell him to stop and call for Lord Howland Reed once all of you reach the Neck."
"Lord Reed?"
"Perhaps he would have some information on your changes," Ned said before hesitating for a moment. Sansa had a quizzical look on her face before Ned closed his eyes and shook his head. He opened his eyes and stared at Sansa before saying, "and… and tell him that it is time you, Robb, and your mother know the truth about the joyful tower and the blue winter rose."
"Father?" Sansa asked confused, "what do you mean…"
"Howland will know," Ned said, "and… and tell your mother that I am sorry. Sorry for everything."
"Father…" Sansa said just as Ned started to slowly fade in and out of her sight, "what is happening?"
"I remained here far from my bones out of concern for you, Sansa," Ned said with a sad smile on his face, "you… you now have the ability to look after yourself. You have abilities to protect yourself, I… there is a part of me that realizes I am not needed here any longer."
"No… you.. you are wrong," Sansa said as she stepped forward, reaching out for her father once again, "I need you here… and…"
"I will be waiting for you in Winterfell," Ned said as he faded slightly… his body nearly transparent, "along with our ancestors… including your Grandfather Rickard and Grandmother Lyarra, as well as your Uncle Brandon and Aunt Lyanna."
"Father…"
"If I know Tywin," Ned spoke coming into view once again as if he were a solid figure, "he would have no use for a Valyrian steel greatsword… but if he could find someone who knows how to reforge Valyrian steel…"
"Is there such a person?"
Ned started to fade once again, "find a man named Tobho Mott in the Street of Steel… he is someone I have heard who is able to work with Valyrian steel. His shop is at the top of the Street of Steel and is larger than all the buildings there. Search for the doubledoors that have two stone knights on either side guarding the entrance – both wearing red suits of armour with a griffin on one and an unicorn on the other."
"And if I fail?"
"You will not," Ned smiled as he started to vanish once again, "you will find Ice, and then you seek justice. After you have completed your tasks, go North. Find Robb, and tell him to take the Kingslayer and return to the North."
"I will, Father," Sansa whispered as Ned started to truly fade, "I… I love you. And… and I miss you."
"I love you, Sansa," Ned smiled before he vanished. The passageway was completely empty as Sansa found herself alone once again. Shaking her head, she turned around, a cool draft brushing against her skin. She rushed along down the passageway while repeating the mental list of people she needed to punish, 'Cercei, Joffrey, Illyn Payne… there will be more… there will be more. All those who betrayed us will pay for their crimes.' Her first task was to locate and then retrieve Ice, but first she needed to find a less conspicuous dress once she finds a way out of the passage.
'One step at a time,' Sansa thought to herself, 'one step at a time.'
TBC.