Author's Notes: Hey everyone, glad to see that you all liked the last chapter and as promised this one will be longer. As always I own nothing.
After Tyrion had left, accompanied by Podrick, Sansa found herself alone with Brienne. She turned to look at her champion, who stood in silence between her and the door. Sansa had inferred that she would tell Brienne and she felt honor bound to tell and keep her word. So she gathered herself and began to speak.
"I do not know for sure what exactly it is I do or how I do it." She then preceded to tell about her dream of Lady and of her mastery of her abilities. She did not tell Brienne about her vow for vengeance or of her other kills, she was not ready to reveal all of that just yet. As she did not tell of the others she was sure that Brienne thought that Clogane was the first time she controlled a human, a belief that would appear to be justified by the fact that she had been unable to fully control him. Sansa felt bad for deceiving her but she had learned the folly of trusting to readily, the last time she had done that her father had died.
"It is a most unusual gift that you have, though I think that I remember hearing stories of such things when I was a child." Briennes said when Sansa finished talking, Sansa nodded, feeling just a trifle uneasy. Old Nan had told stories of skinchangers when they were all still at Winterfell, men who could become animals. Brann had always loved them but they had always made Sansa shiver. She remembered Nan saying that one could never tell where the man ended and the animal began. She remembered when she was first learning to use her abilities she had become so enraptured with flying that she had nearly forgotten all else. She did not like the thought of losing herself to an animal.
"Yes, I think I might have heard stories like that myself." She said simply. Shortly thereafter Tyrion returned and to her relief the subject was dropped.
They remained in King's Landing for another week before they departed. It seemed like a lifetime to Sansa, everywhere she looked she saw assassins. Every time she ate or drank she found herself trying to detect to taste of poison in her food and drink. At night, while Tyrion slept and Brienne kept watch, Sansa found that she could not sleep well or for long and often found herself sliding into the cats and rodents that wandered the castle and using them to watch the corridors leading to their rooms. She even controlled owls to watch for assassins climbing to their windows.
At last, the time for them to depart arrived. With the aid of Prince Oberyn they had secured passage on a Dorinsh trading cog on its way home after delivering its cargo of wine to the capitol. The ship was designed to transport cargo and not passengers and so the conditions were far from ideal for the four of them and Sansa, Tyrion, Brienne and Podrick ended up having to share a rather cramped cabin for the journey. Sansa did not mind too much, it was rather uncomfortable but if it got her away from King's Landing she was willing to endure it, though she spent as much time on deck as she could. She loved to stare out at the waves and watch the fish. Especially the large ones that the crew told her were called dolphins who seemed to be following the ship and loved to jump flashing out of the water in front of the ship. Sansa had played with the idea of controlling one of them and seeing what lay beneath the surface but ultimately decided against it. The risk of discovery was too great and part of her feared going down into the lightless depths.
The ship made good time, for which Sansa was truly grateful. Apart from watching the fish the only form of entertainment was watching Podrick being seasick, something that never failed to amuse the crew. Tyrion seemed to spend the trip reading, though at times he would spend long periods of time staring out to sea deep in thought, when Sansa once asked what he was thinking about he simply said that he was thinking of the future, there seemed to be more to it but Sansa did not pry. Brienne spent her time, when she wasn't following Sansa around, practicing in a corner of the ship. When Sansa had asked about it Brienne had explained that she was practicing because the narrow confines meant that she could not use many of her usual moves that she used during combat.
They had been at sea for nearly a week, sailing along the coast when the captain announced that they were half way there, an announcement that Podrick greeted with uninhibited relief. Several days later the ship sat idly in the water, a sudden laps in the wind having left the ship becalmed. Sansa was on the deck staring out to sea when the cry went up from the lookout came, causing her to look up at him
"Sail Ho!" He cried, pointing toward the coast. Sansa followed his outstretched hand and saw a ship coming up from the coast and heading towards them. It had a low hull and its sails were raised. It was being propelled by a bank of oars on either side of the ship. The ship was making straight for them, its oars enabling her to move freely unlike the stranded cog. Beside Sansa someone cursed. Turning she saw that Tyrion had come up to stand beside.
"What is it?" She asked him, her feeling of unease increasing.
"Unless I am very much mistaken," he said in tone which suggested that he doubted he was; "That ship is full of pirates. With no wind we cannot hope to outrun them and while this is a tough bunch on this ship I doubt that they will be a match for that bunch coming towards us."
"Then what can we do?" She asked.
"Fight as hard as we can, pray and hope for the best."
"Then we are in trouble." Sansa said, so softly that Tyrion could not hear her as he hurried off to find the captain; "Because I don't pray anymore and I do not hope."
By now the whole crew knew of the ship approaching them. Cries of alarm echoed throughout the ship as the crew rushed to prepare, several looked desperately up at the sails but they still hung loosely. Sansa was heading back to her cabin where she could be out of everyone's way where suddenly Brienne was beside her. Though it was unlikely that one person, however formidable, could make much difference Sansa took comfort from the larger woman's bulk. Brienne had been advised to remove her heavy armor because if she were to be nocked overboard in fight it would take her straight to the bottom. She had responded that if the situation was so bad that she went over the side things would already be so bad that she wouldn't want to get back onboard anyway.
"We should to return to the cabin my lady." Brienne said, her voice muffled by her helmet. Sansa wanted to do exactly, to return to her cabin with her champion and stay there till it was all over. But that would not do.
"No, you stay here and help the crew. No," she said again, raising her hand as Brienne began to protest; "It is better this way. If the ship is taken we are lost. Even you cannot fight them all by yourself." Brienne hesitated for a moment and then nodded her assent and then paused.
"My lady…could you not use your…gift?" Sanas regretfully shook her head. That was a problem about being at sea, there was a lack of usable animals about and she doubted she would be able to effectively control over any of the pirates to do any good, as she turned to go Brienne stopped her and pressed a dagger into her hand. As she headed towards the cabin Tyrion emerged, carrying a crossbow and accompanied by Podrick who was armed with an axe. They exchanged looks but not words as she went into the cabin and the others took their places.
Sansa paced within the confines of the cabin, she felt disgusted with the thought of her being helpless. She hated being reminded about how powerless she was when she could not control the situation and strike when she chose to. Here, where everything was not under her control, she was practically helpless. Even her dwarf husband was of more use, he could at least use a crossbow. Her siblings, even her sister, could use a bow but she had never learned. She had been too busy with needle work and archery had seemed so terribly unladylike. She resolved then and there that if she lived through this she would take Prince Oberyn up on his offer to teach her about weapons.
She listened to the sounds of men shouting and the twangs and thuks of arrows and bolts being loosed. Before long there were the sounds of the pirates returning fire, thuds when their missiles struck wood and screams when they struck flesh. Soon there was great crash that shook the whole ship as the two vessels collided. Soon there was there sounds of battle, the clash of weapons and the cries of the wounded. Sansa felt like she had during the battle at King's Landing, though this was worse. Back then she could at least comfort herself with the thought that if they lost then Joffrey and the Queen would die as well, here there was no such comfort. It would only be her, Tyrion, whom she did not wish death on, and Brienne.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of something crashing against the barred door, the door shuddered but held. As more blows landed Sansa found herself growing strangely calm, if she was being attacked at least she could do something active rather than waiting for something to happen. After several more blows the door began to splinter and the head of an axe pocked through. As the door continued to splitter Sansa crouched, dagger in hand. Soon an arm reached in undid the bolt holding the door close. As an unfamiliar figure entered Sansa threw herself at him. She thrust at him repeatedly and gave him several cuts, screaming incoherently the whole time. Her attacker, however was not Joffrey, but an experienced fighter and a full-grown man. He backhanded her so forcefully that she flew several feet to crash into a wall and slumped to the ground, dazed and disoriented.
The pirate seemed to study Sansa for a moment then nodded in satisfaction and started to walk toward her. Before he could reach her Brienne, helmetless, was behind him. The cabin was too cramped for her to use her sword effectively so she improvised. She grabbed the pirate and threw him against the wall and then was on him again. She wrapped both of her large hands around his throat and squeezed. He struggled desperately but was no match for her strength and rage. Suddenly, with a sound like the breaking of a dry branch, his neck snapped and when Brienne let him go his head lolled at an odd angle. As Brienne rose she looked towards Sansa, her rage instantly turning to concern.
"Are you alright my lady?" She asked, worry filling her voice. Still feeling dazed and nauseous from the blow to her head Sansa nodded silently. Just then a cheer went up from the deck. The two exchanged looks but neither could tell which side was raising it. They then heard the sound of someone approaching the ruins of the door, quickly Brienne moved to impose herself between Sansa and whomever was coming. The figure who filled the doorway turned out to be Podrick. He looked exhausted and was holding his side, from which blood oozed, but he was smiling.
"It's over my ladies! The pirates are fleeing!"
"What?! Why?!" Brienne blurted out, saying exactly what Sansa was feeling.
"It was all Lord Tyrion's doing!" Podrick exclaimed. "The fighting was raging all around us when he saw the pirates' captain urging them on. Lord Tyrion sighted him in and put a bolt right through the man's eye and down he went! When they saw that the rest lost heart and fled back to their ship and pulled away!"
Seeing that the danger was passed they went out onto the deck. The much reduced ship's crew was ecstatic despite their losses. Some wept for joy, others pounded one another on the back and cheered while still others offered fervent prayers of thanksgiving to the Seven for their unforeseen deliverance. They sought out Tyrion who was the center of much congratulations from the crew. Feeling that he deserved it Sansa stooped down and kissed him on the cheek, not prepared to do anything more with so many looking on. Tyrion looked surprised and then pleased as the crew hooted their approval.
"A fine shot my lord." She told him as the crew turned to seeing to the wounded and trying to take advantage of the wind, which had at last returned. To her surprise he grinned rather sheepishly and then whispered in her ear.
"I thank you my lady, but in truth I was aiming at the man next to him."
Author's Notes: Hey everyone, I told you this one would be longer, I hope it was worth the wait. Yes I know dolphins are mammals but I doubt there are many marine biologists on board with Sansa. If the fight seems a bit rushed sorry not sure how to do it any other way as I wrote she is only truly effective when she strikes when she does so when she holds all of the cards. Anyway please let me know what a think in the reviews. Till next time please pray for all in need and sick, persecuted Christians, kidnapping victims and all who need it. Bye and may Jesus bless you all.