Author's Notes: Hey everyone, I hope you had a merry Christmas and that you enjoyed the last chapter. As always I own nothing.
For a moment Sansa just stared at Nymeria for a moment without speaking, she felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her. Arya was alive! Her sister was alive! She could scarcely believe it, she was not sure what to think, and she felt a mixture of joy and anxiety. Joy that her sister was still alive and anxiety that something might happen to her and if she was honest with herself, there was more. She and Arya had not parted on good terms if she knew of Sansa's stupidity she would surely hate her. Thinking that made Sansa reluctant to contact with Arya, even if she could.
Any letter that she should write would almost certainly be read by the Martel's maester before it was sent and the Eyrie was so far away, that thought made her pause. Yes, it was far away and proving someone was or was not there difficult. She had only Nymeria's word that her sister was there at all, for all Sansa knew Arya was dead and this was some sort of trick. The Queen had played a similar trick on her, sweet words and telling her things that she wished to hear and then betraying her after Sansa had confided in her. No, she would not make the mistake of trusting so easily again. She calmed her breathing and forced a smile to her face.
"Thank you so very much, it is most kind of you to tell me. Did the message say how she left King's Landing and made her way to the Eyrie? It is rather a long way."
"I am afraid that the message was a little short on details, though it did mention that she was apparently traveling with the Hound, the late King Joffrey's dog."
Sansa remembered the Hound, how he had offered to take her with him when he had left the city and how often she wished that she had gone with him. Still, it seemed fantastic that her sister would agree to travel with the Hound, she still hated him for what he had done to the Mycah butcher's boy. The Hound could force her to go with him of course but surely he would never do such a brutal thing. So it seemed more and more likely that this whole story was a façade, intended to deceive her and this time she would not play the fool so easily again. No, she would play along but she would not so easily fall for such a thing again. No, she would find a way to discover the truth or falsehood of what she had been told. And if it turned out that she was indeed being lied to she would find out who was involved and what game they were playing.
"Are you alright?" Nymeria asked, reminding Sansa of her presence. Which reminded Sansa that she would have to be careful to ensure that she did not let it slip that she was suspicious of her hosts.
"I am quite alright, thank you, I am just surprised I suppose.
"I must confess I am as well, by you. If it were one of my sisters I would not be able to contain myself." She paused for a moment and when she spoke again it was in a mock serious manner. "Well, there are one or two of them I might be inclined to show restraint about."
"Oh, I am very pleased and excited." Sansa assured her. "It is just that this is so sudden it has quite taken me by surprise. I am not quite sure quite how to react." Before Nymeria could respond they heard the sound of Elia returning. Sansa looked at the approaching figure and wondered if the other girl was in on the scheme as well, if scheme it was. She hoped not, Elia had been a good friend and had gone a long way to making her stay in Dorn pleasant. But she had also thought of Joffery as a friend, indeed she had thought that she had loved him till he revealed his true nature. She now knew that people could not be trusted simply because they were nice to her, she would have to keep her guard up around Elia as well. The subject was dropped when Elia reached them and was not brought up again. They reached the Water Gardens around noon the next day.
Author's Notes: Hey everyone I hope you liked this chapter. As you can see she is learning, sort of. Till next time please pray for the woman sentenced to death in Pakistan for being a Christian and all others who need it and may Jesus bless you.