Author's Notes: Hello all, sorry that it has been so long since I updated. Am rather upset by last episode, spoiler that didn't in the books and I hope it will not. I was tempted to call it in with the show but I knew that I wouldn't and I am sure I am not alone. So onward my fellow suffers, as always I own nothing. SPOILERS from the books.
A servant came to Sansa in the morning to tell her that Brienne had awakened. Sansa had fallen asleep leaning on Tyrion and she had to carefully disentangle herself and lay him gently on the bed, careful not to wake him. He, as usual, was a heavy sleeper and did not waken at the movement. This done, Sansa slipped quietly from the room and followed the servant. As they walked to where Brienne lay Sansa was joined by Elia Sand, who fell in beside her.
"Your bodyguard is awake I am told." She said and Sansa nodded in the affirmative.
"Has there been any word on the hunt?" Elia shook her head.
"Ravens have been to the other lords telling them to be ready with their men in case they are needed. If Sir Dayne has fled to High Hermitage then my uncle does not have enough men here to lay siege to it. Uncle has sent out riders but so far no one has seen Dayne since the attack." Nothing more was said as they walked to Brienne's room.
Brienne was fully awake and sitting up, propped up on several pillows. Where she had been wounded on her face had been stitched up and would clearly leave a scare when it had healed. She tried to rise when she saw Sansa entering but Sansa rushed to press her back down.
"Are you injured my lady?" Brienne asked, anxiety in her voice.
"I am fine." Sansa assured her. "It is you who were injured." The larger woman shrugged.
"I am sworn to defend you my lady. Besides, it is not as if a scar is going to make me any uglier." This last was said with a trace of bitterness. She reached to scratch at the scare, which was clearly inching. Without thinking Sansa sat down beside the bed and dipped a cloth in a bowl of water. Wringing this out she began to dab at the injury. Once, when she had been a child in Winterfell, she would have never have dreamed of doing something like this for anyone, let alone a mere bodyguard. But she had changed, blood no longer bothered her and her suffering had made her more willing to feel for the suffering of those close to her. Her thoughts were interrupted by Elia interjecting into the conversation.
"Nonsense." She said in an insistent tone of voice. "My father has always maintained that scars were far better beauty marks for a woman than some mole. In fact, when he hears what happened and he returns home, I would not be surprised if he insists on bedding you." Brienne flushed, which highlighted her new scars.
"My lady," Brienne said, turning to look directly at Sansa; "Promise me that you will not go out till I am healed enough to accompany you about. That man was trying to accomplish something and he did not strike me as the kind who will give up till he succeeds."
"I wouldn't worry about him." Elia interjected again. "All of Dorne is being raised against him. I wouldn't be surprised if Father himself doesn't come home to take Dayne's head himself. I believe that he has wanted to do so for some time."
"Would that he had done so sooner." Sansa said, thinking of Sir Oakheart. Elia left soon afterwards, though Sansa stayed until a maester came and gave Brienne a draught of milk of the poppy and she soon drifted off to sleep and Sansa departed.
Sansa kept to her promise to remain within the Water Gardens while Brienne recovered from her injuries. The initial excitement after the attack burned for a few days and then gradually died down. Ravens came from High Hermitage denying that Sir Dayne was there, although these were regarded with skepticism till riders that Prince Doran had sent there confirmed that he was not there and no one seemed to have any idea where he had gone. While they considered what was to be done, ravens began to arrive from King's Landing.
Prince Doran had, of course, sent a raven there telling what had happened. Prince Oberyn wrote that Cersei had demanded that King Tommen nullify the engagement between Myrcella and Trystane, saying that Dorne was clearly in a state of unrest and no place for a member of the Royal Family. Tommen, apparently, had been prepared to order it when the Hand of the King, his grandfather Lord Tywin, insisted that the King keep the engagement. The message did insist that a member of the King's Guard be sent to replace Sir Oakheart, though it was not certain word had it that the one sent would be Sir Jamie. While it was surprising that the commander of the King's Guard be sent, he was Myrcella's uncle and it was known that Lord Tywin was angry with him at the moment, though people were not sure why. There were other news and rumors as well.
Though distance and the time it took to reach them may have effected their authenticity, news and rumors floated down from the Wall. There were reports of a great battle at the Wall, but the details were confusing, with some saying that the Night's Watch had been fighting the Wildlings while others said that they had been fighting someone or something far worse. The reports about the outcome were just as confusing, some said that the Night's Watch had been defeated, while others said that they had been victorious. Still others said that Stannis Baratheon had come to their aid, though why he would do such a thing since he had reportedly not left Dragon Stone since his defeat at the Battle of the Black Water. Privately Tyrion informed Sansa that the latter reports were accurate, according to a message that he had received from Lord Varys, though he also was confused as to Stannis' motivation. Nor did the news end there.
In another message Lord Varys confirmed what Nymeria had told Sansa earlier, that Arya was indeed alive and at the Vale. Apparently the Hound had come to the Eyre and ransomed Arya for a thousand golden dragons. After she had gone into the Vale there had been little word about her, apparently even the Master of Whispers had difficulty getting news from the Eyre, this state of affairs apparently had not sat well with Tywin, who apparently feared that Arya could be used by Stannis. The Baratheon claimant had indeed gone north, since his defeat at the Black Water he seemed to have rebuilt much of his strength.
Whatever it was that he had done at the Wall had won him much support from the Northern lords. Among them had been House Umber, led by Greatjon, who had made his way back to his own lands and rallied his house, though many of them had fallen at the Red Wedding and its strength was much reduced. At first it had been feared that Stannis would march south to make another effort to claim the Iron Throne again, but it appeared that he would be in the North for some time. It seemed that he, at least for the time being, was working on strengthening his hold on the North. The reports indicated that he was heading towards Deepwood Motte to retake it from the Ironborn. Should he succeed then he could win the support of the ancestral holders of Deepwood, House Glover, further strengthening his hold on the North. This news pleased Sansa, she had no particular like or dislike for the Baratheon, at the Battle of Black Water she had wanted him to win simply so he could kill Lannisters and hopefully return her to her family in order to win their favor. Now her family was mostly dead and it seemed that Stannis already had the North, meaning that he had no need for her anymore, so she was not sure where she would stand in a Westeros ruled by Stannis, though she was happy to hear that treacherous Ironborn were being driven from the land that she had been born in.
The news had not all been to her liking, however. It seemed that the new head of House Frey, Aenys Frey, had at last succeeded in the siege of Riverrun. Despite the best efforts of her uncle, Edmure Tully and his own uncle, Brynden Tully, the Blackfish. Though they had held out longer than expected, at last the Freys and the forces that the Lannisters had sent to aid them broke into Riverrun. Many had been slain or taken but both Tullys had made good their escape with some of their men. Edmure had taken most of these and was reportedly headed north, though wither he was going to join Stannis or to another of his lords' castles was unknown, though the former seemed more likely as most of the lords of the river lands had bent the knee after the fall of Riverrun. The Blackfish, on the other hand, had taken to the wilds and was waging a hit-and-run campaign against the Frey and Lannister forces.
Sansa, who had lost much of her faith after what had happened to her family, found herself in the sept in the Water Gardens praying for her uncle and great uncle. In addition to the traditional prayers, she also offered prayers to the Stranger, that he would overlook them and go after their foes instead. Since she had begun her efforts at revenge she no longer found the Stranger to be frightening, as she had as a child, indeed his embrace could almost be seen as comforting. Then something happened that chased all such thoughts from her mind.
One night after dinner Sansa and Tyrion retired to their rooms for the night, Sansa lay down on the bed and a moment later Tyrion joined her. Since the night when Sansa had fallen asleep on Tyrion's shoulder they had wordlessly taken to sleeping in the bed together, though they slept in their nightclothes and had not gone farther than that. After settling in Tyrion turned to her and spoke to her in the darkness.
"I received another raven from King's Landing today." At his words Sansa went cold, terrified at the thought of going back to the city.
"What did it say?" She asked, forcing herself to remain calm.
"Actually it was about your sister, Arya. It was also about your aunt, Lady Lysa Arryn of the Vale." here his voice took on a tone of distinct dislike. He had never told her all of the details but she did know that something had happened between the two of them that left her husband bitter whenever the subject came up. "It seems," he said continuing on; "That your aunt has betrothed her son, your cousin Robin Arryn, to your sister, whom she has taken as ward."
Sansa was surprised, she had never met her cousin but she had heard her father and mother mention him. He was said to be sickly child and she had once heard Tyrion mention that when he had been in the Vale he had seen the boy feeding from his mother's breast though he was well past the age that people did that. Sansa could not see her sister demurely marry and submitting to someone like that. More likely bash him over the head with stick or something similarly unladylike. Though it was dark Tyrion seemed to have sensed her mood as he laughed sardonically.
"Indeed, I only met both of them once, at Winterfell and the Vale, but I can see your sister reacting about as well as my sister did when Father announced that she was to marry Sir Loras Tyrell. Regardless, the betrothal has been announced.
"Father is apparently less than pleased. Your aunt stayed out of the war despite repeated calls to do sent soldiers. Not to mention the matter of her imprisoning me unjustly." This last bit was said in a stage mutter. "However; Father apparently is not of the opinion that a war with the Vale would be well-advised at this time. He apparently hoping to use this marriage to sway the Northern lords from Stannis to the Vale through this marriage and through the Vale to either King's Landing or at least neutrality. The former would be better for Father but I am sure he would settle for the latter."
"So what does this have to do with us?" Sansa asked.
"It seems that Father, in his infinite wisdom, has decided that we should be the ones to make the case. He seems to hope that you will be able to win your sister over. I think he knows your cousin as well as we do. So, how do you feel about a journey to the Vale?"
Author's Notes: Hey everyone I hope you liked it, a I said, spoilers from the book, I am going off of what Stannis did in the books and there was, so far, no burning of princess going on in the books. Hopefully that was just something for the show, Martin seeing how folks would react before putting it in the book. Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? Please let me know. Till next time please pray for the two Christian pastors in Sudan under threat of death because of their faith, the woman in Pakistan in the same situation and all who need prayers. Bye and may Jesus bless you.