DAGGERS TO THE HEART Part 2 - CLASH OF THE KINGS

Sansa IV

WARNING FOR GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. IF YOU WISH TO SKIP THAT PART, SCROLL DOWN TO ***

Behind her, a rustle stirred the stillness, pricking Sansa's senses with alertness. Halting in her steps, she pivoted, half-expecting the familiar sight of one of the direwolves, yet found nothing but the quietness of the woods. Likely just a woodland creature, she reassured herself. Continuing onward, her gaze fixed on the path before her, ensuring her footing remained steady, she suddenly felt a gloved hand clamp over her mouth, another encircling her waist.

"Now that's a good girl. Don't say a word. We don't want anyone to hear you, do we?" The voice, though known to her, sent shivers racing down her spine.

Fear surged within her, a torrent of apprehension flooding her veins. What did he intend? Beat her? Rape her? Kill her? Flay her? At least as his wife, he had restrictions for his own gain. Out here, he was murdering people. The possibilities, each more gruesome than the last, flashed through her mind. As his wife, she had at least some semblance of protection, but here, amidst the shadows of the wilderness, he held sway, a predator unleashed.

"Aren't you a vision, my dear?" Even his words dripped with menace, the foul odour of him assaulting her senses. Blood and sweat, a reminder of the darkness that lurked within him. She had barely recovered from his prior torment, thanks to Jon's intervention, and now, he had returned. She prayed fervently that her loyal men would soon arrive and arrest him as planned.

Sansa knew she had to act, to resist. Concealed beneath her sleeve lay a dagger, placed with forethought for just such an eventuality. The notion of his capture had been a calculated contingency, even a hope. She had envisioned herself brave in the face of his return. Yet, as his presence loomed over her, panic threatened to consume her, especially with the distant baying of his hounds echoing through the woods.

Ramsay's knee jabbed into her back, the force nearly expelling the breath from her lungs. "Even if you were to scream, my dear, I doubt your men would come running to your aid. Most of them are under my command now. Those few loyal to House Stark? Dead, all of them," he hissed, his voice a venomous whisper in her ear. "My men made sure of it, and my hounds finished them off. They're probably still enjoying the spoils as we speak. But fear not, my dear Sansa, you won't be joining them in their feast today. Such a shame, really. Sansa is such a lovely name. I had half a mind to name one of my bitches, Sansa. Alas, I have my orders, strict ones at that."

Sansa couldn't decipher whether this revelation offered any solace. True, she wouldn't meet her end on a pike or as fodder for his hounds. Yet, the thought of enduring further brutality at his hands lingered like a shadow over her.

Tugging at her hair elicited a sharp pang in her skull as Ramsay released his grip on her mouth and dragged her towards the dense thicket of trees. Panic surged within her. Was this the moment? Would he defile her, leaving her with no choice but to seek refuge within Lady's consciousness? The thought of consuming moon tea to expunge any unwanted consequences flickered through her mind. She had honed her warging abilities, albeit crudely. She could linger within Lady's form for a time, so long as the direwolf remained idle by the fireside.

The absence of his hand over her mouth hinted at a lack of nearby listeners. Yet, what of Ser Barristan? Had Ramsay's reach extended even to him? The questions remained unspoken, buried beneath the weight of impending dread. She would endure, she decided, waiting until Ramsay had found whatever twisted pleasure he wanted from her.

Dark soldier pines loomed overhead, blocking out the grey skies above, a sombre backdrop to Ramsay's evil intentions. He yanked her away from prying eyes, swiftly gagging her and binding her hands tightly behind her back, followed by securing her ankles together. It was during this manoeuvrer that his hand encountered the concealed dagger within her sleeve.