The Little Bird and The Red Viper

The Feast

Sansa walks through the hall to the drias where Tyrion, Oberyn, Joffery, Cersei, Tommon and Tywin are sat. She feels eyes burning in to her back as she curtisies and takes her seat beetween her betrothed and Tyrion who is sat at the end of the table. He is wearing his house colours with a embroidered sun on his breast over his heart.

Oberyn wears a look of distain on his face Sansa knows it is because of Tywin being here. He is as trapped as I am. She realises. She looks at him for a moment, his jaw is cleched and he is extremely tense. As a sign of comfort she places her hand over his and goves it a light squeeze. He looks to their hands then to her. She smiles a reassuring smile at him.

Sansa sees something in his eyes is it love or lust? Either will do to get her away from here and to Dorne. She will give him children and he will give her kindness and safety. The bard begins to start up playing The Reynes of Castamere. A song the Lannisters love to have played at court. They think it makes them look powerful and strong but it makes them petty. Sansa thinks as she lets go of Oberyns hand.

The servants bring in roasted boar, duck, venison and various vegetables. Sansas mouth waters at the sight of the food. Then the sweet food is brought out, it had been so long since she had had lemoncakes it makes her stomach rumble. She chooses to have a small amount of duck, buttered potatoes and carrots. She eats it in silence as the bard plays The Bear and the Maiden Fair. The music stops and Sansa hears Joff get up. She immediately stops eating and looks over to him.

"The usurpers have been crushed. Robb of House Stark has been killed by our loyal friend from the Twins." His vicious green eyes connect with hers. She feels sick as he smirks. "It is cause to celebrate. But first I have a gift for my old betrothed Sansa of House Stark." He nods to a guard and the door opens to reveal two servants pulling a cart with four wolf carcasses within it, two full grown and two pups. Two other servants hold spikes with wolf heads impaled upon them.

All of the wolves had been lined up to show off their wounds. The two bigger had arrows in them while the two pups had their heads removed and were being carried on a spike. Sansa feels her food about to come back up but she forces it down. Thats when she sees the Stark banner has been placed in the cart. She steels herself as all eyes go to her. She wants to weep but she will not allow them to see her tears again. "I thank you, Your Grace. They will make some lovely cloaks." She manages to say in a voice devoid of all emotion.

"You will not have them made in to any cloak, they will remain as they are so you remember what happens to traitors." His voice is full of spite. Sansa looks down at her half empty plate as Tyrion shouts to the servants. "Get those out of here right now!" His voice is so loud it echos as King Roberts did. "No they will stay here." Joff commands to the servants his face as red as the Lannister banner behind him. "Take them away." Lord Tywins authoritative voice orders. The servants do as they are told, they quickly hurry out with the cart tow.

Sansa can not help but remember the last time Tyrion had spoken up to Joffery on her behalf. He stopped the guards from beating me now he has stopped Joff from hurting me more. She thinks as she glances at the dwarf, he may be misshapen, twisted and ugly but he is the best of the Lannisters. Sansa pushes away her food and sips a cup of Dornish Red. The sweetness of the wine explodes in her mouth and leaves an strange aftertaste on her tongue.

The music resumes and chatter soon begins again. She catches Mace Tyrell looks up at her and Oberyn. They were to be my new family, they feel robbed of a prize. Sansa blushes and sips her wine. She sees Margeary sat beside her father, she does not look up at Sansa. Her attentions are on the King, she is ever the blushing maiden. It will not last long with Joff as her husband. Memories of her time as his betrothed come back to her.

Oberyn smiles at her but he empties his cup of wine. Is he dreading our marriage? She worries for what her life may be like as his wife. She turns to him "How is life in Dorne, Prince Oberyn?" His dark mysterious eyes look in to hers. "It is glorious, you will enjoy it there." "Will I meet your daughters?" Sansa says. She sees a humorous glint in his eyes. "If you wish to." "I do." She says without a thought. All Sansa wants is her home and her family, even if it is new.

"I hear The Water Gardens are beautiful." Tyrion says to her. "They were built for a Targaryen bride, to give her comfort from the heat." She vaguely knows the tale of Daenerys Targaryen. Her marriage caused a war that killed so many, she loved her half brother Daemon Blackfyre and he had loved her but she had wed a Martell just as Sansa is going to. "Her name was Daenerys, her brother Daeron The Good brought Dorne in to the Seven Kingdoms." She says remembering when she had first learnt that she dreamed of a love that strong, she thought she had found it when she met Joff but she was so very wrong.

"I had no idea you had learnt so much of our history." Oberyn states. She looks from Tyrion to Oberyn, "Stories of the past are how we learn, my prince." She replies immediately. Sansa feels an intensity in his eyes, it unnerves her but she remains strong. "We never learn from the past." Tyrion says his voice quiet. "It haunts us." Sansa wonders what may haunt the dwarf. "Pray excuse me I am feeling tired and want to retire for the night." She stands and Oberyn does the same.

He offers his hand to her and takes her to her chambers. She plants a kiss upon his cheek and enters her chambers. Sansas handmaiden undoes her beautiful gown and lets it fall to the floor. She pulls on her nightgown and gets in to bed as the handmaiden leaves. Sansa lies down and closes her eyes. She sees that cruel smile of Joff, the arrow filled Robb and her mother, the heads of Bran and little Rickon. Joffs loud laughing echoes in her head as she is forced to look at them.