The Little Bird and The Red Viper

The Godswood

It had been a week since Oberyn had arrived in Kingslanding. Sansa had heard talk of the wedding, some wondered where it will take place she was one of them. Joff would want to be there she knew. She kneels in the Godswood. She prays for the wedding to be in Dorne far away from the Lannisters. Joff will not allow me to go that easily. Her thoughts are interrupted when she hears footsteps behind her, Sansas stomach drops to her and she spins around to see Oberyn.

She relaxs and stands up to greet him. "Prince Oberyn." He offers his arm to her. "Princess Sansa, you worship the Old Gods?" She puts her arm through his and they begin to walk away from the stump of the Weirwood. "I worship both. When I was a child in Winterfell I prayed with my father in the Godswood and my mother in the Sept." She says with sadness in her voice. Both of her parents were dead and she was not a child but a woman.

"In Dorne we follow the Faith not the Old Gods of the North." He looks at her for a moment. "Tell me how was life in Winterfell." She thinks of her answer, a million words came to mind each better than the last. "It was a better time, it matters not." She says, if Joff hears of this he will not be happy. She thinks. "Things will be better in Dorne. You will not need to worry about the boy king." He spits the words. "When will we be going to Dorne?" "In a few days. I have made the arrangements, you will need to pack your things right away."

Sansa cannot help but smile. "I will do so right away." "Good we can soon be away from this place." She thinks of the tales she has heard of him. "How many daughters do you have?" She asks. "I have eight. Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, Sarella, Elia, Dorea, Obella and Loreza. You are almost of age with my Elia, she is half horse half girl." Sansa feels colour drain from her face. She remembers Harwin telling her father how Arya was half horse and half wolf. Tears come to her eyes, she looks up at the blue sky and does not allow them to fall.

"I have upset you?" Oberyn asks his voice thick with an accent. "My sister Arya. She was often called half a horse and half a wolf. She disappeared when my father died, she is probably dead." He stops, turns to her and takes her hands in his. His eyes have a dark sadness within them Sansa observes. "She may be alive. The world is full of surprises." She whispers "Aye like the Red Wedding." She looks away embarrassed by her own recklessness.

He puts his hand on her chin and turns her face to his. Oberyn pulls her in for a kiss, their lips touch slightly and Sansa blushes. He breaks the kiss, for a moment he looks in to her eyes. "I had something made for you. It's from Dorne." He holds a pendant in his hand, Sansa looks at it and to her surprise it has a growling wolf engraved on it. She smiles, thinking of Lady and how Arya had run off with her and Nymeria. She had loosed them in the woods at the Trident. Cersei had betrayed me when she called for Lady's head. "I love it. You have my thanks."

She forgets herself and wraps her arms around his chest. He is taken aback by it. He soon relaxs in to it and they hug each other for a few moments. Sansa turns around and Oberyn puts the necklace around her neck. She puts her hand on his cheek and smiles a true smile. She cannot think of a way to thank him other than give her life to him. She feels a feeling she hadn't felt since Joff made her remain at court after he cast her aside, she was hopeful for the future. Sansa holds back the desire to pinch herself awake.

Oberyn looks at her for a moment. "You are a beautiful woman, we do not get many women with gorgeous red hair." She blushes a violent crimson colour. "Thank you, Prince Oberyn." She feels like a Wolf of the North as see now wears the Stark sigil again. I am the daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Cayelyn Tully, I am a daughter of the North and of the Wolves. "I haven't worn this sigil since my father..." She trails off. "Your father was a good man, he had honour." "Did you ever meet him?" She looks at him. "No, I heard tales of him. I'll tell you them one day." Sansa smiles at the honour of her father.

"I would like that, Prince Oberyn." She thinks of the wolf her father had gifted as they walk back to the entrance of the Godswood. "When we marry will I get to visit the Riverlands?" He looks at her for what seems like a long time. "The Riverlands are dangerous as the war is just ending so maybe in a year or two." Her heart sinks she wants to brush Ladys fur and tell her how much she has missed her. "You wish to visit Riverrun?" "No. My wolf is out there." He looks over to her incredulously. "You have a wolf?" "Aye. A direwolf, she's called Lady. Aryas wolf bit King Joffery, she snuck our wolves out of the camp and let them loose. Queen Cersei wanted them killed but no one could find them."

"Would you be able to find the wolves?" "Aye, I believe she would." The reach the exit of the Godswood. "I will escort you back to your room." Sansa smiles as he and his gaurds walk to her chambers. She speaks to him of the North, their ways and Winterfell. "Thank you for the necklace, Prince Oberyn." He gives her a smile full of mischief, it reminds Sansa of little Rickon and Arya so much it almist breaks her heart. "I do not need your thanks." He says quietly. "Rest well and be prepared to leave." He says before strolling away, those were the words Sansa had been waiting to hear for so long.

She opens the door of the chamber to see Joff sat on her bed with Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Boros Blout of the Kingsguard standing at the end of the bed. Joffs fair face is twisted with anger. Oh gods help me! she screams internally. "Your Grace, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?" She says in a voice so cold it could bring The Long Night again. "You are nothing but a treacherous whore!" He growls so deeply for a moment Sansa thinks he is a man grown but she knows he is just a boy playing at king. "I have done no treason I swear." She says tears coming to her eyes.

He stands up and begins to walk towards her. He always loved it when I cried. "You lying cunt. I saw you with that Martell prick." "But Your Grace I am bethrothed to him." She says wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her plum coloured gown. "You were to be mine first and you are going to be." "Aye, Your Grace she needs a real man, a Lannister man." Meryn Trant says with his emotionless face. "Please Your Grace. Don't do this." She says as terror fills her gut and she weeps. "Shut your mouth, you traitor." He snarls at her loudly. She does as she is told. Joff moves closer to her and she spins around, runs to the door, rips it open and runs for her life.

She hears Joff curse at her but she runs through the Red Keep until she is stopped by The Great Lion of Lannister himself with two Lannister guards sanding beside him. She smashes in to one of the guards and almost knocks him off his feet. "Lady Sansa, what in the Seven Hells are you doing running like that?" His voice sounds from nehind the guards. Sansa is mortified by her lack of curtesies. "Pray forgive me, my lord. I..." She looks in to those cold, light, hard eyes and feels like she is something he had trodden in. "His Grace scared me. I apologise, my lord." She drops her head so she is looking at the floor. "How did he scare you?" He almost commands in his cold voice that matches the coldness in his eyes, if it had been anyone else she would have sworn that there was a mocking humour to the statement.

"He came to my chambers, he called me a whore and swore to treat me as such unwillingly." Her voice is sof, quiet and full of shame. If he takes sympathy he may keep Joff away she thinks but then she remembers Elia Martell and The Mountain. Her hope fades away like mist ixxn the morning sun. She keeps her head bowed to him as he sighs loudly. "Guards escort Lady Sansa to her bed chambers. Make sure to look around within for His Grace. He is to be kept from her until she leaves for Dorne." He says "Pick your head up girl." She does as commanded. His face is not soft as her fathers was when he looked at her but it was not as stern as before. He brought it. She thinks as she looks at the Lannister that is responsible for Cersei, Jamie and Tyrion.

She remains outside her chamber door as one guard enters. She is ushered inside and left alone. She fears that Joff will return and she will be helpless against his men. He will not let Oberyn have my maidenhead. She realises feeling terror grow in her stomach. Sansa sits on her windowseat looking out remembering before Kingslanding, before King Robert came to Winterfell. When she, Arya and Jeyne would run play in the Godswood together before the eyes of the heart tree. Arya pushed me in the pool so I dragged her in with me.

Sansa can't help but smile at the memory of those happier times. I was a foolish child back then but not anymore I am Robbs heir I am no child anymore. The pendant around her neck reminds her of all that she had lost and all that she can gain a home and a family. They will know pain one day, they all will. The thought should make her happy but it leaves a bitter taste in her mouth. Father didn't want Rheagars children to die so I can not want any of the Lannisters children to die, despite how awful they are. Vengeance was not what she seeks never was, never will be. All Sansa seeks is home.