Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/4310661.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire_-_George_R._R._Martin
  Relationship:
      Tyrion_Lannister/Sansa_Stark, Joffrey_Baratheon/Sansa_Stark, Joffrey
      Baratheon/Margaery_Tyrell, Petyr_Baelish/Catelyn_Stark
  Character:
      Sansa_Stark, Tyrion_Lannister, Joffrey_Baratheon, Robb_Stark, Catelyn
      Tully_Stark
  Additional Tags:
      Hurt/Comfort, Rape_Recovery, Rape/Non-con_Elements, Violence, Sexual
      Violence, Explicit_Sexual_Content, Depression, Past_Abuse, Past_Torture,
      Recovery, Help, Dark, Alternate_Universe_-_Canon_Divergence, Eventual
      Happy_Ending, Not_Happy
  Stats:
      Published: 2015-07-10 Chapters: 3/3 Words: 10157
****** Human again ******
by Pellaeonthewingedlion
Summary
     A Very dark AU about Sansa and Tyrion
Notes
     I own nothing
***** Chapter 1 *****
Sansa knelt in front of the bed, only wearing her tiny nightgown, waiting for
her new husband. She assumed the position which Joffrey had beaten into her
long time ago. The last eight months she had been married to him, her own
personal hell. They married her to him, only a day after her father had been
killed by them, saying it would be necessary and that she had had to be the
good obedient girl. She had been too afraid to fight back, she had complied and
what she had gotten was pain. Joffrey had found it amusing to torture her,
first he had let the Kingsguard beaten her, when he had been bored by that he
had taken matters in his own hands; it hadn't ended during their whole
marriage.
She had thought it wouldn't ever end. Already at the first night when he first
had ravished her, a pain and humiliation she never would forget, he had beaten
her bloody afterwards, letting her lie weeping on the floor. He had broken her
ankles, her bones, had hit and bruised every inch of her body, every day during
the entire eight month. It had been particularly cruel after the Kingslayer had
died by the hands of her brother. But even a normal days had been unbearable,
she had lost all her will to fight back, had yield up to her fate of pain and
humiliation the by the hands of Joffrey.
But then the messenger had arrived, the King's uncle, Tyrion Lannister, who had
served his father during the war, would come to the city, to marry her.
The latest attack of Stannis Baratheon had been stroke back by Lord Tywin and
the Tyrell's army. The price for their help had been a marriage between Margery
Tyrell and the King so she could become Queen. Nobody had cared that Sansa was
Queen, even if in name only, in reality she had been Joffrey's plaything, to
beat and ravish as he pleased.
Their bond had been undone quickly by the High Septon; under the pretext she
would be barren, only because she wasn't pregnant after eight month. It had
hurt her deeply, she would have had bare a child but Joffrey only gave her
pain, how could her womb quicken under such circumstances, even with his seed?
And the gods' cruelty wasn't over; they had revealed to her that after the
marriage would be undone, she would not be killed. In the first moment she
thought she had gotten a chance to be free, the first tiny bit of hope since
months, but Tywin Lannister didn't want to lose her claim and so he had given
her to his only remaining son and heir. Maybe the death would have been more
merciful, but Lannister weren't.
She hadn't been able to fight back, she only could do what she did for so long,
doing what they demand, kneeling when he wrapped his cloak around her, not
weeping, kissing him, being the obedient girl, being what they demand.
And now, she awaited him, on her knees, waiting for him to pick up where
Joffrey stopped. But maybe she was lucky and his hits will be lighter than
Joffrey's.
The door opened and accompanied by the shouts of the court, participating at
the bedding ceremony, her new dwarf husband waddled into the room, fully
clothed.
Sansa lowered her head and waited for his orders, every muscle in her body
still aching from the 'proper goodbye' Joffrey had given her last night.
The marriage had been undone first thing in the morning, after the news about
Lord Tyrion's arrival today had a day prior, so Joffrey had used his last night
as her husband to do everything to her his sick mind could imagine. With a
cruel smile he ravished all entrances of her body, beating her everywhere
nobody would see, the Tyrells shouldn't see what he was until it was too late.
In the morning they undone the marriage and she had been brought into the Sept
where the dwarf already waited to marry her.
He had been in dirty clothed, he had not even bothered to change, he was ugly,
malformed and if Sansa had had any tears or feelings left she would have had
cried by his sight.
"My Lady, what are you doing?" She heard his deep voice in front of her, he
sounded puzzled. Sansa didn't dare to stand up or move. Joffrey had played this
game very often with her. She would look up unsolicited and he would hit her,
but not answering at a question had been even worst.
"Waiting for my Lord-Husband." She answered obedient and humble, only moving
her lips, not looking up.
"On the floor?" He stepped nearer to her and offered his hand. "Come on, let's
go to bed."
'Bed did he said bed?' She asked herself bewildered.
'A traitor's daughter deserves no bed' had been one of the first things Joffrey
had said to her after her first bedding, which had happened on the floor in
front of the bed.
Slapping her he had kicked her knees and forced her down on the floor,
demanding his right. Afterwards he had thrown her aside like a used
handkerchief. It had been the worst pain Sansa had ever felt, until then. He
had ordered her to sleep on the floor besides the bed, like a dog. He had never
allowed her in the bed. She always had been cold in the nights; they had only
allowed her a small blanked so she wouldn't be sick so soon.
In this position Joffrey could kick her awake in the mornings, demanding his
right again and Sansa had to follow.
Sansa had never expected it would be different any time in the future, she
hadn't even been allowed to have a cushion at a chair, but her new husband
offered her his hand, he was the first one since what felt like eternity.
She looked up and even saw something like an encouraging expression on his
face, maybe even a friendly smile, she couldn't tell because of his strange
features. To afraid to object, but still fearing a cruel joke, she took the
hand and rose to her feet. The small man bowed and gestured to the bed.
Insecure Sansa walked over to the bed and climbed on the mattress, she nearly
fell over when she tried to stabilize herself on the soft material, she wasn't
used to it any more.
Home in Winterfell, she might have slept in a warm soft bed but the last eight
month only the cold floor had been for her. Finding a firm hold she leaned
against the head board on a pillow, it was so soft she sunk into it. A small
memory of better times came to her mind until she felt the mattress bowing
under her new husband, he climbed beside her. Lying next to her he carefully
mustered Sansa, it made her uncomfortable.
"How are you my Lady?" Why did he asked how she was, why would he care? "I am
not sure what they told you about me, but be sure, I, for my part, am sure you
don't want this and I won't force you to do anything you don't want."
A trick! It had to be a trick, he only wanted an excuse to beat her, to blame
her for it, to feel superior, she knew that game and she wouldn't play it.
"I am your wife my Lord." She said determined and pulled her nightgown over her
head, showing him his new wife. "And this is our wedding-night." She looked at
him but she only found a shocked face, he starred at her and suddenly Sansa
knew why. He saw what Joffrey had done to her in the last night and the nights
before. But why was he so shocked? Why had he stopped? Joffrey never had
stopped because of her bruises, he had been proud of his doing. Lord Tyrion's
face slowly changed and a pitiful expression took the place of the shock, she
would have preferred the shock.
"My nephew?" He asked her, averting his eyes. Sansa nodded, she didn't know
what happened right now. Why didn't he already start? She knew Joffrey and his
cruelty wasn't normal but she didn't expect that anybody would care, especially
not a Lannister, to stop his desire for her body.
She knew how the court had reacted when they saw her after the first night with
Joffrey, when she ran to the Queen and the Septons for help. The Queen had only
told her she as woman had to endure it, because all men would be like that and
the Septons had said it would be the way of the world, natural order, it would
be her place to obey.
Nobody cared, no knights, no common men, all accepted what Joffrey had done,
nobody ever said a word, only the Hound had once raised his voice, but a single
word from Joffrey had silenced him forever and then he had disappeared during
the attack by Stannis.
She heard how Lord Tyrion sighted and closed her eyes, expecting him to oversee
his nephew's deed and claiming his right, but nothing followed.
Sansa heart rustling and then something soft and warm covered her body. When
she opened her eyes she saw him pulled a blanked over her, covering her nudity.
"Don't take me wrong Sansa, but not today." He said, clearly. "I won't do it
only because we are obligated to do it. Before anything else your bruises
should heal."
So the day had come, Joffrey destroyed her so much that even the ugly deformed
dwarf was disgusted by her. Sansa would have wept bitterly, if anything would
be left, but she had no tears.
But then she bethought herself, she laid in a warm bed, without fresh bruises,
or pain, or him moving brutally inside her, it seemed he even somehow cared for
her. She endured too much not to use the given opportunity; maybe tomorrow it
was all over again. So she cuddled in her blanked, she would be warm for the
first time in months, she soon experienced that nearer him it was even warmer,
so she crawled close to him and fell asleep.
                                     -##-
Waking up in the morning the first thing Sansa wondered about was why she felt
so warm. It was a shock for her. Had she crawled inadvertently into Joffrey's
bed again? She had done it once and he had broken her fingers as a punishment
for it. They never had healed properly, she still had crooked finger like a
claws. In addition to her punishment he had token her like a boy afterwards,
hurting her more than ever. Even worst was that he had liked it and he had
repeated it many nights, during the last days he only had done it that way. He
had found it amusing to hear her cry wind in pain.
But then she noticed that she didn't feel new bruises, or a sharp pain waking
her. She then remembered, she wasn't Joffrey's anymore and her new husband
allowed her to sleep in the bed.
Looking around she didn't found him, only a used sheet besides her and her
folded gown at the foot of the bed. Grabbing it she pulled the material over
her head. She thought about what happened.
Wasn't Lord Tyrion like his nephew, could it be that he was better, that he
won't enjoy torturing her?
Maybe, but she won't trust on it, not as long as she wasn't sure, he was a
Lannister, how could she?
But deep in her mind, in the part she had locked away for so long, the part who
wasn't broken to an obedient slave, the part who wanted to believe in white
knights and just Lords and graceful Kings, the part she retreated to when
nobody was around, a tiny bit of hope formed. Maybe it would be better than she
thought, maybe he wasn't a monster, maybe the gods had granted her a good
husband, who might love her, so she could love him?
'Silly girl', she thought to herself, something like that didn't exist.
She was startled by the door pushed loudly open; she fast straightened up,
sitting up in a hurry to see her new husband walking in.
"My Lady." He greeted her friendly, bowing towards her. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you my Lord." She answered, bowing her own head, before observing
with growing tension how he approached her side of the bed.
She flinched when he reached out with his hand, in an instinct move she brought
the blanked over her body like a shield, she forget to suppress it and
immediately feared the punishment. But then she noticed that he only hold a
small jar to her and she relaxed a bit.
"I brought you balsam for your bruises from the Maester." He told her subdued
averting his gaze.
Sansa was stunned, nobody ever let her see a Maester who would tent to her
wounds, she had had to suffer in silence, had she wept to loud she just had
been hit again.
"Thank you my Lord." Sansa took the vial and gave him a shy smile, she didn't
know why, it felt strange. She hadn't smiled in a long time, never had thought
she would smile for him But this small gesture of him fed the little bit of
hope in her. She was thankful, her words wasn't just a phrase she rehearsed to
avoid further punishment.
"It's a pleasure, my Lady." He told her, giving her an appreciating glance,
before marching around the bed talking more cheerfully. "I am afraid I must
apologize. It seems the servants didn't bring your wardrobe. I only found one
dressing-gown and I am afraid your wedding dress, which looked stunning, if I
might say that, didn't survive the bedding ceremony." Sansa blushed by the
compliment but then shame crept in her for what she would have to say.
"My Lord, the servants didn't make a mistake, I simply don't possess more."
"Only two gowns? And where is the rest of your possession." He asked her
suspiciously, gazing at her.
'My woman doesn't need gowns, only when she has to be in court, and she doesn't
need anything, I am her fixed point.' Joffrey's words sounded in her head
again, he had taken everything away she had had, only allowing her two gowns
and the nightgown. Sansa had had to wear them in court, but after the first
month it hadn't mattered anyway. She had only been sparsely allowed to leave
the royal bedchamber since then, and when only for one of Joffrey's sick games.
She had nothing, Joffrey hadn't left her anything. Lord Tyrion must have seen
her facial expression and understood, than he lowered his gaze and blushed.
"I am sorry my Lady." He whispered to her, climbing on the bed he seated
himself besides her. "Maybe I should say you some things. I wanted to talk to
you before the wedding but my father's schedule and orders didn't allow me. I
feel awful about that, about everything. But you must know, since my brother
died I feel obligated to follow all of my father's wishes without questioning.
But hear me out please. If you want, if not I will leave."
He looked up to her and Sansa only could nod, didn't knowing what else to do.
She sat there in the bed, balsam in her one hand, and a blanked in the other,
untouched by him.
"I am not my nephew, and even if I married you against your will" He looked
down. "I promise, I won't do anything else against it. Like I said, my father's
orders. But I swear, by all honour I possess, I will never hurt you or stand
idly by when somebody, even the King try to hurt you. I will treat you like you
deserve, like the high-born Lady you are. You don't have to share the bed with
me or even acknowledge me if you don't want. I would like if you do, sometimes
at least, I can be good to you Sansa, I promise." Sansa didn't know what to
say, her experience of the last month screamed 'liar', all in her, her common
sense, screamed 'liar', but the other part in her wanted to believe his words,
wanted to be his loved wife, rather than a thing to be used as pleased.
"First I will do is sending for some merchants, my Lady shouldn't be without a
large wardrobe or other possessions." he tried to lighten the mood, only
benefiting the part in Sansa which wanted to believe. It overwhelmed the rest
of her, forcing tears in her eyes; only the part of her who still suspected a
trap had to fight back.
"I thank you my Lord-Husband." She replied courteous, trying to hide her eyes
behind her hair to hide the winning tears.
"Tyrion, my Lady, please call me Tyrion."
A knock at the door, Sansa jumped backwards, nearly dropping the balsam. Her
new husband jumped up to, but from the bed, and waddled to the door. He with a
great very tasty smelling plate.
"I thought you might wish to eat something." He exhaled and placed the plate on
her bedside-table. "I hope it matches your taste."
Sansa's eyes widened and her mouth watered. The plate was full with delicacies,
and lemon cakes. She hadn't had lemon cakes since her father died, Joffrey knew
exactly how much she liked them and had forbidden the kitchen to bring her
such. But the plate was full; she hadn't seen so much food for a long time.
After the first month as Joffrey's wife she had started to eat excessive,
trying to get fat and unappealing, hoping Joffrey would let go of her. But
instead he had found out all too quickly and starved her in their rooms for an
entire month, hitting her when she was too weak to participate in his pleasure
he hadn't held back in all the time. He still had come to her more than one
time a day.
Greedy she took the cakes, eating like a savage, not caring at first. She
embraced the sweet taste she had forsaken already.
When she grabbed the third cake she realized her mistake, she gave him a reason
to punish her, she didn't act like a Lady, she had fallen for his trap. Looking
up fearfully she found Lord Tyrion sitting in a chair next to the window
watching her with a peaceful smile. Sansa blushed, realizing how she must look
like.
"Oh, please, don't be disturbed by me." He held up his hands to her and a small
barking laughter escape him. Again the part which wanted to believe grew
stronger.
                                     -##-
The days went along and Sansa felt more and more comfortable near Tyrion, he
held on to all of his promises and she slowly started to believe all were
sincere. She didn't left the room though, mostly because she feared to run into
Joffrey, because it was safe inside.
First he had sent for the dressmaker, she had been scared when the doors had
been opened and more than a dozen men and women had flooded the room. They had
swirled around her, asking what she would like, offering her expensive fabrics
and jewellery. It had taken her some time to realize what they had been and
even longer to find her voice. The only human she had seen in month other than
Joffrey had been the woman who had watched her, so she wouldn't try to amuse
herself when Joffrey had been away. She remembered how she had spent nearly
every day sitting in a chair, staring out of the window, wishing she would have
wings to fly away, but she hadn't had, and nothing else had been allowed.
But now, after they had done their duty, she could spend her time as she liked,
trying on her new wardrobe for example. Tyrion equipped her with more than two
dozen gowns for all occasions, small clothes and even jewellery, she wore the
stones in the chambers, imagine would only be his Lady in a palace and never
had met Joffrey. She danced for herself, tripping over her feet because she was
out of practice, but she imagined she would be in a great hall on a feast,
people laughed and cheered, like she always had wanted when she had been a
child.
He also had provided her with books, stories from all over the world. She had a
hard time reading them, after eight month without a single letter in front of
her eyes she was out of practice. With needlework it was even worst. She always
loved needlework, but her skills were even worse than in reading and she needed
time to get accustomed to it again. Her crippled fingers had made it even
worse; she had to learn how to hold a needle in the first place again.
She could eat enough, and in the evenings she listened to stories he told her
before wrapping up in the bed. She even let him hold her during the night; it
gave her a crude sense of security. She felt better than she had done for a
long time.
She could overlook his dwarfism and deformities for the fact that he was good
to her, she didn't care anymore that he was a Lannister or her enemy. Joffrey
and the Queen and Lord Tywin were her enemies, but he, how could he be her
enemy and treated her so different?
And then there was the issue with the status of their marriage, nobody knew but
it hadn't been consummated yet. Sansa was glad about it, she knew of the pain
the act itself would bring, it always brought pain. She never had felt other
than pain when Joffrey had done it and a Septa had assured her it wouldn't be
unusual.
Sansa sometimes asked herself how her mother had endured it all the years how
she had been able to love her father, considering the pain he had caused her.
Tyrion had said the consummation wouldn't be necessary, nobody could tell if
they had done it or not except for themselves. Sometimes she asked herself if
he even wanted her, if he wanted Joffrey's used toy, then she felt like such.
But there was this one night:
They had lain in bed when he crawled to the foot of the bed to grab a book. He
had accidently brushed a particular sensitive point at Sansa's feet, making her
giggle. They had drunken wine that evening so her guard had been weakened.
´Ah, I see, my Lady is ticklish. ` He asked her playfully a huge grin in his
face when he had started to move his fingers quickly over her soles.
First she had giggled, then she had laughed hard, when he had moved up, never
overstepping the boundaries of childish play. Tickling her, until she had
doubled in laughter. When he had stopped Sansa had felt so good she had
forgotten everything around her.
She had looked up, hair messy and blushed red, tears of joy streaming down her
cheeks and had found him marvelling her with wide eyes.
"Such beauty." He had explained, causing her to blush like a maid.
Yes, he wanted her.
She started to trust him, sometimes she even dared to ask about her family. Her
forced isolation had cut her from all information about them.
He had told her that Robb had married a Frey girl and allied with the Greyjoys.
He stood his ground, the Ironborn and Northerner currently holding half of the
Westerlands and that it looked like the war would stagnate over the coming
winter.
It had built up more hope in her that one day Joffrey's head would grace a
spike. She was even more certain of that when he had told her that Petyr
Baelish married her mother, in exchange for the aid of his agents and money as
well as a Lordship for him. He was now Lord of Harrenhal, Warden of the South.
Lord Tywin had been furious because Baelish had taken the treasury of King's
Landing with him when he had left.
She asked herself what would happen to Tyrion when or better if her brother
would win, would he be allowed to live, or would he die for being born a
Lannister. She didn't want him to die, she already owned him too much for
wishing that.
This evening they sat side by side in their bed, reading books. It was already
after dawn and the keep was silent when the door was kicked open.
Sansa flinched by the sight of Joffrey marching through the door, the book fell
out of her hands and she grabbed the blanked to shield herself, looking fanatic
to her side. She noticed that Tyrion wasn't there anymore.
He had already jumped from the mattress, positioning himself between Joffrey
and the bed.
"I am here to claim my right as King." Joffrey exhaled, he was drunk. His words
sent a creep down Sansa's spine. How could he? She didn't want that, all her
bruises were healed and it was the first time since long she could move without
pain.
"Go, she isn't yours to claim anymore." Tyrion spat in the King's face, his
voice sounded like he was the stranger himself.
"I claim your little cunt whenever I want uncle." Joffrey smiled back vicious.
Sansa was as afraid as in her first wedding night, fearing it would be start
all over again.
She heard the sound before she realized what happened, Tyrion slapped his
nephew, so hart the King stumbled back, holding his cheek.
"You dare ..." The second slap, this time Joffrey fell, Sansa thought her heart
would stop, Tyrion, her husband, slapped the King, so hart she could see blood
running down his nose.
"Go, before I hit you again." Totally bewildered and holding his cheek Joffrey
slowly fled the room, gazing back dangerously. There were no guards with him
and even if, she doubted anyone would dare to lay hand on Lord Tywin's last
remaining son.
Sansa only starred at her husband, and when she saw him closing the door, and
coming back to her, asking her how she would be, all her doubts remaining in
her disappeared, He defended her like a knight would. Tears streamed down her
cheeks when he climbed on the bed again, his face worried towards her.
"Is everything all right? Why are you crying Sansa?" He asked emphatically,
giving her an assuring smile.
"Nothing, it is nothing." She assured him, wiping away the tears. "Thank you my
Lord."
"Tyrion." He insisted.
"Thank you, Tyrion." she corrected herself, she steeled herself before
continuing. "Let me thank you."
She knew it would hurt, Joffrey had told her that when he had told her how she
had to thank him properly, for him it was just a sick game, but this was the
first time she actually wanted to do it, on her own afford. She was willing to
endure the pain.
He didn't object, so Sansa lowered her head between his legs, stopping in front
of his crotch opening her mouth and waited for the hand grabbing her hair
firmly. She closed her eyes, it was always easier this way, but nothing
happened.
"Ehm, Sansa? What are you doing?" She heard him asking puzzled from above.
Didn't he know what to do? Or was she supposed to do something else, didn't
Joffrey showed her correctly what to do? She looked up, seeing his face
fixating on her.
"The King told her to assume this position." She explained truthful. "He that
could easily garb my hair and trust into my throat, he said this is how to
thank a man properly." She added the last sentences low. His face darkened for
a moment before smiling sympathetically at her, cupping her cheeks carefully he
guided her face to his, nose to nose.
"This certainly isn't how it is done Sansa, and you certainly, err, don't have
to do this to thank me." he told her calmly.
What did he mean? Would he require anything else, something that would hurt
more? Her hopes went down again.
"Wish you something else?" She asked with tremble lips.
"Yes, I will." Her stomach dropped. "A kiss, if it's no trouble for you?"
Sansa's eyed widened, except for the kiss at their wedding they never did that.
Joffrey never had done it, only one time after their wedding, one time, his
wormy lips on hers had nauseated her and then he laughed mad and bite on her
lips, drawing blood, she still had a little scar. But if this was his wish she
was determinant to do it, she nodded and leaned close.
She felt his lips on hers, soft, gentle, one of his hands cupped her cheek
again and she caught herself leaning in to his touch. It was so different to
all she experienced, everything Joffrey had done hurt, there had been only
pain. But this felt good. She leaned closer, lightly parting her lips, his
tongue was there, slowly licking her lower lip, and then it shared a place with
hers. She followed his lead, moaning slightly in his mouth, a sound she never
made before and then she flung her arms around him.
                                     -##-
The days after the kiss were filled with other discoveries, she never imagined,
even though they still didn't consummate their bond, their relationship became
very intimate, she learned that what Joffrey had done to her was certainly not
how it should have been, Tyrion had even said something about pleasure, she
wasn't sure if that was right.
However they kissed now, and holding hands, he didn't push her to do anything
and she was thankful for that. All her doubts of him were away but her feelings
for him were still split, did she love him?
She didn't know, Sansa was sure she was supposed to love her husband but even
if she did, she didn't remember how love felt. She felt security.
He cared for her, that she knew, that she could see, but did he love her? She
didn't know, she didn't remember how it was to be loved. Joffrey took all that
away from her.
Today they had to attend a feast, with Joffrey. Sansa had feared what might
happened one day, what he might do. The entire evening she hadn't left Tyrion's
side, hadn't spoke to anyone, not even the Tyrells who had wanted to talk to
her so eagerly. She had grabbed Tyrion's arm for protection when Joffrey was
near, but he never came to them, until the late evening.
"You know uncle, you won't be able to protect your little wife forever. You
know, soon I will have her, no matter where you hide her, this I promise you."
He whispered to them walking by, grinning at them with his wormy lips and
disappearing in the crowd again.
Sansa glanced to Tyrion, his face darkened and he gazed at Joffrey's back, long
time nothing happened until he turned to her.
"Tomorrow we will leave." He told her clearly
"Where?"
"West"
                                     -##-
The King hadn't been aware of them leaving. Tyrion had let all their
possessions loaded on a vehicular and then they had left in a hurry, only
accompanied by a small host, lead by Ser Bronn, one of Tyrion's men. They all
were sellswords, his men. Sansa hid herself in the carriage, behind the
curtains, she had the feeling if she looked out one of Joffrey's men would spot
her and bring her back. It was stupid she knew that but she couldn't do differ.
After two weeks she saw that the men had raised a peace-banner, she hadn't
thought much to it but she had noticed that Tyrion was more and more nervous
every day.
Three weeks in the journey the carriage stopped and Ser Bronn came to them,
looking through the curtains.
"It's time."
By these words Tyrion stood up, laid a hand on the folded hands in her lap and
said she should be calm before leaving her.
What was wrong? What happened? Sansa felt a knot in her stomach, fear in her
bones, she started to shake and cocked her ears to listen what happened
outside.
She heard Tyrion's voice, he talked to a stranger.
"Say your King I bring him his sister back."
***** Chapter 2 *****
Sansa couldn't believe it, they drove through the gates of Riverrun. Finally
she was free, in her mother's family home, far away from Joffrey. Tyrion
brought her there, to her family, he committed another act of protecting her, a
lasting one. She still wasn't sure if it was all real, it seemed like a dream.
A dream she had had a long time ago.
Sansa wanted to give her husband an eternal kiss, hugging him in the process,
for what he had done he deserved even more. It seemed right to her to thank him
for it, or even more.
But he was nowhere to be seen since he had left the carriage. Sansa had no clue
where he was. Why he hadn't come back to her? Had he left her? He had delivered
her to her family, maybe he had left afterwards. Sansa's gut clenched tight by
the thought. She didn't want him to be away. All these thoughts about him,
together with her, what he had done for her. Her inside screamed that he was a
Lannister, she should be glad he wasn’t there, but she wasn't.
No, she definitely didn't want him to be away. She wanted him to stay, but why?
Sansa looked out of the window and saw the men in grey and blue riding beside
her.
"Excuse me Ser?" She asked one of them, her voice was small and she was sure
she sounded very shy. She had hardly talked to anybody besides Tyrion for long
time. A few servants maybe, but never more than a few word. The presence of
armoured men made her anxious. To much had such men done to her. She could only
stand Pod, but only because the boy was as unsecure and shy as she was.
"Where is my Lord-Husband?" She mumbled out of her carriage after avoiding the
gaze of the man. He didn't answer, a long time Sansa only heard the sounds of
the wheels on the stony underground. The entire time Sansa didn't dare to look
up, fearing her own reaction to his gaze, more than the man himself. She may
was supposed to be a wolf, but she felt not like one.
After a while she finally gathered enough bravery together to look up, out of
the window again. The knight was gone, only a boy with the crest of house Frey
was left, riding in front of the window.
Sansa stared at his weasel face, searching her tongue.
"Do you know where my Lord-Husband is?" The boy turned and looked perplex at
her, like she was mad.
"The Imp is with his grace." He answered short, his tone sounded arrogant, he
gave her a smile, there was something else, maybe mischievousness in his eyes.
Sansa didn't like it, she had a very bad feeling about all this.
                                     -##-
She hadn't seen Tyrion, or anybody else of his men, not even Pod when they had
guided her through the halls of Riverrun to a large room. The corridors had
been quiet, abandoned, nobody was there.
After they had opened the doors Sansa's heart made a jump. Her mother had been
sitting in the room near a window and now rose from her place when she was
brought in. Sansa stopped and was fixed at her spot, not able to move, only to
stare. It was really her mother, Catelyn Stark, she was there, in the room and
Sansa was with her.
With a gesture of her hand Lady Catelyn waved the men, which escorted her, away
and walked up to her daughter. At the sound of the heavy doors being shut
Sansa's mother opened her arms wide and bypass the last feet with long steps.
She smiled.
Embraced firmly Sansa's body seemed to wake up out of it stiffness. Her mother
held her tightly to her chest.
"Sansa, Sansa, Sansa" She whispered in her neck like a mantra. Sansa raised her
arms and joined the embrace. All them emotions so long lost slowly rose up to
the surface out of the bit of her brain she had locked them up so long ago only
opening them for Tyrion.
Sansa started to cry, sobbing wildly in her mother's arms. She was like a child
after a bad nightmare. She was a child after a nightmare, a long true
nightmare.
"I am so sorry. I should never let you alone." Catelyn Stark's voice sounded
weak in Sansa's ear, like she didn't want tears to break through. "I will never
let you alone again."
Unable to response Sansa was slowly guided to a cushioned bench at one side of
the room, her mother dragged her with her to sit down. Sitting the first thing
Sansa did was to fold her hands in her lap, not wanting her mother to see her
'claws'. If she would see it she would demand an explanation and Sansa didn't
want to give one. There was no need for her to know all what happened. Her head
was bowed and tears still streaming from her eyes.
Lady Catelyn straightened up and with lips pressed tight together, together
with an awkward expression on her face, she looked Sansa up and down. She felt
very uncomfortable to be mustered like this by her mother and Lady Catelyn’s
expression wasn't soothing at all too.
"How are you Sansa?" Her mother finally asked carefully, after an amount of
time passed that felt for hours even if it most likely hadn't been more than a
few moments.
"Fine, I'm fine." Sansa stuttered and mumbled in a weak voice, her look fixed
on her folded hands. "Now that I am here."
It was a lie, she lied to her mother because she still feared the shadow of
Joffrey, she felt alone, unprotected. She knew she was safe, but she didn't
feel like it.
"How has the world been treating you? “ Lady Stark pressed more urgent, her
voice small, while she laid one of her hands on Sansa's shoulder and leaned to
her. "Please, you can tell me."
"I don't want to talk about it." Sansa turned her head away, her body followed
and her mother's hand slid from her shoulder. Sansa was now facing the wall
opposite to her. She tried to ban all the bad memories, which threatened to
reach the surface of her consciousness, out of her head. She didn't want to
remember, she wanted it all to be a dream, only a nightmare.
Catelyn Stark's laid her arm around her dragging her into her embrace,
smoothing her hair like a child. It was nearly as like as the time she had
calmed her after the nightmares when Sansa was younger. When she had been in
Winterfell and father had been alive.
But then it seemed the gates had been opened and all what had happened flooded
her brain. Each hit, each rape, each humiliation, every injustice came back.
Sansa cried, feeling she would go insane when she relived the eight month of
her live, filled with terror. Her mother hold her, never spoke a word. Sansa
shook in her embrace.
It felt like it would never end, Joffrey and then Joffrey again, the Kingsguard
and Joffrey all over again. But then different memories reached her. Tyrion
smiling at her, he hitting Joffrey so hard that blood appeared. Tyrion telling
her stories, calming her and of course his words: 'Say your King I bring him
his sister back.'
All the sudden she calmed, her tears ceased and there was a warm feeling in her
belly, she felt safe.
She raised her head and slowly freed herself out of the embrace to look her
mother in the eyes. Her mother had a sympathetic face, but Sansa also saw pity
in it and sorrow. Sansa took a deep breath, she was determined.
"Where is my Lord-Husband?" Sansa's words were loud and clear without a trace
of fear, but at the same time the door was opened with a loud bang, Sansa
flinched by the sound. First she thought her words had been drowned by the loud
noise but Sansa could see a bewildered expression in her mother's face about
her question. But both turned to the forceful opened door.
Robb marched in the room, his boots echoing on the floor. Sansa rose from her
place when she saw her big brother approaching her, his arms wide and a
relieved smile on his face. He looked older than she remembered, his face
weathered. He looked like a warrior, not like her big brother who had played
with her and the other in the Godswood.
"He is in a cell, where he belongs." Robb obviously had heard her question and
Sansa wanted to reply but he swung his arms around her and took her in a firm
embrace, lifting her from her feet. "He will never come near you again. Not to
speak of harming you." He spoke in her ear. Sansa wanted to protest, her face
consorted quickly in anger about his words. All her feeling turned to anger and
the warm feeling in her belly turned sour. How could he dare to assume such a
thing, like Tyrion harming her, he never had done so.
She slowly backed away from him, stepping a few steps back, a quick glance to
her mother showed an unreadable expression on her face. Sansa controlled her
anger, held her face in indifference. Maybe Robb just misunderstood something
or hadn't articulated right. But before she could speak he continued addressing
her and their mother as well.
"The Imp claims the marriage wouldn't be consumed. This is good." He gave her a
confident smile. "If he spoke the truth or lied to save his head doesn't
matter, we can undone it."
"Did he?" Sansa heard her mother's puzzled voice, she address her. Sansa turned
slowly to her. "Are the marriage unconsumed?" Sansa nodded, her stomach
dropped.
"It doesn't matter. I will free her from him one way or another." Robb stated
grimly. "I would…"
"He was kind to me." Sansa interrupted him, before he could say more, her voice
small and weak, it sounded like a justification. She wanted to explain, wanted
them t understand.
"I will free you of him." Robb looked at her, speaking calming, placing his
hand on her shoulder, like she wanted to hear this. Sansa shook him off and
stepped farther away fixating both. And gathered her strength.
"I am not sure if I want this." Sansa had assumed the marriage would be
forever, even if she had other experiences, the thought of the marriage undone
let her stomach knot further. She felt so safe with him. She didn't want to be
'freed' of him. Sansa was actually sure she wanted to stay with him, in his
embrace, but she couldn't say so. Not now. Not here. There was a suspicion
rising in her too.
"What do you mean?" Robb asked suspiciously coming closer but Sansa backed up
until she was at the wall.
"You just want me to marry me off again afterwards, right?" Her tone became
stronger, the hard realisation in her mind. She gazed her confused looking
brother in the eyes. She wasn't willing to control her anger any more. She
thought her big brother would understand, but now she understood. He was not
like she remembered, his expressing all his demeanour pointed out that she was
right.
"Sansa. How would you…"
"Because that is it. I am nothing more than a tool for you. To make an
alliance. Lucky for you somebody brought me here, right?" Her voice bounced
high, accusation followed accusation. He really planed that. "Why else would
you be so eager to make me marriageable again. You not even ask me."
"Sansa, listen." Her mother started to aid him, her brother was dumbfounded.
"No! You listen to me." She was near screaming now. "I don't want to be apart
of him. He was kind to me, good to me. I don't want another husband."
"You can't be serious. He is just a Lannister." Robb spat at her, clearly
without thinking, without controlling his surprise. "Not a suitable match for
you. He is an…."
"What? An Imp? A monster?" Sansa felt anger turning to rage. She had thought
all would be good when she would come home, but no, she had to fight for it
first, for what she wanted. Robb had no idea what she was been through and
presumed a verdict what was good for her? Where was he when Joffrey beat her?
"HE was the only one there for me." She glared at him. He was quiet now, maybe
seeing his mistake but Sansa didn't care, it was time to speak now. "YOU let me
rot in King's Landing. Fighting your war." Robb opened her mouth but she was
still in rage. "You killed the Kingslayer. Did you waste a single thought what
this would mean for me? What Joffrey did to me? All the time you and your so
glorious armies marched through the lands, never targeting the capital?"
Robb wanted to step nearer but Sansa didn't let him. Anger and wrath boiled in
her, for all her memories all she had been through. He hadn’t been there, now
he thought he knew better. He looked guilty after her words, but not guilty
enough for her, he had not even the decency to deny it. He had let her alone.
She unfold her hands, holding her claws in his face. Her mother sucked in her
breath and Robb's mouth dropped open. While she was frowning at them.
"Joffrey beat me, raped me. He turned me in a toy, less worthy than a pet, or a
slave. He forced me to sleep on the floor of his chambers." Her shouting seemed
not to end. For Sansa it felt relieving, she wanted to shout, making them
understand. "He tortured me so much that I asked myself how you" She turned to
her mother "were able to be with father, feeling the pain the marriage bed
causes. Joffrey caused more pain then I ever imagined to be possible and then
he throw me away like a used napkin."
Robb's face was switching between fury and pain, pity. He breathed heavy and
his hands were fists. Lady Catelyn had tears streaming down her face, but Sansa
wasn't finished.
"Father and you, mother, sent me to marry this monster. And now another one?
Appears he kind and is he handsome as well?" Sansa was panting from all the
screaming, she ignored all tries of them to calm her. But her voice took a more
resigning tone and was a bit quieter as well when she continued. "I already
gave up. You didn't come, nobody came." Sansa had let her tears fall freely all
the time. Her face felt puffy and her body itched but she wasn't finished. Her
tone turned harder. "Nobody was kind. For the court I was only the King's
possession, not more. Neither a Septon nor a knight spoke up to him, stopped
him. They saw what he did and they only starred, some even laughed."
Sansa now let her mother near her, her anger had been spoken out for the
moment. She embrace her, clung at her. She glanced over her mother's shoulder
to Robb who looked ashamed at the floor.
"And then he was there." She sounded a bit dreamy, soft and calm she spoke of
him, looking in the wide. "He didn't torture me, I thought he would but he…" A
sob escaped her throat. "He cared for me, helped me, protected me. He even hit
Joffrey when he came near me." A small smile appeared in her face when she laid
her head at her mother's shoulder. "I was a Lady again, his Lady. I didn't feel
like a toy. He let me feel" She closed her eyes, "human again. Everything
Joffrey had taken from me he gave back, and more."
Sansa let go of Lady Catelyn, and stepped away fixating Robb with her eyes. She
had made a decision, she wanted to stay with him and Robb had to accept that,
no matter what. It was her turn now, she had to take care. Not because she was
obligated, because she wanted to.
"If you want to put him in chains," She sounded hard, stern "then you must put
me in chains as well." She stated crossing her arms above her chest.
"Don't be silly." Robb replied after a moment of utter disbelief. "Why…"
"If your grace didn't noticed, I am his wife, the future Lady of Casterly
Rock." She explained angrily. "If you treat him as a hostage, you must treat me
so as well." Sansa marched with large steps past of her mother and the confused
looking Robb, heading for the door. She put her hand at the nob. "Where did you
imprison him? I will join him there." She waited a few seconds, glaring at Robb
who still didn't get his mouth open. "Or you bring him in chambers suitable for
your sister's husband. Suitable for your honoured brother-in-law. I will join
him there then."
"Are you sure?" Robb asked hesitating but defeated, his face taking a softer
turn. Sansa had won. Her mother was shocked by his question.
Sansa remembered her time with Tyrion, how he had been, was and what she had
felt, felt at the very same moment. She had reached a clear decision how her
life should continue and if it should involve him.
                                     -##-
Sansa had told him her decision and now she waited in the new chambers. Her
mother hadn't been very pleased with her decision, not at all, she had tried to
talk her out of it, had argued with Robb. Her arguments had faded on her, her
words wasn't important, how could she even understand? And Robb had decided he
could either support her decision or force her, he didn't want to force her.
Sansa was musing about what would happen next when the door was opened
forcefully and a small figure stumbled in the room. With a bang the door was
closed and Sansa was alone with Tyrion.
She was shocked to see his condition. He had some nasty bruises and blood were
encrusted in his hair. They beat him, how had they dared? He looked at her
confused, a bit like he was in a dream now.
"Sansa?" He sounded totally bewildered, like he never imagined to see her
again. "What is going on here?"
"These are new chambers." Sansa explained, opening her arms with an expecting
gaze at him.
"And why the sudden change of his grace hospitality? And maybe even more
important: Why you are here?" He didn't sound unfriendly or hostile, but
suspicious. He eyed her carefully, something that made her shiver, not
uncomfortably but strange. She had expected him to understand much quicker,
maybe the head wound wasn't helpful. She felt the sudden urge to call the
Maester, she was concerned it would be bad. But then he raised his eyebrows,
his mismatched eyes clear and attentive. It eased her so she could continue.
"Because I said so. We are married and I want us to stay married. Robb has to
accept that and treat you like you deserve." She explained him smiling, feeling
very good with herself. He on the other hand looked rather confused. Suddenly
something dawned her.
Her stomach knotted again and her heart felt like it would fall to the floor.
Gulping she spoke to him, very slowly, afraid of his answer.
"If you want it too, of course." She never thought about this, what if he
didn't want her. What if he only pitied her and now…
Sansa slowly approached him. He carefully looked at her but didn't move. She
feared his rejection. If he would say no everything would have been just a lie,
an act of mercy to a wounded animal. She wouldn't have been his Lady, only a
pet he had cockered up, all she thought would have been a misinterpretation. He
would reject her, throw her away like Joffrey had done.
"Tyrion" She heard herself plea, nothing more than a whisper. She stopped
before him.
"What are you doing?" he asked, coming the last step towards her. When he stood
before her he took her hand and stroked it carefully. It felt good. "I told
your brother that we didn't, eh do it." He stuttered for a moment. "So you are
able to free yourself from me."
"I don't want to free myself from you I…I…" She protested, nearly sobbing.
"I am a match forced upon you." He made clear, looking away. "You can do
better, much better."
Sansa lowered herself down on his level, laying her hands around his neck and
smiled warmly at his face.
"I don't think I can do better." Her voice was strong and clear, but tears
threatening to overcome her. "I want you, I feel right with you." She had to
turn her head by the next sentence, gulping and hiding her tears. "If you want
me, but if you don't think I am…"
"Hush." He placed one of his fingers at her mouth and guided her head with it
to face him. Sansa saw him returning her earlier smile. He slowly put his
finger down, cupped her cheeks with both hands and kissed her. Sansa's stomach
tingled, flipped, it felt so right. After a time, Sansa felt it would be too
short he backed his head away to look at her. "Who am I to turn such a woman
down?" A small chuckle escaped his throat. "You are magnificent, smart,
beautiful. Not to mention that you in good company distract everybody from my
sight."
"Stop it." Sansa was flattered by his words, but it wasn't exactly what she
wanted to hear from him.
"I always thought someday, I could settle down, with a wife, having a family."
He continued a bit melancholic "But never had I imagined to be with somebody
like you. Not in a single dream."
Sansa was so moved by his words that the tears streamed over her cheeks and
forming a pool on the floor. She was between sobbing and laughing. He didn't
reject her, he sounded more like he would worship the ground she was walking
on.
"So you want to stay married to me?" There couldn't be any doubts.
"Didn't I make myself clear on that?" he asked joking, smiling at her brightly.
"I would like to make you happy, brining you out of your misery, be with you
.Even if I think you are way out of my league, so much better, I feel
inferior."
Flattering words, letting her smile through her tears, not of pain but joy.
"If you feel so inferior think of this." She said teasingly. "We have more in
common than you think. Now I am the one married to a hostage."
"A joke, this can only be a good sign."
 
***** Epilogue *****
 
Tyrion was a hostage, at least officially. A ruse, one Sansa heard driving his
father insane. The ravens told that Lord Tywin raged in King's Landing,
demanding heads, then suddenly he had no son left. Nobody who would give him a
grandson to carry on his name, his so precious legacy. Then this was the only
thing he cared about. House Lannister, the Lords of Casterly Rock a lineage
given from father to son sine thousands of years. He would never accept one of
Cersei's children to follow him, it had to be a son of a son, even if it was
his dwarf son's son.
Tyrion on the other hand seemed to enjoy his 'hostage time'. They spent much
time together, laughing and talking, wandering through the castle of Riverrun.
Sansa loved it, she was in peace. She was sure she loved him and that he loved
her. It really seemed he would worship the ground she walked on.
Robb made his peace with him when he saw how happy she was. The rest of the
family joined in quickly, like her uncles or Roslin, Robb's wife. The only
exception was her mother. Lady Catelyn needed her time to come to terms with
him, she suspected he would plan something and her husband wasn't helping with
that.
Sansa believed Petyr Baelish to be very creepy, she hadn't liked his stares in
King's Landing and now she liked them even less. But one quick glance at her
hands turned his stares away, he was clearly revolted by her disfiguration, the
flaw in her beauty.
It was a relief for her when Robb send them to Winterfell, but the court had to
stay in Riverrun for the time the war wasn't settled. The winter made fighting
impossible but Robb didn't want to take chances, so he stayed.
                                     -##-
Winterfell was exactly like she remembered, the much grown Arya, Bran and
Rickon awaited her joyful and they even welcomed Tyrion with open arms.
One year in the winter the best day of her live occurred. She and Tyrion proved
everybody in King's Landing wrong when their daughter was born. Their perfect
little angel, she became the middle of their life. Sansa spent as much time
with her as possible.
But she had to share, her mother snatched her grandchild away as often as she
was able to. She spent the time with little Lyrana in the Godswood. She even
came to terms with Tyrion because of her.
It were peaceful days in solitude of the war.
                                     -##-
Her little girl was six years old when the raven came. Through a twenty days
lasting snowstorm he carried the news of Lord Tywin's death and that Cersei
proclaimed herself Lady of Casterly Rock.
It made Sansa angry, it wasn't her title, not her lands or castle. It were
Tyrion's, her daughter's, her title. She was the Lady of Casterly Rock, not
Cersei, she was only the dowager Queen. And following that only two years later
the ravens came with more bad news for her.
The Westerlands were run down by Cersei, the Lords were discontented and on the
quiet they demanded their true Lord. Robb sent Tyrion away, trusted him enough
to send him with her uncle to the Westerlands to rally the Lords behind him to
end this war.
A dangerous mission, it could get him killed, but he did so because he thought
he had to. Her tears didn't change that.
But it was worse, because after his departure she discovered that another child
grew in her but her husband wasn't with her.
She was huge with the child when the raven brought the news that the Lord of
the Westerlands bend the knee to her husband, ready to follow him even when he
bend the knee to Robb. The letters said he wanted back to her but Robb wanted
him to stay, making him Warden of the South-West. He was to lead the Westermen
to battle.
It pained Sansa, more than anything that he wasn't with her when his son came
into this world. Maester Luwin delivered him safely, her little Lannister, the
image of his grandfather. Tytos, she chose as a name, when she held him in her
arms, and she wanted nothing more than his father to be there.
She didn't care when the news of Joffrey's head on a spike in King's Landing or
Cersei's imprisonment or the retreat of the Tyrells to Highgarden reached her.
The war was over, Stannis frozen to death at the Wall with his army.
With the end of the war the end of the winter followed quickly, so did Tyrion
return to her. He looked not different than last time when she fell in his arms
together with Lyrana and Tytos who first saw his father. She made him promise
never to leave her again.
He never did, all honours her brother offered him he turned down. It was not
without tears when they were leaving Winterfell and travelled to Casterly Rock
but they had to, the Westerlands needed their Lord.
But they never were alone, even in the long corridors and gardens of the Rock
her family visited them, Rickon even decided to stay forever.
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