Work Text:
Sansa’s eyes watered as the array of colors shined in the distant horizon. Colors of ash, smoke and blood danced in the skies, shining brighter than even the stars that night.
It made no sense. How could someone so evil exist? Then again, she was a hostage for the Lannisters, so the existence of evil people shouldn’t really bring any more shock to her of all people. But yet, here she was.
The night Jon asked Sansa to be his emissary to the dragon queen, Sansa was astonished her cousin would ever trust her with something so dangerous and important. Without wasting a second, she sailed for Dragonstone. Her only attendants being the lady Brienne of Tarth and her husband, Ser William Dustin.
Sansa wasn’t surprised with Daenerys Targaryen’s plans to conquer the seven kingdoms. What was surprising was the way she went about it. A failed attempt at taking Dragonstone by Cersei’s forces brought about the death of one of those ghastly dragons.
His name was Rhaegal, the Valyrian said. Named after her brother, the brother that kidnapped and raped Sansa’s aunt. A haunting reminder to the dark histories of their two families.
Though Sansa could sympathize with Daenerys about the pain of losing a child, Sansa failed to imagine the true depth of the Targaryen’s wrath.
King’s Landing was in ruins by the time the sun began to fall from the sky. The Red Keep was more a black ruin, with the ugly iron chair left standing. Sansa refused to stay longer, leaving Brienne to organize an escape.
She didn’t think she would have to escape that gods forsaken city twice, yet there she was. Hand in hand with her husband as Brienne cut her way through Unsullied, Dothraki, Ironborn, Dornish and even some Reachmen to make their escape. All the while Daenerys continued her father’s tradition of burning those she saw as her enemies.
“Tyrion was wrong.”
Yes he was. William probably noticed she was lost in her thoughts. Sansa knew he could always decipher her feelings in some form or way.
“Tyrion was wrong. Not really a sentence I think my former husband would appreciate. But he was.”
“Don’t really think it matters what he wants anymore, considering his desires failed to prevent his queen from burning King’s Landing to ash.”
The screams. That was the worst part. Sansa was a hostage in everything but name. She and her husband were left encamped outside the city with the queen’s party. The screams of the children, of the women, of the men, of them all. They could all be heard leagues away from the city.
Their escape was a hectic act, with nothing but hope and death consuming the entire ordeal. Sansa understood Greyworm’s devotion to his queen, but with his death at the hands of Brienne and William, Sansa knew escaping was the only option they had left.
Seaguard was the projected place to get to. Get to Seaguard, sail for Barrowton, then ride for Winterfell. Sansa could only hope the journey would be safe and as quick as possible. But she knew the odds would present itself to be rather trying and difficult instead.
“What do we tell Jon?”
Her husband, intuitive as he was, was genuine in his question. And for once Sansa had an answer to give him.
“That we failed, and that it wouldn’t have worked no matter the circumstances.”
“You know he’d probably give up the North if it meant saving its people.”
“Well Jon likes to think being honorable is the only right way to live.”
“You make it seem as if Jon knows nothing my love.”
William’s words and the smirk that graced his face enamored Sansa, like it did so many times before. Pulling the smallest hints of a smile to her face, Sansa took a second to gather her thoughts before speaking.
“Stop antagonizing him, we left him alone with Arya and the other lords, that is more than what Jon can handle.”
Sansa’s smile was genuine but small. In that moment she felt at ease, she felt alright. Grateful to be alive. Grateful to be with her husband. Grateful to be going home, though the way she was forced to go about it was rather sour. But in the end, that wouldn’t really matter, at least not to Sansa. For she had bigger problems to worry about now.
The others were coming. News from the watch made it clear that the battle beyond the walls continued to rage on. She didn’t know how much longer she and her people had before the demons of ice would breach the wall. There was so much to worry about.
But at that moment, she was okay with just being alright.