little bird

My skin has gone from porcelain, to ivory, to steel.

[dutifulwolf-blog]

arrynheir:

❅

“You are right. Even from our room and his nursery, we can hear him. One thing about our son, he has a good set of lungs.” Harrold smiled when he remembered his son but then the smile faded when he remembered the conversation with one of his bastards. “I wanted to talk to you about one of the former servants here. She was one of my bastards and you knew. Why didn’t you tell me?”

       Sansa laughed at that. Not a hard laugh, but a light one because of how right her husband was and how loud their child could cry. “I think everyone in the Eyrie can hear him. At least they know their little prince will have a strong voice.” The smile on her face faded but she tried to keep herself composed. “I promised her. I found out by accident and she was no bother to you, myself or to Eddard. If anything, I think she was hurt that you abandoned her mother. Not her. She was no trouble to you and she would not have been. If your bastards are an issue you shouldn’t have played your part in their creation or at least cut ties with their mothers a little better.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

thornedmargaery:

❅

“Oh, we all have that hope,” Margaery replied with a smile. “Sometimes I think Joseph ought to be no more than five, and pulling at my skirts. But he stands taller than me, now. Time escapes from us all.” She would soak up every moment of time with Cassana–teach her everything she knew and then some. “Here,” Margaery offered, gently helping the child into Sansa’s arms.

            Whenever she thought like that about her own child or heard of how other mothers shared the same thoughts, she would wonder if her own mother thought the same about her and her other siblings. “Even if it does go fast, I will still enjoy it. It is my hope that I have lots of children to watch grow. Perhaps that way it will not feel so quick when they grow.” She took the baby and held her in her own arms, marvelling at how much of a little beauty she was. “Oh Margaery, she is perfection.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

wisdominfall:

❅

The Vale wasn’t a place that Bethany had felt at home. It wasn’t like Winterfell nor did it have a similar feeling to Raventree Hall but Bethany had tried to adjust and feel as if she was part of the castle. She had just assumed it was because of her trip to the free cities and had hoped that was all there was to it. “I would love to join you.” Bethany smiled after putting her book down. 

           With so much going on and with the baby taking up most of her time, Sansa had always found it hard to find time to be with her friends and so she was hoping her walk would grant her that time. The wish was fulfilled when she heard Bethany reply. “Good! I feel as if we are not spending any time together and I know that I am to blame for that. Little Eddard has all of my attention most of the time. I needed some time for myself and I am happy you are joining me with it. What book where you reading just now?”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

freedezzara:

❅

“I will join you,” the other woman allowed, a stiff nod meeting the smile that the Queen offered to her. Ezzara would have likely trailed after Sansa anyway–the Queen had a penchant, it seemed, to walk off without proper escort–but the invitation made things easier. “The air is cold today,” Ezzara added with a slight frown. 

           Seeing Ezzara did comfort Sansa. She liked the woman and would not deny that her presence made her feel protected. She was a good protector and her skill was one of the best in the kingdom. “That would be wonderful. I do not plan to be out for too long but I think a walk around will be just what I need. It is cold but I like that. It reminds me of my old home.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

knottauster:

❅

The Queen was certainly a beauty, had he not wanted to bring about war, Auster may have made a move but between her guards and whispers of the insanity of her husband, the pirate knew better. “I’m sure you do but how would it look for a queen to walk with a pirate?”

        A small memory came to Sansa of when she first had met the pirate but it had been brief. She was surprised to see him in the Eyrie again but would not dismiss a visitor. The Vale needed friends and she wanted more and more people to visit and trade. “I will welcome a walk with anyone, even a pirate, so long as you do not mind the company of my guard?”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

stainedalys:

❅

“Thank you for saying so, Your Grace,” Alys replied with a hint of something that didn’t quite count as a smile. “But it would be wasted words.” The blonde did not think that there would be anyone around to miss her, and she shrugged at the Sansa’s assurances, a little helpless to believe in them. Squirming where she sat, Alys considered her next words before speaking. “I know that it would be very simple to dismiss anything negative I would have to say where the King is concerned…” she began; slowly, carefully, “…and…and maybe that is fair.” She wrung her hands then in her lap, uncertain. “…Because I do…hate him. I hate him, and I think he’s cruel, and bad, and…sometimes I think I would still think it even if he didn’t do this to me. I hate him.” She whispered the last sentence, the word hate rolling off her tongue in a rush of relief. Alys’d spent so long trying to assure herself of her apathy–and in hatred she took so much more comfort. He’d ruined her life before it’d even began with the dirty name that he’d gifted her. That was hateful. That was cruel. 

“But he’s not right anymore,” Alys finally said. “There’s something different about him. There’s something wrong about him. And I just want…” Eddard wasn’t her brother. Alys wouldn’t let a thought so sinister breach her–but she felt protective, nonetheless. She couldn’t stomach another little box with another little boy while she still existed, misery incarnate. “Please be safe,” she murmured at last, unable to word it much better beyond that. 

        The girl was right and Sansa knew it but wished that was not the case. “Wasted words but words all the same.” It was the very least that she could give Alys and the very least she could do even if it just meant smoothing the path from the Eyrie to Sunspear, she would be happy to do it. 

Sansa was no stranger to people saying negative things about her husband before he was that to her and after. He had a past, she would not deny that, and she had noticed how he had been sometimes and how he had changed after they had lost their first baby. Then there was that paranoia. “I understand your hatred. It is perfectly warranted given your connection to him. I do not think he is cruel. I know you do and if I was in your situation I would feel the same.” There was no ill feeling that Sansa had for the words that Alys said, none at all.

“I will be.” She knew that she would be but the business in the North was troubling to say the very least. “And so will Eddard and I will pray that you will be safe and happy in Dorne.”

[oldnorseisa]

Softness is not weakness. It takes courage to stay delicate in a world this cruel.

Sansa Stark

[dutifulwolf-blog]

thornedmargaery:

❅

The servant passed off the child to Margaery, who eagerly took her daughter into her arms. “You forget, you know, how quickly they grow.” Cassana was still just a babe herself, but she grew so much each and every day. The rose queen smiled warmly at the compliment Sansa paid, and smoothed her hand over the child’s dark curls. “She certainly takes after Renly, I think. We shall see what she’s taken from me. Would you like to hold her?”

          Sansa could not take her eyes off the child and Margaery. They looked so perfect and so like each other, it was a beautiful thing to witness. “I hope that my own child does not grow so quickly. When I was pregnant I wanted it to go so fast so I could just meet my child and hold him in my arms. Now I want it to go as slow as possible.” She smiled at the memory. “I think she has your hair but his coloring. I would love to hold her.”

[alayneestone]

                                           Lies and Arbor gold, she thought.

[dutifulwolf-blog]

❅  open starter for kingdomofseven

         A long walk was exactly what she had needed after the previous day she was cooped up inside the castle. The weather was slightly colder and she was happy for it because of how much it did remind her of her first home. “You can join me if you’d like,” she said with a smile on her face for a greeting, “I always enjoy walks when they are with another person.”

[butterflies-dragons]

Characters of Ice and Fire by Jorge Mascarenhas

[dutifulwolf-blog]

stainedalys:

❅

“It is nonsense,” Alys agreed in a flat tone. She had never done anything at all to deserve the accusations laid against her. If the blonde had possessed any inclination to act upon her mother’s wishes, she might’ve done so years before. “You do not need to say anything, Your Grace,” Alys responsed with a half-hearted shrug. “The King has said what he said. He meant it. And…it doesn’t matter to me, anyway. I want to go to Dorne.” 

             Sansa was becoming more and more frustrated with her husband and how he was treating Alys as well as how rediculous his paranoia was even of all the smallest things. “It is complete and utter nonsense.” She shook her head on it. “I feel as if I must. You have done nothing wrong and have been exceptional in your work here. Arianne will be lucky to have you. I know we have not spoken much and it has been strained to say the least but your presence will be missed around here.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

clawedlady:

❅

    Myrcella had lost so much but none of that was any comparison to all that Sansa and her family had lost. The Vale was never a place for Sansa, she was kind and beautiful and should never be hidden up in the mountains with rumors of a husband who was descending into madness.        “The reach has been as welcoming as it can be. Margarey is gracious, as expected.”

       That was good to hear. Myrcella had never done anything wrong. She was simply born to the wrong people but of all the Lannisters, she was the gentle one. “I absolutely love visiting the Reach. It is such a wonderful and welcoming place. Have you visited the Mander yet? If not, you should do it. It is truly fantastic.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

thornedmargaery:

❅

“I’m sure that if Robb were to tell anyone, it would be you,” Margaery replied with a smile. “Or one of your siblings. I’m sure that in due time, he will make us all aware of why he has acted as he has, and we will understand. Robb is not unintelligent.” 

As Margaery reached their solar, she led Sansa to the room she knew to be occupied by her daughter and Cassansa’s nurse maid. As the two women entered the room, Margaery smiled warmly at the servant before turning her attention onto her daughter, who sat in the elder woman’s arms. “Hello, sweetling,” Margaery cooed at the baby, “I’ve brought someone to meet you.”

         If Robb had told anyone, she hoped it was someone that he trusted and that he was not having his strings pulled by so many other people. “Perhaps he has told Bran. Or Jon.” Jon would have more experience with that sort of thing other than Bran but she still hoped he had talked with someone. “He is smart....it is just he is rash. The past has taught us that and I know when a situation is a high pressure he picks the easiest solution to fix things. I hope he has not that this time.”

Seeing the servant, Sansa smiled at her and was excited to see the little baby girl. Looking at the little bundle, it was hard to see which on her parents she favoured. There was already the dark black Baratheon hair but the eyes she thought were Margaery. “She is beautiful. I think that she looks like both her parents. A rare thing for a child. My own son has Harry’s hair but my eyes. You are blessed yet again by a beautiful child, Margaery.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

arrynheir:

❅

Harrold had not seen Sansa in a while. After visiting their son, he went straight to her solar hoping to find her. When he saw her sitting at the desk, he was reminded at how lucky he was to have a wife that was beautiful and as dedicated to his kingdom. “I needed a reason?” he asked playfully before planting a quick kiss on her lips. “I will entertain you. I missed my wife.”

         They had both been so busy with the kingdom, with being new parents that it was a rarity to find each other in any moment that was close to quiet or just the two of them. “Of course you don’t,” she beamed as he approached, “I missed you as well. Eddard is asleep so I think this is the first time since he has been born that we have time together.” 

[dutifulwolf-blog]

stainedalys:

❅

At the Queen’s invitation, Alys came and sat quietly and waited for Sansa to finish her letter. Alys could not profess that she had much of a fondness for the Queen of the Vale, but she did respect her. The young girl had not ever placed her full trust into Sansa, and yet the Queen had never betrayed her secret. She still pitied Sansa, secretly–Alys remained convinced that the love Harrold had for her now couldn’t last. He wasn’t a good man, despite those he’d fooled. 

“I won’t keep you very long, Your Grace.” Alys spoke up as she saw the Queen had finished. “It’s only that my identity has recently been made known to the King. By his word, I will be taking leave of the Eyrie, in order to keep yourself and the prince safe, along with any future children you may have.” She struggled to keep a flat tone, but a twinge of bitterness still leaked out on the word safe–she had done nothing to endanger any of them. She’d prayed every day for Sansa to carry the baby to term. She prayed still, that Eddard lived longer than any of her brothers ever had. “As it happens, I’ve an opportunity in Dorne.”  Dorne would be her chance–her opportunity to finally and truly live a life not dictated by the surname Harrold had unfairly saddled her with. “I’ve only burdened you with this information because I wanted to thank you for keeping my secret for as long as you did, when you had no obligation to do so.”

         When Sansa noticed that it was Alys who had come to join her, she stopped writing and placed her quill down almost immediately. She held onto the girls secret just because the girl had requested it. She had no resentment for the girl. It wasn’t her fault that she was born. That was her mother and fathers fault. The situation often reminded her of her own mother but she knew the differences were quite strong. The main one being that Sansa knew that Harrold would not go back to her mother and that there was no love there. Her own mother did not know that and did not know the identity of the mystery woman. Sansa would lucky because she knew all that. 

“Keep me for as long as you need,” she remarked offering Alys a small smile. Things were a little awquard between the two of them but Sansa would still try her best. She did not want any of her home to be filled with resentment so tried to make it easier for the two of them. “It has?” that was a surprise. “To keep us safe? That is nonesense. You have never posed any danger to us or to anyone else. I will have a word with Harrold.” And she would remind him how paranoid he was being. “If you do not want to go to Dorne I will make it so you can stay. You need only say the word.”

“Your secret was your own choice to share. I had no right to share with anyone, that was your choice and I was not going to take that away from you. If you had wanted to me to share it then I would have but you didn’t. It wasn’t as if I was lying to my husband, either. He never asked me anything about you so I did not lie to him either.”

[dutifulwolf-blog]

lordoakheart:

❅

 Little Arys looked over at his father after Queen Sansa’s question. The little lord didn’t know what to do but still even though he was just a year old, his steps still tumbled and he still looked to his father for approval. Dontin nodded with a smile on his face. “I think he would like that very much.” Eddara had been ill over the past few weeks but he knew that she did not want to trouble her friend with what seemed like minor worries. “Eddara sends her love but she is detained at home.”

          The little Oakheart warmed Sansa’s heart and she had not realised how much she was excited for her own child to be the age Arys was. Seeing his little and tumbled steps was adorable. “Here he is,” she said picking up her own child and showing him to the boys and Dontin. “I have missed her so much,” her voice was quiet so the children would not hear, “how are you all doing?”