❛ There’s talk that you are who’s to thank for saving us all . ❜ Margaery hadn’t enjoyed large crowds for some time since escaping Kings Landing , so she voluntarily removed herself from the celebration , finding the young Stark in the process . She much preferred where Arya stood , as it was dark and quiet ; a place she’d find more comfort in having personally lost so much in the war thus far . The rose hoped she wasn’t intruding on the girl’s bow practice , and sat on the wooden bench by her side , to watch . ❛ You don’t wish to celebrate with everyone ? They held a toast in your name . ❜
some meta on sansa and arya and the evolution of their relationship through sansa's eyes?
@ofwintcrfell || send me stuff to meta || always accepting
Hi omg thank you so much for sending this in because look, Sansa & Arya is one dynamic I can just go on about for ages. I’ve been meaning to write this up and ew this is so long shjsgfjsf I am sorry.
I would like to start this essay ( it literally is omfg ) with a quote, probably one MOST associated with them:
“You may be as different as the sun and the moon, but the same blood flows through both your hearts. You need her, as she needs you.”
& this always seemed to be applied to Arya’s end … but Sansa needed it just as much. She needed to realize that she needed her sister for strength, support, needed to RESPECT that Arya was not the perfect lady, that it didn’t mean that Arya just didn’t FIT into the narrative Sansa created for them. But I am getting ahead of myself, doing mini headers here to help organize myself better bc least organized hoe ever. see it under the cut bc fuck im getting this all out ok.
CHILDHOOD
Look, Sansa was very much a perfectionist, so much of her childhood built on the assumptions she made on how life was supposed to be, everything fitting together nicely like in a song. Everything in her life, she tried to fit into songs and the social standards provided to her. She and Arya are very much Foils and so much tension from youth originates from Sansa, a lack of understanding that anyone wouldn’t devote their life to being liked, to making things easy for others. For being the perfect lady.
I don’t think things were really harsh between them back then though. Arya was annoying in her eyes, she was a pain and she was embarrassed by her, caring so much about what others think ( which really heightened in the pre-teen years ), but this quote, this one quote, really reflects how I think they had their moments. Moments which stuck with Sansa years later.
Things were simpler, they laughed and joked around,
“She remembered a summer’s snow in Winterfell when Arya and Bran had ambushed her as she emerged from the keep one morning. They’d each had a dozen snowballs to hand, and she’d had none. Bran had been perched on the roof of the covered bridge, out of reach, but Sansa had chased Arya through the stables and around the kitchen until both of them were breathless. She might even have caught her, but she’d slipped on some ice. Her sister came back to see if she was hurt. When she said she wasn’t, Arya hit her in the face with another snowball, but Sansa grabbed her leg and pulled her down and was rubbing snow in her hair when Jory came along and pulled them apart, laughing.“
AND LOOK OK this is such a sisterly thing. To tease, to chase, but when things seem serious, make sure the other is okay and uninjured. When you are sure they are fine, fuckin attack them with snow,
This pushes Sansa into embracing more of the fire which always seemed timid, meeting arya’s boldness, pulling her down, playfighting. Pulling out wolfish movements. They are laughing, this is a game to them,
This is the first instance of Arya bringing out the Stark in Sansa. And at the basis of Sansa needing her, it’s for the strength, for feeling like she can be brave too, that she can be Northern despite how people always says the South suits her.
But then comes growing up more, and here I NEED to address something. Sansa bullied Arya. She said hurtful things, sometimes downright cruel, and it is constantly repeated in Arya’s POV chapters, clearly sticking with her. I love Sansa with all my heart but this treatment was NOT okay and it needs to be recognized.
Why? Growing up, hormones, no adults really stopping her, Arya didn’t let it show how much the words cut. ( PSA not excusing Sansa here, she acted like most middle school girls act, my sister and I did the exact same to each other growing up at that age, we both regret it, and we both cannot tell you why, it’s that age - i know this may be a lazy excuse for it, but I really am stumped here )
But also after talking it out with people about sisters in general, is it a sister thing? bc i’ve heard from so many about sisters who did tease each other and it can get to that really hurtful point and yeah going to cut my ramble off here . . .
And then comes the direwolf situation, and its easiest for Sansa to place blame and frustrations on Arya, more than on the one she is convinced she can find love with and marry, more than the Queen who she admires, and most of all, it’s easier than the guilt of BLAMING HERSELF. Arya, is an unfair outlet to that, but still where she takes it out for a while.
KING’S LANDING
But you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone. Sansa didn’t. And over her time in King’s landing, she finds herself missing Arya. Finds herself constantly looking to see her. It’s not mentioned much in the books, I mean their associations has always been more mentioned in Arya’s POV chapters, but it’s here distance makes the heart stronger.
Sometimes, Sansa tries to meet eyes with the girl who is no longer there, meet eyes to be fed strength. She misses the rebellion, misses the free spirit. She believes Arya is dead and mourns her along with the rest of her household and her father.
But she can’t dwell too much, she needs to focus on survival. But this time she comes to appreciate her heritage more, regret the past, so much that she digs up what to regret and regrets it as well.
She dreams of her future, daydreams of it and when thinking of her children,
“sometimes there was even a girl who looked like arya.” perhaps showing an openness to who Arya was, an openness in her heart to try again, coming with maturing and realizing what is important.
She dreams of seeing her family again, dreams of what she would change, and of course Arya is there. Arya, who had never deserved her blame or anger. Arya, who was different but that did not necessarily make her a bad bit in Sansa’s life. Arya, whose honest and true to self nature she much preferred to those around her.
Someone who would fight for her.
Someone, who she realized despite the cruel words exchanged, she would fight for now.
But with Alayne Stone as a storyline as well, more of ‘ Sansa ’ is pushed down, and that includes her family, but still, Arya keeps surfacing, she cannot stop thinking about her sister.
And later on, moving into the show timeline beyond the books …
“summer is the time for squabbles”
winter comes and the wolves come together
So upon a reunion, I imagine immediate warmth, lots of crying bc thought she was dead . .
but a lot of uncertainty too because they are now different people, but there’s a chance actually getting to know each other? And it is something Sansa would look forward to, Approaching with an open heart.
There will be an appreciation for who she became, ( a show quote I stand by, calling Arya the strongest person she’s met, and not just by physical ability, but also emotionally and mentally ) Sansa would feel guilt for a child under appreciated and the pain she caused. And through the years she won’t stop apologizing even when told she was forgiven.
Actions would be taken to make things right between them.
apologies, admiration, and solidarity. it is all I ask for with the future between them, and it is certain on Sansa’s end. She is never going to turn her back on family again.
And she will love Arya for all she is, and seek out the best ending for who they can become, together.
QUEEN IN THE NORTH HAD A RING TO IT -- didn’t it? that’s what she told herself every day as she came to terms with this brand new reality. it was a rather impactful moment, the north now being free from the other kingdoms, just as robb had intended -- just as her ancestors had designated it to be.
but what good is ruling if you’re all alone.
her coronation is only days away, though she’s truly been leading for some time now. it’s just the legitimacies the realm desires. though there’s still much to be done, for starters -- she needed to assemble her counsel. though when it came to choosing her hand, one person came to mind. the only person who ruling alongside felt R I G H T.
arya
she finds herself approaching her sister’s chambers, a gentle knock coming to the door in front of her. she, however, doesn’t wait for the door to be opened for her, instead she lets herself in. (privileges as older sister and queen)
❛ -- hope i’m not interrupting... ❜ she begins, drawing attention to herself. sansa takes a step inside, motioning for the guards to leave them and shut the door behind her. with a soft smile, she looks to her sister. ❛ i was hoping we could have a moment.. there’s something i’d like to discuss with you. ❜
༺✧༻ Jon could not help but to smile at the defiance in her tone, though he did his best to suppress his amusement; laughing at Arya often merited swift and painful retribution.
“Oh aye you say that now, but I know you Arya Stark,” he tapped the side of his nose, giving her a significant look beneath a dark, lofty brow. “You never could help showin’ off in front of those stable boys — word gets ‘round when a girl in a right pretty frock sends a lad twice her size running with an arrow in his boot-heel — square your shoulders,” he instructed her with a tap of the stick he used as a practice blade; he didn’t dare wield even a wooden sword against the young girl lest he be accused of any ill-will... Seven knows he didn’t need to fall further out of favor with their hawk-eyed matriarch.
‘ ‘t isn’t as comfortable as it looks. ’ gendry tugs on the collar o’ the new uniform, but otherwise schools his hands from reachin’ forward and scratch on ‘nythin’ else. the dressmaker spent ‘bout three days, they did, in makin’ sure the uniform fits and the design gendry had wanted t’ be in was incorporated. the ripped edges, claws o’ a wolf. an alliance, o’ sort, with the north who has helped him so much. ( gendry thinks nothin’ o’ the night before they stopped talkin’; thinks nothin’ o’ his heavy chest that he still carries from when she shook her head, and resumes her archery. ) ‘ and this sword, ’ he gestures t’ the long one by his hips, ‘ — ‘t isn’t me. ’
uh so listen here. i find myself in awe of your arya constantly? i've told you how much i admire your portrayal before, but let me just scream a little more, because you write her so beautifully. you give her such wonderful humanity and put the life back into her that d&d sucked out like big boy idiots. your thoughts about her, your headcanons, all of it are so wonderfully thought out and so spot on, i'm just. ugh nan. stop being so perfect?
beep beep how’s my portrayal ?
REED I’M CRYING!! i just, wowie. i have no words i’m too emotional, hearing this from you means a lot because i respect you and your portrayal of arya sm im. WOWIE. have this its all i have left.
