The Viper and The Wolf

Chapter 1

Author's Note:
Sansa is aged up appropriately for this story, obviously.

She didn't pray anymore. It was something she tried hard to convince herself of. Why would she pray to the deities who took everything away from her? Her father most of all. Her sister. Her happy life. Everything. And yet she always found herself sitting on the same terrace above the ocean on her knees within the small rocks and her hands folded in front of her. She prayed to the Father for justice for her family. She prayed to the Mother for peace to end the war. She prayed to the Maid to help keep her purity in the violent times they were living in. But she also prayed to the Warrior to help aid her brother in the violent war.

She tried to ignore the two Lannister soldiers assigned to keep an eye on her. She always felt watched and she knew she was. The lions couldn't lose their only leverage they had over the King in the North. They made it abundantly clear that they would hurt Robb Starks' precious sister. Not kill. Hurt. The current reigning king of King's Landing loved to torment Sansa Stark. Especially in public while Tywin and Cersei Lannister preferred to terrify her in private. They seemed to love her shaking where she sat, having her follow their every word like the trained pigeon she seemed to be.

Sansa tried to concentrate on her prayers as fresh and light footsteps seemed to approach her. The possibility of it being Joffrey sent a shock of terror through her body, causing her to quickly lift her head and look to her right. She sat there stunned and somewhat relieved to see Westeros' new future queen, Margaery Tyrell. Her beauty intimidated Sansa as she smiled gently toward her.

"I didn't mean to disturb you." Margaery said, completely ignoring the guards on either side of her.

"You haven't." Sansa said as she found her feet. She stood there, allowing the wind to move her flaming hair and simple dress. She didn't seem at all hostile. But she was tricked before by a friendly face.

"We'd like some privacy, please," Margaery addressed the guards. "If you wouldn't mind waiting back inside the keep." She looked at the guards and sighed when they didn't obey her. "Or if you'd be kind enough to give me your names, I'll ask the King to speak with you himself." Margaery smiled as the guards finally turned and left and she approached Sansa. "What did you pray for?"

"I can't tell you." Sansa said with a shy smile.

"Why not?" Margaery took her arm and began to walk with her. "I'll tell you what I prayed for in the Sept this morning. Let's see, for my family's health and happiness, for an end to the war, for a short winter. Boring and traditional, I'm afraid." She smiled at her again. "And you?"

"I'm sorry, I just can't." Sansa said again. She looked to her right to see stone steps leading down to another terrace. She and Margaery began to make their way down.

"My cousin Alanna was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen," Margaery began. "When I was all elbows and knees and Alanna looked like a goddess sent to torture me. "Pig Face," she called me."

" "Pig face"?" Sansa suddenly giggled. "That's ridiculous."

"It had something to do with my nose. Whenever she passed me in the halls, she'd oink." Margaery looked at Sansa and snorted. Both young women laughed. "So I prayed that she'd catch a horrible skin disease. A week after that, she came down with porridge plague."

"Porridge plague?" Sansa stopped once they reached the end of the steps.

"Oh, you don't have it in the North?" Margaery asked and Sansa shook her head. "Your skin starts to look like boiled oats, and eventually, your face slides off and you die in agony."

"But that's awful." Sansa frowned with her eyes wide in terror. Her fear of believing the disease was real didn't fly past her mind, but her frown disappeared as Margaery snickered just slightly. "You're . . . I believed you!" Sansa exclaimed and began to walk again. "Porridge plague. I'm an idiot."