DAGGERS TO THE HEART Part 1 - GAME OF THRONES

Sansa VIII

Sansa Stark sat in her chambers, the letter from her father cradled in her hands. The weight of surprise hung in the air, and her thoughts travelled back to the days in King's Landing, where memories clung like ivy to stone walls. Ser Barristan Selmy's dismissal from Joffrey's kingsguard had sparked whispers within the Red Keep, elusive murmurs that had become the elusive trail of a ghost.

In the courtly dance of intrigue, Sansa had heard tales of Ser Barristan's allegiance shifting to the Dragon Queen, Daenerys. Yet, when the Targaryen ruler set foot in Westeros, there was no trace, no mention of the esteemed knight. The enigma left Sansa with a choice of possibilities. Had he joined Daenerys and met his end, or were the whispers nothing more than the fanciful play of courtly rumours?

Sansa longed for a confidant, someone with whom she could unravel the mystery. The absence of Jon Snow, the one person who might have held answers, loomed over her thoughts like a shadow beyond the wall for sixteen moons, the length of a season's turn. The unknown stretched before her, an uncharted landscape of uncertainty.

If Ser Barristan had, in some twist of fate, joined forces with Daenerys in their past lives, Sansa mused, she could have sought solace in Jon's counsel. His closeness to Daenerys may have given life to a conversation regarding the missing knight. But Jon was absent, his presence a void in her life. The silence of his absence echoed in her mind as she grappled with the unknown fate of the former kingsguard.

Instead of journeying toward Daenerys, Ser Barristan's path now veered towards Jon's retinue in the north, to Queenscrown. Sansa's mind whirred with thoughts of how this deviation would echo across their ambitions, how the ripples of his defection would touch the edges of their intricate game. The consequences loomed like winter clouds, and Sansa Stark, entangled in the threads of power and destiny, awaited the inevitable repercussions with a blend of trepidation and curiosity.

Sansa Stark received word from an outrider about Ser Barristan's imminent arrival. The chambers were set, and the armoury echoed with the clinks and clangs of preparations for someone of Ser Barristan the Bold's stature.

A silent satisfaction bloomed within Sansa at the prospect of this addition, a chess piece in the unfolding game. Her hopes silently whispered for Jon to share in her sentiment. Amidst the kingsguards, only The Hound and Ser Barristan had shown her kindness. The man was ageing, a truth evident in every line etched on his face, but Sansa recognized a different utility for him, the role of Lord Commander. In her intricate dance with power, she understood that much of leadership involved the tedium of paperwork, a realm in which Ser Barristan held familiarity. The position also granted a seat on the small council, an invaluable asset for Jon in navigating the intricacies of ruling the Seven Kingdoms. After claiming the Iron Throne, Ser Barristan's purpose would shift from a warrior to an advisor, a transition Sansa foresaw with calculated clarity.

As the hour of Ser Barristan's arrival drew near, the Queenscrown courtyard buzzed with anticipation. Faces, a mosaic of curiosity, eagerly awaited the legendary Ser Barristan the Bold. His mere presence, a beacon of inspiration, already kindled motivation among the soldiers aligned with their cause.

By Sansa's side stood Samwell, holding Little Sam in his arms, a familial tableau amidst the preparations. Gilly, occupied with the wounded, lent her hands to Maester Fell in treating a soldier injured by an axe. Lady, the direwolf, sat regally at Sansa's other side, a silent sentinel witnessing the gathering momentum.

Sansa's eyes widened in surprise as Ser Barristan arrived on a small cart, an unusual sight for a knight of his stature. The presence of two chests hinted at either an unusually heavy load of luggage or a delivery sent from her father. Curiosity and speculation intertwined in Sansa's thoughts, wondering what message lay within those chests.