The First Snow

PART V: Sansa

Sansa fidgeted nervously, she had never been in a public house before, let alone in a pub alone. Brienne had gone to find passage to Braavos. Sansa curled her hand around the beer filled cup and pretended to sip. It was bitter on her lips.

Her mind wandered back to Kingslanding, she saw Joffery's wormy lips and found the courage to take a real sip. T he warmth that spread down her spine and her legs and made forget to be scared for a minute. By the time Brienne returned she was working on her second pint.

"You don't have to stay with me, I hereby release you of your duties." she waved her hand dramatically but sobered when she saw Brienne's tight lipped face.

"Your mother and brother are dead." Brienne took the beer from Sansa and downed it.

"You're a cruel bitch." Sansa wiped her mouth and slid from her stool wobbling slightly.

"Yes well as you said, I am released from my duty." Brienne grabbed her taking her hand.

"Girl, if you have any sense you would listen to me. You have passage to Braavos, a nice cabin but it doesn't leave for a fortnight, take this" she shoved a heavy pouch into her hand.

"Buy yourself a fancy dress and as soon as the ship touches dock you find yourself a keyholder and tell him you need work."

"You're leaving me." Sansa looked incredulous.

"I don't want to be here, and there is no one to return you to."

"You are going back to him?" Sansa's lip curled.

"I was not lying about him and " Brienne cupped her hand over her mouth.

"Don't even whisper their names, you were never there. And yes I am going back to him, I owe him my life."

"I thought you owed my mother." as Sansa let her mother's death wash over her, she turned away from Brienne and didn't look back as she wound her way back to the room they had shared last night.

For the next three days Sansa didn't leave her room. She ate her food in the window seat, sipping meade and staring out of the window. The first day on her own, she was paranoid. First she thought she saw Littlefinger, then Varys.

Finally she made up her mind to venture out for she thought sadly, that she may never see this side of the Narrow Sea again. She knew it was reckless but she left her hair uncovered in a single braid.

Sansa pushed through the busy tavern and plunked her dishes down on the bar. The inn keep winked at her and she smiled. For the first time in her life, she was free she didn't have to worry about anyone but herself, she didn't have to say the right thing or worry that Arya was going to embarrass her--none of it mattered anymore.

When she stepped into the bustle of the town she took a deep breath and started winding her way into the crowd.