[It is not as cheerful in the Godswood before. She sits before the heart tree once more- kneeling in the snow, and when Alcuin approaches, he'll see that her eyes are red and puffy.
[He sinks silently to his knees beside her and wraps her in his arms, gently pulling her close. He needs no words right now. He is here, and she has a friend. That is what is necessary. He presses his temple to hers, letting his lashes brush her cheekbone. He will stay as long as she does not push him away.]
[Surprisingly, she does not draw back. She wilts against him, energy drained out of her from anxiety alone. Her cheeks are still damp, but she's stopped crying, for now at least.]
Of course. You never need to be alone, Sansa, unless you truly wish to be.
[For once he does not stroke her hair or hold her hand, or complicate things any any number of small and intimate ways, but simply holds her. Supports her. She does not need to put on a strong front. Not with him.]
[His hands fall from her shoulders to her hands, taking them up and rubbing his thumbs across her knuckles.]
Sansa. Sansa, please, can you tell me who these monsters are? What they have done? We will protect you. You are not alone. Not this time. Not ever again.
[His hands stay upon hers, and he does not waver, though he does breathe in sharply.]
All because...?
[It's soft, gentle, almost too quiet to hear, but he needs to understand, and she needs to say it. This has been trapped inside her for so long with no outlet.]
[ It all comes spilling out now. She opens her mouth, words come out- words she hadn't intended to tell anyone, especially not here. She had left them behind, far behind--
She had thought she had left Tyrion behind. The words came with him.]
He found out something bad. He wanted to leave, to go home-- I didn't want to, I wanted to be Queen, I was stupid. I told them everything, and they took him from me. Arya ran, but I stayed, I thought that my love for the Prince was enough, but I was stupid, and it wasn't. They--
They cut his head off. [It's out now. She falls silent, then jerks her hands back from him.]
[Alcuin lets her retreat, leaving his hands empty and open in the air between them, his face blanched. Something in the way she said it... Oh surely, surely they wouldn't have been so cruel. Would they?]
Sansa, they... They didn't make you watch, did they?
[The words are barely audible, horrified and taut with grief, and a moment later he is close beside her, his arms wrapped about her as he holds her close.]
[ She does not weep again, but she does lean into his arms. Words spill out now, quiet, rushed words.]
They're all dead, now. All of them, except perhaps my sister, but how is a 9 year old highborn girl to survive on her own? [Oh, poor, poor Arya. She regrets fighting with her now. She should have seen how important family was.] Only my bastard brother lives, and he's vowed his life to The Wall, sworn off his family by duty. My uncle a prisoner, my aunts blood on my own hands. I am alone.
[Firm, with an edge of steel behind it, like Joscelin. He holds her close, protective as much as consoling.]
No matter what happens, no matter who comes, you will never be alone. Not here. You are among friends. We will never let them hurt you and we will stand by your side against them. We will be your sword and shield, your honeyed diplomacy. We will not let you fall.
[ At other times, his words may warm her heart. But here and now she feels only pain, and fear. She is not brave- not like Robb or Arya had been. She chokes a sob back down. If nothing else, she can keep tears from spilling again.]
No, you musn't! It's too dangerous-- Robb stood against them, and-- you must not, if they come here. You are too dear to me.
[He blinks, briefly caught off guard, but he continues to talk, calm and inexorable.]
Did Robb believe how dangerous they are? How many did they have behind them? How many did he have? How many Travelers will stand with you, Sansa? We know you, not them. They will have no allies here. They will have no power here, no safe haven. I worked against treachery against my kingdom all of my life. I'll not let them harm you, Sansa. And neither will anyone else.
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[Private] [Protection 1]
As you wish. I shall be there as swiftly as I am able.
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It seems someone is still capable of tears.]
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Alcuin-- Thank you, for coming.
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[For once he does not stroke her hair or hold her hand, or complicate things any any number of small and intimate ways, but simply holds her. Supports her. She does not need to put on a strong front. Not with him.]
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[She rests her forhead against his, eyes fluttering shut as she lingers against him.] Much, much too kind--
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To you? Impossible. Besides, I have so much to make up for. You deserve to be happy.
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Sansa. Sansa, please, can you tell me who these monsters are? What they have done? We will protect you. You are not alone. Not this time. Not ever again.
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Finally, it becomes too unbearable. She clenches snow in her fists. ]
His awful sister, and her son, and the entire family of Lions-- [ Her voice rises sharply with hysteria, then dies down to a whimper. ]
They killed my father. All because--
[action]
All because...?
[It's soft, gentle, almost too quiet to hear, but he needs to understand, and she needs to say it. This has been trapped inside her for so long with no outlet.]
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[There. It's been said. She knows now he'll try and convince her otherwise, which is worse than him not knowing.]
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Why?
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She had thought she had left Tyrion behind. The words came with him.]
He found out something bad. He wanted to leave, to go home-- I didn't want to, I wanted to be Queen, I was stupid. I told them everything, and they took him from me. Arya ran, but I stayed, I thought that my love for the Prince was enough, but I was stupid, and it wasn't. They--
They cut his head off. [It's out now. She falls silent, then jerks her hands back from him.]
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Sansa, they... They didn't make you watch, did they?
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[The words are barely audible, horrified and taut with grief, and a moment later he is close beside her, his arms wrapped about her as he holds her close.]
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They're all dead, now. All of them, except perhaps my sister, but how is a 9 year old highborn girl to survive on her own? [Oh, poor, poor Arya. She regrets fighting with her now. She should have seen how important family was.] Only my bastard brother lives, and he's vowed his life to The Wall, sworn off his family by duty. My uncle a prisoner, my aunts blood on my own hands. I am alone.
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[Firm, with an edge of steel behind it, like Joscelin. He holds her close, protective as much as consoling.]
No matter what happens, no matter who comes, you will never be alone. Not here. You are among friends. We will never let them hurt you and we will stand by your side against them. We will be your sword and shield, your honeyed diplomacy. We will not let you fall.
no subject
No, you musn't! It's too dangerous-- Robb stood against them, and-- you must not, if they come here. You are too dear to me.
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Did Robb believe how dangerous they are? How many did they have behind them? How many did he have? How many Travelers will stand with you, Sansa? We know you, not them. They will have no allies here. They will have no power here, no safe haven. I worked against treachery against my kingdom all of my life. I'll not let them harm you, Sansa. And neither will anyone else.