Last chance for honour

Chapter 29

They rode in silence, not uttering a word to one another. Brienne kept glancing to Jamie, whose eyes were fixed on the road ahead. She knew he would ride all day and night to find Sansa, "we'll stop here" she got down from her horse, there was another inn, similar to the last one and the one before that. Jamie stopped for a moment "wait" Brienne turned to him.

"They're Knights of the Vale Banners" Brienne thought for a moment "Sansa's Aunt is Lady of the Vale, perhaps-" "No, we can't stay here, we might be recognised" "but they might know-" "Brienne trust me, we can't go in there" Brienne looked at him for a moment, she remembered their travels to Kingslanding and how he had been right about things before.

"Very well" she started to ready her horse once more. "Lord Jamie, how unexpected I am to see you here, I thought you resided in Kingslanding now" Jamie knew that coy voice, the sound of it made his skin crawl. "Baelish" he turned to see his instincts were correct. He felt a surge of rage pulse in his body.

"What could possibly bring you so far North, Lord Jamie?" Jamie didn't bother answering his questions, "where's Sansa?" He watched as Baelish tried to act uncertain of his request, a pathetic attempt. "I know it was you". Jamie's eyes narrowed, he glanced to the horses outside of the inn, there was too many. He had never wanted to strike someone down more than Littlefinger, his hate for him was stronger than any he had felt before, he had taken the one thing he purely loved in this world.

"Let me ask you, what would I possibly want with Sansa Stark? Or should I say Sansa Lannister?" Jamie allowed a smirk to form on his face "and let me ask you..." He stepped closer to Baelish, staring into his narrow eyes, "where have you taken Sansa Lannister? The child of Catelyn Stark, the woman who you loved so dearly". Jamie could see from Baelish's face the pain it caused him to simply mention her name.

"Now let me ask you again, where is my wife?" Two men appeared behind Baelish both dressed as Knights of the Vale "ah yes, I heard of your marriage to Lysa Arryn, what a happy man you must be"

"-I think you're first mistake was underestimating me Lord Jamie, you asked of your wife, she's where she belongs, her home, had it ever occurred to you, that she doesn't want you to find her, perhaps she's happy without you, a Lannister her family despised, who slaughtered her family".

Jamie clenched his jaw, he knew how Baelish worked, his manipulation, how he twisted everyone into his little game. "If Sansa is hurt in any way, you can't imagine the pain you're going to feel Lord Baelish, I don't think that every Knight from the Vale could protect you" Jamie said as he climbed onto his horse, more of Baelish's men had started appearing. He wasn't a coward, but he wasn't a fool, he knew Brienne and him would never win a fight with those odds.

"Remember Baelish, a Lannister always pays their debts" he gave him a smile, before speeding his horse in the other direction, Brienne briskly followed.

"How could I ever forget?" Baelish muttered to himself under his breath.

~

"My lady, Lord Bolton has asked for you" Myranda stood in the doorway. She followed her to the Grand hall. She had many memories in this room, her brother's and sister's name days as well as her own, the feasts, the dances, her last memory of this room was the Kings arrival, everything was grander than it he ever been, the food, the people, the music. Sansa remembered how wonderful she had thought it was, it was the last truly happy memory of her home, how stupid she had been to have loved the Queen and Joffrey, the two people who had destroyed that home.

"Ah my lady, you're here" She forced a small smile on her lips, she had remembered what Baelish had told her, even though she hated him, she knew how she had to try and please him, for her own sake. "I trust Lord Baelish has told you of our union, in marriage" "Yes, my Lord" Ramsey smiled, "please sit" Sansa did as she was told, Ramsey remained standing.

"There is of course one small issue, your marriage to Jamie Lannister" It pained her for him to say his name "Lord Baelish has told me the nature of the marriage, of how it was forced and how there was never any consummation ceremony, therefore no proof that the marriage is valid" Sansa remained silent.

"We are to be husband and wife, Lord and Lady of Winterfell..." He started walking behind her seat, he placed a hand on her shoulder, sending a cold shudder down her spine, she closed her eyes with fear. "I want you to be happy Sansa" his face was close to hers, she could feel his breath in her hair, his other hand around her neck. "But you understand I can't have any question of the legitimacy of our marriage".

Sansa felt herself breathing heavier, she tried to steady her nerves, but she couldn't ignore the fear Ramsey cause her. "I want us to be honest with each other, was the marriage consummated?" Sansa felt his grip around her neck tighten. "...No my Lord... Lord Jamie never touched me" she thought of how much she wanted Jamie to be here, for it to be him stood behind her. She didn't want to lie about her and Jamie, she loved him, but Ramsey terrified her. She heard Ramsey let a sigh out with a smile on his lips "yes, that is what you will tell people".

"Lord Baelish told me how close you and Jamie were, I'm not an idiot, but I admire you trying to please me, you will tell people that you're still a virgin" his grip on Sansa's throat tightened.

"But listen to me Sansa, if you ever lie to me again, you can't even imagine the things I will do to you". Sansa felt her heart pulsing in her chest. He released his hands around Sansa's neck. He poured himself a glass of wine, sitting himself opposite Sansa. His wicked smile appeared on his lips once more "as long as our children don't have blonde hair and green eyes, I imagine no one will question our marriage" he let out a cruel laugh.