Chapter Text
Heavy pants escaped her thin, rattling chest as she swerved and ducked around the similarly panicking people and bright lights shooting past them. Sansa wanted to scream along with them, but didn’t have the air to run and do so at the same time. So she focused on breathing instead. In her arms she clutched her younger sister tight, though they ached under the weight. Her little sister latched on equally as tight around her neck, Arya’s cries loud as she demanded that they turn around. That they go back.
But they couldn’t.
They attacked so suddenly that no one was ready for it, appearing above their home in large ships, droids falling to the ground and blasting anyone they could find with bright lights. One person had been hit just as she exited her home, and the person’s eyes were frozen in terror, lying so still. Sansa and Arya were in lessons when they were told to run. A guard took them into the caverns off their home, shoved a bag on Sansa’s shoulder, pushed Arya into her arms and tossed a cloak around them. ‘Run.’ He had told her.
So she ran.
Her sister’s cries escalated as she yelled, “Home, Sansa! Home! We have to go back!”
The elder child’s cheeks were blotchy from crying, and they worsened as she warbled back, “We can’t, Arya!” Her voice was barely audible in the havoc and destruction around them.
The small squirming body in her arms showed that her sister was all ready to escape out of her embrace and go back to their home that Sansa had to pause in her sprinting to firmly adjust her younger, desperate sister. In doing so, her eyes caught the chaos behind her that Arya was so eager to race back into.
Dark, thick smoke curled and rose into the winter sky, marring the beautiful blue with black smog. Orange flames were what was left of her home, so bright that even this far away she felt their heat, and could hear the crackling of the massive fire. Sansa had never been so far out of her home before now, but she knew it was her home, even from an outside perspective. She knew those grey stones and sharp towers.
And now they were burning.
Her breath, already so gone from her lungs from the exertion, hitched in pain. Her home. It was gone. The red head’s mind trailed to her parents, her brothers, all her toys and dresses. They were gone. Burnt. Becoming ashes.
The smoke blew into their face as Sansa held her crying sister tightly to her chest, and Sansa weeped just as hard, choking as she breathed in the ashes. It was painful to turn away and to continue their escape. To turn her back on her home and family. But what else could she do? She was told to run, to keep Arya safe. And she would.
She didn’t know what direction she was headed, but remembered that ships were south of her home, and headed that way, hoping for safety. People were still screaming and running around their small figures as Sansa ducked up onto a random ramp. It looked to be of a small ship, but Sansa did not care. It got them out of the smoke filled air and the sounds of dying people. The artificial light was jarring compared to the flames and sunlight she was used to, but continued on cautiously.
Head twisting around constantly to look out for possible droids and to find a good hiding spot, Sansa could feel her limbs aching dreadfully from all the exercise. They needed to find somewhere to sleep soon, and fast.
A door hissed open on her right, and jumping back, clutching Arya closer, the door revealed an room filled with metal boxes and crates. And completely empty of people. Biting her lip, Sansa took a look around the hall way, before hurrying into room.
As the door hissed closed behind her once more, Sansa moved through the boxes to the very back of the room, and settled down with an exhaustive sigh in a corner. The crates towered high around her, and it reminded Sansa of when they played hide and seek. She was very good at it, finding places in the library or a store room.
In her mind she whispered that it was just like hide and seek. Just don’t get found. Sansa didn’t know what death was, besides someone sleeping and then never waking up again. But outside, where the droids were hitting people with bright lights, she realised that they were dying. It sounded painful. Her mind flashed to the empty brown eyes of the person that fell in front of her earlier, and squeezed her own shut tightly, trying to banish such a horrible image.
Arya squirmed in her arms once they were settled on the ground, and her dark skin was wet with tears and snot. Sansa bet her own face looked just as miserable. The sisters looked nothing alike, with Arya taking her dark skin and hair from their father, and Sansa looking very much like their mother with red hair and pale skin. No one would guess them to be sisters, much less related.
But Sansa didn’t care. They were family, and all that they had were each other now. Taking the edge of the large cloak from around her shoulders, Sansa drew it up to her little sister’s face a began to wipe off the fluids, Arya thankfully not fighting the fussing.
Sniffling, Arya mumbled, “We should’ve gone back.”
Sansa paused in her motions, and bit her wobbling lip, “We would have been hurt, Arya.”
Frowning, Arya pushed her hand away and argued, “I would’ve been fine!”
Frustration at everything began to well up as Sansa yelled, “We would’ve died! We would be killed just like mother and father and Robb an-and J-jon-n-“ she trailed off into hiccuping sobs, small hands trying to muffle her heaving cries. She didn’t know what to do! She wanted her mother to be here to make everything okay but she couldn’t, because they were all gone!
Small arms wound around her neck again, and Sansa clutched tightly to her little sister’s body as they both began to cry again. Their small bodies trembled and shook as they huddled in such an unfamiliar place. They held onto one another for a long time.
But after awhile, they had managed to calm down just in time to brace themselves for the ship moving, only weak, hitching breaths and sniffles left. The floors and walls rattled, and Sansa worried that the boxes piled high around them would tumble and fall on them. But in her glances of worry, she noticed ropes tying them down, so she relaxed. But she still kept a tight arm around her sister, and was gladdened that Arya eagerly sought comfort in her embrace too.
Sansa wondered where they would be going. Maybe they would fly to one of the other kingdoms Sansa had learnt about. Maybe they could find the family that they didn’t live with, like their Uncle! She felt hope filling the hole where fear was, and turned to Arya to tell her of a possible plan.
But her younger sister was not looking at her, facing a circular window instead. Furrowing her brows, Sansa followed her gaze, and a gasp of shock left her aching lungs as she watched the winter blue sky disappear, growing black as night.
Staggering up onto shaking legs, Sansa and Arya hurried over to the window, and after heaving her sister up so she could see as well, they peered out the glass. Faces smooshed against one another, they watched with growing horror as they left slowly a planet. As they left their planet.
They weren’t going to be able to find their uncle after all.
Her arms gave out in her shock, and Arya luckily managed to catch herself from tumbling hard to the floor. Sansa, barely even noticing, stumbled back from the window, face wide in utter terror, as she hit the wall and fell down. They weren’t going to be able to go home again.
Arya crawled in Sansa’s lap, and the little sister whispered, lost and confused, “What are we going to do, Sansa?” She was trying to find guidance in someone who was just as lost.
Tongue heavy, Sansa whispered back, “I don’t know.”
They dozed off in their corner, exhaustion finally taking over their young bodies, falling into an uneasy sleep to the hum of the ship. Sansa had Arya tucked between her and the wall, the cloak wrapping around both their shoulders and coming around to lay over their laps. The room was chilled, though they were used to cold weather so adjusted easily, using each other’s body for warmth.
After they napped, though Sansa didn’t know how long that actually was, the girls dug through the bag that the guard shoved on her. She spared a sad thought for what could have happened to that man, before quickly nudging it into the back of her mind.
Now was not the time to remember sad things. Sansa had to focus on keeping Arya safe. She didn’t know if they could go back home. Even if they managed to find another ship to take them back, would there be anything left?
Her worries must have been very obvious on her face, as Arya looked up at her, asking, “What’s wrong?”
Shaking her thoughts back to the present, Sansa just gave her a weak smile, “Just trying to think of what we need to do next.”
“Go back home?” Arya suggested, a strange mixture of doubt and hope warring in her tone.
“I want to but...” She trailed off uncertainly.
Arya didn’t need Sansa to finish though, just nodding in return. She then looked at her lap blankly for a long second, before returning to rummage through the bag.
There was a small sack of bread and fruits, as well as some dried meats. A mix of different nuts and dried berries in a metal container, along with a large canister filled with water. Besides food, there was some shirts that seemed to be too large for either girl, but could still work as a change of clothes.
‘Not pretty though.’ Her mind unconsciously supplied, mulish. But she once more shoved those thoughts away, knowing that pretty clothes were not important.
There were also some socks, much to Arya’s delight. She quickly stuffed one on her hand and made it into a sock puppet. Sansa couldn’t help the bright laugh that left her lips, and eagerly joined in, shoving the other sock of the pair on her tiny hand.
They played make believe for a bit, Sansa creating a funny voice for her puppet, as Arya and her pretended to talk about absurd, fantastical things through the new toys. It was very simplistic in comparison to some of the toys they had back home, but both girls were both very imaginative and inventive when it came to playing.
Normally, Sansa enjoyed indoor games to Arya’s outdoor ones, and would argue on what to play at times, but sometimes. Sometimes they found something that they both loved, and could spend hours together laughing with one another.
She was happy that they managed to do so now, even in such horrible circumstances.
Finally though, they felt and heard their stomachs growl and decided to dig into their food. Living on a winter planet, they knew how to ration foods, especially when food was scarce. So they split a chunk of bread, shared an apple, and tore into one piece of dried meat. With tiny sips from their water canister, Sansa felt a dreadful realisation, as her stomach filled happily.
“I need to pee.” She uttered out loud, and her and Arya shared a worried look.
Packing all their supplies and cloak into the bag, Sansa shoved it behind one of the many crates and together they tiptoed to the door. In the silent walk, the automatic door had them jumping back and flattening against the wall in fear, hearts pounding. They had forgotten it was sensored.
Sansa peeked out of the door way, ears and eyes peeled for people, and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard no one. Now, the real trouble began. Finding the refreshers.
Marking their room in her memory, particularly the weird, large scratch in the door frame, they began their exploration. Sweaty, small hands clasped around one another, Sansa lead the way, keeping close to the walls. The ship was clean, and well lit. Which would make hiding hard.
A few times Sansa had ran from lessons, hiding from her tutor and parents in gleeful exhilaration, like it was all an adventure, but this wasn’t fun at all. She felt so hyper aware of every hum and clink of the ship. Of Arya’s soft and subtle footsteps but a few inches behind her. Even her own soft breathing felt loud in her ears, and worked harder to be more quiet.
However, after wandering down the hallway, they heard foot steps, and Sansa panicked. Arya’s breath hitched in fear, and looking around wildly, Sansa shoved the two of them into the nearest alcove.
Hiding her sister’s body with her’s in the corner, she watched wide eyed as a humanoid person walked past them, not even noticing the two small girls on their ship. They stared frozen, staying in their spot for a long moment, hearts pounding as the footsteps drew away from them.
Finally, all that was left was the humming ship. Breathing in silent relief, Sansa slumped against her sister, head leaning on the cool, metal wall. She hadn’t even noticed how hot she felt from all the stress and welcomed the cold temperature.
And then a noise from a few moments ago caught up to her, and Sansa realised that the person exited what sounded like the refresher. Peeking out of their alcove, the red head’s eyes locked onto the door, not a few feet from them. Squeezing her sister’s hand to make sure she was ready, Sansa took off in a silent run, Arya easily keeping pace.
The refresher hissed open, and they ducked inside, door closing just as quickly, and Arya hit the occupied button sharply a split second afterwards. Sansa sent her a smile of approval at her smart move, Arya giving a wide grin in return, then ushered her to the toilet.
They took turns, making sure to wipe their hands clean afterwards just as their mother taught them. Sansa had to stifle that memory lest she began to cry again, and focused on their current situation. Once they were finished, the moment of relaxation disappeared as they had to return to their room now.
Walking with trepidation over to the still locked door, Sansa and Arya both leaned their ears on it and listened hard. Reflexively, Sansa closed her eyes, and tried to imagine the hallway just outside, recalling the wide-eyed assessment she gave their entire journey here. It felt like she was hearing everything in the ship, all so clearly. Too clearly. That wasn’t normal, but it did not matter at this moment.
Opening her eyes once more, Arya and her locked gazes, and they nodded as one. Pressing the unlocking button, their fingers tangled together once more, and they took off. It was quicker to return to their room than their journey out, and Sansa was relieved to learn that the refresher was not too far from their room.
Once safely stowed back into their corner, Sansa and Arya finished their exploration of the bag. Besides food and clothes, they found some credits and a couple of weapons, such as a small blaster and a plasma blade. A bit too gleefully, Arya grabbed the blade, which Sansa had swiped quickly from her hands, “Nope! Too dangerous.”
“But we need to protect ourselves!” The six year old protested and unfortunately, Sansa could argue with that.
She sighed, “Fine,” And cut off her sister’s cheer of success by snapping, “But only if attacked. Don’t go playing around with it!” And with an eager nod, her sister snatched the blade back and ‘oo’ed in awe at the white plasma blade that came out with a small press of a button. It was around six or so inches long. And Sansa could feel the heat from where she sat next to her little sister.
After eyeing her sister, and more importantly the blade, warily, she turned back to the bag. That meant that Sansa took the blaster, and looking down at her clothes, she wondered where to store it. She was in a woollen, blue dress and warm, thick pants. They had flecks of dried mud on the legs where they tucked into her boots. But no pockets. Chewing on her bottom lip, Sansa continued to rifle through the bag and let out an ‘ah ha!’ In triumph.
Pulling out a leather belt and holster, she tried to strap it around her waist. Only, it was too large, comically falling down her legs, much to Arya’s enjoyment. With a huff of annoyance, the older child decided to have it over one shoulder instead, tugging it up to lay diagonally against her chest, the holster dangling by her thigh.
The blaster was heavy, but it worked well enough, and Sansa practised pulling it out quickly a few times, brows furrowed in concentration.
Arya luckily enough had pockets in her pants, wearing a long-sleeved, green tunic instead of a dress. However, the top was not warm enough to Sansa’s standards, and tugged one of the bag’s shirts over her head. Arya wiggled and grumbled, but allowed the thick grey piece of clothing to hang down to her knees.
Now it was Sansa’s turn to laugh at her predicament.
Packing away the food, Sansa had a wandering thought about why the guard had all this at the moment of the attack, thinking maybe he had a short moment to pack during it all. Or maybe he already had it packed in case of an emergency. Or maybe-
Her mind twisted itself in circles and she flopped onto the floor in frustration, using the bag as a pillow. With a groan as Arya did the same onto her stomach, she shoved her cackling sister off. They shifted and elbowed one another until they were happily curled together, settled as comfortably as possible with the cloak over them like a blanket.
Their future was uncertain. But they would stick together until they were safe again.
They did not know how long they were on the ship, but they had seven separate journeys to use the toilet, and managed to still have half a canister of nuts and dried fruit by the time the ship landed again. With them holed up in the room filled with what Sansa assumed was the ships trading products, she figured they would have only a small window of opportunity to run. And they didn’t even know what type of planet it was besides the glances of dirt and buildings outside their small porthole. So with their weapons in place, cloak stuffed into the bag over Sansa’s shoulder, so much lighter than before, they readied themselves.
Over the journey, Sansa had managed to do that hearing thing, where she listened for where all the ship people were. Arya had figured out how too as well, and together they counted five occupants. With that in mind, Sansa and Arya stood by the door, flat against the wall, and waited. Soon enough after the ship landed and stopped humming, five sets of footsteps walked in their direction, and Sansa couldn’t help how she sucked in a deep breath in fear and anticipation. She heard her sister do the same, sweaty hand finding her own one.
Neither moved as the door hissed open and the large people moved into the room, not even spotting the two until they raced out, hands clutched tightly together. There were sounds of surprise, the yells fading away as they burst out into the new world. With only a moment to take in the massive ship yard before them, bustling with all types of species, the sunlight was bright and jarring from the artificial one they had adjusted to. That all happened within seconds before they continued their escape down the ramp, dashing away from the ship and threading through the crowd quickly.
They did not know if the owners of the ship would come after them, so they continued to run though the shipyard and bursting into a massive market place. Foreign smells and sights greeted them, and unwillingly her mouth watered at some of the food that was cooking. But they only had a small amount of money and needed a place to sleep first.
After running more, trying to put as much distance between them and the ship, Sansa spotted a perfect hiding space. Tugging her sister to the right, they ducked into an alley way, and the girls took time to breath, tiny lungs working over time. They observed the people passing by the entrance of their hiding spot, watching for anyone possibly coming after them. When no one came after some minutes, Sansa and Arya sighed in relief together. Then their eyes wandered over to one another, and the young girls burst into giggles of disbelief and exhilaration, on a high from all the excitement.
Sansa felt in that moment that everything would be well, if they just kept their feet fast and thinking faster.