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Sansa slowly walked the long path with a sunken head. She couldn’t believe that this happened to her family. When she finally was before a large golden chair she graciously sunk to the ground with her head in a humbly position. Her eyes watched each mosaic piece on the floor which revealed connected a beautiful picture of blue embellishments and tulips. She desperately wished that she could stand up and leave this palace even if it was one of the most beautiful buildings she ever saw.
When her ears noticed the sound of heavy robes grinding on the floor, she looked through her eye lashes above. On the pillows of the chair the Sultan and the Haseki Sultan took place. To his left stood his Wesir with a grim look and to his right his one of his elder son’s.
“Lewyn who is this woman?” Even if his voice was calm and deep Sansa supressed a shiver. He sounded could-hearted like everyone in the city told.
“A present by your merchant. He thought the girl would please your son. Reveal your face, girl.”
With shaking hands Sansa took her plain kerchief from her head and looked up. She saw the blank face of the young prince and panicked.
“Jon, what do you think?” His mother glanced between her son and herself.
“I told you mother. Beauty can maybe conquer the most men heart and they would be certainly pleased by a young beautiful women, but I won’t. Those women are nothing but a pretty vase.”
“Then kill her.”
Sansa paled immediately. Of course she wouldn’t want to be his mistress, but if it’s the only way to stay alive she would endure it. She would despise every moment and every touch of the spoiled son but she would be alive. Alive with the hope to see her family just one more. She wanted to scream and to beat everything around her, but she couldn’t just looked with a shocked expression while the guards dragged her up and towards the door.
“I wish to speak.” She whispered.
Suddenly the guards stopped and looked surprised to the Sultan. His face was blank beside the little frown between his brows. No one has dared to object his decision. When the tension was nearly unbearable the Sultan answered quietly.
“You may speak.”
“What if I could prove that I’m not just a … pretty vase?”
The Sultan looked to his son with an amused expression.
“This could be entertaining. If she can persuade my son without her looks than I won’t kill her.”
Sansa sighed relieved.
“You will give him every day for the next 1001 days and nights a reason not to kill you and you will be free. If not your whole family will suffer together with you.”
For a moment everyone was silent while the Sultan looked pleased to the shocked young woman.
“You can have her my son.”
xxx
She doesn’t know how to feel. Relieved to be still alive? Scared of what the young prince want from her? Sad that she dragged her family with her in the misery?
Frustrated she walked in her room up and down. The guards convoyed her in the side building for the mistresses. She had her own rooms since she was separated from the Sultan’s mistresses and his younger son’s. The room, where her bed was, were large and with the finest bed linen she ever felt. She was terrified of it and just stayed out of the room. In front her bedroom there was a small room with a small table and pillows around it. Tired she lay down and curled up on a pile of pillows. She wanted to cry.
Her younger siblings were excited to see the Orient and his storied wealth but her mother was concerned. She wanted to stay behind in their hometown rather than travel the whole journey south. But her father insisted to stay together while he wanted to trade silver to spices and garments. On the road he told Sansa and her younger brothers about the modern medicine and the wonderful buildings. People from all over the world travelled and traded there. Bazars were full of prized coffee and wonderful robes.
Sansa was so excited to see all these magnificent things. She learned and learned, to fluently speak their language. Her father approved her studiousness and promised to take her to the Bazar if she spoke well enough.
Oh father. It’s all my fault. Why I didn’t stay at our house? Why I insisted to come along with you? They would have never seen me and we would be still together.
She cried the whole night until she fall asleep on the floor.
xxx
The next day her maids woke her up and bathed her. Her red hair was washed so long until it shined brightly and her body hair was removed. Sansa stayed during the whole procedure silent. She felt empty. After this they clothed her in a white quamis and green sirwat. Her red hair was braided and hid under a light matching hijab.
It was close to sunset when the Prince visited her. She haven’t moved all day from her sitting position and wouldn’t move for this young man. Stubborn she looked to the wall coated with soft tapestry then to watch the Prince seated himself opposite of her. Between them was the table where the silver tablet with her untouched food still lay.
“I’m not pleased and I don’t think I will ever be convinced.”
The commencement was already a disaster. She doesn’t want to please him in a … physical way. The only thought just to be touched by him made her shudder. But she doesn’t want her family to die just because she couldn’t shut her mouth. Again the panic rose slowly but Sansa tried to keep her face under control. With a soft voice she spoke hesitantly a few words. Then slowly after a while they stumbled naturally out of her mouth.
“Once there was a young man, who wasn’t pleased. He had everything he wanted but he still was unsatisfied. A roof over his head, a loving family, a full stomach. But still he longed for something. Something he didn’t quite understand or know…”
Sansa closed her eyes – not wanting to see the probably vexed look in his grey eyes. Instead she imagined her younger siblings. Bran, who would have a small smile on his face while reading one of his books; Arya defiantly crossing her arms in front her chest even if she secretly loved to hear Sansa’s stories. And Rickon, sweet little Rickon, who pleaded a story after another to pass the time while they were travelling in their carriage. With her loving family in her mind Sansa told the beginning of Rickon’s favourite story.
“One day he made his way to an old diviner to discover what he missed the most in his life. The old woman took his hand and ran over the soft lines of his hands.
‘Do you feel these’ the old woman asked.
The young man ran over his hand with his fingers and frowned.
‘I don’t feel anything besides soft skin.’
‘That’s your problem. If you want to feel satisfied you must first get calluses’
And with that the long journey of the young man named Florian began.”
xxx
Sansa sat outside in the flowing garden between the different building from the wives and mistresses of the Sultan. With a heavy sigh she closed her eyes and faced the warming sun.
“Sweetling you shouldn’t do that. You will just get more freckles.”
Shae’s deep husky voice sounded amused. Sansa opened her eyes and turned her head to observe the young woman. Her dark skin was smooth and her black hair fell in waves over her shoulders. She was the only one who wasn’t shy enough to speak to her. With a genuine smile Sansa tapped on the right stone as an invitation. Shae took wordless place.
“So little lady have you heard something from your family?”
Silent Sansa shook her head. With Shae’s help she wrote a letter to her family. Her friend had many allies under the guards and could smuggle the letter to her parents. Unfortunately the answer hasn’t come yet and Sansa started to worry.
“I feel lonely here Shae.”
“You should come to us and visit the other wives.”
“I’m not a wife. I’m a prisoner. For weeks I couldn’t leave these rooms.”
Shae softly stroked her red hair and began to braid it to a complicated hairstyle.
“You know once you convinced our little prince, you will be free. I can’t believe that you’re so good in bed.”
Sansa sighed. No matter how often she told her friend that she doesn’t sleep with the prince she couldn’t believe her and cheekily winked.
“I just tell him stories.”
“Whatever you say Sweetling.”
And there was this wink again … but she couldn’t blame her friend. Even she couldn’t believe that the prince liked her stories. For weeks she always told them in the evening when the sun slowly rose down. The same adventures about Florian and his Jonquil she told her siblings. Every time shortly before the end of each adventure she stopped and promised him that he will hear about the ending next evening.
When Shae finished with her work Sansa started to braid her hair. Sometimes she could imagine that the dark mane was Arya’s. Despite she hates to brush her hair she often let Sansa do it for her. The thoughts of her family made the hole in her chest just bigger. Instead she focused on her freckles. Her time in the sun was easily recognized with freckles not only on her face but also on her arms. Even if Shae told her that they are a blemish here, she loved them nevertheless. It remind her of her mother, who always run along them. With her soothing voice she confide her that each freckle showed how much she and her father love her.
xxx
“How does Florian know he is in love with Jonquil?”
The question startled Sansa and she stopped herself. With big eyes she looked to the young man opposite of her. Normally he would just sit and listen to her – never questioning anything besides when she will tell him the ending or worse interrupting her while she told the story. But something must bother him a lot since his eyes seemed nearly black than his usual grey.
“How does he know he loves her?”
Sansa sensed his annoyance as he was irked with himself for not understanding such a simple situation and actually ask someone. It was somehow ridiculous to explain such a simple thing like love but then, love wasn’t every time simple. Even in her story Florian and Jonquil struggled with it.
“Love is … “
She took a deep breath and collected her thoughts.
“Love is, when you found your other half. The person that brings the best sides of you out and help you to fight your darkest ones. The person who will respects you as an equal. Love can be passionate but also soft and tender. When you love you don’t need the person but you want them. Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.”
Sansa remembered her parents who always smiled tenderly when they thought they were alone. Her father always admired not only her mother’s beauty but also her wits. Whenever her father came safe home her mother was the first one who opened their door.
“Florian was a good person, but with Jonquil he became a great man.”
The look on Jon’s face was unreadable and Sansa wasn’t sure if he even listen to the following part of the tale.
xxx
A few days later Sansa was again in the gardens. This time she laid in the shadows under a large olive tree when Shae took place next to her. She stretched herself like a cat and touched Sansa’s shoulder.
“I have wonderful news Sweetling.”
With that the dark haired beauty secretly revealed a folded parchment under her clothes and put it in Sansa’s left hand.
“Read it when you are alone in your rooms.” She whispered.
Sansa preferred to leave on the spot to finally read the letter but she understood Shae’s hidden warning and chatted with her a few hours as if nothing happened.
When she finally was alone in her rooms she folded the parchment open and immediately tears formed in her eyes when she recognized the familiar handwriting from her mother.
My dear Sansa,
I’m overjoyed to hear that you’re healthy and well there. Your father is heartbroken that this happened. He still blames himself for not being careful enough. But I know that you’re my strong girl and will successfully make it through. We needed a safer place after they took you, but your friend helped us to find a new quarter. We all send our love.
Be brave my daughter until we will be united.
Quickly she wiped her tears away. The letter was short but still Sansa felt grateful just to know that her family was safe. Her heart felt lighter with every word she read. She owned Shae a lot. How could her friend arrange even a new home for her whole family? She will ask her next time but now she just let the happy warm feeling take over her.
xxx
The following weeks passed faster than Sansa could imagined. Every day proceeded identical. With the dawn Sansa woke up. Then she breaks her fast – warm fresh pitta, olives and tea - alone in her rooms. After that she takes a bath and a short nap. She passed the time between her nap and their story time in the gardens or with books, which one of her guards bring her. The only thing that distinguished this weeks from her time before the letter were the small notes she got from her family. Even little Rickon drew an adorable picture of two smiling people. Every letter she received were hided under her soft mattress. The first one was already pale and tattered because she read it every time before she was going to sleep. Every time when she hold the little piece of paper she can practically feel her mother’s warm hands. She doesn’t recognized it until Jon point it out one evening.
“You look happy in the last few weeks.”
Surprised Sansa watched as Jon fumbled with his hands. Did his cheeks turned slightly pink? No she must imagine that part.
“I’m … content, my prince.”
He frowned with her answer. She sensed that he wished to ask something more, but as always he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
“Should I go on with the story? Or do you have a question?”
“How can Florian show his love for Jonquil?”
“Well he saved her. He killed a dragon for her and he was her knight in shining armour.”
The answer didn’t seemed to satisfy him because he frowned again.
“I mean… more like … daily gestures.”
Sansa looked confused but answered nevertheless.
“Do you remember when they first saw each other? Florian searched for the most beautiful rose for her. Also he smiled genuinely and always watched his manners.”
Again Jon seemed far away in his thoughts and Sansa sighed. Honestly she doesn’t understand this young men at all.
xxx
The next morning she woke up with her breakfast next to her bed. On a silver tablet were several dishes placed. But the only thing that caught Sansa eye was the crystal with three rose tulips in. With a smile she took one out and sniffed the fresh bloomy smell.
Two days after there was a small box with lemon cakes. Each of them were so delicious that she couldn’t stop licking her fingers hours after she finished them.
His first attempt to smile scared her to death because she wasn’t prepared at all that he could be glad to see her. He seemed confused when she reacted this way but was soon reassure that his smiling face doesn’t look murderous like he thought. If Sansa was honest with herself it made him look years younger and also … appealing.
Days after days she suddenly was surprised to look forward for the evening. This even scared her more than his first smile.
Soon it wasn’t only her who spoke through the evening. Jon had a surprising warm voice when he thawed for her out. Sansa’s heart tightened almost painfully whenever he laughed quietly or their eyes met. Sometimes it seemed that his ones smouldered almost golden. He spoke about his childhood and Sansa told him about her home. His smile suddenly disappeared when she talked about the way Arya tried for the first time to ride. Sansa pushed her doleful feeling aside when his face looked sad.
xxx
It was a week after when she woke up in the early morning. Her rooms were still dark – only the shining red colour of the dawn bedecked the tapestry.
“Jon? What are you doing here?”
In one corner the young prince sat on one of the pillows and watched the rising dawn. To his left was a tightly filled bag. Slowly he stood up and walked towards.
“You should go.”
Ignoring the hollow pain in her chest she raised her chin and looked defiantly in his eyes.
“I don’t know what you mean with that.”
“I set you free. One of my friends waits outside; he will help you to escape from here. Your family awaits you. In the bag is enough gold for you and them to find a new life.”
“You helped them to find a safe place.”
It was more a question than a statement.
“It was mostly my friend Samwell. I just organized an empty house.”
“Samwell?”
“One of the guards who gave you the books with the letters in it.”
“You knew?”
“Please we haven’t got much time. You need to go.”
Sansa choked the coming sobs down.
“You never wanted me, didn’t you? I was just an annoying waste of time for you, weren’t I?”
“How can you even think that?”
He looked shocked almost pained in her eyes. The golden springe slowly disappeared.
“Sansa – “It was the first time he said her name and even in this situation her heart swelled up by his trembling voice. “The time we spend together was something I will forever treasure.”
“Then why haven’t you asked me if I even want this?”
“Because whenever you speak about your family your eyes seems to glow with happiness. Your lips turn into the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. Because you’re unhappy here. And I can’t stand the thought that you’re unhappy because of my selfishness. You belong to your family.”
Sansa closed the space between them and hesitantly caress his right cheek. He leaned to her touched while she whispered.
“I belong to you.”
She ran her hands through his black curls and leaned her forehead to his while still looking in his eyes.
“And you belong to me.”
Their first kiss was soft and tender as if both were afraid to break another. Her heart was beating so fast that she feared it might burst out. His smooth lips, his cinnamon smell, every soft warm breath over her lips was slowly driving her insane.
“Are you sure?”
He broke away and Sansa immediately missed his warm hands on her back.
“Jon.” She gasped.
“You can visit you family as often you want.”
“Jon.” She raised her voice a bit.
“I would never take another wife.”
Quickly Sansa placed a kiss on his lips. He still looked slightly perplex when she took his hand and interlaced their fingers.
“I want to stay with you.”
Even the loveliest sunrise couldn’t match his dazzling smile.