Work Text:
Even the look of the world is magical, magical and enchanting and vibrant as she had always wanted the world to be. The banners shine in the light with the silk sending colours dancing across the stones of the keep’s courtyard, the birds sing high and brightly as they dance in formation across the sky, and flowers bloom on every corner with the breeze sending petals scattering across the ground. And most importantly, she can see the kindness and the gallantry of the people around her with the lack of cruelty and corruption being from a simple lack rather than wilful ignorance or an attempt at disguising the rot beneath the surface of the court. It is simply and uncomplicatedly beautiful.
Even her own life is wonderful here. She’s wed and she’s a princess and her husband is genuinely and truthfully kind and good to her and to her family. Every member of her family is alive and safe and happy, including Lady, who all the ladies of the court fawn over and she dresses up and who gets to follow her everywhere without fear. She herself is popular and adored without reservation, not enough to truly influence anyone, of course not, but enough that people are always happy to be around her and her position is secure. Even the royal family are pleased she is one of them now. She dances and she rides and she plays and she studies and everything is so happy.
Sansa knows that it’s just another lie, just another fantasy to keep her placated and out the way, and she also knows that it is working more than it would for most of her family, maybe all of them. She was always weaker than she wanted to be, always more sensitive, and this has proved it. They’d be braver, they’d leave this behind for the sake of rescuing others. They wouldn’t be selfish.
She wishes she was more like her mother. She wishes she was more like her father, like Arya, like Robb. She wishes she was more like any of them. She even sometimes wishes that she was more like Cersei, that she could be ruthless and scheming and not care about everything as much as she does.
She could change that now, couldn’t she?
She could be brave. She could be selfless. She could make the sacrifice she needs to for the sake of being there for others. She could do it now.
She will.
She’ll do it.
She’ll give up all this, the childish play, the pretty dresses and the warm and guileless smiles. She’ll let go of all the simple and easy peace and joy of this dream and face the harshness of the world.
She will be as brave as her lady mother and she will make her proud.
She has to.