❅ Seventeen (Text)

[stonebird]

Have you ever been in love?

(This is asked late one night and it might seem frivolous with the current concerns hovering over the populace of Hadriel. Yet Sansa believes love is important no matter how long someone lives - or where they are imprisoned. Besides, she had a taste of love recently and it's a frightening - and exhilarating - change of scenery for her.)

Can it last?

Comments

[stonebird]

I think you should be kinder to yourself.

(A soldier must survive and do their duty.)

I watched him die a horrible death. I can't recall feeling anything.

[circumitus]

... [Man, how does she even respond to that? It's not like Sansa is the only one who seems to think this.]

not really about kindness, in this case.

[It's somewhat true.]

thats understandable. there are just some people who are only improved with a gruesome demise.

[stonebird]

(Counseling could have helped them - not that such a thing exists in Westeros.)

I know. She must have been in great pain.

I don't know how many he killed and most of it was for fun. I believe he was mad.

[circumitus]

it was her wife - of course she was in pain.

[Forgetting for only a moment that "her" and "wife" are two odd words to see together for some people Rey has met here. Welp.]

plenty of people can be "mad" without murder. sounds like he was just a piece of shit.

[stonebird]

(She is a bit taken aback, but it does make sense of a sort?)

Were you able to remain friends?

That sort of madness is always violent. One of the previous kings - no relation to him - liked torturing others too.

[circumitus]

before being brought back here, the last thing she did was put a knife in my back.
so make of that what you will.

[Again, complicated. But Rey still has the scars to show for that incident, and it's hard to forget the way that Faye had looked at her then. A terrible expression on such a pretty face...]

guess he hid it pretty well at first if you saw anything in a douche like that.

[stonebird]

She was absolutely in the wrong! I can understand her anger and pain, but she knew it was you. You weren't some faceless soldier in a battle!

(Sorry, Sansa is angry.)

He was much better when his father was alive. When my father was alive.

[circumitus]

there were extenuating circumstances for why she acted the way she did, but it didnt really have any thing to do with any of that.
that ones a long story.

[Too long for her to feel like typing up or talking over on a phone. Rey's bad enough about using these things a whole lot.]

glad to hear hes gone at least. any worlds better off with one less prick. sucks you had to go through all of that.

[stonebird]

Has your wound healed, Lady Rey? I can help you tend to it if not.

(The inner wounds will take much longer to close, she knows.)

Westeros always has more. I am determined to be rid of them as soon as our paths cross.

[circumitus]

[Wait, what? It takes Rey a moment to process what Sansa is offering.

[...Oh.]

dont worry about it. came back that way a couple years ago. [Pause.] fuck. cant believe it's been that long. its all just scars now.

[You know you've been somewhere for far too long when...]

thats the spirit.
probably.

[stonebird]

Scars are badges of honor. (She likes to think of them that way.) That's what I tell myself anyway.

I am the Lady of Winterfell; it's my duty to keep my people safe.

[circumitus]

got plenty of those if my face is any indicator. wouldnt call them "badges of honor" tho.

[Given that the ones on her face weren't the result of any ridiculous accident or glorious combat. They're more reminders of her weakness, of who she never wants to be again. Never a pawn to be controlled, a gun pulled by another's hand. Her choices have to be her own. Always.]

what about you? who keeps YOU safe?

[stonebird]

You can call them whatever you like. Who is to argue with you?

(She should take her own advice, really, and stop hiding her legs, but that will take more time.)

My men. They serve me because they know I will look out for their best interests.

[circumitus]

guess theres no one, really.

[A mixed blessing that is, too.]

does that apply here as well?

[stonebird]

I have friends I can call upon. I know they would come.

[circumitus]

good.
that whole
having someone "watching my back" thing is still a relatively new concept to me.
at least not everyone has that problem.

[And Sansa being among those, it seems.]

[stonebird]

New and comforting, I hope?

(You're absolutely right, Rey.)

[circumitus]

guess it should be, right? [Sometimes she isn't always sure.]