A Stark She Remains [3/?]

A Stark She Remains [3/?]

Fandom: ASoIaF Characters: Sansa Stark, Ned Stark Summary: That night, Sansa dreams of her father. Warning: Non Explicit Character Death Prompts: #24 & 30 from @fictober-event

On AO3

That night, Sansa dreams of her father.

She sees him sitting beneath the Heart Tree and her whole body aches with longing. For she knows that she cannot follow, how does she know that, she is not sure. And yet, she knows that whatever powers have allowed her this moment with her father as she remembers him, hale and whole, are perhaps the same that have gifted the book.

“Father,” she whispers. And even she can hear the longing in her voice. “Father, forgive me, I was foolish.”

Her father’s eyes shine with unshed tears. “Oh my sweet child, you did not know. I did not speak with you as I should have, and worse, I placed the target on your back. As your uncle and grandfather have reminded me. You did not do anything wrong. You were I child, a trusting, loving child who believed in goodness. There is nothing to forgive.”

Her own vision blurs with tears and she lifts a shaking hand to wipe them away. “Do you know…?”

“About the book, yes child. And before you ask, no, I am not angry at you.”

Relief flows through her, just listening to her father say that out loud. “I feared I would make you angry.”

Her father shakes his head. “No, child. The Gods saw your suffering and my own mistakes and took action. Heed your heart, and you will not go wrong.”

“But, what about honor?”

Her father’s eyes lit up with fire. “And where was the honor of the boy who commanded your pain? Of the grown men who striked your flesh? No. Your honor is intact, fight with the weapon that you have been given and live my child. I ask that of you. Live.”

Her heart beats loud in her ears. “I shall father, I swear it.”

“I know you will,” her father smiles at her. “Before I go child, beware of Baelish, that is the only name I am allowed to give to you.”

She frowns, “Is he not mother’s friend?”

“No. He is a danger, you soon will find out why. Pay attention child and you will not only know, but will know what to do.”

A fog rolls in and her father vanishes with it, and she startles awake, Baelish name clear on her mind.

~~~

The rest of her day is almost monotonous, people ignore her as they usually do. However, the whole day she wonders about Baelish, she has spent the day wondering why her father warned about him. He seems… harmless?

But she cannot forget how he made her feel when she was first introduced to him. There was something in his eyes she had not liked, and now, with her labeled the daughter of a traitor, she has caught him looking. And his looks have been that of a predator.

She is about to turn a corner when she hears some maids gossiping about her, she stops to listen.

“... can you believe it, Baelish asked for Lady Stark’s hand in marriage!”

She freezes. He did that? When?

“According to one Lannister guard he spoke to the Queen about it, she denied of course, and if what the Lannister guards are to be believed, he was who sold Ned Stark! Can you believe his audacity?”

Oh.

Oh no.

Rage bubbles and she all but flees to the opposite side and runs towards the Godswoods, she needs to calm down, else she will do something stupid. And she cannot afford to do something stupid. Not now.

She only stops running when she arrives at the center of it. Falls to her knees and leans a hand on the tree, “I know why now father, and I won’t let you down. Winter is coming for Baelish.”

~~~

That night, she writes Petyr Baelish’s name on the book. So, he sold her father? Well let him die with a knife on his back.

"Is it grief for your Lord father that makes you so sad?"

"My father was a traitor," Sansa said at once. "And my brother and lady mother are traitors as well." That reflex she had learned quickly. "I am loyal to my beloved Joffrey."

"No doubt. As loyal as a deer surrounded by wolves."

"Lions," she whispered, without thinking. She glanced about nervously, but there was no one close enough to hear.

-A Clash Of Kings

Because the concept of "historical accuracy" gets brought up in regards to ASOIAF despite it being a fantasy series and therefore not requiring historical accuracy, I think it's really worth realizing the degree and manner in which GRRM is drawing from history. He consults historical texts to be sure, but what he seems to focus on is how the style of older historical texts delivers these tales as stories, and how much hearsay makes it into the documents.

GRRM likes stories, more than history for its own sake, which makes sense; he's a storyteller. This appreciation is how we get Fire & Blood, plenty of attention to tales told rather than representative history.

Emblematic of this is his response to his inspiration for Stannis: GRRM says that Stannis is inspired by Tiberius Caesar, but he qualifies that this is "in some part Tiberius from history, but to a greater extent specifically Tiberius from the TV series 'I, Claudius'" (my paraphrasing). He's open with the fact that, rather than trying to mirror history, GRRM is drawing inspiration from other stories and media about history.

And so we should not understand ASOIAF as a fantasy filter over a historical framework, we should understand ASOIAF as building on and responding to stories first, both fantasy and history—and especially where the two get confused.

So when people complain that his feudal model is more rooted in pop-history and has little actual functionality, I think that's fine; perhaps it's even the point, whether GRRM intends it to be or not. ASOIAF is not the real medieval era, but rather has roots in the fantastic way that medieval aesthetics have been developed.

This is also applicable to his oft-cited inspiration for the series as a whole structure, the War of the Roses. GRRM frequently says that the War of the Roses was the single biggest influence, but lately I've been wondering if what he really means is that the Henry VI + Richard III Shakespeare tetralogy is the biggest influence, because in truth the Shakespearean parallels we find often feel more informative for the text of ASOIAF than the strictly historical comparisons.

i hate it HATE IT so much when asoiaf fans go "grrm finish the fucking books already" and "lmao we'll never get twow" and "what if grrm dies and doesn't finish the story" and if i see this shit one more time i'll start biting people, because SHUT UP LET HIM COOK let him take his time!! this is so mean-spirited like here's the author that gave us so so many wonderful heartwrenshing captivating profoundly human stories but instead of being supportive and grateful you bitch and moan about how long it takes him to write more???

people on tumblr make such long post that analyze every word in these books, because literally every word is so thought-out it's either a foreshadowing or a subtle but real reflection of the pov character's constantly evolving inner life or has some otherwise deeper meaning to it; and the same thoughtfulness goes for every chapter, every plot point, every character interaction! and then the same people wonder why it takes grrm so long to write it?? seriously??

and if you ever attempted to write anything real and sincere you know that it doesn't come easy. and all the emotional complexity and depths that make characters feel so human and their struggles so real peaking at "ned loves my hair" and "i dreamed of you" and "he wondered what it's like to have a home" and every line that is so simple but so sharp and raw it makes me wanna pull my hair scream cry sob throw up - none of it comes easy!! it takes time and effort and emotional work to write like this! of course it takes long!

not to mention that grrm's in his seventies and likely has some health issues that take time and energy to manage and that he doesn't mention publically because why would he? ALSO when you get older you tend to get tired more easily! and need more time to rest! like, that's why people usually retire in their sixties. but grrm keeps working! ALSO have you never experienced a burn out or a creative block after years of working on the same thing??

ALSO one of asoiaf's main theme is that any person in any circumstances deserves empathy and understanding!!

so while we all are waiting for next books it's so important to show our amazing beloved author respect and support and gratitude! all say thank you, thank you george rr martin and please take care and take your time!!

Portrait of Eddard Stark with his daughter Arya

King's Landing, 298 AC

Source: portrait of Giacomo Malatesta with his daughter Leonida

Gradara (Italy), 1562

Sansa chose a pear instead, and took a small delicate bite. It was very ripe. The juice ran down her chin. That she is known to be in favour of Argos and the Argolid, a land known also for pears, and that people hailing from her region were known to be apian, show a possible strong link between the worship of Hera and apia.

ASOS SANSA IV + HERA AND HER ASSOCIATION WITH PEARS