authorsnote: hello everyone! I've wanted to write a story on these two for a while now, and decided to finally give it a shot! this will be a multific, and i've already started planning it out. I am super excited to write about this couple, and just want to disclaim a few things before I jump in:

in this story sansa will be 16, and jaime 32 (i know its still a big age gap, but reasonable for medieval times).

please don't judge the geography in this story! i have kept it as realistic as possible, and have continually referred back to maps and such to make it seem realistic. however, it is difficult judging distances on horseback and such, so please don't judge. also don't judge the grammar/spelling, i've never been great shakes at it.

there will be a fair amount of angst in this story, and character deaths. also it follows canon up until season 3 episode 5, it will divert from here, but remain the same in some instances. primary pov's will be jaime/sansa, a few more will be added soon.

song recommendations: fight song - rachel platten.

a single word, can make a heart open

I might only have one match,

but I can make an explosion

...

Her legs ached, the cuts on her hands and forehead stung, and she felt completely exhausted, but she didn't stop. She dug her feet into the sides, and snapped the reigns of her horse harder. Her backside hurt from the hours riding, her legs ached and she felt hunger deep in her stomach. Still she didn't stop, the dawn was rising and she knew that every minute counted.

It had been hours since she had fled, and she knew that soon the Lannisters would be waking. Her handmaidens would find her bed empty, and there would be a full scale search. She still had a little bit of time before that happened, and she had to put as much distance between herself and Kings Landing.

So she ignored the pain, ignored the exhaustion and the hunger, and continued to ride. She was adjacent to the Kings Road, hidden in the forest. She was wary of riding in plain sight, not just because of the Lannisters but because of anyone else. She was a noble woman, and she knew that despite her attempts to look poor, she still looked highborn. She couldn't risk anyone wanting to cause her trouble, and so she hid herself between the trees. For once, she felt thankful that her Father had forced her to learn riding; Arya had enjoyed it a lot more than she had, but now? Now it was saving her life.

She still couldn't quite believe that she had done it – she had escaped. Regardless of her aches and pains, she felt exhilarated. She was free! All she had to do was make it to the Riverlands and she would find her brother, she would be back under his protection. The thought filled her with a deep motivation to keep going. What was a bit of hardship now of it got her back to her Brother? Her Mother? She would join their side and fight against the Lannisters. They would retake Winterfell and be back together.

Her decision to flee had not be a carefully planned out one, but one driven by need. She had been told by a smirking Cersei Lannister that very morning that she was to wed. As a ward of the crown Sansa's hand was Joffrey's to give, and so he had, to Jaime Lannister.

They had planned to marry her to the Kingslayer! The very thought made her feel sick. Not only was he so much older than her, fighting her brother in battle and a Lannister but he was the Father of Joffrey, the evil spawn. The thought of marrying him.. bedding him, it had made her feel ill. As soon as Cersei had told her she had locked herself in her room, and she had planned her escape. Her worries, the worries that had stopped her from making a run for it before.. they hadn't mattered, hadn't mattered when faced with such a fate.

Who cares if they caught her and cut off her head? Who cares if they caught her and forced her into this marriage? She had to at least try – she was a Stark, she was strong, she wouldn't march willingly into the Sept. The only way she would walk down those stairs would be if forced. Their threats didn't scare her anymore, not when faced with a complete and utter truth; if she married Jaime Lannisters she would never be free.

And so she had planned. Sent away her handmaidens, barricaded her door and planned. She had been on the 2nd floor of the Keep, and underneath her window sat a large patch of grass. The wall was made of stone, and honeysuckle creeped up the side, she had torn apart her bedsheets making a ladder down, it was inventive and something she had picked up from Bran; when he was 8 he had been sent to his room without dessert for climbing, and so he had created a ladder and sneaked down to the kitchens; their Father had been both exasperated and amused.

After that she had packed. She wasn't stupid, she knew the Riverlands were a good distance away, and though she would have to restock along the way, she hoped to do it as little as possible, and so she had taken a medium sized burlap sack and filled it with as much as she could fit. But first she had dressed herself; a simple grey gown (the diamonds on the hem were unavoidable, everything else was even more opulent), a large dark cloak with a roomy hood, and strong riding boots. She had tied back her hair and wore no jewelry, except for a small direwolf ring her Mother had gifted her on her last name day. She had packed one of her furs for colder weather, and then had proceeded to fill the bag.

She packed money, a small pouch of gold dragons and a larger one of silver stags. Next in went some food, everything her handmaidens had left; some oranges, three apples, a large hunk of bread and two slightly brown bananas. Next in went a small book on the old gods (a gift from her Father), and finally two changes of small clothes. She had been ready to go before she packed a butter knife on top of everything, she knew it would be a meager defense, but it was better than nothing.

With her bag on her back, the sheets dangling out of the open window and tied to the bed frame she had been ready. She grabbed a large grey blanket from the end of her bed (one she had knitted herself), for the back of her horse and the cold, she knew as she went further North, she would feel the sting of the weather. She had been ready, and terrified. What if she fell and broke her neck? It had taken a few minutes to harden her resolve; better dead in the gardens, than married to a Lannister.

The climb down had been surprisingly uneventful, her hands had been cut up a fair bit, and a hairy moment against the wall had caused her to scrape against it, leaving a few cuts on her forehead, and what she was sure would be a black eye the next day; in her mind that was good, it would make her look more common. Finally she had landed at the bottom, the wind slightly knocked out of her, but fine all the same. She had scrambled to her feet and made for the stables; she needed her horse, night had barely fallen and she knew the clock had started ticking.

The stables had been thankfully empty, and she had saddled up her horse; a fine black mare with a silver saddle. She had placed her blanket on the back, and secured her sack to the back. Luck seemed to be with her as she found a few more apples and a large water skin, clearly left behind by the stable boys. After securing them in her pack she had walked the horse around the gardens. It would have been easier to go through the castle but also more dangerous. And so she took the long route, dipping down by the coast and then back around to end up in flea bottom.

Only then had she jumped on her horse, passed through the dragon gate (the guards had been half drunk and waved her through without looking), before fully setting off. She had galloped at a fierce pace, her horse a fine creature and capable of riding for at least half a day without tiring. She had been riding ever since, not looking back, not stopping for anything. She had to put as much distance between herself and the Capitol as she could; if she had any hope of surviving. She had debated taking a different route North, perhaps through the Reach? But no, she knew the Kings Road, she knew the route and wouldn't risk a different way.

And so she continued on, her legs still aching but her determination fierce. She was free! She felt truly excited as she rode, the wind whipping her face and the cold biting at her skin. Soon she would be back with her family, and she would never feel the torture of the Lannisters again; she wouldn't feel the punch of the Kingsguard, the sneer of Joffrey, the nasty comments of Cersei or the cold gaze of Tywin. The only person she would miss slightly were the Tyrells and Tyrion; they had treated her well, been her friends, but that didn't matter; as good as they had been to her, they hadn't taken her home. That was down to her.

It was odd. Sansa had never tried to flee, too fearful of being caught and the consequences being awful, but after hearing about her marriage? The decision had been easy. She hadn't even stopped to ask for help; she was sure if she had found Ser Dontos he would have helped her, or if she had really stopped and asked Tyrion he might have done something. Still, she hadn't had time to debate her escape, acting so impulsively was as important as riding hard away from the Capitol, it ensured that no one would be out looking for her until the last possible moment.

The first trickles of light had started breaking through the clouds and Sansa decided it was time for a stop. She was on the road now, fields surrounding her, luckily the ground was flat and she could easily see for miles in each direction; it seemed she was alone. She stopped for a moment next to a large rock, and sat down on it, her horse immediately grazing. She pulled out her water skin and took a long drink, before pouring some into a crevice in the boulder. Her horse snorted as she made a bee line for it, drinking the stuff up immediately. Sansa reached into her burlap sack and tore off a large hunk of bread. She almost laughed at how unlady like she must look but shrugged that aside; looking like a lady was not her concern right now, in face it was better to look as unlady like as possible.

Her Father had told her stories off the Kings Road, about how it was dangerous with bands of men preying on the people who walked it. The animals around the area weren't meant to be much better. Sansa knew it was foolish sticking so closely too it, but also knew it was her surest way home, and so she would risk it, she felt it was less risk than venturing on a different path and getting lost. She was scarily aware of how easy it would be to go in the complete wrong direction and end up in the Westerlands or worse.. back in the Crownlands. Still, she had been lucky so far, and so as she climbed back on her horse and set off again she sent a prayer up the Old Gods. Hopefully they were watching.

He had thought the wench and won, leaving her bleeding on the floor before setting off. It had been all too easy to steal a horse from a nearby farm and make his way South, his sword at his side, his smile all too arrogant. He knew Brienne had a mission; get him to Kings Landing, and yet he didn't want her help, didn't want her pushing and scolding him, keeping him tied up like a prisoner. A part of him also didn't want to force her to Kings Landing, she was sworn to Lady Caitlyn, the rest of his family wouldn't exactly welcome her with open arms.

And so he was pleased to have escaped and would make his way back to the Capitol, and back to honor his vow. He may have turned his back on Brienne, but he didn't intend to break his oath. He would return the Stark sisters to their Mother before he settled back in the Capitol. It was his vow, and he wouldn't break it. Everyone saw him as an oathbreaker, a man without honor; he would prove them wrong. He would return them to their Mother, and then return home. He would be a better man, he would do better.

It was with an easy smile he made his way South, on the back of his horse, some food in a sack at the back, his sword by his side. He was still thin and underfed, but a few days feasting on the fruits and animals of the forest had helped, his hair was starting to grow back as well, and he had hacked at his beard with Brienne's dagger (he had left her a sword); he was starting to look like himself again, and that brought a smile to his face.

Even though he was tired, underfed and weaker than normal he was happy. He would be home soon, back in Cersei's arms and back at her side. He wouldn't be a prisoner, sitting in his own piss night after night. He would be back in the castle; he wondered how much had changed.

He knew from the map in his pocket he was on the Kings Road, almost adjacent to MaidenPool, he would be home soon. He wasn't wary of the Kings Road, not with his sword by his side. He would take down any who dared face him. He had been riding for two days and sleeping in the forest to stay concealed, but thankfully an inn was ahead, he knew it from riding the road before, and reckoned he was a day or so's ride from it. He knew he was far South enough to be out of sympathetic Riverlanders territory, and so resolved to stop for the night, he needed a bed, a warm fire and a proper meal. He hated having to miss a nights worth of riding, but knew it was important; he wasn't back to full strength, still weak. Another days ride was probably all he could take before he needed a rest.

And so he continued to ride, he felt tired and hungry but in high spirits; he was free, free from the Northern army and his imprisonment. He would return home, to his warm bed, his role as Lord Commander and into Cersei's arms, he looked forward to it with a deep desire.

It was late in the day, the sun having risen high in the sky, and dipping back down again. She had never felt so battered and exhausted.

Everything seemed to hurt; her backside from riding, her legs from gripping her horse, the cuts on her hands were stinging, and the cuts on her face hurt even more. She felt exhausted, and hungry, having only stopped twice more for some water and food. She had stopped for a good half an hour at a small stream in the forest, her horse needing the drink, and she needing the rest, but no more. She was on the run! She couldn't take it easy. No matter how awful she felt she knew it was all worth it; worth it to get back to her family.

She had encountered only one other person on her journey and had been lucky. The young female septa had been kind and sweet, giving her some of her own food, and giving her a blessing. The woman had told her off an inn less than a days ride from her, and Sansa couldn't wait. She would make her first proper stop there, have a nice hot meal, a good nights sleep and a bath. She knew it was risky, but also important, if she continued to exhaust herself she would become sloppy, and stupid. As important as it was to keep ahead of the Lannisters it was also important to ensure she made it back to her Brother. What would be the point of her escape if she fell from her horse and broke her neck due to exhaustion? She would stop at the inn.

Even as the day continued to wind down Sansa wasn't naive. The inn may have only been half a days ride, but she couldn't stay awake until then. It had been well over a day since she had slept, and she felt it; her head ached along with her body, and she felt a trembly kind of cold that only came with tiredness. So she led her horse into the woods, and tethered it to a tree, using the creature to hide herself. She sat down at the root of the tree, and fell asleep almost instantly, relying on the fact that she was a very light sleeper and should wake easily soon to any nearby sound or disturbance.

She was right of course. Only two hours had passed and she had been roughly woken by the sound of a bird call. It hadn't even been very loud but it had been enough to wake her. It was still light out but coming close to evening, the sun barely peeking through the clouds. She felt far from well rested but better, and took a few minutes to eat and drink. She felt better than she had, and so set back off with a new resolve. She would make it to her Brother and Mother, she would make it home. It would be hard, trying even but she wouldn't give up. And so she rode on, ignoring the aches and pains, ignoring the fact that two hours sleep had not been nearly enough, and ignoring the ache in her stomach. It was less than a days ride to the inn, she would make it their rest and then set back off. She knew that the Kings Road would be peppered with villages and inns from there onwards, and knew the journey would be doable.

She would make it.

so thoughts? this is just an introduction, and things will really kick off next chapter! this will be jaime/sansa, just not yet, but I promise they will meet soon!

please review to let me know what you think - reviews truly keep us writers going. also follow/fav if you want!