Saying Goodbye and Epilogue

Released from the red god, Brynden Tully quickly regains his senses. Lord Royce and his sons notice the change at once and encourage him to search for Sansa after word of the battle reaches the Eyrie.

After much discussion, the couple rides out from Carrig's cabin to speak to the Blackfish. "I'll keep you safe, Little bird. You need not fear those men. I'll kill anyone who tries to harm you," he snarls, strapping on his light armor and weapons.

"I know, Sandor. I believe it will not come to that, now that he is free of the influence of Lady Stoneheart. Let us hear him out," she says softly, kissing him on the cheek.

"He'd best make sure he says all the right words, Little bird."

"If either of us feel uncomfortable, promise me we will just leave, my love. I don't want any more bloodshed if we can avoid it. Besides, he and Lord Royce are needed here in the Vale."

"Aye, we'll leave, but I'll not make any promises. If they threaten you they are as good as dead. Don't worry your head on that score."

Upon seeing Sansa riding in front of Sandor with Nymeria loping alongside of them, Brynden is filled with regret. He is somewhat hesitant to approach the couple after all that has transpired. Still, the man is determined to plead his cause with her.

"Family. Duty. Honor. There is far more at stake than you may realize. You must remember these things, Sansa, and let them dictate how you chose to handle this situation," he says when they draw close.

"I will always remember the Tully words, Great Uncle. My mother taught me , in my experience those words mean something different to each family member-Tully and Stark alike," Sansa answers darkly.

"What do you mean, child?"

"My brother Robb chose what he felt was duty over family when he started the war. Later he chose family over duty when he married for love. Mother chose to help Robb gain the support of Seven Kingdoms over returning to Rickon and Bran." Shaking her head, she gravely stares into his eyes, her words bitter on her tongue. "Even the Lannisters tried to ransom back Jaime from our family but no one, Tully or Stark, did the same for Arya or me."

"Sansa, you must understand our position," Bryden says, his eyes full of sorrow. "They would have never bargained with your brother-you were their key to the north. After you were wed to Tyrion, you were as good as lost to us forever. We thought there was no other way but to carry on the war. Forgive us."

"You may find it hard to believe, but I understand, Great Uncle. It will take time for me to forgive, I am afraid. I suffered terribly under Lord Baelish's control. I would have rather ended my life than stayed with him. I almost died," Sansa replies softly, her voice breaking at her words.

Her declaration sends a torrent of rage through Sandor, his eyes boring into Brynden as he regards the man. Leaning in the saddle, he spits derisively. "It didn't bloody well matter to you in the scheme of things, did it? You buggering high lords and your game of thrones."

The Blackfish sighs and shifts in the saddle. "I deeply regret that I did not come for you, child. It was wrong to leave you with Lord Baelish."

"I thank you for that, Great Uncle. However, I cannot be expected to overlook the fact that during this entire ordeal no one helped me or my brothers and sister. I have learned from the mistakes of others. Left to my own devices as I was, I will not leave Arya, Bran and Rickon in the same manner for the sake of some misplaced honor and duty. My Father saw what was happening to me and acted from the afterlife. I begged the gods to help me and he made an extraordinary effort to help me and our family."

"That he did, lass," Brynden agrees.

"When no one came for me, he saw the need to bond me in the Stark way with Sandor Clegane, the only person who ever cared to help me. It was he who cared enough to come to my aid, though I had not seen him in many years. I am most grateful to Father. You must understand that I am determined to honor my beloved father's wishes and take care of our family first."

"Sansa I am not denying that we failed you. I know you suffered terribly and I deeply regret it. But give your future actions some consideration before rushing to a decision. With the Starks and Tullys united under one banner, we can take back the north and who knows how far we may go from there. We can put an end to the bloody Lannisters once and for all."

"I am not interested in revenge or the Iron throne. I do not seek rulership; I only want what is best for my family. Father has assured me and Bran that our family seat will be restored to us in good time. Great Uncle, winter is coming. My brothers and sister need me, and my family must be reunited before then. It is the only way we will survive."

Brynden solemnly nods, knowing Sansa has been trained as a Stark from infancy to prepare for the coming hardships of the long foretold winter.

"You and Lord Royce are more than capable of taking over the Eyrie and ruling the Vale. It is time for me to do what is best for my brothers and sister, and for the north. The gods brought Sandor to me, and they saved us both for this purpose. I will not spend another day in the Eyrie, Great Uncle, nor will I seek any revenge for what has been done. It is time for the wolves to return north."

"Sandor, can you not persuade her? You are a man of battle; surely you can see our side of the matter."

"My wife has had far too many men make decisions for her in her young life; I'll not be one of them," Sandor rasps harshly. Turning to Sansa, he says, "We've talked enough. I'll take you to your family as soon as you are ready, Little bird."

"I must honor the will of my father and of the gods, as well as the sacrifices that have been made to help me, Great Uncle," she says softly, nodding to Sandor. "Let us say goodbye on good terms and gods willing, we will see each other again."

"You are a true Stark, Sansa," Brynden smiles sadly. "Go find your siblings with my blessing. The gods go with you child. We will handle matters here."

After saying their goodbyes, Sandor and Sansa next travel deep into the forests of the Vale, eventually meeting up with Elder brother and the Stone Crows. Sansa gifts Chief Carrig's clan with several cases of wine and ale as well as many of the jewels she received from Petyr Baelish as a reward for their help. In turn, Chief Carrig provides the couple with food stuffs and a wagon for their journey.

"Sandor, I never thought we would have such an advantageous kinship the day you offered to help me with my wife," Carrig laughs, slapping him on the back. "The old gods go with you, boy."

"Many thanks, Chief Carrig, for everything," he replies as Sansa tearfully shakes hands with the clansman.

"I can never thank you enough for all you have done for us. You will always be welcome in our home and at our table, Chief Carrig. I swear it by the old gods and the new."

"Sandor, Sansa, I regret to say our time together has reached an end. Let us part ways," Elder brother says, shaking his hand. Making the sign of the Seven over them both, he says, "Go to your future with the blessing of the gods."

"Will you not consider coming with us, Elder brother?" Sansa tearfully asks, grasping his hands in her own. "I cannot bear to leave you this way after we have endured so much together. I know Bran would love to meet you. He regrets he needed to, well, use you to speak."

"It was the will of the gods, child. My destiny is on the Quiet Isle, as yours and Sandor's lay before you in the north. I am very grateful I was able to share in helping you reach the place you are in now. May the gods continue to bless and keep you both."

After many tears, the couple departs from the Stone Crows camp with Nymeria closely following behind them. In a moon's turn of hard travel, they reach Greywater Watch, the seat of House Reed where they are reunited with Rickon. Meera leads them to Bran, and at the great weirwood tree the family is reunited at long last. Later, Arya and Jon arrive and after an extended stay, they receive a raven from Castle Black announcing that Winterfell is freed of the Boltons and it is time for the Starks return.

During the time the family spends with the Reeds, Jon relates how Daenerys Targaryen returned to Westeros and sacked King's Landing with her dragons. In exchange for his life, Varys brought the new queen irrefutable proof that Jon Snow is in fact her nephew: a handwritten letter with the Targaryen seal from her brother Rhaegar to Lord Eddard Stark announcing that Lyanna is carrying his child. Within its contents Rhaegar pleads with him to turn Robert away from King's Landing for the sake of the babe, whom he believes will be born at any time. Rhaegar says he had a dream that the child will be a boy that he will name Jon.

Overjoyed to have found another Targaryen, Queen Daenerys granted Winterfell to Jon Snow and named him the heir to the Iron throne. His first act of office was to go to Greywater Watch and wait for the raven stating the time had come to return his brothers and sister to their family home once and for all.

Rickon is made Warden of the North and eventually takes Shireen Baratheon to wife.

Bran and Jojen return to the Children of the Forest and though the family no longer sees them as they once were, both the Starks and the Reeds often visit the weirwood grove. Throughout her life, Sansa hears Bran's voice on the wind, comforted to have such an intimate and otherworldly connection to her brother.

Arya is reunited with Gendry Waters, who since they parted have learned he is a Baratheon. After an extended courtship, Arya finally agrees to marry him on the condition that they will stay at Winterfell and she will not be made to become a proper northern lady.

Once spring returns to the Seven Kingdoms, Jon grants Sandor and Sansa their own castle built on the northern lands of Winterfell. Eventually the Cleganes are blessed with a full house, six boys and two girls and enjoy a long full life in the north. Sandor and Sansa invite Elder brother to serve as maester in their home and thus their children grow up educated by the holy man who brought them together.

When the children are old enough, Sansa tells them the story of how she was held in a castle buried deep in the snows of the Vale until their Greatfather Stark sent their father to rescue her. Sandor snorts from behind his wood carving as she carefully relates the much edited tale but is secretly pleased to see the children all listen with rapt attention. As they grow up, Sansa makes sure that each child comes to view their father as the hero and honorable man she has always seen in him.

When Sansa falls gravely ill in her elder years, the bond between her and Sandor has interwoven their hearts and souls to the degree that one cannot live without the other. Laying in each other's arms one night surrounded by family, Sansa and Sandor take their final breath as one.

Together they awaken to find Bran's dream that their bonding would last throughout their lifetime and into the next has come to fruition. In the afterlife, Sandor and Sansa are reunited with the family that went before them, forever joined by the love and bond made in the lives they left behind.

A/N: Yes it was a bit fluffy but I love our favorite couple and so I had to give them a happy ending. Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting on this story. :D