We are shaped by the light we let through us

[turned_to_steel]

WHO: Sansa Stark
WHERE: The Fountain / Fountain Park
WHEN: October 26 (Evening) / October 27 (day)
OPEN TO: Everyone
WARNINGS: to be updated as needed
STATUS: Open

---

𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽 - 𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙸𝚅𝙰𝙻

Waking up in cold, dark water that goes over her head isn't the worst thing that Sansa Stark has ever experienced in her life but it is still rather startling when it happens. She barely has time to make sense of what's happening to her when she feels the nudge that pushes her upwards at the same time her lips part in surprise and her mouth fills with water. Her instinct is to sputter and to possibly choke but she doesn't. Her lips clamp together as she holds the water and tries not to think about the panic that threatens to seize her. Panic will take away her focus and make her useless which is dangerous to one's health.

So she kicks her feet without hesitation, trying to remember her father's instructions on how to swim just in case she ever falls into the river. Seconds later, her head breaks the surface and she starts hacking at the same time she spits all the water back out. When she can finally breathe, she pushes some of her hair back from her face and looks around. Spying the edge of the water, she kicks forward, grabs the edge and hoists herself up. Her muscles are aching from the chill and for half a second she worries she might fall back in but she manages to haul herself over instead. Landing on the ground with a little grunt, she lays there with a slight dazed look on her face.

When she finally feels steady enough to move, she looks around while trying to get her bearings. Her black clothes are plastered against her curvy frame, the black looking impossibly dark from her involuntary swim. Her hair looks even darker but there are strange streaks of darkness running down her neck. Almost like liquid shadows or black water. Not that she really notices as she turns in a slow circle. "Hello? Can someone help me?"


𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙺 - 𝚂𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙳𝙰𝚈

Sansa still isn't sure what to make of the new world that she has found herself in but already it's better than where she has been. That doesn't mean she doesn't have questions though or that she isn't curious about the fountain that she had arrived in. When she finally is able to go back just a couple days after her arrival, it's the fountain she goes to first.

Wearing the overalls, the tank top and the jacket that had been provided for her, Sansa stands beside the fountain and stares into the dark depths like she might find some answers swimming about in there. Of course, there is nothing for her to find and eventually she gives up with an aggrieved sigh. Reaching up to tuck back a lock of her (now) red hair, she turns to look around the park. It seems that she has brought the snow with her as it had pretty much started snowing the day after she arrived but she doesn't mind it. The snow reminds her of home in a way, especially with her father's words ringing in her head. Only winter isn't coming anymore. Now it seems to be here.

Comments

[rangerbecket]

Raleigh doesn't always sleep all that well and even though the days get dark fairly early now, he's still up well after the sun goes down. He's gone for a walk tonight, hands buried deep in the pockets of his coat and collar turned up to help stave off some of the chill. It's turned cold in the last several days, severely cold, and he doesn't know what that means for days to come.

He winds up near the fountain and it's a good thing, apparently, because he hears a splash and a sputter that means someone has just shown up. It's a woman and she's got to be freezing, cold as it is out here. Raleigh closes the distance and comes to the edge of the fountain, offering his hands to help her out.

"Hey, I've got you," he soothes, easing off his jacket in preparation of giving it to her. She's going to need something to help keep her warm and he can stand it for a little while to get to the inn. "Let's get you inside, all right?"

[turned_to_steel]

Even as Sansa calls out, she clearly isn't expecting someone to show up so quickly which becomes apparent by the way she sucks in a soft breath at the sudden appearance of a man she doesn't know. There is a second or two of hesitation too before she finally takes his hands and lets him help her get a little more steady on her feet.

Now, the water had been cold but the chill in the air feels almost ten times worse as she stands there. She knows it's mostly because of the fact that she is soaked right through to the skin, and maybe further, but the knowledge doesn't make her feel warmer. In fact, her teeth are already creating a soft clicking noise as they chatter from the way she starts trembling while standing there.

"Thank you." She manages to get the words out while turning around to let him drape the jacket over her shoulders like a cloak. She wants to curl up in the heat left behind from his body by shoving her arms into the sleeves but chooses to clutch the front closed instead. She doesn't want to reward his kind behavior by soaking his jacket through and through.

"Uh." Turning to face him, she pauses again with a slightly concerned frown. "Maybe you could tell me where I am first? I know I'm not home but I have no idea how I got here."

Has she been kidnapped?

[rangerbecket]

"We all just kind of appeared here," Raleigh says, wishing he had a better explanation for her. Standing there shivering and cold, she looks younger than she sounds and when he sees her teeth clatter he lifts his hands and gives her a pointed look.

"I'm going to wrap my arms around you, all right? You're going to freeze to death before I can get you inside if I don't," he says. He decides he can just ask forgiveness later if she doesn't want to be touched and slides his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as he guides her down the road toward the inn. There will at least be a fire there and she can dry out and warm up.

"When we get inside, I can get you warmed up and tell you anything you need to know. Promise."

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa knows that she shouldn't let him get so close but the fact that she is so cold makes it almost impossible to think. Still, she watches him with a quiet gaze while trying to figure out why he was helping her. There is a good chance that it's all just an act to get her to drop her guard but she is already in a rather vulnerable state to begin with and so she finds herself doubting that worry a moment later.

"O-okay." Her voice is soft as he moves in to wrap an arm around her and almost immediately she is grateful that he did. His warmth doesn't completely chase away the cold but it helps to make the walk a little more bearable when he starts to lead her down a road.

"Where are you taking me?" She hopes that other people will be there and maybe, if she is lucky, someone that she will recognize. As long as it's not a Lannister or someone tried to them.

[rangerbecket]

"There is an inn up ahead on the road," Raleigh explains. He keeps close to her even if it means they walk a little slower because he wants to make sure she's as warm as he can make it. It's not ideal, considering, but he doesn't want her to be any colder than she has to be. This place is cruel, making someone come up through the fountain when it's near-freezing outside.

"You can get something to eat there, sit by the fire, get some blankets. I'm sure someone can find you a place to sleep, too, and you will have a chance to get warm and dry. I can answer your questions, too. What's your name?"

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa feels like she can breathe easier when he makes mention of an inn and she finds herself looking ahead with the hope that it isn't too far away. She knows they would get there faster if she just walked on her own but she finds that she loathes the idea of pulling away. The realization makes her cheeks burn but luckily the cold has already left them a rosy color that stands out against her normally creamy skin.

"A fire and blankets sound lovely." She tells him with a nod when she looks at him again, her blue eyes bright even in the dim light. She doesn't mention to him that sleep sounds nearly impossible but focuses on the question about her name. Her true name rises up so quickly that it nearly slips out before she has a chance to stop it. She manages to though and makes it a slight cough before offering another. "Alayne. It's Alayne."

[rangerbecket]

"Alayne, then," Raleigh says warmly. "I'm Raleigh Becket," he offers in return. "I've been here for a couple months now, long enough to know just about all there is to know about this place."

It's not much, truth be told, but he doesn't want to tell her that until he's got her in the inn and she's had a chance to get settled down and warmed up a little. He thinks he could carry her, if he had to, but he wants to try and see if they can just walk sort of fast.

"Where do you come from, Alayne?"

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa wonders for half a second if he believes the name that she offers to him. Petyr would have given her a look, a quiet scolding glance to tell her that she needs to sell her story better if she plans to survive. Maybe the cold water and the chill that claimed her now had slowed her skills a little.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." She pauses as though she's considering something. She wonders if she should be calling him Lord or something else. She suspects not though since he hasn't called himself by that title.

"The Capital." She answers easily this time. "I was there living with my Uncle but clearly we were separated somehow. What about you? Where are you from?"

[rangerbecket]

"From a little of everywhere," Raleigh admits. He pulls her a little bit closer. The inn's in sight, sure, but he doesn't want her to get cold and she's wet and freezing. He doesn't want her to get sick here because he doesn't know if there's anything to really treat an illness at all; it's going to have to be something she'd just have to live through.

"I was in Alaska for several years and it's cold like this there," he explains. "So I'm used to the weather. Not as cold in Hong Kong, though, and I was there before I came here to the village. This is the coldest it's gotten here in the village since I got here about three months ago."

He keeps her close as he makes his way to the inn and lets her inside, hoping that Kate's still got the fire going. He nods to a chair. "Go take a seat, Alayne, and I'm going to go get you a blanket and something warm to eat. I'll be back in just a minute or two, I promise. I won't leave you alone."

Fountain Park

[thekittenqueen]

The night had passed better than she was used to, all due to Sansa's presence in her room. It was strange how the feel of another person nearby could easily calm her nerves, nerves that were finally being freely expressed. Having her friend and near sister with her had done a great deal of good for the house, as well as for Margaery.

Nature, however, did not appear to be as kind as whatever brought them to this place. That morning, she woke to snow falling from the sky (the first she had ever seen). While she covered her surprise and trepidation (as she was in a house full of Northerners), it had thrown off her routine.

By near midday, she had finished her work in the barn and tracked Sansa down to the fountain park. There had been something on Margaery's mind that needed to be seen to.

"Here you are," she called out pleasantly.

Re: Fountain Park

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa still felt like everything that had transpired since she came up from the fountain was a dream. Despite the fact that her brothers had tried convincing her otherwise, she still wondered if maybe she was dead and one of the Gods was simply giving her a dream to exist in afterwards. How else could she have Robb back in her life? Or Jon who didn't hate her right off for how horrible she had been to him throughout their childhood?

Having Margaery there too just added to it. Naturally she had been somewhat wary at first since she wasn't sure how the other woman would react to her but Margaery had been as gracious and kind as remembered her being. Truly, it hadn't even been that strange to share a room with her.

Sansa was still thinking it all over when she heard Margaery's approach at the same time she heard her call out. Turning to watch the pretty woman walk towards her, she smiled warmly in response. "I'm here." She glanced at the fountain. "I was just looking to see if I could find something that might have some answers for me but it's just water. It doesn't even look that deep from this side."

[thekittenqueen]

She could understand the daze, knowing how much it seemed like a dream. When she had arrived, she had spent the afternoon on her front porch, trying to adjust to the world around her and the knowledge that she had died. It hadn't been a shock when Sansa went off on her own, needing the time to process it all, as well as to try to come to terms with the fact that the dead were reunited with the living here.

After a few days, Margaery knew that Sansa would feel a bit more at ease, and perhaps, thankful to have her family around her. It was only a matter of seeing that she adjusted as well as she could with support and affection, no different than King's Landing.

"When I arrived, someone dove into the fountain, searching for the door or portal that pulled me here. Whatever is the cause, it isn't easy to find." She said, touching Sansa's hair lightly. "This color doesn't suit you."

[turned_to_steel]

"I heard there is no way to go back." Sansa gave a slight nod of her head while glancing down at the water again. She wondered how selfish it was of her to not really care. What did she have to go back to? A marriage to a man she didn't know who came from a family she despised? Living in her old home that wasn't really hers anymore? All while knowing that most of her family was dead?

Drawn out of her thoughts by the feel of Margaery's fingers brushing against her hair, she looked back at her friend before taking on a sheepish expression. "I know but I colored it to look more like Lord Baelish's niece."

She still hadn't talked about it much with Margaery but she felt comfortable admitting it now. They were alone and she trusted her friend.

[thekittenqueen]

"Not that we have seen, but for some...we have no reason to return." She was among them. This was her only and last chance at a life. She had to make the best of this situation, as she had once advised Sansa long ago. Having her friend and Robb made it a bit more tolerable. She smiled at Sansa, pressing a palm to her cheek tenderly.

"Lord Baelish's niece? You would need to a resemble a weasel to pass as his family." She said with a roll of her eyes. "Let me remove this color. You will feel more like yourself again."

She didn't enjoy the thought of Baelish being around the young girl. He was far from the proper company, but there had always been something...disturbing about him.

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa smiled softly when it seemed that Margaery understood her feelings and shared her view on not having a desire to go back. She could remember her friend's words about making the best of the situation she was in and she felt it applied here as much as it did to King's Landing. Maybe here would be even better.

"Margaery." She chided gently without heat. "Petyr...Lord Baelish helped me to escape King's Landing. He saved me."

Yes, it was a bit strange to defend the man but it was true. She wanted to explain more of the story but she hesitated at the idea of revealing Petyr's hand in the plot to kill Joffrey. If only because it would have turned Margaery's world upside down. Not that Sansa felt overly bad about it. Knowing that Joffrey was dead before he could hurt Margaery made her feel better about everything.

[thekittenqueen]

That advice had been something that Margaery remembered when she had come to this place as well. She had done her best to heed those words, but had taken it to such extremes that had placed a strain on her nerves and her relationship with Robb.

"Did he?" She narrowed her eyes. "Entirely for his own ends, I imagine. The man is untrustworthy, Sansa. Thanks the gods that you are free of him now." She hated to imagine what he might do to try and claim Sansa's birthright for his own.

"I wouldn't tell Robb or Jon this." She said gently, hoping that it had not already come out. "Your brothers worry for you and I should hate to imagine the guilt they would lavish on themselves once they know you are in Baelish's hands." She ran her fingers through Sansa's hair. "Let me remove the color for you."

[turned_to_steel]

"I know I can't trust him." Sansa murmured, thinking back to the time that Petyr had warned her that everyone was a liar but she couldn't deny that he had done a lot to get her out of King's Landing. Yes, it had been mostly a selfish act and she knew what he wanted from her but she couldn't bring herself to admit it to her friend.

"I...do you think I should lie to them? How would I explain getting away from King's Landing?" She asked, trying to consider how she could avoid such a talk. Then she paused with a little smile. "Okay. It would be nice to go back to normal."

Especially now that she was away from her world and didn't need to hide anymore.

fountain park

[zomboligist]

Why is it snowing? Why in any just world is Ravi being forced to deal with snow? Miserable grey skies, he's grown used to. Seattle sort of puts you into that zone where you can go four months without seeing the sun and not want to cut your wrists open. Growing up in London super levels you up to twelve months. This, though, this is miserable and he's currently burying his face in the coat that's nowhere near warm enough as he stares at the woman willingly standing in the cold weather.

"Has it frozen yet?" he asks. "It feels cold enough to be frozen."

Re: fountain park

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa's flashes flutter as she turns to look at the young man who looks rather miserable to be outside at the moment. Biting back a smile, she wonders briefly if he is a Southerner before she shakes her head. "It doesn't look frozen but it is definitely cold enough to be."

She looks at the water again, resisting the urge to reach down and touch it. "At least it felt that cold when I came through it two nights ago."

Re: fountain park

[zomboligist]

Ravi groans when he hears that it's not frozen, primarily because that means it could potentially get colder. He's not used to climates that dip and freeze like this, living instead in that perpetual rainy state of a grey sky and a miserable fog. Miserable fog is something he's used to. It's practically like his own version of sunlight.

"You came up through the water only two days ago?" He really needs to start putting together a graph to chart out the time, date, and duration of arrival on the off chance that there's a pattern. "I don't suppose you remember what time that was? Caught glance of a sundial perhaps?"

Re: fountain park

[turned_to_steel]

Sansa knows all too well that not everyone is used to the cold and so she offers him a small, sympathetic smile when he groans at the news that the fountain isn't frozen. She doesn't quite know what he is thinking but she can imagine he is worried about when and if it does ever get that cold.

"I did." She nods slowly, turning slightly to face him fully now before blinking a little. "No? All I can tell you is that it was dark...and cold. Especially when soaked through to the skin."

Re: fountain park

[zomboligist]

Night arrivals. Ravi had showed up with the daylight streaming into the empty well, but obviously it's somehow been filled up again, probably by evil little helper elves that he doesn't trust at all. "I'm interrogating you without introducing myself," he realizes when he looks at her a moment longer. "That's not very kind of me, is it?"

"Ravi Chakrabarti," he says with a winsome smile (at least, he hopes it's winsome, in the presence of a pretty girl).

Re: fountain park

[turned_to_steel]

The mention of evil little helper elves would probably scare Sansa a bit since she wouldn't know it was just a say but thankfully she is blissfully unaware of what he is thinking. Instead, she continues to smile softly at him until he remembers that he should be introducing himself. "It's okay. The snow can be very distracting."

Yes, there is a bit of amusement dancing in her pale eyes as her smile grows at the sight of his own smile. "I am Sansa Stark. I am pleased to meet you...do I call you Ravi?"

[zomboligist]

"It would probably be awkward for both of us if you decided to use my last name," he points out, well attuned to how strangely awful some people can be with the pronunciation. Really, it's better for both of them if he's just Ravi. "Sansa Stark," he echoes, his eyes widening and then growing frustrated. "We've never met?" he clarifies.

"I could swear I know your name," he admits, though looking at her isn't ringing any bells. Why is it that Ravi keeps feeling like he's going utterly, absolutely insane? Is this what Liv feels like every day? Is this what the brains do to her?

[turned_to_steel]

"Yes, very true. I would hate to offend you by not being able to pronounce it properly." She admits with a bit of relief while tucking some hair back from her face and smiling still. Then she seems to freeze as he repeats her name and reacts like he knows it. It causes her heart to race as she feels the sudden urge to back away from him. It's just a knee-jerk reaction though as she reminds herself that the Lannisters aren't in this new place and that she isn't really in danger. At least not the danger that she is used to.

"No?" She manages a moment later, the color slowly returning to her face after the blood had drained away for a second or two. Then she gives him a hopeful look. "Do you know my brothers? Robb Stark or Jon Snow? Maybe they mentioned me."