open | october event log

[unprays]

Who: sansa stark (unprays) & open!
What: october plot — stage 2 hits Hard
When: early october until mid-october
Where: vaguely waves hand around?
Warning(s): your usual "this is game of thrones we're talking about" warnings go here


I — PARANOIA — the sanctuary

[ she is a familiar sight in the Sanctuary, for those who have spent more of their time there, either as patients or helping those suffering from the sickness, but as the days pass, Sansa turns more restless, glancing around her like looking for something, startled looks directed at the windows or doorways that seem empty.

it is nearing nightfall when she finally speaks, catching the wrist of the person who is passing by her, her grip desperately tight, her eyes bright as she looks at whoever she's managed to stop. ]

Please, you have to help me. [ her voice is frightened, pleading. ] I have to leave, it's not safe here. I can't... I can't stay! [ good luck trying to convince her it's just in her head... especially when it isn't, at least not entirely. ]

II — MEMORY LAPSES — the stark house

[ once back in the house, her mind calmed down, she feels silly — of course it was safe in the Sanctuary, as safe as she is here, in their house... at least there, she was surrounded with more people. and though her head feels dizzy, she lets in whoever comes by the Stark household, whether looking for her brothers or visiting her, insisting they stay for a while, giving them some tea and cookies with a slight smile and a wry don't worry, eating them won't make you sick.

but for those who stay any longer, the visit may take a turn to the worse, or at least more worrying, as Sansa falls silent for a moment — and when addressed, will look at her visitor with a confused, wary gaze. ]

... Forgive me, but what are you doing here? [ all the warmth that may have been in her voice previously is gone, gone with any memories she has of knowing whoever is there with her. ]

III — HALLUCINATIONS & ENERGY — the marketplace

Father? [ surely, the sight of a young woman speaking to her father might not be such a surprising sight, in the marketplace, but when the woman in question seems to be speaking to empty air, answering someone who no one else can see... maybe that is slightly more concerning. especially as she starts to move, leaving the old lady she had been enthusiastically haggling with over some very fine-looking apples yelling after her to come back for her purchase — Sansa doesn't care, though, walking swiftly like chasing someone, refusing to stop or slow down before she's turned to an alleyway that seems to be a dead-end.

there, she slows down, head turning swiftly as she tries to see where her father has gone, moving to touch her hand to the bricks that are cold and unyielding beneath her fingertips. ]

Father, where did you go? Why did you leave me behind? [ her voice, starting strong, quietens into barely a whisper as she starts gasping for breath, sudden exhaustion catching up to her. ]

IV — COMMISERATION — the sanctuary

[ back at the Sanctuary, it's fair to say Sansa looks miserable, sitting on her bed with her hands on her lap, red hair falling like a curtain that hides her face from anyone that might be looking at her. the sickness she could handle,the pains and the cough and the dizziness, but the whispers she keeps hearing? the way she will see someone from home walk past and never quite knows if they're real or not? the way she knows she can look at someone and not remember them at all?

Gods, it is a pain worse than she imagined, and she could imagine much.

when she hears the bed next to her creak to signify someone sitting down on it, she lifts her gaze, a softer look in her eyes even though her mouth cannot quite remember how to smile. ]

Is it happening for you, too? [ the hallucinations, your memory failing you, the paranoia... take your pick. ]

V — WILDCARD — choose your own adventure

[ if nothing here catches your fancy, hit me up over on plurk at celen and we can plot something, or just leave me a blank comment and i'll write up a customized starter for us! c: ]

Comments

III

[song_of_ice]

Sansa?

[His initial fear for her, up and walking despite ill health, is shoved to the side by the mention of Lord Stark. Even hearing her simply call for him was enough to send guilt and sorrow racing through him. A part of him hoped for their father to wake, but it seemed unlikely and, as much as he wanted to deny it, there was a small wish for Lord Stark not to wake. After all Jon's failures and choices, he dreaded facing his father and seeing the disappointment in his eyes.

But that factored very little into his worry for Sansa. There was no sign of their father, but she stood and spoke to the air as though there was. He reached out to touch her shoulder, turning her towards him.]

You should be resting.

[unprays]

[ she tenses up, but doesn't fight him — instead, she bites down on her lip, looks down as though she can't bear to look up. ]

No, Jon, I can't — I can't fail Father again! I lost him and Arya in King's Landing, and now Arya is gone, and if I can't find Father, then I've lost both of them again!

[ clearly this is more important to her than the fact that she seems to be so exhausted she can barely stand up. ]

[song_of_ice]

You didn't fail him, Sansa. You didn't know what would happen.

[They all felt like they failed him. If Jon had gone to King's Landing or had deserted the Wall to join Robb and rescue him, maybe he wouldn't have died. But he knew deep down, there was nothing that could be done. Their father had died because of Joffery, not because of anything they had done.]

Sansa, our father is in the pod. He's still sleeping.

[That was maybe the only benefit of this place. They could someday have him back.

He held tighter to her, ready to carry her if need be.]

Let me take you back.

[unprays]

( i'm so so sorry for this ridiculously delayed response -- i got back from my hiatus early this month and it's taken me a while to adjust to regular life and tagging rhythm. if you'd rather leave this here, don't hesitate to poke me on plurk and we can talk about handwaving the rest! but if you want to keep this thread going, i'm game for that too c: )

You weren't there, [ is her quiet response — he didn't see it all, didn't hear what she told Cersei. she thought it would help him and it got him killed.

but she nods; she had been so sure she had seen him... but Jon would know, wouldn't he? Father would surely find Jon and Robb, they would know before her whether he was awake. ]

I'm sorry I left without a word. I wanted... I wanted to get some food, to make some so there'd be dinner for you, and Robb, and Theon. You're all working so hard, and I — [ I do nothing, she thinks. even now, she is only being a burden, with the sickness that refuses to go away. ]