The 31 lives of JonSa

3. Soulmate AU

"Are you ready, miss?" The lackey smiled an encouraging smile. But he could smile all the kind smiles he had, it would still not calm her nerves. "I will introduce you now." He nodded at her and politely she nodded back.

She had known that sooner or later this day would come. She had known that sooner or later she would have to let her soulmate go.

No matter how nice and beautiful the dreams were. No matter how warm his smile was. No matter how kind and galant he was.

He could be anywhere in the world. Finding him could take a lifetime or even longer. Her parents weren't gonna wait for that. They couldn't afford to wait for that.

"He's a good match, Sansa." She could still feel her father's comforting hand on her knee. "Maybe he is not your soulmate, but he will take good care of you." Just like she could still feel his kiss on her forehead. "I wouldn't have promised him your hand if I didn't believe that maybe one day you might learn to love each other."

She had never had to learn to love her soulmate. For as long as she could remember the nights had been her favorite time of the day. In her dreams she met with this beautiful stranger who soon became her friend and even more. With him everything felt natural. She never had to think about saying the right words, they simply came. She never had to be afraid to do the wrong thing, because he loved every part about her, even those parts she hated herself.

"I present you Princess Sansa Stark of the kingdom of Winterfell!"

She shook her head. She had to shake her dreams. Maybe she had to find a way to stop herself from dreaming them. She hadn't dared to tell him that she was about to get married. Breaking her own heart had already been hard enough. And yet, not telling him that her hand was already promised to another man seemed just as cruel as letting him go.

With her chin up and her back straight she looked at the people gathered in the ballroom.

Everyone wore glimmering dresses and expensive jewelry. The light of a million candles almost blinded her.

She didn't know who her betrothed was, but she forced herself to smile while she walked down the stairs towards the stretched out hand waiting for her.

The hand felt strangely familiar and comfortable.

"And here I thought I'd had to tell you I was gonna marry someone else." The warmth of his voice caused a shiver of the good kind to run down her spine. "Thank the Gods I don't have to."

The fake smile on her face brightened. At least half of the pressure was lifted off her back and she felt her shoulders relax. "It's you!" The nerves in her stomach turned into butterflies, just as jittery and yet far more pleasant. "I can't wait to tell my parents that they have accidentally given my hand in marriage to the boy of my dreams."

"I don't believe in accidents." He looked at her and his beautiful brown eyes stared into her soul.

A few minutes ago she was afraid she would have to marry a stranger, now she knew she was going to marry the only man she had ever truly loved.