Sansa Stark had once been promised to the young prince Joffrey Baratheon, but Tywin Lannister felt that alliance alone wouldn’t be enough to keep the peace between the great houses.

To strengthen ties with the North, he proposed that his granddaughter, Princess Guest Baratheon-Lannister, marry Robb Stark, the eldest son of Eddard Stark. The idea surprised both families. Cersei Lannister disliked sending her daughter so far from court, while Catelyn Stark distrusted any Lannister influence in her home.

Despite their concerns, the arrangement was accepted. Soon after, Guest traveled north to Winterfell. The cold land, old traditions, and watchful northern lords made it clear she was far from southern politics. The wedding united the two houses, but a quiet tension lingered in the halls.