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Eddard

They’ve found her, my lord"

Ned rose quickly "Our men or Lannister’s?"

"It was Jory," his steward Vayon Poole replied "She’s not been harods," Ned said Hisfor Arya for four days now, but the queen’sas well "Where is she? Tell Jory to bring her here at once"

"I aate were Lannister ht her in She’s being taken directly before the king"

"Da to the door "Find Sansa and bring her to the audience chamber Her voice e He had led searches himself for the first three days, and had scarcely slept an hour since Arya had disappeared Thishe had been so heartsick and weary he could scarcely stand, but now his fury was on hith

Men called out to hinored the’s Hand, and a Hand nity He are of the eyes that followed hi what he would do

The castle was aa half day’s ride south of the Trident The royal party had uests of its lord, Ser Raymun Darry, while the hunt for Arya and the butcher’s boy was conducted on both sides of the river They were not welco’s peace, but his faon banners at the Trident, and his three older brothers had died there, a truth neither Robert nor Ser Ray’s men, Darry men, Lannister men, and Stark men all crammed into a castle far too small for the had appropriated Ser Raymun’s audience chamber, and that here Ned found them The rooht; left alone, he and Robert ht have been able to settle the matter ah seat at the far end of the room, his face closed and sullen Cersei Lannister and her son stood beside him The queen had her hand on Joffrey’s shoulder Thick silken bandages still covered the boy’s arm

Arya stood in the center of the room, alone but for Jory Cassel, every eye upon her "Arya," Ned called loudly He went to her, his boots ringing on the stone floor When she saw hian to sob

Ned went to one knee and took her in his ar "I’m sorry," she sobbed, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry"

"I know," he said She felt so tiny in his arirl It was hard to see how she had caused so much trouble "Are you hurt?"

"No" Her face was dirty, and her tears left pink tracks down her cheeks "Hungry so else"

"We’ll feed you soon enough," Ned pro of this?" His eyes swept the roo for friendly faces But for his own uarded his look well Lord Renly wore a half srave; the rest were Lannister ood fortune was that both Jai searches north of the Trident "Why was I not told that"Why was she not brought to me at once?"

He spoke to Robert, but it was Cersei Lannister who answered "How dare you speak to your king in thatstirred "Quiet, wohtened in his seat "I airl It seeet the business done with quickly"

"And what business is that?" Ned put ice in his voice

The queen stepped forward "You know full well, Stark This girl of yours attacked my son Her and her butcher’s boy That animal of hers tried to tear his arm off"

"That’s not true," Arya said loudly "She just bit hi Mycah"

"Joff told us what happened," the queen said "You and the butcher boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him"

"That’s not hoas," Arya said, close to tears again Ned put a hand on her shoulder

"Yes it is!" Prince Joffrey insisted "They all attacked me, and she threw Lion’s Tooth in the river!" Ned noticed that he did not so lance at Arya as he spoke

"Liar!" Arya yelled

"Shut up!" the prince yelled back

"Enough!" the king roared, rising from his seat, his voice thick with irritation Silence fell He glowered at Arya through his thick beard "Now, child, you will tell reat cri" Then he looked over at his son "When she is done, you will have your turn Until then, hold your tongue"

As Arya began her story, Ned heard the door open behind hilanced back and saw Vayon Poole enter with Sansa They stood quietly at the back of the hall as Arya spoke When she got to the part where she threw Joffrey’s sword into the h The king bristled "Ser Barristan, escort my brother from the hall before he chokes"

Lord Renly stifled his laughter "My brother is too kind I can find the door myself" He bowed to Joffrey "Perchance later you’ll tell ed to disarm you with a broo shut behind hiuffaw once an his very different version of events When his son was done talking, the king rose heavily fro like a man anted to be anywhere but here "What in all the seven hells a, she says another"

"They were not the only ones present," Ned said "Sansa, coht Arya had vanished He knew the truth "Tell us what happened"

His eldest daughter stepped forward hesitantly She was dressed in blue velvets trimmed hite, a silver chain around her neck Her thick auburn hair had been brushed until it shone She blinked at her sister, then at the young prince "I don’t know," she said tearfully, looking as though she wanted to bolt "I don’t re happened so fast, I didn’t see"

"You rotten!" Arya shrieked She flew at her sister like an arrow, knocking Sansa down to the ground, pu her "Liar, liar, liar, liar"

"Arya, stop it!" Ned shouted Jory pulled her off her sister, kicking Sansa was pale and shaking as Ned lifted her back to her feet "Are you hurt?" he asked, but she was staring at Arya, and she did not seeirl is as wild as that filthy animal of hers," Cersei Lannister said "Robert, I want her punished"

"Seven hells," Robert swore "Cersei, look at her She’s a child What would you have ht It’s over No lasting harm was done"