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Sansa

They came for Sansa on the third day

She chose a sirey wool, plainly cut but richly eers felt thick and clus without the benefit of servants Jeyne Poole had been confined with her, but Jeyne was useless Her face was puffy fro about her father

"I’m certain your father is well," Sansa told her when she had finally gotten the dress buttoned right "I’ll ask the queen to let you see hiht lift Jeyne’s spirits, but the other girl just looked at her with red, swollen eyes and began to cry all the harder She was such a child

Sansa had wept too, the first day Even within the stout walls of Maegor’s Holdfast, with her door closed and barred, it was hard not to be terrified when the killing began She had grown up to the sound of steel in the yard, and scarcely a day of her life had passed without hearing the clash of sword on sword, yet so was real made all the difference in the world She heard it as she had never heard it before, and there were other sounds as well, grunts of pain, angry curses, shouts for help, and the hts never screa through her door for the for her father, for Septa Mordane, for the king, for her gallant prince If the ave no answer The only tiht, when they thrust Jeyne Poole inside, bruised and shaking "They’re killing everyone," the steward’s daughter had shrieked at her She went on and on The Hound had broken down her door with a warhammer, she said There were bodies on the stair of the Tower of the Hand, and the steps were slick with blood Sansa dried her own tears as she struggled to comfort her friend They went to sleep in the same bed, cradled in each other’s arms like sisters

The second day was even worse The roohest tower of Maegor’s Holdfast From its , she could see that the heavy iron portcullis in the gatehouse was down, and the drawbridge drawn up over the deep dry er castle that surrounded it Lannister guardsmen prowled the walls with spears and crossbows to hand The fighting was over, and the silence of the grave had settled over the Red Keep The only sounds were Jeyne Poole’s endless whimpers and sobs

They were fed--hard cheese and fresh-baked bread and reens at midday, and a late supper of beef and barley stew--but the servants who brought the , soht her clothes fros as well, but they seehtened as Jeyne, and when she tried to talk to theuards outside the door still refused to let them leave the rooain," Sansa told them, as she told everyone she saw that day "She’ll want to talk to me, I know she will Tell her I want to see her, please If not the queen, then Prince Joffrey, if you’d be so kind We’re to marry e’re older"

At sunset on the second day, a great bell began to ring Its voice was deep and sonorous, and the long slow clanging filled Sansa with a sense of dread The ringing went on and on, and after a while they heard other bells answering from the Great Sept of Baelor on Visenya’s Hill The sound ru of the stor her ears "Why are they ringing the bells?"

"The king is dead" Sansa could not say how she knew it, yet she did The slow, endless clanging filled their rooe Had so Robert? Was that thethey had heard?

She went to sleep wondering, restless, and fearful Was her beautiful Joffrey the king now? Or had they killed him too? She was afraid for him, and for her father If only they would tell her as happening

That night Sansa dreamt of Joffrey on the throne, with herself seated beside hiold She had a crown on her head, and everyone she had ever known came before her, to bend the knee and say their courtesies

The nextof the third day, Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard came to escort her to the queen

Ser Boros was an ugly s His nose was flat, his cheeks baggy with jowls, his hair grey and brittle Today he hite velvet, and his snowy cloak was fastened with a lion brooch The beast had the soft sheen of gold, and his eyes were tiny rubies "You look very handso, Ser Boros," Sansa told him A lady remembered her courtesies, and she was resolved to be a lady no matter what

"And you, my lady," Ser Boros said in a flat voice "Her Grace awaits Couards outside her door, Lannister men-at-arms in crimson cloaks and lion-crested helms Sansa oodas she passed It was the first time she had been allowed outside the chas past "To keep you safe, my sweet one," Queen Cersei had told her "Joffrey would never forgivehappened to his precious"

Sansa had expected that Ser Boros would escort her to the royal apartor’s Holdfast The bridge was down again So a man on ropes into the depths of the dry moat When Sansa peered down, she saw a body ie iron spikes below She averted her eyes quickly, afraid to ask, afraid to look too long, afraid he ht be someone she knew

They found Queen Cersei in the council cha table littered with papers, candles, and blocks of sealing wax The room was as splendid as any that Sansa had ever seen She stared in awe at the carved wooden screen and the twin sphinxes that sat beside the door

"Your Grace," Ser Boros said when they were ushered inside by another of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon of the curiously dead face, "I’ve brought the girl"

Sansa had hoped Joffrey ht be with her Her prince was not there, but three of the king’s councillors were Lord Petyr Baelish sat on the queen’s left hand, Grand Maester Pycelle at the end of the table, while Lord Varys hovered over the flowery All of the of dread Mourning clothes

The queen wore a high-collared black silk goith a hundred dark red rubies sewn into her bodice, covering her from neck to bosom They were cut in the shape of teardrops, as if the queen eeping blood Cersei sht it was the sweetest and saddest smile she had ever seen "Sansa,for me I’m sorry that I could not send for you sooner Matters have been very unsettled, and I have not had a ood care of you?"

"Everyone has been very sweet and pleasant, Your Grace, thank you ever so ," Sansa said politely "Only, well, no one will talk to us or tell us what’s happened"

"Us?" Cersei seeirl in with her," Ser Boros said "We did not knohat else to do with her"

The queen frowned "Next tiods only knohat sort of tales she’s been filling Sansa’s head with"

"Jeyne’s scared," Sansa said "She won’t stop crying I promised her I’d ask if she could see her father"

Old Grand Maester Pycelle lowered his eyes

"Her father is well, isn’t he?" Sansa said anxiously She knew there had been fighting, but surely no one would harm a steward Vayon Poole did not even wear a sword

Queen Cersei looked at each of the councillors in turn "I won’t have Sansa fretting needlessly What shall we do with this little friend of hers, my lords?"

Lord Petyr leaned forward "I’ll find a place for her"

"Not in the city," said the queen

"Do you take nored that "Ser Boros, escort this girl to Lord Petyr’s apartments and instruct his people to keep her there until he co her to see her father, that ought to calone before Sansa returns to her chamber"

"As you command, Your Grace," Ser Boros said He bowed deeply, spun on his heel, and took his leave, his long white cloak stirring the air behind him

Sansa was confused "I don’t understand," she said "Where is Jeyne’s father? Why can’t Ser Boros take her to hi to do it?" She had proentle as the queen and as strong as her mother, the Lady Catelyn, but all of a sudden she was scared again For a second she thought sheher? She hasn’t done anything wrong, she’s a good girl"

"She’s upset you," the queen said gently "We can’t be having that Not another word, now Lord Baelish will see that Jeyne’s well taken care of, I promise you" She patted the chair beside her "Sit down, Sansa I want to talk to you"

Sansa seated herself beside the queen Cersei sain, but that did nothis soft hands together, Grand Maester Pycelle kept his sleepy eyes on the papers in front of hi about the way the sh she had no clothes on Goose bumps pimpled her skin

"Sweet Sansa," Queen Cersei said, laying a soft hand on her wrist "Such a beautiful child I do hope you kno much Joffrey and I love you"

"You do?" Sansa said, breathless Littlefinger was forgotten Her prince loved her Nothing else mattered

The queen shter And I know the love you bear for Joffrey" She gave a weary shake of her head "I arave news about your lord father You ave Sansa a chill "What is it?"

"Your father is a traitor, dear," Lord Varys said

Grand Maester Pycelle lifted his ancient head "WithRobert that he would protect the young princes as if they were his own sons And yet the ether to steal Prince Joffrey’s rightful throne"

"No," Sansa blurted "He wouldn’t do that He wouldn’t!"