Chapter 2
Sansa Stark
Down in the courtyard below Sansa Stark watched Knights play with their swords as stewards ran after them. Sansa wished she was like Arya, so she could fight her way through every Knight in the yard for her freedom. After her last escape nearing a year ago Queen Cersie would not let her out of the Red Keep, not even to wander the gardens. She was not allowed to go to the gods wood alone without Ser Sandor Clegane by her side. The Hound she did not mind so much but the rest of the Kings guard she hated. Joffrey was a horrible boy, now a man but still a boy in Sansa's eyes.
"Little bird." The Hound spoke softly behind Sansa.
Sansa turned and smiled at Sandor, his half melted face did not bother her anymore and to see him was a comfort to her. "Ser." She bowed.
"Little bird you know not to call me that anymore." The Hound passed Sansa a piece of paper. "Word from Winterfell."
Sansa chuckled as she took the paper from the Hound's grasp. "Thank you for your services. This is the only way I can talk with Arya." Sansa flipped open the paper and began to read.
Dear Sansa,
Years have passed since I last saw your face and I want that time to come to an end. Robb should be by your side within the week. Thank the Hound for his services.
Arya Star.
Sansa sighed at the short letter, Arya used to write a lot until she found out that mother was going back to Winterfell. Arya never liked being in their mothers company too long, she wrote about it once, saying that she'd left her and the boys to re-build Winterfell. These days Arya never disappointed anybody. Winterfell was restored to its former glory with the month.
"Little bird." The Hound placed his gloved hand on Sansa's shoulder.
Sansa hadn't realised how hard she was clutching the paper. "Burn it." She let the crunched up paper fall onto the floor. "Robb will be here soon Sandor, we must prepare for battle against the Lannisters." Sansa walked over to the window. "I've been watching them every day now, I think I know why Arya liked to fight so much." Sansa laughed lightly.
Ser Sandor Clegane moved closer to Sansa. "It's not as easy as it looks my lady. It takes strength to make your enemies fall."
"The Lannisters will fall, even if it takes me to kill Joffrey. He will not hurt me again." Sansa could feel the tears stinging at her eyes. "Lord Eddard was stupid to trust the Queen Reagent and so was I for a little while but now Winterfell will prevail."
Sansa turned to the Hound and leant up to kiss him on the cheek that wasn't scarred. The Hound pulled her into his grasp and held her tight against his armour. Sansa could hear him take deep breaths and he buried his head in her long auburn hair. Today Sansa had worn it lose to show the Queen Regent and Joffrey that she was a free woman, a woman of the North.
"Little bird we have to go." The Hound pulled away from Sansa and placed her back on the ground. "You have to sit in on the Small Council this Afternoon."
Sansa patted at the creases in her silk grey dress, she had ordered The Hound to find someone in Kings Landing to make her the dress without the Queen knowing. The Queen had banned Sansa from wearing grey and had all the dress's that colour removed. Now she was made to sit on the Small Council like a good girl, Sansa sat but she did not close her ears. She had heard everything Robb had done and more, she knew that what Arya had written in the letter was true. Robb was coming for her.
"Sansa." The Queen Regents voice rang down the hall as she and the Hound approached the Small Councils chambers. "Did our Little Bird enjoy her cage?" The Queen smiled her perfect white teeth at Sansa.
"Of course my Grace." Sansa bowed as a sign of respect but all Sansa wanted to do was kick the woman until all her pretty golden hair had fallen out.
The Queen's smile lessened to Sansa response. "Hound, our Little Bird hasn't tried to escape has she?" She faced the Hound but he did not look at her.
The Hound held his head up as he usually did when speaking with the Queen, he believed that if she looked him in the eyes that he would melt into water. "She has my Grace, Little Birds stay in their cages all the time."
The Queen Regent gave him a dismissive look. "Today you will not be attending the Small Council Sansa."
Sansa felt her face dropped but then she forced herself to smile. "As my Grace wishes."
The Queen Regent bowed quick and low, Sansa returned the bow. Once the Queen was out of sight and out of ear shot Sansa turned to The Hound.
"Shall we walk the grounds little Bird?" He asked Sansa while stepping back for them to go the way they had just came.
Sansa nodded and walked past the Hound. "I would like to go to the Gods wood."
The Hound grunted, he wasn't as fond of the Gods wood as Sansa was but she made him come anyway. He had to. Sansa liked the Gods wood the most out of Kings Landing, it was quiet there and Sansa thought that her father's gods may hear her more than her mothers. She had prayed repeatedly to her mother's gods all she got in return was another slap from either Joffrey's guards or his mothers. Her father's gods were different, she had a feeling that they listened to her.
"Sansa!" Joffrey's shouting boomed behind her as she neared the Gods wood. "Sansa, come here."
Slow Sansa came to a halt but she gave herself a second to compose herself. "How is my Grace." She turned to face him with an almighty smile.
Joffrey smiled back but it was the evil smile that made Sansa's skin crawl. "Mother told me that your brother is on his way here." Joffrey chuckled. "He'll never get past my gates."
Sansa continued to smile. "I know that my lord but as we all know there is another way to get into Kings Landing." Sansa turned to the Hound and nodded at him. She disappeared into the depths of the Gods wood.
