Shae was trying to warm Sansa up. She had come out of her faint and was still shocked by the turn of events.
"Why did you leave here? That was quite foolish." Shae scolded.
"Shae, I have known these people all of my life! And Marossa Fraust is a known liar! I used to play with her when I was a child."
"So you knew she lied even back then?" Shae asked.
"Yes. But at first they were child's lies. Like pretend. But then when she began saying that we had the same father, and that Queen Cersei was her mother, MY mother forbid me to play with her. What she was saying, especially about Cersei, was treason."
The door to the room opened and Tyrion walked in. He nodded to Shae.
"I need to speak to my wife-alone."
Shae nodded her understanding. She would await Tyrion in his quarters. She gave Sansa a sympathetic glance, before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
Sansa slowly stood up and took off the blanket.
"My Lord..."
"Stay seated and listen to me." Tyrion said in a no-nonsense tone. Sansa slowly sat back down.
"Would you say that I am a good husband to you? Would you even go so far as to say that I am kind, patient and fair?"
Sansa lowered her eyes. He had not pushed the marriage bed upon her, so she would say he was more than fair. She looked at him again.
"You kept us both alive from the Targaryen Queen. For that, I am most grateful."
"But for nothing else?"
"Tyrion, I know what I did tonight was foolish. But I thought they would listen to me."
"What you did tonight WAS foolish. Did it ever occur to you that I do care something for you? That it might aggrieve me to come upon my wife trampled to death by unsettled townspeople? I will not ask what you were thinking, because you have already told me what that was. But I will be handling this unseemly business, is that understood?"
Sansa nodded, then spoke.
"My Lord, I know this is not the time, but there isn't any good time for this."
Tyrion raised a brow. What was she speaking of?
"My Lord, Ser Loras Tyrell has asked for my hand in marriage. After we dissolve ours."
Tyrion just stared at her for a long moment, then answered.
"I didn't realize we were dissolving our marriage."
Sansa moved towards him.
"Your father is dead. We have a new Queen. Winterfell is yours, by right. I just don't see why we have to keep up this unhappy pretense."
"I am not unhappy, Sansa. And I did not believe you to be terribly so either."
"I am not terribly unhappy, my Lord! I just think that we would both be happier with others." Sansa's voice trailed off. Tyrion kept his tone light as he responded.
"Let me deal with this very loathsome rape business, and then give you my decision, alright?"
Sansa nodded enthusiastically as Tyrion opened the door to her room and exited. He then went straight to his room and gave Shae a hard look!
"Tell me what you know of this Loras Tyrell business?"
Shae, who had just finished peeling off her clothing, stared down at him in wonder.
"He has been writing to her. Declaring his love. But I did not take it seriously. Everyone knows he prefers men."
"Shae. Darling. I am not concerned as to whether YOU took it seriously. Sansa apparently has! And she is ready to throw away everything, including her birthright, to engage in this foolish fantasy! What could Tyrell be up to?" Tyrion seethed.
"What do you mean she's willing to throw everything away?" Shae asked.
"Tyrell proposed while we were at King's Landing, unbeknownst to me. And I must find out what he gets out of this. I smell his deceptive sister's hand in this."
"The woman that was going to marry Joffrey?" Shae asked, still puzzled. Actually, she was not so much puzzled, as she was suspicious. As much as she cared for Sansa, this marriage to Tyrion really could not go anywhere. She did not love him and Tyrion was doing nothing to keep his family line going. They were almost living here at Winterfell as friends. Wouldn't it be best to end this marriage?
"Yes," Tyrion answered, "but I don't have the time to think about it. Or to drink you in. I have to see to that lout, the Hound. Bronn and the others should be waking him out of his stupor now."
Cersei hated the dungeons. Who didn't? But oddly, she always found herself thinking that as much as she hated that Targaryen Queen, she had shown Joffrey more mercy, regarding his cell, than Joffrey had shown Ned Stark.
At least Joffrey had light.
Cersei passed Ser Loras Tyrell leaving Joffrey's cell while adjusting his clothing. Her lips curled in disgust as he smiled knowingly at her, and then passed her, without acknowledging her status! Even though she loathed that simpering Mormont, she was still a Lady, thanks to her new husband's title and should be paid her due.
Cersei nodded to a guard as Joffrey's cell door was opened and she found him sobbing, with his head in his hands. Cersei cleared her throat as the door closed. Joffrey looked up, wiped his tears and stood up.
"Mother? Tell me you have found a way to get me out of here!"
Cersei smiled coldly.
"So now it's 'mother' again? Instead of 'stupid bitch mother'?"
"I have never addressed you in that way!"
"Not to my face." Cersei corrected him. "But never mind. All is forgiven. I am truly sorry that you are being fouled, daily, by that depraved beast Loras Tyrell. I too am suffering the touch of my new husband."
Joffrey said nothing. She didn't sound very sympathetic to his plight! And plans had to be made. Most of his family had fled the realm. With the exception of his mother and Tyrion.
"What do you hear from my uncle Tyrion? What is he doing to free me?"
Cersei looked away and glanced about the room.
"Nothing. He's too busy trying to pry that Stark girl's legs open. And after a year. I think he's being entirely too soft on her."
"Mother! I don't care about Tyrion and Sansa! Is Tyrion doing anything to free me? Is he doing anything to restore me to the throne?"
"Of course not! Why would he? He never believed you should be there in the first place. He's making deals with the Targaryen Whore that now sits on the throne. And your uncle has done something, that has spared his and Sansa's lives. All of the Lannisters have disappeared, as have all of the Starks. Your Uncle Stannis can't be found anywhere. Your 'fiancee', is best friends with Daenerys Targaryen. And her brother comes in here to fuck you. But don't despair. Your late father used me in such a fashion many times, after imbibing in too much ale."
Joffrey stared at his mother. Hard.
He then leapt at her, clawing at her throat! Cersei cried out, as two guards hurried in and beat Joffrey down, while helping Cersei out of the cell. Cersei looked back at Joffrey.
"I'll be back tomorrow." she said in a pleasant tone. Joffrey, who had been thrown to the ground, stared at the closed door. He then uncurled his fingers around the knife, that his mother had managed to slip onto his person, as he was choking her.
Tomorrow when Ser Loras Tyrell came to 'visit' him, Joffrey would kill him. Then switch clothing with him and leave this cell. It wouldn't be hard to do, since Ser Loras, always wore a cloak.
Sandor coughed, as Bronn threw a bucket of water on him! Sandor blinked hard, then looked up and around. He recognized the imp's men surrounding him, followed by the imp himself. Tyrion stood over him.
"Did I not do you a kindness, by agreeing to let you come to Winterfell? I mean Queen Daenerys was going to have yourself, and everyone associated with my nephew, executed. And my wife spoke so highly of you."
Sandor coughed again. What fresh hell was this? He had been in a happy slumber, dreaming of his little bird, Sansa Stark..no Lannister. How he loathed Tywin Lannister for forcing this dwarf on that girl! Hadn't she been through enough with that lout Joffrey?
Now the imp was standing over him, as well as much taller sworn swords...
"My Lord, I don't know what you speak of." Sandor said truthfully. "My head is throbbing."
Bronn snorted! Tyrion's jaw tightened and he continued on.
"There has been an accusation made against you. One that I am forced to answer, as the Lord of Winterfell now. You collected the taxes earlier?"
Sandor just stared at Tyrion for the longest time, before saying something no one expected to hear.
At least not so soon.
"That was not my lady I was with, was it?"
Bronn raised a brow, as did the other men that surrounded the now admitted rapist. Tyrion replied.
"You admit to forcing your person on someone that resembled my wife?"
"I admit to forcing my cock into a hole that belonged to some pub girl. She resembled my lady and I just lost control."
Bronn unsheathed his sword but Sandor ignored him and grinned grotesquely at Tyrion.
"I'd be telling him to put that away. Maybe I've left instructions to some of my brothers, that upon the time of my death, to send a raven to the new Queen. There would be news she'd be eager to learn about a lost relation. One that's a threat to her throne." Sandor said knowingly. Tyrion just stared at the bastard, without trying to betray his shock. How in the bloody hell had Sandor found out his leverage with Queen Daenerys?
Tyrion motioned for Bronn to put away his sword, signaling to him, and the other men listening, that Sandor did indeed have some sort of leverage over the man they served.
"I want you gone from Winterfell. You may be a master swordsman and a knight, but you are no match for angry villagers with pitchforks and torches. And I don't want your filth touching Winterfell, or your person near my wife any longer. Do we understand one another?"
Sandor said nothing, but nodded slightly.
"You will leave tonight if you know what's good for you." Tyrion said, then turned to walk off. Bronn quickly followed, leaving the other men in charge of making sure that Sandor left quickly.
"What was that business about the Queen having another relation? I thought she was the last of those dragon people?" Bronn asked. Tyrion stopped walking and looked up at him.
"I want my wife."
Bronn blinked. That was an interesting change of subject.
"You want your wife? I don't follow you."
"My wife wants to leave me for Ser Loras Tyrell. I find I don't want to let her go. I also find that I want her in my bed. I just don't know how to coerce her into it."
Bronn snorted and rolled his eyes!
"You don't coddle women once they're yours. Now I like my lady, but if you gave her a good cuffing and ordered her to spread her legs for you..."
"You want me to beat my wife into submission?"
"Okay. I know that's not your thing. I could kick open her door and carry her into you right now."
"Somehow that fantasy seems more powerful if I carry her into my room. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. But..."
"But what, my lordship?"
Tyrion smiled up at him.
"Tyrell has given me an idea. He has been writing letters to Sansa. I think my wife is going to begin to receive some different letters. Ones that will work to my advantage."
"I don't even want to know." Bronn told him.
"Oh of course you do! But I just wish I could figure out what the Tyrell's get out of a marriage between Ser Loras and Sansa?" Tyrion wondered.