Varys walked along the battlements following the King and Tyrion who was doing his best not to pitch the stupid boy into the sea. After Joffrey had walked away, they leant on the wall and looked out to sea and talked of what was to come.
"I heard you enjoyed the company of 2 Starks yesterday." Varys kept staring into the glittering water.
"And I heard you tried to manipulate her without much success. I almost paid the iron price, never known a hangover like it and she walked away from the table. It took me all morning to stop puking." answered Tyrion.
"You must tell me the story of how you met that most interesting woman."
"No, I don't think I must." Tyrion smiled up at Varys whom he had a sneaking suspicion was trustworthy.
"Have you arranged for her to meet with her niece?" Varys asked and Tyrion nodded.
"Well I'm sure we shall learn how the meeting goes." he said and turned back out to the sea.
Esther followed the small, dark-haired maid towards the Godswood and felt a little nervous. She knew what had happened to the girl since Ned had died and that she would probably be wary of her but other than that she didn't know what to expect. The girl was kneeling but stood when she heard them approach. Esther decided there was no point in hiding some of her more acceptable skills and gripped the gaurds' arms as she passed them.
"Forget and go." she said in a low voice and watched as they walked away, it would only last an hour but it should be enough. The maid watched open mouthed as the guards left, Esther caught her eye and shrugged.
Esther looked Sansa up and down, she was definitely more Tully than Stark on the outside, she had the grace and beauty of Catelyn, what was going on inside was going to have to be revealed through conversation. Esther sighed.
"Sansa, do you know who I am?" she asked and the girl nodded warily.
"Lord Tyrion explained it to me."
"And do you believe him?" Esther watched as the girl wrestled with her answer, well at least she was smart enough to doubt.
"I…I don't know. My parents never told me about you…" Sansa hadn't met her eye yet.
"Well…your father sent me away when your brother Robb was a new born. I…I am different, I trained as a Moontide sister and have been travelling for many years."
"Uncle Benjen joined the Night's Watch and he returned occasionally." Sansa sounded almost accusatory.
"Your brother trusted Benjen…he didn't trust me." this was more difficult than Esther had thought.
"Why?" asked Sansa.
"After our sister…died…and your father became Warden of the North, I was too much for him and so he made the decision to give me to the Sisters and I…I blamed him for taking me away from my home and I…I never forgave him. And before you ask, no I will not tell you specifically what I did to make him do that." she could tell that Sansa was still unsure she was who she said she was; she took Sansa's hands in hers.
"Do you remember the door leading to the hall at Winterfell? Well, did you ever notice the large chunk of wood missing from the left hand door?" she was grateful when Sansa nodded, "I carved that chunk out of the door when I was practicing with my father's sword, it was too heavy and I swung it too hard. Which one was your bedroom?"
"The one down the corridor from my parents' bedroom, the one with the fireplace carved with trees."
"That was my sister's bedroom." Esther said, "On windy nights did you ever hear the chimney sprites singing?"
"Yes!" said Sansa eagerly; "It used to frighten me until my father told me it was sprites singing just for me"
"He said that to me too." said Esther, "do you believe me now?" and Sansa nodded, tears filling her eyes.
"I'm here to take you to a safe place, do you want to leave?"
"Yes! Yes please." Sansa was openly crying with relief and leant her head on Esther's shoulder. She wasn't used to dealing with crying girls and could only hold the girl.
"Hush now, hush. There will be time for tears later but you must be brave a little longer." Esther said when the girl showed no signs of stopping, "We can't simply walk out of the gates, we have to wait."
"How long will that be?" asked Sansa, her face falling back into fear.
"I don't know but now that I'm here nothing will happen to you. Do you believe me?" and the girl met her eyes for the first time.
"Yes…I saw what you did to the men during the riot."
"Hmmm…I had hoped you wouldn't remember that…I said I was different…that's part of what makes me different...but now dry your eyes and pretend that nothing has changed." and she wiped the girl's tears away as gently as she could.
"You're not staying with me?" Sansa asked fearfully.
"No." replied Esther, "It would attract too much attention and I need to get some supplies ready for when we do leave." and the girl reluctantly nodded.
"Can you ride?" asked Esther and was relieved when Sansa nodded.
"Well that's more than I can do but we'll do our best." and they began to walk up the path with Shae following.
"You can't ride?" asked Sansa incredulously.
"I can after a fashion but I don't like it. I don't trust horses, they are all a little insane." and smiled as Sansa laughed.
"I will try to see you tomorrow and I promise I will look after you." Esther said as they came to a fork in the path and watched as they walked away. She shook her head, the girl had no useful skills…yet she had survived King's Landing longer than her father…perhaps she was not totally helpless.
Esther had had enough of the palace and its interminable courtyards and corridors that all looked the same so she found a side gate and went out into the city. She wandered down the streets and saw the poverty and disease and despair of the people who lived there but she also saw the life. She saw the brightly painted whores, the smiths, the beggars, the street hawkers, the ostlers and ordinary folk who always bore the brunt of politics. They were all frightened about the forthcoming siege but they were also going about their daily business, life didn't stop for potential death.
She realised she was desperately hungry and thirsty and found a likely looking tavern and sat down in a dark corner. She ordered ale and pie and watched the comings and goings; as darkness began to fall soldiers piled in and the whores plied their trade.
She saw Bronn enter with a group of soldiers and pushed further into the shadows. They began to sing the fucking awful Rains of Castermere and she stared into the lamp thinking about Tywin Lannister and his poisonous presence.
Wings over the sea. A red woman laughing in firelight. Blood on the snow. A man who was a tree. A door to be closed. A Valyrian sword. A scale balanced. A dog howling in a snow storm. Blue eyes staring out of ice.
She gasped as the air rushed back into her lungs and she heard the bells. This was the beginning.