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Hey new alias for Sojen so try not to get too lost.
Chapter 12
Sojen stood by yet another stark this one was legitimate by marriage though she was fearsome enough that he was sure his mother would get along grandly with lady catelynn stark. The women was a force to be reckoned with she was the political seamstress while her husband was the vicious warrior they made quiet the pair. The lady stark stood glaring at the "imp" making Sojen feel sorry for the man he almost wished he could tell him that things would be fine but he was not karev here no karev had died of infection no here he was Dan, a much simpler origins of a sell sword.
Dan had come across lady stark when she captured tyrion lanister after stopping the small party , demanding an explanation he joined them later explaining to lady stark that he had a soft for younger boys since he lost his own brother which was a lie but after years of making even the most far-fetched stories believe able she gladly accepted his company.
"lady stark you are troubled tell me your worries"
" I thank you for your concern but we have only just met so I do not yet know of your nature"
" that is alright lady stark I would not blame you"
" thank you"
" I feel I should tell you though when his brother hears of this he will want an answer from your husband about your actions"
" that is helpful Dan but I can handle the imp"
"of course but what will happen when lord tywin hears of his favorite son leaving to retrieve his most hated ?"
Lady stark was silent her mid debating her options while the imp waited on his knees not that it made him any less of a threat then he already was. The honest lanaster was covered in mud and his eyes had a hint of fear in them as he watched one of the other men lady stark had brought sharpen his sword the man had to be terrified.
" we will take him with us back to winter fell if the lions want him they will have to get him from there"
The lady turned away from them mounting her horse she nodded to the others the poor imp was thrown on to a horse as the small convoy turned down the dirt roads heading to the chilling north.
Sojen found this to actually be a good move he would know where not only where tyrion was but what the Starks were doing. it would help later but the repercussions of lady starks actions were a possible danger to her family in kings landing he would send Shane a raven and ask her to watch the stark family.
" i will send two of you to tell lord stark of the past actions of the imp the rest of you come with me dan"
Spurring his horse he joined her at the front careful to stay half a horse length behind her ot of respect.
" yes my lady ?"
" you are welcome to join me at winter fell if you would like"
" thank you my lady it would be an honor"
" good to hear"
…
Shane watched as lord stark flipped through the archives each as she already knew proved joffery's not so legitimate heritage. The man had finally started making a step forward in the quest to dethrone the lanaster's but cersei would not give it up till her heart was gone and her fingers pried from the iron shaking her head she left the man to his investigation not wanting to mislead him any more than she already had she moved to the pup.
Following the sounds of wooden swords clashing she paused in the door way watching from the shadows as one Syrio Forel the water dancer of bravos taught the pup proper sword play it was rather formal compared to brutal and clumsy stumbling the knights of westiros did. The graceful swing and arch of the wooden sword was something to be marveled but she had long mastered the water dance her father had drilled t in to her till even walking across a room looked as graceful and majestic as a dancer. The many things she learned in bravos had proved useful but making it her own smooth and deadly way had been something that all great masters of the art of killing learned with time and though hers had been short on such a thing she could easily make any faceless man shiver with dread when she entered a room.
" are you swinging an axe or are we holding a delicate needle?"
" a needle" the tired pup answered her arms were shaking a bit from exhaustion though she held a determined look in her eyes.
" good then show me this needle"
The two kept at it till the sun was beginning to set. The pup was on her knees panting holding on to her wooden sword as one would a last bit of hope. The bravosie shook his head smiling at his pupil he looked down at her.
" are you praying?"
" no"
" then get up we must give a final dance"
"why not show her a real dance?"
Shane slowly crept from the shadow of the door way to the sun lit court yard that the two were practicing in Syrio clutched his wooden sword giving a deep bow knowing from the shiver he felt that she was the feared hand of deaths second coming as her father had been the first. Shane offered the pup a hand before taking the sword.
" shadow?"
" you might want to back a way to the door way would be safest pup " advised the demon
Waiting till the pup was a safe distance away Shane it had been a while since she had had a duel and it was probably best to keep in practice.
"and to you I say not today"
Shane actually smiled at the bravosies words in saying that he was right but it was up to her to take him though she would humbly serve the god of death just as she has these past nine years.
" then death will not take you this time Syrio Forel but a dance we shall have"
They both lunged their wooden swords flying in a smooth and unpredictable manor the dance itself was to move and improvise as your enemy would and while the dancing master had been taught in the art of this dance by a master she had lived it knowing and feeling every twist and turn of his body till he was thrown to the ground her knee pressed to his chest with both their swords held over his neck. The dancing master smiled his eyes held a great respect Shane nodded to him before rising letting the man up.
" that was a most beauteous dance lady death"
" please water dancer there will be no formalities here besides the pup is in far too great a need of a master teacher of the sword to have me kill you isn't that right pup?"
" my name is not pup and I have always been good with a sword" Arya snapped earning a laugh from Syrio.
" so you have not one but two masters?"
" I have no masters" retorted the pup crossing her arms in defense.
" please pup you have a dancing master and a shadows master believe it or not you have two masters"
Shane rolled her eyes at the pups scowl she turned back to the dancing master.
" your lucky I showed her how to actually swing a sword otherwise she would be even worse and then there would be little patience for the likes of that pup"
" ah difficult and stubborn I have had my share of such acts from the child she is strong though"
" that she is but I still think she should have a heavier sword it would help later on improving both her strength as well as technic"
" I see this might work but it is best not to try too early"
" I am right here you know I can hear you" said the pup irritation filled her usually curious voice. The two master turned to their pupil looking from each other then back to her.
" so we know that and you know that does it look like we care? This is your training we are discussing the fact that you could improve or worsen lies with us pup so speak wisely"
" listen to shadow she knows what I know and far more" Syrio smiled at the look of disbelief on the pup's face .
" that can't be true she looks a little older than Sansa"
" yes but in my short years I have done and seen things that would make even the mountain seem like a herald saint of the gods pup" Shane kept her voice low she was not to be mistaken for a child she had truly done things that would make the eunuch's death seem more than merciful.
" go child your father will be wanting to hear of your learnings"
The pup nodded slowly before running off down the hall way Shane shook her head the pup was close to getting actual skill by a smidge and she was already trying to get her teachers to kill her. Shane had waited till she could at least land a death blow before even contemplate such an action.
" she is sharp no?"
" yes and if she were ever to learn to keep to instinct she would out live the likes of everyone in this castle maybe besides you and me"
" tell me why take such interest in the child hmm?"
" why does a demon help a wolf? Well for you to have the most honest answer I can give is the pup and I are similar though I want you to watch her and keep her safe for a short while I have many things I have to do" Shane handed the wooden swords to the dancing master before heading towards the hallway she had a rather demanding lioness to taunt.
" and when you are done then what?"
She stopped looking at him over her shoulder.
" then I will set right what that foolish lioness thinks she can get away with and keep the pup safe."
Finding cersei was easy either follow the breaking of glass that was her voice or the smell of a heartless, conniving , power hungry wench either one would lead one to the queens chambers. Silently entering the room she saw that the table was set for dinner the rest of the lioness's family would be there soon.
The lioness herself sat at her desk looking regal yet extremely bored.
" the life of queen regent not what it's cracked up to be?"
Nearly falling out of her chair cersei righted herself before setting her icy glare on the demon who only circled the dining table kneeling to the height of the table measuring it in a way. Not caring for being scared out of her wits cersei stood smoothing her dress.
" why are you here?"
" what? I can't visit my favorite person? Really cersei I feel hurt"
" please you don't feel anything but the need to annoy me to no end"
" that too but for a while I thought we could be good friends maybe even stop our bickering for a short time"
Cersei stared at the girl in surprise the look on the demons face was thoughtful than she had to follow it up with.
" but then I remember who you are and laugh at the notion that you can be in any way friendly except to your children"
" leave them out of this!" hissed cersei stepping closer the demon looked at the queen regent.
" I will leave the younger ones be seeing as they have no hand in what you have done but as for joffery I have warned every assassin from here to bravos that his life is mine and any that try and take it before me will wish they were never born"
" you will not touch my son"
" why because he is king or your place holder? I don't care what you say he will be killed by my hand "
"when?"
" when I feel the time is right till then I suggest you put a leash on him he might think he is king but you need to show him who has the real power here and for once I am glad it is you for once he starts to show his madness there will be no stopping him" Shane warned to deal with the brat from afar was one thing but up close she would rather deal with a rotting corpse and the mountain instead.
" I can handle my own son now leave before my children come"
" don't you want joffery to know what's waiting for him?"
" get out" hissed the lioness
Shane stood not an inch from cersei's face although she was shorter her stance showed nothing but power a sense of dominance really the queen regent might be a lioness but the demon was a solitary creature for a reason it could not be ordered about. Cersei held her breath as the demon glared at her with unseen eye's.
" I will see you again soon just keep the rat on a tight leash"
Leaving the queen regent Shane could hear the sound of cersei slumping in to a nearby chair exhaling a shaky breath Shane couldn't help but smile she loved making a fool of the old lioness.
