!TRIGGER WARNING!

Ned's choice

Chapter three – Kings Landing and Fall

Arya

King's Landing was the most disgusting thing Arya had ever smelt and she loved to hide in the stables back in Winterfell. As they headed towards the city the night after first catching smell of the city all Arya could think about was home. Home never smelt like this, home never gave her this feeling in her gut that she should turn right back around and ride as fast as she could. However, she knew she could not do as she wished, her father had told her that her actions reflected upon him, and Arya loved her father she didn't want him to be shamed because of her. One bright side was the look on Sansa's face when she realised that King's Landing was not as she dreamed, thinking this she looked over and sniggered. Sansa had wrapped a piece of cloth around her mouth and nose drenched in perfume in order to mask the smell. At least I'm holding up better than her Arya thought.

The relationship between Arya and Sansa had been strange these last few days following Sansa's outburst upon the news of her broken betrothal. Arya had always thought that Sansa has hated her and was embarrassed by her. Arya had never wanted to be the perfect lady that Sansa did, and they were so different that people often didn't know they were sisters. However, as Sansa had said they were pack and pack always had each other's back for as father always said, 'the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.' The past two days they had spent talking out their differences and old grievances and agreed that although they were as different as could be they were still sisters and had to protect each other in this new place. Sansa had even chided Jayne when she called Arya horseface.

The smell worsened as they headed closer to the city although Arya could barely smell it as she was amazed by the scale of the city unfolding before her. King's landing never seemed to end it was row after row of buildings and towering above it all was the famous Red Keep. Arya although not a studious girl had always enjoyed stories of daring and adventure many of which took case in this famous castle. I mean Visenya, Aegon's warrior queen, was in this same city and helped her husband begin construction on this massive castle. Visenya was one of Arya's hero's and hoped to find some trace of her in the city although she knew she had to be careful because of the anti- Targaryen feeling in court.

As the gates opened Arya was surprised to see the common folk lining the streets cheering and throwing flowers in front of the horses.

"King Robert!"

"Good King Robert."

"Baratheon."

"Dragon slayer!"

Arya even heard the odd. "Ned Stark, the just hand of the King."

She saw her father give Prince Joffrey a significant look before all she could see was the cloaks of her guards as they pressed tightly around her the rest of the way to the keep. Once they arrived her father was instantly taken to a small council meeting, so it was with Sansa she continued to the hand of the king tower to settle in. As Arya walked through the castle her eyes were everywhere looking at all the different defences, she could spot such as the holes to pour oil above the gates to the arrow slits in the outer walls. She saw that Sansa was doing the same but with a roll of her eyes realised it was the fashions all the people of court were wearing that drew her sister's eyes.

They waited in the parlour which was decorated in finery Arya had never even heard of as Sansa fawned all over it and fretted about her wardrobe. Arya refrained from snapping at her not wanting to ruin the peace they had created. "I'm sure father wouldn't mind you making some new clothes Sansa. As long as they are not like those from the reach." She laughed. How they did not freeze she didn't know, there dresses were down to their navels!

It was nightfall when her father arrived looking dishevelled, like he had run his hand through his hair hundreds of times. They supped together making small talk before the servants arrived to tell them their rooms were ready. Even Sansa must have noticed how tired father looked as she didn't mention the new clothes she wanted to make. Arya's rooms were on the second to last floor of the tower right opposite Sansa's. Father of course had the top floor to himself. As she entered the room Arya was happy to see that the servants must have taken note how she liked things as there was no finery to be seen. Of course, the sheets were made from the higher quality cloths and the rugs on the floor were bear pelt not sheep but there was no excessive frills and Arya was glad to see that. She quickly hurried to her trunk and took out the false bottom she had installed in Winterfell, nestled inside was needle.

Arya took it out carefully and started looking around for a secret place to hide it. She didn't want it taken away knowing how hard Jon had worked to get it for her. She crawled under her bed looking for a loose floorboard but couldn't find one, she couldn't hide it in her wardrobe as the servants would be looking in there each day. As she got up off the floor Arya hit her head on the underside of the bed and fell backwards, right into the thankfully unlit fireplace. As she fell Arya heard a clunk and a brick shook loose. Just my luck, she thought, not even here a day and already breaking things. Arya put needle down and pushed the brick back into place but as she did the whole back of the fireplace slid back into darkness. Immediately excited she grabbed a candle off her bedside table and poked her head inside. As far as she could see there were tunnels. She pulled her head back and smiled. "Brilliant!" Arya carefully pulled the wall back and got changed and climbed into the large bed with a smile on her face. Maybe she had judged this city too quickly.


Arya enjoyed King's Landing over the next moon. Her relationship with Sansa was the best it had ever been and although Sansa often asked where Arya disappeared to a lot of the time this time she didn't push. But Arya didn't tell her, it was her secret alone! She spent several hours each day exploring the tunnels under the red keep, she found that they went into almost every room even the king's bedroom. She quickly left that one once she'd seen the several women undressed that lay within. Arya had seen her father berate Joffrey almost daily and that was a highlight for her. She knew that the servants feared the prince and didn't like to be on 'King's duty' as she'd heard them call it. The only room that she knew she hadn't found yet was the throne room but that was her plans for today.

Arya packed a bag with food stolen from the table and several candles so she could replenish if she ran out, she remembered once when she had to make it out of the tunnels in complete almost darkness. Arya had emerged in Sansa's bedroom instead of her own and had to sneak out whilst her sister was asleep. She carefully listened at the door to make sure nobody was coming before pushing back the wall and entering the tunnels. Arya felt like knew these tunnels now and seemed to be able to sense the twists and turns coming up, her eyes had sharpened spending long hours in the dark and that's why when she heard the shuffling of feet ahead, she turned right into a small tunnel that she had to squeeze herself into. As she snuffed the candle out, she huffed knowing she had no way to re-alight another she felt around looking for a now tell-tale loose brick that would allow her to exit the tunnels. Trying not to panic Arya spent roughly half of an hour looking before feeling it close to the floor she pushed hard and fell out right into the most elaborate room she had ever seen. There were tapestries woven with gold, endless books on bookcases that looked like they were older than her, swords with gems imbedded throughout, crossbows that had painted patterns embedded with gold along their sides, jewellery although Arya barely glanced at them as her eye was drawn to a lone desk and a pack on letters on the top. It was not the letters that caught her eye but the wax seal she could see. It was the three headed dragon.

Arya started towards the desk in order to read these letters as she was surprised that they had survived the sack and the redecoration of the castle after the rebellion. But as she was within steps of the desks she heard a horn in the distance, she startled. Remembering she was meant to be at the tourney in honour of her father, she knew her lack of presence would be noticed and questioned which would lead to people watching her closer and her days of exploring would be over. With a sigh she walked back to the secret entrance and closed it up tight vowing to herself that she would report back later that night.

Arya raced through the tunnels and exited outside of the castle in time to hurry to the stands and sit next to Sansa with a thump. She looked around and was aghast at the display of wealth on display. Even third place winning the joust would feed a family throughout the winter in the north. The women were wearing jewels that could buy a small house. Whereas Sansa was looking around in awe Arya was sickened.

"Father." Arya waited until he stopped talking to Jory and turned to her. "How can these people sleep? Look at them with all this finery when winter is coming!" Arya's voiced raised and people began to look towards the royal box.

"Arya people in the south have different priorities. They don't think forward towards winter. They don't plan for years of snow. They think about now and not tomorrow. You are a child of the north and I am proud of you for this but for now we are in the south and as you wouldn't want them to come north and judge you, I ask you to do the same." Father put on his lord face and rose as King Robert entered the box with the royal children trailing behind him.

Arya grudgingly got to her feet as they passed and didn't pay much attention to the rest of the tourney. The only note of interest was the hound and the mountain fight but once the king had broken that up Arya went back to brooding on what her father had said. It was true that when the royal court had come to Winterfell, she had heard people criticising it and the north in general and she remembered the anger she had felt. It was true that this was their home and the life that they lived but she couldn't imagine spending that much gold on dresses, jewels and tourneys when it could help the small folk. As the tourney ended and King Robert said it would resume tomorrow Arya feigned tiredness and slipped back to her rooms ready to go back to the dragon room and read those letters.

Arya stuffed her bed to make it look like she was sleeping in her bed and then grabbed a few candles from a stash she had in a draw in her closet. She opened her fireplace opening and tried to remember the way she went this morning; it was different at night as she had to be quieter as the castle was asleep and any noise might raise suspicion. About an hour into her exploration Arya realised she was lost and felt as if she had been going in circles. She decided to peak into the next room she encountered in order to get her bearings. As she came up to an alcove she put her ear to the wall, hearing muffled voices she slightly cracked the door and noticed it was the king's bedroom. She went to close the door and then heard the king speak.

"Lyanna, my sweet Lyanna come here and please your king." Hearing her aunts name Arya froze and listened closer.

"My king, my strong king. I love you, Robert." Arya heard one of the women that she noticed cowered in the corner say. "Only you." The woman was shaking as she stood and headed slowly towards the king on his bed. The king drunkenly stood and Arya looked away as she saw the obese king naked. "I knew you would come back to me. You were mine. You are mine." He lunged at the woman and Arya stood there in horror as the king, the one who the small folk cheered and praised forced himself on the servant as the others cowered in a corner.

Time stopped for Arya, for a girl of ten she was sheltered as a lord's daughter, of course she knew of rape but to see it was something different. The woman screamed and Robert ignored her and used his considerable weight to pin her down. After the King rolled off the woman she got up and headed to the group who took her in with shaking arms as she went to the middle of the group. Robert stood and shouted, "I AM THE KING. ME. NOT RHEGAR. MY LYANNA. THAT BLONDE BITCH THINKS SHE'S THE QUEEN BUT NO IT WAS ALWAYS LYANNA." With this he turned a red that Arya had never seen and watched in both horror and relief as he grabbed his chest and fell down onto the cushioned floor.

The women just sat there looking at the king until one at the very back spoke, "They'll think it was us. We are on 'king duty'. They have our names. We need to try and get help or it'll be us on the block." And with nods from the others, she got up and ran to the door, opened it and shouted, "QUICK. THE KING. GET A MEASTER." This was the signal for Arya to close the panel and go back to her room before she was discovered, as she did, she couldn't help thinking about what the king had done to those women. Kings rise and Kings fall.


Happy Friday to any who read this! Hope you enjoy and review if you have any feedback. Until next week.

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