With the breakfast over, there was a few hours to waste before the Lannister family reconvened as one in the sept of Baelor. Joffrey would spend those hours with his mother and grandfather dressing and preparing for the marraige ceremony, but the dwarf and his traitorous wife were deemed unfit to join the king in his preperation. Tyrion was grateful for this small respite and used it to clear his mind of the frustrations the breakfast had filled him with.

Why had he thought that Joffrey would appreciate such a valuable book, he would never know. He knew there was a high likelihood that the treasure could end up unopened and unread, but he never thought it would face destruction in his nephews hands. It had only been Tywin's sternness and Sansa's quick thinking that had saved it. His eyes turned to the lovely woman walking by his side and couldn't help but smile.

The grin was quickly erased by the sniggering of a couple young courtiers as they passed. The two youths were obviously making some jest at his expense as they passed. Their eyes were cruel as they sneered at him and their words, while obscure, hit their mark. Every time he thought he could forget what he looked like, people like those brats reminded him.

Growling lowly under his breath he repeated their names into his memory. "Ser Eldrick Sarsfield and Lord Desmond Crakehall...Ser Eldrick Sarsfield and Lord Desmond Crakehall." he whispered, catching Sansa's attention.

"What are you doing?" She quizzed.

"I have a list."

Now she snorted, breaking his concentration. "A list of people you mean to kill?" she giggled musically at the thought and the anger faded from him.

He looked up at her, grateful that she had never seen him the way those two boys had. Even in Winterfell she had not gawked or laughed at his stature. Ever the perfect, kind maiden-his wife. "For laughing at me?" he scoffed. "Do I look like Joffrey to you? No, death seems a bit extreme.

Fear of death, on the other hand..." he wiggled his eyebrows at her and she smirked, bumping into him gently as they walked.

"You should learn to ignore them." she remarked sagely.

"My lady, people have been laughing at me far longer than they've been laughing at you.

I'm the Halfman, the Demon Monkey, the Imp." He made a face, baring his teeth like the monster they all claimed him to be, but his damsel in distress just pushed him again, laughing at his antics.

"Please, your a Lannister. The name itself commands respect.I'm the disgraced daughter of the traitor Ned Stark." She placed a hand on her breast in an exaggerated motion and puffed out her despicable title.

"The disgraced daughter and the demon monkey. We are perfect for each other!"

They both chuckled over the mummery before she seated herself on the garden wall, leaning closer to be of a height with him.

"So how should we punish them?" Tyrion was momentarily transfixed by the conspiratorial, playful glint in her eye, and was at a loss for words.

"Who?...Whom?"

"Ser Eldrick Sarsfield and Lord Desmond Crakehall!"

"Ah...well...Ah. I could speak to Lord Varys and learn their perversions. Anyone named Desmond Crakehall must be a pervert."

She rolled her eyes before smiling down at him affectionately. "I hear that you're a pervert."

"I am the Imp... I have certain standards to maintain." He grinned cheekily, earning another eyeroll from his highborn wife before she chewed on her lip thoughtfully.

"We could sheep shift Lord Desmond's bed." Again, the mischievous look in her eyes was intoxicating, but he shook the inappropriate thoughts from his head and focused on her words. "You cut a little hole in his mattress and you stuff sheep dung inside. Then you sew up the hole and make his bed again. His room will stink, but he won't know where it's coming from."

He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him at her harmless prank. "Lady Sansa!" He feigned shock.

"My sister used to do that to me when she was angry with me. And she was always angry with me..." He had heard quite a lot about little Arya and could only imagine the wild child sneaking into her sister's room to wreak havoc. Another snort escaped him as he nodded thoughtfully. Perhaps it would be quite the fitting punishment...except...

"Why sheep shift?"

A hint of confusion swirled in her eyes before she responded with a lowered voice. "It's the vulgar word for dung..."

Amused and delighted by her innocence, he couldn't help the smile that came over his face. "Lady Sansa..."

"Well you asked me!"

"Yes...But-"

"Lady Sansa?" A voice interrupted Tyrion's feeble attempt to correct her. They both looked up to see a palace messenger holding a sealed letter. He held it out to his wife who took it and opened it, reading swiftly. A smile broke over her features before she turned to Tyrion.

"Please excuse me, my lord. I am requested in the gardens by an old friend. I will meet you in our chambers shortly?" Tyrion nodded his assent and watched her flounce off. He would find out who it was when she returned, but from her smile it must be someone special. He'd have to ask what she had spoken to her father about as well. It could all wait though.

...

...

Sansa entered the relatively abandoned godswood with a sharp eye, searching for her friend. It had been so long since she had seen her and they had not ended on great terms. If the letter was to be believed, her friend was regretting her departure and was looking to rejoin her service.

"Shae?" she called out and with a rustling of leaves the foreign beauty was before her. "Oh, Shae!" Sansa cried, rushing to embrace the woman. "I have missed you!" The dark haired woman smiled and returned her affections.

"And I you, my lady." Shae spoke softly, her motherly hands ghosting over her hair, hesitating just slightly on the silver finery. "And I am eager to return to your side, but you must listen to me. Tonight, at the feast, I will come for you." The woman spoke in a hushed, but steady voice. Sansa's mind spun at the sudden change in the woman's demeanor.

"What?" She tried to pull away, but Shae only gripped her arms tighter.

"Listen, my lady! You must come with me tonight. I can get you home! Isn't that what you want? I have a way, but you must come away with me." Sansa ceased her struggling, but was still dumbfounded. "Promise me!" Shae was almost frantic and her nails began to bite into Sansa's arms, frightening her.

"Shae, what are you talking about?"

"The Lannister's have trapped you, but I know a way to get you out of the city. Back to your family, Sansa, back to the north. Don't you want that?"

Ice dripped down her spine at the thought. "You are speaking treason! My home is in Kings Landing. The Lannister's are my family now..."

Shae's face contorted in fury. "They are not your family!" she snapped. "That little monster doesn't care about you! They are using you! Can't you see? He's a horrible man who will ruin your innocence and steal your inheritance!" Sansa felt heat flood through her cheeks at Shae's ravings.

"You know nothing about Lord Tyrion!" She gasped angrily. But Shae was shaking her head emphatically.

"I do, My lady. Trust me, I know everything about the little lion..." Her weighted words hung heavily between them as Sansa processed them.

"You-You and he..."

"Yes. I loved him, but he used me, my lady and when he was done with me he cast me off. Do not let them do the same to you..." Hot tears bubbled in her eyes at the thought and she couldn't stop them from falling. Could it be that he was still visiting whores? Could be betraying her that way? He had promised that he had stopped...Shae said she loved him...could he be in love with another?

"Shush...shush, my lady. We have but one chance to escape...promise me you will come away when I come to you tonight. Promise me!" Her words barely cut through the fog Sansa was now in, but her nails pinched again.

"I promise!" Sansa cried, more to make the woman let her go. She didn't know what to say to this. She couldn't stop her mind from spinning at this information.

"Good, good..." the woman seemed appeased. "But you can tell no one. That little monster will do whatever it takes to keep you. We have the one chance, my lady. They will all be preoccupied by the feast. We can escape! I know the way!"

Sansa nodded hesitatingly, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I will come for you. Be ready." And with that, the woman turned and disappeared into the trees.

Shaken to her core, Sansa stared after her before making her way back to her chambers.

A/N: Thank everyone for their patience. I actually tried to post that last chapter a few days ago, but the website was malfunctioning a little. Either way, here's two chapters for you! Enjoy and please review!