Chapter 9: Your Word Against Mine

Will and Arya had rushed to the horses, quickly untying them, with Arya riding off quickly back to the Castle Darry. Will jumped aboard Cinder and looked at Sansa, who was looking at Will like she had no idea what he was doing.

"Where are you going? Are you leaving me here alone?" Sansa asked.

"Of course not, My Lady, besides, I said I would be your shield against enemies, so I will shield as if my life depends on it. Now, take my hand."

William was busy shouldering the bottomless bag, attempting to become comfortable as he sat in the saddle. Sansa slowly lifted her hand towards William, and he grabbed at the fabric of her dress and pulled roughly, lifting her up and sitting her in front of him on the saddle. She looked at him, with the shock clear on her face.

"You almost tore my dress!"

"You should be worrying more about Joffrey more than the dress! Hyah!" Will yelled, as he stirred the courser into action as the jet black horse tore through the wind and rain.

Sansa had obviously never been used to riding a horse in the rain, and the amount of screams and shouts really gave it away. To Will, it was like a vacation to some land that was never cursed, as it had been years since he had ever felt the cold droplets against his face. It simply felt amazing, and it felt even better when he realised the fire in his veins had begun to die out as they reached Castle Darry, rushing through the tents attempting to find the flags with the howling direwolf on it. It didn't take long before they ended up meeting with Lord Stark, his retinue of guards behind him with Arya by his side.

"Oh, thank the gods, where were you?" He asked as he moved forward to the castle.

"Just by the Ruby Ford, Joffrey attacked us and I defended both Arya and Sansa, as was my duty. I swear on my life, I am not lying, the Crown Prince attacked us."

William hopped down from his horse, grabbing Sansa by the hips and lifting her from the saddle before a Darry stable-boy took Cinder to the stables, and Sansa was persistent in staying close to William, who as he marched into the Darry main hall, had his hand on his sword as soon as he realised that the Stark retinue was outnumbered by the Lannister retinue, The Hound stood tall, his hand also moving slowly towards his own sword.

"I'm sorry Ned." Robert was the first to speak, his voice gruff, tired and very disgruntled. "I didn't want to bring us here on this night, but it is best to get through all of this business quickly."

Everything had been going completely fine until we got to Darry, Will. No food shortages and no bandit attacks until we began to fucking ember!

"And what business would that be, Your Grace?" Ned asked, his face had a look of ice as he spoke, and even his voice followed suit as he said icily.

Queen Cersei was the next to speak after she took a few steps forward to bring the attention to her as she spoke. "You know full well, Lord Stark. That wild girl of yours and her mercenary friend of yours attacked my son. That monster you call a 'sworn shield' almost broke my son's jaw!"

"And having the Hound as your child's sworn shield is any better?" Ned replied, watching as the Hound drew his sword and marched forward towards Lord Stark.

William pushed Lord Eddard behind him, with the Stark retinue circling their lord and his children, with William front and center, as he drew one of Gotthard's swords.

"Moving out of the way, now!" The Hound roared, his armour rattling as he walked, but William did not move.

"Sheath your blade now! Sheathe it, dog!" William spat back., as he drew his other twinsword, with both of the swords now unsheathed, with William ready to launch himself at the Hound.

The soldiers had spread out quickly, with one Lannister soldier being too close as the Hound's sword sliced through his throat, causing blood to splatter all over The Hound's burnt face. William quickly ducked to avoid having his head cut off, before reeling his fist back, smacking Clegane in the face. The Hound stopped, steadied himself before looking down at the smaller man in front of him, who had just gave him a hard punch to the face.

"Is that the best you can do, whoreson?" Clegane muttered.

"You don't want to see what I can do to you, Clegane. Do not make me show you."

"Do your worst."

Clegane went for a vertical slice, as if he were attempting to slice William in two, from brain to balls. William quickly sidestepped to the left of the massive soldier, quickly stabbing the least armoured part of Clegane's foot with both of the swords, before marching behind the towering man and giving him a harsh kick to the back of the knee, watching with a smile as The Hound crumpled to his knees.

"Back to business then?"

The room was silent, even as Clegane tore the two swords from his foot and limped off to a room to lick his wounds. The room slowly went back to business, the Stark soldiers slowly letting Lord Stark, Arya and Sansa back to the centre of the room, with William stood just beside them. He noticed that Queen Cersei was no longer looking at him with anger, but with interest more than anything. It was as if she just forgotten about the fight that just happened right in front of her.

"I am your prince! I was attacked by the little bitch and her bodyguard!" Joffrey screeched.

"Liar! And he isn't my bodyguard! He is Sansa's sworn shield, who you attacked!" Arya spat back.

"Shut up!"

"QUIET!"

The room went silent, King Robert's voice echoed throughout the hall, the voices of Lannisters, Starks and Baratheons slowly going quiet. "Arya, you will tell me your side of the story and then I will ask for Joffrey's, but know it is crime to lie in front of the king."

Arya began to speak, and she spoke the whole truth aside from what Will had made her promise not to say. She spoke of how she was busy training alongside Sir Will with the short-swords before Sansa and Joffrey arrived. She then began to speak of how Joffrey challenged Sir Will to a duel, but spoke of how William declined to draw his sword and let Joffrey have the first hit. She finally finished by lying, saying that Will threw Joffrey's sword in the water instead of breaking it.

"Go on then, boy, your turn."

Prince Joffrey began to pale as he started recounting his story when they were near the Ruby Ford. He told his own side of the story, completely embellished and full of lies, accusing Will and Arya of ambushing himself and Sansa before they attacked him, and he ended it by saying William broke his sword. Even while he was speaking, Joffrey could not find it in himself to even look at his father, his king, in the eye, he couldn't even make the lie seem real.

"What am I to make of this then? He says one thing and she says another." Robert's eyes locked onto Sansa, who meekly stood next to her father.

"Lady Sansa, you were there with these three, weren't you?" Robert asked.

"Y-y-yes, Your Grace. I was." She stated.

"And tell me, without lying, who here is telling the truth? My son, or your sister?"

Sansa went quiet for a while, but she was thinking about her options, and the look on her face made it clear.

"Just tell the truth, little dove." Cersei cooed, as she attempted to coerce Sansa with a serious look with a small smile.

Please, just tell the truth Sansa. Just tell the truth…

"My sister is telling the truth, My King. I watched as Joffrey challenged Sir William, who was obviously his better, and Sir William skilfully disarmed the prince and threw his sword into the ford. He called me and Arya..."

"You can stop now, Lady Sansa." William murmured. "My King, you have heard Lady Sansa's testimony and you have heard the truth from all of us, what are we to do?" William asked.

"The Starks can go back to their camp, so can the Lannister troops, I want to see Clegane and my little shit of a son in the morning before we leave!"

William breathed a sigh of relief, with Eddard leading the Stark retinue outside of the castle back to the camp, with William just behind them, watching Cersei before he left, catching her give a sly wink towards him.