Sansa IV
The Royal Party

The courtyard of Winterfell was in a state of organized chaos. People rushed this way and that, dogs were barking, horses were being led to the stables, and mother stood in the middle of it all conducting the chaos back into order. I stood there, where she instructed me to stand next to my brother Robb, watching this madness.

"It's like watching animals freak out before a storm…"

Robb laughed. "Not far from it," he agreed.

"Don't understand why your mother is having us all get prissy for the king," Theon remarked from behind me. He stood next to Jon who wasn't looking at all happy about having his hair sheared. "He's just a man. A fat man from what I hear."

"A fat king," Robb said pointedly. "Don't forget it. Appearance is everything."

"I heard he has a bastard in half the brothels in King's Landing," Theon said.

"Surprised it's only half," I said. Must be shooting blanks. King Robert had a reputation for being a whoremonger. Everyone knew it, although none dared to talk about it to his face.

"Sansa." Robb gave me a reproachful look, but behind us, Theon snorted.

None of us had the chance to say anything more for Lady Stark soon returned with Bran and Rickon in tow. She posed them, in the same manner, she had posed the rest of us then left with instructions for Robb and me to watch them. "Make sure they don't run off," she said. "I have to go find Arya."

"I saw the King! He's got hundreds of people." Bran was excited. It was the first time he'd seen such a large party visit Winterfell; not to mention such a prestigious one. "I saw soldiers on horses and the white cloaks of the king's guard," he said.

"I heard Jamie Lannister is coming," I told him.

"The kingslayer? Really?"

"As well as Ser Barristan Selmy and the Hound," I said.

"You're better off talking to Ser Barristan than Ser Jamie," Robb remarked. There was a hint of disdain in his tone when mentioning the latter; a trait he had picked up from father. Eddard Stark had no fondness for Lannisters, and Ser Jamie in particular, he thought to be especially dishonorable for stabbing King Aerys Targaryen II in the back after vowing to protect him as a member of the king's guard. It didn't matter that such action helped win the war for Robert's Rebellion or that King Aerys was madder than a rabid dog and had both Grandfather and Uncle Brandon burned alive, Ser Jamie would always be a dishonorable man and that was that at least to my father.

In my past life, someone like Ser Jamie would've been considered a war hero for dethroning a dictator. But this was a different world. The rules were different. Kings were blessed by the gods and their word was law.

"Ser Barristan is said to be the best sword in the Seven Kingdoms," I told Bran. "I'm sure he has some interesting stories to tell."

Other people began to line up behind us. There was the steward, Jeyne's father, and Maester Luwin and the kennelmaster as well as large majority of the household servants. Father and Mother soon joined us too, standing in between Robb and Rickon, with mother keeping the youngest closest to her side. She turned her blue eyes on me and asked, "Sansa where's Arya? I sent her over here."

I shrugged. "Haven't seen her." Just as I spoke, Arya ran past in her fur cape and a solider's helmet. Father stopped her, taking the helmet off her head to both Robb and Jon's amusement, and passed it behind him to Ser Rodrick Cassel. He sent Arya to stand beside me and she shoved Bran out of her way.

The first king's guard trotted through the gates on a pure white horse with silver hair. Then followed a young boy, no older than fifteen, dressed in dark red on a brown stallion. He had the Lannister features of his mother, blonde hair and a rather soft, almost feminine looking, face. Prince Joffrey, I suppose. Behind him was a guard dressed in black armor on a black steed with a helmet that looked like a snarling dog—That'd be the Hound.

They rode into the courtyard, looping around as they entered. The Prince looked at me and smiled rather smugly. Huh. Robb was looking between me and the Prince and didn't look all too happy about the looks the younger boy was giving me. I'll admit I wasn't too pleased by it either, though I knew better than to show it.

The royal carriage came after a large cumbersome thing, with red flags of yellow lions and stags. Two more king's guards followed it. Then finally came King Robert. King Robert was a bear of a man, black-haired and bearded and big, very big. It's a wonder his horse managed to stand under the weight of such a large, burly fat man. The poor beast was probably dying.

Silently we all knelt in the dirt, bowing our heads. He dismounted from his horse and lumbered over to my father; his boots heavy on the ground. I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye. He had to be at least six feet tall if not half as wide. I suddenly felt pity for all the whores in King's Landing. If that was the man that was flopping overtop of them, I'm amazed none of them weren't crushed. He stood there in his brown leather and thick fur coat looking down at my father. With a twitch of his fingers, he gestured for him to stand and the rest of us followed.

"Your Grace," Father greeted him while the King sized him up, looking him up and down frowning.

"You've gotten fat."

Eddard Stark looked taken aback by the remark from the King. My mother didn't look like she knew what to make of it either. Father quirked his brow and sized the King up incredulously. Of the two of them the King was by far fatter and he seemed to say this with his expression. King Robert cracked a smile and began to laugh along with my father and they hugged like brothers.

"Cat!" The King soon embraced my mother as well, kissing her cheek.

My mother smiled. "Your Grace."

The King ruffled little Rickon's hair before he turned back to my father. "Nine years I have not seen you. Where the hell have you been?"

"Guarding the North for you, Your Grace. Winterfell is yours—"

The doors to the royal carriage opened and come came the Queen and her two youngest children, all of them blonde-haired and wearing heavy fur cloaks. They were used to the Northern chill. Even in the summer, the North arctic winds chilled those from the South. Sometimes it even snowed, though it never stayed around for long. She came forward in her red dress looking over the group of us as she did.

She didn't look impressed.

"Where's the Imp?" Arya asked me.

"Not now," I said.

"Who have we here? You must be Robb," The King shook my brother's hand. "Ah, you're a pretty one," he smiled at me then turned to Arya. "And your name is?"

Arya sized him up, squared her shoulders, and answered in a manner that almost sounded rude. "I'm Arya."

This was going to be a long day if I was to babysit my sister and keep her from doing or saying anything inappropriate. Fortunately, the King didn't seem to mind the clipped tone in which my sister spoke and proceeded down the line to Bran, who when prompted began flexing his arm. "You'll be a soldier," the King said.

"There's Jamie Lannister, the Queen's twin brother." Arya pointed to a member of the king's guard removing his helmet. Blond flouncy hair and a chiseled face belied another Lannister.

I pushed Arya's hand down to her side. "Don't point. It's rude."

The Queen came forward, offering my father her hand. He kissed it as was courtesy and both he and my mother bowed in respect, "My Queen."

"Take me to your crypt. I want to pay my respects!"

The Queen frowned at her husband. "We've been riding for a month, my love," she said. "Surely the dead can wait."

But the King didn't listen, or more, he blatantly disregarded her and called for Lord Stark to come with him. Because Robert was King, my father was in no place to refuse and hurried to catch up with his old friend that was already halfway across the courtyard. For someone so large, he sure moved rather nimbly.

"Where's the Imp?" Arya asked me again. However, this time I wasn't the only one to hear it, for the Queen looked at both of us with a shrewd eye. If I could I would've smacked her right into a wall. "Where is he?"

"Would you shut up," I hissed.

The Queen turned away from us and walked back to Ser Jamie. She said something to him, her voice and demeanor tense. Ser Jamie nodded and remounted his horse. I'm guessing the Queen asked him to go somewhere...The village perhaps? I could speculate as to why, although I was sure I had a fair idea considering who was missing from the royal procession.

The Queen's youngest brother, Tyrion Lannister, more commonly known as the Imp, wasn't in the procession. How did I know this in spite of never meeting the man? Well, it's hard to miss a dwarf. Even riding on a horse, I would've spotted him immediately.

Arya was more or less disappointed by his absence. She heard stories about the Lannister half-man. I heard stories too. I heard that he was a grotesque, misshapen little man with vile inclinations. He had a reputation not dissimilar to King Robert in that he was a drunkard and a whoremonger. If he was in the village, then I had little doubt where he might be, visiting one of the brothels. Theon and Robb often snuck out during the night, without our parents' knowledge, to wet their dicks at these brothels. They even dragged a reluctant Jon with them once, although he didn't seem to like it and never went again. I only knew about it because they used me as a cover, should mother and father awake and find them not in their chambers, which hadn't ever happened up til now.

The Queen gathered her children and led them over to us. First, she introduced Joffrey who was overall charming and formal with my mother present. He smiled when he got to me, taking my hand to kiss it. "My lady, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've been looking forward to it," he said.

"Have you?"

"I've heard stories about you." He looked me up and down, his green eyes lingering on the curve of my hips. It was uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of such a look. I've been looked at like that before, more so in recent years as I've begun to physically develop more and more into a woman. It was usually Theon who looked at me in such a way, though I've caught others, kitchen boys, lordlings, men of the Night's Watch, even some of my father's own guards. Beauty was both a blessing and a curse, however in this world, it was more of a curse.

"I'm afraid to say most stories about me have been grossly exaggerated," I said.

"I disagree. You're far lovelier in person than people said."

I laughed and looked away. "You're quite charming yourself, my prince."

"If my lady permits, I'd like to spend some time with you while I'm here at Winterfell," he said.

"I'd like that very much. My family is hosting a feast tonight to honor yours. There's going to be lots of food and wine and music and dancing. Should you chose to attend, I'd welcome your company," I told him.

"Then it's a plan. Save a dance for me, my lady," he kissed my hand again, this time lingering longer. He left with the Queen and his siblings as the servants directed them to the guest quarters. As soon as they were out of earshot and sight, the sounds of disgust erupted from my siblings.

"Looks like Sansa's got a crush," Theon jested much to the chagrin of Robb and Jon.

"I think I'm going to hurl," Arya gagged.

"That makes two of us," Robb agreed. He looked at me perplexed as if he were seeing me for the first time.

"I was merely being diplomatic," I said.

Robb scoffed. "To hell you were. You were flirting. Shamelessly," he looked pointedly at the direction of where the prince disappeared.

"I suppose we know where he's gonna stab it now—Ow!"

Jon slugged Theon in the arm. "Shut up," he said.

We were fortunate mother had taken Rickon with her when she left or we would've all been boxed in the ears for talking so vulgarly in front of Arya and Bran. The latter of which was confused. "I don't understand, who's gonna stab what where?" He asked.

"It's not important," I told him. "Theon was making a bad joke."

"Well, you're all gross and I'm leaving before either of you say anything else!" Arya was matter-of-fact and took Bran's hand, dragging him with her. "C'mon, you don't want to stay back there."

"You scared the children…"

"Seriously Sansa what are you up to?" Robb asked. He was skeptical of me. I could see it in his face. Jon and Theon were too. I didn't blame them. Flirting was out of character for me and they knew me well enough to know that I never showed the slightest interest towards boys.

"I don't know what you mean," I feigned cluelessness. "I'm not up to anything."

Of course, none of them believed me and rightfully so.