My Kingdom Awaits Chapter 3
"Lady Lannister." Sansa answered coldly as she sat across from Cersei. "Please poor her some tea Brienne." Sansa said eyeing the woman. "Send for a basin of water and clothes. She's filthy."
"Yes, well the black cells here are almost as bleak as the cells were in the Sept." Cersei said ignoring the tea. Brienne placed the bread on the table and Cersei tore of a bit and smelled it. "What do you want?"
"I'm going to afford you the rights belonging to a high born lady. You will stay here as you wait for your trial, and then for your sentence." Sansa said. "You do remember don't you? How well you took care of me when I was a ward of the Crown." Sansa said. "If I wanted you dead I would not have to poison you at tea."
"Yes well you did poison my son." Cersei said as she ate the bread.
"If you believe that it's no wonder you were not fit to rule." Sansa said. "You're very stupid. Do you remember thinking I was a stupid girl?" Cersei said nothing but glared at Sansa. "It's alright, you can answer. I wasn't stupid. I was naïve. I should never have gone to you, but honor, when I thought Joffrey was actually a Baratheon commanded me to go to you, to protect the King. Do you actually want to know who was responsible for your monster's death?"
"It's not lady like to speak ill of the dead." Cersei spat out.
"Do not speak to your Queen that way." Brienne said from her post. "By orders of The King I am to warn you once."
"Little Finger, the man you trusted, helped organize your son's death to spirit me away in the chaos." Sansa said. "He had a fool slip me a hairnet with poison stones. Do you remember who fixed my hair at the wedding?"
"I was busy celebrating the marriage of my oldest son, I could not be concerned with the hair of a traitorous whore." Brienne drew her dagger and started forward but stopped when Sansa held up her hand.
"She knows what happens if she dies before her trial. No more shame. She does not deserve a quick death." Sansa said staring down the former queen. "That's right. You may have burned the Sept to the ground, but you left witnesses to your madness. Poor Septa Unella. She told us what you ordered Gregor to do. Of course you can't think that Qyburn kept your secrets. Jon barely had to do anything to get his confession. All of Varys Little Birds were thrilled when he returned. We found everything."
"Then why are you here?" Cersei asked. "Is there no wine?"
"I thought you deserved to know who murdered your vile son. Now do you want to know who worked with Little Finger or not?" Sansa asked.
"Does it matter? I got my revenge against almost everyone that wronged me when the Sept was engulfed with Wild Fire."
"Alright." Sansa said standing up.
"Oh sit back down." Cersei said holding out her empty teacup when Sandor returned with a skin of wine. Sansa shook her head when he offered it to her first.
"Lady Olenna tore a stone from my hair net and dropped it in the cup. Margaery didn't drink from the cup because, save Mace who was a buffoon, all the Tyrells knew of the poison. They knew you'd blame Tyrion and didn't care that you tried to drag me down as well."
"My father had other plans. Had you not disappeared, he was going to have your marriage to Tyrion.."
"Declared invalid since I was still a maid." Sansa said. "He would have again offered me to Ser Jaime or even married me himself. Did you know Ser Jaime promised to marry and once again be the heir to Casterly Rock for Tyrion's life? Your father was going to send Tyrion to take the black, and Jaime was going to take me to Casterly Rock, but thankfully you had all those sycophants and whores lie on the stand and Tyrion chose to have a trial by combat."
"An option I am told you and King Jon have reinstated." Cersei said with a smile.
"Of course it was reinstated. There will always be corruption in trials, no matter who rules." Sansa said looking to the window. "Have you met the Champion of House Targaryen?" Sansa asked as Drogon flew by. "Don't be absurd. Jon would never put man against his Dragons." Sansa said laughing at the look on Cersei's face.
"The Mountain…."
"Needs to survive his trial. You do not think that raping and torturing a Septa would go unpunished do you?" Sansa asked. "He has also chosen a trial by combat. He will face the man the subdued him and helped put him in chains." Sansa said gesturing to Sandor. "A fellow sworn Knight."
"He's to face a fellow member of the King's Guard." Cersei said. "Loras, though a bit burned, is the only remaining member."
"Ser Gregor is not in the King's Guard. He does not speak, he never took the oath. He grunted when asked if he chose trial by combat. His Grace allowed that to count as a yes."
"If he is not a Member of the King's Guard, I am not a queen and I can name anyone as my Champion." Cersei said. "I want to send for my brother."
"He won't come. As is his right." Sansa said. "He's rather busy, preparing to wed. It was hard to find a house willing to part with a daughter for a man who slept with his sister and killed his king, though just between us, he was justified in killing the Mad King. Lady Margaery is twice wed and twice widowed. She is scarred, but still quite lovely. I'm sure they will have lovely trueborn children."
"Jaime won't abandon me." Cersei said softly.
"Who do you think told us where to find you?" Sansa asked. "When we took the city who do you think stopped your minion from igniting it in flame?" Sansa said standing. "I'll leave you to think over your options." Sansa said standing aside once a few maids came in. "Find something suitable for her to wear. Something clean. I want stand that stench in the throne room." Sansa said leaving the room.
"I won't go down easily." Cersei said to Sansa's back.
"You will have a fair trial, no matter which you chose." Sansa said not bothering to turn around. Loras and Brienne will guard you till you are needed. We are going to hear the verdict against Little Finger before bringing you in. I suggest you prepare and refresh yourself." Sansa said leaving with Sandor.
"Do you feel better Little Bird?" Sandor asked as they made their way to the small council room.
"This was not an exercise to make me feel better. I just thought she had a right to know." Sansa said placing her arm through his and pausing when she was hit with a dizzy spell. "Sorry Ser, I'm not feeling well."
"I'm not as stupid as the others. I know why you're sick. A baby bird will arrive soon." Sandor said holding out his skin of wine. "A small sip." Sansa took a very small pull. She raised her eyebrow at him. "It's Arbor Gold. I wasn't wasting my Dornish Red on that cunt." Sansa let out a small laugh before letting him led her to the chamber. Jon stood when he saw her holding on to the Hound. "I'm well Jon." She said reaching for his hand and squeezing it.
"Your Grace we are ready to call court." Lady Mormont said. "I must ask your leave after the trials. I miss home and I want to go to Bear Island."
"We plan on sending the Northern Lords and Ladies back home in about 4 moons." Jon said sharing their plans for the Freys. "We should hear from Lord Walder very soon."
"He may make us wait, we did give him two moons." Sansa said. "But we also were very clear about what would happen should any harm fall his prisoners from the Red Wedding."
"He's an Oath breaker. He killed guests in his home. He doesn't deserve 2 moons." Lyanna said.
"No he doesn't." Jon said. "As soon as these trials are over I plan on taking an army north to the Riverlands." Sansa turned to look at him. "I won't wait for justice any longer."
"I'm going with you." Sansa said. "I need to see those who wronged my family punished too. You have dragons Jon. No harm will come to me." She pleaded, hoping he'd see that she needed this. "I need to see the Twins in rubble. I need to see Walder Frey beheaded. Robb's body is rotting somewhere in there, my mother was thrown into the river naked, nearly decapitated!" Sansa said losing her breath. Jon handed her a cup of water.
"I can't risk anything happening to you." Jon said softly.
"Then don't let anything happen to me." Sansa said.
"Sansa," Tyrion said from his end of the table. "You need to stay in rule in your husband's absence."
"No you can rule in his name, that is your job." Sansa said. "Jon you will be clearing any dangers away while you fly there on Drogon. Nothing will happen to me in my wheelhouse. Sam can travel with me and Sandor and Brienne."
"And Ghost." Lyanna said. "I agree that Her Grace needs to see this to have her peace. My men will follow and protect her with your leave my king."
"I shall think things over before deciding anything." Jon said. "We have business to take care of here first." Sansa wiped her eyes and pulled out her notes.
"I have loaned the new High Septon some of our war pavilions to provide shelter for the homeless and for his holy services while the Sept is being rebuilt. I lent him the old Baratheon ones from storage. I want to keep providing food, sloth and wood so they will not be hungry or cold. Do we have the means to do this?" Sansa asked.
"The Royal coiffers are well stocked and they are being smart with their money. As per your order the kitchens do not allow anything to go to waste, it's donated to the poor in Flea Bottom as well. No riots in the streets out of hunger." Garland Tyrell said looking over his books. "Have you given any thoughts to your small council yet?"
"You are filling in for your late father perfectly." Jon said. "I have no definite plans one way or another. The interim council will stand for the time being, with the exception of Lord Tyrion being my hand and Ser Davos Seaworth being Master of Ships. Many of my Northern Lords, as Lady Mormont has pointed out may want to go home. I won't force anyone to stay in the capitol." Jon said.
"And Lord Little Finger? He chose a trial by judges. It should be no secret that the judges have found him guilty of most of his crimes. You must pass the sentence." Lyanna said.
"His crimes, he took lives. He can only pay with his own life. He can take the black, devout his life to the Seven or lose his head." Jon said. "Shall we call court?" Jon asked rising and offering his arm to his queen. The others filed out of the room before them and Jon held Sansa back when she moved to follow. "Please do not become so emotional. It's not good for the babe. I can't have you being distraught in front of those that serve us, even in private. They won't obey should you be forced to rule in my place."
"Jon I don't want to rule. I just want to avenge those I lost , be your wife and mother your children." Sansa said. "I know when I was younger all I talked about was marrying a prince, being a princess, then a Queen but I know what is important now." Sansa said. "It's my duty to be a good Queen, and a good queen trusts her advisors."
"Let them advise you. I trust the final decision to my blood." Jon said. "They all, even Tyrion have their own agendas. Our agenda is the same." Jon said stopping to make sure he had loosened Longclaw and it would be easy to draw. "Once the sentence is passed, I must swing the sword." He said when Sansa's eyes drifted to the Direwolf pommel on his sword.
"When Bran sends Dark Sister to us we will have more Valerian great swords than needed to yield. Will you return Longclaw to the Mormonts?"
"I already offered. They wanted to honor me the way Lord Mormont did. They are honored that their sword his now the sword of their king." Jon said. "Dark Sister may be better suited for my little sister."
"Once Bran is established, married and we know if he can produce heirs, will you call Arya to court?" Sansa asked smiling. Arya would be thrilled to have the sword once carried by Visenya one of her heroes.
"I felt better with her close to protect you." Jon admitted. "I know Bran needs her for now. I can't ask Meera to give up her chance at children if Bran can't give them to her. Her house would die with her."
"I pray that he will be able to have the joy we will have soon." Sansa said. "Should he not be able to consummate the marriage who would you have her marry?"
"I would leave that to her father to decide." Jon admitted. "Are you sure you want to watch me execute Lord Baelish?" Sansa nodded. "You'll meet me in the Gods Wood after so I can cleanse myself." Jon stated.
"Of course my Lord."