The King was dead.
Cate knew by the time she reached her now-bare room. The Tower was empty - silent, for once - as she checked that she had everything. The only items left to pack were the three poems, snippets really, folded in her pocket. Turning on her heel, she left.
Before she reached the courtyard, though, she froze before the door.
Steel. The sound of steel being drawn from scabbards, across more steel, into and out of human bodies.
Her hand shook as she reached for the door. Her blood thrummed in her ears, and she forced herself to breathe evenly as she peeked through the crack she made.
Lannister men stood among the bodies of Father's bannermen.
She couldn't breathe. She couldn't allow herself to make a sound. Her boots were too loud, too deafeningly loud as she backed away, turned tail and fled up the stairs.
Sansa and Arya.
Where were her sisters, where were her sisters, where were they where were they where were they where were they where were they where were they -
Cate was running down, taking the stairs two at a time before she reached the hall connecting to their chambers.
Sansa and Septa Mordane were coming down it now, walking brusquely. Both looked annoyed, but Cate saw fear flash across the Septa's face as they both heard steel and groaning at the same time.
"Septa!" Cate picked up her skirts and ran.
"Cate, hush!" She'd never seen the Septa look more terrified. "Take Sansa to your room. Bar the doors. And don't open them for anyone you do not know."
Sansa looked between the two as Cate grabbed her wrist. "What is it, what's -"
Cate tugged. "Run!"
Holding their skirts, they bolted. Cate grit her teeth at Sansa's dainty canter and pulled her along faster.
It was all in vain. The Hound blocked the door to her room.
The girls froze as the Hound stalked towards them.
Cate yanked Sansa behind her. "Stay away."
He just grinned.
Sansa gripped Cate's shoulder as she shouted, "You want to face my father for this?!"
"We'll tell the queen!" Sansa piped up.
The Hound chuckled. "Who do you think sent me?"
Sorry, everyone, for the troll pretending to be me posting in the reviews. To the lovely person who seems to have nothing better to do than harass people: grow the fuck up or read another story. Love u babes!
