This is the last chapter that will be related to the actual show, so everything after this chapter is my own plot bunnies going nuts. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to get Sansa to still love Joffrey's after he killed her dad... but I'll try my best. As always, I do not own Game of Thrones, which belongs to the genius George R.R. Martin.
CHAPTER 6
Sansa woke to the sounds of birds fluttering all around her, both beside her bed, and out of the window. The bird around her person we're of a different sort however; countless ladies pinning and chirping and giggling as they tended the room.
Sansa's arms felt like lead as she tried in vain to lift them.
What's wrong with me? Where is Joffrey? Where is my father..
It all came back to her then. In a huge rush the event of the previous day flew to the forefront of her mind, eclipsing all other thoughts. She remembered the crowd booing, the Queen with her slight smile, Joffrey's decree, her father on his knees…
A knife of pain shot through Sansa's heart as she bolted upright in bed, sending the little birds a flutter in surprise. Sansa couldn't decide what was more painful, Joffrey's betrayal, or the loss of her beloved father. Sansa was so lost in her pain she didn't notice the few little birds that trickled from her room, swift on wings that would surely bring them to Vary's ear.
Why did he do that? She couldn't help but think. He promised me. He said as long as my father confessed and named Joffrey the one true king he would be spared… Why would my love lie to me? He must have a reason…
Sansa searched her mind desperately trying to come up with a veritable reason why Joffrey would go against his word, but none came to mind.
She lay back down in bed, grief sapping the strength from her limbs.
Sansa closed her eyes, praying that if they remained that way for long enough, the world would right itself again. Her hope was short lived however, and the Queen burst into her room.
"Sansa darling," Queen Cersei cried in her high, sing song voice. "Up now, you must come to court this morning. Now, show no grief, you must smile prettily for the people, Joffrey will expect it. Up now."
Cersei didn't move Sansa however, instead sending her maids to go it.
Sansa was numb as four ladies, the very same who had vacated the room at her awakening, pulled her out of her night shift, leaving Sansa in nothing but her small clothes.
She looked down, as if confused as to where her clothes had gone, but theladies were quick to recify that. They pushed and pulled Sansa into a salmon colored gown complete with garnet trimmings.
Her Hair was next, done up in southern braids.
"Good." The Queen said, clapping her hand together. "Now, bring her to the Hall."
Cersei left the room then, in the same manner she had entered. Sansa felt in a fog, barely aware of herself being led from her chambers to the throne room. She felt a sudden coldness on her cheeks then, and reached up with numb fingers, whipping away what she discovered to be tears.
The ladies deposited her in the galley before melting away into the shadows. Sansa knew in her haze what she needed to do. She must stand there and wait. All day if she must, but Joffrey could be the only one to dismiss her, and wait she did.
Sansa watched Joffrey order and young singers tongue out, before leaving the throne; she steeled herself as he approached her.
"You look quite nice," Joffrey address her.
Sansa responded as befitting of a lady of her station.
"Thank you my Lord."
"Your Grace," Joffrey corrected sharply. "I'm king now."
Sansa was finding it difficult to concentrate on Joffrey over the sound of the singers cries.
"Walk with me," Joffrey commanded, "I want to show you something.
Sansa was hesitant to follow, but the Hound spoke next." Do as he bid, child."
Sansa thought it best to oblige.
Sansa caught up with Joffrey easily enough, walking beside him while his trail of guards followed. Joffrey leds her from the throne room to the outer hall, along the maid gate of the keep. Sansa couldn't help but wonder what he meant to show her. Sansa heard a buzzing in her ear, and realized that Joffrey had begun talking again.
-"and once you've had your blood, I'll put a son it you." Sansa couldn't despcribe the emotion she felt. Once the thought of bearing Joffrey's sons would have made her all but weep for joy, but now she just felt cold.
"mother says it shouldn't be long," Joffrey finished as they arrived at a break in the hall. A small gangplank led out to the upper wall, where guards would walk.
Sansa looked up, seeing the last thing she wanted too. Horror filled her, she begged.
"No! Please no," Sansa tried to run, but a gold cloak grabbed her arms, pushing her forward. She did all she could, pressing her face down into her dress, and clasping her eyes as hard closed as possible. Joffrey spoke again, pointing to her father's head, disfigured from the tar used to preserve it.
"This is your father, this one here, " Joffrey said pointing as he walk out on the gangplank, every step bringing him closer to the head.
He looked back at her, displeased that Sansa wasn't looking as well.
"Look at it and see what happens to traitors."
Sansa couldn't take it.
"You promised to be merciful," she wimpered, her face still pressed low.
"I was." Joffrey rebutted. "I gave him a clean death."
Sansa said nothing; she couldn't make her mouth form the words.
"Look at him," Joffrey said it softer now; a coaxing timbre a lover would speak.
"Please let me go home, I won't do any treason I swear!" Sansa begged now, she didn't want to look at her father's head, she just wanted to familiar comfort of her bed at Winterfell, of her ladies twittering and her embroidery hoops.
Joffrey would hear none of it.
"Mother says I'm still to marry you so you'll stay here and obey." His words were much more clipped now, and even though Sansa couldn't see him, she could tell he was glaring at her.
"Look at him!" Joffrey yelled, his patience gone now.
Sansa knew she couldn't resist any longer. She lifted her head slowly, as slowly as possible that could still be considered moving. Sansa steeled her heart and her mind, freezing herself and her emotions solid. That was what she needed to do. Embrace the cold and numbness insider her, to become one with the ice, as so many Starks before her. Cold and cool, Sansa looked.
The reality of the head would have hit Sansa harder if her heart had not frozen. She merely asked, "How long do I have to look?"
Joffrey didn't like that
"As long as it pleases me."
He didn't like her lack of reaction, so Joffrey did what any petulant child would do, he made it worse.
"Would you like to see the rest?" He asked gingerly.
Sansa replied as befitting of an ice lady.
"If it please your Grace." Joffrey's ire rose. He pointed aggressively.
"That's your Septa there," He said, pointing to a more decayed head a few spikes down, this effected her even less, she had never particularly like Septa Mordane.
"I'll tell you what; I'm going to give you a present." Sansa kept looking at the heads, knowing the less she showed him, the more he would say. Even highborn ladies needed their rebellion when they could get it.
"After I raise my armies and kill your traitor brother, I am going to give you his head as well." Sansa responded before she could stop herself, cursing her words as they left her mouth.
"Or maybe he'll give me yours."
Sansa looked at Joffrey then. She had spoken the words, and even if she regretted it, she would own them now. The fire she saw in those eyes threatened to melt the ice around her heart. Joffrey reigned himself in.
"My mother tells me a King should never strike his Lady," Joffrey was colder than her then.
"Ser Merryn?" Sansa felt a hand pull of her arm, spinning her to face the knight that had previously held her in his grasp. He struck her across the face, once for each cheek.
The old Sansa would have cried and begged for mercy, but this was the new Sansa, the Sansa made of ice. Metal hands couldn't harm her. Sansa felt a warm line of blood flow slowly from her split lip.
Ice Sansa looked back at Joffrey. The boy she loved, her King, the father of her future children. And irrational impulse took her over. Joffrey was still standing alone of the gangplank, not looking at her. Some ethereal force gripped Sansa's legs then, spurning her slowly forward. Step after step Sansa tried to fight herself, but to no avail. She was less than and foot from him then, and arm outstretched to do the unthinkable… to push him over.
A cold metal hand grabbed her.
"Come," the Hound spoke, raising a cloth to wipe away the blood on her lip.
Joffrey leaned over her shoulder.
"Will you obey now?" A pregnant silence followed "… or do you need another lesson?"
Sansa wiped at her lip, not answering.
Joffrey decided not to wait.
"I'll look for your in court," he said, brushing past her, and retreating back into the castle.
The Hound leaned toward her after the other guards and followed Joffrey away.
"Save yourself some pain girl," the burned man counseled her, "Do what he says."
Sansa remembered her courtesy as the Hound went to talk away, she moved to give the cloth back to him. The guard refused.
"Keep it; you'll be needing it again." He walked away.
Sansa was left alone with the heads then, their glazed eyes staring down at her in silent judgment, and silent pleading. She turned her face to her father again, trying to remember what his smile looked like. She could feel the ice around her heart cracking. Joffrey had made her look at the heads. He could make her look at them all he wanted, but he couldn't make her see them.
Thank goodness, the episodes are finally over! :D Not that I don't love this show, but now I can finally stop retyping the episodes and let my little plot bunnies free. Look for an update sooner rather than later, but not promises. As always, rate and review please!
