Chapter 4: Sansa

We travelled further South than I have ever gone and I felt the winds of Winter leaving the land. As I felt us leave the North I saw the interest grow in Prince Joffery's green eyes. Our betrothal started as a political alliance but I knew that Queen Cersei had convinced Joffery to court me against his wishes. I watched his boredom turn to intrigue and I nurtured it like I would a Winter Rose.

It was at the Crossroads Inn were I met Ilyn Payne. He looked like the Stranger from the Faith of the Seven. Prince Joffery informed me with his evil sneer and maliciously gleaming eyes that Ser Ilyn is the King's Justice, that the heads he takes from their shoulders are put on spikes around the Red Keep to deter those who would question the King's rule. I can see the joy in Prince Joffery's eyes, he hopes I will be afraid. I will not be.

I curtsy to Ser Ilyn, "Thank you, Ser, for the services to the crown. The North believes that those who lay the sentence should swing the sword. May you always swing true for the King and our Kingdom."

Prince Joffery is confused, but smiles at his lady's interest in the gore that so consumes his thoughts. He misses the insult.

He smiles, "You will not get a response from Ser Ilyn, my lady. I'm afraid the Mad Dragon took his tongue." He hopes this will deter me again. I just smile at my betrothed.

"Then it is good that your uncle brought justice to the man who now deals it. It is such a beautiful turn of events." I smile as him and wait for Joffery to walk me further into the woods as he had promised he would do. He seems shaken but pleased with the turn of event.

We continued into the woods then, talking again of how Prince Joffery would love to hunt in these woods. I wonder at his choice weapon and he tells me of a crossbow he has had made that shoots bolts and requires no drawing of the bow by hand. I feign interest as I think that only a boy would love such a weapon.

I know Arya and Nymeria are ahead of us with someone else and I try to steer the Prince away from them. This will not end well if a confrontation ensues. Unfortunately, we are too close and Joffery hears the two conversing through the trees.

We come across my sister and the butchers son, Mycah I think his name it, in a clearing near the Trident. They are sparing with sticks, Nymeria watching by the rushing water.

"What have we here?" jests the Prince, a gleam in his eye I do not like.

"Just playing, your Highness." says the boy, bowing in a stinted, unpracticed way.

"Come, you are sparing!" Joffery says as he draws his sword, Lion's Tooth. "Let us see what you are made off!"

"My Prince! He has no proper weapon!" I say, trying my best to silence Arya with my eyes.

"This is not a matter for women, Lady Sansa." says Joffery, there will be no stopping him in his new game.

Prince Joffery lashes out with his sword, savoring the fear he sees in Mycah's eyes. Mycah is able to hold his own for awhile but Joffery eventually draws blood, slashing the boy's shoulder. Arya has had enough, she swings her stick at Joffery's back, distracting the Prince and allowing Mycah to escape. Joffrey slashed at Arya, missing her but Nymeria would have none of that. Nipping at his arm, the wolf causes Joffery to drop his sword.

"Your beast will pay for that," he says as he scrambles for his sword and runs away.

"Good Nymeria! Arya," I whisper to her as Joffery disappears, "are you okay?"

"I hate him!" She yells, the ice of her wolf blood shining in her eyes.

"I know, I'll fix this," I say as I hurry towards the Inn, "send Nymeria off for awhile, she will be safer that way."

The Inn was normal as I exited the woods. Lady came up to me and nuzzled my hand. She knew something was wrong, she could sense it in me. I reached out with my mind, trying to tell Lady what she needed to know without slipping fully into her mind. Lady? I thought, hoping she could understand. She cocked her head to the side and I could tell she heard me. I kneeled down to her, and hugged her neck, breathing in the scent of the wild winter and hoping I'd see her soon. You have to go, its not safe for you. Go to Ghost and Jon, make sure they know I'm safe. We will see each other again. I love you. Lady whined and licked a tear off my cheek. At that she slipped silently into the woods and I knew she would be away from me for a long time. The North was behind me, but I must stay strong.

It turned out that Prince Joffery had run to his mother like the scared little cub he was. After dinner King Robert called for a makeshift court, Queen Cersei hovering behind him, truly looking like the lion of her house. Prince Joffery hid partially behind his mother, nursing his bandaged arm.

"Ned, I hate to do this to you but Joffery has told me Lady Arya's direwolf attacked him without cause. I need to know what happened." King Robert addressed my Father like a friend, I was starting to dislike him even so.

"Your Grace, my daughter Arya has told me the Prince attacked her friend with his sword and she stopped him, her direwolf Nymeria just protected her. I don't know what to think, Robert." Father looked thoroughly confused. He would never want to call the Prince a liar but he trusts his children at their word.

"She's lying!" yelled Joffery, obviously put out that a girl had beat him, all be it with a direwolf. "My Lady Sansa was there, she will tell the truth of it." He smirked then, oh how I hate that stupid smirk.

I made sure my mask was in place and spoke, "We were walking through the wood when we heard people talking. We decided to go to see who it was. It was Arya and a boy, Mycah I think his name is, they were throwing rocks into the Trident. Prince Joffery asked what they were doing and scared the boy, he had never been addressed by nobility as high and fearsome as his Highness. He was close to Nymeria and the boys fear and the shock of someone being so close must have spooked poor Nymeria, she nipped and I fear the poor dear doesn't know her own strength. She didn't mean to hurt the Prince."

"Liar, Liar, Liar!" Arya started yelling but Father silenced her with a shout in his Lord's Voice.

"She's as wild as her beast," says Cersei with a small smile, "I want her punished."

"What would you have me do, whip her in the street? Damnit, children fight! It's over!" said King Robert. He obviously thought little of his Queen's opinion.

"Joffery will bear these scars for the rest of his life!" Cersei was furious at being told off by the King.

"He let an oversized dog nip him and went running to his mother! It will heal! I have many scars, it is what happens to a man." King Robert was obviously not happy with having to publicly discuss the argument of children. "Ned, see your daughter is punished, I will do the same for my son."

"As you say, Your Grace," Father said, making to lead us out of the room.

"And what of the direwolf?" Cersei was not satisfied, "What of the beast that savaged your son?"

There was silence, King Robert was readying to leave but stopped, "I forgot about the damn wolf." He sighed and turned to the Kingsguard to his left.

"There has been no trace of the wolf, Your Grace," he said, looking sorry to disappoint.

"So be it." King Robert made to leave a second time.

"They have another wolf," Queen Cersei said, looking to me with some joy. She thought she would have her revenge.

"As you will," Robert said without malice, he wanted this to be over.

"You can't mean this?!" said Father, he would not have any of our wolves killed.

"A direwolf is no pet," King Robert sounded resigned, as if he did not see this battle worth fighting. "Get her a dog, she'll be happier."

I was showing genuine distress and so was Arya. She didn't want me to loose Lady and I was worried she hadn't gotten far enough away. I reached out to Lady and saw her running North, she was safe. I did not let that show on my face, they must not know I sent her away.

"He doesn't mean Lady, does he? No! Father she did nothing! She didn't bite anyone she was good!" I was letting a few tears slip. The two lions were smiling, Cersei thought she would get her revenge and Joffery loved the anger and terror I was expressing. Neither cared for how anyone else felt.

"Lady wasn't there! Leave her alone!" Arya was yelling now, she would not have it either.

Father could not handle our distress. The wolves had done nothing wrong, this was not honor or justice and his girls were paying for the cruelty of the Royal Family. "Is this your command? Your Grace?" He spit his words, showing his hatred for the idea.

King Robert said nothing but looked at Father for a few moments. He was not the man Father thought he was, there was blackness in his soul now. My wolf would be killed, if they could find her.

"Were is the beast?" Cersei's calm and smug voice sounded around the silent room.

It was the Kingsguard who responded, "No one has seen either wolf all day, Your Grace." He seemed more frightened of the Queen than of the King. I was beginning to see the blackness of the Queen's soul come through. Her family was evil and I would have to figure out what to do with her.

Her face was livid, "Find it then!" She would have what she wanted.

"I'll do it," said Father, "Lady is my daughters wolf and is of the North. If she must die, she will die by the North." He turned to Arya and I to touch our cheeks. "I will make it painless for her if I find her." He kissed our heads one at a time and left.

I looked at Cersei with the rage I felt. She may be a Summer Queen of warmth and beauty but I was a Stark. I am Ice and Snow, Cold and Darkness. She will pay for her cruelty. I will make sure of it.