Chapter 7: Sansa
The wolf was stalking through the trees, there was something ahead it was supposed to see. Silently, the auburn wolf came to the edge of a clearing, the sky was a bloody red and the world felt wrong. A plan was in motion. In the clearing a lion gave a stag fruit, causing the stag to be clumsy and unfocused. A boar came out of the trees, the lion smiled. The lion goads the stag to challenge the boar. The stag, being effected by the fruit, goes for the boar which gores the stag in the stomach. The stag kills the boar and the lion circles the stag, allowing it to die.
The wolf is transported somewhere else, there are two different lions here. A male and a female, with three cubs running around them, one female and two male. The lions start to rut, transforming into a women in red wearing a crown and a man in golden armor. The cubs turn into children, the oldest with blonde hair and a crown on his brow. The women and man look up, they are Cersei and her brother Jamie Lannister.
Sansa wakes with a start. She had had dreams of this nature before. The King would die, she could not stop that fact. And her betrothed, Prince Joffery, was a true lion, born from the incest of brother and sister. She must talk to her Father.
—
We returned from the hunting trip the day after my dream. None knew of what I had discovered. I only hoped Father would hear me out. When we reached the Keep and I was able to escape Prince Joffery, feigning a need for a bath, I went to the Hand's Tower to call on Father. He was looking over a large book, reading something or another for the council, I guessed.
"Father, may I speak to you?" I started, hoping I had not interrupted something important.
Father looked up from the book, concerned with the seriousness in my eyes, "Of course, what do you need, Sansa?"
I closed the door and moved further into the chamber, this was not something others could hear. "I wish to speak to you about a dream I had on our trip away from the Keep." I look at him meaningfully. He has always believed in the dreams and feeling I sometimes get.
"What was this dream about?" I had his full attention now, and he knew not to speak too loudly.
I would not tell him about the King, that was set in stone and would be occurring soon. None could stop that plan, it was his fate, but I could speak with him about the Lions. "I saw two lions who had three cubs. The lions were brother and sister." I looked into his eyes now, willing him to understand, "The female wore a crown as did one of the cubs."
Oddly, he is not surprised, he just looks resigned. I am confused, this is rare for me. "What is it?"
"I suspected something of the sort. I must tell Robert." He looks back down at the book. I come over to look over his shoulder. It is a book of family lines of the noble houses. Baratheon, it says, all are dark of hair and I understand what he has seen. Joffrey Baratheon, golden of hair.
"The seed is strong." I whisper. He nods, looking older than his three decades. "Father, you must hold your tongue. This will kill you if the wrong people discover you know. You must stay safe, for Arya and myself."
He looks up at me, the steel grey of his eyes that are so like Jon, so like Arya. I wish I could look as much a wolf as they do. "The pack survives." He says quietly, I hope he is right.
—
As I head to my chambers I feel the need to take a detour. I find myself in the gardens, heading towards a bush with yellow flowers. I hear a soft mewing and look down. Out of the bush comes a small golden kitten and it walks towards me. It was too thin and dirty but it was so sweet and innocent. I bundled it up and brought it to my chambers.
Once there I gave a bath and fed it. It was a little ball of fluff and so sweet. It was not meant for me but I would find out soon enough who needed this lovely ball of yellow fluff.
—
A week later, King Robert left on his own hunting trip, he was going to be gone for two weeks time and the Castle was preparing for his departure. Queen Cersei was happy to see him go, telling me on a walk around the gardens that it was always nice to be free of the King.
The hunting trip was cut short when the King was gored by a boar. He came back with a gapping wound in his fat stomach, he had been drunk and had allowed the beast to get too close. He placed Father in charge until his true heir came of age. Queen Cersei and Joffery dismissed this and had Father arrested for trying to betray Joffery, who they now claimed was the true King. My noble Father must have confronted Cersei, trying to dispel the thought of Joffery being a bastard. This proved how inept Cersei was at this game. She must go, soon.
It was after my father was arrested and thrown in the Black Cells that I found Prince Tommon crying alone, tucked away from sight.
"What is the matter, little one?" I hated to see the tears running down his face.
He wiped away his tears, trying to look strong but the tears continued to run down his cheeks. "Joffery told me that Princes do not cry. I am supposed to be strong. But…" his lip quivers, "Father is gone and… I'm scared." He starts to cry again.
I wrap my arms around him and pull him into my lap. This little one did not deserve this. "Hush, it is alright to cry. You loved him, it is okay to mourn him." I rocked him and carded my hands through his golden locks. He is too sweet for the games of the Capital.
"And your Father is in trouble. He was such a nice man, he can't have meant to hurt anyone." He looked up at me, watery eyes sincere.
"Your brother must pass judgement as he sees fit but I agree, I do not think he was malicious in his intent." I knew who the sweet ball of fluff was for now and smiled down at him, "Tommon, would you like to come with me to meet someone?"
He wiped his eyes, "Who is it?" He was genuinely curious.
I smiled brighter, "You'll see, come with me." He hopped off my lap and held out his hand. We walked to my chambers hand in hand. As we entered the small kitten came out and walked straight to Tommon. His eyes lit up and he scoped up the ball of fluff.
"What is his name?" He wondered, transfixed with the creature.
"Whatever you want to name him, he is yours." I smile down at him and he looks up in shock.
"But," he stutters, "are you sure?"
I pet the kitten in his arms, "Yes, he is yours. He needs a friend just as much as you do right now. What are you going to call him?"
Tommon looks down at the kitten and thinks for a moment, "Ser Pounce." He looks up at me for approval.
I curtsy to the kitten, "How nice to meet you, Ser Pounce." I giggle and Tommon joins me. He lets the kitten jump to the ground and hugs me around the middle. I hug him back, he is as sweet as his new friend.
