**Author's Note: A bit slow, but lots of character introductions in this one!**
Kahlan sat with several other ladies of the court in the gardens of the Red Keep, the King's palace. They had arrived in the capital the day before, and all of them were feeling a bit weary.
The journey had been going smoothly until the final leg. Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, had bit Prince Joffrey under somewhat murky circumstances. Nymeria had run off, but the Queen still demanded justice for her son's injuries. As punishment, Sansa's direwolf, Lady, was killed in Nymeria's place instead.
Although the children disagreed on what truly happened, Kahlan was inclined to believe Arya, who insisted that Prince Joffrey was to blame for the events.
Since then, the Starks had been divided in King's Landing. Arya was mad at Sansa for not telling the truth. Sansa was mad at her father for allowing Lady to be executed, and Ned Stark was wondering how any man raised daughters and stayed sane.
Kahlan decided she should find the elder Stark girl, and make sure she was doing alright.
She stood from the bench and excused herself. The ladies nodding to her politely. They had been very pleasant, but a bit dull. Many had complimented her on her beauty and her dresses.
Kahlan began to walk down the pebbled pathways of the garden. It didn't take long before she saw Sansa a little ways down the trail.
"Pardon me, sir," the girl was mumbling.
Standing in front of Sansa was Sandor Clegane, better know as the Hound.
Next to Clegane, Sansa looked like a tiny china doll. The man was huge and heavily-muscled. He had grey eyes, chiseled features and high cheekbones. The right side of his face was actually quite handsome. Unfortunately, the left side was quite a different story. That side was burned black and pocked with craters and deep cracks and scars. He brushed his long dark hair so that it covered as much of that side of his face as possible.
Next to Clegane stood a hunched over, surly looking man.
"Do I frighten you so much girl, or is it him there making you shake?" Clegane asked Sansa, gesturing to his companion. "He frightens me too. Look at that face."
"I'm sorry if I offended you sir," she whimpered to Clegane's companion.
He just glared back.
"Why won't he speak to me?" she asked.
"He hasn't been very talkative these last twenty years since the Mad King had his tongue ripped out with hot pincers. Speaks damn well with his sword though," Clegane replied.
Before they could scare the girl any further, Kahlan moved to intervene.
"That's Ser Ilyn Payne, Sansa." Kahlan explained, stepping between the redheaded teen and the two men. "He's the King's Justice, the royal executioner."
Sansa looked at her gratefully and clung to her arm.
"Gentlemen," Kahlan continued. "Surely, we've kept you long enough." Her voice was firm.
Clegane stared at her a long time. There was a look in his eye Kahlan couldn't quite place, but she stared back defiantly.
"Perhaps you're not quite as delicate as you look little flower," he said. The men bowed slightly to the ladies before continuing down the path.
As soon as they were out of sight, Sansa gasped for air. Tears formed in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she repeated.
Kahlan held her and stroked her hair gently. "Shhhh...it's alright, love." she soothed. "You're not hurt then? Just scared?"
Sansa nodded.
"Good." Kahlan said. "Go back to your rooms. Have Septa make you a hot tea."
Sansa scurried away.
"I'll have to look out for her while we're here," Kahlan thought aloud. "I can't forget how alone she truly is."
Kahlan heard a soft chuckle from behind her. "And who is going to look out for you?" the voice said.
She spun around, her light blue silk dress swinging. A strand of blonde hair fell out of her braid and into her face at the movement.
Directly behind her stood Jaime Lannister in all his golden glory. Kahlan felt her breath catch in her throat. Jaime reached forward and tucked the loose strand of hair behind her ear gently. His smile was soft which made Kahlan swoon, but it was also smug and arrogant, which infuriated her greatly.
"Nice dress," Jaime commented.
Kahlan could tell he was playing with her, and she wasn't going to let him know the effect he had on her. He certainly didn't need the ego boost.
"Very handsome armor," Kahlan replied. "Not a scratch on it," she noted.
Jaime smirked again. This time the cockiness was more evident than before.
"I know. People have been swinging at me for years, but they always seem to miss," he said.
Kahlan scoffed. "You've chosen your opponents wisely then."
Jaime's smile faded a bit, but bounced back quickly. "I have a knack for it," he said. "Pretty girls like you never could resist the knight in shining armor."
Kahlan cocked her head to the side, like a curious puppy. A sly grin appeared on her face. "Do you know what that really means? Knight in shining armor?"
Lord Jaime's cocky smirk never wavered. "Enlighten me," he said.
"A knight in shining armor never did anything for anybody. He never fought. A knight in dented, scraped armor, now that's what I want," Kahlan replied.
That wiped the smug smile off Jaime's face. He clearly had underestimated the girl as just another pretty face. But Kahlan had manipulated men far greater than Jaime Lannister before. Beautiful and clever, she was born for a place like King's Landing.
"Well, good luck with that," he growled, before storming off.
Kahlan could have kicked herself. Why was she instigating arguments with the Kingslayer? He got his nickname for stabbing the Mad King in the back for heaven's sake! And he had made a good point. She had more enemies than allies in King's Landing already. She didn't need to be making any more.
She continued reprimanding herself as she walked through the garden, eventually following the winding path back towards the castle. I should make sure Sansa made it back safely, she thought.
However, before she made it to the exit she heard somebody moving through the bushes on the other side of the hedges.
She paused before turning around and stepping through the growth.
On the other side she saw Arya, playing knight alone in a small stone pavilion. Kahlan began to turn back before doing a double-take. The ten-year-old Stark girl was playing with a very real, very sharp sword.
"Arya!" Kahlan shouted.
The girl looked at her wide-eyed and tried to hide the blade behind her back.
"Whose sword is that?" Kahlan asked.
"Mine." Arya replied quickly. The girl took a step back. She clearly wasn't going to relinquish the weapon easily.
Kahlan peered at the instrument closely. "I know that maker's mark. That was made by the Winterfell blacksmith. Where did you get that?"
Arya said nothing. Merely gazed back up at her with large pleading eyes.
"Give it here. It's not a toy, Arya. Little ladies shouldn't play with swords," Kahlan chastised.
"I wasn't playing, and I don't want to be a lady!" Arya shouted back.
Kahlan sighed and looked at the tiny girl.
"It was a gift," Arya said. "I'm trying to learn. I named it Needle."
Kahlan was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Very well," she said. "I'll have to tell your father though."
Before the younger girl could protest, Kahlan held up a hand. "He'll let you keep it, I'm sure. But, if you're going to own a sword, you'd better know how to use it."
Without saying another word, Kahlan turned back toward the castle. She knew watching her younger cousins in King's Landing would be a big responsibility, but she had underestimated the girls' knack for getting into trouble.
She shook her head and thought, What have I gotten myself into?
She walked under the large archway of the castle and turned into the hallway leading past the kitchens. She had almost made it to the stairs leading to the Starks' chambers when she was intercepted yet again.
This time it was by one of the Queen's ladies. The same dark-haired girl Kahlan had seen in Winterfell. She remembered that her name was Makaria.
"Come with me," Makaria whispered. She grabbed Kahlan's arm and began leading her down the hall.
Kahlan shook her off. "Excuse me, where do you think you're taking me?" she asked indignantly.
Makaria gritted her teeth. "Just come with me. Lord and Lady Stark need you." Kahlan didn't budge. "Lady Stark is in Winterfell."
Makaria gave the blonde beauty a pointed look, but said nothing. Confused but intrigued, Kahlan followed her down the hall and out a small side entrance usually reserved for the servants' use.
The girl led her down the road towards the center of town. Kahlan paused before exiting the gates. She was never allowed outside the walls of the Red Keep without an escort. She wanted to tell Makaria to wait, but she was already several paces ahead.
Kahlan made the decision to follow the strange lady. They walked a little ways, before Makaria stopped in front of the whorehouse run by the King's Master of Coin, Lord Petyr Baelish. Kahlan halted and stared at the girl angrily.
"What sort of joke are you playing leading a lady to a place like this?" Kahlan seethed.
Makaria just rolled her eyes. "Go inside."
Before Kahlan could scream at the girl, she was already walking away. Only a moment passed before she had disappeared into the crowd.
Kahlan stood there for a moment, unsure. Eventually she swallowed her pride and walked through the small entryway.
Moans and giggles were the first thing she heard. Inside the brothel gorgeous naked women lay across the laps of powerful men. Many of whom Kahlan recognized from the castle.
She spun around to face the wall. If anyone spotted her here, she could kiss her chances of finding a good husband goodbye.
A man's hand grabbed her own.
"So sorry, I was actually just leaving..." she stammered out. She was mortified. She'd kill the Makaria girl when she had the chance.
"This way, dear," a smooth voice reassured.
Kahlan looked up to see Lord Baelish standing beside her. The small man ran his free hand through his dark hair that was speckled with salt and pepper strands. His deep brown eyes looked at her mischievously.
"What is the meaning of this, Lord Baelish?" she asked.
"Please," he pleaded. "Follow me. The Starks are waiting for you."
Kahlan just shook her head in bewilderment, but followed the small dark-haired man up a back stairwell.
Inside the room at the top of the stairs was in fact, Lord and Lady Stark.
"Aunt Catelyn!" Kahlan exclaimed, flying over to the red-headed woman. She wrapped her arms around her neck in a great hug. "I'm so sorry to hear about Bran," she whispered. "But what are you doing here?"
Kahlan pulled away and looked at her aunt, who had tears in her eyes.
"I was about to explain that, but how did you know I was here? And how did you know, Petyr?"
Lord Baelish smiled an impish grin. "A dear friend told me," he said.
Behind them, Lord Varys entered the room.
Lord Varys was the Master of Whisperers in Kings Landing. The plump, bald eunuch was often called the Spider, because the web of spies he commanded all across Westeros and Essos.
Kahlan had heard people say Varys was possibly the only man more skilled at manipulation than even Lord Baelish.
He walked over to Lady Stark and grasped her hands gently. The wounds were still healing from her fight with Bran's assassins. "Your poor hands," Varys murmured.
Kahlan hadn't noticed the bandages before. Was Bran's murder the reason Lady Stark had come to King's Landing?
Lady Stark pulled her hands away from Varys. "How did you know I was coming?"
He smiled. "Knowledge is my trade, my lady. Did you bring the dagger with you by any chance?"
The room was silent. Nobody was expecting Varys to have as much information as he did. Even Kahlan had only known about the events that transpired that night from a letter Gianna had written her shortly after. Had Varys intercepted that note somehow?
Varys caught sight of their worried glances and spoke up.
"My little birds are everywhere. Even in the north. They whisper to me the strangest stories," he said.
Lady Stark pulled the assassin's dagger from her robe and handed it to the Spider. "Do you know whose dagger this is?" she asked.
"I must admit I do not," replied Lord Varys sheepishly. Kahlan felt her stomach drop and saw the disappointed looks on the Starks' faces. They had thought surely the Spider would have answers for them.
Then, a dark chuckle echoed across the room.
"Well, well. This is a historic day," Lord Baelish interrupted. "Something you don't know that I do. There's only one dagger like this in all the Seven Kingdoms...it's mine."
The group looked at him in shock. He quickly continued.
"At least it was, until the tournament on Prince Joffrey's last nameday. I lost this dagger in a bet to Tyrion Lannister, the Imp."
"I swear I'll..." Lord Stark started.
"Pardon, my lord. I know how devastating this loss has been to all of us," Kahlan interrupted. "But surely the mere suggestion that the Queen's brother tried to kill your boy would be considered treason."
"We have proof. We have the blade," argued Ned.
"Which Lord Tyrion will say was stolen from him. The only man who could say otherwise has no throat, thanks to Gianna," Kahlan explained.
The room grew silent again. Catelyn turned to her husband.
"Petyr has promised to help me find the truth," she told him. "He's like a little brother to me, Ned. He would never betray my trust."
Kahlan's face scrunched. From what she'd heard about the Master of Coin, that sounded far-fetched.
Ned Stark nodded to Lord Baelish in gratitude. Without saying anything else, he threw an arm around Catelyn and turned to walk out of the room. Lady Stark gestured for Kahlan to follow them.
She began to, but before she left she turned back to Lord Baelish.
"It's very generous of you to offer to help the Starks, my lord," she said skeptically. "You sound like a true friend for them to count on."
Lord Baelish's dark eyes never left her blue ones.
"Don't tell anyone," he muttered darkly. "I have a reputation to maintain."
Kahlan began to turn to follow the Starks, but Baelish's voice stopped her again. "You're a smart girl, Kahlan," he said.
She looked back at him. "You'd do well to remember that, Lord Baelish," she said. With that, she turned and walked down the dark staircase and out the back door. Outside, Lord and Lady Stark were waiting for her.
"I know the Lannisters did it. In my bones, I know it," said Catelyn.
Ned reached for her hand. "I know love, but Kahlan was right. I can't do anything without proof."
"And if you find the proof?" she asked.
"Then I bring it to Robert and hope he's still the man I once knew," he assured her. The trio sat in solemn silence for a moment, before Kahlan spoke again.
"I wish you could see the girls," she told Lady Stark.
"Me too, sweet love. But it's too dangerous," she replied.
Kahlan smiled at her sadly. "I'll leave you two to your goodbyes then," she said, wrapping her arms around her aunt in another warm embrace. "Be careful on the road, auntie."