AN:First of all, apologies for falling behind schedule. I had some work and couldn't upload a chapter last week. I'll try to make up for it by uploading an extra chapter soon.

Secondly, thank you for all the love people have shown in review section. I assure you, I read each and every one of those and greatly anticipate your feedback. Just a small suggestion here, if you are leaving a review where you want a reply, please leave a signed one as it is difficult to reply to guest reviewers.

I increased the chapter length a little, this one is almost 3k. I know it's not a lot but this is my first fanfiction. I am growing as a writer right alongside this story.

There isn't a lot of plot movement but I have set the stage for the next chapter which will definitely be about the tourney. I wanted to include that here too but I didn't want to delay this chapter anymore.

New characters are introduced and developed.

I also tried a new thing in this chapter. Scene change and POV change. I want to know what people prefer more, single POV per chapter or multi-POV like this one. Further chapters will depend on your reviews.

Still need a beta. Drop me a message with ur id if anyone if interested.

Mablung12: Don't worry. By the time I reach the point where things stand in Season 7, the story will be unrecognizable. This story is going to deviate wildly from canon.

DarkWizard92, Big Allen: can't kill the main antagonists so soon. Besides, no matter how much Harry dislikes Joffery right now, he still is his brother. Harry needs to reach a tipping point before he goes ballistic against Joffery. Oops, did I give too much away ?

That's all I guess. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 4

This was it. The biggest day of her life was finally here. The hand's tourney had finally arrived and it brought the entire South's chivalry with it. Knights, Lords, retainers and bannermen from every part of the realm had descended on King's Landing to prove their valor and for a chance to record their names in the annals of history.

Every inn, resthouse and brothel was filled to capacity and it felt like the city was about to burst at its seams. Septa Mordane had informed Sansa that the tourney held in her Lord Father's honour was the biggest Tourneys organized in the last decade. Only the tourney held after the subjugation of pyke could match this one in scale or grandeur.

Sansa styled her hair into one of the southern styles she had seen at the court. Looking into the mirror at her pale complexion and high cheekbone, she couldn't help but reminiscence about her life so far. Sansa felt like finally the gods were giving her what was her due. After years of being cooped up in the cold, frigid, Winterfell, Sansa, for the first time in her life, was totally free. King's Landing was a true symbol of opulence and grandeur. The markets had the finest silks, the merchants sold the sweetest fruits and the musicians played the loveliest songs. In comparison, Winterfell was nothing more than a squalid gloomy keep.

Moreover, she got to attend a real tourney, meet fabled knights and most importantly, her golden Prince Joffery wasn't angry with her anymore. It seemed like the bitterness of what happened at the Trident was washed away with the flowing waters of Blackwater Rush. Only the absence of Lady reminded her of her loss. If only Arya hadn't been such a brat, today would've been perfect. Lady would never get to see a real city or a real tourney.

Sansa longed for a chance to go explore the city but her Lord father was always so busy. She couldn't go with her betrothed because Prince Joffery would never travel without his litter which would catch too much attention. She couldn't expect Prince Joffery to travel on foot with her. A crown prince does not lower himself to the level of those he means to rule one day, or so the queen had told her. Well she was being greedy now. She had almost everything she ever wished for. Her father's work was bound to get easier once he settled down into his new position. For now, she'd concentrate on enjoying what she had.

The opening of her door broke Sansa from her musings. Her best friend, Jeyne Poole stepped through. Jeyne had styled her hair in a style similar to hers, but her dress plunged much lower beneath the neck than hers. The only way to describe her dress would be risque. Out of the two of them, Jeyne was always the more reckless one. Jeyne was beautiful, no doubt about it, but next to Sansa, she always came up short. As such, she felt the need to make up for her inadequacies through other means. Well, she couldn't fault Jeyne for that.

Atleast her method of covering up her inadequacies was better than Arya's, who would rather enhance her unlady-like behaviour than make amends for her short comings. Sansa didn't have the luxury of Arya's stubborn stupidity or Jeyne's freedom. She had a responsibility to always behave in a manner befitting her station. She was the hand's eldest daughter and the future queen of the seven kingdoms. She couldn't have people thinking that she wasn't suitable to be their queen. But sometimes, in the privacy of her mind, Sansa felt a little jealous of Jeyne and Arya. Jeyne more than Arya, she didn't want to be a brat like her sister and run around rolling in the mud.

"You look lovely Sansa, all the knights will be clamouring for your favor." Jeyne greeted Sansa with a bright smile.

"Thank you Jeyne, you look lovely too and might I say all the eyes in the tourney will be at your dress today. I wonder how the knights will fare in their jousts when their eyes keep failing them to ogle your way." Sansa replied back playfully.

"Do you like it ? I heard the Dornish always wear dresses like these. It helps keep you cool no matter how harsh the sun is. After Winterfell, every day in the King's Landing feels like the inside of a smith's forge."

"Yes, the weather of King's Landing agrees with me much more. I'd rather sweat in the sun than shiver in summer snows." The best part about King's Landing had to be no snows. Sansa was sick of the perpetual snows of the North and the sight of end to end plain fields was a shock in itself.

"Forget the weather, tell me all about how Prince Joffery asked for your favor for the joust today." Jeyne asked with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Prince Joffery didn't ask for my favor because he isn't going to joust today. Today's joust is meant for senior more experienced knights and Prince Joffery hasn't been knighted for even a year yet. Although, he did invite me to watch the tourney with him in the royal box" Though she didn't show it, Sansa was a little saddened. She expected Prince Joffery to take part in the tourney and win the crown of love and beauty for her, his lady love. All fabled knights in her stories did that. Perhaps some other tourney, it wasn't like this was going to be the last one.

"Ohh well, don't worry. You'll get to spend the day with your handsome prince. I'm sure whoever wins the joust is going to crown you anyways. You are going to be the most gorgeous lady out there. Also, you know, when I was coming over to you, a lord asked me for my favor. An actual Lord !!!" Jeyne couldn't keep out the incredulity and excitement in her voice. So this was the reason Jeyne steered the conversation in this direction. Sansa was happy for her friend, though the worm of jealousy was tickling her yet again at the back of her mind.

"Ohh I am so happy for you Jeyne. Who was it ? Lord Peasburry? Lord Combination ? Please don't say it was Lord Reply, the King's brother ?"

"None of those Sansa, it was Lord Berric Dondarrion. He stopped me to ask for directions to the smithy and then just asked me for my favor to protect him in the jousts. He looks so handsome Sansa, ohh you have to see him." Jeyne looked like she was going to swoon.

"Yes, let's pray to the warrior to grant him strength to win the tourney. We should leave now or you'll miss out on watching your Lord unhorse his opponents in his quest to crown you." Sansa answered with a smirk.

The two of them walked out of the room towards the tourney grounds, discussing various knights and Lords, or in Jeyne's case, discussing Lord Berric Dondarrion.

*scene change**

Street

"Can't we move a little faster Kara ? Perhaps I could ride there ahead of you and you can come along with the guards" a nervous voice asked from under a greathelm with antlers on top.

"Just shut up and keep walking, Littlefinger's brothel is just right up the corner." Kara whispered back furiously.

"Easy for you to say. You aren't the one squeezed inside a magical armour. I could die if the enchantments fail. it would be a shit way to die too. I'd rather die on a battlefield to an enemy's hammer than this mumbo-jumbo." Edric retorted with a little steam.

"Quit whining. Harry said you should be fine for another hour or so. You wouldn't need it on the way back. Yes, there it is. And for mother's sake, walk a little straighter. Harry doesn't droop his shoulders like that. This entire ruse will be useless if you keep behaving like a scared little squire. Ohh, there's the establishment's Madame, remember what Harry told you. And talk to her with some authority. Remember she's a commonfolk, you are royalty." Kara whispered furiously back at Edric the squire.

"Welcome to our humble aboard my Prince, we weren't expecting you here. We thought you'd be watching the tourney along with your royal family." The silky voice of the Madame had a lilt to it, like she had been a singer in her earlier days.

"Yes, well, I and my men were tired from our journey so I decided to peruse your magnificent establishment." Kara was surprised to hear Edric, his voice carried authority and confidence. Perhaps the royal blood in his veins wasn't so diluted after all.

"Of course, your grace. We'd be honoured to have you and your men. You are welcome to choose whichever girl is to your liking" the Madame clapped her hands and a couple dozen girls lined up in front of Edric. Their dresses, if you could call those scraps dresses, were the most outrageously cut, offering glimpses and promises of the treasures hidden underneath. These were the most expensive whores of Kings Landing and it was easy to see why. Even Kara was tempted to haul one of the pretty redheads into a room and learn a few new tricks, for Harry of course.

Not hearing Edric wave the girls away, she turned towards him. Edric seemed to have forgotten his role, as he was actively sizing up each of the girls. Nudging him in the side, Kara broke whatever fantasy he was lost in.

Edric took a moment to clear his throat before replying" I thank you for the offer but there will be no need of these beautiful ladies. I have a lady with me today, but I'd appreciate if you didn't spread the tale. If anyone asks, just tell them I spent the day with one of your girls. Also, we'll be using uncle Tyrion's favourite room today."

The reason they were using that room was because Tyrion had told Harry the story of that room. It was commissioned by one of the previous hands who would come over at night through a secret corridor. As such, that room was perhaps the only one with no spyholes for the brothel owner to spy on them.

The Madame looked a bit startled. " I am afraid that room isn't available at the moment but might I interest you with our cashmere room. It has silks brought especially from Lys and the design is based on Pentos."

The Madame's ploy was quite obvious. She meant to spy on them. Well Kara couldn't let that happen. "Didn't you hear the prince ? Unless you have the king himself perusing that room, I suggest you throw the person out NOW."

The Madame looked Kara's way with rage and disgust. She looked like she wanted to say something but Edric putting an arm around her waist deflated her. A nobody like her wasn't going to risk Prince Harry's wrath by insulting his mistress in front of him. Kara knew she had won their little game if the triumphant smile on her face was any indication.

"Of course your grace, if you'd step this way. "

Kara and Edric followed her towards the room but not before allowing the men to enjoy themselves. Ser Mandon insisted on guarding their door as was his duty and followed them. Harry suspected Mandon to be a Baelish spy. As such, even the men didn't know that Harry and Edric had switched places. They walked out of the inn with Harry wearing Eric's armour and carrying his tourney armour on Eric's horse while Edric rode on Harry's horse in his armour. The special rune things that Harry had carved on his armor made it magically possible for the physically bigger Edric to shrink and fit inside Harry's armour while the helm changed his voice enough to sound like Harry's if he had a sore throat.

Only Ser Garret and Ser Hughes, who would accompany Harry to the tourney knew about the switch and Harry trusted them. They were his men through and through.

It had taken a couple of years but Harry had managed to root out all the Renly loyalists from Storm's End. He would invite them individually for a chat and somehow magically know if their loyalties lay elsewhere. Of course there were still spies. Harry couldn't possibly keep tabs on every single stableboy and scullery maid, but atleast the knights and the men in important positions were all loyal to him.

They finally reached their destination and the Madame bowed and left. Leaving Ser Mandon outside to guard and possibly attempt to overhear, the two of them moved into the room. The moment the door closed, Edric started attacking his armor like a man possessed. Within no time at all, he managed to remove all of it, growing back to his original impressive bulk and height.

"Easy there boy. That was an act for them. You are not getting your hands on me." Kara teased.

"Laugh all you want. We'll see how you react when Harry uses his magic on you" Edric grumbled.

"It wouldn't matter because Harry would make sure that I was safe. he'd never put my life in peril." Kara replied with supreme confidence.

"Umm Kara, how are you so comfortable with all of this. Men aren't supposed to do things like Harry does. How did he get this power ? Where did he get it from ? Did the seven bless him or has he forsaken them for some eastern heathen ? And what if this power corrupts him ? " Edric asked with more than a little doubt and concern coloring his voice.

"Don't you dare !!! Don't you dare doubt Harry. Do you forget who he is ? Not only is he your knight, he is also the man who keeps you fed and gives you a roof to sleep under. Without him, you'd be tilling some field or smithing horseshoes for knights, not squiring, bastard" Kara made sure to emphasize on the bastard, with fury emanating from her voice and all signs of levity gone.

"I.. I didn't mean that. I am grateful to him, I am. But.." Edric tried to backtrack but Kara spoke over him.

"No buts, remember his graciousness and count yourself lucky. You aren't the only King's bastard you know. There are others too, but do you see them anywhere ? Everything you are, everything you'll ever be, is because Harry cares for you. Never forget that. And regarding his magic, it is something Harry was born with. I don't pretend to understand it, but Harry does. Harry says it is safe and that is more than sufficient for me, it should be for you too. You have known about this for sometime now, have you seen him hurt anyone with it, anyone who didn't deserve ?"

"Well no..."

Kara once again cut into him, " There you have it. Now, let's get on to the task we are here for. Moore must be trying to hear really hard, let's give him something to keep him occupied."

A lecherous grin overtook Eric's face as he stuffed whatever doubts he had to the back of his mind,"Would you need some help, milady?"

Kara laughed at his clumsy seduction. "Just sit back and enjoy the show. I'll manage."

The speed at which edric's face fell made her pity him a bit, but not nearly enough to allow his hands anywhere near her. He'd be getting a chance to watch which was more than what he deserved after doubting Harry. Falling back onto the featherbed, one of Kara's hands disappeared under her skirts while the other moved to her bosom. Moans of pleasure reverberated through the room and no one outside was left in any doubt regarding the activities taking place inside.

AN: Next chapter tourney definitely. Also, something major will happen at the tourney. As always, please review !!!