Chapter 3

The reckoning

Ned Stark was watching Cersei Lannister with a whole new perspective. When she handed her king his wineskin. When Cersei looked over the crowded hall for his eldest daughter, Cersei turned her wicked incestuous eyes on him with an evil smile. He smiled politely and nodded his head, all the while he was thinking ~You evil bitch, I know...~ Cersei frowned when she could get no reaction from the honourable Edaard Stark.

Little did the mad queen know that hours earlier, Lady Sansa Stark had been sent off to the white harbour with Sandor Clegane along with Arya, the girl warrior

Earlier that day before the great feast...

"Father, I'm scared" Her father grimaced and stroked her head. "It's okay, my lemoncake, that little bastard won't hurt you again. I want to talk to ya properly. You must go with Sandor, the hound, he'll keep you safe, he has been dismissed by King Robert from the Kingsguard but he is a Lord and a good fighter. I want you to go to Braavos with your sister." Sansa protested "The Queen, she'll notice and...she'll send her redcloaks after me." His daughter was so young and innocent

"Now you listen to me and you listen good! Take this dagger, strap it under your long dress and if any bastards try to take you from Sandor's side, stab 'em in the neck right in the jugular vein."

He showed her quickly and when she sat down with her head in her hands, Ned Stark sat down beside her. "Why father, I am betrothed to joffrey and he is a beast, why did you make this match if you knew what he was?" Sansa wept

"I didn't, I thought you wanted him for a husband and I never knew what sort of person he was but on my life, on my honour, you will not marry that boy not if his idea of love is his buggering kingsguard rapin' you." Sansa looked up at her father "I will go, father, can you talk to our lady mother and tell her I love her very much. Also tell Robb and Bran for me please, I don't want them to think I am leaving Winterfell because I hate them. I don't even hate Jon" Ned Stark looked surprised "I always thought you hated him because your mother did"

"No, I did that for our mother's sake because I didn't want any trouble"

Ned was quiet. "I appreciate that, lemoncake, com'on, pack two dresses and some necessities and give me a hug" Sansa did and Ned kissed the top of her head.

There was a small knock on the door and Arya entered. "Father, is Sansa ready yet, Sandor is ready to leave." Arya whispered. Sansa nodded and Ned gave her a gold purse. "Keep this with you when you get to Braavos, lemoncake and stick to Sandor like glue! You will be fine, you both will, I have seen Sandor Clegane in a fight."

"Buggerin seven hells, Lord stark, I will protect 'em" Sandor growled out.

Sansa and Arya swallowed their fear and ran down the back stairs to the courtyard and Sandor's horses. Lady was immediately at Sansa's side. "We can't take the wolves to Braavos, milady"

"But they will protect you as well, Sandor, please" Sandor smiled as Nymeria butted his hand to be petted. "They like you already, I told you they would" Sandor brushed a hair away from Sansa's face and that touch was like a fire in her veins. Arya settled into her ponies saddle and rolled her eyes. "We have to go, Sansa, Sandor, you can make googly eyes at each other later"

"Aye, little wolf, we should make haste before the moon comes up."

Sandor mounted Stranger behind Sansa and Arya was on Lady the pony in front of them, the direwolves were trotting beside the companions with ease as they made their way east to the white harbour. They stopped at the inn on the kingsroad and from there to the ship in the harbour that awaited the starks of the north and Lord sandor clegane.

Ned Stark's POV

Robert met me in the crypt and made sure he was not followed. "Well, are the girls safe?"

"Both of them are safe, Robert, I want you to have Cersei arrested for treason and incest, I hate to tell you that your queen is dangerous and I never would believed that she was capable of murder. My son is bruised all over because he caught her and Jaime in that tower. He is lucky he wasn't killed from that fall. I am honestly starting to think he was pushed"

"Your son Brandon is the most confident climber I have ever seen...I agree."

A/N Edaard Stark should have done this in the beginning Anyone else agree?