tionship the two had been working so hard to build falls apart.

CHAPTER 6. POLITICS

SANSA

Ever since the incident on the King's Road tensions had been high between the Stark sisters. To make matters worse Joffrey ignores Sansa. They finally reach the capitol and Sansa is blown away by the size of the City and its structures. The smell is horrible, but the grandness of the city blows her away. She is haunted by Cassana's words. When they arrive at the red keep Sansa is hoping to speak with her father, but he has a meeting to attend immediately.

Later Sansa has dinner with her father, sister, and Septa Modane. After dinner she is able to speak with her father. "Sansa what is going on between you and Arya?"

She sighs, "Father am I naïve?"

He smiles and hugs her, "Innocent is the word I would use…Why do you ask?"

"Something Princess Cassana told me…"

"What did she say?"

"She used the word naïve…She said I need to see the world as it is and not how I would like it to be. She said trust no one in King's Landing and assume everyone is lying…"

He sighs, "If you are naïve it is because I have tried to shield you and your sister from the ugliness of the world…I have only been in this city for a day and already I am mired in politics…I am already regretting coming to this cesspit…"

"But you are Hand of the King…And one day I will be Queen…"

He smiles, "Be a good Queen…Now tell me about you and your sister…"

The next day Sansa is at lessons with Septa Modane, when Cassana visits "My Lady…Princess Cassana is here to see you…" A guard announces

Sansa curtsies when Cassana enters, "Princess…"

"My brother still ignoring you…"

"Um…"

"Its alright come with me…I will show you around…"

Sansa is taken to the gardens, then the lower levels and Cassana shows her the Dragon skulls. Then they head for the Sept of Baelor. "Begging your pardon Princess, but you called me naïve…"

Cassana sighs, "I did not mean to offend you…On the King's road you saw how my brother reacted when your sister pointed the sword in his face…Is that the kind of person you want to marry…A bully, a coward…If I had not intervened or Arya's wolf he could have killed your sister…Tell me Lady Stark would you still have wanted to marry him?"

"No I suppose not…"

"You suppose?" Cassana stops walking and looks at Sansa, "Family is the most important thing in life…Don't ever forget that…" The next day Cassana is in the training yard with Brienne.

"Princess may I speak with you…" Eddard Stark asks walking up to them as they take a water break.

"Lord Stark what may I do for you?"
"First off…thank you for what you did on the King's Road…"

"That would have turned out worse than it did…And it may yet still…My mother smells blood and she will not let it go…But you are welcome…"

"Secondly I was wondering if you have heard about the Targaryens…"

"Prince Viserys and Princess Daenarys…She is to wed a Dothraki Horse Lord named Khal Drogo…"

"Your father has sent assassins after them…"

"And you want me to speak with my father."

"He'll listen to you…"

She sighs, "I'll speak with him…"

"I have one last request before you go…"

"Yes…"

"How much longer do intend to be in the Capitol?"

"I was going to stay until after the Tourney, but I may leave before that…Why do you ask?"

"My daughter Arya…The two of you have grown close and well…I was wondering if you would take her as a ward and teach her, things about the sword, and war…"

Cassana smiles, "I would consider it an honor…"

She goes to his room and waits for hours. The door opens and Robert enters with a woman on his arm. "What in seven hells are you doing in here?"

"I need to speak with you father…"

He sighs slapping the woman on the ass, "Go I will find you later…" He walks over to the bed table. "You have a nasty habit of interrupting me when I am with a woman…"

"She is someone's daughter you know…"

"You come to lecture me?" He replies pouring a drink.

"I want to know why you feel it necessary to send an assassin after a little girl a world away…"

He stares at Cassana and she stares right back at him, "You've been talking to Ned…"

"Lord Stark voiced his concerns…"

"The Targaryens…"

"Are powerless…" Cassana says interrupting him. She walks up to Robert and takes his arm, "…And so what if she marries this Khal Drogo…The Dothraki will never cross the narrow sea…and even if they do you have the might of the seven kingdoms behind you…" He pours himself another drink. "Call it off…" She bats her eyes and pouts, "Call it off for me daddy…" When she says daddy in that voice Cassana knows she has him and won't refuse her anything.

"Dam you girl…Fine I will call it off…"

"Right now!" Cassana demands adopting a commanding tone and standing straight.

CERSEI

Cersei had been fuming about what happened on the King's Road for the past few days. There were two people Joffrey feared, his sister and father. She enters Joffery's room, "Mother…"

Cersei wanted to deal with this when they returned to the Capitol, but got distracted, by the preparations for the tourney. Once again she had to dip into her dowry to help pay for husband's extravagance. "My beloved boy…" She hugs him, "I think it is time you told me what really happened on the King's Road and don't lie to me boy…"

After they talk mother and son go before the King, "What's this?"

"Your son has something to tell you…" Cersei says. After Joffrey finishes speaking Eddard, Sansa, and Arya, are all summoned before the King.

"You wished to see us your Grace…"

He sighs, "I'm sorry to burden you Ned, but there was an incident on the King's Road that was covered up by my daughter Cassana. Apparently your daughter Arya attacked my son with her wolf…"

"That's a lie!" Arya shouts, "I was playing with my friend Mycah…He attacked us…"

"She's the liar!" Joffrey replies in anger.

"Lady Sansa you were there…what happened?" Cersei asks. All eyes turn to Sansa.

She sighs remembering Cassana's words, "Arya is telling the truth…Prince Joffrey and I walked upon her playing with her friend…Prince Joffrey attacked the boy…My sister came to his defense and Prince Joffrey attacked her…Her wolf Nymeria came to Arya's defense…That is what happened…" Arya stares at her sister in disbelief.

"Sansa…" Joffrey says with hurt in his voice.

"The wolf ran away…That animal attacked your son…"

"Dammit woman what do you want?"

Just then Cassana enters the council room, "You summoned me father?"

"What do you know of Lady Arya's wolf attacking your brother…"

She shakes her head, "Are you kidding me?"

"I asked you a question girl…"

"I dealt with it!" She replies raising her voice, "What does it matter…" Cassana had ordered her men to say the wolf ran off.

"It matters because a wild animal attacked your brother…" Cersei looks at Robert, "Your son's blood has been spilled…Justice must be done…There is another wolf Lady it's called…"

"Father no!" Sansa screams.

"She didn't do anything…Lady is good!" Arya yells.

"Is this your will Your Grace…"

"I have had enough of all this…" Robert stands up.

Arya and Sansa are crying, "You must be the worst King in the History of Kings…" Cassana says.

"Be careful girl…" Robert replies.

"Blind…foolish and stupid…I am tired of trying to protect you…"

"You are a mean vindictive little girl…"

"And you are fat drunken old fool…I am done with you all…" Cassana walks out.

"Ser Payne can kill the beast…" Cersei coldly orders.

"I will tend to it…" Eddard says.

"Is this some type of trick?" Cersei asks.

"She is of the North and disserves better than a butcher…"

CASSANA

She didn't mean to talk to her father like that, but sometimes Cassana's anger gets the better of her. She orders the servants to pack her things and as they pack Cassana writes a letter apologizing to her father. She sends a servant to tell Lord Stark that she is leaving today and to get Arya ready. By sunset her ship is sailing away. Cassana is on the deck of the ship breathing in the fresh sea air. Cassana loved the sea and she loved ships. Before returning home, Cassana heads for Dragonstone to visit her cousin Shireen.

"We are going to Dragonstone first to see my cousin Shireen…"

"Really Dragonstone? I always wanted to see it." Arya says in excitement.

"I have to warn you my cousin is scarred from Greyscale as a baby…The Maesters were able to save her life, but her face is marked…"

"Oh I understand…"

Family is important to Cassana, but as much as she loves her cousin, she cannot stand her rigid uncle or his Lady Wife Sylese Baratheon. Cassana walks through the castle ignoring protocol and finds Shireen on a stretch of land on the side of the castle. Patchface is with her. "Your mother let you out? Or did you sneak out…"

"Cass!" Shireen jumps up and runs into her arms.

Cassana starts tickling her, "My you've grown…"

She looks at Arya, "Who is this?" She shyly asks hiding behind Cassana's leg.

"This is Arya Stark of Winterfell my Ward…Arya my sweet cousin Shireen…"

"Nice to meet you…" Arya says offering her hand.

"Well go ahead she won't bite…" Cassana looks at Arya, "You don't bite do you?"

Both girls laugh, "No…" Arya replies giggling.

"Oh well that is good to know…"

Shireen points at a young man wearing a jester's suit and multicolored tattoo squares on his face. "This is patchface…Patchface say hello to Arya…"

"Oh a wolf a wolf…She is a wolf…The lone wolf dies but the pack survives…Her pack her pack oh how she needs her pack…"

"Why does he talk like that…"

Cassana explains that Patchface was on the ship that carried her Grandparents when it went down. Many thought he was dead, but washed up a week later and has been speaking in riddles ever since. "Did you bring me something…" Shireen asks.

"Did you bring me something…" Cassana repeats placing her over her shoulder and they enter the castle through the secret passageway she had showed Shireen long ago.

"I told you fast, fast, fast, you will go…on four legs oh it is so…" Patchface says following them through the secret passage.

When they arrive on the beach some men are unloading a horse. "Wow is she for me?" Shireen asks after Cassana puts her down.

"Yes…he is little cousin…"

"Oh…" Shireen says looking under the horse. "What is his name?"

"Well you have to give him one…"

"How about Blackwing…" Arya offers.

"I like it…" Shireen says smiling.

"Odd name for a Horse…But its your horse…"

"Can we go riding…"

"Absolutely not!" They look towards the owner of the voice. It is Sylese Shireen's mother. "Get my daughter away from that monster…"

Cassana scoops Shireen up and places her on the horse then places Arya on the horse and finally she leaps up and sits behind them bareback, "Just because you had a sheltered childhood does not mean you must inflict your short comings on the girl…Learn to live…"

"How dare you!"

The rest of what she has to say is lost as Cassana rides off along the beach. They ride for hours and return at sunset. "Thank you…" Shireen says as they trot back on Blackwing.

"You are most welcome little one…"

When they return Uncle Stannis is waiting with Septa Anyl. "Are you alright Shireen?"

"I'm fine father…"

"Septa Anyl take my daughter to her room. She that she is bathed and fed…"

"Yes My Lord…Come child…"

"Septa Anyl take Arya with you she is my Ward…"

Stannis watches as they walk off, "Arya…As in Arya Stark of Winterfell?"

"The one and the same…She is to ward with me…"

Stannis looks at Cassana, "The least you could do is give me ample warning…My wife has been chewing my ear off about you riding off with our daughter…"

"Sorry…I needed to see my cousin especially after…" She pauses not wanting to finish.

"What did your mother do this time…"

"Nothing…"

"How long do you intend to stay?"

"I leave in the morning for Storm's End…"

They start walking back towards the main building, "Lord Stark settled in yet?"

"The new Hand of the King is learning on the job…"

"I'm surprised you didn't stay for the tourney…"

Later Cassana has an uncomfortable dinner with her uncle and his wife. Arya is there so the dinner isn't as bad as would be if it were just her, Stannis, and his wife. There is also a Red Priestess by the name of Melisandre who tries to convert Cassana and Arya to her faith.