Sansa had asked that Arya's chambers be as close to hers as possible, the thought of them being separated in this massive structure made her uneasy. She wanted her sister by her side as much as she could, but Arya had already begun to wander the halls. Every night she would dine with Sansa and Sandor, talking about all the rooms she found, and how she was never lost because she meant to go where she was.

"Arya, you got lost, face it." Sansa shook her head a bit with a laugh, "you do not fool me, it is impossible not to get lost here." She then looked at Sandor then back to her sister, "you are supposed to have a guard with you at all times, but I hear you keep slipping away from him."

Arya frowned a bit, poking at the ham that was in front of her. "I hate having a guard, it makes me feel useless." She then jammed her knife into the meat, "I lived without a guard watching my every move for months. This place is a fortress, and everyone knows that I'm your sister. No one would dare harm their Lady's sister."

"Speaking of which," Sansa looked at her sister, "why are you not wearing any of the dresses that were provided for you?"

Arya let out a snort of disgust, "I haven't worn a dress in ages, and I don't like them. I can't move as easy in them and have nowhere to hold my sword."

Sandor let out a laugh as he looked at the young Stark girl, "afraid to show the world you're a girl? You can't hide it forever child."

Sansa and Arya both looked at him with wide eyes, "Sandor!" Sansa turned back to Arya, "you are a lady, and you need to start acting like one."

"I am no lady, never was and never will be!" Arya stood from her seat and stormed out, leaving Sansa and Sandor staring at the door in shock.

"She's not like you little bird," Sandor stood behind Sansa, placing a hand to her shoulder. "I spent some time with her you know. She's tough, a fighter."

Sansa sighed, looking down at her plate of food, "my mother tried so hard to make her a lady, I always promised her I would help." She shook her head, "Arya was always stubborn, but she is tough." She slowly moved to stand, her hand going to her stomach, "I fear this one will be as difficult as her."

Sandor shook his head, "with you as its mother, not possible." He stroked her cheek gently, "you should get some rest." He then took her hand in his and kissed it gently before leaving as well.

Sansa stood there a moment before turning from her door, moving to the wardrobe for her nightgown.

"My lady?" Tyina had entered shortly after Sandor had left. "Did you need anything before I retire for the evening?"

Sansa looked to her handmaiden and smiled slightly, "perhaps something to help me sleep? I haven't been sleeping so well these past few nights."

Tyina nodded, quickly moving from the room.

….

"She has not been sleeping well, something warm perhaps?" Tyina was speaking with the maester Eswar.

"I shall have something sent up for her." The old man assured Tyina before turning to his desk, "perhaps some essence of nightshade?"

"She has a child within her, we must be careful what we give her, remember?" Tyina shook her head, "nightshade may be too potent for the child."

"Some tea then, I have a few herbs we can add. They will not harm the child but they can help the lady relax." The old man looked to her again, "I will take some herbs to the kitchen to have mixed and then sent up for her."

Tyina nodded with a smile, "thank you Eswar, you are a good man." She then turned and left to tend to Sansa.

….

Tyina had finished helping Sansa into her nightgown when another handmaiden appeared, carrying a tray with tea for Sansa. The sound of Sandor's light snores could be heard from outside the door.

"Your shield hardly leaves your side my lady, he is going to make himself sick." Tyina nodded towards the open door. "He is truly devoted to you."

Sansa nodded, moving to sit as the second woman poured her some of the tea. "I have tried to get him to go to his chambers for rest, but he is determined to remain by my side." She sighed shaking her head, "he is just afraid something will happen to me again." She then took the cup of tea that was offered to her. Her eyes looking slightly confused, "what is that smell?"

"I had maester Eswar put some herbs in it to help you sleep. Nothing that can cause harm to your child, nightshade is too potent." Tyina smiled as she moved to the bed to pull back the blankets a bit. "Hopefully my lady will get some rest tonight."

Sansa nodded, sipping from the cup, "thank you Tyina, you have been a dear friend to me." She smiled up at her handmaiden, "sleep well."

Tyina nodded, curtsying before leaving the room with the other woman. Both girls giggling at the large man who slept against the wall.

Sansa sat there a moment, watching the fire burn in the hearth as she finished her tea. She was lonely, she wished she could go back to the way things were before she had returned to Kings Landing, before she was forced to marry Tywin. She shook her head, placing her cup down before standing with a yawn. Slowly she moved to her bed, still hearing the snores of Sandor outside her door gave her some comfort as she crawled into the large bed. She prayed tonight she would get the sleep she needed.

….

"You are sure she drank it?" The same cloaked man stood over the young servant girl, her eyes wide in fear as he held a firm grip to her upper arm.

"Yes, I saw with my own eyes as she began to drink from it. Luckily she did not question it when Tyina told her of the herbs the maester had given her."

The man let out a laugh, his hand still holding her arm tightly. "You did well, but I'm afraid I cannot risk you telling anyone of this." His free hand came from beneath his cloak, a dagger quickly sliding across her slender neck, silencing the girl permanently.

Picking up the girls lifeless body, he moved to the nearby window. Looking down, all that was below them was the waves of the sunset sea hitting the mountainside. He lifted the girl's body and threw it from the window, letting her fall to the rocks and waves below.

"Soon my sweet, that child inside of you will be no longer." Jaime removed the hood of his cloak as he placed his dagger back into his belt with a grin. "Then you will be free to marry again." The grin on his face growing as he walked towards Sansa's chambers to wait.

…..

"No!" The scream was so loud it echoed through the halls of Casterly Rock. Sandor woke so violently he drew his sword and held it before him. He ran into Sansa's chambers without hesitation to find her clutching at her stomach, her face pale as a ghost, the sheets soaked in blood.

"My lady!" Tyina ran in from behind Sandor, running to her side. "Fetch the maester!" Tyina turned to Sandor, "now!"

His eyes were wide, the sight of all the blood, his little bird crying. He turned, he ran. He hadn't ran this fast in ages, he wasn't even sure how he found his way to the maester's chambers. But he was quick enough to wake the old man from his sleep and practically drag him to Sansa.

When they entered the room again, Sansa was sitting up fully, her eyes full of tears as Arya sat beside her. The maester quickly moved to her side with Tyina to examine her. Sandor stood in the doorway, still in shock at the sight before him.

"Sandor…" Arya looked to him, slowly standing from the bed to let the maester and Tyina tend to Sansa. She took a hold of Sandor's hand and pulled him from the room, shutting the door behind them. "The baby is dead."

Sandor was still in shock, his eyes blank, no expression on his face. "How?"

Arya sighed shaking her head, "she said she was sleeping, and she was woken by a surge of pain. Then all the blood…" She suddenly shivered, hugging herself. "When I heard her scream then saw the blood, I thought she was dying."

Sandor looked down at her, the words snapping him out of his daze. "She's strong, she will not die." He frowned, he knew though, she would be destroyed by losing the child.

"What is the commotion?" Jaime strolled up the hall towards Sandor and Arya.

Sandor stepped in front of Sansa's door protectively to keep him from entering, "Lady Sansa is ill, nothing for you to concern yourself with."

Jaime looked at Sandor a moment before to Arya, "she carries my father's child, and it is very much my concern."

Arya tried to fight any tears that came to her eyes, but it was hard for her to. She looked up at Jaime and shook her head, "the baby is gone. So just leave her alone, she is going to be miserable enough without you around."

Jaime nodded, "I will give the Lady her privacy." He then turned and walked away, a smile forming on his lips that no one could see.

…..

(((Sorry for my absence, I'm about to go on vacation so I've been getting things prepared)))

~Huggles~