Arya did not speak, her eyes filled with anger as she looked directly at Melisandre. She clutched the hilt of her sword but found Sandor's hand on her shoulder.

"A trick…" Sansa looked at Melisandre then to Joffrey, "you both knew this would happen. You both knew that someone would attempt to take your life, how better to rid yourself of those you hate then to use their lives to protect your own?"

Joffrey shook his head, "R'hllor chose whose life I was bound to, though I did not argue it." A small grin crossed his lips, a grin Sansa had seen in the past. "True, there was no love lost between the Tyrell's and I, but in the end, our God chose who would hold my life."

Sansa shook her head, fighting any tears that wanted to escape her eyes. She would not let Joffrey see any pain she may be feeling. "So who next? When someone else tries to kill you, who will die instead?"

"R'hllor has only bound one life to our King." Melisandre still stood in front of Arya, the two women staring at one another. "If he feels King Joffrey needs another life to be bound to his, he will lead me to that life." She then turned to Sansa, "your life has been bound to another as well."

Sansa's eyes widened in horror as she looked at Joffrey who nodded. She then looked back to Melisandre and shook her head, "I will not have anyone die for me! Whatever spell you may have put on me, I demand you reverse it."

A laugh came from Melisandre as she moved to the nearby fire, "I cannot undo what the lord of light decrees. It was his spell cast directly on you, do you not remember?" She looked to Sansa a moment before returning her gaze into the flames. "The night of your wedding to our King, R'hllor came to you."

Sansa cringed slightly then shook her head, "you had me under a spell that night, I do not remember anything." She looked to Sandor and Arya who both seemed stunned. She then looked back at Melisandre, "why is he determined to protect me?"

"In due time my Queen, all shall be revealed." Melisandre then turned and left, not even casting a glance to anyone before letting the large doors close behind her.

"What in seven hells…" Sandor groaned as he looked to Sansa. "This is all a game, that boy there is going to be the same little prick he was before." He glared towards Joffrey who had remained close to Sansa.

"A pity you should think that Lord Clegane." Joffrey moved to place a hand on Sansa's shoulder, "I was hoping you would reconsider my offer, after all, our Queen will still need a sworn sword to watch over her."

Sandor had to bite his tongue to keep from spitting a furious round of obscenities to Joffrey, not wanting to upset Sansa more then she appeared to be already. "I will protect her with my life, sworn sword or not. But I will not serve you."

"Arya…" Joffrey looked to her as she stood in silence. "I hear our lord has taken a liking to you as well. That means you will join us in Kings Landing?"

Arya looked at Joffrey, hate filling her eyes before she looked to Sansa. "I will stay with my sister as long as you're breathing." She still held the hilt of her sword, "after hearing what you did to her before, I will not let you do it again."

Joffrey let out a small chuckle as he looked at Arya then Sandor. "Well it seems my Queen will be well protected after all." He then looked to Sansa, placing a light kiss to her cheek. "Forgive me, but I have some business to attend to. And I am sure you would like to enjoy the company of your sister and Lord Clegane alone." He bowed lightly to her, then to Arya and gave a nod to Sandor. "I hope to see you both at dinner tonight." He grinned again as he passed them, casting one final glance to Sansa before leaving the three of them alone.

…..

"That bastard got ya pregnant?!" Sandor had been pacing in front of the table that Arya and Sansa sat at. "We can kill him now… you heard that witch, there is no life bound to him now!"

"We cannot risk it." Sansa looked to him, "what if he does have another life already bound to his? Who would R'hllor be willing to kill to protect Joffrey?" She looked to Arya, "what if it were one of you two? I couldn't handle losing you two."

Sandor stopped as he looked out the nearby window, "seven hells!" He then turned to Sansa, "we still have all the damn ships sitting out there."

Sansa stood, moving to the window to look. A gasp escaping her lips, "they waited this long? We must send word for them to return, there is no need for them to suffer out there." She looked to Sandor, "Joffrey says we will be sailing for Kings Landing in a fortnight, perhaps we have the best ships stay with us, but the rest return home?"

Sandor let out a growl, "I say we leave now. They don't seem to be watchin' ya, we can just sneak ya out and get you to Winterfell where ya belong!"

"No…" Arya stood, looking into the fire pit, "if we try to flee, many will die." Her eyes seemed to glow the same color as the flames. "Sansa has a destiny in Kings Landing, she must return…"

"Arya?" Sansa walked to her, placing a hand on her shoulder causing Arya to suddenly shake her head and look at Sansa.

"He was in me again Sansa, he won't let you go."

Sansa looked to Sandor, both of their eyes locking with one another.

"Did he say why Arya?" Sansa looked back to her sister, "why me?"

Arya turned her gaze back to the flames, she tried to concentrate but was unable to see anything. "No he didn't say. But I just know if we run, only you will live."

"Then that settles it…" Sansa turned to Sandor, "I remain here, by Joffrey's side."

Sandor slammed his fist into the stone wall, "no!"

Sansa quickly moved to him, taking a hold of his now bleeding hand. "Sandor, I will not risk your life, or Arya's! The three of us will stick together, as long as we have each other we'll be fine." She looked up at him, her hand still holding his. "We will get through this, like we have everything else."

…..

"You cannot reveal yourself yet my lord…"

Melisandre stood in her private chambers, eyes fixated on the fire before her. "I understand your eagerness to bring the young Stark into your following, but if you give her the plan too soon she may reveal all to Sansa."

The flames began to grow, a shadowy figure forming in them.

Melisandre watched, not backing away. "Joffrey knows nothing of this either. He truly believes we want him as King. Once he and Sansa are sitting on the Iron Throne it will be our time to strike. You will take your mortal body, and your bride."

…..

(((Dun dun dun…)))

~Huggles~