Hi all. Well here's another chapter for you. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 19 – The Problem with Sisters…

Ned was right; there was something very wrong with Arya.

Cat took a deep breath and released it slowly, hoping some of her fright and anger would be released with it. She sat in front of the low table and turned her head to Sansa.

"Sansa, you will leave this room and go straight to your room. You will not speak to anyone. If someone speaks to you, you will inform them that you are currently under punishment and may not speak to anyone. You will not read books. You will not practice your music, dancing or needlepoint. You will sit in your room and contemplate what it is you did wrong. Have I made myself clear?" Cat's tone told Sansa her answer had better be yes or there would be hell to pay.

Sansa's face was a red as her hair as she nodded in compliance.

"Yes mother."

Was all Sansa said as she rose from her seat and left the room.

Cat's head snapped back around towards Arya.

"And you young lady can wipe that smirk off your face NOW! Arya Stark, I find your current conduct unbecoming of a Stark. You shame your family with your behaviour!" Cat told Arya off. She knew that a lecture on the ways and manners of a Lady wouldn't get through to Arya but being told that she was shamming her family with her behaviour would.

As Cat had known, the nasty, gleeful look on Arya's face instantly fell away to reveal and angry and shamed faced one. Cat silently and quickly prayed to The Crone for the wisdom to handle this problem correctly and The Warrior for strength so she wouldn't strangle her angry, wild daughter.

The silence in the room was deafening. Arya was squirming in her seat and Cat wanted her this way as it would make Arya more receptive to what she would say to her child. Cat leaned forward and picked up the stolen knife by its handle and started to examine it.

It wasn't a training knife. That Cat saw straight away. Training weapons were blunted in order not to cause serious and life threatening cuts and wounds. Bruises were expected and the occasional broken bone but never anything life threatening. This knife though was what the men called "live steel". It was sharper than a razor blade and meant for killing and killing alone.

Cat put the knife back down on the table and stared at Arya.

"What were you thinking Arya? Pulling a knife on your sister. Did you wish to kill her?" Cat asked Arya in a mild tone of voice, her anger firmly under control. Arya stopped squirming around in her seat and gave her mother and angry, defiant look,

"Sansa started it" Was the angry reply.

"That's not what I asked Arya. Did you want to kill your sister?" Cat asked once again.

"Yes!" The admission was gladly said.

"Did you steal the knife so you could murder your sister in cold blood?" The mild tone of her mother's voice was making Arya very nervous. She had been expecting to be yelled at and punished. Not being asked questions like this.

Arya looked Cat in the eye. "No! I didn't take it to hurt anyone with. I swear! I took it because I wanted to practice what that sell-sword Bronn was teaching the men and there weren't any practice blades. I didn't want to hurt Sansa but she made me so angry. She said things to hurt me on purpose and it made me so mad and what she said really hurt me. I didn't pull the knife out on purpose I swear! It just happened….."Arya trailed off, not knowing how to explain to her mother that she didn't even remember doing that. All she remembered was her mother yelling and the knife was somehow in her hand.

While Cat's face gave nothing away, she internally frowned. This wasn't good. What did Sansa say that provoked such an angry and violent reaction from Arya? The situation between the girls was a lot worse then she thought. It had gone well beyond the bounds of normal sibling rivalry. Arya stealing a knife to practice the dirty fighting tricks that Bronn taught the men should have been expected. There was no way that Arya wouldn't want to learn new fighting skills.

Sansa being deliberately hurtful to her younger sister was the unexpected part for Cat. Sansa had been brought up as a proper Southern Lady since she was three and knew that a Lady never speaks the hurtful things she may think of another. It just wasn't done and so it surprised Cat that Sansa had done just that.

"What did Sansa say to you Arya?" The mild tone was still in play.

Arya's eyes filled with tears. "She said that I wasn't a real Stark. That I was a bastard like Jon. She said that I had been born to a pack of wolves and they didn't want me and neither did you and father. She said the only reason you love me is because you have to. She said I was ugly and would grow up even uglier and that I was stupid…."Arya finally burst into tears.

Cat rose and quickly moved to hug Arya. "Oh my poor child" she murmured into Arya's hair and Arya sobbed her heart out on her shoulder. What on earth had prompted Sansa to say such things? This was partly Cat's fault and she knew it. Obviously the lessons about family had made no impact with Sansa and Arya. As Arya's sobs subsided, Cat asked another question.

"Arya, be honest now child, what did you say to Sansa? As untrue and cruel as what she said is, I don't think she would have said such thinks had you not insulted her first yes?" Cat knew she was right as Arya's patented look of "Sansa is stupid, number, 7", came out on Arya's face and she snorted in disgust.

"Sansa was just being so STUPID! She kept going on and on about Prince Joffrey. About how gallant, brave and handsome he must be. How charming he is. How smart he was…she just wouldn't shut up about him. So I told her she was being stupid. I told her that she had never met Joffrey and for all she knew, he could be a mean nasty little shit with an ugly face and fat body. Sansa got that look on her face, you know the one mother, the face where she's shocked and angry but doesn't want to admit to it? Sansa then said that it didn't matter what I said because I didn't know anything and she was going to ask father if he could arrange for her and Joffrey to be married and then when King Robert dies, Joffrey would be King and she would be the Queen and she could do anything she wanted to me from disowning me from the family to chopping off my head for saying mean things about her." All this information came out in one giant rush.

Cat was once again shocked. Where did all these crazy notions come from? Cat needed to talk to Sansa and then Ned about what the girl's punishment should be but for now, she would finish what she started with Arya.

"Arya, while I now understand why you got so angry with Sansa, it doesn't excuse the fact that you were both fighting, again and the fact that you stole a knife from the armoury and threatened your sister with it. I haven't made any decisions on your punishments as yet. I will be speaking to your father about this before I make any decisions. For now, you shall do the same as Sansa. You shall go to your room. You will not speak to anyone and if anyone speaks to you, you are to tell them the same as Sansa was bidden to. You will not read. You will not sneak out your windows or doors. You will not practice any fighting moves. You will sit on your bed and contemplate what you did wrong. Do you understand me?" Cat told her, trying to close as many loopholes in her orders as possible.

Arya nodded her head.

"Good. Now come here." Cat ordered her. When Arya reached her, Cat gathered her in a hug. "Don't listen to Sansa when she says such things. You are a Stark and I love you because I want to and not just because I am your mother and while sometimes I think you may have been raised by a pack of wolves, I love you just how you are." Cat gently teased her daughter. She could feel Arya's smile on her shoulder.

"Now, off to your room and really think about what you did wrong."

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

Cat sighed as she reached the door to Sansa's room. It was only just the other day when she had decided to split the girls up and give both of them their own rooms in the hope that it would ease some of the animosity that the girls were displaying to each other. So far, it didn't seem to be working but it was still early days.

Cat knocked on Sansa's door and waited for the "come in". Once she received it, she found Sansa sitting on her bed with no books or needle work present. She appeared to be taking Cat's demand to think on what she did wrong seriously. At least Cat hopped she was. Sansa raised her face and looked at her mother before returning her gaze to the furs on top of the bed.

"I spoke to Arya. She told me you said some pretty nasty things to her." It was meant as a statement but Sansa nodded and answered anyway.

"Yes mother, I did." Shame filling her voice.

"Why?" was the only question Cat asked.

"Because she was wrong about Joffrey. She's never met him! How could she know anything about him…."

"You've never met him either Sansa. For all you know Arya could be right." Cat interrupted her.

"But she's WRONG! Petyr said…" Sansa suddenly stopped speaking with a horrified look at her mother.

Cat was stunned. "Petyr? Who is Petyr Sansa? How do you know him?"

Sansa didn't say anything.

"I asked you a question Sansa and I expect an honest answer now." Cat's anger was mounting again.

Sansa wouldn't meet her mother's eyes as she answered.

"Petyr is just Petyr. He's Joffrey's closest friend and confidant. We've been writing to each other since I was ten. It was supposed to be a secret. Please don't tell him I told you! I don't want him to tell Joffrey that I'm a stupid little girl who can't keep a secret! Joffrey wants to marry me and he won't if he thinks I can't keep secrets. He's going to be King one day with me as his Queen and a King and Queen must know how to keep secrets!" Sansa begged her mother.

Cat's mind and emotions were in a whirl of confusion. There was only one Petyr she knows of in Kings Landing, Petyr Baelish. Petyr Baelish had been writing to Sansa since she was TEN! The Gods only knew what type of poison he'd managed to cultivate in Sansa over the last two years but if what Cat had heard was any indication, it had given her false ideas about her future at the very least.

"How did this correspondence start?" Cat asked in a faint voice.

"I received a letter from Petyr just after my tenth name day. He said he was writing on behalf of Prince Joffrey because the Prince must not show favouritism to any girl until he had been betrothed He wrote that he Prince had heard of my beauty and kindness and had fallen in love with me from afar and wishes to marry me. Petyr is a true and loyal friend and I will reward him handsomely when I am Queen." Sansa was speaking but her words were not making any sense to Cat.

Cat knew she had to get out of there before she said something she would regret but before she left, she asked,

"Sansa, do you still have the letters that Petyr sent you? I would like to read them please, just to reassure me of Joffrey's love for you." Cat said to her, knowing there would be no other way to get Sansa to hand them over.

"Yes mother. I know I was supposed to destroy them so no one would find out but I just couldn't. The letters are proof of Joffrey's love for me." Sansa replied as she got up and crossed her room to retrieve the letters for her mother.

Cat thanked her and told Sansa the same thing she told Arya. That she would speak to their father first before their punishments were decided, then left the room, letters in hand.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

Once again, Catelyn Stark was storming through the hallways of Winterfell on her way to her husband's solar in a towering rage. Only this time, her anger wasn't directed at her husband. In her rage, she didn't notice that the solar door was closed, for Ned was in a meeting and walked right up to the door, opened it and stormed inside, slamming the door shut behind her. Cat stalked up to the desk and threw the letters from Littlefinger to Sansa on the desk in front of Ned.

Ned looked at his wife and realised that she was angrier then he had ever seen her. She actually scared him a little in this moment.

"Cat, what is this about?" Ned asked in a mild soothing tone, anxious not to set her rage off. He failed.

"Letter Ned. Letters from Petyr Baelish to Sansa." Was the angry reply.

Ned instantly frowned. Not liking the implications that were running though his mind. He quickly picked up one of the letters and started reading it.

"Well, well, well, it seems that Littlefinger had plans in which he needs Sansa to be Queen. I wonder what he's up to?" Tyrion's voice startled Cat out of her anger. She looked around to see Tyrion standing next to Ned's desk holding a letter in each hand.

"Lord Tyrion. Forgive me please. I did not see you there. Perhaps you would be so kind as to give me and my husband a moment to discuss this in private?" Cat asked

"Wait a moment Cat. Tyrion has been around Littlefinger in the capital. Perhaps he could shed some light on what possible motives Petyr has." Ned told his wife.

Tyrion looked at both of them and sighed. It was time to let Cat in on the big secret. If nothing else, they could assign her to keep an eye on Baelish. He wouldn't expect that at all. Tyrion looked at Ned.

"It's time to tell her Ned. I wasn't aware of this last time and neither was anyone else for Sansa never told anyone. So I have no idea what to do in this situation."

Ned closed his eyes. This could go wrong is so many ways but Ned was now positive that they were going to need Cat's advice and insights on what to do. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Sit down Cat." He told his wife who was looking confused. "This is going to take a while. Tyrion, please start while I pour my Lady some wine. She will need it."

Tyrion gave her a look of both sorrow and pity.

"What I am about to tell you sounds completely unbelievable but I swear by the Old Gods and the New, what I about to speak is only the truth." Tyrion started off then proceeded to tell Cat everything that had happened to him Jon in the time before.

He told her about the fate of her family and the fate she suffered. Tyrion told her how every living being had been killed and then rose again in service to the Night King. On and on it went until Cat had been caught up on everything that had happened up till now.

Cat's first instinct had been to laugh at the absurdness of what he was saying. Sent back in time indeed, but as she listened, she slowly believed him. There was no reason to make up such elaborate story to tell her unless it was true. She was utterly horrified at what had happened to everyone, including Jon and Tyrion and found that she had to respect them and was grateful for coming back to try and save her family from the terrible and disturbing fates that had suffered in the Time Before.

Ned had been watching his wife's reactions during Tyrion's telling of the Time Before. He knew from personal experience that it was a lot to believe but he'd also been "prepared" for it. Cat was finding out cold and Ned was worried that she may just take a knife to Tyrion at some points of the story.

Cat just sat there trying to absorb all that Tyrion had told her. One thing stood out for her though.

"Lord Tyrion, I would like to thank you, as a mother, for not forcing or hurting Sansa. It is one of a mother's greatest fears that her daughter's husband will mistreat her and I am so very glad that you are not the type to hurt a woman." Her thanks were sincere and heartfelt.

Tyrion stared at Catelyn Stark in shock. This was certainly a change from the way she had treated him in the past. In both timelines until now, she had been hostile and hated him just because he was a Lannister. Tyrion had felt for sure she was going to kill him when he told her about being forced to marry Sansa, so to have her thanks for not hurting or abusing her daughter was very odd indeed.

Tyrion gave her a small bow. "I won't say it was my pleasure my Lady. Neither of us wanted that marriage and I would have set her free and sent her back to you if I could but alas it wasn't possible. So if I could not send her back to her family, I was determined to protect her from everyone who would hurt or use her. We were getting along quite well until my father ordered you and your son's death." Tyrion frowned. "That wasn't a good time at all. Sansa was devastated. She wouldn't eat, would hardly drink anything. She was crying all the time and I couldn't do a thing to comfort her for she despised me thanks to my father."

It was clear to both Ned and Cat that hurt Tyrion deeply that he couldn't do anything to help Sansa during that time. Cat was glad to see that he really did care about Sansa and had done whatever he could to help her after he got back to Kings Landing, which brought another thought to her mind.

"Tyrion, how bad is Prince Joffrey really? Did he really have Sansa stripped and beaten in front of the whole royal court?" Cat was worried about what the answers would be. It was clear now that Ned would have to go south and that Sansa would have to be betrothed to Joffrey, for a time.

The look of rage and disgust on Tyrion's face at the mention of his nephew gave Cat the answer she needed but listened to what Tyrion had to say.

"My delightful eldest nephew. To be honest, he should have been drowned at birth. It would have saved Westeros a lot of grief. Joffrey is a vile boy who enjoys inflicting pain and humiliation upon others. Tommen and I once caught him slicing a pregnant cat open just to see the kittens inside of it. The cat was still alive when he did this. I can't swear to it, but I am sure that Joffrey has also inflicted pain and humiliation on his younger brother and sister. Neither of them will say anything but I know what I know. Did you know that Joffrey would rape Sansa if he had half a chance too? And he would get away with it because of who he is and who is parents are."

Both Ned and Cat here horrified. This monster is what they would betroth their daughter to? Not this time if they had any say in it and if they couldn't get Sansa out of it, then they would make sure that she knew damn well how to protect herself from him.

What Cat couldn't wrap her head around was where his parents were while he was doing this? Why hadn't they noticed or disciplined him for his actions yet? Cat asked Tyrion. Tyrion gave a bitter laugh.

"You must be joking. Joffrey is Cersei golden child. To her, Joffrey can do no wrong and it's from her he gets his cruel streak. As far as Robert goes, I informed him about the incident with the cat straight away. Robert went to where Joffrey was, saw what he had done and smacked him across the face. He left a bruise for a week. After that, he seemed to do his hardest to forget he even had a son. The only discipline he gets is from me and one day, he will try to make me pay for every insult, smack and lecture I've ever given him."

The look on Tyrion's face was a mixture of loathing and bitterness.

"Anyway, we seemed to have strayed away from the original topic of interest here and that's Littlefinger writing to an innocent girl of twelve. I'm wondering if he's been preparing her this whole time to think of nothing else but being Queen and had a plan in place to make it happen. What did Sansa have to say about these letters?"

Cat then told Tyrion what Sansa had said about Littlefinger writing on the princes behalf and how the prince wanted to marry her and how she was supposed to destroy the letters but didn't because she thought they were proof of the princes love for her.

When Tyrion heard her last comment, he couldn't help himself. He started laughing and couldn't stop. Cat and Ned were looking at him, bemusement plain on their faces. When Tyrion's laughter had subsided he explained to them that the thought of Joffrey loving anyone other than himself, was both unbelievable and hilarious.

"From what I can figure out, knowing what I know of what Littlefinger got up to last time, I'd say he is "grooming" her to be Queen and once she is Queen, grateful to him" Tyrion explained to them.

"For what purpose though?" Ned asked him.

Tyrion looked a little ashamed. "Well if he can't have the woman he wants, he's willing to settle for the younger version of her." He didn't really want to say that.

Ned fell back in his seat both shocked and revolted. Cat on the other hand was beyond furious.

"If he so much as touches a hair on Sansa's head, I'll grab a dull, rusty meat cleaver and chop off his "littlefinger". Cat's voice was dark with anger and menace.

Both Ned and Tyrion winced and tried not to cross their legs in sympathy.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

Cat left shortly after that and Tyrion and Ned got back on track with their original discussion.

"So, are you sure your agents in the south will be able to find him? I mean, he could be anywhere right now." Tyrion asked Ned.

"I'm sure they can and if he's currently not at home, my men will either wait or go to where he's headed and find him there. Although, why do you want this particular man? I mean there are plenty of men with years of experience in their chosen field." Ned asked.

"Do any other of those "experienced" men have maps of where were going?" Tyrion asked with a smirk.

"No they don't or I'd be organising this mission with one of them now instead of asking you for use of your agents in the South." Tyrion answered his own question.

Ned sighed and admitted Tyrion had a point. No one had accurate maps of where Tyrion and Jon would be going.

"So what do you want the message to say? Ned asked him in curiosity.

Tyrion grinned at Ned.

"The usual. Who's hiring him, how much I'm willing to pay him, blah, blah, blah. But you must include this in the greeting; it's time to sacrifice your bones back to the sea. He'll know what it means." Ned nodded.

"And his name is Seaworth correct?" he asked for conformation purposes.

Tyrion's grin just got wider.

"Yes. Ser Davos Seaworth. Otherwise known as The Onion Knight. He is the only one who has mapped Old Valyria and lived to tell the tale."

Next chapter, we head for the Wall.