Sansa could not wait any longer. Fever by itself is not a great deal. However, the problem was that Jon is in hostile territory for all intents and purposes. It is all too easy for the queen, or even her aunt to take action.
From stupid Sansa's diary, Sansa already knew that there is something wrong with her aunt, Lady Lisa's brain. Worse yet, due to Jon getting the fever, lady Lisa insisted that she return to vale. She feared what Jon caught was the epidemic fever. She did not want her toddler son anywhere near Jon.
Jon Arryn acquiesced to the request, given he only has his heir. He would rather be overcautious in matters of his heir's safety.
Despite the reduction of Lannister personnel in Redfort, the queen would still be in power. Moreover, Sansa knew all too clearly that Jon had a feud with Pycelle, the grandmaster.
She decided to go by herself to the city to take care of Jon, and bring him back if need be.
Her medical knowledge will be leaps and bounds above the latest medical technology, that is if it could even be called medical technology.
Her mother was dead set against her leaving Winterfell, to take care of Jon of all things.
" Mother, it is not just taking care of Jon. The North is changing all too fast. We need to understand and control the response of the other regions in the continent if we are to stay free of the conflicts. Mother, Please ! " Sansa begged.
" Don't you dare speak such high sounding words, young lady ! Do you think I do not know your purpose ? Politics of the land have no place in your mind at all. You only want to go to that … Bastard .. " Lady Catelyn spat out the last word with a little anger and guilt. After all, she knew he was not her husband's bastard, and he was the son of a prince.
Technically speaking, he has higher status than Sansa even as a blackfyre. What can one say ? Lady Catelyn is a sucker for ranks. Yet, she knew reality well. Her husband never intended to use Jon the way any other lord would use a blackfyre bastard.
Thus, Jon is only going to be a legitimized Stark bastard in this life. Her daughter can not have any association with such a man, muchless a crush.
" Sansa ! you are about to reach a marriageable age. You need to think of your reputation. " her mother scolded her.
Sansa looked at her as if she's looking at a fool. Lady Catelyn's face reddened at the unassuming insult.
" Mother ! If a man thinks taking care of my sick relative is a stain on my reputation, then such a man is not worth marrying. I will not marry such a man as an ordinary woman, much less as the daughter of the warden of the north. " Sansa chided her mother.
Her mother opened her mouth to rebuke her, only to stop at the last moment. She turned to her father.
" Ned ! Tell her. " Her mother discarded her as a lost cause. She implored her husband, who is usually very amenable to her nagging. The keyword here being ' usually '.
These are not usual circumstances.
Her father stayed silent.
Just as Sansa was thinking of speaking, her father spoke.
" Kingslanding is not short of good men, nurses or otherwise. Lord Arryn can and will provide Jon with best care possible. Why do you insist on going yourself ? Speak the truth, young lady. " her father said solemnly.
Sansa stopped in her tracks. Her argument full of bullshit might stump her lady mother, but her father is a different breed. She needs a fact to convince her father.
After much thought, she decided to speak the truth, or at least part of it.
" Because I am the best healer in the entire Westeros, probably even the world. " Sansa answered.
Her father stared at her strangely.
' you never learned healing ' is what his eyes are implying.
" I have had dreams from the old gods. I know, it might sound hard to believe, but in those dreams, I was bestowed with knowledge. This feeling … it's indescribable in words, but that is the best way I can describe it. Father ! If I can not heal Jon, I can cope. However, if something happens to him in my absence, I can not live with such regret. " Sansa told her father.
" Sansa … you .. Why… when .. " Her mother stuttered. It is clear which part she was so surprised about.
Sansa stayed silent.
Her father looked at her keenly, as if he knew she was not telling the whole truth, but he was not going to call her out on it.
" It started two years ago… " Sansa said, then paused for a while.
Both her parents knew which day it was without her telling them. She fell off a weirwood tree in the godswood, then slept for a long time.
" I keep getting these dreams, after which my knowledge increases … At first, I did not understand, but now… I do. Jon must live father. It's an absolute must ! " Sansa implored her father.
Others may not, but her father must have known the significance of Jon's birth.
He frowned, as if ruminating her words, after some time, he nodded her head.
Sansa jumped up from her seat, and hugged her father.
" Oh ! Thank you ! Thank you, Father ! " Sansa jumped up and hugged her father.
She really needed to go on this trip. She has the strangest feeling it is a must.
Sansa already drew up plans. She was not going alone. She was going with a contingent of blue roses and winter knights.
Yes, she is taking an army with her. She needs to send out a message that Jon was important to deter any potential trouble makers.
Sansa took almost all of her crew that's not working on important projects. All reports while she was not around will be sent to Bran.
In the night, her entire entourage boarded the unicorn express to Whiteharbor. From there on, they boarded Robb's warship to sail to the kingslanding.
She landed in the kingslanding in just ten days.
Jon is still being taken care of by the Arryns.
The crew went straight to the gods' pass as it is called. The orphans ran away at their approach, afraid of all the weapons being carried on their bodies.
Her subordinates carried the supplies they brought, and set up a gigantic yurt for her near the second tallest weirwood tree. The tallest and the widest is usually considered the heart tree, thus, it's going to remain a place of worship.
In just but a half a night since she landed, the godswood has been transformed almost beyond recognition. A fence was built covering the location of three trees, and an area as big as five square kilometers.
Pavilions are set up on the branches and otherwise, by drilling straight into the gigantic tree roots. Most of these pavilions have canvas canopy, a special fabric made by treating unicorn hair rugs with unicorn goo. They are extremely sturdy and waterproof.
The most important detail of the entire endeavor was the direwolf flag flying above almost all the constructions. Simply put, Sansa built a veritable castle in but half a day in the godspass.
The Orphans who were watching by the side watched the entire construction with surprise on their faces. Their surprise was nothing compared to the utter shock the rest of the city felt when they saw the sprawling structures. They are even more in awe of the fully armed men guarding the entrance.
Sansa went to the hands tower first.
The first thing Sansa did as soon as she entered was to visit Jon. His complexion was as pale as a sheet, his hand was full of cut marks. His fever was so high, yet, he was covered with woolen blankets as if they were determined to let his fever go to new heights.
His hair is almost falling down from his scalp, and there was a foul smell in the room mixed with smoke. They were burning charcoal in a room with no vents.
She has never been so angry in her life. She trembled with anger. Something in the air stirred at her anger. Tears of anger welled up in her eyes, falling to the ground as fully frozen icicles.
The tinkling sound of dropping tears alarmed her knights.
' As expected of a Stark ' a northern man thought. He was right beside Sansa, and he had seen that tear dropping to the ground in full three sixty view.
' I thought .. The rumors about ice running in Stark veins is mere exaggeration ! Seven, protect me ! ' the winter knight on the other side exclaimed to himself, keeping his poker face.
As they watched, one of the sleeping maester apprentices in the corner awoke, before reaching for a bloody scalpel from the fire in the corner, as well as a bowl that was probably used for holding blood during blood letting.
Sansa, for the first time, said something extremely noble like.
" Drag that thing out ! " She spat out, pointing at the apprentice holding the knife.
The winter knights around her did not need to be told twice.
If Sansa said ' Jump ', they would probably ask ' How high ? ' on their way up.
" Bring in the nurses. Pack up his belongings. Get the wheelchair here. "
At this point, Arryn guards arrived all in all their finery.
Only, a knight decked out in full blue and silver finery was leading the men.
The men took one look at Sansa and blocked the door without even a word. They are that attuned to Sansa.
" You ! I command you to get out in the name of Lord Hand ! " The man screamed at the top of his lungs.
The men did not open the blockade.
" Is every dog and cat jumping around in the name of Lord Hand these days ?! " Sansa said sarcastically.
" You … You … little bitch .. Ho… hup ! " The man swallowed his words as soon as a sword was held to his neck by one of the winter knights. Another knight pressed down on the hand that was about to retrieve a sword.
" Move and die ! " The man holding the sword threatened the rest of the contingent.
All vale guards paused with their hands on their swords.
It is in this tense situation Jon Arryn arrived.
" Stand down. " he commanded as soon as he came.
The Arryn men all retreated but the Stark men did not.
" My good sirs ! There is no need for such hostility between ourselves. I am sure your lord also thinks the same. " He said commandingly. The words are soothing, but the tone was full of annoyance.
The winter knights did not move.
Just as the silence was getting awkward, and Jon Arryn was wondering if he should let his guards fight it out, Sansa spoke from the inside.
" Stand down. " a sweet and childish voice like tinkling icicles in the middle of the winter called for order. The men retreated in a single motion.
Jon Arryn cursed inwardly. Just what kind of daughter did Ned raise ? She seems to be more troublesome than his wild sister !
" Greetings my lord. " Sansa greeted icily.
She was holding the handles of a wheelchair . Jon was set up in a wheelchair, in new clothes and a shawl around his shoulders.
One look is enough for Jon Arryn to see that if he so much as spoke a word about Jon, the girl would cut him where he was standing. Yet, he can not let her go like this. It will be a stain on his reputation. Much worse, it will create a rift with Starks.
" My lady ! Welcome to my abode. I humbly offer to you bread and salt. " He said, despite there being no one around with a plate of bread and salt. The last two of the Arryn guards are quick on the uptake. They ran back to order someone from the kitchen.
" I am honored by your offer, yet, I must decline, my lord. My brother's sick, and it is of utmost importance he be treated as soon as possible. We have a place to stay in godswood of the kingslanding. We would rather leave early than be delayed by formalities. " Sansa answered, gathering all her patience to not snarl back.
She did not want to cause a diplomatic incident, but if this old bastard keeps standing in her way, she will be very willing to cut down people to make a path.
" My lady ! We have the best healers in the kingslanding attending to your brother… This place is more comfortable than any inn, or a random camp in goodswood of all things… " Jon Arryn would have continued had Sansa not cut him off.
" All the same, I would like to take him with me, My lord. Rather early than late. " Sansa bit out.
Jon Arryn should have known to let go.
By now, the entire area is two degrees colder, and the guards behind him are shivering under Sansa's icy glare.
" My Lady ." Jon Arryn began.
Sansa cut him off.
" Lord Arryn. My brother was brought near death twice under your care, and both times, he survived by the virtue of luck. I have not yet asked you for an explanation about both incidents on the account of my father's deep affection for you. So please, Let us part now. We will talk in detail when my brother is better. " Sansa said icily.
Jon Arryn let them go silently.