The guards had taken her to her rooms mere moments after her husband's arrest, and she wondered if she would have had a chance escaping while the king had laid dying. Unlikely, but the mere fact she hadn't even tried frustrated her.

Seeing Joffrey retching and choking on the ground had been horrifying, despite what he had done to her.

And she knew they accused her of his murder.

No one had said it outright, of course, but she had been locked in her quarters without a word or sign from outside, other from the food being brought to her thrice a day. Lord Tyrion had likely been taken to the cells, leaving her alone.

That day's events still hung over her like a dark cloud, one she wasn't able to make sense of.

Joffrey had been poisoned - because choking on wine was rather unlikely - but by whom? And how did they do it?

The king had amassed many enemies, therefore the likelihood of Tyrion being the assassin was low.

(But not impossible.)

Whatever. Why did she even care? Her only objective at this point in time should be to get out of this and far, far away from King's Landing.

A knock sounded on her door, then the key turned in the lock and a Lannister soldier stepped in.

"Lady Sansa, the Queen has demanded you appear before the judges."

The story that had formed in Queen Cersei's mind was clear to see - after being denied to marry the king and out of revenge for her family, Sansa, with help of her new husband, had conspired to kill the king on his wedding day. Cersei likely regretted the day she had ever allowed her to come south.

As did Sansa.

Her dress was the simple grey-purple gown with the embroidered weirwood leaves she had worn so often before, and she didn't feel like changing it. If they were going to kill her today, let them do it while she was covered in the memory of home.

The walk to the throne room was over quicker than she would have liked. Four soldiers in the intricate red and gold armour of House Lannister had been sent to fetch her, and the notion that she was being treated the way a dangerous criminal might almost elicited a laugh from her. Almost.

People lined the way to the dais, each of them staring at her, but she held her head high and didn't allow her own gaze to leave her destination.

Two wooden stands had been erected, one of them occupied by Lord Tyrion, the other likely meant for her. Lord Tywin was seated on the Iron Throne, and was flanked on both sides by wooden chairs, Lord Mace having taken up the one on her right, Prince Oberyn the one on her left.

This was a trial, presided over by three judges, yet she did not know yet if she was being called as a witness or an accused.

As she took her place in the wooden stand, she could not help but compare just how differently the three men looked. Tywin acted as if he was the king himself, looking upon the room as if every single person inside of it was beneath him. Oberyn downright lounged in his chair, seemingly viewing this trial as something to amuse himself. And Mace was… Well, Mace.

Lord Tywin's voice echoed through the room. "Lady Sansa Stark, you have been called here because your husband, Lord Tyrion Lannister, is being accused of killing King Joffrey. Did you help him?"

She took a breath to calm her trembling hands. "No, my lord."

"Has he ever talked to you of wanting to kill the king?"

"No, my lord."

"Have you noticed anything he did that would indicate him wanting to kill the king?"

"No, my lord."

Perhaps it was in poor taste to always answer the same three words during a trial, but she did not know what else to say. She was answering his questions, at least, so Lord Tywin could not be too angry with her.

"Do you think Lord Tyrion capable of killing the king?"

"Lord Tyrion has always been cordial with me, but based on our limited interactions I cannot say."

"You were once betrothed to King Joffrey. Did you want to kill him after he broke it off to marry Lady Margaery?"

"No, my lord." She tried to control her panic, while still letting some of it seep through. Best they saw her as a confused, little girl too stupid to plot a murder. "I loved His Grace, but I am nothing more than the daughter of a traitor. While I was disappointed and sad His Grace had set me aside, I know that Lady Margaery would make a far better queen than I."

Lord Tywin simply stared at her for a few moments, trying to find anything incriminating in her words. Then he continued, "During King Joffrey's death, you were not at the high table with the royal family, but alone in the crowd. Did you know what was about to happen and tried to run away?"

"No, my lord," she answered quickly. "I had been feeling sick from one of the foods, I think, so I retreated momentarily to not cause a scene." Liar. It had not been the food but the show, the dwarves acting out the war and the fate of her brother. But no one could possibly know that, could they? "When I returned I bumped into a woman, she said her name was Elle, and she engaged me in a conversation. The moment I wanted to resume my place at the table, His Grace started choking, and I didn't know what to do. I was horrified, I had never seen such a-" She took an obvious breath. "I don't know how long I stood there, but eventually guards showed up and escorted me to my rooms."

For the first time since she had entered the room, Prince Oberyn spoke up. "Elle is my daughter. I saw them together before it happened. Lady Sansa is telling the truth."

Oh. Considering her striking resemblance to Queen Cersei, she had assumed Elle to be a Lannister cousin or something of the sort. Perhaps she covered up her hair because she hated the family she was born into and did not want to be associated with them - at least, that had been what she had thought at the moment. That had also been why she had stayed with her for so long. If anyone could keep her from being punished by House Lannister for leaving her seat, it was one of their own.

To now find out she was a Martell… Maybe what she had said about her brother had been the truth, after all. She had not wanted to believe it - how and why would a Lannister know if her brother had survived, and why would they tell her - but if Elle was a Martell she would have no reason to lie to her. And if she had known her mother, she must have known her brother, and might have been with him during the Red Wedding. If - if - she had been with him, she might even know where he was now.

He's alive, the words echoed through her head. He's alive.

She had to talk to Elle again.

"So you had no prior knowledge of the assassination of King Joffrey?"

"No, my lord. I would never wish such a fate upon anyone after what happened to my family."

Silence hung in the hall, before Lord Tywin dismissed her. She spared a singular glance towards Tyrion yet was not quite able to read his expression. Was he happy, sad, disappointed, glad? In her efforts to save herself she had not made sure to exonerate him as well - had he expected her to?

The four guards took her in their midst once more and escorted her out of the throne room, led her to her quarters, and then locked the door.

a/n: i thought not enough happened this chapter, so i'll upload another one right after this one. it should already be out when you're reading this