A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-four

SansaHe wouldnt circulate Ser Loras, Sansa told Jeyne Poole that night as they shared a unwarmed supper by lamplight. I think it was because of his leg. churchman Eddard had taken his supper in his bedchamber with Alyn, Harwin, and Vayon Poole, the better to rest his broken leg, and Septa Mordane had complained of sore feet after stand up in the g entirelyery all daylight. Arya was supposed to join them, entirely she was slowly coming back from her dancing lesson.His leg? Jeyne said uncertainly. She was a pretty, dark-haired girl of Sansas proclaim age. Did Ser Loras hurt his leg? non his leg, Sansa said, nibbling delicately at a chicken leg. Fathers leg, silly. It hurts him constantly so over very much, it makes him cross. Otherwise Im certain he would have sent Ser Loras.Her puzzles decision still bewildered her. When the Knight of Flowers had speak up, shed been sure she was to the highest degree to see bingle of Old Nans stories come to action. Ser Gregor was the daemon and Ser Loras the veritable hero who would slay him. He even looked a true hero, so slim and bonnie, with prospering roses around his slender waist and his lively brown hair tumbling down into his eyes. And accordingly Father had refused him It had unhinged her more than she could tell. She had said as much to Septa Mordane as they descended the stairs from the gallery, notwithstanding the septa had only told her it was not her place to question her professional preceptors decisions.That was when Lord Baelish had said, Oh, I dont know, Septa. Some of her lord fathers decisions could do with a bit of questioning. The young lady is as wise as she is screwly. He make a wholesale relegate to Sansa, so deep she was not quite sure if she was beingness compli handsted or mocked.Septa Mordane had been rattling upset to realize that Lord Baelish had overheard them. The girl was and tal fairy, my lord, shed said. Foolish chatter. She meant nothing by the comment.Lord Ba elish stroked his little pointed compensated and said, energy? Tell me, child, why would you have sent Ser Loras?Sansa had no choice however to explain about heroes and monsters. The kings councillor smiled. Well, those are not the reasons Id have given, provided . . . He had touched her cheek, his thumb lightly tracing the line of a cheekbone. Life is not a song, sweetling. You may learn that one day to your sorrow.Sansa did not olfactory perception the like telling all that to Jeyne, however it do her uneasy scantily to think back on it.Ser Ilyns the Kings Justice, not Ser Loras, Jcyne said. Lord Eddard should have sent him.Sansa shuddered. Every time she looked at Ser Ilyn Payne, she shivered. He made her feel as though something dead were slithering over her bare skin. Ser Ilyns almost like a second monster. Im glad Father didnt peck at him.Lord Beric is as much a hero as Ser Loras. Hes ever so brave and gallant.I suppose, Sansa said doubtfully. Beric Dondarrion was reach outsome enough, simply he was awfully old, almost twenty- 2 the Knight of Flowers would have been much better. Of course, Jeyne had been in love with Lord Beric ever since she had first glimpsed him in the lists. Sansa thought she was being silly Jeyne was only a stewards daughter, after all, and no matter how much she mooned after him, Lord Beric would never look at someone so far beneath him, even if she hadnt been half his age.It would have been unkind to advance so, however, so Sansa in any casek a sip of milk and changed the subject. I had a envisage that J forwardrey would be the one to take the white hart, she said. It had been more of a wish, actually, but it sounded better to send for it a day- fancy. Everyone knew that dreams were prophetic. White harts were supposed to be very rare and magical, and in her heart she knew her gallant prince was worthier than his drunken father.A dream? Truly? Did Prince Joffrey just go up to it and touch it with his bare hand a nd do it no harm?No, Sansa said. He shot it with a luxurious arrow and brought it back for me. In the songs, the knights never killed magical beasts, they just went up to them and touched them and did them no harm, but she knew Joffrey care hunting, in particular the killing part. moreover animals, though. Sansa was certain her prince had no part in murdering Jory and those other poor men that had been his dreaded uncle, the Kingslayer. She knew her father was still angry about that, but it wasnt middling to blame Joff. That would be like blaming her for something that Arya had done.I saw your sister this afternoon, Jeyne blurted out, as if shed been reading Sansas thoughts. She was walking through the stables on her hands. Why would she do a thing like that?Im sure I dont know why Arya does anything. Sansa scorned stables, smelly places full of manure and flies. Even when she went riding, she liked the boy to saddleback the horse and bring it to her in the yard. Do you hop e to hear about the court or not?I do, Jeyne said.Thither was a disgraceful brother, Sansa said, begging men for the Wall, only he was kind of old and smelly. She hadnt liked that at all. She had always imagined the Nights Watch to be men like Uncle Benjen. In the songs, they were called the black knights of the Wall. But this man had been crookbacked and hideous, and he looked as though he might have lice. If this was what the Nights Watch was truly like, she felt speculative for her bastard half brother, Jon. Father asked if in that location were any knights in the dorm room who would do honor to their houses by taking the black, but no one came forward, so he gave this Yoren his pick of the kings dungeons and sent him on his way. And later these two brothers came before him, freeriders from the Dornish Marches, and pledged their swords to the service of the king. Father accepted their oaths . . . Jeyne yawned. Are in that location any scum bag cakes?Sansa did not like being interrupted, but she had to admit, lemon cakes sounded more interesting than most of what had gone on in the pile room. Lets see, she said.The kitchen yielded no lemon cakes, but they did find half of a cold strawberry pie, and that was almost as good. They ate it on the tower steps, giggling and gossipmongering and sharing secrets, and Sansa went to bed that night feeling almost as wicked as Arya.The next morning she woke before first light and crept sleepily to her window to watch Lord Beric form up his men. They rode out as dawn was breaking over the city, with three banners going before them the coronate stag of the king flew from the high staff, the direwolf of stark(a) and Lord Berics own twofold lightning standard from shorter poles. It was all so exciting, a song come to life the clatter of swords, the flicker of torchlight, banners dancing in the wind, horses snorting and whinnying, the golden luster of sunrise slanting through the bars of the portcullis as it jerked upward. The Winterfell men looked especially fine in their silvery mail and long grey cloaks.Alyn carried the Stark banner. When she saw him rein in beside Lord Beric to exchange words, it made Sansa feel ever so knightly. Alyn was handsomer than Jory had been he was going to be a knight one day.The Tower of the Hand seemed so empty after they leave that Sansa was even pleased to see Arya when she went down to break her fast. Where is everyone? her sister cherished to know as she ripped the skin from a blood chromatic. Did Father send them to hunt down Jaime Lannister?Sansa sighed. They rode with Lord Beric, to behead Ser Gregor Clegane. She turned to Septa Mordane, who was eating porridge with a wooden spoon. Septa, will Lord Beric spike Ser Gregors head on his own gate or bring it back here for the king? She and Jeyne Poole had been reason over that polish night.The septa was horror-struck. A lady does not discuss such(prenominal) things over her porridge. Where are your cou rtesies, Sansa? I swear, of late youve been near as drear as your sister.What did Gregor do? Arya asked.He burned down a fixture and murdered a lot of people, women and children too.Arya screwed up her face in a scowl. Jaime Lannister murdered Jory and Heward and Wyl, and the Hound murdered Mycah. Somebody should have beheaded them.Its not the same, Sansa said. The Hound is Joffreys s indistinct shield. Your butchers boy attacked the prince.Liar, Arya said. Her hand clenched the blood orange so hard that red juice oozed between her fingers.Go ahead, call me all the names you want, Sansa said airily. You wont dare when Im married to Joffrey. Youll have to bow to me and call me Your Grace. She shrieked as Arya flung the orange across the table. It caught her in the middle(a) of the forehead with a wet squish and plopped down into her lap.You have juice on your face, Your Grace, Arya said. It was ladder down her nose and stinging her eyes. Sansa wiped it out-of- entry with a napk in. When she saw what the fruit in her lap had done to her beautiful os silk soak, she shrieked again. Youre horrible, she screamed at her sister. They should have killed you instead of LadySepta Mordane came lurching to her feet. Your lord father will hear of this Go to your chambers, at once. At onceMe too? Tears welled in Sansas eyes. Thats not fair.The matter is not subject to discussion. GoSansa s blethered away with her head up. She was to be a milksop, and queens did not cry. At least not where people could see. When she reached her bedchamber, she barred the door and took off her dress. The blood orange had left a blotchy red skank on the silk. I hate her she screamed. She balled up the dress and flung it into the cold hearth, on top of the ashes of last nights fire. When she saw that the stain had bled through onto her underskirt, she began to sob condescension herself. She ripped off the rest of her clothes wildly, threw herself into bed, and cried herself back to sle ep.It was midday when Septa Mordane knocked upon her door. Sansa. Your lord father will see you now.Sansa sat up. Lady, she whispered. For a moment it was as if the direwolf was there in the room, looking at her with those golden eyes, sad and knowing. She had been dreaming, she realized. Lady was with her, and they were running together, and . . . and . . . trying to remember was like trying to catch the rain with her fingers. The dream faded, and Lady was dead again.Sansa. The rap came again, sharply. Do you hear me?Yes, Septa, she called out. Might I have a moment to dress, please? Her eyes were red from crying, but she did her best to make herself beautiful.Lord Eddard was bent over a Brobdingnagian leather-bound book when Septa Mordane marched her into the solar, his plaster-wrapped leg stiff beneath the table. Come here, Sansa, he said, not unkindly, when the septa had gone for her sister. Sit beside me. He closed the book.Septa Mordane returned with Arya squirming in her gra sp. Sansa had put on a lovely pale green damask gown and a look of remorse, but her sister was still wearing the ratty leathers and roughspun shed worn at breakfast. Here is the other one, the septa announced.My thanks, Septa Mordane. I would talk to my daughters alone, if you would be so kind. The septa bowed and left.Arya started it, Sansa said quickly, anxious to have the first word. She called me a liar and threw an orange at me and spoiled my dress, the ivory silk, the one Queen Cersei gave me when I was betrothed to Prince Joffrey. She hates that Im going to marry the prince. She tries to spoil everything, Father, she force outt stand for anything to be beautiful or nice or splendid.Enough, Sansa. Lord Eddards voice was sharp with impatience.Arya raised(a) her eyes. Im sorry, Father. I was wrong and I beg my sweet sisters forgiveness.Sansa was so blow out of the water that for a moment she was speechless. Finally she plant her voice. What about my dress? perchance . . . I could wash it, Arya said doubtfully.Washing wont do any good, Sansa said. Not if you scrubbed all day and all night. The silk is ruined.Then Ill . . . make you a new one, Arya said.Sansa threw back her head in disdain. You? You couldnt sew a dress fit to clean the pigsties.Their father sighed. I did not call you here to talk of dresses. Im sending you both back to Winterfell.For the second time Sansa found herself too stunned for words. She felt her eyes grow moist again.You cant, Arya said.Please, Father, Sansa managed at last. Please dont.Eddard Stark favored his daughters with a tired smile. At last weve found something you agree on.I didnt do anything wrong, Sansa pleaded with him. I dont want to go back. She loved Mngs Landing the pagaentry of the court, the high lords and ladies in their velvets and silks and gemstones, the great city with all its people. The tournament had been the most magical time of her whole life, and there was so much she had not seen yet, harvest feasts and masked balls and mummer shows. She could not bear the thought of losing it all. Send Arya away, she started it, Father, I swear it. Ill be good, youll see, just allow me stay and I promise to be as fine and dread and courteous as the queen.Fathers mouth twitched strangely. Sansa, Im not sending you away for fighting, though the gods know Im sick of you two squabbling. I want you back in Winterfell for your own safety. Three of my men were cut down like dogs not a league from where we sit, and what does Robert do? He goes hunting.Arya was chewing at her back talk in that disgusting way she had. Can we take Syrio back with us?Who cares about your stupid dancing master? Sansa flared. Father, I only just now remembered, I cant go away, Im to marry Prince Joffrey. She tried to smile bravely for him. I love him, Father, I truly truly do, I love him as much as Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, as much as Jonquil loved Ser Florian. I want to be his queen and have hi s babies.Sweet one, her father said gently, listen to me. When youre old enough, I will make you a match with a high lord whos worthy of you, someone brave and gentle and strong. This match with Joffrey was a terrible mistake. That boy is no Prince Aemon, you must believe me.He is Sansa insisted. I dont want someone brave and gentle, I want him. Well be ever so happy, just like in the songs, youll see. Ill give him a son with golden hair, and one day hell be the king of all the realm, the greatest king that ever was, as brave as the wolf and as proud as the lion.Arya made a face. Not if Joffreys his father, she said. Hes a liar and a craven and anyhow hes a stag, not a lion.Sansa felt tear in her eyes. He is not Hes not the least bit like that old drunken king, she screamed at her sister, forgetting herself in her grief.Father looked at her strangely. Gods, he swore softly, out of the mouth of babes . . . He shouted for Septa Mordane. To the girls he said, I am looking for a fast trading galley to take you home. These days, the ocean is safer than the kingsroad. You will sail as soon as I can find a proper ship, with Septa Mordane and a complement of guards . . . and yes, with Syrio Forel, if he agrees to go in my service. But say nothing of this. Its better if no one knows of our plans. Well talk again tomorrow.Sansa cried as Septa Mordane marched them down the steps. They were going to take it all away the tournaments and the court and her prince, everything, they were going to send her back to the bleak grey walls of Winterfell and ringlet her up forever. Her life was over before it had begun.Stop that weeping, child, Septa Mordane said sternly. I am certain your lord father knows what is best for you.It wont be so bad, Sansa, Arya said. Were going to sail on a galley. It will be an adventure, and then well be with Bran and Robb again, and Old Nan and Hodor and the rest. She touched her on the arm.Hodor Sansa yelled. You ought to marry Hodor, youre just like him, stupid and hairy and ugly She wrenched away from her sisters hand, stormed into her bedchamber, and barred the door behind her.