Silver Stag

Conversations

[King's Landing - Sansa's Room]

Septa Mordane knit, sitting on a chair. Sansa doing the same on her chair, in front of her. 

Mordane stopped knitting and looked at Sansa. "You wear your hair like a real southern lady now."

"Well, why shouldn't I? We're in the South."

Septa Mordane resumed knitting. "It's important to remember where you come from. I'm not sure your mother would like these new styles."

"My mother isn't from the North. "

"I'm aware of that. "

Sansa looked at Septa Mordane. "Why do you care? Do you even have hair under there?"

"Yes, I have hair."

"I've nevr seen it."

"Would you like to?"

Sansa looked at her Septa. "No. Where are you from anyway? The North or the South?"

"I come from a very small village in..."

 Sansa Stark: Oh, wait. I just realized, I don't care." She snarked, continuing her knitting. 

"Sansa..."

Sansa stopped knitting and looked up at Mordane. "Septa."

A door leading to the room, some feet away, opened.

"Now you are being rude."

Joffrey walked into the room, causing Sansa and Mordane to stand.

As Joffrey walked to Sansa, Mordane curtsied."My Prince."

Sansa followed suit, curtsying. "My Prince."

Joffrey bowed in front of Sansa. "My Lady. I fear I have behaved monstrously the past few weeks." He showed her a necklace he was holding. "With your permission? " She turned, smiling, allowing Joffrey to put it around her neck. She moved her pony tails to her front and held the heart on the necklace) 

Sansa turned to face him. "It's beautiful, like the one your mother wears."

 "You'll be Queen someday. It's only fitting you should look the part." He looked down for a moment, then back up at her. "Will you forgive me for my rudeness?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

"You're my Lady. One day we'll be married in the throne room." Sansa smiled at that. "Lords and ladies from all over the Seven Kingdoms will come, from the last hearth in the North to the Salt Shore in the South, and you will be Queen over all of them." Sansa continued smiling, while Mordane, some feet away, looked down at the floor, unconvinced. "I'll nevr disrespect you again. I'll nevr be cruel to you again. Do you understand me? You're my Lady now, from this day...." He touched her cheek. "Until my last day." He moved in and they kissed. Once they had pulled apart, Sansa smiled.

After he had left, Aelinor had decided to pay her a visit. She had heard the conversation between her mother and brother upon their arrival in the capital. Hearing about him visiting the young girl's chambers, she knew she needed to talk to her.

"He's nothing like he just you, I hope you know that," Aelinor told her. " His 'gift', no more than a collar. Another way to say he owns you."

"My Prince isn't like that," Sansa protested.

"Oh really? You don't mean to tell me you're actually falling for his act."

"It's not an act. The Prince is kind, gentle. He will make a great King."

"May the Gods have mercy on all of us when that day arrives." Aelinor muttered to herself.

"It's true. He's so romantic. He gave me a necklace like your mother's. Told me I am to be his Queen, so I should look like it. We will marry and I will give him beautiful blonde babies, as I'm sure you'll do for your Lord Husband. Men must be lining up from all over."

Aelinor couldn't believe her ears. How could one be so naive?

"Yes. How romantic," she muttered, sarcastically. "The dream of being Queen. Only to be imprisoned in a castle and made to squeeze out heirs. Because the Gods know men believe that is our only purpose. Besides, these men who seek my hand don't want me. They only want my royal blood for their offspring. A chance to be close to the current and future king."

Sansa was stunned silent.

"Just something you might want to think about," Aelinor told her, before turning and exiting her chambers.

[King's Landing - The Hand's Chambers]

Ned walked with his stick up to Sansa and Arya, both sitting on his bed.

"I'm sending you both back to Winterfell."

"What?" Sansa said.

 "Listen." Ned told them. 

"What about Joffrey?" She asked.

"Are you dying because of your leg? Is that why you're sending us home?" Arya joined in the questioning.

"What? No."

"Please, father." Sansa pleaded.

"You can't. I've got my lessons with Syrio. I'm finally getting good."

"This isn't a punishment. I want you back for your own safety."

"Can we take Syrio back with us?"

"Who cares about your stupid dancing teacher? I can't go. I'm supposed to marry Prince Joffrey. I love him and I'm meant to be his Queen and have his babies."

"Seven hells." Arya muttered.

"When you're old enough, I'll make you a match with someone who's worthy of you, someone brave, gentle and strong..."

"I don't want someone brave, gentle and strong. I want him!"

Arya smiled and lightly chuckled. Ned, doing his best not to follow suit, looked down.

"He'll be the greatest King that ever was, a golden lion, and I'll give him sons with beautiful blond hair. "

Ned looked up, pondering at that statement.

"The lion's not his sigil, idiot. He's a stag, like his father."

"He is not. He's nothing like that old drunk King."

Ned shooed his daughters away. "Go on girls, get your Septa and start packing your things." He turned and walked to his desk.

"Wait!"

Arya, deciding to listen for once, grabbed Sansa's arm and pulled her towards the door. "Come on."

"But it's not fair!"

Arya opened the door and exited with Sansa, who quickly turned her head back at Ned before being pulled out of the room.

Ned sat on a chair and opened a book on his desk, The Lineages of The Great Houses of Westeros. He turned a few pages before stopping at House Baratheon.

"Lord Orys Baratheon, black of hair. Axel Baratheon, black of hair. Lyonel Baratheon, black of hair. Steffon Baratheon, black of hair." He turned a page "Robert Baratheon, black of hair. Joffrey Baratheon... Golden-hair." He looks up with a look of realization as he closed the book.

He had found the reason Jon Arryn has been searching for and speaking to Robert's bastards.