Nymeria

King's Landing

Nymeria wandered into King's Landing one day, and hid behind a big shop, looking out for intruders. 

Little did she know, Arya, Sansa and Lord Eddard were also there. 

But they were in the castle. Nymeria hid in the day, and walked out at night to take a walk. No one could see her in the night, and Nymeria felt safe.

Since Lady was killed, Nymeria was afraid. Though Lady had mostly been cruel to her, she still was her sister. Nymeria didn't want to lose any more of her pack.

In King's Landing many merchants came and went, shouting sales, orders, and what not. Nymeria listened intently to every shout, and sometimes she heard gossip. 

Lord Eddard was elected Hand. There was to be a tourney in honor of him. The Mountain that rides, Ser Gregor Clegane, had killed a boy in that tourney. Jon Arryn had been poisoned. Some said Jon Arryn had been poisoned by his squire, Ser Hugh, while others said the queen had killed him to get him out of his way. Some people even suggested his wife, though that was rare. Lysa Arryn was much loved in the streets, with some people saying that Lysa could be their true queen instead of Cersei Lannister.

Though Nymeria didn't know Lysa Arryn, she thought anyone could be a better queen than Cersei. The woman had ordered Lady to be killed, and Nymeria hated her for that.

One day she was going for a walk at night, when she suddenly heard steps. She darted aside into a bay, and almost fell on the Blackwater. She silently hid, as quiet as a shadow, and observed the two people coming in.

Both men were immensely fat. The first man was completely bald, and round. The other man was very fat, fatter than the first man, and though there was hair on his head he was hugely obese. 

"We have no choice," the obese man was saying. "A war is certain. If one hand can die, why not the new?"

At that moment Nymeria heard a scuffling of feet. It was so soft, that only she could hear it. She turned her head towards the noise, and saw Arya Stark running away.

Nymeria's heart froze.

Part of her wanted to run to Arya. She almost did, but then she realized if she was found the queen was like to skin her. She stood still in her tracks, and listened to the two people.

"No need of that," said the bald man. "I have everything ready. The new Hand will die soon, but not before the king."

The king! Robert Baratheon had seemed friendly and a good king to Nymeria. Why would someone conspire to kill him?

The bald man and the obese man had moved on. Nymeria went back to her place behind the shop, and thought of all she had heard. Mostly she thought of Arya.

Now she knew that Eddard, Arya and Sansa were in the capital. She wanted to go back to Arya so much. 

But if she did, then Cersei would kill her. 

She quietly slipped out of the store and ran out of King's Landing.