Out of the woods // Ned Stark

23. Bold

''Lord Stark is scared. '' Petyr remarked coming up to Maelia. She stared back at him.

Petyr expected maelia to say something bold like Ned Stark fears nothing. But she didnt.

''We all are Petyr.'' She corrected heading off.

'I'm sending you two back to Winterfell." Ned told sansa and Arya.

"What!" Sansa declared furiously, "What about Joffrey?"

"Are you dying because of your leg?" Arya questioned.

"Please, father. Please don't." Sansa's voice wavered with panic.

"You can't! I've got my lessons with Syrio. I'm finally getting good." Arya exclaimed. They didn't understand the severity of the situation, he was attacking by the queens brother, their mother had taken the queens other brother, it was not a good time to be a stark in the capital.

"This isn't a punishment." Ned assured them. "I want you back in Winterfell, 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." Ned muttered. "When you're old enough, I'll make you a match with someone who's worthy of you, someone who's brave and gentle and strong."

"I don't want someone brave and gentle and strong. I want him!" Sansa declared "He'll be the greatest king that ever was, a golden lion, and I'll give him sons with beautiful blonde hair." Sansa went on.

"The lion's not his sigil, idiot. He's a stag, like his father." Arya said matter of factly.

"No he's not. He's nothing like that drunk king." Sansa declared.

'Do you hear yourself Sansa?" Maelia questioned coming up to them. 'You don't want someone brave and gentle and strong? You want him?' Sansa stared at her defiantly. "The prince, as to quote your eldest brother is a prick." Maelia whispered and Arya burst out laughing.

"Robb said that?" Arya laughed out but Sansa crossed her arms over her chest in anger.

"You have seen just a fraction of his cruelty," Maelia reminded her. "You don't want someone that cowers away, you want someone willing to fight for you." Sansa sighed looking to Maelia, understanding but still not liking it. She wanted to be a princess.

"Come girls. Go pack." Ned told them to which they shouted louder in objection.

'Don't argue with your father.' Maelia told them.

'Go, stop arguing and pack.' Ned demanded, they kept going, Maelia growled at them and they sighed giving up and had their Septa take them back to their chambers to pack.

"Is that what I have to do?" Ned questioned pulling Maelia to him.

"What?'

"Growl to get them to listen." Ned mused.

"I think we all know my bark is worse than your bite." Maelia said nipping at his neck.

+++++

'They butchered them as if they were animals they covered our children and pigs and let them on fire. They weren't thieves they didn't steal nothing they even left something behind your grace.'

'He is the king's hand you are addressing not the king' Pycelle said 'the king is hunting.' The man stepped forward dumping out a bag filled with fish.

'Fish... they sigil of house Tully.' Petyr noted. 'Isn't that your wife's house Tully?' Petyr knowing full well it was with a smug look on his face.