Look What You Made Me Do // Ramsay Bolton

9. Live to Serve

"You look beautiful Salem." Sansa whispered.

"Thank you. You did sew it." Salem reminded her.

"Thats why its so beautiful." Sansa mused trying to lighten the mood.

"Tyrion was kind to me... Ramsay will not be so easily manipulated."

"Thats not true. I see the way he looks at you." Sansa offered.

"I need him to love me." Salem agreed. "Thats how I survived. How we survive."

"You dont think-"

"I dont know." Salem admitted "but im sorry Sansa. Not as much about Ramsay I can handle his temper but... Myranda."

"I hate her too." Sansa blurted out.

"Shes in love with Ramsay. She is going to try and hurt us to keep him." Salem remarked. "We cant let her."

+

"Do you think it's wise, Your Grace, arresting the heir to Highgarden?"

"The Faith arrested the heir to Highgarden." Cersei corrected

"Of course, and the Faith were armed on your orders. The king's orders. Is the king to blame for Ser Loras's perversion?" Petyr offered. 

"House Tyrell won't tolerate this insult."

"House Tyrell won't tolerate it?" Petyr mused.

"I'm the insulted party, Lord Baelish. Ser Loras was promised to me. Instead he chose the company of boys." Cersei offered and Petyr smiled knowingly.

"One's choice of companion is a curious thing." Petyr agreed and Cersei rose a perfectly arched brow.

"Most curious. Lysa Arryn, for instance. Thoroughly repellant woman. Forgive me. I know you're still in mourning. Lysa was a good woman. A kind woman." Cersei remarked.

"She was neither of those things. We both know it." Petyr corrected.

"Still, I pity her son. How fortunate the young Lord of the Vale has a new father to counsel him. I know how hard it can be to lose both your parents at such a young age." Cersei went on as Petyr crossed his hands in his lap anxious to leave.  "If war comes to Westeros, will the Knights of the Vale fight for their king?"
  "Young Lord Robin heeds my advice. And I have always counseled loyalty to the throne." Petyr agreed

"Good." Cersei agreed  "If there's nothing else..."

"There is another matter, Your Grace. Something so urgent I couldn't trust the words to a raven." Petyr added and Cersei nodded. "You once charged me with finding Arya Stark. To my shame, I failed you. But I have found Salem and Sansa Stark. Alive and well and home again living at Winterfell." Petyr declared.

"That's not possible." Cersei hissed.

"My sources are well placed." Petyr corrected, his sources being himself.  "They tell me Roose Bolton plans to marry her to his son Ramsay, a bastard recently legitimized by King Tommen."

"Roose Bolton is Warden of the North by the grace of my father." Cersei sneered.

"Indeed, his reward for stabbing his own king in the heart. We were fools to trust a turncloak. Marrying his son to the last of the Starks gives him more legitimacy in the North than an alliance with a hated southern house." Petyr remarked.

"I will skin him and his bastard like that wretch on their bloody sigil." Cersei spat.

"I would counsel patience, Your Grace." Petyr countered.

"Patience?" Cersei hissed glaring back at him.

+

Salem flattened out her dress for the millionth time when there was a knock at the door.

''Yes?"

" I've come to escort you to the godswood, my lady. If you please, my lady, will you take my arm?" Theon begged

" No." salem answered.

"Lord Ramsay, he said I'm to take your arm." Theon corrected.

" I'm not touching you." Salem hissed.  "Never again."

"Please. He'll punish me"

" You think I care what he does to you?" Salem hissed. Theon stared back at her and she saw how broken he was. "That might just be Ramsays best personality trait. That he hurts you."

"Salem... I know you hate me. Rightfully so. I hate that I hurt you. That I broke my promise. Salem I hate it. But I know you dont hate me as much as you claim." Theon begged.

"Lies." Salem rasped.

"You checked on me in the kennels. Gave me a blanket. You wouldnt have bothered if you didnt care." Theon offered.  Salem pursed her lips before she let out a sigh. Begrudgingly she grabbed his arm.

+

"Salem Stark helped murder my son. Roose Bolton is a traitor." Cersei shouted hands slamming down on the table.

"Stannis Baratheon is also a traitor, marching with his army on Winterfell. Let Stannis and Roose battle. Let the enemies of the throne slaughter each other. And when they're done, seize Winterfell from whichever thief survives." Petyr offered.  "Winterfell is 1,000 miles away from here. The weather has already begun to turn."

"That is why it is critical to strike soon while the victor still licks his wounds."

"Surely your Uncle Kevan could muster a force". Petyr offered

"My Uncle Kevan has all the courage of a kitchen mouse." Cersei corrected

"Ser Jaime, then." Petyr offered and Cersei licked nervously at her lips.

"Jaime's away on a sensitive diplomatic mission. I have no idea when he'll be back." Cersei admitted vaguely and Petyr watched her face curiously.

"Perhaps I can help. The Knights of the Vale are some of the best fighters in Westeros, trained to battle in the ice and the snow." Petyr offered kindly. 

''Forgive me, Lord Baelish, you have a reputation as a moneylender and a brothel keeper, not a military man. You wouldn't risk a single Lannister soldier or a single coin from the royal treasury."

"What do you have to lose? A brothel keeper?" Petyr pondered lightly.

"And if you succeed?'' Cersei asked

''Name me Warden of the North.'' Petyr offered

''I'll speak to the king this evening, have him issue a royal decree.'' Cersei informed him

''I'll not rest until the lion flies over Winterfell.'' Petyr assured

'' And I'll know you're a man of your word when I see Salem and Sansa Stark's heads on a spike.'' Cersei spat.

''As I said... I live to serve. '' Petyr remarked as he swallowed the lump in his throat.