End Game// Tormund Giantsbane (3)

56. Lessons Learned

"If we have the Dothraki ride hard on the kingsroad, they'll arrive at Winterfell within the fortnight." Jon remarked.

"And the Unsullied? We can sail with them to White Harbor, meet the Dothraki here on the kingsroad, then ride together to Winterfell." Daenerys agreed

"Perhaps you should fly to Winterfell, Your Grace." Jorah corrected "You have many enemies in the North. Thousands fell fighting your father. All it takes is one angry man with a crossbow." Dany looked to Jon hesitantly. "He'll see your silver hair on the kingsroad and know that one well-placed bolt will make him a hero. The man who killed the conqueror."

"It's your decision, Your Grace. But if we're going to be allies in this war, it's important for the Northerners to see us as allies. If we sail to White Harbor together, I think it sends a better message." Jon remarked.

"I've not come to conquer the North. I'm coming to save the North. We sail together." Daenerys agreed

+

"If you do this... do you want to? I can do it." Caro offered. 

"I want to." Sansa corrected. "I want to be the one. I want to be the one because he did this to me." 

"Okay." caro agreed. 

Caro, Sansa and Bran sat at the great table, with maester wolkan standing to the side. The room is filled with northmen. The guards escort Arya into the hall, and leave her standing alone in front of the table. Arya looked around seeing Yohn and Petyr.

" Are you sure you want to do this?" Arya asked calmly

"It's not what I want. It's what honor demands." Caro agreed

" And what does honor demand?" Arya pondered.

" That I defend my family from those who would harm us. That I defend the North from those who would betray us." Caro declared. "I didnt do a good job with that... but we need to fix things." 

"I need to make things right." Sansa agreed. She was terrified but she knew this was right.

"All right, then. Get on with it."

"You stand accused of murder. You stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges... Lord Baelish?" Sansa questioned. They turned their heads towards Petyr, as do the others in the room. Petyr was dumbfounded. He blinked back at them.

" My sister asked you a question." Arya reminded him.

"Lady Sansa, forgive me I'm a bit confused." Petyr offered as he took a step forward.

"Which charges confuse you?" Caro countered. 

"Let's start with the simplest one you murdered our aunt, Lysa Arryn. You pushed her through the Moon Door and watched her fall. Do you deny it?" Sansa questioned.

"I did it to protect you." Petyr reminded her.

"You did it to take power in the Vale. Earlier, you conspired to murder Jon Arryn. You gave Lysa Tears of Lys to poison him. Do you deny it?" Sansa questioned calmly.

"Whatever your aunt might have told you, she was a troubled woman. She imagined enemies everywhere."

"You had Aunt Lysa send a letter to our parents telling them it was the Lannisters who murdered Jon Arryn when, really, it was you. The conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters, it was you who started it. Do you deny it?" Sansa went on and Petyr stuttered out getting closer.

"I know of no such letter." Petyr corrected

"You conspired with Cersei Lannister and Joffrey Baratheon to betray my brother and my nieces and nephews father, Ned Stark." Caro declared trying to be brave. "Thanks to your treachery, he was imprisoned and later executed on false charges of treason. Do you deny it?" Caro demanded.

"I deny it! None of you were there to see what happened. None of you knows the truth." Petyr shouted.

"You held a knife to his throat." Bran remarked and Petyr looked to him. Sansa saw the surprise on Petyr's face that Bran knew such a thing. Caro couldnt believe the horrors Bran had seen at such a young age. She missed his smile. She missed his carefree nature, he seemed so sullen, filled with memory and grief, loss, she wondered if he ever saw the good in life or only the horrors. 

"You said, "I did warn you not the trust me." Bran recalled.

"You told our mother this knife belonged to Tyrion Lannister, but that was another one of your lies. It was yours." Arya declared pulling free the blade. Petyr thought it best to go straight to the source.

" Lady Sansa, I have known you since you were a girl. I've protected you." Petyr reminded her.

" Protected me? By selling me to the Boltons?"

"If we could speak alone, I can explain everything." Petyr begged.

"You are never going to be alone with Sansa again." Caro corrected. 

"Sometimes when I'm trying to understand a person's motives, I play a little game. I assume the worst. What's the worst reason you have for turning me against my sister." Sansa remarked. "That's what you do, isn't it? That's what you've always done turn family against family, turn sister against sister. That's what you did to our mother and Aunt Lysa and that's what you tried to do to us."

"Sansa, please."

"I'm a slow learner, it's true. But I learn." Sansa informed him.

"Give me a chance to defend myself. I deserve that." Petyr begged and Sansa nodded.

"I am Lord Protector of the Vale and I command you to escort me safely back to the Eyrie." Petyr declared looking to Yohn Royce.

"I think not." Yohn corrected. Petyr looked to Sansa kneeling before her.

" Sansa, I beg you! I loved your mother since the time I was a boy." Petyr begged

"And yet, you betrayed her." Sansa agreed. 

"I loved you. More than anyone." Petyr offered

"And yet, you betrayed me." Sansa corrected as she rose up. ''When you brought me back to Winterfell, you told me there's no justice in the world, not unless we make it. Thank you for all your many lessons, Lord Baelish. I will never forget them." Sansa declared as Arya stepped forward.

"Sansa!" Petyr declared as Arya gave a quick slash at his throat with his own blade.