Mirrorball // Sansa Stark

24. Begging

'You father has proved to be an awful traitor, my dear." Varys actually seemed sadden at that as they sat down. Eyes glaring down at Sansa, she tried to get closer to Jae, she trusted him, she didnt trust anyone else. If they thought Ned was a traitor then Sansa and Arya were in danger.

"King Robert's body was still warm when Lord Eddard began plotting to steal Joffrey's rightful throne." Pycelle, actually believed the words he was saying to be truth.

"He wouldn't do that." Sansa told them. "The king was his eldest friend." She looked pleadingly back at Jae. "Please, Your Grace, there's been a mistake." Sansa begged. "Send for my father. He'll tell you. The King was his friend." Sansa continued to plead, she wanted her father, she clung to Jae nervously.

"Sansa sweetling, you are innocent of any wrong. We know that. Yet you are the daughter of a traitor. How can I allow you to marry my son?" Cersei sat there, tall and proud of her accomplishment. Cersei looked to Jae and she wished she married him, he was the image of perfection now she had to do some digging to see if he was an accomplice and knew what Ned knew. 

"A child born of a traitor's seed is no fit consort for our King. She might be a sweet thing now. Your Grace, but in ten years who knows what treasons she may hatch?" Pycelle's reminded her.

"I won't hatch anything." Sansa declared nervously.

"Sansa is innocent... your grace. She should be given a chance to prove her loyalty." Jae offered. "Please, she didnt do anything wrong." Cersei hummed her agreement as she looked back at Sansa. 

"Little Dove, you must write to Lady Catelyn and your brother, the eldest..."

"Robb." Sansa filled in his name for her as Cersei nodded and grabbed a piece of paper for Sansa.

"Word of your father's arrest will reach him soon, no doubt. Best it comes from you. If you would help your father urge your brother to keep the King's Peace. Tell him to come to King's Landing and swear his fealty to Joffrey."

"If...If I could see my father... perhaps I could... Talk to him about-" sansa tried.

"You disappoint me, child. We have told you of your father's treason. Why would you want to speak to a traitor?"

"He is my father." Sansa whimpered. "What will happen to him?" Sansa's mind raced thinking of the worst. She looked to Jae but his face was unreadable, he didnt want her to know that Ned's fate was certainly going to be the wall or... death. 

"That depends." Cersei told her.

"On...' sansa swallowed the lump in her throat. 'on what?"

"On your brother. And on you." Cersei gave Sansa the paper and quill. Sansa nodded, and cersei told her what to write, a smug smile on cerseis face. 

+

'Lord stark you must be thirsty.' Varys said kneeling before him handing him a jug of water. 'I promise you it's not poisonous.' he said uncorked it, taking a sip before handing it over. And Ned took a long chug. 'Not so much my Lord I would save the rest if I were you, hide it men have been known to die of thirst in the cells.'

''What about my daughters?'

'The younger one has seem to escape the castle even my birds cannot seem to find her.'

'And Sansa?'

'Still engaged to Joffrey, Cersei will keep her close the rest of your household though are all dead it appears. I hate the sight of blood.' Varys admitted.

''You watched my men being slaughtered and you did nothing.' Ned sneered

''And I would again my Lord I was unarmed and surrounded by Lannister swords. when you look at me do you see a hero?" Ned took another sip 'what madness led you to tell the queen the truth about Joffrey's birth?''

"Your grace, a word?" Jae requested. Cersei turned to her. "I went to see sansa but wasnt granted access." 

"Yes." Cersei agreed simply. Jae cleared his throat. 

"Why not? Have I dont something wrong your grace?" Jae countered. 

"No, but we dont know what Sansa might hatch, if she was in on Eddards ploy... if you were." Cersei demanded her gaze turning sharply to meet his. 

"Me?" Jae questioned choking out a laugh. Ned was right, if Jae was there he would have been seen as an enemy. "Your grace, I have known your family for ages, I hosted you at my home-"

"So did Ned Stark." Cersei corrected. 

'The madness of mercy. That she might protect her children.' ned admitted.

''the children, it's always the innocent to suffer... It wasn't the wine that killed Robert or the boar though the wine slowed him down and the boar ripped him open but it was your mercy that killed the king. I trust you... but you are a dead man lord Eddard stark.' Varys told him.

''The queen can't kill us,' Ned said confidently. 'we have her brother.' Ned reminded him.

''The wrong brother sadly.' Varys informed him. 'Besides, your wife has let the imp slip through her fingers.''

"I dont know what I can say to convince you, I didnt know what Ned had planned. I was checking on his children." Jae went on. "I want to check on Sansa, she is scared and alone." Jae reminded her. 

"Ned said joffrey wasnt heir, why would he say that?" Cersei demanded. 

"Your grace, you might remember that Ned was stabbed, rather viciously and he was on a lot of herbals for the pain. Poppy. I think he was high on the poppy, no other reason makes sense. Robert was his best friend." Jae assured. Cersei nodded seeming content with that answer. 

'If that is true then slit my throat and be done with it.' Ned declared.

'Not today my Lord' Varys corrected. 

''Tell me some thing Varys who do you truly serve?' Ned questioned.

'The realm my Lord. Someone must.' Varys said walking away and leaving him in darkness.

"Cersei when you were shipped off to robert werent you scared?" Jae questioned. "Sansa is scared. Let me be there for her." Jae begged. "She wont hatch any plans. She is scared and confused. Please. You know what its like. You are a good person looking out for your family. The starks are like family to me. Let me take care of sansa."