Ever After AU

The News

Sansa had thought she had been her utmost sneaky self upon returning to Winterfell Manor and all she wanted to do was crawl up in her room and cry for a while. Instead, she was met by Cersei and Joffrey at the top of the stairs.

"Of all of the insidious jokes- turning your mother into a comtesse." Cersei snorted and sneered. "Why it's almost as absurd as a princess who spends her days with a servant known to sleep with the pigs."

Sansa was very much not in the mood to deal with her 'family'. She was running purely on exhaustion, anger, and pain. Sansa didn't want to hear anything against herself or Margaery and didn't care about what might happen to her.

"What bothers you more, Step-mother-" Sansa began in a choked off and hoarse voice. "That I am considered common or that I am the competition?"

"Where is the dress, Sansa?" Cersei got in her face and asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sansa replied in a depleted tone of voice. She really just wanted to go to bed.

"The gown, the slippers, the jacket..." Joffrey broke in. "All of it was in my room this morning, and now they're all gone."

"You hid them! I know it!" added Cersei, in what almost amounted to a shriek, prompting Nan and Hodor to run down the stairs in alarm. "Where did you put the clothes, Sansa?!" screamed Cersei.

Sansa felt rage bubbling up inside of her like a fire building. The wave of frustration built upon everything, all of her pain, the years of abuse, and just Cersei's face in front of hers; now her fury overflowed.

"Where are the candlesticks and the tapestries and the silver?" Sansa asked, her voice building as she found herself unable to hold the rage back. "Perhaps they are in the same place!"

"You will produce them all!"

"I would rather die a thousand deaths..." Sansa said in a voice that was more of a snarl. "than to see my father's clothes on that spoiled, selfish cow." She had begun to physically shake with her anger.

Nan watched in horror as Cersei dragged Sansa by the ear down the hall and shoved the girl in her room.
"Get in there!" Cersei bellowed. She slammed the door and bolted it shut. The Baroness turned to her children and the servants. "Open this door, and you'll wish you never set foot in this house. Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen gather everything left in this manor that will fetch a price. We're going to town first thing in the morning."

"Mother, it's only a ball." said Myrcella.

"Yes, and you're only going for the food." scoffed Cersei. Myrcella groaned and sighed to herself.

-----/////-----

"Engaged?! To an Essian!" Margaery exclaimed to her mother, shock, and heartbreak suddenly written across her face.

"I'm afraid so." the queen replied sympathetically, clearly hurting on behalf of her daughter.

"That's impossible." Margaery swore to herself. "There has to be some mistake."

"She was to be traveling by boat this afternoon." Alerie replied sadly. Margaery began to stomp away.

"Baroness Cersei was quite reluctant to talk." Alerie added.

"Well, it's no wonder when the tidings are such as these." Margaery laughed darkly. "If she were betrothed, then she damn well should've had the decency to say something!"

"Would you have listened?" Alerie asked, pointing out Margaery's own stubbornness.

"Of course not!" Margaery shouted. "I would've-" she stopped herself suddenly. She sighed suddenly, breathing heavily at her realization.

"Oh, by the gods." she sighed. "How could I have been so blind? There I was pouring my royal heart out, and she was simply trying to bid me farewell."

"Only a very strong person can keep their wits about them..." Alerie said softly, her hand cupping her daughter's cheek. "With you trying to steal her heart."

"Yes, and what a clumsy thief I have turned out to be." Margaery said softly and sadly.

"Oh, come now, Margaery." Alerie protested as her daughter stomped off to mourn in peace. "Any choice is better than the Baratheon boy!"

-----/////-----

"You must go to the princess and tell her what has happened." Nan told Jeyne quietly, back in town.

"B-b-but I am nobody of any consequence." The young girl protested. "The princess would never see me."

"You are Sansa's friend, Jeyne." Nan argued. "And she needs your help. The princess expects to see her."

"I-I cannot." Jeyne continued. "Besides, my master has me working tonight."

"Then go to Lord Tyrion. Surely one artist can get an audience with another." Nan continued.

"I am but an apprentice painter, and he is known worldwide for his works as an architect." Jeyne sounded almost hysterical. "I could no sooner garner an audience with the Maiden herself."

"For once in your life, girl, be bold." Nan pinned the young lady to the wall, glanced to where the Lannisters had finished their shopping and bustled to catch up with them.