Until We Meet Again❄ (Sandor Clegane) Game Of Thrones (Wattys2019 Nominated)

11 - Threats Have Consequences

Alia sat by Ned's bedside for a few days as he was still passed out from the fight he had with Jamie Lannister that ended Jory's life. Anger was pulsing through her veins at the thought of the Lannister's and for that matter, anyone in Kings Landing. She had known that King Robert had no part in the attack and was clearly just as annoyed as Alia was when he came to Ned's room, conveniently as soon as he had awoken, Queen Cersei by his side.

Alia knew she had to leave, and she does a quick bow to King Robert before she places her hand on the door handle only for the Queen to pester at her.

"You forgot to bow to your Queen, Lady Alianora." Cersei quickly spat, facing the Knight who turned on her heel, giving her a quick bow and an apology. "Forgive me, your Grace."

With that, she leaves King Robert and the Queen with Ned as she made her way to find a distraught Arya, sat on a bench with her head in her hands.

When Arya hears footsteps approach her, she looks up and smiles weakly as she spots Alia walking towards her.

"Is he okay? Is he going to live?" Arya asks frantically, nearly bouncing out of her seat only for Alia to push on her shoulders slightly, signalling for her to sit back down.

Alia sat next to her and took her hand into hers, rubbing her soft young hands gently with her own before nodding slowly. "Your father is fine, he had just awoken. You will be able to go see him when King Robert and the Queen have left his chambers." She reassures the young girl who let out a small sigh of relief.

They both stayed quiet for a while, taking in each others company until a shadow emerges from the corner of Alia's eye from down the corridor, its silhouette in the doorway as if someone were watching them both. The shadow remained still for a minute or so which made Alia become unsettled. Arya didn't seem to notice so when Alia had stood up to go after the shadow, she turned to Arya and instructed her to go find Septa Mordane or Syrio to take her mind off things and that she will see her again soon.

"Don't get up to trouble!" Arya calls to Alia as she skips down the corridor causing Alia to let out a laugh, shaking her head. "And you, cheeky!"

Turning her attention back to the shadow, she noticed that it had gone and so she quickly walks to where the shadow came from and saw Littlefinger walking away, book in hand.

"Lord Baelish!" The Knight calls out, making the small, slim man stop in his tracks and turn to face her.

"Yes, Lady Crow?" He asks almost as if he were not surprised that he was being stopped which made Alia more inquisitive as to what he was up to.

"It's a shame to hear what happened to the Hand isn't it?"

Baelish clasps his hands together, keeping his book tightly tucked under his arm as he watches Alia trying to get down to what really happened.

"It's a shame that Catelyn was to take Lord Tyrion as a prisoner, isn't it?"

His answer came more as a question, making Alia cock her eyebrow up. She had not known that Jamie had attacked Ned because of his wife's action to which she found surprising.

"It's a shame that Eddard had to be attacked and have a dear friend of his, a great fighter, killed for his wife's actions then." She recalls, crossing her arms over her chest.

The conversation between the two was like tit-for-tat, whatever one said the other had clapped back almost instantly, as if they were both trying to get under each others skin.

Baelish stayed quiet for a moment, a proud smirk emerging on his face as he takes a step closer to the woman, his height matching hers and his surprisingly minty breath hitting against her face.