The Stark Maid

Chapter 1- Ser Arys Oakheart

Chapter 1: Ser Arys Oakheart

It was the morning of King Joffrey's name day. Outside on Sansa's balcony the sun shone bright and the leaves in the garden rustled on the stone pathways.

It was time to wake Sansa up, she had to look perfect for her beloved prince and with the scars on her arms, it would take longer then usual.

"My Lady," I whispered, nudging her shoulder," You must wake up, it is Joffrey's name day."

At hearing Joffrey's name Sansa had opened her eyes wide. She lay there a moment and then nimbly pulled the dusty blue covers off her bed. She stood up and looked at me. I quickly pulled out her robe and rose on the tips of my toes to drop it delicately over her thin shoulders. She was quite a tall girl for her four and ten years.

"Cendra," She looked at me questioningly and directed her eyes towards her arms.

"Not to worry my Lady, all that's taken care of." The poor girl had enough to worry about already.

She smiled a small smile in thanks and walked over to her mirror stand.

Over the next two hours I dressed Sansa to perfection. In a gown of pale purple silk, with long sleeves to hide her bruises. I was about to put an amethyst pin in her hair, but she lifted her hand to stop me. Instead she picked up a moonstone hair net that had been a gift of Joffrey's. I placed it around her bun and pinned it in her hair.

There was a knock at the door. Ser Arys of Joffrey's guard entered the room just as I was placing the last pin in her auburn hair. I stepped away from Sansa and did a quick curtsey, he nodded at me and the looked towards Sansa a brief smile playing on his lips.

"What do you think it means?" She asked him, indicating the bright red comet streaming across the sky.

"Glory to your betrothed," Ser Arys answered. "See how it flames across the sky on His Grace's name day, as if the god's themselves have raised a banner in his honor. The small folk name it Joffrey's Comet."

I laughed inside and aloud a small smile to creep on to my lips.

"I've heard my friends call it the Dragon's Tail." I told Lady Sansa.

Ser Arys looked towards me before continuing "King Joffrey's sits where Aegon the Dragon once sat in the castle built by his son," he said."He is the Dragon heir-and crimson is the color of House Lannister, another sign. This comet is sent to herald, Joffrey's assent to the throne, I have no doubt it means he will triumph over his enemies."

Surely the knight hadn't meant to imply that Joffrey was a Lannister, made from incest. Why would a red comet hail Jeff. He was a Baratheon, their colors were gold on black. The comet would have been gold.

Ser Arys offered Sansa his arm.

"You look very lovely today, my lady," he said, breaking the silence.

"Thank you, Ser." Sansa answered. She raised her pale arm on his elbow and gracefully rose off her seat.

"Shall we go?" He asked her.

Sansa nodded her consent. I grabbed a light cloak just in case, it was good to stay prepared, things tended to get out of hand when Joffrey was involved.

Ser Arys opened the door and escorted Lady Sansa out the door; I walked quietly, near enough so that if my Lady needed me I could be of service. When we reached the path to the pavilion, the wind blew the leaves under my feet and my hair flew into my face. The long summer was coming to an end.

"Will the Queen attend, do you think?" Sansa asked timidly, Joffrey was always on his best behavior when his mother was watching him.

"No I fear not, my Lady. The council is meeting, some urgent business." Ser Arys dropped his voice. “Lord Tywin has gone to ground at Harrenhal instead of staying in the city. Her Grace is furious."

A group of Lannister guardsmen marched past and Ser Arys quieted. The knight loved to gossip when he was sure nobody else was listening, and that was very rare.

As we walked through a newly built archway, I saw King Joffrey was seated on a wood Dias, his chair was gilded with gold and had a red cushion on it. The King was looking at his brother, Tommen, with such malice that the younger boy had sunk into his chair. The King's sneer ruined his godly features. His thin lips turned up and his dimpled chin sticking out, his green eyes glinted with hate and disdain. I felt bad for the poor Prince; his brother made his life a living hell.

When he saw Sansa approaching on Ser Arys arm, he turned to look at her. His face was impassive as he looked her up and down. The King was sitting under a canopy of red carpet, one leg thrown carelessly over the other, stuck up on the gold handles of his chair. His sister, Princess Myrcella, sat behind him with his younger brother Tommen. The Kingsgaurd Sandor Clegane stood in the royal box watching Joffrey. He looked quite unnatural with his rough spun tunic and the jeweled kings guard silk draped on his shoulder.

“Lady Sansa.” he said, his voice coarse. He nodded at Ser Arys and looked towards Joffrey.

Princess Myrcella shyly looked at Sansa, but Tommen at the sound of Sansa’s name jumped up filled with childish youth and eagerness.

“I’m to ride in the Tourney!” he cheered happily,” Mother said I could!”

“I fear for the life of your foe men.” Sansa said solemnly.

“His foe men will be stuffed with straw, ”Joff said.

He stood up. He was dressed in a golden breast plate as if he believed the walls of the Red Keep were to be breached at any second. He was tall for his age and quite handsome with Lannister green eyes and blond hair. He had his mother’s cheek bones.

And then his face transformed into a sneer, he looked at Sansa with hard eyes.

"I see your wearing my stones."