Bringing the Dawn

XV.

Sansa Stark

Kings Landing, 299AC

Four months did not seem like much time at all. But one thing was for certain; the amount of stuff that had happened in the last four months made Sansa's head spin in every possible direction. That was how long it had been since they had left Winterfell to come to Kings Landing. It was a place she had been incredibly excited to come to, hearing all the songs and all the tales and just thinking of all the gallant Knight's walking through the streets making her heart soar. She was a young child, only thirteen name-days of age and had yet to have her first ever moonblood. A day she couldn't wait to come as that meant she would finally be deemed old enough to marry her betrothed.

Joffrey was everything she and Jeyne gossiped over since they were around seven name-days of age. Tall, handsome, beautiful smile, sparkling eyes, and a high-ranking title to go with it. A title only four people held in Westeros. Himself, his younger brother Tommen, and the Dornish Prince's- but she didn't consider the latter as such. The thought of a Prince being the highest position one could hold was foreign to her, every book and song said that King was the highest position a person could hold- a position that only his father Robert held. The King- left little to be desired. When he first walked through the gates at Winterfell, she'd expected a tall a muscly male to come galloping in with his famous war hammer strapped to his back. Instead she was met with a drunk who gave no regard to his Queen.

It disgusted her, because a man was always meant to treat a Lady with respect- Septa Mordane said so. It was well known that if a Lady obeyed and loved her husband, her husband would treat her the same way back. Yet seeing that blatant display set her stomach turning uncomfortably, especially seeing the uninterested look on the Queen's face- clearly used to such shenanigans to not react to it. The city was everything she had dreamed it would be. White and cream houses lining the streets with multicoloured roofs, Knight's riding through the streets proudly wearing the crests of the Houses they belonged to, vendors on the streets selling an array of materials and food.

But the smell.

Sansa had managed to keep her face still until she was in the bedroom she'd chosen in the tower of the Hand, on the floor two below where her father was staying- and then she had promptly ran to her chamber pot and retched in a very unladylike manner. Her mother would be furious if she saw her act like this, but she was alone, nobody was there to watch over her. It took her three days to get used to the lingering smell of shit and piss, but it was still on her mind to this day. Today, Joffrey had invited to give her an official tour around the entire city. She'd seen parts of it but not much- and excited was putting it lightly. She was going to get to spend the entire day with her golden Prince!

She hadn't seen Arya that morning, nor had she seen her any morning over the past month. She was always up seemingly before the sun rose over the Blackwater to go to dancing lessons. An activity she never thought the younger would partake in as she was always for everything a Lady should be strictly against. But it got her out of her sight as it was her fault Lady had been killed. If Arya had not befriended the damned butcher's boy and had not attacked Joffrey back, she would still have her. The younger was disgusted with her for reasons unknown to her, she had far gotten past the point of getting along with her wild sister. Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts, Sansa eyed the crimson red and yellow dress she had decided to wear in honour of her betrothed.

Wearing the colours of his House was strange to her, the red clashing greatly with her brightly coloured hair, but she had to please him. All women had to please their intended. It wouldn't do her good to be set aside as then she would just be labelled 'the rejected Queen'- and Sansa couldn't have that. She was going to be Queen one day. Standing beside her golden lion atop the Iron Throne, having numerous sons and daughters with him, living a life of luxury, and being in a position that was untouchable- it was all her dreams coming true at once.