Last chance for honour

Chapter 26

"So this is your plan then?" Jamie raised his head to meet Brienne's stare. "You're going to drink until you find her? I apologise if this offends you but I can't imagine it's going to help."

"She left... Why would she want to be found?" Brienne tightened her jaw, letting out a sigh of impatience. "You need to find her, you said so yourself-" "she could be anywhere-" "exactly, you need to make sure she's safe" she waited for his reply listening to the silence that followed until she finally gave up, slamming the door behind her.

Jamie tightened his fist around the gold necklace, feeling it's tight pinch in his palm. He wanted to know she was safe, but the fear of finding her and her not wanting him anymore frightened him. It frightened him more than anything that had ever happened to him.

But the slight chance that she was in danger was unbearable, he had to find her, and at least make sure she was safe, with or without him.

~

"Arya stop it! You're ruining everything" Sansa shrieked, Arya burst into a fit of laughter looking at her sister covered in mud. Bran and Rickon continued chasing each other around.

"It's only a game Sansa" Theon taunted. Her brows were creased into a frown, tears of anger began to prick at her eyes. Jon stood to the side of the courtyard with Ghost sat at his feet, watching as a by stander but a smile was on his face.

Robb splashed a puddle, covering Arya head to toe in mud. Sansa's frown ceased as she laughed at her sister. "You know Sansa doesn't like dirt" Sansa raised her eyebrows at Arya before Robb sent a wave of  mud in Sansa's direction.

For a moment she stood their shocked before scooping up a pile of mud in her hands and throwing it at her brother. Laughter erupted between the children in the courtyard.

"Sansa Stark!" Sansa turned her head to meet the angry stare of her Septa. Silence filled the courtyard, even the direwolves didn't dare to move.
Her eyes were wide with horror, Sansa tried to disguise the smile which was forming on her lips, she hung her head down avoiding her piercing stare. "What in the seven hells are you doing? You're supposed to be a lady! Is this how a future Queen should act?!"

Sansa remained silent. She glanced towards Robb who raised his brow in amusement. She tightened her jaw trying to stop the laughter.

"Get inside... All of you!" The children began trailing inside. "Not you two, wait here" the Septa sharply added glaring at Robb and Sansa. The Lannister brothers who had been watching the scene smiled in amusement.

"You are supposed to be the eldest children of Eddard Stark and here you are running around like animals... Like beasts!" The smiles had dropped from their faces. "I'm sorry" Sansa dared to raise her head slightly to meet her stare.

"Get inside now! Both of you! We'll see what your father has to say". Tyrion raised her lips to a smile "you seem too strict on the children Septa, it seems to me they were only being children" the Septa's jaw clenched, "My Lord do you have any experience dealing with delinquent children, it appears not, so I assume I should allow their father to decide their punishment, not some Lannister who assumes he knows everything, now if you don't mind I am going to take the children inside."

Tyrion's smile only grew at her words "you're completely right, I hope you pardon me, I hadn't realised how much Northern children differ from the Southern children" he glanced at Jamie who seemed uninterested at the entire conversation, his eyes seemed fixed on the Stark girl.

Sansa followed Tyrion's glance to his brother, Jamie Lannister. The Kingslayer her father called him, he had told them the story of the mad King a thousand times and each time, his hate for Jamie Lannister grew.

Jamie watched the girl who stood silently, the Stark girl he didn't doubt hated him as much as her father did. Sansa held his gaze for a moment before turning her head away. His lips couldn't help but form a smirk as he glanced to her brother.

The Septa rushed them both through the doors. Jamie watched her as she nervously followed, he didn't know why he held an interest in her, he hated the Starks. But there was something about the Stark girl that made him curious.

~

Sansa stood in the courtyard of her old home, every detail that flashed before her brought her closer to her past. She remembered how she and her siblings used to play. A small piece of hope inside of her had longed to see her mother and brother standing in the courtyard waiting for her. But all that filled the yard was ash and darkness.

She followed Petyr's  lead, through to the grand hall. He had assigned her a handmaiden and two personal guards. But Sansa felt rather than protecting her they were there to keep her prisoner. She remained silent remembering who was in charge.

Ramsay entered the hall surrounded by guards. He smugly smiled at Sansa who looked away, she couldn't bare to look at him. "Your guards will escort you to your old chambers lady Sansa" She decided not to raise any questions of her family now, especially not in front of Ramsay.

She gave a soft smile and thanked Lord Baelish before following the guards to her old chambers.