10. Last Decent Man Alive

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"They will find her." Jae assured as Sansa shook into him. "It's late, why dont you try to get some rest, I will fetch you when they find her," Jae offered. Sansa nodded laying back in her bed at the inn. She stared up at the ceiling and Jae sighed. "Sansa what happened?" Sansa sat up staring back at him. 

"Joffrey attacked." sansa admitted. "Then Arya attacked him and then joffrey fought back and then Nymeria came out of nowhere and attacked him too." Sansa whimpered and moved closer to Jae holding onto him. "It was awful." Sansa whimpered. 

"Sounds awful." Jae agreed. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." 

"Thanks for... bringing me back." Sansa whispered. 

"Of course, I'm going to head out and look for your sister but I can return if you want? Check on you?" Jae offered. 

"I would really like that." Sansa agreed. 

+

"They found her my lord." Jory remarked.

"Where is she?" Ned demanded his steps filled with urgency. Arya had disappeared into the night not a trace.

"She was brought directly to the queen." Jory informed him.

"Take me to her."

Ned pushed through the crowd of people to arya who immediately started apologizing

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry' Arya exclaimed he held her face in his hands.

'Are you hurt?' ned questioned looking her over.

'No.' she told him softly. Ned glanced to Jae but his face was pinched, tight lipped. 

''Its alright' he coed as he hugged his daughter close looking over to Robert. 'what is the meaning of this?' he demanded 'why was my daughter not brought to me at once?'

'How dare you speak to your king in that manner.' Cersei said calmly but threateningly. Cersei had demanded Sansa be woken up and ready for questioning, moment after Jae left Sansa was interrogated herself she felt so used and manipulated as Cersei's guards stared down at her and barked at her. 

'Quiet woman' Robert demanded 'sorry Ned I never meant to frighten the girl but we need to get this business done quickly.''

''Your girl and that butchers boy attacked my son.' Cersei told him. 'That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off!''

''That's not true!' arya exclaimed 'she just... Bit him a little.' Arya looked to Ned, 'he was hurting Mika.' Arya told him.

'Joffrey told us what happened,' cersei informed her. 'you and that boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him.' Cersei spat.

''That's not what happened!' Arya shouted. She looked to Jae. "It's not what happened." She repeated. 

"I believe you." Jae assured softly. 

''Yes it is.' Joffrey insisted 'they all attacked me and she threw my sword in the river!'

''Liar.' She spat.

''Shut up!' Joffrey demanded.

''Enough!' Robert shouted 'he tells me one thing she tells me another seven hells, what am I to make of this? Where is your other daughter Ned?''

"Abed." Jae answered when Ned hesitated. 

'She is asleep' ned informed him.

''She's not. Sansa come here darling' Cersei said and Sansa stepped forward giving her father a weary look before locking eyes with Jae. 

"She was abed." Jae offered. 

''Well?' Cersei said. 'you saw that happened.'

'Speak now child tell me what happened tell it all and tell it true, it is a great crime to lie to a king.' Robert told her she looked at her father before looking to Joffrey

'I don't know...' she answered 'I don't remember everything happened so fast I didn't see-'

'Liar!' Arya shouted grabbing her hair 'liar liar liar!' she shouted pulling her down

'Enough! Ladies stop it! stop it!' ned demanded. Jae pulled them apart. Jae held onto a squirming Arya as Sansa sidestepped away nervously. 

'She's just as wild as that animal of hers,' cersei said calmly 'I want her punished.'

'What would you have me do?' Robert questioned 'strip her through the streets? Dammit children Fight. It's over.' Robert told her. Arya froze, tensing in Jae's grasp. 

''Joffrey will bear the scars for the rest of his life!' Cersei told him.

'You let that little girl disarm you!' Robert reminded his son incredulously, Joffrey didn't have any words Robert turned back to Ned. 'Ned see to it that your daughter is disciplined I will do the same with my son.'

'Gladly your Grace.' Ned said pulling his daughter away. "Jae can you-"

''And what of the dire wolf?' Cersei question 'what of the beast that savaged your son?'

''I forgot the damn wolf' Robert turned to a guard.

''we have found no trace of the dire wolf your Grace.' Ned glanced back at Arya, Jae swallowed the lump in his throat, those wolves were possibly the last of their kind, he wouldnt allow them to be slaughtered. 

''So its settled,' Robert said waving it off but cersei had other plans.

''They have another wolf.' Cersei reminded him.

'Very well,' Robert said

''you can't mean it?' Arya cried out

''A dire wolf is not a pet,' Robert reminded Ned 'get her a dog she'll be happier for it.' he said walking away

''He doesn't mean lady does he?' Sansa asked 'no not lady!' she shouted 'lady didn't bite anyone she is good!' Sansa turned teary eyed to Jae. "Jae, she wouldnt hurt anyone." 

''Lady wasn't there.' Arya insisted, 'you leave her alone'

'Stop, don't let them do this father. Please, please,' Sansa begged her head frantically turning between her father in the queen 'it wasn't lady!' she exclaimed. "Jae it wasnt lady, please, do something!" Jae nodded as he headed out, Cersei watched him with a scowl on her face. 

"'Is this your command? Your grace?' Ned asked Robert turned marching away. Sansa stared back at Jae confused, why was he leaving?

''Where is the beast?' Robert questioned

''Chained up outside your grace' Ned told him. Robert nodded. Cersei smiled.

''Do me the honor ser Payne.' Cersei said happily.

''No,' Ned said 'Jory take the girls to their rooms. If it must be done then I will do it myself.'

'Is this some trick?' Cersei questioned

'The wolf is of the north she deserves better than a butcher' Ned told her. 'Jory take the girls back to their room.'

Ned headed out and saw Jae breaking the lead and chasing Lady out into the woods. Ned sighed as he watched him run off. Ned waited patiently at the tree line when Jae came back he smiled victoriously. 

"You are the Last decent man alive, Jae Gatsby."

Mirrorball // Sansa StarkWhere stories live. Discover now