Game of Thrones - Surviving Kings Landing

A Destructive Name-Day

After enduring that public beating for the following three additional months, I dreaded my approaching name day. Subconsciously, this day would not be a day of enjoyment and love compared to the previous Name Day celebration. Instead, I feared it would be a day of open hostility. With the hope of going unnoticed and avoiding enduring another round of physical and mental abuse from the King or the members of his Kingsguard, I kept to the shadows of the court for the next three months. Unfortunately, on the morning of my birth, I discovered I was grossly mistaken in believing my plan to remain unnoticed had not succeeded.

Before the sun began to peak into the windows of my room, I was forcibly dragged from my bed by Ser Preston. Struggling against his tight grip, I demanded that he release me, only to be struck across the face. Blinking, I lifted my gaze to find him staring at the parts of my body not masked by the fabric of my pale rose satin sleep gown. "Fight me, and I will drag you by your hair, Lady Stark." Feeling his spit cascade over my face, I moved to wipe it away when he grabbed my arm and resumed pulling me into the outer room.

Stumbling, I felt my hip collide with several stationary objects before coming to a halt and being shoved downward to rest on my knees. Yelping in pain, I placed my hands before me to avoid falling further. Inhaling out of my nose, I lifted my gaze to discover Joffrey sitting in an overly adorned seat, wearing his ostentatious golden crown. Breathing in and out, I observed him until the door to my sitting room opened with a sudden bang. Startled, I shifted my gaze to watch Ser Meryn drag a terrified Sansa into my room as she cried, pleading with him to release her. Ignoring her, he stopped and pushed her to the floor beside me before settling to the right of Joffrey's arm. Concerned, I shuffled forward to comfort her as she whimpered in pain. Cooing to her to calm her fears, I caught Joffrey shifting in his elaborate seat before releasing an amused smirk. Looking away, I gently uttered, "I am here, sweet sister." She sniffled and leaned into my side as I gazed at Joffrey. His smirk turned devious before he said, "wonderful. Now that the two of you have joined us, we can begin."

Uncertain and confused, I found myself anxiously adjusting the placement of the loose-fitting nightgown that Lehna and Taria assisted me into last night so they could tend to my healing injuries without issue to mask the shape of my body. "Your Grace, what is going on? Why were we forcibly removed from our beds?" Leaning back in the chair, Joffrey stared at our shriving forms with a predatory smile. "Do you know I recently learned that your brother, the pretender, will be nine and tenth today?" Realizing that this was his recent punishment for whatever defeat his Grandfather encountered in his ongoing war, I bit down on the inside of my cheek as Sansa released a whimper of fear. Thinking quickly, I uttered, "your Grace, you know that my sister and I no longer consider him a family member. Why would we celebrate the traitor's name day?" He glared as Ser Meryn, and Ser Preston tightened their holds on our shoulders. "Even when it is your name day, my Lady."

Breathing out, I ceased struggling and lowered my gaze. "I have no desire to celebrate my name day, your Grace, if it means I must acknowledge my traitorous kin." He huffed unamused. "And will you deny me, your King, the pleasure of celebrating your name day?" Inhaling, I wanted to shout that he was not a King. He was a child born of incest and thus had no right to the Iron Throne. Instead, I heard myself say, "how do you wish to celebrate the day, your Grace?" His smile grew into a sadistic grin. "Ser Preston, will you do me the honor of bringing Lady Ilyanna to sit beside me?" The knight nodded, and before I could react, he grasped my bicep and dragged me over to sit beside the King's feet as if I were a hound begging for a treat. Annoyed at the false knight's treatment, Joffrey leaned back into his chair, clearly amused with himself, before saying, "Ser Meryn, let us show Lady Ilyanna her name day gift."

Lifting my gaze, I felt my eyes well with tears as Meryn struck my sweet sister across the face. She whimpered at the hit as I attempted to stand, only to be forced onto my knees. Hissing, I ignored how the movement jarred my previous injuries. "What do you think you are doing?" Inhaling through my clenched teeth, I glanced at Joffrey and shamefully uttered, "my apologies. I thought Ser Meryn was harming my sister. I only wished to protect her." He huffed unamused. "Ser Preston, if Lady Ilyanna attempts to interrupt Ser Meryn's presentation of her name day gift again, I command you to tie her down." Ser Preston squeezed my shoulder before saying, "yes, your Grace." With his sadistic grin back in place, we resumed watching Ser Meryn beat Sansa.