Game of Thrones - Surviving Kings Landing

Sansa Bleeds For the First Time

Hours later, I woke hearing the door forced open and slammed shut. Startled, I reached beneath the pillow I lay on and sighed, relieved to find a dagger waiting for me. Grasping the handle, I waited until the door to my bedroom was thrown open; a second passed when I heard a startled gasp. Sitting up, I turned to find Shae, Sansa's handmaiden, standing in the doorway unarmed as Lehna pressed a blade against her tan throat while Taria stood behind her. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Shae glanced away from Lehna to me, coldly saying, "she was taken to speak with the Queen Mother." Relaxing the hold on my hidden dagger, I shoved the blankets covering me aside as I asked, "why?" She glared as I stumbled out of bed before grasping my robe and throwing it on over my sleep-wrinkled gown.

"She woke to find blood staining her inner thighs." Startled upon hearing her words, I fumbled with the ties of my dressing gown. With a soft "damn it," I hastily tied the garment closed, recognizing the new danger my sister had entered. Covered, I hurried over to my waiting slippers and slid my chilled feet inside them, saying, "Lehna, I want you to go back to Sansa's chambers and prepare a calming bath for her while Shae cleans up her bed with fresh linens." Lehna nodded while removing the blade from Shae's neck. "I will gather some willow bark tea for her pain." Grateful, I nodded and moved to exit my room when Shae blocked my path. I glared at her before muttering, "you can move willingly, or I will force you to make a move by using your hidden dagger against you." She stared before bowing her head and stepping back. Walking past her, I uttered, "Taria, you and the guard outside appointed by Devran will come with me to the Queen Mother's chambers." Taria nodded, hurrying after me as Endia trotted behind the two of us.

Sprinting through the silent corridors of the Red Keep, I prayed to the Old Gods to keep my sister healthy. When I eventually neared Cersei's chambers, I shifted from running to a slow-paced walk. Breathing deeply, I urged myself to stop outside the outer door that led into her room. Elated by Ser Preston's absence, I attempted to smooth away the nonexistent wrinkles from my attire. Satisfied, I raised my right hand and knocked on the closed wooden door. Less than a second passed before the door opened to reveal Cersei's preferred handmaiden and spy wearing her usual dour look of annoyance. Ignoring the solemn woman, I sharply uttered, "I wish to see my sister." She opened her mouth to reply when I heard, "you flowered, my dear. No more." Pushing past the woman, I stomped into the room, and when I did not see them, I moved toward the inner room, hearing, "my Mother told me, but I thought it would be different."

Walking through the separated rooms, I found Cersei elegantly dressed in red and gold decorated with Lannister heraldry. At the same time, a frightened Sansa followed her, still wearing her bloodstained nightgown and matching dressing robe. Ignoring the anger simmering in Cersei's cat-like green eyes, I focused on a stunned Sansa while the Queen Mother asked, "Lady Ilyanna, what are you..." Momentarily ignoring the frustrating regent, I slid past her and encompassed my sister's form. She snuck into me as I softly muttered, "are you in much pain?" Leaning into me, she shook her head, no, before uttering, "just surprised by how messy it is." Nodding, I lightly kissed her temple before brushing her hair away from her eyes. "Let us get you back to your chambers. You can have a bath, and I will explain what you can expect now that you have received your moon blood." Nodding with a minor, nearly transparent smile, I turned to excuse Sansa and myself when Cersei coldly said, "you have no reason to barge into my room and make demands, Ilyanna Stark." Keeping calm, I uttered, "I did not intend to barge into your rooms, your Grace. I was merely informed that my sister was taken from her room to see you, and I feared that she was injured. Please accept my apologies. I had not assumed you were graciously informing her on what to expect now that she has flowered into womanhood." Her ever-present sneer lessened as she asked, "and what do you know of flowering, Lady Ilyanna?" Breathing in and out, I calmly uttered, "considering my age, I can recall the feelings and emotions that rose within me as I made my transition from girlhood into womanhood." Her sneer shifted to amusement. "Have you birthed a child, Ilyanna?" I shook my head no. "Well, considering I have, perhaps you should listen." I opened my mouth to counter when Sansa softly muttered, "but Ilyanna has been present and assisted our Mother during her labors of our younger siblings. Please let her stay with me, your Grace." Cersei glared at us before motioning for us to sit before her large desk.

Relieved that I was not going to be pulled away, I gently led Sansa over and turned to ask Taria to lay a towel on the heavily decorated seat when Cersei snorted unamused. "She will experience far worse in her marriage bed and the birthing bed than sitting in her moon blood." Annoyed at her dismissive behavior, Sansa sat down in one chair as I settled in the other. Cersei looked us over before uttering, "you're a woman now. Do you have any idea what that means?" Sansa glanced up at her and nearly whispered, "I'm fit to bear children for the King," in a frightened tone. Concerned, I reached over and gently took hold of her hand.

With a light squeeze, I tried to direct her attention to me while Cersei smugly said, "a prospect that once delighted you, bringing little princes and princesses into the world, the greatest honor for a Queen." Ignoring the unprovoked utterance, I calmly uttered, "for any woman, it is a great honor to bring a healthy child into the world," as Sansa squeezed my hand in thanks. Smiling, I turned to request us to be excused when she uttered, "Joffrey has always been difficult." Surprised by the melancholy tone of voice, she continued saying, "even his birth, I labored a day and a half to bring him into this world. You cannot imagine the pain. I screamed so loudly. I was sure Robert would hear me in the Kingswood." Recalling our Mother's numerous births, I was not surprised to hear Sansa utter, "his Grace was not with you?" Pushing the memories of opening the door to my parent's sitting room to find my Father anxiously waiting to greet his newest child, I heard Cersei huff amusedly, saying, "Robert was hunting. That was his custom." She walked past us to pick up and adjust the orange shawl placement around her shoulders.

With it settled, she walked toward her desk, uttering, "whenever my time was near, my royal husband would flee to the trees with his huntsmen and hounds," in a nostalgic tone. Exhaling, she uttered, "when he returned, he would present me with pelts or a stag's head, and I would present him with a baby." Her tone shifted as she coldly said, "not that I wanted him there, mind you. I had Grand Maester Pycelle, an army of midwives, and my brother." She seemed almost amused as she told us, "when they told Jaime he wasn't allowed in the birthing room, he smiled and asked which one of them proposed to keep him out." Curious by her words, I was not surprised to hear her utter, "Joffrey will show you no such devotion." She turned toward us as I kept my posture straight, ignoring the tingling pain across my back. She surprisingly said, "you may never love the King, but you will love his children, little dove."

She didn't even blink at my sweet little sister, affirmingly told her that she cared for her cruel, unsettled bastard child. Instead, she tried to kindly say, "that's so very touching to hear." Unamused by her generosity, I stood up, stating, "we thank you for your kind thoughts, your Grace. However, I think it may be best that I escort my sister back to her chambers" while she sat at her desk. With a tilt of her head, I glanced at Sansa with a kind smile, uttering, "should the King desire our presence in court, I am certain my sister would like to look her best." Cersei seemed to bristle at my suggestion before saying, "of course." Sansa moved to stand when she stated, "before you go, permit me to share some womanly wisdom with both of you on this exceptional day."

Concerned, we watched her observe us before saying, "the more people you love, the weaker you are. You'll do things for them that you know you shouldn't do. You'll act the fool to make them happy, to keep them safe." Holding back the urge to ask if she was in love with her brother, she pointedly said, "love no one but your children. On that front, a mother has no choice." I watched the confusion run across Sansa's face as she asked, "but should I not love Joffrey, your Grace?" Glancing at Cersei, I was surprised to find surprise and sadness on her golden face before she uttered, "you can try, little dove." Nodding, I softly muttered, "you can think about your love for His Grace while we prepare you for the day, Sansa." Nodding, she stood and moved toward me when Cersei uttered, "wait a moment, Ilyanna." Frustrated, I motioned for Taria to approach as I spoke, "go with Taria, and I will be along shortly." Nodding, Sansa hurried out of the room, leaving me with a thoughtful Cersei Lannister.