THE LITTLE PUP (EDITING AND REWRITING)

Chapter 24 | The outcome

Her father had to cross the ocean of people that had been created. They were awful, vile, without any understanding of education and good manners, they didn't know how to keep themselves with the minimum level. All they did was try to violent her father in any way they could get, and that was when Lilia knew that they were all going to pay for it.

Sansa stood there, next to Cersei and Lilia, with a victorious smile, like she could predict that everything was going to be fine. A little below them stood Littlefinger, with the same facial expression he always had. He didn't change. He didn't smile. He didn't do another one for anything in the world!

Lilia gave her father an apologetical look, to which he simply gave her a kind smile in order to ease her conscience. But that... that was something that could never ease her conscience because she knew that once the day was over and she went to bed, she would see her father die once again, and the same thing would happen day after day after day.

"I am Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Hand of the King" he looked at Sansa, who nodded in encouragement. 'She really is stupid enough to believe that everything is going to be fine', Lilia thought to herself and stuck her nails in the palms of her hands. Tears threatened to stream down her face freely, but she had decided to trust her sister's influence on the King more, in order to keep some hope inside her soul. "I come before you to confess my treason, in the sight of Gods and men, my betrayal of the faith of my King and the trust of my friend Robert. I swore to protect and defend his children, but before his blood was cold, I plotted to murder his son and seize the throne to myself"

Lilia's tears fell from her face and she bit her lip to the point that she felt an iron taste, the taste of blood... her own blood. She knew her father was innocent of those accusations, she knew that he would never do such a disloyal thing, such a treacherous act, so when the people threw a stone at his head, she contained a scream.

Lilia wondered how Sansa could believe that everything was going to be alright after what had just happened, after the fake confession that their father had been forced to make. She knew Joffrey wasn't going to just let him live, no King would ever let anyone who tried to have him assassinated live, only a foolish King would. Even if he did, the people would riot against him for letting treason go unpunished, allowing the common people to plot against him.

"You stupid little girl" the eldest Stark whispered to herself so that she could be the only one hearing those same words that were meant for her own sister.

"Let the High Septon and Baelor the blessed bare witness to what I just said" he started. "Joffrey Baratheon is the one true heir to the Iron Throne, by the grace of all the Gods, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm"

Joffrey and Cersei seemed pleased with that confession, but the people themselves... they weren't happy about it. They wanted him to meet another fate than pardon, they wanted him to meet death. Lilia knew that and, as she looked at her sister, she realized that Sansa was starting to feel like things weren't as simple as she thought they would be.

"As we've seen, so do we suffer. This man has confessed his crimes in sight of Gods and men. The Gods are just but the Baelor can also be merciful" Maester Pycelle began to lead the judging, turning now to the play-pretend King, as Lilia had decided to call him. "What is to be done with this traitor, Your Grace?"

The people protested as Joffrey smiled. Lilia was starting to see why Sansa thought he was so fair and handsome because the truth was that he had the charm and the look on his face seemed so... just. Like he was actually going to show mercy and let Ned walk out of there alive.

"My mother wishes me to let Lord Eddard join the Night's Watch, stripped of all titles and power, he would serve the Realm in permanent exile. And my Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father" Lilia was surprised about Joffrey's approach. She knew that the boy was controlled by his mother and, if Cersei wanted that to happen, that meant that the pack would survive and everything would be alright, given the circumstances. It meant that her father would finally meet again with Jon and he wouldn't be a lone wolf anymore. It meant that Ned would be safe and that he would have Jon and Uncle Benjen to stick with, which was way better than meeting the axe. She had underestimated Sansa, and she was happy to know that she would be on her knees thanking her. The fearing for her father's death was over and she had only to be worried about her sister not messing up... and convincing the King to let her go back to her mother. After all, there was no motive for her to stay in King's Lading... "But they have the soft hearts of women! So, as long as I'm Your King, treason shall never go unpunished! Ser Illyan, bring me his head!

"No!" Sansa screamed at the top of her lungs, as Cersei tried to show Joffrey that killing the King in the North was madness and a scream for war. Lilia's tears streamed down her face much more violently and she screamed at the top of her lungs as she tried to run towards her father, which she managed. She hugged him and he simply had the time to whisper something to her before the King's Guards took her away as they made her look at the horrifying scene that was to take place.

"We are the Starks of Winterfell and Winter is Coming. You have to be strong" Lilia had her father's words taunting her mind as she tried to free herself from their strong, unpleasant grip.

Ned's head was placed on the wooden block and the executioner came for his head with a valyrian sword, ready to strike and murder her father.

"STOP THIS! STOP HIM! NO!" Lilia screamed at the top of her lungs, facing Joffrey who looked like he was amused with the scene. "DON'T DO THIS! I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE!"

Her screams were no use, just as Sansa's and Cersei's persuasion. So, when the executioner struck the axe on her father's neck, his head rolled off and he grabbed it, lifting it to the crowd. She couldn't scream anymore, so silent tears fell from her face and she stopped fighting. She fell on her knees and she closed her eyes out of pain and grief.

Silence reigned in that place and birds flew in the sky, evidencing the tragedy that had just taken place. Lilia had promised herself that she would avenge her father's death and she would do everything she could to keep that oath.

But most of all, she would do as her father had said. She was going tobe stronger than ever, as strong as one could be, and she would start dependingand trusting just in herself, not counting or trusting on anyone else becauseshe knew that if she did, the next head rolling off a body would be hers, andshe wasn't going to give them such pleasure.