Sansa Stark was anxious. Her father had led fifty guards from the North to search for her sister Arya, and it was already dark, but her father and the guards had not yet returned.
The woman with a white veil covering her face, who was accompanying Sansa Stark, was her governess: Sister Mordan!
In addition, Sansa Stark's close confidante Jeane Poole, the stable master Horon, and the butler Viyan Poole all accompanied Lady Sansa.
Rumors were spreading that the hounds had captured Michael, the butcher apprentice who had attacked the prince, and that the queen was threatening to kill him.
Michael was a servant of the Stark family who accompanied Lord Eddard Stark south. He liked to lie on the meat wagons, which made him smell like a pig waiting to be slaughtered. Sansa disliked Michael; she felt nauseous at the sight of him. However, Michael was a Northman, the son of the Stark butcher.
"Will they kill Mikael?" Sansa asked Sister Mordan, her voice trembling with unease.
She hated Mikey, who smelled like a pig, but she knew Mikey was innocent. He was forced to fight by Arya and then forced to make the sign of the cross on his face by Joffrey. He posed no threat to anyone and never tried to attack anyone.
Sister Mordan couldn't answer the question. Duke Eddard and the Northern Guards had all come out to find Arya, and she was more worried about Arya's safety.
Although Arya had never respected her tutor, Arya hated learning aristocratic etiquette and embroidery from her, and she had even said that Arya's hands were like a blacksmith's hands and not suited to holding a sewing needle, she was still very worried about Arya's safety.
The stable master, Hulun, and the steward, Viyan Poole, were both very nervous. They had no guards with them, and the number of men in gold and red robes moving about the town seemed to be increasing, creating a tense and oppressive atmosphere. They heard that the Queen was furious and had summoned all the courtiers, demanding that the King severely punish those who had harmed the prince. They also heard rumors circulating in the streets that the prince's injuries were severe, and his right hand was almost completely crippled!
The only person who made the stable master Horen, the butler Viyan Poole, and Sister Mordan feel safe was Lady Direwolf at Sansa Stark's feet.
The lady sat gracefully between them, gazing outside. She had grey fur and yellow eyes. She was the smallest of the six direwolves, and she was very docile and trusted everyone around her.
However, when the lady is angry, she can take everyone by surprise. Her agility and ferocity are so great that even Captain Jori Caesar dares not approach her.
It was completely dark, but the town's main street was illuminated by torches as if it were daytime. An uneasy atmosphere permeated the entire street and among the noble servants stationed outside the town.
As the lady suddenly stood up, uttering a warning whimper, the sound of several horses' hooves echoed through the street. Sister Morden, the stable master Horon, and the butler Vincent Poole all rose to their feet. Sister Morden went to close the gate. Horon and Vincent, two elderly men, were unarmed, but they stood before Sansa. Jenny Poole was more frightened than Sansa; she trembled slightly, forcing Sansa to gently comfort her.
The lady raised a warning: Were the approaching horsemen sent by the Queen?
Is it a hunting dog or a golden-robed man?
If it's a hunting dog, then it's someone sent by the Queen; if it's someone in a golden robe, then it's someone sent by the King.
Surely the King and Queen wouldn't make things difficult for Sansa Stark while Lord Eddard is away.
Sure enough, the sound of horses' hooves reached the door, and someone jumped off his horse and began to knock on the door forcefully.
The lady stood up, her neck hairs bristling, her golden eyes flashing with a fierce light. Her threatening whistle stopped the person outside from knocking. Then, the sound of a long sword being drawn came from outside. It sounded like the other party was going to break down the door.
Sister Mordan shouted, "Who's outside? This is Duke Ed's residence!"
Then a voice rang out from outside the door: "Open the door. Her Majesty the Queen has dispatched Ser Ilyn Payne, the Lord Commander, to summon Sansa Stark."
"Your Majesty?" Sister Madonna asked.
"Yes!"
Sansa said, "Ms. Mordan, please open the door. Her Majesty the Queen won't bother me! She invited me to her palace this morning for rose cake and pine nut syrup."
There's something Sansa didn't say: Her Majesty the Queen adores her, praising her beauty and refinement. Sansa is already Joffrey's fiancée, and once she has her first period in the palace, she will marry Joffrey and become a queen as noble as Her Majesty the Queen.
Queen Cersei is Sansa's role model for becoming a queen! This morning, Sansa clearly expressed her boundless admiration for Queen Cersei to her.
Sansa called softly to Lady, but this time, Lady disobeyed, baring her teeth and preparing to attack the person outside the door. This surprised Sansa, and she had to stand up and loudly reprimand Lady.
Lady is a very obedient direwolf, understanding, elegant and noble. What's wrong with her today?
Sister Morden, seeing that the lady was so fierce and wouldn't listen to her master, decided not to open the door.
Neither the stable master, Hullon, nor the butler, Viyan Poole, had ever seen the Lady so aggressive. It wasn't until Sansa came over and hugged the direwolf's neck, gently soothing her, that the Lady gradually calmed down.
The howls of the direwolves behind the gate made the people in front of it hesitate, and none of them tried to force their way in. The sound of a greatsword being sheathed also came into the room.
Then, the sound of galloping hooves filled the street, and a voice that delighted Sister Mordan and the others rang out, carrying a deep and imposing aura: "Who are you? What are you doing in front of my residence?"
Lord of the North, Eddard Stark, Duke of Winterfell, has returned with fifty Northern Guards!
"Lord Eddard, this is Ilyn Payne, the King's Royal Marshal. The Queen has sent him to invite Lady Sansa Stark to the Earl's Hall. Her Majesty the Queen and His Majesty the King wish to inquire about the attack on Prince Joffrey."
"Hmph!" Eddard Stark snorted coldly. "Go back and tell His Majesty the King that we will be there shortly!"
Duke Eddard made no mention of Her Majesty the Queen, nor of Prince Joffrey.
"Yes, Your Grace!"
*
Earl's Hall.
The king sat in his chair, and Eddard, accompanied by his family guards, escorted Arya Stark, who was filthy and emaciated, and Sansa Stark, who was dressed in an elegant velvet gown, to the king.
Before the King and Queen could speak, Eddard Stark said coldly, "Your Majesty, my daughter is in trouble and dares not return home. Why did you not inform me beforehand, but instead sent hounds and guards to capture her?"
The king glared at Ed, knowing his brother's character well—hard as a rock in the North and utterly incapable of beating around the bush: "I was unaware of this beforehand, my Lord Ed."
"I sent the Hounds!" Queen Cersei said with a contemptuous tone and look. "Lord Eddard, Prince Joffrey was attacked by Arya and this butcher's bastard. His wrist was nearly bitten off by a direwolf. Instead of apologizing, you immediately question the King. This is neither reasonable nor justifiable. Lord Renly, Minister of Justice, what is the sentence for murdering a prince?"
"No one murdered the prince, and no one attacked him. Arya has told me everything. Michael and Arya were practicing swordsmanship at Ruby Beach. It was Prince Joffrey who forced Michael to fight him with a stick. Michael refused, so Prince Joffrey carved words on Michael's face with his sword."
"No, it was the little wolf girl and the butcher bastard who attacked me suddenly when I dismounted. I had to draw my lion's tooth to fight back. The little wolf girl and the butcher bastard couldn't beat me, so the little wolf girl gave the command, summoning the direwolves to join the attack. I was attacked by the two of them and the direwolf, and was hit in the back of the head. The direwolf bit my right wrist." Joffrey raised his right wrist high for the nobles to see, as if it were a victory flag. "I fell to the ground, and the little wolf girl threw the lion's tooth into the Trident River. If it weren't for my desperate resistance, and Miss Sansa's desperate intervention, I might be dead."
"Duke Eddard, Joffrey is the eldest prince, the heir to the Iron Throne. Your youngest daughter Arya and that butcher openly attacked the prince with the intent to murder him. What crime is that?"
King Robert shouted, "Shut up! What murder? It's just children playing around!"
Cersei sneered: "Playing around? There were direwolves involved in the biting. If the direwolf had bitten the prince's throat instead of his wrist, would your heir to the throne still be standing here? Direwolves are beasts that can fight lions."
The king was speechless, utterly dumbfounded!
Arya cried out, "Joffrey, you're lying!"
"I lied? Okay, I lied. Then will my injuries lie? Did you hit me on the back of the head? Did your direwolf bite my wrist?"
"You hurt my best friend!" Arya screamed.
"Your good friend?" Joffrey laughed, and the nobles joined in with laughter, filling the hall with a joyful atmosphere. "Come and see, everyone! This wretched bastard, reeking of pork, is the good friend of the second daughter of the Duke of Stark!" Joffrey's lips curled up, full of mockery. "Sansa, my fiancée, you were there too. Tell me the truth, was I lying, or was Arya lying?"
Arya turned to Sansa and said, "Sansa, tell everyone that Joffrey is lying!"
Queen Cersei looked at Sansa, smiled, and said softly, "Miss Sansa, I believe in your purity and integrity. Please tell everyone the truth!"
Sansa was in turmoil. She didn't want to betray the prince she loved, nor did she want to say anything that would hurt Queen Cersei. But on this side was her own sister, Arya. Arya was right, but facing so many nobles and courtiers, this concerned the honor of the royal family and the dignity of the queen and prince. What should I do? Sansa felt helpless.
King Robert said, "Sansa, don't be afraid, tell the truth, I'm here!"
"I don't know!" Sansa said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know. It was chaotic. I was terrified. I can't remember what happened."
"You're lying!" Arya rushed in front of Sansa, raising her hand to strike Sansa's face, but her father grabbed her hand. Arya threw herself into her father's arms and cried loudly, "Daddy, Sansa is lying, I hate her!"
"The facts are clear." Queen Cersei sneered. "Look at the little wolf girl, she even dared to attack her sister in public. But Sansa didn't want to ruin her relationship with her sister, so she kindly chose to avoid the truth. But her attitude has already shown that it is true that Arya and the Butcher attacked Prince Joffrey. Hound, kill the Butcher."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Hound reached out and picked up Mikay, striding out.
Mika was so scared she almost fainted!
"No, Daddy, save Mikey! He's innocent! He's my best friend! Daddy, please, save him!" Arya looked up at her father, tears streaming down her face, pleading. Her voice trailed off after only a few cries. Seeing that pleading with her father was useless, she turned to everyone else, "Please, let him go! He's my best friend! Please, please, let him go!"
Arya's voice quickly became hoarse! Her helpless screams were heartbreaking.
Tears welled in the eyes of all fifty guards from the North. They were all close to Arya and knew her generous and upright character well!
Eddard Stark's face was grim, and he remained silent, simply holding the desperate and helpless Arya tightly in his arms.
Bernie lowered his head, his throat tightening. The lion's tooth, now stripped of its golden lion head decoration, was still hanging at Bernie's waist; he already knew the truth from the Mountain.
Bernie is an absolute jerk, but deep down, he's not all ice. Perhaps we can call this buried kindness a vulnerability.
"Your Majesty, please give the order on how Arya and her wolf should be punished according to the law!" Queen Cersei smiled triumphantly, raised her head, and looked at Eddard Stark with a smiling gaze.
The king said, "This is really damning, Sansa, you really can't remember the truth?"
Before Sansa, who was looking down, could answer, Bernie's hand touched the Mountain's leg!
The Mountain looked down and saw Bernie's bright, sparkling eyes!
This little brat thinks the demon king he worships is an invincible god!
Unrivaled!
For some inexplicable reason, the Mountain recalled the family motto he had stolen.
Yes, now that we're here, The Mountain isn't here to be a dog again.
Dog owners and pig butchers, commoners and nobles, stripped naked, are all the same; no one is more noble than anyone else! Decades later, when we're all piled up and turned to ashes in the crematorium, who will be able to recognize who is who?
Furthermore, according to the Mountain's own design, in the Great Prophecy plan that the Witch taught Tywin, Joffrey was merely a pawn that had to be removed from the Great Prophecy.
Sansa spoke in a voice barely above a whisper: "Your Majesty, I truly do not remember!"
"No!" Arya cried out in her father's arms, her voice a hoarse, curse-like threat, "Sansa, I'll kill you!"