It galled Ned to have to reprimand his daughter when he agreed wholeheartedly with her sentiments, if not the manner of their expression. "It is the law of the place," said Ned, "and as much as I mislike it, if there is to be aught but chaos here, it is to be obeyed."
"When those monsters showed up on Halloween, no one complained when everyone started killing them," Arya said. As far as Arya's viewpoint went, this was solid logic.
"That was different, though I am tempted to agree that there is little difference in monsters and Lannisters," he said in clipped tones. "So much of this place is determined by who arrives first that the only just thing to do is allow everyone this chance. If by some misfortune the entire clan of Lannisters had arrived before us, to sell their side of the tale before us, would you not be grateful or it then? Would you not want to be judged on your own merit?" And as much as Ned misliked to think on it, if the family as it stood were taken tomorrow only to reappear in an infestation of Lannisters at a later date, it would be the thing that allowed them to start anew.
Lucy was unsure what this Joffrey had done to the Starks, but it couldn't have been good. Perhaps he'd betrayed them? It would have had to be a worse betrayal than Edmund's she thought, for they seemed rather unwilling to forgive. Curious she lurked about the room, listening in to bits of conversation, hoping to learn more.
Susan leaned to whisper in her sister's ear, knowing this would mean nothing to her unless she explained. Her voice was low enough that only Lucy could hear. "Joffrey was the king that ordered Lord Stark put to death," she whispered, "and was for a time engaged to Sansa. His family and the Starks are mortal enemies, and he is dangerous and cruel." Susan wished she knew what he looked like, so as to avoid him, but all she knew was that the sigil of House Lannister was a lion.
"Yes," whispered Susan. "I shall tell you more back at the house, but for now listen, and be careful." She didn't expect she and Lucy would be in any harm, but everything she'd heard about the Lannisters told her they were all completely mad, and she wanted nothing to do with them.
Jeyne would not know one Lannister from another on sight, save Ser Jaime, but she hated them all with an anger that made her nearly ill. They were the ones who had taken Robb from her, had lured her mother with promises of marriages and pardons, and she would always, always despise them. She listened to Lord Eddard's words silently, hands clasped in her lap and lips pressed tight together.
Even one more Lannister on the island was one too many.
Robb stands stiffly at her back, one hand resting on her shoulder. He can still remember all the councils he'd held back in Westeros about just how to rid the Seven Kingdoms of Joffrey Lannister, and it galls him that he now has to play at peacemaking with the man who had his father killed. Not even man enough to hold the blade himself.
But short of leading another rebellion from the otherwise peaceful island, he has not yet seen another option, and there are no banners to call, here.
Though if he gets lost in dinosaur country, it could only be for the best.
"I cannot help but wonder," Jeyne said softly, but enough for Robb to hear, "how many more Lannisters will come here after these two." Her hands were clasped so tightly together that her knuckles were white, and when she finally unclenched them she reached for Robb's hand upon her shoulder.
"Those we have already seen are the worst of them," Robb answers in a low voice, "save perhaps Tywin. Tommen I would not hold accountable for his family's wrongs, and most of the rest...."
Some of the rest had already seen death at his hands. But it had been the business of war, and he knew not how the would handle themselves if separated from their lord.
Sansa holds Eddara so tightly to herself that sometimes she squirms as if uncomfortable and Sansa has to remind herself not to hold so tight. Mostly though Eddara is settled and babbling and unperturbed by her grandfather's words or the mood in the room. Sansa had thought it would be longer before this news reached her family but it seems not. She has never heard such bitterness from her father and she wonders what his reaction would be if he knew she had known of Joffrey. If he knew about her encounter with her former betrothed. She shudders like she needs to give her family more reasons for anger. At least Joffrey thinks it a secret so is not like to boast on it to anyone. Eddara pulls at her hair and Sansa lets her listlessly. Joffrey said he will find her, Sansa does not mean to be found. She can stay in Summerfell or . . . She had won permission to care for Caspian after long and persuasive arguments with her father. She wonders if he will withdraw that permission now. She hopes not, everyone knows Summerfell, marked with the
( ... )
At the news, Susan's first thought was for Sansa, and how much Joffrey's arrival must upset her; no wonder she looked so pale and frightened. Quietly excusing herself to Jon and Lucy, she went to sit beside her friend, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Sansa is so caught in her own thoughts she does not notice Susan until the arm is round her shoulders. She swallows hard and tries to look unaffected but her attempt to smile gratefully at Susan comes out grimace like and she takes a deep breath. Eddara squeals happily as she focuses on Susan and then gums on her fingers before reaching towards her aunt and Sansa wordlessly dries Eddara's hand on her skirt. "Shhh," she said, "Grandfather is talking."
Susan attempted to distract Eddara into silence by playing with her fingers, but didn't offer to take her off Sansa's hands for a bit, thinking that Sansa probably wanted to hold her daughter more than ever.
Unable to sit still, Jon stood at the back of the room, his wife seated before him and his mother at his elbow. He hardly knew what to think or feel; he was equal parts furious and cautious, wishing more than anything that simply wishing the Lannister king gone would make it so. But he had seen the boy's vile mother often enough to know that wanting someone gone would not make them disappear. He clasped his hands behind his back, his lips pressed thinly together, and listened to his father counsel caution. It would not be easy for any of them to obey, he knew; he wondered, in truth, if they would all be able to manage it.
Glancing at Robb, whose opinion on the matter had already been well stated, he then looked to Jon. "I need to know that you will not seek the boy out," he said. Having told Vimes that he would do everything he could to keep the peace, he was now charged with doing just that.
Jon was silent for a moment, looking at his feet. It rankled fiercely not to be able to treat the boy as ill as he deserved... Jon would have liked nothing better than to take part in the demise of any of those who had ruined their lives back in Westeros. But for all that, he had thought Theon more dangerous at first, and most certainly the Lannister queen were she not half-mad... And ultimately he had to own, he would not go against his father's wishes
( ... )
"I know you would rather not," he said in reply. "It is not my preferred course of action anymore than it is yours or Robb's. But I do not think the boy is worth risking the peace and safety we have found here." He thought on Jon's suggestion, and nodded; it seemed reasonable enough. "I do not see why not; there is no reason for him to come here other than to cause trouble. Ser Vimes did say himself that you and Robb and I could arrest the boy ourselves, if need be, should he cause trouble."
Comments 51
"Why do we have to obey that?" Arya complained, sullenly folding her arms. "No one ever asked me if I wanted to let everyone get away with things."
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Even one more Lannister on the island was one too many.
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But short of leading another rebellion from the otherwise peaceful island, he has not yet seen another option, and there are no banners to call, here.
Though if he gets lost in dinosaur country, it could only be for the best.
[Consider this Robb's top-level tag, too. :)]
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Some of the rest had already seen death at his hands. But it had been the business of war, and he knew not how the would handle themselves if separated from their lord.
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