chapter 165 part 1
Chapter 165: Commander of the Gold Cloaks
Sansa Stark hastily shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "Lord Glynn, I was not aware. I only know my father wanted to send us away. The Queen Regent can testify for me."
Glynn raised his eyebrows. "The honorable Queen Regent, why would she testify for a traitor's daughter?"
Hearing Glynn's words, Sansa's tears began to stream from the corners of her eyes. She collapsed weakly. "No! He would never do such a thing! This must be a misunderstanding!"
Glynn pressed on, "Didn't you see it with your own eyes this morning? The blood in the Throne Room hasn't been wiped clean yet. Shall I take you back to reminisce?"
Tears streamed down Sansa's face. She was heartbroken and terrified. Why would her father do such a thing? Was she truly to become a traitor's daughter? Could she still love Joffrey?
She shouted, "That was his own mistake! It has nothing to do with me!"
Glynn had originally intended to subtly hint to Sansa... *House crabbe never forgets*... but he now abandoned that plan. Love had already clouded the young lady's mind.
Until she realized the true nature of Cersei and Joffrey, Glynn could not extend his hand to her.
...
*Thump... Thump...* Every one of Glynn's footsteps made Sansa's heart pound faster. He stooped down, gripping her cheeks with one hand.
"How amusing. The father is a traitor, and the daughter betrays her own father. It's truly the same bloodline, isn't it?"
Sansa wanted to shake her head in denial, but Glynn's hand was like an iron vise. Her head could not budge.
"It's not true, it's not, it's not."
Sansa desperately denied it. She remembered Lord Glynn as a very good man. Why was he treating her this way, even pinning a crime on her?
Sansa pleaded weakly, "Please, I beg you, let me go. I really don't know anything."
"Lady Sansa, your current state has only just begun to appease my anger."
Glynn's hand released Sansa's face. He continued, "Without Lord Eddard, who would care about your feelings?"
Glynn's ears twitched, and he slowly straightened up.
He looked down on Sansa and said coldly, "This is your situation now. Do you understand?"
Sansa timidly glanced at the man who had become a stranger to her and said in a trembling voice, "I... I understand."
"Tell me, where is Arya Stark?"
How was she supposed to know where Arya had run off to? Sansa felt it was utterly unfair. Why was everything being blamed on her?
Seeing Sansa's silence, Glynn's expression turned cold.
Sansa had resolved to have the grace of a highborn lady, to be as gentle as the queen and as resolute as her mother, but the Glynn before her was terrifying. Her body couldn't help but tremble.
"Please, I beg you, let me go, I really..."
The door was suddenly pushed open, cutting off Sansa's sobs.
Glynn turned his head to look. Cersei Lannister walked in, followed by Ser Boros Blount and Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard.
Ser Boros, who hailed from the Crownlands, and Ser Meryn, from the Stormlands, were both members of Robert I's Kingsguard. It was rumored that they had secretly sworn fealty to Cersei even while King Robert was still alive.
And... at the very back, Lancel waved his hand at Glynn, indicating that he absolutely had not snitched!
Glynn gave a bow. "Good day, Queen Cersei."
Queen Cersei glanced sideways at Glynn, then walked over, helped Sansa to her feet, and held her in her arms.
Queen Cersei's gentleness made Sansa choke up. "Your Grace, please believe me, I truly don't know anything."
Queen Cersei patted Sansa's back gently, comforting her. "My poor child, how could I not believe you?"
After speaking, she looked at Glynn.
Queen Cersei accused, "Lord Glynn, how could you privately interrogate Lady Sansa? She is not a criminal."
Glynn said helplessly, "Your Grace, I merely wanted to ask Lady Sansa about a few things. The surprise Lord Eddard sent has made me restless."
A look of contempt appeared on Queen Cersei's face, and she muttered, "The stupid wolf's little tricks are truly clumsy..."
As she spoke, she stroked Sansa's hair and said, "Lord Glynn, I believe Sansa is innocent. I do not wish for this child to suffer any undue fright."
Glynn glanced at Queen Cersei and said respectfully, "As you command, my Queen."
At this moment, Sansa felt completely at ease, nestled obediently in Cersei's arms.
"There now, you get some rest."
...
...
The Red Keep, dungeons.
Eddard saw a young Robert, tall and handsome, wearing a stag helmet and holding a warhammer, looking like a horned giant god on his horse.
From the darkness came Robert's hearty laughter, his eyes a clear blue, like a mountain lake.
"Seven Hells..."
Robert seemed to be reminiscing. "Ned, back then we defeated the Targaryens together and won the Iron Throne... Now you're locked in here, and I was killed by a boar. How did we end up like this?"
Lord Eddard couldn't open his mouth, couldn't make a sound.
He could only scream in his heart: *Robert, my good friend, my brother, I've failed you. I deceived you, hid the truth. It was I who killed you.*
"You stubborn fool. I sought my own death, and so did you."
Eddard realized that Robert could somehow hear his thoughts.
Robert roared, "Ned, you're just proud and stubborn, you refuse to listen! Can you eat pride? Can honor protect your children?"
*Eddard: You're right to curse me. I'm a fool beyond saving. Robert, I think we'll be seeing each other again soon.*
"Piss off, don't come and bother me and Lyanna! Damn you, I don't want to see your ugly face again."
An old friend wanted to leave, and there was nothing you could do to stop him.
"Robert!"
...
Lord Eddard woke with a start from the dream. After a long moment, he began to come to his senses... Where was this? There wasn't a sliver of light, and the straw beneath him reeked of urine.
Lord Eddard reached out his hand and touched a cold stone wall. He was no different from a blind man now, or perhaps, no different from a dead one.
The king eats, the Hand wipes.
When the king dies, the Hand is buried with him.
Lord Eddard felt this was quite a good burial place, very suitable for a damned fool like him.