King's Landing - CrownLands
When the day started, Sansa never expected it would end up turning into a nightmare. All was well at first and she had been escorted to the pier along with the rest of the royal family, her ladies and plenty of guards.
For a moment, Sansa dreamt of getting on a ship and just sailing back home, although she knew it would not be possible. Instead, she remained quiet and watched as Princess Myrcella was on a small boat and was heading for a huge ship; that would take her to Dorne to meet her future husband.
This marriage would offer an alliance between the Crown and Dorne, ensuring help and provisions during this tough war.
After the girl was away, they all had to walk back to the Red Keep. The crowd had been formed around them, creating a small path for them to pass while they were held at bay by guards.
Many shouted and worshipped the King, although mockery was easy to distinguish. Of course, there were plenty that begged, starving and suffering due to the bad economy and the war that was taking place for almost 1 year.
Yet, no one dared to make a move until a horse dung was thrown at Joffrey's cheek. The boy king started to shout back, ordering executions here and there. This caused the people to rally up and all hell broke loose.
Sansa barely registered what happened for all she could think of was getting herself to safety. The guards moved to protect the royal family and some tried to protect her, only to fall victim to the people that started to bite and eat the flesh raw.
Like possessed animals, they attacked, shouted, pushed and harmed anyone in their way. Eventually, Sansa lost her two ladies and she was not even sure if they were alive or dead.
A few people blocked her way, preventing her from joining the rest of the Royals in the Red Keep. Forced to flee, the terrified Dire Wolf lifted her dress even higher and kept running.
She eventually moved into some sort of tunnel, leading her through some stables or cellar; she could not say; more focused on seeing the light of the following day.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her ankle and she fell on the straw-covered cobble floor.
She tried to fight and crawl away but more hands grabbed her hands, while others ripped the back of her dress. She was eventually flipped and she could see the hungry and lustful eyes of men that were about to rape her.
She begged, cried, shouted and kicked but they were stronger than her.
For a moment, she truly thought she would lose her maidenhood to those men when a sword stabbed the man that was about to rape her through the chest.
In seconds, the sword had been pulled back and the now dead man was thrown to one of the remaining men. A second one tried to attack her saviour, only to receive a strong punch that broke his nose and knocked him out.
Sansa watched with tears in her eyes as Trystan sliced the neck of a third man, blood spluttering across his face and armour. There was a nasty gash on his upper arm where someone had torn away the protective place and had ripped the red fabric; exposing his skin.
His hair was a mess and he looked as if he had been fighting through the whole wave of angry people, which he might as well have done to find her.
His green eyes quickly noticed her form and she saw how darker they were, as if some godly power had possessed him at the sight of her scared, shaken form.
He then rushed and helped her to get up, while she grabbed his lower arm with a deadly grip.
"Whatever happens, stay behind me Lady Sansa" he said through small quick breaths and never took his eyes off the men remaining.
Two men remained but he knew more would come very soon and he was ready to fight all of them if he had to. He felt the grip of her shaking fingers on his left hand and fixed the grip of his sword on his right.
Slowly, he took a few steps back with her while he moved his blade as a warning to anyone foolish enough to try and attack them.
Someone had come from a different entrance and tried to attack Sansa but Trystan seemed to have spotted him. Pushing Sansa behind him, he felt the man's teeth diving into his skin at the ripped part of his clothing.
"Trystan!" Sansa shouted, seeing blood coming as the young Lion brought his sword from beneath the man's jaw and stabbed it up.
The man collapsed the moment he pulled the sword and he quickly moved to be an obstacle between the other men and Sansa, ignoring his bleeding hand or the sharp pain coming from the bite mark.
The men were about to attack them again when someone joined them.
The huge form of the Hound appeared and immediately grabbed the back neck of the first man he saw. He turned him so he could see that pitiful face before digging his dagger into his stomach and slicing it open, letting his guts hang out of his body.
Dropping the body to the ground, one of the men tried to attack him but he easily stabbed him and finished him with one go. The last man tried to run, seeing he could not win but Ser Gregor caught up with him in big strides and sliced his throat open.
"Ser Sandor, just in time" Trystan exclaimed, relieved to see him.
Once all the men were dead and Sansa knew she was safe, she felt her knees giving up on her. As she was about to fall, she held tightly on the injured arm of Trystan and managed to slow down her fall.
"Lady Sansa!" the young Lion exclaimed, turning to check on her and seeing the wound on her face properly.
The Hound moved and knelt next to him, being taller and more intimidating than the Lion Heir.
"You are safe now, little bird. Can you walk?" he asked, seeing her shaking like a leaf.
Sansa did not reply, merely holding the parts of her dress close to her skin with one hand and the other holding on to her saviour.
"I will carry her" Trystan said but the Hound grabbed his free wrist.
"Don't be stupid, boy. You are injured. I will do it" he said and let him go.
Since Trystan was a Lannister, Ser Sandor had to keep him safe and obey him; even though his primary mission was to keep that boy king safe. Of all the Lannisters he had met, the Hound found to tolerate him the most.
Often, he would find him sitting somewhere, reading a book like some sort of court sissy. Each time he would make a similar comment about his lady hobby of just reading but the boy never took offence.
He would sometimes reply to his comments and others just not, while Ser Sandor would sit with him to join and enjoy peace; away from all the drama of the court.
Perhaps it was the fact that the boy was honourable or that he was quiet but Sandor could be around him without feeling the need to smack them after a while.
Trystan did not argue and stood up slowly. At first, Sansa did not wish to let him go but eventually did, allowing the Hound to grab and place her over his shoulder.
The young Lion was tall but the Hound was taller and of course, stronger; for now. He made the carrying look easy but they did not move too far since a few steps out of the stables they were met with white cloaks and the face of a worried Tyrion.
Ser Sandor placed Sansa by the wall where her ladies rushed to check on her while the Stark Dire-wolf just stared into the far distance; not speaking.
"Are you hurt, my lady?" Tyrion asked, approaching her slowly.
"The little bird's bleeding. Someone take her back to her cage. See to cut" the Hound said and the ladies did as they were instructed, taking her away.
Right after, the Hound left and Tyrion took a good look at his younger brother. He was bloodied and messy, having passed through hell literally. He remembered not seeing him when the Royal Court was taken into safety and now he knew why.
"You saved her life" he finally said, moving to stand next to him.
"I shouldn't have to do it. The Guards forgot about her and locked her out" he said, frustration evident in his voice something that was not common for him.
"Chaos happened and in chaos, everyone can get lost...but I agree with you. This should not have happened" the dwarf said and then noticed the wound. "You are injured" he pointed out.
Trystan moved his hand and took a good look at it. There were faint traces of blood but the marking of teeth was clear on his skin.
"Bitten, actually," he said, slightly amused by the sight.
"Only you would find it amusing by the fact that someone sunk their teeth in you"
He lowered his arm again.
"Starve the people and in the end, they will come for the flesh, whether be animal or human," he said and sheathed his bloody sword.
"If your mother were to find out that someone bit you, she would transform into a dragon and burn this whole city" Tyrion joked, making his younger brother chuckle. "Although, I can see Father leaving a path of corpses while looking for the culprit" he continued.
Trystan shrugged.
"Doubt about father. If he would do anything, would be more because of Lannister's honour and because I am his heir for Casterly Rock" he added bluntly. "It doesn't matter now. What's important is finding a way to fix this because it will not be the last riot"
Tyrion did not have to be told anything else. One quick look around and he could see how everyone was fighting everyone. It was madness and chaos, with no true aim behind it other than to release some pent-up frustration and stop one's hunger.
It was a terrifying thing and it took him a moment to realize that Trystan was right. If things did not end fast or at least were not properly corrected, worse would come.
How on earth did Father and Good-Mother manage to do Damage Control, he wondered in his mind.
A few hours after the riot had ended, the Red Keep was on alert. White cloaks had died, some other knights as well while parts of Flea Bottom were on fire for a while. Even the Great Septa had been killed and had his grand crown stolen.
Guards were on alert as they marched the Red Keep, ensuring no one would be able to pass through.
The sun had slowly started to set and torches were lit by servants to keep the halls of the Red Keep illuminated as darkness would soon fall upon them.
Trystan walked down a now familiar pathway, his armour long gone. He instead had chosen to wear a dark maroon leather jacket with a high collar and a diagonal row of buttons, the Lannister sigil glowing gold right above his heart.
He had black pants and boots, his sword strapped to his side with one hand placed on the handle and the other holding a small tray with food.
He had taken a bath after the riot, his sandy hair now dry and back to its usual shape but there was a certain darkness behind his green orbs.
Servants moved out of the way as he walked until he reached a familiar wooden door. Two Lannister guards were placed in front of it but they let him pass since they were familiar with the young heir, being from the few that answered only to him.
When he had been sent to King's Landing, his mother had given him 6 of her own personal guards to accompany him and to be guards outside his door. All 6 of them were former Targaryen soldiers, loyal to the end to his mother and him as well.
Trystan had managed to assign his guards to also stand and protect Lady Sansa's chambers at night, similar to how they did with his. None questioned his orders but some seemed to approve of his decision since they had often witnessed the abuse of the young girl.
He knocked on the door and then used his free hand to twist the doorknob to unlock it once he heard the "Enter" word of affirmation.
Sansa was sitting in front of the fire, her knees tucked up beneath her chin and her arms wrapped around them. She seemed better than before but there was still fear all over her face, not that he could blame her.
Her eyes moved towards the door, thinking it was a servant but once she realized it was the young Lion; she scurried to her feet.
"Ser...Ser Trystan," she said and tried to give a formal bow as the guards closed the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"
The younger lion took a few steps and placed the tray with the supper on top of the small wooden table. Then, he took a few feet away from her to give her space and respect the fact that she was a married woman or soon-to-be married at least.
"I was informed that you did not eat. I thought to bring it to you instead and check on your well-being, after well...the situation that took place during the riot" he confessed, placing his hands behind his back.
The Stark girl took a good look at him, the second time seeing him without his armour. While he did look good and strong with his knight attire, he still seemed to exert power even without it.
Despite being so young, he seemed so wise and strong as if he had seen the worst things a man could ever witness and learn from them.
Remembering the incident, Sansa shivered faintly but was thankful for how discrete he was when he brought it up. She rubbed her hands faintly and looked at him.
"I never managed to thank you Ser, for protecting me back there" she finally said, feeling guilty for not doing that before.
Trystan's lips curved up faintly, just a tad.
"Do not thank me, my Lady. No woman should ever be in such a position in the first place, especially not one of your status" he said.
Sansa's eyes went to his arm, remembering how he moved and took the bite for her in those stables.
That bite was intended for me and he put his arm to protect me.
She thought, feeling guilty and embarrassed at how helpless she was.
"Your arm... how is it?" she finally asked as she remembered how he stabbed the man without any remorse or how threatening his eyes looked as he took down the men, who touched her.
Even when the Hound acted, he was not showing any emotions but Trystan...Sansa truly thought she saw a Lion at his place.
No, not a lion...a dragon.
Trystan moved his arm to show it to her and even flexed his gloved fingers.
"Just a bite mark, it will pass said Maester. My arm is as good as it has been" he reassured her before moving his hand behind his back once again.
She was relieved.
"That is good. Thank you again, Ser" she gave a small lady-like bow.
"You can repay me by eating your supper my lady," he said, shocking her as her cheeks turned red. She glanced at the tray.
Bringing food to chambers is a servant's job. He didn't have to do it himself.
"I...I will try, Ser. I am just not really hungry" she admitted, glancing at her feet for a moment.
He simply changed the weight from one foot to the other.
"I understand... I cannot imagine truly how it must be for you as I am not at your place...but I understand. As long as you do not go to bed with an empty stomach, I am good" he explained.
There was always something about his words and his manners. They sounded so perfect, so sweet and just right. The way he spoke was as if he thought carefully about every single sentence before uttering it.
Yet, when he said those last two sentences, there was this little informality behind them. They were not as formal or mannered as they usually were and that was something she realised and it surprised her.
Though he would not lie, she would like to see more of the real Trystan or at least not Ser Trystan.
She still thought back to their small talk about fathers, how he was speaking a little more freely although there was still some restraint in his words.
In the end, Sansa found herself smiling truly after months of being in there. Her dove eyes seemed to soften, the grey-blue shade they possessed standing out against her auburn hair.
"Then I promise I will not go to bed without supper, Ser Trystan" she said, feeling better than before now that he was present.
The corner of his lips shifted again, this time becoming evident enough for her to take notice.
"I am pleased to hear that, my lady. I shall let you eat and rest, now" he said and gave a small formal bow. "Have a pleasant night, Lady Sansa"
She watched him go, a small silly smirk upon her lips at his thoughtful words and actions.
"Have a good night as well, Ser Trystan" she told him before he left, her smile never leaving her face.