Chapter 2

The Hand's tourney was an extremely elaborate affair with sigils, knights in armour, jousts, feasting and the constant pouring of wine. The King was merry as usual and commanded for there to be more serving girls and more wine to the disgust of his new Hand.

Throughout the tourney and subsequent feasting that followed, Caspian kept a close eye on Eddard Stark. The man seemed to have a level head on his shoulders to say the least. Caspian had heard from Lord Varys that he had strongly protested to the tournament and the celebration on account of the fact that the crown was heavily in debt and owned absurd amounts to others.

Caspian had known this for many years and was thoroughly disgusted with his father's lack of interest in the kingdom in favour of wine and whores. By contrast however, the one person that he did find interesting to at least talk to because he was never able to approach Lord Stark was his daughter Arya.

Though she was four years younger than he she had more courage in one finger than most of the Kingsguard had in their entire bodies. After her dancing master left for the day, Caspian had taken to joining her on the terrace where she had her lessons and helping her to practice. It was amusing for him as well as a distraction from the busy air of the castle.

Arya, while a spitfire didn't say much at first and Caspian got the feeling that she was watching him carefully for any signs of deception and to see if he were like Joffrey. There were times when he wanted to correct her but then decided that his actions would speak for themselves. She had watched his movements very carefully as they sparred and was soon mimicking him so he had to change his style. They always fought with wooden swords and after a few weeks Arya demanded why.

"You're not trained to the point where you can handle a steel sword without hurting yourself," Caspian explained. "You've only been at it for a few weeks."

"You use a steel sword,"Arya pointed out.

Caspian smirked. "Yes, but I've been holding a sword since I was younger than you. I know how to use one without hurting myself."

"I'm almost ten!" Arya protested indignantly.

"I know," Caspian said patiently. "And you'll handle a steel sword soon enough. Now what's say we try again?"

When he wasn't helping Arya, Caspian would sometimes sit in on the council meetings where his father and Lord Stark were. It was highly irregular for him to be there but no one could think of any reason why he shouldn't be and he often kept quiet as it wouldn't do for him to speak up as he was barely more than a child.

Among these councils were the Essosi eunuch Varys, Lord Petyr Baelish, Grand Maester Pycelle and others. These were the ones he paid attention to the most at least.

Caspian still remembered the very first council he had gone to when the new Hand had arrived from Winterfell. Varys had commented on how sorry he was for the trouble Stark had gotten into on the Kings road and Ned had seemed less than impressed about how he had prayed for Joffrey's safe recovery.

Caspian had snorted very quietly at this and had drawn the attention of the Hand himself. The Lord of Winterfell turned in his direction and his eyes widened slightly when he beheld the prince.

"Your grace," he said with a short bow. "I did not expect to see you here."

He sounded like he meant it and Caspian inclined his head in respect. "I sometimes sit in on these councils Lord Hand. My Lord Father has not seen it fit to eject me so here I am."

Stark raised an eyebrow. "Indeed?"

After a moment where the two eyed each other for a moment, Ned nodded once more before going over to exchange pleasantries with Renly and Baelish and Pycelle.

After these trivialities had concluded each man took their seat around the table and Lord Stark had seated himself at the right hand of the kings chair which was now sitting empty as it was usually.

Caspian, who was sitting on a stool near the window to observe the proceedings, as he wasn't allowed to sit at the table perceived that Stark didn't look pleased with Robert's absence as well as the fact that he himself was there at all.

Lord Baelish presented Stark with the Kings Command which he proclaimed to be urgent. Stark raised an eyebrow when he informed quietly that the king had commanded a tourney in his honour. The expenses for it would be absurd which only led to the revealing of how much it was that the crown owed Tywin Lannister.

Stark looked beyond flabbergasted. "Do you mean to tell me that the crown is three million pieces in debt?"

It was a prodigious amount that made Caspian cringe every time he heard of it. Robert really was a fool.

After determining the extent of the debt some of which even Caspian didn't know was there, Lord Stark appeared to have had enough because he begged their indulgence on account of his fatigue from travel.

The council convened shortly after that and all the men left the room leaving Caspian alone none of them having looked at him once. He didn't mind, he was used to it, at his age, it was irregular that he even sat in on these councils. Joffrey couldn't care less and Tommen and Myrcella were too small.

After waiting about ten minutes to think about what he had seen, Caspian got up and left.

Perhaps this new Hand would make attempts to not beggar the realm as his father had done. But if Robert wouldn't listen to even Jon Arryn than what possibility was there that he would listen to Lord Stark?

"I do hope the new Hand is frugal with his coin," Caspian had muttered to himself. "I believe we're all going to need it."

After that he had made sure to sit in on all of the small councils and see just what the new Hand would do.

Unfortunately Lord Stark didn't have his way and the tourney commenced. Almost every day they rode to tourney in litters with silken curtains and were seated at the head of the tournament just above the place where the Hand and his children sat.

Beyond the city walls, a hundred pavilions had been raised beside the river and the common folk had come out in the thousands to watch. Having seen a good deal of tourneys before, Caspian wasn't particularly impressed but he did find the awed looks on Sansa Stark's face amusing.

Jamie Lannister the Kingslayer rode brilliantly. He overthrew Ser Andar Royce and the Marcher Lord Bryce Caron as easily as if he were riding at rings, and then took a hard-fought match from white-haired Barristan Selmy the Bold, who had won his first two tilts against men thirty and forty years his junior.

Sandor Clegane the Hound and his immense brother, Ser Gregor the Mountain, seemed unstoppable as well, riding down one foe after the next in ferocious style. The most unsettling moment of the day for Caspian came during Ser Gregor's second joust, when his lance rode up and struck a young knight from the Vale, Ser Hugh, under the gorget with such force that it drove through his throat, killing him instantly. The youth fell not ten feet from where Sansa Stark was seated. The point of Ser Gregor's lance had snapped off in his neck, and his life's blood flowed out in slow pulses, each weaker than the one before. His armour was shiny new; a bright streak of fire ran down his outstretched arm, as the steel caught the light. Then the sun went behind a cloud, and it was gone. His cloak was blue, the colour of the sky on a clear summer's day, trimmed with a border of crescent moons, but as his blood seeped into it, the cloth darkened and the moons turned red, one by one.

After they carried off the body, a boy with a spade ran onto the field and shovelled dirt over the spot where he had fallen, to cover up the blood. Then the jousts resumed.

Ser Balon Swann also fell to Gregor, and Lord Renly to the Hound. Renly was unhorsed so violently that he seemed to fly backward off his charger, legs in the air. His head hit the ground with an audible crack that made the crowd gasp, but it was just the golden antler on his helm. One of the tines had snapped off beneath him. When Lord Renly climbed to his feet, the commons cheered wildly, for King Robert's handsome young brother was a great favourite. He handed the broken tine to his conqueror with a gracious bow. The Hound snorted and tossed the broken antler into the crowd, where the commons began to punch and claw over the little bit of gold, until Lord Renly walked out among them and restored the peace.

Later a hedge knight in a chequered cloak disgraced himself by killing Beric Dondarrion's horse, and was declared forfeit. Lord Beric shifted his saddle to a new mount, only to be knocked right off it by Thoros of Myr. Ser Aron Santagar and Lothor Brune tilted thrice without result; Ser Aron fell afterward to Lord Jason Mallister, and Brune to Yohn Royce's younger son, Robar Royce.

In the end it came down to four; the Hound and his monstrous brother Gregor, Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer, and Ser Loras Tyrell, the youth they called the Knight of Flowers. Ser Loras was the youngest son of Mace Tyrell, the Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South. At sixteen, he was the youngest rider on the field, yet he had unhorsed three knights of the Kingsguard that morning in his first three jousts. Though it is to be said that three knights were not any distinguished in art of jousting.

Caspian had to stifle his urge to roll his eyes at the theatrics of Ser Loras after every one of his victories in which he would prance around the field and present one of the flowers in the crown he was holding to some fair maiden. It was all a ruse because Caspian knew that Loras was far more interested in Renly Baratheon than any of the beautiful women in the crowd. He cared not for the man's preferences but only the way he presented himself that gave the indication that he did not. In other words Loras was a Sword Swallower through.

But he kept his silence all the same.

Every so often, Arya would look up from her place beside her sister, catch Caspian's eye and make a face as if she couldn't believe she was being forced to be here. He would have thought that she might have enjoyed this more given that it wasn't needle work which he knew she hated. He would smirk at her before directing his attention back to the jousts.

Unfortunately, Joffrey became aware of these little exchanges for he leaned over his mouth twisted into a leer and whispered. "I believe the little pup fancies you brother. She keeps looking here like some love struck tart."

Caspian raised an eyebrow at him. "By that logic you just might as well assume she fancies you. You are sitting next to me are you not?"

The look on Joffrey's face was a curious mixture of disgust and bewilderment. Caspian bit the inside of his mouth so he wouldn't smirk and turned back to the tournament.

Finally the jousts seemed to come to a close and the feasting began for that night after the king declared that three matches would begin the next morning. Caspian observed that Joffrey was attentive to Sansa all night and she seemed to absorb the compliments and praise like a sponge.

If only she knew, Caspian thought grimly to himself.

King Robert had grown louder with each course. From time to time Caspian could hear him laughing or roaring a command over the music and the clangour of plates and cutlery, but they were too far away for him to make out his words.

Now everybody heard him. "No," he thundered in a voice that drowned out all other speech. Caspian was shocked to see the king on his feet, red of face, reeling. He had a goblet of wine in one hand, and he was drunk as a man could be. "You do not tell me what to do, woman," he screamed at Queen Cersei. "I am king here, do you understand? I rule here, and if I say that I will fight tomorrow, I will fight!"

Caspian fought not to grimace. There had been few times where he had seen his father this deep in his cups. After an unfortunate altercation with Uncle Jaime, Lord Renly filled Robert's cup again.

After that Caspian, suffering from a towering head ache, both from the wine and the incense and loud noise, excused himself to go to his chambers. He could feel his mother's eyes on him, but he ignored her. After an argument with Robert she would often come to see him. He didn't know why she gravitated towards him during these times but perhaps it was because he was old enough to understand and would actually listen to her unlike Joffrey. It was usually either himself or Uncle Jaime that she would go to.

He shut the doors and began to dress for the night, glad it was all over and somewhat wishing he wouldn't be expected to go to the jousts tomorrow. So far the events since the Hand had come to the capital had been beyond bizarre. His mother had been watching everyone like a hawk and Joffrey had been putting on farce after farce since the incident on the Kings Road.

Arya and Lord Stark were by far the most interesting and the former was the only one he usually saw since the Hand had been rushing about the city on some issue of his own that was above Caspian's knowledge.

After dressing, the second prince went out onto the balcony to partake of the warm air. It was still early to go to bed and the sounds from the courtyard and the Red Keep were loud enough to keep anyone awake for hours. The smell of incense and burning candles was still strong and Caspian wished for a breeze to blow it all away. The headache he had been nursing was still affecting him and he let out a hiss of air from between his teeth.

The influx of people in the castle was enough to give even the most patient maester a headache. What was that expression Robert sometimes used? I am surrounded by flatterers and fools. It certainly seems as if those types of people are coming out in droves, Caspian thought to himself. Lord Stark will be hard pressed to deal with them all.

He glanced back into the chamber from where he was standing on the balcony and perceived the book resting on the table by his bed. It was a thorough account of the Baratheon family line and Caspian had been looking through it carefully. He wanted to learn more about the history of his father's family and perhaps ascertain that the rest of the stags were not as inept, drunk and foolish as his father.

Many thousands of years ago there had been a First Man named Durran who had fallen in love with a lady of the sea named Elenei whose father was the god of the sea and mother the goddess of the wind. She had pledged herself to Durran and thus a mortal life which had enraged her parents and caused them to wreak havoc on Durran's seaside castle. They destroyed it six times but on the seventh it withstood their onslaught.

Durran was given the name Godsgrief because he had tested the patience of the gods and his castle was known forever after as Storm's End. Stannis Baratheon had been recalled there from King's Landing and thus had not been back to see the appointing of the new Hand.

There had been several myths that because of the mysticism of Elenei and the fact that she had had divinity from her parents that a certain amount of magic had been brought into the Baratheon family line through Durrandons. The supposed magic itself seemed to be an affinity to Storm, water and the wind as well as the sea.

Caspian wasn't sure how true the myths were but the men of the Durrandon family preceding Durran's Union to Elenei were excellent seamen and the sea seemed to bend to their will whenever they took to the waves. However Durran was the first Storm King as were all those that followed in his wake so that might have had something to do with it. But there had been a lore that when need of hour comes the divine spark from Durran's line allow Baratheon to rage storm at enemies.

Though Caspian took this fable with grain of salt, else the Battle of Trident would have been more legendary, particularly from his father's rage over Rhaegar Targaryen.

The line of the Storm Kings ended when Orys Baratheon defeated Argilac the Arrogant and who then took his daughter Argella Durrandon as his wife. Therefore the Baratheons were descended from the Storm Kings through the female line.

He was just contemplating continuing the passage he had stopped at by candlelight when there was the sound of the latch being lifted and the door of his chambers opened to reveal the queen herself.

She was still dressed in her rich robes from the feast and her long blonde locks were done up in the style of the southern women. Jewels bedecked her head, neck, fingers and wrists. Her green eyes flashed in the light of the candle she was holding as she gazed around the room until she spied Caspian's form on the balcony.

She was still a very beautiful woman, some said the most beautiful in the Seven Kingdoms even after the years of emotional abuse as Robert's wife. But that beauty was a poor mask for the vindictive woman that lay underneath.

Without even turning around, Caspian knew it was her. She never knocked on his door the way his younger sister or brother did and the servants. Instead whenever she had had a disagreement to use the term loosely with his father she would come see him.

The prince found it a little ironic that she would want to see his face after these occurrences because she had always told him that he looked the spitting image of Robert when he was young. He never knew if those words were compliments or insults. From Cersei it was always usually a bit of both.

He didn't turn around and from the sound of the soft squeaks of the bed, she had sat down on it.

They said nothing at first and Caspian preferred the silence. He always had to watch his words with his mother because she took offence to things quite easily and it was not worth the trouble to explain himself.

"The king means to fight tomorrow," she said finally and Caspian who still had his back to her looking down at the festivities in the courtyard raised an eyebrow.

"I know," he said. "The entire court was witness to his declarations."

He knew that it was what his mother wanted to hear because ranting about Robert in the privacy of closed chambers was one of her favourite things to do.

Sure enough she indulged him. "The man is a fool. He no longer knows how to hold a sword much less fight with one with a hammer. And to ride a horse as well is beyond the level of his intelligence to comprehend!"

She took a sip of the wine in the goblet she was holding and said no more. She truthfully didn't need to because the second son could feel the hatred radiating off of her in waves. He kept his back to her and continued to stare down at the festivities and flames adoring the feast.

When Cersei was in a mood like this it wouldn't do to try and reason with her. She hated Robert and the feeling was mutual. Something Caspian had learned long ago never to do was try to be the bridge between his parents. He had tried for a while when he was young but had realized for the final time when Robert bellowed at him to get out of his sight that it was never going to work.

From then on it had been enough that he knew his mother loved him and to let his father alone and he loved nothing but his whores and his drink. Time had proven this true and Caspian had accepted it. But there were still some things he wished to know which he had never had a perfect opportunity to ask.

"Mother was there ever a time when you truly loved Father?" He asked still not looking at her. "You hate him with a fiery passion but was the passion of love ever there as well?"

The queen was silent for so long that Caspian had begun to think she had left. After at least a minute of intense quiet, the prince turned around to see the queen still sitting on the bed, staring into the light of the candles so hard he thought she was going to disappear into them.

"Your father only loved one woman for his entire life," she said quietly and her voice was rife with bitterness, "And though she has been dead for years he loves her still."

Caspian grimaced inwardly glad she couldn't see what he was thinking. There certainly seemed to have been a time where Cersei wanted to love Robert but that he had been so besotted with another woman whom Tyrion had told Caspian was Lord Stark's sister ,Lyanna Stark, that he had been unable to think about loving another.

The prince suddenly wished his uncle were there now so he could talk to him but the dwarf was at the Wall with Benjen Stark and the bastard Jon Snow. He had had a few conversations with him and Robb Stark while they were being hosted at Winterfell as well as a few mock sword fights.

While both boys were around his age all of them going to be fifteen this year, there were vast differences between them and Caspian himself that had to do with where they had been raised. He drew himself out of his thoughts and turned back to his mother sitting on the bed. She was still sipping from her goblet but her face had gone hard and it was one of the rare times when he felt sorry for her.

He wasn't really fond of either of his parents but there were times when he saw the perspective with which she had lived for years and it was a bleak one. He loosed a small sigh and walked slowly back into the room until he was by the bed and slowly sat down next to the queen before taking her hand.

"Do you ever miss Casterly Rock?" He asked.

Cersei looked at him quizzically. "There's nothing for me in Casterly Rock."

"But that's where you grew up," Caspian prompted. "You always said you liked the people there better. You've always said that Kings Landing smelled of dung and filth. Perhaps if you were back there it might do you some good."

He was thinking perhaps that if she were there her hatred for Robert would cool and the bitter persona she had built around her heart would melt.

"And leave the rest of you at court?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "Tommen and Myrcella are far too young for me to leave them."

"Than take them with you," Caspian suggested. "It might be better for them there anyway. There's less chance for people trying to use them to get close to father there. I'm sure Joffrey and I can handle ourselves at court. Well…at least I can."

Cersei raised an eyebrow and Caspian knew that she knew about his dislike for his brother. She had privately hoped when they were younger that there would be close because they were separated by a matter of months but she knew she herself, their grandfather and court life had ruined the possibility.

For a moment, she appeared to be considering his suggestion but then clarity returned and she shook her head. "And who would be here to watch out for you and Joffrey if I'm gone? Robert certainly won't do it."

"I'm sure Uncle Jaime and Uncle Tyrion when he returns will be happy to take on that responsibility." Her nostrils flared in disgust at the mention of her younger brother and Caspian picked up on it right away. She hated him almost as much as she hated his father.

"Now you have only given me more reason to stay," she said somewhat light heartedly, but there was a subtle threat behind her eyes. She had never liked the fact that Caspian and Tyrion had been close. In fact the dwarf was going to name the second prince the heir of Casterly Rock since he had made it clear that he would never marry. It was nice to know that he would have somewhere to retreat to when Joffrey became king and succeeded in butchering the realm.

He opened his mouth to continue the conversation but Cersei got to her feet, signalling that the discourse was over.

She walked over to the door and opened it but before leaving she looked back at him. "You had best get some rest before the tourney tomorrow. The king is going to joust and that's something that no one would want to miss. Perhaps with some luck his opponent with suffer from a slip of the hand and save us all from more drunken debauchery."

She shut the door and Caspian wished she hadn't said that aloud even if she had been in his room when she said it. It was one thing to hate the king and another to wish that someone would supplant him.

But she did have a point. It was high time to get ready for bed and he had a feeling he wouldn't want to miss tomorrow's jousts for the world.

________________________________________________________________________________________

She was right.

The jousts had been a sight to behold especially with the temper that Ser Gregor had displayed at losing to Ser Loras.

Sansa Stark had appeared petrified when the monstrous man had cut off the head of the horse right in front of her and it had landed steps from the dais where the king, the hand and all of the royal children were. Even Arya appeared startled but Caspian couldn't say the same. The Mountain was famous for his temper but his display of it in the form of horse decapitation was a bizarre and morbid new trend.

Fortunately Robert had called him off before he succeeded in doing the same to Ser Loras and everyone had looked relieved.

That man needs to be put down, Caspian thought to himself as he walked through the palace halls. Before he murders someone and disgraces the crown even more than he already has.

He came to a stop at the Tower of the Hand and took the stairs up it two at a time before opening the door and coming into the solar. Septa Mordane was there but Lord Stark and Jory Cassel were gone on an unknown errand although Caspian had seen him slip away from the tourney before it was over.

When she looked up and saw him, she blinked in surprise before curtsying low. "Your grace. I didn't expect your presence."

Caspian gave her a slight smile. "It wasn't my intention to bother you dear septa. If you please, is Lady Sansa here? I would like to speak with her."

The Septa nodded and turned to hurry down the halls to the solar where Caspian was sure both of the Stark girls were. She returned with Sansa a few minutes later and there was a curious expression on her face when she saw him. He could tell that she had been expecting his brother and was therefore surprised when she saw that it was him.

She curtsied when she saw him and he bowed. "I wished to make sure you were alright after the tourney today and to apologize on behalf of Ser Gregor. Since he has been in our employ he hasn't really been liked that." It was a lie and he knew it and judging by the look in her eyes he had a feeling that she knew it too.

"I'm not someone who is easily startled your grace," she murmured and Caspian knew that was a lie too. By the Seven that was why living at court could be so difficult at times, you had to constantly be discerning truth from falsehood.

"Would you walk with me a while?" He asked.

Septa Mordane tittered and Sansa looked to her to obtain her approval. She looked a little surprised, but mildly pleased as well. He offered her his arm and Sansa gingerly took it as if she were afraid that by even coming into contact with him she would be unfaithful to Joffrey.

He led her out of the tower and down into the courtyards and gardens beyond. A warm breeze was blowing from the water and the sun rose high in a cloudless blue sky signalling a time of high summer. There was the scent of exotic fruits in the air reminding Caspian of the fact that he had not eaten since that morning and he had better do so once his business was finished here.

Most of the palace guests were still down by the river and Caspian had ducked out a little early to get away from the oppressive sun. It was just his luck that Sansa was back too because he had wanted to have a conversation with her but never had the opportunity to speak with her alone.

For her part, Sansa was a little bewildered that Joffrey's brother had turned up wanting to speak with her. She hadn't paid much attention to the second prince because he was so quiet but she remembered her father saying that he was the spitting image of a young Robert when he had seen him at Winterfell.

Like his brother he was handsome, but in a way that was far different from Joffrey. Joffrey was almost angelic in his golden looks, but Caspian had the dark hair and stormy blue eyes of someone who was calculated and well accustomed to watching people as opposed to speaking to them.

Caspian had been polite to her when she had met him at Winterfell but he had hardly said two words to her so she had been forced to wonder about him without any facts.

"What did you want to talk about, your grace." she asked finally after a long silence.

Caspian paused. "I was sorry to hear about your direwolf on the King's Road. It was an unfortunate thing that shouldn't have happened."

Sansa's face darkened instantly and he could tell that was still a sore spot. He hadn't meant to upset her but the purpose behind this statement was to ascertain who it was that she blamed in the debacle, whether it was her sister or Joffrey.

"Yes well, if my sister hadn't goaded Joffrey this might not have happened."

She still blamed Arya for Lady's death. Caspian, having gotten the information that he needed was dismayed to learn that Sansa didn't see the reason for her wolf's death being that Joffrey had lied as well.

This wasn't good.

He had wanted to warn her to be cautious around his brother but he hadn't wanted to come out right and say it because that would arouse suspicion. But it appeared that Sansa Stark was still enamoured with his brother.

"You shouldn't be too angry with her," he said and Sansa looked at him in bewilderment.

"If she hadn't goaded Joffrey, Lady would still be alive," she said vehemently.

Caspian pondered what next to say.

"You forget my lady that there were more people involved in what happened that day than just your sister."

This gave Sansa pause. "What do you mean?"

Sensing he might have a breakthrough, Caspian pushed ahead. "My brother has a silver tongue when he wants to, but then we all do. Tommen and Myrcella don't have one yet but as they grow older they will. You need to have one to survive at court. My father says that he's surrounded by flatterers and fools and he doesn't know whom to trust. Ad he's right. You can't really trust anyone when you're here."

Sansa frowned at him in speculation. She felt as if he were warning her about something but didn't really know what it was.

He sensed her confusion and hurried to explain. "All I wish to say is that coming to court isn't what you think it will be, the people here aren't what you think they'll be and that just means you need to be careful. Don't trust anyone but the people you've brought with you."

Sansa looked at him carefully. "Even you?"

Smart girl.

"Even me," Caspian said honestly. "Like I said, people here aren't what they seem and the sooner you realize that the safer you'll be."

Sansa's eyes widened slightly and he got the feeling that what he was saying was sinking in. "Put aside any whimsical notions of this place," he continued. "It's not what you think it is and the longer you stay here the more realize that."

In a way he felt sorry for her. She was thirteen namedays old and about to be engaged to the future king and she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Joffrey was responsible for the death of her pet and she was still enamoured with him.

She needed to face reality and soon. But Caspian knew he couldn't force it on her, she would have to come to see what this place was for herself.

However, if he had been able to plant even a seed of doubt in her mind about all the glittered not being gold in King's Landing than he would consider it a small victory. With that, he took her arm and walked her back to her chambers where she was met by Septa Mordane.

Caspian bid both of them farewell and turned to leave but was stopped when she called out to him softly.

"Your grace?"

He turned around and faced her only to see that she was looking at him with calculating eyes. It appeared that he had given her a lot to think about. "Yes?"

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

Caspian nodded and hurried off. He had wanted to be as brief as possible so word of this wouldn't get back to his brother. The Seven only knew that Joffrey didn't share his playthings and the moment etiquette dictated that that phase was over, Sansa would see what a monster he truly was.

Caspian hoped deep down inside that she wasn't subjected to that because Joffrey would make her life a living hell. But there was still time to hope that both she and her father would change their minds.

In the meantime there was nothing he could do but wait and watch.