Another Snow (Game of Thrones)

Kings Landing

     I open my father's tent to see him pacing. He looks up at me and only gives a small smile.
     "I was just about to come see you," he said not quite meeting my eyes.
     "Yeah, I thought you might want to talk after..."
     "Lyarra, why did you do that?" he asks
     "I just wanted to find Arya," I explains
     "Well, I appreciate the effort, but you only made things worse. I had to look for not only Arya, but you as well."
     "I'm sorry. I didn't know I'd be out there for three days, honest."
     "I know, but you have to be careful now," he got closer to whisper in my ear. "We're no longer in Winterfell. You have to tread lightly or something bad could happen."
     "Yes, father."
     "That means I want you by my side whenever possible and when you can't be with me I want you watching the girls," he instructs.
     "How am I supposed to do that? Sansa hates me and Arya can't sit still long enough for anyone to watch."
     "Sansa doesn't hate you."
     "Yes, she does!" I roll my eyes, "She's the only one who doesn't like me. She doesn't want me or Jon around ever."
     "Lyarra, I just need you to try. Try harder than you ever have before," he begs.
     "On one condition. I want to learn how to use a sword. If I'm going to watch the girls I have to be able to protect them like Jory does."
      "Fine. I'll make plans for Jory to teach you in his spare time. Poor lad already has enough to deal with. When we arrive in Kings Landing I'll have you a proper sword made."
     I walk out of the tent as I say, "don't bother Jon had me one made before he left for the Wall."

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     The trip to Kings Landing isn't much longer. I can see the Red Keep towering over the rest of the city. I can also see the Sept of Baelor towering over the vast capital.
     Sansa is still angry with Arya and I. She's mad at Arya because her wolf did the damage and she's mad at me because mine wasn't punished instead of hers. I haven't been able to find Meri. Part of me is scared that if she came back the Queen would have her butchered as easily as she had Lady killed. However, Meri hasn't shown up. Hopefully, she is running around with Nymeria where ever they are.
     Tensions between the girls are high. Arya constantly talks to me about how she wants to kill Joffrey for lying. I can hardly blame her. She shows me the sword Jon made her, Needle, as she calls it and I show her Betrayer. Her sword is long and skinny while mine is long and thick. Sometimes when no one is around we practice sword fighting.
     We enter the gates of Kings Landing and Father immediately has to go to a Small Council meeting. He gives Jory and I the task of making sure the girls get comfortable. This gives me the chance to talk to Sansa alone.
     Her room is bigger than the one she had in Winterfell. I can tell she loves it, but she doesn't voice her excitement to me.
     "Sansa," I say, "I think we need to talk."
     "I have nothing to say to you," she says.
     "Well, I need to know what exactly I did wrong."
     "You let Lady die. You let her die and yours got to live."
     "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly with a wolf right now. What exactly was I going to say? It would've been my word against the Queen's. I wasn't even there when Nymeria bit Joffrey. So how can you possibly blame me for the Queen's doing?"
     She sits in silence for a moment. Then she says, "I wish you had never been born."
     "It's too late to go back now huh? Sansa whether you like it or not I'm your sister."
     "No, you're my half sister," she emphasizes the word 'half'. "Please leave now. I can unpack the rest."
     "As you wish."

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     I go see my father later that afternoon. We chat a little bit about his meetting earlier. Apparently, the King wants to have a tourney for my father becoming the hand. The only problem is, the Crown is already millions in debt. Not the most ideal welcome for my father.
     I already know he has a lot of broken pieces to put together for Robert Baratheon, but how far will he have to go? He also tells me about a letter him and Lady Stark received from her sister, Lysa Arryn.
     "You cannot tell anyone about this. Just speaking about this now could have both of our heads on spikes. Lysa believes that the Lannisters were the ones to murder Jon Arryn. I intend to figure out if this is true or not," he explains.
     "I'll help you. And I won't tell a soul."
     "Good. We have to start soon. I'll start talking to Maester Pycell in the morning. We'll go from there."
     On the way back to my room I walk past a thin, grey haired man. He stops to stare at me and says, "Well isn't this a peculiar sight. The Hand's bastard girl wandering around the castle."
     "Have I done anything wrong?" I ask.
     "No, child, you haven't. I was just curious on why Ned Stark would bring his bastard to Kings Landing with him."
     "If you must know, there was no where else for me to go. Lady Stark would've rather I'd not be there, so I came here."
     "Interesting. By the way, I'm Petyr Baelish. Otherwise known as Littlefinger."
     I had heard that name before. Probably from Arya's rantings about nothing.
     "If you don't mind me asking, why do they call you Littlefinger?"
     "Well you see, I was quite small as a child and I grew up in a part called the Fingers. So naturally I was given the name. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it's such a shame you're a bastard."
     "Pardon?"
     "You surely are a beauty. One of the finest girls in the city I would say. I happen to own a series of the best brothels in the land. If you'd like, you can stop by anytime you like. There's always an opening. You are a bastard after all and what else is there for you to do?"
     "Um.... thank you for the offer, but I really ought to get going."
     "My apologies, just don't forget my promise, Lyarra Snow."
     I don't know about Petyr Baelish. I could feel his eyes all over my body. It was unsettling. I now feel a whole different way about the city of Kings Landing.