Brienne stood guard outside Sansa’s chambers while she changed from wet clothes. King’s Landing was otherwise abuzz with activity – the shouts of workmen laying quick supports to stop the Red Keep from caving in, the burning of bodies lost in war, the chants outside the castle after the fall of Flea Bottom, but the events of the past hour had dulled her senses.
Brienne’s mind was awash with doubts. She remembered Sansa’s stony face, showing nothing but hate and horror. Littlefinger was perhaps no man to trust, but neither seemed Sansa. She ignored his justifications and killed him without trial. The first man she killed, Brienne thought, but if I didn’t know better, I would not have thought it.
Jaime’s words came back to Brienne, a cruel reminder. So many vows… they make you swear and swear. No matter what you do, you’re forsaking one vow or the other. Brienne wondered how Sansa felt about his predicament. Would she vouch for him when the Council debated if Jaime should be put to the sword? Or would she want to wipe her hands clean of the Kingslayer, now that she had no use for him?
A messenger arrived, reminding Brienne that the council were ready and waiting for her. When he left, Brienne realized Sansa was taking longer than she expected. “Lady Sansa?” she asked, knocking on the doors.
The sound was low, but unmistakable. When she heard the sniffs, Brienne entered quickly.
Sansa turned away the moment Brienne entered, but she had already caught a glimpse of the tears. Brienne felt relief coarse through her veins, not only because her suspicion of Sansa in danger was unfounded, but because the lady she served was, at least, capable of repenting.
“Is this about Petyr?” she asked.
The long silence answered Brienne’s question. Finally, Sansa spoke. “Only I could do it,” she said. “His only weakness was me. If it were you, or Cersei, or anyone, he would have seen it coming.” She looked at Brienne, tears wiped away. “I had killed pigeons in practice for this moment,” she said, “but do you know what? Even after all that I knew, and all that I knew I must do, I still may not have done it.” Her face hardened. “But when he tried to use Arya to trick my mind…”
Her voice trailed away. Brienne chose to keep the silence, not because she sensed Sansa wanted to confess something more, but because she did not know what to say. But when Sansa did not seem like saying anything more, she had to prod her. “What happens now?”
Sansa looked at Brienne, her eyes refocusing. “Now I hope to seven hells that Mhaegen stays true to her gods, and that winter did not come for my brother on the Wall.”
*
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