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( LANGUAGE OF THORNS )

T W O | WINTER IS COMING

"He's okay Hodor, just a bad dream" Ellyn reached forwards and tapped the distressed man on the knee before looking over at her cousin.

Bran was now sat up straight, panting heavily while Rickon his brother watched nervously. The two direwolves that accompanied them watched as the paralysed boy looked over at the brunette beside him.

"Hodor.." The man whispered before standing up and walking away.

Osha looked back down at the stick in her hand, continuing to sharpen it with her knife. Ellyn leaned over and offered Bran some of her own water, the boy refusing it at first before she shoved it into his hands with her eyebrows raised in a scold.

Ellyn was glad that she was able to look out for the two stark boys after their home was taken by Theon, who she thought was their family. She was family too, but she was no sister to them - they saw her as one though. The daughter of Brandon Stark who had ended up being raised by his brother, but she never called him father. She knew her father, but it was a pity she didn't know her mother. But it was Catelyn who soon became her mother, the woman was pregnant with Robb at the time. Ellyn was the eldest child of the Starks, and she swore to take care of them after Ned had lost his head all the way in Kings Landing and Robb and Catelyn went into battle together.

"Were you inside the wolf again, little lord?" Osha questioned, continuing to sharpen the stick.

The eldest Stark girl looked over at Rickon who was now wide awake and she sent over a little smile to him, to reassure him that his brother was okay.

"No, it was the three-eyed raven" Bran replied handed the water back to Ellyn "He's back. I tried to kill it, but I couldn't.. and there was this boy" What scared Ellyn the most was that Bran would have these visions from time to time, and it happened ever since his fall from the tower.

"I don't want to hear about it.." Osha suddenly said, making Ellyn look over at her "We've got plenty of worries, we don't need to pour black magic on top of them" She finished making Ellyn scoff, as they all looked over at her.

"Well then maybe next time you shouldn't ask about it if you don't want to listen" She told the wilding, making her look back down at her knife. The Stark girl then stood up, moving over to her armour before pulling it on herself "We need to move again before it gets dark"

"I didn't ask for black magic dreams" Bran replied as all eyes were now on him "And besides Ellyn, no one even knows that we're alive" Ellyn pulled on her scabbard that held her sword, her eyes rolling in the process.

"Look, you heard what Osha said, the wall is a long way from here. If we want to make it there, alive.. then we need to get moving" She said, moving to collect her things and helping Osha pack up their stuff "I'm getting you to your brother, the sooner that you're with him - the sooner you'll be safe" She said, directing it to both Bran and Rickon.

"Are we not safe with you?" Bran questioned, making her eyes meet his own. She smiled slightly, bending down in front of him and pushing a piece of hair back from his face.

"You're safe with me, yes. You know that I'd die before I let anyone harm you" Ellyn told him as Bran looked down at his lap "But you'll be safer with Jon, on the wall. He fights better than I do, plus he's not out in the open like we are right now. So come on, we best get going"

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The gardens of Kings Landing were beautiful, she would admit that.

The sounds of the birds chirping in the distance as the cool wind blew past her. Margaret never got to see much of the scenery back in Highgarden due to her staying in the castle most of the time, so it was a change for her to be outdoors for once. It was Fiyona who kept reminding her that she could use some fresh air every now and again, dressing her and dragging her outside of her temporary room.

She sat by the table in the garden before looking over at her grandmother who was sat further away from her, down the isle of roses. When Lady Sansa would arrive, they would all sit together. Olenna was the one who decided to set up this meeting, but Loras was simply just told to tell the Stark girl that it was Margaery who wanted her to join them.

Fiyona stood by her side, as always of course.

The handmaiden looked over at her Lady's grandmother as she sat amongst the flowers with her handmaidens as they waited patiently for the Stark girl to arrive. Olenna had already scolded Margaret for looking so dull, she said that she looked like a rose which had been stripped of it's petals - and of course that wasn't a pretty image.

But there Margaret sat, her hair lose yet again but being pinned back at the front while she wore a beautiful blue dress that had their rose sigil imprinted on her left breast.

"My Lady..." Fiyona spoke, leaning forwards slightly.

Margaret looked up from her lap, only to notice that Sansa had just arrived and Margaery was by her side with her arm placed securely around her waist as they approached her grandmother. Margaret stood up, preparing for when they made their way towards the table.

"I'm much less boring than these others..." Lady Olenna spoke, heading towards the table with Sansa and Margaery behind her "I take it you've met my other granddaughter, Lady Margaret?" Olenna questioned before taking a seat.

"Lady Sansa..." Margaret said as Sansa looked over at the Lady who smiled brightly at her "We haven't had the opportunity to meet properly yet. The last time we saw each other was in the Great Hall, I'm glad that we're in better circumstances"

She had missed the uneasy look that Sansa sent in her direction when she approached her. The wolf could only smile back at her, the woman in front of her was the one who called her father a traitor in front of everyone in the great hall, and in front of her. Margaret reached forward and pulled Sansa in for a small and gentle hug. Being the kind girl she was, she didn't refuse but she just simply hugged her back.

"I'm glad that I have now had the opportunity, Lady Margaret" The two pulled away from each other as Sansa sat down immediately.

Margaret looked over at Fiyona before squeezing her wrist gently, and the handmaiden knew that now was the time to leave the family alone. Fiyona began walking away as they all took their seats on their chairs - the three roses on one side of the circular table, Lady Olenna being in the middle as Sansa was on the other side of the table, watching them all.

"Do you know my son? The Lord of Highgarden?" Olenna asked, referring to Margaret's father as Sansa shook her head.

"I haven't had the pleasure" Sansa replied as Lady Olenna scoffed loudly.

"No great pleasure, believe me. A ponderous oaf... his father was an oaf as well" Margaret watched as Sansa looked over at Margaery, a smile on her face as Olenna continued to talk about Margaret's grandfather "My husband, the late Lord Luthor. He managed to ride off a cliff whilst hawking, they say he was looking up at the sky and paying no mind to where his horse was taking him. Now my son is doing the same, only this time he's riding a lion instead of a horse"

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're here today, Lady Sansa" Margaret spoke, the wolf in front of her setting her eyes on her face "We only want to know about King Joffrey. I've had a few meetings already with him but.. being an older sister yourself, you must understand my concern"

"Who else would know better? We've heard some troubling tales... is there any truth to them? Has this boy mistreated you?" Olenna asked the wolf as Sansa looked back over at Margaery before looking down at the table in front of them. Margaret shared a small look with her grandmother, the two knowing already by her face what her response was going to be.

"Joff- King Joffrey, his grace is very fair and handsome and as brave as a lion" Sansa replied, a small smile on her face as she began to stutter.

"Yes, all Lannisters are lions... and when a Tyrell farts it smells like a rose" Olenna replied, looking over at Margaery who smiled slightly at her "But how kind is he? How clever? Has he a good heart, a gentle hand?"

"I'm to be his wife... I only want to know what that means" Margaery then spoke as Sansa looked over at the rose. Margaret could see that she was hesitant to answer, and she began wondering what he had done to the poor girl. She started worrying for Margaery's safety and if he would harm her like the Stark.

Their waiter came trotting with the lemon cakes that had been ordered. Margaret sighed as he placed the plate onto the table in front of them.

Sansa said nothing, Margaret said nothing, and Margaery said nothing. The wolf amongst the roses began debating whether she should tell them what he was really like, but there was that risk that they could go and tell the Lannisters that she spoke against the King, against the crown, and he'd have her head on a spike just like her father.

He would enjoy that.

"Bring me some cheese..." Olenna said to the boy.

"The cheese will be served after the cakes, my lady" He replied as Olenna glared at him.

The woman dragged the cakes towards her while Margaret grabbed one, placing it on her plate before placing one onto her grandmothers plate before handing them over to Margaery.

"The cheese will be served when I want it served... and I want it served now" and with her stern response, the boy nodded and walked away again.

Margaery gave over the plate of lemon cakes to Sansa as the girl took one and placed it back onto the table. Margaret reached forward, placing her hand on top of Sansa's as the girl suddenly looked over at her, taking a deep breath in.

"No harm will come to you, Lady Sansa. I can assure you that" Margaret told her, the two still looking towards each other "Speak freely, tell us the truth and I give you my word that whatever is said here, will stay here and not be said anywhere else"

"My father always told the truth..." Sansa said looking down at the table, still feeling the roses hand on top of hers. The three roses looked at her before Olenna sat back in her chair as the red head stared at her.

"Yes.. he had that reputation, and they named him traitor and took his head" Olenna said.

Mentioning her father and the word traitor made Sansa snap slightly, she could still remember the day clearly. She felt stupid, stupid enough to believe that Joffrey would let her father go with mercy and they'd all go back to a family in Winterfell. She lost three things that day - her father, her sister and her innocence. The second the sword snipped her fathers head, was the wake up call to her, she was not safe in Kings Landing.

"Joffrey" she said, looking over at the elder woman "Joffrey did that. He promised me that he'd be merciful and he cut my fathers head off and he said that was mercy. Then he took me up on the walls and made me look at it" Margaret had heard tales about Joffrey, not about his bravery or his courage - but about his ruthlessness and unkind ways.

But she never imagined it to be this hurtful.

"Go on..." Margaery said in her soothing voice.

The three then noticed a sudden change and it was like something had pulled her out of a trance as she pulled her hand away from Margaret suddenly, putting a smile on her face and her shoulders began to grow tense.

"I-I can't.. I never meant" she was panicking. Her cheeks were now practically the same colour as her hair as Margaret leaned back in her chair "My father was a traitor, you said it yourself Lady Margaret. My brother as well, I have traitors blood.. please don't make me say anymore" She exhaled, looking back down at her dress as her eyes began to water.

"She's terrified grandmother, just look at her" Margaery said looking over at her family.

Olenna leant forward, taking no notice of her granddaughters words as Margaret rested her chin on her hands, looking away from the wolf and at the scenery beside her.

"Speak freely child. We would never betray your confidence, I swear it"

All eyes were suddenly on her, including Margaret's and Sansa had now looked up at all of them. She was doing this for her father, for her sister, for her mother, for her brothers... for herself. She didn't like Kings Landing, she hated it, and she wanted to go home where she would be safe. She wanted to be with her family and forget about everything that had happened to her. She stared at the three roses with confidence and determination.

There was only one way to describe King Joffrey of the House Baratheon, and perhaps Sansa had found the right people who she could finally confide in after all this time alone.

"He's a monster"

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