A Clash of Kings-Chapter 32

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Sansa III
A Clash of Kings chapter
AClashOfKings.jpg
POV Sansa
Place King's Landing
Page 355 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Sansa II
Catelyn III  ← Sansa III →  Catelyn IV

Sansa IV

Sansa is called before Joffrey to pay for her brother Robb Stark’s victory. Sansa is being beaten by Kingsguard when Tyrion Lannister arrives. He stops the beating and has her taken to the Tower of the Hand to be cleaned up and treated. The next morning he offers her protection, but she refuses.

Synopsis

the Hound is telling Sansa that if she keeps Joffrey waiting it will only be worse. As Sansa is making herself pretty for Joffrey (he likes he to look pretty), she is wondering if Joffrey had heard about her meetings with Ser Dontos. As they are walking, Sansa asks the Hound what she has done and is told her that it is what her kingly brother Robb Stark had done. Sansa tells the Hound that Robb is the traitor and she had no part; she can only think that if Robb had harmed Jaime Lannister she would have to face Ser Ilyn Payne. The Hound tells her again that they trained her well, little bird.

She is led to the lower bailey where a crowd is gathered. She can hear Lord Gyles Rosby coughing as they part to let her pass. Ser Horas Redwyne and Hobber Redwyne avoid her glaze as she passes. There is a cat shot by a bolt mewling on the ground. Ser Dontos riding a broomstick as commanded by the king, whispers to her “Be brave.” In the center stands Joffrey with Ser Boros Blount and Ser Meryn Trant beside him. She kneels before him to be told kneeling will not save her and must answer to her brother’s treasons. She is slow to get up, and the Hound not ungently pulls her up when commanded.

Ser Lancel Lannister is told to tell her of the outrage:

Using some vile sorcery, your brother fell upon Ser Stafford Lannister with an army of wargs, not three days ride from Lannisport. Thousands of good men were butchered as they slept, without the chance to lift sword. After the slaughter, the northmen feasted on the flesh of the slain.

(Of course the Lannisters are responsible for worse outrages of murder, pillaging, raping, and burning in the Riverlands). Joffrey asks if she has anything to say. Ser Dontos tells him that she is shocked witless. Joffrey then brings up how her Direwolf, savaged him. Sansa tells him that is was Arya’s wolf, and he killed Lady even though she never hurt him. Joffrey replies that it was Eddard Stark that killed Lady, and he killed him. Joffrey then recounts how he shot a man in the throat at the gates that was bigger than her father. He would shoot her also but Cersei says they will kill Jaime. He then commands the Hound to hit Sansa, but Ser Dontos intervenes by waking her over the head with his morning star—a melon on the end of a stick. People were laughing, but, despite Sansa’s prayers, Joffrey did not. Instead he calls to his Kingsguard, telling them to save her face. Ser Meryn flings Ser Dontos down while Ser Boros first slams a fist into Sansa’s belly, and then starts to lay the flat of his blade across her thighs. The Hound rasps “Enough,” but the king orders Boros to make her naked and he tears the silk of her bodice away exposing her breasts. She can hear sniggers as Joffery orders her beat bloody.

It is then that Tyrion Lannister arrives and asks what sort of knight beats helpless maids. Ser Boros replies one that serves his king, drawing his sword, with Ser Meryn stepping beside him. Bronn tells them: {{Quote|Careful with those. You don’t want to get blood all over those pretty white cloaks.” Tryion asks for someone to give Sansa something to cover herself, and Sandor tosses her his cloak. Tyrion then asks Joffrey:

This girl’s to be your queen. Have you no regard for her honor?

Joffrey replies that he is punishing her for having the blood of the wolf, and Tyrion replies that Joffrey has the wits of a goose. Joffrey then tells Tyion that the king can do as he likes, and Tyrion asks if he knows what happened to Aerys II Targaryen. Ser Boros tell Tyrion that no one threatens the king, and Tyrion tells him that he is educating him, and then tells Bronn and Timett to kill Ser Boros if he opens his mouth again…that is a threat. When Ser Boros, turning red, states the queen will hear of this, Tyrion asks if they should send for Cersei. When Joffrey has nothing to say, Tyrion continues:

Learn to use your ears more and your mouth less, or your reign will be shorter than I am. Wanton brutality is no way to win your people’s love... or your queen’s.

Joffrey replies:

Fear is better than love, Mother says. She fears me. (he is pointing to Sansa

An so Tyrion states:

Yes, I see. A pity Stannis and Renly aren’t twelve year-old girls as well.

Tyrion then continues by ordering Bronn and Timett to bring Sansa.

They take her to the [[Tower of the Hand}}. She is shaking and moving as she is in a dream. Serving girls clean her up and treat her wounds. Sansa thinks how the Hound hated knight, and now she hates them also, and also that they are not true knights. She sleeps.

She wakes that night and her legs pain her when she gets up. Outside her door she finds a woman a woman who she tells she wants to go to the Godswood; she wanted to find Ser Dontos and beg him to take her home before it was too late. The woman tells her that that Tyrion said she was not to leave. When food comes in the morning she tells the servant to take it away. Later Tyrion arrives and tells her that she is a guest, not a prisoner.

Tyrion then tells the story of Robb’s victory. Ser Stafford’s host was encamped outside Oxcross. There were no army of wargs as Ser Lancel claimed:

Ser Lancel’s a wineskin warrior who wouldn’t know a warg from a wart.

Robb’s soldiers crept into the camp and cut the horse lines, and then Robb sent his Direwolf among them, which helped to cause a stampede, the trampled the camp, killing many. Most of the rese fled in terror, casting aside their weapons. Among the dead are Ser Stafford (killed by Lord Rickard Karstark), Ser Rupert Brax, Ser Lymond Vikary, Lord Crakehall, and Lord Antario Jast. Five hundred had been taken prisoner including Jast’s sons, and Martyn Lannister. Ser Stafford had not even posted sentries. The only mystery is how Robb reached Oxcross since Lannister forces hold Golden Tooth.

Tyrion then asks Sansa how she feels about his nephew and she says:

I love him with all my heart.

When Tyrion asks for confirmation she states:

My love for His Grace is greater than it has ever been.

Tyrion is amused and tells her someone taught her to lie well and she may be grateful one day. He then asks if she has flowered, to which she answers no. He says that is good, and that he does not intend for her to marry Joffrey since there will never be a reconciliation between the Lannister and Stark with the way Joffrey has acted; it was one of Robert Baratheon’s better notions. Sansa is concerned that this is a trick and states she only wants to be loyal. Tyrion muses.

Loyal and far from any Lannisters. I can scarce blame you for that. When I was your age, I wanted the same thing. They tell me you visit the godswood every day. What do you pray for, Sansa?

She thinks Robb’’s victory and Joffrey’s death but says:

I pray for an end to the fighting.

Tyrion tells her there will be another battle between Robb and Tywin Lannister and that will settle the issue, not to think that Oxcross was significant, and to pray that her bother bends his knee, and he will return her to Winterfell once there is peace. He offers to have some of his clansmen guard her, maybe Chella if she prefers a woman. Sansa, thinking about Ser Dontos rescuing her, tells him that wildlings frighten her. He tells her that they frighten Joffrey and his Kingsguard so no one would harm her. When she tells him she would prefer sleeping in her own bed and the tower was where her father’s men were slain, and their ghosts give her bad dreams.

References and Notes