[Arthur, Ned, Cersei]

[sir_samuel]

It was only the first of the year and the IPD already had a violent death on their hands. Nothing more than a boy, too, stabbed to death by a young girl. Vimes knew that the traditions of Westeros branded them both adults already, but he still couldn't think of them as anything but kids

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[starkhand]

The rage of earlier in the day had not entirely left Ned, though in its place was a kind of simmering resentment that threatened to linger for days. He had left Sansa at Summerfell, with the family, with instructions that she was not to leave the house. They needed no more disasters tonight.

He would have much rather been there with her, but the same thing that had made him believe that if you took a man's life you owed it to him to look him in the eyes and hear his final words made him feel that he was required to look Cersei in the eyes and tell her that his daughter had killed her son - and why. But he did not trust himself to speak at this moment, and stood stonily to one side of the room, arms crossed over his chest.

[worth_killing]

Arthur was similarly silent, quietly mulling over the past events and the potential future ones in his head as they awaited Cersei's arrival. He kept a respectful distance between himself and Ned. Surely, he supposed, the man would want to be alone with his thoughts. Arthur was not one for idle chit chat, Ned seemingly even less so, and the need for words had not yet come. Still, the Stark did not stand alone, and Arthur wanted to remind him of that fact with his presence, if nothing else.

[westroslucrezia]

The door slammed open.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Cersei Lannister, in full, royal fury, stormed into the room. Joffrey had been missing for most of the day, and now she was beginning to hear whispers that included his name. What could that meant she could not imagine - no, she could imagine perfectly. That damned, foolish boy, what in seven hells had he done this time? If they were ever to get home, he had to learn.

And then these guards had the gall to summon her. She shot Ned a look before returning her glare to Vimes. "What is he doing here?"

[sir_samuel]

Vimes pinched the bridge of his nose. Oh, hells. He did not like this woman - no, he hated this woman - and her child had been cut from even worse cloth. He did not think Sansa guilty of any crime. But he took no pleasure in seeing people killed, and even less in the task he now had.

"Please sit down, madam," he said tightly.