A Clash of Kings-Chapter 18

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Sansa II
A Clash of Kings chapter
AClashOfKings.jpg
POV Sansa
Place King's Landing
Page 205 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Sansa I
Tyrion IV  ← Sansa II →  Arya V

Sansa III

Sansa finds a not under her pillow telling her to go to the godswood. That night she hears a ruckus that takes the guard from the drawbridge. She uses this as an opportunity to sneak to the godswood where she is disappointed to find Dontos Hollard instead of some dashing knight. However he tells her that he is working on a plan to get her out of the castle and onto a ship for Winterfell. One the way back she runs into a drunk Sandor Clegane who escorts her back to her chambers.

Synopsis

Sansa had found a note under her pillow telling her to come to the godswood that night if she wanted to go home. She still had the remnants of a bruise from the when she exclaimed pleasure on hearing that Janos Slynt had been sent to the wall by Tyrion Lannister, a gift from Ser Meryn Trant; She had to be more careful about letting her feelings towards Joffrey show. She fears it is a trap, but she prayed so hard. If she went would she find Ser Ilyn Payne with Ice waiting for her?

She is disturbed by a bedmaid coming through the door asking if she wants a bath. She hurriedly hides the note, but is worried. The queen had her servants changed every fortnight by order Cersei to ensure she would not befriend one, and she is sure they spy on her. She orders the maid to make a fire and the maid leaves. She burns the note. Out of her window she can see Ser Preston Greenfield at the drawbridge; she had been given the run of the castle, but he would want to know where she was going. She wants someone like Septa Mordane, or Jeyne Poole to discuss what to do. Once in a while she even misses her sister Arya who she is sure is back in Winterfell by now.

She hears shouting and looks out so see men running to the wall, and then that the knight was gone with the drawbridge down. She dresses, making sure to hide a meat knife under her cloak. She sees Joffrey being helped into his armor by three of Kingsguard, including Ser Preston. Fortunately Joffrey did not see her. She rushes towards the Godswood never daring to look back for fear of seeing Joffrey. She preferred her mother’s gods to the old gods with the statues, pictures, incense, and ceremony, but could not deny the power in the godswood. As she walks through the godswood she fears she is too late. She is surprised by the voice Dontos Hollard telling her he feared she would not come. She initially threatens him with her knife, and asks if he is drunk; he had a cup to give him courage. Dontos insists he can on his own on his honor as a knight—which, by the king’s decree, he is no longer. She tells him that she had prayed for a knight to save her, but not a drunken old fool. Dontos accepts the rebut, telling her that he may find a way to be a knight again. He tells her the hardest part of her escape will be getting her from the castle, and then a ship will take her home, but he needs to find coin and make arrangements. He tells Sanas that there was another fool that was the greatest knight of all, Florian. They watch him as well. He thanks her for saving his even though he did not raise a hand to save her lord father. He has been no hero like Ryam Redwyne or Barristan the Bold, won any tourneys, but he swears to the old gods that he will send her home. She asks if he will send another note, and he tells her it is too dangerous, and she must make trips to the godswood as often as she can since nowhere else is safe; the stones have ears. She kisses him on the cheek and calls him My Florian, that the gods have heard her.

She flies back to her room thinking about the songs about Florian and Jonquil and caroms into the hound as lurches out of a hidden doorway. He catches her before she falls and asks her if she wants to kill them both on the serpentine steps, and then what she is doing out so late. She tells him she was praying in the godswoods for her father and the king, and he replies that he so drunk that he believes the story. He then looks her over and tells her she almost looks like a woman, but she is a stupid little bird, and to sing a song for him. She is scared and asks if he wants a song about true knights. He mockingly replies true knights, and that he is not a lord or a knight, and then almost falls when he releases her. He states he has had too much wine and gently pushes her and follows her down the steps. They find Ser Boros Blount at the bridge. Sansa is fearful for good reason because Boros is asking where she was, but the hound shuts him up quickly. He still asks why she is not in her chambers at that hour, and the lie about the Godswood sounds more convincing this time. The hound adds that she should not have been expected to be able to sleep with the noise.

He also asks about what causes the ruckus and is told that some wretches had heard about a feast in preparation of Tyrek Lannister’s and thought they should feast also. Joffrey led sortie that sent them scurrying. Clegane states “A brave boy.” After being escorted across the drawbridge, she asks the hound why he lets them call him a dog and not a knight. He states he likes dogs better than knights. He then tells how his grandfather was a kennelmater at Casterly Rock and saved Tytos Lannister from a lion with dog, losing a leg. He was given lands and towerhouse for saving the Lannister. A hound will die for you and never lie to you. More than little birds can do. He states he never got is song and Sansa asks if he knows the song about Florian and Jonquil, and he calls it the song about a fool and his cunt, and to spare him. He leaves her with “Pretty thing, and such a bad liar. A dog can smell a lie, you know. Look around you, and take a good whiff. They’re all liars here…and every one better than you.”

References and Notes