A afternoon Stroll

[Sansa Stark]

Sansa discreetly whipped her eyes as she stood once more.  She had been coming out into the garden's at least once a day to 'pray'.  At least when she looked like she was praying people generally left her alone.  She had given up on the thought of the gods actually helping her though after they had ignored her pleas for her fathers freedom.  Now she took this time to grieve for her father and sister and hope for the safety of her brothers.  She could not speak or show these feelings to anyone else in the castle, of that she knew.  Her whole family where thought of as traitors and as cruel as the King was, her life would be safest for now as the King's betrothed.  If that changed, she hoped she would not follow her father to the grave.

Sansa walked through the gardens, not taking much notice of the beauty around her as she would have done before.  She constantly lived in fear that the king would lose interest in her and she had no one in the castle that she could trust.  Sansa pushed these thoughts away.  She had to believe that her brother would arrive in time to save her and she had to stay strong enough to make it until she did.  She sat down on a bench in the trees to re compose herself before she entered the hell that was the red keep.

Adrian Sapner
OOC: Hope this is okay

[Adrian Sapner]

Adrian Sapner's fifteenth name day had not been going well. He'd expected a knighthood, instead he'd gotten to wait in line and see his king dismiss people without giving them a second thought. He couldn't get the thought that he would never see his father again out of his mind. He'd headed to the Red Keep to talk to the king about his sword. The Pale Mare was a bastard sword, with an ivory horse's head for a pommel. He'd seen his father ride into battle with it before, the late Lord Sapner was nearly inseparable from it, and now it had been lost. Adrian didn't even know what happened at Darry.

He exited the keep out into the gardens. He was dressed in his house colors, blue, white and gold. It made him feel uneasy in a keep so full of red and gold. Regardless, he couldn't let the uneasiness that seemed to be seeping through the walls of the Red Keep affect him. A True Knight was always brave, even when it seemed the entire world stood against them. His eyes stopped on an odd sight. The Lady Sansa Stark sat on the bench in the garden, which, by itself wasn't too peculiar, but the lady seemed to be even sadder than Adrian. He couldn't understand why, though. She was to be queen, and although the king didn't seem altogether kind, he couldn't be too terrible, he was the king.

"My lady, I hate to trouble you, but are you alright?" Adrian called to her, as he made his way over to the woman.

Sansa Stark

[Sansa Stark]

Sansa jumped as she heard the voice and quickly tried to compose herself. After a moment she gave up, knowing it was already to late to hide it from the lord. The first thing she noticed from the man was the lack of colours red and gold. She had been surround by the colours for weeks and almost felt as if she was drowning in the Lannister colours. "My father was a traitor, my lord, but he was after all still my father and I miss the man I once knew", she replied, hoping it would be enough to not rise any suspicion to her. She clasped her hands firmly on her lap to stop her nervously rubbing them against the fabric.

She then remember why the Lord was here. He had lost his own father recently. She remember hearing as such from the other ladies at the court, before she had fled the court that morning at seeing the temper that the King had been in. "I am sorry for your loss to, Lord Sapner. The war has not been kind to any of us. I hope your family's sword is found and can be returned to you", she continued. She wondered what had become of her own father's sword, Ice. It should rightfully sit in her brother's hand, but she knew if the king had his way, Robb would never see it again.

Adrian Sapner

[Adrian Sapner]

Adrian frowned faintly. "I remember, my father fought alongside yours in King Robert's war. My father told me he was an honorable and just man. I will remember him as such, I'm sure he was just swept up by the horribleness of this city." Adrian sat next to Sansa, "Please, my lady, you can call me Adrian. I'm not quite used to 'Lord Sapner' yet." He had heard many rumors about the Lady Stark, he'd heard that she was a vile witch that ate toads, he'd heard she was a seductive succubus that manipulated Joffrey, but he'd never heard what seemed to be the truth. That she was a scared girl.

"My Lady, I'm not technically a knight, but I don't think it's right to see a maiden treated so harshly. If you'd accept it, I swear to protect you from any harm that might come to you, by my honor as a Sapner." Adrian felt he should have been in armor, kneeling for this, but he couldn't take seeing Sansa sad. He didn't know what it was, but he wouldn't abide it. So, he wasn't Ser Adrian Sapner. He could still swear to protect her. If there were knights that could break their oaths, he would be not a knight, and keep his.

Sansa Stark

[Sansa Stark]

Sansa looked at Adrian as he sat beside her. It was comforting to hear someone talk of her father as she remembered him. "I thank you for your kindness lord Adrian. It is nice to know that least someone aside from my own family, remembers the man he once was", she replied.

She fell quiet at his offer. Could she trust him.  Could she afford to alienate the only person to offer her a form of friendship in the capital.  Many others where to scared to form any sort of friendship with one so on the edge to falling from the grace of the king, even if she was still to become their future queen.  She supposed they would grovel to her when the marriage was sure.  

She he decide to be honest with him, her father would have wanted that after all.  Her family had always been honourable and if she had to play the game with the Lannisters she would be disgracing them enough.  "Are you sure, Adrian.  I am the daughter of traitors and my brother is in open war with my King.  I may be betrothed Joffery but I ha to play the Lannister's game for that to last.  I fear what will happen to me if I fail."  She turned her face away, hoping she had not said to much

[Adrian Sapner]

Adrian frowned, looking Sansa in the eyes. "My lady of Stark, I shall not let you fall. This city is worse even than the rumors tell, and the rumors speak of ghosts of Dragons wandering the halls. I one day aim to be a knight, one they speak of in legends. I would be a poor knight if I let a maiden like you suffocate in the poisoned words of the Lannisters." Adrian glanced up, Lannister guards patrolled the Red Keep more than the city watch, or the Kingsguard. It made him uneasy. Although, he wouldn't be any less uneasy if the White Cloaks did patrol often. They weren't fit to wear that cloak.

Adrian had grown up on tales of Ser Duncan the Tall, Prince Aemon Targaryen, Ser Arthur Dayne. True knights, fit for the white cloak of the Kingsguard, men who would proudly die to protect not only their king, but any innocent soul. Now the Kingsguard was filled with treachery and fat, lazy men. He wasn't even a knight, and he was sure he was a better fit for the white cloak than any of them. "I will protect you from harm from absolutely anyone, my lady. It doesn't matter whether or not you marry the queen, a true knight should protect maidens and innocents when everyone else is too craven to do so. I swear my sword, my shield, and my life to guarding and protecting you, if you do accept."

[Sansa Stark]

Sansa smiled just slightly at the man. She had almost given up on the knights of her stories after the things the kings guard had done to her since her father had been murdered. The only true knight she had met in her whole time at Kings Landing had been Ser Loras. "You have the heart of a true knight, my lord. The knights you hear about in the stories", she replied. They had been her favourite stories. The ones with the honourable knights and the fair and just Princes. She realised now that they where not always true. Joffery was a cruel king but even she knew better then to say such things in public.

She looked around them, hoping there where no Lannister men in ear shot. She did not want to get her new friend in trouble with them so soon. "I greatfully accept you offer, Ser Adrian and I thank you for it. It means a lot to know that at least someone will help." He may not technically be a knight but she felt he deserved the title.

[Adrian Sapner]

Adrian blushed faintly, but grinned widely whilst the lady Sansa said he was a true knight. It was something he'd always wanted to be, and to have a maid like Sansa talk of how he was one... "My lady, you speak kind words, but I haven't stood vigil in a sept, I haven't gone through the ceremony. I am no more a knight than any other man. But, I shall do my best to protect you in this city, if you ever need my help, you only need call for me. I will be by your side whenever I can, and I won't let anyone harm you, regardless of their rank."

Just like Serwyn of the Mirror Shield would say to his Princess Daeryssa after saving her from giants. A true knight if there ever was one, Adrian would be like Serwyn one day, he knew it, and if Lady Sansa was his Daeryssa... The Lady Sansa, well, technically she was the Princess Sansa, if you believed Robb was a true king, was certainly lovely, she had hair like wonderful autumn, her face reflected her innocence beautifully. She was truly like the maidens and princesses of legend born into the real world. He would protect her, as any true knight would, he decided then.

Sansa Stark

[Sansa Stark]

"You may not be a knight in full but you are more a knight in heart then many of those who already reside here", she replied. She hoped the words didn't come back to hurt her later but she had more then a few reasons to know the truth in her own words. She wondered if Adrian would be so quick to help her if he knew just where her problems came from but she feared what the truth coming out could mean. "There are many men in the North that are more a knight then those here", she continued. Knighthoods weren't as big in the north.

"I appreciate your offer, Lord Adrian, but my situation here is harder then you think. There are things that I must face alone and I hope you will not feel to badly against me for it", she replied. The Queen made sure that Sansa knew she had no power here but if she was to be queen herself one day she knew she would have to start to act like one. She just didn't know where to start.

Adrian Sapner