Blackwater 1

“How apt. The men will bleed out there, and you in here.” The queen signaled for the
first course to be served.
“Why is Ser Ilyn here?” Sansa blurted out.435
The queen glanced at the mute headsman. “To deal with treason, and to defend us if need
be. He was a knight before he was a headsman.” She pointed her spoon toward the end of the
hall, where the tall wooden doors had been closed and barred. “When the axes smash down
those doors, you may be glad of him.”
I would be gladder if it were the Hound, Sansa thought. Harsh as he was, she did not
believe Sandor Clegane would let any harm come to her. “Won’t your guards protect us?”
“And who will protect us from my guards?” The queen gave Osfryd a sideways look.
“Loyal sellswords are rare as virgin whores. If the battle is lost my guards will trip on those
crimson cloaks in their haste to rip them off. They’ll steal what they can and flee, along with
the serving men, washer women, and stableboys, all out to save their own worthless hides. Do
you have any notion what happens when a city is sacked, Sansa? No, you wouldn’t, would
you? All you know of life you learned from singers, and there’s such a dearth of good sacking
songs.”
“True knights would never harm women and children.” The words rang hollow in her
ears even as she said them.
“True knights.” The queen seemed to find that wonderfully amusing. “No doubt you’re
right. So why don’t you just eat your broth like a good girl and wait for Symeon Star-Eyes
and Prince Aemon the Dragonknight to come rescue you, sweetling. I’m sure it won’t be very
long now.”