Amella heard that the Tyrells joined the Lannisters. Renly Baratheon's widow was being married off to Joffrey of all people. She almost felt pity for the girl who would become the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and wife to the monster who hurt her sister.

She was grateful then that Sansa would not be abused anymore. That's what she told herself at least. She heard from the maids what they had done to Sansa.

They beat her.

They tore clothes off and humiliated her in court.

They said that Joffrey smiled when he saw her tears and cries for them to stop hurting her. They went unheard and no one even blinked.

Tyrion had tried to help her, he stopped them whenever he was there and for that one kindness, he would live.

The last of the Lannisters, she thought, a smile came onto her face.

Amella crossed her arms over her chest as she stared into the city from the window in the tower. Even though women were not allowed there, they made an exception for her. Jaime refused to let her leave his sight and it was perhaps the smartest thing he ever did. She couldn't be trusted.

She was after all a feral wolf in enemy territory and who knows what she would do to survive.

"I have something for you," Jaime told her as he closed the large book.

"A present," she said dryly. "Whatever did I do to deserve such affection from you."

Jaime smirked. "You are extremely affectionate. It's something for you to wear at the wedding tomorrow."

Amella scoffed. "Many apologies, Ser Jaime, but I'm afraid I will not be joining the celebrations tomorrow. I am not feeling so well. I may have a spasm where my knife goes against the throats of your family. It already happened once with Tyrion. Tragic thing really."

Jaime sighed in frustration and shook his head. "It will do your sister good to see a familiar face there."

"I hear a Martell is here and not the nice one," Amella stated. "How is Oberyn? I'm surprised he came. Must have some vendetta against your family. Probably has something to do with his sister and her children."

"I haven't spoken to him yet. I imagine that it would be an interesting conversation though," Jaime told her.

"Is that why you're keeping me close to you?" Amella inquired. "So that I wouldn't talk to him? It would sense to make allies with the Martells. After all, we both have been hurt by your family and both lost our siblings to your father. I imagine that we would have an interesting conversation as well."

Jaime eyed her suspiciously just for a moment until he found she was probably bluffing and turned away from her. "War is an ugly thing. My mother used to say that there were really no winners in war. Each side loses someone or something."

Amella came closer to him and said carefully, "And what exactly has House Lannister lost again? Please remind me. My mind is always foggy these days...must be from the blow to the head perhaps."

Jaime shook his head. "I lost you."

Amella scoffed. "You lost me the moment your family tried to kill my brother. Bran. Joffrey killed my father. My mother and brother are dead. His wife is dead. She was a good person and she was with child. I pray that my brothers are still alive and that perhaps Arya is alive somewhere...but I think that Sansa and I are the only Starks left in this world. It's all because of your family."

"There was not a day that went by that I didn't think of you," Jaime began. "The actions of my family shouldn't decide your feelings for me. I love you."

"Love?" Amella seethed. "You don't love me and I don't love you."

Jaime shook his head furiously. "That's a lie. You do love me."

"Perhaps there was a moment when my feelings were not only hate for you, but that changed when I lost my family. You weren't there...I still have terrors about it. Just yesterday, I nearly collapsed to the ground when I went to the gates and remembered seeing my brother's body attached to his wolf's head," she explained to him, panting. "So tell me again how I can love you when all you've done is caused me pain?"

"If I was there, Amella then I would never have let that happen to you," Jaime promised her."I would have saved your mother and brother."

"Why?"

"I suppose it would have been a Lannister repaying his debt to her," Jaime told her. "She freed me and so I would have done the same."

"I need to be alone." Amella said and walked out of the tower, thankful to be out of Jaime's sight.

Amella was stopped by two Tyrell guards who said, "Lady Stark, your presence is requested by Lady Olenna and Lady Margaery for lunch in the gardens."

Amella nodded and followed them towards the gardens. She knew she could not refuse the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and the Queen of Thorns. It would be a great insult to them and for now, she had to pretend she had been tamed.

Play the part of the sheep, she told herself as she was in front of Margaery and Olenna.

When Margaery spotted her, she stood up and walked quickly to her, hugging her. "Lady Amella, it is so good to finally meet you. I hear we are to be in-laws soon enough. Your sister is wonderful to have beside me. She is a beauty."

Amella gave a quick nod to her and curtsied when she pulled away from her. "My lady. I'm afraid I don't hear much about you."

Olenna chuckled softly and Margaery replied with a smile, "Perhaps that is good then. You can decide who I am as a person."

Amella returned her polite smile and stepped around her. "I hear you gave the Boltons my home."

"Terrible thing that was...what happened to your mother and brother," Margaery said. "You are quite lucky to be left alive. Lord Tywin must really think you are valuable to him."

"His son will not marry anyone, but me," Amella told her. "Terrible thing that is if you ask me."

"I hear Walder Frey's son is lurking around here for you as well," Olenna quipped. "You must have struck his fancy too. What makes you interesting, Lady Stark?"

"Lady Amella," she corrected. "Lady Stark was my mother and as it turns out I will be a Lannister now against my will or they will kill my sister."

Olenna grinned. "No, you are Lady Stark and you always will be. You are now the eldest of House Stark now. When Lord Tywin dies, gods be good when he croaks, but when he does and you are married to his son then you will become Lady Lannister and one of the most powerful people in Westeros. All the gold you could-"

"I am not daft, Lady Olenna, I know the reason why Lord Tywin agreed to the marriage between your house to his is because he is running out of money," Amella reminded her. "You have crops and gold. He needs both of them for the war he started with my family. Wars cost money and the Lannisters were running out of it."

"You are smarter than you look," Olenna said.

"Grandmother," Margaery scolded.

"I was expecting to talk to someone like Lady Sansa or even your late lord father," Olena began. "But it appears I was wrong. You are nothing like them, are you? It appears I need to discuss with them to keep a closer eye on you. Perhaps chains around your wrists? I'm sure the king would love to see that. Who knows what you might do during the wedding?"

Amella gave her a cold smile. "I am a Stark of Winterfell. You do not frighten me, Lady Olenna. I have worse to fear than your words. I pity your granddaughter and your House."

"We don't need your pity, Lady Stark."

"Yet you will always have it," Amella laughed. "Tell me...what was the point of this lunch together?"

"We've heard quite a lot about you from all over Westeros even in the Free Cities. They speak your name with praise and fear. Protector and friend to the Targaryen girl."

"It doesn't matter who sits on the Iron Throne because she will be here soon enough," Amella told her and then sipped her wine. "Her dragons grew bigger each day. She has two anointed knights by her side, the Unsullied and free men."

"And yet you came back because you were foolish enough to believe your sister's letters," Olenna scolded her.

"I knew what her letters said and what they meant. I was advised not to return and yet I did. You should be very worried," she warned them before standing up and bowing to them.

Amella did not look behind her as she continued to walk back into the castle. She went on her way towards her sister's chambers with Tyrion. As she came to the door, she stopped when she heard furious voices inside of the room.

Amella threw the doors open and without another thought, she shoved her dagger against one of the knights. She raised an eyebrow at the scene before her. Shae held a dagger in front of Sansa, protecting her from the knights. The room was a mess with the furniture thrown about in a struggle. Amella knew what they were here for. She knew that they were going to hurt her sister again on orders from Joffrey.

"Did the king send you lot?" She asked carefully.

"Yes. You are held in treason for-"

"For what?" Amella asked as her blade tightened against his throat. "Protecting my sister and her maid? The king seems to forget who I am. Perhaps I should remind him with your body parts. Perhaps I should send your body attached to the head of a wolf back to him? Or maybe cut your throat and throw your naked body into the river? Or maybe I should stab you in the stomach over and over again? Cut your head off? Burn you alive?!"

"Sister," Sansa called out to her. "Let them go. If you kill them then you will be killed as well. Please, don't."

Amella breathed heavily and controlled her anger. She carved her initials into his neck before she shoved him away from her. She pointed the tip of her dagger at him as she threatened, "If you ever lay your hands on my blood again, I will kill you and it won't be a quick death."

"We obey the king."

"And who pays you? Tywin Lannister. My future father-in-law and he has made me the Lady of Casterly Rock. It would only take a second to have you gone. To snuff out the life in you," she warned him. "Leave."

After a moment's hesitation, they left her alone with Shae and Sansa. Amella watched as the maid put her own weapon away and under her skirt. Amella took Sansa's hands and placed her dagger in them.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't always be here to protect you. Learn how to use that."

"I'm a lady and I don't know how to use this," Sansa countered.

"You can still be a lady and know how to fight," she reminded her sister. "Nymeria Martell did as well as the Targaryens. Stark women fought too. At least learn for my own peace of mind. I can't lose you."

Sansa nodded. "I will learn, but I won't like it."

Amella chuckled. "You're not Arya so I would expect you not to."

"I wish Lady was still alive, she would protect me," Sansa said sadly. "I miss father too. If he were here, he would know how to get us away from them."

Amella licked her lips, her throat suddenly becoming dry at what she had to do. She looked to Shae who curtsied horribly and left the room.

"Sansa," she began, her voice cold. "Our entire family died trying to fight the Lannisters. Robb and mother died fighting to get us back and they failed. Betrayed by their own men at a wedding. We have to be smart about this. Trust no one."

"Even Tyrion?"

"No one, Sansa," she repeated, her hands digging into her sister's shoulders. "We are the only Starks left."

"Arya could be alive."

"Arya might be alive and I have little hope that she is, but even then we must pretend she is gone," she said. "She's safer playing dead anyways. If we say she is alive then they will look for her. You know how Arya is with Joffrey, she won't last the hour if she is found. None of us are safe here."

"Where are we supposed to go when we escape? There is nowhere else to go."

"There are places. The Eyrie and Riverrun. Our mother's uncle went to take a piss and left the party early, he's at Riverrun. Aunt Lysa hasn't left the Vale. I will go to Riverrun and you will go to the Eyrie to Aunt Lysa. You will be safe there as no one has ever taken over that place," Amella said. "I just need to find a middle man that can take us there."

"Riverrun is not safe," Sansa whispered harshly to her sister. "The Lannisters have the Freys trying to siege it."

"I know. They will turn their attention to me while you make your escape. They will think we are there, but you will be far away from me."

"You want us to separate?" Sansa asked, tears in her eyes. "After everything that's happened to us-to our family, and you want to leave?!"

"If it means that you're safe then yes," she replied.

"What if I'm not?"

"Then send a raven with a blank page and a red seal," Amella told her and brushed back her auburn hair. Amella smiled sadly at her sister and let out a soft sigh. "I have to go. I will see you at supper tonight."

Before supper, Amella found a note hidden under her cup in her chambers. Whoever it was asked to meet her where the dragon skulls were. Amella cautiously walked down there, but she made to glance at every corner and to bring a weapon. She didn't trust anyone here. How could she when they all conspired to kill her family?

She held a torch in front of her, lighting her way as she walked down the spiral stairs. She couldn't hear anything which only made things worse for her. At least if there were voices, she would feel a little safer, but she didn't.

Silence made her worry.

Amella grabbed her dagger from skirts and silently went down the stairs. Amella forced herself not to be afraid as she stepped further towards the cellar where they kept the dragon skrulls.

She hid beside Balerion's skull as she lifted her dagger. Quickly, she jumped towards the person and held the blade to the throat of Petyr Baelish. A slow smile lifted his face up as she glared at him.

"Lord Baelish," she greeted coldly. "What an odd place to lurk."

"For you, my lady, it is indeed a very odd place for yourself to be," he replied, straining his neck away from the blade which only made her tighten her hold against him.

Littlefinger thought it odd how quickly she became stronger than he. He thought that perhaps she did have a little bit of wolf in her afterall.

"Ah, the Starks," he drawled out in a whisper as if he were telling her a secret. "Quick tempers, slow minds. Just like your father."

At the mention of her father, the blade unconsciously went deeper against his skin. She saw a single line of blood slide down his neck, staining his fancy collar. Amella gave him the polite and pretty smile her lady mother forced her to put on whenever they met lords and ladies.

"I am extremely unpredictable at this very moment because you mentioned my murdered father who I loved very much. Do not tempt me because you mean nothing to me and I would be doing the world a favor by killing you...something my father and uncle should've done a while ago."

"That perhaps is true, but then who would help you and your sister make your grand escape," he asked her, a knowing smile on his face.

Amella moved away from him and slid her dagger back into her dress. She growled lowly in her throat. "You have a moment to convince me why I should not kill you."

"I only need a moment, my lady. We want to help you."

"We?"

Olenna came from the shadows. "Yes, we. Hello, Lady Stark."

"I see you didn't get my warning at lunch when I told you to fuck off in a matter of words." Amella eyed the old woman suspiciously. She didn't trust anyone here especially two well versed liars. "Pity."

"You need us. The last of the Starks and the Lannisters will kill you once you have that boy."

"We will help you and Sansa escape if you help us kill the king. We know that he is the worst king and will only make things worse for all of us," Littlefinger explained to her.

"They will look to us if he is killed," Amella counterde. "Joffrey dies? Who did it? Probably the two people he's hurt the most and one of them already tried to kill his uncle. They killed her entire family and made a show of it. The Starks did it."

"Your father was never supposed to die," Littlefinger told her. "Joffrey decided then and there to behead him. Your father was a threat. He knew too much and let them know it too."

Amella scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned against the wall opposite of the dragon skull. "No, he wasn't. Joffrey is a boy king who was given too much power. You were the ones who that crown on his head and realize that it was a mistake. He's worse than the Mad King because he's young and will live to the delightful age of ninety-three perhaps. That can't be good for either of you because he won't trust anyone anymore especially you Littlefinger. Your granddaughter can smile pretty to him all she wants, but he will kill her. Ask my sister, she always followed your rules and his commands. She told me that he has a liking to beating women until they bleed."

"What happened to Lady Sansa cannot happen to my granddaughter," Olenna said firmly. "Not ever. He needs to be put down."

"Surely that is not the only reason why you want him dead," Amella inquired. "What is the other reason?"

"Will you help us or not?"

Amella eyed them for a moment before sighing. "Like I have a choice. If I deny then you will blame it on me and have people say that you heard me conspiring. Who will take the blame?"

Littlefinger shrugged. "Whoever is closest to the boy I suppose. I would be far away from where it happens."

"How will you do it?"

"We don't know yet. Poison most likely." Littlefinger ran his fingers over the dragon skull, intrigued by it suddenly. "It's quick and won't lead back to us."

"Some are quick and some are slow," Olenna corrected.

"And you want it to be quick and quiet? He should suffer," Amella growled. "But I suppose we will have to make due."

"What will it be then? Demon's dance? Sweetsleep or tears of Lys?" Littlefinger said, a small smile on his face.

"The strangler," Amella answered, her face void of any emotion. Littlefinger suddenly stared at her as if she were someone new to him. "It's quick and quiet. Then when they are distracted I will make my escape with Sansa to the Eyrie."

Olenna nodded in agreement. "I know how to get the poison in the cup. I will take care of that."

"And I know who to do it," Littlefinger replied.

"Pray tell what shall I do?" Amella inquired, curious as to what they wanted her to do.

"Distract the Kingslayer," Olenna told her. "You're a very beautiful woman and you know it too. You know how much he loves you and so use that as a distraction."

Amella gave them one last cold look before she warned them, "If you betray me then I will kill you. Make no mistake that I don't break my promises. The both of you have more to lose than I do."

"We will meet at the shore in three days."

As Amella walked away from them, her thoughts went towards paranoia. She knew she couldn't trust them, but wondered why they needed her. They could have done the deed without her. Why did they need her?

She told them the lie that she would go with Sansa, but only she and her sister knew that they would split up. Amella wondered if they wanted them together in order for an easy kill. It would be the end of their house.

Was it so that she would take the blame since she is a Stark?

"Here comes the King in the North!" they sang.

Amella froze as she heard them cry in the once silent halls. Her entire body couldn't move. She couldn't move herself as she was haunted by the death of her family. She heard them, but did not actually see the men who mocked her brother. She then saw something horrible for just a moment. She remembered what they did to the bodies of her mother and brother.

They never stopped laughing or singing.

Her hands covered her ears to silence them. The voices kept chanting it over and over again. They laughed at how her mother cried, how Robb crawled over to his pregnant dead wife and held her. They laughed at her when she threatened to kill herself if they did not let go of her mother and brother.

Perwyn had betrayed her.

She remembered seeing his face before her world went dark.

"Shut up!" she yelled out and saw that she wasn't alone anymore. She glanced around in confusion at the other ladies and lords that surrounded her.

Had they always been there? Wasn't I alone?

A strong hand grabbed her arm as Amella's own hand went for the dagger she had.

Oberyn Martell grinned down at her and quickly held down the other hand that went for her dagger. Amella tried to pull away from him, but he didn't budge at all. She stopped struggling and glared at Oberyn.

"Let me go."

"If you don't kill me," he told her. "I will let you go."

She placed her dagger back into her dress and gave him a mocking smile. "You shouldn't sneak up on people. Especially ones who are not so good in the mind right away."

Oberyn's smile faded. "Believe me, I know what you are going through. The Lannisters killed my sister and her children. They were good children. My sister was good."

"So was my brother and mother," she said. "Good day, Oberyn."

As she started to walk away, Oberyn called out to her, "We've heard about you from all the way in Dorne. The girl who ran. Oh you ran, didn't you? All the way across the Narrow Sea to the Targaryen girl."

"Her name is Daenerys Targaryen," Amella corrected. "She's got three dragons, Martell and is very angry. She gets angrier as time grows and she starts to grow up."

"And you only fueled her anger," Oberyn added. "You are quite impressive I must say. I heard you carved the letter of your name into Cersei because she killed your wolf. You refused to marry Ser Jaime and refused to marry that Frey fellow. You've always refused to get married and now suddenly are quite docile. Someone like you is meant for greater things than being the wife to your enemy."

"If you think that is who I am then you have insulted me," she calmly replied to him. "Careful of being a hypocrite, Martell. For you have been broken and bent by your enemy. You have bowed to them as well. I cannot be broken or bent I'm afraid and I will never bow. Winter is coming and it will be a harsh one."

TBC…

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