Sakura watched her father closely the next day. She knew that the memory genjutsu that she planted in her father was working since Eddard Stark seemed to be acting like he did defeat the Kingslayer. However, perhaps Sakura should have not overdid her performance during the Trial by Combat. She shouldn't have showed her superior fighting skills while disguised as her father. That had been unwise move on her part. Sakura recalled how she wanted to knock Jaime Lannister's high opinion of himself down a peg that she hadn't hesitated in beating him so thoroughly that she literally had to cut his arms off just to prove a point. Now, people were already in awe and wondering how her father was able to become so skilled in a matter of hours before the Trial.

Stupid. She thought while she walked towards the Great Hall, where the rest of her family would be eating their lunch. I should have defeated the Kingslayer while fighting less skillfully in the Trial by Combat to prevent people from asking too many questions. Now, my father is under the scrutiny of most of the people who saw what happened. If I'm not careful, my father will start wondering how he was able to accomplish such a feat as well….

Sakura had just walk inside the Great Hall when she instantly noticed the tense air in the room. Her eyes narrowed almost instantly at the sight of people whispering and gossiping among themselves on the tables.

She caught snippets of the conversation here and there as she strode towards her family's table.

"Did she really kill herself?" someone muttered as Sakura swept pass.

"Yes, it seemed that she had gotten a dagger somewhere and slit her wrists while in her cell." another person answered and Sakura was beyond curious who were they talking about.

"I can't believe that the Queen would kill herself like that...not when she still had her children to consider…"

The Queen? Sakura frowned in confusion as she hurriedly strode towards the Stark's table where she could see the rest of her family and the King were sitting.

"Well, the Queen must be too devastated by her twin brother's and lover's death that she could not bear to continue on living…"

The Queen is dead? And she died by slitting her wrists? was Sakura's doubtful thoughts while she finally sat down beside her sister Sansa, who looked grim and pale in that moment.

"What happened?" Sakura asked her older sister in a low voice while her eyes strayed towards her father, mother and the King, who were talking quietly among themselves. Using her eyes, she read the movements of their lips and understood most of the things they were saying.

"The Queen is dead," Sakura heard Sansa say beside her while Sakura continued to watch the adult's conversation.

"I only heard the news not a moment ago from one of the prison guards when Cat and I were on our way here to the Great Hall." Sakura read how her father was saying to the King. "It appeared that Cersei Lannister somehow had acquired a weapon and used it to fatally injure herself. It looked like she bled so fast that even the rotating guards failed to immediately notice something amiss. It was only when a guard entered her cell to give her sustenance that they finally found her corpse."

"Well, good riddance to that lying and cheating whore I say. That woman was better off dead than alive if I say so myself. I think I can rest easy now that I know that she's gone for good than allow her to live and breathe under the pretext of exile," was the King's callous answer.

There was a silence that followed while Sakura watched how her father looked troubled at the King's words. Sakura also had a sneaking suspicion that the Queen's death wasn't a suicide at all. Even though she didn't know Cersei Lannister very well, but Sakura understood the woman's character enough based on her interaction with the people around her and seeing the woman's reaction during the confrontation at the Broken Tower.

She knew that Cersei Lannister was a conniving and spiteful bitch, but most of all, Sakura knew that the woman loved her children very much after she had seen her interact with Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella on occasion. Hence, Sakura knew that Cersei Lannister would not simply kill herself just because her twin brother and lover died, which would ultimately leave her children at the mercy of the King. She knew that the woman would certainly fight back and take revenge for her brother if given the chance. So to have the people believe that the Queen killed herself was just too contrived and unbelievable that Sakura even suspected that the King probably ordered someone to kill Cersei Lannister just to see the woman dead.

The King must be so furious for being cuckold by his own kingsguard for years that he must have wanted his wife dead rather than see her in exile along with her children. Sakura could only guess in silence.

"But what shall you do with her children?" Sakura saw her father asked the King.

"What of them?" was King Robert's almost dismissive response. "I could hardly call them my own now, not when they look like the Kingslayer's get. No wonder they are not dark haired like all my bastards I sired...And since they are not my own, I will make use of them as I see fit. If Tywin Lannister rouses himself from Casterly Rock and leads an army to King's Landing, I will use the whore's children and all the rest of the Lannisters who remain at court as hostages. Let's see how the Old Lion will react with his only dwarf of a son, his grandchildren and the other Lannister loyalists under my mercy."

"And if Tywin calls his banners and attacks King's Landing? What shall you do then? Will you have all of them executed as a retaliation against Tywin's action?" Her father asked the King in a whisper to prevent other people from overhearing. The Great Hall was not an ideal place to talk such vital matter but it seemed her father just wanted to know the King's plans regarding the Lannisters in that moment that he would dismiss this fact altogether.

"If it comes to war Ned, you already know what some of us must do to keep the peace, and in my position, keep my Throne. And might I remind you what Tywin had the Mountain do to Elia and her children? What I will do to Tywin's grandchildren will be no difference to how I let the Old Lion did to those Dragon spawns. There will always be those who will become casualties of war and I couldn't care less what happens to those children of incest at all. In fact, I say Tywin might see this one coming to him when he calls his banners. However, let us discuss more on this matter in private Ned, even though I had all the rest of the Lannisters men and women under watch in the other side of your keep, there might be spies lurking around here who will take this opportunity to listen in on our conversation and tell Tywin what I intend to do." The King said with finality.

Afterward, Sakura observed how her father, mother and the King lapsed into silence while they continue to eat grimly. She also kept an open ear around her while she ate her food. The rest of the courtiers from the King's party were still discussing about the Queen's untimely demise and something else regarding Joffrey, which she had a hard time following.

Sakura also observed her brothers Robb, Bran and Rickon chewing their food across from her. Robb and Bran clearly looked like they were too preoccupied with their own thoughts. Rickon, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed the tense air around him and had chosen to behave accordingly. Meanwhile, Sansa, who was still sitting beside Sakura, did not talk to her at all. In fact, the red-haired girl seemed to be paler than usual.

"Is there something wrong, Sansa?" Sakura finally asked her older sister a moment later. "You seemed subdued more than usual…"

It took awhile for the other girl to answer and Sakura was beginning to wonder as to the reason for Sansa's behavior.

"It's Prince Joffrey…" Sansa murmured.

At the mention of the cruel boy, Sakura immediately scowled and said, "He's not a Prince anymore Sansa. King Robert outright stated that Joffrey is not his son or heir because he is the child of incest between Cersei and Jaime Lannister. So you might as well stop referring to him as a Prince."

Once Sakura said that Sansa looked absolutely distraught. However, Sakura felt mildly annoyed at the other girl for reacting thus. She understood that her older sister had a huge crush on Joffrey to begin with because Sansa found the bastard boy handsome and Princely. Even after the boy's parents had tried to have Sakura and Bran killed and after discovering Joffrey's true lineage, Sansa obviously still held a candle to him, albeit much less than before.

"Sansa, why did you mentioned Joffrey? What exactly happened to him?" Sakura prodded the other girl.

However, Sansa looked like she no longer wanted to talk to her. Fortunately, Bran must have heard her inquiry and he was the one who answered Sakura's question when the older girl chose not to answer.

"Sansa mentioned him because I heard the King sent Joffrey to the cells not too long ago for questioning." Bran informed her.

"Questioning for what?" came Sakura's question. "What did he do?"

"Shouldn't you know this by now Arya? Since you have a habit of eavesdropping on everyone's conversation?" Sansa said waspishly.

Sakura decided not to be baited by her sister into an argument and simply ignored the other girl's statement. Although she allowed herself to glare at the older girl just to show she was displeased with her.

"Joffrey is in the interrogation cells since someone saw the Hound talking to the assassin who tried to kill you the other night Arya. The witness saw the Hound gave the assassin money, which was obviously from someone else who ordered Clegane. Since a lot of people already know that the Hound is Joffrey's rabid dog, it's been concluded that the one who paid and sent the assassin to you was Joffrey. Perhaps to either silence you before the Trial or it was done as an act of revenge for what you did to his mother and uncle. Either way, Joffrey would be interrogated until the King confirms the truth, and once he does, Joffrey would be beheaded without a fair trial or giving him the opportunity to take the black as the King stated. Apparently, the King desperately wanted him dead as well." Bran whispered to her.

For a normal person, they would have leaned forward to better hear what Bran say, but Sakura's hearing was above average and her lip reading was not abysmal at all, so she perfectly understood what Bran whispered to her.

Sakura fell silent after hearing the good news. The only reason she did not hear this beforehand was because she had been too busy worrying about her father's state of mind, and at the same time she had been meditating in the Godswood when the news of the Queen's death and Joffrey's imprisonment broke out. All of these occurred today and right before lunch it seemed.

It looks like today is a day for celebration indeed. She thought wryly. Lannisters paying their debts with their own blood is the day for a bloody celebration.

"And who is going to swing the sword once Joffrey is found guilty of the crime?" Sakura asked while she instantly noticed how Sansa appeared like she was going to be sick. Although the girl remained silent all throughout the conversation.

"Our Lord father of course," Bran said with a tone of satisfaction. "The King thinks that it's only right that our father delivers the killing blow after what Joffrey planned to do with you."

"That's good to hear," came Sakura's dark reply. "If I was given the chance to kill the little shit, I would have slit Joffrey's throat myself."

"Arya!" Sansa cried out all of a sudden. "Don't speak of such things! In fact, this entire conversation is not appropriate in a dinner table at all!"

"Oh hush, Sansa." Sakura said, rolling her eyes at the other girl. "If you can't stomach the fact that your Prince is about to lose his head come morning, then you are free to leave the table."

"You - you are so GAH!"

Sakura watched as Sansa stomped her foot in frustration. However, she was somewhat surprised when the other girl decided to stay in the table. Although she was not shocked to see Sansa turning to their Lady mother for help.

"Mother, Arya is saying unseemly things again!" Sansa said.

Inwardly, Sakura simply sighed and watched as her mother and even her father and the King turned their attention in her direction.

I sometimes dislike having an older sister, She thought as she listened to Sansa prattled to their mother what Sakura did wrong. But what can I say…family is family.