[Belated blessings TT, wishing you all a happy Dragon Boat Festival and Children's Day]
As Lady Catelyn's words fell, the study instantly grew quiet, with only the occasional crisp crackle of sparks from the fireplace.
Once, Lord Stark's eldest daughter had cared only about dressing beautifully and tales of love between princesses and knights.
But since returning from King's Landing, Maester Luwin could clearly sense that the girl had grown up and begun to mature, paying more attention to learning and fulfilling the duties and obligations of a member of House Stark.
Maester Luwin instinctively wanted to speak up for Sansa, but he caught the gentle yet sharp look Lady Catelyn sent his way. His lips moved, but he chose to remain silent.
After a pause, Sansa's soft voice rang out. "I'm sorry, Lady of Winterfell."
Only after apologizing did she slowly explain the reason. "There was a shortage of men to train the recruits, and another two hundred arrived this morning, so I assigned the guards to assist the instructors."
After hearing her daughter's explanation, Lady Catelyn's expression remained stern. Her skirts swept across the Myrish Carpet. "Sansa, tell me, how did Robert die?"
Sansa's gemlike eyes briefly met her mother's gaze. "A... Boar wounded him badly. He was drunk."
Lady Catelyn's full chest rose and fell as she suppressed the sorrow in her heart and continued, "What about Robb? How did he die?"
At those words, a mist of tears instantly welled in Sansa's eyes. "It was... it was... a daughter of House Frey who killed... killed my brother... She drugged him..."
The candlelight flickered, casting the mother and daughter's overlapping shadows together as Lady Catelyn gently stroked her eldest daughter's head.
Whenever she thought of her eldest son, Lady Catelyn's eyes burned as well. "Sansa, my daughter,