Rhaenys followed beside her without saying much. Though she was a little older than Daenerys and more capable at handling affairs of state, she still fell short of Daenerys when it came to getting along with these women connected to Viserys.
Sansa raised a hand to gently smooth her brown hair, then brushed out the nonexistent creases in her skirt before walking forward to curtsy to Viserys at the head of the long table. Jeyne, who stood beside her, lifted her skirts and stepped forward to curtsy as well.
Since returning to the Red Keep, Jeyne had spent most of her free time with Sansa and Arya, apart from helping Viserys wash and dress each day. Being with them helped put her at ease.
But Sansa's frequent questions about Viserys always left her terribly embarrassed, and Arya loved teasing her for being so easily flustered. She deliberately made playful remarks that invariably sent Jeyne burying her face against her chest, refusing to look up.
The reason they had arrived so late today was that Arya had practiced far too long, then run off ahead as soon as they had helped her wash up. Otherwise, given how much importance Sansa placed on Viserys, she would have arrived long ago.
Ygritte was the last to arrive. When she pushed open the door, she still carried a faint scent of southern flowers from her recent bath.
She no longer wore the black clothing of the Night's Watch, either. Instead, she had changed into a bright red linen gown cinched at the waist, leaving her pale arms bare. She was slowly growing accustomed to life in the Red Keep.
Once inside, she followed the example of Sansa, Rhaenys, and the others and curtsied to Viserys, though, like Arya's, her attempt looked rather awkward.
Only