A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

been Cersei’s spies, just as Sansa had always suspected. “Come see,” she told them. “There’s a castle in the sky.”
    They came to have a look. “It’s made of gold.” Shae had short dark hair and bold eyes. She did all that was asked of her, but sometimes she gave Sansa the most insolent looks. “A castle all of gold, there’s a sight I’d like to see.”
    â€œA castle, is it?” Brella had to squint. “That tower’s tumbling over, looks like. It’s all ruins, that is.”
    Sansa did not want to hear about falling towers and ruined castles. She closed the shutters and said, “We are expected at the queen’s breakfast. Is my lord husband in the solar?”
    â€œNo, m’lady,” said Brella. “I have not seen him.”
    â€œMight be he went to see his father,” Shae declared. “Might be the King’s Hand had need of his counsel.”
    Brella gave a sniff. “Lady Sansa, you’ll be wanting to get into the tub before the water gets too cool.”
    Sansa let Shae pull her shift up over her head and climbed into the big wooden tub. She was tempted to ask for a cup of wine, to calm her nerves. The wedding was to be at midday in the Great Sept of Baelor across the city. And come evenfall the feast would be held in the throne room; a thousand guests and seventy-seven courses, with singers and jugglers and mummers. But first came breakfast in the Queen’s Ballroom, for the Lannisters and the Tyrell men—the Tyrell women would be breaking their fast with Margaery—and a hundred odd knights and lordlings.
They have made me a Lannister
, Sansa thought bitterly.
    Brella sent Shae to fetch more hot water while she washed Sansa’s back. “You are trembling, m’lady.”
    â€œThe water is not hot enough,” Sansa lied.
    Her maids were dressing her when Tyrion appeared, Podrick Payne in tow. “You look lovely, Sansa.” He turned to his squire. “Pod, be so good as to pour me a cup of wine.”
    â€œThere will be wine at the breakfast, my lord,” Sansa said.
    â€œThere’s wine here. You don’t expect me to face my sister sober, surely? It’s a new century, my lady. The three hundredth year since Aegon’s Conquest.” The dwarf took a cup of red from Podrick and raised it high. “To Aegon. What a fortunate fellow. Two sisters, two wives, and three big dragons, what more could a man ask for?” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
    The Imp’s clothing was soiled and unkempt, Sansa noticed; it looked as though he’d slept in it. “Will you be changing into fresh garb, my lord? Your new doublet is very handsome.”
    â€œThe
doublet
is handsome, yes.” Tyrion put the cup aside. “Come, Pod, let us see if we can find some garments to make me look less dwarfish. I would not want to shame my lady wife.”
    When the Imp returned a short time later, he was presentable enough, and even a little taller. Podrick Payne had changed as well, and looked almost a proper squire for once, although a rather large red pimple in the fold beside his nose spoiled the effect of his splendid purple, white, and gold raiment.
He is such a timid boy
. Sansa had been wary of Tyrion’s squire at first; he was a Payne, cousin to Ser Ilyn Payne who had taken her father’s head off. However, she’d soon come to realize that Pod was as frightened of her as she was of his cousin. Whenever she spoke to him, he turned the most alarming shade of red.
    â€œAre purple, gold, and white the colors of House Payne, Podrick?” she asked him politely.
    â€œNo. I mean, yes.” He blushed. “The colors. Our arms are purple and white chequy, my lady. With gold coins. In the checks. Purple and white. Both.” He studied her feet.
    â€œThere’s a tale behind those coins,” said Tyrion. “No doubt Pod will confide it to your toes one day. Just now we are expected at the Queen’s Ballroom, however. Shall we?”
    Sansa was tempted to beg off.
I could tell him that my tummy was upset, or that my moon’s blood had come
. She wanted nothing more than to crawl back in bed and pull the drapes.
I must be brave, like Robb
, she told herself, as she took her lord husband stiffly by the arm.
    In the Queen’s Ballroom they broke their fast on honeycakes baked with blackberries and nuts, gammon steaks, bacon,