As the bell begins to toll announcing Joffrey's death, Sansa, in the godswood, feels elation. She had fled the throne room before he died, as had Lady Tanda. Sansa takes out the clothes she has hidden and dresses for her flight. As she takes off her hairnet, she notices that one of the gems is missing. When Dontos arrives, she accuses him of using the stone to poison Joffrey, but he denies it and also tells her that Tyrion has been arrested. Dontos, drunk, leads her out of the godswood. He is wearing his surcoat, wanting to be a knight at least for the rescue. He leads her down a long dark gallery and out of the castle to a cliffside. There is a hidden ladder carved into the cliff. Sansa balks at first, but Dontos tells her it is the only way. At the bottom, a man named Oswell is waiting with a skiff. He rows them into the bay.
Near dawn, they approach a trading galley. Oswell helps Sansa up on deck, and Lothor Brune wraps his cloak around her. It is Lord Petyr who has rescued her. Dontos asks for his reward, ten thousand dragons, and three crossbowmen kill him at Petyr's command. Sansa is horrified, and Petyr says he was her benefactor all along. He could not approach Sansa openly, but after Sansa saved Dontos he made the perfect go-between. It was Petyr who sent her the note telling her to come to the godswood if she wants to go home. As he takes her to her cabin, Petyr also reveals that the jousting dwarves were provided by him. Sansa asks why he killed Joffrey, and he states that he had no motive and that sometimes it is good to make moves that seem to have no reason in order to confuse one's enemies.1 Petyr tells her that he loved Catelyn, but could not marry her. He also claims he took her maidenhead.2 He tells Sansa she is safe and going home.
