Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

" When will they return Mother ? Its been hours since they left "

" Stop fretting around Renee , you know these types of things takes time .. i just hope Bran is good it's his first time witnessing a beheading ."

"He'll be ok mother...he's your sweet and strong boy afterall " She added jokingly. "Hah I wanted to go too...Mother why did you stop father to take me with him "

" It's no such things for woman to witness Renee and besides what joy will it give you seeing a man beheaded ?!"

Renee grimaced " I didn't want to see the beheading for joy ..I just wanted to know if Old NaN's tales about beyond the wall are true . About wildlings , giants , ghouls and ... Others " She whispered the last part.

Catelyn went silent at that. These tales creeped her out too. She never believed in these things as she spent her childhood in Riverrun in South. But the North was as weird and terrifying as people make it out to be. The weirwood trees that the Starks and other northerners worship are one such example . The Faces in the trees creeped her out ..it felt like they were watching her and the children. She decided to change the topic

" You don't listen to Old NaN's tales anymore instead go and practice your embroidery ..God's Renee I expected better from you atleast ..set an example for younger sisters " 

Renee scrunched her face . " They have you as an example already " She ran fast before her mother hear what she said .

" What !! Renee come back " Catelyn shouted enraged. " This girl " She then sighed fondly . She can never get angry at Bran and Renee ...No matter how hard she tries. 

************************************

Feeling bored Renee finally decided to join Sansa , arya and septa mordane . 

" Where were you little lady ? "

" Uhm uhm... I was helping mother managing the household septa but then I remembered that I had to perfect the backhand stitching so I came to join you back "

Renee smiled all too cheerfully like her mother taught her just as a lady. 

Septa didn't say anything more just signalled her to seat and as she did that she felt glare from her little sister arya who didn't seem happy that she managed to avoid the class while she was stuck here.. she mumbled a half hearted apology to her and started working. 

Arya was her second most favorite siblings after Robb of course.. Robb was her twin , her soulmate the other part of her . Arya was mischievous and everything that she wants to be but couldn't as she didn't want to annoy her mother further. Sansa was the most cutest out of her siblings even more then Baby Rickon . She couldn't imagine that someone could be so cute and angelic , a little lady . Bran , well Bran was Bran .. her mother's favorite even if she never admitted to playing favourites. Rickon is a little ball of sunshine .. 

and Robb Ohh Robb how could I forget him . Let's just say we have the same brain cells. Where my mind stops working his began . The reason they always starts fighting ..and I always win HAHAHAHA...and the most important person in my little family. 

My father... I love him the most in the world.. The reason I go everyday to pray in the godswood for his longevity and good health even though I share the same sentiments as my good old mother about the trees....

We have two more people in our little household though...Theon Greyjoy , My father's ward after the Greyjoy Rebellion and Jon Snow , my half-brother . Theon Greyjoy is a pompous arrogant git who thinks too highly of himself and Jon snow just exist .. we don't talk much .. He is afterall an obvious reminder of my father's infidelity to my mother and the obvious threat to Robbs claim so my mother thinks.....

" Back to earth Renee " 

Startled she looked around to find Robb grinning at her . She slaps his arm .. " No need to shout on my face "

She looks around and sees that no one is in the room except her and Robb...God's how long has she been daydreaming...

" Not my fault you sleeps in broad daylight ..lazy slouth " Robb teased her.

" I am not a lazy sloth you Red Monkey"

" Hey hey hey , we can fight later lady bear , Come with me look what I found  !" 

Robb muttered excitedly and pulled her towards the courtyard . There she saw pups .. or were these wolf pups !!!!. She never saw one in her life and how adorable they were truly.

Arya and Sansa were fondling each pups and Septa Mordane looked a bit terrified... so that is why the room was empty they rushed in here to see these pups .. They didn't bother to wake me up How Rude hmph.

" Choose what you like Renee " The loud voice of Theon brought her attention .

" Of course  Greyjoy , Can we keep them as pets ? "

" Yes Lord Stark allowed us .. but only if we take good care of them " it was her half brother who answered this time. She just gave a nod .

" Arya , Sansa , Robb ...did you already pick one ? .. what about Rickon ? " 

" Mother is bringing him .. "

Catelyn just came in sight with Little Rickon who looked a bit frightened and curious too.he went ahead to touch one.

"Though I doubt he would be able to take care of them ... So as an older sister Rickons

Wolf Is also your responsibility Renee " The voice of Catelyn Stark rang .

" Gladly mother " Renee didn't mind ..but right now she was content rubbing her hand in the soft fur of her chosen wolf . She keeps on thinking what she should name her. Something that resembles me . Something that I connect to . She felt a connection with the wolf as the Gods have given her a gift . 

********

Chapter Text

• The next day

Jons POV

Jon always knew that his place in the family will always be that of a bastard . He can never be a true stark. Sometimes he felt jealous of Robb..he had everything that Jon wanted ...but he could never hate Robb...Afterall Only Robb and Arya considered him their true brother...Bran and Rickon were still small...Sansa never despised him openly but it can be seen...and Renee she never accepted his existence it felt like he was air to her.....

He desperately wanted acknowledgement as a Stark...He wanted to show Lady Stark that he was one of them , a Stark .

Yesterday they went to witness the beheading , and found direwolf pups , they were all 6 representing the true stark children...but there was one runt of a litter , just like he was. He sometimes wondered what would happen to him once Robb become Lord of Winterfell surely Catelyn wouldn't want him around then . He need to leave before he gets thrown away , even though he knows his father would never throw him out.

He kept wondering all these thoughts by the time he came to his chambers , his chambers were cold compared to his other siblings , but he didn't mind the cold. He was thinking of naming his direwolf and decided on Ghost for his white fur and his quiet nature. He heard someone approaching it was Greyjoy. 

He wanted to go for a ride.

" Sure , just a moment "

When he came outside he was surprised to find Renee there as well.

She nodded towards him.

" Let's go " . She was having her direwolf with her.

" You didn't tell me she was coming "he whispered quietly.

" Is that a problem , I went to ask Robb but he was learning his Lordly duties with Maester Luwin , Renee said that she wanted to come , Don't worry Snow she won't bite you HAHAHA "

Jon scowled at that. They kept going around the woods when Ghost ran after some small animals to hunt .

" Ghost No ". Ghost stopped at once and so did Renee.

" Have you been training him ? He seems obedient . "

Jon looked a bit stunted at the comment , Renee don't usually talks with him.

" Yeah, He learns quickly , What did you name your direwolf "

" I didn't think of one yet , Ghost is such a nice name , I should have used that one first " She chuckled softly. Jon smiled at that . " Yeah , but it suits him better , You can surely looks for names in some of the books you read , pretty valyrian names "

At that Renee turned towards him . 

" How do you know I read valyrian books "

" You always leave them at weird places , Maester Luwin asks me to retrieve them " He shrugs. Renee turns a pretty red colour at that. Red like her sisters hair. He likes that colour , Red like fire. A pity that Renee didn't get her mother's Auburn hair but rather the Stark black hair with Tully blue eyes that are as blue as water.

" I will be careful from now , where is Theon by the way ? " She tried to change the topic.

This caught Jon's attention , Theon was missing and it was just Renee and Jon travelling now . " Maybe with the Millers wife " Jon muttered to himself .

" Did you say something ? "

" No , I mean Yes , he might have went ahead to the blacksmith ". Renee nodded at that .

They move forward that they found Theon and the Millers wife in a compromising position near a bush.

Theon you idiot Jon cursed.

Renee's eyes widen at the sight. 

" THEON !!! "

The couple break apart. Theon looked startled.

" Get back here at once !! "

Theon had atleast the decency to quickly bid the Millers wife a goodbye and came to the duo ( Jon and Renee )

" Father will surely wants to know about your rendezvous Greyjoy " Renee said a bit angrily. 

" You don't command me Stark , I can do whatever I want , don't interfere in my personal life " 

" Dont forget whose house you live in Greyjoy , Besides go to a bloody brothel if you are so desperate.... She is a bloody married woman for god's sake , Have some shame at least , do you want to father a bastard huh " She muttered all that angrily.

Jon froze at the word bastard.

Theon looked at him and smirked before saying.

" Well your family is fostering a bastard already, how bad it can be if I father one "

Jon clenched his fist at that , he felt tears gathering in his eyes but controlled, he wanted to run and run and run. But the next words shocked him.

" He is my father's blood , he has the right to live with us much more than you Greyjoy . Dont forget your status " With that she took off her horse and went ahead with her direwolf .

Theon froze at his place . " I'll show you all what my true place is " . He went away as well.

Now it was just Jon left . Ghost came towards him and nuzzled at his leg . He softly patted his head. He don't know if he should be happy that Renee acknowledged him as one of their blood. He just sighed and went towards Winterfell hoping that today's drama don't cause much issues.

******************************

Robbs POV

Robb was quite bored learning all the house names of Westeros their mottos and sigil and went out to get a much needed break. 

Renee must be enjoying riding alot..she should learn all these , she loves reading afterall . He chuckles softly at that..His twin loved reading a lot even more than riding sometimes. He was thinking about giving Greywind the milk that he heard horse rustling and in coming Renee looking quite furious. 

" Renee what happe- " 

" Later Robb , Come ". She said to her direwolf and turned away quickly .

" What's got into her " . A few seconds later Theon came looking quite as angry as Renee. He tried to ask him . But just got a " Later Robb " before he walked away too. Then came the last one Jon snow who looked all smiley...

Robb was confused now how come he's all smiley when Theon and Renee looked ready to murder anyone ...

" Whats got you all smiley Jon ? "

" Later-- "

" NOO " He shouted. " I mean tell me now , I have already heard that sentence from Renee and Theon , Seriously what happened to them "

Jon sighed " Nothing much , Just got into a little fight "

" Over ? " . It's very rare for Renee to get into a fight.

"Theon's indiscretion with the Millers wife"

" What ?? 💀" 

" Yep , she wasn't very happy about it "

" Oh lords , by any chance do you think she's jealous ? "

Jon seemed a little surprised at that.

" I don't think so Robb"

" Why not ? Theon's charming , and I hope he didn't charmed ny sister " . Robb said anxiously. He don't want to see the day his sister falls in love. 

Gods he is shivering just thinking about it.

" Ohh , well see you at dinner then "

Jon nodded and left. Robb knew there was much more to Renee's anger. He just hope whatever it is don't ruin anything.

He went to Renee's chambers to talk with her but she locked herself in and Theon wasn't anywhere he searched. Finally his mother caught him wandering the castle.

" Robb !! "

" Yes mother ? "

" Good lords , I found you here , you need to help me prepare , you and Renee ,The King is coming with his whole court to Winterfell"

" What !!! 💀 "

" Dont look so gast , Robb. The Lord hand , Jon Arryn is dead , The King is coming to North to visit Ned but I believe there are other intention . Winterfell will be home to them for a fortnight . We need to start preparing from now...I'll need your help , Yours and Renee "

" But Renee is sulking in her chambers "

" What ? Why ? "

" Because - "

" Doesn't matter , your father will announce this at supper , you just go and look for the arrangement to meet the King at the Kingsroad tomorrow , Take Jory with you and a few soldiers , Greet them as the heir of Winterfell "

" Of course mother " 

Robb felt a bit proud and happy that his mother entrusted him with such responsibility. He will act like a true Heir to Winterfell.

" May I take Jon with him ? "

Catelyn frowned at that.

" He is a bastard Robb , He can't go "

" Mother please , don't call him that "

" I am just calling him what he is "

Robb just sighed knowing he can't influence his mother much.

"Alright I'll take Theon with him."

" Fine , but make sure you do all arrangements and get it checked by Maester Luwin " . Saying that she left to attend to her other duties.

Sansa's POV

Sansa was completely taken away with her direwolf, she named it lady , she was so gentle and loving with her that she couldn't stop playing with her . Septa Mordane told her that ladies don't play with direwolves but she doesn't want to give up lady , No matter how unladylike it would be .

She was thinking of weaving a collar for Lady with wool to keep her warm , she decided to go ask Renee if she wanted to join her in doing so. Arya never liked knitting and all , Renee often joined her and was quite skilled but Septa Mordane always said that she is best in embroidery out of all her sisters. Sansa took pride in that. She wanted to be a true lady like her mother , She wishes that one day a knight or a prince will come and marry her and she would live in a large castle nearby a sea with ladies to talk to and lemon cakes to eat. She would take Jeyne with her too , her bestfriend. She blushed a pretty red at the thought. Thinking all that she was soo standing outside Renee's chambers.

She knocked .

" Go away , Robb , I don't want to see you !!!", Shouted Renee.

Sansa was startled as it was not often that Renee would be so angry.

" Renee , it's me , Sansa . Should I come later ? " She asked cautiously. Maybe Robb had a fight with her , which is not new.

Renee opened her door then. She had an angry nose and few tears stringing her eyelashes.

" Oh my god Renee , have you been crying ?"

" No Sansa , it's nothing just a bit of cold .Do you need something ?" She asked with a gentle smile.

" Oh well , I have been wanting to ask if you want to join me knitting collars for lady and your direwolf ? "

" Sounds good , I am in and I named her Nyx , she is so dark you see like night "

" Yes , let's make a red collar for her , matching her eyes "

Both sisters starts giggling and talking all the anger forgotten by Renee. 

*******************************************

Renee's POV

Renee don't know why she was feeling so angry and annoyed all of a sudden . She just wanted to go for a fun ride , but it got all spoiled because of Greyjoy and his indescretion . 

She didn't want to think of the consequences if her father came to know about it. He would be ashamed of Theon. The Miller would surely blame Father If he came to know ,then everyone will think that father is an dishonorable man who can't even keep his ward in check. 

Gods , she was feeling so stressed already. 

Another thing that was bothering her was that she enjoyed Jon snow's company that she shouldn't . He was a threat to her brother's claim. A constant reminder that her father cheated on her mother.

The one thing she always hated was cheating . It was unacceptable to her.

But Jon , he was so so nice to her , he even noticed what she did , his hair so black like ink and eyes so dark like an endless void you want to drown into. He also looked more like father ....Wait Father ...uhhhh get a grip Renee , he is your half brother , your father's bas-bastard . She cringed saying that word afterall she berated Greyjoy just few hours ago over that one particular word. She didn't know why she was so angry when Greyjoy said that to Jon.. She never involved herself with them...it was always Robb who was their Friend...Who do I tell all these things I am feeling ? I want to talk to Robb so much but he will not understand it would he ?. Sansa and Arya are too young and my mother would not like this talk . Should I talk with Jeyne ? But she is a gossip girl ....Uhhh Damn it. 

" This looks so pretty , Renee " Sansa's voice broke her thought process . It was good thing Sansa came , it helped diverting her mind a bit.

" You think so ?"

" Yess , It would suit your direwolf?." Sansa asked a bit confused as Renee didn't name her direwolf yet.

Her direwolf had black fur with red eyes like Ghost , Jon's direwolf . She looked frightening , intimidating.

" Look at mine does it match with Lady's fur ?" Sansa asked.

" Yes , it does , you always make pretty things sweet sister afterall " She smiled and pinched Sansa's cheek.

" So cute "

" Ouch , Renee" Sansa whined. 

" Sorry sorry , haha , let's go for the supper or mother will be super angry"

They leave for the supper. Catelyn had forbidden them to bring the direwolves to supper until they are fully trained.

"Jon , you need to see Nymeria , I have been teaching her to fetch things "

Arya and Jon were engrossed in talking with each other. Bran was with her lady mother , telling her he couldn't thunk do names for his direwolf , Robb was trying to strike a conversation with Theon , who was still brooding. Theon looked up as he saw Renee enter and scoffed. Renee scowled too. Well , she wanted to apologize but now I don't want to with your attitude hmph . You want to be petty , I will be super petty .

She turned away and sat next to her Lord father's seat . 

" All good , Renee ? "

" Yes father " she smiled a bit.

He nodded.

"I have an announcement to make ". Everything goes silent.

" We will be having guests in Winterfell in few days , King Robert and his court will be visiting . So I hope that you all will behave accordingly . Robb and Renee help your mother and Maester Luwin " 

Both of them nodded. Robb doesn't look surprised , Does he already knew , she looked to her side and saw Sansa talking with her mother in hush tones , she looked excited , so did Arya . Both wanted to see knights and princes but for entirely different reasons. The irony haha. Her mother looked towards her and gave a look that said we need to talk. Uh oh Am I in trouble ?. She also found Jon looking towards her , but she just nodded like her usual self.

************

Catelyn's POV

After so many years the Royal family was coming to Winterfell , especially after the death of Jon Arryn , the hand. It seems so suspicious. Her husband doesn't trust those Lannisters and they will soon be infiltrating the castle. There is also another worry for hosting such a large no. of people more than hundred knights !!! Good lords , she will surely need help from Robb and Renee . Another thing that worry her was her daughter , she seemed strange at supper time , something is changed for sure . She needs to talk with her for sure. As she was thinking all this . The door creaked slowly and in come Renee.

**************************

Chapter Text

Robb' s POV.

" Is that all understood ? " 

" Yes mother "

For the past 1 Hour Catelyn Stark have been assigning him and Renee duties. He had to leave tomorrow with Theon to greet the King at the Kingsroad ....and Renee need to take care of the sleeping arrangements of the guests along with taking care of any medical aid they might need. ... She was afterall studying Medicine with Maester Luwin. ..

" Renee wait , I need to talk with you "

" Yess ? "

" What happened with you and Theon"

Renee stopped and looked at him "Nothing much , Even though it is much more , I caught him with the Miller's wife " She whispered the last part.

Robb looked at her face and then started laughing ..

"Hahahahaha "

Renee looked at him weirdly.

" Stop Laughing , it's not funny "

" I know haha I know , it's just , that's it , I thought he tried something with you and gods not ."

" He wouldn't dare " Renee looked outraged.

" He wouldn't , I made sure of it . Either way why were you so angry at Theon then what he did was very Theon like , the Miller's wife is just one of many."

Renee's mouth fell open at that.

" Does father know ? "

" Father doesn't need to know everything Renee , He is a young man he has needs you see ."

Renee narrowed her eyes at that.

" You are a young man too , Are you - "

" Oh No no no , You know I would never do that , I wouldn't dishonor a maid without marriage , Besides with you sister , I don't have any needs "

" Oh shut up "

" Anyways tell me what else Is going on , Your anger on Theon is justifying but why are you so frustrated huh , You don't get upset so easily "

" Ohh that is because , because of Theon , I just confirmed something during the ride that I was trying to avoid "

Robb raised his eyebrows " That is ? "

" That I li- , " At seeing Robbs face Renee stopped. No I can't tell Robb ,the feeling is wrong as it is . 

"Nothing , I don't want to tell you " With that she turned around and started walking .Robb started following her.

" Oh come on , Re ( R-e-y) Don't be like that , don't we share everything "

" No It's too personal "

" Personal ? I am hurt . Nothing is ever personal between us "

He kept pestering her on her way to her room. At last she gave up.

" Fine , I like someone " . She nearly shouted then shut the door.

" Like ? Like as in like ? LIKEE ? Renee don't throw such sentences so casually .. who is it ? I am gonna kill him ? "

" No one , see that's why I didn't want to tell you , Now go away we will talk tomorrow " 

Robb sighed . Who is it ? 

He turned around. 

AHHHHHHH. He was startled seeing Arya crouching behind the pillar.

" Arya !!! , Were you eavesdropping , that's a bad habit don't you know "

Arya stood up wincing . I got caught , oh no . 

" That I was just here asking Renee about my embroidery "

" You and embroidery ? , 

" He chuckled  "Do you think of me a fool ? Now tell me what were you doing here ?"

" I was not following you I swear , I just happened to drop by "

Robb sighed " you wont tell me , would you little sister ? Just don't tell father and mother whatever you heard got it ? "

Arya nodded like an obedient child .

" Good , I will teach you to shoot arrows if you did that ok ? "

" My lips are closed " Robb rubbed her hair and left.

Jon's POV

Jon waved Robb goodbye as he left for the Kingsroad.

He thought to return back to his work that he heard someone calling him 

" Jon ! , Jon ! " It was little Arya. Jon smiled at her, Arya was the one he was closest to among his sisters. 

" Yes ? , What are you doing here so early in the morning ?!"

" I wanted to meet you , Can you please convince father to let me learn archery pretty please , Robb promised to teach me after I promised to keep his secret..." She went silent all again.

" What secret ? " 

" Uhh , nothing , I just....will you talk with father , he will listen to you .. "

Jon sighed. " What makes you think that , I am your half brother Arya , and lady stark won't like me interfering "

" But you can atleast try please ..., I'll tell you the secret too.."

" You shouldn't do that if Robb swore you to secrecy "

" Ohh ..no but he forbade me from saying that to Mother and Father ...If you talk with father I'll tell you that "

" No Arya " . Jon started walking away . He don't have much time , also If lady stark saw him idling she will again say something that will make him upset. Arya suddenly shouted from behind.

" It's about Renee " 

Renee ? That made him stop. Now he don't want to admit but he was a abit curious now. He turned and raised an eyebrow.

Arya ran towards him and told him to crouch. She whispered in his ears.

" Renee has someone she likes ". Ok that's shocking.

" Now will you talk with father ? " 

" I will , but I can't promise if he will allow it ".

" Yay ! Thank you Jon " She hugged him and left.

*****

" Where is your mind snow ? " 

" Hm ? Nowhere Jory ". Jory smirked 

" Is it about a girl ? "

" I said no one " . Jory just laughed.

Well , he did have his mind over what Arya told him in the morning. Just forget it Jon .

On his way back to his father's solar , he saw Renee coming out of it , their eyes met , she gave an accustomary nod and left rather hastily..

What happened to her ?.

****

Ned Starks POV

" Is there anything else that you would need Renee ? " 

" No it's enough Father , Thank you "

Renee left after talking about all the things she needed to arrange the sleeping arrangements.

" May I come father ? "

" Yes Jon ? , Uncle Benjen sent the letter , he will be coming for the King's visit"

" Oh great , Did you talk with Maester Luwin ?"

" Yes , I know that I need to be as inconspicuous as possible " .

" It's not my intention to hurt you son " Ned sighed.

" I know father " . No you don't Jon , if Robert even got the slightest hint that you are a .......It will be disastrous for all.

" Father I wanted to ask you if you would allow Arya to practice archery , she seems rather interested in that "

" I cannot interfere Jon , it's Catelyn decision "

" I know father it's just Winter is coming , we should be able to defend ourselves and Arya wants to learn that like a true knight "

Ned knows that all too well. And the Kings arrival seems to bring trouble to the North.

" I will talk with Catelyn , You may go "

Jon nodded and left.

Robb's POV 

It took 3 days for them to reach the Kings tent. The tent was quite huge given the amount of people living in it . Knights , horses, servants were rushing in and out. He nodded towars Jory who went ahead and addressed a servant to inform the King about their arrival.

When they reached the tent , Robb felt disappointment in his heart. The king was nothing like his father often mentioned and tell stories about. He was nothing like the gallant Knight who defeated Rhaegar Targaryen at the battle of the Trident and claimed the throne. No , he looked like a drunken , barely stable , jolly fat king who is drowning himself in wine and pleasure.

But Robb composed his emotions and bowed to the King . Besides the King he saw there was Cersei Lannister , the Queen. She looked young and beautiful with her blonde hair and green eyes. A pity her expression were not complimenting her beauty. She looked irritated perhaps being near the king made her so . Nevertheless the king recognised me.

" Rise ". The king commanded.                             " Welcome to the North , your grace . It's our greatest honor to serve you as our guests .".   " Ahh yes of course , it's not every day the king comes to the North " he then laughed.      " How is your father doing boy ? ".                      " He is doing well , your grace . He sent some of the accomodities that you might need for your remaining journey ".                                      " How thoughtful " The Queen commented and left from there.

Robb felt awkward standing there. He don't know what to make of it. But soon enough the King signalled for him to stay in one of the tents and leave tomorrow.

He couldn't sleep that night.It was one of those nights. He had a dream again. The same ones that he used to have when he was a child . This time it was a bit different , he was fighting in his dreams , a swordplay . There was a huge tower behind him and from it he could hear screams.

He jolted up from his sleep feeling restless.

Why am I having them again ?  If I am having them then that means ... Renee too....

He was worried and hoped that Renee was okay afterall her dreams were worse than his.

Chapter Text

Catelyn's POV

 Ned's arms were like a place of haven for Catelyn. All her worries , tension seemed to melt away at that. Marrying to him was not her choice , she loved another , Brandon , his brother. But she has grown to love Ned and couldn't imagine her life without him and their children by her side . She was lying peacefully in his arms while drawing circles on his chest that they heard a huge scream.

It was of Renee's. Soon after that they can hear a wolf howling with one following after another and soon the entire pack was howling.

Both her and Ned jolted away at that.

" Renee !! It's Renee " . Ned shouted and ran to her chambers. Catelyn followed him worry filling her heart. At the door were many guards who didn't enter the room just watching outside as it would be inappropriate. Inside was Renee who was sobbing in her bed wrapping her hand around her ears. Ned immediately took her in her arms.

" Renee, sweetheart " . He rubbed her back. Renee stopped crying at once feeling her father's arms around her . She hiccuped here and there. Catelyn stood beside her.

Oh my sweet daughter ! She felt her heat ache at her condition. It was not new though. It happened every once in a while . Both to her and Robb. She immediately asks a guard to summon Maester Luwin which didn't take much time as he was on his way already as Renee had apparently awoken the entire castle.

Maester Luwin quickly checked her temperature and heart rate. All the while Renee didn't leave her father's arms. Catelyn was looking around that her eyes landed on Jon snow with Arya and Sansa behind him. She walked to them

" Arya , Sansa "

" Mother , Is Renee ok ? " Sansa asked worriedly.

" Maester Luwin is looking at her , all of you go to your rooms , your father and I are here.".

Sansa nodded at once but Arya ever the reluctant was against it.

" No , I am not going Renee needs us here ". Catelyn sighed. She felt happy to see her such concerns but now was not the time.

" We are here for her. You can talk with her tomorrow. She is not it the state to talk now ...Now leave "

. She looked at Sansa who took her away. Catelyn then realised that Jon was still standing . She raised her eyebrows which made him leave.

Ned's POV

 The entire night Renee slept in his arms after the Maester gave her some milk of the poppy. Catelyn was beside her sleeping but sleep was nowhere to him. He kept thinking of the words that Renee muttered in her frenzy.

" The mountain , the mountain "

. He knew who she was talking about. Gregor Cleagane , the mountain. But why ? He couldn't understand. Renee never met him so why would she dreams of him.

He remembers Renee and Robb's 10th nameday , the day all this shit began. Apparently both of them had weird dreams , while Robb don't seem to remember what he see exactly but Renee could.

She remembers every detail . This couldn't be such a problem if they were normal things , but they were not . The place that Renee seems to describe that she saw in her dreams were exactly the description of the Red Keep.

It's been years he has been to King's landing but he still remembers that Keep. The very same one where his father and brother were murdered.

Jaime's POV

Cersei is angry with me. She didn't talk with me at all since we left Kings landing. She thinks that I could have protested more. But it's not in my hand anymore , I tried everything I can .

But that oaf Robert is adamant...and father seems happier than ever. My white cloak is going to be snatched from me after this ride. Why doesn't she understand what I am sacrificing for her , I never loved another as much as I did her , and I don't think I would ever be able to in the future. It's been 20 days since we departed from Kings landing.

The journey was even more slow with Cersei and children travelling. Tyrion is the only company now .. but he is also busy with his drinks and books and whores. " Lannister , ready your horse , we are leaving" . Sandor Cleagane the hound barked at him and left. Lannister ? Better than Kingslayer.

************ A few days later*************

The Kingsroad was barren with snow and nothing else , a wasteland . Jaime snorted.

They have been travelling days and days , it's exhausting now.

He heard horse rustling ...there come Robb Stark , the heir of Winterfell. Hm , don't look like Little old ned stark at all. More like his mother then. Behind him was a young man who he thought was the ward , Greyjoy ? Perhaps. It seems Robb also brought some food items along with clothing.

The next day Robert called him in his tent and Jaime thinks he know why , now that Robb Stark is here , it's only a matter of time that Robert will reveal the purpose of them coming.

" Kingslayer" Jaime's jaw clenched at that.

" Come in here , meet Robb Stark "

Robb forwarded his hand.

" Get yourself acquainted with him Robb hahaha "

Robb looked confused but the King didn't stop laughing all the while looking at Jaime.

"Ned and Cat are in good health as you say , what about your sister ? Is she as beautiful as they say ? "

Robb looked visibly confused now.

" Yes , your grace ? "

" Great , she will do good in the South " Robert looked all too happy by himself.

" What do you mean your grace ? "

" Ahh you'll know soon , after your father agrees to it "

Robb just nodded at that.

" Your grace , I think I should leave , I hope everything is to your like ?"

" Oh yes , leave , just inform your father , to be prepared for a big feast and give him my regards." Robb bowed then left."

"Did you hear that Kingslayer ? Are you happy"

" More than happy, your grace " .

Jaime rolled his eyes and left from there . Happy ? What a farce ? .

Robb's POV

 "What do you think that was all about ? " Theon asked him as they rode back to Winterfell. It will take another 2 days to reach there .

" I don't know , it seems the king has a motive to come to Winterfell and it concern Renee. Theon scowled a bit at her name , looks like they still hadn't solved whatever issue they had..

" We must be prepared , I am not having a good feeling "

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

As soon as she opened her eyes she found herself tug in her father's arms and beside her was her mother. She felt like such a child at 14 already but she didn't wish to leave their comfy and safe side. Last night she dreamt again. 

It was more horrific this time. She never felt such terror in her heart. She saw the Red keep as her father so says and also saw a woman , she was beautiful with olive skin and black hair , she was holding a babe in her arms and asking her to run .

She keeps shouting to run...

" They are coming , they are coming " she said.

And soon enough there was rough pounding on the door. It kept getting loud . The woman handed her the babe and told her to run and escape ..

" The mountain is here , he is gonna kill us , you need to run ...." . She kept crying and crying. Suddenly she felt the door break and heard screams and screams. She felt terror like no other and woke up screaming.

" Renee ? " Catelyn called her seeing that she woke up.

" Mother , I am sorry I woke you up last night "

" That's fine , are you ok now ? "

Renee nodded . Soon she felt her father shifting. He sat up and asked.

" Are you ok child ? "

" Yes father ". She then told him about what she dreamt . By the time she finished , her father's face was ashen and he kept looking at her mother.

" You should rest Renee , and don't tell anyone else about it ok ? "

Renee nodded .

Ned's POV

" Do you think what I think it is ? " Catelyn asks as soon as he step out of Renee's room"

" Yeah , I believe so , its rather frightening I daresay , that how she dreams of these things when she was not even born that time ...... I think it was Princess Elia that she dreamt of". Catelyn had a hard look on her face.

" I'll pray to the gods to keep evil away from our family "

2 days later

Eddard POV

" Are you sure Robb ? " 

" Yes father "

" Then we obey what the king says "

" Maester Luwin , prepare for a grand feast "

" Yes my lord "

Robb stood to leave 

" Send Renee to the solar "

" Yes father "

**********

Renee's POV

It's been 2 days since the dream and she was itching to tell to someone about it . She wanted to share her feelings and thoughts but her father forbade her to. It was these times that she miss Robb the most. She wondered if he also had some dream. Today he would be arriving and she couldn't wait to meet him . 

There was also the matter about Jon. Do I really like him ? But I have never observed him so closely , he just existed like Jory and Hodor. They never mattered to me. I only started noticing him last summer when he turned really tall , almost unrecognisable. I avoided him and maintained cordial relationship with him , not even cordial . But on the ride , he was so easy to talk to , is that when it really changed. Well I would never know.

" Renee !! "

" Robb !! " She smiled and hugged him .

" How was it ? Did you see the King ? The queen ? I heard she is really beautiful " 

" Yeah , I did , King Robert was a disappointment truly , he looks nothing like how father described him , The queen however is really beautiful " 

" What do you mean ? King Robert isn't as handsome and tall and chivalric as father claims ? "

" Yeah that's what I said , but wait there is a catch , he seems more than interested in you ?"

" What ? "

"He thinks that I should get myself acquainted with the Kingslayer , I don't have a good feeling , anyways father is calling for you "

" Ohh I'll meet him but first you tell me .... Did u have the dream ? ". Renee asks uncertainly .

" Yeah , I did , actually I wanted to talk to you about it "

" Me too , and this one was more terrible than others "

" Let's meet after you talk with father....I got to change my clothing ". With that both parted ways.

*******

" Father you called ? " 

" Oh dear , yes I did , I hope Robb already told you ?"

" Yeah he did , the King seems to have a motive "

" Yes , what do you think that could be ? "

Well , that's not the first time her father asked her opinions on such situation , she was always praised by the Maester for her good analytical and tactical skills , while Sansa excelled in womanly arts , arya was interested in weapons and riding like her aunt lyanna , Renee always was the one with brains , she loved books .

" Father , it's not been long since Jon Arryn died , the King lacks a hand and you are the one who is closest to him after Jon Arryn , even more than his brothers , so I think he might want you as his new hand "

Ned smiled , " Good , I think so too, so what do you say , should I expect the offer if it was made ? "

" Disobeying the King is a crime lord father , but the South has never been kind to North " . Ned got a sad look on his face . " Father , I think you should accept the offer but "

" But ? "

" Father it's just that us Starks are more honorable and honest than those in the South , they will try to take advantage of us and we aren't cunning and know treachery like they do . I just want you to not be blinded by honor and duty . "

Ned sighed .He patted her head 

" Honor and Duty are like jewels on a man's character , without them we are just an empty shell . Dying for a mighty cause is far better then living being the cause of other's misery "

Renee nodded.

************

" Are you here to train ? " Jory asked Renee.

Well Renee doesn't train anymore since she got her blood at 14. It's been a year since then. But today she want something to vent on .

" Yes are you in ? " She smirked .

" Sure " 

Renee first drew her sword and the dance began. Renee started observing his moves and used them against him instead of showing her own. 

Jon was watching from behind a pillar.

" Is that all you got ? Come on Jory , it's been an year since I held a sword and I am still beating you "

" You are cheating , using my own tricks against me "

" Everything is fair in love and war " she laughed and went again. In the end she managed to kick him on the stomach but got a punch in the gut too.

" Enough , I am tired " Jory said.

" Same , but it was fun "

" It was , let's do it again sometime "

" Sure , but don't let my septa hear it"

They both laughed. In the meantime , Renee turned and saw Jon chuckling , and she became self conscious...

Shit , Renee you must be looking like a savage now .oh nooooo what he must be thinking of me .....she was having a nervous breakdown then her eyes met his but this time he turned away and left.

Great , now he must truly believe I am a savage No no no , she suddenly have a self realisation , why am I even bothered by my appearance , stupid stupid .

*************

Later that night.

Renee told Robb about everything that she dreamt of, every single detail . They were in the library discussing what that dream could mean. Robb also told Renee about him fighting someone though he couldn't remember the place or the faces of the men. He just remembers the scream.

" I'll go mad at this rate ". Renee said sighing.

" Me too , I don't know if we should even look more into it .. it seems so strange "

" Yeah , I don't why we get these types of dreams ...do they even mean something or just some nonsense that we spun in our head "

" They must mean something or why would you dream of such an accurate description of the Red Keep if you never saw one ".

Renee just shrugged but then smirked a bit.

" Maybe because I am a bit smart than you I remember the description that I read and imagine them unlike you "

She teases him.

" Are you itching for a fight Renee ? ... You know it's quite some time we had one ". With that he jumped from his place and started running after her.

Renee was laughing and running away from him. 

At the end they were in a frenzy of pulling each other's hair and tickling and playing around. But they both were happy . They felt free sort of out of all the tension they were feeling.

Jon's POV

It's been days since that incident at during the ride. Something is changed in between , he often found Renee looking at him which confuses as to why ?

Then a few days later , Renee had a nightmare that put all of them in worry. It was not uncommon but not frequent either. Arya and Sansa both awoke and were with him to go check on Renee. She was crying and he felt sad , he don't know why he did buy he felt sad. When Lady Stark Approached him with that stern look which says , 

, " You are not welcomed ". He felt every bit like a trash in her perfect family. He just wish that Uncle Benjen comes soon and he join the Nights watch. Tears slipped from his eyes .

Chapter Text

Cersei's POV

What a boring place with boring people. Ohh great Robert really enjoys them , he is like them of course.

It's really boring sitting in the carriage just seeing my ladies in waitings pleasing faces.

Now we will be having one soon join us , two if Robert is successful which I hope he is not . The stark whore will be joining us to the capital...

Cersei spent all her time in the carriage thinking of ways to kill her ... choking , poisoning , threw her out of the window and many more . She just couldn't wait to get her hands on her.

Jaime was hers and only hers. How dare father even agree on that. They always underestimated her because she is just a woman . Hah they don't know what Cersei truly is .

The carriage came to a stop soon.

Are we here already ?.

Cersei came out of her carriage and saw Robert greeting them all , she went forward , gave her hand for ned to kiss all the while observing Renee , 

So this girl is gonna snatch him from me . She just passed a smile to all the children when Robert announced he wanted to visit the crypts ...or more like visiting another stark whore. 

" We have been travelling for weeks , the dead can surely wait , my love "

Robert ignored her and Cersei felt like to kick him where it hurts the most but kept her decorum.

A few hours earlier.

Catelyn's POV

Catelyn was dead worried about what will happen when the king arrives , she did her best to prepare for what she could. Robb had visited the King and thinks of him to be a jolly person.

Another thing that worries her is Renee , the king showing interest in her is not a pleasant news , the king is known with his ways with women , and Renee does look like Lyanna even though she has more tully features.

" Mother where are you ? " Catelyn snaps our of her daze and sees Renee in front of her .

" No where , come let me do your hair ". She makes Renee sit in front of the mirror and softly brushes her hair , Renee has long , soft hair that catelyn likes to feel in her hands. Renee always has been her father's daughter but Catelyn loves her the most , she is her first child afterall. She can read her like any mother can and she knows that something is troubling her daughter and it's about Jon snow. 

Catelyn frowned at the thought . She didn't want her daughter to indulge in any indescretion, she is Beautiful and intelligent , she has a good future ahead of her , she shouldn't involve herself with the matters of heart . But she has noticed the past many days the secret way her daughter glance at the bastard.  It makes her uneasy

" Renee ? "

" Yes mother " Renee hummed as she opens her eyes .

" You know that I love you right , your father loves you , never do anything to disappoint him , He won't be able to bear that "

Renee stilled at that. She took her mother's hand .

" I know mother , I promise you , I will never do anything that will make my father's head hung in shame , I will make him proud of me , I will be a stark worthy of my name "

Catelyn smiled.

" Your spirit is just like your father " . She quietly whisper to herself 

" So are your prepared , the king will be here soon "

" Yes mother and I looked at all the arrangements , everything is perfect "

" That's my girl , come let's go "

Renee's POV

The Starks all gather in the courtyard with Ned and Catelyn at the centre , little Rickon by her side , Robb beside Ned , followed by Renee , Sansa  and bran . Behind them were Theon , Jon and the rest of Winterfell. One of them was missing none other than Arya .

" Where is Arya ? Sansa where is your sister?"

This caught everyone's attention.

Sansa shrugged .

A few minutes later knights on horses started to enter the castle , and Arya came running with a helmet on her head. Ned stopped her took her helmet . Robb and Jon couldn't resist chuckling.

" Move aside ".Arya pushes Bran and took his place 

The knights start entering the castle , with lion flags .

Isn't the king baratheon ?

Renee muses. Following them is a young man with blond hair and green eyes. He was looking at Sansa and Sansa at him. She and Robb exchanged a glance having noticed the same thing.

That must be Sandor Cleagane , his half burned face .

A red carriage followed by the King .

Is that a king ? Renee feels disappointed , so that's what Robb meant , she glance at Robb , who gave her a ' told you ' look. They all bowed down on knees.

The king unmounted the horse with the help of a squire and indicated them to rise.

" You have grown fat "

what in seven hells 💀

Her father pointed at his belly before they both started laughing. 

They greeted each other before the king turned to Robb.

" Robb " He shook his hand .

He then turned to Renee.

" My my , Renee we have got a surprise for you soon ". That left everyone confused.

He turned to Sansa then Arya , then finally Bran.

**************

Back to Cersei's POV.

Before she could say something , Jaime grabbed her arm and took her and children away.

" Go look for Tyrion Jaime , he is missing " . She then turned away.

" How long are you going to be like this Cersei ? " Jaime finally snapped.

" I didn't ask for this marriage more then you "

" You could have opposed better , you are a fool brother . Dont talk with me."

" I did , but I am in the same situation just like you were with Robert " . With that he left to search for Tyrion

***********

" Did I offend the queen ? " Renee asks Robb.

" I think you did , she looked ready to murder you " Robb laughed.

" Its a matter of concern , it's not funny "

" I know it's just you managed to not only gain the queen's hostility but also the kings interest "

" I wonder which is more worse "

" Hmm , both I would say , by the way I was correct , you own me a ride to the lake "

" What ! When did I promise that ? "

" Ohh come on , let's go tonight , just to relax , I have been missing it "

" Robb , the king is here , if we both are missing , it will create an issue ,, besides we got a feast in the evening "

" When did you became a scaredy cat ?, I'll be waiting for you at the stables ." With that he went away.

**********

Sansa's POV

Sansa was whirling around in her pretty dress that she recently made in her room. There was a feast to be held tonight and she was so excited to be a part of it. She kept thinking of the prince, he was so handsome , with golden hair and green eyes. She felt herself blushing at the thought. He was just like the prince that she imagined , the one from those stories that she read. 

She felt a soft nudge at her feet and saw it was lady rubbing across her calf. She softly pat his head.

" Are you feeling happy too ? Lady ". She had a feeling that Lady always resonates what she is feeling. So calm and docile.

There was a knock on her door . It was her mother with Renee and a reluctant Arya.

" Renee , I was teaching Nymeria , can't we do this later ? " Arya mumbled.

" It's a bit urgent Arya , only a few minutes please ? " Her sister whispered quietly.

Catelyn made them all sit on the bed.

" The king is here and now I want all of you on your best behaviour. I will be very busy these few days entertaining our guests and won't have time to check you. Don't behave recklessly ... "

" Yes mother " . All three of the said in unison and Catelyn nodded her head in satisfaction.

" Well , for the feast , Sansa dear , Prince Joffrey would be escorting you .... "

" Me ? " Sansa was shocked . She thought that it would be Renee as she was older .

" Yes dear , Arya you will be escorted by Prince Tommen "

Arya grunted a bit at that.

"The King will escort me and Renee .. "

Her mother looked at Renee with a worried look.

" You will be escorted by Ser Jaime "

Ser Jaime ? Sansa was surprised . 

" Mother , shouldn't Prince Joffrey escort Renee ? "

" Yes , it should be the order , bit your father informed me that you will be escorted by Prince Joffrey "

Sansa just nodded then.

Ser Jaime was the Kingslayer as she knew from the stories. She looked at her sister who looked indifferent. Sometimes she wished that she could be like Renee. She was so cool , never bothered by anything.

" So get yourself ready girls in your finest outfits and Arya you will not protest , for this feast atleast ". Arya just nodded. Catelyn left and soon Arya ran after her probably to go back to Nymeria.

Renee turned towards her.

" Do you like the prince ? ". She asked directly. 

Sansa got flabbergasted at the sudden question.  Renee and her don't talk about these things. It was always Jeyne Poole who used to gossip with her.

But seeing her sister's questioning gaze , she nodded her head meekly.

Renee stood up from her place , took her hands and started twirling with her.  She looked happy.

" Stop , stop " . Sansa exclaimed after a while.

" Oh my god Sansa , my sweet sister, I am so happy for you ". Sansa was confused as to why .

" If you like the prince , that means the king was talking about you , the sister he meant was actually you ....Oh my , I was so tensed but I finally understood "

" King ? Me ? "

" Yes....he must have confused you for me , and even if he didn't , I would convince him to betroth you to the prince ...Oh my god that's what he meant about the surprise waiting for me and Ser Jaime is Prince Joffrey's uncle so it makes sense for Robb to get acquainted with him .....The Queen must have recognised you that's why she must have asked father to let Prince Joffrey escort you .. yeah ". She said and went to her room with a Cheshire grin on her face.

****

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

Renee was fidgeting on her place , she was nervous. She kept looking at her dress and her hair. Her mother got her ready this time. With hair loose falling in waves down the small of her back. Her dress was a bit mature with a low neckline and frilled sleeves. She was feeling cold and kept rubbing her arms.They were waiting outside the courtyard for the king and queen to arrive. 

Her mother and father talked in hush tones and were exchanging worried glances which confused her.

" You nervous ? ". Robb asks her. He looked handsome with his Auburn hair sleeked back and blue eyes the same as her own that were unusually shining.

" A bit ....Ser Jaime is older than all of us. Why would he escort me ?. I hope I please him ".

Robb looked shocked at her confession.

" Why dear sister , you never cared about what people thought of you before ..why now ? Don't tell me you like him. He's handsome if not young "

Renee playfully smacks his arm.

" Mother told me to behave on our best tonight..I don't want to be a bad company and make him believe that I was an uncivilized child with no charm and personality "

" You and your lady things ... " Robb laughs Shaking his head." Nobody cares for real "

" Ohh really ,don't you hope for Princess Myrcella to come looking like a fairy....She is beautiful with those long blonde hair."

" She is a child Renee....Don't make me barf ... besides you are up for the lake ride right ? .I'll be waiting " . Robb whispers quietly and left.

*********

A few minutes later

The King arrived. He looked drunk. The Queen looked beautiful with a tiara on her head . The King took her mother and her father took the queen on their arms and they entered the hall. Next came Princess Myrcella , she had wavy golden hair , and looked quite young around 9 or 10. Prince Tommen was even more younger and was cute with plump cheeks and long white blonde hair. Prince Joffrey looked handsome . He was taller than both her and Robb despite being younger. Sansa was blushing seeing him. All three pairs entered the hall. It was only her who was left. But soon enough came Jaime Lannister trailing behind him was a short man who she assumed must be Tyrion Lannister , the dwarf.

But it was Ser Jaime who she couldn't keep her eyes off. She has never seen a man so handsome. He was beautiful like his sister with long blonde hair and green catlike eyes. But the most astonishing thing about him was his smile...that cut like a knife. He was wearing his house colours that were Red. She didn't realise she was staring until she heard a cough.

It was Tyrion who did and Renee blushed a deep red in embarrassment.

" I am sorry my lord " She bowed to Tyrion , "Ser Jaime "

" It's quite alright , you can stare at me later , but now I am afraid we are a bit late "

Renee took his arm then and they entered. She felt like a child by his side ....he was too tall for her. 

There were eyes on them as soon as they entered the hall . Some whisperings as to why she was being escorted by him. She felt a particular pair of eyes that were glaring at them. It belongs to the Queen .

What have I done now ?. Is it because I am being escorted by her brother. She don't think me worthy enough for him?

But she kept her smile and soon reached her table where her siblings sat. King Robert laughed loudly then , while her father politely smiled. Ser Jaime quickly withdrew his hand .

Renee quickly said , " I hope you enjoy the evening ,Ser " Jaime nodded and left. She looked back at her father again who was looking worried.

Is there a problem ?. She was afraid it was because of something the King has said . Her father and the King were in the crypts for quite some time. She looked back at her lady mother who had the same look.

Ned Stark's POV

A few hours earlier.

When Robert decided to visit the crypt , Ned was happy that he still remembered Lyanna. The Queen looked angry which was understandable but he couldn't do anything about it. Robert has changed significantly the last time he saw him. He was not the great warrior anymore. Instead he was more of a drunk , fat king who no longer cares for ruling , just enjoying .

When Robert told him about the unfortunate and unusual circumstances Jon Arryn died and how mad Lysa Arryn had gone, Ned knew that what he feared would come. Robert asks him to be the new hand. The second highest position in the realm and yet the most dangerous. 

But it was not this that made him so worried and reluctant. It was the second news.

" There is one more thing , Ned . The Lannisters aren't trustable. With Jon gone , Tywin lannister will want to be the new hand. There are already so many Lannisters roaming around the castle. The realm is also in debt to some degree"

" What do you mean Robert ? "

"Tywin has proposed to renounce half of his debt I'm return for Jaime to be released of his vows and became heir to the rock "

Ned was not in shock. It was very tywin like.

" And as a new heir need a suitable bride. I have proposed your daughter Renee for the candidature and Tywin delightful agreed "

Robert laughed while Ned's face was ashen.

He was shocked. He didn't like Jaime lannister , he was a dishonorable man who couldn't keep his oaths faithfully. A Kingslayer. His daughter deserved better. 

" No Robert , I couldn't agree. My daughter won't marry a lannister and Jaime of all people....You know - "

" I know him all too well Ned. The betrothal is a peace agreement between the crown and the Lannister"

" There is peace already when you agreed to take Cersei as your queen. Tywin's blood will sit on the throne after you . What other peace does he need now ? "

" On the throne Ned , not on the Rock. Tywin never would let the imp inherit the Rock. You should have seen his face Ned when I told him that the Kingslayer would be free from his vows and be married to your daughter. " Robert laughed as it was just a joust for him.

Ned remained solemn. Robert patted his shoulder.

" Come on Ned , your daughter will be happy. The Lannisters are rich and powerful in the westerlands."

After a few moments of silence . 

" I'll even arrange for a match between your Sansa and Joff. Your daughter will be the queen. And another would be the lady of the richest house "

Ned was shocked at the second proposal even more.

" I'll think about it and discuss with Catelyn "

" Think all you shall Ned but I want the answer in yes "

Present time.

Answer in yes . 

Robert's words keep ringing his mind. He did talk with Catelyn who was as shocked as he was though for different reasons . She didn't want her daughter to get married to someone so older , nearly her father's age. The thought didn't concern Ned much. As such marriages aren't unheard of. Jon Arryn was one such example who married his sister by law Lysa Tully. 

He looked at Renee again who was laughing and talking with Sansa . His daughter was so precious to him. She was his ray of hope after he lost everything , his parents , his brother, his sister. He couldn't do wrong by her. He wouldn't force her for something that she not wish for. Never . Ever. But there was also a matter of the King . He couldn't directly refuse him . What if Rober issued the Royal decree , then there would be no way out and moreover tywin lannister will take it as an insult if word got out that the Starks refused their marriage proposal. 

" She will do as you command ". It was Catelyn. She has caught him looking at Renee with a worry.

" It is not my wish to command her Catelyn. I wish to see her contented and happy which would not be in store for her in this marriage"

Ned said and walked away.

Jaime's POV

North was cold he would admit that. It was beautiful even with the scenery . The people however were not welcoming. Well no one is ever to him. He is the ' Kingslayer ' afterall .

After getting Tyrion from the whorehouse. He went to meet his sister again. She was still upset. 

" Go get ready yourself to impress your ' bride to be ' . " She said nastily and shut the door on his face. Apparently good old Robert thinks it to be nice for him to spend some time with his ' betrothed '. It makes him laugh to be honest . He is in his thirties. Betrothals shouldn't be in his conversations yet they were. He would marry the Stark girl and leave for the Rock as soon as possible and away from Cersei. It was unbearable for him.

When he went to escort the stark girl whose name he suppose is Renee , she seemed smitten with him. Jaime internally rolled his eyes at that. It was not uncommon for maidens to be awestruck by him.

He carefully observed the stark girl in the meantime. She was tall nearing his shoulder. She seemed young , almost a child . She had black hair like her uncle Brandon , which fall till the small of her back. Hmm long hair. He never saw such long hair in the capital. Women likes to keep their hair only till they back not longer.

But the most enchanting thing he found about her appearance were her eyes. They were beautiful. 

Tyrion snapped her out of her gaze while he smirked at me. Soon they entered the hall , his eyes went straight to his sister who was clenching her jaw in anger , jealousy ?. He hoped the later. Sex was so great when Cersei was jealous. His eyes then went to Ned stark who looked like his funeral is tomorrow. That means Robert has announced the news to him . Great . He wanted to talk with him , irk him even. So when Ned stark got from his table , Jaime followed him.

" I heard we are going to be relatives soon , Lord stark , Or should I call you father now ". Jaime said blocking his path. Ned looked up and saw his smirking face.

" Lord Stark is fine. I have not accepted the proposal "

" Yet ". 

Ned gritted his teeth at his answer.

"Breaking another vow , how does it feel like?Ned said 

" I am not breaking the vow , I am getting free from it by the King ... Besides your daughter is quite beautiful , I don't mind breaking a thousands vows for her ".

Jaime said smirking clearly meant it like a joust.

Ned just nodded and left from there.

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

The feast was going a bit unusual. She was feeling suffocated . Prince Joffrey and Sansa were making goo-goo eyes at each other. The King was fondling a kitchen maid. That was an unbearable sight . Soon though the queen called her on the table. She was terrified.  The Queen didn't like her. She was afraid of what she wants from her.

She bowed lowly and smiled like a lady . The Queen smiled for some reason but it felt fake.

" Hello little dove, but you are a Beauty "

Renee smiled a bit.

" How old are you ? "

" 14 , your grace "

" Have you bled yet ? "

Renee was shocked at this question .

" Yes , your grace "

" Hmm, so young , we will be good sisters soon . You will do well in the south ".

The hell ???! What good sisters. 💀

She looked at her mother in question. about what the queen meant but her mother remain silent. Renee quickly bowed in courtesy and left hurriedly. She couldn't bear to be in the hall. 

What did the Queen meant by good sisters ???!??. She couldn't understand that.

She was rushing out without looking and soon she collided to someone.  Laughter fell around the room.She muttered a quick apology and tried to straighten the person but the other person just quickly pushed and left. On noticing clearly the other person was Jon snow who seems to be crying ???? But why ? She wanted to go after him but Ghost grabbed her dress from bottom and dragged her somewhere. 

She went where he wanted her to go and found herself beneath a tree. It was near the broken tower. 

Why did Ghost bring me here ? 

She was confused but Ghost kept looking at the tree . She looked carefully and saw a nest of crows... It was really high on the branch. There were many crows but soon she felt a crow fly above her head which was strange but what was even stranger was that it had three - eyes.

The fuck --- Renee rubbed her eyes and looked again . This time there was no crow.

I must be having hallucinations.

Gods , she didn't got proper sleep last few days due to worry , must be the side effect. Yes that must be the case.

Renee tried to convince herself.

" Ghost , why did you bring me here ?  Do you wish to eat crow meat ? Go find your master if you do ok ?!" Well thinking of his master , she remembered Jon , he was crying . She rushed back to the courtyard to see what was wrong that she felt someone pull her into a dark corridor. She tried to scream but her mouth got blocked.

Robb' s POV

Princess Myrcella seems to like him. Robb was sure of that , she couldn't keep her eyes of him , while he felt awkward , all he could do was grin. He did felt his pride swell a bit..that a girl and a beautiful one at that , a princess even found him attractive .

The feast went as usual , he tried chatting Theon and soon Uncle Benjen and his father. His father seemed to be in a bad mood. He wondered why. The true fun of the feast began when Arya threw her food at Sansa. 

That was mean , I agree but it was so funny. He felt bad for Sansa bit he couldn't stop laughing. Call him the bad brother for all you want . His laughter was short lived as his mother caught his eye and asked him to take Arya to bed. His little sister was reluctant but he managed. He was returning from putting her to bed that he saw Renee running away somewhere. He remembered their meeting and took hold of her arm and pull her into a corner. 

" Robb !!!!" His sister shouted. 

She hit him on the chest but he just kept laughing it was too amusing to see his sister became a scaredy cat ...

He then realised their position. Renee was so close to him with his hands on her waist and hers on his arms. He could feel her breath on his face. He felt a deja vu at this.

A scene played in his head.

" Will you take me away with you ? Let's go far from this place...Just you and me "

" Where do you wish to go ?"

" Hmm to dorne and the summer isles , we can spend the rest of our lives there together"

The couple started chuckling and then kissed each other.

His head hurt and he felt his vision go blind. He felt himself fall down.

" Robb !! , Robb !! ". He felt someone patting his head. It was Renee , and he was holding his head and crouching .

She was looking at him worriedly.

" Are you okay ?"

" Yeah " He stand up ." I....I saw something weird"

" Like the dreams ?!"

" Yeah ". Robb rubbed his head. While Renee carefully holds his arm

" Do you want to talk about it ?!"

" No ... Let's go "

Renee nodded and they left from there.

Who were they ?!... The man had a white cloak ...Is he a member of the king'sguard?  Robb keeps thinking about it .

Renee's POV

Riding was the second most favourite hobby of Renee after Reading. She even took Nyx with her. Yepp she finally decided Nyx for her direwolf as she was black like night. 

She and Robb were riding past the trees and towards the lake they so like. During winters the lake was frozen and they could even walk on it.

She looked at him again and again to check if he was alright. He seemed tensed after that dream incident earlier. 

" I hope no one notices our absence ". Robb says suddenly.

" Well it was your idea so I am blaming it on you , if we get caught "

" Fine fine , why did you being Nyx with you ? "

" She seemed in need of fresh air... You should have brought Greywind too "

" No .. I can't He was busy playing with Nymeria. These days he spend more time with Arya and her than me ?"

" And whose fault is that ?. Talking about Arya , how is her archery training going on ? "

Robb had a proud smile at that.

" She is a fast learner. She can shoot straight arrows in a row..."

Renee chuckled at that , " As expected , Arya is better at things she truly like. You should have seen Septa Mordane's face when she couldn't teach Arya front stiching for a whole month ". Renee laughs loudly.

" Look , it's here ".

Robb and Renee dismount their horses and went near the lake. 

It was beautiful as it always was. There was complete silence around and it was peaceful. Robb and her sat near the lake with Rob lying on her lap.

" Hah, it's so nice , feeling the cool air and resting in your lap ". Rob sighs contentedly.

" Your head is heavy , my leg hurts ". Renee says shifting her legs.

" How rude ". Robb comments but doesn't get up. 

Renee just roll her eyes and they both talk about daily things or the books they read, about the kings arrival and how Sandor Cleagane frightened Robb when he accidentally knocked him.

It was quite some time and both of them got up to go back.

" It was nice , we should do that often"

" I told you so ". Robb chuckled and they both climb their horse.

" Just hope mother or anyone else catch us sneaking ".

Robb just nods his head and then saw something which made his eyes widen.

" Renee look !! " He pointed to a tree.

" What !? "

" Look there is someone sitting there "

Renee looks at where he pointed at there was actually someone sitting there.

" Let's go " Robb immediately turns his horse towards there.

" Robb wait , dont go there " Renee tries to stop him .

How come we didn't notice someone sitting there.

Soon they reached the place. The person was a woman , more like a witch.

They dismounted the horse and Robb went towards her.

" Robb wait " . Renee says holding his arm." She's a witch , Mother told us to stay away from them , lets go "

" Renee I know that, but she can help me know what my dream means , what our dream means ..let's go "

Robb just go near her and greet her.

" Hello ". The witch opens her eyes , she was wearing weary clothes and had untangled black hair , it looked like she didn't bath for months . 

Nyx growled at her.

" Nyx sit , be quiet " Renee makes Nyx sit while Robb talked to the witch.

" Why are you here ? "

Robb straightens a bit .

" You are a witch can you tell us something "

The witch looks up , she looks at Robb first and then her and laughs hysterically. Her gaze made Renee uncomfortable. It looked like she can see her soul from there.

" It was about time that you both come to me , answer my three questions correctly and I shall answer yours ".

The witch laughs again. Robb looked at Renee and then back at the witch.

" Ok , Ask me "

" Hmm, what is your name ?"

" Robb Stark "

" Correct , What is your mother's name ? "

" Catelyn Tully Stark "

" Correct , How many true siblings you have ?"

" 5". The witch quirks her lip at his answer.  

" Incorrect , well you got 2 questions to ask ".

Robb looked at Renee weirdly. 

" How is that incorrect ? I have 5 true siblings , Renee , Sansa , Arya , Bran and Rickon "

" It' is incorrect , I see it in you . I never lie ... Now do you want to ask me the question or you may leave . I don't have time for silly conversations."

" Fine answer me then " Robb asks." Why do I get such dreams ? "

" To remind you of what you were "

Robb looks more confused .

" What do you mean ? "

" Is that your second question ? "

" Umm No , How can I remember when I dream these things ? I always forget them "

" Think of the person you love the most while dreaming. You will remember most of it ,.... now you girl ...Do you want to ask ? "

Renee jolts back at that. She was still thinking about what the witch meant by true siblings .

" Um ,yes "

" Hmm, How old are you ? "

" 14 "

" Wrong ".

" What !!! ".  Robb and Renee both shouted.

" Don't shout , I already told you I don't lie "

" What is your  father's name ?!"

" Ned Stark "

" Wrong "

Robb and Renee just looked at one other. They couldn't believe how could it be wrong .

" Who do you love the most in this world ?"

" My dad , Ned Stark "

" Correct , you answered one question correctly , you will get only one question to ask "

Renne stood straighter a bit and then asked , " What do you see in my future?" 

Renee knew that if she asked a specific question the witch only answer one , which is why she used a subjective question .

" Red colour binds you red ,

You will ride to west

Always empty will be your bed

The same will give you 5 seed

One out of which will reach the best

You may get a golden rose ,

if you escape the lion, 

But if you chose to not leave.

The past will haunt back like a scion 

Sufferings , betrayal will follow that and at the point a sin you shall commit 

which will lead to the birth of the wolf who will sing the song of ice and fire "

The witch says and laughs.

Renee in turns laugh back at her.

" I don't believe you , Winterfell is my home. I am not going anywhere , Come Robb we just wasted our time "

" You may love Winterfell but your destiny is in the west child "

The witch laughs again seeing a crow flying above her head.

Robb's POV

Robb couldn't understand what the witch meant. Renee told him to not trust her. These witches just speak nonsense. Robb didn't say anything else and they rode back to Winterfell.

They left the stables , Nyx went running towards Ghost who was lounging unhappily near the gate.

Renee turned towards him seeing that ." Robb , you go ahead , I have something to check ". Renee said and left from there . Robb just shrugged and left for his room. On his way , he heard his mother and father talking in hushed voices outside their room.

He went to them. They stopped seeing him.

" Mother , Father "

" Robb, you aren't asleep yet ? ". Catelyn asks him.

" I was checking on Greywind , " He lied. " Is there a problem ? You both seemed tensed since the king arrived "

Catelyn looked at Ned and after Ned nodded. She looked back at Robb.

" Very well , you are grown up Robb, it's time we involve you in these conversations "

Robb nodded.

" Not here Catelyn , let's go inside ". Ned says and all three of them went inside.

All the while Robb kept thinking about the witch and her answers.

Chapter Text

Jon's POV

He wanted to join the Night's watch. Yes that was his place. He can earn respect by serving the realm in that manner. Jon kept thinking about all this nonsense when in truth he was escaping. Escaping from Catelyn , from the Starks from this life which has reminded his that he was not worthy of anything constantly. Perhaps he had drunk a bit too much for he was dawdling on the edge of the castle wall but he didn't care. He recalled the feast earlier.

“ A very quiet wolf,” his uncle said suddenly approaching him

“He’s not like the others,” Jon said. “He never makes a sound. That’s why I named him Ghost. That, and because he’s white. The others are all dark, grey or in Renee's case black.”

“There are still direwolves beyond the Wall. We hear them on our rangings.” Benjen Stark gave Jon a long look. “Don’t you usually eat at table with your brothers?”

“Most times,” Jon answered in a flat voice. “But tonight Lady Stark thought it might give insult to the royal family to seat a bastard among them.”

“I see.” His uncle glanced over his shoulder at the raised table at the far end of the hall. 

“My brother does not seem very festive tonight.”

Jon had noticed that too. A bastard had to learn to notice things, to read the truth that people hid behind their eyes. His father was observing all the courtesies, but there was tightness in him that Jon had seldom seen before. He said little, looking out over the hall with hooded eyes, seeing nothing

“ The queen is angry too,” Jon told his uncle in a low, quiet voice. “Father took the king down to the crypts this afternoon. The queen didn’t want him to go

Benjen gave Jon a careful, measuring look. “You don’t miss much, do you, Jon? We could use a man like you on the Wall.”

Jon swelled with pride. “Robb is a stronger lance than I am, but I’m the better sword, and Hullen says I sit a horse as well as anyone in the castle.”

“Notable achievements.”

“Take me with you when you go back to the Wall,” Jon said in a sudden rush.

“Father will give me leave to go if you ask him, I know he will.

“The Wall is a hard place for a boy, Jon.

“I am almost a man grown,” Jon protested. “I will turn fifteen on my next name day, and Maester Luwin says bastards grow up faster than other children.”

“That’s true enough,” Benjen said with a downward twist of his mouth. He took Jon’s cup from the table, filled it fresh from a nearby pitcher, and drank down a long swallow

“Daeren Targaryen was only fourteen when he conquered Dorne,” Jon said. The Young Dragon was one of his heroes.

“A conquest that lasted a summer,” his uncle pointed out. “Your Boy King lost ten thousand men taking the place, and another fifty trying to hold it. Someone should have told him that war isn’t a game.

 He took another sip of wine. “Also,” he said, wiping his mouth, “Daeren Targaryen was only eighteen when he died. Or have you forgotten that part?”

“I forget nothing,” Jon boasted. The wine was making him bold. He tried to sit very straight, to make himself seem taller.

“I want to serve in the Night’s Watch, Uncle.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking, Jon. The Night’s Watch is a sworn brotherhood. We have no families. None of us will ever father sons. Our wife is duty. Our mistress is 

honor.”

“A bastard can have honor too,” Jon said. “I am ready to swear your oath.”

“You are a boy of fourteen,” Benjen said. “Not a man, not yet. Until you have known a woman, you cannot understand what you would be giving up.”

“I don’t care about that!” Jon said hotly.

“You might, if you knew what it meant,” Benjen said. “If you knew what the oath would cost you, you might be less eager to pay the price, son.”

Jon felt anger rise inside him. “I’m not your son!

Benjen Stark stood up. “More’s the pity.” He put a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Come back to me after you’ve fathered a few bastards of your own, and we’ll see how you feel.

Jon trembled. “I will never father a bastard,” he said carefully. “Never!” He spat it out like venom.

Suddenly he realized that the table had fallen silent, and they were all looking at him. He felt the tears begin to well behind his eyes. He pushed himself to his feet.

“I must be excused,” he said with the last of his dignity. He whirled and bolted before they could see him cry. He must have drunk more wine than he had realized. His feet got tangled under him as he tried to leave, and he lurched sideways into someone. Laughter boomed all around him, and Jon felt hot tears on his cheeks. That person tried to steady him and he looked it was Renee but he wrenched free of her grip and ran, half-blind, for the door. Ghost didn't follow him though

The yard was quiet and empty. He pulled his cloak tight around him against the col

The sounds of music and song spilled through the open windows behind him. They were the last things Jon wanted to hear. He wiped away his tears on the sleeve of his shirt,furious that he had let them fall, and turned to go.

“Boy,” a voice called out to him. Jon turned.

Tyrion Lannister was sitting on the ledge above the door to the Great Hall, looking for all the world like a gargoyle. The dwarf grinned down at him. “Is that animal a wolf?”

“A direwolf,” Jon said. “His name is Ghost.” He stared up at the little man, his disappointment suddenly forgotten. “What are you doing up there? Why aren’t you at the feast?”

“Too hot, too noisy, and I’d drunk too much wine,” the dwarf told him. “I learned long ago that it is considered rude to vomit on your brother. Might I have a closer look at your wolf?”

Jon hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Can you climb down, or shall I bring a ladder?

“Oh, bleed that,” the little man said. He pushed himself off the ledge into empty air. Jon gasped, then watched with awe as Tyrion Lannister spun around in a tight ball, landed

lightly on his hands, then vaulted backward onto his legs.

 He cocked his head to one side and looked Jon over with his eyes. “I am Tyrion Lannister.”

“I know,” Jon said. He rose. Standing, he was taller than the dwarf. It made him feel strange.

“You’re Ned Stark’s bastard, aren’t you?”

Jon felt a coldness pass right through him. He pressed his lips together and said nothing.

“Did I offend you?” Lannister said. “Sorry. Dwarfs don’t have to be tactful. Generations of capering fools in motley have won me the right to dress badly and say any damn thing 

that comes into my head.

 He grinned. “You are the bastard, though.”

“Lord Eddard Stark is my father,” Jon admitted stiffly

Lannister studied his face

“Yes,” he said. “I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers.”

“Half brothers,” Jon corrected. He was pleased by the dwarf’s comment, but he tried not to let it show.

“Let me give you some counsel, bastard,” Lannister said. “Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. 

Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”

Jon was in no mood for anyone’s counsel. “What do you know about being a bastard?”

“All dwarfs are bastards in their father’s eyes.”

“You are your mother’s trueborn son of Lannister.”

“Am I?” the dwarf replied, sardonic. “Do tell my lord father. My mother died birthing me, and he’s never been sure.”

“I don’t even know who my mother was,” Jon said.

“Some woman, no doubt. Most of them are.” He favored Jon with a rueful grin. 

“Remember this, boy. All dwarfs may be bastards, yet not all bastards need be dwarfs.” 

And with that he turned and sauntered back into the feast, whistling a tune.

Jon wanted to believe Tyrion. He wanted to make himself so strong that nothing could break him. Nothing. But it was not possible much. He still felt like a boy who wants to cry

He was dawdling along the wall thinking that if he would fall and die would anyone even care. Probably no one except maybe his father and uncle Benjen or Robb and Arya. Even Renee , she would feel sad but nothing beyond that. He couldn't understand how did he and Renee grew so apart. He still remembers the time when they were young when Robb and Renee used to fight over who would play with him .....but one day all of a sudden Renee stopped playing with him. Stopped talking with him. He couldn't understand why but it hurt him. He wiped his tears away and looked down at the wall. He doesn't dare to jump though. He is afraid to die. He just sat by the wall and looked down that he heard someone. On turning around it was Renee , she was on the wall and cautiously moving towards him. He stood up and looked at her

" What are you doing here ? ". His voice came a bit hoarse

" Looking for you of course " Renee said and carefully worked her way towards him

" There is no need for that , you haven't done it before , and now it is not needed ". That came off as rather harsh and Jon feeling bold and drunk didn't feel it in him to apologize

" That's rude. Have I done something ? , I am sorry I bumped into you on the way out earlier. Did you get hurt ? You were crying . " Renee said

" I AM NOT CRYING !! ". Jon shouted . He didn't want anyone to see him like this. " Just leave me be 

Renee was startled at his tone

But Jon didn't apologize and started walking rather quickly

" Ok I will leave you alone , please get down at least . You are drunk , you may loose your balance and fall down .

Jon stopped and turned towards and had a self loathing smile , " Why do you care , your lady mother will be very happy if I did. She will surely wish for me to die. It will only make her wish come true 

He then turned around and resumed walking. Renee ran behind him as cautiously as possible

" Jon don't be like that. You are angry j know that but don't take risk , please listen to me 

Jon didn't listen and continued

" Jon if you take one more step I will never forgive you " . Renee said when she was only 2 steps behind him

Jon turned towards her , his eyes were hazy

" I don't need your forgiveness , just go away . Stop pestering me " . When he again turned to walk his balance got lost and he fell

" JON !!! ". Renee shouted. Nobody heard them as they were at the back of the castle. And only few soldiers were guarding the area

Jon gripped the edge of the wall and Renee rushed to him. She tok his hand tried to pull him upwards

" You idiot !!!! ... I told you that you will fall ". Jon tries to pull himself up taking Renee's hand . When he look up however, he sees tears in her eyes

He don't believe that. How could she cry over him

With many efforts Renee pulled him up while continue to keep scolding him. Her hands were freezing , he noticed and she wasn't wearing any gloves

" Now will you tell me what's bothering you that you decided to drink so much and trying to put your life in danger . "Renee said pulling him closer to the middle so he don't fall again and holding his hands tightly

He tried to free his hands but she didn't let him

" I am joining the Night's Watch "

" What ?!...but why ?!

" Why ? Are you seriously asking me why ? Robb would someday inherit Winterfell, would command great armies as the Warden of the North. Bran and Rickon would be Robb’s bannermen and rule holdfasts in his name. You , Arya and Sansa would marry the heirs of other great houses and go south as mistress of castles of your own. What about me ? What place could a bastard like me hope to earn?. Nobody here cares for me . I don't want to be a burden anymore "

" You can be a knight...that's a great honor too. You don't have go join the Night's watch for that. You aren't a burden for us , Father , Robb , Arya , Bran , Rickon , Uncle Benjen loves you . They think of you like their own. I love you !! 

He couldn't believe his ears when Renee said that. He turned to look at her in shock but felt a pair of soft lips on his own.... He froze at the contact. It was a cold feeling but he felt his heart get warm . He felt soft fingers wound around his neck and grab his hair at the nape. It felt weird , feeling someone's lips on his own. He closed his eyes and pulled at Renee's waist to bring her closer. They were both the same height

Her lips moved against his own and he felt himself doing the same. He felt her lick his lips and grab his hair tighter that he returned to the present. He pulled away. Renee's eyes were closed while both of their mouths were open, breathing heavily

The weight of what they had done finally sinking in.

Renee's eyes widen and she put a hand on her mouth

" I am sorry " . She said. " I didn't want to assault you , I should have asked first "

Jon couldn't believe that this was what she was worried about. Because the thing that he was terrified about was that they committed a sin. He was her brother , albeit half but still her brother. They shared the same father . It was immoral.

" No Renee , we can't do this . It was a mistake. We can never do this again 

Renee stepped back.

" Right , it's a mistake , I am sorry once again".

Jon nodded. He truly believed that they shouldn't do it again , no matter how good it felt. He remembers Uncle Benjen's word. He knew that he couldn't indulge in these fantasies when he join the Night's watch. He shouldn't do that now too , not with his sister

Jon then looked at her , " I should leave ". He then jumped down the wall and walked away. Not noticing that he was leaving a crying girl behind him.

Chapter Text

Catelyn's POV

When Ned informed her that Jaime Lannister , the Kingslayer would escort her daughter. She was confused but did as he asked for.

When she returned Ned told her of his conversation with the King and the proposal for Renee , her precious daughter. She won't allow that . She knew how terrible these marriages went when one partner was ages older than the other. Her sister was a living example of that. But her sister got her fate because of her deeds. Her foolish mistake with Petyr Baelish.

But Renee , Renee didn't do anything as such. Why should she be punished for that. She kept arguing with Ned to find a way to refuse the proposal. Before the feast , during the feast and after the feast , both of them were continuously discussing what they can do to refuse the offer.

Ned even talked with her good brother. But it was of no use. Benjen Stark has no experience in these things. At last before going to bed they came to a conclusion when Robb interrupted them . They decided to talk to him as well.

" Robb , you do know that the king came here for a purpose ". Robb nodded. 

" I already told you father when I met him for the first time."

" Hmm , The king came all the way to the North to grant me the honor of being his hand "

Robb's eyes widened. Ned continued..

" But that's not it , he wishes for a proposal between Renee and Jaime Lannister "

" What ?! Father you must refuse "Robb said incredulously. " My sister is still young , she can't get married yet. And Jaime Lannister is not a good choice either "

Ned looked at her.

" That's where the problem lies , Robb" Catelyn interrupts.

"Pride is everything to a king. Robert came all this way to see you father bring him these great honors, we cannot throw them back in his face.”

Ned nodded at that.

" Your mother is correct , Robb . Another problem is Tywin lannister . He won't take it lightly if we refuse the proposal. Renee won't find a suitable marriage proposal later. We are bound from every side."

" Did you talk to Renee ? "

" Not yet ". Ned replied.

" Why not ? She is the one who deserves to know it first. I shall talk with her "

" No I will do it . " Ned interrupts I between. But it is good think  Catelyn thinks. Renee always listen to Ned.

" I promised her that she won't be forced to marry yet i couldn't do anything ..." Ned sighs.

Catelyn puts a hand on his shoulder. Robb looked in a daze . He looks tensed. 

" Robb , don't worry ok " Catelyn tries to assure him.

Robb nods and left from there.

Catelyn looks at Ned..

" My lord , if you agree for the proposal , will we have to wed Renee just now ? Can't it wait for few years ?"

" I am afraid the answer is no Cat. Robert wants the wedding as soon as possible. He will take Renee away with him as a lannister bride by the time he leave "

Catelyn clenches her hand.

Why gods , why do you have to make my daughter suffer....my miracle daughter.

Catelyn still remembers the day when Renee fell from her cot and stopped breathing. Catelyn felt like her heart came into her hand that day. She prayed to the seven god's day and night that her daughter breathes again. Her prayers were listened and Renee started breathing again. No one knew of that incident except her father and her uncle ...not even Ned.

She prays to the seven gods again that they keep her daughter safe from all the problems that she might come across in the south.

***************

Jaime's POV.

The feast ended with good old Robert almost dead in wine. How he wishes that he just die with all the wine he drinks and his sister gets free of him for once and all. 

He himself had drunk quite a lot. He misses Cersei now. He saw the crazed , jealous look in her eyes before in the feast. He knew that she was hungry for him as he was for her. He wanted to hold her in his arms again. But tonight he didn't visit her for fear of getting caught. He went to his chambers which were quite good. He would say.

He landed on his bed and fell on with a thud. When he felt that sleep was round the corner, he felt that someone was watching him. His intuition was true as a direwolf , the size of a dog was glaring at him from the window. It was grey in colour and looked quite big. Jaime was shocked seeing such a sight as he just woke up.

He tried to shush him away , but the wolf growled at him and then ran away from there.

Jaime cursed in his breath.

The bloody Starks and their wolves , can't let a poor man sleep . 

He went back to sleep dreaming of his sister like usual.

*******************

Ned Stark's POV

Ned was troubled. He can feel a headache coming from far away. Last night after his talk with Robb. He and Catelyn received a hidden message from Maester Luwin sent by Lysa Arryn. The message conveyed that Jon Arryn' s death was actually a murder.

And Lysa thinks it to be a plot of Lannisters and today he had to talk to his daughter about her proposal to a lannister. He Just wanted to say 'Fuck' so bad.

It was quite early in the morning and no one was up for breakfast except him and his family which was just as usual.. but one person was missing.

It was Renee.

He looked at Robb to ask him and saw that his son looked tired and unhappy. Maybe he is troubled by Renee's marriage news. Renee and Robb were the closest and so he could feel his reluctance to let his sister marry.

" Where is Renee ? " Catelyn asks all of a sudden.

Everyone shrugged. He looked at them that he noticed Jon was missing too .

A servant answered , " My lady we went to call her but she didn't opened the door ".

Catelyn exchanged a worry glance with him.

" I will talk with her " Ned said.

" What about Jon? " 

" My Lord , Jon snow has a bit of hangover " Another servant said.

Arya giggled a bit at that and he raised his eyebrow at that.

*********************

Renee's POV.

After the last night incident , Renee just wanted to crawl in the earth and spend the rest of her life there.

How would she ever face anyone again ? She knew her attraction was wrong and last night she acted in it and got rejected. She didn't go for breakfast even and stayed in her room crying .

A while later , a knock sounded on her door. She ignored it as she did before. 

" Renee open the door , it's me !". On hearing her father's voice Renee rushed and open the door.

Her father's expression changed her appearance then she realised what she looked like , hair messy , eyes red and swollen , tear-staining cheeks.

" What happened , my child ? ". Her father took her hand and took her to bed.

" Nothing father , I just got a bit of cold and my chest ache ".

Her father just looked at her .

" You know you can't lie to me .. so why even try Renee ? "

Renee looked down .

" Tell me what's wrong ."

Renee still sat silent. How could she tell her father that she kissed his son, her half brother.

 Ned looked at her and knew that she didn't wish to talk so he sighed .

"Fine , you don't want to discuss this with me . But if anything is troubling you , just come to me , ok ? ". Her father gently took her chin. Renee nodded. 

" Is there something that you needed me for ? Father "

Ned nodded. " Yes , just as you speculated earlier. Robert wants me to be his hand "

Renee sat up straight at that .

" And you agreed ?!".

" Not yet , he gave me another proposal as well..... ". Ned fell silent and looked at Renee for her reaction.

Renee just smiled.

" Is that about Sansa and Prince Joffrey ?"

Ned looked shocked at her guess.

" Well , that too , but it's not the proposal he offered me.. It was for you..you will marry Jaime Lannister "

Renee just blinked. She couldn't believe if she heard this right.

Married ? She ?.... no no no no...she knew that she would one day get married but not this early. There was still a world for her to explore. She couldn't get bounded by the marriage vows. No , not yet.

" No father , please , I don't wish to marry now ."

 Renee begged holding her father's Ned.

"I wish the same my dear , but just tell me how can I refuse the king. Just tell me the way and I will do it. Robert is adamant on this marriage and he would issue a royal order if he didn't got what he wanted "

" But why me ? Starks and Lannister were never on good terms , so why the sudden arrangement "

Your destiny is in the west child. She remembers the witches word.

" Robert is releasing Jaime from his vows and he will take his position as the heir of the Casterly Rock.... He will need a bride for that"

Your destiny is in the west child.

" So use Stark as a scapegoat ? "

Ned just nodded. Renee scoffed.

" We will gain nothing by this arrangement will we ? "

" Tywin will free the crown from half of its debt and Robert will give him his heir back that Aerys Targaryen took away from him ? .... You my child might rule Casterly Rock one day ".

Your destiny is in the west child.

Ned patted her shoulder and left.. but she made up her mind.

He reached the door that he heard his daughter say , " Father !! I agree to the match ". Ned looked back at her and found she was just staring into nothing and left from there.

Renee didn't want to agree , not one bit , she was not yet over her first heartbreak or mistake whatever. And she wasn't yet ready to trade her freedom. Her father did promise her that one day when she turned 16 , he will take her to the Old town , to Citadel , her dream place. But it won't be possible if she became a lady lannister.

She had almost made her mind to go to the King directly and deny him on his face. She can do that if her father cannot.

But she still remembers the witches words. She wants to meet the witch again. She had made up her mind.

*****************

Robb's POV.

Renee was getting married.

It was a shocking news. He always believed that he would be the one to first get married between the two. But it was not the same anymore.

He remembers the witches words , when she said to Renee that her destiny was in the west , it made sense . Casterly Rock is in the west. If the witch is true then he want to know why she denied that he don't have 5 true siblings or how Renee isn't 14 and Ned stark isn't her true Father. He wished to meet the witch again. He slept that night , trying to dream for once but couldn't believe get one.

Eventually he had a weird dream again. He was walking around Winterfell. But he felt like he was an animal. His POV was different. Soon he reached the guest chambers and decided to check on Jaime Lannister , his soon to be brother by law.

He went near his window sill and sat. This man was sleeping soundly but was whispering weird things in his sleep.

He just sat there and watched. Soon though the man woke and shooed him away.  

The next day.

He woke up early to finish his day chores and leave soon to meet the witch . On his way out however he met Renee , who seemed to be on the same mission .

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

After he woke up in the middle of the night , he woke up next late morning when everyone was already awake and his brother Tyrion came to wake him up.

" I assume it is the next day already brother..."

Jaime stretched his body and woke up.

"Oh I know it all too well. The nights here are cold . Freeze you to death "

" That I agree on. Well come on get up, the king is waiting for you "

" Robert ? Waiting ? For me ?. Don't jest so early in the morning "

" I am not jesting and it's not early, it's almost noon. Now I get up , I think he wants to make an announcement about your betrothal known "

Jaime immediately gets up throw on some clothes and brushes his hair with his hand.

That means Ned Stark agreed .

" Well go on brother , I'll be there ". Tyrion leaves while Jaime knew it's the beginning of his doom.

*******************

In the main hall.

It was quite a lively sight , the great hall. But it fell silent as Jaime entered. He looked at the table and saw Robert and Cersei sitting and for once Robert didn't look drunk , beside them were Catelyn and Ned Stark.

" Hah , about time you got here good brother". Jaime almost choked at that. He didn't believe that Robert was capable of calling him anything other than Kingslayer.

" Yes , your grace "

He looked around the room and his eyes landed on the stark twins. Robb and Renee , he guessed were their names. Both of them looked like they ate horse shit. They looked close to each other , he wondered if they loved each other like him and Cersei .

" Well , well. I have an announcement to make. The crown has decided to relieve Ser Jaime of house lannister from his vows of the king'sguard. Do you agree ? "

Robert asks.

Jaime drops to his knees and put his sword out and place it on the ground . He slowly removes his white cloak and put it down too. He stood up again and his eyes met Cersei's which looked at him in disdain, which made him annoyed he couldn't do anything ,could he ? Why didn't she understand that ?

" I am grateful to be able to serve the crown for so many years . I express my gratitude to the King for relieving me of this service so I may take my rightful place as my father's heir at the Casterly Rock". He bowed. The king nodded. " You may rise "

Everyone clapped and the King rose after that.

" An heir need a wife to rule which is why the crown propose a marriage between Ser Jaime Lannister , son of tywin lannister Warden of the west  to Renee Stark daughter of Ned Stark , Warden of the North. "

Several gasps are heard .

" The marriage will take place in a week. Start preparing. " 

Robert laughs happily and sit down and drink his first sip of wine.

Everyone clapped . Jaime just kept a light smirk on his face to avoid showing any emotion.

There is the death sentence.

Jaime looked towards his sister who ignored him and continued drinking.

Beside her sat Joffrey who didn't have much reaction , Tommen and Myrcella however were clapping.

His children . Their children.

He didn't feel any fatherly love towards them , any of them. He thought it to be weird as    they were his blood and Cersei surely loves them to death. 

He looked towards the Starks . Ned and Catelyn had a perfunctory smile. He knew that smile , he perfected it afterall ,after years of practicing. Renee was looking down at her feet while Robb was holding her hand.

His brother Tyrion was clapping the loudest. 

He glared at him while Tyrion smirked back.

*******************

Renee's POV

A few hours earlier

She and Robb came to the same conclusion about the witch and went back to the same place , in hopes of finding her.

" She's not here , Renee ". Robb pointed towards the empty tree.

" Gods , this could not be happening now ... Look around . We need to find her "

They both looked around for quite some time but were unsuccessful.

" What do I do , Robb ? " Renee asks , they both sat down near the lake just like last night.

" I have no idea what to do next. The king was already set on this proposal. He did say he has a surprise for me.I agreed , because that was the best possible solution.   But my future ? The witch told me my destiny is in the west. She said something about suffering and betrayal. Is that waiting for me there ? "

Robb took her hands and his hand and didn't say anything.

" Robb, I don't want to leave you all. The west is a strange land for me. The people there , I don't know if they will be kind. The Queen already seems to despise me. Lord Tyrion , I didn't talk with him but he doesn't seem kind. And Ser Jaime .... He ..he is to be my husband. I don't know anything about him..". She started sobbing . Robb took her in his arms.

" You can always come back here , if you don't want to live there. The north will always be open to you "

"How could that be ? Don't they say that married daughters are sold goods "

" ' They ' are idiots. Father would always welcome you , and so will I . Do you get it ? "

Renee nods.

" What if he cheats on me Robb ? What if he fathers a bastard . Even father did that. I don't think I will be able to bear it "

After a few minutes of silence.

" Don't fall in love with him then ". 

" What ? " She looks at Robb 

" Don't open your heart to him. That way you won't be hurt if he betrays you. "

Thinking of the matters of heart. She decided to confess what she did last night. She couldn't hide anything from Robb afterall.

" I kissed Jon"

Renee felt his arms stiffen. He pulled back.

" What do you mean ? "

" Last night , I kissed him. But he pulled away , said it was a mistake. "

" He is the one ..who you like ? "

Renee nods.

" Do you hate me now ? I did something immoral ."

" I wish I could. But I don't. It's not my place to judge you. We are a part of each other. I can never hate you. I will just say , just forget the kiss and Jon altogether. Do you get me ? ". Renee nods

They returned to the castle after spending some time by the lake.

***************

Robb's POV

As soon as they returned back. Catelyn told them to gather in the great hall. The king will formally announce the news of betrothal. He couldn't what was the need. Everything was already fixed. Why need to ask for their agreement, if they have no choice .

But they soon entered the hall and everyone was waiting for the Royal family. Meanwhile he couldn't wrap his head around the secret that Renee told him. She kissed Jon. That was absurd and his heart clench at that. He still remembers the man and woman in his dreams and his chest feels more suffocated recalling their words of love to each other.

Soon the king entered with his crowd but the main hero , Jaime lannister wasn't present. Tyrion Lannister went to get him. He looked at his sister and gave her a reassuring glance and squeezed her hand.

*****************

The nail was fixed in the coffin. The betrothal was official. The wedding will be in a week. 

His lady mother and father were talking with the King about the arrangements.

His sister was barely eating anything by his side. Sansa was constantly chatting her about her betrothal with those shiny eyes. Sometimes he wish the world was as kind and beautiful as Sansa sees with her rosy eyes.

He looked opposite him and his soon to be good brother was drowning in wine. It was still early in the day. Was he becoming the next Robert ?. He hope not. The king was not a suitable idol. 

After the supper.

He went back to the courtyard where Prince Joffrey , Prince Tommen and Bran were practicing with Ser Rodrick Cassel in charge along with some lannister men. They spared for some time and he soon realised that Prince Joffrey was a real golden shit.

Apparently for the last round Joffrey wanted to go with a live steel but Ser Rodrik didn't permitted as they were still too young. And that bastard had the audacity to mock him for his age when in truth he couldn't even handle a wooden sword much less swing a steel one.

He was fuming in anger. But Theon hold him back lest he hit the prince . After that shit was gone. Robb looked up and saw Jon and Arya watching them. He remembers then that he needs to talk to Jon.

He rush after them and stops him.

" Jon !!!.."

*********************

Catelyn's POV

There were too many arrangements to be made. The wedding was in a week. They need to sent invites to all the northern lords. Her family too.  Her husband was busy entertaining the queen. She and Maester Luwin were arranging everything with Renee helping them. Her daughter didn't say a word since supper. She was writing down the list of guests that Maester Luwin was dictating. 

Catelyn wondered if her daughter was angry at them , that they couldn't do anything to stop it.

She decided to talk to her later about it. Soon a maid enters the solar. She looked to be one from the queen's crowd.

" My lady , the queen wishes to see Lady Renee ". Renee looked at her in question. Catelyn signalled her to go.

The Queen must be wanting to meet her soon to be good sister. She wasn't worried about Renee, her daughter was more than capable to handle such things and went back to work.

" Lord Roose Bolton ". Maester Luwin announce next.

Catelyn's hand stopped at that. She was worried if lord Bolton would even show up. It was only last year that Ned denied his proposal for Renee with Domeric Bolton saying that she was still young and now only a year later , her daughter was getting married.

" Is there any trouble my lady ? "

" No , continue "

*****************

Sansa' s POV

Her sister was getting married to Ser Jaime. Sansa was so excited , her sister would be lady lannister. Ser Jaime looked like a prince charming indeed. Their babies will be so beautiful. 

But it seemed like her sister wasn't too happy. She even denied joining the embroidery with Princess Myrcella and instead went with mother and Maester Luwin 

But she didn't spoil her mood much. Maybe Renee was unhappy being away from all of them. She would be too. She would miss her sister greatly.

As they sat by Princess Myrcella.

Jeyne Poole and Beth were constantly asking her questions about Prince Joffrey and her sister and Ser Jaime. 

" Your sister will be lady lannister soon. Ser Jaime is really handsome "

Sansa nodded , " Yes , he is like a golden lion. My sister and him will surely make a handsome couple "

" Absolutely , and did you see Prince Joffrey , he couldn't keep his eyes off you last night. He is completely smitten by you "

Sansa was blushing at that point. 

" What are you talking about ? " . Her sister Arya interrupts.

“Tell me,” Arya said. 

Jeyne glanced over to make certain that Septa Mordane was not listening. Myrcella said something then, and the septa laughed along with the rest of the ladies. 

“We were talking about the prince,” Sansa said. 

“Joffrey likes your sister,” Jeyne whispered, proudly.

“He told her she was very beautiful.” 

“He’s going to marry her,” little Beth said dreamily, hugging herself. “Then Sansa will be queen of all the realm.” “Beth, you shouldn’t make up stories,” Sansa corrected the younger girl, gently stroking her hair to take the harshness out of her words. She looked at Arya. “What did you think of Prince Joff, sister? He’s very gallant, don’t you think?” 

“Jon says he looks like a girl,” Arya said. 

Sansa sighed as she stitched. “Poor Jon,” she said. “He gets jealous because he’s a bastard.” 

“He’s our brother,” Arya said, much too loudly. Her voice cut through the afternoon quiet of the tower room. 

Septa Mordane raised her eyes. She was frowning  “What are you talking about, children?” 

“Our half brother,” Sansa corrected, soft and precise. She smiled for the septa. “Arya and I were remarking on how pleased we were to have the princess with us today,” she said. 

Septa Mordane nodded. “Indeed. A great honor for us all.” 

Princess Myrcella smiled uncertainly at the compliment. 

“Arya, why aren’t you at work?” the septa asked. She rose to her feet , and walked across the room. “Let me see your stitches.” 

Sansa bit her tongue at that. She looked at her sister's work and it was not good. Surely Septa Mordane will scold her that too in front of the princess. 

“Arya, Arya, Arya,” she said. “This will not do. This will not do at all.” 

And just as Sansa feared it happened. Her sister ran outside while the septa kept calling her.

Mother will surely scold her now.

The septa was angry very much. But she calmed herself down and went back to Princess Myrcella. The Princess wanted to calm down the tension so she changed the topic.

" Sansa , what is your sister like ? She is going to be my aunt soon "

The center of attention was on her again.

" My sister Renee is very kind and gentle. She has a heart of gold. "

Princess Myrcella was smiling prettily.

Septa Mordane then says , " Renee is very diligent and hardworking . Once she set her mind to do something she doesn't back away until she accomplish that "

" Uncle Jaime is so lucky to have her as his wife. Why did she not join us ? I was hoping to talk with her more "

" Princess , my sister is with my mother looking for some arrangements. Both of us can come to meet you later if you don't mind ". Sansa says

" I would love that " Myrcella replies and they all went back to giggling and gossiping.

*****************

Chapter Text

Arya's POV

It wasn’t fair. Sansa had everything. Sansa was two years older; maybe by the time Arya had been born, there had been nothing left. Often it felt that way. Sansa could sew and dance and sing. She wrote poetry. She knew how to dress. She played the high harp and the bells. Worse, she was beautiful. Sansa had gotten their mother’s fine high cheekbones and the thick auburn hair of the Tullys. Arya took after their lord father. Her hair was a lusterless brown, and her face was long and solemn. Jeyne used to call her Arya Horseface, and neigh whenever she came near. It hurt that the one thing Arya could do better than her sister was ride a horse. Well, that and manage a household. 

Sansa had never had much of a head for figures. If she did marry Prince Joff, Arya hoped for his sake that he had a good steward. 

Arya didn't include Renee in this. Because Renee was another league. She considered Renee and Robb the same as her mother and father more than her brother and sister. Both of her eldest siblings weren't around her much as Sansa was.

Nymeria was waiting for her in the guardroom at the base of the stairs. She bounded to her feet as soon as she caught sight of Arya. Arya grinned. The wolf pup loved her, even if no one else did.

They went everywhere together, and Nymeria slept in her room, at the foot of her bed. If Mother had not forbidden it, Arya would gladly have taken the wolf with her to needlework. Let Septa Mordane complain about her stitches then. 

Nymeria nipped eagerly at her hand as Arya untied her. She had yellow eyes. When they caught the sunlight, they gleamed like two golden coins. Arya had named her after the warrior queen of the Rhoyne, who had led her people across the narrow sea.  Arya hugged the wolfling tight. Nymeria licked her ear, and she giggled.

By now Septa Mordane would certainly have sent word to her lady mother. If she went to her room, they would find her. Arya did not care to be found. She had a better notion. 

The boys were at practice in the yard. She wanted to see Robb put gallant Prince Joffrey flat on his back. “Come,” she whispered to Nymeria. She got up and ran, the wolf coming hard at her heels. 

There was a window in the covered bridge between the armory and the Great Keep where you had a view of the whole yard. That was where they headed. 

They arrived, flushed and breathless, to find Jon seated on the sill, one leg drawn up languidly to his chin. He was watching the action, so absorbed that he seemed unaware of her approach until his white wolf moved to meet them. Nymeria stalked closer on wary feet. Ghost, already larger than his litter mates, smelled her, gave her ear a careful nip, and settled back down.

“Shouldn’t you be working on your stitches, little sister?” 

Arya made a face at him. “I wanted to see them fight." 

He smiled. “Come here, then.” 

Arya climbed up on the window and sat beside him. 

To her disappointment, it was the younger boys drilling. 

“A shade more exhausting than needlework,” Jon observed. 

“A shade more fun than needlework,” Arya gave back at him. Jon grinned, reached over, and messed up her hair. Arya flushed. They had always been close. Jon had their father’s face, as she did. They were the only ones. 

" Did you get drunk last night ? ". Jon choked at that. 

" How do you know that , little sister ?"

" You weren't there in the morning , father was asking for you . You weren't there in the noon too. Are you alright ? "

Jon looked at her, the sounds of swords clashing still sounding down.

" I am fine , just had a bit of hangover . "

" Hmm , did you know Renee is going to get married in a week "

" What ? ". Arya was startled at his shocked face. How come he didn't know ?. The entire castle was beaming with this news by now.

" Yeah , the king renounced the Kingslayer of his vows and he is set to marry Renee.  Renee didn't look quite happy , Sansa kept pestering her though. She is so annoying "

Jon didn't say anything just continued looking down. Arya felt that she made him angry so she diverted the topic.

“Why aren’t you down in the yard?” Arya asked him. 

He gave her a half smile. “Bastards are not allowed to damage young princes,” he said.

“Any bruises they take in the practice yard must come from trueborn swords.”

“Oh.” Arya felt abashed. She should have realised . She made Jon feel more sad somehow.

She looked down to see her little brother whack at Tommen. 

“I could do just as good as Bran,” she said. “He’s only seven. I’m nine.” 

Jon looked her over with all his fourteen-year-old wisdom. 

“You’re too skinny,” he said. 

He took her arm to feel her muscle. Then he sighed and shook his head. “I doubt you could even lift a longsword, little sister, never mind swing one.” 

Arya snatched back her arm and glared at him. Jon messed up her hair again. They watched Bran and Tommen circle each other. 

“You see Prince Joffrey?” Jon asked. 

She hadn’t, not at first glance, but when she looked again she found him to the back, under the shade of the high stone wall.

He was surrounded by men she did not recognize, young squires in the livery of Lannister and Baratheon, strangers all. There were a few older men among them; knights, she surmised. 

“Look at the arms on his surcoat,” Jon suggested. 

Arya looked. An ornate shield had been embroidered on the prince’s padded surcoat. 

No doubt the needlework was exquisite. The arms were divided down the middle; on one side was the crowned stag of the royal House, on the other the lion of Lannister. 

“The Lannisters are proud,” Jon observed. “You’d think the royal sigil would be sufficient, but no. He makes his mother’s House equal in honor to the king’s.”

“The woman is important too!” Arya protested. 

Jon chuckled. “Perhaps you should do the same thing, little sister. Wed Tully to Stark in your arms.” 

“A wolf with a fish in its mouth?” It made her laugh. “That would look silly. Besides, if a girl can’t fight, why should she have a coat of arms?” 

Jon shrugged. “Girls get the arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms. I did not make the rules, little sister.”

" Soon Renee will be a Lannister too. Will she have to abandon the wolf and take the lion ?"

Jon felt silent again.

" I don't know sister , maybe yes. The woman takes her husband's house as her own after her marriage ".

" It's not fair " . Arya mutters quietly.

" Nothing is fair in this world "

They looked down seeing them , and soon a fight rose between Robb and the prince. Arya felt angry seeing the prince act so arrogant , how on earth could Sansa think him to be gallant , she could never understand.

Jon watched them leave, and Arya watched Jon. His face had grown as still as the pool at the heart of the godswood. 

Finally he climbed down off the window. “The show is done,” he said. He bent to scratch Ghost behind the ears. The white wolf rose and rubbed against him.

“You had best run back to your room, little sister. Septa Mordane will surely be lurking. The longer you hide, the sterner the penance. You’ll be sewing all through winter. When the spring thaw comes, they will find your body with a needle still locked tight between your frozen fingers.” 

Arya didn’t think it was funny. “I hate needlework!” she said with passion and ran away reluctantly to her room with Nymeria following her.

***********************

Cersei ' s POV.

She hates Winterfell. The cold is unbearable. Her mood was foul and the bickering of her ladies were making it much worse. Myrcella went to join the girls for her embroidery while she was here tolerating her ladies fake praises.

The marriage was in a week. Her Jaime was going to get married. If she was normal sister, she would have felt  happy seeing her brother start a family but she was not was she ?

Her brother was her lover. Her other half. Her male version. 

She couldn't do anything to stop it but she wasn't going to make it any easy either. She saw the stark whore, she looked unhappy and miserable. Her twin Robb shared her same emotions. She wondered if they shared the same relation as her and Jaime. Surely they weren't the only deranged humans on this earth.

" Your grace ". A soft voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

It was the stark girl .

" Come sit with me , Renee " . She politely told her. Can't show her true nature yet. 

She carefully observed Renee.

Hmm she looks quite young , just like my Myrcella. A beauty indeed. Can easily seduce man.

" I am very happy , we are going to be sisters soon ". Cersei said grabbing her hands in her own. The girl smiled uneasily.

" I am as well ".

" Have you ever visited south dear ?"

" No , your grace . I was born in Riverrun. But since coming to Winterfell , I never left ".

" Such a shame. You will love the south. It's so pretty . It will suit you. "

" I hope so , your grace "

Cersei wasn't liking it. The girl was too formal. She couldn't find something to fire back against her.

" You are a twin too ,just like Jaime and I "

" Yes your grace , Robb and I were born together , though we look a bit different unlike you and Ser Jaime. You look like a mirror image of each other ".

" That's true. Even our father couldn't recognise us when we were still in our cradles. Being a twin is a wonderful feeling isn't it ?. Knowing there is someone who shared everything with you , right from the womb , who is your other half , you can't love anyone else like you do to your twin ".

" You are absolutely right , your grace . " The girl smiled.

" Robb and I are each other's half. We think the same , do the same. We are like one soul two bodies. "

" It must hurt thinking you are going to get separate soon "

" Yes , very much. But you were lucky in that case , your grace "

Cersei raise an eyebrow.

" How so ? "

" Ser Jaime was with you , by your side as a king'sguard . He never left you. "

" Oh yes , my brother. He joined the king'sguard so as to not leave my side. He even left his heir's position to be with me . He loves me very much ,more than anyone in this world . More than he can love anyone else "

Cersei purposefully stressed the last words so as to prove that Jaime loves her the most and Renee could never get that love.

" Yet he is leaving the king'sguard now. Your grace , you must be really happy that your brother will have his own family too , just like your own. "

Cersei froze at that.

This bitch.

" Ah yes very much. My brother has been alone all his life. The vows of celibacy. I just hope he doesn't treat you too rough ".

Renee just smile and nods.

" I never talked to him , I just hope he is kind . That's all "

Oh poor thing , he will be kind to you and that is all he will ever be to you.

" Don't worry , even if it's a bit rough you will get used to it. Every man has an animal inside him that comes up occasionally , you need to know how to tame it. You are still young , you will learn ".

Cersei felt great satisfaction seeing the girl nervously nods.

Yes just like that. I will break you just by my words so you don't even think of getting with Jaime and thinking of love.

" How is the Casterly Rock , your grace. I have heard it's the land of setting sun. The sunsets are very beautiful there ". Trying to change the topic. Smart.

The girl left soon enough after some useless chatting about Casterly Rock and it's people .

Soon Jaime entered the room and she couldn't wait to tell him about the little bird that was to be his wife.

************

Chapter Text

Jon's POV

 " Jon !! ".

Jon turned around to find Robb running towards him. He was panting running all the way from down and after sparring with the prince.

" Robb , you look worked up "

.Robb scoffs .

" The prince is a royal golden shit " Robb says pulling him in a sidehug and walking towards the hall.

" Don't let anyone hear that , it would be treason ". Robb just rolls his eyes.

" By the way you were not there in the hall , All good ? ".

" Yes , just got a little hangover , I am not used to drinking ".

" Haha , tell the king that . He was drinking in the noon as well along with the queen. ".

" They are the royal couple they can do as they please ".

" More like a drunkard couple.". They both laugh.

Jon then hears a bit of giggling. It was just a bunch of kitchen maids who passed by ogling at Robb. But Robb didn't notice. It was not new . Robb was the dream prince for may of the girls here in Winterfell. He even saw Jeyne Poole , the daughter of the steward giving him a couple of misty eyed glance. 

He then remembers about Renee's betrothal. " It's good thing though I was not at the table , Lady stark wouldn't want me around until the king is here " Robb stops.

" You know what the king announced?"

" I do , Arya told me. Congratulations in advance, you are going to have brother in law soon ". Jon hugs Robb.

" Ohh well,......." Robb gets a bit awkward rubbing his neck.

" It doesn't bother you ? " He asks unexpectedly

" Why would it ? ".

Robb looks him in the eye.

Gods does he know ?

" You know very well why would it ? " He whispers quietly so as to not be heard. " Last night , you and Renee ...."

" That was a mistake ". Jon admits quickly before letting him finish Robb looks at him with narrowed eyes.

" Are you sure ? You feel nothing for her ? Nothing ? "

" Yes Robb nothing , she's like a sister to me . I would never do it , atleast not when I am in my senses ".

Robb nods then pat his shoulder.

" Hm, it's good. She is going to get married . Mother would be angry if she found out about this. ". Jon nodded.

" But she really liked you ". Robb said before leaving.

Does she ?!  Jon wonders.

********************

Renee's POV

 The Queen is weird.  Renee understood that. After leaving , she recalled her words.

"Being a twin is a wonderful feeling isn't it ?. Knowing there is someone who shared everything with you , right from the womb , who is your other half , you can't love anyone else like you do to your twin ".

"My brother has been alone all his life. The vows of celibacy. I just hope he doesn't treat you too rough ".

" Don't worry , even if it's a bit rough you will get used to it. Every man has an animal inside him that comes up occasionally , you need to know how to tame it. You are still young , you will learn "

" What are you thinking Renee ? ".

Her mother called her out . She had pulled her hair up in a style from south . Her head hurt from all the weight on her head. But she bear it .

" The Queen , she was weird ..."

" In what ways ". Her mother asked gently flattening the ends of her dress.

" She said she hoped that Ser Jaime wasn't too rough with me , being celibate all his life until now.. "

Her mother stopped all of a sudden. " What else did she say ? "

" She asked about Robb and me , then told me if I ever visited South . I just felt really weird. I can see it on her face , she doesn't like me then why invite me for a chat ".

" People aren't so straight and honorable like your father Renee. They would be sweet on your face with a dagger ready to stab in the back .... You need to learn to play with your words". Renee nodded and stood up to look in the mirror.

" My my , I have got such a beautiful daughter ". Renee blushed a bit at the compliment.

****************

Jaime's POV

Jaime spent the entire day after he lost his white cloak , listening to the jabs of the king,

" Finally you will know the ways of the woman Kingslayer. Gods how do you lot stay celibate ".

The king them let out a boisterous laugh and Jaime so wanted to tell him .

I know the ways of the woman very well , I fucked your wife afterall.

Ned was sitting silently. Looked brooding as usual. He wondered if it was because of the feast later. Two feasts in two days. Surely Robert wanted  old Ned Stark to go bankrupt.

********

He went to meet his sister again.  She seemed to be in a good mood which was good.

" Come brother , I was waiting for you". Jaime smiled finally wondering if he was forgiven. He went towards her and lean down to kiss her but she turned away.

" What now Cersei ? "

" Don't touch me..."

" You still angry ...". Jaime shouts

" Yes I am ... But now I am feeling happy. Your little soon to be wife is amusing.". Jaime rolled his eyes , he wasn't here to hear about Renee.

" And what do you find amusing in her ? ".

" She is dumb enough to be easily manipulated. You should have looked at her face when I told her that she should be careful , as you got to be a bit tough with her with years of celibacy ".

" You told her what now? " Jaime asks shocked.

" Is something the matter ? It's good now , she won't hope for anything else in the marriage ... Not that there is anything you can give her except the lannister name "

" And children " Jaime added. He wasn't in favor with Cersei egging Renee against him. He didn't want a timid wife who was afraid of him.

" Are you planning on giving her children?". Cersei said angrily.

" Well why do you think father is getting us married. He wants a new heir for the Rock ".

" Our children should be the heir " . Cersei says pacing around the room.

" Do you even hear what you are saying. How is that possible without Robert finding out about it ? It's partly your fault anyways. You never let Father name Tyrion the heir. I would have been free then "

" How could I let that happen ? Besides father would never name that little monster the heir no matter if I have say or not. That thing killed my mother , our mother dear brother ".

" Our mother is his mother as well ". Cersei scoffs.

" Why are we even talking all this ?. I had hoped to spend some time with you. The feast will be in a few hours and in a week I'll get married and be sent to Casterly Rock .. we don't have much time ". He says getting closer to her. But Cersei pushed yet again.

" Why do I care ? I suggest you should leave now " Cersei says and Jaime is yet again thrown out of her chambers. With an irritated look on his face . Jaime makes his way back to his chambers wondering why on earth Cersei was behaving like this.

**************************

The feast.

The feast went as usual with the smell of food and wine in the air. Jaime in his green tunic the same color as his eyes was bored looking at the boring faces of the lords. There was a change of seating arrangement however. He was sitting beside Robb, his soon to be good brother on one side and Renee on the other. The table was silent by their side and he knew why.

Both the siblings were looking miserable and for a second Jaime wondered if he was really so scary as to terrify these little children , yes children. His soon to be wife was a child compared to him. He looked at her and she was picking out some of the peas from her plate.

He felt himself laugh at that.

Renee looked at him. " Is something funny my lord ? "

" Nothing , I just never thought you to be a picky eater "

The girl's ears got a little red at that.

" I generally don't like peas in my food my lord . It seems the cook seemed to forget to omit them "

" Oh yes , the king has a huge appetite . It surely must have given the cook a years worth work for sure " Renee nodded .

He looked at Renee , surely she is just like his sister described , meek and boring. A song soon started playing and as a gentleman he forwarded his hand to her for a dance.

Renee looked at her brother Robb who just smiled and accepted his hand.

Dancing was never a favourite task for Jaime. He only danced a few times in his life before he joined the king'sguard . But he still remembers some of the steps thanks to his muscle memory.

A hand around her waist and one on his shoulder they began dancing.

"Are you happy with the marriage Ser Jaime?"  Renee asks all of a sudden. She looked him straight in the eyes as she asked. " Do you want me to be honest ? "

" I would like that "

" Then I am not ."

" Why did you agree then ? "

" Have you met the king ? Does he looks like the person to listen no for an answer "

Renee chuckles. " I think not. Isn't that why he started a rebellion because he couldn't get my aunt "

Jaime paused , he thought of all the changed since the rebellion , due to the rebellion. Everything gone from his life , he earned the title Kingslayer , became the most despised man in the seven kingdoms.

As he twirled her , Jaime came face to face with her eyes again. As he noticed before, it was the most distinctive feature of her.

" Sometimes people go to great lengths for their love. The things we do for love afterall. Your aunt lyanna was worth a rebellion "

" No one is worth a war , my lord and not to offend you but is it your first time dancing. " Renee asks him with a grimace.

Jaime looked confused then looked down towards their feet . He was stepping on her feet. Well bummer his muscle memory was not that good.

" No , I apologise. Its been years since I actually danced. Being a king'sguard , you can't take part in such activities "

" It's quite alright my lord ". Though Renee said it politely. Her face was telling a different story. He wonders if she was cursing him in her head , well he would never know.

" If you don't mind ,when was the last time you actually danced my lord ? "

" At the tourney of harrenhal with Princess Visenya " . Princess Visenya.  His mind drifted him back to that dance. Princess Visenya , the younger sister of Prince Rhaegar was a fiery girl for sure. He remembers how she was capable of burning everyone with dragon fire straight from her mouth.

She might have been his wife , if she was alive but she got killed in the sack of king's landing with Princess Elia.

When he came back to the present, he saw Renee looking uncomfortable. He wondered if it was because of the injured foot. " Are you alright my lady ?"

Renee looks up. " Yes my lord , just my feet hurts "

" I am afraid that's my fault , let me escort you back to your chambers if you don't mind "

" No I would like that ". Renee smiled and they went to her chambers with his hand on her back supporting her. It seems they garnered a bit of attention as they left with everyone staring at them.

In his peripheral vision he saw Robb trying to get up , but stopped.

*********

The nights were cold with moon shining in the sky so bright. Jaime never saw such a bright moon in kings landing .

On their way back, they met a wolf the same like the one he saw the other night but it was black.

It was guarding Renee's room. It growled at him when they came closer and for a moment Jaime felt a tiny bit of fear.

" Nyx no " Renee said and went near it patting it gently on his head.

" I am afraid I can't come any closer. Good night ".

" I am sorry , Nyx don't recognise you now. It will take some time to get you familiar . She is very gentle "

" I am fine being strangers with ....her ?. I just hope you don't bring her to the Rock. Good night ". Jaime went away but he felt contented that his wife was bearable.

He could survive the marriage . He knows he can. 

Chapter Text

Robb's POV

The talk with Jon made him relieved, it really did. He spent the rest of his day but as the night started to settle in that he felt an uncomfortable emotion. It came all of a sudden and wasn't leaving. 

Following the witches word , he tried to remember his dreams but strangely he didn't got any. 

Tonight the feast was yet again, but this time in honor of his sister's betrothal. He looked at Jaime Lannister , his to be brother by law. He was glad that atleast he wasn't some fat , old lord . Well he was old, but he still believed his sister was worth above him . His sister deserved someone her age who could understand her, who could love her like he could do. 

The rest of the feast went with the Kingslayer awkwardly squished between him and his sister.

His sister was yet again picking her food out.

He just rolled his eyes and his attention was on Jon. His brother was by the end of the table. Yet again in a talk with Uncle Benjen . He is determined to join the Nights Watch. He don't know if that's wise.

*************

After the Kingslayer left to escort his sister to her chambers after the dance , he wanted to follow them . But an eye glare from his mother stopped him. Renee was limping. Surely she got her poor foot injured.

A quick look at the Queen made him understand that he wasn't the only one wanted to follow them . The Queen was glaring at Renee as they left. How much possessive is the Queen of Ser Jaime ???.

*************

The next morning. 

He woke up early with Greywind by his side as they strolled the courtyard of Winterfell..

The early morning vibes were totally different. Greywind gave a howling sound and he looked ahead to find it was Nyx. Both the wolves immediately jumped towards each other. He feared a fight, but both of them started cuddling.

"Amusing creatures , the direwolves are". It was Ser Jaime.

" Ser Jaime "

" Robb Stark "

" That one ". He pointed at Nyx " was ready to tear me apart last night and now looks like a cuddly bear "

" Careful there , she could still rip you apart . "

" That I am sure of ". Jaime chuckles.

" So what brings you here in the early morning , I am sure you will find more comfort in your room rather here in the chilly morning ".

" Just here to try to get used to the chill. I will be having one with me soon ". 

Robb chuckles. 

" I guess you meant , Renee . She is not chill. She is fire "

Jaime raised his eyebrows .

" Well , she don't appear to be fiery"

" Its cause you haven't met the real her. I am sure you will not like that side of her ". Jaime chuckles.

"I don't mind really. I like playing with fire. "

Robb then remembers that ser Jaime looked quite simple without his white cloak that made him striking. He also recalls his dream about a certain man from the king's guard.

" What does it feel like losing your white cloak ? "

A silence follows .

" To be honest nothing , you won't understand the feeling unless you feel it yourself."

Jaime smirks. " I heard you defeated Joffrey in the spar session yesterday "

" Oh yes I did , but it seems the prince loves fighting with steel . He couldn't handle blows from my wooden sword".

Robb says sarcastically which earns him a genuine laugh from Jaime.

*************

Renee's POV

It's been 5 days since the feast. Winterfell was getting decorated like a bride literally.

" Renee , this dress will suit you so much ". Sansa exclaims beside her.

Tomorrow she would be wedded and a day later they would leave for Casterly Rock.

Sansa was helping in choosing her wedding dress. Apparently Tywin Lannister , her good father sent her a wedding gift in the form of a dress. No lannister will attend the wedding except the queen and her good brother. 

They will be wedded twice , once in Winterfell and again at the sept at Casterly Rock.

The dress however was truly magnificent. It was snowy white with blue embroidery matching her eyes. 

" It is Sansa , the craftsmanship is truly one of its kind. Lord Tywin doesn't want to spare anything on money ". Her mother commented 

Renee only nodded. She should feel giddy and excited for her wedding but she only felt nervous and nervous and more nervous.

She only talked with Ser Jaime once during the feast , the rest of the time was spent with her mother and septa and her sister who were getting her ready for her impending wedding. She didn't even talk with Robb much.

" Did you not like it Renee ? ". Sansa asks while her mother and septa were matching the jewelry that goes with her dress.

" I love it sister ,but I would much better prefer to wear a dress made by you ". She softly pinches her cheeks. Sansa blush a pretty red.

" I can make a scarf for you , it doesn't take much time , I can complete it in two days ".

" I would love it , where is Arya ? "

" She is with Nymeria and Lady, running around the castle as always "

Renee chuckles at that.

*****************

Arya's POV

Winterfell was full. Really full. There were so many guests coming the past few days. The king and his court , then after Renee's betrothal news , first came house Reed , then house Karstark , house Mormont so on..All the Bannerman of the Starks. 

But the one man that truly frightened Arya was Roose Bolton. He came today just one day before the wedding and all alone.  His eyes were chilling . She knows their history.They flayed people. Her sister was going to marry his son , but her father refused. 

" Welcome to Winterfell ". Her father greeted.

" Congratulations are in order , lord stark. You are going to bind the wolf with the lion "

" Yes , the king has proposed the marriage. It's truly an honor ". Her father seemed to bite those last words.

Lord Bolton then met her mother and Robb. He finally turned towards me.

" You are ?!". He looked confused and Arya wanted to blame her appearance. She got her hands and face muddy while getting Nyx to leave Lady from her clutches.

" Arya Stark ". She felt her mother's eyes boring into her.

" You look like your Aunt Lyanna". He said and then went ahead with her father.

***************

Cersei's POV

Cersei was dying in this wasteland. There was nothing to do here. No flowers , no lakes , no gardens , no sweet fruits nothing. 

Myrcella was enjoying it however. Sometimes she couldn't understand , how could someone like her come from someone like me.

The wedding would be tomorrow. Jaime was apologizing again and again. But she refused him everytime . She felt really powerful to see her brother , the man who killed the last king , the best swordsman in the seven kingdoms reduced to begging in front of her . But patience is a sweet fruit. She would make love to him just before his wedding night so he remembers who he belongs to when he fucks the stark whore that night. She couldn't wait for real .

Chapter Text

Robb's POV

" What kind of wedding do you wish for Princess ? ".

" The one in which I marry you "

The man chuckles.

" And how is that possible ? ".

" Hmm, let me think.

If you run away with me ...."

The girl takes the man's hand and started pulling him towards a room. The room was quite large anything that he ever seen.

" As long as I am alive , I will love only you and no one"

Robb jostled back to the reality. He was sweating like always. 

" Who are they ? ...why do I feel my heart clench whenever I see them ". 

Robb looks outside towards the window , it was early morning , with red rays of sun lightening the outside.

Robb rubs his face with his hands.

He wanted to talk to Renee but decided against it.

" Today is an important day , it is Renee's wedding. It's best I don't trouble her anymore than she already is "

**************

Renee's POV

Today was nothing like any day. Her mother , the maids , the septa were crowding her room.

Her things were getting packed , her clothes , books , accessories , everything.

She would be leaving to the first ray of sunlight..

Today will be her last day as a stark , as only a stark more like it.

She would be bound to someone else , as the septa told her. She would be his for this life. But the septa never mentioned anything about love. Was there no need for love in marriage ? Was it completely fine for two people to live together just with a bond of marriage vows.

Renee took her vows very seriously. Since childhood , she tried her very best to never break a promise she made to someone.

From a promise of food to a widowed old lady to a promise of never lying to her father.

Lying was not in her nature. But she understands that lying is necessary for survival in different situations.

Would she be able to survive in the south ? The South does sound nice , offering all the pretty things it can ...but all pretty things aren't nice , she learnt that in her childhood well.

It would have been nice to get married in a northern house. Domeric Bolton doesn't seem bad but his father was a different story.

He came to Winterfell yesterday , Arya told her about it.

" Ouch ". A sudden jolt of pain brought her back to present. 

" I am sorry my lady , but you need to bear the pain , I'll try to be quick ". It was a maid , trying to remove her hairs from her body.

That fucking hurts. Renee wanted to scream.

" Ahhhhh ". A loud scream echoes again.

" What is it ? ". It was her mother , she opened the curtains and walked in .

" I don't want to do it , it's painful ". Renee said through tears.

It was her first time getting it done. They prepared a sticky sugary gooey liquid and pulling her body hair from it.

Catelyn sat beside her and took her arm.. you need to get it done Renee. It won't be too painful from now. She said while signalling the maid to continue.

" Why ? Is the painful part over ? " The maid applied another layer.

" No , but you will get used to it now "

Another scream echoes the room

" What !!! "

The scream continues while Catelyn tries to calm her 

" You are born a woman Renee, you need to be more tolerant. This pain is nothing compared to what you will face in future ".

Catelyn says.

*******************

" It's over my lady ". The maid whose name she now knows is Laila says.

Renee sighs. She has closed her eyes trying to block the pain. She looked at her arms and legs , they were Red and hurt when touching.

" Don't worry my lady , as you do it more , you will feel less pain . Next time it will be much faster ".

Next time ? Are you an idiot ? Who will go through this pain again ? 

Renee says in her mind and get into the bath to clean off.

******************

Tyrion's POV

It's an odd thing marriage. He was married once until his wife ....

Well let's not go into this . Today was Jaime's marriage to a girl half his age and some.

He pitied the poor girl , she was coming into a hellhole called the Lannisters. Each one here was more crazy than the other.

His father , his sister , his brother , he himself. How will the poor girl survive the insanity , he can only imagine ?

He looked beside him to see his brother getting shaved and getting his hair cut . He was brooding. Maybe he missed their sister. Cersei wasn't giving him her time of the day.

He looked back again to the letter his father sent him. He was astonished to find one addressed to him.

The letter said how they were to make it to the Rock as soon as possible , well 'they' means Jaime and Renee after all he will be visiting the wall and Cersei will be going to kings landing.

There were also a list of items that were to be gifted to Renee as the future lady lannister from their house. His father really wanted to show off their wealth. He even sent the wedding gown.

" Father wants your wife to be laden with gold when she enters the Casterly Rock ". He said to his brother

Jaime looked up with a questioning look.

Tyrion showed the list of items that were to be gifted to Renee.

" Well let her be . If father wants to spend our family's fortune on her , then so be it. Why do I care ?"

Tyrion snorted.

" Because you are going to be her husband dear brother and there hasn't been any gift from your side yet. Everyone will think that her father by law seems to indulge her more than her own husband. This time Jaime snorts.

" I have nothing to gift her. She is getting myself as a gift , what else does she need ". Jaime smirked.

******************

Sansa's POV

All the hustle bustle in Winterfell made Sansa really happy. It was such a lively atmosphere. Sansa had already picked out her prettiest dress that she wants to wear. She decided to choose one with green embroidery to match Joffrey's eyes..... She couldn't wait for the evening really.

Her mother had asked her to be with Renee until she gets wedded and she gladly agreed. Even Princess Myrcella joined her in this. She tried calling Arya but she ran off .....Why can't she behave for once ?

" Have you ever witnessed a wedding ? Sansa ? ". Princess Myrcella's soft voice brought her back.

Both of them were on their way to Renee's room.

" No, your grace. But I have heard stories , the bride and groom meet under the godswood , they recite their vows of eternal love and kiss in the eyes of the gods ".

Both of them blushed and giggled .

************

" Mother !! Please come here, let's postpone the wedding ". Renee shouted when they both knocked on the door.

Myrcella looked at Sansa who just shrugged.

They went inside to see Renee struggling with her hair. All the maids were surrounding her looking worried.

" Mother !!!". Renee whined again but immediately straighten up seeing Myrcella.

" Princess , Sansa .... ". She bowed to Myrcella.

Myrcella was embarrassed .

" There is no need to bow lady Renee you are going to be my aunt soon. We are family "

Renee's face changed at that.

" Then please join us little Lady ". Renee says jokingly which made Myrcella laugh.

" Will you please call my mother ? ". Renee asks one of the maids and then went to talk with Sansa and Myrcella.

" So what brings you here little lady "

" We just wanted to help you , Renee, Princess Myrcella wanted to accompany me ". Sansa replies

Myrcella nods.

Renee laughs.

" Well I am afraid there is nothing you can do to help me .... My hair won't go up no matter how hard u try ".

Renee said frustratingly. Sansa could see that her hair was all tangled and messy.

" Anyways , how are you finding Winterfell ....this is out first time actually talking I must say."

" It's beautiful just like the people living here ".

" You flatter us Princess ." Sansa says and all three of them laugh.

***********

Renee's POV

Time passes by as all three talk....Renee really liked Myrcella , she was the spitting image of the Queen and yet she had none of her mother's nature.

She really wished to continue talking but her hair were in need of help.

The problem was solved as her mother came. She carefully separated her tangles with gentleness that the maids lacked.

Renee came with a shocking realisation then , it was the last time her mother was caressing her hair. She would be leaving them tomorrow. The thought made her cry.

Leaving the place she called home to go to a complete strange place with strange people. Even her to be husband Ser Jaime was strange. She will miss her mother , Arya , Bran , Rickon , Sansa , Robb , her father ,Jon.

Jon....she don't know what to say. They didn't talk properly since their kiss , not even once. She tried to meet with him once but failed due to so many eyes that were on her now.

You can do this Renee , you can survive , you can build a new home for yourself even in among strangers. Renee tried giving false words of encouragement to herself , so she could get on with the night.

Wait night !!!!! How could she forget that today she will not only be wedded but also bedded by some unknown man.

She felt her stomach drop at the thought as she was helped in her wedding dress , as they applied scented oils to her neck and arms as they bound her hair in a fancy style , as the Stark maiden cloak was set on her shoulders and as her father took her hand to guide her to the godswood.

She didn't know how she reach there.

**********

Ned's POV

Taking Renee's hand in my own reminded him of the day when she took his hand for the first time as support to take her first step.

And now he was giving that same hand to a man unworthy of his daughter. He gritted his teeth at his helplessness , his cowardice , everything.

Renee put her hand onto his. She didn't look at him the entire time. 

His daughter was truly beautiful. One of her kind. She was not a classic beauty like Sansa , neither a wild one like Arya or like Lyanna had been.

She was different , it wasn't her beauty that drew people to her , no it was her mind , her intelligence.

The same thing that attracted Roose Bolton to her . He looked towards the mass of people and quickly spotted Roose Bolton who was looking fixedly at Renee. 

But Ned felt at peace that the Kingslayer was much better than Roose.

Roose wanted Renee in his castle for God knows what but Jaime was as appalled with this marriage as he was . Ned knew that at most he would go to ignoring Renee , which was fine . His daughter could marry someone else when he die if she wish to.It won't take much time with a nearly 15 year age difference between them

Finally they reached the heart tree. Ned really wanted Renee to look at him , say something, anything but she didn't she was lost somewhere.

Ned sighed and gave her hand to her intended as a father.

*****************

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

Jaime had witnessed quite a lot of wedding in his mere life of 32 years.

The first wedding that he actually remember witnessing was that of Prince Rhaegar and Princess Elia.

A shame it ended in shackles , Prince Rhaegar turned out to be a maiden stealer.

The second marriage was that of Cersei and Robert.

Nothing came out of it either. His sister became more miserable than she already was.

And now it was his marriage. He hoped that it was Cersei walking towards him down the aisle instead of the little stark girl. 

He looked around the room to search for his sister and was surprised to find her looking at him. She was looking magnificent in her red dress and emarald necklace. It won't be a lie to say that she was outshining the bride herself.

A smirk soon took her face as Jaime's gaze met with her. Her eyes shone with a light that held promise of something.

Jaime's mood got better at that.

Soon Ned stark was in front of him with Renee. She looked nice , he would say. The wedding dress suited her. She looked pure , innocent maiden like , like a girl. His sister on the other hand looked every bit a temptress , a seductive siren. He shouldn't compare but he couldn't help it.

The girl was lost somewhere it seems. He took her hand in his . That seem to made her snap out of whatever dream she was in. She looked right at him. Jaime raised an eyebrow at her in amusement. He won't lie that her gaze was making him unsettled. Her eyes looked innocent , uncorrupted , like that of a child. He felt unnerved being the object of her gaze.

" Who comes here ? "

" Renee of House Stark , a woman grown , bled and noble " Ned replies

" Who gives her ? "

" Eddard of House Stark , Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North , Father of Renee Stark "

" Who takes her ? "

Jaime spoke then.

" Jaime of house lannister , heir to Casterly Rock "

" Renee do you take this man to be your husband , to be with him in happiness , sadness , illness till the end of your days "

Renee was silent for a bit. She looked at the crowd and then back up at him and then said.

" I do "

" Jaime , do you take this woman to be your wife , to be with her in happiness, sadness , illness till the end of your days ". Jaime looked back at Cersei and then at Renee.

" I do "

" I hereby announce you man and wife in the eyes of the old gods . May this union bring joy and happiness to both of your lives. May love bloom in your marriage. You may now kiss the bride "

Jaime looked back at Renee , she was looking right back at him. He leaned forward and she closed her eyes. It was a soft peck , just a press of lips.

Her lips were cold , Jaime realised soon. The girl was freezing infact.

A loud applause of claps rang in the godswood. 

Renee then turned back to him. He pulled the Stark Cloak off her and put a Lannister cloak instead.

She was his wife now.... ' his '. She belonged to him and he belonged to her. But did they ??.

***************

Renee's POV

Renee felt her legs give out when Ser Jaime took her hand. It felt like she landed back on earth. The warmth of his hands made her bring out of her emotions. She just stared at him. He was looking different , a bit more lord like , and handsome she daresay.

Is this really happening ?. This man infront of her is going to be her husband , her other half. They will share everything with each other  from this day on heart , body , soul. But she didn't know if she would truly be able to do that. Or rather would he do that ? He seemed reserved kind of.

The voice of the priest asking her snapped her out of her daze yet again.

She looked in the crowd and met the eyes of her brother , he was looking troubled , like he was in pain but he sent a quick smile to her. Behind him standing was Jon snow. He looked indifferent of all the things going on. It made her heart clench. Does that meant nothing to him , what they shared?!. She thought about their kiss.

Lastly she gave a quick glance at her parents but also met the eyes of Roose Bolton who was looking at her with a strange expression that she can't understand.

" I do ".

She says quickly and soon enough she feels a pair of lips close on her. They were warm just like his hands. It was just a press of their lips and Renee closed her eyes imagining her kiss with Jon . She couldn't imagine it further because of  a loud applause of claps resounding the godswood..

The. Stark cloak was removed from her arms, she felt a sudden chill feeling the warmth leave her body.

The Lannister cloak made of silk and looked expensive  but it didn't offer the same comfort and warmth as that of her Stark cloak

Jaime's POV

The transaction is complete. Jaime thought after the kiss. He looked at Cersei who was smirking.

" Ahhh ". 

The scream of Renee got everyone's attention.

Robb had took her in his arms like you carry a child.

" Robb ?! ". Ned Stark looked at his son in question.

" An old tradition father , the brother escort his sister to her wedding feast ... Old Nan told me so "

Everyone laughed at this, he looked at his wife .... Wife . She was blushing and hit Robb on her shoulder.

" Let me down you idiot "

She whispered softly.

" No , we must follow the tradition . "Robb winked and took her back to the keep . Jaime followed after them with an amused smile on his face.

************

The keep was decorated nicely. The tables were filled with all kinds of foods from exotic to expensive. Robb made Renee sit on her chair and then left after placing a small kiss on her cheek .

He admired their sibling bond. It could make anyone jealous .

He took a seat beside his wife. She looked happy enough , it seems her brother said something which made her laugh.

Soon enough the songs started playing , and a hoard of food was placed in front of them.

Jaime just picked up wine , he looked at Renee who was nibbling on a piece of fruit bread ? He guess.

After a bit of eating , the call for the dance was there.

As the bride and groom the first dance belonged to them.

He took her hand which seems to surprise him. It was cold , is she even alive ?

He lead her to the dance. He looked back at his sister who was drinking wine with a smug expression . Is she planning something ?.

***********************

Renee's POV

Renee wanted to thank Robb , really. She was feeling nervous and sad all day but he lightened her mood. He always had the ability to make Renee smile no matter the situation.

She remembers their conversation

" Keep me down Robb ". Renee whispers angrily while Robb continued to carry her.

" One more word , Renee . I will throw you down. You already are so heavy "

He says shifting her .

Renee huffed angrily. " If I am so heavy , why are you holding me. "

" Because this is the last time my sweet sister ... You will be with me no more "

Renee's moods sadden again.

They reach the keep.

"We have been together since we were born. I don't want to leave you Robb ".

He put her down

" Now , now don't go all sad and moody. We have been together in everything true and I will be always with you ". He says with a smile but soon a teasing look took his face.

He leaned down to speak in her ear.

" If you wish , I could be with you tonight as well. I hope Ser Jaime don't mind ". Renee's mouth open horrified. But Robb left after giving a kiss on her cheek chuckling.

Renee started laughing too.

My foolish idiot .

" Is something amusing to you , Renee ? ". Ser Jaime asks her and she is brought back to the present.

" My brother Robb ". She says , Jaime looked at her confused.

" He jests that he can join me tonight , and hopes you don't mind ". She laughs suddenly but stops seeing the shocked face of Jaime.

" Forgive me my lord. He only meant it as a jest not to offend you "

Renee was afraid.

How could she say something like this ?. She should have just kept her mouth shut.

Jaime started laughing .

" It's fine , really. "

Renee breathes in relief.

" Then why were you laughing ?" Renee narrows her eyes. 

" Well ". Jaime replies while twirling her and then immediately pulls her close to him .

" I never really thought that you Starks had that in you.... To even think of something so dishonorable. I don't mind really. I will give him a great show if he wishes to ". Jaime whispers in her ear and left. 

Renee's entire face was red thinking on what he was implying.

Why is it so hot in here ?

Renee just breaths trying to cool down and grabs a glass of wine on the table. Soon she dances with everyone around , from her father to the King , to Uncle Benjen , bran , rickon even little tommen and Joffrey who was smug about something.

" You look really ravishing tonight , dear aunt ". He says before leaving with a kiss on her hand.

She felt uncomfortable at the comment but decided to let it be thinking it was a jest. She looked around trying to find Robb , he was not here. She was hoping to dance with him , Jon wasn't here too. She just sighed wanting to return to her seat but she came face to face with Roose Bolton himself.

*******************

Jaime's POV

It came as a shock to him first when Renee told him of her brother's wishes  , he for a second thought that she and Robb shared the same relationship as him and Cersei but the idea was absurd. Ned Stark's spawn would never imagined doing something like this. Never ever.

His wife although boring was innocent and uncorrupted , he would have fun corrupting her but that was for later. Currently he was searching for Cersei. He noticed her leaving the crowd once he let go of Renee.

He followed her but soon lost track.

" Are you looking for me , Jaime ". A sweet voice sounded from behind. He turned to find Cersei looking like a goddess. She was smirking , her eyes gave a promise of a good time.

" Cersei ". He says quietly and follows her.  If she led him to his death tonight , he would gladly follow her. Cersei turned around the corner , he took a step to follow her but a brute hand landed on his shoulder.

****************

Robb's POV

The enitre Winterfell was talking it seems . The once quiet castle was now filled with noise and why wouldn't it be . It was witnessing a marriage after so many years since his father we'd his mother.

But he was not willing to be a part of such liveliness . He was concerned about another matter.

Robb wants to meet the witch again , no he needed to meet the witch again. The dream last night was making him restless. It was suffocating him.

He couldn't remember when his sister wedded or when she became a lannister. He was thinking and thinking about that couple from his dreams. He would go mad at that rate. 

It was night soon. He decided to go to that same place in hope of getting a chance to meet the witch.

He knew he won't be able to share a dance with his sister. So he decided to carry her back to the keep as a last sign of affection. He quickly kissed jer cheek and bid her goodbye and left the keep.

What he didn't know was that he was followed , and his secret meeting won't be so secret now .

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

" Lord Bolton ". Renee says in courtsey.

"Lady Lannister , Congratulations on your wedding ". Roose Bolton said taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles.

Renee just smiled uncomfortably. Roose Bolton frightened her as a child. His eyes were chilling that could freeze anyone.

" Thank you , I hope you are enjoying the festivities "

" Oh yes very well , I hope we can share a dance , if you don't mind "

Renee smiled politely and took his stretched hand. All the while she looked around the room wanting someone to save her.

" So how are you feeling leaving north .. The south must sound quite exciting for you .". Roose says while they both sway to the music. Renee's feet were already hurting with Jaime stepping on them earlier

" The South is exciting no doubt but I belong in the North. I am just doing my duty to my parents, my family , my house"

" Family , duty , honor .The Tully words. You follow them quite well . You are a true Tully . ".

" Stark !" Renee replies.

" Hmm ? "

" I am a true Stark like my father. I am a half Tully for sure but I will always be a stark "

Roose raise an eyebrow at that.

" Then do you remember the Stark words ? " Roose asks twirling her around . By now everyone's eyes were on them. Ned Stark stood from his place and was staring at them.

Renee just sent a smile at his direction telling that it was okay.

"Of course lord Bolton. Winter is coming. "

" Yes , winter is coming for all. It was quite chilly this morning , your marriage is for sure the first sign of the coming winter. The Starks will be the first to bear it's consequences. You should be careful "

Renee laughs .

" Lord Bolton , I don't remember that your house words changed from Our blades are sharp to our tongues are sharp "

Roose Bolton laughs again.

" No , I am afraid not. Though I am sure I wouldn't have mind changing the words if you would have become lady Bolton. But alas , you were destined be the lady of the rock "

Renee smiles

" Only weak man blame the Destiny for their problems. Your Destiny is in your own hands, you either build it or destroy it "

" Lies. "

" What ? "

" They are lies, or else why would your destiny be in the hands of your father and the King. You shouldn't have been force to marry the Kingslayer had your destiny been in your hand "

Renee felt silent at that.

The song was coming to end.

" Marriage is a duty , lady Lannister . But that doesn't stop us from doing what we want. From fucking who we want. You should keep a careful eye on your husband ".

Roose Bolton leaned down to whisper in her ears and left.

**************

Jaime's POV

" What are you doing here , Kingslayer "

Jaime turned around to come face to to face with Robert Baratheon

The king looked drunk, with red face and droopy eyes. He was flushed with his clothes half done. Jaime looked by his side to see a kitchen maid fixing her clothes.

Jaime was stunned . He didn't have an answer.

" I was looking..."

" Nevermind. Come here ". Robert says pulling him by his neck . Robert was quite large even for Jaime. He was like a giant.

Soon they reach the middle of the keep. Everyone was half drunk already if not full... 

" Time for the bedding ceremony ". Robert shouts and all the other guest hoots and calls ..

Jaime was cursing him in his mind.

Damn you Robert. He could have had a good time with Cersei but Robert ruined it and now this bedding ceremony. He never really liked to be a part of one. Nor does he want other lords to be tonight. He looked for his wife who was standing in the middle of the room . She had gone pale with wide eyes. 

" I believe it's not necessary my king. The night is already so late. Let the couple retire to their chambers "

Ned Stark interrupted clearly sensing the uncomfort of Renee.

Catelyn went straight to her daughter taking her hand.

He looked at Robert who still had his hand around his neck. Robert wanted to disagree.

" Please your grace " Ned insisted once again.

" Alright, The Lord of Winterfell don't want his daughter to be stripped by us all. Fine , the couple can go retire . We still have all the night to ourselves ". He heard a breathe of relief from Ned Stark. 

" Kingslayer , go take your wife ". With a push from Robert , Jaime wet ahead towards Renee. 

The girl looked a bit fearful . Catelyn Stark was constantly rubbing her hands in comfort.

" May I ? ". Jaime asks to them.

Renee looked at her mother and then at Jaime again.

Catelyn nodded , " Of course " . With a kiss to Renee's head she left.

Jaime stretches an arm out for Renee to take.

The look with which Renee was looking at him made him pity her. The girl was far too young, too innocent to be facing these matters now. But alas what can he do ?

They were to be sharing the chambers of Renee until they leave.

" Are you nervous? ". Jaime asks on their way to her chambers.

" Huh ? ". Renee asks confusedly.

" Are you nervous about what it is to happen now ?". Jaime asks one more time.

" I don't know . It would be my first time"

Jaime chuckles at that.

" Well I was hoping that it would be your first time . Where is your brother ? I believe he was going to join us ". Jaime said teasingly wanting to diffuse the tension a bit.

Renee looks at him , " it was a jest , my lord . I already told you so. Why are you bringing it again and again ". Renee says irritated.

Jaime raises his hands 

" Alright I believe you. It's a shame it was just a jest " .

Jaime sighs with a dejected look while Renee glared at him so menacingly as to kill him on the spot and rushes ahead of him.

" Wait my lady, I am not familiar with the halls of Winterfell ". Jaime laughs and runs after her.

****************

Robb's POV

Robb know that he will regret it later. He isn't with his sister when she needs him . The bedding ceremony must have began already. He know he should rush back but his mind doesn't allow him.

He soon reaches the lake and search around for the witch. He spent an hour already but he couldn't find the witch. Defeated at last he came back to the lake. He was tired as he didn't take his horse this time around.

" The night will freeze everyone,

To awake the wolf of the sand ,

A lion will be beheaded .....

Children of forest , listen to me 

Listen to me , listen to me "

He hears the whispering by the lake. It was the witch. He never thought he would be this happy to meet someone.

He rushes to her side but he heard a strange movement behind him , a rustle . He turned around to look but found nowhere.

I must be paranoid.

Robb thinks and rushes to the witch.

The witch still had her eyes closed and was chanting.

" Children of forest , children of forest"

Robb had heard about these children of forest in old Nan's tale. Are these children real ?

" Hello "

The witch stops chanting and open her eyes.

" I have been waiting for you , she says with a smile but her smile disappears on seeing Robb.

" You again ? "

Robb felt uncomfortable at her gaze. She was angry he could tell.

" I was searching for you. I wanted to ask about my recent dream, about the couple. They have been haunting me.Your prophecy about Renee was true. She is going to the west as you said. Can you please answer my questions again"

Robb says all that in one breath.

" You know my deal boy , I never lie. Your stupid sister laughed at my face. I could have cursed her but there is no need to , her life is already cursed "

The witch laughs.

Robb was shocked , " what do you mean ? "

" I don't answer questions for free "

" Yes I know , ask me questions then "

" Well not anymore , that's a deal only for the first time. You are here the second time. There will be a different deal"

" And what is it ? "

" Sacrifice " Robb looked at her confused.

" I want you to sacrifice something and I shall answer your questions like I did your sister "

Robb contemplated for a bit and then agreed.

" Fine , what do you want me to sacrifice "

" Your blood, a drop of your blood "

The witch says with a grin.

" Why do you need my blood ? "

" It's an offering to the children of the forest "

Robb was quite speculative at that. He didn't want to trust the witch , but he truly needed answer.

" Here then ". Robb says and cut his palm with a dagger.

The witch immediately collects his blood in a vial.

" Hmm wolf blood ". She says pleasingly.

" I did it , now answer my questions "

" Ask boy , I shall answer your every question but only three for now "

" What ? You said every question "

" I also said for now "

" I won't be coming everytime to meet you here "

The witch produces a thread from her cloak.

" Here then , whenever you need me , just call my name by rubbing it , I will help you as much as I can but do it only in time of serious needs or else the consequences will be dire" The witch warns before giving him.

Robb takes the thread and nodded.

" Who are the couple in my dreams?"

" A past memory "

" My memory ? "

" Yes "

" But I have never seen them ever ?"

" But they are your past "

" Fine , just tell me my future like you told Renee's "

" Hahahah , sure boy but I won't translate it. That's upto you "

" Wolf of snow , wolf of sand

Red colour meets the black

Honor will make you suffer

Don't cross the neck 

Or you will lose your head.

If you want your head back and a new sight

You shall need a lion's pelt

After which you shall die infinite

A guard of your blood will help you free 

with a costly dinner

The past will come back at that time which will make you a sinner.

With a new dawn of the day you would be the ire 

of the wolf who shall sing

The song of ice and fire."

Robb repeated this prophecy again and again in his head. He wanted to memorize it.

" Now off you go boy , but only call me in times of severe need "

Robb nods and left from there , he will decipher the prophecy of both his and Renee's. The witch must hold some truth on it.

" But remember boy don't go mad thinking this prophecy like the last dragon .... Hahahhahaha "

The witch laughs but Robb didn't hear her.

***********

" Come out boy , your brother is gone"

The witch says looking behind the tree. The sounds of Robb walking still could be heard.

There was a rustling and out came

 Jon Snow

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

He never would have thought that his wife would be such a fast runner. He was having trouble catching up to her. She was almost out of his sight and the only thing that he could follow was her laughter resounding the halls.

He couldn't help laughing and ran behind her.

Soon Jaime reached her room and as last time there was Nyx, guarding the room just like last time , when he came to escort Renee to escort to her room after the dance.

" Good girl ". Renee was kneeling beside her and patting her head. The direwolf was growling lowly in comfort.

Jaime carefully sneaks behind her

" Not running anymore ? ". He whispers .Renee fell down from kneeling.

" Ser Jaime ?."

She quickly stands up. Nyx was glaring at Jaime.

Jaime steps back at that.

" Is your wolf going to be with us the entire night ? She won't let me in given the way she is glowering at me "

Renee gently pats Nyx's head. 

" She sleeps with me every night ..."

Renee says while gently moving Nyx away from the gate and motions for Jaime to go inside.

Jaime steps inside and finds the room empty , no sign of anyone living. He recalls soon that Renee will be leaving with him to Casterly Rock soon enough. Her stuff is already all packed.

The sound of shutting the door made Jaime look behind.

Renee was facing the door , she turns around and they both just looked at each other. Jaime felt a bit awkward , he has never been with anyone but Cersei , being with Cersei requires no thought , no need to be careful. It feels natural with her. The stark girl in front of him right now was a whole different matter.

Cersei ?!!! 

He totally forgot , she must be waiting for him. Stupid Robert !!!!

He was cursing him in his mind when the girl steps towards him. Her gown felt heavy on her. His father gifted the gown. The white fabric of the gown stretched deliciously over her torso and the blue sapphire necklace on her neck complimented her eyes. The same eyes which were now looking at him. He wonders what must he look like to her ?

" Do you wish for me to get on the bed ?". Renee asks . Jaime looks towards the bed . It's covered in white sheets. The same one which needs to get ruined tonight as a sign of her innocence.

Jaime looks back in her eyes searching for fear , but he found none.

The girl didn't look afraid.

" Yes , get on it "

He says and walks toward the table beside the bed to pour himself a large glass of wine.

" Do you want some ? ". He asks Renee without looking at her.

" No , I don't drink "

" You should tonight , it will help ". Jaime replies turning back only to see Renee taking off her jewelry and undoing her hair.... Her hair are long... He didn't notice it as they were braided on her head before.

" Only if you are going to hurt me ...". Renee says biting her lip as she undid the last of her braid.

" Don't worry , I want to remember every moment of this night , I want to experience it with my senses intact, be it pleasure or pain ". Renee whispers the last part and shifts back on the bed.

Jaime was impressed by her attitude nonetheless.

He takes a big swig of the wine and drink it in one go.

He then removes his cloak and tunic and then climbs on the bed .

The girl was removing her gown but stopped when Jaime climbed the bed. She stared right at him. Jaime didn't want to see her eyes tonight. Otherwise it will be difficult for him to imagine Cersei.

" Very well then , close your eyes and lay back ". Jaime whispers as he is now just in front of Renee.

" My gown ? ".

" There is no need to take it off "

" But then..."

" Just be quiet "

Renee was silent then . Jaime pulls her gown up to find trousers underneath. He was shocked , he looked up at Renee who was looking at the ceiling.

" Why are you wearing those ?"

Renee looks back at him , she looked irritated.

" I am supposed to be quiet aren't I ?". She retorts.

Jaime just glares at her.

" The gown your father sent is made of silk and it was quite cold , so I wore these ". Renee mumbles.

So that's why she was asking to remove the gown. Jaime thought.

" Remove the gown ". Jaime tells her.

Renee looked straight at him as she undid her laces.

Jaime couldn't understand why she was looking at him again and again.

Was she this confident ? He often heard about how maidens are afraid on their wedding night , some of them are shy even. But his wife in front of him didn't look anything like that.

The last of the laces soon came undone and Renee carefully peeled the gown off her body. 

The shift was almost transparent leaving nothing to imagination. Her skin was snow white just like most northerners who rarely saw full sun.

Renee carefully undid her trousers then until she was left in only her shift.

" Lie down ". Jaime commands again and this time he himself pushed her down. 

'She is shivering ' Jaime notices on touching her arm. She is afraid he concludes because the too wasnt that cold. There were extra firewood places just for tonight.

" Close your eyes "

Renee's POV

A few minutes earlier.

Renee wanted to sew her mouth , like really why did she have to go and tell Ser Jaime about that silly jest.

Now he was making fun of her. 

She ran away from there to her room.

Stupid idiot , why does she always have to deal with idiots ,Robb wasn't enough that gods send her one more in the form of her husband.

She almost ran to her room in anger but all of it melted away looking at Nyx by the door. Her sweet wolf. 

She hopes that she can take her wolf with her to the Rock . She would even throw a huge tantrum if she is not allowed. 

She decided not to drink wine , she wonders if she should have drunk because surely the night wasn't going to be a pleasant one atleast for her.

Her nerves were acting up and she was feeling nervous , but her mother always told her to never show what you feel. She kept her face neutral and always looked him in the eyes to feel a sense of equalness . She just hopes that this stays till the end of the night.

Present 

" Close your eyes ". 

Renee closed her eyes.

Is he going to kiss me ?. She hopes he does , it will calm her nerves for sure.

But he doesn't , Renee could feel his hand on her waist , she felt goosebumps on her skin at the unfamiliar touch.

Kiss me , Renee silently begs . She is frustrated , it's uncomfortable she needs a soothing touch , not the intrusive one she is facing right now .

But seriously what could you expect, he don't love you enough to care for your comfort. Renee thought

She felt a hot breath on her neck , she opened her eyes at that. Ser Jaime still had his undershirt on , he was kissing her neck while his hands moved under her shift. 

She felt tears slip her eyes and clutched his shoulder. 

Ser Jaime stops suddenly. He looks at her in....pity ? She wonders

He wipes her tears off.

" Are you hurt ? ".

Renee shook her head.

" Good , because it didn't even begin yet" He says and Renee wonders if it was a warning .

She soon hears buckle unbuckling and a hand intruding her small clothes.

She wanted to close her eyes and block her mind but she doesn't, 

No she won't be weak minded , she will face everything that comes on her.

The grip on her waist tightens and Renee felt an intrusion .

There it is . 

Ser Jaime pushes more and she felt herself tear apart , more tears stream down her face.

It hurts . 

But no soothing touches came, she looked at the man above her , his face was still in between her shoulders and was he biting ? It felt like he was going to tear her skin off with his teeth.

A final push and he was finally inside her , Renee was stretched to the full . She couldn't bear the pain anymore and brought his face in her hands.

Jaime looked at her confused .

" Please ". Renee says and kiss him . She softly sucks his both lips and try to get lost in the sensation.

The thrusts continue until the seed is spilled in her womb.

Renee still didn't leave him , she continues to hug him .

When Jaime tries to get up ,she pulls him back.

" Can you please stay ? ". Renee asks.

*******************

Chapter Text

Jon's POV

The wedding week was exhausted to be honest. The entire castle was running around working. He helped Jory a bit as he had no work to do. Robb was busy entertaining the guests so was Theon.

He remembers Robb's words but he couldn't believe them . It was a sin , how could Renee be in love with him.

They kissed in the heat of a moment. That was all. It meant nothing to him and he hopes it meant nothing to her as well.

But why was she looking at him that way when she said her marriage vows . He tried to get it out of his mind.

Currently his focus was on following Robb , his brother seemed tensed ,and he even left the feast in the middle which was weird since it was Renee's wedding feast.

He just hopes Robb was not in trouble. 

Jon knew something was definitely wrong as Robb didn't took a horse instead walked straight into the deep forest , even Greywind was not with him.

Was he an idiot ? The forest harboured wild animals in the dark .

He was tired now following him , it was almost an hour but soon Robb came back to a lake , then a weird thing happened , a witch called him. 

Why was Robb associating himself with the witches. The witches were not good beings , he knew that . They could curse you and often make a man mad , ill even kill sometimes.

He looked at them from behind a tree.

After Robb left he turned to follow him but the with called him , with his full name ...

Jon comes out of the shadows.

The witch looked straight at him and then laughed.

" Azor azhai ". She mutters.

What's that name ?

" Come here boy ". Jon was sceptical , he didn't want the witch to cast some evil spell on him.

" Don't worry , I am not going to bite you. The children of forest are your protector "

Jon steps forward.

" What were you telling Robb ? Look whatever your intentions are stay away from us . We don't want anything from you."

" Want nothing ? Your family members had rather queer questions for me ... Don't you want to ask anything ? I'll tell you your future "

" I don't want it. ". Jon tells her and then leave.

" I can even tell you the past ".

Jon halts at that.

The past ?!

" I can tell you about your mother "

Jon stops at that and turns to look.

" How do I know you are not lying ?"

" I know everything about everyone , past present future .... I even know the kiss you shared with Renee, that girl holds affection for you .... A girls first love ...hahahaha ..."

Jon froze at that. How did she know that ? That's impossible.

" How do you know that ? "

" I told you , I know everything about everyone. Your brother Robb and Renee came to ask me several questions ...Go on.. I can answer your too"

" What do you want in return ? "

Jon knew that nothing comes for free. It was even more suspicious that the witch was so adamant on him asking questions.

" Hmm , i want nothing from you boy , just a blood promise and I'll answer your one question "

" Blood promise ? , Is this a trick ? "

" No it's not ..."

Before the witch could finish Jon left from there.

" Come back boy, I'll tell you about your mother "

The witch shouts but Jon doesn't look and walks back to Winterfell. He don't want to involve himself with the witches and whatnot.

He was concerned about Robb , it seems he and Renee did talk with the witch. He worries that both of them are not in trouble.

****************

Cersei's POV

Cersei was happy ...She readied herself in her most expensive dress and jewellery. She looked in the mirror and saw herself look like a queen she is.

Today is the day her brother would marry the stark whore but she will fuck him before his wedding night. Ohh how she wanted his bride to feel jealous and angry , to show it on her face that her husband loved her more .

It was a shame that she couldn't do it . But no worries she will still have Jaime , after months of denying she will finally have her brother and she couldn't wait .

When Jaime said his vows to the girl , she smirked. All these vows are false and meaningless

She is desperately waiting for the night when she could finally sneak off to be with Jaime just before he beds the stark girl. The thought still makes her mad. But she feels satisfied that she might be able to hurt Renee in the worst way possible and she won't even know.

Her plan works , Jaime caught her eye while dancing with his wife , he even followed her back.

She turned right around the corner looking towards the empty corridor behind the godswood. She looked behind to call Jaime but ...but he wasn't there.

" Looking for someone sweet sister "

She immediately turns back hearing a voice but found no one .

" Look down "

Cersei looked down and came face to face with Tyrion , her dwarf brother.

" What are you doing here ? ". She asks.

" I should be the one asking you that sister, it's late , shouldn't you be in your chambers asleep ? The nights are quite cold for someone like you . Your beauty will wither away ". Tyrion says sarcastically.

" Thank you for your concern but it is not required "

" Are you waiting for someone". 

" Why do you care ? "

" Just wanted to inform you that tonight is our brother's wedding night, he won't be free to entertain you ". Tyrion says and then leave

" Good night , sleep well "

Cersei was boiling in anger .

"Does that mean Jaime didn't come , he went to that stark whore ". She immediately threw her emerald necklace off her and into the bushes and left from there .

******************

Robb's POV

Robb was feeling exhausted walking back to Winterfell , he was passing the godswood that he heard someone shouting and a while later someone throwing something . He went there and found no one , thinking it to be one of the servants when he turned to leave , a shining object caught his eyes. It was a necklace , he grabbed it from the bushes. It was made of emerald.

How come it was here ?

He just casually puts it in his robes and move ahead. 

His mind was wandering to the witches words. He was sure the prophecy meant something . He will find that out.

" Wolf of snow , wolf of sand "

He starts with the first line and tries to jut down everything he knows about it.

Wolf means many things. It's the sigil of House Stark. 

Wolf are also found beyond the wall. 

He and his his siblings also own direwolves.

Greywind , Nyx , Lady , Nymeria , Brans wolf , Shaggydog , Ghost.

Snow means cold , snow is also the surname of bastards in the North , like his half brother Jon snow. Snow also indicates north.

And lastly sand. Sand doesn't connect anywhere. Sand means hot area, and the only place where sand is found in Westeros is dorne , sand is also the surname for bastards in Dorne.

" Where have you been ? ". Robb was thinking too hard that he didn't notice that his mother was in front of him

" Mother , I ..." Robb didn't know what to say he was out of excuses.

" I what ? Do you even remember today was your sisters wedding. You didn't even share a dance with her. You should have seen her face she looked so sad , and now she is with the Kingslayer consummating her marriage. Gods why must my daughter suffer ". His mother looked furious.

Robb knew that his sister needed him but he needed his answers more. He had been selfish. Now his sister was all alone with the Kingslayer and he didn't offer her some comfort of anything. She must be feeling so afraid. Robb cursed himself for his selfishness. He should have waited till tomorrow.

" I am sorry mother , I promise I would kill the Kingslayer if he hurt my sister. Tomorrow the first thing that I will do is check on her ".

" You better ". Catelyn says. 

Robb nods and leaves from there. He soon remembers about the necklace, he turned around to tell his mother about it but she was already gone.

*******************

Jaime's POV

Jaime didn't know how he managed to get himself inside Renee. It was awkward being with someone who was not Cersei. The girl was amateur so it was him who has to take the lead , he hid his face in her shoulder and tried to bit it to stop himself from shouting Cersei's name while imagining her. 

When he took her maidenhead , she clutched her shoulder tight and he felt tears wetting his shirt. Soon after he felt her taking his face in her hands. 

He didn't understand what she wanted , she was still so tensed that he couldn't even move inside her.

When he felt her lips on his the second time in the day , he wanted to break away . He didn't want to kiss her. Fucking was one thing but kissing was no. But the desperate look in her eyes which were asking for something he didn't know and the please that fell from her lips made him pity her.

It was the poor girls first time. He would let her do it , whatever she finds comfort in.

The girl kept sucking his lips but he didn't reciprocate. His all attention was to finish as soon as possible

He did finish after a few minutes. He hopes she gets with child soon for he didn't want to do it again.

When he turns to leave she refuses to let go and hugs him asking him to stay.

" Can you please stay ? ". Her eyes were drowsy and red.

" My work is done "

" I am not feeling good , please just for tonight "

The girl sounded drunk but he was sure she didn't drink.

Jaime was conflicted if he should stay, he didn't want her to misunderstand that he loved her or cared for her ..

No , he could only ever love Cersei .

No one can come close to her ,not even his.wife.

" Fine , but first let's clean up ". He says looking at the mess on the bed. The sheets were bloody with her blood and the fluids.

He tries to leave but Renee didn't lose her hold on his waist. She still had her legs wrapped tightly around his hips.

" Wait.." she says sitting up without releasing him.

She tore a short piece of cloth from her shift and cleans between her legs.

She winces as she do it. 

She tore another piece and give it to him. She didnt look at him at all when he cleaned himself.. well both of them were still dressed.

He quick pull on his pants and Renee hugs him again and goes to sleep.

She must be truly tired for she was asleep within minutes.

Jaime closes his eyes too, thinking it that it's only just one time thing , he can relent.

Sleep soon overtake him too and both of them slept tangled together.

What Jaime didn't know was that it was probably the beginning of this routine ....and a storm was waiting for him tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

"  Elia !! , Elia !!! ".  A young woman was running across a garden of roses.

She soon reached the godswood there. Sitting under the tree was a beautiful Olive skinned woman whose name was Elia. She was cradling a little girl in her arms who looked exactly like her.

" Don't run so fast ... What happened ? "

" I found a cat , look ". The cat was a baby of brown colour with pale eyes , it was cute.

" I found this cat ... Isn't she beautiful "

" She is ... Oh my Rhaenys would like it , won't you my sweet baby ". The baby in her arms cooed at the cat. Elia soon set her down on the grass and let her play with the cat.

" You should go get ready ". Princess Elia said to the girl.

" Lord Tywin will be here soon with his children... Your father would want you to meet them "

" I already see Lord Tywin everyday , he is the hand of the king "  The young woman huffs.

" But you don't see his children. I heard that Lady Cersei is the most beautiful woman in the seven kingdoms and Jaime Lannister is a valiant young man squiring for Ser Barristan Selmy and young Tyrion... ".

Elia fell silent.

" He is a dwarf and Cersei is always after Rhaegar , you should have seen her buzzing around him like a bee even when you have already married him."

Princess Elia smiled.         

" Why are you smiling ? Aren't you worried about that , another woman vying for your husband's attention ..  doesn't that bother you ? "

" Of course it bothers me. But as you said Rhaegar is married to me. He is mine. He is an honorable man , he would never shame me and our marriage.."

The girl didn't look convinced. Princess Elia gently lays her hand on her shoulder.

" Weren't you and Cersei good friends before? You should try to talk with her again .."

" I don't want to talk with her... She has changed"

" What about Jaime ? ... He is a handsome young man capable of swaying your heart" Elia says teasingly.

" Elia !! ". 

" Well well " Elia puts her hand up in surrender." I am.not implying anything, it's just that you can marry him someday , your father seems rather keen at the prospect "

" My father is an idiot " Princess Elia gasps.

" You shouldn't say such treasonous words aloud "

The young girl laughs .

" Or what ? He will burn me ?! "

Renee wakes up gasping , she couldn't move somehow and it's quite hot. She looked around to see herself tangled with her husband. Her arms were around his torso while her legs wounded around his waist. Renee was never such a cuddly sleeper. Seems like last night was a bit overwhelming for her sanity . She carefully untangles herself and moves out of the bed and look for a glass of water.

Princess Elia ???!

She was dreaming of Princess Elia ?. Prince Rhaegar wife. The one who got murdered and rape by the mountain.

Renee takes large gulps of water, trying to calm her mind. Were the Lannisters familiar with Princess Elia ? Was she dreaming of the past ? Tywin Lannister was the hand of the king. Cersei lannister vying for Prince Rhaegar and Jaime Lannister not yet a knight but just a squire. What's the meaning of all this ?.. she was confused but was glad that she didn't end up screaming and frightening her husband.

She looked at Ser Jaime on the bed. Last night she lost her maidenhead to him. She could still feel the soreness in her nether regions.

She remembered Cersei's words about how Ser Jaime can be quite rough . He wasn't rough but he wasn't gentle like those lords and knights in the tales Sansa and Jeyne loved to read. The tales that she too once believed in.

She saw her wedding dress tangling by the bedside and retrieves it . It was very expensive and she wanted to preserve it as a memory.

Last night was a night that she won't forget. There was nothing worth remembering but she still won't forget it. Because she wanted to always remember how she got treated by Ser Jaime.

She wants to take a quick bath , but one look out of the window and she knows it still quite early , no one is awoke this time. She goes back on the bed and carefully observed the man laying on it . It was quite an unfamiliar sight seeing a man on her bed who wasn't Robb or her father or her brothers on her bed.

She don't know if she should wake him up. He looked quite peaceful sleeping. His face marred with lines that states his old age. His blonde hair tousled. She remembered how she kissed him last night and begged him to stay with her..

She was embarrassed thinking about it. What he must be thinking of me , a needy wanton wife. 

" Ser Jaime ! ". Renee whispers quietly near him. She didn't want to startle him by shouting.

" Ser Jaime ! ".

She shouts again but Jaime didn't stir up.

" Husband ! ... Lord Jaime !!. .. "

She starts poking him with finger.

" Did the wine have milk of the poppy in it last night ". She says frustrated.

" What should I do now ? I couldn't go out asking for maids , looking like this "

It goes on for a few minutes , with Renee calling him with almost every night. Finally exhausted she shouts the name she didn't want to.

" KINGSLAYER !! ".  That worked for Jaime jolted awake immediately. His jaw was clenched but his face hold confusion.

He looks around. Renee was a bit frightened she just shouted Kingslayer on his face so early. She hopes he doesn't become a wife slayer.

Jaime soon recognising the source of voice turns to Renee.

" What did you call me ? ".

" Nothing ". Renee says and turned around biting her tongue. Great just great , you angered him and it's not even a day since you married him

Jaime narrowed his eyes " I heard the word Kingslayer ".

" You heard only that " Renee says. Does he has selective hearing ?.

Jaime raises an eyebrow "what do you mean?"

" I mean that I have been you calling you for so long ? You didn't hear that ?" Renee says turning around .

" And you have been calling me Kingslayer?" Jaime asks amused, his jaw was still clenched.

" Noo..no ofcourse not. Who dares say that to you ? You must be dreaming ". Renee says with a nervous laugh.

Jaime continues to stare at her . Renee wanted to escape so she immediately changes the topic.

" Ser Jaime , umm I wanted to bath and call the maids ,but it's still quite early and I can't go out like this " Renee said pointing at her torn and soiled shift. Jaime glanced at her condition before nodding and getting up.

" Aren't you feeling cold ? " Jaime asks before going over to get a pair of doublet for his undershirt.

" No I am used to this much cold , infact last night it was very warm for someone like me " Renee says. 

" Then you might have a bit of trouble at the Casterly Rock , it's certainly warmer there compared to the freezing cold of the south". Jaime says putting on his doublet and straightening his hair with his hand. He turns to leave before saying , " I just hope that the stunt you put last night was just a one time thing . I am not a man to indulge in such things " .

Renee was stunned standing there .                  " How rude !!! I am not dying to sleep with you anyways " Renee says loudly behind him wishing he would hear her. 

******************

Catelyn's POV

Catelyn rushed to Renee's chambers as soon as sun was up. She wanted to ensure her daughter was alright. 

She had hoped she would be the first to open Renee's chambers but by the time she reached there , the chambers were all lively with maids rushing in and out.

She went in and found the room almost all cleaned up.

" My lady ". A servant girl came up to her with soiled sheets in her hand. The proof of her daughter's innocence.

" Give them to me ". Catleyn commands and take the sheets.

" Did Ser Jaime already left ? "

" Yes my lady , he called for us and asked for help in dressing lady Lannister. She is still in the bath "

Catelyn nods . Lady Lannister , using such a title on her daughter was a strange feeling. She was only just a girl a night before and now she was a woman grown , a lady of house lannister. The wife of the Kingslayer and the daughter in law of the cruel old lion , Tywin Lannister .

Catleyn rushes to the small room where the bath was set up. Renee was seated in the tub with her eyes closed. All the maids bowed lowly before she asked them to leave.

Catelyn carefully sat at the edge of the tub and gently caresses Renee's hair.

Renee opened her eyes . " Mother " She exclaimed with a smile.

Catelyn thank the gods that her daughter wasn't as miserable as she was certain she would be.

" Renee , child are you ok ? ".

Renee nodded," I am fine mother. Ser Jaime wasn't bad to me "

" It means he wasn't kind as well " . Catelyn could read in between lines. She carefully took her daughter's chin in her hands.

" Was he kind ? Did he hurt you ? "

" He didn't hurt me. But I believe I made him mad , I ..I .."

" What did you do ? "

" I asked him to stay with me after we consumated the marriage. I was feeling so weird , I wanted someone by my side so I asked him to stay and hugged him all night"

" Was he angry ? "

" Not angry , but mad. He said early this morning that he was not the man who indulge in such things and...."

" And ? "

" I called him Kingslayer "

Catelyn laughed at that." On his face ? "

Renee nodded. Catelyn laughs more.

" Mother !!! Stop laughing. He guessed he was dreaming ... What could I have done ? He was sleeping like he was drugged out of his mind "

Catelyn stops laughing at last. " It's fine Renee , you just called him what he is. " She says caressing Renee's cheeks when her eyes caught something.

" What is it ? " Catelyn says turning Renee's neck.

" Ouch mother " Renee winces

There was a bite mark on her neck. It was quite red.

Catelyn was shocked.        

" It .. Ser Jaime.. umm ". Renee fumbled around for words. 

" And you told me he wasn't rough ". Catelyn chided.

" I didn't lie...  I.. how will I cover it ? "

***********

Renee's POV

The answer to the question was in front of her. Sansa has completed the scarf that she promised a few days ago.. The scarf was a beauty red with a golden lion on the edge.It suited well with her red dress .

" It's so beautiful Sansa , thank you so much"

Sansa blushed at the praise.

" I am glad you liked it .."

Renee nodded , " I liked it very much ". 

Renee then wrapped the scarf around her neck in a makeshift bow to hide the bite mark which turned a deep purple now. It hurts a lot now. 

They soon enter the great hall which was mostly empty except the Queen and Princess Myrcella along with her mother and Arya.

Renee curtsies to the Queen and Princess and sat beside her mother along with Sansa.

" You look really beautiful , Aunt Renee "

" Thank you Princess "

Myrcella smiled and continued eating her lemon cakes.

" Marriage suits you, I hope my brother was kind last night. Your scarf looks beautiful , who made it ?" Cersei says smilingly. Renee was sceptical if Cersei truly let go of the hatred she had for her.

" Yes your grace , Ser Jaime was kind. My dear sister Sansa made this scarf for me"

Sansa blushed at the attention and looked at the Queen.

" You are such a talented child , you must make something for me as well. "

" I would love that your grace ". 

" Where is father ? Mother ". Renee says addressing Catelyn.

" Your father went with the King for hunting."

" Ohh but weren't we suppose to leave today?" Catelyn shrugs.

" What about Robb ? ".

" He went with them to accompany the Prince, he was sorry last night , he couldn't meet you " Catelyn says.

Renee just nods her head , she really wanted to meet her father and Robb before leaving. She just sighs and continues eating when her eyes caught Arya's. Her littlest sister looked annoyed. She couldn't understand why. She soon caught her eye and asks her what happened with her hand movements ?.

Arya says later with her hand gesture

Renee wonders what's the deal ?

***************

Chapter Text

Jaime' s POV

Jaime was sure that his wife called him Kingslayer the moment he woke up. 

The name still put a sour taste in his mouth , but murdering his wife the very next day of the wedding wasn't a good idea.

So he left the room as soon as possible but encountered the little wolfling that Renee called Nyx. It was guarding the door as always and it was glaring at him again. Jaime quite curious kneeled down .

" Hey I haven't done anything stop glaring". The wolf didn't respond but continued glaring. Jaime didn't dare touch it , he didn't want to lose his hand. The wolf was still at the height of the kitchen table , but it's fangs looked sharp enough.

" You just stay here guarding the door , i hope you are not following us to Casterly Rock , the lions there will rip you apart ". Jaime chuckles and leaves from there searching some maids to help Renee.

The girl looked pitiful with her shift torn , hair messed up. He even spotted a dark red bruise on her neck. No doubt it was his bite mark . Last night he really was focused on her neck. He didn't even see her properly but there was no need to , for he was not looking for pleasure and he wasn't interested giving it in return.

After he informed the maids , he returned back to his guest chambers where he was staying previously. He immediately freshened up without the help of a squire. He didn't wish to go look for one now. It was still early morning , the sun didn't even rise yet.

Jaime hissed washing his back and shoulder. There were bruises on his shoulder . Renee gripped them too hard last night. He will ask her to grip the sheets next time.

He arrived at the hall in hopes of avoiding the king and have something to eat but nothing that sort of happened when he saw a lively great hall. The king, Ned Stark, Joffrey , Robb Stark , his brother Tyrion, the hound , Roose Bolton, Theon Greyjoy , and almost every male present currently in Winterfell were gathered there.

Jaime entered the room and the room fell silent. Jaime internally was awed that he still had the capability to make a room silent. His aura was still so strong , thanks to his reputation as the Kingslayer.

He walks towards the King and bowed.

" Your grace "

" Kingslayer , you are here . I had hoped for you to spend more time with your wife. " Robert laughs. Ned Stark and his son has a stiff look on their face.

" So how was it ? Did she treat you good ? Years of loneliness must have made it even more so enjoyable ". Robb jests again and this time almost everyone laughs.

" I suppose you will never know your grace " Jaime replies then turns to Ned stark.

" Lord father " he greets him."Good brother " he greets Robb and couldn't help smirking at their discomfort.

" Ser Jaime " Robb says while Ned just gave a small nod. Jaime then takes his seat next to Tyrion .

" Ahh forego the pleasantries. It's getting late. Finish up the food. We should leave before the sun rises ". Robert says and everyone rises.

Jaime looked confused and asked Tyrion.       " What is he talking about ? Weren't we supposed to leave after noon ? "

" The king isn't leaving for king's landing . He is talking about the hunt . We will leave for king's landing tomorrow " Tyrion says taking a deep swig of wine.

" And you are joining them ? " Jaime asks surprised since Tyrion was never interested in such things.

" Why , yes of course. It's the perfect time to show off the saddle I so carefully designed. Aren't you joining us dear brother ? Or do you wish to be with your wife the whole day " Tyrion says smirking.

" I have more important things than to join some silly hunt. My wife would rather prefer the company of her mother I would say. She will spend the rest of her life with me, there is only a day left for her to be with her mother."

" Hmm, sounds sad. I couldn't imagine being away from our father for so long. ". Tyrion says sarcastically and Jaime couldn't hold a laugh.

" Talking of father, have you received any letters. " Jaime asks taking a bite of bread. 

" Ohh yes I did. Here ". Tyrion says handing the letter.

Jaime takes the letter but didn't open it . Tyrion continues.

" Have you met our sweet sister ?".

Jaime looks at him incredulously.

" Cersei ? What about her ? ".

" She was quite mad yesterday, looked ready to kill anyone. "

Jaime grew a little silent at that. He was supposed to meet Cersei. She would be heartbroken last night just like he was , the day she married the oaf king. Jaime continues drinking hot chocolate while thinking of ways to make up to his sister. His sweet sister , he loved so much.

Tyrion was looking at his brother being so hopelessly in love with their sister. He pitied him , and he pitied the stark girl more who was now in between these two lions who will rip her apart sooner than later.

**********************

Robbs POV

Robb hated mornings yet when Theon came knocking his door so early saying that he can join the hunt , he agreed. There were not many hunts organised in Winterfell. So he didn't want to miss the opportunity. He was also in a good mood that no dream came to him like last night.

He got ready and went downstairs where the king was already discussing his wish to hunt atleast 5 boars by the time the hunt end. His father was beside him looking grim. He looked like that since the king came. The carefree and loving look on his father was gone. 

Robb made his way towards them and came face to face with Joffrey.

" Stark " He says with a spiteful tone. The hound just behind him.

" Your grace ". Robb gritted his teeth.

" What are you doing here ? I don't remember boys being allowed to hunt " Joffrey says with a mocking tone. Robb knew the prince was trying to get a rise out of him so he maintained his composure and replied.

" I am older than you , your grace . Surely you are as much of a boy as I am "

" You watch your tongue " Joffrey says but got interrupted.

" Ahh nephew pleasant morning ". It was Tyrion.

" Robb Stark , pleasure to meet you ". He then turns towards Robb while forwarding the hand.

Robb takes his hand." Tyrion Lannister , likewise"

" Are you joining us as well ? Uncle ". Joffrey says amused ."I wonder How will you ride ? "

" You wonder too much, my prince , Houndgo take the prince for supper . He is hungry". Tyrion says which made Joffrey angry but he left soon.

Robb was amused to say the least. He didn't think anyone dared to talk to Joffrey that way.

" You are amusing lord Tyrion ". Robb comments.

" Ahh yes. My stature sure amused most people". Robb laughs at that. 

" I didn't mean that. Your courage is admirable. Talking to the prince like that"

Tyrion laughs this time . " Well someone needs to put him in place time to time. It just so happens to be me. Enough about that already. Are you joining us for the hunt ? "

" Uhh. Yes I would love that. It's not often such hunts are conducted in Winterfell ". Robb says walking towards the high table. He wished to meet Renee the first thing in the morning. But she might not be awake yet.

" Why ? Lord Stark don't like hunting "

" You can say so. The North is cold , not many animals are found here. Father wants to preserve as many as he can ... We can't have North just be a barren land with only woods and humans can we !?"

" Ahh yes of course ... I hope you are taking your wolves with you , they can be good hunters ". Tyrion asks seating on the table.

" I hope so , if the king allows "

Robb says smiling. Tyrion Lannister was a man of wit. He can have interesting talks with him all day. They talked about different animals found in the north and beyond the wall. Tyrion said about the mass extinction of lions in Casterly Rocks by hunters nearly a century ago.

" Is Ser Jaime not joining the hunt ? " Robb asks curiously 

" I think he might be busy. He just got married yesterday. " Tyrion says.

Robb nodded and left 

Soon the Kingslayer entered the room looking as dashing and arrogant as always. He made the entire room silent.

After the forced greetings , the king urged to get moving before sun breaks so they reached they reached the stables climbing the horses.

His mind was back on the necklace in his cloak that he didn't take out last night. He took it out , the emerald necklace. It looked expensive. Surely not of some servant girl or lowborn noble. 

He was swinging it around his finger that a figure Approached him.

" Robb Stark ". It was Ser Jaime.

" Ser Jaime "

" The necklace seems quite pretty . For your lover ?". Jaime asks amused . Robb laughed at that.

" Oh no. I have no lovers and the necklace is quite expensive to be given to any lover "

" So Renee then , a wedding gift I presume "  Jaime says .

" Actually no , I found it lying in the bushes. I am having trouble finding the owner of it ". Robb says and he tries to put it back in his cloak. But Jaime stops him.

" So it's not yours. Let me have a look ". Robb gives the necklace to Jaime. A bit suspicious. Jaime's eyes widen a bit .

" I think I know who this belongs to "

" Who ? ". Robb asks.

" My sister , it seems the Queen must have dropped it or it might be one of her ladies.". Jaime says putting the necklace in his cloak.

" No worries , I'll make sure to hand it over to her. Hope you have a great hunt.". Jaime says and left from there.

The necklace belongs to the Queen !!!. Robb couldn't digest the fact. Then what was it doing in the bushes of such a deserted corridor. He didn't believe that the queen would be so careless as to drop something so precious.

Robb knew that things weren't as they were looking. 

" Robb come over , it's getting late ". Theon shouted .

" Coming !! ". Robb responds and the hunt part leaves.

******************

Renee's POV

" I am afraid lady stark , but it's time for Myrcella's lessons. We should leave. " Cersei says sounding apologetic .

" No it's fine my queen." Catelyn says .

" I hope we could have a good chat before the man arrives , I have many questions for you good sister ". Cersei says looking at Renee with a smirk.

" Of course, your grace . I and Sansa will surely join you ". Renee replies. Cersei nods and left with Myrcella following her who waved at Renee. Renee smiled at that and waved back.

" The Queen didn't mention me Renee , why did you say that both of us will join her ". Sansa says looking afraid.

" Don't you want to talk with the queen and princess about the Capitol ". Renee aks taking a sip of her tea

Sansa nods , " Thank you ".

" Anything for you my sweet sister ". Renee says and they both laugh.

**************

Renee spend the rest of her afternoon looking after Nyx and Shaggydog. Rickon was having trouble feeding the wolf alone. She was teaching him how to do it as she would leave tomorrow.

" Look now you got it ? " Renee asks.

Rickon nods. His hair waving with each nod. Renee laughs at that and took.him in her arms.

" My littlest brother , you are so cute ". Renee says kissing his cheek and twirling him around all the while Rickon laughs and giggles. 

" Renee put me down, everything is going round round ". Rickon exclaims. Renee puts him down.

" Ok here. Now whenever you need any help teaching Shaggydog anything go ask Robb. Greywind is the largest of our pack. God knows what Robb us feeding him !! ". Renee laughs.

" Are you leaving ? Mother said you are going to your husband's house ". Rickon asks

Renee sat down on the grass and pulls Rickon in her lap. Nyx and Shaggydog also lay down beside them.

Rickon is so young , only three years , he couldn't understand why father and his sisters were leaving. Renee thinks .

" Yes , mother is right. I will leave tomorrow by the first ray of Light. You see I am now married to Ser Jaime like father is to mother. So I must leave with him to.his place to take care of.him and his family.  ". Renee gently explains ruffling his hair which were so soft.

" So you won't come back " Rickon asks sadly.

" Not for a long time. But if you wish I can come back every year on your nameday and I'll even bring you treats and a sword from the south. Then you will be able to fight like a knight  ". Renee says pushing his arm out like he is holding a sword.

Rickon laughs ," Really ? ".

" Yes, I'll even bring one for bran . "

" And what about me ? " A voice asks from behind. It was Arya.

" You won't bring one for me , just because I am a girl ". Arya asks frowning and sat beside them.

Rickon waves at Arya excitedly but she ignores him. Renee knew that was weird , something was bothering her sister. 

" Rickon , why don't you go play with Nyx and Shaggydog , they seem so lonely . But don't go away from the godswood , ok ?". Rickon nods and rushes towards them as fast as his little legs could allow.

" Don't be lonely Shaggydog , I am coming "

Renee laughs at his cuteness.  She then turns towards Arya..

" Now tell me what's bothering you? "

" Father wants me to get married to some Bolton. He wants to send me to dreadfort". Arya says crossing her arms..

Renee was shocked. " What do you mean ? Father told you that ? "

" He didn't tell me. I overheard talking to them on your wedding night. Lord Bolton was telling father that a compensation is required for the bride they lost. Sansa was out of question  , so it has to be me " Arya says looking down she was angry and sad and mad. Renee could tell that. She immediately hugs her.

" Father didn't inform you that means that he hasn't agreed. Father even refused my hand even though I was much older than you. He surely won't agree.for you as well. You don't have to worry , we are leaving for the south tomorrow. By the time you come of age, it will all be forgotten ". Renee says trying to comfort Arya. Roose Bolton was so adamant for a stark wife. She couldn't understand his motive for that.. surely there were many maidens in the north from prominent houses like Alys Karstark , Meera Reed.. they were of age unlike Arya.

" And what about my sword ? " Arya asks suddenly. 

" Hmm , well I could only get wooden swords for bran and Rickon but surely you will have a real sword soon of your own. You can get one from the Capitol. I heard there are many skilled blacksmiths there". 

" Then I will befriend a blacksmith so he will give me one for free " . Arya exclaims happily.Renee laughs.

Soon the laughing atmosphere is ruined by a scream and wolves howling.

Renee and Arya frightened ran towards the sound . They saw the worst shock of their life there. It was Bran who was fainted on the ground with his legs twisted in the worst position.

" Bran !!!!!!!!! ". 

**********************

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

How the hell did Robb got Cersei's necklace?  He recognised the necklace at once but wanted to confirm it fearing it being some copy. But when he held it , he knew it was  of  Cersei. The necklace had a lion imprint on the hook. It was a gift from their father to Cersei when Tommen was born.

Jaime carefully kept the necklace in his breeches , thinking that he will give it to her during their meeting. 

And the real task began , searching Cersei. It was not quite difficult as he saw her walking out of the great hall with Myrcella on toe.

" Uncle Jaime ". Myrcella greets him.

Jaime just passed a small smile and bowed.

" Princess "

" Cersei" Jaime greets her wanting to talk further. He wanted to talk with her. He knew she was angry that he didn't come last night.

" It's Queen Cersei for you , Lord Jaime ". Cersei says coldly and turned to leave but Jaime followed.

" Myrcella , can you go get Tommen. I think he is playing with his kittens again "

Myrcella nods and leave but not before eyeing the two of them . 

Jaime hopes she don't think that they were fighting.

" Cersei ! " Jaime says taking her arm.

" I am sorry. Last night , I wanted to come with you .. "

" Shh. Not here ". Cersei reprimands him . She looks around carefully and started moving to some place.

It was some old broken tower with moss covering , pillars dirty . It seems deserted.

" Cersei listen to me .. " Jaime tries again to talk with her.

" What is there to listen ? You chose that stark whore over me , over us. You went to her last night. I had hoped that we would spend some time together before you go fuck her. Tell me Jaime , were you so desperate to go meet your new wife. The one who is young , pretty , a virgin . Hah of course all men are same. I am no longer the young virgin maiden , so you go around looking for a fresh cunt to stick your cock in. You and Robert have no difference ...". Cersei continues rambling but Jaime cut her off by pulling her to him and kissing her. The kiss was desperate , needy and dominating.

Jaime couldn't believe how could Cersei ever compared him to Robert. He only ever loved one woman his entire life and that was Cersei. He didn't love Renee. She was just a duty for him. Nothing else.

Jaime break off the kiss and took her face in his hands.

" I am not like Robert. I only Iove you and you. We both are meant to be together. I can never love anyone other than you. Do you understand ? "

Cersei was still breathing hard , " Then why did you abandon me for your little wife Last night ? Did you know I was waiting for you the whole night. I wanted to show you this place. No one comes here. We could have spent some time here...."

Jaime's heart broke hearing that. He couldn't bear seeing Cersei in pain. He hugs her.

" I am sorry, I am sorry ... Robert stopped me from following you. I had no choice . Forgive me ". Jaime asks desperately.

Cersei looks at him ," Did you enjoy ? ".

Jaime looked at her confused 

" Fucking her ? ". 

Jaime knew who ' her ' was.

" No. It was a duty and as you said fucking .. I could never make love to her like I do "

" Then make love to me , sweet brother ". Cersei says with an undertone and starts loosening her gown.

Jaime smirks a bit , " Gladly ".

Both of them fall into the rhythm of flesh that they are so familiar with.

What they didn't expect was that an unexpected visitor was soon to be joining them .

******************†*

Bran's POV

The hunt left at dawn. The king wanted wild boar at the feast before they leave. On the morrow they left for the south. 

Bran had been left behind with Jon and the girls and Rickon. But Rickon was only a baby and the girls were only girls and Jon and his wolf were nowhere to be found. Bran  did not look for him very hard. He thought Jon was angry at him. Jon seemed to be  angry at everyone these days. Bran did not know why. He was going with Uncle Ben to  the Wall, to join the Night’s Watch. That was almost as good as going south with the  king. Robb was the one they were leaving behind, not Jon. 

For days, Bran could scarcely wait to be off. He was going to ride the kingsroad on a horse of his own, not a pony but a real horse. His father would be the Hand of the King,  and they were going to live in the red castle at King’s Landing, the castle the Dragonlords  had built. Old Nan said there were ghosts there, and dungeons where terrible things had  been done, and dragon heads on the walls. It gave Bran a shiver just to think of it, but he  was not afraid. How could he be afraid? His father would be with him, and the king with  all his knights and sworn swords. 

Bran was going to be a knight himself someday, one of the Kingsguard. Old Nan said they were the finest swords in all the realm. There were only seven of them, and they  wore white armor and had no wives or children, but lived only to serve the king. Bran  knew all the stories. Their names were like music to him. Serwyn of the Mirror Shield.  Ser Ryam Redwyne. Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. The twins Ser Erryk and Ser  Arryk, who had died on one another’s swords hundreds of years ago, when brother  fought sister in the war the singers called the Dance of the Dragons. The White Bull,  Gerold Hightower. Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. Barristan the Bold. 

Two of the Kingsguard had come north with King Robert. Bran had watched them with fascination, never quite daring to speak to them. Ser Boros was a bald man with a jowly  face, and Ser Meryn had droopy eyes and a beard the color of rust. Ser Jaime Lannister  looked more like the knights in the stories, and he was of the Kingsguard too, but Robb  said he had killed the old mad king and shouldn’t count anymore. He was also relieved of his vows so he could marry Renee. He was curious if Renee would like being called around the Kingslayer's wife. He had heard many men from the North and the South calling her that when she got married to Ser Jaime last night. He told his mother about it and she seemed angry and told him to not listen to such gossip and stand for his sister if these man tried to dishonor her.

The greatest living knight was Ser Barristan Selmy, Barristan the Bold, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Father had promised that they would meet Ser Barristan when they reached King’s Landing, and Bran had been marking the days on his wall, eager to depart, to see  a world he had only dreamt of and begin a life he could scarcely imagine. 

Yet now that the last day was at hand, suddenly Bran felt lost. Winterfell had been the only home he had ever known. His father had told him that he ought to say his farewells  today, and he had tried. After the hunt had ridden out, he wandered through the castle  with his wolf at his side, intending to visit the ones who would be left behind, Old Nan  and Gage the cook, Mikken in his smithy, Hodor the stableboy who smiled so much and  took care of his pony and never said anything but “Hodor,” the man in the glass gardens who gave him a blackberry when he came to visit . . .

But it was no good. He had gone to the stable first, and seen his pony there in its stall,except it wasn’t his pony anymore, he was getting a real horse and leaving the pony behind, and all of a sudden Bran just wanted to sit down and cry. He turned and ran off before Hodor and the other stable boys could see the tears in his eyes.

That was the end of his farewells. He sat by courtyard trying to teach his wolf bit failing.

He was still trying to decide on a name. Robb was calling his Grey Wind, because he ran so fast. Renee has named hers Nyx because it was so black. Sansa had named hers Lady, and Arya named hers after some old witch queen in the songs, and little Rickon called his Shaggydog, which Bran thought was a pretty stupid name for a direwolf. Jon’s wolf, the white one, was Ghost.

Bran wished he had thought of that first, even though his wolf wasn’t white. He had tried a hundred names in the last fortnight, but none of them sounded right.

Finally he got tired of teaching and decided to go climbing. He hadn’t been up tothe broken tower for weeks with everything that had happened, and this might be his last chance.

He raced across the godswood. There he saw Renee and Arya sitting by the heart tree talking. He avoided being seen by them and rushed to the tower. He feared that they might tell his mother about how he was climbing even after he promised not to.

But soon he was stopped again this time by his younger brother , Rickon.

" Where are you going bran ? ". Rickon asks. Nyx and Shaggydog were behind him. His wolf sensing his mates walks to them . Nyx nuzzles her head in his fur.

" To the tower , don't follow me and take care of my wolf also ". Bran says before he rushes again.

His wolf didn't listen and came sprinting at his heels. “You stay here,” he told him. Bran scratched him behind the ears, then turned away and ran towards the tower. He began climbing the tree nearest to it . He was halfway up the tower,moving easily from limb to limb, when the wolf got to his feet and began to howl.

Bran looked back down. His wolf fell silent, staring up at him through slitted yelloweyes. A strange chill went through him. He began to climb again. Once more the wolfhowled. “Quiet,” he yelled. “Sit down. Stay. You’re worse than Mother.”

Soon he reached the top of the tower. There he heard voices.

“I do not like it,” a woman was saying. “You should be the Hand.” 

“Gods forbid,” a man’s voice replied lazily. “It’s not an honor I’d want. There’s far too much work involved. Besides the King has already granted me an honor of being the lord of Casterly Rock now "

Bran hung, listening, suddenly afraid to go on. They might glimpse his feet if he tried to swing by. 

Lord of Casterly Rock ?! Is he Ser Jaime ?

“ Father is all too happy about it anyway. But don’t you see the danger this puts us in?” the woman said. “Robert loves the man like a brother.” 

“Robert can barely stomach his brothers. Not that I blame him. Stannis would be enough to give anyone indigestion.” 

“Don’t play the fool. Stannis and Renly are one thing, and Eddard Stark is quite another. Robert will listen to Stark. Damn them both. I should have insisted that he name you, but I was certain Stark would refuse him.”

“We ought to count ourselves fortunate,” Ser Jaime said. “The king might as easily have named one of his brothers, or even Littlefinger, gods help us. Give me honorable  enemies rather than ambitious ones, and I’ll sleep more easily by night.” 

They were talking about Father, Bran realized. He wanted to hear more. A few more feet . . . but they would see him if he swung out in front of the window. 

“We will have to watch him carefully, but alas you are leaving soon with that stark whore. All the troubles coming together.” the woman said.

“I would sooner watch you,” the man said. He sounded bored. “Come back here.”

“Lord Eddard has never taken any interest in anything that happened south of the Neck,” the woman said. “Never. I tell you, he means to move against us. Why else would  he leave the seat of his power?. He even got you married to Renee. He surely wants to get control over Casterly Rock too.” 

" He might be leaving the Winterfell for over A hundred reasons. Duty. Honor. He yearns to write his name large across the book of history, to get away from his wife, or both. Perhaps he just wants to be warm for once in  his life. As for Renee , she is just a child. She don't have the power to control Casterly Rock , especially when father is still the lord . He would never allow her”

Bran finally knew that it was the Queen and her brother and they were discussing about his father and Renee. They didn't like them. To hear more he leans more grabbing the vine hanging by.

Cersei scoffs.

" What about when you become the Lord. You will father her children. She will gain power through her son. "

Jaime laughs , " You think too much. It didn't even happen yet. "

" But it will in the future. I can't stand her . Gods Jaime , she will be by your side from now. I won't be there with you. What If she tempts you. Young woman like her are temptress skilled in seducing man for their benefits " 

Bran hears a sighing sound.

" Why are we talking about her ? I told you already she is a meek girl . Last night I witnessed that. You need not worry about her "

“ Fine , if not Renee then her Father. His wife is Lady Arryn’s sister. It’s a wonder Lysa was not here to greet us with her accusations.” 

“You fret too much. Lysa Arryn is a frightened cow.”

“That frightened cow shared Jon Arryn’s bed.”

“If she knew anything, she would have gone to Robert before she fled King’s Landing.”

“When he had already agreed to foster that weakling son of hers at Casterly Rock? I think not. She knew the boy’s life would be hostage to her silence. She may grow bolder now that he’s safe atop the Eyrie.”

“Mothers.” The man made the word sound like a curse. “I think birthing does something to your minds. You are all mad.” He laughed. It was a bitter sound.

“Let Lady Arryn grow as bold as she likes. Whatever she knows, whatever she thinks she knows, she has no proof.” He paused a moment. “Or does she?”

“Do you think the king will require proof?” the woman said. “I tell you, he loves me not.”

“And whose fault is that, sweet sister?”

Bran grabbed the vine tightly and tried to stable himself. He looked down , he knew he could fall.He was not sure what he was hearing, but he knew it was not meant for his ears.

“You are as blind as Robert,” the woman was saying.

“If you mean I see the same thing, yes,” the man said. “I see a man who would sooner die than betray his king.”

“He betrayed one already, or have you forgotten?” the woman said. “Oh, I don’t deny  he’s loyal to Robert, that’s obvious. What happens when Robert dies and Joff takes the throne.  And the sooner that comes to pass, the safer we’ll all be. My husband grows more restless every day. Having Stark beside him will only make him worse. He’s still in love with the sister, the insipid little dead sixteen-year-old. How long till he decides top me aside for some new Lyanna?. He already gave you a Lyanna lookalike as a bride”

Bran was suddenly very frightened. He wanted nothing so much as to go back the way he had come, to find his brothers. Only what would he tell them? 

Ser Jaime sighed. " You worry about Renee too much. She don't look like Lyanna and I don't love her . You should think less about the future and more about the pleasuresat hand.”

“Stop that!” the woman said. Bran heard the sudden slap of flesh on flesh, then theman’s laughter.

“All this talk is getting very tiresome, sister,” the man said. “Come here and be quiet.”

Bran let go of the vine and began moving towards the balcony . He gripped the ledge and tried to hold onto it to keep balance.

Bran looked inside, both of them were wrestling. They were both naked. The man’s back was to him, and his body screened the woman  from view as he pushed her up against a wall. 

There were soft, wet sounds. Bran realized they were kissing. He watched, wide-eyed and frightened, his breath tight in his throat. Ser Jaime had a hand down between her  legs, and he must have been hurting her there, because the queen started to moan, low  in her throat. “Stop it,” she said, “stop it, stop it. Oh, please . . . ”

But her voice was lowa weak, and she did not push him away. Her hands buried themselves in his hair, his tangled golden hair, and pulled his face down to her breast.

Bran saw her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open, moaning. Her golden hair swung from side to side as her head moved back and forth.

He must have made a noise. Suddenly her eyes opened, and she was staring right at him.

She screamed. " He saw us "

Everything happened at once then. ‘ The woman pushed the man away wildly, shouting  and pointing. Bran tried to pull himself up, bending double as he reached for the ledge. He was in too much of a hurry. His hand was going to sleep when a hand grabbed him by his collar. 

Bran seized his arm and held on tight with all his strength. Ser Jaime yanked him up to the ledge.

" Are you completely mad ? " . Ser Jaime asks bran. Bran was sweating , he was discovered. He looked behind to see the queen covering herself looking frightened.

Bran's lost his balance but ser Jaime caught him. He was very strong , holding Bran's entire weight.

" It's alright , it's alright ".  Ser Jaime says . Bran is panting

" He saw us ". Cersei shouts again.

" I heard you the first time " Jaime says giving her a side eyes glance. He looked annoyed.

" Quite the little climber , aren't you ? " Jaime says looking down where he saw the wolf hovering below the tower.

“How old are you boy?”

“Seven,” Bran said, shaking with relief. 

" Seven ". Jaime repeats.

The man looked over at the woman. “The things I do for love,” he said with loathing. He gave Bran a shove.

Screaming, Bran went backward out the window into empty air. There was nothing tograb on to. The courtyard rushed up to meet him.

Somewhere off in the distance, a wolf was howling. Crows circled the broken tower,waiting for corn.

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

" The things I do for love ".

Jaime pushed Bran out of the window. Soon a loud howl of his wolf could be heard.

" What did you do ? " Cersei was frightened. She dresses up and ran towards him and looked down. Two more wolves have gathered down with a little boy sat atop one. The boy started screaming while the wolves howled.

" There is no time for this , we must leave ". Jaime says and he hurriedly started dressing up. In his hurry he didn't notice that the necklace fell down from his breeches.

" Come ! ". Both of them leaves the broken tower through the deserted corridor they came from.

All the way , Jaime could tell cersei was dead worried. .

" You pushed the boy , that was bran . Lord Stark's second youngest son. He saw us, he heard us. ". Cersei was panicking.

" What else did you have me do ? . Just hope that the boy doesn't live to tell the tale. "

*******************

Jon's POV

The king left for the hunt along with everyone, he wasn't invited courtesy to his bastard status. 

Jon didn't feel sad. To the contrary he sat in the armory brandishing his sword that he had had forged before he join the Night's watch. The armory was empty just like the rest of Winterfell. 

He sat quietly by the whetstone , thinking of last night. Jon was glad he didn't encounter Robb since morning because he might not be able to stop himself from asking questions about the witch and Robb won't take it kindly to know that he was followed last night. It was obvious that the meeting was meant to be a secret. He knew that Renee was also involved in all this , the witch did say her name as well..but asking Renee was not an option. He didn't talk with Renee at all since their kiss. He didn't think it appropriate to talk with her now since she is married now and probably had ladies surrounding her. 

Jon sighed and pulled his sword back and put it down next to the sword that he had made for Arya. His little sister wanted a sword. He decided to give it to her as a parting gift not knowing if they will ever meet again. He will be leaving Winterfell on the morrow , the same day as the king shall.

Jon stood up and picked up Arya's sword wanting to gift it to her now only. But soon he heard a terrifying scream and wolves howling. Ghost who was sitting by his side also started howling hearing his mates howl.

Jon rushed outside and towards the noise. He soon reached the broken tower where he saw his worst nightmare alive. Bran was fallen with his legs bent backwards. His eyes were closed and he didnt seem alive. Renee and Arya were beside him , crying .

" Bran !! Bran !!! ." Renee kept calling him patting his head.  She carefully placed his head in her lap and continued patting him. Bran's head was bleeding. Renee had put her hand on his head tightly to stop the bleeding.

Jon rushed towards them but someone was even faster than him because lady stark rushed past him like a wind.

" BRANNN ...HOW DID HE ... Renee What happened to your brother". Catelyn shouted. Renee didn't say anything . She kept checking Bran's hand and opened and closed his mouth 

" Arya what happened ? ". Jon asks Arya who kept shaking her head..

" We heard Rickon's scream.when we got here. Bran was already lying here ." Arya explained . She looked shocked at what was happening and was crying beside him. Jon looked by the side to see Rickon standing next to Nyx and Shaggydog. The poor boy looked frightened. 

" Mother ! He is not breathing ". Renee shouted. She still had her hand placed tightly on Bran's head and was placing her other hand under his nose. 

Soon Maester Luwin came as well. He and Renee discussed something because soon. Renee was giving air to Bran's mouth and Maester Luwin was checking his hand .

" We need to take him back to the chambers". Maester Luwin commanded." Jon come, carry him and don't let his legs move " .

Jon did as he was told. Renee was with Jon, she had her hands on Bran's head and they all rushed back to the castle.

******************

Eddard's POV

Ned was never the type of person to enjoy hunt or tourneys. He much preferred spending time with his children and leading a quiet peaceful life as the lord of Winterfell. But here he was by Robert Baratheon on one side and Roose Bolton on other , hunting. It's been already noon and they have hunted 2 boars so far. The king won't go back until they hunted all five.

They were still riding through the forest. It was dark even in the day time. Ned could hear the laughter of Theon , Joffrey and Robb as they rode ahead of them. It was good that atleast his son was enjoying.

He looked to his side to see Roose Bolton who gave him a curt smile.

He still remembers his offer made last night. He wanted Arya for a bride now that Renee is married and Sansa as a candidate to be married to the Crown Prince.

It certainly sounds a good match to strengthen the relationship of both the houses. It will ensure that the loyalty of house Bolton doesn't waver. He is not stupid to not understand that Roose Bolton was not loyal enough and would willingly take any chance he can get to overthrow the Starks to become the warden of the North.

But he doesn't want to force Arya to marry against her will. Arya was more headstrong than any of his children. She was a free bird who can never get bound to a cage. He couldn't do anything for Renee, he could atleast not force Arya .

" Everyone be silent ". Robert commanded

Soon enough the forest fell silent , the only sound were of the leaves rustling due the horses walking on them.

" I think there is a boar a few metres away " Robert commented. It might be true because the sound of someone heavy walking around could be heard . They carefully moved towards their direction when a horse came running from behind. It was one of the guardsman of King Robert.

" Your grace ". The guard said ." There is an unfortunate news . Lord Stark is requested back at Winterfell "

***********************

Renee's POV

How can that be possible ? Renee couldn't believe her eyes seeing Bran looking so pale and lifeless lying on the bed. Her brother was a skilled climber. He never once fell. 

She remembered once how when their mother was terrified that one day Bran would slip off a wall and kill himself. Bran told her that he wouldn’t, but she never believed him. Once she made him promise that he  would stay on the ground. He had managed to keep that promise for almost a fortnight,  miserable every day, until one night he had gone out the window of his bedroom when  everyone was fast asleep. 

He confessed his crime the next day in a fit of guilt. Lord Eddard ordered him to the godswood to cleanse himself. Guards were posted to see that Bran remained there alone all night to reflect on his disobedience. The next morning Bran was nowhere to be seen.

They finally found him fast asleep in the upper branches of the tallest sentinel in the grove. 

As angry as he was, her father could not help but laugh. “You’re not my son,” he told Bran when they fetched him down, “you’re a squirrel. So be it. If you must climb, then  climb, but try not to let your mother see you.”

Catelyn told Renee to try to make Bran understand but he never listened to her and now he was lying here . His legs were broken in such a painful way.

Renee felt tears fall on her hands. Her brother was so little , only seven. How could he be bearing such pain.

Renee looked at the other side of the bed where her mother was seated , she was praying to the seven gods with the seven pointed star in her hand. Her eyes were closed.

Maester Luwin was gently applying some paste on Bran's legs. He had ordered everyone else to go out so as to not suffocate the place.

Soon enough she could hear voices and steps outside the room.

Her father came in with Robb and the King beside him. He looked shocked seeing Bran's state. Robb immediately came by her side.

" Renee ! ". He says to her. Renee doesn't reply but more tears fall from her eyes. She points towards bran's legs.

Robb kneeled beside the bed taking bran's hand from her.

" How did this happen my lady ? ". Her father asked . Her mother opened her eyes.

" I don't know. They say bran fell climbing the old tower. Look at his feet , he didn't open his eyes since then , my poor boy ". Catelyn started crying more. Her father went to her side patting her shoulder.

King Robert stood by the side awkwardly. Renee immediately stood up to curtsy.

" Your grace ". King Robert gestures her to sit down.

" It's alright Renee , sit. I am very sorry for the boy's condition. I pray to the gods that he open his eyes soon". Robert says.

" Thank you your grace . Maester Luwin what is his condition ? ". Ned asks him.

" His condition is critical my lord. We must observe him for few days " . Maester Luwin commented.

Renee looked down to see Robb shaking. She knew her brother was trying not to cry . She put her hand on his shoulder.

Ned nodded to the Maester's words. 

" Get him the best herbs , potions anything. Bring him back to life ". Catelyn cried out.

Ser Jaime enters the room soon enough. Renee looked up at him. His clothes didn't seem to be the one for hunt. 

Did he not go with the King ?

" I offer my deepest condolences , lord stark , lady stark. I hope the gods have mercy and he wakes up soon ". Jaime says to them.

Ned nods while Catelyn didn't seem to be in the condition to even acknowledge his presence . She held Bran's hand tightly in her hand and continued muttering prayers.

" Where were you lord husband  ? I guess you didn't go for the hunt ? ". Renee asks him . 

Jaime seemed to be startled at the comment. He replied , " I am afraid I was too tired due to last night festivities so I was in your chambers and fell asleep "

Renee still had suspicions but seeing his tired face and tousled hair she didn't question further and nodded.

" Renee you should leave , your mother and I are here with Bran. ". Ned told her.

Renee wanted to protest but she looked at Jaime and understood that he came here to take her only.

She gently squeezed Robb's shoulder before leaving with Jaime.

********************

Jaime's POV

Jaime could hear scream and screams as he and Cersei left the tower altogether. 

" Jaime you should leave for Renee's room. Pretend that you were sleeping. I'll go and find Myrcella. We should stay out of their suspicions at all costs. If they even got the slightest idea that the boy didn't fell but was rather thrown, the suspicions should not be directed at us. We should also avoid meeting for the meantime " Cersei told him.

Jaime nodded and left for Renee's chambers. He tried sleeping but sleep didn't get him. He was dead worried about the consequences if the boy woke up .

It felt like hours until a knock sounded the door. A guard was there . He delivered the news about bran's fall. As a good husband he went to give his condolences to his wife's family. He was glad that he had a reasonable excuse for his wife's question. It seems she didn't know that he didn't joined the hunt 

" I am very sorry about your brother ". Jaime suddenly spoke 

Renee looked at him. " Yes , gods have mercy on him. He is a very fine climber. It is like he learnt climbing before he could even walk. It's strange , how could he fall ? ". Renee started crying.

Well it's because he was rather thrown. Jaime thought. 

" Strange things happen. He was only a boy. Must have lost balance. " Jaime carefully placed a hand on her shoulder.

" All we could do right now is pray that he opens his eyes ". 

I pray that he never opens his eyes.

" Thank you for that. Would you like to come with me to godswood ? ". Renee asks him.

Jaime nodded.

They soon reached the godswood. The white heart tree standing out even from faraway.

" Most people don't like them , but being here calms me down. I feel that someone is here to listen to my prayers, to listen to my worries.". Renee says to him but she was not looking at him.

Jaime just stares not sure if he should say anything.

" Mother worships the seven gods , father worships the old gods. Robb , Sansa , Arya , Bran follows both of them.. but I was always more inclined towards the old gods. The gods of the first men. You know why ? ". Renee turns to him.

Jaime shook his head. " Because they listen to me. Everytime. Whenever I had nightmares, whenever i dreamt of those strange places. These old gods always helped me. They bring my sanity back.". 

Jaime continued listening to her. He frowned at the word nightmares. 

" Nightmares ? ". He asks Renee.

Renee turns to look at him.

" Yes nightmares. I started having them when I turned ten , well both me and Robb. I used to dream of strange places. I didn't know them until father told me that I dreamt of the Red Keep , the Great Sept of Baelor , Maegor's Holdfast. I have never been there. I also dreamt of the A huge chair with swords lining from the bottom of the steps to the seat. ".

Jaime froze. The Iron Throne !!.

Renee smiled , " The iron throne. ".

She turns towards him.

" I dreamt of an old man with silver hair , violet eyes , with a crazed look on his face barking orders at his subordinates ".

" The Mad King , Aerys Targaryen " Jaime mutters. He remembers how he killed him at the sack of king's landing. That deed earned him the title . KINGSLAYER

Renee stopped and turned towards him.          " The king that got you your title ".

Jaime gave a small chortle at that.                    " Your father gave me the title . Actually he was the first man to call me that. An honor I still remember ".

Renee had a blank look on her face.                  " Did you wanted to be the king ? ". She asks.

" No , too troublesome. " Jaime smirked a bit

" Then why did you kill him ? ". Renee asks again ..

Jaime didn't answer but just stared at her menacingly. Renee raises an eyebrow at his reaction.

" Forgive me. I didn't mean to offend you. " Renee says and walks to the heart tree. She picked a lying bucket , filled it up with a small spring near to the godswood and gave the water to the tree.

She then kneeled down and joined her hands praying to the gods about bran's good health.

Jaime sat on a large moss covered stone. He thought about Renee's words. She asks him why did I kill him ?.. He scoffs internally. Nobody cares to know that. Nobody. I did an honor less deed killing a maniac king. I broke my vows , my oath , perhaps I would continue doing that my hole life. He thinks with self loathing and looks at Renee who was still immersed in her prayers.

********************

Chapter Text

Robb's POV

Robb didn't know for how long he was seated beside Bran. The king left soon it seemed and soon other lords were joining them one by one giving their condolences.

He could identify some like Roose Bolton, Gallart Glover , Lord Karstark , Lord Manderly and other northern lords.

His father talked with them for his mother didn't as much as looked up , she had her eyes closed and constantly muttering prayers. No one took offense to her lack of courtesy, given the situation at hand.

Lastly the queen came along with Prince and Princess Myrcella. They left soon with both the young children looking ready to cry at  bran's condition.

" Robb, you should go get some rest. Check on your sisters before you leave ". Robb nodded for he was really tired. He didn't even changed his riding attire. He left the room but bumped in little lord Tyrion on his way. It seemed he was coming in to give his sympathies.

" Apologies ". Robb muttered quietly .

" Ahh it's alright. I am sorry to hear about your brother ". Tyrion says to him.

Robb nods and left from there. He quickly went to change his clothes and ask for a servant to bring food in Rickon's chambers where his other siblings were as informed.

He soon enters Rickon's chambers where he found both his sister sleeping by his side. It seems that all three of them were tired. He went ahead to wake all of them to have some food before sleeping.

He gently wakes Sansa first ,

" Sansa ! Sansa ! "

Sansa woke up immediately , " Robb ?!". She mutters .

" Have something before you sleep ". Robb says and Sansa nods.

Robb wakes up Arya and Rickon as well. Rickon was a bit difficult as he started crying as soon as he woke up asking for mother.

Sansa tried calming him down and he soon settled . Robb believed it might be due to Sansa's similar appearance to their mother.

Food arrives shortly and they eat silently.

" How is bran ? ". Sansa asks.

" Maester Luwin says that he is still in critical condition. ". Robb sighs.

" It was horrible seeing him there lying down. It was so bloody ". Arya said quietly.

" It's going to be ok. Bran is going to be fine". Robb tries to assure Arya but he himself is not sure about it.

He looks at Rickon who was beside him.

" Where were you all when Bran fell and was it Rickon who found bran first ?". Robb asks.

Rickon nods , " Yes , I was playing when bran came . He said he is going to the tower. Then Nyx started howling with Shaggydog when bran's wolf howled. I was sitting on Shaggydog and they took me there ". Rickon explained.

" I and Renee were talking in the godswood when we heard screaming and we rushed there ". Arya explained her part of story.

" I was with Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen. Princess Myrcella was bored so she was playing with me ". Sansa told at last.

Robb nodded. 

" Where is Renee ? Will she not have food with us ? ". Rickon asks while chewing on honey bread.

" She will not. She is with her husband ". Sansa replies.

Robb was then reminded of the fact that he had so much to tell Renee - about the witch , the prophecy about him. He touches the thread on his wrist that the witch gave him. She did told him that he can call her in times of need. Should he call her to ask about bran?. But bran fell , how would she help him. Could she probably treat him ?

Jaime's POV

They soon left the godswood for which he was thankful . He was getting chills sitting there.

Renee and he soon returned to their chambers which was still empty mostly.

Renee stops by a servant maid and asks her ," Inform Septa Mordane to unpack some of my belongings and have it brought to my chambers ". The maid nods and left.

Jaime was confused. As soon as they entered their chambers he asks her , " Why are you unpacking your belongings , aren't we leaving tomorrow ? ". Jaime was glad that they were leaving tomorrow.

Renee turns shocked , " What do you mean tomorrow ? I am not going anywhere until my brother recovers ." Renee says defiantly

Of course , how could I forget it . Eddard Stark won't leave his son while he looks ready to die any moment. The same could be said for Renee. 

Jaime remembers the letter his father wrote that Tyrion gave in the morning. His father wanted him and Renee back in Casterly Rock as soon as possible. He even suggested taking a ship from sea dragon point straight to lannisport rather than taking the road to make the journey faster.

He didn't reply his letter. But it seemed like his father will have to wait more for his wife won't leave until the stark boy is perfectly fine , and Jaime can't let that happen. The boy can't be fine. He can't wake up at any cost. Jaime wanted to scream. 

Why did the boy have to choose the broken tower to climb ?!!  

Jaime thinks frustrated.

A knock brings him out of his thoughts. A maid was there with a plate of food in her hand and another with wine and some water.

He called them inside and they placed the food on the table and left.

Renee soon comes out of changing. Jaime took a seat by the table waiting for Renee to join but she didn't instead went straight to her bed.

" Aren't you going to eat ? ". Jaime asks her .

" I don't have much appetite for food. Bran didn't eat neither did mother. I don't think I would be able to digest the food. You should eat my lord. I want to retire to bed if you don't mind ". Renee says to him. 

Now that she was dressed casually, he could see that her eyes were swollen and her face red.

" My lady I insist that you join me. . I would not be able to finish all this . Just have a few bites if you are not willing. Besides Maester Luwin is already busy. He won't have time to treat you if you fell ill ." Jaime tried to convince her. Not that he care but he truly didn't wish for her to fall ill and delay their stay more than it already has.

Renee stared a bit and then rose from her place. She took a seat next to him. Jaime satisfied started eating.

Renee however just took few bites of fruit bread and had a mug of hot milk before she stood up again.

" I guess I won't fall ill now ". Renee says .

Jaime just nods. 

She moves towards the bed before looking at him again.

" Do you wish to share the bed tonight Ser Jaime ? ". Renee sounded unsure.

Jaime looked at her. He knew what she was asking about. His right as her lord husband. He looked at her face and then her eyes. She looked tired already and he wasn't cruel enough to exercise his rights on her in this state. 

An heir . That is the main reason of their coupling anyways.He still has plenty of nights to try for an heir to complete his ' duty ' as an heir. 

" Well I had hoped to because I don't plan on sleeping on the floor ". Jaime jests lightly. He wanted to have some fun after such a tiring day.

" I meant the marriage bed ". Renee says again.

" I only see one bed here. "  Jaime says with a smirk.

Renee narrows her eyebrows , " Ser Jaime , I am already tired. I don't have the mood to argue ," Renee says irritated.

" Well then you should be more clear . I don't know what you are talking about ". Jaime shrugs and took a sip of wine.

" Do you want me to be crass !? Fine. Are you planning to fuck me tonight ? ". Renee asks loudly.

Jaime raises an eyebrow. " Well I wasn't  , but given how loud you are I think you would like it very much. I can change mind if you want it so badly " Jaime ends by taking a bite of bacon strip

Gods it's so fun.

Renee started moving her hands up and down to calm her breathing.

" Why did I even ask you ? ". Renee murmurs and started pulling a blanket on herself while laying down.

" Good night ". She said to him and then slept.

Jaime laughs quietly. He quickly finishes up his dinner , change his clothes and join Renee in her bed. She was already fast asleep .

So he took the other side of the bed and closed his eyes , waiting for sleep to come but it didn't. 

*********************

Renee's POV

" Is that the broken tower ? ". Renee doesn't know why she is near the broken tower. She felt like her vision is also a bit different. It is like she is seeing everything in a wide range. Even the broken tower seems so tall. 

Renee looks around and found blood just below the tower where bran fell.

She moves around a bit and found Greywind staring back at her. Renee was startled . How come Greywind was the same height as hers. She looked down and found that their were paws instead of legs and the fur was black .

" Am I inside Nyx ? What kind of evil sorcery is this ? ". Renee wonders. 

Greywind kept looking at her and then he nudged his face to hers and went running towards the courtyard. Renee followed him and soon found Ghost sitting there. The white fur of ghost easily blended in the snowy white background. His red eyes were staring at her particularly. Greywind nudged his face as well and ghost started following him. Greywind was leading them somewhere. Ghost followed him and Renee followed them .

Soon they reached a small alcove, Robb was there. He was talking to someone. But no one was there.

" Why can't you give me proper answer "

" I already know that....but "

" Ok fine.... So that means I can't call you again "

" You cheated me... What about the sacrifice?".

Robb was talking with someone. Renee heard bits of their conversation.  Suddenly Robb turned back and saw all of them.

" Fuck !! ". He cursed and threw away some thread from his wrist. 

" I never should have trusted these things ". Robb muttered to himself before walking towards them.

He patted Greywind .

" Were you feeling lonely Greywind ?". Robb asks him gently.

Before he turned to Ghost and scratched behind his ears. He finally turned to Renee.

Renee leaned forward and Robb rubbed her head. It was a weird feeling. Renee wanted to giggle. She tried to speak something but no voice came except the sounds of whining.

Robb laughed , " Is Renee not giving you enough attention ? ".

Robb then took all of them , " Come , I'll feed you all something ". 

He was leading them to the kitchens when Renee felt someone pulling her ...someone was continuously pulling her arms .

" Renee "

" Renee ". 

Someone was calling her.

Renee woke up from her sleep. She looked beside her to see Ser Jaime gasping for air.

She looked at her hand , it seems that she kind of strangulated him while asleep.

" I am so sorry ". Renee immediately pulls her hand back. She noticed that she had rolled from her side of bed to Ser Jaime's .

" Were you planning to kill me ? ". Jaime told her while he caressed his neck which turned red.

" No , I am really sorry .. Is it hurting ? Let me see .". Renee asks.

" No it's fine...". Jaime tells her.

" Wait ... ". Renee then started pulling up cushions from the headboard and build a bridge between them. All the while Jaime looked at her like she has gone mad.

" It's done..". Renee said happy with what she has done.

" What is done ? ". Jaime asks confused.

" This ".Renee pointed to the wall that she created between them " Now it won't happen again ".

Jaime puts his head in his palm sighing.           " You have proven today that you have descended from Bran the builder "

" What ? "

" I mean he created the wall and you created this wall. Are you planning on creating more structures in Casterly Rock ? Your name will be written in history , Renee the builder ". Jaime says .

" Haha Very funny , Now go sleep ". Renee says sarcastically and falls back to sleep.

Jaime chuckles a bit at the ridiculous wall between them and went to sleep.

*****************

Chapter Text

Robb's POV

The witch betrayed me. She lied. Robb was angry. Last night when he tried calling the witch using the thread , she did talk to him in his head. It was weird , it was magic.

However nothing came out of it. She told him that Bran's health was not in her hands but in the hands of some Three eyed raven.

Robb didn't knew who that was. When he asked her to give him proper answer. She told him that she can only answer things related to him. She got angry telling him that he was wasting her time asking questions which were none of his concern. She even refused to come back again.

Robb didn't even sleep properly. Everyone watching him must be thinking that it was due to him worrying for Bran.

He was soon infront of Bran's door. On entering he saw his mother. She was in terrible condition. Maester Luwin was checking Bran's vitals.

Soon enough Renee entered , she looked at him weirdly and went by Bran's side.

" How is he ? Maester Luwin ".Robb asks.

" No improvement yet. ". Maester Luwin replies back.

" But he seems stable ... How come there is no improvement ?.". Renee asks.

" My lady , his vitals are stable but we cannot stay when he will wake up. Perhaps he will stay like this forever ". 

" What did you say ? ". Catelyn who was silent all the time looked up

" My son will wake up ....DO YOU GET ME ? HE WILL NOT DIE. " Catelyn shouted.  She was hysterical.

Robb and Renee rushed to her taking her arms.

" Mother .... ". They made her sit down. Maester Luwin just bowed low and left the room

Robb was sad seeing his mother's condition. He looked at bran who was so pale. His face as white as a pale winter's moon. He also looked quite thin.. Well all of his siblings were skinny little things . He was the only one his mother said who looked bulky and muscular.

Robb felt someone hold his wrist. It was Renee , she was examining his wrist weirdly , like she was expecting something to be there. Robb realised she was looking at his right hand. The one where he had that thread tied. Was Renee looking for that thread ?

" What is it ? ". He asks Renee.

" Um , nothing . Just checking something ." Renee says and leave it .

" Checking what ? ".

" Nothing important ". She says." Do you think we should tell Maester Luwin for some Nightshade for mother. She looks so tired. She will fall ill like this ".

They looked at their mother who was still beside Bran. She looked like a zombie, tightly clutching the seven pointed star in her right hand and holding Bran's hand with her other hand.

" That is for father to decide. We can ask him". Robb says. It's true in a way , they can't take a decision like this about their mother. Potions like Nightshade and milk of the poppy were dangerous to health. Moreover , his mother won't like it if they did it secretly without her knowledge.

Renee nodded , " What about you Robb ? Did you get some sleep ?!"

The concerned eyes of his sister made Robb's heart swell. He felt happy that his sister still noticed his well being and cared about him even after she got married..

" I slept fine Re...( Pronounced as RAY ) ....."

Robb replied and fell silent for a bit. He felt like he should apologize for not being there on her wedding feast.

" I .. I am sorry Re , I was not there on the feast. I know that you wanted me there with you " Robb said looking down.

Renee just shook her head , " I did wanted you with me but it's fine. I know you must have a good reason for not attending it ... Did you had breakfast ? We can go have some ". Renee asks and Robb nodded.

" What about mother ? ". Robb asks

" I asked her but she said that she will have some when father comes ". Renee replies.

They soon entered the kitchen took some food and started eating.

" Did he hurt you ? ". Robb asks suddenly. Renee looks up.

" What do you mean ? "

" I meant did Ser Jaime hurt you on your wedding night . If he did tell me I'll go ...". Robb stood up in anger but Renee pulls him back.

" He didn't ...not intentionally atleast. But the usual pain was still there of having something rip apart within you ". Renee says. She takes a sip of her hot tea ." Besides if he dare hurt me , I can take care of myself "

Robb chuckles at that , " That I know.. don't you were called crazy Renee in childhood."

Renee widens her eye and slaps Robb on his arm.

" Don't call me that ... It was such a long time ago .."

" Ok ok I won't ". Robb says raising his hands.

He fell silent for a moment and then began laughing. Renee joined him too.

" I will miss this Robb, when I go to Casterly Rock. I will miss you". Renee says . Robb knew his sister was sad. She was afraid as well. She wasn't showing it but her eyes were telling a different story. 

" I will miss you too... We are separating so soon ... You know I had always thought that you and I will get married together "

" What ?! ". Renee says shocked.

Robb was confused at her extreme reaction.   He revised the words in his head and realised how wrong it might have sounded.

" Oh no no... That's not what I meant. I mean you and I will get married together as in the same day . I will marry my bride and you will marry your husband ". Robb explained quickly.

" Ohh..". Renee sighed in relief.

" Seriously Renee what were you thinking we are ... Taragaryens ? Hahahaa." Robb laughs.

Renee's face soon fell at the word Taragaryen.

" Robb..I dreamt again ". Renee begins.

" About what ? " 

" About Princess Elia Martell... She was talking to someone about the Lannisters.Tywin Lannister was the hand of the king. I guess it was the time of the mad king's reign "

" But it wasn't scary ? ".

" No it wasn't scary... It was like I am intruding some conversation , a private one I would say ".

" Then that's fine ... What are you so worried about ? ". Robb asks taking the last bite of his chicken stew.

" I am worried about because it felt like that Princess Elia was talking to me. I felt like I was really present there ...like ..."

" It's some past memory ? ". Robb completes.

Renee nods.

" I would have suggested that we should contact that witch again but she is a fraud... I don't trust her ". Robb says wiping his mouth and stood up.

" I am going to check on Ser Rodrik Casel. You finish it all... I'll join you for lunch ". Robb says getting up.

He looks back at Renee to see that she has froze on her place. 

" Are you alright ? ".

" What do you mean she is a fraud ? ". Renee asks him. Robb didn't know how to answer to that. He had every intention of not telling Renee about his meeting with the witch. If Renee came to know that he sacrificed his vial of blood for a prophecy, he didn't what she will do.

" Didn't you tell me that the first time that we met her. I also think she is a fraud except the starting of the Prophecy that you will go west .. nothing else makes sense. We shouldn't trust her again ... Now sister you continue your breakfast I should leave... See you soon". Robb leave the place as quick as possible. Not wanting to answer any more of her questions.

Now that his father and mother were busy with many things. He had decided to take on some responsibility as the heir .

************************

Cersei's POV

" My love , we have already spent so much time in the North. My brother is also wedded as you wished and Lord Stark have decided to come back to king's landing to serve as your hand. The Capitol needs you back . We should leave tomorrow. The Maester have already confirmed that the boy is fine...he is living."

Cersei tried to persuade Robert to leave for king's landing. When the Maester confirmed in the morning of the boy's stable condition. She knew that they can't stay here anymore.

" Cersei , Ned is still concerned about the boy. We won't leave until he is convinced that his son is fine and that's final.". Robert says getting up and walking to the bed.

" However , If you wish we can allow Jaime and his wife to leave tomorrow... Your father must want them back now. Inform your brother that they are leaving tomorrow...."

 " But won't it be much more easier if they join us. The Kingsroad is surely quite long. The journey will be ardous for them to travel alone. " Cersei said. She didn't want them to leave now. She still hasn't talked to Jaime about what needs to be done of the boy.

" Who said that they must take Kingsroad? Only a few knights and maids and Jaime and Renee are going to Casterly Rock , hardly 10 people. They surely can board a ship from the sea dragon point straight to Casterly Rock. No need for them to travel by road... Now I am tired...no more questions woman ". Robert says lying down and sleeping.

Cersei groans quietly in frustration. Why in seven hells did father got me married to him?

****************

Jon's POV

Jon was sure that it wasn't a dream.. he really saw Nyx and Greywind .... He heard Robb talking to someone invisible frustrated. He saw Robb taking off his thread off his wrist and throwing it away . He remembers picking the same thread in his mouth.

And now he sure believes that it wasn't a dream because Ghost was standing in front of him holding the same thread in his mouth.

" Good boy ". He pats ghost on his head. He was growing taller. Almost on the same size with Greywind but Greywind was more muscular and bulky just like Robb.

Sometimes he think that all the direwolves look like their owners. Sansa's was small , gentle and prettiest out of the lot just like her.

Nymeria was mischievous , Shaggydog was childlike always playing around. Greywind acted like the leader. Nyx was protective of all like a mother and bran's wolf...he didn't leave outside Bran's room since he fell...So loyal .

He carefully puts the thread in his pocket. He has an intution that this was given to Robb by that same witch.

What he didn't know was that someone saw him hiding the thread

****************

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

They are leaving tomorrow.

The entire day was like a ticking canon on Jaime's head. Not knowing when everything will blow up. He heard the boy's condition was stable but he was not recovering most likely to be like a vegetable the rest of his life.

Jaime felt that it was great , he won't mind the boy living if he never opens his eyes.

Cersei somehow convinced Robert , it was good. He talked to Cersei about not doing anything about the boy. The gods seems to protect them , the boy hasn't opened his eyes and if he does there are many ways they can silence him.

He soon reached Renee's bedchamber for the night. He won't call this their chambers for he had nothing of his there. He could still sleep in his guest chambers but it won't feel appropriate seeing they are married now. 

Reaching there he saw Renee reading some book on the bed. Seems like she had changed for the night. She looks up at him when he enters and rises up.

" Ser Jaime ". She greets.

Jaime just nods.

" We are leaving tomorrow " Jaime told her unfastening his cloak.

He didn't hear answer so he turned back to see Renee staring at him like she froze at her place.

He tugs the strings of his tunic and goes near her.

" I said we are leaving tomorrow "

" Why ? I told you already that I won't leave until my brother recovers ". Renee says . Jaime realised that she sounded angry.

" I really feel sorry for your brother. But there is nothing that you can do. The Maester already said that the boy will live. Now we must return to Casterly Rock. ". Jaime says with what he seemed an authoritative tone and goes behind the blind to change his remaining clothes.

" Can't we stay for few more days ?  Father surely is not leaving tomorrow with the King . I don't think there is any need for us to go to Casterly Rock in such a hurry "

Jaime comes out in his sleeping clothes.

" Your father will leave in a few days time after he hands over all his Lordly duties to your brother Robb , on the other hand you don't have anything left here , we need to go to Casterly Rock to perform our duty there ".

Jaime says climbing in the bed.

" But my family needs me here. I won't be leaving with you tomorrow ". Renee says defiantly and turns around.

Jaime was a bit surprised at her defiance.

" What do you mean , you won't be leaving with me ? Renee.. look at me ". Jaime says but he hears no response from Renee.

" Can't you hear me ?! "

Renee didn't turn around. Jaime frustrated grabs her shoulder to turn her around.

" Renee ....". He calls out to her. Renee looks at him . Her eyes were watery. She still doesn't answer him.

Jaime felt a bit uncomfortable at her silence and looking at her eyes , it seems she was crying. He don't know how to comfort her.

" Look , I know you don't wish to leave but this is what expected of you and me , try to understand it "

" Would you have left if your brother have fallen from the tower or if your sister got her leg broken ? Would you leave your family to suffer alone in times of need ?". Renee asks suddenly . It sounded like she was spitting fire on him.

Jaime don't know how he should answer that. He never encountered such situation. He do remember protecting Tyrion when Cersei threw him on the ground kicking him, saying he is a monster who killed their mother , he do remember being with Cersei when she laboured for half a day giving birth to Joffrey , he was by her side , comforting her.

To be honest he won't leave either of his siblings when they need him the most. He looked at Renee again.

" You wouldn't Ser Jaime , if you love them.  Then how can you expect me to leave bran , leave my mother , my family ... I know that I married you and my foremost duty is to serve you and your family but that doesn't mean I will forget my family who raised me since I was born. It's true that I will perform my duty to you as your wife and the lady to your house but it's also true that I would not give up on my duty as a daughter and sister to my family that made me capable enough to serve you ...... I remember my mother's house words. Family , duty , honor. Family is foremost for me , more important than any duty and any honor .... I hope you understand that and respect it and I am truly sorry if my words offended you in any way but I won't leave Winterfell until my family is stable again like it was before "

Jaime was stunned at her words. This conversation made him understand one thing that Renee will always be loyal to her family , to the Starks even if she became a Lannister.

" Will you let go ? ". Renee asks. Jaime looks down at his hand to see he was still holding her arm. He let go of it.

There was an awkward silence between them for few seconds.

" Do you wish to perform your marital duties?".. Renee asks. 

Jaime looks at her condition .

" No"

Renee nods at that , " Thank you .". 

Jaime was confused at her gratitude .

" What for ? " He asks.

" I wouldn't have liked it if you said yes ". Renee says turning around and settling on the bed. She blows up the candle on her bedside.

" I am not a monster Renee , I won't force you if you don't like me touching you. " Jaime says. Jaime was sure of that. No matter how much deranged he was , how much of an evil man he was. He would never force himself on a woman , or hit a woman . He had witnessed the cruelty of the mad king to his wife . He will never do something like this to anyone.

Jaime turned his head seeing Renee chuckle.

" Did I said something funny ? ". Jaime asks.

" You did , it's not uncommon here in Westeros . Its actually funny knowing that you are not like those man ". Renee says.

" There are no man like me ". Jaime says and blows the candle by his side too preparing to sleep.

" Did the King command you that we leave tomorrow ? ". 

" Why do you ask ? You have made it completely clear that you aren't doing that ".

Renee didn't answer , the silence prevailed for few minutes. Atlast Jaime answered sighing.

" Cersei told me to inform you to pack. It seems to be order from the king ".

" What will you say to him now ? "

" I don't know ...maybe I'll say that my little wife bared her fangs to me daring me to take her away ". Jamie jests.

Renee chuckles at that..

" Don't worry Renee , I'll handle it....".

Renee nods then jerks up on the bed sitting on it.

" Oh no... ". She says quietly.

Jaime could hear shuffling and rustling sounds.,

" What happened now ? ".

" Nothing , just I forgot something ".  Renee mutters while she arranges the cushions between them .

" Just shift away a bit Ser Jaime ." Renee pushes him away a bit 

" What are you - "

" Here done ". Renee says again satisfied.

" So you planning on doing that every night? ". Jaime asks incredulously.

" Yes... ". Renee says settling once again.

" I don't want to strangle you again in your sleep. Besides it's good we can avoid physical contact . I know you aren't used to sleeping with someone everyday , neither am I... Good night Ser Jaime ." Renee says and fell silent.

Jaime doesn't reply...he just hummed. 

*****************

Robb's  POV

After his talk with Renee , he was sure of one thing that she knew about his thread but he wasn't sure if she knew about his meeting .

Her dream was strange indeed but not so strange compared to the ones she had in the past .

On the contrary to the dream that Renee had, he didn't have a single one since the one where he dreamt to that couple.

Robb tries to divert his mind to other works to stop thinking about that.

He was on his way to the kitchen when he saw Jon playing with Ghost but the weird thing was that he had that thread with him.

How did Jon had that thread ? 

A second later , Robb felt stupid even thinking of that. He had carelessly threw away the thread . It was not a shocking matter if that somehow got in the hands of someone . Besides the thread is practically useless. He can talk with the witch because of his sacrifice. 

He decides to let go of the matter altogether and goes into the armory where he hoped he would found Ser Rodrik Cassel

After the talk with the master at arms , Robb talked with the steward , Maester Luwin , the head chef, he even visited the stables and the tents in which the soldiers were staying checking if they needed something.

Finally he bid goodbye to all the northern lords that came for Renee's wedding . All these took him the entire day and he was almost dead tired by the end of the day.

He even missed his lunch with Renee that he promised. But he knew that she would not mind. Finally he went to talk with his father who was by Bran's side talking with Maester Luwin.

" Father ". 

" Robb"

They addressed each other.

" All the lords left wishing Bran to wake up soon and giving blessings to Renee's wedding and congratulations for our alliance with the Lannisters ". Robb informed his father.

" Hmm.... You have done a great job  Robb .. you handles everything well ". 

Hearing such praise from his father. Robb felt his heart swell from happiness. He looked beside Bran to see his mother , she was the same condition as last time. It looked like she was suffering more than Bran. 

" Father , mother seems so weak , she didn't sleep for last 2 days. Do you think we should give her some alternatives to help her sleep". Robb asks cautiously.

" Your mother won't like it Robb. Don't worry about that, I'll make sure she is well. You should retire now "

Robb nods.

That night Robb had the sweetest of dreams in a long time. He was riding fast , so fast on a horse . He has the longest , heaviest and most beautiful sword in his hand.

We are waiting for you. He heard a voice whisper in his head.

***************

Chapter Text

Tyrion's POV

Somewhere in the great stone maze of Winterfell, a wolf howled. The sound hung over the castle like a flag of mourning. 

Tyrion Lannister looked up from his books and shivered, though the library was snug and warm. 

The direwolf is howling every night since Bran fell. It's been a week since that incident and yet the wolf's howl sends a sudden chill through his body.

When the direwolf howled again, Tyrion shut the heavy leather bound cover on the book he was reading, a hundred-year-old discourse on the changing of the seasons by a long-dead maester. He covered a yawn with the back of his hand. His reading lamp was flickering, its oil all but gone, as dawn light leaked through the high windows. He had been at it all night, but that was nothing new. Tyrion Lannister was not much a one for sleeping.

His legs were stiff and sore as he eased down off the bench. He massaged some life back into them and limped heavily to the table where the septon was snoring softly, his head pillowed on an open book in front of him. Tyrion glanced at the title. A life of the Grand Maester Aethelmure, no wonder.

“Chayle,” he said softly.

The young man jerked up,blinking, confused, the crystal of his order swinging wildly on its silver chain.

“I’m off to break my fast. See that you return the books to the shelves. Be gentle with the Valyrian Scrolls, the parchment is very dry. Ayrmidon’s Engines of War is quite rare, and yours is the only complete copy I’ve ever seen.” Chayle gaped at him, still half-asleep.

Patiently,Tyrion repeated his instructions, then clapped the septon on the shoulder and left him to his tasks.

Outside, Tyrion swallowed a lungful of the cold morning air and began his laborious descent of the steep stone steps that corkscrewed around the exterior of the library tower.

It was slow going; the steps were cut high and narrow, while his legs were shorta twisted. The rising sun had not yet cleared the walls of Winterfell, but the men were Already hard at it in the yard below.

Sandor Clegane’s rasping voice drifted up to him.

“The boy is a long time dying. I wish he would be quicker about it.”

Tyrion glanced down and saw the Hound standing with young Joffrey as squires swarmed around them.

“At least he dies quietly,” the prince replied. “It’s the wolf that makes the noise. I could scarce sleep last night."

Clegane cast a long shadow across the hard-packed earth as his squire lowered the black helm over his head. “I could silence the creature, if it please you,” he said through his  open visor. His boy placed a longsword in his hand. He tested the weight of it, slicing at  the cold morning air. Behind him, the yard rang to the clangor of steel on steel. 

The notion seemed to delight the prince. “Send a dog to kill a dog!” he exclaimed.

“Winterfell is so infested with wolves, the Starks would never miss one.”

Tyrion hopped off the last step onto the yard. “I beg to differ, nephew,” he said. “The Starks can count past six. Unlike some princes I might name.” 

Joffrey had the grace at least to blush.

“A voice from nowhere,” Sandor said. He peered through his helm, looking this way and that. “Spirits of the air!” 

The prince laughed, as he always laughed when his bodyguard did this mummer’s farce.

Tyrion was used to it. “Down here.” 

The tall man peered down at the ground, and pretended to notice him. “The little lord Tyrion,” he said. “My pardons. I did not see you standing there.” 

“I am in no mood for your insolence today.” Tyrion turned to his nephew. “Joffrey, it is past time you called on Lord Eddard and his lady, to offer them your comfort.” 

Joffrey looked as petulant as only a boy prince can look. “What good will my comfort do them?” 

“None,” Tyrion said. “Yet it is expected of you. Your absence has been noted.”

“The Stark boy is nothing to me,” Joffrey said. “I cannot abide the wailing of women.”

Tyrion Lannister reached up and slapped his nephew hard across the face. The boy’s cheek began to redden. 

“One word,” Tyrion said, “and I will hit you again.”

“I’m going to tell Mother!” Joffrey exclaimed.

Tyrion hit him again. Now both cheeks flamed.

“You tell your mother,” Tyrion told him. “But first you get yourself to Lord and Lady Stark, and you fall to your knees in front of them, and you tell them how very sorry you  are, and that you are at their service if there is the slightest thing you can do for them or  theirs in this desperate hour, and that all your prayers go with them. Do you  understand? Do you?” 

The boy looked as though he was going to cry. Instead, he managed a weak nod. Then he turned and fled headlong from the yard, holding his cheek. Tyrion watched him run. 

A shadow fell across his face. He turned to find Clegane looming overhead like a cliff.

His soot-dark armor seemed to blot out the sun. He had lowered the visor on his helm. It was fashioned in the likeness of a snarling black hound, fearsome to behold, but Tyrion  had always thought it a great improvement over Clegane’s hideously burned face. 

“The prince will remember that, little lord,” the Hound warned him. The helm turned his laugh into a hollow rumble. 

“I pray he does,” Tyrion Lannister replied. “If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him.” He glanced around the courtyard. “Do you know where I might find my brother?” 

“Breaking fast with the queen.”

“Ah,” Tyrion said. He gave Sandor Clegane a perfunctory nod and walked away as briskly as his stunted legs would carry him, whistling. He pitied the first knight to try the Hound  today. The man did have a temper. 

A cold, cheerless meal had been laid out in the morning room of the Guest House. Jaime sat at table with Cersei and the children, talking in low, hushed voices. 

“Is Robert still abed?” Tyrion asked as he seated himself, uninvited, at the table.

His sister peered at him with the same expression of faint distaste she had worn since the day he was born. “The king has not slept at all,” she told him. “He is with Lord  Eddard. He has taken their sorrow deeply to heart.” 

“He has a large heart, our Robert,” Jaime said with a lazy smile. There was very little that Jaime took seriously. Tyrion knew that about his brother, and forgave it. During all  the terrible long years of his childhood, only Jaime had ever shown him the smallest  measure of affection or respect, and for that Tyrion was willing to forgive him most  anything. 

" What about your wife ? Weren't you leaving today ? ". Tyrion asked Jaime. He remembered how a few days ago. Renee Stark refused to leave for Casterly Rock when Robert suggested it. It's almost a week since then and now they have decided to journey back to the Rock.

He would have joined Jaime and his wife if he didn't have other plans. 

A servant approached. “Bread,” Tyrion told him, “and two of those little fish, and a mug of that good dark beer to wash them down. Oh, and some bacon. Burn it until it turns black.”

The man bowed and moved off.

" She is with her family bidding her final goodbye... I didn't wish to interrupt their family time ". Jaime chuckles and takes a bite of the fish that he had been eating.

" Aren't you a part of their family now ? By marriage ? " 

" I didn't take the Stark name brother. Renee took the Lannister. She joined our family not the other way around." Jaime muses.

" I like Aunt Renee so much. She taught me many valyrian words ". Myrcella spoke suddenly. She had all of her mother’s beauty, and none of her nature.

" A bit of a tragedy she is not coming with us to King's landing ". Cersei says , her tone however was a bit sarcastic.

Prince Tommen spoke up. “Do you have news of Bran, Uncle?”

“I stopped by the sickroom last night,” Tyrion announced. “There was no change. The maester thought that a hopeful sign.”

“I don’t want Brandon to die,” Tommen said timorously. He was a sweet boy. Not like his brother, but then Jaime and Tyrion were somewhat less than peas in a pod themselves.

“Lord Eddard had a brother named Brandon as well,” Jaime mused. “One of the hostages murdered by Targaryen. It seems to be an unlucky name.”

“Oh, not so unlucky as all that, surely,” Tyrion said. The servant brought his plate. He ripped off a chunk of black bread.

Cersei was studying him warily. “What do you mean?”

Tyrion gave her a crooked smile. “Why, only that Tommen may get his wish. The maester thinks the boy may yet live and even wake up someday if the gods have mercy” He took a sip of beer.

Myrcella gave a happy gasp, and Tommen smiled nervously, but it was not the children Tyrion was watching. The glance that passed between Jaime and Cersei lasted no more than a second, but he did not miss it. Then his sister dropped her gaze to the table. “That is no mercy. These northern gods are cruel to let the child linger in such pain.”

“What were the maester’s words?” Jaime asked.

The bacon crunched when he bit into it. Tyrion chewed thoughtfully for a moment and said, “He thinks that if the boy were going to die, he would have done so already. It has been a week with no change.”       

“Will Bran get better, Uncle?” little Myrcella asked. 

“His back is broken, little one,” Tyrion told her. “The fall shattered his legs as well. They  keep him alive with honey and water, or he would starve to death. Perhaps, if he wakes,  he will be able to eat real food, but he will never walk again.” 

“If he wakes,” Cersei repeated. “Is that likely?”

“The gods alone know,” Tyrion told her. “The maester only hopes.” He chewed some  more bread. “I would swear that wolf of his is keeping the boy alive. The creature is  outside his window day and night, howling. Every time they chase it away, it returns.  The maester said they closed the window once, to shut out the noise, and Bran seemed  to weaken. When they opened it again, his heart beat stronger.” 

The queen shuddered. “There is something unnatural about those animals,” she said. 

“They are dangerous. I will not have any of them coming south with us.”

Jaime said, “You’ll have a hard time stopping them, sister. They follow those girls  everywhere. I told Renee as well to not bring her wolf with us.. but gods know if she will listen.” 

Tyrion started on his fish. " Now that Jaime's leaving today , what about you sister ? Are you leaving soon, then?”

“ Not near soon enough. Almost seems like another three to four days. Have you seen the amount of men Robert brought here. What about you? Gods, don’t tell me you are staying here?” 

Tyrion shrugged. “Benjen Stark is returning to the Night’s Watch with his brother’s bastard. I have a mind to go with them and see this Wall we have all heard so much of.”

Jaime smiled. “I hope you’re not thinking of taking the black on us, sweet brother.”

Tyrion laughed. “What, me, celibate? The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock. No, I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss off the edge of the world.”

Cersei stood abruptly. “The children don’t need to hear this filth. Tommen, Myrcella, come.” She strode briskly from the morning room, her train and her pups trailing behind her.

Jaime Lannister regarded his brother thoughtfully with those cool green eyes. “Stark will  never consent to leave Winterfell with his son lingering in the shadow of death.”     

“He will if Robert commands it,” Tyrion said. “And Robert will command it. There is  nothing Lord Eddard can do for the boy in any case.” 

“He could end his torment,” Jaime said. “I would, if it were my son. It would be a mercy.”

" That boy is also your brother by law , don't you have a littlest of sympathy...I advise against putting that suggestion to Lord Eddard, sweet brother,” Tyrion said.  “He would not take it kindly and what would your wife think if she came to know you wish her brother to die” 

" She can think of whatever she likes. I am being practical here.Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give  me a good clean death.” 

Tyrion replied with a shrug that accentuated the twist of his shoulders. “Speaking for the  grotesques,” he said, “I beg to differ. Death is so terribly final, while life is full of  possibilities.” 

Jaime smiled. “You are a perverse little imp, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yes,” Tyrion admitted. “I hope the boy does wake. I would be most interested to  hear what he might have to say.” 

His brother’s smile curdled like sour milk. “Tyrion, my sweet brother,” he said darkly,  “there are times when you give me cause to wonder whose side you are on.” 

Tyrion’s mouth was full of bread and fish. He took a swallow of strong black beer to  wash it all down, and grinned up wolfishly at Jaime, “Why, Jaime, my sweet brother,” he  said, “you wound me. You know how much I love my family.”         

" Oh that I know , by the way I was hoping you would join me back to Casterly Rock. I can sense a headache that is waiting for me there "

" Why dear brother, aren't you enjoying your married life well ?..'

" Not my marriage, I am no longer a king'sguard. As soon as we reach there father will surely want me take over the duties as the lord of Casterly Rock and he will surely want more heirs to assure his legacy " Jaime says taking a final bite of his bread and standing up.

" Well nothing can be done... Safe journey , I had heard that wall up there is quite cold " Jaime says standing up.

" I will not be leaving for another few days but you are leaving today , I suggest you be a careful while crossing the iron islands. Lord Balon Greyjoy won't let your ship cross safely". Tyrion says

Jaime just raises and eyebrow at that and leaves.

***********************

Renee's POV

Its the day , the final day . She is leaving the home where she grew up. 

It's been a week since Bran's accident . His condition didn't improve since then nor did it deteoriate which is a good think she suppose.

After the little argument with Ser Jaime that night. They decided to stay for a week more. But now was the time to leave. 

Ser Jaime went to his sister for breakfast and to say goodbye , so she decided to check on Bran for the last time.

She kissed his forehead and bid him goodbye. Her mother just hugged her tightly and apologized for not giving her a better farewell . She just hugged her and told her not to worry. 

On her way out she saw Bran's wolf guarding his door as usual. She ruffled his fur. He made a sound of protest but didn't bite her.

" Thank you for being there for Bran. I know that you will always be by his side even when everyone leaves him ". 

The wolf looked at Renee as he was understanding what she was saying and gave a little whine when she pulled away.

She went to her father next.

Renee had never seen her father cry , never ever. Feeling his tears soaking her cloak were surely surprising for her.

" When I rode back to Winterfell after the war ended , I never expected to find happiness back in the castle which was now empty. Mother , father , Brandon , Lyanna All gone. Benjen was thinking of taking the Black. I had only Catelyn but we were practically strangers. You and Robb made my days brighter. Especially you , Robb favored his mother more....but you , my little lucky charm, always came running to me when I came back , asking me for gifts , crying whenever I left you alone. I felt like I finally found someone who loved me. 

And now you are leaving , it's true when they say that don't get attached to your daughters for it hurts like hell when they leave. Like someone is taking a piece of heart from you.

I am so sorry my child. I could do nothing to stop you from entering this hell. Forgive me if you can.". 

Renee was silent hiding her face in her father's warm chest. It was a safe haven for her where she could feel safe , knowing that her father will protect her. But now she was leaving all this behind. She don't know who she will turn to when she want to cry , wants comfort in Casterly Rock. 

Ned carefully pulled her away and took her face in her arms. He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead.

" There is nothing to forgive father, I know you would never intentionally do anything to hurt me. I will miss you". Renee says choking on her words.

The next stop was meeting Sansa , Arya and Rickon. All the siblings shared a heartfelt hug.

Her last stop were the godswood. She prayed to the gods to keep her family safe and sound now that her father was moving to the south. She prayed that Bran gets healed soon and to give her strength to survive in Casterly Rock.

When she reached the courtyard , she saw the queen talking with Ser Jaime , perhaps giving him a goodbye. Prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella came to her giving her a kiss and biding her goodbye. 

Prince Tommen even told her to be careful of his grandfather because he was very frightening. 

This made her laugh. She had heard stories about the intimidating old lion. She couldn't wait to see how much of it was true. 

She had bid all her family members goodbye but one ... Robb, she don't know where he was.

She looked around the courtyard to see her father talking to the King . She could see men moving in and out carrying stuff. There was a carriage ready with few horses.

Time passed by , the queen bid her brother a final goodbye and went inside with her children. Knights took their places on the horses. Even See Jaime mounted the horse , but there was no sign of Robb.

Renee felt devastated..she felt like she was going to cry now ...How could Robb not come? She searched for him in the entire castle but he was nowhere to be found. 

" Are you ready My lady ? " Ser Rodrik Cassel asked her.

" Just a second Ser Rodrik ". Renee asks him looking around for Robb again. She soon caught sight of Jon snow. 

She decided to bid him a final goodbye as well and apologize even.

" Jon ". Renee approached him. That seems to startle Jon for he was looking around uncomfortably.

" I am sorry ...I should have never done that thing .". Renee mutters looking down. She knew that what she did entirely changed the dynamic between them.

" It's alright , my lady. There is nothing to forgive. ........ I bid you goodbye . I hope you have a happy married life in the Casterly Rock ". Jon says looking at the carriage.

Renee just nods....his words hurt her.

My lady ..

He just told indirectly that whatever was left of their relation was just formal. Gone were the days where they played together , gone were the days of childhood. All thanks to her stupidity. 

Renee enters the carriage taking a last look at Winterfell . She passed a smile to her father and a wave.

She closed the carriage door with only one thought in her head. 

Robb didn't come.....

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

Robb's absence was unbearable to Renee. She looked at the two ladies sitting beside her. They were the servants her father had assigned her. She decided to talk with them that she noticed something amiss.

Where was Nyx !!!???

Alarmed , she quickly opens the door of the carriage asking for a halt. She came outside of the carriage and met the irritated face of Ser Jaime. 

" What is it now , Renee ? ". Jaime asks his face marred with irritation.

" Where is Nyx ? ... Didn't I tell you to set her up in the carriage ? ".

" How would I know ? I gave the orders to your father's man , Jory Cassel was it ? He told me your wolf went missing  ".

"What do you mean she is missing and you didn't bother to tell me". Renee asks furious.

Jaime was silent at that. Renee didn't wait for his reply but rather ran back to Winterfell on feet . She cursed herself for not checking for Nyx on her own. It's good that they aren't far  from Winterfell .

But before she could take another step , Ser Jaime pulled his horse in front of her. She took his hand and climbed on his horse. In only few minutes they reached back to Winterfell. The guards stationed there were a bit surprised at that. 

" Ser Jaime , lady Lannister ". The guards bowed.

Renee didn't reply anything but rather ran to the kennel where all the wolves were kept. To her disappointment she found no one.

Returning back she saw Jory Casel. On asking him he said , " I am sorry my lady ,but I couldn't find Nyx ... She is missing since the morning ".

" And you are telling me now ? ". Renee asks furiously.

" Ser Jaime told me not to bother when I informed him "

" Who is Ser Jaime ? You obey my father and to an extension me ... " Renee cried out loud. She felt tears straining the corner of her eyes. " Now tell me where do I go find her ? "

Jory looks down .

" Leave ". Renee tells him

Jaime soon joins them.Renee looks at him indignantly.

" Your wolf ran off Renee... We can't do anything about it... Come it's getting late ". Jaime made a step forward convincing her to come with him but to his surprise Renee took a step back.

" No... I am not leaving Nyx here... We have to find her. There is no way she could leave me" Renee says her voice firm.

" What do you mean you are not leaving ? " Jaime says his voice borderline indignant.

Renee doesn't reply but turn her face. She couldn't believe it , how worse could her day be . First she is leaving Winterfell , next Robb didn't come to say her goodbye and now Nyx is missing. That's absurd.

Renee felt a hand on her arm. Ser Jaime had gripped her.

" We are leaving ". He says pulling her. 

Renee was furious , how dare he pull her like that. But before she could blast her anger on him. A voice sounded from behind.

" Renee !!!!". Robb exclaimed panting.

Renee turned around to see Robb , behind him were Greywind and Nyx.

Renee smiled ,  " NYX ". She hugged her to her chest. 

Robb looked between Jaime and Renee.

" Am I late ? Were you leaving already ? " Robb asks.

" As a matter of fact we are getting late. Infact we came back because your sister couldn't bear to leave her wolf behind " . Jaime says sarcastically. 

Renee doesn't care about his tone. She hugged Nyx to her full and stood up. She hit Robb very hard on his arm and hugged him fiercely.

Robb staggered a bit at the impact but held her all the same.

" Where were you ? Do you know how long I was waiting for you ? ". Renee all but shouted at him.

Robb looked at her sheepishly.

" I am sorry Re .. " he says pulling out a crown from under his cloak.. it was a crown made of pale winter roses. 

" I went to pick out some flowers to made you a crown . I got a bit late at that. ".

" That's... That's beautiful Robb ". Renee never would have believed that Robb was capable of something like that. 

" Did you weave it ? ". Renee asks.

" I did ". Robb says he then places the crown on her head.

Renee giggles at that. She remembers how she used to play knight and lady with Robb and Jon when they were little. Jon used to be the knight and Robb the king. Renee would be the lady they had to rescue from evil monsters. She used to weave a small crown with winter roses and crown herself the queen of winter. 

" Thank you Robb " Renee says. " I will keep it safe with me ". 

Robb smiles and pulls out another scroll from his breeches. 

" Here ". He give it to Renee.

" What is it ? ". Renee asks.

" Unfold it ".

On unfolding it , it was actually a family drawing of the Starks. Her father and mother standing together with Renee and Robb and Sansa on their father's side and Bran Rickon and Arya on their mothers.

Jon was there too behind them with Theon Greyjoy.

Renee was amazed at the details

" Did you make it ? ". Renee asks incredulously.

" Of course I did. I had wanted to give you something that reminds you of our family. So here it is ". 

It was the second time in a row that Renee hugged Robb again all the while continuously thanking him. She kissed his cheek while breaking the hug.

" I love this Robb truly ". Renee says her eyes shining brightly.

Robb just laughs and says," Renee , Ser Jaime is waiting for you " 

Renee looks behind to see Jaime looking at them with a look in his eyes. She didn't want to talk with him however.

" I think it's time for me to leave ... ". Renee says.

Robb's face fell but he nods. He leans forward to kiss her forehead and mutters a goodbye.

Nyx huddled close to Renee's side as they walk back to their horses. Everyone was busy with their work. It was good nobody went to inform her father about their coming back.

Renee hugs Robb for the last time and went to the horse that Ser Jaime  had already mounted. With a quick pull she landed on his front and they rode from Winterfell. Renee kept looking back waving as long as she could see Robb. He smiled at her waving all the same.

********************

Jaime's POV

Jaime was leaving Winterfell for the second time today. He just hope that he doesn't have to come back again. He looked at Renee who was sitting in front of him side saddling the horse. She looked happy , smiling at the drawing her brother gifted. 

Jaime looked at the drawing from her shoulder. The sketching done seemed professional. He never expected that Robb Stark would be so talented at such things too. 

" Stay close Nyx ". Renee called out to the wolf who was running ahead of them. The wolf slowed down at once and was walking side by side them.

The horse seemed to be afraid of the wolf because it keep whining ad deviating from its path.

" Ask your wolf to follow us , or else we will fall for sure ". Jaime whispers in her ear.

Renee turned around abruptly her eyes wide. She looked back at Nyx and asked her to follow.

" Your brother is quite talented ". Jaime says 

" He is my brother , of course he is " Renee replies with a bit of pride in her voice.

Hearing that and watching the interaction between Renee and Robb made him envy them. Their bond was so strong , it was clear they loved each other , not in the way he loved Cersei and Cersei loved him . No , they loved each other like siblings do. That concept is a bit foreign for him. He and Cersei loved each other but he never experienced the platonic love with her. Loving Tyrion was not easy. His brother was insecure when he was young and as he grew up he made those insecurities his power building a strong wall around him that was impossible to break. The real Tyrion was hid somewhere within it where Jaime could not reach. 

A slight fragrance hit Jaime's nose when the wind blew by , he noticed it was due to the crown of winter roses that Renee was wearing .

Jaime had only seen winter roses a handful time in his life. One such time was during the tourney of harrenhal , when Rhaegar Targaryen crowned Lyanna Stark the queen of love and beauty over his wife Princess Elia Martell. It was quite a scandal then.

Rhaegar Targaryen not only managed to offend the Martells but also Brandon Stark and Robert Baratheon. Both of them looked ready to kill him. It was the beginning of the end. Only a few months later , there was news of Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapping Lyanna Stark and potentially raping her. 

It served as a true catalyst to the war which eventually overthrew the Targaryen and changed all their lives for worse.

They soon reached the carriage in few minutes. The knights sensing them mounted their horses at once again. 

Renee carefully unmounted the horse and took Nyx with her to carriage. But before leaving she said , " Ser Jaime , I would really appreciate it if you ask me before taking any decision about anything related to me. What you did earlier was not right. ". Renee said to him and left.

Jaime just looked behind her as the door of the carriage slammed closed.

****************************

Renee's POV

Night time came sooner than she expected. They were deep within the wolf'swood and it was time to set up their first camp . It would estimately take them 3 camps until they reach deepwood motte. The stronghold of house Glover. 

Renee came out her carriage. There was only 2 tents set up one for the guards and other for the female servants. 

Ser Jaime and her would be staying in the carriage for the night.

She bid goodbye to Gloria and Salvia who were handmaidens for the time being . Both of them were older than her at 19 and 21 respectively but they were good company all the same.

Her legs were aching sitting in the carriage for so long and all the bumps and ridges on the road. She thought to walk around to loosen up her muscles. Nyx came running to Renee as soon she reached the camp where Ser Jaime was instructing the guards about something.

" Two of you must be on guard all the time. We don't know when we might encounter some bandits along the way and extinguish the fire after everyone is asleep "

" Yes Ser " The guards nodded in obedience and went away. 

Renee took a step towards him , Nyx nuzzling close to her leg.

" Renee "  Jaime looked at her.

" Are you coming to eat ? ". Renee asks him.

Jaime nodded and came closer to her. He inspected the crown on her head. Renee realised that she forgot to take it off.

" Red roses would suit you better ". Jaime comments and leaves for the carriage leaving behind a confused Renee.

The dinner was quite simple with a plate of fish meat and bacon with bread and a plate of blueberry tarts which were packed from Winterfell. There was also wine and hot milk for Jaime and Renee respectively . The couple ate in silence.

Renee frowned at the mindless poking Ser Jaime was doing to the poor food. She looked at her plate to see it already finished but his plate looked as full as it was before.

" Is something bothering you ? ". Renee asks unsure.

Jaime looks up. " No , why do you ask ? ". He took a swig of wine again , it seemed to be his fourth or sixth cup , Renee lost the count.

" Because you are filling your stomach with wine instead of actual food. We don't have a Maester with us on this journey until we reach Deepwood Motte. " Renee says finally taking the glass of milk in her hand.

Jaime laughs , " I assure you Renee , that I have a good alcohol tolerance ".

Renee just shrugs standing up putting the empty glass on the table. She goes to the makeshift bed that the servants have made for them. Renee settles down. It was not the soft comfy bed but it was better than the hard straw mattresses that the guards were sleeping on. She pulls the blanket over her trying to sleep. Ser Jaime didn't touch her since their wedding night .... Hoping the same tonight she blew the candle by her side and waiting for sleep to come.

It seemed she was mistaken because she soon felt someone touching her leg . Renee immediately sat up at the warm touch. 

It was Ser Jaime , his eyes were hazy and his gaze droopy. Renee could feel his hand creeping up her leg and under the blanket. Renee felt goosebumps litter her skin. Her breaths were starting to get heavy with his caresses. It was all a new feeling for her. Jaime didn't do anything like this the first time they got intimate.

It feels nice ..Renee thought. She didn't stop him. It may have been like a green signal because soon the hand moved towards her upper leg and she felt a weight beside her. Ser Jaime caressed her cheek with his hand." Are you ok ? ". He whispers quietly , a strong smell of wine emanating from his mouth. 

" Yes ". Renee answers looking in his eyes. They were so beautiful , like emerald gems sparkling in candle light.

" Should I stop ? "  He asks again. Renee couldn't help but smile that he was being so gentle with her and asking for permission.

" No ". Renee says and she leans forward to kiss him.

That seems to surprise him for he pushes her. Renee looked at him confused , she soon get pushed down with him hovering on her. He started kissing her neck. His hands working on the strings of her nightgown. Renee couldn't help but moan. He was placing gentle kisses along her neck and collarbone much better than the harsh bite that he gave her on her wedding night. 

She felt a tingle run her spine at the sensation. She gripped his hair tight in her hands pulling him in. He seemed to like that for the kisses got more intense. 

His hands soon loosen up the strings and pulled her nightgown open. The cool air hit her skin directly but his warm hands were a sharp contrast to it. They soon started wandering back to her legs pulling her shift up , all this while he was still gently kissing her. Renee liked his kisses very much , they were warm just like his hands. She realised she wanted to kiss him so she pulled him up from her neck and kissed his lips. He kissed her back , their lips moving together in sync but when she tried to deepen it , he pulled apart. He looked at her with something akin to confusion touching her hair and her face. He didn't seem to like what he saw because he soon turned her around with a groan , her face down on the pillow.

Renee didn't like it a bit , she tried to turn around but a firm hand on her back stopped her. By now her shift was pulled up to her hips. She felt warm kisses on her back and felt herself lost to the sensation , it was so good to be true. She could feel herself getting wet down there. She gave up on the idea to turn around and let him do what he wished. 

The sounds of buckle echoed the room and Renee felt herself dreading knowing what was to come. She prepared herself for the pain .

A wet sound came as she felt him push in. Renee cried out at that which seemed to slow down Jaime. He paused for a moment and leaned on her back kissing under her ears and palming her breasts. 

" I am sorry ". He whispers before pushing again. The pain of being stretched was still there but she didn't feel like she was being ripped apart. 

The thrusts were not painful , it seemed like her getting wet was easier for him to glide in and out. Renee gripped the sheets tighter. She gave out a loud moan when she felt him touch a place inside her. 

" Right there ". Renee whispered out loud. Jaime seemed to got the message for he brushed against that place a few more times. It was such a nice feeling , she felt a weird pressure build in her lower stomach , the kind that she feels when she get cramps from her moonblood but it was much nicer.

But before that weird feeling could go any longer , Ser Jaime spilled inside her and fell on top of her with a loud moan.

He seemed to have been asleep for he quickly fell to his side when Renee pushed him away. 

Renee gasps for breath , she looked at the face of her husband who was snoring lightly. His breeches were still pulled down and she was all too messy between her legs. She pulled them up and covered him with the blanket. After which she stood up carefully , wincing slightly lowered her shift to walk to the side of the table they were eating. A jug of warm water was there. She quickly takes the small handkerchief kept beside it to soak it and clean herself up. She moves back and laid down quietly beside him. Sleep was no longer in her eyes.

*****************

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

It was almost four days since they left Winterfell . Jaime didn't saw any wolf in the Wolf's wood while travelling for the past many days quite the contrary to it's name. But Jaime swears that he heard wolf howling deep in the woods while he was sleeping late at night , in response to which the direwolf Nyx howled louder. It seemed to quiet those wolves and might be the reason they haven't attacked yet.

He was glad all the same because as prepared they were for any attacks , he was not looking forward for any one soon. 

It was almost noon , but sun could be barely seen due to the thick canopies of the large timber trees which were casting long shadows on the ground which often frightened man due their weird shapes giving the illusion of monsters or ghosts lurking ahead in the woods. The sunlight was scarse mostly strained from the canopies . 

He looked ahead to see Nyx leading the group. Jaime truly believes that it was all due the wolf that they didn't encounter any beasts , wolf and bandits all alike. In the beginning Nyx stayed inside the carriage with Renee but as they moved deeper , she thought it might be good to take the lead .

" How far along we are ? ". Jaime asks one of the guardsman who was riding beside him.

"Just a few minutes ride milord. We would soon be able to see a wooden settlement ". The guard replied back whose name Jaime didn't knew and he didn't bother asking .

True to the guards words the forest started to become less dense as they moved forwards and soon a wooden settlement could be seen above a small hill. Unlike the stony walls and castles of many houses in Westeros . Deepwood Motte was made of wood. Jaime thought that to be stupid. The castle could easily catch fire due to a silly mistake and  it was build so low at the hill that it could be easily seized and destroyed by enemies. 

Two horseman were standing as they approached the gate. Their banners had an iron fist on a red plane. Jaime doesn't have much knowledge about the northern vassals of House Starks so he doesn't remember the house words.

" Welcome to Deepwood Motte , Ser Jaime. I am Robett Glover. I hope the journey was not too troublesome for you " The man introduced himself. He was the heir to Deepwood after his brother Gallart Glover who was the lord .

" Not at all ". Jaime commented.

Robett Glover seemed to be a bit apprehensive about Nyx but the wolf didn't do anything but ran back to the carriage. The carriage had to be stopped at the bottom .

" Don't worry my lord the stable boys will see to that. "

" So are you saying that my wife will have to walk up your hill to enter the castle ". Jaime says amusedly. 

" My apologies , but we have carts . I hope lady Lannister won't mind. "

 Jaime looked at Renee who already left the carriage with her two handmaidens with her. She was looking tired but gave a smile.

" I won't mind Lord Robett "

.Renee said and moved towards the carts but Jaime could see the pain in her walks. The carriage ride surely have bruised her back with all the bumps and ridges on the roads. She had complained about it to him a night before. He just told her to wait till they reach Deepwood. The cart up to the hill would definitely make it worse.

" Wait , my lady ". Jaime stopped her. " I think you can company me "

Renee looked back at him in surprise but smiled and took his hand which he offered. She side-saddled the horse and they rode up to the hill. Jaime kept a hand on her waist to stable her . He caught sight of the dull red marks on her neck which were hidden by the scarf and couldn't help but smirk a bit. He remembers sharing her bed few days ago in drunken haze. Though they didn't talk about it later .

" Renee , you should get checked by the Maester later.  Your back pain seems to have got worse ". Jaime whispers to her and squeezes her waist.

Renee turns around a bit shocked but Jaime just chuckled and they rode forward to the castle.

" It's better than before , Gloria have magical hands and you should not do that again. Everyone can see us ". Renee reprimanded.

" What if they do . I am touching my wife not theirs ". Jaime retorted to which Renee scoffed.." You didn't touch me last few days when we were alone so why do it now when everyone can see us "

" So are you sad about it ? If you wanted me to share your bed. You should have just asked. Don't worry I will fulfill your wish tonight ". 

" When did I say that ? Gods don't you have any shame ". Renee says scandalised.

" No , I don't ". Jaime says before helping her down . They reached the top of the castle where Gallart Glover was with the rest of his family. Jaime recognised the man at once. He was at their wedding.

The glovers bowed low in courtesy . Jaime was sure it was due to Renee rather than him. These Northern lords were surely despising him in their heads. He was a  Kingslayer afterall

" Welcome to Deepwood Motte , Lady Renee , lord Jaime " Gallart Glover greeted them and kissed Renee's hand .

Renee smiled , " Thank you for the welcome , my lord. I hope we are not much trouble for you ". 

" Not at all my lady. This is my brother Robett that you have already met ". Jaime nodded at him.

" His wife Sybelle and their son Gawan ". 

Gallart Glover introduced them..

Renee gave a nod and smile to each of them while Jaime just nodded and smiled which he knew looked more like a smirk.

They soon entered the castle and were lead to their chambers. Their chambers were quite spacious with two wooden windows , a warm comfy bed and a table with wine and cakes. 

" Lady Sybelle , would you please call on a Maester .". Renee requested. " I don't feel well"

Lady Sybelle regarded both of them with wide eyes. She then smiled and replies" Of course my lady " leaving the chambers.

Renee looked at him confused , " Why was she happy ? ". 

Jaime just shrugged . He wasn't interested in what made the lady of this house happy. More so than he was happy with the warm bath that was laid behind the blind.

" I hope Nyx don't trouble them. She can be quite moody sometimes ".

Jaime just hummed. " Perhaps you should check on her later. "

" I will ... It's good we are not travelling in the carriage from now. ". Renee laughs , " Or I am sure my back would have been broken. "

Jaime just hummed. Renee did puke her guts out the third and fourth day of their ride. She surely have some sickness. 

" Do you mind if I take a bath first ? ". Jaime suddenly questions her.

Renee just shrugs , " As you wish ". 

****************

Jon's POV

Jon climbed the steps slowly, trying not to think that this might be the last time ever. Ghost padded silently beside him. Outside, snow swirled through the castle gates, and  the yard was all noise and chaos, but inside the thick stone walls it was still warm and  quiet. Too quiet for Jon’s liking. 

He reached the landing and stood for a long moment, afraid. Ghost nuzzled at his hand. He took courage from that. He straightened, and entered the room. 

Lady Stark was there beside his bed. She had been there, day and night, for close on a fortnight. Not for a moment had she left Bran’s side. She had her meals brought to her  there, and chamber pots as well, and a small hard bed to sleep on, though it was said she  had scarcely slept at all. She fed him herself, the honey and water and herb mixture that  sustained life. Not once did she leave the room. So Jon had stayed away. 

But now there was no more time.

He stood in the door for a moment, afraid to speak, afraid to come closer. The window was open. Below, a wolf howled. Ghost heard and lifted his head. Lady Stark looked over. For a moment she did not seem to recognize him. Finally she  blinked. “What are you doing here?” she asked in a voice strangely flat and emotionless. 

“I came to see Bran,” Jon said. “To say good-bye.”

Her face did not change. Her long auburn hair was dull and tangled. She looked as though she had aged twenty years. “You’ve said it. Now go away.” 

Part of him wanted only to flee, but he knew that if he did he might never see Bran again.

He took a nervous step into the room. “Please,” he said.

Something cold moved in her eyes. “I told you to leave,” she said. “We don’t want you here.” 

Once that would have sent him running. Once that might even have made him cry. Now it only made him angry. He would be a Sworn Brother of the Night’s Watch soon, and face worse dangers than Catelyn Tully Stark. “He’s my brother,” he said.

“Shall I call the guards?”

“Call them,” Jon said, defiant. “You can’t stop me from seeing him.” He crossed the room, keeping the bed between them, and looked down on Bran where he lay. 

She was holding one of his hands. It looked like a claw. This was not the Bran he remembered. The flesh had all gone from him. His skin stretched tight over bones like  sticks. Under the blanket, his legs bent in ways that made Jon sick. His eyes were sunken  deep into black pits; open, but they saw nothing. The fall had shrunken him somehow.  

He looked half a leaf, as if the first strong wind would carry him off to his grave.

Yet under the frail cage of those shattered ribs, his chest rose and fell with each shallow breath. 

“Bran,” he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t come before. I was afraid.” He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks. Jon no longer cared. “Don’t die, Bran. Please. We’re all waiting  

for you to wake up. Me and Robb and the girls, everyone . . . ”

Lady Stark was watching. She had not raised a cry. Jon took that for acceptance. Outside the window, the direwolf howled again. The wolf that Bran had not had time to name. 

“I have to go now,” Jon said. “Uncle Benjen is waiting. I’m to go north to the Wall. We have to leave today, before the snows come.” He remembered how excited Bran had  been at the prospect of the journey. It was more than he could bear, the thought of  leaving him behind like this. Jon brushed away his tears, leaned over, and kissed his brother lightly on the lips. 

“I wanted him to stay here with me,” Lady Stark said softly.

Jon watched her, wary. She was not even looking at him. She was talking to him, but for a part of her, it was as though he were not even in the room. 

“I prayed for it,” she said dully. “He was my special boy. I went to the sept and prayed seven times to the seven faces of god that Ned would change his mind and leave him  here with me. Sometimes prayers are answered.” 

Jon did not know what to say. “It wasn’t your fault,” he managed after an awkward silence.

Her eyes found him. They were full of poison. “I need none of your absolution, bastard.”

Jon lowered his eyes. She was cradling one of Bran’s hands. He took the other, squeezed it. Fingers like the bones of birds. “Good-bye,” he said. 

He was at the door when she called out to him. “Jon,” she said. He should have kept going, but she had never called him by his name before. He turned to find her looking at  his face, as if she were seeing it for the first time. 

“Yes?” he said.

“It should have been you,” she told him. Then she turned back to Bran and began to weep, her whole body shaking with the sobs. Jon had never seen her cry before. 

It was a long walk down to the yard.

Outside, everything was noise and confusion. Wagons were being loaded, men were shouting, horses were being harnessed and saddled and led from the stables. A light  snow had begun to fall, and everyone was in an uproar to be off. 

Robb was in the middle of it, shouting commands with the best of them. He seemed to have grown of late, as if Bran’s fall and his mother’s collapse had somehow made him  stronger. Grey Wind was at his side. Jon was suddenly aware of the thread in his pocket. He didn't think of it to be a good idea to confront Robb on it so the thread remained in his pocket as before

“Uncle Benjen is looking for you,” he told Jon. “He wanted to be gone an hour ago.”

“I know,” Jon said. “Soon.” He looked around at all the noise and confusion. “Leaving is harder than I thought.” 

“For me too,” Robb said. He had snow in his hair, melting from the heat of his body.

“Did you see him?”

Jon nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

“He’s not going to die,” Robb said. “I know it.”

“You Starks are hard to kill,” Jon agreed. His voice was flat and tired. The visit had taken all the strength from him. 

Robb knew something was wrong. “My mother . . . ”

“She was . . . very kind,” Jon told him.

Robb looked relieved. “Good.” He smiled. “The next time I see you, you’ll be all in black.”

Jon forced himself to smile back. “It was always my color. How long do you think it will be?” 

“Soon enough,” Robb promised. He pulled Jon to him and embraced him fiercely.

“Farewell, Snow.”

Jon hugged him back. “And you, Stark. Take care of Bran.”

“I will.” They broke apart and looked at each other awkwardly

 “Uncle Benjen said to send you to the stables if I saw you,” Robb finally said. 

“I have one more farewell to make,” Jon told him.

“Then I haven’t seen you,” Robb replied.

Jon left him standing there in the snow, surrounded by wagons and wolves and horses. It was a short walk to the armory. He  picked up his package and took the covered bridge across to the Keep. 

Arya was in her room, packing a polished ironwood chest that was bigger than she was.

Nymeria was helping. Arya would only have to point, and the wolf would bound across the room, snatch up some wisp of silk in her jaws, and fetch it back. But when she  smelled Ghost, she sat down on her haunches and yelped at them. 

Arya glanced behind her, saw Jon, and jumped to her feet. She threw her skinny arms tight around his neck. “I was afraid you were gone,” she said, her breath catching in her  throat. “They wouldn’t let me out to say good-bye.” 

“What did you do now?” Jon was amused.

Arya disentangled herself from him and made a face. “Nothing. I was all packed and everything.” She gestured at the huge chest, no more than a third full, and at the clothes  that were scattered all over the room.

“Septa Mordane says I have to do it all over. My  things weren’t properly folded, she says. A proper southron lady doesn’t just throw her  clothes inside her chest like old rags, she says.” 

“Is that what you did, little sister?”

“Well, they’re going to get all messed up anyway,” she said. “Who cares how they’re folded?”

“Septa Mordane,” Jon told her. “I don’t think she’d like Nymeria helping, either.” The she-wolf regarded him silently with her dark golden eyes. “It’s just as well. I have  something for you to take with you, and it has to be packed very carefully.” 

Her face lit up. “A present?”

“You could call it that. Close the door.”

Wary but excited, Arya checked the hall. “Nymeria, here. Guard.” She left the wolf out there to warn of intruders and closed the door. By then Jon had pulled off the rags he’d  wrapped it in. He held it out to her. 

Arya’s eyes went wide. Dark eyes, like his. “A sword,” she said in a small, hushed breath.

The scabbard was soft grey leather, supple as sin. Jon drew out the blade slowly, so she could see the deep blue sheen of the steel. “This is no toy,” he told her. “Be careful you  don’t cut yourself. The edges are sharp enough to shave with.” 

“Girls don’t shave,” Arya said.

“Maybe they should. Have you ever seen the septa’s legs?”

She giggled at him. “It’s so skinny.”

“So are you,” Jon told her. “I had Mikken make this special. The bravos use swords like this in Pentos and Myr and the other Free Cities. It won’t hack a man’s head off, but it  can poke him full of holes if you’re fast enough.” 

“I can be fast,” Arya said.

“You’ll have to work at it every day.” He put the sword in her hands, showed her how to hold it, and stepped back. “How does it feel? Do you like the balance?” 

“I think so,” Arya said.

“First lesson,” Jon said. “Stick them with the pointy end.”

Arya gave him a whap on the arm with the flat of her blade. The blow stung, but Jon found himself grinning like an idiot. “I know which end to use,” Arya said. A doubtful look crossed her face. “Septa Mordane will take it away from me.”

“Not if she doesn’t know you have it,” Jon said.

“Who will I practice with?”

“You’ll find someone,” Jon promised her. “King’s Landing is a true city, a thousand times the size of Winterfell. Until you find a partner, watch how they fight in the yard. Run,  and ride, make yourself strong. And whatever you do . . . ” 

Arya knew what was coming next. They said it together.

“ . . . don’t . . . tell . . . Sansa!”

Jon messed up her hair. “I will miss you, little sister.”

Suddenly she looked like she was going to cry. “I wish you were coming with us.”

“Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. Who knows?” He was feeling better now. He was not going to let himself be sad. “I better go. I’ll spend my first year on the  Wall emptying chamber pots if I keep Uncle Ben waiting any longer.” 

Arya ran to him for a last hug. “Put down the sword first,” Jon warned her, laughing. She set it aside almost shyly and showered him with kisses. 

When he turned back at the door, she was holding it again, trying it for balance. “I almost forgot,” he told her. “All the best swords have names.” 

“Like Ice,” she said. She looked at the blade in her hand. “Does this have a name? Oh, tell me.” 

“Can’t you guess?” Jon teased. “Your very favorite thing.”

Arya seemed puzzled at first. Then it came to her. She was that quick. They said it together: 

“Needle!”

The memory of her laughter warmed him on the long ride north.

******************

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

" My lady you have got a small sprain in your lower back. I did apply some salve over there. You should ask your handmaidens to massage with this warm oil.. it will get better". The Maester explained packing his bag of medicinal equipments.

Renee sat up pulling the blanket over her and thanked him for his service.

After the Maester left , Renee immediately put on some simple gown and sat by the bedside table. She started to brush hair when the blind drapes open and Ser Jaime came in. He looked visibly fresh with his hair wet and his tunic half wet with the water dripping from it.

" What did the Maester say ? ". Jaime asks her wiping his head with a dry cloth .

" He said I got a sprain in my lower back. He gave a salve and some oil. ". Renee replied and continued brushing her hair. She didn't wash them for the past many days .

" Are you going out ? ". Renee asks Ser Jaime as he leaned over to take a brush to comb his hair 

" Hmm , No. I am thinking of taking a good sleep. ". 

" Then can you call Gloria and Salvia before you go to bed. I need their help washing my hair ". Renee said.  Her hair were long and thick. She could never wash them all by herself. Renee looked back at him through the mirror and saw him looking at her hair intently.

" Is something wrong ? ". She asks sceptically.

" No ... I will call them. " Jaime says before leaving.

Renee was confused at his behaviour. One moment he was all nice and flirty and romantic and the other second he becomes mean , arrogant and ignorant. She tries to understand his mood swings but failed many times.

She remembered how he ignored her the entire day after the night they spent together in the carriage and didn't talk with her and now when they were entering this castle he said that he wished to bed her. It was all too confusing for her.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. It was Gloria and Salvia. She smiled at them. Both the girls were easy to talk to and they have become good friends in the time they spent together. They carefully helped her wash her hair and massaged her back with the oil that the Maester left with them.

Salvia wrapped her hair tightly in a soft cotton cloth after she finished drying them. Renee bid them goodbye before turning towards the bed where Ser Jaime was sleeping. 

Renee let him sleep and left to see Nyx. It seemed Nyx for once decided to be obedient and didn't trouble anyone. She ate what was given to her and was quietly waiting for Renee beside the kennel master.

As soon as Nyx saw Renee she jumped at her licking her face. Renee couldn't help but laugh.  She thanked the kennel master for taking care of her.

" It's all my pleasure milady. The wolf surely is an obedient one ". Renee left with a nodded ruffling Nyx's fur as they made their way for the godswood. She wished to pray to the gods about Bran's health. The godswood here were a bit different than the one in Winterfell with dark oak trees surrounding it and only a few weir wood trees around. Nevertheless , Renee knelt down and prayed to them. 

Renee didn't know how long she was here before she heard footsteps behind her.Renee rises with difficulty at the searing pain the jolt her back.

It was Lady Sybelle. She had a young boy by her side who was no doubt Gawan Glover. The boy looked to be afraid of Nyx .

" Don't be afraid. She's harmless ". Renee gently told him. He looked at her and at her nod went to touch Nyx's fur and immediately retreated when Nyx let out a growl.

" My lady ". Lady Sybelle greeted.

" My lady ". Gawan took her hand and kissed it like a young gentleman.  He looked to be around 10 years and reminded her of Bran. Renee felt tears choke her throat at the thought that she would never probably see Bran be the gentleman he wanted to be. Even after he woke up , he would spent the rest of his days without using his legs. His future was ruined.

Renee's distress surely must be visible on her face because Lady Sybelle took her hand in his.

" Is everything alright , my lady. The Maester told me that you were having some back pain"

" Yes , the carriage ride makes me uneasy. I haven't travelled much in my life and even if I did it was mostly on horses. " Renee said. " I am glad we are taking the ship now. Surely it couldn't be much worse ".

" Oh it could be my lady. Most of the people gets sea sick when they travel for the first time. ". Lady Sybelle laughed. Renee's face fell at that.

" Moreover , the iron born and their ships are a real threat. They attacked the Deepwood during the Greyjoy Rebellion. You should be careful while crossing the iron islands "

" Thank you for your concern lady Sybelle. We will surely be more careful ". Renee smiled politely. She knew about it all already but she also knew that it was nothing to worry . Robert Baratheon had already supressed their Rebellion. They even have a hostage in the form of Theon Greyjoy though he is treated more like a ward.Surely Balon Greyjoy would not dare to attack me. They talked about many things but the one thing that struck her odd was the misconception that Lady Sybelle seemed to hold.

" Forgive me my lady but I thought you were pregnant when you called for the Maester . Such a silly mistake on my part but I hope the gods fill your womb soon. ". 

Renee froze at the comment . A child ?!!         

The very notion of having a child scared Renee. She laid with Ser Jaime only twice surely she couldn't be pregnant so soon.

Renee just gave a polite smile to Lady Sybelle. Nyx must have sensed her distress because she carefully licked her fingers. 

It was night time already and she returned to her chambers to find Ser Jaime awoke and dressed in a green tunic and golden breeches. The green complimented his eyes colour. The same eyes which were looking at her now.

He pointed his hand towards her hair. Renee touched her hair to see that it was still wrapped in the cotton cloth.

" Salvia wrapped them up so I wouldn't get cold .". She explained.

Jaime just hummed , " You should get ready for the supper. I am going to check on some things "

Renee nodded ." You look very handsome my lord ". She told him what she had been thinking since she entered the room.

She looked back at Jaime waiting for his reaction. She had never complimented him , not like this but it shouldn't be a big deal right. She was his wife , surely she can compliment her husband.

Ser Jaime smiled but that smile soon turn into a smirk. Renee felt disappointed, she wanted to see his smile more.

" Is that so ? ". Jaime asked her coming closer. Renee stood her ground and looked in his eyes. She was nervous. He never came so close to her when he was sober or not in the mood to tease .

" I am glad my wife find me handsome ". He then bend down to kiss the corner of her mouth and left before Renee could respond. She could feel her face burn and touched the corner where he kissed.

She unconsciously smiled and decided that she will also wear green to match her husband.

Unfortunately for her she don't have much variety of green. There was this one dress that her mother had it made for her when her moon blood came for the first time. She had never worn it except on her 14th nameday. Now seems like a good time.

Salvia and Gloria wanted to do her hair up but she decided to let it down. She looked at herself in the mirror and found that she liked the colour green very much.

*******************

Robb's POV

It was the first morning in Winterfell that Robb felt truly lonely. His father left with his sister's yesterday. Jon left with Uncle Ben , Mother never leave by Bran's side and Renee , Renee left with Ser Jaime. He miss her more than anyone , more than anything. He wonders if she still look at the winter roses he gifted her. They were not just winter roses. They were memories , good old memories of the time they spent together. He remembers the first gift that he gave her on their nameday. It was when he finally understood that gifts are supposed to be given on nameday. He went to the lakeside all by himself with Jon and picked out winter roses. They were blue , he thought it matched her eyes , their eyes.

" When will father come ? ". Little Rickon asks him . Robb had him sit on his lap while he is having his meal.

The entire hall seems empty with only Theon Greyjoy by his side and Rickon on his lap.

" I don't know Rickon. It may take days , months , years . Who knows ?" Robb didn't think it good to give falso assurances to his brother.

Rickon nodded sadly. Robb couldn't bear the dejected look on his face. He carefully held his chin in his hands .

" How about we go riding , you and me with Greywind and Shaggydog ? " Rickon smiled and nodded excitedly. 

Greywind came closer to Robb in hearing his name . Robb chuckled at his obedience and rubbed his fur.

" I want to go riding in Wolf's woods ". Rickon exclaimed. " Maybe we can find Renee "

Robb's face fell at that . They are not going to find Renee for many years now. 

" Renee might not be in Wolf's wood Rickon. She surely must be on the ship to Casterly Rock ". Robb explained his brother. 

" Ohhh " Rickon looked down again.. Robb gently rubbed his hair . " You should go and get ready , we are leaving now ". 

Rickon rushed to his room at that.

" I don't know if they will make it to Casterly Rock ". Theon said suddenly .

Robb looked at him , " What do you mean ? ".

" They will have to cross Iron Islands to reach the lannisport. It's not safe ". Theon explained. 

" Are you telling me your father will attack them ."

 " I am not sure about it. Just a wild speculation. He is not find of Lannisters and Starks. Perhaps you should send a letter of caution to Renee " Theon said to him before getting up and leaving.

Robb wondered if it was true. He then thought that if the iron borns were such a danger then father would have never sent Renee along that way. He decided to send a raven to Renee about it later.

***************

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

Jaime couldn't help but laugh at Renee's reaction. She was so flustered with their intimacy. He was sure that she was attracted to him. Like a teenage girl on seeing a handsome man. He doesn't mind it not one bit. She's innocent and gullible , it would be fun to corrupt her.

The hill on which the castle was built was quite steep with fields of wheat and barley on the east and west side of the hill and the stables at the bottom. It was actually quite warm given the wooden infrastructure.

Jaime first checked on the guards and asked them to prepare to leave at dawn tomorrow morning for sea dragon point.

He was passing by the kennels when Nyx seemed to sense him and came closer to him huddling by his legs. Jaime was surprised at this sudden affection of the wolf. Surely she had been accompanying him by leading their group but it was the first time she came so close to him.

He carefully reached out to rub her head. It was almost surprising to see Nyx purr. Jaime quite liked her fur. It was very warm and soft.

" So you are finally warming up to me ? "Jaime says kneeling down and rubbing her fur. The wolf licked his face making Jaime grimace but he laughed all the same.

He looked back at the guards who were behind him and told them to feed Nyx the best meat available. He gave Nyx a final pat and moved towards the hall. It was bustling with the smell of fruit and wine lingering in the air.

" Lord Jaime ". Gallart Glover greeted him.

" Lord Glover ". Jaime greeted back. He felt uncomfortable addressed as a lord. He was always a knight , a Ser. He never considered himself a lord.

" I hope you had a good rest. " Jaime just nodded at that as they walked towards the table. All the servants cleared out of the room and the doors closed with a large thud.

Gallart Glover sat at the head table.  Robett Glover on his right side with his wife and son by his side. Jaime took a seat on the left of the table.

" Where is lady Renee ? ". Robett Glover asked him once they were seated.

Jaime looked at the empty seat beside him. He was wondering the same. It's almost been an hour since he told her to get ready.

Before Jaime could come up with some excuse the doors opened once again to see Renee walking in. She looked radiant in her green gown. The gown accentuated her figure and the golden cloak on it made it even more striking. Jaime couldn't help but smirk at the resemblance to his outfit. He then noticed her open hair , he wouldn't admit it but he really liked her more when she kept her hair open . They looked so shiny and soft that he couldn't help but want to feel it in his hands.

Renee gave a shy smile and bowed low in curtsy.

" You look very beautiful my lady ". Lord Robett commented as she took a seat beside him.

" Thank you my lord ". Renee thanked him. She kept looking at Jaime making him confused. 

She then looked at Lord Gallart " We are very grateful for your kind hospitality good Ser.". 

" The pleasure is all mine , lady Renee ". Gallart Glover replied.

Jaime didn't pay attention much to their conversation about the happenings of Winterfell and the good health of Ned Stark. But when the course of their conversation turned towards Bran Stark , he couldn't help but turn his head.

" We are very sorry to hear about your brother. It was a gruesome fall. We hope that the gods have mercy and he waked up soon". All the colours left Jaime's face. He looked at Renee who just gave a feeble nod with a barely concealed tear running down her face which she quickly wiped before anyone can notice.

Jaime doesn't know why he put his hand over her in comfort. Maybe it was the unconscious guilt that he felt because he was the one who pushed Bran .

Whatever it was Renee seems to appreciate it because she held his hand in hers and smiled at him. Her eyes were shining with something that he was afraid to acknowledge . It was admiration . He quickly looked away and back at the food. He don't want her to admire him , not when he was the cause of her sufferings.

The rest of their dinner went in small talks about the boy Gawan asking about Nyx , Gallart Glover even asked him some questions about his father , Tywin lannister. Which was amusing since these northerners have a faint distate for the Lannisters in general. Jaime was even surprised that he was involved in these small talks given their attitude towards his title as Kingslayer.

Relief flooded Jaime's chest when they retire for the night and back to their chambers. The corridors to their chambers were airy and chilling. The warm moonlight barely offered some comfort. 

" Was the food to your liking Ser Jaime ?". Renee asks him. He doesn't know why she asks such a question but he guess it was a way to start a conversation between them.

" It was " Jaime just gave a small reply but it seems that it wasn't enough to satisfy Renee for she asked again.

" Did you not like my dress ? ". There was a subtle caution in her words. Jaime turned towards her. He looked at her from top to bottom again. She really looked beautiful. It was the first time that she dressed up since their wedding. Her dress , her hair , her eyes , her smile. They were all enchanting . Surely enough to drive any man mad with desire. But it was not her that Jaime's heart desired. His body may react to her beauty and he may feel attracted to her but his heart desired Cersei. It would always belong to Cersei. 

The desperate look in her eyes made Jaime pity her. Surely she deserves a man who could truly love her. Not him. Never him.

He gently takes her hand in his . " You look enchanting. Did you dress up like this for me?".

Renee gave a shy nod. Jaime smiled at that and took her hand in his to kiss." I love it very much "

Renee smile got even large than it was before. She carefully took his hand in hers and entwined their fingers together. Her hand considerably smaller than his was chilling like ice but her smile was the most warm thing Jaime saw today. 

Jaime felt uncomfortable being the object of her smile and just looked ahead all the way to their chambers.

The door to the chambers were closed with a loud creaking sound of the wood. Jaime turned around to see Renee looking at him through the mirror. Her eyes were on his as she carefully undid her cloak. Jaime moved towards her with careful steps. He know what she was looking for tonight. The reason she dressed like this , the approval that she sought after him.

Jaime felt disgusted by himself , he hated himself for deceiving the poor girl. Giving her an illusion of a happy marriage , of a loving marriage knowing it would be anything but that. Renee was young she couldn't distinguish between lust and love but Jaime was not. Yet he was indulging her in. 

With a deep breath , Jaime put his inner self righteous self back in and moved towards Renee hugging her from behind. He could feel her shudder in his hands. He carefully pulled back the soft , shiny hair that he was admiring before and gently buried his face in the soft skin of her neck. He breathed in her scent. There was no smell of any flower oil that most girls use. No smell of any perfume. It was entirely Renee. A smell of a person.

" Ser Jaime " The breathy gasp from Renee broke Jaime out of his thoughts. She was clutching his hands tightly in hers and her eyes were closed.

" Hmm .. what is it ? ". Jaime asks her carefully turning her around. She opened her eyes and cupped his face in her hands before she leaned in to kiss the corner of his mouth just like he did to her. 

Jaime smirked at her initiative and grasped her waist to pull her in. Their faces were just a few inches apart.                 

" I want you husband " Renee whispered quietly , her face was burning red but her eyes were burning with want and desire. Given a moment like this Jaime should have leaned in , kissed her breathless until she was left wanting for more but he could not bring himself to do that. Sex was one thing but kissing was other. He couldn't kiss her like he love her so instead he picked her in his arms which elicited a little squeak from Renee. She kept a firm hold on his shoulders and pulled him down with her when he dropped her on the bed. 

Jaime straddles her and leaned in to kiss her neck just like always but this time Renee responded by wrapping her legs around his waist and flipping him down. She looked him in the eye and leaned forwarding to press her lips to his. It was a small peck barely giving Jaime time to push her before she descended down to his neck pressing gentle wet kisses like he did to her. Jaime moaned at the light inexperienced nipping that she did with her teeth. He grasped her hair in his hand and sat up pulling her with him.

He carefully started pulling on the laces of her nightgown while Renee did the same to his tunic. 

" Be patient , Renee. We have all night " He said stopping her hand. He didn't want her to undress him. He removed his tunic and his boots in a swift motion leaving his undershirt on and swiftly pulled her nightgown off her. Now left only in her shift , her milky pale skin was visible in the candle light. Jaime had never truly noticed before , only focused on getting the deed done rather than admiring her body. He started tracing the curve of her hips and pulled her down again on top of him. The feeling of her soft breasts on his chest nearly made him moan at the contact.

" Husband.." Renee moaned. Jaime looked down to see her straddling his arousal. She looked back at him .  Her hair all stranded and her eyes glazing. Hair the colour of midnight sky and eyes the colour of seas.

It reminded him of another pair of eyes , the green eyes that were the same as his own. The golden hair of his beautiful sister. It made him guilty all of a sudden. Jaime suddenly had no mood for indulging in the acts of pleasure anymore. He wanted to finish all this soon. 

He flipped Renee down on her back ,pulled her shift up , unbuckled his breeches and entered her. He was glad that she was wet from all their ministrations earlier or it would no doubt hurt her. Within few minutes he finished inside her and rolled off her pretending to be asleep because he had no courage to face Renee.

*********************

Robb's POV

The day couldn't get more exhausting for Robb than it was already but he was glad that he handled it all. Even Maester Luwin praised him.

Now in the dead of the night , Robb finished writing his letter to Renee. He put a seal on it and left it by the desk before he moved towards his bed. 

He wonders if she still think about him , misses him.. because he surely does. Every moment , even more so after she left. Probably forever.

Lying in the bed Robb couldn't help but feel stuffy in his chest. He was worried about Renee. He had a strange sort of worry creeping his heart . The warning of Theon still rang in his head but it was another kind of feeling that was making him comfortable. He could feel that Renee was hurt , like she was in pain but how could that be possible ?

How could he be feeling these things ? Robb had no answer to that. All he knew was that he wanted to be near Renee , take away all her sorrows and sufferings. Keep her in his arms safe and protected from everything. 

Robb just closed his eyes , convincing that it was just his protective instinct coming out. 

*****************

Chapter Text

Ned's POV

The summons came in the hour before the dawn, when the world was still and grey.

Alyn shook him roughly from his dreams and Ned stumbled into the predawn chill, groggy from sleep, to find his horse saddled and the king already mounted. Robert wore  thick brown gloves and a heavy fur cloak with a hood that covered his ears, and looked  for all the world like a bear sitting a horse. “Up, Stark!” he roared. “Up, up! We have  matters of state to discuss.” 

“By all means,” Ned said. “Come inside, Your Grace.” Alyn lifted the flap of the tent.

“No, no, no,” Robert said. His breath steamed with every word. “The camp is full of ears. Besides, I want to ride out and taste this country of yours.” Ser Boros and Ser Meryn  waited behind him with a dozen guardsmen, Ned saw. There was nothing to do but rub  the sleep from his eyes, dress, and mount up. 

Robert set the pace, driving his huge black destrier hard as Ned galloped along beside him, trying to keep up. He called out a question as they rode, but the wind blew his  words away, and the king did not hear him. After that Ned rode in silence. They soon left  the kingsroad and took off across rolling plains dark with mist. By then the guard had  fallen back a small distance, safely out of earshot, but still Robert would not slow. 

Dawn broke as they crested a low ridge, and finally the king pulled up. By then they were miles south of the main party. Robert was flushed and exhilarated as Ned reined up  beside him. “Gods,” he swore, laughing, “it feels good to get out and ride the way a man  was meant to ride! I swear, Ned, this creeping along is enough to drive a man mad.” He  had never been a patient man, Robert Baratheon. “That damnable wheelhouse, the way  it creaks and groans, climbing every bump in the road as if it were a mountain . . . I  promise you, if that wretched thing breaks another axle, I’m going to burn it, and Cersei  can walk!” 

Ned laughed. “I will gladly light the torch for you.”

“Good man!” The king clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ve half a mind to leave them all behind and just keep going.”

A smile touched Ned’s lips. “I do believe you mean it.”

“I do, I do,” the king said. “What do you say, Ned? Just you and me, two vagabond knights on the kingsroad, our swords at our sides and the gods know what in front of us,  and maybe a farmer’s daughter or a tavern wench to warm our beds tonight.” 

“Would that we could,” Ned said, “but we have duties now, my liege . . . to the realm, to our children, I to my lady wife and you to your queen. We are not the boys we were.” 

“You were never the boy you were,” Robert grumbled. “More’s the pity. And yet there was that one time . . . what was her name, that common girl of yours? Becca? No, she  was one of mine, gods love her, black hair and these sweet big eyes, you could drown in  them. Yours was . . . Aleena? No. You told me once. Was it Merryl? You know the one I  mean, your bastard’s mother?” 

“Her name was Wylla,” Ned replied with cool courtesy, “and I would sooner not speak of her.” 

“Wylla. Yes.” The king grinned. “She must have been a rare wench if she could make Lord Eddard Stark forget his honor, even for an hour. You never told me what she looked like . . . ” 

Ned’s mouth tightened in anger. “Nor will I. Leave it be, Robert, for the love you say you bear me. I dishonored myself and I dishonored Catelyn, in the sight of gods and men.” 

“Gods have mercy, you scarcely knew Catelyn.”

“I had taken her to wife. She was carrying my child.”

“You are too hard on yourself, Ned. You always were. Damn it, no woman wants Baelor the Blessed in her bed.” He slapped a hand on his knee. “Well, I’ll not press you if you  feel so strong about it, though I swear, at times you’re so prickly you ought to take the  hedgehog as your sigil.” 

The rising sun sent fingers of light through the pale white mists of dawn. A wide plain spread out beneath them, bare and brown, its flatness here and there relieved by long,  low hummocks. Ned pointed them out to his king. “The barrows of the First Men.” 

Robert frowned. “Have we ridden onto a graveyard?”

“There are barrows everywhere in the north, Your Grace,” Ned told him. “This land is old.”

“And cold,” Robert grumbled, pulling his cloak more tightly around himself. The guard had reined up well behind them, at the bottom of the ridge. “Well, I did not bring you out here to talk of graves or bicker about your bastard. There was a rider in the night,  from Lord Varys in King’s Landing. Here.” The king pulled a paper from his belt and  handed it to Ned.

Varys the eunuch was the king’s master of whisperers. He served Robert now as he had once served Aerys Targaryen. Ned unrolled the paper with trepidation, thinking of Lysaand her terrible accusation, but the message did not concern Lady Arryn. “What is the source for this information?”

“Do you remember Ser Jorah Mormont?”

“Would that I might forget him,” Ned said bluntly. The Mormonts of Bear Island were an  old house, proud and honorable, but their lands were cold and distant and poor. SerJorah had tried to swell the family coffers by selling some poachers to a Tyroshi slaver.

As the Mormonts were bannermen to the Starks, his crime had dishonored the north.

Ned had made the long journey west to Bear Island, only to find when he arrived thatJorah had taken ship beyond the reach of Ice and the king’s justice. Five years had passed since then.

“Ser Jorah is now in Pentos, anxious to earn a royal pardon that would allow him to return from exile,” Robert explained. “Lord Varys makes good use of him.”

“So the slaver has become a spy,” Ned said with distaste. He handed the letter back. “I would rather he become a corpse.”

“Varys tells me that spies are more useful than corpses,” Robert said. “Jorah aside, what do you make of his report?”

“Daenerys Targaryen has wed some Dothraki horse lord. What of it? Shall we send her a wedding gift?”

The king frowned. “A knife, perhaps. A good sharp one, and a bold man to wield it.”

Ned did not feign surprise; Robert’s hatred of the Targaryens was a madness in him. He remembered the angry words they had exchanged when Tywin Lannister had presented Robert with the corpses of Rhaegar’s wife and children as a token of fealty. 

Ned had named that murder; Robert called it war. When he had protested that the young prince  and princess were no more than babes, his new-made king had replied, “I see no babes.Only dragon spawn.” Not even Jon Arryn had been able to calm that storm. Eddard Stark had ridden out that very day in a cold rage, to fight the last battles of the war alone in the south. It had taken another death to reconcile them; Lyanna’s death, and the grief they  had shared over her passing. 

This time, Ned resolved to keep his temper. “Your Grace, the girl is scarcely more than a child. You are no Tywin Lannister, to slaughter innocents.” It was said that Rhaegar’s little girl had cried as they dragged her from beneath her bed to face the swords. The boy  had been no more than a babe in arms, yet Lord Tywin’s soldiers had torn him from his  mother’s breast and dashed his head against a wall. 

“And how long will this one remain an innocent?” Robert’s mouth grew hard. “This child will soon enough spread her legs and start breeding more dragonspawn to plague me.” 

“Nonetheless,” Ned said, “the murder of children . . . it would be vile . . . unspeakable . . . ”

“Unspeakable?” the king roared. “What Aerys did to your brother Brandon was unspeakable. The way your lord father died, that was unspeakable. And Rhaegar . . . how many times do you think he raped your sister? How many hundreds of times?”

" Visenya was raped and mutilated too. On your orders. Was that not unspeakable?".Ned retorted back. It was said that Visenya Targaryen , sister to Rhaegar had escaped to dragonstone. But Robert issued a decree stating a 1000 gold dragons to anyone who presented him with Visenya's body , dead or alive. Doesn't matter. 

Robert fell silent at that.  

His voice had grown so loud that his horse whinnied nervously beneath him. The king jerked the reins hard, quieting the animal, and pointed an angry finger at Ned. “I will kill every Targaryen I can get my hands on, until they are as dead as their dragons, and then I will piss on their graves.”

Ned knew better than to defy him when the wrath was on him. If the years had not quenched Robert’s thirst for revenge, no words of his would help. “You can’t get your hands on this one, can you?” he said quietly.

The king’s mouth twisted in a bitter grimace. “No, gods be cursed. Some pox-ridden Pentosi cheesemonger had her brother and her walled up on his estate with pointy-hatted eunuchs all around them, and now he’s handed them over to the Dothraki. I should have had them both killed years ago, when it was easy to get at them, but Jon was  as bad as you. More fool I, I listened to him.”

“Jon Arryn was a wise man and a good Hand.”

Robert snorted. The anger was leaving him as suddenly as it had come. “This Khal Drogo is said to have a hundred thousand men in his horde. What would Jon say to that?”

“He would say that even a million Dothraki are no threat to the realm, so long as they remain on the other side of the narrow sea,” Ned replied calmly. “The barbarians have no ships. They hate and fear the open sea.”

The king shifted uncomfortably in his saddle. “Perhaps. There are ships to be had in the Free Cities, though. I tell you, Ned, I do not like this marriage. There are still those in the  Seven Kingdoms who call me Usurper. Do you forget how many houses fought for  Targaryen in the war? They bide their time for now, but give them half a chance, they  will murder me in my bed, and my sons with me. If the beggar king crosses with a  Dothraki horde at his back, the traitors will join him.” 

“He will not cross,” Ned promised. “And if by some mischance he does, we will throw him back into the sea. Once you choose a new Warden of the East—” 

The king groaned. “For the last time, I will not name the Arryn boy Warden. I know the boy is your nephew, but with Targaryens climbing in bed with Dothraki, I would be mad  to rest one quarter of the realm on the shoulders of a sickly child.” 

Ned was ready for that. “Yet we still must have a Warden of the East. If Robert Arryn will not do, name one of your brothers. Stannis proved himself at the siege of Storm’s End,  surely.” 

He let the name hang there for a moment. The king frowned and said nothing. He looked uncomfortable. 

“That is,” Ned finished quietly, watching, “unless you have already promised the honor to another.” 

For a moment Robert had the grace to look startled. Just as quickly, the look became annoyance. “What if I have?” 

“It’s Jaime Lannister, is it not?”

Robert kicked his horse back into motion and started down the ridge toward the barrows. Ned kept pace with him. The king rode on, eyes straight ahead. “Yes,” he said at  last. A single hard word to end the matter. 

“Kingslayer,” Ned said. The rumors were true, then. He rode on dangerous ground now, he knew. “An able and courageous man, no doubt,” he said carefully, “but his father is  Warden of the West, Robert. In time Ser Jaime will succeed to that honor. No one man  should hold both East and West .” He left unsaid his real concern; that the appointment  would put half the armies of the realm into the hands of Lannisters. 

“I will fight that battle when the enemy appears on the field,” the king said stubbornly.

“At the moment, Lord Tywin looms eternal as Casterly Rock, so I doubt that Jaime will be succeeding anytime soon and even if he does your daughter is his wife now. You should be happy knowing that your grandchildren would one day rule both east and west. Don’t vex me about this, Ned, the stone has been set.”

Ned's face frown at that. Renee. His daughter bearing Kingslayer's children , doing her duty. He really have put her in hell.

“Your Grace, may I speak frankly?”

“I seem unable to stop you,” Robert grumbled. They rode through tall brown grasses.

“Can you trust Jaime Lannister?”. 

“He is my wife’s twin, a Sworn Brother of the Kingsguard, his life and fortune and honor all bound to mine. ” 

“As they were bound to Aerys Targaryen’s,” Ned pointed out.

“Why should I mistrust him? He has done everything I have ever asked of him. His sword helped win the throne I sit on and Besides he is your son by law now. You still mistrust him now that your daughter is in his hands.” 

His sword helped taint the throne you sit on, you forced my daughter's hand to him.

Ned thought, but he did not permit the words to pass his lips. “He swore a vow to protect his king’s life with his own. Then he  opened that king’s throat with a sword.” 

“Seven hells, someone had to kill Aerys!” Robert said, reining his mount to a sudden halt beside an ancient barrow. “If Jaime hadn’t done it, it would have been left for you or me.” 

“We were not Sworn Brothers of the Kingsguard,” Ned said. The time had come for Robert to hear the whole truth, he decided then and there. “Do you remember the  Trident, Your Grace?” 

“I won my crown there. How should I forget it?”

“You took a wound from Rhaegar,” Ned reminded him. “So when the Targaryen host broke and ran, you gave the pursuit into my hands. The remnants of Rhaegar’s army fled  back to King’s Landing. We followed. Aerys was in the Red Keep with several thousand  Loyalists. I expected to find the gates closed to us.” 

Robert gave an impatient shake of his head. “Instead you found that our men had already taken the city. What of it?” 

“Not our men,” Ned said patiently. “Lannister men. The lion of Lannister flew over the ramparts, not the crowned stag. And they had taken the city by treachery.” 

The war had raged for close to a year. Lords great and small had flocked to Robert’s banners; others had remained loyal to Targaryen. The mighty Lannisters of Casterly Rock, the Wardens of the West, had remained aloof from the struggle, ignoring calls to  arms from both rebels and royalists. Aerys Targaryen must have thought that his gods  had answered his prayers when Lord Tywin Lannister appeared before the gates of  King’s Landing with an army twelve thousand strong, professing loyalty. So the mad  king had ordered his last mad act. He had opened his city to the lions at the gate. 

“Treachery was a coin the Targaryens knew well,” Robert said. The anger was building in him again. “Lannister paid them back in kind. It was no less than they deserved. I shall  not trouble my sleep over it.” 

“You were not there,” Ned said, bitterness in his voice. Troubled sleep was no stranger to him. He had lived his lies for fourteen years, yet they still haunted him at night. “There  was no honor in that conquest.” 

“The Others take your honor!” Robert swore. “What did any Targaryen ever know of honor? Go down into your crypt and ask Lyanna about the dragon’s honor!” 

“You avenged Lyanna at the Trident,” Ned said, halting beside the king. Promise me, Ned, she had whispered. 

“That did not bring her back.” Robert looked away, off into the grey distance. “The gods be damned. It was a hollow victory they gave me. A crown . . . it was the girl I prayed  them for. Your sister, safe . . . and mine again, as she was meant to be. I ask you, Ned,  what good is it to wear a crown? The gods mock the prayers of kings and cowherds alike.” 

“I cannot answer for the gods, Your Grace . . . only for what I found when I rode into the throne room that day,” Ned said. “Aerys was dead on the floor, drowned in his own  blood. His dragon skulls stared down from the walls. Lannister’s men were everywhere.  Jaime wore the white cloak of the Kingsguard over his golden armor. I can see him still. Even his sword was gilded. He was seated on the Iron Throne, high above his knights,  wearing a helm fashioned in the shape of a lion’s head. How he glittered!” 

“This is well known,” the king complained.

“I was still mounted. I rode the length of the hall in silence, between the long rows of dragon skulls. It felt as though they were watching me, somehow. I stopped in front of  the throne, looking up at him. His golden sword was across his legs, its edge red with a king’s blood. My men were filling the room behind me. Lannister’s men drew back. I never said a word. I looked at him seated there on the throne, and I waited. At last Jaime laughed and got up. He took off his helm, and he said to me, ‘Have no fear, Stark. I was only keeping it warm for our friend Robert. It’s not a very comfortable seat, I’m afraid.".

The king threw back his head and roared. His laughter startled a flight of crows from the tall brown grass. They took to the air in a wild beating of wings. “You think I should  mistrust Lannister because he sat on my throne for a few moments?” He shook with  laughter again. “Jaime was all of seventeen, Ned. Scarce more than a boy.” 

“Boy or man, he had no right to that throne.”

“Perhaps he was tired,” Robert suggested. “Killing kings is weary work. Gods know, there’s no place else to rest your ass in that damnable room. And he spoke truly, it is a  monstrous uncomfortable chair. In more ways than one.” The king shook his head.  

“Well, now I know Jaime’s dark sin, and the matter can be forgotten. I am heartily sick of secrets and squabbles and matters of state, Ned. It’s all as tedious as counting  coppers. Come, let’s ride, you used to know how. I want to feel the wind in my hair  again.” He kicked his horse back into motion and galloped up over the barrow, raining  earth down behind him. 

For a moment Ned did not follow. He had run out of words, and he was filled with a vast sense of helplessness. Not for the first time, he wondered what he was doing here and  why he had come.

He was no Jon Arryn, to curb the wildness of his king and teach him  wisdom. Robert would do what he pleased, as he always had, and nothing Ned could say  or do would change that. He belonged in Winterfell. He belonged with Catelyn in her  grief, and with Bran. 

A man could not always be where he belonged, though. Resigned, Eddard Stark put his boots into his horse and set off after the king.

******************

Jaime's POV

Jaime knew he didn't belong here , yet here he was bidding farewell to the glovers and embarking on their journey to the sea dragon point. It would take them yet another two days to actually reach there from where they would board a ship and in around 8 days they would reach the Casterly Rock. 

The journey from here was not from the dense forest like in the Wolf's wood . No , it was more Swampy area , with the mushy roads . He looked ahead at Nyx who has yet again taken the lead of the group , growling at any small animal that came near it.

Jaime looked beside him to see Renee riding beside him. She had said something about wanting to feel some fresh air and Jaime permitted her riding , seeing no harm in it. 

Sensing his gaze Renee looked at him , but she didn't smile like she usually does 

" Is there something my lord ? ". 

" I was just wondering , If you are fine riding like this. Woman get their thighs and legs scratched when riding for long times " 

Renee analysed him with a bitter look before replying , " I am not new to riding Ser Jaime. I did ride back in Winterfell. If I feel uncomfortable I would let you know. You don't have to be concerned about me ". Her tone had a sharp bite to it that Jaime noticed. 

He looked at her back as she rode ahead wondering the sudden change in her attitude. She was all loving and shy till yesterday. Looking at him with stars in her eyes but now it seemed that she couldn't tolerate his presence. 

**********************

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

" What happened to you ? You have been behaving weird since morning. ". Jaime asks Renee as she got up to leave for bed.

Renee turned towards him. She herself didn't know why she was behaving like this. She has been snapping at him since morning.

She just knew she was hurt by his behaviour. She was hurt how he keep changing from.being kind and loving to ignorant and mean. 

Last night , she had hoped that he liked her , that he would make love to her , treat her like she was precious to him. 

He did treated her like that in the beginning when he complimented her dress and gently whispered and caressed her. But then his mood suddenly changed . He flipped her on her back and took her like animals do. She didn't like that , hated even. He was not even drunk like previous times so why did he treat her like that.

She still relented thinking that maybe he didn't like her face , or maybe he had no knowledge of how to take woman due to his years of celibacy and the only knowledge he had was seeing animals breed. But surely he was older than her , he would know more than her. 

She remembers the queen's words

" Don't worry , even if it's a bit rough you will get used to it. Every man has an animal inside him that comes up occasionally , you need to know how to tame it. You are still young , you will learn ".

Is this what she meant ? If this is what is marriage is supposed to be like then she is hating every second of it.

Talking with Ser Jaime was so difficult , it was like she was walking on some spikes , carefully choosing every word so as to not displease him. But today she just snapped.

She has had enough of his mood changes. Now is the time to have a clear talk.

" I wanted to ask the same question to you Ser Jaime ? ". Renee says turning around and looked at him right in the eyes. 

" What do you mean ? ". Jaime asked confused which made Renee even angrier. Did he not understand what he has been doing ?

" Your behaviour Ser Jaime. It's all too confusing. I don't understand it.  "  Renee says walking up to the makeshift pillow mattress and sitting down. Her back though better is still not at it's best.

" And what have I done ? ". Jaime asks lazily. His eyes bored as he looked at her. 

" Do you not like me ? Am I unbearable to look ? Or do you not like to see my face when we couple " Jaime's eyes widen at her words. He gave a dry laugh before began to move towards her.

" What makes you think that ? Did you not enjoy our coupling ?. Or are you upset because it's only been thrice since we did that."

Renee felt her face burn at that. She never would have imagined talking to him about this. " No .. I mean Yes , I do enjoy your kisses but I don't like it how you take me on my back. I feel humiliated . If you don't like me then stop showing false kindness to me and Act like you actually care and last night you acted as if you were sleeping when in fact you were awake. Ignoring my attempts to wake you up. Do you take me for a stupid , insipid , daft girl who is clinging to you for attention ?? ". 

Renee felt tears rolling down but she felt light. She vented what all she was thinking since morning. Gods did wives ever talk to their husbands like this , about this ? 

Maybe they don't , if Ser Jaime's shocked face was something to go by.

Though she wanted to bury her self in the ground , she held her ground and kept looking at him wanting for him to say.

Ser Jaime instead of saying anything sighed and rubbed his forehead in irritation.

" How do you know I was not sleeping ! ?. ".

Renee's eyes widened at his question. She just vented all she has been feeling and this is his question !!!

" Your breathing habits and the light twitching of your eyes were a clear indication. Now tell me why did you pretend ?! " 

" Because I was tired and not in the mood to entertain you. Why are you making a big deal of this ? Gods I am tired already , don't make it worse " Jaime rolled his eyes downing a glass of wine

Renee's whole face was burning from anger.

" Yeah , I am a fool that you have to entertain at times. It's not a big deal , of course . Not at all. My apologies for wasting your time. "

Sarcasm was dripping from her every but Renee didn't care. She looked at him waiting for him to say something but he didn't so she just huffed and moved towards the bed hiding herself in the blanket. She didn't want to see his face. How could he be so heartless ? Father always listened to mother whenever she was angry. Hug her tightly even when he knew he was not in the wrong. 

But then again Father loved her mother. She could see it in their eyes the love they had for each other , the respect with which we they treated each other. Was it simply not possible in their marriage???

Renee just closed her eyes not wanting to think of these things again. She wanted to be with Robb , she missed him very much. Her sweet sweet brother.

"Don't fall in love with him then ". 

Renee remembered what Robb said that day. She won't feel hurt if she didn't harbour any feelings for him. She was disappointed at him because she expected too much from him . Expectations leads to disappointments. Should she just stop expecting love from him? But it's only been a week since their marriage. Was it too early for her to expect too much ?.

Renee wished she has her mother with her right now. Someone to help her, make her understand , answer her questions. But she had no one but a pillow to cry her feelings out. 

The rest of their journey to the Sea Dragon Point was quiet with little to no interaction between Jaime and Renee. Renee decided to stay in her carriage because she got her moon blood just the morning after she said all those things. .

Moon blood meant that she was not with child but it also meant more trouble. She had spent the rest of her time in bed. Sleeping or thinking of what was Robb doing , how was Bran , how was mother, where was father , was Arya enjoying the ride , Is Sansa still hung up on the prince , and last but not the least , did Jon think of her.

Renee didn't want to lie to herself but the truth is that she didn't think of him at all. It was Ser Jaime that she thought of at nights when he slept beside her. Since her outburst , he didn't utter a word to her. Just gave her things before she even asked. He even came late to the carriage after she was asleep and left before she wake up. It made her feel like she was at fault . 

The pain in her belly was not getting better either. It was even worse with the ever moving carriage. 

The carriage seem to halt. Renee looked out of the window. The smell of seawater was ever so prominent. Nyx gave a loud growl at the door waiting for Renee to let her in. But it was not only Nyx who was waiting for there but Ser Jaime too. 

He looked exceptionally tired. All to the limited amount of sleep he took in order to avoid interacting with her. It was the first time in two days that she saw eye to eye with him. She looked back down to the hand that was forwarded to her and back to his eyes. 

Renee had a mind to refuse it , to not break whatever cold war was going between them. But she looked at the guards who were behind him and decided to not embarrass him. His hand was cold , the feel of leather cold against her much colder hand , devoid of any warm it usually offered .

Her handmaidens soon followed behind her waiting for her interactions.

" Shift all the things to the ship ". Ser Jaime commanded her . Both of them nodded to him and left to work.

Renee looked down at their hands which were still joined and tried to break free but Jaime didn't .

" I think you should let go ". Renee said attempting to break free again but she just got a stern look before getting pulled towards the sea and away from the ship.

**************** 

Tyrion's POV

The north went on forever.

Tyrion Lannister knew the maps as well as anyone, but a fortnight on the wild track that passed for the kingsroad up here had brought home the lesson that the map was one  thing and the land quite another. 

They had left Winterfell on the same day as the king, amidst all the commotion of the royal departure, riding out to the sound of men shouting and horses snorting, to the  rattle of wagons and the groaning of the queen’s huge wheelhouse, as a light snow  flurried about them. The kingsroad was just beyond the sprawl of castle and town. There  the banners and the wagons and the columns of knights and freeriders turned south,  taking the tumult with them, while Tyrion turned north with Benjen Stark and his  nephew. 

It had grown colder after that, and far more quiet.

West of the road were flint hills, grey and rugged, with tall watchtowers on their stony summits. 

To the east the land was lower, the ground flattening to a rolling plain that  stretched away as far as the eye could see. Stone bridges spanned swift, narrow rivers,  while small farms spread in rings around holdfasts walled in wood and stone. The road  was well trafficked, and at night for their comfort there were rude inns to be found. 

Three days ride from Winterfell, however, the farmland gave way to dense wood, and the kingsroad grew lonely. The flint hills rose higher and wilder with each passing mile, until  by the fifth day they had turned into mountains, cold blue-grey giants with jagged  promontories and snow on their shoulders. When the wind blew from the north, long  plumes of ice crystals flew from the high peaks like banners. 

With the mountains a wall to the west, the road veered north by northeast through the wood, a forest of oak and evergreen and black brier that seemed older and darker than any Tyrion had ever seen. “The wolfswood,” Benjen Stark called it, and indeed their nights came alive with the howls of distant packs, and some not so distant. Jon Snow’s  albino direwolf pricked up his ears at the nightly howling, but never raised his own voice  in reply. There was something very unsettling about that animal, Tyrion thought. Jaime was headed there . Probably already crossed it and now standing in front of the sea enjoying the cool breeze with his warm wife in his arms. What a life !

There were eight in the party by then, not counting the wolf. Tyrion traveled with two of his own men, as befit a Lannister. Benjen Stark had only his bastard nephew and some  fresh mounts for the Night’s Watch, but at the edge of the wolfswood they stayed a night  behind the wooden walls of a forest holdfast, and there joined up with another of the  black brothers, one Yoren. Yoren was stooped and sinister, his features hidden behind a  beard as black as his clothing, but he seemed as tough as an old root and as hard as  stone. With him were a pair of ragged peasant boys from the Fingers.

“Rapers,” Yoren  said with a cold look at his charges. Tyrion understood. Life on the Wall was said to be  hard, but no doubt it was preferable to castration. 

Five men, three boys, a direwolf, twenty horses, and a cage of ravens given over to Benjen Stark by Maester Luwin. No doubt they made a curious fellowship for the  kingsroad, or any road. 

Tyrion noticed Jon Snow watching Yoren and his sullen companions, with an odd cast to his face that looked uncomfortably like dismay. Yoren had a twisted shoulder and a sour  smell, his hair and beard were matted and greasy and full of lice, his clothing old,  patched, and seldom washed. His two young recruits smelled even worse, and seemed as  stupid as they were cruel. 

No doubt the boy had made the mistake of thinking that the Night’s Watch was made up of men like his uncle. If so, Yoren and his companions were a rude awakening. Tyrion  felt sorry for the boy. He had chosen a hard life . . . or perhaps he should say that a hard  life had been chosen for him. 

He had rather less sympathy for the uncle. Benjen Stark seemed to share his brother’s distaste for Lannisters, and he had not been pleased when Tyrion had told him of his  intentions. “I warn you, Lannister, you’ll find no inns at the Wall,” he had said, looking  down on him. 

“No doubt you’ll find some place to put me,” Tyrion had replied. “As you might have noticed, I’m small.” 

One did not say no to the queen’s brother, of course, so that had settled the matter, but Stark had not been happy. “You will not like the ride, I promise you that,” he’d said  curtly, and since the moment they set out, he had done all he could to live up to that  promise. 

By the end of the first week, Tyrion’s thighs were raw from hard riding, his legs were cramping badly, and he was chilled to the bone. He did not complain. He was damned if  he would give Benjen Stark that satisfaction.

He took a small revenge in the matter of his riding fur, a tattered bearskin, old and musty-smelling. Stark had offered it to him in an excess of Night’s Watch gallantry, no  doubt expecting him to graciously decline. Tyrion had accepted with a smile. He had  brought his warmest clothing with him when they rode out of Winterfell, and soon  discovered that it was nowhere near warm enough. It was cold up here, and growing  colder. The nights were well below freezing now, and when the wind blew it was like a  knife cutting right through his warmest woolens.

By now Stark was no doubt regretting  his chivalrous impulse. Perhaps he had learned a lesson. The Lannisters never declined,  graciously or otherwise. The Lannisters took what was offered. 

Farms and holdfasts grew scarcer and smaller as they pressed northward, ever deeper into the darkness of the wolfswood, until finally there were no more roofs to shelter  under, and they were thrown back on their own resources. 

Tyrion was never much use in making a camp or breaking one. Too small, too hobbled, too in-the-way. So while Stark and Yoren and the other men erected rude shelters,  tended the horses, and built a fire, it became his custom to take his fur and a wineskin  and go off by himself to read. 

On the eighteenth night of their journey, the wine was a rare sweet amber from the

Summer Isles that he had brought all the way north from Casterly Rock, and the book a rumination on the history and properties of dragons. With Lord Eddard Stark’s  permission, Tyrion had borrowed a few rare volumes from the Winterfell library and  packed them for the ride north. 

He found a comfortable spot just beyond the noise of the camp, beside a swift-running stream with waters clear and cold as ice. A grotesquely ancient oak provided shelter  from the biting wind. Tyrion curled up in his fur with his back against the trunk, took a  sip of the wine, and began to read about the properties of dragonbone.

Dragonbone is  black because of its high iron content, the book told him. It is strong as steel, yet lighter  and far more flexible, and of course utterly impervious to fire. Dragonbone bows are  greatly prized by the Dothraki, and small wonder. An archer so armed can outrange  any wooden bow. 

Tyrion had a morbid fascination with dragons. When he had first come to King’s Landing for his sister’s wedding to Robert Baratheon, he had made it a point to seek out  the dragon skulls that had hung on the walls of Targaryen’s throne room. King Robert  had replaced them with banners and tapestries, but Tyrion had persisted until he found  the skulls in the dank cellar where they had been stored. 

He had expected to find them impressive, perhaps even frightening. He had not thought to find them beautiful. Yet they were. As black as onyx, polished smooth, so the bone seemed to shimmer in the light of his torch. They liked the fire, he sensed. He’d thrust the torch into the mouth of one of the larger skulls and made the shadows leap and  dance on the wall behind him. The teeth were long, curving knives of black diamond.  

The flame of the torch was nothing to them; they had bathed in the heat of far greater fires. When he had moved away, Tyrion could have sworn that the beast’s empty eye sockets had watched him go.

There were nineteen skulls. The oldest was more than three thousand years old; the youngest a mere century and a half. The most recent were also the smallest; a matched pair no bigger than mastiff’s skulls, and oddly misshapen, all that remained of the last two hatchlings born on Dragonstone. They were the last of the Targaryen dragons, perhaps the last dragons anywhere, and they had not lived very long.

From there the skulls ranged upward in size to the three great monsters of song andstory, the dragons that Aegon Targaryen and his sisters had unleashed on the Seven

Kingdoms of old. The singers had given them the names of gods: Balerion, Meraxes, Vhaghar. Tyrion had stood between their gaping jaws, wordless and awed. You could have ridden a horse down Vhaghar’s gullet, although you would not have ridden it out again. Meraxes was even bigger. And the greatest of them, Balerion, the Black Dread, could have swallowed an aurochs whole, or even one of the hairy mammoths said to roam the cold wastes beyond the Port of Ibben.

Tyrion stood in that dank cellar for a long time, staring at Balerion’s huge, empty-eyeds until his torch burned low, trying to grasp the size of the living animal, to imagine how it must have looked when it spread its great black wings and swept across the skies,breathing fire.

His own remote ancestor, King Loren of the Rock, had tried to stand against the fire when he joined with King Mern of the Reach to oppose the Targaryen conquest. That was close on three hundred years ago, when the Seven Kingdoms were kingdoms, and not mere provinces of a greater realm. Between them, the Two Kings had six hundred banners flying, five thousand mounted knights, and ten times as many freeriders and  men-at-arms. Aegon Dragonlord had perhaps a fifth that number, the chroniclers said,and most of those were conscripts from the ranks of the last king he had slain, their loyalties uncertain.

The hosts met on the broad plains of the Reach, amidst golden fields of wheat ripe for harvest. When the Two Kings charged, the Targaryen army shivered and shattered and began to run. For a few moments, the chroniclers wrote, the conquest was at an end . . . but only for those few moments, before Aegon Targaryen and his sisters joined the battle.

It was the only time that Vhaghar, Meraxes, and Balerion were all unleashed at once.

The singers called it the Field of Fire.

Near four thousand men had burned that day, among them King Mern of the Reach. King Loren had escaped, and lived long enough to surrender, pledge his fealty to the  Targaryens, and beget a son, for which Tyrion was duly grateful. 

However what amused him more than anything was a statue among all the skulls of the dragons. It was that of a weeping woman , so beautiful , so alive he daresay . He had never imagined someone so capable of such craftsmanship. Must be a rare talent. Varys warned him to never go near those skulls again , but Tyrion felt like it was more of a warning to not be near to that statue. 

It was later revealed by Jon Arryn to him that the statue was infact an imitation of Visenya Targaryen , the sister of Rhaegar. Robert was gifted that on his coronation by some unknown person but the statue was so real that Robert commanded it to be stored where the rest of the Targaryen heirlooms were . Such a pity , the artist was unknown. Tyrion would have liked if someone made such a statue for himself.

“Why do you read so much?”

Tyrion looked up at the sound of the voice. Jon Snow was standing a few feet away, regarding him curiously. He closed the book on a finger and said, “Look at me and tell  me what you see.” 

The boy looked at him suspiciously. “Is this some kind of trick? I see you. Tyrion Lannister.” 

Tyrion sighed. “You are remarkably polite for a bastard, Snow. What you see is a dwarf. You are what, twelve?” 

“Fourteen,” the boy said.

“Fourteen, and you’re taller than I will ever be. My legs are short and twisted, and I walk with difficulty. I require a special saddle to keep from falling off my horse. A saddle of  my own design, you may be interested to know. It was either that or ride a pony. My  arms are strong enough, but again, too short. I will never make a swordsman. Had I  been born a peasant, they might have left me out to die, or sold me to some slaver’s  grotesquerie. Alas, I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock, and the grotesqueries are all  the poorer. Things are expected of me. My father was the Hand of the King for twenty  years. My brother later killed that very same king, as it turns out, but life is full of these  little ironies. My sister married the new king and my repulsive nephew will be king after  him. I must do my part for the honor of my House, wouldn’t you agree? Yet how? Well,  my legs may be too small for my body, but my head is too large, although I prefer to  think it is just large enough for my mind. I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths  and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his  warhammer, and I have my mind . . . and a mind needs books as a sword needs a  whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. “That’s  why I read so much, Jon Snow.” 

The boy absorbed that all in silence. He had the Stark face if not the name: long, solemn, guarded, a face that gave nothing away. Whoever his mother had been, she had left little  of herself in her son. “What are you reading about?” he asked..

“Dragons,” Tyrion told him.

“What good is that? There are no more dragons,” the boy said with the easy certainty of youth. 

“So they say,” Tyrion replied. “Sad, isn’t it? When I was your age, used to dream of having a dragon of my own.” 

“You did?” the boy said suspiciously. Perhaps he thought Tyrion was making fun of him.

“Oh, yes. Even a stunted, twisted, ugly little boy can look down over the world when he’s seated on a dragon’s back.” Tyrion pushed the bearskin aside and climbed to his feet. “I  used to start fires in the bowels of Casterly Rock and stare at the flames for hours,  pretending they were dragonfire. Sometimes I’d imagine my father burning. At other  times, my sister.” Jon Snow was staring at him, a look equal parts horror and  fascination. Tyrion guffawed. “Don’t look at me that way, bastard. I know your secret.  You’ve dreamt the same kind of dreams.” 

“No,” Jon Snow said, horrified. “I wouldn’t . . . ”

“No? Never?” Tyrion raised an eyebrow. “Well, no doubt the Starks have been terribly good to you. I’m certain Lady Stark treats you as if you were one of her own. And your  brother Robb, he’s always been kind, and why not? He gets Winterfell and you get the  Wall. And your father . . . he must have good reasons for packing you off to the Night’s  Watch . . . ” 

“Stop it,” Jon Snow said, his face dark with anger. “The Night’s Watch is a noble calling!”

Tyrion laughed. “You’re too smart to believe that. The Night’s Watch is a midden heap for all the misfits of the realm. I’ve seen you looking at Yoren and his boys. Those are  your new brothers, Jon Snow, how do you like them? Sullen peasants, debtors, poachers,  rapers, thieves, and bastards like you all wind up on the Wall, watching for grumkins  and snarks and all the other monsters your wet nurse warned you about. The good part  is there are no grumkins or snarks, so it’s scarcely dangerous work. The bad part is you  freeze your balls off, but since you’re not allowed to breed anyway, I don’t suppose that  matters.” 

“Stop it!” the boy screamed. He took a step forward, his hands coiling into fists, close to tears. 

Suddenly, absurdly, Tyrion felt guilty. He took a step forward, intending to give the boy a reassuring pat on the shoulder or mutter some word of apology.

He never saw the wolf, where it was or how it came at him. One moment he was walking toward Snow and the next he was flat on his back on the hard rocky ground, the book  spinning away from him as he fell, the breath going out of him at the sudden impact, his  mouth full of dirt and blood and rotting leaves. As he tried to get up, his back spasmed  painfully. He must have wrenched it in the fall. He ground his teeth in frustration,  grabbed a root, and pulled himself back to a sitting position. “Help me,” he said to the  boy, reaching up a hand. 

And suddenly the wolf was between them. He did not growl. The damned thing never made a sound. He only looked at him with those bright red eyes, and showed him his  teeth, and that was more than enough. Tyrion sagged back to the ground with a grunt.  

“Don’t help me, then. I’ll sit right here until you leave.”

Jon Snow stroked Ghost’s thick white fur, smiling now. “Ask me nicely.”

Tyrion Lannister felt the anger coiling inside him, and crushed it out with a will. It was not the first time in his life he had been humiliated, and it would not be the last. Perhaps  he even deserved this. “I should be very grateful for your kind assistance, Jon,” he said  mildly. 

“Down, Ghost,” the boy said. The direwolf sat on his haunches. Those red eyes never left Tyrion. Jon came around behind him, slid his hands under his arms, and lifted him  easily to his feet. Then he picked up the book and handed it back. 

“Why did he attack me?” Tyrion asked with a sidelong glance at the direwolf. He wiped blood and dirt from his mouth with the back of his hand. 

“Maybe he thought you were a grumkin.”

Tyrion glanced at him sharply. Then he laughed, a raw snort of amusement that came bursting out through his nose entirely without his permission. “Oh, gods,” he said,  choking on his laughter and shaking his head, “I suppose I do rather look like a grumkin.  What does he do to snarks?” 

“You don’t want to know.” Jon picked up the wineskin and handed it to Tyrion.

Tyrion pulled out the stopper, tilted his head, and squeezed a long stream into his mouth. The wine was cool fire as it trickled down his throat and warmed his belly. He  held out the skin to Jon Snow. “Want some?” 

The boy took the skin and tried a cautious swallow. “It’s true, isn’t it?” he said when he was done. “What you said about the Night’s Watch.”

Tyrion nodded.

Jon Snow set his mouth in a grim line. “If that’s what it is, that’s what it is.”

Tyrion grinned at him. “That’s good, bastard. Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.” 

“Most men,” the boy said. “But not you.”

“No,” Tyrion admitted, “not me. I seldom even dream of dragons anymore. There are no dragons.” He scooped up the fallen bearskin. “Come, we had better return to camp  before your uncle calls the banners.” 

The walk was short, but the ground was rough underfoot and his legs were cramping badly by the time they got back. Jon Snow offered a hand to help him over a thick tangle  of roots, but Tyrion shook him off. He would make his own way, as he had all his life.  

Still, the camp was a welcome sight. The shelters had been thrown up against the tumbledown wall of a long-abandoned holdfast, a shield against the wind. The horses  had been fed and a fire had been laid. Yoren sat on a stone, skinning a squirrel. The  savory smell of stew filled Tyrion’s nostrils. He dragged himself over to where his man  

Morrec was tending the stewpot. Wordlessly, Morrec handed him the ladle. Tyrion tasted and handed it back. “More pepper,” he said. 

Benjen Stark emerged from the shelter he shared with his nephew. “There you are. Jon, damn it, don’t go off like that by yourself. I thought the Others had gotten you.” 

“It was the grumkins,” Tyrion told him, laughing. Jon Snow smiled. Stark shot a baffled look at Yoren. The old man grunted, shrugged, and went back to his bloody work. 

The squirrel gave some body to the stew, and they ate it with black bread and hard cheese that night around their fire. Tyrion shared around his skin of wine until even  

Yoren grew mellow. One by one the company drifted off to their shelters and to sleep, all but Jon Snow, who had drawn the night’s first watch. 

Tyrion was the last to retire, as always. As he stepped into the shelter his men had built for him, he paused and looked back at Jon Snow. The boy stood near the fire, his face  still and hard, looking deep into the flames. 

Tyrion Lannister smiled sadly and went to bed.

****************************

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

" Will you let go of me ? ". Renee shouted again and pulled off her hand. They were now several yards away from the rest of their crowd. Jaime couldn't help but sigh again. The sea waves kept crushing at the shore again with a whispering sound as to convey some message .

Renee was looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze maybe thinking if he brought her here to murder her. Silly.

Yet this silly girl have made his nights restless for the past few days. Her words still hung in his mind. About how she felt humiliated , about how he was showing her fake kindness and affection. 

Jaime wanted to deny it so bad. Whatever he was in life , he was not fake. He never tried to be something he wasn't. The kindness or whatever she likes to call it were his real emotions. 

Her eyes were looking at him warily , with a hint of fear . He had seen this look many times in the eyes of Queen Rhaella for Aerys Targaryen , in the eyes of Cersei when she was carried away for the bedding ceremony. He hated those men who commanded such fear from their wives . He had wanted to kill the mad king when he tortured the queen . He had wanted to murder Robert when he raped Cersei in drunken haze. Yet now his own wife was afraid of him.

He had stayed away from her hoping that she needed some space and will be fine on her own. But it seems like it wasn't the case. 

" Why have you brought me here ? ". Renee asks pointing towards the sea in front.

" What do you see ? ". Jaime asks back. Renee looked at him like he was mad.

" Are you kidding with me ? I see you ". 

Jaime chuckled. " I mean ..  what do you see from here ? ". Jaime turns her around taking her hand and pointing it towards the sea.

" I see water everywhere ". Renee replied to him. 

" Yes , you do. Have you ever seen this much water in your life ? ". Jaime asks still holding her hand. Renee shook her head in no.

" Of course not. Because you spent all your life in Winterfell but now you are moving to Casterly Rock with me . You'll see this much water everyday. "

" And why are you telling me all this ? ". Renee turned around and take a step back putting some distance between them.

" I am talking about change Renee. I am talking about difference. Your life in Winterfell and your life in Casterly Rock are going to be very very different. You Starks like truth right , harsh cold truth. So I am going to tell you the truth of the life that you are going to have there. You'll be all alone. You'll have no one to trust , no one to talk to. If you try to befriend anyone , you'll never know when you'll get stabbed in the back by the same person. ... I know you must have some expectations like every young ....silly...girl have about marriage life, dreaming of ruling your husband's castle , being the lady of the keep where everyone will worship you like you are their goddess, follow your commands. Your husband will treat you like a queen , fulfill all your wishes , understand you , fight for you, protect you and all the other things to make you. You will birth many babies for him which will rule the castle and your name will be written in the history as a good , kind , Beautiful and just lady of the keep...... ".

Jaime paused looking at Renee , she seemed have been frozen at her place. He continued , " But it's all just an illusion , a fantasy . The truth is that your husband ignores you most of the times, have mistresses or bastards outside of marriage ...".

Jaime noticed how Renee flinched at the word bastard.

" and in worst case scenario beat the hell out of you when angry , humiliate you in front of everyone and it's just not limited to that. He may even force you to have his heirs until you are on the verge of death.....". Jaime stops his rant. He just said what he has seen of marriages of Cersei , of Elia , of Rhaella 

" And are you like those man ? Are you going to treat me like them ? ". Renee asks after a long bout of silence. She was still looking down sniffling . Jaime couldn't help but sigh , he sometimes forget that Renee was but just a child. New and inexperienced to this cruel world. It made him pity her sometimes like now. He gently held her chin and made her look at him.

" I would never hurt you ... atleast physically. You have my word on that. About other things , I can't promise but I'll try my best. You were hurt because you think I am showing you false kindness and gentleness "

Renee nodded. 

" Well let me tell you one thing. I may be many things but I am not someone with a two faced personality. What I am is known to everyone. I do not hide and I do not pretend ... I am not a good person but I am not a cruel person either. You do not have to be afraid of me " Jaime said. 

" I am not afraid of you " Renee replied quietly. " You were the one who was avoiding me. You should have just tell me this earlier, I would have understand it then as well "

Jaime smirked " Ohh... So what have you understand ?? "

" To not expect you to be all loving and caring like the knights in the stories and just adjust to the reality " 

" Hmm well I agree with the second one , no doubt. But the first one , not so much . I can be loving and caring " Jaime said teasingly.

" But only when you want to. You flip the next second when you don't like it " Renee said pulling the cloak tighter around her. The winds were getting colder.. " Now can we go back it's getting cold ".

" Yes we can but first tell me when did I flip?". Jaime asks as they move towards the ship.

Renee turned to him with an annoyed look , " Do you really want me to recount you ? ".

Jaime just shrugged. He doesn't remember truly. As far as he know . He never treated her harshly.

At his no response , Renee gave an awkward look around before turning to him again.

" Remember our stay at Deepwood Motte "

" Yeah what about it ".

" The night you took me....when I dressed just like you ". Renee stuttered a bit still looking around to see if someone was listening to them.

Jaime recalled that night. It was the first time she took initiative and got angry when he pretended to sleep.

" Ohh... So you don't like to be taken on your stomach. I remember you telling me that when your bursted your anger on me..."

A passer by guard seemed to stop at his pace hearing this which made Renee hit him on the arm. 

" Keep your voice low ...will you ? ". Renee chided him.

" Not my fault you wanted to talk about all this when everyone can hear ". Renee just glared at him which made Jaime laugh.

" Ok fine I was just jesting. Next time when we couple just tell me what you like and what you don't. I will treat you like that " Jaime said earnestly. The outburst of Renee made him realise that it could not go on like this. Even if the marriage was not of his choice. It was done nevertheless and he can't continue to torment Renee over it anymore. 

He still loves Cersei , no doubt about that but he won't punish Renee about it. He will try to give her happiness and respect in all the ways he can . Its just a compensation for never being able to love her and give her his heart and soul.

Renee blushed a pretty red at his words and just rolled her eyes , " It will have to wait for many days , Ser Jaime. I am still on my moon blood ".

" Gods such a terrible timing. " Jaime grimaced mockingly which made Renee laugh. It was the true laugh he saw since she left Winterfell. Jaime just smiled seeing her laugh , it was very warm compared to the chilly surroundings.

********************

Robb' s POV

Its been five days since everyone departed from Winterfell.

Robb spent his days practicing his swords , lance , archery and all that Ser Rodrik Cassel taught him before he left. He now fashioned a steel sword not a wooden one. It made Robb feel responsible , as a true heir to Winterfell when Father is not here.

He spent hours with Maester Luwin understanding relations between different Northern houses , trade routes and the condition of the night's watch. It was interesting and boring at the the same time. Interesting because he would one day rule over them like a lord and boring because of Maester Luwin 's way of teaching. It was generally Renee with whom he studies all these. They used to learn all these cracking jokes , and spinning funny names to make it easier to remember. 

Bran's condition didn't improve and mother was same as before spending majority of her time in there. Maester Luwin advised him to let her feel her grief in silence. She will come out of it on her own. Robb decided to take his advice.

He went by the lakeside again but found no witch there. Thinking it to be for the best he decided to drop this matter once and for all but he still remembers the prophecies. It came true for Renee , so he knew there was some truth to it . 

" Red colour binds you red ,

You will ride to west

Always empty will be your bed

The same will give you 5 seed

One out of which will reach the best

You may get a golden rose ,

if you escape the lion, 

But if you chose to not leave.

The past will haunt back like a scion 

Sufferings , betrayal will follow that and at the point a sin you shall commit 

which will lead to the birth of the wolf who will sing the song of ice and fire "

He also remembered his .

" Wolf of snow , wolf of sand

Red colour meets the black

Honor will make you suffer

Don't cross the neck 

Or you will lose your head.

If you want your head back and a new sight

You shall need a lion's pelt

After which you shall die infinite

A guard of your blood will help you free 

with a costly dinner

The past will come back at that time which will make you a sinner.

With a new dawn of the day you would be the ire 

of the wolf who shall sing

The song of ice and fire."

He knew that his and Renee's Prophecy were linked in a way ...about a certain wolf who will sing the song of ice and fire.

Robb just has to figure out that who was this wolf or was it some thing ?

Robb went to sleep thinking of this same wolf but he saw something else tonight. A dream which made it clear who were the couple that he kept dreaming about .

************************

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

" So what is Casterly Rock like except the water around it that you have already mentioned ? ". Renee asked excitedly to Jaime who just entered the bed. He looked at her perplexed at the sudden question. 

After the talk Renee realised that there was no point in hoping for a marriage like mother and father. It will only bring her more sadness and disappointment by comparing both. Instead she decides to take things at her own pace. Even if they didn't fall in love , it will be better if they are just bearable to each other and not hate each other. 

She didn't want a marriage like he said where both the husband and wife hate each other to the guts. She was also relieved that Ser Jaime gave a thought to her feelings and decided to value her opinions in ....some matters.

She also decided to stop fawning over little acts of kindness done by him. It meant nothing romantic so no need to blush and smile over them.

" You do know the Lannisters are rich ?. Its because of the gold mines underneath ". Jaime explained slipping in the bed and taking a blanket over his form. Their cabin in the ship was much better than the one in carriage. 

" I know that... I would love to see a gold mine in real. "

Jaime laughed , " Oh trust me you don't , it's not a place for you to go to. Too dusty and risky , one slip and you are gone , killed by the deep fall ".

Renee just shrugged , " I do know how to walk, Ser Jaime . Besides are there only gold mines . I have heard Lannisters are also quite fond of emerald "

" Of course , emerald compliment our eyes. It's like a gem made for us ". Jaime said playing with the little emerald ring on his hand. He then asked Renee with a teasing look , " Though I am sure it will suit you as well. Afterall you looked nice in that green gown you wore "

" I don't think so......I never was fond of emerald much ". It was true. The green gown wore was just to impress Jaime and because she has started to like his eyes.

" Then what do you like ? Silver ? Sapphire ? " Jaime says looking at her appearance making Renee chuckle.

" They suit me no doubt but I always loved Ruby. It's so red and vibrant. Exuding danger and attracting everyone. I once asked father to get me one ruby necklace but he forgot and got me a sapphire instead ". Renee couldn't help laughing at that memory. Ned Stark always fulfilled Renee's wishes which he could. Sometimes he messed up but his love for can be clearly seen. 

Jaime however didn't have much reaction , he just stood their looking grim. Perhaps because of his usual animosity with Renee's father.

" The Queen loves emerald too. I saw how she always wear emerald jewelry just like you". Renee said casually but soon she noticed that Ser Jaime didn't take this as such. His eyes widened comically and his mouth opened in shock. Renee would have surely laughed at the funny sight had Jaime not jumped out of the bed checking his breeches harshly.

" What are you doing ? ". Renee asked incredulously.

" Nothing , you go to sleep ". Jaime answered without looking back and left the cabin making Renee wonder what had triggered such reaction out of him.

Robb's POV

" Brother you should stop being so boring and broody alll the time.. Gods how does Elia tolerate you. I could never understand ". 

The voice of a female was sounding very clearly but Robb couldn't see her face. He was somewhere behind a pillar but his vision was all blurry . He tried to move out of the pillar to see her but it was like his feet were glued to the ground. 

He then remembered the witches words about how to remember the person you love the most whe having these dreams. He started thinking of his mother , his father , Renee , his siblings. Everyone of them.

It seemed to work because soon he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around shocked to find a beautiful woman , who had dark complexion with dark eyes and hair looking at him amusedly.

" Spying on the princess isn't very honorable Ser "

The woman laughed mischievously.

Robb decided to stay silent but words came out his mouth without intending to.

" I was not spying on the Princess. I was just passing by " Robb's head automatically bowed low.

" There is no need to lie to me , I already know about both of you ". 

Robb started stuttering and he could also feel a faint blush on his face which he could not understand why. 

The woman started chuckling softly before leaning in.

" A piece of advice if you want , win her brother's and mother's heart first......".

The sounds of laughing could be heard and Robb turned around. He caught sight of a white haired ...man , he had deep indigo eyes and he was looking at him intensely. It felt like he was looking at HIM...Robb Stark...not the person the woman thought him to be.

The man's gaze hardened suddenly and he mouthed LEAVE...

Robb was sure there was some magic in his words because his head started spinning and he woke up sweating with a terrible headache.

The white haired man.

Well there are only quite a few people who have that infamous white hair and indigo eyes.

THE TARAGARYENS

********************

Chapter Text

Catelyn's POV

Ned and the girls were eight days gone when Maester Luwin came to her one night in Bran’s sickroom, carrying a reading lamp and the books of account. “It is past time that we reviewed the figures, my lady,” he said. “You’ll want to know how much this royal visit cost us.” 

Catelyn looked at Bran in his sickbed and brushed his hair back off his forehead. It had grown very long, she realized. She would have to cut it soon. “I have no need to look at  figures, Maester Luwin,” she told him, never taking her eyes from Bran. “I know what  the visit cost us. Take the books away.” 

“My lady, the king’s party had healthy appetites. We must replenish our stores before—”

She cut him off. “I said, take the books away. The steward will attend to our needs.”

“We have no steward,” Maester Luwin reminded her. Like a little grey rat, she thought, he would not let go. “Poole went south to establish Lord Eddard’s household at King’s  Landing.” 

Catelyn nodded absently. “Oh, yes. I remember.” Bran looked so pale. She wondered whether they might move his bed under the window, so he could get the morning sun. 

Maester Luwin set the lamp in a niche by the door and fiddled with its wick. “There are several appointments that require your immediate attention, my lady. Besides the  steward, we need a captain of the guards to fill Jory’s place, a new master of horse—” 

Her eyes snapped around and found him. “A master of horse?” Her voice was a whip.

The maester was shaken. “Yes, my lady. Hullen rode south with Lord Eddard, so—”

“My son lies here broken and dying, Luwin, and you wish to discuss a new master of horse? Do you think I care what happens in the stables? Do you think it matters to me  one whit? I would gladly butcher every horse in Winterfell with my own hands if it would  open Bran’s eyes, do you understand that? Do you?” 

He bowed his head. “Yes, my lady, but the appointments—”

“I’ll make the appointments,” Robb said.

Catelyn had not heard him enter, but there he stood in the doorway, looking at her. She had been shouting, she realized with a sudden flush of shame. What was happening to  her? She was so tired, and her head hurt all the time. 

Maester Luwin looked from Catelyn to her son. “I have prepared a list of those we might wish to consider for the vacant offices,” he said, offering Robb a paper plucked from his  sleeve. 

Her son glanced at the names. He had come from outside, Catelyn saw; his cheeks were red from the cold, his hair shaggy and windblown. “Good men,” he said. “We’ll talk  about them tomorrow.” He handed back the list of names. 

“Very good, my lord.” The paper vanished into his sleeve.

“Leave us now,” Robb said. Maester Luwin bowed and departed. Robb closed the door behind him and turned to her. He was wearing a sword, she saw. “Mother, what are you doing?” 

Catelyn had always thought Robb looked like her; like Bran and Rickon and Sansa, he had the Tully coloring, the auburn hair, the blue eyes. Yet now for the first time she saw  something of Eddard Stark in his face, something as stern and hard as the north. “What am I doing?” she echoed, puzzled. “How can you ask that? What do you imagine I’m  doing? I am taking care of your brother. I am taking care of Bran.” 

“Is that what you call it? You haven’t left this room since Bran was hurt. You didn’t even come to the gate when Father and the girls went south. I guess you didn't even bid a proper farewell to Renee.” 

“Renee is a good girl . She knows i couldn't leave her brother.  I said my farewells to them here, and watched them ride out from that window.”. She knows that Renee would handle everything on her on. She is a smart girl , she always has been. She had begged Ned not to go, not now, not after what had happened; everything had  changed now, couldn’t he see that? It was no use. He had no choice, he had told her, and  then he left, choosing. “I can’t leave him, even for a moment, not when any moment  could be his last. I have to be with him, if . . . if . . . ”

She took her son’s limp hand, sliding  his fingers through her own. He was so frail and thin, with no strength left in his hand,  but she could still feel the warmth of life through his skin.

Robb’s voice softened. “He’s not going to die, Mother. Maester Luwin says the time of greatest danger has passed.”

“And what if Maester Luwin is wrong? What if Bran needs me and I’m not here?”

“Rickon needs you,” Robb said sharply. “He’s only three, he doesn’t understand what’s happening. He thinks everyone has deserted him, so he follows me around all day,  clutching my leg and crying. I don’t know what to do with him.” He paused a moment,  chewing on his lower lip the way he’d done when he was little. “Mother, I need you too.  I’m trying but I can’t . . . I can’t do it all by myself.” His voice broke with sudden  emotion, and Catelyn remembered that he was only fourteen. She wanted to get up and  go to him, but Bran was still holding her hand and she could not move. 

Outside the tower, a wolf began to howl. Catelyn trembled, just for a second.

“Bran’s.” Robb opened the window and let the night air into the stuffy tower room. The howling grew louder. It was a cold and lonely sound, full of melancholy and despair. 

“Don’t,” she told him. “Bran needs to stay warm.”

“He needs to hear them sing,” Robb said. Somewhere out in Winterfell, a second wolf began to howl in chorus with the first. Then a third, closer. “Shaggydog and Grey Wind,”  

Robb said as their voices rose and fell together. “You can tell them apart if you listen close.” 

Catelyn was shaking. It was the grief, the cold, the howling of the direwolves. Night after night, the howling and the cold wind and the grey empty castle, on and on they went,  never changing, and her boy lying there broken, the sweetest of her children, the  gentlest, Bran who loved to laugh and climb and dreamt of knighthood, all gone now,  she would never hear him laugh again. Sobbing, she pulled her hand free of his and  covered her ears against those terrible howls. “Make them stop!” she cried. “I can’t stand  it, make them stop, make them stop, kill them all if you must, just make them stop!” 

She didn’t remember falling to the floor, but there she was, and Robb was lifting her, holding her in strong arms. “Don’t be afraid, Mother. They would never hurt him.” He  helped her to her narrow bed in the corner of the sickroom. “Close your eyes,” he said  gently. “Rest. Maester Luwin tells me you’ve hardly slept since Bran’s fall.” 

“I can’t,” she wept. “Gods forgive me, Robb, I can’t, what if he dies while I’m asleep, what if he dies, what if he dies . . . ” The wolves were still howling. She screamed and  held her ears again. “Oh, gods, close the window!” 

“If you swear to me you’ll sleep.” Robb went to the window, but as he reached for the shutters another sound was added to the mournful howling of the direwolves. “Dogs,” he  said, listening. “All the dogs are barking. They’ve never done that before . . . ” Catelyn  heard his breath catch in his throat. When she looked up, his face was pale in the lamplight. “Fire,” he whispered.

Fire, she thought, and then, Bran! “Help me,” she said urgently, sitting up. “Help me with Bran.” 

Robb did not seem to hear her. “The library tower’s on fire,” he said.

Catelyn could see the flickering reddish light through the open window now. She sagged with relief. Bran was safe. The library was across the bailey, there was no way the fire  would reach them here. “Thank the gods,” she whispered. 

Robb looked at her as if she’d gone mad. “Mother, stay here. I’ll come back as soon as the fire’s out.” He ran then. She heard him shout to the guards outside the room, heard  them descending together in a wild rush, taking the stairs two and three at a time. 

Outside, there were shouts of “Fire!” in the yard, screams, running footsteps, the whinny of frightened horses, and the frantic barking of the castle dogs. The howling was gone,  she realized as she listened to the cacophony. The direwolves had fallen silent. 

Catelyn said a silent prayer of thanks to the seven faces of god as she went to the window. Across the bailey, long tongues of flame shot from the windows of the library.

 She watched the smoke rise into the sky and thought sadly of all the books the Starks  had gathered over the centuries. Then she closed the shutters. 

When she turned away from the window, the man was in the room with her.

“You weren’t s’posed to be here,” he muttered sourly. “No one was s’posed to be here.”

He was a small, dirty man in filthy brown clothing, and he stank of horses. Catelyn knew all the men who worked in their stables, and he was none of them. He was gaunt, with  limp blond hair and pale eyes deep-sunk in a bony face, and there was a dagger in his  hand. 

Catelyn looked at the knife, then at Bran. “No,” she said. The word stuck in her throat, the merest whisper. 

He must have heard her. “It’s a mercy,” he said. “He’s dead already.”

“No,” Catelyn said, louder now as she found her voice again. “No, you can’t.” She spun back toward the window to scream for help, but the man moved faster than she would  have believed. One hand clamped down over her mouth and yanked back her head, the  other brought the dagger up to her windpipe. The stench of him was overwhelming.

She reached up with both hands and grabbed the blade with all her strength, pulling it away from her throat. She heard him cursing into her ear. Her fingers were slippery with  blood, but she would not let go of the dagger. The hand over her mouth clenched more tightly, shutting off her air. Catelyn twisted her head to the side and managed to get a piece of his flesh between her teeth. She bit down hard into his palm. The man grunted  in pain. She ground her teeth together and tore at him, and all of a sudden he let go. The  taste of his blood filled her mouth. She sucked in air and screamed, and he grabbed her  hair and pulled her away from him, and she stumbled and went down, and then he was  standing over her, breathing hard, shaking. The dagger was still clutched tightly in his  right hand, slick with blood. “You weren’t s’posed to be here,” he repeated stupidly. 

Catelyn saw the shadow slip through the open door behind him. There was a low rumble, less than a snarl, the merest whisper of a threat, but he must have heard something,  because he started to turn just as the wolf made its leap. They went down together, half  sprawled over Catelyn where she’d fallen. The wolf had him under the jaw. The man’s  shriek lasted less than a second before the beast wrenched back its head, taking out half  his throat. 

His blood felt like warm rain as it sprayed across her face.

The wolf was looking at her. Its jaws were red and wet and its eyes glowed golden in the dark room. It was Bran’s wolf, she realized. Of course it was. “Thank you,” Catelyn  whispered, her voice faint and tiny. She lifted her hand, trembling. The wolf padded  closer, sniffed at her fingers, then licked at the blood with a wet rough tongue. When it  had cleaned all the blood off her hand, it turned away silently and jumped up on Bran’s  bed and lay down beside him. Catelyn began to laugh hysterically. 

That was the way they found them, when Robb and Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik burst in with half the guards in Winterfell. When the laughter finally died in her throat, they  wrapped her in warm blankets and led her back to the Great Keep, to her own chambers.  

Old Nan undressed her and helped her into a scalding hot bath and washed the blood off her with a soft cloth. 

Afterward Maester Luwin arrived to dress her wounds. The cuts in her fingers went deep, almost to the bone, and her scalp was raw and bleeding where he’d pulled out a  handful of hair. The maester told her the pain was just starting now, and gave her milk  of the poppy to help her sleep. 

Finally she closed her eyes.

**********************

Renee's POV

Renee was aware that something is changed.  Something was not normal. Something was bothering Jaime. He was too quiet these days , not even making casual sarcastic remarks. He kept writing letters on his desk in the dead of the night not wanting anyone to see but he was unaware that Renee was listening it , the sound of his quill scratching across the rough plane of paper.

Renee had wanted to ask him about what was bothering him , she would have evn asked had she not recalled the conversation they had that day. She was not in any position to ask about his personal problems was she?

They were just partners in this marriage ...

Just partners .....

Renee shook her head clearing her head out of these thoughts and looked back at the letter she was reading. It was from Robb. She couldn't help tracing his handwriting with her fingers wanting to feel his presence here. She carefully went over the words again , he was concerned about the ironborn , mother and Bran were just like before and little Rickon was alone and crying most of the time. 

He also mentioned about ..about his dreams. He dreamt about taragaryens , and an olive skinned woman. Renee had doubt that she was Elia Martell and the Targaryen man was Rhaegar Taragaryen. 

This revelation sorted one thing ..that Renee and Robb dreamt of similar people. Earlier , Robb could never describe the appearance of people from his dream properly. He was just overwhelmed and troubled by the feelings he felt. He felt suffocated. But now he was able to remember them , ....all thanks to the witch...

THE WITCH.

Renee hadn't thought about her for a very long time. She still remembers how her life changed the very next day she met that witch.

Her prophecy came true...well first half of it.

She is going to west.

It makes Renee wonder if the rest of the prophecy is as true as this .

Red colour binds you red ,

You will ride to west

Always empty will be your bed

The same will give you 5 seed

One out of which will reach the best

You may get a golden rose ,

if you escape the lion, 

But if you chose to not leave.

The past will haunt back like a scion 

Sufferings , betrayal will follow that and at the point a sin you shall commit 

which will lead to the birth of the wolf who will sing the song of ice and fire

She still couldn't understand ' Red colour binds you red ' . It doesn't make sense.

The ' You will got the west ' part is coming in fruition.

The other , ' Always empty will be your bed '. It doesn't make sense too. Her bed isn't empty is it ?. She always sleep on it or it meant something else.

Renee chewed her lip thinking about something. The sun was almost set outside. It was day 3 since they left the sea dragon point. The have crossed the rills and now on the way to Cape Kraken.The sea journey was much preferably than the road journey definitely. 

A loud knock on the door resonated followed by a series of loud knocks. Renee was startled at this , she quickly went ahead to open the door. A young guard was standing there huffing. 

" My lady , we are surrounded you should lock yourself inside ". He said through repeated pants and stepped into the room closing the door.

" What do you mean , we are surrounded . Where is Ser Jaime ? ". Renee asks , worry clutching her chest in a tight grip.

But before the poor guard could answer her , a large shocking push made them fall on the floor with loud screams and shouts surrounding them.

The ship was attacked.

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

It was pure madness. Jaime couldn't believe that he lost the necklace. Well , it was not the necklace that he was worried about , it was more about the place he lost it. 

In the broken tower

Robb saw him with that necklace. He just hopes that he didn't drop it at that tower. Because sooner than later someone will might find and it could be used as a great evidence against ... against Cersei and if Robb saw to it , he will immediately suspect him. The worry of being caught has kept him awake for nights now. Even Renee had started suspecting that something was amiss. He made sure to not show any worry in front of her lest she misunderstands. 

Dealing with Renee was entirely different now. She didn't ask many questions, apparently she was still on her moonblood so there was no need for marital duties, he spent a great amount of time fixing the mess he had made.

He needs to work discreetly to obtain that necklace and remove all evidence. He thought of writing to Cersei but it was without doubt raise suspicion if the letter got in wrong hands....

After days of thinking he finally decided to send a letter apologizing for losing her jewellery and asking her to not throw him out of her tower if they ever met.

He tried to convey the message hoping that she would understand. 

Next thing that he had done was to hire a sellsword , lucky for him he was able to hire one of the sailor. The man was in need of money and gladly accepted the offer. He has to ride to Winterfell and take a look in the tower carefully without being caught. Jaime didn't tell him full details in fear that he would sell out the information on being caught , he just asked her to take any valuable item that he had found and return back to Casterly Rock. The man left the very next day. He must have reached the Wolf's wood by now. Jaime had hoped the rest of his journey to be comfortable now with the problem solved but that was not the case with their ship being attacked. 

He immediately asked the scouters to look for the source of and soon it was clear who was their attacker.

" My lord there are 5 ships surrounding us "

" What !!! ". Jaime exclaimed taking the binoculars and it was true. There were around 20 men on each ship all armed with the sigil of the pyke on their gear. 

Jaime was shocked at their sigil , he had hoped that the attack was from some pirates but it seems that's not the case.

He didn't consider the ironborns much of a threat given that their Rebellion was surpressed rather brutally a few years back.

" My lord , the wooden plank has been destroyed , water is filling the ship ". One of the sailors shouted .

" Send few men to go rebuild it now and send the others to empty the water that has been filled ". Jaime commanded. His hand on his sword. But even he knew that using sword was of no use. As he had no experience with battling ships.

Jaime felt himself panic a bit but held his composure. He had sent one of the sailors with Renee and told him to escape with her on the boat should the ship collapse..

It went on for what felt like hours when it was infact just a few minutes into the attack 

The captain had loaded their canon too but it was not a match against 5 full battled ships with experienced sailors .He has to think of some sort of strategy. 

Another canon ball hit their ship with a blast. The entire ship seemed to have been startled enough. The hit made Jaime fall. His head hit the barrel laying around.

Jaime stood up trying to support himself. His arm was bleeding getting cut from the swords and spikes lying around. He felt dizzy all of a sudden . Black spots forming around his vision..

The shouts and screams of men made his head buzz but he couldn't hear anything. He just laid there . Jaime was ashamed at his condition. He was a knight , a warrior . What a shameful way for him to die. Was this the end ? For surely he could feel himself drown on his blood. He felt a grip ok his arm with someone trying to talk with him but he couldn't comprehend any words. He tried to open his eyes , but all he could see was red.At last he lost his consciousness thinking of one woman that he loved the most , the one that he wanted to see before death takes him away.

HIS MOTHER .

***************************

Catleyn's POV

When Catleyn opened her eyes again, they told her that she had slept four days. Catelyn nodded and sat up in bed. It all seemed like a nightmare to her now, everything since Bran’s fall, a terrible dream of blood and grief, but she had the pain in her hands to remind her that  it was real. She felt weak and light-headed, yet strangely resolute, as if a great weight had lifted from her. 

“Bring me some bread and honey,” she told her servants, “and take word to Maester Luwin that my bandages want changing.” They looked at her in surprise and ran to do  her bidding. 

Catelyn remembered the way she had been before, and she was ashamed. She had let them all down, her children, her husband, her House. It would not happen again. She would show these northerners how strong a Tully of Riverrun could be. 

Robb arrived before her food. Rodrik Cassel came with him, and her husband’s ward Theon Greyjoy, and lastly Hallis Mollen, a muscular guardsman with a square brown  beard. He was the new captain of the guard, Robb said. Her son was dressed in boiled  leather and ringmail, she saw, and a sword hung at his waist. 

“Who was he?” Catelyn asked them.

“No one knows his name,” Hallis Mollen told her. “He was no man of Winterfell, m’lady, but some says they seen him here and about the castle these past few weeks.” 

“One of the king’s men, then,” she said, “or one of the Lannisters’. He could have waited behind when the others left.” 

“Maybe,” Hal said. “With all these strangers filling up Winterfell of late, there’s no way of saying who he belonged to.” 

“He’d been hiding in your stables,” Greyjoy said. “You could smell it on him.”

“And how could he go unnoticed?” she said sharply.

Hallis Mollen looked abashed. “Between the horses Lord Eddard took south and them we sent north to the Night’s Watch, the stalls were half-empty. It were no great trick to  hide from the stableboys. Could be Hodor saw him, the talk is that boy’s been acting  queer, but simple as he is . . . ” Hal shook his head. 

“We found where he’d been sleeping,” Robb put in. “He had ninety silver stags in a leather bag buried beneath the straw.” 

“It’s good to know my son’s life was not sold cheaply,” Catelyn said bitterly.

Hallis Mollen looked at her, confused. “Begging your grace, m’lady, you saying he was out to kill your boy?” 

Greyjoy was doubtful. “That’s madness.”

“He came for Bran,” Catelyn said. “He kept muttering how I wasn’t supposed to be there. He set the library fire thinking I would rush to put it out, taking any guards with me. If I  hadn’t been half-mad with grief, it would have worked.” 

“Why would anyone want to kill Bran?” Robb said. “Gods, he’s only a little boy, helpless, sleeping . . . ” 

Catelyn gave her firstborn a challenging look. “If you are to rule in the north, you must think these things through, Robb. Answer your own question. Why would anyone want  to kill a sleeping child?” 

Before he could answer, the servants returned with a plate of food fresh from the kitchen. There was much more than she’d asked for: hot bread, butter and honey and  blackberry preserves, a rasher of bacon and a soft-boiled egg, a wedge of cheese, a pot of  mint tea. And with it came Maester Luwin. 

“How is my son, Maester?” Catelyn looked at all the food and found she had no appetite.

Maester Luwin lowered his eyes. “Unchanged, my lady.”

It was the reply she had expected, no more and no less. Her hands throbbed with pain, as if the blade were still in her, cutting deep. She sent the servants away and looked back  to Robb. “Do you have the answer yet?” 

“Someone is afraid Bran might wake up,” Robb said, “afraid of what he might say or do, afraid of something he knows.” His brows were furrowed and his eyes glinting

Catelyn was proud of him. “Very good.” She turned to the new captain of the guard. “We must keep Bran safe. If there was one killer, there could be others.” 

“How many guards do you want, rn’lady?” Hal asked.

“So long as Lord Eddard is away, my son is the master of Winterfell,” she told him.

Robb stood a little taller. “Put one man in the sickroom, night and day, one outside the door, two at the bottom of the stairs. No one sees Bran without my warrant or my  mother’s.” 

“As you say, m’lord.”

“Do it now,” Catelyn suggested.

“And let his wolf stay in the room with him,” Robb added.

“Yes,” Catelyn said. And then again: “Yes.”

Hallis Mollen bowed and left the room.

“Lady Stark,” Ser Rodrik said when the guardsman had gone, “did you chance to notice  the dagger the killer used?” 

“The circumstances did not allow me to examine it closely, but I can vouch for its edge,” 

Catelyn replied with a dry smile. “Why do you ask?”

“We found the knife still in the villain’s grasp. It seemed to me that it was altogether too  fine a weapon for such a man, so I looked at it long and hard. The blade is Valyrian steel,  the hilt dragonbone. A weapon like that has no business being in the hands of such as  him. Someone gave it to him.” 

Catelyn nodded, thoughtful. “Robb, close the door.”

He looked at her strangely, but did as she told him.

“What I am about to tell you must not leave this room,” she told them. “I want your  oaths on that. If even part of what I suspect is true, Ned and my girls have ridden into  deadly danger, and a word in the wrong ears could mean their lives.” 

“Lord Eddard is a second father to me,” said Theon Greyjoy. “I do so swear.”

“You have my oath,” Maester Luwin said.

“And mine, my lady,” echoed Ser Rodrik.

She looked at her son. “And you, Robb?”

He nodded his consent.

“My sister Lysa believes the Lannisters murdered her husband, Lord Arryn, the Hand of  the King,” Catelyn told them. “It comes to me that Jaime Lannister did not join the hunt  the day Bran fell. He remained here in the castle.” The room was deathly quiet. “I do not  think Bran fell from that tower,” she said into the stillness. “I think he was thrown.” 

Catleyn knew the news was a shock to them. To her as well to some extent. Jaime lannister was Renee's husband , her son by law. Accusing him of this is not honorable. He was a part of their family too.

“My lady, that is a monstrous suggestion,” said  Rodrik Cassel. “Even the Kingslayer would flinch at the murder of an innocent child. Moreover it would be kinslaying , Little lord Bran is his brother by law. ” 

“Oh, would he?” Theon Greyjoy asked. “I wonder.”

“There is no limit to Lannister pride or Lannister ambition,” Catelyn said. Her heart was bleeding thinking if Jaime had really attempted to kill Bran how would it affect Renee. Her son was already on the verge of death and her daughter would become a living corpse.

“The boy had always been surehanded in the past,” Maester Luwin said thoughtfully. 

“He knew every stone in Winterfell.”

“Gods,” Robb swore, his young face dark with anger. “If this is true, he will pay for it.” 

He drew his sword and waved it in the air. “I’ll kill him myself!”

Ser Rodrik bristled at him. “Put that away! The Lannisters are a hundred leagues away.  Never draw your sword unless you mean to use it. How many times must I tell you, foolish boy?” 

Abashed, Robb sheathed his sword, suddenly a child again. Catelyn said to Ser Rodrik, “I  see my son is wearing steel now.” 

The old master-at-arms said, “I thought it was time.”

Robb was looking at her anxiously. “Past time,” she said. “Winterfell may have need of  all its swords soon, and they had best not be made of wood.” 

Theon Greyjoy put a hand on the hilt of his blade and said, “My lady, if it comes to that,  my House owes yours a great debt.” 

Maester Luwin pulled at his chain collar where it chafed against his neck. “All we have is  conjecture. This is the queen’s beloved brother we mean to accuse. She will not take it kindly. We must have proof, or forever keep silent. Also my lady , your daughter is in their hands. Should something go amiss, she will be the first to be in danger ". 

" If they even try to touch Renee, I will pull their hands off their body ". Robb said with a quiet but firm voice. His hand on his sword belt and eyes burning with rage. 

“Your proof is in the dagger,” Ser Rodrik said interrupting Robb. “A fine blade like that will not have gone  unnoticed.” 

There was only one place to find the truth of it, Catelyn realized. “Someone must go to King’s Landing.”

" Why not Castlery Rock ? "Theon Greyjoy commented. " As far as we know Jaime Lannister left for Casterly Rock not King's Landing "

" Do you truly believe that Tywin Lannister would let any harm come to his son in his own place. No , only the king can bring justice to us " Catleyn said. Tywin lannister was another major problem, a great danger to Renee. Should something go amiss. He wouldn't bat an eye putting her daughter against her own family to protect his own.

“I’ll go,” Robb said.

“No,” she told him. “Your place is here. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell.” She looked at Ser Rodrik with his great white whiskers, at Maester Luwin in his grey robes,  at young Greyjoy, lean and dark and impetuous. Who to send? Who would be believed?  

Then she knew. Catelyn struggled to push back the blankets, her bandaged fingers as stiff and unyielding as stone. She climbed out of bed. “I must go myself.” 

“My lady,” said Maester Luwin, “is that wise? Surely the Lannisters would greet your arrival with suspicion.” 

“What about Bran?” Robb asked. The poor boy looked utterly confused now. “You can’t mean to leave him.” 

“I have done everything I can for Bran,” she said, laying a wounded hand on his arm.

“His life is in the hands of the gods and Maester Luwin. As you reminded me yourself, Robb, I have other children to think of now.” 

“You will need a strong escort, my lady,” Theon said.

“I’ll send Hal with a squad of guardsmen,” Robb said.

“No,” Catelyn said. “A large party attracts unwelcome attention. I would not have the Lannisters know I am coming.” 

Ser Rodrik protested. “My lady, let me accompany you at least. The kingsroad can be perilous for a woman alone.” 

“I will not be taking the kingsroad,” Catelyn replied. She thought for a moment, then nodded her consent. “Two riders can move as fast as one, and a good deal faster than a  long column burdened by wagons and wheelhouses. I will welcome your company, Ser  Rodrik. We will follow the White Knife down to the sea, and hire a ship at White Harbor.  Strong horses and brisk winds should bring us to King’s Landing well ahead of Ned and  the Lannisters.” And then, she thought, we shall see what we shall see.

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

It was so warm , so comforting. It felt like someone was patting his head. His insides were on fire and his skin felt icy cold. But the soothing touch and the soft hum comforted him to no end.

The feeling of love and care that he so desperately chased for after his mother died.... The only woman that he could take comfort into after her was Princess Elia. The beautiful , elegant. Princess Elia. She was older to him , more mature and intelligent than him with a heart of gold at her sleeve. He looked up to her.  Her , Prince Rhaegar , Ser Arthur Dayne. But now they were all gone. Dead.

It seems like that he was gonna join them now. He didn't want that . Not so soon. He didn't want to die. He can't die like this . He didn't want to leave Cersei behind all alone in this cruel world. His sweet sister. His other half , his only one. They were twins . They came together in this world and they shall die together , in each other's arms. He has to wake up ...for ...for Cersei. For his last hope in this estrange world. 

He tried to open his eyes but it was difficult to do so....his head was pounding. Ignoring the pain he tried again. It seems that he succeeded for he saw large black spots in his vision before they faded and he could clearly see around.

" Ser Jaime !! ". A voice called out to him from his side. He looked towards it to see a young girl looking at him with teary eyes. She looked to be in a terrible condition. With hair messed up , a split lip . She also had bloodshot eyes. 

" You are awake , you are finally awake ? ". She started crying and hugged him..

For a moment and two Jaime couldn't understand anything , he couldn't recall who was this girl in front of him and why was she crying and how did she dare to hug him.

" You have no idea how afraid I was , salvia said that if you didn't woke up by tonight you'll most probably end up dead... I was so worried... Keeping up with Asha Greyjoy is so hard. They keep attacking us and..... ". The young girl continued her rambling but Jaime couldn't understand her words. His mind was still a bit foggy so he asked the first question that came to his mind.

" Where's Cersei ? " The young girl froze suddenly. Her eyes widening a bit. 

" What ? ". She asks swallowing unsurely as she does. 

" I am asking where is Cersei ? Why is she not here ? " The girl just stared at him for a while before getting up and feeling his head. Jaime instinctively raised his hand to stop her but a sudden pain jolted in his arm as he did so. He looked at his arm and was shocked to find it swollen and almost black. It was aching like hell. Infact his whole body was aching with an unbearable pain.

" You are still under the effect of the milk of the poppy , you should sleep again. We will talk in the morning " . The girl brought him a glass of water before going outside without vany explanation. 

Jaime wanted to ask more questions , to go after her but his body wasn't helping much. He felt dizziness hit him like a wave and lost his consciousness.

*********************

Sansa's POV

Eddard Stark had left before dawn, Septa Mordane informed Sansa as they broke their fast.

“The king sent for him. Another hunt, I do believe. There are still wild aurochs in  these lands, I am told.” 

“I’ve never seen an aurochs,” Sansa said, feeding a piece of bacon to Lady under the table. The direwolf took it from her hand, as delicate as a queen. 

Septa Mordane sniffed in disapproval. “A noble lady does not feed dogs at her table,” she said, breaking off another piece of comb and letting the honey drip down onto her bread. 

“She’s not a dog, she’s a direwolf,” Sansa pointed out as Lady licked her fingers with a rough tongue. “Anyway, Father said we could keep them with us if we want.” 

The septa was not appeased. “You’re a good girl, Sansa, but I do vow, when it comes to that creature you’re as willful as your sister Arya.” She scowled. “And where is Arya this  morning?” 

“She wasn’t hungry,” Sansa said, knowing full well that her sister had probably stolen down to the kitchen hours ago and wheedled a breakfast out of some cook’s boy. 

“Do remind her to dress nicely today. The grey velvet, perhaps. We are all invited to ride with the queen and Princess Myrcella in the royal wheelhouse, and we must look our  best.” 

Sansa already looked her best. She had brushed out her long auburn hair until it shone, and picked her nicest blue silks. She had been looking forward to today for more than a  week. It was a great honor to ride with the queen, and besides, Prince Joffrey might be  there. Her betrothed. Just thinking it made her feel a strange fluttering inside, even  though they were not to marry for years and years. Sansa did not really know Joffrey yet,  but she was already in love with him. He was all she ever dreamt her prince should be,  tall and handsome and strong, with hair like gold. She treasured every chance to spend  time with him, few as they were. The only thing that scared her about today was Arya.  

Arya had a way of ruining everything. You never knew what she would do. “I’ll tell her,”

Sansa said uncertainly, “but she’ll dress the way she always does.” She hoped it wouldn’t be too embarrassing. “May I be excused?”

“You may.” Septa Mordane helped herself to more bread and honey, and Sansa slid from the bench. Lady followed at her heels as she ran from the inn’s common room. 

Outside, she stood for a moment amidst the shouts and curses and the creak of wooden wheels as the men broke down the tents and pavilions and loaded the wagons for  another day’s march. The inn was a sprawling three-story structure of pale stone, the  biggest that Sansa had ever seen, but even so, it had accommodations for less than a  third of the king’s party, which had swollen to more than four hundred with the addition  of her father’s household and the freeriders who had joined them on the road. 

She found Arya on the banks of the Trident, trying to hold Nymeria still while she brushed dried mud from her fur. The direwolf was not enjoying the process. Arya was  wearing the same riding leathers she had worn yesterday and the day before. 

“You better put on something pretty,” Sansa told her. “Septa Mordane said so. We’re traveling in the queen’s wheelhouse with Princess Myrcella today.” 

“I’m not,” Arya said, trying to brush a tangle out of Nymeria’s matted grey fur. “Mycah and I are going to ride upstream and look for rubies at the ford.” 

“Rubies,” Sansa said, lost. “What rubies?”

Arya gave her a look like she was so stupid. “Rhaegar’s rubies. This is where King Robert killed him and won the crown.” 

Sansa regarded her scrawny little sister in disbelief. “You can’t look for rubies, the princess is expecting us. The queen invited us both.” 

“I don’t care,” Arya said. “The wheelhouse doesn’t even have windows, you can’t see a thing.” 

“What could you want to see?” Sansa said, annoyed. She had been thrilled by the invitation, and her stupid sister was going to ruin everything, just as she’d feared. “It’s  all just fields and farms and holdfasts.” 

“It is not,” Arya said stubbornly. “If you came with us sometimes, you’d see.”

“I hate riding,” Sansa said fervently. “All it does is get you soiled and dusty and sore.”

Arya shrugged. “Hold still,” she snapped at Nymeria, “I’m not hurting you.” Then to Sansa she said, “When we were crossing the Neck, I counted thirty-six flowers I never saw before, and Mycah showed me a lizard-lion.”

Sansa shuddered. They had been twelve days crossing the Neck, rumbling down a crooked causeway through an endless black bog, and she had hated every moment of it.  

The air had been damp and clammy, the causeway so narrow they could not even make proper camp at night, they had to stop right on the kingsroad. Dense thickets of half- drowned trees pressed close around them, branches dripping with curtains of pale  fungus. Huge flowers bloomed in the mud and floated on pools of stagnant water, but if  you were stupid enough to leave the causeway to pluck them, there were quicksands  waiting to suck you down, and snakes watching from the trees, and lizard-lions floating  half-submerged in the water, like black logs with eyes and teeth. 

None of which stopped Arya, of course. One day she came back grinning her horsey grin, her hair all tangled and her clothes covered in mud, clutching a raggedy bunch of purple  and green flowers for Father. Sansa kept hoping he would tell Arya to behave herself and  act like the highborn lady she was supposed to be, but he never did, he only hugged her  and thanked her for the flowers. That just made her worse. 

Then it turned out the purple flowers were called poison kisses, and Arya got a rash on her arms. Sansa would have thought that might have taught her a lesson, but Arya  laughed about it, and the next day she rubbed mud all over her arms like some ignorant  bog woman just because her friend Mycah told her it would stop the itching. She had  bruises on her arms and shoulders too, dark purple welts and faded green-and-yellow  splotches, Sansa had seen them when her sister undressed for sleep. How she had gotten  those only the seven gods knew. 

Arya was still going on, brushing out Nymeria’s tangles and chattering about things she’d seen on the trek south. “Last week we found this haunted watchtower, and the day  before we chased a herd of wild horses. You should have seen them run when they  caught a scent of Nymeria.” The wolf wriggled in her grasp and Arya scolded her. “Stop  that, I have to do the other side, you’re all muddy.” 

“You’re not supposed to leave the column,” Sansa reminded her. “Father said so.”

Arya shrugged. “I didn’t go far. Anyway, Nymeria was with me the whole time. I don’t always go off, either. Sometimes it’s fun just to ride along with the wagons and talk to  people.” 

Sansa knew all about the sorts of people Arya liked to talk to: squires and grooms and serving girls, old men and naked children, rough-spoken freeriders of uncertain birth.  

Arya would make friends with anybody. This Mycah was the worst; a butcher’s boy, thirteen and wild, he slept in the meat wagon and smelled of the slaughtering block. Just the sight of him was enough to make Sansa feel sick, but Arya seemed to prefer his company to hers. 

Sansa was running out of patience now. “You have to come with me,” she told her sister firmly. “You can’t refuse the queen. Septa Mordane will expect you.” 

Arya ignored her. She gave a hard yank with the brush. Nymeria growled and spun away, affronted. “Come back here!” 

“There’s going to be lemon cakes and tea,” Sansa went on, all adult and reasonable. Lady brushed against her leg. Sansa scratched her ears the way she liked, and Lady sat beside  her on her haunches, watching Arya chase Nymeria. “Why would you want to ride a  smelly old horse and get all sore and sweaty when you could recline on feather pillows  and eat cakes with the queen?” 

“I don’t like the queen,” Arya said casually. Sansa sucked in her breath, shocked that even Arya would say such a thing, but her sister prattled on, heedless. “She won’t even  let me bring Nymeria.” She thrust the brush under her belt and stalked her wolf.  

Nymeria watched her approach warily.

“A royal wheelhouse is no place for a wolf,” Sansa said. “And Princess Myrcella is afraid of them, you know that.” 

“Myrcella is a little baby.” Arya grabbed Nymeria around her neck, but the moment she pulled out the brush again the direwolf wriggled free and bounded off. Frustrated, Arya  threw down the brush. “Bad wolf!” she shouted. 

Sansa couldn’t help but smile a little. The kennelmaster once told her that an animal takes after its master. She gave Lady a quick little hug. Lady licked her cheek. Sansa  giggled. Arya heard and whirled around, glaring. “I don’t care what you say, I’m going  out riding.” Her long horsey face got the stubborn look that meant she was going to do  something willful. 

“Gods be true, Arya, sometimes you act like such a child,” Sansa said. “I’ll go by myself then. It will be ever so much nicer that way. Lady and I will eat all the lemon cakes and  just have the best time without you.” 

She turned to walk off, but Arya shouted after her, “They won’t let you bring Lady either.” She was gone before Sansa could think of a reply, chasing Nymeria along the  river. 

Alone and humiliated, Sansa took the long way back to the inn, where she knew Septa Mordane would be waiting. Lady padded quietly by her side. She was almost in tears. All she wanted was for things to be nice and pretty, the way they were in the songs. Why  couldn’t Arya be sweet and delicate and kind, like Princess Myrcella? She would have  liked a sister like that. Renee was never like that too. Her sister was always absorbed in her books or spending time with Robb and Jon . Sansa felt so lonely sometimes 

She could never understand how two sisters, born only two years apart, could be so different. It would have been easier if Arya had been a bastard, like their half brother  Jon. She even looked like Jon, with the long face and brown hair of the Starks, and  nothing of their lady mother in her face or her coloring. And Jon’s mother had been  common, or so people whispered. Once, when she was littler, Sansa had even asked  Mother if perhaps there hadn’t been some mistake. Perhaps the grumkins had stolen her  real sister. But Mother had only laughed and said no, Arya was her daughter and Sansa’s  trueborn sister, blood of their blood. Sansa could not think why Mother would want to  lie about it, so she supposed it had to be true. 

As she neared the center of camp, her distress was quickly forgotten. A crowd had gathered around the queen’s wheelhouse. Sansa heard excited voices buzzing like a hive  of bees. The doors had been thrown open, she saw, and the queen stood at the top of the  wooden steps, smiling down at someone. She heard her saying, “The council does us  great honor, my good lords.” 

“What’s happening?” she asked a squire she knew.

“The council sent riders from King’s Landing to escort us the rest of the way,” he told her. “An honor guard for the king.” 

Anxious to see, Sansa let Lady clear a path through the crowd. People moved aside hastily for the direwolf. When she got closer, she saw two knights kneeling before the  queen, in armor so fine and gorgeous that it made her blink. 

One knight wore an intricate suit of white enameled scales, brilliant as a field of new- fallen snow, with silver chasings and clasps that glittered in the sun. When he removed  his helm, Sansa saw that he was an old man with hair as pale as his armor, yet he  seemed strong and graceful for all that. From his shoulders hung the pure white cloak of  the Kingsguard. 

His companion was a man near twenty whose armor was steel plate of a deep forest- green. He was the handsomest man Sansa had ever set eyes upon; tall and powerfully  made, with jet-black hair that fell to his shoulders and framed a clean-shaven face, and  laughing green eyes to match his armor. Cradled under one arm was an antlered helm,  its magnificent rack shimmering in gold.

At first Sansa did not notice the third stranger. He did not kneel with the others. He stood to one side, beside their horses, a gaunt grim man who watched the proceedings in  silence. His face was pockmarked and beardless, with deepset eyes and hollow cheeks.  

Though he was not an old man, only a few wisps of hair remained to him, sprouting above his ears, but those he had grown long as a woman’s. His armor was iron-grey  chainmail over layers of boiled leather, plain and unadorned, and it spoke of age and  hard use. Above his right shoulder the stained leather hilt of the blade strapped to his  back was visible; a two-handed greatsword, too long to be worn at his side. 

“The king is gone hunting, but I know he will be pleased to see you when he returns,” the queen was saying to the two knights who knelt before her, but Sansa could not take her  eyes off the third man. He seemed to feel the weight of her gaze. Slowly he turned his  head. Lady growled. A terror as overwhelming as anything Sansa Stark had ever felt  filled her suddenly. She stepped backward and bumped into someone. 

Strong hands grasped her by the shoulders, and for a moment Sansa thought it was her father, but when she turned, it was the burned face of Sandor Clegane looking down at  her, his mouth twisted in a terrible mockery of a smile. “You are shaking, girl,” he said,  his voice rasping. “Do I frighten you so much?” 

He did, and had since she had first laid eyes on the ruin that fire had made of his face, though it seemed to her now that he was not half so terrifying as the other. Still, Sansa  wrenched away from him, and the Hound laughed, and Lady moved between them,  rumbling a warning. Sansa dropped to her knees to wrap her arms around the wolf.

They  were all gathered around gaping, she could feel their eyes on her, and here and there she  heard muttered comments and titters of laughter. 

“A wolf,” a man said, and someone else said, “Seven hells, that’s a direwolf,” and the first man said, “What’s it doing in camp?” and the Hound’s rasping voice replied, “The Starks  use them for wet nurses,” and Sansa realized that the two stranger knights were looking  down on her and Lady, swords in their hands, and then she was frightened again, and  ashamed. Tears filled her eyes. 

She heard the queen say, “Joffrey, go to her.”

And her prince was there.

“Leave her alone,” Joffrey said. He stood over her, beautiful in blue wool and black leather, his golden curls shining in the sun like a crown. He gave her his hand, drew her  to her feet. “What is it, sweet lady? Why are you afraid? No one will hurt you. Put away  your swords, all of you. The wolf is her little pet, that’s all.” He looked at Sandor Clegane.  

“And you, dog, away with you, you’re scaring my betrothed.”

The Hound, ever faithful, bowed and slid away quietly through the press. Sansa struggled to steady herself. She felt like such a fool. She was a Stark of Winterfell, a  noble lady, and someday she would be a queen. “It was not him, my sweet prince,” she  tried to explain. “It was the other one.” 

The two stranger knights exchanged a look. “Payne?” chuckled the young man in the green armor. 

The older man in white spoke to Sansa gently. “Ofttimes Ser Ilyn frightens me as well, sweet lady. He has a fearsome aspect.” 

“As well he should.” The queen had descended from the wheelhouse. The spectators parted to make way for her. “If the wicked do not fear the Mng’s Justice, you have put  the wrong man in the office.” 

Sansa finally found her words. “Then surely you have chosen the right one, Your Grace,” she said, and a gale of laughter erupted all around her. 

“Well spoken, child,” said the old man in white. “As befits the daughter of Eddard Stark. I am honored to know you, however irregular the manner of our meeting. I am Ser  Barristan Selmy, of the Kingsguard.” He bowed. 

Sansa knew the name, and now the courtesies that Septa Mordane had taught her over the years came back to her. “The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard,” she said, “and  councillor to Robert our king and to Aerys Targaryen before him. The honor is mine,  good knight. Even in the far north, the singers praise the deeds of Barristan the Bold.” 

The green knight laughed again. “Barristan the Old, you mean. Don’t flatter him too sweetly, child, he thinks overmuch of himself already.” He smiled at her. “Now, wolf girl,  if you can put a name to me as well, then I must concede that you are truly our Hand’s  daughter.” 

Joffrey stiffened beside her. “Have a care how you address my betrothed.”

“I can answer,” Sansa said quickly, to quell her prince’s anger. She smiled at the green knight. “Your helmet bears golden antlers, my lord. The stag is the sigil of the royal  House. King Robert has two brothers. By your extreme youth, you can only be Renly  Baratheon, Lord of Storm’s End and councillor to the king, and so I name you.” 

Ser Barristan chuckled. “By his extreme youth, he can only be a prancing jackanapes, and so I name him.”

There was general laughter, led by Lord Renly himself. The tension of a few moments ago was gone, and Sansa was beginning to feel comfortable . . . until Ser Ilyn Payne  shouldered two men aside, and stood before her, unsmiling. He did not say a word. Lady  bared her teeth and began to growl, a low rumble full of menace, but this time Sansa  silenced the wolf with a gentle hand to the head. “I am sorry if I offended you, Ser Ilyn,”  she said. 

She waited for an answer, but none came. As the headsman looked at her, his pale colorless eyes seemed to strip the clothes away from her, and then the skin, leaving her  soul naked before him. Still silent, he turned and walked away. 

Sansa did not understand. She looked at her prince. “Did I say something wrong, Your Grace? Why will he not speak to me?” 

“Ser Ilyn has not been feeling talkative these past fourteen years,” Lord Renly commented with a sly smile. 

Joffrey gave his uncle a look of pure loathing, then took Sansa’s hands in his own. “Aerys Targaryen had his tongue ripped out with hot pincers.” 

“He speaks most eloquently with his sword, however,” the queen said, “and his devotion to our realm is unquestioned.” Then she smiled graciously and said, “Sansa, the good  councillors and I must speak together until the king returns with your father. I fear we  shall have to postpone your day with Myrcella. Please give your sweet sister my  apologies. Joffrey, perhaps you would be so kind as to entertain our guest today.” 

“It would be my pleasure, Mother,” Joffrey said very formally. But before Joffrey could whisk her away .

Lord Renly interrupted again.

" As a matter of fact there is an important news you should be aware of too lady Sansa. Your sister seems to have got in trouble in her journey. ". 

Sansa was shocked at his words.

" What troubles ? " The Queen asked her before she could. Her golden eyes were wide and fearful . 

Ser Barristan decided to step in between at that. " The ironborns seemed to have led an attack on their ship. There hasn't been much news about the matter but it seems that Lord Jaime has taken Asha Greyjoy as a hostage buying considerable time for lord Tywin to send some help. "

" Does father know ? ". Sansa asks. She feared the life of her sister. The ironborns were so prude and cruel , what if they kill her. She wanted to cry but she controlled herself seeing the faces of these strangers in front of her.

Lord Renly and Ser Barristan didn't gave her any answer. Instead it was Joffrey who pulled her away first.

" You do not worry my lady , Uncle Jaime is the best swordsman in the realm. No harm shall come to your sister. My grandfather would soon send some help ". Sansa nodded at his words. He took her by the arm and led her away from the wheelhouse.

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

" Trying to act smart are we ? ". Renee commented entering the bottom deck of the now almost ruined ship. She looked at the girl in front of her , tied down near the wooden pole with a gag around her face. This girl was asha Greyjoy.  Renee could clearly see the matching features to her brother Theon Greyjoy. 

The girl in front of her her didn't say anything but rolled her eyes. Renee sighed and went by her side tightening the rope and then taking away the metallic ring from her finger which had a sharp blade on the outside.

" Hidden weapon ? Impressive ". Renee said twirling the ring around her finger." It surely would act like a good present to your father. Wouldn't it ? " 

It's been 4 days since the attack of their ship , since they have held asha Greyjoy as a captive for their safety. 

" Hollen bring the food " Renee muttered to the guard standing outside. There was not much food left. But keeping Asha Greyjoy alive was important too. 

The food was brought which wasn't much except hard bread and a glass of water. They have been stranded in the middle of the sea for 4 days with almost 30-40 people to feed. They would have reached Casterly Rock by now had they been not attacked. Renee combed her hand through her hairs which were now a bit matte and rough. She hadn't properly slept for days now. Worrying about Jaime and their fate. They would have been easily outnumbered had they not have a valuable hostage in the form of Asha Greyjoy. It would not hurt to say that she was the only thing keeping them alive.

Renee carefully pulls the gag from her mouth.

" Feeding me with your own hands ? Lady Lannister honors me ". Asha Greyjoy commented sarcastically while opening her mouth wide in anticipation. 

Renee tores a large piece of bread soaked it in water and fed her almost forcefully.

" I don't think the same treatment would be given to your remaining men. They are dying you know ". 

Asha's entire demeanor changed entirely. Renee was aware about how much Asha cared for her subordinates given that she volunteered herself to check the ship's when the first half of her men didn't return back 

" You will get nothing torturing those men. They only obeyed orders , my orders. "

Renee just scoffed and soaked another piece of bread in water 

" And what were your orders exactly ? To kill me and my husband on our way back to the Rock. "

" I never meant to kill. You were supposed to be my hostage. "

" Yet here we are. You are my hostage , Lady Greyjoy and you will do as I command. Write a letter to your father and request him to withdraw his forces from Cape Kraken."

Asha laughed , " Command ? Who are you to command me ? You have no power little girl , you are waiting for Tywin lannister's forces to come rescue you. Me and my men are just a leverage to bid your time and i will not risk....... "

Before she could finish , Renee choked her throat ." You say I have no power , do you wish me to remind you of how this little girl made you her hostage. Of how the great commander Asha Greyjoy is now bound by ropes , getting feeded by her captor not knowing if it's poisoned or not. "

Asha's eyes widened at her statement.

" Poisoned ? You can't kill me. If you do you will be lighting the flames of another rebellion ".

Renee laughed , " It will be unfruitful like the one that happened years ago...you lost your 2 brothers in that one. It seems that Balon Greyjoy will lose his only daughter because of her naive stubbornness. "

The room fell in silence , the only sounds which could be heard were the sounds of the wavs crashing on the deck.

Renee then pulls out a vial of liquid from her sleeves.

" I'll leave you here then , it seems you have no wish to live . May you rest in peace in your  afterlife ". Renee turns to leave shaking the vial of liquid in her hands. She looked behind to see that Asha Greyjoy was breathing heavily with her eyes wide opened. She just hopes that what she had planned works well.

******************

Robb's POV

Bran looked so fragile, so much in pain. His little hands looked as pale as a sheet of paper with seemingly no blood In them. Robb unconsciously tightened his hold on his brother. He had almost lost Bran to that assassin had his mother not be here. How could someone be so cruel as to inflict pain on such a small boy. 

But those Lannisters do not a shred of sympathy in them. His mother believes Jaime Lannister to be the main culprit and all clues points towards him too. But why . Why would he do such thing to Bran. What was the secret that Bran had discovered that could potentially be a threat to Jaime. He spent nights thinking of this matter but he couldn't think of anything reasonable.

" Brother , I am sleepy " , came the voice of little Rickon who was sitting beside him. Robb nods at him leaning back down to bran giving him a kiss on the forehead and then picked Rickon in his arms. Outside the door was Greywind keeping watch with Bran's wolf. Ever since the incident Robb had made sure that there were more guards around Bran's room. 

" Go ask Maester Luwin to check on Bran before he sleeps " Robb says to one of the guards. The guard nods immediately and rush outside.

After putting Rickon to bed, Robb decides to check the stables himself before leaving. He couldn't risk having another Assassin taking shelter in there. The stables were empty with only a few horses in it. The new master of horses assured him several times of his vigilance. 

On his way back to the castle , Robb bumped into a running man which caused him to fall down. Robb quickly bent down pulling the man up. The man looked to be a servant from the kitchens from his uniform.

" I am sorry my lord . I wasn't careful ". The man bent down asking for forgiveness. Robb realised that he was shaking .

" It's quite alright. Where were you going ? "

" I..I....I was going to my home. My son has caught high fever. I need to take him to get treated by the silent sisters ". The man answered his eyes moistened and his conscience looked guilty. 

" You were running away without informing. ". Robb says calmly. The man immediately went to his knees looking at him fearfully. Robb released a heavy sigh before taking out a few silver coins from his pouch and giving it to him. 

" Take this away and get your son treated but do remember that this is the last time you will be shown forgiveness. Don't leave or run without informing your superiors " 

" Yes milord , Thank you .Thank you ". The man bowed to him twice before he left , practically ran away from there which Robb thought was too unusual.

***************************

Sansa's POV

A whole day with her prince! She gazed at Joffrey worshipfully. He was so gallant, she thought. The way he had rescued her from Ser Ilyn and the Hound, why, it was almost like the songs, like the time Serwyn of the Mirror Shield saved the Princess Daeryssa from the giants, or Prince Aemon the Dragonknight championing Queen Naerys’s honor against evil Ser Morgil’s slanders. 

The touch of Joffrey’s hand on her sleeve made her heart beat faster. “What would you like to do?” 

Be with you, Sansa thought, but she said, “Whatever you’d like to do, my prince.”

Jofftey reflected a moment. “We could go riding.”

“Oh, I love riding,” Sansa said.

Joffrey glanced back at Lady, who was following at their heels. “Your wolf is liable to frighten the horses, and my dog seems to frighten you. Let us leave them both behind  and set off on our own, what do you say?” 

Sansa hesitated. “If you like,” she said uncertainly. “I suppose I could tie Lady up.” She did not quite understand, though. “I didn’t know you had a dog . . . ” 

Joffrey laughed. “He’s my mother’s dog, in truth. She has set him to guard me, and so he does.” 

“You mean the Hound,” she said. She wanted to hit herself for being so slow. Her prince would never love her if she seemed stupid. “Is it safe to leave him behind?” 

Prince Joffrey looked annoyed that she would even ask. “Have no fear, lady. I am almost a man grown, and I don’t fight with wood like your brothers. All I need is this.” He drew  his sword and showed it to her; a longsword adroitly shrunken to suit a boy of twelve,  gleaming blue steel, castle-forged and double-edged, with a leather grip and a lion’s- head pommel in gold. Sansa exclaimed over it admiringly, and Joffrey looked pleased. “I call it Lion’s Tooth,” he said. 

And so they left her direwolf and his bodyguard behind them, while they ranged east along the north bank of the Trident with no company save Lion’s Tooth. 

It was a glorious day, a magical day. The air was warm and heavy with the scent of flowers, and the woods here had a gentle beauty that Sansa had never seen in the north.  

Prince Joffrey’s mount was a blood bay courser, swift as the wind, and he rode it with reckless abandon, so fast that Sansa was hard-pressed to keep up on her mare. It was a day for adventures. They explored the caves by the riverbank, and tracked a shadowcat to its lair, and when they grew hungry, Joffrey found a holdfast by its smoke and told  them to fetch food and wine for their prince and his lady. They dined on trout fresh from  the river, and Sansa drank more wine than she had ever drunk before. “My father only lets us have one cup, and only at feasts,” she confessed to her prince. 

“My betrothed can drink as much as she wants,” Joffrey said, refilling her cup.

They went more slowly after they had eaten. Joffrey sang for her as they rode, his voice high and sweet and pure. Sansa was a little dizzy from the wine. “Shouldn’t we bestarting back?” she asked.

“Soon,” Joffrey said. “The battleground is right up ahead, where the river bends. That was where my father killed Rhaegar Targaryen, you know. He smashed in his chest, crunch, right through the armor.” Joffrey swung an imaginary warhammer to show her  how it was done. “Then my uncle Jaime killed old Aerys, and my father was king. What’s that sound?” 

Sansa heard it too, floating through the woods, a kind of wooden clattering, snack snack snack. “I don’t know,” she said. It made her nervous, though. “Joffrey, let’s go back.” 

“I want to see what it is.” Joffrey turned his horse in the direction of the sounds, and Sansa had no choice but to follow. The noises grew louder and more distinct, the clack of  wood on wood, and as they grew closer they heard heavy breathing as well, and now and  then a grunt. 

“Someone’s there,” Sansa said anxiously. She found herself thinking of Lady, wishing the direwolf was with her. 

“You’re safe with me.” Joffrey drew his Lion’s Tooth from its sheath. The sound of steel on leather made her tremble. “This way,” he said, riding through a stand of trees. 

Beyond, in a clearing overlooking the river, they came upon a boy and a girl playing at knights. Their swords were wooden sticks, broom handles from the look of them, and  they were rushing across the grass, swinging at each other lustily. The boy was years  older, a head taller, and much stronger, and he was pressing the attack. The girl, a  scrawny thing in soiled leathers, was dodging and managing to get her stick in the way of  most of the boy’s blows, but not all. When she tried to lunge at him, he caught her stick  with his own, swept it aside, and slid his wood down hard on her fingers. She cried out  and lost her weapon. 

Prince Joffrey laughed. The boy looked around, wide-eyed and startled, and dropped his stick in the grass. The girl glared at them, sucking on her knuckles to take the sting out,  and Sansa was horrified. “Arya?” she called out incredulously. 

“Go away,” Arya shouted back at them, angry tears in her eyes. “What are you doing here? Leave us alone.” 

Joffrey glanced from Arya to Sansa and back again. “Your sister?” She nodded, blushing.

Joffrey examined the boy, an ungainly lad with a coarse, freckled face and thick red hair.

“And who are you, boy?” he asked in a commanding tone that took no notice of the fact that the other was a year his senior. 

“Mycah,” the boy muttered. He recognized the prince and averted his eyes. “M’lord.” “He’s the butcher’s boy,” Sansa said.

“He’s my friend,” Arya said sharply. “You leave him alone.”

“A butcher’s boy who wants to be a knight, is it?” Joffrey swung down from his mount, sword in hand. “Pick up your sword, butcher’s boy,” he said, his eyes bright with amusement. “Let us see how good you are.” 

Mycah stood there, frozen with fear.

Joffrey walked toward him. “Go on, pick it up. Or do you only fight little girls?”

“She ast me to, m’lord,” Mycah said. “She ast me to.”

Sansa had only to glance at Arya and see the flush on her sister’s face to know the boy was telling the truth, but Joffrey was in no mood to listen. The wine had made him wild.  

“Are you going to pick up your sword?”

Mycah shook his head. “It’s only a stick, m’lord. It’s not no sword, it’s only a stick.”

“And you’re only a butcher’s boy, and no knight.” Joffrey lifted Lion’s Tooth and laid its point on Mycah’s cheek below the eye, as the butcher’s boy stood trembling. “That was  my lady’s sister you were hitting, do you know that?” A bright bud of blood blossomed  where his sword pressed into Mycah’s flesh, and a slow red line trickled down the boy’s  cheek. 

“Stop it!” Arya screamed. She grabbed up her fallen stick.

Sansa was afraid. “Arya, you stay out of this.”

“I won’t hurt him . . . much,” Prince Joffrey told Arya, never taking his eyes off the butcher’s boy. 

Arya went for him.

Sansa slid off her mare, but she was too slow. Arya swung with both hands. There was a loud crack as the wood split against the back of the prince’s head, and then everything  happened at once before Sansa’s horrified eyes. Joffrey staggered and whirled around,  roaring curses. Mycah ran for the trees as fast as his legs would take him. Arya swung at  the prince again, but this time Joffrey caught the blow on Lion’s Tooth and sent her  broken stick flying from her hands. The back of his head was all bloody and his eyes were on fire.

Sansa was shrieking, “No, no, stop it, stop it, both of you, you’re spoiling it,” but no one was listening. Arya scooped up a rock and hurled it at Joffrey’s head.

She hit his horse instead, and the blood bay reared and went galloping off after Mycah. “Stop it,  don’t, stop it!” Sansa screamed. Joffrey slashed at Arya with his sword, screaming  obscenities, terrible words, filthy words.

Arya darted back, frightened now, but Joffrey  followed, hounding her toward the woods, backing her up against a tree. Sansa didn’t  know what to do. She watched helplessly, almost blind from her tears. 

Then a grey blur flashed past her, and suddenly Nymeria was there, leaping, jaws closing around Joffrey’s sword arm. The steel fell from his fingers as the wolf knocked him off  his feet, and they rolled in the grass, the wolf snarling and ripping at him, the prince  shrieking in pain. “Get it off,” he screamed. “Get it off!” 

Arya’s voice cracked like a whip. “Nymeria!”

The direwolf let go of Joffrey and moved to Arya’s side. The prince lay in the grass, whimpering, cradling his mangled arm. His shirt was soaked in blood. Arya said, “She  didn’t hurt you . . . much.” She picked up Lion’s Tooth where it had fallen, and stood  over him, holding the sword with both hands. 

Joffrey made a scared whimpery sound as he looked up at her. “No,” he said, “don’t hurt me. I’ll tell my mother.” 

“You leave him alone!” Sansa screamed at her sister.

Arya whirled and heaved the sword into the air, putting her whole body into the throw.

The blue steel flashed in the sun as the sword spun out over the river. It hit the water and vanished with a splash. Joffrey moaned. Arya ran off to her horse, Nymeria loping at  her heels. 

After they had gone, Sansa went to Prince Joffrey. His eyes were closed in pain, his breath ragged. Sansa knelt beside him. “Joffrey,” she sobbed. “Oh, look what they did,  look what they did. My poor prince. Don’t be afraid. I’ll ride to the holdfast and bring  help for you.” Tenderly she reached out and brushed back his soft blond hair. 

His eyes snapped open and looked at her, and there was nothing but loathing there, nothing but the vilest contempt. “Then go,” he spit at her. “And don’t touch me.”

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

Jaime woke up with the worst headache of his life. It felt as if his head was ready to split apart. His throat was pricking. He needed water. He tried to sit up and was horrified to find his arm in such condition. His right hand was swollen wrapped in layers of bandage.

What had really happened ? Jaime wondered looking around where he was. It looked like to be the cabin he was staying before. Does that mean they were safe ? The attack on the ship wasn't successful ? Jaime would have thought all of it to be a dream too if not for the condition of his arm.

He decided to stand up and walked out but it looked like he wasn't alone here for he heard a small growl as soon as he stood up  He looked down to see the black direwolf looking at him in a scrutinizing way .

" Nyx ". Jaime called out. The wolf perked her ears up before nuzzling close to his leg. Jaime couldn't help a chuckle escape from his throat 

" You are here this means Renee would be here too. We got saved. ..  but who saved us". Jaime thought loudly rubbing Nyx's fur with his uninjured hand.

Soon Renee's handmaiden enters the cabin bowing low before changing his bandages.

" How long have I been unconscious ? " Jaime asks the maid. He wanted to know what all conspired while he was asleep.

" Four days , my lord. ". The maid answered perfunctorily before she continued peeling the bandages off his arm. Jaime was shocked even more to see his arm blackened.

" This....is it infected ? " Jaime asks the maid worriedly. His right arm . It was his sword hand. He couldn't let anything happen to it .

The maid looked up before saying ," It was , my lord. It looked even worse before but we were able to stop the infection. You woke up too that means it will soon recover as well '"

Jaime sighed in relief.

" Who attended my wounds ? There is no Maester on the ship . "

" .. I have common knowledge about treating wounds. My lord. Lady Renee also guided me a bit. Both of us treated you and the remaining injured sailors .."

" About that where are we exactly ? The ironborns must have taken us as prisoners by now ..." Jaime questioned. How were they still alive ?

" My lord , It's all thanks to Lady Renee . Her intelligence is otherworldly. She managed to outsmart Asha Greyjoy , making her enter the ship and taking her hostage here. The ironborns wouldn't dare attack us now that we have such a valuable hostage ... " The maid says with awe in her voice.

Jaime couldn't help but smile at that. He hadn't thought that Renee could do something like this. 

" ....we are just waiting for Lord Tywin to send us some troops so that we can get out of here safely ".

" What do you mean ? We still can't leave ? ". Jaime questioned but before the maid could answer Renee entered the cabin. Nyx immediately perked up beside him sensing her master enter. 

" My lady " . The maid bowed.

" You may leave , Salvia " 

The door shut with a loud thud and Renee turned around to see Jaime properly. 

" Are you feeling well now ? ". Renee asks approaching the man on the bed. She bend down a little patting the wolf beside her.

" Not much. My head is hurting and this wound ain't making it easier " Jaime said pointing to his hand.

Renee takes a seat beside him taking his hand and examining him , " It's better than before. Your hand was so bloody when we found you unconscious. ". She then looks up at him touching his forehead making Jaime hiss.

" You seemed to have a mild concussion. I would have prepared something but there aren't many things available on the ship right now ". Renee says standing up but Jaime stops her.

" What exactly is the talk about Asha Greyjoy? How is she our captive now ? What did you do ? ". Jaime asks seriously looking in her eyes for some answer.

Renee let out a sigh.

" It was all just luck , I would say. Let's not talk about me , we have much important things than this to discuss. You were unconscious for 4 days straight. We had lost all our hopes that you would even wake up. " 

The room fell silent again when Renee spoke again much louder this time. As if she was shouting at him.

"What were you thinking, seriously standing at such a vulnerable site prone to be attacked. The sailors told me about how you were all ready to attack the ironborn with a sword in your hand , did you seriously believe that you would be alive by the time they reach you. Did you think of yourself as Warrior reborn ? Did you not even think what would happen to me if you died out there ? "

Jaime was a bit surprised at her words...and a bit hurt , does she think he was incompatible , weak , unfit to protect her. He couldn't help tightening his fist around the bedsheets. 

" You would have still been alive even if I died out there. I did arrange for you to escape. You would have no problem " Jaime says with a shrug putting on a nonchalant facade that always worked , infront of everyone.

" What is it that you are trying to say ? " Renee asks wiping her tears and looking at him quizzically.

" You were worried you would be dead too or worse taken hostage if I died weren't you ?. There was nothing for you to worry , it would have been even a better start for you. You would have escaped , met your father . He would have arranged another match for you gladly . He isn't that fond of me anyways." Jaime scoffs. 

" Are you still under the milk of the poppy ? Why are you talking like this ? " Renee asks indignantly.

" Is it not true ? I am a disappointing husband. An incompatible knight and as you mentioned a fool who got attacked and couldn't protect himself and led you all in danger " Jaime glared at her.

" I didn't mean that. I never thought of you as disappointing and incompatible. I was worried for you. ". Renee says softly .

She carefully takes his hand in his but he shrugged her away.

" I want to be alone " Jaime says coldly.

Renee stood up a bit taken aback by his demeanor. She tried to say some words but nothing came out.

" I will come later ". She says before leaving the room.

Night came sooner than expected yet there was no sign of Renee. The handmaiden Salvia did come to give him his dinner which to his disappointment was just bread and salted soup.

" Milord you are recovering , milady has instructed us to give you light food. " The maid answered timidly 

Jaime sighed running his fingers in his hair. He don't know what to feel with Renee interfering with his matters so he diverted the topic.

" Weren't there two of you ? "

The maid looked at him in question.

" The maids I mean.."

" Gloria died during the seige. ".

Jaime just nodded.

" Tell your lady to come meet me ." 

The maid leaves following his command but Renee didn't come back even after that. Now this made Jaime worried because the ship wasn't a safe place now with so many hostile hostages being held captive. They could be attacked by any of them who tried to act smart. So he decided to check himself and went out. Jaime was glad that his legs weren't injured because the ship was broken and fixed with planks at many places making it difficult to navigate. Water seeped from between the planks and he could hear the sounds of buckets being filled and thrown back in the sea. He moved outside to see that around 5-10 sailors were doing this task. One of them noticed him and gave a small bow making others notice too but they didn't stop their work or else the ship would surely drown. 

" Thank you for your hardwork. I'll make sure that all of you are rewarded once we reach lannisport " Jaime knew to motivate people when necessary and right now a handsome reward was the best motivation which could be given. Afterall they are the people who are truly keeping everyone alive.

Jaime then moved onto the backside of the ship where the workers' cabin was. Outside it stood 4 guards who were guarding the captives inside. Jaime carefully makes his way inside to find that most of them were knocked out while some of them were dazed and there were around 10 captives inside. 

He then moved towards the kitchen of the ship which was most probably the least damaged place. There he found the maid from earlier who was treating some soldiers. There were crates if food and barrels of water inside. Jaime also recognised some of the chests which belonged to him and Renee. 

" Did you not inform your lady that I called her?". Jaime asks. The maid leaves the bandage on the soldiers arm before standing again.

" Milord , I did inform milady but she was with lady Greyjoy at that time. She did say that she would come ". 

" Where is she now ?"

" At the bottom of the deck  ". And with that Jaime made his way towards it and what he saw shocked him  

***********************

Robb's POV

It's been days since he had that dream. About the white haired man who he guess is Rhaegar Taragaryen. He didn't have any strange dreams from then and he stopped thinking about it too for he has no clue on where to begin his search . Who to ask and discuss with . Renee wasn't here too to talk him out of it , moreover no one would understand him and think him to be mad for talking nonsense.

So he went to bed as always after completing his duties. What he didn't expect that he would have a dream again but the only thing was that it didn't feel like a dream but an out of body experience . Just like the one he had just before Renee's wedding.

Robb tried not to panic when he felt his vision change and his point of view changed to that of an animal. He looked around the castle and felt that everything was quiet . He could hear the sounds of a few guards moving around .

He decided to move outside the castle and towards the courtyard . Hours went by as he examined every nook of Winterfell with a different perspective .

However when he reached the broken tower , he saw something strange . There was a man trying to sneak into the tower with a hood on his face. Robb was suspicious so he decided to follow him carefully . The man carefully treaded the steps and went to the top. Robb decided to wait for him and wait he did. The man spent quite a long time there . 

The red hues started appearing in the sky  indicating the time of sunrise. The man hurried back at the exact same moment , his hood was off and Robb saw the clear look of his face. It was the same servant who Robb helped yesterday . Just that he wasn't in the servants clothes . He had a sword in his belt and he didn't look a northerner.

But it was not all that shocked Robb but rather the thing that he was holding in his hands. It was a necklace , a green emerald necklace.

The man immediately looked around as soon as he was out of tower for any men and soon his eyes met Robb's. He took a step back in fear and another and another. Robb tried to move and follow him but to his surprise he couldn't. He could just stand there looking as the man escaped while he felt his consciousness fade.

The next day Robb decided to check the broken tower again.

Chapter Text

Asha's POV

The sound of the door opening was probably the most pleasing sound that asha heard in a while. It wasn't necessarily pleasant given the situation she was in , everyone was her enemy. Yet she wanted to see someone else anyone to get away from the demoness standing on her head with her wolf by her side who looked ready to eat her. 

Asha had lost count of the day that she was held captive here. If she would have known that her plan would backfire and they would have been captured instead of the little stark girl. She would have never attempted this. 

All she wanted to do was get her brother Theon back. Her only brother left now. She had hoped that with the stark girl and the Kingslayer in the captivity , they could demand and bend the crown to obey their terms but all went to vain.

She should have not underestimated them. It was a big mistake and now she's paying the price.

" Ser Jaime , why are you here ? ". Renee exclaims standing up from the barrel she was sitting on. She approaches the Kingslayer taking him by his hand which was ..injured ?

Asha looked at them and back at her now fre hands and legs . She clenched her fist , gritting her teeth. She could easily kill them by strangling them then take the antidote and run away with her remaining men. Yet she couldn't of trying that with a wolf staring down her neck. One move and she would be dinner to her.

Asha couldn't help but gulp at the thought. In what rotten hour had she thought of attacking them. She was gonna die , if not by the wolf then the poison which was currently in her system. 

" You should be resting now. " The voice of Renee snapped asha and made her look at the couple in front of her. 

An odd couple clearly. The Kingslayer looked right back at her and asha gave a mocking smirk at his direction. 

" I wanted to greet our guest. Hope you are liking our hospitality Lady Greyjoy. " Jaime Lannister said to her with that annoying smirk on his face. Renee glared at him.

" Ahh very well , your wife is such a great company. A shame you fell asleep rather quickly. The strength of the ironborn is obviously greater than a golden lion ". 

" I suppose you finished the work that I gave you ". Renee snapped at her raising an eyebrow.

Asha took the letter and waved at her. 

" A letter ? ". Jaime asks confused. 

Renee took the letter and nodded giving it to him , " A letter that will get us out of here ". She says before turning back and starts tying the ropes back .

Asha grunted as her hands were forcefully taken back.

" Wait , where is the antidote ? " 

Renee stops before taking the vial from her pouch and giving it to asha.

Asha greedily drank the contents down her throat in relief. It felt great the cool antidote was calming her raging nerves . The burn she was feeling in her intestines went away. The poison was neutralised. She will not die. Asha sighed in relief.

" A letter of request to balon Greyjoy ". Jaime asks suddenly. " Is it gonna work ? ". 

" It should , If he holds any affection for his children . " Renee replies before going back to tightening the ropes.

Asha grunted as her hands were pulled behind her back. She just couldn't wait to wipe the arrogant smirk of this little whore's face  As she looked back at Jaime who was still looking over the contents of the letter . An idea popped in her mind.

" It's a pity you aren't the one tying me up Kingslayer. Would have loved to get a feel of those strong pretty arms of yours , such a shame you got injured "

Asha could feel the ropes around her tightening to a frightening limit , one where she couldn't even breathe. She coughed loudly making Renee losen up the ropes. Her face was worth looking though. Her nose was scrunched in irritation and she seemed to freeze in her place. This amused Asha greatly as she looked back at Jaime who was looking at her with raised eyebrows.

" Don't be so surprised. It's not hidden how you broke the heart of several maidens across the realm when you took the vow of celibacy . A pity I am born in the wrong time frame or else I would have ....."

" You talk too much for someone in your position " Renee scoffs slightly before pulling the gag back to her mouth. The wolf beside her growled showing canines seemingly understanding the growing hostility of its master towards Asha.

A loud chuckle resounded the cabin and the source of it was none other than Jaime lannister. Renee quickly turned back towards him glaring before looking back at asha.

Asha didn't speak anything more , not because of the gag in her mouth that was forbidding her instead it was because of the desired reaction she got out of little lady Lannister. The girl looked like she swallowed a pot of stinking dead wine. The sight was like a soothing balm to her miserable self right now. 

" Good night , let's hope it's your last night with us lady Greyjoy " With that Renee turned around and walked towards the door passing a still grinning Jaime who was chuckling over something. His mouth soon got shut soon as Renee rather forcefully pulled.him after her.

**********************

Ned's POV

" We have to do something Robert. My daughter is in their hands. ". Ned all but shouted at the king as he paced around the room in frustration. If it was possible for him he would have rushed to Renee's aid now.

They were summoned from the hunt earlier when the news of the arrival of Renly Baratheon and Ser Barristan Selmy reached them. 

It seems that both of them were here not just to accompany the king's crowd but to also convey a very important message. The attack on Renee and Jaime. 

" What do you want me to do Ned , Tywin Lannister has all of it under control . Your daughter would be safe. " Robert says from his table. 

Both of them were alone in the room after a heated argument between Cersei , Robert and Ned. The Queen was furious at the imprisonment of her brother. She wanted a quick attack on the pyke and for once Ned agreed with her subconsciously . Though he knew it would not be a wise decision. As said before Tywin Lannister had it all in control . If he needed help the warden of the west would surely send a letter to the king.

But even after all these asssurances , Ned's heart didn't settle at all. His daughter , his first daughter , leaving Winterfell for the first time in her life and she's already stuck in a great problem. He could only imagine what willl happen in the future when she reach Casterly Rock.

Robert seems to have sensed his worry . He stood up and went near him playing a hand on his shoulder.

" I know that you are worried for your daughter Ned but trust me if anything happened to her , I won't hesitate to unite the entire realm again to fight for her , the same I did for Lyanna. " 

Ned just nodded and hoped that it doesn't come to that.

" It wasn't a good idea. Marrying her to the Kingslayer ". Ned couldn't help saying that . He looked at Robert carefully , given that it was him who suggested such a match. 

" I know , I am sorry Ned. " Robert took a long pause before continuing again .

" She could have had someone better. The Tyrell boy , or my own brother Renly , tho I don't know if he would be a better choice than the Kingslayer himself. " Robert chuckled dryly but Ned didn't give a reaction and just raised his eyebrows in question .

" Weren't you the one who suggested Renee as a potential bride to Tywin Lannister. Something about keeping them in check " 

" About that Ned , .. Jon was the one who proposed this betrothal. He wanted the Kingslayer to leave the king'sguard and go back to Casterly Rock. Tywin lannister was more than happy with such a proposal so he immediately agreed. The hunt for a suitable bride begin then but Jon was adamant on your daughter but alas he died before it could happen and I had to come to the North to take you for my hand. " Robert completed.

Ned was flabbergasted with the news. Jon Arryn suggested the betrothal but why. Why did he wanted to make Jaime Lannister leave the king'sguards ? He also remembered the letter from lysa arryn to catelyn. The Lannisters seems to have a hand in Jon arryn's death and now his suspicions increased more than ever. 

If it was before Ned would have easily said these thoughts to Robert but now he was not sure. Robert wasn't the same old Robert that he was before. He has changed .

Night came sooner than expected. Ned couldn't believe how much trouble would this journey to king's landing cause him. If the attack on Renee wasn't worrying enough now Arya was missing. The boy Joffrey was bitten by Nymeria and Cersei was hysterical. 

" Tell me Sansa , what truly happened there? ". Ned sternly asks Sansa pulling her aside.

Sansa didn't say anything sobbing quietly. Infact she was all but sobbing ever since she came back . 

" Your son has been injured , Robert . Surely you aren't worried more about the stark girl than your own blood " Cersei says furiously. She was holding Joffrey while the Maester bandaged his arm.

" Will you stay quiet , woman ? "

" Your grace  , we should send a search party quickly . The woods of the trident aren't safe." Ser Barristan spelled out his worry.

" I'll go by myself , Jory get the men. Septa Mordane take Sansa back ". Ned gave the orders before leaving in a hurry. 

" What are you all looking at my face , go follow him ". Robert barked loudly at all the knights in the chamber and thus the search began for the missing Arya.

********************

Chapter Text

POV Characters

Eddard Stark -   " What had Jon Arryn wanted with a king’s bastard, and why was it worth his life? "

Catleyn Stark -   “No one is safe. If you think hiding here will make the Lannisters forget you, you are sadly mistaken.”

Robb Stark -  "I am a warg. Greywind and I are like two bodies and one soul. He is me and I am him. "

Renee Stark -  "  You can't make me do something by using force "

Sansa Stark -     “He was no true knight,”

Arya Stark -     “I can be strong too. I can be as strong as Robb.”

Jon snow -  “  We're not friends ,We’re brothers.”

Bran Stark -   “I’m flying!”

Tywin Lannister -  "   You ought to be the man that you were always meant to be "

Tyrion Lannister -  " A lannister always pays his debts "

Cersei Lannister -   "I shall wear this as a badge of honor "

Jaime Lannister -   "  I am not a good man , so don't mistake me for one "

Non - POV characters

Kevan Lannister -   "  The marriage was the best thing that could have happened to us. The alliance will no doubt be helpful to us in the future "

Genna Lannister -   " Everyone says that lord Tywin is heartless , it's because his heart died with Joanna "

Petyr Baelish -   " Distrusting me was the wisest thing you’ve done since you climbed down off your horse.”

Varys -   "Ser Barristan loves his honor, Grand Maester Pycelle loves his office, and Littlefinger loves Littlefinger.”

Renly Baratheon -   " You are more beautiful than what I imagined you to be "

Loras Tyrell -  "  You don't have any manners "

Samwell Tarly -   " I am a coward "

Sandor ' Hound ' Cleagane -   "I am no knight. I spit on them and their vows."

Lysa Arryn  - “Can you fly, my lord of Lannister? Does a dwarf have wings? If not you would be wiser to swallow the next threat that comes to mind.”

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

" How will you send this letter to balon Greyjoy ? ". Jaime asks suddenly breaking the awkward silence that was between them since they entered the cabin.

" One of the captives will act as our messenger " Renee replies rolling the letter carefully and tying it up. She was immersed reading the letters stranded on the table. 

" The captives ? You mean those men who are half drugged. How did they even came to be in that condition ? "

" They have been given high dose of milk of the poppy. I do hope that you are fine now because we are getting short of it "

" I am completely fine now but why did you even keep them alive ? They are just a waste of food and water. You should have killed them " 

" I am not a killer. The fate of those man lay in your hands. I won't kill people who are helpless against us. " 

Jaime chuckled mockingly , " Well you seem to have no problem poisoning Asha Greyjoy then. The lives of those unnamed soldiers is more important than the daughter of Balon Greyjoy "

Renee turned back at that , " Where do you think I would have gotten poison on a ship stranded in the middle of the sea ? "

" So you mean.."  

" Yes , I didn't poison her , she believed that I did but actually I didn't "

Renee moves past him and towards a small chest kept by the bed. 

" That was ..smart " Jaime says amused.  His eyes glinting at how brilliant the plan was.

" Good that you didn't poison the poor girl , she doesn't seem like the type to deserve it ... She deserves to be .".. killed in the battle against me . The rest of the words died at the loud noise of the chest opening. 

" To be with you here ? She seems to like your presence very much ? Should I bring her here? ". Renee scoffs. 

Jaime's face fell at that.

" What nonsense are you spouting ? " 

Renee didn't answer but continued to rummage through the chest. The sound increasing the more she did it.

Jaime immediately went towards her pulling her arm , " What did you mean ...." The rest of his words died at the tears in Renee's eyes. She seemed to be holding back them yet some of them made their way out of her eyes. Jaime took a careful look at her appearance again. She seemed visibly drained out with face as pale as paper and eyes as red as blood. 

Jaime don't want to admit it but it did soften his heart. There was no trace of the fierce girl that he saw earlier dealing with asha , No she looked more like the girl he wedded in under the godswood a few weeks ago.. He also wonders if he was a bit too harsh on her earlier. He wasn't used to people pointing out his mistakes and confronting him on his face. It's been very long too since he had an argument with his father , which often left him angry. 

" Leave me be " . Renee snatched her arm back and continued rummaging through the chest. Jaime looked inside to found that it had gold jewellery , rings , necklaces and all the gifts that his father had sent to Renee along with the ones that she brought from Winterfell. Other than that there were other items like a dagger , a vial of honey , some herbs , a roll of banadages and a wax seal. Renee took out the seal and goes back to the table sealing the letter that asha had written. 

" You got a response from my father ? I read those letters earlier they were from the Greyjoys but none from my father ". Jaime asks. He had read all those letters , most of the content on it was how no harm must come to Asha and some threatning about how much in a vulnerable position they were in , given they didn't have much resources left to survive.

" No , or else why would I need asha to write a letter to her father. I had immediately sent the only raven on the ship to lord Tywin asking for help as soon as we got everything in control. I waited for 4 days but no response came "

" That's unlikely of him " Jaime says. His father wasn't the one to stay silent if his children are under danger 

Renee just shrugs before standing up.

" Nyx will be with you here and if you need anything just inform the guard outside. " Renee says before heading out . The she wolf growled at the mention of her name. 

" Where are you going ? It's late ". Jaime asks confused.

" To Salvia. You are awake now so she can't be with me here and I can't leave her alone in a ship full of men. We both are the only women here " 

Jaime understood what she was hinting at.

" You don't have to worry over that.  Just ask Harrold to guard her door for one night. He is trustworthy ... "

Renee looked apprehensive at the suggestion  

" Trust me , I have known him since he was a boy. He is a good man . Or better send the wolf to her.

Renee nods , " That might work ".

She immediately went outside with her wolf and came again after quite a lot time. She stared at Jaime seemingly wanted to say something . Jaime raised his eyebrows.

" Salvia told me you wanted to see me . Is there anything ? " 

Jaime pats by his side wanting her to seat. Renee looks at him questioningly but followed anyways and took a seat at the edge of the bed very far from him.

" I ...it was not my intention to shout at you earlier. I was not angry just a bit frustrated. I hope you haven't taken it to heart ". Jaime says this slowly. It is very difficult for him to get these words out. He was not the type of person to apologise to someone. So this is the best that he could come up with .

" Hm  " Renee nods .

" That's all ? " Jaime couldn't help questioning. He didn't know why but he sensed some sort of anger behind the forced hmm 

" What else do you want me to say ? "

" Well. For starters , tell me why you snapped at the mention of Asha ? "

Renee's face contours in anger. 

" I didn't snap "

" Yes , you did. You looked like crying "

Renee stood up at that angrily .

" Well let's recall what all happened in the last few days. We are stuck in the middle of the ocean with no way out . You got injured, our ship was attacked by these soldiers. So many people died saving us and we can't even give them proper burial , their bodies thrown in the ocean to become food for sea animals. Balon Greyjoy kept sending ravens threatning to attack if we didn't release his daughter. You wake up three days later in a daze asking for your sister , asking me who am I , like I am some stranger who shouldn't be with you. The next day when you fully wake up , you didn't ask me how I was ? How am I doing ? Was I injured ? ...No, you straight out accuse me of being fake , of showing false concerns towards you when you yourself shows concern towards the captive girl who is the cause of all this instead of your own wife.....If i shouldn't cry , should I sing and dance ? " Renee shouts the last part before slumping down on the floor crying.

" I don't want to be here. I want to go home. I want to be with my father " . She started sobbing crying her eyes out.

Jaime swallowed hard , he just sat there on the bed stunned. Eventually few minutes passed , The cries turned into loud sobs. 

Jaime crouched down beside her patting her back awkwardly. " I shouldn't have said that. Don't cry ok. I am awake now , I'll take care of all the things from here. You don't have to worry anymore. No harm shall come to you. " 

Renee stopped sobbing , and looked up letting out little hiccups here and now

" Will the gods forgive me ? Because of me so many people died , Gloria , Henry and all those sailors , they died protecting me " Renee asks .

" The gods aren't real " Jaime replies pushing her hair out of her face. " Now get some sleep , you won't be able to have it for the next few days ".

Both of them settle on the bed. Jaime groaned in pain as he loosened his bandages before settling down.

" Tomorrow is going to be an exhausting one" Renee lastly says before burying herself by his side .

" Tomorrow is going to be the end of this " Jaime thinks patting Renee's head as she slept. Sleep was far away from his eyes as he looked at the girl beside him and her words. She heard , she heard him asking for Cersei. Will it arouse suspicions from her ? He didn't know. He had to make sure it doesn't happen in the future. There was also the matter of the necklace. He passed out for four straight days. Everything is out of place now. If only he didn't get injured, they won't be stuck here, threatened by those bloody Greyjoys. He was sure of that. But he had to give credit to Renee for saving his life , for keeping them safe. It was very unexpected and surprising indeed. She didn't left him. A girl who never left her home for once in her life was now forming negotiations , interrogating captives and commanding a ship and she had done hell of a good job at that. It's not very easy to make people obey you. To make people follow you. But he saw with his own eyes how these sailors looked at Renee . It was admiration . She must have done something to earn it . He didn't know what and he knew she won't tell him either. She was angry at him and why wouldn't she, he was being unreasonably rude.

" You were very brave , little wolf " Jaime whispers quietly before finally closing his eyes.

*******************

Ned's POV

"They’ve found her, my lord.”

Ned rose quickly. “Our men or Lannister’s?”

“It was Jory,” his steward Vayon Poole replied. “She’s not been harmed.”

“Thank the gods,” Ned said. His men had been searching for Arya for four days now, but the queen’s men had been out hunting as well. “Where is she? Tell Jory to bring her here at once.” 

“I am sorry, my lord,” Poole told him. “The guards on the gate were Lannister men, and they informed the queen when Jory brought her in. She’s being taken directly before the  king . . . ” 

“Damn that woman!” Ned said, striding to the door. “Find Sansa and bring her to the audience chamber. Her voice may be needed.” He descended the tower steps in a red rage. He had led searches himself for the first three days, and had scarcely slept an hour since Arya had disappeared. This morning he had been so heartsick and weary he could scarcely stand, but now his fury was on him, filling him with strength. 

Men called out to him as he crossed the castle yard, but Ned ignored them in his haste.

He would have run, but he was still the King’s Hand, and a Hand must keep his dignity.

He was aware of the eyes that followed him, of the muttered voices wondering what he would do. 

The castle was a modest holding a half day’s ride south of the Trident. The royal party had made themselves the uninvited guests of its lord, Ser Raymun Darry, while the hunt  for Arya and the butcher’s boy was conducted on both sides of the river. They were not  welcome visitors. Ser Raymun lived under the king’s peace, but his family had fought  beneath Rhaegar’s dragon banners at the Trident, and his three older brothers had died  there, a truth neither Robert nor Ser Raymun had forgotten. With king’s men, Darry  men, Lannister men, and Stark men all crammed into a castle far too small for them,  tensions burned hot and heavy. 

The king had appropriated Ser Raymun’s audience chamber, and that was where Ned found them. The room was crowded when he burst in. Too crowded, he thought; left alone, he and Robert might have been able to settle the matter amicably. 

Robert was slumped in Darry’s high seat at the far end of the room, his face closed and sullen. Cersei Lannister and her son stood beside him. The queen had her hand on  Joffrey’s shoulder. Thick silken bandages still covered the boy’s arm. 

Arya stood in the center of the room, alone but for Jory Cassel, every eye upon her.

“Arya,” Ned called loudly. He went to her, his boots ringing on the stone floor. When she saw him, she cried out and began to sob. 

Ned went to one knee and took her in his arms. She was shaking. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” 

“I know,” he said. She felt so tiny in his arms, nothing but a scrawny little girl. It was hard to see how she had caused so much trouble. “Are you hurt?” 

“No.” Her face was dirty, and her tears left pink tracks down her cheeks. “Hungry some. I ate some berries, but there was nothing else.” 

“We’ll feed you soon enough,” Ned promised. He rose to face the king. “What is the meaning of this?” His eyes swept the room, searching for friendly faces. But for his own  men, they were few enough. Ser Raymun Darry guarded his look well. Lord Renly wore a  half smile that might mean anything, and old Ser Barristan was grave; the rest were  Lannister men, and hostile. Their only good fortune was that the king'sguard were missing, leading searches north of the Trident. “Why was I not told that my daughter had been found?” Ned demanded, his voice ringing. “Why was she not brought to me at once?” 

He spoke to Robert, but it was Cersei Lannister who answered. “How dare you speak to your king in that manner!” 

At that, the king stirred. “Quiet, woman,” he snapped. He straightened in his seat. “I am sorry, Ned. I never meant to frighten the girl. It seemed best to bring her here and get  the business done with quickly.” 

“And what business is that?” Ned put ice in his voice.

The queen stepped forward. “You know full well, Stark. This girl of yours attacked my son. Her and her butcher’s boy. That animal of hers tried to tear his arm off.” 

“That’s not true,” Arya said loudly. “She just bit him a little. He was hurting Mycah.”

“Joff told us what happened,” the queen said. “You and the butcher boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him.” 

“That’s not how it was,” Arya said, close to tears again. Ned put a hand on her shoulder.

“Yes it is!” Prince Joffrey insisted. “They all attacked me, and she threw Lion’s Tooth in the river!” Ned noticed that he did not so much as glance at Arya as he spoke. 

“Liar!” Arya yelled.

“Shut up!” the prince yelled back.

“Enough!” the king roared, rising from his seat, his voice thick with irritation. Silence fell. He glowered at Arya through his thick beard. “Now, child, you will tell me what  happened. Tell it all, and tell it true. It is a great crime to lie to a king.” Then he looked  over at his son. “When she is done, you will have your turn. Until then, hold your  tongue.” 

As Arya began her story, Ned heard the door open behind him. He glanced back and saw Vayon Poole enter with Sansa. They stood quietly at the back of the hall as Arya spoke.  

When she got to the part where she threw Joffrey’s sword into the middle of the Trident, Renly Baratheon began to laugh. The king bristled. “Ser Barristan, escort my brother  from the hall before he chokes.” 

Lord Renly stifled his laughter. “My brother is too kind. I can find the door myself.” He bowed to Joffrey. “Perchance later you’ll tell me how a nine-year-old girl the size of a wet  rat managed to disarm you with a broom handle and throw your sword in the river.” As  the door swung shut behind him, Ned heard him say, “Lion’s Tooth,” and guffaw once  more. 

Prince Joffrey was pale as he began his very different version of events. When his son was done talking, the king rose heavily from his seat, looking like a man who wanted to  be anywhere but here. “What in all the seven hells am I supposed to make of this? He  says one thing, she says another.” 

“They were not the only ones present,” Ned said. “Sansa, come here.” Ned had heard her version of the story the night Arya had vanished. He knew the truth. “Tell us what  happened.” 

His second youngest daughter stepped forward hesitantly. She was dressed in blue velvets trimmed with white, a silver chain around her neck. Her thick auburn hair had been brushed until it shone. She blinked at her sister, then at the young prince. “I don’t know,” she said tearfully, looking as though she wanted to bolt. “I don’t remember. Everything happened so fast, I didn’t see . . . ” 

“You rotten!” Arya shrieked. She flew at her sister like an arrow, knocking Sansa down to the ground, pummeling her. “Liar, liar, liar, liar.” 

“Arya, stop it!” Ned shouted. Jory pulled her off her sister, kicking. Sansa was pale and shaking as Ned lifted her back to her feet. “Are you hurt?” he asked, but she was staring  at Arya, and she did not seem to hear. 

“The girl is as wild as that filthy animal of hers,” Cersei Lannister said. “Robert, I want her punished.” 

“Seven hells,” Robert swore. “Cersei, look at her. She’s a child. What would you have me do, whip her through the streets? Damn it, children fight. It’s over. No lasting harm was  done.” 

The queen was furious. “Joff will carry those scars for the rest of his life.”

Robert Baratheon looked at his eldest son. “So he will. Perhaps they will teach him a lesson. Ned, see that your daughter is disciplined. I will do the same with my son.” 

“Gladly, Your Grace,” Ned said with vast relief.

Robert started to walk away, but the queen was not done. “And what of the direwolf?” she called after him. “What of the beast that savaged your son?” 

The king stopped, turned back, frowned. “I’d forgotten about the damned wolf.”

Ned could see Arya tense in Jory’s arms. Jory spoke up quickly. “We found no trace of the direwolf, Your Grace.” 

Robert did not look unhappy. “No? So be it.”

The queen raised her voice. “A hundred golden dragons to the man who brings me its skin!” 

“A costly pelt,” Robert grumbled. “I want no part of this, woman. You can damn well buy your furs with Lannister gold.”

The queen regarded him coolly. “I had not thought you so niggardly. The king I’d thought to wed would have laid a wolfskin across my bed before the sun went down.” 

Robert’s face darkened with anger. “That would be a fine trick, without a wolf.”

“We have a wolf,” Cersei Lannister said. Her voice was very quiet, but her green eyes shone with triumph. 

It took them all a moment to comprehend her words, but when they did, the king shrugged irritably. “As you will. Have Ser Ilyn see to it.” 

“Robert, you cannot mean this,” Ned protested.

The king was in no mood for more argument. “Enough, Ned, I will hear no more. A direwolf is a savage beast. Sooner or later it would have turned on your girl the same way  the other did on my son. Get her a dog, she’ll be happier for it.” 

That was when Sansa finally seemed to comprehend. Her eyes were frightened as they went to her father. “He doesn’t mean Lady, does he?” She saw the truth on his face.  

“No,” she said. “No, not Lady, Lady didn’t bite anybody, she’s good . . . ”

“Lady wasn’t there,” Arya shouted angrily. “You leave her alone!”

“Stop them,” Sansa pleaded, “don’t let them do it, please, please, it wasn’t Lady, it was Nymeria, Arya did it, you can’t, it wasn’t Lady, don’t let them hurt Lady, I’ll make her be  good, I promise, I promise . . . ” She started to cry. 

All Ned could do was take her in his arms and hold her while she wept. He looked across the room at Robert. His old friend, closer than any brother. “Please, Robert. For the love  you bear me. For the love you bore my sister. Please.” 

The king looked at them for a long moment, then turned his eyes on his wife. “Damn you, Cersei,” he said with loathing. 

Ned stood, gently disengaging himself from Sansa’s grasp. All the weariness of the past four days had returned to him. “Do it yourself then, Robert,” he said in a voice cold and  sharp as steel. “At least have the courage to do it yourself.” 

Robert looked at Ned with flat, dead eyes and left without a word, his footsteps heavy as lead. Silence filled the hall.

“Where is the direwolf?” Cersei Lannister asked when her husband was gone. Beside her, Prince Joffrey was smiling. 

“The beast is chained up outside the gatehouse, Your Grace,” Ser Barristan Selmy answered reluctantly. 

“Send for Ilyn Payne.”

“No,” Ned said. “Jory, take the girls back to their rooms and bring me Ice.” The words tasted of bile in his throat, but he forced them out. “If it must be done, I will do it.” 

Cersei Lannister regarded him suspiciously. “You, Stark? Is this some trick? Why would you do such a thing?” 

They were all staring at him, but it was Sansa’s look that cut. “She is of the north. She deserves better than a butcher.” 

He left the room with his eyes burning and his daughter’s wails echoing in his ears, and found the direwolf pup where they chained her. Ned sat beside her for a while. “Lady,”  he said, tasting the name. He had never paid much attention to the names the children  had picked, but looking at her now, he knew that Sansa had chosen well. She was the  smallest of the litter, the prettiest, the most gentle and trusting. She looked at him with  bright golden eyes, and he ruffled her thick grey fur. 

Shortly, Jory brought him Ice.

When it was over, he said, “Choose four men and have them take the body north. Bury her at Winterfell.” 

“All that way?” Jory said, astonished.

“All that way,” Ned affirmed. “The Lannister woman shall never have this skin.”

He was walking back to the tower to give himself up to sleep at last when Sandor Clegane and his riders came pounding through the castle gate, back from their hunt. 

There was something slung over the back of his destrier, a heavy shape wrapped in a bloody cloak. “No sign of your daughter, Hand,” the Hound rasped down, “but the day  was not wholly wasted. We got her little pet.” He reached back and shoved the burden  off, and it fell with a thump in front of Ned.

Bending, Ned pulled back the cloak, dreading the words he would have to find for Arya, but it was not Nymeria after all. It was the butcher’s boy, Mycah, his body covered in  dried blood. He had been cut almost in half from shoulder to waist by some terrible blow  struck from above. 

“You rode him down,” Ned said.

The Hound’s eyes seemed to glitter through the steel of that hideous dog’s-head helm.

“He ran.” He looked at Ned’s face and laughed. “But not very fast.”

****************************

Chapter Text

Bran's POV

It seemed as though he had been falling for years.

Fly, a voice whispered in the darkness, but Bran did not know how to fly, so all he could do was fall. 

Maester Luwin made a little boy of clay, baked him till he was hard and brittle, dressed him in Bran’s clothes, and flung him off a roof. Bran remembered the way he shattered.  

“But I never fall,” he said, falling.

The ground was so far below him he could barely make it out through the grey mists that whirled around him, but he could feel how fast he was falling, and he knew what was  waiting for him down there. Even in dreams, you could not fall forever. He would wake  up in the instant before he hit the ground, he knew. You always woke up in the instant  before you hit the ground. 

And if you don’t? the voice asked.

The ground was closer now, still far far away, a thousand miles away, but closer than it had been. It was cold here in the darkness. There was no sun, no stars, only the ground  below coming up to smash him, and the grey mists, and the whispering voice. He wanted  to cry. 

Not cry. Fly.

“I can’t fly,” Bran said. “I can’t, I can’t . . . ”

How do you know? Have you ever tried?

The voice was high and thin. Bran looked around to see where it was coming from. A crow was spiraling down with him, just out of reach, following him as he fell. “Help me,”  he said. 

I’m trying, the crow replied. Say, got any corn?

Bran reached into his pocket as the darkness spun dizzily around him. When he pulled his hand out, golden kernels slid from between his fingers into the air. They fell with him. 

The crow landed on his hand and began to eat.

“Are you really a crow?” Bran asked.

Are you really falling? the crow asked back.

“It’s just a dream,” Bran said.

Is it? asked the crow.

“I’ll wake up when I hit the ground,” Bran told the bird.

You’ll die when you hit the ground, the crow said. It went back to eating corn.

Bran looked down. He could see mountains now, their peaks white with snow, and the silver thread of rivers in dark woods. He closed his eyes and began to cry. 

That won’t do any good, the crow said. I told you, the answer is flying, not crying. How hard can it be? I’m doing it.

The crow took to the air and flapped around Bran’s hand. 

“You have wings,” Bran pointed out.

Maybe you do too.

Bran felt along his shoulders, groping for feathers.

There are different kinds of wings, the crow said.

Bran was staring at his arms, his legs. He was so skinny, just skin stretched taut over bones. Had he always been so thin? He tried to remember. A face swam up at him out of the grey mist, shining with light, golden. “The things I do for love,” it said. 

Bran screamed.

The crow took to the air, cawing. Not that, it shrieked at him. Forget that, you do not need it now, put it aside, put it away. It landed on Bran’s shoulder, and pecked at him, and the shining golden face was gone.

Bran was falling faster than ever. The grey mists howled around him as he plunged toward the earth below. “What are you doing to me?” he asked the crow, tearful. 

Teaching you how to fly.

“I can’t fly!”

You’re flying tight now.

“I’m falling!”

Every flight begins with a fall, the crow said. Look down.

“I’m afraid . . . ”

LOOK DOWN!

Bran looked down, and felt his insides turn to water. The ground was rushing up at him now. The whole world was spread out below him, a tapestry of white and brown and  green. He could see everything so clearly that for a moment he forgot to be afraid. He  could see the whole realm, and everyone in it. 

He saw Winterfell as the eagles see it, the tall towers looking squat and stubby from above, the castle walls just lines in the dirt. He saw Maester Luwin on his balcony,  studying the sky through a polished bronze tube and frowning as he made notes in a  book. He saw his brother Robb, taller and stronger than he remembered him, practicing  swordplay in the yard with real steel in his hand. He saw him whispering to himself looking in the direction of the broken tower.

He saw Hodor, the simple giant from  the stables, carrying an anvil to Mikken’s forge, hefting it onto his shoulder as easily as  another man might heft a bale of hay. At the heart of the godswood, the great white  weirwood brooded over its reflection in the black pool, its leaves rustling in a chill wind.  

When it felt Bran watching, it lifted its eyes from the still waters and stared back at him knowingly. 

He looked east, and saw a galley racing across the waters of the Bite. He saw his mother sitting alone in a cabin, looking at a bloodstained knife on a table in front of her, as the  rowers pulled at their oars and Ser Rodrik leaned across a rail, shaking and heaving. A  storm was gathering ahead of them, a vast dark roaring lashed by lightning, but  somehow they could not see it. 

He looked south, and saw the great blue-green rush of the Trident. He saw his father pleading with the king, his face etched with grief. He saw Sansa crying herself to sleep at night, and he saw Arya watching in silence and holding her secrets hard in her heart.

He looked west and saw a ... ships with Lannister flags rowing fast to the fair Isle. Inside one of the ship he saw Renee sleeping while Ser Jaime seemed deep in his thoughts worried. Further down it , he saw the Greyjoys banners. A man was lashing out at a girl while she tried to reason something. 

He lifted his eyes and saw clear across the narrow sea, to the Free Cities and the green Dothraki sea and beyond, to Vaes Dothrak under its mountain, to the fabled lands of the  Jade Sea, to Asshai by the Shadow, where dragons stirred beneath the sunrise. 

Finally he looked north. He saw the Wall shining like blue crystal, and his bastard brother Jon sleeping alone in a cold bed, his skin growing pale and hard as the memory  of all warmth fled from him. And he looked past the Wall, past endless forests cloaked in  snow, past the frozen shore and the great blue-white rivers of ice and the dead plains  where nothing grew or lived. North and north and north he looked, to the curtain of light  at the end of the world, and then beyond that curtain. He looked deep into the heart of  winter, and then he cried out, afraid, and the heat of his tears burned on his cheeks. 

Now you know, the crow whispered as it sat on his shoulder. Now you know why you must live. 

“Why?” Bran said, not understanding, falling, falling.

Because winter is coming.

Bran looked at the crow on his shoulder, and the crow looked back. It had three eyes, and the third eye was full of a terrible knowledge. Bran looked down. There was nothing  below him now but snow and cold and death, a frozen wasteland where jagged blue- white spires of ice waited to embrace him. They flew up at him like spears. He saw the  bones of a thousand other dreamers impaled upon their points. He was desperately  afraid. 

“Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?” he heard his own voice saying, small and far away. 

And his father’s voice replied to him. “That is the only time a man can be brave.”

Now, Bran, the crow urged. Choose. Fly or die.

Death reached for him, screaming.

Bran spread his arms and flew.

**********************

Tywin's POV

" They are here , my lord " Ser Stafford Lannister says to him as the carriages drew closer from the lions mouth. Fifty riders take up the gates on horses , all of them were the loyal bannerman of house lannister. Leading them was Kevan Lannister , Tywin's own younger brother, by his side was his son Jaime and behind them were Ser Addam Marbrand , Ser Daven lannister and Ser Harys Swfyt. 

Jaime climbed off his horse and came to him first. 

" Father " , He greeted. Tywin carefully observed his appearance , he looked exceptionally fine except for his hand which he was holding up like a limp. 

" Those ironborns seems to have a toll on you. ". 

" Well they were lucky that I got a bit unlucky with myself. ". Jaime just shrugged.

" We will talk about that later , where is your wife " Tywin asks and not sooner that he spoke that the carriage door opens and Renee walks out.

She quietly thanks Ser Addam Marbrand and takes small but quick steps to join Jaime. All the riders disperse then until it's only family left.

" Lord lannister, " She quickly bows to him low and then stood beside Jaime. 

Pretty , young and a true Stark - Tully blend . Tywin deduce as he studies the girl in front of him. He had never seen the Stark children but he had known most of them were red head, seems like she is not one. She had black hair just like Lyanna and Brandon Stark and blue eyes like her mother. 

" Welcome to the Rock , Genna here will take you from now. I must talk with my son first " Tywin orders as Genna , his sister takes her from there. He turns back to Kevan.

" Prepare for the feast tonight and invite all of them . We need to express our gratitude "

Kevan nods and leaves from there.

" Gratitude ? " Jaime asks as he follows Tywin inside.

" We almost declared war, after your capture nephew " Stafford Lannister says .

" And why did you not ? " Jaime asks.

" Because of your letter or was it truly yours?" Tywin turns back speaking to Jaime.

" I was unconscious for four days because of this , I never wrote you a letter " Jaime says waving his limp .

" So it was the stark girl , as expected , she has better sense than you then. " Tywin says. Jaime doesn't reply and Tywin doesn't expect him to. His son wasn't the brightest in diplomatic affairs. He loves to use sword even in the war of words.

" Is that why you chose her for me ? " Jaime asks.

" Why, you had someone else in mind ? " Tywin asks with a hint of curiousity. Years ago when he tried to arrange a marriage between Lysa Tully and Jaime , the mad king decreed for Jaime to join the king'sguard. He had hoped that his son would refuse , but he didn't. He happily agreed to take the white cloak.

Jaime didn't reply. His eyes on the ground.

" Doesn't matter if you had someone or if you didn't. You married the stark girl.  Tonight we will introduce her to all the lords and by the morrow you will marry her in the sept and make her a lannister and get her with child as soon as possible. It's past time you realise your duties as a lannister , as my son , as my heir " Tywin finishes. His voice leaving no room for reason. 

" Get him to a Maester , then we will meet in my solar "  Tywin says to Stafford and leaves from there.

**********************

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

The Rock , as they said was almost as wide as the wall and as high as the Hightower in the Old Town. Renee have read so much about it in the books and yet seeing this place in person was just like a dream come true. Those books didn't do justice to what she was seeing right now. So magnificent and beautiful !!

When she first entered the city , she was awestruck by the beautiful small houses all lined up at the docks and small trading houses here and there. The air was lively and the people looked lovely. Most of them had sandy hair or yellowish hair. They were the Lannisters of the Lannisport.  The Lannisters of the Casterly Rock were the main branch and rules over the westerlands. 

" You seem to like this place very much " Genna lannister said quietly. Her cold , old face betraying none of her emotion. Renee looked up at her escort , a bit intimidated by her expressionless face, the same like Lord Tywin that she met earlier.

" I do , my lady. It's very beautiful. The books don't do justice to what it truly is " 

" Of course they can't. Often times what we read and hear Is different from what it truly is" Genna says her voice as firm as her brother yet renee could hear the faint smirk in her tone. Prideful creatures the Lannisters truly are !

Renee just smiles and nods and kept walking.

The servants and maids bowed to them as they walked passed the corridors of the Rock. A few of them ever so brave whispered curiously among themselves. 

Renee has never felt this self conscious of herself as she was feeling now. She was practically an outsider in this place and she knew the others felt the same as they continued to ogle at her. 

Soon they reached the chambers and Renee felt relieved. Finally she could have a moment to herself. When they have first heard the sounds of a war horn , Renee was completely convinced that they were doomed but the sight of Lannister flags were the most pretty sight that she had seen in days.

Asha Greyjoy and the rest of the captives were sent back to the iron islands. Renee could still remember the death glare that the Greyjoy girl gave her before she was taken away by her uncle. Well a glare wasnt going to eat her so renee just gave a handwave saying good bye with a smile.

" My lady " , Two young maids in front of her bows. Both were blonde head and were as young as Sansa.

" Get the water ready girls , your lady wants to get a bath " Genna commanded beside her and the girls rushed to their job.

Meanwhile Renee looked around the room taking the sight of it. It looked old but clean. Their wide windows on one side and a small bed at the center. Renee felt herself move towards the window taking in the view.

" It's not much. Your chambers are much better than this and have a much better view" Genna says coming close to where Renee was standing.

Renee looked back at her with visible confusion in her eyes.

" These were Cersei's chambers before she was married. You will be staying here until you are married at the sept in the eyes of the new gods and all the lords and ladies of westerlands " 

Renee was a bit dumbstruck , she was currently in the queen's maiden chambers. Her childhood home , yet there were no signs of her here. 

" It doesn't look like it " Renee unconsciously mutter her inner thoughts and Genna raised her brows.

" What ? "

Renee was a bit startled , " I mean the chambers looks empty , no signs of the Queen ever living here "

" It's because she took everything from here with her "

" I see " 

An awkward silence lingered between them as they looked out of the window until the maids came to inform them of the bath.

" Well ,. It's my time to leave , make yourself comfortable. "

Renee just nods in obedience before looking down again and this seems to irk Genna for some reason because she comes close to Renee and hug her. Her large frame nearly making Renee choke before she whispers in her ear." You need to straighten your spine more girl, if you wish to survive here. You are lady of the Rock not some stupid servant girl to bow at everyone " before leaving.

Her words echoed in the mind of Renee for the remaining of her day. As she tried to contemplate if it was a friendly warning or concern towards her well being. It was not even a day yet renee felt the need to armour herself for the war that she could sense coming here in this den of lions

************************

Bran's POV

Wings unseen drank the wind and filled and pulled him upward. The terrible needles of ice receded below him. The sky opened up above. Bran soared. It was better than  climbing. It was better than anything. The world grew small beneath him. 

“I’m flying!” he cried out in delight.

I’ve noticed, said the three-eyed crow. It took to the air, flapping its wings in his face, slowing him, blinding him. He faltered in the air as its pinions beat against his cheeks.  

Its beak stabbed at him fiercely, and Bran felt a sudden blinding pain in the middle of his forehead, between his eyes. 

“What are you doing?” he shrieked.

The crow opened its beak and cawed at him, a shrill scream of fear, and the grey mists shuddered and swirled around him and ripped away like a veil, and he saw that the crow  was really a woman, a serving woman with long black hair, and he knew her from  somewhere, from Winterfell, yes, that was it, he remembered her now, and then he  realized that he was in Winterfell, in a bed high in some chilly tower room, and the black- haired woman dropped a basin of water to shatter on the floor and ran down the steps,  shouting, “He’s awake, he’s awake, he’s awake.” 

Bran touched his forehead, between his eyes. The place where the crow had pecked him was still burning, but there was nothing there, no blood, no wound. He felt weak and  dizzy. He tried to get out of bed, but nothing happened. 

And then there was movement beside the bed, and something landed lightly on his legs. He felt nothing. A pair of yellow eyes looked into his own, shining like the sun. The  window was half open and it was cold in the room, but the warmth that came off the wolf  enfolded him like a hot bath. His pup, Bran realized . . . or was it? He was so big now. He  reached out to pet him, his hand trembling like a leaf. 

When his brother Robb burst into the room, breathless from his dash up the tower steps, the direwolf was licking Bran’s face. Bran looked up calmly. “His name is Summer,” he  said .

" Summer ? " Robb mutters confused , his voice seems to break as he dashed forward to Bran engulfing him in a hug. 

Bran could feel the tears soak his neck 

" Gods , you are awake Bran . How are you feeling ? Do you feel pain ? Mirielle , Call for Maester Luwin " Robb barks commands and then move towards the window opening them wide and letting the cold air in . Bran almost sighed in relief at that.

Maester Luwin arrived quickly by then and checked all his vitals , his eyes movements , his tongue , his hair and lastly his legs.

He felt nothing in them. When Maester Luwin pinched him with needle , he felt no pain. It was almost a numb kind of feeling. Maester Luwin roamed the needle from his knee to the foot of both his legs. Yet the results were not positive. 

Bran was afraid , and he could feel that Robb was too . His brother was looking anxiously at him too.

Finally Luwin stopped his examination and stood up with a tight smile on his lips.

" Lord Bran is all fine. Hes out of danger... But.. " 

" But what ? Maester Luwin " Robb asks beside them.

" True to what we had predicted , he won't be able to walk ever again. " 

The words send Bran into panic. Never walk again ? What is he saying ? Why is he saying that ? Bran desperately tried to move his legs, his toes. But he couldn't. It was as if they are not following his wish. As if they are not a part of him anymore.

Bran wanted to cry , he wanted to scream and wail like a small child but in the end he could only manage to gather small tears and sob quietly. 

He wanted to be a knight , he wanted to ride horses , he wanted to go to Kingslanding . But now all is over. He couldn't even walk.

" Bran ! " Robb immediately took Bran in his arms seeing his little brother's tears and couldn't help but cry too 

The two brothers stayed like this for what  seemed like a long time before Bran asked the one question that he wanted to.

" Where is mother ? I want to see Mother " Bran asked wiping his eyes. He looked at Robb but his brother didn't answer. His mouth closed in a firm line.

" Your mother has gone to King's Landing to meet your father. She'll be back in a few days. " Maester Luwin tells him.

Bran couldn't help but feel a bit angry at that. How come his mother is not with him ? She left him too here. 

" Mother was here with you since you fell Bran , she didn't leave you alone for a single moment praying to the gods day and night that you wakeup soon. The gods have listened to her prayers , I should write it to her as soon as possible.... You should take some rest. I will come back as quick as possible. Maester Luwin is here with you " Robb told him and left the room with a kiss on his forehead. 

Bran looked at Maester Luwin who sat by the tabel grinding herbs and potions in the mortar , he then looked back at his wolf who was sitting by the corner of his bed and opened his arms to hug him

Never leave me alone Summer. 

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

" Whoever bandaged you Ser Jaime seems like a skilled person , there are no signs of infection. Just a little sprain left. It's good that there were no broken bones. You'll be perfectly fine within a day or two . " Maester Crelwen informs Jaime while he banadaged his arm again. 

" Who is this skilled person who bandaged your arm then , cousin. Don't tell me it was your wife . " Daven Lannister said , his voice teasing and his eyes looking mischievous. 

Daven was Jaime's cousin from his mother's side. Son of his uncle Stafford. While Jaime would surely admit that he was a skilled fighter much better than his father , his mouth know no limit. He doesn't know how to read the room though Jaime doubts he can read anything. 

" Why do you want to get treated by her after I break your nose " Jaime says making Daven hold his arms up in mock offense.

" Don't make me relieve that memory. Look the shape of my nose has completely changed because of that. If you break it once more , I am afraid I would have to become a celibate for no girl would approach me "

Jaime couldn't help but laugh at that , " Well I am sure I made your nose look better. It was even worse than before. "

" Ahh of course you will say that. Good looking people always thinks other are bad looking.... And compared to you everyone in the seven kingdoms looks like grass. "

" I know right... Well enough of the flattery. Tell me why are you here bothering while I am sure you'll have other things to do  ...." Jaime says as Maester Crelwen finished last of his knots and cut the bandage. 

" Well , I am just here to know the story about how the wolf landed with the lion. "

" The wolf ? " Jaime asks incredulously as he flexs his arm but groan in pain at the pressure " Is that what you are calling her now ? "

" Not me , but I am sure many do. It's not everyday that the heir of Casterly Rock gets married and gets attacked the very next day."

Jaime froze a bit at that. Did he become the talk of the town already ? About how much of a miserable , incompetent knight he was? Was he a dinner gossip on the table of all the lords of the realm while they laugh and drink on his misery ? Awaiting the news of his death.

" But that was truly smart of you cousin , you captured the Greyjoy girl while in captivity. Lord Tywin almost declare the seige on the pyke but the letter you sent made him halt. You truly played smartly there. The Greyjoys had no choice but to submit , not a single drop of blood was shed and you returned to us all safe. Though I doubt Lord Tywin will let this matter pass. "

Him ? Why did his cousin think he did it Jaime would never know because all he could remember of his capture was just getting knocked out and Renee's emotional outburst which he never want to witness again.

" Lord Tywin wants to see you " Ser Addam Marbrand bursts into the room hastily. His copper hair running wild looking like he made a run to his chambers.

" Take a breathe will you , Lord Tywin isn't here " Daven commented beside him amused but only earned a glare from the the knight 

" He will be here if Ser Jaime doesn't hurry up and he is very angry. " Ser Addam glared at Daven Lannister.

Jaime didn't have time to witness anymore of their arguing and rushed outside and true to his words the atmosphere was thick when he reached outside. Everyone was gathered outside .. Cersei's chambers. Jaime couldn't comprehend why but he pushed his way through the small crowd. Everyone bowing to him as he made his way through and sure enough the root cause of the tension was there in the middle. His father was standing in the middle icily glaring at ..Nyx ? Jaime was shocked at how the wolf got here. When they had reached the Lannisport , he knew that bringing the wolf in the castle was not a sensible option. His father would not agree. The direwolf grew larger every day frightening the people around it . He still remember the pale faces of his uncle and the rest of the lords when they saw it and the questioning gazes with which they looked at him.

" Don't tell me you married a real wolf too " Daven had commented making Jaime almost break his mouth

" Lord Tywin won't let beasts enter the Rock,Jaime " His uncle had cautioned. Jaime had made his mind almost certain to let the wolf run in the wild but a stern glare from Renee didn't allow him. He had then asked Ser Addam Marbrand to keep the wolf outside the castle in the kennels but it doesn't seem that way now . Jaime couldn't help but glare at his childhood friend who was now standing beside Daven and trying to become invisible .

" Jaime , what is the meaning of this ? " His father's voice boomed over making the entire hallway cold. 

" I am certain that whatever we have to discuss can be more private " His aunt Genna said , her eyes looking around at the crowd gathered of servants and knights. Of course she had the sense to not create a scene in front of strangers.

" Let's talk inside brother , I am sure it's just a misunderstanding " his uncle added and soon enough they were inside the room.

The room was small for the people that currently inside with Jaime , his father , his uncle , his aunt and of course Renee with Nyx by her side. She was just standing still not meeting anyone's eyes and patting Nyx..She was dressed informally.

" Why is the wolf in my castle ? " Tywin directly questioned Jaime.

Jaime sighed heavily , " It's actually a direwolf and it follows Renee everywhere. We couldn't keep her away " 

" couldn't keep her away ? " Tywin scoffed ," This castle will not inhibit wild beasts inside, Take her away and send her to the forests nearby , I don't want to see the beast again or I will make sure that the Wolf's pelt be the next thing added to the golden gallery  "

Renee straightened up at that. Her eyes wide and fearful while she looked at Jaime.

Jaime just averted his gaze, he couldn't do anything. He had already told her before that she couldn't bring her wolf here but she insisted so now she has to bear the consequences .

" You can't do that " Renee spoke up as Tywin began to leave making him halt. He turned around raising an eyebrow . No one have ever dared to defy him in anything and now Renee who haven't even spent a full day here was defying him.

Jaime didn't want to admit but he was afraid for her and was even more afraid seeing his father's face. Even Kevan and Genna halted at their place Perplexed.

" Nyx is mine. She goes where I go , she lives where I live. You can't kill her " 

" Casterly Rock is not a place to entertain beasts here ... If you want a pet , Jaime will get you one but the wolf need to go. You better let her go willingly .... "

" I don't want another pet , Nyx is mine , you can't kill her. I won't let anyone touch her " Renee spoke resolutely .

" Jaime , Get the wolf out of here " His father commander loudly. Jaime turned to take a step towards the wolf but he stopped as Renee was standing protectively in front of the wolf shielding her

" Let go of the wolf ,  girl and I will make sure she will not die " His uncle Kevan said.

Renee just shook her head in denial.

" Nyx is not a beast . She will not cause any trouble to anyone. I will make sure of it ....."

" Your pleading will get you nowhere , girl. My decision is final and I don't like to repeat my words " Tywin interrupted. " No more discussion over this "

" Didn't the Lannisters kept lions in their dungeons ages back , surely they didn't think of them as beasts ....The direwolf is the sigil of house stark , no direwolves were spotted south of the wall for ages. They are the gifts from the gods.... They are here to protect me and my family ... "

" You think Jaime here is incapable of protecting you ? " Aunt Genna asked.

Jaime bit his tongue at the comment. He could feel the eyes of renee on him .

" Ser Jaime's prowess is not hidden by anyone. He is a skilled fighter and the best swordsman in the seven kingdoms but it's also true that he is just a human as we all are. We can't always protect each other. Infact , Nyx was the one who helped me capture Asha Greyjoy. "

Jaime didn't want to admit but he did feel a little warm at the praise but the last phrase caught his attention as well as of everyone present in the room.

" The capture ? Oh yes , tell us about your capture we are all ears for it " Aunt Genna said as she took a seat by the bed . 

" It's a long story I am afraid. I don't want to waste all of our time here. There is a feast to be held tonight I am told ... I just want to tell you that Nyx will not be a cause of any trouble to anyone here. I will train her myself and if Lord Tywin wishes , I will make sure that Nyx never comes in his line of sight " Renee says and stands in front of Nyx blocking her from Lord Tywin's line of sight.

Genna cracked a smile at that but quickly covered it up.

" Very well , Starks are known for their unyielding vows and honesty. If you abide by your word then I see no problem at the wolf .."

" Direwolf " Renee interrupted.

" Direwolf " Tywin stressed " being here. As you said we are hosting guests in the castle for few days. I don't want a mockery of my house ... Is that clear ? "

Renee.nodded , " Crystal clear , my lord. They won't be able to see Nyx even if she's right in front of them "

" What ? " 

" I mean Nyx won't come in front of them " Renee rephrased

" Good " , Tywin nodded and left from there , Kevan following behind him. Genna stood up gave a small clap and muttered Congratulations before leaving.

Now it was just renee and Jaime in the room and Jaime immediately rushed to her side taking her arms.

" How could you let Nyx come here ? I did told you before to let me handle this matter in my own way. I knew it would happen and that's why I never wanted you to bring the direwolf with you here.... Do you have any idea how much trouble it could have created? "

Renee pushed him away , " I didn't bring Nyx here . She came here of her own way , not my fault that all those lords and knights would start shouting bloody murder on seeing her. Nyx is a good girl , aren't you " Renee patted Nyx's head as the she wolf leaned into her hand.

" Of course they would shout , it's not everyday a wolf is spotted taking a luxury walk in the halls of Casterly Rock " Jaime shook his head , " Where was Addam? It's all his bloody fault , I instructed him specifically to not let father see the wolf but .."

" Why are you so afraid of your own father ? " Renee asks curiously . " I mean , I know he's frightening but he's also your father. Children aren't afraid of their parents " 

" Well not all fathers are like Ned Stark " 

Renee fell silent at that and Jaime noticed the way her hair fell framed her face. He didn't realise he was moving closer to her and brushed his fingers through her hair pulling them back .

Renee seemed a bit startled at that and looked up and directly came face to face with him.

" What are you doing ? " She asks him whispering quietly.

" Nothing " Jaime says but doesn't move away. His fingers fondling her baby hairs

" Your hand is better now " Renee asks seeing his bandaged hand.

" Yes it is " Jaime says retracing his fingers from her forehead to her cheek before leaning in. Renee closed her eyes in anticipation but opened them almost immediately at the sharp pinch on her cheek.

" Ouch , what was that ? " Renee shrieks as Jaime just looked at her smug before saying , " Your mouth would have got you in trouble today , my father doesn't like people defying him " 

" I' didn't defy him , I just put my point in front of him " Renee says annoyed rubbing her cheek as it turned more than ever. 

" It hurts you know , do you want me to pinch you too ? "

" You can try " Jaime says holding his hands up. " But I am afraid you'll have to grow a foot or something to reach me " Jaime laughed.

Renee opened her mouth to say something but a knock on the door interrupted them.

It was Ser Addam Marbrand .

" I am here to take the wolf .. I mean the direwolf back " 

" About that you and I need to have a talk "

Jaime says as he pulled Addam out of the room with Nyx following them .

****************************

Chapter Text

Catelyn's POV

"We will make King’s Landing within the hour.”

Catelyn turned away from the rail and forced herself to smile. “Your oarmen have done well by us, Captain. Each one of them shall have a silver stag, as a token of my gratitude.” 

Captain Moreo Turnitis favored her with a half bow. “You are far too generous, Lady Stark. The honor of carrying a great lady like yourself is all the reward they need.” 

“But they’ll take the silver anyway.”

Moreo smiled. “As you say.” He spoke the Common Tongue fluently, with only the slightest hint of a Tyroshi accent. He’d been plying the narrow sea for thirty years, . The Storm Dancer was his fourth ship, and his fastest, a two-masted galley of sixty oars. 

She had certainly been the fastest of the ships available in White Harbor when Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel had arrived after their headlong gallop downriver. The Tyroshi  were notorious for their avarice, and Ser Rodrik had argued for hiring a fishing sloop out  of the Three Sisters, but Catelyn had insisted on the galley. It was good that she had. The  winds had been against them much of the voyage, and without the galley’s oars they’d  still be beating their way past the Fingers, instead of skimming toward King’s Landing  and journey’s end. 

So close, she thought. Beneath the linen bandages, her fingers still throbbed where the dagger had bitten. The pain was her scourge, Catelyn felt, lest she forget. She could not  bend the last two fingers on her left hand, and the others would never again be  dexterous. Yet that was a small enough price to pay for Bran’s life. 

Ser Rodrik chose that moment to appear on deck. “My good friend,” said Moreo through his forked green beard. The Tyroshi loved bright colors, even in their facial hair. “It is so  fine to see you looking better.” 

“Yes,” Ser Rodrik agreed. “I haven’t wanted to die for almost two days now.” He bowed to Catelyn. “My lady.”

He was looking better. A shade thinner than he had been when they set out from White Harbor, but almost himself again. The strong winds in the Bite and the roughness of the  narrow sea had not agreed with him, and he’d almost gone over the side when the storm  seized them unexpectedly off Dragonstone, yet somehow he had clung to a rope until  three of Moreo’s men could rescue him and carry him safely below decks. 

“The captain was just telling me that our voyage is almost at an end,” she said.

Ser Rodrik managed a wry smile. “So soon?” He looked odd without his great white side whiskers; smaller somehow, less fierce, and ten years older. Yet back on the Bite it had  seemed prudent to submit to a crewman’s razor, after his whiskers had become  hopelessly befouled for the third time while he leaned over the rail and retched into the  swirling winds. 

“I will leave you to discuss your business,” Captain Moreo said. He bowed and took his leave of them. 

Ser Rodrik held the rail and looked out over the passing shore. “I have not been the most valiant of protectors.” 

Catelyn touched his arm. “We are here, Ser Rodrik, and safely. That is all that truly matters.” Her hand groped beneath her cloak, her fingers stiff and fumbling. The dagger  was still at her side. She found she had to touch it now and then, to reassure herself.  

“Now we must reach the king’s master-at-arms, and pray that he can be trusted.”

“Ser Aron Santagar is a vain man, but an honest one.” Ser Rodrik’s hand went to his face to stroke his whiskers and discovered once again that they were gone. He looked  nonplussed. “He may know the blade, yes . . . but, my lady, the moment we go ashore we  are at risk. And there are those at court who will know you on sight.” 

Catelyn’s mouth grew tight. “Littlefinger,” she murmured. His face swam up before her; a boy’s face, though he was a boy no longer. His father had died several years before, so  he was Lord Baelish now, yet still they called him Littlefinger. Her brother Edmure had  given him that name, long ago at Riverrun. His family’s modest holdings were on the  smallest of the Fingers, and Petyr had been slight and short for his age. 

Ser Rodrik cleared his throat. “Lord Baelish once, ah . . . ” His thought trailed off uncertainly in search of the polite word. 

Catelyn was past delicacy. “He was my father’s ward. We grew up together in Riverrun. I thought of him as a brother, but his feelings for me were . . . more than brotherly. When it was announced that I was to wed Brandon Stark, Petyr challenged for the right to my hand. It was madness. Brandon was twenty, Petyr scarcely fifteen. I had to beg Brandon  to spare Petyr’s life. He let him off with a scar. Afterward my father sent him away. I  have not seen him since.” She lifted her face to the spray, as if the brisk wind could blow  the memories away. “He wrote to me at Riverrun after Brandon was killed, but I burned  the letter unread. By then I knew that Ned would marry me in his brother’s place.” 

Ser Rodrik’s fingers fumbled once again for nonexistent whiskers. “Littlefinger sits on the small council now.” 

“I knew he would rise high,” Catelyn said. “He was always clever, even as a boy, but it is one thing to be clever and another to be wise. I wonder what the years have done to him.” 

High overhead, the far-eyes sang out from the rigging. Captain Moreo came scrambling across the deck, giving orders, and all around them the Storm Dancer burst into frenetic  activity as King’s Landing slid into view atop its three high hills. 

Three hundred years ago, Catelyn knew, those heights had been covered with forest, and only a handful of fisherfolk had lived on the north shore of the Blackwater Rush where  that deep, swift river flowed into the sea. Then Aegon the Conqueror had sailed from  Dragonstone. It was here that his army had put ashore, and there on the highest hill that  he built his first crude redoubt of wood and earth. 

Now the city covered the shore as far as Catelyn could see; manses and arbors and granaries, brick storehouses and timbered inns and merchant’s stalls, taverns and  graveyards and brothels, all piled one on another. She could hear the clamor of the fish  market even at this distance. Between the buildings were broad roads lined with trees,  wandering crookback streets, and alleys so narrow that two men could not walk abreast. 

Visenya’s hill was crowned by the Great Sept of Baelor with its seven crystal towers.  Across the city on the hill of Rhaenys stood the blackened walls of the Dragonpit, its  huge dome collapsing into ruin, its bronze doors closed now for a century. The Street of  the Sisters ran between them, straight as an arrow. The city walls rose in the distance,  high and strong. 

A hundred quays lined the waterfront, and the harbor was crowded with ships.

Deepwater fishing boats and river runners came and went, ferrymen poled back and forth across the Blackwater Rush, trading galleys unloaded goods from Braavos and  Pentos and Lys. 

And above it all, frowning down from Aegon’s high hill, was the Red Keep;. Aegon the Conqueror had  commanded it built. His son Maegor the Cruel had seen it completed. Afterward he had  taken the heads of every stonemason, woodworker, and builder who had labored on it.  

Only the blood of the dragon would ever know the secrets of the fortress the Dragonlords had built, he vowed. 

Yet now the banners that flew from its battlements were golden, not black, and where the three-headed dragon had once breathed fire, now pranced the crowned stag of  House Baratheon. 

“My lady,” Ser Rodrik said, “I have thought on how best to proceed while I lay abed. You must not enter the castle. I will go in your stead and bring Ser Aron to you in some safe  place.”

She studied the old knight as the galley drew near to a pier. Moreo was shouting in the vulgar Valyrian of the Free Cities. “You would be as much at risk as I would.”

Ser Rodrik smiled. “I think not. I looked at my reflection in the water earlier and scarcely recognized myself. My mother was the last person to see me without whiskers, and she is forty years dead. I believe I am safe enough, my lady.”

Moreo bellowed a command. As one, sixty oars lifted from the river, then reversed and backed water. The galley slowed. Another shout. The oars slid back inside the hull. Asthey thumped against the dock, Tyroshi seamen leapt down to tie up. Moreo came bustling up, all smiles. “King’s Landing, my lady, as you did command, and never has as made a swifter or surer passage. Will you be needing assistance to carry your things to the castle?”

“We shall not be going to the castle. Perhaps you can suggest an inn, someplace clean and comfortable and not too far from the river.”

The Tyroshi fingered his forked green beard. “Just so. I know of several establishments that might suit your needs. Yet first, if I may be so bold, there is the matter of the second half of the payment we agreed upon. And of course the extra silver you were so kind as to  promise. Sixty stags, I believe it was.”

“For the oarmen,” Catelyn reminded him. 

“Oh, of a certainty,” said Moreo. “Though perhaps I should hold it for them until we return to Tyrosh. For the sake of their wives and children. If you give them the silver  here, my lady, they will dice it away or spend it all for a night’s pleasure.” 

“There are worse things to spend money on,” Ser Rodrik put in. “Winter is coming.”

“A man must make his own choices,” Catelyn said. “They earned the silver. How they spend it is no concern of mine.” 

“As you say, my lady,” Moreo replied, bowing and smiling.

Just to be sure, Catelyn paid the oarmen herself, a stag to each man, and a copper to the two men who carried their chests halfway up Visenya’s hill to the inn that Moreo had  suggested. It was a rambling old place on Eel Alley. The woman who owned it was a sour  crone with a wandering eye who looked them over suspiciously and bit the coin that  Catelyn offered her to make sure it was real. Her rooms were large and airy, though, and  Moreo swore that her fish stew was the most savory in all the Seven Kingdoms. Best of all, she had no interest in their names. 

“I think it best if you stay away from the common room,” Ser Rodrik said, after they had settled in. “Even in a place like this, one never knows who may be watching.” He wore  ringmail, dagger, and longsword under a dark cloak with a hood he could pull up over  his head. “I will be back before nightfall, with Ser Aron,” he promised. “Rest now, my lady.” 

Catelyn was tired. The voyage had been long and fatiguing, and she was no longer as young as she had been. Her windows opened on the alley and rooftops, with a view of  the Blackwater beyond. She watched Ser Rodrik set off, striding briskly through the busy  streets until he was lost in the crowds, then decided to take his advice. The bedding was  stuffed with straw instead of feathers, but she had no trouble falling asleep. She woke to a pounding on her door. 

Catelyn sat up sharply. Outside the window, the rooftops of King’s Landing were red in the light of the setting sun. She had slept longer than she intended. A fist hammered at  her door again, and a voice called out, “Open, in the name of the king.” 

“A moment,” she called out. She wrapped herself in her cloak. The dagger was on the bedside table. She snatched it up before she unlatched the heavy wooden door. 

The men who pushed into the room wore the black ringmail and golden cloaks of the City Watch. Their leader smiled at the dagger in her hand and said, “No need for that, m’lady. We’re to escort you to the castle.” 

“By whose authority?” she said.

He showed her a ribbon. Catelyn felt her breath catch in her throat. The seal was a mockingbird, in grey wax. “Petyr,” she said. So soon. Something must have happened to  Ser Rodrik. She looked at the head guardsman. “Do you know who I am?” 

“No, m’lady,” he said. “M’lord Littlefinger said only to bring you to him, and see that you were not mistreated.” 

Catelyn nodded. “You may wait outside while I dress.”

She bathed her hands in the basin and wrapped them in clean linen. Her fingers were thick and awkward as she struggled to lace up her bodice and knot a drab brown cloak  about her neck. How could Littlefinger have known she was here? Ser Rodrik would  never have told him. Old he might be, but he was stubborn, and loyal to a fault. Were  they too late, had the Lannisters reached King’s Landing before her? No, if that were  true, Ned would be here too, and surely he would have come to her. How . . . ? 

Then she thought, Moreo. The Tyroshi knew who they were and where they were, damn him. She hoped he’d gotten a good price for the information. 

They had brought a horse for her. The lamps were being lit along the streets as they set out, and Catelyn felt the eyes of the city on her as she rode, surrounded by the guard in  their golden cloaks. When they reached the Red Keep, the portcullis was down and the  great gates sealed for the night, but the castle windows were alive with flickering lights.  

The guardsmen left their mounts outside the walls and escorted her through a narrow postern door, then up endless steps to a tower. 

He was alone in the room, seated at a heavy wooden table, an oil lamp beside him as he wrote. When they ushered her inside, he set down his pen and looked at her. “Cat,” he  said quietly. 

“Why have I been brought here in this fashion?”

He rose and gestured brusquely to the guards. “Leave us.” The men departed. “You were not mistreated, I trust,” he said after they had gone. “I gave firm instructions.” He  noticed her bandages. “Your hands . . . ” 

Catelyn ignored the implied question. “I am not accustomed to being summoned like a serving wench,” she said icily. “As a boy, you still knew the meaning of courtesy.”

“I’ve angered you, my lady. That was never my intent.” He looked contrite. The look brought back vivid memories for Catelyn. He had been a sly child, but after his mischiefs  he always looked contrite; it was a gift he had. The years had not changed him much.  

Petyr had been a small boy, and he had grown into a small man, an inch or two shorter than Catelyn, slender and quick, with the sharp features she remembered and the same  laughing grey-green eyes. He had a little pointed chin beard now, and threads of silver in  his dark hair, though he was still shy of thirty. They went well with the silver  mockingbird that fastened his cloak. Even as a child, he had always loved his silver. 

“How did you know I was in the city?” she asked him.

“Lord Varys knows all,” Petyr said with a sly smile. “He will be joining us shortly, but I wanted to see you alone first. It has been too long, Cat. How many years?” 

Catelyn ignored his familiarity. There were more important questions. “So it was the King’s Spider who found me.” 

Littlefinger winced. “You don’t want to call him that. He’s very sensitive. Comes of being an eunuch, I imagine. Nothing happens in this city without Varys knowing. Oftimes he  knows about it before it happens. He has informants everywhere. His little birds, he calls  them. One of his little birds heard about your visit. Thankfully, Varys came to me first.” 

“Why you?”

He shrugged. “Why not me? I am master of coin, the king’s own councillor. Selmy and Lord Renly rode north to meet Robert, and Lord Stannis is gone to Dragonstone, leaving  only Maester Pycelle and me. I was the obvious choice. I was ever a friend to your sister  Lysa, Varys knows that.” 

“Does Varys know about . . . ”

“Lord Varys knows everything . . . except why you are here.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Why are you here?” 

“A wife is allowed to yearn for her husband, and if a mother needs her daughters close, who can tell her no?” 

Littlefinger laughed. " Oh it seems true when people say mother can sense their children's pain even from miles away "

" What do you mean ? " Catelyn asked shocked.

Did Ned got in trouble ? Did something happened on the Kingsroad ? Did the Lannisters tried to kill him and her daughters?

" Don't panic Cat. Your daughter is all right , I assume as per my reports. She must be getting married again in the sept by the morrow hmm " Littlefinger said nonchalantly as he scratched his chin.

" Renee. What happened to her ? How can you speak so casually about my daughter ? Is she alright ? Gods .. " Catelyn couldn't wrap her head around the news. Her son Bran was already on his death bed and now her daughter too was in danger. Why were the gods being so difficult on her family.

" Calm down , my lady. If there is one thing the Lannisters aren't lacking is their wealth and their pride. The ironborns were pretty stupid to try to hit lord tywin's pride by attacking his heir and his wife. It was direct insult to his house and we all know what happened the last time his house was insulted ...and now the rains weep o'er his halls and not a soul to hear "  Petyr finished hitting the last of his notes.

The song did bring chills to Catleyn. Lannister pride knew no boundaries. Her son was bed ridden and now her daughter in danger. Gods know nothing good happened to her family since those Lannisters set foot in her home.

" I know my voice ain't that melodious as before when I used to sing you songs in the godswood. I know you liked them very much , you and lysa used to listen to me for hours before we continued our game of...."

" Enough " Catelyn interrupted flushed , " I don't have time to engage in small talks. What do you know about my daughter ? The ironborns you speak of what did they do and why did they do it ? "

Theon Greyjoy has been a ward of their house for so long and to think that they treated him with kindness only for his family to attack her daughter , made Catelyn very angry buy she tried not to show it in front of Petyr. They are but strangers now.

" I have no proven facts just some Whispers but Lord Varys is a trusted source. His little birds are all around the capital , in the entire realm I would say and even beyond the realm"

" And what does his whispers say !? " Catelyn asked impatiently.

" The lady Asha Greyjoy thought it to be wise to attack the retuning ship of Lord and Lady lannister from Winterfell at Cape Kraken as a slight against house Lannister and house stark but it seemed to backfire. She herself got captured with most of her men dead or captured alongside her. Some sources say that it was Jaime Lannister who captured her and some say it might be Renee Stark but we know nothing much. Lord Tywin had called his banners and surrounded the pyke with lannister fleet , not allowing any trade ships with food , goods to enter the pyke for a week. It is said that later Victarion Greyjoy surrendered and withdrew his troops. Now my lady that you know all this . Let me ask you again why are you here for surely your reaction gives away that you are not her worrying over your eldest daughter "

" Just like I said before I am here to meet my husband and my daughters " Catelyn says sticking to what she said before but littlefinger chuckled again.

“Oh, very good, my lady, but please don’t expect me to believe that. I know you too well. What were the Tully words again?”

Her throat was dry. “Family, Duty, Honor,” she recited stiffly. He did know her too well.

“Family, Duty, Honor,” he echoed. “All of which required you to remain in Winterfell, where our Hand left you. No, my lady, something has happened. This sudden trip of yours bespeaks a certain urgency. I beg of you, let me help. Old sweet friends should  never hesitate to rely upon each other.” There was a soft knock on the door.

“Enter,”

Littlefinger called out.

The man who stepped through the door was plump, perfumed, powdered, and as hairless as an egg. He wore a vest of woven gold thread over a loose gown of purple silk,  and on his feet were pointed slippers of soft velvet. “Lady Stark,” he said, taking her  hand in both of his, “to see you again after so many years is such a joy.” His flesh was  soft and moist, and his breath smelled of lilacs. “Oh, your poor hands. Have you burned  yourself, sweet lady? The fingers are so delicate . . . Our good Maester Pycelle makes a  marvelous salve, shall I send for a jar?” 

Catelyn slid her fingers from his grasp. “I thank you, my lord, but my own Maester Luwin has already seen to my hurts.” 

Varys bobbed his head. “I was grievous sad to hear about your son and your daughter. Both of them so young and her being just married. The gods are cruel.” 

“On that we agree, Lord Varys,” she said. The title was but a courtesy due him as acouncil member; Varys was lord of nothing but the spiderweb, the master of none buthis whisperers.

The eunuch spread his soft hands. “On more than that, I hope, sweet lady. I have great esteem for your husband, our new Hand, and I know we do both love King Robert.”

“Yes,” she was forced to say. “For a certainty.”

“Never has a king been so beloved as our Robert,” quipped Littlefinger. He smiled slyly.

“At least in Lord Varys’s hearing.”

“Good lady,” Varys said with great solicitude. “There are men in the Free Cities with wondrous healing powers. Say only the word, and I will send for one for your dear Bran.”

“Maester Luwin is doing all that can be done for Bran,” she told him. She would not speak of Bran, not here, not with these men. She trusted Littlefinger only a little, and Varys not at all. She would not let them see her grief. “Lord Baelish tells me that I have you to thank for bringing me here.”

Varys giggled like a little girl. “Oh, yes. I suppose I am guilty. I hope you forgive me, kind lady.” He eased himself down into a seat and put his hands together. “I wonder if we  might trouble you to show us the dagger?” 

Catelyn Stark stared at the eunuch in stunned disbelief. He was a spider, she thought wildly, an enchanter or worse. He knew things no one could possibly know,  unless . . . “What have you done to Ser Rodrik?” she demanded. 

Littlefinger was lost. “I feel rather like the knight who arrives at the battle without his lance. What dagger are we talking about? Who is Ser Rodrik?” 

“Ser Rodrik Cassel is master-at-arms at Winterfell,” Varys informed him. “I assure you, Lady Stark, nothing at all has been done to the good knight. He did call here early this  afternoon. He visited with Ser Aron Santagar in the armory, and they talked of a certain  dagger. About sunset, they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel  where you were staying. They are still there, drinking in the common room, waiting for  your return. Ser Rodrik was very distressed to find you gone.” 

“How could you know all that?”

“The whisperings of little birds,” Varys said, smiling. “I know things, sweet lady. That is the nature of my service.” He shrugged. “You do have the dagger with you, yes?” 

Catelyn pulled it out from beneath her cloak and threw it down on the table in front of him. “Here. Perhaps your little birds will whisper the name of the man it belongs to.” 

Varys lifted the knife with exaggerated delicacy and ran a thumb along its edge. Blood welled, and he let out a squeal and dropped the dagger back on the table. 

“Careful,” Catelyn told him, “it’s sharp.”

“Nothing holds an edge like Valyrian steel,” Littlefinger said as Varys sucked at his bleeding thumb and looked at Catelyn with sullen admonition. Littlefinger hefted the  knife lightly in his hand, testing the grip. He flipped it in the air, caught it again with his  other hand. “Such sweet balance. You want to find the owner, is that the reason for this  visit? You have no need of Ser Aron for that, my lady. You should have come to me.” 

“And if I had,” she said, “what would you have told me?”

“I would have told you that there was only one knife like this at King’s Landing.” He grasped the blade between thumb and forefinger, drew it back over his shoulder, and  threw it across the room with a practiced flick of his wrist. It struck the door and buried itself deep in the oak, quivering. “It’s mine.”

“Yours?” It made no sense. Petyr had not been at Winterfell.

“Until the tourney on Prince Joffrey’s name day,” he said, crossing the room to wrench the dagger from the wood. “I backed Ser Jaime in the jousting, along with half the  court.” Petyr’s sheepish grin made him look half a boy again. “When Loras Tyrell  unhorsed him, many of us became a trifle poorer. Ser Jaime lost a hundred golden  dragons, the queen lost an emerald pendant, and I lost my knife. Her Grace got the  emerald back, but the winner kept the rest.” 

“Who?” Catelyn demanded, her mouth dry with fear. Her fingers ached with remembered pain. 

“The Imp,” said Littlefinger as Lord Varys watched her face. “Tyrion Lannister.”

**********************

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

All the letters were stacked up waiting to be delivered . Renee smiled finally being able to write to her family back. She wrote one to Robb , her father and to Jon.

She didn't know if she should write the last one but she did it anyways. They were childhood friends before anything happened between them and Renee knew that whatever happened was all because of her stupidity. She was feeling second hand embarassment even remembering it now. She even cried in front of him after getting pushed away. Seriously what she was thinking taking that move. He was not her true brother like Robb but her brother nonetheless. Renee tried remembering what lead her to kiss him. It was his decision to leave for the Nights watch. It was because she didn't want him to feel so unwanted which he obviously isn't , her father always told her that Jon was one of them , of their pack. Renee had always tried to ignore him but it was so impossible to do so. He stood out to her just like his wolf, Ghost. Without even saying anything , his presence could be felt. Something that annoyed her so much. Jon was like a mystery to her that she wanted to solve and avoid alike. 

She still remembers how he comforted her about the death of Domeric Bolton. Renee was still distant with Jon at that time but he still didn't hesitate to offer his comfort to her.

Domeric was a nice guy Renee would say , he was 3 years older than her. Her father didn't betroth them but he had allowed Domeric to court her and renee quite liked him , she wouldn't have minded marrying him but fate had other plans for them . He died just a few months before her marriage to Ser Jaime. 

A knock on the door made her land back in the present. Salvia immediately stood up from her stitching to open it 

There stood Ser Addam Marbrand in all his glory . His copper red hair shining bright and his Armor large and heavy with a red cloak. He was the commander of the City Watch as Ser Jaime told her before. His sidearms were adorned with the sigil of his house , a burning tree. He bowed lightly with elegance and gave a charismatic smile. Renee noticed how her maid was blushing to the sight of the knight in front of her.

" My lady , Lady Genna awaits your presence"

" In a moment Ser " Renee quickly gathered all her written letters and put them safely in her drawers. She also instructed Salvia to get ready all her things for tonight. It was he wedding afterall , even if it was for a second time. She wants to look beautiful.

The halls of the castle were empty , the servants busy entertaining the guests in the castle.

Salvia did tell her before that the entire Rock was getting decorated and all the sworn houses of house lannister were present for her marriage.

Renee won't deny but she did felt delighted hearing that. The Rock was in itself very beautiful and now it was getting even more beautiful. She really wanted to sneak out and see everything herself but had to remind herself over and again that it was not Winterfell and she was not a young maiden.  She couldn't act so recklessly. She do remember lady Genna's words about straightening her spine which would have made sense had she been here for a long time but she had never even step her foot out of North ever in her life and now her life was so changed.  Things have rushed so fast in her life that Renee wanted stability for a while. To settle for a moment and think 

She hadn't recovered yet from her encounter with Lord Tywin yesterday. He was truly a frightening man , gods know how he agreed to let Nyx be in the castle but she now knew she shouldn't test her luck around him too much. She was basically a stranger here in this place with strange people surrounding her who she knew nothing about. Hell, she didn't even knew her husband and neither he seemed willing to socialize with her. His words are conflicting. Renee still remembers what he said to her when she confronted his behaviour. He wanted her to believe and accept the fact that she shouldn't hope for love in this marriage , yet he behaves so gentle with her sometimes. He comforted her when she was crying heartbroken on the ship , he didn't have to but he did. He touched her like he wanted to love her but he never did. He looked at her like he wanted to know her but he never did. Renee wanted this marriage to mean something to him , not necessarily now but she hopes it does in the future.

" Are you worrying over something , my lady " The soft voice of the knight brought back Renee. 

" Nothing , Ser " Renee replied as she started paying attention to her surroundings and just as salvia said the white walls of Casterly Rock were decorated with red and golden banners . Small girls were running around spreading flowers on the floors while the maids decorate the vases and the carpets around and squires and kitchen boys carried large barrels of wine to the kitchen. The morning sun was shining bright indicating of the noon yet Renee was so delighted to see the happy faces of the people around. They didn't seem to notice her which Renee was glad for. 

" I do believe it is something and If it is about last night. Please forgive me , I made a mistake . I should have been more careful. Lord Tywin got angry because of it and you would have lost your companion "  Ser Addam gave a deep bow making Renee a bit speechless.

Well , she did know that her husband had assigned the knight to take care of Nyx which he failed . Nyx did escape the kennels searching for her and frightening half of the castle. 

" I don't blame you Ser. Taking care of Nyx isn't an easy task "

" I know it now. Even when we tried to put her back in the kennels last night. She was restless. Gods be good that Jaime was with me. She clearly obeys him "

Renee chuckled at that. She had noticed that. Nyx was fairly comfortable with Ser Jaime now. Not so wary of him as she was before. Perhaps it was right when people say that animals senses human emotions much better than people. 

" Well what can we say , she was always inclined towards handsome men. " Renee couldn't help but jest and looked carefully at the knight wondering if he would get offended .

He didn't. Infact he laughed back.

" Are you making fun of me , my lady ? She clearly isn't inclined towards me. "

Renee laughs at that.

" Or does she only like men who her owner likes ? " Ser Addam said with an amused glint in his eyes.

Renee felt her face heat at that.

" I am not her owner , Ser. Nyx is my companion  , I do not own her "

" True , Wolves don't make good pets. They are too willful and wild. Moreover , shes a direwolf , so more wild than ever "

Renee just shrugs .

" The direwolf is the sigil of my house. We were meant to have them one way or the another. Just like the Taragaryens had their dragons " Renee says as they made their way around the castle , she could still feel the eyes of people on her and just passed a small smile to them as she tried to focus on their conversation.

" Dragons and dragonlords are only in the stories and fairytale now . They did get extinct few centuries ago. No one has ever seen a dragon " Ser Addam says with such confidence that it made it sound like what he said is a steel truth.

" Just like the direwolves were. No one has ever spotted one south of the wall for centuries. They are the gifts from the gods. If the direwolves can be seen, so do the dragons. I do believe there might be dragon eggs somewhere in the world. There is a possibility of even fully grown dragons present somewhere in the world. Maybe in the shadow lands of Asshai or Sorothrys or even west of Westeros where no one has ever been " Renee says as her voice took a much excited tone as she went on talkin' more.

Ser Addam raised his brows amused , " Well , my lady sure has a vivid imagination. "

It's not an imagination , Renee wanted to say out aloud. She had indeed seen 3 dragon eggs in her dreams. They were so beautiful , each one different in their own way. One egg was a deep green, with burnished bronze flecks . Another one was a  pale cream streaked with gold. The last is black, as black as midnight sea, yet seemed alive with scarlet ripples.

If it was someone else they would take such dreams to be random thoughts who became dreams. But for Renee , her dreams were different from everyone else. Of course she couldn't say it to the knight in front of her.

" Imagination leads to new discoveries , Ser" Renee said jokingly.

They walked for a few minutes in silence as they descended carefully to the other part of the castle. The east of the castle was a bit lower then the west side, yet as beautiful as ever. 

" Is the Rock decorated like this everytime there is a wedding ? " Renee decided to change the topic as she tried not to step on her gown. They were now passing an archway where the steps were a bit short and wide.

" Truth to be told , It's been really long since we had an official wedding here. The last one was almost 20 years ago when Queen Cersei married to King Robert. It was the wedding of the decade I would say. The entire Rock was decorated like a bride and people from everywhere in the realm were invited. Lord Tywin didn't spare anything on expenses " Ser Addam said as he lead her even further down

" It must have been so dreamy " Renee wondered. She could only imagine how much beautiful everything would have been. Yet the marriage didn't turn out to be that beautiful. Renee had seen how the Queen and the king despised each other. She could not sense any love between them. No matter how expensive and dreamy their wedding was , it didn't turn out a happy one. 

" It was . Well , we are here , my lady. It was a great pleasure to escort you. Have a good day"Ser Addam kisses her hand in courtesy.

" It was nice talking with you too , Ser. I hope to see you again "

" It would be my pleasure " Ser Addam bows again before he leaves.

A small patio was set at the end of the archway where she could see aunt Genna sitting at the middle with two ladies by her side and a bunch of giggling girls around them.

Renee made her way towards them and soon enough everyone had their eyes on her.

A small , middle aged woman sitting right next to Aunt Genna made her way towards renee taking her hands.

" Don't you look lovely , my dear. My sister here told me all about you " The lady said as they made their way to the patio.

" I think I would remember if my mother birthed a sister to me Dorna " Genna said as the smile from the same woman's face faded.

" It's good to see you again dear , come have a seat " Genna said to Renee as they all made some space for her. The table was full and filled with exotic delicacies. From sweet berries to salted chéese. From grape juice to Dornish wine. There was even a glass of sweetened iced milk with juicy raspberries floating on the top. Renee won't deny it but the sight deeply pleased her. She had spent her life in Winterfell , and the heat of the Casterly Rock seemed to have taken a toll on her.

" I haven't introduced you to everyone here. This is Dorna Swyft , wife of my brother Kevan. " Dorna passed a smile at the comment. Though the smile looked a bit crooked with her almost no chin. 

" This is Darlessa Marbrand , wife to my other brother Tygett " 

Renee noticed that the woman didn't look happy . Her clothes were a shade of black with no jewelleries of any sort. It looked like she still mourned her dead husband. Yet she only passed a small nod at her direction and continued embroidering a silk handkerchief with lions prancing around.

" This is Myranda lefford , my cousin Stafford's wife and her two daughters cerenna and myrielle "

Both of the girls looked alike like they were twins.. Their blonde hairs were twisted upwards and around their head like crowns and just like everyone else both of them were embroidering something. They just barely gave a nod at her direction without looking and continued their work.

Aunt Genna didn't seem pleased by this for she coughed rather loudly and glared at both of them. The girls immediately looked up .

" You are very pretty , lady Renee. Let's get to know each other more " The right one who Renee assumed was myrielle said while her sister just gave a smile to her which seemed staged.

" Oh come on Genna , let the girls be. They are heartbroken , let them mourn . " Myranda said as she bit on a small grape.

" Heartbroken ? There is no need for them to be heartbroken for they had no chance in the very first place. My brother would definitely go for a better political match and my nephew deserves a beautiful wife. Both of these that you are not capable of giving " Aunt Genna said rolling her eyes

Renee felt the tension as everyone fell silent. Myranda lefford chewed the last bit of the grape like it had offended her.

" We were supposed to meet Daven , Come Mother , it's getting late " Myrielle said to her mother as she pulled both her and her sister out of there.

" You could have been more polite " Dorna said to Genna as she eyes the leaving trio of mother and daughters.

" There is no need to be polite to people who don't know when to give up. She is ambitious enough to try to make one of her daughter the lady of the Casterly Rock but stupid enough to believe that it would happen. Tywin  won't... " Genna paused suddenly seeing that Renee was still there who was just looking at them awkwardly.

" Well, it's all talk for later. We still have one last person that you need to meet Renee... " Genna said but a small giggle interrupted her.

" The lion is not brown it's golden. " A small girl sitting beside Darlessa spoke. She was sitting facing the opposite wall and her stature was small so renee hadn't noticed her. Seeing her confusion Darlessa spoke. " This is Joy , Joy this is your aunt , Renee "

The girl looked up at Renee. Her bright green eyes with flecks of blue stared at her innocently. Her hair was a beautiful golden. She truly was a beautiful child and Renee was reminded of Sansa seeing her.

" Hello , Joy " Renee extended her hand towards the girl with a smile. She did notice that lady Darlessa didn't say her last name which could mean only one thing.

The girl looked at her warily. Aunt Genna seeing her hesitation spoke , " Your Uncle Jaime's wife. Weren't you all excited to meet her few days ago ? "

A look of recognition came on Joy's face. She smiled brightly as she took renee's hand. 

" She is my brother Gerion's daughter " Genna said not mentioning her mother's name confirming Renee's doubts about the girl being born out of marriage.

" I can teach you how to embroider lions " Joy said as she showed the half embroidered lion on the handkerchief.

" It's lovely " Renee says and the girls eyes brightened at the compliment.

They spent the rest of the time drawing and stitching and laughing. All the while Dorna and Genna talked and gossiped and Darlessa remain silent. Renee did asked her once for whom was she embroidering the handkerchief and she replied that it was her only son Tyrek who was a squire for King Robert. She was all alone at the rock with only little Joy keeping her company.

Renee also did managed to embroider something while she finished a whole plate of blueberries , a glass of iced milk and munched on few honey cakes. One was a small handkerchief with lions but it came out rather ugly , her lions looked more like kittens and Renee wanted to cry . She was so embarassed that she didn't even show it to anyone .

The other thing that she embroidered was another a handkerchief but it was made of blue silk and she embroidered Bran with white thread. She also tried to embroider a sword and a wolf which came out decent considering that she practiced doing that since she was eight.

It was an early nameday present for Bran. Renee didn't know if her brother would be awake to see it but she desperately hoped that he wake up soon.

She finally embroidered the last of words at the Bottom of the handkerchief. The words of House Stark.

Winter is coming.

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

" I don't want to be a part of a feast meant to entertain mummers and puppets. I did as you commanded me to , married the stark girl , brought her here and even took my place back as your heir , I don't want  be a part of the farce that celebrates it. Gods have you seen those lords last night looking at my limp , I am probably a mocking dinner talk at their tables after all that has happened in these few days. I don't want give them more gossip to talk about when they will see how young Renee is. " Jaime says annoyed as he looked up to his father who was busy signing letters. 

" Young ? She is young , as are you. This is nothing to be mocked of " Tywin says , his words drowning the sound of his quill moving so fast.

" Young as in a child. Have you actually calculated our age difference ? " Jaime asks sarcastically. 

" Do you know the age difference between Walder Frey and his new wife ? " Tywin retorted.

" Are you comparing me with Walder Frey now ? " Jaime asks shocked and offended. How could his father compare him with that old smelly shoebrush.

" I am not , he's married more times than you can count on one hand. He's new wife is even younger than his granddaughter and he's only a few years away from completing a century" Tywin scoffs.

" He is probably dead set on birthing an entire army before dying. " Jaime says with a roll of his eyes. " Why are we even talkin' of him ? "

" If he can marry as many times as he wants , why can't you ? You have finally out of that dreaded place Kingslanding. Out of those worthless vows with no meaning. You would have married someone sooner than later. What harm it is that it's Ned Stark's daughter?"

" Well because that's the problem. She is Ned Stark's daughter. The most honorable man in Westeros ," Jaime scoffs ," He thinks I don't deserve his daughter , an old horse eating fresh grass."

" A very rich horse if you have to be specific " Tywin comments amused.

" Do you think he cares about our riches ? " Jaime asks incredulously.

" Who doesn't ? The North , however big it is , is a wasteland. With no crops , no vegetation. Source of income there is scarce and when winter comes . Half the population dies with cold and lack of resources. "

" Then why did you thought that marrying me to Renee would be a politically good match ?" Jaime asks. He was really curious about it. His father even agreed to let go of one third of the debt to the crown because of this match which doesn't make sense to him.

" What do you think is the most important thing for a house to grow and survive ? " Tywin asks as he glance at Jaime before returning to his letters.

" Power ? Riches ? " Jaime guess.

" It's allies, son " Tywin says shaking his head. " No fight can be won alone. Even a lion must have a loyal pack who is with him when he attack and is ready to defend him when he is in peril. Who do you think our supporters are? " 

Jaime doesn't answer to that. His father was asking him about things he never cared about.  All his life he only cared about his sword and Cersei. His day began with them and ended with them. Since Childhood all he ever wanted to be was a knight who protect others and praised for his good deeds and when his death is near , he becomes immortal for his deeds in history.

" Our allies are numbered , with only our Bannerman " Tywin sighs. " The entire realm hates the Lannisters after that sack in Kings landing. We need to make new allies. "

" Allies with the Starks ? They hate me, why do you think they would make good allies ? "

" Because the Martells hate us more than the Starks , the Baratheons don't have unwed sisters just like the Tullys and Arryns and gods be good the Tyrells are too ambitious. They want their blood on the throne. There are whipers of Renly Baratheon conspiring with them to replace Cersei as Robert's wife. The Starks are simple , non ambitious , loyal and honorable to the point of foolish. "

Jaime doesn't say anything processing everything that he heard just now. His father did have a point at that. But he just couldn't help thinking of bran. If that boy woke up and revealed anything that he saw it would be game over for them. He just hope and wished that the boy dies or just never wake up. Another evidence against them was that necklace. The sailor that he had sent surely must have done his work by now. He should return to him soon. 

" You spend too much time worrying about what other people think of you  " Tywin says nonchalantly without looking up.

" I could care less what anyone thinks of me" Jaime says gritting his teeth.

" You know, That's what you want people to think of you " Tywin pointed out as he pours wax over the letter and stamping it.

" It's the truth " Jaime retaliates , a bit taken aback.

" When they whisper Kingslayer behind your back , doesn't that bother you ? " Tywin asks as he looks up for the first time from his desk.

Jaime hesitates for a second before admitting it.

" Of course it bothers me " It has bothered him for years and years and now that he has forsaken his king'sguard vows too , he got another name added to his long list of dishonorable deeds , Oathbreaker. But of course it matters nothing to his father who only cares about his bloody family name, doesn't matter if even his own children are the ones who suffers.

" A lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of a sheep. " Tywin says pointedly as he finish scrolling up the rolls and stand up. Jaime stood up as well as his father slowly made his way to him patting his shoulder and looking at him eye to eye.

" Feasts and shows are not a mummers farce. It's the opportunity to show the people for what you are capable of. You have spent your glory days serving as a personal bodyguard of two kings , one a madman and other a drunk. You are finally free of them . You had wasted 20 years of life because of them  It's time you start thinking about yourself , about your future , about our family and our legacy. Renee is your opportunity to do right to whatever wrong that has happened to you. The girl is still young , you can mould her however you want. She is smart , we had already noted that with that Greyjoy act. She has the fierceness and the wisdom in her that you need to brush up , that you need to encourage. Forget everything that happened to you in the past. Build a new future , your legacy with her. She will give you children to raise , to teach , to love who will love and respect you in return. You ought to become the man you were always meant to be. Not next year , not tomorrow , now " Tywin almost growled the last part as he looked at him fiercely.

Jaime nodded at him. Tywin satisfied left with a small pat on his cheek.

The rest of the day went in a blink of an eye for Jaime. His father's words echoing in his head. Renee was his opportunity to do right to everything wrong that has happened to him. How ridiculous was that. Nobody can do anything right by him. He has no desire to be a better man , to change. He will remain the way he is. Just the way he has been for years. 

Jaime had thought it to be ridiculous getting dressed as a groom for the second time in his life again. Unlike his outfit at Winterfell at his wedding which was more Woolen and cozy. His outfit now screamed extravagance from far away. His tunic was made of myrish red silk with golden intricate work. His heavy, velvet red overcoat had lions sewn on the shoulders. A pair of gold rings on the index and ring finger of his right hand with emerald and Ruby on each respectively. He finally looked at his hair which hung around his shoulder in curly waves.

The sept was decorated beautiful and lit with fragrant candles and torches around. It was crowded with people who buzzed around like bees nearly causing him a headache. His father stood at the bottom of the podium with his brothers and sister while he waited at the podium with the septon.

The doors opened making the entire crowd silent as Renee made her way through it. She was dressed in an ivory white silk dress with a heavy stark cloak on top of it. Her beautiful hair were mostly left open with just a twisted braid around her head like a crown which Jaime found delightful. He liked her hair better when it was open even more than her eyes which were now looking at him gleefully.

Lord Tywin took her hand in his and escorted her up to Jaime in place of Ned Stark. Jaime quickly put on the Lannister cloak on Renee again taking her under his protection. The septon then bound their hands together as he spoke , " In the sight of the seven I hereby seal these two souls , binding them as one for eternity. Look upon each other and say these words "

" Father , Smith, Warrior , Maiden , Mother ,Crone , Stranger. I am hers and she is mine , from this day until the end of my days " Jaime finished it together with Renee as they continue.

"With this kiss I pledge my love and take you for my lady and wife" Jaime pressed a small chaste kiss to her lips as he leaned back staring back at the crowd. He caught the delightful faces of his father and aunt and uncle's , he saw the bored faces of small children who were forced seated by their mothers , he saw the judging faces of the Liege lords and he also saw the sad face of Cersei. She looked disappointed with him as she turned around and left the sept . Jaime took a step forward to follow her but he got held back. His hand was still bound to Renee.

" I hereby declare, Jaime of House Lannister and Renee of House Stark to be man and wife. They are one heart , one soul , now and forever " The septon finished. A large applause soon followed after and when Jaime looked back in the crowd he didn't saw Cersei.

**************************

Jon's POV

Its been Five days since he had arrived in Castle Black. Five days since he found out the reality of the Black Brotherhood. Five days since he found out the truth in Tyrion Lannister's words. 

He had woken up today early at dawn to watch his uncle leave. One of his rangers, a big ugly man, sang a bawdy song as he saddled his garron, his breath steaming in the cold  morning air. Ben Stark smiled at that, but he had no smile for his nephew. “How often  must I tell you no, Jon? We’ll speak when I return.” 

Three days after their arrival, Jon had heard that Benjen Stark was to lead a half-dozen men on a ranging into the haunted forest. Yesterday night he sought out his uncle in the great  timbered common hall and pleaded to go with him. Benjen refused him curtly. “This is  not Winterfell,” he told him as he cut his meat with fork and dagger. “On the Wall, a man  gets only what he earns. You’re no ranger, Jon, only a green boy with the smell of  summer still on you.” 

Stupidly, Jon argued. “I’ll be fifteen on my name day,” he said. “Almost a man grown.”

Benjen Stark frowned. “A boy you are, and a boy you’ll remain until Ser Alliser says you are fit to be a man of the Night’s Watch. If you thought your Stark blood would win you  easy favors, you were wrong. We put aside our old families when we swear our vows.  Your father will always have a place in my heart, but these are my brothers now.” He  gestured with his dagger at the men around them, all the hard cold men in black.

Now as he watched his uncle lead his horse into the tunnel, Jon had remembered the things that Tyrion Lannister told him on the kingsroad, and in his mind’s eye he saw Benjen Stark lying dead, his blood red on the snow. The thought made him sick. What was he becoming?

He decided to sought out Ghost in the loneliness of his cell, and buried his face in his thick white fur. 

If he must be alone, he would make solitude his armor. Castle Black had no godswood, only a small sept and a drunken septon, but Jon could not find it in him to pray to any  gods, old or new. If they were real, he thought, they were as cruel and implacable as  winter.

He missed his true brothers: little Rickon, bright eyes shining as he begged for a sweet; Robb, his rival and best friend and constant companion; Bran, stubborn and curious, always wanting to follow and join in whatever Jon and Robb were doing.

He missed the girls too, even Sansa, who never called him anything but “my half brother” since she was  old enough to understand what bastard meant. And Arya . . . he missed her even more than Robb, skinny little thing that she was, all scraped knees and tangled hair and torn  clothes, so fierce and willful. Arya never seemed to fit, no more than he had . . . yet she  could always make Jon smile. He would give anything to be with her now, to muss up  her hair once more and watch her make a face, to hear her finish a sentence with him. But the person that he didn't want to remember at all was Renee yet she was the one who constantly on his mind. 

Their entire journey to castle black was slow and peaceful but he could sense a tension between his Uncle Ben and Tyrion lannister. On being confronted Benjen Stark said , " My brother is not fond of Lannisters and for good reason. They are shrew and untrustworthy with no honor. Yet , he had to marry his daughter to one of their lot. The Kingslayer of all people. Do you remember the snow fall and the cold weather at the day of their wedding ? It's a saying here in North , that snow falling during a wedding results in a cold marriage. It's a bad thing Jon . "

Jon wondered if she was unhappy , if she cried every night to sleep. Did she even thought of him ? Or was she already so occupied with her new life ? Don't get him wrong. Jon wasn't in love with Renee . No. He cared about her. He loved her in a way he loved Robb , Arya, Bran and Rickon. He don't want her to suffer. 

Jon carefully pulled out that black thread from his pocket. He had to unsolve this mystery too. The involvement of that witch in their lives was not so simple as it looked like.

She called him azor azhai . She kept saying something about the children of the forest. He knew that Robb talked to her through this thread.  He had to find meaning of this new names. Yes that's what he will do in his solitude.

He will find out what that witch wanted from him and when he does he will call her here and confront her into telling him the truth.

Jon tightly held Ghost in his arms as he made plans about tomorrow .

*****************************

Chapter Text

Tywin's pov 

A large pigeon pie was brought soon enough after everyone settled down..

The night sky was particularly bright tonight , thankfully for the full moon.

Tywin was never the one who enjoyed the beauty of serene things like sky and moon. It was a waste of time , and only suitable for idle people. But today he admired the view. Not because he was feeling idle but because he knew that Joanna would have loved it. Joanna always had high expectations for both of their children's wedding , as did he. 

It was miracle having twins and a boy and girl at their first try. Tywin admits that he was happy , very happy to be honest. Aerys had dismissed him from his position as hand of the king in another fit of his tantrums and he had just started settling in with his family. Peaceful and contented. 

He had decided then and there what he wanted for his children , the boy to become the knight and the girl to become the Queen. Joanna had wanted the same. She even wanted another child to be always with them when they get old...

Tywin didn't know that If Joanna was aware that what she ....what they had wanted had come true. Cersei was the Queen and Jaime the knight. 

Even as babes Jaime and Cersei though looked similar had completely different temperament. While Cersei liked attention , Jaime was content being in the shadows..While Cersei hopped around asking to be carried by him. Jaime was happy suckling by his mother's side.

Joanna used to say that Cersei was the sun. Bright and cheerful while Jaime was the moon. Calm and Serene. She once jokingly commented that should they ever marry she wanted Cersei to marry lavishly below the bright sun and Jaime to marry serenly under the gentle moon's light.

It was just a passing comment but Tywin had made sure that it came true. Today was the day the other half of it came true. 

" Will there be real pigeons in the pie ? " Tywin heard Joy ask Genna as Jaime held the knife with Renee holding his arm to cut the pie.

Soon enough a the large pie burst open and tens of white pigeons flew open from it and into the sky . When they were far away from them , archers slew them with fire arrows. It created an illusion of fire falling from the sky as those pigeons dropped to the ground. 

" That's totally barbaric ". Tywin heard Renee whisper to Jaime." It's a tradition. The burned pigeons will be served to the poor , the old and the disabled" 

Renee opened her mouth to say something but closed it nodding gently. Tywin saw Jaime's hand on her squeezing.

" Serve the pie " Jaime orders to the servants and everyone settled down. Jaime and Renee at the center table with Tywin on their right table with Kevan and Genna

" Everyone seems quite taken with her " Kevan says as the first course of the meal is served , the pigeon pie. Tywin knew who was the her.

" They should be. She is the eldest daughter of Ned Stark , the hand of the king and now the daughter by law of house Lannister. She is one of now. She will rule beside Jaime as the lady of the rock " Tywin says as he watched lords coming to Jaime's table to offer their gifts and we'll wishes.

" Beside Jaime , yes . Over Jaime , No " Genna says from beside Kevan putting a tender piece of pie in her mouth.

" That would not be. Jaime knows what he is doing . A child cannot overrule him " Kevan retorts back 

" Jaime had spent half his life playing swords, he don't know what he is doing and from what I can see , he is not willing to learn either. He is made to fight not rule. " Genna says shaking her head.

" When responsibility falls on a person , he learns how to bear it. Besides our brother is still the lord , Jaime has got plenty of time to learn and practice " Kevan says.

" Time ? " Genna scoffs , " It's not time he need. After a certain age , people loose desire to learn anything new. Do you think our nephew would suddenly acquaint himself with ruling and politics ?. If he didn't do that for the past fifteen years , what makes you think he would do it now ? "

" What is it that you are suggesting Genna ? " Tywin asks.

" I am suggesting that you should put your hopes and your hardwork on someone else other than Jaime . Jaime is a broken pot , no matter how continuously you fill it with water , it will not be able to hold it. "

" If you are suggesting Tyrion again , then perhaps you should stop talking " Tywin says enraged. 

" Its Renee , though I would still prefer our own blood over an outsider. Your hate for tyrion left us with no choice " Genna sighs .

" Renee ? Weren't you against Renee ruling over Jaime just few minutes ago ? " Kevan says as he looked between his siblings stranded between them.

" Yes I was , " Genna takes a sip of wine before smirking " But if Jaime is ruling by her. That sounds wonderful isn't it ? " 

" What do you mean ? " Tywin asks , he had a hitch for what she was implying.

" Well , as our brother Kevan said here. Everyone is intrigued by Renee. Her aristocratic Tully features with a hint of Stark in her appearance. Her gentle nature with a hint of cold from the North . Her undulating charisma with an ability to make people fall for her , make them feel comfortable around her. Isn't that a particular trait for a good leader ? " Genna asked with a self pleasing smile on her place.

" You want Renee to clean up Jaime's image in the eyes of the nobles and the commoners. " Tywin says finally understanding the gist of it. It was a brilliant idea making Tywin wonder why he didn't think of it. The stark roots make renee a particularly trustable person in the eyes of everyone. Since the reputation of the Starks for being honorable and loyal. What Genna said made complete sense as he saw how Lord Farman laughed and conversed with Renee and Jaime. Jaime was silent for the most part of the conversation , but Renee ever so gracefully small talked with the lord.

" I know brother that you hardly gave thought of what other thinks of you but you must also agree that having a good reputation among people makes things much easier to rule. The tyrells and Renly Baratheon are popular because of their ever so lively and lovely interaction with the commoners and nobles alike. I have heard of the " social service " that the tyrells are so inclined on for the few years. Donating and investing in local orphanage and the septs. Providing free food, clothes and shelter to the poor. No matter what they do , people will love them for they have created the image such as this...." Genna paused as she eyed Tywin carefully before continuing , "Jaime is ever so hated by everyone because of his reputation as the Kingslayer. Surely Renee would also help change people's perception of him "

" What If it backfire , Genna ? What if the girl overpower and take full control of Jaime and the Rock ...like you do with your husband . " Kevan muttered the last part making Genna glare at him.

" Everyone knows how dutiful I am to Emmon....as will Renee be to Jaime. Her Stark self would made sure of that ....but it won't be duty that would bind Renee to jaime. It would be love . If Renee is hopelessly in love with Jaime. She won't hesitate to do anything for him. She would be completely and hopelessly loyal to him to the point she would give her life for him. Isn't that perfect ?" Genna shrugs.

" Are you sure about that ? Because as far as I can see Jaime is quite distant with Renee." Kevan says pointing to the couple..

" Our nephew will see reason soon. I'll make sure that it happens , I'll try my best to shape Renee as we want her to be "

" I'll have your word on it then " Tywin says making Genna give him a reassuring smile as the Rains of Castamere was sung in the back.

Robb's POV

" My lord , we have found the man that you have been searching for but he has been killed and mauled by the wolves in the Wolf's wood " The captain of the guards reported to Robb one morning.

" Take me to him " 

Chapter Text

Jaime's POV

" Loosen up a bit will you ? You got married to such a beautiful girl and yet you are sulking like a child. " Daven told Jaime after managing to get another glass of strong Dornish wine in his system. 

" I am not sulking . Just a bit tired actually.  We did not even rest for a day since coming back from that dreadful voyage and father decided to get me married again. " Jaime sighed twirling the wine goblet in his hands but didn't drink it. He wanted to be sober tonight. The last two times that he had shared his bed with Renee. He could hardly remember what he did and what he did seemed to have hurt her last time. He had promised her to not hurt her like that again.

So he sat here listening to Daven Lannister talk shit pretending he even care. He missed Tyrion in times like this. His brother though a bit annoying sometimes was surely a good company over a cup of wine. Not that Daven was bad but he just wasn't Tyrion.

" Well i wouldn't be tired if my father says to marry my wife a hundred times. " Daven smirked drunkenly. " Just so I could relish these feasts over and over again "

Jaime rolled his eyes , a small smile on his face. " I am sure lady desmera would love that and her father too if you two were to marry " His mocking tone was a bit evident as daven's face dropped .

It was known fact about how his uncle Stafford had been trying for ages to talk Lord Paxter Redwyne into giving his daughter for Daven but he failed each time he tried to bring that matter to talk. Jaime had seen the girl , Desmera , she was pretty he would say her distinguished features being her pretty freckles on her face. His Aunt Genna and Tyrion seems to believe that Lord Paxtor wants his daughter to marry the crippled Tyrell boy , Willas.

" If we were to marry ? " Daven scoffed  " It seems a hopeless dream now , which will never come true. Perhaps I will marry some girl from the Frey lot. All the nice , pretty girls are already betrothed or too young to marry. You are a lucky one. Your father found you a nice girl even at this age , and that too from one of the prominent houses. "

" I thought you brought me here to have some fun and here you are worsening my mood. " Jaime stood up annoyed. It's getting frustrating hearing again and again about how lucky he was to get married to Renee. 

He left his cousin calling after him as he made his way back to the high table. Half of the seats were empty , the guests having been retired to bed considering there was no bedding ceremony tonight.

He saw his Uncle Emmon hunched over talking with his son Cleos and his wife Jeyne Darry. They seemed to be whispering repeatedly pointing at the high table where Genna sat with Renee talking and laughing with some ladies. Jaime decided to ignore them , gossips were never worth his time anyway. 

It was already the hour of the wolf and he had decided to retire to bed. Tomorrow he had to begun searching for that man he had sent to retrieve that necklace. 

" Jaime , come meet Lord Serret " His Uncle Stafford  called out.

Lord Serett of Silverhill stood as tall and proud as the peacock of their house next to his father and both his uncle's Kevan and Stafford.

Silverhill as the name suggested had veins of silver in the hills surrounding the castle. House Serett became the main supplier of Silver in the westerllands thanks to those silver mines running down those hills.

There was a power struggle going within the family , he had overhead his father talking about it to Robert on one of his many visits to King's Landing. 

Apparently Lord Serett wanted his base born son , Damon Hill to be legitimised to be the heir of Silverhill after his death and not the true heir , Leonald Serett .

Leonald Serett was Lord Seretts nephew , the son of his eldest brother after he died in the Greyjoys Rebellion. His wife Sienna Heatherspoon  , his brothers widow , claims her son to be the true heir and denies to legitimise Damon Hill. 

Lord Serett kept on talkin' about his luck again for leaving the king'sguard and taking his place as the rightful heir. Jaime swears that if he hears this one more time , he would rip his hairs out. 

The talk soon turned towards the Greyjoys. Lord Serett showed concerned towards them, specially about Asha Greyjoy. Since Theon Greyjoy was taken " ward " , a fancy word for prisoner of war , according to Jaime. Balon Greyjoy has been treating Asha as his true heir, even Victarion Greyjoy and all those iron men.

" No matter how much capable she is , it doesn't change the fact that she is but a girl. She couldn't inherit iron islands as long as her brother is alive. Its funny though that they consider her capable enough to lead them , given how stupid she is. Leading two boats of men to attack my son , utterly foolish " Tywin scoffed. 

" She learned her lesson already brother as did her father and uncle. This bit of show will be enough to keep them in check for the time being " Kevan Lannister added.

" Very well , it's been quite late already. Lord Serett , you must join us tomorrow to break the fast. I believe my nephew has more important things to do tonight " Uncle Stafford said with a suggestive tone. His father's expression was grim at that comment but he didn't say anything 

" Ahh well then , I believe we shouldn't hold back Ser Jaime anymore. It would bring me great joy if you do come to visit Silverhill with your lady wife in few days. She is a Northerner , let her see the beauty of the west "  Lord Serett said good naturedly though Jaime was a bit surprised at the invitation. He looked at his father who just nodded his head .

" Of course , Lord Serett. We will surely come, Now if you will excuse me " Jaime shook his hand one last time and made his exit.

To his surprise he didn't find Renee at the high table. He went back to his chambers thinking her to be there and he thought right because she sitting on the bed trying to rip open the seal on a letter.

" What are you doing ? " Jaime asked her confused.

" Trying to open the letter  , the wax became so hard. " Renee said as she pulled open the seal so hard , Jaime was afraid that she would rip apart the letter.

" Give it to me , who sent you letter now ? " Jaime wondered to himself as he reached his hand out.

" No  " Renee looked at him defiantly. " It's mine , it was at my table over there. " 

Jaime was shocked at her childishness. She didn't behave like that.

" Your table ? Did you father gifted it to you in your dowry ? " Jaime sneered as he moved towards her trying to get that letter. He soon caught smell of wine surrounding her. That explains her behaviour.

Renee was a bit dumbfounded at the comment. " We are one soul now , didn't the septon said that just few hours What's yours is also mine " She then proceed to stand up on the bed trying to open the wax once more. 

Jaime caught sight of the stag emblem on the letter. It either belonged to Robert or Cersei. He looked back at the letter envelope on the table and for sure he recognised the handwriting at once. It was of Cersei's.

" Renee get back here. Don't open the letter. " Jaime all but shouted at her. He couldn't let her see the contents of the letter. 

" Why ? The letter belongs to me " Renee retorted back as she once again tried to open the wax. This time however the letter did open but with a loud tear. Renee seemed to have sense the cold glare of Jaime for she quickly tried to hop off the bed but wasn't quick enough for Jaime caught her ankle pulling her back. She fell on the bed loudly and it wasn't the only noise resounding the chambers..

Jaime cursed himself as he felt the bed broke down, he had jumped on the bed in the haste to pull Renee and the implied impact of their weights combined broke it in half.

Both of them were practically on the floor. Renee laughed loudly the letter long forgotten in her hand. Jaime took this as a chance and pocketed the letter.

Even after such loud noise no one came knocking on the door which Jaime was grateful for because he would rather sleep on the broken bed than let everyone else see the ridiculousness of the situation.

*****************************

Robb's POV

" The man doesn't seem Westerosi " Theon Greyjoy commented looking at the body of the man Robb had seen in his dreams. His entire body was mauled and hardly recognisable. The guards who found him reported to Robb that they found a pouch of silver coins and nothing else 

" Surely he might be the companion of that man that came to kill Bran " Maester Luwin commented. Everyone agreed with him but Robb. That pouch of silver coin was the one that he gave to the man when he was pretending to be the servant working here. 

" Did you found nothing else with him ? Did you thoroughly search the place ? " Robb questioned.

The guards looked at each other before denying. They had quickly retreated after finding the man , it was almost night and the risk of encountering wild animals more prominent.

Robb sighed disappointed at that.

" I'll leave tomorrow to search for the place myself " Robb said dismissing everyone.

" My lord, you can't. Bran has been too lonely these days. He hardly talks and remains upset most of the time. It's his nameday tomorrow , you should spend time with him " Maester Luwin said. 

Robb had almost forgotten about that. For the past few days all that he had done was search for that man. 

" I will Maester Luwin " Robb sighed. " Any news from my mother " 

" No , my lord. But we got news about your sister " . The old Maester looked hesitant as he turned towards Theon Greyjoy who just shrugged..

Renee was attacked by the Greyjoys. The last thing that Robb' wanted to hear. How was it that his entire family was unsafe while he was here knowing everything but cant do anything. He was sure , he knew it in his heart that Jaime lannister was the one who pushed Bran but he couldn't prove it and now while his brother is lying crippled, his murderer is with his sister....His dreams, his connection with Greywind meant something. It was extraordinarily different yet familiar.

" Are there any books left from the ashes of the library ? "  Robb suddenly asks Maester Luwin and on getting an affirmative answer .

Robb went back to his hunt for his answers.

******************

Chapter Text

Renee's POV

" You should have joined us at the table in the morning but it also makes sense you didn't , you must have been tired " Aunt Genna rambled on.

Renee however couldn't make anything of her words anymore. She knew why she had these two women , Dorna and Genna in her room so early morning and why were they looking at her like they wanted her to tell them something to gossip about something.

" I simply wished to break my fast in some silence and peace. I still got a hungover from the wine last night. " Renee said hesitantly.

Both the women in front of her , one with the power in hand and the other with a child. A literal child , yes. It was strange to believe that Uncle Kevan would have such a young child at this age , well.

" Well then you should rest a bit more , the day has only just began. Come join us at evening supper , we would be delighted to have you with us " . With a gentle pat on her head and a scrutinizing look at the room. Genna turned to leave with Dorna at toe.

Renee heaved a sigh of relief making Salvia chuckle beside her.

" You found something funny ?!" Renee asks irritated.

" Well everything " Salvia shrugs making Renee groan in annoyance.

It's been like this since morning giggles and whispers seemed to follow her wherever she went but when she stopped to ask why were they founding her so amusing , they all apologized quickly and scattered enough far away. 

She had dismissed it as something weird but then it was not weirder compared to what happened in the morning. Well for many reasons that she was out for one of them was to find her husband. He had left her alone in the broken bed so early in the morning. The men who had come to replace it didn't even answer her when she asked why the wood of the previous bed so weak that it couldn't even take the weight of two people on it , instead they stared at her wide eyed like she had horns on head and apologized and left. Fortunately for her , Joy , the kind girl she was had guided her to the training yard when she asked her where her older cousin was. 

Knights and some squires were training there with Lance, swords and mace . Some were even practicing shooting arrows. They all stopped their work and curtsied to her Renee gave a small smile and asked them to continue and made her way straight to Ser Jaime who was duelling with Ser Addam. 

This was the first time she was watching her husband wield a sword. Her father always said that he was a man with no honor , a Kingslayer but he never denied the fact that he was a good swordsman. Ser Arthur Dayne had knighted him afterall , who according to her father was the best swordsman he ever saw.

Renee never saw Ser Arthur Dayne fight so she couldn't account for her father's words but right now from what she was seeing, Ser Jaime was easily the best swordsman she ever saw , not that she had seen many knights and swordsman back in Winterfell. Most of them were her father's men and soldiers. She had never even saw her father wield a sword except for one time when he taught her how to hold one and Renee would admit it that it was heavy and quite difficult to swing but right now, seeing Ser Jaime swing the sword like it was his third hand blocking every sword of Ser Addam make it look so simple. It felt like he knew his sword as well as his opponent's. Predicting every move , blocking every blow. It was just mind-blowing. She has never seen anything like it .

Renee could still see that arrogant smirk on his face as he landed a particular blow to Ser Addam's armour. It was just a game to him. A game he very well know he will win. 

" I yield " Ser Addam said getting back to his feet as he bumped fists and side hugged Ser Jaime.

" You get better every time I fight with you , Ser Jaime " Ser Addam said smiling , his copper hair sticking to his face. 

" Well that's why I fight with you " Ser Jaime says patting his shoulder and looked at her. Renee soon realised that everyone was looking at her for quite some time , she was so engrossed watching the duel that she didn't noticed.

" You're up..it's quite early " Ser Jaime says as he came closer to her.

" I wanted to talk with you " Renee said , her husband's expression darkened she would say at her words.

" About ? "

" You promised those sailors to give them gold coins for their help back at the ship " Renee reminded him and his scowl disappeared. She noticed that eyes were on them , even Ser Addam as he drank water and downed the rest of it on his head. They all were looking at her with a look she couldn't understand. 

" I did. I will meet with their captain today and send someone to give all of the sailors their pay for their service " Jaime finished as he went inside the armoury to remove his armour but Renee wasn't done so she quickly followed him.

" You shouldn't send a servant. They helped us , we should thank them ourselves , besides their entire ship was destroyed by the Greyjoys , it would take days for them to rebuild. " Renee asks hopefully.

" Well , when I will go to take a look around the Lannisport later in the day I will express my gratitude " Jaime said as he carefully puts away his armour wear his waistcoat.

" What about me ? " Renee asks. 

" I will give them your gratitude too " Jaime reassured but his reassurance meant nothing and he realised that too when he saw the sullen face of renee . 

" What now ? " Jaime asks genuinely confused. 

" You will not take me with you ? " Renee asks in a small voice.

" You want to come with me ? " Jaime asks surprised a bit.

Renee just nodded.

" Why is that so ? We can even spend time here if that's what you want. " Jaime teased and this Renee couldn't help but scowl though it was an ugly expression on her face.

" I want to see the Lannisport. "

" Father won't allow it. It's been only what , 2 days since you came here , he won't allow you out of the Rock so soon " Jaime said in a serious tones but his eyes were a bit softened.

" Well , I shall go then " Renee said dejectedly as she turned to leave but Jaime stopped her.

" I will ask him , if he agrees I'll take you. Don't be sad. " 

Renee smiled and nodded making Jaime smile too before he asked , " Your wine , I mean your head , do you still have an hangover ? " 

" No , I am sorry about that. I never drink wine not more than one cup. Last night , Myrielle was so insistent , I just couldn't help and had more than one and ..."

" You don't remember anything from last night ? " Jaime interrupted.

" I do , I was behaving weirdly and you were trying to help me and in all that we broke the bed by falling on it " Renee said as she rubbed her palm on her forehead. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. 

" Just forget it . It's all good. "

Except it was not because when she entered the room and asked Salvia about everyone's weird behaviour , Renee felt like a fool.

How could she be so oblivious ? All of them were assuming the bed broke because of their intense lovemaking last night. What would be they thinking of us ? What would they be thinking of me ? She felt her ears burn at the thought of how those people all around the castle were gossiping about it. That explains the curious glances of everyone.

Renee didn't even step out of her room after that hiding herself within .

Salvia laughed seeing her lady's red face which she was hiding in her palm.

" My lady there is nothing wrong with it. It's quite normal , common perhaps. You shouldn't hide yourself here. More people will come to check on you then. " 

" I don't want to go out now , I'll just stay here. You got any letters from my mother or father" Renee asks hopefully but her face deflated after hearing her say no.

" Lord Eddard rides to King's landing , I heard that he passed Harrenhal , he will write to you soon " Salvia reassured Renee.

" I hope so " Renee mutters dejectedly. " Well what about you ? You can go back to Kingslanding too. You told me you worked there before. Maybe you can meet your family back. I will find someone else to server me. Losing your sister is a hard time on you , you should go mourn her with your family . I'll ask Ser Jaime to arrange..."

" No , my lady. My place here is with you , to serve you. Your mother trusted me and my sister. I cannot break her trust " Salvia said defiantly. 

Renee couldn't deny her request then. 

" Who did you work for before my mother took you in ? " Renee asks out of curiousity.

" Lord Varys " 

******************************

Chapter Text

Jon's POV

“You broke my wrist, bastard boy.”

Jon lifted his eyes at the sullen voice. Grenn loomed over him, thick of neck and red of face, with three of his friends behind him. He knew Todder, a short ugly boy with an  unpleasant voice. The recruits all called him Toad. The other two were the ones Yoren  had brought north with them, Jon remembered, rapers taken down in the Fingers. He’d  forgotten their names. He hardly ever spoke to them, if he could help it. They were  brutes and bullies, without a thimble of honor between them. 

And now Grenn was angry at him just because he defeated the boy only few minutes ago outside.

There were almost twenty in the group he trained with, yet not one he could call a friend. Most were two or three years his senior, yet not one was half the fighter Robb had been  at fourteen. Dareon was quick but afraid of being hit. Pyp used his sword like a dagger,  Jeren was weak as a girl, Grenn slow and clumsy. Halder’s blows were brutally hard but  he ran right into your attacks. The more time he spent with them, the more Jon despised them.

Jon stood up. “I’ll break the other one for you if you ask nicely.” Grenn was sixteen and a head taller than Jon. All four of them were bigger than he was, but they did not scare  him. He’d beaten every one of them in the yard. 

“Maybe we’ll break you,” one of the rapers said.

“Try.” Jon reached back for his sword, but one of them grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. 

“You make us look bad,” complained Toad.

“You looked bad before I ever met you,” Jon told him. The boy who had his arm jerked upward on him, hard. Pain lanced through him, but Jon would not cry out. 

Toad stepped close. “The little lordling has a mouth on him,” he said. He had pig eyes, small and shiny. “Is that your mommy’s mouth, bastard? What was she, some whore?  Tell us her name. Maybe I had her a time or two.” He laughed.

Jon twisted like an eel and slammed a heel down across the instep of the boy holding him. There was a sudden cry of pain, and he was free. He flew at Toad, knocked himbackward over a bench, and landed on his chest with both hands on his throat,slamming his head against the packed earth. 

The two from the Fingers pulled him off, throwing him roughly to the ground. Grenn began to kick at him. Jon was rolling away from the blows when a booming voice cut through the gloom of the armory. “STOP THIS! NOW!”

Jon pulled himself to his feet. Donal Noye stood glowering at them. “The yard is for fighting,” the armorer said. “Keep your quarrels out of my armory, or I’ll make them my  quarrels. You won’t like that.” 

Toad sat on the floor, gingerly feeling the back of his head. His fingers came away bloody. “He tried to kill me.” 

“ ’S true. I saw it,” one of the rapers put in.

“He broke my wrist,” Grenn said again, holding it out to Noye for inspection.

The armorer gave the offered wrist the briefest of glances. “A bruise. Perhaps a sprain. Maester Aemon will give you a salve. Go with him, Todder, that head wants looking  after. The rest of you, return to your cells. Not you, Snow. You stay.” 

Jon sat heavily on the long wooden bench as the others left, oblivious to the looks they gave him, the silent promises of future retribution. His arm was throbbing. 

“The Watch has need of every man it can get,” Donal Noye said when they were alone.

“Even men like Toad. You won’t win any honors killing him.”

Jon’s anger flared. “He said my mother was—”

“—a whore. I heard him. What of it?”

“Lord Eddard Stark was not a man to sleep with whores,” Jon said icily. “His honor—”

“—did not prevent him from fathering a bastard. Did it?”

Jon was cold with rage. “Can I go?”

“You go when I tell you to go.”

Jon stared sullenly at the smoke rising from the brazier, until Noye took him under the chin, thick fingers twisting his head around. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, boy.” 

Jon looked. The armorer had a chest like a keg of ale and a gut to match. His nose was flat and broad, and he always seemed in need of a shave. The left sleeve of his black wool  tunic was fastened at the shoulder with a silver pin in the shape of a longsword. “Words won’t make your mother a whore. She was what she was, and nothing Toad says can change that. You know, we have men on the Wall whose mothers were whores.” 

Not my mother, Jon thought stubbornly. He knew nothing of his mother; Eddard Stark would not talk of her. Yet he dreamed of her at times, so often that he could almost see  her face. In his dreams, she was beautiful, and highborn, and her eyes were kind. 

“You think you had it hard, being a high lord’s bastard?” the armorer went on. “That boy Jeren is a septon’s get, and Cotter Pyke is the baseborn son of a tavern wench. Now he  commands Eastwatch by the Sea.” 

“I don’t care,” Jon said. “I don’t care about them and I don’t care about you or Thorne or Benjen Stark or any of it. I hate it here. It’s too . . . it’s cold.” 

“Yes. Cold and hard and mean, that’s the Wall, and the men who walk it. Not like the stories your wet nurse told you. Well, piss on the stories and piss on your wet nurse. This  is the way it is, and you’re here for life, same as the rest of us.” 

“Life,” Jon repeated bitterly. The armorer could talk about life. He’d had one. He’d only taken the black after he’d lost an arm at the siege of Storm’s End. Before that he’d  smithed for Stannis Baratheon, the king’s brother. He’d seen the Seven Kingdoms from  one end to the other; he’d feasted and wenched and fought in a hundred battles. They  said it was Donal Noye who’d forged King Robert’s warhammer, the one that crushed  the life from Rhaegar Targaryen on the Trident. He’d done all the things that Jon would  never do, and then when he was old, well past thirty, he’d taken a glancing blow from an  axe and the wound had festered until the whole arm had to come off. Only then,  crippled, had Donal Noye come to the Wall, when his life was all but over. 

“Yes, life,” Noye said. “A long life or a short one, it’s up to you, Snow. The road you’re walking, one of your brothers will slit your throat for you one night.” 

“They’re not my brothers,” Jon snapped. “They hate me because I’m better than they are.” 

“No. They hate you because you act like you’re better than they are. They look at you and see a castle-bred bastard who thinks he’s a lordling.” The armorer leaned close. “You’re  no lordling. Remember that. You’re a Snow, not a Stark. You’re a bastard and a bully.” 

“A bully?” Jon almost choked on the word. The accusation was so unjust it took his breath away. “They were the ones who came after me. Four of them.” 

“Four that you’ve humiliated in the yard. Four who are probably afraid of you. I’ve watched you fight. It’s not training with you. Put a good edge on your sword, and they’d be dead meat; you know it, I know it, they know it. You leave them nothing. You shame them. Does that make you proud?” 

Jon hesitated. He did feel proud when he won. Why shouldn’t he? But the armorer was taking that away too, making it sound as if he were doing something wrong. “They’re all  older than me,” he said defensively. 

“Older and bigger and stronger, that’s the truth. I’ll wager your master-at-arms taught you how to fight bigger men at Winterfell, though. Who was he, some old knight?” 

“Ser Rodrik Cassel,” Jon said warily. There was a trap here. He felt it closing around him.

Donal Noye leaned forward, into Jon’s face. “Now think on this, boy. None of these others have ever had a master-at-arms until Ser Alliser. Their fathers were farmers and  wagonmen and poachers, smiths and miners and oars on a trading galley. What they  know of fighting they learned between decks, in the alleys of Oldtown and Lannisport, in  wayside brothels and taverns on the kingsroad. They may have clacked a few sticks  together before they came here, but I promise you, not one in twenty was ever rich  enough to own a real sword.” His look was grim. “So how do you like the taste of your  victories now, Lord Snow?” 

“Don’t call me that!” Jon said sharply, but the force had gone out of his anger. Suddenly he felt ashamed and guilty. “I never . . . I didn’t think . . . ” 

“Best you start thinking,” Noye warned him. “That, or sleep with a dagger by your bed. Now go.” 

By the time Jon left the armory, it was almost midday. The sun had broken through the clouds. He turned his back on it and lifted his eyes to the Wall, blazing blue and  crystalline in the sunlight. Even after all these weeks, the sight of it still gave him the  shivers. Centuries of windblown dirt had pocked and scoured it, covering it like a film,  and it often seemed a pale grey, the color of an overcast sky . . . but when the sun caught  it fair on a bright day, it shone, alive with light, a colossal blue-white cliff that filled up  half the sky. 

The largest structure ever built by the hands of man, Benjen Stark had told Jon on the kingsroad when they had first caught sight of the Wall in the distance. “And beyond a  doubt the most useless,” Tyrion Lannister had added with a grin, but even the Imp grew  silent as they rode closer. You could see it from miles off, a pale blue line across the  northern horizon, stretching away to the east and west and vanishing in the far distance,  immense and unbroken. This is the end of the world, it seemed to say.

************************************

Robb's POV

" The end of the world " Robb read out the book title incoherently. The book was tattered and half burned. The cover was made of leather and the words engraved in it almost non visible. Robb hesitantly opened the book , it was the last and the most inconspicuous book of the pile that was behind him. 

The pages were yellow with a bad smell, almost repugnant that made Robb close the book immediately. 

He had been looking through these remaining books from the now burned library through most of the afternoon now. Yesterday he went through the history of the wall and the lands beyond the wall book. Unfortunately he found nothing so he decided to skip the history books. Well that left him with only a small pile of books one of which was titled " Ways to ride a horse" , other one was a small collection of songs. He even found a love letter hidden in these books. The writing was old and the paper even older.

Robb quickly segregated the books after going through each one of them. He also found one interesting book titled , " The North before the Taragaryens " . It basically recounted the history of the first men , their wars with the Red Kings now known as Bolton's of the Dreadfort. 

Robb quickly left the book in between when it was time for supper as it was Bran's birthday..The supper was quiet and simple with only Robb and his brothers and a few men of the household. Bran was surprisingly silent throughout the meal. Robb even made hodor carry Bran to the godswood to pray but nothing seemed to cheer his brother. Well until this morning when Renee's letter arrived with a present for Bran. She had sent a blue handkerchief and a knife holster. Bran smiled for the first time since he woke up but Robb felt guilty. He hadn't informed Renee about Bran. He wished he could tell her that their brother was awake and fine but he couldn't , she was still surrounded by enemies and If words got them that bran was awake , Robb feared that they would be alerted or worse yet could attempt another brutal attack to silence bran. 

He couldn't risk that not when his mother had taken it upon herself to go to that dangerous place Kings landing. No , he will have to wait for the right time.

For now all he could do was what he could do. Look for answers.

So Robb opened the book again , ignoring the foul smell. It smelled ancient Robb realised. It smelled like Old Nan.

The writing was difficult to make of , the author had written its name on the first page. Robb could make half of the words out of it.

It said Sara Snow.

************************************