02 New Allies

The crowd soon dispersed and left Clara standing alone in the middle of the courtyard. A numbing feeling was taking over her body. She imagined meeting Ramsay again over and over but had never thought it would go down this way.

„Father, what is going on?" She asked as she walked up to her father who was still waiting for her. „How did they find us here? And what do they want?" Clara couldn't help but sound worried.

The happiness she had felt before had vanished as quickly as it had manifested. Something was telling her that the Boltons didn't mean good news, no matter how good their friendship might used to be. Friendship didn't mean much these days.

„I don't know what they want but I'll find out. Don't worry about it.", her father tried to calm her though his voice didn't seem to be as confident as his words.

„Come on, we shouldn't keep our guests waiting any longer." There it was again. His voice was trembling in fear.

Clara just silentley nodded and followed her father to the great hall. The guests had already been seated on the wooden table.

„We're more than honored to welcome you in our home, Lord Bolton." Her father started, kneeling down. „How do we deserve this honor?"

If only his voice would stop shaking. Her mother always was better in these kind of situations. What would she do if she was here now?

„We can start as soon as you send that ignorant brat of a handmaiden out.", Roose Bolton answered tersly, piercing Clara with his eyes.

Ignorant brat? Handmaiden? Even now insulting her seemed to be amusing him, though he didn't make a move to show whether he still recognized her or not. Some things never seemed to change.

„My Lord, that's my daughter, Clara. You may remember her." Her father tried to intervene. „Allow me to apologize for her behavior earlier today. Her emotions must've lead her astray from her usual impeccable conduct and mannerisms ."

Clara simply kneeled in front of them. „My Lords.." There wouldn't be one word of apology from her. If someone were to apologize, it was the Boltons for their impolite and rude behavior.

Now that her name was in the room, she just had to look at Ramsay to see if he knew now.

And he did.

There was this old wicked smile on his lips that she used to like.

„Well.. who would've thought she'd turn into an oh so precious creature." Ramsay said sneering. The bastard lord got up from his chair and unexpectedly wrapped his arms around Clara - pulling her into a hug. This should feel different, she thought to herself. It wasn't the warm feeling she had expected or that she knew from the past when they had still been friends. His arms around her seemed more dangerous now that she knew how rough he could be and that he might turned into what she feared so much – a monster.

She forced a smile and laid her hands on his hips only shortly before she pulled away. He mustered her face with amusement.

„... Or that she would survive, for that matter." He said, finally finishing his drawn-out sentence. Clara couldn't tell if Ramsay tried to be funny for old times sake or if he was serious with what he said. Whatever it was, Clara wouldn't give him the satisfaction and show him the distress he was waiting for. She cleared her throat and turned away from him.

„As I understood there are important matters to discuss so we should get started, don't you think?" She answered, her words directed to Roose.

She could play the game that Ramsay put on just as good as he could if that was what he wanted. Unknowingly she stepped onto a very dangerous path.

„After my wife died, Clara took over as a sentinel of sorts. The council is small and we like to keep things in the family." Her father explained as he sat down at the head of the table. Clara remained standing next to her father.

Roose face looked rather displeased about how things were going. Ramsay on the other hand was amused and could barely mask his dirty grin. He enjoyed this way too much for Clara's liking.

„Roose, my old friend, why did you come here? Why now?" Hher father asked his friend in the politest way possible.

„Dark times lay ahead of us, Jylge." Lord Bolton answered. „I think we all know how things are in Westeros these days. Old allegiances are breaking and we all look for someone to form new alliances with."

Clara raised an eyebrow. „Allies? We? Is that a joke, My Lord?" She asked incredulously before her father could say anything else.

„We don't have more than fifty soldiers. Fifty soldiers with families they have to feed, that is.", she sstressed, shaking her head. „They wouldn't be of much use to you."

„Fifty men are fifty men.", Ramsay answered her. By now he was leaning leisurely back in his chair again, and was looking at her like she was nothing more than a useless child.

„Fifty unskilled men you would sentence to death for nothing!" Clara exclaimed louder than she had intended- her hands clenching.

„So, you're denying your service to the Warden of the North? Your service to House Lannister and the crown? Is that correct?" Roose inquired dryly.

„Of course not, My Lord." Jygle replied quickly. He was always too scared to speak his mind. Even now, with his men in danger, he couldn't speak up out of fear of his old friend. They used to speak with each other much more openly than this.

Clara wondered what kind of secrets her father kept from her. What made him so afraid of the Boltons, that he would give them anything without thinking twice?

„I thought so." Roose seemed pleased. „Well, it's been a long day. We'll give you time to think about it all."

Wasn't he nice? Clara thought sarcastically but didn't dare to say another word. The Boltons seemed displeased enough as it was.

„The handmaidens already got rooms ready for you, My Lord. They'll lead you to them", her father said as he got up to bow his head again.

The longer this went on, the more Clara lost respect for her father. They didn't have a lot of men, that much was true, but there was no need to act like Roose Bolton was the king himself. Especially since the King was nothing more than a boy.

The Boltons were lead out of the great hall by the handmaidens while Clara sank into her chair sighing. Just now she realized that all her muscles had been strained during the conversation.

„We have to do this, Clara."Her father whispered.

Clara huffed in response. „Why?" She asked. „We're friends, I know that but we don't owe them something like this, father. These men have been with us for as long as I can remember. You can't reward that by sending them into a war they cannot win."

„There are sacrifices to make during times like these. I know it's hard to understand but we don't have a choice this time." Jygle answered his daughter.

The blonde girl was shaking her head, her eyes on the table. „What's that supposed to mean? They'll understand, I'm sure of it. After all, they've been our friends. What do you think they'll do? Force us to be their allies?"

She finally raised her eyes, looking at her father in disbelieve. It seemed odd that her father thought the Boltons would harm them. They've never been enemies or a threat in her eyes.

„Let me handle it and promise me... promise me you'll stay away from Ramsay, Clara. That's the only thing I'm asking of you." Her fathers voice suddenly sounded harsh and made it clear that this was an order - not a request.

Nothing of what her father said made any sense to her.

„I know him since I've known how to walk. He may have gotten rougher but that's what the winter makes of all of us. I'm sure he won't hurt me." What an absurd thought, Clara thought.

Ramsay seemed more dangerous but on the other hand every man was dangerous and he wasn't a foolish boy anymore. Still, she wouldn't let the thought of him being anything else but her friend into her mind. The thought of losing yet another friend was much too hurtful.

„Stay away from him, Clara. That's my last word." Her father repeated. „

You were the one who told me I had to toughen up and you judge others for doing so?" Clara asked incredulously.

„I'm not going to discuss this with you any further. Do as I say. Just this one time.", was all that Jygle said as he got up from his chair and left the room.

Clara looked after him in disbelieve. No piece pf the puzzle seemed to fit together. Never before had she seen her father afraid of Roose Bolton. In this moment she wished her father would let her in and help him. It was not the first time that she thought going into hiding for all these years had been a mistake...

Thanks to my beta reader: HimmelreichLYNX