King Robert's Bastard
Chapter 4
Trouble on the Kingsroad
Carla had no much to worry about on their journey down south. She rode by day with the wind in her face, sometimes her father allowed her to go a bit ahead of everyone else, but after she's gotten a certain amount of miles ahead, she was ordered to wait or ride. Of course she didn't ride back, but drank from her wineskin and watched the area around her with a peaceful smile.
It was about a week journey passed and they still had about 3 weeks left. At the moment they were at the Neck, about to rest again for the night, Carla guessed in another week they would be at the Trident, which made the trip halfway over.
Every night or two she would go in a secluded area and either teach Arya Stark and Mycah, the butcher's boy some new things that could help them. She was growing attached to the both of them, ever if she was older than Arya by 5 years and Mycah by 4. To her, they were just good companionship, better than the others in her company anyway. Who didn't look at her in distain, either were bored of her and she didn't know well. The idea of it was that she enjoyed her time with them both.
It was again around sundown and she knew that Arya would want to learn again, the girl was sending her pointed looks that the young girl hoped not to be obvious, but they were. Good thing no one really paid attention, it would get some raised eyebrows. Mycah was a good lad, but shy at first, but he opened up once he got to know you.
Carla smirked as she walked toward the forest line and walked deeper inside, leaning against a tree and waited for the two of them. She chuckled to herself when she heard the lighter footsteps of Arya and the louder ones of the butcher's boy. Which made sense, the girl was a lithe form and the boy was stockier, defiantly good for being a butcher when he came of age.
Arya gave her a scowl as she saw the relaxed stance Carla was in. Her direwolf already grown in size, nearing Arya's hip and due to grow larger. Arya said she called her Nymeria, after some warrior commander Arya admired. It was fitting in a way, close to Arya's personality as Carla seen. Carla allowed her hand to reach out, waiting for the pattern of Nymeria sniffing her hand then nudging it with her snout and a soft lick.
The direwolf then went back to Arya's side. Mycah wasn't used to the direwolf's presence, but Carla believed it time that she would.
"You have the sticks?"
Mycah grinned with a nod and Arya snorted rolling her eyes. "Obviously, why do we have to use sticks anyway?"
Carla snorted. "What do you suppose we use then?"
Arya glared. "Swords!"
Carla gave a small smile, she remembered being that age. "I have a sword, but you don't. You're not using mine."
Mycah just sat against a tree, Arya and Carla were both a stubborn lot and he knew this. "I do too have-"
Carla smirk vanished and she regarded the younger girl with her head tilted to the side, eyes looking her over. "What was that?"
Arya glared and grumbled. "Nothing."
Carla let it go, who was she to force the answer out of her. She went back to teaching them how to strike without hurting yourself, as the wooden sticks vibrated it you hit them hard enough. She caught Mycah's eye and nodded her head away. He moved and stumbled back.
Arya frowned. "Mycah, what are you-hey!"
Carla unsheathed Longhorn and struck the side of the wood with the flat of her blade, making Arya stumble back. "Ready for live steel, Arya Stark? Show me that you are."
Arya huffed. "I will!" Then she didn't talk, only grunted with the energy she used and when Carla gave her a smack on her side, thigh or leg, making her stumble. As Carla had many years on her, Arya didn't hit her, came close enough as at that point, Carla wasn't guarding herself on certain areas.
Arya nodded her head and she heard the loud footsteps of the butcher's boy. Carla let out a laugh of joy at the challenge and spun on her heel, ducking down. She watched as both sticks struck each other. Before they could move away, Carla sprung up with a grin, knocking away the wood, using force to knock Mycah to the ground and spinning on her heel once more, sweeping Arya's feet from under her, making her fall on her back.
Arya huffed and leaned forward, her elbows holding her weight. Mycah meanwhile just sat up. She looked and saw that it was getting dark. She said. "Better, the both of you. Arya, you need to be faster and work on being more flexible. Micah, I know you have a large build, even for a boy, but try to be lighter on your set. I could hear you a mile away."
Even with how stubborn Arya was, she listened when she corrected her on her mistakes.
With a laugh, she helped them up and she headed back to camp with them.
/ / / / /
Around the middle of the first week, Sansa walked up to her. Carla raised an eyebrow at the pretty girl. "Yes, m'lady?"
"Where do you go with my sister, Arya?"
Carla smiled at her, drinking from her wineskin, shaking it a little. She was running out, she needed more soon. "Don't worry about that, just around the forest, she protected and safe."
"She goes with the butcher's boy too."
Carla nodded, a fond smile tugging at her lips. "Aye, m'lady. Mycah is a good boy." Carla eyes were furrowed as she eyed the noble girl, this girl disapproved of everything. She even had slight distain that no septa could hide from someone like Carla. Most noble ladies were like that, Arya seemed to be a special case and Carla liked that. It was expected, with her being the bastard of King Robert. Used to the behavior, it still made her frown.
"A lady shouldn't drink too much." It was blurted out and by the surprised widening of Sansa Stark's eyes, her words shocked her too.
Carla just shrugged with an impish grin. "Good thing I'm not a lady then, m'lady. Good day to you, I'll shall take my leave if that is all?"
Sansa nodded, frowned. "Aye, thank you for your time."
Carla gave a half smirk. "The pleasure was all mine, m'lady Stark."
/ / / /
The meeting was surely strange; she supposed Sansa herself had a fondness for her sister.
Things were going great and calm, so it was no wonder to Carla when they arrived for camp at the Trident passed The Twins and Riverrun (Where Arya pointed out that her grandfather and uncle lived there while they rode beside each other), that something bad had to happen.
It started off a normally calm and fun morning. Carla was relaxing, laughing at a couple of drunken Lannister knights that were trying to prove their manhood to each other. She saw Sansa Stark walking past her, a pretty little frown on her face. She chuckled to herself and the young girl stopped, stared at her furiously or as furious as the little wolf could. It amused Carla greatly.
She nodded to her and walked away, noble ladies were amusing to her; it took a lot for her to respect a noble lady, not to say it never happened. It just seldom happened and it was rare. Carla was wearing a deep earth brown jerkin and slight mail over that, just a mail shirt on. She was strong, but fast. It gave her small protecting, but didn't slow her down. She chuckled because at the edge of camp where they were resting she saw the angry pout on Arya's face when she was wrestling with Nymeria.
With a wide grin unfitting for a lady, she walked over to the angry girl. "Arya, are you okay? You look to be upset."
Arya gave her a dirty look that made her smile and she sat down, leaning on her hands and crossing her feet at the ankles. "No, Nymeria won't sit still and Sansa is being stupid!"
Carla raised an eyebrow. "I just saw your sister, she looked absolutely furious."
Arya made another face and huffed, hugging Nymeria on the neck. "Good! She was trying to make me come with her because the Queen invited her and the Princess in a carriage ride, but I don't want to go."
Carla smirked. "Makes sense, I wouldn't want to either if I were you."
Arya beamed at her in answer. "I and Mycah are hunting for rubies by the Trident, you want to come?"
Carla looked to be thinking about it, but shook it off. "No, I'll me you both later, we can train some more or just walk around if you want to."
Arya frowned, but nodded. "Fine, goodbye then. Come on, Nymeria." Nymeria nudged her side and she smiled, ruffling the hair on top of her head. Her rough tongue licked the side of her arm, and the two of them ran off. As she gotten back to her tent and poured a mug of strong wine, she thought about her Lannister Uncle.
Little Carla Waters was furious at the young Lannister. She hacked at a straw dummy with a wooden sword, imaging Tyrion Lannister and every person at King's Landing that made her angry. Why did Lord Jon find her and convince her lord father to bring her here? She hated everyone except Uncle Renly, her father and Lord Jon.
"What did the straw man ever do to you?"
Carla face reddened in anger and she spun on her heel. glaring at the dwarf. He just smiled at her pleasantly. Carla snapped. "What do you want?"
He rose a blond eyebrow. "Nothing much, did I say something to offend you?"
It anyone else it would of been laughable, asking that of someone so young. Why would someone at his age and royal standing care much for a little girl's feelings, but his black and green eyes were honest as he looked at her. She was probably one of the only people that he could look in the eye without standing on something or the opposite person leaning or bending down.
Carla nodded her head furiously. "Aye! You called me a...a..."
"A bastard is what I called you and that is what you are."
Carla actually growled at him, balling her fists, her right hand tightening on her wooden sword. "Shut up, I'm..." She cut herself off, she remembered that she couldn't say that she wasn't because she knew what a bastard was.
Tyrion Lannister tilted his head to the side. "Child, tell me what a bastard is."
Carla narrowed her eyes, trying to find his trick and to hide the angry and hurt tears in her eyes. She frowned at him and took a deep breath, willing her tears away. She didn't want to cry in front of him, she wouldn't! "A bastard is...one born out of..." Her eyebrows furrowed trying to remember the word that was used and then rememberd. "...wedlock."
Tyrion eyed her and something in his green eye softened. "And that is what you are."
Carla upset mood turned back to anger and she could feel her face getting hotter than red, close to what people would call purple. her fists loosened and her wooden sword fell to the ground with a quick thump. Carla clenched her fists angrily in reflex. Great and now she dropped her sword, how horrid.
Tyrion moved closer, a small smile on his face. His hands were in front of him and his mismatched eyes looked into her bright blue eyes. "Listen, little Lady Bastard, never forget what you are, for the world will not. Make it your strength, and then it could never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it and it could never be used against you."
Carla's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
He laughed slightly. "You'll get it someday, remember my words, little one." He turned around and started to walk away.
Carla rubbed her eyes, still confused. "Wait, what do I call you?"
He stopped and smiled at her. "Call me Uncle if you would like, little one."
Carla frowned at her, he insulted her and he wanted to be called Uncle. This man acted queer. "Why?"
The word held some much than the three letters it held. But he gave her another smile, this one knowing and he said. "I have a special place in my heart for bastards, cripples and broken things."
With that, he drank from the wine skin in his hands and took his leave. Carla pondered over his words for the longest time, 2 weeks to be exact. Then she met him for the thrid time.
Carla shook her head, surprised at these memories of her uncle that kept on coming up. She shrugged and saw that it was later in the day, she decided to see if Arya and Mycah were done with their ruby hunt. She walked from her tent and walked over to the tree line, passing drunker men and more ladies until she made it to the forest. Pushing apart trees that hung in her way. As she walked her through the forest, she relaxed until she heard voice with an edge.
"Are you going to pick up your sword?"
She frowned at the sneer in the boy's voice, he was torturing someone or at least ordering someone around. She knew it was Joffrey. She heard another voice she knew well. "It's only a stick, m'lord. It's not no sword, it's only a stick."
Carla eyes widened and she spine stiffened as rage took hold of her heart, how dare he?!
Joffrey voice spoke then."And you're only a butcher's boy, and no knight. That was my lady's sister you were hitting, did you know that?"
That broke her out of her shock and she dashed through the woods, already feeling her neck and ears heat up from rage. her heard Arya yell. "Stop it!" The girl's voice was paincked.
It caused a tightening in Carla's heart and she ran faster, bursting through to a clearing with a lake. She saw Sansa, Arya, Joffrey and Mycah. Joffrey had his sword posed at Mycah cheek and his cheek was bleeding. It caused more anger in Carla's eyes.
Sansa said, eyes worried. "Arya, stay out of this."
Joffrey smirked. "I won't hurt him..."
Carla couldn't take it and she thundered. "Enough!"
They all turned at her voice and she snapped. "Joffrey, leave him alone."
Sansa eyes were wide with horror and shock as she looked at her. Joffrey looked to her in rage while Mycah looked to her in such relief, it made her chest hurt. Arya hid it, along with anger at the prince, relief was present in her eyes. Joffrey walked farther from Mycah and sneered at her. "You cannot talk to me like that!"
"Why are you bothering him?"
He smirked at her, rage still present and she realized he was drunk. He couldn't hold his wine well. "He was fighting my lady's sister, I had to stop it."
Carla only felt more furious. "They are friends, they were playing!"
"I'm the prince, I do what I have to."
"Yeah, the prince of cunts, maybe."
Sansa gave a pretty little gasp and Joffrey face reddened darkly and lunged at the same time that Arya hit him in the back with her stick. He spun on his heel and lunged at the younger girl. Carla scowled and ran forward, slamming to the prince's back, making him crash to the ground on his back, shocked.
"Mycah, get out of here!"
He was pale as he nodded rapidly, running off toward the trees in another direction. Sansa screamed in horror. 'Stop it! Please all of you, stop it!"
She furrowed her brow in worry at the frantic look on the girl's face. Surely, this couldn't be too trying for her. She walked forward as the girl's wide eyes locked on her.
"No! Carla watch out!" She spun around only to see a flash of steel bite at her shoulder till the middle of her forearm. Carla shouted out in pain. Happy that it was her non sword arm, she ripped her sword from the shealth and blocked the next strike, using her right foot to sweep his foot out from him, making him smack his head agaist the ground.
But something else interfered, Nymeria bothered by the situation, leeped forward and bit Joffrey on the forearm. Carla backed up and watched the boy coldly as he cried out on the ground. "Get it off! Get it off!"
Arya was frozen in shock and Sansa screamed in horror. Joffrey screamed. "Bastard! Call this damn bitch off!"
Carla fixed him with a level look and said to Arya calmly. "Call of Nymeria before our prince loses an arm."
That broke Arya out of her shock and she called Nymeria she grabbed his sword. As be begged fearfully, she ran to the lake and threw the finely crafted blade into the water. Arya and Nymeria then ran off in the forest. Carla resolved to find them later.
She winced as she felt lightheaded. She pressed her hand to the wound and winced, it wass't very deep, it never would of happened if he didn't catch her off guard. He snapped at Sansa and she ran off to get a maester.
She sat crisscrossed and just watched him coldly. He deserved it all. Her half-brother was cruel and cold. His other siblings weren't the same, so she decided they must of took after their father. She just watched as he squirmed in pain on the ground, he deserved it.
/ / / / /
Carla Waters was furious. She was confind to her tent as the Queen ordered it and her father not seeing it as a big deal, accepted it as Carla fumed her rage. She paced and drank as much wine as she could as two Lannister guards guarded her tent and traded shifts every once in a while.
She shoulders was wrapped up. It didn't even need stitches at all, just padding and wrappings from shoulder to above her elbow. She still raged at his attack, there was not helping that boy, he was just wrong in the head. As she paced once more and took another drink, quickly refilling her cup. It took a lot to get her drunk. She's been in this room for a couple of days, meat and bread being given to her three times of day along with wine when she requested it.
Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard came through the folds of tent when she took a drink. "His Grace and her Grace requires your presence."
She glared at him, but nodded taking her wine with her, knowing the Queen as she did, she would need it. Also, she was worried for them, she felt responsible for them, these past weeks she grew close and only hoped they were okay, she was beside herself with worry.
She followed the knight to a larger area, no doubt where the king and queen were. He moved aside and her shoulders sagged with relief. Lord Eddard was also there and he was at his daughter's side, looking over her worriedly. She walked forward with a purpose, bowing her head to her father and the queen. "Your Grace."
Arya eyes widened when they landed on her. "Carla! Your okay!"
Carla let out a forced grin."Aye, you too?"
She nodded and quickly hugged her around the waist and then went back to her father. Carla was surprised, Arya didn't get close to that many people, she could see that at first, that was why the girl was so defensive, Carla found it that she didn't mind.
She was still worried though, where was Mycah? he father nodded at her, scowling. he was not doubt annoyed about all this. "Let's get back to the business of it now that everyone is present."
Lord Eddard's voice was cold. "What business is that?"
Cersei stepped forward. "You know very well, Stark. This girl of yours attacked my son. Her and her butcher boy. That animal of her's tried to tear his arm off."
Arya shouted. "That's not true! She just bit him a little. he was hurting Mycah and he stabbed Carla!"
Attention went to her and she raised an eyebrow at them. The queen looked forward. "Joff told us what happened. You and that butcher boy beat him with clubs while you set that wolf on him and Carla attacked him."
Carla bristled. "I'm no craven!"
Arya yelled, in tears. "That's not how it was."
Joffrey yelled back. "Yes it is! They all attacked me and threw Lion's Tooth in the river. Carla herself attacked me with my back turned."
Face and neck heating up, she roared. "I'm no craven! If I wanted to fight you, I would of did it face to face!"
Arya agreed. "Liar, she wouldn't!"
Joffrey yelled back. "Shut up!"
"You first, coward!"
"ENOUGH!" Her father rose in anger and fixed her with a stern look. She glared back. "Now, child, you will tell me what happened and you will tell it all and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a king. When she is done, you will have your turn, until then, hold your tongue. Then my daughter will speak after you and that means the same for you."
So, Arya told the story from when Carla wasn't there until the end where she ran off for a couple of days. Her Uncle Renly bellowed in laughter, making the king angry at him. Carla smirked at her younger uncle and grinned, smiling warmly. He passed her and ruffled her hair, saying lowly. "Talk to me later when this over, little niece."
She gave him another smirk as he left, even as he left, she could hear his barked out laugh of 'Lion's Tooth'.
Carla bit her lip to hide her grin, but she knew it showed. Joffrey looked at his father and falsely said something made up which made Carla bristle as he made her actions seem like a coward. her fists were clenched and her lips were pressed tightly together as to now say anything, her father did say to keep quiet.
When he finished, her father gave her a pointed look. She begun. "I was walking in the woods, looking for Mycah and Arya when I heard Joffrey. I went to investigate and saw him cutting Mycah's cheek. I agrued with him about it, but he lunged at me. Arya feared for me and attacked him so he attacked her, a girl of nine might I add while he's twelve. He attacked me while I made sure to see if Sansa was okay, she looked frightened. He cut me and I defended myself, Nymeria bitten him out of defense and then Arya left, Sansa called the maester to care for him."
Carla's story matched Arya. She turned to give her a kind smile and she saw Lord Eddard's fists clenched, hovering over his child. She looked back to see an annoyed look on her father's face. "What the hell in all the seven hells am I supposed to make of this? They say one this and he says another."
Lord Eddard stepped forward. "They were not the only ones present. Sansa, come here. Tell us what happened."
The redheaded girl timidly walked foward, worry present in her eyes. "I don't know, I don't remember. Everything happened so fast, I didn't see..."
Carla sighed as Arya attacked her calling her rotten and a liar, making the older sister scream and Lord Eddard restrain his youngest, scolding her. Carla couldn't help, but feel contempt, the girl should be helping Arya, not the prince. Didn't she how nasty the prince was. She tried getting along with her half-brother, but he was cruel.
The last point for her was when she was 10 and he cut a pregnet cat open by her belly. He 'wanted to see the kittens'. She purpled the boy's eye for that and that was first time the Queen struck her across her face with rage covering her features. Queen wanted her to punish Arya and Carla was furious once again, couldn't see just let it go?
Her father just wanted to let it go. The Queen was furious still. "Joff will carry those scars the rest of his life."
Her father didn't look bothered. "So he will. Perhaps they will teach him a lesson. Ned see that your daughter is disciplined, I'll do the same with my son and daughter."
Carla glared darkly, she didn't want to be bothered with this anymore. Cersei called as he walked away. "And what of the direwolf, the beast that savaged your son?"
Her father scowled. "I forgotten about the damned wolf."
One of the Stark soldiers spoke. "We found no trace of the direwolf, your Grace."
Carla shoudlers sagged in relief, smart girl. Arya must of hid the animal. She would feel angry if something happened to her.
Her father shrugged it off. "No, so be it."
"A hundred golden dragons to the man who brings me its pelt."
Carla glared, disgust shinning in her eyes. Her father grumbled. 'A costly pelt, I want no part of this, women. You can damn well buy this fur with your Lannister gold."
Cersei insulted him and predictabily her father was raged. "That would be a fine trick, without a wolf."
"We have a wolf."
Carla stiffened, what is she talking about? Her father agrees and turned to walk away again. Lord Eddard called. "Robert, you cannot mean this."
"Enough Ned, I will hear no more. A direwolf is a savage beast. Sooner or later, it would turn on your girl the same it did on my son. Get her a dog, she will be happier for it."
Carla eyes widened in shock, they were talking about Sansa wolf. Sansa started crying out and begging them not to hurt her direwolf. Arya also shouted angrily and Carla was breathing out through her nose and she couldn't take it. "Father, please!"
He turned to her, eyes tired. "Enough, Carla, drop it."
But the fury was there and it wouldn't end or leave. "No! Let this go and leave their wolf alone. It was not in the wrong."
Queen's voice rose. "Quiet girl, you believe that savage beast was right in attacking my son!?"
Carla looked at the Lannister woman evenly and eyes hard, but full of anger. "Aye, your Grace."
Her father thundered in anger. "Girl, quiet!"
Carla felt herself angry too, her face getting hotter with her anger. She didn't that her father was there, the Starks, royal people, the Queen nor her piece of shit son present. She stomped forward, the people parting quickly. She bellowed. "No, not my fault your son is a fuckin' bloody craven cunt!"
There were gasps and cries of horror. She heard Joffrey choke, his mother snap her word like whip. Her father's face was going on purple. His bellowed loudly, the whole camp had to hear him. "YOU SAY ONE MORE DAMNED WORD, I SWEAR TO THE SEVEN HELLS, YOU WILL PAY FOR IT!"
She glared at him slightly, but no less angry. He grabbed her by the shirt and bodily tossed her out, she landed on her side. He voice yelled out. "You hold your tongue or I'll take it all. That sword, your wine, your freedom! It all! Your lucky I listened to Jon Arryn, you bastard!"
Carla clenched her teeth and stormed off, angry beyond compare, slamming her fist hard into the pole holding up one of tent. The pain cleared her head, even when it throbbed. She shook her head and her heart pounded in the rage that didnt leave her. She walked awhile and froze in shock at what she saw. It was the Hound and she saw that he had a body drapped over his horse.
Eddard Stark followed her down and she realized she went to where Lady was. She stewed in anger as Lord Eddard did what he was supposed to do. Soon enough, Lord Eddard went over to the body. He lifted the cloth and saw that it was Mycah, almost cut completely in half. Lord Eddard said. "You rode him down."
Hound said. "He ran, but not very fast."
That made Carla unfreeze and she lunged forward, Lord Eddard stopped her. "Calm down."
She snarled. "You fucker, you damned cunt! You killed him, he had no way of defending himself! How dare you! I curse you to all of the seven hells! I'll fuckin' kill you!"
Rage consumed her mind, choked her breath, making bile rise to her throat. It almost controled her ever thought. She was about the draw her sword as the Hound stared her down and walked awake from her making her yell and hollar curses at him, more harsh as they went on.
Lord Eddard restrained her tightly, not allowing her what would be her death, she knew the Hound was stronger than her, but she didn't care. She was enraged, not just angry. Lord Eddard let her go and she pushed away from him, her eyes not even going in his direstion. She walked closer to his body and knelt down, tears of pain and rage filling her eyes.
The poor butcher boy, he did nothing to deserve this, nothing at all. She walked away with guilt in her heart and walked swiftly to her tent, pushing past anyone that gotten in her way. She snatched a full barrel of wine on her shoulder with a heavy grunt and went to her tent. The rage was still there and contained.
She poor herself something to drink and decided she was getting herself good and drunk tonight, she needed it. These were her thoughts as she took the first large draw that emptied the cup in one swallow. She was in for a rough night.
Damn done, that chapter was wow...did I write that? As you can see, she has some insane rage, heiritary I must say. I hoped you like it and I think this is the last of my posting for the weekend. I hope you enjoyed it.