THE DAWN FOR BATTLE CREEPS
BRAN
He has more anger in him than his frame can carry. He knows it and sometimes he does express it too. Especially when Robb or Hodor or Osha carry him to his own chambers or when someone helps him to get dressed. They all tread around him so carefully that it becomes even more frustrating. The only people to treat him normally are Rickon, who is simply too young to understand all that is happening around him, and Visenya, who is the only person who can sometimes pull Bran out of his irritable mood and who is also the closest to Robb at the moment.
So when Osha tells Bran that Robb should march North and not South, Visenya is the person Bran passes this message to. She had been carrying a sleeping Rickon to his chambers when Bran had spotted the silver-haired ward and so he had called to her. She had still first gone to put Rickon in his chambers before finally sitting herself down beside Bran.
"What is it, Bran?", she asks him the moment she settles beside him comfortably.
"Osha says that Robb should march North rather than South.", Bran simply states. Visenya is clever, she had always been the one to hide herself in shadows and bury her nose in books to go undetected. He thinks the only person smarter than Visenya in WInterfell at the moment is Maester Luwin and so Visenya is a good person to confide in. For unlike the Maester, she won't dismiss his stories and reasons and Old Nan's tales.
"Because Osha says that there are wildlings gathering on the other side of the Wall. And not just people, but giants too. They say the King beyond the Wall is coming."
"Bran? Have you been spending too much with Old Nan and Osha again?", Visenya asks inclining her head to one side. Well, so it appears she will be like the Maester too.
"Osha is not lying. She says she has seen things herself. That the other side is not safe anymore.", Bran counters.
"Well, isn't that what your ancestors built the Wall for? To protect us from wildlings and giants an what not? Also, there are men of the Nightsguard too, Jon among them. Surely if anything were to happen Jon will let us know." Bran knows that Visenya is saying all this just to amuse him, to feed his 'imagination'. But surely Osha wasn't lying. And the raven that Bran himself sees. He is sure that things are happening that none of them will be able to explain.
"Probbably.", Bran nods along and then diverts the talk, "I heard you are to marry Robb. Is it true?" With all the bad news that has come to Winterfell, this is the only good thing Bran has heard. He likes Visenya or atleast doesn't hate her.
"Aye. If your father permits.", Visenya answers uneasily and Bran senses that she might be a little uncomfortable discussing it.
"But father isn't coming back, is he?", Bran asks. He knows it, can feel it in his bones that he is not going to see his parents, atleast not for a really long time.
"You shouldn't say such things Bran. You never know when the Gods are kind and when cruel. You should pray for your parents arrival soon.", Visenya urges him.
"I do not wish to meet mother.", Bran speaks out angrily.
"And why not?"
"Because she left me. She could have stayed but she didn't. She followed Sansa and Arya even though they had father with them. She left us all behind." Bran explains, feeling anger bubble inside him. It appeared everybody but him and Rickon were heading South and leaving them two unsupervised and uncared for.
"I am positive she had her reasons Bran." Bran has no desire to hear excuses in defence of his mother, none more so from Visenya, a girl who has not been close to his mother.
"Bran, listen here, I know it is hard and you are scared…" Bran interrupts her here to lie and say he is not scared to which Visenya just gives him a look, "But I give you my word that soon it will all be well. Every single one of us will be exactly where we belong. I just need you to be brave for the moment and be a good Lord when we leave. Do you understand?"
"We? You are leaving with Robb too? But why?", Bran enquires.
"Aye. I shall leave too. I am Robb's bride. My place is by his side.", Visenya reasons though Bran doesn't believe it to be a good enough reason or even a true reason. But supposedly, he is too young to understand such matters and so he lets this slide too.
He decides to try and give Osha's advice to Maester Luwin, maybe he will listen to Bran.
THEON
"I heard Visenya is coming with us.", Theon remarks as he and Robb practice sword fighting in the ground.
"Aye." Robb answers and moves to strike Theon on his shoulder while Theon is quick to dodge it.
"Am I allowed to bring a wench too then?", Theon jests but this time he is too slow for the blow that Robb lands on him resulting in him falling to the ground.
As Robb helps him up, he makes it quite clear that Visenya Targaryen is no wench. "She is to be my wife. She ain't a tavern wench."
"That is quite a statement you are making Robb. Are you sure you want her as a bride? She does seem a little frigid know?"
"Theon…" Robb warns and Theon shuts up. He had seen Robb take a childhood liking to Visenya when Robb was no older than ten, he has seen Robb try to charm that girl, seen him completely besotted but those were all foolish acts, tan act that people would claim was 'a boy being a boy' but a bride, a marriage, they are all a man's game and Theon isn't too sure of Robb being ready for it. He could expect Robb to be loyal to his bride, as honourable as his father he was, but even Lord Stark had fathered a bastard when he went to war, would Robb really be that different? Or perhaps that was why he was bringing her along?
"Is she going to come so that you don't father a bastard?", Theon asks just to see his friend squirm at that question.
"I would never father a bastard, I assure you. But no, Visenya is coming because she wants to.", Robb curtly answers but the clenching of his jaws is proof enough that Theon is walking on thin ice here.
"Why would a lady want to be near blood and battles?", Theon questions.
"I don't know. Just let it be Theon. She is coming with us whether you like it or not.", Robb states ending their conversation and Theon just raises his hands to show he means no harm.
Still, it is quite curious as to why a girl, that too a highborn lady would ask to be in the midst of what was going to be a war. After all, Visenya had never struck him to be the type of girl to enjoy war. That was more of Arya's thing. Also, sure Robb could claim to everybody that Visenya was going with them because she was his betrothed but men left their wives behind for battle and Visenya was nothing compared to it. She wasn't even a legal betrothed as Lord and Lady Stark were still to consent this union. Robb may be the Lord at present but until Lord Stark's death, Ned Stark was the head of House Stark and the final voice of matters. Something was definitely going on.
ROBB
"May I enter?", Robb asks as he knocks on Visenya's door to escort her for supper.
He does hear an affirmative and so he pushes the doors aside to see Visenya packing her gowns into a single trunk.
"I see you are well prepared to leave.", Robb amusedly remarks as Visenya diligently goes about her business.
"Well you did say we march at the first light of dawn, didn't you? And you also told me to travel light. So that is what I am doing. Just one trunk I assure you. Not a thing extra."
Visenya had always been so obedient. Out of all of them, Robb, her, Theon and Jon, only she would be the one to do all the work the Maester would ask them to do, she would be the one to read ahead while the boys sparred in the tiltyard while growing up, the one to attend every story session with Old Nan while the boys slept through her talks and stories. He chuckles to himself, remembering how nothing seems to have changed and yet all has changed.
His chuckles draw Visenya away from her tasks and she turns to Robb to remark, "Well, aren't you being injured before the war has even started, my Lord."
It takes a moment for Robb to realise that she is referring to the small cut he obtained on his chin from Theon just today. "Oh, it is nothing. Just me and Theon practising."
Visenya moves towards him and grips his chin in her left hand to evaluate. "Hmmm… It doesn't look deep enough to scar."
"Thank the Gods. I wouldn't want anything to scar my handsome face.", Robb jests and Visenya bursts out into laughter.
She pats him on his cheek twice before saying, "I have told you a million times that you aren't handsome, you are actually pretty. And you and I both know it is the truth."
"Take that back, my Lady.", Robb warns and Visenya just shakes her head no. He gets a hold of her hand that was on his cheek to pull her closer. Ever since he has started courting Visenya, he takes liberties with her. Nothing big. Just little things like holding her hand, escorting her about the castle when he is free, resting his arm on her waist, kissing her on the cheek. Of course, he would stop the moment Visenya asks him to but so far she hasn't and so he takes advantage of it and pulls her as close as possible, finally caging her in his arms.
"I had warned you, my Lady. You should listen to me."
"Or what will you do? Unintentionally harm me again and then hurt yourself?", Visenya asks because that is exactly what had happened when they were younger.
The first time Visenya had called Robb pretty was in Theon's presence when they were both nine. Theon had laughed at that remarked and in retaliation, Robb had thrown a small pebble at Theon. But his aim had been poor and Visenya, who had been standing beside Theon, had been the victim. At that time, she had bled and had to be taken to the Maester for it. Though they hadn't told anybody what had happened, Robb had blamed himself and had hurt himself as punishment. It was all a foolish incident but they were children and Robb held strong affections for the girl, even though he didn't realise it until a few years later. But he remembered Visenya crying, not for her wound but for the injury Robb had gotten himself.
Till this day, she had a very small scar just above her left eyebrow and standing so close to her, Robb could trace it. "I will always be sorry for it." Robb apologises as he eyes the scar.
"Oh don't you worry. It was such a long time ago. It isn't even visible properly.", Visenya assures him before slowly prising herself from his arms.
A/N : I am so sorry but I just really enjoy writing interactions between Visenya and Robb and before I know it, they take up half the chapter. But next up, they march ahead for battle.
And anybody who wants to get in touch with me can follow/dm me on instagram because that's where I am most active and I would love to talk to my readers. The username is : beant_k05