Hello! And we get back into it. Twice in a day. Yay! (Unless writer's block decides to crash this party...swear everything but the precise words are planned out)


Chapter Eight – End Points

It was apparent that Robb that had been in a near constant state of strain since the news of his father's injury and his mother's action against the Lannisters two weeks ago. Whenever Myra spotted Robb in a moment when he thought he was alone, he was either rubbing his temples or pressing his palms against his closed eyes.

She did not mean to spy on him in such times but found that she had no control over her violet eyes, immediately upon entering a new space they checked to see where he may be. Silver was no help in keeping Myra prudent. Almost as soon as Myra and she left their room her wolf would take off in search of Grey Wind and wherever Grey Wind was Robb was also likely to be. He was quick to smile when he noticed her, even before he would catch sight of her Myra could visibly see the pressure built up in his shoulders and neck roll away.

They had yet to talk about their strange interactions. Myra had told herself it was because she did not want to add to his long list of worries, which was partially true. But deep under her bones Myra knew that the true reason that she did not bring up the subject was because she did not want to disturb whatever pattern it was that they had fallen into. Going for walks in peaceful silence always with her hair under the careful cover of a scarf, or joking in her room, or talking about their memories and their ideas on things in the world.

Robb told her that his nanny had told him the sky was blue because they lived inside of the eye of a blue-eyed giant named Macumba. He told her of the time he and his brother, Jon, took to stealing oranges from the kitchen and eating them in the groves thinking that they were incredibly clever, only to realize years later that their father was well aware of what they were doing because of the peels that they left behind amongst trees.

Myra and he had laughed about such stories, about how she would deny climbing trees only to have her mother pull twigs and leaves out of her hair. She told him of the first time she had tried to use the bow that she had begged her mother to get for her and how the arrows had fallen to the ground before she could even shoot them. She had spent hours trying to figure out why the kept falling, until she finally allowed her mother to show her the way to use a bow properly.

A part of Myra felt guilty for laughing with him while her mother was gone and his family was in so much turmoil, but he seemed better for it. She relished in seeing him as he was with her. In his dealings with others outside of Rickon and herself Robb seemed distant, distracted, and slightly harsher. She could sense something in him unfurling with each passing day.

Rickon had become a daily fixture in her life as well. He would talk about the different places around Winterfell that held importance for him. The place where Shaggydog had killed a rat, where he had found the best stones for skipping, the place where his father taught him the Stark words, where his aunt was buried, where his brother Bran had fallen… Even as the youngest Stark, Rickon seemed to be aware that something was amiss. However, for as much time as Rickon would spend around Myra he would also spend time alone, suddenly appearing, and popping up out of some shadowy corner of the fortress.

Myra found Theon to be funny. He was obviously a proud, crass sort of person but the comments he made intentional or not, often caused Myra to smile to herself. Most days she could not believe the words that would come out of his mouth, but it was not all bad. When speaking with Robb, Theon did appear to try to offer somewhat well-meaning advice. The fact he really seemed to care about the Starks was clear, which added substantially to his character in Myra's view. If she was honest much of this was still overwhelming for her. She found it easier to spend time in the company others the more she ventured outside of her chamber but the new people, the smells, and sounds exhausted her everyday. And yet everyday she practiced.

Next to Myra, Silver padded down the steps from guest quarters into the courtyard of Winterfell. The girl heard the thwack of Theon's target practice while he was speaking to someone. As she walked closer to the voices she saw Maester Luwin speaking and sitting at a table in the courtyard next to a brown-haired boy she had never seen before. She adjusted the scarf over her head. Considering his dress and manner of speaking she assumed that this boy must have been Bran. Though Myra had lived in Winterfell for almost two months she had not met Bran, she had thought about going to introduce herself to him, but supposed that it would be awkward to suddenly present herself to the young boy after all of the trauma he had experienced. Meeting the lost girl from the hills would probably be the furthest thing from the boy's mind and the last thing he would want to concern himself with at the moment.

Theon's voice interrupted her musings. Myra could not think of a time she had come upon Theon where he was not glorifying and gloating about the Iron Islands. The boy ignored the Greyjoy, his bitter voice carried towards her. "Duty. Honour. Family."

"You know the words of your mother's house, Bran…" Maester Luwin spoke tiredly.

"Honour. Duty. Family." Bran offered in dismissive tone.

"No…Ah, hello Myra…" Maester Luwin stopped in his correction of Bran when he noticed Myra approaching.

"Maester Luwin…" she replied in warm greeting to the older man. She turned to face Bran. "Hello, you must be Brandon…" the young boy nodded. "Rickon talks about you all the time..." she spotted a direwolf resting under the table by Bran's feet. "And this must be Summer." Myra knelt to greet the justly named direwolf, with his warm butterscotch eyes. "Hello Summer..." she smiled straightening up to take a seat opposite Bran. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Bran's gaze had followed her as she moved, he had smiled when Myra addressed Summer. He nodded now, "They told me about your hair…"

"Bran!" Maester Luwin interjected.

Myra tucked a stray strand of silver hair back into place under her scarf. But the boy continued "…and your eyes. You're Myra..." He then gestured to her violet-eyed wolf adding "...and Silver."

"Yes, and judging by the papers you have in front of you, you are a studying about the houses in Westeros…" Bran nodded. She sighed, "I remember those pains well, you have my sympathies…" Bran's mouth widened into a full smile filled with the genuine recognition of shared experience with another person.

"And he's doing so well." Theon contributed sarcastically from behind Myra, as yet another of his arrows hit the target that he went on practicing.

"You had to learn these as well?" Bran asked ignoring the snarky man.

Myra nodded. "If I am not mistaken House Tully words are 'Family. Duty. Honour.'"

Bran's smile faded into a frown. "They should be…" Maester Luwin huffed a breath of weariness.

"Are they not?" Myra frowned now as well. "From what you lord brother has told me of your mother, she lives and dies for her family…"

"Then why is she not here?"

Myra opened her mouth, then closed it failing to find the right words. She reached across the table opening Bran clenched right fist "Hmmm…" she looked curiously at his palm. "It is strange the things that our parents do," she then held out her own right palm on the table next his. Wishing that it was only Bran here to hear what it was that she had decided to say to a boy that barely knew her. "Even now I do not pretend to understand why my mother did all of things that she did. But…" she lifted her eyes to look a Bran, well aware that Maester Luwin and Theon were watching what she was doing with just as much curiosity as the boy before her.

"I do know that despite everything she loved me. Now that she is gone I still feel her love for me or at least my love for her." She took a breath to keep from speaking too quickly. "I know you miss your mother. Sometimes I find myself becoming angry at my mother for leaving me too… I miss her and am scared without her as well, but I can be certain that all of what she did was because she cared about me even if I could not see all of her reasons. I am sure you know your mother loves you… deeply and with all of her heart…just as mine did."

Bran stared at her looking rather blank in the face in response to what she was saying. He was slow to nod. But at least he did nod his head. "I wish she would come home..." he spoke so quietly, she barely heard him.

"Bran!" A loud voice sounded through the courtyard. Before Myra knew what happening a streak of red hair had flown past Maester Luwin's head. "Let me see you. Oh!" It was a woman, who was quite beautiful to Myra's eyes, she was furiously kissing every inch of Bran's face she could reach. Stopping for hardly a second between each kiss to take in the sight of her son. She had lifted Bran to sit on her lap. "Let me hold you." She hugged him to her chest. "Thank the Mother you are back!" She pulled away from him a little pushing his long hair away from his face. "Do you remember anything?"

"No mother…" Bran said dazed and in disbelief at her uncanny arrival still in his features.

"No matter, you have come back to me!" She smiled, seeming to be on the brink of laughing with joy.

"Robb said you had taken Tyrion." Bran's brow now furrowed with confusion. "We thought you were in trouble…"

"The Lannister?" The woman's blue eyes widened in shock as she glanced over her son's head at Maester Luwin.

"Yes, my lady. Rumours having been spreading since you were spotted speaking to him on the Kingsroad."

"That is not true. Well, I did meet him on the Kingroad," she looked down at her son. "But I told him I was on my way to visit my sister at the Eyrie, in hopes of not arousing his suspicions…"

"You did not take him, then?"

"No…perhaps the hill tribes?" She suggested to Maester Luwin. "They have gotten wilder as my sister has grown increasingly obstinate about…ah, protecting the Vale. The Lannister did have items of clear value on him." The woman's frown deepened for a moment. "I did think on it though... taking him I mean," Lady Stark let her attention fall back to her young son. "But I then I remembered the words Robb had spoken to me before I had left and thought it better to get confirmation on what the Lannisters may have been capable of from Lysa first…" she passed Maester Luwin a meaningful look.

"You truly went? You rode all the way from here to King's Landing to the Eyrie and back within two months!" The older man exclaimed.

"Yes, we nearly lost the horses… Where is Robb? I should speak with him about this Lannister matter..." her eyes began scanning the courtyard for where her eldest son could be.

"He is reading a letter that came from Sansa just now, my lady." Maester Luwin stated.

However, Lady Stark had become distracted as her blue eyes had finally landed on Myra. Upon entering the fortress she only had eyes for her son and had been preoccupied following that, but now that she saw the girl sitting opposite her, the older woman noticeably blanched. Her mouth fell. Myra felt increasingly awkward. She pulled the front of the scarf further down her forehead. Myra had thought of leaving when they had begun discussing personal matters, but had not wanted to do anything to draw attention to herself though perhaps that would have been the wiser choice. Lady Stark looked to Maester Luwin as though to ask a question, but then she turned back to Myra.

Myra could sense her cheeks becoming red as this great lady of Winterfell, Robb's mother, scrutinized her. "You are the girl they found?"

Myra nodded her silver gold head. "Yes, my lady. I am Myra."

"She told me you would love no matter what…" Bran offered, obviously detecting his mother's discomfort with Myra's presence.

Lady Stark's eyes moved back to her son's dark ones. "That could not be more true, my love." She kissed his forehead, then faced Myra again opening her mouth to address the girl.

"Maester Luwin!" Robb's voice echoed through the courtyard, loud enough to interrupt any conversations occurring within the walls of Winterfell no doubt. "My father has been taken prisoner for treason. I am called to King's Landing to bend the knee to Joffrey. Call the banners!" Robb came to a halt in his racing when he reached the table where everyone seemed to be seated. Grey Wind had already found his place against Silver.

He took in the sight before him. "Mother?"

"What do you mean your father has been taken prisoner?" Was her only response. The volume of her voice was quiet, but her tone was deadly. Out of the corner of her eye Myra saw a wild looking girl, with shackles on her ankles approach the table slowly.

"I mean that little shit Joffrey and his tyrant of a mother have imprisoned him for treason. This..." he held out a piece of paper to his mother, who shifted Bran in her arms a little to take the paper from Robb "...came from Sansa less than quarter of an hour ago. I only just read it now…I think you can agree it is her hand but…"

"The Queen's words…" his mother finished for him. "Robb," she lifted her eyes from the letter, jaw clenched in obvious anger. "I think you are right…we have to call the banners…"

"Yes…" Myra heard Theon's fuzzy sounding voice comment from behind her. For Myra, all the world seemed to be filtering through the thoughts now churning in her head. Robb was going to war. Her Robb was going to battle…

Robb nodded, he looked purposively at Maester Luwin, who appeared almost reluctant to go do as he was bid. "Osha." Robb now called to the wild looking girl. "Go take Bran to his room…please…"

"Yes my lord…" the girl moved towards the young boy.

"But I don't want to go…" Bran argued.

"Come Bran, I will go with you." Myra spoke up, seeing an opening for her to leave this discussion that was clearly out of her depth. She would have offered to carry Bran herself, but her arms were no longer quite as strong as they once were and she did not want to risk dropping the boy. "Your brother and mother have much to talk about."

Bran conceded, allowing Osha to lifted him from his mother's lap. Robb's grey-eyes flicked to Myra's filled with gratitude, she smiled meekly at him. As she, Osha, Bran, and Summer made their way through the castle, Myra realized that Silver had stayed behind with Grey Wind and Robb. She must have felt the part of Myra that desired to stay with Robb in his time of distress despite the fact she logically had no appropriate place in such a conversation.

"I am worried for father and my sisters now too. I hope they are all right…" Bran muttered, seeming even more downtrodden than he had before his mother had suddenly appeared.

"I do as well…" Myra said, sincerely meaning it.


Robb walked with Grey Wind into Myra's room, where she lay sleeping restlessly judging by the twisted sheets and Silver's place on the ground. There was a chance that the arrival of the banners and looming march had been a strain for her. It was reasonable that so many people in Winterfell would be a shock to her. Myra had taken to hanging around Bran and Rickon, haunting the dark parts of the castle with them, avoiding the swarms of bannermen filling the castle. Robb had half a mind to join them, even after Grey Wind had bitten off Lord Umber's fingers, Robb at times felt unsure of his leadership abilities. He knew that in a short time he had already been altered by his dealings with people, even with his mother.

Robb doubted his mother would have accepted Myra's presence in Winterfell so easily if she had not been itching to march South to save her husband. His mother fear appeared to only add to her nervousness about Robb's inexperience in battle. He was very aware that he much left to prove everyone, especially to those who were not of House Stark.

Myra made some incoherent noise in her sleep, grabbing a hold of his attention. He found it strange that she seemed to be peaceful when Grey Wind used to lay with her. She was usually as still as a log whenever he was watching her sleep. That night he had stayed with her in her chamber was the most calm sleep he had since he could remember. Silver nudged her nose against his leg, urging him to move though he could have stayed where he was, watching her all night long.

Robb did not bother waking her. He just sat on the bed and scooped her body into a crushing hug against himself. He felt his chest expand and his eyes close as he took in a huge inhale at the curve of her neck. Holding her after resisting for so many hours of so many days when she was just within arm's reach of him was something akin to be saved from drowning and finally taking a gulp of fresh air.

"Wha- Robb?" He could hear the surprise in her voice. "What is it?"

"We are leaving." His voice came out mumbled with his lips pushed against the skin at the nape of her neck.

She seemed to hear him though her arms pulled out of the circle of his grip, and wrapped tightly around his shoulders. If Robb did not know any better he would have thought she was trying to hold him, to keep him here with her. He heard a small gasp of air against his ear, as she clutched at him. "Don't go…" Gods she felt so warm and soft and safe to him.

"I can't let the army leave without their commander, can I?" He swore she shivered slightly under his lips.

"Then take me with you."

He shook his head, so that his nose brushed gently against her skin. "I am not taking Bran or Rickon and I am most certainly not taking you."

"Am I suddenly a child?" Robb could just about see her pouting.

"I do not know. Are you?" He teased. "Are you not going to tell me to be quiet?" He asked when she did not respond to his mocking.

She shook her head, her hair brushed against his face as she drew herself closer to him. "You'll leave. Don't stop talking…"

Robb felt his grasp tighten around her. "I have to…" he breathed. Pulling out of the haven her arms gave him. Myra squeezed him for a moment longer, before letting him go. She had crossed her legs and her hands fell into her lap, Silver had pounced on to the bed while Grey Wind remained on the floor. The wolf, like all of the other wolves had been growing steadily, she now took up more space on the bed and her head seemed larger lying against Myra's knee.

Though Silver had moved, Myra's violet eyes remained focused on Robb. She looked to be hanging between saying something and holding her tongue. Her gaze dropped to his hip all at once she demanded, "Give me your dagger." She held out her right hand expectantly.

Robb own eyes widened in unease, "Why?" He asked looking at her outstretched hand, then back at her face.

"To gut you, so you stay… why else?" She spoke with mock seriousness. Myra smiled at her own joke, "Robb, please just trust me…"

"All right." He pulled out the sharp metal, out of its scabbard. "Don't hurt yourself…" she rolled her eyes at his caution as he handed the blade to her. She promptly lifted the sheet that lay on the bed, beginning a tear with the dagger, ripping a small strip off of the cloth. Robb watched with Silver and Grey Wind, trying to figure out what the odd girl was doing. Before he knew it Myra had the dagger held against a relatively small width of her silver gold hair, she had sliced off at least two inches of that portion of her hair. Robb did not even blink before it seemed to be done.

She held the dagger back to him. "Myra…" he reached out to take back the blade. "Wha…"

"It was getting long anyway..." she shrugged, distractedly tying her silver locks with the cloth she had cut earlier. When she was finished she held the bundle out to him, while her actions had been so determined and deliberate just before, she looked to be nervous now. Her gaze darted between the bundle and his dumbfounded face. "I just- you just liked the smell…I thought…" she trailed off, her voice suggested she was second-guessing herself.

Robb pulled her into the tightest hug he could muster without breaking any of her ribs. "I do like it, Myra." He mummer against her hair, "Thank you." He hated what he had to say next. "I must go…"

"Then go, before I find a way to keep you here always…" she said in a small muffled voice. Robb moved as fast as he could, dragging his hand over her own taking the strands she had tied for him. He gave Silver's head a quick brush and strode over to the door.

As Myra finished giving Grey Wind's head an affectionate rub he looked back at her. Before following his wolf out of the door and leaving completely, he began to speak "I…"

"...Won't get hurt." She finished for him resolutely.

He nodded with a small sniff and smile. "I won't get hurt." Then he was gone.


Boom! Once again beware of ye old editing zombie…argh.