Chapter Twenty-One: Chilled Receptions

Aemili pricked her finger for a third time as she pushed the needle through the fabric. She was terrible at sewing but she found that the effort it took for her to focus on the task kept her worries at bay. So far she had managed to stitch three uneven flowers onto the hem of a handkerchief. But the dysfunctional blossoms reflected her life.

She was meant to be a visitor in Winterfell, a placed she had loathed at arrival. Then the visit was cut short by the impending arrival of her extended family that had a feud with her mother and father thus having a feud with her. When she was set to leave home however she fell ill, her family going without her for their own protection, unwillingly leaving her behind. She healed but the threat was still there, being the naïve and stir crazy individual she was she had left the safety of her room and suffered at the hand of her relatives, all of whom making it very clear they'd like to see her head mounted on a stake. Well, all except one, the infamous lush and womaniser uncle of hers. He was nothing but pleasant but that only got her into trouble with Robb.

Then there was Jon Snow, the boy she hadn't thought of in awhile but now dominated her thoughts. He was away at the Wall, a place of harsh conditions and even harsher men, and she worried for him. She felt guilty with how they parted. He declared his feelings for her and she said nothing yet she still did not know what she should have said. Of course she wanted him to stay but not for the reasons he wanted her to want him. Being honest she was attracted to him. He was both handsome and kind, he was brave and yet shy, he made her smile and laugh, and she did feel something for him, but was it what he felt for her? It couldn't have been love for she did not believe in love, especially for it to happen so quickly. She was simply attracted to Jon and unfortunately she was also attracted to Robb. He was like Jon in many ways but so different. They were both brave and compassionate but Robb had something else to him that Jon did not have. Jon had something Robb did not have also, something she could not be certain about but something nevertheless.

With her worries of Jon on the Wall and Robb carrying the burden of being Lord of Winterfell she also worried for Bran. It had been a week since he awoke and he was not the same boy he was before. He had grown in the time he was in the deep sleep, not yet a man but no longer a boy. It was confirmed that he would not walk. Of course it hit Bran hard but it was harder for him to comprehend where his mother was. He knew he father was to leave but he did not expect his mother to be gone also, and since he could not be informed of why she left he was even more miserable and frustrated.

Then there was Rickon, essentially alone. Robb was busy with his lordly duties; most of his family was gone to King's Landing. Aemili tried to devote herself to him as best she could but he spent most of his time with Eric. She was thankful that Eric's family was assuming the role of second family.

Aemili's time was split between sitting with Bran, taking care of her sister, and watching over Rickon, all while avoiding Ronan. The two had not spoken, or really acknowledged each other since the incident in the dining hall a week ago. There were only words of filth she had for him and thought it best to keep them to herself. She assumed he was the same since Ronan was a man of many filthy words, as well as actions.

It was her first free moment in so long. Rickon was with Eric, his sister, Arabella, and Mattie out riding. Mags was spending the day with in town with Summer, Julian had gone with them at Aemili's insistence. She had made the mistake of telling him about her encounter with Ronan and he had been hovering over her 'for her own safety' ever since. Bran was asleep, she would be by his side but Old Nan rushed her out of the room telling her to get some fresh air claiming she needed it. That part was true, she hadn't been outside in days, but doing nothing allowed her to worry, thus leading to her torturing herself with needlework.

A group of horses rode into the courtyard; most dressed in black. She set her sewing aside and watched as they dismounted their horses. A certain man in particular, the only not dressed in black, caught her attention. He, of course, noticed her right away. She stood up as he came over. "My darling niece, I thought you'd have left back for Neth by now." He took her hand and gave it a kiss. "A familiar and welcoming face nevertheless."

"It is good to see you again." She admitted. "Robb did not mention you were coming?" She questioned.

"That is because he is not expecting us."

"This will not end well." She replied grimly.

"Ah yes, the boys dislike for us Lannister's, especially when we make unexpected appearances. Luckily for him I've not intention of staying long."

"May I ask?"

"You may."

"What brings you here? Surely you do not miss it here. What was it you said last time, the place chilled you to the bones with both comfort and company." She recalled his words clearly from their rushed and secretive goodbye.

"I've a gift for Bran. Something to make his situation seem not as bleak."

"A gift? For Bran?"

"You sound surprised?"

"I just… I don't understand why?"

Tyrion opened his mouth to reply but before he could one of Robb's guards came over. "Follow me Imp." He demanded before stalking away.

"That was rather rude." Aemili remarked loudly as she matched her stride to Tyrion's.

"A hostile reception, I expected nothing yes." He replied as they entered the castle.

They followed him into the dining hall where Robb sat in his seat at the head of the hall, Maester Luwin by his side. Robb was surprised to see Aemili with Tyrion, then he looked angry by it. "Leave us Aemili." He commanded.

"I wish that she stay." Tyrion came to her aid.

"As I am Lord of Winterfell and not you she will obey my orders and leave, now." Robb's voice was cold; his expression was set in stone. He would not meet her eye.

Giving Tyrion a kiss on the cheek and an exaggerated curtsy she left the hall and went back to her bent in the courtyard. The horses had been put into stalls, the night's watchmen in the dining hall with Tyrion. She picked up her abandoned sewing but could not force herself to focus again. She felt it was entirely unjust of Robb to order her from the hall. It wasn't as if it was some premeditated private meeting she shouldn't be apart of. It was Tyrion extending some sort of kindness to Bran that she wished she could see. Obviously Robb wanted to remind of her drunken encounter with Tyrion and tell her that she was not entirely forgiven for it either.

She picked up the sewing and went back into the castle. She made sure to take the way around the dining hall so Robb could not see her pass the entryway. She was both angry and annoyed at him, so angry and annoyed that she did not look where she was going and collided with a large, hard body. Looking up quickly she stared into Ronan's cold eyes, he shook her off, and side stepped her, mumbling something under his breath as he walked away. Aemili was certain she heard wrong because she thought he had something he had never said before. She thought he had said 'sorry'.