Chapter 21
"Are you ready my lady?" Rowan said knowing on Helena's cabin door, Lily opened the door to Ser Rowan. "We have a landing party waiting for us."
"Do we now." Helena laughed "Good job Lily has helped me look the part of wife of the warden of the south then and sister to the King in the North."
Lily stepped back to admire her handiwork after one final alteration to Helena's intricate bun. "There my lady you are done. You look like a queen if I do say so myself."
Helena chuckled "A queen hey, well lets show my brothers men what they are dealing with."
Helena walked out onto deck in a sapphire blue dress with intricate silver detailing over the bodice emphasising her curves with a plunging neckline. Unlike most of her dresses this dress had been specially made to cope with the colder climate so it had long sleeves and was made of much warmer thicker material. She also teemed this up with a silver fur lined cloak and silver fur lined boots with a small heel. Her hair had been twisted up into and intricate bun adorned with silver and blue flowers that sparkled as the light touched them.
As Helena made her way down the ramp leading her off the boat she could see the eyes of her brothers men on her some of them she recognised from her years at Winterfell. She felt a shudder as her eyes fell on the man at the head of the party.
"My Lord Bolton" Helena called, "How many years as it been?"
"Too many my dear Lady Cavil." He replied in a smooth tone, he bowed before her as she approached. "Your brother received word of your arrival and sent us to accompany you and you men to his camp. We are of course at war my lady and it is therefore unwise for you to have made such a journey yourself."
"I thank you for your concern my lord however needs must and I need to speak with my brother and mother on a very urgent matter." Helena replied with as much grace as she could muster.
Helena could hear Rowan barking orders in the back ground to her men both on the ship and those that had disembarked onto the port. She could see Lord Bolton eying her looking her up and down.
"So my Lord how is my brother doing?" Helena asked with her most flattering smile.
"Very well my lady we are pushing the Lannister's back every day."
"How fortunate my brother is to have such loyal men as you at his side." Helena smiled and then turned to Rowen. "Ser Rowan are we nearly ready to depart?"
"Yes my lady all set." Rowen announced with a bow as he gestured for the horses to be brought forward.
"Wonderful, after you Lord Bolton lead the way to my brother."
After several days ride the edge of the Stark camp was finally in sight, relief flooded through Helena as her body ached to be off her horse and back on her own two feet. Lord Bolton's procession lead them right through the camp to the heart where the banners of house Stark surrounded them. She caught a glimpse of her mother up ahead and the look on her mother's face said it all.
"Mother" Helena said as she was helped down off her horse, Helena went to her mother and kissed her cheek. "It has been far too long mother, you are now a grandmother to 4 beautiful little ones."
Catelyn Stark embraced Helena but Helena could tell she wasn't very happy.
"Why have you come Helena? What madness has brought you up here?" Catelyn asked pulling away from her daughter and fixing her with a stony glare.
"I had to come to try and talk to you and Robb and convince you to at least listen to what I have to say." Helena said trying to remain calm. "Please mother at least hear what I have to say."
"We will talk more later." Catelyn said as she kissed Helena on the head. "But for now it is lovely to see your face again, let me take you to see your brother."
Catelyn escorted Helena and Ser Rowan through the maze of tents until they final came to a large tent with a large Stark banner flying outside alongside lots of smaller banners representing the different banner men to the Starks. The meeting inside was clearly getting a little heated when they arrived outside. Suddenly the noise broke off as their presence was announced.
"Helena!." Robb exclaimed as he appeared in the mouth of the tent, he appeared happy enough but it didn't quite meet his eyes. "I would hardly recognise you, father had written to say you had grown more beautiful than the summer sun but I see now that even his words could not capture your beauty."
Helena laughed "Since when did you become so good at flattery, is this how you win your battles and here was me believing that it was down to your military prowess. Instead you defeat them with your flattery."
Robb looked at her for a moment and then they both burst out laughing. "Oh how I have missed you Helena, it has been so long since I have laughed." His expression suddenly darkened and Helena knew he was thinking of their father.
Helena gently laid a hand on his cheek, "I know." She whispered "He would be so proud of you and all that you have achieved."
Robb then turned and proceeded to introduce Helena to his entire war council and all the other lords that had gathered. Helena recognised most from her own childhood and smiled at all in turn. Catelyn then escorted Helena off to her allocated tent for her stay where Lily was already waiting with a hot bath for her.
Helena sank in the bath and mulled over her thoughts. Suddenly Lily was back again "Sorry My lady did I disturb you?"
"No, no of course you didn't Lily, what is it?"
"Well its nearly time for you to go and dine with your brother and well you might feel better in some clothes."
Helena burst out laughing and quickly got out of the bath. Lily had already laid out a beautiful pink dress with details picked out in silver. Again like her earlier dress it had been designed for colder climates so it had longer sleeves and a fuller skirt matched with a soft grey cloak and gloves. This time her hair cascaded down in waves with some pink flowers pinned in to stop it from falling across her face.
Lily stepped back to admire her work before announcing that she was finished. Then Helena stepped out of her tent to find Rowan waiting to escort her to dine with her brother.
The evening passed and after several hours Helena could finally crawl into bed. As she had suspected her brother and mother had not wanted to talk business tonight so she had been making small talk with all of the assembled Lords.
"Tomorrow" Helena vowed, "Tomorrow, I will make tem see reason." With that she finally succumbed to sleep.
Helena awoke early and hurriedly dressed and prepared herself for the coming day. After eating her breakfast she ventured out of her tent into the fresh morning air. Rowan and a handful of guards were up and about outside her tent. "Good morning Ser Rowan any news for me?"
Rowan looked up with a grin. "How do you always know when I have news? Yes as a matter of fact I do have some news." He bent down low and whispered in her ear. "Your brother has Jamie Lannister as his prisoner."
Helena nodded at this piece of news in her head the pieces of her dreams were starting to fit together and take shape. "I want to speak to him." Helena replied quietly. "Can you see about arranging me a private audience."
2 hours later a nervous Rowan was escorting Helena to Jamie Lannister's make shift cell. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this, he could kill you, then what will I tell your family."
"Don't worry Rowan I will have you there waiting in the wings if he does decide to try and kill me besides I am not quite as dim as I look."
Jamie Lannister didn't even look up when the door to his prison was opened, "Just put the food over there." He said lazily nodding his head to a patch of grass near his feet.
"Oh I'm sorry I didn't realise I had to bring some food along as an offering to the mighty King slayer." Helena said sarcasm dripping from every word.
Jamie looked up and grinned, "My lady Cavil, to what do I owe this honour. The last time we spoke I believe it was your wrist that was being restrained." He said with a smirk.
"No my dear Ser last time we spoke I whispered in your ear while reclaiming my wrist."
"Ah yes, now I remember." Jamie said still cloaked in his usual cocky air. "So My lady what brings you so far north?"
"Why to see you of course my dear Ser, what more reason could a lady need. After all I didn't get to say goodbye to you before I had to leave Kings landing."
"No you didn't say goodbye" smirked Jamie "How rude and to think that you Starks pride yourself on your honour and conduct and look where that got your honourable father."
Helena moved a little closer to him and crouched down so she was on his eye level they were now only a meter apart from each other. "My father was killed at the hands of a cruel, evil coward who has no shred of honour or of decency. I have heard people blame his father." Helen whispered. "But don't worry it's not you I blame."
Jamie lunched forward, but Helena had been expecting it so she spun out of the way leaving Jamie to fall flat on his face in the mud of his cell.
"Tut tut Ser Jamie you appear to have lost your balance, how careless of you."
Helena reached out a hand to help pull him back up. As she did so Jamie went for her again but this time she was ready and as he spun around trying to knock her from her feet he was greeted with a shining dagger just inches away from his throat.
"Ser Jamie, I don't know why but I expected you to be better. After all you have never been bothered about spilling Stark blood, your actions at Winterfell proved that."
"You will all die you know that don't you." Jamie whispered.
"That is the only thing in this life that is certain, but trust me when I say that I am going to do everything in my power to keep my family alive for as long as possible. " Helena turned to leave
"You will end up in Lannister hands soon enough then we will see how long you manage to keep them safe."
Helena turned to face Jamie and shot him a dazzling smile, "Well then Ser, then you will truly see what sort of a women you are dealing with. Besides who knows maybe you Lannister's will prove me wrong."
"What and prove that you can be beaten?" Jamie said his cockiness fully restored.
"No that you're not all monstrous beasts with no spine or honour." With that Helena turned and left the cell leaving Jamie alone in the mud.