Back for another one. I updated the profile so make sure to check it out after reading, thanks for also reading my stuff I appreciate it.
Chapter 2: Horizons Uncertain
Alys
Alys Karstark was letting the servants draw her bath for the evening, she needed to stew over everything that has happened and what her father talked to her about.
Never in her life had she thought about marrying a Bolton, and Bruce of all people? She would have been fine with Domeric as she's heard he was the calmer brother, less overtly manly about everything.
She sighed, anything she heard about the second son was that he can be hotheaded, blunt and ambitious as she heard from her older brother.
If anything, she would have pegged Bruce Bolton to be Bruce Umber, he certainly carries much of the characteristics of that lot. "My Lady, did you need anything else?" Her handmaiden asked her and she shook her head and gestured them to leave her chambers.
Alys relaxed into the hot water, the oils and soaps making what she heard her father say to her wash off but, like a bothersome headache, it didn't go away.
"I don't care about the boy's character, he is our chance to further our family's influence throughout the North." Her father raised his voice at her after she had asked for her choice to be considered. "He is blood to the Barbrey Dustin, if you give him more than a couple son's, one of the pups could very well be the next Lord of Barrowton." Hardly, that's unless one of Lord Rodrick's sons don't get it first.
Her father doesn't respect the Bolton's, he only cares about ambition and if that ambition involves allying with Roose then he'd take it.
Closing her grey eyes she heard the crackling of the logs of wood in her hearth, she stayed in the bath for another few moments before getting out and only telling her handmaiden once to leave her be.
She walked towards the mirror, looking at her body which is one of a woman as her father and brothers would keep saying. Torrhen said she was beautiful, more than Lord Starks's daughters, she chuckled and stated that she's more beautiful than 'one' of Lord Starks's daughter.
Sansa is like her mother, the smallfolk say. Red fiery hair and eyes of blue sky, and only thirteen years old. Alys found herself envious and felt pity for the girl at the same time.
Many men will desire her flower, she wondered which Lordling will be one to pluck it.
Scoffing and throwing on her robe, she shouldn't be worrying about the Stark girl but herself, her impending wedding to Bruce of the House Bolton, heir to the Dreadfort and is soon to be her husband.
Yes, that is more worth her time than the inevitable happiness Sansa Stark is going to find when she is ready for marriage.
Bruce
He still hasn't dressed in his after mourning clothes, he can't bring himself to do so.
His father said that the time to mourn Dom's loss has been drawn out a bit too much, he had shaken his head because his father doesn't understand how close that he and Domeric was.
Whether it was magic or not, he shared a connection with his brother that no other siblings have. He felt when Dom died, he felt the knife in his chest that Ramsay plunged into him and felt the fury boil in his skin.
The monster needed to die, he needed to be the one to do it but his father favored reputation rather than vengeance. I guess it's from being born without siblings, raised here without friends. He thought and grimly left his room, walking down the wet halls of his home.
Sometimes he wished he lived where the Stark's lived, underneath that hot spring of their's which warms them up during these cold nights and it was worse when it is Winter. Still, his family survived worse over the thousands of years, dating back to the Age of Heroes.
He can only hope Alys Karstark finds the place comfortable here, but, he still has his doubts.
The Karstarks of Karhold had always been as pompous and righteous as their kinsmen in House Stark, and he knows Harrion personally.
It was a gathering of harvest at Winterfell, he was chosen to go with his father and deliver their tribute to their liege lord, Eddard Stark. It was nice and everything seemed to be going well for the first two days, then one night, Harrion had gotten drunk with one of his fool brothers and had the great idea to tear his family banner from the walls and burn it.
He was walking around, getting back from a walk and saw it. Suffice to say, he attacked and sprained Harrion's brothers right-hand and gave the heir to Karhold a broken nose. He also sustained a broken rib and a bloodied left cheek.
And Lord Stark, in all of his power and authority punished him, but also punished Harrion for defacing an allied banner. His father had him held in his quarters for a month and took away certain privileges that he was afforded to for a year.
This marriage is either going to go smoothly, repairing ties between our Houses or it'll go terribly. He mused on his impending marriage, the terrible part is the more entertaining of the two paths.
"Bruce, come here." He stopped and smiled while he turned to see his mother, she wasn't quite so cheery and had her arms crossed. "You are going to the stables? Didn't your father order for you to remain within these walls?" She questioned and he shrugged, uninterested in answering.
Eventually, however, he caved and fest up to the interrogator's questions. "I just wanted to ride Grey Hare, he needs constant attention." He tried to reason with his mother who knew he was just being cheeky.
"Jokes were never your forte, my son. I have the Stablemaster looking after your pet, come, I have to teach you a few things on etiquette you must follow when you meet Lady Karstark." He groaned internally but followed his mother back inside the keep.
If there is one thing he's learned since he was able to walk and talk, is that you don't ever disagree with Bethany Bolton.
Alys
Alys sipped from her cup, the family had come together to discuss her wedding.
"Father, I would have told Bolton to shove it up his arse!" Torrhen spat after eating on some ham, "Alys should be married here, in our lands not at that swill of a fort." She appreciated the thought but that isn't tradition.
Her family among others in the North still follows the Old Way, she still refuses to even step foot inside a Sept... She isn't alone in that thought.
"You know that isn't our way, brother. Alys husband is going to be Bruce Bolton, she must marry him under their weirwood." Her third brother is so straightforward, just like their father though he still has much of their mother in him.
And Torrhen, he has had a chip on his shoulder and so does Harrion. The fight at Lord Stark's home is still felt, even after four years have passed since that incident. Torrhen and Harrion have no right to be angry, it was them who slighted House Bolton that night. It's one of the few times she sided with another House that wasn't her family.
She noticed her father was silent, eating his food and not looking at any of them in the eye.
Harrion put down his knife and fork, sitting back into his seat while looking at their father. "Father... " No answer from the Lord of Karhold, "Father." Harrion's voice was higher in tone this time. "Father!" She was starting to feel a little worried, usually, her father is ever boisterous and was never one to back down when talked to like that.
"I am tired of hearing this whining from you, and you, Torrhen." Her father said and rose from his seat, "This wedding furthers our influence, it makes us stronger and all you two seem to care about are petty grudges!?" Harrion and Torrhen were silenced. "That mad dog of Roose's has given us the perfect opportunity to advance ourselves in the North, the boy will marry Alys and give him sons and daughters, from there, we will plan." And that's what its all about, just for the advancement of House Karstark.
Harrion and Torrhen stopped being all strong and burly, it was somewhat amusing to see them put into their place every now and again. She looked over to Eddard, he was chuckling quietly to himself while he continued to eat.
As for herself, she remained seated and silent, not even hungry anymore from all the arguing over whether or not she should marry without even asking for her opinion on the matter.
Then again, what would her words be worth? She was a woman in an age where men make all of the decisions.
She'll just have to bear it, make the most out of being the next Lady of the Dread Fort, the next Lady Bolton.
Roose
Roose was putting back on his clothes, his urges going away from the hour he spent with his wife laying rested on their bed.
His thoughts were calmed from worry or predicting his rival's plans when he joins Bethany in their chambers, it's the place where he could be someone other than the cold and calculating man that he wants his rivals and foes to think.
In this chamber, he can be the man that loves his wife. He can be the good father when his sons were babes. Here, he can freely express the emotions he normally keeps hidden away and none but his wife will ever know of these emotions he keeps on a leash.
"The marriage will take place, Bruce will marry Alys and they shall bind two House's together." His wife muttered, staring at him with amused eyes and a cheeky smile.
His wife still looks lovely, even after all these years and only he could see that. She isn't Catelyn Stark, she isn't Cersei Baratheon and yet, he would still choose her over either of them.
Bethany is Northern- The strength of the First Men runs through her veins as it does to him and his sons. No, son, now. Roose thought with lament, thinking about his heir and his twin brother.
Parts of him had felt frustrated, Bruce is wild and untameable under any circumstance and has a certain low-cunning towards those that threaten but remains unpredictable, he'll need more firm handling than Domeric needed.
Domeric was the perfect heir, he had the love and respect as a Lord though was quiet, his harp-play was nearly famous and like Bruce was an excellent horseman. The boy was also charming, taken from his and Bruce's time with Lord Redfort.
Perhaps he had done wrong with that decision, the boys no doubt saw Lord Redfort's family and thought theirs was small in comparison which made them yearn for a younger brother to teach and play with. Then came Ramsay, a story he's already buried in light of Bruce's marriage to Lady Karstark.
"Yes, I am sure that day will be a delight to many." He agreed halfheartedly, she noticed this and rose with the sheets being her temporary gown.
"But not for you?" He grunted slightly and turned away, "Roose, I loved Dom with all my heart, you know that but Bruce needs you." She continued to say to him and he narrowed his eyes on Bethany although the woman showed no sign of effect from it.
Bruce will be much to handle, but, he is all he's got in an heir with Bethany not showing any signs of fertility.
The night carried on in a sleepless dream and when the dawn came, he called for his son to come to the study and to begin grooming him for taking over the Lordship of the Dreadfort, things for him to know before the Karstarks come for this wedding.
AN: So ends this update, don't forget to review and check out the profile for what might be on the menu in the coming months.