Arthur was making his way to the kitchens after bringing the horses to the stables, when he next saw his sister. That good awful smirk appeared again when Ashara noticed him. "What are you up to?" Arthur squinted his eyes as he questioned his sister. She gave him an innocent look that he knew to be fake.
"I'm just getting food for our guest. She has been on a long journey and with a babe no less." the next smile that graced her face, he couldn't quite place. He hated when Ashara played her mind games. She was bringing up the babe for some reason, but why?
"And what do you think of that?" Ashara gave him a bored look, waiting for him to elaborate, "The babe, I mean. Obviously you have some opinion of him. Why else would you bring him up? Just get on with it already." As Arthur sat down with a sigh, he noticed the frown on Ashara's face. He stared ahead with one hand cupping his chin waiting for her reply. When none came he looked over as she sat down next to him. She looked confused. Arthur couldn't understand why. His question seemed pretty straight forward. She seemed to be trying to fold his gaze, so he stared right back.
"Arthur," she started in a quiet voice he didn't think he'd heard before, "the babe isn't yours, is he?" his sister looked scandalized as she finished her question. Ashara often said outlandish things to get a rise out of him, but this made his blood boil. He was up and out of his seat in a huff.
"How could you even think that of me? I am a knight of the kingsguard," his last word fell flat. It was at that moment that he remembered. Remembered that he was a sworn whitecloak and hadn't even asked of his king or his prince, his brother. He sat back down with a sigh and cradled his head in his hands.
"Oh Arthur, I didn't mean it like that." her soft voice was back. Most of the time he liked it. It reminded him of their mother. Right now it just graded on his nerves. "I just saw how you looked at them and how defensive of the babe you just got, and I thought maybe there was something more going on. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you were anything else but honorable." She laid her hand on his arm and rubbed the inside of his wrist with her thumb. Their mother used to do that too. He knew she was trying to be comforting, trying to make him feel better, but it just made it worse. He wasn't honorable. He was failing everybody. His king. His prince. His sworn brothers. He didn't deserve to be called a knight, let alone a kingsguard.
But he couldn't tell that to his sister. He couldn't bear the thought of Ashara knowing the truth of what he had been doing for the last eight moons past. Arthur let out a sigh as he mentally prepared himself. He needed to know the fate of his prince and king. He had put it off long enough. If his sister wanted to play dumb about the babes father, he would let her.
"Ashara, we can speak of honor another time. What have you heard of the prince? Does Aerys still sit upon the throne?" the words came out faster than he had wanted. It was clear he was nervous. Ashara gave away nothing as she turned over his hand and interlaced their fingers. Arthur wasn't sure what he wanted her answers to be. The silence felt like it lasted a lifetime. He felt his heart start to race as his sister began to speak.
"The Battle of the Trident was a bloody one. Both sides had many losses, but Prince Rhaegar made it out alive. He retreated with his forces to Harrenhal." She paused. Arthur noticed her frustration. He quirked up his brow at her attitude toward the prince. She started to speak again before he could ask the question that was on the tip of his tongue. "Aerys continues to rule. His paranoia also continues to rule him. He has sent the queen and prince away. He fears they will turn against him too." Ashara stopped speaking, but Arthur could tell she had more to say. He needed time to process the information he had been given and she knew it. A part of him was relieved, his oldest friend and the man he swore to defend with his life were still alive. But mostly, he felt frustrated that he wasn't on the battlefield too. He ran his hand through his hair before letting out sigh and resting his head in his hands.
"Alright, what else is there?" he asked as he turned his head to look at her. She wore a worried expression looking back at him. Arthur thought she looked nervous too. She was worrying her lip between her teeth and wouldn't look him in the eye. She didn't start to speak until Arthur picked up her hand and held it again.
"Lord Baratheon lives too. He and his men returned to The Eyrie. Lord Stark's men are returning to Riverrun." Arthur could tell she was leaving something out. It was only after her words had finally sunk in that he realized what she hadn't said.
"And what of Lord Stark?" he thought he had sounded calm until he saw the look in his sister's eyes. The hand that wasn't holding hers was gripping his leg so tightly he might have left bruises. He had been outside the door when the prince told Lady Lyanna about her father and brother; he did not want to have to tell she had lost another brother. Her screams and wails had plagued his dreams for nights on end afterward. The silence in the room had lasted longer than he would have liked.