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Benjen Stark I
Outside Castle Black, Wall, Year 284 AC
His horse's pace was slow as he reached his destination by an uneventful afternoon. It had been like such for nearly the entire fortnight it had taken Benjen to reach Castle Black. Despite his decision to join, Benjen was nevertheless hesitant…he knew well the reputation that the Watch acquired over the centuries, no longer was it the paragon of virtue of ancient days but a penal colony to host some of the worst scum of the realm…
But he also knew there was little for him to do at Winterfell, Brandon was now in father's shoes and Ned was his right hand, as father wanted. Benjen did not doubt that the two would achieve greatness especially with Ashara and Lya being there as well, lending their ideas. Benjen could be there as well…perhaps he could have asked Jonelle for her hand in marriage but…it wasn't right…he would only be in the shadows of his older brothers and he wanted to cast his own somehow.
It had been decades since a Stark manned the Wall but all of them achieved greatness while serving and he would do his best to do the same he just was not looking forward to his first year.
As he approached the end of the Kingsroad, which was pretty awfully looking with weeds sprouting everywhere, the dirt in bad condition and some summer snow around too…but the biggest thing had to be the majestic Wall…it was a true sight to behold…Benjen looked so small when compared to the sheer size of it…The Wall was his goal and he would let it defeat him.
On top of the gate of Castle Black, there was a bridge with two sentries whose eyes he could see were already fixed on him, bows in their hands…Oh boy… "State your name and business!" One of them ordered.
"Benjen Stark and I seek to join the Night's Watch!" he replied loudly and clear, noticing the two sentries looking at each other and then at him again.
"Very well, the gate will open." And it opened so Benjen commanded his garron to trot forward, to the heart of the Night's Watch. He rode unsurely in a courtyard which was full of men clad in black sparring. There was only the sound of commotion and cheers in the air. He unhorsed and walked with his horse following him now until he was stopped by a rather familiar face.
"Lord Jeor?"
The man in question smiled. "I'm not a Lord anymore, young Benjen." Jeor Mormont the former Lord of Bear Island was older than even Benjen's father, Lord Rickard would be if he was alive but he was just as imposing as the now-deceased Lord of Winterfell. The former Lord of Bear Island was board-shouldered with his grey-black hair collapsing bit by bit and his brown eyes telling stories of his many years.
He also had quite the large looking raven on his shoulder. "Lord, Lord!" The animal repeated much to Benjen's amazement.
Jeor Mormont noticed his eyes upon the raven and smiled once more. "Found this creature with a broken wing a few months ago on a range by the Haunted Forest, nursed his wing and fed him some corn grains and the little mongrel followed me since."
"Corn, corn!" The raven repeated in a raucous voice as he flapped his wings.
"Not now you hungry beast!" Jeor scoffed. "He gets pretty demanding at times…makes me regret nursing him up at times…"
"I'm sure he does…" Benjen smiled. "It seems as if you have been expecting me, My Lord…"
"I haven't been on ranging for nearly a month or so and we have been receiving quite the amount of new recruits thanks to this war that just ended so…I have been helping as much as I can here." The older man replied. "We also received a letter from Lord Eddard and Lady Lyanna to inform us that you were arriving and to help you at least get settled in." Ned and Lya… "I see no problem in that as you are a young lad and your father was a good friend of mine. But I must remind you that being a Stark or a Mormont means nothing here."
"I already know that My Lord," Benjen assured. "I have read it in books and heard the wandering crows."
"Good, come with me then." Jeor Mormont motioned. "Lord Commander Qorgyle will like to see you."
Benjen left his horse with a man that Jeor Mormont led him to, probably one of the Stewards, and then followed the former Lord to one of the tallest towers of Castle, one made of stone. As he climbed the wooden stairs leading to the tower's entrance, he noticed the eyes of many of the brothers and recruits on him…there were indeed plenty of them…Benjen was not Ned but even he wasn't like the attention he was getting…
He found himself in the tower's solar which included an ironwood table with ironwood chairs. Seated on the biggest chair was an old man with skin the color of copper with grey hair and beard and whose eyes were black. "Ah, you must be young Benjen Stark!" The man said with a heavy Dornish accent, much heavier than Ashara's.
"I am, My Lord." Benjen nodded.
"We got word from your brother, Lord Eddard, about your impending arrival…" The Dornishman explained. "We are much pleased to have you join us, it's not every day we have someone of such noble lineage join us, willing."
"The pleasure will be mine, My Lord," Benjen said. "I hope to not fail and meet your expectations."
"You will not I'm sure, your training as a highborn will prove much useful around here." The man assured. "You are still young and everything might prove hard and harsh to you but I'm sure you will succeed."
"I would hope so."
"It's too late for you to begin training today but Mormont will get you ready to begin your training tomorrow, you will be placed with the rest of the recruits, as expected." Lord Qorgyle explained. "We got a whole bunch of them…thirty-eight two years ago, sixty-seven, last year and with you, we are at nineteen this first couple of months the year…"
"Benjen Stark is the twenty-second this year, My Lord." Lord Mormont corrected. "We got a few more this past couple of days."
"Lord, Lord!" Hissed the raven in Mormont's shoulder…the creature did not leave him at all…
"All the better." The Dornishman avowed. "Wars are bad for most but for the Watch, they are blessing young Benjen. Many prisoners are sent here and some lads who find themselves orphaned also come here on their own free will. Given our dwindling numbers, this is much important."
"I guess I can see your point…" Benjen admitted. More recruits meant more man manning the Wall against the wildlings.
"I shall not waste your time any longer young Benjen, I wish you all the good luck with your training."
"Thank you, My Lord." Benjen said as he stood up and bowed before the Lord Commander.
"Follow me Benjen Stark." Mormont motioned as they exited the Lord Commander's Tower. "First we will get you black clothes to wear, then we will put you with Frostfinger, Castle Black's Master-at-Arms for the rest of the day. Should warn you he is a tough and very negative guy especially with the younger lads."
"That's good to know…" Benjen murmured worriedly…he did not know what to expect of it all…
"A piece of advice…try to make some friends to back you up...you will need them now more than ever." Mormont advised as they climbed down the wooden stairs.
"Friends, friends!"
"I will try…" Benjen could try but he wasn't sure if he was going to succeed…while thieves weren't much of a problem, rapists and murderers were…Gods knew who was around…
Mormont led Benjen to one of the many towers and showed him one of its many rooms in which there were about twenty beds. "This a room where the recruits are meant to live…the beds that are taken don't have the uniform in them so go ahead and choose one of them for yourself." Benjen walked around and noticed that there were about seven beds taken, he thus chose a bed next to a small window which was relatively away from the rest of the taken beds. "I see you don't trust your brothers…" Mormont proclaimed, his arms crossed.
"Brothers, brothers!"
"It's not like I don't trust them…"
"There is nothing to be ashamed of," Mormont assured him. "I don't trust half of the Watch either, there are all sorts of creatures here…rapists, murderers, schemers…and I see no problem in your decision, it only shows you have a head to think lad. But one thing you have to remember…once you are a brother of the Watch and your duty demands, you will have to trust your brothers as if they were kin. It could mean you surviving or dying."
"Dying, dying!"
Hesitation haunted him once more, he thought about the life he could still have, as he was not a sworn brother and he came on his own free will, he could still leave at any time without being considered a deserter but…that wasn't the Stark way… "I appreciate the insight, Lord Mormont."
"Call me Jeor, lad." Jeor Mormont insisted with a smile. "And get dressed, we still need to introduce you."
"Aye."
Benjen now donned the uniform of the Night's Watch, a black doublet, black trousers, and a black cloak behind his back. I actually look good…he thought as he eyed the mirror. Mormont took him to one of the yards where a bunch of recruits were gathering and left him there while he went to the sides to talk and watch with some of the older sworn brothers.
A grizzled man with harsh features and a serious face like Ned's began climbing some wooden stairs to some sort of dais likely to give a speech.
"Hey fuck head." Benjen turned back to see a tall and bulky man with blue eyes and dirty blond hair. "You in my spot."
"Your spot?" Benjen asked surprised and slightly intimidated given the size of the man in question.
"Yes, my spot, now move." The young Stark decided it would be better if he didn't cause a scene on his first day, so he stepped to the side and allowed the bulkier man to stand in his spot.
The guy smirked. "I see you learned your place right away…"
Great…I have my first bully…just what I needed in all of this… The grizzled man, most likely Frostfinger as Jeor Mormont had warned about cleared his throat to speak. "Listen up, most of ya bloody fools will be dead within a year but until then I must train you…If you wish to survive for longer, then you'd better hear what I have to say and follow my every instruction."
"Frostfinger and his bloody speeches…" The bulky guy scoffed by Benjen's side before he turned to him. "You know why I was sent to the Wall?"
"No." Was he a thief? A rapist? Something else?
"There was this girl with a Queen's face and whore's teats…I fucked her quite often you know?" The guy stated, pride in his speech. "Turned out she was the wife of Lord Blackwood's Castellan and he tried to kill me with a dagger when he heard it all but you know what? I killed him myself."
A killer… "Good for you..." Benjen sighed.
"And you big man, what was your crime?"
"None, I came in my free will."
The guy began laughing quite loudly, irritating the men around them. "Seriously? You gave up your freedom and the chance to fuck women on your own free will? What a bloody loser you are!"
"Whatever you say, mate." Benjen sighed. This isn't going well for me…
"Ah! I get it!" he said amused. "You got no balls or cock to fuck so you came here!"
"Shut up will you?" The young Stark hissed. "I'm trying to listen to the speech so stop being an arse."
"Cockless boy don't get too mad the speeches are…"
"Who in Seven Hells is talking back there?" Frostfinger questioned angrily and Benjen wanted to scream when he saw everyone looking at him. The Master-at-Arms climbed down the wooden stairs and walked towards Benjen who he eyed from head to toe with angry eyes. "Who are you recruit?"
"Benjen Stark." Benjen replied.
Whispers were going around the young Stark but the bulky guy began laughing more. "I can't believe this guy is a Stark!" he said, still laughing. "I always heard they were tough motherfuckers but this guy is a cockless wimp."
"Quiet Finn of Mudgrave, I have had enough of your shite!" Frostfinger scolded much to the irritation of the bulkier man. The Master-at-Arms then looked at Benjen once again. "So what's your aim, Stark? What do you wish to accomplish here in the Watch?"
"I wish…to be a Ranger…"
"A Ranger…" Frostfinger chuckled. "You want to go north of the Wall and die in some wildling attack? Is that it?"
"No, I…"
"What you want doesn't mean shite lad." Finn laughed again at this as if he was having fun again. "You have to prove yourself, names mean nothing here."
"Yes, Ser…"
"I hope I don't have my speeches interrupted again, Stark," Frostfinger warned. "And that goes especially to you, Finn of Mudgrave. You might be a decent fighter but I don't like ya." Finn of Mudgrave said nothing else. "Now…let me continue…"
Finn of Mudgrave did not bother him again. Frostfinger finished his speech and they were dismissed to go get their dinner. Benjen thought about searching for Jeor but decided against it even if he really wanted it. He had no wish to give credit to Finn's shit like calling him a wimp. "Benjen Stark!" A voice of a man who apparently knew him called. It was a tall auburn-haired man, with a large auburn beard. "Remember me?"
Benjen took a little bit of time but then remembered him well enough, given that he was thinner in the features now. "Ethan Glover?"
"Aye, it's me." The man replied with a smile as they shook hands.
"What are you doing here?" Benjen inquired.
"Training to become a member of the Watch of course." Ethan replied.
"I didn't know you wanted to join…"
"Neither did I if I'm to be honest…but after being a prisoner at Aerys' mercy for so long, seeing all the shite I did and was done around me and with me being the third son…I felt this was the best for me…" The Glover replied with a serious expression, the same one Benjen noted in Brandon in a variety of times since he returned from the south…they were truly changed…it must have been really terrible for such jovial men like them to end up like this… "Though I was sort of expecting you already…Brandon did told me you wished to join multiple times."
"Aye…I did…"
"Already thinking it was a bad idea?" Ethan asked with a smile.
"I…"
"You don't have to lie, mate. I felt and feel the same." Ethan assured. "The Wall is hard for men raised in a household like us but…to me…no matter what they throw at me…it won't be worse than spending a year in the Black Cells…waiting for your death…hearing that fucker we called King laugh in his madness…torturing…" His brother's former squire looked very grim as he spoke…to the point he almost wept… "Anyway…since we are both recruits and well-acquainted thanks to Bran…I thought you might want…some company?"
Benjen didn't spend too much time thinking about this offer, Jeor had warned him to get friends and this was likely the best possible outcome for it. "Aye, I'd very much love it so."
"Great." Ethan nodded as he motioned for Benjen to follow him. "I saw you already met Finn of Mudgrave the number one douchebag of Castle Black…"
"Aye, I did…"
"He is cocky and prude but…he can back that cockiness…he is good with the sword and he is quite strong, must have had some training before..." So he was dangerous as Benjen had first believed…not good… "I fought him once and he did give me a beating…I think he would even give Brandon a run for his money…on a bad day…" If Ethan believed the best of the Starks would be in trouble with this Finn of Mudgrave then Benjen believed him. "Anyway…don't pay much attention to his shite, he is not worth it." Ethan brought him three other recruits. "These are Alan of Rosby, son of a smith, Ronnel Harclay son of the Harclay, and Owen the Oaf, who is an oaf…not much more to add but these are good lads."
"You son of the Rickard aren't you?" Ronnel Harclay asked as he extended his hand to him. "It's a pleasure to meet ya, any Stark is a friend of mine."
"Pleasure is mine, mate." Benjen took the Northern's hand and shook it with a bright smile.
"Stark, do you play the fiddle too?" Asked Owen the Oaf as they shook hands.
"No…" Benjen replied. "Not much of a musician I'm afraid."
"Oh…" Owen seemed disappointed but not much. "That's a shame…"
Alan of Rosby shook his hand next before he whispered something to his ear. "Owen is dimwitted…"
"Oh…ok…"
"Anyway…I don't know about you lads but I'm hungry…" Ethan declared.
"Me too!" Owen said merrily. "Let's eat, let's eat!"
"Have you visited the canteen Stark?" Harclay asked.
"No…I arrived today…I haven't even practice anything…but it seems like I'm famous already…"
"Oh, you will have plenty of time to practice Ben Stark," Ethan assured as he clapped his shoulder. "Frostfinger and the others will make sure of it."
"I was expecting it already so…"
"Come on, let's go eat!" Owen insisted desperately. "Eat!"
"Aye, Owen…we are coming mate." The group of five recruits thus made its way to the Great Hall…
Benjen was still unsure of everything but…meeting Ethan and his mates together with Jeor's advice made him feel a bit less depressed and more motivated somehow. He would have to endure a lot, especially with the likes of Finn of Mudgrave around but he would prove that the Starks are no quitters. Winter is Coming.
Catelyn Tully II
King's Landing, Crownlands, Year 284 AC
It smelled bad…Lysa had lit an incense candle in the wheelhouse but Catelyn could still smell the stench from outside and so did her sister who sat opposite to her with an equally disgusted expression. Edmure was not there, he rode with her uncle Brynden to learn the necessary things of being a Lord.
"I hope to get pregnant soon…" Her sister suddenly said. "But I'm afraid…"
"Of what?" Catelyn asked as she watched the narrow streets of the city and all the smallfolk going about in their daily lives. Two hundred and eighty-four years ago this was but part of the Kingswood, where only fishermen lived and now it was a huge stinky city, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
She could see the Great Sept of Baelor on top of Visenya's Hill as a little dot in the distance…when she was but a girl she longed to marry her husband there…it would have been the greatest honor to marry in the house of the Seven and consecrated by the High Septon himself…she hoped to marry Brandon there if given the chance…if he wanted to marry her still…
"Father made me miscarry my previous child…I read that…Moon Tea can make a woman infertile if she takes it after a month of pregnancy…so there is a high chance that I'm now…infertile…"
"You are not infertile Lysa." Catelyn tried to assure her sister, even though she didn't know if her sister's worries were true. "But perhaps you should allow your womb to heal further, rather than forcing it to carry another child so soon…"
"Maybe I should…maybe I should drink Moon Tea after making love to Elbie…or maybe just avoid doing it while I'm in my moon blood days…the problem is that they are messed up now and I can't count them right…" Lysa sighed. "And Septa Jocelyn always told us that a wife's function was to provide heirs to her husband…"
Yes…Catelyn could still remember the lessons well…it was expected of a woman to bear children but…how could she do it without a husband? Or like her sister who could risk ruining her womb further? "Well…surely the Gods understand when our health is at risk…"
"Perhaps they do…" Lysa sighed. "And you Cat? What are you thinking about?"
"My future…" she whispered.
"Brandon?"
"Yes…I'm still in love with him…" Catelyn said. "But I do not know if he wants me…after everything that happened…he suffered a lot and…may be a completely different man…but somehow…I wish for him to…marry me…"
"Cat…you are a lovely and gorgeous woman and…I'm sure Brandon Stark will wish to marry you but even if does not, I'm quite sure you will have many suitors." Lysa pointed out. "What is important is that you do not give up. I almost did after losing my child and…the Gods were good to me and rewarded my hope with Elbie and I'm very thankful for that."
"It's the second time you say Elbie, Lysa…" Catelyn pointed out, a small smile on her lips.
Her sister blushed hard and hid her face in her hands. "He told me to call him that…and…"
"I'm not saying anything against it…least of all when your husband tells you to call him that." Catelyn giggled. "I'm happy for you.
"Thank you, Cat…" Lysa smiled. "Listen I…"
The wheelhouse stopped somewhat abruptly before it began riding upwards, cutting their conversation short. They ought to be in the pathway leading to the Red Keep in Aegon's Hill...Catelyn opened the window of the wheelhouse and peeked in, confirming her suspicion…
Upwards stood seven huge drum-towers on top of the hill, massive curtain walls studded with archers' nests, all in pale red stone that gave the name to House Targaryen's mighty castle…Aegon the Conqueror gave the orders to build it and his son Maegor the Cruel had seen it completed. Now it was Aegon the Baby King who lived in it with his mother, grandmother, sister, and uncle…That was the current state of the House of the Dragon that conquered the continent nearly three hundred years ago. "Seems we are approaching our destination…" Catelyn told Lysa once she was fully back inside the wheelhouse.
"Yes…"
"What was it that you wish to say, Lysa?" Catelyn inquired.
"Oh…it was…nothing important…" Lysa went to one of her famous fits of silence and Catelyn decided to not push her sister to speak.
After about ten minutes, the door to the wheelhouse opened after it stopped moving, her uncle helped her and Lysa exited it. "We have finally arrived, my dear nieces." Both sisters were mesmerized by the sight, they were on the outer yard and from there they were, they could see the enormous Throne Room building on top of some red serpentine stairs. It was much bigger than Riverrun but much better to look at than Harrenhal… "We must give a minute to the steward to announce our arrival to Queen and Princess."
Edmure joined the two of them. Her brother and Lord of the Riverlands had a big grin on his lips, he was tired from the large and tenuous trip but was certainly happy for being granted so much responsibility as his condition demanded. Obviously with uncle Brynden keeping everything in control… "The castle is very beautiful but…lacks some more blue in it…" Her brother said.
"Blue is not the color of House Targaryen." Lysa pointed out as she noticed her husband come their way. "My Lord, it's good to see you again."
"Lysa, my dearest wife, how do you find the Red Keep so far?" Ser Elbert questioned as he kissed his wife's hand.
"Beautiful, My Lord."
"That is good to know…personally I would love if the stench was not here to haunt us but what can we do…" Lysa giggled at that, her sister always had fits such as these especially when things bordered the prude, despite it being the truth... "What about you, My Lady Catelyn?"
"It's quite unique…" Catelyn replied. "I'm quite excited to see more."
The steward her uncle had sent returned. "My Lords, My Ladies, the Queen-Dowager and Princess Elia are just finishing receiving Lord Paramount Mace Tyrell and his entourage, please follow me so may take you all there."
"Edmure, you are the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands so you go first, reply to any question they ask but leave everything else to me or your sisters." Uncle Brynden explained. "Understood it?"
"Yes, uncle." Edmure nodded.
"Alright, lead us to the Queen and Princess." Uncle begged of the steward.
And that the steward did, they arrived in the Throne Room which was quite crowded, at the bottom of the throne there were what she assumed to be the Queen Rhaella and Princess Elia given their looks, the former heavy with child, the latter more radiant than what Catelyn remembered from Harrenhal, the olive skin granting the King's mother an exotic look, a King who was smiling in her hold...In front of the women was Lord Mace Tyrell, as the steward had warned them about, and two tall handsome men, one had golden hair and blue eyes and the other bulkier with dark brown hair and eyes. There was also a girl of about Edmure's age with the same coloring as the blond…These were Hightowers…Catelyn recognized their sigil, the tower with fire as a beacon.
All of them nodded to the Princess and the Queen and left led by a steward. Catelyn noticed her brother open-mouthed as the Hightower girl passed by…she was a vision…gorgeous looking and a few more years in her would make her a woman of surpassing beauty… "Edmure…" Catelyn called gently and smiling. "Get a hold of yourself…"
Her brother looked at her gaping, realizing what she meant, and blushed heavily. "I…" he looked at the Hightower girl once again and she noticed him and winked before leaving the Throne Room with the rest of those Reachmen.
"Lord Paramount Edmure Tully, Ser Brynden Tully, and Ladies Catelyn and Lysa Tully." The steward that brought them there announced and Princess Elia motioned for them to come closer, which they did, bowing.
"The King welcomes you to King's Landing, Lord Tully."
"Welcome, welcome!" The King said giggling and Catelyn felt an immediate urge to hold and kiss the child but quickly composed herself, that was her King…
Princess Elia planted a kiss on the King's forehead instead with a proud smile. "I trust the trip from Riverrun was not harsh?"
Edmure looked a bit overwhelmed glancing at their uncle for advice, but their uncle motioned for him to speak. "It was not…too harsh, My Princess. I thank His Grace…for welcoming us."
"We hope that your staying in the Red Keep will be of your liking…rooms will be prepared with haste…to you all…" The Queen said sweating…the poor woman looked as if she was either to give birth very soon or explode... "And since Ser Brynden is here, the first Council can begin tomorrow…as all members have arrived. I must confess it soothes me much to proclaim this."
"Of course, My Queen." Uncle bowed. "It will not be because of House Tully that we will hold such an important meeting from happening."
"Well, if there is nothing else to add…" Lord Jon Arryn picked the word. "The King's Councils are dismissed for the day and may the next day be a good day for the Realm."
Everyone nodded and began exiting the Throne Room with only a handful of lords and ladies remaining together with the Gold Cloaks. Catelyn looked around to see if she could find Brandon and thankfully she did find him almost exiting the Throne Room with a very fat man by his side. She quickly strode to him, picking her skirts up to go faster. "Brandon!" she called joyfully. "Brandon!"
"Cat?" he asked as he turned towards her, a smile forming in lips.
"It's good to see you alive and well…after you got captured I was so worried…" she confessed.
"It's good to see you too…" Brandon avowed as he looked to the smiling fat Lord. "Lord Manderly…could you give us a moment?"
"Of course, My Lord, My Lady." Lord Manderly bowed before he left them to speak and thankfully she felt much more relieved because of it.
"You look beautiful as always…" he said with that smile she fell in love with. "I, however, do not look as well as I did since we last saw each other two years ago but…I'm managing…"
He did look different but no less attractive, to her, he was still the Brandon she fell in love with. "To me, you look the same Brandon…" she confessed blushing.
"Well…I'm glad to hear about it…"
"Before anything else, I would like to apologize for the nonsense my father did to you and your brother, it was ill done and although I love my father very much, I understand fully why he is in the Wall now, repenting for his sins."
"Your father's deeds are not yours to suffer, Catelyn." Brandon avowed.
"Does this mean that…we can still marry as we hoped? As we were going to before everything?" she asked hopefully.
"Listen Cat…"
"Yes?"
"I…do not think we should marry…"
Her heart broke then…her worst fears becoming a reality… "Why…why not?"
"It's nothing against you far from it…" he said. "The thing is that I'm not a knight and you always wanted a knight for a husband, that's the impression I got from you during all of our conversations…I have laid with more than one woman during our betrothal the last one of them was before I left for the Tourney of Harrenhal…the truth is or rather was that I did not wish to marry you or anyone really…I did not wish to be tied to just one woman and that consumed me for years you know? I cursed myself for it because I could clearly see that you would be a great wife, after all, not only are you beautiful but you are kind and caring and I don't think I'm worthy of you. I was always a mess but now I'm more…I was stupid and lost two good friends and a father, almost lost a sister and myself…you deserve better than me…"
"Brandon…I don't care about that…I love you…" she whispered shakily with tears forming in her eyes. "I…love you…"
"You love the notion of man I passed but I was never that man, Catelyn. While I do not believe you are lying when you say you love me, I'm also not lying in saying that you deserve better than me. You deserve someone like my brother and I pray you find someone like that, but unfortunately, it's not me…I'm sorry…but please understand…"
Catelyn couldn't hold her tears anymore…she was glad that the Throne Room was nearly empty…she bowed to him and walked towards her family, crying…
Lysa was laughing while holding Edmure's shoulders while they both spoke with Ser Elbert and uncle was speaking with Lord Arryn. He was the first one to notice her tears, as always, and quickly left the Lord of the Vale to embrace her. "Cat…what is the matter, my sweet niece?"
"My heart…is broken…"
Thank you for all the reviews, here are my late answers:
RedRat8: Yes, no having the burden of having killed Aerys and having support from people rather than their scorn would make Jaime a different person, a better person.
Radomir's Renegades: I don't think the incest children will exist, Cersei is not married so her getting pregnant will...cause some...interesting things...if it were to happen...I also like Jaime because he does get character development in the books and he is a pretty good guy with faults that he recognizes in himself. Perhaps Cersei will not sink in the sanity pool...too hard...I have left some clues of what might be her future here and there...but unfortunately marrying a Bolton is not it. Jaime and Melara...hum...interesting...
miguelgiuliano: I began writing the meeting of the Regency from Cersei's POV which allows me more freedom in omitting things but Catelyn's POV had to happen before it so I postponed the meeting a Chapter. I'm done with Jaime or Cersei but I'm done with their incest wincest.
I would like to apologize for all long this Chapter took, it was due to a combination of a very busy time in university with many works to plan and do which will consume a great deal of my time until mid-December and a bit of uncertainty regarding what this Chapter is about...the POVs I mean. Benjen's was planned from the begin but I scrapped a Cersei POV that will be in the next chapter whenever I finish it...I do hope to have a Chapter ready for November 22 when the story becomes two years old...
I would like some feedback regarding Frostfinger and Finn. For those who don't know these are from Game of Thrones Telltale, a controversial game which yours truly played last year or so...I enjoyed a few of the characters there so rather than creating more OCs I decided to bring these two here but I would appreciate some thoughts on it.
Thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day and stays safe.