For those who missed Tyrion and Margaery, they're back as POV. First, we get Margaery in Winterfell. There will be a chapter for Tyrion at the Wall soon as well.


MARGAERY XI

Margaery woke up, gasping and sweating. Her breath was ragged and it took her some time to steady it. When she looked next to her, it was to have the dreaded confirmation that her husband wasn't there. She dreamed of him, and that was a marvellous dream, but she preferred to have him with her in person. Sometimes in mornings like these, they would stay in bed together for some more time. She raged after him. Why did he leave her here alone? She loved Tyrion, but to lose months in the North only to visit the Wall? She sighed and rolled on her side. He would be back before long. He wouldn't spend an eternity at the Wall. He would stay long enough to look at it, then he would come back. She preferred it if he didn't stay there for long. Many of the recent recruits of the Night's Watch were people Tyrion sent himself to the Wall, with the habit he took to send criminals there instead of killing them. Surely standing over the Wall and pissing off the edge of the world wouldn't take ages. It couldn't be longer than their wedding night, as long it was.

After some time, Margaery decided to leave the warmth of her furs and donned a nightgown. Her room was quite warm. The Starks had allowed her to move in a warmer section of the castle after the king and his retinue left. Truth be told, Winterfell wasn't much colder than Casterly Rock, at least inside. Outside was another matter. The glass garden was pleasant enough, though he didn't equal those of Highgarden or Casterly Rock in the least. It was quite small, and made to grow fruits and vegetables during winter rather than leisure. The godswood of Winterfell was far better than the one they had at Casterly Rock, though not as beautiful as the one they had at Highgarden with its three weirwood trees. However, Margaery felt like a stranger whenever she walked in it. There was something threatening with the weirwood tree there, and the whole place. All in all, Winterfell was no horrible place, and Margaery supposed it was even a paradise for most of the people in the North, but there wasn't much to do all the same. Living here was like living away from the world. The Winter Town could barely be called a town. The smallest town around Highgarden was more populated. She was afraid she would get bored with time if she lived here forever.

Sera entered at this moment. "Good morning, my lady."

"Good morning, Sera. I'm glad to see you." Margaery sat before the glass she brought with her from Casterly Rock and let her handmaiden begin to brush her hair for the day. "Anything interesting going on among the servants?"

"Not really, my lady. They all talk about the assassin."

Of course, they did. Two weeks after the events, she could still scarcely believe it. Someone had tried to kill Lady Stark. Some of her men said they saw the footpad wandering inside the castle when the royal party was there, but they couldn't tell more about him. Apparently, he came with the king and his family. Margaery found it quite suspicious. First Varys's message about Jon Arryn being killed, now this. If the man came with Robert and Cersei… Why would she try to kill Catelyn Stark? The Lady of Winterfell was no danger for her. The only possible explanation that Margaery found would be that she may do this to force Eddard Stark to come back to Winterfell and not take the position of Hand, but who could be sure that he would do that? After all, when Tyrion tried to convince him to not go in King's Landing, Ned Stark replied he would do his duty to his king. The death of his wife may delay the time he would assume his office, but nothing more. If Cersei really wanted to get rid of Ned Stark, she would have killed him, not his wife. It didn't make any sense. Unless Cersei wasn't the one behind it and someone else sent this man.

"And Lady Stark left her chamber this morning," Sera added.

"Really? Well, that's good news." Catelyn Stark had stayed shut behind a door, first with her son, then alone with her wounded hands, for weeks. Margaery had visited her each day since the assassination attempt. The Lady of Winterfell had looked better than when she watched over her son. Margaery was glad that she felt better, but she regretted that she needed an assassination attempt to come back to reality.

"I'm eager to leave this place," said Margaery. She missed Casterly Rock, and there was her cousin's wedding too.

"Me too, my lady."

"So, no man in Winterfell showed an interest in you?" she teased her handmaiden.

"You're the one to speak, with Robb Stark chasing after you."

Margaery laughed out loudly. "He's not chasing me, Sera."

"Then you haven't seen the way he looks at you."

Of course, she saw it. "I'm married. Robb Stark can chase me as much as he likes, he won't get anything from me. Anyway, he's been more distant lately, with his mother who almost died and his duties. I'm not going to complain about it."

"I find him quite handsome, me. And gentle, too."

"He is, but he's dull. Kind and handsome, but dull." She thought about Tyrion and his bawdy japes, which brought a smile back on her face.

"I wouldn't say no if he proposed to marry me," Sera said.

"Do you think he would?"

"No, no, of course. I just meant… In the eventuality he did, I would accept," Sera explained, blushing. Margaery laughed inwardly at the expense of her friend.

"Well, I already have a husband, and I'm not going to set Tyrion aside for a Stark. Anyway I can't, even if I wanted to. Could you please fetch me a breakfast, Sera? I'll take it alone today. And then have a bath prepared for me."

"Of course, my lady."

Sera ended arranging her hair, falling over her shoulders in curls. Then she brought her breakfast. The Starks let her eat with them at their high table, but today she preferred to take it alone. As soon as Margaery wad done with the meal, her bath was ready. She sent all her handmaidens and servants away to be alone. In the hot water, she wondered about the assassin again. Who hired him? Cersei always came first to her mind as a suspect. She tried to have Tyrion poisoned after all, but it looked so unlikely this time. Catelyn Stark was the last person Margaery imagined that Cersei Lannister could think about killing. Perhaps it was someone else, but then who? Robert Baratheon wouldn't have the wife of his best friend and Hand murdered. Maybe it was someone from the exterior who paid the footpad to commit the murder. The Starks had enemies. Her family had her own after all in the Reach.

Margaery was careful to not let her hair drench into water, but after some hesitation, thinking it wouldn't be kind for Sera to have her arrange her hair all over again, she thought something Tyrion would have been proud of and engulfed her head into the hot water. She emerged, her brown hair falling heavily over her face and pushed it aside with her hands. Tyrion liked to do it himself when they took a bath together. But instead of being with her, he was freezing his balls at the Wall. She would make him regret to have let her all alone in Winterfell when he would come back, warming his balls at the same time. That brought her to laugh uncontrollably. It didn't bother her so much that Tyrion decided to visit the Wall, but this was the first time they were separated since their wedding. She missed him. With most of her friends still at Casterly Rock, Mira visiting her family at Ironrath and her husband far away, she felt more alone than she had ever felt in many years. And she missed her nights with Tyrion. No wonder she made dreams about him, and not only about the nights they could have spent together, but also about the other moments they shared.

Margaery remained in the steaming water until it wasn't steaming anymore and turned lukewarm. Then she left it. Sera wasn't very pleased when she came back and found out that she had to start all over again with her mistress' hair, and all wet on the top of that. It was more difficult to brush wet hair. Still, she did it without complaining… too much. Then Margaery left her room to take a quick walk around Winterfell.

Everyone was busy all around her as she walked through the corridors and courtyards of the castle. Winterfell competed with Highgarden for the size of the castle and easily defeated the Red Keep at it. Of course, it couldn't beat Casterly Rock. The entire castle was a mountain. No castle was bigger than it through all the Seven Kingdoms.

She wore a thick green gown that even covered her arms. She would rather let her arms bare, but despite her claim that Tyrell blood ran warm, she felt cold without sleeves here. She managed to wear gowns without sleeves when she could spend most of the day inside the castle, or when she only went to the glass garden, but this morning she wanted to take a walk around the castle all alone, to clear her mind. She didn't bother to be accompanied by a guard. She had two following her for the first days following the assassination attempt, but afterwards she decided it was useless. She wasn't the target and risked nothing from the Starks. She was under the protection of the guest rights and the Northerners had the reputation to honor them with zeal. Moreover, she had good relations with all the Starks still at Winterfell, and it was very unlikely that another assassin would hide somewhere, waiting for the right moment to kill her. Her men and the Stark men were everywhere.

Margaery decided to pay a visit to the godswood. Although she always had a strange feeling in there, she wanted to walk and the glass garden wasn't large enough for that purpose. The godswood was large enough, and very few people went inside. For a solitary walk, it was ideal.

Again, she felt out of place in Winterfell's godswood, even though her gown matched the color of the surroundings. The glass garden and the godswood remained the places in Winterfell that reminded her the most of her home, but although the godswood was all green and nature, it looked like a grim place all the same. It seemed to deliver her a warning, to tell her she didn't belong here. Still, she kept walking. She wouldn't turn her back only because the place gave her chills. There was no reason to fear it.

She arrived before the weirwood tree, white trunk and branches with red leaves. His face and eyes were bleeding. Some of these trees bled, others didn't. Those at Highgarden seldom did it. There were trees with an open mouth, but this one's was shut. No, it was slightly open, as if it whispered something. Margaery looked at it closely. She never believed in the Old Gods. Everyone south of the Neck believed in the Seven, and she had always prayed to them. She didn't know much about the religion of the Northerners. The godswood of Highgarden was meant for pleasure, not for the practice of faith, and neither was the one they had at Casterly Rock. Before Mira, centuries had certainly gone since the last person prayed in these godswoods. Tyrion or Willas certainly knew more about these Old Gods than she did.

Margaery frowned all of a sudden. She was sure she heard something, a whisper. A man's voice, who said something about a sister. She wasn't sure she understood well, but she thought it said something about protecting her. She swore it came from the tree. Then another voice, a woman this time, came from the same direction.

"What I am about to tell you must remain between us." Margaery looked at the face. Was it really speaking to her? "I don't think Bran fell from that tower. I think he was thrown."

She knew this voice. Lady Stark. She turned around the tree and saw her not far away with four other people. She recognized her son, Robb, the maester, Luwin, a knight called Ser Rodrik, their master-at-arms, and someone else. She hid behind the tree again. They obviously didn't know she was there, and she didn't think they would be pleased to discover her presence.

"Someone tried to kill him twice," the Lady of Winterfell resumed. "Why? Why murder an innocent child? Unless he saw something he wasn't meant to see."

"Saw what, my lady?" the man who Margaery didn't know asked.

"I don't know. But I would stake my life the Lannisters are involved. We already have reason to suspect their loyalty to the Crown."

Her heart stopped. Margaery couldn't believe what she just heard. The Starks believed they were working against the king, and that they tried to murder her son. But, didn't the assassin try to kill Catelyn Stark? Unless he was targeting Bran and his mother was in the way. But why would someone kill a boy of ten, a boy who was sleeping?

"Did you notice the dagger the killer used?" a male voice said. "It's too fine a weapon for such a man. The handle is made of silver. Someone gave it to him."

"They come into our home and try to murder my brother?" That was Robb Stark. "If it's war they want…"

"It it comes to that, you know I'll stand behind you," someone else said.

"What, is there going to be a battle in the godswood? Huh?" the old maester asked.

"I will put all the Lannisters under arrest," Robb declared. "We will question them one by one and discover who did this."

"I don't believe Lady Margaery is behind this," Catelyn Stark said all of a sudden.

"But you said the Lannisters were behind this."

"Her husband, maybe, and his brother and his sister, but I doubt she's part of this. The assassin believed I wouldn't be there. He said so. He started the fire to create a distraction so no one would be there when he would kill Bran. Margaery knew I was always with him. She wouldn't have sent someone to kill Bran without telling him that I would be present."

"Maybe she believed you would leave the room when the fire would start."

"The fire was at the other side of the castle, across the bailey. You told me yourself to stay here, Robb. The plan wasn't devised by her. Her men helped to extinguish the fire. The people behind it didn't know I would be present. Furthermore, she is not entirely a Lannister, she is a Tyrell, and she's been married to him for only two years. Maybe she doesn't know about her husband's plans."

"Still, we shouldn't let her and her men wander through the castle as if they owned it."

"What would you have us do, my lord?" Luwin asked. "Throw her and her men into our dungeons? Accuse them without proof? Too easily words of war become acts of war. They are our guests here. We don't know the truth yet. But I agree we should be more careful with our visitors from now on, and that Lord Stark must be told of this."

"I don't trust a raven to carry these words," Lord Stark's wife said.

"I'll ride to King's Landing," her son declared.

"No. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. I will go myself."

"Mother, you can't."

"I must." Even though Margaery couldn't see her, it was obvious she let no place to discussion.

"I'll send Hal with a squad of guardsmen to escort you," the knight declared.

"Too large a party attracts unwanted attention. I don't want the Lannisters to know I'm coming."

"Let me accompany you at least. The Kingsroad can be a dangerous place for a woman alone."

"What about Bran?" Robb Stark wondered aloud.

"I have prayed to the Seven for more than a month. Bran's life is in their hands now. Prepare our things, Ser Rodrik. We leave within the hour."

"What about the Lannisters? Won't they find it strange to see you leave so suddenly?"

"We'll tell them that I'm going to visit your grandfather at Riverrun. He's ill and the letter Lady Margaery brought said he didn't have for long."

"And the others who are with the king? Won't they find it strange to see you arrive like this?"

"It's too late to catch them up on the road," she heard the old maester say. "They probably already crossed the Trident. It would be better to follow the White Knife and then to take a ship at White Harbor. You'll have to use false identities, of course. No one will be expecting you in the capital. You may even manage to arrive before Lord Stark and the king."

"It's decided then," the Lady of Winterfell stated.

Margaery had remained hidden from their sight by the weirwood tree for all the exchange. She remained there, unmoving for some time, as they left the godswood. By chance, she wasn't between them and the exit and none looked behind or thought about going around the tree. She stayed there for some more time afterwards. They believed she and Tyrion tried to kill Bran. That was completely stupid. Even for Cersei, it seemed entirely foolish that she would try to kill Bran. Unless he saw something he wasn't meant to see. Could Cersei go that far? Murder a child while he was asleep because he heard something? Bran fell from a tower in ruin, near the First Keep.

Margaery left the godswood, trying to remain unnoticed when she went back into the courtyard. She walked to the tower in question. She remembered where they found Bran. She was among those who arrived not long after the tragedy happened. She remembered seeing him, all pale and his legs entirely broken and twisted in an unnatural way as guardsmen and squires brought him to the maester. For a moment, she had the impression to see Willas again, after he fell from his horse. He was only a boy. There was nothing to see at the base of the tower, where he fell. She looked up. There were crows flying all over. Probably some built their nests in it. It looked abandoned for a long time.

Margaery walked into the tower. The stairs were still in very good state, though the stone looked about to crumble in several places. She was careful of where she put her feet. The first floor was almost intact, but it was all in darkness. The only light came from a small square entrance that an arm could barely fit in. The second floor was much more lighted. There was a huge breach in the wall. When Margaery looked down though the breach, she realized after a moment that it was right over the place where they found Bran. She looked around the room. A perfect place for a secret meeting. An abandoned tower that no one would care to visit… except a boy who would climb it.

Lord Varys told them that Jon Arryn may have been assassinated, and by the same poison that Cersei tried to use against Tyrion. If she was behind this… What if Bran surprised a discussion between the queen and someone else about that? They could have pushed him in the hope it would kill him. Everyone would believe this was an accident. When they realized the boy wouldn't die, they hired someone to kill him once they would be gone. Maybe they hoped the blame would fall on her. After all, Margaery was present, waiting for Tyrion who was visiting the Wall. Cersei wanted her dead. I'll have you strangled in your sleep. Why not use it to get rid of two nuisances at the same time?

Tyrion couldn't have done this. The Starks were wrong about him. He had no reason to kill Bran, and Margaery knew Tyrion would never order the murder of a child. He wasn't like his father. He was capable of cruelty, but he directed it towards criminals or people who deserved it, not against innocents, and when necessary. Robb and Catelyn Stark were making a mistake by suspecting him.

But she couldn't tell them. She couldn't tell them her suspicions concerning Cersei. The queen was Tyrion's sister. If they ever suspected she was responsible of Jon Arryn's death and the attempt of murder against their son, Tyrion would be associated as a member of her family. And what about Tommen and Myrcella? They could be in danger too. She had to talk to Tyrion. She had to warn him. But how? She couldn't send a raven to Castle Black. The maester of Winterfell would read it before it was sent, and even if he didn't, the one at Castleblack may read it, and the Lord Commander was a Mormont, a former bannerman of the Starks. The people of Winterfell would find it suspicious if she sent a rider to her husband. Maybe she should join him, or leave Winterfell immediately, but again, people would wonder why she left so suddenly, before her lord husband returned. They would become more suspicious about her, and she couldn't allow it. They already suspected her and Tyrion, wrongly. They had nothing to see with all this. No, she couldn't transmit a message to Tyrion. She had to wait for him to return, and maybe win the trust of the Starks in the meantime, convince them she had nothing to see with the attempt of murder against Bran, and all that without revealing anything. Damn, Tyrion, why did you go to the Wall? We should have headed back to Casterly Rock immediately. We are needed in the south.

Margaery left the tower, resigned to the fact that for now, she could do nothing. Well, not entirely nothing. She had to make sure the Starks lowered their guard and stopped believing she was an enemy. There was something else she could do. She knew how to warn her husband. As she returned to her rooms, the young man who said he would fight without hesitation with Robb Stark if there was a war intercepted her.

"My lady. Lady Stark requires your presence." His eyes, his face, and the way his hand rested close to his sword showed he didn't trust her. He wasn't good at hiding. Margaery highly doubted he saw her in the godswood.

"Very well, where may I find her?"

"With her son, in his chamber. Please follow me."

It was said in quite an imperious tone. "What if I don't? Are you going to force me to come, sword on my back?" she asked loudly.

A few people around her had heard, and there were three of her knights from the Reach who were close. They came as soon as they heard. "My lady, is there a problem?" one of them asked. The three of them had their hand on the pommel of their swords too. "Are you bothering Lady Lannister, Greyjoy?"

So, that was it. He was Theon Greyjoy, the son of Balon Greyjoy, a ward to the Starks since his father rebelled. Both in the Reach and the Westerlands, the people from the Iron Islands were despised, and as far as she knew, the people of the North felt the same. The young man looked at her knights. All assurance and pride had left his face. It wasn't difficult to see what kind of person he was. Great words, small doings. She burst into laugh.

"It was a joke. Please forgive me, Theon Greyjoy. You may leave, sers." The knights did as she told them, not without glaring at the son of Balon Greyjoy both in disdain and suspicion. "So, shall we go?" she asked with a pretty smile.

He nodded and walked forward. She had just reminded him of who she was, and that her men would protect her, without rising any suspicion. Many people had seen it, and maybe it would reach the ears of the Lord of Winterfell. They would remember to be careful with her, as much as she was to remain careful with them.

Catelyn Stark was in her son's bedroom, just like the Greyjoy told her, and she was looking at him. The wooden ring she worked on for weeks was hanging over his head. Margaery knew what it was. Willas's mother had made one similar when he was injured. She never made one. She never had sons or daughters to pray for, not yet.

"Catelyn, you wanted to see me?"

The Lady of Winterfell turned to look at her. "Yes. Thank you. It was to tell you that I'm leaving."

Margaery faked surprise. She was very good at it. "Leaving?"

"I'm going to Riverrun, to see my lord father, before it's too late."

"What about your son? Bran?"

"Maester Luwin says he will recover, but my lord father doesn't have this chance if I am to believe his words. I must go. I prayed for my son long enough. His fate is in the hands of the Seven now."

"Very well. I understand."

Margaery realized they were all alone in the room. The guards were all at the entrance. It was strange, considering Robb Stark had ordered a guard to be next to his brother at all time.

"There's something I would like to ask you," Lady Stark resumed.

"Go on."

"Could you watch over Bran while I'm away? Just to make sure he is well?"

"Of course, there's no problem." Catelyn Stark said she didn't think she was guilty in the godswood. It seemed she sincerely believed it.

"I gave instructions to the guards to let you see him at any time. I want someone to be there for him when he wakes up."

"You can count on me."

"I thank you, Lady Margaery, for your help. You were right. I spent too much time only worrying about Bran and I neglected my other children and my other duties. Thank you. I'm sure you will be an excellent mother one day."

"I hope so. Well, I wish you a good journey, Catelyn."

The Lady of Winterfell left and Margaery was all alone with her son. If they expected her to betray herself and try to murder Bran right now, they were wrong. She would never try to kill him. She looked at his inanimate body, his chest rising very slowly. He made her think so much about Willas right now. She remembered how she stayed for days at his bedside before he woke up. How would she react if it was her son who found himself in this situation? Maybe the same way than Lady Stark. She knew how her grandmother was ready to do everything for her and Loras, and for her son, despite the fact he was an oaf, so what would she be ready to do for her own children?

She pulled a chair so she could sit right next to Bran. She knew she was certainly watched, and maybe this would give to the Starks the opinion that she, at least, had nothing to do with the attempt of murder. She didn't touch the little boy, and only stayed there. She hoped he would wake up. He was only a child, an innocent child, and if he woke up, then they could know the truth. But if the truth was that he saw Cersei discussing Jon Arryn's death, or something else dangerous… She had to convince the Starks before that she was entirely innocent and that she only wished for Bran's recovery, and then she could convince them Tyrion had nothing to do with that either. Catelyn Stark may trust her, but she didn't think the others shared her views.

She leaned towards the boy, as if to whisper him something, and that's what she did. "We're alone now, Bran. Your mother is gone, but I'm here. Don't worry, everything will be all right. You're safe."

She kissed him on the forehead and left. She would pray for him to wake up. Later, she watched Lady Stark leave with Ser Rodrik and half a dozen other men. She suspected they wouldn't follow her. Maybe they would go to Riverrun while she went to White Harbor with Ser Rodrik, or simply come back to Winterfell in secret after a few days. This was only to give the impression that she left with a good escort.

Later, Rickon came to her. "Why has Mom left?"

"Your mother had to go somewhere. She will come back soon," Margaery reassured him. She had spent weeks consoling the boy of six who didn't understand what was going on, who never saw his mother and whose brother was too busy keep him company. She felt powerless many times as she saw him cry.

"When?"

"Soon."

"When soon is?"

Margaery smiled. "Don't you think you should go back to your lessons? Shouldn't you be sparring right now?"

"I'm not sure I want to spar."

"Afterwards, I'll give you pastries."

It took nothing more to convince Rickon to go to the training ground. He fought his opponent, one of the guardsmen of Winterfell, with ferocity, but his blows often missed their target. He was enraged as a fighter and had no technique at all. One of Margaery's knights from the Rock tried to teach him a few tricks, but he was too impatient. She felt the gaze of all the guardsmen of Winterfell as they looked at Rickon with a man who had the lion on his shield. They had nothing to fear. They fought with wooden swords.

"My brother likes you." The acting Lord of Winterfell stood next to her, watching his little brother fight, but she was sure he was watching her as much as him.

"He does, but I'm sure he loves his mother much more."

"He does, and you're not his mother."

"No, I'm not," Margaery recognized. "I'm sorry, but it's difficult to send a little boy away when his mother and his two brothers are locked in their rooms or too occupied to see him and that he doesn't understand what's happening."

Robb Stark nodded. Margaery was sure he meant to get her as far away from his little brother as he could. "My lady mother told me she asked you to look after Bran."

"Yes, she did."

"There will be a man with you each time you'll visit him. After the footpad tried to kill him, I don't want to take any risk."

A veiled threat. "I thought he tried to kill Lady Stark."

"No, it was my brother he wanted to kill. The next one who tries to kill him will have to deal with me."

He looked at her. None of his hands were on the pommel of his sword, but Margaery could see he was being serious. "Well, in this case, I pity the one who would try again, but I think your brother's direwolf will deal with him before you can. It's sad that the man isn't alive. We could have questioned him and known who sent him."

"We'll find out who did this."

"If you want, my men can assist you," she offered.

"Thank you, but I'll manage with my own. I wouldn't want to abuse from your presence."

"I'm afraid I'm abusing of your hospitality much more than you are abusing of my presence, but who am I to question the opinion of the Lord of Winterfell under his roof? Thank you for allowing me to stay."

"We could hardly throw you off."

"You could. This is your home, your castle, your lands."

"My father is Lord of Winterfell. I'm only acting lord in his absence."

"But you will be Lord of Winterfell one day. Are you betrothed yet?"

That startled him. That was the reaction Margaery looked for. "No, I'm not."

"I'm surprised, at your age and handsome like you are, I expected you would have an army of young maids following you everywhere."

This time, she made him blush. "I… One day, I will marry."

"Then I suggest you start to look right now. I hope you will make the right choice." She looked straight into his eyes and put a hand on his. "I'll go and pray for your brother in the sept. If you ever need me, don't hesitate to ask."

She walked away, conscious of the effect she had on the future lord. Her talents could still be useful, even after she stopped using them with Tyrion. Making Robb Stark uncomfortable about her would make him hesitate to take actions against her. At the sept, she prayed for Bran, but also for her family, for her husband, her friends both in Highgarden and Casterly Rock, for her nephews and her niece, and for Lady Stark's children. She thought about the young Sansa, who would marry Joffrey, her nephew, one day. She was glad she wasn't the one to marry the prince. She could hear Tyrion saying better her than you. She couldn't have agreed more.

During the afternoon, Margaery went to the Winter Town like she did most of the days. She left Winterfell with ten men, all on horse, and came back with nine.

Next morning, Margaery was reading one of the few books that were saved from the library that took fire weeks ago. Tyrion loved to read. Sometimes they would read a book together, and as their foreheads touched each other, they would do something else from time to time. Sera burst into her room.

"My lady. It's Mira. She's back."

A smile immediately came to Margaery's lips and she followed her handmaiden outside to welcome her friend. Mira was dismounting when they arrived in the courtyard. She wore furs, but had her dresses of the Reach underneath. She curtsied, but Margaery pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek. Mira then went to present herself before Robb Stark since she just arrived. He granted her the hospitality of Winterfell since she was a handmaiden to the Lady of Casterly Rock who was already a guest here. Then Margaery had a good discussion with her in the godswood.

"How is your family?" she asked Mira.

"They are fine. Ryon grew so much, I didn't recognize him. He was only a baby when I left. And Talia and Ethan… Talia's voice is more wonderful than ever."

"I hoped you would bring her here. I hoped you would bring all your family here, for your wedding."

Mira blushed. "Well, I learned Lord Tyrion was visiting the Wall, so I didn't want to make them wait weeks in Winterfell."

"But they will come for your marriage, won't they?"

"Of course, they will."

"This time, I won't let you find an excuse to delay, Mira. Willas is very eager."

"I know." Mira had a timid smile. She was always like this when the subject of her wedding came. She didn't want to talk about it. Margaery decided to not press the matter.

"A lot happened in your absence."

"Lord Eddard Stark is now Hand of the King."

"Yes."

"The last time a Stark was named Hand, he only remained at the office for a day, then he went back in the North."

"I doubt this is what will happen this time. Robert Baratheon won't let Ned Stark leave so early, if he ever allows him to leave at all."

"Well, I hope Lord Stark will make a good Hand."

Margaery wasn't sure she wanted the Lord of Winterfell to be a good Hand. On one hand, if Cersei was behind Jon Arryn's death, someone had to stop her, but if the Starks believed the Lannisters were all plotting against the king, then she, Tyrion and Ser Kevan were in danger as well. If only Tyrion had succeeded to convince Eddard Stark to not go in King's Landing. They may have put enough pressure on King Robert afterwards to have Ser Kevan named as Hand, or even Tyrion if that was necessary. Now, if the Starks suspected them, they risked a war. Robb Stark had been ready to go to war in the godswood.

"Mira, there are a few other things you should know."

Margaery told her about the assassination attempt and Bran's fall. However, she didn't mention the discussion she surprised in the godswood or the doubts the Starks had about House Lannister. Margaery had always trusted Mira, but her handmaiden was loyal to her family, and her family was loyal to the Starks. No situation had ever happened where she may have to choose between her loyalty to Margaery or to the North, so it would be better to keep her in the dark.

Mira was shocked by the revelation. "Who did this?"

"We don't know. Robb Stark is still trying to discover who could have sent this man."

"But who would want to kill a boy of ten?"

"I don't know." That wasn't completely a lie. They didn't know for sure who was behind the attack yet. Maybe it would have been better to send a message to Ser Kevan in King's Landing. "But someone obviously wanted him dead. Are there people in the North who have a grudge against the Starks, or an interest to have them dead or deposed."

Mira seemed to think about it for a moment. "I would only see the Boltons. They have been the main contenders of the Starks to rule the North for centuries and they still cause them problems from time to time. The Whitehills are their bannermen. But it's been very long since they caused any real problem. They fought loyally with Lord Stark during Robert's Rebellion and Lord Roose Bolton never seemed willing to try anything against them."

"No other house could wish for them to disappear?"

"The only other houses who would be powerful enough to hope to gain anything if the Starks were in difficulty are the Umbers, the Karstarks and the Manderlys, but these three houses are fiercely loyal to the Starks. The Karstarks even share blood with them, they were a minor branch of the Starks of Winterfell at the origin. I don't see them trying to kill Eddard Stark's son. Anyway, if someone wanted to to fragilize the position of the Starks, they would target Robb Stark, the heir. If he was to die, the acting Lord of Winterfell would be a boy of ten that no one knows if he will ever wake up and his heir would a six-years-old child. It makes no sense to murder Brandon Stark."

"No, you're right. It makes no sense."

Mira had the truth of it. Catelyn Stark probably deducted well when she said that the only reason why someone would try to murder her son would be that some people wouldn't want him to wake up. It seemed more likely than ever that her dear sister-in-law had something to do with it. Perhaps Tyrion's brother had a hand in this as well. She needed to speak with him, and as quickly as possible.

"We'll have to be careful, Mira," Margaery said. "Someone tried to kill a boy of ten. I think it is unlikely that someone would try another murder, but no one knows."

"Of course, my lady. Is Lord Tyrion going to come back soon?"

"I hope he will. I don't hate this place, Mira, but I would feel better at home."

"I understand, my lady."

"It's quite cold here, too."

"Just like it's quite warm in Highgarden."

They smiled at each other. Margaery knew Mira hadn't enjoyed the weather of the Reach at first, even if she never complained about it. They stopped before the weirwood tree, where Margaery heard the discussion between Lady Stark and the others.

"I suppose you want to pray," she said to her friend.

"If it doesn't bother my lady."

"Of course not. Take your time. It's not all days we can pray in the godswood of Winterfell."

"It doesn't matter which godswood we pray in, as long as there is a weirwood tree in."

"Come back to see me later, when you're done."

Margaery left her friend to her prayers with the gods of the North. The rest of the day went without problem, though she could feel that the guardsmen of Winterfell were more suspicious and eyed her and her men carefully. She went to the maester's turret, where two ravens from Casterly Rock were waiting for her. Lord Westerling had asked for one of his children to be returned to him. Margaery had to give a refusal. The other matter concerned troubles in Lannisport, in one of the orphanages Margaery had opened. There had been reports that some children were abused by servants working there. Genna asked if she should inquire on this. Margaery gave her full consent, though she also told Genna to remain as discreet as possible. She wouldn't let the children to who she gave shelter be mistreated, but she couldn't let more nasty rumors run about her charity works if they were unfounded. They would deal with this in secret and try to not attract attention.

Many days later, in the evening, she was with Bran. He was still sound asleep and didn't show any sign of recovery. His direwolf was with him, and there was a guard as well in the chamber. Margaery just sat there, reading. She didn't think it would be a good idea to make needlework here. The Starks could believe she waited for the right time to plunge it into Bran's throat. The direwolf was as quiet as the boy. Margaery had been afraid of the animals at first. This one ripped a man's throat after all, but he never showed any hostility towards her, no more than Rickon's or Robb's direwolves. It was as if they could feel she was no danger. She really had the impression sometimes that they could see through her. The only other person who gave her a similar impression, and far greater, was Tyrion. It was as if he could read her mind like an open book sometimes. She didn't dislike it. To have a caring husband who could guess what you wanted and what you thought had many benefits. It would have been all the opposite if Tyrion had hated her or only saw her as a broodmare, but he didn't.

"My lady, it's quite late. You should go to sleep," the guard told her at one time.

"Lady Stark asked me to watch over her son while she was away. I'm not tired yet. I'll stay a little while longer."

The guard didn't look very pleased. It seemed he was tired as well since not long later, he was drowsing. So much for protection. Anyway, there was the direwolf and two other men at the door. They were outside, so they didn't see their comrade had fallen asleep. Margaery wouldn't like to be in his place when someone would come to replace him.

Time went on as Margaery kept reading, casting a glance at Bran occasionally. The Lady of the Lake was quite an interesting story, very original when compared to those people usually read. She wondered how it ended in the library of Winterfell. It may have been there before Eddard Stark was its lord. She didn't think Lady Catelyn or her daughter Sansa had read it. Maybe the little Arya did. She thought not without amusement about the discussions her husband said he had with the youngest of the Stark girls. Tyrion would always be more comfortable with outcasts and rejected individuals. Probably it was because he was one of them himself. Margaery wondered how Tyrion would be if he wasn't a dwarf. Would he still be the same man, the man she loved? She never really wished for him to be different. She loved him like he was, and didn't see any harm with his stature. He was a man, like any other, just shorter than most.

She went back to her reading, captivated by the story. She didn't see the time fly. She yawned at some moment. Ladies weren't supposed to yawn, but she couldn't care less. There were so many things ladies were not supposed to do, all more stupid than the others.

"Summer."

A voice came from nowhere. A child's voice. Margaery looked up from her page and saw the boy lying in his bed, his face turned to his direwolf, his eyes opened for the first time in weeks. Brandon Stark just woke up.


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