Chapter VI


Elizabeth

"I am sorry for your loss, my lady, your father was a great and honorable man."

"My lady, you have my sincerest sympathies. Your father was a good man, and to see him gone from this world? It saddens me greatly."

"Lady Elizabeth, you have my profoundest sympathies. I knew your father for a long time, he was like a brother to me."

"My heart goes at you and your brother, my lady! The loss of your father is something I never expected to hear, if you ever need something, do not hesitate to ask."

"My Lady…"

"Lady Elizabeth…"

"You have my…"

"My sincerest…"

Hearing the Lords of the Vale offer their sympathies to not only her brother but to her had been heartwarming at first, but after hearing it so many times she grew annoyed with it, and started to wonder if they actually meant what they said.

There was some she was certain that did mean it, but hearing it from the likes of Gerold Grafton, Lyn Cobray, and a few others gave her doubt. There was too much flattery in their words, and several offers of help should she need it. To add to that there were some that took the time to offer their children. It was mostly sons she was introduced to, but there were a couple that had presented their daughter to her.

"Everything alright, Eliza?" She heard from her right as she felt a hand land on her shoulder. This made her turn her attention away from her brother who was currently being introduced to Uthor Tollett's sons, Andrew and Uldren, and to the man that had asked this.

At first she was going to tell him yes, that everything was fine, but her granduncle, Brynden Tully, knew her better than that and would easily see through the lie, so instead she said as she looked straight ahead, back towards her little brother. "No, my father is dead, and here I stand wondering whether or not my bannermen meant what they said or not."

She didn't have to look at him to know her granduncle frowned, and listened quietly as he said in his hoarse voice. "I'm sure most of them meant what they said, Eliza. Your father was a great and honorable man."

"And yet," she began softly as she looked at the stone casket her father had been encased in. "He is dead."

She felt her granduncle's gaze on her for a brief moment before hearing him say, "aye he is."

She shuddered and had honestly still not come to terms with it all despite it being well more than a week since his death.

"A raven came from my great grand uncle, he is coming and along with him the King." Elizabeth declared in a much more quiet tone as she glanced at the seasoned knight.

Blue eyes met blue eyes as her granduncle said to her. "When did you hear this?"

"This morning," she revealed. "Apparently he wanted to come immediately upon hearing of Father's death, but had duties to attend to. He apologized in advance for not coming sooner."

"And your mother?" He asked after a brief moment. "Is she and your little brother coming as well?"

Elizabeth looked at him for some time before turning away and shaking her head. "No," she said with a slight frown. "From what my great grand uncle said, my youngest brother's constitution has taken a turn for the worse, so she will be staying in King's Landing."

She didn't have to look to see the scowl on her granduncle's face. "Seven Hells, has his shakes gotten worse?"

"I don't know, my great uncle didn't say in his raven." She said with a hint of annoyance. "All I know is that he and our mother are not coming to pay their respects to my Father."

"Eliza-"

"Forgive me granduncle, but I do not wish to speak about this anymore." She interrupted swiftly. "I am already in a terrible mood and feel like if we talk any more about this then it will only get worse."

She didn't look at him as she said this, but that didn't stop her from feeling his piercing gaze on her. It was uncomfortable and she was sure had this been any other moment it would have continued to remain on her, but it was not. This was her father's funeral, so out of respect for him, her granduncle relented his gaze.

"No matter what you cannot blame Robert for this," he told her in a stern and low voice. "He did not choose to be a sickly boy, remember that, Eliza."

With that said, her granduncle walked off, leaving Elizabeth with her thoughts to keep her company. It wasn't very long after he left, she started to frown.

"I know it's not my youngest brother's fault, but how can you not expect me to be angry with him and my mother?" She asked herself as her frown deepened. "Our Lord Father is dead and where is he and our mother? Nowhere to be seen!"

Feeling the pain from digging her nails into her palms, Elizabeth did a quick intake of breath as she glanced down at them. She had yet to draw blood, but already there were small indents in her palms.

"I shouldn't get angry, at least not here." She thought as she lowered her hands and turned her gaze away towards her younger brother who was no longer speaking to Tollett's sons, but now Lords Yohn and Nestor Royce. "I can get angry later, but for now, I need to be strong. I have to be for Ronald."

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Duncan

Upon seeing his family's city walls, and the castle he resided in inside of it a mixture of feelings flooded through him. He was happy to be back, but at the same time, very concerned. He had left his wife in charge, to handle matters as she saw fit, and had came to regret that decision when he got an update from Maester Ethan.

The update had come when he had gotten back from his time investigating the potential emerald mine. There were many, many of his vassals that were not happy with his decision of leaving a Southerner, a Frey in charge of Drakelow Keep. It was one thing to marry one, but to let her handle the lord's business? That was another thing entirely.

"Everything alright, m'lord?" A young voice asked him, causing him to look to his left and see on a horse smaller than his, a boy who looked to be two and ten name days old with brown hair and hazel eyes staring at him.

"Aye, Davis, just seeing Drakelow Keep from afar like this never ceases to amaze." He answered with a half lie as he looked back at his home. It was honestly beautiful, the Western Hearth of the North many called it, something he believed and agreed with.

"What about you?" He asked the boy as he looked back at him. "What do you think of the new home you'll be staying in?"

"I think it's nice to look at m'lord and larger than any other thing I have ever seen." The boy answered.

Duncan stared at him long and hard before nodding his head. "Drakelow Keep is one of the largest castles in the North, from my understanding it once belonged to the Towers who are said to be relatives of the Umbers, albeit they were taller than them."

"Albeit?" Davis questioned hesitantly and in confusion.

"Although, albeit means although." He explained, not bothered at all by his new squire's question. "So while they were relatives of the Umbers they were also taller than them."

"Huh, and uh, what happened to them, m'lord?" His squire inquired.

"They died out." Duncan declared swiftly before turning his horse around and starting to trot back to the camp where his men were resting for the moment. It would still take them another two hours before they reached the city and he didn't have to look over his shoulder to see that James and his squire were trotting after him.

"From my understanding they were a lot more stubborn than the Umbers and refused to accept the Stark's reign over the North." He said in a slightly higher voice, but in the same tone.

"So Lord Stark's ancestors wiped them out?" His squire asked, a mixture of curiosity and surprise in his voice.

"Aye!" James affirmed for him. "They thought because they were bigger and stronger they could defeat the Starks, but the Starks had already gotten many of the Northern Houses under the rule including their relatives the Umbers." James began to chuckle and say, "they were outnumbered three to one and had thought it to be an even fight."

"They put up a good fight at first, but the Starks had more men. In the end, there was too much bloodshed, so the Tower men were put to the sword and the women and children were married into different houses thus ending House Towers." Duncan said solemnly as they came over a small hill that overlooked the road where his men were camped on the Eastern side of.

"Were there," his squire began as they came to a momentary stop on top of the hill. "Were there any other houses that House Stark ended?"

"There were many, but the last House to be ended by House Stark was three hundred and fifty years ago, House Greenwood." Duncan revealed as they began to slowly move down the hill.

"Oh, and what uh, what happened to them?"

"They tried to hold the Giant Wolf as a prisoner." He said ruefully, earning a chuckle from James.

"The Giant Wolf?" His squire questioned in a puzzled manner.

"Benjick Stark," James explained, "he was King Balric's second son, and half brother to the King who was known as the Small Wolf, Edric Stark."

"Aye," Duncan affirmed, "it's quite a long tale and one my sister loved to hear."

"Could you," his squire began in a low but loud enough tone for him to hear. "Could you tell me it one day, m'lord?"

"Of course," Duncan answered, surprising the young boy. "It's history, Northern History. Sadly that day might not come for some time, I'll have much to do once we reach the castle."

"I, I understand m'lord." His squire affirmed, which made Duncan smile. The boy was a good lad, and he had no doubt in his mind that with the proper training he would be one of the most respectable knights Westeros had ever seen.


Note From Author:
Short chapter, but to be honest I needed to do this to uh, well, clean the slate. I have hit roadblock, after roadblock, and just couldn't really formulate anything good. Like I tried, I honestly did, but it was getting to the point where I was getting very frustrated, so I've just wiped it all away.

Duncan's back at Drakelow Keep, Starks will be returning to Winterfell, and everything else will progress. I'm sorry, I've been doing a poor job, but I'm trying. If you want to say I'm shit for giving up and time skipping a few weeks then go ahead, I honestly wouldn't blame ya. With that said I'm ending my little tangent and am going to get my shit together now.