A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been nearly a year and I can't believe how fast that time has gone. I hope there are still some of you out there who remember this story and haven't given up on an update!
As far as excuses go I think becoming a mum is a good one, baby is doing so well and she's absolutely amazing. I've very recently started writing again while she naps, now my brain doesn't feel like total mush anymore.
Anyway, I can't promise you regular updates but I can promise you that's I'll do my best. I will finish this story, it just might take a while! I'm going to do my best to update my other stories as well. I have a chapter for Twist of Fate ready, but I am a little stuck on United We Stand so it may take me a little longer to get that chapter out. It's coming though, and hopefully the wait won't be as long for another one.
All I can do is my best, thanks for you patience. Hope you enjoy the chapter, apologies for any mistakes - it's been so long since I've written I'm not sure what my editing skills are like at the moment!
Thanks to all who've been patiently waiting, you're all awesome! :)
XXXIII: Preparations
Myrcella
She had tried to take the news with good grace, a smile on her lips as Robb read out the invitation. It was during council, and it would do no good for her to give them any inclination that all was not well between her and her family. Robb had proceeded to make arrangements with the steward and the Maester for the running of Winterfell while they were absent. They would be gone for three moons, most likely, what with the journey there and back. There was to be a tourney. Her stomach had churned at that news, and she had eyed Robb as he had talked with his council, wondering if he was thinking of competing. If he was she would have to talk him out of it. There were plenty other men who could represent the North, there was no need to put himself at risk.
She would speak with him about it later, best not to do it now while they were with company. The steward was now making a list, scratching down the names that Robb was reeling off. They were the names of the men and women who would be accompanying them. She doubted very much that any of the lords or their men from further north would make the journey, but Robb named many from settlements south of Winterfell. Representatives from the Cerwyns, Flints and Manderlys would likely join them as they made the journey. Robb also ordered a letter sent to his Uncle Edmure at Riverrun so his lord paramount could choose lords and men of his own to add to the party.
All in all it would likely end up being a significant number. While those in the North may not care much for tourneys and knighthoods, they did care for the well-being of their king. Half those who would join them would likely do so to keep an eye on Robb, and for that Myrcella could not help but be grateful. The more watchful, suspicious eyes on her husband the better. It may go some way to ease her own worries. She would have Ned to focus on as well, though she knew she would be able to trust Etta and Jan with her son should she have to be away from him for any reason. A guard would also have to be formed for him, though likely Robb had already thought of that.
"And from the family, your Grace? Will it just be you and the queen?" the steward was asking.
"Myself, the queen and the prince," Robb replied, drumming his fingers on the table. "I will speak with the rest of the family, but Bran will remain here, and likely my mother as well. I cannot see Arya wishing to join the party, though Rickon may be curious. Best a letter is sent to Sansa and her husband, she will not wish to go but her husband may wish to come or send men of his own."
"I will have letters sent out this afternoon, your Grace, with the finest ravens," the steward bowed his head, rolling up the parchment with the list of names.
"Thank you," Robb smiled. Myrcella imagined she were the only one who could see it was slightly forced.
"Is there anything else we can help with, your Grace?" the Maester asked.
"No, not at this time," Robb smiled again.
"Then we will take our leave," the Maester gave the steward a pointed look and they both rose from the table, bowing before Robb and Myrcella before taking their leave. As soon as the door clicked shut behind them Myrcella looked to her husband, seeing a thoughtful expression on his face.
"When will we leave?" she asked him.
"We will wait for those Olyvar wishes to send, though it will likely be soon – the end of the week, perhaps," he told her.
"Well, the sooner we leave the sooner we can return," Myrcella tried to sound unaffected.
"I know you're worried," he said knowingly, fixing her with a look.
"Can I ask you something?" she bit her lip, wondering how he would take it.
"I'd welcome it," he returned.
"Would you not compete in the tourney," she said, keeping her eyes fixed on his.
"Is that what has you so worried, the tourney?" to her surprise he seemed amused.
"Well, partly," she frowned slightly. "So, would you leave the competition to others?"
"Gladly," he smiled. "I've never been interested in the pomp of tourneys. I do my fighting on the battlefield, and I'm hopeful that those days are behind me. I'll gladly stay by your side in the crowd, though, I hope you would not object to me placing a wager or two?"
"Of course not," a smile came to her own face now, one of relief more than anything.
"I don't suppose Tommen will be competing either," Robb said thoughtfully. "Your grandfather would not wish to risk him, and I may go so far as to say that he would rather I not risk my neck either. I'll leave it to those who enjoy the applause."
"Thank the Gods, I thought I may have a harder time convincing you," Myrcella laughed slightly.
"It will keep you happy, and my mother too," Robb said. "What more incentive could I possibly need?"
"You always know the right thing to say," she reached over and caressed the back of his hand for a moment.
"Well, since you are so pleased with me would you consent to coming with me to speak with the others about our coming absence?" Robb raised a brow.
"Is this a not so subtle attempt to get me in a room with Arya?" she asked him amusedly.
"Perhaps," he looked slightly abashed, and she rolled her eyes.
"I will gladly come with you, but if she ups and leaves there will be nothing I can do about it," she said.
"I think her desire to know what's going on will outweigh anything else," Robb assured her.
"Hmm," Myrcella was not convinced, but she rose up as Robb did, following him obediently from the council chambers and towards one of the living rooms where the family could often be found at this time of day.
Sure enough, when they entered all of the family were present, Arya looking as though she had just come from the tiltyard. Arya dropped her wine cup from her lips as she and Robb entered, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"I'm glad you're all here," Robb spoke as his sister half-opened her mouth, more than likely to utter an excuse to leave. "I have had some news that concerns all of us in one way or another."
"What news?" Lady Stark looked anxious.
"We have been invited to the Capital, there is to be a tourney to celebrate the arrival of spring," Robb told them all, and Myrcella saw the colour drain from her good-mother's face.
Myrcella couldn't help but flicker her eyes towards Arya. Their gazes met, and for the first time in a long time she did not see any hostility there. Myrcella arched one of her brows slightly, and gave her an insistent look. Arya inclined her head slightly in response, and Myrcella took a breath, her nerves settling slightly as she turned her attention back to Robb, who was assuring his mother that under no circumstances would he be competing in the tourney.
"Can I go?" Rickon asked excitedly.
"If you wish it," Robb said, slightly stiffly.
"I'd love to see a tourney," he grinned.
"You will observe only, promise me," his mother said sternly, giving him a sharp look.
"I promise," Rickon seemed happy enough to obey.
"Arya?" Robb looked slightly apprehensive as he addressed his sister.
"I'm coming," she said.
"Are you sure?" Robb's brow furrowed.
"I'll only worry if I'm not there," she shrugged.
"Very well," Robb said, he still looked slightly suspicious but seemed accepting. "Then you both need to make sure your things are packed and ready to go by the end of the week. The sooner we can be on our way the better."
"I'll make sure it's done," Lady Stark smiled thinly, and Robb sent her a grateful look.
"Thank you," he murmured. "Bran, if you would come to the study with me there are some things we ought to discuss before I leave. I want Winterfell to still be standing when I return."
"Of course," Bran grinned happily, wheeling himself towards the door. Rickon moved to open it and Robb turned his attention back to Myrcella. She quickly put a smile on her face, hoping that he would at least be partially fooled. He raised a sceptical brow but said nothing as he leant in and kissed her cheek softly.
"Perhaps you and I should make a start on your packing, Rickon," Lady Stark ushered her youngest son from the room.
"It will likely be dinner when I see you, I have much to discuss with Bran," Robb told Myrcella apologetically, but for once she was glad he would be absent for a while.
"Of course," she squeezed his upper arm.
He smiled swiftly before he too left the room, leaving Myrcella stood alone across the room from Arya. It had worked out better than she had imagined. She had thought she would have to make some kind of excuse to extricate herself, and hope that Arya understood her silent messages. Given that they were not bosom friends it may have been difficult to convey her wishes with a mere look – at least this way there was no way either of them could possibly look suspicious. Everyone was seemingly so distracted by the trip to the Capital that they had not even noticed that they were leaving the two women alone in a room together.
"You remember what I said?" Arya broke the silence first.
"About my mother?" Myrcella raised a brow. "I am not likely to forget."
"Are you going to try and talk me out of it?" Arya challenged her.
"I could have had Robb leave you behind, I didn't," Myrcella said, and Arya inclined her head slightly.
"There's something you want in return, I'd bet?" Arya said perceptively.
"I don't want you to get into trouble," Myrcella said seriously. "I don't want Robb to have to suffer your death – because he will, if you're caught, which you no doubt will be, especially if there is no motive."
"I have plenty motive," Arya snarled.
"Yes," Myrcella snapped slightly. "I know that, but you have to understand that when Robb signed that treaty with my grandfather they agreed that all past crimes were forgiven. You cannot do anything that would risk the treaty, you would throw all of the kingdoms into another war, and you know it."
"What then?!" Arya demanded. "Your bitch of a mother has already broken the treaty by plotting Robb's death – surely?!"
"Yes," Myrcella met her eyes fiercely. "But we have no proof. We need proof. Don't you see?"
"Because if we had proof then…" Arya tailed off, an almost excitement in her eyes.
"Then any action you took could be justified," Myrcella said calmly.
"You won't try and stop me?" Arya looked as though she could not believe her ears.
"If you find proof that my mother means to harm Robb while we are at the Capital then I will hand you the blade myself and swear before the Seven and all the court that she deserved what she got," Myrcella said viciously, and Arya nodded slowly.
"You really do love him, don't you?" her good-sister was looking at her strangely.
"With all my heart," Myrcella confirmed. "And I cannot lose him, especially now we have Ned."
"The lords will have their men stuck to him all hours of the day," Arya said reassuringly. "Trust me, they won't like him going to the Capital and there is no way they would leave him undefended. My father didn't have enough men, they won't allow Robb to make the same mistake."
"I know," Myrcella nodded, "but my mother is devious, and underhand."
"Well," Arya stepped forward, hesitating a moment before placing a hand on Myrcella's shoulder. "We will just have to make sure that we are even more devious, because I am coming back to Winterfell with everyone I leave with."
"Thank you," Myrcella met her eyes, truly grateful.
"And you," Arya returned, holding her eyes for another moment before she squeezed her shoulder lightly and turned away, letting herself quietly out of the room as Myrcella let out the breath she had not realised she had been holding.
She decided against going to the dining hall for dinner, after her conversation with Arya she felt too on edge to be in Robb's presence. Instead she plucked Ned from the nursery and retired to her chambers. Dinner was brought to her but she just picked at it, her appetite seemingly vanished. Ned fed contentedly from her as she thought carefully about everything that had passed between her and Arya. What both of them had said was enough to be accused of treason. She shuddered slightly. It would do no good to think that. Myrcella had made herself very clear to her good-sister – there would have to be proof.
Would her mother be foolish enough to leave any proof? She almost snorted. It was highly unlikely, but Myrcella had to try. Perhaps if she played the dutiful daughter she could get close enough to discover something herself? Perhaps it would be enough just to keep her mother occupied long enough for Arya to be able to search her chambers. She bit her lip. Arya would be risking so much, and if she were caught… Robb would lose his mind, and if he discovered that Myrcella knew what Arya was planning on doing and said nothing… She swallowed hard. It didn't bear thinking about. Robb would be furious with her. She had seen him furious before but it had never been directed at her. Somehow she imagined that he would be even more furious should he find out what she and Arya were planning. Perhaps it would be best to speak with Arya, call everything off. It might be best that Arya stay here, she could perhaps find proof of her mother's treachery by herself.
She chewed on her lip as she considered it, stopping suddenly as the door of her chambers opened. A smile brightened her face on seeing Robb, which he returned before closing the door behind him. "Your absence was noticed at dinner," he said, in an amused tone which told her that he had not been concerned by it.
"Is it terrible of me to just want some time with Ned before the madness that is likely to engulf us during our time at the Capital?" she asked him in a teasing tone. It was as close to the truth that she could muster but Robb seemingly accepted it with ease as he crossed to pour himself some wine.
"Not terrible," he commented. "Would you like some?"
"Please," she replied. Some wine may calm her jangled nerves. "Who noted my absence, aside from you, of course?" she smiled as he turned towards her.
"Well, aside from me," he grinned, handing her a cup of wine as she shifted Ned so she could cradle him in one arm. "My mother was worrying about you."
"Worrying?" Myrcella repeated with a slight frown.
"Oh you know my mother," he shrugged before taking a drink. "She's not happy unless she has something to worry about. In all honesty I would have thought she'd be more worried about Arya's decision to come with us."
"Yes," she said carefully. "That was quite a surprise."
"It is and it isn't," he shrugged again. "You know what Arya is like, quite possibly the most paranoid woman I have ever met. She would, of course, be fretting the entire time we were away and no doubt end up driving my mother mad."
"Hmm, well, perhaps that is why your mother is unconcerned, she knows it will make her life easier," Myrcella commented and Robb chuckled lightly in response.
"Are you worried about going?" he asked her seriously after a few moments of comfortable silence.
"In some respects," she admitted. "Though, I am hoping seeing Tommen and -" she hesitated for a moment, "and, my uncles, will outweigh any displeasure I will feel on being in my mother's presence again."
"You know," he shifted slightly in his chair. "She is your mother… if you did want to, I don't know, mend bridges, I wouldn't be angry."
"You're sweet to say so," Myrcella smiled at him. "But my mother has entirely burned any bridges that would lead her back into my life. I will be civil publically but aside from that I cannot imagine she will want to be in my presence any more than I wish to be in hers."
"Very well," Robb relined back in his chair. "I will say no more about it."
"Thank you," she smiled in relief, hoping that he would indeed keep his word.
Myrcella could hear a commotion out in the courtyard as she folded another of her dresses into her trunk. Robb had treated her to three new silk gowns for the Capital as it would be warmer there, though she was also packing furs for the journey. The snows had melted for the most part, though there were still patches stubbornly lingering and Robb thought it likely they would not see unblemished landscape until they were well into the Riverlands.
She wandered to the window, glancing at Ned to make sure he was still soundly sleeping in his cradle as she moved to pull one of the drapes to the side. A small smile graced her lips as she noted the Frey sigil on the lapels of a few of the men milling about the carriage in the courtyard. From that she could only gather that Olyvar and his men had arrived, though she could not think why he would have brought a carriage, unless…
Giggling accompanied the soft knocking on the door and her smile widened. She hurried to open the door, little hands coming to clamp around her knees as little Bethany barrelled into her. The laugh that escaped her lips as she bent to pull the little girl up into her arms. "By the Gods, you have grown – we did not know you were coming!" she exclaimed.
"Surprise!" Bethany screeched, just as Myrcella caught sight of Sansa rounding the corner, Raya, who had been a babe in arms the last time Myrcella had seen her, now perched on her hip and grinning widely.
"A surprise indeed," Myrcella agreed, kissing Bethany's cheek before lowering her back to the ground and moving to embrace her good-sister. "It has been far too long since I have seen you, thank you so much for coming," she hugged her tightly for a long moment.
"Well, with Olyvar going to the Capital with you I couldn't pass the opportunity to see you all for a few days before you leave," Sansa smiled. "Once you return we will have to arrange for a longer visit, though I may stay a little while with mother after you leave. Anyway, forget all that now, where is my nephew?"
Her eyes were sparkling as she asked the question and Myrcella couldn't help but laugh slightly. "He's just through here," she gestured for Sansa and her daughters to enter her chambers before her. "Though, you may have to wait to hold him as he's still sleeping. I'd wager it will not be long before he wakes though."
"If he has slept through Bethany's arrival then he must be a wonderful sleeper," Sansa said wryly, shooting her daughter a meaningful look before she approached the cradle, her stern expression softening at once as she gazed at her nephew for the first time. "Oh, Myrcella," her voice cracked slightly. "Oh he is so beautiful, gosh he is so much like Robb."
"More like him every day, it seems," Myrcella could not help but smile widely.
"I forget how tiny they are, mine seem so huge in comparison," Sansa replied.
"Well, perhaps you will have to have another to remind yourself," Myrcella said teasingly.
"Yes," Sansa rolled her eyes. "I suppose I ought to think about providing my husband with an heir."
"Hmm, perhaps," Myrcella returned as another knock sounded on the door. "Come in!" she called.
"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Olyvar popped his head around the door in the next moment.
"Of course not," Myrcella smiled at him, "it's good to see you again."
"And you, my queen," he smiled in return. "I've come to relieve you of the children, their grandmother is rather desperate to see them."
"Yes, you mustn't keep her waiting any longer," Sansa said, moving to pass Raya into her husband's arms and ushering Bethany to accompany her father. "Go on now, the pair of you be good, I'll be along in just a moment after I've helped Myrcella finish her packing."
"I'll let them know you won't be long," Olyvar said, kissing her cheek before following Bethany out, the door closing firmly behind the three of them.
"You're helping me pack?" Myrcella turned to Sansa with a raised brow.
"I was just hoping to speak with you alone for a moment," Sansa said, her expression serious.
"Is something wrong?" Myrcella asked her, her stomach churning uncomfortably.
"You tell me," Sansa folded her arms. "What in the seven hells is Robb thinking, allowing Arya to go to the Capital, surely you, of all people, can see what a horrible idea that is?!"
"We're not concerned, and there's no reason you should be either," Myrcella tried a smile.
"Nice try," Sansa snorted. "You know damn well that she still hungers for revenge. There is no way she won't try anything, and if she does it will upset this…this, balance, we have somehow managed to achieve with the Southern Kingdoms. I know about her list. Half your family are on it, you should be more worried than anyone else."
"List?" Myrcella frowned.
"Joffrey," Sansa held up one finger. "Cersei," another went up. "Ilyn Payne," another. "Meryn Trant," yet another. "They are to name but a few, those who will no doubt be at the Capital," Sansa said seriously. "She added the Kingslayer, when she found out the truth about what happened to Bran. That's how I know about her list, she would chant it every night on the way back to Winterfell after she was delivered back to Robb. I shared a tent with her. I never told anyone else about her list, I never even told her that I heard her, but I did. I know she means it, Mycella. You can't take her to the Capital, she will ruin everything."
"By the Gods," Myrcella closed her eyes momentarily.
"Do you see?" Sansa asked.
"I see," she agreed, nodding slightly. "But… we cannot just change our minds now and leave her behind, it would seem strange. There will be plenty of men in our party and I can ensure that someone is discreetly watching her at all times."
"This is Arya we're talking about," Sansa stressed. "Do you not think she will know exactly how to evade whatever guard you place on her. She will know in an instant if she is being tailed. Myrcella, please, we have peace. We have families, we are happy. Please, you cannot let anything jeopardise that. Arya doesn't have what we have, she doesn't understand how devastating it would be to lose it, all she can think of is her own vengeance. It has blinded her for so long, Myrcella, you cannot give her the chance to bring our peace crashing down around us."
"Sansa, I don't want an end to peace," Myrcella said calmly, "and neither does Arya. I know how she feels about my family and we have spoken at length about it. As much as she hates them she would not put Robb or his rule at risk. I trust that she will do the right thing when we are at the Capital, otherwise I would already have put a stop to her accompanying us. Trust me, she only wishes to go so she does not have to stay here and fret about Robb's safety, that's all."
"I wish I could believe that," Sansa worried at her bottom lip.
"I know what I'm doing," Myrcella held her eyes, and eventually the other woman sighed in what she recognised as defeat.
"Very well," Sansa said tiredly. "I see I will not talk you out of it, but I hope you have taken everything I have said into consideration. If anything happens Myrcella, it will be on your head."
A/N: Thanks for reading guys, I'll try not to leave it so long next time!
:)
