A/N: I'm sorry I've been taking so long to update but my creative juices just haven't been flowing very much lately. I also found it really hard to write this chapter because the Red Wedding was just so horrible. I kind of made up my own way for it to happen and some things are not the same as the book or TV show so just bare with me, I'm still trying to figure out where I'm going to take this story from here. Again I apologise for any grammatical or spelling errors and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Ooh and don't forget to review, you know how much I love them! - SnowandStark
Chapter 21
The next day I woke to the sound of people outside our tent and the sun was shining onto my face. I heard someone come into the tent but I couldn't will myself to get up and see to them so I simply snuggled closer to Gwaine who tightened his grip on me. I heard a chuckle from the person in the tent and I slowly cracked one of my eyelids open to see who it was. Jory stood there smiling at us both. "Morning Jory." He smiled at me.
"Morning sleepy head. I hope you two haven't been doing anything that you shouldn't." He raised his eyebrows at me trying to do his best Dad impression. I giggled and I could feel Gwaine stirring behind me. "Nope, Gwaine wants to make an honest women of me before we do anything like that." This seemed to satisfy Jory's fatherly duties for the day.
"Well you've got yourself a good man there, who would do anything for you." I looked at Gwaine's sleeping face. "I know Jory." Jory smiled and started to leave the tent.
"Oh you need to get yourself packed up, we're making the final part of the journey to the Twins today." I nodded at Jory and he left the tent. I don't know why but the thought of going to the Twins filled me with dread. Gwaine started to get up and I felt him rest his chin on my shoulder. "Morning sleeping beauty." He growled and nipped my neck.
"Oww." He covered it up with lots of kisses, this pacified me. I got up from the bed and had a quick wash to get rid of yesterdays grime. I put some of my perfume on, dabbing a small amount on my wrists and neck then I proceeded to put on a simple, comfortable dress. Once I was dressed I started on my hair. I brushed it and then started to braid my hair and put it over the top of my head almost like a headband. I then proceeded to pack everything back into the appropriate boxes making sure that anything breakable was stored safely. While I was doing all of this Gwaine managed to silently get dressed into a fresh shirt and trousers and was stood watching me. As I walked past him I placed a kiss on his cheek. I made my way outside pulling the cloak tighter to my body to keep away the morning chill. I walked around for a while sorting things out, making sure that I was ready to leave. I grabbed a quick breakfast with the knights but Gwaine was nowhere to be seen. I felt like I was walking in the clouds this morning after what had happened between us last night. After my breakfast I contacted Shadow through our mental bond to see where he was. He was grazing in a meadow not far from the feast tent. When I got to him he was looking into the horizon. I walked up to him and placed my hand on his neck, gently stroking him. "Are you ready to go?" He turned to look at me and I swear he smiled. "Yes little one, I have missed riding with you, I don't get to see you as much as I would like." I sighed and wrapped my arms around Shadow's neck.
"I know Shadow, it'll be different soon." He whickered in response and I started to walk with him to the stables. When we got there I set to work grooming Shadow and making him look beautiful. I saw Merlin walking past and called him over. As he got closer his eyes widened. "Shadow Fax is that you?" Shadow chuckled and nodded his head. "Yes Master Emrys, it is me. I made my way to Winterfell to fulfil my duty of protecting the Queen." Merlin smiled at that.
"Well Shadow you've done a great job." Shadow whickered in answer. Merlin smiled and started to sort out the other horses. I slowly tacked up Shadow, making sure that all of his tack was clean and not broken. I put on his saddle cloth and saddle making sure that I asked him if the girth was too tight. Then I moved onto his bridle. When I was satisfied with my work I went to go get an apple for him, when I got back Gwaine was stood next to Shadow with his arms behind his back. I walked up to him and tried to see what was behind his back. His produced a bunch of beautiful wild flowers. He plucked some of them out of the bunch and made me sit down. I frowned at him but obliged. He started to thread the small flowers into the braid, when he was done he made a happy sound and made me stand up, "My work here is done." He lifted up a mirror and showed me his work, the flowers were beautiful and they made me look like a princess. "Gwaine they're beautiful!" I hugged him tightly and he gave me a quick kiss. He gave the rest of bunch and I gently placed them in my saddlebag. The order came for us all to mount up and I gladly mounted up. I patted Shadows neck and he whinnied happily. "Shall we go for a run?" Shadow snorted and threw his neck high up in the air. I turned around to my knights who were all in their armour and shouted "I'll be back in a minute Shadow needs a run!" I heard okays come from they all and I told Shadow to go. He reared up and I whooped like a little girl, I could hear laughter behind me, and above me as the dragons were circling. We set off at a fast gallop the wind blowing through my hair. There was a fallen log in front of us and Shadow jumped it with ease. We carried on galloping for a while until Shadow was covered in sweat and was humming contently. We circled back to meet back up with the rest of the convoy. When we got back everyone was talking between each other. Arthur looked like he had never left. I cantered over to Arthur and turned Shadow in a circle so that I was walking next to him. "Did you both enjoy yourselves?" I nodded getting my breath back.
"Yes thanks, it felt so nice to have the wind in my hair again. Oh I said that you could meet my dragons." Arthurs faced split into a huge smile and I called my dragons down they flew ahead of us, never touching the ground. I introduced Arthur to each of them and he spoke with each dragon in turn. "Do you want to ride one?" Arthur turned to me with his mouth wide open.
"Really?" I nodded my head.
"Just wait here a second, I best go check with my other over protective brother." I winked at him and cantered over to where Robb was. "Robb. Is it alright if I take Arthur for a ride on a dragon?" Robb laughed. "Of course. I wouldn't want to deprive him of such an amazing experience." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and cantered back over to Arthur. "Come on then! Who do you want to ride?" He was deep in thought for a second.
"Thorn please." I smiled at him and hopped off of Shadow while we were still walking along. Arthur followed suit and we ran over to Thorn and Emrys who were stood waiting. Arthur walked up to Thorn and placed a hand on his neck. "I really appreciate this Thorn."
"It's my pleasure Arthur." I smiled and quickly climbed onto Emrys' back, being careful of the spikes. "Are you ready?" Arthur was sat on Thorn, holding onto one of his spikes for support. I gently placed a hand on Emrys' neck and he started to climb into the air vertically, Thorn doing the same. We were soon in the air and the people below us were ting specks. The other dragons joined and we flew in close formation. Arthur was smiling and whooping loudly. His excitement was infectious and I started to do the same. We started to descend and we were soon flying low over the armies. A flash of colour across the ground. The men looked up as we flew past and I waved to them all, and they waved back, Stark and Pendragon men alike. After about an hour of flying around we were finally at the entrance to the Twins. The dragons stopped in a clearing near to where Robb and the knights had stopped. I gracefully hopped off and Arthur less gracefully. He stumbled slightly but Thorn steadied him with his leg. "That was amazing Kay!" He ran up to me and hugged me tightly.
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." Robb made his way over to us and patted me on the back. That night we would be going to speak to Walder Frey about Cat's brother and the marriage they had arranged between him and one of Walder's daughters. I went to my tent and got out one of my best dresses. It was a red colour, similar to Thorn's scales with a gold dragon going from my shoulder all around my waist and down my leg. I kept the flowers in my hair and simply brushed it again to make it more presentable. Robb and Cat had decided that I should wear my crown to the wedding. So I gently placed the thin gold crown atop my head, making sure that I didn't disturb the flowers. When I felt appropriately dressed I walked out of my tent to try and find out who was coming with me. Gwaine, Arthur and Merlin were all dressed in their best clothes, the first two in their ceremonial armour. I coughed slightly to get their attention and they all turned towards me. I lifted my arms to the side of me as if to say 'So?' Gwaine smiled at me, Arthur looked kind of sad and Merlin looked like a proud Mother. I walked up to them and said "So am I appropriately dressed? I think maybe I've over done it." Arthur smiled.
"Kay you look perfect." I smiled at him and looked at Robb.
"Wow look at you Mister. Come here one of your buttons is wonky." He frowned and looked down and I poked him in the nose. "Ha. Made you look!" He grabbed me and tickled me making me scream in laughter. I swatted his hands away and wiped away a few stray tears. "So who is going to accompany me?" Robb stepped forward.
"Well seen as you are a Queen then you can take two of your Queens Guard and a servant. So we thought that you could take Arthur, Gwaine and Merlin." I nodded making a satisfied noise. I clapped my hands together. "Alright then let's get this over with." I mounted Shadow and made my way over to where Cat sat on her horse. "Hey Cat are you okay?" She looked at me and her mouth dropped open. "Oh Kayla you look so beautiful." I smiled and leant across and hugged her tightly.
"Thanks Cat." She smiled at me and squeezed my hand. Edmure walked up next to me and smiled a nervous smile. "You look very nice my Queen." I smiled at him and couldn't help but feel sorry for him having to marry someone he had never met before. "Thank you m'lord." Robb rode forward and took point, Gwaine and Arthur flanked me and Merlin rode behind me. I told Shadow to go back to the camp with my dragons as soon as I got into the Frey castle. He whickered softly in affirmative. We trotted to the gates and as soon as we were inside I was helped down from Shadow by one of Frey's men. He stared at me for longer than I liked. Just like I had asked Shadow left as soon as I had dismounted, the Frey man tried to chase him but I said that he would be fine. He gave me a funny look but carried on anyway. We were led inside the castle, which was dark and creepy. Gwaine had his hand on the small of my back, reassuring me and steering me at the same time. We stopped in front of a pair of strong looking wooden doors. The doors opened with a loud creak and the main throne room was revealed. Walder Frey sat in the throne at the top of some dangerous looking steps, one leg draped over the arm of the throne, an arm propping his head up. He looked terribly bored. We walked to the bottom of the steps and stopped waiting for Walder to speak. "Ah the King in the North has arrived, even if he is a little late." I could see the muscle in Robb's jaw twitch slightly. "I do apologise my lord, the last thing that I wanted to do was offend you my lord." He bowed slightly in a kind of sarcastic manner. "No matter, you're here now. Right let's get on with it then." With that he got up from his throne and I swear I heard him creak and he waltzed down the steps like a prize goose. We were offered a token of protection to show that no harm would come to us whilst under Walder's roof. We then proceeded with the ceremony, Edmure looked visibly nervous, obviously worried about the looks of his new wife. I think he was pleasantly surprised by his new wife as he grinned throughout the whole thing. Once this was done we were led into another even larger room which was cold and eerie. It had an incredibly high ceiling and the room itself was big enough to fit at least three of my dragons in it. There were long wooden tables set out around the food, with candles down the middle of each. Edmure and his wife were seated below the balcony next Walder. A band was playing songs high up in the balcony. We were seated in the front row with Robb, I was sat next to Gwaine and Talia, Gwaine on my right and Talia on my left. It was rather loud in the feast hall and everybody was having a good time, well apart from me. I still couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. Gwaine must have noticed that I was uncomfortable as he placed his hand on my leg reassuringly. "Relax Kay." He gave me a let it go look. "Sorry." I sat back and tried to lose myself in the music, I watched the people around me noticing that Catelyn was seated next to Roose Bolton. All of a sudden the music changed and Cat whipped her head towards the sound, her face fell. She looked at Roose questioningly, in response he simply lifted the sleeve of his shirt revealing chain mail beneath. I grabbed Gwaine's arm and was about to drag him out of his seat when men with crossbows stepped up to the balcony readying their weapons. Gwaine was seeing the same as me now, fully knowing what was going to happen. There was a sudden flurry of movement and bolts started to whistle through the air, seeking out targets. I was pulled under the table by Gwaine where he covered me with his body. He handed me his knife before stepping away from me and killing a Frey man in front of him. I crept out from my hiding place and followed Gwaine, covering his back. I swung my head around trying to locate Robb and Cat. My eyes landed on Talia, a Frey man was repeatedly stabbing her in the stomach, right where her baby would be. Her bloodcurdling screams filled the room, freezing me to the spot. Robb's head whipped round to look at his wife, a loud shout ripping from his throat. Before I could run to him several bolts struck him. The wind was knocked out of his lungs and his eyes searched around the room, he spotted me and smiled. I ran over to him placing a hand on his face. Tears were streaming down my face now, blurring my vision. "Robb please don't leave me, I need you." His bloody hand rested on my cheek. "I'm so sorry Kayla. You need to leave." I shook my head violently, hair whipping in all directions. "No, I'm not leaving you. Not again." I was sobbing at this point, the noise around me drowned out. "Kayla, you need to go. I have to protect you. Let me do this one last thing for you okay." Gwaine came up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist. "My Queen we have to leave now, before they kill the whole Stark army. We need to save as many as we can." Gwaine's arm gripped onto Robb's shoulder, they both nodded at each other. "Goodbye Kayla, I love you so much you know that don't you?" I nodded my head, not trusting my words anymore.
"If you love me then you will leave now, save as many of my men as you can. If you find my sisters and brothers please tell them that I'm sorry and that I love them all so much." With that Gwaine pulled me away, dragging me out of the hall through the large doors that Arthur and Merlin were barely holding open. I turned around just in time to see Catelyn's throat cut open and Robb stabbed. The last thing I saw before the doors shut was his body falling to the ground.