Thank you ever so much for your patience, I really am the worst at updating! So enjoy this longish chapter!
Slightlynerdy.
Wolves and Hounds.
Chapter 26.
The feast was long and elaborate, several tables were set across a large garden, surrounded by nature and eccentric guests. Everyone was talking at once and singing along to the songs that the musicians were playing. From where she sat in between Petyr Baelish and her fiancé she could hear a lilting version of the Rains of Castamere, and Renly's current topic of conversation.
"Yes, we're planning for a lavish ceremony to really display two great houses joining together in happiness and prosperity and of course my brother would no doubt wish to contribute towards it. We are after all getting married at King's Landing, in the Great Sept of Baelor..."
Renly was talking over the top of her head to Littlefinger who sat cutting up his meat into chunks as he listened to Renly's speech, occasionally he would nod, sometimes he would agree, other times he wouldn't.
"I understand what you are saying my Lord, and I have no doubt that your beautiful bride deserves the very best of weddings." He glanced at her, smiling. "But the king's treasury is not able to spare any more of it's dwindling gold... Unless we can come to an agreement."
She didn't like the tone in which Littlefinger said his last words.
"Let's talk about it after we adjourn from the feast Littlefinger."
"As you wish."
She stabbed at a potato, lifting it up and biting into the it. She was bored, inexplicably so. Her sisters were nearer to her father and her father was sitting on the right hand side of the king. She sighed and Renly caught on to her the fact that she was completely and utterly fed up with just sitting still and making polite conversation. He leant in, brushing back some of her hair and whispered into her ear.
"Not long now my love... I know why don't we rally some people together and go riding."
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, "And you'll do fine atop a horse with your broken ribs... But yes, maybe I will arrange a ride."
Renly laughed, "I have yet to see you ride my Lady, I am upset that I miss out on watching you. Apparently you ride as well as Lyanna did."
Tarynn lifted her wine goblet, taking a sip of the deep dornish red, "Better."
Renly did make a speech. He stood up, or struggled to, Tarynn in the end had to stand up alongside him and support him. She had caught Joffrey sniggering and shot him a dark look, a look which Cersei had also picked up on and narrowed her eyes at. Tarynn shrugged it off, and looked up at Renly, watching his jaw move with every word he spoke. She hated this, she hated having to act like she was in love with him and would do anything for him. She despised lying but now it seemed like all she did was lie, they would just fall out of her mouth, she didn't even give it a second thought. Maester Luwin would be disappointed. She would have to write them tonight, if it was true that the letters that she had sent previously hadn't reached them, that was worrying. She didn't like the thought of someone reading her private letters but luckily there wasn't anything incriminating in them.
"As you all know myself and Lady Tarynn Stark, this beautiful woman on my arm, are to be wed here in King's Landing. We of course extend an invitation to all of you and hope that you will be able to join us in our revelries and celebrations, and also to help me reach me wedding bed..." There was a blast of laughter and Tarynn blushed, she hadn't even considered what her bedding would be like. Would Renly even be able to perform. She knew that he preferred the company of men over women... Would she be humiliated by him? She did not want her first time to be like that. "We have decided to move the wedding forward by a few weeks, so in two weeks time, Tarynn and I will be wed in holy matrimony." He pulled her closer as the tables surrounding them erupted into applause.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sandor stand up abruptly and stalk off, his broad back rippling with every step he took. His anger evident. She smiled and acted like the blushing bride to be. When they moved from the feast and to the courtyards she shook hands, thanked people for their compliments and their well wishes. She stood with Sansa and Arya, one sister on either side. Joffrey also loitered near, approaching when the last cluster of noble women moved off.
"So Tarynn, you're to be my aunt. Congratulations, I hope you will enjoy being a Baratheon... But I think Sansa will make an even more beautiful bride when it comes to our wedding... You're not slender enough."
Tarynn itched to slap the bastard boy, to wipe that smug grin off his stupid princely face, even Sansa looked shocked.
"Hey, leave my sister alone."
"And what are you going to do about it, animal."
"I'm not an animal." Arya lunged at him, but Tarynn managed to pull her back, she was about to ask Joffrey to occupy himself with something else but she didn't have to.
"Harassing the young Starks?"
Joffery turned, "What's it to you Hound? Or should I say Champion Hound now, you rode well, but I think you should have challenged Loras to a joust anyway and killed him, set an example that you are the most fierce man in this realm and that you are controlled by me. You should have speared him like you did my bastard Lannister cousin."
"My dearest Joff, I pray that those words never tumble out of your handsome little mouth again. We do not speak ill of the dead, especially not of those who were family. Now why don't you fetch your brother and sister, bring them to me, we are to all go to my quarters to spend some quiet time together." Cersei watched her oldest son march off, Sandor in tow, before turning back to face the three Stark girls. Arya clutched at Tarynn's dress. "Sansa... And little Arya, the offer is open to you as well."
"Thank you your Grace, I would love to your Grace." Sansa curtseyed before following in Joffrey's footsteps towards the keep.
Arya pouted, "No, I want to stay with Tarynn."
Cersei knelt down, a false smile plastered on her face, "Your sister and I have to talk, and you wouldn't want to defy me now would you Arya? After all that happened with your beast of a pet?"
Arya stalked off moodily, looking back over her shoulder at her older sister.
Cersei straightened up, her countenance changing rapidly, "You have been busy now, haven't you? All this skulking around isn't good for a Lady of your stature. You will begin making enemies soon, powerful ones who have much control over what happens here in this great city..."
Tarynn narrowed her eyes at the blonde bitch, "What grounds are you basing these accusations on, you have nothing on me."
"On the contrary my sweet, quite on the contrary." Cersei made a move to walk away but turned around, looking over her shoulder, "I would advise you to be careful, bold girls like you get snapped up and eaten when they attempt to play a game designed for adults. I know what you are like Lady Tarynn, clever, intelligent, wilful. But impulsive. And that trait will ruin you... and I will be waiting to destroy you when you fall."
She has it all wrong, she's mistaken me for someone else... Why would she threaten me so fiercely if nothing has threatened her first. She has something to hide... And I am going to find out what it is.
The queen's threats only made Tarynn even more determined to hunt out what it was the Lannister had to hide. She needed to talk to her father. And soon.
Lord Eddard was talking with a group of men when she approached, they bowed their heads towards her respectively when she approached their cluster.
"Father, might I have a word?"
He chuckled, "Is this about your wedding? With Renly's plans it looks to cost me a fortune already.
The other men laughed as well, Tarynn smiled politely, "Nothing to do with the wedding papa, I wanted to talk privately."
"Well then, excuse me gentlemen."
Ned offered his arm to Tarynn and she took it, they walked away from the crowds of people towards an archway adorned with passion fruit.
"The queen has something to hide, doesn't she?"
Ned sighed, "You never had a knack for subtlety, when you had a question you asked it outright, no matter what it was. Such is your inquisitive nature."
"That means that there is something then..." Her father looked away from her, "Father tell me what it is, I can help."
"No. You can't. You are to lie low until you are married to Renly and leave for Storm End."
"Father..."
"My word is final Tarynn, I have something I need to do, but it is of no concern of yours."
He began to walk away, his footsteps echoing across the tiled floor, she called after him, "She threatened me, the queen, she said she was waiting to destroy me. I do not know what I have done to deserve such threats."
Eddard turned around, his expression pained, "You are too good for this city Tarynn, too pure and good hearted, that's why the queen threatened you... You make me so very proud but please you must stop asking questions, for your sake, and the sake of your sisters."
She hated her father's tone, the implications, the fact that he might have found out something incriminating about the queen and yet was unwilling to share it with her. She could help, she knew she could, yet she allowed him to walk away and go back to the party. She would find out what it was soon, of that she was sure.
She sighed and turned to face the neatly kept gardens, she wanted scream, she wanted to throw a temper tantrum about the fact that everyone was still trying to protect her. She needed to go riding in order to clear her mind and focus her thoughts. She headed back towards the gathering, and with the help of a couple of guards and servants, spread out the notion of making a riding party. When the king caught wind of it, he announced very loudly that it was a splendid idea and that anyone who wished to was welcome to join.
She noticed a couple of people willing to ride with them, the king of course, Joffrey which meant the Hound also had to accompany them, Lancel; Robert's squire, some minor lords and no ladies. Overall about thirty people decided to join the riding group.
Most had to change their clothes and so she took advantage of this, she caught the eye of Tilly who was chatting to some other servants, gesturing for her to come to her.
"Lady Tarynn?"
"I need to find my riding leathers, I think I packed them."
Tilly looked shocked, "You own riding leathers?"
"Of course I do, my brothers and I often went riding and I couldn't keep up with them when I wore a dress so my father had riding leathers commissioned for me. It's not that uncommon."
"I have never seen a Lady wear riding leathers before, but I think I know where they are. I didn't know they belonged to you though."
"Well they do, and I need them, so please come with me and help me find them. It has been a long time since I have last gone riding."
"Are you the only woman going?"
Tarynn weaved through the people, smiling whilst responding to Tilly who was following her, "My sisters are too young to go otherwise I know they would have loved to, so yes I am. I refuse to be ruled by the stupid rules that are put against women in this city. I refuse to give up everything I love in order to fit in."
"Bold words my Lady, bold words. I think you would suit Myr very well if you ever go."
Tarynn grinned, looking back over her shoulder and responding to Tilly's statement in Myrish, "I use to hope that I would one day go there, that I would be able to roam the Free Cities, to explore their cultures." She turned to face the direction she was supposed to go in, "But unfortunately I am to be married, have Renly put his children in me, raise them and then watch them grow up which for my sister would be a dream come true but I long for adventure and for knowledge. Not the changing of shitty underwear and the running of a household."
Tilly laughed, "You really should be careful when you speak like that."
"We are talking in an extremely foreign tongue, none of these people understand what we are saying. But I apologise if you've been offended Tilly."
Her handmaid looped her arm through hers, "I worked in a brothel Tarynn, I have heard worse than that. I will find your riding leathers. You know that I will always listen to any of your worries, and I will keep them to myself. Your secrets are my secrets."
She squeezed Tarynn's arm, "Thank you Tilana, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you."
"Struggle to get into those corsets on your own that's for sure."
Tarynn laughed, "Yes. These blasted corsets will be the death of me for certain."
When she emerged from the tower of the Hand, the servants turned to stare. She was clad head to toe in dark brown leather, buckles went around her waist holding the pieces of leather together and a hood was attached to the back to keep off rain or snow. It was tight fitting. On her feet she wore riding boots, sturdy things that could be worn through thick snow and still keep out the wet.
She went to where the men were saddling their horses, she spotted the white one that she had ridden to King's Landing on and gestured to Teddy to bring it to her.
"Here you are my Lady."
She took the reins off the young stable boy, "What's her name?"
"We call her Maiden, or Maid for short."
"Maiden," Tarynn stroked Maiden's mane, "Well it certainly suits you."
She placed her saddle upon Maiden, tightening up the straps before mounting up. Once upon Maiden she guided her to where the king, Joffrey and Sandor were waiting.
"Lady Tarynn, I hardly recognised you in your leathers." The king took in her appearance. "You look keen to start this riding party."
She nodded, "It has been a good few weeks since I last rode a horse, I am looking forward to it."
Prince Joffery was wearing riding leathers too, as were many of the other noble men, the Hound was wearing his grey steel plate, the king hadn't even changed.
"Well then, I think we should commence in that case..." The king guided his giant war horse round, "Saddle up men, we are moving out"
Sandor pulled his steed, Stranger, alongside Maiden, "You look fit for riding today my Lady, I didn't know you owned a set of leathers."
She laughed, "There is a lot you don't know about me Sandor, not yet at least," She gently stroked her steed's mane, "We shouldn't talk to one another in public, people will start to wonder, and I could do with not adding to the things that people could use against me."
Sandor looked at her with puzzlement adorning his face at her cryptic statement, she waved it off, a gesture that he wasn't to worry.
I will deal with Cersei Lannister on my own.
She cracked her reins and her horse jolted forward, many of the others followed suit. Sandor placed his helm on his head and snapped it down before urging Stranger on. The powerful animal's muscles rippled with each step it took, it was a foreboding beast. They were to ride through the city first in order to get to the gates nearest to where king Robert's hunting grounds lie.
To say she was nervous was an understatement, her body practically rattled with fear as she encouraged Maiden beneath the portcullis of the Red Keep. She wasn't sure how the public was going to receive her. On her way in many people, including Tilana, had said that she had made a good impression on the humble people of King's Landing. And yet humans' perceptions of things can change so quickly. Why, for example, her feelings towards Sandor had transitioned from fear to love in a matter of weeks.
Their procession through the city wasn't quiet. The sound of men's laughter and voices rang out across the cobblestone roads. A few of the citizens came out to watch them as they rode past, their faces whilst not happy were not depressed or sad. For many it was just a normal day, they were not impacted in anyway by the revelries that had been taking place in the Red Keep, they had just been getting on with their everyday lives.
Curious eyes peered at her as she rode past, mothers held children, prostitutes flaunted their wares. Some of the men in their entourage whistled at the whores which only encouraged them in their pursuit. Her legs ached, she wanted to do some hard riding, this was getting ridiculous now.
"My father says that your an excellent rider."
Prince Joffrey's voice floated out of nowhere, she turned her head to left only to be accosted with the sight of Sandor and Stranger, looking to her right she saw rhe bratty boy.
"I wouldn't say I was excellent, certainly I am very good, your father flatters me."
"My father flatters any creature with breasts, and you certainly come under that category."
She wanted to slap him, she could also feel the anger radiating off of Sandor.
He is probably furious. Though I wouldn't stop him if he wanted to bury his fist in the boy's face.
"Perhaps you shouldn't talk of your father in such a way, my prince."
"I can talk of him in any way I like, that's what mother says, and who can hear? My father is a drunkard, he won't even care, he'll be to drunk to understand."
For some reason she felt a little bit of sorrow for this evil bastard, his father was an alcoholic, and Joffrey had been denied any sort of fatherly influence.
I don't think I would be able to survive without my father.
"If you say so my prince."
"I do say so... You know Lady Tarynn, Sansa is very pretty, I think I will enjoy having her as my wife."
Tarynn stared coldly at the blonde prick, "You had better treat her well then."
He grinned, his eyes alight with malice, "Oh I will, have no fear of that Lady Tarynn. Dog, let us ride to the front of this group and to my father."
"As you wish."
Joffrey rode off but Sandor lingered, she could not see any of his face for it was hidden behind his mask of steel, instead she heard his voice, echoing as it bounced off the insides of his helmet. "Don't listen to him, little bird will be protected, have no fear of that wolf."
Her own response was quiet, she looked directly ahead as she spoke, "How can you be so certain? My father will not be around forever to protect her and I move to Storm End as soon as I am wed. Sansa will have no one, and that is one of the things that plagues me. She will be left on her own in this corrupted city without her family."
She urged her horse to go faster, galloping past the main group and the king and heading down the twisting roads. She was angry, annoyed and frightened. She just wanted to leave the Red Keep behind, she wanted to be left alone for a little while with her thoughts. She rode under a bridge, and passed several of the silent sisters on their trek to Baelor's Sept, each one dressed in grey. They didn't look up at her, in fact no one did, she was left to her own devices. The sky, even though blue, was tinged with grey. Storms were threatening to unleash their torrents on the capital of Westeros.
She rode hard and fast, her only wish was to leave the city behind, to gallop across unspoiled fields. She reached the gate, it's portcullis was raised and she thanked the Gods for that, she hadn't wanted to stop to speak to the gate guards. She dug her heels into Maiden's side, spurring her on and out, then she was free.
*Sandor*
His helmet was stifling, sweaty, it caused his hair to stick to the sides of his face but it was custom for him to wear it whenever he was to be escorting the prince around or out of the city. He had listened to the boy's remarks to Tarynn on her sister but it was how he had rudely commentated on Tarynn's womanhood, and her well endowed figure, that had wanted him to watch the prince's head roll down the street. However what Joffrey said about Tarynn's figure was true and he had to admit he was having a hard time controlling himself when they were alone together but some how he managed.
Not all Hounds are savage, uncontrollable beasts.
She had been curt to him, and he knew deep down that it was to save face, they would cause catastrophic damage if they spoke intimately to one another in public. He was just counting his lucky stars everyday that Tarynn was different to every other woman in the world, that she saw past the ruins of a face, the scars that marred physical appearance. She saw past all that and that filled him with the closest thing to elation. However the thing that would make him feel truly and purely elated would be killing his brother, to watch the Mountain fall to his knees, his blood painting the floor red as it gushed out of his ruined throat.
Yes, that would make me extremely happy.
He had seen how stony Joffrey's comments had made Tarynn, and he had longed to sweep her off her horse and comfort her. He had wanted to take off his helmet so that she could see his face. Anything that might of given Tarynn a bit of happiness he would have done... If he could. There had been many people around them and Tarynn had asked him not to be public with his affections for her so he wasn't. Instead he offered her a promise, a promise that her sister would be looked after, which he would do but only if Tarynn was safe first.
He was left alone to his thoughts as they rode to the king's hunting grounds. Tarynn had galloped off without so much as a look behind her, but who could blame her, she was a northerner, un-use to being caged within a city.
He had been bold with his assumptions and questions earlier, he had had no right to ask her to give up her maidenhead to him he knew, but he loved her. And that was more than Renly could claim. He would do right by her, he always would, as long as he still drew breath. The thought of bedding Tarynn made him stiffen, and he hoped that he wouldn't have to get down from Stranger any time soon.
It was a peculiar thing, he went to the north with the expectations of frost and cold northerners but he never in his wildest dreams imagined that one of the daughters of Lord Eddard Stark, warden of the north, would have fallen in love with him and he with her. It was a mysterious thing, and one that he thought he would never be able to understand, that no maester would understand. Someone loved him, despite the grisly remains of his face, despite his violent tendencies. Never had he thought to fall in love, he had come to the conclusion that isolation and solitude were going to be the only lovers he would ever have, and yet fate proved him wrong.
He was supposed to be guarding the Prince, and he was in a relaxed sort of way, he could see the brat upon his grey stallion. The boy was cowardly but malicious, and he felt sorry for him, Joffrey had no robust father figure perhaps that's why he felt that he should try and guide him in whatever way he could.
He sighed, he had wanted to ride after Tarynn, but instead he was stuck riding in this slow paced procession. Listening to the japes of the nobility that surrounded him. He was out of comfort zone and he hated that.
*Tarynn*
When she got to what she assumed was king Robert's hunting grounds, lands that consisted of both forest and fields, she came across two young men each with their own bows and swords. She rode up to them as they walked across the expanse of a field, signalling for them to stop, she dismounted.
"Sorry love but we're kind of busy, hunting for king's Robert's supper you understand."
They were both taller than her and both had dark brown hair, one had the starts of a beard, the other had dark stubble gracing his cheeks. They were good looking, she couldn't deny that, but the filthy clothing that they wore betrayed the fact that they were of common birth. She had raised her hood when she had been riding, and now she lowered it, crossing her arms over her bosom and responded to the man who had spoken to her.
"Of course I do, but I wish to help you."
The man laughed and turned to the man who stood next to him, he was a little shorter than his companion, but it was his eyes that captured Tarynn's attention, they were brown but flecked with gold.
"A woman helping us? We're the finest hunters in all of King's Landing, aren't we Max? We don't need no woman helping us."
She smiled first at Max, and then at the man who was speaking for the both of them, "Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot," She turned on the charm, "I really do wish to learn how to fend for myself and my family, you see we are impoverished and if I do not learn... Well my sisters will die."
My lying is getting increasingly better
The bearded man appraised her crossing his arms, "You don't look impoverished."
"I scraped every copper I could together working the..." She lowered her eyes to the ground and the men took the hint.
"Oh, well we wouldn't one that on any young lady," He coughed, "Would we Max?"
Max just stared intently at her.
"Well you do what is necessary in order to survive."
For the first time since she had approached them, the man with the stubble responded, "How good are you with a bow miss?"
"Please call me Tarynn, and I have shot an arrow once, I picked up the technique from my brothers before... they moved elsewhere."
The bearded man laughed, "All right Tarynn, we'll show you the ropes."
She grabbed hold of Maiden's reins, Max came to walk beside her, "Where did you get such a fine creature?"
She bit her lip, trying to think of a suitable lie, "A stablemaster is very fond of me, he was a friend of my father's, he allows me to borrow one of the horses once a week."
"I see... Where do you hail from? You don't sound southern."
"My father is from the north, I was born there too and lived there till I was 13, then we moved to King's Landing. Better opportunity my father had told my mother. He had died of water disease after two weeks in the city."
The lies flowed freely from her lips now, she was too far involved to stop them.
"I am sorry."
"It was a long time ago." Maiden whinnied and Max reached out to touch her lightly on the neck. His hand brushed the back of Tarynn's neck but she thought nothing of it.
"Okay Miss Poverty, you see that over there." Her eyes followed to where the bearded man was pointing. A stag stood alone near the edge of the forest, grazing. "Shoot it."
He handed her his bow and arrow and she looked at him startled, "I've used a bow and arrow once, I'm not going to be able to kill that stag, not from this distant."
The man laughed again, "Try. If your a natural hunter then there's not much we can teach you, if your not then perhaps we can sort out regular lessons. Max."
Max handed over Maiden's reins to the bearded man, he approached her and placed his hand at the small of her back, his breath tickled the top of her ears, he smelt of sweat and musk, "Straighten up, hold the arrow so that its level with your mouth, keep your arm steady and just pull back and release." He stepped away from her and she looked towards where the stag was.
She remembered how her brothers fired arrows, how Theon used to do it, she pulled back the arrow. She regulated her breathing and blocked out everything around her so it was just her and the stag. She took a deep breath and loosed the arrow.
Robb always use to say that concentrating on your target was the best way to ensure that your arrow would hit it. Blocking everything out was key.
There was a whoop from behind her as her arrow pierced the stag's flank, it fell to the grass with a scream, its legs kicking wildly. Someone was grabbing her hand and pulling her towards where the beast had fallen.
"You're a natural, you actually got it! Did you see that Kellan?"
"I did."
When they reached the fallen animal who was still thrashing around, Max fell to his knees beside it and drew the dagger at his hip, with one motion he cut the stag's throat and its blood rushed out, coating the grass.
"He's your kill Miss Poverty, choose which bits you want to take back to your little sisters." Kellan stood with his hands on his hips, his feet apart.
She knelt down beside Max, "A haunch would be easiest to carry into the city without spoiling but the belly is where the richest meat is." He pointed to the different sections of the stag.
"Maybe I'll take some of the belly..."
She reached out and touched the stag, her vision began to blur, and she slipped into unconsciousness.