Chapter Eight: Battles of Your Youth
A/N: Wow! A MASSIVE thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited and followed this story. You guys have been so awesome, keep up the good work! Hope you enjoy this chapter ;)
Mella didn't think she had ever seen the castle courtyard packed with so many people, not even when the rest of her family and their entourage had been present. The decorations had looked magnificent even in the daylight hours, but now, as night wrapped Winterfell in its dark cloak, the place was absolutely resplendent. She descended the stairs, glancing around, but of course she would not recognize a familiar face even if she laid eyes on one. Her dress trailed out behind her as she weaved her way through the courtyard.
Robb's birthday celebration was doubtless in full swing. A fire-eater and several performers on stilts seemed to be the main attractions, creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere that made Mella feel daring. She allowed herself to admire the variety of masks and costumes. How she wished they had events as lively as this in King's Landing! Perhaps the cold north wasn't so bad after all.
"Well played, Mella." She turned to see a familiar tall figure swaggering towards her in a mask that made her straighten her face to keep herself from laughing. It was clear that Theon had chosen to embellish his love for his house. The kraken had tentacles going in all directions, but Mella had to admit that it had quite the effect. That was the thing with Theon, you could never take him seriously. "Thinking people won't recognize you if you choose to boast your mother's house?"
"Perhaps that was the idea," Mella quipped, a little disappointed that someone had recognized her straight away. She examined Theon's costume with slight amusement, before she glanced around. Immediately, she earned herself a sharp nudge in the ribs, her mind wandering back down from its high in the sky.
"Looking for someone?" Theon questioned slyly.
Mella rolled her eyes. "I could ask the same of you."
Instead of replying, Theon gazed around the congregation and pointed rather obviously towards the long table that stretched almost the length of the courtyard. A man stood there in a grey wolf mask, surrounded by a gaggle of youths. Mella's heart seemed to flutter a little, although she was certain that it must be due to excitement at the celebrations rather than any nervousness at seeing Robb. She saw Robb every day. Of course it meant nothing.
"Why don't you go over and say hello?" Theon suggested, the hint of laughter more prominent than ever in his voice.
Mella was extremely grateful that he couldn't see her cheeks burning beneath her mask. "Oh, go and find a pretty girl to dance with."
She took Theon's advice, however. She swallowed her apprehension and walked over to the congregation surrounding the heir of Winterfell, with as much confidence as she could. The group politely separated upon seeing a woman among them, and Robb himself turned to face her. By his relaxed demeanour and jovial attitude, he clearly had not yet realized who she was. His eyes raked approvingly over her form and she couldn't help the heated feeling spreading up her face.
"Enjoying the celebrations, Robb?" Mella asked dryly.
Not even a hundred golden dragons could have bought the look on Robb's face as he came to terms with who he was speaking to. For a few moments, his mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Then he gathered his composure about him like a cloak and drew Mella's hand to his lips, as if such a formality could compensate for his rather lecherous stare.
"My lady." The words came out in a rush. "I didn't know that you would honouring us with your presence in...quite that sort of attire."
Mella's grey eyes gleamed mischievously. "Why? What's the matter? Do you not like it?"
"Well, no," Robb stammered, before immediately correcting himself, "That is to say, yes, I do like it, but..."
Mella laughed delightedly as he stumbled over his own words. She caught him by the hand, her daring inspired by the dim light and the beat of the music that seemed to reverberate within her heart.
"Would you care to dance?"
"I would love to," Robb confessed, consenting to let her lead her by the hand through the congregation. Once they had reached a sparsely populated area, Robb tentatively put his arms around her waist. "Is this alright? I know they don't dance like this in the capital..."
Mella just laughed, draping her arms quite comfortably around his neck. "I quite like the dancing style of the north."
Robb peeled back his mask as Mella watched with a curious expression, not understanding. He reached out and gently pushed back her own mask, so that her dark hair fell forward to frame her face. Instantly she felt a little less confident, as though something taking off the mask had shed a layer of her strength. She was a little vulnerable now and she hesitated. Robb noticed and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
"Are you alright?" He sounded a little concerned. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to see your face..."
"Why?" Mella questioned, completely baffled.
"Because you're beautiful," Robb replied, his tone matter-of-fact as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. She stared at him incredulously. Mella hadn't realized how close his face was to hers, how lovely a blue his eyes were...
Then his lips were on hers and he was kissing her. It was something completely different to what she'd been expecting, and a million times better. Mella was stiff for just a moment, before she found herself melting into him. Robb pulled her closer, running one of his hands through her dark hair. The other remained tight around her waist, pressing her against his body. His hand tangled in her hair trailed softly down her back, and she smiled against his lips.
Then Mella remembered who she was and what she was doing. She drew back from Robb with a sudden gasp. The kiss had sparked something inside her, but it was something dangerous, a heat she wasn't sure if she could contain. Her insides twisted with guilt and she shook her head vehemently.
"Mella?" Robb sounded worried and he stepped back, giving her space. "I'm sorry...was I too forward?"
But the whirl of music and colour was all too much or her. She spun around and nudged her way through the congregation. Suddenly, her greatest desire was to be alone. No one ever said that when you fell in love, it actually did feel like you were sinking. Mella tugged her mask back over her face, once again becoming anonymous as she hurried away from the celebrations.
"Mella!"
She had been followed. She whirled around with a loud sigh and a heavy heart. Of course it was Robb. Of course he wanted to understand why she was acting in such a manner. If she ran, he gave chase. She tried to keep running, to wherever it was she was attempting to go, but he took her by the wrist and tugged her back. Mella tried to push at him, but he held fast.
"Let me go!"
"Not until you at least reject my advances properly," Robb informed her, "Mella Baratheon, you are...one of the most wonderful...no, the most wonderful girl I have ever come across. Behind that mask, there's actually a person there. I've seen her. Don't let her be suffocated."
He reached tentatively towards her and when she did not move, he drew back her mask so that he could see her face. For a brief moment, a smile illuminated Mella's face, but then she frowned and shook her head once more.
"Robb, no."
Robb smiled wryly and took Mella's hands in his own. She flinched at the tenderness of the gesture, blinking as he kissed her forehead. He put his arms around her and enveloped her in an embrace. For the first time since her family had left, Mella felt that she finally belonged somewhere. That this was right. She had not intended to fall for Robb Stark, but she had to choose whether she wanted to take the plunge. It was now or never.
"Is this what you really want?" she asked of Robb, a little sharply. "Is it really me? Because I do not intend on being a plaything for the sake of convenience."
Robb's cheeks flushed bright red. "No! Of course not, I would never do that to you, Mella. I honestly care about you. I just wish I knew what your feelings were towards me."
She saw the askance in his eyes. He wanted her answer and she needed to give it now. For once, perhaps Mella could make a decision that didn't rely on being a princess of Westeros. For the first time, she could actually choose something herself without her parents having to interfere. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. The fire within her was burning now, out of control. She enjoyed the heat.
"I care about you also."
Robb's smile was rather relieved. "Well, that's good then."
Their first kiss had been underneath the flickering lights but their second was in darkness, in secret where no one could see them. A round of drunken cheers went up in the courtyard, but all Robb and Mella could see, all they could feel, was each other.
Her breath came out in a cold fog from her mouth, but the happiness inside her made her feel warm. Mella stared down at the dagger that rested in her gloved palm and wondered exactly how one was to go about wielding it. Of course, she could hold a dagger – that part was easy – but the hard part was knowing how you would go about actually stabbing someone with it if it came down to that. Mella had her guards, but they could not protect her all the time, even if they insisted on flanking her practically everywhere until she informed them they may stand down.
Robb's name-day celebration had completely changed Mella's perspective. Now she found herself with a reason to want to stay in the frigid north. Every time Robb passed her by, there was a brief exchange of smiles or nods, and her heart would beat faster like it was running a race.
Mella twirled the dagger in her hand, glancing down at it. Could she actually kill someone if her life depended on it, if she didn't even have the courage to confront her friend over a simple issue? Only, it didn't seem simple.
"You shouldn't be playing with weapons."
She spun around to see Robb walking towards her, but his tone was not one of amusement or jest. There was a hard look in his blue eyes, his mouth pressed into a stern line. Mella appeared worried and her grip on the dagger loosened. Robb was incredibly serious today, and she had not the slightest idea why. His sharp gaze raked over her, examining, judging. She remained silent for a few moments, before she felt the need to speak.
"Have I done something wrong?"
Robb seemed to consider her question. "Not you personally, no."
She frowned. "Then what is the matter?"
He heaved a long sigh. "The Lannisters attacked my father, and killed the captain of his guard."
Mella felt as though she was spiralling uncontrollably downwards. The euphoria she had been feeling at Robb's reciprocated romantic notions towards her vanished and was replaced by apprehension, which rested like a heavy brick in the bottom of her stomach. Why would her mother's family have attacked Ned Stark and his guard? She knew that things between the Lannisters and the Starks had never been anything more than forced civilities, but even she had not anticipated such violence. Then came the sick feeling again, the remembrance of her thought that perhaps Bran had not exactly fallen...
"Do you know anything about this?" Robb stepped forward and gripped her arms, gently at first, but when she remained silent, his grip tightened. His fingers dug into her arms and she winced as he shook her. "Mella? Do you know why your uncle attacked my father and his guard?"
"Let me go," Mella retorted, her voice turning cool, "The feud between our families lies in King's Landing. From here, how can I know why they fight?"
Robb made to say something else, his eyes flashing, but Mella moved her arm. The cold blade of the dagger she held was pressed against his stomach. Guilt flashed through Robb's eyes and he swallowed hard, releasing her and taking a step back. Mella continued to grip the dagger so tightly it hurt her hand. She did not think Robb was trying to hurt her, or that he was a threat, yet all the same, she remained wary.
"Sorry." Robb shifted his feet rather awkwardly. "I didn't mean to harm you."
Mella impulsively moved forward and he stiffened, perhaps expecting that she would attack him. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close in a tight embrace. Robb melted after a moment, putting his arms around her waist. She rested her chin on his shoulder.
"I know you're upset. I know this can't be easy for you. But you need to remember that although I am related to the Lannisters, I am more a Baratheon than anything else. I don't look anything like my mother. I will support whatever you do, Robb, but please don't do anything rash for the sake of revenge."
"What would you have me do?" Robb asked out of the blue.
The question surprised Mella more than anything. She had never anticipated that her opinion might be asked. However at the same time, she knew that the weight was on her shoulders now, that she needed to come up with a reply. She might not ever be Queen, but at least she needed to know how to respond to a difficult decision. Robb was caught at the crossroads, and it seemed it was up to Mella to choose which path he would take.
What would she do, if someone had attacked her father? She would be furious, of course...but it was different, as he was the King. Was it possible that Ned Stark had been attacked on her father's orders? The Lannisters were in service to him. A cold clutch of fear held Mella for a moment, before she fiercely assured herself that it wasn't possible. Ned and her father had been friends since boyhood, he would never have authorized something as atrocious as that.
"You need to find out why it happened before you take action," Mella responded finally. It wasn't exactly the best piece of advice, but it was all that came to mind. "You can't just retaliate on the grounds that they attacked your father. You need to look at the situation more carefully than that."
Robb examined her carefully, and then drew her into a tight embrace. She enjoyed feeling the warmth of him seeping through into her, and she buried her face in his chest to conceal the small smile that crossed her lips. He kissed the top of her head and when she drew back, he was smiling. It wasn't with the same brightness as usual, yet it still encouraged her to smile back.
"How is Bran?" she inquired tentatively.
Robb heaved a sigh. "He is well. Theon and I plan to take him out riding in the godswood this afternoon. There's been a special saddle made up for him."
Mella smiled. "Bran will enjoy that."
Mella crumpled up the letter from her mother, shaking her heads so that her dark hair fell around her face. She heaved a sigh and wondered exactly who she could trust, but despite Cersei's warning not to trust the Starks, there was bubbling feeling inside her, a sort of contentment like she actually belonged here in the north. Perhaps it had been worth staying after all.
Alyss noted the Princess's jovial mood as she set about running her a hot bath. When she was pleased, Mella was even more like Robert, her happiness seeming to radiate out and influence everyone around her. Even Alyss found herself smiling, braiding Mella's hair as the Princess hummed happily to herself.
Mella had felt sourly about being left in Winterfell. She hadn't wanted to stay with people she barely knew, but now she almost trusted them as much as she did her own family – or perhaps more, for she knew that Lannisters could be deceitful. Now, it felt as though everything was finally falling into place. Her life was finally where she wanted it to go, and she didn't think anything could get her mood down.
So what happened next would shatter her completely.