Thank you for the reviews everyone. Here is the next chapter, decided not to add Guinevere in that whole mess with Arya and Joffrey. Couldn't really see her in that situation.
Dresses are posted on my profile and next chapter I will post the next dress for King's Landing. I have so MANY THINGS AND EVENTS planned for this story and I'm just anxious to get to them and see your reactions.
After Guinevere had awoken, Ned came in and told her exactly what Arya had told only a few hours ago. She didn't fight with the choice that was being made for her like she usually would. She was actually quite the whole time, sitting up against the headboard of her bed, staring into the distance of the window, which was opened. Her room was silent she was as silent as if her tongue had been cut out. She was now pale, her eyes some what red, and her hair was in a messy braid.
Maids, servants, even Septa Mordane had came in to talk to her, but she remained silent and kept still. She felt like she should be like this for Bran until he wakes up and if he never wakes up or dies, then she will never wake up and will die. Bran is like the little brother she had always dreamed of when she was younger and when she saw him as a babe she was very happy.
Guinevere had made an oath that day to the seven Gods, old and new when Bran was born that she would protect him, stand by him, guard him, give him her life for his. He is only ten, she thought, who would do such a thing? Her mind wasn't thinking about her nightmares until the one about her falling had been showed to her as if the old and new gods were trying to tell her something.
It was them, she thought coldly, the Lannisters. Guinevere now knew what she had to do… protect the Starks against the Lannisters.
She got out of bed, a little sore from staying the same position for at least a one and a half now. She put on her blue silk dress. She put her hair up in pins that had a sapphire at the top of the pin. She put on a gold necklace that had three light blue stones on it and a pair of gold earrings, gifts from Lady Stark on her last nameday. Pella came in and looked very surprised to see her up instead of in her bed lifeless and cold. Guinevere didn't smile or acknowledge the maid and her friend. Guinevere completely ignored her and walked out of her chambers and past her. Once she walked out of her door she knew she had to be different now…she had to be cold, manipulative, a lady, and most of all she has to know how to pretend and hide her emotions like a true Northerner.
Guinevere, with her hands in front of her and holding each other, she walked down flights of stairs. She didn't break her fast like she usually would because she had to say her goodbyes to everyone before they had to leave…which was today. She already had all of her things packed and ready to go. Guinevere still looked pale and cold as she entered the front yard.
She saw that Ser Jaime was talking to Jon and Jon didn't look happy and Ser Jaime looked amused at him. Jon was talking to him, but stopped once he saw her come out. Soon everyone had stopped or looked up from what they were doing to look at her…The Silent Maiden of the North, she had heard some servants whisper as she walked past them and down the halls. Guinevere had actually liked that nickname instead of what Ser Jaime had given her. She walked past them all, only looking at Jon as she walked towards him and Ser Jaime.
She came up beside Ser Jaime, and said to Jon, "Is that sword for the Wall."
He shook his head. Ser Jaime seemed to be staring at her with an intrigued look on his face as he tilted his head to the side a little.
She had tried to smile. "Good luck, Jon. I hope to see you soon…someday after you've taken the Black, try to visit." She continued. "And if you don't visit, I will come to the Wall myself and embarrass you in front of all the other men of The Night's Watch." She joked with him which Jon had figured out and smiled nervously at it.
Guinevere knew that the people who had loved her would try to comfort by treating her like she was a glass object and might break at any moment which made her angry, but appreciative of them because they were like her family now. Not by blood though, her father's voice had suddenly said in her head.
She wanted to hug him right now, but she was saving that for later.
Jon looked a bit confused. "Aren't you coming with Lord Stark and the girls?"
She had forgotten they were riding together until they would have to go separate paths on the road.
Guinevere looked at bit sad then in a hurry she said, "Of course, I…um…had forgotten about that. Arya told me actually. She's too sneaky for her own good." Jon smiled at the mention of Arya's name, but then it went away as his eyes slightly shifted towards Ser Jaime. Guinevere could see that he had wanted to tell her something probably about Arya. Jon smiled. She returned the smile as she turned towards Ser Jaime.
"Ser Jaime, would you mind telling me where your brother is?"
He looked surprise yet suspicious while Jon smiled. "What would you need of my brother, my lady?"
She scoffed and said, "That is between your brother and I, not you Ser. I wouldn't tell you even if you could bring me happiness."
He smirked as Jon seemed to turn and slip away from their eyes.
"I'm just curious as to why a highborn lady such as yourself needs something from my dear brother. Really the only kind of woman that would come up to me and ask me 'Where is your brother?' are the whores of brothels."
Guinevere slapped him across the cheek, her face cold. Her slap was very hard and loud it would seem because people started to look at them with curious eyes. She doubted anyone had ever slapped him before and live to tell the tale. His cheek had turned slightly red as the blood was rushing to his face. He wasn't going to answer her question, so she scoffed at him and left.
Guinevere had been walking to somewhere in the castle. She came to a door and slowly pushed it open. There under a pile of furs on his bed asleep was Bran. She stopped in the doorway as she looked at him. Lady Stark was sitting in a chair next to his bed.
Guinevere came closer to Bran until she was standing on the other side of his bed.
"I should have been there…I probably could have cached you or something. I could have done something. If I would, I would ask the old and new gods if I could go back in time and save you from this cruel fate. Give up mine so you could live yours. You could live to become a knight or a solider for Robb some day when he is the Lord of Winterfell, so that you could fall in love, get married, and have children. I would give up my life so you could grow up and see everything." She said as tears started to weld up in her eyes.
Lady Stark looked surprised to see her, then she spoke in a soft voice, "Gwen, they said that once you found about…Bran you were silent or as some put it lifeless and dead. Was it true what they said?"
She looked at the woman and spoke in truth, "It is still true. I can't explain why I went like that, but I do know that the only reason I forced myself out of bed is that I don't trust them with my family. The Starks are my family now, maybe not by blood, but by something else. I think of them as my brothers and sisters, you and him as my mother and father. I want to protect them from harms way as much as I can for I fear that once they enter King's Landing everything that they are will soon disappear into the darkness. That is why I am cold now."
"I have always thought of you as a daughter and so has Ned. You have and always will be a Stark, maybe even one day by blood. You will always be apart of this family. The way you reacted towards Bran's falling is the way a sister should have acted towards her brother." She told Guinevere. It almost made her smile, she continued. "Take care them including Ned. Watch over them, protect them, please. I have the same fears you do about King's Landing was well as the Lannisters. Help them, care for them, find them, watch over them, and protect them while I am not there. Promise me, Gwen that you will do this for me?"
"I promise, I will protect them including Ned. Farewell, I hope we are all together again."
Guinevere went over and hugged the woman tightly. She had returned the hug. Guinevere left Bran's room. She had told one of the stable boys to get her horse ready. It was a white stallion a gift from a low nobleman. She had named it Snow. Not because it was a bastard's name and she was making fun of, but the horse was a girl and it was so damn white.
She saw Robb and Jon hug tightly onto each other. They released each other. Robb came over to her as she was setting her horse.
"You know that is what stable boys are for." His voice sounded amused.
"Well I like to do things myself…it helps me think."
He laughed. "You are always so stubborn, Guinevere. I'm going to miss that the most."
She stopped setting Snow and turned to look at him.
"I 'm going to your foolishness as well, but I will mostly how fast you can grow your stubble."
He laughed and smiled at her. She smiled almost sweetly and said, "Robb, I'm-"
He cut her off saying, "No, you shouldn't be the one to apologize, I should really. I was drunk mostly I didn't mean to offend you in such a manner, Gwen that was never my intention. I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt. I love you, Gwen."
His words had caught her by surprise, but she felt she had to say those words as well. "I love you too, Robb. I know you were only drunk and didn't mean the words that came out of your mouth. I'm sorry that I've sort of distance lately it was because of you know…"
He nodded understandingly. She smiled and looked around to see if anyone was looking. She leaned towards Robb and kissed him on the cheek since she would probably never see him again. Robb had turned his cheek the other way so that she would kiss his lips instead. She didn't feel disgusted or wrong, but guilty for some reason. They both smiled at each other.
The king roared that they were leaving. She mounted Snow and smiled down at Robb.
She nudged Snow to where the rest of the party was. She didn't want to ride in a carriage right now and since everyone thought she was a fragile doll, they didn't argue with her which she used to her advantage of riding instead of sitting all the time, being bored out of her mind.
Guinevere had strained herself from looking back at the rest of her family and instead moved forward with her horse.
. . .
They had been on the road now for a couple of hours now; most of those had been with Tyrion and Jon. Tyrion had been telling her tales and stories mostly history which she loved to hear and was intrigued by it. When Jon had left she hugged him tightly and almost cried, but he wiped a tear away and reassured her that they will see each other again. She felt a little lonely after they had left. The girls had tried to talk to her while she was riding, but she some what kept quite.
Once they had stopped to rest, she didn't want to be in anyone's company right now and just wanted to be left to her thoughts. She walked deep into the woods and found a river with an illumining stream of water with the sun shinning on its waters. She sat with a huff and looked into the water. She was torn from her thoughts when she heard a crack behind her. She whirled around, and stood up to find the smug and satisfied face of Jaime Lannister. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the water.
"And what have I done to owe such a pleasure from the great golden lion of Lannister, Ser Jaime Lannister." She asked him in a mocking lady tone.
He came closer to her. He stood beside her with his hand on the hilt of his sword, staring into the water of the river as well.
"Really, golden lion…what an interesting choice of words to use for me. Some might use the words warrior, the most beautiful man in the seven kingdoms, or even the Kingslayer, but none have used great golden lion."
She smiled. "What is it Ser that you want from me?"
He smirked. "My lady, why do you always assume the worse of me?"
"Why good Ser I mean only that why are you even speaking to me? I struck the great Ser Jaime Lannister across the cheek in front of all the people of Winterfell and some from the party as well as the kingsguard."
He laughed and said, "Don't worry it will take a lot more than a slap to get rid of me and my teasing so quickly, but while we were still on the Kingsroad I had a rather…interesting conversation with my dear little brother before he left."
She was actually a little surprised and he seemed to notice it as he continued, "He asked me what I had discovered while I was exploring Winterfell. I asked him how he even knew about it. Then he asked me where I was after you had left the feast. I asked him what was with him badgering with questions. He had told me he was very intrigued by the Lady Guinevere. He said that you were beautiful, clever, smart, and not stupid. Do tell me why my brother thinks this?"
She was trying to find the words to say. "Tyrion is a very intelligent man, Ser Jaime. He told me that the queen had two brothers, he said, 'There was the pretty one and there was the clever one.' He told me that he had never seen his brother so smitten with anyone before, not even whores or ladies. He told some other things as well like I need to be cautious around everyone in King's Landing."
"You should take my brother's advice."
"And you should as well." She continued. "I admire your brother's way of seeing things actually. He knows a great deal of things that people should not know."
"And what might my brother not know about the fair Lady Guinevere that he should not?"
"Some things are better left unspoken and forgotten. Wouldn't you say, Ser Jaime.?"
He smiled, showing his white teeth. "I agree my lady, but it is sometimes a good thing not to forget and remember.
"I will always remember, Ser Jaime. Nothing will be forgotten, but some should learn to forgive and forget."
Jaime was silent now as he was thinking what to say to her next.
"Guinevere, do you remember the night of the feast?"
"No I don't, but please enlighten me would you."
"I walked you to your chambers. You said something that made me want to kiss you. Then you passed out." He seemed amused by this as he spoke.
"We did kiss. I don't see how that is relevant."
"Well before that at the feast you seemed in a heated argument with the Stark boy."
"I had been angry at him and ashamed at myself. He called your brother by his nickname and even though Tyrion said it wears it like an amour…I don't believe that though, and I know it bothers him. I told Robb that if I ever hear him call him that again then I would never speak to him again."
Jaime was surprised at Guinevere's affection towards Tyrion. He turned her towards him and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands were in her hair and on her waist. After a few minutes of kissing, she pushed him away and ran away. He stumbled forwards, but ran after her.
Guinevere was running even faster. He had been chasing her until it was dark, the he had given up. Guinevere came back to the back, looking back and forth seeing if she could see him. She came to Ned with blood on his sword.
She was very confused by this. "What has happened?"
He sighed heavily. "There was trouble near the river today which resulted in the death of Sansa's diewolf and the disappearance of Arya's direwolf." He sat down on a hay with a huff and put his hands on his forehead.
Guinevere had sat down with him as he said, "The girls are very sadden and very angry by the events that took place today, Gwen."
She put her hand on his arm and with a sincere look on her face she told him, "I'll talk to them and help them. I promise this will all go away soon."
Ned smiled at the girl; he put his arm around her and said, "You always did know how to calm them down for some reason. They think of you like a sister and I know you think of them the same way as well. I 'm glad you are part of this family, Gwen."
He kissed the top of her head and left. Guinevere had been left to her thoughts. Most of them were on Jaime and it seemed every time he had kissed her it was always when she had been kind and different it would seem.
Their first kiss had been because she was very sorry for calling him by his nickname given by others and the second kiss which had only been a few hours ago was because she had stood up from his brother against someone she loved very much. Guinevere had always thought of Ser Jaime being such a strange man really.
Guinevere knew she had to push those thoughts of him away and not distract herself from what she had to do. She had made a promise to the old and new gods, to Ned, to Lady Stark that she would protect the Starks from everything. Even if it meant she would not love or be loved or even if it had mean her life.
~Fin~
Thank you all for reading. Dresses will be posted up on my profile.
Next chapter: Arrival at King's Landing, the father of Guinevere, alone time with Ser Jaime, the reaction of Bran's awake, and maybe the tourney (Still haven't decided yet)