Nota Bene: Apologies for the wait. I'll probably change the update schedule not to coincide with the worst day of the week. Thank you for the follows! hope you enjoy.
Pippa thought that kings were supposed to be strong and proud. She had heard stories about the ancient kings who had been both brutal and noble and above all powerful. Now that she got a good look at King Robert, without his jewelled court around him and his majestic horse to gild him, she found that she was utterly disappointed. This fat man looked like he would die of some sexually transmitted disease before he reached fifty. He was loud and drunken, like any of the knights that she saw every day. She didn't understand how this fat stag had managed to defeat the dragons that had come before. Pippa understood animals and it didn't seem logical in the least. She tried not to stare under the distracted gaze of Lady Stark, who tried to keep Queen Cersei entertained. Now, if The Queen had been the one leading the charge, Pippa was almost certain she would have followed her into the battle. The Lannisters were all that was strong and gold in this hall. A lion against a dragon was still a close call but there was something feral to the Queen underneath her perfect beauty and her cold, polite manner. Pippa wasn't sure she liked her, but she was a force of nature, you could feel it. Pippa had never seen the usually unshakable Lady Stark look so uncertain, almost dwarfed by the Queen. Lady Stark was a strong woman and lovely in her own right, but here she was scrambling, ill at ease. Pippa frowned, it felt uncomfortable to watch them.
They had hidden Jon among the squires where he seemed to be steadily drinking, Pippa would have loved to be among them, but she also couldn't help thinking that where she sat now was as good a spot as any could have hoped for. All of the personal servants who were not of enough status to be seated up on the dais sat here, a bit off to the side and hidden but she could keep an eye on the little wolves and not be of any bother to anyone. Arya was already restless, jittering in her seat and steadily ignoring the poor chubby little prince they had put at her side. Bran and Rickon seemed to be doing passably well, though Bran looked bored and Rickon looked a bit dumbfounded and steps from falling asleep. It had been a long day for him. Sansa was under the watchful eye of Septa Mordane, too old to need a nursemaid, but not old enough to have full control over her decisions. Pippa caught Robb's eye and cross her eyes at him, making a face. He couldn't do or say anythingin reply from where he say but he covered his face as he started to laugh. Pippa smirked when he had to explain to Princess Myrcella exactly what had been so very funny.
She had drunk two glasses of wine under the watchful gaze of Septa Mordane, who passed the pitcher of drink to her. Pippa sighed and handed it over to the maid on her left, but she didn't make a fuss. She had already spotted a few squires who had brought and filled their wineskins with it and it would only take a little bit of flirting and a bit of pressure on her part to get them to give it to her. She wasn't actually particularly powerful, not even in the slightest, but being so close to the Stark children meant she could get away with just a bit more than others, demanding a bit of wine with a wink wouldn't hurt anyone. She turned around to try and find Jon in the crowd of squires, as if somehow she might be able to communicate that this was a plan and they should definitely be following it. He wasn't there anymore. One of the other boys just shrugged at her, as if to say he just left. She wanted to stand up right then and there and find him, but that wasn't an option. When she had turned back to check on the children, she found that Arya had flung something, stuffing most likely, into Sansa's lovely auburn hair. Jeyne Poole was already helping her clean it off and Robb had picked up Arya and was coming off the raised platform. Bran and Rickon followed obediently. Their night was over.
Bran went to bed easily enough, especially once his direwolf had curled up in bed with him. Usually, Lady Stark wouldn't have let the creature sleep in the same bed, they were quickly growing so large that it was dangerous, what if either child or wolf rolled on the other while they slept? Pippa allowed it for the night, she was eager to finish her duties and enjoy the evening. Rickon fussed for a bit, but he fell asleep the moment she doused the torches. She trusted Robb could handle Arya, but she found herself detouring to her room regardless, just to be safe. The halls were empty except for the sullen squires and guards who had been unlucky enough to get guard duty that night. Most were drunk already, they might as well have gone to the banquet. She caught one with a wineskin that was nearly a quarter empty and him already almost slumping. Convincing him that he should give it to her was almost too easy. She held it behind her back as subtly as she could until she made it to Arya's room. She needn't have bothered going. Robb was closing the door as he left, and he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Making sure I did it right?"
Pippa rolled her eyes, "Yes. Blame me?"
"No."
She produced the bag of wine, an illicit grin spreading over her face, "I'll even share with you, my lord, if you tell me where Jon went?"
Robb grinned, "Who says I want any of that? It's probably piss compared to what I get to drink."
Pippa turned her back to him, "Problem is, you have to go back to that banquet and keep drinking there. I'm free now to do as I please. And you won't drink very much with that little lion princess beside you. You wouldn't dare. You'll need wine somehow outside of the hall. It so happens I have some."
Robb stared at her for too long, calculating the wins and loses and eventually he nodded. "I saw him go to the stables, he looked upset, might be best to leave him be."
Pippa frowned, "I'll go remind him to smile. He forgets sometimes, you know. I'll meet you outside of the library when the banquet officially ends." She ducked into a quick curtsy and headed towards the stables.