Two
Carina recovered quicker than she expected, maybe it was because she wasn't receiving near constant beatings or maybe it was because Stannis was kind to her, he visited her and let her have his Red Witch as a nursemaid which helped her greatly. She knew though there was more, could see it in the way Melisandre looked at her and the way Stannis was gentle when he sat beside her to talk and held her hand. The first time he had held her hand had been a surprise, he had done it to reassure her that he was negotiating with her brother and even though she was valuable she wasn't a hostage he would use. His gentleness had been a relief and the kiss she placed on his cheek had made a man who from what she heard was stern and not one to easily laugh, almost blush.
"Perhaps Lady Stark a little walk would do you well," Melisandre suggests interrupting her thoughts.
"I would like that. Can we visit the gods' wood? There is a weirwood tree and I would like to go there," Carina says as she slowly stands to be dressed out of her shift.
"Perhaps we should see how far you can make it and go from there. You are recovering quickly but you are not fully there yet," the witch responds.
Carina smiles because she knows how the witch feels about the old gods and even the Faith of the Seven. She had found it funny that a woman who burned the Sept in Dragonstone seemed intrigued by the Old Gods and the trees with faces. Carina thinks it has to do with how much more accepting the Old Gods are versus the Faith but she cannot tell for sure. After carefully helping her into a simple blue dress and combing through her hair, Melisandre patiently helps her start walking. She finds it painful to walk, more out of soreness than anything and she had hoped she could make it but after only a few minutes she must stop already.
"You should be patient, my lady. You have made good progress already. Healing takes time," Melisandre tells her, helping her sit for a moment.
"I'm a northerner. Our kind are stubborn to a fault and we deal with wildling attacks and Ironborn raids. We do not have time for patience," Carina tells her.
"With healing patience is key, otherwise something could heal wrong or not heal at all," the witch responds.
Carina doesn't respond seeing how she does have a point. She looks to the sky seeing building after building and wonders what anyone finds so great about King's Landing. She wonders if Stannis has taken her advice and done something for the small folk. She turns back to the witch and sees her eyeing her in curiosity.
"You should tell the king to trade. The crown will be in debt with the Iron Bank and if he can find someone to trade with then he might make a profit or at least keep them from being bothersome," Carina informs her.
"I will let him know," she says.
They want something from her, she can tell by the way her idea causes Melisandre to tilt her head, the gentle way they treat her and the whispers they don't think she hears. She can guess what it is, it's one of the things that makes sense but she cannot be sure yet and she is still healing so it doesn't matter. Carina keeps her suspicions to herself and smiles at the other woman as she helps her stand to go back to her room. She wonders how long the new king will play a game and wait for what it is he really wants.
Broken Wolf Queen*
Robb Stark never wanted a crown and he never wanted the responsibility that came with it but when his father and sisters were imprisoned and threatened he called his banners and marched. When his father was executed for treason and his sister's held hostage his bannermen named him king without hesitation. Robb had decided when he became king and his mother made the stupid decisions that she had of letting Tyrion and Jaime Lannister go that he needed help so he sent for Jon. He ignored his mother's snide remarks and her comments and called the one person he trusted and bid him to protect their siblings at Winterfell and when Jon warned him not to trust Theon he had taken it to heart for it was the one thing both his brother and his mother agreed on.
"Can we trust this letter?" Robb asks his men.
"Ned trusted Stannis was even going to kneel to him but if your mother is to be believed then he used a shadow to kill Renly," Roose Bolton says.
"My mother is the same woman who let Jaime Lannister go for my sister's when everyone knows Tywin would never have let them go. She's the same woman who had Tyrion Lannister in her grasp and let him go. She shouldn't have even done that my father wrote for us to wait and nothing to be done. The only thing she has done or said that has made sense is to not trust Theon to go to the Iron Islands," Robb finishes.
Silence fills the tent at that and he sees Lord Karstark nod his head in agreement. Robb doesn't blame the man, he lost two sons to Jaime Lannister and wants revenge. He had the boys moved so the Lord wouldn't do anything rash and his mother is imprisoned. His bannerman want her charged with treason and so he has her guarded by her own uncle, The Blackfish, and one of his choosing. He doesn't know how long he can hold off his men from seeking retribution but he won't be a kin slayer.
"We should ask for Carina to write. Maybe send your own letter to her and tell her to write something only the two of you would know," Maege Mormont suggests.
"It is a good idea Carina was never as naive as Sansa had been and she fought and scratched while Sansa played the part of perfect princess. I doubt Ned Stark, the most honorable man in the north would say Stannis is King and try to send one of his daughters to him if he was not someone to trust," Robb says, agreeing with her.
His Lords nod their heads in agreement with the idea of waiting to see what the play was with Stannis. Robb would write to him telling him he would not march on him and that his quarrel was with Tywin but he would not swear to him until he hears from his sister. He hopes Stannis agrees to the terms for now but his bigger problem is his mother. He has to tell her that one of her children is dead and that the northern bannerman wants her put on trial and he isn't sure how she will react. Robb isn't counting the pressure he has to marry a Frey girl and small Ironborn attacks in the north. Robb feels like one thing can turn the tide and he will lose something he can't get back.