Carliene Stark

II Chapter 46

Carliene

Tansy flew across the meadow, may heart beating in my chest nearly as fast as her hooves on the grass. I had left the knight far behind me, hoping it would take him a while to catch his horse, if he managed to catch it at all. I wouldn't want to see his face for a while. Maybe what I should have done was take the Searoad north and not stop riding until I reached Casterly Rock. Surely by now Tyrion will have taken the castle and the rest of the Westerlands would soon follow suite. But I was too angry to think clearly, so my path lead be right back to Highgarden. I galloped through the encampments, causing even more people to notice me and follow me with their gazes, but I could not care less. By some sort of luck or even divine intervention the gates were all open and I could rush through them, a few guards having to jump out of my way in order not to get trampled. I stopped in front of the stables, slipping out of my saddle before Tansy had even slowed down properly. I just left her standing there, while stomping off into the rose keep. 

I should have questioned how I knew that Lord Willas would be in his chambers, but I didn't I simply shoved past his guards and entered his simple room. He was sat at his desk, bent over a few letters. Just like he had been in the vision that Bran showed me.

He raised his head and looked up confused at my entry. After taking a brief moment to take in my appearance his dark eyes rested on my angered face. "Something the matter Lady Stark?" he pondered. His tone was just as innocent as that of the knight. 

I huffed in anger, stomping up to his desk and shoving a pile of books that rested on the edge, off so that I could lean on it. "You tell me" I hissed with venom in my voice. I heard one of the guards enter behind me and Willas looked up at him but my gaze remained on the Lord. "What was it you ordered your knight to do to me" 

He hid the alarm in his eyes well, but I could see it in the way he nodded his head at the door, in a silent order for the guard to leave us. He waited until the door closed before sighing and seemingly sinking lower into his chair. "What has that fool gone and told you now?" he muttered. 

If I had had any doubt, this was all the confirmation I needed. "You ordered him to get me with child" I hissed and shook my head. "What a sick bastard you are, to oder your friend to fuck your betrothed" 

My choice of words seemed to anger him. "Hey" he warned. "As I recall you were not so disinclined to his advances" 

I squinted my eyes at him, I couldn't let him turn this around on me. "Only because he assured me what an uninterested and heartless bastard you are" I straightened and looked down at him. "And I guess he was right"

He gave a frustrated sigh and avoided looking at me as he began to explain. "Highgarden needs an heir" he tapped his finger on the paper in front of him as if to underline his point. "Thus it was necessary for you to fall pregnant as soon as possible" 

I could not believe the audacity and had to gasp for air for a moment. "I am not some horse you can just breed to anyone you find profitable!" I yelled at him. 

His eyes widened in slight terror and he glanced at the door with worry. "Will you keep your voice down" he urged. 

"Why" I challenged, crossing my arms. "Are you afraid your grandmother will hear?" 

He sighed again and rubbed his forehead for a moment. "My Lady.." he began slower and more calmly. "I know you feel insulted, but I assure you-"

"Insulted" I snapped at him again. "You lied to me" I pointed out, feeling suddenly very abandoned and alone in this large castle. "For how long? How long have you been planning this" He sighed, clearly hoping he could just wait me out in silence. "Tell me!" I barked louder again.