Bringing the Dawn

XLIV.

Catelyn Tully Stark

Storm's End, 300AC

Fear was nothing new to her.

A feeling so many people hate having and one people thrive on as they are the ones causing it. However, she was not one of those people. Gnawing on the corners of her fingernails in her tent when no one was looking- a habit she'd had as a child but had broken with Septa Mordane's assistance. Catelyn hadn't heard from the woman for a long time. Understandably hated in the North because in the North the Seven Who Are One were not worshipped (except by House Manderly as said House had originally come from the Reach and took refuge in White Harbour when House Gardener wanted them gone). It was a big adjustment for her, and she was glad Ned had gone to the extent he had to have her adjust easier.

Anger boiled deep inside as she thought on what happened. Instead thinking on what was going to happen. If Jaeron received the communication from Elissa then he should be writing to the Tyrell's. It impressed her greatly, how quickly he had picked up on these things. Was he always a studious child? It was a question she would never get an answer to as she made sure he didn't get the same education as her own children before she had found out the truth. Remembering the time where she had wished him dead only for him to almost succumb to the pox not long after. Lighting incense in the small Sept at Winterfell, kneeling in front of each statue of her Gods and praying for forgiveness and that she would love him as one of her own. It had taken years for her to let go of her hatred towards him and even then she had only done so when the truth of his birth was revealed.

She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts, wincing as she bit a little harder than she had intended and pulling said body part away to see she had pulled a bit of skin away and a steady line of blood appeared. Quickly grabbing a cloth that was in the tent and wrapping it around and instead turning to pacing back and forth. Any moment now she was expecting someone to escort her to Renly where she would hear his response to his older brother. From the little time she had spent with him, she was doubtful. Simply hoping deep inside she would be let free when it all occurred so she could get out of the Stormland's and back to where her sons camp was, perhaps even go back to Winterfell to spend time with Bran and Rickon.

She was a horrible mother.

She despised Jaeron for something out of his control, deliberately manipulated things so Robb would look better and not taking into consideration it would make him think he was better. Which for a time, he had, but it was something that was sorted from a quick smack across his head. Something that were she in the south still would've landed her in serious trouble. But the North was the North. The people were hardier and petty insults didn't bother anyone. Then she had coddled Sansa and had not taught her the intricacies of the game as people in the lower six called it. She had tried and failed to mould Arya into another Sansa and a part of Catelyn believed her youngest daughter hated her for it. And now, she had left her youngest two boys in Winterfell whilst she travelled to help with the war.

When they won, the first thing she was going to do was host a mass gathering of all family members. With bountiful amounts of food and wine and ale and honeyed milk for the younger children. Forget about everything that had happened for one night and simply be what they were. A family. She would teach Sansa all she knew from her own experience, she would make sure Robb never thought he was better than everyone, not shout at Arya every time she done something that was not befit a Lady, and make sure Bran and Rickon knew that she would not abandon them. With Jaeron though, it was tricky. There was no doubt in her mind he was going to win. Whilst they didn't have as many numbers as the other claimants, he had a deciding factor the others did not. He would be stationed in Kings Landing, far away from Winterfell and would be in the pit of snakes and poisonous spiders.