WELL FLAYED [Game Of Thrones: The Boltons]

13. The Stag And The Flayed Man

WINTERFELL WAS FLOODED with soldiers in gold and red, the colors of the Lannisters and The Baratheons. They had arrived to the Stark household a week ago, and were given a warm welcome by the family and their people.

King Robert and Ned Stark would often converse privately regarding the matter at hand, which was the death of Jon Arryn and how they're going to plan the investigation discreetly. Queen Cersei with her golden haired children, would come with Lady Catelyn in the solar to have tea, and sometimes in the godswood where they were toured around. Ser Jaime, the queen's brother would visit the armory, while Lord Tyrion, the queen's other brother would visit the brothels.

Everything was happening all at once in Winterfell, and it was overwhelming for the young cubs. Having royal visitors was not always a sight for them, as the North had the infamous distinctive weather, and tight-knit locals who kept to themselves that other people, especially those from the South - despised.

However, as they spend time with the blue-blood folks draped in gold and satin, they couldn't ignore the gratifying sense of appreciation. After all, journeying all the way to the North was not an easy task, and having the presence of the crown in their home was such a compliment.

Sansa Stark could not take her eyes away from the handsome young prince, Joffrey Baratheon, the first child of the King and Queen. She desired to be with him and be his queen someday. Arya and Bran and Rickon Stark gushed over the astonishing golden knight, Ser Jaime Lannister, and dreamed of becoming as skillful as him when they grew up. Jon Snow although did not hope of a life of lavish with them, did want the warmth the Starks showed to the stags and the lions. He had always been a lone wolf even in their den; he at least wanted to be appreciated and regarded.

Robb Stark on the other hand didn't think much of the crowd, though what ran in his mind was around the problem that his other siblings did not know. His father might be sent to King's Landing to do a dangerous secret mission of infiltrating the court to know who ordered the assassination of Jon Arryn. One wrong move and he might mess with the wrong people, powerful ones. He knew how serious it was, since he was not new of families destroying families. He knew what's at stake. They needed to be careful.

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PRINCE JOFFREY WAS ROAMING around Wintertown with his guards. He wanted to find his uncle Tyrion just to torment him with dwarf insults. Originally, the plan for his day was to escort Lady Sansa to the solar and have a conversation with her, as what his queen mother suggested. However, Lady Sansa's grace and beauty did not interest him for the time being; he wanted something more thrilling than sipping tea and hearing a girl gush over some unimportant things. He wanted something that would exhilarate his adrenaline.

As he made a turn to a narrow block together with his guards, following him in front and behind, he spotted with his observant eyes some locals dressed in leather and fur equipped with bows and arrows, swords and axes.

"It's bear season. I hope we'll hunt three. I want me sum thick furs for the coming storms!"

"Don't dream of three. One is dangerous and hard enough to catch. Remember the smith's son? He got mauled by a single bear. It tore his body in half with just one big bite; saw it with me own eyes. How do you think it would end if it's three of em?"

"Well fuck me, one it is then."

After overhearing their talk about hunting bears in the woods, Joffrey felt curious of how it would go. Back in King's Landing, he had only seen his king father and some of his knights hunt some wild bores and deers, but never some ugly big brown bears. It was such a dangerous thing to do, and Joffrey felt his heart bounce in excitement.