Only A Northern Song ~ Game of Thrones / Willas Tyrell ~

Chapter Sixty Three: Queen

Grey Wind was pacing the deserted courtyard until he saw Eddmina and Willas walking arm-in-arm. At the sight of them, the wolf let out an excited yip, one that was unlike his usual battle howls, and ran to them. He jumped up at Eddmina, placing his paws on her shoulder as he proceeded to lick her face with determined affection. With a surprised laugh, Eddmina wrapped her arms around the wolf, remembering how tiny he had been when she first met him.

"Hello, good boy," she grinned, scratching behind his ears as Willas petted his back.

'Where he is, Robb isn't far,' Eddmina thought, but when she looked around, her twin was nowhere in sight.

In fact, no one was in sight, other than the usual bustle of servants dealing with the aftermath of the new arrivals, seeing to the horses and packing away the returned supplies. She had seen the initial arrival through their bedroom window, she'd seen the hoards of horses and northern flags filing over the drawbridge of Riverrun, and though Eddmina knew it was expected for the King in the North to arrive home to an official welcome in the courtyard, she had left that to her Uncle Bryden and her mother. Instead, she had readied herself to meet with the returning King and his bannermen in the great hall, where he had called for a welcome meeting.

Her punctuality had slipped though, and she couldn't help but wonder what Robb thought to her absence. She didn't even consider how it would be naive to assume that he wouldn't care. She was his sister, his twin, surely it didn't matter if she was late, surely he would be overjoyed to see her regardless of when she arrived. She had thought he would have left Olyvar outside, his ever-dutiful Frey squire waiting to escort her to the hall, but she had also thought that wherever Robb went, Grey Wind followed. Realising that made a strange ache settle in her gut, and she couldn't help but think how quiet it seemed.

Willas clearly thought the same, as he looked around with a frown, surprised by how deserted it felt.

"I knew we were running a little late for the welcome party, but..." Willas remarked, one hand on his cane while the other was buried in the fur of Grey Wind's neck. Eddmina met his gaze and his frown instantly disappeared as he offered her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure everything is fine."

"Why aren't you with Robb?" She asked the wolf, who stopped his kisses to tilt his head to the side. He hopped off of her before he threw his head back and howled; from the other side of the keep, another howl could be heard. "Where is he, good boy?"

"Careful, that's a vicious beast," a dry, teasing voice called, one that made Eddmina grin and Willas gasp out a relieved laugh. "He might tear your face off."

Garlan strutted out of the shadows of one of the alcoves and into the light, and Willas bolted to him. He looked the same he had done the day they set off on the Western campaign, except for the new scar he wore across his right eyebrow, and the dark circles under his eyes. He looked older, more worn, but when he smiled he was still himself. His clothes and leathered armour were not as neat as one would expect of a rich southerner, but they were battle-worn and still far better clothes than most men would ever own, and Eddmina wondered how many bruises and grazes they hid. She remembered reading of his injury, and watched as he winced ever so slightly as Willas embraced him. Willas noticed, and as if reminded of his brother's mortality, held him tighter, as if to keep him with them in the realm of the living, where he belonged, where he was needed.

"You damned fool, stop trying to be a hero, you'll get yourself killed one of these days," Willas cursed him in place of a greeting, hitting him around the side of the head gently as they broke their embrace. With his free hand, he grasped his brother's arm, as if tethering the two of them together. "Do you know what mother will say when she sees the state of your face?"