The runaway bride | Cregan Stark

Chapter 17

Dealla had never seen Winterfell as busy as it was now. It was a constant reminder that her wedding to Cregan was soon and it left her on edge. Adric had needed only one glance in her direction to take her with him to hunt and out of the crowded and noisy corridors of the castle. "Now would be the time to run, if you've changed your mind." Dealla really couldn't tell if the knight was joking or not. Not with his dry tone and look. "Because you'd let me run?" Dealla liked Adric, even if she didn't know much about him; he was loyal, attentive, good with a sword and a bow, a strategist, and most importantly, a good friend to Cregan.

He wasn't her friend; they didn't know each other that well. They had a good understanding and a few common interests, but Dealla knew that Adric was acting in Cregan's best interests. "You're already known as the runaway bride. And Jensen would probably pay you to do that just to see Cregan's face."

"Is that really what they're calling me?" asked Dealla, almost coyly. There were many Targaryens who were remembered with unique and admirable titles and nicknames. Aegon the Conqueror was probably the most famous. Dealla Targaryen the runaway bride was nowhere near as knee-trembling. "They're whispering it," but still, those whispers had made it to the North. "Is this a test? To see if I run giving the chance?" They were actually traveling in a small group and the other men trotted along at a distance behind them. While Jensen was loud and practically shouting his intentions, Adric was hard to read and understand.

"You actually looked like you were going to make a run for it any second. I thought a little distance and distraction would do you good" Adric replied from his horse. That was actually empathetic of him. "Thank you, and I won't run away," Dealla assured him. "Everything is different than before." She was nervous and worried that news would get to Alicent after all, just as she was afraid that the Lords would not accept this marriage. But she had no desire to run away. She wanted Cregan Stark.

"Besides, I think there's one thing we still haven't settled," Adric said after a few silent minutes, and Dealla glanced curiously in his direction. "And what would that be, Ser Adric?" Had it something to do with the wedding? With her future as Cregan's wife and how that would affect the North? "We still don't know which of us is the better archer," Adric replied with a small, almost invisible smirk. The tension left Dealla's shoulders and she smiled at him instead with a twinkle in her eye. She was ready for this challenge

"What are we hunting?" she asked. Last time, the two of them had gotten a boar. Something bigger than that would be hard to come by. "Something impressive. Possibly my wedding present to you both." Dealla laughed, picturing the dry-faced Adric wordlessly handing a dead animal to Cregan. "It can't really be a gift from you if I slay it," she then grumbled with a small smirk, causing Adric to raise a less than impressed eyebrow. "Certainly." That was the most sarcastic tone she had ever heard Adric use. "How about we split up? One half of the men with you, the other with me. We both catch something and the most impressive wins."

"You want to leave me alone?" asked Dealla, shocked. She was never alone outside the walls of Winterfell. It was always either Cregan, Jensen or Adric with her and this seemed like a great sign of trust on Adric's part. "Is there any reason not to?" Adric asked, raising a dark eyebrow again. "I'm not far and your companion can defend you, though you should be able to do that yourself by now." Except she wasn't carrying a sword, just a bow and arrows. "Then let the best archer win," Dealla replied and Adric nodded once before giving orders to the men behind them.

***

Dealla had been sneaking through the forest for a while now. Her escort, three of Cregan's men, were behind her with their horses, trying to keep a respectful distance from her without taking their eyes off her completely. Dealla liked her peace and quiet when hunting and she wanted to win this affair. To do that, she needed something that would amaze the other men. She would not settle for something small and she had been trying for a while to find footprints of something bigger by running along a small stream. Every living creature has to drink at some point.