BELOW ZERO: The Green Knight & The Winter Wolf VOL 3 (Cregan Stark x OC)

Chapter Twenty-Five (Cregan)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Cregan

King's Landing

            I drop the barrels in my hands down and nearly crush Jace's foot as I run across the courtyard toward my son who is hurdling toward Alana and calling out to her as "Mama" a habit we have not been able to break him out of no matter what we do.

            Alana doesn't mind it... But by the look on her face I know she just wishes it didn't happen in front of Queen Alicent, Gwayne's sister, of all fucking people. I didn't know my feet could move as quickly as they did but they sure a fucking hell did.

            "Did... Did that little boy just-"

            Alicent was stunned.

            "My apologies, Your Grace. Princess Alana..." I pick up Rickon into my arms. "I told you before, little Lord, she is not your Mama, she's Alana. She's our friend."

            Rickon argued loudly. Very loudly. "NO! That's Mama! My Mama!"

            He reached his arms to Alana who happily took the boy into her arms and rocked him as he rested his head down onto her shoulder, his arms completely wrapped around her while she softly swayed on her feet as she held him ever so naturally.

            Arra never got to hold him and I've always been picky about which wet nurses hold and rock him. Rickon never got to feel a mother's love until the moment he met Alana. What kind of man, let alone father, would I be if I stripped that away from him?

            "Shh, it's okay little one... I've got you. I won't let you go.." Alana had hushed him as she rocked him. His little sniffles caused me to peek at his face over her shoulder to see he had been crying. "Daddy did not mean what he said. I am your Mama..."

            "My Mama..." Rickon sighed as he wiped away his little tears.

            Alicent stared at Alana but not with anger. Almost a look of admiration and pride. I breathed out and the Queen turned to look at me. A faint smile on her lips. I looked down in shame and within moments I felt a hand on my shoulder.

            It was Alicent's hand giving a squeeze to my shoulder as she grinned at me. "Walk with me, Lord Cregan?"

            In her hands had been a bag of flowers and another of twine. I offered to hold the bags for her and at first she declined but shortly after she accepted my offer and handed the two bags to me. We walked out of the courtyard and toward the gardens. A long path of different bushes and pools of water in between. Fountains and children playing within them.

            Part of me was a little envious of the gardens here in King's Landing. Alana was not jesting with me when she told me it was the most beautiful part of the Red Keep. All the butterflies and birds that fly around from bush to bush. How serene it is... She says her favorite thing to do is to grab a book and sit on a stone bench and read while sitting out here.

            I can understand why now.

            But my mind flashes to Gwayne and Alana... Have they shared a stroll in this garden? Did he put a flower in her hair behind her ear and kiss those lips that are home to me and tell her that she is perfect? Did he whisper songs of love to her and make her believe he is her knight in shining armor?

            Does he even know what she truly is?

            Treasure that is worth holding onto for centuries to come..