BELOW ZERO: THE DRAGON'S MYSTERY VOL 4 (Cregan Stark x OC)

Chapter Thirteen (Alana)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Alana

TWO WEEKS LATER

Winterfell

Cregan forces me to sit with him during each meal. Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. We have to sit together. Eat together. And yet he doesn't try to talk to me. He looks at me while he sips his ale and glares at me.

Obviously I glare back at him.

Tonight he's more irritated than usual. I wouldn't know why because again, he doesn't talk to me, so he's stabbing into his steak and grunting as he does. While I sit here and poke around only eating the vegetables and some of the bread on my plate.

Cregan looks at me while holding the knife in his hand. Stabbing at a piece of steak and holding it to his mouth for a moment. "Why aren't you eating? Sick or something?"

I shake my head "No.. I'm fine."

He scoffs. "Wasting food. Again."

My body wants to shut down immediately. Picking up my knife I cut a small piece of the steak and bring it to my mouth. Chewing on it and fighting back tears. Cregan drops his knife and it clatters against his plate.

I jump slightly, remembering how Jace shattered his plate at dinner the night all hell broke loose. Flashbacks in my mind of how his eyes were so different from the eyes I once knew. How he charged toward Luke and instinctively I threw him behind me, giving myself to Jace to be the victim of his rage. Thankfully he realized immediately how wrong he was and how he could never hurt me.

Cregan sneers at me as he speaks. "Why the fuck are you not eating? Is something wrong with the food? Northern food not good enough for a southern princess as yourself?"

I shake my head and swallow hard. "No it's just-"

"Ungrateful." Cregan mocks me. "That's exactly what you are. Nothing here has been good enough for you. The food, the wine, the arts. None of it. You sit stuck up in the library day and night and do nothing but stick your nose in books."

"Lord Cregan." I say softly, tears threatening to fill my eyes. "I do not wish to argue with you."

"Then don't." He continues to eat his dinner and after a few more bites he looks at me again. Rolling his eyes as he reaches for his drink. "Seriously? Just go if you do not wish to eat."

"I don't like steak.." I mutter.

"Hm?" He cocks a brow up.

"I... I don't like steak..."

He rolls his eyes. "I've seen you eat dark meat before."

"Lamb, venison, duck, I'm fine with... Steak just... I don't like it." I confess to him. "I'm sorry, my Lord. I do not want to seem ungrateful as you say-"

"Get out."

My entire face furrows and I look at him confused. "My Lord?"

"Out of my fucking sight. Now."

My heart sinks hearing that from him... Yet again. After hearing it from my mother and now twice hearing it from Lord Cregan Stark. It's painful knowing that you're unwanted. This brings me back to feeling so small again. Feel like I'm nothing but a mistake.

I rise to my feet and instantly rush off. But I don't go to my chambers. I make my way to the library because just as Lord Cregan said I seemingly spend all my time there. Which is true. I found that while in the library I have a clear view of the training yard where he spends most of this time and it's not far from the great hall either. Just down the corridor.

I had spent three years without books and having what felt like an endless supply right at my fingertips that no one could strip away from me was like heaven. I'd be a fool not to take advantage of it all.

Sitting down at the table I dove into a book about the history of House Stark. If I was going to be stuck here I'd best start knowing a little bit of the family I am marrying into. I've only met a few of Cregan's family members but they're just as scruffy and mean as he is. Or they sort of just take off and leave him to do everything without offering a single ounce of help. Even when it comes to building and preparing for winter.

I've made it to the section of traditions and customs. Not specific to House Stark itself, a few things are their own traditions but most of it is just northern customs. This house specifically each winter sends every one of ten to the wall to serve up there. Interesting.. What a shame Cregan didn't get the luck of the draw. I roll my eyes at the thought of how he got lucky enough to be born to the Lord of Winterfell and was exempt from that.

I flip the page. What a northern lady should do for her husband... Barf. Bedding ceremony after a wedding... Giving him children, yikes. Lots of children. I thought my mother had a lot of kids but fuck- this is nuts. Looking at how many children these lords here all have sired?! If Cregan thinks I will give him ten children he's out of his mind. Because that would mean I'd have to let him into my bed... Ten times.

Barf. Barf. Oh, did I mention? BARF.

Northern women are meant to gift their husband before each hunt. Making him treats to bring with him so he doesn't go hungry. Well isn't that the point of a hunt? Go kill something so you don't starve, dumb ass.

My mother never taught me to bake. I didn't learn any of that growing up. I'm lucky that I know how to make my own Gods-damned cup of tea when I want one. If Cregan thinks I'll slave over a hot fire and make him bread, and biscuits, and scones, and cakes then he is out of his freaking mind.

Out loud, stupidly- I spoke my own thought on it. "Perhaps I'll make Lord Cregan a scone with some special berries in them... See how much he fancies another basket from me if he shits himself for hours."

I hear a deep voice clear their throat from behind me.

Fuck.

I turn around and Cregan is standing there with his eyes narrowing in on me with the worst glare I think he's ever thrown at me. In his hand is a plate of food. There isn't much on it but there's tons of vegetables, small, toasted pieces of bread, cheeses, and even some roasted chicken. I look at him and he places the plate down in front of me, pushing the book further away on the table with the plate.

"What's this?" I grit at him.

"Not going to make you shit. Don't worry." He counters with sass dripping from his entire body. "You said you didn't like steak so I went and scoured the kitchens for something for you to eat. Your mother won't be happy when you return back to Dragonstone malnourished."

I take a moment to comprehend his words. "Did you... Did you say that I'm going back to Dragonstone?"

He stands there as if he were a statue. Blinking at me but not moving. Solemn and cold as stone. My heart sinks to my stomach and all my appetite is gone. I push the plate away as the realization that I'm truly unwanted here sinks in.

"You don't want me here."

He nods. "I want you to leave."

I stand up and he doesn't move. I come chest to chest with him and blink while trying to find any sign of life in his eyes. Spoiler alert: There is no life in those eyes. They are cold, frozen, dead, gone.

"I hate you, Lord Cregan."

He nods. "I hate you even more."

"Glad we finally agree on something." I step away quickly to not let him see me cry. I put on this hard exterior but it's not enough. I may be blood of the dragon, but I am as tough as a bunny.