Soul of a Wolf (Kagome x Robert Baratheon)

Chapter 11 Welcome Home.

Eventually, Lord Rickard and his twins left the Eryie and headed back to Winterfell, but not before Lord Rickard got his answers from Stefan Baratheon and Tywin Lannister about a betrothal contract with his girls. Of course, Rickard wouldn't obligate his girls to marry the boys, but he thought the way things looked, perhaps Lyanna and Alarra wouldn't mind. They had a friendly relationship with the two boys, and he hoped their feelings towards each other would grow. However, nothing was set in stone. His daughters were too young for formal contracts.

The Starks headed back to Winterfell but stopped in Barrowton to see Brandon. The group rested there for a few days, then traveled back to Winterfell. When they arrived home, Lyarra and Benjen greeted the trio. Benjen released his mother's hand and ran toward his father and sisters. When he was close enough, Benjen threw himself into his father's arms. After hugging his father, Benjen wiggled out of his father's arms and tackled his sisters into the mud. The siblings laughed, and Lyarra half-heartily scolded them for rolling around on the ground. The twins and their little brother stood and grinned at their mother; Rickard tried to stifle his laughter.

Lyarra sighed, exasperated, and told the maid to take her wild wolves to bathe and prepare for dinner. The three siblings stood, covered in mud, and followed the maid inside to clean up. While the children went inside, Rickard wrapped his arm around his beloved wife and kissed her lips.

Lyarra sighed, “How was your trip?” Lyarra asked.

“It went well; Alarra enjoyed spending time with Ned and Robert,” Rickard commented, side-eyeing his wife.

“And Lyanna?” Lyarra asked.

“Well, I found out something interesting. Tywin Lannister sent his son to foster at the Vale. The boy seemed a little distant and frustrated. But Lyanna and Alarra shined too much on the boy and spent more time with him—more Lyanna than Alarra. I learned from Alarra that Jaime Lannister has the same problem Lyanna had. The words and numbers float off the page for him. She told me she would help him with his problem, and Alarra roped Ned into helping Jaime as he did with Lyanna.”

“The boy seemed happier after a few lessons with our children. His confidence wasn't all bravado, and it seemed he enjoyed spending time with Lyanna. Alarra told me that Jaime liked Lyanna, knowing how to fight. So, most of the time, they were found sparring after their lessons.” Rickard informed her.

Lyarra pulled her husband toward the keep and up to their room so that he could bathe and get ready for the welcome home feast. As they continued through the halls of Winterfell, Rickard told Lyarra his plan for the twins. Lyarra listened to her husband as he laid out his plan for their children. He even told Lyarra of his plan to have Brandon marry Catelyn Tully and Ned marry Ashara Dayne.

Lyarra didn't like Rickard wanting all their children to marry Southerners. Still, she understood that Rickard wanted to make as many alliances as possible for the day they had to overthrow King Aerys. Still, Lyarra thought he was being conspicuous, and Varys would find out and inform the king.

Rickard stripped and got into the bath. As he bathed, Rickard continued talking to his wife, “I'm sure Varys will find out, but I don't think he'll inform the king. Varys knows that the realm will not survive with the king in power. We may be better off with Prince Rhaegar as king,” Rickard informed his wife.

Rickard also confided in his wife that he was rebuilding Moat Cailin for Ned and to keep the North safe. He wanted the castle rebuilt by the time Ned came of age and planned to put as much workforce into finishing it as quickly as possible. It was stupid and irresponsible of his ancestors to let entrance to the North fall into such a condition.

As the couple continued talking, the children were ushered to their chambers to bathe and dress for the feast. The twins bathed and dressed and then went to Benjen's room. The little boy was already dressed and waiting for his sisters to enter his room. Benjen didn't wait long for his sisters to barge into his room. The twins threw themselves onto Benjen's bed, where he was sitting.

“So, did you enjoy your time in the Eryie? and did you bring me anything?” Bejen enthusiastically asked.

The girls looked at each other and smirked. Of course, they brought gifts for their little brother, Ned. Surprisingly, Robert and Jaime also sent gifts for Benjen. His brother sent Benjen his old training sword, as Ned had outgrown it, and Robert gave Benjen his old practice Warhammer. Jaime wasn't sure what to give the youngest Stark, so he decided on a blunted dagger with the lion sigil of House Lannister and a few gold coins.

Lord Rickard thought it was very generous of Jaime to gift Benjen the dagger and gold coins. He wasn't expecting the Lannister heir to gift Benjen anything. After meeting his girls, Rickard realized that Jaime felt like he was part of the group; Rickard thought it was a good thing and that it would ease Jaime's homesickness.

Alarra and Lyanna gave Benjen his gifts; he quickly unwrapped them and was delighted with the practice sword from Ned and the practice Warhammer from Robert, but he was most impressed with the gift that Jaime Lannister sent. Benjen looked at the blunted dagger with the lion emblem at the end of the dagger's hilt and on the scabbard. He was even more surprised when he saw the gold coins in the package. Benjen couldn't wait to go to Wintertown to buy something for himself and his sisters.

After talking with his sisters, Benjen put his gifts away, and the three siblings went to the Great Hall for dinner with their parents. As soon as they sat down, the twins told their mother about their time at the Eyrie. Rickard smiled as he noticed that each girl told their mother about the time they spent with Robert and Jaime. Rickard still needed to talk to his wife about his idea, but that could wait until the following day. Tonight was about being together as a family.