✓ | 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑻𝒐 𝑹𝒖𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 (R.STARK 2/3)

Chapter Three::Home Again

The long, and drawn out, journey home was one consisting of little communication between Raina, whose misery continued through the remaining leg of the distance, and the sibling she now acknowledged to be her eldest brother, Delvin. In the moments she was not occupied by her thoughts, she made attempts to speak with him, but neither one was really in the mood for small talk, or any sort of humour. Raina's throat, on several other opportunities, failed her, and merely croaked in it's dry column, preventing her from making much further sound. And for the remainder of their time on the road together, Raina managed to distract herself with all sorts of internal nostagers. She thought back to times with Robb, be them torcherous as they were, she still began to recap their memories, and found some comfort in a few of them. The others just promoted the prominent numbness currently occupying the Glover's frame, the same numb feeling that had prevented any conversing with her brother, and had long since restricted the flow of water from her eyes. She'd run dry. And it was presumably for the best. The last thing she wished to do on this long trek home was irritate her brother with endless sobbing and a continuous stream of undying tears. He had failed just as she had, he had witnessed Robb's death, just as she had, so neither of the Glover's, that trekked through the North once more, as though they had not just been present for such a fray, were in the mood for such reminders as crying over the days that had passed.

With the dull sensation surrounding her the entire way, Raina and her company, whom had said nothing, and done little but walk, through their journey, finally came into familiar territory. It had been a long while since Raina had seen any sign of the Wolf's Wood, it's murky shade of green blurred into the vast distance in front of them, browns and dark colours mixing with it in order to create a wall of trees and shrubbery, that had, to her shock, expanded in the year since she had departed it. Through here lay her home, on its east wing remained Winterfell, and somewhere to the North-East was where Ironrath was situated. It wasn't hard to understand how the three families had intertwined as they had, with their homes being but a days walk from any of the other settlements. If Robb hadn't-
Raina couldn't even think of it.
Considering the circumstances, there was no use going to Winterfell, as there would be no assistance for them there, and if Raina was seriously contemplating not returning to Deepwood Motte, the home she so despised, that left Ironrath as the only option. But then it struck her- she would be returning without Rodrik, or Lord Forrester, and would be forced to tell Elissa of the events she had left them to suffer. She couldn't face that. Not this soon after- the incident.

Casting a brief, questioning glance, toward her brother, whom still wore his solemn shroud as though it concealed his own inner battle, Raina began forward. Her strides were similar to those on that night, when she'd departed her room and not thought to look back, even as the looming darkness had engulfed her- outstretched legs, stepping as far forward as she could without losing her balance. Long and efficient strides. The Wolf's Wood, after all that Raina had seen of the world, though be it small in the grand scheme of things, it was in fact far more than Raina had witnessed before her venture out into it, was almost like walking into a room at Deepwood Motte, not so pleasant, but recognisable at least, and in some, odd, way, comforting to the traumatised pair. She stalked through the trees like they couldn't touch her, like it was just a carefree stroll that could have no complications, only ever willing her head to glance at her brother after a specifically long distance had been crossed, though to little surprise, he still trailed along a few feet behind, his long legs proving to not be phased by the vast space they were crossing in such a small time; Raina was not so accustomed. He scolded the ground like it had insulted him and his honour, or as though it should be resented for something. He blamed everything he looked at, hated anything in his path, and had paid little attention to his baby sister, who had been forced to take the reins in his dazed absence. He was conflicted- he blamed himself for the death of a close friend, and his King, yet was not regretting saving his sister from such a fight. But there was something else playing on both their minds, something consuming both their thoughts, and causing a poisonous jolt in both their chests. Finn. Delvin had left his side to reach his sister's, and since had failed to regroup with him. The two Glover boys hadn't made any plans of where they would meet, if they did in fact make it out, afterwards, and, having had time to dwell on that night, Raina realised there had been no sign of him at all. The two couldn't have cared less about their father's whereabouts that evening, but if Finn had been engulfed by fighting, they might not get to see him again, like they prayed they would- like with Esme.

After a days walk through the crowded woodland, they finally reached the ghostly breeze of Deepwood Motte; the dark structure sat atop its mound with a displeasing glare, few lights hidden in the cracks of the walls, and no life to be witnessed beyond its caged windows. The village within its confines was much the same, somewhat hyper with the news of their King, and active with the afternoons work, but none of them batted an eyelid at their Lord's children, nor the sudden reappearance of his missing daughter; they all just measly carried on with the work at hand, hunched and hauled up like the rats they were, living in their wooden hovels, and baring no pleasantries in the otherwise grim settlement. Home sweet home.

The two Glover's grimaced at the faces they passed, and pounded through the muddy-strewn paths until they finally reached the cobbled steps. Raina failed to remember the last time she'd walked along these stairs, as it was not the last time she had been at her home, but in fact quite a while before that date. In any case, as she went to begin her hike to the front doors, her brother padded further ahead of her, suddenly rushing past her small figure, and bolting up the stairs at a remarkable speed, when compared to the pace at which he had travelled at for the entirety of their walk home. Delvin seemed desperate to get inside, to be enclosed by the dirtied, yet familiar, walls of his home, where he could curl up in a corner, and dissolve into the shadows. Raina had never seen him so eager to get inside before, but she followed him quickly, without argument, hoping that something, anything, would be better, different at least, instead of a sour reminder of everything that had died in her wake, like what had already suck in her stomach upon seeing the building.

She, once stood on the top few steps, glared upwards; the window directly up, on a stone wall, cast only shadows out of it, no life or light like usual. The room had been left to rot in the furthest reach of that floor, where no one would have to see it, or remember its previous occupant. Esme.