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

Chapter Twenty Four::Winter Is Coming

The smile never twitched, altered, or fell from Raina's face for the days to come, she couldn't help but be pleased and proud with the news she received some nights ago; there was hope yet, and she was filling with it. The hurt didn't disappear, only subsided, for a time, so that Raina may have rejoiced in her friend's achievements towards his cause, a cause that would've support Robb's claim too if Renly were to sit upon the Iron Throne some day. She wished every night that Renly would make it, set the North free of the tyranny the Bolton's brought unto it, and rule the Seven Kingdoms with justis. Riana didn't know much about what it took to be a good King, but so far it would seem Renly was doing reasonably well, as did Robb during his reign, and, to be fair, anything would be better than the Lannisters and Baratheons holding the throne as they did now. Hopefully not for much longer.

Delvin, Finn and Gawen were currently practising their sword skills, or what that actually meant was that they were showing off in front of each other, and trying to prove they were the best, while Erena, who's chipper mood was just as hyper as it had been over the last few days, and Raina watched from the sidelines, eagerly. Raina didn't feel like fighting, or practising, today, something in her just felt tired, worn out and fed up. She just wanted to sit and observe for today, finding all her excitement starting to drain from her. She had 4 days until her wedding, time had passed quickly and she did not appreciate it, and all she could think of was the dawning idea of life after marriage, and that whatever hope she had of being saved, even if she hadn't asked for the help, would soon have to dissolve for she would be married to a Bolton, and thus a part of that treacherous family. No one could help her escape that fate once it was sealed on that fateful day.

"Ray - come show 'im how it's done!" Finn shouted, ducking a blow flinged his way from his cousin, whom smirked and tried again. Raina went to speak, but found all she could do was shake her head, and yawn against her will. "Why do they call you Ray?" Erena inquired cautiously from Raina's side, her blond hair mangled into some elaborate braid atop her head, and her eyes like that of a dear, innocent and curious. Raina sighed, a small smile grazing her lips as she thought carefully over her words, or if she even wished to tell Erena the reason or not. The name still brought flutters of life into her knitted stomach, even when not spoken by Robb it always reminded her of him. "It was a nickname a friend gave to me some time back." Raina muttered under her breath, not really wanting to elaborate further. Ray...That had been the last word Robb had ever said to her, or about her, or just in general as far as Raina was sure. She'd watched him, kneeling with arrows imbedded into his body, slumping forward and life draining from him, and then he'd whispered it, she couldn't even hear him say it but she was sure he had, that was before he dropped limp on the floor. "Which friend?" Erena asked quietly, not wishing to push Raina further, but simply intrigued. Raina took in a deep breath, eyes drifting closed for a brief moment to imagine his face, his voice, his eyes; just him, her love, her King. "Robb Stark." She said softly, watching Erena's gaunt face drop further. She didn't say anymore on it.

It took a while before any more conversation broke out; he boys continued their fighting between themselves, occasionally calling to Raina for commentary which she gave, but neither girl really made much effort to talk for a long, aching moment. "Do you look forward to your wedding, dear Raina?" Her auntie inquired, peering over the pair's shoulders. Sybelle looked just as threateningly cool as ever, in her scarlet dress and dark woven locks tied back from her ivory face. Raina was stunned for a moment, debating how far honesty would get her in her current situation. She doubted it would get her a great distance, but then who could be happy with a partner such as Ramsay. "In a way," she replied calmly, gripping her pale fingers securely around the wooden fence on which she leant. "How so?" Sybelle pried, taking a turn in front of the fence to glare like ice at the young Glover girl. If you didn't know the woman it would be a reasonable guest to assume she were a Bolton with the way she was acting. "I am nervous, ma'am. You know how it is." Raina shot back, harsh like steel and causing the elder woman's face to fall slightly. "Well I suppose you'd best overcome that shortly. You are getting married in a matter of days, remember," with the sly exclamation made, the woman strode away, leaving a deafening silence in her wake. 

Erena lowered her head, evidently ashamed of her mother's behaviour but fearing the consequences of addressing it in conversation, and Raina utterly shocked by how little time she had remaining to be free of a hideous marriage looming over the horizon. She wished now she'd ran again, ran for the hills, ran for wherever would keep her safe from this impending doom of a betrothal. Only, the thing that kept her where she was, Robb would not be there to run to, like the last time. 

"Excuse me." She murmured to her company, standing abruptly and straightening her shirt in an orderly fashion; and before anyone could say otherwise, she strode away, feet stamping deep into the dirt, and hair whisking in the wind as she stormed towards the confines of the trees. The woods were the only place she felt safe anymore, ironically. Not even Winterfell gave her any sense of comfort - only a sick, gut-curdling, feeling that she'd prefer to live without, even when she knew she wouldn't be able to. 

She didn't really pay much attention to how far she walked, or even in which direction it was that she'd bolted in, only that the light around her was swallowed by thick canopy, and guarded by the thick trunks of stretching trees that towered above her small frame. She continued to walk though, into the depth of the undergrowth until she could see nor hear anything that would remind her of Winterfell, or the future waiting for her. Her brother's wouldn't have followed her, they knew her too well to know if she walked off as purposefully as she had then she had a reason to wish to be alone if she did not say otherwise, and they would sooner follow her than allow Erena to do so idly. Gawen, too, would be prevented from interrupting Raina's private moment in the trees. The same could not, however, be said for Raina's betrothed, or any member of his family; or other members of her family for that matter. Still, once she finally came to a halt in a small, neat, clearing - surrounding by thick bush and fallen logs - she was sure no one would be stalking after her for some time. She was alone. Again. Not even the wolves to keep her company. 

She perched herself on a crumbling piece of bark, fallen between two rocks and balanced carefully atop them, and held  her head in her hands. Renly was winning the war her love should've been fighting in. Her love, her King. He should have been in Winterfell, with her, not dead and dumped somewhere in the Riverlands. He should have been here; alive. How Raina missed him - yearned for him - needed him. She just wished she could've done more to help; if she'd arrived at The Twins moments earlier, she could've saved the King and his mother, and the North would not be under the treacherous rule of the Bolton bastards. And Raina would not be wishing she'd died at the Twins with Robb, and not have been forced to live through life without him, in such a state she it was now. 

The silence around her was like a symphony of reminders, continuously distracting her with thoughts of the future when all she wished to think of was the past. Of Robb. The winds howled a chorus that could have almost been Greywind, and whichever Direwolf accompanied him, but the whistle of drifting leaves was too distinct to be perceived as anything but the cries of the breeze. Raina had always loved the sounds of the woods, but now it only haunted her more, knowing that had things played out differently the silence wouldn't have been so daunting. 

Yet, abrupt and loud, came the snap of wood from over Raina's shoulder, shattering the layer of harmony that had been created in the tranquil atmosphere. 

Raina froze, afraid to move or make the tiniest sound. She couldn't help but wonder if it were the Direwolves, coming to join her in her wallowing, or whether it were her betrothed, stalking her every move, perhaps it were her brother's, one of them at least, coming to check on their brooding sibling, or one of the Glovers at all. But when a hand collapsed down on Raina's shoulder, bringing her head round just as suddenly as she'd heard the snap of twigs beneath a triumphant foot, any worries she'd had about the identity of the person were flooded by overwhelming joy at the face she saw before her.