a wolf and a stag // r.stark 1.

2.6 Catelyn's Return

Arabella woke up next to Alec. He was snoring slightly. She got out of the bed. Then Jessabelle and Nora came in. "Good morning, m'lady" Jessabelle greeted causing Arabella to bring her finger to her mouth.

"Shh. Don't wake him up" she mumbled quietly and the maids nodded like puppets.

She took a bath, dressed up and left the tent. It was cold outside but Arabella got used to it. She liked the cold hitting her cheeks and closed her eyes breathing in.

When she opened her eyes, she saw a tall woman standing next to Catelyn. They were talking with Robb. He turned his head to think and his eyes caught Arabella looking at him. "Come" he said softly. She approached them.

"I'm happy you're back" she nodded to Catelyn. But they had bigger problems to notice her trying.

"We have bad news" Catelyn told her. "Your Uncle Renly is dead."

Arabella wasn't pleased but wasn't surprised either. She looked at the tall woman in armor. "This is Brienne of Tarth. She is my sworn sword. I trust her" Catelyn commented seeing Arabella's reaction.

"Who killed my uncle?" she questioned no one in particular. She was never close to Renly, so the news weren't as hurtful to her.

"They think it was Brienne, but I was there. It was a--"

"--A shadow, who had Stannis Baratheon's face" Brienne said with pain and hate in her voice.

"A shadow?" Arabella raised her eyebrows not understanding anything at all.

"I know what I say" Brienne told her strictly and Arabella nodded.

"What about his army?" Robb then spoke for the first time. He glanced at his mother.

"He agreed to give you his men, but then we met up with Stannis. They argued and then the following night he was killed" Catelyn told them and Arabella had to look away.

"And?" Robb was getting anxious.

"After he died, all of his men decided to join Stannis. There were no men left" she sighed. Robb stayed calm after bad news.

"I guess Greyjoy is our only chance now" he told them.

"Leave me with my son" Catelyn ordered both, Arabella and Brienne. The two left. The Stark lady saw how Robb followed Arabella with his look. "You know you need the Freys on your side" she started earning a slight eye roll from her eldest son.

"I know" he answered getting annoyed.

"You need to marry a girl as soon as possible" she ordered and he looked around before setting his look down to his judgmental mother.

"But I don't want to marry anyone" he was talking like a teenage boy. He was one after all.

"This is not about what you want. It's about this war. About your sisters. You need to forget about that girl. I see the way you look at her, son" she sighed trying to bring some mind to Robb.

He didn't answer, giving everything away. "All she'll bring to you is death. If her family finds out she's here, they will come."

"They already know she's here" he grumbled.

"See. We can't trust her." Catelyn said looking deeply into his blue eyes. "She didn't gain your trust yet. I don't think she'll even try."

She was right about that. Arabella wasn't trying to gain Robb's trust. Because she wanted to be genuine about it. "All she does is keeping herself alive. I think, you're the one, who wants her dead." he told her with slight anger in his tone.

Catelyn was surprised at such accusation. "She was attacked few nights ago. By a Lannister. I don't know whether it was to kill her or take her back to Kings Landing."

"You're not thinking it was me, who sent that man?" Catelyn said scared of what he might think. It wasn't her but with Robb's mind, she could've been.

"No, mother" he shook his head and they started walking.

The day passed. Arabella was talking with Alec as he still lied in her bed. "What was your favorite place in Kings Landing?" he questioned her.

Arabella thought about it for a few seconds. "Well, I wasn't allowed to leave the Red Keep, so my gardens. What's yours?" she smiled getting comfortable on the bed.

"The city itself was beautiful, without the smell of shit or dumpster. Fun fact, my friend, I lived in Littlefinger's brothel" he answered rather proudly.

"Were you satisfying any women there?" she questioned with a teasing smirk.

"One or two yes." he smirked back. Arabella opened her mouth and let out a laugh.

"You're not untouched?" she joked making him scoff playfully.

"Do I look like one?" he shot back. "You, on the other hand, do look like one."

She raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"When the King comes all your body tenses up, like you've never seen a man before."

"Shut up" she laughed her cheeks blushing as she remembered the dream back in Kings Landing.

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