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

3.2 News about Winterfell

"We received two letters. One from Riverrun and other from Winterfell." Roose said and Arabella knew that none of these were good.

Robb sighed and nodded for Roose to continue. "Your Grandfather Hoster Tully died..."

Arabella frowned and looked at Robb who was probably thinking about Catelyn. "We will go there." he nodded. "And I will tell mother myself." he added after a small pause.

"What news do you have about Winterfell?" Arabella asked the man she didn't fully trust.

"Winterfell was been sacked." he slowly told. Arabella looked at Robb again, this time hurt and scared. She wanted to go and hug him, but contained herself in front of Roose.

"My brothers?" Robb asked getting furious.

"I'm sorry, Bran and Rickon are still missing." Roose answered with a cold look on his face.

Arabella saw that Robb couldn't speak so she decided to take the matters in her own hands. "Is that it?" she asked as Robb sat down on a chair.

Roose nodded and left. She watched as the doors closed and then kneeled in front of her husband. "I've won every battle, but I'm losing this war, Bella." he sighed defeat and hurt in his tone.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words left her mouth. He noticed that and smiled. "Even you don't know what to say." he sighed.

"I will never doubt you, Robb. This may seem like it's the end, but it's not. Trust yourself." she nodded getting his curls out of his forehead. He caught himself staring at her brown eyes again. "Are we really going to Riverrun?" she then asked sitting on his lap.

"Yes. It's beautiful there. You'll love it." he stroke her hair. "I'm afraid I have to tell the news to mother. Find Alec."

"Yes, my love." she stood up and he left. Arabella walked out not long after with two guards following her.

Nora was waiting for her outside. "Where is Alec?" Arabella asked bringing her arms up in a questioning manner.

"I don't know." she shook her head clueless. Arabella sighed deeply and turned  to her guards.

"Find my guard and take him to me." she ordered with a nervous look. One of them bowed down and they left, while other stayed close.

Arabella linked her arms with her trustworthy handmaiden as they started walking towards the halls. "This place scares me." Nora grumbled.

"Couldn't agree more." she said looking around cold, wet and dark walls of the castle. "We are leaving for Riverrun tomorrow, Nora. But I can't tell why." she told her maid as they came back to the chamber Arabella was previously in.

"Can I ask?" Nora then quickly spurted out the words.

"Of course, Nora." Arabella nodded while turning her look on the girl.

"What happened to Jessabelle?"

"She was sent to Essos." Arabella answered not even sad about that. "Surely that was the best option for her. She didn't die."  Nora nodded slowly. "I know she meant a lot to you..."

"No, she didn't." Nora shook her head. "She was an anxious little monster that used to control me my whole life."

And then Alec walked in.

<...>

Tyrion walked into his Fathers meeting room and saw Cersei sitting with Tywin. "What should I thank for this lovely invitation?" Tyrion smiled sitting down next to his sister.

"Did you know that Arabella married Robb Stark?" Cersei sneered through gritted teeth. Tyrion looked at her with surprise on his face with a fresh scar on it. "We have to do something. I can't let her be there."

"What do you expect me to do?" Tywin asked calmly.

"Bring her back!" Cersei shouted outraged. Tyrion knew Arabella married Robb Stark from love. He knew she wouldn't have done it otherwise. And part of him was happy for her.

"What if she did a right thing? Maybe we can make peace terms with the Starks?" Tyrion suggested making Cersei to sneer even louder.

"No!" she shook her head. "I will not let some traitor fuck my little daughter! You'd know, if you had your own children."

Tyrion fought the urge to physically roll his eyes so he looked at his father. "Any news of Jaime?"

"No." Tywin answered simply, in his usual style.

"I wrote a letter to the Stark boy. I told him I will pay any man who will bring Arabella back home." Cersei said to Tyrion and he pursed his lips.

"And what does our King say about it?" Tyrion questioned with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"He doesn't know it yet." Cersei sighed looking away.

"Ah!? What a crime." Tyrion mocked her. "To not tell the King that his older sister got married to his enemy."

Inside, Tyrion was relieved that Joffrey didn't know it yet, but in time he was gonna find out. And that's what he feared most.

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