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

3.3 Ghosts

"Where have you been?" Arabella asked as Alec walked in.

He rolled his eyes, annoyed at her tone. "I took care of a man you found." he answered with a cold look on his face.

"Leave us, Nora." Arabella looked at the girl. Nora nodded and quickly left with one guard, following after her.

They stood there silently, looking at one another. "Tell me, dear friend, what did I do to get this treatment from you?"

"What do you mean?" he asked calmly though he had idea.

"This, Alec..." Arabella sighed heavily. "You being so cold to me. Is this about Robb?"

"Maybe." Alec shrugged making Arabella shocked. "I'm just not happy about certain things."

"About me, marrying him?" she asked silently. "Because ,as I recall, you were the one, who encouraged me to marry him."

"No, Bella." Alec shook his head. "I just told you my opinion. And I am happy for you."

"Then what is it then?" she walked closer to him.

Alec swallowed a lump of hurt and began."A letter from Littefinger's brothel came few weeks ago. My mother was killed by your Mother's soldiers." he said lowering his head down.

"Oh, Alec--" Arabella wanted to comfort him but he wasn't finished.

"She got killed while saving a baby, that was Robert's bastard." he said making Arabella widen her eyes.

"Was--was it your mother's?" she asked hesitating. If that was true, that meant that both of them had the same brother.

"No." he shook his head. "It was a young girls baby."

"You should thank the gods the letter reached you, not our enemies." Arabella pulled her friend into a comforting hug. Alec started to cry.

"I'm sorry." he whispered. Arabella saw Robb walking in. He saw them and wanted to speak, but Arabella shook her head. Robb looked at her, unpleasant by the view. He seemed jealous for no reason.

Arabella pulled away. Alec turned around and saw Robb standing there, his hands behind his back. "I apologize, your grace." he wiped his tears. "I'll leave..." he smiled at Arabella and left.

She looked at her husband angrily. "Why was he crying in your hands?" Robb asked narrowing his eyes.

"His mother was killed by Cersei." she answered though that didn't affect Robb. "What did you want me to do? Laugh at his face? Cersei is my mother, so I do feel responsible for her actions." she shook her head and took her gown off, leaving herself in a nightgown.

"We are leaving tomorrow." Robb closed the doors and took his armor off. Arabella lied down in an old bed. The handmaidens had changed the sheets to her pleasure so it wasn't that bad.

"How did you mother react to the news?" she asked looking at Robb getting undressed.

"She was sad, of course." he kicked his boots off and went to bed. He lied next to her. "I'm sorry. About your friend..."

"Yes." Arabella nodded snuggling closer to Robb. He placed his hand on her waist. Arabella looked around the room. She was a little scared. She heard the stories about the castle being hunted. Robb noticed her expression and decided to annoy her a little.

"People say Harrenhal is haunted." he started. Her body shivered from the sudden cold. Robb covered her shoulders with sheets and she smiled. "They say this castle brought end to noble families over 300 years..."

Arabella kept quiet. "This chamber, we are lying in is called Widow's Tower for a reason." he looked at her with a smirk. Arabella had her eyes closed though he knew she was listening. "One time a Princess married a King and it was their room. There was war happening and they hid here. Enemies broke the doors and killed the King. The Princess cried so hard that, they say, the walls took that sound from her. Sometimes people hear her crying in this room."

Arabella opened her dark eyes and looked up at him. "I will leave you here to listen to her cry if you don't stop now, my King." she mused annoyed. Robb laughed and kissed her head.

"Sleep, Bella." he whispered getting comfortable.

She closed her eye once again and darkness took over.

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