Carliene Stark

Chapter 27

Carliene

After breaking my fast I headed towards the council chamber, at least that is what I though it was name. I was searching for Lord Kevan, hoping to talk to him as a dream had made me uneasy about a political decision he had made. 

I had dreamt I was standing in an empty alleyway, everything was dark and I could not see far even though the sky was covered in sunlight. Something was lying a few feet away from me, something I received as a corpse. But then the heap of flesh moved and stop up. It was a man, a man dressed in rags, his skins covered in the worst of bruises and blisters. He looked in pan as he stared to stalk towards me. I tried to move away but my legs seemed to be fixed to the street and I was unable to leave. I could only stand there and watch the tortured should to stumble closer. 

When I had awoken I immediately found myself thinking back to the two traders and the accusation of the ship being infested with pox. 

Luckily I did not search for long before I found the chamber I was looking for. Where the Lord of Casterly Rock held his important meetings and wrote and received al his letters and took care of his castle accounts. 

I knocked on the door even though it was standing wide open. Lord Kevan was sitting at a great wooden desk, its legs carved to be presenting four lions sitting upright. He looks dup from papers before him and frowned as he saw who it was to disturb him. 

"Excuse me my Lord I was hoping to speak with you" I explained as I stepped inside the room, not waiting for an invitation. 

"You are" he pointed out, looking back to his parchments. "Where is your husband" he questioned strictly. 

Probably out practicing with Ser Bronn. "I'm not sure" 

"You are his wife you are supposed to know" he snapped unkindly. 

I chewed my lip staying quiet for a moment, unsure how to pick back up after that remark. "May I sit?" I was trying not to sound intimidated, but I fear I made a poor effort of it. 

He sighed and sat back, dropping his quill. "What do you want of me?"

"I would like to address the decision you made in the hearing a couple of days ago" I said eagerly as I pulled a chair before his desk and sat down, glad he was listening. 

"What decision?" he sounded annoyed, probably thinking I was waisting his time. 

"About the merchant with the ship that was accused to be invested with the pox" I reminded him. 

He though for a moment. "What of it?"

"Well.." I started uncomfortably ".. would't it be wiser to send the measter to inspect the crew before letting them ashore?"

He sighed. "The harbourmaster quite a capable man, and he stated that the crew was in good health"

"I don't doubt that" I assured. "But the main symptoms of pox only appear a few days after infection" I explained.

He frowned "And what would you know of such things" he snapped growing more cross. 

"The maester at Winterfell taught me some healing and I read all of his books"

"That is not something to teach a Lady" he said disapprovingly. "You northerners really are a brutish bunch"

I clenched my fist, trying not to let anger take oner my tone. "You can consult with your maester if you do not believe me, but I urge you to have someone control that ship" I insisted sternly. 

He clenched his jaw as he studied me. "I will only say this once" he started calmly. "I won't stop you from attending the hearings if that's what pleases you, but you will not question my decisions and stay out of my business" venom seemed to drip from every word as he spoke them.

"I am not questio-"

"That is enough" he interrupted. "Leave me now I have more important things to do"

I swallowed the knot in anger in my throat, slowly rising from the chair as a feeling of failure washed over me. 

"Find you husband and tell him he is to join me, it is his job I am doing here after all"

I clenched my fist, swallowing an angry outburst. I quickly left the room before I lost control. It was all so unfair. Here I was trying to help. I hurried through the castle, bumping into a servant girl on the way who whimpered out an excuse shyly

I would gladly do the job that the bloody kingslayer had just been handed to, and where was he? As I expected swinging sticks around with Ser Bronn. 

"Oh you're in trouble now" I heard the knights amused voice as the wind blew it over to me, stumbling dow the narrow steps. 

The Kingslayer looked a little more concerned as they lowered their swords. 

"What are you doing?" I demanded angrily. 

His brows furrowed confused. "Practicing" her voiced it like it was obvious, which I suppose it was. 

"In the middle of the day?" I demanded angrily. "Do you just think the westerlands are going to govern themselves?"

"Why are you so angry?" he asked unmoved, adjusting his golden hand. 

I huffed pressing my hands into fists. I did;t even know myself and that made me more angry. Because I didn't get what I wanted from your uncle, would probably have been the most honest answer.

"Sexual tension, I like to call it" Bronn muttered, taking a sip from a bag of what eve the hell he had, probably wine.

"No one asked you" I snapped at him, causing him to raise his arms in defeat. "Your uncle is ruling in your stead and you just stand here all day swinging your sword around as if you are actually getting any better" I said accusingly turning back to the kingslayer. 

He actually looked almost hurt by that, clenching his jaw like his father always did, his eyes loosing all mockery. "I don't need you to tell me what I can and can't do in my own castle" he kept fumbling at the holster of his golden hand nervously. 

"Should we maybe take this inside" Ser Bronn let himself be heard again. "Having a fight next to a steep edge does not seem the wisest idea to me" he gestured towards the edges of the platform.

Kingslayer sighed as he moved past us towards the stairs, heeding the knights advice. "We're done for the day" he muttered, sheathing his sword.

I dug my nails into the palms of my hands as I watched him walk off. I was such a dumb goose, I should have just tried to convince him to send someone to investigate his ship. Of course I had more chances outwitting him than his uncle. Instead I screamed at him, now he will never listen to me. Carliene Stark you are a stubborn cunt, I swore at myself, biting my lips.

"Have some wine, its as sour as your face" Bronn held out his skin to me. 

I looked at him before gazing at the bag. With a jolt of rage I grabbed it and hurled it into the wind with all my might. It did not fly very far, but fell out of sight instantly, relieving some fury.

Bronn looked disappointed. "I'm never offering you a drink again ever in my life" he decided as we both watched the empty space that had held the wineskin only moments before.