Among Lions and Wolves • |Book 1|

.chapter two.

Changes have been made.

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The long journey north had left Rhaella sick to her stomach most of the way. It was not until the cool north air reached her lungs that she began to stop retching up the contents of her stomach and was able to sit beside the princess the rest of the way. 

When their wheelhouse came to a halt and word was brought to them they'd have to walk from there, Rhaella felt the knot in her stomach tighten. She placed a hand gently on her abdomen and glanced warily at the bucket she had been using most of the way. 

"You can lean on me," Myrcella's sweet angelic voice drifted through the haze. Slowly, Rhaella turned her head to peer up at the younger girl and smiled back. "I may be smaller than you, but I won't let you fall, I promise."

Her smile grew twice it's normal size as she reached up for the little golden-haired child's hand and squeezed it gently, "I believe you," she said, slowly climbing to her feet. Together, both girls made their way out of the wheelhouse, the queen, and little Tommen not far behind them.

Out of all the children Queen Cersei had, Myrcella had been the one Rhaella was closest with. Of course, Joffrey had been near Rhaella in age, but they had been different in personalities. He was arrogant in his ways, and he had tormented her when they had been younger. 

Myrcella was different. She was sweet, gentle, everything a princess should be and more. Rhaella, who grew up in a household of seven, all girls, never once recalled a time when they were not fighting, and so with sweet Myrcella, it had been a relief to finally have a sister that was of good nature and adored her just as she adored the princess. And there was scarcely any sibling rivalry.

Together, with Myrcella's hand in her's, the princess and Rhaella stepped out of the wheelhouse and waited for the queen. She held Tommen's hand in her's, a warm smile on her face upon seeing her children. Cersei placed a hand to Rhaella's face, her thumb gentling brushing against her cheek before she pulled back her hand. There was a look in the queen's eyes, a look Rhaella could hardly make out. 

"Come," she said to them all, a tight-lipped smile appearing on her face as she looked at the gates of Winterfell. 

Rhaella followed her gaze, the knot in her stomach growing. She felt Myrcella squeeze her hand and turned her head to look at the young girl. A smile curved her lips and warmed Rhaella's heart. She smiled back, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm right here," she said, reassuring Rhaella that she was, indeed, right there. 

A single tear escaped, she reached up with her other hand to wipe it away. "You have no idea how much your presence means to me," she told Myrcella.

No reply came from the princess, instead, she pulled her hand free and threw her arms around Rhaella, careful to mind her stomach. Rhaella hugged her back, carefully, she was afraid that if she squeezed too tightly, Myrcella just might break.

They pulled apart from their hug, both with large smiles on their faces. She felt better now, much better than she did on the way to Winterfell. Rhaella turned toward the gate, her smile fading a little as she caught the queen's look. Cersei didn't look annoyed as she often did, just slightly impatient. Rhaella could understand, the journey had been long and neither had wanted to come in the first place. 

She felt Myrcella's hand slip back into her's. Rhaella turned back to the princess and smiled. Together, they walked over to the queen and the others and followed behind as they were led through the gates.