BLEEDING LOVE ⚜️ ROBB STARK

Chapter Fourteen • Assassination

Dear mother,

I trust that your journey along the kingsroad was well and that you settling in back in the Red Keep. I always found that you preferred the royal palace rather than any other castle. I remember how unpleasant you found the castles and inns on the kingsroad to be on our venture to Winterfell. I hope that the journey found you, father, Uncle Jaime, Joffrey, Myrcella, Tommen, and the Starks well. I have settled into Winterfell.

I already miss you, mother. I know that you miss me all the same. I still wear my lioness necklace proudly.

With all my love,
Princess Lyla

That was where she drew at a blank. Should she sign it Lyla Baratheon as she had always, or was she now Lyla Stark. Her mother did not start being called Cersei Baratheon even once, even if it was the name of the king. She had always been Cersei Lannister. She wondered if the royal last name was the best, but in the North the name Stark would hold more weight. Lady Catelyn stopped calling herself Tully in favor of Stark. She liked the way it rolled of her tongue, she supposed.

She didn't finish the letter, instead she decided to wait a bit longer to see how she wanted to sign it or if there was anything else she wanted to add to it. She also did not know if their party had arrived in King's Landing yet. Most likely.

She remembered how long it took them to ride from King's Lamding to Winterfell. Her father they had to go then, as soon enough winter would arrive and there would be no more time for travel. Only time to stay home and pray for the summers return and that there was enough food and wine to get them through winter. She remembered every castle and inn they stayed at. Only the finest. Always with a brothel not too far away for her father to indulge in. She remembered how it felt they had spent more time riding in that month than she had ever before. It was her longest journey.

Winterfell was the most north she had ever gone. Her Uncle Tyrion once jokingly suggested that she ride with him to the Wall once. It spiked her interest. She wanted to see it. She remembered many members of the Night's Watch would ride south to the Red Keep. When court was in session, they would beg for more men, clothes, or food privations. Jon Arryn, would be sitting on the throne in place of her father of course, the wise good man would always promise they would give what they could. She remembered thinking how he was good at ruling. He often sat in for the king when her father decided he wanted to go hunting or whatnot. He was a good and kind man, she enjoyed his company. With the exception for his odd wife and son, the latter seemed obsessed with her. But she digressed. She would love to see the wall, maybe one day she would. The North would belong to her husband and their sons one day. That was if she had a son.

She knew that it would take some time to make a son, and even more time to know if she was even with child. But it made her wonder. What if she never gave her lord husband a son? He would hate her. Denying her a child and allowing the seat of Winterfell to fall to Bran and his children (or Rickon). Maybe he would turn to whores. No, there would be no point, they would all be bastards with the name of Snow. He would have to stay with her. A loveless marriage.

He would hate her the way her mother and father hated one another. They loved her so dearly she was almost blind to see that they despised one another. He was always with his whores, humiliating her. Her mother believed he was a witless oaf, she told this to Lyla with no regrets or remorse. They were not afraid to show how much they hated one another.

She promised herself she would not allow herself to be in a marriage such as that, which is why she didn't want to marry Robb Stark. Even when she saw he was very handsome in the Winterfell courtyard during their first meeting. With his dark curls, shaved face, and those deep blue eyes. Even when he made her heart race and her chest ache. Even when she saw he was honorable, that would never dishonor her by bedding whores and fathering bastards. Even how he was good and kind, he saved her life from the bear. Even when he was a gentleman, whether it was addressing her properly, kissing her hand, or escorting her arm-in-arm. He was perfect, but even still she was afraid to marry him in fear that he would hate her.