Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter Twenty

"Sometimes we are confused about what is right and what is wrong..." dad whispers at me as we sit on the roof of one of the castles. The night sky above us is mesmerizing and breath taking. I look at him confused, not understanding what he means.

"Then why do we do what we do?" He looks at me with raised eyebrows. "If we don't know if it is good or bad... why do we do it?"

"Because it's needed." He sighs and pats my shoulder. "Remember Princess... sometimes we don't choose the fate we want to live... the fate chooses us... and we have no choice, but to live with it." He ruffles my hair and smiles.

"But we can choose if we want it or not." I object and shake my head. "We still have choices and we can always choose the better option."

"Sometimes... yes... but not always." He sighs and looks down. "Sometimes we have to sacrifice the ones we love in order to win."

"What's the point of winning if you have no one left to celebrate it with?"

"Know what, young lady?" He smiles fondly at me. "You are too smart for your own good."

"Robb..." I call him, but he ignores my voice. He is looking at others, who are his lords. But he can't see me, his own sister. "Robb..." I call him again this time in more demanding tone, but he ignores me. Again.

"We should send Theon Greyjoy to his father at Iron Islands for help." He continues talking and anger is rising inside of me. He doesn't spare a single glance at me, as if I don't even exist.

"Robb!" I yell and whole hall looks at me. Everyone's eyes are plastered on me. Theon starts walking my direction, but as he comes I push him little further which surprises everyone.

"What happened?" Robb asks me as he approaches me, stupid crown on his head. "Why aren't you in your chambers? Or what are you doing here?" He asks me, with each question his voice becoming more demanding.

Nightshade jumps in front of me as if to protect me from Robb and Graystorm rushes beside him. Everyone is staring at us, silenced and confused.

"If you hurt Kingslayer Cersei will kill them." I whisper in a low voice. "You... you have to exchange him... "

"No." He says in a cold voice, which causes more anger inside of me. "If... father was still alive I would... but... not now." This makes me freeze on spot. He wouldn't.

"Robb Stark!" I shout at him, Nightshade becoming angrier. "Don't make me do something I will regret later." I snap at him and he smirks at me, as if daring me.

"What can you do?" He asks me in a low voice, which is still perfectly heard in the quiete hall. "It will be better if you return to your chambers, Bianca." He says in strict tone and turns his back on me.

"Okay." I say in a heart broken voice and look up at his back. He has stopped moving, but he isn't looking at me. "Then I am going with Theon on Iron Islands." I inform him loudly, which causes him to turn.

"You can't." He tells me simply. "The Journey in the middle of the war... it will be dangerous." He tells me with calm voice.

"Brother I have survived Beyond the Wall, believe me when I tell you that sea won't be the worst thing I will ever see." My voice is low, ancient and cold.

"It's not about the sea." He snaps at me again. "But the people. You are Stark, they will take you."

"They won't." I smirk at him. "Even though I am Stark, it is perfectly clear that you don't care about your siblings, so they will gain nothing by taking me." My words seem to cut him deeper than any sword would. He opens his mouth, but closes it.

"Okay then. Do as you please." His voice is distant and cold. "But if something happens to you, don't blame it on me."

***

"Princess Bianca!" Jaime calls my name when I enter his chambers. He smiles at me and waves at me his chained hand. I smirk and sit next to him on the floor.

"Jaime." I greet back. I stare at the distance and close my eyes tightly.

"What happened princess?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do you look so sad?" He asks me and I look at him, opening my one eye. "Don't give me that look, I know what I am talking about."

"How do you know if someone truly loves you back?" I ask him suddenly, still remembering the look Theon gave me when I said I wanted to go with him. He was angry, no beyond angry. He was in rage.

"Problems with Kraken?" He asks me and I nod, not seeing point in hiding it from him. "I don't know. They care about you, they think about you and they are happy to be with you." He tells me and sighs when notices my face. "What happened?"
I tell him everything that had happened in the hall and he listens carefully.

"So... he doesn't want you in Iron Islands?" I shake my head and tears start slipping on my face. "Maybe he is scared for your safety?"

"Or he doesn't want me to see his father." I tell him and he doesn't object. "I... he is planning something and I want to know what." Jaime chuckles at me.

"You remind me of someone I love." Jaime tells me and I smile at him.

"Cersei?" This seems to surprise him a lot and looks at me scared. "I knew it... I noticed it back in Winterfell... and then I remembered the hand pushing my brother... but I don't blame you." I tell him in a low voice.

"Why do you trust me?" Jaime asks me suddenly. "Why don't you hate me like others do?"

"Because you killed the person, who killed my father." I inform him without much thinking and smile at his reaction.

"You mean?" I nod and he raises his eyebrows. "Then... it makes you the only... the real Heir of the winterfell." He whispers in a low voice and I nod again. "You are the child of Brandon Stark!"

"Don't tell anyone and I won't tell about you and Cersei." He looks at me confused as if asking me why I am hiding it. "One way or another, Robb is still my brother... I don't want to take it from him." I sigh and continue. "He may be stupid and irrational, but I don't want to put him through misery and hatred. He deserves to be Lord of the north."

"But not king?" Jaime asks me and smiles when sees my confused face. "You said Lord of the North... while he calls himself King of the North."

"Jaime..." I call him and he looks at me. "You have seen kings... so... tell me who deserves to be the king?"