Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter Eight

"What is love?" I ask dad when I see him. He furrows his eyebrows and looks at me confused.

"Why are you asking it?" He asks me and looks around. He kneels in front of me and smiles. "Love is something you are too young to know about." He tells me in strict voice and laughs.

"Daddy?" I tell him as he starts carrying me in the corridors. He looks down at me with expecting face. "Will I marry someone I will love?" He stops and gives me pained, but sweet smile.

"Of course." He tells me and kisses my forehead. "I promise sweetie that I will marry you to someone you will love."

"Hey, calm down. I am here." He whispers in my ear as he starts patting my head and hugging me tightly. I start sobbing and clenching on his shirt.
Tears are pouring down my face uncontrollably and makes it harder for me to breath.

"I will wake Measter Luwin, okay?" He whispers in my ear worriedly, but I tug on his shirt even tighter. He looks down at me with worried eyes.

"Don't leave me." I manage to choke the words out and he nods, hugging me tightly.

"I will never." He whispers before I doze off into deep slumber.

***

"Why is she leaving?" Rickon whispers at me and looks at me with teary eyes. I sigh and pick him up, rocking him in my hands.

"To see dad." I tell him gently and smile at him. I have noticed one thing while being here. Starks aren't warms. They aren't hugging each other or anything. But dad... he was different. And auntie Lyanna. She would always hug me and rock me to sleep. "And soon they will all come home."

"You promise?" He asks me and I have difficulty to look inside his smart Tully blue eyes.

"I promise." I whisper and he nods, taking my words. I lull him to sleep and then hand him to Hodor to be taken in the chambers.

"You would make excellent mother." Theon whispers in my ear and hugs me. I smile and shake my head. "What?"

"I wouldn't." I say and smirk. "And it's too early for thinking about children, honey." I smirk at him once again and push him playfully. "Come, I want to see Bran." He takes my hand and follows me back.

***

When I enter his room, I see Luwin and Bran's Dire Wolf. He is guarding him day and night. I smile at him and kneel besides Bran, taking his hand. Theon has left me before I entered here, saying he had to meet Robb on some business.

"Hello Bran." I start in gentle voice. I push hair locks away from his face and smile once more. "I... I missed you..." I choke the words out. "I am sorry I can't visit you often... but I will come as often as possible, okay? Just... just wake up."

I sigh and stand up, turning ar Luwin. He smiles at me and motions me to sit on one of the chairs beside Bran's bed. I sit on the first one while he takes the second.

"How are you?" He asks me in caring voice and I smile at him.

"I am fine." I whisper and look at Bran again. "I should be here instead of him... I tried... I tried to save him."

"You saved him, Bianca." He tells me in firm voice. "If it wasn't for you, he would have died. He will wake up, I know it." I smile at the old man and tear my eyes away from the sleeping boy. "You... don't take Lady Catelyn's words too painfully. She cares about you."

"She cares about the child she once had with Brandon." I state coldly.

"The next day of what she did... she sent others to search for you." Luwin says in low voice. "She regretted it and... she mourned your death." He says in a low voice. "She cares about you."

"No." I shake my head simply and smile. "She cared about me once. She loved a girl who hasn't lost father and Aunt, girl who was always cheerful and so easy to rule. She loved a girl who adored her parents." I continue in monotone voice. "She doesn't care or love a girl who has lost father, who was sent beyond the Wall, who had to live through constant fear and regret. She doesn't love a person that little girl has become."

"She just... regrets missing most important part of your life." He still tries to defend her.

"She regrets not killing me." I sigh and stand up. "We both know that she hates me. She would see me die and smile... I am no longer her child... I am grown up Stark, who survives no matter what."