B L O O M

Trust

    Rose could not help but wander the familiar Halls of King's Landing, her feet almost moving on their own accord. She kept moving to calm the urges to run, for all she wanted was to get away. To return to Essos or Winterfell, where she had been welcomed with open arms. Rose couldn't help but compare the North and South, and everything that made her love them both.

     In the North, men were said to be cruel, but they were very kind, if not a little hesitant. The South is full of those wishing to climb to the top or those to foolish to know of the climb for power. Rose almost wished she could disappear, vanish to a land where titles and gold didn't matter, vanish to the never-ending sea of grass in Essos and stay there forever more. She was stopped in her path and thoughts when she stumbled upon Renly.

   "Rose. Come quick, we were hunting and-" Renly rushed as he turned down the hall Rose was walking, stopping to tell her before turning back to the path he had come from. Rose followed him with urgency before Renly turned down the wrong path, it wasn't until she heard him repeating his tale to Ned did she resume her quick pace.

   Rose burst into the room when Joff and Robert were speaking, her eyes looking Robert over until they saw the edge of a bandage from beneath the sheets. Gasping, Rose took a step back and Maester Pycelle gripped her arm to stop her from moving. Robert dismissed Joffery and motioned for Rose to come to his bedside, making Pycelle release his hold on the blonde as Joffery stormed off. Rose didn't hesitate to push past Joff and sit on the edge of the bed, her hands instantly meeting Robert's waiting ones.

   "Rose," Robert spoke, his usual bellow softened by his wounds, "I want you to be strong. You have more strength and kindness in you then the whole Seven kingdoms. Always fight for what you believe. When you fall, which is bound to happen, get back up." A smile made its way onto both of their faces, Rose's smile not quite reaching her eyes as they normally do, for her cheeks were streaked with tears.

   "I promise." At that moment Renly and Ned entered the room, panting from trying to catch up with the fast blonde.

    "I wonder what would have happened if I had married you," Robert questioned Rose, coughing after chuckling. "Maybe I wouldn't be here today."

   "I wouldn't be free." Rose said as she met Robert's chocolate eyes with her own, he smiled as another tear made its way down her now red cheeks.

   "No, you wouldn't. You were also three, so, I guess I'm glad for that." Rose standing up and moving to stand next to Cersei, Maester Pycelle and Renly. Ned taking her place, hobbling to Robert's side.

   "My fault," Robert spoke to Ned, chuckling to himself, "To much wine. Missed my thrust." Ned pulled back Robert's sheets to examine his wounds with a grimace, making Rose breathe in at the sight of the blood bleeding through the layers of bandages.

  "Stinks. Stinks like death. Don't think I can't smell it," Robert continued, laughing softly before grimacing in pain, "I paid the bastard back Ned. I drove my knife right through his brain, you ask 'em if I didn't. Ask 'em. I want the funeral feast to be the biggest the kingdoms ever saw. And I want everyone to taste the boar that got me. Now leave us the lot of you, I need to talk to Ned."

   "Robert my sweet," Spoke Cersei, Rose looked at her emotionless face with teary eyes.

  "Out all of you." Robert demanded before he started coughing, the room emptied until just Rose, Ned and Robert remained.

   "You too, Rose." Robert said softly with a smile as Rose looked back at him in sadness.

    Rose's eyes met Robert's before she stole over to the bed, hugging him tightly despite his wounds. Hearing Robert's cheery laugh, she released him before flashing a small smile amidst the tears. Rose then left the room, meeting the faces of Ser Barristan, Cersei, Maester Pycelle and Renly. She swept her eyes over the lot of them before walking down the hall.