Cats And Roses

Into The Wolf's Lair

The next two weeks there wasn't a moment you wouldn't spend contemplating your future. Clara decided to stay in the Mistfort with you untill the day of departure.
She was trying to make you less misarable about the whole situation but the more you thought about it the more you hated your position.
One day when you were walking across the courtyard with your friend you crossed your path with Lester.

"Lady Bane is asking for your presence in her chambers" he said.
It had to be something serious because Lester was never so official with you.
"I will get to her immediately" you said and looked at Clara.
She gave you a nod and continued her walk with the boy from the kitchens.

You hurried towards the tower in which your Morher's chambers were. You followed the staircase up to the very top of the tower and entered the bedroom.
You found your Mother in bed, half lying down, half sitting up. She was very pale and sorounded by her handmaidens.

"Mother is everything alright?" You ask.

"I'm not feeling very well. I think I might have a fever" she said.

"Don't frown Lucia, act like a lady for once in your life" she grunted when she noticed your worried face.
"Moister Helios says I'll be just fine as long as I stay here and rest."

"So why did you send for me?"

"Because of my condition I won't be able to visit Winterfell with you and so your father will replace me."
It will be odd , not having you Mother with you, but at least she won't criticize your every step, you thought.

"And who will now be the acting Lord of Mistfort?" You asked politely. That place would usually go to Mother in case of your Father's absence but since she was sick there was no one to take care of your home and its people.

"Lady Sangstern agreed to make her son the acting Lord of the Mistfort for the time being."
You looked at her with disbilief.
"And we both belive that you will do everything you can to make this arrangement go as smoothly as possible."
"But Mother I ... don't feel like I can go through with this thing" you told her what was bugging you for the last two weeks.

"Nonsense" she cut you off "you will behave exactly as I tought you and everything will be fine and you will marry a lord and you will have beautiful children and you will live a happy life and so on and on" she said, obviously sick of your complaining.

"I really don't know what you are being sad about. When I was your age my parents sent me here because of spite for another family. I was suppose to marry Mace Tyrell did you know that? Instead they made me move in the middle of nowhere and marry a lord I've never heard of before. You can count yourself lucky, girl."

There was no point in arguing. Your Mother was as stubborn as you were. "Alright" you agreed "Clara will still come with us right?"

"Awcourse. I couldn't convince your Father otherwise."
You were relieved. You wouldn't like to think about your friend being stuck here while you go on an 'adventure'.

Your Mother gave you the permission to leave her room and you made your way back to the yard.
You never knew your Mother was suppose to marry a Tyrell. Well, it should make sense because she was born in the family Lightthorn who lived very close to Highgarden. How much different could your life be if Mother would marry Lord Tyrell you sighed.
Now you will never know.

*******************
Finally the day came. Everyone in the castle was buzzing around doing something terribly important.
Neither you or Clara felt like eating so you both skipped breakfast and went for your last walk in the woods.

"Will you miss this place when you go away?"
You took a second to think.

"No I won't. But I will miss my family."

"Will you miss me?"

"I said I will miss my family. You and Tom are my family, awcourse I will miss you."
Her face brightened. You sat under a tree and took all of the Forest you were leaving in one look. You remebered how you used to play here with Clara and her brother, how you climbed the trees and learned how to ride. You remembered how your Father once took you here to teach you archery. If your Mother ever found out about that, she would give you both a long lecture about how hunting and archery aren't proper things for a lady to do.
Maybe you would miss this place just a little bit. But this marriage was apparently what needed to be done.

"I think it's time to go back" your friend said and gave you an encouraging look.

Together you followed a path back to the fort.
There were people all over the courtyard and they were packing the last chests or preparing the horses and the carriage.

You saw Father approaching from the  kitchens.
"Hello darling, did you enjoy your last walk?" He asked.

"Yes I did. Will you ride with others Father?" You asked.

"No, I was planning on joining you and Clara in the carriage. And I know you wanted to ride, but your Mother would never allow that" ha added after you made an angry look.

"So we are really leaving now?"

"Yes and you both better hurry or we will leave without you" he said.

You weren't really in the mood for his jokes right now.
"If I don't go, everything falls apart and you won't have anything to brag about with you friends."

He sighed "Please don't do this types of things in front of Lady and Lord Stark."

"Sometimes I think it would be better if you listened to your Mother" you heard him say to himself when you got into the carriage.
______________________________________

You were now on the way to your new life which you knew nothing about, with your best friend and Father by your side.

"So what will I have to do now" you asked your Lord Father.

"Excuse me?" He replied.

"Go to Winterfell and wait until Robb and I come of age?"

"And why Robb?"

"That is what you are planning to do here right? To join house Bane with house Stark by marrying me to Robb?"

"Who said anything about you marrying the Stark kid? I thought you heard what we are planning" he smiled.

"Not all of it" you said and frowned "why are we going to Winterfell then?"

"I believe that Lady Catelyn and Lord Stark will tell you everything you need to know when we get there. Meanwhile try to enjoy the ride."

While the greyness of the North passed by, there were more and more questions burning in your mind that you couldn't get the answers to yet. You would just have to wait a little longer.