Queen of Wolves // Jaime Lannister [GAME OF THRONES] (ON HOLD)

10. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS

Alynna couldn't help but see the limp form of her brother's body as a corpse. He was so small in death.

There was a pulse though, she felt it when she held his hand, a pulse that jolted like lightning and melted Alynna's heart. It gave hope that he'd miraculously wake up, fine and healthy.

Her mother never left Bran's side, praying and praying, praying enough for all the North. Had the Gods listened to her mother's cries of despair? He was only a boy, a boy who loved to climb, Alynna thought, making her way to where Bran lay once again.

'Alynna?' The voice was soft as rain and when she turned, Alynna found the queen gazing down at her with eyes of a raging storm.

'My queen.' She was stopped mid-curtsey with Cersei's light brush on her arm, her slender fingers displaying rings, glowing stones of varying carvings and shades.

'You and your family are in grief, courtesy shouldn't be on your minds now.' Said Cersei. Alynna nodded in response, her mouth became dry and she didn't know where to look as they began to walk together. The queen never took much notice of her in King's Landing, but Alynna did see the flash of annoyance across her face when she spent too much time with Myrcella and Tommen and watched it deepen when they begged for her not to leave.

'Our children are the most beautiful parts of ourselves, they live freely and love unconditionally. It grieved me to hear of your brother's fall, I pray for his strength to return.' she said.

'As do I.' Alynna yielded. The queen wore a gentle smile and took in the girl's appearance for once. Sansa was the obvious choice for Joffrey, all this undesirable one brings is bad luck.

'I never had the chance to say how sorry I was about the betrothal. You were sorely missed in the castle,' the queen told her. 'But I understand, the north is your home.' Alynna understood that Cersei had no love for the dead boy and why would she? Robert treated him more of a son than he had Joffrey.

'Kind words, Your Grace.' Alynna noted, 'The north is always with me, wherever I go.' she said as they reached Bran's chamber. We northerners are hard to melt, even down South, the last place you'd want to see me I suspect, she left unsaid. 

When the queen left them alone, Catelyn brushed Bran's hair away from his forehead and Alynna sat with her hands around his, sensing the strengthening life through his very skin and veins.

'Mother-'

'Don't Alynna, I won't bear it.' Catelyn interrupted, her eyes were lost on anything else but her son.

'How did you know?' asked Alynna.

'Because it's what I would do for any of you. You mustn't Alynna, I need you here, Sansa's already-

'You told me the only person you can trust in King's Landing is yourself, you said if you have a gut instinct, follow it. Sansa's not like me, she expects all her dreams of that place to be true, father is not suited for the skewed politics of the South and have you known Arya to back down from a confrontation? Every part of me is telling me not to go which makes all the more sense that I have to for them.' stated Alynna softly, she let go of Bran's hand and gave her mother a pleading look.