𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍 | Letters

{ Eliza }

✧✦✧

𝕰liza continued to chew on the food before her, sitting in silence with Theon and Robb as Maester Luwin approached with two scrolls in his hands, handing them to Robb. 

"Letters from your sisters in Kings Landing and Jon." Eliza's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think of who everyone was. She knew that Robb's half brother, Jon, was serving in the Night's Watch at the Wall. She also knew that Robb's sisters lived in Kings Landing, as the eldest was set to marry the crown prince.

Robb's face had grown dark as he read the first letter, turning to stare at Maester Luwin with those piercing blue eyes of his.

"Treason?" Maester Luwin nodded gravely and Eliza shared a brief look with Theon, both of them thoroughly confused. "Lyra wrote this?"

"It is your sister's hand, but the Queen's words." Eliza held her hand out for the piece of paper, beginning to read through the letter as Theon looked over her shoulder. "You are summoned to Kings Landing to swear fealty to the new King."

The letter was short, mentioning the fact that Ned Stark had just been imprisoned for treason and that Robb needed to go to Kings Landing. But the letter seemed too mature for a teenager to write. It sounded like someone had dictated it to the girl.

"Joffrey put my father in chains, now he wants his ass kissed?" Robb hissed, as Eliza placed the letter down, feeling a headache coming on as she tried to process the news.

"This is a royal command, my Lord," Maester Luwin began, talking slowly to try and warn Robb. "If you should refuse to obey..."

"I won't refuse. His Grace summons me to Kings Landing, I'll go to Kings Landing." Eliza didn't like the unsettling smile that was growing on Robb's face as he spoke. "But not alone. Call the banners."

"All of them, my Lord?" Eliza's eyes had widened, as she stared at Robb with a panicked expression. They were going to start a war.

"They've all sworn to defend my father, have they not?"

"They have." Maester Luwin replied as Eliza's brain tried to catch up with what was going on around her.

"Now we'll see what their words are worth." Maester Luwin walked off after that, as Robb sighed and sat back down at the table.

"Are you afraid?" Theon asked, as Eliza ran her hands through her hair.

"I must be." Robb chewed his cheek, as Theon began to nod.

"Good." The married couple shot him a look, both of them incredulous.

"Why is that good?"

"It means you're not stupid." Theon replied, before storming off to another part of the castle as Eliza and Robb were left in a silence.

"What did the other letter say?" Eliza asked, watching Robb's face as he read it. He showed his emotions through his expressions, but Eliza was still unsure of what this particular face meant. He seemed shell shocked though. "Robb, what happened?"

"This isn't from Jon." He replied, looking down at it, before handing it over to her. "It's from Lyra."

Eliza's eyebrows widened, before she grabbed the letter and began to read through it.

"Robb, whatever you read in that previous letter is a lie. The Small Council had father arrested, not Joffrey. I'm going to speak with him about trying to get father out, I'll let you know what happens. I can't say much, we're being watched. All of us are fine and we still have one Stark guard protecting us. Lyra."

"She could be killed for this." Robb fretted, running his hand through his hair as Eliza read the letter over once more. She shook her head.

"Do Lyra and her betrothed get along?" She asked, as Robb nodded.

"They must, otherwise Lyra would not have agreed to marry him. Father gave her the choice to reject him." Robb replied, still looking worried.

"Then she won't be killed. He's the king, which means he has overriding power against the Small Council. They could advise him to kill her, but if they're close, then I doubt that he will." Eliza felt a wave of admiration wash over her, as she thought of the other girl, who was committing treason to warn Robb. "She's brave, truly brave, for doing this."

"Aye, but she could get herself killed."

"I don't think that we should tell anyone of this, Robb." Eliza cautioned, as Robb glanced over at her. "Lyra is sitting in a den of lions and the more people that know, the more chance that the Small Council will find out and have her assassinated."

✧✦✧

Eliza was in one of her finer dresses, a deep blue, with her fur cloak slung over her shoulder as she sat to the right of Robb. Greywind lay by her side, leaning into her body as Eliza chewed on her food and smiled around at the others who were gathered, including her brother, Anceron.

Anceron had been called in with the other bannermen, having travelled to Winterfell as quickly as he could in place of their eldest brother. Eliza hadn't been able to keep the smile off her face since the man had arrived.

"For 30 years, I've been making corpses out of men, boy." Eliza raised her eyebrow at Greatjon Umber's voice, as Robb grew tense on the other side of her. "I'm the man you want leading the Vanguard."

"Galbart Glover will lead the Vanguard." Robb replied calmly, though his body posture went against that.

"The bloody Wall will melt before an Umber marches behind a Glover." The older man spat, as Anceron glanced between them with a cocked eyebrow. Despite being the most immature when with his siblings, Anceron was by far the best when it came to strategy and battle plans. Everything that Eliza had learnt came from him.

"You are welcome to do so, Lord Umber." Eliza reached her hand out to rest it on top of Robb's in warning. He could not afford to lose his temper in front of so many people who he needed respect from. "And when I am done with the Lannisters, I will march back North, root you out of your keep and hang you for an oath breaker."

"Oath breaker, is it?" Greatjon Umber's voice thunder around the hall as he stood up, slamming his hand onto the table. Eliza felt Greywind slink out from beside her, to stand on the other side of Robb. "I'll not sit here and swallow insults from a boy so green, he pisses grass."

Greywind snarled, before jumping over the table and wrapping his large jaws around Lord Umber's hand. The hall went deadly silent, and Eliza was reminded of the fact that Greywind was still a wild animal and could, and would, harm others if called upon.

"My Lord father taught me that it was death to bare steel against your Liege Lord." Robb's voice was steady, as Anceron nodded and smiled at his sister. "But doubtless, the Greatjon only meant to cut my meat for me."

"Your meat..." Greatjon trailed off, looking around the hall before finishing his sentence, "is bloody tough."

They all started laughing, and Eliza rolled her eyes, as Anceron leant across the table towards her.

"Your husband's impressed me." He winked, before sitting back in his seat again. She rolled her eyes once more at his comment, though a smile was wide on her face.

✧✦✧

Eliza stood at the door of Bran's room, waiting for her turn to say goodbye to the young boy. He would be staying here with Rickon whilst the others marched south, not that he had been told.

Bran was looking between her and Robb with wide eyes, as the older Stark tried to explain what was happening.

"Can't I come with you?" He was pleading now, as Eliza came to sit on the other side of the bed, brushing his hair from his forehead. "I can ride now. You've seen me riding. And I won't get in the way, I..."

"There must always be a Stark at Winterfell, Bran." Eliza reminded him softly.

"Until we return, that will be you." Robb smiled gently, before growing serious once more. "You are not to leave the castle walls while we are gone. Do you understand?"

"Listen to Maester Luwin and look after Rickon." Eliza finished up Robb's sentence, before smiling, "and be good."

"I will." Bran whispered, as Eliza pressed a kiss to his head and smiled, before standing up and letting Robb say his goodbyes.

"I'll send letters whenever I can, but if you don't hear from me, don't be scared."

Hiya,

So, my favourite Stark sister has been introduced. For anyone confused, Lyra is the OC from another book in this series called Cleopatra and we're going to hear about her a little bit. Robb and Eliza seem to be getting on slightly better, Anceron is back and now we get more into the plotting stuff.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx