PART ONE-CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Sometimes it's better to be real than to be perfect."

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He always hated this place so much. The smell of potions and vials of medicine- only the Gods know why Sara wanted to work here. And the fact that she lay there unconscious didn't really help.

It's been three days since the attack, and Sara showed no signs of healing. It was his fault, asking her to stay there with his mother- if he hadn't, only one person would have been hurt, or less. He should have been smarter and seen past the distraction- the fire- and known that it was an attempt on his brother.

Gods, how could I have been so stupid?

Maester Luwin had come in and gone out very often, checking on his apprentice whom he considered his own family. Robb was glad that at least now, his mother was back to her duties, because that would mean taking some time off, to be there for Sara. He didn't know how to pay her back for helping keep Bran safe, at the cost of herself.

He just sat there near the bed where Sara lay, and when he looked through the window, he knew that he had to go see to the jobs that he had neglected today, in confidence that his mother would have taken care of all of them. He gave her had a little squeeze and muttered a "Thank you." before he got up, and when he walked toward the door to the chamber to let himself out, he saw Beth, Sara's little sister standing near the door, with a scared look on her face.

From what he had heard, little Beth had refused to come out of her chamber in her house, and her uncle Ser Rodrik just gave her the food that she needed every day. Otherwise, her sister's injury had scarred her for life, and Robb couldn't stand to see this little girl go through so much in such a young age- nobody should have to.

He kneeled down to bring his eyes on level with hers and said, "She's going to be fine." and hugged the little girl.

She then to his surprise asked, "She's not going to die then?" 

Robb was taken aback for a second and then said, "No! No! Don't think that, okay? She'll be fine. She'll be playing with you and Rickon faster than you could think." She then smiled, and walked in and sat on the bed in which her sister lay unconscious and Robb walked out.

He walked on, until Theon came running by, and asked him to come with him, saying his mother had something important to say. "She's going to be okay?" Theon asked, and Robb nodded his head, to which Theon grinned a little. "Of course, she's just too feisty and loud-mouthed that even death would think a thousand times before he took her with him. She's not that easy to kill." he said, and Robb laughed.

They walked together into the Godswood, where Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin both already stood, and his mother paced frantically.

"Mother, what is it?" he asked, and then his mother finally stood, as if she was acknowledging their presence right then. She then collected herself, and then said, "What I'm about to tell you, must remain between us. I don't think Bran fell from that tower, I think he was thrown."

What?

Maester Luwin then added to his mother's claims and said, "The boy was always sure-footed before." His mother then continued, "Someone tried to kill him twice. Why? Why murder an innocent child? Unless he saw something he wasn't meant to see.

Robb thought the theory was a little far fetched, but he couldn't think more. "Saw what, my lady?" Theon asked, and Robb wanted to know too. "I don't know."

So much for wanting to know.

"But I would stake my life the Lannisters are involved. We already have reasons to suspect their loyalty to the crown."

The Lannisters? That would mean the Queen and her siblings. But why would they want to murder Bran?

"Did you notice the dagger that the killer used, my lady? It's too fine a weapon for such a man. The blade is Valyrian steel, the handle dragonbone. Someone gave it to him." Rodrik said, and Robb's head was spinning. 

In a fit of rage, he said, "They come into my home, and try to murder my brother. If it's a war they want-" 

"If it comes to that you know I'll stand behind you." Theon said, and Robb felt a little strong.

"Boys! Is there going to be a battle in the Godswood? Huh? Too soon words of war become acts of war." He said to the young lads and then turned to his lady. "Lord Stark must be told of this." "I don't trust a raven to carry these words." she said.

"I'll ride to King's Landing." Robb said. "No. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell." 

His mother said and cut him off. "I will go myself." 

"No, you can't." Robb said, and his mother, who was very determined then, said: "I must." And Robb knew he was defeated.

"I'll have a party ready to escort you." Ser Rodrik said, and his mother deflected that option too. 

"Too big a party attracts unwanted attention. I don't want the Lannisters to know I'm coming." she said, and as much as Robb hated to admit, she was right. Ser Rodrik said he would accompany her, and Robb felt safer knowing that, but he still had to try and keep her away from this dangerous journey.

"But what about Bran?" he asked, in a last-ditch attempt to convince his mother. "I have prayed to the seven for more than a month. Bran's life is in their hands now." she said, and Robb felt helpless watching as his mother lost her faith.

He then walked back and thought all about his mother's words. When she said the Lannisters, it wasn't just the Queen and her brothers. It was also the extended family that bore the same name. Tywin Lannister, his brother's family or...it pained him to think it- the royal children. But he couldn't leave anyone out.

But Myrcella and Tommen were too young and naive to even think of something of the sort, and Rhea couldn't have possibly done this. And Joffrey.. he's not even smart enough to think of something of this magnitude.

Orwas he?

                                                                                               ***

She was in her chamber, trying to write a letter. Her head had been spinning ever since she'd returned to King's Landing, and the primary cause is not being able to express herself. She'd had that luxury in Winterfell, and the fact that she would have more of it when she goes back and marries Robb, the man she loves, is what keeps her going.

As driven as she is though, she couldn't bring herself to write a bloody letter. She wanted to say so many things to Robb, but she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why she couldn't put any of it on parchment. It was like when she had so much to say, but her quill wouldn't let her. She wanted to tell him how she feels, how badly she wants to come back, ask him how he's doing, and of course- about how Arya's been missing all day. She was terribly scared for her and hoped that she would be found soon enough. However, something in her screams that Arya was fine and that she could take care of herself.

She put the quill down and put her head on the almost empty parchment, which held nothing but the words 'Dear Robb', in frustration. She groaned then, making her feelings evident, putting both hands over her head. And that's when the door was knocked upon and she had exactly three seconds before someone asked if they can come in, and six to make herself presentable. So she jumped off the chair, and stood, and said in the most graceful voice possible, "Come in."

A guard wearing armour with the Baratheon stag on it had stepped in then and said the most wonderful thing she had heard all day. That Arya had been found- but she was with her father and the rest of the court, and not her family. Apparently Ned Stark hadn't returned from the search party and Sansa Stark hadn't been called yet.

But why?

"The Queen commands your presence, your Highness." the guard said, and she got herself ready and walked out.

She went to the courtroom looking as puzzled as she actually was, but when she saw her father's befuddled face and her mother's stern one, she knew she had to wear a bigger mask today. She then noticed Arya looking nervous but brave, and Rhea felt happy knowing that she was good at keeping her emotions in check.

She stood near Joffrey, and that's when she noticed the huge bandage on her brother's arm. "What happened?" she asked, with as much care as possible, but her mother, in her fit of rage, cut her off, "If you hadn't been so occupied with yourself the whole day in your chamber then you would have known." and Rhea knew it was time to shut her mouth.

And then, Ned Stark entered the chamber.

The younger Stark daughter jumped into a fit of apologies once she saw her father, though Rhea couldn't figure out for what. The girl had just been found, shouldn't everyone be happy?

He hugged his daughter and then turned to her father, "What is the meaning of this? Why was my daughter not brought to me at once?"

"How dare you speak to your King in that manner?" Her mother asked, and her father brutally cut her off. "Quiet woman." He said, and her mother did so.

"Sorry Ned, I never meant to frighten the girl. But we need to get this business done quickly." Her father said, and Rhea agreed to it too. Arya looking nervous wasn't a good look on her, and Rhea hoped that this would be over for her sake at least, whatever it is that happened.

"Your girl and that butcher's boy attacked my son. That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off." Her mother and said, and Rhea's eyes widened.

Nymeria did what? And who is the bloody butcher's boy?

Rhea's eyes went to Joffrey's as an act of instinct, and when she met his eyes right after, he turned away from her, in a look of disgust.

Arya's voice rang as clear as a bell through the room when she said, "That's not true!" and then, subsiding her side of the argument a little, she said, "She just bit him a little."

The rest of the argument went off very roughly, and Rhea didn't want to think or react without hearing both sides of the story or more like Arya's side, considering the fact that she knew Joff's side, the one that everyone was inclined toward believing- and definitely not after Sansa's statement, which Rhea knew was forced out of the perfect little lady's mouth, out of obligation.

The whole chaos ended with her father ordering the execution of Sansa's direwolf, and the two girls being taken out by Sara's father, Jory. As they made their way out, Rhea looked to her brother and asked, "Are you feeling better now?" to which, just as she expected, Joff said," Just mind your business, Rhea, and go." and turned away from her, and walked.

She then went to Arya's room and found the girl lying on her bed, looking as though the ceiling was the most interesting thing in the world. And she looked angry.

Arya saw her come in, and continued to look at the ceiling, but not before saying "What are you doing here?" Rhea lay on the bed beside her and looked at the ceiling with her. Rhea raised an eyebrow and turned her head to be able to see half of Arya's face. "It's not that pretty a ceiling, you could take a look at the one in my room. That has more details on it, much more to observe on that one." she said, and Rhea could swear that she saw a little smile come upon the girl's face, before she hid it.

"I've got a feeling what Joff and my mother said in the little discussion earlier is only a very little slice of the truth and a whole pile of lies from Joff and another pile of exaggeration from my mother." The girls laughed a little and then Rhea took a while before she proceeded.

"Now can you, tell me what really happened? So I could rest assured that my opinion of you stays intact, and is true?" She asked.

"And what do you think of me?" she asked, still not turning. "How about you answer me, and I'll tell you?"

And so Arya told her a very interesting story about how she and the Micah-So that's who the butcher's boy is- were fighting with wooden swords for fun, and Joff and Sansa walked toward them and Joff started irritating both of them, and told her all the conversations in detail, which Rhea believed without any difficulty, having seen her brother's savage behaviour toward anyone that isn't their parents.

And then Arya told her that she threw Lion's Tooth into the river! Rhea laughed at that sentence reminding her of her father's embarrassing statement at the discussion, scolding Joffrey about the fact that an eleven-year-old girl had disarmed him.

Once the story was over, Arya turned her head partially and looked to Rhea who was still positively shocked, perplexed, amused and happy at the same time. She then asked, "So, what do you think?" she asked, and Rhea said, "I think this was a sour blow to Joff's hand! And his pride of course. But I think, what you did was right. Don't tell anyone though. Or the Lion would find out and lash at me with her claws." She said, and both of them laughed a little, understanding Rhea's joke about her brother and her mother.

Rhea then, sensing her job to make the girl momentarily forget what she had gone through as done, had gotten off the bed, and walked till the door when Arya asked, "So, you haven't held your part of the deal. Where's your opinion of me?" she asked.

Rhea then walked back to the bed, and Arya had sat up by then, her legs dangling from the edge. She then sat next to her future sister and said, "I think you are brave, and smart, with a mind of your own, and that's not something you see in all noble ladies, mind you. You're bold enough to voice yourself, and I admire that about you."

Arya then turned to face her and asked "You still believe in all that? Even after what just happened?" Rhea smiled.

"I still do. If anything the same opinion might have just been cemented into my head a little harder, if you ask me, after what just happened and the way you handled yourself earlier."

Arya then walked toward a trunk and began throwing all her clothes out the box. "What are you doing?" Rhea asked, and Arya said, "I have something to show you! Just wait!" she said, and Rhea waited. One piece of clothing after the other kept falling out of the box, until she finally stopped, and turned around with a very thin sword.

She's full of surprises, this one!

"This is my sword. It's called Needle and Jon gave it to me, right before we left Winterfell. A goodbye present, he said."

"And what are you going to do with it? If anyone knows, they'll take it from you!" Rhea said, and Arya replied, "I'll stick 'em with the pointy end. And yes, I know they'll take it from me, that's why I haven't told anyone. Not even father. But I won't lie about it if he asks."

Rhea smiled a wide smile, and said, "And how do you know I won't take it from you?" she asked, as she examined the needle-like sword which did justice to its name, with her fingers. "I don't know, I just know you won't. You won't, will you?" Arya asked and Rhea said," As long as you keep it as well hidden as you have all this time.." she said, tilting her head toward the heap of clothing that had to fall for the sword to rise, "I don't see why anyone would take it from you. I'll keep your secret."

She kissed the girl on her forehead and wished her a good night and asked her to sleep. She closed the door and walked out.

Rhea had previously thought that getting Arya to like her was to be a task with a difficulty level the size of the castle, but when she realised that Arya trusted her enough to show her the secret sword, she knew that that on its own was a warm welcome from her side to the family, a sign of trust.

And she couldn't be happier.

When she went into her room and changed into a nightgown, she spotted her failed attempts to write a letter to Robb, as the discarded parchment mocked her from her study.

But she knew what to write now, as opposed to earlier, and she sat at the chair and picked up the quill with a new found energy. 

***