ғɪᴠᴇ ♚ so take another breath

[wolfskin]

[ Like before Robb writes, his hand feeling heavy as the quill produces the words. Take heart in the knowledge she is safe in the Vale, take heart─ if only it were so simple. ]

I regret to inform that Alayne Stone is no loner within the walls of the castle, she has been returned to Westeros. My condolences to those who have lost a friend, she shall be missed.

─ Robb Stark, King in the North and of the Trident.

[ It is signed the same way as before, direwolf symbol and all. With that he closes the journal, designing not to open it again for some time. ]

Comments

Lucrezia

[wolfskin]

I will send my wolf, he will show you the way.

Robb

[heloise]

[ It seems rude to show up empty-handed somehow. ]

What do you need?

Lucrezia

[wolfskin]

I do not know. [ It is the honest truth, he is almost amused by it. ]

Company.

Robb

[heloise]

Treats, I think.

[ Those always cheered her up, for much smaller things perhaps, but then she has a tendency to forget to eat when she is too sad and thinks he might be the same too. With the promised gift in hand, she wastes no time to start getting herself ready, after telling the maids to expect a giant wolf to wander into the grounds, of course, ]

[wolfskin]

[ The wolf arrives not long after her last message, approaching silent enough to scare one of the maids into dropping what she was holding. He waits on the grounds by the grand front door, panting happily obvious to the unnerving stares the staff give him. ]

[heloise]

[ It happens to be something breakable that the maid drops, and as silent and large as the mansion might be, the sound carries. Lucrezia herself has been waiting at a sitting room close to the entrance, absently reading, so it takes less than a minute for her to reach where the maid is backed up against a wall trying not to move lest the beast lunges for her. Silly girl. ]

Grey Wind. [ She crouches a little and beckons for him to come closer, even if she hardly needs to lower herself to look into his eyes. ]

[wolfskin]

[ Lucrezia's presence stirs the wolf to motion, he wastes little time getting to his feet and padding over to her. For a beast so great he is gentle with her, nosing the side of her face lightly in greeting. ]

[heloise]

[ The maid twitches just then, likely deciding between whether death by giant wolf or Joshua would be better, but today's her lucky day.

Lucrezia laughs at the nudge, placing her hand on his snout to keep him from messing her hair before she even gets to meet his master. The gentlest giant. She moves to start leading him back to the door, raising a pouch in her other hand for him to sniff at should he wish. Sweets, as she promised Robb. ]

[wolfskin]

[ He sniffs the pouch and sneezes displeasure, too sweet for him, he would prefer something different but good enough for his master.

Content he turns pads out the door, not stopping until he was a little ahead of her to turn and look- ensuring that she still followed. This way, the wolf seems to say with his golden eyes, follow. ]

[heloise]

[ And she pokes his cheek in mock reprimand. Come now, the next gift might be his and not his master's, but for the moment. She pulls up the hood over her face as she follows, trying to keep as close to him as she can. ]

[wolfskin]

[ The direwolf ensures he does not wander far, keeping in her sights and leading her towards their destination. The treck does not take long, though in hindsight it may feel as such, once the stark white branches and blood red leaves become visible Grey Wind barks.

They find Robb sitting before the tree and newly craved face, the eyes bleed red sap giving the illusion of tears. ]

[heloise]

[ Good thing Lucrezia is used to long walks then, so long as the direwolf accommodates her pace. A lady runs not, and she lags even more once the strangely colored tree becomes visible. She doesn't even remember to smile at Robb until moments after, when she manages to tear her eyes away from the bleeding face. ]

Was that your doing?

[wolfskin]

[ The wolf trots to Robb's side quickly, nuzzling the side of his head before flopping onto the ground beside him. He had done his job well, delivering the lady he wished to see.

He watches her take in the sight of the weirwood, the look on her face bringing forth a soft smile to his lips. ]

It was. [ He looks to the face scored into the bark. ] The tree is a weirwood, a sort of tree from my world.

[heloise]

But it seems so sorrowful.

[ She steps closer, eyes still very much fixed upon the wooden face, and tries her best to keep from touching it to see what it is, exactly. That may be disrespectful. ]

Sap is still blood even if from a tree, is it not?

[wolfskin]

It is scored with a face so the old gods may watch and bear witness, so they can hear my prays in these foreign place.

[ Alas the old gods are not gods of joy, but they are his and this is an effort to make something of a home. ]

Some say it is.

[heloise]

[ She goes to kneel in front of it, gazing up as if it might speak to her at any moment. ]

What do you pray for, Robb Stark?

[wolfskin]

I pray for my sisters and my brother, Jon. [ He too looks to the tree. ] I pray for my people, that they survive the coming Winter. I pray for an end to the war I will never return to.

[heloise]

[ She nods and smiles a little. ]

I knew Jon Snow. He is just like you; noble.

[wolfskin]

[ He ducks his head, short breathless laugh escaping his lips. ]

He is. I would have given the Wall a hundred men if it meant they would release him from his vows.

[heloise]

But was it not choosing the Wall that showed his nobility?

[wolfskin]

It was, nevertheless I wanted him by my side. [ A beat. ] I still do.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia turns to search his face, not even hiding the fact. ]

Would you see the war end regardless of which side wins?

[wolfskin]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I would have seen it end but if the Lannisters won nothing would change, and all those who died would have died for naught.

[heloise]

And should your side win, what would they have died for?

[wolfskin]

Freedom. [ For vengeance. ] My people desire nothing more than to be free from the Iron Throne and the lions that sit upon it.