KINGDOM FALL | ROBB STARK [1]

66

KINGDOM FALL
— 66. The Truth

That afternoon, after her small council meeting, Annalys walked with Robb to Lyanna and Eddard's room. They exchanged a look, just before entering the room to find Lyanna and Eddard on the floor, playing with their toys.

Instead of the nursemaid being there as she usually was, Cersei stood with the children, smiling down at them. Her smile became even larger when she saw Annalys enter, only to have it fall when she saw Robb standing alongside her.

Cersei turned to look back at Annalys, giving her an annoyed look before exiting the room. Annalys sighed in defeat as she watched her mother leave, knowing within a few hours, Cersei would be giving her a piece of her mind.

As they approached their children, Lyanna was the first to notice them. She stood up, giggling happily at the sight of her mother, "Mama!" She exclaimed, suddenly trying her best to run toward her mother.

Annalys found herself laughing at the sight, immediately picking up her daughter and hugging her, "I missed you, Lyanna," She told her softly, Lyanna smiling as they both looked toward Robb, who seemed out of place.

Robb's eyes went toward little Eddard, who continued to sit by himself as he played with his toy horse and knight. Robb didn't even bother to look in Annalys' direction as he made his way over to his son.

He wasted no time sitting next to Eddard on the floor, causing the little boy to immediately look up at the man who happened to be his father. The little boy's mouth gaped open as he rose to his feet, moving closer to his father. Robb cautiously held out his hand, which Eddard suddenly grabbed.

Annalys watched closely as Robb picked Eddard up, holding him in his arms. It came as a shock to her, that Eddard was so willing to trust Robb. It didn't seem like the boy opened up to Annalys, even at eighteen months.

Eddard looked up at Robb, suddenly laughing as he placed his hands on Robb's beard, "Papa," He found himself saying, much to Robb and Annalys' shock.

How was that possible? Eddard and Lyanna hadn't seen their father since they were six months old and an entire year had passed since then.

"Did he just--" Robb began to ask Annalys, who immediately nodded her head, "How—?"

"I don't know," Annalys muttered quietly, making her way toward them while still holding Lyanna.

She placed Lyanna back down on the ground before she knelt next to her, Robb, and Eddard. Robb turned toward Lyanna, who made no motion to acknowledge him while her twin brother was playing with his toys alongside him and Annalys.

Annalys noticed how Robb looked saddened by it. "I don't know why she's acting this way. Usually, she loves meeting new people," She stated, only to notice how what she said seemed to make it worse, "Robb, I didn't mean it I--"