"Ah, she is clever after all," said Cersei, smirking.
"Wit is such a rare accomplice to beauty yet we
stand, alone, in a room crowded with only that."
Cersei lifted a thick strand of Eleonora's hair, ran it
through her fingers, and dropped it back o...
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Truth fears no questions. —
Somewhere in the great stone maze of Winterfell, a wolf howled. The sound hung over the castle like a flag of mourning. Rickon rubbed his head against his eldest sister's neck, wiping his stream of tears on her shoulder. Eleonora helplessly soothed him, rubbing his back as she walked through the courtyard. Jory walked with them, leaning over for a moment to lift Arya on to his back. He had been by her side, helping with the little ones as much as he could since havoc had been wreaked on Winterfell. She feared words could never do justice to how much his presence had soothed her. Eleonora had been trying to remain strong, instill faith that Bran would recover not to frighten Arya and Bran. She could never let the others know that she was just as frightened as the rest of them.
It had been impossible for Eleonora to have a moment alone since Bran's fall. Her mother, understandably grief stricken, sat by her wounded son's bedside without a moment away. She neglected her two younger children, who felt frightened and alone in a castle of quiet chaos. Even Arya, the bravest little girl in all of the Seven Kingdoms, made less and less convincing excuses to remain by her elder sister's side. Eleonora had always been more of a maternal figure to Rickon and Arya, the youngest male and female Starks, for no particular reason. Recent events had made their bond more apparent.
The rising sun had not yet cleared the walls of Winterfell, but the men were already hard at it in the yard below. The foursome walked slowly towards the group of sparring men. Robb and Theon leaned casually against the stone wall, sweaty and exhausted-looking.
"Arya, take Rickon and go to your brother," said Eleonora. "Tell him I want all of you to eat breakfast now and yes, you can tell him that especially includes he and Theon."
"Rickon won't want to leave you," she replied, sliding down off of Jory's back. Eleonora knew Arya was using Rickon's attachment to her advantage. Arya did not wish to leave her side as well.
"Well, he can come find me after he eats breakfast," she said, nodding to him as she lifted him off her hip. "Now, go on, both of you."
"I'm not hungry," she pleaded, tightening her grip on Eleonora's skirt.
"Yes, you are. I could hear your stomach's growl echo down the corridor," said Eleonora, sending her an all-knowing stare. "Take your brother and get something to eat before you waste away."
Arya took Rickon's hand and dragged him, crying and pouting all the way to Robb and Theon. Arya relayed the message to her eldest brother, Eleonora could see. He sent her a quiet smile and lifted Rickon to his hip, took Arya's hand and led them into the castle. Eleonora massaged her neck, Rickon had caused her muscles to grow sore.
"You need to follow your own orders, you know," said Jory. "You look like you haven't eaten in week. I fear you'll drift away on the next gust of wind."
"I'm too tired to eat," she sighed. "Since Mother has been camped at Bran's bedside, Rickon and Arya haven't left my side. They've been coming to my chambers each night, too fretful to sleep in their own beds."
