Evermore // Bran Stark

78. My Mind and Me

Daenarys was headed to winterfell to fight the army of the dead. They thought Cersei's armies were on their way as well. 

''They got the walker to your mother. They are on their way back.'' Bran remarked the next morning. Amelia nodded not willing to open her eyes and wake up yet.

''You know... I recall us trying and failing to do something last night.'' Bran remarked. Amelia smiled opening her eyes

''Do refresh my memory.'' Amelia requested kissing him again. 

But that happy haze from the morning had faded. Bran had told them they were coming back. But Amelia saw a distance in his eyes, something he wasnt telling them. 

"Check mate." Amelia said and Bran's eyes flickered around the board. He moved a piece knowing he lost and she tipped his king over. "Are you going to tell me whats on your mind?" Amelia asked as Bran reset the board. Bran looked back at her. "I know it's something." She offered softly. Bran moved the board off the bed as she knelt between his legs. 

"The night king captured one of Daenarys Targaryen's dragons. He has a dragon of his own. Breathes ice instead of fire." Bran informed her. 

"Oh, thats... if someone kills the night king," her fingers traced the mark on his arm. "Will the ice dragon fall too?" 

"Yes." Bran agreed. 

+

Amelia tried to prove that she was good. Her lannister name didnt define her. Sansa and Arya wanted her to be the enemy though. 

"My mind and me don't get along so well." Amelia remarked when Bran found her. "It's hard to talk and feel heard when I always feel like a burden. Then it gets hard to breathe..."

"Amelia-' Bran reached out for her. 

" I don't want to add to concern I know they already have with everything.... But if I pull back the curtain, then maybe they see I'm hurting to, maybe they believe. Maybe they will be a little more certain they're not the only one lost."

Sansa stared back at them as Amelia paced anxiously. 

"I'm constantly having this talk with myself." Amelia whispered. "Thinking maybe it would be better if I just wasnt here. If I... if the last of the Lannisters were just gone." She sobbed out. 

"I don't believe that." Bran assured. "I know your heart."

"And I'm Trying Bran. I'm trying to fight something that my eyes can't see, my mind and me, we don't get along sometimes and it get's hard to breathe with Sansa and Arya telling me and everyone else that I'm a monster. That I'm this evil villain that has been conspiring against them all. I'm not!" Amelia declared. She was trying to be perfect, to do as they said and kept her mouth shut and obeyed but she was one wrong step from drowning herself in her own tears.

+

"Bran and Rickon like Amelia.  She stays, we need to back off." Sansa remarked and Arya stared back at her. 

"We should have listened to Bran and Rickon from the start." Sansa murmured. "She is not the problem and we are becoming the problem, the people that we hated, we are tormenting her as we were tormented." Sansa remarked. "She didn't do anything wrong. We are treating her like the enemy, we are becoming the monsters Arya. That's not something I ever wanted to become."

"What's gotten into you?" Arya countered. 

"Say it with me Arya, we are the problem." Sansa instructed. 

+ 

At supper that evening when Sansa came in Amelia got up to go to her chambers but sansa told her to sit. Amelia hesitated half standing before she sat back down. Amelia let out a shaky breath as she poked at her food suddenly thinking that sansa or Arya poisoned it.

"I never said thank you." Sansa remarked softly and Bran looked to Amelia but she kept her head down. "Thank you Amelia." Sansa said louder and Amelia lifted her head confused, her food was definitely poisoned. She turned her head ever so slightly to Sansa. "You took care of my brothers while I was gone and continued to take care of them when we got back." Sansa remarked and Amelia nodded slightly wondering if the dryness in her throat was a side effect of her impending death.

"You saved Rickon from Ramsay. I dont think I ever thanked you for your bravery then either." Sansa went on. "So, thank you... Amelia Lannister." Amelia nodded slightly as Bran grabbed her hand. Bran slid his water to her and she took a sip, the glass shaking in her hand. 

"Would you excuse me?" Amelia whispered as she headed out. Sansa watched her go. 

"I was trying." Sansa offered as Bran followed her out. 

Amelia was very certain she was going to die. When Bran found her she was throwing up in the chamber pot. 

"She did not poison you." Bran remarked as Amelia sat back on her heels wiping at her mouth. 

"I still feel sick." Amelia remarked, running her sleeve over her tears. 

"Come here." Bran requested as the door opened. 

"That was weird right?" Rickon declared. "Sansa being nice, did she poison you?"  Rickon asked looking to a pale Amelia. 

"That was my thought to." Amelia remarked through a choked laugh.