Hear me Roar - English version

CHAPTER 4 - "Wolves Among Vipers"

               Next to us, our respective wolves say "goodbye" by licking each other. After all, they are brothers and sisters too. Robb and Jon are easy goodbyes. Painful, but always simpler than... Theon. We spent the last few weeks glued together. When no one was watching, of course. Every night and every day that we had left, we were together. We even skipped our usual arguments to focus on the positive.

               The Ironborn joins us in the middle of the court, forcing my two brothers to leave us.

"Pay attention to-"

               His muscular arms wrap around me, clinging me to him. I feel him take a deep breath in my neck, surely to smell me one last time. I put my hand on his cheek to look him in the eyes. It's just the two of us here.

"I love you" I whisper so that no one else can hear it.

"Never stop."

               He then puts his lips on mine in a fiery kiss. The last one. Once our lips have separated, they will never find each other again. I might never see his blond curls and his superior smile again.

               I can't promise to love him forever, I knew even before this whole engagement thing that I wouldn't make my life with him. But I can promise him never to forget our lips against each other.

♐︎

               The convoys to King's Landing and Castle Black left in the same direction before being separated. Just before the fork, Tyrion and I stop to say goodbye.

"Promise not to marry until I get back" he says.

               I recognize a bit of sarcasm. He knows I don't want to get married and makes fun of me. So, I decide not to answer. The truth is, I have no control over what happens when I get to the capital.

"Promise me you'll come back, Lord Lannister."

"See you soon, Lady Stark."

               He gives a slight blow on the side of his horse and leaves in the direction of Castle Black, without turning around.

"Promise me!" I scream.

               I hear him laughing away, without an answer. He is both very predictable and unpredictable. I hope that he will return safely to King's Landing, I will be happy to welcome him in person.

♐︎

               Much later, we decide to make a stop in a hostel of good reputation and to stay there for a few days in order to rest. I thought the king wanted to get back to the capital as soon as possible to marry me and Joffrey, but he doesn't seem in a hurry. On the contrary, my father explained to me that the wedding would not happen for months. Which, you will not be surprised, I have no problem with.

               Camps, for men who do not have a room at their disposal, were set up outside. Sansa is in the middle of it all, she walks Lady tied to a rope.

               For my part, I have decided that Arrow will never be attached in this way. She is still young and distracts quickly but, over time, she will learn to stay close to me without a leash and in any situation. She never goes far, so when I don't train her, I let her go to her occupations. Occupations that come down to hunting all kinds of insects.

               Joffrey, my dear fiancé – please don't take this seriously – comes to meet me. He has this smug little look again that makes me want to hit him. It's too bad, otherwise he would be almost beautiful.

"My lady" he greets me.

"Majesty."

               I take his arm without making more fuss. Two days ago, when I ignored his proposal for a walk under the stars, my father reminded me — or rather, lectured me — that I had to be sympathetic to him. I'm going to marry him so I might as well get to know him courteously.

"Is your trip going well?" I ask.

"Your company is delicious to me and since you are always here, so is this trip."

               Oh please... I would like to be anywhere other than "always here".

"What about yours?"

               I choose the honesty card. Maybe he will end up doing the same.

"I've never been so far from Winterfell before today. It's quite exotic. I don't know if I'd get used to life in King's Landing."

"You'll love the capital. It's hot and the gardens... You'll love the gardens."

"I wasn't praised for it. From the capital, not the gardens."

"Such beauty should not be kept in the North."

              Now he's doing it again. I don't know what kind of speech his mother gave him to believe that this is how you seduce a woman, but he seems to believe it. Although I'm sure Sansa would love that. Besides... what if I delegated that responsibility to my sister?

"Oh, sir. How about you meet my sister, Sansa? You will soon be family and I want you to have a good relationship with my sisters."

"Your sister? Milady I..."

"Go ahead! She will love you."

               I don't wait any longer and take refuge inside the inn. Given the way Sansa looked at Joffrey when he arrived in the courtyard of Winterfell a little over a month ago, she won't mind. And it suits me. I can't stand him more than a few minutes.

♐︎

               I will just tell you this story because I was unable to do so at the time. I expected Joffrey to be a little jerk, but I didn't think we'd see him in action so fast.

               About an hour after I left the prince, he and Sansa returned to the inn, outraged. Arya had disappeared, as had her wolf, and Joffrey claimed that she and Nymeria had attacked him. He showed everyone who wanted to see him, the bite of the giant wolf on his wrist. That looked more like two little dots than anything else.

               When Arya was found, when night had already fallen, a court was organized in the reception room of the hostel. According to my sister, it was Joffrey who had attacked her, and her friend Mika, the butcher's son, and the wolf had only protected her. I know she was telling the truth, but it was a little girl's word against a prince. Ungrateful, but a prince.

               Sansa pretended not to remember what happened, but I know Cersei persuaded her not to say anything. I'm disappointed in my sister. I always knew that it was corruptible and, in short, a pest, but I would not have thought it capable of betraying us.

               With Nymeria gone, the king – especially the queen – decided that a wolf should still be punished. Joffrey quickly made his choice by designating that of Sansa, Lady, since the girl was present, and she did nothing. My father took charge of the execution.

               I can't imagine how my sisters feel, Arrow means a lot to me, and I'm relieved she's okay.

               Although Joffrey's behavior is not a big surprise, it disappoints me. It proves to me that once we get to the capital, we won't be safe. Wolves among vipers.