✓ | 𝑾𝒐𝒍𝒇'𝒔 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒆 (R.STARK 1/3)

Chapter Thirty Two::Nice Try

The wooden structure crumbled to a splintered heap on the ground at Raina's feet, the mud beneath it squirming in discomfort as it collapsed on top of it. In an odd sense, Raina felt bad for the poor doll that had to withstand her practicing, but in the same sense felt refreshed at being able to take her anger out on something, with a blade. It was so satisfying to physically release her rage, especially when that meant destroying something in the process. Staring at the wooden pile on the floor, Raina let out a tired sigh, flicking her long hair from her face. In the year that had passed her hair had grown out again, and in the same time she'd actually grown quite fond of having it cut short, and was desperate to have it shortened again. It felt rather fitting now, after so long as Ray, and it seemed wrong to go on as the person she'd so clearly left behind at Deepwood Motte. She wasn't the same Glover she used to be, the one that, despite hating them, wore dresses to fancy events, and braided her hair every morning, helping her sister do the same. She wasn't that girl anymore, she'd changed over the year spent at war, and hated the idea of going back to that. Even if Robb did know now, there was no reason to ditch the persona that she'd grown to love over the period of time she'd enforced it.

Robb had been the very reason for the brutal beating Raina's practice doll had received moments ago, as he'd been seen spending a lot more time with Talisa as of late, and despite Raina's refusal to do anything about it, the idea of the two of them enraged her beyond belief. And even though she tried hard to act tough, she had a breaking point, which she had long since excelled. Her only coping method that she knew to work was the one in which things were demolished with her blade as she tried her best not to scream whilst doing the deed.  Today was one of those occasions in which she took her anger out on the nearest victim in hopes of reducing her withheld emotions. The only downside to this occurrence being that she had now destroyed the thing she'd been taking her anger out on, which meant she was now in need of finding a substitute.

"Bad day?" Mused a familiar voice from nearby, one that did not help extinguish the Glover's heated mood. "Bad week," she replied quickly, reaching for the blade in which she had chucked in the processes of butchering the practice doll, and which now lay amongst the tattered remains of said doll. "What's happened?" The King inquired, now leaning against the fence in front of where Raina had been practicing, everything about him still annoyingly perfect. It had been weeks since the King had spent any real time with Raina, which hadn't gone unnoticed by the young girl, however in the time spent away from one another Raina had almost forgotten how red the daylight made his hair look, or how the vast sky reflected in his pure blue eyes whenever it was a pleasant day. Said things also didn't help Raina's mood, but instead reminded her of the very reason why she'd so aggressively beaten the practice doll which lay, now, a crippled pile of timber. "Nothing specific," she mumbled, turning away from the Stark to replace the sword to whence it came, however the King was not so easily ignored. "It did not seem like nothing," He retorted, easily pushing his previously posed body from the fence as he strode towards the young Glover, his face resembling an expression similar to that of concern. "It is, truly. I just haven't been coping well since..." Raina paused, not wanting to use Esme as an excuse, and having almost forgotten the devastation that still waned her heart continuously since she'd heard the news. Like a desperate child, Raina still hoped someone had gotten it wrong, and would soon announce Esme to be alive, and well; even after weeks of her being known as dead, Raina hoped it was not true, and prayed to all the gods that her sister was safe somewhere, and not gone forever.

Two familiar arms wrapped securely around her, pulling her into Robb's chest comfortingly. Despite her previous madness, thinking of Esme managed to reduce said anger, only making Raina significantly sadder than she'd been moments before. She sniffed quietly, lying her head against Robb's body, trying hard to focus on merely breathing, rather than contemplating all the reasons she had for not wanting to be near Robb today. She wanted to ask about Talisa, or the Frey girl, but the pain already eating her insides was too much to risk anymore. So they instead stood in silence, wrapped in each other's arms, doing nothing for quite awhile.