Wolves and Hounds

The Feast

"So she outwardly admitted to the fact he'd need more space for his whores?" Robb whispered, stifling a laugh, as we made our way down to the throne room.

Robb had just picked me up from my room to escort me down to the feast.

"Yes! I mean we all knew it was something that King Robert did but I never thought she would openly admit it," I whispered back; "Oh but you should have heard what they called Clegane," I said as we turned the corner towards the doors of the great hall; "They called him hound and dog... they even made a joke about getting him a bone!"

Robb sighed as we neared the hall; "I know it upsets you, Haven, but as sad as it is, he's probably used to it. And it'll do you more harm than good to go against the Lannisters."

I huffed in agreement as we nodded to the guards at the doors.

"Ready?" he asked, offering me his arm.

"Ready," I nodded, gently threading my arm through his.

With another nod to the guards, they swung open the double doors for us, and we glided into the already bustling great hall.

I smiled at the sight. The feast wasn't a frequently held event, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. There was dancing and drinking, laughing and yelling, and singing and... did I mention drinking? It was clearly working its magic on King Robert, I mused, as I watched him bury his head in between a serving woman's breasts with a cackle.

Robb must have seen it too, and glanced at me, wide-eyed, but with a badly-hidden smile on his lips. I unthreaded my arm from his as I gestured for him to mingle with some of the knights and guards of Winterfell, laughing at some terrible joke Theon had just been telling. I myself walked up towards the high table, to greet my parents. 

Unlike at other feasts, the table was shared between the houses tonight. Cersei Lannister herself was sat beside my mother, and I couldn't help but feel self-conscious as I felt her unwavering stare on my approaching form. 

Upon approaching the table, I curtsied politely.

"My lady. My queen," I greeted with a smile, one which Mother returned genuinely, and Cersei returned in possibly the fakest way I had ever seen before.

"You look radiant tonight, Haven my darling," the queen said.

Although the compliment was appreciated, I couldn't help but question its worth as I saw she was still wearing that same smile.

Nevertheless, I had to act stupid and naïve in that respect, and so looked down at what I was wearing with an airy laugh. The bardot gown was a medium grey, hugging my torso before ballooning out into an elegant skirt. I smiled to myself as the miniscule jewels covering the sleeves twinkled in the faint candlelight of the hall.

"Oh, my queen, you are too kind," I smiled; "Although I highly doubt that next to you, I could look anything other than inferior."

The queen smiled, in a somewhat more genuine way than before (most probably because I was putting myself down), but casting a glance at my mother, I saw her nod, the smallest of smirks on her lips as she perceived the way I was handling myself in front of the Lannisters.

"And your dear little sister- she too looks a picture," the queen beamed... well, as close as she could probably come to a beam.

I turned to look at one of the lower tables, spotting both my sisters. Sansa had clearly put a lot of effort in, her hair expertly braided by Mother in "the southern way", and her pale dress spotless, and without a crease. Then there was Arya. I smirked as I took in her appearance. Wisps of her hair had fallen free of her braids, and she was continuously blowing them out of her eyes. Her dress was one I knew for a fact was the one she wore when she secretly snuck out into the grounds with her bow and arrow, usually coming back with patches of mud on the fabric. She caught my eye and I gave her a look as I pointedly turned my attention to the heaped spoonful of potato in her hand- the very one her gaze had kept flicking between it and Sansa. She sighed and threw the spoon back on her plate.