The Wolf and the Rose / Sequel to The Queen in the North

Thirty-three

Kingslanding was colder than El remembered. Getting off the ship was oddly chilling, She slid her hand into Garlan's. More a reassurance for him that he'd made the right choice to forgive her, and to show him the affection they'd both missed. It had all been silly now, retrospectively but isn't everything in hindsight. With the judgement of time passed all decisions can be seen in a new light. El and Garlan needed to put it behind them, as this meeting was too important for them to be divided on. For the first few days after theyd made up They were both acutely aware of this fact. Garlan knew that to get any kind of favourable resolution they needed to show no sign of weakness between them, if we were to pose as the credible alternative.

Though, El had surrendered that dilluison of being that credible alternative to the reality of their insignificance to the greater game long ago. Yet for this, she knew they needed to sell it. They needed to believe that Garlan was a contender, if they wanted to command any respect from the other parties. El was worried about seeing Jon, after leaving winterfell on such bitter terms, and although her pride would scarcely let me admit it, She desperately wanted to make peace with him. Family was too precious to sacrifice over something as a clash in her ego and the truth.

The meeting was held in the disused dragon coliseum, vast and open. High stands where centuries ago spectators had cheered on dragon fights, aloof from their superb vantage point. The perfect spot for an ambush, as El was most certainly aware as we entered the ring to find quadrangle  erected to host the meeting. Seats for four parties, Lannister red and gold draped freshly from the high stalls. The abandoned stalls gave me a hollow uneasiness that echoed through the air that was warming in the mid morning humidity. El and Garlan were first to arrive and that sparked further anxiety in El's stomach, irrationality momentarily overtook her. Was this a ploy, a simple plot to quickly get rid of the petty threat that was herself and Garlan to the greater game.

Glancing over to Axel, She caught his eye and see he is clearly thinking the same as She was. Garlan however, remained somewhat nonchalant beside her His calmness is just as chilling as the foreboding empty stalls and installs the same fear that hit her core. El clutched his hand still, longing to hang on to a piece of his tranquility.

They stood by one of the four groups of seats, not quite settled enough to sit. El and Garlan stood ahead of the rest of the group. With Willas, Axel, Francas, Caswell and a few others close behind. The Greatjon and the other northerners El had brought south were scattered among Garlan's men who all looked equally nervous.

"Are you scared?" She whispered.

"Of course." He smiled, "this is more than likely to be an ambush at worst and a huge embarrassment that we might escape with our lives at best." He looked down at her with warm eyes doing his best to reassure her.

"You just look so- at ease.. it's perplexing." She sighed.

"And you- you never show your true fear either, though I don't think you ever do it intentionally. Which makes you more remarkable.." Garlan began.

El's face scrunched up in confusion, "Remarkable?"

"Indeed, some of us work hard to maintain composure and tranquility in chaos, but El you're just cold." Garlan laughed.

"Cold?" El straightened her face, if anything affirming garlan's point, and of course he was right she was indifferent by nature and her face never truly conveyed what she was thinking.

"I don't mean it offensively in the slightest, it's admirable." Garlan smiled, "You're mysterious my love, after all these years I'm still trying to work you out. But I fear I will never truly know or even understand what is going on in your head."