CHAPTER TWELVE
The Hunt
Two Weeks Later
Robb's POV
"Ready the carriages!" Robert Baratheon shouted at the stable hands. My father was counting the horses as he adjusted his gloves and cloak. I stood close to him but keep enough distance between us. Especially sure to keep distance between myself and my now father-in-law, Robert.
My father approached me and eyed me up and down. "You're lacking sleeping."
I nodded and put my gloves on, realizing they were nearly beat to shreds. I hoped they'd last while we'd be off on our hunt for the next few days. We were only going to the Wolf's Woods but Robert wanted to camp there rather than coming and going each day.
"This is a chance for you to bond with Robert since you're now married to his daughter. Alana has done very well bonding with your mother and even myself. She's a nice girl-"
"She hates me." I scoffed and felt a rush of disappointment in myself. I let my anger get the best of my on our wedding night. I was never angry with her I was just angry with everyone else and the fact I couldn't protect her. I said something so fucking stupid that night... I told her I'd be the monster she thinks I am and she hasn't forgave me for that at all.
Father shook his head and placed a hand onto my shoulder. "She doesn't hate you... Trust me. I see the way she looks at you even after that night. Give it time... Alana is just as traumatized as you are. It's painful for her too."
"I told her I was going on the hunt with you all... She walked away from me." It was true. When I told her I'd be leaving for nearly a week she had nothing further to say to me. Each night has been the same terrible routine. We all have dinner in the great hall. Her and I go to our chambers. She freshens up in the bath and I sit and wait for her to get back. She comes in and hides under the covers for me to perform my duties.
I've tried to make it better for her. I try to kiss her and comfort her. She just turns her head away from me and doesn't seem at all interested. I give her a moment to try to find pleasure but she doesn't. She just grips onto the blankets and stares off into the distance. All I can go is three good pumps and then I'm done. Hoping it's enough to shut Robert up soon enough.
"Your mother and Alana are in the library right now having tea by the fire. Perhaps you should try and say farewell again." Father suggested. He then handed me an extra pair of gloves from his pocket. "Here, use my spares. Have your mother mend yours, good excuse to go up there right now... Isn't it?"
I nodded slowly and slid the gloves from my father on instead of my torn-up pair. I made my way up the stone steps and into the library where it smelled of fresh lavender and tea. I could feel the heat already from the fireplace and the sound of Alana's song like giggle filled my ears.
She sat in a chair aside my mother and I gave them both a kind smile. Alana looked down nervously and I could see she was sewing. Very well, actually. I was highly impressed with her stitch work.
Father told me to give the gloves to my mother but... I handed them to Alana instead. "I hear you're good with a needle and thread." I said softly.
Alana nodded. "I am." A soft smile on her lips. "Would you like me to fix these for you?"
"Please?" This was the most we'd spoken in what felt like days. "It doesn't have to be anytime soon... Just whenever you find a chance to mend them."
"Alright." She replied kindly.
This was going better than I had expected.
"I'll be off soon." I still stood there like an idiot as she continued to work on whatever it was she was making. It was hard to tell, it looked like maybe a blanket or maybe a gown, all I know is it was a beautiful shade of dark blue.
Mother was eying us and smirking as she was knitting what was clearly going to be a blanket. The weather was getting colder as winter was coming soon. With each growing day the weather was more and more chill. The wind whipping harder too.
"How long will you be gone?" Alana asked with her voice soft as summer rain. "Not that I wish for you to be gone-"
"Roughly a week?" I estimated. "Your father may extend it depending on... Well... Him."
She laughed at that. She truly laughed at what I had said and it felt good to make her laugh. I kneeled before her and placed my hand on her lap, to which, she didn't even push me away. Didn't wince or flinch. Nothing. Alana's eyes met with mine and she grinned.
"Is there anything else you need, my Lord?" She asked.
I paused for a moment and then nodded. "I'd love for some apple blueberry scones."
Alana shook her head with a smile. She stood up and placed her things down onto the chair. Softly telling my mother she'd return in a few moments as she grabbed her cloak from a hook by the door and walked down to the kitchens where a basket had been sitting on a table. A cloth covering the contents of it.
As Alana handed me the basket she revealed that inside was a good amount of scones, apples, and bread. I smiled at her and she then handed me a flagon of spiced wine. "Your mother told me of the customs of the north... To always have something prepared for your husband when he goes on a hunt. I'm sorry for... Being distant with you."
I kissed her on the cheek. Feeling the warm blush of her cheek beneath my lips. She smiled at me and I couldn't stop grinning at her. She made my heart do this strange flutter and I hated that she was my weakness.
"No," I shook my head. "It's me who should apologize for what I said on our wedding night. I should have never vowed to be the monster you think I am. It's my duty as your husband to protect you and that starts with my own self destruction. I need to mend myself to be better for you."
Silence.
"Have you nothing to say?"
She looked away, tears welling in her eyes and although she tried to blink them away it was too late. Clearly I was wrong. Clearly I upset her and I didn't even know what I did so fucking wrong in this moment.
"I just wish you'd trust me." She muttered.
"Alana-"
She bowed her head to me as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Have a nice hunt. I wish you a safe journey and good fortune."
-
I miss Aerion more than ever right now.
In the woods I can feel him in the breeze. By the river I can see him in the glistening of the water. I can hear his voice in the trees as they dance in the wind. It's his smile that I see in the stars above at night.
He's my best friend and he should be here with me right now.
Aerion should be telling me that I've done nothing wrong and if I did something wrong he should be calling me out for it. We should be sitting under this tree looking for boars and stags together. Laughing when we see a rabbit that has no idea it's fate if it crosses paths with Robert Baratheon right now.
Sharing the treats from the basket that Alana packed for me and spilling spiced wine on our shirts because we're laughing too hard at something so stupid like Jon not being able to find a girlfriend or Theon getting punched in the face at a tavern because he thinks the girl with the big tits is a brothel whore but then her husband walks up and knocks his lights out.
I wish I could tell Aerion everything that's happened. Instead I'm sitting here with Joffrey who's pacing back and forth and stepping on twigs which is the exact reason we haven't been able to hunt a damn thing.
"You're stressing me out." I said in a grunt to Joffrey.
He scoffed. "Your existence stresses me out."
I snorted with laughter. "What did I do to you, if I may ask ever so kindly?" I couldn't help but throw sarcasm at him. It was too easy to be a jerk to Joffrey... Even Alana had said before that Joffrey can be the biggest cunt she's ever met.
Joffrey rolled his eyes at me. "Well to start-"
"Oh this is going to be golden." I laughed, not expecting him to actually reply.
"You threw up all over the kitchens during the cake tasting that day. You have horrible taste in fabrics and still you looked tacky on your wedding day. Those colors drained you. Had you just took my advice then maybe my sister would actually be attracted to you." Joffrey crossed his arms. "But no- the big ugly brute wanted to do things himself."
I laughed even more. "Let me get this straight... You don't like me because I was hungover and threw up a few weeks ago and because you don't like what Madam Louise selected for me to wear on my wedding day?"
Joffrey scoffed and then grunted as he raised his cross bow into his hands, pointing it in the tree line when he thought he spotted something. I didn't even have to look to know what the sound was that he heard.
"It's just a squirrel." I muttered. "Put the bloody bow down, you look like a lunatic."
"How did I get stuck here with you?" He put the bow down and began pacing and stomping his feet. Breaking more twigs and branches under his foot with each step he took. I grunted and tried to calm myself.
He's worried about how he got stuck here with me but I'm curious as to how I got stuck here with him. Oh- I know why. Because Robert said I needed to bond with my new brother. I needed to get to know the future King of Westeros and have a good strong relationship with him. Right, this trip will only secure the fact that the moment Joffrey is king he'll call for my head to be on a pike.
"Ask your father." I murmured as I reached into the basket and pulled out a scone to eat. It tasted slightly different. Not like the ones I was used to having almost like the recipe had been changed or something. I shrugged it off and assumed it's because they were cold from sitting in the basket.
"Oh trust that I did." Joffrey crossed his arms and pouted. "Not only am I being forced to bond with you but I'm being forced to wed your sister as well."
"Sansa's a nice girl." I replied as I took a bite of the scone and dusted away the crumbs that fell onto my lap. Lemon...There was a hint of lemon in them today. "She'll probably just annoy you with her singing and love for romance stories."
Joffrey shook his head. "She's not my type."
"Oh?" I hummed and chuckled a bit. "Don't like redheads?"
"I-" Joffrey paused and then stopped. "Nothing. It's nothing."
I shrugged it off and honestly stopped caring for what he had to say. I don't fucking like the kid. He's annoying and the way I heard Alana and Myrcella talk about him... I understand why they are always in a bad mood when he's around. He radiates negative energy. Like a fucking flame of annoyance.
Hours went by and it had been completely silent. I was cold and hungry and wanted more than just some fucking scones and bread that was meant to last for the days I'd be away instead of the first day of being on the hunt. I packed everything up and waved to Joffrey for us to head back to the camp.
When we arrived back they had killed two boars and a stag and had been skinning them and cooking them up for dinner. The fire was massive and everyone was drinking and having a good laugh.
"Glad someone came to tell us." Joffrey muttered and for once I agreed with him. "Assholes."
Jon was sitting miserably by the fire. I sat beside him and he scooched away from me. I looked at him confused and he rolled his eyes at me.
"What the fuck is your issue?" I said to my brother who bit into a piece of meat and said nothing in return. "Alright, fine. Be a cunt." I got up and he mumbled but I couldn't understand him. "What?" I asked.
"I said," He swallowed the meat in his mouth and washed it down quickly with the ale he had in his cup. He was clearly drunk. "How does it feel to always fucking win?"
"Win?" I laughed. "Jon I shot nothing down today. Not even a damn bird."
"I'm not talking about your special little hunt." He mocked me. I looked around at the others and no one else had been seeing this. If they did, they didn't give a shit, so I looked back at Jon who was glaring up at me. "I'm referring to everything else in your life. You get a hunt in your honor because you got your dick wet with royal pussy. You get to marry the girl you fucking hate and you- you just get everything handed to you."
"Don't you dare speak about my wife." I grabbed Jon by the collar of his shirt and lifted him to his feet. His legs were wobbling beneath him as he tried to find the ground but it was impossible with how wasted he was.
I shouldn't let his drunken words bother me but for someone who just a few weeks ago wanted Alana as badly as he did he sounds like a jealous prick. I won't sit there and listen to him speak of her in that way. I failed her on our wedding night.
I will never fail her again.
"Oh," Jon laughed. "Now she's your perfect wife? Not just some stupid cunt-"
I threw him down to the ground and without thinking twice I started to punch him in the face. My fist meeting with his and eventually cracking his nose. Leaving it completely askew on his face.
Blood pouring from his nose and into his mouth, which he found joy in spitting at me, getting it on my face. I punched him again in the jaw and he tried to punch me back. All I could see was red. Rage. Blood. Anger. Hatred.
My father lifted me from one side and Stannis Baratheon on the other. I started kicking at Jon while he was down on the ground and Renly helped Jon up onto the bench he had been sitting on by the fire.
I wiped my face in a fit of rage and then pointed my finger at Jon. "If you ever utter another word of my wife again I'll absolutely fucking kill you."
"Just like you killed Aerion?" He mocked me.
My body was trembling.
The entire forest was silent.
Even the fire went fucking silent.
"Take that back." I muttered with no expression in my voice.
Jon shook his head. "It's all your fault, Robb. It'll always be your fault."
"Jon-" My father was furious. "Don't do this. You're brothers-"
"No we're not." I argued with nothing but a glare on my face. Still nothing in my tone. Nothing but words of a deeper meaning came from my mouth. "Jon is dead to me. I have no brother by the name of Jon Snow. That is something I can never forget nor forgive. Congratulations, you've lost me forever."
"It should have been you." Jon muttered as I turned to step away.
"No, Jon." I said with my back turned and looking over my shoulder at him. "It should have been you."