"You are getting better, my Lady." Ser Rodrik Cassel said to Aurelia as he sheathed his sword back into the leather casing strapped around his waist. They were atop a small hill overlooking the serene Red Fork, while the Northerners encampment sit on the right.
Ser Rodrick had been training Aurelia every single day since she arrived, and she was more determined than ever. Ned gifted her the daggers; she was not about to put those weapons into waste. She may be a lady, but the direwolf is the sigil of her House. Her father gave her the dagger as means of protection, and that is exactly what she intends to do. Perhaps her daggers can protect her family. "Who trained you when you were in Kings Landing? Your skills have truly gotten finer since you left." The Northern Knight added,
"My father found someone, but I owe it all to Jory." Aurelia told Ser Rodrik as her smile turned sad at the mention of her most trusted guard. "He always agreed whenever I asked him to train me."
"That sounds like him." Ser Rodrik replied,
"I am sorry for your loss." Aurelia offered him her condolences,
"Thank you, my Lady."
"I wish there was something I could do. I should have fought or at least tried to. Jory protected me all these years, and I failed to do the same for him." Aurelia said as her voice turned soft. "He's dead because of me."
"You shall think nothing of the sort, my Lady. Jory was proud of his role in this world. There was no other family he wished to serve and protect than the Starks. He understood the risks, and he was willing to take it if it meant his life." Ser Rodrik said, "Jory would not have it any other way."
Aurelia gave him a small smile as a sign that she understood what he said.
"Same time tomorrow, Ser Rodrik?" She asked, placing the dagger in its leather holder.
"Of course, my Lady." The knight replied, as they both made their way back to the encampment.
Robb and his bannermen had not moved these past few days and the battles he fought were minor ones, none that brings them closer to defeating the armies of Tywin Lannister. Aurelia was spending less time with Robb than she had hoped for, but then again, he his Lord Commander of the Northern armies. There were more pressing matters than having dinner with Aurelia. In fact, she does not seem to think that Robb has eaten anything much these days. The thought of winning this war has occupied the minds of the three Starks present in the camp, and it consumes everything else. Winning this war was the only way to save Ned, Sansa, and Arya from the hands of the Lannisters; only then can they be reunited as a family once more.
As soon as they took a step inside camp, it was apparent that the place did not feel the same as when they left. Both of them were only gone for an hour or two, and yet it was as if some somber weather washed over the tent, affecting everyone along with it. Aurelia was no stranger to the stares given to her, however this time it was different. The soldiers all stood up as she walked past them, and either bowed their heads or took off the helm they wore. A look of sorrow and pity cling onto their faces, with none of them brave enough to even look Aurelia in the eye. She only furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and continued to walk with Ser Rodrik by her side.
"Ser Rodrik...is there something that I missed?" She asked him, but the knight was just as confused as she was.
They reached the pavilion acting as Aurelia's chambers when the Lady Maege Mormont walked up beside her, sharing the same expression as the rest.
"Lady Mormont...what has happened?" Aurelia asked the Lady of Bear Island, whom had followed Robb to war from the beginning. Aurelia's voice began to lace with fear that something dreadful had befallen them all. "My mother and Robb, where are they?" She continued to ask,
"I am sorry, my Lady. I am very sorry." Lady Maege spoke as she handed Aurelia a letter, and Aurelia took it immediately. She unrolled the small paper as her eyes began to read the writing on it.
'Eddard Stark, former Hand of the King to the late King Robert Baratheon, has been beheaded by the orders of King Joffrey Baratheon, first of his name, King of the Andals and the first men, Protector of the realm, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, for his acts of treason against the crown."
Aurelia read the letter silently. Her heart stopped beating, feeling as though she had forgotten how to breathe. The last time she was given a letter to read, it held news about her father but this one was much worse. Her eyes went up to see Lady Maege's, hoping that it was a trick someone put her up to, or a joke, or anything else if it meant that this was all untrue. But Lady Mormont said nothing more, and everyone else's behavior was enough for Aurelia to realize that her father is truly dead.
This morning Aurelia woke up full of hope that they would be able to save her father and sisters; that in the near future they would have a family feast in Winterfell with everyone present. This morning, her father is still alive. Now she would not be able to listen to his voice anymore, nor see his smile that always comforted her. The smile that somehow managed to make her feel as though all the problems in the word had gone away. Ned Stark is gone; he's dead.
She wanted to cry, and she wanted to shout. Why were the Gods being so cruel to her family? Why were the Gods torturing her in such a way? Aurelia fought hard for the tears to stay inside her eyes. Giving the letter back to Lady Mormont, Aurelia looked at Ser Rodrik for a second who was now informed as well of Eddard Stark's death. She ran away from Lady Mormont and Ser Rodrik; she ran away from the camp to the secluded trees where no one can see or hear her.
Aurelia found a large tree with a thick bark, and rested her back against it. Her eyes went to look up at the horizon above her, as she took in long deep breaths.
"Aurel?" A frail voice spoke from behind. Aurelia immediately turned around to see her mother standing beside Robb, whose eyes were red rimmed from the cries.
All it took was one look at her mother for the dam inside her eyes to break, and tears began to flow out. Aurelia let it all out as her cries pierced Catelyn's ears. She instantly went to embrace her daughter as Aurelia's cries became harder.
"He's gone, mother. Father's gone." Aurelia managed to say between the sobs, and Robb was fighting his hardest to keep his under.
Ned Stark was everything to Aurelia. Her father had been there through everything, and now she lost him. Now they all lost him.
Catelyn caressed her daughter's head as the pain became all too strong for her, and the tears started to fall from her face as well. Robb looked more hurt seeing all of them in such a tormented state. Never had he seen her sister cry this hard before.
"I want them dead. I want them all dead." Aurelia spoke up with bitterness in her voice.
"We'll avenge him. I promise you that we will." Robb said to her, as Aurelia held his hand when the mother and daughter pulled away from their embrace.
"Do not forget, they still have your sisters. Once we get them back, we can avenge him." Catelyn said to her two children with opened wounds that seemed too painful to heal, and Catelyn more so than ever. Sansa and Arya were no longer safe in that corrupted place they call Kings Landing with their father unable to protect them. Cersei and Joffrey would make them pawns in their game, and they have no choice but to play along with it unless they want their lives gone.
"Once we save them, we'll kill them. We will." Robb stated as if he was making a promise to himself. It was a promise he and Aurelia are even more determined to fulfill.
The Lannisters have done nothing but torture them, but this time the Starks will fight with a full force. They will pay for what they have done, and none of the Northerners will stand down. Cersei and Joffrey would not know what they started. This changes everything, and Aurelia would prepare herself for it. She would no longer be soft; no longer the girl whom Cersei thought was vulnerable.
The wolves are coming, and the Lions better be prepared for what is to come.