KINGDOM FALL
— 3. Pile of Lies
In the chambers at the castle they were staying at, Annalys and Robb laid in bed together. It was morning time and the sun shined through the uncovered windows. Annalys woke up to find herself laying on Robb's unclothed chest. She smiled, tilting her head upwards to find Robb smiling down at her, "How long have you been awake?" She asked, her voice raspy since she ha just woken up.
"Not long," Robb responded in a calm tone, continuing to smile, "Long enough to know you snore, though."
Annalys scoffed loudly. She lifted her head up, giving Robb a look of disbelief, "I do not snore!" She argued, an offended look on her face.
"Yes, you do," Robb retorted, beginning to laugh at the look on his wife's face, "Same as you did when we were children."
"Ah, yes, when we were children," Annalys remarked, a smile forming on her face, "I remember my time in Winterfell as if it were yesterday. You, Jon, and I were the best of friends. Sansa didn't like me much, though."
"That is because you always ditched her to hang out with Jon and I," He pointed out to Annalys, who playfully rolled her eyes at him, "My mother wasn't happy about that. She didn't like the idea of you spending all your time outside playing with boys."
"More so she didn't like the idea of me spending time with Jon," Annalys corrected, an almost saddened look on her face, "It must have been hard for him growing up. I couldn't imagine."
Robb sighed, nodding his head in agreement, "Tell me about it. I had to watch him endure my mother's hatred." He agreed with her, the two of them becoming quiet as they began to think about Jon. Who knows what was happening to him now.
Annalys looked away from Robb, beginning to think hard on what was yet to come, "You do know I'd do anything for you, right?" She found herself pointing out to Robb, who was slightly taken aback by her confession, "I've already proved that I'd kill for you, but I would do anything for you, too. If it came down to it, I'd die for you, without second thought. You must know that."
"Is something wrong?" Robb suddenly asked Annalys, knowing her random confession had to have been for a reason.
Usually, he could figure out what was going on in that head of hers, but at that moment, he found himself unable to.
"No, no, nothing's wrong," Annalys quickly tried to assure her husband, a large, yet fake smile forming on her lips as she turned to look him in the eye once more, "I just wanted you to know that, is all."
"You see," Robb paused, beginning to smile as he pulled Annalys closer to him, "I know you better than you think I do and I'm too smart to believe you. Everything you say is for a reason, but I'm fine with waiting until you're ready to tell me the truth."
Annalys smiled softly, looking uneasy by Robb's response. She hoped he wouldn't figure out her plan too early on. He couldn't know, it was the only way the plan would work.
____
That morning, instead of eating breakfast with Robb, Annalys stood in fields near the castle, tightly gripping onto her bow. She had wooden targets sets out all around her, all of which she planned to shoot.
Over and over, she moved in a circular motion, shooting each target numerous times. Robb stood nearby, watching Annalys hit every target at ease. Greatjon Umber and the Blackfish stood alongside him, both of them smiling slightly as well, oddly enough.
"She's good," Brynden remarked and Greatjon nodded in agreement.
"The best," Greatjon corrected quietly, causing Robb's smile to become larger, "I don't think in all my life I've seen an archer quite like her."
The group continued to watch Annalys. She nocked her arrows and released each of them within a blink of an eye. None of them had seen someone to do the task so quickly.
Within seconds, she had already released five arrows and each and every one of them had made its way into the target she wanted them to hit.
Before the group could react, Annalys lowered her bow, making her way to a nearby squire. She whispered something to him, just before she walked off.
Once she was gone, the squire began to remove the arrows in the targets. Robb immediately knew that must have been what Annalys had told the young boy to do.
"Excuse me," Robb told Greatjon and Brynden, who bowed their heads to him as they watched him walk off in the direction that Annalys had left in.
Robb followed in the direction of where Annalys had gone. It had taken about five minutes until he found Annalys sitting under a tree. Her bow laid next to her as she held an oddly shaped piece of wood in her right hand and a knife in the other. It wasn't like the usual daggers Annalys always kept hidden in her boot. It was the kind men used while whittling things like arrows and crossbow bolts.
"What are you doing?" Robb asked Annalys, who didn't even bother to look up as he took a seat next to her on the grass.
"Whittling," She responded, moving her hand that held the piece of wooden slightly.
After she did so, Robb was slightly taken aback by the fact that the piece of wood truly looked exactly like a lion, "Where did you learn to do that?" Robb questioned Annalys curiously as she continued on with what she was doing.
Annalys shrugged, not breaking her concentration, "I taught myself, about two moons ago," She informed Robb truthfully, "I have perfect memory and a perfect eye for detail. I just picture something I've seen before and I begin to carve. My perfect vision helps with the details, the same as I do when I release an arrow from my bow. It's quite easy, actually."
"Maybe for you," Robb argued, chuckling at Annalys' comment.
Annalys playfully rolled her eyes as she smiled. "Perhaps you're right." She replied, finishing her last detail before holding up the lion.
"A lioness," She informed Robb as she handed the wooden lion to him.
Robb smiled, taking the lion from her grasp. He examined it closely, impressed by her skills. He looked up at Annalys, about to hand it back to her before Annalys spoke up, "Keep it. Call it a nineteenth name day gift." She told Robb, who quietly chuckled.
"My name day was months ago," He pointed out to Annalys, who held onto the hand she used to hold the wooden lion.
"Must you make this so difficult? For both our sakes, just take the damn lion!" She complained loudly, both of them laughing at her tone of voice.
"Alright, alright," He jokingly responded, taking the lion from Annalys' grasp.
He held the lion in one hand while he held Annalys' hand with the other, "Thank you. For the gift," He told Annalys, who smiled happily.
"You're very welcome," She replied in a joking matter, placing a quick kiss to Robb's lips.
______
Later on that day, Robb, Annalys, Catelyn, Brynden, Edmure sat at a large table with Black Walder and Lothar Frey, "Thank you for riding here so quickly, my lords," Annalys thanked the two Frey men, "We know travel isn't easy in these times."
"The roads are crawling with cutthroats and bandits. But when the King of the North summons us, we come," Black Walder explained, but seemed to be speaking in a mocking tone.
"Our father has instructed us to tell you that his alliance with the North can continue if his terms are met. Lord Frey requires a formal apology for your violation of your sacred oath to marry one of his daughters," Lothar Frey explained as he turned to glance as Annalys.
"Of course. He deserves as much," Robb responded, nodding his head agreement, "I was in the wrong."
"As restitution for this betrayal, he demands Harrenhal and all its attendant lands," Lothar informed Robb and Annalys immediately noticed the look on Edmure's face.
"I don't think that's--" Edmure began to say, only to be cut off by Robb.
"We are fighting for the North. Harrenhal is not in the North. It is his once the war is over and we have no further strategic need for it." Robb explained, sharing a glance with Annalys.
"And there's something else," Black Walder informed Robb, causing Annalys to raise a brow at the man.
"We will do whatever we can to give Lord Frey what he needs," Annalys informed Black Walder, who was quick to correct her.
"Not what, whom," Black Walder corrected Annalys, turning to look directly at Edmure.
"What?" Edmure asked, confused as Brynden, Catelyn, Annalys, and Lothar also stared at him. Finally realizing what they were getting at, Edmure chuckled nervously, "No."
"Our father requires Lord Edmure to wed one of his daughters," Black Walder informed Edmure in a calm tone, "Roslin."
"How old is she?" Edmure asked curiously.
"Nineteen," Lothar replied calmly.
"Could I see her first?" Edmure nervously asked.
"You want to count her teeth?" Black Walder asked with an attitude, causing Edmure to immediately shut up, "We depart for the Twins in the morning. We need an answer before we leave and a wedding no more than a fortnight thereafter or this alliance is at an end."
Annalys stared at Black Walder closely, immediately realizing what was going on. The "Loyal Watchman" was right. Walder Frey and Roose Bolton were planning something. Why else would they be in such a hurry to have the wedding? Unless it was going to be more than a wedding? Annalys knew at that moment that the Bolton and Frey men would be attacking the night of Roslin and Edmure's wedding, but Annalys would be ready.
"Your father does realize we're in the middle of a war?" Brynden asked Lothar and Black Walder, raising a brow at them.
"Father is old. It will put his heart at peace if he could see her wed to a good husband." Lothar responded and Annalys rolled her eyes, knowing he was lying. It was a shame she couldn't tell everyone else that.
"And his recent experience has made him wary of long engagements," Black Walder remarked, narrowing his eyes at Robb and Annalys.
"He has every right to be," Robb responded, exchanging a quick glance with Annalys, "Please excuse us while we discuss it."
After both Frey men left, Edmure turned to Annalys and Robb, quickly not wanting to marry Roslin Frey, "Why should I let that old ferret choose my bride for me?" He complained, "At the very least, I should be offered the same choice you were. I'm his liege lord."
Annalys sighed, rolling her eyes as Edmure abruptly stood up, "What do you think?" She asked, annoyance laced in her tone of voice, "Walder Frey may be an old ferret, but he's also a proud man and it seems we've wounded him."
"I didn't wound him," Edmure snapped Annalys, "My answer is no."
Brynden stood up, walking over to where Edmure stood in front of the window in the room, "Listen to me and listen very carefully. You--" he began to scold his nephew, only to have Edmure interrupt.
"The laws of gods and men are very clear. No man can compel another man to marry." Edmure reminded Brynden, earning an eye roll at the fact that the law only applied to men.
"The laws of my fist are about to compel your teeth," Brynden growled at Edmure angrily.
"It's all right. You heard him," Robb spoke up, causing Brynden to stand down and sit back down, "If you refuse, our alliance with the Freys is dead."
Would that be such a bad thing, Annalys thought to herself.
"He's wanted me for one of his daughters since I was twelve. He's not gonna stop wanting it now," Edmure explained to Robb and Annalys, "When I say no, he will come back and offer me a daughter of my choosing."
"You must be joking," Annalys spoke up, causing the group of men to turn to her, "Are you really willing to risk our freedom and our lives for a chance at a prettier wife? You should be ashamed of yourself."
"We have a war to fight. We can't win it without them," Robb told his uncle, taking Annalys' side, much to her relief, "We have no time to haggle. You said you wanted to make amends for the Stone Mill."
"You recall that heroic engagement?" Brynden remarked, causing Edmure to become speechless.
"I had something less permanent in mind," Edmure remarked, looking directly at Annalys since she looked to be on the verge of speaking up.
"We've won every battle, but we're losing this war, my lord," Annalys spoke up, letting out a sigh, "If we don't do this and do it now, we're lost. Don't you understand that?"
Edmure was quiet for a long moment and Annalys tried her hardest not to smirk, knowing that what she said guilt-tripped him, "I'll marry her." He finally agreed, causing Annalys to sigh in relief.
"You're paying for my sins, Uncle. It's not fair or right. I'll remember it." Robb told his uncle and Annalys found herself smiling.
____
Annalys had been the first to leave the room, which left the rest of the group puzzled. Robb seemed to be the one concerned, however. She had been growing secretly lately, especially since she returned to Riverrun with Arya after leaving without telling anyone.
He knew what Arya told him and his mother wasn't the entire story, but he hoped Annalys would tell him the truth on her own. But days had passed and she still hadn't, which worried him.
Robb followed Annalys to where she stood next to Riverrun's maester. She whispered something to him, just before she handed him two rolled-up messages. He took them from her hands before beginning to attach them both to two different ravens.
Robb frowned, wondering why she continued to glance around uneasily. What message was she sending that made her worry so much about someone seeing?
Of course, Robb didn't know that Annalys was sending information about the wedding to both the Brotherhood Without Banners and to Stannis, urging them to arrive the night of Roslin and Edmure's wedding to save them and their armies.
Once she saw the two ravens fly off, Annalys turned on her heel to leave, only to find herself face to face with Robb, who clearly saw what she was doing, "What were in those ravens?" He asked Annalys in concern, but looked unhappy as well with what he had seen.
"Letters," Annalys replied, pausing for a moment as she decided to think of a lie, "To the Brotherhood Without Banners. They wanted money in return for Arya. I promised I'd return with it. Instead of going myself, I sent one of our men to do it. I was just sending a raven, asking if he had gotten it," She paused, noticing the way Robb opened his mouth to speak, "And before you ask, I sent two because Beric Dondarrion, their leader, is located somewhere else at the time being and I had no clue which leader the man sent it to."
Robb remained silent, looking over Annalys' features to detect any sign of her lying.
Oddly enough, he didn't find any, which forced him to believe she was telling the truth.
It was wrong for Annalys to lie to her husband, but she knew she had to if she wanted him to survive. There was no doubt she'd survive what was yet to come, but the same couldn't be said about Robb.
____
In their tent, after leaving Riverrun and heading for the Twins with their army, Annalys sat at a table with Robb, both of them drinking. It was clear Robb was nearing the point of being drunk, despite Annalys drinking far more than he had.
While Annalys had downed her glass of wine at ease, Robb took longer to gulp down the cup of wine Annalys practically forced him to drink.
Annalys let out a satisfied sigh as she placed her empty glass down. She was already pouring herself another glass by the time Robb set his own down, "Keep up, Robb!" She complained, an amused smile on her face as she saw how he had struggle keeping down all the wine.
"I don't think I can drink anymore, Annalys," Robb gulped, shaking his head as Annalys poured them both another glass.
"Yes, you can. We have to celebrate. In just a few months, we will be taking Casterly Rock," Annalys explained and by the way Annalys didn't make much sense, Robb knew she was drunk, but was just good at hiding it.
"But why must we get drunk now?" Robb asked Annalys, an amused smile on his face as he quietly laughed at her, "How do you even function after all that you've drunk?"
Annalys smiled, sliding Robb's glass over to him before lifting up her own. She held it in her hand, waving it around slightly as she spoke to him, "It isn't easy being drunk all the time. Everyone would do it if it were easy," She ranted, some of her wine spilling out of her glass as she waved it around, which caused Robb to laugh at her.
"And who told you that?" Robb questioned, knowing Annalys hadn't made it up on her own.
"My uncle," Annalys informed Robb, smiling happily as she took a large sip of her wine, "And he was right. It isn't easy. But once you get used to drinking all the time as I have, there's no going back."
Robb's smile faded, clearly not finding what Annalys said funny. He became concerned. Had Annalys been drunk the entire time? Even when they first got together?
"Have you ever gone a day without drinking at least one glass of wine, Annalys?" He found himself asking and became shocked when Annalys shook her head.
"Since I was twelve, I haven't gone a day without drinking at least three cups of wine," She corrected him, much to Robb's disbelief, "Since the beginning of the war, I've had a glass every morning when I wake up, one or two right before a battle starts, one after the battle ends, and then, one right before I sleep." She explained without a care in the world, not realizing how shocked and practically horrified Robb was.
Realizing it had become silent between her and Robb, Annalys turned to her husband in confusion, "What is it?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows at him.
"You don't find it concerning that you've been drunk the entire three years that we've spent together?" He admitted and Annalys looked at him as though she didn't understand why he looked so horrified and concerned, "If what you've said is true, you were drunk when you lost your maidenhood and when you married me."
"Does it matter?" Annalys frowned, not understanding why it was such a big deal, "It isn't like I'm doing anything wrong, Robb. I've been living perfectly fine with the way I drink. We've won every battle, haven't we?" She asked Robb, who sighed in defeat and hesitantly nodded his head, "Then, why is it such a big deal? I love you and I don't regret marrying you. How much I drink doesn't change anything. You must realize that."
Robb remained silent as he stared at Annalys closely. It did change a lot. It pained Robb to know it had taken three years for him to realize that his wife was practically a drunk. How did so much time pass and he was just realizing it?
____
Outside Riverrun, a thunderstorm ended up happening, leading to Robb becoming drenched from the rain from his time outside. For once, Annalys hadn't joined him in his walk, which meant she was perfectly dry. While Catelyn and Edmure sat at the map table, Annalys dried her husband's hair with a towel.
She learned something that day, something that made her feel the need to win the battle that was yet to come even more. She was pregnant and she knew she had to tell Robb, but she feared his reaction, believe it or not.
They were in the middle of a war and in each battle, Annalys and Robb fought side by side. How was Annalys supposed to do that while carrying the future of the kingdom of the North in her womb?
Fighting in battle became an everyday thing for Annalys. She had no clue how she would endure sitting by the fire alongside Catelyn and Arya while other men fought for her. However, she knew it needed to be done. She just had to figure out the right time to tell Robb, before it was too late.
Annalys was snapped out of her thoughts when Brynden entered, causing Annalys to turn to look at him, "That rain will cost us another day." He complained, causing Annalys to sigh.
"Frey will wait," Robb assured his great-uncle in a calm tone, "He knows we're coming."
"Lord Walder is prickly by nature," Catelyn remarked, causing Brynden to loudly scoff.
"Prickly? That what you call it?" He asked in annoyance, "Might be the least pleasant man I've ever met."
"Yes, and that is why--" Catelyn began to say, only to be cut off by Brynden.
"I've seen wet shits I liked better than Walder Frey," Brynden interrupted Catelyn, who slowly turned to look at him with wide eyes. Noticing the raised brow Annalys gave him, Brynden turned to his queen with an apologetic look, "Apologies, Your Grace. Spent too many years around lancers and pikemen."
"You needn't worry. I've had to fetch my uncle Tyrion from brothels more times than I've counted and sometimes I've witnessed them in middle of doing the deed," She paused, smiling at Brynden, "Trust me when I say I've seen worse than wet shits."
Hearing the girl's words, Brynden immediately began to laugh while Robb smiled, shaking his head. Catelyn, on the other hand, was in no mood for jokes, "Lord Frey will take this delay as a slight." She complained to the ground, ruining their moment of laughter.
"He can take it as he likes," Edmure pointed out to his sister, "He's getting the wedding he wanted."
"He's getting a wedding. It was a king he wanted." Catelyn reminded the group, looking directly at her son.
"Edmure is the best match a Frey has had in the history of their house," Robb pointed out to his mother in a calm tone, "We should all get some sleep."
After Catelyn, Edmure, and Brynden all stood up and left, Robb turned to Annalys, pulling her closer. She smiled softly, both of them leaning forward and kissing each other.
Catelyn, who hadn't left yet, turned back and watched the duo with an almost saddened look on her face before she left.
A Lannister and a Stark. They had no idea how dangerous that was.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Just bc this is a spin off, doesn't mean Annalys' drinking problem won't go away🤷🏻♀️
However, Annalys will actually make an attempt to fix her problem in this story.