Carliene Stark

Chapter 73

Carliene

I found myself relieved when the sun was high enough for me to leave my bed. It had been an arduous night. Not only had the little pup kicked at me every hour util I felt like surely my entire stomach must be blue, but I had also had wild dreams of men with the heads of wolves chasing me through a swamp full of ruins and snakes. 

I rose and let the servants dress me, keeping them from waking Brayla as I decided that only because I couldn't sleep her rest shouldn't be cut short unnecessarily. And I didn't feel like her company yet. I defended into the small hall, deciding to break my fast like I had when my father was hand of the king. In the small hall with all his men. Now the hall was filled with red cloaks of course, but as much as I despised to admit it I had come to no longer feel repelled by the sight. They were just people underneath, just like anyone else. 

I spotted a familiar face sitting all by himself at one of the table and stopped a servant to order her to bring me a simple bowl of oats before I approached it. 

"Good morning Martyn" I greeted in the most upbeat tone I could manage and sat down opposite from him. 

He noticed me with an uncomfortable gaze but surprised me by actually replying. "Good morning"

"What are you doing up so early?" I questioned just to make conversation. 

He swallowed a mouthful of oats. "Training" he explained. "A good swordsman rises with the sun"

No doubt some ancient wisdom his master tried to sell him, but it reminded me painfully of Arya and when she had been training with her dancing instructor. "I see" I smiled as the servant placed a steaming bowl before me. "Do you want to be a knight one day?" I asked before taking a spoon full. 

He was silent for a moment before he shrugged. "I'm not sure" he mumbled.

He was still a very timid youth I noticed and found myself wondering how much of that was due to the time being prisoners of my brother and witnessing his brother's death. "I am sorry for you brother" I stated seriously, thinking suddenly that maybe I should have made an effort to tell him sooner. Not that it made a difference but now that I did it felt right. 

He stared at me and I could see his cheeks redden. "The young wolf promised us no harm would come to us" he recalled in a sorrowful tone, lowering his spoon back into his bowl. 

My chest grew heavy. 

"He beheaded the man who killed Willem for it"

Now it was my turn to grow flustered. 

"That man killed Willem.." his brows furrowed as he thought back to the details "... because his own sons were killed" he recalled then he looked up at me. "If that is war and that is what knights do, then I don't want to be a knight" he decided. 

I found myself strangely moved by his words, relieved to hear that my brother had not been the villain of this story after all. 

"I miss him" the boy added as he looked back at his near empty bowl. 

I reached across the table and squeezed his hand, causing him to flinch but not pull away. "I miss my brother too" I assured, feeling my eyes water as I released his hand again.

He would make a great warden of the north, I decided with relief, for once feeling like everything was slowly falling into place. 

"Ah, I heard you were dining out here with the men" Drona approached us with quick steps. "Good morning Martyn" she brushed a hand through the top of her boy's hair as she sat down next to him.