Game of Thrones: A Tale of a Coward

The Coward - Luciara I

Luciara, the cousin of Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon Stark, is sitting on dark brown, nicely textured log. He watches as Bran continues to fail at firing arrows from his bow at a simple and easy target, barely a few yards away from him. Bran's brothers, Robb and Jon (the bastard son of Winterfell), laugh at his failure each time.

He watches them uncomfortably, knowing that no matter how terrible Bran even is, Lucia himself could never manage to hurt anything or anyone. For he is simply a coward.

Lucia's mother died at birth and he carried that burden with him his entire life. Tyrion Lannister, the imp at King's Landing, has had the same burden, however Tyrion has had it more rough. Lucia's father, Karl Stark, had loved him nevertheless. Unfortunately, Karl died in battle nearing the end of The Rebellion, fighting alongside his brother, Eddard, and Robert, whom is now King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Since then, Eddard, Lord of Winterfell, has raised his younger brother's son since Lucia was six, making Lucia 22 years of age. Lucia always had trouble knowing that he was rather disliked by many for multiple reasons: causing his mother's death, being a coward and most notably, not being a believer in the Gods. Luciara had decided it ridiculous to believe in any Gods because of the little happiness and fairness in their world. And he was already different, so he thought it not be crazy to start to have disbelief in the Gods.

Androw, one of Lucia's only friends, finds him on his own and sits by him. "Why must you not talk to anyone, Lucia? Why is it that you choose to be alone?" Androw questions him, knowing the common reply.

"Because I see myself as the sort of Black Sheep. Jon may be a bastard, but he can fight excellently. I am nothing. No one. The last in line to be Lord of Winterfell and last to be respected in Winterfell. You know how it is, Androw," Luciara replies to his closest friend and goes back to watching his family.

Lord Eddard talks to his two eldest sons, Robb Stark and Jon Snow, about how they weren't as skilled as they are now when they were Bran's age. Luciara gets up and goes to have a drink at the tavern with Androw.

"And when King Robert and his wretched family arrive, they'll expect me to have conversations with them, just because I'm a fucking Stark!" Luciara rants on how he wishes he could have had another life; a better life. "Why don't we just get a small fucking group of fucking rejects and just fuck off from the shithole, pathetic lives we must live each and every day?" Lucia suggests, taking a long gulp from some wine and asks for another round.

"You can't just run off, Lucia. I know you hate it here and you're a coward an' all, but running off... you'll even lose the respect I got for you. And there ain't much left for ya," Mirk, the blacksmith's middle child, answers for him.

"I'd say that'll be your last one," Androw suggests Lucia should stop drinking for the day.

"Piss off, Androw! I can have as much as I please!" Lucia shouts to him, causing others to stare at the trio. "Alright. This'll be the last one." Lucia takes into consideration that he doesn't want to drink himself to death, like one of their other friends: Ortin. He finishes his last drink and the three of them exit. Lucia struggles to walk, being as drunk as he is, so Androw helps him to move.

They reach Mirk's home, as his is the closest, and rest Lucia on his bed. "Bloody fool," Mirk states, looking at him resting on his bed. "We should probably move 'im, actually. I don't think me father ought to appreciate the drunk Stark on my bed!" Mirk explains to Androw, while they watch over Lucia as he shuffles around on the bed, attempting to get into a comfortable position.

Out the window, they witness a stunning woman, leaning against the outside wall of the tavern they were just in. She had beautifully long, straight brunette hair and she had shining blue eyes that only the Gods must've made the perfection of. "That Rosemary?" Androw questions Mirk, as the two stare in awe. "Thought that was a whore," Mirk replies, looking back to Androw, whom is now confused.

"That's disrespectful, Mirk. That's definitely Rosemary. I know it," Androw says, in complete belief that it is Rosemary.

"Ain't that the girl Lucia likes? Rosemary?" Mirk asks him. Luciara heard Mirk say his name and his ears pricked up. Lucia gets up and looks outside the window to see what the two are looking at.

"That's Rosemary out there," Lucia confirms for them. He looks unwell and dreary, so Androw puts him back down in the bed saying, "Told you it was her."

Rosemary stops leaning against the wall and walks off, approaching her mother. Her mother looks quite distinctly like her, but older. The two have a conversation and then walk to their home, both moving as elegant as the other.

"Do you think she likes me back? Rosemary; you think she likes me?" Lucia quizzes the two, despite the two not having much of an idea and Lucia knowing this. He rests on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with his eyes closed.

"Probably not," Mirk replies, not having any idea, but wants Luciara to lose hope in falling in love with her, because Mirk also wants her.

"She may do. Just ask her, Lucia. Not much harm could be done, really." Androw answers honestly, wanting Luciara to just be happy and content. Androw has repeatedly given Luciara false hope his entire life, so he doesn't always listen to his answers. Who Luciara really needs to help him out is their late friend, Ortin.

Ortin was likeable and, like Androw, just wanted Luciara to be happy and content. If he were still alive, he would find out what kind of men Rosemary would go for. Cowards, brave men, or anyone. Ortin had honour and respect. He became friends to Lucia to try and give him what he had. But Ortin was a drunk. Quite a bad one at that. He died just many years ago and still Luciara, Androw and Mirk had never forgotten how incredible Ortin was for the three of them.

Mirk's father enters his home, trying to find his son, Mirk, for work. "Damn! My father's home-" Mirk states the obvious, until his father shouts over his voice, "Mirk! I know you're home. Your older brother told me you came in here with your friends. If I find out you've been drinking with the Stark boy... I'll rip your fucking head off!" Mirk's father threats.

Mirk's father has been known to dislike Lucia for the reasons mentioned earlier and thinks he can be a bad influence on him for Lucia's drunk behaviour. Mirk and Luciara had been friends since teenagers and Mirk has grown to be quite fond of Luciara's company. Mirk's father blames Lucia for Ortin's sudden death (as do others), however the trio know Ortin was the only one at fault and know that Lucia drinks further to try to forget Ortin, but just ruins himself.

"We gotta sneak him past your father," Androw suggests and takes a peak outside the strong wooden door of Mirk's room to see his position. "Go out and speak to him. Distract your father, while I take Lucia out." Androw commands him and Mirk agrees.

Mirk exits his own room and he and his father converse, whilst Androw attempts to move Luciara out, "C'mon Lucia. We gotta move ya before Mirk's father finds you." He mutters, slapping Lucia's cheeks to try and wake him up from his fascinations over Rosemary.

"I don't wanna..." Lucia murmurs, rubbing his eyes and tries to face the opposite direction of Androw. Androw pulls Lucia towards him and makes him get up. Androw overhears Mirk's father about getting some tools in his room, so he takes this as an opportunity to quickly escape.

Androw puts Luciara around his shoulders and quietly and cautioiusly exits Mirk's home. Androw takes Lucia to the Stark's home and Lord Eddard takes him. "He got terribly drunk, my Lord. He'll be alright, surely, but... explaIn to him not to get too drunk like that again, my Lord. I know you don't want him to die as much as I do." Androw explains to Eddard. "Thank you for taking him to me, Androw. However... Luciara is an adult and he makes his own choices. If he wants to get drunk and end up like Ortin, it's his choice. But I'll inform him of your concern." Lord Eddard takes Lucia to Lucia's room and has him rest in his own bed.

A couple hours later, Lucia awakes and finds his Uncle Eddard at the end of his bed. "Afternoon, Uncle," Lucia says sarcastically, cheekily smiling.

"I'm glad you haven't drunk away your weak sense of humour, Luciara. Your friend, Androw, is concerned for your well-being. He worries you will end up like Ortin. Now, I know you feel like the odd one out, you even feel farther away from love than what Jon is. But you must know that I do love you, Lucia. So does Catelyn and so do your cousins, Jon included! Straighten out your life and stop going to that damned tavern. Find a girl. Become a warrior, like your father and then, and only then, will you get what you want: respect." Eddard advises him and leaves him on his own to contemplate on what to do next...