Love and Duty (T. Lannister)

Chapter Seven

Back at Winterfell, Vaella sits against Skriax's side as she reads from a book in the Godswood. After the execution, she'd flown straight back at her own speed. And she has been back for a while now, without the arrival of Eddard and his sons. She thought that they would have come back by now. But even Godric and Lyarra have yet to return so maybe her concept of time is off. She knows she has been in the Godswood for a while. She likes it here. It's quiet and comforting just like the Godswoods back home. Footsteps approach her as she turns the page of her book, her eyes focused on the words written on the page rather than whoever it is that is approaching her. She assumes at first, that it is going to be Godric. She is proven wrong, when she sees their reflection in the water of the pond in front of her first. The face of Robb Stark warped through the water surface, but she still keeps her eyes fixed on her book.

"What took you so long?" She asks when Robb's boots come to a stop in front of her.

"You like....animals" He states causing her to frown at the pages of her book.

"I do" She agrees. Still not sure where this is going. There is a snuffling sound followed by a small yapping sound. She lifts her head to find him holding a puppy. "A direwolf" She whispers, closing her book now that he and this puppy have her full attention. She has read about direwolves but never seen one. No one South of the Wall should lay eyes on them.

"We found a litter of them" Robb admits. "But all we know is from stories" He continues. She leans back against Skriax and raises an eyebrow at him. Now she sees why he has come to her. For information. They don't know how to look after them. And he is being smart enough to come to the one person that might just have read a book or two about them. She has. Of course she has. If it is classed as an animal, magical or not, then she has read about it, she has desired to see one, hold one, own one.

"I think I brought a book with me that can help" She offers. "You can have it" She opens up her book again.

"You are going to give me your book?" He asks with a frown. "To keep?" She snorts.

"We're family now..." She points out, lowering her eyes to her book.

"So does that mean I get to borrow your griffon?" He teases, she chuckles and smirks a little.

"If Skriax will let you mount him" She starts and lifts her eyes. "I would be fascinated to find out" They share a look and she knows that he isn't even thinking about trying. Skriax is a one-woman griffon and it is very clear by the way he now glares at Robb, daring him to just try to climb onto his back. He will never allow anyone other than Vaella to ride him.

"I think a direwolf is more than enough animal for me" Robb admits as he hikes the squirming puppy up in his arms a little. She hums a little and tilts her head.

"I will find the book and bring it to you later" She states, practically dismissing him without outright saying the words. He nods and then turns, walking away from her. Vaella looks up again, but there is worry in her eyes. With what the deserter was saying and now with direwolves being this far south. It feels like the winds are changing. And not in a good way. It's something foul. She wonders if Rowena has seen anything in her dreams. Perhaps she can reach out to the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest but they are notoriously prickly when it comes to humans. Even magical humans.

........

In a candle-lit room inside of the castle, Eddard and Godric sit across one another at a table. Two goblets and a jug empty. A note lays between them and both men look as though they have been sat here for a while. Talking about the contents of the note. Godric was actually surprised when Eddard came to him with the news. Jon Arryn. Hand of the King. Dead. And now the King rides to Winterfell. Eddard assumes that means that he is about to be asked to replace Jon. Godric agrees. Eddard and Robert were close once. And had Eddard not inherited Winterfell after his father and brother's deaths, then he likely would have been asked to be hand seventeen years ago when Robert was crowned. Now Eddard has Robb. And Robb is old enough to start taking on the duties of the Lord of Winterfell. It makes sense that Robert would want a loyal friend at his side. Godric knows that Aerys once thought that too. When he assigned Tywin Lannister as his hand. And that didn't turn out great for the eventual Mad King. Godric taps his fingers on the table, processing the request that came from Eddard. He wants Godric and Lyarra to stay in Winterfell until the King's arrival. That, obviously, wasn't the plan. They were planning to leave tomorrow. Vaella isn't going to want to spend more time away from her home and from the animals she left behind, from Calamtar and Salazar cannot be expected to stay in Godric's Hollow indefinitely, though he might like to stay just to be away from his lady wife.

"The King is not going to want me here" Godric argues as he leans back in his seat. "He is not going to want a Targaryen greeting him"

"A Gryffindor" Eddard corrects but Godric snorts and gives him a look. That definition is not going to matter. He has Targaryen blood, and his daughter has far more Targaryen in her blood and is technically the rightful heir to the throne that Robert stole from her family. "And you are a part of our family now" Eddard counters. "Standing at our side as he rides through the gates will show that you are loyal to us and to the crown" Godric pulls a face. Whilst he has no love for Robert. At all. He does see Eddard's point. "Vaella doesn't have to stay" Eddard adds. "If you think she will prove to be....difficult" Godric laughs a little.

"Difficult" He repeats and smirks. "She can be....but she will do what she needs to" He assures him. "Vaella is spirited and opinionated...and very much aware of the past....but she is not stupid" He reaches for his goblet and lets out a breath. The bigger issue is going to be persuading Vaella to stay here with him. He supposes, with Skriax, it would not take her long to go home and then come back. It is feasible that she could do that. She could fly home, see to Calamtar, and come back before the King arrives.

.....

A/N – The Forbidden Forest is obviously not a Westerosi place, but is an import from Harry Potter. I haven't decided on its location yet, ideas are welcome. For the Centaurs, I see them being spread out across the map just the same as with people. The Dothraki would love centaurs in my opinion.

- Also question on wildfire. Given the presence of magic like this, would wildfire still exist as alchemy or would it be a spell. So Aerys would have had a group of witches or wizards at his command burning people rather than using liquid fire.