"I don't want to be queen. The people choose me to be their queen because if a false king sits on the Iron Throne, the kingdom will bleed."
Clarissa Baratheon has played the Game of Thrones since she was a child. But will she win or will she die?
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"IT'S time we reviewed the accounts, my lady. You'll want to know how much this royal visit has cost us," Maester Luwin informed Lady Stark as she sat by Bran's bedside.
Clarissa was sat next to her as the princess watched her weave a prayer wheel of the Seven. The young princess held Bran's still hand in her own as Robb and Maester Luwin stood near the end of his bed. "Talk to Poole about it," Lady Stark said as she did not care about the accounts at the moment.
"Poole went south with Lord Stark, my lady. We need a new steward and there are several other appointments that require our immediate attention..." Maester Luwin was cut off Lady Stark; "I don't care about appointments!"
It was silent for a moment until Robb spoke; "I'll make the appointments. We'll talk about it first thing in the morning."
"Very good, my lord. My lady," Maester Luwin bowed slightly before exiting the room, leaving Robb, Lady Stark and Clarissa alone.
"When was the last time you left this room?" Robb asked his mother as he was concerned about her wellbeing.
"I have to take care of him," she stressed as her nimble fingers almost struggled with the prayer wheel.
"He's not going to die, Mother. Maester Luwin says the most dangerous time has passed," he informed her, almost begging her.
"What if he's wrong? Bran needs me," Lady Stark said as the direwolves began howling which made Clarissa frown as it was unusual for them to howl unless something was wrong.
"Rickon needs you. He's six. He doesn't know what's happening. He follows Clarissa and I around all day, clutching my leg, crying..." Robb was interrupted by his mother screaming; "Close the windows! I can't stand it! Please make them stop!"
Clarissa knelt in front of her mother-in-law and pulled her into a tight hug as Robb walked over to the open window and went to close it when he looked outside and saw a fire in the distance. "Fire. You stay here. I'll come back," he told the women when he left, leaving them alone in Bran's room.
Suddenly a man walked into the room and Clarissa knew he wasn't one of the Starks' men since she noticed an expensive dagger in his hand. "You're not supposed to be here. No one is supposed to be here. It's a mercy. He's dead already," the man told them as he walked closer to the unconscious boy.
"No!" Lady Stark shouted before running over to the man.
The man tried to cut Lady Stark's throat, but she placed her hands on the blade, cutting her hands deeply. Clarissa tried to pull the man off her but he pushed her off and onto the bed before throwing Lady Stark onto the floor, blood dripping down her hands. As the man walked over to Lady Stark, Clarissa reached for the dagger she had hidden inside a sheath that was sewed into her dress and sat up, piercing the man's chest as he walked past her. The man fell to the floor which gave Bran's direwolf the chance to bite the man's throat. The wolf's bite caused blood to flow from the man's throat before it laid down beside its master. "Lady Stark," Clarissa called out as she rushed over and knelt down in front of Lady Stark.
The young princess grabbed Lady Stark's bleeding hands before quickly ripping two stripes of fabric from the bottom of her dress and wrapping them tightly around Lady Stark's hands, trying to stop the bleeding. "Why do you have a dagger?" Clarissa heard Lady Stark ask her as the blood began to stain her hands.
"After living in the South my whole life, you could never be too careful," the young princess informed her as she looked towards the direwolf by Bran's side, blood coated around its mouth.
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"What I am about to tell you must remain between us. I don't think Bran fell from that tower. I think he was thrown," Lady Stark informed the group that had formed around her.
The group considered of Robb, Clarissa, Theon, Master Luwin and Rodrick Cassel. They stood in the Godswood, far away from the castle and away from those spying.
"The boy was always sure-footed before," Maester Luwin stated before Lady Stark continued; "Someone tried to kill him twice. Why? Why murder an innocent child? Unless he saw something he wasn't meant to see."
"Saw what, my lady?" Theon asked her.
"I don't know. But I would stake my life the Lannisters are involved. We already have reason to suspect their loyalty to the crown," Lady Stark answered as she looked over at Clarissa when mentioning Clarissa's mother's maiden house.
"Did you notice the dagger the killer used? It's too fine a weapon for such a man. The blade is Valyrian steel, the handle..." Rodrick was interrupted by the young princess, knowing the elements of the dagger as it was a dagger from King's Landing; "dragonbone. Someone gave it to him."
"They come into our home and try to murder my brother? If it's war they want..." Theon cut off Robb; "If it comes to that, you know I'll stand behind you."
Clarissa placed a hand on her husband's shoulder as Maester Luwin spoke; "What, is there going to be a battle in the Godswood? Too easily words of war become acts of war. We don't know the truth yet. Lord Stark must be told of this."
"I don't trust a raven to carry these words," Lady Stark informed them.
"I'll ride to King's Landing," Robb volunteered but was shut down by his mother; "No. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. I will go myself."
"Mother, you can't," Robb begged as Clarissa grabbed his hand in hers.
"I must," Lady Stark responded back making eye contact with Clarissa who nodded.
"I'll send Hal with a squad of guardsmen to escort you," Rodrick informed Lady Stark but she also shut him down; "Too large a party attracts unwanted attention. I don't want the Lannisters to know I'm coming."
"Let me accompany you at least. The Kingsroad can be a dangerous place for a woman alone," Rodrick offered, and she agreed to his offer.
"What about Bran?" Robb asked as he was concerned about his brother who was still asleep.
"I have prayed to the Seven for more than a month. Bran's life is in their hands now," Lady Stark explained, and the others all nodded.
The others left Robb and Clarissa in the Godswood alone. "Are you fine with us accusing your family of trying to murder Bran?" Robb asked his wife which made a loud sigh escape her lips.
"The Lannisters are my Mother's family. Not mine," she informed him, holding onto his arm as they walked out of the Godswood.
Whatever plan the Lannisters had for Bran or any of the other Starks, Clarissa would not be a part of it.
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