Among Lions and Wolves • |Book 1|

.chapter twenty-five.

I have decided to make a Kit Harington social media type thing involving this book called Reality.
Check it out if you need something to hold you over while I slowly update this.

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Changes have been made.

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She followed behind Robb and his new love out the tent, a single tear falling free. With her sleeve she brushed it away before anyone saw. In front of her Robb stopped, the woman clinging to his arm, a look of horror on her face.

"You have a lion?" She could hear the amusement in his voice before he roared with laughter. Along with his laughter came a high pitched scream.

Rhaella stepped around him, her hand gently brushing against his arm, "Nic?" She pushed past Robb and hurried toward the knight, pulling him to his feet. "What did you do?"

"The bloody beast tried to eat me!"

"I told you she would," he shoved her off him. "Do you ever hear anything in that thick skull of yours?"

Black eyes turned on her, he said nothing as he glared at her, fixed his armor and went to stand some distance away while Jax adjusted the chain and pulled the lioness close.

Rhaella turned away from her men and the lioness back to Robb. Beside him a familiar creature stood.

"Grey Wind," she knelt down, arms held out for the wolf. He had grown since she last seen him. Kneeling really wasn't necessary at this point but she did so anyway.

The wolf approached, his cold nose nuzzling her face before he walked closer so that she was able to wrap her arms around his large neck and hug him.

"It's felt like ages since I've seen a direwolf," she hadn't realized tears were streaming down her face until she felt a damp spot in his warm fur. "I've missed you."

Behind Rhaella, Zena let out a roar. She could hear Jax grunting as he struggled with his hold on the chain. She turned away from Grey Wind and rose to her feet. Zena was in attack mode trying to get to the wolf.

Beside her Grey Wind did the same, his teeth bare and a snarl rippling deep within his throat. A vicious snarl that sounded nothing like that night he and Ghost nearly fought one another.

"Down boy," she said softly, stroking his velvet ear, "I quite like this big cat, would be nice to keep her, you know?"

The wolf fell silent but never took his eyes off the cat. Rhaella nudged him to turn away. He obeyed, turning to lead the way as they went to see Jaime Lannister.

"He listens to her?" She could hear Talisa whispering.

"Bit surprising to me too," he responded. "I always laughed at my brother, teasing him about never getting his wolf back from her. Grey Wind never once took an interest in her."

"Nymeria obeyed me too," she said without turning back to him. "Perhaps the blood of a Stark runs through my veins and I don't even know it."

Of course, the thought had occurred to her many times. She couldn't recall her mother, Lady Tydore died during her birth but she could remember her father and her sisters.
Sefora was the only one that shared her likeness, dark hair, ivory skin, though their eyes had been different. Rhaella had blue eyes, Sefora had brown. And the girls that didn't have lilac, violet, or indigo eyes had brown. She had been the only one with blue and said to resemble her mother best.

The only Starks with blue eyes had auburn hair. Although she did not know any other Stark, she knew the possibility of them being linked was unlikely. What Stark would marry a Targaryen?

"Your grace, my lady," a man keeping guard at the enclosure where Ser Jamie Lannister was kept acknowledge them. Robb spoke in return, explaining to him of their sudden appearance and her's.

"You treat him no better than I treat my lion," she said, peering through the bars. "What is that stench?"

"His own shit," the man said gruffly.

She gathered the sleeve of her dress into her hand and held it over her nose. "May I enter?" She turned to Robb.

"Are you mad?"

"A little, clearly," she replied. "It runs in the family."

"Open the door," Robb commanded.

"Your grace,"

"Open the door."

Without another word, he pulled a key from a chain, unlocked the door and opened it. Grey Wind entered first, Rhaella followed second.

The closer she got to Jaime, the stronger the stench became. Bile rose in her throat, making her want to vomit at that very moment.

"Rhaella?" His voice was weak and raspy, his face covered in grime. He no longer looked like a handsome knight of the King's guard but more so like a poor man who could afford little, let alone a bath. "What are you doing here?"

"Riding to see my father," she closed her eyes, her lashes still damp from before. "You smell like shit!"

"Sorry about that," he replied, sarcasm dripping with every word. "If I knew you were coming I would have cleaned up a little."

She rose to her feet and stepped out of his prison, gasping for a breath of fresh air. Robb's hand rested on her back, rubbing it gently.

"Tell them the truth," she said when she felt her lungs capable of regulating air. "About my father."

"Your father?" Jamie stared up at the wolf. "What about him?"

"That he's a Targaryen."

"Is that really a wise thing to do? Here, in front or all these people?"

"Tell them!" Upon her tone of voice rising, so did Grey Wind's fur.

"Okay," he held up his shackled hands. "I will tell them whatever you'd like me to tell them."

She curled her hands into tight fists, "Tell them who my father really is."

Jamie Lannister sighed deeply, his back pressed up against the pole he was bound to. "Lord Brendon Tydore is really Rhaegol Targaryen."

"Impossible, your family made sure there were no Targaryens left."

He tilted his head to the side, a small smile appearing as he held up his hands in Rhaella's direction, "And yet here one stands," he said.

Robb turned around to face Rhaella, disbelief still swimming in his blue eyes, "How did your father manage to survive when his family was slaughtered."

"Oh that's easy," Jamie said when Rhaella shrugged her shoulders. Their attention returned to the Lannister held captive. "Her father made a deal with my father, he would pledge his loyalty to my father in exchange for protection, which my father has given so willingly. He was more than pleased when she showed up at our door." Jamie then turned his attention fully to Rhaella, "Is that what you wanted me to tell them?"

She lowered her eyes, "Yes," she murmured softly, "that was more than I had expected."

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Mother of wolves 👀
Anyone?

Wouldn't that be awesome 😂