Dark Wings, Dark Words

Monster

Ashanna's mother left them briskly, to discuss matters with their uncle.

Ashanna knew why she left so quickly. Her mother wanted to be apart from Ashanna, until she could come to terms with the knowledge she now possessed.

That Ashanna didn't accompany Arya.

It was hard for the She-Wolf to swallow. Her own mother needed time to compose herself enough to hold her, to love her again.

Ashanna wasn't made of stone or steel. She often presented the appearance of a girl who knew everything, an incredibly powerful, strong woman, who had no need for comforting embraces or acts of pity.

But it was a front, a lie she hid behind to avoid the vultures that would tear her apart at the first glance of weakness.

People who would walk all over her, because she was different. People who would try to take her for her sight. Or people who were just evil, who would enjoy her pain and feed on her misery until their rotting souls danced with pleasure.

In truth, Ashanna was just a girl. A girl who had absolutely no quarrel with her blood bath of a world and yet it punished her and her family.

No, in all honesty. Ashanna Stark was lost even after she was found. A ghost forever wandering the land.

Her mothers' lack of warmth only made her new found joy taste like ashes in her mouth.

And Bran and Rickon? Her baby brothers?
Their deaths shook her body to the core.

Robb took her hand, sensing the tears that threatened to pool in her eyes.

"Tell me everything." She whispered as she peered into her beloved brother's eyes.

"Theon. I sent him to his homeland to ask his father to aid our cause. In return I promised his father a crown of his own. Then I heard... that Theon seized Winterfell with his Ironborn men. He beheaded Ser Rodrik and his men murdered Maester Luwin. When Bran attempted to flee... he butchered them... and he coated them in tar and hung them from Winterfell's walls." Robb sobbed.

Ashanna felt sick as fresh tears streamed down her face.

"Why? Why did he do this to us? To our family?" Ashanna cried as she furiously wiped away her tears. Robb pulled her into a hug.

"I don't know what made him follow that path. But I definitely put him on it." Robb choked. Ashanna shook her head.

"That. wasn't. you. You didn't kill Bran and Rickon. This isn't your fault." Ashanna said firmly.

"... he was our brother. He lived in our home. He ate with us, he trained with us, he laughed with us. He was our brother, and yet he killed our brothers... with such hatred... that I wonder... did he despise us the entire time?
Did he fantasize about stabbing Jon and I in the back? Did he plan Bran and Rickon's murder? Did he dream of drowning Arya and stealing you and Sansa away to be his salt wives? Or did he want to kill you as well? How long would he have made us suffer? This is what keeps me up at night." Robb said shakily.

"I- I don't understand this... I didn't think... I thought he loved us... I thought he-" Ashanna cut herself off, she was unable to finish her sentence.

Robb looked into her eyes, a pained expression etched on his face.

"I can't help feeling... maybe if we were nicer, more accepting, more open with him. Maybe he would've loved us.. maybe he wouldn't of pretended.... maybe we created the monster."