Golden Winter || Robb Stark [on hold]

Chapter XIII

XIII. The Beautiful Lie

"What about what you want, Robb?" Reau asked, as she finally spoke after a moment.

Robb's face morphed into a mixture of sadness and shock as if no one had asked him that question for a long time.

"What?"

"I asked you, what about the things you want, Robb? Do you really want to marry her?" Reau asked, not wanting to believe in it herself.

Robb let go of both of her hands, standing up. "I will do what I must to win this war."

"That is not what I asked you." She said, standing up as well.

"It does not matter what I want. If this grants the army passage then so be it." He snaps, trying to make her understand.

Robb wanted her, above all people to understand because if she does not then who will?

"Of course what you want matters! Do you really think that it doesn't?" She asked, now frustrated as well.

He breathed heavily, wanting this little charade between them to end. He had not wanted to do this and yet he must but the golden girl did not make it any easier for him.

Reau placed her hand on his face, making him look at her, cold meeting gold once more. One of them in agony, one of them in hope.

"Robb, all I ask for is the truth. I don't want your lies. Please don't lie to me." She whispered, almost begging yet afraid to make him angry again.

She waited. Waited for what she expected, a fantasy. She waited for him to say exactly what she felt about him. She waited for him to say that he cared but alas, it would never come.

He placed his hand on top of hers, closing his eyes for a single second before opening them once again and taking in her features. Her golden locks, her charming eyes tainted with worry, and her soft lips quivering in the slightest.

He doesn't deserve her.

So very carefully, he took her hand off of his face and took a step back, shocking Reau.

"The truth is, I should have never let this fling go on. After all, you won't benefit me in this war. What will I do with a pretty face? I'm sorry Lady Bolton but I have no use for you now. I now have Lady Frey." He said coldly, though his eyes avoided meeting her own.

It took everything in her not to gasp. It took her whole will not to place her hand on her chest to check if her heart was still there because it had felt like Robb had just ripped it out with his words.

How could such a simple statement cause such chaos in her? She will not easily accept this.

"No." She spoke simply, stepping forward.

"No?" Robb repeated, unsure of its meaning but still not looking at her as if he couldn't bear it.

Reau once more stepped close to him, placing her hands on his chest, feeling his beating heart.

"If you want me to believe what you have just told me then you're going to have to at least look at me when you say it."

Robb was trapped in silence once again, only for him to be attacked by his thoughts. His heart or his sense of duty? His emotions raged war against one another until one won over the other.

He finally turned to her before taking her hands into his own.

For a moment, it seemed that he was going to give in to his heart and kiss her, forgetting everything else. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to and yet he let go.

"Do not think so highly of yourself, Lady Bolton."

{~~~~~~}

Reau was left by the edge of the forest, staring at Robb's retreating form.

Turn around. Come back. Please.

Those were the words her heart shouted yet her mind was a different story. Her mind was angry.

Angry at Robb for being so cruel. For leading her on and making her trust him, only for him to easily back down once an opportunity arises.

But she was also angry at herself. How could she let such a thing happen to her twice? For her to care for a boy, only for him to not feel the same way, to leave her with no care on what they were leaving behind.

When people leave, they don't care what they leave behind, a torn soul, a broken heart, for they only seem to think of one thing and that was themselves.

A teardrop trickled down her face, alerting her that she had unknowingly began to cry.

Reau opened her mouth to laugh bitterly, only for it to open up in short, quick gasps as more tears fell on her face.

The gods were cruel that day. They did not expect gold to have affections for winter, nor do they expect winter to love gold.

But their story wasn't over just yet, in fact, it was just beginning and the pain Reau had felt that night was a mere taste of what was to come.

Many would soon wish that it had ended that night.

After all, their bond will cause many others their lives.