Golden Winter || Robb Stark [on hold]

Chapter XXIX

XXIX. Unending Nightmares

Lying awake in the middle of the night was one of the most terrible things that could happen. To be interrupted from your slumber and to be faced with the harsh coldness of reality.

Certainly that was the case for Reau as she woke covered in sweat and tears. Another nightmare, another mystery.

It was the same couple. The golden haired man and woman. Although now, the woman was with child. They were still in Braavos but now, they were in a towering space, with a view of the city.

"Do you have to go, my love?" The woman asked as she turned to look at the man with a worried expression.

He smiled at her before taking her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I promise I'll return and when I do, I can't wait to meet our beautiful child."

"What would you prefer? A boy or a girl?" She asked, finally smiling in return.

"I wouldn't mind a little girl to dote on, but I would want a son to take on adventures." The man mused, imagining the child they'd have.

"I hope we get twins. A boy and a girl."

"Don't worry, my love. We have time."

The next moment moves to show a bloodied bed, a sunken ship and a crying man.

Hugging her knees to her chest, she was shaking. Though she tried to breathe in slowly as to calm her heart, it was anything but calm.

She couldn't think, her thoughts were all over the place. What were these dreams? Were they punishments for her secrets?

As she sat, burying her head in her legs, she could only think of one thing despite it being the last thing she'd want to think of.

I want Robb. With me, now.

But she reprimands herself at the thought. He didn't love her, he never did. He loved the girl he wanted her to be, not the girl that she was.

She may have thought that she could be like his family, noble and good. But she was a Bolton, who are anything but noble and good.

What was the point of trying to be something that you're not? Her whole life had been planned out from before she was even born. All because of the blood that ran through her veins.

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to cut her wrist and drain the Bolton blood from her veins, with hope that maybe she could change her destiny if she wasn't a Bolton.

Just as she was going to start bawling her eyes out, she stopped herself. Reau had been crying the whole day already, what kind of Bolton was she?

The crying kind, apparently.

That's when the thought hit her. She had to get out of here. Now.

~~~
Wearing a thin white nightgown under a cloak was not the ideal wear for drudging through the camp and into the forest.

Already the ends of her dress were stained with brown. Reau was also starting to get chilly but no way was she going back.

It was too much. To stay trapped in that tent, watching the four canvas walls get smaller and smaller. All the while as the voices and shouts in her dreams get louder, until they are of her father's voice.

Reau winced as if they could pierce her but still, she continued walking. She didn't know until where she was going but she just had to.

It could've been hours, days, months but the walk had done nothing to improve her mood. Though the cold had made her slightly numb. Shivering, she sat down on the ground.

Would anyone find her here, she wondered. If she just curled up in s ball and disappeared like she wanted, would anyone notice?

Would Titus find his way back to Braavos? Would her father finally relinquish his hold on her? Would Robb find someone new?

Someone sweet and kind and beautiful. Someone with a good family, good past, good name. He deserved that.

As she was trapped in her limbo of thoughts, Reau didn't notice the presence approaching her cautiously.

She only noticed when he nudged her head, making her look up to see a direwolf so large, it would've frightened her if she didn't know those beady eyes.

"Grey Wind, what are you doing here, boy?" Reau asked, as he sidled up beside her.

Immediately she looked around. What if Robb was there? But after some moments, it was silent, making it clear that they were alone.

With Grey Wind supporting her back as she leant against his warm fur, Reau found herself, drifting off.

{~~~~~~}

Little did she know that she should've looked harder for wherever Grey Wind is, Robb is too and it goes so for the other way around.

One was not too far from the other.

Robb had been tossing and turning all night, haunted by thoughts, memories and events. Faces, mostly.

His father, his brothers, his sisters, his mother, the Lannisters, the army and of course, Reau. She was always there in his thoughts.

Even if she wasn't who he thought she was. Even if she was not who he thought her to be.

Having had enough of his restless sleep, he got out of bed to take a stroll which in turn reminded him of Reau. Waking Grey Wind from his slumber, they walked to the forest.

Once arriving and heading deeper, Grey Wind's ears picked something up, making the wolf run towards the source of the sound.

Nearet and nearer he followed until he finally saw the source.

It was her. But not as the sweet girl he knew, not as the girl with the secrets. There, she was the girl with too much burden on her shoulders, like him.

She was on the ground, wrapping her arms around herself with nothing but her nightgown and a cloak on.

She was alone and hurting. Just like he was. The thought brought him to place his hand over his face, trying to wash away the disbelief.

He had to do something. He had to help her ease the pain. Their pain.

As if sensing his master's feelings, Grey Wind moved closer to Reau and nudged her to get her attention.

Quickly, she looked up scanning the trees probably sensing company so Robb hid his form as best he could.

After a while, he took a peek once again to see that Reau had fallen asleep on his direwolf.

Robb seemed to have no control of his body then as he approached her sleeping form. He took in her long lashes, her messy golden hair, her lips falling open in small breaths.

She was still her but different. Reau but with more to her. Nothing changed. Reau Bolton was still a Bolton, just as he is still a Stark. He could pretend all they want that she was just Reau and that he is just Robb but that was a boy and a girl's fantasy.

War is no place for fantasies and daydreams. If Robb did love her then why couldn't he love her as a whole?

Why did his feelings have to change at all?