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open!

Who: Robb Stark & you!
Broadcast: n/a
Action: Around the forests on the new planet!
When: 8th of July!

A
[Robb watches the pup like a hawk when it starts to explore the path in front of him. It isn’t Grey Wind, its fur is far too dark for that but its eyes are just as yellow.]

Hold on! [When the pup starts to run, Robb follows instantly, knowing that these woods contain some creatures that can swallow a little creature like that without even chewing.] Do not go too fast!

B
[At the least it has the appetite of Grey Wind and Robb cannot help chuckling softly. He has picked up some food at an inn and enjoys it alone while sitting against a tree, knees pulled up while throwing some bits of meat at his new companion.]

Have you seen it? [When someone approaches he looks up and points at the playful little animal.] The tree actually kept its promise. [Maybe sorcery isn’t always that bad...]

[OOC: feel free to bump into a tiny direwolf pup with a free Robb included!]

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[This is becoming a heavy conversation and he truly feels for her. Trust and love were so important, he discovered that for himself as well.]

What do you mean by that? [His eyes narrow a little. Should he have said something else?] Madness can...it can affect you in so many ways. Once, a mad king boiled my grandfather alive and he wanted to set a city with many people ablaze. It means he was not himself...it means he does not...that... [Robb frowns and then it hits him what she means.] It does not make him a good man. It does not...it does not excuse what he has done.

I am truly sorry. [Robb looks at her directly.] That he betrayed your love in such a way.

Nothing. It's fine. [Responding quietly to his first question. Another topic at another time and she'd probably say it would be better to use person than man so as not to exclude women. But she knows he means no harm and it doesn't seem the time.

Her eyes meet his.] Thanks.

...Boiled, really? [That's pretty gross. And probably really hard to do without electricity.]

[Robb nods when she declares it is nothing. He is not sure if it is truly nothing but maybe that is going to be something they will talk about next time. Or never. It depends.]

Yeah. He did not stand a chance. Boiled inside his armor. [When it comes to matters like this the Starks have been unlucky over the years. Falling like flies...and then one thinks himself a king.] The mad king got killed by the Kingsl... Jaime Lannister, lord Tyrion’s older brother. [He bends down to grab a stick and throw it towards Seeker.] That is a crime...you know? To kill the king when you are part of his guard.

I'm sorry about your grandfather. [And grateful for the distraction, happily moving the topic away from her own death.]

I mean, as a general rule you don't want your own guards killing you, but maybe under the circumstances that should be overlooked. [Not that she was all that willing to give Jaime too much credit. Tyrion seemed to hate him after all.]

Death haunts our house...our family. And I fear it will not stop after my own death. It feels as if it is some sort of curse.

[Robb raises an eyebrow.] Well, king Aerys was a mad one. But it still does not excuse Jaime Lannister’s act. You have sworn to protect your king and take no lands, women or children.

It is dishonorable.

I hope it works out better than that for your family. [She doesn't believe in death haunting anyone, but she knows the feeling of things seeming unfairly targeted on you and yours.]

And no one has ever said anything good about him, especially Tyrion, so no need for me to play defense lawyer. [But she still thinks doing the right thing is more important than doing the promised thing.]

I will not be there to see that. I can only hope it will be so. [And hope is a fragile thing and Robb does not believe in it anymore.]

I know his family has wronged him greatly. [Robb moves a hand through his hair and briefly he wonders how it would be if it hasn’t been that way. Then they would’ve been enemies.] Once he was my prisoner… The Kingslayer. My mother let him go. Against my orders.

[She nods, knowing all too well the feeling of only being able to hope for the best. Granted, her world didn't make it easy. She hadn't expected life there to go on for any of them considering the plan they were enacting at the time of her death and then once she learned they did from Kurt she also learned it was short-lived before everything came crashing down on them again.] Why did she free him?

[His answer would probably offend her.]

To get my sisters back. Sansa and Arya. [He sighs and smiles an apologetic smile.] I told her I could not trade him for them. Jaime is a very valuable hostage. To trade him for two women... My men would not accept such a trade, I had no other option than to take that into account.

[Aka: to trade valuable hostages for mere women is not done in a world like Westeros.]

Sounds like you had the concerns of a follower, not a leader. [Which is harsh. People stop following leaders if they lose faith in them. But yeah, the sexism especially applied to his own sisters bothers her.]

Do you truly think that? [He finds the words a little offensive and it shows on his face.] I would have saved them . I would have traded the Kingslayer for my sisters in a heartbeat.

But it is either that, or losing the faith of twenty thousand men who have been important for my campaign. I would have been king of nothing without them. I cannot rule their opinions out.

[The tone of his voice is harsh as he speaks.]

[She softens her own tone, but doesn't back down from the point entirely.] Maybe there were other options that satisfied everyone. And it's not that I think a leader shouldn't listen to the concerns of the people they're trying to lead. But I think if you start compromising to the point where even your own family gets sacrificed and it's not for the good of everyone, but for the acceptance of everyone then you're not really in charge anymore. They are.

It's a hard situation regardless. [She's never had to lead so many. And certainly not people who would have believed so differently from herself.]

[No, Kitty, that is not how things are and Robb shakes his head fiercely.]

There were no such options. That is the painful thing of it.

[He leans forward.]

I went to battle as a lord, defending the honor of house Stark and coming to the aid of house Tully. The men who followed me where those who answered my plea to lend me their strength. As a lord I have to think of my house, my castle, my men and what I will gain from this war.

But when they put a crown on your head...you cannot think of that anymore. You have to take an entire realm in account...and mine was half of Westeros and all the houses who sworn to me, all the lords who threw their swords at my feet. Their domains, their castles, their gains...they became my worries as well.

And then it is not possible to put your family first anymore. And it is...they consider women lesser than men, it does not mean that I do so, but it is how things are in Westeros. [He bows his head and sighs.] I cannot change that.

I understand that you can't always put family first in those times. [She does. When it was saving the world or helping her husband protect his sister she chose the world. She died for the world. As much as she thinks about how he betrayed her that day she was betraying him too by putting the mission in front of their love. But...the mission had always come first. He was the one more committed to that when she'd been ready to separate and take care of each other and maybe start a family.]

But who can change things for women in Westeros if not a great leader? It may have been too many fronts to wage war on at once, but it's a worthy battle.

I regret it. I regret that decision greatly. [Robb looks to the side.] I know I could have gotten Sansa from that bloody place by giving queen Cersei her precious brother. And I did not. [Robb snorts.] Guilt makes an awful companion.

[He shakes his head at her words.]

My time has gone. I cannot do much for anyone there anymore. Maybe it will be as Tyrion says, that the lady Targaryen will be able to change such matters. To make things fair for everyone. Men and women.

[He is not sure if he was going to be the type of king to fight for the independence of women. All he cared for was having a family of his own, peace, quiet.]

I hope she will succeed. I am quite sure she is not like her father.

[She reaches out to put a hand on his arm.] Of course you do. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be backseat driving leading an army in your world. You know more about it than I do and it's just as useful as someone telling me what to do back home. [Seeing as they are both dead and all.]

And I wouldn't count out anything Tyrion finds possible.

[Robb smiles a little when she puts a hand on his arm.]

It is okay. I am not truly offended. I can imagine that you think it strange of me. To not pursuit my sisters while you should as their big brother.

For Westeros...I think the only way is up... Only cravens and monsters are playing the kings and lords now.

Crossed my mind. [She smiles.] But I know you care for them and that it was a complicated situation.

And I'd love to hear more about the cravens and monsters, but I have an appointment to keep. I'll see you later?

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