Catelyn | OTA and a closed tag for Robb

[onlyvengeance]

Who: Catelyn Stark
Broadcast: no
Action: a nice dose of hallucinations, for the most part
When: now

A. Hallucinations, OTA

[ At first they were faint, such that she wasn't even certain that she heard them. But a mother knew her children's cries. They were distinct to her, even when they were only small babies. And though she knew in her heart that none of her children would sound like infants, still she heard them. And as time wore on they only got louder and louder, and the compulsion to find them grew more and more urgent. So in earlier stages, she'll simply stop at seemingly random points, listening intently. Later, she will find herself doing things like ripping up the deck plates, or trying to, growing more and more frantic. She may not recognize people that she should. And these moods are chaotic and come out of seemingly nowhere, so you might find her to be perfectly lucid as well. ]

I will find you, my sweetlings. Nothing will hurt you now.

B. Closed to Robb, in the Iskaulit gardens

[The voices did not follow her here to the gardens. And though she was not given to praying in the godswood at home, preferring the ritual of the sept and voices raised in song, she felt compelled to seek the green space and it's quiet here and now. She has closed her eyes and is singing in her heart, seeking a calm she struggles to feel in any other way. And even here it is fleeting. Though it is ship's night and she should be sleeping, she cannot. ]

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[steeledskin]

[ -- once arrived, once settled, catelyn might find purpose in visiting the blue fish. after all, her son is aboard that vessel. her daughter, too, though she is a quieter creature and keeps to her own quarters on most days. for whatever reason, she has no notion nor inkling that more of their kin has arrived, perhaps to patch the pain left behind when jon and bran and arya disappeared.

sansa sits with the door to her solar -- her office -- left open. she bends over a piece of needlework, drawing thread through a stiff and unyielding sort of fabric. it's difficult going because of the sling supporting one arm. she's taller, now, than she was the day she left winterfell. more womanly, too. but she has her lady mother's hair and the elegant cheekbones graced upon her by tully blood.

she works in silence. sansa lost her songs not so long ago. ]

[onlyvengeance]

[ She is only walking past. At first glance, the girl is too old to be Sansa. She may have grown, but her mother's memories are of the girl she sent south that fateful day and never laid eyes on again. But she halts, transfixed, every sense acutely atuned, a breath later. She barely dares to speak, lest the vision before her vanish into thin air as it most assuredly will. ]

Sansa.

[ Her voice too has altered. Though her wounds have healed and her life has been returned to her, still there is the faintest of scars across her throat, and her voice has a rougher edge than before. Still, it is recognizable. ]

[steeledskin]

[ despite the unsuitable nature of the cloth, her work is delicate: pretty little blue petals picked out on drab grey canvas. they bring life to the sorry scrap, and sansa's attention is thoroughly stuck on the craft until --

until her mother's voice cuts through the air. as heartfelt as ever, though sansa had feared she's forgotten what it sounded like. as it is, it's been too long; she cannot hear the difference -- the fraying at its edges. but when she glances up and their eyes meet, the embroidery hoop tumbles from her hands. the needle skitters under her desk. ]

M-mother? [ no. this is one of the atroma's tricks. sansa rises unsteadily to her feet. beneath her dress, her skin has turned to gooseflesh. she feels a prickle along the back of her neck. an instinct, urging her to accept this as reality. ] You're here.

[ they brought her! oh, she could almost shout praise for their captors -- that they should be so merciful, and return to her her lady mother. sansa doesn't dare move a step, however, for fear that she might still dissolve into nothingness before her eyes. ]

[onlyvengeance]

[ Joy and sorrow war across her features and they almost cancel each other out with their intensity. Joy wins, for the moment at least, and she moves to take Sansa in her arms. There is a ferocity in her embrace, a toughness like old roots. She did not succeed in shielding her child in life; she will not fail to do so in this second life. ]

I am here, and I will not leave you again.

[steeledskin]

[ sansa clings to her mother -- fierce fingers like talons digging into the cloth of her dress. her face scrunches up in pain, but she refuses to cry. even now, she will not allow herself to shed her tears. instead, her ear finds the beat of catelyn's heart.

she dares to listen. ]

I have missed you. So very much. [ a heave; almost-a-sob. she hasn't the heart to explain to her lady mother that staying here is not a promise she can be certain of keeping. ]

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[His mother has not been inside her chambers when he arrived and maybe that has been a good thing. Now he would not dare to touch her belongings without her permission but it gave him some time to cry properly. At this point he is not even sure about what he saw Jeyne doing.

After he has washed his face he goes to seek his mother out.

When he finally finds her he moves his hands through his hair first before approaching her, chewing his lower lip a little.]

Mother...

[There is somewhat of a smile on his face.]

...I could not find you so I have put some of my belongings in your chambers. I have not touched anything. I can sleep in the chair.

[onlyvengeance]

[She does not have to be told to know that he is distressed, though she cannot immediately discern the reason, of course. She opens her arms to him, as though he is still small, and all he needs to set his world aright is his mother. ]

I find I cannot sleep, of late, so I have no need for a bed at the moment. What troubles you, sweetling?

[ She brushes a hand through his hair, the motion soothing and gentle, and she cannot help but be reminded of all the times before this one. She loves her boy, and she cannot stand the thought of him being upset. ]

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[At times his mother can be very motherly, fretting and worrying about him non stop and straining herself because of it. He almost wants to tell her that he is not planning on dying here. After being buried into her arms for a short while he stirs and moves to sit up. It is hard not to look worried and tired. His face is pale and he has a heavy heart.]

What is the matter? [Better to focus on his mother’s problems first.] You should sleep, mother. [And he realizes it is maybe not a good idea to tell her about Jeyne’s unfaithfulness. He does not wish that his mother would approach his wife.]

I will not use your bed. [But what could he say instead?] I have a bit of a disagreement with Jeyne. [That sounds better. It is not a lie.] I prefer some silence and your company, if you do not mind.

[onlyvengeance]

[ He might be a man grown, but to her, he will always be her little boy, and she will always want to salve whatever hurts he suffers. And if he wants her company and quiet, well, she will be as mute as one of the silent sisters if it will help. ]

Sit here with me then, and listen to the quiet. Perhaps it will soothe you. Perhaps the gods will speak to your heart.

[kingofbadlifechoices]

[Robb shakes his head when his mother mentions the gods.]

They do not speak to me here. [It isn’t a soothing thought. He wishes the gods would turn to him to give him any clearance. Or an explanation for what Jeyne has done. Gods, he misses her so and on the other side he hates it that he misses her.] I just... Jeyne and I have separated for the time being. I am afraid that being alone will drive me mad.

[bryces_pup]

[It's hard to miss a rather frantic looking woman searching for something or other in a near panic. Riona watches her for a long moment, trying to ascertain what this woman is searching for. As soon as she mentions "sweetlings", Riona moves towards her, now genuinely worried.]

Are your children lost? Do you need help in searching for them?

[Though, the more she thinks about it, the stranger it seems. This woman doesn't seem to be a native, but she's never seen her around the fleet.]

[onlyvengeance]

[ Riona's is not a face Catelyn has seen before, but in this state, she might not recognize it anyway. She does, however recognize the question as a question, and that is a step in the right direction. ]

I...I keep hearing them, you see. They need me. But I cannot find them.

[ Her tone is plaintive, pleading. ]

[bryces_pup]

Oh dear. It'll be all right, I can help you search. Where did you hear them? How many should I be keeping an eye out for?

[She's listening for them now, but she hears nothing. How very odd...]

[onlyvengeance]

I have five children, three boys, and two girls. But they....they should not be babes, and yet they are. I can hear them. But they are in different places.

[tallasaking]

[Tyrion was, of course, reading when Catelyn entered the area he was in. He looked up at her with some confusion, before he stated dryly.]

I am not sure where your children are, Lady Stark, but I can assure you ... I did not do anything to them.

[That smile twisted bitterly.]

Again. Although if you choose to believe the word of a Lannister, that is entirely up to you. I just know they are not here.

[onlyvengeance]

[ Tyrion Tyrion Tyrion omgggg I'm so excited!
She is, admittedly, not best pleased to see another Lannister, but if she had to see one at all, he is the lesser of their considerable evils. ]

We have had our differences in the past, yet I do not think you would lie to me about such a thing, unless of course you had reason.

[ She twists her hands together, unable to completely quell her distress, despite her need to keep what dignity she had. ]

I was unaware of your presence.

[ They are not exactly friends, are they? Yet she no longer has reason to blame him for Bran's condition. ]

[tallasaking]

[He flips the page of his book, not looking up at her as he responded dryly.]

Having differences ... what a polite and courteous way to say, 'putting you at the mercy of your insane sister and nearly letting me fall to my death through a sky cell'.

[Another page, and then another response.]

Nor was I aware of yours. I trust that you and I will be able to keep up amenable relations. I have made no war against the Starks, here.

[onlyvengeance]

[ If his page flipping bothers her, she gives no sign of it. At his mention of Lysa, she does flinch, ever so faintly. ]

It was a mistake to take you to the Eyrie, I do admit that.

[ It's not an apology but it's as close as she has come yet. ]

As long as you are no threat to my children, I have no animosity toward you personally.

[ It's something like peace, right? The enemy of my enemy is...not currently an enemy, if not exactly a friend? ]

I doubt that you have any more wish to be here than I do.

[dancingmd]

[While it's not one of her usual haunts, it's not totally unexpected to find Beverly on the Caprine these days, visiting Bones. So she's on her way out after one of these visits when she hears the semi-frantic calls of another woman and that familiar word: sweetling. It's what Jeyne called Beverly for those couple of weeks when Beverly was small.

Brow furrowed with concern, she follows the sound to discover Catelyn pulling at one of the deck plates. Immediately, Beverly kneels beside her.]

Are you all right? Do you need help?

[onlyvengeance]

[ Catelyn pauses momentarily from scrabbling at the deck plates, looking up at Beverly, obviously in some distress, though for no obvious reason. ]

Can't you hear them? My children...my babes are crying. I must find them.

[ She's been at this for a while. Her fingers are a mess. ]

[dancingmd]

[Beverly gently catches the other woman by the wrists to stop her from hurting herself further.]

Shh, shh, breathe for me. [She takes a few deep breaths herself, trying to guide Catelyn along.]

[onlyvengeance]

[ Beverly is only trying to help, but it doesn't quite feel that way, and Catelyn struggles , to little avail, and finally, she cries out, a low, wounded-animal sort of cry. ]

Please let me go to them.

[onehandwonder]

[ He frowns as he watches her. She seems to be listening intently to something. But what? He can't hear anything... ]

Lady Stark? Are you all right?

[ She looks... upset. ]

[onlyvengeance]

[ Jaime Lannister, a keen observer of humanity, ladies and gents. She whirls to face him, and it is not a friendly expression she wears. It is actually a bit menacing, all things considered. She may know little in terms of the weapons either of them are used to, but here, she knows more of the modern sort. The shoe is firmly on the other foot, now.]

Where are my children, kingslayer?

[ ooh we are back to name-calling. ]

[onehandwonder]

[ He sighs quietly because, really, this whole thing again? Still, that look is enough to have him raising his hands in a gesture of... not quite surrender, but good faith. He means no harm. Yet. ]

I don't know. Maybe they're here somewhere. On another ship, perhaps.

[ He's half tempted to tell her she might have more luck finding them if she would look, but he bites his tongue. He is not without sympathy. He simply is not overburdened with patience either. ]