driftfleet | Catelyn | OTA and a closed tag for Robb

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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ 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.

[He sees that flinch, and nods just slightly. Yes, her. The insane one with the even more insane son.]

Well, we can both agree towards that.

[The faintest of snorts.]

My lady, I was never a threat to your children to begin with. I believe you would want to speak to Petyr Baelish about that. Or my sweet sister.

[A longer pause ...before he shook his head.]

No, all things considered, I prefer it here.

[ I've been a fool and I've been blind...but no longer. The faintest twitch of a smile touches her lips. It doesn't reach anywhere near her eyes. ]

I prefer not being dead, so I do as well.

[She is honestly curious and hemming and hawing around the point has never been her style. ]

What happened....after? Do...do any of my children live?

[He sees that grim smile, Lady Stark. He would almost think he is growing on you. Like a fungus. A faint twist of his own lips, before he answers.]

Your son said rather the same thing.

[He gives her a startled look, before he exhales. Slowly.]

... Sansa lives. Arya is believed to still be alive, as well. Bran ... Bran once let me know that he and your youngest survived.

[ Perhaps you are, Tyrion. Perhaps you are. She could do far worse in something-like-friendship, that's for certain. ]

I saw Robb die. I do not wish to repeat the experience.

[ Her tone had taken on a flinty, sharp quality. That memory still stung and would always. A flicker of relief, pride, and joy dances through her eyes before she can quite stop it. ]

It grieves me to think of them at the mercies of our world, still, life is better than death.

[Something in Tyrion's expression tightened, something close to disgust.]

Yes, my family seems to have an obsession with public displays of power. I ... am sorry your family was caught up in their machinations.

[The Starks could never hope to defeat the Lannisters for political duplicity. They would have to simply ... outlast them. Something he had a feeling they could do, given their impetus.]

Whatever they are going through, they will be made more powerful wolves because of it.

[They had not always been on the friendliest of terms, and he had every reason to be bitter and hateful to her. Cersei certainly would have. But instead he had been thoughtful and polite, respectful, even, and she thaws fractionally in her opinion of him. ]

Thank you. I ... do appreciate your kind words. It speaks to your character.

[ Something she would have thought absent any Lannister. In turn she offers him a tidbit that perhaps he is already aware of. Or perhaps not. ]

Your brother is also here.

[ Would that be news he would welcome or not? One could never tell.

~~such a beautiful frenemyship here!~~ ]

[It was strange, but in an odd way he owed her for the experience. Well, not the imprisonment or the near death -- but without her he never would have met Bronn, someone he still considered one of the closest friends he ever had.

That he learned from it as well ... just something of a blessing.

Still, he nodded once.]

Surprising what grows back, when one is forced to weed out all one's failures and sins. I found my character returned.

[A light joke, a faint smile -- that fades immediately at her news. Something stills in him, before his mis-matched eyes narrow and his jaw tightens.]

I ... see.

[His hands clenched around the books so tightly that the pages began to wrinkle, before he spoke. Slowly.]

Then allow me to also pass on the warning - I believe my sister is here as well.

[She smiles briefly, but it's gone in a flash. She would have responded with something equally light, but she doesn't miss the effect her words have had on him, and though the respect she has for him now is new and a bit grudging, it's still there. Her fingers tighten briefly into fists.]

I thought I had lost some of my anger toward her. I'm sorry to say that I haven't. She is still your sister.

Yes ... although I assure you, I regret the connection more than you do.

[He pauses, then meets her gaze steadily.]

My family is not made of blood, anymore. They are the people here, the friends I have made, the ones I love.

Catelyn | OTA and a closed tag for Robb

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject