Chapter 37: Broken Promise
I can not believe it, father came back in defeat in the battle of the whispering woods. He didn't even bring Jaime back. The Casterly rock is destroyed and Jaime may be regarded by him as a prince without a throne. Cersei is in deep thought she finds herself wondering to a conversation she once had with Ned.
"I met her you know, your daughter." She said looking at Ned with one of her hateful expressions. Ned decided Arya has done something again.
"She is young but Arya..." He didn't finish.
"I meant your bastard daughter. I met her all those years ago, made quite an impression." Cersei said and Ned realized what she is talking about. He just sighed and didn't say anything.
"What? No excuses for this one?"
"Olivia may have been young as well but her mind has always been sharp and her will is terrifying. But I know she wasn't the one to throw the first punch, when she retaliates she means to discourage her enemies from standing up and throwing another punch at her."
"Makes sense, do you think it worked?" She asked him.
"No, I am fairly sure she made things worse. But she is probably prepared for that as well. Her mind is not like that of the North. Perhaps if she stayed under my guidance I can rest easy but now, I must admit the thought of her out there growing unchecked terrifies me. But I scare easy."
"I doubt that." She said. At the time she was wondering if he knew what his daughter will grow up to be? If he did know, then does he love her? Is it possible to love someone like that?
That conversation had her thinking about what is happening now. Her father has been defeated one after another in the Riverrun by the young wolf and now he comes back looking worse for wear because someone destroyed his home.
Ironically she managed to secure her father a home and when she killed off her husband she made it easy for the Lannisters to take the red keep in all but name. But she knows there won't be any praise for her, he will probably focus on her failures instead.
She doesn't even find sex appealing anymore, she does it with Jaime because he is under her complete control and she trusts him. She feels safe with him probably because of familiarity and her body was healed to before, except for the mental scars there is no proof that she had gone through such a thing.
Cersei is paying attention to this girl which is why she is on her way to the council meeting. Looking at her father who was defeated by the young wolf. Their conversation the day before infuriating her to the point of clenching her teeth.
"Will the king be joining us today?" Tywin asked Cersei.
"The recent events upset him so I had him given nightshade to help him sleep." She said in response.
"My sincerest condolence on the loss of your home. A heinous crime was committed in the Western lands, heinous!" Pycelle has started his daily dosage of ass kissing when they are interrupted by someone.
"...."
"My lord, I have something to report. It is said that the suspected number of Lady Snow's army is at the low 50 thousands. They move faster than normal men and are as strong as a Clegane." Varys reported, he doesn't believe it himself but many say the same thing.
"Your birds finally made it there?" Tywin had a rare appreciation for the spider.
"The way they are singing my lord, there was apparently an attempt from Bravos at that time and it is said those Bravosi ships were bombed with explosives before they made it to the shore."
"Explosives?" Everyone listened carefully.
"It must be some sort of invention. It is a small ball of glass that explodes if thrown. It's power is devastating for ships. There is also another piece of news in that front, I found out the two magistrates who were responsible to the attack has sudden accidents." The council members are still processing this information when a disturbance suddenly occurred.
The door to the tower of the hand bust open and a distressed Lannister knight entered. "My lord, princess Marcella is missing and many of her things are gone as if packed away." The night said and everyone is surprised, the red keep is not safe to this extent? Packed her bags?
"What?!" Cersei left the tower in haste.
"Look for the princess on every corner and every place they could have put her. I want my daughter found. Do you hear me?" Cersei shouted with a burning rage. The council members had followed her into the princess's room and there is no sign of a struggle it is just nearly empty.
"Could it be that she ran away?" Pycelle asked looking at the neat room.
"No, she was taken." Tywin points at a spot behind the door, it says. 'A Princess for a Princess.'
"No! Father, please bring my child back. Those Northern savages dare you touch my baby!" The queen is hyperventilating.
"Calm down." Tywin said to Cersei.
"Hehe...calm down?! My sweet little girl is with the barbaric savage Northmen and you are telling me to CALM DOWN?" Her shrills made the council members disappear from the room scattering like sand.
Tywin realized the prestige he nurtured over the years is being challenged and he decided to expedite the plan to get rid of the Stark and then get rid of the lone wolf beyond the wall. He may not afford the faceless men but he can afford regular assassins.
Tywin believes it to be Olivia who took the princess and he thinks Marcella is probably safe in the cold city as long as Sansa is safe. This is a mistake because Olivia has no idea who took the princess.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Olivia is called to the east wing of the castle where guests are hosted to find that a Jojen Reed is foaming from the mouth seemingly having a dream or something. Olivia can see the boy is using some sort of psychic power but his body is not able to handle the power.
"Don't touch him. He is a seer this happens all the time." Meera warns.
"Olivia, he can see the past and the present in his dreams." Bran entered coming from playing with Rickon outside. After regaining his mobility his power hasn't been doing the same thing as before.
"I can see his psychic power is disproportionate to his mental power which is why this is happening." Olivia explained.
"What does that mean?" Rickon asked her with obvious concern.
"His head is a cup, his power is water that is too vast for his size." She answered.
"Can we save him?" Rickon asked with visible concern on his face.
"Why? You barely know him." Olivia raised an eyebrow.
"Do I need to know him to save him?" Rickon looked distraught.
"You don't, but I do." Olivia said coolly.
"Why?" Little Rick looks about ready to cry.
"Because I am not a kind person like you." She looked at him wondering what he will say next. He didn't say anything and just started shaking falling on her hands, his eyes rolled back and his mouth started foaming.
The Fuck! Sympathy pain? "Ricky! I joked okay, I will help your friend." She panicked and her eyes looked at the child in her hands regretting her sharp tongue.
"Lady Snow, how well do you know him?" Meera Reed asked but received a sharp side eye from Olivia making her shut up.
Olivia curried the boy to her chamber in a few moments because she is running so fast she is like a blur. She took a bloodline awakening pill and broke it in two before feeding him the one half. The pill awakens the bloodline but it is not a pretty process.
As such, she used her flame in it's green form of healing. The pill swells up the blood cells and impurities come out of the skin for a good long hour. Rickon finally opened his eyes when Olivia had started contemplating asking Morph and Aeryn to help her if they remember something from their inheritance. The boy coughed dryly and started crying.
"Hey it's okay. I am here with you don't worry about a thing." She hugged and consoled him even though she has no Idea what is going on.
"No, they all died. Everyone dies." Rickon said in sadness.
"Who killed everyone?" Maester Luwin who had been waiting by the side asked ignoring the stench in the room. "Young lord, this is important. What did you see?"
"Mom..." His lips trembled.
"Go on." The Measter encouraged.
"Robb died in the Twins in a wedding." Rickon said burying his head in Olivia's arms.
"Robb was supposed to marry the Frey girl, it is supposed to be soon." Maester Luwin said in wonder.
"Are you saying the sleazy old man will pass up an opportunity to have a queen for a daughter to kill said king in the wedding?" It made little sense. Why...?
"In any case that wedding must be happening or is due to happen soon. If you mean to save them, you must work fast." Luwin said.
"Rickon, is there something else you saw? A familiar face.." Olivia asked the boy.
"Lord Bolton.... stabs Robb with a sharp dagger." Rickon said with a sad face.
"Good, this helps now lets go take a bath, the maids will show you the way back to your room." Olivia went to shower and then flew towards Robbs camp, deciding to remain unseen she cast an illusion spell on herself and watched to see what is going on.
When she came over, Robb didn't tell her about such an arrangement with the Frey house. Seeing that Robb is alive and well she went to the twins and watched lord Walder Frey. She can't get any information like this, so she asked Morph if there is a way to find out without disturbing the scheme.
"Put him under an illusion and ask as much questions as you need then put him to sleep. When he wakes up he won't have this memory. Since it is a mind manipulation spell I will do it but you must do it yourself in the future." Morph grumbled.
Olivia let Morph try but what she finds out is not far from her suspicions. But what surprised her is that Robb broke his word or his mother's word. "That boy has been cuddled for too long." She decided to take matters into her own hands and maybe teach a lesson to someone along the way.
The wedding won't happen for a while so she will let him wallow in his grief for a while. This way he will wonder if his throne is worth it. If he decided the throne is not as important to him as his happiness, he will go ahead and marry the Frey girl.
She sneaked into Robb's place of rest and saw the woman. She had been busy helping the injured now she is cleaning herself before bed. Olivia waited until she is done dressing up and snatched her after putting her to sleep.
After flying a long distance with the woman in her hands she put her in the castle under house arrest. Robb is risking everyone's life for love or is it her honor? how typical. The same night an angry roar sounded from Robb's tent.
....
After hearing that Robb will be killed, Olivia became upset. "Are you not satisfied with taking away the woman, mother? Should we forget our old plan and kill everyone?" Morpheus, seeing that rubbing her head on Olivia didn't work asked her mother.
"Is there anything else in your black heart other than violence?" Aeryn asked her sister.
"What great ideas do you have?" Morph growled.
"I say we protect the ones mother wants to protect. With magic." Aeryn said proudly. Olivia came out of her stupor and looked at Aeryn.
"How?" Olivia's ears perked up. Aeryn and Morpheus took her to the blacksmithing workshop. They spent three days in there, when they finally came out it was clear her mood has improved.
Deciding it is time she meets the woman who would marry Robb. The place where she is kept has a large glass balcony overlooking the Hardhome harbor.
There are exotic furnishings placed in the bedroom, the bathroom and the balcony. The color of most of the furniture is light brown while the wall is painted cream white.
"I see you have washed up for the day?" Olivia spoke suddenly from inside the door. The girl jumped in surprise, but when she saw Olivia her face showed confusion.
"You're Robb's sister." She said while stepping back. Olivia smiled.
"Half sister. You've heard of me, fantastic." She walked towards the balcony.
"What am I doing here?" She asked.
"You're pregnant with the king's baby. A war camp is no place for a pregnant woman."
"You took me away? Does Robb know about this?"
"It's more appropriate to say I stole you away. He doesn't know, he probably thinks his enemies stole you or he thinks you ran away." Olivia admitted. The woman's face turned distorted.
"How could you? Was your mother right? You want to take away the crown from Robb?"
"You listen to that woman? Is she your mentor now? A mother away from home?" Olivia ridiculed.
Olivia walked to the wardrobe and took out a warm long coat. "I had them put clothes your size inside. Come with me." She opened the coat so the girl can wear it. Seeing the hesitation on the girl's face, Olivia walked forward and put it on her fastening it nicely.
"What's your name?"
"Talisa Maegyr."
"A foreigner then?" Olivia asked incredulously.
"Yes. I am from Volantis."
"I see. What did my brother promise you?"
"Marriage. He said he will marry me so that our child is not born a bastard."
"And do you know he was promised to marry a Frey?" Olivia asked as they walked through the hallway of the castle.
"...Yes."
"Do you know what it means when a king doesn't keep a promise?"
"I am not sure." Talisa said with hesitation.
"He has dishonored house Frey. Now, they are plotting with theLannisters to kill him at the wedding." Olivia watched the girl carefully. Seeing her horrified expression, she is not sure if this is a spy or a good actor.
"Anyways, the only reason he is not keeping the promise is you. So I took you out of the equation. Hopefully he will mourn and change his mind."
"Are you doing thos so he will not be killed? If the Freys are doing this, it means they were promised something. They won't change their minds so easily." Talisa said.
"I know. Which is why I am going. If they can be bribed by land and titles, Robb can't afford them. But I can. I have many things that can make a man do anything I want." Olivia said with confidence.
"If they refuse?"
"Then house Frey will be erased from the face of the world. But I prefer the first option because it would mean I had won a bid against the Lannisters. It is best if we use their own techniques to beat them at their own game. My brother needs to k ow that a sharp sword can not solve all your problems."
"He is lucky to have you." Talisa said rubbing her stomach. "He is the one who insisted on marriage. I don't mind if my child is born a bastard, they will still be my child." She saw they have come to the garden.
Looking around she saw flowers and plants making up a beautiful view. The large garden is made from glass. "This place is beautiful." She walked up the stairs to the couches and sat down. The side of the glass she saw a large pool of water and many children jumping inside to swim.
"Isn't that cold?" Talisa asked.
"Ice cold." Olivia admitted. Because of the pills she gave everyone to be able to adapt to any environment, the cold is the one element that doesn't faze anyone belonging to her city.
They have thoroughly adapted to it. "Shouldn't someone stop them?" Talisa asked with worry.
"They are true Northerners, the cold loves them." Olivia doesn't sound the least bit worried. "Besides, we have indoor heated pools for the weak old people."
"I have heard about how this place is the worse place to live. How is it that it has turned into a paradise?"
"I built it when I left home. I wanted a home where I can feel welcome, so I decide to make it myself."
"I am worried about your brother." Talisa said looking worried.
"If he is worthy of the North, he will prevail. Besides, he has me. I will jelp him convince the sleazy Frey. Robb will marry the Frey girl and it eill be the end of it."
"You would trust them after knowing what they are planning?"
"Ofcourse not. They will pay for it but Robb needs to understand the lesson here first. Then after that, who knows what would happen to them."
"What about me? If I don't marry Robb then where would I go?"
"Robb can still marry you. As a second wife. The winter kings had many wifes. You just can't be his first queen. He will know this when he recalls his own history." Olivia explained.
"Two wives is this allowed?"
"He is king. He makes the rules, but He shouldn't make the choices like going back on a promise already given."
"So you don't want the crown. You are being a good sister and helping him." Talisa breaths a sigh.
"If I was being a good sister, I would have retrieved my younger sister from the lion's den. Instead I left her there to rot so that I can have my revenge on her and her mother."
Their breakfast is prepared and brought to them inside the garden.
"The bread is so white and soft."
"There is butter. You need to eat well pregnant lady." Olivia smiles when Talisa rolls her eyes.
Olivia thought she has time to solve the wedding massacre, a few days later Jojen Reed requested an audience.
"Well? What is it?" The young boy is always so creepy with his stare like he is trying to see through her skin.
"My path has strayed from how it was to be." The boy spoke with a flat tone.
"And?"
"I was supposed to protect Bran till he reached a destined place. Then I would die in this journey." The boy said.
"What are you saying?" Olivia frowned.
"That Bran is not supposed to be here nor is he supposed to be walking, ever."
"Your point?"
"It all goes back to you. You changed things, I was thinking that maybe you can tell me what to do next. I feel, lost without the path I had been seeing in my dreams since young." Now he founds lost.
"Nothing."
"Huh?"
"Your path has changed. Your power will accommodate the change." Olivia said in response. Her eyes remained the same.
"But Bran is no longer going to the place, the three eyed raven that gave me my powers..."
"Hehe...you think someone gave you powers?" Olivia asked incredulously.
"Yes." The boy said with confidence.
"They also want your life in exchange?"
"Well...I guess."
"If you could chose, power of your life. Which would you chose?" Olivia asked him.
"....I have been sure of the things to come that It is confusing me now." The boy admitted.
"Just live your life kid don't give it away. Your family wouldn't want that for you." Olivia comforted.
"Besides, who is this person, is it like the seven or something else?" She asked.
"I don't know."
"I can see your power comes from your bloodline. Whomever this raven is, they didn't give birth to you did they?" Olivia asked.
"No."
"Then just live kid. This is your life. Live it. You can stay here for a while, it is not safe out there for the time being." Olivia said.
"When I was having a seizure I saw something. The oceans are bubbling as if they want to drown Borrow town. This probably means.."
"The Greyjoys are coming and they are going to start in Borrow town. Thanks kid. Here is your reward. I gave the other half to Rickon, it is very painful process to grow your strength. Have your sister call me if you are overwhelmed. If you get another one of those dreams, tell me first okay?"
"Okay." The boy left. Olivia is wondering if he should help the North here or just send a message to her half brother.
A few hours later, Olivia stood on the large ship she had initially shaped as a large head of the wolf, followed by all the ships she had made for the Starks. She had them painted with the colorless thick paste she uses in her city that makes structures immune to fire. It is used sparingly to not make the ships heavier than necessary.
The sight of a three thousand ships coming straight to your direction at the time of war must be frightening.