"Shadow, what is it?" she asked as her direwolf howled agitated. She had never been that loud. She moved, she howled, she seemed to cry. Those sounds were getting Antea agitated, restless as much as her pup. She felt nervous, angry and sad. Antea felt to cry even if she had no idea why.
"Is there something wrong, my lady?" Antea looked up from her pup when she heard lord Rosemberg's voice.
"It is quite alright, my lord, gratitude" she said trying to keep Shadow still. She had never seen her like that, she seemed so sad.
"My sweet Cyel really seemed to get along with little Bran's pup" Antea turned towards the lord and forced a smile. She had just realized that she didn't even knew how Bran had called his direwolf. She had never asked Robb; they had been too busy.
"She is usually so quiet" Antea said as Shadow got restless in her hold "I do not understand"
"My lady, you are crying" only when lord Rosemberg had spoken those words and one of her hands moved to touch her cheek, Antea had noticed that they were wet with tears.
"What are you trying to tell me?" she muttered taking her pup head between her hands. Shadow looked at her deep in her eyes and a shiver ran down Antea's back. She didn't feel right, she felt destroyed. It was the worst sensation she had ever felt.
"What happened?" she whispered.
"Those are really strange beasts" she could hear lord Bolton's voice, but she didn't turn, focused on her pup golden eyes.
"Lady Antea" Theon Greyjoy's voice made her turn to him, he was eyeing Shadow too "Lord Stark and your lady Mother require your presence."
It had become a habit for Antea to walk around the woods near the camp, not getting too far, she didn't want to end up meeting some Lannister soldiers, even if she knew that Shadow wouldn't have let any harm to come to the Stark girl. Antea had always loved the woods and walking in its paths. She had walked for hours in the Wolfswood. She even rode there, but when she was surrounded by the forest she rather walked and ran; laying down on the snowy ground and look up at the sky from between the leaves. She liked being in the woods, feeling just silence and being surrounded by the nature, she got really relaxed, especially now that her brother was at war.
"What is it with her?" Theon asked at Antea once she stood up to walk towards him eyeing her pup running in the woods. She disappeared again, but Antea could feel her golden eyes on her. She could feel her distress, her worry.
"I do not know" Antea said feeling those words so wrong as they left her lips. It was like she could feel what Shadow was feeling, but she didn't know how to put it to words.
"Antea are you crying?" he asked, but she didn't answer to that.
"Is my brother alright?" Antea asked instead slightly panicked turning to Theon, that frowned at her words.
"Of course, my lady" he said "He was with the lords."
He was right. They had the Kingslayer and there were still some days before arriving to Riverrun and fight against the Lannisters. Surely her brother was safe. But that feeling of distress wasn't leaving her heart. She felt it beat and her insides were cold as the snow that she had always loved, but in that moment, she would have done anything to feel warm again.
"What about my lady Mother?" she asked "Is she well?"
Theon grabbed her by the arm, making her stop.
"What is it Antea?" he asked eyeing her from head to toe with a questioning look. Antea observed him, feeling slightly panicked as her heart beat faster and faster.
"I do not know" she answered in a whisper.
The two of them walked in silence before arriving next to her brother's tent. Antea was feeling eyes on her, but those weren't her pup's. It was different. She looked up and she noticed lady Mormont observe her before looking down, making her frown. Lord Umber was talking animatedly with lord Rickard Karstark, but when he noticed her coming, they both stopped and observed her with a sorry expression.
"Theon" she called softly, almost shaking "Why was my presence required?"
Theon Greyjoy was silent, observing the gazes on the lady with a confused expression too. So, she wasn't imagining things. Every lord looked at her as she walked by, all of them silently waiting for her to step closer to her brother's tent.
"A raven had arrived" Theon said after a moment "But lady Stark sent me to look for you before I could learn what words it brought" Antea felt like her heart could explode inside her chest. A raven had arrived. From where? What words did it bring with it? What was happening?
"I'm afraid, Theon" she said grabbing his forearm strongly, yet trembling.
"My lady" he said grabbing her hand and that made the girl look up towards that young man, that seemed so much older than she remembered.
"I do not want to go alone" she whispered holding Theon's hand tightly. His eyes were looking at her, quiet and worried.
"I cannot come, Antea" he whispered back to her, making Antea let out a little sob she didn't know she was holding. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to move.
"The Gods know I would" he said searching her eyes with his and a tear fell down on her cheek "But I am no Stark" he squeezed her hand again, as she nodded her head, biting her lips. Antea's eyes looked at his once more before letting go of Theon's hand.
Dread was all Antea Stark felt as she left Theon's side to walk towards her brother's tent. Her legs were shaking, her breath was labored. She turned to look at the woods. She needed Shadow. She needed her direwolf with her and looking at the silent woods she felt she was there observing her end protecting her. Shadow would have protected her from any harm. She felt it. She knew it. But the dread Antea was feeling, Shadow was feeling too.
The lady slowly moved the entrance of the tent, to make her entrance. She still felt the coldness inside of her, even when she saw her Lady Mother and Lord brother. Robb was looking down at a piece of parchment on the table, where he used to plan his battles. His face was pale and his hands were closed in tight fists. Her mother was not looking in her direction, she was standing, covered in her cloak made of furs.
"Have you been looking for me, my brother?" Antea hoped her voice wasn't trembling as it was her whole body.
"Antea..." when Robb spoke, the dread she felt became even stronger "Words arrived from South." Antea knew him. She knew her twin brother like he was herself and she knew, she knew he was trying to sound strong. She knew there was a reason for him not to search for her eyes. She knew, but she needed him to look at her. She needed her brother's strength and comfort, because she feared what was going to be said next.
"What words?" she almost pleaded as some tears wet her cheeks, but no answer came "Robb..."
"Your Lord Father has been executed" her mother's words robbed her of the air she was breathing.
"What...?" she whispered with shaky voice. That must be a nightmare, she was sure it was a nightmare. But she knew it was true, when her mother turned towards her with red eyes, full of sorrow.
"No." Antea muttered.
"Antea" her mother said making a step towards her, but the girl pulled away, shaking her head.
Her Father. Her sweet, caring father. He was of that world no more. He was not with them anymore. Antea felt she couldn't breathe. Her throat was on fire and her hands were trembling.
"Father..." she sobbed holding her own hands, to stop them from shaking "This cannot be... this cannot..." and then she walked out of the tent.
Her lord Father. He was so good, so attentive. As she walked through the muddy path, she saw the lords looking at her with pained expression. They were all mourning their Lord Liege. But Antea was mourning her Father. The man that had always made her feel safe. The one she would run to when she managed to sew her first embroidery. The one that looked at all of them, making sure they were acting properly. The one who would sit with them before going to sleep to tell them old stories which Sansa and Bran where so fond of.
Antea would have never listened to him telling a story again. She would have never heard him laugh or feel his arms around her ever again. Or the sweetness of his lips on her forehead.
"They killed him" she muttered looking at the men all around her. She was crying, her cheeks were red and her arms were trembling. But she cared not of being proper.
Lannisters.
Those killers and monsters. They had crippled her little brother, took her sweet sisters as hostages and now they had murdered her noble Father.
"My lady" Roose Bolton's voice made her turn slowly towards the man "We are all very sorry about Lord Stark, my lady."
"Sorry..." she muttered as a growl could be heard from the woods. Everyone turned and move away when Shadow walked out of the woods with bared teeth, her golden eyes shining with fury as they were on fire compared to the darkness of her fur.
"The Lannisters have killed my Father" Antea said with gritted teeth as Shadow moved towards her, glaring at growling at the man in front of them.
"We are going to win this, dear nice" lord Bryden said slowly as he wanted to soot her "We will avenge Lord Stark."
"I do not wish to win" Antea said, hands shaking and venomous voice "I want them dead!" she yelled making Shadow snap towards lord Bolton, who tried to avoid her bite. Men gasped and moved away as Lord Bryden tried to get closer to the lady, but the black direwolf turned towards him too baring her teeth.
"Antea!" Theon Greyjoy's voice made the girl turn towards him, who was walking with fast steps in her direction.
"Theon" she whispered as he got closer.
"My lady, come with me" he said eyeing Shadow that was still focused on lord Bolton.
"They have killed him, Theon" she said with teary eyes as he put his hands on her arms.
"I know" he said nodding his head "I've heard" Antea let out a loud sob as more tears left her eyes. She lowered her head as she cried.
"I know you're angry" Theon whispered trying to look her in the eyes, without succeeding "But please, come with me, my lady." his hands had moved to took her hands and as she felt his fingers, she clenched to him tightly, before nodding her head.
"Alright" he whispered, moving to her side, but without letting go of her hand "Move aside, this does not concern you."
Theon silently led her and Shadow towards the lady's tent. Once they were inside, he made her sit on the bed, where she stood with eyes fixed on the ground as Shadow put her muzzle on her legs.
"I'll fetch you some water." Theon said from where he was kneeling beside her.
"I do not want water" she whispered, before going silent once again. Antea could feel Theon's eyes on her, but she had no strength to look up. In her mind everything she remembered of her Father was passing before her eyes, as it was what would have been of her life now, without him at her side. She thought about Sansa and Arya, hoping that they hadn't been there to witness such horrific act. She thought about Rickon and Bran, alone in Winterfell. She thought of Jon and if he'll ever knew about what had happened. She thought about her mother and the sorrow she must have felt, knowing that the man that she loved was with them no more. And she thought about Robb and about his future. He was no longer a boy, he was now lord Stark, Lord Liege of the North. At only fifteen.
"I shall call Robb" Theon said but she took his hand before he could get up.
"Please don't go" she begged trembling "Don't leave me alone."
"I won't" he said adjusting his hand so that his fingers could close around hers.
"They've killed him, Theon" she said after a moment of silence "They've killed my father" she sobbed "They've killed my father!" as she cried harder, Antea felt his arms wrap around her, holding her in a warm embrace that she returned immediately. The lady put her arms around his neck, burying her head against his shoulder as his arms went around her waist. And there they stood, in silence as she cried in his arms and he quietly held her.
"What is going to be of us now?" she muttered against the fur of his cloak.
"I do not know" he whispered back, without letting her go "No one will ever hurt you, my lady, I won't let them, do not be afraid" she felt like tightening her grip on him.
"It's not for me that I am afraid" she said "I fear for my family, for the North, for you."
"Do not fear for me, my lady" he said with a little chuckle to try and ease her pain, which she was grateful for "I'll be bothering you for many years." she cried again.
"Promise" she whispered.
"I promise" he said holding her close.
It had been strange and sad days, the ones that followed. Antea couldn't bear the thought of going out and face the reality around her. Her world felt different, like she didn't know where she was, like she felt lost. The grief, the sorrow, were foreign feelings to her, that had always been use to happiness. She would ask at the Gods why they would allow that to happen to her family. They were divided and far from each other. She wanted to go back to Winterfell, even if she feared that even her own home would feel different from now on.
Antea had been by her brother, whenever she had to and she envied her mother's courage to look at all the lords with head up high and proud eyes, Antea could only cry. They all assumed that it was only for sorrow, but how wrong they were. Anger was what Antea felt. A burning, strong rage that she wanted to be expressed.
"Give me one of the lions here right now and I would tear him apart, even Cassie" she had said once.
"Cassie is not a lion, sister" Robb had said, but Antea glared at him.
"Half a lion" she said gritting her teeth "There must not be much difference."
"Don't let the anger guide you, Antea" Robb exclaimed "You know Cassie has no part in all of this."
"Once I've made a promise" Antea said caressing Shadow's head "No harm would have come to my family. And they are pushing their luck, brother."
In Riverun they arrived with their party. Her grandfather was dying, as her mother was saying. But when they arrived Antea did not leave her twin's side, as Theon did. They were in the great hall of her birthplace when her lady Mother had gone to pay a visit to lord Tully. She set next to Robb, that was trying to not show how much grief was affecting him, as for Antea she had no reason to hide that. The only person that didn't looked at her with sorry eyes was Theon, that was in fact the only person that would make her smile from time to time.
They were all in the hall when her lady Mother entered. Robb had called a council. Apparently, now Renly Baratheon wanted to take the Iron Throne from the Lannisters.
"Renly is not the king" Robb was saying, in a way that resembled their father.
"You cannot mean to hold to Joffrey, my lord" only that name spoken by lord Glover, made Antea slammed her goblet on the table, making the lords and her brother look in her direction.
"Antea" Robb said turning to her.
"I'm curious too, my lord" she said glaring at her brother "You surely are not suggesting to let the hand that killed our lord father to stay alive."
"Joffrey is evil, that is true" he said before turning towards his man "But he is still Robert's eldest trueborn son, and by the law the throne is rightfully his" that made Antea roll her eyes as she caressed her direwolf head "Were he had to die, and I mean to see that he does, Tommen, his brother is next in line."
Antea didn't care about it. That was just another Lannister. Another lion that sooner or later would have caused destruction and death to someone else. They had to kill them all, that was the only way and the Iron Throne could have had gone to the Seven Hells for what she cared. All she wanted, was for her family to be together once again, safe inside of Winterfell.
"Tommen is no less a Lannister" Ser Marq Piper said, making Antea nod her head.
They were all focusing on Renly and his ambition of having the throne even if he wasn't the rightful heir, since lord Stannis Baratheon yet lived. But she failed to see the point of all of those talking. She didn't care about Baratheons and thrones.
"So you mean us to declare for Stannis?" asked lord Edmure Tully, her mother's brother.
"I do not know" said Robb "The Lannister killed my father for a traitor, and we know it was a lie. But if Joffrey is the rightful heir and we fight against him, we will be traitors."
A Lannister as no qualm of killing to achieve their purposes, Cyel once had said that. How right she was. If it was not for treason, Joffrey would have found another reason to get rid of all of them.
"I suggest we wait" a Fray said "Let these two kings to fight their game of thrones. When they are done fighting, we can bend our knees to the victor, or oppose him. With Renly arming, Lord Tywin will surely ask a truce to have his son back. Let me go to Harrenal to arrange..." But a strong roar of voices stopped the lord from talking.
"Begging for truce will make us seem weak" Lady Mormont said.
"We must not give up the Kingslayer" Rickard Stark exclaimed.
No, we could just cut off his head, Antea thought venomous. She couldn't accept him being alive, while his father was no more.
"Why not a peace?" her mother's words made Antea stop her movement on Shadow's fur. She couldn't be serious.
"My lady" Robb said blocking Antea from saying anything "They murdered my father, your husband. This is the only peace I have for Lannisters."
"And you'd be too merciful, my lord" Antea said glaring at her mother from across the room as the lords roared with each other. Her mother stood her ground, not bothered by all those voices and spoke again, only when everyone had quieted down.
"My lords" she said "Lord Eddard was your liege, but I shared his bed and bore his children. Do you think I love him any less than you?" Antea bit her lips looking down for the first time, not wanting to even imagine what her mother was feeling. But still she failed to understand her words.
"Robb" her lady mother said again "If that sword would bring him back, I should never let you sheathe it until Ned stood at my side once more. But he is gone, and nothing will change that. Ned is gone" her words cut deep inside Antea's heart that tried to keep her raging tears from falling down from her eyes "And many of our soldiers, sons, fathers and husbands. And they will not come back. Must we have more death still?"
"You are a woman, my lady" the Greatjon said as Antea turned towards him with a glare "Women do not understand."
They didn't? Only men could feel anger and pain?
"You are the gentle sex" said Rickard Karstark with grief "Men have a need for vengeance."
Only men? They left for battle unaware of what they left behind; children, daughter and wives that had to keep going in their life even maybe had to kneel before the people that had took what was most important from them. Antea felt the need of vengeance, she wanted for the Lannisters to be extinguish so that no one would have ever to feel the great pain that she was feeling right now.
Robb hand took her shacking wrist immediately making her look up at him, that didn't turn to her, but fixing his eyes on the scene in front of them.
"Give me Cercei Lannister, lord Karstark" her lady mother said again "You would see how gentle a woman can be" then she turned to the other lords "Maybe I do not understand tactics and strategies, but I understand futility" Antea frowned "We went to war when Lannisters armies were ravaging the Riverlands, and Ned was a prisoner. We fought to defend ourselves, and to win my lord's freedom." Antea and Robb shared a look "One we've achieved. The other... I will mourn Ned until the end of my days. But I must be thinking about the living. About my daughters that the queen holds them still. I want you safe Robb and ruling Winterfell. And I want for you to live her life, as I want for Antea" the girl took a breath "I want for you wed someone that you love and bear children with them. I want to see the end of this. I want to go home, my lords and weep for my husband."
Antea understood now, what her mother meant, but she didn't feel the same way. Surely, she could keep going on with her life, find a husband and have his children, but she would have never forgiven herself if one of them would have perished by the hand of a Lannister that could die today. She will not have it, for herself, for her brothers and for her father. They had to pay. And she hoped that Robb was feeling the same. Surely though, the lords were thinking the same thing as Antea. Lord Rickard Karstark asked what was the meaning of all they did if everything that he had to come back with nothing but his sons' bones. Lord Bracken argued that he would not bend the knee for the family that send Gregor Clegane to plunder his lands.
"Whatever you may decide for yourselves, I shall never call a Lannister my king" Marq Piper said and Antea found herself nodding her head.
"Nor I" little Darry boy said "Never!"
Nor I, vowed Antea.
"MY LORDS" the Greatjon roared getting the attention of everyone "Here is what I say to these two kings! Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should they rule for me and mine. What do they know of the Wall or the wolfswood or the barrows of the First Men? Even their gods are wrong!" he suddenly took his greatsword "Why shouldn't we rule for ourselves again?" Antea's eyes widened, turning towards her brother as the Greatjon pointed the sword towards him "There sits the only king I mean to bow my knees to, m'lords" he shouted "The king in the North!" and then he knelt laying his sword before Robb.
"I'll have peace on those terms" lord Karstark said "They can keep their red castle and their iron chair" he then took out his sword walking towards Robb to bow his knee "The king in the North!"
"The king in the North!" lady Mormont said kneeling as well and one by one all the lords came forwards to kneel in front of her brother. She smiled when Theon came forwards smirking like always taking his sword and kneeling in front of Robb.
"The king in the North" he said.
Antea touched her brother's hand that was still secure around her wrist. He had wide eyes as she smiled at him, making him let go of her as she walked to be in front of him followed by Shadow.
"The king in the North" she said proudly as she too knelt down before her brother.
"The king in the North!" they all yelled together.
"The king in the North!"
"THE KING IN THE NORTH!"