My mother worries a lot.

Why should he care about the world? He has Mama. He has Randa. He has Mr. Egen. He doesn't need anybody else. People aren't very nice.

[vardisofthevale]

I love you like the little bird that picks up crumbs around the door || (Vardis & Robin) (26 August, 5am)

[vardisofthevale]

"No, we’re not far. Fifteen minutes," he says, trying to reassure his charge. There’s always traffic in London, its streets like the flowing veins of a living thing, but at least they haven’t quite hit the rush hour migration yet. 

He wants to know as much as possible before bringing the boy back to his mother. But he knows he can’t push Robin in his current state. Instead, he tries to work on Robin’s trust. “You’re safe now,” he says. “Everything’s all right.” 

He tries a less direct approach to his questions. “Did you stay there all night?” 

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Robin holds Mr. Egen's hand tentatively.  He's never felt so much like he wanted to be away from him.  Mr. Egen's usually one of Robin's favorite people to be around, but now everything just feels wrong, like suddenly he'll stop being him and Robin will be down on the ground, crying again.  Mr. Egen's killed people.  Mr. Egen can't protect him.

But he still keeps hold of Mr. Egen's hand.  He's being ridiculous.  Mr. Egen's not going to hurt him.  Mr. Egen would never hurt him; he's always been with him.  He went searching for him tonight; he's bringing him back to Mama.  Mr. Egen could never be a threat.  It's not possible that Mr. Egen would ever hurt him.  Even if he had hurt other people, like that man did, Mr. Egen would ever hurt him.

Robin's head throbs.  How is he supposed to tell Mama he had another fit.  She'll worry about him.  She'll yell at him.  She'll be so upset.  But she'll take him back to Wales, back to the Vale, away from this horrible terrible city and he won't ever have to come back.  Mr. Egen will be there and Mama will be there and everything will be fine again.  It will have to be.  He won't let it be anything but fine.

Mr. Egen says they're not far and he feels a jolt of fear again, which is silly, because not far means they're close to Mama and that's nothing but good but everything feels sinister now and he can't help but swallow hard.  He nods once, tries to keep his voice steady.  "Good.  That--that's good.  We'll see Mama."

Then Mr. Egen asks about last night and Robin feels so ill.  No, he didn't stay there all night, he was up and the rooftop and there were with those men and he wants to tell Mr. Egen about them, just for one second, but he can't, because his throat's closed up and his head is pounding and colors flood his eyes and he's sobbing, far too loud.  He clings to Mr. Egen and cries and cries.

[bloodandglory-rp]

character: robert arryn (bio) affiliations: house of arryn, tully inc asa butterfield

[ladyarryns]

pay no mind to the rabble | robin & lysa (26 april)

[ladyarryns]

Lysa remembered the last time she had gone to a carnival. Robin had been two years old, and the young mother had suggested the trip to Jon. It was one of the few memories she had where she had almost felt like a part of a complete family, the three of them watching the sunset from the Ferris Wheel with their fingers still sticky from sugary treats. The reminiscence made her chest feel tight, and she swallowed.

Lysa asked the chauffeur to slow down, and then turned to Robin, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. “What do you think? Would you like to go to the fair, Sweetrobin?” That would be a good way to end the day, wouldn’t it? Instead of being left to mull over the counseling session. 

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Sometimes Robin is so thankful for Mama that he can’t help but hug her.  He clings to her arm, buries his face in her side.  ”The headmaster is so annoying.  And all the kids are awful.  Why do I have to go to school, mama?  I’m already smart; I don’t need to.  I should just stay at home with you.” 

He releases her, sitting up, and feels tears welling in his eyes.  ”You’re right.  You’re so right, mama.  They should do what I say.  They should have more respect.”  This is what Mama always says, that he’s better than them, and he knows it.  Sometimes it’s hard to remember, though, when they’re picking on them.

Robin glances down at his shirt.  There was a tiny red stain at the bottom and he thinks he’ll have to remember to yell at the maids when he gets home.  He’d forgotten to tell Mama about this.  She won’t be happy about this.  ”I got a nosebleed last week.  I forgot to tell you.  It wasn’t so bad at first, but then I had to go see the nurse.  I made sure they didn’t call you.  They shouldn’t have called you today.”

Robin leans back against his seat and looks out the window.  Mama’s talking about something she read, but it doesn’t sound very interesting to Robin.  The sun comes through the car window in flickers; it’s bright outside but the trees make shadows when they pass them.  The driver slows down and Robin’s about to yell at him until he hears Mama.  ”The fair?  You wanna go to the fair?”

He grins.  Ferris wheals and the carousel and cotton candy and funnel cake.  And it’s so bright outside too.  And there’s no way that Mama would every make him go on a roller coster, so it should be fun.  ”Of course I want to go to the fair!  Let’s go.”

He has the driver slow down and stop, and opens the door almost before mama has time to react and answer.  He jumps out of the car and motions for her to come with him.  

[vardisofthevale]

I love you like the little bird that picks up crumbs around the door || (Vardis & Robin) (26 August, 5am)

[vardisofthevale]

"We’ll be with your mum soon," he promises Robin. He checks the boy over again, smoothing his black hair and touching his shoulders. He feels Robin’s arms and wrists to make sure nothing’s sprained, nothing hurts, looks at his little hands within his own large, strong ones. Scrapes and bruises…like as not the boy was mostly scared and hungry, weak from a seizure… He’s dusty and dirty and there are tear tracks down his cheeks. But Vardis doesn’t know what to do for him just yet. 

"What happened? Did you have a fit?" he asked. 

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Robin bites his lip and nods.  He's dizzy, he thinks he hit his head, he must have hit his head, he's done so before when he's had a fit.  The nurse at his school has told Mama before that he needs more protection for his head, that he's weak, and Mama lost it with her.  Mama said he isn't weak and he's here, crying on Mr. Egen's shoulder and he can't even form words right.

Robin lifts his fists to his eyes, wiping his tears away sloppily.  He pulls at a loose eyelash, and it sticks to his finger.  His hands are wet with tears and sweat and he still feels sick.  He's not even certain that he can make himself walk.  He probably could, but he would rather be carried, at least for now.

Mr. Egen picks him up and he's so grateful, he's so extremely thankful that he says thank you, and he holds onto Mr. Egen tight.  He realizes, finally, the other man has left, and he's grateful for that, grateful that it's just him and Mr. Egen and soon it'll be Mama and then things will be fine, everything will be fine, he can go back to Wales with Mama and Mr. Egen and Mya and everything will be fine.

Mr. Egen is taking him back to Mama.  Mama might be mad but she's never ever mad for long and that's reassuring to Robin.  "Is mama still at the hotel?"  He thought he saw Mama running after him when he left the house but maybe that was just his imagination.   He's not sure what's real and what's not.  Was anything that happened tonight real?  He's not certain.  His feelings are going everywhere, he can't process his emotions except for a sick feeling at the bottom of his stomach that is almost like guilt.

Mr. Egen was a soldier.  Mr. Egen must have killed people.  Robin always knew that but it was never a frightening thought to him before.  He tries to keep his voice steady.  He's feeling better now.  "Can you put me down?  I think I can walk."

And then Mr. Egen asks what happened.  He wants to throw up.  Suddenly it's like he can hardly remember anything that happened.  "Nothing."  He mumbles the word, and he's almost shaking.  "Nothing happened.  That's right.  I had a fit.  That's all.  Everything is fine."  Nothing is wrong,   Everything is fine.  "Are we far?  I don't--I don't know where we are.  Are we near?"

[ladyarryns]

pay no mind to the rabble | robin & lysa (26 april)

 "Come, Robin, we’re going home now," she said, putting on a warm smile for her son. When the counselor opened his mouth to interrupt, she shot him a look of daggers and gently took Robin by the hand, leading him out of the room. She would deal with all of them later, her only concern right now was Robin. Lysa knew he didn’t like counselors anymore than she did, as well as she knew that she would have to go to special lengths to cheer him up after this incident. As they left the building, Lysa looked down at Robin and tucked a free strand of hair behind his ear.

"I’ll speak with the headmaster about this later," she told him reassuringly as she smoothed out her own irritation. "But if it happens again, you call me first, Sweetrobin. Remember, you are a lord, and they can’t make you sit there after school if you don’t want to."

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

School sucks.

Not only are the classes boring (he knoooows everything they teach him already; he can spell words he can do maths, it's all so pointless and he's sick of it, ) but the teachers are irritating and his classmates are even worse.  He fidgets in his seat all through class, he wants to stand up and stretch or lie down on the floor.  He wants to be at home, in bed, not surrounded by boring useless people who won't do what he says.

Really, he doesn't see why school is necessary.  He could read everything he sees here at home.

The other kids are the worst part.  He can be bored at home and at school, but he never gets stared at by annoying kids, he never gets whispered about, he never has pencils thrown at him at home, he never has notes shoved in his backpack, he's never laughed at at home.  People know better there.  The two boys behind him throw tiny bits of wadded paper at his neck and shoulders during class.  Robin thinks they make it a game.  The paper pricks back there, make his hand stand on end.  They never actually hurt, but they're always enough to make Robin angry.

So, he doesn't think it's his fault when he shoves Tommy into his desk.  It's Tommy's fault, he shouldn't be so irritating, and he certainly shouldn't throw things at people.  But Tommy cries and yells at him and runs to tell the teacher.  Robin folds his arms at his desk and sulks.

The psychiatrist isn't so bad, Robin has to admit.  Sure, his hair is greasy and he has a stupid fake smile on the whole time, one that mama would smile back at and Mr. Egen would raise his eyebrows at, but he talks in a soft voice that Robin likes a bit.  He talks about tempers and attentions spans and Robin drifts off in his head.  He thinks about dragons in fantasy books, but in his mind dragons have the wings of birds and the body of a giant lizard and humans can fly them.

Mama picks him up late.  She marches right into the psychiatrist's office and tells him it's time to leave.  Robin scurries to his feet, grabbing his backpack in his hand, not even swinging it over his shoulder, and walks out without a goodbye.  He grabs Mama's hand as they walk to the car.

"You don't have to talk to anyone.  Really, Mama."  They would take the other boys side, Robin knows.  Mama talking to them would make things way worse.  He looks over at her.  Would calling her actually make a difference?

"You're right.  They can't do this to me.  I'm the lord of Wales.  They should have more respect."

[myabaratheon]

hold on tight, beginner's mind | robert and mya [august 2]

[myabaratheon]

Robert won’t understand that, so she just allows him to live in his little cocoon. “You want some art books?” She asks curiously, looking down at his little form walk alongside her. She looks back ahead of her, and for some reason a smile, although very smile, comes to her lips. “I’m not pulling.” She once again, rolls her eyes.

She just walks…a little fast, perhaps his legs can’t keep up. Of course, she needs to be careful; with him especially. So she slows down, allowing their gaits to match each other. No more pulling, she’s sure of it.

She slowly continues down the long hall, made of bookshelves until she reaches the section labeled Art and Sculpture. Smiling to herself, she lets go of Robert’s hand and heads down a book made corridor. “What kind of art book, Robert? You want to learn how to draw, or paint? Or both?” She asks, a little excited if she’s perfectly honest.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Mya looks irritated.  Mya always looks irritated and there's no reason for her to look like that.  She's just always so grumpy and it gets on his nerves.  "You are pulling."  He tugs her hand harder, just like she was.  "Come ooon Mya.  You're slow."

He should be quieter, it's a library and all, but Mya's annoying and he wants to be a bit loud.  Even so it would cause problems if they get in trouble, and Mama would find out they left the house.  He isn't afraid of Mama and doesn't think she would do anything bad, but she might make Mr. Egen make sure he doesn't leave anymore. Then, he suddenly remembers he's out with Mya.  He didn't actually sneak out this time, or make his bodyguard take him, or anything like that.  It's such a weird thought.

Still, he lowers his voice.  "Yeah, I've been thinking about drawing.  I really like the picture you gave me and it seems really fun."  He smiles at her and then turns back down the hallway.  "I wanna draw, I think. The"  He really doesn't know which one he wants to do more, but painting makes him think of finger painting.  Drawing sounds grown up.  It sounds like something that artists do.  He could be an artist.

Still, Mya paints.  "Or both.  Which do you think is better?"  Mya is such a good artist that he doesn't mind asking her.  Maybe he and Mya could paint together some time.  She could teach him.  That would be so much fun.  "Really, get whatever you think would be the most fun.  Something like what you're getting."

He could be a good artist.  He can practice at it and make pretty pictures the way Mya does.  He'll get really good, and then he can draw the Vale.  "And movies too.  We need to pick up movies."

[vardisofthevale]

I love you like the little bird that picks up crumbs around the door || (Vardis & Robin) (26 August, 5am)

[vardisofthevale]

Vardis feels the presence of Lucas behind him the whole time, annoyed by it. He’s witness to something private, something he’d rather no one else saw. Something that wasn’t his business. But he ignores it for now and focuses on helping Robin to his feet, slowly and with gentle ease. 

Robin is eleven years old—too old and too big to be carried, truthfully, and Vardis hasn’t held him since he was just a baby, swaddled in blankets. But he’s not well, he’s too weak from his fit, and he always was small for his age. So Vardis gently gets him to his feet and then resolves to slip his arms around him and scoop him up. 

He can finally dismiss Lucas for good. Despite his dislike for the man, he manages a semi-cordial thank you for his unwanted assistance, and they part ways as Vardis carries Robin to a cab. He should call for one of their drivers, but that would take time. He’d rather just get the boy back to the safety of the hotel suite, back to his frantically-worried mother. 

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

It’s Mr. Egen.  It’s Mr. Egen right in front of him and he looks so sad that Robin tries to stand a little, confused.  He’s not entirely certain what he’s saying and it doesn’t feel like he’s saying anything he normally says and his thoughts are all mixed and flowing.  He’s like this sometimes and he hates it, he’s like this when he gets sick but he’s doing far worse than he ever has before.

Mama would be sad.  Mama would even be as disappointed in him as she was—last night?  What is last night that Mama was yelling because he doesn’t remember time.  How can somebody even remember time.  How is it something that people remember.

Robin rises to his feet, feeling behind him for the wall.  He presses his hand to the cold brick and it steadies him.  He leans back against the wall and his hand presses against the brick and he wonders why it feels so cold even while he’s already cold.  The air around his face is hot and sticky and clouds his eyes like smoke.  He has to focus.

And he doesn’t think about blood or men he doesn’t know and he doesn’t think about what Mr. Egen must have felt like or what Mama is going to say, he doesn’t, he doesn’t, he doesn’t think about that he presses his head against the wall and thinks about how cold it is against the back of his neck.

He's started to clear his mind.  His episodes don't usually last so long and he knows why this one was so much worse but he's refusing to think about those men.  His eyes wander to the man behind Mr. Egen and focus on him.  Was that the guy Mama wanted to date?  Was Mama worried about him?

Of course Mama was worried about him.  "We should go see Mama."  Mama needs to stay inside.  Mama shouldn't ever ever leave the house again.  They should go back to Wales and never ever leave the house again.  That's what they should do.

He realizes he wasn't really looking at Mr. Egen and focuses back on him.  He still looks so worried, way more than Robin had ever seen before that he leans off the wall and approaches him, grabbing onto his arm.  "I'm really sorry."  

Robin doesn't apologize much but Mr. Egen looks so sad that he really thinks he should.  Robin wraps his arms around Mr. Egen's neck and buries his face in his shoulder and sobs.  His finger's clutch at Mr. Egen's shirt and he can hardly even breathe through his nose and his head hurts so much.

Mr. Egen tells him they should go home but Robin's still clinging to him.  Slowly he unclenches his fingers from Mr. Egen's shirt and grasps his hand instead.  He tries to steady his voice as much as he can.  "I need to see Mama.  We need to go back to Wales.  We all need to go back to Wales."  Nothing bad ever happens at the Vale.

[myabaratheon]

hold on tight, beginner's mind | robert and mya [august 2]

[myabaratheon]

"You ask your mum, I’ll be going on it with or without you." There is still an obligation, to Lysa Arryn even after all these years. She does owe the woman a lot, her childhood, for instance. It could’ve been a whole hell of a lot worse. 

When they arrive at the library, Mya is relieved. She looks at Robert, extending his hand and gives him a smirk before exiting out her side. “Yeah, a movie, sure. I’ve got to find my books first." She isn’t going to solely search for Robert simply because he wanted it, she has a reason to be here.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Mya is a very insolent child.  That's what Mama said about her, one time to Mr. Egen. Robin remembers that as Mya rolls her eyes at him.  Mama wouldn't put up with it, Robin knows.  She would put Mya in her place, but then, Mama wouldn't make a big deal about it either.  Especially not in public.  Mama is a great lady and Robin wants to be a great lord, so he ignores Mya too.  She's not worth his trouble.  That's what Mama would say, and she would be right, so Robin lifts his head up and ignores her.

Mya tells him that she'll go on the London Eye either way and Robin turns to her and just stares.  "You'll take me.  You will.  You'll take me on the London Eye and that's the end of it."  Robin can make her.  He knows he can.  He wants to go on it so much with her, to see the world, and it will defiantly happen.  There's no way that Mama would say no if she knew how much Robin wanted to go.  And, he finds, he really wants to go with Mya especially.  Maybe it's because Mya seems to want to go on it as well.  "We'll go and we'll have fun and Mama will let us."

Robin swings their arms up high as they walk up the stairs to the library.  He really does like this place.  The stairs are stone and there's such an old feeling to the building.  It's large; it reminds him of home and he likes places that do that.  Mya says they'll go get her books first and Robin wonders if there will anything there for him.  Mya's the artist, Robin's always thought she was really good, but he thinks it might be fun to draw as well. "Can I get some art books too?"

They enter the library.  Robin looks up and stares at the high ceiling with the wooden beams and frowns as Mya tugs him along toward the art books.  He doesn't like the way she's pulling.  She's way too forceful, always.  "Don't pull so hard."  Robin thinks he would like to draw a sword fight.  Men fighting to the death.  Maybe in a library, like this one, with big shelves to block them and high beams to climb on and fight each other on.  Robin thinks that would be cool.

[vardisofthevale]

I love you like the little bird that picks up crumbs around the door || (Vardis & Robin) (26 August, 5am)

“Robin…!” Vardis’ voice breaks with relief as he jogs over to the boy, crouching down in front of him. One look tells Vardis that Robin’s had an episode, and all the aggravation at the boy’s heedless actions dissipates. He feels a stab of concern….even sympathy. He’s pale and sickly, eyes red-rimmed and tired.

Vardis speaks gently. “Robin…” Robin doesn’t regard him, so Vardis reaches to touch the boy’s shoulder—

And Robin begins to scream.

It’s not the scream of a tantrum, or the wailing of stubbornness that Vardis is accustomed to hearing from the spoiled child. It’s a scream right from the gut. A scream of genuine fright. It hits Vardis like a shock to the chest, so terrible a sound….

“Robin!” he says, his deep voice as calm and soothing as possible. “Robin, it’s me…shh…” He holds the boy by both shoulders, gentle but firm. “It’s all right….”

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Someone's touching him and he doesn't--

He thinks that one of those men is touching him, cold hand pressed against his shoulder, and he's crewing on his tongue and he thinks it tastes like tums, like chalk and fruit flavors that went bad.  He's stuck on the floor and he can't get up and he's screaming, he can hear screaming, is the person who's touching him screaming because there must be somebody else who's screaming.

He opens his eyes and it's far too bright and he can't see anything ahead of him.  It was night, wasn't it?  Isn't it?  It was night a bit ago with that man and he feels around and his fingers still stick to his palm and it's bright and he can't get up.

That man's going to kill him now.  He'll shoot him in the legs and cut his hands and cut his fingers till they bleed and cut into his chest and take out his eyes and he won't be able to see anything again and that would probably be better wouldn't it.  He feels like he does after he seizes and he wonders what Mama will think after he's dead.

But the man's not touching him now and Robin still can't see right.  Why hasn't he done anything yet?  Did he get bored?  Robin closes his eyes, and presses his fists to his head.  His hand's still sticky and he thinks he can still feel pressure in it, round--

Robin sobs and keeps fists pressed together and he knocks his head against his knuckles and his head hurts and his body's numb and he just wishes the man would do it now please if he's going to do it do it now and is he saying this out loud he must be saying this out loud because it feels like he's speaking.

He closes his mouth and bites his tongue and he knows how blood tastes but this doesn't taste like blood it tastes like something different and he's not certain what because it doesn't taste like anything he has ever known.  He clutches his hair and Mama wanted him to cut it, didn't she.  She wanted to have it cut but then he said he didn't and she said that was fine, he was very handsome with long hair and right now it's giving him something to grasp and he's glad he didn't cut it.

He pulls his knees to his chest and he feels solid ground underneath him and wasn't he up high?  He climbed up why is he sitting why is he here what is happening.  He uncurls his fists and drops his hands to the ground and he still can't see right when he opens his yes but they're starting to adjust.

It's dark out and he's not in the warehouse (was it a warehouse?  he can't even remember) anymore, he's out on the street and he must have been sleeping because he's sweating and it feels like he's just woken up.  There are people walking by and there's still a man in front of him and Robin shrinks back but he focuses on the man and it's Mr. Egen.

He opens his mouth, closes it, and presses tightly against the wall behind him.  He imagines Mr. Egen killing men back at war, cutting them open like that, them bleeding up to his wrists.

He doesn't think Mr. Egen is anything like those men, not really, he can't be, at least, but he doesn't want Mr. Egen touching him right now either.  It's still so dark outside and he wonders how long it has been before he was somewhere else and he thinks it must be later but it isn't.

"Don't tell Mama."  Robin blinks once because that's not what he meant at all and then--"Kill me please."  And he's never asked Mr. Egen to please do anything or maybe he has but he can't remember right now because he doesn't make a habit of it.  That isn't what he meant either.  That isn't what he meant to say.

"Can we go home?"  Maybe that is what he meant to say.  "Yes, that's it, that's the right idea let's go home that's a much better idea, right Mr. Egen?"  And he wants Mr. Egen to agree with him.

[myabaratheon]

hold on tight, beginner's mind | robert and mya [august 2]

[myabaratheon]

“Are you excited? There’s a giant ferris-like thing you can go on to see practically the whole of london. I reckon it’s higher than the Eyrie.” She doesn’t actually believe it’s higher than the Eyrie, but anything to get Robert excited at least.  Mya is excited as well, a new place is always something to be excited about. She never has left even Wales before, so visiting the capital of England is probably the highlight of this year, and probably her life so far.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Robin glares at Mya, lips tight together. ”Mama lets me read anything I want. She says I’m mature. Mama would be mad if she knew that you wouldn’t let me read something.” Robin wonders if Mama really would let him read those books. If he cried or hugged her, he probably would. He does have nightmares, all the time, but they’re never about war and Robin doesn’t think that Mya should be telling him what to read. Mya doesn’t have the right to tell him what he can do. He wonders if he should complain to Mama but decides not to.

Robin brightens when Mya starts to talk about London but he doesn’t like the way she’s talking to him about it. ”London’s not like any city. It’s so much bigger!” Not that Robin’s ever been to many cities. Mama likes him inside, but he’s not about to talk to any of that with Mya of all people. Robin’s heard people from London and he doesn’t think they talk that much more weird than other people from England but he nods along with Mya. ”Yeah they really do don’t they.”

Mya talks about a ferris wheel and Robin grins at her. ”The London Eye! Right? That should be so so cool. We’ll go on it won’t we Mya? You’ll go on it with me? Mama will have to let us go on it, if we both tell her we want to.” Robin likes ferris wheels the best at amusement parks, next to bumper cars. He loves to just look at everyone below him just as much as he likes driving.

At the library, they step out and Robin tells the driver, strictly, to stay there and not to move at all. He looks irritated and Robin turns to Mya and holds out his hand. ”Come on! Let’s go get books. Ooh. And we should pick out a movie too!”

[myabaratheon]

hold on tight, beginner's mind | robert and mya [august 2]

[myabaratheon]

“A magic story?” Perfect, she thinks. Though while Mya isn’t terribly versed in books and such for children there are a few stories, in which magic dominates. You haven’t read Harry Potter, have you?” She asks Robin as they get into the car. It’s nice to hear Robert talking about something positive, about a book he might like to read. 

In the car, she fastens her seatbelt and the driver pulls on ahead. “Hmm? Well, maybe some study books, method books as well, like how to do a certain type of painting. Also pictures I can practice for, to gain a portfolio I can show to universities. Mine is lacking a bit in real-life paintings.

“How is my painting I did for you doing? It’s still up on the wall, I hope? Spent ages on it.” Though I wouldn’t be surprised if you threw it away. She thinks to herself, looking out the window and watching the Wales scenery go by as they pass further into town.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Robin bites his lip.  He honestly hasn't read Harry Potter, but he watched all the movies, even the ones that Mama didn't want him to see, so he thinks he knows all about it already.  There's not really any reason for him to read the books, cuz he already knows all the story.  "Don't be stupid Mya.  I don't wanna read those books."  He glances up at her and she looks a bit annoyed.  "Is there something else?  That you think would be better?"  Robin doesn't know too many fantasy books.

"Actually, I think I want a war story more."  He wants to read about battle.  He tries to convince Mr. Egen to tell him about he and his father in the army, but Mr. Egen never seems to want to talk about it no matter how much Robin bugs him.  If Mr. Egen won't tell him, he might as well just read about this stuff in a book.  "A real war!  Like scary and bloody and all.  Do you know anything like that?"

Mya asks about her painting and Robin blinks at her.  "Your painting?  I like it.  Already told you that."  Robin rolls his eyes at her.  He still has it hanging on the wall of his room, but it's over in the corner and Robin doubts that Mya would have seen it glancing into his room.  She doesn't actually go in there much.

Robin wonders if he ought to try painting.  He thinks it would be pretty boring, actually.  They're almost at the library and Robin lets out a sigh.  "I can't believe that we're actually going to London.  It's gonna be so weird there."

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Take me outside, sit in the green garden (Myranda Royce and Robert Arryn; June 25, 2012)

[aspiringtobewicked-deactivated2]

Myranda opened eyes wide as saucers and forced a shaky laugh out of her. “You’re sweet,” she answered. She was hatpathetic, now. Children wanted to give her money. She had stooped that low. She wanted to laugh again, a little hysterically this time. “I couldn’t, Robin. I couldn’t accept money from you, you’re still a child,” she finally said with a little smile. “But thank you for saying it, it’s really generous of you to propose.”

She sighed and wished she had alcohol right now. She took a piece of cake and smiled again, more wdely. “It’s such a beautiful day. How big is the garden? Don’t you ever get lost in there?”

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Randa says that he's sweet and he tilts his head to the side.  Randa says she doesn't want his money, and he doesn't like that.  She says she needs more money, and he has money, and he'll give her money, so what's the problem.  What does it matter he's a kid.  He's plenty old enough.  He's Lord of Wales; he can do whatever he wants, and he wants Randa to take his money.  

"Sure you can have my money.  I already said you could."  He has a ton of money and he wants to give it to Randa.  "It is.  Super pretty."  Robin looks out over the garden and smiles back at Randa.  "It is big!  But I never get lost in it.  I never get lost at all!  But I defiantly know my way around the whole thing."

His plate is empty and he eyes Randa's plate, which still has plenty of food on it.  He wonders if he can take another scone and still be polite.  He thinks he'll do it anyway.  He reaches out for another scone and bites down, still thinking about the earlier part of the conversation.  "How much do you need?  Just tell, and it's yours."

[widowarryn-deactivated20130812]

all the trees in the fields will clap their hands | lysa & robin | september 1st

[widowarryn-deactivated20130812]

Intuitively, she chose to go with the first one. Her son was under shock, weak, at the moment, but he was in his right mind. He was such a smart little boy, always surprising her with something new he’d learned, and when he talked to other people, she was always amazed by his sociability. He would make a great Count one day. She cleared her throat and smiled. “I was just wondering what you were up to, little bird”, she said, and motioned towards his desk, where his pencils were lined up neatly and his books were in an orderly stack. “Are you reading something?”

She looked around the room where everything was still in order from when the maid had cleaned it up; everything but a single action figure lying on the ground. She wondered how it got there.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Mama's looking worried but Mama's always looking worried these days.  She doesn't ever seem to look any other way.  She's always looking at him when she thinks he doesn't see, always whispering with Mr. Egen.  She whispered with Mr. Egen before, but it was always different.  She used to look at him but now she's looking at Robin and it's not often Robin wants Mama to stop paying attention to him.

He supposes it's the wrong type of attention.  He doesn't like Mama looking at him like she feels sorry for him.  Because she doesn't, she never does.  He's the future Lord of Wales and she's never supposed to look at him this way.  He turns away from her, wander back to his bed and straight out falling on top of the sheets, rolling over on his side so he's facing the dark blue wall on the other side.  He had it painted just before they left for London.  The paint before was cracked and peeling and sometimes he used to just lay there and tear the paint off the wall.  That was nice, he remembered.

"No."  He hadn't been reading.  Does he usually read?  He doesn't think he does.  Only sometimes.  "Where's Mr. Egen?  Do you know where he is?"  Robin really just wants to know.  He rolls over again, facing Mama, and he can't exactly tell what she's thinking.  Her face is blank and it's strange, how he can't read her when he normally can.  He reaches his hand out toward her, hoping she'll hold it.  "What's going on Mama?  What's happening today?"

[myabaratheon]

hold on tight, beginner's mind | robert and mya [august 2]

[myabaratheon]

“Great.” She says, turning back into the hall and letting Robert walk next to her. “You have any books you’d want to find? I’m sure there’s a story that’d be interesting to you.” Robin is eleven, perfect age for Harry Potter, it seems, but she can’t remember if he’s ever read that. “I have to look for some art books, but I’m sure we can find something for you too.” She walks down the stairs, and towards the front door. If she was alone, she would’ve walked, but Robert merited certain privileges, such as the car which she is glad for today.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Robin actually doesn't want any particular book, or anything particularly at all.  He wonders if he actually wants to go to the library after all, but he probably does, or else he wouldn't have agreed to go.  Mya's standing there awkwardly and Robin remembers why he doesn't like to hang around Mya that much.  She never seems to know what to say or so or anything and it's really annoying when just hanging around, how weird she is about everything.

"I dunno.  I guess I'm ok with anything."  He thinks about the myths that Mama sometimes reads to him and the painting in his room and about Mr. Egen's war stories that Robin knows he has, even if he doesn't share them.  He doesn't really care about Mya's art books or what she wants, but that's why they're going to the library and he nods once as she says it.  "I guess I want a magic story.  Like fantasy.  Or a war story with lots of fighting and war and stuff.  Either of those!"

They head to the car and Robin waves his rather irritating bodyguard along with them, who's looking at Mya like he doesn't know whether or not he should be letting them out.  Well, if he gets them in trouble, Robin supposes that he can always have him fired, and Mya's not really the type to go out without permission.  Robin buckles up and turns to Mya, suddenly curious.  "What kinda art books are you looking for?"

[widowarryn-deactivated20130812]

all the trees in the fields will clap their hands | lysa & robin | september 1st

Her heart clenched when she opened the door to find him sitting in front of his little desk, not moving at all. “Hello, darling”, she said, trying to keep her voice steady so he wouldn’t know something was amiss. “I just thought I’d see how you are…” She moved across the room to sit with him on the other chair. It reminded her, suddenly, awfull of their habit of reading together. The last time they’d done that was only weeks ago, at this exact spot. They’d laughed so much, they’d been so happy. Now he looked pale and almost sick, his expression tense. Quickly, she put on a smile and leaned towards him. “What are you up to?”

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

HIs room is way too cold for his comfort.  He knows how warm it is outside, but he just can't manage go out.   He's always been cold, his doctor makes some explanations and Mama says something about blood, but it seems to get worse lately and he gets into bed, pulling the covers up over his head.  He thinks he'll sleep some more, even though he's never much liked sleep.

But he tosses and turns and eventually just throws the blanket off himself because he can't think about anything but what he doesn't want to think about and he can't sleep trying not to think about something.  He lays on his back for a few minutes just staring at the ceiling until his eyes blur and he steps out of bed and straight onto an action figure and it impresses into his foot.  He picks it up and throws it across the room and it hits the wall on the other side.

Robin stomps over to his desk and sits down, laying his head to one side, then the other, and then sitting up and just staring blankly at the desk in front of him.  He thinks he hears Mama's voice.  No, he hears Mama's voice and he turns around and Mama's there and she's saying something but he can't hear the words right.

He tightens his lips and then exhales and stands up and takes a step foreword, then realizes that he's right next to her already.  Robin wraps his arms around her waist and then releases her immediately and tilts his head to the side.  "Hi Mama.  Was there something that you wanted?"

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Take me outside, sit in the green garden (Myranda Royce and Robert Arryn; June 25, 2012)

[aspiringtobewicked-deactivated2]

She swallows. She was a good actress, usually - a good liar, but somehow, she didn’t really feel like lying in front of a ten year old. She sighed and forced a tensed smile on her lips. “It’s nothing, Robin, really. I just don’t have a lot of money. But it’s going to be okay! I’m going to get out of trouble, don’t worry about it - really.” She affectionately stroked his hair, then stopped, wondering if he even liked to be touched. Maybe he thought it was condescending and would resent it. She took her hand out brusquely, as if something had burnt her hand. Before he could answer, she added quickly : “You put a spider in your bodyguard’s cereal?! Damn, you’re good, kid. I wasn’t half as imaginative as you are when I was your age,” she smiled again, this time for real. 

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Randa looks so worried and Robin starts to feel really concerned.  He takes a bite of his scone as he stares at Randa, waiting for her to answer him.  When she does, his expression lightens and he actually laughs.  Why would money be such a problem?  The trouble is kinda worrisome, but Randa sounds worried about nothing.  ”Is that all it is?  That’s not a problem.  I’ve got money.  I have my own account.  I’ll give you some!  How much do you need?”

Randa reaches out and strokes his hair and Robin blushes as she does so.  It’s such a nice feeling and completely different than when Mama does things like this.  Feels so much better, though it’s not bad when Mama does it.  Randa removes her hand with a strange expression and Robin wants to grab onto it, though he thinks that would weird Randa out, so he doesn’t.

“Oh yeah!  I did.  He totally wasn’t expecting that.”  He remembers the man’s face and laughs again.  ”I thought it was going to leap out and scare him, but actually, it was dead.”  Robin was a bit disappointed when he realized that it had drowned, but not enough to stop laughing.  He gives a wide smile when Randa compliments him again.  ”Thank you!  I try to be.”  He takes another sip of his tea.  This is the most fun he’s had in a while, which is weird, cuz all they’re doing is hanging out outside and having tea.

[myabaratheon]

hold on tight, beginner's mind | robert and mya [august 2]

Today seemed like a good day as any to venture down to the library. As she clod through the house, she saw Robert in his room, as usual, and quirked her lips to the side. The young Arryn rarely went outside, and the library seemed as good a place to take a fragile child such as him. So she backed up a step and stuck her head inside the doorway, “Hey Robert, you want to go to the library? I’m heading down there now.” She smiled at the boy and raised her eyebrows in an excited manner.

[aneaglefromwales-blog]

Robin is so, so bored.  It's summer and he should not be this irritated with everything, but he is.  Maybe it's because summer's ending soon and he can't have so much fun with the things he thinks are fun.  Things get less fun when they're about to end, Robin thinks.  He also notices things more, enjoys things more, but not today.  Today he's annoyed at everything--at his games, at his toys, at the T.V.  

Robin studies the action figure he's holding--a blue and red robot--and starts to twist it's arm around, all the way around until it snaps off.  He looks at the now broken toy, then does the same with the other arm and both the legs, and then takes the remain of the toy and throws it at the wall.

They're going to London in a few days and Robin doesn't know how he feels about it.  He doesn't really want to go to London, but he thinks it can have a good time there.  Anyway, in all his stories, the hero goes off to another city or another world and it has to be big and scary but they go anyway and they get better and he's planning on getting super powers there.  So, yes.  He think he could like London.

Mya sticks her head in and Robin almost covers her head with his pillow, ignoring her.  She's probably just here to fuss at him or something, but then she mentions the library and he rolls over to face her.  He stares at her for several second and then sits up and pushes himself off the bed, standing up and walking over for Mya.  "Sure.  Why not.  Let's go."