Little Stag

Robb Baratheon Crown Prince Beyond the Wall Son of King Gendry and Queen Arya Baratheon The True King

[allfchelp-blog]

Joslyn dropped what she was doing and crossed her arms over her chest narrowing her gaze at Robb. “I am taking orders from my Queen. Make sure you return to the wall safe and to inform King Gender of what happened. Don’t fight with me right now Robb, you wont like what I have to say or do to make you shut up.”

[robb-baratheon-blog]

The words twisted like a knife in his belly, and he slid off the back of his horse slowly, stumbling on the frozen ground. "The wall? I shall not," his anger boiled up out of him in a way he could not control, fingertips trembling as he spoke, "I shall not return." His feet were moving before he could even think about it, stumbling backwards before he turned, legs moving far too slowly back, back to where they came.

[allfchelp-blog]

Stopping her horse Joslyn dropped off and started ordering men to set up camp. It was getting colder meaning they needed to set up camp sooner with nightfall coming sooner. “I heard that.” Joslyn said getting a compass out of the bag on his horse that was technically hers. They some how ended up swapping horses at some point on the ride. “We’re following orders and meeting up with Gendery.”

[robb-baratheon-blog]

"Of course you did," he snapped, patience already running thin, "and you have the nerve to challenge me? I do not care what orders we were following, we left both Arya and Kem behind! They are our family, as much as Gendry is." His breath came out harsh, gusts of fog into the freezing air. "And what help will we be at the wall?"

[robb-baratheon-blog]

The saddle dug uncomfortably into his thighs, the leather chord of the reins forced tightly between his hands. The air was notably getting colder, but it brought almost more pain than comfort, realizing how far away they had drifted from the capital - and Arya. His eyes drifted to the side slightly, catching sight of Joslyn through the snowflakes that were slowly starting to drift down and collect upon his lashes. "We should never have left," he whispered, half-hoping that the wind tore the words away, "Not without Arya. Not without our mother."

[kembaratheon-blog]

Robb, Robb, Robb — where are you, Robb?

He had left Joslyn behind to go search the lad as he promised he would. Though the situation had not gotten any better, he forced himself to keep going, to find him and take him back to where Kem knew Jos was waiting. It was a hard thing to do, even with his height, scanning the panicked crowd and hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy. Hoping to pick up a trait, maybe that shaggy hair of his, that would make Kem breathe out in relief. But there was not a single trace of him. If the gods were good, he had made it out already, maybe even met Arya along the way. If they were cruel, well… Kem just hoped that, for once, the Mother would actually do her job.

There was a scream to his left then — a sharp one, outraged, and on its own, his head snapped to the left. A man had revealed a dagger, a man who had gone mad, clearly, and was now approaching innocent bystanders. Approaching him. There was bloodlust in his eyes, so terrible to behold that it threatened to freeze Kem’s life in his veins. But there was no time to act, none at all. He was close too quickly. With a gasp, the dead stag raised his arms to defend himself, but that only gave the man opportunity to drive the blade into his side, in between his ribs. The pain was sharp, shooting up his body. It burned, and as the man shoved Kem off his dagger, blood spurted out the wound, soaking his dark tunic and fingers as he pressed them against it. So this was what getting stabbed felt like, a part of his brain laughed. For a few moment — the man having just walked by — he stood, attempting to get himself together. But there were no words on Kem’s lips, none that cried out for help. He stumbled, but still pushed forward, still tried to find Robb. He had to find him, he had to find Robb.

[robb-baratheon-blog]

It didn’t take a wise man to establish that Robb was cowering. He’d backed himself into the corner on pure instinct, instinct that, on later reflection, revealed to be faulty. The crowd had gone wild, after - that scene, and he had to admit, he, too, was clutched by the urge to scream, fight his way out of the hall the best way he knew how, but now he was stuck, with nowhere to go, and ignorant of his family’s location. The crowd kept pushing, kept shoving, and he hissed softly as someone stopped on his toes, none too kindly.

A particularly loud scream had his head whipping around, hair flying around his face as his eyes scanned the crowd, heart pounding in his throat. If someone else had been hurt - the panic swelled even stronger, thicker in his mind, and only now did his feet move, scuffing across the cobblestone. He practically tripped as he fled, pushing himself from the wall, eyes wild. The crowd chose to move at that exact moment, spreading from a single epicenter, a figure bent over in the chaos. “Kem,” he breathed out softly, reaching out as if in a dream, “Kem, Kem, damn it!” He could see the blood dripping onto the stones, oozing out from between Kem’s tightly clenched fingers. He somehow made it to the man’s side, ignoring the elbows that dug into his sides and the nails that scratched up his forearms. “What’s the matter? Who got to you? We - we need to get you to safety, I don’t know where anyone else is-”

[allfchelp-blog]

Holding him she closed her eyes tight. “Come on. Just get on my horse. All you have to do is sit-okay?” Where was Gendery when she needed him? He would know how to get Robb moving without coddling him.

[robb-baratheon-blog]

He flung his arms around her back, burying his face in her shoulder for as long as he thought he could. "Okay," he whispered back, reaching out for the reigns of the horse with shaking hands, "okay. Thank you," he said suddenly, keeping her eyes, "for keeping us safe."

[edric--storm]

See it this way, if I wanted to stab you, I would have done so already. I do understand your mistrust, though. [Edric grabbed the young man by the upper arm; hard, his fingers digged in deep so he could not be torn away from him.] First lesson: you stick them with the pointy end. Chest and throat are the spots you want to go for. [Now he half shoved, half dragged Robb along, his elbows coming out to make room for the two.] The stables are a safe bet. If you do not find your family, you can always make an escape on horseback, ride back to wherever your home is.

[robb-baratheon-blog]

I - yes, fair enough. My apologies, I can't - I can't seem to think straight right now. [His hands were shaking when he looked down at the dagger, but he tightened his fingers around the hilt anyways, forcing a nod] Pointy end, chest, throat. Understood. I - I can do that. [His feet stumbled over the floor as he struggled to keep up, desperate not to be left behind] And what about you? You need to find safety as well.

[princetyriaghar]

…yes, alright. And I’m glad you’re safe. If you would’ve been hurt, I - I wouldn’t have known what to do.

I’m just - I’m not. If it’s the Tyrells who’re attacking us they wouldn’t hurt me, I’m a Tyrell, too, if not in name then in blood. You won’t be able to find them, not in this mess! Just - follow me. 

[robb-baratheon-blog]

Then don't - don't think about it. We're both safe, we're unhurt. You don't need to do anything.

That's only so promising! I can't bear to see you hurt, and taking chances will do neither of us any good. Follow you, right, good, I can do that. I'm good at that, following.

[edric--storm]

That is fantastic to hear, Robb. Stabbing is quite unpleasant, let me assure you. A dirk in your belly would be such an inconvenience. Breathe in and out, and stay close. Here. [From his belt, Edric drew a dagger and pressed it hilt-first into the lad’s hand.] Push comes to shove, you use that. And you do not think about it — you just do. [Edric’s own pulse had sped up, beating hard under his jaw now. He is as alarmed as anyone else, scared that Shireen might’ve caught up in all this, but his battle-trained mind helped him to stay focused.] I’m right behind you, lad. Press on. And don’t forget to breathe.

[robb-baratheon-blog]

You don't say? Although you sound as if you're speaking from experience, and how do I know you won't stab me yourself? [Something in the man's voice made him fight to slow his breathing, until he almost felt normal once more] Do what? I've never been trained for such a weapon - [but he takes it anyways, because it feels like the right thing to do - like the thing Arya would do.] Where are we going? I need to know where we're going.

[allfchelp-blog]

"I am under order to get you away from here." She hissed. "Robb get on the horse or I will knock you out so help me! We need away from here, we’ll meet up with them by sunrise."

[robb-baratheon-blog]

He wanted to protest, wanted to fight, anything to force her to let him stay, but any energy he had slipped from his shoulders, until he was slouched over, crying for seemingly no reason. "What if they don't make it?"

[allfchelp-blog]

"When that comes I will be dead for being wrong." She stated gripping the collar of Robb’s shirt. Standing around was getting them nowhere. Yanking on the collar she lead him away from the room and outside she laughed. "These people-you would think they were the ones who were raised at the wall from how they behave! Get on your horse." Rubbing her eyes she let go of him.

[robb-baratheon-blog]

"I'll carve it above your grave," he grumbled, following her swiftly, "Joslyn, finally wrong." Finally outside, his hands started shaking, dagger falling to the ground. "We can't - we can't leave yet, we have to wait, make sure Mother and Kem get out safe. We have to wait."

[princetyriaghar]

I’m - fine. I’ve not been cut or anything, it’s just that the blood, it - it went - it doesn’t matter. 

Bullshit. We’re both in danger but if we try to get outside the castle we’ll be out in the open. We have to hide until this is over. 

[robb-baratheon-blog]

Of course it matters, I'm just - I'm glad you're not hurt, alright?

How do you know you're not fucking next? I can't just hide, I have to find - my mother, and Joslyn, and - gods, you're probably right, of course you are. Where can we even go?

[allfchelp-blog]

"You can if it means we get out of here." Joslyn pulled him close. "We have to leave. Now. The sooner we ride out of here the sooner I can regret being right all the time." Seeing Robb like this was killing her. "Come on. I’ll do all the stabbing you just have to follow. The men are getting the horses, Kem and Mom will meet up with us."

[robb-baratheon-blog]

"When you're finally wrong, I will lord it over you," his nerves forced the words out, and he bounced the dagger from hand to hand. "How about no one does any stabbing," he said, vaguely hysterical, "and then everyone stops killing people at important functions, fuck!"

[edric--storm]

Keep it together. Do you want to be trampled to death? No? Stabbed? Not to your fancy? Good. Then you need to take a deep breath and keep it together. If it’ll help, my name’s Edric Storm. And trust me, I did not want this, either. 

I understand your fear. My cousin is out here, somewhere. But we’ll find your family, alright? But you have to concentrate.

[robb-baratheon-blog]

No, I - I can't say it does, not entirely, not at all, actually, I would like to make it out of here entirely un-stabbed. Edric Storm, right, okay, thank you, Edric, yes, although maybe I should save my thanks until we're both not dead.

Oh, right, because concentrating right now is so easy, of course, how could I have forgotten? Just concentrate, Robb, then everything will be perfectly alright!

[lxttlewxlf-blog]

" Robb! Listen to me…GO NOW!" she said to him as she steeled her eyes on him harshly " I need you to be safe, you and Jos, she is already getting the men…GO…you are not fighting in this…i am not losing another one of my family over a wedding the gods will be dammed if i allow that to happen. " 

[robb-baratheon-blog]

"But-" His protests died on his lips, and he lunged forward swiftly, hugging his mother as tightly as he knew how. "Be safe," he whispered, words catching, "we'll tell Father everything if you - if you don't -" he couldn't let himself finish, just pulled back and shook his head.

[princetyriaghar]

Robb!

Robb, are you alright? Have you been hurt?

[robb-baratheon-blog]

Gods, Tyr, I'm - I'm fine, I - what about you? 

You have to get out of here, you're in more danger than I am!

[allfchelp-blog]

Scrambling over to Robb she pulled him into her arms keeping him there for probably to long. “I know.” She whispered kissing the side of his head. “Mom told me.” It took an event like this for her to finally call Arya Mom. “Come on.” Pulling her dagger she handed it to him. “It’s not a bow but, it’ll help us out of here.” 

[robb-baratheon-blog]

The dagger felt foreign in his hand, and he knew he was clutching it wrong anyways. "I can't - stab anyone Jos, are you insane?" His voice cracked slightly, and he dragged an arm across his eyes, trying in vain to get his breathing evened out. "You were right, of course you were, I should have never come."

[allfchelp-blog]

Yelling, screaming, and shoving was what the room turned into. Joslyn had been shoved aside and nearly trampled on. Pushing someone out of her way she looked for Robb or Kem or Arya one of them. Quickly she decided to find her brother first. “Robb!” If he got hurt because of a grown man’s selfish childish acts heads would roll. “Get out of my way!” 

[robb-baratheon-blog]

Somehow, Robb managed to hear Joslyn's voice over the din, ducking under the outstretched arms of one man and twisting through the crowd. "Joslyn!" His scream is weak, torn through with the sound of the tears that won't stop falling, seven hells. He practically tripped into her arms, clutching at her sides jerkily. "Jos - we need - we need to get out of here, where is everyone else?"