Chapter 10

Serafina smiled as she prepared the bed. She would have hummed, if she could have been sure that no one would hear her. Not that she wanted to be too confident yet, but still she couldn't help but to be quite pleased with herself. Handling Robb Stark had been much easier than she had dared to hope. After a careful observation, she had quickly figured out who he wanted her to be. A submissive little "servant girl". Typical. What man would ever fantasize about a smart and resourceful woman?

Apparently most of them only wanted a woman who kept her mouth shut and obediently spread her legs for them whenever they felt like it. Was she disappointed, yes. Surprised, no. Seeing her like this clearly pleased him, but if she wasn't mistaken, he was also somewhat ashamed by his naughty need to dominate her. That was an interesting and a very useful conflict. She was quite sure that she was safe from violation. And she was even surer that he would protect her from his men.

All she needed to give to him in return was the impression that he was the one who had all the power. Poor helpless little her needed a big strong man to protect her from all the other men. Well, technically that was true, but she certainly wasn't afraid of someone like Theon Greyjoy. The man hardly seemed smart and she believed that she could have manipulated him quite easily, if she would have needed to. Right now it seemed that she wouldn't have to, she didn't believe for a moment that Robb Stark had any intention to "borrow" her to anyone.

Deep down he was an honorable man. A man who didn't rape women. Yet she was pretty sure that he was very much attracted to her. Or more like the version of her she had carefully created for him. The helpless girl who was completely at his mercy. Who humbly served him and knelt before him. She doubted that he would have wanted the real her. No one ever had. Not that it mattered. She had worn different masks her whole life.

His attraction to her was something she could use, but she needed to be very careful. Even an honorable man no doubt had his limits and it would be very stupid to test them. A foot massage, a light touch , an innocent smile… She had estimated that those would be safe enough, but she had to admit that she was in a foreign territory. Obviously her father had never allowed her to spend time alone with men and she hadn't really wanted to.

As amusing as it was, the man whose company she had enjoyed the most was Varys. They weren't friends and obviously she didn't trust him any more than he trusted her, but he was the only man besides her father who actually wanted to know what she thought. Of course she chose the thoughts she shared with him carefully and she was aware why he talked to her in the first place, but she also sensed that he respected her a little bit. The only man who respected her because of her thoughts was a eunuch. That was so sad that it was funny.

She didn't think that she would ever marry an intelligent man who would appreciate her as his companion. Instead she had hoped for a good-natured and perhaps a little simple lord who she could subtly guide. To her that would be the best case scenario, but she knew better than to expect such luck. Right now her only goal was make it through this alive and hopefully untouched.

She had learned new things about men while sharing a bed with one. Despite his attraction, he hadn't touched her, but he moved a lot in his sleep and it hadn't been difficult to see what he dreamt about. Well, according to Jaime, all men wanted only that one thing. Serafina had been 14 when Jaime had thought that it was his duty as her older brother to warn her about men. Her septa have had that conversation with her when she had been 10, but she had still appreciated Jaime's concern.

That was what she was to Jaime, a little sister who needed his protection. Not that she minded, she genuinely liked her brother. Maybe she couldn't understand some of the choices he had made, but still. Right now she was the one who was helping him though. Robb Stark had actually listened to her shy and humble plea and allowed Jaime to wash himself.

She had rewarded him with endless gratitude and by kneeling at his feet like a good little servant. She hadn't felt humiliated by any of this, to her this was a role she was forced to play at the moment. Yet she really needed to remember not to go too far. For a brief moment she allowed herself to close her eyes and imagine that she was home. She would have given a lot if she could have spent just one night in her own bed in the privacy of her own chamber with Naeva. She was Serafina's sand cat.

Serafina has had Naeva ever since she had been a kitten. She had been a gift from one of her father's friends and Serafina was very attached to her. Thankfully she never took Naeva with her when she traveled, the cat stayed in Casterly Rock. She was probably the only real friend Serafina had ever had. No one knew how much she cared about that cat; she didn't want anyone to know. She couldn't have that kind of weaknesses; her father had taught her that. Quickly she opened her eyes when she heard someone entering the tent.

"Hi there," she said when she saw Robb Stark's wolf. The large animal looked at her calmly. She wasn't afraid of him, he had never growled at her. "So, where is your master?"

There was no sign of him. Serafina smiled at the wolf and walked over to the table.

"Are you hungry, friend?"

The wolf tilted his head and looked at her curiously.

"Well, I have your master's supper here, I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving you a taste."

The wolf let out a bark and headed to the table. Carefully Serafina picked up a piece of meat and gave it to the wolf that gobbled it immediately.

"Good boy," Serafina laughed and petted the wolf's head. "You surely are a handsome fellow. Grey Wind, was it?"

The wolf let out a bark.

"A handsome name for a handsome wolf."

She knelt and continued petting the wolf. He wagged his tail and licked her cheek.

"Good boy," she murmured. For a moment she forgot where she was, she felt very calm. That ended quickly when she looked up and noticed Robb Stark staring at her.