Black Widow's Band

[Lilith Royce]

The Black Widow's Band moved through Winterfell territory, letting people know they were going to be setting up a field hospital at the wall, collecting supplies as they went.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Ser Hill takes a moment to send a letter from Winterfell to King's Landing. Informing Piers of their location and progress.

[Lilith Royce]

Petra was tired after a long day of travel and sword and bandage practice. Her mother hadn't even read to her that night, just told a silly story about how Brave Ser Beetle had fought off a hundred foes, and finished it with her normal "and Brave Ser Beetle loves you, and I love you" and then left her in the charge of Ser Xavier Hill, her tent friend for the night.

Petra found she couldn't sleep. The Brave Ser Beetle story brought up so many questions, the sort that her mother would never give a real answer to, so she tried them on Ser X, her new friend.

In a sleepy voice, the questions came tumbling out. "Who's Ser Beetle? Is he really brave? Is he my father? Is that why Momma says he loves me? Does he really love me? Why do you have eyes the same color as all the beetle blue things he sends me?"

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Ser Hill shifted in his seat, and looked at the entrance to the tent they were both in. For several seconds he stared at the flaps. Then he leaned forward putting both of his feet on the floor and looked at Petra's shadowy shape, "I know a little something about wanting to know who your father is. When I was your age every night I went to sleep thinking about the same thing. So I will answer your questions."

"First Ser Beetle is a nickname for Lord Piers Bettley of Lannisport, the Master of Coins. He is occasionally brave; he doesn't fear death like other people. Yet he is petrified of some things, his father hurt him so he his afraid of that happening again."

"He is your father. Yes that is why your momma says that. He does love you. And we have the same eye color because we are kin. I am related to Ser Beetle." He paused and smiled in the dark, "Any other questions?"

[Lilith Royce]

"You are very good at answering questions," said Petra with quite a bit of awe in her voice. "My momma is a remarkable woman" (Xavier can hear echoes of camp gossip in that phrase) "but she's not that good with questions sometimes." She took a deep breath and another torrent of questions emerged.

"Why did you want to know your father? Are you like me with a remarkable mother? Did your father love you? Why did you think about your father all the time? Why does Momma call (Petra hesitated slightly) Lord Piers Bettley Ser Beetle if that isn't his name? What is a Master of Coins? Can he do conjure tricks like that man at fair and make a silver disappear? Why is Petrafied bad? I think being me would be fun. How did his father hurt him? Why does he just send presents but not visit?" She paused for a second. "You are a very nice present though, so I must be grateful for what I receive. If you are related to Ser Beetle and I am a little Beetle, are we kin too?" She sounded happy at this thought.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Xavier suddenly realized the why Lilith did not answer all of the girl's questions. He shrugged and smiled, he had started down this path on his own might as well finish it.

"I wanted to know my father because I didn't know my father. Yes my mother was remarkable, at least I realize that now, when I was your age I was mad at her a lot. My father never knew me. He left us when I was young. I wanted to know who my father was, and what he was doing all the time. I thought he was a great warrior. And that mom was hiding him from me."

"I think your momma calls Piers Ser Beetle, because Ser Beetle is hard to say. A Master of Coin is responsible for paying for the Kingdom, and making new coin. Piers can conjure coins and do Tricks, but not because he is the Master of Coin. Petrified is bad because if doesn't have anything to do with you, it means turn to stone. I am called Hill, but I am not a hill. You see."

"How Piers' father hurt him, that is his question to answer, ask him when you meet. He sends presents because he loves you, and he doesn't come visit you because he is busy. The Master of Coins is a very tiresome position. Your a welcome, I am glad you enjoy my company. Yes we are kin, I am your uncle."

"Now I have a question for you, little missy. Why do you ask so many questions?" Xavier chuckles at the little one.

[Lilith Royce]

She gave a deep sleep chuckle in response. 'Momma says I was born to question everything. Most people in the camp have decided I ask too many questions.'

She paused. 'Thank you for not thinking that.' She reached her little hand out and patted him. 'Uncle...Uncle X, I like that.'

She sounded very sleepy and murmered something that sounded remarkably like 'I will kill your enemies' and then started snoring very gently.

[Lilith Royce]

Petra and Xavier were playing knucklebones in her tent. He had volunteered to be her "tent friend" for the evening, protecting her while Lilith and the others were celebrating the victory at the wall. As in most competitive sports, Petra showed unerring skill.

[Lilith Royce]

A messenger ran ahead of Lilith and Piers and delivered a message that a visitor might be coming to meet Petra. Xavier nodded to the messenger after he read the note and told Petra she needed to brush her hair before bed. Petra was confused by this but obeyed.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Just at the outskirts of the camp Piers froze. Staring at the tents he turned to Lilith and shook his head, "I can not. It is for Petra's own good. It would have been better if Hill had never told her who I was."

Piers turned as if to leave, but did not walk away, "I am sorry. I just can not." His shoulders slumped like a beaten man.

[Lilith Royce]

Lilith could see the pain in his eyes and gently took his hands.

"My love, you do not have to explain demons to me. I have had so many of my own. But I do tell you demons need to be fought. You stand there like a new recruit before a battle, a doe caught in the glare of a torch."

She paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "And you are right, like them, that this could end badly. Petra can be a perverse little creature. She might not greet you kindly. She might shout abuse or be stonily silent. But those weapons, like the arrows that come at young recruits, can be survived. This battle is one of the great ones of your life, you will be fighting for love, and for family."

He seems to draw himself even further inside his shell but she continued anyway. "I never expected to find love with you, m'dear, but I have, and one reason is because I know you return my love. In all the madness of these years, your warmth has strengthened me. Yes, you will be risking harm to yourself and perhaps even Petra by meeting her, but the harm at cutting out that most tender piece of your soul is far, far greater."

Lilith straightened her shoulders. "You are no coward, Brave Ser Beetle, meet this as you would any other challenge."

Somehow her daughter must have sensed some conversation in the enclosure for she took just that moment to climb out of her tent. The white of her nightdress shimmered in the light of the camp fire. Piers glanced towards her.

"Yes, that is her," said Lilith quietly.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

Out of instinct buried so deep Piers moved back several steps where the shadow engulfed him. Looking at the white dress, he dry swallowed in the night. "I am surely going to die. Soon. With the enemies I have made. My life is nearly at an end."

His wide eyes did not abandon the sight of his little girl, "Knowing that is the case. Is it not selfish to force my presence on her. Would I not just be meeting her for my own pleasure. It feels wrong to me. Every bone in my body is telling me to run. And my instincts have only been wrong once."

The white dress disapeared back into her tent, and Piers turned his gaze to Lilith, "My love, I have seen here and I know. If I met her she will become like me. I just know it." He shook his head saddly. "She may become like me even if I don't met her. But if I do it is guarenteed, do you wish that on her?"

[Lilith Royce]

"Do I wish for her your quick wit, your lightening reflexes, your loyalty, your ability to love? Oh yes, my love."

He looked about to deny her.

"Yes, you have lived an unsavory life, and no I don't wish that for her, but she is not you. She has shields already that I think you have never had. She has been loved, that will protect her."

Lilith continued, very softly. "Your longing to meet her is the very best of you, my love. Let it happen."

Xavier Hill had joined the small figure in the white night dress and they began walking towards Lilith and Piers.

[Bunny-Rabbit]

"Lilith the acts I have committed, they are not the past acts of reformed man. I have committed murders this year. Did you hear the plurality of that. Horrible things that if you knew about you would turn your back to me." He looked down at Xavier for a second, "Your love may have blinded you, but I have a feeling Petra will see with my eyes. She will know what I am the second her eyes touch me."

"I am a bad man Lilith. End this folly, save our daughter from me." Piers begged her, "The blood I have spilled, the blood I will spill, and yet I feel no remorse. I sleep easily at night. Do you want that for her."

His face reddened "The Seven damn you. You are robbing me of my eloquence. Please?" Piers stared at Lilith with hot eyes.

[Lilith Royce]

Lilith sadly knew the truth of his words, and yet there was something beyond them that had to be said.

"Your conscience is standing there in a white night gown, my love, and it is time you met her. Just as I had to struggle with the demons of death and despair, you must struggle with the demon of redemption."

"Mama?" called the young clear voice.