saddled & sickened

"Your words wound me, my love." In reality he paid little attention to what she was saying, an unfortunate side-effect of being a man. It wasn't that he cared little what Alira said, but rather he had long grown accustomed to her blunt banter. "Besides, I'm sure at least five will show up." And that was his humor— dry, but accustomed with his toothy pearly whites in a grin that he knew made Alira melt. Or at least that's what he assumed, he could never tell.

Alira Stark, more Lannister than wolf. They rarely expressed pleasantries with each other that weren't riddled with subliminal insults and light jabs, but there was no one in this world he cherished most. Sure, he rarely showed it. Some days coming to their chambers later than a regular Lord would, other days drinking himself half to death and showing up to be cared for like a baby. She never turned him away though, as many times as he royally fucked up and shit the bed. Was that love? He couldn't tell.

"You know I hate these kind of festivities." In reality he didn't; any opportunity to drink was a welcomed opportunity. Of course, Alira would never know that. While his wife got ready he remained fixed on their bed, perched in a position where his crown rested in the palm of his hand and his piercing, black eyes rested squarely on Alira as she got ready. Most Lords would have scolded their wife for taking it upon themselves to do something so grandiose and expensive without their approval, but Cassius - poor, poor Cassius - was a sucker for watching his beloved pretty herself up.

"Who are our guests, tonight? Will the other houses be attending?" He stirred little from his position, merely watched. "You look absolutely... terrible."

ALIRA STARK

"Some Lannisters?" he interjected, catching her deliberate attempt at sweeping such a crucial detail under the rug. Any attempt for him to question her upon it was lost as she danced towards him, cascading any thoughts he may have had to the back of his mind. She had that effect on him. It hadn't dawned on him the potential fracture of her southern family, for he rarely indulged learning or embracing that side of Alira. She had accepted her role and place at the helm of the Stark family, but it was times like this that reminded him that she was still very much a Lannister and cared about their position in the world.

"If that is what you desire, than so be it." A simple answer. No longer sprawled along their bed, he leaned forward as she grew close. Moments like these were so few and far between. When they weren't bickering and threatening to rip each other's heads off, Cassius was dealing with the daily nuances of being Lord of Winterfell, and Alira as Lady of Winterfell. With the impeding civil war approaching, as she so predicted, he knew it was only a matter of time until moments like this ceased to exist. "Starks and Lannisters, two sides of a very different cloth. Together as one-- who would have thought."

If not for Alira such a thing would have never happened. Cassius recognized the opportunity for what it was worth, and though he would never outright say that it was a good idea (some things his pride would just never allow), he made an effort to show it by placing his hands on both sides of his consort's hips, pulling her close until his arms wrapped around her torso. His embrace was rough, forceful even; if she decided to fight it, he probably would not have even noticed. Still, he was aware enough to not disrupt her clothing and ruin all of her hard work.

"And who's side shall our united forces take? His words grew muffled as he rested his face against the softness of her bosom, not an overtly sexual gesture but one he simply found soothing. "Our King nurtured three children, none of whom I can see effectively leading the realm. With weakness comes vulnerability. I—" He paused, correcting himself. "We can not afford to support a losing side."

ALIRA STARK

Death. That was usually what entailed when it came to conflicts like this. Many were quick to declare war, but few were ready for the countless bodies that would be left in it's wake. Fortunately, the North benefited from its large expanse and bitter winters, but those of southern cities weren't so lucky. The Lannisters specifically would be vulnerable from many fronts. What allowed them to remain so rich and live such luxurious lives would be the very same thing that would drive invading forces directly towards them. Cassius, for what it was worth, cared not for what happened to them. If Alira wanted them on their side, he would oblige. If she wanted them eradicated, he'd be the sword at their neck.

Whatever she needed to be happy, she would get. There was no fighting her on such matters.

"I figured you would say that." He sounded smug, perhaps for more reasons than he liked to show. It was no secret the disdain his wife had for his longest friend, though he could barely blame her. He had never given her a reason to trust him when it came to beautiful women, especially ones that he shared such a rich history with. When she ran her fingers through his mane however he nearly cooed, his eyes resting beneath the weight of such a serene feeling. He could have sat their for eternity and be content, but the feeling was transient. She nudged at his chin, readjusting his crown until both their eyes locked onto the others. Stern, unmoving; not even the mightiest of valyrian swords could have shattered such a fortified gaze.

She was just so damn sexy when she took charge.

"Fuck the Targaryens." He repeated verbatim, almost sounding it out to himself. It went against every fiber of his being to go against the only other family that had cared for his existence. "The North can not simply disregard the ruling body of the realm, Alira. There will be consequences. Daeron would not shed a tear if Winterfell is wiped out, much of the same with Rhaegar. If they rise to the throne and take power, there will be war against us if we are not there to support them." He noticeably left Alysanne out. She would never dare raise a hand to him, even if her position as Queen demanded her so. To that end she would be a weak ruler, but what made her feeble was the very thing that made Cassius love her. Alira would never be able to understand, and to his detriment Cassius would never try to explain.

"I have never doubted the lengths you will go to protect me and our family, and I never will." He tugged at her waist once more, pulling her closer while his right hand softly swept the back of her legs until she was secured firmly on his lap. His face leaned in close, but he resisted the urge to have his lips caress hers. "But it sounds like you want me to declare the North a sovereign nation once more. Is that what you really think is best? All our friends will become our enemies. All our enemies will wait until we are at our weakest and then strike when we are most vulnerable. Winterfell will not escape unscathed."

ALIRA STARK

A smiling face, but a smirking mind? It made little sense to Cassius, one who was easy to read and wore his emotions on his sleeve, but clearly Alira was well versed in the skill. She spoke of it almost as if it was an art form to be mastered, not a temporary tool. Did that make him a practice dummy?

He didn't question her on it, however. His thoughts wandered, sure, but her words made enough sense to him that he simply accepted them for what they were worth. Picking a side prematurely would be a mistake; picking the wrong one would mean death. It was a fine line to maintain, with everything resting on the actions of others. With her hand resting on his neck however, his brow perked. It felt threatening, but was gentle. Her voice was soft, but portrayed an iciness that was colder than the bitterest winter day in Winterfell. He wanted to fight her on it, he really did. Alysanne was perhaps his closest friend, she deserved at least that.

But Cassius knew his wife. It was best to accept defeat rather than put up a futile fight.

"Seems to me like you are just waiting for the right opportunity." He cooed in return, moving his face away from hers in mock disgust, only to bring it right back not even a moment later. As much as his body naturally resisted her fingers hovering near one of its most sensitive locations, there was something... provocative about being so vulnerable. In reality, Cassius feared no one. He had stared down the barrel of death on many occasions and came out victorious. But if there was anyone that genuinely put the fear of the Old Gods into him, it was Alira. Her words weren't just bold, she really was about that life.

Frankly, it turned him on to such a degree that even through her gown she'd feel his excitement.

"I'll keep her in check." He resisted the urge to throw on to the bed and pin her arms forcibly above her head, even though he knew she would probably enjoy it. "But not for you. Your jealousy is unbecoming, dear. There's nothing between Alysanne and I, we are just old friends..." He watched her reaction, still very aware her hand had not moved. "Who may have, once or twice, fucked on an occasion. But there's nothing between us, you have nothing to worry about."

ALIRA STARK