Chapter 1 ~ Winter is Coming ~

I stood with my brothers as we watched Bran try and fail to hit the target with his arrows, he's been trying and failing for the last few hours and it was getting sad, I watched as he aimed at the target again and let the string go, the arrow sailed too high over the target and slammed into the wall behind it. My brothers Robb, Jon and little Rickon chuckled quietly to themselves, I decided it was time to take Bran under my wing, I'd been shooting since 10 and by now could be considered an excellent shot. 

 

Stepping through the muck and mud that was on the ground, not bothering to pull up my skirts because they were already caked at the hemline and they'd be a lost cause. I put my hands on either shoulder of my brother and leant down to talk to him, his shoulders were hunched in sadness and he was disappointed that he couldn't make the shot, the other boys were still snickering when our father spoke up from the walkway above us, Ned Stark stood proudly next to my mother Catelyn, "and which one of you was a marksman at 10" he said, the boys quickly quieted down. 

 

"You can do this Bran," I said, putting my fingers under his chin to tilt his head up so he could look me in the eyes, "just imagine the target as Robb's fat head and you will never miss," I said with a smirk, I spoke loud enough for my brothers and parents to hear, Jon laughed loudly as Robb fake glowered in my direction, I patted Bran on the shoulders and went to stand next to Robb with a large grin on my face. 

 

"Fathead?" He said with a raised eyebrow, my grin got bigger when I looked at him and nodded, I heard an arrow fly through the air and hit the targets bullseye, the arrow wasn't Brans though, it was Arya's she mock bowed at him and ran as he took off after her. 

 

"Faster Bran!" I shouted as they disappeared from view, I looked to my father who was now discussing something with Rodrik Cassel, mother looked at Jon and her eyes flared in disgust before turning her back on us, her hatred for Jon was something I could understand but at the same time I hated it, my father had been unfaithful during the War and when he came home to us he had a small baby, as a child, all I could see was another sibling not quite understanding the situation, it wasn't until my 10th name-day that I finally realised what was going on and why mother treated Jon the way she did, it didn't change the way I felt about him though, Jon was my brother, bastard or not I cared for him. 

 

Rickon handed me some arrows that Bran had shot and ran off to collect some more when mother came up to me "Ris, I need you to do something" she said quietly, mother and I were always close, I was there for every birth of my siblings, holding her hand, telling her she was doing good, so when she asked me to do something it usually meant she wanted it to be done right. 

 

"Anything mother, you know that," I said, I put the arrow in their quiver and turned to hold her hands, her face was contorted with worry which made me stomach clench. 

 

"Your father is taking Bran to watch an execution, go and make sure your brother will be okay" she met my eyes and I nodded, she didn't like that I did unladylike things, but we'd agreed on one of my name-days that if I could balance my studies I could learn to fight, ride and the like, I was there for Robb and Jon when they had gotten old enough to see the King's justice served and I would be there for Bran and Rickon as well. 

 

"Of course mother, you don't have to ask" I kissed her cheek before leaving to ready my horse and help Bran with his. 

 

—————

 

I stood with my hands placed on Bran's shoulders, as a sign of comfort, as we watched a deserter from the Night's Watch get dragged to the chopping block that had been the place of executions for thousands of years, old blood had marked the fallen tree for what it was, a sign that told people exactly what would happen if you did something that warranted a brutal punishment.

 

Soft footsteps sound in the mud as Jon came to stand beside us, father began to murmur about the Kings law when Jon spoke up in a bare whisper so only Bran and I could hear "don't look away, father will know if you do" I squeezed Bran's shoulders again as father raised our families sword and brought it down on the deserter's neck, like a hot knife through lard it took his head clean off and I felt Bran tense under my hands. 

 

"You did well," I said, kissing the top of his head as the Night Watchmen's body slumped to the ground and father handed Ice back to Theon to clean, I turned Bran back to his pony and readied him to go back to Winterfell. 

 

"Do you understand why I did it?" Father asked Bran as he came to stand next to our horses as Bran was fiddling with the straps on his saddle, this was the part father like to teach his children about our ways of life, he took pride in teaching us our history. 

 

"Ris and Jon said he was a deserter from the Night’s Watch," Bran said not looking at father, I made eye contact with him over Bran's head and shrugged, I wasn't about to lie to the boy, "they said he ran away"

 

"But do you understand why I had to do it?" Father asked, Bran finally looked up but father was scanning our surroundings, he was always looking for potential threats, even in Winterfell he was constantly vigilant. 

 

"Our ways the old way" Bran answered, father looked at him and patted him on the shoulder and smiled slightly, my loving father could take a mans head and still be the loving, gentle person towards his family. 

 

"The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword" father said, he walked away from us and I helped Bran onto his pony before climbing onto mine, our party took off towards Winterfell, deciding to go through Wolfswood instead of our usual route, I rode next to father while Jon and Robb decided to have a race to the bridge, we caught up to them quickly because they'd stopped at a carcass of a large stag that was blocking the end of the bridge, I hopped off my horse and walked towards my brothers cautiously, the stag was dead, that was obvious but that didn't mean that the thing that killed it wasn't still in the area. 

 

"What is it?" Jon asked, I walked around the body and saw it crawling with maggots, it's stomach was ripped open and its innards spilled on the dirt path and part of its antler was torn off and missing, it was a grisly sight to behold but also fascinating. 

 

"Mountain Lion" fathers ward, Theon Greyjoy, replied, he was absolutely wrong but he sounded convicted that he had the right answer, he always did, he was a cocky bastard. 

 

"There are no mountain lions in these woods," I said, I'd played in these woods since I was a babe, I knew them like the back of my hand, there was nothing big enough to take this buck down, I looked to the trail of blood that lead away from the body and removed my sword from its sheath and cautiously made my way off the path and into the woods, father was at my back, his sword also drawn and at the ready, there was a whimpering noise and a massive body came into view, it's fur was grey and matted in areas, my breath caught in my throat when I realised what it was, a direwolf, a very dead direwolf. 

 

"It's a freak," Theon said pulling me from my awestruck thoughts, I glanced at the Greyjoy and rolled my eyes. 

 

"Well, the two of you will get along just fine," I said sarcastically back, Gods he rubbed me the wrong way sometimes, it always ended the same way for him, face pressed into the dirt after I beat him mercilessly in our training ground, today would be no different, Theon glared over at me and father tapped me subtly on the back of my neck, it was a warning to keep a cool head. 

 

"It's a direwolf" father said, I shared a glance with Ser Rodrik, one of fathers most trusted men, as father bent down and pulled the antler from its throat, it was obvious that this wolf had killed the stag and got itself hurt in the process "tough old beast," father said quietly as he threw the antler to the ground, something shuffled through the grass that was close to the edge of the stream. 

 

"There are no direwolves south of the Wall," Robb said, scarcely believing what lay in front of him, it was a fearsome thing to see. 

 

"Now there are six," Jon said, he scooped something up in his hands and turned to show us a direwolf pup, my heart leapt into my throat and I walked forward to take it from his arms, this pup had one blind eye, with black tips to its ears, "do you want to hold one?" He asked Bran, who, when he saw it was safe because I was doing it, nodded and had a pup shoved into his arms, I watched as my brother wrapped the pup up in his cloak and let it snuggle into his embrace.

 

"Where are they going to go?" Bran asked, he rubbed the pups ears gently and looked at me with wide, scared eyes "their mothers dead"

 

"They don't belong down here," Ser Rodrik told him, he was right, they didn't belong down here, but here they were, whimpering because of the cold. 

 

"Better a quick death" father said, "They won't last without their mother" he looked at me sadly as I tightened my grip on the pup in my arms and shook my head in defiance. 

 

"Right," Theon said, he ripped the pup from Bran's arms and pulled his dagger out at the same time. 

 

"No!" Bran and I shouted at the same time, Theon just rolled his eyes. 

 

"Put away your blade," Robb said, his voice seething, my kind-hearted brother hated seeing his sibling in anguish, he was too sweet sometimes and way too stubborn for his own good. 

 

"I take orders from your father, not you" Theon snapped back at Robb, I decided enough was enough and got into Theon's face. 

 

"Do what he says, Greyjoy" I said through clenched teeth, he eyed me up and down and then took a step forward so we were closer if we were animals we'd be growling at one another. 

 

"Are you threatening me?" Theon asked, his anger was also rising but so was fathers. 

 

"Both of you, stop!" Father shouted, I stepped back immediately, but Theon just smirked at me in victory, he'd won nothing but he still decided to be an ass. 

 

"Please, Father," Bran said with an imploring look, it broke my heart and I knew it was slowly melting fathers, Theon still hadn't moved and the pup was whimpering louder. 

 

"Really, Father, it seems a bit harsh to kill them," I said, I pulled the pup in my arms closer to my face and cooed quietly into its ear. 

 

"I'm sorry, Ris" father said, he looked heartbroken and I felt like he was going to break any second and I was going to make it happen. 

 

"Lord Stark," Jon said, interrupting the intense stare that was causing my eyes to sting, "there are 6 pups, one for each of the Stark children, the Direwolf is the sigil of your House, they were meant to have them" I heard father sigh deeply and at that moment I could've hugged Jon. 

 

"You will train them yourselves, you will feed them yourselves and if they die you will bury them yourselves" father met my teary eyes and I heard Theon put his dagger away. 

 

I walked towards father and Ser Rodrik who were having a conversation quietly, discussing where the wolves would be sleeping and what to feed them, "meet Storm" I said with a smile, my father looked at me and grinned back, touching the quivering bundle of fur in my arms, "thank you for letting us have them, father, if anything happens to them I'll bury them for the others" he sighed deeply and pulled me into an embrace before kissing my forehead. 

 

"I know you will Anaris," he touched my face gently and turned to go back to his horse when I heard Theon say something. 

 

"Runt of the litter for Snow, how fitting" Greyjoy said with a nasty smirk, I shoved him towards his horse, careful not to jostle the pups in his arms, I looked at my half brother and smiled, in his hand was a tiny Direwolf, it's pelt was pure white and when he turned it towards me I saw its eyes were blood red. 

 

"He's as white as a snow bear's arse," I said with a laugh making Jon grin back at me, I lead Bran back to his horse and took his pup from his hands, promising that he'd get it back when we reached Winterfell. 

 

—————

 

I climbed off my horse, Ember, and handed Bran back his wolf, he ran towards mother and showed her the pup, I followed behind and smiled at her concerned face "father has already told us that they are our responsibility, it'll be a good learning experience" I told her, she sighed and nodded, she then looked at the bundle in my arms, Storm had fallen asleep in my arms halfway back, "this is Storm, isn't she a darling little thing?" I asked with a chuckle as Bran took off to show Arya and Sansa who were done with their lessons with the Septa. 

 

"I hope you know what you are getting into," mother said, she watched worriedly as Rickon was handed a pup, his giggles flooded towards us as the pup started to lick his face. 

 

"As I said to father, if something happens I will deal with it" I met her eyes and watched her concern and weariness disappear from her eyes. 

 

"Rissy!" Rickon shouted from where he was standing with Arya and the others, he held the pup up and grinned "Shaggy Dog!" I laughed, my brother had chosen his wolfs name, I nodded at him and raised an eyebrow at Arya as she came towards mother and me with one of her dresses in her hand. 

 

"Ris, can you mend this?" She asked sheepishly, I grabbed the light blue woollen dress and looked at the split that was down the back of it "your stitches are always better than mine" 

 

"I'll do it while I'm in the Godswood with father, go get my things" she grinned while mother just shook her head, "I know mother, but would you rather it be done correctly or done by Arya's hand?" I asked making my mother laugh. 

 

—————

 

I sat next to father, Arya's dress in my hands and Storm, now with a full stomach of milk, napping quietly in my lap, father had his sword Ice in one hand and a whetstone in the other, we sat under the Heart tree in complete silence, after every execution that was performed it had become a habit for me to join father in the Godswood, it was my way of showing him that no matter what he had to do he was still my father and I loved him. 

 

Leaves crunched underfoot and I looked up in surprise to see my mother coming towards us, as a lady from the South, mother never felt welcome in the Godswood as she worshipped the New Gods while the Godswood was meant for the Old Gods, she had a hand full of her skirt in one hand and in the other a scroll of parchment, a raven had obviously arrived "all these years and I still feel like an outsider here" she said with a sad smile, father looked up and I could see his face light up slightly at the sight of my mother, after all these years he adored her completely. 

 

"You have six Northern children, you're not an outsider" father said reassuring my mother that she was welcome anywhere. 

 

"I wonder if the Old Gods agree..." mother said, her sentence trailed off and she looked down in sadness. 

 

"It's your Gods with all the rules," father said with a chuckle when he noticed her face she spoke again, this time she looked devastated. 

 

"I am so sorry, my love" mother said, I tied off the thread I was using to sew Arya's dress and placed my needle into the small box next to me, all the while my attention was trained on my mother and father. 

 

"Tell me..." father said, not wanting to beat around the bush about this, both of them were as serious as I'd ever seen them which piqued my interest. 

 

"There was a raven from King's Landing," she said unfurling the parchment "Jon Arryn is dead, a fever took him" I closed my eyes tightly, I remembered Jon Arryn, he had practically raised father and Robert Baratheon, we had met when I was a young child but I remembered his smile and the doll he gave me. 

 

I opened my eyes to see mother had moved and she was perched next to father her hand was resting gently on his shoulder as a show of support "Aunt Lysa? Cousin Robyn?” I asked, I'd met Lysa Arryn once, she didn't like me very much and that was before she'd had Robyn. 

 

"They both have their health," mother told me with a sad smile, she was relieved that her sister and nephew were healthy "Gods be good" I nodded in understanding and ran my fingers through Storm's fur, "the raven brought more news: the King rides for Winterfell, with the Queen and the rest of them"

 

"He's coming this far North... there's only one thing he's after" father said, he sighed deeply, Robert had always wanted father to be the Hand of the King, father declined and said Jon Arryn would be a better fit, now with Jon dead, there was no way father could get out of it. 

 

"There's another reason," mother said, she looked at me and I raised my eyebrow, this would be good "Tywin Lannister wishes to marry his son to our daughter" she looked back at father and I burst out laughing, Tywin Lannister wanted me to marry his son, which meant Tyrion as his eldest Jaime was a Kingsguard and it was against his vows to have a wife or children. 

 

"Not going to happen," father said, he was showing his stubborn streak that rivalled that of a mule, "Ris is not going to marry a Lannister, certainly not the Imp, Tyrion Lannister" he shook his head. 

 

"It's the Kingslayer he wants Anaris to marry," mother told him, they both looked at me this time and I was wiping the tears from my eyes, me marrying a Lannister was a very good jest. 

 

"That is even worse," father said loudly, his voice startled Storm from her nap and the pup yawned and got up. 

 

"The Kingslayer cannot marry, how would he marry me?" I asked, I knew my duty as a woman as much as I disagreed with it and since my 16th name-day I’d been turning down suitor after suitor because they expected me to be the perfect lady like Sansa. 

 

"The King has agreed to make an exception if Tywin Lannister agrees to take off a quarter off the Crowns debt, Tywin has agreed" she looked at father who was staring at the dark pond in front of him, he was in deep thought. 

 

"Father..." I mumbled, I moved Storm from my lap and moved closer to my father who hadn't moved “this might be our family’s chance to make an alliance with the Lannister’s, I know you don’t agree or like them” I said quickly when my father gave me a sharp look “I understand why you dislike the Kingslayer, but if our marriage means our families will stop being at odds then I will make that sacrifice” father mumbled something that I didn’t quite catch and I laughed “just think, if he infuriates me enough I can knock him on his arse and show him we wolves are as fearsome as those lions” mother chuckled and father sour face changed slightly. 

 

“I will think on it and make a decision,” he met my eyes and cupped my right cheek with the palm of his hand, I leant into the warmth of his skin “I don’t want you to be hurt by them Ris, you’re too special” he learn forward and kissed my forehead before pulling me into a tight embrace, mother snuggled under his other arm and for a time we sat there in silence just enjoying the warmth of each other’s embrace. 

 

—————

 

Weeks had passed and the King was drawing closer to Winterfell, mother and I were setting up the finishing touches for the feast with Maester Luwin by our sides, he’d been with our family since before I was born, and he was considered part of our family, same as Rodrik Cassel and his nephew Jury. 

 

“We need plenty of candles for Lord Tyrion’s chamber, I’m told he reads all night,” I said to Maester Luwin who nodded, we dodged servants as Storm trailed behind us, she was sniffing everything she could, trying to get a bite or two of food before she would be locked away for the night. 

 

“I’m told he drinks all night,” Maester Luwin said with a smirk, his wicked sense of humour shining through his eyes, he wasn’t wrong about Lord Tyrion, there were tales that he drained a whole tavern of wine in a matter of days with the help of the King, who was also known to be a heavy drinker. 

 

“How much could he possibly drink, a man of his... stature?” Mother asked making me laugh, she was trying to be polite about Lord Tyrion being a dwarf, but there was no nice way of stating the fact. 

 

“We’ve brought up eight barrels of ale from the cellar, Perhaps we’ll find out” Maester Luwin replied making me laugh harder before I turned them back onto the subject at hand, we reach the doors of the Great Hall and we’re out in the brisk day that was usual for the North. 

 

“In any case, candles,” I told them sternly making mother smile at me proudly, she was thankful that I was helping her, she had stated it many times, and each time I brushed off her thanks, it was all quite a bit of fun but I would never admit it, it also gave me time to be alone with her which seldom happened anymore since my siblings were born. 

 

We walked through the courtyard of our home slowly, as Storm took off running to her sibling, Summer, who had just been given a name as Bran decided that calling him ‘you’ was a bit too cruel, we made our way closer to the two Direwolves, that were now staring intently at the top of Micken’s Blacksmith rooftop, “Gods, but they grow fast....” mother said as we neared the wolves, I tapped mother lightly to get her attention from them and pointed to Bran, who was swiftly making his way down the tower he had climbed up, “Brandon!” She shouted, everything went silent for a second and the bustling of our surroundings started up again, the people of Winterfell had seen this many times before. 

 

“I saw the King! He’s got hundreds of people!” Bran said excitedly as he landed softly on a rooftop, I went forward and opened my arms when he was caught he would always jump down from where ever into my arms, he knew I’d catch him no matter what.

 

“How many times have I told you - no climbing!” Mother said sternly as he fell into my embrace and I caught him deftly, he was light by Gods would it get harder when he grew. 

 

“But he’s coming right now! Down our road!” Bran said back, his excitement never wavering in the face of our anger mother, I set him in his feet and gently nudged him towards her as she made her way closer. 

 

“I want you to promise me - no more climbing,” she said as she leant down to look at him, I watched in amusement as his head tilted forward and then he looked back up at her. 

 

“I promise,” he said in defeat, he knew he had lost and it made me even more amused because I knew he was lying to her, and so did mother. 

 

“D’you know what?” Mother asked, a smirk playing on her lips, she glanced at me as I tried not to laugh at my sibling. 

 

“What?”

 

“You always look at your feet before you lie,” she said making him chuckle, I ruffled his hair as mother straighten up and ran a hand down her skirts, “Run and find your father, tell him the King is close” Bran nodded and took off with Summer on his heels. 

 

“I’ll go gather the others then,” I said turning from my mother I made a hand gesture and Storm was by my side as I made my way to find my brothers and sisters if the king was as close as Bran said then we didn’t have much time. 

 

—————

 

I gathered all of my siblings, well, almost all of them, Arya was missing and I didn’t have time to find her, she would show her face when she was ready. I stood in front of Robb as I fixed his cloaks catch “sometimes I wonder what you would do without me?” I said with a laugh, I dodged his playful smack and took my place at his side, our household stood in a few lines, waiting to greet the King and his party, on my left was father and next to him was mother and Rickon was by her side as he was too young to stand next to Bran yet, on Robb’s other side was Sansa, then Arya, when she graced us with her presence, and then last was Bran while Jon, Theon and Rodrik stood behind us with the rest of the people that helped Winterfell run perfectly.

 

“Where’s Arya?” Mother asked as she looked worriedly around the courtyard for my youngest sister, “Anaris, Sansa, where’s your sister?” She made eye contact with Sansa who just shrugged dumbly and then she met my eyes and I quietly pointed to the small figure in a blue woollen dress quickly making her away towards us, on her head, partially covering her eyes, was one of the guards helms. 

 

“Hey, hey, hey, hey,” father said as she tried to pass him, he grabbed her shoulders lightly and removed the helm from her head, “What are you doing with that on?” I concealed my chuckle with a cough as father handed the helm to Ser Rodrik and gently pushed a now grumpy Arya towards her place in the line, the sound of hooves was thunderous as the king entered the courtyard with the rest of them. 

 

As King Robert got off his horse I followed fathers lead and dropped to one knee in respect, I heard Robert’s boots squelch in the mud and he came to stop in front of father, from the corner of my eye I saw him gesture for us to rise and when father did so did the rest of us, “your Grace” father said with a bow as King Robert looked him up and down. 

 

“You’ve got fat,” Robert said gruffly, I watched from the corner of my eye as father tilted his head slightly and in seconds they were both laughing loudly and embracing, smacking one another on the back. 

 

“Cat!” Robert said loudly when he pulled away from my father he embraced my mother kindly. 

 

“Your Grace,” she said as she curtsied deeply, he grinned and ruffled Rickon’s hair before coming to stand in front of my father. 

 

“Nine years” Robert stated to father “Why haven’t I seen you? Where the hell have you been?” 

 

“Guarding the North for you, Your Grace” father replied “Winterfell is yours” movement caught my eye and I watched as Queen Cersei and her children exited the giant coach they had travelled in. 

 

“Where’s the Imp?” I heard Arya asked quietly but impatiently, she was excited to meet the little Lord, her question was quickly replied to by Sansa, demanding she shut up. 

 

The King stepped in front of me and I snapped out of my thoughts quickly and curtsied just as I was taught to do “your Grace” I said in a quiet voice. 

 

“Gods Anaris, you’ve grown” he grinned at me and pulled me into a tight hug, “I don’t suppose you remember me?” He asked as he pulled away from me.

 

I grinned back at him and chuckled “of course I remember you, your Grace, I still have the dolls you and Lord Jon Arryn gifted me” he laughed loudly and nodded, before going down the line to each of my siblings, each bowed and curtsied and answered his questions politely. 

 

“That’s Jaime Lannister” I heard Arya say as the King was busy with Bran, I caught a glimpse of a helm being removed and my eyes caught Ser Jaime’s, he grinned at me and I quickly looked away from him as the Queen came up to my father, she stopped and held her hand out for him to kiss her hand. 

 

“My Queen,” my parents said at the same time, father kissed Cersei’s hand and she came to stand in front of me, we’d also met, she’d spent a long time with me during our last meeting and she’d taught and helped me a lot. 

 

“My Queen,” I said curtsying just as she taught me, back straight, eyes forward and knees slightly bent, seeing me do it made her smile at me genuinely, I knew she could be a lioness when she had to be but she had always been nice to me. 

 

“Lady Anaris,” she grabbed my hands when I straightened “it’s wonderful to see you once more” she squeezed my hands in a motherly gesture of affection as the king spoke to father. 

 

“Take me to your crypt. I want to pay my respects,” I felt Cersei’s hands tighten in mine at his words, and in a way I understood, King Robert loved my Aunt Lyanna so much he started a war to get her back when she was taken, when Lyanna died Robert married Cersei but he was still very much in love with Lyanna, Cersei admitted as much to me when she warned me never to give my heart to my husband when I married. 

 

“We’ve been riding for a month, my love. Surely the dead can wait” She said to him, the courtyard went silent, waiting for him to say something but he just glared at her and looked to my father. 

 

“Ned,” he demanded, father gave Cersei a sad look and followed his friend, Cersei removed her hands from mine and I heard an almost inaudible sigh from her at his blatant disrespect. 

 

“Where’s the Imp?” Arya asked Sansa, as the Queen moved away from me and went to her twin brother Jaime who was watching us, another reply of ‘shut up’ was given from Sansa and I heard the Queen ask Jaime to find Tyrion. 

 

—————

 

I swept my hand down my pale green dress and smiled brightly, the hard work I had put into it over the month had paid off and it looked perfect, direwolves were sown in silver thread on its long sleeves and its tight bodice made my figure stand out more, I was a woman grown, as Septa loved to tell me when I was in my lessons, I had to dress the proper way to show that. 

 

A knock sounded on my bed-chamber door as I fixed the braid on my head, I’d twisted part of it into a spiral and left the rest to fall in waves down my back, I’d inherited my father’s brown hair but in the sun Mother commented it had red hidden in it “come in” I said looking to the door as both mother and father stepped into the room, I smiled and curtsied making mother smile at me and come closer. 

 

“Oh, wolfling, you look perfect” she touched the direwolves as father watched us with a smile, she walked around me slowly, admiring my hard work and cane to stop in front me “your father and I have something to tell you,” she said, her face shifted from delight to sadness in an instant and I felt my stomach clenched. 

 

“What is it?” I asked, I met my father eyes and when he didn’t speak and glanced back at mother “tell me” I gripped her hand, fearing the worst, was it Storm? My siblings?

 

“I’ve decided to allow your betrothal to happen,” father said quietly, I looked to him again and my heartbeat thumped loudly in my chest, my stomach twisted painfully as well “you’ll be married here before the king leaves so your family can witness”

 

I felt like falling to my knees, yes I’d told him I’d do it help mend our houses but I didn’t think he’d actually consider and agree to it, and to have me married so soon, “King Robert said he’d be leaving in a turn of the moon” I said swallowing the foul taste that rose up my throat. 

 

“All will be well, wolfling,” father said, he came forward and pulled me into a strong embrace, his kissed my forehead and rocked me back and forth gently like he used to do when I was a babe when I’d hurt myself or something would happen to make me upset “you are a Stark and you will always be my daughter” I felt a sob choke it way up my throat and I clung to my fathers’ tunic. 

 

—————

 

The feast was in full swing and the Great hall was so loud I could barely hear the dirty joke Theon was telling Robb and me, I heard the Kings deep laugh and looked up to see him groping one of the serving wenches, my heart clenched for Cersei but I knew she would not hear my comments on his behaviour, she had put up with it for many years at this point, a finger flicked my forehead and I glared at Theon who was grinning at me “What, squid?” I asked harshly, taking a sip from my goblet of wine, unlike my siblings I was allowed more than one glass and I relished in the fact. 

 

“You’re staring and your mother wants you,” he said gesturing over my shoulder where a large, long table had been set up for the royal couple and my parents, I rolled my eyes at him and got up with my cup in hand. 

 

“Don’t do anything stupid” I warned them, my eyes narrowed at them both when they just grinned at me and I left them to go to my mother, I curtsied “my Queen, lady mother” I straightened and Cersei was smiling sweetly at me. 

 

“Little wolf, I just wanted to mention your betrothal to my brother, Jaime,” she said, there was a flash of something I couldn’t quite make out in her eyes when I visibly gulped. 

 

“Yes, my Queen, my mother and father have mentioned it,” I said, I felt eyes on us and I shifted uncomfortably. 

 

“You will be a welcomed addition to our family, little wolf,” she said with a smile, I saw my mother force a smile as well when the Queen looked to her “I believe it’s a good match,” she commented and I saw my mother look more uncomfortable. 

 

“I believe so too, my Queen,” she replied, her eyes drifted to my left and I followed them to see my father talking to Ser Jaime, “her father believes so as well, I’m sure he will make the announcement, noontime” my shoulders stiffened when I met her eyes and she sent me a slight nod, we’d talked about it up in my chambers, father will tell my siblings the news when we broke fast in the morrow. 

 

“Excellent,” the Queen smiled at my mother and then she looked at me, her eyes were soft and kind, “I’d like to speak to your sister, Sansa” it wasn’t up for debate, I knew why she wanted Sansa, father had said that Robert wanted her to marry Joffrey as I was too old for him and Sansa was a perfect age. 

 

“Of course, my Queen, lady mother” curtsied again and weaved my way to my sister, “the Queen wants to speak with you,” I said into my sister’s ear and stepped back as she all but jumped from her seat and rushed to the head table, I then made my way through the crowd and found an unexpected guest “uncle Benjen!” I semi shouted, I flung myself into his waiting arms and he laughed as he held me like I was made of glass, my fathers last living sibling, Benjen was part of the Night’s Watch, he went beyond the Wall for months at a time and the last I saw him it was my 15th name-day when he had permission to visit from his Lord Commander. 

 

“Ahh my sweet wolfling,” he said back, he spun us on the spot and set me back on my feet, he then held me at arm’s length so he could get a better look at me “You look more like Lyanna every time I see you” he smiled softly and I felt the need to smack him, only Uncle Benjen compares me to my Aunt Lyanna and it got tiresome. 

 

“You lie and you know it” I replied, I touched his scruffy cheek gently and giggled, “you’ve gotten old,” I said making him bark out a laugh, Benjen was the youngest of my fathers’ siblings, he’d joined the Night’s Watch not long before his 18th name-day and he was there when Robert started a war, our family had always manned the Wall and Benjen always told me, he was proud to do so as well, or at least that’s what father told me.

 

A throat cleared behind me and Uncle Benjen tensed up, his smile dropped from his face and his eyes narrowed with mistrust “Kingslayer”