Only A Northern Song ~ Game of Thrones / Willas Tyrell ~

Chapter Thirty Nine: Obligations

"Try to at least smile when you see your parents," Eddmina advised as the two of them walked to the courtyard, their arms linked.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll smile when I see my mother, she's done nothing to offend us," Willas remarked dryly, and though Eddmina sighed he let out a quiet chuckle, leaning over and kissing her temple. "I won't start a fight with them, promise."

"Good," she said, though not entirely certain she believed him.

It was early evening, but at dinner they had received a raven stating that the Tyrell party was only hours away from Winterfell. Willas had thought his parents wouldn't turn up until the next day in order to make a more grand arrival, but they readied themselves to meet them anyway, though not after running through exactly how they would conduct themselves. There would not be any formal welcoming feast until the next day. It was too late in the day for the cooks to prepare everything, not to mention they had a feast planned for the next day for Eddmina and Robb's nineteenth nameday, so they decided to blend the celebrations. Even so, Willas was determined to get their perspective put across as soon as possible to save his family trying to force them down some unwanted path. He'd vowed to her all day that they would not be made to do anything, he'd promised that they would stand up for their best interests, and while Eddmina believed him she just hoped it would be that easy. Despite it all, she considered Willas the sort of man who would frown upon disapointing his family.

Yet she was his family too. She was his family, and she just hoped that he would remember that when it came to it.

"What do you normally do for your nameday?" Willas asked her as they walked, desperate to change the topic from his family, the whole situation making him feel on edge.

"It depends," she shrugged, smiling a little at memories that seemed so far away. "There'd be a few gifts at breakfast, sometimes there'd be packages from Uncle Edmure or letters from Uncle Ben. The Septa used to try and make me do my lessons as normal to show that a lady's work is never done and one can't just run off pleasure seeking, but she stopped that nonsense on my thirteenth nameday when I swore at her. She sent me to father thinking he'd discipline me but instead he took me and Robb riding and made it a tradition every year after. Then there'd be a small feast in the evening. Sometimes the bannermen would be invited but I hated that since Mother always made me act all meek and sweet in the hopes that one of the lords would want me to marry one of their sons. I begged father not to invite them, I even got Robb to ask too."

"I wonder what those lords would think to you being poached away by a southerner," Willas remarked, squeezing her arm. "To say this year will be different is an understatement then?"

"Different is good," she noted, hoping to hide that she was a little emotional about it all, especially her parents and sisters not being in Winterfell for the celebrations. "My last nameday I hardly knew you existed, so it does go to show what can happen in a year."

Willas laughed softly, leaning over to kiss her cheek. They'd reached the dusky courtyard, where some of the servants were still going about their duties, wrapping up for the day, while Robb, Theon and Garlan were engaging in some sort of archery contest. Leonette was sat on top of a haybale, looking rather entertained, and Eddmina felt a burn of jealousy, wanting nothing more than to beat all of the boys at a sport she knew she excelled in. Willas seemed to sense that, noticing the way she clenched her jaw ever so slightly.

"Mina, you can't-" he began, but cut himself off when she scowled at him. "You know that, of course."

"Of course," she muttered, and at that exact moment Theon let an arrow fly. It barely missed the bullseye. "I can shoot better than that."

"Yes, but at least pride yourself on the fact that his jaw is still badly bruised," Willas whispered into her ear with a faint smile.

Eddmina wanted to be irritated at that, but she couldn't help but smirk at Willas' amusement. She wasn't particularly proud of her actions that led to Theon's inured jaw, and she'd hardly spoken to him since, but at least it had taught him a lesson. He'd stayed away and out of her business, and though she missed him as a friend she couldn't bare the way he had acted. She hoped that by the time she had to leave the North they'd at least reconcile.