Game of Thrones - The Rose of Winterfell

An Uncomfortable Secret is Revealed

For an almost complete turn of the moon, I endured several uncomfortable interactions with the suitors who vied to win my hand in marriage. Growing frustrated with the egotistical eldest son of the current Lord of House Bracken, I politely advised that I had to depart to oversee Arya's lesson. Nodding, the weighted middle-aged man stood, kissed my knuckles, and finally left. With a groan, I slumped into my seat and lamented, "please tell me that I do not have to endure any more men seeking a young bride?" There was a brief silence until, "I believe he is the last for today, my Lady," as I glanced up to find Taria's demeanor saddened. Curious, I sat up and asked, "what is wrong, Taria?" She blinked, and before she could utter, "nothing." I swiftly said, "please do not lie, as I cannot find the energy or enthusiasm to uncover the truth." She offered a brief nod while approaching. "My Lady, as I was coming up to tend to you the other day, one of the Queen's maids informed me that her Grace wished to see me."

Uncomfortable at the notion, I motioned for her to sit with me on the small bench I occupied. She sat down and stared at her clasped hands. "What did her Grace wish to know?" "Taria?" Lifting her head, I softly asked, "Taria, please tell me." Breathing out, she uttered, "she wanted to know if you had been secretly seeing her brother, Ser Jaime." Surprised by the open honesty, I spoke, "did you tell her that I have avoided her brother since the completion of the Hand's Tournament nearly a month ago?" She nodded. "You spoke of something else?"

Wringing her hands, she nodded, saying, "her Grace asked if you have received any prospects. I told her you had, but neither Lehna nor I do not know their houses." Breathing in and out, I softly asked, "did she ask why?" Nodding, she said, "I said it was because your Father speaks of them only to you." Leaning back onto the bench, I forced my anger down and the urge to criticize the girl for informing the Queen of intimate knowledge about myself. Instead, I reached out and touched her hand. She tensed as I softly asked, "why are you telling me?" She sniffled and lifted her gaze as I spied tears in her brown eyes. "She threatened to have me beaten if I did not speak." Frightened for her, I moved closer, squeezing her hand in reassurance as she uttered, "I didn't want to tell her how we have noticed Ser Semly has ensured you are never alone with her brother or that if you are, he is often nearby because you seem uncomfortable." Shifting, I moved to embrace her when she said, "she just mocking uttered that she didn't care that your barbaric northern ways had blinded the older knight. She wanted to know if you had waved a spell over her family."

I held back my laugh at the Queen's irrational fear that I was some enchantress. Instead, I grabbed a fearful Taria and embraced her. "I am so sorry, Taria." She hiccuped amongst her tears. "She was regarding and muttering that she would not allow a Northern whore to cast her aside and take what she held dear." Confused by the remark, Taria softly said, "I nearly didn't ask, but she began to say that she heard the maids attending to the princess had started to whisper that you are an exceptional lady and that she had been encouraged to learn from you regardless of what the ladies of the court whispered. The young prince even asked her if he could learn to be a knight from his uncle so he may be lucky enough to grant you a crown of flowers at the next tournament if you remain unwed." She hiccuped a few more times before saying, "she was mad with rage when a Kingsguard entered. I was nearly sure she would tell him to beat me when he said Lord Baelish asked to speak with her instead."

Hugging her close, I gently cooed and offered reassurance that all would be well when I lifted my gaze to find Lehna standing before us with a bruised eye, redness along her arms, and a split lip. "Lehna, what..." Taria pulled back and gazed at my second maid before saying, "what have I done." Lehna didn't utter a word to Taria. "Forgive me, my Lady, but I cannot..." Releasing Taria, I stood and approached her. "Who did this?" She looked away as I calmly asked, "Taria, retrieve Poole and have him escort Septa Mordane and a healer to Lehna's room. I wish the two of them would review her injuries in your presence. After she has undergone treatment, you will inform Poole that each of you is a member of our household. Poole will then inform my Father. I expect he and I will discuss the attire you will wear now that you are fully in my service rather than the King's." She stood and softly uttered, "of course, Lady Stark." Breathing out, I reached out and brushed the pad of my thumb over her cheekbone. "The North and I will remember these actions against each of you. I will not allow this to stand if I have the means to avenge you." Lehna broke and began to cry as I embraced her. "I am sorry." Her tears damped my lilac-covered shoulder as she returned my embrace, uttering, "the kept saying that a She-Wolf could not protect her sheep from a Lioness." Breathing deeply, I held her until Septa Mordane and Poole arrived. With words of comfort, I released her into their capable hands and searched for my Father.