When Winter Arrives

The Long Road

The wind whistled outside the castle walls, the sound of the market place being set up followed. People were already awake at this hour, starting their daily routines. I too had to awake, much to my dismay.

Wrapping some furs around me, I raised to my feet, padding quickly along the cold stone floor. My handmaiden knocked before entering, holding two buckets of hot water in each hand. I sat in a chair as she poured the water into the tub, making small talk with her.

"Septa wishes to see you as soon you are ready, my lady." she informed me as she set the buckets aside.

"Well, I best be quick, Septa is not a patient woman."

Gripping onto the furs tighter, I quickened my steps as I made my way to Septa. My stomach grumbled as I had not yet had breakfast but if Septa wanted to see me before my lessons then it would be serious. The wind blew even stronger than before though this was normal weather to those of us who lived in the North.

"Ah, you're here." Septa sighed as I entered the room.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, please sit, my lady."

I sat in the chair placed in front of her desk. She browsed her small bookshelf, collecting a pile of three books, two of them being very big ones. Slamming them on the table, she smiled at me.

"I want you to have read these by the end of the week. Don't give me that look, you're an excellent reader."

"They're quite big." I mumbled.

"Yes, but they're important." she read the titles as she picked them up."Here is one about the etiquitte of a lady, though you have already learnt most of that, the history of House Stark and traditional marriages."

"Marriage? Wait, why am I studying marriage?" I panicked.

"But your father must have told you."

"Told me what?"

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Answer me."

"No, why? Explain immediately."

"Get to breakfast right away, your father has important news." she shoved me out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me.

This was it, I was no longer going to be a free woman.

Dragging myself towards the hall, I took deep breaths. No one wanted an arranged marriage, but it would have happened at some point. There was no way father would call it off, this was the only way I could be useful to him. I had four brothers, Edward (who was already married) and Edmund (also married) were my two older brothers and I my younger siblings were twins, George and Harry. Father did love me but I want as important as the others were to him.

My father, Lord Herald Fierre also had an arranged marriage with my mother, Lady Jenette. Our house is known as one of the strongest ones in the North besides the Starks. We had a long line of being successful in both battles and wars; if you needed a strong army, we were the people you wanted. Our timeline was full of boys, hardly any women. I was the first girl to be born in quite a few generations which father wasn't too pleased about. Even though I was not allowed to practice with any sort of weaponry, my brother Edmund had taught me the basics of a bow and a little with the sword behind our parents back. I hadn't any amazing skills with these weapons but I would be able to defend myself.

Upon entering the hall, I saw the rest of my family already sat, waiting for me. Lowering my head, I walked to my seat quickly, apologising for being late. Mother and father glanced at each other, confused as to why I was late because I was on time for everything.