✓ | THINKING OF SNOW (J.SNOW)

~Chapter Nine~

A/N: Sorry I don't update very often, to be honest I'm struggling a bit with this story so I am sorry it takes a lot longer than my other stories, but I hope I'll be updating a bit more soon. Thank you for being so patient, I know it's annoying. 

A Days Ride

Livia had always been a stiff, proper, lady. Ever since the day she was born, presumably, she had been the spitting image of a perfect girl - the exact opposite of Cynthia. Livia's hair was always pristine, her face was immaculate, and her fashion was always sharp as a knife. That was how she'd been raised, by their mother of course, and that was how Cynthia could always remember her - it was what she identified Livia with; perfection. Which made it all the more humourous to Cynthia when seeing her sister as a flustered mess, atop an equally uncomfortable horse.

Cynthia rode at the back of their little group, with Jon at her side and Theon in front of them both. Robb and Livia rode ahead, at one another's side the entire time. Theon merged between conversations, but mostly stuck to Robb's side like a lost pup, which left Cynthia and the bastard to talk between themselves. Jon, Cynthia had learned throughout the short period of her stay so far, was not a conversationalist, and was definitely as shy as he'd come across at their first meeting. Talking to him, sometimes, was like sawing off limbs with a butter knife. Not that that put Cynthia off, there was something about his brooding silence that kept Cynthia intrigued, interested in the few things he did say.

"Do you ride often, back at home?" Robb questioned, looking over his shoulder back to his betrothed's sibling, who looked up rather shocked to have Robb talking to her instead of her sister, whom was not pleased to have been ditched for her sister. "Yes, as often as I can, which isn't as much as I'd like to, in all honesty." Cynthia replied calmly, smiling politely at Robb, who she thought returned the favour from what she could see. She liked Robb. He seemed interested, not only in Livia, but in all her family, which to Cynthia's delight meant she could be included when they were all together, and could get along with someone she'd have to spend a significant amount of time with if her sister were to marry him. "We shall have to ensure to get out as much as possible then while you stay here, the Wolf's Wood is the most beautiful place to ride through this time of year." He stated, looking cautiously to Livia before back at the short girl at the back of the company. She nodded, looking to Jon to see if he was going to pitch in at all. "I'm sure you will, thank you." She replied, watching the dark haired boy ride along steadily, not looking up from where his pale hands gripped tightly to the reins of the horse. "Do you enjoy riding, Jon?" She asked quietly, hoping Theon wouldn't overhear, like he had done on occasion before now, and taunt the bastard maliciously. Jon perked up, his dark eyes gluing to Cynthia as soon as her voice was heard, glistening with something comforting - something that didn't strike Cynthia as the kind of look you'd give someone you didn't to talk to. "Yes, m'lady, I do. When father allows us the time, we try to get out as much as possible - and when hunting." Jon replied lowly, his rough voice laced with a thick northern accent, one Cynthia loved hearing and wished would never stop. There was something incredibly appealing about the accent, Jon's in particular that was so deep and hoarse, that Cynthia just couldn't get enough of.

"Please, there is no need to call me m'lady, it's just Cynthia...or Cyn, everyone I know calls me that." Cynthia smiled, almost startling Jon before - his expression let way to the possibility no one outside of his family had ever smiled at him before, and Cynthia wondered if that could be true. "But you are a--" "--a lady? No, I'm anything but. Please Jon, just call me Cyn." This time, he smiled. It was a small smile, one that let his eyes sparkle a bit, and his face contort into one of genuine glee that was enough to make Cynthia feel accomplished in getting him to actually enjoy her company. "Perhaps you will take me riding then? Seeings as your brother and my sister will not always be available to spend time away from the business at hand, and I do not know the woods as well as you or them. I'd hate to go alone," Cynthia spoke softly, watching him smile to himself as he looked away, and then back at her. He seemed surprisingly comfortable in conversation, more so than before, and less tense. "I'd be honored, Cyn." He said her name, in his thick, northern accent and throaty voice that made Cynthia's stomach flutter with wildfire. 

By now, Robb, Livia and Theon had rode ahead, leaving the pair behind at a slow trot, their talking drowning out the sound of hooves on the dirt-trodden path on which they rode. It was pleasant, the most pleasant experience Cynthia had been exposed to since arriving at Winterfell. It was a beautiful place, but everything was so tense around the castle, the people, even the furniture felt upright and proper, and with Lady Catelyn looming about every corner, Cynthia felt that this was the first time she could breathe without someone scolding her since their arrival. 

"It must have been tough, growing up in such a place." Cynthia said absentmindedly, gazing out at Winterfell, as her and Jon reached the edge of the treeline. "Tough?" Jon inquired, curiosity riddling his voice. "I mean, it's a beautiful place and all but...with Catelyn--""--She made it difficult, that's for definite." Jon muttered, keeping his voice cautiously lower than normal - even though no one was around to hear what he was saying, he still felt the need to be quiet, just in case.  "That must have been hard, I don't mean to sound rude, but it seems as though she excludes you a lot, which isn't fair at all, and must have been even worse as a child." "Father steps in where he can, but you're right, she likes to make a point of leaving me out where 'family affairs' are concerned, you likes making it known that she does not see me as part of the family." Jon frowned, clear and prominent anger filling his tone, though he clearly tried to keep it at bay for his own sake, and out of habit presumably, but Cynthia couldn't blame him. He had every right to be mad. It wasn't his fault he was born a Snow, just like it wasn't his fault her husband was unfaithful, if anyone should've been mistreated it should have rightfully been him. Not that Cynthia didn't admire and respect Ned Stark, she did, she just felt he deserved the misguided hatred that was so frequently aimed at Jon for no reason other than his birth, which was not of his own doing, like Catelyn liked to make it out to be. "Well, if you ask me, you're as much a Stark as Robb or Sansa, or any of the others, and Catelyn has no right to treat you any differently." Cynthia smiled sweetly, watching Jon chuckle absentmindedly at what the young girl at his side had just said, "I'd like to see you say that to her."