Golden Lioness [Game of Thrones] COMPLETED!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Distractions only last so long, but Gods! are they useful," 

-Tyrion

Even weeks later, there was still some awkwardness between Joanna and Robb. Joanna would be lying if she said that she wasn't a bit confused about how she felt about Robb, but luckily she had barely seen him. In fact, the boy she had been drinking with that night had been replaced with some lordly version. Lord Robb Stark spent his time with Maester Luwin settling the accounts and checking with the small folk. Joanna only spoke to Robb at dinner. Her, Robb, sometimes Maester Luwin, Rickon, and Theon ate in the Great Hall every night. It was clear that Theon had an idea of what had happened, however, his ideas involved fewer clothes and a lot more kissing, where in reality, Joanna's lips had not even met Robb's. 

But Joanna was glad to have time to herself. She made herself comfortable in Winterfell's library, sometimes taking the books and reading them in the garden, under the great weirwood. Remarkably, she had learned quite a lot about the Northern culture that the books in Kingslanding simply could not teach her. 

Overall, Joanna had been pushing away her worries over Brandon Stark's condition. It was clear that he would live, but Joanna was worried that he would wake up and remember what he had seen that day. To add more confusion to her inner struggles, Joanna felt guilt. She had persuaded Joffrey to indulge himself in the twisted fantasies on how to have Brandon Stark killed in the most traumatic way. Joanna believed that her nephew would deliver.  She was sure that he would find a way to kill the young Stark, or at least try to. Worst of all, Joanna hoped that Joffrey would succeed, which is why she had been distracting herself from her sins with simple tasks. 

Today, Joanna was meeting a girl that could become her handmaiden. One of the cooks had assured her that his neighbour would be perfect for the job, so Joanna gave her the benefit of the doubt and met the girl in the tavern of Wintertown, where she had once drunk with Robb. 

"So you're new to Winterfell?" Joanna asked the young woman when she sat down in front of her. Before the girl had joined Joanna, she had been wary of sitting alone in the tavern.  The Northerners were different people than she was used to, they were gruffer, rougher, and simply bigger. Even though Jaime was a skilled swordsman, perhaps the best in Westeros, he wasn't nearly as beefy as the average Northerner. It was times like these where Joanna was glad she had knowledge of sword fighting, even though it was limited knowledge. As the mousy-haired handmaiden-to-be entered the tavern, Joanna had been playing with the knife that was meant to be used for the mutton in front of her. At least with a knife, Joanna knew what she could do if a situation asked for it. 

"Aye," the girl said answering Joanna's question. Her northern accent was so strong, Joanna was surprised snow wasn't coming out of her mouth as she spoke. "I was born in Mole's Town, but now I live here with my husband." Joanna nodded as if she knew where Mole's Town was while also pretending not to be taken aback by the news that the young girl had a husband. She could not have possibly had her thirteenth name day yet, Joanna thought in shock. I had not even begun to look for suitors until I had seen fourteen years.

Joanna could easily recall that birthday. Tommen and Myrcella had woken her up early that morning, bouncing on her feather bed, then snuggling in with her as a maid brought lemon cakes up to her room so she could eat them in bed while the Red Keep's Septa kept a close eye on the children (probably by Cersei's command). Jaime had entered the room next, with his hands hidden behind his back. When Joanna had asked her brother what he was hiding, he produced a dagger made of dragon glass, adorned with golden flecks. That morning, Joanna had been truly happy.

But the happiness had faded when her father showed up, bearing news that would change her life. At first, Joanna was beyond happy to see her father, she missed him dearly. He had sent her to Kingslanding when she was ten and had not visited her once.