Seventeen years after the end of Robert's Rebellion, Eddard Stark found himself receiving orders from his friend. Except these orders didn't concern himself or warfare, but rather, his daughter.
"My Lord, there's been a raven from King's Landing," Maester Lewin told him that morning, holding out a scroll to Lord Eddard as he sat in his study, Lady Catelyn stood beside him.
Ned sighed, knowing that although the King was his best friend, he only ever wrote when he really wanted something. He unrolled the paper, his eyes darting over the the writing before his head fell in his hands. He knew that the information the letter carried were inevitable, but that didn't mean it was something he wanted.
"Ned, what is it?" Catelyn asked worriedly, moving to stand closer to her husband.
"It's Eddmina, Robert's started arranging betrothals for her," he sighed once more, knowing the news would upset his wife just as much as it bothered him.
The words Ned spoke made Catelyn's head spin and her stomach drop. It was always going to happen, Catelyn knew that. She'd been through it all herself, through her betrothal to Brandon Stark and later his younger brother. Except this wasn't herself, this was her daughter, and she loved Eddmina more than she ever loved herself. Catelyn knew Eddmina, as well as her other daughters Sansa and Arya, would one day have to marry, but she always thought it would be arranged by Ned, giving her time to prepare. She always thought their betrothals would come after much deliberation by Ned to find the perfect candidates, not in a letter from a King who didn't even know their children, not giving any of them the chance to prepare.
"But he can't, you're her father, it's your job to do that, not to mention she isn't even ready for marriage yet, she hasn't bled yet!" Catelyn exclaimed, using her shock to disguise how upsetting the prospect of her daughter being sent off to marry was to her. "Who is he thinking of anyway, the prince?"
"Yes But Robert is the king and he gets what he wants," Ned explained rather calmly despite also feeling devastated at the prospect of losing Eddmina. "He did mention the prince, but apparently the Queen believes him to be too young and their age gap too significant. He's suggested other candidates though,"
"Like who?" Catelyn questioned, deciding to ignore the fact that Cersei Lannister obviously thought her son was too good for Eddmina; if anything, it was the opposite.
"The Martells are interested in her apparently, as well as the Tyrell's," Maester Lewin spoke up, having already read the scroll, an expression on his face telling Lord and Lady Stark he too didn't agree with the arrangement Robert was putting in place.
"Dorne and High Garden, they're so far away!" Catelyn protested. "Ned, tell him no, please. Robert doesn't even know her. You can't just let him send Edda off South. You know she'd hate it, she hates anywhere that isn't Winterfell or Riverrun!"
Catelyn had always raised her daughter to understand that she would one day have to get married, and that would mean leaving her family home of Winterfell. Eddmina was very proud to be Northern, and she adored living in Winterfell, seeing any other keep as inferior. Catelyn had raised her daughter to see the honour in marriage, and how important it was to the family, and Eddmina seemingly accepted it, but now the time was here... Catelyn didn't want to believe it.
"She would have to get married someday, and Robert believes that a Stark marriage to either of those houses would stop any animosity between them and the crown," Ned explained, seeing the truth behind the reasons even if he didn't particularly like it.
"Those were the houses that opposed him during the war, it does make sense," The maester nodded, though he didn't truly agree with it all. "If it has to be either of those let it be House Tyrell. It's not as far away as Dorne, and to go by reputation alone it holds more honour than House Martell,"
"The Tyrells are just Lannisters with flowers," Catelyn muttered, hating the house simply because they were threatening to take her daughter away. However, with a small sigh, she knew that there was no good in fighting it. Regardless in how they felt, it was Eddmina's duty to form an alliance through marriage, especially if it is the King arranging it. "Who has he suggested from house Tyrell?"
"Robert writes that Mace Tyrell is eager to form an alliance through Edda and his eldest son Willas Tyrell," Ned read aloud. "He's older than Eddmina and he has a crippled leg but according to Robert is of a kind nature, and a marriage with him would make Eddmina the future Lady of the Reach,"
"Gods," Catelyn muttered, the whole prospect of her daughter being married off and moving so far away making her head spin. "Edda won't like it, it's best we tell her sooner rather than later about all this,"
"Sooner, preferably," Ned nodded. "Because the Tyrells are sending a party up north to meet her. They should get to Winterfell in two weeks,"
"I'll inform the rest of the household about their visit," The Maester nodded. "Shall I send for Eddmina now, my lord?"
Ned Stark had a lot of respect for his eldest daughter, just as he did for all of his children. He loved her desperately, her beauty and spirit reminding him of his sister, but she was also so individual. Eddmina, when not in her lessons, could be found in the stables or the library, and he knew that she genuinely enjoyed the company of her siblings. Her sharp mind made her just as clever as any maester, and her wilfulness made her just as wild as the wolf that represented their house. He knew, however, that when it came down to it, she wouldn't bring shame to the house, honourable enough to accept her role in the game.
If Ned held that much respect for her, it was only right for him to tell her the news face to face, not summoned by the maester.
"No, I'll tell her after dinner, she'll know something is wrong if I have her summoned," Ned shook his head. "Isn't she in lessons now, anyway?"
"The last I saw her she was in the stables with Robb and the others," Catelyn told him, and Ned knew by the scowl on her face 'the others' meant Jon and Theon. "The septa didn't need her this morning so she went out riding instead. I hope she knows the freedom she enjoys here will most likely not extend to the Reach,"
"Don't be too harsh, Cat, I'm sure it will all work out," Ned told his wife with a sigh, finding his words almost hypocritical as he too realised he didn't want to send his eldest daughter off to the Reach.
Stark's didn't do too well when they left the North. His father and brother were a perfect example for that. Ned didn't want anything bad happening to his daughter, but knew that with her graceful bravery, she could survive anything, even marriage.
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Word count: 1213
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ESTÁ A LER
Only A Northern Song ~ Game of Thrones / Willas Tyrell ~
Fanfic"I cannot sing for you. You want me to sing you the songs of the south, where the pretty ladies fall in love with the brave knights and all is well with the world. I don't know those songs. I only know Northern songs, about winter and wolves, and yo...
