"This is your last chance to back out", I propose to Jon as we sit on our horses at the crossing. He has to go right for the Night's Watch, I have to go left for King's Landing.
"I'm sure", replied Jon looking at me. Involuntarily, a tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it.
"I'm going to miss you, big brother", I whispered to him as I hugged him and he hugged me back.
"And I you, little sister", he replied in the same hushed tone. I looked down at Winter who started to whine, and his tail stopped wagging. He knew that this was goodbye.
"This is goodbye then.", said Jon, sighing heavily.
"For now", I added quickly looking at him.
"For now", he repeated confidently. "Don't do anything stupid like you always manage to", warned me Jon and I laughed.
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you, Jon Snow", I replied, getting off my horse and petting Winter goodbye.
"Goodbye boy, protect Jon, make sure he is never alone alright? And protect yourself. I still want to see you one day", I whispered to Winter and he licked my face gently. I stood up, wiping the saliva and getting back on my horse. I looked behind me, seeing Jon and my father talking.
I then looked back towards the carriage that has already continued riding, and I saw Jaime Lannister looking at me intensely.
Gods he could get on my nerves.
I quickly rode to catch up with the rest of the people, with my father quick behind me. I watched as Jon rode off with two wolves running after him, their tongues sticking out. Winter stopped on top of the hill to look back at me but then turned around, and ran after Jon.
He will be happy. I was sure of it.
"I see you've given Winter to Jon", said my father as he rode beside me. We both passed Jaime without acknowledging him.
"South is no place for direwolves", I replied simply. My father nodded, letting me ride further along in silence.
We rode for the whole day, not stopping once, until we arrived at a small village with an inn we could stay for the night. It was still light outside, so I decided to read a book under a tree a little away from other people but close enough in case something happened, they wouldn't have to look long for me.
Father and King Robert left to enjoy some food together in the field, while Arya left to practice with her sword. I saw Sansa and Joffrey talking and leaving to go somewhere. I remembered the promise I made to my father so I quickly got up and followed them. Unfortunately I was too late, when I finally found where Sansa and Joffrey had disappeared to, I saw Arya standing with a sword drawn at Joffrey who was lying on the ground, clutching his hand that was bloodied.
"Arya!", I yelled as I ran as fast as my feet took me. "Stop!". I took the sword out of her hand, throwing it to the ground. "Are you alright. Did he do anything to you?", I asked in a hushed whisper so only she could hear me. Sansa ran over to Joffrey quickly, trying to help him.
"My prince, my poor prince. Look what they did to you. Stay here, I'll go back to the inn and bring help", offered Sansa, still kneeling in front of Joffrey, helping him sit. Arya was shaking in my arms, and trying to hide her face in my cape. I held her head and her her shoulder close to me in a protective manner.
"Then go! Don't touch me!", screamed Joffrey making Arya jump into me even more. Sansa also jumped a little and quickly stood up running towards the inn. I looked down at Joffrey and despite my better judgement decided to help him. I quickly ripped part of my dress off and kneeled in front of him.
"May I, your grace?", I asked stiffly. He looked at me with distrust, and hate but nodded so I tied the cloth around his wound, as there wasn't that much blood spilling out, so there was no risk that he would bleed out. When I finished he nodded without thanking me, so I got back to Arya, leading her away a little.
"What happened?", I asked her and she avoided my gaze. "I need to know Arya, so I can defend you", I insisted and she took in a sharp breath.
"I was training with the butcher's boy. I had asked him to, and he had agreed. Then Joffrey shows up, cuts the boy's cheek and then when I tried to stop him, he began threatening me, and Nymeria defended me.", explained Arya and I looked at the lying prince. I saw that his attention was turned towards the approaching guards and the Queen. And I knew that Nymeria would most likely get killed, I mean, she did attack the prince.
"Get Nymeria out of here", I whispered, pushing her towards the woods. She nodded, not asking any questions and ran. I walked to the prince and helped him stand.
"Joffrey!", screamed Queen Cercei as she ran over to us, with at least 12 guards and the Hound behind her. "My poor little boy", said Cercei as she cradled her sons head and gave me a death stare. "What happened to my boy?", she asked in a cold, accusing tone.
"Nymeria, the wolf, attacked him your grace", I replied, not mentioning my sister at all. I knew she would get in trouble no matter what, but perhaps I could hold it off a little, or maybe it would play itself out.
"That little cunt bit me!", raised his voice Joffrey making me flinch.
"Now now my sweetling, we need to see the maestar", shushed him Cercei, looking me up and down and leading her son away. Sansa watched this happen, standing to the side a little. I approached her, giving her a side hug. She looked scared to death, and I doubted it that it was for Arya. But love is a curious thing.
We walked slowly to the inn behind all the guards. And I tried to comfort Sansa but it didn't seem to help. Our father, as soon as he had heard the news, rode out with some guards to find Arya. I only prayed that she was fast enough to get Nymeria far enough away.
"Are you alright?", asked a voice from beside me and I looked over, too deep in my own thoughts to notice that someone had come.
"Yeah, we're fine", I replied quickly, rubbing Sansa's shoulders. The answer didn't seem to satisfy Jaime so he remained seated next to us.
"How is Prince Joffrey?", asked Sansa weakly.
"He's fine, just a couple of small scars, nothing life threatening", replied Jaime, he didn't seem all too concerned about his nephew's health.
"See, I told you he would be fine", I whispered to Sansa who relaxed significantly.
"What happened?", asked Jaime after a moment, looking at us.
"I only got there when Nymeria had already bitten him. But from what I've been told, Joffrey attacked Arya, and Nymeria was just defending her", I replied and he seemed to be taken aback a little. His eyes scanned me, as if they were trying to figure out if I was lying. But if he had lived his whole life with that boy, he knew that what I was saying was the truth.
"Lady Sansa?", asked Jaime, turning to my sister.
"I don't know", she replied weakly, and Jaime turned to me looking for an explanation.
Sansa didn't want to say anything to get Joffrey in trouble, knowing full well that this was his fault. She 'loved him' too much. But she also didn't want to blame Arya because she knew that none of this was her fault. And of course they are hardly going to listen to me, because I arrived late. This is not going to end well for Arya.
We sat in silence until we heard hoofbeats, and rapid footsteps indicating that my father had arrived. That would mean that Arya was here, or they couldn't find her. I looked through the crowd as we came into the room, and I saw my little sister standing all alone, dirty, tiny, frightened. My heart broke a little, so I quickly walked over to her, enveloping my little sister in a hug.
"Are you alright?", I asked quietly, ignoring the stares from the Lannister soldiers, the Queen, Joffrey and the King. It was unsettling and made me uncomfortable but I couldn't just let my sister stand defenseless in the room full of enemies.
"I'm sorry", whispered Arya as soon as our father pushed his way through the crowd of soldiers.
"Are you hurt?", asked my father, concerned.
"No", replied Arya weakly, still clinging on to my hand.
"It's all right. What is the meaning of this ? Why was my daughter not brought to me at once?", asked my father, trying to contain his anger. He wasn't one to lash out, or have outbursts when he got angry, but when something truly bad happened, you best know where to hide.
"How dare you speak to your King in such manner?", asked Cercei, her anger matching my fathers, making Arya flinch into me.
"Quiet, woman. Sorry, Ned. I never meant to frighten the girl. But we need to get this business done quickly.", said King Robert as he raised his voice. At least he was being rational here.
"Your girl and that butcher's boy attacked my son. That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off.", continued Cercei, not listening to her husband. I scoffed inwardly. 'Nearly tore his arm off', please. If you saw what kind of injuries I had after playing with Jon and Robb for half an hour she would have a heart attack.
"That's not true! She just bit him a little... He was hurting Mycah", argued Arya.
"Joff told us what happened. You and that boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him.", argued back Cercei. Joffrey should have come up with a better excuse. If he was beaten with clubs, he would have bruises, a busted lip, something other than that bite. Besides, Arya is a small girl, the club is her size if not larger.
"That's not what happened!", yelled out Arya and I held her back so she wouldn't do something we all regretted.
"Yes it is! They all attacked me, and she threw my sword in the river!", argued back Joffrey.
"Liar!", screamed out Arya and I held her so she wouldn't punch Joffrey.
"Shut up!", yelled back Joffrey and his mother made no effort to hide her sly smile.
"Enough ! He tells me one thing, she tells me another. Seven hells ! What am I to make of this ? Where's your other daughter, Ned?", asked Robert. But I knew it would be hopeless. Sansa would never say anything bad against Joffrey, and she would not say anything bad against Arya because she is family.
"In bed, asleep", replied my father but Cercei shook her head.
"She's not, Sansa come here darling", called out Cercei. I exchanged a panicked look with my father who seemed to be at a loss of words. We haven't even arrived in King's Landing yet, and everything was going to shit.
Sansa walked over to us, she seemed shaken, just as Arya, only worse.
"Now, child... Tell me what happened. Tell it all and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a King.", threatened Robert and I looked at Sansa pleadingly.
"I don't know, I don't remember. Everything happened so fast, I didn't see", said Sansa, and I clenched my jaw in frustration.
"Liar! Liar! Liar!", screamed Arya as she tried to hit Sansa but I held her back, picking her up and putting her down behind me, so I stood in between her and Sansa.
"Stop it! That's enough!", ordered my father, making my two younger siblings stop at once.
"She's as wild as that animal of hers. I want her punished", declared Cercei, looking at her husband.
"What would you have me do, whip her through the streets ? Damn it, children fight. It's over.", yelled out the King. In that moment, I looked at him in a different perspective. I guess, my respect for him grew a little. He was being rational, logical, unlike his wife that I had grown to dislike.
"Joffrey will bear these scars for the rest of his life", argued Cercei.
"You let that little girl disarm you?", asked Robert as he looked at his son, who was at a loss of words at the moment. "Ned, see to it that your daughter is disciplined. I will do the same with my son", ordered the King and my father nodded, relieved.
"Gladly, your grace", he replied, taking Sansa's arms lightly, and beginning to walk away but Cercei stopped us.
"And what of the direwolf? Where is the beast that savaged my son?", asked Cercei, clearly not ready to let this go.
"I'd forgot the damned wolf", cursed under his breath Robert.
"We've found no trace of the direwolf, your Grace", reported a soldier and I gave Arya an approving look. At least she did that.
"So be it", announced Robert, continuing to walk away.
"They have another wolf", continued Cercei.
"As you will", gave in Robert, obviously just wanting for this to end.
"You can't mean it", whispered my father. The realization hit me in the face. Lady was going to die for Nymeria's mistake. If I hadn't let Winter go with Jon and Ghost, he would be dead now too.
"A direwolf is no pet. Get her a dog. She'll be happier for it", replied the King, finally leaving the room.
"He doesn't mean Lady, does he? No no, not Lady! Lady didn't bite anyone! She's good!", yelled out Sansa and I grabbed her arm, giving her a warning glance.
"Lady wasn't there. You leave her alone!", argued Arya.
"Your grace, Lady wasn't even there, why would we punish her if it wasn't even her fault?", I asked, silently begging Cercei to stop this. She ignored my pleading.
"Ser Ilyn, do me the honour", she ordered but my father stopped her.
"No. Audelia, take the girls up to their rooms. If it must be done, I'll do it myself", declared my father.
"Is this some trick?", asked Cercei, and I looked at my dad.
"The wolf is of the north. She deserves better than a butcher", replied my father and I sighed, knowing that this was it.
Father left and I lead my two younger siblings to our room we shared for the night. They were both quiet as a ghost. We got ready for bed in silence, not bothering to exchange 'goodnights', we all knew that this was not a good night at all.
The rest of the ride to King's Landing was tense and quiet. Sansa and Arya rarely spoke to each other, which was even worse than when they were fighting. So I sat between them in the carriage when we rode, not wanting to risk one of them finally cracking, then all seven Hells would be let loose.
"Welcome, Lord Stark. Grand Maester Pycelle has called a meeting of the Small Council. The honor of your presence is requested.", greeted a servant as we pulled up to the gates of King's Landing. I had almost forgotten that my father was the Hand of the King and now has to attend council meetings.
Father looked back at us, seeing Sansa looking at her lap, Arya looking at the trees, and I looking at him with concern. The King had already ridden to the castle, most likely to relax or whatnot. And I was eager to see the city, I have read a great deal about it, and heard many rumours. Mostly about how good the brothels and taverns, but also about the libraries, the views, the product they sold here.
"Get the girls settled in. I'll be back in time for supper. And, Jory, you go with them", ordered my father.
"Yes, my lord", replied Jory quickly, and helped Arya get out of the carriage, then me, and lastly Sansa.
"If you'd like to change into something more appropriate...", began the servant but my father ignored him, and just continued walking.
I walked with Sansa, Arya and Jory to our assigned rooms, I had my own quarters with a small balcony that overlooked the city. It was a small room but I didn't need much. Then Sansa had her own room that was just a little further down the hall from me, and Arya had a room right next to mine.
We were all sitting in father's chambers, eating. Arya was 'practicing' with her knife and I knew better than to stop her. I could see that our Septa was getting fed up with it.
"Arya, please eat", I said softly to her but she shook her head.
"Enough of that young lady, eat your food", ordered the Septa harshly, and I sighed.
"I'm practicing", argued Arya and I looked at her with my eyebrows raised.
"Practicing for what?", I asked curiously.
"The prince", replied Arya fiercely, and Sansa looked up sharply.
"Arya, stop!", yelled the Septa, taking the knife from Arya's hand. I gave her a sharp look but she ignored it. The one person I hated more than my own mother was the Septa, she was just like mother but without as much power.
"He's a coward, and a liar and he killed my friend!", yelled Arya looking at me pleadingly.
"The Hound killed your friend", corrected Sansa.
"The Hound does what the prince tells him to do", argued Arya.
"You're an idiot", insulted Sansa.
"Stop it!", I said, raising my voice a little.
"You're a liar, and if you told the truth Mycah would still be alive!", yelled back Arya, getting up and running out of the room.
"Enough!", yelled the Septa, and I just looked at her with anger. She was not helping.
"What's happening here?", asked my father as he entered the room, looking between the Septa and I.
"Arya would act like a beast than a lady", replied the Septa angrily. I rolled my eyes but decided to stay quiet. Father looked at the door through which Arya just disappeared through and then turned to Sansa.
"That's for you love, the same dollmaker that makes all of Princess Myrcella's toys. Do you like it?", asked my father. He was trying to get her into a better mood, especially since Lady died, she had been constantly sad.
"I haven't played with dolls since I was eight.", replied Sansa, looking at the doll. " May I be excused?", asked Sansa, and without waiting for an answer got up and left.
"You have barely eaten a thing!", argued the Septa.
"It's alright, let her", said father, sitting down. "War was easier than daughters", he mumbled then looked at me. I sighed and nodded. "You were always more wild, and adventurous than Sansa, and after you cut your hair, everyone thought I had another son, not a daughter", began father, laughing at the memory when he first saw my short hair. "Gods your mother was furious. All night she yelled my ear off about your behavior".
"I hated braids. And since I looked like a boy, I could do things boys could, they accepted me easier", I replied, playing with my own food. I hadn't eaten anything, didn't have the appetite.
"And you wanted to defy your mother", added my father and I chuckled, knowing that it was true. "You were always running around with Jon and Robb causing all kinds of trouble. I remember, what's his name.... Gustus! Yeah, you three would constantly steal things from him, and then return them in different places", laughed my father and I laughed with him.
"The good times", I whispered, getting sad again, knowing that it would be unlikely that I see Jon again soon. "May I be excused?", I ask, after a moment of silence passed. Father nodded, and I left the room, not listening to the Septa's protests about how I needed to eat more.
I wanted to go to my room, look at the portraits I drew, remember all the good memories I had as a child but I was interrupted.
"Lady Stark", greeted Ser Jaime.
"Ser Jaime", I greeted him back.
"How are your sisters? Better I hope", he asked, and he seemed genuinely concerned.
"Getting there", I replied, and he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm sorry that happened, the Prince can be-", he began and I interrupted.
"Preposterous? Dishonest?", I ask and he laughs.
"Something like that, yes", he agreed. "I had actually come here to ask you something", he continued and I raised my eyebrow.
"What's that?", I ask curious.
"Well, I was, um... wondering if-", he began to stutter, and was about to ask when my father emerged from the bedroom.
"Ser Jaime, something happen?", asked my father, standing by my side, a little in front of me in a protective manner. Jaime looked at me and then turned to my father.
"No, my lord. I just came to see if everything was how you wanted it to be", he replied, holding his head higher, and looking at my father with his signature smile.
"It is", said my father stiffly. Jaime looked at me for a moment before bowing.
"I must get going. The King can't be left without my protection for long, gods know there are so many dangers and enemies too close", he said, looking at my father intensely and then leaving.
"What did he want?", asked my father as soon as Jaime was out of ear shot.
"Nothing.", I reply, looking at him. I shrug and go to my room.
What did Jaime Lannister want to ask me? Why was he stuttering, and he seemed to be really nervous.
A lion, nervous?
Winter is truly coming.