Naveena
Tilly found me two halls away from my chamber where I was desperately trying to remember how to get there. "My lady!" She scolded gently, the hall bursting with servants and guards moving about the castle in preparation for the feast tonight to celebrate the arrival of the king.
"You have barely left me with any time!" She fretted and I let her grip my wrist, dragging me along to my room. "We have to get you ready for the feast"
A bath of steaming water had been prepared in front of the fireplace, diffusing scents of jasmine and honey. Tilly quickly helped me shuck off my clothing and shoved me into the tub, at least allowing myself the freedom to wash as she laid a gown of a rich red fabric out on the bed.
"Where in Seven Hells did you get that?" I frowned, not recalling ever seeing it before as I scrubbed the stink from under my arms.
"The Lady Sansa has been making it for you ever since the king sent word we were coming to Winterfell," Tilly fussed about with the material, ironing out any creases in the fabric.
"Well, at least it's not black and yellow."
"There is that to be thankful for," Tilly acknowledged.
I stood, water cascading down my skin to return to the tub at my feet. The maid came around with a strip of thick cloth and wrapped it around me before I turned into an icicle. The fire was barely keeping the room temperature below freezing.
There was a knock at the door right as Tilly finished pinning my hair; a braid wrapped around into a crown. "Come in," I called, standing and smoothing down my skirt, facing the mirror as I did a final check.
In the reflection, I saw Robb enter. He had changed into more formal wear for tonight and had tried to comb his unruly curls. His eyes met mine in the mirror and his mouth parted in astonishment. "Naveena, wow."
I smiled, thanking Tilly as she exited the room, the corner of her mouth tilted upwards. Walking over, I came to stand in front of the young man, letting him take me in. His gaze roved down my figure and back up again. "Ugh, wow."
"Find your words, Robb Stark," I tried not to appear too smug, raising a finger to rest it on his lips. "Are you here to accompany me?"
Clearing his throat, blood rushed to his cheeks as he took my hand in his. "Yes, my l–Naveena," He quickly corrected. "May I escort you to the feast downstairs?"
Something in the pit of my stomach stirred at the glint in those beautiful eyes. Were those butterflies? Letting him take my arm in his, the contact of his warm skin on mine sent tingles through my hand. "You may."
It was quite loud in the crowded hall, the many voices echoing off the hardwood walls. Many people bowed their heads to us out of respect and greeting but Robb never allowed us to stop to talk. He politely answered them in passing, whilst expertly navigating the layout of the hall and moving us towards where his family sat. Lady Catelyn Stark appeared to have eaten something rotten, her pursed lips and hard eyes on me as we approached. Robb didn't seem to notice the disapproval rolling off his mother in waves.
Robert was sitting at one of the lower tables being obnoxiously loud, five whores surrounding him, one refilling his drink while he slapped another on the arse. Cersei looked on from the high table disapprovingly, her icy gaze quickly turning to me in the arms of Robb Stark. I discreeting dipped my chin to her as he led me towards the other end of the same table, where two empty seats sat between his brother and Prince Joffrey.
Marcella waved to me gleefully from beside her mother at the other end of the trestle, Tommen on her other side looking wide-eyed out at the boisterous crowd. Seems he was all about the excitement after his nap.
"Here you go, my lady," Bran passed me a bowl, grinning at me with a gap between his teeth.
"Thank you," I smiled down at him, roving my eyes over the rest of the Stark children. Rickon was just past Bran, scooping up the last dregs of his meal.
The bowl slipped from my fingers and I turned to see Robb pouring me a serving from the steaming stew in the centre of the table. He passed it back to me and placed a slice of bread on the side of my plate. "My lady," He nodded politely.
"What did I say about calling me 'my lady'?" I threw him a mock glare. "Am I to refer to you as 'my lord' now?"
"Sorry," He bowed his head sheepishly. "Please, Naveena, eat."
"Well only because you said 'please'."
I had barely managed to take my first bite of stew before Sansa appeared at my side with an excited smile. "My lady!"
"Hello, Sansa," Offering her a warm smile and standing to greet her.
"You look positively radiant, I am so glad the dress suits you. I had to guess your measurements."
"It is truly gorgeous," I assured, running my hands down the bodice, despite the fact my breasts felt like they were being squeezed through my rib cage. "Thank you so much. I couldn't have done a better job myself, though I admit, needlework and sowing are not my forte."
The thirteen-year-old blushed at my comments, lowering her head nervously as she spoke. "I'm glad you like it, my Lady."
"Would you like to sit?" I offered after she stood there awkwardly for a moment too long.
"Oh, yes please," She sat, pushing a begrudging Bran over in his seat. "I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions, my lady?"
"Please, Sansa, you may call me Naveena. And of course, what is it I can help you with?" I set down my spoon, wondering what the young woman wanted.
"What is it like in King's Landing?"
I inhaled, surprised. "It's a great city but I've never had much heed for it."
"Oh." She seemed taken aback by my statement.
"It's a bit smelly," I explained. "There are a lot of people who are without work or homes. Unable to feed themselves or their families. We have quite a few people arrive every year expecting to find better work opportunities. But that is not always the case. Flea Bottom is the slum within the city walls and its population increases dramatically each year."
Her frown was deep now. "But why would you know such things? Don't you live in the Red Keep with your brother?"
"Of course," I smile and gently add, "But I am a member of the royal family. It is my duty to know about issues such as these. Otherwise, who will bother fixing them?"
I could feel Robb watching me but I did not turn to look at him. "Do you counsel your brother on matters such as these?" Sansa asked cautiously. "I did not know you were a member of the King's counsel?"
Straightening my spine, I turned back to my dinner. "I am not."
The girl shifted slightly in her seat, noting that line of conversation was closed. "Well, what is it you do, Naveena?"
"I am a trained swordswoman," I glanced at her to see her reaction. Her expression held warring emotions of a girl who had been brought up to believe that fighting should be left to the men and who was in awe at the same time at meeting a woman who stepped outside of those boundaries of society. "I fight and train every day with some of the best swordsmen in Westeros. Blackwater Bay is spectacular as well, it looks like diamonds when the sun hits it just right. I do enjoy sailing across it on warmer days. There are spectacular gardens inside the walls of the Red Keep that are quite lovely to walk through. Be careful not to get lost."
Oh, and there's also my adventures into Flea Bottom and in the hidden depths of the castle.
"Pretty boring really."
"That sounds wonderful!" She exclaimed with a dreamy sigh. "I cannot wait to go there. Thank you."
She rose and returned to her seat at the end of the table next to her friend, a girl around her age who was probably the daughter of a man of the Stark household.
I frowned, glancing at Robb to find him watching his sister with an unreadable expression. "I wonder how she found out about the proposed betrothal so quickly?" He asked.
Titling my head, I glanced him up and down. "You don't want her to go South?"
He eyed me, picking up his cup of wine and taking a generous sip. "You'll find most Northerners don't much like the South. It's against her house to be so enthralled with the idea of travelling there."
The narrowing of my eyes caught his attention. "Sansa is a daughter to a great house. She has been raised her entire life to expect to marry, no doubt someone of the North and bear him heirs, trapped inside his castle for the rest of her life. Did you even consider that the idea of travelling and seeing a piece of the world, that is very much bigger than merely Winterfell and the North, would appeal to a woman?"
Robb stared at me dumbfounded, seemingly startled into silence by my revelant. He opened his mouth to say something but someone cleared their throat behind us. We both swivelled around in our chair to see a familiar man.
"Uncle Benjen," Robb greeted, finding his voice.
"Young Robb," The finely aged man dipped his head to his nephew before his eyes found me. "Lady Naveena."
"Benjen," I smiled, looking up at the man who could have one day been my husband.
"It is delightful to see you again," He offered me his hand. "Would you like to dance?"
Placing my hand in his, our calluses scraping together, I stood. "I would love a dance."
I could practically see Robb kicking himself behind us as Benjen swept me onto the makeshift dancefloor that had formed between the numerous tables. Benjen's presence was a shock, as I had not considered the Night's Watch would allow him to return to his home, though I probably should have considering his brother was Lord Eddard Stark. He took me expertly into his arms and with some grace we moved across the dance floor.
"My, how you have grown," He smiled down at me. There had been a time when I would have done anything for that smile, to make him pleased with me.
"The last time you saw me I was eight," I pointed out cheekily, no longer the timid little girl I'd been when we used to exchange letters.
"That is true," He acknowledged, sending me into a spin that caused the skirt of my dress to flare out around my calves. "From what my brother tells me you have a certain outspoken nature these days."
"And what's wrong with that?" I quirked a brow and he chuckled.
"Nothing, my lady, nothing at all," He spun us around, narrowly avoiding another dancing couple. "I merely wish to remark on how much you've changed, you've grown into a beautiful, strong and passionate young woman. It's a wonderful thing to see after what happened these last couple of years."
My right hand held his shoulder as we continued through the steps matching the rhythm of the muscains by the fireplace. "Do not think yourself so important to have impacted my life so heavily with your rejection, Benjen Stark. I would still be my wonderful, amazing self today either way."
"Humble too," He grinned before turning serious again. "I know I hurt you, young as you were, with my decision to join the Night's Watch. Truly, Naveena, as I stated in my letter, there isn't a single thing you did to repel my affections. You were very young and I was at an age where I was supposed to want marriage, but it is not something I ever sought."
"So, it had nothing to do with me being a bastard commoner?"
"Of course not," He spun me back toward him fiercely, his expression turning hard.
We had stopped moving now and I looked up into his face, seeing the truth there. In all honesty, the brief melodrama that had been my proposed betrothal to Nedd's younger brother hadn't bothered me for more than a few weeks. "You are right," I admitted, noting the stares on us. "You did hurt my feelings, but I recovered quickly." His gaze turned knowing. "It would have been an honour to be a member of House Stark."
He pushed us back onto the dance floor, moving with the music once more. "From what I hear that may still be an option for you."
My gaze followed his, over to Robb who was laughing as Arya flung a spoonful of tonight's stew onto the front of Sansa's dress. The red-haired girl shouted at her sister in outrage. The distrubance caught the attention of Lady Catelyn, who threw her eldest son a sharp glare and he instantly sobered.
"I do not think it proper," I admitted, letting myself be led by Benjen in the slightly slower dance that required our bodies to be a lot closer for a lot longer time as we moved. "He is to be Lord of Winterfell. I am not a suitable bride."
"It doesn't matter who you were before," Benjen's voice was soft and gentle in my ear as my back was pressed against him, shuffling a few steps forward, before going back again. "The king has claimed you as his sister. You are Lady Naveena Baratheon. That is all that matters."
"You should try telling your sister-in-law that."
The pair of us glanced over to where Catelyn was attempting to engage the Queen in conversation. Benjen sighed and nodded. "She is a proud woman. Brought up in the Riverlands under a tough father with house values that rival even those of the North. Good luck."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered but not wanting to spoil the mood. I shifted the topic. "How long are you in Winterfell?"
"I will stay as long as the King is visiting, as a member of House Stark, it is proper. Besides, my brother apparently needs me to keep his head above water."
"What are brothers for, uh?" I grinned, knowing exactly where Nedd was coming from.
Speaking of, I scanned the room, noting that Jon was absent and I hadn't seen him during dinner. Robb and Theon were stealing glances at me, discussing something as they sat together at the head table.
The musicians dipped into a crescendo, announcing the end of the song. Benjen and I stepped apart, bowing to each other in farewell. "It's lovely to see you again, Naveena. I hope we talk again."
"May I cut in?" The two of us turned to Ser Jaime, his hand extended towards me. "A dance, my lady?"
Benjen glanced at me before dipping his chin in farewell. I took Jaime's hand and rejoined the dancers. "Jaime."
"Naveena," With more confidence and poise than Benjen, we danced our way across the floor. "I'm a little surprised you accepted since you have been avoiding me and all."
"Well, I couldn't exactly say no and cause a scene in the middle of Robert's party."
"Fair enough, he might keel over if the attention wasn't on him." He chuckled, watching me as we spun around and around. "According to my sister, I have done something to upset you."
"I'd have to care in the first place in order to be upset," I patted his arm. "I no longer wish to see you, Jaime, so I stopped coming to see you. I hope that's not too much for your little heart to bear."
"That's okay," He sniffed but the soft smile he normally reserved for when we were alone or with Cersei spread across his face. "But you should know that should you need anything, want anything from me, it's yours."
I looked up at him, not expecting such an oath from him. He and Cersei had been in love with each other since they were teenagers, maybe even earlier. But for me to be included in his affections, it was clear things had developed into something beyond what we'd originally started.
"Does this have anything to do with you getting cozy with the Stark heir?"
I rolled my eyes, trying not to suffer whiplash from the drastic change in topic. "Robert's already offered a betrothal."
Jaime's eyes widened and I wondered why Cersei hadn't mentioned it to him. "He sure works fast, doesn't he?"
"I'm nearly ten and nine, some might class me as an old maid."
He snorted, spinning me under his arm. "You are anything but." He considered me a moment, our bodies pressing together before breaking apart again. "Is this something you want?"
"Don't worry about me," I reassured with a smirk. "I have a plan."
"Of course you do," He rolled his eyes. "You and Cersei cook this one up then?"
"No, this one I'm executing on my own,"
His brows rose in surprise. "I hope it goes off better than the one before."
"Who said I haven't executed a few more in between?"
His green eyes glinted with laughter. "Of course, I'm underestimating you."
"Ah, a fatal floor of men, dismissing women as mere decoration."
We finished the last movement of the dance and stepped away from each other. "I'm not dumb enough to mistake you as anything other than redoubtable."
He bowed deeply and left with as much poise as a man who knew he'd lost could muster.
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