"Can a man be brave when he's afraid?"
Chapter two:
Winterfell
When Shikari Nara woke up, she didn't immediately open her eyes. It was a habit of hers to wake up without really opening her eyes, but to make it more simple: her mind was awake, but her body was "resting" to the outside world. Shikari had developed this habit of hers since she was five, in order to get out of doing chores when her mother was away or to just listen in to conversations.
No one really suspected a lover of sleep like her to have that habit.
Except her father, Shikaku Nara.
He could always tell when she was actually awake.
"Who is the girl?"
"For the fourth time, I do not know brother."
There were two men in the room she was in, from what Shikari could deduce. She was also laying on a bed of some sort, not her usual futon. Also, the language that the men were speaking was nothing like her own, which may or may not rule off the kidnapping her because she's the Nara heiress theory. Though, Shikari wasn't sure if they were just speaking this strange language on purpose or if they really didn't know her language.
Either way, it put her at a disadvantage called language barrier, which greatly reduced her chance of communicating and inquiring about Konoha.
A sigh escaped one of the two men in the room. "And you found her all alone in the snow?"
"She was freezing brother and you saw what she was wearing before. I could not just leave her to die."
"I understand. She is lucky your paths crossed, otherwise..."
A silence befell the room.
Shikari, knowing she couldn't feign sleep forever, took this as her chance to "wake up" by fake stirring. Her eyes, the typical Nara brown, wearily opened and she immediately felt the men staring at her as she sat up, wincing a bit at the effort it took.
She absently noted that she had been dressed up into a dress and bit back a cringe, she preferred her normal clothes, but at least this dress she was wearing did a better job at fighting the cold than her kimono did. She was still cold though.
"Which one of you was the one who found me?" Shikari asked, narrowing her eyes at them in focus.
Neither gave away any recognition.
Their body language gave away the exact opposite, confusion.
"What is she saying?"
"I don't recognize the tongue at all, perhaps I could ask Maester Luwin..."
Shikari, despite not understanding them at all, got her question answered anyway. It seemed like it was the younger man who saved her, since his voice matched the one in her faint memory of the night before.
"Little girl, can you...understand us?"
Shikari stifled a yawn once she realized that her savior was looking at her in an expectant manner.
There goes her dreams of never having someone expect something from her.
"Troublesome," she sighed feeling a headache coming on, no doubt she would have to learn the language that they were speaking.
Why her and not them?
They were the majority and she was the minority. It was only logic that she would have to be the one to dedicate time into learning whatever language it was they were speaking, in order to make sense of the situation.
So, without much thought, she pointed at herself. "Shikari Nara," she slowly pronounced. Again, no recognition flickered in them at her name and Shikari prided herself in being a good observer.
"That's her name, I'm guessing.."
Her savior looked at her with curious eyes. "My name is Benjen Stark."
The older man, who Shikari deduced was probably Benjen's sibling, followed suit. "My name is Eddard Stark."
Shikari saw that just like her, they were waiting for a reaction. But just like them, she had no idea who they were or if they were anyone important. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't.
More importantly, the Nara were prized for their intelligence.
Shikari, despite how lazy she was, knew she was smart if she put her mind to it. And she knew that in order to learn this weird language these men spoke, she'd have to memorize the phrases they use, learn the words and understand the basics before she can attempt anything else.
"My name is Shikari Nara," Shikari forced out, cringing at how awkward she sounded.
Benjen and Eddard both looked at her in interest.
"She's a quick learner, despite the accent," Benjen noted in amusement. "I'd say she'll learn the Common Tongue before her next name day, should she get the opportunity."
Shikari nervously shifted at the intense look Benjen was giving her, as if he expected something from her. What, she didn't really want to know. She just really wanted to go home to her family. Feed her clan's deers. See Naruto, Ino and Choji.
"...you want me to take her in don't you?"
"You took in the Greyjoy, so why not this girl?"
Benjen extended his hand towards Shikari, an encouraging smile on his face.
Wearily, the Nara placed her hand in his.
"Well behaved and cautious. When she learns the Common Tongue, I am sure she will get along with your children."
Eddard had a little smile as well. "I will make her my ward then."
"And if she ever wants to leave?"
"I will respect her decision."
Shikari eyed the smiling men in suspicion, her grip tensing in Benjen's hand.
Noticing her sudden tension, Benjen gave her a comforting squeeze.
"Shikari Nara," Eddard started, earning her attention. "Welcome to Winterfell."
"Winterfell?" Shikari repeated the last word, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
With a nod, Benjen gestured to the window that revealed the outside of the building they were in. Shikari eyed the people as they walked about, seemingly content with their lives. The young Nara, despite how kind the men were being, couldn't help but feel fear inside her. She was far away from her home.
Where in the world was she?
Perhaps in the Land of Snow?
She was scared.
She hadn't been this scared in a while.
"Troublesome."