Joanna found herself seated at the high table next to Robb and Maester Luwin. Catelyn had left Winterfell and no matter how many times she'd ask Robb he simply said he couldn't answer. Joanna didn't know what was happening but she felt within her bones that something bad was going to happen. Something she felt she couldn't prepare herself for even if she wanted to.
Word of Tyrion Lannisters arrival had travelled fast and Joanna was more than excited to be reunited with one of her family members. Since they left she'd had no contact with any of them. Not even her mother. She knew it was her duty to fulfil her role as the future Lady Stark but would it come at the expense of her family.
"I must say I received a slightly warmer welcome on my last visit." Tyrion noted with a tone of sarcasm which felt al the well like home to Joanna.
"Any man of the Night's Watch is welcome at Winterfell." Robb sternly replied to the dwarf dressed in black cloak before him. "
"Any man of the Night's Watch but not I, eh boy?" Tyrion mocking countered the young man.
"I'm not your boy Lannister." Robb replied with a deep set of irritation and frustration escaped his mouth. Joanna reached her hand and firmly gripped his knee looking back at him. There was no secret that there was smoke emanating between House Stark and House Lannister. But Joanna wanted no part of it.
"I'm Lord of Winterfell while my father is away."
"Then you might need to learn a Lord's courtesy." The door creaked open to reveal Hodor, a simple minded though very caring servant to the Starks. Hodor was kind to Joanna, especially if she helped feed the horses in the stables. Hodor was gigantic, almost the size of Ser Gregor Clegane but the two could not have been more opposite to one another. Joanna nodded her head to the gentle giant as he walked in with Bran carried in his arms.
"So it's true. Hello Bran, do you remember anything about what happened?" Tyrion carefully asked the crippled boy.
"He has no memory of that day." Maester Luwin informed him.
"Why are you here?" Robb asked, with Joanna's attempts at calming him down failing miserably. Joanna slightly lifted her hand but she was surprised when she felt his fingers lacing with hers.
"Would your charming companion be so kind as to kneel? My neck is beginning to hurt?" Tyrion kindly asked choosing to ignore the frustrations of the now new Lord of Winterfell. Though he did take notice of the minimum of actions from his niece was able to prevent the Stark boy's temper cloud his judgement.
"Kneel Hodor." Bran commanded. Hodor nodded his head as he bent down to position himself one knee giving Bran the opportunity to look Tyrion face to face.
"Do you like to ride, Bran?"
"Yes." He quickly replied
"Well, I mean I did like to." He emphasised reminding the entire room once again that he would no longer be able to and at such a young.
"Bran has lost the use of his legs Uncle Tyrion." Joanna informed him as she smiled weakly to Bran's direction.
"What of it, my darling niece? With the right horse and saddle even a cripple can ride."
"I'm not a cripple." Bran immediately defended himself
"The I'm not a dwarf!" Tyrion exclaimed
"My father will rejoice to hear it."
Joanna held her hand in front of her mouth trying not to fall for her uncle's amusement. Tyrion winked at his niece's antics knowing well enough that none of Cersei's children were ever able to hold their laughter in. Tyrion turned to Bran as he handed the young boy a scroll.
"Give it to your saddler. He'll provide the rest. You must shape the horse to the rider. Start with a yearling and teach it to respond to the reins and the boy's voice."
"Will I really be able to ride?" Bran asked, and Joanna noticed the glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"You will. On horseback you will be as tall as any of them." Tyrion smiled at the young boy. For the first time since awakening Bran smiled. Seemed as though some form of normality was given to him.
"Is this some kind of trick? Why do you want to help him?" Robb asked
"I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples, bastards and broken things." Tyrion answered
"You've done my brother a kindness. The hospitality of Winterfell is yours."
"Spare me your false courtesies, Lord Stark. There's a brothel outside your walls. There I'll find a bed and both of us can sleep easier."
Joanna's nails tapped the wooden table as she decided to follow behind her uncle because who knew when she'd ever see one of them again. When she managed to catch up with him he'd already been mounted to his horse, but Tyrion was expecting her. That's why he held of his men to wait for the princess's arrival.
"Planning to leave so soon uncle? I must say I am offended you prefer the company of a brothel over your favourite family member." Joanna mocked as she took stand.
"Forgive me Lady Stark, it seemed your lover would rather hunt for gremlins than be seated with me. See it as me saving you from another horrid feast." He retorted as the two shared a laugh.
"So, heading off back home then?"
"Yes, I've accomplished my mission of taking a piss off the edge of the world. Now I want to return to the comfort that is my own sheets."
"How was it? Being at the Wall - was it as the stories Isabella told me about?" Even though Joanna was sixteen years old Tyrion still manage to see her a young little girl who knocked on his door begging to sleep in his bed because she was scared of the thunder storms. Not just Tyrion but Jaime as well.
Alive as Robert was he never truly raised her, her uncles were the father figures in her life. Tyrion knew Joanna's heart always belonged to exploring the world even as a young babe. When she took her first steps all she'd do is walk toward the balconies staring off into the clouds.
"It is just as you envisioned it." He smiled back refusing to shatter her idea of what the Wall was like. Stories of Wildlings and the Nights Watch.
"Couldn't resist some Northern arse?" Theon called as Joanna painfully groaned at yet another vile word that escaped his mouth.
"Come to see me off Greyjoy? Kind of you. Your master doesn't seem to like Lannisters- with the exception of his betrothed."
"Uncle - " Joanna attempted to argue but Tyrion already noticed the blush that spread across her face.
"He's not my master -" Theon retorted
"No, of course not." Tyrion replied refusing to give into Theon's antics. Though as heart whelming it was to be reunited with his niece he couldn't help notice something was off since the last time he'd been here.
"What happened here? Where is Lady Stark? Why didn't she receive me?" Joanna's smirk faded when she sent Theon a disconcerting look. She herself wanted to know but it appears she would not get the answers she wanted - not even from Robb.
"My lady's whereabouts- "
"My lady?" Tyrion chuckled at the mans words finding the irony of it all to hilarious
"Your loyalty to your captors is touching. Tell me, how do you think Balon Greyjoy would feel if he could see his only surviving son has turned lackey?" Tyrion mocked in amusement. Theon's face hardened at his words.
"I still remember seeing my father's fleet burn in Lannisport. I believe your uncles were responsible?"
"Must have been a pretty sight." Theon proudly smirked. Joanna rolling her eyes at the two mens' unnecessary banter.
"Nothing prettier than watching sailors burn alive. Yes, a great victory for your people. Shame how it all turned out." He remarked
"We were outnumbered ten to one."
"A stupid rebellion then. I suppose your father realized that when your brothers died in battle. Now here you are, your enemy's squire."
"Careful Imp."
"I've offended you. Forgive me, it's been a rough morning. Anyway, don't despair. I'm a constant disappointment to my own father and I've learned to live with it." Tyrion smiled tossing a coin to Theon.
"Your next tumble with Ros is on me. I'll try not to wear her out. Joanna, stay excellent as you always are." And with that he left. Joanna turned to Theon who'd already stormed off. She sighed as she heard the pitter patter of paws behind her. Turning around to see Greywind pawing at her feet. She laughed as she bent down to scratch behind his ear
"At least someone here likes me, you do, don't you boy?" She asked, Greywind fully understanding what she is saying jumped on his hind legs at her words. Joanna smirked gleefully as she felt the pup licking her left cheek.
"He's not the only one that does, you know?" She raised her head to see Robb walking towards her. Kissing Greywind on his head she raised herself off the ground to turn to him.
"Feels like he is. Robb, please tell me what's going on and don't lie to me. Why did your mother leave?"
"Joanna, I want to tell you, I do but - "
"Robb, at some point you're going to need to trust me. How will we ever build a marriage without trust." She sighed. Robb looked at her, truly she'd changed for him. She wore Northern gowns now, she wore cloaks of fur he had Old Nan make for her alone, she even wore her hair loose as the women of the North did. She gave up so much of her identity to be accepted in his home - It seemed only fair that he at least be honest with her even if it were against his mothers wishes.
"Come with me to the Godswood and I'll tell you. I don't want Bran hearing any of this." She nodded her head as the pair walked off. From a corner of the castle a young man stood. He was one of Isabella's eyes - being Varys's protegee had it's privileges and that being no matter the distance Isabella would always be able to know whether her friend was safe.
Thousands of miles away from Winterfell inside of the Red Keep, Arya Stark for the first time in her life sat patiently still as Isabella braided her hair. Ned had consulted with Isabella on how to gain his daughters trust and Arya by far was much easier to communicate with. The key: stories
But Arya had no interest in the stories of princesses who married off to high lords - no she wanted war stories. The ones her mother refused to tell her.
"There, is it like your mother did them?" Bayla asked as she finished off Arya's hair. Arya felt the braids and it was just as her mother did them. She turned to the handmaiden as she nodded her head.
"Yes, thank you. I couldn't stand the was Septa made me do my hair this morning. Why do the Southern girls like to wear their hair so tightly anyway?" She asked plopping herself on the bed as Isabella grabbed a seat close by.
"You'll find the culture of the South very much stranger from yours my lady. There's still much I don't even understand." She laughed at the young girl
"Bayla, is it true that the Red Keep still hold the skulls of dragons?" Arya curiously asked
"Where did you hear that?"
"I heard Joffrey speaking to Sansa about it once, so is it true or was it all lies?" Arya asked as she propped herself onto her elbows on the bed
"You mistrust the words of the prince?" She questioned. The two sharing a smirk with one another
"Clever girl. Yes, they do?"
"My father tells me you're the best at telling war stories. Could you teach me about the dragons? What happened to them? Were they killed?" Isabella smirked at Arya's rambling questions, hard as her exterior may be there were moments when her childlike wonder crept out.
"Alright, well firstly little one they weren't killed - they were rode by the Targaryens and the Targaryens alone. Traveling across storms and seas - crossing from Valeria over the roses of High Garden and Serpents of Dorne. The Targaryens came to Kingslanding to build a new dynasty, one that would last for generations to come. Legend has it that the breath of most powerful dragon forged the Iron Throne King Robert sits upon today. Swords of the defeated - thousands of them melted together."
"Oh please tell me you're not filling her head with stories not fit for a lady's ear." Isabella groaned as she turned to see their Septa and Sansa standing in the doorway glaring at them.
"Arya, we'd been looking for you all morning and this is where I find you. Skipping lessons to listen to tales of -"
"But Septa, they're actually interesting. My father even tasked her to tell me war stories." Arya argued back. Sansa's heart beat faster as she glared at her handmaiden and her sister.
"What? Why would he do that? Why wouldn't he let me hear about them too?" Sansa asked envious that Arya had grown a bond with Isabella but on the other hand she couldn't blame her. Sansa was well aware that their handmaiden had no intention of becoming friends with her after her rude manners.
"It's alright Arya, your Septa is right. You need to finish your lessons with her. When you are done come find me and I'll take you to your dancing lesson." Isabella winked, Arya's face grew white as snow. The only ones knowing about her lesson with Syrio so far was herself and her father - having yet to tell Sansa and their Septa.
Bayla walked along the halls of the Red Keep as she took notice of Maester Luwin and Ned Stark closing the door to his office. She turned her head when she took notice of Varys exiting the council room.
"Lord Stark and Maester Luwin, tell me he's not in there -"
"I believe your suspicions are right. He's investigating the reasons for Jon Arryn's death and failing miserably at that." Varys replied as the two turned to walk away, knowing well enough what Ned Stark would find.
"Why do you say he's failing Varys." She asks
"My dear, we both know well enough you and I aren't the only ones who have voices whispering in our ears. No one is to be trusted and that seems to be a concept the Hand of the king struggles to come to terms with. We both know the nature of Jon Arryn's death but that gives us no reason to expose our suspicions to all we know. " Varys countered. Isabella agreed knowing well enough the storm brewing between the houses were out of her control and eventually they would meet at a tipping point where the truth will be revealed
"I've heard reports that Lady Stark has been seen in Little Fingers brother. Explain to me why Joanna was unaware of location? I thought you said the Northerners trusted her?" She asked in concern for her friend.
"There was an attempt to kill the crippled boy. Lady Stark took matters into her own hands, she along with her trusted advisors found the dagger to be made of Valerian steel. Little Finger informed her that it belonged to Lord Tyrion Lannister."
"What? Tyrion? Why would -" She questioned out of shock for her mentors words
"I know, I myself didn't believe it. According to Baelish it belonged to him at first but after a mistaken bet at a tourney they dagger came into the position of the half man. Now Lady Stark is convinced that Joanna can not be trusted along with her family." Varys regretfully answers knowing well enough the depth of Joanna's heart would never be able to do such a heinous act
"I still don't understand what any of this has to do with the princess."
"The night of the attempted mercy kill of young Brandon Stark, Joanna managed to save his life with the dagger her grandfather had gifted her when they were children take a guess in what steel Tywin Lannister would gift his favourite grandchild." It all made sense to Isabella now, but she still couldn't help but feel concerned for her friends safety alone in the North.
"By this time she already knows. My eyes in Winterfell tell me that Robb Stark had already disclosed the information to her, against his mothers will of course." She smirked
"He loves her, doesn't he? Seems like the gods are flipping their coin once again. The whispers of Daenerys Targaryen and her Dothraki Horde grow more than drunken confessions and now we have two star crossed lovers from two houses that couldn't despise each other more than they already do." Isabella laughed at the irony of the situation which Varys agreed on.
"Noble as her heart may be, our princess doesn't realise how dangerous it is to love someone who's name is Stark