Chapter One
The frosty frigid air wrapped around the sun kissed young lady. An unnatural shiver coursed across her body while her foggy breaths filled a small space in front of her. The light brown colored horse galloped gently and still caused the air to hurtfully stab her face. The loose helmet hardly helped her head to stay warm. Her chest felt weakened each time her breaths had her lungs filled with the cruel cold air. Though the seamstress added thicker fabric and furs, it didn't prevent the chilly wind to seep in to her skin.
The North and South were two clashing worlds.
For Rina, the North was her natural enemy. She was born under the sun, raised underneath it's burning heat. In Dorne. The sun stuck her land with the fiercest heat that heavy clothing, like the Northerns, was unheard of. Even during the night, it wasn't unusual to be wearing hardly any clothing because the heat continued throughout the hours without the sun. Endless beautiful heat. Being born under the sun made her yearn for the clear skies instead of looking up to the grey, sun deprived ones in the North. Where she could sleep in the comfort of a natural warm blanket kissing her body. Some Southern areas had muggy air that made everyone uncomfortable, but not in Sunspear. The air was dry with a gentle cool touch. She missed the sand underneath her feet by the ocean; she missed playing in the baths with her sisters; and she missed the delectable foods. The Sunspear called her name, and she could not answer.
The North had been especially cruel for the journey of the King. What possessed King Baratheon to bring Rina to Winterfell is beyond her. Maybe it was just her constant complaining to Jaime Lannister made the trip appear to be more excruciating. Jaime was patient with the girl and continuously reassured her that Winterfell was not far. A lie she didn't believe until they saw the Northern castle from a distance. "Thank the gods," she managed to say with her quivering voice. The Lannister let out a short laugh at her exaggerated praise.
The journey had been hard on her blistered, cold hands that she immediately let go of the horses reins. The Lannister beside her saw the damage done and couldn't hold back his criticism. "That is why a lady shouldn't be riding."
Rina held back her tongue and simply stated, "The carriage suffocates me and causes sickness to fall upon me. You know that." She didn't bother turning to Jaime as she balanced her body on the moving horse. She could almost physically feel the smirk on his face.
"I'm going to need my helmet back," the Lannister told Rina. She reluctantly took of the helmet to hand back to its rightful owner. The frosty air filled the room around her hair. She regretted allowing to have her hair up because if it were down, it would act as a natural blanket. A blanket she desperately wanted.
The horses and men approached Winterfell. Townspeople stood along the roads to watch in amazement as the King and his party entered the castle grounds. Rina rode behind Jaime as the her blistered hands began aching and scaring. The architecture alone had Rina gazing everywhere expect the path in front of her. Her horse almost slammed into Jaime Lannister's steed as they approached the Stark family. Her heart sped up at the embarrassment she had almost created. A moment passed before she looked up to view clearly view the Starks.
The family was just as beautiful as she imagined. Their heads had hues of brown and red, and each one possessed different qualities of their parents. Lord and Lady Stark stood tall and regal, while Lady Stark's fiery hair stood out to Rina. The eldest daughter was also blessed by the touch of fire. The youngest Stark stood next to Lady Stark while their eldest son stood by Lord Stark. Rina took a good look at all of them then noticed the two younger men behind the family. One stood tall with coal black hair and the other had a sandy shaggy hair, much thinner than the man next to him. She suddenly felt insignificant sitting on a horse in front of such a large family. King Baratheon always spoke highly of the Starks, and nothing could go wrong during this trip.
Rina's eyes went wide as the king said, to Lord Stark's face, "You've gotten fat." For a moment everything stood still at such an abrupt insult. No one said a word. Much to her surprise, they laughed and hugged as old friends. Although she wasn't aware of that fact.
Pleasantries were exchanged as the King went down the line of the family. Meanwhile, Queen Cersei, along with Prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella, gracefully walked out of the carriage. The two children curiously gazed at their new surrounding, and the Queen appeared to be uncomfortable with the situation. Rina knew that the Queen wasn't silent about her protest of the trip to the North. Another person too accustomed to the sun of the South. Or not fond of House Stark.
A gloved hand suddenly appeared in front of her. Not to her surprise, it was Jaime Lannister. She glanced one last time at the family before accepting his help down. Much to the King's protest, Rina wore trousers, and agreed to wear a coat that made an illusion of a gown. A serene feeling washed over her as her feet were finally planted on the ground. Jaime, respectfully, removed his helmet to reveal his golden locks. As she was taking in the castle, Rina heard one of the daughters loudly say,"That's Jaime Lannister, the queen's twin brother. And the Seer from Dorne, Rina-" Before she could finish, the older daughter shushed her. The Sand glanced at the younger Stark to acknowledge her comment, and the Stark girl immediately fell into a stunned silence.
An unwanted exchanged occurred between the King and Lord. He wanted to go to the crypt, but Queen Cersei disapproved. The King did what he wanted, and left the Queen humiliated. Rina's heart ached at the words spoken. Times like these allowed her to sympathize for the Queen.
Cersei carefully walked over to Jaime and Rina. "Where is our brother? Go find the little beast. And you…" Rina looked unexpectedly at the Cersei. Her voice was calm and slightly concerned as she said, "Go find a healer for those hands." They both bowed to the Queen and quietly went off to their duties. Rina wanted to introduce herself to the Stark's, but introductions would have to wait until she healed her hands.
Once they were away from the crowd Rina innocently asked, "Brothel?" Tyrion Lannister was a predictable man when it came to these sorts of events. He was more unwilling to come to Winterfell than his sister. The short man despised the cold and would do anything to stay warm. Luckily his favorite place provided the heat that he desired.
"I'd be more surprised if he wasn't."
They approached the entrance to the castle and a pathway to a different part of the castle. "When you see him, tell him he owes me fifty Silver Stags."
"Of course my Lady," he said before they went their separate ways. As Rina walked into a building, she could taste the warmth from the small fires. The food was being prepared for the feast later tonight, and everyone was bustling around to make a good impression for the king. The halls were already cleaned and decorated to make the royal family fell welcomed. The fires may also be to please the house guests.
Several handmaidens told Rina where the Maester's quarters were, and these halls left her more confused than she started. Once she finally tracked down the Maester he wasted no time on a long lecture she received before her treatment. The Maester Luwin, as she learned was his name, was elderly and demanded more respect than a younger Maester. If he was younger, she would have cut his speech to get to the healing process.
The quarters smelled of numerous herbs, none of which were pleasant to her nose. After what had felt like hours, the Maester finally agreed to help her with her wounds. In the end, they created an salve to heal the blisters and prevent scars, and along came fabric wraps for both hands.
After thanking him, she practically ran out of the room. The new, freezing castle grounds were begging to be explored, but it had to wait. The introductions were cut short, and Rina felt uneasy if she were to go running off without formally presenting her to the family. Once again, pestering the handmaidens and servants led her around the castle in confusion. Her patience was running thin until she turned a stone corner and found Lady Stark with three of her children, and a few servants.
The family was unaffected by the cold climate, along with the large dogs they had on leashes. Rina approached the family with caution of the beasts. "Lady Stark," she gracefully said from a few feet away. Catelyn Stark saw the girl with much curiosity; the children held more curiosity. "Pardon, I wasn't able to formally introduce myself." Rina curtsied while saying, "Rina Sand from Sunspear. I am a guest in House Baratheon."
"Pleasure." Lady Stark bowed slightly in respect. "These are my children, Robb, Arya, and Bran." Each one bowed in coherence to their name. Each one showed a bit of their personality. Robb, being the eldest, was as proper as a prince; Arya was quick, and exaggerated, but almost perfect; and Bran tried to mimic his brother, only ending in a few mistakes.
"The pleasure is all mine."
Catelyn Stark wasted no time in getting to the point. "Are you the Seer the king has brought with him?"
Rina was immediately disappointed at the question. Wherever she travels with the king, people ask the same question. It comes with it's own accusations and assumptions that Rina had to instantly disclaim. "Yes, my Lady. But please do not think that I practice witchcraft or anything of the sort. My gift was bestowed on me by the gods, and only use it when the King wishes it. Other than that I'm an common girl from Sunspear."
The motherly nature within Lady Stark showed in her next comment. "So far from your home…" Part of Rina was glad Lady Stark focused on her home instead of her gift. Lady Stark's eyes were of compassion and concern; it made Rina miss her family. "How do you find Winterfell?"
The Southerner was never one to hold back from the truth. "Honestly, very cold, but beautiful. I've never had the opportunity to see such white snow, as you can imagine, snow never reaches Sunspear." All the Starks broke into a smile. Arya seemed eager to say something, but waited for the perfect opportunity.
"I hope the snow ends up bringing you as much joy as the sun." The blue eyes were filled with kindness and warmth that could only be found in the most loving people.
"Thank you, my Lady."
"If you excuse me, I must resolve some decorative issues," Lady Stark said as she bowed to Rina, and she bowed in return.
Before she could catch her breath, Arya rushed up to the Seer and excitingly asked, "Can you read my future?!"
"Mine too!" Her brother, Bran, said as he rushed to his sister's side. "Please?"
Overwhelmed by the sudden attention, Rina told them the first thing that came to mind. "Um- uh you have to ask your mother first, if it is alright with her, then I will gladly." Lady Stark seemed to have no interest in her god given abilities, so Rina assumed she would deny the children's request.
Nonetheless, the two children left Rina and Robb to their mother, who was only inside a nearby room. There was a strange silence between the Stark and Seer. They exchanged a smile while both were secretly hoping the children would hurry. Neither broke the silence. It wasn't until Robb began to say something, but his brother came running down the hall. "She said yes!" Bran yelled as he and Arya raced to the two.
Arya slammed into her older brother before saying, "Mum said you have to join us. She said she wanted you to keep us from bothering Rina." A small, joyful exchange between siblings occurred before starting the process. Rina was a bit surprised, and explained she would need a knife, cup, and wine. That's when the children grabbed her hands before rushing off to the kitchens. Robb protested that they ran, but none of the three really listened. After finding the right supplies, or asking a steward for the supplies, they sat down on a small table in the kitchens.
Arya was watching intently as she poured the wine into the small, metal cup. "Why do you need the wine? Does it help give you power?"
"Ha! No, little wolf. It powers my tongue in hiding the fact that I am drinking human blood." The three siblings stood silent as they looked, slightly horrified, at Rina. Part of her wanted to laugh at the priceless expression, but decided to explain how her abilities work. "If you want me to see your future I will have to drink a drop of your blood. Just one small drop. Then the visions will come. No harm done, I promise."
"Me first!" Bran stated, and Arya was going to argue if her older brother didn't interfere. Rina glanced at the girl, almost telling her to be patient. She held the knife in one hand, and the boy's hand in another. She moved his fingers in one hand, to the thumb, and held it over the cup. Carefully, she pricked the finger and one single, small drop of the red blood fell into the wine.
The boy watched closely as the Seer swirled the wine in the cup before drinking the wine completely. It was a small amount of wine, it only took one gulp to finish the drink. "You Northerners now how to ma-" Suddenly a familiar ache filled her head causing her to stop speaking, and shut her eyes immediately. She could sometimes feel herself opening her eyes, but she could never see what's in front of her. All she saw were visions of the future.
It was cold. A boy aims his bow as the mark seems impossible to hit. The arrow reaches the middle of the mark. Bran's face was lit by the pure joy on his face. The scene changes one to a black tree to be changed immediately overrun by a three-eyed raven. More snow. A horse appears as Bran rides with a huge grin on his face. There were strangers surrounding him, not his family. Again the three-eyed raven. A short glimpse of a protective dog digging it's jaws into a man. Then it shows Bran climbing the city walls. The curious Stark couldn't contain from his childish acts. A flash of Jaime Lannister's face appeared before showing the young Stark falling from a window. His body hits the ground hard. Everything is black as the only sound is the dog beginning to bark.
Rina let out an aspirated gasp as the pain engulfed her body for a mere second. Stunned at the images she saw, she quickly put a smile on her face. She didn't dare tell the boy about the Three-Eyed Raven, not yet. The child shouldn't be burdened with the serious matters in his future. A child's fate is constantly changing, Rina thought to herself as she looked at the eager Stark. "Bran, you will become a great archer just as you wished. Keep practicing and no one will stand in your way. Your sweet hound will be there to protect you at all times." His sweet smile was filling the whole room with happiness and pride. "Listen to mother and don't be putting yourself in danger, especially when it comes to climbing the walls." The smile faded as he remembered the promise he made to his mother earlier in the day. "As the future comes, you will be given a test by the gods. Don't be afraid to pursue it."
"That's all?" He simply asked.
"That's all. I only see what the gods want me to see."
Much to everyone's surprise, Arya was already preparing the cup with wine. "Your eyes turned white, that was terrifying." She said that with a smile on her face as she handed the wine over. The young girl grabbed the knife, and cut her finger. Rina didn't have time to react as Arya poured too much blood in the cup. "There, I did it myself." Arya was so proud of helping that Rina couldn't tell her that she would be able to slightly taste the metallic flavor of blood.
With a bit of hesitation, Rina gulped down the wine. When the cup barely hit the table, the visions of the Stark came flowing into her eyes.
A small sword in the hands of the young girl. Her smile shining bright to the person who gave it to her. She was practicing with a wooden one, somewhere foreign where the sun shone brightly. Suddenly a face of a man, but a man with various faces as he trained Arya. Then a scene with blood, and Arya's face was not in horror, but expressionless. The face of The Hound was a mere glimpse, enough to shake fear into Rina. Suddenly, the scene shift to a crowd. Celebration of some sort except Arya was pale in fear. Next she was alone and crying. The vision blackened as an echo of names came out in Arya's voice.
"What? What is it that you saw?" The eager child was waiting for the news of what lies ahead.
A toothy smile escaped Rina's mouth as she thought of a way to tell the child. "Bran is an archer, while you master the sword. You will travel foreign lands to practice the art, by a man with no face and all faces…The gods will also test you. They will be tremendously difficult tasks, but you will survive and become stronger girl, just as your brother will become a stronger boy."
The child was happy, for a moment, until she realized the words Rina spoke. She bluntly asked, "Is everything you say have to be so vague?"
"Arya!" Robb suddenly chimed.
"It's okay, Robb." She briefly gave a reassuring look to the eldest Stark. "I have to, Arya. For example, if I were to say that you…had to fight a dragon before your next nameday, then you might become so frightened you never defeat the dragon, or will become too arrogant or overconfident and never receive the proper training, therefore dying at the hands of a dragon. Your destiny may change, either for the worst or better. But in both your cases, I believe it would be in the worst if I told you the full truth." Both children 'Ohh'ed' in synchronization. "Destiny and fate are ever-changing. Don't forget that."
"Can you see your own future?" Bran innocently questioned.
"Nope, my skill has it's limits."
"Robb! Have your future told!" Arya abruptly told her older brother. Rina looked over to the Stark who had been quiet throughout the whole exchange.
"No- I don't think-"
"Come on Robb, please?" Both children simultaneously asked while pulled on their brother's sleeves.
"Do you mind?"
"How about another time?" Only small children could ignore the hesitance in his question. Arya and Bran were clearly disappointed. "As for now, we all need to get ready to the feast. I, unfortunately, need to change into a gown." Arya grinned at her confession since she shared the same hatred for dresses. Rina stood from the chair to bid them farewell.
Once she left the kitchens, into the outside, her breath halted for a second as she had forgotten the cold. The fire from the kitchen will be missed. Numerous of King Baratheon's men were bustling around the castle and a freshly killed hog was being carried by it's feet to the kitchens, presumably. There was so much commotion and life in a place Rina would have thought to been dull and soulless. A familiar brown haired boy ran past her with a dog on leash. How peculiar. Part of her begged for a time of solitude, after all they had traveled for over a month. Of course she had no idea where her sleeping quarters were placed. Fantastic.
From where she stood, she noticed the stables filled with a familiar horses and next to those horses was a white dog tied up to a post. Poor dog looked miserable as it laid flat on the ground while looking at the people walking by. A brilliant idea popped into her head as she turned her heels around, back to the kitchen.
When she finished finding the item she needed, she found a stranger next to the white dog. "I don't believe we have had a chance to meet," Rina said as she approached a darker haired stranger near the stables. He had been lined up behind the Starks, but her beaten hands didn't give her the privilege to be properly introduced to everyone, or anyone. His curly black hair stood out from the rest of the family who had more auburn and brown hair. His dark eyes also captivated her curiosity.
The man, lost in his own thoughts, was startled by her voice. He looked up to find the foreign woman standing a few feet away from him. "My lady, I a-apologize, I did not hear you coming." A genuine smile came across her face at his flustered apology and how he quickly straightened his posture. He bowed slightly while saying, "Jon Snow, my Lady…what is that you have in your hand?"
"Oh, this is for your dog. He looked so sad so I wanted to make his day a little brighter." A grin appeared on her face as she bent down to feed the dog the red meat. "There, he's already happier."
"…He's actually not a dog, My Lady. He's a direwolf."
"What? D-direwolves? Like your sigil?" The shocked look on her face caused Jon to smile. "You and your siblings have direwolves for pets?" His smile slowly faded as he nodded his head.
After a short silence her smile was replaced with curiosity. "You said your name was Snow, correct?" She heard of the Stark bastard through her lessons in Dorne, and that's when cultural differences caused her confusion. In Sunspear, bastards were typically treated the same as other family members. No shame or disgrace. The man in front of her seemed slightly miserable in his home.
Jon's whole mood went down as he had come to the realization that Rina didn't know the meaning of his name. "I'm a bastard child, my Lady. I apologize if it troubles you-"
"No, no, no, no, not at all." She immediately realized how she sounded. Suddenly she was the flustered one. Jon stared at her in confusion while Rina briefly covered her eyes in embarrassment. "I know what the name Snow is in the North. It is I who should apologize." She curtsied before fully introducing herself. "Rina Sand, a bastard from the South."
"Oh- I," he stammered out. She simply smiled at the man in front of her. "I didn't realize…" She continued to smile as the cheeks on Jon's face turned a shade of pink.
"From one bastard to another, will you accompany me for a walk? Oh course, you're wolf is welcome." The direwolf struck a bit of tension into her bones. It's still a pup, she told herself as she eyed the white direwolf.
"It would be my pleasure, my Lady."
"Rina, please. Being a Lady brings too many expectations I'm sure to ruin, Jon."
A gentle smile played across his face as he said, "Very well, Rina."
The two exchanged pleasantries as they walked through the snowy paths of the castle. Rina was still unfamiliar with the grounds and Jon gladly, and respectfully, showed her almost every corner. Rina took in every word he said, she was as fascinated as a child being told a bedtime story. Why wouldn't it be? She was in unfamiliar territory with an attractive man.
Both men and woman from Winterfell and the King Baratheon's party gave them strange glances, but Rina paid no attention. To the Southerner, this was a common occurrence and to Jon, it clearly made him more uncomfortable.
They were walking back through the courtyard, where most of the guests were currently socializing, when Rina noticed his more troubled demeanor. "Jon, would you mind accompanying me outside the walls? I'm afraid I'll be lost by nightfall if I go alone." Then a familiar red headed Queen came into viewing.
The few seconds that passed felt like hours since Rina knew she had to change into a formal gown soon. Jon then have her a sigh of relief as he said, "Rina, it would bring me great joy, but-"
"Fantastic! Let's go," she said without stopping for one second before turning to head towards the North Gate. His protesting shouts never seemed to enter her ears as she managed to go through the poorly guarded gate. For all Rina knew, Jon could have stayed within the walls rather than following her into the forest.
A childish part of Rina shined through as she ran through the trees for a moment.
"Rina! Rina!" Jon shouted as he walked more into the forest. The Southerner was no where to be seen causing a sense of worry as Jon passed several trees. His shouts seemed to have only been heard by the wild animals roaming, not a foreigner from the Sunspear.
The childish woman withheld her laughter as his voice came closer. His gruff voice stopped and that peaked her curiosity. Her joyful face fell flat as she rapidly jumped out to only find an empty clearing. "Jon?" The forest was silent of any human footsteps. "Jon?"
"Yes?" A loud, calming voice appeared from behind her.
Rina jumped in surprise as she turned to see him casually leaning on the same tree she was once hiding behind. "You- how did you know I was hiding?"
"I could see you arm from where you stand."
A short laughter erupted from her mouth. "My damn arm." They both shared a comforting moment before she spoke again. "The small hill back there"- she glanced behind her- "almost caused me to fall. Imagine bringing back broken Seer back to the king? He would have your head."
"…so the rumors are true?" The hint of caution wasn't hidden well in Jon's voice.
The mood became quite uneasy at his question. "…yes. Sorry, Jon, it's not something to boast to the gods." Her eyes were planted at the foliage underneath her feet.
Just like that, Jon realized that her ability brought her shame like his linage. As much differences they had, they both had much in common. "Only the king would have a Seer as a ward." That simple statement caused Rina to become defensive.
"I am no ward. I can leave whenever I please, but there have been threats to my life if I do leave Kings Landing. The king values my ability and doesn't want anyone to have me. As for my family, they ordered for my return, but King Baratheon refused. We are just commoners, why would he send me back at their request? So now I find myself in another mysterious land waiting to see what happens." Talking to Snow came with ease and a sense of comfort. Could it have come from the common ground of their bastard linage? Or their feeling of being outsiders in the frozen North? Whatever reason, Rina felt a bit warmer speaking to Jon Snow.
The energy had diminished as the conversation ended. "Let's go back, we have a feast to get ready for." Rina held out her hand for Jon.
"You're hands…What happened?"
She simply glanced at her bandaged hands. "Horse reigns. I rode all the way from King's Landing to Winterfell. Don't fret, Maester Luwin and I constructed an ointment to quicken the healing process. I will be fine."
They continued walking back towards the castle.
"Now is it you father or mother where you get your stubbornness?" Jon casually asked as they passed the forest ground.
While keeping her eyes on her surroundings and not Jon, she answered, "Ha! Both, actually. These winter clothes are so unusual and uncomfortable for me. So I told the King and Jaime that I must see some of my skin in the snow, and if it were to be one thing, it would be my hands. If I couldn't see my skin, I told them I would go mad."
"Some may say you're mad for not wearing gloves."
"And they'd be right. But each moment I spend with House Baratheon, the more I forget who I am and where I come from. It's a desperate act, and…these are the scars I wear. Don't fret, Maester Luwin is ordering me to be in full northern attire tomorrow." The bitterness in her voice was undeniable. Still, she continued to give a weak smile to Jon.
"I've lived here my whole life, you won't die…much." He sent her a teasing smile in which she playfully glared in return. "It's all I've known, the furtherest I've traveled is the Arrey."
For a brief moment Rina stopped, astonished at the words he spoke. "What? That is- there is- Jon! You need to see more of Westeros, there is so much different scenery and life, it's beautiful." Although this was the truth, Rina could only think of Dorne. To see the happy family here in Winterfell and to be for far from her home, made it that much harder for her to stay there and pretend to be happy with the king.
"Come the festivities won't be waiting for us." With those words she held onto Jon's hand, for a moment, and rushed back to the castle.
And in each moment, Jon Snow looked at Rina Sand with curiosity and fondness.
Helllo,! If you're new to my stories, then welcome!
I'm going to be honest, this story is completely experimental, I'm used to writing in first perspective instead of third. So constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms. This is more for practice for my creative writing class I'm taking this quarter.
With that said, I have no idea where this story is going. I'm leaning towards Jon/OC, but I'm also thinking about Robb/OC, idk what do you guys think?
Thank you for reading, and I hope you come back :)
Love, Z