A/N: Hello! I have returned. As some of you may know, I had this story up and then took it down to rewrite it...all...twenty-three...chapters...but I have finished the first chapter so here you go! This chapter takes place quite a few years before the initial start of Season 1. Slightly AU. Does include the telltale game series elements and it's characters. Will end up being a girlxgirl pairing, don't like don't read. Other pairings will be mentioned later on. Does start out as Rated T but may end up turning into M later on.
NO DIREWOLVES WILL BE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS FANFIC.
Without further adieu:
I own nothing but my original characters and their storylines. Everything else belongs to their respective owners.
~Enjoy!~
Eddard Stark was a man of loyalty and kindness. He wouldn't call himself honorable–mostly because of how him and the Baratheons dealt with the Targaryens–but he definitely was a very loyal man. His wife may not think so, not knowing about the true origin of the baby boy he brought home, but he certainly was.
Their home, Winterfell, had become increasingly quiet when a year had come by since the battle for King's Landing and the last Targaryen in the kingdom had been disposed of. Ned knew the truth, though. That a girl and her older brother with the appearances of a Targaryen lived across the sea in Essos, completely unreachable by him or his countrymen. That the last of the Targaryens had yet to be disposed of.
As he stares out into the cold bitter morning, the clashing of swords brought his attention down to the training area where his two eldest stood in stances with wooden swords in their hands. Behind them was Arton, the best sword master that Ned knew of, as he barked orders at them and yelled when he noticed a fault in their stance. He watches his oldest, Robb Stark, step around the other cautiously but only ends up being knocked onto his back-end with his brown locks stuck to his head due to sweat.
Ned's eyes glance to his second oldest, Keira Stark, when she stares at her brother–face void of any emotion–before helping him up as their instructor yells for them to take stance again. Her silver eyes regard Robb's every move with tension and wonder as to anticipate what he would do next. When Robb went to hit her left shoulder, she grabs his wrist before kicking the back of his knee in and bringing him down to floor with the tip of the wooden sword pressed against his jugular firmly. Her wavy shoulder-length black hair moved to sit in front of her eyes as it gave off a fierce look.
Arton shook his head–his red hair swaying in the wind–with a small smile, "At this rate, your sister will be leading our army before you. Let's take a break shall we? I believe your mother is most likely expecting you two for breakfast. Now go on before I have to chase you there." The sword master teases as the two children run to the dining hall where they knew food would be.
Ned let out a small chuckle before he felt someone step out onto the balcony with him, turning around he spots his wife heading this way. Before the Stark brought Jon home, she was always happy and content but lately her expression was one of distrust towards Ned while it only changed whenever one of the other children were with her.
"Why must Keira insist on training with Robb? Or even at all? She's a young girl that will grow into a lady one day. Sword fighting does not fit that category." Catelyn huffs as she places her hands on the railing as she watches everyone down below move about once their day began.
"She's a natural born warrior." Ned watches how his wife turns to glare at him and he holds his hands up, "Arton's words. Not mine. Besides, let the girl do what she wants. Come the day she's a proper woman, she'll end up with them and she will have to defend herself. We both know how they can be." His arms fall to his sides as he remembers the deal he made with the Greyjoys after taking away Balon's last son, Theon.
A hand is placed on his bicep, "She understands the utmost importance of what you did. I could never be more proud of our little girl. She's clever though, Ned. And stubborn. I wouldn't be surprised if the Greyjoys have her march back straight after just arriving." They share a laugh at Cat's words as the cold starts biting at their faces.
"Come. Our children are probably awaiting our arrival for breakfast." Ned offers his arm to his wife with a smile.
She returns it and they began a slow trek towards the dining hall, conversing their worries away. It was some moments like this that made Ned think perhaps his wife could forgive him eventually. What she believed as the truth, that he slept with another woman and therefore had a child during his time away, was nothing but a lie. He couldn't tell anyone of the real truth. That Jon was Lyanna Stark's son.
Ned's face grew solemn as he could feel the beginning of how heavy this secret would weigh him down. Perhaps one day he might tell someone so that they might tell Jon when he grew older.
But that wasn't today.
A smile instantly is placed on his face when he is greeted by the sight of his family on the long table in front of his chair while they all talked loudly. Keira remained as quiet as ever, eating whatever she could before the fourteen year old would burn it off in training with Arton. Robb talked with Sansa about how he was definitely going to get Keira back for earlier during their training and the two began conjuring up a plan. A much younger Arya sat by Keira with her legs swaying back and forth while she asked her older sister what the fork in her hand was. And Jon sat away from the four, deciding that he wanted no part of being a Stark since it was made clear from the moment he could understand it, that he was just a bastard.
Bran, the second youngest of the family, started to cry for his mother which made Cat walk over to him. The newborn baby, Rickon, slept soundly near Cat's chair in a tight and warm bundle. After looking at everyone, the head Stark found his way to his chair as all his children give him grins–the exceptions being Keira, Jon, Rickon–before breakfast becomes silent while the Starks ate that morning.
It was then that he caught Keira eyeing her food before getting up to go back outside for horse riding lessons before her brother. Ned watches her as she walks through the doors before shutting them silently. No one else seemed to notice Keira's missing presence, only Ned since he had been paying more attention to her lately when he returned home and then after he told her of the arranged marriage.
Cat motions with her head towards the door and Ned finishes what was on his plate before getting up to follow after his eldest daughter. Once his feet met mud, he saw her sitting on a fence that belonged to the cattle and horses. Keira was petting the nose of a black stallion when she heard the heavy footsteps that she knew belonged to either her father or Arton. Ned comes to stand next to her, glancing at the horse as it neighs lowly.
"I understand that this is difficult for you to accept-"
"Father, it's not difficult to accept. I do accept it, and will do it to protect our family. What bothers me is that I don't have much time until then to watch Arya, Bran, and Rickon grow up. To spend time with Robb and Sansa while I can, even Jon." Keira interrupts before sighing as she frowns slightly.
Ned's lips quirk into a smile, finding it refreshing with how clever his child was, "You'll have plenty of memories to make. I'm sure Lord Balon would let you visit." He watches her turn to him with her brow raised.
"This is the King of the Salt Throne, dad. I doubt he'd let the only thing keeping his last son alive out of his sight." Keira murmurs but knew her father heard it.
"Then do as you do best, my little pup. Be as stubborn as a wolf can be." Ned grins as his daughter returns it.
This was something they started when she grew obsessed over the fact that their house sigil was a direwolf. Keira liked to compare her family members to wolves, including herself of course, and fell in love with the idea of what it would be like to be one. Ned found it amusing while Cat scolded her for it, calling it childish just like the younger girl's want to be a warrior with her brother.
Keira looks down for a moment before her eyes glance back up at Ned's, "Do you…do you think that Asher will ever come back?" Silence fills the air.
Ned knew that she thought of the banished Forrester like an older brother. It was the very same man that sparked the need to be a warrior within his child. In all honesty, Ned did not know himself if the Forresters would ever allow the boy back into Westeros but if they did, Keira would want to be the first there.
"We shall see what the future holds, little wolf."
A/N: As you can see, a lot has changed. Lyanna has been renamed Keira. I added a new OC named Arton. She's not adopted like in the last one because I gots plans for that ;). Oh! And I was wondering. So I have the chance right now to choose if I want this to keep the same main pairing-Yara/OFC-or a different one, Daenerys/OFC? Let me know in the reviews!
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~Alucard354565~
