Happy Birthday, Sandy! This fic was written for this birthday girl, who ships JoJo (Joy and Jon a lot)!
While I hope I made myself clear in the actual fic, I'm just going to explain a few things before. Firstly, the Starks get out the first moment Ned talks about leaving. Sansa does go tell a Lannister, but Joffrey instead who makes some rush decisions and insults (that leads to Sansa seeing his true colours as well), and even talks about taking Ned into custody – Robert and Cersei stop him.
So Robert doesn't die when he dies in canon either, now if he's alive here or not is completely up to you, and the same with what decisions Stannis has made.
Secondly, Ned told Catelyn about Jon's parentage after he came back from the Greyjoy's Rebellion.
Finally, to clear any confusion that I know some people have had before – Joy Hill is not an Original Character, she is the actual bastard daughter of Tywin Lannister's youngest brother, Gerion, who disappeared in Essos when Joy was young.
I think this is all… ENJOY! And I apologize for any possible mistakes, I've used no beta and English is not my mother language.
ENJOY!
Part I – Jon Snow
The last year had been a complicated one for their family, it started with his father and his sisters leaving for King's Landing. Jon had accompanied them until the Riverlands, before he followed a different path South; he rode through the Stormlands and the Reach, he was almost through Dorne when he heard the news and rode North the faster he could.
Jon couldn't be gladder that his father had insisted that he travelled through the world before he went to the Night's Watch, like he was planning. Jon still wanted to go, but he needed to make sure that his family was safe, before leaving.
There was another good thing about staying, or maybe not such a good thing, he couldn't tell yet – Jon now knew who his mother was. There wasn't much he could do with the information, after all he found that not only his mother was dead, but so was his father (meaning that Lord Stark had never been his father). Jon thought about leaving them, but instead he roamed the halls of Winterfell avoiding his father… uncle… until he made peace with the information, and turned back again to more important business.
Since Father came back, he had been trying to annul Sansa's bethroal to Joffrey, the Lannister seemed to want the annulment as well, but they also requested that another engagement between both Houses was announced – Lady Stark affirmed it was a way to guarantee that they wouldn't betray the crown; his father kept saying that his word should be enough.
So the Lord and Lady of Winterfell spent most time in the solar with Maester Luwin, trying to decide which would be the best choice. In place of Joffrey, they offered most of the Lannister boys close to their ages for both his sisters and even for young Rickon, they offered a baby girl. But his father and wife didn't want to send any of their girls South, or promise Rickon so young.
"Jon," his brother said, nudging him. "Father is calling for you," he told him. Jon took his eyes away from his food, and his mind from the clouds, and faced his father sitting at the head of the table, with his wife next to him.
"Sorry, Lord Stark. I wasn't paying attention."
"I wasn't calling for long, Jon. I just wanted to ask you if you could accompany me to my solar, after we finish our meal."
"Of course, my lord," he answered. His father didn't call him to his solar much. When he was little, he knew that when he and his brother were called, it meant they were in trouble, but nowadays he wasn't sure, what he could want.
They finished their meal, with Rickon retelling a tale about his training. He wasn't doing much yet, but he was excited to finally be learning how to properly hold a wooden sword.
His younger siblings left the table first, Jon smiled how Bran could now go around the Keep; that he was getting used to his wheeled chair, Jon knew that Bran relished on any kind of independence nowadays. And when his father stood up, Jon stood after him; Robb did as well, but Father asked him to stay.
"Is there something wrong, Father?" Jon asked when they were alone, walking to his solar.
"Nothing more than the usual. But I prefer to talk to you in the solar." Jon nodded, and kept up with father's pace, and in silence they walked to his solar. His father held the door opened, and Jon waited until his father had sat for him to sit as well.
"So I'm sure you're wondering why I brought you here." Jon didn't answer, and let his father keep talking. "As you know we've been in talks with the Lannisters, trying to get your sister out of marrying the prince."
"I know, Father. Did something happen?"
"I got a letter from Lord Tyrion today, out of the negotiations but with a proposal that I could make, and that he's positive that his father will accept."
"What is it, Father? Why did you call for me?"
"The proposal was about you, Jon."
"I'm only a bastard son, Father."
"I know, and all of Westeros knows it; but they also how much I care for you, Jon."
"I know that, Father."
"Lord Tyrion suggested that I offer you to marry the daughter of Tywin's youngest brother. She is a bastard as well."
"This would keep Sansa and Arya here."
"It would, at least for now. They can't stay here forever, but we'll be more careful arranging another match for either of them." That would be good, that was what Jon wanted to do, protect them, make sure his family was safe. "You don't need to take it, Jon – you can think about it."
"What's her name?"
"Joy, Joy Hill. According to Lord Tyrion, she's been raised in Casterly Rock, but doesn't seem too influenced by Lord Lannister."
"He said that."
"Lady Catelyn read that between the lines." His father should have taken his wife with him to King's Landing, she could have helped him at Court.
"How old is she?"
"Only one year older than Arya. Eleven. So the wedding wouldn't be too soon; with that you would be given some land in the North – we would agree in any place you want; and we could probably work to get you both your own name and house – I would like that for you, Jon, and I'm sure her family would help her."
"My own land, my own name…" Jon wanted that. At the Night's Watch, he could rise above his station but he could here as well – he would have his own name.
"Yes, Jon. But there's another way for you to have your own name and land. Lady Catelyn told me that I need to tell you to this clearly, to remind you. Jon, how much you call me father, and I look to you as a son; you now know that's not the truth. Saying yes to the Lannisters is connecting you to them – the royal family. You'll be walking away from your heritage. You…"
"I would not be walking away from heritage. I would be taking it, I'm of the North, Father; I would be protecting my family, my sisters and brothers. I would be helping the North," Jon said; he had pondered enough since his father told him about his new position in the world, but nothing changed, Ned was still going to be his father and he didn't want to be King, and we certainly didn't want to be the one bringing a war to the Seven Kingdoms.
"I thank you and your wife for thinking of my possible future, but I don't want it." Jon knew how hard it had probably been for Lady Stark to mention to his father to remember Jon of that. She had never treated him badly; he barely remembered the time she ignored him and didn't address him (not that had ever been too bad, a life as a bastard could have been much worse), most of his life she had treated as another one of the children of the household, much like Jeyne or Beth; (and only after talking to his father did he realize that the change came from knowing the truth). But he also knew the truth made her fear something else, that someday he would take her husband and sons to war.
"Are you sure, Jon?"
"I am. You can send the proposal to Lord Lannister, Father."
"I'll send it on the morrow, Jon. You can still change your mind, until then." Jon didn't need to think anything over; he would protect his siblings, and (with a more selfish thought) he would rise above bastard.
Soon after Jon left his father's solar, and joined Robb and Theon in the training yard, neither seemed to have many questions. Jon was grateful for that; he didn't want to announce anything until the proposal was accepted.
Nobody had seen Lady Stark this busy since the royal visit, not that as many people were coming; but it was still the princess and Master of Coin.
But Jon wasn't worried about that, he waited to meet his betrothed, the girl he would someday marry. He didn't expect anything from her right now, she couldn't be anything but his friend at her young age, but he hoped they could find some common ground between them.
According to the last letter that arrived they would be here today at sundown, Lady Stark had insisted that they were all dressed in their best clothes. This time Jon would be standing closer to the first row, that he had in the royal visit, since he needed to be properly introduced to his wife-to-be.
"So are you feeling about this?" Robb asked walking next to him. "Nervous."
"Yes."
"Do you fear she will be ugly?" Robb asked. "They did say that she had the Lannister look, and the Queen was hot."
"But a tight cunt, I'm sure. She looked like an ice bitch," Theon said. "So you think your bastard will be a cold bitch too?" he asked smirking.
"Shut up, Greyjoy!" Jon growled to the Winterfell ward, before leaving them alone.
"Wait up, Jon!" Robb yelled, catching up with Jon and following him to the yard. He wanted to train a bit before they got here it would help relax him. "Sorry for Theon. He was just being himself."
"I know… but she's going to be my wife. I don't want him to talk like that about her."
"So you're happy about marrying her?"
"I'm glad I can protect Sansa and Arya…"
"I'm not talking about duty. I'm talking about the girls. It's better than not having sex for the rest of your life, right?" Robb asked. But Jon had dreamed of the Night's Watch since he started becoming an adult, it would be his chance to be more than Ned Stark's bastard son, but now he wouldn't have that change.
"I want to do my best by her. But she's still very young."
"She will grow up, and that means you'll have more time to get to know her – maybe that's better than a quick wedding…"
"Maybe… Ohhh… how do you feel about the Princess coming here?" Jon asked wanting to change the subject.
"Why should I feel something?" Robb asked, knocking his sword against Jon's.
"She liked you."
"She's too young. And father seems to be looking for a bride for me in the North or in the Riverlands."
"Do you feel nervous about that?"
"Not really, I know I'll get the final say on it," Robb answered. "But I do know I have to get married before you." That at least was good news, hopefully his father would take awhile to find a suitable wife for the Heir of Winterfell.
"At least that. So what ladies do you have your eyes on?"
"Father has been talking with Lord Karstark."
"Lady Alys Karstark is pretty, brother. You would be lucky to have her."
"Maybe… But come on, let's just fight before we need to go get ready again." And spar they did; they spared until one of the servants came to tell them they needed to get ready.
Now, they all stood in a line, like they had done in what seemed like an eternity before. And this time Jon stood with them, in the furthest edge, waiting for the committee to arrive. It didn't take long for the first horses to enter through the East Gate, two knights rode clothed each in a white cloak; as any other person in the Seven Kingdoms, he recognized one as Ser Barristan, the Bold, older than in the stories but still deserving the same respect, but the other knight he couldn't identify.
Behind rode Lord Tyrion Lannister, Jon noticed the details in the saddle he sat upon, he thought back for the one he designed for his brother, Bran. And then there was a smaller and simpler carriage than the one in the royal visit; and a few more people riding behind, soldiers mostly.
Lord Tyrion was the first to dismount, with the help of a squire, who seemed to be the same age as Sansa. And the Lord made the short talk to open the carriage door, he held his hand out, and a soft, small and fair hand took it, and after the Princess stepped out of the carriage, and the people, including the Starks, bowed. Jon still tried to look from his lower position, the princess was blushing and another hand as fair, small and delicate rested on Lord Tyrion's, but Jon dropped his head again, before he could see her.
Hearing the princess' footsteps stepping closer, he heard her giving them leave to stand up. Standing up, Jon tried to look for his betrothed, but he couldn't see her properly, hiding near the horses; so he turned his eyes back to the young princess.
His father kissed her hand and welcomed her to the North, and his wife did the same. One year older, but she still blushed under Robb's gaze – Jon could hear Theon snickering behind him; stopping in front of Sansa, they weren't sure how to behave, he noticed the princess biting her lip and in the end, they simply held hands, smiled and said.
"I missed you my friend."
"I did too, Your Grace," Sansa said, bowing just a bit.
Arya was different, she did her best to curtsey, but the princess told her she didn't need to.
"It's great to see you again, Lady Arya." And before she could answer she moved on to Bran, who kissed her hand.
"I was happy to hear of your recovery, Lord Bran."
"I'm sorry I worried you," he answered politely, before quickly adding. "…Your Grace."
And Rickon reached for her hand, the princess was careful to bend a bit, so he could kiss her hand.
"You've grown a bit since I last saw you, Lord Rickon."
"Thank you, Princess."
Finally she stood in front of him, her features her kind and fair, and she unlike most highborn didn't look at him with disdain.
"I don't think we were properly introduced the last time I was here, Jon Snow. I'm Myrcella Baratheon, the Princess of the Seven Kingdoms," she introduced herself, and presented her hand to him. "But I'm sure you'd prefer to be introduced to someone else instead, my dear cousin, Joy Hill," the princess called, offering her open hand to her cousin. She took it and Jon finally saw her, she wasn't that different from the princess.
She was clearly young, but it was obvious she would be a beautiful woman – she had green emerald eyes as well, and golden hair too, but straighter and longer than the princess, braided into a very long braid. Her skin was not as fair as the princess, more red toned and with a few freckles and maybe even dimples. Her dress was Lannister red, but simpler, without many adornments.
She didn't have the refined walking of the princess either, or even Sansa, much like Arya, she didn't seem to walk straight and gracefully, and then she was in front of him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady," he said, kissing her hand.
"We both know I'm not a lady. If you allow me to call you by your first name, I'll allow you the same. Better put aside false pretences." Her words reminded him of the talk he had with her uncle long ago – it made sense, they were all Lannisters after all.
"Jon, you may call me."
"Joy," she said. Jon noticed that the Princess had stepped back and he knew it was his duty to introduce her to his family.
She took his hand as offered, noticing how shorter than him she was, and moved to the Lord and Lady of Winterfell.
"Lord Stark, Lady Stark, I would like to present you to my betrothed, Joy Hill."
"My Lord, my Lady," she said curtsying, and he noticed that while she did it with more grace than Arya, she didn't have the refinement of Sansa – she was a bastard like him, after all.
"Welcome to our home," Lady Catelyn said, and his father shared the same sentiment.
He helped down the line, introducing her to Robb who kissed her hand and remarked on her beauty, the girl blushed – and he hoped she wasn't infatuated with his brother as well. Sansa welcomed her as well, and then Arya, who obviously felt more at ease with his betrothed than with the Princess – Jon was glad, it was important to him that Arya liked her.
Bran seemed to have the same charm as his older brother, making her blush as well, as he kissed her hand. And Rickon having heard Jon's conversation with her was just happy to call her by her first name.
Finished the introductions, they moved inside and the feast would start soon, but first the guests were lead to their chambers so they could freshen up. And Jon's own family immediately turned to him.
"She will grow to be a beautiful lady, Jon," Lady Catelyn said, and Robb agreed immediately.
"Yes. You're a lucky man, Snow." He wanted to tell his brother to shut up but kept himself from such commentaries.
"I do think she will grow to be beautiful, and she seemed nice too," Jon answered, while his father gave him a look, probably trying to tell if he was lying or not.
Robb kept making comments next to him, and Arya was trying to come closer to ask something, as they moved to the Great Hall, they waited there until the guest arrived, with that they stood, as the guest took their seats. And then the rest of their travelling companions took their seats around the tables, next to the Winterfell people.
Princess Myrcella took the honour seat, with the Master of Coin next to her, and the Lord and Lady of Winterfell on the other side of the Princess. His betrothed was a few seats away from her family, and she was in the middle of a conversation with Sansa when the first course was brought in.
She talked happily with his sister about Casterly Rock, and Arya intervened with questions, when the talk turned to jumping out of cliffs.
"Have you jumped off the cliffs, Joy?"
"Arya!" Sansa warned her sister. "You can't call people by their first name…"
"No, please do. I don't have any titles, my lady, it wouldn't be truthful to be called the same way as you."
"You can call me Arya too. But have you jumped?"
"No, I haven't, my lady. I know my cousin Jaime used to do that, and so did my father by what my aunt tells me. And I've seen some boys doing it."
"No girls?" Arya asked. "I would jump," she said with complete certainty, and Jon didn't doubt her.
"Mother wouldn't let you," Sansa answered.
"You wouldn't tell her would you, Joy?" she asked
"Don't make stupid questions, Arya. She should tell – it's dangerous," Sansa told her.
"It's not. You're just too scared."
"Yes, and I would have a reason to."
"Girls!" Lady Catelyn from her seat, and both his sisters stopped fighting, at least loudly, he still noticed Arya kicking Sansa.
Jon kept himself from laughing, and kept listening to them speaking to each other, with Sansa and Arya interrogating Joy, even if she tried to divert the attention to his sisters – it never worked.
Jon was once again training with Robb, while he tried to get some answers out of him about Joy, but the truth was that they hadn't spent much time together. Joy was with his sisters and her cousin most of the day, they only met during meals, but even then she was overwhelmed by his sisters; but she always took a bit of time to talk to him.
Jon was at least calling her by her first name now, and he had found out a bit about her childhood, and Casterly Rock. Her family didn't seem to welcome her as much as his did, and she found really hard not ever knowing if her father was dead or just missing. He found out that she dreamed of going to Essos to look for him, and only last night Jon dreamed that he had been able to take her on that trip (the dream had turned sour, when she found her father, and he didn't think he was good enough for her).
But these were things he didn't wish to share with Robb, these were things she told him in privacy; so he tried to look for excuses, when Lady Catelyn appeared on the courtyard, calling for him.
"Jon, we would like to talk with you in the solar," Lady Catelyn told him, and he followed her, through the castle. "We're having a meeting about your marriage, to make a few decisions. Intervene only if you really need, your father does have your best interest in mind."
"Of course, Lady Catelyn." He kept following her, and he knew they were closer to the solar. When they finally arrived, Jon held the door opened for her, before entering after her.
He noticed that Joy was there too, sitting next to her uncle at the table. Lady Catelyn took a seat next to her husband, and Jon took the only other free chair, closer to the door then the table. Lady Catelyn was the first to speak, turning to Joy.
"Girl, I hope you're not too bothered for being called here. We just thought you would like to be here for this conversation."
"I do. Thank you, my lord, my lady, for letting me be present."
"So can we start?" his father asked, and everyone consented.
"If you feel uncomfortable answering this question in here, we can go outside," Lady Catelyn said turning to the girl. "Have you flowered?"
"No, I haven't, my lady," she answered immediately. "I know my uncle will want to marry me the moment I get my first blood."
"And you probably don't want that," Lady Catelyn continued. "Probably the latest date would be two years from now. I would like to give you more time."
"How?" Lord Tyrion asked.
"We don't know yet," his father answered. "But we would deny and postpone the wedding until you would send a letter telling us you were ready."
"I don't know my father would accept your refusals too many times."
"We would insist," his father said.
"It'll take a long time to have our home ready – that would be a good reason to postpone, wouldn't it?" Jon suggested.
"Yes, I think my father would accept that," Lord Tyrion answered.
"Okay, so we'll do it this way. My girl, you'll send a letter to us or to your betrothed when you're ready."
"Thank you," she answered, and after that his father took the lead on the conversation.
"Lord Tyrion, I think we should discuss the proposals you made."
"As promised, land will be given to them after their wedding, and the King will give them a new family name and sigil of their chosen."
"So they get to choose their name and home."
"Yes, nobody will insist in anything," Lord Tyrion promised. "You two have time to decide. While you should have land before the wedding, the rest you can choose with time."
"Thank you, my lord," his father said, while his wife continued.
"My girl, know you're welcome here any time you want; and I would advise you to share letters with your betrothed. While it may be a few years until you marry, it's good for you two to get to know each other."
"Thank you, my lady," she answered. And soon after they were dismissed, while Lord and Lady Stark and Lord Tyrion continued inside.
"I'll be leaving soon, Jon," she told him. "But I would like to take Lady Stark's advice and trade letters with you."
"I would like that too, Joy. Would you like to go riding today?"
"Will you call Arya to chaperone?" she asked, she had taken a like to both his sisters. But when the two of them were together, she always asked for Arya to accompany them.
"I don't think Arya will ever mind riding."
"I'm glad. Even better that we are saving her from her septa," she said, smiling and taking his arm; as they both walked to the room they knew Arya was, sewing. "The septa doesn't like me."
"She doesn't like me either. But you're a guest and she can't do nothing about you." And with that, they decided that she would knock and ask for Arya, Jon could hear her speak.
"Good afternoon," she greeted first. "Jon and I are going for a ride in the Godswood. We were wondering if Lady Arya would like to chaperone." After Joy asked that, she entered the room, and he couldn't hear her anymore; but just a few moments after they both appeared.
"Thank you, Jon," Arya said, hugging her brother. "Let's go!" she exclaimed, running ahead. While he walked a bit slower with her, he liked talking with her, even if she was much younger, she always told him interesting things about her home.
"How come your father's wife is so nice to you?" she asked him, when they were already deep into the Goodswood, and Arya was ahead of them. Jon knew he couldn't share the real reason, and while he wanted to tell her someday, that day wasn't today.
"What do you mean?" he asked, pretending not to understand.
"I barely remember my father, and he was never married, but even myself were treated worst by some people. She talks to you with no malice in her voice. It's just different from what I'm used to. My cousin, the Queen, would never let her husband keep his bastards in the castle."
"I don't know why. I never knew different," he lied; it had been different before she has told of his true parentage. "I always knew I wasn't her son, but I also knew I was part of the house."
"That must be good," she whispered absent minded, and Jon wondered again what had she been through. And before he could think of the appropriate thing to answer, Arya saved him.
"Have you shown Joy the hot springs? It's actually hot, Joy – it's one of my mother's favorite places, it's the warmer place you can get in the North."
"No, he wasn't, Arya. Would you like to lead me?" she asked, stepping forward and riding next to Arya,
They held themselves quite differently in the horse, Arya always seemed to be part horse herself; Joy was not as comfortable, she kept her horse to a slow pace, even if she wasn't sitting sideways. Arya kept insisting for her to go faster, but she wouldn't, and looked back at Jon, asking for his help.
"Arya… let Joy ride at her own pace."
"Jon… okay… so keep her company. I'm going ahead. Don't take too long, brother."
"We won't, Arya."
They both rode in silent, and soon enough they arrived to find Arya already with her skirts and breeches pulled up, and had her feet and legs in the water. Jon was all forward to joining her there; he wouldn't just jump into the water in his smallclothes because of Joy's company, so he settled into just taking off his boots and pulling his breeches up, and joined Arya. Joy decided to only sit next to them and only putting her hands in the water.
Arya started telling her about all the things they could do together when she married Jon and moved to Winterfell.
"I don't think we'll live in Winterfell," Joy said, and Jon wished he had been able to stop her – he wanted to be the one to tell her.
"What?! You're leaving, Jon, but I thought you getting married would mean you would stay," she said, standing up and running away barefoot.
"Should we follow her?"
"She needs some time. She always does this when something she doesn't like happens," Jon told her. "And she'll need to come back after all," he said, pointing to her boots.
"I'm sorry I told her. I didn't mean to create any problems between you two."
"I should have spoken to her, but I've been postponing it for awhile now. It's not your fault."
"Where are you thinking about setting our house?" she asked, without looking him in the eyes, playing with the grass around the hot springs. Jon had plans, but he wasn't sure how to share it with her – she probably wouldn't like that idea too much. But he wouldn't need to answer, when he started hearing Arya around them on the bushes, and Joy flinched a bit.
"It's just Arya, she probably realized she forgot her boots. We better leave," he said, helping her up and taking her to their horses, and rode back to the castle.
Myrcella waited for her in the yard, talking with Sansa, who immediately asked:
"Where's Arya? She should be chaperoning you? It's not proper to be left alone."
"Lady Sansa, I promise you your brother is a true knight. I fear I said something that drove Lady Arya away."
"There are no knights in the North," Arya said, riding into the year as well. "Unless you want to betray the North too, southern," she yelled again, before disappearing.
"I'll go get the horses to the stables," Jon said taking both his and Joy's horse. "And see if I can catch Arya."
Jon didn't have any more time to go riding with Joy before she left, since they received a letter from King's Landing only a few days later, requesting Princess Myrcella to go back to the capital, since she had been promised to the youngest Martell Prince, and she needed to see her family for the last time, before being sent to Dorne.
They said goodbye, knowing that they would only see each other again when they were supposed to be married, and joined forever. She promised to send him a letter when she arrived to Casterly Rock, and he promised he would answer – with that started a long trail of letters for years to come.