Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire. I only own my OC, Belle Stark, who is portrayed by Adelaide Kane.
From the window of her chambers, Belle could observe Jon Snow and Robb Stark fighting each other with their swords in the courtyard. Robb, her twin brother, was winning Jon Snow in their battling. Robb was known to be one of the youngest and greatest swordsmen in Winterfell. His skills were remarkable, and it made Belle want to learn how to fight with a sword as well. Robb and Belle did almost everything together, except for that. She wasn't allowed to do anything considered dangerous because she was a honorable lady and honorable ladies aren't supposed to play with swords or arrows, according to her mother Catelyn. Belle admired her younger sister, Arya, because she always went against those specific rules. Unfortunately for her, Belle was the oldest daughter and she had to set the example, therefore she was not allowed to shoot arrows or wield swords along with the boys. Finally, the brown-haired beauty cracked a wide smile. Robb had thrown Jon Snow onto the ground. Belle opened the window and peered down at them, cheering loudly.
"Join us, Belle!" Jon Snow yelled at her, causing Robb to chuckle in amusement.
"Oh, Jon, I wish I could!"
Wanting to fight and knowing how to fight were two distinct things, Robb had realized. Belle only wanted to fight, but she had no idea how. Theon Greyjoy approached his two friends and glanced up at the damsel trapped in her bedroom, scoffing mockingly at her. Belle growled at the sight of the iron born boy and rolled her eyes almost to the back of her head. "Why are you holed up in there, Belle?" Robb questioned her, arching an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Septa Mordane, that's why." Belle mumbled at them.
"You should go to her, Belle. Watching the men fighting isn't something girls of your age should be doing." Theon declared, obviously trying to make a fool out of her.
Theon and Belle had never been the greatest of friends. The Greyjoy ward was the best friend of her twin and her half-brother, but it was a completely different story when it came to her. Belle didn't know why or what it was, but Theon was the only person who knew how to push her buttons to the limits. When they were anywhere near each other, they were absolutely unbearable. Robb and Jon could hardly stand those two when they were together. Insults flying here and there, and the next thing they knew, they were almost at each other's throats. Theon couldn't even understand why Belle hated him so much. Surely, he wasn't the nicest person in the whole world, especially to her, and most of the time, he was rude and obnoxious towards Belle.
"Or maybe I should go down there right now and teach you a lesson, Greyjoy." Belle snapped right back at him.
"I would like to see you try, Belle. Come down, come down!"
The door of her chambers opened suddenly, taking her by surprise. "Maybe later!" Belle shouted, proceeding to close the window. She whirled around and tried her best to muster up a repentant look. It was Septa Mordane! "I was just getting ready to come down and meet you, I swear!"
"I doubt that very much, Belle." Septa Mordane replied in a cold tone. Belle sighed exasperatedly and already knew what expected her. The worst kind of torture: sewing. "Come on, now. Your sisters are waiting."
Belle growled and grasped the sewing kit to take it with her. She wasn't a very patient girl, and sewing required patience and focus, plenty of it. She couldn't do it, oh she couldn't. One day, she would have to marry some rich lord that her father chose for her, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor lad, because he would have to be very patient with her. His hands would be full with Belle, because doomed would be the man who could truly handle her.
Belle's fifteenth name day had come, and so had Robb's. That night, a banquet was going to be held in honor of the two siblings, and Lady Catelyn was helping Belle preparing for the feast. Belle was going to wear a dark green velvet dress that hugged her growing curves almost perfectly. For her age, Belle's body was already enviable, let alone when she grew older. Belle was a pretty little thing, perhaps even more than Sansa and Arya together. She had inherited that sort of beauty from her Aunt Lyanna Stark, since she did look a lot like her. Lady Catelyn pulled Belle's long brown hair into a braid that reached the middle of her back. It was unusual for her to wear a hairstyle like that, but it was her name day; unusual was what she desired to be, not just another good-looking lady of the North.
"Well, what do you think, Belle?" Lady Catelyn inquired her, watching her satisfied smile through the mirror. Her daughter truly was a beauty, it hardly mattered what she was wearing because even the cheapest rag would compliment her figure.
"I like it, Mother." Belle turned around and threw her arms around Lady Catelyn's neck, bringing her closer for a warm hug.
"Fifteen years flew by so fast." Lady Catelyn murmured, inhaling the perfume of her daughter's luxurious hair. "You and Robb are all grown up now. He is a handsome lord, and you... look at you, a beautiful lady of the North. A few more years and I'll have to let you leave the nest to be wed. I can't even think about that yet, my sweet child. My first daughter..."
Belle's red lips twitched up, threatening a sad smile. For a moment there, Belle thought she was going to cry. Winterfell was her home, as it would always be. She couldn't picture herself living somewhere else. She belonged in the North with her loving family. "You mustn't worry, Mother. You know that, wherever I will be, I will know how to take care of myself. Also, father will make a good match for me, won't he?"
"He will, Belle, he will." Catelyn muttered, caressing her first daughter's hair rather gently. "Now, we must hurry. The feast is about to start, and you must be there. Go, I will find your brother Robb and see if he is ready."
Belle nodded and smiled dutifully, her brown eyes following her mother's figure as she exited her chambers to go look for Robb. She sighed and jumped up from her bed, stealing a glance towards the mirror one more time. The image that it reflected seemed to please her well enough, since Belle walked out of her bedroom with a large smile plastered on her lips. Her steps were taken with confidence and grace, until she reached the feast. The music that was playing was loud, very loud, and there were plenty of people. It wasn't long before she found Jon and Theon sitting together at one of the tables. The two seemed quite enveloped in some sort of conversation, but they immediately stopped when they saw Belle approaching them. There was a strange glint in Theon's eyes, as it almost seemed that he smiled at her. He took his own time to analyze her slender figure, and it seemed to please him very much, because he wasn't able to look away from the Stark girl. Belle rolled her eyes at him and said nothing, taking a seat next to Jon.
"You look very nice." Jon Snow complimented her, causing her to laugh in return.
"Thank you, Jon, so do you." Belle smiled, not even bothering to look over at Theon, who kept his burning gaze on her. "How's the feast?"
"Enjoyable. The music is loud and there are some pretty girls scattered across the room." Theon replied instead, smirking at the annoyed expression on her face.
"Of course you would say something like that. You can only think with your second head." Belle shot back with an arrogant tone.
Theon's smirk became even more daring and cocky. "Want to know what it's thinking right now?"
"Theon." Jon warned him, obviously disliking the way he spoke to his half-sister. Surely, they were the best of friends, but he wouldn't allow the Greyjoy boy to disrespect Belle. "Don't speak to her like that."
"It's alright, Jon. I've grown used to it." Belle uttered, patting his back with evident fondness.
"Where's Robb?" Jon decided to ask just to change the subject. After all, it was Robb's and Belle's name day, and they shouldn't ruin it because of her usual fights with Theon Greyjoy. Most of the time, it was him who provoked her, and Jon still hadn't figured out why he did that.
"I'm right here." The boy in question answered, causing the three of them to snap their heads in the direction where his voice had come from in surprise. Robb moved to sit next to his twin sister and smiled brightly at her. "You've really done it this time, Belle. You're looking pretty tonight."
"Don't I always?" Belle asked playfully, her fingers running through her braid.
Theon seemed fully prepared to make a snarky remark, but Robb and Jon glared warningly at him. Belle smiled provocatively at Theon and turned to the side, beginning a new conversation with her twin brother. A few moments later, they were all eating dinner and laughing together. Theon and Belle didn't exchange any more words, only a few deadly glares, but that was more than enough. Catelyn walked past their table and warned Robb and Belle about their guests, suggesting that they should go greet them. Both of them groaned in exasperation, but ended up complying to their mother's command. More festive songs began playing, which meant that the dancing was going to start. Robb and Belle looked at each other and it was as if they had read one another's thoughts. The Young Lord offered her his hand and she took it without even hesitating. Robb led his twin sister to the dance floor and began twirling her in his arms endlessly, causing the young girl to giggle loudly and happily. The folks who were watching the two siblings dancing laughed and cheered at them; some of the onlookers even clapped at the pair.
"Happy name day, brother!" Belle exclaimed merrily.
"Happy name day to you too, Belle!"
Theon and Jon remained by the table, both of them holding a glass of wine in their hands. Jon was smiling widely as he watched his two siblings dancing madly around each other, while Theon had a different look in his eyes. Perhaps it was the wine having an impact on him, or perhaps he hadn't noticed it before, but Belle was exceedingly beautiful. Her brown eyes were big and expressive, her lips were so very inviting, her brown hair was bright and always clean and perfumed, and her body no longer resembled a young girl, since she was beginning to develop curves, very dangerous curves. For a moment there, Theon felt utterly guilty for looking at Belle Stark like that. She was the sister of his two best friends, and they had practically grown up together.
But then again, he watched her swaying in her twin brother's arms and he realized he shouldn't feel guilty for admiring her beauty. Granted, he would never have the courage to touch her, but that didn't mean that he couldn't watch over her.
"You're staring." Jon Snow suddenly announced, taking Theon by surprise.
"Can't say I know what you're talking about, Snow."
"Belle."
Theon rolled his eyes and snorted, downing his drink all at once. "You're mistaken."
"Am I, Theon?"
Jon Snow was very serious about what he was talking about. Unfortunately, Theon was too influenced by the wine to take the matter seriously. He filled his glass with more alcohol and sighed, obviously becoming more relaxed. "Don't have the faintest idea of what you're talking about."
Jon shook his head in frustration, taking a sip of his own wine. "She's my sister, Theon."
"Half-sister."
"Doesn't matter. She's my sister nevertheless."
"Don't know what you're thinking, Snow, but I have no intentions towards her."
"Good, because she's not Ros or one of the other whores you like to bed."
Theon wanted to feel offended by Jon's comment, he truly did, but he couldn't, because deep down, those words represented the truth. Jon Snow knew him all too well, and so did Robb Stark. That was why they would never let him anywhere near their sister if they knew that he had the intention of bedding her just for fun. "If you haven't noticed it yet, Belle hates my guts, she would never go for me, nor would I ever go for her."
"I wouldn't be so quick to judge and say that she hates your guts, Theon."
"What do you mean? What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. Just start paying attention to details."
Theon looked at Jon strangely, but shrugged it off. He didn't care about it. Things were the way they were. Belle Stark hated him, plain and simple. Ever since he was little, there were a few boundaries that he would never allow himself to cross. Belle just so happened to be one of those lines that he didn't wish to cross, ever.
Author's Note: Okay so, I have always wanted to write a Game of Thrones Fan Fiction where the love interest was Theon Greyjoy! I don't know what it is, but I can't bring myself to hate him, even after everything he did. I actually kind of love him, so... Anyway, I hope you guys liked it! Also, I apologize for any writing mistakes that you might find! Please, don't forget to leave a review!