A/N: Here's something new that I'll try
Summary: Lady PrimRose was given a shelter life with only the northern men and mother for company. Now at age 16 the highborn girl rides to the south to find a husband and instead encounters a monster.
Disclaimer: I don't own game of Thrones and wouldn't want to since their doing such a great job.
Title: Of Monsters and Ladies
Chapter 1
Road
His smile was sweeter than a fresh picked fruit but his eyes shattered the illusion with a promise torture. That was my first thought when I met Ramsey Bolton. The bastard of the flayed man. An infamous scoundrel who fed on pain and misery. Or so the rumors foretold. He's also my future husband….
My family has been apart of the north for as long as there's been a wall. Known best for our inventions and mine's we are a very small but wealthy house. Few chose to pay attention to house Siguard unless they were in debt and needed to borrow from out coffers, even the Lannisters couldn't match our fortune. However for a century our house could only produce sons and each one an only child. We married from small families and our allies are sadly lacking in the south. I was born Primrose Siguard of house Siguard, daughter of Persephone Siguard and Randall Siguard. My brother, Elric Siguard and first born was expected to be the only child, yet my mother was granted a miracle and had me. I lived the sheltered life of a noble and was granted liberties that was beyond my station. Year's were spent providing me lessons in fighting, strategizing and learning the politic's of Westero's. My family raised me as a boy but also a lady. At a young age the difference of having a girl born of house Siguard showed when men of the north became friendly to our isolated home. Even then I knew that they found me beautiful, the men would speak of me when they thought I wasn't around. Using such vulgar ways to describe my innocence that even I, who was raised around men, would cringe. At only ten and three years with two moon bled's I was named the "Northern sprite" for my long wavy black hair, unusual glowing blue eyes and small statue. Soon enough the visitors seemed to disappear and I spent my childhood lonely and in solitude.
My story begins here, at age ten and six years my father and I are making our way to the Red Keep to arrange a betrothed and some allies in the south. The carriage rocked back and fourth on the stone pathway slowly and my father bent over his lap, studying his post with a patience I lacked. His once black hair was now streaked with silver and his hands withered with wrinkles.
"You've gone quiet Prim" he asked keeping a steady eye on his scroll.
"I didn't want to disturb you, your face has turn serious father" He raised his black eyes up at last and smile.
"It's nothing to worry about my dear. Just news from the Red Keep. Their anxious for your coming." I could barely stop the frown from forming and Instead turned my head away, hiding in my long black hair."
"I'm glad we're so welcomed father. It'll be good for house moral."
"Prim, this will be good for our house, but you as well. I know how lonely you've been and only want what's best for you" I could hear the sadness in his voice and peeked through my black curtain.
"Also your mother wishes you well and Elric has taught your horse sparrow how to jump. Your warned to send a raven if any noble tries to take your maidenhood. Apparently he'll send the entire army" My father summarized in amusement.
I grinned at him turning away from the window. His wide smile revealed wrinkles on his handsome face and made me feel better.
"We only been traveling for a month father, they worry too much." The road hit a hole and my head bumped against the ceiling hard. My father snicked then rubbed my head gently.
" We worry dear, because we love you."
" Why the south though father? We could have stayed in the north, what if I marry a Lannister?" My eyes grew wide. He removed his hand and the air grew tense again.
"We've wed with northern clans for years Prim. Anymore and you might have hit a cousin. With the south being so vass it's a rare chance you'll be with a lion. Beside Prim I thought you were fine with this." His voice was a soothing balm to my worried thoughts.
"I am father I just-" a knock sounded at the door cutting me off.
" My lord, we've arrived at a small Inn to rest for the night."
"Is it safe?" His black eyes gleamed brightly.
"It is My Lord, we could have it vacated if it pleases My Lord, as well." I interrupted growing angry.
" Father we can't do that to those people. I'm sure we'll be safe." He glared hard towards the guard and nodded. My shoulders dropped and I sat quietly as we approached the Inn.
It wasn't nothing to my life at Woodrow. Just a two story wooden building with parts falling off. But it was warm compared to the tents and they have strangest food I've ever tasted. We sat at a table in the back with guards littering about. An woman in a muddy smock served us a dish on surprisingly clean plates. In the north stew was the most Favorited of the common people but here they had roasted meat and a ale that was so bitter. At the end of our meal a man had the bravado to approach our table and came close to me, bent to take my hand before a dagger slid smoothly under his throat.
"If you value your life you'll step away from my lady" spoke dawn, my personal watch guard. He wasn't like the usual muscle band of men, he was thin and handsome with long hair and a chiseled jaw.
"I only wish to offer the lady a sweet bun. A welcomed taste of the south." The man brought a plate from behind his back out.
"how'd you know we're not from the south." I asked catching a glare from my father. The man presented me with the plate and I accepted.
"A man knows a northern beauty when he see's one". He walked away winking at me and I preened from the attention almost taking a bite, until dawn stopped me."
" Rose" I left from the haze I was in and put the sweet back down ashamed."
"I'm sorry dawn, that was foolish." He nodded, then stepped away keeping an eye on the man who was now flirting with two woman. I took out a small bottle and sprinkled the white dust on the dessert and waited. Years ago my great-grandfather Odin Siguard created a substance to counteract poisonous food. If within seconds the food began to rot it was laced with poison. One of the many creations that gave us the reputation we have today. Ten seconds passed and my treat stayed the same. With a small smile I lifted the bun and cream filled my mouth. I barely stopped myself from moaning when I tasted the sweet spice.
"Enjoying yourself my lady" My guard smirked leaning against the wall. I glared at him, yet my mouth was full and I had crumbs all over my lips. He laughed and I could hear my father chuckle. I wanted to be angry, but couldn't with the warm feeling I had at the moment. In one week we will be at King's Landing with southern foreigners who look down on our northern ways. Music was playing softly in the back and talk was light around us. So I let myself absorb this feeling with a mouth full of cream an joined in on the laugher.
The week passed on the road quickly and the air became warmer with each passing day. The dresses I wore, were now too stifling for this weather, so I changed into the ones made for me before I left. The fabric was a thin and made me feel underdressed. The sleeves had cuts that flowed around my arm and the bottom billowed around me when the wind would catch. I argued out of sitting on a horse in this god forsaken dress and rode in the carriage with my handmaiden. We were only hours away from King's Landing and I could see the wild trees and grass morph into stone roads and buildings. Our party was small with only my father, personal watch guard and the twenty men he brought along with him, yet finery of our clothes caught the attention of the passing people who gawked at us. Lidi, a girl of ten and eight, sat across me peeking out the window with a grin. She was a plain girl was mousy brown eyes and hair who came to us from the Freys. Always quiet in public she could be a very talkative girl when we were alone. I had a feeling she was glad to be riding with me again.
"Look Prim! You can see the castle from here. It's so large, how could they build something so? And the people, there seems to be no end to them." Her eyes were bright and she bounced in her seat.
"I'm sure it isn't as big as Winterfell, that place towers over all of the north." I peeked out of the window again curious and was surprise at the sheer height of the Red Keep. I spent three months in Winterfell when I was a girl and thought the place to be a mountain, but it didn't compare to the castle we were meant to spent our days in. The sight was intimidating and glorious all at once. I could see my father up ahead leading us and the crowds seem to part for him. At one point a girl in rags caught my attention as we road by and she seemed to know I was looking at her. Her eyes were sad and hungry but I knew I couldn't help the girl. If I were to try and give her money or food the other poor would crowd me quickly or she could also try in rob me. Desperation was a scary thing when face with it. Father was thorough in his lessons when I was a child. Never one to shy away from blood or violence I was fortune for I saw a lot of it growing up. We passed the child long ago when I came back to myself. The castle was closer now and Lidi had grown bored of looking out the window. She picked up her needlepoint instead and hummed quietly.
"Aren't we fortunate to be able to be here Prim?" She asked me.
"I don't know yet Lidi" I replied remembering the child. There seemed to be a lot of misfortune in King's Landing.
"Well I think we are, I might even find a shining knight willing to marry a Frey girl." Her eyes stayed downcast and I felt for her.
"Knights are nothing but over armored men with a title. Your much better just finding any man who'll honor you, even a butcher." She looked up and smiled at me.
"Prim don't you want a romance like the one our NaN's use to read about. You make it sound so horrid, but knights are the men who ride into battle and come back to wed their love." She sighed and I shook my head at her.
"Yes they ride into battle and come back violent with the bloodlust left over. Then whore themselves out to loose woman with rotting teeth and broken bodies, have a few bastards, until at last they decide they need heirs and marry one of us silly girl with stories of romance in our heads." I argued smirking at the appalled look she was giving me. Lidi had become use to me quickly but was still embarrassed when I talked brash like a man.
"There's no hope for you. How are you going to find a husband when you can't even speak like a lady."
"I can speak like a lady and uphold to my duty like any good northern. But I will not hold my tongue on what I believe is true. I'll bare his heirs and keep his house, whoever my future husband may be, but I will not sit here and fantasize about life." My mousy handmaiden gave up like usual when we argued and went back to her work.
"Your going to fall for a silly romance one day Prim, and when you do I'll prove you wrong." I ignored her and instead picked up my book about the raise of the seven kingdoms. The sounds outside were slightly muted because of the wood we used, so when a knock at the door sounded I was slightly startled. Another knock and the door open to reveal my father holding out his hand.
"We're here Rose." I looked towards Lidi and she was fixing her hair beneath the white hood she wore. I adjusted my belt and fingered the symbol of our house, the owl. 'always watching' rang in my head and I stepped out of the carriage into my home for the season time.
a/n: ok so I know her handmaiden came out of nowhere, but I wanted her to have a friend since Primrose is a bit too clinical for the southern ladies. The "always watching' are her families words and I'm sorry but she won't be seeing Ramsey for awhile. This is set months before Arra'y dies and they leave for the north.
Next chapter: Prim meets the royal family, takes time to know the place, and finds a new ally.