Author's Note: This is a brand new story based on the Game of Thrones and ASoIaF universe. It is AU a bit, but I'll try not to make it so completely AU. Check out elisebaratheon on tumblr.

The chestnut Courser mare was proving to be better company to Elise than anyone in their party. Not that it was particularly surprising to the girl of one and twenty years. Ivy, the very mare she sat upon had been with her from the first day the young princess had started riding. A skill that Elise had affinity for, apparently it was one of the many things that had been passed onto her from her mother, the late Lyanna Stark. Elise knew very little when it came to the Rose of the North, her father Robert seemed to refuse to talk about her with anyone except for her Uncle Ned. Anything she had come to learn was from books, or from whispers of the maids that spoke behind her back. It was no surprise that Elise would share the same beauty that her mother did, their likeness was one of the reasons Robert had been reluctant to marry off his daughter. The King was afraid, afraid that he would forget the face of the woman he loved, Elise was a reminder of her.

Elise was not burdened by that, while sometimes it proved to be frustrating to be compared to a woman she barely remembered it didn't bother her as many would think. In her twenty odd years she had proven that she was like and unlike her mother in various ways, after all she was both a Stark and a Baratheon. Being raised by Robert and Renly made that inner Baratheon truly shine. What did bother her is when people did not acknowledge her as her own person; Cersei Lannister was a prime example of such. There was no envy between the two, as they both recognized the strength and beauty within them each. Different, yet similar, but Cersei knew why Robert kept his oldest daughter around and she wanted nothing but to be rid of her, pushing her impending marriage on him any time she could manage it. Elise would not stand in the way of Jofferey sitting upon the Iron Throne. Not if the lion had anything to do with it.

It had been many years since Elise had seen her mother's family in Winterfell, and despite the miles and time between them she had managed to stay close. Often enough she exchanged letters with Catelyn, Robb, and on odd occasions even Jon Snow. She had never treated the bastard poorly, he was her cousin after all, and her own father was known to have multiple bastards around the Westeros. So who was she to judge him harshly on something he had no control over?

Eddard Stark was one of the few connections Elise had to her mother, there was Benjen as well but since he lived at the Wall it wasn't often that she got to see him. Uncle Ned was not like her father; he would often share fond stories of his sister. Like how when they were younger, she had beaten Benjen easily in a fight; when she was told this at age eleven she immediately went to her father insisting that she be taught the ways of the sword. Robert had been unable to refuse his little Elise, and when they arrived back in King's Landing she immediately took up swordplay. She despised it, while she was swift and much more flexible the squires she had fought she simply did not have the same brute strength as they did. So instead she was trained with a longbow, and after years of mastering that she progressed to throwing daggers. Luckily for her, she knew she wouldn't be going into any close combat any time soon. If that were the case, she was sure she would not survive.

The distinct sound of the horn signaled them of their arrival, knocking the young stag out of her thoughts as a slight smile grew on ruby lips. The winter winds nipped as her nose and cheeks, bringing a faint pink to her otherwise sun kissed skin. Her leather gloved hands tightened around Ivy's reigns as she pulled her to a stop besides the carriage, Jaime Lannister on her other side. Cerulean eyes shifted over the crowd welcoming them as they knelt before her father, she all but rolled her eyes as she dismounted, the skirts of her dress swishing around her boots. Lowering her cloak's hood she took her place behind her father as he moved to greet Ned.

Taking the time as the two old friend's spoke, she looked over the rest of the family. Catelyn stood looking as beautiful and loving as ever, besides her Robb who had grown quite a bit since the last time she had seen him, the slight stubble of his chin only verifying his age. Next to Robb stood Sansa, her luscious red hair framing her face as her eyes were wide with excitement and wonder. Arya looked a whole lot less excited that her older sister, while Sansa was enamored in Elise's brother Jofferey, Arya was more concerned in watching the knights of the Kingsguard. Bran and Rickon were the last Stark children standing in line, both looking excited for something new arriving in Winterfell. Elise did not even have time to wonder where Jon Snow was when her father clapped his hand against her shoulder, startling her slightly.

"Come girl, say hello to your uncle Ned," Robert chuckled, a hearty sound coming from his diaphragm, making Elise's lips widen into a smile.

"Now that could not little Elise," Ned chuckled as well, taking in the young woman that looked more like his sister than ever. Elise grinned, embracing her uncle quickly, "it is nice to see you again, it has been far to long, Uncle."

Before Ned could reply Robert interrupted, all but commanding him to take him down to the crypts. Elise's smile and stomach dropped at that, her eyes daring to dart back to the Queen as she glared harshly at her husband's back. When Cersei turned to face Elise she blatantly ignored her, not wanting to be pitied by her own stepdaughter. A slight sigh escaped her lips before she was nearly knocked over by a rather forceful hug. Elise chuckled, seeing the brunette girl with her arms wrapped around her waist. Catelyn shook her head in dismay at her youngest daughters display only making the princess's grin deepen.

"And it is good to see you as well Arya," she spoke gently, wrapping her arms around the skinny girl, "you sure have grown since I last saw you, and from what I have read in Robb's letters you are still causing trouble just like I asked."

Arya grinned broadly up at her cousin's statement, detaching herself as she quickly nodded, "and I know how to use a bow now, you should see it."

"How about tomorrow after your lessons we go out to the range, how does that sound?" Arya eagerly nodded before bounding off to boast to Bran. Elise snickered softly, shaking her head before she turned to face Catelyn. "Hello Aunt Catelyn." The woman smiled gently, bowing her head in acknowledgement before she ventured to say her greetings to the Queen.

"Now hasn't my cousin grown?" a deep voice spoke, prompting Elise to turn to face the eldest Stark child. "I could say the same for you, Robby."

Robb frowned at the old nickname, shaking his head, "still giving all the men trouble at King's Landing?"

"The same as you do for the women here," she smirked before quickly embracing the younger man, "I have missed you, Robb."

He chuckled at that, "and by the end of your trip you shall be sick of me."

Elise shrugged as she pulled away, "that is entirely possible-"

"Princess?" A gentle voice called and Elise shook her head with a gentle smile as Sansa stood before her.

"Sansa, you know you do not have to call me that," Elise retorted, cupping her cheek, "family calls each other by their given names."

A blinding smile appeared on the young girl's face as she nodded, "I am glad to have you back, Elise, Arya does not understand the first thing about being a lady."

"I am afraid you probably know more about that subject than even me."

It felt nice, and a bit surreal for Elise to be back in the North. While she was half a Stark, growing up in the South made her more accumulated to the heat and desert. However the snow was not an unwelcome sight as the cold was. Elise spoke to her cousins, promising them all something. That she would drink with Robb and Jon, that she would come and see the new dress Sansa had sown, that she would give Arya and Bran some pointers when it came to archery, and that she would read to Rickon before bedtime one of the next few nights. Elise even made a bet with Theon that she could beat his arrows with her daggers, thinking it would be an easy purse full of silver moons. Though Robb warned her of the ward's skill.

Elise had a little time before the feast was to start, dressed for the festivities thanks to her handmaidens she left to do something she had been dreading the entire trip. Going to her mother's tomb, a dank and cold place. A place that her father hated placing Lyanna but she was a Stark and Ned told him she would be buried as one. Elise's hands wrapped around the torch, sliding it in place against the wall as she took the final steps to face the large stone statue of her mother. A cruel likeness at best, but at least it was something for her to recognize. A soft whisper of a sigh escaped her pursed lips as she knelt before the tomb.

"I have no inkling as to why I am here, or why I thought this would help me in some way. I suppose it is because last time I was in Winterfell I was too young to even come down here. So…here I am," she sighed inwardly as she looked up at the statue, "they say I am looking more and more like you every day. That I am even starting to act like you. Father does not often speak of you, and when he does it is just to remember how beautiful or fair you were. Uncle Ned says you were so much more. He said that you were strong, loyal, stubborn, and fierce like a she wolf. I wish I could remember you, I am sure you would have been a wonderful mother-"

A shuffling behind her broke Elise from her thoughts, she glanced over her shoulder to see who had intruded on her time only to break out into a grin, unshed tears in her eyes. "Uncle Ben!" She quickly stood up, embracing the man as he chuckled. He wrapped his arms around his oldest niece, brushing her hair gently, "I am sorry for intruding I did not realize you were down here."

Elise shook her head as she pulled away, smiling up at her uncle, "no it is quite alright, I am not even sure what I am doing down here. I mean I barely even know her and she was my mother."

Benjen smiled fondly at her, shaking his head, "I know you have heard this before, many times. But Lyanna was a lot like you in a since, in fact she was younger than you are now when she gave birth to you. You know she could knock me down in any fight, even when we were not kids?"

"Uncle Ned told me that story, it made me want to learn how use a sword," she chuckled, shaking her head, "I was not very good at it."

Benjen chuckled heartily, shaking his head before offering her his arm, "shall we go to the feast, princess?"

Elise pulled a face but took his arm anyways, letting him lead her upstairs and to the dining hall for the festivities. Taking in the scene before her, the princess couldn't help but frown. Her father was making out with some whores who were sitting in his lap, Cersei sat besides Catelyn showing her obvious distaste for the showcase. Her ears perked up as she heard her name being called, smiling as she saw Robb calling her over. Benjen chuckled, "go, be young I shall see you again before I leave." He reassured before pushing her towards her cousin.

If one think could be said about Elise Baratheon it is that when it comes to drinking she takes after her father. While she had managed to drink Robb under the table she didn't even dare try to out drink Theon, the boy seemed to have an iron liver. Elise flicked a golden dragon to the ward, pointing towards him as she stood, "I expect to be getting that back when I beat you with my daggers." She teased gently to which he only gave her a suggestive smirk to which she rolled her eyes at. The boy really had no idea how to keep his snake in his britches. "Where is Jon?" She finally asked to which Theon rolled his eyes.

"He is most likely brooding out near the forgery," he spoke, unable to get anymore out as Elise was already leaving to find her bastard cousin.

Her boots clicked against the stone as she rushed down the step, managing to keep her balance as she picked up her skirts. The sound of clanking metal echoed in her head, alerting her where Jon was. She smiled gently as she came upon him, beating his sword against a dummy. She crossed her arms, smirking slightly as she perked a brow, "it seems you have become a bit violent in my absence."

Her voice startled Jon out of his thoughts, whirling around to face her with a curt, "Princess."

Elise huffed, shaking her head as she approached him, "come, not even a hug, cousin?"

Jon's solemn expression broke into a grin as she teased him, quickly embracing her. Elise grinned, wrapping her arms around him. She had always sort of identified with Jon, both never truly meeting their mothers and living with their father's wives who truly did not like them. Though Jon was a bastard, and Elise was an heir to the Iron Throne. "So what is this I hear about you taking the black, please tell me it was just Theon jesting?" Elise asked as she pulled away from him.

Jon sighed slightly, knowing that it would come to this as he shook his head, "no, I am taking the black, I am joining Benjen when he goes back to the wall."

"I do not understand," Elise's brows furrowed slightly as she watched her cousin.

"There is nothing for me here, I am a bastard, sure a lord's bastard but a bastard nonetheless. I will never be anything more. If I take the black I can have adventure, a family-"

"A family of rapist, thieves, and murderers," Elise interjected quickly, "and you will never be able to take a wife or have children. The black is for life."

"I know, I have thought long and hard about this, El," he told her gently, "this is what I want to do, what I must do."

Elise bit her lip but sighed in resign as she nodded, "I will miss you, Jon."

Jon smiled weakly, pulling her back in for a hug, "and I will miss you, Elise."