Hidden house
Chapter 1
Monday 4th July 2016
We are on a special trip today, I am so excited mother and father have never let us venture this far south. All considering we are the 'hidden house'. The only other ones that know of us if Lord and Lady Stark not even their children know but the will soon enough. I have heard many tales of the Stark children and they probably have heard of many legends of the Bowles children. Rob Stark being the eldest has grown a reputation for honour, family and respect much like my older brother Kyle, Jon Snow although being a bastard I still feel it is wrong to leave him out of things and he has grown a reputation for his impeccable sword skills, Sansa Stark a true lady from what I hear not anything like me at all, Bran Stark the adventurous young soul much like myself but I'm a bit more dangerous if you dare to even say my name, Arya the youngest girl always fighting to prove that not only sewing can make you look great as a woman (a page out of my book I think) and little Rickon well he still has many years to build up a manly reputation other than clinging to his mother and cuddling his teddy bear.
I closed my diary and sighed. I wondered what it would be like in Winterfell how the Stark children would take my family, "what is it my dear?" My mother asked in a hushed tone, my brow must have creased a little as she looked down onto her lap signalling for me to look. My youngest sister, Libby also known as Liberty if we had the chance to be formal, was asleep with her wolf cub snuggled into her neck on one side of my mothers lap and on the other my eighth brother Rheon, who was sleeping in such a manner as father did when you caught him on a non-stop day. I smiled to myself, how strong my mother is to deal with all of us children. It takes three carriages to carry my family not to mention my fathers and friends and carriages to carry all our luggage. Lucky for the Starks that only three children came along. Most of my brothers were dotted around fighting wars whilst us three daughters went our separate ways around the castle. Despite it being so far north it felt satisfyingly warm that I started to feel my heavy eyelids close.
I woke up to six arms shaking me roughly, I opened my eyes to see my mother's face looking as relaxed as possible but making sure no one missed the twinkle of excitement in her eyes. However Rheon and Libby were either jumping around or squirming in their seat trying to look as presentable as possible. The horses drew to a halt I peeked out of the deep purple curtains to see that we were inside thick, large grey walls, this must be Winterfell I thought to myself. As I was leaning on the carriage door trying to calm Rheon and Libby as mother made herself look presentable, it swung open with no warning and all I saw was the world spinning one minute then everyone staring in shock and my mother looking icily at me but the colour had drained from her face. I tried my hardest to not but I had to laugh as I stood up dusting myself off. Two large hand gently grabbed my arms forcing me to look up with surprise and only relaxing when I saw who it was. "Molly, my dear how you have grown since the last time I saw you." Lord Stark said " It's good to see you Ned" I replied with a hearty laugh shared between us. "Molly!" My mother scolded quickly her eyes sharp but soon wondered to behind me and her eyes softened "Lord and Lady Stark I apologise for my daughters informality, she simply just hasn't had enough practice" "That's quite alright Gail, I expected something ruder to come from her to be honest" replied Catelyn. After Ned's arm fell, Catelyn's arms engulfed me in a tight yet graceful hug which only she could carry out in such a way. As Lord and Lady Stark said their greetings to Rheon and Libby, Catelyn introduced me to her children "Here is my first child and first son Robb Stark, heir to Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North" Robb bowed and I curtsied and he sent me one of his 'dashing' smiles that I heard so much about. We moved on and Catelyn introduced me to Sansa "Here is Sansa my first daughter " "Oh I love your dress, was it specially made in the hidden city, I do love the silk feel to it" she spoke out looking at my dress in admiration " I made it myself but thank you Lady Sansa maybe I could teach you how to make one your own some day" she nodded excitedly whilst Catelyn half dragged, half pushed me over to the next child "Here is Bran my second born son, he has high dreams to become a knight". He stared at me in disbelief I sent a small laugh along with a warming smile his then he spoke up " I heard tales of how you swing swords and win battles I hope to be just like it sometime"
"Maybe my skills will rub off onto you during my time here." I moved on to the next child "This is Arya my second daughter a bit of a… rebel you might say" I sent a discrete wink towards her after I said " Oh I hope she causes no trouble for my younger siblings". Arya laughed and quickly covered it up and to help her I moved on to the next child "This is Rickon, I hear he is the same age as Rheon. I do hope they become friends"
"I hear so too and I believe they will become friends very quickly." I took a step back looked at them all and said " It was lovely to meet you all and I hope we can get to know each other further but for now I have to help my mother with some." I walked away swiftly to find my mother had already laid papers and books over the desk in the room I was too stay in during our visit.
Hours passed, I had just finished writing a letter to my father after finishing the duties assigned to me when a loud knock shine me from my tired trance "Come in" I said. The door opened quickly to reveal a small mousy brown haired boy standing nervously in the doorway "I was told to escort you to dinner, are you ready Lady Bowles" I gave a small laugh after the lady bit but I replied "Yes I am, I am always ready no matter the occasion but you can only escort me on one condition"
"Yes"
"You have to drop the whole Lady thing it isn't for me, lets just stick with Molly and Rickon"
"Of course" he said as if it were the best thing said to him in the world and stuck his arm out dutifully. I took his arm and fell into a happy conversation about the adventures him and his teddy had been on, soon enough we were inside the hall about to be seated. Rickon had just telling me the story of how his teddy had fallen into marmalade jam and I was in fits of giggles. Suddenly a large but gentle hand fell my shoulder I turned to see Robb Stark "Lady Bowles would you give me the honour of dancing your first dance in Winterfell with me"
"Of course Lord Stark" his smile grew wider and he grabbed my hand guiding me to where a group of people were dancing we were just in time to start as another new song came on. Robb grabbed my waist as I placed a hand on his shoulder and our hands intertwined out to the side and as soon as the music started playing and we danced a couple steps to the Waltz he pulled me in closer, my stomach dropped and butterflies appeared as I took in his magnificent features. I let out a shaky breath I didn't realise I had been holding, he looked at me as I realised that I breathed into the wrong direction and my shaky breath went straight to his body so I turned my head to look away from him as my cheeks grew pink from embarrassment. He pulled me out of the dance into a seat at a small table in which he sat the other side and asked me "Is something troubling you my lady" I shook my head and looked to the ground. He leaned over tilted my chin with his hand but no matter what I did to hide he saw my tears, he walked over engulfed me in a hug. Suddenly I was out of his grasp and someone had my arms behind my back. I heard people screaming and Robb struggling but I couldn't see not with the tears in my eyes. So I blinked let them slide down to see Robb being beaten up by masked men whilst lots of others held everyone back and they rest fighting of of guards, Ned and Jon. I shine my arms and as soon as the grip was loose I ran forward knocking the man doing the bearing to Robb to the floor with me. All I remember is seeing a fist come toward me and hearing a crunch and a click of the fist connecting with my face, I remember feeling son such pain in my face I blacked out and no matter how hard I tried not too I blacked out anyways.