Chapter 1

laylana regarded her reflection in her mirror, she had tried to pull her curly hair into something stylish, she was highly dubious of the bun's effectiveness. even as she willed it to stay put, a black tendril sprang from its hold. She gave a sigh and started to pull out the hair pins.

"Laylana!" Sansa burst into the room, causing her to drop half the pins on the floor. She took a deep breath to control her irritation. Sansa took no notice as she made her way to the bed and all but collapsed onto it. " Do i look alright? I do so want the prince to like me! oh i hope hes handsome, but of course all princes are, although in the story of..."

Sansa looked to ramble for awhile like this, So laylana resumed taking down her hair and letting it settle back down to her waist. So much for trying something new. She quickly used a ribbon to pull her hair off her face and tied it behind her ears, then turned turned to her young cousin.

"Sansa dear, as always you look absolutely lovely." She said soothingly. Normally she did not have a lot of patience with sansa when she got like this, but this time she had to admit that her worries were somewhat justified. Laylana knew, as everyone with a brain did, that the king was coming for one reason, to make father the hand of the king. Marriage to unite the houses could only make sense.

" The only way the prince wouldn't fall in love with you on sight is if he was a blind fool. " She continued. " and from what I heard from the mechant that was here last month, he takes after the queen in his features, so how could he be anything but handsome?"

Her words and confident tone had the desired affect, and sansa's breathing began to slow back to normal and she lost some of the redness in her cheeks. Laylana smiled at her. "thats better, now come here and i'll do your hair and pretend its mine " she followed this with a dramatic sigh and overly mournful gaze, and was rewarded with a tiny smile and a giggle. As she braided, laylana let her mind wander alittle.

She didn't tell her cousin about the more disconcerting news she had heard, hoping that they were just silly rumors. About how the prince was not only spoiled, but was already showing a streak of meaness that bordered on cruelty. She didn't want to make a judgement until she saw the boy for herself. But she couldn't shake the forboding feel in the pit of her stomach. The last time she had felt like this was when her father was heading off with robert baratheon to war against the Mad King. He had not returned.

She had just been a child then, now she was 27 and the only thing she had left of her parents was her eyes, which were the same emerald green her father's had been. Despite this, and her mother dying giving birth to her, she knew that she was extremely lucky with her lot in life. Her uncle and his wife loved her as their own, and had never pressured her into wedlock. Even though she was well past the age that most girls usually were, by choice or by force. It wasn't that she didn't want to get married, she just knew the opportunity to marry whom she chose was a rare gift. A gift she did not intend to waste.

After Sansa had left, pleased with Laylana's efforts with her hair, she finished her own preperations. The dress she chose was a rich blue wool, simply cut but it fit her like a glove and made her waist look tinier then it was. the full sleeves were in the style of the south, trailing almost to the knees. Jewelry was a beautiful silver wolf pendant on a delicate chain that had been her mother's. She then turned back to the mirror. She was pleased with what she saw this time, the dress set off her hair and eyes making them stand out with the contrast of colors. She knew she was far from ugly, but today...she almost felt...beautiful.

" The King is approaching!"

I'm sorry its soo short! But I want to make sure it isn't rubbish before I continue. lol So please review!