A/N: Hi there, welcome to my new story. So this is my first chapter, and I'm still not sure about it. So please comment and tell me what you think, it would truly help? Other than that, thank you for reading. - Cat


The pieces of cloth danced around her as the maids hurried to chose a color that would suit her just perfectly. Sinsya stood still as a statue, silently laughing at the expressions her aunt made every time she'd disapprove of a colour. Lady Frena was hard to please, it seemed.

"Aunt, don't make it so hard, they are only guests," she said to her aunt, who eyed her up and down with a finger over her mouth and her chin resting on the rest of her hand. "What will it be when I get married, I wonder?" She added, when Lady Frena did not answer.

"This will do," she decided as a young maid held a dark green material against the young lady's chest. "It goes with your eyes and your hair, you will look like Gwynela."

Sinsya sighed and rolled her eyes lightly, never letting go of the mocking smile. Her aunt only swore by Gwynela, the Goddess of Nature and Women. It was a religion once forbidden in Westeros, but now allowed since the Dragon's Return. This was the name given to the 5-year-old period during which Queen Daenerys reconquered what was hers. The Fire Comet, people like to call her, because she arrived one night, unexpected, riding her great black dragon while it burned down everything they passed. She only showed mercy to the people who accepted her as a queen, no one else. The war lasted 5 years, and it had only been a year since the Red War had ended. Westeros was now in peace and the Dragon was doing a good job at ruling the country, so far.


A day later, Sinsya was standing in the courtyard of the Deepwood Motte castle alongside her siblings and parents, Lord Robett and Lady Sybelle Glover. Her brother Gawen and her sister Erena were by her right and their brother Jendry was standing by her left. Gawen, the eldest, was sixteen of age, only a year older than Erena who stood tall and smiling. Jendry was ten and tried to look as serious and stern as he could to impress the guests that were arriving. Sinsya always felt average when standing with her siblings. She wore her pretty green velvet dress that Aunt Frena had ordered for her and had her thick brown hair up and out of her face.

The heavy doors slowly swung open and Sinsya got a glimpse of the horses waiting behind them. She wanted to see their riders more than anything, though. The banners cracked at whiped the posts with the wind, making the grey direwolf look as if it were running on a field of snow. First came the young lord himself, Bran Stark, sitting straight and looking ever so graceful on his dark brown stallion. His wife followed him, shy and fragile on her white horse, followed by his direwolf. Then cam Lady Sansa, looking majestic as a queen herself in a light blue gown that made her auburn hair look like fire cascading down her back. Sinsya noticed that her husband had not accompanied her this time, but that Lady Sansa was heavy with child. Lady Arya came after, but not in a dress. She bore a dark grey tunic and black breeches that went with the black cloak she wore. She looked so fierce that Sinsya had nothing but respect for the young lady who made herself become a knight despite what the others would say. Last of all, it was Rickon Stark who entered the courtyard, followed by the black, massive direwolf. H we rode a light brown stallion and his auburn hair fell to his shoulders. Last time she saw him, he didn't have the light stubble covering his jaw. She had to remind herself that he was a man grown now, not the young boy she had known six years ago – if she could even remember that time.

Bran was carried to his wheeled chair by his helper, Hodor, as the rest of the household got off their horses. Sinsya spotted Osha and remembered how the woman would tell her stories about a life she once had – or claims to have had.

"Lord Stark, how pleased I am to receive you!" Her father moved forward to take Lord Bran's hand in his, since he couldn't embrace him.

A line of white teeth appeared from behind Lord Stark's beard as he smiled in return. "Thank you for receiving us," he said politely. "It has been a while, we have much to discuss."

Their conversation was a noise that Sinsya barely heard as she stared at the young man standing by his horse, saying something to the stable-boy before walking towards his older sister to greet the Glovers. He hadn't even looked at her once since he arrived; but something about him was fascinating to the young lady.

Her sister Erena linked her arm with hers and they walked behind the rest of the family to the Great Hall, where father had arranged a feast. She could feel a smirk on her sister's face and saw one when she turned around to look at her.

"What?" She demanded, annoyed yet amused by Erena's behavior. "They should marry you to him, Erena."

"Nonsense!" Her sibling protested. "You two are the perfect match. Besides, must I remind you again that I am to marry as well? Just after you, sister!" She explained, looking at her with a smile. "It is amusing that the youngest gets to marry before the eldest. Father must surely know it is the opposite that is supposed to happen, don't you think?" She look at the younger girl and poked her tongue out. "You will be just fine."

Erena had spent the last few weeks convincing her younger sister that she and Rickon Stark would be perfect together – or more likely, she was reassuring her that it will all go well. People said that Rickon was not like the other Starks. He was as stern and cold as them but had something more... wild about him. Apparently, he never properly smiled, only smirked at things he found amusing and liked killing animals with a knife or even his bear hands when he went hunting. Some say he was even part wildling – which of course, was nothing but nonsense. Sinsya liked to believe he was just special and that his family's past history had only traumatized him a little bit.


The air was moist and thick from the smoke coming from the fires and candles that lit up the Great Hall. The feast was grand and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The Starks wanted to pay for the wedding, so father had made the best effort for a feast that would impress them and their company. With all the people they brought with them, one could think that the whole of Winterfell had come to pay Deepwood Motte a visit.

Sinsya poked her chicken and leek pie and sighed with boredom. She watched her sister dance like a fool with her brother whilst Jendry ran after a little girl with red hair. She was sure it was one of Sansa Tyrell's two children – the youngest. Lady Sansa was seated next to her, but never spoke. Sinsya wandered if she ever spoke.

"Are you enjoying your evening, my lady?" The brunette asked politely.

Lady Tyrell took a sip of her wine before replying. "Yes," she said, nodding her head. "The food is delicious and the music is very entertaining."

The conversation lasted no more and Sinsya went back to staring at her plate. If only I were more talkative, she thought. A juggler threw an apple on her plate and the guests laughed loudly as the fool came running to her, cleaning her as much as he could. She told him to go back to his job and walked out of the Hall in a hurry, feeling the rush of blood reddening her cheeks.

The night was cold and the sky was full of stars and a big round moon shone over the castle. The round towers were painted grey and only the windows and the sky were black. Sinsya sat on a little wall near the stables and breathed the freezing air deeply. It was quiet and she loved it.

"Child, I feel your fear." A voice spoke from behind her.

She jumped a little and turned around. "Please, do not scare me like this," she told her aunt before turning her face back around. "And I am not a child anymore, you even told me so."

"I did," Frena said, seating herself next to her niece. "The air is too heavy inside, I felt like choking. I know that is the reason you're here too." She almost murmured.

Because I am embarrassed at all the things that happen to me, too. Because I am too shy to talk to people and too scared to be around them, she wanted to add. "Yes," she said instead. "People are starting to get drunk and I feel..."

"Out of place," her aunt finished, giving her a warm smile. "I know, Sinsya, you're just like me."

Sinsya gave her a weak smile and the two ladies stayed silent for a moment. Their silences were not uncomfortable as they always were for Sinsya when she was with other people. Frena knew the girl well, and she knew how to comfort and help her when her mother couldn't. Lady Sybelle never spoke to her daughter much, except to teach her her duties as a lady and a future wife. She had done the same to Erena, but she spoke to her more. Erena was older and more open to the world, like a proper lady should be. Sinsya was desperate to be a perfect lady, but nothing seemed to let her be one. Maybe this wedding will change me, after all, she thought with sadness. Maybe she'll be a good wife and mother of Rickon's children, and this will make her more confident and social with people.

If only she even knew him.