Hello!
This is a rewrite of Wildflower in the North. A much different (and hopefully better) rewrite.
If you read the previous fic, then thank you so much for giving this new one a chance. This chapter is basically the same as it was before with very minor tweaks, but it will be the only one like that. The rest of the chapters will be totally different. (I might reuse scenes, but they won't be identical).
If you haven't read the previous fic, then welcome and thank you for giving it a chance!
I hope you enjoy!
"What have you done to my daughter?" Robert's voice booms throughout the empty court.
"What are you talking about?" Cersei returns, her tone filled with irritation as usual, but with a touch of confusion now.
"You've turned her into some airheaded mockingbird that does and says whatever you want her to!"
"I have done no such thing, Robert!"
Hidden behind a pillar, Ellie can see her father standing in front of the Iron Throne, his crown slanted atop his head as he flails in anger. His chubby cheeks are bright red even beneath the scraggly beard. Her mother stands below, glaring up at the man she was forced to marry only a little over a decade ago. She denies having any effect on their eldest child, but everyone in the castle knows that it's a lie. After years of trying, Cersei finally managed to sink her claws into her wild child. Eliana has become the little princess she always wanted and the person her father never wanted her to be.
The princess saw Robert's disappointment earlier when he found her sewing. The crowned stag she'd been embroidering on a new dress did little to impress him. The king's look of disgust only grew as he listened to his daughter recount her last few days. Sewing, singing, and playing harp were things Ellie never cared to do, but had seemingly grown to love in recent months. The fact that she couldn't describe any cuts, bruises, or stains she'd recently received was proof that the queen had accomplished the unimaginable.
"Haven't done anything?" he roars. His anger is so buoyant that it makes Ellie tremble. "I barely recognize her!"
The young girl feels the sharp sting of her father's words. It isn't an exaggeration, she knows that, but it still hurts. She lived her life as the king's favorite and now she fears he may dismiss her as he does with Joffrey. And if both her parents do not care for her, what is she to do?
"Eliana was out of control, Robert, and you allowed it. She is finally behaving as a princess should and not as a little boy in the streets."
"She was the only person in this awful castle who could bring life to it! You have snuffed out the light in her and replaced it with your own misery, Cersei!"
His words become too much for Ellie, so she quickly slips out of her hiding spot and makes a run for her chambers. In her blurry-eyed haste, she nearly collides with her brother as she rounds a corner. She isn't aware the tears have already begun to fall until she registers the delighted sneer on his face. Taking full advantage of an opportunity to kick the older girl when she's down, Joffrey begins spewing mean words to break her more.
"What are you sniveling about? Did Mother catch you doing something stupid again?"
"Shove off, Joffrey," she mutters as she tries to pass him. He blocks her path, pushing her backwards.
"What was that, crybaby?" he hisses.
"Get out of my way!"
"Or what? You'll tell Father?" Joffrey challenges. "Haven't you heard, Ellie? He doesn't like you anymore."
Even though she knows her brother is a liar, it feels like the truth and he succeeds in trying to hurt her. The flood of tears makes Joffrey grin and the sight only sickens the princess with anger. Without thinking, she shoves him back with as much force as she can muster. The act catches him off guard enough that he loses his balance and tumbles to the stone floor on his bottom.
"At least he liked me once!" Ellie yells before taking off in a sprint.
…
Several days pass after eavesdropping on her parents' conversation and Robert has not spoken to Ellie once. He hasn't come to see her or request that she join him at court. He doesn't even spare her a glance when they're in the same room. The princess is sure he no longer loves her because she has transformed into what her mother wants. Each time she thinks of losing her father's favor, a wave of sadness courses through her and she must fight with all her might to keep the tears at bay.
The day after Joffrey went to their Mother and tattled, Ellie was confined to her chambers. When the princess tried to tell her side of the story, Cersei wouldn't heart it – as always. The only thing she cared to say was that princesses do not push people, especially not princes. When her punishment is over, she spends most of her time in the gardens because Joffrey and her parents never come here and there's plenty of places to hide from the guards.
Proof of that comes as she sinks further behind a bush of roses while armored men scramble past in search of her. She will surely be in trouble, once for hiding and another time for getting so dirty, but that doesn't stop her. If anything, Ellie finds her fingers curling in the dirt just to get messier. It will take an hour just for one of her handmaidens to get all the soil out from underneath each nail.
Just as the princess releases a sigh, enjoying the sound of grown men helplessly searching for a little girl, large hands come beneath her arms. She lets out a squeal of surprise as she's lifted over the roses and placed back on the path. Forced to crane her neck, Ellie stares up at the scarred face of the Hound while he scowls down at her grimly. She huffs in frustration but is not surprised that he found her. He's the only one who usually can.
"Hello, Sandor," Ellie grumbles.
"Your Grace," he bows slightly. "Your parents are looking for you."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Come," he orders, pointing in the direction of the castle.
"Can't you pretend you didn't find me?"
"No."
"You used to be more fun," Ellie quips.
"As did you, Princess," Sandor mutters, though Ellie is unsure if she is meant to hear.
Stomping rather unladylike towards the castle, she abandons her haven in the gardens and goes to court where the king and queen wait. Joined by Lord Arryn, Robert's Hand, and the Kingsguard, she finds her father on the Iron Throne and her mother standing beside him. A sense of dread fills the young girl as she makes the long walk from the large, double doors to the end of the throne room. She looks up at Sandor in question, but he does not return her glance.
When Ellie reaches the bottom of the few steps leading to the king's seat, she curtsies as she was taught and only barely catches her father's displeased sigh.
"What have you done to your gown, Eliana?" Cersei questions.
"I was in the garden," she mumbles as an answer, looking down at the dirt-stained dress.
"She was being a child, Cersei," Robert snaps dismissively. "Ellie, we have news for you."
"What is it?" The princess asks suspiciously before holding her breath in wait of the answer.
"We have decided to send you to Winterfell early instead of waiting until you come of age."
The breath she is holding comes out in a swift gush as Ellie searches her parents' expressions for any sign that this is a joke. The solemn look on her mother's face tells her that it is not and the pleased look on her father's adds to her shock. The princess' eyes quickly shift to the other men in the room to find Lord Arryn smiling in encouragement and her Uncle Jaime frowning in disagreement. Her gaze finally returns to the king who is watching her reaction intently.
"B-but I can't get married yet," she argues.
"Of course you can't," Robert laughs. "You are only ten. No, you will be Lord and Lady Stark's ward until it is time for you to marry their son."
"You don't want me to live here anymore?" Ellie questions as sorrow consumes her. "Is this because I pushed Joff? He deserved it, I swear! I didn't even hurt him. He's always shoving me, and I get scrapes and bruises, but he didn't even get dirty!"
"You pushed your brother…? This has nothing to do with that," he says as he waves his hand for emphasis. "If you're going to be the Lady of Winterfell and the Wardeness of the North someday, you ought to live there and meet your people. Get to know your new home."
"But this is supposed to be my home until I marry…"
"You've always wanted to leave King's Landing before, you don't anymore?"
"Not as a punishment," she mutters.
"Punishment?" Robert scoffs. "This is not a punishment."
"She does not want to go, Robert. Why must you force her?" Cersei intervenes.
"She does want to go, she just doesn't understand," the king sighs. "Leave us."
"I will not," the queen quips.
"All of you, out!" He bellows. "Now!"
Those in the throne room sort of scatter out, Cersei being the only one who seems to hesitate. Another harsh look from Robert and she storms out after her twin, leaving the princess alone with the king and his disappointment in her.
"Come here, Ellie," he says after the silence envelopes them.
"Mother says –"
"Damn it! I don't care what your mother says!" He cuts her off as his face turns red. "Come up here, girl."
Though she cannot count how many times she's gotten in trouble with her mother for completely disregarding the significance of the throne just to speak with her father, she now climbs the short steps to stand before him and await the dismissal that will send her all the way up north.
"Father, I don't know what I've done wrong," she tells him, desperate to fix whatever she has ruined, and suddenly fighting the urge to cry.
"Eliana, you have done nothing wrong. Why do you think you have?" he demands.
"Because you're sending me away."
"You've never liked it here, you've always wanted to go to Winterfell, why would it be a punishment?" Robert questions, continuing when the young girl remains silent. "This is for your own good, Ellie. I don't like what you've become."
"What do you mean, Father?"
The king leans forward so they are at eye level as he speaks. "This is no place for someone like you. Wildflowers do not blossom in gardens, Ellie. You need freedom and so long as your mother has her way, you will never be free."
…
The wheelhouse comes to a rough and final stop as they reach their destination after the long journey north. The air is far colder than Ellie ever imagined, so she pulls her cloak tighter around her small body. Across from her, one of her handmaidens sits with an encouraging smile, but the one beside her is obviously forcing her happy expression. The princess does not blame her, in fact, she feels bad for them. She is quite certain that no southerner would voluntarily come here, and these ladies were forced by the queen to continue attending to her oldest child.
Since the moment they began the trip, Ellie has been confined to this makeshift cell. She begged Uncle Jon to allow her to ride, but he only let her on the safest parts of the King's Road. Unfortunately, the princess learned that there are very few safe parts. The young girl was certain that if the journey lasted even one more day, she would lose her mind. Only, now the trip has come to an end and she finds herself silently praying for more time.
Eliana is moments away from meeting the boy she has been betrothed to since birth and the family with whom she'll spend the rest of her life. With such pressure, she finds herself frozen amongst the plush pillows, her heart pounding so loudly that she is sure everyone must hear it. Suddenly, the door opens, letting in a gust of cold air, and the princess nearly chokes on her own fear.
The two handmaidens climb out, leaving Ellie with her own insecurities. What if they don't like me? What if Robb Stark thinks I'm ugly? What if he hates me and doesn't wish to marry me? What if Lady Stark is as unbearable as Mother? What will I do if I hate my new home more than my last one? What if Uncle Jaime was right – I'm just like Mother, which can only mean that I'm doomed to be as miserable as her when I reach adulthood?
"Your Grace," Lord Arryn's voice breaks through the storm consuming her. He pokes his head through the open door and smiles gently. "Come along, Princess. They're waiting."
Cersei's parting words come to the forefront of her mind.
"Remember who you are, Eliana. You're a princess, the oldest child of the king. Never forget it."
I am a princess, Ellie reminds herself as Lord Arryn ducks back out of the carriage. I'm a proper princess.
With a deep breath, she finally forces herself to move. Taking hold of Uncle Jon's offered hand, he helps her down the short steps of the wheelhouse before escorting her towards the large group of people waiting to meet the princess. They all bow and curtsy at the sight of her as she stops in front of the man she can only assume is Lord Stark. Shivering from the chill seeping through her cloak, Ellie looks up at her father's dearest friend with a heavy heart.
"Your Grace, this is Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell, Warden of the North," Uncle Jon introduces. "May I present the Princess Eliana."
"It's an honor, Princess," Lord Stark says as he takes her small, frozen hand from Lord Arryn's and kisses it.
"Th-the honor is mine, my lord," she tells him in a shaky voice. "I thank you for – for…allowing me…"
Ellie forgets what she is supposed to say and frustration colors her cheeks. It was all written down and she studied it the whole way, but it's as if her mind has gone completely blank. She glances nervously at her Uncle Jon who nods in encouragement. Releasing a shuddery breath, her gaze returns to Lord Stark's patient stare, but she can feel everyone else watching expectantly. Embarrassment runs through her and tears suddenly sting the corners of her eyes as she looks down in shame.
"Forgive me, my lord. I've forgotten myself," she mutters with the irrational fear of her mother sensing her failure and appearing out of thin air to reprimand her.
Unexpectedly, soft, warm fingers gently lift Ellie's chin and she finds herself staring into the kind, blue eyes of an unfamiliar woman. Her red hair is pulled back in a long braid and her smile somehow warms the child who shivers in the northern cold.
"You needn't fear, Princess. It has been a long journey for you," the woman assures.
"I'd shame my mother forgetting myself like this," Ellie whispers.
"You shame no one, sweet girl."
The girl's eyes widen in surprise, but the tears that burned in them before have dried. After Eliana takes a deep breath and straightens her spine, the woman releases her chin with another smile.
"Princess, this is Lady Catelyn Stark," Lord Arryn informs her, and she smiles in relief. Ellie is to be her ward, so she breathes easier knowing that Lady Stark seems nothing like Cersei.
"Thank you for opening up your home to me, my lord, my lady. I am quite delighted to be in Winterfell," the princess says with newfound confidence. She glances at Lord Arryn and receives a nod of approval that leaves her grinning in pride.
"May I present my son, Your Grace," Lord Stark says as a boy steps forward from beside him. "This is Robb."
Ellie looks at the boy hesitantly, instantly blushing when their eyes meet, but unable to look away from the clear shade of blue. He bows respectfully, so the princess gets a good look at the mop of reddish-brown curls fighting against whatever was put in them to keep the hair tame. It takes her a moment to realize that she isn't just looking at a boy, she's looking at her future husband. She's looking at the child who was offered the hand of the princess when he was one year old and she was just days old. She's looking at the person with whom she will unite House Baratheon and House Stark as her father tried to do so many years earlier.
She isn't just looking at a boy, she is looking at her future.
"It's nice to meet you, my princess," Robb says nervously, taking her hand and giving it the lightest kiss. Their cheeks turn a similar shade of pink while Ellie tries to swallow the lump in her throat.
"And you, my lord," she tells him with a shy smile.
Ellie wonders if this is how it felt when her mother met her father for the first time. Did he act polite and proper like Robb Stark or was he always as crass as he is now? Did butterflies flutter in her stomach at the mere sight of him as the princess feels now looking into the blue eyes of her intended?
A part of her hopes that their meeting was nothing like this because their marriage is a sham. She hopes to every god in existence that her and Robb Stark's marriage won't be anything like that.
She hopes they will fall in love the way they do in all the stories. Right before they get their happy ending.
This is just kind of an introduction to the OC and how she fits into the story. I'll be posting the second and third chapter (and maybe even the fourth) sometime today!
Please let me know what you think so far!
Thank you so much!
- V :)