How was I still alive at this point? Being a young girl at ten and seven, I would be working in a Brothel, or even dead from not living this long. Luck was never really on my side, since I had no real parents, I had no memory of them. Only dreams, dreams of certain things about them. My mother's red hair, flying in the wind. My father's laugh, how distinct it was. Those memories were the only god things dear to my heart. For my life was very sad and yet so simple.

I'm a dress maker, and my name is Nora.

According to the locals, I was the best in Thedra Ascent, the home to the House of Thedra. Thedra's Ascent is a grand fortress that is in the North, a neighboring House with Winterfell, whom is our Ally and closest comrade in times of war and need. I have grown up there, having no recollection of who my parents where since I am in fact a orphan.

The woman who raised me, Sophie, was in her 40's and never settled down on her own with a husband or children. She had black raven hair, thick yet blank in a single braid down her back and warm green eyes that were in fact beautiful, it made me wonder how she never found a husband or never bore children. She was kind to me, stern, but kind enough to allow me to see her as my mother. I was given to her by a elderly man, not knowing his name, but he told Sophie that I was in danger. What kind of danger, I had no clue. Sophie said nothing to me, not one thing, about where I came from, or who my parents where. I always asked, being the stubborn young girl I was, and I always received the same answer from the young woman:

"Drop it, they're dead."

When I was around 5, Sophia took me with her to visit her old friend and fellow dressmaker Gaila to Kings Landing in the poor district of Flee Bottom where she worked, it was a couple of weeks away form the North. It was so different compared to the North, the heat on my neck and hair and the brightness of the skin on my fair skin. I was used to clouds and bitter cold. Gaila, whom was late in her years and had age on her skin and in her eyes, was very kind to me, although just as brash as Sophia was to me. Her gray hair was light in the Southern sun, her aged face reminded me of the eldery women back at home in the North, but she was no mean or cruel. She was kind to me, having me sit and watch her work with Sophia and see them make dress together. I would sit on a stool, my head resting on my hands on my knees and watching them with intense eyes. They made beautiful dresses, and I wanted to learn how to do it.

I remember walking around Flee Bottom, hand in hand with Sophia and Gaila next to us as we looked at the merchant stores and hole-in-the-wall merchant areas, seeing all that Kings Landing had to offer and show to the world. It was fascinating to me, as a young girl with auburn hair dancing in my face and the piercing blue eyes that I had. Clutching her hand we walked through the area together with Gaila, and as they talked together about the business, my eyes caught something from the far end of the street, to people: one adult and a boy my age if not older.

"I can't leave Thedra Ascent, Gaila. You know that I have a good life there. The Lord of the helm likes me there, and I have no quarrel with anyone there." Sophia explained as I watched, the three of us stopping in the middle of the road. The adult was a Blacksmith, I saw his apron and how filthy it was and his hands covered in soot and grim. That gave it away, since he reminded me of the Smith that was at him, but our Smith was fatter and less appealing to look at. But it wasn't him that I was looking at, it was the boy. The boy with his raven black shaggy hair that was covering some of his eyes, his piercing blue eyes that reminded me of the sea.

Now my eyes that a hint of gray in them, along the outside of the blue, but his. His were….beautiful. I saw him look at me as his master yelled at a vendor, our eyes connecting and having me watch him intently. My hair was blowing in the wind, the ringlets framing and hiding my face from him. But the moment passed as Sophia tugged my hand, pulling me away and the Blacksmith smacked the boy upside the head, yelling at him and tugging him by the elbow down the opposite end of the street.

After being there for several days, we went back home to the North and I was greeted the familiar chill of the cold winter and bitter summers. I missed the cold, it was somehow a part of me and close to my heart. I lived the rest of my life there, growing into a young woman with what Sophia called a "winter beauty" in my face and body. Growing into a woman was none the less awkward for me, filling my hips and chest and feeling the hair grow longer and going into the same braid Sophia had. I hated the looks from the boys and squires who saw me pass by, it made me feel less of a being and more of a prize. Thankfully, I was too low to be seen as desirable by a man, that was the one perk of being a low born.

No man wanted to marry a low born. I never wanted that, I wanted out to go exploring.

Don't get me wrong, I was content on where I was in Thedra Ascent. I had in lucky, since having a job that included protection and a good job to grow up in. I liked making dresses, it was a good trade to have. The dresses I made were fit for kings and queens, the details in the gowns that would shine as if they were in fact from King's Landing, the kingdom in the South, the kingdom for the King of Westeros. The deep purples and blues, the light greens and gold, they were beyond beautiful for the North, but I was proud of what I did. Better making dresses than taking them off for a living.

The fortress of Thedra's Ascent was always cold and brining energy from the bitterness that bit our necks and cheeks from day to day. There were high walls, filled with buildings for our needs that included armory, a temple for the New Gods that our Lord worshiped, a practice ring our sworn swords and knights that worked for the Lord of the Helm. Our sigma was a fox running along along the top of the mountain, and Thedra's words that were forever a part of the Helm and the history was:

"Survivor of Evil."

It was a large place, the summer was filled with rolling green hills along the open black sea and in the winter was covered in light snow that kissed the earth. Some other Houses in the South and even in the East called us crazy for staying in the North, but Winterfell has been our longest and strongest ally, teaching us the ways to fend for ourselves in the Winter and to stay alive. We helped in their crops and agriculture, and they showed us how to pour hot water in the walls of our castle to stay warm. We helped each other, and they have never failed us, as we never failed them. We were known for our agriculture and fishing none the less, lending help for the Houses in the East and West, but we were mostly known for the dresses we made in the North.

Thanks to Sophia and I.

Our own fortress was grand, always filled with the scent of the cold sea and We were located along the Stony Shore, close to Sea Dragon Point. The only safe way for us to get to Winterfell was through Wolfswood, along the mountain ridges and closely etching along the Tumbeltown Tower. But everything in my life changed within one meeting at my home, the meeting of a Lord from Winterfell.

Lord Eddard Stark

I was busying in the small house of a shop that Sophia and I had when we worked on our dresses. I wore simpler dresses, wool and nothing too special to them since the beautiful ones were meant for the highborns. The shop was on the bottom floor, but we lived on the top floor with only two small straw beds and a few smaller things. My own bed was a bit smaller for me, yet I was content on where I was living. I remember hearing the sound of hoses coming through the main square of our fortress, having the rest of us workers look from our shacks and shops to see who it was making that ruckus. It was the Stard hold for certain, I saw the banners flying high in the air with grey and white flying in the wind of the late summer afternoon. The direwolf on their banner flapped in the wind as they rode through, Eddard Stark leading the way. I have only seen him once or twice in my life, and they were mere glimpses from far away. It was too low for me to look at him, since he was the Lord of Winterfell and I was merely a dressmaker.

I folded the dress I was finished with, the mint green with gold accents on the dress was meant for one of the ladies of the higher court at Thedra, and as pretty as she was, she was vain as well. She as the cousin of the Lord, whom made me wonder how they were related. She was bitter to me when she came to ask for a dress for court, in order for her to look suitable for a suitor that wanted to marry her. I prayed for the Old and New Gods, prayed that the suitor was stupid enough to love her, that or for him to run.

"Will you look at that? Eddard Stark at Thedra Ascent." Sophia said behind me, having me look over my shoulder at her. The worn out look on her face had me see that she was working just as hard as I was with dresses that were needed for the women in court. We both made at least 5 dresses up to that point, with three more in demand. I grinned at her, walking over with the dress in hand and placing them on our table with ribbons and other decoration needs that we would use. I started wrapping the dress in ribbons, making it look more presentable.

"Have you ever seen him before, Sophia?' I asked her aloud, seeing her smirk back at me as she decorated her own dress that was a darker green and a solid gold outline.

"Only from afar. We lowborns don't associate with those that are higher on the list." She replied to me, having me smirk as I finished the wrapping of the dress and looked at it in front of me. I heard Sophia sigh and stand next to me, placing a reassuring arm on my shoulder and having me feel warmth from her.

"Tis a good dress you made, dear." She said to me, having me look over at her and seeing the warmth in her smile to show that she meant it, "it might be the best one you have met yet."

"I've learned from the best." I replied back to her, seeing her laugh from her spot next to me and move back to the dress she was making, pausing for a moment and then having me look at her with confusion. She had a deep thought, I saw it in her eyes as she looked down at the dress in front of her. It made me pause, waiting for her to say something, or do something in order to break the silence she was harboring. Sophia finally look up at me, her green eyes were fading from the sparkle she and when she was younger and filled with more life.

"I've treated you right, haven't I?" She asked me aloud, having me look at her with both confusion and intrigue.

"What?" I asked her aloud, wondering why she would say something like that aloud. She sighed, looking down at her worn hands that have been through so many dresses that they had their own history.

"I was never cruel to you, cruel enough for you to resent me…" She trailed off, her voice was frail now. I shook my head with worry as I walked over to her and took her fragile hands in my own.

"You were never." I explained to her aloud, seeing her look up at me as I gave her a determined look, "You were nothing but good to me, your raised me right. I wouldn't ask for a better protector than you." It was true, she did help me and protect me from anything that would happen to me. From being assaulted from men, to to even teaching me how to read simple words. She knew how to read from her old mentor, Gaila, and she in return taught me. That was already rare for a servant to learn, reading was a gift for the highborns and I had that. She smiled at me, patting my hands and then sighing once more, looking at the dress in front of us.

"Perhaps when the Old Gods take me, you can continue with the shop." I paused when she said this, since there was hope in her voice and a meaning to it. She wanted me to continue with her work, something I never thought she wanted me to do. It wasn't that she resented me, but she never saw me as her own daughter, well, not completely. I nodded my head, a small smile on my face.

"Perhaps." I replied back to her, then hearing something in front of us. It sounded like armor, knights were coming to the front of our shop. Both Sophia and I walked to the front of the shop we had, seeing at least ten knights were with Winterfell armor on. I froze in my spot as Sophia stood in front of me, the master of the shop. She wiped her hands on the apron she wore on her own dress as the first knight spoke up.

"You are needed at the Great Hall. Lord Thedra and Lord Stark wish to speak to you."