I don't own Game of Thrones

Chapter 1

It was still very dark outside. Xelia Baratheon was walking back and forth in her room. She was repeating again and again in her mind the conversation she had with her brother Stannis that evening. Well, not exactly a conversation, a fight. A huge one.

- There will be no further discussion. You are to marry lord Morrigen's son. Tomorrow it will be your sixteenth name day celebration, during the feast I will announce your betrothal.

Stannis yelled at her and heated his fist on the table.

- And since when are you arranging my life?

Xelia shouted back at him

- Since I am your older brother. I had enough of your behavior! It is about time to realize that you are a grown woman now and start behaving as one. You must do your duty as real noble lady.

- Which is?

Xelia asked ironically. Of course she knew very well what her brother meant. Noble ladies must get married to noble men and born their heirs. Oh, and stay in their castles waiting for them while they will be away fighting, fucking other women and having bastards, and planning the celebrating feasts for their return. And if they wouldn't come back? Well then they will mourn them for the rest of their lives, except if their fathers or older brothers decide that they are still fertile and sell them to another lord like mares.

But Xelia knew also very well that she couldn't do any of these. Since she remembered herself, she had never had any interest for ''girly'' stuff. She was only three years old when she first held a wooden sword and she immediately loved it. She refused to leave it and play with her dolls in her mother's, lady Cassana's, disappointment, who had order the most expensive ones from Tyrosh for her only daughter. From the other hand, her lord father, lord Steffon, used to find that fact very amusing. When his little daughter was playing with the small wooden sword and challenging the much older than her squires in the training yard, he was laughing and comforting his wife by saying that Xelia is too young and she will soon forget about all of these.

However, when Xelia became eight years old, things turned serious. Lord Steffon couldn't help but admit that his little Xelia, even if she never had a proper training, she was a natural with the sword.

One morning he called her in his solar.

-Well Xexe, as you love swordplay so much, I am not going to forbid you practicing it.

Before Xelia had the time to run and hugg him, lord Steffon raised his hand to stop her.

-But, you will have to do it right. You will be trained every day, for many hours with our master at arms like your brothers. And if I see that you are progressing I will hire trainers from other places like Dorn and maybe Braavos. But Xelia, that means that you will have to work very hard. It will be tiring and some times painful until you will perfect your performance.

So it happened. Although the training was hard and their master at arms was very strict with her, Xelia was so happy that she was doing what she loves, that she never complained for the blisters at her hands or for the bruises all over her body. It was enough for her to practice with Robert and she was the happiest girl in the world when he congratulated her for her achievements.

From the other hand, lady Cassana wasn't as happy as her husband and her older son. It was hurting her to see her only daughter with dirty boyish clothes all day while she had no interest in fancy dresses and fashionable hairstyles. Despite that, she wasn't blind: Xelia was happy, her little face was shining with joy every time she was coming back from the training yard. She had to take a difficult decision.

One day, as Xelia entered her room she found her mother sitting on her bed

-Is there something wrong mother?

Xelia asked while she tried to hide her shoes which were covered with dust

-It's time for us to have a little talk young lady.

-Are you going to make me stop my lessons mother?

Xelia asked and she looked down

-Well no, at least for now. But I have some others lessons for you too Xelia. I talked to meister Cressen, and except for your regural lessons he is also going to teach you things that are being taught in the Citadel, like ravenry, accounting, about herbs and healing and many others. Plus, I am hiring a teacher from Essos, I want you to learn high Valyrian and the dialects of the free cities. Be extra careful Xelia, you must take those lessons very seriously. Your teachers will be giving me frequently their reports about your progress. If I receive a negative report, even for one single time, I will make sure that you will not touch a sword or a bow ever again. Am I clear?

-Yes! Thank you so much mother!

She jumped and embraced her mother. She didn't mind about the classes. Not at all, she always wanted to learn high Valyrian anyway.

Until she became twelve years old, Xelia could best all her coeval and even older squires in fencing. She was as good as her older brother Stannis and some times she would best him too. An even after the tragedy of loosing her parents hit her, she didn't stop her lessons. She had all of Robert's support, who was the new lord of Storms End to continue this way of life for as long as she liked.

And after all of these Stannis though that he could make her marry a ninny lordy boy who she didn't know and she was not intrested in knowing.

-Do you really need me to explain you what your duty is? The thing sister..

-The thing brother is, that if anyone could take these kind of decisions about me, that would be Robert!

-Well, unfortunately for you, Robert is away now and I am in charge here! It seems that your beloved Robert abandoned you and has many other affairs in the Vale since he hasn't answeres in any of your ravens!

-W-what are you talking-

-Oh, you know very well. What were you thinking? That the meister wouldn't tell me?

Xelia didn't know what to say. Meister Cressen promised not to tell a word.

-It is useless to continue this. Go to sleep, you need to be fresh for tomorrow.

-What the fuck Stannis, your plans will never be accomplished! I'd better die!

She had screamed those words in he brother's face before she ran out the room and slum the door with all he strength.

As she was running to her room she came across meister Cressen.

-You traitor! How dare you showing your shelf in front of me?

-My lade I-

-Don't ''my lady'' to me you gray-rat! You had promised to keep it a secret and then you ran straight to your beloved Stannis and you testified everthing!

-My lady, you have to understand-

Cressen tried to say and came closer to Xelia. She pushed him hard to the wall and yelled at him

-Stay away from me you filthy traitor!

Xelia was enraged. ''Ours is the furry'' are the words of house Bratheon. And at this time the furry was all Xelia's. Except for cursing Stanis and Cressen, she was also cursing her self. If she had gone to the Vale as Robert had asked her, none of these would have happened. Robert was fostered in the Eyre and now he was visiting the place pretty often to see his friend lord Jon Arryn and his bastard daughter Mya. Xelia had never left the Stormlands and she really loved Storms End but now that would be a great chance to visit other places. That wouldn't be bad in the Vale, she could have met the Knights of the Vale and maybe even practice with the sword with any them , she would meet her little niece and mainly she would have avoided the whole betrothal-marriage thing.

But no. She preferred to stay back so she could be with Renly. Since their parents loss she was mostly taking care of him. When Stanis announced her his stupid plans she started to send ravens to Robert. Stannis wasn't kidding, well he never was, he had to come back and stop him. But none of the three ravens came back with an answer. She was wondering what on Seven hells what was he doing.

She had no other choice, Xelia has never felt more desperate in her life.

-If it is to be done, it needs to be done now.

She said aloud. There was no much time left.

This is my first story. Also, English is not my mother language so I hope you will be lenient with me.

The beginning of the story takes place a couple of months before Robert's Rebellion.