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THE BALANCE BETWEEN ICE AND FIRE
INTRODUCTION I
'Perfection' one thinks when they first catch a glimpse of Lysara.
Hers is a timeless beauty consisting of dark wavy hair, an unblemished cream-colored skin, a body whose shape is not too voluptuous nor too gangly with a perfectly moderate stature and a highborn lady's sureness and grace. All of that is nothing compared to her eyes though. If one didn't know any better they'd think she was of Valyrian descent with her indigo-like eyes that mesmerize any who lock gazes with them.
If you can imagine her physical attributes, let us continue with her personality.
The lady you meet with, for make no mistakes she comes out as one, is polite and gracious to friends and family and strangers alike no matter their station.
Although, just between you and me, she too has flaws. One such flaw being her lack of expressions, or in other words, being stoic. Sara, when truly vexed will lock herself in her rooms to rage for a perceived slight against her, with none the wiser. On the other hand, the lass will let her loved ones know with a familial touch or smile when she is happy or proud. Yet, Sara has only ever been truly emotional when playing the harp. Oh, such thoughtful gazes she makes with the melancholic melodies she plays. There, playing the harp is when Lysara truly shows herself weak.
She is well versed on her chosen pursuits such as learning the history of 'The Seven Kingdoms and Beyond', herbal remedies, and playing cyvasse. Though she prefers intellectual pursuits over the womanly arts, she performs her duties without fault. Sara would tell herself, "What do I have if not my duty."
Lysara is all that and more, yet when people learn of her surname, she is immediately cast out off of the people's minds. While women of either high or low caliber look at her with pity and disgust, their male counterparts' lust unabashedly after her.
All that transpires when they learn of her surname.
Lysara may be all that is described of her yet she is not a Stark, she is not a daughter of highborn or a lesser nobility couple. No, she was conceived out of wedlock, to an already married Lord and of a women of questionable origins. Therefore, she was an unwanted burden to all because Lysara Snow was a bastard, and a bastard she will always be…Right?
INTRODUCTION II
Robb Stark has always been a very outgoing child. When he was first put on his mother's arms, instead of crying he began to coo and in later months; smile. There have only ever been a few instances where the young lord became quite serious enough to worry others. The first and most troubling time was when he was taught what a bastard is and how that horrible label belonged to his beloved sister, Sara.
Robb was in the nursery room with Sara, trying to teach little Sansa to build structures with wooden blocks and definitely failing when the door opened and,
"What is the girl doing in here?"
Old Nan, having started to doze off, immediately stood up gave a curtsy and exclaimed,
"Lady Stark, what a pleasant surprise!"
"Don't worry mama, we were just showing Sansa here how to use these blocks with the help of Old Nan." Lady Catelyn, ignoring what her eldest child told her and the two others, turned towards Sara with a murderous gaze, stalked towards them, took her arm, brought her up and shaking her demanded,
"Have I not explicitly told you to not come close to my children?"
Little Lysara lowered her gaze to the ground, while Robb tried to speak up but could not.
"Well yes m'Lady, but…"
Not waiting for the rest of her stuttering, Catelyn dragged her by the arm, left the nursery and gave a shout of,
"NED"
Meanwhile Robb was looking towards Old Nan for an explanation.
"Why is mother so against Sara spending time with us, Nan"
"You mind yer business little lord, you will understand later on. Stay here and play while I'll take care of this little lass, alright?"
"…Okay…"
Turning her back to Little Robb, Old Nan grabbed the fussing toddler and mumbling under her breath departed from the chamber not noticing she was missing a lordling.
The Lady was so engrossed on pulling little Sara's arm and almost sprinting, she never noticed the small figure following them towards Lord Stark's study.
Once they came upon the entrance, Catelyn did not bother to knock and barged right inside, forgetting to close the door.
"Ned I've dealt with the stain upon our marriage for five years and the only thing I've asked of you was to keep your bastard away from our children and yet I find this… girl, playing as if she too was part of our family, as is she was entitled to it!"
The Lord Paramount of the North Eddard 'Ned' Stark was looking through some documents when his Lady wife barged in demanding and explanation.
The Lord of Winterfell could be called cold and unyielding to those who don't know him well, yet when in the company of loved ones he would shed his mask and loose his hold on his burdens. Only in this case the opposite could be claimed, if of course, he could be studied at such time.
Hearing what his Lady wife was saying made him remember things better left in the past. Nevertheless he took a deep breath, stood up and brought his sight upon them.
"Catelyn, it would please me if you let go of Lysara at this moment. Let her go and then we'll talk about the so called issue.
Said lady immediately let go making Sara stumble.
With a kind gesture the lord, came upon her, ignoring his wife and stepped down to her level.
He gave her an encompassing embrace and softly whispered,
"Why don't you go to your chamber and rest for a while, eh?"
Lysara, having gone through a great ordeal that day would later come to the conclusion that what the Lady Stark made her feel, was humiliation. That day she made a promise to herself; To never let Catelyn make her feel that way again.
She numbly gave a curtsy to the lord and lady and passing through the threshold noticed her half-brother. Finally she closed the door and tried to ignore him and deal with the humiliation she felt. She had to rapidly get away. She just had to. Therefore she did.
Because of what he heard, Robb wanted an explanation on why his mother always acted that way around Sara, yet as a child he was intimidated by both parents so he went to Sara directly.
He followed her.
He found her in the Godswood; taking deep breathes so as not to start crying, he reckoned. Once he came to the conclusion she was calmed enough, he spoke.
"Sara, why does mother always treat you so. Please tell me, I'm tired of waiting and waiting for an explanation."
"I'm afraid you will look at me differently, that you will shun me…" she pleaded.
Looking at her pain-filled gaze he knew that no matter what her personal feelings entailed, this was the day she would tell him everything.
She half-heartedly told him.
Many would think that after finding that his sister was a bastard he would either be mean to her or plain ignore her like little Sansa would later do. That wasn't the case.
He became livid, for he now understood why his lady mother would treat his younger sister so poorly. Why other adults would look at Lysara with something akin to disdain and why most children of the banner men would not play with her unless specifically ordered to do so.
Therefore, as the years passed and new additions to the family were added, Robb Stark would always make sure to teach and remind the rest of his siblings to love and cherish their sister. That even though they only shared a father Lysara was still a Stark, if not in name then in blood. He would later quote their father; 'The Lone Wolf Dies but The Pack Survives.'