Chapter 1.
Osha was doing very well in Winterfell.
Robb Stark had been obliged to save her life and she knew that she owed him a great deal for that. He'd let her change clothes and wash up a bit before telling one of the chambermaids to see to her getting settled in her new quarters. Osha the wildling was now a ward of house Stark. She was to work in the kitchens. He thought that was punishment enough.
Osha was greatful to have been spared. And she was going to do her work eventhough she loathed every tedious second of it. She often ventured outside when the day was done and visited with the young Lord Bran Stark. She liked to talk to the child. He was refreshing and she often found herself bemused in his imagination and at the same time scolding herself for trying to harm him.
They were friends now, and she knew this. Because he'd asked Robb if he could have her especially in the evenings after his studies were done and her chores were thru, to just go out and about with. Robb had said it was ok and she had found herself over-joyed to get to spend time with this young boy who wasn't going to let his crippled state interfere with his greatness.
Bran spoke often of his father Lord Ned Stark who was in King's Landing. He missed him and he wanted nothing more than to see his father in other ways than just in his dreams. Osha sympathized with the child. She too missed her family beyond the wall, but she wasn't quick to speak of them. She kept them a secret and a memory. She was a ward at Lord Stark's home and she would behave now. She didnt want the shackles back on her ankles; that had been another request by Bran, to get the shackles removed so that she could move more freely. Sometimes she carried the boy and that was a small thing she could do for him because she'd grown to love him over the last few weeks and she regretted ever trying to harm him and she knew that 100 deaths for him were never going to be enough.
She had told Bran on a many occasion not to worry about his father that he would return one day very soon to Winterfell. Whether or not she believed her words herself didnt matter, all she wanted was for the boy to believe them. And on most days, he did, or atleast seemed to. He'd just say something about how his father would adore her just as much as he did..And that they'd never treat her badly..And Osha wanted to believe those promises from a small child who had such hopeful eyes when he looked at her. But while she tried very hard to mind her own business in the Stark House, there was always an eye on her.
Theon Greyjoy had made himself very known to her. He wanted her to feel his eyes on her when she passed by him. He wanted her to know that he was watching her. Waiting for just the right moment to strike. He'd wanted to kill her out in the woods. He'd same as begged Robb Stark to let him do so but Robb had showed mercy to her. And eventhough Bran said no one would ever hurt her or treat her as anything other than a lady, she knew that Theon had other plans for her. He wanted to torment her or teach her a lesson or kill her, she wasn't sure..But he always had a smirk on his face when she was crossing his path. He purposely found a reason to come to the kitchens and watch her from across the room. When they made eye contact, he'd just smile.
She didnt like his smile.