As time went on many things happen in the world, Jennette had to live with the Stark's much to almost everyone's dismay in the Lannister family. She had received word from everyone in her family besides her King Father. Her Grandfather seemed to understand the logic behind her arrangement but didn't see the need for it. Uncle Tyrion tried to make her see the best in the new world around her. Her closest family members told her of how much they missed her and how they longed to have her in their arms again soon.
There had been other developments outside of Jennette's small world; The Iron Islands had rebelled and both the men in the North and South went to put them down. The Greyjoy's had decided to go against the crown and were now fighting. This had started not long after Jennette had gotten here, and she was worried that within the hustle and bustle of the war; her family had forgotten about her.
Lady Stark thought it was so wonderful, the whole idea of having the blonde princess here. She couldn't say she favored her over her own because it wasn't true, but she did love to dress the little girl up in all her fine dresses and teaching her how to be a lady. Which was easy; she was so willing to learn to be a lady like her own mother.
Robb hadn't liked having the princess here; she complained most of the time or would go on about how Winterfell wasn't as nice or warm as Kings Landing or Casterly Rock. The whole ordeal bugged him and no one seemed to tell the princess why she was here; to his wife. Not that Robb wanted her as his wife girls had no appeal to him; swords, bows and spears now that was what Robb was interested in! But all the same, shouldn't she be trying to be nice to him! She gave him no special notice, and often would just talk his ear off about Joffrey; who Robb had decided was annoying and more likely hadn't even held a sword let along swing one his whole life.
Jon Snow the Bastard of the family liked having the Princess around for a short while; when they had met she was nice and friendly she would tell him stories and he would listen. The girl was an open book but sadly when Robb had told her that Jon was his brother he had left out the Bastard part. Lady Stark had seen them specking and ran to them yelling at Jon for coming out of his place to speck to someone as highly as the princess.
The princess was completely confused as to what Lady Stark had been saying; wasn't Jon her son? But that was answered soon enough when Robb and inquired as to what the problem was; "He is a bastard Robb! He doesn't have a right to speck with her!" Jennette's eye had gone wide and she then looked as if she was going to cry, Jon had felt so horrible; if he thought him being a bastard would have upset her so he wouldn't have said anything to her.
The queen had quickly taken the princess away not wanting anyone to see her next to that boy; Jon hadn't gone near the girl even thou Robb and insisted that between the princess and Jon he would always pick Jon. He did love his brother for that; it didn't matter what happen it was going to always be Jon and Robb!
The princess had enjoyed talking with Jon, she liked how he really listened to her and how he asked question; Unlike that Robb who just sighed and rolled his eyes before pushing her away and running off. Lady Stark said that he would grow out of it but the Princess was starting not to care, he was mean and she didn't want to be his friend anymore; he had even tricked her into a friendship with someone who couldn't be her friend; only to have that person ripped away.
All the children were helping make special little puff pastries in the kitchen; they were planning on giving them away as gifts to the people around Winterfell; Lady Stark had thought it would be a sweet way to show the people that they appreciated their sacrifice in this rebellion; although victory was almost assured some would their loved ones.
"Do you think father will come back?" Jon asked Robb he hadn't spoken directly to the princess in several days but sometime she wasn't snotty about specking while he was in the room; just neither said anything directly to one another. Jon only asked Robb this because he was worried he loved his father, he was better than most to his bastard; he had given him skill and a chance in life.
"Of course he will! Father is the best, don't you forget it!" Robb was worried about his father but while his father was away Robb was the man of the house; not really but everyone seemed to let the little boy think that to a degree. But he couldn't let anyone's spirit fail especially his brothers.
"Your wrong." Both boys looked to the princess she looked a little overly proud her chest pushed out. Jon waited for her to continue while Robb just gave her a dull look; there wasn't anyway she could knew wither his father was alive or not. "My Uncle is the Best. Lord Stark can be second best." Robb rolled his eye; that was stupid, Jamie hadn't proven himself a war hero yet.
"Your Uncle is a glorified guard. I'm sure he is good but not even in the range of the greats like my father!" She hated Robb for specking of her Uncle that way; Uncle Jamie could best anyone! Picking up some of the jelly filling she thruster it into Robb's face. Robb's and Jon's face was completely shocked as they took in what had just happen The princess just held her head high like nothing had happen. Jon tried not to laugh at his brother but it was hard not to. Anything he said now just wasn't valid and wasn't going to out do what the princess had done.
Robb was embraces and upset, she had no right to act out like that no matter who she was a Lady never would have done that! Robb started to pick up some Jelly to throw at the Princess but Jon noticed what his brother was going to do and jumped his arm to stop him. The struggle was difficult and they both ended on the floor with the jelly on both of the boys. The princess was giggling at the two now Robb was all sticky; Robb had started to wrestle with one another making a good amount of noise.
Lady Stark came in to check on the children only to see her first born covered in jelly and her husbands Bastard under him while Robb had a trail of spit coming out of his mouth that was going to drop of Jon soon and Jon was trying to talk Robb out of it. Jennette was laughing and clapping her hands joyfully. It seemed she liked watching the boys fight, but on top of everything else she had to worry about with Lord Stark gone she didn't want to have to worry about the boys trying to impress the Princess.
"ROBB!" Looking up all the children looked to Lady Stark her arms were crossed and her face let the boys know that they were in trouble. Looking around she saw that the princess had Jelly on her hands; she must have helped in the attacked in some way. Robb got off Jon and wiped his face before looking down. Jennette didn't think she was going to be in trouble; she had never been in trouble.
"All of you get to your rooms! All of you get no super and you have to clean the horses stalls." The princess was smiling; it was always funny when the other children got in trouble. It was Joffrey's favorite and if he were here would have been a wide grin on his face as they watched the Stark boys get in trouble.
"Wipe that grin off your face!" Jennette's eyes went wide, why was she using that voice with her. "You in trouble as well; if nothing else then because you supported it!" Jenn was mortified she had never been in trouble and didn't understand what was happening.
" Y-you can't punish me! Your not my mom!" Lady Stark gave her a dull look, she didn't care what this little girls mom had to say even if she was the queen; she would learn to play and be punished with the other children even if it meant pulling teeth. Robb and Jon were both waiting for Lady Stark's reply; Robb knew his mother wasn't going to take kindly to that kind of attitude.
Walking over Lady Stark grabbed her by the arm pulling her off her chair she turned her around and slapped her hand against the small child's bottom. Her scream was heard all over Winterfell she got five before Lady Stark stopped, she was lucky Robb normally got ten for talking back. "I don't want to hear anymore sass from you. Do you understand me?"
The little girl was puffy face, a mixture of being pissed and hurt. She thought Lady Stark liked her, but she was just like all the other wolves mean, and ready to bite any cub. When the little girl just stared at her she shuck her for a reply.
"When my mother hears about this you will regret it." As shocking as it sounds, Lady Stark was scared; the little girl had said it so seriously almost evil in a way. Lady Stark stood up and pointed to the door.
"Go to your room." She said this through her teeth; a small six year old should not have made her scared and she had learned from her hardened time in the North that being scared could easily give you strength. So her fear became anger, Jennette had turned from Lady Stark's perfect doll into her new obstacle. She knew now that whatever clam joyful time they had together wasn't coming back; not easily.
Robb and Jon were both in a state of shock as the watched the princess leave the room, never had Robb seen his mother freeze up like that before. Robb went to his mother worried for her, but she smiled at her pup placing a hand on his head. He was such a good boy and she wanted the best for him. So even if it meant the little Princess's wrath she would turn her into a woman of the North. "Go on you two." They both went without a word, but Robb did look back to see his mother with a worried expression on her face.
The day was finally here, the Men would be returning which mean Lord Stark would be returning! Everyone was in a uproar, wanting to see the Lord greet his family to know that everything was going to go back to how it was. It was one of the biggest events that had happened recently a feast was being prepared in honor of Lord Stark even with his dislike for feast.
The children were free for the next two days from lessons it had been a month and one fortnight since the grounding which had gone smoothly, Lady Stark was shocked at how easy the pink girl had taken it; in public she still acted the same in private she wouldn't even let Lady Stark touch her, she made her septa do everything that normally Lady Stark would do. But if that is what it took then Lady Stark could live with it; the child needed to be decupled, sometimes she was out of control.
"When father get home he promised he would start us on dull sword!" Jennette smiled at Jon and Robb, they had been looking forward to Lord Stark's return ever since they had received word of the battles end. She had decided that spending time outside with the boys was better then listening to Sansa cry and Lady Stark trying to speck with her.
"I am happy for you both." Jennette said calmly she was sitting on a post while the boys played with their wooden swords. It seemed that since the grounding Jennette would talk to Jon freely; mostly to upset Lady Stark. She would bring in to places he wasn't allowed to go as the small princess's escort and Lady Stark couldn't dismiss him in front of everyone. It would be rude, and it would make her look like the bad guy.
Jon was grateful that the princess had taken notice of him again but hated the reason why. She said that she couldn't let someone embarrass her like that; like Lady Stark had somehow ruined her honor. But Jon saw it as Lady Stark trying to mother the child; but than again that could be the problem.
Jon didn't know who his mother was so when Lady Stark did act as such he didn't think to much on it but Jennette knew who her mother was, and loved her very much. Perhaps if Lady Stark had just sent her to her room and hadn't hit her it would have been better; by hitting her she had crossed a line that wasn't acceptable for someone who wasn't her mother.
Shaking his head he tried to not think on it very much, he was happy for the friendship and he knew now that the princess was nicer to him, Robb was nicer to the princess he wouldn't bash her family nearly as much but when it came to Lady Stark; well Robb tried not to say anything on the matter knowing it was sensitive to both children.
"So once the men get back, you get to go to Casterly Rock?" Robb asked; he was worried about her going, not because he cared but because she would tell her family everything that she had seen and if she had seen a weakness her family might come. Also she was just starting to become bearable once she got back everything would change back to how it was.
"Yes! I miss Joff so much, when I see him I just know he is going to have everything just how I like it." Robb rolled his eyes as she started in on her brother, he must have been using mind control like a witch; because she seemed just as clueless as her brother sounded. "I thought about bring him something from the North but he would hate everything, so it would just be an insult." Had she just insulted the North, she normally didn't do that; she would compare the two and their were things she liked about the North; the tall buildings, the iced shaving that they would eat, she said thou the people were colder they were much easier to get along with.
"Mi lords, and lady." A servant called out of breath as he bowed. "Lord Stark is approaching." The children all ran like mad past the servant, Jennette was in the back being the slowest. But she didn't care the sooner Lord Stark was the sooner that she could go to her Mother, Brother and Uncle.
Lord Stark made his way up the road and smiled when he saw his family waiting for him; Jon had been allowed to stand in front with Robb but The princess had to stand next to a cooing Sansa, she didn't like Sansa; she always seemed to be doing things that didn't make sense! Specking random words and opening random drawers were not normal people things. Lady Stark had said that all babies did that but Jennette didn't care what Lady Stark said anymore.
He got off his dark horse and rushed to hug his wife who gave off a sigh of relief, all the weight of running Winterfell was taking off her shoulders in this hug. It was to much to do on top of her normal duties as mother and Lady of Winterfell. Lady Stark felt over worked and under appreciated. She felt like crying in Ned's arms just to let it all go but she held it in.
Ned knew what he had asked of him when he was asked to leave but he had to do it. His King called and he had to answer, Robert was his best friend! But now he was home and all that was over. He looked at his red haired daughter and picked her up making the little girl giggle and hugs him.
Robb stood tall his chest out and he tried to show his father that he was a Lord that he had changed since the first time the princess had come and he had been the disappointment that he was. This did make Ned proud but he wanted this son her come running to him like the first time he had come back from a war but those days were over now his son was getting ready to take his place; Robb would have to start studying hard.
He gave both his son a good slap on the shoulder before hugging them, they were both relief to have their father home, Jon more than Robb: His father coming home met he was free from Lady Stark's wrath. She now would go back to having nothing to do with him; which was fine by him for the most part.
Lord Stark saw the little Princess and walked over to her; he kneeled down, some men had come to take her to Casterly Rock saying that the Stark's didn't need to have her any longer then they needed to. Ned knew that there had been some frication between the small girl and Lady Stark and he hopped to work it out before bringing in the newest problem to WInterfell; he was starting to feel like a corrections officer for troubled children.
"My Princess." She bowed her head and he stood; he always felt silly when he had to get on one knee to bow to the Princess but he would do it every time as was expected of him. "I understand you and Lady Stark had a miss understanding." Lady Stark wanted to tell her husband to stop but he held a hand to silent her. Robb wanted to advise his father against such action and Jon got ready for what was to come.
Jennette thought for the slightest moment that Lord Stark was going to ask her what had happen but the next to words that came out of Ned Stark made Jennette know that anything he had to say was going to not mean a bloody thing to her.
"The King-" Her face dulled and she frowned; " has told me to remind you that while you are here in Winterfell Lady Stark is within her right to punish you." Ned Stark was shocked to see such a serious look on the princess's face that normally held a bubbly smile or sweet innocents, before he left. "Do you understand?"
"Oh come now Ned, my Lord! Your making my great-niece look grimmer than you are!" Came the playful voice of Gerion Lannister, Jennette's face lighted up as she ran to her great-Uncle the first time they had met she was a baby and she didn't know who he was but he was in good and looked like her Uncle Jamie! He was a Lannister and that was enough for her; he would take her home! Ned was upset that the girl had left their conversation. "Well this is a warm welcome!" The six almost 7 name-day girl was ready to go now and she clung to her Great-Uncle for safety.
"I have gifts for you. Special ones from Joffrey and your little sister Myrcella." The little girl started to chant about presents. The great-uncle may not have knew this girl well but he enjoyed how she seemed to effect the room wherever she was; if she was grim the air around her seemed to darken; and if she was happy she was like the sun shining bright. "I was told my family also has a gift for you Lady Stark."
Lord Stark looked to his wife who just shrugged, what could the Lannister's possible give her; a gift for her support the last year most likely. Or worse more help to take care of the princess. That was all she needed another women to 'help' with raising the princess. Everyone seemed to advise against her spanking the child and had shown their dislike for her making her into a Lady of the North but that was what she was to become!
Some men brought a wrapped box out, undoing to package was as easy as opening the top, they placed it in her arms. She looked to Ned in confusion; he smiled at his wife. Perhaps it was just a simple gift. She removed the top; Gerion hadn't dropped the princess yet nor had they gotten her gifts.
"Go on Lady Stark, Lannister's give the best gifts!" the princess cheered; everyone seemed interested in what was in that box. Robb and even Jon had ventured closer. Slowly Lady Stark opened the box; her stomach clutched and her heart stopped before she dropped by the box as a scream came from her lips.
Next a head rolled out with a Tully soldiers helm on. Lord Stark's eyebrows went to his hairline and he looked to Gerion who looked shocked but not upset; he had no idea what was in that box. Lady Stark held Robb to her so he couldn't see the head. The princess screamed and hid her own head in her Uncle's hair.
"Explain this Lannister; why dose my wife receive a her country men's head in a box from your family?" Gerion pulled his sword out making Ned do the same but Gerion was checking the box and he knew Ned couldn't attack him while he held the princess. He poked something and took his sword out; the man's heart was on the end of the sword.
"Well If I had to guess, I'd say your wife pissed off the wrong person." He let the heart fall off and with a soft thump it hit the ground; Lady Stark looked to Ned who looked at her questionably. What had she done?
"She hit Jennette." Everyone looked to the bastard: Jon. Lady Stark held a sneer as the boy talk but Ned gave her a look of disapproval. He may be a bastard but he was still family and he had a right to talk; he had a right to excite. Ned nodded to his son to continue. "Jennette said she would tell her mother and that Lady Stark would regret it."
Gerion chuckled it seemed his neice had a bit of a prideful lion in her; a common problem for Lannister women, but it was what made them so loveable running the pride from closed doors. If anyone was going to be protecting their young in the family that was Cersei; the Queen. And even thou Gerion didn't love his brother much he did love his family; like every Lannister did.
"Ah now I'm just a foot soldier but I don't think the word of a bastard if going to be bring down a Queen, also what an obscured idea; all over a spanking. I am sure this box got mixed up with another and Lady Stark's fine silks went to a farm wife." Everyone knew the man was cover up the whole thing but it was true in the capital they would just laugh in their faces.
"Well we best be off, little one." He patter her on the back and when he turned to the carriage, Ned saw how scared the girl had looked, she was pale, eyes wide, and she looked like she was going to be ill. No matter what that little girl was still that; a little girl and she was too young to see such things.
Ned would need to work with his wife on how they would punish the girl; this couldn't go on. If the Lannister's wanted to break the North it would take more than a chopped off head. He would show that house Stark would up hold their end of the deal and keep and train Jennette Baratheon and marry her to Robb as the King wished.
The trip to Casterly Rock had the princess shaken and she couldn't get the image of that man's head rolling onto the ground out of her head, every time she closed her eyes he was there. Her Great-Uncle and Septa tried to tell her it wasn't anything to be scared of. That when she was older she would see more of this but not to worry; that no harm would ever come to her, that all who knew her loved her.
But it was all just to much for the little pink princess; everything seemed so much darker now, and the sounds that the heart made as they went down the sword; slick and with just a bit of a crunch. She would grind her teeth to get the sounds out; she didn't want to see another dead men as long as she lived.
Once they arrived at Casterly Rock Gerion opened the Carriage door to escort the princess to their family; they all stood by waiting with smiles on their faces even Little Myrcella had come in her mother's arms to see her big sisters return but Jennette ran out tears running down her face and went straight to Joffrey trying and whaling. Gerion looked down and away; this wasn't good, his big brother was going to be furious when he heard what happen.
Joffrey was instantly in-raged; his twin's sadness was his fury! Her happiness his own and her love only his! He clucked to his sister trying to give her the strength he had. This wasn't acceptable, he could tell she hadn't been sleeping and worse that she hadn't been eating. He would have to get her to eat; she would eat for him.
The queen went to her daughter and rubbed her back. "My Sweet sunshine, what have they done to you?" The Queen looked to her brother her rage and determination was clear in her eyes, her spies had told her that Jennette was happy enough to not cause alarm but obviously that wasn't so!
Jamie jumped on his Uncle slamming him against the carriage; favorite or not that child's tears should never have been. His own twin's eyes should be filled with joy on this day not dread and his own heart should have been burning with pride to have what was his back in his arms!
"What happen!?" He asked gruffly; his uncle in his normal good nature attitude sighed. He knew Jamie had to be rough to ruffle his mane but did he have to be so damn good at it. Jamie was a pretty good redo of his father at the moment and Gerion was done dealing with man for this lifetime.
"She may or may not had seen that little gift you sent Lady Stark; Which by the way, I covered beautiful for you on." Cersei stomped to her Uncle; he was too much like Jamie, carefree! No one could know what she had done. Jamie knew of course he was the one who dispatched the man.
"You fool!"
"Your welcome." Jamie let go of their Uncle and let him roll his shoulder to loosen up. "You have gotten good at the killing thing, clean cut right thru the middle; I always tend to end up a little." Jamie chuckled with his Uncle, they both were so clam that it pissed Cersei off. Her child was scar because he didn't know better! She knew she should have sent Jamie!
"Cersei clam down; Our Uncle has covered it up and Jennette is young; she will recover." Cersei wanted to slap her twin at that moment; it wasn't about recovering it was about never knowing! Never having pain, never having to see tears on her children's faces.
"Like we were supposed to 'recover' Jennette from the Starks." Gerion noticed the air getting thick so he left the twins with a bow and went to the castle. Jamie sighed before looking Cersei in the eye; she had hit him to close to home.
It didn't matter how hard he tried he couldn't get his pink girl home and it stung deeper than any hurt he had ever received; the king had made a good match and no matter how many Lords he sent to him against the marriage no matter how much pressure he put the fat man under; he never changed his mind.
"Uncle!" Came Jennette's cries and Jamie was to her side he picked her up and held her close while; she wasn't as fussy but she was upset. "I never want to go back, Robb is always saying awful things about the family, Lady Stark spanks me, Lord Stark just doesn't care and Sansa just cries!" They were so happy to hear she still disliked the Starks as much as before. It was a weight lifted off of Cersei's shoulders.
"I'll kill them all!" Joffrey screamed, in the last year without his sister Joffrey had become angry almost all the time, he would push other children and even find ways to get them punished severely. Cersei would often use logic to clam her son, which worked most of the time, she hopped that while he spent time with Jennette her sweetness would rub off on him.
"That seems rather extreme." Came the uncaring voice of the twin's other Uncle; Tyrion. He favored the marriage that was still a secret to Jennette who had somehow managed to fall asleep on her Uncle's armor; it seemed in the safety of his arms she had found her peace. "Give the child something to do and her mind with quickly fill with rainbows and butterfly again." Cersei glared at her Brother's remarks; this was an insult to her daughter, his life was an insult.
"They are torturing her!" Joffrey screamed at his imp Uncle, who looked shock but it was all a joke as he walked over and looked at the girl.
"Oh yes, I see! Well feed, clean, and look at that all your extremities. Those barbarians should have taken at least her eyes!" Cersei pulled her son to her as she could see her was ready to hit the tiny man. Joffrey wanted to string his tiny Uncle up by his tiny little toes! He had no right to touch his sister; none of them did! She was his!
Jennette awoke in her bedroom Joffrey's arms around her for the first time in months, she rested against him and he pulled her closer to him. Laying here with her brother made her feel rested for the first time in so long.
Neither needed to say a word, they held one another in the sunshine as it came in; Joffrey needed her to clam the inner fighter that had been burning since the moment she had been ripped from his arms.
Jennette needed that fire to take away the over bearing waters that were ready to break the dame in her. She always was ready to cry it felt anymore; and not being able to cry in front of the Stark made her dame fill quicker and quicker.
Joffrey petted her soft curls, mother was right in never cutting her hair, it was to gorgeous, it reflected light almost like a minor and it's softness couldn't be matched even by the finest skills. The fragrance was that of a rose, delicate and only those close enough to smell it; only for Joffrey.
There was nothing that either needed to say even with all the time apart because the time apart meant nothing to either of them. The world would one day be theirs and they would never be apart again; Joffrey knew he would call his sister to capital as his first demand; say that he needed her in to help with the grieving. That would be a lie but it would be a lie the noble's wouldn't care about.
If she was married then he would separate them, if he couldn't do it to their marriage then he would do it in distance, part of Joffrey hoped they would be wedded; then he could take her from Robb and he would know what it was like having the light from his world to be sucked from his very body. Yes, Joffrey hopped Robbed loved his sister; worshipped her, so he could give Robb the most painful years of his life without her.
Jennette entwined their finger together and smiled. "I love you Joff."
Joffrey closed his eye; Visions of Robb crying on the floor alone, while Joffrey held Jennette came to his mine and he smiled into her hair. "And I you, Jenn."
HermioneandMarcus: Here is the Next Chapter; thank you so much for the review! It means a lot to hear from you.
Dean's Dirty Little Secert: I really am not into the Pink Princess thing but It was just to perfect a fit and I found myself enjoy writing for her. I hope you liked this chapter; she was more bratty this time.
fairydaisy777: I really can't say who I am going to be placing her with! But I am happy to give you a little Joff love this chapter!
nightwatchers2: I really love your review! :) Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
ZabuzasGirl: Sorry I couldn't give you an imeddite update but one day isn't two bad, right? Thank you for the support.