To anonymous reviewer. I am taking your request to heart. Thanks to you and Carnacki23, Lawsy89, Yeardley, guest, and everyone else who reviewed or favorited.

Disclaimer: I don't own GOT or song of ice and fire

Margaery awoke the next morning with a loud thumping echoing in her skull. She sat up quickly and fell back as the thumping escalated, leaving no room for coherent thought.

"Did someone have too much wine last night?" Jeyne stood over her, smiled at her superiorly and Margaery said "I didn't think I had that much wine last night."

Jeyne shook her head and said "Lord Aegon asked to see you as soon as you were awake."

Margaery frowned. Aegon had been displeased with something, something to do with Lord Stark. She had no idea what she had done wrong. And it was never good when Aegon asked to see her.

"Best not to keep my betrothed waiting. Come Jeyne, find me a dress for the day."

The dress was soft, butter yellow wool, for even with the hot springs and fires, there was still a chill in the air, a cold breeze down her spine. She took advantage of the warm dresses she brought.

"Do you wish for me to call for an escort?" Jeyne asked as she straightened the skirt. Margaery said "No, I will be fine Jeyne." She smiled reassuringly and stepped outside her rooms.

She stood and looked down either hallway. Both looked the same, and neither looked helpful. She had no idea where Aegon would be.

Choosing randomly, she set off left, telling herself she would stumble on a servant to direct her or on Aegon himself.

Soon though, it became apparent that Winterfell was an impossible to navigate labyrinth of hallways and stairways and rooms. No one passed to tell her where to go, telling her she was nowhere near Aegon's rooms. He always had an abundance of servants tending to his ever need.

Finally, standing alone in the stone halls, she hated to admit it to herself but she was lost.

She looked down both hallways, and saw sunlight filtering from one end. She went to the light and found herself in the last place she expected in the frozen, wintery north.

The forest was beautiful, haunting and there was an undercurrent of deep power that thrummed under her feet. She stepped on the warm dirt, red leaves rustling over her head and touched the bone white trunk of one of the trees. It felt like she was somewhere else entirely, and her curiosity wouldn't let her turn back.

She walked through the forest, listening to the sounds of leaves and wind and rippling water from somewhere near the heart of the forest. It was peaceful. She had been surrounded by nothing but people and talking and stone for near on a year since she entered King's Landing, then when they did march north there were more people and still little freedom, even away from the city. The clean air was a relief, and she sighed.

Then, something growled at her from the shadows of the trees.

She stiffened, and turned slowly to face the beast. It was a direwolf, near three quarters her height and it stalked forward and growled again.

She backed into a tree, pressing her spine into the bone white tree trunk. The red leaves that fell around her suddenly looked like bloody hands spiraling down in the bitter autumn wind. The direwolf approached her and sniffed at her skirts, and his lip curled back to reveal massive, pearly teeth sharp as daggers.

Her hands were shaking and her heart was racing with fear. The beast looked at her with yellow eyes to intelligent to be wild and it hadn't attacked her yet. She closed her eyes and waited for its claws and teeth to sink into her.

Then she heard a voice.

"Grey Wind, where are you?" the voice asked, and Margaery opened her mouth to call for help. A cold nose touched her hand and she jumped, startled. The direwolf nudged her open, shaking hand. It licked her fingers, and she took her other hand and gently patted the top of its head.

"Grey Wind, what are you doing?" the voice asked. Margaery looked up and her face flushed as she saw Lord Stark, wearing a fur as dark red as his hair around his shoulders. He raised an eyebrow at her and asked "My lady?"

She realized her hand was still on the direwolf, and she lifted it off quickly. The wolf padded to Lord Stark's side and he rubbed the top of his head, but the wolf's yellow eyes didn't leave her.

Her courtesies returned to her and she curtsied quickly.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed my lord at prayer." She said "I was looking for Lord Aegon and I found the godswood, and I couldn't stop myself from entering."

Picking up her skirts, her face burning with heat from under the gaze of his blue eyes, she said "Excuse me my lord, but Lord Aegon will be looking for me."

She turned to leave and cursed herself internally. Of course, she finds something close to peace and then she had to disturb Lord Stark in what was most likely the only time he would have in solitude away from Daenerys and Aegon.

Then she felt a hand on her wrist and she was face to chest with Lord Stark.

"If my lady would like, I would escort you to Aegon's chambers." He said, and Margaery tore her eyes from his chest to look him in the eye.

The questioning look in his eyes brought his request back to mind and she said "Of course my lord, I would be honored."

Lord Stark took her arm and looped it through his and they left the godswood behind.

The silence was again thick and bothersome, and some part deep in her mind wanted her to speak with him, to say something to break the silence that sat between them like a castle wall. But some nervousness had possessed her and her voice was lost.

Lord Stark broke the silence first. "Why would my lady wish to see a godswood? Would you not keep the Faith?"

Margaery forced her eyes to remain on the floor and she said "I do keep the Faith, but I have never seen a true godswood. It left me curious. And it was so peaceful."

She dared to glance up, and saw Lord Stark watching her curiously, and his eyes went down as she met them.

"The godswood is the only place that it is quiet, it seems." Lord Stark said quietly, and Margaery nodded.

The silence reined again, but less awkward. It was a comfortable silence. Lord Stark seemed like the sort of man who didn't waste words on silly things, and it was quite endearing.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you my lord. I was curious, I did not know that you were there." She said, and the now familiar flush was creeping up her neck.

Lord Stark was silent for a moment before saying "I was not praying, I was, trying to escape the castle for a moment. The queen can be…" he floundered for the correct word, but Margaery understood what he was trying to say.

"Yes, she is." She said, and was rewarded with a soft smile from Lord Stark that made her heart flutter in a way it should not.

The direwolf walked on the other side of Lord Stark, sniffing at stone and watching them with yellow eyes that seemed to follow her every movement.

"Your direwolf seems very loyal." She said finally. Lord Stark glanced at his wolf and said "I've had Grey Wind since before I became Lord. He is a better guard then many men, but he seems to warm to you my lady."

The direwolf in question had returned to his lord's side and was sniffing at her hand again, his rough tongue licking at her fingers. She resisted the urge to pull her fingers from the direwolf's teeth and said "He is quite fearsome looking. But if Targaryens can have dragons, Starks can have direwolves."

Lord Stark smiled and said "We are here my lady."

She released his hand, albeit reluctantly and said "I shall see you later Lord Stark?"

He nodded and pulled a single, pale blue rose from under his cloak.

"My sister loves winter roses." He said in a soft voice as she took the rose in her fingers. "But Tyrells seem to like roses as well. A winter rose for a summer rose."

She gently touched the velvety petals of the rose, and looked up to find Lord Stark vanished.

She stood outside the door for a moment, struggling to gather her thoughts. She tucked the perfect rose inside a pocket in her cloak and turned to the door, and she remembered that she was supposed to see Lord Aegon.

Pushing back the hood of her cloak, she opened the door and stepped inside.

CLIFFIE!