I decided to write a little backstory for Lyra. Would you like to read more?

Part 2

Ned gave his wife a tender kiss before hurrying to his study after a servant told him the news. Catelyn was just rocking their newborn daughter Arya to sleep while little Sansa also demanded her attention. Ned loved all his children dearly, whether they were boys or girls. Of course he was happy that he already had an heir and he was more than proud of his son. He opened the door to his study and saw a man standing in front of the fireplace with his back turned.

"Ben?"

The man turned to face him. It had been years since Ned had last seen his brother and he barely recognized little Benjen now. Ben's black hair was long and tangled and he had a messy beard. He looked everything but a nobleman.

"Hello, Ned."

Ned looked at his little brother for a while before walking over to him.

"It's good to see you, brother," Ned said and hugged Ben. "It has been too long."

Ben didn't reply to that, Ned could see how tense he was.

"I can't stay," he murmured.

"What? You just got here…"

"Yes and there is something I need to ask you, brother."

Ned frowned.

"Are you in some kind of trouble?"

When Ben had told him that he wanted to join the isolated garrison near the Wall, Ned had been sure that his brother would return home soon. Surely it had only been his way to cope with the loss of their father, brother and sister. Much to Ned's surprise, Ben hadn't retuned. He had sent brief letters for every now and then, letting Ned know that everything was alright.

"No," Ben replied smiling. "I'm not in trouble, big brother, but I must ask a favor from you."

"What kind of favor?"

Ben cocked his head towards the wall and finally Ned noticed that there was someone else in the room. A child, who seemed to be a boy. He hadn't made a sound, he simply observed Ned with his brown eyes.

"And who might this be?" Ned asked.

"Her name is Lyra," Ben replied. "She's my daughter."

Ned's eyes widened as he stared at the child. She was wearing boy's clothes and her hair was short.

"Your…daughter?"

"Yes."

Ned wasn't sure what to say.

"Why haven't you told me about her?"

"It was…complicated," Ben replied tensely. "Her mother…"

Ned understood what Ben was trying to say. The girl was a bastard.

"She's dead now," Ben added. "I kept the girl with me, but I can't do that anymore."

"Why not?" Ned asked.

Ben looked at him calmly.

"Because I will join the Night Watch."

"What?"

"I have made my decision; it's the right path for me." Ben paused and glanced at the girl. "As I said, I can't take her with me, so I'm asking you to take her, brother."

"Of course," Ned managed to say after a brief silence. "She's your daughter; of course she's welcome here."

Ben nodded gratefully.

"Thank you, Ned. There's also something else I would like to ask."

"What's that?"

"I want to legitimize her. Can you write to the king and make it happen?"

"Sure."

"Thank you."

Ned looked at the girl who still hadn't made a sound. She looked vigilant, especially when Ned approached her and got down on one knee in front of her.

"Hello," he greeted the girl. "I'm your uncle Eddard."

The girl glanced at her father.

"Go ahead, introduce yourself," Ben said.

"Lyra," she said clearly.

Ned smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lyra. Welcome to your new home."

"Look at that," Theon said. "What is that?"

"She's Uncle Benjen's daughter," Robb replied. "Father told us to be nice to her."

"Is she really a girl? She looks like a boy."

"Do you envy her for that?" Jon asked.

"Shut up, Snow."

The three boys kept staring at the strangest looking girl they had ever seen. She was wearing a dress, but her hair was short and she was playing with a stick, using it like it would a sword. She lowered the stick as the boys approached her.

"Hey there, runt," Theon greeted her.

"We were supposed to be nice," Robb scolded.

"What, she is a runt."

"I'm Robb, your cousin," Robb continued, ignoring Theon's reply. "This is Theon, my father's ward and Jon, also your cousin."

She observed the boys for a moment before saying her name.

"Lyra."

"What are you doing with that stick?" Jon asked.

"I'm practicing," she replied.

"Practicing for what?" Theon asked.

"Fighting."

"Girls don't fight," Theon argued. "You sew and pick flowers."

"Why?" Lyra asked.

"Because that's the way things are."

She thought about it for a moment and shook her head.

"No."

"No what?" Theon huffed.

She didn't reply, she simply continued playing with the stick.

"You're weird, runt," Theon commented. "Do you really think that you would have a chance against us?"

"Yes," she replied.

Theon grinned and looked at Robb and Jon.

"Did you hear that? She said that she could beat us."

"I'm sure she didn't mean that…" Robb started.

"I did," Lyra cut in.

"Are you going to let her talk to you like that?" Theon asked.

"I can't fight with a girl," Robb protested.

"I can," Theon said and attacked Lyra. She dodged his attack and hit his stomach with the stick, making him gasp for air.

"Hey, that wasn't nice," Robb said and attacked her. At first he was going to go easy on her, since she was a girl and everything, but then she hit him with the stick as well. He let out a growl and stopped trying to be careful. Jon joined him and together they managed to trap her on the ground. Even then she didn't give up; she was biting, scratching and kicking like a wild animal.

"You bit me!" Robb cried out.

She smiled and bit him again. All four of them wrestled on the ground until they heard Ned's angry voice.

"Boys! What do you think you are doing?"

All three boys got up as quickly as they could. Lyra stood up as well.

"What's the matter with you?" Ned demanded. "What made you pick on a little girl?"

None of the boys had time to reply when Lyra spoke up.

"We were playing, Uncle Eddard. They didn't do anything bad."

"Well… That was hardly an appropriate way to play with a girl."

"It was fun," Lyra replied.

"They could have hurt you," Ned said firmly and crossed his arms before looking at the boys. "No more games like that."

"No, father," Robb muttered. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," Jon and Theon added.

Ned nodded.

"Good. Play nice with Lyra."

"Yes, father."

All the boys looked at Lyra after Ned had left.

"Thank you for not tattling," Robb said.

"There was nothing to tattle about," she replied. "You three fight like girls."

"Oh yeah?" Theon snapped. "I'll show you…"

"Enough, Theon," Robb said.

"So," she said after a moment of silence. "Can I play with you?"

"Sure," Jon replied. "As long as you don't bite."

She smiled.

"We'll see."