News of the King and his court riding North travelled quickly throughout Winterfell. It sent its people into a flurry of activity as they readied themselves for the king's court. Excitement bubbled through the air as each day passed. Lady Stark had taken it upon herself to ready the castle for its royal visitors. For the Stark children, each day passed too slowly as they were all excited to see King Robert for the first time. Their father had told them heroic stories of the great Robert Baratheon with his almost inhuman strength and handsome looks. How he defeated Prince Raegar at the Trident, and how he secured the Iron Throne. Each of the Stark children were in awe of their father's oldest friend. It only excited them more for the king's visit.
The day finally came when the southerns from Kingslanding arrived. The King's court poured into the yard where the Stark family and their people stood, waiting for them. The Stark's stood at the front of their flock of people. Torrhen stood between Robb and Sansa as the second born child and first born daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. They stood tall, all standing with their heads held high. Torrhen wouldn't deny how excited she felt. The King and half his bloody royal court come to Winterfell. Her lord father told them stories of King Robert Baratheon and his great rebellion against the mad king. She'd heard of his strength and his ferocity. The great stag of Storms End. The excitement that bubbled up inside of Torrhen's stomach was justifiable.
And then she saw the King.
The reality of the King she saw in front of her did not meet the expectation that her father had built up. As he trotted up on his horse, Torrhen couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor beast. The King seemed just as wide as his horse, and he had a thick black beard covering his face that no doubt hid a second chin. Torrhen could barely hide her disappointment.
"That's the King?!" Torrhen hissed to her brother. Robb just shrugged in response, hiding his own surprise and disappointment.
Once the King dismounted and embraced their parents like old family, and they bowed and curtsied, and kissed the Queen's hand, they began introducing the children to each other.
King Robert brought his children forward first, and introduced them. Prince Joffery, his eldest son and heir to the Iron Throne, barely a year older than Sansa. Princess Myrcella, his second born child and only daughter was introduced next, she would be the same age of Bran, Torrhen realized. And then there was Prince Tommen, the youngest child of King Robert and Queen Cersei. Torrhen stared at all three royal children, mildly surprised that all three children shared the same features of their mother, and almost none of their father. She nudged her brother who stood next to her.
"Prince Joffery looks like there is something foul smelling under his nose," she whispered to Robb.
"That's because we're all under him, and the little princeling hates us" her brother whispered back.
"How do you know?" she questioned.
"By the look on his face, like someone put shit under his nose."
Torrhen smothered a laugh. "I wager that I could beat him in a duel."
Robb snickered quietly beside her. "I wager Arya could beat him in a duel. Bran as well. He's probably never been in a real fight, not with the Hound guarding him."
"Then Rickon could beat him in a duel." The Stark twins smothered their laughter as their father and the King turned to them.
"These are my eldest children, twins, Robb and Torrhen." their father introduced as Robb bowed to the King. "Robb is my first born son, eldest child and heir to Winterfell."
"You're a strong boy, I can tell. And handsome, too. You'll have women lining up for you." King Robert told Robb. Robb thanked King Robert politely, acting as every bit of a honorable lord that he was meant to be.
"And my daughter, Torrhen. Twin sister to Robb, and my first born daughter," her father announced as the King stood in front of her.
Torrhen dipped into a curtsy with a soft smile on her face, playing the lady her mother wanted to her to be. "Your Grace," she murmured politely. She couldn't see his face, but she knew Robb was trying not to laugh beside her. He always made fun of her lady skills, however Torrhen thought she was quite good at acting like a lady.
"Ah, look at you, girl. You are a Stark, there's no denying it. If it weren't for your hair, I'd have mistaken you for your aunt Lyanna. She was beautiful like you," King Robert commented.
"Thank you, your Grace," Torrhen said politely. Her father had always said that she looked like her late aunt Lyanna, that she had her wild spirit as well. /
King Robert's mask fell for a moment, and she saw a glimpse of the heart broken man that lost the love of his life all those years ago. Beneath the crown and the face of a king, he seemed like the warrior who had lost everything in the war he had won. The King moved on, as her father introduced Sansa to him, and the Queen took his place of standing in front of her. Torrhen tried not to look startled at the Queen. Her Grace had been so quiet that Torrhen didn't even realise she was next to her husband at all.
"Your Grace," Torrhen tried to steady her voice as she dropped into a clumsy curtsy.
"Torrhen Stark," Queen Cersei drawled, as if she was testing the name in her mouth. "The King who Knelt. Curious that you should be named after him. The King who rode for war, and ended up surrendering his crown. There are better Kings for you to be named after."
Anger begun to bubble up within her, and Torrhen forced herself to keep her polite mask. "I believe King Torrhen was wise to surrender. Aegon the Conqueror would have eradicated the North if he had fought."
Cersei's soft face tightened in anger, her smile faltering and her green eyes sparking with anger. "A true king fights for his kingdom, no matter the cost," she told Torrhen, her voice hardened with Torrhen's insolence.
"You are older than I, and queen of the Seven Kingdoms so I only have a childs view on such things, and I agree with you. But I believe a true king should put the lives of his people first. King Torrhen knew he couldn't win against Aegon, so he surrendered and his people lived."
Cersei's emerald eyes held fire as she glared at Torrhen fiercely. The lioness queen lived up to her reputation of having the pride of a king. She probably wasn't used to people openly defying her, even Torrhen had done it politely as possible. As Cersei glared, Torrhen kept her face smooth, and her eyes calm. The queen moved on when it was clear Torrhen wasn't going to yield to her glare. Torrhen stayed that way until the queen had moved far enough away that she felt safe to talk to Robb.
"I don't think she likes me much," Torrhen whispered to her brother.
"But the Kingslayer might," Robb whispered back. Torrhen turned to look at her brother with a face full of confusion. "While you were talking with the queen, the Kingslayer was staring at you, even after the queen moved on."
Torrhen looked over and met the emerald eyes of Ser Jaime Lannister, who was staring at her with a light smirk on his face. Concern and confusion flooded her as his smirk widened as he caught her eye. He looked too proud of himself, the Lannister Lion of Casterly Rock, the Kingslayer, the most handsome man in the Seven Kingdoms stared openly at her. She would be lying if she said it didn't worry her.
The King told Lord Stark to take him down to the crypts to pay his respects, the queen protested saying that they should rest first, the King glared, the Kingslayer led her away and the King was left to do as he pleased. Her lady mother moved forward and welcomed them all to Winterfell, offering the show the royal family to their rooms to rest. The Stark children moved out of the way, bowing to the royal as they passed. Torrhen didn't miss the look that passed between Prince Joffery and her sister, Sansa. She scrunched her face up in distaste.
"You saw that too?" Robb asked as they walked into the castle.
"With Sansa and the prince?" Torrhen questioned. Robb nodded his confirmation. "If Sansa wants to think that he is the brave knight in Old Nan's stories, then let her. It's not like it matters, they are only visiting. I suspect they are to leave by the weeks end."
"You do not think the King thinks them to be married one day?"
"I am father's first born daughter. I would marry the prince before Sansa does, and I hope that doesn't happen."
Meanwhile in the crypts of Winterfell after Eddard Stark had been named Hand of the King by Robert Baratheon, they had talked of marriage of Ned's two eldest daughters. Robert was intent to join their families by their children, since they couldn't be brothers through Robert's intended marriage with the late Lyanna Stark.
"If Lyanna had lived, we should have been brothers, bound by blood as well as affection. Well, it is not too late. I have a son. You have a daughter. My Joff will marry your Sansa shall join our houses, as Lyanna and I might have once done," Robert commanded.
Ned was taken by surprise. Not only by the King suggesting that they join houses through the marriage of their children, but by having his eldest son marry his second born daughter. "Your Grace, Torrhen is my first born daughter, not Sansa."
"I know who your first born daughter is, Ned. I stand by my statement, my Joff and your Sansa shall marry." Robert berated.
Ned was confused. "What of Torrhen? Her little sister cannot be married before her, it would shame her."
"Did you know the crown is in debt to the Lannisters? Too many damn gold dragons in debt, and Jon Arryn was discussing terms with Tywin Lannister to get rid a portion of the debt."
"I don't understand-" Ned started.
"Let me finish, damn you Ned. Jon told me Tywin Lannister wanted his son to be released from the Kingsguard and wed to a suitable woman so that he can become Lord of Casterly Rock after him for a third of the debt. Jon Arryn suggested the match with your Torrhen, uniting Houses Stark and Lannister to settle the bad blood between you two. Gods know there is too much of it."
It was quiet for a moment as Ned contemplated the words from his oldest friend. "You want… to marry my daughter to the marry the Kingslayer" Ned spat the last word, disgusted.
"Damn it, Ned, it was Jon's last act as Hand of the King! I'll be damned if I don't see to it that its done."
"You want to marry my daughter to the Kingslayer."
"No! I don't want to marry your daughter to the Kingslayer! Jon Arryn did! And so did Tywin Lannister! It's a chance to get them both off my mind! And she does have a choice in this! I wouldn't marry your daughter off to the Lannisters by force, Ned, you know me better than that. Ask her if she wants to, and if she refuses then she wont have to. But I need you, Ned. I need you to get along with the Lannisters. Gods know if you two turn against each other, the realm with suffer. Think on it, I do not expect an answer on this matter straight away."
Ned kept quiet as he stared at his friend, suddenly very worried about his eldest daughters fate. He was willing to let his daughter choose her own husband from the suitors that called for her almost everyday, just as he would with Robb. He promised Torrhen to treat her the same as her brother, and yet here he stood with the King commanding him to give her to the Lannisters - to the Kingslayer.
"I will think on it tonight, and ask her tomorrow," Ned told his King finally.
"She has the north in her, your girl. With the face of my Lyanna. I'd never sell her to the Lannisters if she didn't wish it."