Chapter 2: The direwolf and the stag

Summary:

The direwolves are found, the King visits Winterfell,

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 2
298AC, Winterfell

It has been almost three years, since my arrival to this world and marriage to Jon. We have been living at Winterfell while our Keep was being built, which will be finished in three moons time. Soon we will be able to start our life's in our new home.
Things in Winterfell had also changed. With my dowry money the castle and grounds were fixed and updated. The first keep and broken tower were fixed and we were living in the first keep now, until Moat Cailin was habitable. It was almost like having our own household. The courtyards were paved, and greenery was planted even a small garden, giving more life to the ancient castle.

I had given birth that first year to two wonderful boys, Ameth and Ardeth, who are now almost two name days old. Although we were young we could not be happier. Jon was a wonderful father, and always so attentive of us, when he wasn't learning from Daniel and Ned how be a Lord and to manage a castle. Ned was over the moon with his first grandchildren. I spent my days with the children, teaching Arya and learning about the north and it's customs from the maester.

After a while Daniel and Wendy left and stayed at Moat Cailin, overseeing the construction and hiring and keeping everything organized. A lot of mind magic were used to hide the magic use they used. We mostly hired people from Essos and some locals and then modified their memories of the details. I had them bring bastards and orphans mostly to live and work as I knew they would be grateful for the chance to make something for themselves. Most would be farmers, servants, or part of the guard, and would be given names of their own, so those who wanted could start their own houses.

I also had two fishing villages constructed, one by the Fever river, and the other at the gulf of the Bite, close to White Harbor, where I could keep my fleet, which had grown to ten ships. I had decided to keep the import and export business, as there were a lot of resources available in the north. No use in wasting them. The northern people live a simpler life compared to the south but that did not mean we could not try to make like easier. With the income we received we could better our food stores for the winter, and better the living conditions of the small folk. The roads were also repaired, the main ones paved, to make transport easier. There were some piers added to the White Knife river with small villages to resupply and be a docking point for boats going up and down the river. This made trade easier.

Today I was helping Arya with her mending and embroidery, even knitting as we waited for the men to return from executing a deserter from the Night's Watch. I tried to teach her things that would be useful to her if she ever found herself on her own. Even hunt and cook simple meals. I also taught her to defend herself with knifes and daggers that she could hide in her clothing or hair, in the latter as ornaments.

As I told her once, " The best way to defend yourself is to make it look as if you can't. Women are often looked as defenseless so we are underestimated. By having the weapons hidden and looking weak they let their guard down and then we attack or escape if is possible. They would never see it coming."

She took this lessons to heart. While I showed her to handle weapons and how to hunt, I also showed her how to be a Lady, while encouraging her instead of criticizing her. Even Lady Catelyn liked the outcome. She even took lessons with maester Luwin with me. She took to wearing an underskirt that was made as trousers but look like a skirt when she had her legs together, and her overdress was open on the sides for better movement, also wide sleeves so she could hide her knives in her arm sheaths.
Just as we finished for the day we heard the men riding into the courtyard, and made our way outside to receive them. I made my way to Jon right away.

" Welcome home my love" I tell him when I reach him, as I kissing him. And I have come to love him in the almost two years of marriage.

" Laleth" He whispered as we separate.

I hear a yip coming from inside his cloak and looking down see a little white head poking out.

" And what do we have here?" I ask.

" It's a direwolf, we found the six pups by their dead mother on our way back. She had been killed by a stag. We asked to keep them as there were six pups and six Stark children, and the direwolf being our sigil, we thought it a good sign." He explained

" Well, he is a handsome fellow, and now you will have your own animal. What a coincidence that he is also white like my Hedwig." I said with a laugh.

Afterwards went to the first keep to introduce the new addition to Hedwig and the boys. And then get ready for dinner.

That evening, while at dinner Lord Stark stood to make an announcement.

" A raven came from King's Landing today, the hand Jon Arryn has died. And the King is in his way here to Winterfell, with his king's guard and half of his court. They should be arriving in two to three weeks time, so we have that time to prepare for their arrival."

" Does he say why now, a king hasn't come north in more than a hundred years?" I asked as I remember that from lessons with maester Luwin.

" I imagine he comes to ask me to be the next hand." Answered Ned, as I've come to call him over the years. The boys have taken to calling him grampa Ned.

" And are you going to accept?" Asked lady Catelyn

" I don't want to go south, Starks who go south do not return, always something bad happens to them. But if Robert asks me as my King, I'm honor bound to serve him." He said, in that tone of his, when he is displeased with his choices.

" Well, we will just have to prepare and wait and see what happens. " said Lady Catelyn.

The dinner was spent discussing who might come. Bran, Arya and Sansa fantasizing about which knights would be coming, but from different reasons. Bran and Arya talked about their fighting Prowers, and Sansa about the romance of it all. I had to roll my eyes at Jon when she asked about which would be more gallant and handsome. I had tried to be friends with Sansa and succeeded to some degree, but was not able to make her see the reality of the world.

The next three weeks passed relatively fast with all the work to be done. The castle scrub clean from top to bottom, the guest aired and new sheets and hangings added, and other things necessary to make guest comfortable, the servants were given new uniforms, the halls decorated with the better tapestries and artwork, and Flowers and candles everywhere.

Even though people from the south thought the north to be wild and uncivilized, Winterfell will show this southerners, that even if nature is part of our way, as there no mayor cities in the north except for White Harbor, and we lived simpler lives, did not mean we were savages.

The day came for the King and company to arrive. We were waiting in the courtyard as the horns announced their approach. As everyone took their places, I looked around and saw a few differences from when I arrived almost three years ago. The courtyard was paved with local stone, where before it was dirt, there were bushes around the edges with grass and stone pathways and vines growing by the walls and arches and balconies, and since it was still summer there were winter roses and wild flowers everywhere. The Stark banners hanging proudly from the towers.

The Starks where at the front and center, with Jon and our little family to the left of the family. With Theon, Luwin, and others from the household behind them. Then there were minor Lords that were vassals to house Stark at the sides with the soldiers forming columns at the side of the entrances, in their dark leathers, white and grey surcoats and fur cloaks and direwolf shields, they made a sight. A smaller number of guards were behind us, but in green leather jerkins, black leather trousers and boots, also fur cloaks, their shields with the rearing horse, one holding the banner of our house, a rearing black horse on a field of emerald green.

First came the crown prince, Joffrey, surrounded by Lannister and Baratheon guards and his sworn sword the Hound. Then came the king's Guard followed by the King, then a carriage house in Lannister colors, followed by the rest of the court.
As the King entered and dismounted, everyone took the knee. As the King made his way to Eddard he signal for him to stand, and everyone else, they stood in front of each other , I understand they had not seen each other for years.

" You've gotten fat!" the King was the first to break the silence.

Eddard only looked at him with an eyebrow raised and looked at the King's belly the up at his face, as if to say, " really?". Then the King started laughing and pulled him in a hug.

" Where have you been Ned? I've not seen you in eight years. " King Robert asked

" Guarding the North for you, your grace. Winterfell is yours." Answered Eddard bowing again.

As this was happening the queen and her children and ladies exited the carriage.

" Cat, good to see you!" exclaimed the King kissing her cheek. Then started to look at the children.

" And this must be your heir Robb" he asked shaking his hand. Then to Sansa, " Aren't you a beauty!"

When he stopped in front of Arya it was as if he'd seen a ghost.

" What's your name?" he asked

" Arya, your grace" She answered boldly.

After a moment he moved towards Bran.

" Show us your muscles! You will be a knight! Ha!" he said making Bran smile, before returning to Ned and Pat Rickon on the head.

There he caught sight of Jon and I with our children, probably not recognizing our sigil.

" Oh, and who is this, Ned? I can tell this is your other boy." The King asked looking from Ned to us.

" Your grace, allow me to introduce you to my son Jon and his wife Laleth Peverell, and their children, Ameth and Ardeth." He finished the introduction, as we bowed and curtsied.

Before anyone could do or say anything else, Ameth; who looked exactly like his father but with my green eyes, well both twins were identical, except that Ameth had his father's curly hair were Ardeth had the messy hair of my father; leaned forward to look at the King with a solemn face his eyes full of curiosity and in his clear high childish voice , " You, King?"

The king answered him equally serious, but you could see the mirth in his eyes as he responded, " That I am, my boy."

Ameth only nodded seriously before turning to me, with wide eyes and whispering loudly, " The king, mama!" Making the King expel a booming laugh. Before turning back to Eddard and asking to see the crypts.

As the groups started to disperse, we made our way to the first keep to get ready for the feast. I decided that we will dress the part, even though we would not seat at the head table, we would be seated close to it. I wore a charcoal colored under dress, with a brocade kimono like overdress with wide sleeves with silver owl designs, and a black leather obi like corset holding it closed. The top of my head was done in intricate braids with silver and emerald combs holding it in place an the lower half in loose curls to my lower back, I was also wearing silver and emerald jewels around my neck and ears. Jon was dress in black as he likes but I made him wear a nice dark green doublet with an embroidered rearing horse over his heart in black. He had a silver ring I had made for him with the horse of house Peverell and a leather cuff with a silver direwolf with rubies for eyes. He also carried on his belt the goblin forged Peverell great sword I had gifted him as a wedding gift, in a black scabbard, green leather binding in the handle with a black horse head, and a black family goblin forged dagger.

Catelyn had wanted to cut his hair and shave, but I put my foot down and had him trim his hair and comb it, and also trim his beard an mustache close to his face, he looked really handsome with his beard and long hair. Besides, we were northerners, I wasn't going to change the way we looked for them.

After leaving the children in their quarters and kissing them to sleep, we started making our way to the Great Hall. On our way I tell Jon the news I've been bursting to tell all day.

" Hedwig arrived today with a message from Moat Cailin, my love. The keep is finally finished, we can move in at anytime. Marsh Town is finished also, the farms are up an running as you know, this will be our third harvest, so the stores are filling up, the fishing villages are done also. All that is left is finish training our forces, which I know you will take care of." I inform him.

" This is great news, sweetheart, as much as I love my family, I want us to start to live our life in our own home, be masters of our own home. Let's inform father tomorrow, and leave at the end of the week in three days, I think it's enough time to pack everything, and make sure Arya is ready also." He exclaimed stopping and kissing me right there.

I could tell he was exited, I was too, we both will finally have a place to call home. We had visited before but it's been almost a year since we were there last. I finally had what I always wanted, a family and home of my own, now I only had to tell them about magic.

Notes:

Sorry for the long wait. Just as I was about to post the story I knoticed that I was doing a different story and had to start again.
Next chapter will be up sooner. Next we have the arrival at Moat Cailin, departure to King's Landing... Can't tell more.
Tell me what you think.
This is the biggining of the show, Jon is turning 18 in two moons, and Laleth in six, Robb would be around the forth or fith month. I'm making Jon the eldest to have a reason for Catelyn to hate him.