It had been a week since they had found the pups and sure enough, each of the Stark children had fallen in love with their own pup instantly.
Nieva had decided to call her pup Eirra as her blue eyes were so cold when they looked at you that it reminded her of the snow that littered the ground around Winterfell.
She had left the small pup asleep upon her bed as her younger cousin Bran had requested her help to track down his eldest brother who had promised to take him riding but had not appeared to fulfill his promise.
"Arya Stark, come out now" Nieva frowned as she heard the familiar voice of her old septa Mordane echoing down the hall.
"Is there a problem Septa?" Nieva asked finally finding the source of the voice as the older woman stepped out of one of the many rooms in the castle.
"I cannot find your younger cousin Arya, this is the third time this week she has run away from my lessons" Nieva smiled as she remembered how much of a hard time she used to give her old teacher by running away from lessons, but there was only one place she always hid.
"Don't worry Septa, just continue your lesson. I will find Arya and return her to you" Nieva smiled knowing her search for her older cousin would have to be postponed until she'd found the little she-wolf.
"Thank you" Septa Mordane smiled before she made her way back to her rooms.
With a small chuckle Nieva made her way back up to the top floor of the castle where the Stark families chambers were.
She stopped outside the door just two down from hers and knocked.
"Jon it's Nieva" she said before she heard hush talking and scuffling in the room making her smirk before she smiled widely as the door opened to reveal Jon who had a small glint in his eyes that told her all she needed to know. "What were you doing?" She frowned.
"Reading" Jon replied instantly though she could see no books on his night stand or his desk. "Is there something you wanted Nieva?"
"Where is she?" Nieva asked folding her arms over her chest.
A look of panic crossed across Jon's face. "Where's who?"
"Don't play the fool, it doesn't suit you. Where's Arya? She's ran away from her lessons again" She asked.
"Don't know, haven't seen her" Jon shrugged.
"Oh, so you won't mind if I take a look around your chambers then?" Nieva asked raising her eyebrows.
Jon seemed to hesitate for a moment before stepping aside to let her in. "Be my guest"
Nieva headed straight over to Jons wardrobe where she used to hide and yanked it open, but frowned when she saw it was empty. She then dropped to the floor and checked under the bed to see nothing but Jon's feet at the other side of the bed. She checked behind each of Jons curtains and still came up empty handed.
She was about to turn and apologies to Jon when a small dangling piece of fabric caught her eye. It was coming from the chimney above the hearth.
A smug smirked tugged at her lips as a plan came into her head. "You know you should really light your hearth Jon, it's rather chilly in here"
Jon's eyes widened in panic. "Is it? I...I don't feel it" Jon said his eyes flickering between her and the hearth.
"Yes it is, I'll start one for you" she said making her way towards the hearth. "Don't want you getting sick before winter gets here" she has just grabbed a match when Arya dropped onto the wood below.
"No wait" the younger girl cried out.
Nieva turned back to Jon with a fake anger. "Haven't seen her eh?" Nieva snapped.
"How did you know she was in here?" Jon asked.
"Because in case you've forgotten this is where I used to hide, either in your room or Robbs" Nieva said as she lifted Arya out of the hearth before she addressed the younger girl. "You get back to your lessons now, and if it hear you've wandered off again I'll drag you back kicking and screaming, Septa Mordanes only trying to help you and you're making her sick with worry whenever you disappear"
"You used to run off all the time" Arya argued.
"Yeah that was before your mother began to sit outside the room every lesson to make sure I didn't run off, am I going to have to do that with you?" Nieva asked as she grabbed Arya's shoulders and guided/forced her towards the door. "Do as I say, not as I do" she stated before she turned back to Jon. "You really should light that fire though, it's freezing in there"
"I'm used to the cold" Jon shrugged.
"So am I, but only a wildling could stand that type of cold" she smirked before she continued to push Arya towards her lessons.
Arya dragged her feet the whole way as Nieva escorted her back to her lessons.
"But I hate having to sew it's boring and I'm no good at it" Arya argued.
"Neither was I until your mother sat me down and helped me practice, if you like I could do the same?" Nieva smiled.
"Can you help me practice wielding a sword?" Arya grinned.
"And risk the wrath of your mother, no thank you" Nieva said as they finally arrived at Septa Mordanes room. "I suppose I could help you with archery later on today, but only if you promise to stay in the rest of your lessons"
"Really?" Arya asked, her eyes wide with excitement.
Nieva smiled as she held out her pinky finger towards her younger cousin. "Promise"
"Promise" Arya smiled linking her own pinky wth Nieva's
"Good, now get back in there, come and find me when you're done" Nieva smiled opening the door where Sansa and three other girls were sitting in front of Septa Mordane who offered Nieva an grateful smile. "She wanders off again, come straight to me"
"Yes my lady" Septa Mordane smiled.
"Be good" Nieva said pointing down at Arya before she stepped back and allowed the door to close in front of her.
She was about to turn and make her way back down to her chambers when a voice called from behind her.
"Nieva" she turned to see Theon walking toward her. "Lord Stark wants to speak with you"
"Where is he?" She asked.
"His chambers" Theon replied.
"Thank you Theon, have you seen Robb?" She asked as she began to walk towards him.
"Last I saw him he was down in the stable training his wolf pup, why?" Theon frowned in confusion when he turned and began to walk beside her towards Lord Starks chambers.
"Bran said this morning that Robb promised to take him riding but never showed, so I said I'd take him this evening" Nieva replied.
"On your own?" Theon questioned.
"Why not?" Nieva asked sensing Theon's doubtful tone.
"Well forgive me Nieva, I know you can handle a blade as well as any man, but you know there has been an increase in wildling attacks around the North. I do not think it would be wise for you to go out on your own with a ten year old, nor would it be chivalrous of me to let you" Theon replied.
"You, chivalrous?" Nieva said trying to hold in a laugh.
"I can be" Theon argued his eyes turning into a glare towards her.
"Thank you for your concern Theon, but I won't go far and I know the places to avoid. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself and look after Bran" she grinned.
"Still I think that..." He didn't get to finish his sentence as Lord Stark opened the door to his chambers just as they reached them, he'd obviously heard them approaching.
"Thank you Theon, Nieva come inside" Ned Stark said nodding to his ward before he opened the door wider to allow his niece to step into his chambers where his wife Catelyn sat upon the edge of the bed, her hands clasped in her lap with the raven scroll between them.
Nieva felt a strange sense of dread wash over her as she walked into her Uncles chambers, she was only ever brought in here when something had happened or she had done something wrong.
Catelyn waited until her husband had closed the door before she addressed her niece.
"Nieva there was a raven this morning" she said.
"What did it say?" Nieva asked glancing between her aunt and Uncle.
"Lord Arryn is dead" Catelyn replied.
With a gasp Nieva instantly turned to her uncle and placed a hand upon his arm. She knew how close her Uncle was to the hand of the king and how much this loss would affect him. "Uncle Ned I'm so sorry"
"It's alright my dear" Ned smiled warmly towards her.
"There's more" Catelyn spoke up before she gave Ned a look that told him everything.
"The King rides for Winterfell" Ned said from behind her making her turn her head to face him.
"The King, my uncle Robert?" Nieva asked.
"The very same" Ned nodded.
"Why? What business does he have here in Winterfell?" Nieva asked frowning up towards her Uncle.
"We think he's going to ask your Uncle, to be the new hand of the king" Catelyn announced.
A wave of panic washed over Nieva.
"You mean leave you'd have to Winterfell and move down to Kings Landing?" Nieva questioned looking up her at Uncle.
"The hand usually goes wherever the king is so yes, I'd need to leave" Ned replied.
"No!" Nieva cried out in horror. "Uncle Ned you can't. You can't leave Winterfell, this place needs you"
"We're not even sure that's why he's coming here" Catelyn said as she stood from the bed and made her way towards them.
"Why else would he be coming here?" Nieva asked.
Ned and Catelyn shared a look before Ned let out a low, tired sigh.
"Nieva, your uncle Robert has been talking of moving you down to be with him in the south for quite a while now" Nieva's eye widened in horror. "The only reason why he hasn't insisted upon it is because I convinced him that you were better off here with Robb and your cousins"
"You think he could be coming up to Winterfell, for me?" Nieva asked.
"If he was, would you go down south with him?" Ned asked.
"I've always wanted to see the south it's true but I don't think I'd like to live there permanently. Winterfell is my home, the north is my home" Nieva replied.
"And it always will be" Ned replied placing a strong, warm hand upon her shoulder.
"Nieva you do know that if the king insists that you move down to Kings Landing with him, you cannot refuse him" Catelyn said.
"I know" Nieva said a small pit of worry in her eyes.
"If he does want to take you back down south, I will ride down with you and stay in Kings Landing with you until you're settled" Ned offered with a small smile.
Nieva gladly returned his smile with her own before she took his hand in her much smaller one. "I thank you Uncle Ned, but there would be no need. Your place is here, I would be alright on my own. Is that all you had to tell me?"
"Yes, you may go" Ned replied.
Ned and Catelyn shared a small proud smile as Nieva turned on her heel and made her way from their chambers.
"She always has been a lone wolf" Catelyn smiled as she hugged herself tight against her husbands side watching their niece disappear further down the hall.
"That's why I'm so worried about her, you know the saying Cat" Ned said, his face suddenly grim and serious. "The lone wolf dies..."
"But the pack survives" Catelyn finished the same mantra she'd heard since she became a Stark. "Nieva's still part of this pack, and she's smarter than a lot of people think, even you" Catelyn poked at her husbands shoulder with her finger making him chuckle softly. "We've raised her well Ned. She's strong, she's a fully grown she wolf now" Catelyn smiled.
"Aye but she wolves and Lionesses don't mix" Ned replied as he let go of his wife and moved over to this writing desk where he flung himself into his chair.
"You mean Cersei Lannister?" Catelyn asked as she walked over to stand beside her husbands chair.
"We both know how vicious and deceiving that woman is, she'll take one look at Nieva and mark her as a threat to Roberts children" Ned replied.
"And she'd be right to do so" Catelyn replied making Ned look up at her with a small frown. "I'm ashamed to admit it but I saw Nieva as a threat to Robb the first time she was brought here, she was so Stark it scared me. But now I know she would rather die for her family than overthrow them, Cersei will see that too once she sees how Nieva acts with her younger cousins"
"Still doesn't stop me worrying about the threat the queen will see her as" Ned replied.
"Cersei's been taught to smile and look pretty all her life, like I had but you made sure Nieva was taught how to ride and how to fight just like Robb she's mature, cunning and smart beyond her years" Catelyn grinned. "Let Cersei try and take on Nieva, we both know who'll be standing at the end of it all"