Just a note to everyone: The next couple chapters will be more about setting up the characters and distinguishing their roles in our world. Also, not all of the characters from the GoT universe will be mentioned, especially since some are dead by this point. I will try to make sure I include as many as possible, but I'm sure we are all aware of how many characters GRRM has created. Which is a lot. Once again, thank you for reading, and don't forget to post your reviews! :D
I do not own Game of Thrones or any of the characters.
Chapter 1
Arya pulled her jacket around her tighter as she made her way down the sidewalk to the diner. The wind had picked up since that morning, whisking leaves along the streets. It didn't bother her, but she couldn't help but feel better burying her hands into the deep pockets of her coat. At least school was out early. Miss Margaery had had a meeting with some parent.
She reached the diner and pulled the door open, smiling at the tinkling bell and the warm, fragrant air that greeted her. The diner was the most popular place I town; everyone visited there for coffee or a sandwich. Her mouth watered as she caught a glimpse of a freshly made pie being put on the counter by a tall girl, Sansa. "You're here early. Did you get in a fight again?" Sansa asked her, swatting the younger girl's hand away from the pie. "No," Arya scowled at her. "We got out because Miss Margaery had a meeting." "Go wash up then." The slim, red-haired girl disappeared to help a customer. Arya rolled her eyes. Bossy.
Sliding under the counter, she went to the sink in the back and washed her hands, then put on the small apron hanging on the back door after taking her jacket up. Sansa came looking for her. "Can you take these to table 4?" "Why can't you?" "I'm busy, Arya!" Sansa held out the tray of sandwiches. The girl grabbed it and stomped around the counter to table 4. A tall, built man sat at it. He wore a dark coat and his brown hair looked dirty. Arya knew who he was as she got closer. The side of the man's face was burned and scarred. He looked up at her with piercing eyes as she set his food down. "Where's the red-head?" he asked in a deep voice. "She's busy," Arya answered simply. He snorted and took a deep gulp from his glass, then shoved it her. "Refill." Arya took it and rolled her eyes but walked back to the counter. "Sandor needs a beer," she informed Catelyn, the woman who ran the diner. She was a tall woman with dark reddish hair, and a thin smile. She always wore a scraf around her neck, no matter the weather. Sansa said she had a thick ugly scar. But she was kind to Arya and Sansa, and let them help her at the diner. Catelyn took the mug with a grimace. "He always needs a beer." She refilled it and handed it back to Arya. "Walk slowly, don't spill it." The girl nodded and brought the mug back to Sandor, who took it without so much as a thank-you. He had already demolished one of the sandwiches.
She went back into the kitchen where Sansa was scooping soup into a bowl. "Sandor asked about you," she said teasingly. Sansa flicked soup at her and laughed as Arya tried to dodge. "That's why I gave you his table," she said. "Are you afraid of him? You're such a scaredy cat." Sansa stuck her tongue out and moved out of the kitchen with the soup. She was a little embarrassed by her Arya's comment. Sandor didn't scare her, she just…wanted to avoid him.
It was late when Catelyn closed the diner. She had already sent Arya and Sansa back to the hotel where they rented a room from Petyr Randall. As long as the girls paid on time, Petyr did not care how long they stayed. Catelyn suspected that his leniency was to somehow gain her favor, but Catelyn had no use such a man other than making sure he treated the girls fairly.
She locked the door of the diner and pulled her jacket close. The weather was much colder than it had been earlier that week. She wondered if the girls had warmer coats…and shook her head. "I'm such a mother hen," she scolded herself. Those girls were just fine on their own. They were close…almost like sisters, yet they couldn't be. They looked too different. And acted too different.
A sleek black car pulled up to the sidewalk and the driver's window rolled down. "Good evening, Miss James." Catelyn nodded her head politely. "Madam Mayor. How are you this evening?" The blond-haired woman in the car sent her a smile that held no warmth. "Wonderful. Heading home from the office." The woman's eyes looked at the sky, then at Catelyn's coat. "It's getting a bit nippy outside, isn't it? A shame you don't have a car." The words sounded polite, but Catelyn knew they were laced with venom. "I prefer walking. And yes," she said glancing around, "it is getting nippier. I think winter is coming soon." She nodded her head again and walked away.
Cersie rolled the window up and drove off in disgust. She wasn't sure why she bothered to even talk to any of these people, but she hadn't been able to resist the chance to try to make Catelyn James uncomfortable. Stupid woman, with her stupid winter saying, she thought as she drove into the driveway of her large, white pillared home. It was the largest and best house in the town, of course. She would have nothing less than that, after all she had been through. She collected her briefcase from the seat beside her and walked up to the front door to unlock it, her high-heels clicking. This world had had such strange clothing at first, but now, after so much time had gone by, Cersei was used to the suits, the heels, and the short dresses.
She set her keys down on the table inside and took off her coat. The house was silent. "Nathan?" she called. Her son should be at home…a strong hand gripped her arm and she spun around to gaze into the eyes of the town's sheriff. He smirked at her, his blue eyes boring into hers. "Why, sheriff, did you break into my home?" she asked playfully. He smiled. "More or less. I told Nathan he could stay the night at a friend's house." "Oh, did you now? Without his mother's permission? Shame," Cersei teased. "Shame," repeated the sheriff as he kissed her.
A/N: Oh snap! Who is the sheriff? And who is Nathan? I realize that there are a lot of questions to be answered, and don't worry they will be! As you can see I decided to go ahead and keep the characters' first names and just give them different last names as needed, so it will be less confusing to keep track of, for me and for you.