My Christmas gift to all of you! Enjoy and have a happy holiday!
Chapter 3
After the first year at Winterfell Freya stopped asking when she would get to go home and if her family would come visit. Jamie made it clear in his letters that the King was not only not going to budge, he refused to discuss her. He reminded her in every letter of who she was and what their words were, his way of reminding Freya that the King would pay for all he had done to them. To remind her of her family, Jamie and their father frequently sent her gifts from King's Landing.
"What's that," Theon asked as he joined Robb and Jon in the courtyard.
"Something for Freya," Robb said as he stared at the large crate in front of them.
"What the hells have they sent her now," Theon demanded as he kicked the crate. Something inside the crate shifted giving them all cause for concern.
"Do you think they've sent her an actual lion," Jon asked nervously.
"I hope not," Robb replied as Freya entered the courtyard. "You've a box."
Freya knew what today was, even if the Starks did not. She didn't blame them for not knowing, she hadn't told them. She knew Jamie would not forget her nameday though, and would make sure she had a gift to celebrate with. Freya glanced at the men who had delivered the crate and smiled brightly.
"Will you open it please," she asked politely.
The man closest to the box stepped up and began removing the lid as Lord and Lady Stark with the smaller Starks in tow joined them. Once the lid was off the man stepped back and motioned Freya forward. They could all hear something moving about in the crate but they weren't sure what it was. Freya cautiously moved forward and looked down into the box. She gasped in delight and leaned forward to try and pull the gift out of the box. She couldn't reach it though and looked around for help. Lord Stark stepped foward and lifted it out passing it the little girl.
Freya held the puppy close to her chest as she patted it's head. There was a note attached to the collar around the dog's neck. She quickly pulled it loose and set the puppy down for a moment. The smaller Stark children descended on the dog laughing in excitement. Freya smiled at them before unrolling her letter.
Sister,
Today is your 8th nameday, you are growing up much to fast. Know that if we could be with you to celebrate we would. The King will not permit it, so we send you a little friend in our sted. His name is Cas, after Casterly Rock. We hope that he will remind of you of your true home and family. There is another box of gifts, things a young lady should have, you won't find much use for them now but do not neglect them. We love you and while we know the House of Stark keeps you safe we hope to see you returned to us soon.
Jamie
"Where is the other box," Freya asked as she rolled the letter back up. The man who had opened the crate presented her with another smaller box. She lifted the lid herself and looked inside. There were several small items tucked inside the box each carefully wrapped.
"Why so many gifts today," Lord Stark asked.
"It is the child's nameday," one of the men informed him. "We were given strict instructions to be here in time for it."
"Why didn't you tell us Freya," Robb asked. Freya guiltly avoided Robb's gaze, she could tell that he was growing upset with her.
"We could of had a party," Sansa pointed out, already beginning to pout. For a 5 year old she was already making it obvious she had inherited most of the southern genes from her mother.
"I didn't think it would matter," Freya said as she pciked up her puppy. "His name is Cas, after my home."
"THIS is your home," Robb said angrily. Freya looked up at him in surprise. "When are you going to realize that?"
With that Robb spun on his heel and stormed away from them all. Jon and Theon glanced apologetically at Freya before going after him. Freya looked down and bit her lip, she hadn't meant to upset Robb. She glanced at Lord Stark and held out her puppy.
"You can send him back my Lord, if it upsets Robb so much I won't keep him," Freya said before picking up the smaller box and heading inside the castle.
Lord Stark carefully held the squirming puppy that was trying to go after the little girl. "Gods help me," he murmured as he set off to find his son. The puppy looked up at him and barked in irritation. "These children will be the death of me."
"Have patience my love," Lady Stark said as she began to move the rest of her children back inside. "They always work out their quarrels."
It didn't take long for Lord Stark to find Robb, Theon, and Jon. They were sitting in Godswood. Jon and Theon were staring at Robb in a mixture of concern and confusion. Ned waved the other two away before sitting next to his son and releasing the puppy. Cas immediately sat down at Robb's feet and looked perfectly content there.
"I think he likes you," Lord Stark said.
"I don't want the pet of a lion to like me," his ten year old snapped. The puppy licked at Robb's shoe causing the child to shift away in annoyance.
"She wasn't trying to upset you Robb, she knows she's not going back to Casterly Rock, but it is her home. As much as you may want this to be her home, it is not. No matter how long she is with us, she will always be of the House of Lannister. She told me to send the puppy back, her words were 'if it upsets Robb so much I won't keep him'. Would you deny her this," Lord Stark asked.
"No, he's the only present she got for her nameday, but she should have told us! Why doesn't she trust us," Robb cried angrily.
"I don't think it is a matter of trust my son," Lord Stark explained. "I've seen the way she is with you and the rest of the family. She trusts us, but she knows that she is a ward, despite our treament of her, I think she does not want any extra attention, nor does she want to become an imposition on us."
"Throwing her a party wouldn't have been an imposition," Robb said.
"No, but who would we have invited? Despite having been here for over a year, people in Winterfell do not trust the little Lioness. They know about the history between our families, and though you and the other children see past that to who she is beyond her name, adults aren't so forgiving. It's not wrong for her to want her family or her old life, she's just a little girl and this has been very hard on her. How would you feel if someone took you away and sent you very far from us to live with people you had never met?"
"I owe her an apology for getting angry don't I," Robb asked. He understood what his father was telling him. Freya didn't want to make things difficult, she didn't want anymore attention. The Starks did enough for her, she didn't think they should have to celebrate her nameday with her as well. It was to much for her to ask of them, even though they would have gladly done it for her. They had all come to care for the little girl as though she were one of their own, she was quickly becoming one of them.
"I think so, take Cas with you, he looks a little lost without her," Lord Stark said as he son stood and picked up the puppy.
"Can we have a puppy," Robb asked.
"I think one will be enough for now," Lord Stark as he glanced at the dog, it looked innocent enough, but he had a feeling it was going to be a source of trouble if it was anything like its little lion owner.
Robb nodded before heading off to find his friend. He knew that it had been wrong of him to get upset with her. He didn't want her to send her present back though, she wouldn't make him do something like that. It didn't take long for him to arrive outside her room. She'd left her door ajar, but Robb could hear her sniffling inside. He felt even worse that he had made her cry, especially on her nameday. He set Cas down and pushed the puppy toward the door.
Cas immediately got the point and ran into the room. Robb peered into the room as the puppy bounded over to where Freya sat on the floor crying and climbed into her lap. She looked up in confusion and noticed Robb.
"I'm sorry Robb," she said quickly. She clambered off the floor and rushed toward him. "I'll send him back if it makes you mad, I don't want you to be mad at me. I didn't mean anything by it, truly I didn't."
"You talk to much," Robb said with a small smile. Freya stared at him in confusion as he picked Cas up and handed him to her. "You don't have to apologize. I was wrong, I shouldn't have gotten angry with you, and I want you to keep him."
"Thank you," Freya said as she pressed her face into the puppies fur.
"What else did you get," Robb asked gesturing to the box that sat on the floor.
"I didn't open it yet, let's look," Freya said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him after her. Robb let her pull him to the box and sat on the floor next to her. She released the puppy, who quickly sat on the floor between them and looked expectantly at them.
Freya lifted the lid on the box and pulled out the first item. She unwound the clothe from it and revealed a small golden lion. A note fluttered to the ground which Robb picked up and handed to her.
"To remind you of us," she read aloud before setting the lion to the side. She lifted out the next item and unwrapped it. It was a steel direwolf. Another note fluttered to the ground. "A gift for your new Lord and Lady."
She handed the wolf to Robb, "You should keep it. Now we'll both have one."
"All right," Robb said as he studied the statue. "What else is there?"
"Jewelry," Freya said in disappointment. She pushed aside the jewelry and noticed something else at the bottom of the box. She carefully lifted it out and studied if for a moment. It was an ornately carved dagger. She slid the dagger out of its sheath and studied the blade for a moment. "Why would they send me this?"
"In case the wolves attack," Robb said as he studied the dagger with her.
"I won't be needing that," she said with a shrug. She meant what she said, she wasn't simply saying it to placate Robb's feelings. "Your father would like it, there's not a lion on it is there?"
Robb studied the sheath for a moment before shaking his head at her. "No, I don't think he would accept it though. It was given to you," Robb pointed out.
"I'm 8, I have no use for it," Freya said as she set it back in the box. "The only good present is Cas."
Robb nodded and caught a glimpse of his father reflected in the window they sat in front of. He was standing in the door behind them watching their conversation.
"Do you think he'd notice if I changed his name," Freya asked as she scratched Cas's head.
"What else would you call him?"
"I don't know, but Cas is boring."
"I think it would be best to leave him, it might confuse him, besides he's named after your home, that means something," Robb said gently.
"This is my home now," Freya said softly. "I'm not going back there anytime soon."
