Chapter Three

Isidora quickly changed into another dress, one that was the color of sapphires. She held her boots outside of the tent and repeatedly slapped them together over and over again until the clumps of mud were off their heels. With her sister out of their tent she picked up their looking glass and stared at her face. There was a smear of mud on her left cheek just beneath her eye. She placed the mirror down and quickly scraped the it off. Her feet dove into the boots once again and she forced herself out of the tent with permanent red, clouding the apples of her pale cheeks.

The scenery had not changed since she had slipped on another dress. Everyone was still as they were, yet she could not scan over the area enough to find her cousin. She let out a huff of air from her lips, flipped the hair from her eyes and slowly stepped away from the tent making sure she didn't run into anyone that would result herself falling onto the ground again. Every few steps her eyes fell to the ground looking for mud.

As she was walking an arm laced around her waist pulling her toward them. Isidora let out a few harsh words in protest. She quickly looked up to see Andrew smiling from ear to ear. He was dressed in a brown tunic with brown breeches. He wore a leather vest and leather boots.

"There is talk cousin," He whispered looking from from left to right looking for anyone important. "That you ran into the Stark boy this morning, you left quite another impression on him. Your sister is going mad, rage spits fire from her mouth and out her ears. In fact the Stark boy even asked your sister earlier if you two had made up after your quarrel."

"The Stark boy," Isidora's lips went thin as she pressed her hands on Andrew's chest trying to pull away from his grasp. "Was mocking me, I fell in the mud because of him. I'm not so sure if I find him handsome anymore, his mannish exterior does not hide the boy so well."

"Mocking or teasing?" Andrew asked bringing his cousin into a tight grip and pressing his forehead to her's.

"He was Mocking," She frowned. "So it seemed to be anyways."

"I bet he was teasing you." Andrew released Isidora slowly. "It's not too hard to just want to mess with you. You smell of wild flowers from home, is there any particular Stark boy in camp you want to impress?"

"I want to be taken seriously!" Isidora shouted she closed her hands tightly into fists. "If not now perhaps in a couple of days when Lannister men's blood coats the side of my sword or when one of my arrows pierces someone's throat. I'm wearing the perfume for me, no one else."

"Sometimes you scare me," Andrew's smile vanished only to be coated with a solum look. "I'm afraid you will have a lust for blood once you get the taste for it. Or even find it fun to take a life."

"I wont lust for blood, I only-"

"You cannot know that yet," Andrew's face went into a calming smile again as he grabbed on of Isidora's hands. He began playing with her fingers sliding his through her's. "But at that very moment of your first kill you will know whether your mind can handle another death or collapse in regret."

"Have you been talking with my father again?" Isidora rolled her eyes. "I only want to see if I can use the skills that I've acquired in war. Why else am I here other than to die trying?"

"You are here to find a husband," Andrew kissed his cousin's wrist. "And to bring luck to the men in camp."

"There are no men in camp I wish to marry and I lack luck to give."

"You bring me luck." Andrew teased. "And happiness."

"You need to stop with all of this cousin, it is as if you had too much wine to drink, lets just go find something to eat and be done with this conversation, I'm tired of all of the talk about marriage."

"Battle is not for ladies, My lady. What other reason for a lady to be a camp other than cooking meals, mending, treating wounds, bedding and marring?" A horse trotted in front of the pair with it's person shouting loudly for surrounding people to hear. "But are you even a lady with any such skills, she has hair like a lady, she has a face with lips and eyes like a lady, but what is missing? All the mud around this camp ground couldn't make her more of a man."

"Theon," Andrew nodded his head lacing an arm around Isidora's waist again. Isidora bit her lip from speaking out, but gave in.

"And is this a man before me?" Isidora spoke out locking eyes with Theon. She placed her hands at her hip removing Andrew's, standing her ground. "He mounts a horse like a man, speaks loudly and proudly like a man, like he owns everything, but what is missing? A reason for him to be a man?"

"I've fought in this war already, My lady. I've killed many men," Theon spat as he pulled on the reigns of his horse. "I fight along Robb, I've lead men, I am a man."

Isidora rolled her eyes, did that make him a man?

"But you are no lady are you?" He asked smirking looking down at her, eyes sliding up and down her form. "You've done nothing to make you a lady except being a high born."

"Don't listen to him, Isidora," Andrew said.

"But your sister is a lady," Theon continued. "One that might possibly get her hands on Robb, the only real reason you all are here I believe, but he is promised to another."

"You obviously know nothing about the Harcourt family what they had to endure with the Lannisiters!" Isidora slowly walked away from Theon. She grabbed Andrew's hand and drug him behind her. Theon trotted along beside them. "And what happened to my cousin's father!"

Andrew gave Isidora a pained expression at the mention of his father.

"Was there a reason why you road up to us?" Isidora asked turning down the main walk way in camp toward Robb's hall tent.

Theon hopped off his horse. He caught up with Isidora and Andrew.

"Do I smell flowers?" Theon asked sniffing the air until he was inches away from Isidora. "Don't you smell all pretty, I say the perfume is working, you may be a lady yet."

Andrew snatched Isidora away from Theon and looped arms with her.

"Andrew I do not need such protection from such a vile creature!" Isidora said unhooking her arms with Andrew. "I say Theon, we are getting off on an awful start. I bet you are the starter of all the talk, Lord Stark so happened to tell me that you told him that I had a mouth on me, perhaps I have a mouth due to some boy making me produce such words."

"Some boy?" He gasp crossing his arm. His brows went into a dangerous looking frown.

"Yes, some boy." Isidora started to walk off only to be grabbed by the wrist. She turned around to see a disgusted Theon Greyjoy. His complexion was a bit pink and mouth looked to almost disappear due to be mashed together so hard. "I say let go of me, boy!"

"I'm no boy!" He growled. "I'm a prince of Pyke. Yes a ward and my lady you do have a mouth, a right pretty one that is need of being kissed, but a hard and mean one. You my dear are too proud to even marry the highest of high borns."

"I'm not too proud," Isidora responded back. "I said let go of me Theon!"

"She says my name." A smirk appeared over his frown as his voice taunted. "I wonder how long you will last during this war, if you will be alive at the end even able to marry."

"I said let me go!" Isidora raised her free hand and quickly brought it across Theon's face in a loud and hard smack. Theon pulled her in closer toward him by her waist. Isidora's breath hitched at her throat as she felt Theon, an almost stranger, touch her so intimately. Her body heated up in reaction.

"Let her go Theon." Andrew demanded touching the weapon at his hip. "Now."

"Be glad we are on the same side southern girl." Theon hissed into Isidora's ear. He let go of her.

A rather larger creature was sitting up straight in front of the large tent where last night's meal took place. Saying it was large was an understatement. Robb's Direwolf. Isidora couldn't help, but stare at the wolf, who's eyes couldn't help, but to stare back. It's mouth lifted exposing a sharp fang along with releasing a few growls. Isidora jumped back, but didn't lose focus on the creature's eyes. She placed a hand over her chest to only feel her heart beating fast.

"The Stark boy's pet," Andrew mused. "A nasty thing as I could imagine, I'm sure it would love to munch on my roasted tongue as you threatened the other day."

"I'm sure it would prefer to eat larger things, perhaps Lannister men." Isidora turned her head toward her cousin. Andrew was making a face of discuss. "And traitors I believe, perhaps I can get the creature to eat the one called Theon Greyjoy."

The Direwolf flickered it's eyes away from Isidora for a second then back toward her.

"I'm sure the creature loves him."

"Loathes him?" Isidora teased.

"Loves him." Andrew brought his hand toward Isidora's right cheek and pinched it. "Be careful of what you speak of cousin we are in the camps of the north."

"I'm not scared of any northern man!" Isidora shouted feeling her stomach growl. "But I am hungry."

Isidora walked around the Direwolf and peered into the tent. There they sat, all the high born lords and important people around the table eating oats and fruit. There was the smell of fresh bread and bacon, it made Isidora's stomach growl loudly.

"Come in please, Lady Isidora," A voice invited. "Lord Andrew."

Isidora popped her head back out from the tent and quickly turned her head away from her cousin to block her face.

"Is that a blush?" Andrew chuckled. "I bet Lord Stark is in there, was he the one who just invited her in?"

Isidora nodded her head and grabbed her cousin's hand and pulled him through the flaps of the tent. There were talks of flattery taking place. Once they both were inside the tent, Isidora gave a curtsey while Andrew bowed.

"Marie is well accomplished," Lord Harcourt spoke proudly. "She is well versed in knowledge of ever high born house, singing, reading, sewing and has many more talents."

"Oh father you flatter me, but I'm really not so talented at all."

"Oh Marie," Lady Harcourt stated sounding a bit annoyed. "You know you have many talents."

"Good morning Mother and Father," Isidora greeted. "Lord and lady Stark."

"but not talents like Isidora," Marie scowled. "Sword handling, archery and falling into the mud like a graceful lady."

"MARIE!" Lady Harcourt shouted.

Isidora stood back up and scanned the table for an empty seat at the table there were two beside her sister. Quickly she made her way toward the seat and Andrew followed. They both sat down and instantly a plate of food to break their fast was placed before them. Isidora looked about the table.

"Good Morning Lady Isidora," A deep voice greeted as Isidora reached for a piece of fruit from her plate. "I hope you slept well."

Isidora lifted her head from her plate to see Theon Greyjoy sitting beside a very smiley Robb Stark. Robb had been the one to greet her.

"There was talk of you being in the mud this morning sister," Marie said as she brought a hot cup of tea to her lips. She took a sip and then began speaking again her brows and nose up in a look as if she was the Lannister queen herself. "That you were playing in it."

A few chuckles erupted from the table.

"What were you doing in the mud, Child?" Lord Harcout asked his daughter as he picked up a piece of cooked meat. "You are a lady. And ladies need to stay out of the mud."

Theon Greyjoy let out a loud HA! Then place a crunchy piece of bacon into his mouth. The crunching of the overly cooked piece of meat was all Isidora could hear at that moment. He quit laughing once someone either kicked him or elbowed him beneath the table.

"I was not playing, I simply fell into the mud. In fact someone caused me to fall in the mud," Isidora shouted, she placed a chunk of bread in her mouth. "Can someone please pass the honey, it is a bit out of my reach."

Robb Stark reached out his hand and held the jar before her.

"My lady." He whispered smoothly.

"Thank you, Lord Stark," Isidora reached out her hand and took the jar from Robb's hand finger tip swiping his fingers. She felt her neck and face turn hot as if she had been riding all day long around her home, Fireburn, on a late afternoon in spring. She slowly lifted her head up and caught Theon's smug look.

"And I apologized before," Robb Stark's tone was a bit dry. "I'm sorry about this morning, Lady Isidora, if a dress has been ruined because of me I shall pay for a new one once I am able."

Marie's mouth opened wide.

"It is fine," Isidora poured some honey on her bread. "I have plenty of dresses at home, a bit too many, but my sister has more. She is more of a Lady than I, isn't that right, sister? Lord Greyjoy? Dresses make a girl a Lady?"

Theon's mouth opened wide, almost matching Marie's.

After breakfast was finished Isidora had an itching to practice her archery.

She pulled back on the cord with the long slender arrow, feeling her taunt muscles heat up with use. With one eye closed, she focused on the target that was a good distance away with the other. In hesitation she gripped the leather handle on the bow tightly eyeing the center of the makeshift target. Her heart was at her eardrums thumping loudly.

"It feels as if I haven't shot a bow in years, cousin," Isidora breathed speaking to her cousin who was standing near her. He stood casually leaning on my hip with a finger on his chin and elbow resting on another arm. "I'm almost nervous. My arms are stiff."

"It's because they watch," Andrew whispered. "They watch examining you. Perhaps you should have stretched."

"I have nothing to prove." She spat toward Andrew.

"Dear cousin you have everything to prove, you will be fighting among these men. And you are of the south."

Lord Stark's men stood around watching Isidora and Andrew with their archery. Stupid looks were plastered on their unshaven, greasy faces, much like the looks Theon always wore.

"She can't make it!" A thick accent shouted to the crowd. "The lil' Lady can't make it. The center is too small."

"Go back to your sewing, lil lady," Another voice started. "I have a hole in my breeches that needs a mending."

Isidora turned her pulled bow toward the crowd of men.

"I cannot not make it?" She asked. "The center is too small they say. Perhaps I can make the throat of the man who just spoke. Would anyone perchance like to witness that."

Isidora quickly turned her body toward the target and released the arrow. It pierced the air and hit the target with a loud, tomp! The crowd went silent and Isidora shut her eyes tightly not letting going of her bow yet.

"Go back to your work men," Someone commanded.

Isidora opened one eye to see Robb Stark bending over slightly and pulling out the arrow. He stood up straight and walked toward Isidora who finally let got of her bow to pluck out another arrow from of her quiver.

"It was a close shot," Lord Stark stated with a large smile. "Only half a finger tip away from the center, I'm fairly impressed."

Isidora curtsied before Robb Stark.

"No need for curtseys out here my lady," Robb held out Isidora's arrow. "I'm sure if Theon were here he would be impressed as well."

Isidora felt her body go cold at the mentioning of Theon Greyjoy. Robb gave her a funny look. She grasped the arrow with her free hand then dropped it to the ground beside her.

"I'm sure if Theon were here he would find some way to mock me no matter how great the shot was."

Isidora pulled back on another arrow against her bow. She eyed the target then released the arrow. It hit the target, this time it was a good ways off from the center. She mashed her teeth together in anger. This was practice, but also training for her.

"You have hit the target again," Robb smiled. "It is a better shot than I would have thought for a lady."

"Lord Stark," Isidora began. "Begging my pardon, but I often, at home hit the center. Women of the south greatly enjoy shooting a few arrows here and there."

Isidora quickly grabbed another arrow and pulled back on the cord. She eyed the target with strained eyes. She saw Theon Greyjoy standing beside the rectangular piece of painted cloth and the arrow she was keeping locked back piercing his neck.

"My lady, I did not mean what I said to be an insult," Robb fumbled with his words. Isidora could she him out the corner of her eyes moving around awkwardly in embarrassment. "The only lady, well girl that I know or am aware of to have such talents with an arrow is my younger sister, Arya, she holds at Kings Landing as a prisoner."

Theon Greyjoy was now chuckling with crossed arms.

"Lord Stark it is alright," Isidora grunted though her teeth.

Robb Stark stood up straight and bowed low. Isidora lowered her arrow and bow and turned around to see Marie walking with Lady Stark. The two women approaching the practice field.

"Lady Marie," Robb bowed. "Mother."

"Lord Stark," Marie greeted with a flawless curtsey. "Sister!"

"Lady Stark," Isidora curtseyed. "Loving sister."

Isidor turned back toward the target. She placed the arrow again the bow and pulled back on the cord. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She released the arrow and watched it slice though the distance. It stuck itself into the center of the target.

"A wonderful shot," The imagined Theon clapped approaching Isidora and Robb. "For a lady, but I can do better."

Isidora dropped the practice bow to the ground.

"Theon!" Lady Stark scolded.

"It was a great shot though," Theon continued. "But I wouldn't go threatening the men you will be fighting along the battle with."

"Perhaps I shall see the arrow in your throat then," Isidora picked up her bow and pulled out an arrow out of her quiver.

"Isidroa!" Marie shouted.

"It was a simple joke, Marie."

Isidora tossed and turned in her sleep. She felt hot and cold at the same time. The covers on her bed had wrapped themselves tightly around her. In her head was a dream that caused sweat to accumulate on her chest and back. She popped up in bed covering her mouth trying to prevent any noise from coming out. She quickly slipped her feet into her boots and grabbed her cloak.

The night air was cold and the moon was slowly getting less and less full, but there was still enough light to walk about. In her hand was a single candle, who's flame was flickering against the wind to stay lit. It's glow gave the camp an eerie look, creating dancing shadows against the dark tents. Some tents were still lit, it must have been close to early morning, around midnight.

She quitly passed through rows of tents, walking past Robb Stark's tent who still had light flickering behind it's fabric walls. Was he still away, Isidora found herself thinking, please, no.

Isidora finally made her way to the specific tent she had been searching for. She quickly opened the flaps to reveal a pitch black room.

"I had a dream Andrew." Isidora tugged on Andrew's sleeve. Holding a candle in hand. The night was silent save for a few slow, cool northern breezes. "I need to speak with you now, wake up."

Andew bolted up from his cot and slapped a hand on his wild hair.

"What is it Isidora," He asked yawning.

"I had a dream about Robb Stark and I must tell it to someone for it may come true if I don't and I'm not so sure I want it to."

"Well go on." Andrew shifted around in his bed revealing he was in a loose long sleeved tunic and pants. Isidora could see his chest.

"Not here, they may hear it, or worse the Stark boy may hear it."

Andrew slumped his feet into his boots and grabbed his cloak. They existed the small tent and began walking off from the camp site toward the woods. Isidora's eyes went wide when she noticed the moon. She swallowed deeply and pulled the fur trim of her cloak closer to her ears.

"What is it Isidora, we ride off tomorrow only days closer to war."

"I dreamt the Stark boy, Robb...I was running away from him. He was naked, as naked the day he was born. Wild hair and wild eyes. I was only in my night clothing, running bare feet not screaming or laughing, but panting."

Andrew's eyes furrowed into a frown with the flicking light of the candle. He shook his head slowly.

"And.."

"I found a clearing and he had found me. The sky was clear save a few clouds and the moon was full, as full as the one in the sky above." Isidora felt her heart beating fast as if she had been really running. She looked up at the sky and felt her head go dizzy. "I stopped running he had caught up to me and grabbed me. He then stood still breathing in and out. He looked up at the moon then back down at me."

"This is sounding a bit queer, cousin."

"Oh that isn't even the queer part Andrew," She placed a cold hand on his shoulder, "He reached his hand out before me and smiles. I look down at his hand, but instead of a hand it is a claw, much like his direwolf's claw. Long nails and hair. He takes his other hand and places it on my cheek and I try to move away, but his clawed hand swiped across my neck and chest, slicing my night clothing open. And that is where I woke up. I can still feel the warm liquid running down my skin cousin and it was all a dream. A dream."

"Isidora, it was just a dream," Andrew assured his cousin. He pulled her toward him and wrapped his arms around her boney waist to feel she was in her night clothing. He pressed her to him feeling her small breasts agains his hard chest. "You need to get some sleep, it must be the the almost full moon. And don't let these foolish dreams cloud your mind about Lord Stark."

"Lord Stark?" Isidora scrunched her face. "Since when did we start calling him Lord Stark behind his back."

"Isidora." Andrew calmly spoke. "Go back to sleep. I'm sure you've stirred Marie from her slumber."

Author's note: So it's been a while since I've updated, I've been working on this chapter quite sometime so I apologize for how long it took me to update. I hope you enjoy. I might end up editing this chapter again just because. Thank you for adding this story to your alerts and favorites and for the reviews.