Chapter 3
My Notes – This chapter may bring up the question, why have you done that to Jon's character? And it is the simple reason that his situation in the real world, him being the bastard son that is always being told you are not a Stark and his awkward relationship with Cat, it is going to affect his personality, I hope he is still likeable. Kinda the Sansa, but trust me on this, they even out as the story progresses.
Bran
Bran found himself sitting on red tiles looking out over the vast eastern lands. Casterly Rock was beautiful in his memory, an autumn dream with golden trees as golden as the Lannisters themselves. Across the grounds he caught a glimpse of the wasteland outside the greenery. Bird flew above him and he sat huddled hugging his perfectly working legs that kept him stable.
He wasn't focusing on the beauty around him or the wonders of having working leg again. He was talking to a crow. At least he thought he was. He could feel himself talking but couldn't hear any of the words he was saying but the crow responded. "Maybe you should tell your parents, they'll know what to do." Then Bran spoke wordlessly as any sound drifted away like wind.
The crow nodded "Of course, what you know is dangerous, these people aren't safe"
"How do you know" Bran said out loud for the world to hear but as he did landscape around him started to morph. The gold in front of him swirled till it separated and resembled strands of hair. The green grass joined together and reminded him of eyes, four perfect emerald eyes. The tiles paled beneath him and felt like skin beneath his fingertips. His legs went limp and useless again.
He tumbled forward and off the roof top "Never fly" the Crow said "Human aren't meant to fly, they will always fall"
That was when he woke up. He must have had the dream twice a month every month since he came out of his coma and every time it was the same, on the roof of Casterly Rock staring out into the distant talking to a crow. Every time it felt more real than the last, more like a distorted memory than a dream. This time though it was different. 'Of course, what you know is dangerous, these people aren't safe' Bran pained himself to remember.
It was a gloomy evening and quieter than usual. Barely one hour past midnight, the house was always silent at this time but Bran could feel the absence of Arya and Sansa. His father and sisters had left earlier that evening with the Baratheon's to stay in a hotel before setting out for Washington on the President's private jet.
His therapist had told him about change bringing back harsh memories and if there were changes in these dreams after his father became Vice-President he had to tell someone before he forgot them. Bran pulled himself up and shifted off the bed in to his chair.
It was well known to Bran that along with completely losing the use of his legs he also forgot a month of his life. The month before the crash up to the moment he set foot on the plane was completely lost from his mind. He had read up on dreams unlocking subconscious thoughts and he truly believed this must be real, it must tell him something about his life or at least about the time before crash.
In his chair he shuffled to get comfortable before wheeling himself out of his room. For the first year after his accident he had to have help travelling around the house from Hordor (A huge servant who didn't speak a word of English apart from the word Hordor). Since the elevators had been installed he had become freer to move around his home and could do it by himself.
He thought about who he could tell about his dream. He couldn't tell Rickon, he was too young. His mom would be worrying about Sansa, Arya and dad, and Theon and Robb were at college. Jon on the other hand had a habit of staying up late at night and wasn't out because uncle Benjen was coming to take him away to Military school the next day.
Bran sat outside his brother door for a long time before he picked up the courage to knock. He never wanted to feel like a nuisance but all these assignments his therapist had set for him made me feel awkward. He had to talk to everyone all the time about everything and he knew if he had working legs they would tell him to go away.
There was a long pause behind Jon's door. "Tell them to go away, it is just one of your kid brothers wanting a bedtime story" Bran heard a girl squeak loudly.
Oh Christ, I've interrupted something Bran felt heat rise in his face "shut the fuck up" Jon hissed back at her "Who is it" he called to Bran.
"Erm... oh... Yeah it's Bran." He croaked his voice fluctuating like boys voices did at his age.
The door slid open and Jon peered out wearing only jeans. "What's up bro?" he asked with honest concern.
"Oh it's nothing, sorry to interrupt you... both of you" Bran looked at the floor ready to wheel himself away.
Jon opened to the door wider "Come in, she's dressed and we weren't doing anything." He glanced behind him at a pretty girl with scraggy blond hair wearing one of his t-shirts.
Bran shook his head "It was just a dream it doesn't matter"
"Another crow dream?" Jon asked leaning on the door frame.
"Yeah, this one was slightly different though." Bran said, "Normally the crow advises me to tell my parents what I saw then tells me not to fly, however this time he told me these people are not safe and what I know is dangerous" Bran paused trying to remember till his head ached worse than it had in a long time.
Jon watched him, he face emotionless but thinking hard "I would definitely tell Catelyn if I was you, but don't worry yourself about it. As you said it was just a dream, make a note of it in your dream chart and get some sleep."
Bran sheepishly smile "Ok, you should also get some... Sleep, you have a long journey in the morning." He peeped behind Jon again at the frustrated looking blond. She looked familiar, although she was probably just another one of Jon's many girls that appeared for one night then disappeared again till a few months later. Normally Bran met them at the breakfast table looking nervous under Catelyn's glare.
"Can he hurry up, I won't wait all night." The girl whined glowering Bran.
Jon rolled his eyes dramatically and looked over his shoulder "Listen, he's my brother, I care more about him than I do about you, and please stop talking I didn't invite you here for conversation." Bran felt himself go red again. Jon gave a breathy snigger at his before messing up Bran copper hair.
"Excuse me, it was you begging me to come round, if you keep me waiting I will leave and I will never talk to you again." She threatened at a normal conversation volume, in the silence of the night it sounded as loud as a shout.
Jon smirked again then spun around the face the blond "Believe me, after tonight I will never be talking to you again, and you have already given me head, if you want to leave then go I insist." The girl stayed put on the bed staring Jon down.
"Just send the boy to bed" she whispered looking him up and down.
He turned back to Bran "Women, you never get used to them. No one tells you that, also some advice to you little brother, no matter how much make up they wear or how big they get, they are all just as stubborn as Arya"
Bran smiled to himself "I have so much to look forward to" Bran wheeled himself away from the door "Get some sleep Jon, I'll see you before you go."
Jon nodded goodbye and then silently shut the door leaving Bran outside in the darkness. He sat for a few moments wondering whether to go to the kitchen to get himself warm milk when something slammed on the other side of Jon's door.
"I hate you Jon Snow" the girl's voice said, then there was the soft sound of kissing.
Bran rolled his eyes placing his hands on his wheel "Women" he repeated in a voice mimicking Jon's.
Jon
I hate you too you dumb bitch Jon wanted to say but was stopped by Bethany shoving her mouth onto his.
He needed someone that night and she was good enough. She could be at Winterfell within an hour, she gave good blow jobs and she was pretty enough to look at if she wasn't into taking it from behind.
Christ you sound like Greyjoy his mind told him as his hands held on to Bethany's backside pulling her up into him. It doesn't matter if I give a shit about her he told himself she is going to fuck me anyway so what's the point respecting her?
He pushed her off him with gentle force so she skipped back to the bed. She was hot there was no doubt about that but even with her half naked in his favourite shirt, it didn't spark anything within him apart from obvious arousal. She was just another girl, nothing special, blond hair, big tits, and bad judgement. 'Just another hole' Theon had once said to him, that's what they all are.
The next morning he was sitting at the end of his bed looking at the single case packed with his entire life. It was a pathetic sight.
Bethany was wriggling about under the covers just reminding Jon that he was running out of time to get her out of there before Catelyn woke up. He couldn't wake her though, she was there for him last night when he needed her and for that he was grateful, he would let her sleep but she had to pay for her own taxi home.
He showered and dressed before going back to his room to find the blond girl looking out the window only wearing his leather jacket. She turned around beaming at him. The jacket came low enough just for him to see that she wasn't wearing anything underneath "hello sexy" she flirtatiously giggled hugging the jacket tighter around her chest.
"You have to leave soon" Jon snorted trying not to look at her. He never really learnt how to have these conversations with girls. He would prefer it if they just left at four in the morning under the moonlight and their own shame. But no, most stuck around, either wanting him to pay for their taxi or a quickie before they left.
"Aren't you going to make me breakfast?" She asked her face going sour.
He continued not to look at her, scratching the back of his head "No, I have never made you breakfast and I'm not going to start now. Give me back my jacket you look ridiculous" He ordered a little too harshly but he needed her to leave now. He didn't want the disappointed stare from Catelyn, not today when he was about to snap.
Bethany's gawp turned it into a murderous glare. "Fuck you" she spat pulling his jacket off then throwing it at him revealing her stark naked body. "Get out then, I don't need you staring at me while I'm getting dressed" he glanced at her and felt that stirring he had felt last night. Reluctantly Jon picked up his luggage and left Bethany to get dressed.
It was a sleepy January morning. A thin layer of snow had fallen in the night and even within the warm walls of Winterfell there was an unsettling chill of loneliness. This home will be a shell with so many people gone, he though already feeling Arya's absence, the whole building felt bigger and emptier than ever before.
He dropped his bag in the entrance hall and looked at the family portraits of the famous Starks across the walls. All were men with thick black hair in impressive army uniforms. Jon knew he would never stand among them in Stark history but at least he can show that he is more of a Stark than a lay about bastard son.
He heard the soft patter of footsteps for the stairway and turned to see Mrs Catelyn Stark walking toward him dressed in her night gown and rob. Her delicate pale hand placed lightly on the banister as she swept down the stairs with all the grace of a swan gliding across water.
"Good Morning Mrs Stark" Jon addressed her "I hope you slept well."
She smiled with no warmth "I can't say I did Jon Snow." She answered putting emphasis on the word Snow "I couldn't sleep because my two daughters have just left for Washington DC to grow into young women without me and my husband has got a new very stressful job that requires him to live a hundred miles away from me. Did you sleep well?"
"Not really" Jon starched his neck feeling her calculating gaze on him, "I am worried about joining United States Military Academy, it is very prestigious and I wouldn't like to let da... Ned down" don't call him dad in front of her he warned himself.
Catelyn glanced down then back up at him half smiling "It is a very good school, your uncle and Granddad went there before they joined the army. You have Stark blood, I am sure you will fit in well"
Is she being nice to me? He wondered trying to see through her stare, it was unreadable; one of the many skills of Catelyn Stark was to lie directly but look completely genuine. They must have taught her that in law school. "Thank you Mrs Stark, I am glad you think so"
Jon heard clacking footsteps coming down the stairs behind Catelyn and his heart dropped through the floor. Bethany was dressed in her sleek dress and sky-high heels that she came to him wearing last night. Her blond hair a mess and black eye makes up smudged across her face. She looked up at Catelyn and smiled confident "Oh hello, you must be Jon's mother" she said taking long strides forward to Catelyn.
Jon went white and Goosebumps travelled up his arms. Catelyn stiffened but turned around to smile bitterly at the blond girl "No, I am not Jon's mother. I am Mrs Stark, this is my home. May I ask who you are?"
Bethany took Catelyn's hand and Jon swore he saw Catelyn's skin crawl. "I am Bethany, a girlfriend of Jon's" she smiled sweetly not hearing the sharpness in Catelyn's voice.
"Jon doesn't have girlfriends." She responded promptly "He has one night stands I am guessing you're just another one of them girls he takes off the streets and brings into my family home."
Bethany was taken aback and her eyes grew wide "I am sorry?"
"Don't be, I don't blame you at all."Mrs Stark turned to Jon then back to the blond. "I hope you know where the exit is because I need to have a word with my husband's son urgently."
Bethany managed to force herself to pull her eyes away from Catelyn; she didn't even look back at Jon when she went at almost at a sprint toward the front door.
"I hope Rickon and Bran don't take after you" she spat spitefully watching the door close after Bethany. She looked back at Jon, her blue Tully eyes carving into him "Why is she in my house?"
What do you want me to say? Jon's jaw tightened trying to stare down Catelyn that I am lonely? I am scared? I needed one last good fuck before I left my whole life behind? I had her around because I doubt any girl at the Academy would be into a guy like me? "I don't know I just needed someone to talk to" Jon partly lied.
"I doubt you did much talking" she spat, all her anger clear on her face.
Catelyn glowered but looked away when she heard the elevator behind them open and Rickon and Bran exit from it. Rickon ran up to Jon, his eyes were red and nose running "Don't leave us Jon, you can't leave Winterfell" he shouted hugging Jon's waist. Bran wheeled up behind smiling sadly "Everyone is leaving" Rickon continued to cry hugging tighter.
"Ssh" Jon prised himself away from Rickon and kneeled down in front of him. He put his hands on his littlest brother's shoulders "I'm not leaving for long; I'm only going away to learn to be a soldier like dad was. Then I'll come back. I promise" He kissed his half-brother on the top of his burgundy head and looked up at Catelyn. She was distracted by Bran thankfully. "I need some fresh air, I'll talk to you soon" Jon promised Rickon.
When he was alone outside he finally felt like he could breathe again. He couldn't wait to be away from Catelyn. Jon was adamant that her hatred had always been unnecessary. Sometimes though, he could see that Catelyn didn't hate him at all, she only hated that he was a constant reminder of her husband's lies. Although, he had to admit, the last three years had been difficult.
He had dropped out of school to join the army back when he was sixteen, but it was directly after Bran's plane crash, he couldn't do that to the family. After that Jon lounged about without purpose as Robb and Theon went to college. Jon didn't have a job or qualification, the closest thing he got to a college was sneaking into a girl's room that went to 'University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey'. He had been a sponger and a nightmare, just another reason why he was a fuck up in Ned's eyes and a constant nuisance to Cat.
Jon remembered the last conversation he had with his father before he left Washington DC. It was in Ned's office. "I was considering what you said about joining that army" Ned stated looking at a picture of Jon's Aunt Lyanna on the mantelpiece
"I know dad you don't approve–" Jon started but was stopped when Ned raised his hand with his politician manner to silence him.
"Listen, Jon, I wanted to tell you that I don't approve of you leaving home to join the army with no qualifications of even a backup plan. You deserve more than just a school dropout life style. You deserve more than just being a low ranking soldier to be used as cannon fodder in future wars, because you are a Stark through and through and I don't want another one dying in combat. That's why I have contacted my brother Benjen and gotten you into the United States Military Academy. It will give you a head start into the army but it will also give you a good enough education so that you won't be stranded after you retire."
Jon remembered that he was speechless and didn't say anything back but Ned had given Jon his dead aunt's medals along with the American flag her belonging were wrapped in after she died. The flag was tied around the top of his luggage.
He pulled out a cigarette from the packet in his jean pocket and his lighter that was identical to the one he gave Arya.
Placing the cigarette between his lips he gazed up at the beautiful mansion he had grown up in. It looked like it was taken from a hillside in Netherlands. The walls of the mansion were grey with ivy growing up the walls, they would sprout flowers in the spring and summer, in January they gave the walls a minty gleam. It stood more like a castle than a house with steeples and towers soaring above him. Apart from the grand courtyard (car park) in the front, the grounds were covered in trees and greenery. It was all beautifully structured and easy to get lost in.
Scattered around the grounds stood wolf statues, the house keeper they nicknamed Old Nan said they were built to protect every Stark within Winterfell and all the ones fighting outside in faraway lands against unknown evils. Each wolf had been sculpted in a different way; Jon's favourite was a white marble night wolf with ruby eyes standing guard just outside the main garden.
The beautiful ancestral home was built two hundred years ago by General Brandon Stark the First. Brandon travelled with Red Indians for a time in his life and nicknamed him the Winter Wolf. He became incredibly wealthy because of successes in wars. Through this he managed to build Winterfell, surrounding it with the statues of the animals he had loved when living in the wilderness. The eldest Stark had inherited the home for the last two hundred years and it would have been Jon's if he was a Stark.
He pulled the cigarette from his mouth, if Catelyn caught him smoking it would be a whole new argument to deal with. Just then a car pulled into the courtyard. He turned to see Robb's green Audi parking up behind him.
He turned off the engine and got out of the car "If it isn't my favourite black haired brother." He hollered slamming the door behind him. He was wearing his Rutgers Scarlet Knight jersey showing Jon that he probably stayed the night at Jeyne after the game last night.
"Your only black haired brother" Jon corrected him genuinely smiling. Snow was falling around them both, some of it settling in Robb's auburn hair.
His brother leaned on the front of his car "Yeah that right isn't it, and soon maybe you'll be a Black Knight to match that black hair and then a soldier." Robb marvelled.
The Black Knights were the official name for any sports team in United States Military Academy but he hadn't really thought about joining a team. "I doubt I will become a Black Knight, although, I am going to be a soldier. Surprised you're not joining the army Stark, it is in your family history" Jon quipped watching his brother shudder.
"No thanks, everyone knows you inherited the Stark fighting spirit and I inherited the Stark brains. Anyway, I'm not willing to risk dying for my country because I'm selfish like that" Robb joked with honesty. Jon knew Robb never wanted to be in the army, he was set on being a politician and was now studying Political Science and Finance at Rutgers University. He excelled there and was a member of the Scarlet Knights Football Team even though in high school it was Jon who had the passion for American Football.
"I doubt you would die if you became a soldier. You're a Stark, I mean for fuck sake Bran survived a plane crash. You Stark's are hard to kill."
"Us Starks" Robb corrected him shuffling his feet in the January snow.
Jon sighed feeling quite uncomfortable all of a sudden. He looked around to make sure no one else was listening "you better not say that too loudly, you don't want Catelyn to hear you, she is already pissed off at me."
"What for? Do you want me to have a word with her because she was no right to bust your balls today of all days"
"No, it's completely deserved." Jon reassured not wanting Robb to make a big deal out of it. God forbid Cat thought Jon was trying to turn her eldest son against her "She was being alright with me this morning then she saw I had a girl round last night."
"Ooooooh, bro... Which girl was it, a new one?"
"No, Bethany."
"Which Bethany?"
"New York Bethany... The dancer... The one with the blond hair and nice ass."
"Oh that Bethany, she is high maintenance from what I remember. However, if I'm honest I never really get to know the many women in your life Jon" Robb teased grinning like he did.
A black Ford Explorer came into the courtyard and Jon's heart started to race. Benjen Stark was in the driver's seat. His hair cut in the army style but unlike all the other time Jon had seen him he wasn't wearing his uniform. "I'll go tell my mom Benjen is here." Robb pushed himself of the front of his car and went into the house.
Benjen got out of his army issued Ford and hugged Jon like a brother. "It's so good to see you again Jon." He boomed releasing him and inspecting him. "Sorry I couldn't be here when your dad was, I really wanted to see him before he went down to Washington but I couldn't get off work." Benjen was a lieutenant who occasionally went to the Academy to check out the standard of up and coming cadets. "You excited boy? You are going to be living the Stark dream" he asked cheerfully admiring Winterfell.
"Nervous more than anything" Jon answered truthfully finally feeling the cold "It's all I've ever wanted but it sucks that I have to leave everyone behind."
"Oh you better get used to that. If there is one thing I have learnt while being in the army it is to not get attached to anything. You will be transferred all the time, you will be sent to countries with strangers, and within a few months you will be sent home, or sent somewhere else. People you care about may leave, or desert you, or die."
He stared down at the sad look on Jon's face "I've got to say it takes balls to do what you're doing. You have to prove yourself to everyone. You have to prove yourself to your dad and probably Cat. You have to prove yourself to your fellow soldier and to all Starks, living or dead." He patted Jon on shoulder "I speak for all Starks when I say good Luck Jon Snow".
Sansa
Sansa Stark had been sitting in the lobby of the small inn hotel they had stayed in last night. It was a cute little building with wooden panels on the walls and many potted plants but it was dreadfully quiet. The whole building had been cleared out for the President and his entire entourage.
Her father and President Robert had gone ahead to the airport along with the majority of their company leaving Sansa with a few of Baratheon security team, Arya, Joffery, and his mother and younger brother alone to entertain themselves until the cars arrived to take them to the airport.
She didn't know how long it would take for the car to arrive to take the rest of them away so she decided to go for a walk around the small village outside the inn.
It's so adorable she thought looking at all the wooden buildings that had been clad with American flags to celebrate the President's visit. It was a small farming town with a few shops selling groceries and wood carved furniture, it had even a little bakery with pies in the window. Nothing she had ever seen looked more American, even a Bald Eagle perched on top Statue of Liberty wearing a Lincoln hat and an America flag as the American army fired guns to the rhythm of Stars and Stripes, though, it would be a close second.
She moved away from the Inn pulling her heavy military styled coat around her shoulders tighter and thought about her move to Washington DC. Even after days of packing, planning and wishful thinking she still didn't know what to think about it.
On one hand New Jersey was her home, her close family were there, her mother, her brothers and her beautiful childhood home that always made her feel like a princess locked in a tower. Yet, that was a reason why she wanted to leave, she felt trapped. Winterfell was in the middle of nowhere and in her private school she didn't fit in. Yes she was rich and she was always told how beautiful she was but the people she should be friends with were superficial, they were the kind of girls she saw on the arms of Jon or Theon. Other people in the school wanted nothing to do with her because they thought she was something she was not.
Down south she could make herself something new, find new friends, and live more of the life she wanted to live with Joffery Baratheon by her side. Next to him, she could be what she always wanted to be. To be a Stark to make her family proud.
At the moment she was only known as the pretty Stark. She was always the pretty Stark, never the smart one, or the funny one, no, always the pretty one. Even worse people said it to her like it was a compliment, like she had nothing else to offer.
Sansa walked around the corner and bumped into a balding man wearing a fancy suit and she immediately knew he was one of Baratheon's men. "I am so sorry, I should have been looking were I was going" she apologized profusely.
The man said nothing back to her only watched her with cold eyes. She glanced down and caught site of his gun and suddenly felt her heart rate increase. Even her own father security team had never carried guns, even in the society they lived in and the position her family was in, her father forbid it. Seeing one now on the belt of a man glaring at her it sent a fear shooting through her. She backed away into a larger figure "There is no point apologizing to the likes of him girl" the figure rasped making her almost leap out of her skin.
She spun around and craned her neck to see Sandor Clegane looking down at her. His long hair hung across his face but his hideous scares were still visible to see. Sansa tried to focus on his eyes, grey eyes like steel, like guns and smoke."I did walk into him sir, I should apologies to him" she quaked only focusing on his eyes.
"Don't call me sir girl" he sneered through clenched teeth, "call me the Hound or don't address me at all"
"I am not going to call you the Hound, it is degrading" she answered as politely as possible "I would much rather call you by a title or your real name"
"My title is the Hound" he growled back. Sansa looked away at her hand and she heard him groan from above her.
"Dog, you better not be scaring my lady" Joffery called from across the road. He was glowing with a golden smile to match his hair. Sansa felt herself smile stupidly. He was so handsome. Princes in Disney movies couldn't compete with him, especially not in his fitted suit that added bulk in all the places he needed it. Joffery made his way straight to Sansa.
"Wow" he beamed studying her face "I have to say you look completely stunning today."
Heat rose in her neck and she looked down at the ground "thank you Joffery" she beamed shyly
"May we walk together?" Joffery suggest offering her his hand. She gratefully took it. His skin was warm in hers making her heart flutter within her chest.
Sandor grunted far above her "Do you wish for me to give you privacy?" he asked looking around at the road.
"Give us a two minutes head start and you can follow behind, I don't want you terrifying Sansa more than necessary" he joked pulling Sansa with him down the road.
When they were a far enough distance away Sansa admitted "I really wish you wouldn't call him Dog or Hound"
"Why not?" Joffery chuckled "He doesn't mind it and he has earned that name from a decade of honourable service to my family, he is pretty much a Lannister himself he has been around so long."
From the first moment Sansa met Joffery when she was eight was the first moment she met Sandor. Sansa remembered him being a huge pile of scariness and muscle. Since then to her he had gotten smaller but he was still huge and terrifying. "Nevertheless, I don't feel comfortable calling him by that... Name, it isn't respectful to him, it is like I am treating him like he is subhuman and..."
Joffery smiled turning her to look at him gently "Oh my sweet Sansa, you are so charming and caring. For you, I'll ask him to allow you to call him Sandor if you wish"
That wasn't exactly her wish but it was a start, maybe if he stopped being treated so vilely he would stop looking so angry her every time she saw him. "Thank you Joffery" she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek squeezing his hand tighter.
She was blissful now that they were finally alone. At Winterfell Robb had taken extra care to make sure they were never alone together. The worst was in the pool house when Sansa was sure Robb was going to hit Joff. Nothing happened but something certainly riled both Theon and Robb up. When they went to see her in her room they gave her that talk.
She wanted to ask for Theon to leave remembering the fool she had made of herself on her birthday but Robb didn't know about that. "You can't just skip in front of men in your underwear Sansa" Robb had said calmly.
"I wasn't in my underwear it was a one piece swimming costume." She argued knowing she had no real defence. Joffery had walked in on her swimming and she did ask him if he wanted to borrow some of Robb's swimming trunks. When Joff refused and said he just wanted to watch she did feel incredibly uncomfortable, part of her was even happy about Robb coming in. She didn't tell them that though.
"A skin tight costume that leaves nothing to the imagination, Sansa do you want to date this boy?" Theon had asked.
"Yes, well I really like him and he is smart and really nice to me." Sansa smiled only at Robb. Theon had no say in who she dated, Robb did though, she needed him to approve.
"If he makes you happy then I won't stop you. But if he hurts you or pushes you into something you are not ready for, please be brave enough to step away and rethink all of this."
She remembered that, Robb was always telling her to be brave. When it came to talking to journalists during the campaign it was Robb sitting by her side rubbing her back and occasionally taking the tricky questions she couldn't answer.
Snow was falling coating everything in a pure white cloak that made everything look fragile around her. Joffery talked about himself a lot, Sansa sometimes asked questions to show she was listening.
They made another turn and heard shouts from down an alleyway a short distance in front of them "Arya?" Sansa said recognising one of the voices. She let go of Joffery's hand and followed the playful shouts.
She found Arya looking like a little boy wearing her favourite grey hoodie straddling a Mexican boy who must have been two years older than her. The boy leaned up swiping Arya's arms from underneath her and putting her in an arm lock pushing her face into the gravel "That's not fair, you are bigger than me" She giggled struggling under the boy's weight.
Joffery launched forward pulling the boy off Arya's back "What do you think you are doing?" he bellowed in an out-of-the-ordinary masculine voice.
The boy tried to run from Joffery's gripped but failed, he let out a high squeal kicking his legs out. He was small for a boy for his age and a lot skinnier as well. "I'm am sorry sir, she dared me to fight with her, we had a bet, I am so sorry" he stuttered still trying to wriggle from Joffery's secure grasp.
"Let go of him!" Arya boomed getting up from the floor "go away the both of you. It has nothing to do with you!"
"You see my beautiful friend here" Joffery gestured toward Sansa. She start to feel nervous, whether it was because of the murderous look in Arya's eyes or the acidic tone of Joffery's voice she didn't know. "The little girl you were attacking is her little sister. If you want to fight someone, fight someone your own size."
Joffery threw him to the floor then started to take his blazer off "Stand up boy if you think you can fight like a man"
"Please, don't do this" Sansa looked behind her to see if Sandor was nearby, she saw no one. The lazy streets had completely cleared.
Arya was rummaging in her pocket "Leave Mycah alone!"
The small boy got to his feet but as soon as he did Joffery slammed his fist into to boy's jaw. His other hand came around whacking him in the stomach knocking him to the floor.
Sansa screamed as Arya threw a small rock hitting Joffery on the side of the head. "Arya, Joffery, stop please" she cried looking down the road for anyone to help stop the fight. Arya please don't ruin this, not just for me, for dad as well, please.
Joff turned away from Mycah "You little bitch" he yelled rubbing the side of his head "I should have to you shot for attacking me like that you..." he took a few steps towards Arya then Sansa just saw her little sister spin around lifting her leg in the air and kicking Joffery in the side of his head with the heel of her boot.
"Sandor please help!" Sansa commanded to the empty road, Joffery fell sideways clutching the side of his head, crying with pain.
Sansa stared at Arya, she was gawping at Joff rolling around on the floor "What have you done?" Sansa trembled running to Joffery's side. "Are you ok?" she asked lightly. She looked up are Arya. Fast footsteps were coming down the street at the end of the alley, Run Sansa almost said to her but Arya didn't need to be told. She helped Mycah to his feet and they both ran.
Joffery was whimpering on the floor, she stroked his soft hair, running her fingers lightly over his scalp towards where Arya had kicked him "Don't touch me!" he knocked her away almost catching her in the face with his ringed hand. She was about to lean forward again but a large arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her aside so Sandor could get to his master.
More security guards ran past her in the direction Arya and Mycah ran. Run home Arya Sansa thought watching Sandor pick up Joffery like he was a helpless princess but what he was shrieking about her sister was so vile she wanted to cover her ears God help you if they find you because I doubt any Stark can.
