Their trip back to Winterfell had been a little awkward at first. They had grown up with each other but she had always been Robb's and most of the time Maelona and his brother left him on the outer, even if they did spent time together Robb and Maelona had so many secrets, so many jokes that he was not privy too, that it was easier to be by himself. Jon and Mae never got a chance to really get to know each other as children and the way that they had re united as adult was nothing normal. It was days before they were speaking anything other than cordial remarks to one another. As they got close to Winterfall he could see she was becoming uneasy. A lot of things awaited her behind the gates of Winterfall. A lot of things she would have to face and a lot of those were unpleasant Jon could imagine what it would feel like to meet the person that had replaced you and Maelona knew she was about to meet Talisa.
They were a day away from Winterfell when they found a rundown stone cottage. Half the roof had caved in but it was good enough for shelter for one night. Jon dismounted the horse first and by the time had tied the horse to a tree he heard Mae whimper as she tried to place her feet on the ground. Jon shook his head at her stubbornness.
"It would hurt less if you just waited for me to help you"
"No it wouldn't"
"You're never going to heal if you don't take care of yourself" he told her as her feet hit the ground " King Landing's has made you more hard headed than ever"
"What were you expecting a wilting flower? I'm from the North, Jon"
"I thought some prince would have asked you for your hand by now"
"They have"
"Why didn't you accept?"
"Waiting for a better offer I guess" she said turning around and walking into the cottage. Jon knew who that better offer was, who she had been waiting for. Everybody had been waiting for the same thing. Robb and Maelona, but his beloved brother had other ideas. He changed his plans. She tried to build a fire for them but Jon refused, told her to sit down and rest. One thing his father had always told him was never let a lady build her own fire. One thing that Maelona was now, was a lady, that little wilding was gone. She was a proper lady as far as he could see. Maelona sometimes thought that she made the wrong decision to join King Robert in Kings Landing. Of course he never mentioned that Maelona had anything to do with the Starks. It had been their secret and now the King was dead and Joffery was sitting on the iron throne. Few things filled her mind with such dread. He was a boy and a spoilt boy at that. He knew nothing but the life that Kings Landing had provided. He knew nothing of the people that he was set to govern, knew nothing of the hardship of daily life. She had heard whispers of Stannis and Rennley building armies to fight against Joffery and nothing filled her with such hope. Both were better men then Joffery could ever hope to be.
"Why the Nights watch, Jon? I've been trying to understand and other then a blind loyalty to Benjen and delusions of grandeur. I don't understand"
"Wanted to belong somewhere"
"You belong at Winterfell. It's your home. Their your family"
"They don't want me there"
"That's not true"
"Lady Catlin? It wasn't like you, Mae. They didn't welcome me with open arms"
"Robb, Bran, your father. Ayra, the girl that has had you on a pedestal since the day she was born. Why must you focus on the bad, when there is so much good?"
"Why leave King's Landing?" he fired back
"I wasn't connected to anything there"
"Exactly"
"What? You're connected to criminals and things that go bump in the night"
"Don't speak of things you know nothing about Maelona" he snapped
She sat back and lent her back against the remains of a wall. Winterfell had been the happiest place in the world to her. It seemed wrong that someone should have the opposite feeling towards the same place.
"How are you going to handle meeting the king and queen of the North?" he asked softly
"No different than any other king and queen I have ever met" she told him quietly "Just the way it has to be"
He watched her get comfortable on the ground.
"Well leave early in the morning"
"Whatever you think in best"
It wasn't what she said but the way that she had said it. Jon was coming to truly believe that he would never understand women, ever.
Robb thought he was seeing thing when he saw his brother riding into Winterfall, he did a double take when he saw who was next to him. She rode in slowly, it was unlike her. Something was wrong. Robb watched her intently as she rode through the gates. Her hair was tucked into a cape and it made him believe that she had cut it off and his heart skipped a beat.
"Aren't you a little lost? The wall is a far bit north of here" Robb called out to Jon. Mae watched the brothers embrace. Robb looked over Jon shoulder at Mae and watched her grab her side quickly and taking a deep breath.
"Are you injured?" he questioned
Mae smiled at him "Why would I be injured?"
Jon walked over her Mae's and helped her to the ground, as gently as possible
"She fell off her horse three weeks ago" Jon told his brother "The night's watch found her, in the snow and brought her back to the wall"
Robb and Mae walked toward each other, it had been two years since their last meeting and the years had been very kind to her. She still had that air of grace and tenderness about her; it had only deepened with time
"I don't know whether to embrace you or curtsy. I mean you are a king now"
"I'll take the hug"
Mae looked down at the ground and back up at him before smiling and stepping front to embrace. He always forgot how tiny and delicate she was, until he held her. She flinched in pain
"Go easy" she said softly.
Robb looked over to his brother before letting go of her "And you let her ride from the wall?"
"You try and tell her she can't do something, Stark"
One thing that Mae was good at, it was being stubborn. They all began to walk inside; Robb couldn't take his eyes off her until he felt someone grab his elbow.
"I haven't told her" Jon said quietly
"Told her what?"
"About Father"
Jon watched Robb's face drop at the realisation that didn't know of their father's passing. Their father adored Mae and Mae adored him. Robb knew that he was going to have to be the one to tell her and he already was dreading it.
"You've been with her for three weeks and you haven't said anything"
"You're the childhood sweetheart; I thought it would be better if you told her"
"Coward. Thanks for that"
"A king always has to do some ugly things on his way to the iron throne"
Robb just shook his head and walk ahead to catch up with her. She looked over and smiled at him.
"Where's Bran?" she asked quietly "Can I see him?"
"Of course"
Her love with his family had only grown stronger in the years that had past and that was evident in her face. There was so much pain in her eyes when she said Bran's name, as if he could see her heart break.
She followed Robb through Winterfell and fought the urge to overtake him and run. Ran towards the little boy that she had watched grow up. The little boy that was now broken. The little boy that she couldn't fix. Robb opened the thick wooden door for her before Maelona rushed in and stopped dead in her tracks once she saw Summer, draped across Bran's body
"What in the gods name?"
"It's okay" Robb said walking up behind her placing a hand on her hip and guiding her into the room. Maelona had never been fond of dogs, let alone seen a direwolf before. "Hold out your hand"
"Do I really have too?"
"It'll help"
"It's okay" Bran encouraged "Summer won't hurt you. I promise"
Summer leaped off the bed and stalked towards Maelona, as she took a step back and walked right into Robb. She felt his arm wrap around her stomach and held her tight.
"I promise you'll be okay. Just hold out your hand. Mae-Mae, Trust me"
His other hand moved down her arm, slowly from her shoulder to her wrist. Maelona wasn't sure if it was his touch or her own fear that gave her Goosebumps, but that they were on her skin. Summer stood in front of her and pressed her nose to Maelona's fingertips and sniffed.
"Oh my god" she whispered more to herself than anyone else.
"Just stay calm" Robb told her quietly before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly she felt Summer lick her fingers. Maelona's eyes flew open "See, told you there was nothing to worry about"
"Don't gloat. It's not kingly"
"I'm not a king here"
"You're a king everywhere, my grace"
Summer got bored and went and sat in the corner by the door before Maelona left Robb's hands and glided across the floor and laid on the bed next to Bran and wrapped her hands around him. Robb watched her cover Bran's body in her green cloak before she got comfortable and they started talking animatedly. Suddenly Robb felt two hands wrap themselves around his arm.
"Looks like a sweet reunion" Talisa said quietly
"They haven't seen each other in some time" he told her before ushering Talisa out of the room. Bran and Maelona heard the door but didn't stop talking
"My new sister"
"She's very beautiful"
"It was meant to be you"
"Ohh Bran, sometimes life has other ideas and fate knows better it's not up to us to question it. The only thing fate asks of us is to believe"
"And what about me?"
"I don't worry about you, young Stark. You my young prince, will change the world"
"You could be my princess"
"See, there you go. Fate"
Their laughter could be heard down the hallway and filled Winterfell with the happiness that had been lacking for so many months.
