Damon

"Starks are hard bastards." Damon had always been cautious of Northerners, their cold demeanour, the almost emotionless way in which they conduct themselves had left him with many preconceptions of his Northern countrymen. Damon had been surprised then, when the party of the King had entered into Winterfell to reveal not the Barbarian cave dwellers those further South had painted them as but a well looking family. "People can take many forms" he had reminded himself but he would waited before allowing himself to get too comfortable. "The wolf might be tamed with humble offerings but what happens when he wants more to fill its plate."

Damon had dismounted from his horse and now watched alongside Arthur and Rhea as the Houses Stark and Baratheon greeted each other. No one doubted the loyalty between Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark who had first meet when they were young and had been fostered by Jon Arryn at the Eyrie, the Seat of House Arryn wherein they became fast friends, but the animosity between House Stark and House Lannister was well known. Everyone had heard how House Lannister and its Lord Tywin Lannister had only sided with Robert Baratheon in his Rebellion when he had all but won it, delivering at Robert's feet the body of Targaryen children to prove his allegiance. Eddard Stark had been angered at his sight as well as the sight of Jamie Lannister sitting in the Iron Throne with the blood of his King on his sword breaking his oath as a member of the Kingsguard.

With the pleasantries between the Warden of the North and his wife, the Lady Catelyn Tully and the King and Queen who emerged from within the carriage, they turned to the children.

"The first Born" said Arthur loud enough that only Damon and Rhea heard him.

"Tall that one, bout as handsome as I've seen for these Northerners" replied Rhea then noticed the girl next to him. "Look at her Boss, proper picture blue eyes and everything"

"Which are set on the Prince-

"What" asked Rhea shocked in a higher voice than either of the men had heard before

"Joffrey" Damon finished smiling.

"Is that a…a girl?" Arthur asked seemingly confused, the first time Damon had seen for a while.

"Surprising to you maybe Handle but then what would you know of lasses" Rhea replied smirking her voice back to its normal husky self

"Most do not look like boys"

"Depends where you're looking" laughed Rhea

Damon interjected. "That one must be the second born son and that the third still by his mother's side."

The Stark children had been introduced to the King and Queen and now was the turn of the Royal children. Joffrey Baratheon did little to make a first good impression Damon noted and when he did he made he made it short and uncourteous. He had gotten taller but not nearly as broad as Orys Damon thought, in truth their height was the only similarity between the brothers Joffrey and Orys. Joffrey shared the same golden hair colour with his younger siblings that their mother had but Orys had inherited his father's dark hair, though in the light it was browner.

When it was Orys's turn to introduce himself to the Stark family, he was much more in the way of manners than his brother Joffrey had been. When his little brother Tommen got tongue tied and shy at talking in front of so many people, Orys put one of his hands onto his brother's head smiling as he ruffled his hair, kneeling down to comfort him. When Myrcella introduced herself making no mistakes she turned to her brother triumphantly expecting praise but Orys feigned ignorance and that he had not heard her, annoying his sister till she turned her back to him, at which point he lifted her into the air, held her in his arms and kissed her cheek. He jokingly pleaded with her that she forgive him and she replied blushing but still angry at him, that she would think about it. This made the Stark parents smile while the children laughed. He was proud of Orys and how he cared for his younger siblings. Orys had spent a great deal of his time at the Castles of his Uncles Stannis and Renly and at times with his Grandfather Tywin at Casterly Rock in study but due to Orys's penchant for exploring and rebelling many times his tutors would return to find an empty seat and a missing horse from the stable. Orys had asked Damon if he would tutor the young Baratheons and he had agreed quickly finding both of them to be able students who took active part in their education but whenever Orys returned home, bringing gifts for Tommen and reciting stories to Myrcella, he found that the young students would no longer be preoccupied in their education.

The King had asked Eddard Stark to show him to the family crypt so he could pay his respects to the Warden of the North's sister. Damon could tell this had angered the Queen even if she did her best to disguise it hurrying off with Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen with her Brother Jamie at her side to whatever accommodations had been made for them to prepare for the feast later that night. This sudden bout of urgency had most likely been brought on from the mention of Lyanna Stark, Lord Eddard's sister. Robert Baratheon's one time betrothed who was kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen, the prince and heir of Aerys Targaryen the second, and the instigator of Robert's Rebellion.

Lady Catelyn Tully had now started to show retainers and work men were to set up and had taken her two daughters and her two youngest sons back inside, leaving Orys and Robb as well as two other young men Damon had not noticed before.

"Those young men, that one seems—

"Theon Greyjoy" Arthur answered uneasily "Last of Balon's Line"

Damon remembered. The Greyjoy Rebellion of nine years ago. He was five and ten at the time and was there in King's Landing when the King, leaving with his army, said farewell to his family. The sending off between the King and Queen had been quick and lifeless as most with the King were except that which Damon remembered, between the King and Orys. Damon knew some of his own family would leave to fight in this Rebellion and believed that he would have done anything to see them, especially if it might have been for the last time. Theon had been the only male child of Balon Greyjoy to survive that rebellion and since then had been a ward ,and hostage, of Eddard Stark.

"The other one, he another Stark?" asked Rhea

"Snow, not Stark" Arthur answered again

"Stark's bastard? Didn't think they'd bring him out for the family portrait."

"Not all are hidden away"

"True, their ignored instead"

"She's right" thought Damon. North or South bastards might not be kept away from watchful eyes but more often than not a Bastard would be shunned for what they represent. He had heard of Eddard Stark's Bastard, brought home after Robert's rebellion. This Bastard and Robb, their of a similar age Damon noted, though Robb did not look near as much The Warden's son as much as his half-brother did.

By now Orys had called his friends over to meet and greet with the Heir to Winterfell, Greyjoy and the Bastard they learnt was named Jon. Orys had agreed to be toured around Winterfell before he had to prepare for the feast later that night and departed with Robb and Theon joking with them as he went leaving his friends alone with the Bastard Jon Snow, who did little to dispel the awkwardness that had now appeared.

"Robb seems a decent man" Damon said hoping to start conversation.

"He is, as is Prince Orys" Jon answered meticulously.

"The Greyjoy, what of him" asked Arthur directly, arms folded eyes starring intently. Jon had been put back by the manner in which the sworn sword had asked him but a small smile appeared on his mouth. "How trustworthy is-

"Never mind him" Rhea said grabbing at Arthur's mouth smiling with her hand to quieten him. "A Bastard huh" Rhea stopped to look the young man over and continued. "Well from one to another let's make the most of this trip" and she held out her hand for him to shake.

Jon's face had got sullen at being called the word but shook Rhea's hand.

"How does a Bastard girl serve at the side of a Prince?" Jon asked confused.

"Easily" she replied "even more so when you make the choice."

Jon bowed slightly and walked off as if fighting some battle in his thoughts. Damon had been surprised at Rhea's response "You're choice, as I remember Orys telling us Lord Stannis made it for you?" he asked her.

The girl smirked looking both at Damon and Arthur "If we don't make em for ourselves, someone else will that's true. But Choosing to keep them however is our own choice."

Arthur scoffed a laugh and began walking off making Rhea run after him to know what he meant by that.

Damon looked up at Winterfell, felt the chill blow through him and rushed to get inside its halls.

"Can I get you anything m'lord" a young serving girl said to him.

"Can you remind me what year is it?"

The girl seemed confused. "It's the year 298 m'lord."

"298? Ten years since I left my home…." Damon paused before he continued. "Some ink and parchment if you can find it would be appreciated and if you would, ask the Maester of Winterfell if I may have leave to use one of his ravens. I feel the need to write some letters home before getting soused tonight."