The next morning was a quiet affair. Most of the King's court were still sleeping from the night before by the time Torrhen made her way down to the Hall to break her fast. It seemed that the servants were the only ones bustling about this morn, everyone else in the castle were intent on being quiet as to not disturb the king.

When she reached the hall, her twin Robb and Theon sat at the table eating. Grey Wind - Robb's direwolf was lounging at their feet. Once she entered the hall, he perked up sensing her own direwolf, Icus. Torrhen's black direwolf trotted over to her wolf-brother and joined in with the lounging. Briefly she wondered where the rest of their family was. It was either their younger siblings hadn't risen yet, or they had already left for their lessons. If that was the case then she was later than she thought. It couldn't have been that late though, considering the sun wasn't that high in the sky.

"Ah, there you are!" Robb called out to her as she approached the table. "We've been waiting for you to get up all morning!"

"Why?" Torrhen eyed Robb suspiciously.

"Father wants to see you, and mother as well," her older brother informed.

Even with that information, Torrhen still remained suspicious. Her brother would often tell her that their parents wanted to see her, and only after she went scouting all over the castle looking for them that either of her parents would deny Robb's claims. Theon as well would confirm whatever Robb said, sometimes being the one to tell her of the false claims. It was fun for them to watch her wander around the entire castle looking for their parents, and laugh when they forced the story of when she finally found the Lord and Lady of Winterfell out of her.

Suspiciously, she asked, "how do I know you're not lying?"

Both men looked offended at the thought of Torrhen thinking they were lying. "They really want to see you this time! I swear it!" Robb defended. "We'll feed Icus for you, Tori, don't worry. But father does want to see you, he said it was important."

Deciding to believe them, Torrhen turned to leave. "Tell me what he wanted!" Robb shouted after her. "Me as well!" she heard Theon shout as well. Robb would know, Torrhen thought to herself as she made her way to her fathers solar where she knew he would be. Robb would always know, they were twins and told each other everything. Then Robb would tell Theon and possibly their bastard brother Jon as well because her twin brother could never keep anything to himself. Which would then lead to the entirety of Winterfell knowing whatever it was in the first place. A perfect example of this would be the first time she bled not long after she had turned 13, and Torrhen stupidly confided in her brother. Before the end of the day, the population of Winterfell had known. Robb went around telling anyone who would listen, and Theon would escort her around the castle, announcing that they must be careful with the Lady Torrhen, stating that 'she is frail due to the amount of blood she is losing'. It was an embarrassing day for her but she quickly shut them up by taking one of the wooden swords used for practice and hitting both boys on the back of the legs, threatening to do more if they continued their ridiculous actions. They stopped.

Torrhen knocked softly on her father's door. She wasn't nervous about meeting with her father, she never has been. Ned Stark never brought his daughter grave news, it was usually her that did that to him. Her mother's voice called for her to come in. Torrhen pushed the door open and stepped in.

"Robb said you wanted to see me?" Torrhen asked first, having a small bit of doubt that Robb was lying.

"Yes we did, sweetling, have a seat," her lady mother said as she gestured toward the seat.

Ned sat stoic as he watched his eldest daughter. He watched as she followed her mother's instruction and sat gracefully on the seat with a pleasant smile on her face. As much as Ned would like to believe his daughter was as innocent and naive as Sansa, he knew that wouldn't be true. She spent too much time with her brothers to be completely innocent, and after what happened in the Wolfs Wood when she was a child, he knew she would never be innocent. And he found himself glad that he had taught her to defend herself, if it ever came down to it. Ned didn't want his daughter to become the Lady of Casterly Rock, but he knew that she would good at it just as her own mother is at being the Lady of Winterfell.

"What is it?" Torrhen queried, looking between both her parents for answer. Her mother had a warm smile on her face, a smile that Torrhen hoped to adopt should she have children one day. Her father, however, had a face that showed nothing.

"The King has honoured us with a match for you in marriage," her mother told her softly, reaching over and grasping Torrhen's hand.

Surprise is what Torrhen felt first. She hadn't been expecting this conversation, even though she had been expecting it since she had flowered. Marriage is what her lady mother had been preparing her for. Still, the conversation made her nervous. Especially since her father had told her that she would pick her own husband, and now the King had come with an offer from Kingslanding.

"And who has he suggested?" Torrhen asked politely, although her voice was tight.

"It was Jon Arryn's suggestion," her father said.

Her mother interrupted him. "And the King feels obliged to honour his last request as Hand of the King."

There was tense moment as Torrhen looked toward her parents to tell her who Jon Arryn had suggested. It had better be a bloody good reason to have her married off like this. Catelyn glanced at her husband, waiting for him to answer. Ned had told her explicitly that he was going to tell her who Torrhen was to marry, he said that owed his eldest daughter that much for doing this to her.

Ned finally spoke. "You are to marry Jaime Lannister.

Shock has graced Torrhen this time. Are you sure? Torrhen wanted to ask her father. She was set to marry Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. It was like her brain had stopped working. She was shocked, and confused. Did her father just say the king and Jon Arryn has suggested that she marry the Kingslayer.

"But he's of the Kingsguard! They take vows to never marry," Torrhen exclaimed.

"King Robert has agreed to release him from the Kingsguard," Ned said simply.

"Why?"

It was times like these he realised how smart his daughter was. Sansa was overjoyed with the news but never questioned it. Granted, she was to marry Prince Joffery and not the Kingslayer, but he had a feeling Sansa would never have questioned him anyway. She was too much of a Lady to do that.

"Lord Tywin has agreed to free the Crown from a third of its debt to House Lannister if Ser Jaime gets released from the Kingsguard to become the his heir, and marry to have heirs of his own."

So, I'm just here as a breeding mule to give the Kingslayer sons, Torrhen thought darkly to herself. "And why was I suggested?"

"To settle the rift between House Stark and House Lannister."

And as a peace maker. The cynical thoughts of about a marriage to Jaime Lannister didn't stop. Torrhen was afraid to open her mouth and say anything in case all those thoughts slipped out. Instead, she sat in front of her parents staring at her hands in her lap. She couldn't look at them, they might see her thoughts and become disappointed. She didn't know what to do. Was Torrhen to say yes now? Give them an answer and put it all at rest.

"You don't have to give an answer now, sweet, you're allowed time to think it over," her mother told her, squeezing her hand.

Torrhen could breathe a little better with that news. Not by much, though. "May I be excused?"

The Lord and Lady of Winterfell gave her leave, and she stood and almost ran out the door. She didn't think to go back to the Hall where Robb and Theon Greyjoy were waiting to see what Lord Stark had wanted. The only thing Torrhen wanted was to get out of the castle, away from wherever the Kingslayer was hiding, or any of the king's court. Ser Jaime's weird advances from the feast last night made sense now, but she still didn't like them. In fact, she hated those words from last night more than ever now that she understood them. Torrhen didn't want to marry the Kingslayer, she wanted to choose her own husband who was northern born, and marry because she wanted to and because she loved him, not because the king wanted less debt to pay.

Where she had been upset before, she was angry now. What right did Tywin Lannister have to release Ser Jaime from the Kingsguard? They serve for life! What right did Jon Arryn have to marry her to that damn oath breaker? He never knew her! And he wanted to sell her to those bloody lions so the king will have less debt.

The simple stable boy, Hodor, was tending to the horses when Torrhen stormed up. "Ready my horse, Hodor," she had ordered the large boy.

"Hodor," he replied happily, oblivious to the rage in her tone. He went about putting a saddle on her horse, leaving Torrhen to wallow in her anger.

"Going out for a ride?" a voice said behind her.

Turning suddenly, Torrhen hoped she that it wasn't the Kingslayer talking to her now, as she was not ready to face him yet. She might scream if she turned it was him. Fortunately, she faced her bastard brother; Jon Snow. His dark hair and stormy grey eyes similar to her own was a welcome sight. His face was more welcome than even Robb's right now. Torrhen didn't think she could face him yet, either. She could only imagine what he would do once he found out. Robb held even less love for the Kingslayer than their father did.

"I am," she confirmed as Hodor brought out her horse.

"Alone?" he asked again, observing her the same way her father did not long ago.

"Yes, brother. Alone."

"Your lady mother says you are not to ride alone, father agrees."

Slightly exasperated now as she mounted her horse, she knew what Jon wanted. "Would you like to accompany me, Jon?"

"If you wish it, my lady," he said almost mockingly, his cool demeanor gone now. She was talking with her brother now, and not Ned Stark's bastard.

Rolling her eyes at her bastard brother, she spurred her horse. "If you are coming, you'd best hurry Jon, I'm not waiting for you."

Marrah, her horse was called, rode quickly out of Winterfell as if sensing her great need to leave the castle behind. If her bastard brother Jon Snow was riding after her, she ignored his presence all together. She also ignored the people's stares as she raced out of the gates. She didn't dare look around them, for her fear of seeing the Kingslayer. He'd know as soon as he saw her why she running.

Atop her horse, she tried to out-ride her problem, but they plagued her mind. Still, she focussed on the wind rushing through her hair and nipping her face. The late summer snow made the Wolfswood look pure, with the forest covered all in white. It seemed like a different forest when rode through a few days ago after that suffocating nightmare. It was a completely different forest than the one she rode through when she was a girl. Though, she never studied the details, and instead just rode through it all. It was freedom she was riding after, in the shape of a black wolf with golden eyes, similar to her own back in Winterfell with Robb. A wolf, she thought suddenly, is free to do whatever she wants. And I am a wolf. She was also a fish, like her mother. Father always said that winter was coming, but mother had taught her about family, duty, and honour. A fish does as she's told, to make her house proud. And I am that as well.

When she stopped, it seemed as if the world did too. The white forest was quiet, as if waiting for her answer as her parents, the king, and Ser Jaime did back in Winterfell. No doubt the entire realm knows, she thought bitterly. Everyone else knew about my betrothal before I did, and they all expect an answer.

"Tori?" Jon stopped beside her. "Are you alright?"

No," she whispered. It seemed as if the entire seven kingdoms were on her shoulders with this decision. What would happen if I refused?

"What has happened?" he asked, his eyes never leaving her face.

He's worried about me, Torrhen realised. She almost smiled at that notion. Her poor bastard brother is forever to be condemned by her mother, but always will love and care for his true born siblings no matter what Lady Catelyn says. He never deserved her mother's cruelty. It was not his choice to be born a bastard and the rest of us true born. Would her situation be different if Jon was a Stark? No, you'll still be forced to marry the Kingslayer and Jon would belong in Winterfell with the rest of us.

"King Robert wants me to marry the Kingslayer," she blurted out.

If Jon was upset by the news, he didn't show it. Torrhen hoped that her twin brother would act the same way. She wouldn't be able to face him if he became angry at her. They would argue, as they always did but it wouldn't be in the same playful nature. They'd yell at each other for the entire castle to hear before they realise their words and apologise. It always happened. Robb and Torrhen loved each other too much to ever be truly angry at each other. Jon and Torrhen, however, never fought. She loved her half brother as she loved the rest of her family, being a bastard meant little to Torrhen. He was her brother as Bran and Rickon were, though he was much cleverer. He always saw things differently than the rest of them did, and maybe now he could help her now with his different perspective.

A hand on her arm interrupted her thoughts. She met Jon's eyes, and saw a tenderness that she saw when he looked at Arya. "And will you accept?"

"I don't know, Jon. I don't know what to do."

"You do what you must, Tori."

Do what I must. They were words she didn't want to hear, but words she needed to. Jon always told her what she needed to hear, no matter how cruel it was or unhappy it made her. And Robb would wait with open arms to comfort her, and tell her what she wanted to hear before they both helped her do what she must. Only this time she had to do it alone, but she knew her brothers would always be there.

"Shall we go back, brother?" Torrhen questioned her brother.

"Yes. Father and the King will be waiting for your answer," he reminded her. No matter, I have all day. "Have you told Robb?"

A sigh escaped her lips. "No, I haven't."

He smiled at her as they started on their way back to Winterfell. "I can't imagine why."

Torrhen chuckled. "I wonder what he will do when he finds out?"

"He will argue with Father about it," Jon suggested.

"And probably threaten to kill the Kingslayer," Torrhen added.

They laughed at the thought of Robb confronting the Kingslayer. They really shouldn't be, but she couldn't imagine her twin brother in a fight with Ser Jaime. Her brother was good with a sword, but Ser Jaime was better. There had to be a reason as to why he was inducted into the Kingsguard in his 15th year if he wasn't a good swordsman. And now he is leaving it to -. She hadn't dared finished the thought in her head. No, instead she thought about how it was going to be a long day.