Chapter 7

Throughout the summer Hulda was focused on her duties, the heat was sweltering to the point she couldn't think of any other thought.

More sweat went into the dough than anything else, she raised her arm up and wiped at her forehead. Once it was ready she cut the necessary slits and allowed it to set underneath a cloth.

"Hulda are you finished?"the call from Margaret made her turn and look at her friend who stood at the door of the kitchens. "I'm going to the river to cool down."

"Yes." she dipped her arms into the cool bucket of cleaning water, a second of relief was given until she pulled her arms away. She followed Margaret across the bridge, the air was heavily humid.

They sat upon the edge of the lake and dipped their feet into the chill water, Hulda sighed in relief and laid on her back.

Margaret had taken a rag and soaked it in the water once satisfied she began to run it along her neck and face.

"It's unbearably hot today."the dark hair girl sighed out.

"I know, I could barely move from the bed this morning."Hulda said in a soft voice, the young girl stared at the sky.

"Hulda… There have been rumors going around."Margaret said.

Her friend's gray eyes met her emerald ones.

"You know not to listen to rumors."Hulda said.

"I know, but when their about you I can't help but listen. Especially if they're about you being the Bastard daughter of Lord Blackwood."Margaret spoke.

Hulda didn't speak, was she the bastard of Lord Blackwood? Maybe.

She held no memory before waking up in Wendish town, it all felt as a distant as a life time ago for her.

She wondered how Gavin was, if he was still under their little home. Still stealing from Old Rick or not, a painful pressure filled her chest at the thought of her fellow homeless friend.

"Ignore them, rumors are rumors."

3 summers later

The night was filled with music, the cool air felt nice on her skin.

Hulda's hands worked on Catelyn's gown, the youngest of Hoster's daughters had bloomed over the summers.

Her long red hair glistened in the light, beautiful skin with a little dust of tan shined in the candle light.

Catelyn was a lady of one and three now.

Hulda herself never thought of what her age was, Sara had said she looked small.

After some thinking she was placed at seven summers, Margaret had decided Hulda was born in the spring.

Now the girl was one and ten.

"How do I look?" Catelyn asked as she ran her hands along her skirt with a peek of nervousness, a small habit Hulda had been trying to squish her out of.

"Beautiful, if anything Brandon Stark will be stumbling after you all of the evening."Hulda spoke in her usual quiet voice.

Hulda had only met Brandon a couple times during visits, he was handsome but held a bit of an air of something Hulda worried would grow into something later, a man who would have affairs with women.

"You will attend as well?" Catelyn asked, her voice held a bit of pleading.

In the three years Hulda stayed in Riverrun the rumors had become more and more wild as ever than she had expected.

-flashback-

Some had whispered Tytos had gotten a barmaid pregnant in Wendish.

Others had proclaimed he had gotten a lady from Dorne pregnant, in which the lass had been raised in secret and dumped in Wendish when she got too old to hide away and used a spell to wipe her memory clean.

It was in Winter when Tytos had rode into Riverrun.

Hulda had seen him riding over the bridge and being greeted by Hoster Tully while she fetched water from the well.

It wasn't until in the evening did Cira came to fetch her.

Hulda had found herself in Hoster's office, emerald eyes meeting Blackwater's blue eyes.

"You may sit Hulda."Hoster spoke, Hulda settled in the chair. "How have you been?"

"In good health Lord Tully."she whispered.

"Louder."the voice was cold and held strictness from the man beside her. "It is rude to mumble."

"I am in good health."she said a bit louder looking at Tytos in weariness.

"Hulda, do you remember your mother?"Hoster asked.

"No, the earliest I remember was meeting Gavin."she spoke, her hands gripping her skirt. "Gavin was a boy with no home, he took care of me."

"Was Gavin your brother?"

"No, Lord Tully he was not my brother."she answered.

"Did he know where you came from?"

"No, he had found me curled in his makeshift shelter cold and asleep."she said.

After a bit more questioning a heavy silence filled the room, Hulda had peeked at Tytos.

The two men had debated about the situation, Tytos had admitted to bedding someone a few times.

Two was during when he was younger and his last act had been in Wendish a few summers back after the mournful passing of his wife Alyssin.

"I drunk too much and woke up in an inn bed, naked and alone."he admitted.

"Hulda has a striking resemblance to you."Hoster agreed. "The question is what will you do now?"

If he could Tytos would ask for a request to have Hulda to be free of a bastard name, all the while easing the information to his sons and daughter.

For now Hulda was to stay as a servant in Hoster's care.

Hoster had agreed all the while Hulda in the chair numb and shakened.

-end of flashback-

The news was not taken well, Brynden, Lucas, Hoster and Edmund had been enraged.

It had taken a lot for then to accept the news and it took for them to scrutinize every feature of Hulda to accept it with bitterness.

Alyn, Bethany and Robert were weary.

Hulda held a scary resemblance to them, the same jaw, chin and dark hair.

Even her frown and scowl was a copy of Tytos himself, that had taken place a year ago.

Hulda didn't know how to feel about Tytos or his sons and daughter.

The maester had calculated that Hulda was three summers younger than Robert due to the boy being one when Alyssin had passed and two when Tytos had bedded Hulda's mother.

It made the situation less tense, a proof that Tytos had not disrespected Alyssin before she had passed away.

None of them had spoken to Hulda after seeing her, Margaret let her hide in the kitchens most of the day.

"Father said you are welcome to,"Catelyn had softened her tone.

Hulda had felt grateful that Hoster had allowed her to stay in Riverrun instead of going to Raventree Hill.

"Lord Blackwood will be there with his children, I would rather be useful in the kitchens with Margaret and Cira."

"Alright."Catelyn sighed as she watched Hulda leave.

Later in the evening Hulda sat outside with Margaret, both were slapping mosquitos every once in a while off their bodies.

"The days are so long now."Margaret sighed, the girl was one and one summer's today.

After the rush of food prepared they had a moment to give the dark hair girl a honey soaked cake.

Margaret's hair was lighter now, a more light honey brown than her usual chestnut.

"I hear a lot of houses are here."Hulda's friend continued to speak.

"House Blackwood, House Stark, House Bracken, House Whent, House Mallister…"

Hulda's snort cut Margaret off.

"What? Sad that Ned Stark hasn't come around?"she asked with amusement in her voice.

"Oh please, he must be dancing with Lysa Tully or some other flustered southern heiress."Hulda said.

"I wonder what Petyr is doing."

"Creepy Petyr?"Hulda raised an eyebrow, he was the reason Hulda stuck closer to Catelyn nowadays.

The boy rubbed her the wrong way.

The sound of shouting broke them from their peaceful mood, standing Hulda and Margaret followed the noise and rounded a corner.

"Is that Petyr?"the older girl's voice filled with concern.

Petyr was standing in front of Brandon Stark his shoulders square and his chest puffed out.

"What has he done now?"Hulda hissed out.

So sorry for a late update!

It's been busy lately, I'm looking for a place of my own and my job has a remodel happening.

sorry about that its fixed now!