Queen Rhaella wrapped her arms on her oldest child and followed him where he took here. A surprise, he had claimed when he had appeared in her chambers. To the Queen, the only surprise was this whole place.
She had woken with a start, on the same place she last remembered breathing. But now it was empty. The Maester and handmaidens all disappeared along with the sound of the summer storm and the waves crashing on the rocky shore below the castle.
Taking her gaze away from the window Rhaella saw her oldest son on the corner of her bed with his usual melancholic smile. What a sight he was.
So together they passed through the great hall and out of it, to a humongous open gallery crowded with people. Rhaegar passed the first entrance and got into the second one. Into the corridor that read 99AC.
"I believe it would be better if you went inside alone, mother. I will be right here, do not worry yourself."
And in she went, opening the heavy doors to find and elderly woman with her back turned to her. Immediately upon hearing the noise she turned around.
Despite her age, the lady seemed poised and elegant, her snow white hair neatly tied in a bun with pins behind her ears.
"Rhaella!" the woman stepped forward and held her tightly as a old friend would "I have dreaded the day you would come to see me. But I think you will be very pleased in finally being here. I'm Alysanne. Very happy to meet you! Please come."
Alysanne?! Like THE GOOD QUEEN Alysanne?
"What an honor it is to make your acquaintance, my queen." Rhaella said graciously as she stood straighter and guided her footsteps to where the queen of legend took her.
"Oh please Rhaella, you must not be so formal. I'm Alysanne. Do not fret. Here, look at them."
Peeking forward Rhaella's feet almost gave away. Alysanne was there and grabbed her arms before she could fall to the ground.
"I have kept watch over the little ones for all those years." Alysanne said as Rhaella stepped closer to the three cradles. "The ones who had the chance to breathe, anyway. I have some of my own to look after, but it was no problem really. I knew better than to hand them to that monstrous Aerys."
Rhaella's eyes filled with tears and she let them free. The other woman handed her a handkerchief.
"Hush now. They are safe. Daeron, Aegon, and Jaehaerys. You are safe."
The red haired young woman peeked out to look outside the carriage window. After the bogs and swamps of the Neck, it all had seemed like the same hills and dull colored grass for weeks now. This however, she had to admit was an impressive sight.
An ancient grey castle that looked bigger than Riverrun stood atop a small hill, surrounded to one size by a village made of the same stone of the castle, and by the other by a great dense pine forest that stretched as far the eye could see.
On her arms she carried a small bundle, tightly wrapped and held. Baby Robb had been conceived on her wedding night, 'what a fertile woman', she had heard them praising her for months now, during that agonizing year at Riverrun.
Winterfell now was a brand new beginning for Catelyn Tully. Her sister Lysa would be no bothering her any longer with all her complaints about her own marriage and how lucky Cat was that she had a babe to make her happier at least. Little Edmure would stop asking to go after father and follow her around the castle. The only faces she would be seeing from her old life here were those of Robb, the wet nurse, and Maester Luwin, who had helped her so much and now was to be Winterfell's new Maester.
And there was Lord Eddard, of course. The sollem stranger who she had barely known and would be spending the rest of her life with.
Her party had received news at Moat Cailin that Lord Stark would be late on arriving home, they should proceed without him and wait safely at Winterfell. King Robert I Baratheon sent the Warden on a quest to free his brothers Stannis and Renly from the siege of Storm's End. 'Great', Catelyn had thought, 'the new Lady at Winterfell is to arrive at her position without her husband and with the whole of the North hating her because she is a southron.'
When they finally passed the double gates through the moat and descended upon the main courtyard a young man was waiting for them. He had the Stark look, it was the young pup, Catelyn remembered from the year of the false spring.
"Welcome to Winterfell Lady Stark. I have kept to the castle in yours and Lord Stark's absence. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell. If you remember I am Benjen Stark, the youngest of Lord Rickard's sons."
The pleasantries went as well as could be expected. Catelyn did not know the boy and neither did he know her. She handed Robb to his wet nurse to take him to the nursery and asked someone to escort her to her new chambers for a bath.
Once she was done and dressed she asked her new handmaid the way to the nursery room, so she could always know where Robb was when needed.
Upon her arrival she watched as Robb slept peacefully on his cradle, with the wet nurse embroidering on the chair beside him. When she saw Catelyn she curtsied and Catelyn nodded back with a thin smile. But they weren't the only occupants in the room. On the opposite wall was an unknown woman with caramel skin with a small babe on her arms, sucking at her teat. His skin was light, unlike hers.
"And who is this one?" Catelyn asked with an arrogant tone, "Is he the stewards son? What is he doing in the same chambers as the Stark heir?"
"My Lady, I am pleased to meet you. My name is Wylla." She did not get up, "This is Jon Snow. He is Lord Stark's son. The Lord asked me to be take care of him and bring him safely home. You see, I have lost my own-"
"Get out." the Lady answered between her teeth. The woman did not move. "I said get out! Now!"
"My Lady? This is Eddard Stark's son! He ordered me to-"
"I do not care what Lord Stark said. And you will not use that tone on me ever again. Your presence already infuriates me. Stay in the castle if you must. But be out of my sight. I don't want to see this bastard again in the presence of Robb. The responsible for any of this happening again will be exiled from the castle. Am I understood?"
