Tyrion was very tired.

In fact he was tired and bored. Winterfell gave him nothing to do except walk, drink, and fuck.

He smirked when he found his favorite seamstress sitting in a tree on top of a large branch tree far away from prying eyes. He still remembered her soft lips on his as she kissed him. He kept his distance from her as he'd known Cersei was only her mistress, but that if his dearest sister were to a sniff of happiness from him then she would surely destroy it as she always did.

Still...he walked over to her and looked up at her as he smiled so widely it almost hurt his cheeks. "Do you like to climb?"

Taria looked down at him and smiled sweetly at him. It was his addiction to see her smile even though it shouldn't be.

"Only when I feel lost and overwhelmed by the world. They were hardly any trees in King's Landing when I was a girl," she said.

Tyrion nodded then laid his back against the trunk of the tree that she was in. "I like to hide too sometimes. I like the silence."

"I like being alone sometimes," she added with a smile, she wished that she would have found the book she had lost already. She didn't know where it was as she had lost it when she came to Winterfell. She thought then that she might never see it again. "It's nice."

"What did my sister want you to do?" Tyrion inquired, knowing that she must be the reason for Taris's gloomy attitude.

Taria let out a soft sigh as she answered, "You know I can't tell you. I don't want my brother to get hurt."

"I won't tell her that I know."

"Yes, you will," she insisted as she started to climb down the tree. "If it meant that I would be freed from her service. I'm doing this for Marian."

"Your unconditional love for him is appreciated I hope."

Taria scoffed as she shrugged. "Not as of lately. He thinks I'm selfish for not wanting to reconcile with our supposed father and blind for not seeing it. How can I accept him as my father when I can't forget the past and what has happened?"

Tyrion nodded and gave her an understanding look. "Sometimes happiness blinds us from what's right in front of us. I can't forgive easily either especially people like my father and sister."

"You don't understand. This is different."

"I killed my mother when I was born-my first treacherous act upon this world according to my lovely sister. She died giving birth to me. My father and my sister both despise me for something I had no control over. They didn't bother to hide it either, and I remember each of those times perfectly...as if they were just yesterday. So yes, I understand."

Taria gave him another smile though this one was sad as she sat down on the ground. "I'm sorry, Tyrion. No one should be blamed for something like that. My mother blamed us for my father leaving, she never cared for us. She didn't bother to hide it either, we were nothing to her when we were little then one day she saw us as an easy way to earn more money."

"Our parents are fools when it comes to their children it would seem," Tyrion jested which made Taria laugh.

"Are all parents like this?"

"No," Tyrion said after a moment. "I'm sure there are few good ones out there."

"I hope," replied Taria, her voice soft. "Why are you nice to me, Tyrion Lannister?"

"I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things," Tyrion told her seriously.

"Am I a broken thing then?" Taria asked curiously as she twisted the front of her skirt in her hands nervously.

Tyrion grinned widely. "Do you know why my sister and brother fear you are the daughter of Robert Baratheon? Because the Baratheons are anything, but broken creatures. They refuse to be. Their fury is their might. So no, Taria, you'll never be a broken thing. No one wants to anger you because I'm sure that one day you will repay the debt kindly."

Taria gave him a intrigued look as she inquired, "Are those not the words you Lannisters use?"

Tyrion chuckled. "Revenge is in every house's words. We just coined the term first."

"Who could forget?" Taria mocked. "I'm sure your family reminds them with a song."

Tyrion turned to her and without his usual laughing eyes, he said, "I'm not like my family."

Taria raised a eyebrow at him, doubting his words. "Sometimes," Tyrion grumbled.

Taria laughed and said, "I'll still like you even then because I know that you are not a monster."

"Where have you been all my life?"

Taria gave him her same soft smile that she always gave to him. "In the shadows, sewing and protecting."

Tyrion impulsively leaned over and kissed her plump soft lips. His hand cupping her jaw, his finger felt small and chubby on her skin. Taria let Tyrion kiss her for only a moment, wanting to know what he would do if given the chance. She heard that he was a monster and a lover of women, he was vile and cruel. He loved to laugh at the pain of others...those were the rumors she had heard. Yet as she let him kiss her, he wasn't any of those things.

Tyrion Lannister was a man and that was all. He liked to laugh, but not at the expense of others. He was a lover of women, but he wouldn't dare hurt them. He was vile when people hurt his family and cruel to those who laughed at him and mocked him. He was a monster to those who deserved it. That is what Taria saw then and she wanted to kick herself for doubting him and his kindness.

She'd seen false kindness many times before and she had to know if his was true.

So Taria pulled away and whispered, "Why did you kiss me?"

"Because you have shown me kindness," Tyrion said honestly and let started to walk away from her. "Oh, just to let you know, Taria, the Stark boy-the eldest one, Roy-"

"Robb," she corrected with a smirk.

"Yes, he's been following you for some reason. I think he likes you. I spotted him in the bushes awhile ago. Who knew the Starks were perverts?!"

Taria couldn't help, but laugh at the last sentence that Tyrion called out loudly behind him. Tyrion pointed to the bush behind her beside the tree and mouthed before he left, "He's in there."

Taria stood up and quietly walked over to the large bush and pushed them aside to reveal a crouching Robb staring back at her, the heir to Winterfell and of House Stark. Taria put her hand on her hip and asked, "Didn't your lady mother teach you any manners? And they say we lowborns have none?"

Robb stood up quickly and hastily told her, "I never meant to eavesdrop nor follow you. I wanted to only return your book."

Taria stared at him in confusion as he took the large book out from his bag on the ground and handed it to her. She took it and ran her fingers over the golden words that seemed to haunt her now, The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms. Taria held the book close to her chest, thinking it would be gone forever if she let it out of her sight again. It was the last piece of the puzzle that Jon Arryn had before his death.

She's stolen it from Grand Maester Pycelle while he was asleep after a night with a woman.

Taria smiled at him and said, "Thank you. This means a lot to me."

"Why are you reading that?"

"I like to read," she replied gently. "Is that a problem?"

"Are you always this way?"

"What way, my lord?"

"Cold," he immediately said back to her which surprised Taria the most because no one had ever said that she had a cold demeanor. "You seem kind, but then you turn cold."

Taria frowned. "I've lost a friend. Lord Arryn was the only kind person I've ever known in my entire life especially where I come from."

"The North, we're not like them," Robb insisted with a hopeful expression that made her smile at him.

"I hope so. If not then why live in this world if there is no ounce of kindness in it?" Taria responded, trying to lift her own spirits in spite of everything.

"You are only miserable because of yourself," Robb told her. "We make our own fate."

Taria rolled her eyes. "That's what everyone keeps telling me."

"Why do you work for the queen if you are miserable?"

Taria glanced around and said, "Who-"

"Lord Tyrion was talking about you being forced into her service and you did it to protect your brother," Robb explained. "I can help you."

"You're sweet, Robb Stark," Taria began. "But you are a greenboy who knows nothing of the world I am forced to live in because I have no money or power. You cannot help me, but I thank you, my lord, for returning something precious to me."

Taria turned to walk away, but was stopped by Robb's hand curled around her wrist pulling her back to him. "My apologies, Taria, I did not mean to offend you. What is the queen making you do?"

"I'm to spy on everyone for her," she whispered, a sad smile on her. Taria turned to him and let her forefinger gently graze his jaw. "Did you shave?"

Robb laughed. "I was forced to for the royal visit. Stop deflecting, Taria."

"I'm a spy for her, I have to obey her," she recited, trying to picture Robb with a beard. "She is my queen and I am her loyal servant. I must obey or she'll kill my brother."

Robb nodded. "What if I can help you get out of there?"

Taria knitted her brows in confusion as she questioned, "How? Why do you want to help me? What do you want from me?"

"I don't know."

"Don't know what to do, why you want to help, or what you want from me."

"How about all three," he joked with a boyish smile that caused her to raise an eyebrow at him. "You let me help you and all you give me in return is a dance tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes, everyone is invited to the feast."

Taria shook her head. "Not me. I will be staying in my room, reading and sewing. Besides I'm not one of those women who uses their bodies to get what they want."

"There you go again, assuming the worst of someone before you even know them," Robb exhaled angrily.

"Perhaps because I don't want to be disappointed when they fail me," she wondered aloud. "It wouldn't be the first time, my lord."

"I will earn your trust, Taria, I want you to know that you can trust me."

"You've only just met me," she reminded him with great interest. "Why are you so...determined?"

Robb moved a piece of her hair aside and told her, "I feel drawn to you."

"That doesn't really answer my question, but only furthers my curiosity."

"If you come to the feast tonight then I might tell you why," Robb said.

Taria realized then that perhaps he needed some time to sort out his feelings for her and he truly did not know why he felt the way he did towards our. He needed time to come up with an answer to her questions.

Taria didn't know why she was even bothering with him since these feelings that he felt for her could never happen as they are from different worlds.

He was the heir to a great house and the North itself.

She was only a seamstress and would inherit no lands or titles except the name of Waters.

TBC...

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS, FOLLOWS, AND FAVORITES! The next chapter is gonna be the end of episode 1 so yay! I hoped you guys liked this chapter.

REVIEW. FOLLOW. FAVORITE. Until next time...