I paced around my room in Winterfell, struggling to pack lightly for the trip ahead. My pack had a warm dress and a light cloak wrapped tightly into a bundle, making plenty of room for everything else I could possibly need, but the problem was that I had no idea what I could possibly need for a trip to the capital considering I had never even been there.

Right when I had gotten back from Winter Town, I could sense that something was different. Robb had wasted no time approaching me and filling me in on the small meeting that had occurred soon after I had left.

"My mother is leaving for King's Landing this afternoon," Robb explained to me from where we sat in the Great Hall. "To tell Father about what happened to Bran. She doesn't trust a raven with this news and neither do I." He paused and heaved a sigh. "Ser Rodrik will be going with her, and I want you to go as well."

I immediately opened my mouth to protest but Robb cut me off. "Please don't argue with me, Laena. Mother shouldn't be traveling that far with only one knight accompanying her; I want you there too so that you can help Ser Rodrik protecting her."

My first thought was that I was sure that Catelyn would just love the thought of traveling down to King's Landing with me for company. My second thought was of Violet, who I would have to go visit before we left. My last thought was of my two younger half sisters and my pig farming mother, who would be expecting me to drop off rations next month.

I narrowed my eyes at Robb. "Fine. I'll go, but I want you to promise me something, Robb. My younger sisters, Terran and Meg, they need work and I want you to bring them here to the castle to work. Don't ask why, Robb! They can clean or help in the kitchens; Seven Hells I think they'd be able to work in the stables or kennels. I don't care what job you give them just give them something please."

Robb listened to me with an unknown expression on his face. When I finished, he sighed heavily and said, "I'll see what I can do, Laena. I can't promise you anything though."

"Thank you for trying though," I said, smiling wide at him and feeling affection for my friend well up in my chest. Robb smiled warmly back, and I couldn't help but think that he'd be a great lord of Winterfell one day.

Now I was struggling to pack. I rushed to my window and looked out of it, checking the sun's position. Lady Catelyn and Ser Rodrik wanted to leave Winterfell as soon as the sun was in the center of the sky. The sun was getting painfully close to that point.

I huffed a sigh and started to throw the clothes that would be better for warmer weather into the bag, winding them up and packing them with ease. Once I had clothes, I threw in a bunch of artifacts I might need, including my sack of saved up money. I deemed myself packed up and started to leave my room, but some feeling stopped me at the door.

I turned and looked around the room I had been living in all of my life. The small room was mostly taken up by the huge bed, warm with quilts and furs. I remember being five years old and being ecstatic that Lord Ned Stark had found me this huge bed for me to grow into. I had hidden in here during games with much younger versions of Robb, Theon, and Jon. I had practiced stitching and needle work in this room. I had cried in here when I had been young and my feelings were still easily hurt by Catelyn. I remember being eleven and being very confused about having a crush on the blond girl who lived in Winter Town. I had spent my most private moments of my life in this room, it was my favorite place in the entire castle.

And some weird instinct was telling me that I wouldn't see it again for a very long time.

Dust was waiting for me in the stables and I quickly saddled him up and mounted my horse. As I rode my horse towards the gate, Ser Rodrik, coming out of the armory, stopped and confronted me as to where I was going. "I have something to do in town before we go. You and Lady Stark start without me; I'll catch up as soon as I'm done."

Ser Rodrik sighed. "Alright, Helaena. Be sure to catch up before dark." I promised that I will and rode Dust to the gate. I was almost in the clear when Theon sped walked towards me. I huffed a sigh dramatically and stopped my horse as the guards opened the gate for me.

Theon stopped right beside Dust and me. "Whatever happened to you not leaving anymore?"

I snorted. "Sorry, Theon. Apparently Lady Catelyn needs me more than you do."

"You don't know how much I need you, Lady Snow." Theon said in a low voice. I blinked at him, and the older boy looked away from me and towards the town. "Well, if you happen to run into any Lannisters, give them a good right hook for me, Lady Snow."

"Anything for you, Greyjoy." I said. Theon blinked at that but didn't turn to look at me. I looked away from him and gently poked Dust's sides with my heels. Dust started to walk away, leaving Theon behind. I looked around at him and he met my gaze for a moment. "See you when I see you, Greyjoy."

Theon didn't say anything else to me as I passed the gate, but right before I turned away to face forward, I could've sworn that I saw him smile at my back.

The whorehouse of Winter Town was just about three miles north of the town. The whores themselves often went into town for goods, which explained why I saw Ros earlier today. I rode Dust into the attached stable and carried my loaded pack with me into the whorehouse itself; there were too many thieves around her and I didn't want all of my stuff to be stolen before I started for King's Landing.

A tidal wave of perfume attacked my nose the moment I stepped into the brothel. My eyes started to water and my nose wrinkled up and I quickly rubbed it away. I recognized Pearl whispering into a client's ear, topless despite the chill outside. She caught me looking at her and her eyes narrowed cruelly. I mouthed Violet's name to her and Pearl jerked her head subtly to the stairs heading to the second floor.

It took me two minutes to climb the stairs to Violet's room; I was giving her time in case she was with a client right now. I paused outside of her door and didn't hear anything going on in there, so I knocked twice and entered.

I had lost count of the times I had come into this room, as Violet was the only whore near Winterfell who was even interested in other women. The fact was pretty much a secret and it had taken Theon dragging me here for Violet to introduce herself and for this secret affair of ours to start.

Violet was beautiful with long brunette hair that reached her waist and bright green eyes that felt like they were staring into my soul. She was the only person, man or woman, who I had ever been with in bed, and she completely accepted my conflicting romantic interests. One time when I had asked her if she ever felt conflicted the way I did, she had hesitated before shaking her head.

"I've only ever had eyes for women, but that doesn't stop me from pleasing men when they come knocking on my door." Violet had told me. I had blinked, feeling even more confused than ever. But Violet had leaned forward and kissed me deeply, chasing my thoughts far away.

I had just sat my pack down onto the comfy chair in the corner of the room when Violet entered from her private powder room. I found myself feeling my stomach squirm as it always did whenever I saw her, and she crossed the room in about five steps and she pressed her mouth against mine. I closed my eyes tightly and kissed her back, my hands instantly finding their way into her long and soft hair. But then Violet pulled away and I was left swaying, feeling as though someone had knocked me upside the head.

Violet stared at me with those big green eyes. "Where have you been, Laeney?" She asked, using the pet name she had given me on my first visit. "I haven't seen you since the king came to visit. Wait, he didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, he didn't," I told her, scanning her face and trying to memorize the tiny amount of freckles she had on her cheekbones. "I came to tell you something, Violet. I have to go to for a while; it's going to be a while before I can come again."

"Where are you going?" Violet asked, finally looking behind me to my pack.

I hesitated before settling on, "I don't think I can tell you."

Violet looked at me with what could've been hurt in her eyes. "Are you going to live with your father? Is that why you're leaving?"

"No, I'll be back but just not for a long while." I said, starting to feel frustration. "I can't explain it but you have to trust me when I say that I'll be coming back when I get back here. I came to say goodbye for now." There was a tense moment of silence in which Violet just stared at me. I shifted my feet and opened my mouth to say something else, but Violet cut me off by kissing me again.

When we separated again, Violet said. "Stay with me for a while, Laeney. Free of charge, I promise."

"That seems really bad for business."

"If you really think that I'm still fucking you for business reasons only," Violet said, her voice getting lower in what I knew was her seductive voice. "Then you're the stupidest lady I've ever met."

I wanted to correct her and say that I wasn't a lady, but she was already untying the strings to the pants I was wearing, so I shut my mouth and tried not to think about the long road ahead.