Thank you for all your reviews so far
To Sceonn: Her Uncle King Robert has ordered her to move down South with him so she kind of has too unless someone can come up with a plan to get her out of the South. (Read Chapter below)
To HPuni101: I don't think anyone likes season 1 Sansa, I tried to write her as annoying as possible.
She didn't see much of the king or any of the royal family after the incident. The Starks and the Lannisters made sure to keep well out of each others way.
Then finally after a long and tiring final few days of non stop riding they reached King Landing.
Nieva could feel a single bead of sweat run down from her hair and down the back of her neck. She was glad she'd put her hair up into a braid or else no doubt it would have been soaked. Sweat stung her eyes and made her clothing uncomfortable as it stuck to her.
She had only been in the deep South a few days and she already hated the stuffiness of the city. It made her itchy and irritable. She was made for the harsh rain and cold winds of the North.
She rode alongside Jory, behind her Uncle Ned as they reached the Red Keep. It was not as big as she thought it was going to be, but it was still twice the size of Winterfell.
Her Uncle dismounted as one of the servants walked towards him.
"Welcome Lord Stark, Grand Maester Pycelle has called a meeting of the small counsel. The honour of your presence is requested and Lord Renly has also requested the presence of his niece Lady Stark" the servant said looking at where Nieva sat upon Frost.. Eddard turned back to face her and sighed as he nodded to her.
"Nieva, you come in with me. Septa, see the girls to their rooms. We'll be back in time for supper" Eddard said. "Jory you go with them"
Nieva only nodded as she dismounted her horse, giving the reins to one of the stable boys. She walked forward to stand beside her Uncle.
She followed him as he made his way into the Red Keep. Guards opened the double doors that she knew lead into the great hall. A twinge of fear mixed with excitement as the guards began to push the doors open.
Nieva's breath caught in her throat when her eyes finally fell upon it. The Iron Throne. It looked smaller than she imagined but was no less terrifying without anyone sitting on it.
It was then she remembered that this is the place where her Grandfather, Uncle and both her brothers were burned alive for their previous kings amusement. A sense of dread washed over her, no Stark that walked into this room had ever walked out alive, except her Uncle Ned.
"About time we had some stern northern leadership" she jumped when she heard the voice of Jaime Lannister speak up. She'd been so distracted by seeing the throne for the first time she hadn't even noticed him as he made his way towards them.
"Glad to see you're protecting the throne" Her uncle said.
"It's a sturdy old thing" Jaime shrugged. "How many kings arses have polished it I wonder. And what's the line, the king shits and the hand wipes" a smug smirk tugged at the Lannisters lips. A smirk Nieva would have happily slapped off if they were still in the north, but they weren't so she knew to keep her hands by her sides.
"Very handsome armour" her uncle ned aid. "Not a scratch on it"
"I know, people have been swinging at me for years they always seem to miss" Jaime grinned.
'Bet I wouldn't' Nieva thought as she glared towards the Lannister.
"You've chosen your opponents wisely then" Her uncle replied.
"I have a knack for it" Jaime said before his mood turned. "Must be strange for you coming into this room, I was standing right here when it happened" Nieva's stomach twisted with rage. "He was very brave your brother, your father too. They didn't deserve to die like that, no one deserves to die like that especially no one as young as little Brandon and Stefon" Nieva felt herself shaking with anger as he mentioned her brothers names.
"And you just stood there and watched?" Eddard hissed, his own anger seething.
"Five hundred men just stood there and watched, sure some turned when they brought the boys out to be burned, not everyone could bear to see the skin burning from a childs body" Nieva felt sick at the thought of what her brothers went through.. "All the great nights of the seven kingdoms you think anyone said a word, lifted a finger. No lord Stark, five hundred men and this room was silent as a crypt" Jaime Lannister sneered. "Except for the screams of course, and the mad king laughing. And then later, when I watched the mad king died, I remembered him laughing as those little boys burned, it felt like justice."
"Is that what you tell yourself at night? You're a servant of Justice" Ned sneered. "That you were avenging my family when you shoved your sword in Aerys Targaryens back"
"Tell me, if I stabbed the mad king in the belly instead of the back, would you admire me more?" Jaime asked.
"You served him well, when serving was safe" Ned replied before he took Nieva's hand and began to lead her away from Jaime. "Are you alright?" He asked noticing his niece had gone incredibly pale.
"I just don't like being in here" she breathed out trying to keep her nausea at bay.
"Well don't worry, hopefully you won't have to sit through the full meeting and can retire to your chambers" Ned smiled continuing to lead her to where the small council was being held.
They turned into a room where she saw a bald man wearing peculiar, brightly coloured clothing made from fabric she had never seen before, the man spoke to her uncle instantly. Then she noticed the familiar blue eyes that were identical to hers and a warm smile that made her face light up instantly.
"Uncle Renly" Nieva grinned letting go of her Uncle Neds hand as she rushed towards her uncle who stood from his chair with his arms open waiting for her embrace which she gave to him gladly.
"My beautiful niece, how you've grown" Renly smiled. "I cannot believe it has been almost seven years since I last saw you, you're practically a woman now"
"Isn't she just" another voice called from the other side of the table. Nieva looked over to see a man she did not recognize. "Hello Lady Stark, I am Lord Baelish. I knew your mother and father when they were alive. You are the image of your mother at your age"
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't remember you" she smiled apologetically.
"It's alright, you were but a babe last I saw you, only days old before..." She knew what he meant the moment Renly and the bald man whose name she discovered was Varys shot glares towards him. "Well let's just say it's nice to see you're well"
"Thank you lord Baelish" she smiled.
"You look tired from the road" Renly said towards her uncle Ned. "I told them this meeting could wait another day but..." Renly sighed before Baelish cut him off.
"But we have a kingdom to look after" her uncle Ned looked towards the smaller man in curiousity. "I've hope to meet you for some time lord stark, no doubt Lady Catelyn has mentioned me"
Nieva reeled back in shock, this man knew her aunt. "She has Lord Baelish, I understand you knew my brother Brandon as well" How did so many members of her family know this man yet she had never heard of him?"
Lord Baelish gave a small chuckle. "All too well, I still carry a token of his esteem from navel to collar bone"
Nieva winced she had never heard of anyone being sliced so badly and live to tell the tale. She smiled in thanks as Renly pulled out a chair for her to sit down.
"Perhaps you chose the wrong man to duel with" Ned smirked. She had heard of her Uncle Brandons talents on the training yard.
"Well it wasn't the man that I chose my lord. It was Catelyn Tully" Nieva felt the room grow tense as she stared up at her Uncle. "A woman worth fighting for, I'm sure you'll agree"
Nieva shifted her eyes to her Uncle Renly who just looked towards her with raised eyebrows almost causing her to start laughing.
"I humbly beg your pardon my lord Stark" Another voice caught her attention. She looked over to see an older man sitting at the opposite end of the table.
"Grand Maester" her Uncle Eddard smile giving a small bow to respect.
"How many years has it been?" The old man smiled. "You were a young man"
"And you served another king" Eddard smiled.
"Oh how forgetful of me" the old maester said as he reached into the pockets on his robes and pulled out something that Nieva raised herself to see until her Uncle placed it on the table and she saw it was the Hand of the King badge. "So Should we begin?"
"Without the king?" Eddard questioned.
"Winter may be coming but I'm afraid the same cannot be said for my brother" Renly smiled apologetically.
"His grace has many cares, he entrusts some small matters to us that we might lighten the load" Varys explained
"We are the lords of small matters here" Baelish smirked.
"Erm am I allowed to be here for this?" She asked her eyes glancing between Ned and Renly.
"Of course you are" Renly smiled as he handed her Uncle Ned a sealed parchment. "I wouldn't have sent for you if you weren't"
She carefully read over her Uncles shoulder as he opened the parchment.
"My brother instructs us to stage a tournament in honour of Lord Starks appointment as hand of the king" Renly explain.
Nieva suddenly perked up with excitement. She had never been to a southern tournament before, not like Robb or Jon.
"How much?" Lord Baelish asked.
"40 thousand gold dragons to the champion" Nievas eyes widened in shock. "20 thousand to the runner up, 20 thousand to the winning archer"
"80 thousand gold dragons" Nieva exclaimed loudly. She had never heard of anyone using such a mass sum of money.
"Can the treasury bear such expense?" Maester asked looking towards lord Baelish.
"I'll have to borrow but the Lannister will accommodate I expect, although we already owe Lord Tywin 3 millions gold, what's another eight thousand" the name Tywin Lannister made Nieva's blood curdle in fear, she had heard stories about the Lord of Casterly rock and knew he was not a man to be messed with.
"Are you telling me the crown is in three million debt?" Her Uncle Eddard snapped.
"I'm telling you the crown is six million in debt" Lord Baelish replied.
"How could he let this happen?" Ned asked.
"The master of coin finds the money and the King and the hand spend it" Baelish shrugged.
"I will not believe that Jon Arryn allowed Robert to bankrupt the realm" Ned said.
"Lord Arryn gave wise and fruitful advice but I'm afraid his grace doesn't always listen" Grand Maester explained.
'Now I know where I get it from' Nieva thought with an amused smile.
"Counting coppers he called it" Renly added.
"I'll speak with the King tomorrow, this tournament is an extravagance we cannot afford" Ned said rolling the scroll back up.
"As you will but still, we'd best make our plans" Baelish said.
"There will be no plans, until I speak with the King" Eddard replied using his 'Lord of Winterfell' voice that made Nieva wince as it echoed around the small room. He leaned forward and ran his hands down his face. "Forgive me my lords, I had a long ride"
'That's one reason' Nieva thought as she placed a comforting hand upon her Uncle's shoulder.
"You are the Kings hand Lord Stark, we serve at your pleasure" Varys smiled kindly
Nieva did not know why but there was something about that man that she did not like, the way he watched her every move as she turned from her Uncle Ned to speak to her Uncle Renly.
Every time her eyes met with his, it was as if he was trying to get inside her thoughts.
"Nieva, go up to our chambers, make sure Sansa and Arya have settled in. I'll go and try to speak with the King" Her Uncle Ned replied.
"But I don't know where..." She replied
"I'll take you" Renly smiled standing from his chair and offering his arm. "It would give us some time to talk"
"Thank you Uncle Renly" she smiled standing and linking her arm through his. "I hope to see you all again soon my lords" She smiled as she began to walk towards the door with her Uncle Renly.
Vary watched the young girl go with a smile. 'So this is the girl my little birds warned me about'
The sounds of Nieva's laughter echoed through the halls as her Uncle Renly continued to tell her a story of the time her mother threw an bowl of broth at her older brother Stannis.
"Honestly I swear to this day, our words were invented because of your mother" Renly chuckled.
"I did something similar once" Nieva laughed. "I threw an entire roasted boar at my cousin Robb"
Renly looked at her in shock and surprise as she giggled. "Did you hit him with it?"
"No, it hit my Uncle" Nieva giggled.
"Well I think it's safe to say, you are your mothers daughter" Renly laughed.
But her Uncles words only brought the Kings words to her the night of the incident back into her mind. "Uncle Robert doesn't seem to think so"
Renly let out a small sigh before he pulled Nieva to a stop. "What really happened on the Kings road?"
"Joffrey was being a cunt" Nieva replied.
"Mind your tongue, I'm still your Uncle" Renly said with a hint of authority in his voice. "Did you really bare your steel against him?"
"If I hadn't he would have cut Arya in two" Nieva replied.
"Gods Nieva, you don't make things easy do you" Renly sighed. "You're lucky Robert is your Uncle as well as the King or your head would be on a spike right now"
"That's what he said" Nieva said. "And I think the Queen would still love to see that happen"
"Well don't worry, she'll have to go through me first. You're my niece, my blood. I won't let anything happen to you" Renly smiled before he leaned down to kiss her forehead softly.
"Well isn't this touching" a voice caused both of them to jump slightly before the looked over to see Ser Jaime Lannister walking towards them.
"Shouldn't you be guarding my brother?" Renly snapped.
"Lord Stark is with him, I doubt any harm will befall him, mind you Starks may not be as loyal as they seem. After all one did attack the crowned Prince" Jaime said looking down at Nieva who only glared up towards him.
"You know that's not true" Nieva replied with a hint of a snarl.
"I don't know whose story to believe, yours or my nephews?" Jaime smirked. "But what I do know is you threatened my sisters son, a threat my sister will not take lightly. I'd watch my back if I were you"
"But you're not me Ser Jaime, and I'm not afraid of the queen" Nieva replied.
"So brave, yet so stupid" Jaime smiled. "If you'll both excuse me , I suppose I should be getting back to my post, good day to you Lord Renly, Lady Stark"
She could hear his armour clinking even as he got further and ruther away from them.
She looked up and noticed the worrying shade of her Uncles face and the terror in his eyes.
"Uncle Renly what's wrong?" Nieva asked.
"He's right Nieva, you need to leave" Renly said. "I'll talk with your Uncle Eddard and I'll provide a guard to see you out of Kings Landing tonight"
"What? But Uncle Renly the King has ordered me to stay with him in Kings Landing, I can't leave, I've just got here" Nieva said in sudden confusion and shock at her Uncles outburst.
"Nieva this is serious, you threatened the crowned Prince, the queen will not forget that and she will let it go until your head is upon the walls of this city. Go up to your chambers, they're the third door on the left at the top of those stairs, I need to speak with your Uncle Ned"
"But Uncle Renly I..."
"Go Nieva!" Renly shouted as he marched back down the corridor leaving her in a dazed and confused state. She had not realised she had caused so much trouble.
She frowned as she noticed a small little boy sitting at the end of the corridor playing with small wooden toy.
With huff she made her way towards the flight of stairs feeling the eyes of the little boy following her every step until she disappeared out of his sight up the stairs.
Nieva was beginning to wonder if her Uncle Renly had spoken to her Uncle Eddard as it had been almost four days and he still had said nothing to her. She had barely even seen her Uncle Renly since their conversation. She was sitting between Arya and Sansa eating supper, but the heat mixed with her exhaustion due to a vigorous training session with Jory had left her tired and nauseous which had made her appetite well and truly disappear. The tapping sound of the knife that Arya was repeatedly stabbing into the table was beginning to grate on her nerves as she felt a head ache building.
"Arya eat you food" Sept sighed.
"I'm practising" Arya snapped in reply causing Nieva to frown in confusion.
"Practising for what?" Sansa asked.
"The Prince" Arya replied still stabbing her knife into table.
"Arya Stark!" Septa Modane said as she and Nieva shared a worried look.
"He's a liar and a coward, he killed my friend!" Arya hissed her stabs upon the table becoming more violent.
"The hound killed your friend" Sansa spoke up.
"The hound does whatever the prince tells him to do" Arya argued back.
"You're an idiot" Sansa sneered.
"You're a liar and if you told the truth Mikah would still be alive!" Arya snapped before she stabbed the knife down inches from Sansa's dinner plate.
"Arya enough!" Nieva snapped grabbing the knife from table. "We're already in enough trouble with the King because of your hatred towards the Prince. Behave and stop acting like an animal!"
"Cutlery is for eating, not for weapons" The Septa as stood from her chair and forced Arya from her seat as the heavy boots of Ned Stark walked into the room.
"What's happening here?" Ned asked seeing Nieva place the knife down beside her own as Septa Mordane cleared away Arya's plate.
"Arya would rather act like a beast than a lady" Septa replied
Arya looked sheepishly up towards her father before she glanced as Nieva for back up but her older cousin only shook her head telling her she was in the wrong.
"Go to your room, we'll speak later" Ned said.
Arya turned and made her way towards where her new chambers were.
Nieva took over clearing away Arya's plate as Ned placed something down upon the table in front of Sansa. "That's for you love"
Nieva smiled towards her cousin as she poured the rest of Arya's cup of water into her own before she handed placed the plate upon the side.
"The same doll maker makes all of Princess Myrcella's toy" Ned smiled.
Nieva glanced over to see a doll with long golden hair, wearing a Northern dress
"You really think this is going to make me forgive you for killing Lady" Sansa hissed.
"Sansa!" Nieva snapped
"Don't you like it?" Ned asked
"I haven't played with dolls since I was eight!" Sansa snapped back glaring at her father.
"Sansa Stark, I'm warning you!" Nieva hissed.
"It's alright Nieva" Ned replied.
"May I be excused?" Sansa asked turning to Septa Mordane.
"But you've barely eaten a thing?" the septa replied.
"It's alright, go on" Ned sighed pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.
Nieva made sure to put the doll into Sansa's hands before the young teenager abandoned it upon the table.
"A lady always shows her gratitude, even if the offering does come from a foe" she hissed into Sansa's ear before the red haired Stark took off for her chambers, Septa Mordane following along behind her.
Nieva turned back to see her Uncle Ned now had his elbows upon the table with his head balanced in his hands. A small smile fell across her face as she grabbed the pitcher of wine from the side and brought it round to pour into Arya's now empty cup before she extended it out to her Uncle who looked up and took it in hand with a grateful smile.
"War was easier than daughters" Ned sighed before he gulped the wine as Nieva set the pitcher back down onto the table.
"Don't worry about it Uncle Ned, that's why you have me here" Nieva smiled putting a hand upon her uncles shoulder before she leaned down and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you" Ned smiled in thanks up at Nieva before his smile dropped and his eyes hardened.
"What is it?" Nieva frowned seeing the dramatic change in her Uncles behaviour.
"I want you to ride back to Winterfell first thing tomorrow" She frowned in surprise at her Uncle's honesty.
"Why?" She asked. "Have I done something wrong?"
"No of course not" Ned said moving forward to take her hands within his. "It is just that you are a girl of the North, you do not belong in the South. I need someone to help Robb take care of Winterfell"
"But Aunt Catelyn..."
"Has Rickon and Bran to look after, do you honestly expect her to care for Winterfell and disregard her own children"
"Of course I don't" she almost snapped at her uncle before she let out a long sigh. "I just dreamed of seeing the South, now I've only just got here and I have to leave again."
"I understand your disappointment but trust me, it will be much easier if you were back at Winterfell, much safer" Eddard relied
"You have spoken to my Uncle Renly" Nieva replied
"I never could hide anything from you could I" Ned smirked then nodded with sigh. "We both agree that it's too dangerous for you down here"
"You're worried about what the queen is going to do to me?" She said looking up at her Uncle with small smile.
"Yes, the way you spoke to her, the king and the prince was out of order" Ned said before he saw anger flashing in Nieva's eyes.
"They were out of order" Nieva snapped back.
"See there you go again" Ned sighed but his face still held a smile. "Your Northern temper will give you much trouble here"
"Aunt Catelyn told me that before we came here" Nieva smirked.
"Whatever you do, do not let your uncle know that you are leaving. He will want to stop you, I'll explain you absence when he asks, say you were asked to go and help your aunt with Rickon"
"What about Arya and Sansa?" Nieva asked.
"I'll take care of them. It's you that I'm worried about. The queen already saw you as a threat before you attacked Prince Joffrey" Ned admitted
"I didn't att..." Nieva hissed through gritted teeth
"I know that, but the king and queen still believe that you did" Ned replied. "Now go and get some sleep, you'll have a long ride tomorrow"
"Poor Frost, he'll probably collpase before I get back up to Winterfell" Nieva sighed. "Are you sure I can't wait a week or a few more days"
"Then there more opportunity for the queen to get to you, we need to have you out of here as quick as possible. The only reason why we didn't make you leave the second day we were here was because we needed a plan to distract your Uncle Robert and the Lannisters, now we have that plan" Eddard explained.
"But I just..."
"Nieva you're going tomorrow" Her Uncle used a tone that told her that there would be no more discussion between them, he had given her an order and now she must follow it.
"Yes Uncle Ned" Nieva replied before she made her way up the small set of stairs to her room.
Ned Stark's heart clenched in worry and fear. On one hand he was beyond proud of the strong, tactical woman he'd helped raise, but on the other hand he was terified that her fearlessness and her Northern temper would one day be her downfall.
*15 years earlier*
Ned stare down at the tiny babe in the cradle he'd had built for her, after he realised she and Jon were getting a bit big to be sharing the same one.
He could see barely any Stark in her features, but the moment she opened her eyes, it was all he saw.
His heart hurt in his chest as he thought of his little nephews, would they have looked more Stark than Baratheon. The last time he saw Brandon was when the boy was born, he'd never even had the chance to meet Stefon.
He thought of how his younger brother Edric had looked when he was younger. He had just past his 9th name day when his mother brought his little brother into the world, she'd almost died doing it. He remembered being in the training yard with Brandon and Benjen when his father brought the babe down for them to see. Lyanna had ran down from her lessons and had been besotted with him, they all had.
He remembered his reaction finding out that his brother and Jocelyn Baratheon were to be betrothed.
"Ned?" Catelyns voice came from the doorway. Ned turned his head towards her then when he saw her slightly shocked expression he quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and face. "Oh Ned" she said rushing forward to pull her husband into an embrace. "Never be ashamed of showing your pain in front of me, you've been so strong"
"I was just thinking about Brandon and Stefon, they were so little Cat. They didn't deserve that" Ned sniffed before he turned back to the cradle. "She doesn't deserve to not know her parents, or her brothers"
"The best way we can help them be remembered is by raising her to be the best person she can be" Catelyn smiled.
"I know you didn't want her coming here, but there's no one else Cat. I'm the only family she has left. I have to keep her here, I have to protect her" Ned sniffed, his eyes filling with tears once more.
"It's alright Ned, I understand. Forget what I said in the past, I was driven mad with grief and exhaustion" Catelyn smiled. "This is Nieva's home, this is where she belongs"
Please review and let me know what you think.