Robb,

Sansa's direwolf, Lady, is dead. Queen Cersei had her killed because Nymeria bit Joffrey. Nymeria and Icus had run away, which is why Lady had to die. It has been a day and I miss Icus already. Make sure Grey Wind, Shaggydog and Bran's direwolf are well looked after, for Arya, Sansa, and I. The South is looking much lonelier that I had anticipated.

I haven't talked much to the Kingslayer on our journey, but I expect that will change once we arrive in Kingslanding. There hasn't been much talk about the wedding, thank the Gods. I suppose I have Queen Cersei to thank for that, as she is the one to be planning it. I've been avoiding them as much as possible, and since I was attacked it seems they have been avoiding me.

The attack scared me a little, but I am perfectly fine. There is no need for you to worry, you know better than most that I am able to take care of myself. I am as much of a helpless maiden as you are, brother. Don't fret over me, you have enough to worry about as it is. Please.

Give mother, Bran, and Rickon my love for me. I promise to write more of what has happened once we arrive in Kingslanding.

Tori

Sealing the letter, Torrhen addressed it to Robb before handing it off to Jory Cassel, who promised that it would be delivered to her twin brother with the men who were escorting the corpse to Sansa's direwolf, Lady. Torrhen had wanted to write much more than that, but she had little time to write everything she wished to say to Robb. Instead, she quickly wrote out what she could, knowing that once they had arrived in Kingslanding, Torrhen could write out everything that had happened on their journey to the Red Keep.

It had been more than two moons that they had left Winterfell, which meant it had been two moons since Torrhen had had the chance to talk to someone who understands her. Talking with her sisters was hardly a fulfilling affair, since they were both too young to have an invigorating conversation with, and were always preoccupied with their own activities. Lord Stark was far too busy with more important matters to stay and have more than a short, tired conversation while they all dined together at dusk. No one else could hold a discussion the same way Robb could. The Stark twins spent hours of their time sitting together debating numerous different subject, and talking inquisitively about other topics. Although most around Winterfell preferred the latter, as their debates often became too loud, and usually ended with an intervention of a third party; most often it was Jon who came along to tell them to be quiet. Torrhen sorely missed her brothers and the antics they managed to get up to for such high born children.

Before the King and his Court had come north to Winterfell, there was only one time in her life that Torrhen had felt this cheerless, and that had been years ago when she was a young girl. That time had passed, and Torrhen had been able to find the happy carelessness that children possessed. Before Sansa's direwolf had been forced to die, both of Torrhen's younger sisters had had the same disposition. Though, Arya was much careless than Sansa could ever dream to be. Still, both were relatively happy, and the arrival of the Royal Court was another adventure to experience. Torrhen had felt her happiness start to slip away when it was announced that she was to marry the Kingslayer. Icus, and her family had been two of the few things that could make Torrhen genuinely smile. The death of Lady had put an abrupt end to both of those things.

With the absence of their direwolves, the road to Kingslanding had become much more desolate than it had ever been before. When Torrhen had Icus constantly in her company, travelling to the Red Keep had become an exciting experience that Torrhen could share with her twin back in Winterfell. The picturesque landscape seemed to stretch endlessly, and was something different to look at than riding around in the Wolfswood. The landscape surrounding Winterfell was less vibrant than the landscape the Kings Road provided. The absence of cold had allowed for much more colour to grow throughout the land. Although Winterfell did have its own share of colourful plants, the summer snow had settled over everything, leaving only the pure, blindingly white snow.

The only good thing to come out of this entire ordeal was the Kingslayer had become preoccupied with his duties as a member of the Kingsguard to come and bother her. To which she was grateful for. Dealing with Jaime Lannister as well as dealing with the loss of the direwolves, and the melancholic behaviour of her sisters would be too much for Torrhen to deal with. Especially with the loss of her direwolves, Torrhen wouldn't be able to control her anger at his fraudulent sympathy and smug expressions. And Torrhen couldn't afford to let her temper get the better of her, it was better to avoid him altogether and only speak when absolutely necessary. She anticipated arriving at Kingslanding after travelling for so long, but at the same time dreaded when they finally arrived, as it would mean the beginning of the planning of her wedding to the Kingslayer, and a step closer to being stuck with him forever.

The arrival to Kingslanding was far less joyful, and more tiring that what was expected. It was almost as if everyone had run out of energy as soon as they walked through the gates. They had come through the back gates, being told that there would be less people to pass through, specifically for the Queen and her overly large carriage house. However, as they passed through the gates, Torrhen was overwhelmed by the amount of people bustling around inside.

Torrhen sat with her sisters, and their Septa, taking in their surroundings as they slowly rolled in through the gates. There was almost too much happening for Torrhen to comprehend. People shuffled around in the streets, bumping into one another as they moved out of the way for their particularly large travelling party. She spotted children running through the streets, dodging and weaving between everyone taller than them. Merchants and customers alike shouted at each other, trying to be heard over everyone else who was also yelling. The smell was something Torrhen hadn't expected at all. Everyone talks about the beauty and vibrancy of Kingslanding, but no one ever said that it smelled like the privy after one of her brothers had been in it. Torrhen scrunched her nose at the smell, and desperately wished she was back in Winterfell.

"Take the girls inside, and look after them," the new Hand of the King told his daughters Septa.

"Where are you going?" Torrhen asked her father, as all three girls looked to their father.

"I have a meeting to attend to, I'll be back by supper," he informed, trying not to think about his duties ahead.

"Already? We just got here?" Torrhen let slip. She hadn't meant to say that, it made her sound like her younger sisters, and she wasn't supposed to be. She was the oldest out of the three of them, she is supposed to be the responsible one.

"I have my duties," Lord Stark told his daughter. "I will be back by supper."

With that, the Warden of the North trotted away on his horse. Torrhen and her sisters were led away to continue their journey to the Red Keep.

There was a flurry of activity as the three Northern girls were all taken to the Tower of the Hand where they were to stay with their father. It had taken a while to get all their things up into the rooms where they slept as there were a lot of steps to climb with their trunks. As Torrhen followed her trunk to the chamber she was to stay in, Sansa was behind her claiming that both of them should be staying in the Maidenvault instead since they were both betrothed. Arya retorted that Sansa wasn't old enough to stay in the Maidenvault, which sparked an argument between the two younger Stark girls. Their Septa had intervened at this point, attempting to calm Sansa whose yelling had become borderline hysterical, whilst simultaneously scolding Arya for starting the fight. Torrhen at this point had the beginning of a headache, as the dull ache had begun to set in behind her eyelids. In order to stop the fight before it made her headache worse, she pushed both her sisters into their own chambers and closed the doors, telling them she wasn't letting them out till they had both calmed down. More yelling ensured. Arya tried pulling her door open, but Torrhen held it closed, sighing and rubbing her temple.

"I don't think this is the proper way to deal with your sisters," Septa Mordane observed sounding unimpressed.

"But they are dealt with," Torrhen countered.

The septa frowned at Torrhen, obviously unhappy with the way Sansa and Arya were dealt with but didn't say a word more. After all, both girls were quiet in their rooms, which was a good thing for Torrhen since she didn't have to listen to her sisters bicker anymore. She'd done enough of that on the road here, now that they were finally in one place, she could escape whenever the two became unruly. Maybe now that they were in one place, they'd probably go off and do their own thing. Sansa going to dine with the other ladies in court, fitting right in with all her courtesies, and Arya would probably go off exploring.

Torrhen was unsure what she would do now that they were here in Kingslanding. Joining the other ladies seemed like a dull affair. She hadn't spared them a glance since she was attacked on the King's Road, not wanting to listen to them go on about how brave it was for Ser Jaime to rescue her, and how he was gallant knight for rescuing his betrothed, and how utterly romantic the situation was. She lied and said that he had saved her, but her lies would lose effect if she was asked anymore questions.

With a sigh, Torrhen left the septa and returned to her own chambers where she began to unpack her own things. The room around her was made from a sandy coloured stone that mirrored the sunny sky that shined through her open window. However, touching the wall, it didn't hold the same warmth that the walls in the castle of Winterfell had. Her room was rather bare, with a bed in one corner, a desk near the window and chest for her to put her things in. At Winterfell, her room had many things of hers, things she'd made, thing her and her siblings had made, things they had collected.

Sitting heavily on the bed in the room, Torrhen realised she was painfully homesick. She'd never left Winterfell before, and even though she had her sisters and her father, it still wasn't the same. She longed to be back in the North, riding around the Wolfswood with Robb and Jon. She missed playing in the snow with her siblings. She wished to sit by the fire, practicing her needle work with her sisters while her mother sang. It seemed like she spent most of her days reminiscing about her home, since she knew it would be a long time before she got to it again.

Torrhen would be a married woman the next time she saw Winterfell. She hoped that the Kingslayer would let her visit after they are married.

At the thought of being married to the Kingslayer, Torrhen flopped backwards onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. She wondered how long it would be before they were to be married. Sansa was lucky in her betrothal, as she was still young and had yet to flower, so Torrhen guessed it would be some years before even the planning of that marriage. It would be sooner for Torrhen as she was already a woman flowered, and overdue for marriage in the eyes of some. Still, preparations had to be made, and her betrothed in question had yet to be released from his duty as a member of the Kingsguard.

She thought idly of the Jaime Lannister and his involvement in the Kingsguard. He was the youngest man to ever join the Kingsguard, giving up his title as lord, and inheritance to Casterly Rock. The Lion of Lannister even managed to stay within the ranks of Kingsguard after he murdered the Mad King. Now, he would be the only man to have been released from the Kingsguard before death could claim him. Bitterly, Torrhen hoped death would claim the Kingslayer before they were to be married.

A small part of Torrhen envied him, though. Joining the Kingsguard to protect the King, and coincidentally being able to be in the same vicinity as his twin. Robb would never be able to do that, nor would he. Torrhen knew her twin, and knew that he could never give up his responsibilities as heir to Winterfell as easily as Jaime Lannister did. Not that he would ever want to give up being heir of Winterfell to protect a king. If a king couldn't protect himself, he was not fit to be king, Torrhen could hear Robb saying.

Torrhen missed Robb. Not having him around after being practically inseparable for their entire life felt unnatural. Having her direwolf, Icus, around at least made it bearable. However, since she had been forced to give up that part of her, Torrhen just felt sad all the time. And she knew her sisters were the same too. They would fight now worse than before, and she knew they were just taking out their frustrations and pain of losing their direwolves on each other.

Thinking of the dead and missing direwolves, Torrhen found that she couldn't stand to wallow by herself in her bedchambers. There was still some hours before the sun would set, which gave Torrhen some time to wander the Red Keep, since they were escorted straight to the Tower of the Hand.

"Septa?" Torrhen called out, stepping out of her bed chambers.

"Yes, Torrhen?" their Septa approached Torrhen, looking concerned. "Did you need help unpacking? I was just about to help Arya; the Mother knows that she won't do it herself."

Smiling, Torrhen shook her head. "No, I was just going to tell you that I'm going for a walk."

The Septa frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea, why don't you go tomorrow after we've all settled?"

"I'm already settled; I want to go for a walk. Don't worry, I'll take an escort."

With that, Torrhen moved to walk out the door, the Northern soldier who stood there guarding it silently following her out. She didn't know his name, since she'd never really had the need for a guard to follow her around, so there had never been any reason to get to know her father's soldiers. Winterfell had always been a safe place for her, even while they were travelling she didn't travel with an escort, as her direwolf was all the protection she needed. However, since Torrhen was attacked on the Kingsroad, and since her direwolf had left her, her father had ordered his men to accompany the girls should they wander off alone.

This slightly irritated Torrhen, who wanted to remind her father that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but she stayed silent instead. The logical part of her understood that it was to ease her father's worry about his daughters. Even Arya managed not to fight with their father about it. Torrhen guessed that she had been feeling lonely since Nymeria had left and her friend, Mycah had been killed. Even though they were only guards to protect the three Stark daughters, they were better than having no one around at all.

"Is there anywhere in particular you are heading to, m'lady?" the soldier asked as he shadowed her.

"Not really," Torrhen sighed. "I just wanted to get out of there."

"I don't blame you," the soldier admitted, making Torrhen turn back at him with a perplexed expression. "Sometimes the young ladies can be a bit much, especially these days."

Torrhen couldn't help but smile sadly. Ever since their direwolves had left their company, it had been difficult for Arya and Sansa to sit in the same room together. Both girls blaming each other for what had happened, and were still hurting for losing their closest companions. Torrhen was hurting too, and never held it against her sisters. She couldn't do that to them, and instead opted to try and keep the peace between them, which proved to be a very difficult task as both of them were just as stubborn as each other.

"It will pass, they are hurting after what happened, but they will get over it now that we're in Kingslanding."

"What about you, m'lady? Will you be alright?"

No, was Torrhen's first thought. She didn't think she would ever be the same person she was when she left, and she was still trying to figure out if that was a bad thing or not. Even though she was in the South, and the sun shined endlessly, reflecting off the ocean making it glimmer prettily, Torrhen's days seemed dull and dreary.

She was lonely.

There was nothing that she looked forward to anymore, or even seemed to enjoy. All the activities that she actually liked to do had been taken away from her, and she was left with the task of acting like a lady. The only things left to do were to mindlessly chatter, and drink tea, and sing, and all those other things that were too simple of a task to actually enjoy. Torrhen forced her way through it, hoping that it was because she was missing Winterfell and the other half of her family. She had hoped that she could be like her mother and adjust to the South. That idea, however, seemed like it was just a dream. With nothing to look forward to, how can Torrhen possibly continue to enjoy her life?

"I sincerely hope so, Ser."

The solider behind her laughed. "I am no Ser."

"Then what are you?"

The soldier that was escorting had opted for walking next to her, instead of just shadowing her. He was still wearing his helmet, perhaps preferring to remain anonymous. He couldn't hide his smile, though, Torrhen could hear it when he spoke, and she vaguely wondered what he was so please about.

"Nothing but a man doing as he should."

Furrowing her eyebrows at his strange answer, Torrhen decided not to think too much about it. Her head still ached a little from her sisters fighting earlier in the day. Her escort stayed silent after that, dropping back to follow behind Torrhen once again as she walked, falling back into his duties. With nothing else to say or do, Torrhen had chosen to find their Godswood, hoping to find solace there.

lmao time for the yearly update. yeah sorry this is more of a filler than anything else, but hopefully you won't have to wait a year for the next update. please leave a review and tell what you think. Also I am aware that Torrhen is a male name in asoiaf, but it serves a ~symbolic~ purpose that will make sense at some point. Besides, gendered names mean nothing to me and I like the name Torrhen.