Queen of The North

Chapter Thirteen.

The feast was already in full swing and Lyanna took a moment to let her hair down, not literally of course because if her mother saw her even trying to undo the stupid braid that she had forced her hair in then there would be hell to pay. She was currently sitting with her mother and the queen and was trying to seem interested in whatever her mother was saying but the queen didn't seemed interested so she didn't know why she should try.

The hall was alive with singing and music and laughter, ale flowed and there was enough food on the tables to feed all the north a thousand times over, the King and her father were sitting at was one of the loudest. It honestly quite a strange sight to see her father seeming to enjoy himself so much, most feasts he still acted as the high lord.

Perhaps this was because Robert was his friend and thus he found it easier to unwind around him, even so her father was nothing compared to the King who currently had his head buried in the large cleavage of one of the severing wrenches who was currently giggling delightedly, more than likely thrilled to have the king pay her such special attention.

"She'll have a bastard in her belly coming morning if she isn't careful." Lyanna thought as she stared at the woman, she could see that her mother and the Queen were starring at the woman as well and the queen was clearly furious at what she was seeing.

The queen turned to look at her and suddenly smiled grimly. "You're very beautiful Lady Lyanna."

"Thank you, your grace. That is very kind of you to say." Lyanna said with a gentle smile while keeping her guard up, the woman clearly hated her and she knew why, it must've been hard to be sitting next to a girl who not only had the same name as the woman who your husband continued to love even after her death but also looked so much like her as well.

"I've been told that you are a great deal like your late Aunt in more than just manner, you're said to be as beautiful as she is as well." Cersei said with a small smile as she reached out a brushed a lock of Lyanna's hair behind her ear. "You are so beautiful, how old are you now?"

"Nine and ten, your grace." Lyanna answered, she was surprised by how the queen was acting towards her. It could be an act but it seemed as through the queen wasn't as angry or mistrustful as she had expected her to be.

"Maybe Robert is isn't the royal you should be trying to curry favour with." Her thoughts whispered to her and it took all Lyanna had to not let out a very unlady like laugh, the queen would no doubt be offended and her mother would be angry and she didn't have the time or the willingness to deal with it.

"Nine and ten? And you haven't been married or betrothed? How odd, I was betrothed to Prince Rhaegar when I was only four and ten." Cersei smiled and Lyanna felt something crawl up her back. "Perhaps Robert and your father could arrange a betrothal between you and Joffery, he's mentioned that he finds you extremely beautiful."

"Really? I wouldn't have guessed." Lyanna thought dryly, she wasn't complaining by any means, she had only spoken a few words to the prince and he seemed like a complete and utter arse. She didn't see why any woman would want to be with him, he wasn't even that good looking.

Which made Lyanna dread for Sansa, the girl thought that life was nothing but a song where all princes were handsome and gallant and kind, for the past month ever since they were told that the royal family had been coming Sansa had been gushing about how much she would love to go to King's Landing and how much she hoped that the prince would notice her and they would marry and have hordes of beautiful children and they would live happily ever after.

The girl had no idea how life really worked.

Speaking of Sansa, she was now walking over to the table where Lyanna, the queen and their mother were sitting, she was smiling bashfully. The girl was clearly nervous about being seen by the queen, a woman who she thought embodied everything that she wanted to be.

If Sansa had actually been the one spending time with the woman then Lyanna got the thought that her sister would be quite as thrilled with her. Lyanna sighed softly and picked up her goblet of wine, she would prefer ale but her

"Well, hello little dove." Cersei said sweetly, sickly like treacle. "Such a beautiful dress, and such pretty hair."

"Thank you your grace." Sansa said as a blush that perfectly matched her hair coloured her face. "I would so love to come with you to the capital, I have heard so many stories."

"Indeed, tell me little dove, have you bleed yet?" The question made Lyanna swallow down the ale in her mouth, going down the wrong hole making her splutter and cough. She thumped her hand on her chest to try and clear the ale as her mother and the queen stared at her disapprovingly.

Jesus, were all southerners so open about that sort of thing? Her mother told her it was nothing to be ashamed off and it just meant she was becoming a woman and that if she any questions then she only had to ask her but they never talked about it in front of other people, it might not be something to be ashamed off but it always struck her as something private.

Sansa seemed awkward about it as well, her blush deepened but now it seemed to one of embarrassment instead of admiration. "I...no, Your grace."

"I see, well, it won't be much longer. Such a pretty dress, did you make it?" Sansa nodded excitedly, her embarrassment forgotten, clearly showing pride in her work. "Lovely, you must make something for me."

Sansa's smile brightened and she curtsied before heading back to her table, sitting back down next to Jenye who began to babble at her excitedly.

"One way or another, it looks as if we will be sharing a grandchild soon." The queen said and Lyanna nearly let her mug slip out of her hands, it was really happening. Someone was going to get betrothed to the prince, it wasn't going to be her. She would burn the entire kingdom down first!

"Mother, may I please step outside for a moment? I need some fresh air." Her mother clearly looked upset at her daughter for wanting to leave when they were in the middle of entertaining the queen but she also clearly didn't want to fight with her in front of the queen so she simply nodded.

Lyanna stood from her set and left the great hall, remembering to curtsey to Cersei before she did, she hurried out as she did not want her father or Robb or Theon to see her leaving. Her father would try and stop her because he didn't want her to be rude to the king, queen and her mother.

Robb would try and stop her because he liked to see her squirm, he would want to see her uncomfortable and Theon would try and stop her because while he wasn't stupid enough to try anything in front of her father but that wouldn't stop him from saying a great deal of unsavoury things to her.

Thankfully she managed to make it out of the hall without incident or anyone seeing her, she walked through the stone corridors and made her way to the courtyard. As soon as she stepped into the dark, open space she took in a deep breath and her filled her lungs with the cool, crisp air.

Lyanna didn't know why her mother always complained that it was too cold and always spent her time inside, she loved the cold and how it made her feel. The way the cold air made her shiver, how it made her come over in Goosebumps and made a strange feeling go up her spine.

It made her feel alive.

When she heard two voices laughing she turned her head to see where it was coming from, one of the voice's belonged to Jon who had his arms thrown around another man who seemed to be an inch taller than him with long dark hair. She couldn't place his voice or face for a moment but then it hit.

"Uncle Benjen!" Lyanna shouted and ran to the two men, the slightly taller man let go of Jon and his bearded face broke out into a smile as he saw his niece running towards him, he held out his arms wide and was nearly tackled to the ground by his niece who threw herself into his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Lyanna said with a laugh as she tightened her hold on her uncle.

"I'm here to see your father little wolf, is he inside?" Lyanna nodded and Benjen patted her on the back before walking past her, leaving her and Jon on there own as a servant ran up to take Benjen's horse to the stables.

"What were you and uncle Benjen talking about?" Lyanna asked her brother as she followed him into the covered area which held Winterfell's forges, sitting down on a wooden bench.

Jon sighed before sitting down next to his older sister. "About...me becoming a ranger of the Night's watch."

Lyanna felt her breath catching in her throat, the ice cold air stabbing her throat. She always knew that Jon wouldn't be able to stay forever, as a Bastard he wouldn't be able to inherit anything and he couldn't rule a holdfast either, the Wall was the best he could ever hope for. There was honour in serving in the watch.

But even so...the fact of Jon leaving felt like a dagger was being stabbed into her heart, he was her little brother and he had been the first one she loved. She didn't want him to go, she needed him here.

"Don't leave me here, don't leave me on my own." Lyanna said trying to hold back her tears and keep her voice strong, through going by the softening in his dark brown eyes she knew that she wasn't doing a good job. "I need you here, you don't have to go."

"There's nothing for me to do here, your mother hates me and sometimes I don't feel safe going to sleep if she's gone to bed in a bad mood." Jon said with a sigh and shook his head. "You've heard all the stories of the night's watch, there's great honour in severing it as a ranger and-

"And almost all the men of the watch are thieves and rapers who would rather choose to serve a slow death than face their punishment!" Lyanna shouted. "There is honour but how many men of the watch care about honur? Don't you remember the story of Brave Danny Flint? That shows what they are."

"Maybe I can make it better! And it doesn't matter if I can't I'll serve because it is the right thing to do, sister you won't change my mind. I'm going." Jon said firmly, looking far too much like their father for a moment.

"You don't have to go." Lyanna repeated. "Robb will be serving as Lord when Father, Sansa, Arya and I go south, assuming that I don't get out of it, and he wouldn't make you go. Whatever our differences we both love you."

"I know you do and I love the both of you so much, but I have to go. I need to find a place for me and as much as I wish it was different I know that I don't belong in Winterfell." Jon sighed and stood up, he walked over to a wooden table and picked up a pitcher of ale. "Drink with me, we're leaving in a few days might as well have another good memories to add to the pile."

"We don't have any cups." Lyanna said quietly as she wiped the tears from her face.

"Cups? What kind of girl of the north are you?" Jon said and he smiled as Lyanna laughed.

And so, for what seemed like hours the two siblings just sat there, drinking and staring up into the night sky.

End of Chapter Thirteen

Please review, favourite and follow. This was going to be a longer chapter but I really liked where the one ended so yeah.