++x++

Ashara Dayne IX

Winterfell, North, Year 281 AC

Ashara woke up quite late in the morning…it was not usual for her to sleep until past midday but she had been quite tired when she went to bed the day before. And said bed was so cozy and warm that she couldn't resist it.

Ned told her a few times about the hot springs that ran beneath Winterfell and warmed the castle, yet in her naivety, she didn't quite think it would be this warm…

She had to admit that Winterfell did nothing but amaze her, and she had arrived a day ago! To begin, it was a huge castle, bigger than all the other castles she had seen during her life beside Harrenhal. Then there was the deep snow that covered its large and ancient grey walls all white, it was a beautiful sight for someone whose first memories of snow came in these past three moons of traveling.

Another thing she liked was that the people in the castle were so nice to her, even with her being southern and Dornish…She didn't quite know if it was because of her beauty or because the Starks seemed happy around her or if all the Northerners were just nice and kind people, but what she knew for certain, was that it was a pleasant change from the airs of the Red Keep, Dragonstone and Harrenhal.

And of course, she was very excited because Lord Stark allowed for her marriage with Ned and now she couldn't wait for it to happen. Maybe that was the reason that was making her love Winterfell so much.

If Ashara was to return in time and explain to her three moons ago self that she was marrying so very soon, she was quite sure that she would have been mocked by her past self. She had indeed come a long way from a woman disappointed with men and with love in general to this woman that was once again in love and to be married…Life does take some interesting turns sometimes…

And she was quite thankful for her family to be too, she could wish for better people, Lyanna was nice and unique compared to most women, Benjen was sweet, Brandon was…Brandon…and her Ned was her other half, they were a pack of wolves the Starks and they were willing to let her join them so she wouldn't let them down.

She noticed that she was sweating quite a lot…it was far too hot in that room for her taste…the solution was, of course, to open the windows and let some fresh air inside. Gods who would have known that she would be this hot in the cold North…When the cold breeze entered the room, she couldn't help but notice the endless weirwood trees that filled Winterfell's gigantic Godswood.

She had seen her fair share of Godswoods here and there throughout her life with the one striking her the most being, of course, the one in Starfall. House Dayne converted to the Faint peaceful during the Andal Invasions to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but they did not eradicate the traces of their former belief at all, they preserved them in order to allow future generations to see their origins and so the Godswood survived until this day.

Her mother used to take her and her brothers there in the hot Summer days since there were plenty of cool areas inside it. They would just remain there sleeping until night came. Sometimes her mother would tell them stories and legends whilst braiding her hair in foreign styles…stories about House Dayne, House Blackmont and many others and she loved them all. Starfall's Godswood was also quite large, with multiple small streams of water running on their way to the Torentine, the colorful birds that sung beautiful songs and small animals that roamed inside the sacred place contributed to Ashara's fond memories of Godswoods.

But she saw nor heard birds or any other animal inside Winterfell's Godswood at all. One could assume it was a dead place, yet it certainly wasn't, far from such thing, it felt…godlike…The whole scenery made Ashara feel as if she somehow was connecting to the Old Gods themselves…the silence was surreal…the smell of moss and pine enjoyable…

Ashara had been raised since a young child in the Faith despite her mother also teaching the basics of praying to the Old Gods but as she grew older she gradually lost interest in religion, how could she not after what happened to her mother? She knew the prays she was supposed to know and occasionally she made use of this knowledge to pray for important things to her such as giving Elia strength to survive Rhaenys' pregnancy or for Queen Rhaella to be free of her brother's cruelty. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, just like everything in life. She felt no connection to the Seven whatsoever but in the minute or two that she was staring at weirwoods made her feel something spiritual…could it be because she had First Men blood running through her? Or was it the fond memories she had of Godswoods that her mother bestowed upon her?

A quick glance below her window made her notice hot steam emerging from a big pond of water below, these were the open-aired hot springs Ned told her about a few days ago…Ashara loved the water, to take baths in rivers, lakes, water in general, it was in her being and she would definitely take a bath in there before leaving to Dragonstone…it was a must.

A knock on the door made her stop salivating for a bath in the hot spring and urged her to go see who it was. As she peeked out, she quickly smiled, it was, of course, her Ned. "Hello," he said with a smile, while she opened the door more to let him in. "Did my Shining Star sleep well?"

"Oh quite well, my sweet Quiet Wolf," she replied. "It was such a comfortable bed and room that I overslept…"

"Thank the Gods it was just that…" Ned murmured, as he entered inside and she closed the door to begin getting dressed. "I mean we were worried because it's well past midday and yet there was no sign of you…"

"I must apologize for making everyone worried, but I must assure you that I did not intend to run away from you." she explained to him as she undressed in front of him, walking naked to fetch a worthy dress.

"That thought didn't really come to my mind…" Ned said while she noticed him getting a bit uneasy, surely she scared him now… "I…I have been wondering, will your father approve the match? I mean we have been so concerned with my father that we forgot yours and from what you told me of him I…" So this is why you are afraid…

"He will not oppose," she assured him while dressing her undergown, the first of many layers of clothes needed in the North. "He will be quite surprised for receiving such a proposal for my hand and…happy in his own way, I will cease to be a headache to him." she was now dressing a big gown and preparing the endless cloaks of furs. "House Stark is a prestigious house and you will have no opposition, that much I tell you."

"Let us hope you are right…it would be such a mess if he refused after my father accepted…" Ned confessed.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we?" she suggested as she fixed her gown being nearly finished. "I'm quite hungry, my wolf, is there something a Dornishwoman can eat?"

"There is, you name it and the servants will make it." Ned told her.

"Then let us go," she demanded of him. "Let's make this trip of mine count by having a good time together."

"You are right." he agreed as they exited her room.

She followed him into the Great Keep when she noticed two armored men fighting each other in the courtyard, while both Brandon and Winterfell's Master at Arms watched amused. "Who are they?" Asked her curious self when she got closer to Brandon.

"The one in the right is Benjen," Brandon explained with a smirk. "And the one on the left is Lyanna."

"Lyanna?" she asked surprised as once more glanced the armored…woman in the left. She was quite a good swordswoman. "Did your father allow her to fight?"

"I'm afraid I did not, Lady Dayne." The voice of Lord Stark made her and the Starks jump for being caught off guard. The Stark patriarch was glancing at all of them from the bridge that connected two buildings. "But it seems I can't control my daughter the way I wish…"

"Father…" Lyanna whispered with a voice that was cracking from nervousness. "I…"

"You can keep fighting." The older man said. "But do not forget your responsibilities, you are a Lady to be."

"I understand…" Lyanna said with a hint of confidence. "Thank you, father."

"Lady Dayne, I'm quite happy to see you as I have been meaning to ask you to share a conversation with me." Lord Stark said. "Would you mind joining me in my study?"

This made her a little bit worried. "Must certainly My Lord."

"Father is…" Ned began as he too was worried.

"Worry not Ned, she will be free in no time." Lord Stark assured. "I just wish to talk about some things concerning your marriage with Lady Dayne, nothing more."

Ned looked concerned still, but she smiled at him. "It will be alright Ned," she assured him. "Also…before I leave for Dragonstone I would love to have a bath in those hot springs in the Godswood…"

He simply chuckled. "Do you?"

"Of course!" she retorted. "Could you be a sweetheart and prepare everything for me?"

"I will see what I can do…"

"Thank you so much, Ned." she nodded. "I mustn't make your father as it is impolite, see you later, my love."

She left Ned with his brother and asked a kind servant to lead her to Lord Stark's office inside the Great Keep as she didn't quite know the way there yet. Once her walking was done, she entered the big room, the walls were of hard stone but there was plenty of wood inside too, Ironwood to be more precise, a quality of wood that was very expensive and was only found in the North. Lord Stark himself was seated in a very big chair made of it, glancing her with judging eyes. "My Lady, please do take a seat."

"Of course My Lord." she agreed as she took a seat in an Ironwood chair as well. "Is something amiss?" she asked.

"Is it?" The man said. Mind games…she knew how to play these.

"A Lord with so many duties and responsibilities wouldn't ask to meet me if there was nothing important to talk." she countered.

Lord Stark smiled. "I had heard of your beauty a while ago, they said you were the most beautiful woman in Westeros," he said. "But I see you have a sharp tongue too."

"It wasn't my intention to offend you My Lord." she quickly said, it wasn't her intention to sound rude. "I…"

"It takes more than this flowering talk to offend me." Ned's father dismissed. "We Northerners don't hold back from saying what comes into our minds and you must imagine what has been said to me ever since I became a Lord."

"I can imagine…"

"My father used to say that those in the capital were trained to lie and hide what they think, however." The man added. "Surely you are familiar with this? You are after all a lady-in-waiting to Princess Elia."

"I do have some notions of it…" she replied.

"And you are trained at it, I can see it from your answers." Ned's father was cunning, she could see it. "I like it."

He does? "You do?"

"A woman like you could help my children in the future," he said. "From what I could see from you already, you seem to make Ned more confident and bold but not in a bad way, the rest of my children seem to hold you in high esteem so they seem likely to hear what you have to say. As you are trained in court intrigue and politics you can offer a different look at things that none of my children nor their future partners can."

"I certainly thankful for such kind word, My Lord." And she was. "I will try my best to give the best counsels to them."

"Good." he nodded. "But now I wish to inquire something from you and I want nothing but truthfulness from your part, no flowery talk."

She remained quiet and nodded in affirmation. Even though Lord Stark had Ned's looks, he was much different from her love. "Of course, My Lord."

"Did you seduce my son with second intentions?"

So this is what this is about… "My Lord I did not seduce him nor did he seduce me, we fell in love," she assured. "I did not wish to marry Ned for anything other than himself."

"A woman such as yourself fell in love with my son in just the ten days of the tourney?" Lord Stark insisted. "It seems a bit off to say the least…"

"It's not a bit off My Lord." she insisted too. "I have been looking for a sweet and kind man who loved me for more than my beauty, a man I could call both a husband and a lover. Your son is that man My Lord, that's why I love him."

"I won't deny that." Lord Stark admitted. "But he was not your first lover was he?"

She sighed before confessing the truth. "No…he wasn't My Lord, I truly wish he was because otherwise, I wouldn't have suffered disappointments. I do wish for him to be the last one though because I love him above the others."

Lord Stark kept glancing at her with a judging look but finally sighed. "Did Ned really lay with you at Harrenhal?"

"Yes."

"So it seems not all of what Brandon said was a lie…Seven Hells…" Lord Stark sighed yet again. "Well, I do appreciate your honesty Lady Dayne." The man said. "It takes a lot of courage to admit what you just did, knowing I could stop the marriage at any time."

"And will My Lord do that?" she asked shaken, scared of the prospect. Would Ned's father do such a thing?

"No, I won't and I wouldn't." Lord Stark assured. "I do not back down on my word nor could I have stopped the raven that I sent yesterday. I just wanted to get to know you better, see what you really are…"

"I'm sure I'm a disappointment but…"

"Far from it, Lady Dayne." Ned's father interrupted her. "You remind me of my late Lyarra…you have a lot of her in you, I'm sure Ned will be happy with you by his side, as I was with her."

"Thank you for the kind words, My Lord," she said blushing. "They mean a lot to me."

"I welcome you to my family with open arms Lady Dayne." Lord Stark proclaimed as he walked towards her and embraced her. "May the Gods bless you and your own."

"Thank you, My Lord." Ashara did enjoy this conversation even if it was rather awkward.

"Now best of you to go and eat something, My Lady." Lord Stark suggested. "You must be starving."

"I am My Lord, with your permission."

"Permission granted, have a good and happy meal, Lady Dayne." she nodded in respect and exit to eat something, quite happily.

Later that day…In the Godswood…by the hot spring…

"My father does value honesty," Ned said after she explained to him what the subject of the talk she had with his father was. "I'm glad he didn't cancel it."

"Me too," she confessed whilst undressing in front of Ned and then diving in the hot waters, feeling the warmth and refreshment throughout her whole body, she loved it. She swam around underwater as if she was a fish, having the time of her life while doing so. As she resurfaced to catch some air, she noticed Ned still dressed, looking at her with his mouth open and so she smiled at him. "Are you seriously going to just stare at me the whole night?"

"I could…" he said.

"Then I want to stare at you too…" she teased. "It's not fair me being the only one naked…undress now!"

"As My Lady commands…" With that said, he undressed in front of her, joining her not long after in the water, embracing her. "Is My Lady is happy now?"

"Oh yes she is…" she went in for a kiss, which he accepted, but when she moved to something else, he stopped her with his hand. "Ned?"

"I…want to wait for our marriage if it's okay with you…" he explained. "I don't want to do it now…"

"Why?" she asked curiously and a bit worried. He wouldn't have come this far if he was angry with her…no…he was not angry with her…

"It's just the look my father gave when Brandon told him I slept with you…he was disappointed with me…" he explained. "I don't really regret what I did with you at Harrenhal, but the look he gave me, it made me feel bad…"

Ned was one of those people who deeply cared for the wellbeing of the others and such reaction from seeing his father disappointed at him was to be expected. It also made her feel bad about herself because she was the one who caused it…she decided to respect his wish, they had sex at Harrenhal, they could very well wait until they were married. It would only strengthen their love. "It's okay my sweet Quiet Wolf, I understand it," she said. "I think it will make our marriage much more enjoyable and somehow strengthen our relationship."

"I'm glad you understand it…"

She kissed once more. "Of course I understand, just kisses and hugs now."

"Maybe…something more…" he said with a grin.

"What more?" she asked and he threw water at her face and then swam away from her. "Oh, that's your move Quiet Wolf? I'm going to show you why they used to call me the terror of the Water Gardens!" Well…there was a human being even more troublesome than her in the Water Gardens…he was called the nightmare of the Water Gardens, a man of Elia's own blood…but Ashara was a terror herself.

After minutes of messing around with the water, diving, swimming, of kisses and hugs, they were tired. They leaned their backs to the grass outside the pond and began glancing the stars. "I'm tired…" Ned confessed as he puffed.

"How do you think our children will look like?" she questioned curiously, puffing as well.

He looked at her quite surprised. "You are thinking about having children already?"

"Not right away of course." she quickly replied. "I want us to have some time for each other after we get married. But afterward, I wouldn't mind a boy with violet eyes and a girl with grey ones."

"As long as they take it after you with their beauty, I'm fine with their coloring."

"You and your low self-esteem," she said rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't mind seeing a little Ned amongst my litter…"

"Litter?" Ned laughed at her choice of word and she did too. "I guess one wouldn't hurt…"

"More than one!" she retorted. "Don't you want an army of little Neds to scare your brother?"

"Scare Brandon? That certainly sounds interesting…" he chuckled.

"How would you name them?" she asked curiously.

"I think it's a bit early for that, Shining Star."

"It's not!" she barked at him. "I want to know if you have good taste or not. Tell me three male names and three female ones."

"I never gave it much thought actually…" Ned confessed. "Hum…I guess…Jon could be one, just as Robert and perhaps Brandon for boys…and Sansa, Arya, and Lyarra for girls, yes…that's it, those are my choices."

"Robert? Seriously?" she asked rolling her eyes. Of course, he wanted a Robert…

"What about it?" Ned asked with a raised eyebrow. "He said he would name a son after me…he is my best friend after all, so why not?"

"Okay, okay…" she gave up. "I would like an Arthur, an Ulrick and a Jason for boys and an Elia, an Elyana and a Dyanna. Yes, I like these, what do you think of them?"

"Ulrick Stark? Jason Stark?" he questioned. "I don't know…they sound a bit too southern…"

"As if Robert didn't sound southern…" she scoffed. "Or Jon."

"Well Robert is indeed a southern name," he admitted. "But Jon isn't."

"It isn't?" That surprised her…

"No, there have been three Kings of Winter named Jon, the most famous was the second one, who built the Wolf's Den in White Harbor after kicking some foreign invaders from the North's shores," he explained. "I believe other Starks Kings and Lord Paramount did have Jon Starks as their sons."

"You are always learning…" she confessed. "I thought it was because of your mentor Lord Arryn."

"And you are right too," Ned said with a smile. "I think it's fitting for me to name a son in my foster father's honor."

"I like your names…"

"I'm glad I have some taste."

"You do, you passed the test pretty wonderfully…" she admitted.

"Should we leave before it gets too late?" Ned suggested. "They may start wondering where we are…"

"Just a while longer," she begged of him. "Let us see the stars together a bit longer and enjoy each other's companies because it's going to be quite a few moons until we can do it again."

"Giving it a little bit more thought…" he whispered. "I think we should."

This POV is not new, but it has improved dialogues now.

Thank you for sparing time reading and I hope everyone has a nice day.