Lyarra was 2 years old when her father wed again, this time to Catelyn Tully. She was promised to her father's brother, but upon his death, her father agreed to marry the Tully. Her father brought her home, then went off to war, leaving Lyarra with her new mother and her nursemaid, who had raised as her own.
Years had passed, and little had changed in Lyarra's life. She had welcomed her new siblings with glee. However, much to her displeasure, she was often turned away by her lady mother and left to either entertain herself or find Jon, who like Lyarra faced the displeasure of their father's wife. She had lost her nursemaid, who was the only motherlike figure Lyarra could ever remember, since she had lost her mother at birth, during the last winter, making the girl feel even more alone.
Lyarra, now seventeen, left her room and wandered around Winterfell, her father had left to deal with a Night's Watch deserter, taking all her brothers with, with the exception of Rickon, who was only 2. Her sisters were in their sewing classes with Septa Mordane. Lyarra found her way to the Godswood, walking among the trees of oak and ironwood. She made her way to the center and sat beneath the heart tree and listened to the wind brush through the leaves as if the gods were whispering to her. There she sat until she heard the hooves of horses coming through the gates. Finally, she ended her prayers to the gods, mostly in the help of finding a fair husband, and acceptance of her lady mother, and made her way to greet her siblings, who, to her surprise, had wolf pups with them.
"Bran convinced your father," Jory whispered in her ear, standing behind her. "There were 7 pups, one for each of your siblings."
"But none for me?" She turned and smiled at him. Jory was the Captain of the Guard in Winterfell and Ser Rodrik's nephew. He was also the man that Lyarra loved, though both kept the romance in secret, due to fear of rejection from her father and his lady wife. However, Lyarra had been pushing him to ask her father for her hand, especially since her lady mother had been trying to get him to promise her to Theon Greyjoy.
"Meet me at the Godswood," he whispered in her ear. Lyarra turned and watched him lead his horse to the stables before she turned and walked back to the Godswood, with warmth in her belly.
Her feet carried her once more to the heart of the Godswood, and she sat under the heart tree, with her feet in the springs, her boots sitting beside her. There she waited, time seemed to hold still, as she waited for Jory to appear amongst the trees.
Hands went over her eyes, causing her world to go black. "Jory!" she giggled, grabbing the hands and bringing them to her lips, giving a kiss to each of the palms, then felt a kiss to the back of her head. She turned to look at him and gave him a large smile, then placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "When are you going to ask him?" She prodded him once again, "Please, ask him, what is the worst that can happen?"
"Ask me what?" her father's voice came from behind the tree and stepped out in front of them. "What is going on here? Jory, Lyarra?" His voice rose as he looked upon the proximity of the two.
"Father,"
"My Lord," Jory quickly stood and stepped back, as she was left sitting, he feet still in the water, and her dress around her knees to keep it dry.
He looked between the two, as Lyarra rose, not bothering to put her boots on, as she looked at her father. She glanced at Jory, then back at her father. Hoping that someone would speak.
"How long has this been going on?" Lyarra looked at her feet at the question, as she heard Jory speak up, "A year, my lord."
"And when were you going to tell me?" her father questioned once more, anger still plain in his voice. At this question, Lyarra looked at Jory, who tried wiping the sweat from his brow.
"I was, my Lord when I felt confident that you would accept my proposal." She smiled at him, and walked to his side when he continued speaking, "I know I don't have a title, my lord, but I do love her and will do everything I can to keep her happy."
"Lyarra," her father's watchful gaze went from Jory to herself, and she looked away from Jory and towards her father. "You will give up your name?"
"Yes," she gave a soft smile once more, "I would give up everything to be with him, Father."
"I will allow the marriage, on two conditions," She eagerly watched her father, waiting to hear the condition. "Lyarra, you will keep the name Stark. The name comes with more protection than the name Cassel. And, you will both move into Lyarra's rooms, for now."
"I agree to those terms, my lord," Jory spoke, looking down at her. "When can we be wed?"
"One month's time, which will allow for the proper arrangements to be made. Now, would you see Lyarra back to her rooms, I wish for a moment of silence."
"Yes, my lord." Jory gave a slight bow, as Lyarra tightly hugged her father, though quickly let go, a large smile on her face. "My lady," Jory offered her his arm, and she accepted, sliding her arm and hooking it around his elbow. The two passed her lady mother at the entrance of the godswood, but Lyarra was too happy to consider the odd occurrence of seeing her lady mother enter the Godswood.
The two stopped outside of her rooms, Lyarra with her back to her door and looking up at Jory's face, as he stood over her. "One month," he whispered to her, giving a kiss on her forehead, then claiming her lips. "One month, then I can call you wife."
"It can't come soon enough," Lyarra told him, her arms wrapping around his neck. However, when the two heard footsteps coming down the hall, they separated quickly as Robb, Theon, and Jon turned the corner.
"My lady," Jory gave a small bow, his face holding a wide smile, before turning and leaving, Jon and Robb quickly following him, Theon staying behind, a sly look on his face.
"What was he doing here?"
"Walking me to my rooms, Theon, why does it worry you?" Lyarra asked, opening the door to her room and trying to slip in.
"You will be mine," Theon growled, blocking her from her room.
"I will not, Father would never allow me to marry the likes of you." She ducked under his arm and shut the door and quickly locked it, keeping herself safe from the desires of Theon.
She waited until she could hear Theon storm away before she slipped on fresh boots, having left hers in the Godswood and walked towards the courtyard, watching her brothers and other men spar with swords under the watchful eye of Ser Rodrik while she sat on the ledge and did needlework.
"I hear we are to be family, my lady," Ser Rodrik had come to stand beside her, "may I say that it is about time he asked your father." She looked up from her stitches and towards the master-at-arms. "Though I hear that it was under less than desirable circumstances." Her cheeks began to redden. The two watched as Robb and Jon sparred, both evenly matched.
"Ser Rodrik, Lady Lyarra," Maester Luwin spoke, approaching the two of them. "Lord Stark requests to speak to you both in the hall." The three proceeded to walk to the hall, where her father waited, along with her lady mother, and Jory. Her father nodded towards Maester Luwin once the doors were closed, and he began to talk. "The wedding will need to be changed." Maester Luwin started, causing Lyarra to be concerned, was her father's mind changed? "The King with retinue rides for Winterfell and is expected in a month's time. We all agree that it would be better than the wedding not take place while they are here, so the options are to move the wedding. We could move it back, but it is not known how long they will reside in Winterfell, it is possible that they could be here for a month or longer, especially once it becomes known that a wedding will be occurring. The other option is to move it forward, which seems the best choice currently."
The fear in Lyarra's heart turned to excitement when Maester Luwin gave his suggestions, however, she waited on her father's words before showing her excitement. Ser Rodrik wrapped an arm around his nephew's shoulders, a smile on his aging face. "My lord, my lady, I believe the two have waited long enough to be wed."
"How long are you suggesting?" her lady mother questioned. "Plans still need to be made." A scowl was on her face. "Are they to be married before the seven? A septon will need to be called. And the feast, that takes days to plan and prepare for, especially now that we also must prepare for the royal visit."
"Father, please, I wish to be married before the old gods, as mother married you." A larger scowl appeared on her lady mother's face at the mention of Lyarra's mother. "And I don't care about the feast, our normal meals will be enough. Please don't make us wait months, I would be wed right now if you would allow us."
"Jory," her father spoke after a moment of silence, "in one week, I will allow you to marry my daughter." His look of serious changed to a smile. "It will be a smaller affair, and I will not allow the bedding ceremony."
"Yes, my lord." Jory's smile nearly matched Lyarra's in size.
"Now, go," Her father's face still held the smile as he nodded his head towards the doors, and the two quickly left the room, Ser Rodrik walking behind them and back to the courtyard.
She smiled up at Jory. "One week! Can you believe it? Not only did he agree, but we will be married in one week!" His lips quieted her and she quickly returned the kiss.
"Boy, leave your bride alone, you'll have plenty of time for that when you are married! Come train!" Ser Rodrik shouted, and the once loud clanging and talking went silent, and the two separated, a smile on Jory's face and a blush on Lyarra's. The two felt eyes on them, as Jory, descended the steps to join the training and Lyarra quickly scurried to the library.