22 LYANNA IX

Days in Winterfell passed the same

The mornings at the queen's wing were slow and boring. Surprisingly, the queen started to take a liking to me. I don't know whether this was because of how I manage her hair and gowns or because of the way I reply to the Sand snake's japes. I noticed her smirk when I gave them a piece of my mind. May be she didn't like them. Well, she should. I don't know if she was aware or not of what Dorea was doing. Dorea set her eyes on the king and acted upon it without any shame. Whenever we meet the king, she got something to say in her very suggestive way. Whenever I move in the castle, I saw her more and more in the main hall or anywhere near the king. Her laughs at whatever nonsense he uttered was extremely disgusting. Such a whore!

I used to chastise myself on my thinking, blaming it on my hate for her family, till I finally saw them kissing in a secluded area of the castle. What a whore and a pig!

Were all men like this? My father, Robb Stark, Ser Gendry. Was Jon Snow like this? Maybe it was only a royal trait. Maybe he wouldn't appreciate Obella's longing gazes after all. But where was he hiding every day? A mystery I couldn't solve. If it wouldn't for his good mood when he returned, I would have believed that he was really exercising his horse.

May be his horse was a metaphor for his manhood!

Noooo, he wouldn't dare to say it in my face. Would he? Nooooo, no way!

With this idea in my mind, he came and ask me if I want to ride the horse with him! He want to sleep with me now? I blushed and looked at him incredulously "what did you say?"

"I just thought you might like to ride a little, my lady. I meant no offence" he shifted uncomfortably under my gaze

Gods, I am losing my mind, I amended rapidly "no no, I would love to" he looked to me in doubt but we went anyway, followed by Larence, Brenden and Ghost as usual

I decided to accept the olive branch and not to spoil our ride with needless inquiries but he was silent as usual. So I tried "did you hear the rumors?"

"What rumors?"

"They said there is a dragon in the north or something like it" and I laughed

"Who said so?"

"Some maids said they saw him repeatedly!They must have lost their minds"

"Why so?"

I looked at him surprised by the question "if a dragon was here, we were all going to be ashes by now. Right?"

"Not necessarily, they saved us once during the long night"

"Well, they were burning someone else then. Now there is no one but us"

He smiled to me and said "You are always so severe, my lady!"

Not half severe as your mother of dragons, dragon boy. But I kept my thoughts to myself till we returned. He was helping me down when he put his hand on my waist and looked at my eyes for permission, I nodded and put my hands on his shoulder. Once on the solid land I was almost in his embrace but he didn't let go and whispered in a husky voice "Don't be mad at me again"

Oh, Jon Snow please don't betray me, I pleaded inside but didn't dare to say it aloud and I just gave him a vague nod.

I tried to ignore what his whispers stir in me at the oddest moments and continue with my chores for the day. I was calmer for the rest of the morning till Bethany Blackwood told me it was my turn in attending the lunch with the queen at the family table. Apparently this castle was cursed, no one can have a whole day of good mood without something happens to destroy it. I thought I should send for Jon to attend the lunch with me, so as to make it a little bearable for me and keep the family tradition of spoiling his mood as well.

I was seated by Lady Stark unfortunately. There could be nothing to talk about with her. I kept my focus on the food. Despite being at a royal table, the food was extremely lacking in quality, no lamprey pie, no fruits, and no delicacies I used to in the red keep. I nipped lazily at the beef pie and the potatoes. It was so boring, they were talking of Sansa's upcoming weddings as usual. We were talking about it all the morning long, so it was only understandable why we must talk about it again at noon lest we forget the color of the embroidery on the wedding gown, God forbid!

I shouldn't be severe as Jon says. They were just a family talking about an expected happy occasion. I remembered the red keep. My happy moments with mother and Myrcella. Mother used to braid our hair in these fancy styles and tell us what beautiful little queens we were. And in Casterly rock I was always spoiled rot by all. Everybody was racing for my smile. I was lost in memories, moved the Potatoes in the plate without eating them and humming to myself when suddenly I was yanked by arm to stand and felt a harsh slap across my face

"If I ever heard this again, I will rip off your tongue"

Lady Stark was snarling at me. Apparently she was the one who beat me. I was stunned by what happened. Did she lose her mind? The whole table was silent with every eye on me watching my humiliation. The king rose to his feet "How dare you? Are you mocking me?"

His guards were approaching and I still don't understand what I did, I didn't even open my mouth. have they all gone mad?

"Apologies your grace, I don't understand" I tried to stop any further assault. My tears were running on my face and I couldn't stop it. This was a new low for me

"Do you fake ignorance to hide your insolence?"

"No your grace, I would never…."

He cuts me "If I ever hear this song from you or from anyone for what it matters, it will be the last day in your life. Do you understand?"

Song? What song? But I answered anyway "Yes your grace, may I leave now?"

"You are not leaving till I dismiss you" he roared without need to. His voice can be easily heard all over the castle

I sat praying for this humiliation to end and I could hear words like Lannister whore, pay their debt, rains of Lyanna Lannister, bastard, Waters

They were laughing at me and at my tears. What kind of monsters do this. But realization hit me, I must have been humming the Rains of Castamere absent mindedly. It was a very popular song from my childhood. Rage overtook me for the injustice of the whole situation. I braced myself, stopped crying, pretended to eat and waited for the meal to finish. It will sometime, it must

Then Jon came, he apologized politely for being late and looked at me with a smile. I bowed my head so I wouldn't cry again. He seemed confused about my reaction but he was seated across of me so he couldn't ask privately. He needn't to because the king started "You should rein your wife Snow, if you can't discipline her. We can do it for you"

Jon looked at him as if he was a crazy man, which was true by the way. However, he replied in horror "What?"

No, I wouldn't hear the answer, I can't. I would rather die. I stood abruptly and started to leave when the guard seized me and Jon moved towards me and roared "leave her now this minute"

If it wasn't for the king's signal, I don't know what would happen. They released me and I ran to my room

I heard Jon's raised voice and his steps following me

He caught me soon, took me in his arm and rained me with questions "what happened?"

"What did they do?"

"Just tell me Lya"

We were now in the yard and the old memories attacked me

Six years ago at Winterfell

It was a few days before Tommen incident. I was in the terrace watching the sparring between Tommen and Bran, trying so hard not to laugh at their childish way in imitating adults

I saw Jon snow coming across the yard apparently towards the stables, he was carrying a big saddle and heavy horse gear on his right shoulder, such a burden to a young man, it almost blocked his right vision. I could see lady stark coming on his right but he has no way to see her. And suddenly Robb called him with a thunderous voice from the other side to watch the children's spar. A non suspecting Jon turned left, instantly knocking down lady stark to the filthy ground. The Lady shrieked loudly and the whole yard turned instantly into a circus with some servants rushing to help her, other gathered to took Jon only few seconds to register what happened and understand what he had done. He dropped the saddle in horror and leaned to help her up but she ignored his hand and took someone else's indignantly. Everyone was already gathering around them making it more difficult to watch but I still could see Jon even if I couldn't see the lady on the ground. He started to apologize "I am so sorry my lady, I didn't se.." but he was cut by a sharp slap "shut up bastard"

The slap rang in the yard which became dead silent apart from the blaming voice of Robb Stark "Mother!"

Every eye was on the poor boy but he took it well enough. He howled the saddle back to his shoulder, muttered another apology, bowed in a hurry and almost ran to the stables despite his heavy load

Some smirked, others laughed and I saw few shaking their heads in disapproval, I couldn't determine whose action they disapprove of Jon or Lady Stark. Robb Stark ran to his mother and kept talking with her in stern way. I followed Snow to the stable, curious to see what he was doing. He was fixing the saddle with his back to me. He heard the steps but didn't move to see who was there and when I didn't speak, he stilled and said in a quiet voice "its fine Robb, just a small slap".

"Did she do that a lot?"

He turned in surprise

"My princess" and he bowed low. He looked embarrassed with his head bent down, he didn't meet my eyes. I didn't know if he was crying or not and I felt bad for him.

However, I was still waiting for an answer and I raised my brows to him. Seeing my questioning eye, he struggled a bit to know what I wanted so I repeated my question, and he just answered evasively "mmm, no not really my lady, it was my fault actually. I should have paid more attention"

"But it wasn't the first time"

He sighed and looked away, stayed silent for a few moment then finally said in acceptance "It wasn't the first and it won't be the last, Princess"

Is this to be my life now?

This wasn't the first, the kings men did it before and more than once. It won't be the last!

"Lya, please answer me"

I looked at him with fear, he was so eager to make Robb happy. Maybe he was coming here to discipline me like his brother told him. I tried to escape his hands but his grip was firm and I got panicked ,thrashed at him with all my might and when I failed to free myself I raised my hand to block any attack.

"Lya, please don't do that again. I won't hurt you, I never did. You know that? Right?"

"Please calm a bit. I won't force you to anything. I swear" he promised and looked at me with those sincere eyes then he let go of me and I almost fell to the floor. He caught me before I hit the floor and carried me all the way back to our room