Meanwhile in Winterfell…

A handsome young man, is standing back, leaning against a fence behind him as he watches his brother, one of his best friends fighting against a seasoned warrior.

"Faster Jon. You must always keep your opponent off balance! You are fast, use your speed!" Rodrik Cassel, the master at arms of Winterfell yells commands as he battles with Jon Snow, the bastard son of Ned Stark.

"Don't act like I can't see you laughing Robb! You are next and I will be no gentler with you than I am with Jon!"

If Rodrik thought that would stop the laughter, he is wrong. It actually did the opposite. Robb bends over, hands on his knees as he can't stop laughing.

"Ah Rodrik, if you didn't leave us with bruises and sometimes bloody, we would think you were going soft." Jon laughs then quickly has to duck as Rodrik swings at his head. Before Jon can swing back into the fight they are interrupted.

"Halt! I have news then you can get back to practice." Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark stands there with his wife Lady Catelyn Stark next to him. Trailing behind them are their daughters Sansa and Arya and their youngest sons Brandon and Rickon. Jon turns to walk away when Ned stops him. "No son, this concerns you too." Lady Catelyn rolls her eyes and sneers but doesn't speak. She knows it is no use when it comes to her husbands' bastard son. "Now where is Theon, I told him to meet us at the training yard."

At that moment Theon comes running in, "Lord Stark I was not able to find Bran- oh" his eyes widen as he realizes Bran is next to his father. "Oh nevermind. Sorry sir."

"No need Theon, thank you for looking. Now I have gathered all of you because I have news. I received a raven from King Robert, as well as his brother Stannis. King Robert would like to join the houses Baratheon and Stark through marriage. Now originally his idea was Robb and his daughter Myrcella, however the queen refused to even consider it, so he wrote to his brother Stannis. From what I understand Stannis has a daughter, however she is still very young. He does however, have a girl that he loves like a niece. She is the daughter of his best friend Ser Davos Seaworth. Stannis agreed to make the suggestion, however both himself and her father have agreed that she would marry for love not for status, power, or alliances. Robert agreed it would be her choice but he is insistent that she comes to Winterfell to get to know Robb as a potential husband. Stannis wrote me to let us know that Ser Davos and his daughter have set sail from Dragonstone and are on their way here. They will be sailing into White Harbor before finishing the trek on horses to Winterfell."

Jon and Theon both turn to look at Robb, to see his reaction to basically being ordered by the King of the Seven Kingdoms to get married. He looks dumbstruck. Like something had hit him over the head.

"Robb?" Ned had also noticed his sons face.

"Do I have no choice in this matter father? Marrying a southern girl? I have always known I would marry for status but I believed it would be one of the daughters of a northern lord or bannerman. Not some southern minor house who has favor with the kings brother."

"Marrying a southern girl is not the end of the world Robb. Your mother was a southern girl when I married her if you remember. Just like Lady Seaworth, you have a choice in this too. The agreement is you both agree to be married or no wedding will happen."

Jon looks at his brother who is still dumbstruck and decides to speak up ignoring Lady Catelyns glare. "Father, you keep saying Lady Seaworth, what is her name?"

"Ah, thank you Jon. Her name is Lenya."

Theon grins at Robb before asking, "Is she pretty, or is poor Robb here stuck with an ugly bride?"

Ned rolls his eyes at the three boys. "I wondered that myself. I had not heard of her, or of her father much so I had some people look into her. The people of Dragonstone seem to love her. They talk of Lady Seaworth who is as beautiful and untamed as the sea. We will know soon. They should be here within a fortnight. Robb, I do not expect you to fall at her feet, but be nice, all of you."

Saying what needed to be said, Ned turns to walk off with Catelyn, Sansa and Rickon following. Arya and Bran decide to stay outside with Theon, Robb, and Jon. Rodrik, guessing the three boys need to talk, turns to Bran and Arya, "Come with me you two, we can go set up the archery targets." Bran and Arya eagerly take off running with Rodrik following. As soon as they were out of hearing range, Theon and Jon turn to Robb.

Jon gently touches Robbs arm, "Are you okay Robb?"

Robb nods. "I just don't know what to think. I have always expected to marry a northern daughter. Someone who knows our customs, who follows the same gods and traditions we do. Someone who can keep up with the wild ways of the North. Not some southern soft lady who will expect me to change or who is too weak to survive the north and the northmen. I love my mother but she is and always will be a southern woman and shes instilled that in Sansa as well. That's not the kind of girl that I want, but if I am to marry this Lady Seaworth that is who I would get."

Theon shrugs, "You don't have to marry her Robb. Lord Stark said you just have to get to know her. So get to know her, show her a goodtime, just don't fuck her, you'd be forced to marry her at that point." Theon laughs expecting that to lighten Robbs mood.

Jon however, looking at his brother closer, suddenly understands Robbs worry. "You are worried, that if she decides she likes you and wants to marry you, that you would have to. So you aren't known as the future lord who disrespected the kings wishes and left the beloved niece of a powerful southern lord heartbroken and jaded."

Robb nods his head. "You got it in one Jon. I can't be that asshole who turns down the Kings brothers favorite niece. Mother and Father would never forgive me."

"So be cold and distant. Don't give her a chance to love you. Make her hate you, make her want to leave the north and never come back." Jon throws Theon a death glare for making such a suggestion, but before he can say anything Robb brightens up.

"Yeah I can do that. Thanks, Theon, for the suggestion. Now lets go show Bran and Arya how archery is done." He laughs before running off.

Before Theon can follow him, Jon grabs his shoulder stopping him. "Why would you make that suggestion? He needs to be very careful, it's a thin line, to be distant and uninterested, versus being rude and potentially pissing off Lord Stannis Baratheon. Stannis who is an amazing warrior and the brother of the King. It is a risk, a major risk."

Theon shakes his head and laughs, "That's what we are for. Stop Robb from being a jackass and entertain the Lady Seaworth when Robb needs an escape. We are brothers."

Jon nods his head, "brothers."

"Now lets go Jon, we have a fortnight until we have to worry about the Seaworths." Theon takes off running with a laughing Jon following him.