Hey guys, this is my first fanfiction. Hope you enjoy this series! I hope to update this as often as I can.

By the way, character ages are different from the books and are from the TV Show. Robb is 17 in Season 1, and Myrcella is supposedly 15 in Season 1, though the actress looks much younger. She's replaced by someone older-looking (Nell Tiger Free) in Season 5.

-X-

The Wolf & The Golden Princess

Chapter 1:

"Mother, I saw the king!" Bran exclaimed with lots of excitement. "He's coming, he's coming!" He ran over to his mother.

"Brandon Stark! What did I say to you about climbing?" Catelyn scolded her son. "No more climbing! Promise me, Bran, please."

"Alright," Bran looked down his feet as he murmured it.

"I know you're lying, Bran," Catelyn said. "You always look down at your feet when you lie to me or your father. Now come one, we've got to get ready for the king and his family to arrive."

The Starks were long-time friends of King Robert I Baratheon, First of His Name, King of the Seven Kingdoms. The Lord Hand Jon Arryn had recently passed away due to a quick fever, and now Robert wanted his old friend Eddard Stark to become his new hand of the king. Now, after nearly a month after the king's letter to his friend, he was almost at Winterfell, the Starks' central seat in the North.

Ned Stark and his family were lined up in perfect succession. with Ned on the furthest right, followed by his wife, Catelyn Tully, his eldest son and heir, Robb, his eldest daughter, Sansa and his younger sons Bran and Rickon.

"Where's Arya? Sansa, where's your sister?" Catelyn asked. Sansa simply answered with a shrug.

Ned saw a little child wearing a helmet running around. Realizing it was Arya, he ran to her and took off the helmet.

"Now, Arya, what do you have this on for?" Ned asked with a smile. His youngest daughter always had a knack to explore.

"I was finding a better view for the king!" Arya yipped.

"Okay, now come back to your mother and siblings. We need you to be presentable to King Robert," Ned answered.

Arya frowned, but listened to her father anyway. She strolled back to her family and placed herself left of Sansa, who scolded her once she came back.

At last, the King had arrived back in Winterfell with his queen, Cersei of House Lannister, his three children, Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen, and the queen's twin brother, Ser Jaime Lannister, known better as the Kingslayer.

The king walked towards the Stark family and placed himself in front of Ned. "You got fat" was all he said towards the Lord of Winterfell. Ned nodded towards the king's big and swollen stomach. They both laughed.

"Ned!" The king shouted, giving a hug to his friend. "Nine years, where the hell have you been?"

"Guarding the north for you, your Grace," Ned replied. "Winterfell is yours."

Robert then walked left towards Catelyn, yelling "Cat!" and gave her a big hug. He then head off towards Robb, commenting, "You must be Robb," before shaking his hand. "Tell me, how many name days have you had?"

"Seven and ten, your Grace," Robb replied with a hint of nervousness.

"Aye, that's really close to my daughter. She's five and ten. Maybe she could be a fine match for you."

"That would be an honor, your Grace," Robb smiled, with a hint of crimson on his cheeks.

He moved on to the rest of the Stark kids, each greeting them seperately, including telling Bran that he would one day be a knight.

"Ned, let me go down to the crypts and pay respects to your sister," Robert told Ned somberly.

"My love, we have been riding on the road for a month. Surely the dead can wait?" Cersei asked her husband.

"You go rest, I'm going down there whether you like it or not," Robert stormed angrily, and followed Ned down to the crypts.

-X-

"Lord Eddard Stark, I would name you Hand of the King."

Ned immediately knelt down and bowed low. "Your Grace, I'm not worthy of that honor."

"I'm not trying to honor you, Ned. I'm trying to make you run my kingdom while I drink, eat, and whore my way to an early death," Robert replied.

"I'll... I'll have to think about it, your Grace." Ned said.

"We should talk about merging our houses together. It should have been done years ago when I married Lyanna, but that dragonspawn took her away before I had a chance. In my dreams, I kill him every night." Robert paused for a moment. "You have a son, I have a daughter. We'll join our houses together once again."

"I... Don't you have a son? The crown prince? I thought maybe you would consider matching him with Sansa," Ned pondered.

"To be honest, I never liked Joffrey. He's my heir, damnit, but a really bad one. One time, a few years ago, he found a heavily pregnant cat and decided to gut it and take the little kittens out. They were dead of course. He then decided to show me the new dead kittens. I slapped him so hard that I knocked three of his baby teeth. He felt nothing for his action. No remorse. I don't want that for your daughter. You're my best friend, Ned. Your daughter doesn't deserve someone like that, she needs someone better. The best choice would be to make Myrcella Lady of Winterfell."

Ned was shocked at Robert's confession. He had no idea what to say to this, but only nodded at his old friend.

"Got something stuck in your throat, Ned? Come on, accept! I will be in your debt, though I'm probably not going to pay it back," Robert said.

"Of course, your Grace. I accept to the match. I just hope Robb accepts the match," Ned replied.

"Thank you, Ned! They'll be married in a fortnight, Ned. They can introduce themselves to each other." Robert slapped Ned's back, and laughed whole-heartedly. "I'm sure Myrcella will be incredibly excited to meet Robb. She is a beauty."