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Author's note: Jon is 12 years old, Sansa and Jeyne nearly 10, Arya around 7.


Girlish things

Sansa, Arya and Jeyne Poole are standing on the muddy courtyard and yelling at each other.

Jon is on his way to Mikken's forge, but upon hearing the quarrel, he rather hurries to the girls.

"What has got into you?"

The three of them fall silent immediately but only for a moment.

"She called me Horseface," Arya complains, her cheeks reddening with anger.

"You mocked her too," Sansa retorts.

Arya draws herself up, as much as she could. "I said the truth."

"It matters how we say things," Sansa declares in a lecturing voice. "And with what intention."

"What did you say to her?" Jon interrupts his sisters, trying to do justice.

Suddenly they realize that he is still there. Arya and Sansa seem embarrassed but Jeyne looks horrified.

Frowning, Jon glances at one of them after another.

"Sister?" he urges.

Jeyne and Sansa stare at Arya. Jeyne's gaze is appealing, Sansa's is meaningful.

"Nothing," Arya says in the end.

"But…"

"Nothing, really," she insists. "Just some… girlish things." She shrugs. "We are girls, you are not. So it's not your business."

Jon sighs. Girls, yes, no doubt.

"Fine," he says in a defeated voice, and turns to Jeyne then. "Nevertheless, you shouldn't call her names like that."

"Of course." She looks at Arya. "Sorry."

"I'm sorry as well," Arya replies with decorum. "And I forgive… your intention."

"It's not only about my intention. What I said wasn't true. According my father, you're like what Lady Lyanna was like at your age."

Sansa nods. "Old Nan always tells us the same. Besides, Arya looks similar to Jon."

Jon raises his eyebrows. How does that have to do with anything?

"Don't you think, Jeyne?"

"I do," Jeyne mutters, her eyes fixed on the ground.

This almost sounds like it is Sansa who is teasing her now.

With something Jon cannot understand. He sighs again. Girls. They are so… strange.