The sun bore down on her as she waited in the courtyard for the royal party to be sighted. Standing behind the tall Ser Rodrik Cassel, Daenerys Sand could not see anything. She stood on her toes and craned her neck…
Still nothing.
"I see them! I see them!" The excited shouts of Arthur Stark pierced the cold afternoon air followed by the sound of clashing armour and pattering feet. Dany smiled. She did not need to see to imagine her uncle Eddard's penultimate son toddling towards him in the boy-sized suit of armour made for him as a present on his recent third name day. Ever since Aunt Ashara told Arthur the tale of her famous brother (and his namesake) Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, little Arthur wanted naught more than to be a knight of the Kingsguard.
Daenerys pulled a stray strand of her silver-blonde hair behind her ear as the wind whistled in her direction. "When I attended tourneys in my youth, the more daring young knights would whistle insolently at me," Ashara once told her. "Ser Barristan explained they did so because of my looks. You are beautiful, Dany. If you go to tourneys, those knights will whistle at you too. However here in the North, only the wind will whistle at you." Dany did not think herself pretty in the slightest. She once thought her violet eyes and silver-blonde hair two distinctive assets…until she learnt it was just a trait inherited from her father's noble family, House Dayne. As her thoughts drifted, she felt a sharp nudge.
Standing beside her, Jon Snow silently nodded at the wooden box at her feet. Dany rolled her eyes as he grinned. Theon Greyjoy, had placed the small wooden box there as a jape regarding her short stature. "Stand on it so those southron lords can see your beauty," he had said with a smirk. She thought it a compliment before he went on, "Once they see you, they'll all want to fuck you!" He strolled off to the front of the waiting party, leaving a shocked Dany behind.
Sorely tempted to stand on the box, Dany almost let out a sigh of relief as Ser Rodrik shifted slightly, giving her a partial view of the royal cavalcade coming to view. Waiting nearest to the great gates were her uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Stark, and their trueborn children – all seven of them, including baby Rickon who slept comfortably in Wylla's arms. Standing on Uncle Ned's right was Robb. A year younger than Dany herself, he was already taller than her by a head. With a mop of thick dark hair and brilliant purple eyes, he proved to be the result of love between Eddard Stark of Winterfell and Ashara Dayne of Starfall. It is a pity he is betrothed to Princess Lyanna Baratheon, mused Dany, as she watched Robb mutter into his father's ear. At least half a dozen maidens in the North are in love with him. Robb was always courteous, kind, witty, honourable…what was there about him not to love?
Next to Robb was Bran, a sweet boy of eight. As he was of the same age as King Robert's younger son, it was decided for both Bran and the prince to be fostered together at court as wards of the King's Hand, Lord Jon Arryn, an old man who had fostered the king and Uncle Eddard when they were both children. He must be as old as time, Daenerys thought. Glancing at Bran, she knew at once that he itched to escape and run and climb the walls of Winterfell. Before she could turn her attention to little Arthur, someone shouted, "They are here!"
On cue, Daenerys sunk to her knees as the stone ground trembled under the heavy weight of the thundering hooves of about hundreds of horses. Raising her eyes a little, she spotted the double-decked carriage of oiled oak and gilded metal open outside the gates and a flurry of highborn ladies stepping out in a range of silks from black to sky blue and enter on foot. A sturdy dark brown horse trotted in view. Daenerys's mouth dropped open as she saw its huge rider dismount and raise Uncle Eddard into a tight hug.
No…
It can't be.
That fat man was the Robert Baratheon her uncle recalled fondly in his many wartime stories? Daenerys quickly closed her gaping mouth as she heard Uncle Eddard say, "Your Grace. Winterfell is yours."
By then, a tall, smiling woman wrapped in furs and silks of black and gold with long waves of auburn hair braided in a southron hairstyle appeared at Robert's side. She must be his queen, Catelyn Tully of Riverrun. Uncle Eddard kissed her fair hand as Robert embraced Aunt Ashara warmly. Daenerys felt envious as Robert and his queen turned to her trueborn cousins.
The king chuckled as he had a long look at Robb. "You must be Robb," he said with a broad grin. "Aye, I remember you from my last visit. You were about six eh, and kept asking me about my war hammer!" He wiggled his thick finger at him as he guffawed. "You even wanted to hold it! I will be proud to have you as my son once you wed Lyanna."
Queen Catelyn nodded in agreement. "You'll be a soldier!" the king declared as he looked down at Bran. "I heard you'll return with us south to be fostered with Ormund under Jon Arryn. What say you to be a page for Barristan the Bold or the Blackfish?" Bran's eyes grew as wide as dishes. The king chuckled.
"I want to be a knight too!" piped Arthur, brandishing his wooden sword. Dany stifled her laughter as Uncle Eddard groaned. Dany glanced around and saw Jon and a few white knights of the Kingsguard hide their smiles too.
"Eh?" King Robert Baratheon smiled indulgently at the three year old. "And who might you be?"
"Arthur Stark!" came the enthusiastic reply.
The king's smile froze as he slowly looked at Aunt Ashara. "He was my eldest brother," Daenerys's aunt said quietly. "I loved him and waited for him. All that was returned to me was his sword."
"Of course," said the king in a stiff tone.
"Can I be a knight like Bran?" said Arthur hopefully.
"When you are old enough sweetling," said the queen swiftly. "I'm sure one day you will be a great knight of the Seven Kingdoms." The king ruffled Arthur's light brown hair absently as he with the queen turned to no doubt compliment Uncle Eddard and Aunt Ashara's comely daughters.
Daenerys almost huffed with jealousy as the king paused in front of beautiful Lyarra, Uncle Eddard's firstborn daughter. "Aye," he remarked, "you are a pretty one." Lyarra beamed and murmured thank you. Her abundant dark hair tumbled down her back and shoulders and her purple eyes glistened like dark amethysts; "The Rose of the North," people called her. Her skin as white as snow and lips a rosy pink, Lyarra was the undisputed jewel of Winterfell. Lyarra is pretty enough to be queen, thought Daenerys. A pity she is betrothed all but in name to Domeric Bolton. She would be better off a queen in the sunny south than stuck here in the cold North. Lyarra was born to be queen, not the Lady of the Dreadfort.
"You look like your aunt Lyanna," King Robert commented as he nearly knelt to have a proper look at nine year old Arya. Arya muttered an almost inaudible, "Your Grace," and studied him with her grey Stark eyes as he scrutinised her in return. Small in size, as skinny as a needle and as agile as a starving cat when it came to snatching food in the kitchens, Arya Stark looked a full Stark as Lyarra appeared the young duplicate of their mother.
Throughout her life, Daenerys had heard stories of the wild and beautiful Lady Lyanna Stark whose abduction by the dragon prince launched Robert's rebellion against the Targaryens. When Uncle Eddard spoke of a young Lyanna, it seemed he was describing Arya. "She loved her horses," Uncle Eddard once said, "no one could persuade her from riding horses all day." A few hours after breakfast, Dany and Lyarra managed to pull Arya away from the stables and comb out her knotty strands of brown hair and make her look presentable. Forcing her into the grey dress Aunt Ashara laid out for her proved to be an equally difficult task that had involved pinning her down and finding Lyarra a new dress.
The youngest Stark girl, Gwenysse, was only five. "You will be a blooming rose one day," King Robert promised. "and a fine match will be made for you. How will that sound?" Gwenysse smiled prettily.
Introductions were further made between the king and queen and the wards of Winterfell: Domeric Bolton, tall and handsome with his dark hair and icy blue eyes was greeted first and cocky Theon Greyjoy next. Theon must hate it, noted Daenerys. Theon is technically Uncle Eddard's hostage due to his father's rebellion. After the queen said a few kind words to Theon, the royal children were finally brought forward. Dany craned her head again. It was the moment she'd waited for – to see Robb's betrothed for the first time.
Last time the royal family visited Winterfell, Daenerys had been whisked away from sight along with Jon. At least she was present this time. Expectedly, Princess Lyanna Baratheon was the first to be introduced. Even from Daenerys's almost hidden position, she felt slightly intimidated when the willowy princess stepped forward and smile at Robb. Princess Lyanna was tall; without her simple tiara of silver, gold and onyxes, she would merely be a few inches shorter than her stocky betrothed.
Studying the princess from between the shoulders of Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin, Daenerys caught sight of her lustrous locks of coal black hair swept down her back and her eyes as sparkling blue as sapphires. Her cheekbones were high like her mother the queen's – very beautiful indeed. Daenerys squinted at Lyanna Baratheon again. Apart from her black hair and blue eyes, she inherited nothing else from her kingly father.
"My lady princess," Robb said courteously, kissing her hand. "It is an honour to meet you again. You are well I hope?"
As the princess replied charmingly, the king introduced his heir, Prince Orys, to the Starks, followed by his younger son, Prince Ormund, and finally his second daughter and youngest child, Princess Minisa, whose heart-shaped face and black curls was a pleasant contrast to her elder sister.
"Ned! Take me to the crypts!" King Robert's voice boomed. Uncle Eddard led him away and Aunt Ashara immediately offered to take the queen and her ladies inside the Great Hall where it would be warm.
"I guess I will go and stab a few straw dummies," said Jon quietly, turning to leave. "Do you want to come?" Daenerys shook her head regretfully. "I have to go and show a few noble maidens their rooms. Perhaps later?"
Jon nodded. "At least you are wanted."
"Jon," Dany said with a sad sigh. "We are both bastards, you and I. I'd rather go and decapitate straw dummies with you anytime than linger around and talk to those southron ladies. You know that! Aunt Ashara asked me to help because she is short of men and women. Robb is obliged to entertain his betrothed and show Prince Orys his chambers, Bran must befriend Prince Ormund and help the lords find their rooms, Lyarra is tasked to ensure the queen's nieces and good-sister are comfortable and I must be useful too."
"What of Arya?"
"Aunt Ashara is afraid she will offend someone unintentionally."
Jon snorted. "Arya is Arya. I suppose you better get a move on then. I will see you at the feast tonight."
Dany had drained her third cup of summer wine before her eyes found their way to Robb and Princess Lyanna at the high table. They were an ideal pair and the princess was already well-liked by the Northerners present.
From bits of gossip with the chattier ladies, Daenerys discovered that Lyanna Baratheon had already began to cease donning colourful silk for more practical and simple coloured materials common in the North. Tonight, she had elected to wear a grey dress embroidered with silver fish and black stags. According to one of the Freys, the princess had asked Aunt Ashara to help style her hair in a more Northern hairstyle! Try all she likes, she does not belong here, Daenerys thought drowsily. A few hours without silk is nothing; wait a few days and she will revert to her finery. A princess does not belong in the North.
"Careful there. You two have both drank three cups of wine."
Daenerys blinked. On her left, Jon looked equally confused. They stared at the speaker, a dwarf with the lion of Lannister sewn on his tunic. "You are Tyrion of House Lannister," said Dany, recognising him at once. "You are the Imp."
"And you?" Tyrion Lannister sat down opposite them and looked at her with his mismatched eyes. "I know you," he added, glancing at Jon. "You are Jon Snow, Lord Stark's bastard." His gaze returned to Dany. "And you…?"
"Daenerys," she answered. "Daenerys Sand."
Tyrion's eyebrows rose. "Sand? Not Snow? What is a Dornish bastard like you doing up here in the North?" Jon flinched, but Dany held his gaze.
"I am Lady Stark's niece," Daenerys said shortly. "My parents may be Dornish and I may bear the name Sand, but Lord and Lady Stark have raised me as their own since I was born."
"Ah." The Imp poured himself a cup of wine. "Sand….and Snow. I'll take it you are another one of Lord Stark's wards?"
"Yes."
"Lord Stark is very…generous, would you not agree, Daenerys Sand? You, the Bolton heir, the Greyjoy hostage, Bronze Yohn's younger son…am I missing any more of Lord Stark's wards? Mine own father would not even foster one child of a Great House nevertheless four!"
Jon frowned at him. "Being a ward of a Great House is considered an honour."
"Even for say, your Greyjoy friend?"
Now it was Dany's turn to frown. "Do you enjoy mocking others, Lord Tyrion? My uncle has three wards now. Waymar left yesterday for the Wall. What are you doing here, Lord Tyrion?"
The Lannister imp shrugged. "People drink in lies like wine and find the truth as painful as a stab of a dagger…or so I've heard. As for my purpose here…I read many books and heard a great deal about Winterfell and the North and thought it a perfect opportunity to come and see Winterfell for myself. Is that your uncle of the Night's Watch over there?"
Dany glanced over at Uncle Benjen. "Yes."
"Ah!" Tyrion grinned and sipped his wine. " Excellent! I might accompany him and his fellow sworn brothers to the Wall! I always wanted to see it after reading about it in the library at Casterly Rock."
Jon snorted. "You want to join the Night's Watch?"
Tyrion snickered. "By the gods no! All the whores from here to Dorne will go crying my name! I have no desire to join the Night's Watch and be celibate!" He looked at him again. "What of you, bastard? I heard that bastards are drawn to the Night's Watch like moths to a flame."
Jon flushed. "I…I considered it."
"Hmm. Perhaps we'll see each other again when we both journey to the Wall in a day or two eh?"
Dany laughed as Jon quickly edged towards another cup of wine. Tyrion gave her a fleeting look and grinned. "See? Dwarfs like me are not bad for company. I have hoped my father would think that but apparently not." His mismatched eyes of green and black twinkled as he went on. "My uncle Gerion found me amusing and would often give me books as name day presents. My brother Jaime has his sword and I" – he tapped his head – "have my mind. What of you, bastards? The gods have thought fit to make you bastards. What did they compensate you with? Swordsmanship? Intelligence? Seduction?" Daenerys blushed a little as the Imp directed his last word at her.
"Dany? Will you dance with me?"
Daenerys looked up and smiled as Robb appeared at her side. "Will you dance with me?" he repeated, holding out his hand. Dany glanced at Tyrion and Jon. The Imp waved his hand dismissively. "Go dance, Daenerys Sand. I will be more than happy to talk to Jon Snow here." Daenerys could not help but laugh again as she caught a glimpse of Jon's unhappy expression. She smiled at Robb and followed him to the dance floor.
"You look beautiful tonight," complimented Robb, twirling her around. "Is that a new gown?" Dany blushed at the flattery. She quickly smoothed out a wrinkle in her light grey gown rimmed with darker grey fur. Around her wrist jiggled a silver bracelet studded with amethysts, a fifteenth name day gift from her father, Aunt Ashara had told her. It thrilled Dany that her father would think of her from time to time, but she secretly hoped for a letter from him or even an invitation to visit Starfall once in a while.
"Yes. Lyarra helped me make it." Daenerys gracefully moved around, careful not to step on Robb's toes. "Should you not be dancing all night with your lady betrothed?" she teased lightly.
Robb laughed. "I already danced with her twice! Her brother Orys had already claimed her for another dance before I could dance with her again!"
"She is very beautiful."
"Indeed." Robb nodded vaguely. "The king already said twice that Winterfell is a perfect home for Lyanna once we wed."
"He must be eager for you and Princess Lyanna to marry."
"A little too eager if you ask me. The princess is lovely and I've enjoyed talking to her, but…but I wish to know her more before we are married in the godswood in a year or two. The king thinks the princess is ripe for marriage but the queen wants her to wait for a few more years."
"Every mother would want that."
"Queen Catelyn can be quite insistent at times." He lowered his voice. "Did you notice King Robert had not drank a drop of wine all evening? Father said Queen Catelyn managed to stop her husband from drinking. An impressive feat. If he did not drink, how did he get so…so fat?"
"Maybe he substituted his need of wine with food?" Dany suggested. "He must have eaten a lot in King's Landing."
"Very true. I cannot help but notice you spoke to Jon for quite some time." He looked slyly at her.
Dany shrugged. There were not many people who wanted to speak to her. "Jon was the only one who would talk to me."
"Was that all?"
She arched an eyebrow. "What other reason would there be?" As the words slipped from her mouth, she groaned. Oh. Oh no. "There is nothing between us!" Dany hissed loudly as Robb snickered and gave her another twirl. "Jon and I are only friends! Why would you think there is something going on? Do you think I only have the one friend?"
"I did not say there was something going on between you and Jon. You did. As Jon's brother, I'm now interested. Are you more than friends?" Dany was saved from answering Robb's question as the dance ended and Lady Alys Karstark was pushed into Robb's arms for the next dance. Daenerys almost rolled her eyes in exasperation. Did Lord Karstark never learn? Robb's been betrothed to Lyanna for years and nothing would break that betrothal…not even a pretty and noble Northern girl like Alys Karstark.
As Dany turned, she came face to face with a small boy – a squire? He looked at her in the eye. "Lady Daenerys…Sand?"
Daenerys nodded slowly.
The boy grabbed her hand and placed something cold on it. "I was ordered to give this to you my lady." Before Dany could say another word, the boy vanished amongst the crowd of dancing couples. She looked down at her palm and gasped, her eyes wide open.
Glistening like blood was a three-headed dragon pendant fashioned from tiny rubies, its eyes formed from onyxes. What in the Seven…?
Writing the introduction scene was one of my favourite in this chapter :) Daenerys may be a little out of character, but I think it can be expected slightly as she was raised in a different household with no knowledge of her Targaryen ancestry. Personally I disliked reading the Daenerys chapters in the books (especially the last couple) and despised her in the TV show. I thought writing Tyrion's conversation would be challenging (so many people write him so well in fanfictions!) but I actually enjoyed it. There will definitely be at least one Tyrion POV in the future.
As for Stannis consummating his marriage with Cersei, I thought he would be secretly a little frightened/uncertain about bedding a woman and wouldn't want Cersei to see his face when they do the deed. I didn't really think he enjoyed doing it either and thought of it as his duty to procreate unlike Cersei who had sex for pleasure. As for Storm's End having Maester Jurne instead of Cressen, Stannis probably wanted a maester he could trust at Dragonstone. I hope I will clear it up more when it's another Davos chapter or something.
