Vhaera stared out into the distance of the Riverlands. Her fingers played with the seams of her dress, the blood drying up.
She was hiding from the Lord after he had again beaten her when the stable boy had talked to her again. He only wanted to make sure she was okay since she hadn't seen him in a fortnight. The Lord had kept her in a cell where he was her only companion.
Vhaera heard the screams...she could only guess that he had him tortured before he killed him. It sounded horrible to her ears, she tried to block it out with her hands, but it was no use. She could still hear everything.
She knew that this was the Lord's plan. He wanted her to heart everything. He wanted to scare her into obedience even though she already was obedient of him.
When he killed her friend, it only made her defiance against him return. She wanted him dead. She wanted to wrap her hands around his throat and watch as the life vanished from his eyes. She wanted to watch his death.
Vhaera gasped quietly to herself when her thoughts turned dark. She stopped those thoughts because if she continued to think about murder then she surely would commit the sin.
They would kill me for murdering my lord...they would guess that the silent girl did it because who else would? He abused me every chance he got.
Vhaera turned her head when she heard the distant sound of hooves. She had escaped from the Lord, hiding in the woods and now he was coming after her.
Vhaera inhaled her last breath of fresh air as she knew that this would be her last time outside. He would keep her as his wife who never went out of the castle.
Vhaera could hear him coming closer and closer to her. She took off running as fast as her legs could take her. She felt something stab her foot causing her to fall to the ground. Vhaera though in pain picked herself up and lamely limped on forwards.
"Vhaera, you can't run forever," she heard him yell. Her hope was slowly beginning to vanish as his hooves galloped closer to her.
Why are the gods so cruel to me? What did I ever do to them?
Vhaera screamed out in pain as he whipped her back. She fell to her knees, her back burning in pain. Should I make him kill me? Suddenly she felt the Stranger's hand on her shoulder as if he heard her prayers. Vhaera wanted to sob, but she only fell to the floor when he whipped her again. The crack in the sky would haunt her, she knew it would.
"Stop this at once, Lord Velor," someone commanded.
Vhaera waited in silence for the bite of the whip on her back. She shivered as the cold hit her back. She flinched when fingers touched her back and a boy's voice said to her softly, "It's alright. I saved you from that monster."
She turned around and caught the big eyes of a pale brown-haired boy. He gave her a shy smile and greeted, "Hello. I am Lord Robin Arryn of the Eyrie."
That is in the Vale...what is Lord Arryn doing so far from home?
"She doesn't speak, my lord," the Lord growled. "She never speaks. This is not your place-"
"My place?" Lord Arryn repeated in confusion. "It's my understanding then that I am not a highborn or the Warden of the East? Am I not above you in rank?"
Vhaera watched as conflict clouded over his face as well as anger. "No, we are not of the same rank, my lord."
"Well then I will take this girl with me. Somewhere safe, where you can't hurt her."
Everyone began to question Lord Arryn as he helped Vhaera from the ground, unlatching his cloak to wrap around her small frame. He gave her a smile and asked, "What is your name?"
Vhaera shook her head and pointed to her throat, trying to tell him that she doesn't speak. Lord Arryn turned to the Lord and reapeated the question.
"Vhaera Rivers."
Vhaera pulled on Lord Arryn's sleeve and shook her head. Even though he gave me this name, it is not my true name and when I leave here, it will never be my name again.
Lord Arryn nodded. "Is it not your true name, is it?"
She shook her head and he held her hand tightly. "Okay, you can choose your own later. You will love the Eyrie, but first we must go visit Winterfell."
Vhaera had heard of that place, it was the seat of House Stark. She remembered how angry the Lord was to learn that the Starks are alive and have taken back their home from the Boltons.
"You can't take her!"
"Yes, I can," Lord Arryn replied then he shrugged. "What will you do about it?"
As he began to walk away with Vhaera's hand in his own, one of Lord Arryn's advisors told him, "She is a bastard."
"So was Jon Snow. The King in the North, remember?"
"Why is she here? Why bring her with us?"
Lord Arryn looked to his people and said, "She's the one."
"The one?"
"The one I'm going to marry someday."
Why do they all want to marry me? Can't they just leave me alone? Is he crueler than the Lord?
Their eyes became wide and he questioned, "But she is a child."
Lord Arryn shrugged and he appeared to not be caring for his advisors' opinions on the matter. "I will wait for her."
He looked down at her. "I will wait for you, my lady...as long as it takes."
Lord Arryn helped her up on his horse. Vhaera looked back to the Lord who was angrier than before as he was being held back by his men. Vhaera turned back around and gripped the saddle tighter in her small hands. She turned again when she saw a shadow move past them in the woods between the trees.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," he said softly and smiled.
Over the next fortnight, they spent every day and night together. Robin wanted their beds beside each other because he wanted her to feel safe while with him. Although, she was only eight, Vhaera was happy with Robin. She thought it odd how he craved for her attention all the time. Sometimes she was annoyed by it, but others times, she didn't mind being with him. She remembered how sweet he was when he tended the the wounds on her back, he almost seemed angry at them.
She didn't talk still, but Robin was surprisingly patient with her only. He wasn't exactly patient with anyone else, but her. Vhaera-no, that is not my name anymore. Robin let me choose a different name by writing it out.
Robin handed her a piece of parchment and a quill with ink. "Do you know how to write?"
She smiled brightly and began to write, Yes, he had taught me how to read and write. He wanted a wife who was intelligent and beautiful. Thank you for saving me from me.
When Robin read what she wrote, he smiled happily at her. "Finally we have a way to talk to one another. How long were you there for? Did he always hurt you?"
As long as I can remember. I was always hurt whenever he became jealous or when I was disobedient. He killed my friend for talking to me. He was only trying to protect me from him.
Robin nodded. "I am sorry. Why don't you speak? Is something wrong with you?"
Nothing is wrong with me. I don't want to talk because I know that no one will listen to me.
Robin held her hand in his and told her, "I would listen to you. You're too beautiful to ignore."
Robin, I am only eight. We can't marry. I just want to be your friend for right now.
"I told you that I will wait for you." Robin promised her. "I don't want anyone else by my side while I rule over the Vale. We will get older and then we shall be together."
She sighed and shook her head which made Robin laugh. He didn't have the nicest laugh, it sounded like a duck quacking. Robin couldn't do many things because his late mother never allowed him to do anything because he was so sick. Robin had said that it made him afraid of many things like riding a horse.
She remembered on their first day together that their horse fell to the ground because Robin didn't know how to make his horse jump over the log. Robin was still learning how to ride and when they fell, he was quite embarrassed. She managed to tell him with her movements that she didn't know how to ride. Robin was calmer after she told him this.
"What name shall you have?"
She shrugged. I do not know. I want a name that means strength. A survivor.
"Nymeria," Robin said. "She was a great warrior queen of Dorne. They said that she was cunning and wise. A woman who knew how to fight in wars. She was one of the greatest."
She thought of it for a moment before nodding her head as he said, "Lady Nymeria Arryn. Lady of the Vale. Lady of the Eyrie."
She rolled her eyes and silently laughed. Are we almost to Winterfell?
Robin nodded. "Yes. In a couple of hours we will arrive."
Why are we going there?
"To see the Starks. I gave them some of my men to help take back their home. We're cousins. My mother was their mother's sister. She was my aunt. They are family and I don't have any of it left anymore."
She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Thank you, Nymeria. I'm glad that we are friends."
Jaime waited with the other Starks for the Arryn boy to ride through the gates of Winterfell. He wished that he didn't have to be here, he wanted to be with his son, not brushing the Arryn boy's ego.
Sansa made him come as well as Littlefinger because of what Robin did for them on the battlefield. He was supposed to leave to search for his daughter. He would give them his greetings then be on his way. He had to find her.
When is he coming already?
Jaime baller his hand into a fist which made Sansa huff in annoyance. "I don't have to be here."
"Yes, you do?" Sansa replied. "They saved our home. You married my sister, the Lady of Winterfell. She is your wife so that means your presence is required. Robin Arryn doesn't like Lannisters especially after the death of his father's murder."
"I didn't murder him," Jaime whispered.
"Lysa Arryn thought differently. She was positive in the fact that your family had him killed when he knew about Cersei's children."
"Even then his blood is not on my hands," Jaime seethed. "His murderer is still out there. Someone behind the curtains, pulling the strings."
"Even then, Ser Jaime, you can't leave."
Littlefinger smirked at Jaime's displeased face, mocking, "It seems as though, Ser Jaime that you have married the wrong woman."
"You best pray to the gods that-"
"Enough," Bran commander softly. "They're coming."
Bran watched with close eyes as a head of white curly hair appeared in front of him. He looked to Sansa and Jaime to gather their reactions to the girl. He could see confusion yet worry appear on their faces.
He had no doubt in his mind that it was due to the fact that in the world there should be only one white haired girl and she was in Dragonstone with Jon and his men. She had the appearance of a Targaryen, and no one in Westeros wore their hair as white as the moon.
Bran knew who she was. She was Hope and he thought it funny how she came to them. He wondered how this came to be.
"I thought that there was only one Targaryen," Brienne whispered to Jaime and Sansa. "Isn't she in Dragonstone? Is that Daenerys Targaryen?"
"No, she's not," Bran responded.
"Who is she then, Bran?" Sansa asked him urgently.
"That is our Hope."
There was silence beside him as he felt there would be when he revealed her true identity. The only problem was that Vhaera didn't know she was Hope. She didn't know that she was the most important person in all of Westeros. That she came from the most powerful highborn families in Westeros. Vhaera was completely ignorant of it all.
"How?" Brienne asked. "She died. Lady Stark was there when they brought her the babe."
"I will tell you this all later," Bran explained. "It's quite a long story. No one must tell her who she is."
"No," Jaime growled. "She's my daughter."
"Who doesn't talk, Ser Jaime. She's frightened. She trusts the Arryns more than she does us."
They stopped talking as the party came closer to them, dismounting from their horses. Robin helped down Vhaera who stood closely by him, glancing around Winterfell.
She noticed then that the Starks were all staring at her, she fingered her hair and stood behind Robin.
"Nymeria, do not worry. I'll protect you," Robin told her. "Nymeria is strong, remember? She is cunning. She doesn't hide."
She nodded and sighed as she came from behind him. They did her hair into a Northern style and gave her a warm gown to wear with gloves. She was dressed in Arryn colors as was Robin. They were the perfect pair.
"Hello, cousins," Robin greeted. "This is my betrothed, Lady Nymeria."
Nymeria curtsied just as she was taught to and Sansa was shocked at the gracefulness of it. Sansa guesses that she had been practicing it for awhile.
"She doesn't speak, but knows how to read and write so if you would for her to answer you then she will do so with her parchment and quill."
Nymeria gave them a smile. Sansa almost cried after seeing her smile because she looked like Maya. She looked like their mother too. She even had the name Arya gave to her wolf. Sansa nodded her head and then said, "Of course, Lord Arryn. We understand her perfectly."
Jaime wanted to wrap his arms around his daughter. He wanted to hear her voice, to hear her laugh. He wanted to know everything about her. His jaw hardened as he saw Robin put her hand in the crook of his arm.
"I will show them to their rooms," Jaime announced suddenly before walking away.
Robin smiled down at her as they began to follow him into the castle. Jaime didn't know what to say to her. He knew she didn't talk by choice, but he wanted her to. She was alive. She was here in front of him.
"Where did you two lovebirds meet?" Jaime began awkwardly.
Robin chuckled. "I saved her from a Riverland lord."
Jaime froze and turned to her. "You were in the Riverlands?"
Right under our noses.
Nymeria nodded. Robin spoke for her, "He was hurting her and I saved her from him. She's better now that we've found each other."
Nymeria smiled up at him. Jaime thought that she was too young to be with Robin. He didn't deserve his daughter. He would die first before he let this union happen. Jaime thought of Maya and writing to her to come home for their daughter and son.
He heard a scream from behind him and saw Winter walking towards Robin and Nymeria. "Winter, no!"
Winter ignored him and sniffed Nymeria's hand as Robin tried to step in front of her, but Winter growled at him. She started to sniff her body as Nymeria slowly put her hand out to pet the top of the direwolf's head. Winter didn't bite, and leaned into Nymeria's hand which made Jaime breathe a sigh of relief. Nymeria laughed which surprised them all as Winter began to repeatedly lick her face.
"Ser Jaime, remove the wolf from my betrothed," Robin commanded.
Jaime scoffed. "I don't have any control over Winter."
"Who does then?"
Jaime smirked. "My wife. She's at Casterly Rock."
Robin glared at Jaime as his hand tightened around his sword.
"This way, Lord Arryn."
Jaime led him to his chambers for his time at Winterfell and when Nymeria tried to go inside, Jaime held her back. "Your chambers are near Lady Sansa's, Lady Nymeria."
Robin shook his head. "No. We always sleep together. It's the only way she will feel safe."
"What?!" Jaime yelled and almost stabbed Robin in the chest when he heard those words come out of the boy's mouth. "You touched my daughter!"
They were all stunned into silence and Jaime didn't know what to say. Should he tell them that he was only joking? Jaime turned around and quickly left them with Winter by his side.
Jaime strode faster as he heard small footsteps running up to him. He knew that it was his daughter. He stopped when he felt her pull his cloak violently, almost choking him. Jaime gave her his back as he knew that he was in trouble. Bran told them to wait until she was ready to know about them. Jaime couldn't control his anger when he learned that Robin was...sleeping-touching his daughter. She was only eight namedays old and she was too young to be in love. He didn't like the idea of their betrothal.
He felt her constantly pulling his cloak to turn him around to face her and it nearly broke Jaime's heart when he heard her whimper. Nymeria stopped pulling and walked in front of him. She stared blankly at him for a moment before she pulled on his cloak twice. Jaime kneeled down in front of her as she placed her hand on his chest then placed her hand on her own chest. She gave him a nod and Jaime sighed. "If you're asking if we're family then yes, we are. I am your father, and your name is not Nymeria. We didn't name you that."
She touched his face, examining every wrinkle and scar on him. She looked down to his gold hand and held it in her hand. She picked at his hair then at her own before giving him a wide eyed look. Jaime chuckled. "I know you don't believe me because we have different colors of hair, but you have your mother's hair before her father dyed it. I want to tell you everything, but Maya, your true mother needs to be here when I do."
Nymeria took out her parchment and began to write to him furiously, Who am I? Why did you give me away? Why did you not come for me? Where were you when I needed you? Who am I?
Jaime began to have tears in his eyes as he told her, "Someone took you away from us. We thought that you died, your mother and I wept for you. She didn't want another child after you were gone. I only just found out not too long ago that you were alive and I was going to go to search for you, but then you came to me. Fate brought you back to me."
Jaime wiped the tears under her eyes and continued, "I am so sorry that I missed eight years of your life and all the suffering and pain they put you through. I wish I was there to protect you and it will the biggest regret of my life because I wasn't there for you. You are Hope Lannister of House Stark and House Lannister. Heir to the North, Winterfell, Casterly Rock, and possibly the Seven Kingdoms."
Her eyes widened and she pointed to herself. Jaime nodded and brushed her hair back. "Yes, you are that powerful, Hope. I will kill the man who laid his hands on you and destroy everything he cares about. If I fail then your mother will surely not. She'll have his head the moment she hears of this. She's extremely protective."
Jaime smiled at her when she yawned. "Go to sleep in the chambers near your Aunt Sansa's chambers. Not Robin's!"
Hope smiled at him and nodded before walking away. Jaime watched after her and said to Winter, "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her go to Robin's room."
Winter ran after her when Jaime turned around and went to his chambers. Once Jaime was out of sight, Hope sneaked off to Robin's chambers along with Winter by her side.
TBC…
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS, FOLLOWS, and FAVORITES! I just wanna let you guys know that nothing in the rated M type will ever happen between Robin and Hope like she's freaking 8 years old! He is fifteen so yes, like he is gonna wait and not pressure her or anything like that honestly and I don't plan for that to happen like even writing the stuff with the Lord and her really always rubbed me the wrong way and I'm glad to be over with that stuff.
I was gonna leave you all on the cliffhanger of oh crap he just told her that he is her father, but then I decided that I was gonna be nice tonight. I am sorry that Hope is going through like three different names now like at the beginning of the chapter she was Vhaera and then she was Nymeria and now she is Hope, but in my future chapters, she is just going to be called Hope.
We are at Hope now. Hope is still not talking and I don't know when she will be because she hasn't talked her whole life. For her to talk...I still don't know when I will write that in. She's not ready yet to talk.
I hoped you guys liked this chapter.
REVIEW. FOLLOW. FAVORITE. Until next time...