Northern Wind

by Sage1988

An accident sends Harry to Westeros in a new body with a new identity, born into House Stark with knowledge of his old world how big an impact will be made? And when the war begins all of Westeros will know the strength of the North. Rated T for the moment but may go up to M later. Girl!Harry.

11. Chapter 11 Royal Visit

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Game of Thrones.

Well here we are again, the build up to Christmas. 2021 has so far been to say the least an interesting year. Thank you for the support from all of you out there! It has been really appreciated and I will try to make sure that the story is the best possible. There are far too many of you to name but know that I am so grateful to you all.

297 AC the year it all begins. Robb, Jon and Meera are all sixteen now. Sansa is fourteen, Arya is eleven, Bran is ten and Rickon is five. Season 1 is now beginning and soon we will be off to Kings Landing. To those that remarked that Oberyn and Ellaria especially got off lightly Ned isn't the sort to just kill people if no one died and Doran has a few unique punishments in mind for them.

Some questions posed by reviewers in the last chapter…

crimson hearts – It was actually meant to be Jon's originally, Sea Dragon I mean but as things went along I decided elsewhere to him. Shireen? A bit of an age gap but not impossible and she will have a presence in the story later on. Cat is going to be miserable for a while and while some feel her actions were overblown they were done for a reason to be like that and why will be revealed later. Peter? He is the sort to take advantage of the situation but it will be a little while before we catch up with him.

HartleySkarsgard – Thank you! Cat has a lot to process before she can fully understand what happened but it was done for a reason. As for Loki? Well he has been busy and his actions will have a big impact on the war to come.

Mark1 – I agree with it being in the Dark Ages almost but it is also a far bit in the Middle Ages and even the Renaissance at this point. What Oberyn did was bad but Ned isn't the so stupid as to kill the Prince of Dorne's brother and escalate tensions with them. Besides as no one died Ned did his best to not cause open war and just get them out of the North as fast as possible. He has no intention of making things harder for Robert by killing the Red Viper when Dorne already hates them.

Jumpingmanatee – Glad to hear you liked it. Doran is going to hit his brother where it hurts most but he is still his brother. Ned isn't keen of forcing any of his children into marriage and in this chapter there are hints towards Robert's current feelings towards Meera and Joffrey and it might be a little surprising for some. As for Meera/Joffrey? It will be one sided at best if I go down that route.

Beleriond – I am glad you did review! Thank you for sharing your thoughts! And while I get many people aren't necessarily happy that I brought Loki into this he is not really the MCU Loki, this is a somewhat different version of him and there is a reason for it. He might be a villain or is he? With him you never know. One thing about Meera not asking for help? Well one thing I picked up from reading the Harry Potter books is that Harry doesn't like asking for help trying to keep his head down, he only really does it if he has no choice which is why his relationship with others is so important as they know him well enough to realise when he is in trouble. I put it down to his years with the Dursleys and the bullying he received from those around him. Any of the teachers/adults who suspected what was happening and there would have been signs should have done something, if he ever did ask it was ignored at best or told to the Dursleys who would make him pay for it. Meera likewise has this attitude despite living in Winterfell her whole life as those memories are a key part of who she is.

The Telltale game, I am sad we never got to see it completed but I am glad of the characters it gave us. They will pop up from time to time and in the war ahead they will have a role to play. Theon crushing on Meera? Not really, he was just thinking and nothing more will come of it. Besides Meera would never give him the time of day. Joffrey? He is going to be a problem but she knows how to take care of herself. Shireen was something I was eager to do, I felt so much for that character and when the show killed her off I was furious especially with how they did it. She will feature in the future although not for awhile. War on the Martells? They are the furthest kingdoms apart in all of Westeros and Ned would only do that I feel if there was an actual death and he was also dealing with Catelyn's betrayal at the time.

Sonata1992 – Why did Catelyn's actions not seem like magically induced to Meera? Because they started small and grew bigger with time and with magic being so rare in the world it would probably not have even crossed her mind that Catelyn, an avid follower of the Seven would ever have anything to do with magic.

Mister LaGuardia – The Guest Rite? That is a tricky one, fighting in the sparring circle allows you easily wound/kill someone 'accidentally' and Oberyn has been known to do that in the past. Besides if you look at their history the Dornish have never exactly been squeamish about breaking it if it suited them. The Red Wisp and Cat, some of those answers will be revealed this chapter but some I am afraid you will have to wait for.

Ffdrake – Thank you! I have been enjoying your stories for quite a while so it means a lot. You made a lot of good points and Jon will have a very different fate than in canon. As for Meera/Joffrey, there is a little surprise in this chapter that hints something has changed in that regard. You are quite right that the war will have a different trigger, Baelish? How involved will he be, very!

Now on with the story...

Chapter 11 – Royal Visit

Riverrun, the Riverlands…296 AC...

The wagon that had brought Catelyn south and to her girlhood home was slow in fact slow enough that it took their party a few of weeks but finally they had arrived, the sight of Riverrun should have been a welcome sight but all Catelyn felt was misery and wished it was the grim and imposing Winterfell instead. The drawbridge was already lowered and so they were able to ride straight through the gatehouse and she was desperate for her father and brother to standing there to meet her.

However instead of her father or Edmure it was the castle's master-at-arms Ser Desmond Grell who stood there to greet her, her face fell she had been so hoping that maybe she could speak to her family and perhaps seek some comfort but the grim and fat knight was there in their place and staring at her imperiously.

"Lady Catelyn, your old room has been prepared and the servants will see to the movement of your belongings." Ser Desmond said with a cold voice that honestly she had never thought the man had before, he had always been polite and respectful to her in her youth and it began to dawn on her that word of her crime had impacted here harder than she had thought.

"May I see my father? Or my brother?" She asked eagerly but Ser Desmond just looked at her from the wagon as the servants took her cases off it and said with annoyance.

"Your father and brother have many matters to attend to and you will see them at their pleasure. Now you must disembark from your 'wheelhouse' so the Northmen can return home, they look rather impatient." He added and she took a look around at the Northern Rangers that had escorted her south and they were all looking at her with sour looks making her more nervous than she already was. So she carefully got off the wagon and without even a single word the Rangers turned themselves and the wagon around before riding straight back out of the castle and leaving her in their dust. She looked forlornly after them as her last connection to the North was gone.

She was led by the guards to her old room, her misery getting worse with every step the familiar sights of home gave her no comfort at all. Her room, looking nearly exactly as she had left it on that fateful day she had rode to Winterfell with Ned and their then two children. However annoyed she had been about the bastard her husband had brought back with him she had been excited and eager to see their married home and the place where they would raise their children, she had planned at least four.

She had six instead and all of them now hated her as did her husband and in all likelihood she would never see Winterfell again.

She sat on her bed while the maids unpacked her things and put them in their proper places except they didn't belong there she thought with misery, they belonged in Winterfell.

With her husband and children.

But she thought as her hands cradled her head in despair that could never be. The maids ignored her, she could feel their judgemental eyes on her, almost like her skin was being pricked but she didn't care.

When they were finally done and had left her alone in her room she had not moved from her spot, not able to cope with all this and the fact that she had ruined her whole life.

But she thought with sudden anger, not alone.

That...thing! She thought with rage, it had done this to her! Made her betray and hurt those that she loved most and destroy the bond the Riverlands and the North had as allies. Why would this creature care about that? She thought to herself as she got up and looked out of the window. Why her?

Chaos, she thought, thinking hard on what little she had been able to remember of while it was in her mind and she had been aware of it.

Chaos...War...Death...Destruction. That was what it craved she realised with fear of its insatiable appetite, it fed on it, used those that it controlled like her to breed more for it to feed on and now she had been cast out of House Stark and the North she had no longer been of any use to it so it had abandoned her.

No wait, she thought as a ghost of recollection came to her...it had been more than that. It was like smoke, she grabbed at it but it slipped through her fingers. It had chosen her for another reason but much to her frustration she could not remember why.

But as her stomach began to show its upset again she rushed for the privy and emptied what little she had managed to eat that morning down it. She wiped her mouth clean with the cuff of her sleeve and she after six children she knew this feeling well, only now it was not a source of comfort.

She knew the sickness that came with carrying children, she was hoping in some ways that it was merely bad food as some of the inns they had stopped at were hardly acceptable. On the other hand she was half excited at the prospect of another child as if it was Ned's then at least it was a reason for them to speak again, to see him she thought with desperation, hoping with all her being that it was his child.

However, a shiver of horror ran through her if the child was Oberyn's...she stopped thinking that hoping that it wouldn't be the case. The thought of that man's child being inside her, she shuddered wishing she could just down a whole barrel of moontea but she couldn't be sure just whose it was.

So she reluctantly went to kneel in front of the icons of the Seven on her mantle, she began to pray perhaps more earnestly than she had in her entire life that she was carrying a Stark and not a Martell.

---

Winterfell, the North…

Preparations for Asher and Gwyn's wedding were rapidly being put together, thankfully Gwyn had proven to not be pregnant which was a big relief to everyone involved as it meant they didn't have to rush to get the offenders wed and could make it look more as them supporting a new house and securing their coast against attack.

Since the Forresters and Whitehills were considered minor houses most other Northern families wouldn't attend the wedding although they might send a gift to the family they liked the most, the Glovers and Mormonts were coming though since they were closest to the families in question and they were vassals of the Glovers.

The Glovers had yet to arrive but the Mormonts were here now and so Meera was standing with her father to greet them. The Stern and battle scarred Lady Maege Mormont led her family into the yard, she was the woman that had worked tirelessly to repair the damage done to her family's reputation after her her nephew Jorah had ruined it all and was respected by the majority of the North for her strength, integrity and skill as a warrior.

She expertly dismounted her horse followed by two of her daughters, Alysanne Mormont her second daughter was presumably back at Bear Island running it in her mother's stead. However Dacey Mormont and her youngest sister Lyanna were present and seeing Dacey brought a smile to Meera's face which was more warm and open than the polite smile she had been wearing before. She hadn't seen Dacey in ages, the other young woman had been working with her mother on fortifying Bear Island and repelling the occasional Ironborn attack.

"Greeting Lady Mormont, it is good to have you within Winterfell's walls once again and at least this time it doesn't involve a war." Lord Stark said with warm politeness to one of his most loyal and respected vassals. Lady Maege smirked as she nodded her head to her liege lord and said with a thick northern accent.

"Lord Stark, thank you for inviting us. Hope this wedding wasn't rushed for no good reason?" Maege asked slyly and everyone knew what she was implying but father proved how much he had learned over the years and was discreet in his response.

"Lady Mormont, I have no idea what you are talking about. This is merely a case of myself trying to establish a new proud Northern house to stand among us and to end the longest running feud in the North. Securing our coast with a capable leader and warrior like Asher Forrester and tying him to a charming and intelligent lady like Gwyn Whitehill so they might create a new house to make us all stronger and safer." Father said and Meera gave him a proud smile before turning back to Dacey who she welcome.

"Dacey, it has been too long." Meera said and the two young women hugged each other while everyone else looked on, they had tried to keep in touch but it had been a little harder with all the different work they each had to do.

"Lady Meera, it is good to be back in Winterfell." Dacey said and the two joined arms and walked off to the Godswood for privacy. It might be a breach of protocol but for once, neither cared. Once there they were greeted by the sight of Romulus and Rema playing with her siblings direwolves, the sheer size of the beasts shocked Dacey who had not seen them in quite a while and not imagined they would now be so big that a small person could ride them like a horse.

"So, are you well?" Dacey asked with concern on her face, Meera knowing her well enough to realise what she was referring to just nodded.

"In some ways its a relief, her not being here. No longer can she cause trouble or insult me, spread her attitudes or look down on us for what we believe. She might be the woman who gave birth to me, but she stopped being my mother a long time ago." Meera said sadly, it did still hurt a little but she was telling the truth when she said she was glad Catelyn was not here any-more.

Dacey nodded, the North was glad too. None of them had ever truly accepted Catelyn Tully as Lady of Winterfell and her actions over the years had only reinforced that feeling, violating her marriage vows had merely been the last straw and many Northerners had taken the standpoint that the south was full of disloyal arseholes that needed to be avoided so with the exception of Rickon Stark it was unlikely any Northern son or daughter would be taking a partner from the south for at least a generation or two.

Possibly though Dacey thought with some worry Meera herself might have to marry into the south, it was a widely held assumption that the king was hoping to wed her to his own son Prince Joffrey. If such a command did come then there was little room for argument and while it would mean that for the first time since the Iron Throne was established a Northern queen would sit there and a man of Northern blood would one day rule, Dacey knew Meera was far from keen on the idea.

Still she was busy working on recreating gunpowder with some success and creating the compass for their merchant fleet. The compass had been doubted very highly when Meera had first presented it and many refused to even consider using the thing at first but as its usefulness began to become apparent captains had begun buying them up.

- x -

Lyanna Mormont was walking around the castle, taking in all the sights when she came across a girl older than her who was in the yard...training a horse.

She was taken aback a bit by the sight as it was unusual to see such a thing even on Bear Island but she was impressed all the same by the magnificent horse. It was a beautiful creature with strong muscles and moving at a fast speed despite only being in the yard.

The other girl who was training the horse then noticed her and came over looking suspicious.

"Who are you?" She demanded, Lyanna was even at her young age not one to back down and said straight back with just as much intensity.

"Who are you?"

The other girl looked surprised at her response and looked at her with confusion before saying.

"I asked first."

"You didn't say please or introduce yourself." Lyanna said back, shocking the other girl more with her boldness.

"Arya Stark." The other girl said and Lyanna smirked a little.

"Thank you, now I can say my name is Lyanna Mormont. That is a fine horse, we only have a few on Bear Island, the terrain is too difficult for them to run fast." Lyanna said and smiling all the time.

Arya was confused, feeling very much like Sansa or others must feel if she dominated a conversation, it was a strange and unwelcome thing and so she decided to try and take control.

"Well Lady Mormont, my horse is going to be the fastest ride in the North and he will breed the best too, Torrhen is his name." Arya said proudly and Lyanna just looked at the horse and said.

"I suppose."

Arya was stunned, not sure how to respond to that with anything but indignation but she struggled and managed to keep control of her temper, she had seen her older siblings react to insults and she was determined not to make her family look bad by overreacting. However frail her emotional control was over her mother's recent betrayal she was going to be better than exploding with anger like a child, even if she was one.

"Torrhen will be the best because I work with him everyday Lady Mormont, now perhaps we should head inside. He needs his dinner and I have to arrange it." Arya said firmly with her face stern. Lyanna looked at her as if expecting to see a crack in her mask of indifference but was surprised to see none.

"Then let's, I was hoping to see your direwolf, bears and wolves are the strongest predators and rule over all." Lyanna said wishing she could control a bear like the Starks controlled their direwolves.

That brought a smile to Arya's face as she took the younger girl to the Godswood to see Nymeria the sight of the wolf that was bigger than her with its siblings and adopted parents in the background was enough to make even Lyanna a little scared but she stood bravely and the wolf even allowed her to pet it under its mistress's careful watch.

- x -

Elsewhere in the castle Mira, Sansa and Lanna were working with Gwyn to get her ready for her wedding. Gwyn was sitting there while the other girls worked on her hair and dress, she was incredibly nervous as she saw the judgemental eyes on her. Not only was she marrying the man she loved but it was forced largely to save her reputation and avoid a small war. The fact that Osha was watching nearby didn't help either, the former wildling had been her shadow since her affair with Asher has been discovered keeping an eye on her so she could not sneak off to be alone with him until it was permitted. Largely to avoid her getting pregnant before being married.

A shiver of nerves went through her as she saw the beautiful white dress with golden stitching the other girls had made for her. Sansa and Jeyne who was a little sick at the moment had worked tirelessly and created it specially for her, she was awestruck by its beauty and had to work hard not to cry so her carefully applied face paint didn't run.

She was helped into the dress and as she was being tied into it by the strong but delicate looking laces up the back the door opened and her brothers and father entered.

"Father! Brothers!" She said cheerfully while Mira quickly excused herself, eager to be far away until she knew it was calm enough. The sight of her in her wedding dress with her hair done in gentle waves and her face carefully painted and coloured struck the male members of her family dumb for a moment.

"Gwyn, my little Gwyn." Her father Ludd said with his voice breaking a little, seeing the goddess that his daughter had become. Her brothers likewise were incredibly surprised having not seen her in the flesh for years and therefore missed her transformation into a woman.

Ludd had come up here with the intention of confronting his daughter and assuaging his fears that she was with child but the slimness of her waist in the dress revealed no sign of a child and he breathed a sigh of relief. Her brothers looked shocked as he came forward and took her hand, Gwyn too was shocked especially at what he asked her.

"My sweet girl! I cannot allow you to be forced into this, be wed to a Forrester. If you want we can leave right this moment." Ludd said and Gwyn was shocked as was everyone else in the room, doing so would put them at direct odds with House Stark itself and bring possible ruin to their family. Sansa looked ready to say something but Gwyn reassured her father.

"Father, he might be a Forrester but he is the best of them and House Stark is giving us a castle of our own! Not a small one either as we will be mooring much of the North's Western Fleet there and I will be close enough that we can visit each other often. It is a great deal more than I had ever hoped for. I am happy father, I know it may not have been the way that you wished but it is the best I could have hoped for." Gwyn told him with a wide smile and Ludd uncharacteristically actually listened to her while Sansa stepped in to stamp out any remaining fires.

"Lord Whitehill, welcome I assure you Lord Asher is an honourable man who has nothing to be the greatest love for your daughter. He was smitten by her from the moment they met and your daughter has been nothing but humble and just during her time here." Sansa told him and while her brothers looked ready to argue a single glare from her stopped them all immediately, Lanna smiled at that as she fitted the maiden's cloak around Gwyn's shoulders completing her look.

Ludd with tears in his eyes decided for her sake not to cause any trouble for Gwyn as he wanted her wedding day to be perfect, this would be his only time to walk his child to the altar and he was determined to make it perfect for her.

- x -

The Forresters meanwhile were staring at Asher with great annoyance.

"You nearly caused a lot of trouble for us Asher, I would probably had to exile you if the Starks had not intervened on your behalf." Lord Gregor said sternly to his second son while Rodrik, Asher's older brother glared at him. The North was gossiping a lot about the suddenness of this wedding and many wondered if an affair had taken place.

His mother however was fussing over a different matter, Elissa Forrester was eager to make sure his new wife was the best girl for him.

"Is she a good girl Asher? Will she be a good wife?" Elissa asked desperate to see her boy well married. It was a great opportunity for her second born but she was concerned it might be ruined by a bad girl.

Asher smiled in a slightly dazed way when he thought of Gwyn, his adoration of her clear to those who saw it. This was broken by the sound of Mira, their eldest daughter entering the room.

"Mira, my sweetling." Elissa said and wondered if she had her daughter to thank for all this good fortune that was being showered on them. She had been sent to gain favour with Meera Stark and House Stark in general after all.

"Mother, father." Mira said politely and walked over to hug them all in welcome. She was glad at least that her lady's plan seemed to have worked and she could stay at Winterfell now, after all with Gwyn going Lady Meera would need all the help she could get.

Imagine Mira thought with some mirth, her being sent to Highgarden! She almost laughed at the mere thought of it and was glad that at least some good had come out of her brother's foolish affair; a new cadet branch would be founded by her brother and Gwyn with a strong holding of their own, the Forresters position in Northern society was secure and she would be able to stay here and not have to put up with the Tyrells.

- x -

Later that night when darkness had fallen a crowd gathered in the Godswood, dressed in their best and torches lit a path up to the Weirwood tree where Lord Stark stood with Lord Forrester and his two eldest sons especially Asher who was now almost shaking with nerves. Theon and Robb watching nearby smirked a little but stayed quiet after Arya elbowed them in the side with Lyanna Mormont's aid.

Then Gwyn appeared on the arm of her father, the sight of her walking towards them with her face tinted just slightly to bring out of her cheekbones and eyes while her carefully styled hair fell gently around her slim shoulders clad in a white elegant dress and a long cloak behind her. Ladies Meera, Sansa, Mira Forrester and Lanna were following behind as her entourage.

Lord Stark smiled, this was a duty that was rarely afforded to him but it was one he cherished. Even with the collapse of his own marriage and all the pain that still caused him, he was still a believer in love, seeing the way that Asher and Gwyn had eyes only for each other was heart-warming and today it was him that got to tie them together.

Once Gwyn on the arm of Lord Whitehill had reached them Ned proudly said.

"Who comes before the Old Gods this night?" Ned asked the assembled crowd.

---

Riverrun, the Riverlands…

Catelyn had thought with time that maybe her father and brother would speak to her again but it seemed they preferred to get reports on her condition from the servants rather even be in the same room as her.

A septa followed her around constantly and she honestly could have done without her judgemental eyes being on her all the time, once she would have been glad of a servant of the Faith being so close but now it was becoming increasingly taxing on her self-esteem.

Her stomach was now becoming much more swollen with her new child, she gently ran her hand over her belly and dearly hoped that it was Ned's. If so then maybe she might have some company and her family would speak to her again, the alternative wasn't something she even wanted to consider in her worse nightmares.

So with all her fears, loneliness and confusion over what had happened she had turned to castle's septon, an older man named Hector that had replaced the last one Mors when he had died of a fever. He had been giving her the same judgemental eyes as everyone else at first but during her confession when she had mentioned the red wisp she had seen and how she believed it had been influencing her behaviour, his manner completely changed.

She was surprised to see he was now staring at her intently and the judgement was gone, now he was studying her carefully as if to see if she was telling him the truth or spinning some kind of strange tale. Hector was by the time she was finished looking shocked before he told her, gaining an intense look that made her think he knew more than she did about this.

"Tell me again, about the red wisp?"

---

Sunspear, Dorne...297 AC…

The dawn of a new year would normally have seen much celebrating for Oberyn Martell and his paramour not to mention his daughters. It was one of the few times when he would be with all his daughters and enjoy each others company, he was actually looking for his youngest girls the moment he entered the Sandship as they were usually there to meet him whenever he came home but this time they simply weren't there.

He should have been back in Dorne awhile ago but a storm had damaged their ship and it took an extended period in Pentos to fix it before they could resume their journey. He had also been hoping that time would sooth any wounds left by his actions in the North and cool his brother's temper, on reflection he did see his actions had been more driven by his insatiable need to hurt the Lannisters and Baratheons then actual common sense. The Starks had not been involved in what had happened to Elia and her children and in fact had been one of the few that had called out for justice but he had seen them as an easier target for his spite.

And Nymeria had paid the price.

Seeing his beautiful daughter with her hands in delicate gloves to help protect and hide her sensitive skin was a hammer blow to his heart, he had never wanted to see any of his precious girls hurt. Thankfully the salve provided by Meera Stark had healed the damage to her hands and they no longer needed to be bandaged but the skin was so sensitive it took only a small irritation to cause her pain. Her gloves were necessary but hopefully she would not need them forever, Oberyn had been sitting with her each night as she had to learn how to write again to practice fine hand movements even if it caused her pain.

After all that he was just hoping for some time at home with all his girls especially now that Ellaria was having another child and he would perhaps soon be getting a child from the Riverlands if Catelyn Tully carried it all the way.

But the moment they arrived in the courtyard of the Sandship he and his party were surrounded by guards led by Ser Manfrey Martell, his cousin and the castellan of the Sandship and Ser Areo Hotah, the captain of the guards and his brother's most capable protector. They stared at him with grim frowns rather than welcoming smiles which was to be expected Oberyn supposed.

"Prince Oberyn, you are to go to your brother now." Areo said with his deep rumbling voice. "The women are to be confined till you have spoken."

Oberyn turned to see his oldest daughters and Ellaria being dragged off the wagon or horses and being pulled away, calling out to him and Oberyn was going to say something with his rage rising but before he could he too was seized by Areo and the other guards and led by Ser Manfrey was dragged through the corridors of the castle till they arrived at his brother's solar.

Doran was sitting there with his wheeled chair pointed out across the balcony which overlooked the city below, nearby his niece and two nephews were sitting at the small table sipping tea, normally they had smiles when he came home or exasperated looks at his antics but not this time.

All three were looking at him with anger and Doran once he had turned his wheeled chair around looked on with greater fury than Oberyn had seen since the day they had learned what had happened in Kings Landing at the end of the Rebellion.

"It seems that the greatest ally for the Lannisters and Baratheons is my own brother!" Doran said with a voice full of cold fury and Oberyn honestly was so shocked that he couldn't summon a single word in response. It was such a slap to the face coming from his own brother that he could hardly believe he had said that.

"Do you have any idea just what your actions have done this time? Do you?" Arianne said who was glaring at him with daggers in her eyes, normally she was the most excited to see him as he believed in her as the future leader of Dorne but now she was looking at him with anger and disgust. "Fucking the Lady of Winterfell in her husband's castle in their bed, trying to steal an important Northern relic and trying to kill the hostage Greyjoy? Not to mention losing us our best spy in Winterfell?!" She added with anger.

Oberyn just stood there and allowed the anger to vent, he knew he had made a great error but he had thought it would not truly impact his family beyond losing them a spy. Harkoon had gotten off the ship in Pentos and gone to seek his fortune elsewhere rather than face his brother's wrath and now Oberyn thought he was probably the wise one.

"All betrothal discussions have been abandoned or strained to breaking point due to your behaviour." Quentyn said sadly. "Our reputation was always tainted by the treachery of our ancestors but now no one outside of Dorne will entertain any discussion of alliances, not just for House Martell but for all Dornish houses which has our own vassals angry at us."

"And my plan to destroy the Usurper and his alliance is now in tatters!" Doran broke in with his cold fury raging in his eyes which was one of the few things that honestly had ever scared Oberyn as he knew full well how cunning and cold his brother cold be.

"I had planned to tie Quentyn to Meera Stark!" He revealed much to Oberyn's surprise that he was prepared to make her one of the family. "The Starks are the keystone of the alliance that keeps the Usurper and Lannisters in power and despite her brother being the one who will inherit Winterfell, Meera Stark is the one with the greatest influence. She could break the Starks away from Baratheon and despite their recent difficulties the Riverlands follows where the North leads and possibly the Vale as well! Three of the kingdoms that hold him up...gone!" Doran said sharply and Oberyn was taken aback at his brother's plan, seeing maybe for the first time just how important the Starks were and he had no idea at all, they probably didn't realise how important they were either.

"I had also intended for one of Lord Swann's sons to wed Arianne and become her consort so when the time came she could use him to incite an uprising in the Stormlands while Trystane would be wed to Talla Tarly." Doran then also revealed which seemed to surprise both Arianne and Trystane but they quickly recovered. "Trystane then could push for Randyll Tarly to rise up against the Tyrells or ensure they do not support the Lannisters and Baratheon. This would leave the whore-monger king vulnerable and alone, so much easier to destroy. Now all of that is ruined because of you!" Doran said his voice rising slightly but only by a tiny amount and his eyes were now ablaze.

"I have gathered my children now they have returned from visiting their mother so we can try and find some way to undo the damage you have caused. Now have any of you any ideas?" Doran asked, turning this into a test for his children especially Arianne to see if she was up to inheriting his seat.

The three all sat quietly and pondered, all of them concentrating like mad trying to find some possible solution to their problems while Oberyn now chastised as he realised all he had managed to do was make the Usurper stronger stood quietly in disgrace.

It was Arianne that finally came up with an idea.

"We could send one of my brothers to serve House Stark or another Northern house to prove that we are seeking their forgiveness and prove to all of Westeros that we are trustworthy. If it were Quentyn then perhaps if he can prove himself to Meera Stark the plan might still be salvaged." Arianne said while looking to her brother who was surprised at her idea but looked strangely interested.

"I doubt they would accept it after all the ill intent your uncle has created." Doran said with a dismissive wave of his hand, Oberyn nearly flinching at the words of his brother. "But we have few options it seems. Quentyn, this is a great task you are being set...are you prepared to do this? It won't be easy, they will all judge you and it will take an age before any trust is given." Doran warned him, knowing that Quentyn's serious and level head would actually make him perhaps the best for this. Arianne was his heir and despite being quite able to manipulate people when she wanted too she was rather too hot blooded for the Starks and the last thing they needed was for her to start an affair with someone and make assumptions about them valid.

Trystane meanwhile was far too young and romantic for that, he would fall in love with some girl and pursue her which he didn't need right now.

Quentyn seemed to think about this long and hard before saying.

"I will do it father, for our family I will do it."

Doran smiled, knowing it would be a year at least before they could even try such a risky strategy but he was glad a little at the determination on his face and how earnest he was about this task they had set him as did his siblings and even his uncle smiled a little, glad to see his nephew so determined. But then Doran turned his attention back to him and the scowl returned.

"Now for your punishment." Doran said and Oberyn felt very tense as he knew when his brother really wanted you to suffer he would find a way to make you suffer in the worst way imaginable, so he braced himself.

"Hence forth your daughters except for the youngest will be forbidden from the Sandship along with your paramour who will be sent to her father at Hellholt and visitations will be very limited. The youngest will be educated here as they are good girls by all appearances and will raised to not be like you and the rest of your brood. But if you want coin to feed not only yourself and your eldest then you will have to earn it by doing the tasks I set to the letter. No more foreign travel, the port officials will be informed to prevent you leaving and all the brothels in the city are banned from serving you. The girl Tyene, she will be sent to the nearest Sept and held there for at least a year in isolation till she learns some manners and to control her more vicious impulses." Doran said, and Oberyn honestly felt his heart breaking with each word.

His littlest girls were to be separated from him, their mother and their sisters and he would now be stopped from travelling. The thrills and interesting sights that always drew him to foreign shores were now forbidden to him and any idea of simply booking passage on a ship and fleeing Westeros was a fantasy as he had no coin to do so and the port men would stop him from leaving. Not to mention he would struggle to find a secure place for his family and being cut off from his younger girls was more than he could bare. Ellaria was going to be kept away from him and Tyene was going to be locked up in the sept for a year at least in isolation which he knew with worry for them was going to be very hard to bare.

But he would need to ensure his latest children once they were born had a roof over their head and an education...what other choice did he have?

He didn't dare mention what he and Ellaria had done, that not only was Ellaria soon to have another child but Catelyn Tully would soon be giving him another one too.

---

Winterfell, the North…297 AC...

The new year and her recent name-day had brought more memories for Meera Stark, the sixth year at Hogwarts and the death of Dumbledore was a bittersweet thing as she now knew far more of the story but it seemed so bleak she was almost afraid to see just what happened next.

But she pushed all that aside as she looked down at the yard from the balcony with her father at Jon and Robb trying to teach Bran the bow. Despite having been trained at this for a couple of years now Bran seemed to be struggling with it and despite their help he had yet to get the hang of the bow.

As was proven when the arrow went wide and hit a bunch of barrels next to the target. Bran groaned with frustration at the failure and while Robb looked on with a slight smile and his arms crossed, Jon went over to his younger brother and said quietly to him with a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Go on. Father's watching."

Bran turned around and looked up to see that their father was standing there with their sister and both smiled encouragingly at him. Bran nodded and turned back to the target and tried again only for the same thing to happen again. Jon, Robb and Rickon who was sitting close by couldn't help but laugh at the failure which only made Bran feel worse and father felt the need to intervene.

"And which one of you was a marksman at ten? Keep practising Bran. Go on." Father encouraged and Bran smiled at that before turning back to the target, Jon and Robb both spoke, trying to give some helpful advice.

"Don't think so much."

"Relax your bow arm."

Bran strained as he tried desperately to get it all right, his small body near shaking and sweat on his brow but before he could loose another arrow appeared from nowhere and struck the target dead centre. They all looked for the source and saw Arya standing there with a bow in hand and gave a cheeky little curtsy before Bran, now enraged dropped his bow and ran towards her causing his older sister to run.

Robb and Jon couldn't help themselves and started laughing as they watched their younger siblings running around while Meera and their father frowned a little. Meera spoke to father as they watched from above.

"Bran might have a weaker eye than most, hence why he struggles with the bow, I'll try to make a crossbow with an aid to his sight to compensate." She told him and he nodded, still impressed after all these years at how capable his daughter was and glad she was willing to help her siblings bringing a smile back to his face.

Then they were interrupted by Ser Rodrik coming up to them with Theon at his side, after his narrow escape with the Dornish the Greyjoy boy had learned a little humility and been relatively well behaved since.

"Lord Stark, my lady." Ser Rodrik said and his grim expression revealed his bad news. "A Ranger just rode in from the hills, they've captured a deserter from the Night's Watch."

The faces of both Lord Stark and his eldest daughter became solemn as they knew what came next, father turned to Theon and said.

"Get the lads to saddle their horses, make sure Bran is ready to accompany them." Theon nodded and went off to see his will done as did Ser Rodrik while Meera remained silent knowing full well what was due.

Break the oath to the Wall, lose your head. No ifs, no buts.

Every Northerner knew that, as did the lords that it was their duty to see that sentence carried out.

So while father went to get ready to ride out with her brothers to behead the offender she retired to her workshop and started working on the design for Bran's crossbow, not sure why but the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. Change was coming, she could feel it in the air and wondered just what could be coming.

Sansa some time later came in with a message in her hand, she smiled at her older sister slightly as she worked on the crossbow for Bran. It had a small marked glass lens to help him aim over a longer distance and she had added a lever to help making reloading it quicker. Meera saw her younger sister and smiled back before noticing what she had in her hand. Wordlessly she passed it over and Meera quickly opened it and saw the contents.

"Kings Landing." Meera said with a sigh, knowing she was the one that was going to have to break the news to their father and that the king was coming to Winterfell.

For this to happen right after the death of Jon Arryn, however they felt about the man it could mean only one thing...father was going to be named Hand of the King in his place and the letter made a mention of 'joining their houses', which could mean one of them was going to be wed into the royal family. She turned to Sansa and said.

"Thank you Sansa, go and spend the day with your friends. I'll speak with father when he returns." She said trying to be reassuring for her younger sister. Sansa didn't fully believe her but did as she told.

Meera sighed the moment the door was closed, rereading the letter again and frowning as she knew their relatively peaceful existence here was coming to an end and soon they would be force to join in what the southerners called 'the great game'.

---

The Red Keep, Kings Landing…

The bells rang out as the mourning for Lord Jon Arryn continued, for a lord even a great lord this was unusual but as the King's late foster father and key advisor despite whatever troubles they had in the past he was to receive the highest form of respect. Around his entire body elaborate candles burned creating a sweet scent around the room which was supposed to preserve the body and mask any smell of rotting.

Two figures watched the septas as they moved around the large chamber of the throne room, around the deceased Lord Arryn. Both were the same age and had the same general features; golden blonde hair and green eyes not to mention matching looks of disdain for the great lord and wearing clothes of the most expensive and best materials.

The man spoke with an easy going smile that seemed almost slightly mocking.

"As your brother I feel it is my duty to inform you, you worry too much. It's starting to show." He said to his darling sister who only leaned on the balcony overlooking the throne room.

"And you never worry about anything." She answered back, Cersei turned her attention back to the corpse at the centre of the room and her worries for what the old fool might have said to the husband she so hated reared their ugly head again. "When we were seven you used to jump off the cliffs of Casterly Rock and drop straight down into the water and you were never afraid."

Jaime merely shrugged before saying with a dismissive voice.

"There was nothing to be afraid of until you told father. Lannisters, Lannisters don't act like fools." He said doing his best impersonation of their father and glad he was not here to hear it. Cersei turned back to late lord in the centre of the room and said.

"What if Jon Arryn told someone?" She asked getting to the main point of her concerns, Jaime again dismissed these worries by asking his own question.

"Who would he tell?"

"My husband." Cersei insisted knowing the consequences if they were found out would be very grave indeed. Again however Jaime dismissed this with a single piece of logic.

"If he did our heads would be skewered and in pride of place on the city gates right now. Whatever Jon Arryn did or didn't know it died with him and Robert will choose a new Hand of the King to do his bidding while he is out fucking boars and hunting whores, or is it the other way around." Jaime said with a rather poor joke to try and lighten his twin sister's mood which failed but her mouth did curl up a little. He then added to try his best to reassure her.

"And life will go on."

Cersei tried to take comfort in his words and in her heart which beat for only the two of them she knew his assertions were true but her fears were scratching hard at her confidence. She decided to change the subject a little.

"You should be hand of the king." She said with pride, she would dearly love for her other half to have such power at his command especially as that power would secretly also be hers. Jaime looked almost horrified at the idea.

"That's a sentence I could do without." He said looking over to the dead lord as if he were proof of his claims. "Their days are too long, their lives are too short."

The pair then stopped talking and looked over to the body of Jon Arryn and knew soon they would have to be preparing to leave the comforts of the Red Keep for the deary and cold setting of the North.

---

Winterfell, the North...

Meera knew where her father would be the moment he returned, where he always went to after having to kill someone guilty or not.

The Godswood, to clean his sword and to clear his guilt.

It didn't take her long to find him, sitting at the very base of the Great Weirwood where she and her siblings had honed their own powers even if they had little cause to use them at the moment. She saw in the distance her siblings direwolves playing with each other while her Romulus and Rema came over to her and she gently scratched behind their ears with a smile.

Turning her attention back to her father who was cleaning Ice right next to the dark pool she knew he was going to be unsettled by the message she was carrying her hand. He noticed her approach and she tried to make light of the moment before she had to break the bad news.

"Its so peaceful here, I wish we all had more time to enjoy it." She said with a smile and her father smiled back before saying.

"Aye, the responsibilities of a great house never seem to wane." He said with a bitter humour, then her face fell a little before she finally managed to say what she needed too.

"Father, a raven arrived from Kings Landing. Jon Arryn has passed of a fever and the King is riding to Winterfell with his entire retinue and family." She said with some nervous anticipation as with the previous hand's death the king coming to Winterfell in person could only mean one thing.

Her father too it seemed realised the reason for the impending royal visit, he sighed a little before asking with reluctance.

"Your aunt and her boy?" While his feelings towards Jon Arryn had never recovered after the incident with the Freys he was more forgiving of his former wife's sister and her son. They were after all the aunt and cousin to his own children regardless of what Catelyn had done.

"Both in good health it says, father you know what the king wants." Meera said with worry given what it was likely to do to her good and noble father to have to go to Kings Landing and take up the office of the Hand. Starks didn't fare well south of the Neck, she thought it was realistically nonsense but history proved that time and time again. The last time, she thought with misery her family had lost its lord, its heir and its daughter.

Who might it lose this time? Meera worried, her father was a good man but even she knew how dangerous the capital with its ambition and politics would be for him. It also could mean she or Arya as they were the only ones in their family not currently betrothed soon would be too. Which one she couldn't say she thought and sighed herself, she did not intend to marry anytime soon but who knows what could be coming next.

"If he's riding this far north." Her father said looking very unhappy even if it meant seeing Robert again. "Then there is only one thing he's after."

They both shared a look, knowing everything was about to change. Her father could turn the position down but the king was tenacious and it was just never done to refuse a king's command especially over being offered the highest office in the land with the exception of the throne itself.

- x -

The preparations for the royal visit started immediately, Meera was hard at work directing efforts to get them ready for the highest ranking guests in Westeros with rooms being prepared and extra food being brought in not to mention fools, musicians and entertainers being hired for the inevitable feast they would need to have once the king and royal family arrived.

In the great hall new candles were placed in the holders, plates, cutlery and goblets cleaned until they shined like new. Meera sat with Maester Luwin and Steward Poole as they place more orders for supplies for the royal party while Romulus and Rema sat by the fire.

"Ensure that we have more candles for Lord Tyrion's study, after all we know from his last visit he reads well into the night and drinks a great deal too so make sure we have enough alcohol on hand for him and the king too." She said and the three made notes on the documents in front of them. "Around two dozen barrels should hopefully be enough and ensure the best is kept for the king and that the whores in Winter town are ready should he have need of them. His appetite is said to be insatiable." She said with a slight disdain, she knew sex was an activity between two consenting adults or at least it should be and it was known far and wide how much the king indulged.

"Why would a man who is married to one of the most beautiful women in all the world feel the need to use whores?" Poole asked with astonishment and Luwin nodded in agreement, he himself wondering just how a man as small as Tyrion Lannister could drink as much as that.

"Maybe she is unable to keep up with his appetite?" She suggested with a smirk before getting them back on track in terms of preparations. Her brothers and Theon were getting their faces shaved to rid of them of any beards they might have grown she knew and so she must ensure they were fully prepared for any potential problem.

- x -

Sansa meanwhile was embroidering some of her own dresses for the royal visit as was Mira, Lanna and Jeyne, they missed Gwyn who now was enjoying married bliss with Asher over at Sea Dragon but life went on she thought sadly. She was adding greater detail on not only her clothes but those of her siblings too so they could all look their best before the king.

She was excited at the future visit, it was she thought with some disappointment the closest she would likely get to seeing the court and seeing the supposed sophistication of the Royal family but she was old enough to realise that was only a facade. Basic drives pushed them on just like any other person they just had greater power to express themselves, much like her family and the other people of the North.

"They say Prince Joffrey is the most handsome boy ever." Jeyne said with her own excitement bubbling and Sansa managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Of all her friends Jeyne was the most innocent in her outlook on life and could be easily taken in by a facade, she had heard from people that the Prince was actually a little sadistic and could in fact be dangerous so she was glad that Harrion would be here for the visit so she would have an excuse to not spend time with him although she was a little worried for her older sister who she knew was going to have to host him and his family alongside father but knew her sister would tolerate no behaviour like that prince or not.

She allowed herself to go back into the relaxing feel of stitching some more elaborate runic designs into the clothes her sisters and her would be wearing, she was going to make sure than no one ever thought that Starks were simple people who didn't know how to dress she thought with some mirth. Even Arya who was receiving some changes to her wardrobe without her even knowing it Sansa thought, knowing full well how much this was going to irritate her little sister but she would be able to do nothing about it. That made her laugh a little before she went back to work.

---

One Month Later…

Bran was nestled against the same tree that only a short while ago had hosted his father and eldest sister as he gently cuddled up with his direwolf Summer. He was glad of the comfort and security his best friend and protector created with his very presence and he snuggled in closer, his life had been so unsettled the last year or so it was a greatly needed source of security.

His mother's betrayal of their family had hurt, he did miss her a little despite what she had done but he understood enough to know that she had betrayed their family and had to be punished for that. The comfort of family and their direwolves had been very important to them all in those first dark days but they had all begun to heal from it over time.

Summer snuggled up to him, sensing his insecurity and he hugged him back. The reason being that soon their secure little life here at Winterfell would be changed forever; father would be given the position of Hand of the King, Meera and he would likely be going south to Kings Landing, Sansa would be leaving for Karhold, Jon would be leaving for the Wall and he himself would be going to Moat Cailin to learn from Lord Reed how to run a castle around that part of the North.

Everything seemed to be changing and he didn't like it at all.

That was why he had come here, to the Godswood in hopes of finding some sense that things were going to be alright, he loved to explore and while once he had loved to climb since discovering his powers he had taken to flying through the skies with the eyes of a bird or rushing through the forest in the mind of another animal. It honestly was the greatest experience in the world, seeing the land around them in ways that no human ever could.

Even that though reinforced the coming changes in their lives as through the eyes of the ravens he had seen the royal party on the road north, by later today they would be here and he prepared himself to be on his best behaviour. He looked over and saw Sansa coming up to him, looking very concerned and she sat down to him and put her arm around him. Lady trotted over too and snuggled up to them, Bran leaned into his older sister eager for the comfort she was offering.

"It might seem hard at first, but it will be alright. Just because we aren't together in the same place any more doesn't make us less of a family and if we need each other, then we will all be there for each other." She said while rubbing his shoulder.

Bran however had trouble believing that but tried too for the sake of his own happiness and that of his siblings who would all start worrying about him if they realised it. He was determined to be strong...like his father and his siblings.

- x -

The Royal Procession was a long one and the wheelhouse that held the Queen and her children was ridiculously large and elaborate, they would have likely gotten to Winterfell in half the time if it had not continuously broken its wheels or other parts but thanks to the North's web of roads they had managed to make up some time.

And thankfully Winterfell was prepared for their arrival, in Winter town as they rode through was lined with people eager to see the king and the royal procession as it passed through on its way to Winterfell. They were dutifully ignored by most of the column but Prince Joffrey who had been forced onto a horse and out from underneath his mother's skirts smirked at them while the Hound rode at his side looking dangerous and imposing enough for both of them.

King Robert though waved at the crowds as they passed which encouraged them to cheer back at him, many including his cold bitch queen would never have bothered and admonished him for doing so but the man for all his failings knew how to be charming when he wanted to be and work the crowd.

Soon the royal party reached the gates of Winterfell, Meera stood next to Robb and their father while the rest of their family stood in line of age with their entire household behind them all dressed as well as possible. Arya had nearly been late and shown up with a guard's helm on her head but quickly father had grabbed it and passed it to Ser Rodrik who made it disappear just as the first knights rode into the yard.

A knight of the Kingsguard rode in first but his helm made it impossible to recognise him, following him was someone much more important...Prince Joffrey Baratheon.

The sight of him was underwhelming for Meera who somehow had been expecting more somehow, he was dressed in the best quality clothes with red silk, velvet and furs in black. He was smirking at them in what he probably thought was a charming way and more than a few girls around the yard swooned but Meera just wanted to roll her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sansa was struggling avoid that reaction too as both of them were singled out by his gaze. Robb and Jon they both realised by the sudden tenseness in their stance did not like that at all.

His eyes however she saw were dismissive, he looked around the yard without any sense of respect and held disdain for everything around him, Meera honestly was annoyed by this but held her tongue and maintained her mask this was royalty she reminded herself sternly and at least at first she would have to be on her best behaviour and so started studying the rest of the procession.

Behind him rode an enormous man on a large warhorse wearing a dog shaped helm, this she realised was probably the Hound, the Prince's swornsword and protector, evident by how close to the prince's side he stayed. Following them was a ridiculously elaborate and fragile looking wheelhouse and then came the rest of the Kingsguard and of course the King himself.

The sight of him was a surprise, he was overweight but not as much as reported, the regular trips he took to fight having apparently helped keep his weight gain down and his beard was somewhat groomed but still could use some attention Meera thought.

They all knelt though the moment he came up to them as was expected, with careful movements of her head Meera could see the king waiting for a step to be brought out so he could more easily dismount from his horse. He walked over to stand in front of father and looked down on him expectantly, father then rose to his feet standing face to face with his old friend and king at the man's quiet hand gesture with the rest of them following suit.

The two men stared at each other for awhile not saying anything till father said with a respectful nod of the head.

"Your grace."

The king stared imperiously at father before saying.

"You've got fat."

The comment rang in the air like a set of bells and everyone held their breath, Meera was concerned for a moment until her father looked down at the king's extended belly with a questioning look.

That immediately broke the tension as both men laughed and grabbed each other gently in a manly bear hug, Meera felt herself relax as the men spoke as friends rather than a king and his vassal.

"Its been too long, where have you been all these years!?" Robert said with a smile at having his best friend back. "Are you?" He started to ask, knowing full well this was a question was about Catelyn. Father's face fell a little but but he recovered and said.

"I am well."

Robert seemed to not fully believe him, seeing the little signs of pain that only your oldest and closest friends would even know to look for but he let it go and instead turned give Rickon a pat on the head before looking at her and all of the colour seemed to drain from his face in an instant.

"DEAR GODS! LYANNA!" He exclaimed in shock.

- x -

It was like looking at a ghost Robert thought with astonishment, the girl standing at Ned's side as Lady of Winterfell was almost a mirror image of Lyanna. The same height, the face, the same hair, the same eyes...honestly he wondered if she had come back from the dead as a teenager.

- x -

Meera was very shaken at being confused for her dead aunt by the king while everyone else in the yard too looked on with confusion, worry and father quickly spoke to break the sudden tension.

"No your grace, this is my eldest daughter Meera Stark. The Northern blood is strong in her, so she has many traits in common with Lyanna including her appearance." He added as she had inherited more from her Stark blood than the Tully.

The King seemed distracted for a moment before nodding and giving Meera a small smile.

"My apologizes girl, you are so much like your aunt I was thrown for a moment. At least you take more after your father than your mother, curse her." Robert said adding the last part with some anger given how the woman had hurt his best friend.

Robb and Sansa who out of all their siblings took after their mother the most didn't like that one bit but swallowed their annoyance and kept their manners. Meera herself despite her feelings towards their mother felt a little resentment on their behalf but held that back to not cause offence.

"So this must be Robb." Robert said moving on to her twin brother who bent his head and accepted the man's hand to shake before Sansa was then given the king's attention, given his comment about Catelyn a moment before Meera worried he might insult Sansa as she looked the most like their mother but instead as she was a Stark he thankfully curbed his tongue and said kindly. "My you are a pretty one."

With that hurdle thankfully passed the King moved on to Arya who he had to bend down to see her face and he asked.

"And your name is?"

Arya, her boldness refusing to let her be afraid answered back with pride and no fear.

"Arya your grace." She said not curtsying but she did bow her head a little. Meera had to stifle a smile at that and Robert it seemed liked her attitude too and laughed a little before moving on to Bran who he said.

"Show us your muscles." Bran did as he was bid and Robert smiled telling him. "You'll be a soldier."

Approval of them, Meera thought with relief at least they had that before seeing a new danger walking up to them.

Cersei Baratheon, or should that be Lannister she thought with concern as one of the most beautiful women in Westeros came up to their father. Her blonde hair shone like the gold that had made her family so rich and despite her thick furs you could see she had a body that would cause envy in nearly any woman despite being older now. As Harry Meera thought they would have thought her a rival for a Veela but the coldness on her face made Meera want to step back, the arrogance with which she held herself not to mention the smile she had which reminded Meera of a snarling animal about to kill its prey instantly making Meera put her walls up.

Father, ever the gentleman took her hand and said graciously before placing a small kiss on it.

"My queen." Meera knowing as the lady of the castle she would have to follow suit curtsied and said the same.

"My queen."

Cersei's eyes seemed to briefly glow with a hateful green fire the moment she turned to her and Meera was taken aback at the sheer strength of it from someone she had only just met. It was gone behind a polite mask a moment later but Meera was on edge and watched the woman carefully.

"I am going to pay my respects." The King suddenly said and the Queen looked annoyed turning to her husband before saying.

"We've been riding for a month my love, surely the dead can wait." The dismissive way she spoke of the dead made Meera annoyed at the dismissal of her ancestors but also made her aware that the royal marriage was not a happy one, especially given the way that the king responded.

"Ned." He said shortly and left with father to go to the crypts leaving Meera confronted with an irritated queen and the rest of the royal party.

'Thank you your grace' Meera thought with annoyance to herself before turning to the queen and trying to ease the tension in the yard.

"Your grace, I am sure that you would appreciate a warm bed and room after your long journey. Permit me to show you and your children to their rooms." She said politely and the Queen with an angry and dismissive look in her eye said.

"Yes, now!" She said and at her side her siblings grated at the tone used and Arya looked ready to say something but Sansa stopped her before she put her foot in it and Meera pasted a smile to her face and led the Queen, her brother and the royal children into the keep so they could rest after their journey.

While walking through the castle Meera refrained from making conversation as she could see the Queen was in no mood for it and her twin brother Ser Jaime Lannister likewise was glued to her side. The Hound walked straight behind their party and he had yet to say a single word either.

So instead she did her best to study the two princes and the princess.

Tommen was looking around with awe and excitement, eager to explore his surroundings and when he received a vicious glare from his elder brother he retreated to the side of his older sister who did her best to hold Joffrey's glare. Princess Myrcella put a protective arm around her little brother and held him close to her despite being much younger than her other brother.

So Meera turned her attention to Prince Joffrey and saw the satisfaction in his eyes at intimidating his little brother and the annoyance at Myrcella standing up to him. Meera wondered just how regular an occurrence this was and wondered just why the Queen had not reprimanded her son as she had seen the whole thing and instead just gave her eldest son a smile and ignored her youngest.

Joffrey, taking enjoyment from scaring his younger brother? Oh no Meera thought realising that at best the future king of Westeros and possibly her future husband if the King had his way was a bully. At worst? She shuddered at the thought.

His looks her way had not gone unnoticed either she thought with discomfort, his leering at her body and attempts at charming smiles.

She was grateful when they arrived at the rooms prepared for the royal family and showed them to their individual rooms and was able to leave them there. Walking away quickly she went to find her spear, needing to spar a little to ease her nerves and hope that her father didn't agree to tying her to the prince.

---

A couple of hours later Meera had changed into her sparring clothes and with her sisters and brothers were sparring in the yard, Meera feeling a little better now that she had let out some aggression on those that dared spar with her. So she smiled and practised spear fighting with Sansa.

The two circled around each other, trading jabs and engaging in stick on stick fighting while working to improve their defensive weaves and spins. Arya nearby was armed with her short sword and dagger, moving around her eldest brothers and using her small frame to avoid their attempts to hit her. However it also was forcing them to be faster to avoid her feints and fast slashes or stabs.

Harrion meanwhile was giving his younger future goodbrothers some lessons in swordsmanship and both Bran and Rickon held their light wooden training swords, copying his moves as best they could given their age and lack of practice.

It wasn't noticed immediately that they had an audience, Prince Joffrey was watching them with his Hound at his side. He was arrogantly swinging his training sword around and Meera could see even though she was a spear wielder his hold on the sword was very weak and his stance appalling. He was almost as old as her, Robb and Jon give or take a couple of years, he should have at least basic competency by now even if he had not been training as long as them.

She could now see that he was not only a bully if his interactions with his siblings earlier was any indication but arrogant too, so arrogant he felt no need to practice and hone his skills as a warrior. With a father like Robert Baratheon she was surprised such a thing would be allowed but then she had seen the looks his mother had sent him...clearly favouring him and spoiling him literally rotten.

The future king of Westeros she thought with worry and anger.

However while he was arrogantly holding his sword his eyes were fixed on her as she sparred with Sansa.

- x -

Joffrey had been prepared to be completely bored stiff as they came north to Winterfell, why his father felt the need to come up here to this cold and barren land was beyond him when he could have simply ordered Stark to come to them in Kings Landing where he was comfortable. The long trip here his mother had endlessly regaled him and his siblings of how pathetic and backwards the North and its people were...how they prayed to trees and acted like animals, had no manners and no respect for anyone. How poor they were and how stupid.

He had believed every word of it, his mother was right about everything after all Joffrey thought with complete certainty.

Then he had seen the girls of House Stark.

When he had seen them in the yard which he had decided to visit so he could show them just what a real swordsman looked like he was shocked to see all three of Lord Stark's daughters in leather training clothes and with weapons in their hands fighting with their boy siblings. The youngest one who looked almost boyish was moving so fast it was hard to keep up with what she was doing as she weaved, ducked and generally danced around her older brothers while the eldest two daughters had spears in their hands and were actually training with them.

He had never seen a woman actually fight with a weapon before, never in his whole life and he honestly was surprised to see them fighting on equal terms with men.

The middle sister went over to an older boy that he was informed was her betrothed, leaving the older girl to wipe some sweat from her brow and he was now able to see that her leather training clothes showed her body's shape well. She was only a little older than him but she was already giving many of the ladies in court a run for their coin in the beauty stakes.

Seeing him stare at her she came over and asked him with confusion.

"Can I help your grace?" She asked him and he was taken aback having asked him such a question, he was used to being fawned over and while she wasn't being insulting Joffrey didn't know how to react to anyone not doing the former. Still while he knew his mother would have been fuming at this and normally so would he, at the moment it was...intriguing.

"I was looking for a place to practice with my crossbow, I was wondering if you might assist me Lady Stark." Joffrey said, knowing he was better with a crossbow and was keen to show off his skill. That would show her just how good he was he thought and she nodded before saying.

"We have a good range for target practice your grace, follow me." She told him and then started walking off to the area in question with him eagerly following. When he saw it unlike other ranges he had seen it was cluttered with objects and there were a series of levers and ropes near the side which he didn't see the purpose of, thankfully Lady Meera explained.

"This is the range we use for advanced practice your grace it is brand new and has only just been created, since you are I am led to believe an experienced hand with the crossbow I thought you might enjoy a new challenge. There are a series of targets which I can make appear and disappear with the levers, this is test how fast you can react and make the shot. Are you ready?" She asked and he was intrigued by this range of hers he nodded and readied himself while the Hound held his quivers of bolts ready, himself looking interested in what was coming.

Meera then started pulling the levers to make the targets appear and disappear, emerging from behind a bay of hay, a stack of barrels and others. Joffrey was taken aback having never seen a range like this before but he quickly caught on and started firing his crossbow.

The targets only appeared for a few short moments before disappearing and then reappearing at random with no pattern, this made it hard for him to get a line on the target, shoot, then reload for the next one but while he would usually force her to go slower to make it easier for him he found himself enjoying the challenge. His blood hotter with the rush of an actual challenge for his skill, even the Hound was forced to be quicker to help him reload his crossbow and keep up with the target.

Too soon however it came to an end and Joffrey was glad to see when all the targets were relieved that more than half his shots had hit the targets, even Lady Meera was impressed.

"Very good your grace, despite the crossbow being harder to reload you still managed to hit a good number of targets in the time. You have a sharp eye." She added and Joffrey was glad of the praise.

"A prince would be nothing less." He boasted and then saw her raise an eyebrow.

"There are many princes throughout history that would not be as good as that due to their skills being elsewhere, what are your interests?" Meera said with a look in her eyes that was strangely and uncomfortably intense. Joffrey had not seen such a look before and didn't know how to answer.

"What interests could I have, I will be king one day." He said defensively, feeling uncertain of himself and his words served to hide it with false confidence but Lady Meera it seemed saw straight through him.

"If you are going to be success as a king, you must first be successful as a man, your own man." Meera told him with calm sternness. "You need something that makes you stand apart from all the other kings that have gone before you and something that you can do which gives you satisfaction or you will just keep looking for diversions which will only give you fleeting pleasure and accomplishment and be a waste of your time and talent." She told him, leaving Joffrey stunned as no-one had ever said such things before and he argued back, feeling very unsettled.

"But mother said-" He started but Lady Meera interrupted him sharply and with a powerful glare, another set of firsts for him.

"Your mother is not a king, she does not sit on the Iron Throne. Even the greatest of kings like Jaehaerys the first had their hobbies, it could take you time to find things that you like and are good at but the moment you do that is something that is yours and yours alone. No one can take that away from you unless you let them do it. You will be the first king of the new dynasty that did not take the throne, that means like Aenys after Aegon everyone with even the smallest claim will try for the throne and you must be prepared for that." She told him with such strength in her words he was powerless but to listen even if they were against what he had been taught.

"My mother will not let them." He said with a slight shake in his voice and Meera said simply with an exasperated sigh.

"If you rely on your mother and ultimately your grandfather to solve your problems then you are going to be dependant on them, and what happens when both of them pass? Your grandfather is his sixties now, he is a strong man without a doubt but even the greatest of men die and while your mother still has many years I am sure she too will eventually come to the end. A king must be able to rule without depending on the strength or cunning of others because if you rely on others they will soon be ruling you." She added and let the comment hang in the air.

Joffrey was speechless, he had never had anyone speak to him in such a way before and he had no idea just how to handle it. His mother always seemed to know what to do and no one would dare challenge House Lannister's strength while his grandfather ruled Lady Meera was very right in her harsh assessment of the situation he realised to his own discomfort.

One day they would die and he would have to rule on his own...how would he manage? Joffrey thought with a great anxiety filling him up, while his mother was the strongest person he knew...he had no idea of just how to rule alone. Some people had tried to teach him over the years but he had been told again and again by his mother that he would be king and others would deal with the tasks that came with ruling.

But how would he choose them? Without the advice of his mother? How would he rule without being dependant on others and end up their puppet?

He honestly was feeling like a ship just drifting at the mercy of the sea, not knowing where he was going or how to change his course.

Then he saw a pair of greyish blue eyes looking into his and a spark of kindness there.

"I know it is hard to face up to the truth of life your grace but believe me, now you have you will be able to prepare for the future by leaving those old ideas behind. You know that you will have to learn how to judge others and rule but since you are young you have the time to do that. Perhaps by spending time learning from your grandfather as he is clearly one of the greatest lords Westeros has ever known and there are other ways to learn to be a king. Now on to more pleasant subjects, I have something else to show you your grace." She said with a mischievous little smirk that honestly made him give her his complete attention and follow her without thinking while the Hound in turn followed him. Looking at the young Stark lady with carefully hidden concern for her well-being.

- x -

Elsewhere Tyrion was enjoying himself with a visit to the local brothel, the woman Ros in particular was glad of his coin as she had apparently lost her best paying customer recently and he was trying relax as he toiled with his problem.

He had been enjoying success for quite awhile now but his newest play had been a struggle to get down on paper and he was looking for inspiration hence he had returned to the place that had gotten him started.

A few vague ideas had come to mind but so far nothing of any substance. He was looking forward to spending some time with Jaime later if their horrid sister did not hold all of his attention.

- x -

Jon was preparing a bundle of his belongings in anticipation of heading to the Wall, he was going to take his father's advice and not join straight away but he would likely do so anyway. Ghost sat in the corner of the room staring at him with concern, his wolf not liking the idea of being away from his litter mates or from Winterfell and Jon walked over to give his wolf some attention as he needed the security of their connection.

Jon would be lying if he did not have considerable trepidation over this, he knew it was the right thing to do and would make his ancestors proud of him but also allow him to be his own man for the first time in his life. He would miss his family but he could visit and make them proud of him.

Jon was genuinely excited, growing up here had been difficult for him at times but he was going to be free of his family's shadow for the first time and he could make something of himself Jon thought proudly.

The door opened suddenly and in walked Arya who looked at him with eyes that were watering slightly.

"Why do you want to leave us? Leave me?" She asked her eyes huge and her voice trembling slightly as she looked like her world was ending.

A lump came to his throat as he saw her upset, he had no idea she would take it this way after all she was so eager for adventure and would understand him leaving. He was stopped still, not sure of what to say or do as she ran forward and hugged him tightly clinging to him so he couldn't leave.

"You can't leave! Meera and Sansa are leaving! Bran and Rickon will leave soon too! I don't want to be alone." She said sniffling slightly as she clung even tighter to him as he held her.

Jon was unsure of what to do or say, he had never seen Arya like this. She was always so confident and never had she seemed to be afraid of anything but now he saw Arya had found something she was afraid of...losing their family. Meera would be leaving with father to go to Kings Landing, Sansa for Karhold, Bran to Moat Cailin and Rickon eventually to the Twins. His heart took a blow as he understood her fear, their family was breaking apart and so was her sense of safety...her world.

He continued to hug her and told her something that he hoped would ease her mind.

"I will not be joining the Watch, just going to serve with them for awhile and then I will come home. Sansa will still be in the North and Bran and Rickon will not be so far away, we will make sure to write and visit often." He told feeling very much like a fool for considering others feelings and just his own. He could join the Watch any time he wanted but for now he still had the rest of his family to think about, he would hold off taking his vows for now at least until he was sure his family didn't need him.

---

Meera meanwhile was in her workshop showing Joffrey some of the improvements she was making to the crossbow.

"This is a lever to help reload quicker and I have attached this small telescope on the side not to mention stronger cords to create a more powerful shot." Meera said as she showed him the crossbow she was creating for Bran. He looked at it with awe and admiration, studying not only the shape of it but the improvements made to the one he had the Hound holding. It was easily far ahead of it and he asked with mounting anticipation.

"Could you create one with a lion design? And a range like the one down in the yard for me to practice in Kings Landing?" He asked with the idea of such a thing being available to him there to increase his skill. Meera pondered for a moment before saying.

"When we reach Kings Landing I will begin to design the range but I will need the services of some people in Kings Landing to do either since it will take at least a month to get it designed and built." She warned him but he seemed to hardly notice as he had seen the designs for the crossbow on the table and seemed to be studying them closely. He was lost in his own world and she wondered if maybe he had actually found something that interested him.

Still Meera thought she had heard word of what he did to animals for fun and how he apparently tormented his siblings and those around him. Those were not she thought with concern the actions of someone who was stable and could be the signs of a potential psychopath or a sociopath she wasn't sure which but either way she knew that she had to make sure that she kept her guard up.

He was like an animal, they could be handled but never forget that they might turn around and bite you, never show weakness around them. The Hound she knew must have seen many hurt by him as he kept giving her careful concerned looks, she gave him a smile and nod to signal that she understood and knew that at the very least she would have to find a way to ensure Joffrey could handle his anger better.

- x -

While Meera was dealing with Joffrey and their fathers were discussing Lord Stark taking up the position of Hand of the King, Sansa and Mira were escorting the two youngest royal children around Winterfell under the careful watch of their uncle. Showing them the Godswood, the glass makers, the glass gardens and all the other sights around the castle.

The sight of blue Winter Roses in the glass gardens delighted Myrcella who took in their sweet scent and smiled.

"I wish I had a garden of these at the Red Keep." She said sadly and was almost unwilling to leave the glass house before heading to the Godswood.

Myrcella and Tommen were astonished as they walked around the small enclosed forest, the air around them seemed to be filled with a tranquil and calming aura that immediately relaxed both Prince and Princess not to mention their uncle who himself had never been in a Godswood before and was surprised by the peaceful feeling it gave him.

That was until he saw the pack of direwolves that roamed it, the size of the beasts was unbelievable, Jaime keeping his hand on his sword just in case the creatures decided to make a run on his secret children. How the Stark girl and her friend could be so calm he couldn't understand until a light grey direwolf trotted up to the Stark girl and to his amazement the wolf that was easily the size of a small horse just stood there patiently while she and the other girl fussed over it.

"This is my wolf, Lady." Sansa Stark told them proudly as the wolf sat there gently allowing her human to pet her and Sansa smiled before saying. "Come on, she is the best behaved of her whole litter. She likes being made a fuss of."

Before Jaime could say anything Tommen bolted forward and gently rubbed his hands against the wolf's fur, smiling at the proud wolf which rewarded him by rubbing its large head against his while made Tommen laugh. Myrcella who had looked terrified at the sight of the giant wolf being so close to her brother and would have scolded him but settled for walking up to the wolf and gently petting it herself.

Jaime honestly had never been more jealous in that moment of the closeness the Starks had with their animals, as a boy he would have loved to have a lion as a pet and companion. He had dreamt of such things as a boy, charging around like the dashing knights of the past with a lion at his side. Boyhood dreams were a strange thing but as they were dreams and didn't need to be real for you to enjoy them.

Eventually as he reluctantly pulled his charges away from the wolves so they could prepare for the welcome feast tonight, as they were leaving the Godswood they saw a young woman around Lady Sansa's age walking gracefully through the yard on her way somewhere else. She didn't see them and normally they would not have cared except the girl had a glorious mane of golden blonde hair and enchanting green eyes and bore a striking resemblance to Myrcella.

Jaime was stunned to say the least and Myrcella herself was confused as she didn't recognise the girl from their party and they had no family up here but the older girl looked so much like her and the rest of House Lannister it was disconcerting.

While Lady Sansa led them on the rest of their tour Tommen asked Jaime.

"Is that girl one of us Uncle Jaime?" His eyes confused as he didn't know the girl but she looked like Myrcella and their mother. Jaime was unable to answer as the girl had too many Lannister traits to not be one of them yet how she could come to be here was a mystery to him.

- x -

That night at the feast Cersei Lannister was annoyed, being dragged so far from the comfortable life she had at the Red Keep to this cold and pathetically backwards land so her fool of a husband could name the stupid and savage wildling Eddard Stark to be hand over her father who was a much better choice in her mind.

Her foul mood only grew worse as she heard her children excitedly going on about how amazing Winterfell was and how beautiful the North was which she honestly put down to them being children and not knowing any better than letting their imagination run away with them in this cold and barren land.

Joffrey might have made her feel better if he had been at her side but he had spent most of the day with the oldest she-wolf and if Robert had his way, her replacement as Queen!

How her eldest who had agreed with her all the way here about the North had managed to in the space of one day go from being so clear sighted to blind she could not understand? Cersei fumed as she took down another drink of wine. He had spent all day with Meera bloody Stark looking at whatever the hells the wildling girl had in her workshop and now Joffrey had been looking up the designs of different weapons with a passion she had never seen in him before. Cersei was worried that her son had been blinded by the girl somehow which only fuelled her hatred.

The fact that she looked so much like her stupid and ugly aunt only made it worse.

Then she thought as she threw back some of the stronger vodka that was on the table, the fire it created being very helpful to her strained nerves, they had the gall to make her sit next to the fucking girl in the hall while Tyrion her much hated dwarf brother sat entertaining her children with his horrible stories!

The girl was quietly eating her food and not trying to engage her in conversation at least Cersei thought with anger, her hatred of Lyanna Stark for ruining her marriage would never let her think of any member of the other woman's family in a good light and she wanted them nowhere near her golden lions she thought with disgust at any of them touching her beloved children. The fact they had wolves and had actually exposed her darling children to them...and Jaime had let them! Cersei had screamed her anger at her sibling all afternoon. Filthy beasts should be killed immediately she thought with venom, vowing to ensure it was done if any of the horrid creatures came anywhere near her children again.

She had been surprised when Robert had not pressed for Joffrey and Meera Stark as her own father was all the time, why her supposedly great father wanted the bloody wolves in their family she had no idea but she vowed with all the anger she could muster that she would never let the filthy creature near her son!

No queen would ever replace her, she vowed as the words of so long ago came into her mind.

Tommen who had been quiet most of the evening then pointed out something to her.

"That's her mother! The girl who looks like us!" He said gesturing with his finger towards the table were the peasants who called themselves a landed family sat. Cersei blinked for a moment as she realised just what had her son confused, the girl was almost a gem amongst plain stones. She had the same glorious golden hair as she and the rest of her family not to mention almost perfect skin, she was fairly tall for her age and rather worryingly had the same emerald green eyes as a Lannister.

Cersei was confused as how could the girl look so much like she had in her formative years and not be one of them, no Lannister had come up here in centuries as far as she knew except Tyrion that was too soon for him to have fathered the girl given her current age and yet it was too big of a resemblance to be ignored. She called out loudly, making sure everyone heard her.

"You girl!" Cersei snapped and the blonde girl looked up alarmed at being called out by the Queen. "Who are you?"

---

There we are, now we have entered the first season. There will be changes to it as time goes on and they will build with time as the series progresses. Past actions also have an impact and soon they will be revealed. The next chapter is going to have some drama but I will say no more.

The words 'If you are going to be success as a king, you must first be successful as a man' I heard in a drama about Henry the Eighth although I can't remember which one. It has always stuck with me.

Next Chapter – We catch up with Daenerys, Lanna and Tyrion discover their connection, Jon goes to the Wall and Catelyn uncovers more about the Red Wisps.