They arrived to King's Landing after a month and a half. They probably would have arrived sooner if their party wasn't stopping whenever the king felt like it. Wren thought the king was avoiding returning to his home, preferring to be in the wilderness with her father than cooped up inside castle walls.
Wren supposed she couldn't blame him. After being stuck with the queen and her eldest son for a month and a half she was sick of them, especially Joffrey. Sansa forgave him for his part in the death of Lady, but Wren knew Arya hadn't forgiven their sister let alone the royals who had caused her to scare her wolf off for her own protection.
Thorn was sad at his sister being gone and the other killed. He didn't eat for several days until Wren begged him to eat something.
The castle walls to King's Landing were large and the shade of sandstone. They were intricately carved at the entrances, a stag with its mighty horns in the middle of the welcoming pillars.
Her father was immediately brought into a council meeting upon entering the castle walls themselves.
"Welcome Lord Stark. Grand Maester Pycelle has called a meting of the Small Council. The honor of your presence is requested."
Their father turned to their nurse maid before catching the eye's of each of his daughters. "Get the girls settled in. I'll be back in time for supper. And, Jory, you go with them."
"Yes, my lord."
The same nasal voiced man who had addressed their father spoke once more. "If you'd like to change into something more appropriate…"
Lord Stark, having been on the road for so long, was in no mood to tolerate snobbery. He took off his gloves slowly and with force, one before the other. The annoying man who had addressed their father simply turned around to lead him to the chamber the Small Council was meeting in.
The girls were escorted to their rooms. Royal maids unpacked their things. Wren was surprised to find that she was given her own room with her family rather that put down in the kitchen or other servents quarters. Arya was thrilled because her room was next to her eldest sisters.
It also may have had something to do with the secret passage that the youngest girl had found hidden in a bookshelf that led to Wren's room.
Privately Wren and Arya planned to find other passages together.
Their maid instructed them to bathe before supper. Their faher had yet to arrive, and Arya had lost her good humor at arriving to the new place. She was busy stabbing into the table with her dinner knife.
"Enough of that, young lady. Eat your food," the elderly maid ordered.
"I'm practicing" was her stern reply.
"Practicing for what?" Sansa asked, annoyed at the younger girls actions.
Arya smirked before replying. "The Prince."
"Arya, stop!"
"He's a liar and a coward and he killed my friend."
"Arya, you don't know which walls have ears," Wren said, cutting into another piece of juicy chicken.
"The hound killed your friend" Sansa tried to reason.
"Arya was having none of that. Raising her voice, she replied "the hound does whatever the prince tells hi to do." She never stopped stabbing the table.
"You're an idiot."
"You're a liar, and if you told the truth Mycah would be alive."
"Enough!" The maid had enough of their fight
Lord Stark finally arrived after that.
"What's going on here?" he demanded, having heard the tail end of their argument.
"Arya would rather act like a beast than a lady" the elderly maid declared.
Ned took a look at his youngest daughter before coming to a decision. "Go to your room. We'll speak later."
After Arya left, Ned gave his middle daughter a leather covered package. "That's for you, love."
Sansa opened it to find a beautiful doll. "The same dollmaker makes all of princess Myrcella's toys. Don't you like it?" He had noticed that her face wasn't happy with the gift.
Sansa refused to meet her father's eyes. "I haven't played with dolls since I was eight. May I be excused?"
The maid interrupted then. "You've barely eaten a thing."
Tiredly, their father answered. "it's all right. Go on."
He turned towards the maid after Sansa left, Wren still enjoying her meal. "War was easier than daughters."
"Thank you, father," Wren replied, smirking up at him.
"You, my dear, are a blessing and a gift" he said, smiling softly.
"I'm worried for you Sir."
"I'm worried for you all. Please try to keep an eye on your sisters."
"You know I will father."
"Go get some rest little love. Tomorrow will be another rough day I fear."
Wren kissed him on his cheek before moving to her rooms. They were light and airy; plants filled the room. She was unsure if that was simply by chance or if someone knew she would have this room. She changed into her lightest sleeping gown before getting into her bed.
It was soft, nearly too soft after so long on the road. Sleep eventually found her, but it was restless and full of nightmares.
The next day was full of adventures for Wren. Her father would never say it, but she knew he wanted to see how the general atmosphere was around the city.
Little people.
She visited the market stalls, buying small candies and toys to give to the children at her next stop; the orphanages. The official royal orphanage of King's Landing was falling apart.
Children, dressed in rags and skinny, were barely able to read let alone trust some random girl. She was able to bribe them with the sweets and toys she had brought with her, but the general atmosphere was not good. She vowed to return as often as possible.
Her next stop was the healing houses. Naturally, the Maesters were unhappy to have a female girl of her age poking around in their business. It took several attempts at convincing them that she wasn't a stupid girl nor was she an assassin before they let her see any of the sick.
After seeing her work, they agreed that she could visit whenever she had time. She never gave her name, but thought that they would figure it out soon enough. People talked afterall.
Finally, she managed to catch a ride to outside the wall to the fields. She spoke with the farmers to see how their fields were growing.
The news was not good. The awful fact was that the kingdom had no reserves, no money, and were relying on other Houses for food. Food that could easily be grown in the fields here in King's landing. They got decent water, plenty of sunshine, and the fields weren't salted that any of the farmers could remember. She was able to work with one field before she had to return to the castle.
The crops were looking healthier in the field before she left.
After she left, the people spoke.
The whispered of a curly haired angel who cared for the sick, the bastards, and the farmers. They wondered if it was just some feel good attitude or something long lasting. Northerners who had traveled south vouched for Wren, saying she was well known in their homelands for doing just this. Helping. Listening. Growing. Healing. This is what she did and who she was.
The people would watch.
The little birdies of Lord Varys and Littlefinger would hear of the rumors of the angel of the north who had traveled south soon. It was inevitable.
After she returned to the castle, Wren r sister once again trying to practice with Needle, her sword, in her rooms. Arya asked her to fight her, but Wren just laughed good naturedly. "I would be your first kill little sister, and I very much enjoy not having a bunch of holes poked into my body."
"Father said I could take up lessons!" Arya said excitedly.
"Oh, did he now? What type? Dance lessons?" Wren teased.
"No! well, yes but no! I will learn how to use this!"
"Good! Let your teacher get the bruises and holes you'll likely poke in him."
Wren went to her room afterwards to write a letter to her brother to be sent by a raven to the wall.
She quickly washed her face and hands before changing her gown into something more comfortable and settling into her writing desk.
She grabbed her quill, dipped it into the ink, and began.
"My dear brother,
How do you find the wall? Is it just as vast and cold as our uncle says? Have you gone beyond? I hope you haven't yet. The journey here was nearly twice as long as it should have been! The king and our father enjoyed taking their time in the country side. I think I found more plants than anything else.
I am unsure if you have been told, so I shall tell you anyways. Lady has been killed. Father had to do it on orders of the king. Arya was playing with the butcher's son when something happened between prince Joffrey and our littlest sister. Nymeria was protecting Arya as always when Joffrey tried to attack her, resulting in his arm being bitten. Nymeria was able to escape, but Lady paid the price.
Arya is taking dancing lessons and working hard with her needle point. I am afraid I may end up full of holes. Whoever told her the pointed end was the best end to poke people with was right. She will begin taking dancing lessons to work on her skillset.
I visited the orphanages, the healing halls, and the fields here. Brother, things are not good in this city of sea breezes and wine. The people are unhappy.
I see you teasing me from here dear brother. You know they are important. They are what makes things run smoothly and everything else I've no doubt prattled into your ear since I could talk.
Brother, I miss you. I am scared for you and our family. I love you and I pray to the old gods every day that you stay warm enough and safe. I also pray you r head doesn't get too big while there.
I hope I am wrong, but if I was not, please try to treat your new brothers in black with respect. You are no better than they are, and they are no better than you. Take no shit. You are Jon Snow, the best brother a girl could ask for, and an amazing man.
Please, know I love you and will box your ears if you get too big of a head.
Always yours,
Little bird"
She included several drawings of King's landing and her journey south with her letter before tying it off and heading to the aviary to find a raven.
The queen was there surprisingly.
Wren curtsied as she greeted the queen.
"Please, rise. Writing to home?"
"No, my queen. I'm writing to my brother, Jon."
"Ah yes, the bastard who went to the wall."
"That would be Jon."
"Are you happy with him? Being so far away from your twin?"
It was just then that Wren realized that the queen was the only other set of twins that she knew of. Twins were exceedingly rare, rarer still to have them survive their childhood.
"It feels as if half my heart is missing, your grace."
"Jamie and I have never been separated for too long. It passes, the distance. They always return, whether we want them to or not."
"Thank you, your grace for your kind words."
The queen tilted her head to observe the small woman in front of her. She had ink smudged on her nose and the girl's hair was a curly mess. "Tell me, do you not have standards in the north?"
"Your grace?"
"You have ink on your face."
Wren touched her nose, realizing that she had ink on her face. "I apologize for my appearance. I simply rushed to the aviary without thinking."
"It is understandable. Do give your twin my thoughts." With that, Cersei left to go about her business.
Leaving Wren more confused than before.