Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or else, the Starks and their kids would have survived !
Summary: Lyarra Stark, born during King Robert's rebellion, is Lord Rickard Stark's youngest daughter, raised by her brother Ned as the oldest of his own children. She will find herself in the heart of Westeros' political intrigues. Will she be able to save herself without too much damage?
Author's note : A huge thank you to House of the lion for translating my story, originally posted in French ! Another thank you to my friend LightDreamer who drew the cover of this fiction which represents my OC : Lyarra Stark. You can find LightDreamer on Instagram as kittehsakura.
Chapter 5 : The fall
A new sensation when I woke up. A warm body asleep against me. Not to mention a weight on my legs. I had definitely been taken for a nest tonight, or should I say a kennel, given that we were Starks? I propped myself up on one elbow and, in the dim light of the room, recognized Bran once again, who had curled up against me. I guessed at once that he must have had another nightmare like the night before the deserter was executed and the wolves found. As for my legs, it was Summer and Winter who had complacently settled on them. It was surprising that they had not gone numb. I lay back in my blankets to take some time to wake up and think about everything that had happened in the last few days. Since the banquet given in honor of our visitors. Father and Mother hadn't appreciated my declining Cersei Lannister's invitation to join her and her children at the beginning of the meal. Apparently, she had complained to the king and demanded punishment for the affront I had given her. And this, even if I had ended the evening sleeping next to her... Sorry, listening to her talk about uninteresting subjects. Jon and Tyrion's company was much more fun than that damned woman with the fake smile. I could still hear her say to me, as I retired for the night:
- What a pity that Lord Stark preferred to betroth your niece Sansa to my son rather than you! You are old enough to be a husband. I can't think of a better match for you, my dear. Perhaps a man from the mountain clans? A man worthy of your refinement, surely.
And me, what did I answer, silly as I was?
That between his son and his brother Tyrion, his brother had made a better impression on me than the prince. One wonders who was raising the children at court!
Well done Lyarra, another opportunity to shut up has passed! I was looking forward to my punishment. For now, I had been instructed to avoid the royal delegation... A privilege in my opinion... Knocks at the door drew me out of my reflections and, with pain and misery, I got out of my bed without waking Bran. Still wearing my nightgown, I crossed to my father, who was staring at me with a stern look.
-We need to talk, Lyarra. I...
He spotted my drowsy visitor and paused.
- I'll give you time to get ready. Come and join me in my office. Don't be too long.
-Yes, Father, I'll come as soon as I can. I said with anxiety knotting my stomach.
I closed the door and buried my hands in my face. I could feel it. The punishment had come. Lord and Lady Stark had made their decision. And I sensed that it would live up to my fears.
-Lyarra? Bran's voice from the bed startled me.
-You're awake. That's good. You need to go back to your room. I must get dressed. Father is waiting for me in his study.
-What's wrong? he asked, ignoring my comment.
-Yes, everything is fine, Cub. Did you have another nightmare? I asked as I came to sit on the edge of my bed.
The scene was so familiar that it almost made me smile. I must have done this five or six times every year with him.
-I had the same dream again, except that the wolves were also going south.
Everyone was going south. Except Rickon and me.
-It's all right, Bran, you know you're part of the expedition that's going with Father to King's Landing. Rickon is still too young to travel and Mother will stay with him, as will Robb. You have nothing to worry about.
-Do you? Are you staying or going with us?
-I don't know yet. Father hasn't ruled on my case after the row I caused with the queen.
-I don't like them. They're unpleasant. Except Tommen and Myrcella. Bran said stubbornly.
-Don't tell anyone, but I don't like them either. I whispered conspiratorially in his ear, which made him chuckle.
-Arya and I are glad you put the queen in her place. Not Sansa, she's scandalized. he confided to me without much surprise.
But what he added amazed me.
-Theon also said you had guts. He was even admiring.
-Did Theon really say that?
-Yes, he did. But Father took it back. He was not very happy.
His remark immediately called me to order. I had to get ready to go see him. And I had wasted time arguing with Bran. I considered it my duty to comfort the younger ones, even before answering requests for appointments, but I wasn't sure Lord Stark would feel the same way. Still, to learn that my arch-enemy had admired my audacity was enough to stun me.
-I understand. Well, bring Summer with you, he's still sleeping. I absolutely must change to go see Father. My sentence has arrived.
-I hope he won't be too severe. He said to me while freeing himself from the covers.
He woke up his wolf with a caress behind the ears and after a smile, he went into the corridor closing the door behind him. I immediately got busy taking off my nightgown quickly, running left and right to clean and comb my hair before literally jumping into a robe. I wriggled around to tie it, grabbed my silver necklace and wrapped it around my neck before spraying myself with rosewater. I put on shoes and walked out of my room alone, with Winter still sleeping. I don't think I had ever rushed to get ready in my life. I ran down the hallways to the office door. There I took a deep breath to gather my courage and knocked on the door.
-Enter. Father's voice rang out from the other side.
I pushed it open and entered the place that all Stark children had learned to fear for generations. We learned his punishments, the decisions of the Lords and Kings of Winter within these walls. And like many before me, I was shaking with nervousness. Even more so when I saw King Robert staring at me feverishly. A shiver of fear ran down my back. Why was he there?
-Your Majesty, Lord Stark... I greeted, swallowing.
-Sit down, Lyarra. Father invited me before turning to his friend. Do I have your blessing?
-You are committing a folly, Ned. A folly. But this is your family. I agree. But you know my opinion. There's nothing to be gained from these people. I'm going to go downstairs and get a nice bottle of wine before we go hunting. You better be here. I'll let you announce the fate of this poor child. said the king, leaving the office and closing the door behind him.
If I hadn't just sat down, I would have fainted. I must have been white as snow. This was all about me and it was very bad for me. I lifted my eyes from my clenched hands to look at my father, my brother, my lord.
-What exactly is in store for me? You've made a decision and given the king's reaction, I'm not going to like it. Please don't make me worry any longer.
-Catelyn and I agreed on your future last night. This morning I asked the King's permission. This is sometimes the custom when there is a marriage between great houses. A letter went out offering your hand.
-Who did? I asked in a small voice.
-Trystane Martell.
-What... Martell? Father! You can't do this to me!
-Listen to me before you get carried away. he cut me off wearily.
No doubt he had anticipated my reaction.
- Family is at the center of the Martell preoccupations just like freedom. You are a woman who places family at the center of her aspirations, although you also seek to educate yourself. You are also too free a woman, Lyarra. Too independent for anyone. Except for the Martells. Besides, it gives you time before your wedding, Trystane won't be old enough to marry for a few years. You'll have time to get to know him and his family, just like Dorne.
-Dorne, Father, you're sending me as far away from Winterfell as possible, as far away from Robb, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon! It's not a wedding you're telling me, Father, but an exile! I cried, feeling my cheeks swell with tears.
-Lyarra, sooner or later you have to leave home to found your own pack. He said as he got up to join me. It's not an exile, you'll have plenty of time to travel at your leisure before your wedding. And even after, you will always be welcome in the North. You're my blood, you're a Stark of Winterfell.
-Father, I don't want to leave the North, please. I begged him, wiping away my tears.
-I'm sorry, Lyarra, but my mind is made up. And I'll add that you'll leave with us for King's Landing. We'll have to meet with the Martells to close the deal, and the least we can do is shorten the distance between you two.
-And if they refuse? I asked with a note of hope in my voice.
I was not defeated. I didn't want to leave for Dorne. There was nothing I could do about the journey, but at least Sansa, Arya and Bran would be by my side. It was going to be heartbreaking to leave Rickon and Robb, though. Unless the Martells refused Father's offer. Since King Robert's rebellion, the Dornians had stayed away from Westeros, unwilling to make contact with us.
-They won't refuse. You're the best party in the Seven Kingdoms besides Myrcella Baratheon. Besides, I endow you with Moat Cailin. You can make it your Cailin, just like that? It was the key between the North and the rest of the continent. A land with little gold or natural resources, but the master asset in case of conflict. I was screwed. The Martells would never say no with such a dowry.
-You've thought of everything. I just have to bow out. I said in a sombre tone as I stood up. Our departure is imminent for the south. I will go and prepare myself if you allow me.
My father looked at me with a glint of regret in his eyes. It didn't make me feel hot or cold. Despite these arguments, I still felt like an exile. I was being chased out of the North for a while. When I got his assent, I turned on my heels and walked out of the office without looking back. Contrary to what I had said, I did not go to my room to pack my things. Instead, I headed to the sacred grove to worship the forest gods. I wasn't even sure if there was a baral in Dorne. Where could I worship so far from the heart trees? I took my seat once I arrived at the large trunk, in the gloom of the blossoms.
Unlike the faith of the Seven who had ready-made prayers to speak to the deities, we had only our emotions, our feelings and our needs in the present moment. Here I could only go back to crying and worrying about my future. I almost regretted not being engaged to Joffrey Baratheon. The insufferable kid had one great quality compared to Trystan Martell, he didn't live in Dorne... I stayed for hours in the sacred wood, contemplating the face carved in the wood of the tree that faced me without drawing any comfort from it, unlike usually. Hiver had joined me for a while when, cold and aching, I got up from the trunk.
-Protect them. Protect them all when I am gone. Take care of my family. I prayed aloud to the gods one last time before turning away and heading back to the castle, my wolf rubbing against me.
I was going to have to leave her too... A she-wolf in the hot desert sands? Unthinkable. She would die of heat. One more reason to shed bitter tears. On my way out of the woods, I decided to make one last stop before going back to my room to start packing and put on a cold, neutral expression in front of the whole court. I would not flinch in front of the Baratheons and Lannisters. I would rather die than show weakness in front of them. I hardly ever went there, but I felt that today it was appropriate to go and pay my respects to my parents' grave. My real parents. I would soon be gone and I might not have another chance to say goodbye. I was almost at the entrance of the crypt when a movement in my field of vision called out to me. Intrigued, I turned toward the ruined tower that cast its shadow over the surrounding area. Squinting, I finally spotted what had caught my eye. A familiar figure was climbing up the wall. The grief I had been feeling all day turned to fury. After our warnings, he was doing it again! Damn, he was clogged! It was a roar that came from my lips as I thundered with all the force in my lungs:
-Brandon Stark! Get do...
My scream of rage choked in my throat. I had no doubt. My brother had heard me. And now I would have given anything not to. I startled him on the mossy, wet stones and he skidded to a halt. He screamed as he lost his footing and fell to the ground. He began to scream, the wolves present began to howl and I began to echo. A single word passed my lips in a long plea, a single complaint.
-Bran!
It seemed to me that it took an infinite time to fall from the tower. For my part, I was moving so slowly. I thought I was in a dream. I was not even a third of the way down when I heard the dull thump of his landing. His scream had immediately fallen silent and I began to sob. By all the gods, I had killed my little brother! Because of me, he had fallen and fallen hard. I got tangled up in my dress, which made me fall into a hole from which a rock emerged. I felt a sharp pain go through my ankle and something rip the skin of my leg. But it didn't matter. I immediately got up to continue running. Running to get to that motionless figure despite the fact that I could feel blood running down my skirts and a worsening throb in my foot. I collapsed more than I knelt when I reached him.
-Bran, Bran, please Bran, answer me! I groaned as I leaned over him.
I couldn't see very well, but his eyes were closed... Was his chest heaving? Trembling like a leaf, I slid a hand against the skin of his chest and felt, after long seconds, the beating of his heart.
-Oh thank you, thank you! He still lives... Bran, hold on! You have no right to succumb, you have no right to...
My pleas died in a sob.
- Winter, Summer, go get help, quickly! I encouraged them as I saw them not far from me.
The wolves were smarter than many people thought. I was sure they understood me. Nevertheless, I began to call for help.
-Help, someone! Come and help me, please, I need help, quickly, it's urgent! I exclaimed between two crying fits.
I clasped Bran's hand between mine, asking him a thousand times to forgive me when I was out of breath from screaming. If he never woke up, or worse... I knew I could never forgive myself. Shouts in the distance made me look up and I saw several people running towards us. Of course, there was Mother, Mother who, like me, cried out in distress as she recognized who was lying on the ground. Maester Luwin was hurrying along with some soldiers by his side. The strangest thing was to see Ser Jaime Lannister accompanying them, followed by the queen. Hadn't the latter gone hunting? And why had the queen come to the scene of a domestic accident? Did she have a better heart than I thought? I put off my questions, the important thing was Bran.
-It's my fault, I saw him on the tower and by shouting at him to come down, I scared him. I stammered between two crying fits. He's breathing, but he hasn't regained consciousness.
-Good, Lyarra, now move away. said the master in a gentle tone. I will take care of him. You also need to be treated, you're full of blood.
-No, I don't want to leave him, I don't want to! I argued, starting a panic attack.
I didn't hear what the soldiers were saying, but I felt someone grab me and pull me away from Bran's side. I began to struggle and scream to be let go, but Jaime Lannister was much stronger than me. Despite my protests, he effortlessly carried me into Winterfell.
-You can't do anything for your brother, so calm down! he said annoyed.
Then, seeing that I wasn't listening, I saw him turn around and say to someone:
- Go get Tyrion.