Chapter 3
A room filled with the fragrance of roasting meats and pine wood burning in the brasiers of the Great Hall welcomed Princess Rhaenys Targaryen to the Feast which had been held in honor of Lady Joy hill of Casterly Rock by her aunt, Sansa Stark, The Queen in the North.
Her aunt and the Lady of Lannister sat at the high table with two of the Winter's guard standing sentinel on the either side. When Rhaenys entered the hall the cerebrations and the feast had already started with the musicians playing lively northern songs on their instruments, to the tunes of which danced the men and women of the North and the Westerlands. Her blood boiled at the sight of the Golden Lion on a field of Red but Rhaenys was able to calm herself when she heard her father's voice in the back of her head, "Revenge is like a sword with two ends. Those who seek revenge end up hurting themselves as well."
Rhaenys took a couple of deep breaths, put on her best smile and with her head held high she walked to the High Table and curtsied to her aunt, The Queen whilst completely ignoring the Lady of Lannister. Sansa acknowledged her with a smile and beckoned her to take the seat beside her.
Soon enough, wine was served. Sour red for those sitting on the lower tables and the common folk, Dornish Red to the nobility and Arbor gold for those on the High Table. The wine flowed and so did the music and the celebration.
Rhaenys made little conversation with her aunt before she asked if she could be excused and meet a couple of friends. Her aunt simply nodded before engaging the Lady of Lannister in a conversation.
Stepping down from the High Table, Rhaenys picked up a goblet of Dornish Red from the nearest table and headed to the glass patio on the side where she knew several of her "associates" might be who she hadn't caught up with in a long time.
Walking towards the patio she quickly spotted the one who she was looking for even though his back was turned towards her.
His dark hair had grown long and he seemed to have put on a little more muscle in the last few moons she hadn't seen him. He was wearing a northman's attire of boiled leather, dark woolens and leather breeches with fur lined boots and a heavy cloak made from the fur of an ice bear with the Karstark Sun embroidered on it.
Rhaenys and Torrhen Karstark's camaraderie went back several years. She had known him since she was six name-days old and he was on the cusp of his early teens. Then she saw him as an elder brother but in the last few years those feelings had changed.
"I like the long hair", she said from behind him and Torrhen without hesitating for even a minute turned to face her with a smile playing at his lips. Like the Starks, Torrhen too had a long face, high cheek bones and dark grey eyes. "And you look even prettier than the last time I saw you, Your Grace". He said, trying to charm her with his courtesies. Rolling her eyes, she closed the distance between them within a heart beat and engulfed him in a hug. She lowered her voice and whispered in his ear, "I missed you Torr". Torrhen's arm tightened around her to reciprocate her feelings for he couldn't be vocal about his thoughts, for now atleast.
"And you didn't miss me Dragon Lady", she heard someone say from behind her. She immediately recognized the mocking playful tone that she hated but couldn't do without as well. Breaking away from Torrhen, she turned to face the Hornwood heir with the traditional Targaryen smirk on her face.
"Trust me Haelyn, if i had to choose between you and the Moose on your sigil. I'd choose the Moose." she said, staring him in the eyes and trying her best not to burst into peals of laughter.
"I didn't know you were into horny males. Had I known…" Haelyn began before another voice cut him off completely. "That's No way to speak to Her Grace, the Princess of the North."
Several heads turned to see to whom the voice belonged too and soon enough many of the guests bowed their heads in the presence of Ser Podrick Payne, the First Sword of the North.
"Young Haelyn, you really need to learn how to speak in the presence of a lady." chided Podrick. Haelyn looked visibly abashed and murmured a slight apology which Rhaenys waived off as it wasn't needed.
"Ser Podrick, I'm thankful to you for coming to my defense but Haelyn and I have known each other for very long. He only jests…" but before Rhaenys could complete her sentence, Podrick cut her off as well. " You must act your station My Lady. Your actions haven't gone unnoticed." He said suggestively before turning his back on the young group of Northern lords and ladies and walking back to the High Table.
Several moments passed before someone said anything. Rhaenys decided to break the silence by beckoning a server carrying a flagon of wine to re-fill everyone's goblets.
"To the North", she said raising her Goblet and was joined by those around her. All of them unified by the sprit of the North
oOoOoOoOo
It was late at night, with the feast almost at an end when the horns at the Guard Tower of Winterfell were blown again.
The horn was blown four times, but this time it was blown to herald the arrival of Prince Rickon Stark of the Dreadford and the Lonely Mountains.
As soon as Rhaenys saw her uncle she ran to him with her skirts swirling around her heels and engulfed him into a tight hug. Propriety and Courtesy befitting a Princess be damned. It had been too long since she had seen the Wild Wolf of the North.
"I haven't seen you in a while young wolf." Rickon said, returning her hug with equal affection and warmth. He was the only one who saw the wolf inside her, even though she was more dragon than her father.
" I'm a dragon Uncle Rick" she said playfully pouting at him. At this he laughed and once again said, "The Blood of the First Men flows through your veins. Trust me you are a wolf." and then with a gentle kiss on her cheek which made her lightly blush, he made his way to pay homage to his sister, The Queen.
"Did you know your Uncle would be here?" Torrhen asked, coming to stand beside her and offering her another glass of wine.
"No." Rhaenys said, contemplating his question, "To be honest i'm surprised to see the attendance of so many Northern Lords." She then turned her attention to him, "Torrhen I'm happy to see you here but may I ask what brings you to Winterfell?"
If Torrhen Karstark was surprised, he didn't show it.
"For that matter, What are Haelyn and the other Heirs to the Northern Lords doing here?" She continued, observing the nobility around her.
Torrhen to seemed to be thinking the same thing but before he could answer, some one else spoke from behind them.
"It seems The Winter Queen wishes to address the Heirs to the North"
Rhaenys and Torrhen turned to see the person to whom the voice belonged. Recognition crossed their faces as a petite girl with raven black hair walked towards them, her eyes were an awry Gold. Nyssa Flint was the first born child of Lord Flint of Flint's Finger.
Her mother came from a Free Folk Clan all of whom had golden yellow eyes like that of Shadow Cats that lived far beyond the wall.
"I'm not my Father's Heir." Rhaenys said, contemplating what Nyssa just said after sharing a small embrace.
"Yes, you aren't his Heir" Nyssa said, repeating what Rhaenys had just said. Her gaze then moved from Rhaenys to the High Table.
Rhaenys followed Nyssa's gaze and went stone cold when she understood what her friend of old was trying to imply.
Nyssa lowered her voice so only Rhaenys could listen, "A Dragon Queen sits on the Iron Throne grooming a Dragon Princess to take her Place. A new Queen of Thorns has arisen in the golden meadows of the South. Lionesses roar in the West and the She-Wolf in the North looks to her Ice Dragons, The Princesses of the North." and at that moment it seemed destiny was in sync with Nyssa for the Queen of Winter and the Prince of the Lonely Mountains looked towards Rhaenys and gave her a rare smile.
What is happening, Rhaenys thought to herself before music and dancing consumed the Feast Again.
oOoOoOoOo
It had been a couple of hours since Sansa had left the Feast and invited Joy Hill to her solar in order to continue the talk they were having before her niece arrived at Winterfell.
"Your niece doesn't like me Sansa" Joy said, idly swirling the contents of her glass.
Sansa smirked, "Forgive her. She's her Father's daughter but lacks his skills at masking her true emotions."
"What does the Prince have against the Lannisters?" Joy asked surprised at Sansa's revelation, "Tyrion considers Jon to be a really good friend of his."
"So does Jon" Sansa said, answering the unasked question "but Jon's fondness extends only to Tyrion in House Lannister."
"Am I too interpret that the girl could burn down Casterly Rock upon Tyrion's Death ?" Joy asked, her face not betraying any emotion but fear lurked on the corners of her emerald green eyes.
"Not if you build closer ties with the North." Sansa replied, taking a swig from her glass.
"What are you suggesting?" Joy asked, the inquisitiveness on her face was well written.
Sansa smiled a wry smile before she spoke again, "The alliance between the North and the Westerlands survives on the relationship that Jon and I share with Tyrion. We need to ensure that our future generations don't destroy what we have strived too build, so we can maintain Peace in the Realm."
"Sansa this is quite unbecoming of you. Why don't you say what's on your mind?" Joy asked, refilling the goblets with more wine.
"An alliance bound by Blood of course." Sansa said, raising a toast "I propose to unite the North with the Westerlands in a relationship that'd last for centuries."
Skeptical at first, Joy raised her goblet and both women continued to drink till the early morning hours doing what they knew best, "Play The Game of Thrones"
