The cold wind bit harshly into Jon's grim face as he stood in the training yard of Winterfell. It had been a month since the whole castle had gotten wind of the king's journey North and everyone was rushing about in an attempt of clean every little crevice of the castle. Jon's half brother, Robb, stood with him as they watched their younger brother, Bran, practice his archery. Whenever he would fire an arrow one of them would give little pieces of advice or correct his stance a tad so he could better his aim. All three were enjoying the small amount of family bonding before they had to go prepare for the king's arrival.

"So you really think mother wants you two shaved for the king?" Bran turned to his older brothers as he asked. Robb laughed at his little brother's question.

"Course she wants us shaved, have to make a good first impression for the royal family." Jon nodded his head along with his brother. Bran shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the archery bulls-eye. Jon sighed at the thought of cleaning himself for the royal family visiting. Why does he have to shave, it's not like lady Stark would even let him meet any part of the royal family. She would consider it insulting to present her husband's bastard to the king and queen of Westeros. Some days he wondered why she let him stay in Winterfell at all. Why she didn't just ship him off to the Wall now that he's old enough? His brother's voice slipped him out of his stupor and back into reality.

"Wonderful work Bran, but Jon and I must head to get ready now," Robb patted his younger brother's back while nodding towards himself and Jon. "You should go get ready too."

"Or I could go play with Summer?" Jon smirked at the childlike hope in Bran's face as he looked at his older brothers.

Robb scratched his beard as he smiled at the younger Stark, "As long as you don't go climbing, you know what mother said about you and climbing." He nodded his head and Robb grabbed Jon's shoulder leading him away from the yard and into the keep to meet with Theon and the barber. As they wandered into the castle they passed Arya stuffed into a dress running away from Septa Mordane while she attempted to remove said dress. No surprise since Arya had always detested the more feminine activities she was supposed to enjoy. Their father always said she took after her Aunt Lyanna in looks and spirit, and since Arya carried the Stark coloring it was no shocker she would have more wolfish characteristics to her personality as well.

They both chuckled at their younger sister's fleeing and continued on their way. They rounded the corner and spotted Theon Greyjoy heading towards them with a large roguish smirk on his face. The Ironborn lad who had spent the last ten years as their father's ward was always a joyful soul. He had dusty blond hair with sea blue eyes, and a tall lean structure unlike the broad shouldered Starks. He carried himself as if he was entitled to everything he set his eyes on and he most definitely acted that way around women he came into contact with. He had practically visited every brothel in Winter Town and prided himself with that fact. Jon personally thought it was sad how Theon boasted about his sexual exploits all the time, but who was he to judge. He had not yet laid with a woman, so he had no true word on the matter. At least that was what Theon said whenever Jon tried to throw his two cents in, or he just muttered how a bastard's word did not mean much. Robb always reprimanded Theon when his words became too harsh, but the damage was usually already done.

While Theon strode forward and embraced Jon's brother he waited in the background as he usually did. Robb being the heir to Winterfell was far more important than Jon, but both had grown up as equals. At least that's what their father said, but Robb was taught state affairs while Jon was taught military history. Robb was taught how to run a castle while Jon was taught how to win theoretical battles. It seemed like their father planned different paths for them, but still claimed they were headed in the same direction. Jon guessed his training was to eventually be useful to assist Robb in running and defending Winterfell, but he felt it would be a waste. In Winterfell he would remain a Stark bastard and a thorn in lady Catelyn's eyes.

"Oh look, Snow's started his brooding early today," Theon's quip bringing Jon's attention back towards him. "What's got your small-clothes in a twist this time?" Jon shook his head at the Greyjoy's callus language as Robb chuckled at the comment.

"Now Theon play nice, I think Jon here is just worried about meeting the royal family." Theon nodded his head at Robb's statement as all three of them wandered into the room the barber, Tommy, was set up in. The three removed their shirts in preparation as Tommy was finishing with Jory Cassel, the Master at Arm's son. Jon and the others were hit with a slight warmth as they undressed and were glad the castle was built over natural hot springs. It was ironically always warm inside the walls because of that fact along with the water of the bath areas on the lower levels of the keep.

Once Jory sat up and went to retrieve his own shirt the barber grabbed Theon and shoved him into the chair. As he began to shave of the light peach fuzz dusting the Greyjoy's face the three boys stuck up some light banter.

"So I heard some interesting quips about the king's entourage." Robb and Jon raised their eyebrows at Theon's teasing voice. They both knew it was either about a girl or the royal family themselves. "They are bringing a Dornish girl." Yep, a girl. No surprise there.

Robb seemed surprised at his statement, "A Dornish girl? Would she not freeze to death up here?" Jon shrugged when his brother turned to him for his opinion. "Is she one of the queen's ladies in waiting?"

Theon muttered a quick 'I don't know' as Tommy moved the blade down his neck.

"Must be it. Father says that Dorne is not on good terms with the crown. So we most likely would not see any Dornish people at all unless they are serving the crown. Have no reason to come this far north otherwise." Robb suggested as Theon got up and he replaced the blonde in the barber's chair. Theon pulled his shirt back on as he rubbed his now clear face.

He grumbled at Robb, "But why bring her to the North if Dorne has such poor relations with the crown?"

Jon shuffled his feet, "Maybe to better relations with Dorne. Might be an ambassador of sorts." Theon raised his eyebrow at the Snow's comment.

"Why send a girl to be an ambassador, unless they want more intimate relations with you Northern men." He winked at Robb while Jon looked away from Theon blushing.

He thought upon Theon's statement though. Perhaps the king wished to bring the North and Dorne together. It might strengthen relations with all of the seven kingdoms especially the royal family. Jon figured the Dornish despised the Lannisters even more than the Northerners did. None of the men in the North trusted any Lannister with anything of value ever since Robert's Rebellion ended 17 years ago. When his father, Eddard Stark, came home and told his bannermen what Tywin Lannister did to King's Landing and what Jaime Lannister did to King Aerys most called for Jaime's head as a kingslayer, but the king refused and instead anointed the blonde knight onto his own kingsguard.

While Robb's hair was lopped off Jon listened to his brother and Theon's banter. He then posed the question on all three of their minds since the morning, "Why is your mother so dead set on us getting pretty for the king?"

"It's for the queen I bet, heard she's a sleek bit of mink." Theon winked at Jon as he joked.

"Hear the prince is a right royal prick," Robb butted in.

Theon smiled, "Think of all those southern girls he gets to stab with his right royal prick."

Robb hopped out of the chair and threw his shirt back onto his torso. His auburn curls bounced as he moved through the room. His Tully blue eyes passed over Jon as he smirked and said, "Go on Tommy, shave him good. Never met a girl he likes better than his own hair." Theon laughed while Jon sighed and placed himself into the chair. Robb was not wrong with his words, Jon did prefer having a beard over his face and his long, black curly hair. It made him feel a little bit more like a Stark, sporting a look like his father's.

While the older boys were having their hair shaved and cut, Bran was exploring the upper ramparts of the castle. Climbing his way to the roof was one of his favorite pastimes in Winterfell, even though he knew his mother disapproved of it. He didn't understand why his mother was so worried about him climbing, as he had been doing it for years and had never fallen. He was always surefooted, and his whole family knew. Once he reached the side of the roof he crawled his way up while Summer, his direwolf, barked at him from the ground.

His dark auburn hair waved in the cool breeze as he shuffled over the roof towards the outer wall of the castle. He grasped onto the stone wall while his dark brown eyes glanced over the horizon. He could make out an outline of a large parade of horses, carriages, and caravans of food. The climbing child's face broke into a grin as he turned and ran back to the edge of the roof starting his climb back to the ground. As he was climbing he heard the sharp voice of his mother, "Brandon!"

"I saw the king. He's got hundreds of people!" Bran called out to his mother as he climbed down towards her.

When he jumped the final few feet and landed nearby Summer he could see his mother making her way towards him along with Maester Luwin. "How many times have I told you: No climbing!?"

He pouted at his mother, "But he's coming right now! Down our road!"

Catelyn Stark walked up to her young son and bent down to his eye level, "I want you to promise me: No more climbing." Bran glanced down at his feet before he looked his mother in the eye.

"I promise."

Catelyn stood up and smirked at her son, "Do you know what?"

"What?"

"You always look at your feet before you lie," Bran smiled and giggled a little. "Run and find your father. Tell him the king is close." Bran took off towards his father's solar to warn him of the king's arrival. While he was rushing into the castle he passed his older sister, Arya.

She quietly slipped into the training yard in a pale blue dress lined with fur covered in her grey cloak. She wandered over to where some men were chatting and sneakily grabbed one of their helmets, placed it upon her head, and rushed outside the gates of Winterfell toward Winter Town. She heard her mother and Bran talking and wanted a closer look at the royal procession before they reached the gates. She squeezed her way through the crowd and up onto an empty cart. She sat herself down right as the soldiers at the front made their way through the city gates and passed where the cart was set. She watched the men ride through as she observed the Baratheon Stag and Lannister Lion banners. She also saw the golden-haired crown prince ride through the gate along with a man riding behind him in a dog-shaped helmet. She watched the large man ride along with the prince before she noticed a small woman upon a white horse behind the prince.

The woman looked slightly older than her sister, Sansa, but far more beautiful. She had light tan skin, which was fairly uncommon up in the dismal North. She noticed she had long, midnight black hair in a braid with clips designed to look like flowers sitting in it. She wore a fur lined purple and grey dress with light star patterns upon the hem. When she was about to leave the cart to return to the keep she made eye contact with the pretty woman and witnessed the most amazing eyes. She had deep purple eyes! Like the Targaryen family Old Nan would tell her about when she was little.

She smiled at Arya and tilted her head at the small girl before moving her horse onward. Arya was stunned for a second before jumping off the cart and rushing back to Winterfell. She ran through the gates and up to her father, who was lined up with the rest of her family and all of the servants of Winterfell behind them. Before she could run to the open spot between Bran and Sansa her father caught her and pulled her towards him.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey." He pulled the helmet off of her head. "What are you doing with that on? Go on." He lightly pushed he back to her spot in line and passed the helmet to a man behind himself. Everyone in the yard stood still and waited for the king to come through the gates of Winterfell. When the horses started to make their way through Ned Stark was slightly surprised to not see his friend Robert at the very front of the procession, but instead the crown prince.

Robb glared lightly at the prince while the blonde prick eyed his sister Sansa up and down. Everyone observed as a woman came riding up behind the prince with a light laugh and many were stunned not only by her riding a horse in the first place, but also her beauty. Eddard Stark was shocked to see the almost mirror image of Ashara Dayne laughing upon the white horse, dressed in Dayne colors of purple and grey no less.

Her haunting purple eyes scanned the crowd and landed on a pair of deep grey eyes behind the main Stark family. The owner of said eyes frozen under her piercing gaze and her warm smile. He wondered if she knew who he was and was curious or if she was just honestly interested in him, but he figured it was the first choice. Who would be interested in a bastard?