Myria glanced her head up from the book she was invested in when a knock sounded on her chamber door. She muttered a quick polite 'Please, come in' before going back to the chapter she was browsing through before the sound interrupted her. She listened as her door creaked open and shut quietly. Light shuffling feet came closer to her bedside before stopping a few feet from her. She peered up at the person who was waiting by her bed seeing a handmaid standing with her arms clasped together in front of her, her head down facing the floor. Myria gave the woman a small smile, closed her book, and climbed off of the bed.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, it is quite a riveting book." The handmaid nodded her head at the lady and began to putter around, straightening out the things placed around the room. "I am sorry to ask, but why you are here in my room?"
The other woman quietly replied, "The lady Stark sent me to prepare you for the feast tonight."
"May I have your name?" She smiled at the quiet woman.
"My name is Willow, m'lady. May I say that you are quite beautiful." Myria blushed at the sweet comment.
She walked over to the wardrobe where the dress Jon commented on earlier was sitting on the open door, midnight blue velvet flats sitting on the floor below the dress. As she lifted the dress off of the door she spoke to Willow, "Thank you for the compliment, and I am in need of some help with my dress and hair. If you don't mind?" Willow walked over to the lady taking the dress from her hands nodding her head at the question. The two women spent the next hour styling hair, tying laces, and whispering joyful comments. Willow was adding the final touch to Myria's hair while she listened to her lady beguile her with tales of her childhood. The small brunette smiled at the sparkle in her purple eyes as she spoke of a time her and her cousin hid in the passageways under the Red Keep.
"Aunt Lysa was positively fuming when the guards brought us back. She tried to forbid me from even speaking to little Robin, but he was so happy that he got to see the dragon skulls. It was one of the happiest moments I had in the King's Landing, Robin's like a little brother to me." Willow set down the extra hairpins and picked up the star shaped necklace sitting on the vanity, placing it delicately on her tan neck and latching the clasp at the back. She stepped away and let Myria observe her appearance in the floor length mirror.
Myria definitely agreed with Jon's opinion. The dress fit her like a glove, the velvet smooth on her skin. She traced her fingers over the embroidery on the neckline, fingers fluttering over her bosom as she went. The cut was a bit revealing, but still appropriate keeping her modest and alluring at the same time. She watched as the waterfall like sleeves floated around her arms stopping slightly below her elbows. Willow had styled her hair perfectly: half of her ink colored hair pinned up in a rose like bun, and the other half left flowing down her back. Her necklace nestled on her between her collarbones comfortably. She had never felt more beautiful in her whole life, she was truly happy. She would get to stay in the North, safe and married. She could grow old with someone else instead of being locked away in a room in King's Landing.
She wandered back to the wardrobe and slipped on her flats to complete her look. She listened as Willow came up behind her, "Oh m'lady, you are a vision. Simply lovely."
"Thank you very much, Willow. Your help has been amazing." The handmaid blushed and smiled at the lady. "I suppose we should head down to the feast now, I am sure we have spent enough time hidden away already." She was not wrong in her observation, night had fallen on Winterfell not long ago and both of the women could hear the sounds of music and people making its way from the Great Hall. The two looped their arms together and left the room, taking the same halls Myria and Jon wandered through a few hours earlier. They walked as gracefully as possible while still rushing their way to the party going on ahead of them.
When they entered the whole of Winterfell was in merriment and full swing. A group of minstrels were performing in the corner, the light sound of the lute and a rendition of "Bear and the Maiden Fair" wafted through the room. Though sadly the soulful singing was drowned out by the sounds of the roaring fireplace, the clanging of goblets and plates, the stomping of dancing feet, and the din of countless voices. The long wooden tables were now filled to the brim with countless plates of food ranging from steaming meats to fresh baked pastries. The Baratheon Stag and the Stark Dire wolf banner hung all over the walls, covering the room in shades of black, yellow, and grey. The royal family along with the lady and lord of Winterfell were sat on the high table in the front of the hall. The queen dressed to the nines with her golden hair wrapped up in Southern braids, and Catelyn Stark sat next to her dressed in simpler Northern clothes with her red hair let down. Both women were whispering to the other likely passing pleasantries. Myria was annoyed to see the king wrapped up in a serving maid's arms, displaying his infidelity for all to see.
Willow let go of her arm and Myria lost her in the sea of people, but a voice called out to her while she was searching for her new friend, "Lady Dayne! Please come sit with me, you look gorgeous." She looked to see Sansa Stark dressed in a blue and grey Northern styled dress sitting with one of her friends who sported the same look. She quickly walked over to the pair of girls before she got swept up in the festivities around her. She took the seat on Sansa left and the two girls widened their smiles at the woman.
"Where did you get that dress?" The other girl asked. "Did someone make it for you in the South?" Myria shook her head at the girl's naive questions.
She poured herself a drink before replying, "Actually, I sewed this dress while we were traveling up here. Every time we stopped I would start to sew another part." The girls were shocked at her words and Sansa cried out a yell of delight.
"Oh you must make my wedding dress for me! I am going to marry the crown prince and you must be a master at the needle to make this beauty in such little time."
The Dornish woman choked on her drink, "The Prince!? You are going to marry Joffrey?" Sansa nodded her head with an aura of pride around her. Oh, the poor girl had no idea what mess she was throwing herself into. Before she could warn the girl from her childish fantasies she heard a loud plop and noticed a chunk of porridge hanging off of Sansa's dress. Sansa began to shriek while a laugh rang from the other edge of the table. Myria glanced down to see Arya holding a spoon while trying not to fall out of her seat due to her incessant laughter.
"Arya! She always spoils everything!" Sansa's friend began to help her clean up her dress and Myria got up from her seat heading towards Arya. She came up behind the girl and placed her hands on her shoulders, leaning to whisper 'Good shot'. Arya looked up in surprise, but gave the purple eyed-girl a wide mouth smile. She stepped away when she saw Robb approach his little sister, swooping her up in his arms.
"Alright, time for bed." Arya grumbled at her brother, begging to stay longer.
"Perhaps I can escort her out Robb," He made eye contact with Myria. "I am sure you do not want to leave the festivities?" He remained frozen for a second by her appearance before Arya's squirming kicked him in the back.
"I would not want to impose, my lady. She is my sister." She smiled at his polite voice.
"Please, call me Myria. And the heat in here is positively suffocating me." Robb nodded his head at her and he let his sister down from his arms. Arya followed the woman as she turned and walked out of the Hall. Once they were outside she smiled at Arya, "Go on, no need to go to bed. Just do not get caught again." The wolf girl giggled at her before running off into the depths of the keep. Myria then wandered through the keep to reach the training yard, wanting to catch her breath in the cold air.
She reached the balcony that overlooked the yard and heard the tell tale sounds of steel crashing against wood. She peered over the railing to catch a glance at the late night practice to see Jon wielding a sword while dressed in a black tunic with a deep brown leather doublet worn over it. His hair soaked with sweat as he took out his frustrations on the dummy in the yard. He stopped and took a breath as the dummy fell over from his hacking, and she heard a voice ring out in the air, "Is he dead yet?" She followed the voice to see a man with black hair speckled with grey, wearing completely black attire jumping from a horse. She watched as Jon turned to face the man and his face brightened.
"Uncle Benjen!" He walked over to his uncle and threw his arms around him.
The two men laughed, "Ah, you've got bigger. I rode all day, didn't want to leave you alone with the Lannisters." He looked at his nephew. "Why aren't you at the feast?"
Jon sighed and looked at his feet, "Father asked me to attend, but when I was heading inside lady Stark thought it might insult the royal family to seat a bastard in their midst." Benjen nodded his head in disappointment. His sister-in-law had always been harsh on the poor boy.
"Well you're always welcomed on the Wall. No bastard was ever refused a seat there."
"So take me with you when you go back."
Myria's throat clenched at Jon's words. He felt so abandoned in his own home that he would willingly give his whole life away to the Night's Watch. Did he not know that many people on the Wall now were criminals and scoundrels?
Benjen shook his head at him, "Jon-"
Jon cut him off, "Father will let me if you ask him. I know he will"
Benjen looked at his nephew's determined face, "The Wall isn't going anywhere."
"I am ready to swear your oath." Benjen sighed once more glancing around and noticed a woman on the ramparts observing their conversation with a mournful look in her eye.
"You don't understand what you'd be giving up. We have no families, none of us will ever father sons-"
"I don't care about that." Benjen looked at the woman again and saw how she held her breath at Jon's words.
"Right, if you knew what it meant. Who you could be giving up in your choice." He watched his nephew's eyebrow furrow at his words. The lad had no idea there even was a someone. "Right, I better get inside and save your father from his guests." He grasped Jon's shoulder, "We'll talk later." He then strode into the keep, leaving Jon on his own in the yard with Myria looking over him.
"Your uncle's in the Night's Watch." She glanced to the new voice to see her friend Tyrion, likely returning from a brothel. Jon quirked his eyebrow at the dwarfish lord.
"What are you doing back there?" Tyrion walked forward, opening a flask and taking a swig of it.
"Preparing for a night with your family." He leaned against a wall, "I've always wanted to see the Wall."
Jon nodded at the man, "You're Tyrion Lannister, the queen's brother?" Tyrion nodded his head at the question.
"My greatest accomplishment. And you," He gestured to Jon. "You're Ned Stark's bastard aren't you?" Jon's face turned cold and he walked back over to the dummy he had torn to shreds earlier. "Did I offend you? Sorry." Jon picked up his sword while glancing back at the smaller man. "You are the bastard though."
"Lord Eddard Stark is my father."
"And lady Stark is not your mother, making you a bastard." Jon grimaced at her friend while he pointed out the part of Jon he was most ashamed of, himself. "Let me give you some advice bastard, never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you." With those words Tyrion turned and started to walk to the doors of the keep.
"And what the hell do you know about being a bastard?" Jon's voice thick with emotion as he called out to the other man.
Tyrion gave him a deadpan look, "All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes." He then quickly went into the keep to find himself another drink. Jon sighed and went back to his dummy starting to swing at the demolished piece some more. While he was attacking the inanimate object, Myria made her way down the stairs as quietly as possible. She walked up behind the man as he continued to take out his frustrations on the dummy and softly called out to him.
"You were right Jon, it does look lovely on me."
Jon quickly spun around and was hit with the vision he had earlier that day. Myria was ethereal in her dress and the necklace sitting perfectly upon her collar beckoned him into her silent spell. He took a deep breath and she smiled at his dumbfounded facial expression. She walked up to him and closed his jaw, "Cat got your tongue?" He smirked at her joking voice.
"You are a vision, Myria. I'm sure many other men have already told you so tonight." He watched as she shook her head and walked closer to him.
"No, if I am being honest the only people who talked to me were your sisters and your brother, Robb." Jon raised his eyebrows, he was certain every man would throw themselves at her feet. Or at least Theon. "I was wondering if you wanted to share a dance with me Jon."
"A dance? Inside?" she nodded her head. "Lady Stark would not approve Myria, I'm sorry." She grabbed his hand before he could walk away from her.
"Jon, for once in your life can you do what you wish to do. Not what others expect. You deserve some fun, not to wallow in the bloody corner." He looked at his feet as he let her words sink in. He had always stayed on the sidelines of his own life, letting others influence him.
He wrapped her hand with both of his, "Alright, nothing would make me happier than to share a dance with you." Her smiled sparkled as she began to lead him into the keep. They both leisurely walked through the halls enjoying the pleasant silence before it made way for the boisterous clamor of the feast. They both came through the doorway as the older Stark brothers, Ned and Benjen, clasped their hands before muttering together 'Winter is coming'. Benjen walked out of the hall, passing the young couple and smiling at them as he went. Ned caught eye of the pair and also made his way over.
"Jon, I am happy you finally showed up. What took you so long?" Jon stiffened a bit, not wanting to reveal what lady Catelyn had said to him earlier.
Myria quickly covered up his silence, "I believe that was my fault, my lord. We have spent most of the evening outside talking." Ned nodded at her words with a small smile on his face.
"Well it's a good thing you both are here now. Robert has been asking for the two of you for the past few minutes." The pair looked at lord Stark with confused looks. Why was the king looking for both of them?
"Ah Ned! You found them!" The small group looked over to the front of the Hall as the King yelled from where he was standing in front of the head table. He stumbled a bit due to his large consumption of alcohol and his face was a cherry red. The queen still sat behind the table, but now glared at her husband as he swayed on his own feet. "I have an announcement to make, so everyone quiet down!" The Hall became more tame as the king's thunderous voice called out. "First of all my son, Prince Joffrey Baratheon," He motioned to the boy as he stood up. "will marry lady Sansa Stark when they both come of age." Sansa stood up as the crowd broke into applause for the new couple. She blushed while the Prince waved at the people cheering for him. "Alright sit down you two." The pair sat back into their seats before Robert continued. "I have more great news! Lady Dayne, Snow, come up here you two." Both of the young adults froze at the king's words, but began to make their way to the front together. When they were in front of the king he grasped Jon's shoulder and pulled him in front of the crowd.
"By royal decree I name this man Jon Stark. He will no longer be a bastard, but a lord in his own right." The crowd cheered for the young man most had grown up with, but Jon could feel his blood turn to ice. He had always wanted to be a Stark, and now he was one. But he could feel lady Stark's murderous gaze upon his back and he was fearful to turn around. The king patted him on the back before reaching his hand out to Myria. She grasped his hand and let him pull her forwards as well to stand next to the new Stark.
"Now that you are a lord, you'll need a proper wife." He gestured to the Dornish woman. "I have spoken with lord Eddard Stark and he and I have agreed to marry lady Myria Dayne and lord Jon Stark in a weeks time." With those words the hall was silent before Robb began to cheer and clap for his brother. Afterwards the crowd erupted into a storm of sound, and Jon thought he would go deaf with the noise. Robb and Theon came up and hugged him tightly while Sansa rushed to Myria, happy to have a new sister.
Jon felt nauseous from all the news, but as he made eye contact with his new fiance he felt everything would work out.