IV

Hunt

It was three weeks into their stay at Winterfell that the hunt occurred. Joanna had become aware that the men were going on a hunt several days beforehand, and conspired with Desmera for what would occur before the day's event. She made sure to be up before the sun, dressed and ready to head downstairs to the stables before her mother could send for her and force her to do something boring like always. When Desmera joined her in her chamber, she dragged her over to the chest that contained her wardrobe and they dug through it until they found Joanna's riding habit.

Desmera braided her hair, pulling it back so it wouldn't get tangled in the wind, then clasped Joanna's heavy riding cloak over her shoulders. Kissing Desmera's cheek to thank her, Joanna left her chambers and hurried down to the courtyard, hoping that the hunting party hadn't left without her. Servants and stable hands were bustling everywhere, preparing horses and food for the hunting party. Joanna was searching out her father, keen on getting his permission to accompany him as quickly as she could, lest her mother notice her somehow and demand that she return inside.

"There's my riding partner!" came the booming voice of her father, and Joanna broke out into a grin. He opened his arms to invite her into a hug, kissing her hair once he had her in his embrace. Robert was not a doting father, and though he loved his children, it wasn't often that Joanna had the pleasure of his attentions, least of all his affection. He called for a horse to be saddled for her, and let his heavy arm rest around her shoulders while they waited.

"What are we hunting today, Father?" she asked, beaming up at him.

"Boar, I think," he replied. "But they say all manner of beast lives in the Wolfswood. There's no telling what we might catch."

The way he spoke with her was almost as if he were telling a spooky story to a child. Part of her found it endearing, that he still regarded her as his little girl. Part of her found it annoying. When her horse arrived, he left her to mount his own stallion. She pulled herself onto the back of the horse, straightening her skirts around her.

"Come to watch the hunt, sister?" Joffrey asked, approaching upon his own horse. Joanna had to physically refrain herself from rolling her eyes or blanching in repulsion.

"Watch," she agreed, "and perhaps participate."

Joffrey scoffed, as expected, and stuck his nose in the air haughtily. "I don't expect you'll catch very much. Women like you are feeble, not cut out for such sport."

"We'll see who is the better marksman," she replied, swiftly moving her horse away from him and across the yard before her younger brother could antagonize her further. Arguing with him and kicking up a fuss was the quickest way for her to get sent back inside.

She'd been accompanying her father on hunts for several years, since she was about eleven or twelve. Her mother wasn't fond of her going off with the men, didn't want her around their drink and language. Robert, however, was glad to share his love of hunting with one of his children, since Joffrey at the time was considered too young to come with them, and it had quickly become something that they did together. Robert was the only reason that Cersei allowed Joanna to go; he was the King, and he got what he wanted. Joanna, in turn, did too.

"Come on, boys! Let's go kill some boar!"

With a smile, Joanna kicked her horse and hurried to the front of the party, falling into step near her father. He rode near to Ned Stark, joking with him and telling stories of the past. Her father had always loved the Starks, had always spoken highly of the family. In turn, Joanna held the family in rather high regard, despite having never met them before now. Her mother had taught her to be mistrustful of the world around her, to be wary of all who weren't family. In general, Joanna heeded her advice, as it was fairly sound. In the world they lived in, there was little worth in trusting those who weren't your family. But she had heard her father's tales of his youth with Ned Stark, and she knew her history. Ned was a brother to Robert in all but name, and that made them family. That made them trustworthy. That was what she believed.

Turning her attentions from her father and Lord Stark ahead, she looked over at Lord Stark's sons, his trueborn and his bastard, as well as the Greyjoy ward that was their companion. They were laughing together about something or the other, but what intrigued Joanna the most were the pups trailing after their horses. One was scruffy, brown and grey like a true wolf, and the other was bright white with piercing red eyes. The wolves ignored all that was around them, unlike the hounds whose noses were to the ground the moment they reached the forest, instead keeping their attention on their masters.

The boys must have noticed her attentions, as they paused their conversation and turned to her instead.

"Are those wolves?" she asked, steering her horse closer.

"Aye," Robb replied with a nod of his head. "Direwolf pups."

"Direwolves?" she frowned. "I thought they were extinct."

"There are none south of the wall, except these," he responded, beckoning to the pups at their heels. "Each of my brothers and sisters has one."

"What, a Northern tradition?"

"We found them last month on a ride," he explained, chuckling at her confusion. "Their mother had been slain by a stag."

"I suppose they'll be helpful on the hunt," she said, staring down at the wolves again.

"Do you hunt, my lady?" the Greyjoy lad asked. She shrugged a shoulder.

"I try," she said, laughing. "But I do love to watch."

As though on cue, the hounds caught a sent, darting through the woods howling and barking. The party followed, kicking their horses into a gallop. Joanna, who loved to ride more than she loved to join the hunt, was happy to join in their revelry.

In general, she didn't participate in the hunt as much as watch. She enjoyed the exhilaration of the chase, but had very little desire to feel the thrill of a kill. She was not skilled with a crossbow and had only a basic understanding of archery, and the only hunting knife she'd ever received (as a present from her father on her sixteenth birthday) was more of an ornament than an actual tool. Still, she found tagging along to be wonderful entertainment.

They spent the better part of the morning unsuccessful, chasing scents the hounds picked up or in pursuit of a boar. Most of their success came from lesser game, pheasant or rabbit. Once, during a brief reprieve in a clearing, her father beckoned her over, motioning for her to dismount. When she did, sidling up beside him, he handed her a crossbow. She was startled at the weight, and fumbled with it for a moment.

"What is it?" she asked, confused. He put an arm around her shoulders and pointed through the woods, directing her eye to a small rabbit sitting, unaware, at the base of a tree.

"That one, there," he said. "Let's see if you can make your first kill."

Surprised, she looked between her father and the crossbow. "I've never…"

"Robb!" Lord Stark called, beckoning his eldest over from where he was standing with his brother and the Greyjoy lad. Robb approached, a questioning look on his face. "Princess Joanna needs instruction with the crossbow."

"Of course," he replied, approaching further. He held the bottom of the crossbow, supporting most of its weight as he explained to her how to hold it properly. Once she'd managed to heft it up properly, she lowered her head to aim. Robb moved to stand behind her, placing one hand on her shoulder and reaching around her to help support the weight of the end of the crossbow.

It took her a moment to aim, squinting one of her eyes to try and improve her vision. Once she felt sure she had aimed directly at the rabbit, she pressed down on the trigger. The crossbow recoiled into her shoulder, sending her back thumping into Robb's chest. He stepped away immediately, but Joanna's attention was on the rabbit. The bolt had landed just next to the rabbit, which startled and scampered off into its burrow.

"Good shot!" the King delighted, clapping a hand onto her shoulder.

"But I missed," she frowned, attention on the spot where the bolt had landed uselessly.

"Sure, but you were close," he insisted. "We'll make a marksman of you yet – and a damn fine hunter, too."

He took the crossbow from her hands, handing it back to his squire. Another squire had run off to retrieve the bolt. Their hunt continued with scant success for another hour or so until the King decided that they were hungry, and they found yet another clearing in which to take their luncheon. Joanna pulled off her leather gloves, tucking them in her belt. The servants spread out blankets on the grass, serving them plates of venison and last night's veal. Joanna took a seat with Lord Stark's sons, sitting beside them and their Greyjoy friend.

"Are you enjoying the hunt, Princess?" Theon Greyjoy asked, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Oh, I am," she replied. "Though I'm afraid we won't be having boar for dinner tonight."

"And how are you finding the North?" Robb asked.

"Wonderful," she replied with an easy smile. "It's a lovely country. Very quiet, compared to King's Landing."

Robb responded, but Joanna quickly stopped listening, instead watching his bastard brother. He sat with them, but while she was there, he didn't say a single word. She wondered why, but for once, wasn't tactless enough to interrupt and ask. Her eyes traced his face, unaware of her gaze on him, before she remembered that she was supposed to be engaged in conversation and turned back to Robb and Theon. They had started talking to each other about the creatures that lived in the Wolfswood.

"Have you ever seen a bear?" Joanna asked, thrilled and curious.

"Once," Robb nodded, leaning back on his hand. "They're not as scary at a distance. She had her cubs with her and wasn't keen to fight."

"Sounds incredible," she sighed, imagining she could do such fun things as go riding in the forest. Times in which she got to ride in the Kingswood, aside from accompanying her father on a hunt, were few and far between. More often than not, her mother kept her confined to the Red Keep, scarcely allowing her out of her chambers unaccompanied.

"It was," Robb agreed with a nod. "They're not often out in –"

"Robb! Jon!" Lord Stark called. All of their attentions turned to him, but he said nothing more to them, instead only mounting his horse. Robb and Jon, quickly understanding that it was something urgent, followed suit. The three men dashed off through the forest, accompanied by a rider who wasn't part of their party. Theon hurried after them, and Joanna stood.

"What's going on?" she asked, walking over to her father, who was being helped onto his horse.

"There's been an accident at the keep," he replied gruffly. The servants quickly cleared up the food and blankets, hurrying to ready everyone's horses for the trip back. Joanna's horse was ready almost immediately, and she kicked her horse to keep pace with her father.

"What sort of accident?" she asked, heart pounding beneath her ribcage. The horses of the Starks were already out of sight.

"I dunno," he replied, distracted. "Something with one of Ned's boys."

She was quiet for the rest of the ride through the woods and to Winterfell. The keep was buzzing with activity, but muted somehow, as though everyone was busy but not saying a single word. Her father marched to the hall, Joanna trailing meekly behind. Her mother and younger siblings were already in the hall, Myrcella crying into her mother's side.

"What happened?" Robert asked, voice rough.

"The second youngest," Cersei replied softly, distracted. "He was climbing; they say he fell from a tower."

"Is he alive?" Joanna asked softly, one hand over her heart.

"For now," Cersei replied, eyes low, voice so soft that Joanna hardly heard. She was vaguely aware of Joffrey entering the hall behind her, grumbling lowly about the hunt being cut short. She stepped to the side, continuing to avoid her brother just as she'd done during the hunt. Myrcella sniffed, rubbing her nose weakly.

"Come here, sweet girl," Robert said, beckoning Myrcella away from her mother's arms. Cersei tried to hold on, but Myrcella slipped away and folded into her father's embrace, burying her face in his massive belly. Joanna wished she could cherish the moment more, seeing her father being tender with her siblings as he so rarely did, but she couldn't bring herself to be anything but numbly aware of her surroundings. She sat down heavily on the bench of the table, slumping against the back of it.

Desmera sat down beside her, taking Joanna's hand in both of hers. Scooting close, she leaned her head down on her shoulder, and Joanna rested her head on top of hers. They sat closely for several moments, before Robert released Myrcella and instructed that they all return to their chambers and freshen themselves up for dinner. Cersei reached out and pulled Myrcella to her side again, guiding her and Tommen out of the room, beckoning for Joffrey to follow her out. Joanna was left in the hall.

"Go on," said Robert. Desmera stood, guiding Joanna through the halls and up to her chamber by the hand.

"Isn't it terrible, Mera?" Joanna sighed, letting her riding gown slide off as Desmera untied the laces. "And to think, it had been such a lovely morning."

Desmera stripped Joanna down to her shift, tossing the gown over the side of the trunk that contained her wardrobe. Joanna trailed over to her bed, slipping underneath the blankets and furs. She sank into her pillow with a heavy heart.

"Would you like me to leave, Milady?" Desmera asked, standing with her hands clasped in front of her. Joanna thought for a moment.

"No, Mera. Join me."

Desmera smiled at her friend's request, tugging off her boots and leaving them at the foot of the bed before crawling beneath the covers alongside the princess. They turned on their sides to face each other, and Joanna sighed. Considering for a moment, she pulled her friend close, curling her arms around her and resting her head on Desmera's ample breast. Desmera pulled Joanna close, running a hand over her dark hair.

"It'll all be okay, Milady," she said softly. "You should rest. I'll wake you in time for supper."

Joanna didn't imagine that she'd be very hungry for the rest of the day. But, still, she obliged Desmera's suggestion to sleep. Suddenly all of the fun she'd had that morning seemed dull and unimportant, and all of the riding had made her tired instead of exhilarated. Head pillowed upon Desmera's chest, she drifted in and out of sleep, feeling empty.

A/N: Here it is! And here's some more plot. I figured I should stop writing filler and start moving things forward. I'm expecting this story shall be rather long as it is, filler and exposition aside. Finally some more interaction with the Stark boys, and we'll only see more as these chapters progress.

I'm hoping to get the next chapter out at a fairly reasonable time again. Did you guys watch Episode 9? Whaaaat a damn doozy of an episode. Talk about inspiration fuel! Season 6 is certainly atoning for most of season 5's sins. I'm almost chomping at the bit to get these chapters out. But we'll see what happens.

Huge thanks to darkwolf76, HPuni101, panda bunny 2.0, CasterGirl123, recey2010, and Lt-Spork89 for the reviews! Your support is very much appreciated, I live to see what you guys think of my writing. It's really the best. Shoutouts as well to those of you out there who have added this story to your faves and follows. It really means a lot to know you guys are enjoying this!

Hope to be back soon with another chapter.

Until next time,

Rex