Orrina wished she could have stayed in the bathtub for longer, instead of being stuffed into a dress and awkwardly curtseying at anyone who looked her way. There weren't many opportunities for baths at the Wall, it was too cold and it was easier just to wash your various bits with a rag. If only the tub were bigger where she could completely submerge herself and swim around like she used to back on Bear Island. Only there the water was much colder. Even still, the ability to stretch out her legs fully and to feel weightless under the water was something she missed.

Instead Orrina Mormont had to have a thirteen year old girl alter her dresses for her, she found them too tight and too short once she finally emerged from her cold bath water. Sansa was more than happy to do so, and to be fair, the dresses had looked better than they ever have, even when they were new. Sansa really did a lovely job, and even though Orrina felt more like herself in breeches, even she couldn't deny how nicely they fit now.

It was a long green dress, with bell end sleeves, and a black bodice, colored aptly for House Mormont. Sansa had even added a small bear on the neckline, shyly stating she could have made it more intricate with more time. It was a sweet gesture. Still, it had been quite some time since Orrina had to wear a dress and she felt as awkward as she must have looked.

Dinner was a small affair, since the Starks weren't expecting the Night's Watch Brothers until the following day, but Jeor had still insisted she try to look her best. This wasn't Bear Island, he told her when he came to find her after her bath. This wasn't the Wall, she was expected to hold her tongue and use whatever manners Maester Aemon had managed to impart in her.

It wasn't hard here, the Starks were kind and welcoming to her and her grandfather. Lord and Lady Stark sat at the head of the table, their young son sitting in the Lady's lap. She had learned his name was Rickon. Aside from Jon and Arya, all the Starks looked like their Tully mother and Orrina was trying to keep all their names straight. Her grandfather had the pleasure of sitting at Ned's left side and seemed to be engrossed in a conversation while his Lady wife tried to feed bits of food to a very fussy Rickon.

Robb was next to his mother and was paying close attention to their conversation. Theon sat next to him, looking decidedly more bored but was trying to interject when he could. Arya all but shoved Sansa out of her chair to get a seat next to her, which Orrina thought was kind of sweet, sisterly violence aside. Sansa sat across from her and complimented her in her dress, which she made a point to compliment her back on her sewing abilities, which was probably a bit over the top but Sansa looked pleased nonetheless.

Bran and Arya argued over archery, over food and pretty much anything that came out of each other's mouths, but it was never mean spirited and mostly in jest. It reminded her of her cousins, Jorelle and Lyra. The girls were close in age, as sisters but bickered over every single thing.

It seemed the only person who was quiet and solemn at this dinner was yet again, Jon Snow. He sat at the very end of the table and pointedly did not look toward Lady Stark. Orrina didn't know if her seat next to Jon was intentional or not, but she didn't mind, to be seated next to a bastard was not offensive to her. She sat next to all sorts of bastards during supp at the Wall all the time.

"Are they usually such a rowdy bunch?" Orrina asked Jon, artfully dodging Arya's elbow as she loudly told some story to Bran.

"Mostly," Jon replied with a wry sort of smile. "Usually Lady Stark has yelled at Arya by now though." His voice darkened slightly at the mention of his father's wife who looked too frustrated with her youngest refusal of food than reprimanding Arya and Bran.

Orrina was tempted for a moment to probe, it was clear Ned's wife held no love for his bastard and the bastard had none for her but aside from their frosty relationship which was colder than the Wall itself, Jon seemed to have a good relationship with the rest of his family. Arya, Bran, nor Robb seemed to look down on Jon. Sansa was a little harder to read since it seemed like she was affronted by all of the rowdy behavior.

Still, it wouldn't be appropriate and although she didn't often heed the Old Bear's advice, she wasn't about to cause a scene in front of the entire Stark family.

"It reminds me of dinner at the Wall." Orrina said honestly, taking a small drink of her very weakened ale. Jon looked at her in surprise for a moment, like he was just connecting that Orrina had traveled here from the Wall with the Lord Commander.

"You live at the Wall?"

She had a hard time not laughing in his face, but she had a feeling that would offend Jon Snow, and despite his seemingly surly attitude, Orrina found herself drawn to him. "Yes, Jon Snow. I have for the last four years." She assumed he thought her grandfather had plucked her from Bear Island along the way.

"I thought women weren't allowed at the Wall?" Jon rearranged his face, to hide the mask of confusion he wore and tried to keep it neutral.

"I'm not a member of the Night's Watch," she shook her head. "I just live there, alongside my grandfather." It was an unusual arrangement, she would give him that. Not traditional by any means, but it was more of a solution and wasn't meant to be a permanent relocation.

Originally, her Aunt Maege and grandfather hoped that perhaps Orrina would get scared off by the Wall, force her to straighten out. But she had taken to the Black Brothers like a fish to water and she still hadn't left. She had been so angry after her father took off, leaving his young daughter behind, motherless, and now fatherless. Bear Island was isolated so not much of Westeros had realized that Eyva Glover had died in childbirth, not from another miscarriage.

She had felt discarded by her father, felt like he cared more about his young, new, expensive wife than his daughter. Orrina had lashed out, renounced her claim to Bear Island, wishing for her aunt to be it's Lady. She had spent many months, isolating, angry and getting into fights with anyone who looked at her long enough.

While her aunt loved her, Maege Mormont could only deal with so much. She had her own daughters to contend with, and now she had to drag Bear Island from the financial ruin that her nephew put them in. She sent Longclaw back to Jeor, with word that his granddaughter needed something more, she could teach her to take her anger out by throwing axes and fighting, but Orrina clearly needed a father figure to quell the hate she felt for her actual father.

"And they don't care that you're there? Even though your a girl?" Jon raised an eyebrow, he was starting to feel like maybe the Mormont girl was pulling his leg. People seemed to think that was a funny thing to do, mess with him.

"Not all of them," she shrugged as she finished the last few bites of her meal. "Ser Allister Thorne hates me, so does Thoren Smallword. Bowen and Othell don't care much for me either, nor does Chett." There was a casual air to her tone as if she often contemplated all of those who didn't like her. "But my grandfather is the Lord Commander so they deal with it," she shrugged again.

"What's it like at the Wall?" Jon's meal sat untouched now, fascinated by a girl who lived amongst the Night's Watch. He had always loved hearing his Uncle Benjen's stories from ranging to everyday life there.

"For me? Pretty boring." Orrina hated to disappoint but it was true. "I have to keep to myself, really." The Old Bear worried for her safety, there were more rapers and thieves at the Wall than honorable men. "Sometimes I get to practice with the new recruits. I help out old Maester Aemon. I do chores in the kitchens with Hobb." She had to pull her weight, her grandfather said when she came to the Wall. Otherwise, no man would respect her. Not that many did, but it helped that she didn't sit up in her quarters all day, waiting for them to serve her.

Orrina saw that Jon's face had fallen a bit, and she realized he was used to stories of his Uncle's great ranging. "Benjen has better stories, I'm sure. He actually gets to go beyond the Wall," she smiled in his direction, a weird warm feeling settling in her chest when he smiled back, even if it was a small one.

"So you really know how to use a sword then?" Jon seemed impressed by this, he must be used to girls like Sansa. Even dirty little Arya was still obviously expected to mind her Septa and do her lady lessons.

"Yes, I do." Orrina grinned, a true one. She may have not have felt completely out of place in a nice dress, but Orrina felt like herself with steel in her hand. Her battle axe was her preferred weapon of choice, her Aunt Maege personally had taught her how to use it. But she still enjoyed her sword. "Perhaps we can spar before we leave." Her eyes flashed at him above the rim of her mug.

"Spar with you?" Jon choked out, he couldn't fight a girl. It wasn't right. "But you're a girl."

"So?" Orrina was used to this response, she got it frequently enough. "No one is better fighter than my Aunt Maege. Qhorin Halfhand has even shown me a few moves." Halfhand was the best swordsman in the Night's Watch and he had finally relented during his last visit to Castle Black.

"My father wouldn't like it." Nor would the Lady Stark, Orrina read between the lines.

"So, we needn't spare in front of him then."

Before Jon could answer her, Lord Stark stood and dismissed them all from the meal, he wished to speak to the Lord Commander alone.

"Come on, Lady Orrina. I can show you the glass greenhouse!" Arya jumped up and grabbed at the older girl's hand.

"I want to come with!" Bran exclaimed loudly, scrambling out of his seat to follow his sister.

As she was being dragged out of the room, Orrina turned back to look at Jon Snow, a smile still on her lips before she disappeared out of the door. Jon Snow would remember that smile for the rest of the evening.

JEOR

After the children cleared from the table, and Lord Stark bid his lady and his youngest a good night, Eddard showed him back to his solar. He poured them each a glass of red Dornish wine. It wasn't his usual spiced wine, but it was still a fine drink all the same.

Ned sat across from him, saying nothing, but the question was on his long face all the same. It wasn't often the Lord Commander left his post. Since he left Bear Island for the Watch, Jeor could count on both his hands how many times he had come South, especially since he became the 997th Lord Commander. His raven did all his talking for him, sending letters back and forth and he stayed nice and frozen at his post.

Ever since his granddaughter had come to him, sullen and angry, Jeor had been even more reluctant to travel. That girl had a strong will, and he knew that child certainly had Mormont blood and could defend herself easily. If nothing else, his stubborn sister did teach her well. Orrina had come to the Wall at twelve, more of a fighter than half of his recruits. She swung a sword with ease, and could fling her axe clear across the courtyard of Castle Black.

Still, there were many men he didn't trust, didn't trust not to try and take advantage of a young woman, who unfortunately grew more beautiful every year. Orrina was lucky, she looked so much like her mother, Eyva Glover. And for the celibate men of the Watch, she would oh so tempting. Even worse, he would hate to have to clean up one of his men after one of the Bear cubs of House Mormont got her claws into him.

"I need more men, Ned." He started gruffly. There was no point in beating around the bush, not with Ned Stark. Jeor admired that about him, he didn't have to try and flatter the Warden of the North, not like the rest of the Great Houses in the North. The Night Watch had suffered many losses over the years, and it seemed like he got less and less good men every passing day.

"Good men," Jeor continued. "The only men that are sent to me are no Benjen Stark." He meant it as a compliment. Benjen was invaluable as First Ranger, but Benjen was also a good man. A man he could trust, and there were fewer and fewer of those being sent to him.

Ned said nothing for a moment, but took a small pull of his drink. "I'll see what I can do, but you know I cannot force any man to take the Black, Lord Mormont."

"I know," he grunted. "If only, maybe then we wouldn't be a band rapists and fools." Jeor mirrored Lord Stark's movements and took a drink from his mug. "The Night's Watch used to be seen as something honorable, the Shield that protects the Realm. We used to be thousands strong, now I'm lucky if I have a thousand men between here and East Watch."

"I will write to my bannerman, see if they have men to spare. The Starks have always been friends to the Night Watch." He didn't need to remind the Old Bear, their relationship spanned far beyond the two of them sitting here.

"I hope they won't disappoint their leige Lord." Jeor raised his half drunk glass, tipping it in Eddard's direction.

"Aye, nor the Lord Commander." Ned was quiet for a beat while they both drank to each other's respective titles. "I can't help but feel like you've come for something else, Lord Mormont."

Jeor was glad that Ned didn't feel the need to beat around the bush with him either. There was no point in bullshitting each other. They had a mutual understanding, built on respect for each other and their standings.

"You would be right." The Old Bear needed men that was for sure, and he needed whatever numbers Eddard Stark could spare him, but it was not his only motivation for coming south of the Wall. He let the silence linger another moment while he drained his glass, and poured himself another, Ned waited in silence for him to continue.

"My grandaughter, Orrina," Jeor started, not sure exactly how he wanted to phrase this. "She is a good girl, strong, beautiful and by all the Old Gods and New, is she stubborn." He chuckled to himself. "She reminds me of my sister." Even if Maege would drive him crazy, he respected and loved her all the time. "But she grows too bold, and too old withering away at the Wall. She has no business being there any longer."

Ned said nothing, sipping his wine and waiting for the Lord Commander to continue. There was little point in interrupting the old man.

"I once wished for her to rule Bear Island, to bring back the honor my son robbed us of. But she refuses. She wants to leave it to my sister, and her daughters." Jeor had his own thoughts on that, but it had nothing to do with Ned. "She has no marriage prospects while she remains at the Wall. I have written to a few Houses, but have not found a match yet."

The Lord of Winterfell could read between the lines well enough to realize that there weren't many men willing to marry their son off to Lord Mormont's granddaughter. Her father was a traitor, Jorah had sold slaves and sent his House to financial ruin. Orrina had been raised by women who had very different values than the rest of the Houses in the North.

Ned couldn't think of one of his bannermen who would want to marry their son to a girl who wouldn't rule Bear Island, to a poor house, to a girl who rode into Winterfell bold as could be, a host of weapons at her disposal. A girl who both men noticed didn't care about Ned's bastard's status and talked openly and friendly with him.

"I was hoping she could stay here, in Winterfell. Be around some proper Lady's for once. My sister loved her fiercely, but did her no favors. Your wife could be a good influence on her," Jeor hoped at least. "Perhaps find a match, if she won't lead House Mormont, I at least wish for her to marry for love."

There wasn't much Jeor Mormont wanted in life, but he at least wanted Orrina to be taken care of. To find herself and blossom into the woman he knew she could be. She was his granddaughter so he would love her no matter what weapons she was determined to take up. But not every man would.

"We would be honored to host Lady Orrina here." Eddard finally spoke, and Jeor knew there was no lies in words. He would not say them if he didn't mean them and the Old Bear breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Ned." Jeor hoped he wasn't being overly familiar with the younger man but it meant a lot he was willing to take in his granddaughter. She was his closest family, and he would not have her be ruined like her son was. He would raise her better. "She's already spent too much time at the Wall, I hope that it's not too late for her."

"Lady Orrina will do fine, I'm sure she will flourish with help from my Lady wife." Ned was sure of that. "After some time, I will find her match with one of my bannerman's sons. A good match," he assured him.

"If it's not too bold, Lord Stark," Jeor started, not actually much concerned if it was too bold, he had given up not wanting to offend Lords and Lady's many years ago. "Perhaps if you find her acceptable, we could arrange a match between my Orrina and your boy. The bastard."

Jeor couldn't remember the boy's name but he noticed his granddaughter talking to him during supp. He knew with his son's reputation, with the way she was raised on Bear Island, Orrina would not be an acceptable choice for his eldest, the heir Robb. She was too old for any of his other boys, but being the daughter of a traitor, no one would look down on her for marrying the bastard of a high Lord.

If his sister and her daughter's could get away with saying their children were fathered by damned bears, Orrina could marry a higborn bastard with no shame.

Ned was quiet long enough for Jeor to start to think perhaps he really did offend the man, until he set his mug down and nodded. "Jon has seemed to take a liking to her." It was easy enough to see, especially to Ned who was just as reserved as him. "I will have to speak to my wife first," Ned worried that Catelyn may be offended if Jon were to marry before Robb, as she usually was cross whenever it came to Jon. "But I think it would be a good match."

"Thank you Ned." Jeor's thanks were genuine, at least the weight of worrying for Orrina was lifted from his shoulders slightly. The men continued to drink in silence, draining their wine before the Old Bear stood.

He bid the Quiet Wolf a good night and retired to his room for the evening. Tomorrow he would have to bear the burden of telling Orrina she would not be traveling back with him, and the hell that came with that, but at least for tonight, he could rest just a little easier.

So there you have it! Second chapter! I had a lot of fun writing this one, and I hope you enjoy reading it. I was planning on doing more interactions with Orrina and the rest of the Starklings, but I really want to develop her and Jon's friendship. As you can see, there will be PLENTY of time for her to interact with the rest of the Stark family.

As for the potential marriage match between Jon and Orrina, I'll let you see where that takes them. It was something I had planned for a later chapter, but I couldn't wait to write Jeor and Ned together.

Last note, I started a tumblr for this story, pictures of how I imagine Orrina, and the rest of the Mormonts/Bear Island, music inspirations, and general thirstiness for Kit Harrington. .com

Please let me know what you think!