ORRINA

In the following weeks after her outing with Jon, he was more willing to spend time with Orrina in the open. Nothing was official so they were careful to keep their time together short or with someone else around. They didn't want to give anyone the excuse to go to Lord Stark and tattle on them. Jon was still self-conscious but was starting to finally understand that Orrina meant what she said and she didn't care whether he was true born or base born.

They still met in the mornings, before the sun was awake to train and spar together. Orrina finally got to show him how much more skilled she was with her axe and even impressed him with her axe throwing abilities. He had tried it himself and could barely just hit their target after a handful of times, and starting complaining of a sore elbow.

Other times, they would meet after supp, rarely alone. Orrina usually invited Arya to join them, she was the closest to Jon and leaped at the invitation. It was a shame that Sansa seemed to take a similar stance towards Jon as her mother, or else Orrina would have liked to spend time with the red head.

Sometimes they would sneakily hold hands while watching Bran and Arya race each other in the courtyard. Other times she would ask Robb to escort her to the weirwood tree to pray, and she figured Jon must have told him as the Stark heir would always find something else to occupy his time with while they spent time alone together, but still found his way back to them so it didn't look inappropriate.

Orrina still wondered why Lord Stark hadn't announced to his family what he and her grandfather discussed, and why her grandfather hadn't brought it up since he left. She considered writing a letter to ask him, but his letters to her were always short and urges not to worry about him.

Maester Aemon's letters provided more detail about life at the Wall. The presence of Wildlings were growing stronger by the day, and they struggled with their numbers. Apparently her grandfather had appealed to many great Houses, only to have no new men sent to him. Maester Aemon didn't give her the full story, but she could read between the lines and see the threat of the King Beyond the Wall seemed to grow larger every day.

So she didn't bother the Old Bear with pleas and wonderings of her upcoming betrothal. Truth be told, Orrina was in no rush. She was enjoying her time with Jon, whether it was alone or with his siblings. She had become accustomed to her new life in Winterfell and she wasn't looking to change it up again so soon.

Although it would be nice to travel to Bear Island to see her family with Jon. She dreamed of the day she could take him to her home and let him see it for himself. Her cousins would welcome him with open arms. Something she thought he sorely missed with his own family sometimes.

If Lady Stark knew of their meetings, or thought them wrong, she said nothing of them to Orrina. Sometimes Orrina would catch the Lady watching her and Jon talk at dinner, with a frown on her face. But she didn't question it in fear of her trying to keep her from Jon all together. Not that it would matter much to her, but she didn't want to make Jon's life any harder.

With her blossoming relationship with Jon, and her foster parents pleased that she was making proper progress on being a "real Lady" (whatever that meant), life in Winterfell was turning out better than she originally imagined it when her grandfather told her she was staying behind. Even Theon kept his mouth shut around her, ever since she bested in during their duel, the older boy just glared at her and made pithy japes under his breath. Lord Stark must have properly talked to him this time because the Kraken didn't bother her again.

Tonight she was planning on meeting Jon in the small library with Arya by her side. Robb was busy chatting with Theon about some girl named Kyra or else she would have invited him as well. Bran and Rickon were both under the weather and be tended to by Maester Luwin. But Robb would have been nice to help distract Arya while her and Jon talked.

Nothing had progressed further than hand holding between them, even though Orrina thought about kissing him constantly. No matter what she said about her reputation not mattering, Jon wanted to wait until his father officially announced their intent to marry. It was a sweet, and honorable gesture that she thought was stupid but she went along with it.

Arya was as excitable as ever, buzzing around, gripping her elbow tightly. She knew how to read well, but her letters were still sloppy and she wanted her help practicing and maybe even reading some of her favorite stories about Targaryen warrior princesses when they were done. Jon would join them after some time, not wanting to seem too obvious by joining them outright.

The pair was turning the corner and about to enter the library when the sounds of an argument hit them first. Orrina tried to pull Arya back, but she was a stubborn thing and surprisingly strong for someone so small and with such pointy elbows.

"It's my mother and father!" Arya hissed back at Orrina, waving the older girl forward to join her in her eavesdropping.

"Arya, stop, we should go. We can come back!" Orrina attempted to pull her away again but Arya ignored her again.

"They are talking about Jon," if Arya was lying to get her to join in, it most certainly worked because Orrina quickly found herself sneaking up to her side, ears primed to listen in on the Stark's conversation.

"I told you before Ned, and I'll say it again. I will not have him marry before Robb! What kind of message does that send?" Lady Stark wasn't necessarily keeping her voice down, but it came out in a harsh whisper.

Orrina felt herself stiffen, and a sudden realization dawned on her. If her grandfather and Ned Stark were planning on her and Jon to wed, they would have told them by now. Whatever was discussed when Jeor Mormont first came to Winterfell wasn't going to happen judging by the anger in Catelyn's voice.

"Cat," Ned started, his tone was much more even, trying to reason with her. There was something underneath though, a warning.

"No! Imagine if he had children before Robb. No. I won't allow it. I've already had to face the humiliation of having him here, raised along our children. I won't let him marry before our son, before your heir."

Orrina could see Arya's face had gone white next to her, suddenly regretting her instinct to be nosy. Orrina felt that familiar tingling feeling of rage quelling up in her face. Her hands were clenched so tight, she could feel her short nails digging into the palm of her hand.

There were many things she admired about Lady Stark, she was a kind woman, to everyone but Jon. She was clearly smart, and not just in the typical Southron way, all frills and no substance. But the way she treated Jon, and held his birth against him was something that Orrina could never come to terms with.

"Do you really think Jon wants to take Winterfell away from Robb?" Before she realized what she was doing, Orrina had stepped through the door fully, the dull candle flame lightening up her face. The flames from the candles may have lit the room, but they were nothing compared to the flames in her eyes.

Both Ned and Catelyn turned to look at her, surprised by the interruption and surprised by her boldness.

"Jon loves his family more than anything, even if you don't show him the same," she cut in again, before either of them could respond.

"Lady Orrina, this is not your place." Ned's voice was always quiet, but still held it's usual tone of authority. The Warden never had to raise his voice to get his point across, and he was trying to warn the girl that she was stepping over the line.
"Why do you let her talk about Jon like that? Is he not your son?" Orrina didn't care about the warning. "Do you not love him like you love Robb? Or Bran? Or Rickon? Even Sansa or Arya?" She couldn't stop herself, even if this got her sent back to the Wall, back to Bear Island. She was tired of Jon being looked down on for something he didn't choose to be.

Her heart broke at the thought of Jon being the one who overheard this conversation. To hear Catelyn Stark yet again lower him to someone who would try to steal Winterfell from his own brother. She was angry for Jon and herself. Angry that their chance to be happy together was taken before they even had a chance.

"Jon would never do that!" Suddenly Arya's voice cut through the tension, appearing behind Orrina's elbow.

"Go to bed, Arya." Lady Stark ground out, eyes locked on Orrina's.

The younger girl hesitated, looking between her parents and Orrina before turning tail and taking off.

ARYA

The angry sounds of her mother's voice and Orrina's increasing one filled her ears as she took off down the hallway. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she could hear Orrina yelling now. Her father must be trying to calm them both down, but he was being drowned out by the heated shouting.

Even though she knew it meant possibly getting her behind tanned, Arya didn't go straight to her room like she was commanded to. She needed to find Jon and tell him what was happening.

Like the rest of her siblings, Arya had been enjoying having Orrina Mormont around. It was nice to have another girl who enjoyed sword fighting as much as she did and wasn't wrapped in stupid stories about knights like her sister was.

She had taken a real liking to the older girl, especially after witnessing her skill on the training yard. She also liked that Orrina called her Arry sometimes and let her call her Orry. It was nice having special nicknames with someone, someone who didn't call her Arya Horseface.

Orrina wasn't like those girls, the daughters of Lords who liked to bring them around every so often to prance in front of Robb in hopes they would get married. Granted, Arya didn't really get to know them like she knew Orrina, but still. She liked her more. She was nice, and funny and she could throw her axe really far.

Originally, she thought Orrina might marry Robb. Arya had thought the Lord Commander was doing like all the other Lords did, and try to find a match with the heir of the North. But she quickly realized that wasn't the case. She wasn't much of a Lady and there was no way that her mother would let Robb marry someone like her, no matter what. Her Lady mother was a real stickler about that sort of thing.

Then Arya thought maybe Orrina was being fostered to learn how to be a real lady like Sansa, and then she would marry Robb. But then she heard more about the Mormont family and she knew there was no way her mother would let Robb marry someone from a family where all the women can throw axes.

Then she saw Orrina and Jon talking and it all started to make sense. Well as much sense as it could to her anyways. Once she even saw them holding hands and was going to say something about it, but Robb caught her staring and offered her a tart to buy her silence.

Robb didn't really need to though, Arya wasn't going to tell anyone what she saw. Recently, Jon had been smiling more, and happier. He wasn't so quiet and he actually had someone to talk too. Sometimes she felt bad that Jon spent his days alone. She was forced to do lessons with the stupid Septa and Sansa and the other girls.

And Robb spent a lot of time with their father, learning how to be the future Lord of Winterfell. Very rarely Jon was allowed to join in, but more times than not, Jon was left alone. At least with Orrina there, Jon had someone to spend time with. And she noticed that he wasn't so solemn all the time for it.

She knew Jon was different than the rest of her siblings, he was a bastard but she still didn't understand why he couldn't get married. He wasn't a Stark so he couldn't even claim Winterfell instead of Robb anyways. Her mother was being silly and she really wanted to tell her that, but she was ordered away and she knew better than to try her luck with both of her parents.

All Arya knew at this moment, she really needed to find Jon.

She was running quickly through the corridor, mousy brown flying behind her. Arya wasn't really sure where Jon was, but she figured his room would be the best place to look for him. If not there, maybe the training yard or out in the glass gardens, she had found him spending more time there recently.

Running blindly, Arya didn't see Jon until he had reached out, and grabbed her mind run.

"You shouldn't be running down the halls like this Arya," Jon had a good natured smile on his face, and she hated that she was going to ruin his mood.

"It's Orrina!" She bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She was running so fast, she had winded herself.

"What? What's going on Arya?" As predicted, Jon's face had lost the smile and was replaced with a look of concern.

"Mother and father," she panted. "They were arguing in the library, about you and Orry heard them!"

"Wait, what?"

"She started yelling at mother. Mother said you couldn't get married before Robb and she got angry." Arya finally caught her breath and looked up to see the pained expression on her brother's face.

"Go to your room, Arya. I'll make sure she's okay. Just go to your room." Jon had that same quiet voice her father did, the quiet authority that compelled her to actually listen. Arya was observant but even she didn't notice the pitch of emotion in his speech.

Arya nodded but threw her arms around Jon's middle instead. She didn't let go for a minute, feeling guilty. She shouldn't have eavesdropped on her parents. She should have listened to Orrina and left before they overheard.

Now Orrina had screamed at her Lady mother, maybe even her father would send her home, back to Bear Island and Jon really wouldn't be able to get married. Part of her hoped maybe after Robb got married, they would be allowed to get married.

Maybe even stay in Winterfell and given a holdfast somewhere close where Arya could still visit them. Where Orrina would teach her how to fight without her mother disapproving. Jon would let her, maybe even teach her how to use a sword.

But Arya saw all of that falling apart right in front of her.

"Go, Arya." Jon messed up her hair like he always did, but even that still somehow felt sad.

She let go of him and watched Jon move down the hallway, on his way to the library where she hoped Orrina still was. He wasn't running, not like Arya had to find him, but he was moving quickly.

Arya stood there for a minute, before tucking tail and making her way up the stairs to her bedroom, hoping that tomorrow Orrina would still be there.

JON

He hadn't made it in time to talk to Orrina, just enough time to see his father speaking to his wife in hushed whispers. His father had met his eyes, concern crinkling at the corners of his grey Stark eyes. The same eyes Jon had. Ned gave a subtle shake of his head and Jon's heart sank. He knew this wouldn't be good. Before Lady Stark could look up and see him, the subject of their argument, Jon turned and immediately retreated back to his room. Ideas of seeing Orrina tonight, whispering in her ear while Arya studied her letters, making her laugh all erased from his mind as he wondered what the outcome of this outburst would be.

The next morning, Orrina was not at breakfast. Sansa asked after her, Jon watched as Lady Stark stiffened but said nothing. His father simply said she was taking her meals in her room for the day. Arya sought him out from the other end of the table, worry written all over her face. Besides himself, Arya was the closest with her and he knew that she was worried that Orrina would be sent away from Winterfell. Part of him doubted it, but his father seemed to consider his wife over anyone else and if she had offended the matriarch of the Starks that much, he might not even get to see her leave.

Luckily, Theon had promptly rode off for Winter Town after breaking their fast, a grin on his lips as he talked about some serving wench name Kyra. He left through the Hunters Gate and thankfully it left Jon and Robb alone. He wasn't sure if his temper could take Theon saying anything about Orrina when he wasn't sure if he would ever see her again.

The brothers practiced that morning, but they could both tell that Jon's heart wasn't in it. Usually he was able to best Robb most days, but today, his brother was able to get in blow after blow. Neither of them noticed how Jon's head shot up anytime he saw someone walking by, hoping that it was finally Orrina making her way to the yard as usual.

"What happened?" Robb questioned his half-brother, some time later when it was clear that there wasn't going to be any real training done that day. They had both stored their practice swords and sat together in the amory, listening to the sound of Mikken hammering and pounding away at steel.

"I don't know," Jon shook his head, brushing his dark curls out of his eyes. In truth, he was having a hard time keeping the tears from springing to his eyes. He had always been emotional, but he was usually much better at keeping it contained. "Arya just told me that she shouted at your mother," he swallowed thickly.

Jon always felt like he had to walk a tight line between his siblings and their mother. They knew she had no love for Ned Stark's bastard but he didn't want to bad mouth her either to any of his siblings, no matter how she treated him.

"Arya said they were arguing about me. About Orrina. Lady Stark won't let us wed. She doesn't want me to be married before you." He looked away from his brother pointedly. He could never hold how Lady Stark treated him against his siblings, least of all Robb. But he couldn't deny it didn't hurt him. To know he was being denied happiness, to be with someone who genuinely wanted to be with him because of Robb's status as the future Lord of Winterfell.

"What?" Robb seemed shocked, he knew how his mother could be. But it didn't matter if Jon married first, he had no claim to Winterfell. This was just cruelty for hating Jon. "I'll talk to her Jon, there's no reason," Robb continued, concern lacing his words. "There's no reason you shouldn't be together."

"No, you shouldn't. It will only anger her more," Jon sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. He didn't know what to do. In truth, he would have liked his brother to talk some sense into his mother, but he was afraid it would make her angry. Angry enough to send Orrina away for good.

"Maybe you can wait a little while longer. I should be married before long, and then you can wed. I'll demand it, the future Lord of Winterfell." Robb nudged him in the sides, his weak attempt to lift the mood.

"Maybe." Jon offered his brother a weak smile before getting up and taking off for the Godswood. He appreciated the thought and the words, but nothing could ease the dread he felt in his heart.

He would talk to the Old Gods, pray for a different outcome, a better one but he knew that as long as Catelyn Stark demanded it, he would never marry the girl from Bear Island. A girl with a last name, a poor family, but a loyal Northern family with their own lands and a former title.

Instead Jon imagined what their life could have been like as his weary legs carried him to the weirwood tree. They would settle somewhere in the North, and his father would gift him land. Maybe the Gift, she would be close to her family, close to the Wall to visit her grandfather. Maybe even Moat Cailin, they could restore it to their former glory. They would be able to protect the North together.

They would have dark haired children, some with his grey eyes, others with her eyes that looked like burnt sugar. They would all be darked haired, maybe a girl with his curls. They would name them after long dead Starks, and Mormonts. They would fill their halls with children, and be the parents they wished they had.

He would be able to meet her Aunt Maege, or her many cousins she talked about. He would have liked to see Dacey wield a morningstar. They would host her family and he would invite Arya and Bran, knowing his siblings would love the warrior women of Bear Island as much as they loved Orrina.

By the time he reached the weirwood tree, Jon's head was swimming with "what ifs" and "could bes" as his eyes stung from the unshed tears.

ORRINA

Truthfully, Orrina was shocked that she wasn't shipped off to Bear Island first thing the next morning after she was escorting away from Catelyn Stark. Her wild temper had gotten the better of her, and she had unleashed a flood of anger on her foster mother. She couldn't believe the woman talked so callously about Jon. That Ned Stark allowed her to, that he didn't even try to defend his son.

But more than anything, more than her anger at the injustice of Jon's treatment, she was angry that the one thing that had lifted his spirits, had lifted hers, was being taken away from them. For no reason, other than that Lady Stark didn't like bastards. That she feared if Jon had anyone in his corner that he would rise up and try to snatch Robb's future from his hands.

Before she knew what was happening, she was in the older woman's face, yelling and carrying on. The logical part of her brain knew she was overstepping, overreacting. But Jon had confided so much in Orrina, she knew Jon's pain, how he felt so out of place amongst his family. Orrina knew what that felt like, and she couldn't imagine hearing someone speak of her like Jon was being discussed.

She may have been weary at first, but Orrina had come to more than warm up to the idea of marrying Jon Snow. After weeks of sharing shy smiles, sneakily holding hands, and fervent whispers of their future to come, she had been looking forward to it. She didn't expect a grand wedding, but one where her family could come, where her grandfather, maybe even Maestor Aemon could abandon their posts to watch Jon envelop her in his cloak and carry her away from the weirwood. She even envisioned a simple ivory gown, made by her new good sister's hand.

But now she knew. Now Orrina knew that would never happen. It was snatched away from her before it even had a chance to blossom outside of her daydreams.

Lord Stark quarantined her to her chambers, had her meals brought up to her but Orrina couldn't bring herself to eat. Instead she paced the room, wearing a path into the carpet. She could hear the castle bustling around her and her thoughts were consumed by Jon. She knew Arya would have told him what happened, maybe even shattered his daydreams of their future together.

Orrina sat at her window, watching the people of Winterfell move about their day, like they didn't know she had just had her heart crushed. She even caught sight of Robb's Tully red hair walking alongside a familiar dark set of curls, no doubt on their way to the training yard, before losing sight of them.

It was nearly time for dinner, when Orrina decided she wouldn't be locked up inside her room like some maiden in distress. She didn't gain her reputation for being half Wildling for her willingness to cooperate with authority or listen to rules. She was going to find Jon, and they would make their own future, with or without the Starks approval.

Luckily since it was near time for dinner, the servants of Winterfell were in full swing preparing and not paying her any mind. Foolishly Ned Stark thought Orrina would do the honorable thing, the right thing and listen to him and posted no one outside her doors to keep her inside. So she pulled on her heavy black cloak and closed the door quietly behind her.

There was no way to confirm, but Orrina felt in her heart that Jon would be in the Godswood. They had spent time there together, sure that no one would stumble upon them like when they met in the gardens or in the library. The woods was where she showed him how far she could throw her axe and shrieked in laughter when he tried over and over to make it stick into a far off tree.

The Godswood is where they sat under the blood red leaves of the weirwood tree, and talked about their mothers. Where Jon told her that he didn't even know his mother's name, or what she looked like. It's where Orrina told her the few things she knew about hers. Where she refused to speak Jorah Mormont's name out loud but happily discussed all other things Mormont.

She pulled her hood over her head as soon as she hit the cold air, and took off for the Godswood, nothing would get in her way.

As predicted, under the weirwood is exactly where she found Jon. Face in his hands as he sat, leaves making a new home in the snarls of his brown hair.

"Jon!" Orrina cried out, unable to even take another moment of not speaking to him. Her feet carried to him quickly and before he could register that she had broken out of her room, her arms were around him. It had only been a few hours, not even a full day since she saw him last, but it had been agonizing all the same.

"What are you doing here?" Jon murmured against the hood of her cloak, his arms tightening around her.

"I couldn't stay in there any longer. I'm not going to let your father or his wife tell me what to do." There was that fierceness in her voice, something Jon admired about her. She yanked off her hood, and pulled back, worry all over her face.

His eyes were red, and although his face was dry, she could tell he had been crying. Not unlike herself last night when she tried to sleep.

"I had to be with you," she finished simply, watching the tension melt away from his eyes. They were their usual stormy grey, but they looked even more conflicted than usual.

"You shouldn't. They will send you back to Bear Island." Jon shook his head, making a move to pull away from her.
"They will have to drag me out of Winterfell, kicking and screaming," Orrina grabbed his elbow, refusing to let go. "I don't care what she says Jon. We can leave together. We can go to Bear Island together. We can get married there. My Aunt Maege will welcome us."

She knew she sounded desperate, pleading in her words to him, but Orrina knew now, knew that she loved him and she wouldn't let anyone try to separate them.

"We can't do that. My father-"

"I don't care what your father says. If we marry under the Old Gods, they can't do anything about it. Your father may rule the North, but he doesn't rule the will of the Gods."

Jon said nothing, a sad smile forming on his lips. She was something else, his Lady Orrina. Her temper was quick and hot, and she always had a quip on the tip of her tongue. She had an answer for everything, even if that answer was to say fuck everything and do whatever she wanted.

He admired that much about her.

"Please Jon," Orrina was pleading this time. He let so much of who he was be defined by others, she just wanted him to do something for himself for once. Something that would make them both happy, something they both wanted. Not something that would make his father proud, or even make Lady Catelyn tolerate him. "I love you."

A heavy silence passed between them, eyes locked on each other. Later they wouldn't remember who moved first, only remembering the feeling of being pulled together.

Blood red leaves fell around them as Orrina embraced Jon, relishing in the feeling of his lips against hers. It was better than she imagined, hours after their secret meetings. Neither of them knew what they were doing, but it didn't matter. His lips were soft, and gentle against her desperate mouth, keeping her from fully consuming them both.

Her fingers curled into his thick furred cloak, holding him tight against her. She could his dark eyelashes flutter over her cheeks, all sounds of the woods lost in their breathing, lost in each other.

Orrina couldn't say how long they stayed like that, how long she lost herself in Jon Snow's lips, but eventually he pulled away from her. His eyes were unusually tender, affectionate as he held her face between his palms and told her that he loved her too.

No one is allowed to be mad at me! I told you there was angst!

So there you have it. This is another chapter I've imagining several hundred different ways since I thought of this story. I knew that I wanted there a betrothal, but I also know that Westeros isn't always nice to bastards, and Jon is one of those bastards. Maybe him and Orrina will run away together, maybe not! You'll soon find out!

Next chapter will be caught up to in story timeline of AGOT. I always planned about 10 chapters pre-AGOT so next chapter will see the arrival of the royal family. Orrina has been in Winterfell for roughly a year or less at this point. I wish I could write every mundane detail of their their days and very convo Jon and Orrina have had cos I personally live for that, but I know it's not very exciting to read.

I got a little stuck with this chapter. I knew I wanted an Arya POV but I was struggling with the rest. I don't like to head hop and switch POVs so much, especially when each POV isn't super long but it felt right here. But sorry if you aren't a fan of that. I was also conflicted on the end and if they should confess their love for each other. Despite their feelings, this is still a slow burn relationship wise. Plus they are both lonely, hormonal teenagers so I decided it was getting in the end.

Please tell me how you are feeling about this chapter in the comments below! I know I say it every update, but they seriously make my DAY and motivate my muse. So please let me know what you loved, what you hated and what you think is coming next!