Chapter 2

Now and forever

Minea looked outside through the window of the carriage. She had read many books about the north, but she hadn't been able to really imagine it. Everything just looked so…harsh. Wild. Cold. There were no cities, only villages. She had washed her face in the river when they had stopped and noticed that the water was freezing. She wouldn't be able to go swimming here. The thought was quite depressing. She was a good swimmer; she had swum in the sea ever since she had been a small child. Just the thought of swimming in the icy river made her shiver.

"Are you cold, my lady?" her handmaiden Ersa asked.

"No, I am fine, thank you."

She wasn't fine. Today was the day. They would arrive at Winterfell and she would marry Robb Stark. The journey had been long, but she wished it would have been longer. She looked outside again and saw Tyrion riding next to the carriage. He smiled at her. She smiled too; she was more than grateful for his company.

They had talked a lot during the journey, she had asked him to tell her everything he knew about the Starks and the north. Lady Catelyn Stark most likely wouldn't like Minea any more than her son. Lord Bran Stark was still young, but he was a cripple because of her family. Lord Rickon Stark was a child and Lady Arya Stark hated her family. Then there was Lord Jon Snow, Robb Stark's half-brother and second-in-command.

According to Tyrion, he was a brave and honorable man, but Minea suspected that he also hated her family. Well, pretty much everyone in the north hated her family. Most families had lost someone in the war. Minea had no idea how they would accept her as the wife of their High Lord. She startled as she suddenly heard the horns. They were approaching Winterfell.

"Open the gates!" she heard someone shouting.

Minea's hands were folded in her lap; nervously she crossed them as her convoy rode through the gates. The carriage stopped and the door opened.

"My lady," one of the soldiers said and offered her his hand. She took it, allowing him to help her out of the carriage. Cautiously she looked around in the courtyard, but she didn't have much time to look at her new home when a dark-haired man approached her. Was he Robb Stark? The look in his eyes wasn't hostile, but it wasn't warm either.

"My lady," he greeted her. "Welcome to Winterfell. My name is Jon Snow."

"My lord," she replied and curtsied. "I am honored to meet you."

"Lord Jon!" Tyrion greeted him. "It has been a while."

"Lord Tyrion," Lord Jon replied.

"So, where is the High Lord?" Tyrion asked.

"He is busy," Lord Jon replied, quite rudely. "He welcomes you and apologizes for not being here. He has many things to do before tonight."

The wedding was tonight. Minea became even more nervous when she realized that she wasn't going to even meet her husband before the wedding.

"Lida will show you your chambers, my lady," Lord Jon continued, nodding towards a young woman standing beside him. "Lord Tyrion, follow me please."

Tyrion looked at Minea and touched her hand.

"I will see you soon, sister."

Minea felt completely out of place when she was suddenly standing in the middle of a strange courtyard, surrounded by strangers. There were soldiers and servants, most of them were looking at her. Or more like glaring at her. If a look could have killed, she would have been dead. All she wanted was to get back into the carriage and return home. She didn't want to be here any more than these people wanted her here.

"This way, my lady," Lida said.

Somehow Minea managed to follow the girl, she was grateful that Ersa was beside her. Winterfell seemed like a very dark place comparing to Casterly Rock. Her chamber was more modest than back home, but she wasn't complaining. There was a big canopy bed, a dresser, a closet, a chest, couple of soft rugs, two armchairs, a desk, a bathtub and most of all a roaring fire in the fireplace.

"We prepared a bath for you, my lady," Lida said and glanced at Ersa. "Do you need some assistance?"

"No, thank you," Minea replied. Right now she wanted to be alone with Ersa, she had noticed that Lida was trying to hide her loathing. She sighed after the servant girl had left.

"They all hate me."

"I am sure things will get better, my lady," Ersa assured.

Minea doubted that, but there really wasn't much she could do. She would just have to somehow endure this.

3 hours later

Minea was struggling to stay calm as she walked down the aisle, towards the altar. She squeezed Tyrion's hand, more than grateful for his presence. The room was full of people, but she didn't really dare to look at any of them. She could sense their hatred and wondered were all the Starks here. Tyrion had mentioned that Lady Arya wouldn't attend at the wedding; she had been "unwell".

Perhaps that was the case with the other Starks as well, Minea doubted that they wanted to welcome here into their family. Her wedding gown was cream-colored, but her cloak was red and gold, the colors of the Lannisters. Her father has had it made for her, despite of her protest. The last thing she wanted was to anger her husband and his family more. Tyrion had said that she looked beautiful, but right now she would have wanted nothing more than to be invisible. Her heart was pounding when they reached the altar and Tyrion reluctantly handed her over to Robb Stark.

"You may now cloak the bride and bring her under your protection," the septon said.

Finally Minea dared to glance at her husband. Robb Stark had dark hair and dark eyes, just like Jon Snow, but his eyes were much…colder. There was no expression on his face. He didn't look at Minea's face; he simply took her cloak off, quite roughly and put his own cloak around her shoulders.

"My lords, my ladies," the septon proclaimed. "We stand here in the sight of gods and men to witness the union of man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever."

Minea's hand was shaking a little as she gave it to her husband. His hand felt rigid; clearly he wouldn't have wanted to touch her. The septon tied a ribbon in a knot around their hands.

"Let in be known that Lord Robb from House Stark and Lady Minea from House Lannister are one heart, one flesh, one soul. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder. In the sight of the Seven, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one for eternity."

Lord Robb almost yanked his hand away as soon as the septon unraveled the ribbon. Minea was praying for this to be over already, but it wasn't.

"Look upon each other and say the words."

Minea swallowed before she managed to look at her husband. His face was still blank.

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger," they said simultaneously. "I am his and he is mine," Minea murmured as her husband said the same vow. "From this day, until the end of my days."

Lord Robb's eyes looked even colder as he leaned towards her.

"With this kiss, I pledge my love," he muttered through clenched teeth, forcing each word out. His lips barely touched hers and there was certainly no applauds. This was it. She was trapped now for the rest of her life.