"There is to be a wedding", Lord Mormont said. The words getting caught up in his long grey beard. The three Mormont children leaned in closer, "A wedding!" Rickard Mormont had planned to marry his girls off since their birth, but now, just the thought welled tears in his eyes.

"Whose wedding, father?" Lyra's meek little voice barely filled the small space between them. The Mormont family sat on cushions around a great stone fireplace. Though summer, it was roaring with great orange flames. Lyra was a fresh sixteen years old. She had hair like her mother's, the mother that the god of death had taken from her at birth. It was red like the flames, and dotted freckles covered her cream white skin. The only similarity that she shared with her older sister was their intensely green eyes. Green like the forest that covered their island.

"Jorelle. My darling, fierce Jorelle", Rickard struggled to say the words. He loved both of his daughters, but Jorelle had been tough to raise into her womanhood. Fiercely independent, they had gone through five septs in her childhood.

Fire filled up in Jorelle's belly, she knew there was a reason for Eddard being in Bear Island. Though, she had no idea why the Southern families would venture North. "Thank you father… I am so happy, I have loved Edd since I was a girl."

"Not Edd." The three children leaned in once more.

"I said, not Edd. It's not him Jor."

The fire quickly turned into a gut wrenching stab. "Who?", she asked, her voice barely at a whisper.

"Daemon Targaryen. He is a good match, a better match. Better for this family."

"But father, I don't love him. I can never love him."

Rickard stood up and raised his voice, "I met your mother on my wedding day Jorelle. We both had fancies of marrying for love, but aye, marriage is about family and strengthening one's house. We are bound to the Starks through generations of service and loyalty, but we have nothing between us and the Targaryens. This is better for us, for Bear Island. I am not going to live forever and you deserve a husband that will defend you, and your family."

"What about Edd… Who for him then…"

"Edd is to take the Black. He is the third born son, an heir that is not needed."

"When…"

"Tomorrow, in our godswood. Then we will have a grand feast to celebrate a union that this family could have never dreamed up. The gods are good to us." Rickard fastened his long black cloak to his jacket and stormed from the room. Robb followed his father, flashing one last sympathetic look to his older sister before disappearing down the hall.

Lyra and Jorelle sat in silence a long time listening to the crackle of the fire. "I've heard he's very handsome." Lyra's voice was reassuring, unlike the little meek girl she normally was.

"I've heard he likes women… all sorts… all the time…"

"You're going to live at Dragonstone, Jorelle. It's going to be like the fairytales that Sept told us as girls. Lovely dresses and wine."

"I don't want to leave the North. He should marry you off. You should be going." Jorelle stood up and walked out the door, her heart full of fury.

Back in her room she laid on her bed, the fire raging across the room, warming her furs. Daemon Targaryen. She had never considered another, Eddard had consumed her thoughts for so long.

Though she had never seen Daemon, she had heard that he was handsome. Tall with tan skin that was kissed by the southern sun. He was dark haired with a strong jaw. Icy blue eyes gave away his Targaryen heritage. Gossip had traveled north even, of his conquests with women. Women be seduced, and women he paid. Bear Island had no brothels, the people were loyal to their families and to the north.

Night had fallen by this time, the fire and candles dimly lit the room. Through the windows she could hear the laughter of the feast getting started. A soft knock on the door preceded a small voice on the other side, "Its Kyra, let me in Jora", she then pushed the door open and slid into the room.

"Why aren't you at the feast?"

"I don't want to see him… I can't look at him…"

"I know that I'm Eddard's sister… I should advocate for him...", Kyra sat on the bed next to her weeping friend, "but maybe he's wonderful and lovely and you won't even remember loving my brother in ten years. Maybe there is a chance".

"There's no point, I know who he is… he will never be loyal to me."

"You've never met him."

"I've heard enough."

"He might be none of those things. You might have a long marriage full of children."

"I don't want to talk about him anymore", Jorelle lifted herself from the bed, "Can you do something for me?". She grabbed parchment from her desk and scribbled a note. She rolled it and tied it before handing it to Kyra, "Please give this to your brother."

"Of course, but…." Jorelle held a hand up to silence her.

"Just do it… and don't read it please. It's for Edd." Kyra grabbed the scroll and tucked it into her bosom and headed for the door. She looked back at Jorelle with sad eyes before hanging her head and walking out.

Moonlight breaking through her window casted light across the pillow and woke Jorelle up. There was still no sign of Edd. Maybe it was a mistake writing that note, she thought helplessly. She was sure he would come. When she woke up again, day was breaking. Eddard had never come for her.