Chapter 3

Lacy sat quietly in her favorite chair in the castles library waiting for her sister to meet her there. Her nerves were getting the better of her, so she decided to try and read to calm them. The attempt didn't work and it just left her with an open book in her lap, while she gazed out the window, her mind racing. She jumped when she heard the door open. In came a very angry looking Robb.

"Robb? Darling what's wrong?" Lacy asked, standing, dropping the book onto the chair she was sitting on.

Robb started to pace back and forth in front of her, not speaking. "Robb, what's the matter? You're worrying me. Is this about your mother?" Lacy try to pry something out of him but he just kept pacing.

Lacy, not knowing what else to do, walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders to stop him. He looked at her, his eyes searching her face.

"Please, Robb, tell me what is wrong."

Robb looked at her one last time, then his gaze fell to the floor. "I asked to speak with my mother today, and I told her about us."

Lacy froze. 'He told his mother about us?' She suddenly couldn't breathe.

"I told her about us, and she didn't respond to the news very well. She forbids it actually."

"How? Why is she so against it?"

"She refuses to have me see you, be alone with you. She told me that you were the future kings, and that she wouldn't have me be seen with the future queen."

"Robb, I don't want to be. Did you tell her that, that I don't want that?"

"She refuses to listen to reason. I told her that I wanted to marry you, to make you a true lady of Winterfell and she wouldn't hear it."

Lacy's head was spinning. She walked back over to the chair and sat back down. She put her head in her hands and unwelcomely started crying. She heard Robb walk over to her and the next thing she knows, she feels his arms around her. She wraps her arms around his neck and barriers her face deep in his shoulder, heavy sobs shaking her body. His hand soothed her, rubbing small circles on her back.

"I'll find a way for us, love. I promise. Even if I have to give up my name and we run away. Far away, just the two of us." Robb consoled, trying to get her to calm down.

"They'll never let us go. Your family will come looking for you, and the royal family will come looking for me. The prince doesn't take kindly to people who steal his things."

"Good thing you are not a thing than. Lace, you are not some mans property to be owned. I'm not going to let someone who thinks the lesser of you come anywhere near you." Robb said, brushing away tears that were on her cheeks.

"I love you Robb."

"And I love you. Always."

They were leaning in for a kiss when the library door opened. They both pulled apart quickly and stood up. In walks Catelyn Stark, with an angry look on her face.

"Robb! What did I just tell you?!" She scolded. She stormed toward Lacy, and grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her behind her.

"Don't touch her!" Robb barked back, stepping to reach toward Lacy.

"Madam please! I don't want to go to Kingslanding with the prince. I want to stay here, with Robb and house Stark. Please mother! I love him." Lacy pleaded one last time.

"I don't care Lacy! Either of you, what ever this obsession is, it is going to end now! Tomorrow the Royal family is going to be heading back to Kingslanding and Lacy is going with them! She is not ours any longer Robb! She is Joffrey's now."

"She isn't a possession mother, she's a person! You can't just sell her off like cattle."

"Your father and I can do what we please! This ends now, one way or another, tomorrow she leaves." Catelyn demands, and she storms out of the room.

"I'll talk to my father if she won't listen then! I'm sure he will do something about it!" Robb said. He kissed her cheek and was off to find his father.

And with that, Lacy was left alone in the room. Everything was just too much for her, and she fell to the ground, her dress in a pile around her. Her head was in her hands again, and this time the tears fell harder. It overtook her body, and she was shaking uncontrollably. Tonight, would be her last night here, and then tomorrow, she would be sold to the prince and moved to a foreign place she was very unformalized with. She heard to door open one last time, and she didn't even bother to look to see who it was.

"Lacy? Oh, my gods, what's wrong?"

Lacy heard Amelia sound worried, and then she felt her arms around her. Lacy couldn't speak, the tears were falling to hard and she was scared if she spoke, she wouldn't even be able to stop crying. She didn't want to say what was wrong, it would make it to real.

"It's okay Lacy, I got you. It's going to be okay." Amelia reassured, rocking her sister back and forth in her arms.

"It's not going to be okay Amelia. Nothing is going to be okay." Lacy shakily stuttered out in between gasps of air. "Robb, told Cat about us and she freaked. She told us to end it, and she won't listen about the engagement and I'm freaking out. I don't want to leave tomorrow with them, I want to stay here with you and Robb. I…I don't want to go Ames."

"You're not going to do this on your own Lace. Don't think I'm not going to come with you on this. We're sisters, I'm not letting you go anywhere without me."

Lacy looked at Amelia shocked. "What? No, Ames, you can't come with me. What about Jon? I can't let you leave him and your happiness for me. I won't let you go through what I feel."

"I already told Jon I was leaving with you tomorrow."

"What? What did he say? You guys…you must be heartbroken." Lacy asked, still shocked at the news.

"I don't think what we have is as real as what you and Robb have Lace. I asked him to come with me. To move to the capital with us and he told me no. Hell, I even screamed that I loved him and he didn't even say anything back. I…I want to put this behind me. He clearly doesn't feel the same, and it's time to put this behind me." Amelia, had light tears in her eyes as she told Lacy the news.

"Oh, Amelia. I'm so sorry. He's a fool if he doesn't feel the same way."

"It's okay. I guess it was going to happen regardless of us leaving tomorrow or not."

Lacy gave Amelia a sad look, and both sisters just hugged each other. A horn blew outside, and the two girls pulled away.

"The Royal family is here." Lacy said, turning to look out the window.

"Show time I guess."

The two girls, got up off of the floor, brushed off their dresses, dried their tear stained faces and looked at each other. They nodded, and turned toward the door ready to face the upcoming troubles.

The air was cold and crisp. They were all lined up outside of the castle, waiting for the Royal family to pull into the grounds. Eddard Stark stood at the front of the line, his wolf skin pelt wrapped around him. Next came Catelyn, Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Lacy was next because she was the eldest, then Amelia. She wondered where Jon was, what he was doing. She envied him for not having to be here. He was probably somewhere warm, and by a fire instead of freezing outside waiting for an overprivileged man to arrive. Amelia didn't mind the king, it was his family that got on her nerves.

Lacy nudged her arm and Amelia looked up to see a gold lined carriage, and twenty guards come through their gate. They stopped, and King Robert stepped out first. Ned walked up to him and greeted him. Ned and Robert had been friends for years. Lacy would tell her all the time about the old war where Ned and Robert fought side by side, over throwing the mad kings rule. That's when Ned brought Jon home. Amelia brought her attention back onto the carriage. Cersei Lannister was the next one to get out. She noticed that the soldier helping her down was her brother Jamie. She crinkled her nose for only a second at a look that she gave him. The look made her uncomfortable, and she quickly looked away.

She felt Lacy tense when Joffrey stepped out last. She looked over at her sister and saw her swallow hard. She saw that Lacy was digging her nails into the palm of her hand, and she reached out to grab it. She heard Ned introducing his children to the King, and the King making comments about each one, until they got to Lacy.

"And these are my adoptive daughters, Lacy and Amelia." Ned introduced them.

The girls both bowed politely in front of the King, and greeted him. "Your Grace."

"Ned, they are beautiful! Which one is going to be my future daughter?" Robert boomed.

Ned placed a hand onto Lacy's shoulder. "This one your Grace. She should be a perfect match for our future king."

"She is much older than my son, Ned. Sansa seems like a more age appropriate match don't you think?"

Amelia could see a small spark in Lacy's eyes at that comment.

"She would by your Grace, but age is just a number. She is smart and wise beyond her years. She could truly help make a man, and a great king out of your son." Ned answered, smiling at Lacy.

Lacy smiled at Ned and the King and bowed slightly again.

"Come, Ned, I would very much like to visit my sweet, Lyanna." The King, continued on past the children and the girls.

Amelia, bowed again as the king left and then turned to her sister. "Are you okay?"

Lacy turned to look at Robb, who was still standing straight ahead, avoiding all eye contact with anyone. Lacy grabbed her sisters hand and pulled her close, intertwining their arms together. "Come with me to our study, I need a drink or two."

Amelia smiling, followed her sister, "Sounds like a plan sister."