Okay, this is important. It doesn't have to do with the story so much. I recently received some reviews that said they didn't care for the story. That's fine. You don't have to like it, but at the same time I received a review (I deleted it) that said some rather homophobic things about Lydia's character (yes, she's a lesbian). That's not okay. You can say you hate the story, but please be appropriate and don't say hateful things toward any group of people!
Also, I know this should be a Miriam chapter, but the whole direwolf scene seemed more appropriate from Lydia's POV.
Lydia
Sansa's engagement to Prince Joffrey was almost a done deal. Lydia's father had been selected as Hand of the King, and he and Sansa would be moving to King's Landing. When Arya heard that, she begged to be allowed to go. When Lydia heard that, she insisted that her father take her as well…because she didn't trust her sisters to stay safe in King's Landing. She hated to leave Winterfell. She hated to leave Bran and Rickon and Robb and Theon, but she knew she had to. Arya was headstrong, but she could never take care of herself. As for Sansa… Lydia didn't believe she was up to the politics of the capital. It wasn't that Lydia knew much about politics, she didn't, but if Lydia knew very little, Sansa knew nothing. A pretty face like hers with an ancient name would be devoured.
Their father wasn't riding in their carriage, but he insisted that trustworthy guards were stationed around his daughters. Arya smiled mischievously at Lydia.
"I have something to show you when we get to King's Landing," Arya said. She snuck a peek at Sansa. "Sansa isn't allowed to see."
Sansa clicked her tongue. "I don't want to see it. I think you're a fool."
"Not as much as a fool as you," Arya said, lifting her lip. "You're brain dead around the prince. I think he's an ugly piece of work personally –"
"Arya! Stop it!" Sansa cut in.
"Both of you, stop it!" Lydia said loudly. "Enough. I didn't come on this trip to have to listen to your constant banter."
"Sansa started it," Arya muttered.
"You're such a child," Sansa said to Arya.
"And I'm finishing it." Lydia glared at them dangerously with narrowed eyes and the girls fell silent. After a moment, Lydia turned to Arya and said: "I heard the King liked the butcher's meats and he and his son were requested at the capital."
Arya's face lit up. "Yes, Mycah, he's coming with us! We're going to explore the capital together, and we're going to see the skulls of the dragons when we get there. I want to see Vhagar's skull. Do you remember which one that is?"
"Clearly," Lydia smiled. "Vhagar was ridden by Visenya Targaryen. She was a powerful woman. She's your heroine, she and her sister, Rhaenys."
"Joffrey has promised to take me to see the gardens," Sansa said dreamily. "I hear it's where all the knights proposed to their ladies."
"Knights can't marry," Arya scoffed.
"Only if they're in the King's Guard," Sansa hissed.
Lydia, sensing a fight between them, held up her hand. "Sansa's right. Arya's right. Time to move on."
They didn't speak to one another for the rest of the day, but Lydia sensed the stress. She hoped they arrived at King's Landing just so those two wouldn't have to ride in the coach together any longer. It was suffocating there.
For the next few days they stopped at inns along the way. Lydia saw Leila Lannister and Miriam together. Leila was always holding Miriam's hand and helping her. Lydia frowned, wondering why Leila was acting like that. Miriam wasn't a frail woman. Lydia smiled when Miriam pulled away from Leila. She was so stupid. Just because someone wasn't a Lannister didn't mean they weren't capable of walking.
Roughly a week into their journey they halted at an inn called the Crossroads. That day had been especially tense for Lydia as Arya and Sansa had started arguing once again. She welcomed the sight of the inn and welcomed even more the idea of ale. Her father didn't let her drink, but she thought she could sneak some back to her room. If Lord Eddard knew what she'd suffered, even he'd make an exception.
Her father found her and kissed her cheek. He hugged Arya and Sansa. Up ahead was the ugly prince, who flashed Sansa a smile. She separated herself from the family and went to her betrothed. Then Arya spotted Mycah and the two ran off. Her father sighed.
"They're so different," he said. "I don't understand them. I don't understand you as a matter of fact. Do all women have secrets?"
"We have no secrets," Lydia smirked, narrowing her eyes. "We're quite obvious. Men are just blind."
Lord Eddard laughed at that.
"I know you only wanted to travel to the capital to protect your sisters," he said. "They will be fine. Nothing will happen to them."
"There are snakes at the capital," Lydia murmured darkly. "And more deadly than snakes…lions…"
"Lydia! It is not in your place to speak ill of the Queen's family. Lord Tywin has made great contributions to Robert's reign. We are indebted to him," he said firmly.
"Will Robb marry his daughter?" Lydia asked.
"How did you know about that?"
"I have my ways. Will they marry?"
Her father looked troubled.
"I was watching them. Robb was happy around her. She may be a Lannister, but I saw that he cared. All I want is my children's happiness. If she makes him happy, then I will approve of the union," he said.
"Robb is stupid. He's a young man. He only likes Leila Lannister for her ass," she said, glaring at the ground. She refused to stand by and do nothing while her brother married a stupid bitch. Leila Stark. The name made her want to vomit.
Ned chuckled. "True, he probably does like what he sees, but I know my son. I can see his happiness. You should be happy for him too. Leila seems different than her family."
"They're all the same," Lydia whispered.
Her father didn't say a word about her comment, but she knew he heard her. He said in a loud clear voice: "I must go; Robert needs me. Perhaps you should find Arya and make sure she's alright."
"I'm sure she's fine. She and Mycah are probably practicing with wooden swords," Lydia said.
"I know, but please…do it for me. Also… Winter needs out. She's been cooped up for days. Take her for a walk." Just then a familiar wolf came rushing toward Lydia and her face broke into the first smile in days.
"Winter!" She cried. She hugged her father tightly and ran straight to her beautiful direwolf.
"Go find your sisters," Lord Stark said. "Especially Arya." He kissed her forehead and left.
Lydia scratched Winter behind the ears and muttered that she would bring her something tasty from that night's dinner. Then she led her wolf away, heading toward the river where she thought she saw Arya run off to.
Sure enough, when she arrived on the bank, she saw Arya fencing with a ginger boy. The boy was named Mycah, and he was the only son of the butcher. King Robert especially enjoyed the way the butcher chopped up and spiced his kills, so he insisted on him traveling to King's Landing. It was a dream come true for the family. Mycah and Arya sparred, though they used only wooden practice swords. Lydia smiled as she watched them. Arya needed work, but she had a lot of natural talent…maybe even more so than Lydia.
"Watch your footing!" Lydia called out, clearly enjoying herself.
Arya stopped abruptly, and Mycah got a hit off her. She whipped around.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Arya snapped at him.
Lydia snickered and came forward. She placed a hand on Mycah's shoulder, and he turned as red as his hair.
"That's not cheating. You should have better guard. There's no such thing as cheating when your life is on the line. Remember that, sister," said Lydia.
Mycah gulped. "We were just playing, milady."
"Yes, I know that, but it doesn't hurt to always be prepared," Lydia said. "Nice work, you two. Mycah, how long have you been using a sword?"
"Not long, milady," Mycah said.
"Alright then, I'll give you some pointers. Consider this your lucky day," she said.
She proceeded to show them how to hold their weapon and how to improve their footwork. She pointed out to them the best places to attack and the places that generally weren't protected by armor.
"And remember to always protect your side," she instructed them. "There. That's it. Show me what you've learned now."
They leapt at one another, and Lydia was pleased to see that they learned a lot from her quick lesson. Arya having a friend in King's Landing made Lydia happy. Behind them, Winter sat down and observed the fight.
"I'll get you!" Mycah shouted playfully.
Lydia chuckled when suddenly she heard a horrified –
"Arya!"
Arya spun around, and Mycah was able to get a hit off her. "Ow! What are you doing here?"
Sansa walked right up to them. Next to her was Prince Joffrey. Lydia's eyes narrowed, and she sensed that her wolf's eyes were narrowing too.
"Go away!" Arya hissed.
Lydia stepped up to them. Winter stood up, but Lydia held up a hand.
"Your sisters?" The Prince drawled, coming closer to them. "And who are you, boy?"
That was rich, the stupid prince was barely out of boyhood himself, Lydia thought to herself. Mycah gulped and bowed his head.
"Mycah, my lord," he said.
"He's the butcher's boy," Sansa clarified in a scathing voice.
"He's my friend!" Arya snapped.
"You have no right to speak to him in that way," said Lydia. "I don't care if you're a prince or not. Sansa, take your prince elsewhere."
Joffrey sputtered and glared at Lydia. "Northern girls don't give their future kings orders! I could have you gutted –"
"Please!" Sansa said, turning pale. She glared at Arya. "We have every right to walk here. It's Arya that should leave."
"I would never harm my lady's elder sister," Joffrey said falsely. Then he scanned Mycah's body with his eyes. "A butcher's boy who wants to be a knight, eh? Pick up your sword, butcher's boy. Let's see how good you are."
"She asked me to, my lord! She asked me to!" Mycah said quickly.
"I'm your prince, not your lord, and I said pick up your sword!" Joffrey growled.
"It's not a sword, my prince. It's only a stick," said Mycah desperately.
"And you're not a knight. Only a butcher's boy. That was my lady's sister you were hitting, do you know that?" Joffrey took a step closer to Mycah and drew a real sword, which he pointed at his throat.
"Stop it!" Arya shouted angrily.
"Arya, stay out of this," Sansa shot at her.
Lydia shot Sansa a glare that could have killed a dove in the sky. Sansa shrunk back and watched nervously. Joffrey smiled to himself and poked his blade right into Mycah's cheek. He whimpered, and tears splashed from his eyes.
"I won't hurt him…much…" And with that, Joffrey cut right into the cheek and drew blood.
Lydia glowered and then shoved Joffrey away from Mycah. He grabbed a hold of his cheek and jumped back.
"If you want to fight, fight me, your grace! Come on! Swing at me! I dare you!" Lydia snapped. She picked up Mycah's stick and held it like a true sword.
"I can't fight you! You're a woman, and you don't even have a weapon!" Joffrey spat.
"I don't need a weapon to beat you," Lydia hissed. "Now come on! You said you wanted a fight!"
Joffrey didn't move, but he sputtered out something unintelligible. Sansa let out a small sob, but Lydia was too angry at her to care. And then suddenly –
"Filthy little bitch!"
Arya had had the gall to jump at Joffrey and start striking him with her stick. Joffrey jumped back and waved his sword wildly, clearly not knowing how to use it. Sansa screamed, and Lydia ran over to her and pulled her away. As much as she hated Sansa in that moment, she couldn't let her sister be hurt.
"No, no! Stop it, stop it, both of you! You're spoiling it! You're spoiling everything!" Sansa cried out.
"Damn it, Sansa! Shut it!" Lydia screamed, and it shut her up.
Arya jumped out of the way of Joffrey's sword, but she lost her footing and fell flat on her back. The Prince was sweaty and his hair was standing on end. He pointed his sword at Arya lying in the dirt.
"I'll gut you, you little cunt!" He shrieked.
As Joffrey was about to bring the sword down into Arya's heart, a snarling noise reached their ears, and a grey blur came ripping into the scene.
"Arya!" Sansa screamed uselessly.
"Nymeria!" Arya cried.
Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, was just as wild and adventurous as Arya was. The pup had grown much in size, and was a force to be reckoned with. She leaped at Joffrey and sunk her large fangs into his arm. Lydia stepped back and watched as a chunk of flesh was torn away from Joffrey's arm. He screamed loudly and dropped his sword. Then he uselessly tried smacking the wolf in the face.
Finally Arya was able to pull Nymeria away from Joffrey, who was now covered in blood. He was absolutely pitiful. Could he really be the son of a king? Arya picked up his sword and pointed it at him. He held his hands up pleadingly.
"Please don't!" Joffrey begged.
Arya looked disgusted.
"Arya, leave him alone!" Sansa's voice cracked.
Arya stepped away from the Prince and then threw his sword into the river. Lydia thought it was a shame, as the blade was a nice sword. Too bad Joffrey was too stupid to use it properly.
"My prince, my poor prince, look what they did to you," Sansa said sadly, stroking Joffrey's head. "Stay here, I'll go back to the inn and bring help."
Joffrey swatted her hand away. "Then go! Don't touch me!"
Lydia turned to see Arya running off with Nymeria. Lydia approached Sansa and Joffrey.
"He was stupid to attack Arya," she said. "Come on. We can't have him dying here."
"You were helping Arya!" Sansa cried.
"Because this little cunt attacked her friend!" Lydia snapped. "Get your head out of your ass, Sansa!"
"I don't need anyone's help! Especially not a woman's!" Joffrey's spittle sprayed their faces, and Lydia wiped it away.
"Fine. I'm going after Arya," she breathed and left them. She secretly wished that the Prince would die there. Stupid Joffrey. Stupid Sansa.
Winter Wind joined Lydia in her search for Arya. Somehow Arya had gotten farther than Lydia thought she would, and she found herself having difficulties finding her.
"Sniff her out, Winter," Lydia ordered.
After she said that, a company of knights came running by. Sansa had reached the inn then. Lydia swore, knowing they were looking for Arya and Nymeria. Lydia jumped behind a tree, and Winter followed. They watched in silence.
"The wolf's not here. Look down the main stream," a guard said.
They went running.
"Lydia…"
Lydia spun around and saw a very shaken Arya. "Where's Nymeria?"
"I told her to run. I couldn't bear the thought of Joffrey slaughtering her," she said. "Lydia…what do I do? I attacked the King's son! They could kill me for this!"
"They won't," Lydia said. "You're Eddard Stark's daughter. To hurt you would start a war. Even the Lannisters are smarter than that. Come on, let's go."
It took some coaxing, but Lydia was finally able to calm Arya down enough to get her to leave her hiding place. She held her hand and they headed back toward the inn. Lydia could feel her body shaking. On the way there, they were stopped by a company of men in red armor.
"We found you!" One said. Lydia saw that they waved their banners, a golden lion.
"Were you searching for us?" Lydia snapped.
"The Queen ordered for you to be brought to her straight away!" the Lannister banner man said.
Arya groaned, and Lydia squeezed her hand.
"Fine," she said. "We'll come, but Arya did nothing wrong. I can testify before the Queen if needs be."
And with that, the Lannisters surrounded them on all sides and escorted them back to the inn.
"Someone tell Lord Stark they found his daughters!" Someone shouted.
They walked inside the inn's anteroom and waited, Arya an absolute mess. Lydia then noticed that Winter was missing. Perhaps she was helping Nymeria to escape. They were sisters after all.
King Robert and Queen Cersei walked in, Joffrey beside Cersei. Robert plopped down into a chair.
"She nearly killed me!" Joffrey screeched.
"Is this true?" The King asked Arya. "Speak, girl!"
Arya looked up at Lydia for support. It was then that Lydia noticed from the corner of her eye Leila Lannister and Miriam coming down the inn's staircase. They looked at both parties, quite confused.
"Only after he threatened her friend," Lydia said boldly, stepping forward. The King didn't scare her. When she glared at him, he faltered and didn't respond.
"Are you calling my son a liar?" Cersei hissed. "Robert, I want them killed!"
"I can't just go killing noblemen's daughters!" King Robert shouted exasperated.
Leila ran forward and stopped abruptly to quickly curtsey to the King. Then she faced Cersei. "What's going on? What happened?"
Before Cersei could answer, Lydia snarled: "Your nephew is a sadist –"
The door to the inn flew open and their father entered. Arya gasped and let go of Lydia's hand and ran straight into Ned's arms. He caught her by her small shoulders and she began spewing out random words that no one could understand.
"I'm sorry!" She finally squeaked.
"Are you hurt?" Lord Stark asked urgently. "Lydia, are you hurt?" He looked over at a hard faced Lydia.
"No," they both answered.
Ned hugged Arya. "It's all right. What is the meaning of this? Why were my daughters not brought to me at once?" His piercing gaze traveled over the crowd (that had now gathered) and focused on King Robert.
"How dare you speak to your King in that manner?" Queen Cersei hissed through clenched teeth.
"Quiet, woman!" Robert tore his eyes from Lydia, whom he'd been staring at. "Sorry, Ned. I never meant to frighten the girl, but we need to get this business done quickly."
"Your girl and that butcher's boy attacked my son. That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off!" Queen Cersei announced.
"That's not true! She just…bit him a little. He was hurting Mycah," Arya explained.
"Joffrey told us what happened. You and that boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him," Cersei spat.
"That's not what happened!" Arya shouted angrily.
"Yes it is! They all attacked me and she threw my sword in the river!" Joffrey squealed, his face twisting in rage.
"Liar!" Arya shrieked.
"Shut up!" Joffrey hollered.
"Enough! He tells me one thing, she tells me another. Seven hells! What am I to make of this?" Then King Robert glared at Lydia. "You, girl, tell us what happened!"
Lydia stepped forward. "The direwolf protected her owner when the Prince attacked her. He attacked her friend beforehand because he wanted to show his power as your son."
Robert whipped his head to glare at Joffrey, who shrank back behind his mother.
"Is this true? Is it? Answer now!" King Robert bellowed.
"Of course she's lying! She can't be trusted –Look at her! She's on her sister's side! We need a third witness!" Cersei said.
Robert threw his arms up. "Bah! Where's your other daughter, Ned?"
Their father bowed his head. "In bed asleep."
"She's not," Cersei said. Then she said in a much sweeter voice. "Sansa, come here, darling."
Lydia was outraged. The Queen had already spoken to Sansa and had probably twisted her into being on their side, not that that was especially difficult. Sansa was already too stupid for her own good. Sansa came walking down the aisle, her head bent, her auburn hair covering her face. Robert leaned forward.
"Now, child…Tell me what happened. Tell it all and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a King," he told her sternly.
Everyone in the room stared at her. She turned red and looked like she could cry. Lydia cursed in her mind. Joffrey and Cersei stared expectantly at Sansa.
"I don't know…" Sansa trailed off. "I don't remember. Everything happened so fast. I didn't see."
Lydia could have slapped her. Arya jumped up and grabbed Sansa by the back of the hair and yanked her down. Ned ripped Arya away, and Sansa cried out.
"Liar! Liar, liar, liar!" Arya accused.
"Arya!" Sansa cried.
"Stop it! That's enough of that!" Lord Stark reprimanded his daughters. "Stop! Arya! Lydia, help me with your sisters!"
Lydia went over and held Arya so she couldn't attack Sansa anymore. Cersei lifted her lip in disgust.
"She's as wild as that animal of hers. I want her punished," she said shortly.
"What would you have me do, whip her through the streets? Damn it! Children fight. It's over," boomed King Robert.
"Joffrey will bear these scars for the rest of his life," Cersei pointed out.
Robert looked over at Arya and then back at his son. "You let that little girl disarm you?" Joffrey looked away, ashamed. Then Robert spoke to Ned. "See to it that your daughter is disciplined. I'll do the same with my son."
"Gladly, your grace," Eddard said, obviously relieved.
Cersei's face twisted, and Lydia knew she was angry at having lost. "And what of the direwolf? What of the beast that savaged your son?"
"I'd forgot the damned wolf," Robert admitted.
"We found no trace of the direwolf, your grace," a soldier said, bowing low.
Robert snorted. "So be it."
Cersei glanced at Sansa, and then she glanced at Lydia, and a cruel smile flickered on her face for a moment.
"We have another wolf," Cersei said coldly.
Robert waved his hand, clearly sick of the proceedings. "As you will."
Both Lydia's and Eddard's eyes widened. Surprisingly so did Leila's. Sansa and Arya clearly didn't understand what was happening.
"You can't mean it," Eddard said, taking a step forward.
"A direwolf's no pet. Get her a dog. She'll be happier for it," Robert said, staring at Sansa.
Sansa understood what they were getting at. She gasped loudly and grabbed her father by the arm. Even Arya was disgusted by the decision.
"He doesn't mean Lady, does he?" Sansa moaned. "No, no! Not Lady! Lady didn't bite anyone! She's good!"
"Lady wasn't there! You leave her alone!" Arya jumped in, defending her sister's wolf.
"Stop them! Don't let them do it! Please! It wasn't Lady!" Sansa sobbed.
"Is this your command, your grace?" Lydia's father spat. The title he added wasn't respectful in the slightest. It was a sign at just how disgusted he was with King Robert.
"Where is the beast?" Cersei asked.
"Chained up outside, your grace," the soldier replied.
"Ser Ilyn, do me the honor," Cersei said to an ugly bald knight just off to the side.
Lydia nearly jumped and attacked when Leila threw herself in front of her sister. She glared straight at her. Miriam watched, horrified by the proceedings.
"Cersei! No! That wolf is innocent!" Leila shouted.
"You speak like it's a human! It's an animal!" Cersei growled. "Our father clearly hasn't taught you much! Ser Clegane, take my sister to her room for the night! She's obviously tired."
Leila sputtered angrily, and then the Hound took her by the arm and marched her out of the room. Miriam curtsied before the royal family and rushed after them. Lydia didn't actually expect Leila to stand up to her sister like that.
"No," Eddard stepped in. "Jory, take the girls to their rooms. If it must be done, then I'll do it myself."
At that, Jory Cassel, the younger and much more handsome nephew of Rodrick Cassel appeared and put his arms around Sansa. She crumbled in his arms and wept. Lydia and Arya just glared at the Queen.
"Is this some trick?" Cersei asked.
"The wolf is of the North. She deserves better than a butcher," Eddard said.
Then Jory took the girls away, and Lydia knew she'd never see Lady following obediently behind Sansa ever again.
Constructive reviews are welcome (constructive, mind you) Next up is Miriam!
