Robb woke up the next morning covered in a cold sweat. He brought his hand to his brow to wipe it away, gasping for air. He blue eyes looked around the room, sighing with relief when he saw that it was empty. Gwynne wasn't lying in his bed beside him, naked like she had been in his dream. He felt an aching in his groin and groaned, turning over and burying his face in his pillow.

What was he supposed to do now? How was he supposed to look at her after he had tasted her, felt her skin against his, and moved inside of her? Very easily, because it never happened. It was a dream. He tried to repeat that to himself, over and over again as he dressed, but it was hopeless. His mind refused to let him forget how she had felt against him, how she had made him feel when he was deep inside of her. It had all seemed so real he had woken up convinced that she really had come to him that night.

Yes, because she would come to you and beg you to take her, his mind scoffed.

When he saw her in the yard, standing beside his half brother, the dream came back and struck him harder than it had before. Flashes of her skin glistening in the moonlight swam through his mind, her swollen lips as she moaned his name over and over again while he claimed her. And when she saw him and smiled, that smile that haunted him when he closed his eyes at night, he knew that it was no use.

"Gwynne, Jon." Robb greeted as he came to a stop beside them.

"Good morning, my Lord." Her voice was as soft as he remembered her skin to be. It made him shudder and he quickly prayed to the Gods that neither one of them had noticed. "You slept in rather late this morning."

Jon watched his brother carefully, noticing a look on his features he had yet to see. He said nothing of it as he kept his eyes focused on his half brother. "Arya has challenged Theon to a competition, brother."

Robb pushed the feeling away and moved his eyes to where Jon and Gwynne had been watching. "What kind of competition?"

"Bow and arrow, of course." Gwynne laughed, turning back around.

Robb's eyes found Gwynne's face as he watched her while she looked elsewhere. He swallowed the lump that had swelled in his throat and turned his attention back to his youngest sister. "And mother and father have agreed to it?"

Jon chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "They don't know. Father said he had some matters that had to be attended to and that he wouldn't be free until later on today. I've never seen Arya so excited about anything in my life."

"And who's winning so far?"

"I believe Theon is," Gwynne answered. "But don't worry, Arya's a little dragon. She's just letting him think he's going to win."

Theon took his stance, lifting another arrow in his hand and bringing it into his bow. He glanced over his shoulder and saw his friends standing there, though his eyes went straight to Gwynne. He shot her a crooked smile and a wink before turning his focus back to the target and taking aim.

The half brothers glanced over at Gwynne curiously before turning their attention back to their father's ward and their younger sister. Neither of them said a word about Theon's action, but both watched him cautiously.

Gwynne shook her head, clearing her throat when she saw Theon wink at her. Maybe in another life that simple action would have caused her heart to flutter in her chest and would have left her short of breath. But she knew Theon a lot better than that. Theon was no stranger to the fairer sex, and would have no doubt made advances on Sansa herself had he known Lord Stark wouldn't have cut him down. There was no flattery in any attention given by Theon Greyjoy. There were times when Gwynne wondered if Theon would have come on to his own sister, had he the opportunity.

Arya thumped her foot into the dry soil impatiently as Theon took aim and readied himself. She let out an agitated groan and rolled her eyes, impatient as ever. "Just shoot it, already! I've got things to do today, you know."

Theon chuckled to himself and let the arrow fly, nailing it directly in the centre of the target. Arya mumbled under her breath as she prepared her own bow, her nerves suddenly getting the best of her when she realized Jon and Robb were both standing there, watching.

"You can do it, Arya!" Gwynne called, her voice ringing out into the training yard.

With the extra support from Gwynne, Arya let go of the arrow and watched excitedly as it struck the centre of her target. She jumped up and down, cheering as excitement took over her. She looked up at Theon and stuck out her tongue, more confident than ever.

"She's amazing with a bow," Gwynne pointed out. "It makes me wonder if we're just wasting everybody's time when she's in sewing class."

"I can't tell you how disappointed she is that she was born a girl. Sometimes I wonder if she's going to chop off all her hair one day and try and convince everyone that she were a boy just so she could practice with us." Robb laughed. He had no doubt the thought had crossed his little sister's mind, at least once.

Theon let out an angry groan when his arrow missed his target. Arya let out a victorious cry before reloading her bow and letting the arrow fly across the yard. Theon kicked the dirt by his feet as he watched her nail another target.

Gwynne shook her head as she watched, well aware of what Theon was doing.

"Oh, Gods, he's purposely losing." Jon groaned.

Robb laughed under his breath. "Arya's not going to be pleased when she finds out."

Gwynne looked between both brothers. "Well, I'm certainly not going to tell her. Are either of you?"

It wasn't before long that the competition between little Arya Stark and her father's ward was finished. She jumped around, cheering her own name as she called herself the victor. She tilted her head back to look up at Theon and crinkled her nose at him.

"I thought you were better than that, Theon." She teased. "Next time, I shall go easier on you."

Theon rubbed the top of Arya's head, purposely messing up her hair the way he knew she hated. "I'll hold you to that, you little devil. Go on, now. Get to your lessons." Theon smiled to himself as he watched her scurry off, disappearing into the crowd of people. He began to clean up the yard as his friends approached him.

"I think that was sweet." Gwynne told him, smiling.

Robb laughed dryly, "It won't be once she finds out you let her win."

Theon shrugged. "Who said I let her win? I think I'm just having an off day, today. No matter, I can still beat the both of you."

Jon and Robb began protesting Theon's words when Gwynne chuckled and excused herself. "I think I'll see if Sansa or Arya need help with anything today."

"Wait!" Jon called out, causing Gwynne to stop and turn around to face him. "We were going to go for a ride today; would you like to join us?"

She smiled warmly, touched that Jon had thought to invite her along. "Of course, I would love to."

The horses were saddled and ready and before long the four of them were riding outside of the walls of Winterfell. Gwynne couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips as she rode with her friends, enjoying every moment in silence.

There were times when she wondered how much longer their lives would remain like this. How long would neither of them have a care in the world? She had no doubt that Robb was to be married soon, after all he was of age and it was hard to ignore all the lustful stares he received from the women he passed. Would Jon end up leaving for the Wall soon? He had always spoken of it as a child, 'when I grow up I'm going to be a first ranger of the Night's Watch, just like uncle Benjen!' Nothing had excited him more.

But for some reason, something told Gwynne that Theon would never change. She couldn't picture him settling down and taking a wife, not for the life of her. Theon enjoyed the company of women far too much for that. Maybe he would go back home at some point, and be reunited with his own people and his family that he had been forced to leave behind.

But what of her? Gwynne had no family to go to, and her kingdom was Winterfell. She had suitors but she had begged Lord Stark not to marry her off just yet. She wasn't ready and there were times when she feared she never would be. The thought of being married to a man she didn't know, a man who would take her innocence without a second thought, was almost too much to think of.

She had heard stories from some of the women in Winterfell and how their fathers had married them off to get rid of them or to acquire something they didn't already have. She had also heard stories of their wedding nights and how they had been savaged and taken without a single thought of their wellbeing and enjoyment.

"Gwynne, are you alright?" Robb's voice quickly brought her back to reality. "You haven't said a word throughout the entire trip."

She shot him a smile and nodded quickly. She hadn't realized she was so out of it until he had spoken to her. "I'm sorry. Yes, I'm fine."

"So anyways, Ros was bouncing up and down so hard; I swear I thought her tits were going to fall off!"

"Oh Gods, Theon!" Jon groaned.

"There's a lady with us." Robb told him sternly.

Theon only laughed. "What? It's not like Gwynne hasn't heard stories like these before."

Gwynne shrugged. "I'm afraid Theon's right. I've heard so many stories about Ros, I feel like I know her personally."

Robb knew she was right, seven hells, they had all heard so many stories about Ros that they had all felt as though she were a part of their lives. Robb had never had the pleasure of meeting Ros, but from Theon's vivid descriptions he could picture every inch of her body just fine.

"Regardless, Theon, you should watch what you say around a lady." Robb told him.

Theon merely shrugged it off and continued to trot his horse forward. They had gotten so far from Winterfell that Gwynne was having a hard time recognizing the land. She squinted in the sunlight as it blurred her vision but kept moving forward, keeping her horse up with the others.

"I bet my horse can outrun all of yours." Theon said, changing the subject.

Jon rolled his eyes in silence and Robb let out a scoff. Theon was always the one to try and prove himself to others, even when he was around friends. He was Lord Stark's ward, a hostage, some would say, but he would always try and prove himself otherwise, even when there was no need to. Any chance that he got to prove his manhood, he took it. Which was probably why he was always so adamant on sharing his sexual conquests with Robb and Jon. He knew neither of them had been with a woman and he wanted to rub it in their faces any chance he got.

"I'm sure Snow could outrun your horse if she wanted to."

The three men looked at Gwynne, confused.

"Snow?" Robb questioned.

"The horse you and Jon showed me in the woods. I named her Snow."

Jon felt something inside his chest. Snow. She named her Snow. He tried to tell himself it was nothing, that she had just named the horse after the colour of her mane, but something told him otherwise. Did she name her after me?

"Well maybe if you ever train that horse we'll see. But right now, I think you're all just too scared to see whose horse is the fastest."

"Alright, Theon, you want to have a race? We'll all race, then."

The four of them brought their horses to a stop, lining them up side by side. Their horses moved uneasy and anxiously, waiting for the command to rush forward, almost eager for it.

"Ready?" Robb asked.

"In three…two…one!" Theon yelled.

The four of them kicked their horses, sending them galloping across the land. Gwynne couldn't help but laugh loudly as the cool air blew past her, sending strands of her dark hair over her shoulders. She closed her eyes for a moment, savouring the moment. She tried to tell herself that this would never end, that they would always be carefree and more concerned of having fun than worrying about death and war. But something deep inside of her told her differently.

Everything changes. And winter is coming.

Robb, Jon and Theon's horses had managed to get ahead of hers. She tried to kick hers forward, but for some reason her horse was slowing down. She watched as her friends disappeared over the horizon and before long she couldn't hear her friend's laughter anymore.

Gwynne brought her horse to a steady stop, looking around curiously. She heard something, in the bushes. She swore she had heard something.

Cautiously, Gwynne dismounted her horse, taking the reigns in her hand as she walked towards the bushes. She called out but no one answered. She edged closer, peering into the bushes to try and see whatever it was that was making that noise, but she couldn't see anything.

All of a sudden her horse jumped onto his hind legs, throwing his front legs up and neighing as if something had spooked him. Gwynne turned and tried to keep a steady hold on him, but he was too strong and he soon broke free from her grip.

She called out to him, trying to calm him, but he took off, disappearing beyond the wilderness before she could stop him.

Gwynne stood there, terrified and confused as she realized she had been abandoned. Abandoned by her friends and abandoned by her horse.

She heard something moving in the bushes again and spun around, coming face to face with the creature that scared her horse away.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"