The Winter Fox
Chapter Two: Waking in Winterfell
A look of shock appeared on Illyanna's face, but if she really thought about the King trekking all the way to Winterfell it all made sense. With Jon Ayrin dead the logical remaining choices for the new Hand of the King would be Uncle Ned or Tywin Lannister. The latter would mean that the Lannisters having too much control over the Seven Kingdoms.
"Once I am instilled as Hand, Robert will announce Jofferey and Sansa's betrothal. That's something we'll need to start considering for you too. You are the wealthiest woman in the North. You can't avoid the issue for ever."
"Oh really I don't avoid it. I'm just to busy to bother thinking of it. Besides any kid of mine will be the inheritor of my holdings."
"Yes you'd first need to have one to inherit from you."
"Well Until I do either Bran or Rickon will do."
"Very noble of you to think like that, but I'd rather see you have a family of your own."
"Ok Uncle Ned as soon as Moat Caitlin is finished being rebuilt I'll really consider it."
"Just don't wait too long or others will start considering it for you."
"Whats that suppose to mean?"
"Well Robert didn't give me much choice with Sansa and Jeofferey. I'd hate to see that happen with you as well, but with your title and wealth it may be unavoidable."
"Way to kill the mood Uncle." Standing up with a stretch. "It was a long last few days to get here. I think I will be turning in for the evening."
Ned made a hand gesture and a page came to show Illyanna to her quarters. He was a boy only a year or two younger than her. She thought it was funny how he'd turn red whenever he look at her and ever more so when she thanked him for showing her the way.
She laughed as the door closed behind her. She thought the poor page would be teased by the others now. It was a few moments later that her 'ladies' joined her.
Looking at them she couldn't help, but reflect that the two taller and copper skinned were former Dothraki twin women. Whose Khalasar was defeated by a larger one and they were sold off as children. Luckaily they were gifted to Illyanna when she was in Pentos. They have acted as her guards, aides and friends for nearly five years. Even though they were a good five years older. They had taught her the languages of the Free Cities, Dothraki, and Valarin. They also help refine her swordwomanship. They're names were Reya and Seya.
Then there was Sasha Weirwood. The youngest daughter of one of her Grandfather's vassals. She was also the older then the Dothraki sisters by a few years. She has helped her in refining her learning what is expected of a lady in polite society. Even though she mostly did as she pleased. Her wealth and status helps others overlook most of her social miss steps.
Sasha was the shortest of the four of them and the only non raven haired with the common brown of the most northerners.
"Lady Stark I had a bath drawn for you to cleanse the road from you."
"Thank you, Sasha." I reply a little distant.
"Is everything ok Mi'lady?"
"No, I mean yes. It's just Uncle made mention of my not being betrothed and that he doubts I can remain so for too much longer without others really starting to press the issue. Seeing as the King basically forced the betrothal of his son and Sansa." I said absent minded as I walked to the bath and was undressed.
"Lady, we are here for you." Seya said as she undressed to help me bath.
"We knew this would be." Reya added as she brought the soups and oils from our luggage.
"It is as I have been telling you for the last two years. You are well into of age for betrothals. If not for you being the head of your own household this would have already been decided. At least you'll have a say unlike most other ladies." Sasha said as she over saw the sisters washing me and each other before I soaked in the warm waters first. "I'll layout you nightclothes.
"Why she never bath with?" Reya commented.
"She is prud as septa." Seya replies and giggles.
"Oh come off it, you two. You know she is not as comfortable in her own skin as you are. Her religion of her southern mother's family is of their seven gods. Not my old gods of the first men or yours' of the Dothraki grass sea. I doubt she'll be comfortable using the bath house of the Moat once their completed."
"Few in Seven Kingdoms will be comfortable at open."
"I know I think outside of Dorne it will be the only one in the rest of the Kingdoms. I think that it will become more popular once the Kings road improvements and other trade routes are finished. With the increased travelers of the neck their uses will increase. It was one thing I always enjoyed whenever I go to any of the Free Cities is their bath houses." I say as I ease into the tub as Reya climbs in behind me to rub me any tension from my shoulders.
I sigh as I melt in my relaxation.
Sasha
As Sasha walked back into the bathing room she saw her lady Illyanna asleep Laying with her back resting on the Dothraki woman's naked chest. Sasha was flustered. She coughed to make her entrance known.
"I believe it is time we put our Lady to bed. Then you to can finish with your bathing."
"We know not why seeing this make you uncomfortable." Seya says from beneath Illyanna.
"We born nude, we die nude." Reya said as she brings an arm full of towels.
"The Seven made us that way to teach us humility."
"So what matter then?" Reya asked.
"Its just unseemly for you to be the way you are with our Lady." Sasha replied.
"What is done with Khalesti's new pet?" Seya asked
"The fox is asleep on Lady Illyanna's bed. One of the men-at-arms smuggled the black ball of fur up while we supped." Sasha remarked.
"Good, Khalesti sleep better with her." Reya said.
The three of them eased the fourteen year old from the bath, dried her, and slipped a night gown on her without her waking. The first time she hinted waking was after laying her down under the covers a furry black figure stirred and licked her face a few times. She stirred enough to reach out and encompass it in a hug and drifted back to sleep.
When Illyanna woke it was to her face being licked. As she opened her eyes it was to the black snout of black fox kit with its twin tail wagging back and forth with their white tips. "Two-Tail, stop. I had a bath last night. I didn't yet need another."
The black ball of fur bound off the bed with its tails wagging. Illyanna couldn't help, but reflect to a few weeks back when she was allowed to take a short ride beyond the wall into the haunted forest with her father a thirty men as escort. They had come upon the pup with her wounded and dying mother. She was half the size as her mother with her eyes yet to be opened.
One of the Black Brothers said it was a dark omen. But not Illyanna it was then she noticed the light snow and laughed with light merth.
The Brother looked at her with concern the woods could do strange things to people.
She approached the pup and as she neared it move towards her. As it bumped up against her hand petting itself. She smile and spoke, "I guess being call 'The Winter Fox' in Bravos wasn't for not. As this one takes me for its own I truly must be a Winter's Fox." It was then as I picked it up that I saw the twin tails. "Tell me brave Brothers what omens do a fox with two tails foretell?"
A man much older and harsher looking the my father spoke, "I know not of two tails, but that one looks to be very queer indeed. Its the size of a six month old fox yet acts like its only a few days old and black as any of us Brothers. I tell you now that one will be twice if not more the trice the size as any other fox."
"I still say kill it and be done." The Brother who spoke of dark omens.
He would of said more except I stared him straight in the eyes with my own white gray to his muddy brown. I knew from past experience that there were very few who could stare me down for too long without being unnerved by my eyes. This was just like any other he couldn't even give a five count before he gave a shiver and looked away, muttering, "She could freeze a fire with those acursed eyes."
I ignored what he said. It's not like I haven't heard such I my life. I instead scooped the black ball of fur into my arms and walked to my horse. Where one of my men helped me to my saddle.
I cradled the pup in my arm all the way back the wall and to my quarters at Castle Black.
A month latter when word of King Robert's aproach to Winterfell reached us so had the rumors of the Stark children having aquired each their own direwolf. I thought how strange.
Were the old gods blessing them and I. Were they forewarning us of things to come.
I felt may a chill with these thoughts and almost alway my father and uncles words came to mind as a whisper in the wind
"WINTER IS COMING"
I shivered at the memories.
"Cold Milady?"
"No Septa Khalesti never cold." Reya snorted.
"Even when Black Men shivered beyond their home of ice Khalesti no cold." Seya added.
"Black Men more cold with angered look of Khalesti." Reya retorted with a laugh as we entered the Great Hall to our morning break fast.
"It was only a recurring thought since I found Two-Tail." I spoke as I looked to my side where the black fox was walking and rubbing against my leg. It was maybe three months old and it was already the size of a normal fox.
"What is that?" I heard in a must familiar annoyed tone of Lady Catelin.
I would be lying if I denied that I hated that my holdings just so happened to share her name. If not for its name being an ancient one from the days of the first men I would of entertain the notion of change it.
"This is my new champion Two-Tail. A Black Fox I from beyond the wall. I figured that if your children could have Direwolves of the Stark sigil I could have this pup after my moniker."
"And what might that just be?" The Queen inquired.
"I mentioned it last night at the feast." I replied as I sat down to eat. "I earn the moniker 'The Winter Fox' while first in Bravos. The fox part in honor to my Grandfather Foxer who was a good merchant."
"And the winter part?" The queen had a raised eye.
"Oh Seven you had to ask." Lady Catelin spoke quietly under-breath. I just barely heard as usual.
I softly cleared my throat to continue. "To be honest almost anyone who I had to deal with in Bravos swore they got a winter's chill whenever staring me too long in the eyes."
"I will be honest I feel much the same with most of you Starks, but yours more so than the rest." The Queen spoke politely if not a little forced.
"Let me see mum." The little blond pug about Bran's age seated next to the Queen asked her.
"Tommen not now. You mustn't speak like that."
"Your Majesty would this be the young princeling. I must of missed meeting him with my late arrivial last night."
"Yes you would of. Both prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella had both been sent to bed before you arrived." She first gestured to the boy and then to her other side a skinner girl a long mound of blond curls.
My first thought was that they were mini versions of the Queen and her brother Sir Jaime of the Kings' Gaurd. I nearly strained an eye trying to see any of the king in them. But then I could barely see any of the King I remembered from years before in the King now.
But I smiled and made brief eye contact with both.
The princess cringed and huddled into her mother with the briefest of contact.
"They are scary eyes" I heard her tell the Queen.
I cast Catelin a knowing smirk. That she rolled her eyes to. She having cornered most of the unnerving part when I was younger.
"Whats so scary?" The crowned prince said as he walked in with a lumbering shadow in armor. "My Hound is more scary then anything else."
"It was her eyes." The girl holding on the the Queen's sleeve with one arm pointed to me with the other as I was biting into a piece of warm bread with honey jam.
"Whats so scary about them?" The prince asked as he looked to me, but I didn't make contact too busy stabbing a sausage.
I decided to fix my stare at him. He quickly deflated and acted as if our eyes never met. "Hound is far scarier." he said with a shaking voice as I turned to this 'Hound'. Other then his size and mangy exterior I first really saw his burned and scarred face.
Both of us were surprised by the other neither acted as expected and held each others stare. Too uses to others reacting different. Him others reacting in horror and discuss. My in fear and unnerving.
Our contact we broken by the Cowardly prince saying he was going to the practice yards and commanding his 'hound' to follow. I had to resist laughing at my terming of the heir. His 'hound' however much I dislike his appearance and demeanor had earned more respect then his charge.
My thoughts were interrupted by yipping at my side and half my sausage rolled to the floor to silence her.
"Illy don't do that and why is it at the table? I don't even allow my own children their beast in the hall at this moment." Lady Catelin spoke harshly to me.
I fixed her a glare, "Sorry Auntie, I had not been informed and Two-Tail just started eating meat when we let Castle Black." I referred to Lady Catelin with name she disliked as much as I disliked the one she used for me.
"Two-Tail such a stand me."
"Well it suit her she has two tails after all." I reached down and picked her up then placed her on my lap. "She's less then three months old and already so big."
"She's already the size of any other fox." Commented one of the knights white the white cloaks.
"Well here in the North you'll find that animals have to be big then those in the South." I replied. "Maester Aemon at Castle Black said her sire must of been a bigger then average fox or some gargon like that." As I looked at my Aunt as I fed the last of my sausage to Two-Tails and got up to leave. "I'll be in the Godswood if anyone needs me."
A few hours later whisper of fabric on leather, and cling and clang could be heard within the dense woods of the Godwoods. As Sasha walked with alert unease towards the Heart Tree of the woods. It was there she saw her Lady dueling with her twin curved short swords one in each hand again both Reya and Seya at one time.
"Those better be your practice blades. I'd rather not have to deal cut at this time, scrapes and bruises are bad enough." Sasha commented coolly.
"Yes, yes. Besides its better to practice with the added weight seeing as Valarian is so light and extra sharp." I remarked as the sisters stopped their advances.
Handing Illyanna and the Dothraki sisters towel to wipe their sweat. "Word is the King is restless and insist on go on a hunt before departing for the Kings Road. They'll leave tomorrow morning for three days of hunting."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, Two ravens, one for the royal court and one for you from The Moat." Sasha handed me a parchment.
I unrolled and read. It was a progress report. Things were moving well ahead of schedule the walls of the Great Hall of the Main Keep are done and work on the roof is progressing and the outer tier of the curtain wall and towers. The gatehouses stonework is in place and gates working. "They say it is now defendable. At this rate another year or two the major work should be done."
"How is the hightower?" Reyaasked
"Its the tallest structure halfway to its four hundred foot planned hieght." I commented
"Why you need such a hieght I don't know by the seven." Sasha asked
"That would be so that we can see the whole of the neck at once. You should have a view of everything within fifty of so leagues in any direction." It was getting annoying how many times she and I had this discussion.
"Yes, but that tower alone will be larger then many holdfast I know." Sasha remarked
"And that will bring more people to see it and in doing so bring trade."
"I understand that its just why so big. from what you've told us why does it have to be so large, to me a slender tower would work just fine, but this will be sixty feet across at the top."
"It's an awe and intimidation thing. Just as the Bravos Giant is. Either way I can't wait to take a nice soak in the bath house."
"As do we." Seya grinned looking sideways to her sister.
Sasha rolled her eyes. "Sesven help us. You two are unbelievible."
"Can you just give it a rest. I'm tired of it. We know your seven disapprove of everything people do."
"They do not."
"Yes they do, they each judge you different from each other. If you were to follow all seven at once you'd be a dog chasing it's tail trying not to condemn yourself. The old gods are a whole lot simpler."
"That maybe so, but they are not the true gods." Sasha retorts
"So the prude says." Seya snorts.
"Only to know repressed joy." Reya laughs back.
Sasha was now well iritated, I so wanted to laugh how she couldn't take the teasting.
"Dinner will start in two hours and I advise you begin preparing as a PROPER lady should." Sasha now red face walked off after informing us.
Once she was out of sight the three of us broke into laughing. "We'll wait a few minutes before going."
Reya looked about to laugh again. "She much easier to set off."
"It da royals and other Southerners. She want impress."
"That may be so, but its annoying how she has to ram her Seven blasted gods down our throats when she well knows there not our gods." I say as I'm seated on a large gnarl root of the Heart tree.
"Its how most of the Southerners are and how they view those that aren't." We start at hearing my father speak when none of heard him near us. "Sorry I followed Sasha here figuring she'd know where to find you." He smirked. "Its just burden have to bare when dealing with them. They think their gods make them better then others."
I snort, "Yeah right, It just makes them more full of themselves and blinds them to the people and world around their self adsorbed selves."
"That maybe, just don't let them know you know. They'll really try to 'convert' you then." He gave me a rare fatherly hug and kiss to my forehead. "Now go get ready for dinner. You have to sit at the High Table with the Royals and Southerners."
"Don't remind me or I might be tempted to sneak back to that Wall of yours to get away from them." I lasted a whole ten seconds before laughing.
Dinner was a boring affair. The Crowned Prince she had concluded was a self-centered coward. It took great restraint on her part not to call him out on it and put him in his place. Only she could do that it'd make Uncle lose the respect of the royal family and show weakness on her part for her lack of self control. That was something she would not do.
So she resolved to excuse herself as soon as it would be exceptable, but before she could Sansa sweet and innocent dove that she was spoiled that after Arya had been sent to bed. Just as she was about to stand Sansa asked and doomed her chances.
"Illyanna where were you today? You weren't at lesson today and missed out on seeing how beautifully Princess Myrcella's needle point work was." Traitorous Sansa asked.
It caught attention of most of the High Table and forced me to remain seated and answered. Not before silently promising retribution for this betrayal.
As sweetly as I could, "Well dear Sansa I spent most of the day in the Godswood with my fox pup."
Uncle Ned looked over to me, "Fox pup?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well while on an excursion at the Wall I found a black fox pup with its dying mother. I figured since I'm known as the Winter Fox. I might as well have one so as better to play the part. Like Aunt Catelyn's Uncle Brandon the Blackfish."
Dinner continued from there for another few hours with me trapped thanks to Sansa. Not only that I was now stuck having to go to needle point lesson tomorrow.
SANSA WILL DEFIANTLY PAY! Was my only thought as I finally left to go to bed.
Sadly I would not get my revenge. Because hours after the hunting party left tragity stuck the Stark family Bran fell from one of the old towers and laid in a mangled fever ridden sleep.
Bran laying there drove home those ever presnt words Winter is Coming.
A/N: Please review. Open to suggestions in story options