"Wake up m'lady! M'lady wake up!" The sound of Rane's frantic voice woke Iona with a start.
The panic in Ranes voice worried her, and she prepared herself to run out if necessary.
"What? What is it?"
"The King! Little Lord Bran saw them coming. I must get you ready!"
Iona rubbed her eyes and forced herself up from the bed. Lyall sat upon her haunches in the corner of the room, studying the two women.
"How long do we have?"
"Half an hour at the most,"
She wriggled her bare toes against the floor. It was not long before she would meet the Prince of Westeros, Joffrey. A giddy giggle escaped Iona's lips.
"I must dress quickly then."
Her handmaiden was already steps ahead of her. Draped across her arms was a beautiful gown of a blush pink. It was made of fine cotton, but many layers of it.
Rane held it up for Iona to see before abandoning it to be able to strip her of her nightgown and put her into a corset. The corset was a plain grey one, and not to heavily boned. It was one of the more comfortable choices.
Iona had been granted with corsets when she had developed the beginnings of a proper womans chest at the age of four and ten. She was bigger than her sisters, her stomach was not flat and she had wide hips with thighs that touched from her crotch to her , her thighs did have a bit of shape to them, as did her calves. Years of riding and sports had toned her legs. Unlike her younger sister Sansa, Iona never seemed to be free of a bruise or a cut. Scars were scattered across her body too, though mostly on her legs where she had acquired cuts from falling into thorns, or branches. All were easily covered by her dresses.
Over the undergarments Iona pulled a woolen shift over herself; another layer to keep her warm in the cold of the north.
Instantaneously, the blush pink gown was slipped onto her arms and brought around to her front so it could be tied. The ties finished just beneath her breasts, that had filled out nicely - now a woman of sixteen. However, it was far too cold to have the top of them on show, like the deep vneck of the dress allowed for.
With an intricately embroidered scarf, her attire was complete (not forgetting the winter boots she had put on first that were hidden by her dress which just touched the floor).
Looking in the mirror, she saw her hair which was currently more of a rats nest than sat her down and forced a brush through it, apologising with every tug. Too Iona, with her masochistic ways, it was nothing.
With only a few minutes to spare, and her hair only just passing as decent, the pair ran out to the courtyard, and joined the gathering crowd. With her family she stood on the front row - Rane joining the other servants several rows behind.
Iona silently thanked the gods, as she wasn't the latest. Arya fell into the line a few moments later than her, and was scolded by their parents for wearing a helmet.
Iona suffered no scolding, except from a scathing look from her mother.
Proudly, she stood between her older brother Robb, and Sansa.
Thankfully, due to the wind, her sisters, who had their hair done properly was still mussed up, so her own did not look out of place.
Iona stopped glancing at her other siblings, and faced front, ready for the arrival.
First, in Lannister colours, came several guards. For them to be in Lannister colours was unusual considering the King was a Baratheon. Though any smart man knew the Lannisters held more power over the throne that the king did, simply because they were richer.
Then, not far behind rode the Prince. At his entrance, Iona's back straightened, causing her chest to push out more. She held her head up high, radiating confidence. Sansa, on her right did not take her eyes off the Prince, but she noticed how he paid no attention to her.
With a flirtatious smile upon her face, she teased the Prince, Joffrey, with quick but promising glances every so often. Each time she would make direct eye contact with him, but never for too long - just enough for him to want more.
On her left, her brother who was older than her only by a single year frowned at the pair. Robb had heard and shared unruly rumours about the Prince, and he did not want him to corrupt his little sister. He tried to send subtle, threatening glares at the Prince, but he did not see them - his eyes not leaving Iona. These actions simply enraged Robb further.
Iona's gaze left the Prince once and for all when the Royal carriage rolled in, and was finally followed by the King himself, on had never met the King before, and she hadn't imagined him like this. The man with the crown upon his head had a red, pudgy face, and a belly almost as big as his horse. In that moment, Iona felt bad for the horse that carried the mass known as the king.
This was not a king, this was the human personification of greed. She tore her eyes away when they all bowed low, and looked at the dirt ground.
Her father, Eddard Stark, looked up with a hint of a grin on his face. The King dismounted his horse and marched over, until he was in front of Ned. With a gloved hand, he beckoned for them to rise and in unison, the crowd did.
All stood in silence waiting for the King to speak, except for a polite address from Ned.
When he did, his gruff voice uttered three very unexpected words to Ned; "You've got fat."
In that moment an awkward pause swallowed the courtyard.
Everyone watched the two men silently, wanting to see what would happen.
Ned nodded towards the King's own inflated stomach before the two fell into laughter and embraced each other.
"Cat!" The King cried, hugging Lady Catelyn Stark with one arm. The King made sure to ruffle the youngest Stark's hair before returning to Ned.
"Nine years. Why haven't I seen you? Where the hell have you been?"
"Guarding the North for you, your Grace. Winterfell is yours."
Half of Iona's attention rested with the King and her father, whilst the rest focused on the rest of the Royal family who were exiting the carriage.
Young Prince Tommen, Princess Myrcella and the Queen herself, Cersei.
Cersei was a very beautiful woman, with luscious golden hair - a common trait among Lannisters. With a magnificent facial bone structure that stirred envy in every other woman, she could truly pass as a goddess upon Earth.
However, the bitterness that was clear on her face was slightly off-putting.
She started to walk over to the Stark family as Arya asked "Where's the imp?"
The imp was the common nickname of the Queen's younger dwarf brother, Tyrion.
"Will you shut up?" Sansa huffed before the King spoke again.
"Who have we got here? You must be Robb." A firm handshake introduced the eldest Stark child to the King.
"And you must be the beautiful Iona." He noted, patting her shoulder.
"Yes, your Grace." She replied with a short curtsy.
A similar comment was made to her sister. When he came to stand in front of Arya, she introduced herself abruptly.
Finally, for Bran he made more of an effort. "Show us those muscles."
Bran flexed his young arm for the King to humor him and mutter "You'll be a soldier!"
Now, Iona's attention was on the guard who had lead the Prince in. Taking off his helmet, his identity was revealed as Jaime Lannister, the Queen's twin brother. Like his sister, he had be blessed with unworldly good looks.
He watched his twin walk towards Ned and hold out her hand for it to be kissed.
Ned did so, with a smile. His wife, next to him curtsied and addressed her. Oblivious to it all, the King yelled "Ned. Take me to the crypt. I want to pay my respects."
"We've been riding for a month, my love. Surely the dead can wait." Cersei noted calmly,
Ignoring her completely, the King simply called for Ned once more.
He sent the Queen an apologetic look before obeying the King and leading him off.
After a few moments everyone began to disperse, including the Stark family.
Iona made sure to shoot one more glance at Prince Joffrey, not for his sake, but for any onlookers there might have been. Joffrey, at that moment had been dismounting his horse and had not seen. What she did not know is how he watched her walk away.
Down in the Crypts of Winterfell, Ned Stark and the King stood. The King proposed that they joined their two houses by marrying Joffrey to Iona. To the King, it was the best option and to Ned, it was the worst thing he could have done.
