"Please hold still, Arya." I asked Eddard's youngest daughter as she kept fidgeting on the podium, while I worked on the dress she was wearing. Septa Mordane let out a huff after I addressed Arya with her name, instead of Lady Stark. Mordane was a septa of the faith of the seven, Westeros' prominent religion in the south, and a stickler for proper decorum, which is why I believed she was made Arya's and her sister Sansa's tutor, Arya needing all the help she could get. I ignored her, after Emma and her cronies and my years as a cape, the wraith of a nun just didn't scare me, instead I focused on Arya, who had started fidgeting again.
"You said you would tell a story." Arya finally spoke, as I measured the length of her leg against the dress.
"I did, didn't I?" I told her, huffing as I stood up. After four months of physical therapy, I was back on my feet for longer than a few minutes, but I still grew tired easily. I was working on making clothes for all the Starks, but Arya had been being difficult, so I resorted to promising to tell her a story of one of the heroines from home. I had a feeling Mordane was there to stop me from telling some of the more extreme stories I knew. "Which one did you want to hear again?"
"I wanted to hear more about Vista." Arya said, as she finally stopped fidgeting enough that I could move on to check the fit of the dress on her upper body. I was glad she had chosen Vista, I had some good stories about her that I had learned in my time with the wards, so I should be able keep Arya's interest. Thinking about it, I wasn't surprised that Arya chose Vista, the tale of a young girl close to her age fighting and overcoming her enemies must have really appealed to the young lady-in-training who wanted to be free.
"Very well then, this is the story about the warrior-maid Vista and her fight against the Giant Rat." I launched into a heavily abbreviated version of Vista's fight against Murder Rat, and as I did I allowed my mind to drift, thinking about where I had ended up, and the turn my life had taken in the last four months.
Over the four months, I had worked hard to build my strength again, each day involved some form of exercise, continuing on even after I was on my feet again after four weeks. The two hardest parts was finding someone to practice my knife work against, but thankfully there was at least some history of women fighting in Westeros, so I was an oddity instead of someone going completely against the other was learning to ride a horse, something which I had no experience in. Otherwise it was not to terrible, but it was humiliating having to depend on others for help with my bodily functions, but after I was on my feet I was able to look after myself.
Luwin was a great help during the time, delivering books as I requested them, and helping me learn the history of the fucked up world I found myself in. Of the years long summers and winters and their varying length, the various orders in Westeros, and the different cultures in the world, most information of which was hearsay, and life in the north. I still didn't believe magic existed, but Luwin and others swore that it had, and claimed to seen proof with of it with their own eyes, from the skeletons of dragons apparently; to spell forged blades made from Valyrian Steel. I was sure there was another explanation, but I just couldn't think of one beside passengers making their way to this world, but I had neither seen nor heard of any evidence for that.
Thankfully I had a distraction from my worry's of more capes and my physical therapy; and that was my steady introduction to some of the Stark household, including the rest of Eddards family eventually. I met Septon Chayle in the first few days, as he came to pray to the seven for me to heal quickly; In the end I just thanked him for his thoughts and prayers, which seemed like a win for him. Not long after that I was introduced to my soon-to-be boss and my co-worker, the steward Vayon Poole and the seamstress Lyn. Poole spoke of what would be expected of me once I was better, which I listened to with half an ear, while Lyn spoke of the latest fashion. Even after I started paying attention to fashion with Sarah's help, it had never been my strong suit, so I was glad for any help I could get. I also convinced Lyn, after a bit of work, to make me a pair of pants and a tunic, for when I exercised.
I met my first Stark beside Eddard a day or two after that, when I was doing my exercises with Luwin. I noticed someone approaching but it wasn't until they spoke up that Luwin recognized he was there. I was introduced to Bran Stark, the second youngest son of Eddard and Catelyn Stark of seven years old, at that point; after which he began to bombard me with questions about my home, as he looked for stories. That was how I found out his dreams of becoming one of the Kingsguard who, from what he told me and what I read after asking Luwin for some books, were considered some of the greatest knights who ever lived. I introduced Bran to the stories I remembered from my mother, of the knights of the round table, specifically Arthur, Lancelot, and as many as I could remember. After the first day of stories with Luwin and Bran listening, Bran brought Arya as well.
It seemed that he told his family about the stories I had, when Arya joined the next day I pretended surprised. It took a day or two, as I still exhausted easily, but I learned what type of story Arya liked so I could include them as well, which seemed to work as it drew her back for more. More came a few days later, in the form of their little brother Rickon who was only three years old, and a few days after that came their older brothers Robb and Eddards illegitimate son, Jon Snow.
I had read about the treatment of bastards in Westeros, and I didn't want any part of it, so I tried to treat Jon as if he was any of his siblings. Not sure if it really worked or not, Jon remained a solemn and sullen individual. I called each of them by their first name after being asked to by Arya, and no one seemed to call me on it. Choosing stories that they all could listen to was getting more difficult, so I kept on telling different stories. Thanks to different movies, stories, and my mother, I had plenty to choose from.
It wasn't until after almost two and a half months, when I could start walking freely again, that I met the rest of the Stark family. With my ability to walk restored, I was moved to a new room on the ground floor, where I worked to increase the distance I could travel each day. When I was strong enough, I started eating supper in the great hall, where I sat above the salt line. My introduction to the Starks eldest daughter came one night while I sat at the hall's fireplace, and Bran approached, and asked for a story. Sansa spoke up, and asked for a love story instead, and I did my best to please both of them.
I had seen Sansa around Winterfell, and from what I gathered from my own watching and talking to others, while not mean to any that worked there, she was dismissive to the servants of Winterfell, and a bit of a bully to Arya. But from I could tell it was just due to thoughtlessness instead of anything more sinister; the same could not be said of the Starks ward, Theon Greyjoy.
Theon Greyjoy was apparent the son of the Balon Greyjoy, lord of the Iron Islands, and something akin to a hostage if I read the situation right. Balon it seems decided to raise up in revolt and was put down hard, losing most of his sons in the process. Theon was here to learn from Eddard how to rule it seemed, but from what I saw Eddard wasn't doing the best job. He was around my age and while not my type, he was handsome, but he was arrogant to those he considered beneath him. He spent most of his time with Robb, learning from Maester Luwin and the Master-of-Arms Ser Rodrik Cassel. I avoided him as much as I could, charging him for any work I did. Keeping track of him was easy, as he was either with Robb, or at a brothel in the winter town.
Eddard's wife Catelyn was another matter altogether. She was a proper southern lady according to most people, which meant she ignored most people that weren't of high enough birth. I was privileged to get a talking to from her about what was proper for a lady, after Bran asked for a scary story one night, and I wasn't in the best of moods. I told them a story based around Bonesaw, from information I had gained after researching the Slaughterhouse Nine. From what I gathered, Bran, Arya, and Sansa each had nightmares for three days afterwards.
Even Eddard spoke to me about it, so I decided to listen, toning down the content for any future stories. Eddard and I had spoken a few times when I was recovering, talking about what I needed for my work. Most of the supplies were easy to get a hold of, such as mannequins for fitting, or expensive, such as dyes requiring help from Lyn. One bonus I hadn't counted on was that I would be receiving an allowance every month, and the majority share of any monetary gain my silks brought in. The most important thing I needed was space and privacy though, I didn't want anyone walking in on my spiders, so we eventually settled on using the aptly named broken tower. It was one of the oldest structures in Winterfell, the top third of it having fallen in due to a fire over a hundred years ago, yet it was still stable and no one was using it.
I set up my workshop on the second floor, behind a locked door that only Eddard and I had access to, while my own bedroom I set on the first floor. Working mainly at night, with insects set up beforehand as guards, I was able to get over into the imaginatively named First Keep, the oldest part of Winterfell. No one used it anymore, so I had been able to find a room that was thick with dust, while I was still trapped in my bed. I used the room to hide my spiders, as I started them making silk cloth. It wasn't as strong as my Darwin spider silk had been, but the spiders here seemed to have silk that was almost as strong as the black widow silk. This meant that while any cloths I made from it would have to be slightly thicker, it wasn't the worst thing due to how cool the north could grow.
When I was finally strong enough to stand on my feet for a significant amount of time, I told Vayon I was ready to begin making silk. I was given the measurements of Eddard first, for a cloak he could wear over his clothes. It was a relative easy start, which I was thankfully for, and the hardest part was dying the silk the right grey colour, and fitting the Starks family crest on the back.
While my spiders worked on the prototype cloak, I split my time between exercising to get back the muscles I had lost, reading, and exploring the tunnels under Winterfell with my bugs. From what I had read, most of the tunnels that ran deep under the castle were the crypts, where the Stark family had been buried for thousands of years apparently. The rest of the tunnels ran between the buildings, connecting each one together in winter, when snow could be over thirty feet deep apparently. There were three tunnels connected to the tower, one going in the direction of the winter town, one going deeper into the earth, and one connected to the first keep. Without reliable means of light, each was hard to explore even with my bugs, while the one that went deeper into the earth was topped by a ladder.
I never brought anyone's attention to the tunnels, it was always useful to have a bolthole in case things went south. When I was stronger, I planned to explore them more, and then telling the Starks about the back door into their keep. In the meantime I finished the prototype, delivering it to Eddard. I explained that it would be not be as tough as the outfit they had found me in, it would still be at least arrow resistant, if not arrow proof. Eddard tested my claims using one of his best archers, and came away happy, so he asked me to move on to making clothes for the rest of his family. One upshot of the tests was finding out the demand for silk bow strings, another revenue source.
Working from the eldest to youngest, with help from Lyn, I was able to get the measurements for most of the family, including Jon. After I started, I just needed to call for them in for the final fittings, so I was soon able to finish a silk dress each for Catelyn and Sansa; shirts for Eddard, Robb, and Jon; plus small clothes for each of them. Each piece of cloth had been dyed with Lyn's help, and I could proudly say each piece looked good. All that was left was the final fittings for Arya, Bran, and Rickon, and as I finished my story I was done Arya's.
"See, didn't take to long, did it?" I asked, as Arya stepped off the fitting stand. The septa moved forward to help Arya get dressed, while I made a show of marking down Arya's measurements on a piece of scrap paper I kept on hand.
"No, it didn't; but I don't want a new dress!" Arya spoke as she pulled her tunic over her head. "It's stupid, and Sansa will just make fun of me."
"Lady Stark, please." Mordane said, while stepping up to help tighten a belt that Arya was struggling to put on. "Your sister will not make light of you. Also it time for you to start wearing dresses, you are old enough that in the south, your lord father would have begun looking for husband for you. It wouldn't hurt to try looking more like a woman like your sister, it would be easier on your lord father."
"I don't want to have husband." Arya said, glaring at the septa. "I don't want to be a Lady; I want to see the world."
"Lady Stark, please behave. Your behaviour is unbecoming of a lady. Don't you agree, Lady Hebert?" I didn't say anything as Mordane tried to put me on the spot; instead I leaned against the nearby wall and just stared at the septa. I wasn't sure what she saw, but her face paled, and she started speaking again. "We must be off, Lady Stark. It is time for your lessons, and when your lord father returns, I wish for you to show him what you have learned."
"I don't want to go to any stupid sewing lessons."
"Nonsense, now come along Lady Stark." Arya looked back at me as she was practically dragged off.
"I will continue later." I said, and Arya smiled at me, showing a hint of the beauty she could be when she was older. Turning, I straightened up the room before I unlocked the door that led into my workshop to look at my experiments at coloured silks. Taking a seat at the table in the room, I poured myself a glass of wine as I relaxed. I drank wine now, it seemed safer to drink then any water that I had not prepared myself by boiling. My health was important to me, and in the world I was in it would be easy to catch something; so I tried to bath any chance I got, and watched what I ate and drank.
I worked on my experiments for some time, at making spiders produce already dyed silk. Keeping at it, I worked until the bell for supper, after which I left to eat, and keep my promise to Arya.
AN: So I know people are excited for this, I am sorry if it doesn't measure up to people's hopes, I am still a relatively new writer, but I will be writing my story. I will accept criticisms and complainants, as long as they are constructive. So read, review, and all that jazz.
