Brandon

"Do you have to go?" the girl asked sulkily as he dressed.

"Yes, I do. I mean to enter the lists at Harrenhal," he explained again, growing annoyed. This girl was pretty, but she wasn't exactly intelligent.

"But you have to leave right now?"

"Yes." He was more firm now. "You were good, I'll give you that."

"Thank you." She sounded pleased with herself. He liked the Southron girls, they were more fun than the girls in the North, he thought.

"What was your name again?"

"Myra," she said with a smile. "You know, I could come with you to Harrenhal-"

"Come with me?" His voice came out harsher than he intended. "Both my brothers and my sister are going to be there. Not to mention all the bannermen of my bride-to-be's father. I can't have you there."

She pouted. "I understand, milord."

"I'm not a lord yet. My father is Lord of Winterfell."

"Right." She sighed. "I'll miss you."

"Hmm." He felt bad for her, truly. He understood the effect he had on women, and he didn't mean to make them so upset when he left. But he couldn't help that they fell in love with him, and what did they expect? That he would make one of them a permanent paramour? That was an absurd thing to desire, as though nobody would notice if he brought one of them with him. And Catelyn, his future wife, was a proud and intelligent woman. He would never be able to get away with such a thing. He walked out and headed onto his horse, giving one last look back at Myra waving as he rode out for Harrenhal.

When he got there, in the evening of the next day, banners already flew from several of the pavilions. He saw Lord Whent's banner, and dozens of other houses, great and small. Finally he caught the gray direwolf of Winterfell and headed that way. His youngest two siblings, Benjen and Lyanna, sat playing some sort of dice game inside the tent. When he entered, Benjen got up with a grin. "Brandon!"

He smiled and gave him a hug, then Lyanna. "How's my favorite sister?"

She rolled her eyes. "Cute. You're entering the lists, I assume?"

"Of course. Why else come to a tourney?"

"For fun!" Benjen said. "Feasting and dancing and meeting all sorts of people."

"That's good too," he said with a smile. "But I intend to win this tourney."

"You think you can?" Benjen asked.

He frowned. "You don't?"

"Well, Lya was saying-" He cut himself off with a quick look at his sister.

Brandon raised his eyebrows at her. "You were saying?"

She blushed a little. "I'm sure you'll do very well. All I was saying was, Barristan the Bold is competing, and Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. Not to mention Prince Rhaegar. That's a lot of competition. Maybe you will beat them all. It won't be easy, is all. Practically every noble house in Westeros is here. But regardless of who wins, it'll be fun, don't you think?"

"Just like the stories," Benjen said. "They'll speak of this tourney for years to come."

"Just like the stories," Lyanna agreed with a smile.

Brandon smiled too. "Is Ned here yet?"

Lyanna shook her head. "Still on the way down from the Vale with..."

"Ah, yes," Brandon said. "You're going to meet your betrothed soon."

Her smile was gone. "So I am."

"Exciting, isn't it?"

"That's a word." Her tone was slightly bitter.

"It's not so bad," he said. "It's a strong match. I wasn't sure, either, when Father betrothed me, but it's worked out quite well."

"Not everyone can be Catelyn Tully," Lyanna said with a shake of her head. "Lord Robert's reputation is hardly as pleasant. But I will certainly hope for the best." She brought back her smile. "It'll be fun to dance here. Dances just aren't the same in the North."

"It's true," Brandon agreed. "The first time I danced with Catelyn at Riverrun, I made a bit of a fool of myself."

"It'll be magical," Lyanna said. "So many people and stories..."

Brandon grinned. "Magical indeed. Since Lady Catelyn won't be at the tourney, if I win, I'll crown you the queen of love and beauty."

Lyanna smiled. "Oh, wouldn't that be lovely? The singers could write songs about me and everything."

"Then I must win," Brandon said. "So that all the singers will sing for you."

"How very chivalrous."

"I hope you win," Benjen said. "You'll bring honor to our house."

As Lyanna fantasized about her songs and Benjen dreamt of great knights and jousts, Brandon settled into the tent with a smile. This, he was sure, would be a tourney to remember.