In no time at all it seemed the entire castle was buzzing with excitement of the Kings arrival who they knew would be arriving at any moment.
Lyra stood in Rickons chambers trying to keep hold of the little boy whilst she checked the temperature of his bath water. Rickon Stark was notorious for hating baths and everyone around the castle knew it was a battle to get him into one. After a long day of meetings and other duties she had to do as a Lady of Winterfell, Lyra had almost wept in frustration when her aunt Catelyn had asked her to make sure the five year old was bathed and ready for the Kings arrival.
Robb Stark appeared from the ege of the doorway and watched the scene with a small grin as Lyra accidently allowed her mind to be more focused on checking the temperature of water in the tub that she relaxed her tight grip upon the squirming child by her side.
"Robb" Rickon cried out managing to get himself free of Lyra's hold and ran out of the room.
"Rickon Stark get back here now!" She ordered watching as the little boy ran towards his older brother. "You are getting a bath whether you like it or not"
"Need a hand?" Robb asked glancing down at Rickon who was now currently hiding behind him.
"Rickon protesting getting a bath, nothing I can't handle" she smiled but Robb could see the irritation in her eyes. "Look little pup, either you get a bath now or Shaggy dog goes in the kennels for a week and you won't be allowed to play with him, your choice" Rickon gave a small huff of defeat before he offered his hand out for her to take which she did instantly. "Wise choice, now come on" she said moving the little boy back towards the tub of water
"Oh that was harsh" Robb winced seeing his little brothers eyes fill with sadness and defeat.
"I don't care, the king is coming and all of us must look presentable" Lyra snapped kneeling down in front of Rickon before she looked up at Robb. "Even you, your mother told me to tell you to grab Jon and Theon and the three of you go down to Tommy. She wants you clean shaven and your hair trimmed before the king gets here, or am I going to have to drag you three down there?"
"I'll go and get them" Robb sighed leaving the doorframe to go and find his half brother and friend.
Once she had Rickon bathed and dressed, she had put him into Sansa's chambers and ordered her younger cousin to keep an eye on the youngster to make sure he didn't run off. She had ordered servants and hand maidens to draw up baths for Bran and Arya, weather or not they went in them she didn't care as she made her way towards her own chambers where no doubt her own bath was probably now cold.
She quickly walked into her own chambers and closed the door behind her, locking it to save anyone walking in on her before she made her way over to where the large tub lay and cautiously dipped her hand into the water. She let out an unusual sigh of relief when the freezing cold water lapped against her skin before she stood and pulled her dress and under dress off along with her under clothes before she climbed into the tub and lowered herself into the water allowing the coldness of it to nip away her worries. She didn't mind it, she liked the cold.
It had been years since she'd last seen her uncle and her memories of him the last time had become hazy around the edges with time. She'd only met her aunt once and she's never even seen her cousins as her Uncle had chosen to ride North alone when he came up for her name day many years ago.
She scrubbed at the dirt and sweat upon her body before smoothing it out of her hair. A knock upon her door made her jump and caused water to splash over the edges of the tub.
"Lady Lyra?" The voice of her hand maiden questioned from the other side of the door.
"Yes?" Lyra called back as she hauled herself up and out of the tub, grabbing the robe that her handmaiden had laid out for her.
"Lady Stark wishes your presence in the great hall as soon as possible, my lady" Helena called through the door.
Lyra froze in fear, the king couldn't be here already could he?
"Tell her I'll be right down" she ordered as she began to dry her skin as quickly as she could.
She rushed over to her vanity and began to twist her wet hair into a braid before pinning it with a clasp. She suddenly wanted to kiss her handmaiden as she saw her dress and everything laid out upon her bed. She noted the light yellow fabric with the black collar and sleeves. It looked like the blanket she'd received from her Uncle Renly as a child that was currently draped across the back of the chair at her vanity table. It screamed Baratheon. She tugged the dress on after putting on her under dress and small clothes, being thankful that it actually fit her and didn't need any small adjustments. She grabbed her shoes in her hand before she rushed to unlock her door.
She gasped in surprise as she saw Jon standing there his hand raised waiting to knock. He too seemed as shocked as she was. "Lady Catelyn asked me to..."
"I know I'm making my way down to her now, how do I look?" She asked doing a small twirl before her cousin.
"You're hair's wet" Jon replied pointing to the wet stain the bottom of her plait had caused.
"I know that, I meant my dress, what does it look like? Does it look good?" She asked looking down at the skirt of her dress before bringing her eyes back up to her cousin.
"Looks like a Baratheon dress" Jon replied with a small look of distaste upon his face.
"Good that's the look I'm going for, where is Lady Catelyn?" She asked.
"Great hall" Jon replied with a sigh. She leaned up and kissed her cousins cheek gently.
"Thank you Jon, see you at supper" She ran down the hallways and stairs, her bare feet making barely any sound at all as they hit the stone below her. She dodged past soldiers and servants until she arrived at the great hall where her aunt was waiting for her. She quickly walked over to her with a smile.
"You wished to see me Aunt Catelyn?" She panted before she crouched down and put her shoes on making Catelyn narrow her eyes at her slightly.
"Did you run all the way down here barefoot?" Catelyn asked her cold tone making Lyra shiver more than the freezing water of her bath had done.
"You sounded urgent, I thought the king was on his way and I..."
"Is your hair still wet?" Catelyn snapped finally noticing the same damp patch Jon had noticed.
"Yes Aunt Catelyn" Lyra sighed lowering her eyes to the ground in embarrassment.
"Lyra you are the Kings niece, can you imagine how embarrassing it would be for me and your Uncle Eddard if the King walked in to see you barefooted with your hair still wet?" Catelyn snapped.
"I'm sorry aunt Catelyn, it won't happen again" Lyra said repeating the same line she'd been saying ever since she could remember getting into trouble.
"It's bad enough I'm trying to make Arya look presentable, you're the eldest Lyra, you're supposed to be the one I can count on" Catelyn sighed.
"What did you need me for Aunt Catelyn?" Lyra asked trying desperately to change the subject away from this lecture of disappointment she was getting.
"I need you to help me check that the stables are suitable and that there's enough of them for the kings party" Catelyn said as she began to walk out of the hall making the young girl follow along behind her.
"Are we going to be hosting the entire royal party my lady?" Lyra asked.
"Hopefully not, but we should prepare incase we have to, Southerners aren't used to this type of cold and Winterfell is the warmest place in the North" Catelyn replied.
Lyra followed along behind her aunt until she spotted a shadow above them that her aunt had not yet noticed, she frowned wondering for a moment what it had been until her eyes came down to rest upon the light grey direwolf that had been given to her younger cousin Bran, and sure enough her young cousin was scaling down towards them.
"Oh no" Lyra said before she rushed to keep up with her Aunt Catelyn.
"Gods but they grow fast" her Aunt Catelyn said finally spotting the small direwolf pup, and what it was looking at. "Brandon!" Lyra winced as she stood beside her aunt and saw her younger cousin climbing down from the inner side of the broken tower.
The boy who had been named after Lyra's own father had been climbing for as long as he could walk, so it was no surprise to Lyra to see him scaling down from one of the highest points in the wall.
"I saw the King, he's got hundred of people" Bran spoke excitedly, Lyra could hear he was slightly out of breath from his climb.
"How many times have I told you no climbing?" Catelyn snapped.
'You can tell him, doesn't mean he'll listen.' Lyra thought as Bran climbed down from the hut where they kept the hounds and made his way towards them.
"But the king is coming right now, down our road" Bran said. Catelyn leaned down until she was eye level with Bran.
"I want you to promise me, no more climbing" Lyra caught the glance that Bran made towards his feet causing a smirk to tug at the corner of her lips before he very sheepishly looked back up at his mother. "I promise"
"Good boy, now run and find your father tell him the king is close. Lyra you deal with the Stable master" Lady Catelyn said before she made her way back towards the castle.
"Do you know what Bran?" Lyra smirked catching the attention of her younger cousin before he could sprint away.
"What?" Her younger cousin questioned looking away from the retreating from of his mother to her.
"You always look at your feet before you lie" Lyra grinned causing Bran to look up to her with wide eyes. "It's a Stark trait. I will not tell your mother as long as you do not climb while the king is here, am I understood?" The youngster stared into her eyes this time as he nodded but she could still see the hint of defiance behind his eyes, she knew she was going to have to keep a very close eye on her younger cousin. "Good, now do as your mother asked and tell your father and Robb that the King is almost here" Lyra smiled.
"I will" Bran smiled before he ran off towards the castle, his direwolf pup at his heels.
Lyra let out a small, soft chuckle before she followed her aunts orders and went into the stables.
She was talking with the stable master about how many horses they could hold and how much food they would have per horse when Jon came running towards her with one of her cloaks draped over his shoulder.
"Suits you" she joked with a smile.
"Very funny, hurry up and put this on, the Kings almost at the gates" Jon replied swing her cloak up and around her shoulders. She noticed it was not the Baratheon one her handmaiden had laid out but her Stark one with large fur around the neck and a growling direwolf upon the back. She looked up at Jon with raised eyebrows.
"Still got to show you're other side of the family, and it will cover your damp hair better" Jon said pointing to where the fur upon the cloak covered the damp patch upon her dress. Lyra looked over Jons shoulder to see her Uncle Eddard standing with Robb down to Bran on his right and her Aunt Catelyn on his left.
"Time to start the show" Lyra said making her way over to where the rest of her family were waiting on the Kings arrival. She stood between Jon and Ser Roderick, just slightly behind Robb and Sansa as she knew the King would wish to see Ned's children first. It was then that she noticed her youngest female cousin was missing.
"Where's Arya?" Her aunt asked looking amongst the crowd for her youngest daughter. "Sansa where's your sister?"
The elder Stark girl shrugged.
"That's a good question" Lyra replied looking around to spot any sign of the youngest female Stark before she looked towards Jon.
"I haven't seen her" Jon replied instantly making Lyra raise her eyebrows towards him with a smirk. "Really I haven't"
"Well I can't exactly go and look for her now" Lyra said as she felt nerves clenching her stomach as she heard the sounds of hooves against mud and armour clinking together growing closer and closer.
Suddenly a small figure rushed their way towards the family that had Lyra reaching for the hilt on the dagger in her belt. However she had to fight back a laugh as she saw it was Arya running forward with a helmet on backwards upon her head.
"Hey, hey, hey" Ned Stark stopped his younger daughter in her tracks and turned her to face him. "What are you doing with that on? Go on" he said ushering her to stand in her place in the family line before he reached back and handed the helmet to Ser Roderick .
Arya let out a groan of discontent before she walked down to stand in between Bran and Sansa, pushing the former out of the way with a harsh shove. "Move"
"Arya!" Lyra snapped from behind her causing the younger girl to turn her head and face her.
"Be nice" Jon warned his little sister from his place beside his cousin.
Suddenly dozens of horses began to make their way into the courtyard. Lead in by a kings guard by his dashing gold armour and white cloak. Lyra immediately spotted her younger cousin, Prince Joffrey by his Lannister gold hair and smirk, he looked just as her Uncle Renly had described in his letters. He was dressed in a red riding jacket with a red cloak that had black along the neck. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, he definitely did not look like a Baratheon. Her face turned into a frown as she noticed the way her younger cousin spied Sansa and grinned towards her causing Sansa to stare dreamily back.
"I think my last meal is about to make a re-appearance" She muttered to Jon who in turn sniggered beside her.
She held herself higher as a red carriage pulled to the side and the king rode in behind it. Her eyes widened as she took in what her uncle had become. The last time she had seen him, he was tall, slim and strong. Now he was pale, fat and swaying with drink. She followed her other uncle as he took to his knee before the king causing the rest of the family to do so. As the King walked towards Ned she kept her eyes glancing up at her two uncles until one told the other to rise. She stood to her full height as both heads of her family stared at each other.
"Your grace" Ned Stark said with a polite bow of his head.
"You've got fat" her jaw dropped in shock at the disrespect the King showed towards her uncle. She was about to speak when both men erupted into laughter. She smiled as they both embraced each other like old friends until the king turned to her aunt with a grin. "Cat" he smiled hugging her tightly and kissing her on the cheek before he ruffled Rickons hair. "Nine years, why haven't I seen you? Where the hell have you been?" The King asked Eddard.
"Guarding the North for you, your grace" Her Uncle Ned replied with a joyful smile. Lyra could see a change in her Uncle already, he had missed his childhood friend and he almost looked younger now he was standing in front of him. "Winterfell is yours"
Lyra spied a woman with long blonde hair stepping out of the red carriage that had rode in a head of the king, the queen had not changed much. Beside her were two younger children with the same blond hair, Lyra guessed they were Tommen and Myrcella.
"Where's the Imp?" She heard Arya asked as she looked up towards Sansa.
"Arya don't be rude!" Lyra hissed over Sansa's reply to her sister.
"Who have we here?" King Robert asked as he walked past Ned until he stood in front of Robb. "You must be Robb" Robb extended his hand out to shake the Kings with a nod of respect before the King moved to stand opposite Sansa. "Aye you're a pretty one" The king smiled towards Sansa before he moved to Arya. "And you're name is"
"Arya" Arya replied until she felt Jon pinching the back of her arm. "Your grace" she quickly added on and Jon let go of her.
"Oh" Robert smiled as he finally moved down to Bran. "Show us your muscles" Bran swiped his cloak to the side before he brought his arm up into a flexing motion making Lyra smile King Robert laughed softly. "You'll be a solider" The King made his way back up the line to stand in front of her Uncle Eddard as the queen made her way towards them.
Lyra noticed the kings guard that had been the first to ride in remove his helmet. She knew who he was the moment he shook out his golden blond mane.
"That's Jaime Lannister the queens twin brother" Arya spoke up
"Will you please shut up!" Sansa hissed.
"Arya we won't tell you again!" Jon snapped quietly down at his younger sister.
Lyra watched as her Uncle Eddard leant down and kissed the queens knuckles gently. "My queen"
"My queen" Her aunt Catelyn said before she curtsied politely.
"Where's Lyra, Ned?" Robert asked until he noticed where Ned Stark was looking behind Robb to stare at Lyra who let out a tiny shaking breath as she noticed the kings eyes upon her.
"Step forward child" Ned said urging her to step into the space Robb and Sansa had created. She took a step forward and raised her eyes to meet the kings face.
"You must be my beautiful niece, you look just like your mother" Her Uncle Robert stopped in front of her. She could see the same blue eyes she held staring down at her in kindness. "She would be proud, you have the Baratheon look"
"But she shares the Stark name" her uncle Ned chimed in with a chuckle, Lyra rolled her eyes with a grin, of course they would be arguing over which side of the family she was most like.
"But I'll bet she has the Baratheon temper" Robert laughed before his smile fell and his eyes filled with sorrow. "You look like your aunt Lyanna when you smile, has anyone ever told you that?"
"No your grace" she said her own smile suddenly scared away by her uncles honesty. Her Uncle Ned had told her of her Aunt Lyanna and Uncle Robert, stories that now made her feel sorrow for the king in front of her.
"None of this, your grace business, I'm your uncle before I'm your king" Robert smiled stroking her cheek with the back of his knuckle. "Ned, take me to your crypt I want to pay my respects"
"We've been riding for a month my love, surely the dead can wait" the queens voice was cold and bitter as she glared towards the king.
"Ned now" King Robert ordered. Her Uncle Eddard shot the queen an apologetic look before he followed the king. Lyra felt her stomach twist into knots as the Queens cold, harsh Lannister green eyes descended upon her. After all it was her that caused the subject of the kings first love to be brought up in the first place.
"So you're my niece then? I haven't see you since you were a child" the queen's judging tone made Lyra grit her teeth but she knew her manners and curtsied. "Are you well?"
"Yes your grace" Lyra replied with a smile so fake that it ached her jaw.
"You're very beautiful" the queen smiled although Lyra new instantly that the compliment was not genuine.
"I am not as beautiful as yourself, your grace" she wanted to bite her tongue out the moment her mouth muttered the lie.
"You are very sweet" The queen smiled. "Your cousins are looking forward to meeting you, I know your uncle was desperate to see how you'd grown"
"I am looking forward to meeting my younger cousins, your grace. I have hoped to meet them for some times" Lyra replied.
"Well let us get settled and then introductions will be made" the queen smiled.
"Where's the imp?" Arya questioned within ear shot of the queen.
"Arya!" Both Jon and Sansa snapped towards the youngest Stark female before the queen began to walk over to where her twin brother was standing.
Lyra narrowed her eyes towards the Queen. It was obvious the older woman was judging her, trying to test whether she was a threat or not. But Lyra knew as long as the Lannister Lioness didn't disturb her Stark pack, she was no threat to her.
While the Royal and Stark families got themselves rested and bathed before the feast that was being prepared for the evening. Lyra was knelt beneath the weirwood tree that stood firm in the middle of the godswood.
She often prayed out in the open air where the gods could see her as clear as she could see the sky. She had always disliked the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Sept that her father had built for her mother when they married. Her mother may have been Southern, and Lyra respected her mothers gods enough to worship them on each holy day, but Lyra was a Northern like her father and believed without question in the old gods of the North.
The crunching of heavy boots and the swishing of material upon the ground alerted her to the presence of her Aunt and Uncle. Her uncle was still in his outfit from this morning, minus his cloak, while her Aunt had changed into a deep blue dress to honour her own Tully house.
Lyra finished her prayer quickly and got to her feet to face them, brushing down her knees as she stood to her full height. Eddard Stark stepped forward to stand directly in front of his niece.
The grim look upon her Uncles face and the tear marks that glistened upon the cheeks of her Aunt told her everything she needed to know, yet she asked regardless.
"He's taking me with him isn't he" It was more of a statement than a question.
"He's taking both of us" Eddard replied.
Lyra inhaled in surprise, she hoped that if the King was planning to take her then maybe he would spare her Uncle. "You've accepted?"
"I can't ignore an order from my King, neither can you" Ned replied
"I wish we could though" Lyra sighed staring down at the ground beneath her.
"Aye, I do too" Ned replied reaching out to place a comforting hand upon his niece's shoulder.
Catelyn Stark never said a word as she allowed her husband and their niece to process the drastic changes that had been made to their lives by the wishes of one man.
The feast in the great hall was one of the biggest Lyra had ever seen from where she sat in Rickon's usual seat whilst the rest of the Stark children sat with their friends and a few of the banner men. It felt odd for her to be at the high table with cousins she'd only just been introduced to rather than Robb and Arya. She watched Robb laughing with Theon and was dying to go down there and join in with the fun and laughter.
She kept glancing awkwardly between the queen and where the king was grabbing the back side of a servant before he buried his face between her breasts and placed sloppy kisses onto her neck. He certainly was not the great, noble Uncle she had been expecting, he was nothing like her Uncle Eddard. He openly embarrassed his wife in public where as Eddard obviously wanted his wives embarrassment to be kept hidden as Lyra noticed that Jon's dark curls were no where to be seen amongst the hoards of people laughing, drinking and stuffing their faces.
"Aunt Catelyn, may I be excused? I need some air" she pleaded turning to her aunt.
"Alright, but be quick" Catelyn nodded.
Lyra smiled in thanks before she stood and made her way down to the lower table where Robb was sat with Theon, her cousin startled slightly when she placed a hand upon his shoulder to catch his attention, his friends all grinning towards her. "Have you seen Jon?" She asked loudly into her cousins ear who stopped his conversation with Lord Glovers son to listen to her. Robb only shook his head with a frown. "I'm going to go find him" Lyra said.
"Need me to come with you?" Robb asked.
She shook her head with a smile and began making her way down the long tables, ducking and dodging past Lannister and Stark men. Until a figure dressed all in black caught her eye. "Uncle Benjen!" she cried out in delight as she noticed the all too familiar face make his way into the hall.
"There she is, my beautiful niece" Benjen grinned swinging her in a circle like he used to do when she was a child. "How are you?"
"I'm very well thank you, I'm afraid I can't talk right now have you seen Jon?" she asked glancing around the hall for the dark curls of her cousin.
"He's outside, you may want to take some of this when you go to him though" He smiled grabbing a pitcher of wine from the table in front of him before he filled up the wineskin laying upon the bench and handed it to her.
She let out a loud belly laugh and took it from him. "Thank you for the warning"
"Oh and another thing" Benjen called to her as she was walking away making her double back to face him.
"I got this made for you" From his pouch he pulled a small dagger, the end of the handle held a growling direwolf that was as black as night.
Lyra grinned widely and embraced him with enthusiasm. "I love it uncle Benjen thank you"
"Don't go showing Arya that, or else she'll never let me live it down" Benjen grinned making Lyra chuckle.
"You shouldn't be giving a girl such toys brother" Eddard Stark spoke from behind the pair before he embraced his brother then he noticed the full wineskin in his nieces hands. "Lyra, where are you going with that?"
"I'm going out to see Jon" she smiled.
"Good luck" Benjen called out as she made her way towards the door. "So what's this I hear about my brother being hand of the King?"
Was the last thing she heard before she closed the door behind her feeling the cold night air biting at her arms. It didn't take long for her to find her cousin, following the sound of dulled steel hitting wood and frustrated male grunts. Lyra watched with a grin as Jon lunged once again at the wooden post designed to look like a man.
"You put too much weight on your right foot" she couldn't hide her smirk of amusement at seeing her cousin jump, unaware of her presence before he turned to face her.
"I'm sorry Ser Roderik, I had not realised you had a weird thing for dressing up like my cousin" Jon grinned back as she walked forward with her wineskin in hand.
"Ser Roderik in my dresses, that's enough to give even Arya nightmares" she laughed extending the wine out to Jon. "I snuck you some wine, thought you may need it, you look cold"
Jon took it form her extended hand before bringing it to his lips and taking a long gulp of the sweet red liquid. "Shouldn't you be in there entertaining the other side of your family"
"I got bored, a girl can only take so much of Sansa swooning over Joffrey before they want to slice themselves open with their dinner knife" she chuckled as she moved to sit upon one of the tables the stablemasters put equipment on to clean them. "And Arya's on her last warning so no doubt she'll be going to bed soon"
Jon let out a long, low chuckle. "That sounds like Arya"
"I told her that if she doesn't start behaving while the Kings party is in Winterfell then I'd stop her archery lessons" Lyrasaid causing Jon to wince at the wrath she'd have to face from his younger sister. "I know it was a low blow but I just can't think of any other way to get her to listen, she's too wild"
"Too wild even for you to control?" Jon asked with surprise in his tone as he handed her back the wineskin.
"I never said I couldn't control her" Lyra smirked taking a gulp of her wine as Jon moved to sit beside her. "I know she doesn't like it but she is going to have to grow up some day and realise that life isn't all about sword fighting and warriors, she will be married one day whether she likes it or not"
"I know" Jon sighed taking the pitcher out of her hands.
"Lyra Stark" the shrill voice of Lady Catelyn Stark stung through the air making both her and Jon wince as they both looked up to see her approach. Lyra quickly grabbed the wineskin from Jon.
"Your uncle, the King, is asking for you, you're supposed to be in there hosting the royal family"
"My apologies my lady, I was the one who kept her" Lyra winced as Jon spoke up from beside her.
Lady Starks eyes grew as cold as the snow that littered the ground around them. "I warned you to stay away from this feast. Your presence with disrespect the royal family."
"I am staying away from the feast, I'm out here aren't I? And as for disrespecting the royal family, I think the kings doing a fine good job of that himself" Jon argued with a snarl to his voice.
"Jon!" Lyra smacked Jon on the shoulder harshly as she stood from the table to put herself between her aunt and cousin seeing the anger on her aunts face.
"Forgive him Aunt Catelyn, he's just had too much wine, it was my fault, I came out here to get some air and I began speaking with Jon, I'm the one that gave him the wine" she said holding up the wineskin in her hands.
"Just get back into the feast, your absence has already been spotted" Catelyn said before he turned on her heel and marched back into the castle.
Lyra spun to face Jon with a glare in her eyes. "Are you purposely trying to get yourself exiled out of Winterfell?"
"Doesn't matter anyway, I won't have put up with her much longer" Jon smirked, Lyra could see the wine flushing his face.
"Even so, this is her house, you shouldn't speak to her with such disrespect" she sighed, "Now, can you make to your room or am I going to have to call down Uncle Benjen to carry you?"
"I'll be fine you go and enjoy your royal feast, your grace" Jon hissed towards her.
"Don't start Jon" Lyra snapped.
"I'm not starting anything, you go and have a lovely time with your real cousins" Jon snarled but Lyra could hear the break in his voice.
She walked forward and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders in an embrace, his head lay against her chest. "You are my real cousin, no matter what she says, I'll never treat or love you any differently than I do the rest of them" She took Jon's face in her hands and let him stare up at her. Seeing the hurt and loneliness in his eyes, she suddenly felt like a mother caring for her injured child, even though she was a few moons older than Jon. She placed a gentle kiss to his dark mess of curls. "Now are you sure you're going to be okay to get up to bed on your own?"
"I'll be fine" Jon smiled. "I'm a bastard, I'm used to getting by on my own" his smile dropped as he noticed her scowling towards him at his word choice. "Sorry, I'm an illegitimate child"
"Right I'd better go back in" she sighed before she brought the wineskin up to her lips and took two large gulps. "Wish me luck" she didn't hear Jons reply as she made her way back into the feast.
The feast seemed noisier than when Lyra had left it. The volume of drunken singing had increased as many people had stopped eating and focused on drinking. Lyra was almost back at the top table when she tried to move round two men who were drunkenly singing a song that made absolutely no sense to her sober ears, however one of their arms hit against her causing her to stumble forward, she gasped as she bumped into something solid. She look up to see the Clegane they called The Hound staring down at her with a harshness in his eyes that made her insides quiver in fear. A smile tugged at her lips to hide the fear in her eyes.
"Forgive me Clegane, the men behind they..." she said
"I saw what happened" The hound replied before she even had a chance to finish her explanation.
"I'm Ly..." She said beginning to extend a hand out to him but the younger Clegane just glared down at it.
"I know who you are Lady Stark" The snarling and harshness voice made her want to crawl under a rock and hide there. It reminded her truly of a dog.
"Lyra please, I hate formalities" she smiled before she reached the wineskin of wine in her hand out towards him which he looked at in surprise. "Go on take it, I have no more use for it and my aunt will only scold me if she sees me with it" He took it from her quickly. "My apologies once more for bumping into you Clegane" she smiled before she made her way around him and towards the top table before she suddenly realised something and turned back to him. "I'm sorry, I just realised I do know your first name"
"Sandor" the hound replied after taking a long gulp of the wine.
"Well enjoy the rest of your evening Sandor Clegane" she smiled before she continued her way up to the top table.
She saw her aunt frowning at her as she made her way back to her original seat at the top table. She just continued to stare down at her cousins and wished she was down there drinking and laughing with them. She could see Bran was now sound asleep upon his bench, she would have to move him soon or else he would be terribly sore the tomorrow morning. She then watched in amusement as Arya loaded her spoon full of stew before she flicked it towards Sansa, the meat and broth hit Sansa in the face and splattered down her dress. Lyra laughed loudly at Sansa's embarrassment as her hand maidens tried to clean her before Joffrey saw the state she was in. She looked up and noticed the way her aunt Catelyn was looking down at Robb with a glare before she glanced at Arya. Robb sighed and stood from where he was laughing with his friends and made his way over to Arya. He placed his hands under her arms and lifted her from the bench.
"Time for bed" he sighed putting her on the ground and pushing her a head of him. He moved further up the table before he gripped her shoulders to pull her to a stop as they reached where Lyra was sitting. "Fancy giving me a hand with this one?" Robb asked with a small smile on his face.
"No actually, I was just going to grab Bran" she smiled getting to her feet and looking over to see the ten year old asleep upon one of the benches.
"You get her up stairs, I'll grab Bran" Robb smiled handing Arya over to Lyra.
"Come on trouble maker" she smirked moving round the end of the table and guiding her younger cousin out of the hall. "You really shouldn't create such a fuss you know, and that wasn't nice what you done to Sansa, it's going to take forever to get that broth out of her dress"
"No wonder. She was making me sick with her moon eyes towards the prince. He's not even that good looking, he's quite ugly actually" both girls turned to Robbs booming laughter as he walked along the hallway behind them, a sleeping Bran in his arms.
"Don't let anyone hear you say that Arya, it could get you in serious trouble" Lyra scolded.
"I don't care I'll tell the prince himself if I have to" Arya smirked but the smirk instantly dropped from her face as Lyra spun her round to face her with a tight grip upon her wrist.
"Enough Arya!" she hissed glaring down at her younger cousin. "I know you want to be brave but you do not speak out against royals, that is what gets you killed!"
"Lyra!" Robb warned using his arm that wasn't supporting Bran to remove Lyra's hand from his sisters wrist. Arya was looking at Lyra with an almost fearful look in her eyes.
"Tomorrow you will apologize to Sansa and your mother for embarrassing her in front of the queen..." Arya went to interrupt but Lyra cut her off. "And if you do not do so then I will make sure Jon cancels your sparring lesson permanently, you will receive absolutely no more archery training from me and I will sit outside each of your lessons with Septa Mordane to make sure you are stuck in them, am I clear?"
"Yes ma'am" Arya mumbled knowing when she was defeated.
"Good, now go and get ready for bed, I'll be through once we've put Bran to bed" she said placing a hand gently upon Arya's head. The young girl huffed and made her way into her chambers being sure to close the door with a bang to signal her displeasure to the elder two making them share a chuckle.
"I can put him to bed if you want to go back down to the feast" Lyra smiled.
"No we'll wake him if we move him too much" Robb said shifting Bran in his arms slightly.
"Alright then" she said as the two began to make their way to Brans chambers.
"You really shouldn't be so hard on her you know, she's just trying to impress you" Robb sighed glancing over his shoulder at Arya's chamber door.
"I know, but she can't stay the little tomboy forever, at some point she'll have to grow out of it, as I did" Lyra replied.
"Oh right, cause you're the most feminine girl in the world" Robb chuckled pointing down to the dagger that was attached to her hip that her Uncle always made her carry
"Alright so maybe I'm not as lady like as Sansa but I still know my duties, I know that as soon as uncle Ned finds a suitable match I will be betrothed, Arya only has a few years until it'll happen to her" Lyra shrugged
"Please don't remind me" Robb groaned.
"It's true, you and Jon can't be her protective older brothers forever, just as you can't be mine forever. Sooner or later I'll have my husband to take care of me, as will Arya and you will have your own wife and children to care for" Lyra chuckled
"When did life get so complicated?" Robb sighed shifting Brans weight onto his other hip causing the little boy to stir making them both freeze but luckily he rested his head on Robb's other shoulder and went straight back of to sleep.
"When we grew up Robb dearest" she smiled. "I mean who knows in a few years you could be doing the same with your own son as your doing with Bran just now" She grinned as Robb glanced down at his little brother who was sound asleep upon his shoulder.
When they reached the door to Brans chambers Lyra opened the door allowing Robb to walk inside, Bran still in his arms. Lyra smiled seeing his direwolf laying calmly upon his bed only moving to allow Lyra to pull the furs down enough for Robb to lay Bran down. She unlaced Brans boots as Robb carefully tugged off his leather tunic leaving him in only his shirt and breechers.
"Night Bran" Robb whispered kissing his little brothers forehead softly.
"Keep an eye on him" Lyra smiled petting the wolf at the end of the bed. The two of them quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door behind them.
"You going to come back down to the feast?" Robb asked as Lyra closed the door.
"No, I'll go and put Arya to bed, then I'm going to check on Rickon then go to bed, tomorrow is going to be a long day" She sighed with a soft smile.
"Well then goodnight" Robb smiled kissing her cheek gently before he made his way down the hallway and out of her sight.