It had been another two days ride before they stopped at an actual inn. It felt good to be out of their freezing cold tents at night and in a warm room with a comfortable bed instead of a makeshift cot.
Lyra knew they were no longer anywhere near Winterfell as the snow had disappeared and been replaced with the richest green that she had ever seen. The sun danced through the parting of the trees that the breeze caused as Lyra was practicing her sword techniques. She felt a little lonely not having Robb or Jon or even Theon to practice with and her uncle Eddards men were all busy following orders, she hadn't even seen much of her Uncle the past day or two.
"Good form" Lyra jumped at the strange voice as a sudden figure appeared from between the tree. His blond hair glowing under the light of the sun and his green eyes watching her in amusement.
"Ser Jaime, you surprised me. I didn't see you there" she smiled as she lowered her sword.
"My apologies Lady Stark, I should have let myself be known" Jaime replied.
"Lyra please, Lady Stark is my aunt" she grinned.
"That's quite a remarkable sword, may I?" Jaime Lannister asked holding his hand out. Lyra cautiously placed the blade into his outstretched hand. "A bit lightweight, but then I suppose you are a girl" Jaime Lannister shrugged, a small grin pulling at his lips when he saw the rage behind her eyes.
"What does my sex have to do with the weight of my sword?" Lyra snapped back before she caught herself. "My apologies Ser Jaime my outburst was rude, forgive me"
"It's quite alright Lady..." Lyra narrowed her eyes towards him making him smirk. "Lyra, the fault was mine I should not have tried to make a connection between the two. The weight of a sword and the gender of the person wielding it is irrelevant unless that person is gifted with their sword as I saw you are. I also noticed the dagger in your belt, you really are a very prepared woman"
"The dagger I keep is always for my own protection, but it also come in handy whilst hunting. I'm still trying to learn how to use a sword, Robb and Jon were always much better with a sword than I ever was, I'm better with a bow" she replied.
"So you're an archer?" Jaime smirked stepping closer to her.
"I was the best in Winterfell. But no doubt I will be made to look a fool of in Kings Landing, there are probably a dozen archers better than I am" Lyra grinned, her face flushing with slight embarrassment.
"I'd say four maybe five are as good, I wouldn't say better" Jaime replied handing her sword back to her with a grin making her smile slightly as she took her sword from him and sheathed it.
"How do you know Ser Jaime? You've never seen me with a bow?" She questioned, unless he'd been watching her training in Winterfell without her knowing.
"No but I saw your father quite a few times and if you're anything like Brandon, you'll be lethal with a bow" Jaime Lannister smirked. Lyra was taken aback slightly by the Lannister males honesty. She had known that her father had been in Kings Landing, it's where he was killed. She had known her father was a gifted fighter, but she had no clue he'd been a skilled archer, or that the Lannister heir had known him.
"Lyra!" The voice of Arya called from her right as she ran out of the bushes, the butcher's son behind her. "We're going down to the river to practise, can you come and help us" she said as Lyra noticed the sticks in their hands.
"Of course, good day to you Ser Jaime" Lyra smiled.
"And to you Lyra, and who knows maybe I'll get to see your skills when you get to Kings Landing" Jaime smiled as he began to walk away from her. "Maybe we'll even get a duel or two, if you're good enough"
Lyra suddenly felt a small hint of anger towards the Lannister male as she watched him walk away from her, she hated having to downplay her ability with her weapons in front of men as her aunt and Uncle had taught her to do all her life to avoid rumours about her wild behaviour being spread.
'Oh I'm good enough Kingslayer, I'm just not sure you are' she thought viciously in her mind before Arya tugging at her arm caused her attention to be shifted back onto her younger cousin.
"Come on, you said you'd come down to the river with us" Arya snapped.
"Alright Arya I'm coming!" Lyra snarled pulling her arm free of her younger cousins grasp.
"Well come on then" Arya hissed as she followed the butchers boy down the path in the undergrowth that led down to the river.
Lyra knew if she was going to teach her cousin properly well she'd need to clear her head of the anger the Kingslayer had caused to erupt in her body. She let out a long, slow breath as she began to follow the younger two down to the river, keeping her hand upon the hilt of her sword. She'd discarded her cloak and her belt upon the grass as she watched Arya practicing with Micah. Eirra had returned from her strange absence that morning, Lyra knew instantly she'd been hunting by the blood that stained her canines and dripped onto the grass from her jowls.
"Arya keep your blade up, never let it drop" Lyra shouted over as she kept a hawk like eye upon her cousins form. "You drop it you die"
Two figures were caught by Lyra's peripheral vision making her reach for her sword and Eirra to raise her head until she saw the sunlight glinting from Prince Joffreys hair and made Sansa's a fiery red instead of auburn.
"Arya!" Sansa shouted out in slight shock causing the youngest Stark girl to turn towards her just as Micah swung his stick towards her that caught her in the arm
"Ouch!" Arya hissed rubbing her arm before she glared towards the two intruders. "What are you doing here? Go away!"
"Arya don't be rude!" Lyra warned as she got to her feet. She bowed her head in respect. "Your grace"
"Your sister?" Joffrey smiled glancing back as Sansa as he made his way towards the two. Sansa replied by nodding with a look of embarrassment on her face. "And who are you boy?" Joffrey asked noticing the larger boy behind Arya.
"Micah mi'lord" Micah replied making Lyra wince slightly, he clearly did not know who he was addressing.
"He's the butchers boy" Sansa sneered with a look of disgust in her eyes that made Lyra narrow her own towards her.
"He's my friend" Arya argued.
"Enough you two!" Lyra snapped glaring between the sisters before she turned her eyes onto Joffrey who slowly approached the boy like a lion waiting to pounce.
"A butchers boy who wants to be a knight" Joffrey smirked. "Pick up your sword butchers boy, let's see how good you are"
The moment Joffrey drew his sword, a red flag raised in Lyra's mind. It was death to bare arms against the crowned prince, but that didn't stop her stepping backwards towards her own sword.
"She asked me too mi'lord, she asked me to" Micah said in his own panic seeing the steel of the blade.
"I'm your prince, not your lord. And I said pick up your sword" Joffrey snapped. Micah glanced as Lyra who shook her head slowly.
"It's not a sword my prince, it's only a stick" Micah stuttered. "And you're not a knight, only a butchers boy" Joffrey raised his sword towards Micah's face making Lyra's worry intensify. "That was my ladys sister you were hitting, do you know that?"
"Stop it leave him alone" Arya shouted.
"Arya stay out of this!" Sansa snapped.
"Both of you stay out of this!" Lyra growled glaring between both sisters. "Your grace, put your sword down, please"
"I won't hurt him, much" Joffrey grinned as he began to press his blade further onto Micah's cheek. Lyra could see blood beginning to trickle down the boys face.
Lyra should have seen the attack coming before it happened, but she had been so focused on what Joffrey was doing to the butchers boy, she had not even thought to keep an eye on Arya until it was too late.
"No!" Lyra shouted out as Arya hit Joffrey across the back with her stick causing him to swing his sword towards her.
"You filthy little bitch" Joffrey snarled trying to get Arya with his blade.
Lyra instantly went into protective mode as she realised Joffrey was intended on harming Arya with his blade causing her to run over to where her cloak lay and unsheathed her own before running towards where the mad boy was swinging his sword wildly. Eirra was on all fours snarling but she still waited for her mistress' command
"No stop it, stop it both of you. You're spoiling it, you're spoiling everything!" Sansa cried out in panic.
"Sansa shut up! Go and get your father!" Lyra snapped as she finally reached where the attack was happening.
Arya tripped onto her back as Joffrey put his sword at her throat.
"I'll gut you, you little cunt" Joffrey screamed. Out of the bushes Arya's wolf Nymeria gripped hold of Joffrey's arm making the boy cry out in pain.
The clash of steel made Arya wince as Lyra forced Joffrey backwards from Arya. Nymeria let go of Joffrey's arm and ran into the bushes out of sight.
"Back off you little prick!" Lyra growled glaring at Joffrey as Arya clambered to her feet.
"I am your prince!" Joffrey snarled swinging his sword towards Lyra but she blocked it instantly, swiping her feet she forced him onto his back, his sword falling upon the grass beside him.
"No you're not!" Lyra snarled as she glared down at the young prince. "You're my baby cousin who needs to be taught a lesson. You do not attack unarmed little girls! If I see you with a sword near my little cousin again, I'll make sure there a horrible accident which involves you losing your sword hand!" Lyra took a deep breath before she moved back from Joffrey.
She turned to make her way back to her cloak and sword sheath.
"Arya!" Sansa's voice was full of fear making Lyra turn back around to see Arya with Joffrey's own blade against his neck.
"No please don't" Joffrey pleaded
"Arya leave him alone!" Sansa snapped. Lyra held up a hand telling her younger cousin to keep quiet as she walked between the blade and Joffrey.
"Arya don't" Lyra stepped in front of where Joffrey lay upon the ground. "Remember what I said about royals...give me the sword"
Arya moved the sword away from Joffrey before she moved over and with both hands tossed it into the river. Lyra let out a sigh of relief as Arya ran off with Nymeria at her heels. Sansa instantly rushed forward and crouched down beside Joffrey.
"My poor prince, are you alright?" Sansa asked smoothing Joffrey's hair with her hand.
"Just a scare that's all, he'll be fine in a couple of seconds" Lyra smirked. "Althought you may want to go and get his arm looked at, Nymeria may have caught something whilst hunting"
"You really think this is funny!" Sansa shouted getting to her feet and glaring at her cousin. "You could have killed him!"
"He could have killed Arya!" Lyra shouted back. "It's about time you get your head out of fairy tale stories Sansa! Life doesn't grant you a happy ending, it certainly doesn't grant you the perfect prince!" she snarled glaring down at the still shaking Prince.
She knew her cousin would never break out of the fantasy world she lived in no matter how hard Lyra tried, the kind where a prince sweeps you off your feet and makes everything alright. She stormed over and grabbed her cloak and sword.
"Come Eirra, let's leave the children to their fairy tales!" The black wolf who was now the size of a large dog walked along side Lyra as she made her way back to the Inn. She knew her outburst no most likely reach the king by nightfall, she had to calm herself down if she was to keep her life.
It had been at least ten hours since the incident beside the river had happened, and Arya had still not returned to the Inn. Lyra had begun to worry the moment she noticed the sky growing dark and the stars beginning to appear.
The whole of the Stark household that her Uncle had brought with them was out looking for her, including Lyra and Ned themselves.
"Arya!" Lyra called out walking with her uncle through the trees. She had purposely kept Eirra away from the inn to save the Lannister men getting a hold of her.
"Arya!" Eddards Stark voice boomed much louder than that of his niece and echoed amongst the trees. Lyra knew Arya would have to be extremely far away not to hear it.
"My Lord" Jory's voice called out from behind them. "Lord Stark"
"Uncle Ned!" she shouted finally catching her uncles attention as Jory dismounted his horse and made his way towards them.
"They've found her, she unharmed" Jory said allowing Lyra to release a sigh of relief.
"Well where is she?" Ned asked.
"She's being taken directly before the king" Jory replied
"Who took her?" Ned asked anger obvious in his voice. "The Lannisters found her my lord" Jory replied making Lyra's stomach spike in fear. "The queen ordered them to bring her straight to him"
"Of course she would" Lyra hissed as she handed her flaming torch to Jory and began to sprint back towards the inn.
When she got there, she could see a large group of Lannister men standing at the door that lead through to the hall where they had eaten that morning. Lyra pushed between the Lannisters and made her way into the hall.
"Arya!" She called out pushing soldiers and small folk out the road before she embraced her cousin tightly shushing her small cries. She felt Arya's hands shaking as they clutched onto the back of her riding gown. Her uncle Ned appeared behind her and she handed Arya to him as she glared at the king. "This is how you like to rule, scaring little girls half to death. We've been going out of our minds looking for her. Did you not have the sense to let us know she was alright!"
"Mind your tongue girl" Robert hissed. "Remember who you're talking to"
She only glared towards her Uncle Robert before Ned who had finished calming Arya down stepped forward and turned to the King. "What is the meaning of this? Why was my daughter not brought to me at once" Ned hissed.
"How dare you speak to your King in that manner, both of you" Cersei snarled towards them.
"Quiet woman!" The King barked. "Sorry Ned, I never meant to frighten the girl, but we need to get this business sorted"
"Your girl, your niece and that butchers boy attacked my son" Cersei snarled. "That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off"
"That's not true, she just bit him a little" Arya snapped back.
"Believe me my queen, if Nymeria wanted to rip your sons arm off, she would have done so" Lyra replied.
"He was hurting Micah, then he attacked me" Arya said.
"Joff told us what happened, you and that boy beat him with clubs, then you" Cersei said. "Then you set your wolf on him"
"That's not what happened!" Arya snapped.
"Yes it is!" Joffrey replied with a snarl. "They all attacked me and she threw my sword in the river"
Lyra let out a full, long laugh surprising everyone in the room. "Is that really what he told you?" she said looking at the queen in disbelief. "The great crowned prince got beat up by a little girl and a butchers boy. Gods Uncle Robert, if he was my son, I'd be embarrassed"
"He also told us you drew your sword onto him" Cersei snapped.
"To protect Arya, who he was trying to cut in two" she hissed. "I gave him a warning"
"That's a lie" Joffrey hissed
"I swear if you don't keep your little rat mouth shut then I..."
"Lyra!" Ned snapped knowing her growing temper was only making the situation worse.
"He attacked Arya when she was unarmed, I disarmed him and told him never to harm unarmed girls, I never touched him with my blade" Lyra said looking more towards her uncle than the king.
"Is this true?" Robert said looking towards Joffrey.
"You know Lyra would not lie, your grace" Ned replied.
"Right now, I don't know what to think of her. She pulled her sword upon a crowned prince. She's not her mothers daughter, I'll say that" Lyra looked at Robert with hurt in her eyes, she never knew her uncle could be so cruel.
"He's a liar" Arya snarled.
"Shut up!" Joffrey yelled back.
"Enough!" King Robert bellowed. "He tells me one thing, they tell me another. Seven hells what am I to make of this? Where's your other daughter Ned?"
"In bed asleep" Ned replied.
"No she's not, Sansa come here darling" Cersei smiled sweetly.
Lyra stood beside Ned and Arya as Sansa walked into the room followed by a Lannister guard who Lyra quickly stepped in front of with a glare until he turned and made his way back to stand beside his fellow guards.
"Now child, tell me what happened?" King Robert asked pointing for Sansa to stand in front of him. "Tell it all and tell it true. It's a great crime to lie to a king"
"Sansa just tell the truth" Lyra spoke up from behind her.
"Quiet!" Ned hissed at his niece causing her to bite her lip instantly.
"I don't know, I didn't see" Sansa stuttered. "It all happened so quickly. I didn't see"
"Liar!" Arya hissed launching herself and gripping hold of Sansa's hair. "Liar...Liar"
"Arya, enough you're making this worse" Lyra snapped grabbing Arya back as Eddard grabbed Sansa away from her younger sister. "Sansa tell the truth!"
"She's as wild as her animal, I want her punished" the queen sneered. Lyra put Arya behind her slightly as if to try and protect her from the queen.
"What would you have me do? Whip her through the streets" Robert snapped "Damn it children fight, it's over"
"Joffrey will bear those scars for the rest of his life" the queen snarled.
"He deserves them" Lyra uttered under her breath that caused the Queen to glare at her. She felt the grip her uncle Ned had upon her arm tighten almost painfully.
"You let that little girl disarm you" The king sneered up at his son before he turned back to her uncle Eddard.
"It wasn't her who disarmed me, it was Lyra" Joffrey argued back pointing to Lyra with his good hand.
"You still let a girl disarm you!" Robert snapped. "Ned see to it that your daughter's disciplined. I'll do the same with my son."
"Gladly your grace" Ned nodded as King Robert stood from his chair and made his way towards them.
"And you" Robert said turning his gaze towards Lyra. "Behave yourself, or by the gods I'll whip some manners into you"
"What of the direwolf?" the queen asked from behind the King. "What of the beast that savaged your son?"
"I forgot the damned wolf" Robert sighed.
"The wolf was only protecting Arya your grace" Lyra spoke out as she felt Arya tense behind her.
"We found no trace of the direwolf your grace" Lyra and Arya both breathed a sigh of relief as the kings guard spoke out.
"That's fine" King said.
"They have another two wolves" The queen said.
"So be it" the king said making his way past them.
"You can't mean it" Ned said as he grabbed his friend by the arm and turned him to face him.
"A direwolves no pet, get her a dog she'll be happier for it!" The king replied signalling his head towards Sansa before he began walking through the crowd making Lyra turn to Ned in terror.
"He doesn't mean lady does he?" Sansa asked in sudden panic. "No, no lady didn't bite anyone, she's good!"
"Lady wasn't there!" Lyra replied after Sansa.
"Leave her alone!" Arya snapped out.
"Father stop them, don't let them hurt Lady" Sansa begged grabbing hold of Neds arm.
"Is this your command your grace?" Ned asked turning to where the king had reached the back of the hall.
"Or have you just become a puppet!" Lyra snarled making the King turn back to glare towards her.
"You're lucky you're my blood girl! Or I'd have your head on a spike" Robert hissed before he left the hall entirely.
"Where is the beast?" Cersei asked looking to a Lannister guard.
"Chained up your grace" the guard replied Lyra felt a small hint of anger towards Sansa. She'd always told her cousin not to chain Lady up, nor keep her on a leash. A wolf does not belong on the end of a leash. Now it was obvious that Sansa had ignored her and it was Lady who was paying the price for her cousin's stupidity.
"Ser Illyn, do me the honour" Cersei smiled causing the harsh eyed mute to step towards them. Lyra took a step forward and glared back up at the mute.
"You've already lost your tongue, you touch that wolf and you lose both hands!" Lyra snarled.
"Enough Lyra take the girls to their beds" Ned ordered. "If it must be done then I'll do it myself"
"Is this some trick?" Cersei sneered.
"The wolf is of the North, she deserves better than a butcher" Ned replied before he made his way out to where the wolf was waiting unaware of the slaughter that was to come.
"Gods help us if you ever become king" she said glaring towards Joffrey before she led Sansa and Arya away from the hall.
She put both of them to bed, after having to comfort a crying Sansa the full way up to their rooms. She was laying on her bed and could see the way Eirra was pacing at the door, as if dying to burst out and rescue her sister. "I'm sorry girl" Lyra said, tears in her eyes. "There was nothing I could do to stop it"
She had waited a while until she noticed her Uncle had not come upstairs to his room that was opposite hers.
Curious and a little worried at what was keeping him she walked back down to the entrance of the inn to see where her Uncle had gotten to and check he was alright. She saw Sandor Clegane at the door of the Inn and sighed in relief.
"Sandor, have you..." Lyra stared in shock and horror as Sandor Clegane pulled the body of Micah from his horse and allowed it to fall to the floor with a sickening thud. She could see a large sword wound running from Micah's abdomen up to his chest. His blue eyes open but lifeless. "You killed him!" Lyra said in disbelief turning her gaze back to the large man. "An unarmed boy!"
"The prince ordered me to. What else was I supposed to do?" Sandor snapped in retaliation.
"Now I see why you were chosen as the Princes guard. I thought you were different from your brother, but you're not, you're just as manic and rabid as he is! You truly are a Clegane" Lyra hissed glaring up at the large man. "You follow the orders of a little boy without question like the obedient attack dog that you are! You're a coward" Lyra snarled before she turned on her heel and began to walk back into the Inn