Willam eyed the visitors from the South with amazement and awe, from the shining white cloaks of the Kingsguard to seeing the banner of the Crowned Stag of Baratheon.
His smile however faded slightly when he, like his brothers and sisters saw the King.
From the stories, King Robert Baratheon was a man with the strength of ten grown men and had the physic to go with it. Instead, the King was large or slightly smaller than Lord Manderly by a stone or six with a thick black beard and not so menacing as Nan's tale about the Demon of the Trident.
"That's your namesake, brother." He joked quietly but got a scolding look from his father and mother, Robb also secretly pinched his side as payback for the jest, "Ow!" He winced and Sansa shook her head in disapproval.
Willam kept watch as a large wagon stopped and the rest of the royal family exited it.
The Queen was indeed a beautiful woman, regal in appearance with golden locks. The daughter was as well, and genuinely seemed excited to see Winterfell. The youngest son was a small lad, like Bran or Rickon and a wooden knight in his hand.
Willam saw the King's oldest son atop a horse, and his first impression wasn't a good one with how the Crown Prince looked at Sansa who appeared to be utterly smitten, "Twat." Robb said under his breath and he agreed, a royal twat at that.
The King, with some assistance, dismounted and marched up to his father, a hand comfortably resting on the pummel of a sword. A quiet stare-down ensued before the King talked, "You got fat!" Father responded by giving a gestured nod to the King's own belly.
Now, he expected a vehement fight or a quarrel of words but not his father and the King laughing and embracing one another like the old friends that he and his siblings were told of. "Gods I missed you, Ned. Where in the Seven Hells have you been?"
"Protecting the North for you, your grace. Winterfell is yours." Father told his Grace who went to greet Mother, the Queen approached with her children and held out her hand which his father took and placed a gentle kiss upon the ruby, "My Queen."
"Ah, you must be Robb." The King shook his older brother's hand, "And you are Willam?" He nodded yes, his Grace followed the line to Sansa, "You're a pretty one. Oh, and your name is?" Arya introduced herself and finally, the King got to Bran, "Show us your muscles. Haha, you'll be a soldier."
The King and Queen would take a moment to introduce Crown Prince Joffrey, Princess Myrcella, and young Prince Tommen to him and his siblings. Whereas Myrcella and Tommen were excited to be here, Joffrey seemed as uninterested as he and Robb thought.
Willam assumed they'd all go inside and settle down, especially after such a long journey from the South but instead, the King looked to his father, "Ned, take me to your crypt. I wish to pay my respects."
Father reluctantly did so, walking towards the King till the Queen spoke against it. "We were on the road for a month, my love." Robert looked at his wife with irritation in his clear blue eyes, "I am sure the dead can wait." His Grace ignored the Queen and left with Willam's father entering the crypt.
"Look, it's Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer," Arya called out and they turned to see the youngest knight of the Kingsguard remove his helm. "Where's the Imp?" His sister wondered.
Willam saw the Queen cringe at the mention, leaving to go inside with Prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella.
Jon sighed, "That wasn't what I expected."
Robb chuckled, shaking his head, "No it wasn't what anyone expected."
It all was a little underwhelming, to be honest. "I didn't know his Grace was so, so... " No, it would be inappropriate to slander the King in this way.
"So fat!" Theon finished and he kicked the Greyjoy's leg, "Ow, you little." Willam laughed running away from Theon.
A few hours later, the welcoming feast began and his family formed with the King's own but each escorting one of the others.
His grace led hand in hand with his Mother, then his Father led the Queen. Robb walked with Princess Myrcella, and he actually flew alone so he asked Arya to accompany him which she reluctantly did so. Behind followed his sister, escorted by the Crown Prince and then Bran and Tommen, and lastly was little Rickon.
The hall was abuzz with laughing and music, the King shone why he was so good at making friends and eventually chose to feast with the ones below the dais where they all sat... Apart from Jon.
Before the feast, Willam asked Jon if he wanted him to bow out and sit with him but his brother said no, "Go and be with the others brother, I'll be just fine." Jon said as the night came.
Willam doubted this, because looking down to the back he saw Jon and his brother looked miserable which made him feel terrible. "Mother?" He called, "I am going to bring Swiftrunner some food."
"Alright but don't tarry too long, go on."
Getting up with his plate of food, he walked down from the dais and was caught on the arm by Robb, "Where are you going?" He was asked and he gestured to the back, his elder brother got the reasoning and went back to laughing with Theon.
He spotted Jon talking to their uncle Benjen who had just arrived from the far North, Willam once upon a time admired the Watch and what his uncle did as the First Ranger but after all the deserters the dream has become stale.
"I'll never father a bastard! Never!" He stopped as Jon tried to storm off but the ale and wine he was drinking caused him to trip and fall down, embarrassed and red in the face he watched Jon get up and run with Ghost following behind.
It was then when his uncle spotted him, "By the Gods, how you've grown. How are you, Will?"
"Good, Uncle, better even." He said and changed the topic, "What was that about?" His question made Benjen hesitant.
"Don't worry about it, your brother simply needs a nice feathered bed. Now come, help me find your father, I daresay he must be nervous with so many lions about." He chuckled but was a little more worried about Jon who seemed more than just drunk, he was angry.
Yet despite this, he turned from the door and followed his uncle in search of his father.
They ended up locating him at the far back near the dais, talking to Ser Jaime Lannister about tourneys and Willam noticed in the way his father looked at the Queen's brother that he had no love for him.
A smile overtook the frown his father was wearing when Jaime left and Benjen embraced his brother after some time away.
He might have stayed if not for someone taking his hand, turning around he saw it was Jeyne Poole.
Jeyne is the daughter of Lord Vayon Poole, the steward of Winterfell and a friend of his sister Sansa. She's pretty with brown eyes and long dark hair tied into a bun, "Will, I was wondering if you wish to dance?"
Always kind and polite, Willam adored that about her, "Of course, Jeyne. Come on." Taking her hand he led her to the floor where others were doing the same as the musicians began to play 'The Bear and the Maiden Fair', a favorite of his brother Robb and Theon.
As they danced, she talked as well, "Sansa can't stop blushing over the sweet Prince," Jeyne said as they twirled to the beat of the drums, getting just a little closer with each step.
Willam unconsciously grumbled, "Prince Twat is more like it." Immediately regretting and seeing a shocked face on his sisters' friend he tried to mend what he said aloud, "Sorry, Mother would have my tongue for saying anything about our guests."
Jeyne hummed a response, "Sansa says that the King offered Joffrey as a husband to her, but your Lord Father hasn't given a response to it nor the offer of Hand." Hand of the King? Gods, look at him, gossiping like a woman.
He knew there was more than simply visiting that the King came North, yet he didn't know that the King wanted to wed his sister to the Crown Prince. He took a glance at the Prince who made ogling eyes at Sansa, and Willam grumbled again.
Concentrating on the two, Willam quickly noticed how close he and Jeyne were together and a blush rose in his own cheeks, "Y- You're pretty tonight, Jeyne." He said trying to stay composed.
"Thank you, Will... I'm glad you think so." She said sweetly, smiling, and looked all too adorable.
His Father and Mother bore six children, four sons, and two daughters. It wouldn't be too much to think he and Jeyne could marry, the only thing that could stop the union would be the station in that House Poole has no lands, and are a lesser bloodline compared to the offers his family must get from across the North.
As the music transitioned into a more calmer beat, Willam took the chance to step back but offered Jeyne a bow but the moment was cut short by the sounds of Sansa screaming, "Oh no... " Jeyne said and she wasn't wrong in saying so.
Arya flung what looked like stew at Sansa's face and was smeared on her dress, "Go ahead, she needs you." He said as Robb pulled their younger sister up from the table and down the hall to bed.
The feast died down much after this, and after finishing his one cup of wine he did what he said he as going to do and bring some food to his wolf and for the others too. Opening the kennel doors, he walked down and saw each pup sleeping next to the other.
"Here you go, plenty of tasty food." The pup's tails wagged happily and within minutes the bowl was cleaned out.
The next morning, Willam was walking around with Swiftrunner and teaching him some fanciful etiquette as Sansa said.
"Sit?" He asked, the wolf tilted its head like he said something offensive, "Sit, boy." He commanded this time but the pup simply went into play but that wasn't what he wanted.
"Trying to teach your dog?"
Turning around he saw one of the Queen's brothers, not the Knight but the Imp.
"You're the Queen's little brother." He said and regretted it quickly, "I mean younger brother, not little as in you being small or, uh... Sorry." the man laughed and approached whilst keeping a wary eye on his pup.
"No apologies needed, I am used to it." Bowing his head, the brother of the Queen continued, "I'm Tyrion Lannister, and you are?"
"Willam Stark, my father's second-born son." He said to the man who nodded.
"Ah, or third-born if you count your other brother? I met him last night, a broody young man if I say so myself." Willam slowly acknowledged that as being true but it is debated to many, his mother included if she had heard what Tyrion said.
"Jon is but he is a good person, he just wasn't in a very good mood at the feast last night." Tyrion stayed a distance from Swiftrunner, it made him crack a smile. "The pup is good-natured, I see you had an impression of Ghost, my Lord?" It was assumed as Ghost was the only wolf running around last night.
"Oh yes, the white one is truly a marvel." His lordship says and gently pats the head of Swiftrunner who greets Tyrion by licking his hand, "Smell the bacon I had, huh? Here you go." Tyrion pulls a piece out of his pocket and Willam's wolf eagerly devours it. "Winterfell is truly a wonder, and meeting Jon was an intriguing exchange. He had some issues with his bastardy but I told him to ignore it, instead make it his shield."
"Thank you, my Lord. Jon, outside of anyone here at Winterfell doesn't pay much care or attention to him." Willam took a deep breath and felt the cool air comfort his cheeks, "My Lord? Might I ask you something?"
"Only if you have coin?" He lifted his eye in surprise, "Joking. No, ask me and I shall try to answer."
"You're from the South, seen castles and all their majesty. My question is are they as majestic, or do Nan's stories lie?" Walking, the two of them plus Swiftrunner began walking towards the great hall.
"Mighty, the Rock where I call home is thrice the size of the Wall but I have yet to compare. King's Landing is a fairly large city, fun if you know where to be."
Willam smiled, "What about the Iron Throne?" Tyrion stopped and had to scratch his chin a moment.
"The ugliest, sharpest chair in the world, an asymmetric monstrosity of spikes and jagged edges and twisted metal. I daresay wonder how his grace manages to climb those steps without fear of tripping and falling to his death." Amazing, it sounds like everything he has read about in Luwins library. "You have an eye to wander, Willam? A wolf traveling the road to distant lands?"
"No, but I might when I am grown. Actually, I was hoping to go South one day and serve the King on his Small Council." Not Joffrey's Small Council but Robert's if his grace lives long enough for him to attempt.
Tyrion actually seemed impressed by his desire to work for the King, "You should, perhaps try for something closer to home. The Game has a habit of chewing up the uninitiated."
"I'm not afraid, but thanks for the advice." He said trying to hide the discouraging comment.
The sounds of fighting caught both of their attentions then, and investigating the yard Willam saw Ser Rodrik and his brothers and the royal sons among others from the House and the King's retinue.
"Why not join your peers for some training, Lord Willam?" Tyrion suggested but he shook his head no. "Not a very good fighter? I believe my brother was a proficient fighter when he was your age, how old are you?"
Scoffing, Willam rolled his eyes, "I'm four and ten, and I'm not terrible just... I'm just used to using my brain than using a sword."
"Truly? Hmm, you might just be up for a game, then?"
Yes, he's more than ready.
Review Replies
Suppes1, I cannot specify pairing at the moment.
Flame Wolfe, Thank you. I hope this one was good as well.