CHAPTER FOUR - ANTLERS, CLAWS, AND PELTS

DISCLAIMER - I don't own game of thrones, these were a part of an idea that I had during history class so yeah. Please continue to read, and follow and favorite if you like this! Also please review! Thank you! Valar Morghulis. I thought that I would give this a go without using as many perspectives and the reason why I didn't give Lara a direwolf was because I felt like it wasn't necessary for what I have planned for her.

Tomorrow was the day where King Robert Baratheon was expected to arrive at Winterfell. Everything was meant to be perfect, the feast, and the royal company was to be given the best guest chambers in Winterfell.

Ned was sitting beneath the weirdwood tree of Winterfell, polishing Ice, the ancestral weapon of House Stark. This was his place for peace.

"You wanted to see me?" a female voice came from his right. He turned around and saw it was Lara Stark, with average height and striking pale hair.

"Yes, sit down," Ned said, turning back his view to Ice.

Lara smiled appreciatively, and made her way to sit on a large rock near him. She adjusted the skirts of her blush-colored dress, so she could sit down comfortably.

Ned looked at her sadly, every day she was the reminder of Lyanna and Rhaegar. Then he began to talk.

"Robert's coming here, you know that don't you?" he said. Lara nodded and looked at him sharply, she knew what the King's visit meant.

"You should decline the position uncle," she said, "the last time a Stark went south, she was kidnaped, and the other one watched his father burned while being strangled to death." Her eyes were bitter, she stared into the waters in front of her.

Ned could notice the anger she had. He smiled sadly, offering her a bit of comfort.

"No, you're wrong," Ned said, and Lara looked confused. He looked at her eyes and said, "the last time a Stark went south, he avenged his brother and father," telling her of himself, and she smiled.

"But he couldn't save his sister," Ned said, looking hard on the grass beneath him, he was telling the girl about her real mother. Lara looked at him sadly, she felt like she could feel his sorrow. She pitied her uncle, suddenly everything had become his burden. His position, his bastard son, and she felt that she has become a burden to him as well.

"But you found me," Lara said quietly, "you brought me and Jon home."

Ned looked at her and smiled. He grabbed her head, and kissed her forehead. She was such a sweet person, trying to look at the bright side of everything, passionate and caring, much like Lyanna.

He released her and stood up. Putting Ice back into its sheath.

"I should warn you," Ned said.

Lara raised her eyebrows, she was confused. She put her hands on her lap, maintaining her posture. "About what?"

"About Robert," Ned replies.

"Am I a threat to him?" Lara asked, bearing a worried expression on her face.

"No," Ned assured her, "I'm sure he will be nice with you. He knew your father, and he knew your… aunt."

Lara looked at Ned for protection, she was nervous about this matter. "Is it because… I look like her?"

Ned looked at her, and opened his hand, which she accepted. She stood up, meeting face to face with him.

"Yes… and your hair," Ned said.

"It's silver," Lara replied proudly, but then she doubted herself and looked worried than ever, "like the Targaryens."

Ned held her chin and gave looked at her as if they were father and daughter, "it's going to be all right Lara, no one will harm you, not even a king."

Lara gave him a small smile, "You mean a fat king." Ned looked at her, his eyes soft as fog. Then they both laughed.

The next morning, Lara had a maid helped her into a dark grey colored dress, she had worked on the embroidery for days. Her skills with the needle wasn't as good as Sansa, instead of learning how to sew, she was the one to ride horses and read. Her dress was adorned with direwolf embroideries, she truly looked like a northerner.

Then she had her hair tied into a braid. The maid handed her the leather black gloves as she was tying her cloak lined with fur pelts. After she accepted her gloves, she nodded at the maid who gave her a curtsy before leaving her to her own company in her chambers. She put on her gloves, and looked at her own reflection in the mirror.

I looked like my uncle's niece, she thought proudly. A true northerner stood before her, and she felt good about her appearance.

Then there was a knock on her door that startled her.

"Who is it?" she shouted.

"Jon Snow, my lady, King Robert's party is near," his half-cousin said.

"Come in," she replied.

Then the door opened. There he was, Jon Snow. The bastard looked properly neat himself, hair trimmed and dress in the same manner as she does. Lara walked closer to him, with raised eyebrows. Then she eyed him up and down.

He looks handsome, she shamelessly thought. What in the seven hells are you thinking, Lara Stark.

Jon eyed her up and down too, until his eyes met her challenging ones. Then he looked down at his feet.

"You look neat," Lara said, Jon then looked at her face, with solemn yet gleeful eyes.

"Was that a compliment?" he teased, and Lara blushed slightly.

"Don't flatter yourself Jon," she rolled her eyes, brushing his shoulder as she made her way out of the room. Jon crossed his arms and chuckled, then he followed her.

"You look good Lara," he declared, and Lara smirked. She was pleased by his choice of words, then in a second she decided it was not good enough.

"You should try better Jon," Lara said.

Jon frowned at her answer, then he attempted to be at the same speed with her, walking at her side.

"You look beautiful."

Lara stopped at her track, and turned her view to Jon. Jon looked down at her, and gazed at her face. They were inappropriately apart. She felt like their faces could touch with just a push on the back. This feels nice, she thought.

She smiled, "better."

Then Jon shifted as footsteps were heard. He sighed.

"We should get going," he said.

Lara look unsettled, and straighten her cloak, "right."

Then they both walked to the courtyard together. Lara was beside Jon as he stood beside Theon who gave a stare at Lara. Jon leaned in to whisper at Lara, "your place is beside Sansa and Robb."

Lara looked at him worried, "but what about you?" she complained.

Jon gave her a push on the arm, "I'll be behind you, I promise," he whispered. Then, Lara gave him a trusting nod, and resumed her position between Robb and Sansa.

Robb nodded at Lara's appearance, and Sansa looked at her as if she was a princess. "You look like a beauty," Sansa smiled sweetly.

And Lara smiled at her, thanking her compliment. Then there was Arya, who had a helmet on her head, and she scoffed as uncle Ned told her to take it off.

Then, the party came in. Led by a knight with a Kingsguard armor, followed by a blonde-haired smug looking boy who was eyeing her and a person near her, she wasn't sure it was Sansa nor Robb. But then she turned her glance at Sansa, who was blushing nastily.

Then, a huge carriage, and more horses. Then there he was, King Robert Baratheon. Sitting atop of his steed, he was certainly bloated, face red. Lara bowed low as she saw her uncle bowed from the corner of my eyes. She looked hard on the ground, feeling nervous.

Everyone stood up, so did she, with an expressionless face.

"You've gotten fat," the king spat at my uncle. Then she rolled her eyes quietly.

They laughed and the King began to greet Aunt Cat with a big bear hug and ruffled Rickon's head. He shook hands with a stern-looking Robb and then his gaze went to my face.

Lara's POV

I gulped as he was making his way in front of me, I looked at him, raising my eyebrow slightly, out of being nervousness. Then I decided to curtsy. He was not moving away from me, and he looked at me with the angriest yet saddest pair of eyes that I've ever seen.

"Lyanna," he murmured as he shook his head.

"Name," he demanded.

"Lara of House Stark, surviving daughter of Brandon Stark," I said proudly.

"Wipe that pride of your tone, girl," he hissed, "what's with your hair?" He looked at me, not very pleased, then he was going to move over to Sansa.

"Targaryens," he reminded himself quietly. Then, I felt blood rushing to my neck, and I was unstoppable.

"It's my mother's Your Grace, she gave me this color," I hissed back. Then he sharply turned his head to me and squinted his eyes demanding me to finish my sentence.

"I would 'ave killed myself if I shared their blood," I said quietly, hard as stone.

I turned my head to my uncle, and I felt guilty as there was a look of horror within his face as well as Aunt Cat's behind him. I could feel Robb giving me looks from the side of his eye. I lowered my head as I finished my sentence, feeling ashamed for being brave.

Then, the king laughed and looked at my father, "just like Brandon!" he said with wide eyes.

"Maybe there's were your wolf's blood had gone Ned! Right in Brandon's seed," Robert roared, and my uncle laughed as he looked at me.

I'm going to be in trouble, I thought.

Then I felt the king's gaze at me once more, "Aye, you've got a she-wolf in your home! and a damn gorgeous one too," he said to uncle.

Then he continued to look at the other of the Stark family, and I let out my breath, feeling relieved.

Then there was the queen, Cersei Lannister.

Lara thought she was a beauty, but a cold one. She decided she shouldn't stare, as her scene with the king was enough trouble.

She stood there as her uncle kissed the queen's hand, and she watched Jaime Lannister took of his helmet. Lara stared at him, she thought he was handsome. What she didn't know is that Jon noticed how she stared at Jaime Lannister, and he decided to keep his jealousy to himself.

Jaime Lannister finally looked at her, then she looked away shyly, hiding the embarrassed blush on her cheek.

As her uncle and the King left to the crypts, Sansa, and lady Catelyn immediately warmed up and become gracious hosts to the queen and the princess Myrcella, and the rest of their company.

Lara then went to Jon's side, as he looked bitterly noticeable to Lara.

"What's wrong?" she asked nicely.

Then Jon, looked at her, and looked at his feet.

"Nothing," he mumbled, then he looked at Jaime Lannister who just got off his horse.

"Why don't you flock to Jaime Lannister's side now?" he ordered.

Lara looked at him and scoffed, she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at Jon.

"Are you serious?" she asked, which Jon replied with quietness, "the Kingslayer?" she said once more to get his attention, as she stole a glance at Jaime Lannister.

"Yes," Jon said immediately, with an irritating tone, "the handsome blonde Kingslayer."

Lara scoffed once more, as she noticed Theon was paying attention to their conversation now.

"I can't believe it," she said, amused.

"You're jealous."

Jon raised an eyebrow at her, with the usual solemn expression on his face, "am not."

Then Lara replied with a casual smolder, challenging him.

"I am many things, cousin," Jon said, "but jealous isn't one of them."

"Of course," she teased.

Jon looked irritated, then he said, "well go on now," then Jon looked to the view in front of him. Lara's gaze followed him, as she saw the Kingslayer was looking at her with inviting eyes.

"Perhaps I should go for the prince," she teased. Then she leaned into her left side.

"You're so jealous," she whispered into his neck, then she walked elegantly to join Sansa and Catelyn. There were shivers down his spine, tensing up at her words.

Please review, leave a comment on what should happen next!

- The name for this chapter is because of the houses finally meets, leading the beginning of the clash between houses. As we all know, these houses are the greater houses within westeros, and the analogy for it is because we all know what a stag is capable of doing to a direwolf (S1, discovering direwolf pups) and what the lannisters can do (Castamere). Thus, somewhat equal brute forces, trying to dig their way into their opponents in this game, some could die, while the others survives. And what's left of their houses is like what's left of the dead animal that represent the sigils.