Robb sat on his horse , his sword and dagger at his belt , his heavy cloak around his shoulders . He looked at Jon and Theon , ready to go either . Only the Asgardians were missing .

"Are they coming or what ?" shouted Theon .

"Patience is a virtue ." replied Ned , riding his horse .

Thessana and Sif emerged from the castle , rode their horses and came towards them .

"The AllFather can't come , he's still tired by the journey we made . But the princes are coming . " declared Sif , bowing her head to Ned .

"I hope the AllFather will get better Lady Sif ." he said , a hint of worry in his voice .

"A little rest and his magic will be back ."

Ned looked at Thessana , who had spoken softly and smiled at her . She smiled back and then , at Jon . Both sisters were wearing leather trousers , tunics , crimson for Sif , emerald for Thessana . Sif only had breastplate and a sword . Thessana was only wearing her black cloak with fur at the collar and had a bow and a quiver full of arrows on her back . Robb noticed a dagger tied around her left thigh . Thor and Loki arrived , minutes later , not even apologising for being late . And they all left in the woods .

"We're going to divide in small groups . If we stay together we'll do too much noises and the preys will flee . " declared Ned , looking at his riders . Mainly young boys , being too excited for their own sake .

"Who goes with who ?" asked Thor .

"I let you choose your grace ."

"I don't want the bastard . No offence , Ned ." said Loki , in a cold tone .

"I'll go with Jon ."

Everybody looked at Thessana , who rode next to Jon and waited there . She looked at Loki , anger in her eyes .

"Hogun you'll go with them . Robb and Theon with two riders . Loki , Sif and Fandral . Ned , Volstagg and me . "

Thessana went silent as they rode , Jon by her side , Hogun behind them .

"Why did you stand for me ?"

"Because he's a prick . A royal prick . You're a human being . Nobody should talk to you like that . Never ."

"Thanks … "

"Do not thank me for this .."

"The riders will talk … About how you chose me over Robb .."

"Let them talk then . I don't think Robb would want me by his side anyway . "

"You're wrong . Trust me .."

"Trust you … We should let the horses there and keep walking instead . We're making far too much noises . Hogun ?"

"You're right Thess . Let stop here , I'll watch the horses . I don't feel like hunting today ."

"Fine .. Come on Jon ." she said , taking her bow in her hand . Jon followed her as she went deep into the woods . The sun was completely hidden now and cold made them shiver .

"I can't imagine how winter is ..."

"I never saw it neither . It ended as I was a baby . "

"You're here since your childhood ?"

"Yes I don't know my real mother . Father brought me here as I was a baby . But Lady Stark never welcomed me . I can understand her … I am the living proof her husband cheated on her ..."

"So what ? You were a motherless child . It'd cost nothing to love you .. Specially since she had Robb around the same time .."

"And Theon was brought centuries after as we were children . "

"I wish you the best anyway .."

"Same for you ..."

She smiled at him but it faded away as she looked at her right . The second after she was running through the woods , silently , half bent . Jon followed behind , trying to be as silent as her . He saw her taking her dagger and throw it then heard a scream . He came out of behind a tree to see Theon , a dagger holding his cloak against a tree , a rider half crying next to him .

"Are you fine ?" asked Thessana as she kneeled in front of the kid .

"Ye .. Yes .."

"You could have killed me !"

"Trust me Greyjoy . If I wanted to kill you , you'll be dead right now . "

Robb came out the woods , squirrels in his bloody hands . He looked at the scene , frowning .

"What did happen ?"

"He was threatening the kid ." said Thessana , taking back her dagger , letting Theon go .

"What?"

"You heard well . Threatening to kill him . "

"So what ? I don't see in what it's your business !" replied Theon .

"Do you hear yourself ? Gods .."

"She's right Theon . What's your problem? He's a child ..." whispered Robb , shocked .

"Oh so now you let your dick talk for you , Stark ?"

Theon was projected against a tree . Robb looked at Thessana . She had green sparkles in her right hand and was looking at Theon with rage .

"Talk to him like that one more time and I swear on my honor , you are a dead man Greyjoy ."

"Witch ..." he muttered and left quickly .

"I thought we were here to hunt ..."

Robb looked at her , opening and closing his mouth and finally laughed . Thessana cocked an eyebrow but then smiled at him .

"You're so weird ."

"Is that how you speak to a woman Stark ?"

"No , only to the ladies .. Shall we hunt ?"

"That's what I was doing when your friend acted like a moron ."

"I'll take the rider to Hogun ." said Jon , leaving Robb and Thessana alone .

They looked at each other and laughed again . They resumed their walk , in silence . But it wasn't an awkward silence . It was peaceful and they both enjoyed it . Robb noticed as she walked in front of him that her left leg wasn't carrying her weight . At each step her knee was bending . Slightly but if one focused it was visible .

"Thor ."

"What?" said Robb , lost .

"I noticed you were watching my leg . It's because of Thor ."

"How ?"

"Do you always speak with only a word or you can actually make full sentences ? Joking . It's a long story ."

"I have the whole day . Even food ." he said , showing the squirrels .

"My leg hurt and I did not eat this morning ."

"Perfect then . There is a small lake over there . Can you walk a little further ?"

"Yes .."

He led the way and after several minutes , they stopped at the edge of a frozen lake . He took his dagger as she sat on the cold ground and looked at him as he skinned one of the squirrels then made a hole in the ice .

"I can make fire ."

"With magic ?"

"Yes ..." with a snap of fingers a flame appareared on the branches he had gathered .

"Do you know where's your magic come from ?"

"I thought you wanted to hear how Thor hurt my leg ."

"Right , first this one then about your magic ."

He put the squirrel on the fire and looked at her . She wrapped herself tighter with her cloak and looked at the fire .

"When we were younger , Loki , Thor and I used to play in a field where Mjolnir was . Several times , the AllFather told us to not go there , that it was dangerous . That if the hammer recognized his master in one of the boys , the two others will probably suffer injuries . It was a warm day but wind was blowing so we decided to play at fake war . Loki was laying , injured on the ground , pretending to be in a pool of blood . I was running after Thor and he hide behind Mjolnir ..."

"And it recognized him..."

"And it recognized him . The moment the grip was in his hand , thunder struck the hammer and Thor himself but he was protected . Loki , being far from it , only got deaf for a few days and he fainted on the moment . Thor got nothing . Not even a little scratch . But since I was right next Thor , thunder struck me too . I had the time to turn to protect my face but my left shoulder was touched . Apparently a nerve was destroyed but Eir , the best healer in Asgard , succeed in healing it . At first , I couldn't even walk . It was hurting as hell , couldn't move my left side , feeling nothing . But I worked hard and now it's almost normal . But the worst in it , it's that he did not even apologise .. Nothing ."

"I'm sure he meant to .."

"I don't think so . As long as he's not injured he doesn't care that much . But that's Thor .."

"Well .. I am sorry for it . But I'm glad you're feeling well now . Maybe I could catch a glimpse of how good hunter you are ."

"If we find anything ..."

"Since you told me something about your childhood … "

"Oh you don't have to … It's not like I confess something and you have to do it back ."

"I want to .." a smile soften his face and he looked at the horizon .

"I'm listenning then .."

He said nothing but rubbed his hands , worriedly . She burried her head in her fur , trying to warm herself . She was freezing and it seemed even colder . She looked at the grey sky and frowned . She felt something around her shoulders and saw that Robb had wrapped her shoulders with his own cloak .

"Aren't you cold ?"

"Less than you obviously .."

"What if you die because you're frozen ?"

"Then you'll be free to marry the person you want I guess .." he said in a soft voice , sitting next to her .

"I don't wish your death .. I am not that weird .."

"I tried to kill Jon when I was a child .."

She looked at him with wide eyes . She was looking stupid , she knew it but she couldn't do anything else . She knew each words , understood them but together , it didn't make any sense .

"I sound like a monster … But let me explain ..."

He looked at her and saw that she was confused . He smiled sadly and looked at his feet .

"I was raised with the simple idea that one day I would rule Winterfell . Everybody was telling me how much I looked like the Tullys with my pale complexion , dark hair and blue eyes … And then Jon grew up . He looked exactly like my father . The same features . As good with swords as him . It killed me .. Jealousy was eating me alive . I was supposed to be Lord of Winterfell and I felt like Jon could take my place even if he wasn't a real Stark . So I went to the Godswood and prayed . Again and again and again . Praying that Jon would die . And quickly . One day , he felt sick . Really sick . Maester Luwin said to my parents that he'll not spend the week … The two first days it felt like I was blessed by the Gods and nothing could stop me . During the night , on the second day , I went to his room . And I saw my mother at his side . She was crying silently , making a prayer wheel for the Faith of the Seven . It's the first time I saw her in this state for Jon . She was caring for him . The day after , I followed her to the Godswood and I heard her pray . She was pleading the Gods to let Jon live . That she made a mistake by asking them to make him die . That if he survived this sickness , she would love him . She would ask my father to give him the Stark name and that she would raise him and love him as her own child . You have to understand that my mother hated Jon . So when I saw her doing this , I understood my mistake . Once she was gone , I prayed for Jon's safety . That i'll be the best brother for him . And he lived . My mother did not honor her words but I did ..."

He looked up at Thessana and saw that she was crying . Tears were rolling on her cheeks and she hadn't notice . With his fingers , he softly wiped her tears over her smooth skin . He had tears in his own eyes , on the edge of falling but he did nothing .

"We should go back in the woods , if you feel well . Let's hope we'll find something ." he said with a strong voice , standing and taking the cooked squirrel , giving her some parts .

They walked back in the woods while eating , in silence . Thessana did not know what to say . She never faced a situation like that , was never taught to find the right answer for someone who confessed wanting the death of his own brother . But her instinct knew what to do before her mind could think about it . She grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers . He did not took his hand off but instead held her hand tighter . They walked like that for several minutes until they heard a muffled noise . He took his sword slowly as she took her bow . She muttered the word 'deer' and left to his right . He saw the deer too and looked at how focused she was . How her fingers were relaxed against the bow but strong against the string . She stopped breathing and let the arrow go . The deer felt dead , the arrow in his eye .

"People did not lie about your skills ."

"Why would they ?"

"To boost your self-confidence ."

"My self-confidence is on top Stark . Let the deer . "

The animal vanished in the air and they resumed their walk back to where Ned told them to reunite .

"Can I do this ?" asked Robb , suddenly interested .

"Do what ?"

"Have magic .."

"No . Impossible ."

"Why ? You think I am not strong enough to handle it ?"

"It's not a question of strength . You're born with magic or not , that's all . You can't learn it . "

"Who teached you to control it ?"

"Queen Frigga ..."

"After the AllFather found you? I overheard yesterday .."

"I know . I can feel your aura when you're around .. And yes . Odin took me to the Palace and since Loki had magic too she decided to be our teacher . But he's better than me . He can heal people and other useful things . I only know the basics and how to protect or attack . "

"I find that kind of useful .."

"Yes but what if you're hurt and you need to be healed in the next minutes or you'll die . I couldn't do anything ."

"Teleportation ?"

"Good Stark … More clever than I thought .."

"Oh thank you for that . Really nice .. "

"I know I am the nicest person alive ."

"Can I ask you a personnal question ?"

"I think we're over the step of asking for permission .."

"Right .. You never tried to find informations about your family ?"

"I did try . But impossible to find anything . It's like they never existed .. That's weird because I don't have any memories of them or how it is to be loved by a mother and a father . It seems so strange when I see the love Frigga bears for her sons . When I was younger I used to cry myself to sleep , praying to know one day how it feels to be loved . Really loved . Then the idea just faded away and I just stopped caring for this kind of things . Instead I focused on my skills . Bow , sword , dagger , bare hand fight , magic , study . Everything . But even if I do not care about having parents anymore I still have this void in me . All the things I've done to be busy and occupy my mind did not fill it ..."

"Have you tried to find informations in this realm ? I know that my uncle knew your parents . He's dead but I know he kept record of everything . With some research , I maybe can find something ..."

"Spare your time , really . It doesn't matter anymore now ."

Robb looked at her , sadness in his eyes . After those moments spent with her , he realised that he liked her . It wasn't love . It was impossible to love someone after a single day . But he definitely cared . Both had lived tough moments in their lives and her past was making him aware of how much a person could hide behind a polite smile . He wanted to protect her and make her happy .

Thessana felt Robb's stare on her back but she did not say anything . She never imagined that he was capable to think or do things like he did to Jon . But that's what made him sweet and lovable . They went in silence to their horses and met Ned and the others right after .

"How was the hunt kids ?" asked Ned , smiling .

"We got squirrels and a deer . "

"They're already in Winterfell ."

"Well done you two . We should go now .."

Loki looked at her and was surprised by her silences and her quick glances to the Stark boy . Who was doing the exact same thing . Eventually , he rode next to her and he smiled at her . She did the same and they started to talk . They even laughed loudly several times , making Loki angry . He wanted to kill him , to make him suffer . The sight of Winterfell was a relief for him .

Robb and Thessana kept talking next to their horses , planning to go later in the library to seek a book about old stories . She noticed that Robb's expression grew worried as he saw Maester Luwin half walking , half running towards them . Or more precisely towards Ned . He gave him a message and Robb went to his father .

"The dwarves of the realm of Nidavellir declared war to Asgard . All the Asgardians need to go back to their realm now . Order of the AllFather ." said Ned , looking directly at Robb and Thessana .