Cassandra sat on her bed later in the evening, completely deflated from her conversation with Theon. She still struggled to believe that he saw her as a potential bride for him. She knew how things had changed over the past months. She had found herself watching Theon intently, studying his every movement and thinking about him differently whenever they were along together. She also knew he had been watching her, often attempting to flirt whenever he could.

She just knew that nothing could ever work out between the pair of them. Theon was a hostage. His family were considered enemies of the Starks. She could never marry an enemy. There was also simply just the prospect of marriage to Theon in general. She didn't know if she loved him. She didn't know how to love. If she had time then maybe that could change. But her feelings would be wasted.

Huffing, she lay on her back in the darkness before she heard a knock on the door. She groaned, sitting upright and grabbing her robe. She tied it around her body before moving to the door, opening it wide to reveal Robb stood there. Her elder brother looked at her with an arched brow in the darkness.

"What do you want?" Cassandra wondered and Robb pushed his way into the room, leaving Cassandra to close to the door behind him. He set about lighting a few candles which she had doused, preferring to be able to see his sister whilst he had the conversation with her.

"I've just been with father," Robb spoke. "He wanted me to see the ways in which duties were preformed."

"I can only imagine how enthralling that was," Cassandra grumbled, dropping back down onto her bed. She pulled the furs up around her shoulders, hooking her arms over her kneecaps as Robb stood at the foot of the bed.

"Sarcasm is most unbecoming on a Lady of Winterfell," Robb taunted her further. She said nothing to him for a moment, waiting to see if the conversation they were having carried any purpose. "Anyway, it became most interesting when Theon walked in."

Robb watched the colour drain from his sister's cheeks, her head turning to the side as she inhaled a sharp breath and closed her eyes, waiting for her brother to continue speaking to her about what Theon had done.

"He demanded to marry you," Robb declared to her. Cassandra shook her head as Robb sat down next to her, his upper body angled to face her as he did so. She said nothing for a moment, waiting for Robb to continue with his story. "What's going on Cassandra?"

She looked at him as he continued to stare at her, willing for her to shine a light on the odd behaviour which he had just witnessed from Greyjoy. She ran a hand through her black hair, pushing it over her shoulders before sighing loudly.

"Mother kept on talking about marriage when I was having my dress made today," Cassandra admitted. "She told me how I needed to think about finding a lord husband. I panicked and left dinner after Arya commented on my sewing...because I knew I would make a terrible wife...I know I will."

"I doubt that," Robb tried to ease her, but only caused her to worry more.

"Anyway, Theon found me in the Broken Tower...he told me that he would become Lord of the Iron Islands one day...he said he would marry me...save me from a terrible marriage."

Robb said nothing to her, watching her for a moment as a smile of disbelief found its way over her features and she looked into the light of the candle which sat on her fireplace.

"Father told Theon that it could never happen," Robb whispered to her. "Did you want it to happen?"

"I don't love Theon," Cassandra shook her head. "I'm fond of him and care for him. I do not love him."

Robb said nothing for a moment, knowing full well that his sister had begun to fall for Greyjoy. He wasn't a blind fool. He noticed it whenever they were together with each other. Cassandra would often stare at him, watching him intently and allowing her mind to drift.

"You could love him, couldn't you?" Robb checked with her. "If you really wanted to?"

"Possibly," Cassandra whispered to him. "But it doesn't matter. I told Theon that. Why would he go storming to father?"

"You know what he is like. He's Iron born. He's proud," Robb spoke. "Father told him not to be so foolish. He's a hostage."

"He's never been treated like a hostage," Cassandra declared. "You and I both don't see him like that."

"No. You see him in a different light than I do," Robb said to her and she shook her head, looking to her elder brother for a moment. She held her eyes wide open, watching Robb and she knew he was right. She knew he was normally right about most things. He knew her better than she knew herself. Cassandra allowed herself a moment of weakness, her eyes watering as she did so.

"Would it be so bad to marry Theon?" Cassandra whispered to Robb. "I don't want a husband, Robb. I don't want to marry anyone...but...maybe I do like Theon..."

"Cassandra," Robb sighed, moving his hand out to rest on his sister's cheek. She moved closer to him, resting her forehead on Robb's shoulder as he ran his hand down her back softly. "He's a Greyjoy. I know we treat him well...and I know it matters not to us...but he is a Greyjoy."

"How do you stop this, Robb?" she wondered, lifting her chin up to rest on his cloak covered shoulder. He looked down at her as she looked up to him, looking every bit the scared girl she felt. "How do you stop feeling something for someone? Besides, Theon is a...he's rude...obnoxious...sleeps around...hardly husband material."

"It still doesn't stop the fact that you care for him," Robb assured her, softly kissing her forehead before he sat back for a moment.

"What did father say to Theon?" she changed the direction of the conversation. Robb shook his head, a small smirk on his face as he remembered how Theon had acted, demanding Cassandra to be his. He couldn't believe what he had heard.

"He told him to go back to his room and think about what he had asked from him," Robb said softly. "He told him that it was not possible. He went and told mother how Theon had asked to marry you. She was not impressed. You know she isn't fond of Theon."

"She only makes it known to me every day," Cassandra said.

"Father wasn't angry. He was only surprised. Mother wasn't. She sees the way you and Theon are."

"Dear Gods," Cassandra complained. "I should speak to Theon."

"Not tonight," Robb urged her. "He's already in a foul mood. I shall go and talk to him."

"Fine," Cassandra agreed with him. "But make sure that he isn't too mad. I told him not to go to father."

"He's Theon," Robb simply said. "He always thinks he knows best."

"He normally doesn't," Cassandra muttered.

"You should get some sleep, Cass," Robb urged her, squeezing her shoulder tightly before standing up. Cassandra remained in bed, pulling her blankets further up her body again as Robb looked down to her. "We'll talk in the morning. Father and mother wish to see you."

"Brilliant," Cassandra complained to Robb who smirked and closed the door to her room, leaving her in the upcoming darkness. She closed her eyes, willing for sleep to find her. But it didn't come. It never came when she needed it to.

...

Breakfast was a formal occasion in comparison to normal. All of the siblings sat at the long wooden table as per usual, none of them say anything as Eddard and Catelyn took their seats, their eyes fixed on their eldest daughter as she looked down at the bacon in front of her. She continued to stare at it, obviously not hungry in the slightest.

"Robb," Eddard said. "Take your brothers and sisters to their lessons for the day."

"Yes, father," Robb agreed, his hand moving to Cassandra's arm for a moment, squeezing it tightly before standing tall and leading the siblings out from the room. Cassandra didn't bother moving at all. She knew her father would only tell her to sit back down. Catelyn remained opposite her daughter, staring at her with interest as she did so.

"I trust Robb told you what happened last night," Ned said and Cassandra turned to look at her father. She nodded in agreement with what he had said to her, her eyes downcast as she did so.

"Theon was out of order," Catelyn said stiffly. "Making demands that are impossible. Never mind the fact that they are unreasonable. We all know where he spends his nights. He is hardly husband material, is he?"

"He is not a bad man," Cassandra defended him and Ned shook his head. Clearly the issue was graver than he had previously thought. He had hoped that his daughter would be able to get over Theon Greyjoy for he was unsuitable for her.

"Aye, he is not," Ned said. "But he is a Greyjoy."

"He's simply not right for you, Cassandra," Catelyn told her daughter quickly. "There are so many more who would be better for you."

"But I don't know them," Cassandra said. "If you are so persistent in marrying me off then why not give me away to a man who you know will treat me well?"

"Because I will find someone who will do just that," Catelyn promised her daughter. "Besides, Theon would not treat you well. He is far too engrossed in his whorehouse to do that. I want the best for you, Cassandra. He is not the best for you."

"If you say so, mother," Cassandra spoke, annoyance evidentially sneaking into her voice as she did so.

"You are a young girl, Cassandra," Catelyn continued to speak, trying to appease her daughter. "There are many more men who would make you much happier than Theon Greyjoy."

"Is that all?" Cassandra wondered from her mother and father, looking between the pair of them. Catelyn pursed her lips at her daughter's haughty attitude, looking over to her husband who nodded with his eyes closed, his hair falling into his face as he did so.

"Aye," he told Cassandra. "That is all, my sweet girl."

Cassandra moved off from the bench which she had been sat on, walking away from her parents and the main hall. She could hear them bickering from behind her, her mother informing Ned that they should have been stricter on Theon the previous night.

The Stark girl continued walking until she came to the Broken Tower once more. She climbed up it hastily, hoping that it would be deserted when she arrived there. Much to her dismay it wasn't. Theon stood by the window, his cloak around his shoulders as he turned to look at Cassandra. She froze, looking at him for a moment.

"I trust your parents have spoken to you," Theon informed Cassandra. She nodded at him in agreement.

"You shouldn't have gone to father," Cassandra complained to him. "Mother is adamant that you are not good enough."

"And what do you think?"

"You know I think you're plenty good enough," Cassandra replied to Theon.

"Right," Theon said as she moved closer to him. "But that is all there is to it, isn't it? We may as well stop this now."

"Stop what?" Cassandra wondered. "We haven't done anything."

"And would you do anything?" Theon wondered from her. "Hypothetically speaking, if your parents had agreed then would you have agreed to it?"

She remained silent for a moment as Theon stood opposite her, looking down at her as he moved his hand to her waist. He heard a small gasp from her lips, looking down at her as she smiled at the effect he had on her. He grew tired of spending time with Ros. She was good, there was no denying it. But there was something about Cassandra and the innocence which she held. He cared for her.

"Probably," Cassandra said to him, her hands shaking by her sides as Theon moved his other hand to her neck. His fingers curled around her throat, drawing her gaze back to his. "You and I both know that we have acted differently in the past few months. Everyone knows it. But it doesn't matter. I won't run away and nothing can happen."

"Cassandra," Theon spoke and she shook her head, silencing him from saying anymore. He looked at her with intrigue as she moved her hand to his cheek, resting it there and feeling the pale skin. She had never been held by Theon in such a manner. She had never thought anything of it before. But now she was thinking far too much about it.

"I don't want to marry anyone," she spoke and Theon noted the small tear roll down her cheek as she told him. "I don't want to leave Winterfell."

"You can try and delay," Theon urged her. "Your parents love you, Cassandra. Surely they will see that you're not ready."

"I should be," she responded to him. "I am seventeen years of age. I should be ready enough...but I'm not...and even if I was allowed to marry you, I'd be scared."

"I know," Theon told her. "But I would take care of you."

"I know," Cassandra whispered her agreement before she felt herself being drawn closer to Theon. He continued to rest his hands on her hips, holding her tightly as she moved closer to him, standing tall as she reached for Theon's face, cradling his cheeks in her hands as she pressed her lips against his softly. Theon did nothing for a moment, allowing her time before he moved one arm to snake fully around her waist. He splayed his hand on the small of her back, pushing her tighter against him as she allowed one hand to find his hair.

Theon moved faster then, his lips working against hers as he heard her groan against him and he felt something well up inside of him. It was much better than being with Ros, he knew that much. He finally backed her up against the wall, the cold stone hitting her cloak covered back as he moved one hand up her side, resting it on her neck again as his lips moved from her mouth to her cheek, kissing her there before moving downwards to her neck.

"Theon," she moaned his name out. "Theon...we can't...this is wrong..."

"Does it feel wrong?" Theon asked, his lips still working on her neck as she groaned and felt her spine shiver. "Does any of this feel wrong?"

"No," she admitted. "But we can't...we can't do this...it's wrong...Theon...so wrong..."

"Stop talking," Theon urged her, placing both of his hands on her cheeks before kissing her squarely once more. She smiled into the movement, never having felt like this before.

"Cassandra."

Theon stopped for a moment, removing his lips from hers as she rested against the wall. He held her by the waist as they turned to see Robb stood on the top step, his eyes intently focused on them. He clearly had seen what they had been doing.

"Robb," Cassandra said through gasps.

"How long has it been going on?" Robb wondered, his eyes glaring at Theon. He liked his friend. He always had thought of Theon as a brother. But when his hands were on his sister he couldn't help but want to slap the smug smirk from his face.

"What?" Cassandra wondered aloud. "Nothing has been going on, Robb. Honestly, Theon and I...well..."

"Your sister is telling the truth," Theon promised Robb, dropping his hands from her and placing them on his hips. He looked at Robb who continued to glare between the pair of them.

"That better be the truth," Robb warned them intently. Cassandra rolled her eyes and arched a brow, trying not to look too embarrassed at the predicament she found herself in.

"It is," she promised. "What's the matter anyway? There has to be a reason why you're here."

"I knew I'd find you here," Robb said. "Mother wants you. The Hand of the King has died. The King rides to Winterfell."

"Why would he be coming here?" Cassandra wondered.

"I think he wants to ask father to be the Hand of the King," Robb admitted to her and her eyes widened. She knew what that meant. Her father would have to go to King's Landing and rule there.

"I'm going," Cassandra said and she moved. Theon walked behind her, his hand on her back as he went and a smug grin on his face as he did so. Robb ground his teeth together as Cassandra moved past him on the steps. He instantly snatched Theon's wrist away from his sister's back. Cassandra turned around at the sudden loss of contact before Theon glanced at Robb.

"Go to mother," Robb commanded. "I need to talk to Theon."

"Robb-"

"-Go, Cassandra," he cut her off from saying anymore. She sighed loudly, looking back up at Theon who was still staring at Robb with what looked like amusement. She moved away from the scene, Theon and Robb still at the top of the tower.

"Did you not hear what my father said last night?" Robb wondered from Theon.

"I heard loud and clear," Theon said. "He told me to stay away from her."

"And your understanding of that is to come up here and ruin her innocence?" Robb wondered, disgust coursing through his veins. Theon shook his head, pulling his wrist out of Robb's hold and glaring at the boy who he thought of as family.

"I would never do that to her."

"You've done it to many women before," Robb snapped at him.

"But not your sister," Theon said. "Cassandra is not a common whore. I know that."

"Then don't treat her like one," Robb demanded from his friend. "She's a young girl. You know that you cannot be with her. Don't you dare go and break her heart."

"She'd be happy with me," Theon declared fully. "Why can your family not admit that?"

"You know why, Theon," Robb replied in a mutter. "Stay away from her. If you get her hopes up and then destroy them then I won't forgive you."

"And what about my hopes?" Theon wondered from Robb, his voice still harsh and wild. "Don't pretend I'm a part of this family because you know as well as I do that I'm not."

"Don't be silly," Robb said.

"I'm not. I'm being honest," Theon snapped back at Robb.

"Just stay away, Theon," Robb pleaded with him. "For both of your sakes."

Theon held his hands up in surrender, a smug smirk coming over his face as he did so. He walked away from Robb and down the stairs, calling up to him as he left.

"I can try. I cannot say if she will stay away or not."

Robb shook his head, his fingers rubbing along his temples as he heard Theon. He was playing with fire by being with Cassandra. And playing with fire often ended up with burns and scars.

...

A/N: So thank you to those who followed this! Please do let me know what you think. It is moving quite fast but it has to for the future purpose. Anyway, please review!