Author's Note : Woo! Here I am giving yet another chapter in the same week. I feel like I am on a roll, and I hope it keeps on going. Big shout out to Bella-swan11 for being the first to review! It was lovely and I am so happy that my OC is getting some love, so thank you so so much!
One thing I would like to address, since a friend of mine brought it up to me off-site, would be the Alys x Robb dynamic, please remember that the time period that GOT/ASOIAF is based on is the 1400's and in that time it was perfectly normal for cousins to either have relationships or marry. It was only considered incest to be involved with a parent or direct sibling. This is also where the term 'kissing cousins' comes from.
So with that said you will get a better glimpse into the relationship between Robb and Alys. Now onto the chapter!
"What do you think they will be like?" Alysanne asked to her eldest cousin as she threw another stone into the pond that sat before the Heart Tree in the Godswoods. She was as the ripples fan out, growing wider with each passing second. She couldn't help but think that the ripples were like the King's journey to the North. One sudden, instant event was causing effects so far away from where they started. News of Jon Arryn's death came the day the deserter had been executed and ever since Winterfell had been in a state of mild panic to prepare for the royal visit.
Robb looked to his cousin and shrugged uninterested, "I don't think it truly matters. They'll get here and stay for a couple weeks maybe a month or two then they'll go back to their shinny southern capital and all will be as it was." He responded dryly.
"What does it matter what they are like?" Robb then turned and asked her.
"Oh come off it Robb." The brunette said as she threw another small stone. "The King is not coming to look at the scenery, he is coming to take your father back with him, make him Hand of the King. Are you ready to be Lord of Winterfell?" she said and turned her head to look at him and saw him smirk as he looked down at his own hands.
"You forget that even if my father goes south, yours will still be here." He countered to her question and Alysanne had to roll her eyes.
"But you are heir of Winterfell and practically a man grown. My father may aid and guide you but you will be the Lord in charge." She then told him, Alysanne knew her father, though he loved the realm, cared not for governing over the North.
Robb then stole a rock from beside her and threw it to the pond, a despondent sigh escaped him.
"I do not think I am ready…" he admitted lowly to her.
"You are." Alysanne responded quickly and looked to him but saw a frown painted across his brow at her words.
The yipping sounds of the direwolves drew her attention for a moment, her brown hair rustling as her head turned and she looked to see Front and Grey Wind racing about through the trees on the far side of the pond. The wolves loved being out in the Godswoods and having the freedom to run. A smile tugged at Alysanne's lips as she watched the pair chase some leaves across the ground as they were moved by the wind. In the month since they had, had them the pups had grown from being able to fit in their arms to the size of small dogs. Yet only after a month and Alysanne could not imagine a life without the direwolf's constant presence. Frost was no like an extension of herself and her shadow everywhere she went. Always there.
Despite the fears of Lady Catelyn the wolves were well behaved and all the Stark children had taken to training their wolves. Though the wolves did not seem to listen to anyone who was not their owner or a Stark by blood. Her uncle Ned could sometimes give them an order and they would follow or even her own father. But Catelyn or Ser Rodrick could not make the wolves do anything.
"Aye, but if I am to be Lord of Winterfell then I ought to have a wife to govern with me." Robb then stated lowly. The whole moment then seemed to freeze.
Her cousin's statement made Alysanne's attention snap back to him. Grey eyes were round with shock. There had only ever been one issue that the pair of the young Starks never addressed directly in conversation…
"A wife?" she asked breathlessly. A silence fell over the Godswoods as each seemed to weigh their own thoughts. "Have you talked with your father then?"
When both Robb and Alysanne spoke of the future it was always implied that they would face it together. She could never see herself leaving Winterfell, this place was her home. Just as Robb could not see himself marrying a stranger, sharing his life with someone he did not know and who did not know him. It was not lust filled desire to be together that existed between them, they had held hands in secret but never kissed, never acted more intimately in that. It was not even a deep romantic draw, they were simply fond of each other. There was that love that they had always had, one that came naturally when the lived so closely with each other, spent all their time together. But they knew there could be more… if they allowed it. For them to be married… it would be easy; to share their lives, run Winterfell and the North one day and then having little Northern babies together… It would all be so effortless together.
"No…" Robb replied lowly. "I haven't. Besides… as heir to Winterfell and future Warden of the North I'd need to seek permission of the king for my bride." He continued after a heartbeat of silence.
"The King is your father's greatest friend, I doubt he would say no to any choice you made." Alysanne then said and half-heartedly resumed throwing stones. "She will be a lucky girl, the one who marries you." She then said her voice carrying a sad, disheartened tone. Her voice barely a whisper.
Alysanne knew she may be Robb's choice for wife, but she may not be the best one. Growing up the children of a great house they knew that will noble blood came great responsibility. No Lord or Lady was truly free to marry as their heart dictated. Sometimes some were lucky, like her father who got to marry the woman he wanted or even like Eddard and Catelyn, their marriage was arranged without their choice but even they were able to find true happiness and love with each other. But not all marriages were so, many were for advantage and politics. Being the heir to Winterfell, Robb would have to consider what would serve him best… and marrying his closest cousin may not be so. He could marry a Tyrell, they were rich and from fruitful lands that would surely be a smart match, or perhaps he would need to strengthen connections with some of the Northern Lords and marry a lady from one of their houses.
"Alys…" the other said as if frustrated, even as he called her by her childhood nickname. "Do you truly not think that you are not my first choice?" he asked her as he turned and faced her. Alysanne's head hung slightly.
"Perhaps… but only time and King Robert will be able to say who will be your wife for sure." She replied and before any more could be said they heard heavy footsteps and both Starks turned to see Jon approaching them.
"There you are." He said to them both. "Lady Catelyn asked you both return to the castle, baths and haircuts await us all."
Not but two days later the royal party arrived at Winterfell, no surprise that Bran had climbed the battlement and saw the approaching flags. The whole castle rushed to be ready to receive the King. Alysanne slipped into a clean dress one that was a dark blue before she rushed through the keep to get to courtyard in time. Both she and Jon had taken the direwolves out to the Wolfswood to run and hunt, knowing that while the royal party was there that they would either be confined in their rooms or in the kennels as not to frighten their guests. Alysanne did not fully agree with this, the direwolves in her mind were well behaved enough that they did not need to be hidden away. Besides Winterfell was as much their home as it was theirs, but she did not raise protest to either her uncle or father.
They returned however in time to quickly change and rush down to the courtyard to join the rest of the Starks, minus one conspicuously missing Arya. The brown haired Stark moved to stand between her father and Lady Catelyn while Jon moved behind them to stand in the next row. Yet another thing that Alysanne did not agree with, Jon was Lord Stark's son… bastard or not. Suddenly Arya came running past them all and the brunette had to bit the inside of her lip as she saw that her young cousin was wearing a guard's helmet. Lord Stark stopped her and removed the helmet before sending her to stand in her spot in the lineup with her siblings.
Suddenly the clattering of hooves could be heard as guards bearing the sigils of Houses Baratheon and Lannister rode through the gates of Winterfell. Next came knights in golden armor and white cloaks, Kingsguards, followed by a young boy with golden hair and bright green eyes. There was little doubt as to who he was, it could only be Prince Joffrey, eldest child of the King and Queen.
Though Alysanne couldn't place it, look at the Prince's smug little face as he gazed about the courtyard sent a chill up the brunette's spine. It also did not escape her notice how the Prince's gaze settled onto Sansa. It shouldn't truly be that surprising, Sansa was very beautiful with her fiery red hair and blue eyes. Looking down the line of Starks she noticed that her cousin seemed equally enchanted by the golden prince. Already Alysanne could imagine the praises Sansa would sing later about Joffrey, after all she did love the fanciful romantic tales that Old Nan would tell them at bedtime.
After the Prince same a man in black armor, the helmet he wore shaped like a snarling dog. Then came the covered marriage that likely held the Queen and the other royal children. More Kingsguards followed then came a large dark brown horse carrying a large, imposing man. As he rode up beside the carriage a stable boy brought a step stool and set it beside the horse so its rider may dismount with ease. One the King was off his horse, everyone in the courtyard dropped to their knees.
Alysanne followed the motions of her fathers, moving down to one knee and her head bowing forward with her long brown locks falling over the front of her shoulder. All she heard was the King's footsteps as he moved towards Eddard and only once the Lord of Winterfell rose to his feet did everyone else do the same.
"You got fat." The king accused flatly looking at Ned Stark with a stern expression. All of the castle was silent as a tomb in that moment. However the moment passed and both Robert and Ned were laughing deeply and throwing their arms around each other. Embracing fondly.
"Nine years…." The King drawled. "Nine years and I've not seen you. Where the hell have you been?" he demanded.
"Guarding the North for you, your Grace." Lord Stark replied warmly. "Winterfell is yours."
Robert Baratheon then turned his attention to the Lady of Winterfell; "Cat!" he exclaimed and moved to embrace her as well.
Behind the King the wheelhouse doors opened and a woman with golden hair emerged, swathed in colors of gold and crimson. Alysanne knew without even a second thought that this was Cersei Lannister – well Baratheon by marriage. She certainly lived up to the rumors of her beauty. The Queen hazed about, seemingly disinterested as her children and handmaids exited after her. Both the Baratheon children had their mother's golden hair and seemed much younger than Alysanne had anticipated. The younger prince and princess gazed about in a mix of disbelief and awe.
"Ah Benjen!" Robert said, the address to her father made Alysanne turn her attention back to the King. "This is your daughter I presume?" he then asked and his dark gaze shifted to look directly the young brunette.
"You your Grace, this is my daughter Alysanne." Her father stated.
A smile crossed her face and she gave a curtsy, "Pleasure to meet you my King." She said and raised her head to find the King was still staring at her.
"Has the look of your wife she does…" he said thoughtfully. "You are not wed yet girl?"
The question did catch Alysanne off guard but she slowly shook her head. "No your Grace. I am not." She responded after a moment. The King gave a thoughtful groan before he moved on, making his way back down the line to meet the other Stark children.
Her eyes watched more a moment before she caught the glint of metal from the corner of her eye. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she turned and looked to where it had come from. Her gaze returned to the Kingsguard that had come up behind the wheelhouse and she saw he had removed his helm. The man, now dismounted from his horse, had golden hair that reached to the nape of his neck, strong angular jaw… yes, Alysanne would have said he was quite a handsome man, but as she saw his eyes turn to survey Winterfell she was quick to notice his too were a deep emerald green.
'Another Lannister' Alysanne thought in astonishment. It took a moment before she could come up with the identity of this man and mostly she had been aided by Arya's less than hushed comment;
"That's Jaime Lannister, the Queen's twin brother!" Arya had said to Sansa, who was still making eyes with Prince Joffrey.
The Kingslayer was younger than she had expected him to be, the stories and tales of the Rebellion made him seem… so much more mythical than the man standing before Alysanne was. She almost expected someone who appeared more monstrous to bear such a moniker. However now that she got to see him with her own eyes she found herself… curious. Jaime Lannister, the youngest man to join the Kingsguard and the one who had killed the Mad King.
"Ned, take me to your crypts. I want to pay my respects." King Robert commanded in an impatient voice.
"We've been riding a month my love, surely the dead can wait." Queen Cersei said in a gentle voice however her words fell onto deaf years.
"Ned, now." The King stated before he turned and started to show himself he way.
A hushed silence fell over the gathered crowd and soon everyone started to disperse, Lady Catelyn moved along with Robb and Sansa to show the Royal family into the castle and to their rooms. Feeling a hand upon her shoulder Alysanne turned and saw her father at her side and she smiled to him.
"Come, your uncle and aunt will be busy seeing them settled in, help me organize the last preparations for the feast." Her father said and Alysanne gave a small nod of her head before she went to follow him back into the keep. However just before she stepped back inside the castle she thought she felt something. That little prickle up the back of her neck that told her someone was watching her. The brunette turned her head, there was a sea heads and faces moving this way and that to pack the caravan that had carried their visitors from the south. But her eyes settled on one figure that seemed to stand out from the rest, one man with golden hair, his emerald gaze seeming like it might pierce her with its intensity.
Her breath hitched in her throat and she was frozen until she heard her father called for her and she quickly took a step back through the doorway before she turned and rushed inside. All the while thinking, wondering… Why had Jaime Lannister been staring at her so?
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Until next time lovelies!