CHAPTER 4. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

The journey North is long and during the journey Cassana tries to build a closer relationship with her mother. She even reaches out to Myrcella and Tommen. After a month of traveling Winterfell finally comes into view. Cassana rides behind her father and brother through the main gate. She looks at the gathered members of House Stark. Cassana notices Joffrey and a redheaded girl smiling at each other. Then she notices Robb Stark heir of Winterfell. He is very handsome, but not as handsome as the young man known as Jon Snow.

A person cannot help who they fall in love with. She is immediately drawn to Jon and winks at him as she dismounts her horse. Cassana curtsies after being introduced to Robb Stark. "An honor to meet you Lord Stark…" Robb shows her around the castle with Brienne following.

"You have a sword…Do you fight?"
"Yes I am well schooled in the sword…and the art of war…"

"My sister Arya would love you…"

"She likes swordmanship?"

"Swords, horses, bows and arrows…Actually she is a very good archer…"

"And your mother doesn't approve…" She is taken to the god's wood.

"No she doesn't…"

Cassana smiles, "My mother didn't approve of me learning to fight…" Cassana stops at the weir tree, "Ah the old gods…The old legends say the Andels cut down all the weir trees in the south angering the children of the forest…"

"You know the legends of the North…"

"A few…My father speaks very highly of your father…" Cassana smiles and reaches out to touch the tree. When she does Cassana sees Storm's End and a child with curly hair and green tinted skin. She gives the King a sword…A sword that allows him to control the weather hence the Storm Kings before the Andels came.

"Princess are you alright…"

"Fine…perhaps I should rest it has been a long journey…" Cassana is taken to her room.

"So what do you think of him?" Brienne asks when they are alone in the room together.

"A dullard…not my type…I am not attracted to him at all…I mean he is handsome…but he does nothing for me…"

"Perhaps you have set your standards too high…"

"Shouldn't a woman have high standards?" Cassana looks at Brienne, "What about you? Don't you have high standards…"

"I gave up on love a long time ago…"

Cassana smiles, "You shouldn't…There is a man out there for you…"

"That is kind of you to say, but I doubt I will ever meet him…"

"You will…" Later Cassana is escorted to the feast by Robb Stark. As time passes her father gets drunk and in usual fashion starts flirting with the serving girls. She shakes her head and walks up to Lady Catelyn and her mother, "Lady Catelyn you have a fine home…"

"Thank you Princess…Has my son been courteous to you?"

"Yes he has thank you…" Cassana looks at her mother, "Mother…" As she walks away Cassana sees Lord Eddard Stark. "Lord Eddard a word if you will…"

He bows, "Princess what may I do for you?"

She pulls him to the side where no one can here, "Your son Jon…Do you have any plans to legitimize him?"

"Why?"

She smiles as he looks at his wife, "I find myself more attracted to him than your son Robb…"

"Jon is determined to become a member of the Night's Watch…"

"That would be a waste of a fine young man…"

"Has my son Robb done something to offend you?"

"No he has not…" She sighs, "I am a Princess…I will do my duty but I want to marry for love not for power…In that regards my father has given me a lot of freedom…"

"I can understand that; however I cannot allow that…My wife will not stand for it…"

"A shame…The one man I want the one I cannot have…" Cassana starts to walk away but stops and turns back, "If I can convince my father to legitimize him…Will you allow it?"
"I am sorry Princess…but I cannot."

Cassana walks away angry, tempted to not warn him about her brother. She sighs when she sees Jon Snow talking with her uncle Tyrion. "Have you met my niece Princess Cassana?" Tyrion asks.

Jon bows, "Princess…"

"Lord Snow…I hear you are going to the Night's Watch…"

"I am."

"There is nothing that would keep you from doing that? Don't you want to marry one day and have children…"

He sighs, "I am a bastard…Princess…There is no place for me in the world…Except for maybe the Night's Watch."

Cassana leans in and kisses him on the lips, "Are you sure about that?" Then she walks away. The next day the castle is bustling for the hunt. Cassana joins them with Brienne at her side as usual. She had invited Jon, but he respectfully declines.

Robert urges his horse up next to Cassana's "Ned tells me you are interested in his bastard…"

"Don't call him that…" She looks at him, "Yes I am, but he is stubborn…"

"Most Northerners are…" She looks away and he sighs, "I want you to find love my daughter…I want you to be happy…but our family…House Baratheon needs strong alliances. Ned…Lord Eddard told me that his Lady Wife will not have it…Now if you don't want Robb Stark…I have to make a match with your brother and Young Sansa…I am determined to unite our Houses…"

"Don't inflict Joffrey on that poor girl …"

Robert was about to respond when Eddard Stark rides up. They exchange words then it is off to go hunting. Later Cassana stands before the broken tower looking up. The hunt had been called off because Bran Stark fell from the tower. Cassana goes into the tower and walks up the steps. The smell of perfume still lingers in the air. Cassana opens the door and looks around. She walks over to the window and looks out. She stands there for a few minutes, then she turns to leave and spots a strand of hair. Cassana bends down and picks it up, she sneers as she stares at it.

Cassana bursts into her mother's room, "Leave us!" She commands to the servants.

"Cassana!" Daughter stares at Mother venomously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I always knew you were a spoiled, rotten bitch…But I didn't know how truly evil you are until now."

"I am your mother you do not speak to me like that!"

"I found your hair in the tower…You were there when Bran Stark fell…"

"You don't know what you are saying…" She walks up to Cassana, but Cassana pushes her away.

"I have known about you and uncle Jaime since I was eight…" Cersei tries to slap her, but Cassana catches her wrist and squeezes her it, "And you push a little boy to cover up your secret…"

Cersei yanks her wrist away and rubs it, "How can you judge me and give that man whore I call a husband a free pass…He has fucked every woman from here to the Reach…"

Cassana shakes her head, "You think that is why I can't stand to be around you…No mother…I never gave a shit about you and Uncle Jaime…I am pissed because you try to pass those bastards off as my siblings…I am angry because I found the bottle of nectar for moon tea when I was eight…I asked Maester Pycelle what it was, he would not say and tried to take it away from me…I ran and bought it to Jon Arryn…He asked me where I got it from and I told him that I found it in a servant's room…I begged him to tell me the truth and he did, but only after I gave him the bottle…" She is crying, "You…you killed my real brothers and sisters didn't you…" Cassana waits for an answer, they come in the form of tears, "…And you were thinking about killing me before I was born?" Again no answer, "You don't have to answer…I already know the truth…"

Cassana starts for the door, but stops when she hears her mother speak, "Your father called me Lyanna that first night we were together…"

"I know he told me…After I asked him why he didn't love you…"

"When I learned I was pregnant with you…I secretly hoped you would bring us closer together…You did not and I swore I would never have another one of his children…So yes I became pregnant once before Joffrey and twice after…"

"And Brandon Stark? What kind of a monster pushes a little boy…"

"Jaime and I are your family just as much as Robert or any of his brothers…"

"One day you will go too far…And then I will stop protecting you…And may the gods have mercy on you…" Cassana leaves with teary eyes. The next day she leaves with her father and Eddard Stark. Cassana rides up to Eddard Stark, "Lord Stark…"

"Yes Princess…"

"I am sorry about your son…I pray to the gods old and new that he recovers…Word of advice…Do not allow your daughter to marry the Prince…" He just stares at her, "…And when you are in King's Landing trust no one…"

"Does that include you Princess?"

She smiles, "I don't live in the Capitol Lord Stark…" She winks and gallops off looking for Jon Snow. Cassana is determined to convince him to come with her as they travel.