A/N: Thank you as always for your ever increasingly mind-blowing responses to this story. So here endeth part one ... as you can tell from the chapter it will mainly be focusing on the interaction between Robb and Amy before she goes away to Winterfell. Expect a few hints on what's been going on in both of their lives and a little smidge of Robb's POV later on in the chapter. Hope you enjoy it!
Lily: I do re-read my chapters multiple times before I post them up. Apologies, obviously I didn't do a good enough job.
unnamed visitor: Thank you very much, for reading my other fics and for taking the time to leave such a detailed review on this one. I'm really pleased that Jaime/OC is now a favourite of yours. I'm so glad you like Lanette, she's been one of my favourite OC's to create and I find her so easy and wonderful to write, I'll definitely miss he when this is over with. I see you predicted some things but hopefully that's not a bad thing, like you Robb/OC is one of my favourites too so I hope you enjoy this one! Also really glad you like Amy, I'm writing her as grown up at the moment so hopefully you'll find her just as likable as when she was a toddler. You'll have to be patient until part three for the introduction of the grown up Steffon and more from the royal family but hopefully it won't be too long a wait! About Jon ... honestly I haven't decided yet. Here's the next chapter anyway, I hope you enjoy it!
Guest: You're very welcome, thank you for reviewing it! Yes, Lanette has certainly helped between Tywin and Tyrion. It isn't perfect but certainly far less toxic than canon! Well, it's mainly Jaime/Lanette but will grow into Robb/Amy as well as we go into part two. As for the royals, you'll have to wait until part three but hopefully their reintroduction will be worth the wait!
Right-ho folks. Last chapter of part one! Onwards!
:)
Letters
Lady Amella,
My mother says we are to write to one another as one day you are to come and live at Winterfell. She says you live in the south and that it is much warmer there, she says your castle is right by the sea and my father showed it to me on a map. It seems to be many leagues from Winterfell although I am not sure how many exactly. My mother says you had your tenth name day not long ago, I hope you got some pleasing gifts. When I was ten my father got me a horse, a proper sized one not a pony. Do you like to ride horses? I will be three and ten soon enough, I am hoping if I make progress in the tiltyard then father will have a proper steel sword crafted for me. What is it that you like to do when you are not in lessons?
I hope you are keeping well,
Robb Stark
Lord Robb,
My mother has also told me that we are to write to one another. She says I will come and live at Winterfell when I am older and when I reach six and ten I am to be your wife. Everyone here says it is cold in the North even during the summer years but I learned from my Septa that Winterfell is always warm. It is warm here at Casterly Rock and it is true we are right by the sea. Have you ever visited the coast? It was my name day, and I was indeed bestowed with pleasing gifts. I would love to ride a proper horse but father says I am still too young and have to make do with my pony. It's not so bad, uncle Tyrion has to ride a pony too and he has over twenty name days. My father spends much time in the tiltyard, sometimes he allows me to watch and if mother isn't looking I am allowed to shoot an arrow or two. If I am not doing that then I sew with my mother although it is rather boring, I much prefer it when we go down to the beach so I can swim. Is there anywhere to swim at Winterfell?
My best wishes to you,
Amella
Lady Amella,
I don't much like being called a Lord. If you are to be my wife, and mother tells me that you are, then I think it only right you call me Robb. Your Septa is right that Winterfell is always warm, water from the hot springs is piped through the keep; that is how the Starks have always survived winter. When the weather is warm enough we sometimes go out and swim in the hot springs so I suppose you could do that if you miss the sea. I have never seen the sea, my father has – he has even been on a boat across it. He says it was rough and that he much prefers his feet on solid ground. My sister Sansa loves to sew but Arya says it's boring as you do. We have a ward here who shoots a bow; his name is Theon and he can hit dead centre every time. My brothers and I are not so skilled with the bow, I much prefer to have a sword in my hand.
I hope you're well,
Robb
Robb,
I don't much like being called Amella, I am only ever called Amella when I'm in trouble. I was excited to hear about the hot springs, I found a book in the library about Winterfell and read all about them. My grandfather says that Starks are descended from the Kings of Winter and that you have wolfs blood and ice in your veins. I think he was jesting with me but sometimes it's hard to tell. My father has never been on a boat – I asked him and he said he would prefer to keep his feet on solid ground too. It sounds as though you have much company at Winterfell, I have no brothers or sisters and there aren't many children here at the Rock. My uncle Tyrion acts like a child sometimes though so I make do with him. I do hope you're well and that you enjoy your name day celebrations.
I hope you get the sword you were hoping for,
Amy
Amy,
I got the sword! It is perfect and I cannot wait to use it in the tiltyard. Ser Rodrik says he will spar with me later as father must ride out to one of the holdfasts. I asked about the wolfs blood and father said it is just a myth although some Starks are wilder than others. My mother is a Tully though and I look much more like her. Father says that Lannister's all have golden hair and green eyes, I find it hard to imagine as most people here are dark. It must be lonely for you having no other children about you, when you come to Winterfell there will be many people of your age to spend time with. They are likely to drive you all mad though as they do me.
I'm off to pester Ser Rodrik about sparring, I hope you're well,
Robb
Robb,
I'm glad you got the gift you were hoping for, it sounds as though you had a wonderful name day. Does your father ride out to the holdfasts often? My father leaves sometimes but he is never gone for long, then again, the North is a far vaster kingdom so I suppose your father has further to travel. It is true I have golden hair and but my eyes are more blue than green. In some light there is green in them but I've never paid much attention to them. It's not so bad, I have my mother and my father and uncle Tyrion is happy to play childish games with me when I pester him enough. He has just been given more responsibility around the Rock by my grandfather though so I suppose that might change soon. In any case, it sounds like I will have much company when the time comes for me to come to Winterfell, it will certainly make a startling change.
I hope your sparring went well,
Amy
Amy,
My father rides out every few months or so. Sometimes he is gone for a week or more but thankfully that is only once or twice a year, my mother misses him when he's gone. We all do. My eyes are blue as well, I suppose that is one thing we have in common. I hope your uncle has not been kept too busy and you still spend plenty of time with him. My uncle Edmure dwells at Riverrun and I have never met him and my uncle Benjen is a man of the Night's Watch so we rarely see him. My brother Jon wants to take the black when he is old enough but I wish he would not, he is not just my brother but my best friend. Father says we all have a duty to do though, and Jon seems set on it. I hope the change will be a welcome one when the time comes for you to travel here. The sparring was perfect and I practice with the real steel everyday now, Ser Rodrik says I have real promise.
I hope you and your family are well,
Robb
Amy smiled as she read through the letter from Robb wishing her a happy name day. She was four and ten today and already incredibly excited about the new dress that had been made for her to wear at the feast. Her smile widened as she traced her finger carefully over one of the petals of the pressed flower that had been folded up in her letter. It had been the only thing that he could think of that he could send her via raven. The thought that he had wanted to get her a gift at all made her feel slightly giddy and she was already pondering what she could send in his letter when his name day came around. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear her father come in until his hands came to rest on her shoulders and she jumped slightly.
"What are you thinking so hard about?" he asked her.
"Nothing," she smiled and he raised his brows.
"What's this?" he asked, reaching for the flower.
"Don't," she slapped his hand away, "it's delicate; Robb said it would be easily broken"
"Did he now?" he said, frowning slightly at the flower.
"It's a …" she paused, casting her eyes back over the letter, "a blue winter rose"
"I see," her father said lightly.
"I think I might put sand in his name day letter," she mused then and he snorted slightly.
"Sand?" he questioned her.
"Yes sand, he has never been to the coast," she told him.
"That's very thoughtful my dear," he said in an amused tone.
"Robb will like it," she said matter-of-factly.
"You know best," he told her.
"Yes," she agreed with him and he smiled, sometimes she was far too much like her mother.
"Are you looking forward to your celebrations?" he asked her.
"Yes," she smiled, her eyes lighting up; "I cannot wait to wear my new dress"
"I'm sure you'll look beautiful," he smiled back.
"Has grandfather really ordered lions?" she asked him then and he snorted.
"Whoever told you that?" he asked her in return.
"Uncle Tyrion," she said.
"I might have known," he chuckled.
"I'm guessing that's a no then," she raised her brows at him.
"Yes Amy," he smiled, "that's a definite no."
Amy,
You will never believe what happened to us! We were returning from up near the Gift where a deserter from the Watch had been caught when we came across a dead direwolf. Truly, I am not jesting, a direwolf south of the Wall. There were six pups with her and now we all have one each. I've named mine Grey Wind and his training seems to be going well so far. No doubt by the time you come to live here he will be full grown. Mother isn't best pleased at the thought but father says we can keep them so long as we train them, they really do seem to be incredibly intelligent creatures. I hope you enjoyed your name day celebrations, did the rose reach you in one piece?
Yours,
Robb
Robb,
By the Gods! How incredible! My mother and father seemed certain that you must be jesting me but I know you wouldn't. I asked grandfather if I could have a lion since you have the true form of your sigil. I was jesting of course but I swear he considered it for a moment! I hope the training is going well and I cannot wait to meet him, I'll be he is growing swiftly. My name day celebrations were wonderful and I got the most beautiful new dress to wear, I felt like a princess from one of the old tales. The rose did reach me in one piece, thank you – it was beautiful. I keep it pressed in the pages of my favourite book so that it doesn't break accidentally. I trust you and your family are well.
Yours,
Amy
Robb smiled slightly to himself as he read the instruction on the outside of the letter Amy had sent him: Careful where you open this! He decided he would open it up in his chambers and made his way slowly across the courtyard and back into the keep, all the while wondering what she had put in there. She had told him she would include something in his name day letter and he had been pondering it for weeks. At first when his mother had told him he was to write to her he had been less than impressed, now he found himself impatient for her replies and eager to respond right away. Theon teased him mercilessly about it but it didn't put him off. He already knew that he would get on perfectly well with Amy when she finally came to live at Winterfell a few months before their wedding. It still felt strange that he was to marry a woman he had never laid eyes on yet he felt he already knew her just as well as he did anyone else in his family. Theon teased him about that as well, about the fact that he was wasting his honour on a girl who had only just reached her fourteenth name day.
On his last name day he had almost given in and gone to the brothel but he had somehow managed to control himself. He would wait for Amy and save his honour, just like his father had always taught him to do. It would be less than two years now until she came to Winterfell and he felt certain that the time would fly. He could hear the clacking of Grey Wind's claws behind him on the stairs then and he smiled to himself again. His wolf was the best trained one of all of them so far although Ghost and Lady were not far behind. Still, he thought, his heart panging slightly, Jon would be leaving for the Wall soon enough so their friendly competition would be at an end. He determined not to think of that then as he let himself into his chambers and settled down at the table to open Amy's letter. Grey Wind settled down on his haunches next to him as he gently eased the seal open. A laugh came from him then as a stream of sand poured onto his table when he opened the letter up. It was a constant source of amusement for Amy that he had never visited the coast so she had decided to send him some of the sands of the Rock. He smiled widely as he read through her letter and her wishes that he had a happy name day. When he came to the end he bit his lip slightly before he carefully brushed the sand up and deposited it back on top of the letter. He would go and see the Maester later and see if he could spare him a small bottle to pour it into so he could keep it safe.
Amy,
I cannot believe that this may be the last letter I send to you at the Rock. My mother tells me that your parents are making arrangements for you to begin your journey at the end of the month and she is already panicking about arrangements. I hope you make good time and it isn't too boring for you. I truly cannot wait to meet you and Sansa is incredibly excited that she will soon have a "proper lady" of an age with her to spend time with. I neglected to tell her that you prefer archery to needlework, you can deal that blow yourself. I do hope you'll like Winterfell, I know it won't be home for you right away but we will do everything to make you feel welcome. Safe journey and I will see you in mere weeks.
Yours,
Robb
Robb,
I cannot believe the day has almost arrived when I leave the Rock! I am excited to meet you but nervous about leaving everything behind. Still, it will not be long until the wedding and my mother and father will be there for that. Unfortunately my uncle Tyrion won't be able to come as grandfather is finally letting him go travelling. I think it is all part of some bargain they have struck up, my uncle is allowed to travel for a year if he takes a wife on his return home. He is leaving tomorrow and sailing to Dorne which I'm sure will be most exciting for him. I'll miss him at the wedding, grandfather too but I know he must stay and take care of the Rock in the absence of my mother and father. I'm sure I can suffer some needlework if it please your sister, in any case I am sure we will have plenty other things in common. The journey is likely to take three weeks and we leave in just four days from now so likely you're right that these will be our last letters. The next time we speak it will be in person, that feels so strange but exciting. See you in a few weeks – don't let anyone go to too much trouble for my arrival!
Yours,
Amy
"It's such a shame you won't be able to come to my wedding uncle Tyrion," Amy said sadly.
"I know my dear," Tyrion said gently, "but if I don't go now my father is likely to change his mind"
"Do you think you'll come north on your travels?" she asked.
"Perhaps," he grinned at her, "I have always wanted to go to the Wall"
"You could visit Winterfell on your way back if you did," Amy persuaded and he chuckled.
"If I make it that far I certainly will," Tyrion promised, "but if I don't you must come back to the Rock for my own wedding and show off your husband – I've never seen a Northman"
"I'm sure they're not all that different," Amy said, raising a brow.
"Really? Not even with that wolfs blood?" Tyrion teased her.
"Robb said that that is just an old tale," Amy pouted.
"Well if that is what Robb said then it must be true," he said in mock seriousness and she scowled.
"Tyrion don't tease her," her mother said.
"I'm not," he said innocently, "I am sure Robb Stark knows exactly what he's talking about – tell me Amy does he seem serious?"
"What do you mean?" Amy asked him suspiciously.
"Leave the poor girl alone," her father cut in then, "ignore him Amy"
"Yes ignore me," Tyrion said, seeing his brother's insistent stare, "I am merely jealous that you have found such an agreeable match, I only hope I can be so lucky"
"I'm sure you will be," Amy smiled brightly.
"Yes perhaps," Tyrion smiled back at her.
"I'm going to miss you uncle Tyrion," she said then, her eyes welling with tears.
"Come here," he gestured her over, holding his arms out as she knelt down to embrace him; "you go and light up the North, show those Starks what lions are made of."
A/N: Farewell part one! Hope you enjoyed it. Chapter one of part two coming up next time round with Amy's departure from the Rock! Not long to go until we're at Winterfell, I promise!
:)