People were starving, Father had told Ned. A raven had brought news from Lord Wyman Manderly in White Harbour about their food storage running scarce. Winter had been very brutal on the East of the North. Ned tried to put himself in Lord Manderly's place. It must have been very difficult to feed an entire city in contrast to the small town outside of Winterfell. He also felt his family were at an advantage because of the warm water flowing through their walls and their warm and fertile glass gardens.

It was a cold night, the coldest in a while. Benjen and himself were sitting by the Hearth in the Great Hall. Ben was speaking of a sudden impulse to join the Night's Watch. It was strange. Ben loved the family and this had come out of nowhere. He was so young, although Ned had known of boys younger than three and ten that had joined the Watch. Despite the concern, he wanted to help Ben. Earlier in the day, he'd taken Ben to Father's study. The Library tower had frozen over, a big chunk of solid snow and ice in the way of the door. The Maester must have thanked the gods that he'd been sleeping elsewhere in the Keep before the snow came.

Brandon arrived soon after Ned and Benjen had settled into the Hall. There were a few seats in front of the hearth, with plump pillows and warm fur blankets. "We will have no smallfolk left to rule over by the time spring comes," Brandon seethed, walking into the Hall and throwing himself down on one of the seats lazily, "If Winter was a man, I would have brought him to justice."

Ned looked at his older brother quizzically, "How would you do that? Bring him to justice?"

"I'd chop his head off," Brandon said with a smug look, "With Ice."

Sighing and shaking his head at his older brother, Ned looked back to Ben. Benjen was heavily engrossed in the large leather book they'd found on the Night's Watch in Father Study's, various scrolls lying beside him on the seat. Ned found himself able to smile softly. He was happy his younger brother was finding a purpose in something but… he worried if the watch was suited for Benjen. He was a sensitive boy although he didn't want for much. The Wall was a cold and harsh place, and it was certain to make Benjen a man.

"Did Father say anything else?" Ned asked Brandon.

"No," his older brother said with the confidence only the heir to Winterfell could muster, "We can't do anything about White Harbour. We can't even go outside. The only thing we can do is send some ravens and hope for the best. All we can do in the meantime is to wait for Spring, brother."

Ned nodded, understanding each and every one of his brother's sincere words. He knew the harshness of Winter and that nothing could be done, but confiding in Brandon about it was a relief. Soon, the sound of girlish chatter was heard from outside the hall. Benjen lifted his head with his brows furrowed and Ned turned his gaze to see Cersei and Lyanna walk in. Cersei was covered in furs, blanketed like a baby but Lyanna only wore the simplest of garments- a blue gown spun from thick wool. Lyanna seemed alert when she first entered the room, "Ben, Ned, Brandon? What are you all doing here?"

"There's nowhere else to go, is there? We were just looking over some things… weren't we, Ben?" Ned replied, looking at his younger sister, "This is the warmest room in the Keep."

All of the floors were scattered with rugs of thick fur and the walls had copious amounts of tapestries on them. The east wing of Winterfell where their rooms were had gotten colder as of late with its wide spaces and drafty halls. Even in the Autumn, the Stark children often preferred to organise in the Great Hall, rather than their own solars. That was how it had always been.

"Where is Father?" Lyanna asked in an unassuming, quiet voice. Her grey Stark eyes drifted nervously around the Hall.

"He's in his rooms," Brandon answered before Ned could, moving over on the bench he was sitting on so there was more room, "Come sit."

Lyanna walked over and sat on the opposing side of the bench, leaving room for her friend to come sit. When Cersei began to walk forward, Brandon reached out and took her hand, "You look cold."

Cersei only nodded and said, "I am." Her voice sounded like she might've been irritated by his brother. Cersei's nose and hands seemed quite red from where Ned was sitting, he had thought she was blushing at first because of Brandon's presence but the redness was more aggressive than a Maiden's blush. Was she sick? Cersei sneezed and his suspicions were confirmed. Now he knew why she seemed to be so irritable this night.

"The wind is rather wild…" Lyanna said shakily, fright lacing her words. The back of her head was to them and her gaze focused on the Large diamond-shaped Windows of the great hall. It was dark outside, pitch black even. It was darker than it had ever been since the siblings were very young, and there seemed to be ice and snow piling up and up outside Winterfell. "How long do you think it will last?"

"I'm not certain…" Ned said truthfully, looking over at his sister. Beside her, Cersei cocooned herself in the furs and Brandon wrapped his arms around his sickly betrothed.

"The Maesters in Oldtown don't seem worried from what we've heard. This just seems like the average winter for them," Brandon told Lyanna.

"Yeah they would know, wouldn't they?" Ben added from beside them, "Old bats."

Lyanna looked shocked and mouthed 'shut up' over at her younger brother. "We shouldn't jest. People are suffering."

"Do you think the windows will hold?" Ben asked, the humorous tone of his voice vanishing upon his sister's request, "The wind seems… rough."

Brandon's gaze softened on their younger siblings. They were like frightened children. They were not old enough to remember the last winter, but their lady mother had still been alive then. Father had told them stories of the reality of the cold, harsh north and Mother had comforted them with her warm embrace and soft voice. She used to sing so softly to the two of them. Sometimes Ned saw some of her in Benjen and Lyanna, her two youngest.

They were all fragments of their lost mother in some way or another, Ned thought. Brandon had her warm smile and her quick wit, Lyanna had her beauty and her passion, and Benjen had her impulse-seeking nature and love of small pleasures like the lemon cakes or biscuits he still stole from the kitchens.

You could always hear when Old Nan walked in. The click of her cane against the cold stone floors could be heard from a good distance away. The old woman was seventy and a while ago Ned had overheard his lord father talking with the kitchen servants about how Old Nan's legs might give in at any time soon and she would have to use a wheeled chair soon enough.

"Hello," the old woman said croakily with glee in her empty eyes, the deeply wrinkled corners of her mouth moving upward. Ned risked a glance over at Cersei and she looked startled. She sat up properly in Brandon's embrace and clutched the furs closer to her chest.

"Old Nan!" Lyanna greeted, smiling at the woman as Brandon rose from his seat and went to help Old Nan. He took her arm as he helped her sit down in a comfy, plush armchair in front of the roaring fire.

"What've you come down here for?" Brandon asked her politely while helping her sit down.

"I needed some time away from my silly Grandson! And it's freezing down there in the kitchens, you know!?" Old Nan half scolded Brandon and smiled at him in thanks when he helped her sit. She pulled an embroidery hoop out from her sheepskin cloak and leaned back in the large chair.

"Really?" Ned spoke up, "I would've thought it would be warm with the amount of cooking happening in the kitchens."

"I'll have you know, Eddard Stark, that the kitchens are the coldest rooms in the keep! Surprising, isn't it? You lot would know that if you spared me a visit nowadays." The old woman sighed as her wrinkled, veiny hands began to start to pull the thread through the needle. She brought the thread up to her pursed lips and pulled the thread through the needle gracefully with her teeth. "I am jesting, for the most par, of course," Old nan continued, while she began to stitch and look up from the hoop every once in a while. "I'm glad to see you all in truth. The stark children… but, who is this young Lady?"

Cersei shifted awkwardly in her seat when Old Nan drew her beady gaze to her. "This is the Lady Lannister," Brandon said, helping Cersei out of her seat.

Cersei stood tall and cautious as she walked over to Old Nan's seat with Brandon. "Ah," Old nan said, taking Cersei's hands in hers, "I'm pleased to meet you… oh my! Aren't you beautiful? Your hair is lovely and your hands are freezing!"

"I'm just cold, that is all," Lady Cersei said.

Cersei frowned as the Old woman attempted to touch her forehead and feel for a temperature, but Cersei slapped her hands away. Old Nan raised a bald eyebrow but chuckled, "This one is cheery, ain't she?" Brandon drew Cersei a careful look and motioned for her to sit back down. "But despite of what you think of me, I'm glad to have you at Winterfell, My lady!"

Cersei said nothing, only sniffled and sunk back into her former seat beside Lyanna.

"Have you come to tell us a story?" Benjen asked, fidgeting idly with the Night's Watch book and flicking through the pages.

"Do you want a story?" Old nan looked around at them all, her weak old hands resting in her lap.

The group nodded and Ned said slowly, "That'd be nice."

"What kind of story would you prefer?" The old woman slightly smiled again and clutched her needlework hoop tighter as she began to focus on her stitches more closely, squinting her wrinkled eyes.

Nobody said anything until Ned noticed Lyanna smiling. "Something, romantic perhaps?" she said with a blush on her high cheeks and Cersei and Brandon gave her a side eye.

"Ah," Old Nan said, a hint of both a sigh and chuckle in her withered voice, "You would like that, wouldn't you? Very well."

"There was once a beautiful wildling princess said to put the most beautiful women of our history to shame! Like Queen Rhaenys for instance. Men said she looked back with envy when she heard this story! Men would travel north of the wall just to risk a chance of seeing her. She was blessed with eyes the colour of ice and hair the colour of Raven's feathers. She was strong and prideful, everything a nobleman's fantasy of a perfect woman would be. Her father was a feared Chieftan and she had many brothers who loved her and protected her."

"What was her name?" Lyanna asked.

"Her name was Alysane, Alysane the fair many called her, and many men tried to steal the little princess as wildlings often tried to do. But she was strong and she thrashed in their grasp, fighting them off like a wet cat."

Ned risked another glance over at Cersei and she seemed to whisper something in Lyanna's ear that made her giggle.

"What does stealing mean?" Cersei interrupted.

"It means to take the girl to wife," Lyanna explained gently. They'd all grown up learning of wildlings and other creatures beyond the wall. Ned thought of Benjen. If he left for the Watch, he'd soon be fighting the people in this story.

"The wildling princess' many strong brothers sought to keep the girl pure, but Alysane the fair could fend for her maidenhood on her own. Soon, the wildlings decided to raid the North's lands guess who arrived at the fighting?" Old Nan looked around at the siblings and none of them answered her, "The King of Winter."

Mumbles and giggles were heard around the room and Brandon looked over at Ned and smirked. Ned raised his brows at his brother, returning his silent gesture of amusement. Old nan went on, "When the fighting was done, the Wildling brothers returned to their camp- but not alone. The King of Winter accompanied them for he wanted to see the Wildling culture for what it was, free from the judgement and the biases of the people of the North. One night, the Princess and the King met alone. He was impressed by her fiery nature, you see?"

"Did she like him?" Lyanna chirped up, awe in her eyes at the sudden turn in the story.

"Oh yes, she liked him. She liked him a lot. He was very charming, the King of Winter. He played the Lute, amongst other instruments the Princess had never heard of. She admired many things about him, like his wit and intelligence. It was time for the King of Winter to return to Winterfell… and the Princess followed."

"He stole her?" Ned asked.

Old Nan nodded along to Ned's question, looking very amused with herself and focusing down on the needlework in her lap. "That's right. The King of Winter took the girl to wife. The Princess left nothing behind except a note to her youngest brother. Her father and brothers became angry and sought to bring their daughter back. Marriage was not all that the Princess had hoped, no. She was stuck between the fighting of her husband and her family. She begged for an amicable solution between the two parties but the King ignored her-"

Old Nan's story was interrupted by the boisterous voice of Benjen. "That never happened! We've never had a wildling Queen in the North!"

Ned looked over at his younger brother and told him softly, "It's just a story, Ben. Nothing to get upset over."

Benjen didn't listen. "Also why would the King take a Wildling to wife when he could have had a match for his political advantage?! It makes no sense!"

"Hush!" Old nan hissed from the chair by the hearth, "Now anyway, the Princess-"

"I don't think I want to hear the rest of this story, Old Nan," Lyanna said meekly. Ned looked over to see that his little sister looked pale and the smile she'd worn at the start of the story had vanished.

Old Nan shook her head in disapproval, her wrinkly lips smacking together, "Ahh, suit yourselves then."

Brandon stood up and walked over to Old Nan, helping her stand. "Let's get you to bed, Old Nan."

"Didn't even happen! It's stupid…" Benjen mumbled, beginning to flick through the pages of the Night's Watch book again.

Old Nan turned, leaning on Brandon's arm. "Might not have happened, Benjen Stark. But all my stories are true."

She turned back to Brandon, patting him on the arm and whispering something to him discreetly. "We should go too," Cersei said to Lyanna. Her voice was softer than usual, he noticed. "I'll be needing a bedmate in this temperature."

Ned watched the girls walk off and then turned to Benjen. "Us too, then?"

Benjen nodded, holding his new book in the crook of his elbow like a basket as he stood up. Now that it was silent in the great hall, all Ned could hear was the wild winds. "Winter seems quite restless, does it not?" He mentioned to Benjen as they began to walk down the Winterfell halls and head back to their chambers.

"It does seem bad, Ned. But we'll survive. We're Starks. We always do."

Ned nodded. His younger brother seemed so… wise in that moment. A knowing beyond his years. "Are you sure? About the Night's Watch?" He asked Ben.

Benjen shook his head. "T'was just a thought."

"I see."

Suddenly, wolves began to howl in the distance. Benjen and Ned stopped near a diamond-shaped window in the keep. "Do you hear that?" Benjen asked cautiously, clutching his book like a child would a toy.

"Aye," Ned said, "Wolves. It must be."

"Not direwolves?"

"Don't be daft. No man hasn't seen a living direwolf in over 200 years."

"But they do exist though?"

Ned sighed, mussing up Benjens hair. It made the younger boy laugh. "Mayhaps."

"Winter looks horrible…" Benjen said after a pause, "It looks so bleak and empty…"

"Father says people are dying in Winter Town," Ned told him. It was hard to tell a boy so young about the harsh reality of the world. But he deserved to know. He was a Stark of Winterfell.

"Starvation?"

Ned shook his head, "Disease."

Benjen looked down at his feet as they began to walk again, "I'm excited to play with Lyanna again when spring comes. It's so fun."

"Keep your voice down. Father can't know."

Benjen laughed but then shook his head in apologies, "Sorry, it's just exciting."

"We'll see when Spring comes."

The worst of Winter came and went in what felt like overnight. It was short, but it was terrible. Ned had spent several nights shivering in his bed. Even where their bedrooms were, in the east wing it was freezing cold. The days got shorter and the winds grew wilder. You could no longer gaze upon the courtyard through the windows of the bottom floor of Winterfell, but from their bedroom windows, the Stark children could see how deep the snow became.

It was a few weeks before Ned started to feel warm in his own bed again and the walls began to reheat. He noticed it when he passed through the halls, pressing his palm up against the wall. If he put his ear to it, he could hear the water start to rush again. He'd noticed Cersei had healed from her brief cold as the seasons faded into spring.

A raven brought more news from White Harbour. They were still running short on food and the sea had frozen over by the city. They couldn't get food trades in from the Reach or fish to feed themselves. Father had gone away for a few weeks as soon as it began to set into Spring. Brandon had wanted to help in Winter Town, but it was filled with so much disease Father ordered them to stay out of there. When Father returned from White Harbour, he told them the whole city had stank of death.

Over the next few days, the harsh snow began to melt. It was still there, it was still thick but they were happy to finally go outside.

Ned stood in the courtyard, even he, a Northman, had to wrap himself up tightly in his warm cloak. It was a refuge from the air that lay icy frost along the stone walls of Winterfell. He watched Lyanna and Benjen throwing snowballs at each other. Their squeals echoed through the courtyard and formed clouds in the air as they ran from one another.

His gaze drifted to the golden-haired girl sitting on a wooden bench beneath a tree. She had her legs crossed over each other in a comfortable position. It was nice to see her so relaxed… Cersei always seemed incredibly tense around the family.

It was relieving to breathe in the fresh air of the winter, even though it was cold and not the most pleasing sensation. He looked over, beyond where his two younger siblings were playing and saw Brandon. His older brother smiled at him before sitting down on the bench next to Cersei. Ned thought it was odd that she tensed when he sat beside her. She uncrossed her legs and sat up straight, giving Brandon a passive smile.

Ned looked away when they kissed, feeling embarrassed that he was watching such an intimate moment. He looked up swiftly again when he heard Cersei yell. "Stop it!" She shouted as snow fell down her face and onto her green cloak.

Brandon laughed at her and soon earned a haughty glare from his bride. Ned didn't want to admit it, but he too chuckled slightly at Cersei's annoyance. He felt himself starting to get embarrassed again. He had no place watching them, he had no place observing as his brother indulged in simple pleasures with his fiance. He walked away, taking his book with him.

Walking into the glass gardens was an incredible relief from the biting frost of the Northern chill. He took off his cloak and placed it on one of the chairs. He sat down and opened his book again. He needed to study, or his father would be disappointed. The last time he'd failed to study, Father lectured him on the significance of purpose. He needed to support his older brother. He would be his heir if anything were to go wrong.

A few moments into the book, he relaxed and became fully focused until he heard the door open. He thought it might be Brandon but it was not. The footsteps were too tight and he could hear the swish of fabric as the door opened. He looked up and saw Cersei. Her eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't expecting him either, it seemed.

"Lady Cersei?" He greeted, folding his arms over his chest and sitting closer to the table.

"Eddard…" she said, gently closing the glass door, "I'm just coming in for a bit of warmth. I hope it's alright."

"Of course." He said carefully as he looked down at his book again.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anything. It is cold outside and sometimes I need a place of refuge from… all the socialising."

Ned was surprised. Cersei seemed like the last person to need a break or dislike social activities. He thought she loved people, but seemingly not. "Aye. I'm the same, my lady," he told her softly.

She tilted her head and gave him a polite smile, stepping towards him gracefully. He only nodded and that's when he saw her smile drop. Did he come off as rude? He remembered when she'd thought it embarrassing when he'd tried to make conversation with her in the same place soon after she'd arrived. He wasn't sure what to do. Talk and come off as rude, or keep quiet and come off as rude.

He looked up from his book again. "I'm well. How are you?"

"Cold," she said and laughed. He smiled at her. It would be rude not to smile. He couldn't help himself from watching her walk across to where one of the large windows was. She looked out and he could see from where he sat that Lyanna and Benjen were still playing. Brandon had joined them now, brutally throwing snowballs at his younger brother and sister.

"They get along, don't they?" Cersei observed. There was a twitch of amusement in her words. Did she admire it or find it unfamiliar?

"Err, you must forgive her-"

"I've grown accustomed to Lady Lyanna's nature. I do not need your warnings, Eddard," she told him firmly.

He felt like a fool. She'd been here for moons at this point. "Of course," he said quietly.

Nothing more was said between the two. Ned tried to focus on his studies but he always felt like her eyes were on him. He looked around a couple of times and saw that she was not staring at him. Cersei was always focused on looking at the fruits or watching Benjen and Lyanna again, but he couldn't help but feel his heart race around her.

After a few moments, he spotted her green cloak beside him. He looked up at her, and her eyes were intense and purposeful. "We should go," she said softly, "Noon is approaching and lunch will be served soon."

"Oh," Ned said and began to gather up his book and cloak, "I hadn't realised."

"Walk with me," she said. Not asked, but commanded. The order was odd but he nodded anyway and walked to the door. He held his arm out for her when the chilly air touched their skin once more.

"What is your favourite place in the Keep, my lord?" She asked. He thought it was strange of her to be making such tedious small talk but he obliged.

"Inside," he answered simply. Cersei laughed throwing her head back. A genuine laugh, with her eyes creasing as she smiled. He felt a sudden flip in his abdomen. The kind that lingered for a few moments. She was beautiful when she laughed.

"Why?" she asked drawing her gaze back to where they stepped.

"So I can avoid running errands for my lord father."

She seemed amused by that too, smiling at nodding at him. "I agree. It is nice to get fresh air- but not so nice for avoiding our duties."

He wasn't sure what to say to that, so he just said, "Aye, my lady."

There was silence for the next few moments as the Keep became clearer in the distance. He could see that Lyanna and Benjen were no longer playing but sitting in the snow, their chests rising and falling rapidly. The two were covered in chunks of snow and were laughing at each other's jokes. Ned was worried Brandon may disapprove of him escorting his bride back to the keep but he was no longer there.

Lyanna's head perked up when she noticed them both and she ran over to them in the least ladylike fashion, leaving Benjen still panting on the floor behind her. "Cersei! Ned!" She greeted, a big smile on her face. Ned noticed she had something in her hand.

"Here," she said as she handed them both a blue winter rose, "Look, Roses!"

Cersei said nothing to her, she just smiled. "Thank you," Ned told her. It was warming to see his sister so happy. She'd seemed miserable when winter was at its worst and they were all stuck inside for weeks.

"It's a little wilted," Cersei began, assessing the plant in her red gloves, and Ned could see the concern on Lyanna's face before she said, "But it's alright."

Lyanna giggled and nodded at Cersei. Cersei parted her arm from Ned's gently and preferred to walk with Lyanna into the hall.

Cersei looked nothing but relaxed as she sat at one of the tables in the library tower and watched his siblings spar and practise. She'd even giggled a few times when Lyanna or Benjen fell flat on their arses. As the nights went on, he noticed that she had kept reading the same title over again. Even when she had reached the end of the small purple book, she started it again the next night. Ned had always been told a woman was most paranoid and extreme near her wedding date, but Cersei seemed to be different- or she just didn't care. Ned had heard word around the keep that the wedding invitations had been sent to around the kingdoms.

Ned always sat opposite her in the hall, trying to focus on Lyanna and Benjen. He'd instruct them most times, telling Benjen how to use a sword. He'd need it after all, if he wanted to join the Watch. Brandon joined them too sometimes, instructing Lyanna on watching her step and her weak posture, but Cersei was often not there when he was.

This night, they were all seated in the library. Brandon and Cersei were together as Ned watched his siblings more closely. Brandon and Cersei had snuck out to get wine from the kitchens and then came in giggling like idiots.

Lyanna took a break when the couple entered, "What's wrong with you two?"

"Nothing!" Cersei lazily explained while laughing, looking back to her grinning betrothed before looking back at Lyanna, "What's wrong with you?"

Lyanna's brows creased as she looked at Cersei strangely, "Nothing. I'm only exhausted from practising."

"I hope you're having fun," Cersei told her genuinely, taking a seat closer to the space they had created to spar.

"You should join us, Cersei," Lyanna said and then there was silence.

"What?" Cersei asked, titling her head and perfect blonde brows creasing.

"You should spar with us. Ned and Brandon always participate, why don't you? You told me you used to play swords with your brother."

"Well- I don't think that would be the best idea-" Cersei mumbled, raising a hand to her head seemingly beginning to sober up.

"Come on do it and we'll laugh about it later!" Brandon chortled and slapped Cersei's rear as she began to get up, earning a look of disdain from her. It was not… tasteful of his brother to do that, Ned thought. Even if he was drunk. He had a redder blush on his cheeks than Cersei did and Ned wondered whether he'd drank more than his fiance. Benjen looked back at him concernedly, seemingly thinking it strange too. When it was just the two of them and Brandon had sobered up, he'd say something about it, he decided.

Lyanna didn't seem to notice anything about it, she just seemed happy to have her friend join her. "Alright…" Cersei said nervously, smoothing down her burgundy skirts and sighing as she looked around at them all. Her gaze seemed to linger on Brandon with a hurt look as he just leaned back and grinned smugly, "What do I do?"

Lyanna walked over to Benjen, who offered his sparring sword up lazily from where he sat on the floor. She handed it to Cersei who looked down at herself once more, self-consciously. "I'm in a dress," She said, her voice almost a whisper, oddly quiet for Cersei.

"It's okay! Just don't trip or anything." Lyanna told her softly, pressing the sword into her friend's palm. Cersei's fingers curled around the hilt as she took the sword, and swung it a few times through the air. Her eyes lit up as the sword made audible swishes in the air as she tested it out.

The girls began sparring and Cersei was a little clumsy at first but she soon got into the flow of it. Ned stepped forward to help her with her posture, careful where to put his hands as she tensed under them and gave him a side-eye. He stepped back once she got the hang of it and Lyanna struck her in the ribs, giggling. Cersei yelped and cowered in on herself, leaving Lyanna smirking. Cersei lunged forward quickly, that was something Ned didn't expect and she struck Lyanna hard on her leg. Her sore leg.

Lyanna wailed and fell to the ground and Ned heard Benjen mutter, "Oh shit."

"Lyanna!" Brandon yelled out and ran to her side. Ned soon followed. It couldn't be that bad, could it? The Maester said it had healed.

Ned knelt at her side and rolled up one of her leather leggings and revealed a beet-red mark on her calf that would surely bruise badly. Lyanna looked up pleadingly at them and Ned just nodded at her, "It'll be alright-"

"It hurts, Ned!" She pleaded, rocking anxiously on the spot. Ned looked up at Cersei who had since dropped her sword to the ground. She was doing much, she was just watching them with a concerned look and parted plump lips.

"It's alright…" Ned muttered, trying to calm the conversation down. He could hear voices in the distance from outside the Tower.

Brandon looked up to his fiance with discern, "Why would you do that? Are you slow or something?!"

Cersei took a step back from the ordeal, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "She struck me in the ribs! What do you expect me to do?!"

All of a sudden, the door swung in and Father walked in. He didn't look happy. His beard and hair were dishevelled. One of the servants must've woke him. He marched over to the group and yelled, "What in the gods' name is the meaning of this?! What are you all doing in here?!"

"Father." Ned flinched when his father shouted and rose to his feet, as did Brandon.

"Lyanna! What've you been doing!?" He demanded as he walked over to his daughter and looked at the mark on her leg. "You're hurt! How'd you…"

Father's gaze drifted to the fallen swords beside them. "You've been fighting?!"

"Father, I can explain!" Lyanna pleaded and when Ned looked back at her, he noticed she'd begun to cry.

"No, I think I've seen quite enough," He said simply, now looking at Ned and Brandon. "And you two? You've been endorsing this?! How could you? She's your sister, you're meant to protect her!"

Brandon began to snigger slightly, and even Ned had to glare over at him. Father walked to Brandon and shouted, "What is wrong with you, son?!" He shouted and then took a close look over his eldest, "Have you been drinking? Seriously?! You should be ashamed of yourselves really. What a pathetic excuse for sons."

Brandon stopped his chuckling immediately and straightened his face, nodding his head, "Yes, My lord."

"You need to start acting like a Lady!" Father went on and told Lyanna firmly as she sat whimpering on the floor, "You'll be a married woman soon, it's time to act like it. I've invited Lord Robert to the Wedding so you better act like it soon. Alright?"

Lyanna sniffled, clutching her sore leg, "Yes, Father."

"We'll talk about this in the morning. You two! Watch her in the future or I'll lock her up where no one can touch her!" Father shouted and brought Lyanna to her feet. He asked her if she could walk and they walked out together.

Ned looked back at Cersei who still had her arms folded over her chest tightly. He wanted to see if she was alright… he figured Brandon should've been doing that, but soon his older brother left without a word of goodbye.

"Cersei…" Ned said softly, reaching out to touch her shoulder but she slapped his hand away. He flinched when she did that, her touch airy but effective.

"Don't touch me, Stark," She whispered, hugging herself like a distraught child would, "I think this pitiful gambol has been enough for one night."

AN: If this gets taken down due to the smut purge, it's also on AO3 under the same name :)