Prologue

"Why is your mother so dead set on us getting pretty for the King?" Jon snorted.

He, Robb, and Theon were all shirtless after washing themselves. Now they needed a shave and a haircut. A servant named Tommy was just shaving off Robb's beard.

"It's for the Queen, I bet," Theon replied. "I hear she's a sleek bit of mink."

"I hear the prince is a right royal prick," Robb snorted.

"Ah, but just think of all those southern girls he gets to stab with his right royal prick," Theon replied, grinning.

Jon rolled his eyes; Theon certainly knew how to be charming.

"Is the King bringing his whole family with him?" Jon asked.

"Yes, I think so," Robb replied. "All his children and the Queen's brothers are with them."

"Yes, the Imp and 'the pretty' Jaime Lannister," Theon huffed.

Jon frowned. "What do you mean 'pretty'?"

"Oh, haven't you heard? He's called the most handsome man in all seven kingdoms. Not that I believe it."

"Are you worried that he'll take all your girls?" Robb teased.

"No," Theon snorted. "Besides, who cares about him? I heard that the King's sister is also with them."

"The King's sister?" Jon repeated.

"Aye, Elyse Baratheon. Or Elyse Arryn. She was wed to Darius Arryn, but the marriage didn't last long. Well, at least he died after the wedding."

"What?"

"Lady Elyse has been engaged three times," Robb explained. "Her first two betrothed died before the wedding."

"Some people call her 'the death bringer,'" Theon added, grinning. "But I heard she's gorgeous, maybe even more so than the Queen. I'm curious to see if she really is worth dying for."

"How did those men die?" Jon asked. He had never heard of a woman who had been engaged three times.

"I think fever took the first or the second one," Robb replied. "I'm not sure about Lord Arryn, but he was very old."

"How old is she then?" Jon asked.

Robb looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. She's a lot younger than the King; her mother was the second wife of the king's father."

"Oh."

"All done, my lord," Tommy said.

"Thank you," Robb replied and stood up, patting Jon's back. "Go on, Tommy, shear him good. He's never met a girl he likes better than his own hair."

Theon chuckled as Jon sat in front of the servant who started to cut his hair. Jon couldn't really understand why he needed to prepare for the King's visit. He wasn't a Stark; the King wouldn't even notice him.

"Cheer up, Snow," Theon said. "We're going to celebrate tonight. It's going to be fun."