2 Months Later
Visenya had found herself sitting under the Godswood tree that afternoon, reading on the history of the Old Gods of Valyria, with Maegor sleeping by her feet. While she never prayed to the Northern Gods, she mainly used the Godswood for reading, along with gathering a sense of peace, away from the chaos that occured on a daily basis in Winterfell.
"What're you reading?" A familiar voice asked leading to Visenya picking her head up.
It was Ned.
"The Gods of Old Valyria." She explained as he sat down next to her. "Currently reading about Vhagar...my favorite one."
"The God of War?" Ned asked with a small smile.
She nodded glancing at the book. "It also was the name of Visenya Targaryen's dragon. She rode it when she helped Aegon conquer the Seven Kingdoms. It's said she had a Valyrian steel sword, called Dark Sister. Based upon the texts, it says that during one of the Blackfyre rebellions, it was lost."
Just as Ned was about to reply, Catelyn walked into the Godswood, with a letter in hand.
"All these years, and I still feel like an outsider when I come here." She began.
Visenya nodded, as even though she lived with the Starks for most of her life, she never truly felt comfortable in Winterfell.
"You have five northern childreen. You're not an outsider." Ned began as she sat down next to Ned and Visenya.
"I wonder if the old gods agree." She sighed.
"It's your gods with all the rules." Ned retored.
Catelyn sighed, and based upon the way she was acting, Visenya could tell that bad mews was going to occur.
"I am so sorry, my love." Catelyn began.
"Tell me." Ned begged.
Catelyn took a deep breath, before exhaling her message.
"There was a raven from King's Landing. Jon Arryn is dead. A fever took him. I know he was like a father to you."
Ned looked forward in deep thought before sighing and turing back to his wife.
"Your sister. The boy." He began.
"They are both have their health. Gods be good." She began but paused.
"There's more, isn't there." Visenya interjected and Catelyn nodded.
"The raven brought more news." She continued. "The king rides for Winterfell. With the queen and all the rest of them."
Visenya's eyes widened and she immediately stood up.
"Visenya." Ned began.
"He's coming for me...isn't he?" Visenya asked with fear in her voice.
"Visenya, darling, calm down." Catelyn began, watching the girl begin to pace.
She shook her head in disbelief. "I shouldn't have rode each morning. I should've...stayed in my room."
"He's not coming for you, Visenya." Ned began making the girl stop. "He's coming this far North, there's only one thing he's after. Me."
Visenya frowned in confusion, before the realization hit her.
"He wants you to be his hand?" Visenya asked in disbelief.
"You can always say no, Ned." Catelyn replied, but Ned stayed silent.
Upon the next few days, all of Winterfell was preparing for the King's arrival. Visenya, attempting to distract herself, from the confrontation between herself and Robert Baratheon, injected herself into helping Catelyn with the preparations, rather than to think about Robert potentially wanting to kill her.
"We need plenty of candles for Lord Tyrion's chamber. I'm told he reads all night." Catelyn explained to Visenya and Maester Luwin as they walked through the banquet hall.
"I'm told he entertains women all night." Visenya explains, flipping her auburn hair over her shoulder to allow it to cascade down her back.
"I'm told he drinks all night." Maester Luwin said with a small nod of agreement toward Visenya.
"How much could he possible drink? A man of his...stature?" Catelyn questioned.
"We've brought up eight barrels of ale from the cellar. Perhaps we'll find out." Luwin explained making Visenya laugh.
Catelyn smiled. "In any case, candles."
Visenya shook her head in amusement, as the three of them walked into the courtyard, to see Summer and Maegor staring at the wall that surrounded Winterfell.
"Maegor." Visenya called, allowing for the direwolf to turn its head. "Come."
Maegor immediately stood up from where he was sitting, and trotted over to Visenya, standing loyally by her side.
"Gods, but they grow so fast." Catelyn began, looking up to see what Summer was looking at...it was Bran climbing the wall. "Brandon!"
Visenya sighed watching Bran climb down from the wall, shaking her head at how much the boy loved to climb.
"I saw the king!" Bran exclaimed. "He's got hundreds of people!"
"How many times have I told you, no climbing!" Catelyn scolded as Bran reached the ground.
"But he's coming right now!" Bran explained pointing towards the road. "Down our road!"
"I want you to promise me." Catelyn began. "No more climbing."
Bran looked down at his feet. "I promise."
Visenya started laughing hysterically, making Bran look up at her with a frown.
"What's funny?" Bran asked.
Visenya smiled. "You always look at your feet before you lie."
Catelyn let out a small chuckle before turning serious again.
"Run and find your father." She instructed. "Tell him the king is close."
As Bran and Summer ran off, Visenya turned to Catelyn.
"Shall I go wait in my chambers?" She asked.
Catelyn shook her head. "It is best if you try and blend in with us. Now tell me, what is your name, and where are you from."
"Valaria Tully, from the Riverlands, daughter of Edmure Tully." Visenya repeated as she walked alongside Catelyn.
Catelyn smiled and nodded. "Very good. You'll be fine Visenya. Robert won't harm you."
Visenya let out a frustrated sigh, as she was ushered by Catelyn to the courtyard, where all of Winterfell stood, awaiting for the King to arrive. Instead of being up front with the rest of the Starks, Jon, and Theon, Visenya decided to stand toward the back. As soon as she visualized the Royal party pulling into the courtyard, she felt a pit in her stomach.
She held her breath as Robert Baratheon, got off his horse. As soon as he did, all of the people of Winterfell kneeled before him. Visenya didn't want to kneel. She hated the man with a passion. The man wanted her dead. However, she knew, if she didn't kneel, he could question her, thus finding out she is one of the last Targaryens left.
A scowl came on her face, as she kneeled before the man who ordered Ned to kill her, and was eternally grateful when everyone around her stood up. As Robert began to make his rounds with the Stark family, Visenya noticed one of the guards remove their helms.
Jaime Lannister.
Another man Visenya hated with a growing passion.
The man who killed her father.
Visenya remembered that day like the back of her hand. All her father kept screaming was 'burn them all', even in his dying breath. She remembered how Jaime Lannister sat on the Iron Throne, watching the blood pour out of her father's neck and back. As a child, that witnessing that sight kept her up at night. She would scream, and shake after witnessing it happen...and she never truly recovered from it. After Ned and Robert headed toward the crypts, Visenya decided that it would be the best idea to join Maegor in her room, where she would hopefully stay the entire night.
Hopefully.
For the rest of the day, Visenya stayed in her room, sitting at her desk reading. She wanted nothing to do with the guests occupying Winterfell, and she was grateful they hadn't noticed her. After a while, a knock came at her door.
"Enter!" She began, not taking her eyes off the book.
"My mother requests you at the banquet." Robb began as he stood in the doorway.
"Tell her I'm not coming." Visenya began not taking her eyes off of her book.
"She will be greatly disappointed in you." Robb continued as he leaned against the doorway.
"Then I'll be lectured later." She said with a sigh, still not taking her eyes off the book. "I'd rather be scolded like a child, than be in the presence of Robert Baratheon and the Lannisters."
"There you are Robb, what're you...oh...I told you she'd be up here." She heard Theon say.
Visenya sighed in annoyance before turning around to see the two men standing behind her.
"Do either of you mind, I am studying." She scolded in annoyance.
"What're you studying?" Theon asked. "How to get rid of being irritable?"
Theon and Robb both laughed, before Visenya looked to Maegor, who was resting on her bed. Once Maegor saw Visenya's face, Maegor immediately started to growl at them making Visenya smile.
"Good boy, Maegor." She said finally getting up from her desk, to pet Maegor, before looking back at Robb and Theon. "I am not coming down, to bend the knee to Robert Baratheon."
"Come on Visenya, it won't be so bad." Theon began. "There's plenty of Ale."
"If Tyrion Lannister hasn't drank it all." Visenya retorted.
"There's food." Robb said in agreement.
"If Robert Baratheon hasn't eaten it all." She continued in the same tone.
They both continued to look at her, both with their arms crossed. Visenya groaned in frustration.
"If I come downstairs, I am joining you on the hunt tomorrow." She began.
Both of them nodded before she gestured them to leave as she walked over to her wardrobe. Out of it, she pulled one of her nicest dresses, a dark blue one that had sleeves that were slightly off the shoulder dress that was rather expensive and regal looking. As soon as she changed out of her day-to-day clothes, she put the gown on, and instead of braiding her hair, she allowed it to hang loosely. As soon as she was finished changing, she glanced at Maegor, who was now asleep on her bed, before walking into the hallway. She was met by Robb.
"Where's Maegor?" He asked.
"Staying in my room. I don't want to get into conversation as to why my direwolf's name is Maegor." She explained as they walked down the hall.
"You look pale." He commented.
"Not looking forward to this." She murmured. "Not looking forward to any of this really."
"I know it must be hard. I wish I could..." Robb began making Visenya stop in her tracks and turn around to look at him.
"You can not call me Visenya, that is what you can do." She explained. "I'm Valaria Tully...your cousin."
She immediately turned back around and headed down the stairs into the banquet hall, where the party was in full swing. From every corner of the room, there was laughter, music, food, and ale. From her position at the foot of the stairs, she could see Catelyn and Queen Cersei sitting at the head table, watching the partygoers, and inside the party she could see Winterfell natives, and Baratheon and Lannister soldiers being merry with each other.
"Valaria!" Catelyn called, making Visenya turn her head.
Visenya took a deep breath and hesitantly walked over to Catelyn.
"Yes, L-Aunt Catelyn?" Visenya shakily asked.
"Where have you been?" She asked with concern, but Visenya couldn't shake the fact that the queen was interested in their conversation.
"Reading." She explains.
Catelyn smiled and turned to Cersei. "She's very studious. My queen, may I present my niece, Valaria Tully."
Visenya gave Cersei and small curtsey...even though it pained her. "Your Grace."
"Quite a beauty." Cersei remarked. "What are you doing in Winterfell."
"I have been here since my mother passed, Your Grace." Visenya explained, remembering the facts Ned implanted in her brain as a child. "Lord and Lady Stark have provided wonderful hospitality for me."
Cersei smiled at her. A smile that made a chill run down Visenya's back. "I can see that, as they have been wonderful hosts."
Visenya curtseyed at the queen once more, before turning around and heading to a table that consisted of Robb, Theon, Arya, Sansa, and a few others.
"Look who finally came out of her room!" Theon said with humor making Visenya glare at him.
"Not by choice." She murmured.
"You met the Queen." Arya remarked. "What was she like?"
Visenya briefly glanced back at the Queen, who had not taken her eyes off her since she walked away from her. They briefly made eye contact before Visenya quickly glanced away.
"Interesting."
Was all Visenya could say.