NOTE:Hi guys! Quick note to say I publish this chapter today as a birthday gift from me to me (I am adorable!) and to you guys! In honor of my quarter of a century here is chapter 11!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 11: Discussions

The last week of the Sixth month of the year 297 a.c

Winterfell

Kyria Stark

"I sent a raven to uncle Benjen."

…

What?

Kyria tore herself out of the fascinating book she had found a couple of days ago in a deep corner of the library A very complete study of the mind and its complexities in difficult situations. She had no idea how such a thing ended up in the library, or how old the book was. But she'd be damned if she wasn't going to use that knowledge... Frost sniffed loudly at her feet. She ignored him. He had been extra curious recently...

"Uncle Benjen?"

The lone member of the Stark Family she had yet to know.

"Why would you do that?" asked Robb on the other side of the table.

Jon pressed his hands against the pages of his book.

" I've decided to take the Black."

Time stopped.

Kyria froze.

Robb coughed out the spit he swallowed wrong.

What?

The Black? What? Why? Why would he do that?! The Night's Watch was one Wildling raid from a dying brotherhood, lost in the coldest place on this side of the Wall. Who in its right mind would want to condemn itself to an entire life out there?!

Robb was the first one to recover.

"Why would you do that? I thought we talked about this you-"

"We did." cut Jon a deep frown between his eyes, "But… I think it is time for me to face the truth."

"What are you talking about?"

Jon seemed to tense at the sound of her voice. Kyria tried to kill the resentment growing in her. What was his problem exactly? What has she done to be treated that way?

"I have no place here. As much as I wished I had, the truth is, I don't fit."

"That's rubbish."

Jon looked at her.

"This is your home, as much as it is ours. How can you say you don't have a place here?"

"And what is my place then, Kyria? Tell me."

His place?

"With us. Like now."

Jon scoffed.

"You really think so? So what, I am supposed to spend the rest of my life reading books and playing games with you every day?"

She tried not to feel hurt by his tone. She distractingly pushed away the wet noses sniffing around her legs. Somehow the three pups were all hiding under her skirt. Curious little things.

"No, of course not. But why should that mean for you to isolate yourself at the Wall your whole life? There is so much more you could do."

"Like what?"

"Anything! A knight! You could create your own brotherhood of warriors to protect the north, you could train the soldiers here at Winterfell, you could-"

"I don't want to spend my whole life living under yours or Robb's shadow Kyria."

Kyria fell back on her chair, offended. It was very hard not to feel hurt by the words coming out of his mouth.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Jon, you don't have to live under any shadow, what is this about?"

Robb sounded as hurt as she tried not to be.

"Robb, you are the heir. We are close in age. And I am a bastard. Whatever I do here I will always be compared to you. People call me jealous already. I don't want to hear them be suspicious of me for the rest of my life. At the Wall, It won't matter. I'll be a brother of the Night's watch. I don't want to spend my life being just a bastard."

Kyria tried to be understanding. She did. But the only thing she could think about was the last time she had a fight with Jon in the room. And the days of silence that followed. They never talked about it afterward, and Kyria never really intended to. Maybe it was cowardly of her. But she was too scared of the conversation they could have. Now though...

She kept her mouth closed as Robb kept arguing. Her fists crushing the skirt of her dress. She felt sick. Like Jon was abandoning her. Again. She shouldn't. He had every right to live his life. But he had been her first support. The first brother she could really talk to.

"It's my choice, Robb!"

"But I don't get it! We were making so much progress here! I thought you liked that! Why would you drop everything to isolate yourself into the coldest damned place in Westeros?"

"It has nothing to do with that. I like it there, you know I do. But- I can't carry on like that."

"Like what?"

Both boys turned, surprised to hear her talk. It was as if they had forgotten she was still here.

The sight of her red face and glossy eyes, made them wince.

"Like what?" she asked again.

There is something very upsetting with this whole situation. She couldn't pin it exactly. But the idea of Jon out at the Wall upset her more than she could rationally say. It was childish and hard to even start contemplating.

Robb recovered first. He sighed and rubbed his face.

"Think about it, Jon. At least."

"You think I haven't already? I wouldn't have sent a raven if I hadn't already thought about it."

Kyria winces, holding back the pain. The physical pain she could barely understand. She was barely starting to realize it may not be her lone sensibilities at play when it happened.

You know nothing, Jon Snow.

For the Watch.

You will fight their battles forever.

Kill the boy

"Kyria?"

Kyria gasped. Her breath was short and heavy in her chest, and Robb had moved next to her, his large hand holding her back steady as she moved to catch more air. Gods… The voices were still echoing inside her head.

"What happened?"

She breathed again.

"I- visions."

"What visions?"

"I don't know… it- the wall?"

Jon sat closer to the edge of his seat.

"What did you see Kyria?"

She shakes her head. The brief flashes had been confusing in their oddness. Clear in some ways and so vague in others. She could recognize different voices, but no faces. She briefly saw white, the soft, sparkling white of fresh snow under the shy sun of the North. Something big.

"The Wall. There was the Wall I think… Snow." she tried to explain. "And… people talking."

Robb sighed.

"Kyria… did you see me at the Wall?" asked Jon, almost eager for her answer.

She hesitated.

You know nothing, Jon Snow.

"I- Yes."

Jon briefly closed his eyes.

"You know what it means don't you?"

"Jon this means nothing."

"Those visions are from the future. We established that already."

"A potential future Jon. Something we can change. If all the things Kyria is dreaming about are really fated to happen we might as well be doomed."

"But-"

"Jon… I am not comfortable with the idea of you going to the Wall," she confessed, stopping her brothers from starting over their quarrel.

Kyria looked down at her book. She felt lost.

Jon leaving for the Wall… Why did that sound like a threat to her?

Soon after, Jon announced his decision to the rest of the family. He chose to do so when everyone was reunited in the main hall, breaking their fast. It did not go well.

"You're leaving?!" sobbed Rickon, his chubby cheeks red with emotions.

Despite their mother being the closest, Kyria was the first to take him in her arms. The boy snuggled his little face into his sister's neck. She let him sob in the fabric of her collar, one hand on his head, watching Jon's paling face. She wanted to see him witness the consequences of his actions.

Bran was strangely stoic. His little arms wrapped around his, still nameless wolf, he buried his face in the soft fur, without saying a word.

Under the table the other pups whined anxiously around Kyria's legs, sniffing the air and pushing her calves in nervous little moves.

Arya's explosion stopped Kyrai from witnessing any other reaction. She loudly made her opinion known on her favorite brother's decision. Where in seven hells did she learn those words? Judging from Mother's expression there was going to be repercussions from such a language.

Kyria didn't pay as much attention as she should, poor Rickon's distress taking most of her attention. She did hear "abandon" and "traitor" being thrown at some point.

Robb was somber. As was Father. Did he know Jon's decision before them? Had they talked about it?

"Give him to me, dear,"

Kyria obediently switched Rickon from her arms to her mother's. As she did so, she caught her mother's twinkling eyes. Kyria held back a frown. She knew Mother didn't like Jon, but to show her joy so obviously why her children around her were heartbroken was just… rude.

Rickon sniffed pitifully and grabbed mother's hair in his little fists. By their feet, Frost and Shaggy whined and turned nervously, yipping to have their attention. Ghost snorted and pushed her leg again as if to apologize for his master's idiocy. Kyria looked back at Jon. Arya was still yelling and Jon looked sick. She was thinking about interrupting when he suddenly stood up and all but ran out of the room, Ghost hot on his heels.

What was going on?

She was following him before she could even think about it. She found him in the courtyard, walking quickly to the stables.

"Jon!"

He stopped.

Kyria trotted the last steps to join him, her hand awkwardly holding her dress to prevent any unfortunate fall. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around and look at her. His face was somber, twisted with worry. She pressed the arm in her hand.

"What is happening Jon?"

She could see something was wrong. She had seen it for a while now. He was hiding something. Something that was troubling him. She had never talked about it but she had noticed ever since they started working with Robb on their education.

Did it have any relation with the time he ignored her? They still hadn't talked about it. Maybe they should. He was leaving soon after all.

"I wish to be alone for now, Kyria."

Really? That's too bad.

For a fraction of a second, she had wished to lash out in defense at him. But father's advice was still fresh in her mind. She needed to control her temper. Anger would lead her nowhere. She took a deep breath and counted from five to one in her head.

"You can talk to me. I noticed you know? There is something troubling you. I can listen if you wish to share it with me"

He looked at her, briefly. Then behind her.

"Alright. The godswood."

She nodded. Her hand still on his arm, she guided him through the only found a couple of people from Wintertown in the woods. Kneeling in front of the Heart tree, praying silently. It was common, many people worshiped the Old Gods in the North, and apart from the Godswood in the keeps, there weren't many places to pray for their guidance and truly hope to be heard. Still silent, Jon guided her further in the woods, close to the battlements surrounding the woods. Far enough from the pools and the more frequented places. They sat against the wall in a secluded corner, against a couple of large roots that ran on top of the stones. She moved her dark blue skirt around her legs and pulled Jon's arm so he stopped standing awkwardly in front of her like a shy suitor.

Jon huffed and sat on the bare floor.

"Well then?"

He sighed and moved his hair out of the way. Confronted by his silence, she tried again.

"Does that have anything to do with your decision to go to the Wall? You never talked about it before."

At least, he never did with such a resolution. It had been an option before. Not a solution. Jon sighed again and nodded.

"I- I went to Father the other day." he confessed, "I wanted to know… if he was willing to tell me anything about my mother."

Curiosity burst inside her head. Jon's mother, the best-kept secret of the keep.

"Oh… What did he say?" she asked softly.

"I- he said she was dead."

Oh, gods...

"Oh, Jon…"

"I always thought- I thought I could meet her. One day. I thought I could ask her the questions I wished to ask… but it's never going to happen."

Kyria nodded. Any word of comfort felt hollow on her tongue. What could be said in this situation? She pressed his hand in hers. Jon shifted. Frost licked Jon's finger, whining empathically. Good boy.

"Jon.. is this the reason why you wish to become a brother of the Night's watch?"

He shook his head. His face made something weird. Twisting as in pain. Or struggling.

"What is it, Jon?"

He shifted more, then made up his mind.

"I- Lady Catelyn made it perfectly clear that I am not… welcome here any longer."

"What? No! Why would she- Jon this is your home!"

She briefly remembered the cold contempt, the frightening hate her mother always let slip when she found her with Jon. She knew she didn't like Jon. But-

Much to her shame, it took her a moment to understand. It was obvious though.

Out of all of them, Jon looked the most like Father. He and Arya. He was almost as old as Robb and some might see him as a truer heir than him. But it didn't make any sense! Jon would never do anything to harm them! He was their brother!

"She thought I might be a… bad influence for her children…"

A bad influence? In what way? And why would she try to inter-

Oh. Oh…

"Jon...did my mother make you… ignore me? Before we went to talk to Old Nan?"

Jon's tense expression was an answer on its own.

This was ridiculous. All this time she had spent thinking she had done something wrong. And it was her mother's fears at work all along? Kyria had to take a couple of deep breaths to regulate her anger.

She shouldn't judge her mother. It was not her place. The woman loved her children and would do anything for them. She knew, in the deepest parts of her being, that Jon would never pose a threat to any of them. It was, to her, as logical as the color of the sky or the coldness of the snow. But Mother...

"Did she tell you to leave too?"

It would make sense. It was heartbreaking. She was going to lose her brother because of her mother's fears. It was unfair… But what could she do? All that time Mother had watched Jon like a hawk. And nothing he had ever done had convinced her of his character. What else could Kyria do? Tempting anything to protect Jon would make Mother think Jon was influencing her in some ways.

"You're leaving then…"

"I am."

"Do you know when Uncle Benjen will arrive?"

"I still need to talk to Father. Uncle Benjen has not answered me yet. But he will not accept without Father's accord."

Kyria nodded.

"Did Father agree? When you told him?"

"I… The only people I talked to before today were you and Robb."

"...Oh."

"I wasn't ready to... to talk again."

"I understand."

They stayed in comfortable silence, alone in the deepest corner of the Godswood. She was still upset. But what could she have done? It was Jon's choice. She couldn't force him to change his mind. Who was she to judge people's decisions?

Kyria made her own decision then. She was his sister. The others might be angry, but she was determined to support him, even if her own anger twisted her inside.

Alone. In the middle of nowhere. A nowhere made of tall grass, so high it touched her hips. The sun was bright and hot on her head.

This was strange. She knew she was dreaming, just like her latest visions. But it wasn't… it wasn't the same. Something was different. She could move. Run. Walk. Turn around.

There were no monsters. No beasts, no blood. No voices. Nothing. Just an endless land of tall grass. She was alone. Completely alone in a sea of green.

It was almost frightening how alone she was. There was no tree, no road, no keep.

She walked for a long time. She sat, and waited more. What was the point of that dream? Walking alone in a field of grass, in her shift? Why?

…!

There was something. Something far, barely perceptible. But something. It wasn't like the other dreams. The sound was… progressive? Far away, but coming louder and louder. Closer?

Screams. Loud, savage screams, piercing the silence of the field. Growing in intensity and gripping her gut with the need to run.

She stood back up in alarm. Turned around to see them. But there was nothing. Though the screams were approaching. She felt threatened. She doesn't want to be there once they were close enough for her to see who was making them.

She ran. As fast as she could. Away from the screams. But the screams were everywhere. Following her, hot on her heels. She tried to run faster. But it's pointless. They kept getting closer and closer. Their voices were hollow and far away, but sounded like human voices. Thousands of them. She panicked. In the chaos, a rock caught her foot. She fell hard and fast, her breath cut with the impact. The pain pulse inside her. Hot, unknown pain. The screams seem to surround her from every side. She tries to look around but there is nothing.

She got back on her knees.

Red.

There is red in her hands. Red on her shift. Trembling, she raised a hand to her face.

Red.

Blood. Blood on her thighs, on her hands, on her dress. Blood, blood, blood…

Her blood?

She jumped awake, her breath heavy and quick. At the edge of the bed, Frost's ever-growing paws scratched the fur. He whined. His ears were straight on his head and his eyes pleading. Good gods… She rubbed her face. Her cheeks were wet and hot, had she cried? What exactly happened? What was that?

A stab of hot pain pulsed in her midsection stopping her breath for a moment. Oh, gods what was that now?

It happened again and she hissed between her teeth. Her hand curled around her stomach. Something was happening inside her. What the hell? It felt like nothing she'd ever experienced before.

Frost whined again, turned around himself, and jumped up on the bed. His rapidly growing body moved awkwardly on the soft mattress. She held a hand for him.

"It's alright Frost, I'm-ah!"

What was that?! Seriously?!

Frost whined, his ears falling against his head. She rubbed his little head, welcoming the little licks on her fingers. He wiggled on his bottom, sniffing around her as if to find what was bothering her.

"It's alright boy, don't-" she gasped in her sentence.

The pain! What kind of pain was that thing? What was happening to her?

All her distress seemed to be too much for Frost who suddenly threw his head back and howled.

Oh no!

"No! Quiet! Frost! Stop that!"

Because apparently, it was not her night, Frost's howl was soon joined by his siblings in the different rooms around hers.

She tried to shush him fast, but the pup was stubborn.

"Shhh, Frost, stop. Stop."

After another long howl, the pup stopped, watching her with pleading eyes. But it was too late. Already she could hear people talking in the corridor outside of her room. Other howls responded to Frost's. Wonderful… Truly wonderful.

Kyria winced again, wiggling uncomfortably in her sheets. Sweat poured under her shift, sticking her thighs together awkwardly. She winced and tried to move them. The pain was impossible to miss. Why? Why was that happening now? Why in the middle of the night?

Her thighs rubbed again, sticky and wet and-

Oh no. Oh no, no, no…

With trembling fingers, she pushed the sheet. Her shift was wet. A large red patch was growing right where her legs touched each other, pouring out of her like a triangle of blood that had nothing to with that place. Why was there blood in- Oh gods. Coming from that place… Did that mean..?

...At least now she got why that was called like that. It all made much more sense.

People were talking outside. Should she call for Mother? It wasn't her outside though. There was no way for her to face whoever was in the corridor. Not for a kingdom.

"Kyria? Was that Frost? What's happening? Are you alright?"

Damn. Robb. Why did that have to be Robb?! Why not Sansa? Or Mother! This was a nightmare. She was not answering. She was going to bury herself in her fur and never go out again.

The pup started passing again, padding the thick fur with frustrated paws. He yelped and scratched the sheet repeatedly. She shushed him, trying to control the situation at least a little bit.

"It's alright boy, I'm alright,"

Frost whined and licked her fingers again.

Robb knocked harder.

'Kyria?!"

"I'm here Robb, I'm alright!"

"Are you sure? Your voice sounds odd."

"Yes- I-"

Another wave of pain pulsed in her center. Of course, it happened now! Stupid body!

"Kyria?" he called again.

"No, no! Don't come inside!"

Too late.

"Kyria what in Seven hells is happening here?" demanded Robb in all his nightshirt glory.

Kyria glared, hastily pushing her fur back against her belly.

"Get out Robb!"

Frost whined and jumped to go sniff at his sleepy brother. The wolves seemed to communicate, or maybe they could smell the blood. Not a moment later, both were back on the bed, scratching furiously at the fur.

"What's going on?"

Of for the love of all the gods existing, why couldn't this whole fiasco end! Her entire face flushed violently as the pups kept fussing around the furs. She pressed her legs together, wincing back the disgust when the wet fabric of her nightshirt made a sound.

Robb kept looking at Greywind, while Jon had a fast-growing Ghost in his arms, and was apparently trying to stop him from joining his brothers.

Wonderfull. Just wonderful.

"Robb! I said don't come inside!"

"Your voice sounded weird, what is happening?"

"Nothing that concerns you! Leave please!"

"Not until you tell me what is happening here."

"Robb!"

"Don't tell me it's nothing, Greywind would not react like that if it was. Even Ghost looks distressed!"

"Whatever it is, it does not concern you, brother!"

Jon looked back at Robb with hesitation.

"Robb, maybe we should-"

He was promptly ignored.

"You look frightened and you're pale, are you sick?"

"I am perfectly well thank you. Now kindly leave me alone!"

"If you are well, why are they behaving like that?"

Couldn't he take a hint?

"Robb, maybe-"

"You can tell us if you had another nightmare Kyria."

Seven Hells…

"Robb, would you please go back to sleep and leave me at peace to finish my night?"

Robb squinted his eyes.

"Kyria-"

Couldn't he just leave!?

"What is happening here?"

Seven hells! And now she had to deal with Theon?! Couldn't this night end?

"Kyria has a problem, but she refuses to tell us what it is," complained -complained!- Robb in a deep frown.

"Robb, I don't think she is comfortable with this subject…" hazarded Jon.

"Greywind wouldn't act like that if it wasn't important. You know you can talk to us, Kyria, it could help you figure everything out."

"What are you talking about Stark?"

The last of Kyria's patience snapped.

"Oh, I don't know Robb, I don't think you are the best person in this whole keep with whom I should talk about my first moonblood."

In any other circumstances, she would have worried, as Robb's face immediately lost all color. He wobbled on his feet and knocked his shoulder against the hard end of the wall behind him. Greywind's head snapped up at his master. Robb seemed unable to find the exit of her room, struggling as he was with his own limbs.

Finally, he found it upon himself to turn around and run for his life. A moment later, a loud crash indicated her brother's impromptu meeting with a wall. There was a moan, a whine, then loud feet running in the halls. Theon's booming laugh followed Robb's adventurous exit until his panicked footsteps couldn't be heard anymore.

Jon, blood-red from embarrassment, was just as desperate to escape and hastily followed in his brother's footsteps.

Kyria was left alone in her soiled bed, suffering cramps in her belly and the thundering laugh of Theon Greyjoy

Prat.

After what felt like an eternity of hysterical laughter and quiet humiliation, a servant finally arrived and Kyria could beg for her mother's presence.

When Lady Catelyn finally arrived, it took only a look for both the servant and Theon to run for their lives. Kyria watched with barely concealed admiration her mother took control of the situation, all disheveled and barely presentable in her tight tied robe, but still more regal than the Queen herself.

While Kyria stood dumbly in the middle of her room, her mother ordered her handmaiden to clean her bed, change her shift, and give her a couple of cloth to use for the blood. The whole process was foreign and very intimate, making her blush all the way through it, while the lady crudely explained what was happening with her body.

"Your body is making you know it is ready to bear children," she said, while guiding Kyria back on her now clean bed, " the pain is normal, as is the blood. It will happen every month from now on, until the Mother has blessed you with a child, or the Crone to take upon your fate."

Kyria pressed her swollen belly, as a new wave of pain made itself known.

"But why is it so… so…"

"It is the burden we women have to carry in order to do our duty." explained patiently the Lady. "Being able to create life is a privilege. The gods made it the battle only women can fight. This is our war, our fight. And our most sacred privilege."

Kyria had heard that before. One of the many precepts of the Seven she didn't agree with. Apparently, it was common knowledge that though men were made for battlefield, violence, and fights, women were made to create life and nurture it.

Kyria didn't agree with that. A woman could be just as dangerous as a man if provoked. She knew herself enough to be certain she would never go down without a fight. And Arya was the perfect example of a great warrior in the making for all her feminine glory. And men were just as qualified to protect and give life. Maesters did it for centuries and there never was a single woman carrying that title.

This was a contradictory notion she couldn't ignore. A religion that contradicted itself wasn't worth following in her opinion. But her mother believed in the Seven. So she kept her lips sealed and listened as Mother carried on with her lesson.

"You have to know, Kyria, that a time will come for you to leave Winterfell and the security of your Father's protection like every high-born lady is expected to do." She said, "Your wedding will be of most importance for your family. I know you to be… opinionated and stubborn in your beliefs. This is no fault of yours, my dear. But you have to learn the place you are bound to occupy as it is your duty."

Kyria gulped. The middle of the night may not be the best place for this conversation? But Mother gripped her hand tighter and searched for her eyes.

"You may end up facing...situations you might feel like you can not face. Or walk through."

Her hesitation snapped Kyria's attention like the slap of a whip in the air.

"Mother… are you talking about-"

Lady Catelyn sighed and looked away. She stayed silent for a moment, and Kyria waited impatiently for her to talk again.

"I do not think I ever told you the story of your birth, my child."

Kyria blinked.

"My birth?"

What did this have to do with everything else?

"Yes… You know that for Sansa's birth your father had the bells ringing all day, so all the North would know about her arrival. I know you used to be quite jealous of your sister because of that when you were younger," smiled her mother, a bittersweet expression painting her blue eyes, "You knew back then that you didn't have the same honor. But I never could explain to you why."

She couldn't help it.

"Why then, mother? Can you tell me now?"

Catelyn smiled wider. She gently stroked her daughter's cheek.

"When I was young, I was promised to Brandon Stark, and, at the time, I thought myself madly in love with your uncle. He was vibrant and charming and everything I could ever have asked of a husband. And quite handsome."

Kyria almost giggled, as her mother rolled her eyes, in a very accurate reminder of Sansa's daydreams. With a knowing look between them, Catelyn continued:

"I was young and not as level-headed as I am now. But then," her face closed off, somber and serious, "Your aunt Lyanna was kidnapped in the middle of the night and things changed for me."

Kyria felt the thunder rumble inside of her, pumping in her veins and booming in her head. Aunt Lyanna, yes… The Rebellion.

"Your Father, Lord Aryn, and Robert Baratheon were on their way for my wedding with Brandon when the news reached us. Your uncle immediately left Riverrun for the Capital in his quest for justice. He was tailed by your Grandfather, a wise man who knew angering the King was a bad idea. By the time your father arrived in my home, I had lost a betrothed and he, half of his family."

Kyria shivered. She had read of the Rebellion of course, like everyone else on the Realm who haven't lived it directly. But in the books and Maester Luwin's teaching, it always sounded so… slow? Something that lasted and lasted far longer than any side anticipated. From Mother's mouth, it sounded… faster. Horribly fast.

"Things took a dark turn then. Robert was furious. As were your father and Lord Arynn, but the future King was the most vocal. He left the day the news of Lord Rickard and Brandon Stark's death, to gather his army. Your father stayed behind, bound by his morals to honor his brother's and father's alliance with the Riverlands. We were wedded less than a fortnight later. I was inconsolable. Forced to wear the dress I had to spend so much time on for Brandon while marrying his dull little brother. Barely allowed to mourn the love I thought I was going to have." Mother's face twisted into something soft cracking the mask of somber indifference she had until then.

"Your father knew my pain. He was suffering too. I think this is what brought us together at first. We were both seeking comfort where we could find it. He was very sweet with me."

Kyria bit back a wince. She did not want to think about her mother's wedding night. Her many readings had made her aware of the… mechanic behind the process of creating children. And refused to know more about that regarding her parents. As far as she was concerned it only happened six times in all their married life.

"He left the morning following our wedding night. I was carrying Robb."

She knew that part. Her mother was known for having been able to procreate the first night with her husband. Which… ugh.

"Your brother was born in Riverrun and was my light of hope and sunshine in those dark times." Mother's smile was always brighter when she talked about Robb.

This time though she was quick to lose it.

"Less than four moons after your brother's birth, your father was back. He had received information regarding his sister's whereabouts and had taken the opportunity to retrieve her from her captors. He came too late. He escorted her to Riverrun from where her bones were sent to Winterfell to rest in the crypt with her ancestors." explained the Lady almost mechanically. "I could see him for a fortnight at most. But he wasn't alone."

"I never knew what happened." she added after a moment, "but he was younger than Robb and that was proof enough for me."

She pressed her lips together and looked up at the wall. As if to stop herself from saying more on the subject. No doubt she had far more things to add regarding this situation. She always had. But she was considerate enough not to say them in front of her daughter.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked.

Lady Catelyn pressed her hand.

"Because you were… conceived at that time."

Kyria blinked. She was?

"We fought a lot with your father. I couldn't bear the betrayal of trust. Ned had always been known for his honor and to learn that someone like that would betray wedding vows so easily… And dare to bring back the result with him to be raised along with his trueborn siblings… it was too much for me. Arguments were often heated and...well."

Catelyn blushed, blushed. Ugh. Disgusting.

"You were born after the Rebellion. Right as we reached Winterfell."

Kyria took a moment to digest the conversation. She had learned far more than she would have liked about her parent's wedding, but the purpose of this whole speech was still unclear to her. Why tell her all of this now?

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked again.

"Because despite our differences and our fights it was my duty to bear your father's children. Even when I disagreed with him. I am Lady Stark and I can never show publicly discord with my Lord husband. You will have to learn to do the same Kyria. Once you are married you will be bonded for life with that man. You will have to learn to live with his choices and decisions. "

"Shouldn't I be able to voice my own opinions?"

The questions paused the lady in a moment of contemplation.

"If you are lucky, you will marry a man nice enough to hear your voice. But you must never forget your place. You are not asked to make decisions against your husband's will. Not publicly. Your role is to support your household."

"Be the shadow behind the Lord…"

Mother's face lightened up like a candle in the night.

"Exactly!"

She gently stroked Kyria's messy hair out of her face. Her eyes shone brighter and Kyria felt her face heat up in embarrassment.

"I am very proud of you, my child," she said softly.

Kyria blushed. The lady left soon after, leaving Kyria pensive. She didn't sleep much the rest of the night. The pain in her center was not the only reason why.

TBC

Beta Note:

You may wonder why there is a BN and not an AN at the bottom here. It may be that this is so because it isn't written by the wonderful author of this story, but by the beta reader of this story!

I am this guy you never notice, but everything you read here has gotten looked at by me to find those pesky typos, which hide themselves very well…, whoever finds a typo in the published chapters can keep it. ;)

On that point: Happy Birthday Rubyy! You are now one year older and still didn't publish book 2!

Sooo, I believe that was everything, now go, sho, sho follow, favorite and such stuff and don't forget the comments, the comments feed the author, motivate her to write more, and they are important for us to decide on things we aren't sure about, like Duncan's name!