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princess-lyanna-stark · 2 days

Text

Part One

series masterlist // next part

Character: original female character Lyanna Stark (twin sister to Robb Stark)

Rating: Mature (NO MINORS)

CW/TW: Canon-typical violence and death, animal death

word count: 8.3k

I KNOW i know okay it's a lot

banner by: @samspenandsword

298 AC: The Day The Direwolves Are Found

“Alright!” Rodrick Cassel called out from the side of the training yard. Lyanna and Jon separated from where they had been standing with their dull training swords locked against each other. Both of them were breathing heavily, and Lyanna had a slight smile across her face. “Gods be good, you’ve been going at it for minutes on end! Don’t the two of you ever get tired?” Ser Rodrick asked as he walked up to the two of them, holding his hands out for their swords. Lyanna and Jon offered them up without protest as Jon finally started to smile.

“I’ll be tired when I win.” Jon said, earning himself a shove from Lyanna.

“Which you did not, I might add.” Lyanna raised an eyebrow at her half brother. Jon waved a hand at her and scoffed.

“Another draw.” Ser Rodrick called out, earning a few polite claps from the various men gathered around the training yard. Jon and Lyanna both looked up to the walkway that surrounded the Winterfell courtyards, looking for their father.

“Well fought, both of you.” Lord Eddard Stark called down to the two of them.

“Thank you, father.” Lyanna called back, walking over to where her father stood with Jon a few steps behind.

“Thank you, my lord.” Jon said, bowing as he came to stand next to Lyanna.

“Lyanna, don’t forget to keep your guard up after you follow through on a strike.” Ned said, and Lyanna nodded.

“And Jon, you are stronger than her but she’s faster than you. You have to remember that your strength should work for you, not against you.” Jon bowed again at his father’s words.

“Yes, my lord.” Lyanna looked over at Jon with a slight frown.

“Robb! Theon!” Ser Rodrick called out and the other two walked out into the field. They were posturing to each other, brandishing their swords and Lyanna rolled her eyes. She took her makeshift helmet off and walked towards the archery targets, where Bran was trying to lift a longbow. She could feel Jon behind her as they both left Robb and Theon to wail on each other.

“Bran, you know that bow is too big for you.” Lyanna said, snatching the weapon from his hands.

“Lyanna!” Bran frowned up at her. “Ser Rodrick told me to practice my archery.”

“And so you will.” Jon said, having already pulled out the smaller bow they all used as children. “Just with something more your size.” He held the bow out to Bran, who took it with a sigh.

“It’s no use.” Bran whined as Jon and Lyanna gently led him to the marksman line. “I’m a terrible shot.” Bran’s older siblings made eye contact over his head and did their best to cover up their laughs.

“Which is why you practice.” Lyanna said, turning to look for a hip quiver that would fit Bran. She walked over to the first one she saw, leaving Jon to give Bran more of a pep talk.

“Your sisters and I missed you today with the septa.” Lyanna straightened up as she heard her mother's voice call down from the walkway.

“My apologies, mother.” Lyanna sketched a quick curtsy, or the closest thing to one that she could manage in her leather armor. “Ser Rodrick had already called us for training when I received your message.” Lady Catelyn Stark sniffed at Lyanna’s words, clearly still upset that her eldest daughter had any weapons training at all. Lyanna maintained her polite look away from her mother’s eyes. Her mother knew that it was her own neglect of Lyanna that led Ned to allow her to train with her brothers in the first place, but it wasn’t Lyanna’s place to remind her mother of that.

“You will join us after supper then.” Catelyn said, phrasing it as a question; but Lyanna knew an order when she heard one.

“If you wish it.” Lyanna responded, and gave her mother another curtsy before walking back to her brothers. “Here, Bran.” She held the quiver out to him as Jon took the bow from his hands. Bran quickly belted on the quiver and held his hand out for the bow. He took a deep breath and began to draw his first arrow. Lyanna and Jon both took hearty steps back as Bran began to try and pull the bowstring back.

“What did your mother want?” Jon whispered to Lyanna, the both of them knowing that if they kept low tones, those on the walkway above wouldn’t be able to hear them.

“To scold me for training instead of needlepointing with Sansa and Arya.” Lyanna replied, her resentment coloring her words. “And to inform me that it is expected that I join them after supper.” Jon winced in commiseration. Catelyn had always hated Jon; he was a bastard. But because of Jon, Catelyn ignored Robb and Lyanna for years as a way to punish Ned. Lyanna had been raised by a septa for a few years, before the septa gave up trying to wrangle her. Lyanna wanted to do what her brothers were doing, and Ned had no reason to deny her. By the time Catelyn cared enough to dispute Ned’s decision, it was too late. Lyanna would be trained and schooled along with the boys, with the added bonus of learning some ‘womanly’ skills alongside her much younger sister Sansa.

Bran let out a frustrated groan that snapped Lyanna out of her thoughts. She sighed and walked up to him, placing a few more arrows into his quiver.

“It’s alright, Bran. Take a deep breath.” She said, crouching down to be at his eye level. Bran blew a large breath out of his nose and nodded. Lyanna smiled and squeezed his arm, before standing up and making her way back to Jon. She looked up as she did, and saw that her father and mother had taken up watching Bran together. She heard little footsteps pounding down the stairs and she smiled as her youngest brother Rickon slammed into her legs. She feigned a stumble and clutched her chest. “Uh! You’re getting so strong!” She said, bending down and picking Rickon up. She settled him on her hip as he giggled.

“I gotcha!” He said, a toothless smile on his face.

“You certainly did.” Lyanna heard Robb’s voice over her shoulder and turned to face him. Robb held his hands out and Rickon went willingly into his older brother’s arms. Robb set Rickon down on a saddled wooden horse as Bran continued to miss the target. Jon walked up to give Bran another pep talk and some pointers, and Lyanna made her way towards Robb.

“Theon?” She whispered, an eyebrow raised. Robb handed Rickon a small wooden sword and turned to face his sister.

“Cassel got a message, took Theon with him to hear it.” Robb replied. The twins turned to watch Bran again, who pulled back the bow string and hit a barrel two feet from the target. Bran kicked the dirt as Jon walked up to him. He put his hands on Bran’s shoulders and bent down.

“Go on.” He said, squeezing Bran’s shoulders in comfort. “Father’s watching.” Bran turned back and looked up, Jon following suit. Ned nodded at Bran to continue with a smile on his face. “And your mother.” Jon finished, before taking a step back to join Lyanna and Robb. They all stood while Bran nocked another arrow, pulled the bowstring back as far as he could, and loosed the arrow. It sailed straight over the wall and into the forest beyond. Robb and Lyanna both snorted, unable to hold it in any longer. Jon let out a laugh, turning to look away from Bran. Rickon giggled along with them.

“And which one of you was a marksman at ten?” Ned called out, and the three of them went silent. Ned looked at Bran and smiled. “Keep practicing, Bran.” Barb smiled up at his father and went to prepare another arrow. Lyanna caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and saw a small girl in a blue dress in her peripheral. Her little sister Arya crept up underneath the walkway with her own bow and started to look around for an arrow. “Go on.” Ned nodded towards Bran. Jon leaned down again.

“Try not to think too much, Bran.” He said.

“Relax your bow arm.” Robb offered as they all watched Bran pull the bowstring back again. An arrow sailed past Jon’s elbow and Bran’s shoulder to sink into the bullseye of the target in front of them. The three brothers turned to see what Lyanna had already spotted, Arya with a bow in hand. She had a proud smirk on her face, and made a small curtsy as her brothers turned to look at her. Robb, Lyanna, and Jon all broke into laughter as Bran threw down his bow and chased after Arya. Arya dropped her own bow and began to scramble away from Bran. “Get her, Bran!” Robb called out.

“Faster, Arya!” Jon hollered just after. The two brothers turned to look at each in mock anger as Lyanna rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Rickon.” She walked over to the six year old and lifted him off his pretend horse. “Help me gather these arrows.” He grabbed his sister’s hand as they walked over to the targets and began to pick up all of Bran’s missed shots. Jon picked up Bran’s quiver and hung it back on a post, before sticking the arrows left in it into the barrel. Rickon began running back and forth between Jon and Lyanna, ferrying arrows from one to the other. Robb bent down and picked up Bran’s bow and began to walk back to the weapons shed. Theon came down the stairs and walked towards Robb.

“We’re to saddle our horses. They’ve captured a deserter from the Night’s Watch.” Jon and Lyanna both turned to look at him. Jon’s look went even more somber than usual.

“We’ll be ready.” Lyanna answered, having shooed Rickon back to their mother.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Theon bit out in her direction.

“If you’re going, so are we.” Jon responded, coming to stand next to Lyanna. Theon huffed and walked away towards the stables. Robb sighed and walked over to Lyanna and Jon.

“Why do you have to fight with him all the time?” Robb asked, and Lyanna turned to him.

“I’ll stop fighting with him when he stops being a prick.” She said, as Jon snorted at her language and tried to cover it up. Robb hesitated for a second, and then nodded.

“I’ll talk to him about it.” He said and Lyanna sighed.

“Let’s hope it sticks this time.” Lyanna said over her shoulder as she walked back into the castle. She was the only one who had to change, and even though she didn’t think her father would leave without her, she’d rather not risk it.

She pushed the door open to her room, already halfway out of her leathers. “Alys?” She called out, setting her breastplate down on the table in her solar.

“Lady Lyanna! You have a visitor.” Alys, Lyanna’s favorite lady-in-waiting, came bustling out from Lyanna’s bedchamber.

“What?” Lyanna turned to see Arya peeking out from behind Alys’s skirts. “Arya Stark.” Lyanna put her hands on her hips and cocked her head.

“The gray, my lady?” Alys called, taking Lyanna’s armor and heading back into the bedchamber.

“Yes, Alys, thank you!” Lyanna called back, before waving Arya over. Lyanna sat down at the table and began to unlace her boots. “You are supposed to be with the septa.” Lyanna said, not looking over at Arya.

“Why does Bran get to go?” Arya said, slumping in the chair next to Lyanna. “It’s not fair, I’m older than him!” Lyanna toed off her boot and sighed.

“I didn’t get to go when I was Bran’s age.” Lyanna said, neglecting to mention that she was definitely going when she was Arya’s age because of a very similar argument. Lyanna watched the fight sink out of Arya’s small frame as her younger sister slumped back in her chair.

“Oh.” Arya grumbled and Lyanna sighed. She stood up after kicking her boots off and went into her bedchamber.

“Arya.” Lyanna came back out a few moments later, in a relatively plain gray dress with Stark heraldry embroidered across the hem and the sleeves. Her sister perked up as Lyanna came back and sat down. “I’ll make you a deal.” Lyanna laced up her boots as she spoke, watching out of the corner of her eye as Arya took in the detailed embroidery across her hem. It was a scene of a wolfpack running through a forest, and the tree detailing carried over into the cuffs of the sleeves. “If you reach Sansa’s age–”

“Thirteen?” Arya interrupted and Lyanna huffed a quick breath out of her nose. “Sorry.” Arya immediately apologized and Lyanna smiled as she stood up.

“Yes, thirteen. If you are thirteen and Father is still refusing to let you go, then I will sneak you with me. But not before!” Lyanna held up a finger as she turned to let Alys throw a fur cloak over her shoulders. Arya grinned up at Lyanna from her chair.

“You’re my favorite sister.” Arya whispered as Lyanna finished belting the cloak over her dress, the fur draping around her shoulders. Lyanna tilted her head at Arya, trying and failing to be stern.

“I’ll see you when we get back.” Lyanna dropped a kiss on top of Arya’s head and walked out of her room.

Lyanna pulled up the reins on her horse, pushing up on one foot to look over the head of the soldier in front of her. “Apologies, milady. There’s something in the road.” Lyanna looked over at her brother and they both swung off their horses. She passes the reins to the man nearest her as she walks forward. Lyanna’s nose wrinkled as the smell of old death reached her nose.

“There’s no mountain lions in these woods.” Ned said, standing up from where he had been crouched to get a better look at the dead stag in the middle of the road. He began to walk to the side, following a trail of blood and gore that led further into the woods. He drew his sword as he walked, and Robb and Theon jumped at the chance to follow directly behind him. Bran had come forward off his horse, and Jon let him go between Lyanna and himself. Lyanna drew her hunting knife as the rest of the men pulled out their swords. She hated that she didn’t have her own sword with her, but it was practically impossible to wear the scabbard at the same time as a dress.

The group moved slowly into the tree line, and Lyanna watched as her father stepped down the ridge and crouched again; this time in front of a massive wolf with an antler lodged in its throat. Lyanna looked over at Robb as she heard the sound of yips and squeals, and noticed the pups surrounding the dead wolf.

“It’s a freak!” Theon remarked, looking at Ned for confirmation.

“It’s a direwolf.” Ned stated, ignoring Theon completely. Lyanna straightened up as Ned looked over at Ser Rodrick. “Tough old beast.” He stated, wrenching free the antler of the stag.

“There are no direwolves south of the Wall.” Robb said, and Lyanna did her best not to roll her eyes.

“Now there are six.” Jon stated, having moved up to crouch down next to Ned. He gestured towards the pups as he said it. Jon reached out and gently picked one up. The wolf up was mostly tan, with a white underbelly of puppy fur that hadn’t grown out yet. “Do you want to hold it?” He asked Bran, who froze with wide eyes and then nodded. Jon thrust the wolf into Bran’s arms, and Bran cradled it like a baby. Ser Rodrick and Ned were still looking at each other with grave faces.

“Where will they go?” Bran asked, the wolf pup nestling into the fur of his cloak. “Their mother is dead.”

“They don’t belong down here.” Ser Rodrick said, his deep voice a stark contrast to Bran’s.

“Better a quick death.” Ned proclaimed, standing up and sheathing his sword. “They won’t survive without their mother.” Theon hopped down to Bran at Ned’s words.

“Right.” Theon said, and pulled a knife. “Give it here.”

“No!” Bran shouted and curled away from Theon, tucking the wolf closer to his body. Theon grabbed it by the scruff of its fur and pulled it away from Bran.

“Put away your blade.” Lyanna bit out, taking a step closer to Theon.

“I take orders from your father. Not you.” Theon sneered at her. Lyanna bristled and took another step.

“Please Father!” Bran turned to Ned.

“I’m sorry, Bran.” Ned said, and reached a hand out to lead Bran away.

“Lord Stark?” Jon called out, still looking down at the five remaining pups. “There are six pups. One for each of the Stark children.” Ned stopped and turned to look at Jon. “The direwolf is the sigil of your house. They were meant to have them.” All eyes turned to Ned.

“You will train them yourselves. You will feed them yourselves. And if they die, you will bury them yourselves.” Ned stated, turning away from the scene.

“Thank you, Father.” Bran said, smiling down at the wolf in his arms. Theon sheathed his knife, and after a moment, so did Lyanna. Jon bent down and picked up two of the pups and handed them off to Robb. Robb passed them to Lyanna, and then took two more for himself. Jon picked up the last one and turned to walk away. “What about you?” Bran asked, looking up at Jon. Jon looked at Robb and Lyanna and then back at Bran.

“I’m not a Stark.” He said, and both twins looked down at the ground. “Go on.” Jon jerked his chin back towards the horses. Bran turned to go and they all began to walk away when Lyanna noticed that Jon had stopped a few feet from the dead wolf.

“What is it?” She asked, as the rest of them came to a stop. Jon hesitated and then took a step into the underbrush. He reached out towards something and lifted up another wolf pup, all white and smaller than the rest.

“Ah, the runt of the litter.” Theon said, and Lyanna could already hear the cruel glee in his voice. “That one’s yours, Snow.” Jon looked at the small white wolf and then back at Robb and Lyanna. Robb had a slight smile on his face, and Lyanna had raised her eyebrows. Theon turned and began to walk back towards the horses. Lyanna hung back to walk with Jon, and knocked her shoulder into his.

“You are a Stark.” She whispered, and then nodded down to the wolf in his arms. “Even the Old Gods know it.”

298 AC: The Day of King Robert Baratheon’s Arrival at Winterfell

“Lyanna!” Sansa’s voice shouted from Lyanna’s bedroom door. “Please let me in, I need you to tell me if what I’m wearing is alright! The King is supposed to be here any minute.” Lyanna sighed and smiled at her lady in waiting.

“Alys, would you mind letting her in? I’ll keep putting this on.” Lyanna asked and Alys nodded. Lyanna continued to pull on her dark green dress, thanking the Old Gods that she had convinced her mother to let her wear a Northern style dress instead of a Southern style with their characteristic long sleeves. Alys came back into the bedroom, with Sansa close behind her. Alys stepped behind Lyanna and began lacing up the back.

“Well?” Sansa stood up as straight as she could. Lyanna looked over her sister and gave her a fond smile.

“Light blue?” Lyanna asked, and raised an eyebrow. Sansa smiled and swished her skirts around her ankles.

“Like Aunt Lyanna.” Sansa said and then her hands flew to her hair. “Oh! Would you do my hair? I want it braided like Aunt Lyanna’s was in all the stories.” Lyanna felt Alys pat her back, silently signaling that her dress was laced.

“Only if you go find your sister. I’ll need to do both of your hair before the King arrives.” Lyanna said, and Sansa frowned.

“Arya will just take out whatever you do.” She said and Lyanna sighed. She sat down on her bed and reached a hand out for her sister.

“She might.” Lyanna nodded and squeezed Sansa’s hand. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. A lady should always be kind to those around her, even those who get on her nerves.” Sansa took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “How do you think I’ve put up with Theon all this time?” Lyanna gently nudged Sansa, who smiled and opened her eyes.

“I’ll go get her.” Sansa swept into a deep curtsy, which Lyanna laughed at and waved off, before rushing out of Lyanna’s bedchamber. Alys sighed.

“You’re too good with those girls, milady.” Alys said, as she gestured for Lyanna to get up to her feet. “Now come on! If your sisters are both coming in to get their hair done, yours needs to be done by the time they arrive.” Lyanna sighed and sat down in a chair in her solar. Her direwolf padded closer, already the size of a large puppy, and nudged Lyanna’s hand. She reached out to pet the wolf, and she plopped her head in Lyanna’s lap.

“Nothing too fancy, Alys. I’m not trying to impress anyone.” Lyanna said and Alys let out a snort as she began to run a comb through Lyanna’s dark brown waves.

“No hairdos like your aunt then?” Alys said, and Lyanna turned around with a look of mock horror on her face.

“That’s the last thing I want to remind the King about.” Lyanna said, shivering in distaste that was mostly for show, causing both women to smile at each other. Alys started to weave Lyanna’s hair into its standard three strand braid down her back, allowing a few strands to fall forward and frame her face.

Eventually Sansa came back, with Arya in tow. Arya grumbled about getting her hair done, until Lyanna whispered in her ear that the sooner she got her hair done, the sooner she could sneak out of the castle to watch the procession. Arya sat still after that, waiting patiently as Lyanna braided her hair into a small circle at the back of her head. As soon as Lyanna finished, Arya jumped up and bolted out the door, practically running into Robb as he opened it.

“Where is she off to?” Robb asked, coming in and sitting down across from Lyanna. His own direwolf close behind him, running over to Lyanna’s wolf and curling up next to her.

“Never you mind.” Lyanna waved off her twin brother’s questions as Sansa primly sat down on the floor so Lyanna could braid her hair. “Your haircut looks nice.” Lyanna said and Robb ran a rueful hand over his chin.

“Tommy shaved off my beard.” Robb said and Lyanna snorted.

“You call that a beard?” She said, raising an eyebrow.

“Oi!” Robb shot Lyanna a dirty look and she stuck her tongue out at him. “You haven’t even seen Jon yet.” A sly smile crept across her brother’s face as Lyanna finished up Sansa’s first braid. She got started on the second one when she heard Alys make a noise behind her. She looked up to see Jon at the door, looking sullen in his large Northern furs. Lyanna instantly schooled her features into neutrality.

“Not. A. Word.” Jon said, his all white direwolf peeking through his legs and running into the room to join his siblings.

“I didn’t say anything.” Lyanna said, looking back down at Sansa’s hair to hide her smile.

“You didn’t have to.” Jon slumped into a chair and groaned.

“Think of it this way!” Robb said, smiling over at his half brother. “You get to stand in the back, so nobody will notice.” Jon glared over at Robb as Lyanna rolled her eyes.

“All done!” Lyanna said, tying off the last of Sansa’s braids. Sansa jumped up and turned around, leaping into Lyanna’s arms.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!” Sansa practically skipped out of Lyanna’s room, much to Robb and Jon’s delight.

“What’s got her in such a good mood?” Robb asked, as they heard the horn sound from Winterfell’s outer walls.

“The prince.” Lyanna sighed as they all stood up.

“I heard he’s not the nicest prince.” Jon said, looking over at Robb.

“I heard he’s a right royal prick.” Lyanna said, causing both Robb and Jon to smack her arms. “What?” She said, looking between the two of them. “You’ve heard the same.”

“Language, Ly! What would Father say?” Robb pretended to look shocked, easily dodging Lyanna’s return smack.

“He’d say nothing, and you know it.” Lyanna rolled her eyes at her brother.

“C’mon. We shouldn’t be late.” Robb said. All three of them led their direwolves back to the kennel before lining up with the rest of their family and household.

Lyanna helped her mother fuss over her younger siblings, lining up Bran and Rickon next to each other and straightening out Sansa’s furs. Lyanna’s own furs were dark brown, matching that of Ned and Robb. Robb stood next to Ned, leaving enough room next to him for Lyanna when she finished with their siblings.

“Where’s Arya?” Catelyn whispered furiously to Lyanna as Rickon refused to leave his mother’s side. Lyanna took a deep breath and looked out into the crowd.

“I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.” Lyanna said, after failing to find her little sister in the crowd. Catelyn huffed and started to push Lyanna towards her spot in the line.

“Sansa!” Catelyn leaned around the family. “Where’s your sister?” Sansa shrugged, and Catelyn sighed again. At the last second, Arya came running in with a dented helmet on her head. Lyanna and Robb looked at each other and stifled their laughs.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Ned whispered, grabbing Arya by the arm and slowing her down in front of him. “What are you doing with that on?” He lifted the helmet off of his youngest daughter, and Lyanna smiled to herself at the sight of Arya’s braid still securely in place. Ned sighed and shook his head slightly. “Go on.” He gently pushed Arya down the line towards her siblings. Ned looked around for a moment, before handing the helmet off to Ser Rodrick.

“Move.” Arya said, shoving Bran over to stand next to Sansa. Lyanna glanced over her shoulder to shoot a smile at Jon, both of them remembering a very similar moment a long time ago between the two of them.

The sound of hoofbeats grew louder as the first few horses began to enter Winterfell’s innermost courtyard. First, a member of the Kingsguard, dressed all in gold. Second, a young boy who Lyanna assumed to be the eldest prince, followed closely by a knight with a dog’s face for a helmet. Lyanna and Robb both looked over at Sansa, who was openly staring at the prince and smiling. The prince smiled back and Lyanna and Robb looked at each other before looking forward again.

A carriage rolled into the courtyard next, with a red top and gilded in gold. Lyanna did her best not to visibly sneer at the Lannister heraldry flapping in the wind. Directly behind the carriage, flanked by four Kingsguard, was the King. Lyanna remembered him briefly from a visit from when she was young, around the time Theon arrived at Winterfell. He looked significantly larger than she remembered, and she only needed to glance out the corner of her eye to know that her brother was thinking the same thing.

Nonetheless, the entire courtyard dropped to its knees at the King’s entrance. Lyanna refrained from watching the King dismount his horse and walk over to her father, although she was almost positive that she heard stairs being brought over. She kept her gaze on her father’s feet as she waited for the King to approach. She saw her father begin to stand, so the rest of the family and the courtyard stood with him. It felt like the entire courtyard was holding its breath as it waited for the King’s first words.

“Your grace.” Ned’s voice was quiet as he bowed his head in respect.

“You got fat.” King Robert Baratheon proclaimed. Lyanna’s eyes darted to her father’s face. Her father looked the King up and down, and then raised his eyebrows. The King started to laugh, and her father joined in, before the two of them embraced each other. It felt like the entire courtyard sighed in unison. The two men released each other, and the King stepped to the side. “Cat!”

He leaned in and kissed Catelyn on the cheek as she stuttered out a quick “Your grace.” in return. He ruffled Rickon’s hair before stepping back in front of Ned.

“Nine years. Why haven’t I seen you? Where the hell have you been?” The King’s voice was as gravely as Lyanna remembered it, and she could still see the boisterous personality of Robert Baratheon from the stories her father told of his youth.

“Guarding the North for you, your grace. Winterfell is yours.” Ned said, still smiling. Lyanna risked a glance behind the King at the carriage, watching two children and a woman step out from it. Lyanna felt a tug on her dress and looked over to see Arya ducking behind Sansa.

“Where’s the Imp?” She asked, and before Lyanna could say a word, Sansa jumped in.

“Will you shut up!” Sansa whispered angrily. Lyanna shot Sansa a stern look and leaned down to Arya quickly.

“Please be quiet.” She said, and stood back up as the King stepped away from her father.

“Who have we here?” The King stepped in front of her twin brother and looked him up and down. “You must be Robb.” The King held out a hand and Robb gripped it in return. “Bit taller than the last time I saw you.” The King nodded and Robb bowed his head in return.

“Only a bit, your grace.” Robb said, and the King chuckled. He took another step and Lyanna swept into a curtsy.

“My, you look like your aunt reborn.” Lyanna stood up at the King’s words and bowed her head. “Little Lyanna.”

“You are too kind, your grace.” Lyanna replied, briefly making eye contact with the King. She refrained from mentioning the slight misty look in his eyes. He took another step, looking over Sansa.

“My, you are a pretty one. Just like your mother.” Robert smiled over at Cat as Sansa swept into her own curtsy. He walked again and bent over to look at Arya. “Your name is?” Arya bobbed down into a sloppy curtsy and stood back up, eyeing the King out of the corner of her eye.

“Arya.” She said, still squinting up at him. He nodded and moved on to Bran.

“Oh… Show us your muscles.” He looked down at Bran, who grinned and lifted his arm out of his furs to flex. The King laughed and reached out a hand to pat Bran on the shoulder. “You’ll be a soldier.” Lyanna, mostly satisfied with her sisters’ responses, turned her attention back to the woman who stepped out of the carriage. She sauntered across the yard as the first Kingsguard removed his helmet.

“That’s Jaime Lannister!” Lyanna heard Arya whisper to Bran. “The Queen’s twin brother.”

“Will you please shut up!” Sansa whispered back, almost causing Lyanna to glance over at them again. The woman from the carriage, who Lyanna assumed had to be the Queen, stopped in front of her father and half-heartedly held up her hand. Ned blinked once and then reached out to take it. He pressed a quick kiss to the back of her hand and stood upright again.

“My Queen.” He said. The Queen’s smile twitched. Her gaze shifted slightly to rest on Catelyn, who immediately swept into a low curtsy.

“My Queen.” Lyanna resisted the urge to twitch at her mother’s deference.

“Take me to your crypt.” The King’s voice boomed out and Lyanna looked over at him to find him looking between her and her father. “I want to pay my respects.”

“We’ve been riding for a month, my love.” The Queen spoke, and Lyanna felt shivers down her spine. “Surely the dead can wait.” Lyanna shifted her gaze to find the Queen staring daggers into her.

“Ned.” The King ignored his wife completely, and started walking towards the entrance to the crypts. Ned paused for a moment, and after giving the Queen another bow, followed after the King. The courtyard again stood frozen, until Arya broke the silence by leaning over to Lyanna again.

“Where’s the Imp?” She asked, causing the Queen to glare at the little girl. Lyanna tensed and knelt down in front of Arya as the Queen walked away.

“Arya.” Lyanna said, and her little sister frowned down at the dirt.

“I just want to see him!” Arya whispered and Lyanna sighed.

“There is a time and a place for every question. We’ve talked about this.” Lyanna said, seeing her mother move out of the corner of her eye.

“I’m sorry.” Arya kicked the dirt and looked down. Lyanna sighed and stood up, pressing a kiss to Arya’s forehead.

“It’s alright.”

Lyanna smiled as she took another bite of dinner. “That’s a load of rubbish, and you know it, Glover.” Ethan Glover laughed from across the table.

“Aye, it certainly is, Lady Stark.” He mockingly bowed at her and she refrained from throwing any of her dinner at him.

“You flirting with my sister, Glover?” Robb slung an arm over Lyanna’s shoulders and raised an eyebrow at Ethan. Ethan threw his hands in the air with a smile and a shake of his head.

“I wouldn’t dare.” He said and then smiled a bit wider. “At least, not right in front of you.” Robb scoffed and Lyanna shoved her twin brother away.

“Piss off! I could take Ethan Glover with one hand tied behind my back.” Lyanna said, causing Robb and Ethan to bust out into laughter.

“I think you have!” Robb said, and Lyanna fell into giggles with them as they recalled a feast a few years earlier for Robb and Lyanna’s name day. Lyanna watched out of the corner of her eye as one of the Queen’s maids whispered something in Sansa’s ear. Sansa blushed and beamed as she stood up and began to walk towards the head of the table. Lyanna reached out and grabbed her sister’s arm as she walked past.

“What?” Sansa said, pulling against Lyanna. Lyanna sighed and reached up towards her sister’s hair.

“You have a piece of your braid sticking out, come here.” Lyanna said, and Sansa quickly sat down. Lyanna pulled a hairpin from her own elaborate updo, and quickly fixed Sansa’s rogue curl. “There.” She smiled at her little sister and pushed her back to standing. “Now go!” She shooed her away and Sansa smiled as she continued walking towards the Queen.

“Doesn’t that worry you?” Lyanna turned back around to find Ethan Glover looking intently at her. Lyanna shrugged.

“I suppose. I know we’ve all heard that the Prince is a prick, but I have hope that he could grow out of it. He and Sansa are still so young. Hopefully, if they’re allowed to grow up together, they can form a bond that’s based more in friendship than anything else.” Ethan nodded and gave Lyanna a small smile.

It was fairly well known that Lord Stark was planning to have a tourney for Lyanna’s hand in marriage, and it was equally well known that Lyanna had already given Ethan Glover her favor at multiple tournaments before. He was the only son of a Northern lord who treated her like a person, rather than a prize to be won.

The first tourney that Ned had allowed Lyanna to fight in, she had beaten every other opponent except Robb— they both forfeited the match so they could win as twins. Ethan Glover had stayed at Winterfell for a few more days; his father had business to discuss with Ned, and he had joined them in weapons training. Unlike the rest of the Northern boys, he didn’t refuse to train with her, and even asked her for some pointers on some of the maneuvers she had used during the tourney.

They remained friends in the following years, exchanging letters and training together whenever they were in the same place. About a year ago, Lyanna had sat down with her father and informed him that she would prefer to marry Ethan over any of the other boys in the North. She laid out her reasons, and her father had agreed. He had told her that no betrothal announcement would be made, as the other Northern Lords still believed there to be a tourney, but that the tourney would just be for show.

Ethan and Lyanna had had many conversations since that day, and while neither of them would be professing their undying love for each other any time soon, they both agreed that they could see themselves being friends for many years. Lyanna was shaken out of her day dreaming when Robb elbowed her side.

“Look! Uncle Benjen.” Robb began to stand up and turned back to his sister. Lyanna waved him away.

“Go say hello, I’ll be over in a few minutes.” She said, still waiting for Sansa to return to her seat. Sansa curtsied for the Queen and then came back to her seat. She smiled at Lyanna and hurried back to talk to her friend. Lyanna took another sip of her drink and looked back at Ethan, who had his eyebrow raised.

“You look like you’ve got a lot going on in that head.” He said, refilling her cup of wine with mostly water. “Care to share?” She smiled and took another drink.

“Not yet.” She said, swirling her cup. “Not until it’s a more formed thought.” Ethan simply nodded and continued to sit with her. “You can go be with your friends, Ethan. You don’t have to stay here with me.” She said, nodding a quick thanks at the servant who had come to clear her plate.

“You are my friend, Lyanna.” He said, rolling his eyes. “Now, tell me more about your direwolf, Scarlet something?” He said and Lyanna rolled her own eyes.

“Scarlet Shadow.” She said, and pointed a finger at him. “And don’t you make fun of her name either! Robb went and named his wolf Grey Wind so I had to think of something equally pretentious. I’ll probably just call her Scarlet or Scar for short. She responds to both names already.” Ethan raised his eyebrows and began to speak, when he was interrupted by Sansa shrieking out Arya’s name. Lyanna glanced down the table to see her little sister preparing to launch another piece of gravy covered meat at her other sister and sighed. “Hold that thought.” She said to Ethan and got up from the table. She could already sense her mother glaring at her, so Lyanna scooped Arya up from the table and over her shoulder.

“Lyanna!” Arya shouted, but Lyanna continued to walk.

“Time for bed.” Lyanna said, and carried her sister out of the Great Hall.

298 AC: After Ned Stark Becomes Hand of the King

“Is that a joke?” Lyanna was so taken aback that she couldn’t maintain her filter in front of her mother. At her words, her father sighed and rubbed his forehead from his chair.

“Lyanna!” Her mother exclaimed, crossing her arms in front of her. “Do not question your father.” Lyanna took a deep measured breath.

“I’m not questioning Father, I’m questioning you.” Lyanna flexed her hands to try and stop them from forming into fists. “Father?” She leaned, trying to catch his gaze. “Is this your command or hers?”

“Speak kindly of your mother, Lyanna.” Ned said, the exasperation clear in his voice.

“Father.” Lyanna sat down at the table across from him, and placed her hands on the table. “We have always discussed these matters openly together. I was under the impression that I was going to stay in the North.” Ned sighed again, still avoiding her eye contact.

“Oh don’t be naive, Lyanna.” Catelyn huffed and sat down in one of the comfier chairs in the space. “You are a lady of a noble house. It is your duty to forge alliances for your house through marriage. You cannot stay at home forever.” Lyanna took another deep breath to try and stave off her anger.

“Father, look at me.” Lyanna said, and Ned finally met her gaze. “You have always discussed these choices with me. Why now, do I have no say?” Her gaze was pleading, her hands pressed to the table.

“Cat, would you go fetch Robb for me?” Ned asked, and Catelyn huffed from her seat.

“Of course, dear.” Catelyn stood up and swept herself out of the room, without so much as a glance backwards. Ned looked away from Lyanna, staring up at the ceiling and rubbing his forehead again. They sat in silence for a few moments before Catelyn returned with Robb in tow.

“Have a seat, son.” Ned gestured to the chair next to Lyanna’s. Robb made eye contact with his twin, who was practically glaring up at him. Robb sat down as Cat returned to her comfortable chair. “I need to talk to both of you. Things have… evolved in recent days.” Robb clasped his hands on the table at Ned’s words.

“Father, is everything alright?” Robb asked.

“His Grace has asked me to be Hand of the King.” Ned stated, and Lyanna leaned back in her chair.

“I expected he would.” Lyanna replied as Robb nodded in agreement.

“I am leaving for King’s Landing with His Grace in a week.” Ned said, and both twins sat up straighter at this news. “When I leave, Robb will become the acting Lord of Winterfell in my absence.” Ned looked Robb in the eyes and gave him a soft smile. “I have every confidence in you. You are ready.” Robb blinked a few times and leaned back in his chair. “I will be taking all three girls South with me.” Lyanna threw her hands in the air as Robb immediately sat back up.

“You’re taking Lyanna?” He asked. Catelyn sniffed in the corner.

“Why are you both so surprised by this?” Robb turned to his mother, a look of surprise on his face at her outburst.

“It was always my impression that Father was allowing Lyanna a relative amount of freedom regarding her marriage, and Lyanna has expressed to me repeatedly her desire to stay in the North.” Robb said, far more diplomatically than Lyanna would have been able to.

“Unfortunately, that now must change.” Ned said, and Lyanna’s shoulders sank. Her eyes closed and she took another deep breath. “Sansa and Arya will be coming to King’s Landing with me. Sansa is to be betrothed to Joffrey, and I will find a suitable husband for Arya when she comes of age. Lyanna will be staying at Riverrun with your grandfather, and meeting the eligible sons from the Riverlands.” Ned turned to Lyanna, whose eyes were still closed. “You will be allowed to choose any of them that you wish. Lord Tully and your uncle Edmure will be there to guide you.” Lyanna opened her eyes, tears shining in them.

“I will be allowed.” She said quietly. “How kind of you, Father. Truly.” She stood up, the noise of the wooden chair legs against the stone floor echoing throughout the room. “I’ll leave you to discuss the rest of the plans regarding the rest of my life with your wife and son. Goodnight.” She started to walk towards the door.

“Lyanna!” Ned called out to her and she stopped in the door frame. She turned, the tears now openly falling down her cheeks.

“I know that I am a lady of a noble house. I know that this is my duty. I simply thought that I was more than that to you.” The hurt in her voice was unmistakable. Ned faltered, and said nothing. Catelyn looked furious. “This will break me. This will break me like it broke her.” Lyanna spun away and ran from the room.

298 AC: The Day Ned Stark Leaves Winterfell

Lyanna continued to pack her things and ready her horse, having already said goodbye to Bran. She hated that she was leaving without knowing whether or not he would be alright, but they had already delayed. She saw her father step out from the castle, and she turned her back towards him. Lyanna slung her saddle over her horse, refusing to look at her father. Ned began to walk towards her and then walked away.

“My lady.” Lyanna spun around to see Ethan Glover, leading his own horse.

“Ethan.” She shot him a glare for using the honorific as she handed the reins of her horse off to one of the soldiers nearby.

“Your father took it upon himself to personally tell me about his reasons for you to leave.” Ethan was looking at the ground. Lyanna let out a bitter laugh.

“It seems you got more courtesy than I did in that regard.” Her tone was cold, but she did her best to impress upon Ethan that she was not angry with him. Ethan looked around and took a step closer to Lyanna.

“I mean it when I say this.” Ethan reached out and took Lyanna’s hands. “We are friends, Lyanna. And if you say the word, I will ride to Riverrun and break you out myself.” Lyanna gripped Ethan’s hands.

“Ethan…” She faltered.

“I would expect nothing of you.” He was practically whispering. Lyanna squeezed his hands. “I say this because we are friends.”

“You have always been my friend, Ethan.” Lyanna whispered. “But before you stage a jailbreak, you might want to tell Robb your plan.” Ethan laughed under his breath. “I will miss you.” Lyanna smiled up at him. Ethan squeezed her hands again.

“I’ll miss you too.” He said, and began to step back. Lyanna dropped his hands and resisted the urge to pull him into a hug. He bowed and she swept into a curtsy. She turned back to her horse, unable to watch him ride away. She turned towards the footsteps heading towards her, and saw Robb and Jon both walking her way. Jon had a saddle slung over his shoulder.

“You’ve said goodbye to Bran?” She heard Robb ask Jon. “He’s not going to die. I know it.” They came to a stop in front of her as Jon threw his saddle over his own horse.

“You Starks are hard to kill.” Jon said, turning back to face the two of them. Robb frowned and Lyanna shoved Jon’s shoulder.

“Us Starks are hard to kill.” Lyanna corrected him, looking a few feet away where their direwolves were nipping and playing with each other.

“Our mother?” Robb asked, turning back to Jon. Jon looked down at his feet and then back up at Robb.

“She was very kind.” He said and Lyanna rolled her eyes.

“Did you know that you always look down at your feet before you lie?” Lyanna asked, causing Robb to straighten up and Jon to glare at her. “Maybe something to work on up there on the Wall.”

“Next time I see you, you’ll be all in black.” Robb said, turning back to Jon. Jon shrugged and smiled.

“It was always my color.” He said. Lyanna rolled her eyes and pulled him into a hug.

“Oh! I’m going to miss you.” She pulled away, smiling at him. “You better respond to my letters, or I’ll ride up there and shove you off the Wall myself.” Jon smiled back and rolled his eyes at her.

“I’m going to miss you too, Ly. Who am I supposed to spar with now?” She smiled at Jon’s words. He turned to Robb and let out a deep breath. “Farewell, Stark.” He said, nodding.

“And you, Stark.” Robb replied. They stared at each other for a moment and then hugged. Lyanna smiled and hugged the both of them. They all let go, and Jon turned away slightly to give the twins some privacy. Lyanna let out a deep breath.

“I really didn’t think I was going to cry.” She said, her eyes beginning to well up. She heard Robb sniff and pull her into a hug.

“If we both pretend it’s not happening, do you think you can just stay?” He asked and she laughed into his leathers.

“I think we might be past that.” She said, and they both stepped back from the hug.

“How am I supposed to do this without you?” Robb asked, his hands resting on her shoulders. She shrugged.

“I have no idea.” She said, tugging Robb back into a hug.

“All you have to do is scare off all those uppity Southern boys and then you can come right back.” Robb said, kissing the top of Lyanna’s head.

“I hope it’s that easy.” She responded, squeezing him tighter around the middle. They both pulled away from the hug a few moments later as the riders around them began to mount up.

“I love you, Lyanna.” Robb said, pressing another kiss to the top of her head.

“I love you too, Robb.” She gave him another hug and then finally pulled away to mount up on her horse. She refused to look back, riding out of the Winterfell courtyard with her head held high.

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