A different Joffrey Baratheon

Chapter 1

The cold hurts my skin, teeth, my eyes, and about every other part of my body. I've never felt anything like this having lived in the warmer climate of Kings Landing. But why did I have to come here? Sadly I already knew the answer.
Father or the king if you will wished to visit his old friend Lord Eddard Stark making him hand to the king after the previous hand passed away. I felt upset about Lord John Arryn's death but no more than my father. His habits seemed to worsen with the news although he seemed somber. Not the first time he's acted like that as he was like this for his former betrothed Lyanna Stark. The man seemed to love her but I had my doubts from the rumors I've heard of his younger years and his current state.
But his idea to have Eddard Stark as his hand isn't awful as the man is loyal and would do his best to improve the kingdom and all the while be stonewalled at every turn. Not to forget that the man is just not built to play the game and he would not make it even a year. The council and court will tear the wolf apart.
Hehe. Just like how I'm not made for the cold I suppose. Bloody hell this cold will take my life if I don't acquire more furs. I call over one of our many servants. "Fetch me some furs I feel as if I'll catch my death without more." The man gave a nod before running off to do as I ordered.
I had nothing to do as I waited upon my horse as it trotted along with the rest of the retinue going to Winterfell. I didn't have to wait long thankfully before I was given a black wolf cloak which I accepted greedily. The man then handed over a water skin saying my mother demanded I drink. I gave a sigh at my overbearing mother and dismissed the man. I was grateful really as I was parched and drank swiftly letting out a sigh as I felt the liquid flow into my stomach. A few of the Kingsguard as well as The Hound gave out different sounds of amusement yet I didn't care. I was warm and this awful journey was soon to be over.
Winterfell castle was... beautiful yet drab at the same time. It didn't possess the color nor the size of Kings Landing. It gave me a feeling of something ancient yet powerful, and the snow seemed to help it quite a lot in the looks department as it seemed to be its own natural decoration to the castle. Forget that though other things kept my attention.
Finally riding into the courtyard I came upon the sight of the Starks lined up to receive us. The line from right to left consisted of who I believe to be Rickon Stark, Catelyn Stark, Eddard Stark, Robbart Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, and lastly there was Brandon Stark. I suppose from the looks on their faces that we looked like quite the sight. To me though the 300 assortment of men in varying forms of armor as well as our many banners was a sight for the many other eyes as well as the younger noble children as to how they looked at us all. Letting my eyes pass over them I couldn't help but admit the Lady Stark was a lovely woman only more so with the beautiful auburn hair of hers that framed her beautiful face and lovely blue eyes. Truly she was a Tully of the true beauty.
It seemed her eldest son and daughter followed her example in hair color although lady Sansa did have brighter hair color. The ones that I could see that differed were young lady Arya, Rickon, and Bran. I assume that the notorious Bastard Jon Snow didn't follow her looks for obvious reasons. Although I did notice who I believe to be Theon Greyjoy the ward/prisoner of the North... I wanted to break the fuckers neck in all honestly and then throw his lifeless body into the sea where the fish can eat the worthless spawn of the Iron Islands... I sighed and took a breath reeling in my inner cruelty.
Truthfully it was something I constantly struggled with ever since I had the innate urge to gut that damn cat my little brother grew fond of. Luckily for him that I cared for the little fool. If I didn't the cat wouldn't have lived past that day. Now obviously over the years, I've gotten better at handling what I called the madness but I always wondered why I hate such feelings and thoughts even at such a young age.
I watched as my father jumped off his horse and hugged the Lord of Winterfell as one does a long-time friend. Father then spoke words with the lord and soon Eddard Stark kneeled and said the customary line. Though when that was happening I unhorsed and gave the reigns over to a stable hand and along with my mother and younger siblings approached. Eddard kissed my mother's ring as a greeting and my father embraced lady Stark like a sister which truly surprised me as he was usually uncaring of such things when it came to women.
Instead of skipping the line like my mother and father were allowed and wanted to I stopped in front of the young Rickon and put a hand out which he seemed to stare at. Quirking an eyebrow at him and seeing his mother nudge him I gave pity and shook his hand. "Youngest Stark." I nodded and he bowed his head allowing me to pat his shoulder before moving to the Lady Stark and smiled princely at her. She bowed and I kissed the back of her hand in return. "It's an honor to meet the famed Lady Stark. Truly your beauty had not been shown true acknowledgment for you have exceeded all expectations." The woman smiled at my words and curtsied with a laugh.
"Your mother must have taught you well to speak to a lady so." I snorted and shook my head.
"Not at all my lady, these are true words from my mouth. Lord Stark is a lucky man." She pinked a little but I moved onto Lord Stark and he bowed his head which I rolled my eyes at making the man look bewildered by my behavior. "You should not bow to me Lord Stark, I may be a prince but I grew up hearing tales of your many feats and I must say you are a great man. It's an honor to meet you." The man shook the hand I pushed out and nodded.
"More so than my lady wife?" He asked in a jesting way. I smiled cheekily and shook my head.
"A man of your caliber or a lady of your wife's beauty is a hard choice to make my lord so I shall retreat from this back and forth and move on." The man cracked a slight smile but his face didn't fully allow for the action to take occur. Stepping in front of their heir I could tell he was older than myself as his height showed itself. But he easily shook my hand and bowed slightly.
"Prince Joffrey greetings."
"Greetings Heir Stark." I looked the fellow teen up and down and nodded. "Would you like to spar later? I've come to know that I get along with others better when I get to trade blows with them." He smiled and nodded with a glint in his eyes.
"Of course, I would love to. But I won't hold back just because you're the prince." I laughed and gripped his hand harder making him wince.
"Well I have to say the same... every time my emotions have run high I throw myself into training or whenever I had nothing to do I would train... hell I have even gotten my father to spar with myself." I released the heir's hand and stepped back. "My whole life has been me getting stronger and stronger... so if I ever find a woman special to me like my father had that I would be able to get her back..." I then moved on leaving an astonished Robert Stark and a contemplative Eddard Stark in my midst.
Standing in front of Sansa Stark I immediately was captured by her beauty and I couldn't help looking her up and down then kissing the back of her hand. She was an otherworldly vision in my eyes. And it seemed from her utterly love-struck face that she thought the same as me which brought me to smile at her. For a younger lady, she certainly held herself with poise but was she like all the other ladies that he's met?
"Lady Sansa you are quite a sight." She blushed prettily and bowed thanking me which I didn't give a response to. "I have a question if you would give me the pleasure of answering it." She eagerly nodded making me lose the smile. "What do you vision a good lady being... as in a Lady of a great house or maybe a queen?" She stopped to think and had to applaud her for at least giving it actual thought but just from the look she sent her mother and the nod the older woman gave I was soon to be disappointed.
"That would be a lady who is able to have plenty of heirs and be able to sow, sing, and act as a proper lady should being there for her lord... my lord why the question if I may be bold enough to ask?" Her answer disappointed me. It was the same inane speel I got from every other lady I've met and it bored me. Everything they sprouted off sounded useless to me and Sansa while beautiful was no different. There were far more important things to be learned and yet she didn't voice any of them. What about strategy or numbers... hell even riding or combat? I will not have a weak wife or queen. I will have someone like my mother who knew how to play the game as I've seen her do for many years... although I wish she was less open with her body, I cannot stop her as I can't stop my father. No, my mother was bad in her own right... maybe another comparison? But who? Oh! Lyanna Stark would be a good choice. From how often my father would tell my siblings and me of her, I knew she was fierce and strong and outspoken on many matters pertaining to what was expected of a lady. I guess I grew to want the lady in the stories who would punch me in the face for calling her a lady.
I couldn't keep with my thoughts due to a blegh noise from the girl I knew as Arya Stark. She was looking at her older sister with a scrunched-up nose and I thought the look was cute on her young face. " That's stupid! Why would someone so important need to know any of that stuff." Her mother yelled out her name but I raised my hand and crouched down to the younger girl's height seeing as she was
"Lady-" She cut me off with a glare and I shut my trap before clearing my throat. "Excuse me Arya is it?" She nodded and said yes and I nodded back to her. "Then please I would like to hear your own thoughts of what a Lady of the house should be like." The young girl looked to the adults but I moved my head to block her vision. "Don't look for them for the answer I am truly interested in how much your own answer differs from your sisters so please enlighten me."
It took the younger a moment to think which she put a childish face on to do so. It was similar to his sister's when she had to think hard on her day. She points at my clothing. "Just like your clothes, I believe that women are just as if not more important in raising their children" Isn't she a child herself? "Our girls are just as important as boys. Just think of Nymeria of Rhoyne, the Queen who ruled Dorne even over her husband." She huffs and then points at the Kingsguard. "I want to one day be a knight and be strong and show that still, a woman can be better than men... my lord." She dropped her arm that was pointing and then seemed to start to wilt underneath the massive amounts of stares she was receiving. I on the other hand felt a feeling I have rarely felt and I just couldn't help but lean in closer to the girl almost eye to eye. The little thing even leaned away to create space.
So with a big smile, I asked. "A knight hmm? Did I hear that right?" She nodded meekly which was a complete contradiction to her earlier demeanor. "Then tell me Arya Stark of Winterfell, what have you done to reach your goal? Tell me of your training. Because you must have been pushing yourself hard if you want to reach such a lofty goal am I right?" She was very intriguing and I couldn't help my aggressive demeanor to such a great example of what I was looking for in front of me. Yet I was made to lose my smile when I saw the girls eyes and fae redden and her small fists tighten in embarrassment? Maybe even humiliation. So I leaned back and showed her my hands. "Do not take what I say as insult I truly want to know."
Her eyes were damp with unushered tears yet they pierced right into my very own before flickering around to the audience we had accumulated. She looked back to me and went to speak but hesitated for a second before gaining back her confidence. "I... " She stops again and seems to shake in visible embarrassment. " I have never truly been trained or even wielded a blade be it wood or steel." She gritted her teeth and stepped closer to me making me need to stand and look down on the interesting girl. "But it's my dream! I can't be like my sister Sansa or the other girls. Not with how the woman around me want me to be... " She breathed in heavy breaths of air and I couldn't help feel as if I towered over her. I felt like a giant of legend before her. Yet I could feel a spark of something from her and I just had to explore that.
Feeling confident the younger girl wasn't going to claw my eyes out like the she-wolf she represented so well I got back down on one knee making our eyes be more even once again. "And why is that? Why can't you be like them? Besides you dislike the usual practices they partake in. Tell me so I can understand." I absently noticed the crowd thinning with my father leaving with Lord Stark to the crypts where my would-be mother lay buried. My mother leaving with my uncle and the rest going their own way. Though the Stark siblings stuck close and Lady Stark was watching closely to our interaction. But they didn't matter the brown-haired girl did.
"I don't want to be a lady!" She shouted throwing her hands above her head in clear annoyance. She then took a breath and lowered her head. "I don't like anything lady-like. I like swords and fighting and having fun outside! Getting dirty and being active." She spoke normally for the rest but I could tell she was still emotional about the subject.
"Is that all?" I asked my eyebrow arching as a clear sign for anymore information. The girl stopped herself before going quieter in her words to a point I had to lean in to hear.
She breathed out before shakily saying. "And I'm not pretty enough." I felt my body twist at the sentence and I went to reject the very thought but she continued on. " I've heard everyone whisper of how I had a horse face and even been told I look more a bastard child than my brother Jon... and it hurts."
I could only stare as inside I felt anger flare in my very being my very soul. It was something I haven't felt many times but this had to be the worst it's been since some upstart lordling had said that my dear sister wasn't good enough for his son. Not long later thee man left with one less hand for such slander.
I wanted to rage at the girl next to Arya and any other who dared say such things but I could tell my anger was visible to the little girl as she seemed to shrink into herself. I tried to repress my want to let loose and with much struggle, I did so and gently reached out and patted her loose hair. "Listen little wolf... They are wrong to speak such things about you. You are Lady Arya Stark of Winterfell and no one, not even your sister," I stop and shoot a withering look at Sansa before looking back to the she-wolf gaining an intense but caring look. "Can say such things... do you know of their names?" She shook her head a little too fast making me frown. "I only wish to help, I swear."
The crowd of Starks was still watching raptly. The prince was unlike what they expected with everything that was happening in front of them. They actually have never seen Arya act like this and it really shocked them. Yet there was a certain Snow watching from a distance not able to hear what was being said but knowing he would be told by his brother Rob later.
Finally, Arya said, "My sister has said both but after others have said similar things." Instantly the pretty redhead was nothing to me. If one could say such things about one's sister that was a mere child then your outer beauty is clearly hiding nothing good underneath. I could only imagine if her children didn't come out perfect. Yes, she was young and immature but still, I could not condone such things.
"Little wolf I must disagree with everything they've said about you." She starred as if she was looking into my soul and starred right back silently admiring our shared eye color. "YOu are young and not grown yet. I can say the same for myself for I have many years ahead of me. And I believe you will grow into yourself to be both strong and beautiful. Hell even one day become a knight if you give yourself the chance and work for it." I put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed softly to show her reassurance.
Her eyes began to water as she allowed a smile to grow upon her young face. "Do you mean that?"
"Well of course. I'm to be king one day and if you show me that you have the ability of a knight I'll personally knight you for all to see." I didn't see the hug from the coming so I let out a laugh at the exuberance of the young girl all the while waving away the readied knights and hound from doing anything rash. Lifting a hand I softly patted her messy hair until she let go and wiped her moist eyes. She gave me a sheepish look and apologized. "Think nothing of it. I'm happy to help and see you not be so upset. Just promise me to come to the courtyard to train with me and we'll be even."
Her whole face lit up and she jumped up and down in excitement. "Really!!" I smiled and nodded and gave her a gesture to the now returning Lord Stark and Lady Stark along with my father. "It depends what your father and mother say and my own father wolf pup not me." Father laughed loudly and slapped my back rather hard.
"I have no problem with it at all! Hell, I believe she'll do her aunt proud if she learned to fight. What say, you Edd? Don't you think so?" "The Lord of Winterfell seemed hesitant in answering and Lady Starks eyes were watching 'glaring' at him. Thankfully he agreed and Arya was talking excitedly with Ser Rodrik, Winterfell's master at Arms. The man looked like a loon with the smile he wore as he listened and answered the girl. And for some reason the smile that Arya wore herself made my heart race. It was odd.
Sadly my vision was blocked off the lovely smiling girl by furs belonging to Robb Stark and the now present Jon Snow. Both boys have a certain light in their eyes. Robb spoke up. "What you just did for our sister is appreciated greatly. Thank you for that." He gave a nod and let Jon step up.
"But why did you do it? What is your goal with what you said and did?" I blinked and he carried on. "You are apparently to marry my sister and yet you push her away and even ignore her in favor of my younger sister... why is that?"
With a breath, I told him. "My father speaks of your aunt Lyanna quite a lot. So much so I may know more about her than I do my very own mother. And from those stories, I can tell that Arya is very much like your aunt. Especially that drive and that ambition for change and doing something many believe to be impossible. I just... dreams are meant to be reached and Arya's dreams are no different." And with that, I turned and left the boys to ponder in the snow.
AN: Hey guys I know you want Thomas but I decided to write this to test the waters with it and also I'm trying to decide a lot of stuff with Romeo and Thomas and how the perspectives work and everything. So sorry on that delay but I'll see about writing something up for y'all. But for now tell me what you think about this and just know I have a bit written about this story and a whole lot for Thomas. Thank you