Duty or Desire // Jon Snow // Robb Stark

Scared

Odetta was on her hands and knees her heels digging into her butt as she chased rickon around he shrieked with laughter as she crawled after him. Bran came running up jumping on her back. Odetta pulled him around flopping down her back and pulling Bran against her, his back to her stomach and she tickled him and tickled him he laughed wiggling in her arms.

'She is going to make a fine bride and mother one day,' Ned noted for Robb and Jon were watching her.

'She certainly will.' robb agreed. He wasn't much in want of a wife at 11 but he had to admit that Odetta was beautiful and kind and shew as better than him with a sword. One day he could see himself falling for her.

Bran was four when odetta arrived at winterfell and he loved her immediately as did the rest of the starks. Sansa took some warming up to but Odie won her over as well. Arya envied her skills with a blade while Robb, Jon and Theon thought her quite beautiful and skilled as well. Sansa liked that odetta was well read and always had an answer for every question sansa asked about castlery rock. Bran and rickon loved that she doted on them as sandor had doted on her. She found comfort in this new strange place reading stories or telling tales to Bran and Rickon until late in the night. She would often fall asleep in their beds like she used to with Sandor. She missed the connection and the warmth it brought. She sang them songs and helped them in everything. From training to studies she took it upon herself to love them. It also kept her mind off her impending marriage. She avoided Robb and Jon and Theon outside of training. They were her age yet it felt strange to talk with them to be near them knowing what was to come between robb and her.

Ned and catelyn adored her as well. She was polite and kept the children focused and on their best behavior at first wanting to make a good impression. Catelyn didn't like that odetta trained with the boys. Catelyn didn't like that odetta was better than the boys either. But sandor's demanded she keep up her training kept catelyns mouth shut about it. And when a young man the size of sandor demands something catelyn didn't want to see the repercussions if they didn't.

Ned loved that odetta loved him. His two daughters were not close to him or each other but odetta loved him. It made him wonder what her own father was like. Arya was constantly mad at ned for not letting her fight with the boys. Especially now that Odetta was training. Sansa only cared for needlepoint and fantasizing over lords and princes from other regions. Neither cared for ned but odetta did. She would join him on rides and he would help train her considering she was better than Robb and Theon. Jon however he was going to be a fine competitor for their little Odetta.

Odetta would read with ned in the study but it wasn't until a few moons in to her stay that he realized that Odetta was avoiding Robb.

'Odetta sweetie?' Ned questioned and she put her book down in her lap giving him her full attention.

'Hello lord stark.'

'Sweetie I've told you a hundred times you may call me Ned.' He reminded her.

'Hello Ned' she corrected.

'I've noticed you spend a lot of time with Bran and rickon,' ned told her sitting down next to her his arm draped on the couch behind her head.

'They are sweet. Sandor took care of me. Raised me really. I'm baby of the family I've always wanted a little brother of sister to take care of like sandor did with me.' Odetta told him. 'I'm sorry if I over stepped-'

'No, no, my sweet girl not at all.' Ned assured.

'Then what is wrong?'

'Odetta I know you are still young but have you spent much time with robb?' ned questioned already knowing the answer.

'Oh...' her face turned down

'I know it's scary but I think if you two become friends... before the time comes you will be glad about this marriage.' Ned informed her

'I agree with you.' Odie said softly. 'I'm just scared.'

'Scared of what?'

'What if they don't like me?' Odie questioned. 'What if I try and be their friends and they hate me and then I will be married to a man that despises me.' Odie told him shaking her head.

'Oh sweetie,' Ned hugged her tight, 'they could never hate you. No one could.'

'My brother gregor hates me. But he hates everyone,' Odie said softly a tear running down her face. Ned wiped the tear away.

'My sweet, sweet girl the boys want to get to know you. They think you are quite skilled and very beautiful.' He tucked her brown hair behind her ear. 'But you take all the time you need. But i assure you robb is going to love you. Treat you right. I know it.' Odie nodded she would talk to robb and the boys tomorrow.

Ned was right. But of course he was. Odie and the boys became fast friends. Jon was the only worthy competition at winterfell and Ned allowed them to train together. Jon wasn't allowed to train against the starks and Theon wasn't much competition but Odetta. Odetta was skilled beyond Jon's training and he was thoroughly impressed and surprised when ned said he could go against odetta. Ned had complete confidence that odetta would land him on his ass in no time.