eternity • Brandon Stark

chapter 1- the letter

"do you have to leave?" Myrcella asked her as she hugged her thick fur coat to her chest.

Valeria nodded sadly with a small smile as she looked to the large doors seeing the queen and king outside.

She can't even give her friends a goodbye hug.

The men are loading her stuff and some were preparing the carriage.

Tommen sniffled once again making valeria giggle as she ruffled his blonde hair.

"You should study well so you can read and have good penmanship. My prince" she said to him with a smile trying to urge him to smile.

Tommen sniffled once again a small blush on his face as he nodded to her. "I will. You should too. then we can write each other everyday" he innocently said to which she nodded.

"Valeria time to leave!" The king called from outside as he spoke to one of his trusted knights. personally.

Tommen and myrcella whimpered at this as their eyes watered looking at valeria.

Myrcella, after noticing her mother stomp away, finally pounced on her friend, a younger sister, as she liked to refer to her.

Valeria hugged her back enthusiastically with tommen joining in.

"I have been practicing my penmanship. I'll write you everyday" she mumbled before letting go.

They finally said their goodbyes and with one last call she ran to the carriage, not before stopping infront on the king.

Head bowed. "Your grace" she greeted.

Robert smiled. " Ned is a nice man. Don't fear him." He assured her.

She wondered if he felt pity on her, is that why he somehow took her in?. As an act of repent for ending her bloodline?.

She nodded finally meeting his eyes before smiling.

She entered the carriage preparing for the six months worth of travel. And possible attempt of assasination from the queen's men.

She sometimes wonder if this was her last moment of childhood in this life. Last moments of happiness.

"We're leaving now my lady" her assigned handmaiden said as she turns to close the door of the carriage.

She silently nodded as she stared at her soft blue dress, the carriage finally moving.

"Winter is coming." She mumbled.

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A raven flew to winterfell, and upon seeing the wax on the letter it held. The maester immediately brought it to Lord stark in an urgent matter.

"ARYA!" 8 year old sansa shouted out as her six year old sister used her spoon to catapult mash potatoes to her sister's lovely dress.

Arya laughed as well as her 11 year old older brothers.

Robb and jon stopped laughing as soon as ned and Catelyn entered the room, ned with a letter on one hand. A letter he plans to read as soon as he sat.

1 year old rickon giggled at sansa's face as he bounced on his mother's arms earning snickers from the other starks- and snow.

"Settle down and eat children- sansa! What happened to your dress?" Catelyn fawned, she was sure she taught her good table manners.

"It was arya mother-!" She tried to explain.

"Where's Bran?" Catelyn asked noticing her child's absence. "Is he still asleep?" She sighed exasperatedly.

Ned chuckled at his wife's antics. satisfied with the life he currently has, as his children greet him goodmorning.

"Arya, you should stop playing pranks on your sister, and robb you'll be lord when you grow up. Shouldn't you be the one making sure they don't fight?" His calmly said making the children quiet.

"I- I understand father. And mother bran's right over there" robb stated before pointing at the wall behind her.

Catelyn's eyes narrowed in confusion before turning around.

Her breath stuck to her throat as she squealed immediately passing rickon to robb as she ran to the rock walls where her five year old son is currently climbing down. 7 feet above the ground.

The children giggled silently at their mother's panic. "BRANDON STARK!" she called furiously, scared out of her mind.

"Mother?!" He squeaked in surprised as he was now 5 feet above the ground.

Catelyn grabbed him from the wall immediately. "How many times should i tell you? No more climbing!!" The stressed mother said.

Raising five children is definitely not easy.

The children laughed before getting stern looks from their father.

"Robb-" Catelyn started.

"Shush" ned suddenly called out earning everyone's attention.

In his hands is a now unsealed letter from the king himself. A few words stuck to Ned mind.

Mainly.

Targaryen descendant-.

Wed her to your son, preferably one who won't be lord of winterfell.

If you don't have such sons at the moment. Make one.

Remembering that the king- his friend was not noted about his current five children only knowing one which is Robb, he somehow chuckled at the words until he realized the heaviness of the situation.

The king found the last of the Targaryen and to ensure that no rebellions would unfold in the future he wants the child wed to the starks.

A rebellion would surely have the Stark's heads off but the king didn't seem to care. He knows where Ned's loyalty lies.

He was somehow proud that robert decided on this instead of killing the innocent child.

She's to arrive in six month.

Was the last thing he read, but knowing the distance the raven must have travelled he knew that in a month's time their little visitor-rather bride i suppose. Is arriving.

"My love" he said earning Catelyn's attention. "We must speak" he said seriously before he stood.

The children looked at each other in confusion at the tense atmosphere.

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