Knee Socks and Favors

Chapter 1- A Touch

It was early morning on the first day of summer and the Stark family was full of anticipation. The younger Stark children were excited to end their home-schooling with Luwin for the year while Catelyn and Ned were happily waiting to welcome Robb home from university for the summer. Sansa, in that dreadful love-hungry tween phase, was eager to find her first dream boyfriend over the holiday. Jon was just happy to be leaving the Stark family after this last summer—he had been training for years to join the Night's Watch Armed Forces—and while he was sad to leave his half-siblings and home, he was more than ready to rid himself of the scornful eyes of Catelyn Stark and the whispers of his illegitimacy about town.

However, the eldest of the Stark girls—Rosie—was perhaps the most excited for the summer to come. Now 18, she had finished her general education, and she would be attending college in the capital city, King's Landing, after this summer. She had lived in the region of Winterfell her entire life—and she wanted to break free from the familiar town where her family was well-known and well-respected to explore the big city on her own.

Rosie smiled to herself, pleased to be free from Luwin's methodical tutoring for good as she tread down the staircase towards the dining room, long auburn waves trailing behind her in a messy low ponytail. She had just rolled out of bed, and she was far too lazy to change from her mismatched pajamas. Rounding the corner, she caught sight of Arya chasing a screaming Bran with a plastic sword. Where in Westeros was the adult supervision? Her brow rose as she cleared her throat.

"What are the rules, guys? No running in the house...." She crossed her arms on the final step of the stairs as Arya and Bran stopped in their tracks to shoot her guilty looks. Bran and Arya simultaneously mumbled under their breath.

"She was chasing me..."Bran whined with a grumble, giving her wide brown eyes.

"You said girls couldn't fight!" Arya rebutted quickly, stepping forward madly with the plastic sword to intimidate him. Rosie held in a snort at the antics of the two children. How she missed running around with so much energy and pluck. She eyed Bran first.

"Girls can do anything that boys can do, Bran..." She chastised and he frowned as Arya stuck her tongue out in victory. Rosie then directed her stern look towards the lively tomboy.

"And nobody should chase others around with a sword. Arya..." She scolded, holding her hand out for the plastic toy. It was Bran's turn to laugh in victory as his wild sister glowered in defeat and begrudgingly handed her weapon over to their older sibling.

Rosie took the miniature toy sword in her hands and gently bopped both Arya and Bran on their ruffled little heads with it before dashing towards the dining room with an amused cackle. The two young brunettes both joined forces and took off in pursuit.

"That's not fair!" Arya yelled out. Rosie could almost hear Bran nodding his head in silent agreement as the two followed close behind. She laughed evilly as she neared the sliding doors of the dining room.

"Life's not fair, guys! Life lessons from your beloved elders!" She turned her head to playfully taunt the two and saw them with wide smiles plastered on both their faces. The best way to get two siblings to come to peace was to simultaneously pick on both of them...It would seem the two young children had made up.

With a laugh, she sprinted to the dining room entry, sliding the blue stained-glass doors open. She did not, however, notice the two figures which were sitting at the long dining table in deep discussion as she dashed in with the two children at her heels. Stepping onto the hardwood floor in her socks, she lost her footing and slipped, falling onto her butt with a thump, the toy sword sliding across the floor under the dining table.