The Northern Mermaid

Twelve

~Lyarra's POV~

I'm in the Godswood as I train Diamond, she has grown much in the last month. The royal family is arriving tomorrow so I need to get my emotions under control. The king is coming up here for father, make him the new hand. "Why" looking up I see a woman with long dark green curly hair, light green skin that is like the color of a tree's brown, and dark brown eyes "are you crying?"

"Why" I ask "who are you?"

Tilting her head "You don't know what I am? I am a tree nymph young mermaid"

"A tree nymph?" I ask

Nodding her head as she sits next to me "Why are you this far from the ocean? From your people?"

"My family" I motion to the castle "are the Starks"

Nodding her head "A proud and trustworthy family, before our families use to coexist in harmony. Better than the other families"

"No offense" I say "why are you here?"

"My sister and I hear your cries" she tells me "but also the water nymphs as well...are you by yourself young one?" Nodding my head "come to us when you hear our song" she goes back into the trees and disappears.

"Who" looking over to Robb "were you talking to?"

"What do you mean?" I ask

"I heard you talking to someone" he sits down next to me "who?"

"No one" shaking my head "just Diamond, wondering if love is even real or if I should attempt to find love"

"Lya" he wraps his arm around me as I cry "oh I know I don't know how you feel but if it helps, you made Arya's lifetime with giving Sansa a crooked nose" I giggle knowing that Sansa will forever have a misshapen nose and her friend's hand will forever be scarred.

"That does make me feel better" nodding my head

"One day" he says "much to my disagreement since you'll always be my sister and twin and no one will ever be good enough, one day you'll marry and have a bunch of beautiful children"

"If I ever marry" I tell him "I want to live by the water, you know I picture my children swimming in the ocean during the summers and in the winter we'd come here and visit you and Jon and whoever else is here and have snow ball fights"

Robb chuckles "and your kids ganging up on me to tackle me into the snow"

"And making snowmen" I add, letting out a sigh. We are silent until I ask "How much do you want to bet that Sansa will try to fix her face before the royal family gets here?"

"There is not enough makeup in the world" we both laugh "you ripped some of her hair out"

"I had father warn you all that I'm in a delicate state" defending myself "I'm not going to apologize to her...maybe Tyrion Lannister will take pity on her and marry her"

He snorts "If that happens I'm challenging the imp"

"We both know no sane person would want Sansa" I tell him "she's too self centered"

"I know this was supposed to be a surprise but" I look at Robb "father is finding the funding to open a school"

My eyes widen "Really?"

Nodding his head "One day he came with me, Theon and Jon to see you teaching those in Wintertown how to read" yeah, for the last couple weeks when I'm not crying I use my anger and everything to turn it into something productive. Aka teach.

"That's amazing!" I exclaim, hopefully some real change will happen.

~Next Day~

"Okay" Mother is before us "remember, we are going to be presented as a united front" the royal family will be here soon and everyone is in the courtyard.

We are all standing in a line, I'm between father and Robb since me next to Sansa means trouble. Unfortunately Jon is in the second row, I want him next to me but mother says no. "Where's Arya? Sansa? Lyarra? Where is your sister?"

Sansa shrugs her shoulders "Helmet" we laugh as Arya ran over in a helmet.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" Father stops her "what are you doing with that on?" Taking off the helmet "get in line" he hands the helmet to Ser Rodrick Cassel.

"Move" Arya shoved Bran over

"Will you be alright?" Robb asks

Nodding my head, I did a bunch of hitting and yelling before coming out here. We see the crowned prince come in first with his guard dog the Hound aka Sandor Clegane. The prince eyes me first smirking but then scowls when I don't look his way, next is Sansa who smiles at him but the prince scowls at her causing her to frown worried. Next is the royal carriage and lastly the king. We all kneel for him, I look up to see he's really big for the horse. Poor horse.

With a step-stool, he is helped down and comes storming over. When he motions for us to stand, we stand. Father and he look at one another before the king says "You've got fat" father motions to him and the two soon laugh going in for a bro hug "Cat!" He pulls mother into a hug.

"Your grace" she greets, he ruffles Rickon's hair.

"Nine years" he says "why haven't I seen you? Where the hell have you been?"

"Guarding the north for you" Father responds "Winterfell is yours" I see the queen, her other two children and her ladies maids exiting the carriage.

"Where's the imp?" Arya asks

"Will you shut up?" Sansa snaps

"Who do we have here?" The king comes over looking at me "this is your eldest Lyarra? The Heart of the North? The Ruby of the North?"

"Your grace" I curtsy

"Very beautiful thing you are" he says, looking at father "bet you have to keep all the boys away from her, like of suitors no doubt" I gulp trying to cry, I put my hands behind my back and clench my hands so badly that blood I know spills. We hear a thunderstorm brew and thunder claps loudly.

The king goes to Robb "Robb" they shake hands, looking at Sansa "my gods, what happened to your nose?" I smile brightly whenever someone mentions Sansa's nose. Sansa glared at me and the king looks over "Ned?"

"My daughters" he explains "had a dispute"

The king shakes his head "War was easier then daughter's I imagine, good thing I have the one" looking at Arya "and you are?"

"Arya" he nods his head

"Show me those muscles" Bran does and the king laughs "you'll be a soldier"

"My queen" mother and father greet the queen

"That's Jaime Lannister" Arya exclaims seeing a knight who removed his helmet "the queen's twin brother"

"Will you please shut up?" She demands, I have a flock of birds fly overhead and shit on Sansa. We all watched and I cover my mouth smiling as Sansa is close to crying.

The king however bursts out laughing at that "Gods be good" shaking his head "Ned! Take my to your crypts, I want to pay my respects"

"My love" the queen reminds the king how long they've been riding "we've been riding for a month, surely the dead can wait"

"Ned" the king storms off, father soon goes by but gives me a pleading slash warning look.

"Where's the imp?" Arya asks

The queen storms over to her twin demanding "Where is our brother? Find the little beast"