The Lord's Chosen (Game of Thrones x Male Reader)

Game of Thrones | Winter Is Coming

The air was crisp and cool in Winterfell, a hint of winter still lingering despite the spring sun. The great castle of the North, with its towering walls and ancient stonework, stood as a testament to the strength and endurance of House Stark. Outside the household, the Stark brothers practiced their archery with Bran.

(Y/N), a young man of twelve, stood in the courtyard, his breath visible in the chilly air as he watched his brothers. He had the look of a Stark but there was a restlessness about him, a flaming intensity that set him apart. Raised as Eddard's second bastard, (Y/N) felt an unspoken distance, an inexplicable sense of not fully belonging.

"Go on. Father's watching." Jon put his hands on young 10-year-old Bran after he missed the initial arrow shot, instilling confidence in the young lad as he looked back. "And your mother."

Bran nodded at his mother, Catelyn, and father, Eddard "Ned" Stark, who looked from atop. Ned titled his head slightly as Bran adjusted his body to fire an arrow. Not very far from the archery practice, Sansa did some needlework along with her sister Arya.

"Fine work as always. Well done!"

"Thank you." Sansa said.

"I love this detail. Quite beautiful."

Arya could hear the laughter of her brothers while she continued her needlework. She raised her head a few times as she deciphered the laughter to be mostly Robb's. Jon's was also in the mix, but she then smiled fondly when she heard (Y/N)'s chuckle for he was her preferred Stark, even if he didn't hold the name.

"It isn't funny!" Bran said.

"Maybe you should let (Y/N) show you how it is done." Robb said, pushing (Y/N)'s shoulder as the young boy almost tripped. "Go on then. Show your brother how a real Stark shoots."

"Alright, alright." (Y/N) said, as Bran hesitantly handed him the bow and arrow and (Y/N) stood firm as Catelyn watched with a frown and Ned watched with a small grin before (Y/N) raised his head.

Unlike his younger brother, (Y/N) fired without hesitation. He also had a perfect stance to fire the bow and his arrow hit the bullseye. Bran groaned as his brothers laughed and Ned grinned at his attempt. Robb started to tease Bran with a couple of finger points as Bran looked away.

"And which one of you was a marksman at ten?" Ned asked with a grin towards the Stark brothers and Bran did smile at his father's defense. "Keep practicing, Bran. Go on."

"Don't think about it too much, Bran." (Y/N) said, giving the bow back to Bran as Bran stood straight to fire, but (Y/N) ended up adjusting his stance. "Try it this way. Maybe it'll work for you."

"Relax your bow arm." Robb said.

Before Bran could fire, Arya ended up being the second Stark who hit the bullseye. (Y/N) turned to see Arya standing behind the stables as she bowed with a grin. Feeling brotherly jealousy, Bran ran to his sister to get her as the others laughed.

(Y/N) chuckled himself, but his eyes then moved towards Catelyn. Her eyes were colder than any breeze of Winterfell and he could feel it pierce further than his body, all the way into his heart. (Y/N)'s smile faded, and Jon put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"Lord Stark. My lady."

Ned and his wife turned to see a messenger.