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The Princess Lorinna paced around the cold, stone-walled room in her thick white furs, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her royal family. It was a long ride north from King's Landing to Winterfell, a trip she'd taken herself at the age of eight. Now five and ten, the princess gazed into the ornate wooden framed mirror, wondering if her father, the King Robert of House Baratheon, would deem his daughter pretty enough for a return to royal court. As a young girl, Lorinna had only ever wanted to explore, as most children do, but after being cast away by her father, all she longed for was an opportunity to show him she was beautiful and an invitation back to her home. Lord and Lady Stark and all of their children had happily welcomed the princess into their home, dined with her, taught her, dressed her, become closer with her than was ever possible with her own kin, and would most likely weep when they had to see her go, but unless she were to wed one of the young lads, she'd always be an outsider in the North. Even sly and malicious Theon Greyjoy was entitled more of a place at the Stark's table, being from a house well known to any man in Winterfell, and he was a boy. He fit in here, but this girl belonged in the South where the sun would shine down on her long legs with the promise of a golden tan.
Lorinna was the only one in Winterfell to wear red and adorn herself with golden jewels, all others had closets of dull blues and greys, black and brown. It was a rare thing to spot silvers, but it was possible on the occasion. The Princess had grown close with the eldest Stark girl, Sansa, whose fiery ginger hair contrasted well with her gloomy blue gowns. After they'd known each other a while and even the Lady Catelyn had become bored of formalities, the Starks named the girl 'Lori'. At the age of one and ten, Lorinna had become the name the Lord and Lady used for the princess when she'd been making fun of Arya 'Horseface' with Sansa, or running about the castle with a sword practicing saving her dramatic friend who she called sister, or even racing Robb, Theon and Jon on horseback. Lori was what they called her when she hadn't been caught. At two and ten, learning to read became something the princess wanted to do. Then at three and ten it was reading the histories of Westeros and the ways of the Free Cities, at four and ten she hoped to ride and swing a sword like her father and uncles. Once she's accomplished each of these hobbies to a point where she felt she could quit, she was five and ten, a maturing young woman with breasts and hips and a great deal of ass. She'd changed only in appearance in first, but it was enough to change the boys, the way they looked at her like she was begging for attention each time she breathed in and her chest rose a slight bit, and how Theon decided it wasn't fair for them to race her because she 'wouldn't be able to keep up', when really she knew that he and Robb could not keep their cocks from persuading their eyes to distort the image of her riding a horse and equate her to a common whore. At this time she truly believed she had not changed a single bit in her mind, but when they changed their attitude towards her, she could not help but to do the same. Lori kept Sansa close.
The golden Princess of Westeros and red-haired Lady of Winterfell wore their hair the same as each other most days, but this day was not going to be one of those days. Lorinna had much to prove. Southern braided styles were uncommon in the North, but some northern women had told her they knew the ways the southern ladies fashioned theirs, each hoping they'd have the honour. When Catelyn found out she didn't know whether to feel defeated, that her job raising the girl to become a strong willed woman had failed, or to feel she accomplished her mission by producing a young lady who would do whatever she put her mind to. The motherly woman had sent the braiders away and found a fretful young girl worrying quietly in her chambers. Lady Catelyn's wrinkled fingers were a source of southern warmth in the snowy lands she had come to call 'home'. They slipped through the shiny yellow curls as she braided the top of the Princess' locks back to display her beautiful face and the brown birthmark which covered the majority of it's left side. A perfect mix of her mother and the woman who raised her, Lori looked a princess.
Sansa and Lori walked the castle halls together to meet Jory at the bottom floor. He was a man of average height and dark dull features, but he was loyal and kind to the Starks and their wards. He escorted them to the main square, warning them of any puddles in their path which might muddy their gowns. Winterfell was always and damp, even with Summer thriving, but Winter is coming and it the princess begged she would never have to see a Northern Winter. The dank floor shook beneath the feet of Winterfell's people as horse and carriage thundered through the castle's rusted portcullis. The Kingslayer was the first man who came into sight with his intricate golden breastplate and helm. The men after him wore red armour and held Lannister flags which danced majestically in the cool wind. Behind them came a tall yellow-haired boy who Lori recognised to be her twin brother. She spotted Sansa, who stood on the other side of her parents, grinning as she made eye contact with the prince. He didn't spare a look at his sister before returning to his smug smouldering off into the distance. The arrogant brother of hers was followed closely by a knight in dark armour and a helm forged to resemble a hound. As the crowd came to a halt before the array of northerners the knight opened the jaw of his helm to reveal his face which was half covered with wrinkled burns. Lori had to fight the urge to bring her hand up to her own stained cheek as he met her green eyes.
As King Robert dismounted his horse with the help of his men Lori was able to see her father for the first time. He walked toward the line of noble Starks with a stern look upon his red face. He'd gotten fatter but somehow he thought it alright for him to call Lord Eddard the fatter of the two old friends. Ned Stark was a serious man and the loyalty of his men was learnt from his own. He kept his oaths and swung the sentences he condemned. It was no wonder the King had chosen to send his daughter away under Lord Stark's watch before he considered his brother Stannis at Dragonstone or his father-in-law at Casterly Rock. Ned was a good man. After greeting the Lord of Winterfell, Princess Lorinna's father engulfed Catelyn in a tight embrace, getting ever so closer to reuniting with his daughter. The King ruffled Rickon Stark's hair as the boy smiled but not as brightly as the Princess did. She waited for him to turn to her, but he paid her no mind and moved left to Robb. Let down and hoping for redemption, Lori watched as her younger sibling piled out of their carriage, their young faces tired and small. The one person he truly recognised was her mother. She stepped out of the vehicle with as much elegance as Lorinna could ever hope to have. She stood tall and graceful, even with her hair undone from the long journey she composed herself like a Queen should. Cersei Lannister was a fierce woman and had been before she sent her daughter away. She squinted with judgement as she sized up the Starks. She watched from behind as Robert made acquaintances of the other last three children on his path and slowly stalked forward presenting her hand for Lord Stark to take. As the Queen scanned the dusty square she found her daughter. Her face was unmistakable, so much like a younger, more feminine Jaime.
"My daughter," the queen had been cold to both Starks but her eyes warmed for her child, "you've grown more beautiful than I could have ever expected." Lori could have taken her words as a slight to the mark on her face, but she was too relieved to care. The words came out of her mother's mouth smoothly and echoed in the princess's astounded mind, "The Lords of your father's court with be fighting over you."
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pls keep reading, I wasn't invested in this story when I first started but now I am. it gets better
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