A Game of Love

The News

The next day Katerina woke up early by the melodic sound of a bird whistling. She had a misleading dream that she was living at the wall in castle black. She was with Jon but she was the only lady in the whole place. She was allowed to be with Jon despite his vows to the Night's Watch. It was wonderful. However it was just a dream.

Suddenly, Katerina sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes, they were sore as she cried herself to sleep. The room was cold but refreshing at the same time. The sun was slowly rising and it painted beautiful pastel colours in the sky. It was a stunning sight.

Katerina wasn't sleepy but she knew she was up earlier than she needed to be. So she decided to sit at the desk and she pulled out a sheet of parchment and some ink. Out of boredom, she sketched a picture of the weirwood tree located at Winterfell. She would pray at the tree and watch the deep red leaves rustle in the soft wind. She continued to sketch miscellaneous things and it cleared her mind. She wasn't good at drawing but it didn't bother Katerina. Her final drawing, she decided, would be of Jon's direwolf, Ghost. Katerina missed the direwolves and secretly wanted one herself. Mindlessly Katerina started to hum a song Septa used to sing. 

Ary drowsily sat up in her bed, "Your humming woke me up." She yawned.

"I'm sorry, it's not too early." The sun had risen higher in the sky.

"Are you writing another letter to Jon?" Arya asked.

"No, I've been drawing." Katerina said while she was finishing off the drawing of Ghost.

"Do you miss Jon?" Arya wanted to know.

"Yes, more than anything. I'd love to see him again." Katerina replied with sadness in her voice.

"I miss him too, I can't stand it here with Sansa."

"You need to stop fighting with your sister, someday your father will punish you." Katerina admitted.

"One day when we're, older we might tolerate each other." Arya replied.

The girls decided to get ready for the day, they took their time as it was still early in the morning. Katerina braided her hair similar to how the Queen had hers the previous day. Once they were both ready, they walked down into the dining hall. The sun was sharply shining through the window and onto the table. Sansa and Jeyne entered shortly after Katerina and they all sat down. Septa strolled into the room, followed by some servants holding plates of food. Katerina wasn't hungry but she grabbed a bowl of porridge and ate only a small portion of it.

Not long after, Arya and Sansa were in the middle of another argument. Katerina shoved her hands over her ears because she didn't want to listen to them squabble. Katerina saw that Arya was clenching her blood orange so hard, it oozed its deep juice on her hands. Sansa must have said something hurtful and Arya threw the fruit straight at Sansa. It hit her right on the forehead and plopped down into Sansa's lap, ruining her Ivory dress. Katerina couldn't help but find it amusing, on the other hand, Sansa looked like she would have killed Arya. Despite having her ears covered, Katerina couldn't miss the funny sound of Septa shouting.

"Stop! I'll make sure your father hears of this!" Septa screamed.

Sansa left the room crying. Arya sat down in her chair and folded her arms tightly across her chest. It was safe for Katerina to uncover her ears. All of the shouting was getting ridiculous, Arya and Sansa needed to be separated all of the time. Septa allowed the girls to leave to dining hall and go to their bedchambers. Katerina and Arya walked together to their room.

"Sansa is stupid and annoying, why can't she leave me alone?" Arya ranted.

Katerina didn't reply, there was no point. It was best to leave Arya so she could let all of her emotions out. Katerina strolled over to her trunk and pulled out a book that she has brought. It was a book about the history of Westeros, she read the book until it was time for Arya's dancing lesson. Reading it, Katerina learnt about the long night- the winter that lasted a generation.

"Come on Katerina lets go!" Arya said, she was very excited.

Katerina left her book on the pillow of her bed. She followed Arya to her dancing lesson, Katerina was intrigued to watch what Arya had been doing. Arya's dancing instructor was tanned and he had a dark mop of hair on his head. He spoke with an accent like he was from one of the free cities in Essos.

"Do not distract us, girl," Syrio said to Katerina as she sat down on a stone step.

Arya was really talented at it and she was only using a wooden sword. However Syrio would always defeat her. It was interesting watching them, Arya seemed extremely happy which Katerina had never truly seen before. For the final time, Syrio knocked Arya's sword right out of her hand.

"And now you would be dead." He announced as he gently shoved Arya backwards with his wooden sword.

Arya picked up her sword and chuck it towards Syrio, he caught it effortlessly. Arya grinned as she walked towards Katerina. They started to walk back to their room when a very flustered Septa Mordane stopped them.

"Girls I'm taking you to see you father," she demanded.

She essentially dragged the girls up the stairs to Ned's room, it was as if she was running from something. Along they way the got Sansa to join them. Ned was lying of the bed, propped up by several pillows. He was awake. Ned had purple bags underneath his eyes and his complexion was pale like porcelain.

"Father!" Arya was excited and rushed over to hug him.

"Arya, careful." Ned strained to say, his voice was hoarse.

"How are you feeling?" Katerina asked politely.

"I feel awful, if I'm honest." He tried to smile.

"I hope you get better father," Arya said.

Ned was silent for a few minutes, he was thinking about something. Katerina's eyes were focused on Ned leg, it was bandaged up and elevated, like it was before, by some furs.

"I'm sending you back to Winterfell." He said.

"You can't!" Arya was upset.

"It's for your own safety."

"What's going to happen to my marriage with Joffrey?" Katerina asked, this could be her way out. She was excited.

"I'll find you someone else to marry, maybe a Lord. Why do you seem so happy- marrying a Baratheon is an honour." Ned replied.

"Joffrey is hardly like his father, he is definitely more like a Lannister." Katerina replied.

Then it clicked. Joffrey wasn't at all like Robert Baratheon, he looked like a Lannister. Katerina had seen Jaime and Cersei in the tower, maybe Joffrey wasn't the king's son. However, all of the King's children looked like Cersei, could all of the children born between Cersei and Jaime? They had all inherited Lannister genes, which was unlikely for all of them to have blonde hair and green eyes. Arya and Sansa looked different- Arya like Ned and Sansa like Catelyn. Robert Baratheon had no true heir to the Throne. Katerina couldn't have these thoughts. If she dare say them allowed she would be punished for treason.

"Father! What about my dancing lessons? Can we take Syrio back with us?" Arya pleaded.

"Who cares about your stupid dancing master."

Ned spoke before Arya could say anything. "I am looking for a fast trading galley to take you back to Winterfell. The sea if safer than the Kingsroad. You will sail as soon as I find a proper ship. Septa Mordane and a few guards will accompany you. It's best that no one knows about out plans. I'll speak to you again tomorrow."

Septa marched down the steps with the girls and dropped them off at their bedchambers. Katerina couldn't believe it, she didn't have to marry Joffrey anymore. Soon she would be back in Winterfell with Robb, Bran, Catelyn and Rickon. She would so be closer to the wall, closer to Jon. Katerina couldn't wait to leave King's Landing. She was free from the repulsing marriage to the Prince.

A/N
Hello everyone, I would like to say thank you for voting and commenting on my story. I hope everyone is enjoying enjoying it still- I have so many plans for Katerina, this isn't going to be a short fanfic :)) not entirely edited. Have a good day :))