Lady of Winterfell

Chapter One: Haunted Dreams

Unable to stop the scream that tore from her throat, Sanira Tremaine awoke from her night terror covered in sweat; she gasped clutching at her chest trying to calm herself down as her eyes darted around the strange room that she had been sleeping in. 

It took her a moment to remember where she was and why she was not in her own chambers back in Aeredale, she would likely not see those chambers again. 

Her handmaiden jolted awake from her palette on the floor never the bed, she stumbled from her position and moved to comfort Sanira who was trembling. 

The night terrors that plagued Sanira had been happening since she was a little girl, no one understood the things that she claimed to see and her parents had their Maester give her a sleeping draught to help her sleep. 

They had long since stopped coming to check on the fifteen-year-old instead leaving her to be tended to by her lady, who had been instructed to ensure that such events were kept quiet especially with the approaching wedding. 

"It's okay my lady," Aiana whispered trying to sooth Sanira, she had been with her for such a long time and she knew that it took her lady a moment to completely shake a night terror from her mind. 

Sanira took several deep breathes, she shook her head as tears burned her eyes and she knew that it had been horrible this time; the night terror clung to her mind not wanting to leave or let her have any peace. 

Aiana was patient while she waited for Sanira to snap out of this, she was sure many people had heard Sanira scream but none of them had come to see if there was anything wrong. 

The door to the room slowly opened and Aiana quickly stood from her place at Sanira's side, she curtsied to Lady Catelyn Stark a little surprised to see her at this late hour. 

Catelyn's eyes swept the room before they landed on Sanira and her handmaiden, a frown forming on her face as she took in the shaking young woman and the fact that her own parents had not risen to come and see what was going on.

Their chambers were closer than her own where and she had been jolted from her slumber by the sounds of terror, she had quickly pulled on her chamber robe before coming to investigate. 

It had been hard enough to encourage her own daughters to return to the chamber having poked their heads out as she had passed curious as to what was going on. 

"Is everything alright?" Catelyn asked moving further into the room, her eyes focused on the young woman that would soon be married to her eldest boy. 

The match was one that Eddard had been eager for, especially considering his close friendship with the girl's father. He, Robert and Rolan had been wards in the Eyrie together and had fought during the rebellion that had led to Robert becoming King side by side. 

It had been arranged for as long as Catelyn could recall, her eldest son was always going to marry Tremaine's only daughter; a match that would strengthen the North despite the fact that Catelyn would have preferred a Southern bride for her son.

"Of course, Lady Stark. My lady suffers from night terrors is all," Aiana replied moving to help Sanira, she wished there was more than she could do but she was limited. 

Her lady would be very embarrassed when she found out that she had woken Lady Stark, she worried enough that her night terrors would cause issues when she was wed. 

Catelyn slowly nodded her head not entirely convinced, her eyes scanning the barely conscious Sanira for any sign of injury before she nodded her head; a small frown upon her face that no one else had come to check on her.