Lady of Winterfell

Chapter Six: Being Left Behind

"I am going to miss you so much," Sanira whispered closing her eyes and holding her little brother close as she thought about the fact that he would be alone with their mother. 

It had always been her that had acted as a buffer between their mother and Deston, especially when he didn't live up to her expectations. 

The early morning sun was just beginning to rise, casting little light on the leaving party; it was cold out and Sanira was glad she had put on her cloak when she had rushed out of her chambers that morning to say her goodbyes. 

Deston sniffled clinging to her, he did not want her to stay here and wished that she was coming home with them; he peeked over at her new husband hating him for taking Sanira away from him. 

He clutched at her fur cloak and buried his face deep into the fur trying to hide away from the fact that he would have to leave his big sister behind. 

Despite being six years between them, Deston had always looked up to his big sister and had been closer to her than their older brother especially since Arthur was busy learning the ropes of his future role. 

"I don't want you to stay here," Deston whimpered staring up at his older sister with bleary eyes, he wanted her to come home with them; he did not understand why she had to stay with the Starks. 

Sanira was someone that Deston could always turn to, he barely saw his older brother and their father because of their work while their mother ignored him when she could and he disliked his Septa. 

"It'll be okay... I will write to you every week," Sanira murmured trying to comfort him, she knew how lonely it was going to be for him back home and she could only hope he would be okay. 

He could not cling to her skirts forever, there was no denying that their father had high hopes for his second son and had begun plotting out Deston's future from the moment that he was born. 

Watching Sanira with her brother, from a few feet behind his wife's back; Robb could not imagine what this was like for her watching her entire family leave her behind while she started a new life in a strange place. 

It was something that he had never had to do himself, his entire life had been spent in the castle that he called home and Robb knew that there was little chance that he would ever truly leave it's safe walls.

The red dress that Arlenna wore as she approached them caught Robb's eye and he watched silently as his mother-in-law did not breathe a word of farewell to his wife instead, she made her way swiftly towards the carriage so that she could leave. 

No one would miss the Lady of Aeredale, she had proved to be a nightmare especially for the servants around the castle who had been forced to ruin her errands during her stay. 

Pressing a kiss to the top of Deston's head, Sanira closed her eyes as she let her younger brother go so that he could join their mother; she did not want to cry in front of him. 

Arthur was next to come say goodbye, he wrapped his arms around his sister and held her close knowing that it was time for her to carve her own path in this life. 

"We are only a raven away," Arthur promised her, he held her close for a moment longer before stepping aside so that Elayne could say goodbye; he looked over at their mother not even surprised at her eagerness to get out of here. 

Elayne smiled softly at Sanira, she was sure her sister-in-law would do well in Winterfell and it would allow her to spread her wings without living under the constant scrutiny of Arlenna. 

Sanira watched sadly when Arthur and Elayne would away to join the leaving party, she was going to miss them all so much with the only exception being her mother.