Dark Wings, Dark Words

Wear it like armor

Ashanna was tired. It had been a few weeks since news of Jon Arryn's death came to Winterfell. And a few weeks since the king proclaimed that he was traveling to Winterfell.
Her Lady mother had forced her to spend longer hours with the septa so she'd be well "prepared" for when the king and court made it to Winterfell. One thing that entertained Ashanna throughout the whole ordeal was Winter..
The she-wolf stayed with her day and night and wouldn't leave Ashanna's side for anyone except Ashanna herself. Winter was better trained then the others, Ashanna knew this as a fact. Arya even asked her to show her how to train Nymeria.

Ashanna was constantly sent to try on dresses these days. She often slipped away to go hunting or to train with her brothers in the courtyard while still wearing the dresses. She remembered her mother's face upon seeing her in a beautiful dress smeared with dirt. Then her mother would march her back to her room to change. This was outrageous why couldn't the king just stay in Kings landing? The whole ordeal was going to put Ashanna mad. If she had to try on one more dress she would surely lose it.
At the current moment she was wearing a grey dress with white lace on the bodice. A pelt coat was thrown over it to keep her warm. Ashanna muttered curses to herself as she walked through the courtyard with Winter at her heels. A flicker of movement sent a piece of rock off the roof. The rock landed a inch from her feet. Ashanna looked up, her little brother Bran was on the roof again. She heard his wolf Summer whine beside her.

"Brandon Stark!" Her mother yelled from behind her. Ashanna motioned for Winter to follow her as she continued through the courtyard. The direwolf played with the hem of her dress and Ashanna let her.

"If mother sees you letting your wolf do that. May the gods save you" Sansa said sharply.

"Shouldn't you be powdering your nose or bothering someone else for a change?" Ashanna said in a mockingly sweet voice. Sansa narrowed her eyes at her before walking away.
Ashanna loved her sister but they were so different that they couldn't get along for more then 5 minutes.
Aahanna continued walking with her direwolf at her heels.

"Ashanna!" Bran yelled as he ran towards her.

"What is it?" Ashanna questioned. He stopped to take a breath before continuing.

"The king... H-he's close by.. Mother told me to get you." He said in between heavy breaths.

"Me?" Ashanna asked without thinking.

"She wants to make sure you don't go running off." he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Ashanna nodded to her little brother. And Bran took off running to find the others. Ashanna took a longing look at Winter, who watched her   in complete focus. Ashanna uttered the word 'bed' and as if she shot an arrow. The direwolf ran for the comforts of the castle to Ashanna's room.
She knew she had to find her mother before the king arrived at Winterfell as rumours that made it to the north claimed that the king intended to have the prince Joffrey marry either Ashanna or Sansa. Ashanna however was promised to another, a Jojen Reed heir of Greywater Watch. Her Lord father fought with Lord Howland Reed during the Rebellion and they formed a friendship.
She snapped back to reality and ran to the entrance of the courtyard. Everyone in Winterfell was standing there waiting for the Kings arrival. Ashanna saw her family standing in front of the others in a orderly line. She ran to her place beside Sansa quickly. She looked to her right to see Bran in Arya's place.

"Where's Arya? Sansa where's your sister" her lady mother asked. Sansa shrugged her shoulders as the king and court entered the courtyard. Arya quickly ran by their father with a helmet on her head. Lord Eddard took the helmet off her head and handed it to Jory. Arya came to Ashanna's side and pushed Bran.
"Move!" She said abruptly.
Ashanna kneeled with the rest of the people when the king dismounted from his horse and rose when her father did. She curtsied when the king came as far as her he made so comment of how Lyanna would've been a proper name for her as the likeliest was uncanny. When her father and the king took to the crypt, Ashanna took to the courtyard where her brothers where instructed to train with the princes. Although her lady mother told Ashanna to spend time with the princess. Ashanna had no interest and wished for nothing more than to fight with her brothers.
So that's what she did..
With no helmet or padding, Ashanna drew her iron sword. She watched Robb do the same. Her other brothers and the princes watched.

"Don't blame me when you ruin your dress." He said smugly.

"I apologise in advance for ruining your already ugly face." Ashanna said jokingly. Jon let out a roar of laughter from the sideline. And Robb had the courage to laugh at himself.
Robb swung at her and Ashanna avoided the blow easily. Ashanna blocked his following blows without breaking a sweat.
Mud splattered her dress and the hem was tangled with sticks and twigs.

"Ashanna!" Her Lady mother called. Ashanna winced upon hearing her voice. Robb paused mid swing.

"Can I run?" Ashanna asked through gritted teeth. Robb shook his head.

"She's behind you." He said while motioning.
Ashanna cursed under her breath which earned a chuckle from Robb. She handed him her sword and turned to face her mother.
Her lady mother wore a grim expression. Her red hair was perfectly in place.
Ashanna chewed her bottom lip as she walked to her mother.
Ashanna followed her into the castle. The household scrambled round the main hall preparing it for the feast.

"I want you washed up and changed into another dress before the feast. Go." She said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Ashanna begrudgingly trudged to her room.
Ashanna knew that she looked a mess. She quickly cleaned herself and changed into a dark grey dress that was nearly black with light grey and white embroidery. She combed her hair until it shone. She left it to fall in long curls down her back. Ashanna took note of Winter looking up at her. She rubbed her fur affectionately before going to her window.
Ashanna had seen the she wolf use the stables to climb into her room. Ashanna left the window open in case the she wolf wanted to leave the room.

Ashanna looked into the wolf's eyes and tried her outmost to make some kind of connection with her wolf.
"Be good" she instructed before getting up and walking out of the room.

She walked through the castle and heard the hum of voices and laughter from the main hall. Ashanna entered the room. The room was filled with people. The smell of food was entrancing. She looked around the room for Jon and Robb and spotted Robb with Theon and some other men. Ashanna quickly walked towards her brother. She wanted to sit with him before her mother took note of her and made her sit with Sansa. She took the seat beside Robb and took her plate.

"If mother sees you.." Robb says in amusement.

"Good thing she's to occupied talking with the queen to notice." Ashanna said happily.
Robb's smile darkened.

"What?" Ashanna asked.

"She's looking at you." Robb says sadly. Ashanna reluctantly turned to see her mother glaring at her. And motioned with her eyes for Ashanna to sit with Sansa and her friend Jeyne. Ashanna muttered "unladylike" words under her breath and Robb laughed at her expense. Ashanna sent him a mock glare before picking up her plate and cutlery and moving to sit beside Sansa.

The conversation with Sansa was boring all she spoke about was the prince Joffrey. And Ashanna didn't know what it was but she received a weird impression from the prince and for that reason she didn't like him. Ashanna excused herself to get some air and hopefully find Jon. And find him she did.

He was standing outside with a sword, obviously training. He was talking to Tyrion "the imp" Lannister.

"Never forget what you are the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armour then it can never be used to hurt you." Never had words been so true to Ashanna.

A/n
So sorry for the delay. If your reading my other books as well. I'll be updating them shortly as well. Thank you so much for reading this far.
-A