A Lion Loyal to Wolves

Chapter Three: Fear

 Four weeks went by rather quickly. I grew close with all the Stark children, except Bran. Earlier the morning of my first defense lesson, Bran fell from a tower. I visited him everyday and spoke to him, even though he couldn't hear me.
I kept up with my sewing with Sansa. I enjoyed her company. I felt bad though, considering how my brother was to marry her. My brother is a whiny twat. My father told me in secret once, that he wishes I could take his place on the throne. My father believes that I would be a wise and just ruler. But I know my father would never follow through and allow a woman to rule, even if it is his daughter.
I spent some time with Rickon. I mainly just played with him and Shaggy Dog (his dire wolf), but it was fun none the less. I also spent time with Arya. She gave me a tour of Winterfell and all of Winterfell's secrets. She showed me a secret passage from near my room to the courtyard. Now I can slip into the courtyard without anyone noticing me.
I spent the most time with Jon, Theon, and Robb. I enjoyed spending time with them, because I wasn't used to being around people around my age. In the capitol I spent most of my time learning how to be a proper princess. The only children I would spend a lot of time with were my siblings. While Joffrey and I are only 10 months apart, there is a major maturity difference. Many people have pointed it out to my parents. From a young age I would delight the lords and ladies that would visit Kingslanding, meanwhile my brother would terrorize the stable boys. Many of them would shake their heads at Joffrey and whisper amongst themselves about the boy who is to become the King.

I'm pretty sure trying to make Joffrey more of a man was one of my father's reasons for coming up here, to the North. My father wanted Joffrey to see the Northern men. That and to join the Stark and the Baratheon houses together. My father insisted on Joffrey marrying Sansa ever since it was announced that Lord and Lady Stark had a daughter.

A couple of months ago my father noticed that many girls my age were becoming engaged. Everyone knew my father had a soft spot of Myrcella and I, which is why he had put off finding someone for me to marry. Many of his advisers wanted him to marry me off to someone in Dorne but my father would never hear of it. He wanted me to marry someone he considered a great man. Once the plans for the trip to Winterfell were made my father immediately though of his dear old friend, Lord Eddard Stark. He knew what an honorable man he is. Lord Stark even took in his son, who he fathered with another woman, in and treated him like the rest of his children.
My father heard of the eldest Stark, Robb, and wanted to see if he was like his father. If so, he was going to arrange a marriage between us. Throughout the trip, I my father would ask for Robb's presence and would have long conversations with him, or go out hunting with him. Because of my mother, I knew exactly what my father was planning. My father knew I wanted to marry for love, but I also know my duties as a princess. My father told me, when I was six, "that while you may not first, love the man you marry but you'll learn to love him." I was confused about this when I was little and I still am.
Today was the third to last day before my family left for the capital. My father told my family he was going to make an announcement at our dinner with the Stark family. I knew what the announcement was, an engagement. I figured that it was about Sansa and Joffrey, but I also wonder if it includes Robb and I. If it does, I'm relieved that I would be marrying a man that is good hearted. I am afraid however of Robb handling the news. On one of our daily rides, he confessed to me that he wants to marry for love, not power or duty.

~~~

"You can't though," I responded, "it is your duty as a future Warden of the North to marry whoever your father wishes for you to marry."
"It is easy for you to say that. It's been put into your head ever since you were little, that you are to marry for power and duty, not love.," Robb responded, "my father has always taught me to do the right thing, and to follow my heart."
"Following your heart and doing the right thing aren't always the same. Marrying for love will be the death of you." I recited
"How so?" he responded.
"Oh no, it's just a saying my septa tried to teach me when I was little." I laughed.