𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅

two: winterfell

"You'll get it, Bran." I encouraged him. Tomorrow is the day, the party is supposed to arrive. The seven of us children were trying to make the most out of our last few days together before running around making the wealthy comfortable.

"No, I won't," Bran groaned. "I'm awful."

"You can't be worse than Robb."

"Hey!" The eldest Stark boy grumbled. He laughingly threw his arms around me and inhaled my scent. I personally thought I reeked of sweaty ring mail, but he said I smelled strangely of lemon cakes.

"You're amazing! You always hit your target," Bran continued to whine to me.

"Because I'm just naturally talented."

"And naturally arrogant."

"Shut it, Jon." I glared playfully at the boy I called my soon to be brother.

"Try again and relax your bow arm," Robb urged Bran. I stood by him as we watched the little boy miss his target drastically. The boys laughed and I turned my head to hide my giggles.

"And which of you was a marksman at ten?" Ned called from his high place. I raised my hand and raised a brow.

Before Ned could respond, an arrow hit the target dead in the center. Thinking it was Bran, Robb went to congratulate him, but Jon raised his chin toward a giggling Arya. Bran threw down the bow and chased his older sister. Laughter filled the air as they left the scene. I began to dislodge Bran's stray arrows from everything he hit.

"You, young lady, are supposed taking your lessons at this time. You're the bad influence on Arya." Lady Catelyn glared her hateful glare at me. I glared back and rolled my eyes.

"Yes, my lady." I mumbled and picked up my belt. I could tell Robb was ready to stop anything me or his mother started.

"You are 18 years old! Have you ever thought it good to at least pretend to be a proper lady?"

"I always thought it good to be a woman who had an actual mind and thought for herself."

"You will not address me in that manner."

"I'll happily do it again."

"Valaeria, come, I'll walk you to your room." Robb took my hand in his, which I admit sends a jolt through me every time. He gave his mother a look still dragging me along.

"Yes, and I'll be waiting when you get there." Catelyn ignored her son's warning marching off in the direction of our bedchambers.

"Go to all seven hells." I sneered as I sauntered off with Robb. Once out of her sight, he turned on me.

"That's my mother, Val."

"I'm not her child but I'm also not Ned's child. She has no reason not to at least tolerate me."

"At least Jon tries to respect her."

"I do try. Just not very hard."

"Why do you always choose the most stressful times to be difficult?"

"What's stressful about it?"

"Well, to start it off, there will be an execution. I saw Father tell someone to get Ice ready. Mother is already tense because he wants Bran to go this time."

"Oh," I whispered. "I just never thought it'd be so soon that'd he'd see such things."

"I thought so too. There's more. Father wants to you to go with us. He says there are things you need to see him do before he dies."

"I understand. Do I have to look?"

"He'll know if you don't."

"Who's being executed? And for what?"