B L O O M

The Fall

The time Rose spent in Winterfell was mostly spent eating, sleeping, avoiding people, and teaching Bran how to shoot a bow properly.

Rose's actions disappointed Sansa because she rarely visited Sansa and her septa during their needlework lessons, Rose preferring to help Bran with his posture and aim.

Rose even found herself helping Bran with a wooden sword, remaining on the defense while Bran tried to land a strike upon her relatively unprotected body. She was never the best at helping those who wished to fight, as whenever she saw a sword approaching her, her reflex was to stop them entirely. Murdering whoever is being taught isn't the ideal scenario.

The day the hunting party left to hunt was a day that started like any other. Rose finally emerged from her cozy chambers to begin making her way to the courtyard, where the northern men practiced their fighting skills, in search of Bran with whom she was to meet. When Rose didn't see Bran, she assumed he was waiting for her in their usual climbing spot on top of the tower, as Bran was more than pleased to climb the walls of Winterfell with her.

Rose turned to depart for the broken tower when a small body knocked into her, taking her by surprise as she fell to the ground and reached for her daggers.

"I'm so sorry, my lady." Squeaked the young boy as he quickly scrambled off her, to scared of being punished to look Rose in her eyes as she relaxed her hold on the twin blades.

"It is quite alright; my name is Rose." Rose introduced herself as she stood up, smiling brightly as he avoided her gaze.

"Andy Kisop," The boy responded timidly, finally meeting the blonde's merry eyes with his own hesitant eyes.

"Ignore him my lady, I'm sure you would prefer to be in the presence of a real man. The names Lord Ander Kisop, heir of the Kisop Keep and the older brother of the fool who just knocked you over." Said an older black-haired boy, stepping forward in a charming manner as he cockily smirked at Rose.

"It's quite alright Andy, if you balance you're weight evenly between your feet then you will not fall over as easily." She ignored Ander as she addressed the younger brother, drawing her own long sword to demonstrate. "Your sword is merely an extension of your arm, use it as such and you can defeat any enemy."

"How would you know that, you're a girl." Interrupted Ander, his tone showing his mockery as he failed to realize who the Blonde is. The steadily rising voice of the heir of Kisop Keep turned the other men in the courtyards toward the trio, their eyes widening as the bright smile from Rose morphed into a frown.

"I was trained by a master of blades known as Syrio Forel as well as my older brother Jaime Lannister, the Faceless men, and more. So, fret not, I know what I speak of." Rose responded with a sly smile, earning smirks from the assembly of men who had gathered around them.

"Well, all of the training couldn't have helped much, you're still a girl who belongs in the kitchen and in the bedroom." Ander counters, not placing that she is a renown warrior who kicks ass.

"Well if you'd care to battle me, I will prove to you how foolish you are." Rose brandished her sword that was in front of the younger Kisop, handing it to the innocent child to instead take the wooden practice sword, pointing to the boy who dared to challenge her.

"Very well then." The two circled each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. It came as no surprise when the sexist boy swung his own wooden sword first.

His sword was stopped midair as Rose flicked her wrist and her sword twisted the Ander's blade, causing the wooden stick to fall. As the gathered men laughed, Ander lunged for his blade and began a mad array of swipes and stabs.

The woman dancing around each attack effortlessly, as if she was a dancer flowing as smoothly as a river. It only took a couple of seconds before the women had once again knocked the blade out of Ander's grip.

This pattern repeated again, each time the boy ended up embarrassing himself. It wasn't until he finally admitted defeat did Rose stop her smooth dance of death, or in this case humiliation.

"Next time, help Andy instead of crushing his spirit," Rose stated as she returned the sword to the youngest Kisop, sheathing her steel blade as Andy handed it to her. "You'll become a strong fighter someday, don't lose hope."

Rose smiled to herself as she walked away, heading towards the tower she suspected Bran to be climbing.

The smile wasn't wiped from her pale features until she heard the Maester of Winterfell screaming. Sprinting as fast as she could she rushed towards the shouting in distress, not knowing that she was about the witness the day the Starks began to fall. The only thing she heard, as she sprinted to the broken body that the Maester stood beside, was the eerie cries of the old maester.

"Bran fell!"