A WINTER ROSE ⊳ g. of thrones [1]

CHAPTER SEVEN | Winter and Misery

"GET UP." Arya stared down at her eldest sister whom she looked up to dearly; but in this moment Ellena was acting like one of the girls from the songs and tales, helpless and weeping. It made Arya sick.

Ellena tossed in her bed, furthering herself into the silken sheets. "And since when does my little sister Arya command me?" She shot. The small girl rolled her eyes, before an idea fell in her mind. The girl jumped up into the queen size bed, and sat on her sister. "Arya! What are you —" Smack! "Arya!" Smack! Arya continued to hit her sister on the head until the older girl sprung from the bed beat red.

"Seven hells, I swear —" "Perfect, I'm so glad you've finally gotten up. Now you can actually help me with my water dancing."

Ellena couldn't stay angered at her sister for very long and instead stared peculiarly at her. "Water dancing? Are you ill? Should I call a Maester? What is my poor little sister doing dancing?" She put her knuckles against her forehead before Arya shooed them away. "No, no, no. Father's got me the best teacher from Bravoos to help me learn how to wield Needle."

Ah, yes, the infamous blade Needle. Ellena knew it well. Jon and Ellena had spent all their last few nights lying in the stables together until the early morning, quiet whispers and heartfelt tears shed as he would leave for the Wall for life, and she to be wed in the months following. There in that stable near the armory, they hatched an idea to make a memorable gift for Arya; Needle. For Jon it was a gift of protection and affection, Ellena a gift of memory and sisterly love.

Ellena stroked her younger sisters hair. "It's about time you had a proper teacher." She was quite honestly just happy Arya was no longer distressed about her direwolf, Nymeria. Ellena couldn't help but miss her own companion either... Visenya would have made it out, yes, of course, she was a direwolf, it would be too much trouble and too much of a fight to slay her. And yet she worried, longing for her friend to be by her side again. Soon.. a voice seemed to whisper. She didn't think 'soon' would be brought about favorably by the gods.

"You'll still practice with me, won't you Ellena?" She smiled and tousled her sisters hair. "I promise. Would I ever give up a chance seeing my little sister learning to wield a sword better than my brothers ever could?"

The two giggled, Ellena finally getting up and walking to her vanity to comb her hair. She'd bathed, but only because Septa Mordane had nearly drowned her sheets in water when she would not rise from her bed. The light poured into the room rather nicely, intricate patters from the windows created beautiful shadows across the floors. One even depicted a lion and a wolf in a sort of brawl, and Ellena thought it to be intriguing. It looked as if they were playing, but as she looked closer it was a much more gruesome fight.

Arya offered to braid her hair, and she accepted, the small thing not actually too bad at weaving together her hair. The two soon got up and left for a very much needed morning fast. Her father and sister already sat, Sansa looking bored and their father looking rather tired. But when he saw his eldest daughter, he brightened.

"Ellena, you've finally left your chambers." He noted surprisingly. "Yes, Arya reminded me that it's no fun moping about. Best to get up now than never, I suppose." She kissed his cheek before sitting beside him on the bench, lovingly leaning her head on his shoulder. She'd missed her father, all she wanted was to be a little girl again and for him to hold her and tell her everything would be alright... and then he'd tell her stories about a beautiful, strong Northern Wolf whom fell in love with a Dragon..

"Sansa, Arya, could you both please go out with Septa Mordane? I need to speak to your sister." "But—" "Go on, now," he urged. Arya slipped off, going to look for some cats to chase, Sansa just murmuring that she wanted to be with her 'beloved Joffery'.

"What is it you wanted to speak to me about, father?"

"There was an attempt of murder.. on Bran."

Her heart sank into her chest. "And?"

"And he is alive. But your mother believes there to be evidence that the Lannister's are behind this and his fall. You mustn't tell anyone, I have only told you this because Robb knows as well and you of all people need to guard your sisters. I am afraid our stay in King's Landing is over."

Ellena couldn't help but laugh. Oh, thank the gods, she's thought. We're going home.. Back to Robb, and Bran and little Rickon too, and Mother.... They'd all be at home, safe and alive.  We're going home.

Oh, my sweet summer child... A cold voice seemed to whisper. Don't you know the gods are not kind? They are cruel, you will never return to your old life. Once your feet had left the floors of Winterfell, you were doomed to a life of winter and misery.

a/n: i know i'm kind of speeding things by with season 1 but i don't rlly have much of a plot for season 1 soooooooooo........ we're just trying to get out of that period:| anyways, as always, slooowww updates but maybe more, idk, i'm a slow child.