The Long Winter | Jaime Lannister X Stark OC | GOT/ASOIAF

Six Inch Nails

It was dusk by the time they reached Winterfell. The lanterns had been lit as the sun set over the moors and mountains, making the great grey castle appear almost warm and welcoming. 

It would've been home to Ross whatever it looked like. King's Landing was grand and impressive, but it never, ever felt like home; it had a dark history, had seen far too much pain over the years. As had the Dreadfort. She had been its lady for fourteen years, but there were certain places she went, sometimes, when she was alone, that just made her uneasy. A prickle on her neck, a shiver up her spine, like she shouldn't be there. No matter how long she stayed in that castle, Winterfell would always be where her heart lay.

She rode alongside Ren as they passed through the gates into the courtyard. She scanned the assembled crowd, hoping for a glimpse of her younger three children; the girls should have been in Winterfell a week already, and her son had been fostered there since he was nine. 

Sure enough, Edrick was stood to the right of the Starks, Aileen beside him, now a good inch or so shorter than her brother where they'd once been the same height. Of all her children, Aileen was the most like her, rather shrewd and reserved, though far more studious and eager to learn than Ross had ever been. And she looked most definitely like a Bolton. 

Edrick looked most like Ross of all of them, yet took after her brother Brandon in temperament, wild, hot-tempered and brazen, with more than a drop of wolfblood to him. 

Morganna, who was stood on her brother's other side, appeared a perfect young lady, but her mischievous grey eyes said otherwise, as did her ever-present amused grin. Oh hells, she looked too much like Princess Myrcella... Jaime at least would notice, if nothing else. Gods, she should have told him far earlier than this. Even she hadn't been completely sure herself, given how small she was when she was born, until the girl had started to grow to be a beauty. Since then, well. She hadn't been able to tell him. It was safer.

The king was greeted first, of course, impatient as ever but glad to see Ned. Then the queen - Ross had bitten back a smirk when the enormous wheelhouse couldn't fit through the gates so the occupants had to walk - and the three royal children, thirteen year old Joffrey and Myrcella, then eleven year old Tommen. 

Robert took noticeably greater pride in introducing Loreon after, who looked so much more like him than the queen's children, and the look in Cersei Lannister's eyes was murderous. And then it was their turn.

"Ross," Ned smiled at her as she approached him, having handed her horse over to an anxious-looking stable boy. 

She wasn't expecting a big show of a greeting from her brother, nor did she want one. She and Ned had always had the same self contained, reserved manner that often came across as cold to others.

"Ned," She smiled the same smile and went to embrace him, briefly but tightly. After they broke apart, Ross turned her attention to the three standing at the end of the line of Stark children. Whilst Ned greeted Ren, who was now taller than he was, she raised an eyebrow at her children. 

Morganna didn't hesitate before rushing forward to meet her in a crushing hug. Edrick followed but didn't hug her, Aileen calm at his side as Ned was pulled away to the crypts by an impatient Robert, despite the queen's obvious displeasure. 

Cersei swept inside with her children, casting a characteristically disdainful look over everything, and everyone else began organising the party, leaving them in peace. Ross saw Jaime follow his sister, but glance their way, cool green eyes glancing over the girl he never even knew was his, before the second was over and he was gone. There would be time later, she told herself, ignoring the nasty feeling writhing in her stomach.