Princess in The North

Chapter 1: The King's Daughter

They were welcomed by the Starks. The King, Queen, and their four children. Their eldest was a girl, Ella, who had her father’s black hair and blue eyes, but everything else was her mother’s. She was sixteen. The fourteen year old Joffery was next. All blonde hair and green eyes with a smug little face. Mycella and Tommen both followed after Joffery, in looks and everything. Definite Lannisters. There was a reason why Ella was Robert’s favorite child.

Ella was shown to her room to bathe and get ready for the feast that night. All she wanted to do was sit down with her mother and talk. Cersei was fierce to everyone but her children. She loved them with all she had. She loved them because she had a loveless marriage. She wanted to save her daughters from the same fate. She didn’t want them shipped off to a new place. She wanted them close to her. Ella knew she couldn’t trust her mother with everything, and they fought quite often. But she also loved her mother very much.

Her father came to her room as her maid dressed her. She wore a gold dress with beautiful embroidery on the sleeves and neckline. It showed her full breasts that she had inherited from her mother’s side. Her dark hair contrasted beautifully as it was pulled back in two braids at her temples, leaving the rest in waves down her back.

“What is it you wanted to say, father?” She asked as her maid straightened her clothing so it was perfect. “You could have waited until later.”

The king looked at his daughter, awaiting her reaction to the words he would say. “I wanted to tell you that you are now betrothed to Robb Stark.”

Ella froze. “Mary, can you leave us. I believe I am as ready as I need to be tonight.”

The red haired woman bowed to the Princess before bowing to the King and leaving the room silently.

Ella turned to her father. “What did you say to me?” 

“Do not take that tone with me. You are betrothed to Robb Stark. You will be the next Lady of Winterfell.”He told her. “Lord Stark and I have all ready decided it. Your engagement will be announced tonight.”

Ella grabbed a chair to steady herself. She did not want to get married. She did not want to be stuck in the North for the rest of her life. She enjoyed the sun far too much.“Did you even think about asking me first?”

“You will do as I say, Ella. You will do this for me.”

“And Mother? Did Mother agree?” If Cersei agreed, Ella had no chance of getting out of this. Her mother would find a way for her to get out. If she didn’t, her uncle Jaime would.

“She has as much say as you do, Ella.”

Ella was silent a moment, before looking up at her father with her piercing blue eyes. “I will not marry Robb Stark.”Her voice was strong, her chin held high as she made herself look much larger than she was. “I am Princess Ella of House Baratheon. I will not marry a Stark and be confined to the North for the remainder of my life.”

“What is wrong with marrying a Stark? Don’t tell me that your mother has effected you this much.” King Robert said, his temper rising with his daughters. There was a reason their words were, Ours is the Fury.

“I have heard stories father. I don’t want someone with a stick up their ass about duty and honor.” Ella stated, her voice rising. “I want to marry whom I choose. I. Will. Not. Marry. Robb. Stark.”

“Oh yes you will.” Robert told her, his voice getting louder than hers.“I am the king. You are a princess. You will do your duty as my daughter. I could marry you to a fat old man, at least this one is young and handsome.”

Ella could not argue with that. He could very well do that if he wished. “Just wait until Mother hears of this. She will not allow it!” Ella yelled, tears appearing in her blue eyes. There was a storm brewing inside her.

“You will marry him if I have to drag you to the altar!” He shouted back. Ella could almost hear the glass rattling in the panes. 

“I will not say my vows! You cannot force me to say them!” Ella yelled back. “I will never marry a Northerner!” Before her father could reply, she stormed out of the room, and slammed the door behind her. She looked up to see the very boy she had refused to marry. From the look on his face he had heard the fight between father and daughter.

Robb Stark was very handsome. Dark red hair and blue eyes, thin and fit. He knew he was beautiful too. He stood beside the Greyjoy boy, and his younger sister, Arya. They all stared at her.

Ella stared right back. Her eyes staring a hole through all of them. She refused to be the first one to look away. When she heard her father moving to follow her, she had to, though. She picked up her skirts, and swept swiftly out of the hall. 

Robb was still staring at the spot she had occupied. The passion in her intrigued him, and made him want her. After all, men always loved a challenge.

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Ella went straight to her mother’s room. The only reason her mother didn’t tell her it was a bad time was because Cersei saw the tears in her daughter’s eyes. 

“What is the matter, my love?” She said, after she told her maids to get out. She took her daughter’s hands in her own. “Your hands are as cold as ice. Are you ill?”

“Father had betrothed me to Robb Stark.” Ella told her mother. “I do not want to marry, Mother. I just want to go home.”

Cersei embraced her daughter, shushing her. “It will be all right, sweet girl. We all want to go home. I will do my best to fix this.”

“I do not want to stay in the North. I am a daughter of the South.” She hid her face in her mother’s neck. 

“I know, my dear.” Cersei kissed her daughter’s hair. “I will not let him take you from me. You are my daughter. You are mine.”

The claim Cersei announced she had over her daughter was not always as there as she thought. Ella didn’t want to be owned. That was one of the reasons that she did not want to be married. She wanted to be in charge of herself in a way her mother was never allowed to be. She wanted to marry a friend, someone she loved, even if it was not romantically. Now she would be stuck with a stranger in a strange, cold land.

She didn’t want to be stuck anywhere.