"I am not marrying the nearest Lord you can pawn me off to, and it certainly won't be Joffrey Baratheon"
Adelina Mullyn has everything a girl of her station could ever dream of - beauty, brains, and a skill for almost anything. However, when it com...
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The guests of House Stark had all settled into their newly found chambers, ready to prepare for the long days and cold nights ahead in Winterfell. The King would be arriving in at least two days time, and there was an apprehensive atmosphere in the air from all parties.
"Do you think the King will ask you to be a part of his council or even his new Hand?" Haylise asks her Husband as they stroll through Winterfell castle together, her arm looped through his. There was a cool breeze within the air yet this was probably the warmest climate Winterfell had seen in months.
"I doubt that, my love" a small chuckle escapes his lips, his breath making smokes in the air as he walked. "Besides, my place, our place resides in the North."
"I know you have not seen each other in nine years but I was thinking.."
"I do not like where this is going" Bennard stops in his tracks, causing Haylise to also pause. He looks at his wife, waiting for her to finish her sentence although he had an idea of what she was about to suggest.
"I'm sure that the King and the Queen are looking to make an arrangement to marry their eldest son, Joffrey and I think Adelina is more than.."
"You want to marry our daughter to the Prince?" Bennard cuts his wife off, a stern look smothering his whole face. It didn't take a genius for anybody to figure out that he was not keen on any of the Lannister family or their relations.
"Please just listen" a sigh escaping her lips, "She's fought off every other alliance we've tried to make, she can't with this one ... she could be the future Queen" Haylise almost sounded desperate. She knew Adelina would be more than displeased about this. Adelina wouldn't want this but Haylise certainly did. Her daughter deserves the chance she never got. To marry a King.
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"I see Robb Stark is quite taken with you." Thalina mentions, brushing through Adelina's long dark curls. Though her lady in waiting, Thalina was also Adelina's best friend and one of the only people that she was able to trust. Both of their houses held a friendship since the two were small, and in response to waiting Adelina, Thalina was promised to find a husband with a noble title.
Adelina immediately turns her head to meet her friends brown eyes, "We have known one another since we were children, and that is all." She assures, turning back around and looking at herself in the hand mirror placed in her lap. "Robb, Jon and Theon used to run away from me when I chased them down the courtyard and I'm pretty sure they would do the same thing now."
"I'm just saying Lady Adelina that I have never met anybody that is not enchanted by your beauty."
"Yes but beauty is not everything." Adelina places the mirror down, before standing up ready to exist her chamber.
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"I wish you were my sister instead of Sansa" the youngest Stark girl whines as she walks beside Lady Adelina. "Sansa is so boring and all she wants to do is sew and talk about marriage."
"Arya" Adelina softly states her name and she begins, "You and Sansa may be very different but so are me and Lyla. I always wanted to chase the boys around the courtyard with wooden swords whilst she wanted to sit with the adults at the dinner table."
A sudden smile appears on Arya's face as she looks up to the older girl. Adelina saw so much of her younger self in Arya. "I just wish I could go learn archery with Bran! I'm so much better than him as well!"
"Well unfortunately, archery is not expected of us girls. We are expected to be respectful with manners and be able to sew pretty dresses to wear for men, only for them to..." Adelina stops herself, realising she is too deep in thought and this is not a conversation she should be having with an eleven year old girl.
Arya's eyebrows fury at the mention of pretty dresses and men. "I don't want to wear pretty dresses and especially not for men. I want to travel the whole world. Not marry a stupid Lord like Sansa will."
Adelina sighed. She had always been the same, and sadly it got worse as she got older. She could not breathe without the mention of marriage from her mother.
"How come you're not married Adelina?" This question really took her back, as the young girl folded her arms.
"Because Arya, I am very lucky."
Though Adelina knew her luck would run out at some point. She just didn't know how soon.
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"Relax your bow arm" Robb instructs Bran. The boys small arms shake slightly as he holds the large weapon, ready to shoot. As he fires, the arrow collides with the wall, falling straight to the floor. Chuckles escape all the mouths of those watching him as he looks down, archery was just something Bran could not get the hang of.
The sound of clapping pulls everyone away from their teasing as they look in the direction of the noise. "Well done Bran, that wasn't a bad first attempt" Adelina finishes clapping, giving a gentle smile to the embarrassed boy.
"I'm trying."
"You're almost as good as Theon." She teases, her brown eyes looking in his direction ready for a reaction from the Kraken boy. His face drops, being the expense of a laugh to everyone. He hated more than anything when his pride got injured.
"She's done you there Greyjoy" Layn smirks, pleased with the quick wittiness from his sister. She certainly got that from their Grandmother.
"Shouldn't you be doing something else like stitching maybe?" Theon retaliates, although his words did not affect the Mullyn girl in the slightest as her mouth turns upwards into a grin.
"I must've got lost on the way there."
Robb and Jon both smirk. Adelina was the most beautiful and quick minded girl they had ever met. Nobody was like her, and they both knew nobody would ever come close. Neither had ever acted upon their feelings for the youngest Mullyn girl, and didn't know if they even ever would. Jon knew his station, and Adelina was way above it though she never treated him like that. And well, Robb had felt things for that girl from the moment he laid eyes on her around ten years ago.
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A/N - Hello! Finally a new chapter! I wanted to get something to for you all before I go away. I have been having a little writing block but I am super excited to get into the next few chapters with all the ideas I have as well as a few slow burns to come 👀
