How To Kill a Flower

Chapter 2

I found myself in the barn more often with Meraxes and the dire wolf pup i had named Shadow. For he never left my side. His dark black fur made it just that much easier for him to sneak around with me. 

Arya comes bounding in the barn with her direwolf, Nymeria. Like Shadow, all our wolves stuck to our side. Though i cant tell whether Nymeria is starting to act like Arya, or the other way around. Perhaps Nymeria was teaching Arya how to be more wild, which is definitely something we dont need. 

"Still cant get her to listen to you?" i asked Arya. A smile beginning to build on my face. She has been trying to teach her wolf some obedience, but Nymeria hasn't been learning very fast. I think its so funny because they are so much alike. Arya is just as wild as her pup.

"No! She just wont listen," Arya exclaims. Lightly glaring down at her pup. "How did you get Shadow to obey so well?"

"I didn't, i just learned how to work with him. He's already so in tuned with  what i am thinking." I thought out loud, "literally like my shadow." I look over at her and Nymeria. Giggling as i see her scratching her head, while Nymeria does the same thing. "See, shes just like you and we all know that you cant be tamed. So dont try to tame her." 

She sighed, "you're right, i just dont want father to think that im not trying." 

"Oh Arya, father sees everything. He knows you're doing your best." I walk over to her, Shadow following me. I put an arm around her shoulders. "Give it time, you cant be worse than Rickon trying to train Shaddydog." We both start giggling at that. The youngest Stark seemed to not care to train his pup, but when he ever tried to give him a command Shaggydog just stared at him with his tongue out. 

"Run along now, little one. I'm right behind you." She runs out into the courtyard with Nymeria on her heels. I clean up my mess from brushing Meraxes, so the stable boys don't have to do it for me. 

I walk out into the yard to find Robb and Theon practicing. I go up to the fence and lean my body against it. 

They're both sweating from sparing for however long they've been here. Robb is definitely better with the sword, which still annoys Theon to no end every time he loses to him. 

"ARGH- No fair, you're cheating!" Theon growls like a little boy.

"No, im just better than you. If you spent more time practicing than whoring around in the brothel then maybe you could keep up," Robb chastised him.

"Dont be such a sore loser Theon," i grin from the sidelines, "maybe one day you can beat Robb. Dream big."  

He glares over at me while Robb tries to hold back his smirk. 

Quickly Theons gave softens and becomes his usual perverted self. "I dont need to dream of being big, i can show you later in your room if you'd like." Raising his eyebrows at me.

Robb leans over and hits Theon with the flat of his sword. " Really?! Ugh," Robb turns away to put his sparring sword away, knowing that if he didn't Ser Rodrick would make him regret it later. 

"I'd rather chew off my left arm than spend a night with you Greyjoy." 

When we were younger, Theon was actually my first kiss. I was 10 while he was 12, I had become curious after a feast one night. Seeing the whores sit on men's laps and kiss them. After the feast i went to Theon because he had been bragging to Robb that he had already laid with a woman, and asked him what it was like to kiss another. Theon who had actually never done anything passed kissing a woman had suggested that he showed me what it was like to kiss "a real man." It was sloppy and wet, but what could you expect from a first kiss. 

Year went by i had fooled around with Theon in secret. It wasn't anything serious and i made sure he knew that. This was strictly to relieve sexual desires. We never went as far to take off our clothes, even though he's tried many times.  

I went to pick up a bow from the weapons rack along the fence. Grabbing some blunted arrows used for training, i walked into the training yard. I notched an arrow into place and not even a second later i released my breath and let it fly. WHOOSH-hitting dead center. Notching another arrow, i quickly released the arrow, WHOOSH-hitting right next to my second arrow in the center. Notching one more arrow, i paused with this one. I turned my head and caught Theon's gaze. Smirking, i released my third arrow without breaking eye contact with the Kraken. WHOOSH-it splits my first arrow in half. Grinning i look at the target, proud of my work. 

"You've always been a show off, havent you Ciri?" I look over to see that i had gathered an audience and it was Jon who spoke. 

"I cant help it, Theon needs someone to ground him when his ego gets to big." I look over at Theon who was now stomping away. 

"You shouldn't tease him so much Ciri," this time it was Robb who said this. "You know how he gets and i have to be the one to deal with him." 

"Well then he shouldn't make those disgusting comments towards me, then maybe i wouldn't tease him so much."

"CIRILLA STARK!" Oh no, i know that shrilling voice. I turn to see him mother with her hands on her hips and father with a proud grin on his face.

"Oh..Hello mother, father." I try to hide the bow behind my body. "Its a lovely day isn't it?" Next to m, Robb is  trying to stifle his laughter. I elbow him in the side.

"What have we told you about practicing with your brother instead of attending your lessons." Right, i was suppose to be with Sansa and Arya learning how to sew. Which is kind of all we ever learn with Septa Mordane. 

"Uhhhh, to not to?" I asked with an impish grin on my face.

"That is right," she sighed, hands reaching up to rub the side of her face, "How is it i ended up with one out of three daughters that actually wants to be a lady, while the other two would rather play in the mud with their brothers?" 

"Bad luck?" I said shrugging with a grin on my face. Father sighed shaking his head at me, still smiling.

"Bad luck indeed, especially when we have our guests from Kings Landing show up in a month." She spits out.

"What do you mean mother?" Robb asks, "whos coming to Winterfell?" 

Mother looks up at father. He sighs and she grabs his hand. "The King is coming to Winterfell. Jon Aryn is dead." 

"But why is he coming here?" I asked, my brows furrow. "Hes coming to ask you to be his hand isn't he?" I look up at father with concern written in my blue eyes.

"We do not know why he is coming for certain, but we suspect he is going to ask." Ned looks over the faces of his children. Stopping at Jon, knowing its going to get even more difficult for him with tensions running high. 

"Which means i need you and Robb to help prepare and look after your siblings. We will have lions in our home and i don't trust them for a second." Robb and i look at each other and nod.

"We understand mother," I say with a serious look on my face. "The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives." Her and father both nod their heads with grim expressions.

"Now, we need to prepare. They're already on their way. Come Cirilla, lets start." I hand my forgotten bow to Jon as i walk past him to join mother. 

Glancing back at my brothers and father. I sigh, Shadow still following me and i walk next to my mother. 

Things are about to change, and i dont like it one bit.