The Lannister Wolf Series

Chapter XV

"Evie!" Robb called, catching his sister's attention.

The twelve-year-old girl looked up to see that Robb was sprinting toward her. The girl was seated against a tree, reading a book. They had been traveling with their uncle Benjen, Jon and Sansa to visit their mother's family, the Tully's for the summer. Robb and Jon were not adapting well to the change in climate even though it was nearly as hot as it would be in the South.

"What is it?" the girl asked, looking back at her book, deciding that it was much more enjoyable than to see her twin stumble over his own feet on his approach.

Robb pulled to a stop next to his sister, catching his breath, "Uncle Benjen just said that a Calvary is passing by! It is the king!"

Evelyn's head snapped up at this, her eyes widening, "The king!?"

Robb nodded vigorously, "He's got the red and gold flags and everything! Come on! Uncle Benjen says that he'll probably camp with us overnight!"

Evelyn, being so much the opposite of Sansa, immediately put her book down and not caring that she didn't look presentable to meet a king, sprinted after her twin. When the two pulled to a stop, they found Jon already there while Sansa stood next to their uncle, looking very ladylike in her pale blue dress. Robb and Jon both stood tall while Evelyn glanced down at her . She honestly didn't care to dress fancy like Sansa, but she knew that her mother would be disappointed if she ever saw what Evelyn was wearing to meet the king. A simple brown dress was tied up the sides with a V shaped skirt that barely came to her knees. She wore a pair of brown leggings under her dress and brown leather boots that were coated in mud from having played in the nearby stream with Jon earlier. Under her short sleeve dress, she wore a mid-elbow white shirt that was just off white. The girl knew that her hair probably was atrocious since she almost always left it down except for pulling the bangs back into a simple braid.

The girl pushed her outfit out of her mind and began to scan the Calvary before her. The king was dismounting and for a man who was considered in his 'prime', he was rather stout. Evelyn noticed with slight disappointment that the young queen was not with him, nor the young princes and princess. She had heard many stories about them and had always wanted to know what they were like in person.

She realized with annoyance that she couldn't see over Jon and Robb's heads for they had both hit a growth spurt which put them a few inches taller than her. She tried to jump in place to see over their heads but failed. Finally, she noticed a space between Jon and Uncle Benjen and squeezed between the two to get a better view but in vain.

"Sire," Benjen greeted, bowing to the king.

"Rise Benjen," The king greeted, "Quite a coincidence meeting you here. Though I believe we are going in opposite directions."
"Indeed sire," Benjen replied. "I am escorting my young nieces and nephews to visit the Tully's."
The king nodded, "So these are the young Starks. I have never seen any of them in person."
Benjen at once introduced Jon and Robb as well as Sansa before he looked around in search of Evelyn. Finally, he noticed the little girl squeezing to get through and stepped to the side to give her room. However, the girl had been putting so much effort into it that with the sudden lack of resistance, she stumbled forward.

Two things flashed through her mind when she felt herself lose balance. First: oh, this is embarrassing and second: Mother is going to die when I tell her this later.

However, her fall never came for a hand caught her around the waist, stopping her descent and holding her with a strong steady grip. The girl had let out a faint squeak at the contact which brought a chuckle from the king.

"And Evelyn," Benjen sighed, "There you are."
The girl stumbled to gather her feet beneath her before she stood up, bowing her head to her rescuer, "Thank you sir...."
However as she lifted her head to look up at the man who had caught her, she felt the air socked out of her gut. A pair of sky-blue eyes were staring back at her with equal surprise and recognition, framed by sandy blond hair which brought out the sharpness of his jaw, his clean-shaven face and wickedly handsome features.