Lone Wolf

Preface

Lyanna 

I was born a bastard to Eddard Stark to a woman I didn't know the name of, along with my twin brother Jon. We were born to be raised by our father and Catelyn, but never to be considered part of the family. I was the third oldest, it went Robb, Jon, me, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. 

I was fourteen when King Robert Baratheon and his court came to Winterfell. The feast was the biggest I've ever seen. We went all out. My siblings sat with everyone at the great table but Jon and I were forced to eat below them.

 Jon was getting plastered with wine, while I looked at the people around me. There was the Queen cold and blond, her twin brother with just as blond hair with a smirk, and their younger brother the Imp with his mismatched eyes laughing. The King boisterous and huge, groping a serving wench. This man sitting quietly with grey eyes and bald head. An older boy early into manhood standing in the corner of the Great Hall with brown curly hair and striking blue eyes. 

"Who is that?" I asked to noone in particular. 

Theon who was sitting next to me followed my gaze before answering me. "That's Ramsay Snow." He told me. Theon was the Stark's ward and had been since he was a young child. 

****

Father was leaving to be Hand of the King and was taking Sansa, Arya, and Bran. Jon was leaving for The Wall at Castle Black, and I was to remain here with Robb and Rickon. I desperately wanted to go but Kingslanding was no place for a bastard. 

I was standing at the gate watching as everyone was packing up to leave. "Father, why can't I go too?" I whined. 

Before he could answer someone else did. "Don't talk unless spoken to." Hissed Lady Catelyn.

I blushed looking down, biting my lip wanting to make a retort like "I wasn't talking to you." Snidely but I didn't utter a word. 

Father sighed, putting his hand under my chin forcing me to look up into his eyes. "You look so much like her." He said kissing my forehead before getting on his horse, trotting through the gate and out of my life forever. 

"Look like who?" I whispered a tear running down my cheek. 

I stood there for what felt like forever, when Jon showed up. "I'm leaving Lya." He told me, hugging me tightly. I hugged him tightly back; my head pressed into his chest willing myself not to cry. "I have something for you." He whispered.

I step back and look up at him, he was growing like crazy. When we were younger it was hard telling us apart. We would always switch places, getting in trouble was our specialty along with Theon. Jon was never fond of him but I was. I thought Theon was funny, a bit cocky, but a good ward. The switching of places changed when Jon grew a beard and I couldn't. 

Jon was holding a long package. "Be careful its heavy." He told me giving it to me.

I opened it and saw a beautiful sword. I gasped and started to cry. Never had I had a gift like this. I was in love with it. 

"Thank you." I whispered my tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Stick them with the pointy end." He told me and then left without another word. 

Looking at the sword I realized what it was, a bastard sword, like us. The hilt had snowflakes engraved on it, unlike anything I had seen it was also Valyrian steel. The blade was smooth and cold almost like frost. Father's sword was named Ice, Frost seemed fitting to me.

 I knew how to sew, cook, and do the ladylike things I was supposed to, but my real passion was sword fighting, archery, hunting, and riding horses. Of course Catelyn had always disapproved. I had never called her mother and she had never called me daughter. I was always the bastard to her. 

****

After putting Frost back in my room, I went down to the great hall to eat dinner. I sat at the end of the table next to Theon furthest away from Catelyn as I could get. 

Before even getting a bite of food, however I was addressed by "You, Bastard."

I bit my lip again willing myself to not retort back to her. "Yes?" I asked looking at her, my back straight.

"I've made arrangements for you to leave Winterfell." Catelyn said coldly, glaring at me.

The table fell silent, nobody saying anything.

"Where am I going?" I asked again.

The bald man with the grey eyes opened the great hall, with the older boy following close behind him. Who is that? I thought. "Roose Bolton is taking you on as his ward and you'll be staying with him at the Dreadfort." She said. "You'll be leaving as soon as you're done eating, and packed." She added.

"Mother you can't possibly...." Robb began.

"I'm Lady of Winterfell. I do as I please." Catelyn interrupted him.

Roose sat in front of me. "I look forward to having you as my ward Lyanna." He said in a whispery voice.

"I'm looking forward to it too My Lord." I told him. "May I be excused? I'm not hungry." I added.

Catelyn nodded and I quickly got up escaping from the Great Hall.

Looking at my room I emptied the rest of my clothes into a case. It wasn't much, a few dresses and some boy clothes I preferred. I changed out of the dress I was wearing, cleaned myself of the dirt and grime from today and got dressed again in my riding clothes. My pants were a dark brown as well as the jerkin, I wore a warm green cloak over that with a hood that had fur around it, most of what I wore hid my body. I added a belt as a after thought, attaching Frost to it wanting it on display. Frost was my priced possession and I wanted everyone to see it.

****

My beautiful gelding was anxious to go. Her and I were one in the same, I wanted to go too. I held her snout in my hands whispering to her. "Hey girl, you good girl." I baby talked to her, she snorted and I giggled. 

"Beautiful gelding you have there." A timbered voice said from behind me. I jumped, I hadn't heard anyone come in. 

I turned around to see Ramsay, I tried hard not to blush, but I knew I was unsuccessful.

"Very nice sword you have there too." He added with a devious grin. 

"Thank you, My Lord." I told him. 

His grin went wider. "I'm not a Lord. I'm a bastard just like you. I'm Ramsay Snow, Lord Bolton is my father." He told me. I didn't say anything I didn't know what to say. "Can I see it?" He asked.

I frowned. "See what?" I asked looking up at him. Why was he so tall? And why did he stare at me with those piercing blue eyes so much?

"May I see your sword?" Ramsay asked again. The question made me uncomfortable.

I shook my head. "No you may not." I said defensively, grabbing the reins of my gelding, and walking to the gate. 

The sun was setting, the skies reds and purples reflecting off the snow. I got into the saddle, the gelding pawing at the ground. I couldn't sit still, I set off through the gate, refusing to look back at my childhood home. 

Hearing hooves behind me I stopped. Ramsay stopped next to me and I could hear him chuckle. "We're going to have such fun My Dove." His voice, surprisingly gentle, made me shiver.