The Wolf Princess

Chapter 7 | Burning Truth

They reached Riverrun.

Lilia looked at the castle. It stood proudly in the middle of the river and it was fascinating. The red and blue banner with the silver trout was hanging down the walls and the gates were opened upon their arrival.

Her mother quickly hugged two men. One of them could be recognized as the Blackfish due to his clothes and sigil, whereas she presumed the other man was her uncle.

"Brother, Uncle", Lady Catelyn said. "Meet my eldest daughter, Lilia"

Lilia smiled at both of them and curtsied them.

"She looks like her", Brynden the Blackfish said as he hugged his grand-niece. "Your mother has spoken to me about you"

"I have heard many things from you as well", he gave her a surprised look as she smiled. "The Knights of the Vale have told me much about you. I've brought one"

"Willem Royce?", Brynden asked as he recognized the man standing behind his grand-niece. "You've brought the cunt with you?"

"Nice to see you again", they both giggled at the joke, whereas Lilia focused on her uncle.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, at last, beloved Uncle. My mother has spoken a lot of you during the years", Edmure hugged his niece as he looked at his sister lovingly. The memories of the Cat who left her home with a baby in her arms flashed through his mind. The girl had the same look of Cat in her eyes, yet they were nothing alike.

"Your Grace," they bowed as Robb passed and stood next to his sister. She smiled at the respect they had for her brother, proud of what he had achieved. "We have matters to discuss"

"Right now, my grandfather is dying and I should like to speak to my sister, the Princess", he declared. Robb looked at his mother with resentment for a split second, offering his hand to his sister as he led her to the chambers they had been given.

They were big and they had a door in between. Separating the room was only a door and a hall.

"I have always taken you in great consideration, you know that much. I wish to show you my appreciation by gifting you rooms worthy of a Queen", he held her hands in his, kissing them respectfully. "I have missed you, Lia"

Lia.

It had been so long since someone called her Lia. About a year or something like that.

For that period of time, Lilia had been called by nothing else other than Lady Stark, Lady Lilia or simply Lilia.

She had missed the warmth of the name, the informality... the familiarity of it. She missed the tenderness of those who would call her by that name.

Reuniting with Robb brought some of that comfort back to her, but not completely... not until they got Sansa back, not until she reunited with her brothers back at Winterfell... not until her father's bones were buried in the crypts of Winterfell as they should have been.

"Thank you, Your Grace", she said with a smile, earning another one from Robb. That smile she had known all her life... even through the darkest of times, even then he could save that smile for her. "I have longed to be back to you"

"And now, you are back where you belong, back to your family and with a title worthy of your station", he assured her. Then, he delivered her a letter with his sigil on it. A Royal Decree. She read the words carefully as her eyes widened, meeting his who anxiously awaited for a reaction from his beloved sister. "You, my dearest sister, will be known as Princess of Winterfell and, in case something happens to me, you shall be named the heiress"