The Death of Winter's Princess

Chapter II

It had been almost a month since Ashara's father and older brothers had left Winterfell with his men. Her morther had been distraught with worry and fear, but pulled herself together for the sake of her younger children. Ashara found that she couldn't stay still. She would pace her rooms until Lysandra or Benjen complained. Now she found herself pacing the battlements of Winterfell.

There was a gust of wind and Ashara pulled her cloak tighter around herself.  Her home felt so cold now that half her family was gone, which was strange considering it was always freezing even when they were here. Perhaps it was just because she missed hearing Robb's laugh and the encouraging words of Brandon when he taught little Benjen how to ride. Rickard was always here, but most of the time he could be found with some pretty woman on his arm. Even that was amusing, but now he had just locked himself away in the whore houses of the North.

She sighed and stopped pacing to turn and look down the road that her father, uncle, and brothers had left on. Ashara closed her eyes, wanting to be able to fly across the North and be with her brother's. She wanted to be able to see what was happening instead of having her brain run around in circles trying to imagine what could possibly be happening. Were they burnt to a crisp like those of House Gardener? Or were they still marching through the snow to get to the Neck? Had the Riverlands turned on them and delivered them to Aegon Targaryen?

Ashara shook her head, trying to get these thoughts out of her head. As she did so, the sharp gusts of wind died down and her ears picked up the faint thunder of horse hooves and the faint rumbling sound of hundreds of feet marching on earth. Her eyes snapped open and fear coiled in the bottom of her stomach, shooting her heart into her throat and making her unable to call out to the men in Winterfell.

"Ashara! Ashara, what's happening?" A tiny voice called out. The fear in her little sister's voice snapped her out of her trance and Ashara rushed to her Lysandra who was trembling like a leaf. "I'm scared. What if it's the bad men?" "Don't worry, it isn't them." Ashara tried to comfort her, but she couldn't even see the banners that the approaching army was carrying. "But what if Papa and Brandon and Robb are dead and they've come to kill us!" "Rickard, Benjen, Alyssa, and I will all protect you. Mother will the the fiercest of them all. Remember? She's the She-Wolf of the North when it comes to her children."

Lysandra nodded slowly and she hugged Ashara, burying her face in her furs. Suddenly there was a screech and Ashara's head snapped up as a dark shadow crossed the sky and Lysandra whimpered and clung to her leg in terror. Three beasts flew over Winterfell, but Ashara's gaze remained on the largest and darkest one. That's when her eyes met Aegon Targaryen's as he flew over her home, then he was gone, replaced by his two wives, circling the castle on their dragons who roared as they flew over them, sending shivers of silent horror, fear, and awe down the backs of all the occupants of Winterfell.

"Ashara, I'm scared." Lysandra whimpered and she knelt down. "It's okay, Lysa. The dragon's wont hurt you, you're too precious. Come, I have a feeling we will be kneeling today." She slipped a hand through Lysandra's and led her down the stairs as the gates of Winterfell were thrown open.

After a few minuets, her father rode through and someone let out a cry.

It was her mother. Alys Stark was dressed in a deep green dress, little flecks of dirt clung to her knees indicating that she had be praying in the Godswood. She had been holding Benjen's hand, but she let go of him when she saw her husband. "Torrhen!" She ran forward as he dismounted and he hugged her, spinning her around before planting a kiss on her lips. They pulled away and Alys checked him over, looking for any sign of injury. She murmured something that her children couldn't hear and their father smiled.

"Brandon? Robb?" Benjen squeaked and Lysandra, along with her brother tackled their two older brothers to the ground. Ashara smiled and rushed to their side,  wanting to explode with joy when she saw that her four siblings were laughing together.

"Happy we're not burnt to a crisp, Sister?" Robb asked, pulling himself off the ground while Benjen had practically glued himself onto his leg. "I see your head hasn't shrunk. I think it's only gotten bigger." "Oh please-"

"Children!" Torrhen cut them off as he walked to their side. "Behave yourselves. Try not to embarrass our house in front of our new rulers." Lysandra looked up at her father in confusion as Alyssa walked up to them gripping her betroth's hand. "What do you mean father?" She demanded. "I..." He trailed off and looked at their mother. "You bent the knee." Ashara realized and he nodded. "I will not allow our men to face the same fate as those who did on the Field of Fire to reach the same outcome." The Stark children looked at each other. People would call their father a coward, but he did save thousands of lives.

"You were faced with a hard choice and I think you chose well, Father." Alyssa said after they sat in silence for a while. "I'm proud to call you my father." Torrhen beamed at her and they all hugged him. "We're just glad that you're alive." Lysandra said.

There was a clearing of a throat and they all quickly pulled apart. "Your Gra-My Lord, the," the man cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the sudden change of titles. "The king is at the gates." He choked out quickly and their father nodded. "Let him in." The man nodded and ran off.

Torrhen looked at his family. "I know this will be strange, but we must do this. They are the rulers of Westeros now as well as their descendants." "So they are King and Queens now?" Benjen questioned. "Yes." Brandon said, nodding his head grimly. "Do not insult them. Especially Aegon's wives. Do not comment on anything that happens between those three."

They quickly shuffled into a line and Ashara found herself next to her father who leaned over to her. "Where's your brother?" He questioned and she shrugged. "Check the whore houses." He sighed and straightened as the gates to Winterfell swung open revealing the Targaryen host and their three leaders.

Aegon and his sister wives. Ashara didn't know what to expect from these three people who managed to conquer six kingdoms of Westeros. She knew that they were mortal, but they looked like gods with their unnatural purple eyes and silver hair that glinted in the winter sun. Her father kneeled and they followed suit, except for Ashara, who was frozen in place.

"Ashara!" Torrhen hissed, glancing up at his daughter as Aegon and his wives walked to them. His daughter continued to watch the three Targaryen walk up to them, her back straight and her chin lifted slightly.

"You will address your king." One of them snapped and Ashara turned her eyes towards the woman, locking eyes with her before she slowly dropped into a curtsy. "Your Graces. Welcome to the North. It might be a little cold for your taste."