Cracked But Not Broken on hold

The Beauty Of Winterfell

Aleia Stark lets out a soft smile as she gently sends out the Raven, watching it fly on its journey to a man she met as a child. She has been writing to him since her tenth year. Her message, longer than others she has sent, was full of her adventures. Winterfell and how happy she has been these past few years of being back with her family. She was away from them for 8 long years. She also confessed her worries for the king's visit which is taking place in a few days. Aleia knew that with the old hand of the king dead, that her father would be asked to take his place. Herself and her two sisters would go with him.

The eldest Stark looks down with a small laugh at her Direwolf pup her father had given to her not to long ago. Ashen, the pup, continues to paw at her dress until he gets the attention he was after. Aleia pets the spoiled wolf, ignoring the soft scoff her loyal protector lets out at the action.

"You spoil the beast to fuckin much. Gonna make him weak." He shakes his head

"Oh, he is not that spoiled, Sandor. Besides, do not think for a moment I have not seen you slip him some of your food from time to time." She smirks at him.

Aleia teases the rough man unlike others. She did not fear the man people called the Hound. How could she when he saved her life as a small child. She was barely 8 years old when a small group of men, mad at her fathers judgement of one of their friends, tried to hurt and kidnap her in hopes of hurting her father. As well as gaining the money there greedy hearts desired. Luckily for Aleia, Sandor Clegane had been camping close enough to hear her frightened screams. By the time her father and a handful of his bannermen had showed up ready to fight, with her worried mother and younger brother close behind them, all the men except one who was close to death had been dealt with. A crying and shaking Aleia was clinging tight to the scared man. While his wife had been wary of the rough big man, Ned took one look at the bloodied sword in the man's right hand and the terrified child being held in the other arm. From that moment Ned managed to convince him to stay as a protector of his eldest child. Although the lord of Winterfell was sure the money he offered had nothing to do with why the man stayed but more the child that refused to let go of his neck even when her own father tried to take her, the man had just grunted and said to let her be.

Sandor was a rough man that rarely showed emotion, unless it was anger of just pure indifference, never left the girls side. Even when shortly after the attack, when it was decided to send her to Highgarden to be fostered by the Queen of Thorns herself Olenna Tyrell, feeling a change of environment may help Sandor went right along with her. For 8 years the pair stayed and Aleia was taught by both Sandor and the Knights of Highgarden to fight with swords and bows. Olenna had taught the little Wolf to never fear another man, it was fight or die in this world and as long as she had a weapon in her hands she would be safe. It was in her tenth year of life that she met Doran Martell, the oldest prince of Dorne, who had traveled to Highgarden to see Olenna for an exchange of goods. While talking to the sharp minded woman, Doran looked out to see a brown haired girl chasing some boys around. They're laughing and carrying on when the girl would finally catch one of them. Before the prince left, he and the small girl had struck up a friendship promising to write to each other as often as they could.

Although her life was never a dull one in Highgarden, Aleia missed the snow and missed her family. On her fifteenth name day she returned to her home, loving to be near her family once more. Little did they all know those happy years would not last and the years to follow would be full of loss grief and torture