Ella Snow and her twin brother are outsiders in the house of their father, Lord Eddard Stark. Ella has no one else in the world, except her brother Jon. Join Ella on her journey as she uncovers truths that could destroy her and those she loves.
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Ella sat under the weirwood tree in Winterfell. The snow fell around her as her long white dress pooled around her ankles. The vibrant red leaves of the tree hung low, one almost touching her head. Her father, Ned Stark, sat next to her as he polished his oversized Valyrian steel swore, Ice. Asena curled up in her lap as she stroked the thick black fur of her direwolf.
"Can you forgive me, dear father?" Ella asked Ned, staring into his deep brown eyes.
"For what, sweet girl?" Ned asked his eldest daughter.
"For leaving you. For disobeying you. For not protecting Sansa and Arya. For Bran. For everything," Ella cried. She leaned into his broad shoulder and sobbed. "For saying I hate you. I could never hate you."
"Now, now child," he hushed her. "I know you didn't mean it. I know you love me. Just as I love you and your siblings. You may not have my name like Sansa or Robb, but you have my blood in your veins. And Stark blood runs deep and true. You must protect yourself and your siblings in the upcoming storms. You will go through many trials that I will not be there for, sweet girl, but I'll be with you every step of the way. You and Jon must stick together. When the snow falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. You must remember that, my child. You have come to a dangerous place, and you and Jon are all each other have right now. Protect one another."
"Father, I'm scared," Ella admitted. "I'm not brave or strong. I can't -"
" You're braver and stronger than you think, dear girl." Ned smiled down at her. "You have the blood of the wolf inside ya. If you ever get scared, just remember I am right here."
"But you aren't, Father." Ella cried. "You're not here anymore."
"I will always be with you, my dearest Ella. You must not look to far. I'm with you. Always. Now, sweet girl, it's time for me to go." Ned rose from his seat, brushing the snow off his long black cloak.
"Please don't leave me again," Ella called after Ned. "Father, please!"
Out of nowhere, Lady Catelyn appeared where Ned once stood. The scowl on her face said everything: she hated Ella and wanted her dead.
"You good for nothing whore," Lady Catelyn shouted. She grabbed Ella by her brown hair and threw her face first into the snow. "You are the reason why my family was torn apart. Without you, I would have my husband. Bran would be able to walk, and the world would be a better place without you and your bastard brother! You deserve to be dead."
"Please, Lady Catelyn," Ella pleaded.
Robb Stark appeared next to his mother, along with his direwolfGreywind. The wolf snarled, exposing his teeth to the small girl.
