A Gift to Change the Games

Chapter Three

"I'll be back in time to change go fix someone else's hair!" I called back as my feet touched the wall, I sprinted across the narrow way towards Bran leaping over the huge holes in the wall with ease never slipping or losing my balance. "Bran! Are they here yet?"

"Not yet but they should be coming over the hill soon!" Bran said as I reached him his eyes bright with excitement. Ever since I was just little, I had always had a certain knack for climbing, and when Bran had come along with the same skill, we had enjoyed giving mother heart attacks together along with pranking our siblings. We both sat in silence until Bran looked at me his eyes serious. "Have you named your wolf yet?" The two of us had both had trouble naming our wolves while the others had been almost instantaneous. Robb had named his grey wolf Grey Wind because of his color and his speed, Jon had named his Ghost for its color, Sansa's wolf was Lady since Sansa was just that ladylike, Arya and Nymeria, and Rickon had name his Shaggy Dog which we all accepted since he was just a little boy. But Bran and I couldn't seem to come up with a name that we knew was the right one for our direwolves.

"I think I have; Winter is coming." I said, I had thought long and hard on the Stark saying and it held so much meaning to me and I had finally decided on my wolf's name. "Winter, I'm going to call him Winter."

"Winter, it fits him and you." Bran replied and then as he looked back towards the road he jumped up. "They're here!" Carrying Lannister and Baratheon banners knights in shining armor leading the King and his family towards Winterfell, but still a good hour's ride away.

"Go tell father, hurry I have to get dressed." I said pouring as much excitement into my voice as I could though my stomach had plummeted the second, I saw the banners. Jaime Lannister was in those lines and he was here to take me permanently away from my home. I watched Bran race off and I turned back towards the road and stood watching more knights pour over the hill as they came for us, they would see me, my silver hair not easy to miss as it shone in the sunlight. Taking a deep breath, I turned back towards my tower and raced back the way I came.

"Catherine! What in the world are you doing!" I stopped just as I got to the bottom of my tower and turned to look down at Robb and Jon who looked like they just received haircuts and shaves. I smiled down at them their shirts seemed to have disappeared during their cleaning and they both sported builds that most men would kill to have.

"Doing what I'm always doing dear brothers!" I laughed and started back up my tower leaping up the ledge with ease and waving back down at my brothers who just shook their heads and headed towards their rooms. I turned back to my bed where Nurse had laid out my dress, she had insisted on me making it special since the King was coming and I was one of the eldest. It was made of thick, warm soft material that was a cream and gold color, the layers hiding any sign of my illness. Groaning I stripped from my pants and shirt and calling a servant in had her fit my corset on which had to be brought in again. The servant girl had to call Nurse in when my dress hung on me instead of fitting me like it had not a week before.

"When will you learn! You have to eat!" Nurse cursed as she brought in my dress, so it hugged my tiny frame. Finally, they brushed out my hair and braided a bit back letting most of it fall all the way down my back. I pulled my new boots on smiling at the sturdy feel of the hard leather and started for the door pulling my cloak on as I started down the stairs. I caught up to Robb halfway down the stairs and I took his arm as he led me into the yard where everyone was assembling for the King's arrival. As I took my spot in between Robb and Sansa I noticed Arya's absence as did our mother.

"Where's Arya?" She asked Lord Stark and he gave a tired shrug. "Sansa! Where's your sister?" Sansa gave an annoyed shrug before turning her attentive stare back to where the King would ride past in just a few moments. I found Robb's hand and held it tightly just as Arya started past only to be held up by our father.