[Chapter Size: 3900 Words.]

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Third Person POV

Winterfell, 298 AC.

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Lord Stark was looking out at the busy courtyard as everyone was preparing for the king’s arrival, with Cassandra shouting some orders to the maids while she was overseeing the servants to receive the royal family.

His gaze left the chaotic courtyard to look at the city beyond Winterfell’s walls where the king was coming from, though he couldn’t see the main road that led to the King’s Road, which passed a few kilometers from Winterfell heading north toward the Wall.

The king had already left it and was advancing toward Winterfell via the secondary road, while Arya had gone there without telling him. After all, when she left, she had no idea the king was arriving at that moment, as she said she was going for a military exercise, which is why she had immediately sent Robb.

He didn’t know how the relationship between the king and Arctic was concerning his friend, so he feared that the royal guards with Arya might somehow come into conflict with each other.

Now it was just a matter of waiting, while he also decided to help Cassandra, asking Jory to go with him to organize the guard, with Ser Rodrik being sent with Robb.

He continued organizing Winterfell for the next 30 minutes, when Bran came looking for him. It could also have been Sansa asking how she looked to meet the prince, while Ned had asked her to speak with Cassandra about those more feminine matters. Even though he said she looked very beautiful, she didn’t like the idea of speaking to Cassandra, since she didn’t accept her at all.

Men on horseback began to arrive at the gate, informing that the king was arriving in Wintertown, as the Stark men became increasingly rushed.

Arya had personally helped Cassandra organize the castle and was giving the final orders as the king passed through the town at that moment.

One curious thing alerted by the guards on the wall was the groups of Unsullied marching on the outskirts and within the town, advancing ahead of the royal party.

Then they finally arrived, while everyone was preparing to receive the king’s entourage, and Arya advanced in front with her wolf and her guards along with the Unsullied.

After all, she had the authority to keep them inside Winterfell now, being the most trustworthy guards Arya could have.

She proceeded while her father looked at her, with Brandon and Sansa, as Rickon was being picked up by Cassandra and placed there to be cared for.

Arya dismounted from Nymeria while still wearing the same outfit and joined Brandon’s side, giving a direct smile to her father and a wink, while the Lord of Winterfell just sighed at his youngest daughter’s actions.

Robb’s group came shortly after as they spread out like the Unsullied, and Robb left his horse with someone to join the family directly, taking his place to the right of his father as the heir.

“Cassandra…” Arya returned to the woman. “Can you leave Rickon with Sansa?” Arya asked while Sansa looked at her with an accusatory sparkle.

“How do you expect me to hold our brother when I’m about to meet the crown prince?!” she exclaimed.

“Fine, give me my brother. It’ll be better if you stay with the servants.” Arya told the woman, surprising her and even Lord Stark. After all, they had agreed that only Cassandra would care for Rickon during the presentation—wouldn’t it be an insult to the king for a servant to be doing this?

But Arya now seemed to have changed her mind, and Lord Stark didn’t know why, since no one had said anything to him yet.

“Trust me, it will be better this way. So give him to me.” she said as Cassandra simply nodded, bowing.

“Of course, Princess Arya.” she said, handing Rickon over, who despite not having a robust body, was easily lifted into Arya’s arms. She placed him in the last spot among the Stark children.

“Father…” Robb murmured as the first horses bearing the king’s banner approached.

“What is it?” Ned turned to him with a look, while his son seemed a bit hesitant to continue.

“He means that Catelyn Tully is with the king’s retinue.” Arya spoke directly, since they still hadn’t passed that information on to Lord Stark.

“What?!” Lord Stark could not be more stunned by such a thing, looking at his children in shock, as just like them, Catelyn’s presence was a surprise to everyone.

But he couldn’t ask any more questions, as the first horses were passing through the gates at that very moment, with horns blowing to announce the king’s presence, carrying the banner of the crowned stag and even the red banner of the Lannisters.

The first ones wore white cloaks, marking them as kingsguard, easily recognized as Ser Jaime Lannister and Ser Meryn Trant, who advanced ahead, inspecting the place with the guards for the royal family’s security.

The castle was quiet, along with the Unsullied and the Stark guards, all standing at a distance.

Other men were also advancing, when the crown prince himself appeared at the front, behind the first kingsguard, while a man in armor with a helmet shaped like a dog’s head came right behind him — known as the man who protected the crown prince as his sworn sword: the Hound.

Sansa had shining eyes as she saw him, as if she had fallen in love with him at first sight, while the prince himself also had eyes for her.

But his gaze also turned to the younger sister, with an expression that seemed to hold a bit of anger and curiosity. That didn’t last long, as everyone soon turned toward the courtyard entrance, as the royal carriage arrived with Lannister banners fluttering atop it, stopping in the center of the courtyard, where everyone still waited for the king’s arrival.

Then more kingsguard followed behind the carriage, clearing the path for the king, as Robert Baratheon himself approached with a body larger than his horse could bear, looking a bit unkempt, forcing the animal to support his weight while he seemed to flaunt his old glory from past battles.

However, that didn’t stop everyone from immediately beginning to kneel — all the servants, soldiers of Winterfell, and the Stark family, all bending their knees at that exact moment. Or at least, that’s what everyone thought.

Because Arya placed her brother firmly on the ground. He was already capable of standing and kneeling too with his small body, just as she asked. But Arya didn’t kneel. Neither did her two royal guards behind her. Not even the Unsullied surrounding Winterfell’s courtyard, led by Grey Worm.

The king seemed to notice and furrowed his brow at it. However, he didn’t seem to care much beyond a glance — unlike his son. Joffrey had a blazing stare aimed at Arya and all those who didn’t kneel before his father, already knowing about the arrogant and demanding conversation she had had with the king before they arrived at Winterfell, thinking it outrageous that she refused to submit to the crown of Westeros, claiming allegiance to another kingdom. Something he would never allow if he were king.

Even her mother had been outraged by it on the way here, but her father had been firm in saying he would do nothing to the girl and would not demand her submission — which made her mother even angrier.

Lord Stark had been analyzing the situation the entire time, ready to intervene, knowing his daughter wouldn’t kneel beforehand, and expecting some questioning from his friend the king, but it seemed Arya had already spoken to him, leaving that conversation outside the castle — which was better than creating a scene right there.

Arya, for her part, held a steady gaze, while Sansa was nearly screaming at Arya for staring at the king like that and simply standing there as if the king didn’t exist. Surely, their family would not be well-regarded for this.

Robb remained impassive.

Bran had to admit the admiration he felt for Arya in that moment.

While Rickon, still small, just looked confused, wondering why Arya wasn’t doing what everyone else was — even their father.

Ned’s eyes returned to his friend, looking with slight disappointment, though he didn’t show it.

Rumors said his friend had given himself over to vice. He just hadn’t expected to find him so fat. He had even heard that after the battle at sea against Jon, his nephew, Robert had started training again, swinging his hammer every day in the Red Keep’s yard, wanting to return to his former shape.

But that had lasted only a few moons before he gave in to vice once more: drinking, feasts/tournaments, and prostitutes.

As Robert dismounted with his kingsguard, he approached the Stark family, observing and analyzing them as he came to stand before Ned.

Robert raised a finger, signaling for everyone to rise, with Ned doing so first and the others following. Ned looked at him and inclined his head in greeting.

“Your Grace.” Ned murmured.

Robert stared at him for a moment, as Ned also looked at him, both standing there in silence for a few seconds.

“You got fat.” Robert simply said, as Ned raised one of his eyebrows and glanced toward his friend’s body as if to ask who he was really talking about.

Robert stared until his face twitched, his lips forming an arc, and he began to laugh — and Ned couldn’t help but laugh too at the reunion, with everyone else looking on in surprise.

Robert then opened his arms and embraced him like the brother he never had, after so long without seeing him. After all, Robert loved Ned more than he ever loved Stannis or Renly.

“It’s been a long time, Ned. It’s good to see you.” He stepped back.

“It’s good to see you again… old friend.” Ned murmured.

The king nodded and went to Robb. “This one I already know from the road — you have an impressive heir, Ned.”

Then, he looked at Sansa. “Oh, you were born with your mother’s face.” he remarked, although he had hoped to see another little Lyanna, as he saw in Arya. That left him slightly disappointed, though Sansa didn’t seem to notice, lowering her head to the king.

After that, he went to Bran, greeting him, and moved on to Arya, making no complaint about her earlier posture.

“Ned, I’d heard… but I never imagined just how much your daughter looks like your sister. Seeing her makes me miss her so damn much!” Robert said loudly, as Ned frowned upon seeing the queen stepping out of the carriage at that moment, wearing a dark expression as she heard Robert say that.

Arya simply shook her head calmly, as Robert gave a small smile and went on to the youngest brother, finishing greeting the entire Stark family.

Right after, the queen came forward, her gaze filled with intense venom toward Arya, while Ned didn’t like it, but no one said anything until she approached him.

Ned kissed her hand, bowing, as she continued receiving greetings from the rest of the family, praising Sansa, who became all shy and happy with the queen’s comments and words about her.

But when she reached Arya, she simply raised her hand, expecting Arya to kiss it and bow like all the others.

“Hello, queen of Westeros.” Arya simply said that and made no move to take her hand, causing the queen to furrow her brow.

“Did Lord Stark not teach you how to greet the queen? Is House Stark raising savages now?” she said aloud, while the guards behind Arya seemed to take a step forward immediately, catching the queen by surprise — no one in her life had ever done something like that to her — prompting the king’s guards to notice the movement and prepare themselves, stepping forward as well, especially the nearby kingsguard.

The place quickly grew tense as both royal guard groups seemed on the verge of fighting each other. The queen looked outraged that those foreigners were about to act against her — the queen of Westeros.

Jaime Lannister was the most cautious, although he wouldn’t think twice about fighting those men. But he knew very well what they were capable of; he had been captured by Jon and fought against the Arcticans, admitting they were far superior to the average in Westeros, even having lost to some dwarves in open sea sparring.

“What is this?” Robert immediately shouted, stopping any movement that might lead to a fight, looking at the queen, since, when he heard that, he immediately frowned — he had already said during the journey that Arya would be free from all duties regarding greeting the royal family, along with the Arctican men.

Which, obviously, the queen didn’t want to accept, as she turned back to Robert with the entire Stark family tense.

“She should greet her queen with submission! Why is she acting like she owns the place? Is she queen now, and wants me to kneel to her too?!” Cersei spat venomously.

“She does not belong to the Seven Kingdoms, Lannister. She is the princess of Arctic, and you must respect her.” Jill’s voice came from behind Arya.

“What did you say, you insolent woman?” Cersei was also outraged by the tone that woman had used with her.

“You heard me, woman. Must I yell at you in front of everyone? Didn’t I tell you that the girl is exempt from the royal decorum expected by the Seven Kingdoms? She doesn’t belong to the Seven Kingdoms. As long as she harms no one and commits no crime, she does not have to kneel before us!” Robert shouted, not caring about speaking to and treating his wife like a child in front of everyone, leaving her stunned.

Everyone who hadn’t known about Arya’s conversation with the king was surprised to see Arya neither kneel nor greet the queen as everyone else had, even more so when the king himself was freeing her from those duties.

“Brother, why don’t you greet the queen?” Arya simply broke the silence in the room, speaking to little Rickon, while the queen looked back at her.

Arya stared at her without fear.

The two locked eyes for a few seconds until Cersei clicked her tongue and went to greet Rickon, who kissed her hand, while she walked away full of anger and an immense thirst for vengeance over what that girl had made her endure today.

The crown prince came soon after. As he greeted everyone, he kept an intense and charming gaze fixed on Sansa, seeming confident, authoritative, and charismatic in front of everyone.

But when he reached Arya, he simply ignored her with a scorching look of contempt. Arya didn’t care, while her guards seemed ready to draw their weapons against the prince — yet they didn’t need to do anything, as the king himself didn’t like it and surprised everyone by slapping his son on the back of the head.

“What are you doing? Greet Ned’s daughter as well!” he growled.

Everyone was stunned, even Ned. The king seemed to show a favoritism for the girl that no one had anticipated.

As the crown prince stood dazed under his father’s gaze, he turned his eyes with indignation, upset to be forced to greet someone who, in his mind, was trying to be better than them — and the queen’s eyes burned with fury at seeing her son treated that way over a “savage.”

She seemed to be silently hurling a thousand curses at Robert and Arya Stark.

“Greet her properly!” Robert growled again at his son.

In the end, Joffrey greeted her, muttering with displeasure and anger, but kept up appearances with restrained words. Arya merely nodded, calling him “Prince of Westeros,” which left him even more indignant, though he could do nothing more.

Soon after came the other two siblings of the crown prince — Myrcella Baratheon and Tommen Baratheon.

The boy was extremely shy, even as everyone bowed slightly to him with respect, while the girl seemed a bit lost. Both shrank slightly as they greeted Arya, who stared at them without moving and offered a few words, calling them princes.

Myrcella kept a curious and cautious gaze on Arya the entire time. There was even a hint of surprise — despite everything happening and how Arya behaved, she seemed in awe of her beauty. She spoke of it openly, though her mother clearly disliked hearing that from her daughter.

“Well, now I want to go to the tombs,” Robert immediately declared once all the greetings were done.

“I think you can do that later. The dead can wait,” the queen suggested, clearly displeased, already knowing he was going to visit his beloved Lyanna.

“Silence, woman. I’m going to the crypts. Ned, please, take me there.” Ned had no choice but to sigh and nod, glancing at Cassandra beside the maids.

“I want you to take care of everything. Put all the servants to their duties and settle the family. The rooms have already been chosen.” he requested, while Cassandra nodded, preparing and giving orders to the servants.

Everything seemed ordinary as the Stark family was about to be dismissed, ready to greet other guests more individually. Then someone appeared at that moment, as more and more people passed through the gate. As Sansa was watching the king leave, she saw the woman emerging from the carriages — it was Catelyn herself.

“Mother?” Sansa murmured, unable to believe it. She hadn’t even heard Arya mention it before, her thoughts so consumed by the prince’s arrival that she hadn’t paid attention to Arya at all.

Rickon and Bran were also surprised, staring at their mother. Robb and Arya already knew and remained calm, although Robb’s face softened with emotion, while Arya appeared indifferent.

Cassandra began speaking to the ladies-in-waiting and royal household servants and those handling the lodging, telling them to head to the castle and bring their belongings, saying she would show them where they would stay.

Now that the family was moving toward the castle and the Stark family beginning to disperse, Catelyn saw her chance as she walked alongside her uncle.

Catelyn moved toward her children, not caring about the fact she had appeared there unannounced, after what had happened with Robb.

She simply ran to them, surprising all the Winterfell servants, and hugged Robb tightly, kissing his forehead before moving to Sansa, embracing her just as intensely. Then she went to Brandon, who clearly missed his mother — that couldn’t be denied. Then, Catelyn stopped in front of Arya.

“Arya, I…” She tried to say something.

“Lady Catelyn Tully. You don’t need to greet me.” Arya spoke with indifference.

Catelyn felt her heart break at that, regretful of her actions. She had dealt with the pain of her misfortune by blaming Arya for over a year. But Arya was still her daughter… and she loved her.

But Arya didn’t seem to feel the same anymore. She simply began to walk away from the line, heading to her men, with her royal guards following, even under the surprised gaze of the servants whispering about the act. Even the queen and the prince looked at her with disdain as Arya walked off, while Cersei’s two youngest children only seemed curious.

Arya had no choice but to stop in front of her brother Rickon, who looked at her full of longing. She hugged him tightly, while watching the servants being directed by another woman her age in front of the castle…

“Is she… is she trying to take my place?” Catelyn murmured to Sansa, who nodded.

Catelyn kept her gaze fixed on Cassandra, who, noticing the stare, turned. Upon seeing Catelyn staring at her, her expression remained cold, even with Rickon in her arms — as if hating her with every ounce of strength — catching the lady of the North off guard.

Robb greeted the Blackfish soon after, who had come in behind Catelyn, as everyone met their great-uncle for the first time. Bran was especially excited, having heard many stories about the Blackfish’s bravery — known as one of the finest knights in the Seven Kingdoms.

“Hahahaha! I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun…” Tyrion’s voice came from a distance, as he sat drinking atop a cart, watching the entire show unfold and seeming to enjoy it immensely.

This trip was already becoming unforgettable for him, and he hoped to see even more, with his sister and nephew continuing to glare furiously at a teenage girl who didn’t care about them at all.

Meanwhile, down in the crypts, Robert stood still, placing a torch in front of the statue while looking at the stone-carved face of Lyanna.

“How can they do this? This looks nothing like her… Look… just at your daughter. Lya was as beautiful as Arya…” Robert murmured, while Ned didn’t know what to say.

“Robert, I hope you’re not…” Ned murmured carefully, not liking how he was acting regarding his daughter.

“You think I’m that much of a fool, Ned? I’m not looking at your daughter with hungry eyes. She only reminds me of my beloved, and I won’t let anyone treat her with disrespect, I promise you that. I’ll do for her what I couldn’t do for Lyanna. I even thought, now seeing her, to propose marriage directly for my son. He could have what I never did — and finally become a man, with a strong woman by his side to rule — with your other daughter being… well, you understand me, no offense.” He murmured, still looking at the statue.

“Arya is not willing to marry, Robert.” was all Ned said, in a firm tone.

Robert wasn’t offended by the refusal. Instead, he laughed.

“I understand. Women like her choose their own husbands. That’s right. But I promise, even so, I won’t let anyone mistreat her while I’m here. It doesn’t matter if she’s out there with your other son — the bastard who became king beyond the Wall. I’m doing this out of compensation. For what I couldn’t do for your sister, my beloved, so long ago.” he said, while Ned nodded carefully, keeping his own thoughts, though also surprised by how Robert was treating Arya out of regard for Lyanna.

Robert still kept his eyes fixed on the statue.

“Every night I dream of killing that damned man trying to save her. I wanted so badly to change what happened… for us to have united our families.” he said, as the only sound was the fire of the torches in the crypt for the next few seconds, with them both dwelling on the past.

“A lot happened back then, Robert. A lot still wounds us.” Ned murmured.

“I know. But we can still fix some things. Even if it doesn’t happen with Arya, you still have another daughter. We’ve already talked about marrying her to my son and making her queen, finally uniting our families, Ned.” He turned to Ned Stark.

“Yes… but that’s not all. You didn’t travel to the North just for that, did you, Robert?” he murmured, and Robert nodded, confirming exactly what Arya had predicted.

“Jon, our adoptive father, is dead. I need a Hand. Someone I trust. The lions are everywhere in King’s Landing. I want someone I can count on as my Hand. I want you to be the Hand of the King, Ned. And come with me to King’s Landing.” Robert declared.

————-Nexts Chapters —————-

Chapter 283 – The Winterfell Banquet 04.

Chapter 288 – The House of Dragons.

Chapter 298 – A Small Conversation with the Tyrells.

Chapter 307 – The Ritual.

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