Winter Is Coming

“Seven blessings to you, goodfolk!” I heard and looked up to see a man walking over and sitting at the end of the table.

“And to you,” Lady Stark said and I looked at the man from sitting next to Cassel.

“Boy!” Cassel called for the man behind the bar, “Bread, meat and beer. Quickly!”

“Ah, good idea, Grandfather, I’m starving,” the man said and I smirked and looked up towards Lady Stark to see that she had a little smirk as well, “A song while we wait or-“

“I’d rather throw myself down a well,” Cassel said and I snorted.

“Now, now, Grandfather, this may be your last chance if you’re heading North,” he said and I looked down towards the table and then out the window, “The only music the northerners know is the howling of wolves!”

We’ve been traveling back to Winterfell for a long time now; we were close, probably two more days or so. On the way, we found a little inn and Cassel said that he would like to stop here for some food.

My attention was torn away from the man bugging us to smelling a familiar scent and hearing the door to the tavern opening. I snapped my head and caught Lady Stark’s attention.

“What is it, Cynthia?” she asked and my eyes widened and I glared when I saw Tyrion Lannister walking through the door.

“Gods,” Cassel muttered and Lady Stark turned her head a little.

“I’m sorry, my lord. We’re full up,” the inn keeper said, “Every room.”

Lady Stark’s eyes widened and she turned to us and then adjusted the scarf on her head to hide her face more.

“My men can sleep in the stables. As for myself, I don’t require a large room,” the Lannister said and I bit back a growl.

“Calm yourself, girl,” Cassel muttered because I was gripping the table hard.

“Truly, my lord, we have nothing,” the woman said and Tyrion turned to the people in the tavern.

“Is there nothing I can do,” Tyrion pulled a piece of gold from his pocket, “to remedy this?”

“You can have my room,” I heard a man say.

“Now there’s a clever man,” Tyrion said and then threw the piece of gold to the man and I stiffened and placed my hand on the hilt of my sword as the Lannister got closer, “You can manage food, I trust? Yoren, dine with me,” he said, speaking to the inn keeper and the man dressed in all black.

“Aye, my lord,” the man in all black known as Yoren said.

“My lord of Lannister!” the man at the end of our table said as he stood up and looked down at the Imp, “Might I entertain you while you eat? I can sing of your father’s victory at King’s Landing!”

He basically was standing right next to Lady Stark, she kept her head down and I pulled my hood up more, hiding my face.

“Nothing would more likely ruin my supper,” Tyrion said and then looked over towards us and I mentally cursed, “Lady Stark! What an unexpected pleasure,” the place got quiet and I picked up my head to see that every head was turned towards us, “I was sorry to have missed you at Winterfell.”

“Lady Stark,” the inn keeper said in awe and then bowed.

I saw the look in her eye when she looked at Tyrion, she stood and I saw the confused look on Tyrion’s face. Lady Stark removed her scarf and looked at everyone in the room, “I was still Catelyn Tully the last time I stayed here,” she said and then looked at a man, “You, ser,” Lady Stark moved forward and I jumped over Cassel and was at her side, hand on the hilt of my sword, “Is that the black bat of Harrenhal I see embroidered on your coat?”

A man stood and looked at her, “It is, my lady.”

“And is Lady Whent a true and honest friend to my father, Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun?”

“She is,” the man said.

Lady Stark looked around, “The red stallion was always a welcome sight at Riverrun,” another man stood up, “My father counts Jonos Bracken amongst his oldest and most loyal bannermen.”

“Our lord is honored by his trust,” the man said and I looked back at Tyrion to see he was very confused.

“I envy your father all his fine friends, Lady Stark,” Tyrion said, “But, I don’t quite see the purpose of this.”

I smirked, figuring out what was going on here. Lady Stark turned around and looked at more men, “I know your sigil as well,” a man stood and she walked over towards him, “the twin towers of Frey. How fares your lord, ser?”

“Lord Walder is well, my lady,” the man said and I looked back at Tyrion to see him looking at me and then turned his head back to Lady Stark, “He has asked your father for the honor of his presence on his 90th nameday.”

‘…Nameday? Does he mean birthday? These people have weird names for things...’

“He plans to take another wife,” the man said and I was a little taken back.

‘…Oh my, go gramps…’ I smirked and then saw Lady Stark turn around and looked at Tyrion.

“This man,” she pointed towards the confused Lannister, “came into my house as a guest and there conspired to murder my son, a boy of 10,” Lady Stark looked around and the shocked faces, “In the name of King Robert and the good lords you serve, I call upon you to seize him and help my return him to Winterfell to await the king’s justice.”

Men unsheathed their swords and pointed them at the Lannister, he wasn’t going anywhere. I stood by Lady Stark’s side and smirked, ‘…Go Momma Stark…’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Bran,” Maester Luwin called as he tried to get the boy’s attention for his studies. He tapped the map on the table and I sat on the barrel and watched as Theon shot some arrows and listened to Brandon name the islands and its histories.

“The Iron Islands, sigil- a kraken,” he said and my eyes widened.

“Wait, that thing’s real?!” I asked and Luwin looked at me and nodded his head, “Damn.”

“The words,” Luwin asked.

“Words- ‘We do not sow’,” Brandon answered.

“Lords?”

“The Greyjoys,” he answered and I looked towards Theon, knowing that that was his last name.

“Famed for their skills at archery, navigation and lovemaking,” Theon laughed.

“And failed rebellions,” Luwin said, taking the smirk right from Theon’s face.

“Don’t forget their delusional minds,” I smiled brightly, earning a glare from Theon.

“Jess,” I heard and turned my head to see Robb looking at me, he nudged his head to follow him and I nodded my head and slid my body off of the barrel, walking over towards him and smiling, “Come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“When was the last time you changed?” he asked as we walked through the town and I looked towards the ground to think about his answer.

“I can’t remember, it’s been so long,” I said and he nodded his head and we walked outside the gate and Robb hopped onto his horse, and then pulled me up behind him telling his guard to stay at the gate as we rode deep into the woods, “Shouldn’t you stay in Winterfell, you are the Lord.”

“I’m only the Lord until my father returns.”

“Still, you are the Lord,” I said as I placed my hands on Robb’s back as his horse quickened it’s pace.

“This should be a good spot,” Robb said as I looked around at the empty meadow with an old abandon hut a few feet away, “No one will bother us here, we’re way of the path.”

“All right,” I smiled and then hopped off of the horse and watched as Robb slid off and then tied his horse’s reins to the tree. I started to unlace my vest as I looked around the area, smelling the scent and hearing the animals, ‘…It has been a long time…’

I tossed my vest to the ground and then felt Robb come up behind me. I turned around and his hands were on my waist. I looked into his eyes and placed my hands on his shoulders. Cynthia’s always told me that she knew that there was something between Robb and I, I knew it too, I just didn’t want to do anything about it. I wasn’t from this world, I could leave any day, I didn’t want to get involved like this. I found out that it was customary for people as young as fifteen to be getting married and having children, well Robb was eighteen and I was seventeen, I’ve learned that children had to grow up fast in this time.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been alone together,” he said, moving his hand up to my face and I breathed in his scent when his hand grazed my cheek.

“It has,” I smiled, my hands moving to his chest.

“Jessica,” I looked at him confused because he hasn’t used my full name in a while, learning that I like to be called ‘Jess’, “My family has a saying-“

“Winter is coming,” I recited, learning it from him.

Robb nodded his head, “A war is coming, I can feel it,” he said and then cupped my face, “You’re not from this time, not from this family-“

“Cynthia’s risking her life to protect your family, Robb,” I said, “You don’t think that I won’t too.”

“I care about you deeply,” my eyes were glued to his, “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

I scoffed, “I can handle myself,” I said and Robb smirked.

“Yes, you can,” he said and I felt his hands move down my face, over my shoulders and down my arms, all the way to my hands, “I’m going to be asking you something that I probably shouldn’t. Mother will be angry with me, but I trust you,” I stared at him, feeling him playing with my hands nervously, “Will you fight by my side when the war comes.”

“You’re sure there’s going to be a war?”

He nodded his head, a confident look in his eyes, “I don’t know when, I don’t know if you’ll still be here, but if you are,” Robb cupped my chin and stared at me, “Will you fight with me?”

“Do I get to kill your bitchy Queen?” I asked and Robb smirked.

“Aye,” he chuckled.

“Then yes, Robb Stark, you have another wolf on your side,” I smiled.

“I don’t want a wolf,” he said and then leaned closer, until our lips were barely touching, “I want you.”