I'll Be the One, If You Want Me To

I felt the hot sun burn my skin, there was no breeze and all was utterly calm. Too calm. My heart hurt for the loss, the loss of my Uncle Jon. Jon Arryn was not my uncle by blood but he had been there for me since my birth. He was dead, he was gone and I had never felt more alone. I sat on the balcony, staring out across the Narrow Sea. My servants tried to urge me inside and out of the hot sun but the refused to move, I couldn’t, the weight of the news weighed me down. It wasn’t until I felt the tears roll down my cheeks that I finally willed myself to stand and move inside. My ladies rushed around grabbing everything they would need to get me ready for the day.
I removed my nightclothes myself before they pulled a golden silk dress over my body and then braiding my dark hair. I patted my face dry of tears before leaving my room in search of my father. I walked briskly towards my father’s quarters. There was a guard stationed outside the door when I arrived. He moved aside when he saw me approach. I walked straight into the room, not bothering to knock on the door. He looked up immediately upon hearing the door open.
“Don’t you ever knock?” he asked, I smiled before shaking my head. He smiled back before motioning for me to sit down. I obeyed quickly, sitting down in the chair infront of him.
“We are going to be going north girl,” my father stated.
“Why? What is in the North? Other that snow and ice?” I questioned.
“Ned, Ned is in the North, and your future husband, and before you even start arguing we need to find you a husband. We need to strengthen the bond with the Northerners.” Father replied, I looked at him, seeing for the first time that my father really was the king. I now saw, for the first time, that I was a pawn, to be bought or sold to gain allies. I would never be able to marry for love because I am Aurelia Baratheon, first born child of Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister. My mother named me Aurelia, meaning golden, because even if I didn’t have the golden hair of my siblings, my name would still let people know that I was half Lannister. I was the beautiful daughter of the king, I would be married off to some northerner. I would live in the cold and the dark. The days of sitting in the sun are limited. I stood quickly, pacing back and forth in front of my father.
“I want to marry a man of my choosing, I want to be able to tell my children that I married for love, you would take that away from me?” I nearly shouted looking at him fiercely. He leaned back in his chair and smile.
“It’s moments like this that I’m sure you’re my blood, you have my temper girl,” my father exclaimed before standing. He came around the table, putting his hands on my shoulders “I will not pick your husband. I will let you choose for yourself, but it will be a man of the north and for the gods try to pick a Stark.” He said in a calm voice. I looked into his eyes, seeing the truth behind his words.
“Mother will try and convince you to change your mind.” I stated, he sighed before nodding.
“I know but I won’t change my mind. We leave for the north the day after tomorrow, be ready.” He explained before wrapping me up in his arms. He kissed the side of my head. It was moments like this, which were very rare, that made me realise what a special man my father really was. He had changed over the years, physically and mentally, he was brash and loud but he had his moments of being a really sweet. “Pack warm clothes… the cold with bite at you, you have never known cold til you go north.” He kissed my head before gently pushing me towards the door.
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The ride north was the longest journey I had ever undertaken. The days got shorter the further north we went and the nights were cold. I felt the wind cutting me to the bone even in the carriage. Joffrey was as usual a huge pain in the arse. He complained about everything and made me want to get out of the carriage and walk. He was a cruel boy, my mother’s favourite, I dread the day that he will sit on the iron throne.
Looking out the window in the carriage I finally see the tall walls of what I can only assume to be Winterfell, I sighed with relief. I was delighted that I would soon be able to stretch my legs. I had been sitting for far too long. I can see that both Tommen and Myrcella were also looking forward to being able to move. I looked up at my mother, she looked less than happy. I smiled at her, hoping to break her icy exterior but she did not falter. Looking up at the castle as it came into view, nerves began to get the best of me. This was it. I was now in the north. I would soon marry a man of the north. I began to wonder if I would ever go south again, if I would feel the warm sea breeze of King’s Landing. I never really loved living there but I did love the sun and the sea.
As the carriage pulled into the courtyard of Winterfell I sat back, waiting for the door to open. The butterflies in my stomach were overwhelming and I felt physically sick. My mother was the first to leave the royal carriage. I followed quickly after. Joffrey was riding with my father so he stayed atop his horse as the rest of us approached the Starks of Winterfell. I held Tommen’s hand while my father introduced us. I looked up feeling eyes on me; I caught eyes with beautiful brown orbs. Losing my breath for a minute, I looked away quickly before hearing my father saying my name.
“This is my eldest, my beautiful Aurelia,” my father commented before taking my hand and pulling me towards him.
“She certainly is that,” Ned said, I had only met Eddard Stark one before and I had been young. My mother told me stories about solemn Ned and I have to say she was right. The man looked glum but he was also extremely handsome. When I looked in his eyes they were the same colour as the young man I had caught eyes with. I looked behind Ned quickly, trying to be subtle and I saw the young man. He was absolutely gorgeous; He looked more like Ned than any of his children. There was no mistaking; this must be Ned Stark’s bastard that I had heard my father mention on more than one occasion.