Kin

277 AC

Kin

Lyanna's long hair flowed behind her as she ran from the Great Hall, a smile on her face, "Benjen!" She called for her brother, wanting to resume the games that they had been playing earlier.

"You're such a tell-tale Lya!" Brandon called from the steps that led to the Keep. He was going to his rooms, not wanting to interact with anyone after being humiliated by Lyanna and his father.

Lyanna stuck her tongue out at him and continued running around the castle in search for her younger brother. She finally found him, stood with his arms crossed and kicking the floor as Old Nan seemed to be saying something to him and Ellena. Ellena had her arms intertwined with Old Nan's, leaning on the older woman attentively.

"What are you talking about?" Lyanna asked them, holding her hands to her hips as she awaited an answer.

"Old Nan's telling us about Aemond One-Eye, now shut up," Benjen said to his sister, wanting to get back to the interesting story.

"Also known as Aemond the Kinslayer," Ellena added, her lilac eyes glaring at Lyanna. She did not believe she deserved the punishment she was given; it was a kiss and Lyanna got nothing for spying on others.

Old Nan smiled, tapping her right ear to the three. "Now you see, Prince Aemond was born to King Viserys the first of his name and his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower-"

"Aren't the Hightower's of Oldtown, in the Reach?" Benjen asked; he knew that the answer was right, having studied the map of Westeros and family linages with Maester Walys. He just wanted to gloat to his sisters.

"That's right," Old Nan said nodding her head, leading the three to a stool and sitting on it. The three sat down on the dusty floor, ignoring the hustle and bustle that those in the castle around them made. "It's all very confusing but all we need to know is that the King had a daughter with his first wife, Rhaenyra, who was to be Queen – even though his second wife gave him two sons, Aegon – his older brother, and himself. He had another older sister, Helaena and a younger brother Daeron. So, as you can imagine, Alicent and Rhaenyra didn't like each other very much, being as women were not to inherit if there were male heir-,"

"That's rubb-,"

"Ah," Old Nan held her hand up to Lyanna, "a lady does not swear." Lyanna huffed, muttering under her breath. "And when he was one and ten, Aemond became the rider of the dragon Vhager, losing his eye when his nephew, Rhaenyra's son, Lucerys, attacked him and stabbed his eye once Aemond insulted him."

"How old was he?" Ellena asked, missing the part where Old Nan had mentioned his age, unable to imagine the pain of having one's eye stabbed out.

"One and ten," the old woman repeated nonchalantly, "back to the story. As Kings do, Viserys the first died, and so despite Rhaenyra being the heir, Aegon took the throne. Staring the war as we know to be the Dance of the Dragons. Eventually, Aemond killed the man who took his eye, his nephew."

"And that is when he became known as the Kinslayer?"

Old Nan nodded, pursing her lips. "Yes."

There was a short silence between them. Lyanna stood to her feet, "is that all Nan?"

"Yes," Old Nan smiled, her tired eyes blinking up at the young girl.

"What was the point of that story?" Lyanna asked, confused as to why Old Nan didn't continue as she had always done. They had once spent the entire day listening to how Aegon the Conquer and his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, had come to Westeros all those years ago.

Old Nan stood from her stool, taking Ellena's hand once more. "The point is, fights with family are bound to end in disaster. So, we should forgive each other and continue on our day," she then took Lyanna's hand. "Won't you apologise now Lyanna?"

Lyanna sighed, looking at her older sister. "Fine," she stared into Ellena's eyes, "I'm sorry spying, and for telling father but-."

"Ah-ah, an apology cannot be followed with a rebuttal my lady," Old Nan jested, flicking both girls' noses. "Do you accept Ellena?"

"Yes. It's alright Lya," Ellena smiled, hugging her sister.

"Gross," Benjen tutted, growing bored by the overly dramatic display of affection. He ran away from them, heading for Brandon's room. He wanted to know all about Barrowton.

...

The Great Hall was alive with chatter and sounds of wooden spoons hitting wooden plates. The household of Winterfell was dining together, as they had done every night, with Rickard and his children sat on the lords' table. Ellena played with the cooked rabbit in front of her, poking at the tender meat. She was not hungry, and the happenings of that day, though Lyanna had apologised, had upset her.

"Don't play with your food," Rickard instructed, his conversation with Brandon halted as he noticed his bastard daughter's childish antics.

"Sorry father," Ellena said, cutting into the rabbit with her knife and taking a small bite out of it. Rickard turned back around to Brandon, making sure to remind him that he was not to anger Lord Dustin and to try and keep from following the actions of William Dustin – as the two had been known to cause trouble from time to time.

Ellena sighed, growing bored of eavesdropping on them. She tried to listen to what Lyanna and Benjen were saying. Benjen who was sat next to his father spoke passionately and Lyanna who was next to Ellena rolled her eyes every few moments. They were speaking about who was to be the best warrior when they grew up. That was also boring her. She put her fork down, growing tired of her food once more, and stared at the double oak doors of the grey room, her eyes blank but her mind running wild with thoughts.

Ellena tried to think of everything but Brandon's kiss. It was an innocent one, and she had only done it because she wanted to know what it was like to kiss someone. She tried to free her mind of those thoughts.

Tomorrow, I'll make a new flower for my day dress, she said to herself. Imagining the patterns and colours of her next flower.

Rickard, having finished telling his eldest son off for his misbehaviour all around, lecturing him on his quick temper and reminding him of his place, went back to his dinner. It was delicious, as it always had been. Sure, the Northern lords didn't have fruits and spiced wines, nor did they have extravagant pastries as those he had seen at Kingslanding all those years ago – but they had warm and hearty food, and that was enough for Rickard.

He noticed Ellena had stopped eating entirely and followed her gaze to the doors of the Hall. He felt an urge to remind her that she was lucky to have a home that provided her food, as he had done when all his children refused to eat, but ... he had lectured one too many times that day.

Lyarra. Rickard thought to himself, his wife would have had their heads for wasting precious food. Granted it would be given to the dogs or beggar's or boiled down to a broth. He knew all too well though it wouldn't have been a problem with Ellena, she wouldn't even be sitting at the lords' table had Lyarra been alive. Or would she? Before she had died, Lyarra had grown to like her in private. The few times he saw them interact was when he visited the nursery, where Lyarra would be brushing and tying the young girls' wild hair into two, making her look like a newborn doe. But made sure to not even acknowledge the growing girl when Rickard had held a feast for in honour of her pregnancy with Benjen. He wondered if it had anything to do with wanting to keep face with the ladies of the North. Rickard sighed, running his hand through his beard.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Brandon standing from his seat and preparing to leave the table. Before he left, he subtly slipped Ellena a note, something the both of them thought no one would notice. But Rickard noticed he noticed enough to watch her eyes as she read it. Ellena waited for some time after Brandon's departure. After a while, she looked to her left and right before excusing herself and stepping into the gallery.

Brandon would have to return to Barrowton first thing tomorrow morning, and Ellena would be found a match as soon as could be. That or Rickard would hint to her that becoming a Septa would suit her best. He would not have a premature love bug infest his family.

...