Chapter One

Ned grimaced against the wind and freezing rain as he drove his steed hard, leading his men through the trees. He could hear the sounds of battle up ahead. As they broke into the clearing they were confronted with the sight of Northern men fighting a mass of Wildlings. News had reached Winterfell that a small hoard of Wildlings had been raiding the local villages. Earlier that day a scout came to Winterfell saying they had found the Wildling camp. Ned immediately dispatched a group of men to dispose of them; he followed quickly after with another group.

They entered the fray, cutting through as many wildlings as they could. Ned jumped from his horse, running his blade through a fierce wild man. Before the body met the ground, Ned had turned and swept his blade across the throat of a wildling with a large black mane. The blood sprayed across him, splattering his face and armor. He didn't stop to wipe it away. Eventually the last few wildlings ran, leaving the carnage in their wake.

"Follow them." Ned commanded. A few of his man dashed into the trees, bloody footprints burned deep into the snow. The rest of his men started looking around the clearing, looking for surviving Northerners. Ned whipped around when he heard a shuffling in the bushes behind him. He crept towards the foliage, whimpering combining with the shuffling. He quietly parted the leaves to see a small wildling girl curled at the base of a tree. He stepped closer, a stick cracking under his foot. Her head snapped up to look at him. She was young, maybe as old as his sons. She had wavy black hair, strange honey colored eyes, and pale white skin that was currently splattered with blood.

"Come." He said to her, holding out a gentle hand. She stared at it for a moment before moving. She shuffled towards him, staying hunched over and close to the ground. She got very close to his hand, her nose a hair's breadth from his longest finger. Her eyes had almost gone cross-eyed staring at his hand. Slowly she looked up at him, their eyes meeting. He held her gaze, offering her a small smile. She slipped her hand into his, her fingers cold as death. Slowly she stood from the ground, unfurling her small body. He glanced down to see her entire front drenched in blood. There was a long cut going width-wise across her collarbones, reaching from shoulder to shoulder.

He picked her up and placed her on his hip. Her body curled into his, one of her small hands curling into his hair. He turned back to the clearing and walked forward with her cuddled in his arms. The few men in the clearing turned and stared at him. One of his younger squires stepped closer.

"Shall I take care of it my lord?" He asked. Ned raised his brow.

"It is a little girl, and you will not take care of her." He said lowly. Suddenly she jumped from his arms and dashed towards a prone body laying bloody on the ground. It was the second wildling Ned had killed upon entering the clearing, the one with the long black mane. She leaned over him, her little hands struggling to hold his neck together as she cried out.

"Papa!" She yelled, one hand on his throat, the other shaking his shoulder. "Papa!" She cried again. Ned felt his heart drop into his stomach at the sight. Of all the battle aftermaths he had seen, he had never seen one such as this. A battlefield wasn't a place children weren't usually found. At that moment the rest of Ned's men entered the clearing, bearing up three wildlings. Two men, and one woman. Her red hair was a nest. It was hard to see where her hair began and the blood ended. An arrow stuck out of her chest. The little girl tried to dash towards the woman, but Ned was quick to grab her.

"Un'and ma daughter." The woman growled out, her speech garbled as blood bubbled from her lips. Ned stared at her, as the girl slipped from his hands and dashed towards her. She jumped over the bodies of her dead kinsmen to reach her mother. The woman fell to her knees and pulled the girl into her arms. She brushed her dark hair away from her face, and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She reached into her shirt and pulled a necklace out. She pulled it from around her neck and put it around her daughter's.

"Ah'way child." She said, pushing her back towards Ned. The girl whimpered as she slowly backed away from her mother. She tripped over the body of another woman. Ned stepped forward and swooped her up into his arms. He made eye contact with the woman, and she nodded at him. He nodded back, an understanding passing between them.

"Tay' care o' her." She said. Ned nodded, not sure why he was agreeing. He turned the girl's head into his chest as one of his men raised his sword behind her mother. He covered the little girls eyes as the sword was run across the woman's throat. Ned turned and carried the girl to his horse and mounted, placing her in the saddle in front of him. He looked down to see a perfect blood kiss mark on her forehead.

"What is your name?" He asked her as the horse started forward. She looked up at him, her honey eyes wide and trusting. His heart clenched. He did not deserve her trust, not after he had killed her father, and ordered the death of her mother.

"Gwynyth." She whispered. Her voice was like the wind whispering through dried leaves on the forest floor. He nodded and she turned her head into him, hiding her face from the wind. He gently picked up the necklace her mother had put around her throat, much too long for her small body. It was a bone, a couple inches long, shaped to look like a spear head. It was tied to a thin leather string. A small hand reached up and took it from his hand.

"Your mother is a spearwife?" He asked. She nodded quietly. "How old are you, Gwynyth?" He asked. She raised seven fingers. "You're the same age as my sons." She silently lowered her hands and buried them in her sleeves. He glanced down at her. She sat stoic in his lap.

"Does your chest hurt?" He asked. She shook her head. "Will you not speak again?" He asked. She did not respond. He sighed as he spurred his horse on, his men galloping behind him. He wasn't sure why he agreed to take care of the girl. She was a wildling, a savage. Or at least she should be. Her outer appearance, with her torn clothes and bloody visage, was that of a little monster. But her disposition was the exact opposite. She was like a little broken pup. Perhaps that is why he agreed. His heart ached for her.

Gwynyth cuddled into him, her little hands slipping under his cloak to clutch tightly to him. He wrapped an arm tightly around her, trying to shield her from the cold of the night. Ned led his men through the trees and back to Winterfell. As they approached the stronghold the rain died away leaving them with only the wind to contend with. They slogged through the mud to the main courtyard. As Ned dismounted the main doors opened, a great yellow light casting shadows all around. A dark shadow passed over the entryway. He looked up to see his pregnant wife Catelyn staring at him. He held her gaze as he adjusted Gwynyth in his arms.

Ned steeled himself for the argument he was sure would ensue when he saw Cat's frown. He mounted the steps, holding Gwynyth close. He stepped up beside his wife and stopped. She looked down at the girl in his arms, both brows raised.

"Have you not brought enough urchins into our house?" She asked coldly. She glanced over her shoulder. Ned looked over to see his bastard Jon Snow standing closely with Robb, Theon standing behind them his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He looked back to Catelyn and gave her a small smile.

"This is not an urchin. This is a little girl." He said ruefully. He turned and carried Gwynyth inside. He carried her down the halls, not looking back. He could hear his wife's quick footsteps not far behind him, mingling with his boy's running ones. He could hear Robb and Jon whispering to one another. He brought her into his study where a warm fire was blazing waiting for him. He carried her over to a chair and sat down in it, not even bothering to take off his cloak. Instead he wrapped it more firmly around himself and the child.

"Ned." Catelyn intoned from the doorway. Robb and Jon slipped past her and started inching closer to Ned.

"Where are the girls?" He asked, trying to deter her. She sighed.

"I had Septa Mordane put them to bed." She said stepping into the room, and around the boys. She walked up to the seat opposite him and sat down, her posture stiff. Robb walked to his father's side, Jon right behind him, Theon stayed closer to the door. Gwynyth covered her face with her hands, slowly peaking out between her fingers.

"Well, let's see her." Catelyn said sternly. Gwynyth immediately covered her face again. Ned slowly unwrapped his cloak revealing that Gwynyth had scrunched her body into a ball.

"Gwynyth, child." Ned said quietly, trying to pull her knees down from her chest.

"Is that her name?" Catelyn asked. Ned looked up to see that his wife's visage was slowly thawing, pity swimming in her eyes at the site of the frightened girl. Ned nodded as he finally pulled her legs down. Catelyn gasped when she saw that the whole front of the girl was covered in blood. Gwynyth jumped at the sound and pulled her knees back up. Ned turned to where Jon, Robb, and Theon stood.

"Theon, fetch the Maester. She will need to be looked over." He said. Then pushed off from where he was leaning on the door frame and left leaving Ned with his children, wife, and Gwynyth.

"What was she doing there?" She asked. Ned shook his head.

"I do not know. I don't see the point in asking her, she has barely spoken since I found her." He said. Catelyn leaned forward, trying to get a better look at her. Slowly Gwynyth raised her head from where she had hid it in her knees. She looked into Catelyn' eyes and Ned could see his wifes resolve drip away. Catelyn held her hand out to the girl, beckoning for her to come to her. Gwynyth looked up at Ned, who nodded in encouragement. She gingerly slipped from his lap, and reached out a hand to Catelyn. She slipped her small bloodstained hand into Cat's, gripping it tightly.

Suddenly the girl was rushing forward and climbing up into Cat's lap. She wrapped her little arms and legs around her and held tight. She buried her face into Cat's neck, one of Gwynyth's hands coming up to play with her long red hair. Catelyn looked startled and confused for a moment before smiling slightly and wrapping her arms around the little girl. She looked up at Ned who had a slight smile on his face.

"She didn't act like that when I held my hand out to her. I thought for a moment she was going to bite my hand. Practically sniffed it like a dog." He said. Gwynyth shifted slightly in Cat's hold. Ned and Cat jumped as Gwynyth made a high pitched yipping sound like a newborn puppy. Ned and the boys burst into laughter as Cat smiled and gently rocked the girl. Ned had to marvel at the child. She had melted his wife's heart in a matter of minutes. He could tell already if she stayed with them, which she most likely would, she would endear herself to everyone in Winterfell. She had already endeared herself to him, and she had barely done anything. He couldn't help to feel like she was a pup he needed to protect.

"Are you a dog?" Cat said sweetly, running a hand down the girl's tangled hair. Gwynyth picked up her head and smiled for the first time. Ned thought the effect was eerily beautiful. It probably wouldn't be so unnerving when her face wasn't covered in dried and flaking blood. Cat tucked a lock of matted hair behind her ear, revealing the bloody kiss print on her forehead. She furrowed her brows. She looked to her husband for an answer.

"Her mother." He said quietly. Gwynyth's smile melted away. She sat back slightly and took some of Catelyn's hair into her hands. She slowly started to part it into three pieces and braid it together.

"Her mother was there?" Catelyn asked, not taking her eyes off of the girl.

"And her father." Ned said. He was silent for a moment, studying the two female's. Catelyn was looking pityingly down at the girl who was refusing to lift her eyes from her task. "Her mother had red hair." Ned said quietly. Catelyn looked up at him.

"Is that why," She started. Ned nodded, that was probably why Gwynyth had gone more easily to Cat then she had to Ned. That and, Ned realized, she may have seen him kill her father. He surely hoped that was not the case.

"My lord." A deep croaky voice called. Ned looked up to see Maester Luwin standing in the doorway, one of his hands resting on Theon's shoulder. "You called for me?" He asked. Ned nodded.

"I need you to take a look at Gwynyth. She was injured in the raid." He said gesturing towards Cat and Gwynyth. He raised his brows before schooling his features and scuffling forward. Gwynyth didn't look up as he approached, choosing instead to finish off Cat's braid. She was about to start another one when Cat took her hands in one of hers. Her other hand tipped Gwynyth's head up by the chin.

"Gwynyth, Maester Luwin is going to take care of you now." Cat said. Gwynyth stared at her for a moment before turning her stoic gaze on Luwin. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Boys, grab a chair for Maester Luwin." Ned said. Robb and Jon dashed over to a couple of chairs by the door and grabbed one, dragging it across the stone floor to the elderly maester. Luwin sat down and gestured for Gwynyth to come to him. Cat started to lower her to the floor, but suddenly Gwynyth started writhing around, trying to grab onto her.

"What's wrong with her?" Theon whispered. Robb turned and hushed him, earning a glare from the older boy.

"Come now." Catelyn admonished her. At her stern look Gwynyth calmed herself and allowed Catelyn to put her down. She stood in between Catelyn and Luwin, facing the Maester, her little hands behind her back. Maester Luwin leaned forward and pulled the shredded scraps of clothing away from the cut on her chest.

"Why, it reaches shoulder to shoulder. What happened child?" Maester Luwin asked. Gwynyth was still for a moment before shrugging. Maester Luwin raised a sceptical brow. "You don't remember?" She shook her head. "What do you remember?" He asked her. She shrugged again. "Nothing?" She nodded. "Why is that?" He asked her. She whipped her hands from behind her back and covered her eyes, crouching into a ball. Maester Luwin nodded.

"She hid?" Catelyn asked.

"She was hiding in some shrubbery when I found her." Ned said. Maester Luwin reached out for her, pulling her up to stand. He took a closer look at the cut.

"It looks as if she was cut by an arrow. She was very lucky. A centimeter off and it would have pierced her." He said.

"Is there anything you can do for her Maester?" Catelyn asked. He sat back as he stared at Gwynyth.

"She doesn't appear to be in any pain, so I will not give her milk of the poppy. She should be bathed, and then the cut must be bandaged." He said. Catelyn nodded.

"I will have the Septa take care of her." Catelyn said. Maester Luwin nodded and stood.

"I shall fetch her my lady." He said as he exited the study. Gwynyth slowly rotated on the spot and climbed back into Catelyn's lap. Ned smiled as he looked on the site. His gaze shifted as he noticed Robb and Jon inching closer to the girl. Gwynyth had noticed too and curled into Catelyn, turning her face away from the boys. Slowly Robb reached out to place a hand on Gwynyth's knee, Jon looked over his shoulder. She flinched under his touch but he did not remove his hand. Catelyn shot Ned a smile over the children's heads.

"Don't be frightened. You're safe." Robb said seriously. Gwynyth peeked out at him. Both Robb and Jon smiled at her. She turned her head back into Catelyn, but her hand reached out and touched Robb's. Ned looked on in amazement as a genuine smile broke over his son's usually serious face. At that moment Septa Mordane came in tutting and clucking like the mother hen that she was. Ned watched as she swept Gwynyth up in her arms, Catelyn following close behind. As they left the room Robb looked to him.

"Is Gwyn going to live with us?" He asked. Ned raised his brow at the nickname.

"Yes, I believe she is." He answered. Robb nodded before turning and heading for the door.

"Come on Jon, Theon." Robb ordered. Theon rolled his eyes but followed, and Jon waved before taking off after his half brother, leaving Ned chuckling.

Gwyn held perfectly still, her eyes closed. She had just woken up and she was unsure where she was. She blindly ran a hand over the surface she was laying on. It was soft and warm, nothing like the hard ground and scratchy blanket she normally had to deal with. Slowly her honey eyes blinked open. She was in an unfamiliar stone walled room. She sat up and looked all around for any indication of where she was, but there was none. She looked down at herself and saw she was in a white sleeping gown. Just underneath it she could see a white bandage that banded her chest. She blinked quickly and repeatedly when she saw the spots of blood showing through the bandage. She gasped as memories of the previous night smashed into her.

Gwyn was breathing hard as the memory faded. She had watched as her father and the rest of their camp was cut down. She had seen her mother run off into the trees. The same southern man, Ned, who had killed her father had found her hiding in the tree roots. He had kept one of his men from killing her, and he had let her hug her mother. She knew her mother must be dead now as well. She had told the old man last night that she didn't remember anything. But truly she remembered it all. She was afraid what they would do if they knew.

She fingered the necklace that was still hanging around her neck. It was the last thing she had of her family. The thought made her eyes burn with unshed tears. She jumped as a knock sounded at the door. It opened revealing the nice red headed lady who she remembered told her to call her Cat. She smiled when she saw that Gwyn was awake.

"Gwynyth, dear. How are you feeling?" She asked as she closed the door and sat down on Gwyn's bed.

"Fine." She whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Ah, so you do speak." Cat said. Gwyn nodded. She hadn't spoken at all once Ned brought her to this place. She was pretty sure somebody had called it Winterfell.

"You must be starving. Why don't we get you dressed and we can go to breakfast?" Cat asked.

"Okay." Gwyn said. Cat stood and walked over to a vanity where a dress sat. She held it up for Gwyn's inspection. Gwyn wrinkled her nose.

"You don't like it?" Cat asked.

"Could I have my clothes back please?" Gwyn asked quietly. Cat sighed.

"Your clothes were much too dirty dear. We had to get rid of them. But let me go see if I can find you something similar." Cat said. She left the room for a few minutes, the door sitting wide open. Gwyn looked out into the hallway. It was brightly lit, a window directly across from her. She slowly got off the bed and walked out into the hall. She grabbed the ledge of the window and pulled herself up. The window overlooked what appeared to be the main yard. The yard was a flurry of activity as people went about their business. Gwyn thought she was up very high. She looked straight down out of the window and saw a roof not far below her window. Looking back out the window, past the yard and some buildings she could see a forested area within the walls of Winterfell. She thought she might see the familiar red leaves of a heart tree.

She bit her lip as she looked both ways down the hall. No one was coming. She hoisted herself through the window. She slowly climbed down to the roof and crouched there. The roof was wet, and it was chilly out. She wiggled her toes as she felt the cold seep into them. Slowly she slinked across the roof, practically on her belly. She felt slightly bad that she was getting the nice white night gown dirty. She found her way across the many buildings separating her from what she was sure had to be a godswood. She froze as she heard yelling down in the yard. She cautiously looked over the edge of the building she was on and saw Cat with Ned and the boys she remembered seeing briefly the night before.

"She is missing! I only left her alone for a few minutes. What if she's lost, what if she gets hurt?" Cat was saying. Ned placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He wasn't yelling so Gwyn couldn't hear what he was saying. She saw the auburn haired boy looking around the yard, while the other two watched Ned and Cat talk. His eyes ghosted over where she was and she pressed herself down hard into the roof, hoping he hadn't seen her. She carefully continued on her way. Eventually she left the yard behind. She stood and dashed across wide expanses of roof until she reached the edge of the building that bordered the woods. Slowly she climbed her way down the side of the building, being careful not to slip on the slick rock.

When Gwyn's feet hit the damp grass she let out a sigh of relief before taking off into the trees. Heading, in what she hoped, was the direction of the heart tree. Finally she broke into a clearing where a heart tree shadowed a small pond. She breathed out a sigh as she dashed over to the tree and took a seat under its protective boughs. She bowed her head and silently started to pray. She prayed for her dead parents, she prayed that the people she was with would not harm her, she prayed for courage and strength. Gwyn froze as she heard something rustling behind her.

"Mew." She whipped around to see Daemon sitting across the pond watching her. He blinked his yellow eyes at her, cocking his head to the side.

"Daemon, how did you get here?" She cried, standing up. He mewed again and ambled around the water's edge to her. She bent down and swept the shadowcat up into her arms, hugging him as tightly as he would allow. "I thought I had lost you. I thought I lost everyone." She said. She sat down with him in her lap and buried her face in his soft fur. She felt her eyes prick with hot tears, and since no one but Daemon was around to see her she allowed them to fall. Daemon didn't seem to mind she was wetting his fur, he just turned his head and bumped it against her own.

"Are you alright?" A quiet voice asked from beside her. She whipped her head up, honey eyes meeting bright blue. It was the auburn haired boy. "Gwyn?" He asked, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. He jerked his hand away as Daemon growled and swiped his claws at him.

"Is that a shadowcat?" He exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Yes. Why did you call me Gwyn? Only my family calls me that." She asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know." He said slowly sitting down beside her, his eyes on Daemon. "I just thought it fit." He said. She smiled as he continued his staring contest with Daemon. She reached out and pet the kittens head.

"Be nice Daemon." She whispered to him. The animal seemed to roll his eyes before closing them and snuggling into her lap.

"His name is Daemon?" He asked. "That's fitting." He mumbled.

"You know our names. What is yours?" She asked.

"I'm Robb Stark, heir to the north, next lord of Winterfell." He said as he proudly puffed his chest.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" She asked. Robb's mouth dropped open, his shoulders slumping. He stared at me for a moment before shrugging.

"I suppose not. You are a wildling." He said. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Free folk." She corrected,

"What?" He asked confused.

"I am of the free folk. I'm not a wildling." She said. "Stupid southerner." She mumbled.

"I'm not a southerner." He insisted, scowling at her.

"You live south of the wall don't you?" She asked.

"Well, yes." He said confused.

"So you're a southerner. You're not from the true north." She said in a tone of finality. Robb raised his brows at her before laughing loudly.

"If you say so." He said.

"How did you find me?" She asked as she watches him slowly hold a hand out for Daemon to sniff. The shadowcat held still, breathin in Robb scent for a moment, before rubbing his head against the hand. Robb smiled as he scratched behind Daemon's ears.

"Everyone is out looking for you. My mother is very worried. But I wasn't. I saw you on the roof. I watched you head this way." He said. "Why did you climb like that? Why didn't you just walk out the normal way?" He asked.

"I didn't want to get lost. It just seemed like the most direct route at the time." Gwyn said blushing. Robb laughed loudly again. Gwyn found she enjoyed the sound immensely.

"Why did you want to come here so badly?"

"To pray. Isn't that what you do here?" She asked. He smiled.

"Yes, I suppose it is." He said.

"There you are!" A deep voice exclaimed from behind them. They turned to see Ned walking towards them. "You had us all worried Gwynyth." He said as he crouched down in front of the two. "Who's this?" He asked looking at her shadowcat.

"Daemon." She said simply. He raised a brow and nodded.

"Alright. Come you two." He said standing to lead them from the godswood. Robb helped her up and guided her with a hand on her back. She could feel another blush starting to burn her face. As they exited the clearing she looked over her shoulder at the face of the heart tree, knowing she would end up here again and again.

Six Years Later

Gwyn ran across the roof, carefully balancing on her beam. Below her the court yard was busy with servants doing chores, Lord Stark's men sparring, and the Stark children playing. Gwyn jumped a gap in her beam and landed skillfully on the other side.

"Gwynyth Woods you come down here this instant!" Catelyn Stark's voice echoed up to her. Gwyn tripped forward, her concentration broken. She tumbled down the slope of the roof. She could hear Catelyn and the children yelling her name as she rolled. Seeing the edge coming up to meet her she readied herself. As she flew off the edge she twisted her body and grabbed one of the eaves. She swung in mid-air as she listened to someone running up to her. Hands reached up and gripped her around the waist. Luckily she was only one level off the ground.

"Tell me child, do you enjoy giving everyone a heart attack?" Asked Ned as he cuddled her to his chest. She looked up at him for a moment before a cheeky grin broke across her face. "Why do I even bother to ask?" He chuckled as he sat her down. In the next second she was banded in Catelyn's tight embrace.

"What have I told you? No climbing!" She insisted. "Bran has been trying to climb now because he see's you doing it." She said as she pulled away and placed her hands on Gwyn's shoulders. "He could get hurt. Do you want that to happen?"

"Of course not." Gwyn said, rolling her eyes. Catelyn shook her a little.

"Then set a better example for him. Listen to me when I tell you no climbing." She said. Gwyn looked Catelyn dead in the eye.

"Yes m'lady." She said seriously. Catelyn stood up to her full height and looked down her nose at Gwyn.

"You always look people in the eye when you lie to them." She said. Gwyn bit her lip as she tried not to smile and looked down.

"I'm sorry m'lady." Gwyn said, giving her a wide smile. Catelyn raised a brow, the corners of her lips twitching.

"Yes, I'm sure you are." She said disbelievingly.

"Come love." Ned said to Catelyn, leading her inside. Her best friend Jon walked up to her and stared at her.

"What?" She asked, rolling her eyes at him. Jon reached out and gave her a hard pinch on the arm. She jumped, and batted his hand away.

"Seven hells Jon." She cried.

"You deserve it." He said. She jumped again as someone smacked her across the back of the head.

"Watch your language Wildling." Theon said as he came to stand beside her, arms crossed. She glared at the young man.

"You cursed at my age." She said indignantly.

"I'm a man." He sneered. Gwyn rolled her eyes.

"Hardly." She mumbled.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"She said hardly, as in you're hardly a man. And I have to say I agree. You shouldn't strike a lady." Robb said coming to stand on her other side. His hand came up to gently rub the back of her head, before letting it rest on her shoulder.

"She's no lady." Theon said. Gwyn snorted, she had to agree with him on this one. "She's a crossdresser." Theon said smugly, gesturing at the pants and tunic she was wearing. Gwyn glared at him.

"Let her alone Theon, she can wear what she wants." Jon said.

"Not according to Lady Catelyn. She wants her to start wearing dresses." Theon said. Gwyn rolled her eyes. "And maybe you should, then guys would actually be interested in you." Theon stared at her before shifting his eyes to Robb and then back to her. He smirked at her, making her shift uncomfortably. She regretted ever telling him. She moved away from Robb, his hand falling from her shoulder.

"I don't care if guys like me." She said.

"Oh really? Didn't you tell me," He started. Gwyn dashed forward and punched him in the stomach. Theon bent over, the air knocked out of him. Jon and Robb laughed as she took off towards the nearest wall and started to climb. She didn't stop until she was at least two levels above the boys. She looked down to see Theon on his knees and Robb and Jon still laughing. Robb looked up at her and shook his head. She smiled at him before continuing to climb.

She didn't stop until she reached the top of the battlements. There were some guards up there walking around the perimeter of the inner ward. She smiled at them and waved as she skipped past them. They chuckled and waved back, used to her doing this by now. She dashed forward as she saw a turn coming up. She could either turn or make a jump for the roof that was a couple feet away. Recklessly she picked up speed and vaulted herself off the battlement. She heard people yelling below her but she ignored it. No doubt that would get back to Lady Stark.

She skipped across the roof and climbed through a window of a back hallway near the great hall. She made her way through the building ending up in the great hall where all of the children were eating. Robb, Jon, and Theon having beat her there.

"How was the scenic route?" Jon asked her.

"Scenic." She said smartly making him roll his eyes. She sat down and grabbed a piece of bread, tearing into it.

"Are you ready for tomorrow Robb?" Theon asked, thumping Robb on the back just as he was swallowing his bacon. Robb coughed horribly making Jon and Theon laugh. Gwyn quickly poured him a cup of water and pushed it into his hands across the table. He gulped it down quickly, breathing hard when his throat cleared. He gave her a beatific smile before turning hard eyes on Theon.

"What is there to be ready for, it is only my fourteenth name day?" He asked, his voice attempting a growl but coming out weak and raspy. Theon raised his brow.

"It is not just your fourteenth name day. It is the day you become a man. If I have anything to say about it, that is." Theon said proudly. Jon snorted and Gwyn rolled her eyes.

"What? You gonna take him on a date Greyjoy?" Jon snarked. Gwyn burst out laughing as she tried to take a sip from her goblet, the water spraying across the table all over Robb.

"Oh, Gods, sorry Robb." She said through her laughter as she tossed him her cloth napkin. He rolled his eyes at her.

"No it's fine. Now I don't have to bathe for tomorrow." He said smirking. Gwyn laughed. Theon stood and looked unimpressed down at the three.

"Just wait for tomorrow, my present to you will be one you remember for the rest of your life." He said patting Robb's shoulder before walking off.

"Will you be borrowing one of Gwyn's dresses for your date tomorrow?" Jon asked Robb seriously. Robb threw a half of a loaf of bread at him, hitting him squarely in the face. Jon stood up and made to dash around the table at Robb, but Robb stood and ran from the great hall. Gwyn laughed as she took in the mess they left behind. She sobered slightly as she picked at her plate. She wondered what Theon had planned, and if she could get it out of him.