"My lord Stark, it is an honour to be here. May the light of R'hollor, the Old Gods and the New shine upon your family." Jon's speech was calm, steady, controlled, although he nearly stiff with the effort of not making a single mistake in his greetings. "You have received the raven from our lord the king?"

His father nodded.

"Do we have your blessing as guests in your hall for the night and the nights to come?"

There was the smallest and longest of pauses. As if Lord Stark was fully recognising Jon's words before he or Jon's siblings burst into laughter. How odd it must seem, to Robb, Arya, or Rickon to see Jon talking like this to their father.

And suddenly their father spoke.

"You are as welcome as you always were, my lord Wolfram. As is your future bride and all your followers."

Lord Stark's face broke into a warm smile as he said his piece, his cheeks cloaked in a thick blanket of greying brown twitching upward to break the stoic façade Jon had always known. Jon dared to return with the most modesty of smiles and even offered his hand to his father.

For a split moment, Jon froze as he realised the implications of his action.

What will Lady Catelyn think? What will all of Winterfell think? Can a man openly welcome his bastard in front of his family?

Jon's fears were brushed aside when his father pushed his hand away and grasped him firmly by the shoulder to pull him close to him. Jon heard a few quiet chuckles around the courtyard from those who dared to make such a sound. Jon couldn't see his siblings to either side of his father and himself as he returned the embrace. He certainly did not dare to look in Lady Stark's direction.

A deep breath and a hardly subtle cough behind Jon to the left reminded him that Val was still there. Chuckling quietly, he turned and smiled at her. She smiled back and looked at his father.

"Lord Stark, allow me the honour of introducing you to my betrothed, the Lady Val, Princess of the Wildlings, and future Lady Wolfram of the Northern Gift."

"I believe you have already done so, my lord. Yet I'm sure your lord father is happy for you to do so again."

Val's smile was a modest, polite one, not matching her words. The combination seemed to have the desired effect as poorly stifled giggles were heard from the two youngest Stark siblings before being silenced. A smile even broke upon the faces of Lord Stark, Robb, and his wife. Jon could not help but grin more widely, even if the tiniest murmur of chuckles could be barely heard from around the crowded courtyard.

The only people who seemed un-amused by the display were Sansa and Lady Catelyn.

"My lady Val, it is an honour to meet and to welcome you into our home. And our family."

Val's smile broadened, and she grew more bold. "It is also an honour for me to join you in your home, and your family Lord Stark, though it pains somewhat to hear the word honour repeated so many times within a single day, let alone within five minutes of meeting my soon-to-be good father."

For a brief moment Jon thought his father frown at Val's light mockery - if one could call it even that - but his fears were groundless, as his father openly grinned in front of them all. Although Jon had been gone a good few years from Winterfell, he was sure Lord Eddard Stark never showed that much mirth in public. Except when Robert arrived years ago.

She's doing this perfectly. Jon mused with a smile. They'll be eating out of her palm in minutes.

His father loudly spoke up, announcing they would go inside for warmth and mead. Jon thanked him, and turned to order Satin and the others to organise the others as they unpacked. With that done, Jon took Val's hand and followed his family into the great hall, for the first time as their equal.

Hi everyone, sorry this has been so long coming. As you'll know from my profile, I'm at University, so I've been tied down with coursework and what have you. I just wanted to get something out for the first time in weeks, even if it is a bit too short. Hopefully the next chapter will have more meat to it as Val properly meets all the Starks.