Wow! So many favorites and alerts and reviews. Thank you all so much for the support. Especially those of you who took the time to review: A Frozen Shadow, ladyres, thunder18, darkwolf76, guest1, Malyx Blackfyre, DarylDixon'sLover, Anna B., Anna, Ketsueko, Lily Evans Martell, MadameMcQueen, and guest2

Several of you asked or hoped for Robert's reaction, and unfortunately that does not come this chapter, but I promise you that we have not seen the last of Robert Baratheon. In fact, you're about to get an overload of him in the coming chapters.

In response to your question Malyx: I can't actually tell you without implying something, but I will say that he (or at least a version of him) will be seen much much later in this story. Not to fear.

In response to Ketsueko: As mentioned, can't answer your questions about Robert. But I will say I agree with you on Lyanna and Ellaria.

In response to Lily Evans Martell: I won't say for sure exactly how she feels about Oberyn just yet. I think more than liking Oberyn she's just relieved he's not Robert.

"So we should just let some Dornishmen come in and steal her away from us?!"

"It's not our decision!"

"Even if it was, I'd rather send her there than Storm's End!"

"She wasn't happy there! Even you could see that!"

"I know she wasn't happy! I'm not blind! But just because she wasn't happy there doesn't mean she'd be happy in Dorne!"

Lyanna sighed and pressed the tips of her fingers to her temples. Her head ached from all the yelling, and if it didn't stop soon she was going to make it stop. They'd already been at it for hours. She just hoped they ran out of things to say before they got themselves thrown out of the inn.

Lyanna had made Brandon promise to let her tell the others in her own time, but clearly that had not worked in her favor. After Brandon escorted her back to Riverrun, he had arranged to have their group, including himself, depart the following morning, much to the chagrin of his betrothed. It had been while they were dismounting in front of the inn they currently occupied that Oberyn's letter fell from her saddle bag. Eddard had been the one to notice it, but before he could hand it back to her he noticed the name at the bottom.

He was furious to say the least. What truly terrified Lyanna was that he wasn't mad at their father over the betrothal, but at her for some combination of speaking to Oberyn and being unhappy with the thought of an unhappy marriage. They had barely made it to their rooms before the fight began. Brandon immediately dove to Lyanna's side while Benjen walked a precarious line between the two.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn about these things?!" Brandon raged, "Doesn't our sister's happiness mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does," Ned defended himself, glaring down his elder brother. "Doesn't her safety mean anything to you?!"

Brandon crossed his arms over his chest, "What makes you think she won't be safe in Dorne?"

"It's on the other end of Westeros! We have no way of knowing whether she will be safe or not!" Ned waved the letter in Brandon's face. "Do you know what they call the precious little prince?! The Red Viper! And you know why they call him such? He uses poisoned blades and fought with sell swords in Essos! That is the man you trust with our only sister?!"

Benjen was the one to jump in then, "Those are just rumors, and even so shouldn't you be pleased? Does that not prove you are trusting her in the hands of a capable fighter?"

"A capable fighter, yes or no. He's a dishonorable fighter is what he is," Ned countered.

Brandon snorted and rolled his eyes at his younger brother's statement. "So it's not that you do not care about our sister, it's that you lack a knowledge of strategy." Brandon grabbed Ned's still outstretched arm and pulled him close, speaking to his ear in a dangerously low voice, "Honor does not win battles. Sacrifice does. What good is your honor if he lives and you die?" Brandon pushed his younger brother away but kept his eyes on him as he said, "Lyanna, talk some sense into him." Then he left the room, pulling Benjen along with him.

Lyanna dropped her fingers from her temples and watched two of her brothers leave the room. She sat back in the chair she was occupying and raised an eyebrow, waiting expectantly for Ned's inevitable outburst.

Yet none came. Without a word the ever-guarded second brother slumped back against the wall showing the first sign of weakness since the argument began. Despite popular belief, Eddard Stark was not built entirely of stone. Arguing with his brothers took a great toll on his emotions. It left him lonely and drained. Arguing with Lyanna was worse. Every time Ned would find her sneaking into the tiltyard to shoot some arrows or coming back from a trip into the Wolfswood alone he would remind her of what was proper for a lady or how father didn't want her doing that, and every time, without fail, Lyanna would snap at him. The pair would go at it for hours if they could, but when they finally gave in Eddard was left feeling guilty and ashamed while Lyanna walked off with a look of betrayal on her face.

"You never make things easy, Lyanna," Ned sighed, eyes looking anywhere but his sister.

Lyanna smiled at his words, "Where's the fun in life if I cannot at least torment you with the small liberties I am given."

Ned rolled his eyes. She always came with a witty retort on the tip of her tongue. "Perhaps you could do something more productive with your time? Then you might find you enjoy something more than tormenting father and I with Brandon."

"One day," Lyanna pointed a finger at him for emphasis, "you are going to have daughters of your own to torment you, and then, and only then, will I relinquish my duties in that respect."

A moment of silence claimed the room as the amusement slowly fell from them both. Neither really knew how to proceed. Ned was sick of arguing with his family. He was sick of being seen as the quite, cold lone wolf. His sister, whether to Robert or Oberyn, was about to leave him forever. He didn't want her to leave hating him.

"Why not Robert, Lyanna? That's all I want to know. What was so bad about Robert that you had to betray me this way?" He posed the question that really bothered him.

Lyanna could hear it in his voice that he felt neglected. That had never been her intention. "I'm sorry Ned. I know you love him, and maybe in another life I will too. Just not this one. He's not ready for love, and I don't know if he ever will be."

"And Oberyn is?" A bite came out in Ned's voice now. Resentment.

"Maybe," She shrugged. "Maybe not, but at least there's a chance he could be. If nothing else I at least know he won't rob me of a life without him should I be left unhappy. Robert would have me sitting on a pedestal locked away in a room only he can see. He'd make me stand there till I confessed to the world that he was the only man I could ever love. I will have a chance to love Oberyn, but if I don't, in Dorne, they will let me live as I please."

Ned looked at her now, even if her eyes were focused in on her hands. "Could you ever love Oberyn?"

"I don't know yet," she looked up at Ned, "but I'm damn sure going to try."

Rickard Stark was by no means a gentle man. He could be plenty kind when he wished to be, but even in his kindest moments there was an ever-present stern expression on his face. It was that expression which looked down on Lyanna now, making it impossible for her to tell how he was feeling.

"Father," she greeted him on the steps of Winterfell with her most innocent expression. They had only just arrived home, and her brothers stood waiting behind Rickard. Now was certainly not the time to start any deep conversations.

"Daughter," Rickard responded with a curt nod, "we need to speak about your impending betrothal."

"Of course," Lyanna's eyes fell to her feet. She'd been hoping to let the situation with Ned calm down a little before anything happened, but clearly that was not to be.

Rickard took Lyanna's arm and guided her up the steps. "I will see you three at dinner. Perhaps you might assist Maester Walys in ordering new stocks?" Without any further direction he led his daughter towards the library. "How was your journey home?" He asked as they walked.

"Well enough. I do regret stealing Brandon away from Catelyn so quickly. They barely even spoke before we left." Lyanna felt her shoulders ease slightly as they distanced themselves from her brothers. At least she would not have to worry about Ned overhearing something he did not like.

"I didn't receive any letters from you," Rickard pointed out.

Lyanna sighed, "I know. I'm terribly sorry. Things were very busy. Lord Robert was quite set on showing us every inch of the Stormlands it would seem."

Rickard chuckled, a quite deep sound that never quite reached his eyes, "Shame it was all for not." He opened the door for her and followed her into the library. "Benjen found the time to write, on occasion. I imagine Robert spoke with him the least, knowing your brother and hoping for your hand."

"Yes," Lyanna agreed as she took a seat at a table her father often used as a desk, "I don't think Benjen minded much. He liked exploring on his own more than following Robert around all day."

"And you?" Rickard finally got to his point. "You read the letter I sent with my own. Was Benjen right in conveying your displeasure with the place?"

Lyanna thought for a moment on how she could best convey her meaning, "I was not particularly wooed by Storm's End, but it was the company I found even more disagreeable." There was a fine line, in Lyanna's mind, between giving Robert the proper respect of his title and speaking honestly enough that she would not damage the positive position she had landed herself in.

"I see," Rickard nodded, pondering her words. "I gathered from Benjen that Robert Baratheon is not as kind to his women as he is to your brother."

"He's a good warrior," Lyanna defended. The last thing she wanted was to destroy her relationship with Ned further by over-insulting his friend. "He's a good friend to Ned as well."

"True enough, he is, but good warriors and good friends do not always make good husbands and good leaders." Reaching across the table, he placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder, trying his best to give her a comforting look. "Lyanna, you can always be honest with me about your feelings. I wished to join our house with House Baratheon, but if I knew it displeased you so much I would never have pushed it on you in such a way. My only regret for the situation is that it was Benjen who had to open my blind eyes."

Lyanna did her best to hide her shock. That was certainly not the reaction she had been anticipating from her father. Rickard Stark was a battle-hardened warrior more than anything else. The idea of him allowing her a chance at happiness rather than going for the immediately stronger option was shocking. "Thank you, father. I am sorry I did not come to you immediately. I did not want to go against your wishes."

"My wishes are no matter anymore. Soon enough you will be gone from Winterfell, and then the only decisions which will matter are those of your husband." Rickard sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Which is why we need to speak of your betrothal."

"Of course," Lyanna chewed nervously on her bottom lip. Her father was the only person in the world who had the ability to consistently rattle her nerves.

Rickard eyed his daughter's expression as he spoke. "I received word from Doran Martell earlier this morning. It appears he wishes his brother's wedding to take place as soon as possible. You are just now coming of age to marry, but Oberyn has been putting this off for several years already. Doran needs Oberyn to marry quickly to help cement his new position as leader of Dorne."

"Of course," Lyanna agreed, passively taking in her father's words.

"That said," Rickard smirked. For a moment Lyanna was thrown off balance. She had never seen that sort of expression on her father. She would sooner expect him to walk into the study and declare that he, himself, was remarrying to Lord Roose Bolton than she would expect him to smirk at her. "It would appear," he continued, unhearing of her train of thought, "that you made quite the impression on the younger prince of Dorne."

"Why would you say that?" Lyanna's tone was highly suspicious, more of his expression than his words, though those were suspicious too.

"Because as we speak Prince Oberyn is leaving Storm's End with Princess Elia and a party from House Baratheon. He is on his way to Winterfell and will arrive by month's end, and Prince Doran will not be far behind. He is leaving Sunspear for here with a party of nobles of Dorne at the week's end. In two months both parties will arrive, as well as parties from nearly all of the seven kingdoms and every noble house of the north." Rickard Stark had never looked so smug in his life.

"And why on earth are they all doing such a thing?!" Lyanna was shocked to her feet by the news.

Rickard rolled his eyes as if his daughter was asking him the answer to the most obvious question in the world. "Prince Oberyn has insisted that the wedding take place here, in the godswood." Leisurely getting to his feet, Rickard stepped towards the door, "There is no godswood in Dorne, and Prince Oberyn would not see fit to rip you from ours without allowing you one last meaningful moment with the old gods." Rickard left Lyanna to stew over his words.

Lyanna needed to stew as well. She had gathered from their late night ride that Oberyn could be a kind man when he chose to be, but she had no idea that he would allow her such a liberty. It truly was a liberty, as well. Letting her ride or train with weapons or make her own decisions while in marriage was a great kindness, but giving up his own religion on one of the most influential days of their lives… That was something else, and Lyanna wasn't quite sure what.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! If all goes according to plan you won't be hearing from Lyanna for a while, sorry.

And by that I mean I think the next chapter will be from Oberyn's perspective... More because I miss him than anything else. I just want more Oberyn.

So yeah. I think that chapter answered some of your questions, but a lot of your questions (especially Robert related) will be answered in the next three chapters.

Don't hold me to any of this. This is just my rough estimate/idea of what's going on. Sometimes I'm just as clueless as y'all.