Greetings, dear readers! Thank you for stopping by to read this story. I have been a longtime fan of the HBO series "Game of Thrones," but never really was inspired to create a story for it. While I have trouble reading the book material due to not always enjoying GRRM's writing style (I haven't tried anything past the first book), I do enjoy researching different characters from the world of Westeros that are long dead when the series begins or are never mentioned except in the source material. The story of Ashara Dayne I've always found to be tragic, as well as the death of her brother, Ser Arthur Dayne.

I started reading more into the Tourney of Harrenhall and Ser Barristan Selmy's account of how Ashara was dishonored by a man there. There are some theories floating around as to who this was and I am more of the opinion it might have been the Wild Wolf, Brandon Stark. I theorize that Ned was quite taken with Ashara and while his brother was not free to wed her, Ned would have taken up the responsibility and offered himself as a husband for the lady. However, Lyanna's abduction changed everything.

Selmy talked about how Ashara gave birth to a stillborn daughter and she committed suicide in part due to grief for her lost child. This is a story based on the premise that the child lived, but was weak and believed to die within her first year of life. Ashara could have easily struggled with post-partum depression, and the death of her brother Arthur at the hands of the man she may have come to love was enough to bring about her suicide.

Blaming himself, Ned asked to be allowed to raise Ashara's daughter as his own as was supposed to happen and brings the child back with him to Winterfell along with a newborn Jon Snow. From there, the story progresses.

Please note: There will be some explicit smut scenes here and there, although most such activities will be hinted at throughout the story instead. This is meant to be a drama and romance with a heavy dose of the importance of family. The smut is not the main focus of the plot. Also, this is heavily a show inspired story, but some elements from the books may come into play.

For any previous readers of my work stopping by, I am working on revising and completing previously posted chapters of my other stories. You can thank a rude anonymous reviewer telling me to kill myself. He/she pissed me off so much I decided to start writing again. Those will hopefully be out soon as well.

Now, please sit back and enjoy the ride as we follow the story of Brielle Snow, bastard child of Ashara Dayne and Brandon Stark.

General Disclaimer: All rights belong to HBO and George RR Martin. I make no profit from this story. All OCs are my creative children.

Prologue

For as long as Brielle could remember, she had a very clear understanding that life was not fair.

By the age of five, she understood she was a bastard and that both her mother and father were long gone from the world of the living. Her uncle could not love her as openly as he wished and his wife, the Lady Stark, scorned Brielle for being a reminder that her former betrothed was not as honorable as she'd once believed.

As time went on, the stigma of her birth became more apparent as those among the good society of Westeros made it very clear they would never stop looking down upon her. Nor would she ever be an acceptable match for marrying into a powerful house to create an alliance that would strengthen her father's family. There was a chance her mother's people of Dorne would provide better luck for a brighter future, but Brielle never held on to much hope for that.

Then, not long after her return from spending a few years in Dorne living with those who remained of House Dayne, life reminded Brielle just how unfair and cruel it could be. Her uncle, Lord Eddard Stark, had petitioned to his childhood friend, King Robert Baratheon, to make Brielle legitimate. He desired for the name Snow to be cast aside for that of Stark. The king had agreed and her uncle presented the decree to Brielle on her fourteenth nameday. She could see how happy he was by the proclamation. After all, had Brandon Stark not been killed by the Mad King she never would have bared the burden of being a bastard. She would have grown up believing Eddard Stark to be her father should he have been allowed to marry Ashara Dayne as planned. But the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark and the ensuing rebellion changed all of that. Her uncle never spoke of what should have been, but she had learned much in Dorne. Brielle often found herself wishing as the years went on that those plans had come to pass.

However, in the face of the king's decree she was forced to hide her horror to Lord Stark. She couldn't allow him to realize his gift did nothing to bring her joy. Brielle had long ago resigned herself to either a horrible match or never marrying, with the latter seeming much more likely as time went on. So, she had devised a plan for her life. As soon as she was old enough, she would set out from Winterfell, traveling the world as a sellsword. Or perhaps she would find a lord or lady who could appreciate her services. After all, from a young age Brielle had been told how gifted and blessed she was with a sword. It was cause for great astonishment because she was a girl. While living at Starfall, her Aunt Allyria had once remarked how much it was like watching her older brother Arthur fighting in the training yards as a squire.

But these plans were dashed as soon as Brielle became legitimate. She was now a Stark. Incapable of inheriting unless all of her cousins died, but a Stark nonetheless.

Brielle had smiled and thanked her uncle, all the while inside she could only scream and cry. He truly thought he had done her a kindness and by the all rights he had. Therefore, she could never tell him the truth.

Then, her relationship with Jon suffered. Out of the two of them, Jon Snow had always hoped his father would make him a Stark. It was one of the few things he had ever wished for. Instead, Brielle was raised from a bastard while Jon was left to continue on, enduring the never ending scorn of Lady Stark for being of her husband's seed. He had hated Brielle, told her as much in anger and for weeks would neither speak nor look at her. Brielle's heart continued to break and her dismay at the king's decree turned to bitterness.

It wasn't until offers of marriage started to flow in and Brielle's fear at the prospect became visible that Jon started to relent. Slowly their relationship had rebuilt, but it was never truly quite the same. It was no longer the two of them, the Stark bastards, against the rest of the world. Now, they were Brielle Stark and Jon Snow; the dark beauty of the North and the bastard of Winterfell. Life truly was unfair and cruel.

Such ruminations circled Brielle's head as she departed from the Godswood. She had been wandering the wood after some self-reflection amongst the Old Gods when she'd noticed the entrance of her uncle, the Stark family great sword Ice in his hands. He and a group of the men had traveled to deliver justice to a deserter of the Night's Watch. Her cousins, Robb and Jon, had gone along with Lord Stark's ward, Theon Greyjoy. It had been deemed time for young Bran to accompany the riding party as well. Brielle felt nothing but sorrow for the loss of a part of Bran's innocence that day. However, as her uncle had stated before departing when she questioned his decision, Bran would not be a boy forever.

Brielle didn't say a word as she left, leaving Lord Stark to his own contemplation among the trees and the Old Gods. It was his ritual after he was forced to take up the mantle of Warden of the North to deliver the justice of the law. She would never envy her uncle his burden and responsibility.

"Brielle!"

Her head of thick black waves turned toward the sound with curiosity. Bran Stark was running toward her with great excitement. The young woman smiled at her cousin's energy.

"Yes Bran?" she inquired as he drew near.

Immediately her eyes landed on the wriggling mass of fur in the boy's arms. A black eyebrow rose in question.

Bran grinned. "You'll never believe what we found! A female direwolf was killed by a stag she was hunting and her body was lying just a little off the road."

Both of Brielle's eyebrows were now raised, this time in astonishment.

"She really was as big as Old Nan's stories say," Bran continued. "The size of a small pony practically. And then, we found her pups close by. They had no one to look after them and the men thought it best to have the litter killed, but Jon convinced Father to let us keep them instead." He stroked the head of the direwolf pup in his arms as the creature tried to lick his face.

Brielle didn't really know what to say. She could only stare at the creature many believed to be long gone, even beyond the Wall. Without thinking, her right hand started to reach for the pup.

"Can I hold him? Is it a him?" she asked.

"How about you hold your own?"

Both Bran and Brielle turned to look at a smiling Jon Snow, currently holding two direwolf pups in his arms. One was white as freshly fallen snow, the other a light cream with hints of tan and grey throughout the coat. The white pup remained quiet and docile in Jon's arms. However, the cream colored pup was wriggling to get free. Brielle couldn't help but laugh at the little creature's spirit. Jon let the restless pup down, who immediately ran over to the young woman's feet.

The creature sniffed her boots thoroughly, then sat on its haunches and looked up. A beautiful pair of intelligent golden brown eyes stared into her own haunting violet. In that moment, Brielle knew she had a companion for life. She bent down and picked up the now quiet pup. It reached for her face and gently gave a lick on her chin. A loving smile and a scratch behind the ears was the pup's reward.

"So, is it a boy or a girl?" She looked to Jon for an answer.

"There are four males and three females. Seems the last girl chose you," he replied.

Brielle's brow furrowed in thought as she looked down at her direwolf pup. A name was needed, but what would do?

Jon motioned for Brielle and Bran to follow him into the keep to make for the great hall, where the others were likely already starting to gather for the midday meal. As she walked, Brielle continued to think on a name for the pup. She truly was a bright little thing, both in color and intelligence, or so Brielle liked to think after such a short amount of time for the two to become acquainted. The pup let out a large yawn as her mistress walked inside.

Then, the once northern bastard smiled as the perfect name came to mind. She would even be honoring her mother's family with it. "Dawn. You are the bright new dawn, my friend."

Dawn let out a soft yip and licked her mistress' hand, confirming her name was a most excellent choice.