AN: So, I've finished the next chapter. It's Alyssa's POV and storylines will drift apart from now on.

Nearly a week had passed since the visit of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife and moods had been bad ever since. Alyssa could understand why.

Her mother was shocked by Jon's reaction and scared of the consequences. After revealing the truth to him she had had no chance to speak to him again because he had refused to see her. So, she had travelled to Winterfell in vain.

Aegon had not said a word since then and her father was ignoring the situation completely. It was obvious that aside from Jon's reaction something had happened between the two and Alyssa did not like it at all. The last few days she had not attempted to mend their dispute, but it started getting on her nerves. There was nothing more boring than travelling with no one to talk to. Talking to her mother was useless while she was still in shock and her father would not talk to her anyways, that left either Ser Arthur, who had most likely found out what had happened by now, or her brother. The latter was easier to handle even though he was not talking at all.

Alyssa looked around and saw Aegon riding directly behind her. She let him catch up.

"What's wrong with you?" He did not even bother to look at her. "Would you answer, please?" As she did not receive an answer, she made him stop.

"I have no interest in your childish games, Alyssa. Cut it out and find someone else to bother!" Never before had he been so harsh towards her. Whatever the reason of his bad mood, it was something serious.

"I don't want to bother you. I want to help you. There is something troubling you and it seems everyone knows except me." He turned his head and his indigo eyes stared into her own. His mouth moved without making a sound clearly forming the word later. She nodded and they continued their travel north in silence.

Their traveling party rode until the sky started to turn dark before making camp. Alyssa waited patiently for her brother to meet with her. It took some time, but he came. She made herself comfortable and invited him to do the same. He shook his head.

"I'd rather not sit down." He paused. "What do you want to know?"

"The reason why you had a fight with our father. And don't tell me that you didn't have one. The way he is brooding all day is not normal behavior even for him."

"I told him that I don't want to be his heir. He didn't take it well!" As if he would. You are his firstborn son, you idiot!

"Why?"

"You!" That was all he said. He could not even look at her. She did not understand. How could she be the reason he no longer wanted the throne? As they both remained silent, she started to think about it, but to no avail. She had not the slightest idea. "Who would support me with you by my side? I would just be another madman for the people."

Then it dawned on her. She had always thought that he meant what he said when he had told her that he was not interested in her. What a stupid girl I am!

"Giving up your claim was not what made you fight. You told him about us?" Not that there had ever been an us before.

"Yes, I told him. He said it is my duty, not Jon's, to be his heir and I would be wise to choose it before love." He closed his eyes. "What a hypocrite to tell me that, after he completely abandoned duty for love in the past! That's why we fought."

He had a duty to the Old Gods as well! He chose that one over the other.

"Why should we care what people think about us? Our ancestors have married each other for centuries!" She could not understand why he was so against it.

"Aye and the outcome was always disastrous. The problem is that I'll heed his advice, Alyssa. Should Jon not overthink his decision to join the Night's Watch, I'll do my duty even if I must give you up for it. It's not what I want but it's the right thing to do." His voice broke. He must have thought about that the past few days. Alyssa tried to blink back the tears that filled her eyes. His words cut deep, and they were breaking her heart. She had not expected him to reject her after saying that he wanted her just a few minutes ago.

"So, that's it?" She sniffed. "Then let's hope you will be happy with your crown! In case you get it back to begin with!"

Without saying another word, he nodded and left her tent. She could glimpse a single tear running down his cheek.

He was the only thing she had ever wanted and now she would lose him. All because of the decisions of another brother she did not even know. Jon. The encounter with him had left her mother in tears. It made Alyssa angry and ashamed of herself. It was wrong of her to be angry with him for not changing his mind. It was understandable. He had been lied to his whole life and he had been treated badly because of it. Alyssa had no right to judge him. Their parents had abandoned him and started a new life across the Narrow Sea. That must hurt. The tears she held back before now flowed freely.

Suddenly, she realized, that she would have to stay close to Aegon despite his rejection and that was something impossible to do. It was like torture and there was a way to escape all that. She would run.

Alyssa wiped off the tears with her sleeve and carefully made a plan. By nightfall she would take a horse and ride south towards Winterfell. The Usurper was most likely there already and no one would try to find her there because of him. It was dangerous, but the Starks were good people and they were family too. She took a deep breath and sneaked out of her tent to one of the wagons. It took some time until she found what she was looking for, but she did and sneaked back without anyone noticing her. In her hands she held a jar filled with a dark brown paste. Dye to hide her silver hair and her identity with it. Her uncle would know her but for the others she would think of a story while she was on her way.

It was not long until the sun disappeared behind the large ironwood trees. By then Alyssa had already rubbed the paste in her hair. It had now nearly the same color as her mother's, a shiny dark brown that let her look like a northerner. She had Lyanna's face after all. The purple eyes she could not hide, but that trait was not too uncommon in Essos. She nodded towards her reflection in the looking glass and left the tent. There were guards posted in a circle outside the camp, but the horses were currently unguarded.

Today is my lucky day!, Alyssa thought and sneaked through the camp. She saddled her mare and put her most beloved belongings into the saddle bags before she mounted the horse.

"I thought we had taught you better then to leave in the middle of the night without saying goodbye!" someone said from behind. It was her father's voice. She turned in the saddle and watched him. "I will not stop you, Alyssa. If this is what you want, then do it, but at least tell someone."

Alyssa felt guilty instantly. She had not thought about her family at all. Of what they would think when she was suddenly gone.

"I'm sorry, but she would have never let me go! There was no other way!" He walked over and in an instant Alyssa dismounted and wrapped her arms around his middle. He held her for a moment and murmured some words in her hair she could not understand.

"The way south is dangerous! Be swift, Alyssa and don't hesitate. Don't stop until you reach your destination and take this!" He pressed something in her hand. A dagger. It was beautifully crafted the hilt and scabbard decorated with rubies of different sizes. The blade was dark as smoke.

"That's Valyrian steel! Where —"

"I wanted to give it to you on your next name day. The dagger fell into my hands a few months ago and I commissioned a new hilt. I thought you would like it and it is easier to hide than a sword." She pressed it to her chest and nodded thankfully. "Those rubies once decorated my armor a long time ago. I hope you'll never have to use this! Be safe, Alyssa!" He kissed her on the forehead and lifted her onto the horse. She swallowed and put the dagger in one of the saddle bags before riding off into the darkness. She wondered why her father let her go alone.

It took Alyssa a few days to arrive at Winterfell. When she left the woods, she could see the ancient castle on the horizon. It was a massive building of grey stone surrounded by two thick granite walls. The walls alone were about a hundred feet high. It was impressive.

My mother's ancestral home! Alyssa imagined how it must have been growing up here. Winterfell was huge and the surrounding landscape beautiful. She liked it, but it was still summer and in winter, she believed, life must be hard with the harsh weather and snow.

Nearing the castle's North Gate, she spurred her horse into a fast trot. There were guards watching her arrival and they kept her from entering.

"State your name and business in Winterfell, m'lady!" one of them told her.

"Alyssa Maenyreos. I wish for an audience with the castle's lord." She had used the name of one of her friends, the daughter of a petty but wealthy merchant in Lys, she had met while selling wares with Aegon.

"Our lord is busy with preparations. He has no time to deal with foreign children, girl!"

"Then call for someone else, please! I've come a long way and I'm tired. My father is a merchant who trades grain with Lord Stark." Why were those guards so stubborn? What danger could a girl of thirteen pose? She was unarmed with her dagger still packed away in the saddle bags.

"Who is this, Desmond?" Someone asked from the inside.

"Lord Robb!" The two guardsmen bowed. "A girl who wants to speak to Lord Stark. A foreigner."

Alyssa watched the newcomer. It was a young man not much younger than Aegon with auburn hair and kind eyes. Her cousin Robb. She dismounted and dropped into a quick curtsey.

"She may come in. My father won't want such a young girl to wander around alone. Please come in, mylady." He smiled at her and offered one arm. A stable boy ran over to take her horse to the stables. "I'll escort you to my father's solar. He should already be awake."

"Thank you, mylord. I am most grateful for your help."

"Are you highborn, mylady? The way you speak—"

She smiled. "I'm from Essos. The concept does not really exist in the Free Cities, but my family is wealthy, and I was granted a proper education."

They entered the keep through a big wooden door. Robb led her upstairs and after a few minutes they reached a room that was most likely Lord Stark's solar. Robb knocked and opened the door after a moment.

"Father, there is a guest who wants to see you."

Alyssa could not hear the answer, but she was escorted inside. Lord Stark was sitting behind a large desk made from dark oak wood, a letter in hand. He looked up and it took him a moment to recognize her. His eyes went a little wider and he signaled Robb to leave. When the door was closed again and they could no longer hear Robb's footsteps on the stone, he stood up and inspected her head to toe.

"By the gods, why are you here, my princess?" He bowed and she turned red in embarrassment.

"Alyssa, please. I'm not really a princess." Nobody had called her princess in years. When she was younger, her father had often said 'My little princess' in High Valyrian while patting her head. She had liked it, but he had always looked sad. "I ran away from the camp!"

"For what reason? This place will soon be very dangerous for you!"

She could not tell him that she had acted like a spoiled child after being denied the things she had wanted. But now that she was thinking about it, there were a million other reasons why she had made the decision. Her life in Essos had always been dangerous. Her close resemblance in appearance and age to her aunt Daenerys had been problematic. People were looking for her and that had led to the assassin dilemma a few months ago. She was tired of those events and nobody would expect a Targaryen living in the Stark household. Winterfell was safer for her than Essos had ever been even with the usurper visiting. He most likely did not know of her existence and as long as she kept her hair dark nobody would even look at her.

"I lived my whole life in fear of people finding out who I really am. There is no save place for me as long as Princess Daenerys is hunted. It seems those men easily take me for her. At least that king of yours would not expect me here and I dyed my hair."

He nodded. "My wife won't be happy. It's dangerous, but I won't send you away. Maybe one day you believe me trustworthy enough to tell me the whole story, but I understand. I would not want my children to wander around alone. The same goes for my sister's children!" He walked over to stand in front of her. "I hope someone in your camp knows where you are. When your mother suddenly went missing it started a war!"

Alyssa nodded. "Father knows. Thank you, Lord Stark for allowing me to stay here despite the dangers my presence here poses to your family. I'm aware of it, but I know no other place to go to. I'm in your debt!"

"I'm your uncle, Alyssa. You can call me by my name. I'll call for a servant now who will show you to your rooms. You can break your fast with us after unpacking."

A servant girl brought her to a room deep inside the castle. These were no guest rooms. As if he would put me in the guest rooms with the usurper arriving. Too risky! Her chambers were small but comfortable with a large bed, a desk and a large dresser. From the window Alyssa could see the godswood. Someone had already brought up her saddle bags and so she started unpacking. It was a quick affair for she had had no time to pack much in her rushed departure. Her few dresses went into the dresser together with her second set of riding garbs and the Valyrian steel dagger under her pillow. She would not have need of it here. A sudden scratching at her door let her stop. She turned around and walked over to the door, opening it a little. There was no one outside, but she could feel something soft at her legs. When Alyssa looked down, she saw white fur and took a step back in surprise. A wolf pup? She watched the pup rubbing its head at her leg. On instinct Alyssa started to pet the wolf. Its fur was incredibly soft.

"Ghost? Where have you gone off this time? Come here, boy!"

AN: Not the best chapter in the world, but I posted it anyways. It will most likely change a little, but I want to continue with the story first instead of being stuck with those chapters I personally don't like much :D Hope you guys liked it.