First off, thank you for clicking on my story! I only recently watched an episode of Game of Thrones, and of course I fell in love with it. I've seen season one and season two very recently (as recently, I mean I had a season two marathon on Sunday and spent the entire day watching it). I'm going to try my best to keep things the way they would be in the show, but by all means, let me know if I happened to mess something up. It's the only way I'll be able to fix it, so go for it!

I didn't mean for this chapter to get so long, but it seemed that once I started writing, I couldn't stop. The rating for now is T, but if you've read my writing before, you know that it's going to eventually become M, as I'm very fond of writing smut.

I'd love to hear from you guys in a review or PM, so please feel more than free to drop me a few. Anyways, I'll let you guys get to the story now. Enjoy, and please remember to drop a review!

Everyone seemed to serve a purpose. Everyone, it seemed, but her. She could see herself, wandering around the streets surrounding the castle aimlessly. Searching for something but never finding it. Sometimes she feared she would live the rest of her days in such a way. The thought alone shattered her heart into a million pieces.

She had no more blood relatives. No, she had lost her final one some years back as he protected the man he had sworn his life to, Lord Stark. She had never cursed her father for taking the oath that would cost him his life. He had a purpose, even if it were to lay down his life so the good Lord could live. She had never met a stronger, more determined man than her father, may the Gods bless his soul. Until he had taken his final breath in battle, her sole purpose was to prove to her father that his only offspring being born a girl was a blessing and not the curse that she had always felt she was.

Her father was a kind man, as kind to her as any father could be to his only child. But beneath the love that lurked in his dark eyes, she had always felt that her existence had let him down. His wife should've bore him a son, not a daughter that constantly reminded him of the love that he had lost during childbirth.

She had no blood relatives, it was true. But still, in the loss of the man who had given her life, she had found a new family, the Starks.

She could tell with just a glance into Ned's eyes that he had never forgiven himself for letting his good friend and guardian die. When her father died, so did a part of Lord Stark. He had let his old friend down, unable to protect him from the darkness that consumed him as he took his final breath. When her father died, he hadn't only left hundreds of people who adored him grieving in the aftermath, but he had left behind a young girl, motherless and now fatherless, in a world that would've eaten her alive without the guidance and protection she needed to survive.

It was then that Lord Stark had stepped in, claiming the small, heartbroken girl as one of his own. And he had never looked back. He and Lady Stark may not have brought the child into the world, but he loved and protected her as he did every one of his children. As it had been her father's sworn duty to protect the Lord and his family, Ned had declared it his duty to do the same and raise the orphan as though she were one of his own.

It was something Gwynne would never forget. And though Lord Stark constantly told her otherwise, she would owe both him and his wife until her dying day.

"Gwynne! There you are!"

A voice behind her snapped her away from the thoughts that had consumed her and sent her into a powerful trance. She turned away from the busy streets before her, glancing over her shoulder to watch as Robb came jogging towards her.

A warm smile spread across her lips as he approached, his auburn curls bouncing until he came to a stop in front of her. She studied his features, noticing the sweat that gathered over the skin of his forehead. He leaned over, slapping his hands on his knees as he panted for air.

She couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him. "Where did you come running from, Lord Stark?"

He looked up at her, squinting as the powerful light from the sun warmed his face. "Lord Stark? Did you really just call me Lord Stark again, Gwynne? Really, how many years has it been now since you've lived with us, since you've become like a sister to me? And you still feel the need to call me that?"

Gwynne turned her back to the bustle of the streets, leaning back against the wooden rail she had been resting against. "Are you not a Lord? One day, will you not take over his wonderful kingdom and have people bow at your feet?"

"One day, maybe, but not today, my dear Gwynne." Robb smirked, standing up straight and resting a hand on the handle of his sword.

Alright, she knew how weird it was to always be so proper towards the young men and women she had grown up with, but she couldn't help it. Her father had always told her to respect people, no matter if their status were higher or lower than hers. It was one of the few memories she still carried with her of her father. She had grown into a young woman with Robb by her side. She had spilled her secrets to him about the boy who worked in the stables and how cute she had thought he was, had spent countless nights crying in his arms whenever she had a nightmare about her father's final moments. But still, one day, he was to take control of this beautiful land. One day, he would take the place of Lord Stark and she had to show respect to him, no matter how close they had become.

"I've been looking all over for you."

Gwynne raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And why is that?"

"Come, I want to show you something." Robb said, reaching out and grabbing a hold of her wrist.

Gwynne couldn't help the laugh that slipped through her lips as she ran behind him, following him carefully as he dodged the people passing in the streets. "Where are you taking me, Lord Stark?"

Robb shot a look over his shoulder, his smile as bright as ever. "You'll see!"

Gwynne had lived here all her life, had wandered across all the land, but she had still to get used to how extravagantly large the land was. Every time she spent time with Robb and his half brother, they always seemed to find a way to show her something new, somewhere she had never been before. Everyday seemed to be an adventure with those two around.

They came to a slow stop, Robb still holding onto her wrist as she came up behind him. She saw Jon standing there, his back turned to them as he stared off into the distance. When he heard the rustling of leaves behind him, Jon glanced over his shoulder, his eyes falling instantly on Gwynne. He smiled at her and cocked his head towards where he had been staring.

Gwynne's hand fell to her side when Robb finally let go of her warm skin. He took a stand beside Jon while Gwynne came to a stop on the other side of him.

"She's beautiful." Gwynne practically gasped.

Jon's smile widened, threatening to consume the rest of his young features as he nodded his head in agreement. "She is. We thought of you the moment we saw her grazing in the field."

The trio stood in silence as they watched the horse stomp its hoof, its head bouncing up and down as she continued to munch on the grass beneath her. She was the most gorgeous creature Gwynne had ever laid eyes on. A snow white mane, blowing across her long, thick neck as a warm breeze blew past the field she stood in. Her body was just as pure, untouched by any colour that didn't resemble the snow that would soon cover the land around them.

"So, do you still believe that a virgin can tame a wild horse?" Robb grinned evilly, leaning forward so he could watch Gwynne's features drop.

"I don't know, why don't you go test it out, Robb?"

Jon burst out laughing, his eyes falling to his half brother as Robb's smile quickly faded.

"Oh, shut up, Jon. Like you're one to talk." Robb grunted, turning back to the horse that trotted around in front of them.

"I wonder…" Gwynne began, her voice almost too low for the brothers to hear. She took a step forward, slowly, steadily, as she left the brothers behind.

"Gwynne, I was only kidding. Look at the size of that thing, she'll eat you alive."

Gwynne looked back at the young men, her features calm as she continued towards a beast that could very well kill her if it felt threatened. "Nothing will hurt me when you two are around."

The brothers stood in silence, each with a hand on the handle of their sword, as they watched her make her way towards the wild beast. Her dress flowed in the wind behind her, a trail of pale blue fabric rising into the warm air.

Robb lifted his arms, crossing them over his broad chest, his eyes never once leaving the girl in front of him. He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head slightly. "She's beautiful."

Jon watched his brother from the corner of his eye, nodding in agreement. "Aye. That she is."

No further words had to be spoken on the subject. They both knew that neither one of them were talking about the horse any longer.

"You let her walk up to a wild horse? Have you gone completely crazy?" Lady Stark fumed at the story as the family ate dinner together. "I would never expect that sort of brazen behaviour from you, Robb!"

Gwynne saw Jon's body tense from the corner of her eye and couldn't help the knot that grew in her stomach. She didn't expect that kind of behaviour from Robb, but of course it was nothing new to come from Jon. Gwynne heard Robb explain himself further, how they had been right there the entire time, how they wouldn't have let anything bad happen to Gwynne, but eventually she found his voice fading as she focused on Jon at the end of the table, tucked away from the rest of them as he always was.

Turning her head slightly, she watched him as he pushed around the food in his plate; his head hung low, his hair hanging over his features to hide the hurt of Lady Stark's words.

She had never fully understood the way Lady Stark despised Jon. When she was a child, growing up beside the young boy, she was baffled at how Lady Stark would hold her and kiss her all over while she glared at the boy sitting in the corner by himself. It had taken her many years to fully understand the meaning behind Lady Stark's hatred.

Her husband had strayed. He broke his vows to her and as a result, Jon was born. Somehow, overtime, Lady Stark had found it in herself to forgive her husband's one indiscretion. Unfortunately, even after these years she had failed to do the same with Jon. She still despised him, the constant reminder of her husband's unfaithfulness.

But it was out of Cat's disgust and hatred for Jon's existence that a friendship formed between them like no other. When Gwynne had first begun living with the Starks, she was five and she was absolutely terrified. Everyone seemed to tower over her, so powerful and intimidating and there she was, shy, quiet, and distant from them all. She had barely said a word to anyone the first few years she lived within the walls of their castle.

She didn't remember much from that time, just a few sentences from her father here and there, and Jon. When Lady Stark broke Jon's heart for the first of many times, she had also broken Gwynne's. She would never forget hearing the sniffles coming from the room furthest away from the Stark family, the room that had become Jon's safe haven from Lady Stark's hatred.

She crept into the dark room one night, awoken somehow by his sniffles. She found him sitting in the corner of the room, his knees pulled into his chest and his head buried in his arms as he wept. She crawled by his side, cuddled against his body, and fell asleep on his shoulder, trying to give him as much comfort as a small child could.

It was from that moment on that Jon had reserved a spot in her heart that no one could touch.

Jon lifted up his head, just barely, his eyes rising to meet Gwynne's, as if he knew her eyes had been on him the entire time. As though he could read her mind and remember the times in his life that he had tried so desperately to block out over the years. He half smiled, the best that he could muster up at the moment. It was a silent action that assured her that he was fine despite what was being said about him at the dining table.

Gwynne returned a small smile, her heart aching for the young man everyone referred to as a bastard.

"Gwynne, did it hurt you at all?"

Gwynne's head snapped back to the only mother she had ever known and quickly shook her head. "No, Lady Stark. I just wanted to see if I could tame her."

"And?" Ned asked in a gruff voice.

"And…" Gwynne took a moment to fumble with the right words when Robb quickly finished the sentence for her.

"And she's got a long way to go." He pointed out before bursting into laughter.

Smiles spread across everyone's face, laughter soon filling the room. Laughter and smiles from everyone but Jon as he continued to stare at the young girl that seemed to be more of a part of his family than himself.

"You shouldn't let her bother you so much." The sudden words startled Jon, who had stepped outside of the castle walls to enjoy the crisp air of the night alone. He kept his back turned to Gwynne, listening to her step closer to him.

"How did you know I was here?" Jon finally spoke, his voice hoarse and his throat dry.

Gwynne wrapped her arms around herself as an attempt to of keep her shivering body warm for just a little bit longer. She wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight if she hadn't at least checked up on him, just to make sure he was okay.

She smiled sweetly, and though he couldn't see it, he could hear it in her voice. "I suppose I just know you far too well, Jon."

Jon hung his head, taking in a deep breath as his fingernails dug into the stone railing in front of him. She could tell at dinner that he had been upset. It shouldn't have surprised him to think that she would come out here looking for him. How many times had she found him out here when they were kids, crying and distraught, not understanding why Lady Stark hated him so fiercely?

"I suppose you do." He whispered as she finally came up beside him.

With one hand resting on the stones beside her, Gwynne shifted her body so she was facing Jon. She brought her other hand up, resting it on his arm in an attempt to provide him some sort of comfort. She tilted her head up so she could look at his worn features, his dark eyes heavy with sadness.

"You have to understand why she's so upset all the time. She's just taking it out on the wrong person. I love Lord Stark, he's raised me as though he's the one who brought me into the world, but he made a mistake."

Having grown uncomfortable with the subject, Jon let out a sharp breath and pulled away from Gwynne's touch, turning his back to her. He didn't need this. He came here to be alone, to calm his racing thoughts, not to hear words he's heard all his life.

"That doesn't make you any less of a person than the rest of us, Jon. You're strong, kind, and brave, and you're going to be someone someday. I know this must be hard for you, but one day you'll look back on these days and realize that it only made you stronger."

Jon didn't say anything in response. He couldn't. He had nothing to say. He wished with everything inside of him that she was right. That one day he would look back and thank Lady Stark for treating him the way she did, for making him stronger every day she glared at him with nothing but hatred lurking in her eyes. In ten years, it might be easier to accept, but right now, having to deal with it every day of his life, it was exhausting.

Gwynne stepped forward again, wrapping her arms around Jon's waist as she pressed her body against his. She felt him flinch, his muscles tense under her soft touch, as she rested her cheek against his strong back. Her lips curved into a smile, and he swore he could've felt it through the shirt that separated them.

"I promise you, Jon, you're going to be fine. Just don't give up." She spoke in a hushed voice, barely a whisper, but the cool breeze that passed by them drifted the words to his ears.

"I don't even want to know what's going on out here."

Gwynne took a step away from Jon the moment she heard Robb's voice break the silence that surrounded them. Both her and Jon turned to see Robb standing a few feet away from them, his arms crossed over his chest as he cocked an eyebrow in their direction.

"Jon, you've got it all wrong. If you want to touch a girl, you should probably turn around to face her."

"What do you want, Robb?" Jon snapped. This was definitely not what he had come out here for.

"I want to tell both of you how inappropriate being out here this late and by yourselves is. Gwynne, if you're going to sneak out of your room in the middle of the night, you might want to make less noise next time."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to make sure Jon was alright."

Robb eyed them curiously as he began to wonder what exactly he had interrupted. Maybe he should have hung back longer and waited to see if his brother would finally make a move on the girl he knew they both wanted. Instead, he laughed off the situation in front of him and smiled at the two of them. "If you want to make sure he's alright, perhaps next time you should pay him a visit in his bed. That'll get a man's attention, for sure."

Gwynne ignored Robb's comment and reached out to grab a steady hold of Jon's arm, tugging him toward his half brother. "Come on, Jon, it's late. We'd better get back to our rooms before someone realizes we're all missing and all hell breaks loose."

Jon remained silent the entire way back to the castle as he walked alongside the brother whose shadow he had fallen into and the only ray of hope in his meaningless life.

And that's the first chapter, everyone! What did everyone think so far? Definitely let me know. Also, feel free to let me know of any and all mistakes I may have made throughout this chapter in regards to Game of Thrones. That way I can make sure I don't do them again. I know there aren't a lot of reviews that go around nowadays, but try and leave one. I'd absolutely love to know what people have to say about this!

Thanks for reading everyone!