Snow Falls Hot

1

"Lady Stark, your son is—"

A very young Robb Stark ran into the bed chamber before the maid could finish her sentence.

"Mother—" Robb stopped as he watched Enith and Catelyn Stark scramble to hide what they were doing.

"Enith?"

Catelyn Stark grabbed a young five year old Robb. "You must swear to not tell anyone what you saw, Robb. On Enith's life it is important you never say a word."

That was the day Robb Stark learned Enith Snow was not a Snow, not his father's second bastard child along with his brother Jon. That the honorable Ned Stark didn't sleep with the two whores at a brothel one night when they had one a major battle and ended up getting them both pregnant like he said he did— one of the women having darker skin than they were used to seeing in Westeros.

That was the day Robb learned the two bastards didn't share the same name day, Enith was born several months— almost an entire year before Jon. She wasn't even a Northerner. She was a Targaryen. The last surviving Targaryen, only living daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen and a woman that no one knew if she was still alive. Rhaegar knew his fate was sealed when the rebellion of Robert Baratheon started over Lyanna Stark. He could do nothing for Elia and his other children but he went back for Enith. She was hidden away in the Tower of Joy where Rhaegar was keeping Lyanna Stark.

At his dying sister's command, Ned didn't harm the child but took her with him. A raven was sent to Rhaegar's last known relative, Maester Aemon at the Wall. The Wall was no place for a child. Castle Black couldn't take care of a baby. So it was agreed between him, his wife, and Master Aemon that since a babe was not responsible for the acts of her father— Rhaegar never even earned a chance to rule the Seven Kingdoms, Enith would be raised as Ned's second bastard.

No one could understand how Catelyn had love for one bastard but couldn't bring herself to love Jon. Winterfell assumed it was because until Sansa, Enith was the only girl. The only problem the Starks ever had was the blonde hair, undeniably Targaryen. It was fine when she was a toddler, but as the girl reached true childhood questions would be asked. Maester Luwin scoured the books of Winterfell, any knowledge he had from the Citadel to find a solution. The strong dyes for their cloths, the only thing that could stain the Targaryen hair and keep it stained for good.

"What are you doing to her hair?" Robb asked. He watched as Enith's blonde hair turned into the famous Stark black color.

                                                                                         ~~~~

Septa Mordane smiled at Enith's finished needlepoint. She was dismissed leaving a happy Sansa and very annoyed Arya to continue their work. She walked through the courtyard of Winterfell until she found the Stark boys. Robb gave her a smile as she approached. The two of them were practically twins, two sides of the same coin. The only person Robb could never beat was Jon— Enith and Robb might have shared her secret but she and Jon had the bond of bastard children. Especially with how Catelyn treated him, Jon needed someone growing up that was always on his side whether he was right or not. Enith sat on top of a barrel, letting little Rickon sit on her lap, as they watched Bran practice archery. Jon and Robb laughed when Bran missed; Enith tried to hide her snickering behind Rickon.

"Go on, Bran. Father's watching," Jon encouraged. "And your mother."

This time Enith didn't laugh when Bran missed, she could see how he was becoming increasingly frustrated. Robb and Jon made no attempts to hide their amusement. Enith reached over Jon to hit Robb for laughing— an indignant look crossed his face as he realized she didn't scold Jon for doing the same.