Rightfully Mine // Ned Stark

A bit old no...

'How old are you princess?'

'25' sasha replied smiling up at the snow.

'25? My, isnt that a bit old-' ned nudged Catelyn's arm silencing her. 'I mean why are you not wed? A lovely girl such as yourself?' Catelyn corrected sending a glare in her husbands direction

'Cersei sets marriages up. Father meets them. He vetoes every man she picks.' Sasha told them. 'Im happy being alone. Gives me more time to improve myself and my knowledge without having to worry about children and a husbands wants and needs constantly.' Sasha informed her politely.

'A woman should have-' again ned elbowed her this time shutting her up. Did she forget she was speaking to the princess. Not some lady but The Princess.

'And besides I am on the small council that takes up a lot of time.' Sasha added sensing tension between the starks.

'You're on the council?' Catelyn questioned incredulously.

'Of course I am! Who else would my father trust with such important information. You could think of me as hand to the hand of the King,' she said grinning at them.

'I think that is wonderful, a woman should always be looking for more, wanting more knowledge.' Ned told her. 'Making a difference i wish sansa was more like you and less focused on boys and knittinng.'

'so you and ned will be spending a lot of time together?' Catelyn asked through clenched teeth and forced smile.

'Yes, we shall.' Sasha confirmed a smile on her face, confidently.

'Walk with me princess?' He sent his wife a glare as Sasha took his hand. 'Go tend to the children.' He told catelyn she scoffed but left. 'Princess,'

'Please call me sasha,' she reminded him now that they were alone, he smiled over at her as they walked.

'Sasha. I met you when you were younger, I have to say you have turned out to be quite the amazing woman.' ned told her

'First time I was here,' sasha recalled, 'was when we were visiting your sister. Father was so in love with her. He still misses her.' sasha informed him.

'You were just a spit of thing and i wasnt even a man the first time you can through.' Ned told her

'You used to take me sledding down the back of winterfell,' sasha reminded him and he smiled.

'Yes. Thats right. My arya has your energy you passion for swords play.' Ned told her, 'some days I wonder how she is related to Catelyn.' Ned admitted and sasha bit back a laugh.

'Arya seems wonderful.' Sasha told him.

'I didnt like it at first but then I remembered how you used to play with wooden swords and bow an arrows while you were here. Gods it must have been 20 years ago now. Catelyn hates it, you saw her but that only makes the children want to do what she tells them not to even more.' Ned remarked.

'Which makes you love their rebelliousness even more?' Sasha questioned with a grin. He bit his lip turning his head away from her. It was like she could read his mind.

'Yes.' He admitted after a moment. 'Yes it really does. I love her. Or i did once. But i am loyal to her and our family.'

'You love your wife and even after all this time You are loyal to her. That is an honorable trait to have in a man. I hope to find that one day when, if I marry.' Sasha told him.

'Arya though,' he cleared his throat, the way the princess so easily opened up to him spoke to him like a person and not like lord stark. Even his own wife would call him lord stark more than not and treated him stiffly, always the cold shoulder. Any pleasantries between them was for show. Their marriage had been crumbled since his supposed affair but they tried and tried and tried again to make it work. Catelyn wanted children not love. That was something ned could give her.

'Arya is not so much for the learning though, thats my sansa.' Ned told her.

'Your elder. Sansa seems smitten with my brother,' sasha noted

'Yes it seems so.' Ned agree, his face pinched.

'Hes not good enough for her,' sasha told him stopping him in his tracks

'Hes the prince and your brother-'

'Half brothers complete and total cunt, at least 90% of the time.' sasha informed ned.

'Princess-'

'Ned.' She countered

'Sasha that is not right to say... but tell me more.' Ned confirmed pulling her closer so they wouldn't be heard but also because he wanted to be closer to her.

'My father wants to marry him off, wants our houses bound by blood...' sasha remarked, 'it might be too late but sansa seems like a sweet girl he would break her apart. I know he would. He is a vile and viscous little boy.' Sasha informed him, 'he has his sweet moments but they are usually followed by monstrous actions.'

'Im afraid it is too late. I have already accepted. Sansa is so excited, she begged me to say yes.' he said but his words were distant.

'Then I will just have to Joffrey in line, turn him around, perhaps having you at the capital... a good role model for him would be beneficial.' Sasha told him softly a soft cold hand touching his cheek.

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