Rightfully Mine // Ned Stark

Cats

'Princess.'

'Ned. Good morning.'

'Youre up early.' Ned noted.

'Much to be done and get ready for the new hand,' she informed him.

'Sasha?'

'Yes?'

'I noticed you dont braid your hair like the others at court.' Ned said stupidly

'Thats correct.' Long black locks trailed down her back.

'Why is that?'

'You dont like my hair?' She questioned taking a step forward.

'No. I think you are beautiful.' She tried to hide smile. 'I mean... sansa she has already adopted to the southern hair styles. We have barely been here but a few days and she is already looking the part of a southern woman.' Ned remarked. 'not that you are not a southern woman,' way to put his foot in his mouth. But sasha laughed as he became flustered.

'Braiding like that takes forever. Time i would rather spend making the seven kingdoms a safer but peaceful place. No time for braids.' She informed him taking a step forward.'I see you got some sun yesterday,' his skin red burned from the souths rising sun.

'Yes. I let my arms breathe in this heat and i suffer for it,' he joked.

'It hurt?' She questioned a finger trailing up his arm

'Ill be fine.' He assured her but he didnt pull away.

'The maesters have a cream that will help.' Sasha told him. 'I could get you some.'

'I dont want to trouble you.'

'Nonsense i would be happy to.' sasha told him as her hand dropped from him.

'Thank you sasha.'

++++++++++

'Go away!' Arya shouted

'Arya open the door,' Ned requested, she begrudgingly got up needle in hand, 'may I come in?' he questioned coming into her room closing the door behind him. 'Princess... Arya who's sword is that?' his gaze flickered from Sasha to the sword in Arya's hand. Surely Sasha wouldn't have gotten Arya a sword, not without speaking to him first.

'It's mine' arya told him.

'Give it to me,' Ned requested holding his hands 'I know this makers mark,' he noted 'this is mickers work. Where did you get this?' she didn't answer he looked to sasha but she just shook her head. 'This is no toy.' Ned reminded her 'a little lady shouldn't play with swords.'

'I wasn't playing. Sasha was helping me with my form and I don't want to be a lady!' arya exclaimed.

'Come here, I'm sorry princess would you give us a moment?'

'Of course my Lord,' she said sweetly before leaving. 'good night Arya.'

'Night Sasha.' Arya muttered.

'What do you want with this?' Ned question holding her sword up

'It's called needle,' she corrected

'a blade with a name... And who are you hoping to skewer with needle your sister? You know the first thing but sword fighting-'

'Stick them with the pointy end,' she told him

'Yes that's the essence of it.' He laughed. His little Arya was going to be a warrior.

'I was trying to learn...' She told him 'I asked Mika to practice with me. I asked him it was my fault-'

'Oh sweet girl no no you did not kill the butchers boy.' Ned reminded her.

'I hate them I hate all of them, the hound, the king and the queen and Joffrey and Sansa. I hate all of them except for Sasha she's the only one that's not evil!' arya declared

'Sansa went before the king and queen and was asked to call the prince a liar.' Ned told her.

'So? He is a liar!' Arya told her father.

'shush my darling, sansa will be married to Joffrey someday. She cannot betray him she must take his side even when he was wrong.' Ned informed her.

'But how can you let her marry someone like that?' Arya questioned

'Look at me, you are a stark of Winterfell, you know our words?'

'Winter is coming.' Arya recited.

'You were born in a long summer you have never known anything else but winter is coming.' Ned informed her. 'we must protect ourselves. Look after one other, Sansa is your sister.'

'I don't hate her' she admitted 'not really.'

'I do not want to frighten you but I won't lie to either, we have come to a dangerous place we cannot fight a war amongst ourselves.' he handed her back needle 'go on this is yours.'

'I can keep it? 'She said happily

'Try not to stab your sister with it,' Ned told her 'if you're going to own a sword you're going to need to know how to use it.'

That night sasha knocked on neds door cream in hand he opened the door his shirt off since he wasn't expecting company he was preparing for bed.

'Sasha,' he said startled.

'Im sorry i brought the cream for your burns.' She told him holding it out.

'Oh thank you.' He turned to put the cream on the table and she saw the red of his back

'Ouch' she said stepping inside. 'You lay out in the sun?'

'Took a cat nap.' Ned informed her.

'Cats sleep for a very long time,' sasha informed him. 'May i help you?' She offered picking up the cream dipping her fingers in. He hesitantly nodded. He sat down the edge of the bed he turned his back to her. Her fingers trailed up and down his back massaging in the cream he closed his eyes. Enjoying the feeling of her hands on him.