Family Secrets and Desires

Family Ties

Her eyes glossed over the gray walls of Winterfell castle, from where she looked as the carriage rode closer Wintertown.

It had taken her four months to reach the north, with a brief stop of three months in the Riverlands due to being sick, as she ran her hand over the swell of her belly. She knew she was with child before she managed to secure a ship going to Lannisport and from there another ship that took her no further than the Riverlands.

Feared gripped her the moment the carriage she rode from White Harbor to Winterfell finally came to a stop in front of the small town square, as Lyanna docked as she exited the carriage keeping her head low. Se would need to find a room inside one of the Taverns around Wintertown.

The fear of coming face to face lord Rickard Stark worried her more than anything else.

Already imagining what their conversation would entail. It would either lead to him shunning away a daughter who ran away from home at seventeen only to return a year and a half later heavy with child.

Fighting away the tears that had already started clouding her vision, as she started walking away from prying eyes. The north was the largest kingdom of Westeros but not many lived there due to the cold isolating winters. For this reason, many in the north married of the north and everyone for the most part knew each other and what clan they belonged to. The same was true for the gossipers who lived and did business in Wintertown.

She would need to find a Tavern first, begging the gods of the north that the Tavern keeper or no one else there would recognize the she-wolf of Winterfell.

Lyanna stood outside an alley as she kept her head down with her hooded cloaked securely hiding the swell of her belly away from prying eyes. Wintertown was still crowded with many, looking to purchase foods in the small market or just looking to have a good time in one of the three Brothels.

The longer she stood there, the more Lya wondered if she should just leave the north once and for all. But with little to no money remaining she knew she had no choice but to suck up what little pride she still had remaining, as she crossed the street under the evening sky, heading straight towards the small Tavern she had been eyeing for the last few hours.

She knew this was one of the Inn's her brother Brandon normally frequented when he wanted to be discreet with one of the northern lords' daughters. Always paying the Tavern keeper a few coins to keep his mouth shut.

Walking towards that said man, with her head still covered, willing herself not to shake in fear at being recognized by him, she had seen him a few times inside Winterfell's great halls whenever he came to seek an audience with her lord father. The man was much on the eyes, he had dirt blond hair and blue-green eyes. She could tell he was no older than at least fifty, if she was a betting woman, she would guess that would be his age.

"How can I help you lass?" the man asked as he squinted his beady eyes at her, trying to see if he recognized who she was.

Dipping her head lower trying to avoid his prying eyes, "I'd like a room" she replied sternly.

"How long you plan on staying lass?"

Sighing to herself then, it would depend on my lord father she wanted to say, but instead only replied "not long, maybe a few days the most."

The man frowned then; northerners were never inclined to strangers "it's going to be hundred gold coins.

"What?" she blurted out, there was no way it cost that much especially in a shit of a Tavern like this one, where mostly married lords took their whores in.