Chapter Text
WINTERFELL, 278 AC
Lord Rickard Stark was sitting in his solar reading the letter that had arrived that morning from King’s Landing. He could not comprehend the matter nor keep his anger in control after reading the letter. His only daughter was to wed Lord Tywin Lannister in 3 moons on the King’s order. A man almost his age and who had children older than his daughter.
It was not only a slight against the Starks but the North. He knew nobody in the North or his household would react well to this command, especially his children.
King’s Landing, 278 AC
Tywin Lannister was not a man to be messed with and he had proved that time and again. He wanted to kill Aerys when he announced in the Throne Room that he was to wed a child of 15. He had no plans of marrying after the death of his wife, the only woman he had ever loved and will love. But he knew that he could not go against the King’s order especially when it had already been announced and ravens been sent.
According to the King’s order, he was to go north in 2 weeks and come back with a northern wife. A child, younger than his own children. He couldn’t even imagine how his family would react to this. The havoc this order would create not only in the Westerlands but also in the North.
WINTERFELL, 278 AC (2 moons later)
“Lyanna, Are you ready? Riders have spotted the Lannister banners. They would be here soon. Father wants everybody in the courtyard for their arrival.”
“How do I look, Ben?”
“Beautiful sister……You know that if you say no just once, we’d find a way to break this betrothal. Maybe we could escape and go beyond the Wall or to the Free Cities”
“It’s okay Ben, we all know that we cannot disobey the King. The whole of North would suffer for it. Maybe this is my duty to our house and to the north.”
Benjen stood silently not knowing what to reply
“Come on, let's go.”
THE COURTYARD
As soon as the riders with Lannister banners entered the courtyard, everybody stood in silence glaring the men that had arrived in the courtyard. Tywin Lannister was not a man worthy of their Winter Rose according to the northerners, considering his reputation and actions during the Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion.
Tywin Lannister glanced through the crowd, looking at all the stoned faces. And then his eyes fell upon the northern beauty he was to marry. There was no doubt about his soon-to-be wife’s beauty. Had Aerys not ordered he wed her maybe she would have a beautiful wife for his son Jaime not that it mattered now.
He climbed off his horse making his way to the Starks.
Lord Rickard Stark came forward to introduce his family,
“Welcome to Winterfell, Lord Hand. Hope your journey was well and without any difficulties”
“Thank you, Lord Stark. Indeed the journey was uneventful.”
“May I introduced my children…. My heir Brandon, my youngest son Benjen and my only daughter and your betrothed Lady Lyanna.”
He nodded at both the Stark brothers and was looking to greet his betrothed when Lord Stark continued, “My second son Eddard shall be here in a week. He is being fostered in Vale.”
Tywin could not move his gaze from Lyanna who would look everywhere but at him.
He stepped forward to greet his betrothed, “Lady Lyanna, it is a pleasure to meet. You are just as beautiful as the whispers say…..indeed a Winter Rose”
Lyanna then looked him in the eye for the first time since he arrived Winterfell,
“Lord Hand, it is an honor to meet you”