Lyanna's chambers were very grand, better than those she'd had in King's Landing. Feather bed, with rich fabrics and fine cushions, with tapestries and paintings adorning the walls. Her room even had a balcony, it's stone walls decorated with vines looping through the gaps of the stones, the balcony itself offering a wonderful view of High Garden. The only downside was they Rey and Winter had to remain on the boat, just to promise the safety of High Garden.

"Are you sure we can trust these people?" Eryk asked as he came into her room. The two of them had been given conjoined rooms.

"I'm not sure, that's why I'm going to dinner with Willas Tyrell tonight," Lyanna sighed, knowing that although she did trust Willas a small amount already, it would be hard for Eryk to trust him.

"Just you?"

"Just me, I need you to stay with the men," she told him as she sat down at the vanity table. "Get to know Casca and Cassius, see if they know of anyone else in their battalion who could be a commander. We'll need another commander for more military advice,"

"I've already heard them talk of someone, whenever they get drunk and relive war stories," Eryk said with an eye-roll, remembering the former Second Sons getting drunk on the ship.

"Well you need to find this person, make sure he's not some over-glorified butcher like some of them are," Lyanna said with a small laugh.

A knock at the door made Eryk jump. They both exchanged at look, slightly on edge. This was the way they always were when they were in a new place, even though Lyanna had decided High Garden was safe.

"Enter," she called, to see Cassius on the other side of the door, standing guard.

"It's Lord Tyrell, he's asked you to join him for a walk around the castle gardens," she said and Eryk laughed slightly.

"He's keen isn't he," he muttered, irritated already by Willas, although Lyanna smiled, feeling her stomach flutter again.

Even though Lyanna wanted nothing more than to walk with Willas, she knew it wasn't wise. She wanted to get to know him, to spend time with him, but she was already going for dinner with him and she had only just arrived back in Westeros.

"Please tell Lord Willas that I am unable to join him just yet, but I will meet him for dinner later tonight," she said with a small sigh. Cassius nodded, and shut the door.

"Are you sure you don't fancy hobbling around the gardens with a cripple?" Eryk teased, causing Lyanna to shoot him a glare.

"Don't be so rude, Eryk!" She snapped. Lyanna hated intolerance towards those with crippling injuries, especially since her brother was a cripple. "Just because he's got a bad leg doesn't mean he's not capable of being a leader,"

"I didn't say he was an incapable leader," Eryk snapped back. "All I'm saying is that you'd be a good couple, a bastard and a cripple,"

"Eryk, what the hell is wrong with you? I've only just met him!" Lyanna exclaimed, taken back. He'd never said anything like this before, what was going on?

"I saw the way he looked at you!" He yelled. "Take my advise, Lyanna, don't, just don't get involved in love. All that happens is you get hurt,"

As he stormed out the room, Lyanna couldn't help but start to cry. This was because of Alize, Eryk was still hurting. So was Lyanna, but she was having to bottle up all of her feelings. She had an army to lead, she couldn't afford to spend all of her time mourning, not that Eryk cared about that, as he decided her lack of tears meant she had no heart.

She did have a heart, and it was tearing apart. Alize was like a sister to her. They had been together through so much. Alize had helped Lyanna through so many of her troubles, in Kings Landing and the east. Sure, when she found out that Eryk and Alize were going to have a baby Lyanna felt replaced, not needed by either of them, but that didn't mean that she didn't love her dearly. Without her she felt lost. All their journey to High Garden, Lyanna had found herself asking what Alize would have wanted her to do. Lyanna would miss her for the rest of her life. 

It wasn't just Alize Lyanna had been blocking out, it was Robb too, and Bran and Rickon. Her brothers. She loved nothing more than her family and they were gone, taken away too soon, before she could ever see them again. She wondered if they missed her, if they thought of her as they died, thinking of her as a traitor, leaving them all in their moment of need. Her little brothers would have been terrified, Rickon screaming and crying for protection, Bran trying to be brave for Rickon but equally as scared. Robb, killed at a wedding when he thought he was safe. He was happy too, with a wife.

Bad things always happened to Stark's when they were happy. They were all happy at Winterfell once. Together, a family. Look where that got all of them. All of the Stark's were either dead, or wished to be. The pack survives, but there was no pack left.

***

Lyanna had spent much time crying, thinking of her brothers when it was time to go for dinner. She changed quickly into a long green dress (all the dresses that fit her were either green or gold) with short sleeves and a belt of golden fabricated flowers around her waist which led onto a train of gold fabric, flowing out like a cape as she moved. She tied her curly hair up into a braided bun on top of her hair, using a  clip embellished with the gold rose of House Tyrell to hold it in place. For the first time in at least two years she had other options for her feet than her leather boots, so Lyanna slipped on a pair of gold slippers with a small heel.

Although she didn't know the castle, Lyanna attempted to find the Lord's chambers, where she would be spending the evening. That meant she got lost several times until she eventually stumbled upon her destination. The guards at the door saw her and laughed slightly.

"You're late,"

"Yes, and I was lost too, you should invest in maps," she shot back as they opened the great oak doors.

Upon entering the chamber, saw a large table, set out formally for dinner, filled with rich dishes. Lyanna couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten a proper, sit down meal. Sat at the head of the table was Willas, dressed in gold with his hair slicked back, his beard clearly freshly trimmed. When he saw her, he made to stand, grabbing for his cane, but Lyanna raised her hand.

"Don't get up, it's fine, I'm sorry I'm so late," she apologised, going to sit down next to him.

"A good Lord must always stand when a lady enters the room," he said, pouring her a glass of wine, a small smile appearing on his face. "And I believe it is also said that a lady is never late, everyone else is just early,"

"What's their policy on traitorous bastards?" Lyanna laughed, taking the wine goblet from him.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will be the same as it is for cripples," he joked, taking Lyanna back to the extent she almost gasped. "What? You can joke about being a bastard and I can't poke fun out of a bad leg? The best way to thing of things out of your control is with jokes and jests,"

He was right, which made her smile. So few people had the confidence to laugh at their own misfortune, like she did. She would always joke about being a bastard, whilst Jon saw it as a hinderance. Willas was just like her, although he wasn't a bastard but had an injured leg, but he wore it the same way Lyanna did, with almost a sense of pride. It was who he was, why should he hide or act like it wasn't part of him?

As they ate courses of chicken and herb soup, roasted lamb in honey sauce with roasted potatoes and parsnips, Lyanna occasionally looked up to Willas to see he was watching her. He was looking at her, but not like she was an object or a piece of meat similar to the lamb they were eating, the way Joffrey always treated her, but he was looking at her curiously. It was like she was a recently discovered treasure, that he couldn't take his eyes off, caught up in his interest in her and who she was. There was something about him that made Lyanna want to trust him, but she hated that she felt that way. She'd been through hell, but yet she was so willing to break down her walls, take down her guard for this man?

"What do you want from me?" Lyanna asked suddenly, putting down her cutlery, looking Willas in the eye.

"Nothing, nothing at all," he frowned, confused.

"You don't want to hand me over to the Lannisters? To Joffrey? You don't want me dead like the rest of the country probably does?" Lyanna raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think you know Westeros as well as you act," Willas smiled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that when you married the Prince, the country rejoiced," He began explaining. "A bastard to be queen, they felt like one of their own was rising up high, and they loved you because of how down to earth you were. They loved your strength. When you bore the kingdoms a son, the people cheered, for it meant a strong king was coming, a good ruler for Westeros was going to be raised by the princess, who they knew would be the best queen since the Targaryen Queens, who were so beautiful and kind. When news of your torture came from the Red Keep, people cursed under their breaths for Joffrey to suffer, for how dare he hurt their Queen, who they loved and adored? When Baelor occurred, they did not cry for your father but they cried for you, since they knew that his death would bring you nothing but pain. When your son was murdered in cold blood, they wept and cursed Joffrey and the rest of the Lannisters. When Cersei had the news broken that you'd gone mad and hung yourself, they hated the Lannisters with a passion, especially their own king and Queen regent who'd brought you nothing but pain and suffering.

"But now... Now you're back, and those who cried for you and toasted for your name with whiskey and rum will cheer and wave your banners again, the way they used to. The name Lyanna Stark inspires them, lights fires in their hearts, even in the south, so imagine how the northern people feel about you. As Lord of High Garden, it is my job to rule justly and keep my people happy, and if Lyanna Stark makes them happy, then why would I send her to her death? As strong as a wolf is, a lone wolf stands no chance in the middle of the pride of lions,"

Lyanna was taken back. She never knew the people of Westeros admired her, looked up to her. Why did they love her like that? She knew she would have been a terrible Queen in Kings Landing, but those in Kings Landing obviously didn't share that opinion with her. If they liked her in the south, they must love her in the north. That would make taking back Winterfell a lot easier if they liked her and not the Boltons.

"Lord Willas, do you share the opinion of the people about me?"

"No, I believe that instead of you being Queen of Westeros, I think that you should follow your brother's lead and make the north a separate domain, with you as the Queen in the North, and if that's what you wish to do, then the Reach will support you and the north,"

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Word count: 2055
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