𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄 | Surprise

{ Lyra }

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𝕿he royal army was quick to set up camp outside the walls of Winterfell, pitching tents and starting fires at Jaime's command. Lyra and Tylar stayed on their horses, watching the Unsullied, Dothraki and the Northern armies build the fortifications around the castle in wonder.

It was all beginning to feel very real for Lyra, who took a deep breath and squared her shoulders once more. Slipping off Blanche, Lyra handed the horse to an awaiting soldier, as Tylar came to stand on the other side of her.

"Are you alright?" He asked gently, watching the queen chew on her lips. He knew that she only did that when she was nervous.

"I don't know why, all of a sudden, I am scared." Tylar squeezed her shoulders, sending her a warm smile. "Why am I scared, Tylar?"

"It's natural, Your Grace." Tylar and her began to walk towards Winterfell, which had it's gates flung wide open. "We haven't been back in a while."

"Aye. Eight years." Lyra shook her head, wondering how time had moved so fast. She could still remember running around these very corridors when she was a young girl. "Can you believe that?"

"We have been busy in those eight years," Tylar reminded her, both of them looking at the Dothraki and Unsullied in awe. "So has everyone else, I suppose."

"You're right." Jaime caught up with them, the trio walking through the gate and into the main courtyard of the castle. Elia appeared, curling around Lyra's waist as she looked around. Everything was just as she remembered, though far more full of people than when she was last here.

"Come. They'll be in the main hall," Lyra spoke quickly, leading the two men into the main part of the castle. The closer they got to the hall, the more nervous Lyra became, but Elia pushed herself into Lyra's hip to try and give her some comfort.

The large doors were closed, hiding her siblings and the main part of the court from her. Two Stark guards stood at the door, watching them with cautious eyes. She supposed that Jaime was easily recognized from his golden hand and blond hair, but Tylar and her had not been back for a long time and she looked far from a Stark at that moment. A Stark would not hide herself behind closed doors, especially not when her family was on the other side.

"Open the doors." Tylar turned to the men, speaking on behalf of Lyra. The soldiers paused, before opening the doors for the trio. Lyra rolled her shoulders, taking a deep breath and setting her chin as the hall was revealed.

It fell quiet at the intrusion, as everyone turned to look at them. Lyra smiled gently, far too used to a lot of eyes on her, as her siblings came into view.

In the centre of the main table sat Robb, in their father's old chair. An iron crown was on top of his curly hair, and he had stubble across his face, but the bright blue eyes were still the same as when they were teens. Beside him was a dark haired woman, with calculating eyes and a similar iron crown resting on her brow, that Lyra assumed was Robb's wife, Eliza. She tilted her head as they appeared, one eyebrow slowly cocking in question.

Jon was to the right of Eliza, with Aoife next to him, both of whom were sending her reassuring smiles. On the left of Robb sat Sansa, and Lyra felt her smile widen at the sight of her sister, all grown up. She was taller now, her face thinner and she now wore the Stark sigil with pride but Lyra still saw the same Sansa that she adored in her face. Next to her, was a teenager in a wheelchair, and Lyra's eyes widened at the sight of Bran. He was completely changed from the boy who had been pushed from the window eight years ago.

She stepped into the room, past the Northern lords and ladies, who regarded her with cool glares. Her siblings hadn't made a move yet, and Lyra wasn't sure why, but she continued anyway.

"Brother," Lyra smiled as Elia came to stand next to her, the direwolf surveying them all with golden eyes. If there was any doubt of who she was before hand, it was all swept away at the sight of the wolf. Only the Stark children had direwolves. "I brought the Baratheon army to come and fight for the living, as promised."

Robb didn't say anything, and Lyra felt her heart clench, before he stood from his seat. He stepped around his wife and the rest of their siblings, striding towards Lyra as she watched him. She feared his reaction deep down, not knowing how he felt especially after so many years apart, and so much having gone on.

"Lyra," He muttered, a grin forming on his face, before holding his arms out to hug the girl. Lyra wrapped her arms back around him, tightening her grip as the two eldest siblings clung to each other. She took a deep breath, fighting back tears as he pressed a kiss to her head. "You've grown."

"I could say the same thing." She laughed, though it was choked with tears. "I guess you won't be bowing to me now considering we're both royals."

"A bizarre coincidence." Robb shook his head, tightening his hold further as if to remind himself that she was real. "We've both come far."

"Aye, we have."

"I can not believe that you're here." He pulled back from her, still smiling, before catching sight of Tylar and laughing. "Tylar Cassel, still alive I see."

"Robb Stark." Tylar grinned, before shaking hands with Robb and patting him on the back. "The Gods tried to kill me, but it never sticks."

"Thank you for coming." Robb looked at both of them, before turning to Jaime. "But why did you bring Jaime Lannister?"

"Because he leads the Baratheon army and I trust him." Lyra spoke slowly, ruffling Elia's fur as the wolf sat down.

"He pushed Bran from the window." Robb muttered. Bran looked up at his name, as shocked whispers echoed around the room. Jaime looked embarrassed, chewing on his cheek but Lyra stood firm. "Lyra..."

"He's done wrong, I know, but he's changed." Lyra looked her brother straight in the eye as he cocked an eyebrow. "He has changed. We would not bring him here if he hadn't."

"He killed my father." Daenerys spoke, and Lyra turned to look at the woman. She seemed out of place in the hall, her hair bright against the dark stone. "He stabbed him in the back and cut his throat, then sat on the Iron Throne and watched him bleed out."

"We were at war," Jaime spoke. "Everything I did, I did for my house and my family. I thought I was doing what was best at the time."

"I vouch for him." Lyra turned to look at Robb. "Tylar and I will vouch for him. He has helped both of us and Sansa. Without him, Brienne would have never gotten the armour or sword to ride North. Tyrion would not have escaped being killed after supposedly being guilty for attempted regicide."

"If you trust him, then he can stay." Robb nodded his head, turning to look at Aoife. "As the Queen beyond the Wall, what say you?"

"We need all the men we can get," Aoife replied, leaning back in her chair. "If Lyra trusts him, then I do as well."

The three rulers turned to face Daenerys, who was chewing on her lip, but in the end she nodded hesitantly.

"I'm glad that is settled," Lyra replied, watching Daenerys and her entourage walk out of the room. The lords and ladies followed, leaving only the Stark family. As the last person left the room, the siblings all began to smile once more. "I can not believe that you are King in the North."

Robb laughed, hugging his sister tightly once more, before letting go of her so that Jon could pull her into a hug.

"How was the journey up?" He asked, pressing a kiss to her head as the trio stood together. It had been too long since they were all around each other, and Lyra had missed it.

"Long and tiring and painful and I have longed for a hot bath and good food since I left." Lyra smiled, before shrugging. "Other than that, relatively boring."

"That's a relief." Jon and Robb smiled, before both of them turned to Tylar to grin and catch up with the man, who they used to train with.

"Lyra. You're alright." The woman turned at Sansa's voice, before holding her arms out for her little sister to run into. "I was so worried after leaving you there, but you're okay."

"Of course I am, Little One." Sansa seemed to clutch onto her tighter at the nickname. "Joff has made sure that I was alright but I was incredibly worried about you. We were keeping our eyes and ears open for anything about you so when that letter from Jon reached us, I was so thankful."

"I missed you." Sansa mumbled, trying not to cry. "I miss King's Landing and Elia and Joffrey and Tylar and Arah. I missed Margaery and Olenna."

"So do I." Lyra smiled, before pulling back to brush some of Sansa's hair from her face. "But you had to go because I wasn't able to keep you safe. I'm so sorry that you couldn't stay."

"It's alright."

"But you can come back whenever you like," Lyra murmured. "I'm sure Mikael, Margaery and Tommas will want to meet their aunt."

"Really? I can come back?" Lyra nodded as Sansa lit up at the words.

"If it isn't my favourite Stark." Sansa let go of Lyra, turning to smile at Tylar, who picked her up into a hug an swung her around, eliciting a laugh from the young woman. "You've grown. Stop it. You're too tall."

"Hello Bran." Lyra turned to the last of her siblings present, smiling at Bran as he wheeled over to her side.

"Lyra," Bran spoke softly, a smile growing on his face as Lyra leant down to press a kiss to his head. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. I should have asked if bringing Jaime was okay, can you forgive me for that?" He squeezed her hand, nodding.

"I've been meaning to talk to him." She nodded her head, pressing another kiss to his cheek, before turning to quickly hug Aoife. The Wildling woman looked as intimidating as ever, but her smile was warm and she was laughing.

"You are a sight for sore eyes." Aoife smiled. "I've heard all the stories that these lot tell twice over, so I'm sure you can provide me with some new ones."

"Of course." Lyra grinned once more, finding the Wildling woman intriguing. "As long as you let me meet my nieces and nephews."

"Please, they'll be clamouring to play with your wolf." Aoife rolled her eyes. "Ghost realised that soon enough and makes himself scarce."

"Elia will play with them. She normally plays with Mikael at home." Lyra smiled at her wolf, who was enjoying the attention from Sansa, Bran, Robb and Jon. "But you might struggle to get her off of my siblings."

"I'm sure we will." Lyra turned at the new voice, finding Eliza standing beside them. The woman was taller than both her and Aoife, a smile on her face though the calculating look stayed in her eyes. "It'll only take three things."

"What's that?"

"Children, wife, bribery." Eliza's grin widened, before turning back to Lyra. "It's a pleasure to finally meet in person. I've heard a lot about you."

"If the stories have been from Robb and Jon, then I highly doubt that they were good ones." Lyra shook her head, before embracing the woman. "It's so good to put a face to the name."

"Aye, it is." Her Northern accent twanged as she spoke. "I bet it's nice to be back home once more."

"You have no idea." The three women stood together, looking out at the remainder of the Stark family. "I didn't realise how much I missed it until I came back."

"That's often the case." Aoife shrugged. "But now we're all here together, to fight the dead."

"Not the greatest way to come home, I can imagine." Eliza shook her head. "But you are here and that's what matters."

"Aye, I'm home now." The women all smiled at each other, as Elia panted and came back to Lyra's side. Finally, the last direwolf had come back to the den.

Hiya,

My favourite sibling trio is back together and my new favourite trio of Westerosi queens (Aoife, Eliza and Lyra) are all together. This chapter is super soft for Lyra reuniting with her siblings and the chaos is going to be great. What are you predications for this part of the book, I'm kind of interested?

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx